Dragging three players into an alleyway. The General with Bahamut right beside him walks with them as the skeleton soldiers roughly put them down kneeled on the trashy location. With their hands cuffed, the only people there who were free were the soldiers, the Dragon, and the high ranking officer present. Looking down on the three defenders of the white suited man.
“So. Who sent you?”
“…”
“A Viking Tank with a Warhammer, a Thief wearing a robe and dual swords, and most of all. An Elven with a Scepter who is good at Fire and Nature magic. I’d like to know why you folks chose to defend a Native. As his head is now rolling.”
“...”
“How much did he pay you? How did he know Bahamut is here?”
“...”
“Haaaaa… you know.” The General squats in front of them. Pulling his sleeves up as he sighs. “I have Bahamut here. She can easily make you spill. But, since I’m trying to leave my past and be a better man. I’m here right now wasting precious time to talk and interact with you all.”
“...”
“If that’s how it's going to be.”
He takes a step back as Bahamut places her index finger on their forehead. A Humvee then arrives and Colonel Henry disembarks from it. Saluting to the General.
“Henry, didn’t I tell you? No heavy arsenal inside the city?”
“Sorry sir. But the Pilots were competent; they'd only hit the World Boss.”
“Still, that was uncalled for. We cannot have missiles flying even a kilometer within city limits. We’re trying to avoid chaos, remember?”
“Sorry sir.”
“Bwah. You did good anyways. You have a mark of a good officer. You inspected the situation and knew having that Angel attack me would burden me more. So, I’m guessing it's big if you came here yourself.”
“Yes sir. As you ordered, we checked the perimeter and we found a Blackhawk that landed on a rooftop nearby and dropped some troops. It soon left. We have no IDs yet on the pilots involved but we know it's a Blackhawk from the Third Helicopter Wing stationed at the Downtown Heliport.”
“Hmmmm… they're quite smart then.”
“Sir?”
“If it's a transport helicopter. Then they were indeed just there to watch. Bahamut, what did you find out?”
“Their paid Master. The white suited man hired them on the outskirts and had them act as his bodyguards. They also live in the Central section of the city.”
“Mhm. No wonder they didn’t use more powerful and destructive magic against me. What a bunch of morons… hah… Anything about meeting anyone?”
“Their Tank eavesdropped on the White suited man and he was talking to someone on the phone about a certain Dragon from Tur now in the city. Master, I think it was that Organization leading them to me to test my strength.”
“Well well well. The cat’s out of the bag then.”
“Master?”
“They were doing the classic, sending the goons to test your opponent's strength. They wanted to see if they could still take you on as your religion grew.”
“I thought the same. Then Master, what should we do?”
“Nothing. StateSec is after them, not us. They are beyond our jurisdiction as we are the Army, not the Internal Bureau. Regardless, I do not think they’ll pull anything unless we get ahead of them. They got a front view of your strength, it will be a bad move if they try anything while you're here.”
“Ah, so that’s why you placed the Vampires on that job, Master.”
“Nice catch. Indeed, knowing them. They’ll get ahead of the curb and this should expose them one more time. So far, the only reason why they’ve been acting is because we were an external factor that kept bugging them. That stint they did at the City Hall. I’m sure none of them expected the UN would act so harshly that Bahamut would be sent.”
“Knowing those two, Master. They’ll totally be forced to make am ove again.”
“More for us.” He then turns to face the Colonel with a blank and poker face. “Colonel. Look for those two pilots. We can’t have two players with such expertise to be on the loose. Do you have an ID to what Blackhawk they used?”
“Yes sir. The Blackhawk came from the Third Transport Wing. It was recorded taking off an hour before the incident. Pilots though, their logs came back to no one of such names.”
“Hmph… keep investigating that then. I fear that these two will use there skills in the future against us.”
“Sir yes sir.”
He then gestures for the Colonel and the man with his well ironed beret nodded. Taking away the Adventurers as he snappily fixes his jacket and walks into the street where hundreds of the officers of ZPD and soldiers from the UN were placed on the streets surrounding the city hall as News Vans were outside, reporters and journalists around the fountain as the General and Bahamut walked in. Avoiding their stares and curiosity along the way with a SWAT team guarding them. He soon reaches the third floor and into the City Council Meeting Room where the Mayor was present with all of the members of Zavalda’s local city government.
Sitting on the empty city council desk reserved for him. The General is surrounded by a bunch of players in neat suits. Some tapping their pens. One of the players that caught his eye was a woman wearing a huge padded pink suit, visibly fixing her make up as the Mayor got his papers together.
“Ahem. General Jackson, pleased to meet you again.”
“Hm. Mayor Cavall. May I ask why the Concert is still all green? Didn’t I highly protest against this?”
“Well General. You said we should quell the angst of the people right? I believe our Higher Ups at the UN also received your letter and proceeded with this plan.”
“Even still, I am HIGHLY against it. Things are very volatile right now, we’re literally hanging by the thread and to this day. I am still not given access to your Mana Core and why are the City Council-” he then changes his face to look at the city council members that surround him. “Preventing me from fortifying the Downtown area?”
“G-General. Please, one question at a time. We aren’t even in the QnA section.”
“I am not here for that. I came here to speed things up. Right now, things are going far too slow. I need access, all of it. Do not beat around the bush with me, because the UN has given me the power to put all of you in jail if I wish. But I wanna stand by the saying that everyone here is innocent till proven guilty. So please, hasten things before I am forced to be more violent with my methods.”
“General, I understand your sentiments and we’ll get on with all of that. But it's not as easy as you think. We are running a city here with many running parts that need to be taken into attention. Like for one, your tanks are destroying city infrastructure. The road maintenance fee we had has skyrocketed to two hundred percent ever since your heavy equipment has started rolling through the city.”
“And?” The General nonchalantly slides his back on the comfy office chair and takes a sip of the bottled water for him.
“Mister Reachester, please talk to the General about the Downtown area.”
A man in a sky blue pinstripe suit then faces the General. Swinging his chair to his direction as he leans on the desk.
“General Jackson, I cannot approve all of your requests due to the lack of officers to enforce it. We’ve already had multiple cases of your sandbags being stolen and the wheels of some of your armored vehicles. If you continue to expand there, we simply do not have enough men. The building owners there are also very hostile to anyone trying to get into their personal spaces. Unlike in Uptown and Central where they’ll happily stay quiet and let you do your thing.”
“Is that so?”
“Y-Yes.”
“Well, if the Downtown Area burns first when all hell breaks loose. Don’t come crying to me. And the Mana Core Access that I’ve been requesting for days now?”
“As Mayor, I still have a lot of people to go through before letting you have access to that. The Police Chief has already given his signature. All that remains is the Local City Sanitation and-”
“Wha-what? Are you kidding me right now? This is life and death right now of this city’s safety and you wanna beat around the bush still?!”
“We have a process to follow General. I cannot veto you yet till all parties involved agree.”
“Jesus, should I just have all of you jailed? If you're gonna do this. I might as well just go iron man on all of you and do the unthinkable. Pssh… I truly cannot believe this. What are you people hiding? Were the cops and the taxi driver telling the truth? Just how much dirt do all of you have?”
“General, before you continue with your tiarage. May I ask what I am supposed to do with the retro train cars left in the Yard of my Industrial Sector?”
He turns his head at the suited Orc player with visible green skin and his lower fans protruding upward. But even with such a bullish character, he had a voice that was as calm as the sea and as collective as the General.
“What do you mean?”
