Somebody Stop Them. Chapters: 31, 32.

Chapter 31: Collaborators

Kai Xing Ker, Arch-Elder of the Golden Star Clan tapped his bronze fingers on his opulent desk as the call connected.

"Greetings, Arch-Elder Simmi," Kai's ancient voice carried through the encrypted Voicecast holo. "I trust you've heard about your Prima-spawn's... unfortunate entanglement?"

"Entanglement?" Altair Raiden Simmi asked with a frown, his crystalline, pale silver Skyfish scales glimmering.

"Yes," Kai continued, his amphibian eyes narrowing. "Your Scion, Vespera Simmi formed a soul-bond with a human infiltrator Martin Kilborne posing as mixed-blood student Alexander Glock at Skyfall Academy."

"What?!" Altair's clear, crystalline wings spread out, bristling with static. "Impossible. Vespera wouldn't..."

"Why would I lie to you, my old friend?" Kai asked. "You have one of my best engines in your study. Check the result yourself. Vespera Simmi already bonded with Alexander Glock to a 99.997% certainty and will further enforce this bond at the Cradlefall cathedral with an Arch-Priest unless immediate action is taken."

Altair's multitude of wings danced with lightning, his figure stretching out. "A human? My great, grand daughter... with a human?!"

"Indeed," Kai nodded.

“No human will soil my bloodline!” Altair's crystalline form buzzed with electrical discharge. 

"The infiltrator has already been detained," Kai said. "But we must act quickly to prevent further damage. My sources indicate he has gained considerable influence at Skyfall in a very short time."

"Where is he being held?" Altair demanded.

"Cradlefoot Youth Rehabilitation Facility," Kai replied. "I have already punished my Scion for his negligence. I believe you should do the same with yours, Altair."

"Negligence?" Altair asked.

"He accepted a duel from Alexander Glock," Kai explained. "A public challenge for Vespera's hand."

"A human dared to challenge a Prima-born of the house of Golden Star?!" Altair laughed. "And your Scion was stupid enough to accept the challenge?!"

"Yes," Kai sighed. "Zheng was deceived by a human scab. The duel is set for Sunday at noon in the Skyfall Coliseum."

"Ridiculous," Altair's wings fluttered with renewed fury. "I will not allow this farce to continue. I'm sending my security team to retrieve Vespera from Skyfall at once."

Kai nodded. "Have you not revealed the importance of our merger to your Scion? Does she not know what is at stake?"

"I..." Altair began.

Kai looked at the data running across his desk. "You have not," he said. "It is imperative that she changes her mind."

Altair sighed. "I believed that she wasn't ready to know the truth. She is only eighteen. I had hoped that she would grow out of her childish ways, optimize herself. I shall speak with her father about this matter. Ceter will handle it."

"As it was your Scion that has caused this disruption, perhaps Lord Ceter should stand as Zheng's champion," Kai suggested smoothly. "My foolish progeny is currently... under house arrest for his failure."

"Ceter would be more than capable," Altair agreed, his crystalline form pulsing with electrical energy. "He has always been protective of Vespera. But why is it necessary for this shameful duel to occur at all? If the human is in Omnid custody, why not simply make him disappear? Accidents happen..."

"Correctional Officer Satosh just assured my agent that the human should be dead within the hour and that his Lazarus bracelet will be delivered to us tonight," Kai said. "Unfortunately I don't have trusted contacts within the Cradlefoot Youth Rehabilitation Facility who can confirm it. The island prison is under Stratos jurisdiction. My influence there is limited and the perimeter defense wards block the eyes of my Probability Engines. Perhaps you could..."

"I will handle it," Altair said coldly. "I will reach out to the Stratos Clan and see if I can procure contacts within their prison.”

"Excellent," Kai nodded. "And what of the soul bond with the human?"

"The bond will dissolve when the human dies, no?" Altair pointed out.

