CHAPTER 3
Year: 04/8/2525
Planet: Sargasso
Location: Fairfield City, 4th precinct outskirts, Spencer Estate.
Amaranth rushed through the front door of her home, ahead of Daisy’s parents, and headed up the stairs straight for her room. She moved with enough determination to overcome mountains and grace that made it seem like she floated on air; a far cry from how she was almost a day ago. She entered her room and locked the door behind her. Nightstalker manifested itself behind her ‘hoodie jacket’ and hovered beside her. When Amy and Jon noticed her new attire, Jon spent almost an hour looking around the park and hospital asking if the ‘jacket’ belonged to anyone. Amy worried over Amaranth before chastising her for wearing a random jacket she found. When no one claimed the ‘jacket’ and since there was no ID in it, Amaranth was allowed to keep it. Amy insisted on washing it in heavy disinfectants before allowing her to wear it for even a second longer. That was when Amaranth learned that Nightstalker could separate and reattach pieces of itself.
‘Before we begin preparation, we need to discuss some ground rules.’ began the Klyntar.
Amaranth crossed her arms and stood straighter. “Alright, shoot,” she said.
‘My rules are quite simple. You already know one.’
“I have to keep my body close to peak condition. And want me to get to that point in roughly six months,” recited Amaranth.
Nightstalker nodded. ‘Or before the end of the year if we hit any bumps. As stated before, I will assist you in this endeavor and-’ Nightstalker whipped around to her face and leaned closer. ‘From here on out, you must follow whatever plan and routine I set out for you. Thanks to your blunder, I have less time to get your body to its full potential,’
Amaranth deflated at Nightstalker’s harsh words. Thanks to her thoughtlessness she possibly put everyone in danger. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know she would be back so quickly. I-”
‘Don’t be sorry, do better.’ it interrupted, causing Amaranth to deflate even further. If it noticed it didn’t seem to care. It paused for a moment before continuing with some reluctance. ‘But, I will admit that I share some of the blame. I should’ve been a little more persuasive in having you remain seated.’ Nightstalker leaned back giving Amaranth some space, looking at her as if contemplating before moving on.
‘Anyway, you acknowledge your mistake and seem to be learning from it. That’s good, keep it up.’ It continued awkwardly, fumbling as if it never complimented someone before.
Amaranth was slightly inflated by the semi-praise. “I’ll be more careful in the future,” she promised.
‘Good, now, let's move on. My second rule is simple: I don’t expect you to agree or follow everything I say, but I expect you to respect my advice enough to give it the proper consideration. And in return, I will do the same for you. No more interruptions like this morning.’
Amaranth cringed at the rebuke. “That’s fair. Sorry for interrupting you when I asked you this morning. I’ll do better. ”
‘Water under the bridge,’ dismissed Nightstalker. ‘Now, my third rule is simply: keep me fed. I’m not a picky eater, and I believe you mentioned an alternative to human brains?’
“Yes,” said Amaranth, perking up slightly. “I can provide you with animal brains. Plenty of places sell them and won’t run afoul with the police staying on their good side.”
‘As long as you provide the hormones and nutrients I need, then I don’t care how you do it.’
Amaranth let out a sigh and headed towards her dresser. “Now that’s out of the way-” she opened one of the dresser’s drawers before rummaging through to find something. While looking, she pulled out a Bible. She hadn’t prayed in a couple of days, with all that happened, she forgot. She, Maxine, and Amy had prayed before for healing, and she got it. She should take some time to thank God, considering he also gave her a bonus. She placed the Bible to the side and pulled out a few items: A spiral sketchbook, a large bag of chocolate, and a datapad.
“Let's start with our preparation. I think a good place to start is learning the full extent of what you can do,” she suggested, heading back to her unmade bed, sitting down on the messy covers, and setting the items to the side.
