Somebody Stop Them. Chapters: 35, 36.

Chapter 35: The Perfect Heir

The Simmi family dining room gleamed with polished marble surfaces and crystalline chandeliers. Vespera sat perfectly upright, her silverware aligned with geometric precision, her movements controlled and deliberate.

Ceter Kalik Simmi studied his daughter carefully, watching for any sign of her previous rebelliousness. Beside him, Hanni Simmi served a traditional meal–rare Arx-meats prepared with intricate Thunderland spices.

"Tell your great-grandfather about your mission, Vespera," Ceter ordered.

Vespera looked up, her gray eyes flat and compliant. "I am to facilitate the merger of the SimmiTech and Golden Star corporations through my marriage to Zheng. Our combined resources will create a 99.3% probability of Omnid survival during the coming Celestorm events."

Her voice was clinical, devoid of the playful hashtag-laden speech she once used. Each word was precisely measured, each syllable sharp like the blade of a two-dimensional knife.

Ceter nodded, satisfied. "And your personal feelings?"

"Personal feelings are irrelevant," Vespera responded. "The mission takes precedence. Zheng is my optimal genetic and corporate match. We need their resources to save Omnithornia."

"Very good," Arch-Elder Altair nodded, the multiple, pale, crystalline angel-wings that framed his lanky body catching the chandelier light.

"Father," Vespera turned to Ceter when dinner was over. "May I look at my Stats? I would like to see if I levelled up during my latest delve."

"No," Ceter shook his head. "A vile human criminal infected your soul with a memetic. It must be purged. Psychopomp Krakthulluius will remove the infection tonight. The procedure will be... unpleasant, but necessary."

"Of course, father," Vespera nodded demurely. "Will it hurt?"

"Yes," Ceter admitted. "But you are strong. The procedure will sever the memetic infestation. Krakthulluius is the best soul surgeon in Omnithornia."

"I understand," Vespera nodded. "Will I be able to attend classes on monday? I need to study Crystallography with Instructor Gilgamesh to begin my Thesis on modifying Leviathan strata below Leviathan's Cradle next year."

"If you swear to me that you will not attempt to search for Alexander Glock, or interact with any other nullie or human scum." Ceter placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder, scanning her soul for the truth. "Do not befriend, nor interact with any humans without my permission. Is that understood?"

"Understood. I swear it father," Vespera nodded. "I will not speak to any humans without your approval starting tonight. I'm sorry for my prior indiscretions."

Ceter nodded, satisfied. The mental reconstruction appeared to be holding perfectly. "Very good. The Psychopomp will be here in an hour. After the procedure, you will rest, and during the weekend you will focus on your Crystallography studies."

"Of course daddy," Vespera agreed. "I wish to save our people with my entire Fractal Engine heart."

. . .

"There is an unusual familiar bond registered in her," Psychopomp Krakthulluius's skeletal black hands waved over Vespera's shaking body as the Thundergirl tried to hold herself together after something had been carved out of her soul. "Something called... Possy."

"A familiar?" Ceter frowned. "Vespera, explain."

"I cannot remember. I was searching for an Electrofractal Kitlix familiar on Arx for a few years now, daddy," Vespera answered smoothly. "Perhaps I found one during my last delve but cannot recall it due to memory loss? Perhaps it has something to do with how my Lazarus bracelet is now clear?”

Lord Center frowned, noticing that her bracelet was indeed oddly clear. He tapped his talons on it. It was perfectly functional but the immovable metal had somehow become transparent. He had no idea how this was even possible. Maybe some kind of dungeon mafic did it.

“What else can you tell me about this bond?” Ceter turned to Krakthulluius.

"The bond appears recent. Within the last week."

"Can you determine the familiar's nature?" Ceter demanded.

"No, Lord Ceter." Krakthulluius shook his head. "I cannot. It is in another dimension right now. It is presumably back on Arx. I do sense that it is a high-level crystalline creature with Kitlix-like properties."