"The human has a Lazarus bracelet from Skyfall," Kai pointed out. "As does Vespera. Both bracelets have the capability to enforce the bond even after the death of their bearer. A Lazarus bracelet is made from immovable metal which cannot be destroyed. Killing the human and gating his bracelet to another dimension will not remove the link between the bracelets nor the soul-bonded tag they might display.”

"Blasted girl really did it this time," Altair growled, his crystalline silver-white fingers curling into fists.

"A simple solution. We can take the human to Novazem and feed him to an Astral Phantom in one of the local magogenic faults. Of course before then he will be tortured and killed a few hundred times. The repeated deaths and soul-trauma should weaken the bond," Kai offered. "Then the high level Astral Phantoms will devour what remains of his soul, permanently severing the connection."

"A sound plan," Altair agreed. "And what of Vespera?"

"You will need Vespera to go to a high level Psychopomp to have the soul-bond surgically removed," Kai continued. "It won't be cheap and the procedure will... not be pleasant. The bond must be removed completely so that the Arch-Priest won't have issues or questions for when Zheng and Vespera are bonded at the Cathedral.”

"And if she refuses to cooperate?" Altair asked mused.

"Then grandson must use force," Kai said. "Erase her memories of the human. Do whatever it takes. The merger between our Clans is too important to be derailed by this teenage rebellion. The future of all Omnid-kind depends on it."

"I will call Ceter immediately. We cannot allow this nonsense to disrupt our merger." Altair agreed.

"One more thing," Kai added. "The human has apparently formed connections with other students at Skyfall. My engines suggest that they could become… problematic for us.”

"How can a bunch of school children challenge two millenia-old Clans ?" Altair arched a pale eyebrow.

"I do not know," Kai said. "The Academy's wards interfere with my scrying. Something about a tree on Arx named Yulia. Something about a Quetzalcoatl Cassiopeia Nova."

"Justice Nova's daughter is involved in this too?" Altair asked. “How?”

"Yes," Kai nodded. “She is Vespera’s friend.”

"I shall ask Omnimart's Arch-CEO to keep a tighter leash on her daughter," Altair said. "I'm not friends with the Justice but I'm certain that Lady Xastigar can get her family's spawn in line."

"Let us proceed swiftly," Kai nodded. "The human must be eliminated and the soul-bond must be severed before it can cause further disruption."

"Agreed," Altair's crystalline form pulsed with electrical energy. "I will contact the necessary parties immediately."

The call ended, leaving Kai alone in his study. He tapped his bronze fingers against the desk thoughtfully, watching as his probability engines continued their endless calculations. Too many things weren't adding up.

The engines were showing increasing anomalies around the human's presence at Skyfall. Variables that shouldn't exist, probability chains that defied logic and outcome flow. Something big was interfering with the engines' predictions. 

Kai didn't like it. It suggested that an unknown corporation, an Outsider, or an ancient cult stood behind Martin Kilborne, which didn't bode well for Golden Star’s plans.

What was Uriel ranting about? What was Infinity Paradox Proxima?

He typed the question into the massive probability engine behind his desk and a single number came up on the spinning dial: [8]

He tried again, rephrasing the question and again, the answer was simply [8].

Kai walked across his study, his eyes closed, guiding his pockmarked hands with innate Precognition. Eventually he stopped at a book and flipped it to the random page which his sight guided him towards.

A Dagaz rune was on the page. A sideways eight. A cold shiver ran down Kai's ancient spine as he read the calligraphic words below the rune.

Awakening. Change. New Beginning. Dawn.

Kai flipped through other books, looking for more information connected to the rune.

He stopped on other pages.

The cult of Sheela na gig. Carvings of a woman opening herself like a ring found in Nazarite churches across Ireland, Wales, England and France.

The symbols kept repeating - the sideways eight, the open woman, the gateway. 

Infinity. Paradox. Fertility.

The endless cycle of death and rebirth.

In another hour of reaching out and digging through his library Kai discovered that he was going through the same concepts again and again across various books, moving in a circle, in two loops across his study.

