“O-okay.” Chak agreed, “My hands are bound, but my lens is in my left pocket.”
Shida obliged by reaching into her pocket to pull out the device, however instead of precariously fitting it onto Chak’s face, she instead reached for the cuffs around her friend’s wrist.
“No lock in the world can stop Santa,” she mumbled, and as she tightly pressed around them, the things sprang open in a sea of sparks. She could’ve also gotten the keys from one of the cadavers, but this felt more natural at the time. Then she pressed the lens into Chak’s freed hand. “You do it, I’d be too afraid to mess something up. I still don’t trust these things.”
Rubbing her wrists for a brief moment, Chak quickly pressed the small peanut shell shaped device to her temple. Immediately she felt a great spike of discomfort, causing her to involuntarily squirm in Shida’s arms. But thankfully the familiar mental connection linked and the Lens fully activated.
Navigating to photos and videos, her augmented reality exploded with almost nothing but the woman Shida described.
“She’s so pretty…” Chak heard herself say, but she continued to scroll through the photos inspecting one after another. Most were of unsuspecting moments when the Cali must’ve thought the Terran looked especially pretty. Everyday moments on the Kwip-chap. All the days between life-altering events.
She felt the face was familiar, though these supposed moments haven’t clicked yet. So going back, Chak selected a dark video, in which the woman’s face was still just faintly visible laying on a pillow.
“Morning…” a tender, richly raspy voice said with a smile, “How long have you been recording me sleep you freak?” Simone jested in a half laugh. Chak knew the settings would play the audio for her companions to hear, but she didn’t care.
“Just now… when I saw your eyes open. This time.” Chak heard her own voice coyly respond.
“Uh-huuuh… and if you send me the video, is that what I’d see? All innocent?”
“Yes… but… it’s still recording… so who knows what you’re going to see?” Chak started to mouth along to her recorded words, this moment being connected back into her memory.
“Fuuuuck… then let’s make it a good one!” The redhead said before getting closer. Chak then heard herself squeal and laugh.
“S-Simone!” she chirped in a giggle before the video abruptly stopped.
“I stopped that vid by accident… she was so disappointed…” present Chak whispered as tears escaped her eyes, and a single fresh line of blood rolled out of her nose, “But she wasn’t mad… she never got mad at my little mistakes… She just told me ‘Oh, we’re gonna get it right next time I catch you recording me sleeping’." Her words blended crying and amusement, “I recorded her every night for weeks after!” she bursted out in sobbing laughter, “Weeks! And we never got the stupid vid…” her hand reached up and covered her eyes as she laughed at the absurdity.
“You two weirdos have really found each other,” Shida agreed with a hesitant chuckle and pulled Chak into a hug. “Now don’t you go and forget it again, alright?”
However, even as she did so, her gaze remained subtly affixed to Doodle who was still not facing them for some reason, as if looking at them would somehow be bad for him in any way.
“You’ve fallen head over heels and you never shut up about her. You wanted to show all of this off to her when you got back, remember? You take pictures of everything all the time because you want to show it to her, not just here, but every time you leave her side. You took her favorite one while you were out helping James. You brought it up earlier yourself. And you have two annoying brats, and you decided to say yes when she asked if she could stick to you forever. I have no idea why you’re doing any of that, but I know it’s more important to you than anything in the world,” she still kept on talking. “Maybe you will change your mind on that at some point in the future, I can’t say. But don’t you ever just forget it.”
“Yeah… it is important… She's everything to me, and I dread all the days that I’ll outlive her by… and that’s the only thing I can’t be honest with her… because I don’t want her to worry about me…” Chak said, the laughter fading away before fully hugging Shida back, “Thank you…”
Doodle nodded and kicked a rock.
“Great to see, hate to butt in… Like, really hate to... Uhm… Boss… you know I’d do anything you’d tell me to do, right?”
“Magically, so, yes,” Shida said and slowly let go of Chak, slipping away from her in a motion that allowed her to stand between the elf and the princess defensively. “Why?”