“The UN placed an order for Magic Rails.” He then shuffles through his paper and grabs one that was underneath the pile. “Fifty old Heavyweight passenger rail cars to be sent to Schon with three locomotives and three tenders. I’ve been debating if I was to send the finished ones to the airbase but they just left there right now in the train yard taking up precious space. Ten of them are ready for transport including two tenders.”
“Send it to the Airbase then. We are already on the later stages of checking the runways. The Engineering Brigades should come to be soon with either good or bad news. But the Ruslans and Super Galaxies were all undamaged and ready for take off.”
“Then if I send these trains to you, they won’t be returned? As we have no space right now with the War economy going in full swing.”
“No worries. Send it and we’ll sort it out. Now, Mayor. About those signatures, can’t you just get it done right now? The Vice Mayor is literally sitting next to you.”
The two players looked at each other and then back at the uniformed man with a woman standing right beside him.
“I technically can but he still needs to send it to my Secretary who has my stamp and the main topic of the meeting today is the Martial Laws effects and now, was the attack on the Seaside of the city. General, why did your attack planes fly into city limits? Didn’t you promise me aircrafts of such types will not perform attacks within a kilometer placement of civilians?”
“Yes I did. But I cannot fully take that into account when a World Boss spawns in your city. You should feel lucky that a block was affected and not half of Zavalda. That World Boss could’ve easily laid waste to everything here if it weren’t for Bahamut.”
“But still, do you know how much problems this will cause us? What will the citizens say and do now? That was quite a spectacle in front of thousands of people running in chaos, General.”
“Mayor Cavall, I am trying to do my job.”
“I am also trying to do my job.”
“But we must make compromises. I do not wish to step into your freedom and walk over it hence why even after that, I took the time to come here. We are currently in a very volatile place. All it takes is one spark for the Mana Core to go up for all we know and open portals like it did twice before.”
“G-General. You mustn’t make such conclusions.”
“Yeah? Well I did. Do you realize why the UN sent a Five Star General and a Physical God to this place? What’s going on goes beyond the boring bureaucracy of this place. You have no idea what I’ve been through a few hours ago. I was there, in the frontlines. If it weren’t for me and Bahamut. There’d be bigger casualties.”
“Haaaaaa….” the Mayor puts his fingers in between his nose and pinches it. “I’ll add that part of getting you all permissions then in the last part of the meeting. But right now, we have to switch to crisis mode and assess the damage done.”
“I’ll leave that to my Colonel then. I have bigger fish to fry than this.” the General stands up and puts his hands up as he leaves the Meeting. Outside, he breathes in and calms himself. Recollecting his soul as he wipes his entire face with his hands.
“Master?”
“I’ll deal with them later. Colonel Henry!”
The Officer brandishing his beret turns to face the General. Following the player was a squad of players.
“Sir!”
“Get me transported to the airport and then arrange for another one back to the city hall. I’ll let them continue their useless conversations. I also want you to stand in for me. Get them all the aid they need whatever they request.”
“Sir, yes sir!”
Quietly minding her own business inside a bookstore as ambulances and firetrucks pass the store at full speed, Alana elegantly swipes through the huge catalog of modern media. Staring at the beautifully made covers of Manga and Light Novels, the players on the other hand couldn’t look straight at their books. In love with the teenage face of Alana, her silky long black hair and a face that reminds you of your first crush. She didn’t emanate any sense of danger as she nonchalantly browsed through things that got her attention.
A man with slick top hair and a perfectly maintained beard in skin tight jeans and leather shoes goes up to her. His long elven ears with seven earrings on it tries to get her attention. The woman looked like a rich girl blessed with all the genes that’d come to the most affluent families in human history. But with the fangs of a Vampire and sharp humanlike ears.
“Ahem.”
“Oh, yes, how may I help you?”
“Would you be interested in coming with me to the upcoming concert?”
With a kind smile, Alana just lightly shrugs. “I apologize, but I already have my plans.”
“Oh… well. Nice taste.”
She looks at her Manga and it's one about a teenage Black Swordsman getting stuck in the VR realm in a fight to the death and finding the one who caused it all.
“I was just looking really. I’m into the more realistic ones, hmmm…”
“Well, what about this one?”
The elven player hands her an older Manga. The cover, that of a human with a sword and a blonde elven woman. She takes it and curiously browses over the first few pages. Her hand up her chin as she silently read through each page and then after a while, she nodded a few times and smiled.
“Hm. I’m taking this one.”
She then moves onto the counter and pays for it using paper currency.
“Ah, Lodoss War. I guess even Vampires have a thing for this stuff huh?”
The nice man on the counter bags it up for her with a polite tone and a smirk.
“It… reminds me of my current situation and the art is good. The man in the cover also reminds me of someone I whom know of, very much.”
“Hm, that’s a true classic right there. You have a fine eye madam.”
“Thank you, may the Gods be with you.”
Exiting the shop, she looks at the line of establishments for her to visit and just as she was about to walk towards them. Her feet stop her and she looks down to see the police detective files on her other hand. With a sigh, she turns into a bat, hoisting the plastic bag up to the skies as she flies back to the hotel. Dodging players in their own animal forms or just flying about with their wings out as she arrived back to the hotel lobby and gave the plastic bag with her new manga and the police files to the reception desk.
“Ah Countess Minuit, we got a call from the City Hall saying you have been given permission to enter the Port. The Mayor has explicitly also given you authority to do as you wish and your Government ID is now valid for the next thousand years.”
“Finally. Do tell M’Lord that I shall take care of everything if you ever get the chance. Seems that he has done his part. Time for me to do mine.”
“Of course, Lady Minuit.”
After flying for a good fifteen minutes, the Vampire reaches the shores of Zavalda, and to the concrete haven that was the Cargo Piers mixed with Naval installations. Though the majority of the ships present were container ships, the grayish naval ships were also stationed in between them. With multiple ones anchored over the sea. Overwatching the port which was overwhelming with container vans and large industrial port cranes. ⅓ of the Port was also taken up by a large teleporter which was only teleporting a small amount of cargo even though its size could easily teleport in hundreds of container vans by the minute.
Walking inside the Port, Alana just taunts her Government ID and the Guards let her be. Not even patting down the woman or talking to her. She then takes a gander around the upper side of the Port where it was more about buildings and warehouses than stacked container vans. She then spots Longway Logistics and graciously enters the Administrative building. Its clean and well ironed tiles were sparkling and the lady in the reception area all well groomed and looking good as ever. The Countess walks up to her with a confident stride with the employees going in and out of the building while having a gander at the beautiful vampire.
“You look familiar.”
“Uhm, how may I help you ma’am?”
“I need access to your entire process.”
“Can you fill out this form first please?”
She hands her a form in English. Requesting everything from personal information to government information. Alana then shows her Government ID to her. “Sorry ma’am. But we’re a private company and thus, not subject to the Government.”
“Excuse me? But I think my provisions go past that.”
“Shall I make a call then? It might’ve not been wired to me yet.”
Alana sighs and takes a pen from the desk and starts writing down what information she could give and the number of the hotel they're staying in. All the while, the Receptionist holds down One and makes some calls. It took her 2 minutes to fill out the form and the reception lady went ahead and had it scanned and the photo sent.
“Do I still have to wait?”
“Yes. I’ll have to get it sent to the Manager and then to the Boss. It needs both of their stamps of approval and signatures. We have gotten no word of your provisions so please wait.”
“What? Why? I already showed you a Government pass. How slow are your people? Even with all this technology, it still takes this slow?”
“Sorry ma’am, just following the process.”
“Okay, so after this. The computer has already sent it to your Manager correct?”