As hard as he tried, he could not locate any links to any particular existing Cult or corporation linked to his target. No links to any specific Omnid archetype that he could contact. Just an information loop bent into itself, trapping his Foresight in it.

Kai closed the last book with a frustrated sigh, his bronze fingers trembling slightly.

Either Uriel was screwing with him by sending him on a wild goose chase or Martin Kilbrone was somehow connected to the Dagaz rune and Sheela na gig in some unclear manner or would eventually become connected to it.

The truth eluded the ancient Omnid, slipped through his fingers.

. . .

"I thought that we were going out?" Magdaline asked me and she watched me paint my face gray after pulling my gray headcap on.

"Soon," I said, putting the bodypaint back into my extradimensional pocket. "As a human I might attract unwanted attention. But as a nondescript gray Dover Demon, I'll blend right in."

"Clever," the shark-girl commented. "But what about your scent?"

I pulled out a bottle of perfume and sprayed it all over my prison robe.

Magdaline inhaled. "Hah. Now you smell like Dover Demon sweat. Where'd you even get that?"

"Went to the school's gym," I said. "Followed a very lazy Dover Demon around during his workout, wiped the machines after him, then used Steam Distillation to get the sweat out. Combined with the ScentAura Amplifying Elixir from Omnimart and voila, I smell like a Dover Demon."

"Gross," Magdaline wrinkled her nose. "But effective. Still... up close someone might notice..."

I stared into her eyes, pushing mana through Resonance and then through the skill stolen from Cinder. "How about now?"

"Huh," she stared at me, eyes dilating. "You somehow... feel like you belong. Weird. I know I've never had a cell roommate and yet..."

"Basic Charmchain magic," I explained. "Got it from my Quetzi-girl. Projecting a very mild sense of belonging straight into your head."

"Impressive," she nodded.

"Kay, I think I'm ready for the tour now,” I smiled as I sliced the pockets of the orange jumpsuit so I could easily reach into my extradimensional jacket's pockets. “Lead the way."

"Follow, oh mighty wizard," she grinned.

We stepped out of the cell into a sterile gray corridor.

"So? What's on your schedule after lunch?" I asked.

"Therapy class, then physical education," she replied. 

"Therapy, eh? What exactly does that entail?"

Magdaline rolled her red eyes. "Mostly group therapy sessions with other knobs like me who can’t control their urges. Nothing exciting."

We walked down the long hallway passing rows of empty cells. A few other inmates and guards glanced our way, but didn't pay us too much attention.

"Group therapy sounds fun," I said.

Mags gave me a 'what is wrong with you' look.

"Fun?" she snorted. "It's just a bunch of teens talking about our feelings n’ shit while our very bored therapist takes notes and makes occasional critical commentary."

"Any new experience is fun," I shrugged. "I've never been to group therapy before. I'm picturing Alcoholics Anonymous. Is it like that?”

"Alcoholics Anonymous?" Magdaline raised an eyebrow. "Pffff. More like 'Murderers and Misfits Anonymous'."

After about ten minutes of walking, we entered a large room with white walls, several chairs arranged in a circle connected to a backroom with a coffee machine and a small lounge. A bored-looking Black Unicorn therapist in a gray uniform and gray cap inhabited the room. She seemed more interested in her tablet than the potential inmates around her.

"Welcome to Group Therapy ," the black Unicorn therapist droned at us without looking up.

I scanned the room. Next to us there were ten other inmates total, a mix of different Omnid species. An emerald-scaled Lamia, a very furry Mapinguari, a muscular, scruffy-looking Bies, a fleshy Catoblepas covered with moss atop of her head, a dark and lanky Erlking, a curvy Lamashtu, a winged Camazotz, a red-faced Yara-ma-yha-who, a massive Grootslang and a tentacled Scylla.

Magdaline guided me to two empty chairs and we sat down.

"Share your feelings. Introduce yourself if you're new. Try not to murder each other," the Unicorn therapist waved us on. "You know the drill."

