“That is a most tragic case indeed.” Adelar said to Lisa in the Bird’s Eye meeting room after she recounted her experiences in Harris.
“And that ain’t all!” The wolf exclaimed, sitting with her legs crossed in her chair. “The guy who got sent out was William Goddard’s grandson!” She said with great excitement in her voice, at which Adelar raised an eyebrow.
“Who?” He asked, causing Lisa’s passionate demeanour to fade.
“Never mind.” She cleared her throat, feeling a little defeated. “He’s a good lad though. If I’m available and a Milo Goddard calls, be sure to send me.” She requested.
“I’ll try to keep that in mind.” Said Adelar. Lisa could guess that he questioned her excitement over who was just any other ordinary person in his eyes.
“So what’s next?” Lisa inquired.
“Nothing so far.” He admitted. “No new calls, I could just have you leave early if you need it, it can’t have been easy to witness that.”
“Nah, I’m fine.” She dismissed his concerns. “You know, working on real cases makes me feel like I’m actually doing something.” She remarked, fiddling with her cane.
“I’m glad you all agree on that.” Deciding not to push it further, Adelar took out a paper he kept in his suit pocket at all times. Lisa knew all too well how proud that one made him, the best part being that it had nothing to do with magic.
“Father and Yaroslav did an excellent job at Millport.” He said after unfolding the paper, a copy of a report. “One less group of “entrepreneurs” that go around defrauding people.” He looked up from the paper and at Lisa. “That really helped put us on the radar.”
“You magical leaders sure love your fronts.” Lisa teased, which was met with a deep frown from Adelar.
“Don’t ever compare me to him.” He asserted, folding up the piece of paper and putting it back in his pocket.
Lisa recoiled slightly at his tone. “Alright, relax.” She held out her hands as emphasis. “He’s dead now. Proper six feet under, yeah?” She grinned, but it didn’t seem to improve the eagle’s mood at all. “If you hated his guts so much, how come you want to partner up with ‘em now?”
“Truth be told…” He began after a long pause. “I’m running out of things to teach you.” He said, regretful.
“You want us to train with the tossers who took Rox?” She scoffed, finding the idea downright insulting. “Really?”
“I don’t know everything.” Adelar admitted. “You all found your techniques and they’re vastly different from mine. There’s only so much one Blazing One can teach you. As for them… Who knows, maybe they could help sharpen my skills too. We could start a partnership, further both our agendas.” He said in what Lisa would call his “business voice”. He wasn’t one to joke usually anyway, but when speaking in that manner, she knew he was serious.
Lisa had a hard time finding the words she wanted to use to express how she felt. On one hand, she still held resentment towards the organisation. Solomon had told her what exactly happened there and how the problem was with the leadership for the most part. She understood, but couldn’t help but feel vindictive, still. The way they went about business, it sure could have been better. On the other hand, as much as she hated it, Adelar had a point. He was just one Mystic One, his knowledge and skills were limited compared to the many, many members of The System.
“I guess I’ll think about it.” She finally said, the decision hard on her mind. It felt entirely unreasonable after everything that had happened, but she couldn’t deny that she wanted someone to pay, still. An entire organisation… To her, blaming everything on one person and getting rid of him felt like their way of finding a scapegoat. “I still can’t believe they would offer to help protect Father. Something just… Doesn’t sit right with me ‘bout that.” Lisa brought up the matter.
“I get that. I really do.” Said Adelar. “But if Solomon’s reports are to be trusted, they’re not all as bad as we thought.” His voice was understanding, compassionate. Lisa could tell that he knew how she felt. “Even Father himself was positively surprised, so he said. He’s been working on something special too! Think of how much you could learn as well, Lisa.”
Lisa stayed silent. It felt selfish and callous, incredibly so, but she didn’t like how her absurd dislike towards them wasn’t justified. She could listen to her girlfriend list off all the things that were good about them, as well as the bad, but to actually work with them… It felt like something she couldn’t do. Not for Adelar, not for herself.
But for Solomon… Being there with her, actually, personally making sure that no one hurts her, she could possibly grow to tolerate, and maybe get to know them. That, she could do.
“I’ll ask Rox about their electric abilities, how’s that?” She suggested, putting on a grin.
“If that’s what you wish.” Adelar shrugged.
It wasn’t. What she had wished for was already fulfilled. Actual investigative work, a house in a quiet neighbourhood, and a loving girlfriend. The magic was really just an extra in her mind.
“I’ll be ‘round town, call me if we get any more jobs.” She stood up and checked her pockets, more to give Adelar time to reply.
“Before you go!” Said the eagle. “Whatever happened to that book? I’ve been meaning to ask Solomon, but the thought always escaped me.”