“Yes, but it might take him a day or two before he could check it. Either that or the Team Leader might have to take a look at it beforehand as some of the information here is missing and might not be acceptable.”
Alana facepalms and sighs. She sits down on the sofa and after a while of tapping her feet. The woman stands up. On the TV, a replay of the massive breaking news a few hours ago. The News Chopper flies over a block of the city and a huge Angel as big as a six storey building is floating right before the seaside road. Now, the reporter talking has invited a high level mage to the stage and the two talk about the implication of summoning such a creature from Tur. It soon caught the attention of everyone, with the dock workers and suited people all stopping to watch the news.
Seeing the opportunity, she teleports away and behind the reception area as the guard there was also busy watching the news as Bahamut has a standoff with the Ethereal man. “Yea, it's very surprising. I've been a part of the Mages Association, a truly esteemed institution in the Mage Community for over four years now and to summon a world boss in full power like that. I can say, without the laws of the game stopping us. The variety of what we can do might’ve just multiplied into expanses yet known.” Inside the building, she sees lines of cubicle after cubicle and piles of paperwork and people still working away, listening to the news while flipping paper with magic and some, with their own two hands. Organizing, checking, and reading. Those with magic were given more papers to go through while those with more agility were given the task of moving carts around to collect and hand paper over.
Walking up, the woman has her Government pass in hand and anyone who dared to stop her, she shoves the card to their face to immediately silence them. Looking around, the woman looked stale inside the gray interior of the building. Having been built for maximum efficiency with small hallways that’s cluttered with carts carrying papers. She curiously checks them and sees that it's civilian orders that’s being sent to and fro locations. All getting stored after cleared for move.
On the other carts were stacks of papers, mostly unfiled reports and things that needed to be fixed. She could go on for hours just looking at problems being found in the supply chain with the demand ever so increasing on each paperwork. With the numbers of the citizens increasing with each passing day. Even through the newest one, the problems listed only worsened and the number of citizens at its peak. Alana just breathed a sigh from the troubles looming from all sides.
An employee holding a Mug with the lettering “Best Drinker” brushes past her and the Vampire immediately stops him. He just stares at her beautiful features as the woman elegantly bowed.
“I am Countess Alana Minuit. I’d like to know where your military logistics papers are kept.”
“Military– oh that. It’s on the fourth floor. Though the Manager in charge of it is currently out.”
“Out? Why? From these stacks of papers alone, you all have a massive problem coming with the bottlenecks on your shipping ports and factories.”
“It’s all infrastructure bottlenecks anyways. I think the Mayor already has a plan.”
“Plan? With all of these problems, it won’t only be bottlenecks that will crush your economy and the bottleneck isn’t only in the infrastructure.”
“Hm? What do you mean, ma’am?”
“The bottleneck is also Operational. Look.” She takes a singular piece of paper dated from a few days ago. “You had a thousand parcels delivered from Neo Tokyo meant for the new citizens. Yet it took you an additional four days to get it all delivered. Your entire system itself might be in need of an overhaul”
“But ma’am, if you look at the paper. We also had enough trucks which were running at peak in the night.”
“Even then, you got late. You might have the capacity, but not the efficiency. Are people driving these trucks or skeletons?”
“Skeletons. The ones with an asterisk on the schedule are operated by skeletons.”
She takes a look at the paper and almost all of it has asterisks. The only ones without are the supervision and leading. “Haaah… nonetheless. Where is the Manager of Military logistics? Why is your manager out at such a time?” the man pointed at the huge port. Directly at the gray Naval Supply ship that was getting loaded with equipment in the distance. “Do you have a car?”
Driving her to the ship in an electric cart. The woman just marvels at the stacks of container vans. Some taller than the hotels nearby and the huge cranes constantly moving up and down their designated paths while certain sections had magic circles on them that automatically teleports container vans out of the port. The cranes were also automatically loading and unloading the containers into skeletal trailers being driven around by skeletons. Nowhere had she seen a living human and all of it was being used and steered around by the undead workers. Toiling away endlessly at the industrial docks, zooming through the busy sections and weaving through a sea of military and civilian trucks did they reach the Supply ship. With a tall blonde woman with sparkling blue eyes opening container vans and checking the skeleton soldiers cramped inside.
The undead squads were mostly given modern equipment, only lacking in night vision gear as they shipped like everyday objects inside tanned and olive coloured unmarked 40 footer container vans. The blonde woman turns around and sees a woman wearing tight denim pants with an oversized shirt and sneakers. The wind would billow, revealing her sharp ears.
“That’s her. She’s in charge of military logistics ma’am. Our Manager.”
“Good. Go back to whatever you were doing. I thank thee.”
Tightening his collar, the employee nodded as he drove the cart back to the Admin building. Leaving her with the well dressed blondie in a white shirt and slim slacks. The clacking of the Manger’s heeled black shoes could be heard loudly through the concrete.
“Who might you be?”
Alana puts up her Government card. Signed by the Mayor and a Five Star General of the UN.
“Ehhhhh… is it something again with the ammo? We can’t do anything. We’re pushing as much as we can. Look at how high the container vans are stacked, we can only move enough equipment, let alone ten million bullets.”
“No, I hadn’t come for that.”
“Oh. What could it be then? If its the armored vehicles, talk to the railway. That’s not my problem.”
“I’ve come to ask for any information about the transportation of biological material. I believe Detectives had come here before?”
“Oh yea. They mostly ask for CBRN stuff which we don’t usually get. If it does, it’s usually given special attention. So did they find anything? I promise that we keep everything accounted for. Nothing should be missing.”
“Do you know what containers they kept in? I’m specifically looking for the ones that was confiscated a few months ago from a band of misfit Vampires that took the modified blood of the dead Vampire Queen to use as a weapon.”
“They stand out like a sore thumb. But first, how come the Detectives didn't return? Why you?” The blonde woman with short hair puts her hand up her hip as she lightly taps her head with a clipboard. Alana stayed silent and she just smiled. “Alright alright. Government business and all that I guess. Follow me. They are stored up North of the Pier.”
“Good. As I believe the Detectives only took the paper and didn’t check it for themselves?”
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“Yeah. Well it would be a waste of time. We’d know if it was moved since this stuff is military. But if you really want. Just come with me then.”
The two women walk through the rails as flatcars carrying tanned and woodland armored vehicles from all of the superpowers back on Earth are unloaded by skeletons in full oversuits and reflectorized vests, all of them wearing PPEs properly. The constant blares of train horns as they’d move around the docks made it hard for Alana to acclimate herself to the surroundings. Fully void of nature and nothing but metal parts moving and clanking from all sides. Nonetheless the woman in front of her seemed used to it, walking nonchalantly through the valleys created by stacks upon stacks of container vans.
Soon, the sound died down as they reached the inner parts of the Dock. With the metal surrounding them snuffing out enough of the sounds.
“So, how is your life so far in Zavalda?”
“Hm? How did you know?”
“You walk elegantly. But far too elegant for someone from planet Earth. You also stick out like a sore thumb with that richgirl attitude of yours. I only know of one Vampire player who can get that ancient richgirl vibe going as strong as you. Even with your modern clothes, you still walk and talk like you own the damn place.”
“Hm. Well, it’s been unique.”
“How did the UN find a pretty bird like you? Most of all, who is the poor fool they sacrificed to have you doing their dirty work?”
“You are awfully noisy for a mere Manager.”