“Exactly, even if I really, really, really, really, didn’t want to do it. Which is why I neglected to tell you that you can do it with your mind. You don’t actually have to say anything. Though you still have to have eyes on me. No matter how far you are. And Chak and I… we are here to serve the Claus family. Yes-sir… There’s. A. Lot. I. Can. Say. And. Things. I.” his mouth sealed shut and he took off his hat, and reached in for something, but came up empty, “Oh no… the one thing I have that can easily kill Santa… Too bad I was never told to hand it over before this moment…”
Shida’s hand flinched down to her pocket, feeling the indent of the small knife sticking through her clothes.
Clearing her throat, she replied in a hopefully well played, mocking tone,
“You can’t be serious…you can’t be ordered to kill Santa. I’ll just tell you to stop where you are, and what are you going to do about it then?”
Meanwhile, she turned slightly, pulling the item from her pocket while it was out of view from the elf. Seemingly demonstratively, she turned her back to him, as if she was so cocky that she believed he could never hurt her. However, in reality, she used the item to gently, very gently and carefully, scrape along Chak’s skin. Not to cause any damage. The only thing she did was to get some of the still only semi-dried blood gushing from the Cali’s nose all over the blade.
“Stay where you are Doodle, these games are not worth my time,” she ordered with her back still turned, but holding the dagger firmly in her hand.
Holding a mimicked, materialized candy cane blade in his hand from his own magic, Doodle hunched over it and whispered to it before it zipped straight for Shida like a tracing fired bullet. Its visage blurred by magical speed as it aimed for Santa’s heart. As it found its mark it let out a gust of magical sparkles enveloping the feline for a brief period.
Shida bit her teeth together tightly. She had braced for pain, of course, but getting stabbed was still no fun, no matter how ready you were for it. Still, in this matter, despite all odds speaking against it, she had trusted Doodle. She was sure that, no matter how much it felt like it, this would not and could not kill her. Although her heart definitely didn’t get the memo, as searing hot pain screamed out from her chest area, while she was blinded by the flood of magic surrounding her. Though she had to stay alert. As soon as she felt the pressure on the blade in her back let up, she was ready, pulling it out and, in a brief sleight of hand, vanishing it into her sleeves while the magical item took its place in her now blood covered hands.
She screamed out in pain as she did so. She had intended to do it to sell the bit, but she also didn’t have to act a whole lot. This really friggin’ hurt.
“How?” she yelled out after her first outbreak was over, and although she technically still felt strong enough to stand, she collapsed right over Chak, allowing her full weight to drop onto the princess as she slumped over limply.
Doodle fell to his knees clutching his hat to his chest, hyperventilating from stress.
“It’s done! Ms. Claus! It’s done!” he shouted before his eyes lit up, another ‘borrowing’ them for the time being.
“Good. Report who receives the mantle next. You know your part when they're found?” Ms. Claus’ voice said through Doodle’s own mouth.
“You betcha! Little helper comes to say, ‘You’re the last chance to save Christmas!’ Yep!” Doodle replied.
“Indeed. Save Christmas, and your little dip in the sack will be forgiven. Understood?”
“Yep! I am very motivated ma’am! A whole new elf, old me? No longer exists!” Doodle said with an aggressive nod.
“I look forward to your report. Aliens? Really… What a Christmas…”
The light blinked out of Doodle’s eyes as he fell the rest of the way forward onto his hand.
“JUMPING NUT-CRACKING FUDGE-NUGGETS THAT FORKING BUNDLE OF BROWNIES TOSSED HER LAST SALAD!” he released in a screaming gasp before scampering up to run forward, “Boss! I completed her orders! It’s all good now!” he panted as he hurried over, pulling a med kit be ‘borrowed’ from Zithra for this very occasion out of his hat.
Slowly pushing herself up from Chak again, Shida quickly spit out a thick dollop of blood while unsteadily fighting to her feet.
“I want a divorce…” she mumbled and chuckled for a second, before immediately spitting out more blood. Feeling the puncture still inside her, she looked down at her hands, honestly wondering why she was still alive. Sure the spirit could make people immortal…but Santa was definitely an exception there. She knew that much first hand.
