Mhaieiyu

Arc 2, Chapter 11

Tell Someone Else

The double doors swung open with a loud thud, creaking to a stop as they closed on their own. A pair of loud shoes thumped the ground for a few seconds, only to stop as a doorman impeded intrusion.

“Excuse me, you can’t be here right now.”

And then a voice came.

“I’m her pop. Let me through.”

That sound was one she dreaded to hear. The gruff, spitting tune of an obsessed alcoholic’s spiel of care. A voice that spelt ‘anger’. One that came seconds before something somewhere broke.

“She’s getting prepared for an audience. Please be patient.”

An indescribable murmur was muffled by the walls.

“That… sorry, but that won’t cut it either, sir. You can inspect the room as soon as she’s done,” the custodian said.

“The fuck do ye mean?!” the gravelly voice protested.

“She’s a VIP, sir. She’s entitled to her privacy from your likes.”

“Did ye even hear me? I’m her father!”

A sigh came from the doorman, and then a knock came.

“Madam, your paternal wants a word.”

The Lypin shook her head from tension as her blood rushed faster. The two-legged, bird-like Cryptid working on her long, lopped ear’s fur gave the rabbit a look through the mirror she sat in front of.

With dulcet mellowness, the avian lowered her beak closer to Holly’s hearing range and whispered, “You should answer Sly, at least.”

The lapine huffed and raised her voice so that both the intruder and Sly, the guard, could hear her. “Tell him to wait a few minutes.”

“Holly?” Emris shouted from behind the door.

“Sir, I insist, please do what the lady wants,” Sly said, trying his best to hold the man back.

“We ain’t got the kind of time right now.”

“The lady is a busy woman too.”

Holly raised her voice again. “You can call me by my name, Sly. I’m not that fancy.”

Sly nodded, though she couldn’t see him. “Will do, Holly.” Turning to face the man, he insisted. “Either way, she’s still a VIP.”

“I know. I’m half the folk who got her that title.”

“So you’ll have to wait the time she asks if so she chooses. Such is the clause," Sly said.

“Aye, and it’s also a clause to forget that shite if it means gettin’ her out of trouble," Emris said.

“So?”

“So, she’s in trouble, thick. Now move.”

Sly exhaled again. “Lady— Holly, he insists.”

“I’m not surprised somehow… Alright, let him in, then. Might as well get this over with,” Holly said, getting a rub on the shoulders from her feathery caretaker.

“Now now, bun-cakes. Let’s be patient and see where this takes us,” the avian with night-blue feathers said, helping her to her feet as the door finally swung open.

Emris took two awkward steps into her suite, looking like a rat fished from a puddle when compared to the luxuries this residence provided. He looked pleased to see her, though the feeling wasn’t entirely mutual.

“Hey, Emris,” Holly said.

“There ye are buttercup. I missed ye,” he said, ignoring the whole world if only to keep his focus on her. On Holly. His ‘daughter’. His tone dropped completely when he was talking to her. It was still raspy, but gentle, not wanting to startle or distress her any more than she already was when he visited. He knew she didn’t like seeing him. It hurt, but he could heal from pain better than anyone. As much as he loved her, though, he didn’t dare step closer for a hug. He was filthy.

“Back from the war?” Holly jested, her arms folded.

“Aye, aye. Ye could show more concern, sugar." The veteran scratched his neck. “But it ain’t over.”

“I knew you’d make it. You always do. And it never is over, huh?” she said.

“Nay. We men can’t get enough of dyin’, eh?” Emris chuckled.

“I guess you’re not a man, then?” she teased, showing some liveliness despite her unease.

“Hah! I did raise ye.”

Holly rolled her eyes with a little smile. “What’re you here for, sug? I’m busy and stuff.”

Emris straightened his back pressing knuckles on his spine. The gesture made an unpleasant crack. “Aye, ye’re always ‘busy and stuff’. But look, ye’re gonna have to take a vacation.”