"I see," Ceter nodded slowly. "Can you carve it out?"

"Carving the familiar connection will have to be done in another week," Krakthulluius said. "Her soul is already damaged and I do not wish to tear it further. I will stop by once every few days to slowly repair the shears I've made to disconnect the other bond."

"Very well," Ceter nodded slowly. "We'll deal with this familiar matter later as the delve to Arx won't happen for another week."

"Excellent," Ceter smiled. "Vespera, how do you feel?"

"It hurts, but I endure. I feel... pure, father," Vespera answered, her voice just as sharp despite her trembling body. "Thank you for cleansing me of that vile memetic, Sir Krakthulluius. When may I meet Zheng to discuss our upcoming soul-bond and begin our optimization process?"

"Soon," Ceter patted her black-feathered head. "Zheng was hurt speaking to his family's Archangel, so he needs a week at least to recover. Rest now."

"Yes, father," Vespera bowed her head submissively. "May I request some crystallography texts from the library? I wish to study while I heal."

"Of course," Ceter nodded approvingly. "Your dedication to saving our people is admirable. Butler Oppohosh will bring you any arcane texts you require."

. . .

I stood in the prison's wide courtyard, the view of evening sky above me, the clouds painted violet-orange by the setting sun.

I moved to adjust my grip on the phone, keeping the frozen frame of "The Day After Tomorrow" displayed in front of me.

In a few minutes, a dark gate manifested into existence in front of me. Cinder, Katherine and Emerald entered through it, followed by Io.

Cinder burst through the gate first, her feathers bristling with agitation. She smothered me in a sunset-red-angry hug. "Don't scare me like that," she let out.

"Wasn't my fault," I hugged her back.

Katherine stepped through next, her emerald eyes narrowing as she looked left and right. "I see you've been busy."

I nodded. I noticed that Katherine was moving a bit sluggish. I guessed that the dress wasn't a perfect solution. She was still dying, just slower.

Emerald followed, looking distinctly uncomfortable, her snout busted. "This is kidnapping." She whined nasally.

"You started it first," I pointed out. "Your Scrut kidnapped me and brought me here. By Clan law I only retaliated fairly."

"You're an effing human, Omnid Clan laws don't apply you to," the dragon girl growled.

"And yet I have a Clan. Cry me a river, Emmy," I shrugged at her. "I'm far nicer than you. I won't feed you to a shark. I'll just keep you as a hostage till your family pays me one hundred billion O-bux."

"You can't be serious!" She growled. “That's an outrageous sum!”

“What, you think that your value is less?” I asked.

She sent me the traditional ‘I will get my revenge and murder you, just you wait’ glare.

"My parents will take this island apart stone by stone!" She snarled.

"They won't even be able to find you," I said. "I'm not going to keep you here."

"Where are you..." she choked.

"Fun places," I said. "Another dimension, where no Scrutimancer can track you down since Scrutimancy doesn't work across dimensions. Unless you sign a bunch of contracts, of course."

Emerald blanched.

"I've given you plenty of chances to be cooperative and cordial," I said. "Now it's going to be contractual obligations. Kat, take her to a cell."

Katherine grabbed Emerald by the collar, her emerald eyes shining with gleeful predatory intent. "Come on, little dragon. Time for your new accommodations."

Emerald struggled, but Katherine's grip was firm. "This is illegal! I'm a Prima-born! My family will—"

Everyone ignored her.

"So, how was your date with June?" I asked Io as we bagan walking across the prison courtyard into the administrative area.

Io's fluffy, gray wings shimmering slightly in the evening light as he turned to me. "She's definitely... intellectually stimulating. We watched Day After Tomorrow in one of the student lounges and had an extensive discussion about doomed worlds afterwards. But..." he hesitated.

"But what?" I prompted.

"She's just... too wet," Io said with a slight shudder.

"That's usually not a problem for a girlfriend to have," I wiggled my eyebrows at him.

"Uh-huh," Io exhaled. "My everything gets damp just being near her. It's rather uncomfortable for a Mothman."

