Somebody Stop Him [Chapters 26-27]

Chapter 26: Cassiopea

I hadn't actually left.

Standing invisibly over Alex's backpack, I listened to what sounded like a lighter wheel turning. What the shit, was he... smoking in there? After pulling me away from trying to smoke too?

I gritted my teeth and scrolled through the messages flooding my phone.

The Moth was as chill as ever.

MothMayhem🦋: yo ci, u ok after yesterday? that entity was intense af

MothMayhem🦋: alex seems like a cool dude

MothMayhem🦋: he's like weirdly good at talking to ppl. I know I should be sad bout D&D breakup, but man

MothMayhem🦋:...

MothMayhem🦋: More excited than anything bout delving with you and Alex, you kno?

MothMayhem🦋: got some sweet new gate tricks to try thanks to him

SongOfDarkness🎻: what tricks?

MothMayhem🦋: opening a gate to a movie clip. His idea. Like daymn, how did I not think about doing something so simple, you kno?

In the other chat, the dragon was melting her own phone with dragonfire sparks raining from her mouth since yesterday evening.

Em-the-rawd🔥: that effin nullie is gonna PAY

Em-the-rawd🔥: he humiliated me! ME!

Em-the-rawd🔥: tell that pathetic little nullie to watch his back

Em-the-rawd🔥: no one dunks ME in the genesis pool and lives!

SongOfDarkness🎻: Em, chill. He literally saved your life.

Em-the-rawd🔥: I didn't ASK to be saved by some weak little nullie!

Em-the-rawd🔥: especially not one who thinks he can just waltz in and take over MY troupe!

SongOfDarkness🎻: YOUR troupe?! The one YOU got destroyed by pressuring Io to open gates to more and more dangerous places? By amplifying Io's gate and my Charmchain power to the Nth degree wth all of those effin mana amps? like Holy Shit, what did you think was going to happen?

SongOfDarkness🎻: u got off easy Em, so shut the f up!

Em-the-rawd🔥: easy?! EASY?! All my artifacts are GONE! Armor effin' gone! My sword is GONE! Do you have ANY idea how much all that cost?!

Em-the-rawd🔥: OBS u don kno shit, that sword was one of a kind dragonforged magisteel blade from Arx!

Em-the-rawd🔥: and the amps were an investment! I bought it for u both stoopid Fs. You owe me!!! You can't just quit!

Em-the-rawd🔥: Io legit bein all betabit stakeling and ur being a hodlcuck!

Em-the-rawd🔥: like WTF U let a nullie DUNK ME like I was some kind of joke!

SongOfDarkness🎻: you tried to set him on fire AFTER he saved you

SongOfDarkness🎻: what did you expect him to do? stand there and let you burn him?

Em-the-rawd🔥: YES, OBVS. nullies need to kno their place as lowest meat

SongOfDarkness🎻: wow... just wow

SongOfDarkness🎻: u really haven't learned anything have u?

Em-the-rawd🔥: learned?! I learned that ur a effin null-chasin' TRAITOR!

This morning's messages were even worse.

Em-the-rawd🔥: beerch u awake yet? lemme gib u some shine advice, bestie

Em-the-rawd🔥: he gon fuk u up, don't trust him. he's not even real

SongOfDarkness🎻: shut up Em

SongOfDarkness🎻: ur just mad cus Alex outsmarted u

Em-the-rawd🔥: outsmarted?! he CHEATED

Em-the-rawd🔥: wearing like 20 hexsuits?! who does that?!

Em-the-rawd🔥: Open ur beerchard eyes, he's a simpmite ghoul!!!

Em-the-rawd🔥: my scrutimancer jus checked - there's no record of Dr Slate Glock's children. Ol' T-bird died in avanlache skeein alone!!!!

Em-the-rawd🔥: V gave me his Omnigram page. Scrut says - all pics are AI gened

Em-the-rawd🔥: THERE IS NO ALEX GLOCK!!!

I frowned, glancing at Alex's backpack. The shower was still running.

Em-the-rawd🔥: u dont get it do u? he's a ghostie, a FAKE, a cheet

Em-the-rawd🔥: check his Omnigram timeline - all posts started THIS MONTH

Em-the-rawd🔥: Scrut thinks every photo's fake!!!! EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.