Looking back at the elf, the only thing she could figure was,
“I only survived that because it was you who dealt the blow, right?”
“Bingo, Boss. My magic alone can hurt ya, but-” with a snap of his finger the piercing candy cane evaporated into pure magic, which was swiftly absorbed into the wound like a sponge to water. The fatality of the injury was reversed to the point where it became little more than a minor stab wound.
Doodle then quickly pulled out a suitable bandage patch and rubbed it between his hands as if he was trying to heat it up. Instead it started to sparkle with his magic, and after he felt satisfied with the amount injected into it, Doodle held it up in offering.
“-It’s the same stuff flowing through ya, maintaining what ‘Santa’ is. I’m real sorry boss, I tried writing a note or text for you but… Ms. Claus was clear with her orders. Thankfully she didn’t say that my lil’ weapon there had to stay in my hat! I couldn’t hand it over, but I could just leave it on the table for a minute while I took pizza orders. Shame I didn’t see who nabbed it, either. You can keep it, of course, it’s one of a kind. Best to keep it outta my hands anyway.”
“Urgh, right,” Shida mumbled and rubbed her sore chest for a moment, before raising her hand. But instead of reaching for the offered bandage, she instead just loudly snapped in the cold air, the sound echoing back from the blank walls of the alleyway. Right after having performed the simple action, Shida looked very pleased with herself for a second, before she deflated with an exhale. “There. No more Ms. Claus. I hope that the magic can’t reach James wherever he is, but even if it does it should give us much better chances. I also hope the elves aren’t bound to the word of some random, creepy old administrator who still hangs around because her husband was boss once upon a time.”
She then briefly turned towards Chak.
“Also sorry, but after that last scare…I didn’t want even more powerful magic tugging atcha. I don’t think the Ms. Claus thing would’ve been the fix all that we thought it was,” she clarified herself with her hands excusingly pressed together. However she didn’t wait for a reply as she turned back to Doodle. Rude? Yes, but she had also just been stabbed. “Now, who do I have to worry about next? Any estranged children or spoiled brats still in control of the elves while I’m gone?”
Doodle scratches at the side of his face in thought.
“No… Ms. Claus doesn’t have any brats runnin’ around. That’s good, but she still has all the magical North Pole artifacts at her disposal… And I don’t know how many elves would still do what she says… I really don’t think she’s the type to actually give up so easily. But hey! She can’t tell me what to do anymore! That’s pretty cool! And I bet whatever she told Rudolph to do is null and void as well! Unless whoever your Ms. Claus is also happens to be a possessive bitch who wants you dead of course.” he said with a shrug, “I… should probably go back to Dagon… So uhm.. Is there anything else you need from me before I pop out? Something more to maybe make up for uhh… stabbing ya?”
Shida exhaled and, for a moment, she took the real weapon into her hand and looked down at it as she held it, clearly contemplating something. It would be pretty easy.
But with another, more drawn-out exhale, she finally stuffed it away and shook her head.
“No, nothing right now, Doodle,” she replied. Then, after a bit of a pause, she added, “But, uh…thank you. For, you know, stabbing me, but not stabbing me. That could’ve ended ugly, I’ll admit. You’re a good guy…if I’m willing to ignore some serious flaws.”
She half-heartedly winked at him.
Then, the sound of loudly blaring sirens suddenly filled the air and rolling tires came ever closer.
“Right, that’s a thing,” Shida added, and her eyes briefly darted over to the crashed car that still blocked the alleyway after she had brought it to a sudden halt via gunshots. Someone probably called that in…
Doodle stood there with wide eyes as his hands messed with his hat. An aromatic tear of peppermint leaked from one of his eyes before he used his hat to wipe it away.
“Chestnuts… is this what actual validation is? I think that’s the only ‘Thank you’ I’ve ever received outside a session of midnight mistletoe-ing… Uhm… right! Good luck with this, snap if you need anything!” Doodle farewelled before disappearing with a snap of his own.
“Weeeee should probably skedaddle as well,” Shida mentioned as she turned back to Chak. “You feeling alright? Sorry for bleeding all over you.”