“With the stuff I do? I could end the entire Schon Campaign and all the other Theaters of War if I wanted it. So you better tell me why you're here and why the Government took control of the investigation so fast and rapidly. Is it due to the chemical attack that happened a few days ago coupled with the coup on the Airbase nearby?”
The hard boiled Manager would occasionally look back at her as she led the Vampire to the warehouses on the northern part of the dock. “I know something is wrong you know? The Government usually doesn't work this fast unless it threatens them whole.”
“...” Alana didn’t reply. Just keeping her poker face as she is led from the stacks of container vans.
“Look, I just want to know. Another lady from StateSec already came here before you with her suits. It’s very unusual to have this many G-men and women looking for the same things. I’m really getting annoyed with people snooping around my business. Boss won’t like it either when I report to him that another person has taken my time.”
“Hah… yes. I have been sent by General Jackson to go and investigate how those tankers were filled with the potent Vampire blood and released to the masses. I cannot say much more than that.”
“Is that what it was? Huh, no wonder people didn’t die normally. I knew it had to be something magical. Well, I can tell you now. It's not the blood here. I take pride in my job and nothing will go under my nose, most of all if it's something as volatile as military cargo.”
“Regardless. I must confirm it with my own two eyes.”
“Alright. I’ll show you everything as promised.”
The blonde woman then shows her a white low roof warehouse with huge air conditioning on top of it. “This is where we store hazardous materials. Including military ones. The one in front of us, and the other one behind it are all for dangerous chemicals.”
“You do not separate them?”
“No. That would only mean more infrastructure and more complications. Both are handled the same way anyways. It’s just that military ones are given a bit more attention as it's the state that needs them.”
Walking to the shutter. The blonde woman exchanges her clipboard with the one inside the office. The people there greeted her as Alana waited outside and she soon came out.
“They said it's safe.”
An alarm goes off and the heavy metal shutter rises. Revealing rows upon rows of hazardous tanks. All five feet apart and the storage area as cold as can be.
“Well, I doubt you’ll find anything. They also said nothing was moved into the city even on the day of the attack. Everything was shipped away, Zavalda is a city that imports anyways.”
“The Detectives also stated in their paper that the tankers that move these are not private and state owned correct?”
“Oh, I watched the news. Yes, it's a Government subsidized tanker company and comes back and forth on the Docks. But they also stop through multiple different stations before arriving here. Mostly to unload LPG to their back up emergency systems in case of a crisis. The tanks specifically loaded with the blood of the Queen are there.” She points at two red tanks labeled with danger signs.
“So the Government also moves the LPG here? Emergency systems specifically for what?”
“For crises like now. Where do you think the city is getting the fuel to get all of these tanks and choppers flying to patrol and traffic our streets? It's from the backup reservoir located here in the Port and in Central. The tankers stop there to usually unload and refill them.”
“Hmmm… can you store something like Vampire blood into tanks meant for gas? Though that might help in making it spread…”
“Still, you were sent here. Might as well go inside. One thing I know is that you cannot. These LPG tankers are specialized for that job only. You’d need the less cylindrical ones mostly used for normal gasoline work so as to not mix things up and contaminate the load.”
Walking in, the already low temperatures hit the two differently. Alana didn’t care, nonchalantly walking forward to check each of the containers while the Manager had to take a coat meant for workers of the warehouse. Some coloured a bright yellow or bright red while the few military ones were in tan and olive colors with an extra air conditioner on its exterior. The labels were all indicating Hazardous Levels of all types. The manager walks up to her and gives the woman the clipboard with the types of Chemicals and the meaning of the labels.
“So… I’m guessing Vampire blood would be the one with skulls and bones and brightly painted red.”
“Woah missy, that’s some high level stuff. Mind the yellow tape.”
“Well, what else would I put Vampire blood on? Our blood is very volatile. For it to become a Bioweapon released like that… hmmmm… and it's all here correct?”
The Manager then walks up to the tank and checks the gauge.
“Yup its all here.”
“Strange, could it be that they used the tanker they stole and continued experimenting with it?
“I’ve never handled that so I wouldn’t know.”
“Vampire blood is potent due to how magical it is. The purer the blood, the more mana a single cell has pertaining to the power of a Vampire. Hence the blood we are looking for is the most potent of them all. Ancient Vampire blood. But just as many containers hold power, it also becomes very volatile and explosive. To turn it into gas…”
“Too much of the good stuff can kill as they say.”
“Indeed. And to weaponize it is dastardly Evil. To us, that blood is something holy and ancient. Something to be preserved and taken care of.”
“Don’t look at me. I’m just workin’.”
“I know. But where else does this end up apart from the emergency reservoirs?”
“To military bases that need them. Some of the stuff here is converted into fuel or ingredients for explosives. With the new chemicals we found like that super ammonia that came from the dark purple flowers really helped in making General Fuel Three standard gas for military vehicles.”
“Wait? Dark Purple flowers? Are they called Arlekino?”
“Yup, it was found on the plains of Geraldia. The suits were all up and giddy after they found out about its properties.”
“Those are rare, you should be putting them on your tea as it helps alleviate stress and sadly. I personally have some that I preserve for only special occasions”
“Talk about it to the suits.”
“Aren’t you also wearing a suit?”
“Don’t lump me with them. The suits I’m talking about are the boogeymen of the Government.”
“Ah yes. Then, can we check the other warehouse?”
“Of course.”
The two moved to the next one which was half empty already and the ones remaining were all military ones.
“Hmmmmm… do tankers also park here?”
“No. We do not allow trucks to be here. We’d move out the tank container first and then unload it in a specified area.”
“I see, that could be a method to move the Vampire blood we’re looking for. What about fuel and gas, where are those stored?”
“They come here already in tankers. They are usually stacked alongside other container vans as their not as volatile nor dangerous as these ones.”
“Grrrrr…” Alana grits her teeth. Knowing the full blown operation going on. “Even with me, it would take me months to comb this entire thing from the bottom up. Where does the paper trail go?”
“The municipal buildings and then the Mayor’s office.”
“Alright. At least that’s a lead. There must be at least one thing here though. You’ve already sent your CCTV footage to the police, correct?”
“Yup and they didn’t respond.”
“Looks like I’ll have to go and check that later. Let us depart.”
The two left and took a cart next to the office and drove back to the Administrative building. With the Sun already sinking on the horizon, the TV inside was showing the aftermath of a battle between an Angel and Bahamut. With half of a city block razed completely, Alana’s eyes just twitch at the sight.
“Woah… that's crazy.”
“Don’t even get me started.”
“Uhm, your Miss Alana correct?”
“Hm?” She turns her face to the cute receptionist and walks over to her. Staring down the woman as she breathes in heavily. “Yes, how may I help you?”
“You received a call a few minutes ago. From a General, he told you to go to a private phone and hold One.”
“Manager.”
“Just call me Rona. I have a phone upstairs you can use.”
The two then go up to the 4th floor where Alana holds 1 and after identifying herself. The man on the other side answers.
“M’Lord.”
“Alana, how are things there? Did they give you a hard time? The Mayor told me he had already made the calls needed to give you full access to everything.”
“It’s a dead end, M’Lord. Apart from the mess of papers, we have no lead except that the tanker used for the attack did come here often. But all of the blood is still here, stored and protected.”
“Have you asked what type of tankers were those?”
“What was it again… L-P-G correct?” She then faces Rona who was already buried with paperwork. “Those tankers are LPG ones that’d usually arrive on Section B Reservoir near the Downtown Police Station.”
“LPG, M’Lord.”
“I knew it. No wonder it exploded the way it did. It must’ve been only half full or something… The route also explains a lot. This is why I was trying to get Downtown fortified as we have a Reservoir there. Alright, what’re your theories then?”