Em-the-rawd🔥: he doesn't exist in ANY school records before Skyfall

Em-the-rawd🔥: wake up Ci! ur dumb beerch ass is being played!

Em-the-rawd🔥: I SAVED U!! I HELPED U TWO YEARS AGO! DIS HOW U REPAY ME???!

I sighed as I thought back to just three days ago, when Alex first appeared at Skyfall. He'd seemed so... ordinary then. Just another nervous new student, completely flustered, no more like… struck dumb by my wings.

Now here he was, in my family home, somehow charming my parents, reorganizing my entire life, and apparently smoking in our guest bathroom after lecturing me about bad habits. How did so much happen in such a short time?

Em-the-rawd🔥: he's prob poorslime using u to get to ur fam moneh, tryin' to get undr ur tail

Em-the-rawd🔥: think about it - who shows up outta nowhere with perfect answers for everything? u see him switc voices during class intro?

Em-the-rawd🔥:This is classic sociopath behavior - charm everyone around them!

Read up about it! NOW!!! DON'T FALL FOR IT!!!!!!

https://www.webmd.om/mental-health/signs-sociopath

Em-the-rawd🔥: who just HAPPENS to be there when shit goes down?

Em-the-rawd🔥: bet if u look in his locker or backpack at school, you'll find proof

I glanced at Alex's backpack sitting out in the open, taunting me.

Em-the-rawd🔥:

read the dum link u beerch!

Superficial charm ✓

Manipulative ✓

Good at mimicking emotions ✓

Em-the-rawd🔥: You don't know what kind of blitz he could be on! Prolly smoks Topaz in the bathroom while u ain't lookin. his name is fake!!! I kno u readin dis

I dug into his backpack. This action felt wrong on so many levels, but Em's texts kept echoing in my head, pushing me into action.

What if she was right? What if the stuff Alex said about himself being Kaska Dena, stuff about his mom was just another elaborate con, another lie?

The way our kinship developed in–what?–two-three days felt far too fast, like being struck by lightning and then trying to understand wtf happened.

Inside the backpack, I found several changes of generic Omnimart clothes, much of it suspiciously new. A few textbooks, also pristine. Several cameras. A new laptop. Fireworks of all types. Several sets of sus tools.

Digging deeper in in a hidden compartment that my claws easily sliced apart, I found what was possibly lockpicks or really weird screwdrivers, blank ID cards, various official-looking stamps and seals. Over 50 random phones. Dozens of gift cards and prepaid or stolen credit cards with random names on them. USB drives labeled with cryptic codes.

A folder full of what I now knew were forged documents - birth certificates, transcripts, letters of recommendation, newspaper articles - trickery and forgery that made Alexander Glock real.

I dug deeper, pulling out more stuff onto the bed.

Sketchbooks filled with drawings of people and incomprehensible coded detailed observations.

School security and student hexamesh suits. An entire jar of tiny beast cores.

Skyfall Security badge and uniform with picture of Alex as Nunkish Throg, Security Guard LV 8. He somehow looked like an orange-eyed, gray-skinned, bald, older Dover Demon on the laminated badge, but it was unmistakably him.

Another ID and uniform as LV 12 Skyfall Janitor Kgok Mitrim, a green skinned basilisk.

A collection of glasses, contact lenses, glue on moustaches, beards, wigs, scales, latex makeup and cotton balls. Cash in various currencies, some I didn't even recognize.

I kept digging.

An old, worn leather pouch was at the bottom, cleverly concealed in an old Nazarite bible. The leather was soft with age, cracked in places, held together with careful stitching. This wasn't some prop - this was something treasured, maintained.

Inside, I found an Acadian passport, its deep blue cover faded around the edges. My heart pounded as I opened it, half-expecting to find blank pages or obvious forgeries.

The photo was unmistakably Alex, though younger and more... raw somehow. No carefully crafted expressions or practiced smiles - just a serious-faced boy staring straight at the camera. But the name... Martin Kilborne. Place of birth: Znetc, North Acadia.

Behind the passport was a faded birth certificate. It listed the same name—Martin Kilborne. My eyes caught on the mother's name: Mirriam Kilborne (née Dennis), and under "Father" there was just a blank space.

