"I'm sorry, you want me to do what?" Lumina asked, its multi pitched tone clearly showing annoyance. It looked down at the set of pictures that I had slammed in its face. Behind her, Shade couldn't help but hide a smile, we both liked seeing this thing all flustered. Damn Engels were always so smug and demanding.

"You just got handed info about someone stalking a Sorceress and proof that magic was used, so I expect you and your group of magical cops to earn their god damned keep. " I say with a huff. I had marched into the room and slammed the folder of my blackmail photos (all except the one of me and Doll, I had snapped a replacement picture from roughly the same angle) on the desk in front of her and quickly explained the situation. The look of surprise on the white plushies face had been priceless.

Callie, half smiling half frowning from worry, walks over to the desk, examining the pictures. "Some of these were taken from incredibly close proximity. I'll do a sweep of your school and see if I can find any of the cameras used to take these." She says as she examines them. "Though I have to say, I doubt these were all taken by any one person. You can tell because of the picture quality that these were different types of cameras. One of these even looks like it was taken from a phone of....shitty quality."

I tried not to wince as she held up a photo, one that I had taken myself. I had decided not to give the picture of me and Doll, but needed a replacement image to justify my actions to begin with. I wouldn't have checked where I would have without that image after all. Still, my phone wasn't THAT bad. "I marked where I thought the photo was taken and I did a basic investigation already, but I'm just a civ now. So... ya, good luck, don't let me die." I said with a shrug.

"Hold up, ya Ditzy Discord." Lumina said, and I found myself sighing and looking up at her in annoyance. " For someone who keeps insisting they are a civilian, you're sure willing to not act like it when it suits you. Using magic on a civilian to suit your own ends doesn't sound like something a normal human would do. Even Sorceresses follow protocol nowadays, why shouldn't we just arrest you? Would solve all of these issues with a pretty bow on top of it."

I searched my mind for answers, but she had a point. I was trying to have my cake and eat it too with how I had handled this. I felt like I couldn't be blamed though. Wouldn't anyone try to figure out who was after them? I felt justified in my swift action but I guess the law wouldn't see it that way. Still, hearing this little shit insult me and then say something like that pissed me off. I clenched my fist, and I felt it crackle with energy. "If you want to try something, feel free to. I'll crush you before you can blink."

I could feel the room tense up. Lumina stared at me with its beady little eyes narrowed . Nearby, I saw a EUF cop slowly move his hand and place it on his gun. As if that wannabe's bullets could pierce my defenses. I would probably throw the annoying furball towards him, and then go in to-

"Alright Alright, let's calm down here for a moment, ya?" Callie interrupted my train of thought by stepping between us. "No need for hostility, we all want the same thing, blah blah." She said. She looked at the both of us, and gave a sigh. " I don't think Alexa should be arrested for it, though she should have at least contacted one of us beforehand. And Lexi? Try not to use your Sorceress powers if you’re set about maintaining a normal life. Self defense only, alright?"

I sighed and relaxed my grip. "Sure, just make sure this furball does their job then." I say. I turn around and exit the room, making sure to slam it extra hard on my way out. I took a deep breath in order to soothe my growing anger as I walked out of the station. I was pissed at the ending but I had succeeded in mobilizing those worthless EUFs.

I figured that with this I would be killing two birds with one stone. I could trust Callie to investigate this though. She would ferret out the person being controlled and hopefully gain more info out of that. The reason I excluded Doll and any mention of my offer was so I could see where the investigation would go. If it led to Hecate and to my would be 'savior'' without my mentioning it, that was all the proof I needed that they couldn't be trusted. But if it came up clear?

Well, furball made it clear that I wasn't supposed to use my abilities. Might as well make it easier on myself by forgetting I had them in the first place. It was a win win really. For some reason, perhaps because of that brief quarrel, but it seemed to get more tempting with each passing second. Well, at least I didn't bust my way out and become a known criminal. That would have been more trouble than it would have probably been worth.

I looked out and into the sky, feeling the warm sun against my face and the heat against my body. This was what was worth feeling after a period of struggle. It reminded you that you were free to feel in the first place. When you were under someone else's control, you weren't allowed to experience stuff like that.