I couldn't help but chuckle. "At least you found common ground with the disaster discussions?"

"Indeed. Her obsession with aquatic catastrophes is delightful. However, I prefer to observe such events from a safe, dry distance." Io adjusted his duster coat.

"Hang on, how do you even shower?" I asked.

"I don't," Io said. "I use dry shampoos to clean my mane and wings."

"Ah," I rubbed my chin. "So why not spinkle yourself with talcum or cornstarch-based powder? Or maybe powder yourself with aerogel? That stuff would make you somewhat fireproof as well as waterproof."

"An interesting suggestion," Io mused. "I haven't considered such. Hopefully… it would not bother June..."

"Better than being uncomfortable the whole time," I pointed out. "Consider it 'watery-disaster-proof coating'."

"Very well, I'll try it, see if it helps," Io's said. "Speaking of disasters, I sense multiple approaching catastrophes centered around you. More than usual."

"Yeah?" I asked. "Give me the rundown."

"Several death-vectors," Io said, his gray fluffy antennae tapping my head and shoulder. "The doom indicators are off the charts. This is worse than the Undertown assassins."

"That does sound bad," I nodded. "Any specifics?"

"Mmm... hard to tell," Io sighed. “I just know that you are going to die unless you do something different.”

"Right," I said. "Come! I'd like to introduce you to my new Scruts."

I led Io and Cinder into a meeting room where Magdaline and Satosh were waiting. Magdaline had traded her prison orange robe for a sleek hexamesh suit. A gray security officer uniform with a tie sat atop it, making her look even more dangerous. Her white-blue striped scales gleamed with a metallic sheen under the fluorescent lights.

"Io, Ci, meet Magdaline Satoshi," I announced, gesturing dramatically. "And her dad Loom Cernix Satosh.

"This is my Door Knight," I pointed at Iogann. "And trusted right hand-man."

"Big shark," Io murmured as Magdaline shook his hand.

"Smol moth," Mags smiled, showing off multiple rows of saw-like teeth.

"And this is my lovely Hearth Keeper Shield, Cinder," I introduced Ci to the Scrut family.

We sat down, Cinder squinting at Magdaline with blue-eyes.

"Okay, team. We're going to do some predictive analysis. Io, you've got your disaster sensing. Magdaline, your Scrutiny skills. Satosh, your decades of intelligence work. We're going to map out the incoming catastrophes and try to arrive at a solution."

Magdaline leaned forward. "What exactly are we predicting?"

"Threats to my person that Io can sense," I explained. "Take my hands, Io, Mags. Push your skills through me."

The two Omnids grabbed my hands. Cinder's glare in the direction of the shark-girl intensified. 

She suspected things.

"Okay," I said. "Io, you first. What disaster vectors are you sensing?"

"Danger from..." Io began thoughtfully.

"Frontenachii Scruts, the Stratos and Simmi assasins," Magdaline said. "Wherever you go."

"The Stratos will absolutely send assassins to take you out," Satosh nodded. "A sniper rifle bullet from afar aimed at the only human in school and then a rapid retrieval team to grab your Lazarus bracelet."

"What else? What about our lost black and white bird?" I pulled out Vespera's feather and let the shark-girl sniff it.

"Vespera..." Io let out.

"Lost her soul bond to you," Mags said, squeezing my hand.

"She no longer remembers you," Satoshi nodded. "As I expected. Her father most likely fully overwrote her personality. The new Vespera will hate all humans and will refuse to speak with you.”

Cinder paled, colors leaking from her body. "H-how are we going to get her back?" She let out.

"Don't know," I shrugged, which only made Cinder's wings darker. "What else? What about the duel?"

"Zheng..." Io began.

"Will not show up," Magdaline said. "A different champion will take his place.”

“Lord Ceter Simmi himself,” Satish added.

"Vespera's father?" Cinder's feathers bristled. "That's... that's really bad."

