Witch on the Sea Moon (Act I)
"Psst... Sis?" A tender female voice rocked me, interrupting my sleep.
As I opened my eyes, I remembered last night's entire misadventure.
"We'll disembark soon." A motivated Ed said, piloting the ORCA submarine.
Judging from the screen's real-time footage, the watercraft was moving across the water's surface under the sunlight, toward an island on the horizon.
"You slept like a log for most of the voyage." Phoebe went back to her seat and teased me.
It appeared she was the one who covered me with a blanket while I slept and shook my body to wake me up. I didn't have a nightmare, so my rest was peaceful this time.
"I don't blame you though. Dealing with those 3 bounty hunters sounds insane." Phoebe complimented me while I stretched.
[The shadows of a spider, moth, and skull warrior.]
Last night took a toll on me. I relied more on Aura Boost than I'm used to.
My body still felt sore and tired. It was taking longer to recover than when I fought spending only my natural aura reserves. On the plus side, I didn't need to wear any more contact lenses to hide my pink eye.
The phoenix girl raised her arm to show me her silver AAIS bracelet, suggesting we set up a link so she could share her aura with me for a faster recovery. I accepted and turned on the bracelet on my arm.
I need to walk. Hurry up docking this thing- Wait, what's that over there?
The submarine headed to a giant metallic wall, at least 100 meters in height and more than double in length. There was a container port in front of the gigantic barrier, where big ships managed their cargo. I noticed humanoid robots, mechs similar to the Gigas, and cargo cranes doing most of the heavy lifting.
The submarine continued past the port, entering the barrier's opened sea gates. At last, the ORCA came to a stop in its designated space.
Where are we? Is this Liberalis?
(; ロ)
I typed on Ed's holodial.
"Not yet, Miss Neopolitan. We are docking at Monte Cruz's Port. I want to show you something before heading to Liberalis." Ed stood up and walked to the 'dorsal fin' of the submarine to open its hatch.
•
"We arrived here very fast. A normal boat takes days from Bright Island to Monte Cruz. But ORCA is among the fastest maritime vehicles in the world." Ed talked like a proud tour guide, helping me step down from his submarine.
"HER LEFT FOOT TOUCHED THE GROUND FIRST!" I heard an obnoxious, familiar voice.
It belonged to Carmelia, who arrived at the docking area.
"Conde, we must get rid of her! Otherwise, she will pollute Liberalis!" The begging girl in the red dress ran to the dandy to hug him.
In confusion, I looked at Phoebe next to me.
"Ah, they haven't introduced her to you? She's Carmelia Escarlata. A comrade of ours who is..." Phoebe scratched her cheek and put thought into saying the next words delicately. "Special. The culture she grew up in has very specific traditions and rules."
I perceived exhaustion in Phoebe's words. She probably also struggled to deal with Carmelia.
Escarlata... That name rings a bell.
"Ed, Phoebe!" I heard a sweet voice from the direction Carmelia entered the docking area.
I assumed she was being followed by this fair-skinned girl with tiny freckles, slightly shorter than me. The new arrival looked around 12 years old and had red-orange hair, like a pumpkin. Her hairstyle consisted of two huge, braided pigtails that reached her chest. The girl's eyes reminded me of precious amethyst stones.
She wore a voluminous semi-opened, cloak cape and an oversized hat with a pointy crown and wide brim. From the research I conducted when designing Diana for my novella, this was the usual fashion witches in Zenith sported. Both teal dark green pieces of clothing counted with cool purple interiors. Under her cloak cape, I believe she was wearing a knee-length, pleated skirt that matched the color of her hat and a white long-sleeved, ruffled blouse with a high neck. The little girl wore black over-the-knee socks and cute brown-leather shoes.
Near the tips of her pigtails were two small, black ribbons tied as bows. At the base of the hat, simplified human silhouettes formed a chain dance around the crown. Four golden ornaments shaped like stars were hanging on the edge of the hat's brim. Pale purple lines formed a pattern with shapes of stars in her cape's interior.
I wondered if the two pointy, black animal ears near the hat's crown weren't there for aesthetics alone. It appeared she also had an animal tail but because of the cape cloak, I couldn't confirm if she was a Faunus.
This girl gives me 'Ginger' vibes. I wonder if she's Gaellish.
"Is that Neopolitan, the wretched villainess?" The girl paused her cautious walk when she caught me analyzing her attire.
Annoyed by her words, I reactivated Overactive Imagination to transform from roller skater Liz into Lolita-Neopolitan. The little girl ran behind Ed and Carmelia without a word.
"Sara, do not be scared. Miss Neopolitan is our guest." Ed broke free from Carmelia's hug and tenderly pushed Sara toward me.
She awkwardly watched me in silence for a few seconds. Sara was afraid of me, likely because of the bioterrorist propaganda.
Ugh, I guess it's up to me.
I opened Sakura's canopy and bowed to her with a smile.
"Nice to meet you..." The girl returned to using Ed as a shield.
But she continued staring at me with curiosity from her safe spot.
"See, conde? Sara senses something wrong with her. Let's put this shortstack inside a barrel and throw her into the sea." Carmelia took out a concealed dagger to threaten me.
I swiftly closed the wagasa and pointed it at her, like a fencing sword.
"Miss Neopolitan, forgive them. It's not every day I recruit someone with little warning. How about I give you a tour?" Ed dismissed our hostility and walked with Sara toward a freight elevator.
The rest of us followed them. Phoebe made sure to put herself between Carmelia and me to prevent another potential confrontation. Once we all stepped into the elevator, Ed pushed a button for it to go up.
"Years ago, I escaped from an inhumane political prison, after being unfairly convicted by The Zodiac for more than 10 years. Using the treasure I found in this forsaken island, I founded Liberalis to unmask The Zodiac's wrongdoings to the world and eliminate them to achieve my vengeance..." The count began his monologue as the elevator moved.
"He gives this speech to most recruits." An apathetic Phoebe informed me, hands behind her head.
"The island we are on is the same one that made me rich, Monte Cruz. I hired bounty hunters to eliminate its native Grimm and legally acquired Monte Cruz under a false identity with my vast wealth to transform it into Liberalis's secret headquarters." Ed continued his tour speech, speaking aloud but not looking at anyone in particular.
