Besides a few clouds, there was a clear sky. The birds were singing. Alfea bustled as always in the afternoon with students on their breaks. The Joined Track had just come from Herbology class with Eldora. With the greenhouse in their backs, the Fairies aimed for Alfea. Everyone split up, heading for their own schools. A big mission on the horizon had them on edge or fired up, and they all had to pack their stuff. Blade had bolted ahead with a few friends as she had to get something for Marbel from her room.
"Hey, wait up! Urgh…" Amber shook her head, her firey hair shaking. "She'll burn out before we even get our mission." She gave up. Her hand slowly sank.
Marble grumbled this discussion was going nowhere. The energy lines adorning her Zenith bodysuit always hummed quietly, "Just saying, a prophecy be nice. It at least would give us something to go on." She gestured annoyed.
"You mean like, a Dark Fairy will descent from the past, open the door to powers so new and head scrambling that the worlds be dazzled and many, many hours of extra training will be bestowed upon the chosen one, muhahahahaha…." Birdy chuckled of course with every new information and not always better stuff to talk about Shadion was an all-time favourite topic.
Tasu rolled her eyes, brushing through her light blue hair, "That would defeat the entire purpose of ERASING the Dark Fairies from history. Where there is a prophecy there is a lead. One clearly NOT wanted."
"Still be cool though," Sienna noted scrating Clue's cheek. "Right?"
The blond Pixie pulled out a magnifying glass way too big for her and held it against the sky observing a cloud, "I … don't know… most prophecies are only spoken as a warning of a great evil's return…like kingdoms in peril, people breaking out of seals and prison dimensions… however – give me a clue and I, Clue, the greatest detective of all times will unravel it!" She spiked the mood of the Fairies who giggled at her antics as she rose the magnifying glass like a sword to battle. "Hey! I mean that!"
Blade just rushed through the front gate. The long bending arks, glistening in the sun, peaceful as ever, only the wing ornaments gave an inkling about the greatness of the lily flower gate wings currently retracted. Already turning right to aim for her room, she nearly sprinted past the figure of grandeur.
"Blade, a moment," Faragonda reached out with her calming magic to guide her Fairy a few steps back and towards the guest, who had caught the eye of some students who stayed closer but far enough not to get shooed away.
"Huh?" Blade was always irritated by that tingling that crept in when Faragonda was around inside school walls. It was very similar to what Grandmaster Parcival could do, although on a more intimate level. Something that spoke to the Fairy in her. Her body turned almost on its own as she skitted to a hold.
"No running on school grounds!" Griselda's voice echoed off at the far end of the stairs.
Blade was about to apologise as she realised it wasn't her that was being admonished. Her eyes fell instead on the visitor. She had seen that face. 'Is that? What is he doing here…?' A slight tension rushed through her fingertips unseen by the guest. Her chest tightened.
"Greetings, Miss Ashfallow," A gentle nod with an unnerving calm. Ashfar's hands folded on his back as the many golden bracelets invoke the image of snakes embedded with the occasional gem or crystal jingled. His posture of a noble and yet the straightness of a soldier hidden within. Long black cascading hair clashed with his fine Desertian silks and was softened with the unpretentious golden diadem. His yellow eyes settled on the girl. "If I may introduce myself. I'm Minister of Interior Affairs of Desertia. You may call me Minister Ashfar."
Faragonda stepped a bit closer as if encroaching on the space between them, raising an invisible wall that subjugated his strong magical presence with her own like an eclipse with the ease and slyness of a Fairy Godmother. "The Minister would like to voice a request in the interest of his Kingdom. It is an unannounced visit. There is no reason to be nervous." She pushed her glasses back, giving him a reprimanding look, a last warning. And promptly, his magical presence was concealed again.
"Okay? Greetings, Minister Ashfar," Blade gave a nod back instead of a curtsy, much to his dislike, yet he also seemed happy about it. 'Fuck. What is he doing here!?' She had checked up on the name, of course. After all, she had found it so important to write it down on a stick. A quick search of the name in the MagicWeb had easily ended in his newspaper pictures. She had no clue, though, who exactly he was. An enemy for sure. 'I should have written myself more…' She focused back on the matter at hand. "So, what is the request? I doubt my abilities are of any worth to you. Desertia still has plenty of capable Faries."
"Indeed we have. No, I am in need of something you still possess. The diadem ring of Desertia," Ashfar spoke gently his voice laced with a certain sadness and call back of different times.
