Interlude

"Nemo."

"Yes," I respond, ignoring the pet name and lowering myself in deference to the leader.

"It's over, then?" Her words are polite, but her tone amused.

"Yes."

"Rise. Give me your report." I do so, standing and looking over Kadala. She has Moluno hugged to her side absently, attention firmly on me.

"The monster was defeated. The phana, phrina, and liir have left town. Pukale and the youngsters should still have eyes on them for now. Last I saw, the angel headed north."

"Good, good," she responds thoughtfully, while I take a seat. I've done nothing but watch events unfold, yet I'm exhausted anyway. I take some time detailing the rest of the battle, paying special care to the abilities of the supremely strange band of intelligent magical creatures that got involved today, as well as their brief interaction with Hurena's angel. Kadala nods along, and even Moluno pays anxious attention, given the strangeness of it all.

"What a day..." I sigh once I'm finished. With my report complete, silence falls briefly, allowing Kadala to return her attention to the needy Moluno. Get a room, you two... I keep the thought to myself, but my eye-roll puts a cheeky grin on Kadala's face, earning the pair yet another silent complaint. Thankfully, it's not long before we sense another member's approach. It's Mino who slinks into the cramped area we've cobbled together for today's operation.

"Reni," Kadala greets her.

Not ignoring the pet name, Mino doesn't bow, and simply begins her report. That raises my hackles. The disrespect! Even paying close attention to Mino's report about the garrison, Kadala gestures to calm me, and I reluctantly settle, for now.

According to Mino's report, Bani and Shafo are still dealing with the town guards, but it's uncertain how well they're going to manage. They've been running themselves ragged with damage control all day. Would be nice if some of us would actually pitch in properly, I make another silent complaint to myself. Still, it's not like there's all that much for her to report. With much of the city taken care of, things are starting to slow down at the garrison too.

"Hey." The voice interceding out of nowhere sends every one of us jolting in surprise. Mino, being the closest, curses and leaps away.

It's Foluma. Of course it's Foluma. Once we've all calmed down from the scare, he steps forward, apologizing uncomfortably. "Sorry, it sounded like you were done. I didn't want to interrupt your report..."

"It's fine, Keko," Kadala responds, gentle and reassuring.

Mino sighs, and speaks up again before Foluma can continue. "Well, I'm going to head back. The girls need me," she excuses herself.

"Sure, good work, Rena." Mino's as unamused as ever, offering no more than annoyed flick backward on her way out. Kadala chuckles in much better humor than seems reasonable after such a response from her subordinate, before waving for Foluma to speak. I should go after Mino since they're shorthanded over there. Should listen to this report first though...

It takes Foluma some time, dithering uncomfortably, before Kadala eases him into speaking properly. "I checked through the northeast. The streets are clear, and the people are safe. The guards and militia have mostly moved out of the area for now, so their forces should be more concentrated toward the west than before. No signs of proliferation."

"Alright, good to know. Did you speak to Her while you were in the area?"

"No, it looks like She is-" That's as far as they get before we all stop, not just feeling, but hearing the approach. Within moments, Mino reappears, dragging Tomaki by the scruff of his neck. She tosses him, to sprawl across the floor at Kadala's feet.

"Care to repeat that for the class, Tomaki?!" she demands as we all stare.

"W-well, I, uhh!" he stammers, head on a swivel. Then his gaze locks onto Kadala, eyes pleading for mercy.

"Oh no, what is it this time?" Every one of us is silently preparing for the disaster he surely brought down on us. Again.

"I- Well, you know I was keeping an eye on the liir, right?"

"Yes, of course we know that," Kadala sighs, not even bothering to mention that him being there means he wasn't at his post in the north. Again.

"So, umm, I was going to report back to you, but when I got to the garrison, you weren't there, and, uhh..." At this point, he trails off, and it takes Kadala leaning down a little closer, though I can't quite tell if it's supposed to be comforting or threatening. Either way, she manages to urge Tomaki on just a bit more, and he says, "You weren't there, but the angel was... And..."

The air goes frigid.

"And?" We hardly even need Tomaki to finish.

"And she... might have... kind of... noticed me..."

...

After a long stretch of silence, Kadala finally speaks. Not to Tomaki though. "Foluma, go and report. Do not be seen."

"Yes, Ma'am." And then he's gone.

"Tomaki?" Kadala finally addresses him, by name. Her airy tone makes no attempt to mask her disapproval and even anger, so rare from our leader. "Do have any idea how bad this is?"

"Y-yes!" he barks back, "that's why I came right here!"

"Do you really?" she insists, grip tightening on Moluno until he's forced to wriggle out of her grasp to save himself.

The stupid brat has himself prostrated on the floor. No attempt to laugh it off or worm his way out this time. After all, he knows stakes as well as we do. This screw up puts our entire mission at risk.

One more wrong move, and we're all doomed...