The guy was very absorbed in his story. Phoebe and I were bored, while Sara and Carmelia excitedly admired him. They even nodded when he made melodramatic arm movements to enhance his speech.
"On paper, Liberalis is a company that extracts and refines dust. Publicly, I'm known as The Count of Monte Cruz. A Gallian tycoon with access to one of the biggest dust deposits in the world." The elevator reached the top level as he spoke.
I could see a hallway with a big balcony and no windows.
"In the last years, I've been slowly but steadily gathering resources and allies on this island for operations against The Zodiac. At Liberalis, we always proceed cautiously, calculating the risks and rewards of our plans since it would be imprudent to rush-" Once the elevator's gates opened, I ran to the balcony not bothering to hear the rest of his boring tour speech.
Whoa!
From the balcony, standing approximately 100 meters above ground level, I saw an enclosed, small city with many houses, towers, and other buildings. The city was divided into multiple zones and counted with around a 4-kilometer diameter.
Most of its architecture resembled the neo-futurist style, although some buildings here and there fit more the classic styles from Migdal, such as the chateaus located in what looked like a residential zone with green areas. In another zone, most buildings fit the military and high-tech architectural styles. In what appeared to be a shopping and business zone, there were plenty of Googy and international-styled buildings, like those in UNNM.
"Monte Cruz is a crescent moon-shaped island, so I built most of our headquarters inside its bay. The massive ring surrounding the city provides it protection from hurricanes and sea Grimm, and an optical camouflage to conceal it from the outside world." While the rest of the group caught up to me, Ed proudly continued talking about his island.
Now and then, energy pulses traveled across the optical barrier over the city but for the most part, it allowed one to see the blue sky outside without problem. Over the balcony's handrails, I saw unfinished portions of the city. In the distance, Gigas, low-altitude planes, construction workers, and citizens were doing their daily chores.
"The secrecy of this project stops me from hiring all the construction companies I need at once. We select carefully only those willing to keep silent about Liberalis." Ed shrugged and lamented the situation.
"That reminds me... You wasted some of the city's funds for those vultures to attack Neo." Phoebe scowled, clashing her gloved knuckles.
On instinct, the count protected his stomach and stepped back. Apparently, she did punish him for putting me in danger.
"Fret not. The contract I signed with them stated that I needed to cover just the expenses for Condor Tower to be finished. When it collapsed, the contract lost its validity." Ed gracefully took off his hat and bowed to me. "Miss Neopolitan saved us millions of krownas!"
"But if we deliver her to The Zodiac, she will get us a trillion more." A snarky Carmelia took out her knife and threw it into the air, then spun once and caught the falling weapon to aim it at me.
Phoebe and Ed (still bowing) tried not to show discomfort.
...
"What's a trillion?" The timid witch asked innocently, unaware of the building tension.
•
"Sis, let's get in the line to eat something. I'll treat you." Phoebe guided me enthusiastically into a cafeteria, near the top of a tower in the south military-looking zone of the city.
After driving around Liberalis, the count dropped us here so she continued the tour in his stead. Since Sara had already eaten, he took the little girl to her 'atelier' (his words).
"The food here looks great. This cafeteria feels like one of a prestigious academy." Roman said with admiration, analyzing the buffet section.
The Bauhaus cafeteria was simple yet pleasing to the eye with its white rectangular tables, tasteful wooden floor, seats of various bright colors, and panes of glass that allowed one to see the rest of the city and the blue sky outside. But possibly due to being way past noon, this area was mostly empty.
It's for the better. Ed hasn't reported to everyone in Liberalis that the most wanted criminal in Zenith joined them.
Most here wore fitted white trousers, shin-level black boots, white shirts, and neckties. What made a big difference among them was the color of their jackets. Some wore red high-waist jackets, others had blue office jackets or ballistic vests, and others sported yellow jackets with reflective silver strips.
According to Ed, the former group wearing red were combat agents who performed missions outside the island, the second group wearing blue were this island's law enforcers, and the last group wearing yellow were construction workers. All had Monte Cruz's coat of arms near their shoulders, consisting of three doves surrounding a shield with a cross.
"Today's special menu is chicken broth with vegetables and grilled fish. Nice!" We grabbed each a plastic tray and proceeded to-
Aw, not again!
"What would you like me to serve you?" Carmelia asked with her eyes closed and a bright grin.
I forgot she entered the building before us because according to her, she had business to attend. Although I didn't expect her to be the one serving the food in the kitchen area.
Two special menus.
(っڡς)
I forcefully smiled and showed her the message I typed on Phoebe's holodial. In the meantime, she had no problem lending it to me for communication purposes.
"Right away!" To our surprise, Carmelia merrily served us the food without complaints.
Maybe she isn't as bad as I tho- The bloody hell!?
Phoebe was handed today's special menu just fine but the bowl and dish I was given with my food were broken. The chicken broth spilled into the tray because of the bowl's cracks. Still smiling, Carmelia walked away from us and exited the cafeteria's kitchen through a backdoor. The 2 persons behind me were left unattended.
"Damn, not a good thing." Phoebe shamefully shook her head and walked to a nearby empty table. "According to Roaming culture, this means you aren't welcome by her. Let's trade bowls over there."
Roaming culture?
I couldn't ask for more information because my hands were busy with the tray while following the muscular tomboy.
"As I said, Carmelia comes from a group with particular norms of conduct and traditions. The Roaming People." Phoebe explained as she switched the bowls in our trays.
"Do not share a table with Neopolitan! That vile woman will give you bad luck, Phoebe!" Carmelia urgently reentered the cafeteria through the same entrance we used.
"Look at this combination." She placed three cards on our table, each with different illustrations of Grimm.
"Carmelia, we've been over this-" Phoebe tried to argue but Carmelia ignored her and pointed to the cards.
"Downside Nuckelavee, it represents an upcoming defeat in a fierce battle. The Chill's card foreshadows deception and trickery. Downside Bettle, someone will hijack your power-"
"You don't have a fortune-telling semblance." A skeptic Phoebe interrupted the card explanation.
"She brings tragedy to those around her." But Carmelia kept ignoring her and gave me a reproachful look.
...
"Don't listen to her. I can spot a charlatan like me when I see one." Roman showed up next to the girl in red, aiming the barrel of his cane-gun at her head. "Just give me a body so I can shoot."
...