‘Yes, that seems logical. As you probably guessed, I can increase my host’s strength and healing rate. For example, as you are right now, you can lift more than you can normally, at least a ton or two, when I fully enhance- cover you. I can also store objects within me without changing shape, though this is limited to small items and not too many; otherwise, it will make me sluggish and make me feel…,” It paused and blinked a few times, the word escaping it. “Bloated would be the closest analogy. As for healing, say you were stabbed in the chest I can pull out the foreign object and heal you leaving you, as the human saying goes, good as new.’
‘But, healing takes energy, and the more severe the wound the more energy i.e. hormone and other nutrients I need to replenish.’
“Meaning if I ever become severely injured and you heal me I might be forced to-” Amaranth gulped, “-eat human brains to replenish you.”
‘Correct, unless you find another source or retreat to allow your hormone reserves to replenish me, but that would take the time you probably don’t have when you catch yourself in such a situation.’
Amaranth promised herself to be more careful and avoid that altogether. She then moved on. “OK, anything else?” She asked, digging into her bag of chocolates, popping a piece into her mouth, and handing another to Nightstalker, who ate it promptly.
‘I’m getting to that.’ it growled. ‘I can also manipulate your body chemistry for varying effects, such as calming you down. This, combined with the accelerated healing and another trick, will greatly help you reach your peak potential.’
Yeah, that was something she needed to know. “Will there be any negative side-effects? My biology and health tutor taught me about certain drugs with similar effects and how some elite athletes used them and ended up with negative results. For example, female athletes tend to end up with a beard and a deep voice.”
‘Please,’ scoffed Nightstalker. ‘Humans lacked the finesse to balance the body chemistry to avoid such effects. To compare the biochemistry manipulation of a Klyntar to a human’s is like comparing the surgical skill of an experienced surgeon with a scalpel to that of a caveman with a rock. The negative side effects will be non-existent. I know your body better than you do.’
Amaranth folded her arms. Nightstalker was in the process of repairing her damaged genetics, so it probably did know her body better than she or her doctors could ever hope. Still, images of what happened to athletes who abused such methods, particularly female ones, came to mind.
“Alright, but if I wake up one day with a beard and mustache sounding like I smoked an entire carton of Sweet Williams, you and I are going to have a talk,” she promised.
‘It won’t come to that.’ It dismissed. ‘Now, another ability I have is shapeshifting and matter generation. I change my shape to whatever you need. Blades, spikes, tendrils with eyes and mouths, etc. I can generate the necessary matter needed. As you saw earlier, I can also shoot pieces of myself, but regenerating the lost material requires energy, much like healing your wounds. I can even mimic clothing if needed.’
Amaranth perked up. This was a perfect segway for her idea. She grabbed the large spiral sketchbook and flipped through the pages, passing by different drawings of characters from various anime shows. This was a birthday gift from her friend Samantha, who taught her how to draw. Since then, they have compared, read, and shown off their OCs. A small smile formed on Amaranth’s face at the memories.
She kept flipping until she found the two pages she was looking for. On the two pages were multiple sketches of an armored female figure. The armor had some differences, but they followed the same basic design.
A knightly hero.