“Oh, of course…” the Princess agreed as she grunted and slightly struggled to get to her feet, “I’m not feeling great, but the pictures of Simone make up for it. I’m no doubt going to draw attention looking like this mess…” she commented before looking around for an optimal exit.
Shida looked back at her blood-soaked clothes.
“Yeah, well, that makes two of us,” she mumbled. “Maybe I should’ve asked Doodle to clean us up, but…oh well. Let’s get outta here. Also shoot the real Sheriff a message, just in case.”
Shida began to make her first few steps, before stopping again.
“Huh,” she said in thought. “Window shopping’s probably out now, so…where are we going?”
Chak pulled at her now soiled sweater as she came up beside Shida.
“Actual shopping maybe for new unsuspicious clothes? I don’t think Ms. Claus will be sending us any more care packages.” Chak proposes with a shrug before patting for her phone and not finding it. She then perked up remembering where she had dropped it and hurried over to grab it. On her way back she started her message to the Sheriff.
“Well now that I think about it… I’m actually concerned with what she could send through that sack. If she still can, that is.” she mumbled as she sent the message and put the phone away, “I still have a little bit of the disguise powder, maybe it can hide all the blood on us until we change out?” she added before rubbing her head on the opposing side of where her Lens was, clearly still dealing with a headache.
“Yeah…maybe,” Shida mumbled, before thinking for a second. After some contemplation, she lifted her hand to snap her fingers again, and the disguise immediately burst off of her, leaving her in her feline appearance and pristine Santa suit. “But save it for yourself and Zithra. We probably won’t be getting any extra any time soon.”
Stopping for a moment, Shida slightly lifted the jacket-part of her suit, sliding her tail in underneath it, thus hiding most of it away.
“Suit’s already red, right?” she winked at Chak before also hiding away at least one of her ears underneath her hat. “Maybe I need to get a headband or something to make it seem like these are like the ones you had.”
Shida looked at Chak, seemingly innocuous. However, as she did so, she ‘secretly’ concentrated enormously on one single command for the Cali. “Remember who you are, and don’t ever forget it.” Orders could be given without verbal input. And if Doodle’s earlier behavior was anything to go by, they could not be overwritten by someone else until they were fulfilled. Hopefully this would hold up…
Still, outwardly, she just gave the Cali a coy smile.
“Let’s get you that ice-cream you wanted…” she added more quietly.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
-
“-and that’s how I technically met Paul MacCartney.” Zithra said as he drove the truck as it drew close to the parade warehouse.
“Uh-huh…” Mary mumbled, only half listening at this point, “So… what’s it like living so long as something you have to constantly hide? Probably gets really lonely, yeah?”
“Oh you betcha. But I do fine enough while on my own. And it’s not like I’ve made no friends over the years. It’s just about finding the right people, and taking a lil’ leap of faith. Many times it doesn’t pan out, but the times it does… it’s all the more worth it.” Zithra replied as he turned a corner.
“I guess… Uhm… so Bell was kinda right huh? There are aliens coming to destroy us?” Mary pointed out.
“Sure, probably not in your lifetime though. And to be fair, it’s not just humanity on the chopping block.” Zithra ‘assures’ before catching sight of a large crowd partially blocking the street, “Oh wow…”
Dagon’s assistant was not wrong, there in front of the warehouse was a fair sized protest against the parade. Hastily rushed signs were lifted saying things like ‘Christmas Parade’, ‘Don’t erase Christmas!’, ‘The WAR on Christmas is REAL’ and ‘It starts with a red cup!’.
Pulling over early, Zithra was quick to realize that the entrance for the truck itself was completely blocked by protesters. Pulling up his phone he snapped a few photos and sent them to the group Chat.
“I guess we’ll hang here until they decide to go home?” he followed up with a text.
Mary then quickly sunk in her seat to hide.
“My mom’s there…” she whispered.
The ping of a returning message soon came through.
“Just drive over them. They’ll get out of the way. Probably.” was Shida’s response to the protesters blocking the way. “Also fake Sheriffs are running around. Be aware.”