"Partner?" Full of concern, Roman lowered his weapon to approach me.
For once in my life...
I was about to enjoy a cafeteria meal with a company I appreciate...
AND THIS BITCH HAD TO RUIN IT!
I held my tears back, grabbed the edges of the table, and gritted my teeth. Even if I wanted to break Carmelia right there, I restrained myself to avoid proving her right and not get Phoebe into trouble. I didn't want to make a scene and be expelled from Liberalis.
At least not outside of my terms.
"Neopolitan!" A voice with an Anglian accent, coming from deeper in the cafeteria, made us turn our heads.
"I see the rumours are real. Ed recruited The Trillion Bounty Girl." A lissome and cool woman approached our table and joined her palms in front of us. "Namaste."
She was around 176 centimeters tall, had dark brown skin, and looked in her mid-twenties. The new arrival was a few centimeters shorter and had slightly less pronounced muscles than Phoebe but still emitted a formidable aura.
The woman had cyan-colored eyes and golden eyeshadow. Above her long and beautiful wave-shaped eyes, two black eyebrows reminded me of very thin and sharp sickles. Her wavy black hair, with a few golden highlights, was entirely brushed back, forming a big bun and leaving no bangs. On the base of her forehead was a tiny cyan jewel shaped like a diamond. A sort of bindi decoration, if I remember correctly what I learned about Varata culture at the Anglian expo. There was a golden tillari (3-stringed necklace) around her neck.
The upper portion of her curvaceous body was dressed in a strong orange stanapatta (a chest band women from Varata use). A translucent, white uttariya (a type of veil from Varata) was wrapped around her forearms. Both pieces of clothing had golden borders filled with patterns of diamonds. On the lower portion of her body, she wore a calf-length, white antariya (resembling a dhoti), and a strong orange kayabandh acting as a belt.
Her footwear was punjabi jutti with curved tips, mostly of color strong orange but with golden soles. Near her wrists and ankles were thick, golden bangles (kara and kangan). Above her elbows, she had two golden keyura (arm bracelets) with a horse motif.
There's even someone from Varata on this island. Why did she call me though?
"Urmi, don't interfere, I was about to challenge Neopolitan." Carmelia flipped her hair arrogantly and crossed her arms.
"""What!?""" Roman, Phoebe, the mystery woman, and I thought the same.
"Ed told me she defeated three 4-stars cazadores but I don't buy it. I will expose this fraud and make her quit Liberalis." She took out one of her concealed daggers and skillfully slashed the air ahead of me. "Neopolitan, I defy you to a duelo a muerte con cuchillos."
...
"Duelo a muerte con cuchillos?" Confused rather than scared, Phoebe tilted her head.
I have no idea what she said.
"Duelo a muerte con cuchillos?" Roman pretended to sound serious, sitting on one of the empty chairs at our table.
Roman, what's that?
"I've been in several criminal syndicate wars but never heard of something like that... I think it involves cuchillos." My anxiety-dealing mechanism said something worthless with a thinking pose.
No shit, Sharpluck.
"She means a knife fight." The newest arrival, whose name seemed to be Urmi, rubbed her head as if suffering a migraine.
Ah... Sure.
"Ruko, Carmelia. I will fight Neopolitan first." Resting both hands on her hips, the cool and smug Varata girl objected to the fierce Carmelia.
"Another challenger!?" Phoebe pushed away her chair to stand up, slamming the table with her hands.
The fuck? I barely met her and she wants to fight me already.
But why? I haven't done anything to annoy this woman.
I froze in confusion, unable to figure out how things quickly went out of control.
"Maybe she hates so much short people, their simple sight makes her want to squash them." Faking anger, Roman pressed his palms together with extreme force.
Feeling indignation, I kicked away the chair Roman was sitting on. He fell through the cafeteria floor with a scream.
"I see no problem. We can fight her together." Ignoring my move, Carmelia smiled at Urmi.
"2 vs. 1!? That's not fair!" Phoebe stood between both and pushed them by their shoulders, forcing distance between the challengers.
"Urmi and I are around the level of a 3-stars cazador. If this jodida enana really beat Mik Calavera, Araknim, and Silver Moth, I don't see how our challenge is unfair." The obnoxious Carmelia walked behind my seat to toy with my fluffy pigtails.
I only defeated one of them though... Via cheating...
No, I can take both. Compared to a Zodiac member, facing these two should be way easier.
I pushed Carmelia's hands away from my hair and stood up.
"Neo, I want to ask something." Roman reappeared just when I was about to answer the challengers.
Go ahead.
"What's the whole star matter?" His question made my eyes grow wide and stopped my internal clock.
Ah, right. Better explain.
•
[Kids' voices: Lessons with Professor Neopolitan!]
"Wha- wha- what the fuck is going on!?" Roman freaked out in his designated student place.
Both of us had teleported to Beacon Academy, where I lived for a short time under the identity of Mint. Specifically, we were now in a semicircular classroom where groups of students received lectures from huntsmen professors.
Roman was dressed in a black suit with a blue vest, white shirt, red necktie, and his usual black bowler hat.
On the other hand, I was dressed in a pink plaid skirt, black thigh-high stockings, a white jacket and high-heeled shoes, one black vest, a white shirt, and a pink ribbon around my neck. Inspired by Lady Beat and Glynda Goodwitch, I now wore glasses, a white capelet with a pink interior, holding a black riding crop in one hand (The Disciplinarian), and had a half-pink, half-brown beehive updo with a few white streaks.
"Why you look like a sexy libra-"
Children, please. Pay attention.
I hit one of the chalkboards in the room with my crop and spoke telepathically without opening my mouth.
"Neo, I'm older than you. Not to mention the only one here." The handsome but rebellious redhead student complained, behind the long curved desk.
Behave!
I hit harder the chalkboard with my crop. Roman shuddered in fear.
Long ago, Zenitheans realized that for combat and evacuation efficiency during Grimm disasters, they couldn't just leave everything unorganized, so a Taiyoujin Grimm researcher created a classification system to address this issue.
I commenced drawing a middle-aged gentleman in a suit with glasses and a receding hairline. But I gave up halfway through, hitting the chalkboard with my crop for Overactive Imagination to finish the illustration in my stead.
"The Grimm levels? How is that related to the stars-" I shut up the dumb student by striking the chalkboard with The Disciplinarian.