The Lypin folded her arms. “The reason being…?”

“Decade’s up, lass. It’s time.”

“...Shit.” Holly's playful haughtiness fell flat. The news was enough to have her feel nauseous.

Worried and confused, the bird biped straightened up, showing her face from between Holly’s lugs. “What this about it being time?”

The Lypin turned back to her. “Those cultist guys are coming back.”

The avian put her talons on her beak. “Oh my goodness…”

“Yeah...”

“When are they coming? Should we vacate, officer?”

Emris nodded. “We don’t know yet, but aye, ye should. She’s comin’ with me.”

Holly frowned at that, taking a step away from him. “You can’t just decide things like that for me. Not anymore.”

The Brig’s eyes narrowed and his tone firmed. “Holly.”

“No. No, not this time, Em.” In moments, she had taken a step alongside the other Cryptid, tugging at her lobes reflexively. “The studio’s safe enough.”

Upon hearing that, Emris’ complexion twisted with a scowl and an overwhelming silence permeated. Overhearing their conversation, Sly, a handsomely and modestly muscular Lyperd—a biped with the features of a snow leopard—stepped into the room.

Emris crashed his boot against the woolly carpets and snapped the wood beneath it. “What’re ye—?! Holly, sugar, we’ve got a lil’ under three thousand men armed to the teeth back home — some of them can even use those teeth. Ye’ll be the safest livin’ critter in a hundred stars over.”

Holly lowered her head but kept her eyes locked on his. She could see the grit of his previous battle still. “That place’s got a target on its roof, Em. What if they start throwing rocks around the place? What if they just blast the building with a crap ton of magic?”

The bird plucked a feather from her wing and bit on it nervously.

Emris snorted a fake laugh. “Place’s built like a fortress. It’s made to take hits, hun. Designed by the best of the best, oy.”

“You mean like Hephaestus…?” Holly shot, keeping the raven-like Cryptid between her and the man as he inched forward.

“Oi, he ain’t that… Look, the Facility’s been ‘round for a while. He ain’t responsible for the whole thing, ye know?”

The rabbit felt her knees grow weak as the distance was cut shorter and shorter. Shooting her paw in his direction, she accused, “Don’t give me that talk. I’ve been around there long enough to know they like to keep things up to speed. How else can you compete with Yanksee? And yes he’s that bad! Hephaestus has kept your guys stagnant! I’ve seen the same guns now for six years.”

“Agh, progress is slow. We’re focusin’ on society and shite.”

“More like not bothering to touch it! I almost got mugged the other——!”

Emris lunged forward at that, kept back by the twig-thin bird who's eyes bulged just to restrain him.

“By fuckin’ who?!" he growled like a beast. "Those vermin bastards! What’d they look like?!”

Holly raised a brow, a paw on her hip. “Kids. They were kids, Em.”

“Ah… Mischievous little devils, oy…” Emris’ aggro died down fairly quickly. “Enough. Look, Holly, we’re goin’. Ye’re comin’. Ye can bicker with me in the car, lass, but now’s no time to be here.”

Holly’s complexion scrunched up too. The bird noticed how similar their body language was; puffing up, spreading their shoulders, their arms bent and spread behind them slightly with a fierce and blazing look in their eyes. Before the lapine could speak, Sly tapped Emris’ shoulder, prompting the middle-aged derelict to look away from her. Holly grinned and untensed herself. Staring contest won.

“I’ll remind you of her status as many times as you want, sir, but she’s still a VIP. I’ll ask you to respect her choices.”

“I’m protectin’ my daughter. Piss. Off,” Emris growled, looking more beastly than the leopard, who rolled his eyes uninterested.

“Your what now?” Holly repeated his words, narrowing her eyes.

“My fuckin’... Buttercup, ye’re my girl. I fed ye, I raised ye, I put a roof over yer head and tucked ye in each night. The fuck does that make me if not yer dad?”