“Not my style. I’m going to see if there’s a back entrance we can sneak through. And noted.” Zithra shot back before taking notice of ‘a’ Sheriff who was overwatching the whole protest with a few other officers. He assumed that it was the real one, considering the disappointed look plastered on her face, but he knew not to risk approaching without proof.
Mary’s mother strutted at the head of the protest with a cheap megaphone, she bitterly shouted and kept the crowds riled with her words.
“These city people are trying to take Christmas away from Flakeville! They think they can just come here and throw our long and proud traditions into the trash! Christmas is sacred to our town! It was here first, and it’s going to stay! We are not going to allow this other so-called ‘political correctness’ bullcrap to tread over our traditions and poison our children’s minds-” She rattled on and on, but the blaring voice became too distorted for at least Mary to make out before the truck made its way to the back end of the warehouse.
Thankfully there was a solitary back door they could use to carry in boxes. But they would have to be quick about it. As he unbuckled his seatbelt, the Manarian glanced over to see Mary still unmoving from her position.
“Sorry that your mom’s a real wacko.” He said as the truck’s engine came to a silent stop.
“Yeah…” Mary uttered as she crossed her arms.
“Hey, you don’t owe her anything, not even love.” the man reminded her before opening his door to open the back scrolling door of the truck’s back storage.
Hesitating for a moment, Mary gathers herself to exit the vehicle as well and prop open the back door. A few workers inside started to panic, thinking the protestors were actually entering the premises, but upon seeing the delivery a whole team diverted their efforts to hurry everything inside.
Mary’s mother’s amplified voice was muffled to the point of only making out a few words, but the venom in them came across all the same. The morale of the currently understaffed workers was at an all time low, and although Zithra could see that many had lost their ‘spirit’, their motivation to work was also in a tailspin.
Opening his phone he went back to the group chat.
“Made it in and delivery is done. But the protesting has ground a lot of the parade work to a halt… At this rate I’m not sure if things will be ready by the due date.” he messaged, trying to come up with something that could possibly encourage the folks here.
“Excuse me everyone! Can we come together for a quick emergency meeting?” Mary called out, her voice being carried by the echoes of the warehouse.
Completely pausing on the minimal work being done, the current crew slowly gathered by where Mary stood.
“I know none of you are feeling very appreciated for the very hard work being put into the parade. I know some of you would prefer to give in to the demands of the people standing outside this warehouse because it would just make things so much easier. Because it certainly would. It would be so much easier to make the parade all about what the town is used to seeing. But there’s a big problem about that, and that is there are people in this town and maybe others who never see their own traditions celebrated in this way. The goal here is not to tell the world that Christmas doesn’t matter, it does matter, to a lot of people.” Mary said before an especially loud blaring of her mother rang out, “But a key virtue that is celebrated on Christmas is that of sharing, and spreading love. As corny as that sounds, that’s exactly what we’re doing. We’re sharing our passion with everyone, and showing respect to all walks of life. There may be fewer ‘Christmas’ floats rolling down in the line of this parade this year, but we will be expressing the values of it far more than any previous year despite how the hateful hearts standing right outside may think otherwise. Let’s prove them wrong, and show what Christmas really means. Even if we’re fueled by nothing but pure fuck’n spite, we’re gonna get this parade done!”
There was a lot of nodding and tentative preparatory breaths among the workers as they readied themselves to get back to it as best as they could manage. Mary then followed a small group down to get approval over a completed float, leaving Zithra unsure of what to do with himself.
“Scratch that, Mary seems to be turning the ship around. But the protest is still a problem and it’s getting louder. Probably best if we lock ourselves in for the time being.” he texted before asking around if anyone needed help with anything more laborious.
“Alright do that. Oh and FYI, if you see me with my disguise on, that ain’t me,” Shida responded, apparently remembering that tidbit of information now. “I’m going bare since we’re cut off from the powder, so any lovely brunettes without stripes are fakes.”
“We’re cut off…? Great… fun. Got it, let me know if that changes.” Zithra responded.
“Going bare now are we, boss? Niceeeee…” Dagon’s phone contributed, “Dagon talked down the Mayor, by the way. But yeah if things get out of hand… let’s just say the parade is on thin ice. We’re leaving soon so you can meet back with us at your earliest convenience boss.”
