“Holy fuck Selfi,.” Jack frowned, muttering over the sound of constant chatter and flash photography. “I just want to eat in peace.”
“Welcome to nobility Jack, no such thing as peace,” Selfia said, waving at the crowd with a smile.
“Yeah… but what's the point of us being here if we're not eating?” Jack said as Sahaqiel sulked in a corner beside a batch of tacos under the scrutiny of the press.
“Publicity duh,” Selfia said as the owner of the El Gato Negro, Carlos Ruiz came out with a number of burritos on a tray.
“Ah, your highness. As ordered,” The cyborg said, his hands visibly shaking as he placed the tray on the table.
“Oh, this looks good. You didn't poison this did you?” Selfia replied, cocking her head in a manner that Jack found creepy.
Immediately Carlos went pale, the cyborg chef frozen in place.
“N-n-no! Of course not!” Carlos replied quickly, bowing as Kamila brought out a fork and knife, cutting up Selfia's burrito into meat squares.
“So disrespectful,” Sahaqiel commented, offended at the way the burrito was being dissected.
The cutlery was handed to Selfia, allowing her to bring a bite of it to her mouth.
“Hm. I see what all the rage is about,” Selfia said, chewing in a dignified manner as Celeste looked on with hungry eyes.
“May I have some?” Celeste asked.
“Not right now dear,” Selfia replied, causing the little girl to deflate.
“Awwww.”
“Don't worry, I'll make sure you get some,” Jack whispered, making Celeste beam a smile.
Selfia dabbed her mouth with a cloth. “Ok. Time to go. Bring the burritos with.”
Kamila and Ada bowed, taking with them the burritos in styrofoam containers provided by Carlos.
Selfia stood up, walking back to the parked Behemoth limousine.
Wait. That's it?
Jack wanted to protest, but ultimately said nothing, sharing a glance with Ada.
As a man, Jack followed tradition and waited for everyone to enter the car, his form stoic as his eyes scanned the crowd.
Something was up, an odd sense of foreboding that prodded at Jack.
Yet all he saw were citizens and his security team. Along with his Bell warrior cousins who kept the crowd at bay with their blood abilities.
Jin flashed a smile upon spotting Jack, but quickly going back to work.
Entering the leather interior of the behemoth, Jack went wide-eyed, his gaze locked on Selfia munching loudly on the burritos, fighting with Ada trying to stop her from eating them all with Kamila caught in-between like a rag doll.
“Get off of me Ada! I swear I will-HOLY FUCK! CALM YOURSELF GUERILLA! WATCH THE DRESS! WTCH THE FUCKING DRESS!” Selfia screamed.
“Fight! Fight! Fight!” Celeste giggled.
“Right,” Jack let out, Celeste cheering them on as Yun sat in the corner of the car, the bodyguard wide-eyed. “Jessica, get us out of here.”
****
Back at the castle, Jack furrowed his brow. Eyeing the numerous tabloids on his bed documenting the day's adventures.
“Heir to the throne… Child out of wedlock. Queen, a Demi Lover… El Gato Negro, Food fit for a Queen. Handsome Jack… Jack The Ripper? Hero of The Frelia Mountain Massacre… End of an Empire? Sellout Queen… Where has Jack been? ” Jack frowned in his pink pajamas, reading aloud the dozens of printouts, some a far cry from the other rumor-mills with many insulting the queen.
Usually, most of them were speculating about him or just blatant falseties. Never outright insults to Selfia. Treason, depending on who was asked.
“If you ask me. Seems like someone's angry.” Lilith said, a rare moment of commentary from the darkened specter.
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Someone unhappy about Celeste's reveal?
“Probably a would-be suiter. After all, Selfia did turn down hundreds of suitors for you. And her revealing she had a child all this time, well. It just means everyone wasted their time.”
“Oh?” Sahaqiel said, poking the specter on the nose, resulting in the black angel scowling. “When did you become such an expert at love affairs? Here I thought all you could do was hate.”
“Please, I’m a Professional.”
“Hater.”
“Call it what you will.”
No. She has a point. I hadn't considered what the coronation would mean for those eyeing the throne. Jack frowned, remembering the large crowd of unhappy individuals at the wedding. Had Selfia just painted a target on Celeste’s back?
“What are you talking about?” Ada asked, hugging Jack from behind, the woman fresh from the bathroom in her pink gown.
“Talking? I haven't said a word.” Jack replied, caressing Ada’s hand.
“No, but you have a look on your face when you're in deep thought, plus you not speaking out loud doesn't mean you aren't talking,” Ada said, pecking Jack on the cheek. “Hi Sarah.”