“You wouldn’t believe it!” Lisa exclaimed. “It was just some artefact they wanted to keep!” Lisa recounted what Solomon had told her before. She never would have imagined the truth to be so anticlimactic.
“That’s it?” He asked incredulously.
“It’s what Rox told me.” Lisa shrugged, ready to leave.
“I can appreciate a good artefact, but even for me, that’s… Disappointing.” He lowered his head, dejected, before continuing in his business voice. “But do consider the offer. I think we could achieve great things with them. Take care.”
“You too.” Lisa said without turning to look at him before walking out the door.
“What a bloody mess this is.” She said to herself as she got into her car and drove away.
To say that she wasn’t a fan of the idea would be an understatement. It just didn’t feel right. Then again, she was already outnumbered in terms of agreeing to work with The System. Her opinion likely won’t matter too much. Regardless of how much good was said about the organisation, something inside her, something so viscerally part of her just didn’t want to trust them and had something against them. Something she couldn’t quite put a finger on.
She stopped in a parking space just big enough for her car to fit in. She got out and went to buy her and Solomon a few things in a nearby shop. On the way, she ran into another familiar figure, who noticed her immediately.
“Hey Lisa!” Lumi said with a bright smile. Her dark and pale blue markings had been covered up with grey body paint matching her fur, most likely by Thalia. She was wearing a sleeveless black leather jacket with a black shirt under it, along with black trousers and shoes, as well as sunglasses to cover her heterochromatic eyes. She liked darkness, Lisa understood that, but that was too much black for one person to wear in her opinion. Solomon and even Thalia had grown quite fond of the bat, which she understood to an extent. She appeared so straightforward and happy with everything, she was either the best liar in the world or just genuine. Lisa still had her suspicions about her, but figured she could easily take her in a fight if needed.
“‘Sup, Lumi?” Said the wolf, leaning on her cane. “Adjustin’ well?”
“I am!” She briefly lifted her sunglasses and gave her a wink with her dark eye. “Out to get Thalia some paint.”
“They’re selling fur paint at Sparky’s?” She inquired, surprised that she didn’t know that despite visiting the shop every now and then.
“Right?” She tilted her head slightly. “New addition to the beauty section! Nice to see some competition, drives down the prices.”
“Well, that’s pretty decent, innit?” Lisa grinned. “Alright, let’s go then.”
Stepping out from the shop, Lisa saw that the weather had turned for the worse. It rained, not too much, but still enough to thoroughly soak people without an umbrella.
“Not the rain!” Lumi complained with a look of despair as she and Lisa left Sparky’s with one bag each, standing below the blue and white striped awning.
“You wouldn’t mind, would you?” The wolf put her hand forward with the bag, suggesting that Lumi take it, which she did. She opened her coat and took out a collapsible umbrella from a pocket on the inside. She pressed the button on it, the top shot forward and opened up. “Always gotta be prepared.”
“You just have that with you everywhere?” The bat questioned, albeit relieved.
“I have a good few things on me, yeah.” Lisa put her cane through one of the belt loops on her trousers and gestured to take the bag back.
“Oh, I’ll just carry it for you, don’t worry.” She assured her. Lisa took her up on the offer and put the umbrella over both of them.
Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!
“I can give ya a ride home so you don’t get drenched.” The wolf suggested and slightly lifted her cane to point in the direction where she had parked.
“That’d be great, thanks!” Lumi said cheerfully. Suspicious or not, Lisa didn’t want the bat’s markings to be exposed by the weather. After all, if what she had said was correct, dark markings especially didn’t “like” being covered up. “Didn’t think it would rain today.”
“Hah!” Lisa couldn’t help but chuckle as they started walking down the sidewalk. “That’s exactly the attitude that’ll get ya in situations like this.”
“Yeah, I really should get an umbrella at least…” Lumi began and didn’t stop speaking for what felt like an uncomfortably long time. Mostly about how she didn’t use to have problems with the weather at her previous residences.
They kept walking, the rain growing in intensity, beating down on the umbrella. By an alleyway, distracted by Lumi’s talking, Lisa felt her cane tap against something other than the pavement: a pompously-dressed feline’s shoe.
“Pardon me.” The wolf apologised.
“You’re walking with your eyes closed, tramp?” She complained loudly. “Don’t you know who I am?”
Unfortunately, Lisa knew exactly who it was upon taking a proper look. “Ah, for fuck’s sake… What’s she doing here?”
“Don’t even think about getting close to me!” The feline walked on after pulling a taser out of her pocket and pointing it at Lisa threateningly with her own umbrella in her other hand. After that, she put it away, took out her ringing phone, and simply started talking as if nothing had happened.