Roman, can you explain the Grimm Threat-Levels?
"Um... Bigger number equals more dangerous Grimm?" The himbo nervously replied with a smile.
Your answer isn't good enough.
With another use of my crop, I manifested the drawings of several Grimm and a number 1 on the chalkboards.
Level 1: Grimm that can destroy small houses or buildings. Very dangerous to groups of individuals without an unlocked aura. These include Beowolves, Ursas, Mermaids, Capivaras, Sulfur Fishes, and their alpha variants.
"Small fries that even Little Red can eliminate in big numbers." Roman used a little finger to clean his right ear while resting his feet on the desk.
You got eaten by one of these!
I shot with The Disciplinarian a blast of pink shards at Roman. After falling backward, he seated correctly again in his place without complaining.
Level 2: Grimm that can destroy easily big buildings or small towns. Tankier than a level 1 Grimm. These can even command groups of level 1s to destroy communities across a region.
Drawings of a Beringel, Nevermore, Death Stalker, and a Goliath, plus their alpha variants, appeared along with a number 2 to replace the previous ones in the chalkboards.
"Why are Apathies and Sulfur Fishes there? Those are level 1s." Surprisingly, the attractive delinquent made a valuable commentary.
Some types of Grimm operate as troublesome hiveminds.
"Oh, like the ones who attacked our farm settle-"
Not canon! Just an outdated theory!
Before he said something outrageous that made me panic, I stopped the excited student and proceeded to the next threat level using my crop.
Level 3: Grimm that can destroy a small city or kingdom when left unchecked. These may even create more Grimm of a lesser level as they spread destruction.
A number 3 and illustrations of a Sea Feilong, Wyvern, Cyclops, and Leviathan Grimm appeared next.
"Heh, Kevin." Roman chuckled for some unknown reason.
Level 4: Grimm that are threats to multiple cities or even a small country if not rapidly exterminated. Also called the Monstra-level due to being a fan-favorite among Zenitheans.
A Monstra, Cerberus, and Devil Grimm showed up on the chalkboards. The Monstra was even throwing up smaller Grimm while a chibi drawing of me skipped with the relic of knowledge.
"That's nice and all but how is the amount of destruction a Grimm causes related to the stars' matter?" Roman asked, throwing a piece of rolled paper into a trashcan near the entrance of the lecture room.
He missed.
The ranks in The Hunters' Guild of this world were created to complement the Grimm Threat-Levels and properly assign missions to bounty hunters.
With The Disciplinarian, I magically lifted the paper and threw it back at Roman's face. He rubbed his nose.
1-star: Fighters who possess an active aura or semblance. They tend to participate in missions to get rid of level 1 Grimm. In teams, 1-star combatants at best may defeat a level 2 Grimm.
Drawings of vulture thugs, Anglian constables, Junior's henchmen, the Malachite twins, Aurelia, and Roman appeared next on the chalkboards. They were positioned below one big star.
"Why am I there? Isn't this a Zenithean system?" The unruly freshman said, feeling offended to rank so low.
I will take liberties from here, for you to understand better this ranking system. The point is that persons in this rank only have enough aura to eliminate level 1 Grimm without assistance.
"Yeah... I suppose I could never kill a Goliath. Much less its alpha variant." Ashamed, Roman admitted his defeat.
2-stars: Fighters who are powerful enough to get rid of multiple level 1 Grimm with ease, or who can take down alone a level 2 Grimm. Teams of them at best can get rid of a level 3 Grimm. Most proficient huntsmen from Remnant would fall in this rank if they had been born in Zenith.
Sketches of Team RWBY, JNPR, Mercury, and Emerald were created by Overactive Imagination. Two big stars were placed above them.
"They produce more aura and are stronger than someone with 1 star, am I right?" A dejected Roman said with his arms crossed.
I shrugged and nodded to his question.
3-stars: Fighters who can eliminate multiple level 2 Grimm at once or take down a level 3 Grimm. A specialized team of these can get rid of a level 4 Grimm.
"Hold on! Are those Penny, Raven, and Cinder next to Sharpluck Hums and you?" Roman was shocked by the current illustrations.
Remnantese Maidens may be comparable to a Zenithean 3-stars warrior or me... When I was in the Ever After. Zenithean bounty hunters in this rank can double their aura reserves through Aura Boost with no trouble.
"Then, a 4-stars..." I hit the chalkboard to proceed to the following rank. Roman knew where this was heading.
Fighters who can deal with more than one level 3 Grimm simultaneously. They can even take down a level 4 Grimm alone. But according to guild guidelines, it's still recommendable to recruit a team of 4 stars to deal with a Monstra-level...
Roman silently observed the illustrations of the 3 bounty hunters we came across last night.
Hunters in this rank can increase x3 their aura levels via the boost technique... If Salem and Ozma lived in Zenith, both would be at this rank.
"Neo... Are there level 5 Grimm and fighters in this world?" Roman stood up and asked with hesitation, expecting the worst.
I made five stars and a number 5 manifest on a chalkboard, accompanied by question marks.
In Zenithean history, the few who have achieved a 5-stars rank are legendary warriors. Only a handful of them are born across an entire generation.
As for level 5 Grimm, the little records of these sound more like mythological tales. Zenithean historians often debate about their existence and the possible advent of one.
"A global threat... Wouldn't that also mean The Zodiac..." As Roman talked, I apprehensively hit the chalkboard to update its sketches.
[A rabbit and wolf swordfighters from the land of the rising sun.]
Yes, I met two persons we could consider 5-stars warriors.
...
"Currently, in which rank would you place yourself?" Roman walked to the chalkboard to gaze at both Zodiac members, then gave me a worried look.
...
On the way to reclaim 3 stars.
He sat on my desk, in deep thought.
I am definitely stronger than the average 2-stars bounty hunter!
"Returning to the present predicament, can you deal with those two women?" Still breaking character, my imaginary partner asked seriously.
Urmi and Carmelia? If their semblances suck, or they lack those, I will compensate for my deficient Aura Boost through Overactive Imagination to win.
"I don't know, partner. I feel something off about those girls." After expressing his doubts, Roman and I stood side by side and looked in the same direction.
•
We were back at the cafeteria, standing opposite Carmelia and Urmi.