Blade's blood froze. Shanna had been right and they had barely managed to deal with the ring in time. "I'm sorry, I can't help you. If that is all." She already turned to leave again.
Ashfar stepped closer with purpose drawing the headmistress with him, "I am afraid that won't do. The diadem ring is a national treasure. It belongs to Desertia. Everyone knows what you did for Desertia, Miss Ashfallow. This is not in question-" He gestured invitingly and yet with purpose.
"I can't. JEWELS'S ring is not in my possession. I can't give what I don't have," Blade blocked yet again. Her tone got sharper. 'It's worthless to them. Just another shitty political scuffle.' She held her breath she had to get it right this time.
Ashfar breathed out slowly a bit playful as if talking to a child, "I understand the personal value, the importance. It's just not feasible that you, a citizen of Zenith carry the diadem rin-"
Blade bared her teeth, "Her NAME was Jewels!" She balled her fists. Her shoulders rose in tension. "JEWELS. QUEEN of Desertia." Barely restrained herself. "Is it that so hard? Or are you that keen on erasing her from history?" Of course, she could play it cool. Stick to etiquette, maybe even using her advantages. Nonetheless, Amal had told her often enough that it was beneficial to invoke to be weaker than the reality was. A feint had a higher success rate of striking a critical hit if only the enemy fell for it.
"Blade, calm yourself, no one is erasing the past," Faragonda didn't look surprised at all. She had expected Blade to go off the rails at that phishing attempt. 'That girl…' She'd use more magic to calm her emotions, however, Ashfar was not only a minister but a skilled Wizard of the desertian army, he'd notice and that would harm Blade politically a lot more.
"Wouldn't be the first time," Blade spat back crossing her arms in defiance. Her dreadlock ponytail granted her face sharp edges as her eyes narrowed. She was facing Faragonda but her focus was on Ashfar.
Faragonda with a soothing voice turned halfway to Ashfar, "Apologies, the mysteries of Shadion are not easily stomached."
"Ah, I understand, it wasn't my intention to hit a sore spot," Ashfar lifted his chin slightly, his poker face not giving away much of his thoughts. This was going well for him, no doubt about it.
It was a politician's apology without the truly important word. A repeat of what he did when talking about the ring. Blade ground her teeth about to say something, but she couldn't run blindly into every word trap, "… …..Well, if that was all, I-"
"It is not; please understand, this is not a hostile visit. Even if you like to believe Desertia is full of enemies. That lies in the past. One that is mourned deeply by Desertia, all of Desertia." He was part of that. He countered her coming jab before she could even voice it. "There is much unrest within the Kingdom. I never stated anything different in any interview. Miss Ashfallow, the ring is needed to calm the fronts." The composure was like a radiating halo around him.
Blade grinned, "To get rid of Madu." She corrected. "The mere Farmer who dares to aspire to be more. Another lowly born to be dethroned." She overshadowed his words, her turn. "The ring is bloodbound. It holds no value in that regard. That should be obvious. Some people just stay desperate." Her thumb of the hidden hand beneath the arm pinched into her fingers.
"I see you are informed to some degree," Ashfar had a tuck at the corner of his lips. It didn't make him falter or even stumble. "However, that is not the full scale of it, Miss Ashfallow. As you said, the diadem ring is supposedly bloodbound. I know that is the official knowledge and statement of former King Rock. He was a great smith, Desertia owes him much. His studies into desertian artefacts are unparalleled. That still begs the question of how much of the old craft he truly had reclaimed. His forge was excavated and what is left of his knowledge is incomplete, both, in what survived the Coup'de tat and his studies in themselves." He paused shortly. "Politically, no matter what, their only choice was to say it was bloodbound to the royal bloodline. It was the Crown Princess's ring at the time. They had to state it as such. Today, it is indisputable that the Crown Princess wasn't Queen Amethyst's child. She was adopted. Therefore the entire statement is in question."
"Wrong. JEWELS was their beloved child. Anyone claiming to say she wasn't their child is an asshole who has no concept of love," Blade shot harshly back. 'Such a … urgh….' She should stay calmer she knew that. If she didn't know how important this was, she probably had jumped his throat.
