[Hunt for Paladin: Day 3]
"Alright," Lynx sat down, taking a careful breath and clearing her throat. "Haru, Fox, Ica, Eileen. Good to meet you- why is it you four in particular asked to stay and help me?"
"I wasn't asked," Fox shook her head, fox's ears twitching as she leaned on Haru's arm. "I just couldn't leave the badger girl behind, y'know? Otherwise she might find herself in the center of a zombie outbreak," She added, snorting in a way that was quite undignified.
"Story, there?" Lynx asked, leaning back and watching as Haru's eyes cycled through a number of emotions.
"The Giant, yeah," Haru admitted. "When we were just on the cusp of saving Alexei, he showed up, trapped him in a knife- we didn't understand that, at the time- and then vanished, unleashing some sort of weird mind control fungus on the city. We had this whole battle in a parking garage with an arch demon, ended up burning it from inside out with a road flare."
"That's quite a hobby," Lynx laughed quietly, nodding.
"It was when I decided that The Giant must be put down," Eileen added quietly, eyes soft but dark. "I do not think that the decision was conscious yet, but regardless, I would say that it was made, there. I threw myself on a roof as he tried to grab me… as if I was some sort of magical battery," Eileen smiled wistfully, remembering something probably, and Lynx nodded.
"So refresh me, sorry; I was a bit overwhelmed before," Lynx added, Nara and Alice shifting a bit closer. "Remind me what exactly an elf is?"
"Human tapped into their soul; magic without rules, and yet a human's fragility," Eileen clarified simply, deadpan.
"Right, thanks."
"To get us back on topic," Haru spoke gently, smiling lightly. "-The reason we four in particular will help you with this is because I'm a soldier who operates on the ground- not one for rank and file policies. Fox worries that any attractive woman is an incursion onto her territory, and Ica-"
"Hey-!" Fox snapped, having seemingly taken a moment to catch what was said. "What do you mean? That's not true at all!"
"Right, right," Haru laughed softly, rolling her eyes and yawning. "Anyway, whether it's true or not- it is- Ica here is the best hacker we've got on our side."
"I," the pink-haired young man leaned forward and crossed a leg over the other. "-will be able to get you into anything you need. Period. I'll find Vilhelm, probably within a couple of hours once I get set up. Which I'd like to do here if that's fine, I have my laptop," he added, patting the backpack sitting on the couch against his thigh.
"Sure," Lynx nodded, blinking slowly, still feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all. "Where does that leave me, then?"
"You can update Viggo and tell him to keep his head down," Ica nodded, beginning to pull out the laptop itself. "Or show Haru around Ravenwood for all I care, let Fox growl and bite your heels."
"I would not-" Fox huffed, but she got steamrolled, verbally, as Haru covered the shorter woman's mouth and spoke.
"I think what's best right now Lynx is for you to go into the other room and talk with Aurelia- the one you know. She slipped out, but I don't think she's gone far," she added, jerking her chin toward the kitchen door.
For a moment, Lynx stared at the doorway, and then she nodded, walking over to the kitchen and inside. Aurelia sat at the round table tucked into an alcove, staring down at her hands.
"Sorry, I never explained," she winced. "Asking for your help with my friend back at the drug deal because I was scared of being put on record as some sort of witness- I promised her I'd stay out of the spotlight, I'd be a nobody, and now…"
"Shut up," Lynx said softly, not unkindly. "You're in. We all have skeletons in our closets- some more fucked up than others, but anybody who would rather face their fears than stand idly by while others suffer is exactly what I need. You're in. Period."
For a moment, the two women stared at each other; Aurelia dumbfounded, Lynx calm. Then, the succupixie laughed; a short bark of a sound, her shoulders shaking some, eyes briefly closing.
"Just like that? You got guts, girl, join my team?" The ginger choked, covering her mouth, eyes widening in embarrassment. "Sorry-"
"God, you're such a troll," Lynx sighed, playful, crossing her arms. "Yes. You're in. Whatever Aegis becomes, you're a part of it if you want to be. We're getting quite the cast here, I must admit. Playwrite is probably giggling and kicking his feet."