"Enana, will you accept our challenge?" Carmelia said mockingly, right hand under her chin and right elbow resting on her crossed left arm.
"Sis, don't fall for it, they can-" Phoebe covered her mouth with both hands.
I detected alarm in her eyes. Something was wrong with her.
"Phoebe, don't ruin the surprise." Urmi said with a tender smile, hands behind her back. "Your silence is my reward for our bet you lost."
The musclebrain gave me a pitiful look but I concentrated on the rivals ahead and nodded to accept their challenge.
"Genial. Let's head to the training range-" Carmelia pointed back with a thumb but Phoebe interjected.
"Not today! Her aura is still recovering!" Phoebe was able to speak again. She desperately came up with excuses to delay our fight. "Besides Ed told me to take Neo as soon as possible to the shopping district."
She wasn't lying though. Carmelia was with us when Ed requested this. The obnoxious girl in red clicked her tongue.
•
"I can help you fight them tomorrow!" A distressed Phoebe voiced her suggestion.
I will deal with both alone.
ᕙ(‸‶)ᕗ
I typed to her on the new pink-white holodial I bought with a credit card Ed provided us.
We were walking on a sidewalk of a boulevard with palm trees, located in the eastern shopping zone of the city. This part of Liberalis resembled more an urban area of UNNM.
The sunset was about to begin as various passersby, small cars, and buses slowed down to take a good look at us. They were probably taken aback because I was still wearing my Lolita-Neo attire through my semblance. For now, I was done hiding from everyone.
"Or let me tell you about their fighting styles." Phoebe stepped ahead to stop me.
Again. I don't need your help!
I pushed her out of the way to continue walking. I didn't want to ruin Phoebe's chance to pay a debt by having her assist me.
"Can you at least tell me why Urmi wants to fight you? I know there's bad blood between Carmelia and you, because of the Philippos incident, but what about Urmi?" She picked up her pace to reach my side but her question stopped me.
I was about to ask you the same! Only met her today!
( ㅁ) !
"Urmi is also kinda new around here. She's been my sparring partner for a couple of months but I'm sure she never mentioned you in our talks..." Phoebe scratched her chin with an index finger, trying to recall anything else that could be relevant but we arrived at our destination before she could say more.
A clothing store with a facade akin to traditional Gallian architecture. I stood in front of it and read the name of the business.
Diabolique Boutique?
"Devilish Boutique. It's a fashion store from a Gallian chain Ed brought here." Phoebe casually explained with a smile.
I was already familiar with it...
Because I visited one with Milady when I lived in Gallia. I suppressed the pain in my chest so Phoebe wouldn't notice it.
"I knew you would love it. While I pick up my custom order, buy anything you want." The oblivious girl invited me inside.
•
Is this the kind of clothes I am supposed to wear around here?
I asked Phoebe for feedback after stepping out of the dressing room.
To more or less comply with the etiquette of this island, I decided to try on a white high-waist sports jacket. Underneath it, I wore a black leotard, which combined with my brown chocolate, short shorts, created hip windows around my waist. To look trendy, I didn't zip the jacket all the way up. Its collar and bottom edges were pink. The baggy sleeves barely reached my forearms, ending with pink cuffs. I wore brown fingerless gloves.
Black stockings were strapped to my shorts like chaps, letting one partially see my inner thighs. Each stocking had 3 diagonal, white stripes across it. My footwear was white wedge sneakers with pink highlights and brown laces.
Because of an exclusive collab between Monte Cruz and Diabolique Boutique, there were plenty of jackets with this island's coat of arms. Like most, mine had the 3 doves and shield with a cross embroidered near the left shoulder. Using my semblance, I added my logo to the opposite shoulder and kept my hairstyle the same as when I wore my Lolita dress, Roman and Blacksmith's tokens included.
"..." Phoebe kept staring at me without a word.
Did I screw up?
( -)
"Ah... No, it's just that you always know how to dress stylishly." Phoebe said dumbfounded, now gazing at my hips.
...
Thanks.
I felt my face getting warmer, so I changed the topic.
Is that your custom order?
I focused on the large white box she was holding.
"Yes! I ordered some yoga pants with Liberalis's logo and some extra details. We don't need to have the coat of arms in everything we wear but Ed will appreciate it." She lifted the box's lid to show me its contents.
The opportunity to ask what I wanted finally arrived.
Phoebe, is he your lover?
"LOVER!?" She dropped the box and her clothes in a panic.
"No, he isn't my lover or anything like that! We were only pretending back in Bianchi's! For the mission!" After frantically giving me an answer, she dropped to her knees to pick up her clothes.
Then, Carmelia is his actual lover.
I helped her pick up her stuff after typing my question.
"Carmelia? Nah, she has a different boyfriend each month, and Ed always rejects her advances. Despite his looks, the count is not a womanizer." We were done putting everything back in the box, so we stood straight again. "Ed never engages romantically with anyone. He considers having a couple a distraction from his mission."
So, Sara isn't her daughter?
This time I felt curious about the little girl I met hours ago.
"Sara is... A persecuted Faunus we saved some years ago. Ever since then, she sees Ed as a paternal figure... And Carmelia and me as her sisters." Phoebe said with a strange mix of sadness and pride.
Her eyes were lost in memories. She seemed to be remembering events too troublesome to share.
...
I understand. Thanks for explaining.
I decided not to ask more about Sara since it was apparently a delicate matter.
"What about you? Any family or friends?" But the phoenix girl ironically led us to another sensitive topic.
No, not even a place to call home. You know why.
Keeping it vague and simple, I hinted at not wanting to share my dark past.
"Um... well, you can make Liberalis your new home, Sis..." Phoebe nervously told me with an awkward grin. "If you wish, of course!"
...
You are such a musclebrain, Phoebe.
(｡•̀ᴗ-)
•
After ordering enough fabric and accessories to assemble a real Lolita attire, and buying new clothes for the next days, we went to the military dorm area, in the southern section of the city, to drop everything in my new room.
There wasn't anything special about the room I was given except that it counted with more living space (24 square meters) and looked newer than the apartment I rented in Copper Suburb. A polished wooden floor, one clean white bed with a wooden frame, a modern kitchenette and washing machine, a nicer balcony, an immaculate private bathroom, A/C, and white furniture, including chairs, shelves, and a desk. It reminded me more of a minimalist student dorm room than a military bedroom.