"My mistake, not her child by blood, I thought that was obvious," Ashfar answered fainting obliviousness with the ever slightest nod of an apology as his eyes shortly darted to Faragonda. He couldn't overdo it either. "Still, politically, questions are unanswered. If it is blood-bond then a new ring for the new King and Queen could potentially be crafted using the current one as a reference. Sadly, she was an orphan with no one left to care for her. A succession from Jewels's bloodline is impossible." He stared straight into her eyes, prying into her soul. "I fear, even then, that would not quill my Kingdoms unrest."
Blade didn't answer that question, neither with words nor in telltales. Instead, she sunk her gaze and drew on the hurt of her friend's death or maybe it was her true feelings that crawled from deep below to the surface. "She died alone…and I couldn't save her… if I-"
Faragonda stepped in, reaching for her hand to console her, "You were right at her side, Blade. You did everything in your power." She placed a firm hand on her shoulder to ground her, "No one could save her; this wasn't your fault." She gave her an uplifting squint. "Nonetheless, what Minister Ashfar says is true. Jewels's ring is a national treasure. She died for her Kingdom, fighting as a proud Queen to save her people. It may or may not answer questions. Jewels will never be forgotten, Blade. The ring is dear to you and your friends. And I feel for you, it still belongs to Desertia. It can help Regent Madu and Shawaka. With it being blood-bound," She had no doubt about that, "it will silence a lot of the opposition. The Minister is not your enemy even if it may seem that way. And he should have come officially and not unannounced." She voiced loudly. Their discussion had drawn some eyes. The school was full of gossiping nobles and royals after all. "I know Jewels would never have lied to you. If she told you the ring was bloodbound then that is the truth." She lifted gently lifted her chin. "Jewels's is with you, no matter where you go. A ring is just a thing – an important thing. But it's nothing compared to your memories, the friendship. Sometimes letting go is the right thing to do. You need peace to quill that anger inside you. And Desertia needs peace to be rebuilt. You're not betray-"
"Are you two dense!?" Blade pushed away her voice rising. This was the perfect timing. Ashfar wouldn't say more than she already knew. He just was too good at this game and it was too early to tip the hand. "I TOLD YOU, I DON'T HAVE IT!" She went on distant breaking the subtle weave Faragonda had used to keep her calm. Finally getting access to all her emotional turmoil.
"Miss, this is not the proper w-" Ashfar raised his hands in surrender. His eyes, for the first time, sparkled with satisfaction when no one looked.
"NO. You come here in 'peace' and don't listen. I don't have the ring! WE don't have the ring! I CANNOT GIVE WHAT I DO NOT POSSESS!" Blade stepped back her magic radiating from her to break any chance of Faragonda's intervention. 'And now with more emotions…' She whispered in her mind it sounded so familiar. She couldn't place it.
"Easy," Ashfar fainting innocence in this mess to the public eye letting her glow weaker, "I came here to avoid public dispute from the start. No one needs that." His voice only slightly growing louder. "You can't expect people to believe you lost-"
"BUT I DID!" Blade roared so that even the last person inside the library could hear it. "We were so damn busy with the hearing! And then that fucking Reaper attack! Fake or not, the entire track turned to rubble! You want the stupid ring!?" She dug her nails into her palms the jaws grinding on each other. She recalled all of it. Jewels, her smile, the giant boulder. The beauty of her Enchantix. The clanking sound of the crown on the collapsing tunnel floor as the avalanche was about to bury her. "IT'S GONE! I LOST IT! We searched! It was nowhere to be found! I LOST IT- OKAY?! I- STUPID SO FUCKING STUPID!" She bellowed as she bent over while her hands reached to wrap around her but fell just short of it in a beastly stance. Her face was tear-struck and convulsing.
"You-" Ashfar was spellbound for a short moment. "Lost it? A national treasure. Jewels's ring, the one thing left of your dead friend?" He couldn't read her. The tale to grand to be true and yet. His eyes squinted trying to discern truth from fabrication. "That's impossible…" His voice was above a whisper as his head shook in disbelief. This couldn't be true, it had to be false.