“You also taught me just how quickly grief makes one turn to the bottle, huh?”

“Fuckin’... Holly, cut that shite out.”

“No, I’ll thank you for that one, ‘Dad’. ‘Cause while your ass was spending nights at bars, I was at home wondering what more books to read. Sure sucked that my bookcase was smashed up and you never fixed it! I wanted a Dad, not a pretender or a placeholder. Now get out of my flat!” she shouted, held back by the raven as she threw the novel on her table at him.

Emris’ teeth bared as he pushed the book from his face. He threw off the Lyperd who tried to restrain him to the ground with a violent thud that rebounded him off the floor and sent him rolling. The Brigadier approached the women like a pissed off bull and used his stature to impose himself. He didn’t raise a palm, however. His arms stayed by his sides at all times.

“Don’t ye go runnin’ yer mouth off. I poured my fuckin’ soul into raisin’ ye right. I taught ye to defend yerself, too. Goddess, I was sufferin’, aye, but I still bled for ye!”

The feathered Cryptid spread her arms out and stood like a wall, but her shaking body did little to impose. “That’s enough, leave her alone!”

Holly looked entirely unfazed by his bravado, jabbing her finger into his collarbone. “Stop the bluff act, Emmy! Get the fuck out of my room!”

“Oi, ye’re swearin’ at me now——?!”

“Get out of my room!”

“Not without ye, lass!”

“My room has an exit, take it!”

“I drove all the way from——!”

“ROOM. OUT!”

Gritting his teeth, Emris’ voice became softer as he pleaded one last time, “I’m trying to protect ye, Bonnabelle…!”

Stomping her foot down just as he had, forcing him to arch backwards in reflex, Holly screamed, “Tell someone else that, why don’t you!”

Emris reeled from the volume of her voice. She could really make noise when she wanted to, and the vibrations caught in his ear made him drop on a knee and his eyes twitch, cupping his ears. A cloud of dust concentrated by the raven woman’s waist, a blob of air blaring and twisting and falling into itself as the high pressure was forced to stay in one place by the enchantress’ hand.

“It’s time you turned around and left, Syndie,” the avian threatened, her black pupils glistening at the spell’s conjury.

Emris grumbled something under his breath, his head weaving and bobbing. “Victus shite, ye lot like makin’ noise. Me ears…”

“Leave now or face discipline by your superiors.”

“Don’t give a shite. That, uh… The girl? She’s my daughter. Did ye hear that part?”

“She doesn’t want you here!”

“Frankly I don’t give a shite!” Emris shouted back, standing up to tower the bird and stare her down. “If it means keepin’ her safe, I’ll bang and break any wall, person and fuckin’ spec of ash that tries to stop me. If she hates it, tough. If she hates me, then that’s just life. But there ain’t a fuckin’ thing that’s gonna keep me from her.”

Holly’s complexion twisted even more, sticking out a finger at him again. “Why the hell are you so adamant about this?! It’s not like I’m out in the open!”

“Ye ain’t safe here, that’s what!” Emris barked, snapping his teeth.

The raven showed she was trying to avoid a fight by all means necessary as worry that he might actually fight back set off like flame in her mind. The look of hesitation and uncertainty was clear on her face, and the wind spell began to waver.

The Lypin and human stared at each other, disputing with their eye contact. After a while, the firmness in Emris’ gaze left Holly to close her eyes with a sigh, dropping her head on the back of the bird’s.

“A—Ah, is everything alright——?”

“...Forget it, Ava.”

The wind finally dispersed, gradually so as to not damage the room’s accessories, as the feathered Cryptid turned to face her. “Did I fail to protect you…?”

Holly opened her eyes and gave her a forced smile. “Don’t be stupid. You did good, but I know him. He won’t give up on anything with that look.”

“Shouldn’t we try…?” Ava whispered.