I was about to text Phoebe to ask if she wanted to tag along for grocery shopping since my refrigerator was empty when she received a holo-message.
"Ed says we pay a visit to Sara. Better do it right now." My shopping assistant placed the boxes and bags with my clothes next to a desk and headed to the entrance door.
We need to see the witch girl, why?
(_")
I didn't understand the urgency of meeting her again.
"She needs to make preparations, so..." She paused and scratched her head, thinking of what to say next with a frustrated expression.
"Agh, you wouldn't believe me unless you see it yourself." Phoebe invited me with a hand gesture to exit my room. "Let's go, I promise it will be worth it."
•
It was still evening when Phoebe guided me to a special hall in the dormitory building's top floor, which only someone with a special keycard and password could access. Once we walked to a specific door, Phoebe knocked on it and announced our arrival to the occupant.
The door wasn't fully opened. Through a gap, a purple eye confirmed I stood close to Phoebe.
"... Step in." Unenthusiastically, Sara invited us to her room.
She is still wary of me. Perhaps, the count wants her to get used-
Eh?
It was as if we exited the military building and entered a children's fantasy book. Outside of the polished wooden floor, her room didn't resemble mine at all. In a sense, this was Sara's private maisonnette.
The girl's room consisted of two levels connected by a staircase. The entrance floor alone had an area of approximately 48 square meters. Both floors counted with wallpapers resembling a starry, dark blue night. The staircase was built to look like a tree trunk with branches and leaves. There were wooden bookshelves, desks, and other furniture that also fit the old forest aesthetic.
Hanging lights and wall lamps shaped like stars illuminated the inferior floor. In this level's left side, there was a giant globe of Zenith with a 1-meter radius. Over a series of stacked round shelves, there was a huge collection of small tumbler dolls. On a big table laid an elaborate map of Monte Cruz with some tumbler dolls standing on it. I could identify 3 of these because they resembled adorably cartoonish versions of Ed, Phoebe, and Carmelia, with big heads but lacking arms and legs. Another section on this side of the room appeared to be for cooking and chemical preparations, a big cauldron included. I saw in the back of the inferior level an entrance to what I assumed was her private bathroom.
On the right side of the entrance floor was a wooden desk with a sewing machine and kits. Another section nearby appeared to be the working space where tumbler dolls were carved out and painted. Next to the spaces for handicrafts, there was a large desk buried under old books and lots of notes. The latter had beautiful handwriting but said cryptic stuff, such as 'Spell to induce somnolence'. A display cabinet contained a collection of plush dolls, which I guessed were made by the little girl. There were also animal toys of various sizes and potted plants all over this level. On the floor, I saw rugs of several colors with drawn maps, instead of mere decorative patterns or simple backgrounds.
The upper level (possibly her sleeping area) was only around half the inferior level's size. I couldn't see much of it, except for a telescope, wooden handrails, and a portion of her bed. The maisonnette counted with a big skylight that let one see the real starry night and moon outside Liberalis's optical shield. The skylight even counted with a movable-panel system that could block its view if the occupant desired so.
This is what he meant by atelier.
"Sara is Ed's favorite. He sure loves to spoil her, unlike the rest of us." Phoebe pretended to sound jealous but she was smiling.
"He wants me to make one based on her." Sara spoke in a low voice, staying close to Phoebe and keeping her distance from me.
Due to Sara leaving her oversized hat and cloak cape on a wall hanger, I could see well her Faunus features. On her head were two fluffy and pointy, red-orange ears with dark tips. Sara had a large and fluffy tail with the same tone of orange as her hair. If I wasn't mistaken, these features belonged to an animal native to Gaelland, the red squirrel.
To replace her cloak cape, she wore a capelet over her shoulders that matched her skirt's teal dark green color. The capelet had white ruffles on its edges and a chain that connected two golden star-themed buttons below her white shirt's high neck. She also had now a small, cool purple jabot. The white shirt's puffy sleeves just covered her shoulders but, on her wrists, there were lace cuff bracelets, of the same color as her jabot.
"Aw, she's the cutest kid I've seen in a while. Reminds me of a little someone I met in Remnant." Even Roman felt the urge to pat her head, and he did so, by taking advantage of being a figment of my imagination.
The Malachite twins? No way! Those two are too gloomy compared to her.
"Neo..." Roman sighed with disappointment.
Why exactly are we here?
I refocused on the matter at hand by showing a text to Phoebe.
"So, Sara can use her semblance on you." Phoebe used her eyes to signal the squirrel girl.
[A girl disappearing in a swirl of smoke.]
She teleported Carmelia out of Bright Island, how?
"Effigy Magic... My semblance." Sara answered cautiously.
"Let's show her your powers in action..." Phoebe eagerly walked to the table with a cartoonish map of Liberalis placed on it. "A classic example, like bringing over here an object."
"... How about Ed's hat? He's in the southern training range." Sara pointed to the tumbler doll based on Ed over the map.
"I'm ready, little sis! Do your magic, I'll text you back!" Phoebe winked and gave the witch a thumbs up.
Sara nodded without a word. Ironically, the musclebrain adult was in a brighter mood and acted more childish than the actual kid in the room.
Sara's body flashed with a yellow light for a brief moment. Carefully, she grabbed the tumbler doll based on Phoebe, resting on the section of the map that looked like the southern military zone of Liberalis, then picked it up to place the doll further south, in a portion of the island outside of the shielded bay. Phoebe and Ed's tumbler dolls stood next to each other, inside the illustration of a building in the widest part of the crescent moon-shaped island.
"Teleport!" Sara said with a commanding tone. Her eyes emitted a purple light for an instant.
Before I could type another question, the brute woman vanished in a swirl of smoke.
"I used Ed as a destination coordinate. Phoebe should be with him." Sara clarified with a mature demeanor.
It felt like now I was receiving a lecture, from a girl half my age. Next, she picked a tumbler doll that resembled herself and placed it on the spot where Phoebe's doll used to be.
"... Why you look like ice cream?" The curious child asked an annoying question.
I fought the impulse to give her a rude reply. Luckily, a chime came from the direction of the wall hanger. Sara went for her cloak cape and took a holodial from one of its pockets. She read her device's screen and returned to the table.