"Indeed," Satosh nodded gravely. "Ceter is a Prima Thunder-Lord. He's killed hundreds in duels. His lightning can pierce through any defense. He can stop bullets and arrows and redirect spells away from himself."

"Right," I said. "I'll email Lord Ceter and resign from the duel."

"And... lose Vee?!" Cinder barked.

"We already lost Vee," I pointed out. “Those assholes cut the connection. There's no point in fighting for it.”

"What?! How are you so freaking calm about this?!" She shook me.

"Freaking out won't help us solve any of these issues," I said.

"But..." Cinder's feathers flared orange-red. "You can't just give up on her!"

"I'm not giving up," I said calmly. "I'm being strategic.”

“Fighting Ceter head-on is suicide,” Satosh nodded.

“We need to think outside the box, sidestep away from everything," I said.

"How?!" Cinder demanded.

"I think that it's time for Alexander Glock to leave Skyfall," I said. "To go back to North Acadia."

"WHAT?!" My Quetzi GF sputtered. 

I stared at her with a smile.

"It's the best way to protect everyone," I explained, squeezing her hand. "Alexander Glock has to go away."

"But..." Cinder's feathers drooped. "What about our classes together?"

"Oh, so you actually enjoy classes with me?" I teased her. "Weren't you all like, 'get outta my face, you annoying human'?"

"Shut up," Cinder growled, her feathers ruffling. "You know what I mean!"

"No, I don't know what you mean," I grinned at her.

"Ughhh," she let out. "Yes, you're an incredibly annoying chuppy... but I like having you in my classes. Happy now?"

"Ecstatic," I smirked. "But Alexander Glock still needs to disappear. The Frontenachii Clan wants him captured. Stratos Clan wants him dead, SimmiTech wants him dead, and Golden Star wants him dead too. Four major Omnicorps gunning for one guy is a bit much."

"So what's your brilliant plan then?" Cinder crossed her arms.

Chapter 36: Mild Psychiatry

"I'll go away and also attend Skyfall," I said. "Just not as Alexander Glock."

Cinder blinked, the gears of her mind turning.

"I'll still be there for you as an annoying chappy. Just... different. New identity, new look. New me."

Cinder deflated.

"Another disguise?" Magdaline asked, her red eyes gleaming with interest.

"Yeah," I nodded. "I'm thinking... an exchange student from Arx."

"An Arx student?" Cinder asked. "How would that even work?"

"Simple," I grinned. "Katsburg will provide the necessary paperwork and pay for my schooling.”

"And Graves will just accept a transfer student from Arx?!" Cinder asked.

"I'll handle Graves," Satosh said. "He's an old friend of mine."

"And what about your appearance?" Cinder asked.

"Makeup and your wings are going to handle that," I said. "You did a pretty good job of turning me into a foxkin on Arx."

"A lot of that was Vee," Cinder let out.

"I think that you and I can do it," I said. "We have the weekend to practice, since I'm cancelling the duel.”

Cinder pursed her lips, not sure of herself.

I looked at the moth and sharks. "So, doom avoided?"

"Delayed," Io nodded. "By a week or more. Hard to tell."

"At least until the Omnicorps catch up to your new identity," Mags said. “They do have talented Scruts.”

"Good enough," I released Io's hand.

Magdaline still held onto me, still bouncing Scrutiosmia off me. I inhailed her scent, wondering how she was doing.

I smelled dedication and... attraction. Pointed directly at me. A LOT of attraction. Her physical heart was beating fast and behind it her Fractal Engine heart was reaching out towards me, desiring to be connected deeper, further.

"Is something going on between you two?" Cinder squinted at us.

"Nothing!" Magdaline released my hand quickly, trying to and failing to hide the blush dancing across her face.

"Mkay," I said. "Io, gate to the phone in my van. Then fly in your van to the nearest Omnibank and open an Omnicorp account there."

I piled a few million O-bux worth of celesteel cards into his hands. "Deposit these there. Mags, you know my clothes size, yes?"