My mission for the day done, I had the day to myself. I considered my options carefully, what would a normal, everyday girl do? Come to think of it, in two days I was meeting up with Selene for a concert. Thornmarch was a rock group that we had both come to enjoy together. Besides the fact that it was hard to get tickets, they often hid their concert times and locations, making it a game within a show. If Selene's father had gotten tickets straight from the band, I wonder if they had the venue location as well? I would have to call her about that soon. Part of me still couldn't believe she managed to score tickets. She won the life lottery being a daughter to a major CEO. I wasn't jealous of her per se, I had a pretty great dad too, I just ...missed him.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

I never complained at the time, I wasn't allowed to. The Daemons didn't want families together, so they separated us. I would have cried about this, but when I heard the voice in my head telling me my new orders, I could only smile and happily obey. The Daemons knew what was best for me, they were too amazing not to. Everyone taken had a purpose, or would be given one, even a girl like me could do my part to help. They found I had artistic talent, so they set me to write for them. They said I would be creating....well, I couldn't understand the word at the time, but making stuff to help people like Daemons more. That sounded great! I was given a lot of materials, so I could write all day, how amazing was-*

"Miss, are you okay?" A slight hand on my shoulder breaks me out of my waking nightmare. I'm shivering as if I was in a blizzard completely naked. I am surprised I couldn't feel the tears on my face. I thank the lady wholeheartedly for rescuing me and briskly walk off.

I walk straight home and throw myself in the bed. I can feel myself mentally shutting down... Sadness. Hatred. Despair. I hated my memories of the war, but I hated my memories of being enslaved most of all. I don't get that variety of flashbacks often, it feels buried in my head with a layer of dirt over them... But when I do get them, this happens. This time it was never missing my family that triggered it. I never saw my parents again after that day. I looked, my friends looked, but it was as if they had vanished off the face if the earth. All I had of them were childhood memories... And of that day. The more I think about it, the more I can feel it dragging me down and down into my thoughts, where only my inner loathing remains. Sometimes, I really hate myself for being so weak

Even after I got my power, I constantly felt weak. I couldn't freeze things like Snow or melt into shadows like Shade. I couldn't manipulate beasts or do anything like the others. Everyone, even the Engels, told me that my ability to disrupt was special for its versatility, and that made it powerful. While part of me understands that, the other part feels like I got the short end of the stick. I had to go under rigorous physical and combat training to make full use of my ability. Multiple fighting styles were drilled into me, and battlefield awareness, but there was only so much a 16 year old could do. I got better by the end of the war and I'm more confident. But ..well, that nagging feeling doesn't just stay gone.

I look at my hand, and it crackles with energy. Interruption. Augmentation, Manipulation. While they weren't the strongest, they were versatile... And potentially sinister. It reminds me of... maybe I did act a bit too out of line in hindsight. If I want to be out, I should just stay out. To that end...

A thought occurs: Why don't I just look up the company that Doll said she was with? The name on the card read Hecate, so it wouldn't be too hard to search for information. I quickly pulled out my laptop and began a quick search. Instant hits.

Hecate was a company specializing in magical research. It officially came into being last year after the war ended. Their goal was to make magic readily available to the public, minus the repercussions; it was named after a Greek goddess of crossroads and magic. Even in the one year they've assisted in the creation of anti daemon spells. Not a bad resume. They seemed on the up and up. I wonder why I hadn't heard of them before. Then again, I did quit almost immediately after we killed the Queen. Sadly, they didn't have an employee roster publicly available, which made sense. I still had a lot of questions, but at least I knew a little bit more about the situation.

I close my laptop with a sigh and lay back down, and I turned to look out my window. I could see Callie on the rooftop across from me, looking around. Looks like she's actually bothering to investigate, good. She turned and noticed me, and we exchanged a quick wave before she returned to work. At least I had someone looking out for me. We had been friends for a lot time now. I remember helping save her from some Daemons and their pet Witches. She was feisty, defiant. She punched Lumina before she could offer to make her a sorceress, an we had to calm her down before she even listened. She's calmed a lot since then, but she remained as steadfast as ever. Her ability to manipulate shadows made her incredibly versatile too. She could wield them offensively, defensively, and statically too, making her one of the top Sorceress' around. above all, she had my back.

Deciding to take my mind off of things, I spent the rest if the day catching up on TV shows that I missed. Before anyone asks, I do like those cheesy rom coms, but also a good suspense thriller. The only thing I couldn't really understand was the slice of life types. Real life just didn't work like that. Still, after a few hours of that and some tasty ice cream, I cheered up by the end of the day. I went to bed early and sighed.

Man, Friday couldn't come fast enough.