“Hmmmm… I’m planning on checking the CCTV footage on the police station and then maybe visiting the Mayor’s Hall. If it’s open.”
“It’s open again after the attack, you should be able to walk in if you want.”
“Alright. Have a good evening, M’Lord.”
“Hm, oh, if you can. Talk to Elizabeth, I’ve put her into the political section of things and she’s been probing into multiple officials now. I’m still tied here with Bahamut, teaching her a bit on how to handle a uniform and lead a unit as she’s been great so far at managing things.”
“Of course, M’Lord. I shall put it into my itinerary for the night.”
“Alright, stay safe Alana. If you need me, just find a phone and Hold One. I’ll be on the other side or Bahamut will answer.”
“Also, are you still in the Police station, M’Lord?”
“Yup, you can go up the fifth floor on the East Wing and I’m there or it could be Bahamut in my place as we’ve been transporting more units here recently and I’m needed to be on the ground with my Colonels as I’ve gotten the City Council to allow me to fortify Downtown. There’s also the issue with moving the trains to your country.”
“Thank you, M’Lord. I’ll be sure to visit tonight.”
“Hm. Just be sure to tell me if anyone gives you a hard time. If a Receptionist dares to make you wait. Just give me the word and I’ll make some calls.”
“Receptionist… hmmmm… thank you again, M’Lord.” She gently puts down the phone. “Miss Rona, may I ask. But how long has your Receptionist been here?”
“Sylvia? She’s been here for only a few weeks. Why?”
“Hmmm… I do have a theory. When does her shift end?”
At the dead of night, Alana in her bat form is upside down on a port lamp post. Silently observing the nonstop work at the busy location. The heavy square searchlights bring light to the Port that’s an endless sea of container vans and warehouses. Even as the foreign Sun has dissipated into the horizon, the sounds of machines and teleporters activating never stopped or slowed down. As the Administration Building closes, the employees leave and the last trucks arrive and exit from its back. The Vampire Bat sees the Receptionist with her bag. Chatting with a coworker as snow falls lightly from the darkening skies. Once again coating the land with white, the grayish concrete of the sidewalks and roads hidden under the blanket of pure. Wearing a beige long coat and a scarf, she takes the front exit and to the bus stop outside.
The Vampire Bat follows, flying high above her and orbiting the woman like a drone. As the bus comes, the Vampire follows. Landing on top of it and sneaking a peek inside, with the Receptionist doing her makeup and lipstick. She then rummages more into her bag, checking everything she has. The bus was half empty with most of the people inside being workers from the Port itself and the factories near it. With her being the only one not wearing a fireproof oversuit or PPE as dust and dirt settles inside the city bus.
It soon stops at the less than sterile Downtown area with her being the only one exiting at the stop. The snowfall has gotten worse and has started to pile on some parts of the sidewalk. Most of the people going about their day at night were in their own little worlds. Looking into the neon filled alleys and the dancers on the windows. Some bought there partners, hands together as they roamed the sidewalks, with only the litter protruding from the snow. While others had their hands inside their pockets and their fedoras tipped down to cover their eyes. The droopy atmosphere is disheartening that even the Vampire could feel the immense feelings being carried by each one of the players walking about their days in the cityscape inside a foreign world without respite. The Receptionist then enters an alleyway and quickly crosses into the other side of the block.
Alana kept her distance, closely watching every bit of her movement. Making a tight right turn, she disappears into the corner in which the Bat then turns and sees her gone. Sniffing the air, the Vampire Bat flies to a street pole on the opposite road and hangs herself upside down once again and looks into the line of clubs. The one next to the alleyway was a Bar and the Receptionist was there, drinking some beer all by herself.
With nothing happening, the Vampire transforms back into her normal form and sits down on a chair at a club's exterior restaurant. With her hands elegantly on top of the metal table, she didn’t dare to break eye contact with her. Ignoring the players trying to hand her their call cards and the nosy music from establishments around her. She was completely hidden with so many people coming about there night, making it impossible to make her stand out as she was still in her civilian clothes. Anyone who dare to approach her was just given a nonchalant gesture to shoo away.
“Ma’am, may I say your Vampire Roleplay is top notch.”
“Begone. Can you not see my hands?”
“Woaw! Look at that! You got the Noble aura just pinpoint perfect. Would you like to join the fine establishment I work for? I assure you of the employee benefits and breaks.”
“As I said, begone.”
“D-Don’t worry! We’re an all Vampire exclusive club! We cater to players that have a thing for the true Walkers of the Night.”
She gives the player a quick glance. Wearing a tacky padded suit and a fedora with the shiny feather of a rare beast. He had a gleaming smile and lanky fingers that had a stylish Gothic styled Call Card for her to take..
“Not interested. Begone.”
“W-W-Well! I can assure you nothing else will happen but you are just serving customers! If you do not want the more risque part of the job, its’ fine! Many people get off with just that dominating presence!”
“If you want a dominating presence. Ask an older Vampire. Not me.”
“But you look perfect for the job!”
“Do I look like I have a dominating presence?” she then glances again at the player. But this time looking him straight into the eyes. Even though she wasn’t wearing her crimson frilly Victorian gown. She still had the killer look of a true Vampire. “Y-Yes.”
“Hah… preposterous. No one in the Kingdom had ever told me I had such a stature. I am very young and bullish. Not the old ancients that can kill with a single wink.”
“Ahhh, but we already got a lot of Vampires with the MILF thing going on. It’s currently the fad. But not only do you look like a late teen who is in college, you are perfect for our older customers who wishes to interact with a Vampire that’s in her twenties.”
“Again. Not interested. Quit pestering me before I am forced to move my hand.”
“I-I’ll leave this here then.” He then gently lowers the call card on her table and leaves. After a few minutes, a male player wearing a barbarian outfit devoid of armor and just a loincloth with a fur cape, fully revealing his toned six pack abs and bulging muscles arrives at her table. On his hand was a serving plate “Wine, make it fast.”
“May I interest you ma’am in our Incubus pack? One night sta-”
“Quit it. Also, I prefer my wine native to Threa.”
“That’d be extra ma’am.”
“Don’t care.” The entire time, she only broke contact for a few seconds and her eyes was peeled on keeping a line of sight on the receptionist. The robust Viking player then makes a light bow and returns inside. Snow fell more and more. The people passing her were ignoring the beautiful Vampire as they browsed through the windows with even slimes and lizard folks in full display, though some would sneak a peek at her as she drank all by herself. “Bleh! What wine is this?” She takes the bottle and sees it's made in the Dominion and sets it back. “Tsk. That’s expensive.” With everyone else inside the lone bar doing their own thing. She starts tapping her walking shoes and her nails on the metal table. Soon, a man wearing a dark blue peaked cap with the logo of the Zavalda Police Department and a long brown leather jacket enters the establishment.
Removing his jacket inside the well insulated Bar, he turns around to the door and pats his jacket. Revealing his police uniform and duty belt. With his shiny golden badge of Zavalda Police Department - Downtown HQ. He then turns back to the bar and kisses the receptionist on the cheek. The two then share a drink as she braids her hair, visibly sneaking stares at the Cop with smiles and clisp lips. She then ponytails her hair up after braiding it.