“Not really busy at the moment. Recovering from a stab to the heart with some ice-cream. Also getting some disguise clothes for Chak. Speaking of which, what size are you in human terms?” Shida added onto her reply as she realized he would probably need to change at some point as well.
“Some would say I’m a little bigger than average, you know, for a Christmas elf.” Dagon’s phone immediately responded at a blazing speed.
“If you end up getting anything for me I like plaid. And size wise I fit well with Large shirts and 36 pants. And you two got ice cream? In the winter? While everything is blanketed with snow?” Zithra responded.
Shida’s only reply was a yellow ‘thumbs up’.
Sighing with a dismissive shrug Zithra put his phone away as he heard what sounded like a rock being thrown against the warehouse wall.
-
“Oh this is cute… and practical.” Chak said as she pulled a dark purple winter coat off from a rack and checked out its numerous deep pockets, “I think that’s all I’ll need. It’s only -hopefully- going to be a few more days at most so no need to go overboard.” she added as she folded up the coat and set it on top of her picked out pile of clothing.
“Yeah, sure…” Shida mumbled distractedly, not paying all too close attention to the princess picking out clothes and instead keeping a close eye on their surroundings and, every now and then, checking the phone for any messages or emerging news that they shouldn’t miss. “Not like any of this is high fashion anyway…”
The protests were leaving a bitter taste in her mouth, mostly because they were over something so utterly inane. The last protests she had been actively confronted with had been about supply shortages and hunger. In comparison, these people around here just seemed like they literally had no other problems they could complain about, so they latched onto that parade just to stave off boredom. It was probably deeper than that, but she had stopped giving the benefit of the doubt a while ago.
“As long as I’m not drawing eyes I’ll be content.” Chak replied as she went through her pile and the pile she gathered for Zithra in the cart to double check if she had forgotten anything, “Oh, socks! Right, Terrans need socks. Odd to have two forms of footwear… you'd think they’d just make shoes softer and warmer.” she remarked as she pushed the cart along to where she suspected the needed articles of clothing would be.
“If we did that, the shoes would be drenched in sweat after five minutes and would have to be deep-cleaned every other day,” Shida commented distractedly, seeing as Myiat faced the very same problem in this case and she could therefore give input. “Same reason underwear exists. You make smaller, easy to clean stuff and let that get dirty instead of the big bulky stuff. It’s all practicality and or laziness really.”
“I see your point… I’m definitely not going to miss the sweat. The feeling of being wet all the time while stressed or warm is certainly not ideal. No offense of course. The only ‘hoofwear’ Cali ever need is usually used for very extreme environments.” Chak chuckled as she quickly grabbed a few cheap universal packs of plain white socks, “Alright, I think that’s everything we’re going to need. Should we contact another driver to come pick us up and swing by to get Dagon?”
Shida sighed and put her phone away.
“Sure, I don’t see why not,” she said, forcing a bit more pep into her voice as she spoke since she tried to get her energy back.
Stepping to Chak’s side, she took over carrying the clothes they were getting for Zithra. As they were on their way to leave, she did stop a single moment to almost longingly stare at a quite beautiful leather jacket with some intricately worked metal plaques sewn on there. However, she quickly pulled her eyes away again and adjusted the only purchase made for herself, being one of those tiny, plastic hair-ring thingies, and hurried towards the register.
The feline marched ahead of the Princess who had taken notice of her friend’s interest.
After a moment she joined up with her at the register and tugged at Shida’s sleeve before they could get in line to get her attention. Chak then held the jacket by its shoulders to present it.
“Oh my goodness Shida, look at this awesome jacket. I think it would suit you really well, what do you think?” she asked.
Shida sighed. Although she could appreciate what Chak was going for here, it was also blatantly obvious. To the point where she had half a feeling that this had probably worked on Simone a couple of times in the past.
Still, she just lifted her hand and pushed the jacket down decidedly.
“Chak, we’re not buying that,” she said firmly. “Put it back.”
The Princess’s shoulders slouched slightly as she turned to comply.