"You smell new," the Yara-ma-yha-who turned his large white striped red head to me, evaluating me with beady yellow eyes. "What are you in for, fresh meat?"

"Sup, fellow inmates. I'm Xander Fox," I announced with theatrical flair. "Professional interdimensional bank robber, corporate saboteur, and part-time dimensional gate crasher. Last week I unleashed a magic-eating plague in an underground city, built a mage tower and created a new city-state in approximately 80 hours. I’m here cus’ I always wanted to know what it would be like to experience prison life.”

"A comedian in juvie?" the Mapinguari rumbled with a smirk.

"Not a comedian," I corrected. "A professional narrative conductor and Dark Lord looking for prospective, new minions."

"And what sort of a narrative are you looking to conduct?" Yara-ma-yha-who tilted his large head at me.

"I wanted to start a prison riot spiced with a side of mayhem," I said cheerfully, aiming the 'I belong here' Charmchain at the bored Unicorn. "Alas, my fiancee is against such, so I'll settle for taking over this place dungeon-delver style."

A ripple of surprised laughter and curious looks spread through the room.

"Whoever proves themselves worthy to me will have a chance at joining my Clan as a Sixie." I offered.

"A bold claim for a little Dover Demon," the Erlking commented. 

The Erlking's comment was met with a chorus of snickers from around the room. I leaned back, a confident smirk playing across my lips.

"Small?" I raised an eyebrow. "Ever heard the phrase 'dynamite comes in small packages'?"

The Mapinguari let out a deep, rumbling chortle. "New kid's got spirit, I'll give him that."

The Yara-ma-yha-who blinked at me. "So you want to start a prison riot? Why?"

"It's on my bucket list," I said. "As is breaking into a prison to take over it.”

More laughter.

"Bucket list?" the Lamashtu asked, her serpentine features twisting into a curious smirk. "Most people have 'visit Paris' or 'learn a language' on their bucket list. You've got 'start a prison riot’?"

"Why you got a bucket list anyways?" the Yara-ma-yha-who asked. "Are you dyin' or something?"

"Lots of people want to kill me," I shrugged. "I'm always running out of time and making enemies. Figure I could make some new friends here."

"What exactly can you offer us other than being a mildly amusing little shit?" the Lamashtu asked.

"The same thing I've offered my new lovely Sixie shark," I said. "Do smile for the group, darling."

Magdaline grinned, her razor-sharp teeth glinting under the fluorescent lights. She opened her mouth displaying the beast core.

“Anyone looking to join my Clan will receive similar snacks daily,” I offered.

Chapter 32: Taken

Vespera glared at the Slenderman Vice Principal.

"Your fiance is in Cradlefoot Youth Rehabilitation Facility," Graves revealed.

"So you gated a soul-bonded partner of a Prima Heiress to a juvenile detention facility without proper documentation or due process?" Attorney Thornheart's voice demanded through the phone with barely contained outrage. "Vice Principal Graves, do you have any idea of the legal ramifications of such an action?"

Vespera struggled to keep her eyes open, exhaustion from the delve weighing heavily on her. The electrical field around her flickered dangerously as her concentration wavered.

"The facility is under Stratos jurisdiction," Graves explained. "Scrutimancer Satosh assured me-"

"Scrutimancer Satosh has no authority to override Prima-bond protocols," Thornheart interrupted sharply. "Miss Simmi, shall I proceed with filing charges against both Skyfall Academy and the Stratos Clan?"

"Ye," Vespera clicked.

The air beside her vibrated and three figures emerged from the shadows. Vespera turned and watched through half-lidded eyes as Cinder and Katherine dragged a battered-looking Emerald into Vice Principal Graves' office.

"Thornheart," Vespera handed her phone to Cinder. "This is my... partner, Cassiopeia Nova, please handle the rest with her aid. I'ma rest now." She collapsed into the nearest armchair, closing her eyes.

"Why are you...?" Graves looked down at the trio of students.

"Emerald has something to confess about," Kathere growled. "Go on, dragon-princess."

