The next day.

Last night was rough for Selena. She had at least a couple of night terrors that debilitated her through the night. Selena never talked about them with anyone, including the Aethereal Queen.

She looked at her phone, and it was already seven. It was time for her to go to work. Selena had her routine. Of course, she would go to the bathroom first. Then, she would fetch her ice pack mask from the refrigerator. Then, she starts her morning workout routine, which includes a thousand stomach crunches, a thousand push-ups, and an hour of hatha yoga.

Afterward, she removes her ice pack she uses a deep pore cleansing lotion on her face. In the shower, she uses a water-activated gel cleanser, a honey almond body scrub, an exfoliation gel scrub on her face, and a natural coconut milk-based shampoo for her hair.

Then, she applies an herb mint facial mask she received as a gift from Lycka. She then brushes her hair with natural extra virgin olive oil and strawberry extract, giving her hair and scalp a soft and shiny look. Finally, uses moisturizer for her face after she takes off her mask.

She has used this routine for a few years and has gotten great results with her skin and hair.

Selena would not dress in her sentinel uniform but as an ordinary citizen. She left the hotel and got breakfast ready for the day. The restaurant was conveniently right across the hotel from her.

She went in to see the Tanuki girl from last night sitting by herself. Her tanuki ears flickered as she looked to see Selena. With a smile, she enthusiastically waved. Selena waved back as she went to the table and sat down.

"This place has the best bacon!" the Tanuki girl said while reading the menu. "I ordered a pound once just for snack time!"

Selena frowned in disbelief, "I like bacon, too. I don't know if my body would digest it all..."

The tanuki girl laughed, “Well, my name--”

“Erika Meridian, Formerly Shining Star Blossom, and you are Beta Crucis. I remember you." Selena said.

The Tanuki girl nodded, “I have only been Beta Crucis for about a year now, and everyone has been so nice!”

Selena nodded, "Most of us are pleasant to work with..." The server gave them a complimentary pot of coffee. "this town is deeply ingrained with the Crux. A little safe spot to let our hair down."

Erika blinked, “is that why the Third Revelation guys built that city on the other side of Norfolk years ago?”

“Yes... They are more of a nuisance than a threat to society now.” Selena said.

They both can hear their Aethereal Queen chewing somebody out over the phone while walking towards her. Specifically, someone outside of her circle. She was wearing a barmaid uniform that was Gothic Lolita-inspired.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"I don't give a damn either! Good luck trying to stop World War 3 without us, you dickhead!" Lycka said as she sat between them with a scowl, throwing her phone on the table.

This was bad since Lycka was too angry, affecting her mood and thought process all day.

“What’s the matter, your Majesty? Did we hit a speed bump?” Selena consoled her.

Lycka glared at her, “I want pancakes...” she demanded.

Selena sighs, "One giant stack, Joe. Extra strawberries." She hollered.

“Coming right up!” the cook responded.

"It's that doofus from the Crown Police. He wants us off the case..." Lycka said.

“For what reason?” Selena wondered.

"They wouldn't tell me, which pisses me off even more!" Lycka informs. "It's going to be on sight when I see his skinny little ass on the street--!"

Then, one of the servers presented Erika with a big plate of eggs and bacon. Then gave Lycka a large bowl of whipped cream. Depressed, she started eating it without her pancakes. The whipped cream was so thick and gooey that she had to chew it. That wasn't the main problem; Joe the Cook uses a lot of sugar in her whipped cream. Making a quick decision, Selena gave Her Majesty a cup of black unsweetened decaf coffee to wash the edge off and wash it down.

“You know what, I came to the only logical reason this is happening: People are shit.” Lycka with an evil smile while eating the whipped cream.

"Your Majesty, this has nothing to do with you. They are obviously afraid and don't want outsiders like us." Selena said.

“They made a deal...” Erika said in a serious tone.

“Deal, what deal?!” Lycka said, eating another big spoonful of whipped cream.

“They were foolish enough to use you as a means to an end. You thought they needed to listen to our profiles, but you needed to be corrected. They figure that catching one of these people alive would save them trouble. Kicking us off the case spells one thing: they have someone better than us on paper."

“And it’s going to cost them...” Selena concluded.

“Logic and reasoning is the cost. They are going all in with this guy," Erika stated.

Then, Lycka’s phone rings, and they all stare at it. Selena picks up the phone off the table and answers it, "AQ. Right, Bae. As of this moment, she is indisposed. Whipped cream, right? I will relay..." Then, Selena spoke to depressed Lycka. "You have ten seconds to perk up, swallow the whipped cream in your gullet, and speak to Bae!" Setting the phone next to Lycka.

She had to drink a glass of water and wash down the whipped cream. Afterward, Lycka reluctantly answered the phone, "What do you want, you damn panic junkie?" She answered. Immediately, her eyes lit up upon hearing the news. "When?! We will be there to prepare--! Okay, fine! We will prepare, you panic junkie!" she ended the call and tossed her phone away.

“What did Bae freak out about now?” Selena asked.

"A whole bunch of stuff. As usual... Lady Memento is arrested in New York City, but someone who followed her same MO stopped a citywide attack single-handedly in London. Also, some of her mutual friends from the NYPD and MI-6 want to speak with us. They are waiting for me." Lycka informed.

"Now? I guess somebody trusts us." Erika said, smiling.

Lycka glares, “I don’t buy it! I’m tired of assholes using us!” finishing her big bowl of whipped cream.

“Well, consider this a royal war strategy meeting--”

"I know what it is, Selena. I've been doing this crap for more than 100 years... Literally!" Lycka corrected.

A large man approached their table and presented Lycka with a huge stack of pancakes and a large bowl of fresh berries.

He scrutinized what he had seen, "I kind of knew you would eat the whipped cream early, so..." then, he presented her with another bowl of whipped cream. He paid attention to Selena, "Hey, did you order something?"

Selena looked at the two women eating a gluttonous amount of food that turned her off. She smiled at the man, “I’ll just have a glass of kombucha instead...”

He nodded, “Good choice, coming right up!”

The London incident five years ago was an open-and-shut case anyway, but since the NYPD and MI-6 went out of their way and requested their assistance, this would be a long morning, so she should keep her stomach empty for now.