“Howdy love,” Sahaqiel said, revealing herself reclining on a nearby chair.
“Right… I'm just worried about everything is all,” Jack sighed, mulling over the point of all this waiting. “And Selfia's plan. Can't help but feel like I'm placing targets on everyone's back and gathering more enemies… plus, with you pregnant, I have more to lose than I've ever had before.”
“Well… It-” Ada froze. “W-wait, you know I'm pregnant?”
“Uh. Yeah. I'm a little slow but I'm not stupid honey.”
Ada slumped her shoulders. “Right.”
Jack chuckled, turning, his hand rubbing Ada’s stomach.
“Heh… roll.”
“HEY!” Ada snapped, slapping Jack's hand pinching her stomach. “Rude! Don't play with my roll! UGH! You've made me chunky!”
“You aren't chunky babe. You're Thicc.”
“Y-you think so?” Ada asked, tears in her eyes.
“Of course,” Jack said, his eyes taking on a certain glint that made Ada flustered.
“Oh? So what you're saying is you like my body huh?” Ada whispered, moving up on the bed.
“Y-”
“Jack.”
“Jack.”
Jack froze, a sense of alarm as Lilith and Sahaqiel called Jack's name.
“What? What's wrong?” Ada asked, confused as Jack took on a worried look.
“Stay here,” Jack said, mana oozing off his body, spreading out, enveloping the palace rapidly. Every nook, cranny, hidden place where mana could flow, Jack's energy seeped into until he found it.
A man in a cowboy hat.
“Ada. Go find Captain Jin,” Jack said, tapping on an intellipad nearby to contact Selfia but finding it displaying no signal.
“Huh?”
“Don't question it, go. Now. Get to Celeste,” Jack ordered coldly, opening his bedside drawer and taking out his gun blade revolvers.
“Ok. Ok!” Ada said, summoning her nodachi from the closet and taking off.
Sara. Go to Selfia. I need to have a private chat. Jack sent, eyes narrowing with fury as he loaded bullets into his guns.
*****
Entering the basement garage, Jack spotted a familiar blonde gunslinger, a man leaning on the nearby concrete wall under the low light with a black mask on his face.
“Hey budd-”,
*BANG*
Jack wasted no time, his hand up, opening fire with his silver revolver before Ivan could finish his sentence.
The gunslinger shimmered out of place, teleporting, avoiding all six shots Jack fired.
“Whoa! Whoa! Hey! Are you trying to kill me?!” Ivan yelled, standing atop one of the black armored cars nearby.
Jack glanced at the bodies laying on the ground. “No. I was aiming for your legs. Next one's going in your head.”
“Ah ah ah, I wouldn't suggest firing that HE round,” Ivan said, hopping off the hood of the car. “Those guards aren't dead, just napping. A little insurance in case you get a little... explosive.”
Jack clenched his jaw, but ultimately lowered his gun.
“What do you want?”
“To say hi of course,” Ivan smirked, tipping his cowboy hats. “It's not everyday one gets to have a chat with royalty face to face. We're friends aren't we?”
“Ivan… I need you to know. That what's about to happen. Is personal. It's very personal,” Jack said calmly, his body giving off sparks as the air ionized.
“Easy hotshot, I come in peace. Here to give you a warning dipshit,” Ivan said, teleporting as Jack's hand nearly closed around the man's neck.
Ivan broke out into a cold sweat, grinning as he clutched his neck tingling from the close call.
“Wow! You're fast brother! Almost took my neck! You're getting scary.” Ivan said as Jack reached out, the air shimmering around the pair as Ruby emerged, the dark knight appearing behind Ivan.
“You made a grave error Ivan. Not only do you have the gall to appear before me. You dare to try to speak to me as if we were friends,” Jack hissed.
Ivan sighed. “Yeah… I spose, with what I've done, anyone would be right to be pissed. But I'm here to help you.”
Jack raised his brow. “Why?”
“Because The Black King has ordered Selfia's death.”
“And this helps me how? It was only a matter of time,” Jack replied, narrowing his eyes.
“Because of the nature of the attack. A lot of people will die.”
“That didn't stop you before. What's different now?”
“Because…” Ivan clenched his jaw. “I'm sorry.”
“Fuck you,” Jack said, his voice cold with his hand cackling with power. “If you're truly sorry, you'll spill all of your secrets before placing your neck in my hand.”
Ivan smirked before shaking his head.
“Sorry bud, no can do. I've got someone waiting for me,” Ivan said, tipping his hat. “Heed my warning, things will get explosive. Better you get out and take your daughter with you. I'd hate to see the girl hurt.”
And like that, Ivan was away, leaving Jack glaring in the garage as Jin arrived with several guards in tow.