My claws shook as I explored the pouch. There was a small, worn photo album, its pages carefully preserved in plastic sleeves. The first polaroid photo showed a woman with long dark hair and kind eyes, wearing human First Nations tunic regalia.

Few more polaroid photos followed: Martin and his mother at various ages, always just the two of them. Ordinary moments frozen in time. In each one, his mother looked a little thinner, a little more tired, but her smile never wavered.

My claws froze as I pulled out the final document - a death certificate from North Acadia General Hospital. Cause of death: Stage 4 lung cancer. The date was one year ago, last spring.

A postcard of North Acadia General with rainbow-streaked mountains on the front. Faded, blotchy, shaking handwriting on the inside.

"My dearest Martin,
Never forget who you are or where you come from. Our people endure. Our stories live on through you. I love you more than all the stars in the sky. Never give up, never stop, my little fox.

Keep singing our songs. Keep telling our stories. The world tried to erase us, to forget us, but we are still here. You are still here. Your voice carries the echoes of a thousand ancestors. Use it wisely.

I'm sorry that we fought. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you about my condition, pushed you onto Uncle George. I'm sorry that I won't be there to see you grow into the amazing man I know you'll become. But remember - even when I'm gone, I'll always be with you. In every song, every story, every sunrise.

Be brave, but be smart. Your uncle undoubtedly taught you how to survive, but don't let survival be all there is. Don't obsess over what happened to me. Find something worth living for. Find a girl and friends worth fighting for. And when you do, hold onto them with everything you have.

The world is changing. Our people are fading, our language dying. Remember the old stories - about how Raven stole the sun, about how Coyote tricked the stars. How the brave Kaska Dena hunter struck down a God Beast and prayed for change, birthing the Stormwoods.

Share then with your children, pass the stories onward. Don't let out language die.

I'll see you on the other side of the river of stars.

Mom"

I stared at the card. It didn't look like an elaborate prop or forgery. This was real grief, real loss, real pain here that made the spot between my eyebrows throb, my eyes suddenly stinging.

The words blurred through my tears. My claws trembled as I quickly slipped everything back into the leather pouch alongside the other memories of Alex's - no, Martin's - real life.

Everything suddenly made horrible, perfect sense. The mad obsession, the drive, the personality switches. The AI that spoke in his mother's voice...

"Oh Slayer," I whispered, my wings drooping as guilt crushed me. "What have I done?"

The shower was still running. I carefully repacked everything, pathetically trying to erase any evidence of my intrusion.

Alex wasn't real, but Martin... Martin was painfully, breathtakingly real.

I zipped up the camping backpack and fled towards my room, invisible and silent, my heart doing backflips.

A leap from balcony to balcony, wings outstretched and I was inside.

The moment my window clicked shut, I slumped against a wall, sliding down to sit on the floor and sobbing.

The tears wouldn't stop. My wings curled around me, shifting through guilty blacks and mournful grays as I hugged my knees to my chest.

What kind of monster was I? Not only had I violated his privacy, but I'd done it because Em - the same Em who tried to kill him after he saved her life - planted doubts in my head.

Em was my best friend, but... when was the last time she'd actually acted like one? All she did lately was push and control and demand. Things always had to be done her way just because she was paying for everything, funding D&D with her family's treasure trove.

Em was the one who gave me my Kaleid name - Cinder. "Because you're not just some pretty songbird or a dum constellation," she'd said. "You're fire and destruction and power. You're gonna rise from the ashes like a Phoenix and show them all."

Em had been there when I was at my lowest, when I couldn't even look at myself in the mirror without seeing... No. Don't think about that. Don't remember the blood, the screams, the way everything went wrong that day...

Em saved me, given me purpose. Em had uplifted me. Em had let me beat her to a pulp when I needed to lash out, stood there and took every hit until I collapsed sobbing into her arms.

I was coming apart at the seams, no idea what to do now.

My phone buzzed again. Em was still ranting, sending link after link about sociopaths and con artists, obsessed with getting revenge, focused on destroying Alexander Glock.

She wasn't going to give up until Martin Kilborne was deported from Omnithornia or imprisoned for life.