"I..." Emerald let out. "I made it all up. The assault charges. The human accusations. Everything."

"What?!" Graves asked.

"Explain," Attorney Thornheart stared at Emerald through the phone.

"I... I was the one who attacked Alexander Glock first," Emerald admitted. "He only defended himself. The Genesis Pool incident - I rushed him first. Same for delving class. He just... managed to turn it all around on me."

"And why did you fabricate these charges?" Thornheart pressed.

"Emerald has been bullying mixed blood students since grade nine with encouragement from Instructor Zalimar," Cinder said. "Alexander Glock became my friend. Emerald wanted him out of Skyfall, even though Alexander saved her from permanent death."

"She paid her Scrutimancer to get rid of Glock," Katherine nodded.

"Did you really?" Graves asked.

"Instructor Zalimar pushed me into it!" Emerald tried to roll Zalimar under the bus. "He wanted me to rid Skyfall of weakling nullborns!"

"In lieu of this new evidence," Attorney Thornheart said. "Vice Principal Graves, I expect Mr. Glock to be released immediately."

"I merely facilitated the transfer based on rather compelling evidence provided to me by Scrutimancer Satosh," Graves admitted. "I cannot bring him back. Only Cradlefoot Youth Rehabilitation Facility employees are permitted to gate into or from San Clemente Island."

"Then I suggest you contact whoever can authorize it," Thornheart stated firmly. "Before this situation escalates further."

"I'll..." Graves' void-like face rippled with static interference.

The door to the office burst open once again.

Lord Ceter Kalik Simmi entered the office flanked by four SimmiTech security officers in pristine white uniforms behind him.

"Prima-daughter!" Vespera's father's voice boomed, his Thunderbird wings spreading wide.

“Eh?” Vespera cracked one eye open at her father's voice.

“There you are!” Ceter boomed.

"Sleeping," she muttered. "Handle it, Ci."

"Lord Simmi," Cinder stepped forward, wings flaring protectively. "Your daughter is exhausted from an extended delve. We-"

"Be silent, girl," Lord Simmi barked. "This is a family matter. Vespera, you will come with me at once!"

"No," Vespera clicked without opening her eyes. "Busy. Come back next week."

"This is not a request," Lord Simmi's voice hardened. "Your great-grandfather ordered your immediate return to SimmiTech Compound!"

"No," Vespera muttered.

"This nonsense ends now. Guards, secure my daughter!" Lord Simmi barked.

The SimmiTech security officers moved forward but Katherine stepped between them and Vespera, her emerald eyes glowing with otherworldly menace. Waves of pure dread rolled off her form as she began to sink into the deep.

"Touch her," Katherine growled, "and I'll show you what true terror feels like."

"How dare you threaten-" Lord Simmi began.

"Attorney Thornheart," Cinder spoke into the phone. "Lord Simmi is attempting to forcibly remove his daughter from school grounds! Please advise."

"Y..." Thornheart began.

"ENOUGH!" Ceter barked. An electromagnetic pulse rolled off him like a sphere of sparks. The phone held by Cinder detonated, screen flickering dark.

Cinder, Katherine, Emerald fell where they stood.

Lord Summi marched to Vespera and picked her up.

"I'm taking my daughter home for the weekend," he said to Graves who simply stood there, dark tentacles flickering.

"Very well," the Vice Principal answered.

Ceter vanished through the door, his guards following him.

In another few minutes, Vice Principal exhaled and snapped his fingers, sending waves of static rolling over the passed-out students.

"Ughhh, shit," Cinder got off the floor, wings flashing with dark grays and blacks. "Did we just..."

"Get knocked out?" Katherine said. "Yes, we did."

"Where's Vespera?" Cinder blinked at the empty chair and looked around frantically.

"Lord Simmi took her," Graves said calmly. "She'll return on Monday."

"WHAT?!" Cinder's wings flared with angry colors. "You just let him take her?!"