image [https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/c8c5c09a-c12a-440f-a3ae-9badb3d467d3/dhnppj1-7840bedc-3a0b-4922-aa38-8342966e5642.jpg/v1/fill/w_774,h_1032,q_70,strp/20201014_020525_by_mechafan1224_dhnppj1-pre.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTcwNyIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcL2M4YzVjMDlhLWMxMmEtNDQwZi1hM2FlLTliYWRiM2Q0NjdkM1wvZGhucHBqMS03ODQwYmVkYy0zYTBiLTQ5MjItYWEzOC04MzQyOTY2ZTU2NDIuanBnIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTEyODAifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.SYH028s34oSKcBL5d1A65bjimVCMKVYxPV9VjfflVvQ]
image [https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/c8c5c09a-c12a-440f-a3ae-9badb3d467d3/dhnpphs-5055f4b8-fa8d-4e27-a195-ab8bd777ce84.jpg/v1/fill/w_774,h_1032,q_70,strp/20201014_020441_by_mechafan1224_dhnpphs-pre.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTcwNyIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcL2M4YzVjMDlhLWMxMmEtNDQwZi1hM2FlLTliYWRiM2Q0NjdkM1wvZGhucHBocy01MDU1ZjRiOC1mYThkLTRlMjctYTE5NS1hYjhiZDc3N2NlODQuanBnIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTEyODAifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.j6yGpoZP3Dgye3AYbgj3hHheVLCSezYAnDN8k8Hf0wA]
image [https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/c8c5c09a-c12a-440f-a3ae-9badb3d467d3/dhnpp98-c6eaecf5-fb5b-4b45-8265-41c7e6395a10.jpg/v1/fill/w_774,h_1032,q_70,strp/20201014_020215_by_mechafan1224_dhnpp98-pre.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTcwNyIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcL2M4YzVjMDlhLWMxMmEtNDQwZi1hM2FlLTliYWRiM2Q0NjdkM1wvZGhucHA5OC1jNmVhZWNmNS1mYjViLTRiNDUtODI2NS00MWM3ZTYzOTVhMTAuanBnIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTEyODAifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.7xtihYaBHnhrTVYatAr1GIoFhigCc7Q5g15UM6iF4ug]
Nightstalker examined the sketches with seemingly mild interest. ‘What is this?’
“Some sketches of my Shadow Bio-Knight OC,” said Amaranth.
‘OC?’ asked Nightstalker.
“Original characters are fan-made characters that aren’t canon to the show, technically. For example, these sketches are for a character I created for Princess Sakura. She doesn’t have a name, and I’m still working out some details,” Amaranth explained.
‘I see, interesting, but what does it have to do with me?’
Amaranth coughed and looked away for a moment. “ Well, I figure since you can shapeshift that maybe you can-”
‘You want to know if I can mold myself into something more like your drawings?’ it surmised.
Amaranth nodded, pointing at the designs in her sketchbook. “Right, and since my OC is a shadow bio-knight, it’ll be a nice mixture of the calming nobility of a knight and fear inducement associated with shadows and darkness. It's the perfect blend. It’ll make us look more like superheroes and put people at ease,” argued Amaranth.
Nightstalker tilted its head and hummed before looking over the designs. ‘I can see the merit in your idea, but your designs need some modifications. An ordinary cape will get in the way. It'll be better for me to shapeshift into one for you.’ It then turned its attention to Amaranth. ‘There is another caveat: I always had trouble mimicking more ‘solid’ clothing like armor. The finer details are… troublesome to mimic. I need a physical base to ‘feel’ out every nook and cranny. It’ll make shape-shifting easier, reducing the chance of getting details wrong, which I assume is very important to you.’
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Amaranth hummed in thought. Suddenly she gasped and snapped her finger.
“I have an idea. Maybe we can make some armor or something based on this to give you a base. Better if we can make it stab and bulletproof. That way, if we’re ever separated or you're out of commission for whatever reason, I won’t be completely defenseless, and my identity will be revealed.”
‘Hmmm, I can see the logic. This hypothetical armor combined with the fighting skills you will soon learn and the improvements being made to your body will increase your overall performance.’ it concluded. ‘Now, answer me this: how would you make this armor? Where would you get the materials? Would the materials be light and breathable enough so you can be comfortable? Do you know how even to make armor?’
Amaranth paused and blinked a couple of times. “I don’t know,” she admitted.
‘Then that’s what we need to add to the list of things we need to research.’
Amaranth let out a forceful sigh. This was harder than she thought, but she had to tough it out. No matter what, she mustn’t falter. Sakura and Asuka didn’t when they faced hardship.
Daisy’s parents didn’t when it was clear their daughter wasn't long for this world.