"I can smell it, yes," she nodded, trying very hard not to look at Cinder.

"Order me some nice clothes," I said. "Top of the line Primaborn Princeling suits. Maybe a gemstone encrusted cane too.”

"Can do," she said.

"Afterward, head to Omnitronics Depot and buy phones, laptops, tablets, video cards and server racks. As many as you can. I'll set up a storage room here with a phone for Io to gate the bought stuff into."

Io nodded.

"Off you go then," I waved them off. “Mags, you're the bodyguard. Protect Io with your life.”

Magdaline nodded.

I turned to Satosh. "Interrogate the prisoners, see which ones would be willing to work for us as Sixies. I want skilled, trusted Omnids that we can throw at problems in the future that won't betray our cause. Ones who will work here and also on Arx for us.”

Satosh nodded. He too departed, leaving me alone with Cinder.

"So... Magdaline clearly likes you,” the Quetzi said after a minute of silence.

"Yeah," I said.

"Remember what I said?" She growled, dark claws extending, hand suddenly wrapped around my chin.

"No harems," I said. "I'm pawing her off to Io. He could use a strong Prima."

Cinder grabbed me by the collar and pulled me close, her ocean-blue eyes narrowing. "You're walking on a very thin line there, pal."

"I am aware," I grinned at her, not resisting her grip. "But Mags needs friends and guidance. She's been isolated for too long. She's crushing on the first person who showed her kindness. Prison does that to people. Isolation makes them latch onto the first person who treats them like a person rather than a monster."

"And you know this from experience?" Cinder's gaze was glacial.

"I've been isolated myself for years," I shrugged. "Uncle George put me through hell, made me steal stuff, forced me practice parkour day after day for years. I crushed onto the first angel I saw.” I pointed at her. “Then Vee sort of adopted me."

Cinder's grip on my collar tightened. "Don't. Change. The. Subject."

"Look, Ci," I said. "I'm trying to explain that I understand what Magdaline is going through. She needs friends, not just a boyfriend. She needs to learn who she is outside of prison."

Cinder's feathers slowly shifted from angry dark sunset to a more thoughtful blue-gray. "And you think Io would be good for her? What if he doesn't like her?"

"Then he doesn't like her," I shrugged. "But they should at least try. They're both kind of weird and awkward. Both have a thing for sensing the future. He’s small and can’t fly and she has a protective steak. It could work out."

Cinder's grip on my collar loosened slightly. "And what about Vee?"

"What about her?"

"Stop answering my questions with questions!" Cinder shook me.

"Why don't we talk about our feelings instead of being violent?" I offered, channeling my inner prison therapist.

"Feelings?!" Cinder sputtered, her feathers bristling with renewed agitation. "You want to talk about feelings when Vee's been mind-wiped?!"

“Yes, we already established that,” I said. "Come on, tell me how you really feel instead of strangling me."

"I feel like everything is falling apart!" Cinder released my collar, her wings drooping. "I feel like a useless knob! I feel like you can just replace me with a convict Megalodon whenever you feel like that's the most optimal path!"

She clawed at her own face, making iridescent colors rush across the lines left by her dark claws.

"And you know what else?!" Cinder snarled. "Everything is moving so fast I can barely keep up! One day I'm just trying to survive Skyfall, keeping my head down, dealing with Em's stupid demands, and the next I've got a human boyfriend and a Thunderbird girlfriend and we're stealing ancient Corpse Seekers and robbing banks on Arx!"

Her feathers shifted through a kaleidoscope of troubled colors - deep purples bleeding into stormy grays.

"And Vee - Abyss! Vee was SO ANNOYING with her constant selfies and her valley girl act, meme jokes and her endless stupid hashtags! But she was REAL underneath all that! She actually cared about stuff! She actually cared about ME! And now she's just... GONE!" Cinder's eyes filled with tears. "And I didn't even get to tell her that she was my best friend! That I stared to fucking care about her again, after we drifted apart in grade ten!"

Cinder's claws dug deep into her hands.