"He's her father," Graves stated. "He has every right to-"

"She's soul-bonded to..." Cinder howled, wings flashing brilliant red.

"Sound bonds are irrelevant in this matter, Miss Nova," Graves replied, silencing the noisy Quetzi-girl with a hum of deep static. "Please cease yelling in my office unless you wish to extend your detention. Now, as for you, Miss Startos. I do not appreciate being lied to. You will serve detention cleaning the Auditorium along with Miss Nova on Monday after class."

"Are you serious?!" Cinder howled. "You're only giving her detention for this?!"

"Miss Nova, please-" Graves began.

Katherine grabbed Cinder's arm. "Come on," she said, pulling the enraged Quetzalcoatl and meek-looking Emerald towards the door. "We need to regroup and think."

"But-" Cinder protested.

"Now," Katherine insisted firmly, dragging the pair out of the office past the very annoyed looking Kitsune secretary.

As soon as they were in the hallway, Katherine spoke in a low voice. "Alex told us not to rescue him, remember? He's planning something. And Vespera..." She paused. "She's tough. She'll be okay for the weekend."

"Are you... sure?" Cinder demanded. "What if her father overwrites her mind while she's asleep?!"

"That... might be a problem." Katherine frowned. 

"Can I go now?" Emerald mewled.

"No!" Both girls barked at her.

"You're coming with us," Katherine growled.

"T-to where?" Emerald asked. "I-I'd like to go home now. I told Graves about the thing, like you wanted me to! He gave me detention and everything!”

"What, so you can cry to your parents, make up more shit about Alex?" Cinder hissed. "Yeah, I don't think so. I'm Alex's Hearth Shield and you're our Clan's Sixie."

"That... that was a pledge made under duress!" Emerald protested.

"A pledge is a pledge," Cinder growled. "We saved your beerch ass from an execution! And you're going to help us fix this mess you created."

"How?" Emerald asked with a resigned face.

"I don't effing know," Cinder said.

"You can't keep me bloody collared forever," the dragon-girl pointed out. "My parents will want to know where I am..."

"Emmy," Katherine snarled, looming over the shorter dragon girl in her dark leather and beast core dress. "I'm about five seconds away from dropping you into the deep. Nobody will find you there."

"Okay, okay!" Emerald raised her hands in surrender. "I'll bloody help, you savage! What do you want me to do?"

"First," Katherine said, her emerald eyes glowing dangerously, "you're going to tell us everything you know about Cradlefoot Youth Rehabilitation Facility."

"I don't know much," Emerald admitted. "It's on San Clemente Island. High security. Serious wards. My family just owns shares in it."

"Any weaknesses?" Cinder demanded.

"I don't freaking know! I haven't been there! Do I look like a criminal or a warden?!" Emerald whined.

"Not a criminal YET," Katherine growled. "But you sure acted like one, getting Alex imprisoned."

"Look, I said I was sorry!" Emerald protested. "What more do you want from me?"

"Information," Cinder said. "Everything you know about the Stratos Clan's involvement with the facility."

"I really don't know much," Emerald insisted. "Just that my family uses it sometimes to... deal with problems."

"What kind of problems?" Katherine pressed.

"People who..." Emerald hesitated. "Who need to disappear."

Cinder's wings flared with angry colors. "So it's not just a rehabilitation facility. It's a private prison."

"More like a disposal site," Katherine's emerald eyes narrowed. "Where inconvenient people vanish."

"We should... call Alex," Cinder let out. "He'll know what to do. Alex always knows what to do."

. . .

The therapy room went silent. The inmates stared at the glowing beast core nestled between Magdaline's razor-sharp teeth as she slowly closed her mouth.

The Mapinguari's eyes widened. "Is that...?"

"It is," Mags nodded. "Wouldn't be chewing it otherwise."

"Miss Satoshi. May I remind you that no food is allowed during therapy sessions," the Unicorn commented. "Mr, Fox, we're here to talk about your feelings, not to trade cafeteria snacks for favors."