"Who's that?" Aurelia asked, angling her head, and Lynx shrugged.
"Someone I know who likes a good story. Anyway. I'm going to catch a bit more sleep I think; as soon as Ica has something, I imagine we'll set off. Hey, though- did you know about me? My time with… Wolfpack, or whatever? Or was I just some weird chick who appeared in your classes one day?"
"I didn't know," Aurelia shook her head. "I wasn't with Wolfpack at the same time as you- and when I woke up I also ran, immediately. They had to hunt me down."
"So you were posing as a student in CA- why? If you wanted to be out of the spotlight-"
"Aerendyl. So he could keep an eye on me," Aurelia admitted, nodding. "Eventually, he probably would have let me go without argument, but I was comfortable, and I didn't know where else I'd go… so I kept faking it. The teachers knew better than to question Aerendyl, after all."
"Right." Lynx nodded, turning. "I'm gonna get some sleep. Go home, stay here, I don't care. Just take care of yourself."
"I heard what you said," Haru spoke, leaning in the doorway- how long has she been there? "When we go after Vilhelm, I think we should keep our numbers down, so he has less warning we're coming."
"What do you suggest?" Lynx angled her head, tail flicking, raising an eyebrow.
"I suggest," Haru smirked. "-I send Fox to cause a diversion, talk about murdering someone- to draw out his twisted sense of justice. She likes dancing on the edge of a knife, after all- and once she does, well, you and I should have no problem subduing him and getting the knife."
"I'm bringing Nara," Lynx spoke immediately. "-Alice, as well. Just in case. I don't want to leave them behind again."
"That's fine," Haru nodded. "Ica and Aurelia can hang out here, or wherever- let's not have more than the five of us, I don't want to big a scene and I don't want to litter the street with corpses."
"You sure you're good with Fox being the bait? You two seem… close," Lynx added pointedly, raising an eyebrow, and Haru nodded.
"Actually, no-" She, the badger girl with black and white hair, suddenly stiffened. "Duh. My skin is impenetrable. If he stabs me, it won't work- so I'll be the bait. Sorry, it's been a really emotional week- and I'm not even sure why," she added, laughing lightly, but in spite of the subject, there was a warrior's grace and fatigue, both, in her shoulders.
"Yeah?" Lynx prompted, careful.
"Yeah," Haru agreed. "I knew Alexei for about an hour as a friend, if that. Still, it's someone who wanted to be better, and someone who had the chance ripped away from them. When I ran across this case, I just… I had to do something. Had to see it through."
"-and," She continued, "-when I saw you, I… well, it's good to see you're well. Even if we were never close; you were always so distrusting of demons," she added, laughing, and Lynx raised an eyebrow, just listening. "I mean," Haru continued, smiling. "I totally get it- you were a human, and you always had to fight underhanded in some way, but even so, you're just so… different now, and yet the same," she added, voice light, almost carefree.
"Yeah? How am I the same?" Lynx asked cautiously, raising an eyebrow.
"You never wanted to mince words," Haru answered comfortably, nodding and crossing her arms, mirroring Lynx's posture. "You always just cut straight to the point, even if it offended somebody- said an ugly truth was superior to a pretty lie, and more respectful of everyone's time to boot. Or, something like that," she added wistfully.
"I'm sorry- I wish I remembered," Lynx laughed, rueful. "I mean, if we really have a history together- even a limited one, I wish I remembered. I feel a bit rude as well, not knowing."
"You're alive now. You're well. Nothing to feel rude or regretful about- not with me," Haru added, her smile softening as she let her head rest against the doorframe. "It's really nice to see you alive and well. I mean that."
"Thank you," Lynx muttered, and stiffened as Haru opened her mouth. The badger girl's cheeks were reddening, and she seemed guilty.
"Can I hug you?" Haru finally asked, swallowing. "I just… I really wanna hug you, is that weird?"