"What kind of a shitty girlfriend am I?! I couldn't protect her! I couldn't stop her father from destroying her! I just stood there like a useless KNOB, got knocked out while they took her away!"

"And you!" Cinder's claws raked across her feathers, leaving more iridescent trails.

“Me?” I raised an eyebrow.

"Why the fuck are you even tolerating me?! I'm such a horrible girlfriend to you too! I keep threatening you and shaking you and getting angry at everything you do! Even when you're just trying to help people! Even when you're trying to protect everyone by changing your identity!"

Her entire body started to tremble.

"I couldn't protect you from getting arrested! I couldn't stop Satosh from taking you to prison! What kind of an awful Heart Shield am I… if I haven't even cooked you a single meal?! I'm... so shit at everything!"

More tears streamed down her face, making her feathers glisten with rainbow patterns.

Cinder's claws raked across her shoulders, leaving more iridescent trails. "And now I'm just standing here, having a complete mental breakdown in front of you like some kind of pathetic LOSER! Because I can't handle ANY of this! Because I'm not strong enough or smart enough or GOOD enough!"

Her wings wrapped around herself protectively, feathers shifting through shades of midnight blue and stormy gray.

"Everyone else seems to just... HANDLE everything! Vee was always so confident, even with her stupid valley girl act! Katherine just rolls with everything! Even Io just accepts whatever chaos happens! But I'm just... FALLING APART!"

She slumped against the wall, sliding down to sit on the floor, her wings curled tight around her trembling form.

"And the worst part? The absolute WORST part?! I actually started to believe we could make this work! That… maybe I could actually have something GOOD in my life! That maybe I wasn't just some failure, a loser who fell for a pretty face, couldn't even handle ONE stupid Skinwalker without needing Em to rescue me!"

I sat down next to Cinder.

"Tell me more about feeling like a failure," I said. "What makes you think you're not handling things well?"

"Because I'm sitting here crying like an idiot!" Cinder sniffled, her wings trembling. "While you're making plans and organizing everything!"

"And crying makes you weak?" I asked gently.

"YES!" She barked. "No... I don't know! Everyone else seems so put together!"

"Do you think maybe they're just better at hiding their feelings?" I suggested. "Kat drinks, I made her cry when I told her that I’m Martin. Io mellows his feelings with interdimensional smokes. Vee hid her real self behind the valley girl persona."

"But you..." Cinder started.

"I compartmentalize," I explained. "Break everything into manageable chunks. Focus on what I can control. Doesn't mean I'm not terrified or distraught about losing Vee. I'm keeping myself together by shoving Alexander Glock forward, who is quite frankly a psychopath who doesn't care about people."

"Yeah," she let out. "You just switch personas. Like it's nothing. Manipulate people are just... pieces on a chessboard. What if one day you decide I'm not... optimal? What if you just... replace me too?"

“Do you believe I see you as replaceable?"

Her ocean-blue eyes met mine, vulnerable. "Don't you?"

I crossed my arms.

"Do you really think that after everything we've been through, after all the crazy shit we've pulled through together, that I would see you as replaceable?"

"You literally just talked about replacing yourself with a new identity!"

"I'm replacing Alexander Glock," I said. "Who was never real to begin with."

"See!" She growled. "You manipulate everything and everyone, including yourself! How do I know I'm not just another piece in your grand plan?"

"You are," I said. "As am I. As everyone else is."

"What?!" Cinder sputtered.

"We're all part of each other's plans," I continued calmly. "I'm not some all-capable, all-successful mastermind or a Gary Sue. Since Tuesday, I've been manipulated by Vespera. She was the one who put Resonance in me, built this convex mirror radar dish thing inside me that allows me to bounce Omnid magic off five people. She's the master Crystallographer who's been guiding me to free her."

"What?" Cinder blinked at me.

"Think about it. Every major move we've made? The crystal tower? Something only she can use. Possy. Her familiar that neither of us can drive her. My ability to channel magic across multiple Omnids? That's all her."