"My feeling is that this is delicious," Magdaline said, crunching loudly and sending radiant sparks flying from her mouth. The prisoners stared at her snack, salivating.

"Please talk about something more meaningful and personal such as trauma that pushed you in the wrong direction, not food," the Black Unicorn sighed, not even bothering to look at Magdaline. "Our goal is to figure out what sets you off and how to cope without violence or self-destructive behavior. Also, introduce yourselves to Mister…”

“Fox,” I repeated.

“Fox… hrmm? Why aren’t you on my list?” the therapist asked. I glanced at her name tag.

“I dunno, Therapist Juskerr,” I shrugged. “I just got here. I’m just tugging along with my new shark bestie. Maybe your system didn't update, you know how it is.”

“Right, whatever,” the Unicorn sighed. “Go on then. Resume in the circle, going right, starting from Mister Lissthoric.”

The Yara-ma-yha-who straightened up, his glistening red skin covered in white stripes gleaming under the fluorescent lights. "Tate here. Got caught trying to drain some Primo's kid at a fancy mall. Not my fault really - been living in the vents for months, surviving on rats and pigeons after parents kicked me out. One sniff of Primo blood and... well, couldn't help myself."

The Mapinguari cleared his throat, massive claws clicking against his chair. "Renmar. Used to be a chef at Omnimart's food court until I... lost control during rush hour. Something about the crowds, the noise, the endless demands... snapped inside me. Went berserk, tore through three registers, plowed through the crowd, ate a bunch of people. The damage was extensive."

The muscular Bies spoke next, his scarred face twisting into a grimace. "Viktor. Ex-security at Hexamesh Ferronite Industries. Had a perfect record until I caught some executives torturing mixed-blood employees in the basement labs. Lost it completely. Ripped through seventeen floors. Killed twelve Pure-bloods before they took me down. Don't regret it one bit. Would do it again."

The moss-covered Catoblepas shifted uncomfortably. "Izzy Jones. Was a gardener at Skyfall. Started growing... illegal plants. When security came to investigate, I panicked, trying to save my babies. Didn't go well."

The dark, lanky Erlking leaned forward, antlers casting intricate shadows. "Ash. Former intern of Xenobotany at Leviathan University. Helped professor Leiko weave military-grade pacifier touch-kill weapons. When funding got cut, I... refused to terminate our work. Took the pacifiers home. Got caught. Laid waste to many before I was captured."

The curvy Lamashtu flicked her serpentine tail, black wings fluttering. "Lilith Moongriss. Ex-dancer at the Crystal Spire. Was forced to perform for increasingly depraved audiences until I couldn't take it anymore. Infested the audince with memetic nightmares. Did the same to the cheerleader squat at Skyfall." She snifed the air with her dark wolfhead, golden eyes boring into me.

The tentacled Scylla shifted in her chair, her multiple arms weaving slightly. "Mariana Darkwater. Researcher at Uxashh's deep-sea lab. Developed a way to communicate with abyssal creatures. Company wanted to weaponize them. I... refused. Released all our subjects instead. They ate the entire research team. Got caught trying to sink the facility."

The massive Grootslang shifted on his small chair. "Uliuss Yolt. Former clerk at Agronite Bank. One of my administrators was taking bribes. Tried to expose him. They framed me for theft. I... didn't take it well. Collapsed three vaults before security contained me.

The winged Camazotz cleared his throat, his jet-black fur rippling. "Royaul Niss. Used to intern at sonic research at Resonance Labs. We were developing ways to manipulate emotions through sound waves. Found out they were testing on homeless humans from Scab Row. The frequencies... They were designed to induce psychosis. I quit. Since nobody else would hire me afterward, I sort of gradually lost my mind trying to make ends meet. Can’t even remember what I did.”

“Magdaline Satoshi,” Magdaline said on my left. “I ate three annoying knobs at Skyfall.”