With trembling claws, I opened my contacts and blocked Em's number. Then I blocked her on Omnigram, Snappit, and every other platform we shared.

It felt like cutting off a limb, but... I just didn't have the strength to fight with her anymore. Not when she was threatening someone who'd saved her life. Not when she was trying to destroy someone who'd already lost everything.

She didn't understand. She never would and it was breaking my heart.

I threw the phone at a wall and limped into the shower.

Chapter 27: Irradiated

I stared at the flickering flame.

If Zee Captain's cryptic bullshit was to be believed, then as long as the flame burned, reality was slightly more malleable. How malleable exactly? This I would have to find out.

"Stats," I ordered and my stats ignited over my hexagonal Lazarus bracelet.

| Name: Alexander Glock
| Age: 18
| Species & Subtype: Human
| Core Affinity: N/A
| Level: 0
| Anima: 89/89 [+89]
| Anima Stamina: 0.1/0.1
| Mana: 0/0
| Mana Regen: 0.0m/hr
| Strength: 0
| Agility: 0
| Dexterity: 0
| Vitality: 0
| Charisma: 0
| Magic: 0
| Foresight: 0
| Intelligence: 0
| Wisdom: 0
| Skills: N/A

The mana bar suddenly began filling, numbers rushing upward as if someone had opened a floodgate. The rest of the stats went haywire too, flickering and bouncing between zeroes and null error variable messages flashing across my vision.

The bathroom lights flickered and then their glow intensified, growing painfully bright. A freaky rainbow shear rushed across the mirror, wards and runes around the bathroom lighting up and sparkling with brilliant flares. I quickly snapped the lighter shut, fearing that the ward, lights or the mirror might explode from mana overload.

Maybe I should do this outside or something.

I glanced back at my mana.

[401/0]

I whistled.

Progress! I had irradiated myself with excessive magrad and given myself mana. Also, possibly magic cancer. But on the plus side, now I could actually do magic.

Maybe.

I squinted at the the mana stat as it shifted again.

[400.97/0]

Ah. My body was slowly losing the magical charge provided by the lighter. Interesting.

"Alert," Yulia's voice whispered in my ear. "Pack-cam has detected movement. Cassiopeia Nova is currently examining the contents of your bag."

I froze, the lighter still warm in my palm. "Show me," I whispered in Kaska, pulling out my phone.

Through Yulia's hidden camera feed, I watched as Cinder dug through my bag, her feathers shifting through curious violets and concerned oranges as she dug the pattern that produced Alexander Glock and others, pulling out my tools, phones, documents, paints, wigs and etc.

My heart clenched as she found the leather pouch - mom's last letter, the photos, everything I had left of my real life.

Part of me wanted to burst out there and stop her. But... maybe this was better.

Let her see the truth, unfiltered and raw. No carefully crafted lies or manipulated narratives - just the painful reality of who I really was.

I watched as Cinder's wings ignited with rainbows as she read mom's last letter. When tears started falling from her ocean-blue eyes, I had to look away.

She understood. She now knew me deeper, more than anyone else in the entire universe.

I turned the video off and went into the shower.

. . .

After my shower, I quickly rinsed out my many hexasuits, put them on myself and then dressed in Lance's old clothes, including a lovely, plush white and blue pattern See-Mass sweater featuring Aztec-style art of Quetzis. The outfit was a bit loose but still serviceable, making me feel like I belonged to the family now.

Looking at my mana bar, I noted that the number had dropped to around 392. Still way more than any human should rightly have. The lighter provided me with magic, now just had to figure out how to permanently hold mana in my body.

Sadly, according to Yulia, there were no references to this. Omnids didn't allow humans to go to Arx, nor had anyone bothered to publish publicly available research papers about humans leveling up in mana-rich places. Thus, I was perhaps the first human on Earth to have so much mana in my body.

Shelving my plans, I departed from my room heading across the long-as-f hallway to the West Wing.

As advertised, Cinder's door had a poster of a skeletal dragon breathing black fire, surrounded by gothic text that read "KEEP OUT OR DIE SCREAMING!" Several other posters surrounded the door, featuring various metal bands - names like "Deathstorm Mothmen" and "The Crimson State Lindwurms" alongside artwork of monsters and fire.