Lisa felt one of her eyes twitch from anger.
“Don’t let it get to you.” Lumi suggested and stepped in the alleyway to avoid the rain more. “Who does she think she is?” She said with a frown.
“Priscilla Janette.” Lisa went to stand beside the bat. “A stuck-up li’l bitch who thinks she’s better than everyone ‘cause she starred in a bad movie once.” She explained with a low growl at the end, quietly enough so that only Lumi could hear it.
“That doesn’t mean she gets to speak like that.” Lumi said sympathetically.
Lisa had already had enough reasons to hate that woman, every single time she showed up in a headline she probably paid to be featured in, Lisa’s immense dislike towards her only grew. But now… Sure, a taser would have no effect on her, but to be acting that way due to a small accident, even if it was any other person, she would have felt wronged.
“Oh, really?” Lisa overheard the feline talk. She really, really didn’t want to hear her grating voice anymore. “What’s the role about?” Priscilla asked excitedly. “Yes, I can hold!”
Right then, Lisa decided what she would do next, having a pretty good idea on what the conversation on the phone was about. She looked around, and saw that the streets were remarkably empty, most likely because of the ever-growing rain. Just a fraction of a second and no one to see…
Lisa tapped her right foot against the ground, producing a small, nonlethal arc of electricity across the wet pavement. In a flash, it went forward then turned right in Priscilla’s direction. It reached her foot and crawled up her leg all the way up to where she had put the taser. She yelped and dropped her phone from the slight shock, straight into a muddy puddle on the side of the street.
“No, no!” She yelled in a panic, got down to pick up the device, and tried to rid it of water and mud as best as she could. A black screen. She pressed the button to turn it on, as well as every other button on it, but it was dead.
Lisa smiled a distastefully smug smirk, feeling thoroughly satisfied with her revenge. Better yet, all the attention from the few people around was at the feline’s tantrum. Lisa knew that what she just did was mean, petty, and overall unnecessary, but it was high time someone put that arrogant and haughty feline in her place. Especially after yelling at her for no reason!
“Lisa!” Lumi said in hardly more than a whisper, looking disappointed. “Why’d you do that?”
“It’s the li’l things in life, mate.” She gave Priscilla one more glance as she desperately tried to turn the phone back on. She took out her taser and hissed at it angrily.
Lisa and Lumi left the alleyway, the latter lecturing the former on the reasons why she should have been the bigger person, as well as karma. The wolf didn’t give it much thought, the look on Priscilla’s face and the sheer schadenfreude made it more than worth it in her mind.
A visit to Thalia, coupled with Lumi’s more private concerns about using magic in public like that, and an uneventful drive later, Lisa was finally back home. The rain was still falling, in more of a light drizzle.
She put the umbrella by the door to dry and sat down on her couch. She took out her phone to see two messages: one from Solomon, who wrote to her earlier that she was on her way, and a friend request from Milo Goddard.
Thrilled, she accepted and went to do the laundry she had prepared in the morning. While doing that, she felt her phone vibrate with another message.
“Hiii!” The message from Milo read. Lisa couldn’t help but chuckle at that first line. “Thanks again for helping today! And guess what, this may actually be related to Roland’s disappearance! Isn’t that exciting???”
Lisa wasn’t sure if he was supposed to share such information through text messages, but she wasn’t going to rat him out if he wasn’t.
“Hey! That’s great, let’s see where that goes.” She replied and returned to her laundry. After finishing that, she realised that she completely forgot about the bag she still had in her car. Slightly annoyed, she retrieved it and put it on the kitchen table where Solomon wouldn’t immediately notice it. She took out a couple items she had bought that could use a replacement and left one thing in the bag for Solomon to find.
Lisa chatted with Milo for a good twenty minutes while doing chores around the house before she heard a car pull up once more. She went to open the front door and was met with the same, black car in her driveway.
Solomon got out and said goodbye to the driver, then walked up to Lisa and gave her hug.
“How was your day, Roxy?” She petted her head as they got inside. Something, however, felt different… Normally, she really needed to focus on the smell of sulphur on her to even notice it. That time, it was more pronounced. Not enough to bother her, but there nonetheless.
“Oh, I was working with different acids to see if any have an effect.” She explained as she stretched. “The trip is still way too long…”
“You learned anything new ‘bout that?” Lisa asked, going to the kitchen to prepare some tea for the two of them.
“Sulphuric acid.” She sat down, Lisa could tell that she wasn’t in the greatest of moods. “Seems like that empowers me for some reason. That’s it for the good news though…” She lowered her head in a mixture of sadness and annoyance.
“At least it explains the scent.”
“What did they do this time?” Lisa inquired, her enthusiasm faltering.