"Nah, cmere," Lynx muttered, stepping forward; and Haru crashed into her, squeezing tightly, burying her face in Lynx's hair. For a long moment, they just stayed like that; Lynx stiffening at first, but slowly relaxing and returning the hug. When they broke apart, tears were soaking through the shoulder of Lynx's shirt.
"Thought you were dead, and him. Now I find out one lived and one can be saved. Happy day," Haru whispered, turning and walking away- Lynx let her go, not because she felt awkward, or uncomfortable, but because the following silence was a comfortable one, and one that needed no words.
-
Lynx woke a few hours later, shifting and groaning, groggy, as Nara shook her.
"I assumed," Nara whispered, leaning down and gently kissing the blonde, blinking slowly. "-That you would want to be woken as soon as Ica found Vilhelm's whereabouts."
"Mm… you're right," Lynx agreed, shifting and slowly hopping to her feet after Nara moved aside, starting to stumble into the hall, still waking up.
"I'll start the coffee," Nara spoke lightly, pleasantly, as Alice met Lynx at the bottom of the stairs with a mug of coffee, smirking, saying nothing; afternoon light coming through one of the bay windows illuminated her hair, and the loose strands dyed orange glowed like copper lines- for just a moment, Lynx froze, distracted.
"You're both gorgeous," She sighed, taking the coffee and carefully walking into the living room, looking around. Aurelia sat on the couch, curled up, fiddling with her phone, and Ica was staring down at his laptop, focused.
"How's hacking work, anyway?" Lynx asked, walking closer and sipping her coffee, raising an eyebrow. "Is it like the movies?"
"No. In part it's bribery and blackmail," Ica admitted. "Getting access into mainframes and then duplicating employee profiles- admin access, making idiots click the wrong link that logs them in on my devices, and so forth- a lot of hacking is just, yeah. Bad morals and idiots. As for why I'm the best, I couldn't really tell you- I've just got a silver tongue and I'm really good at hacking the things that can be legitimately hacked."
"Got it," Lynx nodded, laughing quietly and sitting down beside him, melting a bit as Alice sank down onto her other side and leaned against her arm, the blonde's eyelids suddenly feeling heavy.
"Anyway," Ica continued, clearing his throat. "He's hiding out in an old carnival that got shut down for safety reasons," He explained, showing his laptop screen to Lynx. "Saw him entering via traffic cams in the area. This is-"
"Hold on, why does it have to be a carnival?" Lynx groaned, tangling a hand into her hair. "Why couldn't it be like a normal warehouse or something?"
"Scary merry-go-round," Alice purred, and Ica raised an eyebrow.
"Probably because it's an easier place to hide and a harder place to corner someone in. He's been returning there every day for four days- I'd say we should go at night. He's been seen outside during the day almost exclusively; so he's likely still sleeping at night."
"Then we can go now, and be ready," Lynx nodded, standing up slowly.
"Before that," Fox called from the kitchen, and Lynx looked up. "I made food! No raiding creepy-ass abandoned carnivals on an empty stomach!"
"Come on, let's go," Alice hummed, pulling Lynx to her feet and laughing quietly. "Once we've eaten, we can hit the road, yeah."
"I'm gonna get cornered in a house of mirrors, by the way- calling it right now," Lynx sighed, wandering into the kitchen and clearing her throat, looking around; Fox had laid out a plethora of pastas, salads and meats, and now stood grinning with alfredo sauce on the tip of one ear, tail wagging like a pleased dog.
"Good job, chef," Haru mumbled, patting Fox's head in passing and sinking into a chair at the table. "Come on Lynx, Alice, Nara- eat! Fighting on an empty stomach isn't wise, even if you're not hungry."
"How'd you know I don't feel hungry?" Lynx retorted curiously, slowly sitting down.
"Just a hunch," Haru smirked, not giving a real answer as Lynx started to plate food, Nara digging through the fridge which had, somehow, been stocked with groceries, coming out with a water bottle.