She then remembered what Nightstalker had said earlier about being able to make blades. She flipped the page in her sketchbook. The next couple of pages were sketches of her OC’s signature weapon. Amaranth smiled, reminiscing over the lore she had created for the sword. It was a sword inspired by Sakura’s Shadow Guardian, which, in turn, was based on a real-life sword called a Kriegmesser. The lore behind her OC’s sword was that it was made from the source of Sakura’s power. Sombra: God of the sacred dark and punisher of evil, one of her Kingdom’s Pantheon. It had an ornate cross-guard that curved upward into multiple spikes with a straight black blade with a curved tip. She named the sword Sombra’s Justice.
‘Amaranth, focus, you’re letting yourself get distracted!’
Amaranth blinked. “Right, sorry.”
‘Anyway, stretch out your left arm and open your hand.’ commanded Nightstalker suddenly.
“What?” asked Amaranth.
‘Stretch out your left arm and open your hand.’ Nightstalker commanded again.
Amaranth, despite some confusion, did what she was told. Nightstalker’s goo manifested itself out of her palm, stretching and reshaping itself like a hybrid of clay and slime into an almost perfect replica of the sword in her sketches held in place several tendrils extending from her hand to the sword’s hilt. The only flaw in the organic sword was the thin, veiny tendrils covering it. Amaranth just stared with wide eyes and her mouth agape.
image [https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/c8c5c09a-c12a-440f-a3ae-9badb3d467d3/de9ek8e-e62abb72-1966-4f6d-be80-a26e21243cf2.jpg/v1/fill/w_1280,h_1813,q_75,strp/shadow_s_justice_by_mechafan1224_de9ek8e-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTgxMyIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcL2M4YzVjMDlhLWMxMmEtNDQwZi1hM2FlLTliYWRiM2Q0NjdkM1wvZGU5ZWs4ZS1lNjJhYmI3Mi0xOTY2LTRmNmQtYmU4MC1hMjZlMjEyNDNjZjIuanBnIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTEyODAifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.Uvd6sRq7Y65O_aV9EK1uVree01bWPeZc1ZD_CKhrKX8]
‘Grab it,’ encouraged Nightstalker as the tendrils holding the sword upright gently lowered it onto the palm of Amaranth’s right hand.
Amaranth wrapped her hand around the sword’s hilt. “Wow!” she gasped. The sword was almost as tall as her, reaching about 5 feet long, with the blade taking up most of the length. It was black like the night, with some midnight blue mixed in. On each side of the crossguard were two eyes, similar to Nightstalker’s, and the curved spikes almost looked like teeth. This, combined with its unnatural color and organic nature, gave it a touch of dark and fierce elegance.
Amaranth grabbed the hilt with her other hand. Now holding it with two hands, she tilted it back and forth and side by side, marveling at how light it was. If it was made of metal, she would have fallen forward from the weight. Instead, her arms were just starting to get a bit tired. Amaranth set the blade on her lap and caressed the side of the blade away from the edge. The texture almost reminded her of a cross between chitin and obsidian.
‘I read your thoughts and decided to get that out of the way. I also added some personal touches. Now, the question is: Can you use it?’
Amaranth continued to examine the dark blade, “Well, no, but I can learn. How hard can it be?”
‘Then we will add that to the research list. It might also help you use my stingers more effectively. Now, let’s move on to what's needed to prepare you. We spent too much time on this matter.’ It said as it extended a tendril and grabbed the datapad Amaranth had set aside, It placed it in her lap and then ate a few chocolate pieces from Amaranth’s stash. ‘Let's start with researching how to strengthen your body.’
“Right, let’s get to work,” she said, lifting the datapad. She turned it on, and the screen lit up, showing that Waypoint had already been opened. She navigated to her preferred search engine, Askpoint, and began her search.
For the next hour or so, she tried different combinations: ‘Strength Exercises for women’, ‘Strength exercises,’ and ‘How to build strength for teenage girls.’ She found some helpful information thanks to Nightstalker’s guidance, such as that barbell compound exercises with progressive overload. They would add cardio, agility exercises, and calisthenics to focus on functionality rather than aesthetics. During her research, she looked up different female athletes, ranging from CrossFit to powerlifters, to see their routines and diets. She also saw pictures of them running, lifting weights, and breaking records. They were all so powerful, pushing themselves to the limit. Amaranth looked at her sickly arms and remembered the muscle definition of the female CrossFit athlete and Daisy.