“Ehhhhh… I knew something was up. That familiarity…” She then recalls the same receptionist on the Airbase. General Rippers personal secretary having the same style of a braided ponytail. “Hmph. I hit the mark. Could this be a revolt…”
Alana then places her head on her palm, her legs crossed together and starts making a pyramid on the snowy table. Tracing her finger on it, putting the Mayor of the City on the top and after multiple small squares to indicate the position of a person in the hierarchy of power, she starts crossing off the potential people that could be against the UN. Including the random police officer and the receptionist that’s working for a company that is subsidized by the Government.
“Or a silent coup?”
The door then opens and she looks up. Seeing that it's just patrons entering the store. But there was no longer anyone on the lonely chair. Instead, the Vampire was already inside. With her ears hidden and morphed into that of a normal human. She looked like any uptown rich girl blessed with amazing genes. Sitting down on the corner as she seeps through the conversations occurring and to the two.
“Yeah, the Chief just allowed this Five star general a new office on the station. You should’ve seen his secretary. The dude has Bahamut as his own call girl or something.”
“Oh, I’ve heard of that. That’s General Jackson correct? The newspaper just updated the commanders in control of the Martial Law.”
“Hm. That man is something of a Legend from all I’ve heard, everyone in the station is talking about how he made the Vampire King like humans or something and fun fact.”
“Hmph?” She slowly puts her side bangs behind her ears. Glancing at the Officer who visibly looks beet red.
“Get this. This General is called the Peacemaker. My friend in the Investigate Department, a Detective told me he did a background check on the man and what’s available to the public says he is the one who is doing the talking than shooting.”
“Seeing him in the TV. I thought he’d be more warlike than Ripper.”
“I know right? Like, those brown eyes screams a man who has ten back up plans all involving violence. They even said it was him that allowed fighter jets to enter the city and bomb it.”
“And what’s the police department doing about it? I heard that the Mayor is not fond the military being in the city.”
“Oh man. I can tell you a lot. The SWAT team that was guarding today's City Council meeting spread rumors that he stormed out and let his subordinates take his place even though the topic was the attack on the Church of Bahamut. That guy is something. I don’t know if he’s good or bad. But he seems to be the type who will do anything to achieve his goals.”
“What about the police chief?”
“Deskkun? He seems to be neutral. Don’t know much since I’m just a beat cop but he offered an entire office on the upper floors of the station just for him. But enough about that man. Wanna know what I just did today?”
“Wait, before that. He has his own office in the upper floors of the station?”
“Hm. What’s wrong with that?”
“Isn’t he a General?”
“Don’t know. But I guess he just wants to be in the middle of the storm. Ahhhh… how lucky he has Bahamut on his side. I totally should’ve gone and done that Farming Event. My own personal Bahamut. What do you think, Laura?”
“I wanted to do it too when I saw the Notification that the reward was Bahamut. But it was about farming Dragon Scales to sacrifice. The rewards on the other event were far better and more useful. My build is also more centered in Rogue work than that.”
“So… how’s life on the Port?”
“Usual. Everything is piling up and people are doing their own thing. Seems like the UN had ordered a big delivery as it was like this when they mobilized for Schon.”
“Just between you and me…” the Officer then leans in. “I suggest you don’t take your usual route tomorrow. The junctions east of the city will all be fortified.”
“Already?”
“Hm. So if you don’t want to be late, be sure to take a D Route Bus tomorrow. The Mayor and City Council approved the General’s plan to fortify Downtown. Expect military convoys and new logistical routes being set up heading there. The traffic is going to get thrice as bad.”
“I see… Thank you. I’ll be sure to remember this entire conversation.”
“Hm. Glad I can help.”
A Waitress then comes to Alana, with long ponytailed hair and a quant smile, the cute young lady held her serving plate as she leaned in, blocking the Vampires view of the two and her attention.
“U-Uhm… ma’am, do you plan on ordering anything?”
“Beer.”
She takes out a notepad and writes down the order. “Anything else?” The Vampire takes a quick look at the board and then looks up to the woman again. “Fries.”
“Would you want Ranch or-”
“Ranch.”
“Large or-”
“Large.”
The woman writes it all down and she turns around and clips the order on the counter. Just as Alana was to continue listening to the two, a handsome man wearing a white shirt and olive field jacket walks up to her. Hands in pockets.
“Hey baby, wanna go join me and my friends?”
He turns to show his friends on the other side of the Bar, four men and five women. Some are Elves and two of the males are Demons. But the Vampire just shoos him away, and he sighs. Laughter then breaks out from the group as some of them pointed there fingers at him while others handed him a glass of beer. Alana sees that the two are now drinking Vodka together.
Soon, her food arrived and she ate in silence as they both talked about their lives and the current events. Their conversation lasted for hours till it was twelve and soon, they parted leaving only the woman who goes into the lavatory. With her hearing, she could clearly imagine the Receptionist doing her makeup once again and washing her hands and putting on some perfume. Something heavy was then dropped into the trashcan and she rushed out.
Alana stretches her arms out and follows forth. Upon arriving on the snowy sidewalk. She turns back into a Bat. Quietly following her as the woman once again goes through the dark alleyway all by herself. Exiting on the other side, the bus stop no longer had its lights on and the main road was a convoy of military trucks. Brands from all over the world from MAN and Oshkosh to Ural and Kamaz and the ones from AM General are neatly lined up on the fast lane. She looked both ways and could see the trucks reaching both ends of the long city block. Completely making the intersection useless.
The long convoy wasn’t showing any signs of moving anytime soon and the skeletons driving them were obediently sitting down in the driver seat, not breaking contact from the road as a handful of players in uniform are wandering about the sides of the heavy military trucks ranging from cargo transport to tractor trailers pulling lowboys loaded with dozers and excavators and rigid ones with dump rears, the Receptionist looks at the tail end of it and sighs at the sight that even on the end of the long four lane road, the convoy has no end.
A speeding police car sweeps past her with lights on but no sirens. She was quick on her feet, dodging the snow it threw into the curb. Looking at her watch, the player sighed and walked along the lonesome sidewalk. Behind her, closely watching is a black Vampire bat. Constantly gliding from street light to street light in complete silence. She held her bag closely as the convoy of military vehicles drowned out even the clacks of her heels. A humvee then arrives and parks on a curb in front of her. Four players wearing berets and heavy winter BDUs exit out and one of them with a star on their shoulder lays down a map of the city on the hood. She stops and takes a look at its passenger side mirror, tilting her head as she could see the outline of the map’s reflection on the front window of the up armored vehicle.
“Excuse me ma’am? Do you have a problem?”
She bowed her head to the officer and the four players continued to talk amongst themselves. “See, we need to set up fortifications here and here. With the deadline coming, we need to move our trucks into the alleyways just to park them. I know we will have a problem with accessing them but that’s our only choice. The Downtown area is a mess and some of the land owners are already starting to become a headache.” slowly walking past them, another military vehicle arrives and this time an MRAP. More officers left the vehicle running, brushing past the lone civilian walking on the dark night. She then walks to the next block, the sound of a train echoing through the maze of concrete buildings and streets.
Alana then sees her enter another alleyway and just as she flies to it. It's empty. Sniffing the air, the Vampire bat looked straight down as she hovered and a phone light blinded her as the clacks of a heel could be heard running away at a fast speed. “Tsk. Annoying!” She turns around and swathes through the snowfall, closely following the woman as she runs far too fast for someone in heels. She then turns to the left and into the road, the Officers couldn’t hear her as the noise of the numerous diesel engined trucks idling made them focus more on the map and at their fingers pointing at routes and roads. The Vampire dives as the woman slides underneath one of the trucks and jumps the island to the other side of the road.