“You don’t know how he works, Ava,” the rabbit biped said, stepping in front of her to properly face the man. “He’s the most stubborn prick I’ve ever met,” she said, looking directly into his emerald eyes to make sure he heard. Tilting her head to look behind Emris, she called out to the leopard. “You alright there, Sly?”

“Oh I’m fine, I was waiting on the best chance to cut him up.” His voice was muffled from the knife handle in his mouth. Sly was on all fours, his waist higher than his shoulders as he revved to pounce but staying his assault in the interest of preserving his life.

Ava shook her wings in frustration. “Why didn’t you shoot your shot before?!”

“Can’t. The clever SOB’s kept an eye on me the whole time,” he excused, spitting the tool from his mouth. He was right. Emris had been giving the leopard subtle glances through a conveniently placed mirror that held him visually captive, even from behind. Just the look Emris gave was a strict warning to the cat. He’d wish not to lose his tail that day.

Emris closed his eyes with a huff as Holly passed him by and helped her doorkeeper stand, who gave her a teasing kiss on the paw. With any luck, the big man didn’t see that.

As the Brigadier made his way to the door, Holly turned to her attendants and gave an empathetic smile. “Alright guys, looks like I’m going to be away for a bit. Try to take care of my room while I’m gone, and make sure Faith doesn’t mess with my things, please.”

Ava raised a hand and gave a nervous step towards her. “W—Wait, Bonnie, you can’t be serious?! But without you, I don’t have a——”

Holly tilted her head towards Emris, her paws on her waist. “You heard what he said.”

“And you’ll just do what he asks…?”

“Not really my choice, hun. Besides,” she muttered, giving the Guardian a testing look, “we have a few things to clear up.”

“Holly, baby…”

“C’mon, now,” Sly said. “Don’t go pressing the girl. You’ll just make her guilty. We’ll go for a drink and dive, yeah?”

The Lypin smiled. “Thanks, you two. And please, stay alive, okay?”

Ava gave a chirp-like cry, fanning the tears from her eyes. “O—Of course. I’ll rearrange your schedule for when you come back. Be safe!”

Holly nodded, blowing the two a kiss before heading out the door. The moment they were in the hallway, her cute act fell, and her ears drooped. Her paws pressed into her eyes in frustration.

“For the Goddess’ sake…”

Emris gave her a concerned glance, looking away from her awkwardly. “Sorry, lass.”

“You reek.”

“I know, aye.”

“And you suck.”

“Mm.”

“I hate doing that… Shit!” Holly vented, tugging at her lobes.

Emris chuckled. “Relax, aight? Ye can get some sleep in the car.”

“Just… Just shut up for a second, please.”

The man parted his lips to object but chose to stay silent. He’d gotten what he wanted and now felt more at ease with her under his care. There was no point pushing salt in the wound.

The many staff involved with Cryptomania gave the two funny looks as they walked on by and through doors. To see Holly, one of the most cheerful performers in the whole business seem so sunken and upset was unusual, to say the least; but if the many security guards let them through without any problems, it must be a matter that didn’t concern them, and so they said nothing.

The receptionist gave the two an awkward wave as they walked out the double doors which only Holly returned, Emris opting to keep his hands in his pockets. The whole procedure was embarrassing for the two of them. Everyone who knew of the pair’s relationship knew they didn’t get along like they used to, and the sight was even more painful with them not exchanging a word.

The moment Holly caught a whiff of the streets, she scrunched up her nose and looked at Emris expectantly.

He nudged his head in the direction of the jeep, and they made their way to the vehicle. Finally, Emris broke the ice. “Ye know, I bet William’s dyin’ to see ye.”

“Yeah, probably,” she said, her voice losing its warmth.

“I’d say. He’s been workin’ his ass off.”

“...Still addicted to coffee?”

“Aye, but I don’t blame him. Can’t get through a day of that kind of work without it. Barely gets a wink of sleep, oy.” Just thinking of the doctor made him cringe. The only times he saw that rabbit sleep was when he passed out from sheer exhaustion.