“I’m going to train hard to get to that point. I want to, and I have to. I won’t be weak anymore.” she promised quietly.
‘That’s enough for exercises. We need to move to nutrition. This is very important, Amaranth. During your training and rapid development, you will be ravenous. Your body will need a substantial amount of nutrient-dense, high-calorie, and high-protein foods to fuel everything.’
“Wait, according to all the sites we found, roughly 8,000 calories are required to build muscle. I’m going to have to eat that much and then some per day,” said Amaranth.
‘Don’t worry, I’ll deal with the nutrient absorption and digestion. I’ll ensure every nutrient is used efficiently.’ dismissed Nightstalker.
At that moment, a knock was heard. “Daisy, sweetie, It's your mother.”
Amaranth instantly stopped what she was doing. “Coming!” she called with a hitch to her voice. Quickly, she set her datapad to the side. Nightstalker instantly assimilated back into Amaranth. She grabbed the sword, fumbling with it a couple of times.
‘Where in the hell am I going to hide this?!’
‘Hold it steady.’ commanded Nightstalker.
Amaranth held the sword steady, and like ice on a hot summer day, it melted away into her skin.
“Woah,” whispered Amaranth before she heard another knock. Wasting no time, Amaranth rushed to the door and unlocked it. She opened the door and was greeted by Amy smiling warmly, carrying a tray of Maxine’s famous fruit bars.
“I came up to check on you. I figured you were hungry and made Maxine’s fruit bars following the recipe to the letter. May I come in?”
“Oh, sorry, Mom,” Amaranth stepped to the side and opened the door fully.
Amy walked in, heading towards an empty spot on the edge of Amaranth’s bed and carefully sat down away from the datapad. After placing the tray on her lap she patted the empty spot on her left side, urging Amaranth to sit by her.
Amaranth went over and sat on the empty seat beside Amy.
Amy looked past Amaranth at the bag of chocolate by her side and chuckled. “I see you've been eating candy. Eat too much, and you’ll upset your stomach.” Amy took a bar off the tray and offered it to Amaranth with a warm smile. “Here, it's better for you.”
‘She’s right, you’ll need the nutrients.’
Amaranth took the bar and ate half of it in one bite. She chewed it a few times savoring the oat topping and mixed berry flavor before swallowing.
“Thanks, Mom,” she whispered.
“You’re welcome, sweetie,” Amy looked past Amaranth towards something. “What are you looking at?”
Amaranth followed Amy’s gaze and saw that the datapad didn’t go into sleep mode. Their research lay on full display for Amy’s curious eyes.
“Oh, nothing, just some exercise routines,” said Amaranth as she picked up the datapad and showed it to Amy.
Amy nodded. “I see... Your father told me about your goal. I’m proud of you.” She placed her hand on Amaranth’s shoulder. “I also know what happened earlier. I wanted to check on you, but we felt you needed time alone.”
Amy paused. “I know you talked with your father, but I want to let you know that if you have any more to get off your chest, I’m here for you.”
Amaranth placed the datapad down and looked at her lap, reminded of the crushing weight of recent revelations and the burden she chose to carry, and Joseph's last moments played in her mind, followed by the thought that there who knows how many others like them. Her stomach twisted into knots at the idea that she survived and the others didn’t. The thought that they and their families suffered because of a powerful few. Filled her with a multitude of powerful emotions, namely sadness and rage.
“Joseph was just like me,” she choked out. “But, he died, and I got lucky. Dad told me the best way to honor him is to march on, and I understand the reasoning and that I couldn’t do anything, but-” Amaranth hiccuped as tears formed and trailed down her cheek.
“I still feel guilty. In the back of my mind, I still wonder: What makes me so special that he died and I lived? Why did Ni- this miracle happen to me? When I saw his mother cry, I imagined I was Joseph and Celty was you and Dad. I feel like I could’ve done mo-” Aamanth stopped, choking on the lump in her throat.