The food was good- the women and the twink ate quietly and without much chatter, and the dishes were done rapidly by Aurelia and Ica, the latter of whom shoved Alice aside, saying that he needed a break from staring at a screen as he took over the cleaning.
"Are you feeling okay? Ready? I know you're not very close with Vilhelm, but that knife, and whatever you're learning to do, talking to souls… it's okay if this isn't something you're ready for." Alice smiled as she spoke, watching Lynx pull on a tank top and then a padded undershirt, a sweater, a jacket with kevlar plates in the chest and arms.
"I'm feeling ready," Lynx nodded. "Interacting with souls… I don't understand what's happening. If I can get my hands on the knife though, and somehow I can end this without anybody dying- well, then that's exactly what I want to do. That's only fair, right?"
"It's you, for sure. Some would argue that putting your life in danger to save others is dumb," Alice mumbled, walking closer as Nara nosed her way into the room, pausing, then walking over and sitting on the edge of the bed, starting to work her sweatpants down and off to get dressed. She didn't speak, tail flicking, but just listened for now.
"No," Lynx shook her head, clearing her throat. "It's not dumb, I'm not putting my life in danger. I'll just live."
"Right, right…" Alice laughed, shaking her head and turning, walking to the window and staring out at the grassy plain and the late afternoon sun. "What happens if an enemy gets the better of you though, and kills you?"
"That won't happen," Lynx shook her head, looking down as she zipped her jacket. "If it does though, then I'll die having saved more than most. Having done more good, than most, I'd like to think."
For a moment, Alice was silent- and it was Fox who spoke next, incidentally.
"I can see why you don't hate Aerendyl," She, Fox, admitted. "You are quite the same as him, in some ways."
"What do you mean?" Lynx looked around, walking over to Fox and sitting down, pulling the bushy fox tail into her lap and snagging a brush from the end table, starting to pull it gently through Fox's tail- the tanned girl shuddered, stiffening, and then slowly relaxed, letting it happen, nose wrinkling for a moment.
"Well, you both want to save people at all costs, even if it kills you- it's just that you do not have the problem of tunnel vision," Nara explained, nodding. "Logically, you should despise Aerendyl. I think that you understand him better than those that do, though."
The following silence… Lynx wanted to speak. To rebuke it, and say that she was nothing like Aerendyl- but what was he, if not a flawed man trying and failing to do good? He did save her, and maybe he believed he had a chance at saving The Giant, too, in some capacity. Who can say what goes through his mind?
"You'll be safe, won't you?" Fox asked, pulling on her own undershirt, angling her head. "You're a greater demon on the books, aren't you? That is however by no means top of the scale."
"I'll be as safe as I can, I promise," Lynx nodded, fastening the leather bracelet Aerendyl had made for her onto her left wrist, yawning. "Just because I feel the need to throw myself into the fray and save others doesn't mean I want to die. Wonder what this weird bracelet does."
"Where did it come from?" Alice asked, angling her head much like Lynx loved to do. "I don't think you mentioned it- or if you did, I'm sorry, I forgot."
"Aerendyl made it for me. Said something like… I'll understand when I need it. Not sure what he meant," She added, laughing softly. "I'll keep wearing it though. At worst, it's kinda cute. At best, maybe it really is some sort of secret weapon."
"It's probably something strong, just wonder how it activates," Alice shrugged, yawning. "If you trust it, so do I. Ready to go try and save a man?"
"If we can finish a nine day job in four, I'll be pretty proud," Lynx laughed, nodding. "Let's do it, and then we can do stupid couple stuff for a few days before visiting Pempa."
"Sounds like a plan," Alice agreed, and Fox exhaled sharply, almost a laugh.
"Let's go save a guy," Lynx agreed, headed for the door now. "I'll be downstairs."
"We're coming to save you, guy," Alice giggled, smiling. "Let's get it done."
"The legend of saving guy," Fox sniggered, relaxing and starting to pull her pants up. Lynx, shaking her head, headed downstairs, laughing lightly.