"Teleport!" Finally, she grabbed Phoebe's doll again, placing it close to the one based on herself.
Phoebe reappeared with a puff of smoke in the maisonnette, wearing a hat. I discerned it was Ed's because the sides of its brim were shaped like bird wings.
"Tadah!" She took off the expensive-looking headwear and held it by its brim.
Incredible!
"Think of all the heists we could pull off with such an amazing power!" With a wicked grin, Roman rubbed his gloved hands together. "We will be rich in no time!"
You are dead, what use do you have for money?
"Neopolitan?" Sara noticed me staring at an empty space with an irritated face.
Ah, you teleport people using dolls based on them. I'm impressed, little witch.
Sara's ears jerked up but then she forcefully lowered them by pulling down her braids. The gesture also tried (and failed) to conceal her smile and blush.
"For starters, yeah. But her semblance can do more than that." Still with her childlike attitude, Phoebe ran to the big Zenith globe in the room. "How about finding someone in a distant land?"
"Sei is always traveling around Ryuutairiku." Sara headed to her collection of tumbler dolls.
On this occasion, she picked one that looked like an old man from that continent.
"Will text him for confirmation." Phoebe typed on her holodial, while Sara put the tumbler doll on the globe.
"Aimsigh!" Her eyes shone once more, saying a different incantation in another language.
As if by magic, the tumbler doll began moving on its own, toward a big island in the northern hemisphere.
"The doll may stop in Taiyou. That would mean Phoebe's sensei is in that country." Sara explained as the old man's doll continued climbing up.
To keep tracking it, the young witch used a ladder next to the big globe.
"Stepladder." Crossed arms, Roman interrupted my thoughts.
Why do you sound vexed?
"Because it's obviously not a ladder." Roman signaled with both arms the ladder Sara was using to see the upper half of the globe.
Both are the same.
"They aren't! We've discussed this plenty of times! Remember when I asked you to bring a ladder to reach a dust store's roof we planned to rob?" Increasingly irritated, Roman waved his arms.
This is Zenith! Whatever happened in Remnant, no longer co-
"You brought instead a stepladder. We couldn't reach the roof and our heist failed due to that alone!" Roman jumped, pretending to fail at grabbing something in the air.
When you step on a ladder, it becomes a stepladder!
I tried to focus on the globe but the former criminal kingpin was begging me to kick his ass.
"That's like saying that Trivia and Neopolitan are the same person!" He raised both palms and joined them with a clap.
Take that back, dum-dum! I'll break your teeth!
I prepared myself to kick him, while he held Melodic Cudgel in a defensive position.
"Sis, are you okay?" Out of nowhere, a hand tapped my shoulder.
""AH!"" Roman and I released a terrified scream.
The hand with fingerless blue gloves belonged to Phoebe. I rapidly nodded to her several times, taking deep breaths and putting one hand on my chest to calm down.
"Sei texted me. He's in Taiyou, like his doll indicates." She showed me her holodial. "They are like 10 hours ahead over there, so he's barely waking up."
There was a message with a photo of a garden and temple that resembled those in Taiyou, a country in Ryuutairiku. Judging from the picture, sunrise was about to start.
Ignoring the perplexed faces of both girls, I stepped on the ladder Sara wasn't longer using to confirm where the tumbler doll landed.
Fabulous! You can track people anywhere in the world using your dolls.
The redhead girl repeated the timid gesture from earlier, pulling down her braids.
"But first, Sara must meet the person and collect a sample. Her semblance doesn't work otherwise." With her right hand, Phoebe displayed the tumbler doll based on her.
A sample?
"A hair strand is enough." The pumpkin girl observed my pigtails.
"To make a functional doll for you." Phoebe slowly handed me her doll.
I walked to a wall lamp to examine the doll with more light. I saw a shiny, blue hair strand wrapped around its 'neck'.
"Be nice to her. Any damage my doll receives from someone with an activated aura can affe-" I casually threw the tumbler doll back at Phoebe as she spoke.
It spun multiple times in the air...
And so did the real Phoebe's body.
As if a scene from a horror movie, an invisible force tossed away Phoebe so violently, that it sent her body flying across the entire entrance floor. Loudly, she crashed into the huge display cabinet with plush dolls. Phoebe and the cabinet fell to the floor, the latter breaking on top of her.
Sara, Roman, and I observed the nightmarish phenomenon. Our jaws and eyes wide open.
"PHOEBE!" Sara ran to check on the woman who momentarily turned into a ragdoll.
"What have you done!? YOU KILLED HER!" Roman's astonished voice made me react.
What- I... THAT WASN'T MY FAULT!
Sara commenced to cry as she did her best to lift the broken cabinet and rescue an unconscious Phoebe.
You will hurt yourself with a shard, let me handle this!
I summoned 3 copies of myself with Overactive Imagination. I commanded them to handle the broken cabinet as I moved Sara to safety.
"I'm fine." With a mix of excruciation and embarrassment, Phoebe helped my clones lift the cabinet. "My aura protection was on."
Sara broke from my grasp to hug Phoebe, stepping on broken pieces of glass and wood. Fortunately, she also had aura protection.
Of course. If Sara has been using her semblance, she counts with aura defenses. And Phoebe activated her aura to share her energy reserves via AAIS. How could I forget?
"Phoebe... That girl is scary... Why she hurt you?" The small witch asked between sobs, pressing her face against Phoebe's body while she patted her squirrel ears.
[She brings tragedy to those around her.]
...
My clones broke into pink shards. A sharp pain traveled across my body.
... I fucked up by coming to this island. I better leave!
Not bothering to look them in the face or typing something, I sprinted to the maisonnette's exit-
"Hey, I may be a dumb but I'm no wimp. It takes way more than an accident from my sis to hurt me." Phoebe's comforting words reached my ears.
I turned around to look at her. She was smiling and flexing an arm to show off her muscles. Sara stared in awe at the strong phoenix woman.
"Come on, let's pick up the broken pieces. We don't want one of these to hurt you later." Phoebe crouched to grab a glass shard.
...
I fell on my knees. A reflection in another glass shard revealed to me that my hair was back to being fully brown. I had subconsciously deactivated my semblance. The only pink that remained was the one in my right eye. The sharp pain concentrated in my throat with such intensity, that breathing became unbearable.
"Sis, it was an accident. I'm okay, stop blaming yourself." A series of footsteps approached me.