"We had better things to do! A coup! Philopa! SAVING OUR FRIENDS!" Blade's voice gave out. All words stuck in her throat. Like an ogre, she stood there towering in rage. It burned like fire as she managed to press out more words, "You want that stupid thing! Why not ask the TRAITORS!? THE ASSASINS! It was there! It was…" Her voice broke yet again. "It was gone afterwards… And that stupid BITCH, PHILOPA, is nothing but a brain-fried zombie! SHE must know where they brought it! That FAKE-QUEEN; FUCKING RETARD OF A NOBLE FAINTING TO LOVE ANYTHING BUT POWER!" Oh, how good it felt to voice it. To scream it out into the world for everybody to hear. She is no longer bound by etiquette by behaving herself. To just roar a dragon's roar! Her skin prickled. The heat in every fibre of muscles. It felt so natural, so righteous. She felt the stir in the entire school. Spotted the white tips of Avalon's jacket. The unsure and baffled gaze of Ashfar weighed heavily on her. Faragonda was speechless next to her.
Yet before anyone could react. A purple streak from above. That hammered into the ground right next to Blade. White coat. White fangs. White skin. Fully black eyes. "STOP SHOUTING!" She roared back as she chopped on Blade's head. Her tribal her a tight fit, not one strant out of place. "By the Great Dragon, what are you!? A Manta Flyer from the Army of Darkness?!" She rubbed her ear, she still could see other nobles squeaking in phantom pain and now backing off from their bad attempts of pretending not eavesdropping. "If you have time to scream, you must be done with preparations. Do you think the next mission will be a cakewalk, fucking kids!?" She pulled the dazzled Blade up by her ear. "Take this damn course seriously!" She yanked her towards the buildings.
"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!" Her rage was forgotten in the stinging pain. Her pinch on the earlobes was inescapable. 'Where the fuck did she come from!?'
Fane had already dragged Blade past Ashfar within seconds. The minister turned after he shook off the surprise, "Marksmen Fane, what are you-?"
"I TEACH here," She hissed back. "Now move it pipsqueak before I set your arse on fire!" She pushed Blade further away from that guy. 'What kind of shit show is this…? Urgh, Grandmaster will have my head for this if I don't pull the numbskull out of this disaster.' Purple magic crackled as a tail formed and whipped after Blade, cracking in the air. The shockwave flung the Fairy over the promenade railing.
"Oh, yes, right." He pulled on his desertian robes to centre himself. "I wasn't finish-" Ashfar started clearly off his game trying to get a foot into the door again.
Fane flashed a glare, "Do that on your OWN damn time. Unless this 'unofficial' official visit isn't so unofficial. Bypassing Council protocol is unseemly, Minister Ashfar. And as a military Commander, one would expect you to have a sense for the chain of command." She pulled out a fire paper, the ones used by the Hunter Division, ready to send an urgent message. "I am sure Councillor Votzaak is here within a second to oblige to a sanctioned meeting if an accusation is to be made about one of the citizens of Zenith harbouring another Kingdom's national artefact against Kingdom claims. You better find it then, right now, in HER room. Or this will be a costly misstep souring Zenith's relief efforts for Desertia. So? – Am I calling him? Or. Not? " Her words bit into his every claim and foothold. Crudely but very effective.
"Not necessary," Ashfar raised a hand to calm the rampaging Vampire Lady. He wasn't sure what was more scary, her sudden entrance or the fact that possibly the girl truly had lost the ring. He would have considered jumping on the offer to search the girl's room right this moment. But either it was lost or, 'She's playing me….which means it's not in there, most likely.' He gave a deep bow to the Headmistress, "My deepest apologies for the scene. I did not expect such a revelation. I had hoped for a friendly solution without… the official fuss…" He looked around this was bad for the both of them, but him cornering a Fairy student of Alfea in front of the prodigy of the Zenith Councillor and not backing up his claims when being called out was a heavy blow that would make rounds. And Blade, if she lost the ring, lie or not, her own statement held a dooming prospect for her. 'She left Nebula out of it, claiming it was her fault…this will make it even harder to…' His thoughts drifted. His distaste for the Vampire Lady never flashed through. With his regained perfect composure, he gave another bow and departed with quickened steps.
Faragonda breathed out deeply, "Save travels. I will talk to her," She promised, her voice trailing off. It was more niceties than anything else. Her eyes narrowed on Fane, who waltzed over to Blade. 'Her fighting forms are graceful, but her hits are fierce… Using Votzaak as a threat… typical for the Hunter Division. Sometimes I wonder his Council work has more to do with his own Order than with Zenith…' However, with one hand, she reached for her red jade brooch on her chest and took a deep breath. Either way, Fane had saved Blade's butt. She still felt her classmates hiding behind the school's walls.