I knocked softly. "Hey Ci, you decent?"

"Go away," came the muffled response.

"Whos your favorite nullie in the universe?" I asked.

"What kind of stupid question is that?" her voice came through the door.

"Just checking if you're the door-hex or the real Cinder," I grinned. "Breakfast?"

"I'm not coming to breakfast," Cinder's real voice came through the door, sounding strained. "Just... go away."

"Fine," I sat against the door. "Two options then. Either I open this door with a card and invade your room or I declare a hunger strike and sit here against this door until I waste away into a skeleton. Pick one. You have ten seconds to decide. Nine."

Silence.

"Eight. Seven. Six..."

"You wouldn't," Cinder growled through the door.

"Five. Four. I'm pretty good at going without food. Three. Two..."

The door opened suddenly, causing me to fall backward into her room with a yelp. I found myself staring up at an upside-down Cinder.

"Sup?"

I noticed that she was wearing a fluffy white robe and had no makeup on whatsoever. Her ocean-blue eyes were red and puffy from crying, and her feathers were shifting through mournful blues and guilty blacks.

"Get up," she muttered, turning away quickly. "And close the door before mom sees."

I rolled a bit off to the side and closed the door with my foot, taking in her room from my floor position. It was exactly what I expected - dark violet walls, blackout curtains, and more metal band posters. Strings of red and purple lights cast an eerie glow along with a couple of Kitlix lanterns over the bed. A guitar stood in one corner next to a violin case and a magic amp.

The heavy wooden furniture was only somewhat fancier than the stuff in the guest bedroom.

A large desk was covered in sheet music and school books, while the pin-on panel above it featured photographs of the Dreadful Delvers.

"Room is very you," I commented from my floor position. "9/10 Gimdarkling."

"Why are you here?" Cinder asked quietly, not looking at me.

"I dunno." I shrugged. "Why are you here? Are we skipping breakfast and... what class do we even have? Yulia?"

"Double period. Delving theory and practice with Instructor Zalimar Evernacht," Yulia answered from the phone my pocket.

"Of course," Cinder muttered. "Just what I need today on top of everything - Em murdering us both on Arx!"

"I can beat Em in my sleep with both arms tied behind my back. Delving sounds fun," I let out, still sprawled on her floor. "I've never been on a proper delve before. Do we get to fight monsters? Explore ruins? Find treasure? Make out in a dungeon?"

"Would you be serious for once?!" she snapped.

"A joke a day keeps depression away," I half-grinned. "Would you prefer me to mope on your floor about everything terrible in my life instead? 'Cus I can absolutely do that."

"Arghh... staaaph," Cinder sighed, slumping onto her bed. "I can't deal with... whatever this is right now."

"Whatever what is?" I asked from the floor. "Your best friend trying to kill me? The troupe falling apart? Your family being wonderfully supportive and loving? A questionable human invading your house?"

"Everything, damn it!" Cinder burst out, her wings flaring with frustrated reds. "The troupe, Em, my parents suddenly thinking you're the second coming of Slayer Nazareth, you somehow getting permission to LIVE here..."

"And?" I prompted. "I simply did what my lady commanded. You wished me to inhabit this residence so that is what I have organized. You think I want to be here, across a few walls from Judge Dread? I'm here because of you, Ci. Open your eyes."

"I..." Cinder let out a deep sigh. "I've been through this before."

"Been through what?"

"This!" She gestured between us. "Someone getting... addicted to my wings, my voice. Thinking they're in love with me when they're just... enthralled by my Charmchain skill."

"I am occasionally enthralled by you," I said. "I can't argue with that. But if you simply want my non-enthralled opinion, just burrito yourself in a thick blanket. Works like a charm. Well, opposite of a charm since it blocks yo charmin' wings. Do you want me to creatively insult you to prove that I'm not actually addicted to you or something? Do you want me to ignore you for a couple of months? What's it gonna take for you to stop being a grumpy cat?"

"I don't want you to do anything!" Cinder snapped. "That's the whole point! I don't want you changing your entire life around because of me or falling in love with me or obsessing over me! I don't want you lying to my parents or making deals with interdimensional entities or... or..."