Droplets fell into the glass below my face.
•
"Wish I could help but you know being dead and everything else. Seriously, to leave such pretty ladies handle this alone ruins a gentleman's reputation." In a wooden chair nearby, Roman expressed his regret as I dropped the last glass shards into a trash can with the help of a dustpan.
"Cannot believe I told you to activate your aura for our AAIS bracelets to work, and then forgot about it!" Phoebe said exasperatedly, scratching her head.
She was done gathering all the big shards of wood and glass on the base of what used to be the display cabinet. Sara and I were done collecting the smaller ones, after sweeping the floor many times. I would have relied on my constructs to get the job done quicker but my emotions were still a mess. Outside of my pink hair with white streaks and my logo on the jacket's shoulder returning, I still couldn't control effectively my powers.
I lifted one of the plush toys we placed on a desk. It was the white mouse holding a rose that Phoebe and I won at Bright Island. Sadly, glass shards had cut part of its body, revealing its stuffing material. I lowered the plush toy slowly to type another holo-message.
Let me borrow your sewing tools. I can fix it in less than an hour.
"Sorry about earlier..." But a rigid Sara apologized instead, staring down at the floor.
"At least Diana was spared the torment." Phoebe teased the rest of the plush dolls on the desk.
Diana?
"Diana, the white witch. She's resting on my bed." Seeing my puzzled face, Sara clarified what Phoebe meant.
"A character from The Wandering Witch, a book that Sara loves. She made a Diana plush toy herself." Phoebe now complemented the young girl's explanation.
"Neo, are you familiar with her story?" The thrilled squirrel girl approached me.
...
Sara's attitude was changing. She was acting like someone her age. And fangirling over something I wrote.
I've heard about it. Maybe I will read it later.
Thinking it was better not to reveal the truth for now, I wrote her a white lie. Maybe I could get unbiased feedback and opinions from her to improve my future work.
"I can lend you my book! It's on this shelf! Oh, and Diana is upstairs! I will get her!" The cheerful girl went to retrieve the items, leaving me with Phoebe.
Something moving on the table right next to us caught my eye. It was Ed's little doll. He was heading to the shielded bay of the island.
It's an extraordinary semblance. No wonder her room is well protected.
"According to my sensei, it's an astral/control semblance. Very rare." Phoebe looked at her tumbler doll. She had put it back on the map, next to Sara's.
I don't recall that kind of semblance existing in Remnant.
While most types of semblances in my natal world were the same ones as Zenith's, there were some categories exclusive to this world. I learned about elemental semblances when I met Phoebe but this was the first time I heard about the astral type.
"Here she is!" Sara sprinted to us, holding a plush doll of a pink-haired witch dressed in white.
She looks like the one from the book cover I drew!
Feeling more confident after seeing me smile, Sara went for her book. She returned in no time.
"My outfit is based on hers." As I stared at the items, she walked to the wall hanger to put on her witch hat and cloak cape with Phoebe's assistance.
This girl is so talented for someone her age.
I cheated a bit by dressing as a witch with a white cape, dress, and oversized pointy hat via Overactive Imagination. To avoid monotony, the three pieces of clothing had pink interiors, I wore black stockings, and boots with pink highlights. I felt like a model hired to promote my very own official products.
"Your semblance is so cool!" Sara made little happy jumps.
Yours is also remarkable.
(-‿)
"We still haven't shown her the spell tablet though." The gentle musclebrain pointed to the large desk on the other side of the room.
"Let's go!" Sara pulled me by the arm.
She put away some huge books to make space for a smooth and flat, black stone with a reflective surface.
"I write here the runes for my spells with this stylus." The green witch pulled out a pen resembling the ones digital artists use to draw on their computers.
"Oh, use on me the spell you learned last month!" Phoebe raised her hand as she caught up with us. In her other hand, she was holding her tumbler doll.
"I learn lots of words and spells thanks to the grimoires Ed gives me." Sara sat on a chair and started 'writing' runes on the sophisticated stone tablet.
"Phoebe, lend me your doll." Once she was handed mini-Phoebe, the doll was placed in the middle of the stone, surrounded by lines of runes.
"Levitate!" My companion witch said another incantation with a commanding voice.
The letters in the stone tablet shone bright yellow, and as if by magic, the doll commenced levitating 30 centimeters above it. Sara's eyes were glowing purple once more. We turned around to witness Phoebe taking off the ground.
"It's as if I owned a levitation semblance!" Phoebe merrily levitated around the room, reaching the open space where the staircase was.
Doing acrobatics, she reached the room's ceiling while Sara and I followed her from the ground.
"She and I have practiced this spell many times." The redhead girl pridefully cleared up why Phoebe was already used to this anomalous situation.
"Bah, I can also do that." An envious Roman stared at the phoenix girl moving around the skylight.
Sure, but most people would rather not die to obtain levitation powers.
I gave my imaginary partner a smug look to annoy him.
Do you still think semblances are overrated?
"Well... Not yours." Roman admitted with a smirk, pointing at Sara and me.
But at that moment, Sara's face contorted. She opened her mouth and moved her jaw from one side to the other.
Are you going to-
She released a cute sneeze. A noise made me turn around. The little doll had fallen on the stone tablet. Not wasting time, I moved us one meter sideways. Next to us, Phoebe crashed into the floor with a loud thud and a small scream.
She had fallen approximately 4 meters, face-first, into the entrance floor. Thankfully, her aura was still turned on. I knew this because I caught her body flashing blue during the impact.
"AH, SORRY!" The kid apologized with terror, checking up on her victim's status.
"... I'm fine." Still facing the floor, Phoebe answered with pain due to aura defenses not nullifying affliction.
I will give you a hair strand but don't use your semblance on me.
Unless I allow it. (､)
I typed a message for Sara, and then another one for Phoebe.
It's 10 pm. Where can I buy food this late?
"Most businesses already closed but there is a 24/7 convenience store nearby..." Without bothering to get up, Phoebe nonchalantly positioned her body sideways and used her arm to support her head. "Or I could bring you some tea and food from Taiyou."
I looked at the globe and then at Sara, who self-confidently nodded.
Isn't matcha from Taiyou?
(‿)
Author's Note: Sorry if the emoticons no longer display correctly for Fanfiction Net readers.