"Hey, ouch!" Blade complained at the promenade as Fane clawed into her shoulders dragging her inside.
"Shut. Up," Fane grumbled once and the Fairy fell into silence as the vampire hauled her student into the teachers' lounge cause of lack of a better option away from the shit show of noble gossip that erupted like a quiet storm.
Professor Avalon even had waited until she was in range before he walked inside himself and turned left next to the door waiting next to Palladium who was unamused, to say the least. "Give her a second," He whispered to his best friend.
Fane stampeded in with Blade in tow and pushed her on a free chair in range. A loud groan as she wiped over her face. To call this a mess was an understatement.
Wizgiz glanced forth and back between all present with a knowing smirk, "Funny, how you leapt out of the window into the forest," pointed to the waving curtains in the wind and with the other towards the entrance, "just to return through the door with a rioting Fairy. Not sure if I call that a masterful exit or entrance. Maybe a pass-through?" He chuckled already lighting the mood as he traced the edge of his hat like some cool cowboy mimicking Votzaak. "Truly exceptional speed. Colour me impressed."
Blade stared confused at the window but that wasn't her concern right now. 'This was – awesome. Thank you, Fane, I couldn't have hoped for a better pullout.' She breathed out almost blissfully. This had gone just as planned, at least as much as one could plan such things.
"This isn't funny, Wizgiz," Palladium slammed his hand on the desk, "Please tell me you haven't truly lost-"
Fane rolled her eyes, "Of course she did! She's a dumb child! And Elfes always fuck up when it's important. Guards, my ass. Anything smaller than a courtyard statue they lose."
"You take that back!" Palladium turned his glare towards the Vampire, "Unlike you Division lot the Council Guard-"
"Lose their freaking wards inside a Horror Slime. Real smart," Fane crossed her arms high and mighty.
"You-!" Palladium was one strand short of summoning his sabre.
Fane snorted as her fang flashed, "Truth hurts, doesn't it? Never would have happened with me. They are just too damn slow."
"Says the speed demon…" Avalon scoffed under his hand. A sideglance as he checked Blade's aura. Of course a lot of red and turmoil in the patterns however also a flicker of a hopeful or rather smug green. If she didn't look so dishevelled and gloomy at the desk he'd think her satisfied. 'Well, it does feel good to scream bottled-up emotions into the world…' His hand tugged Palladium backwards as his other hand reached inside his suit jacket and pulled out a protein bar.
Only the ruffling papers on the desks gave an inkling that Fane had moved. To the bare eye, the bar had teleported right to her teeth after all they stood five feet apart. With a chewing mouth, she noted pleasurably.
"Since when are you in possession of uneaten food…?" Palladium stared in disbelief at Fane, this was a miracle, too good to be true. the last sheets settled. His eyes wandered over his shoulder Avalon's coat still was lifted. "Of course, how could I expect anything else…?" He pinched his nose bridge.
Avalon smirked, "Always wise to have a snack with oneself these days." Fane was notoriously known for her lack of sleep and as a female Vampire, she made up for it through energy conversion fuelled by eating. Since Fane was a part-timer at Alfea the cookie plate was always empty before one spotted her in the hallways.
Palladium gave up with a sigh, "At least the Council Guards can take care of themselves and don't need a walking pantry."
"Damn, your salty," Fane licked her fingers clean and leaned against the desk's edge, "Why? You didn't even make the cut."
Professor Palladium's eyebrows twitched short of speaking up again just to be promptly stifled. A strand of his golden hair slapped across his face the stack of paper ruffling again as Fane snacked on another protine bar. "… I'll not stand for slander simple as that," He pulled the strand out of his face and turned to take his place next to Avalon again, talking to her now wouldn't get him anywhere. His eyes rested now on Blade who for once was awkwardly silent as the door handle got pulled down again.
Griselda was already tapping her pen on her clipboard utterly unimpressed, "Are you out of your mind?... Lost it… unbelievable!" She addressed the student promptly and started to pace up and down. "WHY, in the Great Dragon's name didn't you come sooner with that!" One could say a lot about Griselda, but she took statements at face value for the benefit of the doubt and Blade's reaction to the Minister hadn't left many remaining. "This is a disaster! I told you so, we should have-"
"If it's below ground, I am sure we find it. Panic won't get us anywhere," Wizgiz tried to calm the deputy headmistress down and noted Fane was snacking on the next thing. "Ooh, chocolate raisins," he promptly caught some flying in his direction with his hat. "Mh, tasty," he gave a nod to Fane sharing food wasn't her strong suit, however, she was always respectful to him.