“Alright, I’ll-” she started to nod before shaking her head almost angrily, as if snapping out of a trance, veins bulging around her Lens “You’ve done so much. I know you’ve earned this if you want it. Dagon has said the expenses we use are ‘business’ expenses so- rrrhmmm!” To a casual concern of a few others in the store, Chak seemed to almost robotically move in self-resistance, bringing the jacket closer where she had nabbed it before placing it back, “Darn it…” she mumbled as she rubbed her head.
Shida had concernedly walked after her and now came to a stop.
“Gosh…sorry Chak, that wasn’t supposed to be an order. Well I mean, not an ‘order’ order,” she excused herself from the awkward situation, not wanting it to seem like she hadn’t been willing to make her point without abusing her power.
However, a few seconds later, when it seemed like she wouldn’t be torn apart over the blunder, she couldn’t help but add,
“Seriously though, you are such a rich girl. That’s not our money we’re spending here, Chak. We should only get what we need.”
“I know… you’re right… You really would look lovely in it though.” Chak conceded before turning to Shida in place, “Order me to do something else.” she requested, “Please. Something small.”
Shida looked at her with an eyebrow raised. However, she could once again see what the princess was going for.
Casually, she looked around for a moment. Next to her, there was a small side-table looking thing that had some small accessories laid out on it. By the looks of them, they were something that you could stitch onto your clothes if you wanted to, showing different logos that Shida didn’t recognize.
With one swoop of her hand, she kicked some of them off the table.
“Pick that up,” she then ordered with a nod in the direction of the dropped items. Maybe making it as indignant as possible would help Chak get worked up enough to resist it more.
Chak didn’t look down at them, only staring at Shida with an annoyed eye twitch.
“I won’t.” she stated as the skin around her Lens began to swell.
The Cali’s hands started to tremble and her knees shook as they attempted to reflexively demand to bend.
“No.” Chak reaffirmed as she winced, clutching her hands into fists. But she was already lowered halfway to the fallen patches.
In a jostle of defiance Chak moved her arm reaching for them, shoving the items further away from her. Her vain victory only lasted in a sliver of time before she started to crawl to them,
“By Kl- UHGG…” she verbally released out of annoyed frustration.
It’s then she felt something, like a tangible force in her mindspace applying mental pressure to conform and follow the order. As she suppressed it, a single drop of red dripped from her nose.
“Okay, thank you Shida I’m… I think you can…” she stated, about to request her friend to rescind the order, but a spark of genuinely furious anger sparked in her as the internal force attempted to put even more pressure. The Lens on top of the previous progress she made made her realize how sharp her own thoughts and will currently existed, whereas before the spirit’s influence had blurred every line.
This is her body. Her mind. How dare she tolerate this violating intrusion up to this point!
Stopping in her admittedly embarrassing display. The Princess gradually pushed herself off of the ground and onto her feet, looking more and more ill as well as determined. Out of pure strain a blood vessel breaks in her left eye. Her shaking hands even brushed her pant legs in finality.
“I’m not going to pick those up.” she informed, “I’m done proving a point. It knows now.”
Shida nodded understandingly.
“Alright,” she said, bending down to sweep the items up before dropping them back onto their table. Then she put her hand onto Chak’s shoulder reassuringly, without saying a word at first. Although, she then clarified, “But we’re still not buying that jacket.”
Seeing as the appointed task had become impossible to carry out, all the compulsive strain left the Cali’s body all at once. Her composure rocked a bit with a wave of dizziness.
“Very well. But I’m getting you one just like it when we get out of this town.” she promised, “Because you certainly deserve it.” she wiped at the small remnants of red from her upper lip, feeling absolutely physically dreadful, but the pride towards herself was intact.
“Let’s pay and go.” Chak cleared her throat before returning to their cart.
-
“Well, look who it is!” their driver greeted them enthusiastically. It took Shida a moment to realize it was the same dark-skinned man that had already driven them around once before. “You girls holdin’ up okay? I’m assuming that’s the leather-touting beauty underneath that costume there.”
Shida slid into the back seat with some of their purchases hanging off of her arm in a bag.