“Can’t fault a guy for not having an off switch, I guess,” Holly said.

“Heh, nay. Hard worker. Syndicate needs more men like him.”

“So did I.”

“Ahah, ehm… Ahem,” Emris cleared his throat, keeping his eyes off the Lypin. She’d been so sharp with him, but for good reason. It still stung just as much. “That’s the one,” he said, pointing at the SUV with a disfigured bumper.

“What happened to Betty?”

“She’s still in full... She’s still in mostly full motion. Have to tweak a few things before I feel like puttin’ ye on her again.”

They walked on either side of the vehicle and opened the doors almost at the same time. They took their seats in nearly the exact same way. Despite the rabbit’s gorgeous smoked oak coat, her outfit and groomed features, she acted about as slovenly as he when forced to stick by his side. It’s like she stopped caring about her persona once it was just them. Some might call it the symmetry of father and daughter, but others might object that her mood simply worsened around him, like a radiating pole of a man who soured those near by naturale.

Once the doors had closed, Holly turned her gaze from the car in front of them to the driver. She noticed the guilt on his face as he stared at the steering wheel, clutching it tighter than he needed to. Emris was the type of man to always smirk or scowl. He loved to intimidate others, be it for fun alone or to assert authority in a society where power meant everything. But now his narrowed green eyes reflected nothing, and his lips curled down. Holly placed her paw on his right hand. His eyes sluggishly blinked, and he turned his head ever so slightly towards her.

“Let’s go to the Facility, okay, Emris?” she said, her voice sympathetic and soft.

The question didn’t feel right coming from her. Not only was she forcing kindness towards him, but she called him that. Emris. Like a stranger or an acquaintance.

The Guardian cracked his neck to the side and set the car into ignition. It was only when the tinted windows had fully closed that a click sounded to Emris’ right. He immediately turned and the first thing he saw was the little bunny he had raised looking at him, tears and snot staining her face, asking for help with the wind caught in her throat. His little girl. In danger, because of him.

Emris' breathing became irregular. He blinked three times and saw her again: the Holly he knew, the lapine biped that had grown into a full hare clenching her teeth to silence even her breaths as a pistol was pushed to the nape of her neck. It took him half a minute to get his eyes off her and turn his head with a terrified jitter to the previously unnoticed backseats, which had been occupied in his absence.

“Sun’s high on the bastard city. Can barely see shit of it, ‘course. This place’s gotten real filthied up, ain’t that right Guardian?”

“M… Me… Mesch... Mah… How’re...” Emris’ words came out slowly, breathlessly, mangled.

The man in the back of his car clicked his tongue, taking some kind of sick joy out of pushing the barrel into the delicate flesh of the rabbit, hearing her squeaks. “We’ve plen’y of time before sundown. Let’s go spread the word, mister Vessel.”

♦ ♥ ♣ ♠

“I’m sorry. Shit, Corvee, I’m so, so sorry…!” Erica ranted on to herself, holding back her tears as she sprinted through the hallways and picked up the last of her things. “You were so warm. But you looked so… Goddamn it… Goddess, why oh why are you so cruel sometimes…?”

“Madam Brigadier?” the soldier asked, unsure whether speaking was appropriate.

Erica shook his fist at him. “Oh, leave a girl alone while she’s grieving, would ya! This is tough shit for me!”

“I just wanted to tell you that I’m touched, and I’m sorry.”

“Cut the dramatic nonsense! And yeah, it’s touching! I’ve never… I don’t think I’ve ever lost anything like him in my life, okay?!” Erica shouted at the poor officer; a one-way argument. Appeasement of sorts. An attempt to validate herself to a public unaware and uninvolved with her choices. Even then, she tried to be the loud, joyous one. But she knew that victory was a stretch from the imagination. It’s not so much that the Syndicate didn’t stand a chance, but rather that the danger she faced was unprecedented, and those sent to this mission soon understood that they were essentially cannon-fodder to buy time. But people won’t die for others if they aren’t led by a considerable force. Such was her role; which meant that she couldn’t even escape until they were all dead.