“It sounds to me like each of you got screwed unfairly by Omnothornia. I feel that this facility isn't living up to its rehabilitation potential," I said. "Take Magdaline here. Instead of helping her manage her predatory instincts with proper magic beast nutrition and beast cores, she's been isolated and used as a disposal for unwanted elements of society."

The therapist finally looked up from her tablet, frowning. "Please don't make up stories, Mr. Fox We follow very strict rehabilitation protocols here."

"Really?" I leaned forward. "Then why does cell twenty-five smell of forty-one dead humans? Why does Scrutimancer Satosh bring bleeding victims here during lunch? Why does his daughter's room have an incinerator chute specifically designed to destroy evidence?"

The therapist's horn flickered with dark energy, making my head throb. "Perhaps you should focus on your own rehabilitation journey, Mr. Fox?”

"Oh, I am," I smiled. "Step one is exposing systemic corruption. Step two is offering alternatives. For instance, did you know that beast cores can help manage predatory impulses? Much better than isolation and psychiatry.”

"Beast cores are expensive," the therapist stated flatly. "This is a state-funded facility."

"Who's dissatisfied with their situation?" I asked. "Who's tired of therapy and just wants beast cores? Raise your hands."

Every hand in the room shot up, except for the therapist's.

"See?" I gestured. "Your inmates want actual help, not just talk therapy."

The therapist's horn flickered again with a dark flare. "Mr. Fox, I’d prefer if you stuck to the rehabilitation program. Also, I’m sure that the other inmates would appreciate hearing your real story instead of jokes.”

The orange-suited Omnids didn’t look like they wanted to appreciate anything of the sort.

“That was my real story!” I protested. “Okay fine. I punched Emerald Stratos in the noggin, so she sent me here.”

My Quartermaster tag vibrated.

“One moment,” I said, accepting the call.

"Alex!" Cinder's holographic image appeared above my tag. "Are you okay? Are you alive? Has anyone tried to eat you?"

"I'm fine," I replied cheerfully. "Just attending group therapy with my new friends."

The therapy room inmates stared at the holographic projection with varying degrees of surprise.

“What?” The therapist blinked. “That… that’s a Voicecast device. You shouldn't have that!”

“Whoever knocks out the Unicorn first, gets a beast core,” I opened my pocket.

“You… how… what?” The Black Unicorn sputtered, staring at my pocket filled with magic cores.

The room erupted into chaos. The Mapinguari lunged forward first, followed closely by the Lamashtu.

The therapist's horn blasted the nearest attacking inmate with black waves, but she was quickly overwhelmed by the sheer number of inmates rushing her. The Mapinguari's massive furry form slammed into her first, followed by the Lamashtu.

I tossed beast cores to the winners as promised, watching them shove the cores with desperate enthusiasm into their mouths.

The other inmates turned to me. Cinder stared at me from the holo.

"So, who wants to join my Clan?" I asked with a grin. "I really do have Sixie positions open for talented individuals!”

The Yara-ma-yha-who stared at me. "Why shouldn't we just knock ya out and take ya cores, bud?"

"If you stop me you’ll only get the cores from this pocket and you'll still be stuck in this place. I can pay you as many cores as you need to feel satisfied, forever. Also, you'd have to go through her," I pointed my finger at Mags who rose to her full Megalodon height, claws out. "Also, I have a gun."

I pulled a compact, self-reloading magitek arbalest from my pocket that I bought as a gift for Lance in Shandria for about a thousand gold.

"That's not a gun, that's an arba..." the Yara-ma-yha-who began.

I pressed the trigger and the magisteel bolt went through the wall and then the ridiculously overpriced void core tied to it detonated, obliterating the entire hexcrete wall with a whoosh of sucked in energy, pulverizing the small lounge behind it, showering the Omnids in hexcrete chunks.

The inmates stared at me in shock.

Whistling the Twisted Nerve tune that I picked up from Vespera’s habits, I walked to the knocked out Unicorn and grabbed her hat and put it on my head. "I'm the therapist now. Now, who wants to be fully rehabilitated from this facility?”