“And you’d be right. What gave me away?” she asked while settling into the seat, figuring that making some awkward smalltalk would make things go smoothly and also give her an opportunity to see if the guy could be a mimic or not.
“Your company,” the man replied with a laugh, his ridiculously white teeth flashing whenever he opened his mouth. “Also those sharp ‘I’ll kill you’ eyes that you have going on there. Although those contacts are great. The yellow looks darn natural on ya’. Good too, I might add.”
Shida sighed slightly.
“I’ve got too many people flirting with me already. Can we skip the compliments?” she asked directly, but not rudely, while looking over as Chak was also climbing into the car.
“A’ight, didn’t mean to offend,” the driver immediately complied while lifting his fingers off of his steering wheel. “It usually gets you better reviews if you butter people up a bit. But I can tell that ain’t gonna work on ya’.”
His eyes then fell onto Chak, his emotional state seemingly turning to a very slight but very real concern.
“And how have you been? The Lights treat you well?” he asked, and there was a hint of an almost warning tone in his second question. Almost like he would be ready to act immediately depending on the answer.
“Well I’ll just say that they were too busy treating each other not so well to pay much mind to me. My current state is not related to them… well not exactly.” Chak responded as she buckled herself in, her mood leveling with her worn out state, “However I’m happy to report that Mary’s mother is the only Light I have a great issue with. Such a sad, destructive, hateful person. She’s already ended up completely alone in her miserable existence. Even if she did direct her ire at me, it would have been worthless wasted air. It’s lovely to see you again by the way.”
The man exhaled in a sharp chuckle that was split apart by his closed teeth.
“Yeesh, just kill the gal, will ya’. That’d be more humane,” he then full on laughed as he started to kick his car into gear. “And yeah, same honestly. Especially now. I mean, not that it usually wouldn’t be nice to see ya’, but it has been weird today. I mean, people in this town are always a bit coocoo for cocopops around this time of year, but this time, it’s extreme. Three people I carried around today had that wild look in their eyes. Like those guys you’d see in real-crime documentaries, you know? Behaved normal, for the most part, but they were just so-”
Instead of finishing his sentence, he just shuddered for a moment as if suddenly overcome by extreme cold.
“Gave me the heebies and the jeebees,” he concluded.
Shida glanced up at him lazily, studying his face for a second.
“Well meant advice,” she then said, almost absently mumbling. “Maybe drop the driving for today after you dropped us off. Maybe even for the rest of the week.”
She left it at that. And although he clearly wanted to ask about the ominous warning, it was almost like something prevented him from doing so as he just briefly studied Shida intensely before tearing his eyes away to look at the road.
Eventually the vehicle pulled over to pick up two more occupants. Still using his festive cane as support, Dagon waved and came up to the car.
“Thanks. Good news is as long as the protests don’t dramatically escalate-” he paused his speech as he struggled to get up in the vehicle, managing to with the help of the others, “-Ahh… then uh… then the parade can continue on ahead as planned.” he finished as he settled.
“The mayor is, like, super concerned about bad press affecting tourism.” Doodle added as he hopped on in without issue, “Also, the secretary is gorgeous. Very mean, but dang.”
Dagon rested his head back into his car seat and closed his eyes for a moment.
“If I had known this contract would involve so much… unpredictable factors I would have let it slip on to a competitor. But for what it’s worth at least I’ll have an interesting story to tell by the end of it all.” he mused.
“Too bad no one’s probably gonna believe it.” Doodle pointed out.
“Fair… I’d say ‘stranger things have happened’ but… no… I really don’t think they have…” the man chuckled in response, “Moving forward from it however… Now that’s going to be interesting to finger out too.”
Chak leaned against the vehicle door so that she wouldn’t rest on Shida again. It gave her comfort to do so, but she felt overly conscious of how she expressed affection. All the while seeming to keep her eyes trained on the road, she was actually skimming through her Lens images. Reminding herself of her life before this holiday nonsense, and what she had to look forward to when they eventually broke free from it.
“Long time no see, Dagon. Looks like the girls found ya’ after all,” the driver greeted as the first bits of conversation were flickering out.