A fool’s race to see who could meet Death itself first.

She damned it all and hurried her shuffling as she stuffed several more supplies than she likely needed into her bag out of hysteria. Once packed, the Celestial took her belongings and hurried along to the exit to regroup with her fellow compatriots, most of which were already prepared for transportation and were being systematically carted off to military trucks. Everyone looked nervous. Why wouldn’t they be? These people knew why they were here. Why they were being stationed on the coast. Every last one of these two hundred or so humans and Cryptids were being sent to the mouth of doom. Some of them fainted right where they stood, as the pressure became too much to bear. Some others had become nauseous. The sight was abysmal, and only worsened Erica’s morale and made her static shimmies more visible.

Erica’s mind was so lost on the many thoughts racing in her head that she didn’t even notice as a hand pressed onto her back and a man in an unbefitting cloak peered over at her troubled eyes; his messy charcoal hairs finally catching the Celestial’s attention as she recoiled with a sharp yelp and struck his chest.

The man let out a muffled groan, but despite the pain, he chuckled. “My, what a firm-handed maiden. I’m utterly bewildered.”

“Your fault, creeping your way up to me. You’re lucky I didn’t poke ya,” Erica shot back, folding her arms and giving the humble man a good look. “I know you. You’re that freaky dude we rescued from Yanksee.”

“Your folks call me Noire.”

“Because that’s your name?”

“Are you scared, Celestial?” he asked, disregarding her question and looking up at the featureless blue sky.

“I guess a little, yeah. If anything, I’m scared I won’t get to tease Corvus ever again.”

“Ah, I can tell just by hearing your voice and seeing your lip quiver. You hide pain like this quite well, don’t you?” He gave her a glance out of the corner of his eye.

She let her arms drop and she faced forward. “You’re acting like you know me all of a sudden. Don’t know if you got the memo, but this is like the first time we speak one-on-one.”

“Hm... I can tell anguish especially well, Celestial. I don’t think it takes knowing you to see that. Besides, most fear death. It is natural; a bummer, too.”

Erica gave him a careful look. “The way you speak.”

Noire turned to face her, confused. “The way I speak? What about it?”

Her eyes narrowed. “It reminds me of someone I hate. Someone Em especially hates.”

“Is that right? I’m sorry you feel that way. I’ll try to limit my speech, then,” Noire said, closing his eyes with a smile. Contradicting himself barely five seconds later, he said, “Say, you want to live, correct?”

“That obvious, huh?” Erica quipped, to Noire’s amusement.

“Alright then. How about I come with you?”

Erice made a double-take, grabbing his shoulder to keep him from walking off. “Come… What?”

“Yes, come with you. To the front lines.”

“Why would you offer that…?”

“You saw how I managed myself back at the prison, didn’t you? I haven’t a good clue on how powerful those cultists are, but I’m fairly certain I could manage a couple at least. I’ll do you better than a Wylven, anyhow,” Noire offered, giving a shrug and a little grin. “Worst case scenario? You lose a valuable, powerful but unwanted ally. What do you say?”

Under normal circumstances, Erica would’ve sent him off then and there with a broken nose. She felt patronised by this man’s insistence, and while it did peeve her, she had to admire his bravery. To stand up to a Brigadier of the Syndicate after barely spending time at their Facility was topped off by his willingness to fight where the fight cannot be won.

Nevertheless, even if his offer felt sincere, she couldn’t shake the feeling lingering in her stomach. But there were more pressing matters at hand.

“For Corvee,” she thought.

Extending a hand to meet his, Erica greedily took and shook it. The smile she gave that lunatic was one of pure love. A chance to meet that love again that had just widened significantly. Blinded by a humble and honest desire.

“Welcome to the Coastal Team, Noire. On behalf of all us idiots, I thank you.”