"Are you saying that you're just... her puppet?" Cinder growled.

"More like her most ambitious project. She gradually optimized my human ass, Ci. Allowed me to use Omnid magic, which is what I wanted to do regardless. I figured it all out by relying on Magdaline’s Scrutimancy."

"So Vee was manipulating all of us?" Cinder asked. "Set you and me up?"

"She was setting up a way for us to save her. She knew her father would eventually erase her. So she built safeguards into me, into us. The soul-bond, the crystal tower, Possy - they're all tools she created to ensure her real self could survive."

"But... why didn't she tell us?"

"I don't know," I shrugged. "Maybe she was going to tell us and got caught sooner. The point is that I miss her too. She's a cheeky, manipulative, clever birb... and I miss every bit of her. I got used to having her by our side, pushing and motivating and doing stuff."

I spun Alexander Glock and Christophorus Elijah away, leaving only Martin there staring at Cinder with a distraught face.

"And now I'm just... lost," I admitted, letting my real emotions show. "I don't know how exactly to get her back. I don't know if we can get her back or if she'll be the same. I'm terrified that we'll fail her."

Cinder's wings shifted to a softer shade of blue. "You... you actually do care."

"Of course I care," I said. "I'm just really good at hiding it behind Alexander's smug facade. But right now? I'm scared. I'm angry. I want to burn SimmiTech to the ground for what they did to her. No, I will absolutely destroy SimmiTech."

My hands closed into fists.

"I will ruin them," I continued, letting my anger show. "But I have to be smart about it. I can't just charge in like a berserker. I need to be methodical, surgical. And I need your help, Ci. I can't do this alone."

Cinder's feathers shifted to a more determined shade of blue-gray. "What's the plan then?"

"First, we need to establish my new identity at Skyfall. Then we start gathering intelligence on SimmiTech, find their weaknesses. We'll need to be patient, careful."

"And Vee?" Cinder asked.

"We'll see her on Monday," I said.

"And if she doesn't show up? What if she's already been taken to Thunderland and marries Zheng earlier?"

"Then we'll make new plans with our Scruits and go get her," I said. "Kidnap her and bring her to Arx."

Cinder sighed, wings turning black and gray.

"Stop darkening. You're amazing," I reached out to her. "You're strong, way stronger than me. You survived two years, alone, against the Outsider. You're brave. And you're exactly the girl I need to keep going, to put on a new mask that'll help us get Vee back."

Her ocean-blue eyes met mine.

"You want to know why I love you?" I smiled. "Because you're real. You're not pretending to be something you're not. You feel everything so deeply, and that's beautiful."

"But I keep messing up..." she let out.

"Everyone messes up," I said. "But you keep trying. You keep fighting. That's what matters."

I pulled her into a tight hug, letting her bury her face in my shoulder.

"You don't mess up," she mewled.

"Shush. I mess up all the time," I said into her feathers. "I just hide it better. Remember how I completely blue-screened when I first saw you? Couldn't even form words?"

Cinder let out a watery laugh against my shoulder. "Yeah. That was pretty pathetic."

"See? I'm not perfect. I just pretend to be strong, wear a mask. And you know what else?" I stroked her wings gently. "I need you to help me be better. To remind me to feel things sometimes, instead of just calculating everything. Right?"

"R-right," she nodded. Her face slowly flowed into a mostly human one and she gave me a soft kiss.

“Ugh,” she said after a few minutes of making out. “You bought me a farm and I didn’t give you shit.”

"Shh," I pressed my finger to her lips. "You've given me plenty. Your trust, your strength, your heart. You and Vee gave me Quetzi magic. That's worth more than any farm. You and Vee gave me this awesome jacket."

"Cheese-ball," she muttered. “Say… does this prison have a fabrication lab?”

“It does,” I nodded. "Room 988."

"Perfect," Cinder's feathers shifted to a more determined shade of blue. "I want to make you something."

"What kind of something?" I asked.

"A surprise," she said, getting off me.