"Or what?" I asked, finally sitting up. "Or caring about you as a friend? Is that what this is really about?"

"You don't even know me!" she burst out. "Not really! You've known me for what, three days? And suddenly you're infiltrating my family, manipulating my parents, fighting my battles..."

"I know enough to make educated guesses," I said quietly. "I know you're trapped. Stuck between what your parents want you to be and what Em wants you to be. I know you love music but hate performing. I know you're scared of your own power, your own voice. I know you're carrying some heavy guilt about something that happened two years ago - something bad enough that you let Em reshape you into what she wanted you to be - her obedient, little kobold. As was her nature as a dragon. But you're not a kobold, Ci. You're a dragon yourself."

"I'm..." Cinder started.

"You're a Quetzalcoatl," I said as she fell silent. "A feathered serpent deity. One of the most powerful Charisma-aligned Omnids that ruled Mesoamerican humanity for centuries. But you let Em convince you that you needed her to be strong. That you needed her troupe, her rules, her way of doing things."

"You don't understand..." Cinder lamented.

"I understand perfectly," I said, finally sitting up. "Em was there for you when you needed someone. She gave you a new identity, a purpose, a place to belong. But she also trapped you, didn't she? Made you dependent on her approval, her validation. I can see it, the invisible chains wrapped around your soul. Every day, every week, every year... they've only gotten tighter. You have to spread your wings and break them. It's the only choice. Otherwise..."

She looked at me.

"You'll keep spiraling down until there's nothing left of you but what other people want you to be," I finished.

"And what about what you want me to be?" She let out.

"I want you to be you," I said simply. "Not Em's pet Bard, not your parents' perfect daughter, not my... whatever you think I want. Just you. Free and without whatever these chains are. The real Cassiopeia Nova, whoever she is under all these layers of other people's expectations. I honestly don't need to adjust you to my expectations, I already have Yulia for that - I can adjust her to speak any language, to be anything or anyone. AIs... are just stories that we write them to be. But you... you have a soul and passion and needs as a living individual!"

"I don't even know who that is anymore," she whispered, more tears sparking at the edges of her eyes.

"Then let's find out," I offered my hand. "Together. No pressure, no expectations. Just... exploration. Discovery. Maybe even some breakfast, because I'm actually starving and your mom's cooking smells amazing."

"You... Seem so harmless but you're actually terrifying," Cinder said, staring at my offered hand. "The way you just... see through everything. Break it all down like it's some kind of puzzle to be solved. I don't even know who you really are. I don't know where your lies begin or end."

"I don't see spot everything myself," I said. "Yulia is my second set of eyes. Without her, I probably wouldn't even notice how much you're hurting, Ci."

Cinder blinked more tears, shuddering and wiping her face with the sleeve of her robe.

"Listen, if you want to buy the truth, then you gotta pay the price," I sat on the bed next to her.

She shifted uncomfortably, her tail twitching. "What... what kind of price?"

"A secret for a secret," I said. "You tell me what happened two years ago that made you let Em reshape you, and I'll tell you anything you want to know about me. The real me. No lies, no misdirection, just... truth."

Cinder's wings and tail shifted through uncertain purples and anxious oranges. "I... I can't."

"Can't or won't?" I asked gently.

"Both," she whispered, wrapping her wings around herself. "It's... it's too much. Too dark. Too..."

"Fine, if you don't wanna dig into your dark and broody past, Mister Batman... Then, let's make a cringe memory instead to pay the price!"

"What? Why? How?"

"Come here and hug me and make a really dumb face for the camera," I grinned, holding out my phone. "I'll make a dumb face, too, so that you're not sacrificing yourself to the altar of devastating cringe alone."

Cinder stared at me like I'd grown a second head. "You want me to... what?"

"Scooch over here and make the dumbest face you can possibly manage."

"This is stupid," she muttered, but slowly edged closer.

"Exactly!" I beamed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Now, on three, make the most ridiculous face you can. One... two..."

On three, I crossed my eyes, puffed out my cheeks, and stuck out my tongue. Cinder, after a moment's hesitation, scrunched up her nose and went cross-eyed, her feathers shifting through amused violet-pinks despite herself.