Amaranth suddenly found herself in Amy’s embrace, her head resting on Amy’s chest. The comforting sound of Amy’s beating heart caressed her ears, and the gentle smell of her vanilla butter lotion filled her nose. Amy gently stroked her hair. “Shhh, I’m here, sweetheart.” Amy comforted as she gently stroked Amaranth’s hair.
Amaranth cried harder, taking great comfort in Amy’s embrace. As her feelings about Joseph subsided, a sense of guilt over something else took its place. The love she felt from Amy and Jon- Daisy’s parents- weren’t meant for her. It was stolen. Taken! She was a thief and a liar. For as long as she lived, she stole the love of a mother and father from its rightful owner, and she had the gall to take comfort from it! Amaranth’s stomach felt heavy and her heart clenched at the thought. After a few minutes, Amaranth’s cries softened as she lost the energy to continue.
“When your father went out looking for you,” started Amy. “I stayed behind to comfort Joseph’s mother. As she cried, I knew there was nothing that I could say that would ease her pain. The pain we shared.” She choked and took a moment to wipe away her budding tears.
“I wish I could do more for her, but all I could do was give her a friendly shoulder to cry on. At that moment, I was reminded to appreciate what I nearly lost even more and never to let go.” Amaranth felt Amy’s hug tighten.
“Daisy,” said Amy as she lifted Amaranth’s head. Amaranth found herself staring at her, seeing the warmth in Amy’s eyes. “What you’re feeling is understandable. It means you have a caring and compassionate heart. But it isn’t justified. To stew in it will wear you down into self-loathing. Listen, you did the best thing for Joseph in his final moments. You gave him something priceless.”
Amaranth paused for a few moments. “Priceless?” she asked finally.
Amy smiled warmly. “You gave him something that many people don’t appreciate until they lose it or during times of hardship. You gave him someone to talk to in his final moments.”
She took Amaranth’s hand in hers. “You gave him a friend and someone that understood him.”.
“A friend,” said Amaranth. Joseph was virtually alone except for close family. She gave him the company of someone who understood him in ways no one else could, even if he didn’t know how alike they were.
“Yes, by giving him a friend, you eased his passing and made his last moments a little brighter. Remember, don’t let your misplaced guilt slow you down as you march towards the future.”
Amaranth nodded, wiping away her tears, the guilt over living subsiding just a little. “I won’t,” she promised.
Amy smiled and hugged Amaranth before letting go when Amaranth's stomach rumbled. “Looks like you're still hungry.” she chuckled. “Let’s go downstairs. Your father warmed up some pizza and wings made just the way you like it.”
Amaranth hesitated. She took enough from Daisy and didn’t want to take anymore, but if she didn’t, Amy and Jon would become worried and suspicious. She just has to endure the guilt until she saves Daisy. “Sure, I’m hungry enough to eat one by myself,” she answered, forcing a smile.
“Alright then, let’s go,” said Amy.
Amy and Amaranth got up and walked together towards the door and out of the room.
---------
Meanwhile, Nightstalker was analyzing and mulling over a few things it noticed with its host. This short interaction revealed volumes. She was determined and resolute in her convictions but also emotional and prone to impulsiveness. Fortunately, with the proper guidance and temperament, these could be a significant source of strength, especially with her instincts. This, combined with Nightstalker’s unique ability, which she will learn once ready, would make her a very formidable foe to those who stood against them.
Another thing it noticed was that though she responded as expected to Nightstalker’s truthful encouragement and took its criticism to heart, the interactions with her father revealed she seemed to respond better to a ‘softer’ approach that appealed to her emotions. This was further supported by her reaction to its congratulatory comment on her learning from her mistake and her interaction with her mother. It seems a more balanced approach was needed for long-term success. Nightstalker made a note to further study the matter and pay closer attention to her relationships.
‘Amaranth, you’re an interesting one,’ it mused. ‘We’re going to learn a lot from each other.’