“Just look at this!” Solomon invited her to come and take a look at her phone. Lisa obliged and was shocked at what she saw. An image of a timetable, three days in a row, Solomon needed to be there next week. That alone, she already found egregious, but worse than that, it coincided with their plans to take the trip with Yaroslav.
“Are you fuckin’ serious?” Lisa complained, feeling like her dislike towards the organisation has finally been starting to get justified. All that planning, all that arranging with Adelar, was undone just like that. “Can’t it be rescheduled or something?”
“I asked Shaquia, and no, not without causing problems.” The feline admitted, regretfully. “I’m sorry… I know how much you were looking forward to this.”
Lisa made her hands into fists, then relaxed them. “Those daft wankers…” She said through gritted teeth. She wanted to go on a full-on tirade, to fire up her power, to just let the room be illuminated in dazzling, incandescent electric light. And she would have done so if she was alone, but no, she couldn’t do that in front of her girlfriend.
“It’s okay, Lisa.” Solomon put her arms around the wolf, rubbing her back. That, admittedly, made her calm down a little. “We’ll just… Find another time.”
“Fuck…” Lisa rubbed her temples as Solomon let go of her. “Yaro’s gonna be real disappointed too, I can just feel it.” She said as she sat down with Solomon. “He got everything prepared for us too!”
“You could still go.” Solomon suggested with a shrug.
Lisa didn’t want to believe what Solomon just said.
“Really?” The wolf furrowed her brows as she looked her in the eye. “Why’d I go without you, Rox?”
“You told me how much you wanted to see that museum.” The cat argued. “How much you wanted to see that square, rent a cabin by that lake, a traditional sauna with ice-cold water for the thrill after, the pubs…”
As much as Lisa hated to admit it, Solomon was right. She was excited for it, she wanted to do all of that, especially to go and see the museum dedicated to classical music, all with Yaroslav as the “guide” so to say.
“I wanted to do all that with you, Roxy!” She claimed, but could tell by Solomon’s smirk that she saw right through her.
“I’ll be fine, ma chérie.” She assured her. “I’ll get done with that meeting, then it’s two weeks with no System! All to ourselves, I’ll persuade Adelar to give us a couple more days off.”
Lisa wasn’t sure if she should mention Adelar’s plans to Solomon yet. She had received enough bad news already, she didn’t need to hear more. Not to mention, she really, really wasn’t in the mood to talk about the organisation.
“I mean…” Lisa sighed and shook her head. “Yeah.” Her face lit up with a smile. “That sounds good.”
“The best of both worlds! As much as we can get right now anyway.” She gave Lisa a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll keep you updated too.”
“I would have preferred to just have ya there…” She stood up and shrugged her shoulders. “But I guess it can’t be helped.” She stepped towards the kitchen to get their tea, only to be stopped by Solomon.
“I’ll get that, dear.” Said the cat. “That works too.”
Lisa could see Solomon’s curious gaze catch the bag on the kitchen table. She stuck out the tip of her tongue and bit back a laugh as her girlfriend went to investigate, her mood rapidly improving.
The feline took out what was in the bag, which turned out to be a light red shirt. After she unfolded it, she took a look at it and laughed, which Lisa joined in on with a giggle.
“Really, Lisa?” She said as she flipped the shirt, showing her the front of it. There was a simple drawing of a feline with a chemistry flask on it with text below it reading “cat-ion”.
“I just knew I had to get it when I saw it.” Lisa said with a cheeky smile. “Not to mention, I really wanted to see your…” She paused to clear her throat. “Reaction.” She said with a smirk.
“Okay there.” Solomon said with exaggerated disappointment. “My sense of humour is really rubbing off on you now.” She folded the shirt back up and went to presumably take it upstairs, only to stop and hold up her index finger.
“Right, I almost forgot.” She took out a small, stone sphere from each of her pockets. “A little gift from Father.”
“Wow.” Lisa said, unimpressed. “How nice of him.”
“They’re infused with light.” Solomon explained after a short-lived frown. “If you try to infuse them, the light will drain and heal you.” She gave the spheres to Lisa, who took a long look at them. “Handle with care though, he doesn’t know what’ll happen if they break.”
“Well ain’t that somethin’.” Said Lisa, her lips curling into a smile. “Father gave us his holy balls.”
Solomon tilted her head back as she let out an exasperated sigh.
“Jokes aside, that’s pretty damn useful.” Lisa remarked.
“Right?” Solomon smiled. “I’ll go take a shower, I really feel the need for one after all the testing today.” She stated, walking up the stairs.
“Wanna save on the water bill?” Lisa teased, catching Solomon off guard, who blushed at first.
“You bet, love.” She giggled and made her way to the first floor of the house.