CLICK!

"There!" I declared triumphantly, showing her the photo and sending it to her on Omnigram. "Perfect balance achieved!"

Cinder stared at the photo, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips. "We look like complete idiots."

"That's the point!" I grinned. "Can't take yourself too seriously when there's photographic evidence of you looking like a derpy rainbow chicken."

"I do NOT look like a chicken!"

"Look at us, we look like we're having a stroke. I'm setting this for your contact profile. Heh heh heh."

Cinder stared at the photo, her embarrassment warring with amusement. "Oh my god, no, delete that! I look ridiculous!"

"Nu-huh," I grinned. "This is my new favorite picture ever. I'm going to treasure it forever. I'll have it engraved on my gravestone."

"Delete it!" Cinder made a grab for my phone.

"Never!" I held it out of reach. "This is art! This belongs in a museum!"

"Give me that phone!" She lunged for it, tackling me onto the bed.

We wrestled for the phone, both laughing now. Her wings flared with playful colors as she tried to pin me down and grab the device.

"Children!" Lady Nova's voice called from downstairs. "Breakfast is getting cold!"

We froze, suddenly aware of our position - Cinder straddling me on her bed, both of us disheveled and breathless from laughing.

I didn't let her escape, shoving her down and digging into her wrists with the power of all of my hexasuits. I leaned towards her ear.

"My name is Martin Kilborne," I whispered. "Now you know my dark and terrible secret. Never utter it again or I will send that pic of you to everyone you know."

I released her.

"I... I already knew," she admitted quietly, climbing off me.

"I knew that you knew," I shot back. "There's a webcam inside my bag. I have tricked you into taking a very derp photo. Mwa ha ha."

"WHAT?!" She rounded on me with a growl of white fangs, her wings flaring with indignant reds and angry oranges, feathered tail lashing. "You cheeky, little..."

I immediately jumped away, making a scared face. I shifted my posture, shoulders slumping, eyes down, making myself look smaller - the perfect picture of smol, vulnerable prey.

That's it. Take the bait, predator.

Cinder's Omnid instincts kicked in exactly as expected. Her wings spread wide, feathers shifting through hunting purples and aggressive reds as she launched herself off the bed with deadly grace to tackle me.

I waited until the last possible second, then exploded into motion. Seventeen hexasuits activated in perfect sync as I pushed off the floor, leaping sideways out of the way in a practiced parkour move. Cinder's momentum carried her straight into the walk-in closet, and I kicked the door shut behind her with a satisfying click.

"Got you!" I declared triumphantly, bracing my foot against the door as she rattled the handle. "Now, if you want to chase me down to give me a well-deserved smack, you have to actually get dressed first."

"YOU!" Angry Quetzi noises emerged from the closet door.

"The fluffy robe is cute and all but its not very aerodynamic," I commented. "Flaps in the wind and whatnot."

"I'm going to murder you!" She threatened, but I could hear hangers being violently moved around inside the closet.

"Promises, promises," I sang. "But first - clothes! Unless you want to chase me through the house in your fluffy bathrobe and accidentally flash me or your brother?"

"ARGH!" More angry hangers rattling. "Just you wait!"

"I'll be downstairs having pancakes," I called through the door. "Try to wear something that matches your murderous intent!"

I heard what sounded like a shoe hitting the door as I made my retreat.

The hallway was empty as I headed downstairs, following the smell of breakfast. Lady Nova was humming to herself in the kitchen, her feathers shifting through happy pinks as she flipped pancakes.

"Good morning!" she beamed as I entered. "I hope you slept well? Did you manage to convince Cassie to join us?"

"She's getting dressed," I replied with a polite smile. "I believe she'll be down shortly."

Lance was already at the table, demolishing a stack of pancakes with impressive efficiency. Lenora sat beside him, carefully cutting her pancakes into precise triangles while chattering about her stuffed animals' latest tea party drama.

"Mr. Snuggles was being very rude," she informed me seriously as I sat down. "He wouldn't share his crumpets with Lady Whiskertons at all!"

"How scandalous," I replied with equal seriousness. "Perhaps Mr. Snuggles needs lessons in proper tea party etiquette."