"Can we PLEASE focus," Palladium murmured grimacing just like Griselda. "When did you see it last?"
Blade picked at her nails, "At the hearing…" Her eyes avoided looking at anyone specific.
"You screamed that already across the courtyard, young lady," Griselda stopped her tapping with the pen. "That is a very broad time framing."
"Well, I don't know!" Blade got defensive again as she raised her voice. Her throat still soared. "I was busy saving my friends if you don't remember. The ring wasn't a priority! That traitorous snake Philopa was!" She clawed into the table leaving some scratch marks. She had to get this right here. Her heart was pounding. Her eyes darted shortly to Avalon but she didn't get a read on him and she didn't dare her eyes to linger. Instead, she pulled on her dreadlock that was tugged away behind her ear. "We had no time to search and then… it simply escaped us. With the Coup exposed, and then the Police… the cell…" She bit her lip. She knew where to stir the conversation. However, even with that matter resolved she hated to revisit the memories. For Jewels, for Seth however, she drew all the straws she had. Fooling them was just as important as fooling the world.
An eerie silence settled in the room. This was no one's favourite topic.
Fane crumpled the the empty packaging, "In short. Busy with saving the world. Losing track of time and hoping you find the damn thing or the thief before someone wants it back. Kids…" She growled lowly. "Votzaak will love you for this." She tilted her head and gave a grin that spoke of death.
A cold shiver crawled down her spine, "How was I supposed to know someone wants a bloodbound ring of a dead Queen… Jewels was the last of her bloodline… the ring is worthless without her."
As if on cue Faragonda stepped in. Finally done with taking care of the gossip outside. "That's not the case, Blade. Minister Ashfar is correct. The ring is a national treasure and many want it. I know you want to keep it. I understand. If you got it anywhere," She raised her hand it wasn't an official accusation. "I can buy at most two weeks, maybe three. Nothing will stop the Council's wheels from turning. It has to go back to Desertia. No one not even Councillor Votzaak can change that. Do not drag your allies down for a keepsake, Blade. None of you should." She paused. "Let's hope it just got buried."
"I'm not lying! The ring is gone! I tried everything!" Blade jumped from her chair riled up in defence. '…So no one will ever find it.' She searched their faces. And then pinned Avalon down, "I am not lying!" Her sole focus was on him or her aura. The ring was gone. It was the truth and she didn't even remember where it was. She had wiped her mind for that exact reason. So she could fool his aura reading as best as possible.
Professor Avalon's chest rose his suit tightening as he stared at her intensely. "Then we better find it before someone turns this into a political scandal that rips the Joined Track apart or your friends' standing. You have the bonus of being the first Dark Fairy in thousands of years you'll be trained by the best no matter what. That still won't protect you from backlash and certainly not the Sorceresses." It was a short moment passing between Faragonda and him. "My best guess is, whoever created the fake reaper attacks must have it." He spoke his verdict. He was ninety percent sure that she wasn't lying. Nonetheless, she had fooled him before and Jewels's ring was important enough to her, every single one of them, to take the risks. Time would tell.
"Well," Fane shrugged as she eagerly pranced around the Paladin like a hungry cat. "You can expect some excavating parties." Her face beamed happily as Avalon pulled out a bag of chips from under his coat. Her fangs sliced the packing open within seconds. "Ah, bacon flavoured…" A tiny hum from her. "You're a true treasure trove. Maybe you stole it," she smirked leaning into his face, "Hm?" She chowed down the cracking of the chip echoing out in the silence of the room breaking up the tension.
"Absurd," Palladium puffed offended. "He's a genius, sure, but not a criminal mastermind." He tried to snatch the bag and missed, "Stop crumbling everywhere. You never clean up after yourself."
Fane snickered, "I do have to work after all. Better left to PROFESS-ionals." Her nail traced his chin provokingly so before she headed out of the door. "Blade, pack your stuff, yes? You got five minutes before I finished updating my Grandmaster and you guys are due at the Sandbox for the mission briefing. If you are late…" Her voice echoed ominously.
Blade went pale, "Fuck! Marble needs the-" She dashed out of the door her blond dreadlocks falling heavy with her every step.
Wizgiz shook his head, "Seems we have two speed demons today…"