The Bat kept following, flying underneath the truck and going high in the sky as she tailed the woman running in her long coat. The empty night street area of Downtown that borders the Central section of the city was relatively light of obstacles but this only made the woman run the entire length to the train station a few blocks away. Reaching the staircase, the hundreds of players there looked confused as the woman panted heavily. With a Vampire player going to her and handing her a handkerchief.
“Are you okay ma’am?”
“Y-Y-Yes… holy shit.”
“Hm? Is someone harassing you?’
“I- I- I don’t know.”
She then gives the handkerchief back to the player and walks up the stairs and joins the line for the night train. Which is only a handful, the entire time she looked at every nook and cranny of the staircase and the platform, as she punched in her money on the automatic teller, she could see the reflection of a bat upside down on the ceiling. Immediately turning around, there’s nothing on it. She quickly takes the ticket and dashes to the platform.
Inspecting the loaded place, full of players in suits and casual winter outfits, the place was normal and everyone was just doing their own thing. With a straight back, the woman walks to the front of the platform with a dignified posture and stops next to a woman with long black hair wearing thin clothing for the snow. The Receptionist crossed her arms and tapped her shoes as she awaited the train which is scheduled to arrive in the next five minutes. A loud thonk is heard and she looks at the railway.
Dwarven players were doing maintenance, clearing snow and moving steel rails. There railway maintenance Ford F-350 changing to the other side as a train is about to arrive on its side. The Dwarves would use their spears with tips that would spark to unweld the bolts and replace the section of the track using metal magic. Mending and bending them in unusual ways. The process was quick and fast and the entire section was repaired in a matter of a minute and they move on to the next one.
“Interesting isn’t it?”
She looks at the long haired woman, wearing yoga pants, sneakers, and a white shirt with a text over it. Her golden eyes stood out but her ears weren't sharp like an Elf or a Vampire and her beautiful look was stunning up close and personal.
“Hm. I’ve been taking the train for a long time now, I’ve only seen them work today.”
“Amazing isn’t it? To this day, I’m still flattered by the usage of technology by Outworlders and how magic is implemented into making it better.”
“Oh, you aren’t a player? Native I presume?”
“Yes. I am. I’ve visited Zavalda’s museum. I can’t say I am not fascinated by such marvels created by you Outworlders.”
“Thank you. Zavalda has a lot of history as its people were involved in many of the firsts. First computer, first chip, first car… yeah.”
“There was also that High Speed Railway. It said that it should be connected to the city but yet it's nowhere to be found.”
“Oh, it got teleported a few miles away from the outskirts. But it's still working and running.”
“Ah. I shall one day visit it with my colleagues. Do tell, what are your interests here? You don’t seem to be the type to wander at night. With such a petite face that couldn’t hurt a butterfly. I do wonder that hides underneath all of that.”
The Receptionist gets taken aback by the confession and blushes at the sight of the beautiful woman whose captivating aura strikes the deepest part of her soul.
“W-why me?”
She starts playing with her hair as Alana puts her hand on her hip.
“Where do you work?”
“A-at the port.”
Train horns then come blazing in from the concrete jungle, and the rail starts to quake. Everyone preps themselves to run into the cars as soon as it stops as the hands of the Receptionist tightens up, ready for action like she’s about to enter a ring.
“I see… and where are you headed now?”
“To-to home.”
“Then, may I ask if I may come and visit you?”
“E-EH?!”
As soon as the train comes blazing it, the woman runs back down the stairs, jumping the turnstiles as she catches her breath all the while, alarms quickly sound as the Station Master looks down on the front of the train. “SOMEONE GOT RAN OVER BY THE TRAIN! CALL THE POLICE!” a bloody mess was left and the Train driver opened the front door of the car, looking down as blood seeped through the elevated railway and to the road below. No body, just blood. The Dwarves then check the bogies and the heavy metal wheels and only find splatter and no gore. “Ey mate! Didya hit a bloodbag or sumthin’?”
Down below, just before the platform. The Receptionist calls someone as the plants start growing large crimson red roses and the people around them panicking start falling one by one. Knocked completely out and asleep. As she shuffles her bag for something, a woman in a red gown appears before her. The Receptionists’ arms quickly lift up, ready to throw and take punches. Taking the blow of the stranger. She could hear a scoff and looked up to see the same woman but this time, with sharp ears and the predatory fangs of a Vampire in an extremely elegant and frilly gown from the Victorian era.
“You're fast, but are you fast enough to stop me completely, Secretary Sylvia.”
Her eyes widen and the woman turns around and jumps the floor and down to the sidewalk. Completely unscathed. Alana on the other hand plucks a red rose from the plant and blows it into the wind. The players look in awe of a Native Vampire of Threa, captivated by her beauty and looks. She brushes her hair and completely disappears from sight. The Crimson Rose floats in the air, closely following the Receptionist as she makes her run to an alleyway and takes cover behind a dumpster.
Alana then jumps from the top of the building and down next to her. She catches multiple Kunai’s and throws them into the snow.
“Give up. This is thy’s last warning or I’ll splatter you into gore.”
“Tsk!”
She then throws her bag on the ground and multiple smoke bombs go off.
“Eh… Magic like this won’t save you. I already know your smell.”
Coming out of the alleyway, she could see a black van on the end of it and she made a last mad dash. Its door opens and the van drives off. Inside, she is panting heavily as the Black Ops soldier lays her down behind as he prepares his M4A1 SOPMOD.
“She’s coming. Watch our Four.”
“Copy.”
A thud is then heard from the metal roof of the van. The Operator turns around, placing his back on the vehicle’s floor and his gun, switched to full auto, let’s out a barrage of bullets. Outside, the cars and people quickly look and avoid the scene, going about their snowy night not wanting to get shot at.
Letting off the trigger, the man clicks the mag release and with a quick hand, changed to a new magazine with trained precision.
“Tell High Command that we’re busted.”
The driver then goes into his radio. “Command, we’re dealt. Trojan has been compromised and we have a Vampire on us.” a sword then pierces the roof of the van and slices it open. “Roger, are you changing plans sir?” The Operator and the Receptionist then fires a hail of bullets into the roof just for it to open like a tin can and there, a beautiful young maiden with sharp ears and eyes that glow in the dark. “Hey there savages. You have a lot to answer for with M’Lord.” as she was about to drop down, both of them opened fire once again and the Vampire with her blade cut the bullets into small pieces, making them tumble back to the floor.
“We’re done!” They then pointed their guns at their heads and opened fire. Blowing their brains out just for them to turn into sparkling golden dusts. She then looks forward to see the van hurtling into a concrete wall and exploding. Appearing from the burning wreck was Alana, perfectly unharmed and her long thin eyebrows pointing inwards.
“Tsk, Longway. What’re you hiding, I wonder?” She then recalls that another company was connected to the Transport Corporation and she looks at the tallest building in the city. “Hmmmm… well. At least now M’Lord has an excuse. I wonder how deep this will go.” She then swirls her Vampiric Longsword and sword dances on the snowy sidewalk as sirens could be heard coming from far away. The woman then stops in a phone booth and rips out the lower portion of the casing. Letting coins burst out which she uses to make a call. “Hello. M’Lord. I’ll be returning home. Oh, you're still out? Then, can you send people to check your Respawn Points in the city? Hm. The Organization revealed itself again. I tracked down one of their moles. The Receptionist of Longway, she’s the same woman from the Airbase. Hm. I’m fine, please not worry. Thank you M’Lord. Hm. Take care then.”
Returning home. Bach was busy in the kitchen cooking something while Elizabeth was lazily slumped on the couch switching channels on the TV. “I’m back.” She then elegantly bowed to Ludwig and then the Queen who just half assed her wave. “Ah Countess. You’ve returned. We were about to Dine.”
“Has our Lord called?”
“Hm? Oh, he said he’ll be running a bit late to check on Altars.”
“He probably won’t find anything.”
The two then look at Bach who was busy chopping something on a cutting board.
“Big guilds usually have their own faction specific respawn points to not avoid a mess where both sides would reappear on the same altar.”
“Then, Mister Bach.”
“Yeah, he will probably find nothing. I’m sure he’ll realize it too. Mister Jackson is not the type to waste time.”
“Hm. Then, I shall wash myself then.”
“Be careful. The shower was full blast hot.”
“Of course.”
Half an hour later, Alana comes out of her room wearing a shirt and short shorts. Letting her long legs bare as she sat on the dining table. As she waited, the woman read some of the Manga’s she bought while Elizabeth once again comes across some Asian Drama on the TV and gets soaked into the soap operas. The doorbell then rings and Bahamut was the first to arrive, with limp arms. She head dives into the couch as the General removes his long coat and cap. Putting them into the rack as the bags he carried rustled. This made the two Vampires turn to look at him.
“Ah, hello guys. Back home. Phew.”
“My Lord! Pleasantries I assume?”
“Oh yeah. I got some stuff here.” being closest to Alana. He reaches into the bag he was carrying and hands her some Blueberry and Strawberry Biscuits in a transparent plastic package. “My! You shouldn't have, M’Lord!” she happily takes it and takes a bite of the snack.
Happily smiling as she read her book alongside it. The man then proceeded to Elizabeth. “Oh, aren’t you a compassionate man, My Lord. You shouldn’t spoil us women too much.” He then gives her a more modern sewing kit. “I think this will be more efficient than what you have currently.” her eyes light up and she stands straight up. Elegantly taking it and bowing to him like a Queen to her King. He then just lightly bows. “I’ll go wash up first then. Also Bach, catch.” he threw at him a packaged Cornetti Con Panna, the white cream filled Croissants was prepared neatly and was overwhelming with its presentation. “Don’t take your eyes away from it. Bahamut was hounding me the entire day.”
He then folds the bag and places it on the empty chair at the dining table and proceeds to the bathroom.
“My, he sure knows what we want.”
“Master was walking around so much todayyyy… ahhhhh.” the Dragon yawns next to Elizabeth who was looking at the household portable sewing kit box set she was given. She didn’t waste time opening it and checking the tools. It had everything, including a tape measure. “Oh how I wish I could return to my Castle. I could finish five scarves if I was.” Bahamut then roughly turns around. Hugging a pillow as Elizabeth notices she still had her high heels on. “Bahamut.”
“Hm?”
She pointed at her shoes which were still on. “Bwah. I’ll do it later. I kept telling Master to just buy the first one we found but he insisted on looking around for better ones.” The two Vampires looked at each other and just smiled. After a while, all of them were on the table and Bach set down a finely made whole roasted fish with oregano and lemon. He then finishes it with some fish stew. Bahamut’s mouth was already watering as she wore an oversized black shirt with an image of a Dragon on the front and back. It was large enough to reach her thighs. Elizabeth on the other hand was wearing her more modest dress.
“Then. Shall we eat?”
After making a quick sign of the cross. The General stands up first and takes a bowl and fills it with only soup from the fish stew and hands it to Elizabeth. “Oh, Miss Bartley. Do you not like fish?”
“Ahem, I apologize, Mister Bach. But yes. I do not really prefer seafood.”
“You should’ve told me. I had some Carbonara packed up.”
“I couldn’t have. It's customary for us Vampires to eat whatever the owner of the house gives to us. Being invited into one's house from whom you're not acquainted with is one of the long standing traditions of showing kindness to one another. Back then, when the first Vampires came about. It was those Vampires with houses and land that sheltered our ancestors.”
“Then, next time. I never knew.”
“It’s of no harassment, Mister Bach. It’s simply my way of thanking you for sheltering us. Also, thank you, My Lord.”
“Hm. Bahamut. Your plate.” the General then opens his palm and Bahamut hastily hands over her porcelain plate to him. He then cuts her the largest portion and hands it to her.
“Ehhhhhhhhh…”
“No. If I were to let you, it's going to be like back at Alana’s mansion.”
“Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhh…..”
“No complaining. You have to share.”
“But Masterrrrr….”
“If you're not full. We’ll order oaky?”
“EH? Really Master?!”
“Yes, but eat up alright.”
“Hm!”
He then lets Alana and Bach take their portions as he takes his. Intricately taking apart the bones and whatever that could poke him. Taking his time and slowly taking his food apart while Bahamut didn’t care. Alana on the other hand was fast but reflexive. Efficient but quick on her food as she elegantly always puts her hand up to her mouth when munching.
“M’Lord, how has your day been? I assume it's been hectic?”
“Oh man. You have no idea. Get this-”
As they dined together. The snow outside the windows of the apartment calms down. Revealing the happy but strange group of human, dragon, and vampire. Living, smiling, resting, and eating under one roof. They soon finished and went ahead into each of their own rooms. But after an hour, Bahamut poked her head out and went for the fridge. Alana then followed with a towel over her head and foundation on her face. She catches the Dragon and the noise awakens Elizabeth and the General. Bach was too busy in his room playing piano to hear the commotion and soon, the group bunched up together on the couch and watched TV together. Sharing the food Bahamut found in the fridge and the snacks General Paul bought for Alana which she was saving for later.
The General then comes back to his room and comes out with some files on hand. He starts reading them while sitting in the middle between Alana and Elizabeth. The two then slowly put it down and the man smiled and just looked at the TV while the Dragon was sitting on the floor, her left arm resting on Paul’s thigh as he watched with his back slouched forward. Elizabeth was more emotional as they watched Asian Soap Operas on the flatscreen TV.
“That’s stupid! If it were me! I would’ve pulled the gun and shot that bitch!”
“Ahahahaha… but My Lord. Dae-Yeong is not a person that would shoot someone.”
“Still! Elizabeth! I wouldn’t let anyone insult my girl like that! Like look at her pretty and wicked face! Ah geez! Even I am getting soaked into this!”
“M’Lord, I’m sure you would’ve reacted differently knowing its civilians.”
“As if! Well… maybe! But the least I am willing to do there is throw up hands! Seri is such a kind girl! Like look at her! She looks like she can’t even hurt a fly!”
“Master.”
“Hm? What is it, Bahamut?”
“I wanna order.”
“Haaaaaah…. Bring me the phone.”
“YES!”
Bach then comes out of his room, stretching his fingers just to encounter his four housemates enjoying their time together. Alana then waves at him. “Sir Bach! Please join us!” He smiles and sits on the leather wing chair and sees that they're watching an Asian Soap Opera. As Bahamut hands over the phone to the General, Bach sees the main antagonist slap the innocent girl and he jumps in anger.
“COMBATTI! COME OSA TOCCARE UNA FANCIULLA COSÌ!!”
The General with the women around him just looked at each other and smiled as Bach held his hands up making gestures as he showed emotion. The more emotion he showed, the more it seemingly transmitted into his gestures and fingers. “DAE-YEONG! BE A MAN AND STAND UP FOR HER! C’MON DUDE!” Paul screams alongside Ludwig as someone answers the phone. “Ah, I’m sorry. Did you have to hear that? Ah yes. Take out. Eighteen inch? Ah, yes. Two boxes please. Manager’s choice and Pepperoni. Stuffed crust, hm. Do you guys want anything else?”