"That's what I said!" Lenora nodded vigorously, her black fur ruffling. "But then he got into a fight with Sir Pawington over the last scone and knocked over the tea set!"

"Sounds like quite the social disaster," I commented, accepting a plate of pancakes from Lady Nova. "Thank you, ma'am. These look amazing."

"OH!" Lenora's yellow eyes suddenly lit up. "Are you gonna be Cassie's boyfriend? Cus she needs one really bad. She's super grumpy all the time!"

Lance choked on his pancakes.

"Lenoralynne!" Lady Nova scolded, her feathers shifting through embarrassed pinks. "That's not an appropriate comment for breakfast!"

"But mooooom," Lenora whined. "She's always so mean and angry! Maybe if she had a boyfriend she'd stop being such a..." She made air quotes with her black slender finger-paws, "Raging dumpster fire of..."

"LENY!" Lady Nova's feathers bristled with shock. "Language!"

"Sorry... not sorry," Lenora huffed, whispering the last bit out of her Hearth-mom's earshot.

Rapid footsteps thundered down the stairs, and Cinder burst into the dining room like an avenging angel. She was wearing an oversized white and blue, matching sweater featuring Aztec blue patterns, gray hex-mesh leggings and grey boots.

All eyes snapped to her, taking in her unusually light-colored outfit and the way her feathers were shifting through greens, violets, golds, reds and pinks. I could practically hear Lance's jaw dropping to the floor.

"Wow," I breathed out, my heartbeat accelerating into the stratosphere.

Cinder blushed even brighter, her feathery mane sending a rainbow cascading around her head and she kneaded her hands together, looking off to the side.

"Oh, starshine... You're actually wearing the sweater I got you for See-Mass!" Lady Nova's feathers shifted through delighted pinks as she brought her hands together. "You look..."

"LIKE A PROPER LADY!" Lenora declared. "Instead of a scary goth monster! I had my doubts, but maybe Alex can fix you! Make you less stabby! Ooh, are you guys gonna kiss and make babies next?"

"LENY!" Everyone at the table shouted in unison.

"What?" The young Black Shuck blinked innocently. "Mom says Cassie needs to find a nice boy and settle down before she becomes a crazy cat lady with too many Kitlix!"

"Lenny! I did NOT say that!" Lady Nova protested.

"Maybe it was my Prima-mom," Lenora shrugged. "The point stands. The jury has spoken. The perpetrator shall be sentenced to LURVE!" Lenora declared dramatically pointing her fork at Cinder.

Cinder looked like she was about to melt through the floor, on the verge of bolting. I got out off my chair and practically dragged her to the seat next to me.

"Pancakes," I declared firmly, pushing a plate in front of her. "The universal solution to all problems. Eat now, murder me later."

Cinder dug into her plate, not looking at anyone.

Lenora settled back into her seat with a smug, satisfied look of absolute victory.

"So Alex," Lance spoke up, clearly trying to change the subject. "Are you excited about Delving class? It's going to be your first practical session today, right?"

"Yepperoni," I nodded, demolishing my plate. "Going to need your help."

"With what?" Lance asked.

"Legal paperwork and oversight," I said. "I'll need to stop at the Stuco office and print out some stuff. Plus I'd like to borrow delving gear on the account that I'm on 'The orphan of Unfortunate Events' scholarship."

"Paperwork?" Lance blinked. "Delving gear? It's the start of the semester, so you won't be going into a dungeon... I expect that..."

"Lance," I said. "Em said she's going to pulverize me today. So, unless you want your sister needlessly skipping classes to incarnate me..."

I let my words hang in the air, Cinder tensing up beside me like a coiled spring.

Lance pursed his lips. "Fine." He let out. "You can borrow one of my first year sets. It might... fit you."

"Oh my, your first delve, how exciting!" Anitta commented, trying to lighten the mood. "I remember the first time I went to Arx with Nathy... He was so shy back then." She giggled to herself.

"Not quite a delve yet," Lance explained to his mother. "First day of winter semester is always something basic like a trip to the Shandrian market. It's relatively safe - lots of guards, wards, and established merchants. Perfect for delvers to get a feel for Arx without too much risk. A full diving gear really shouldn't be needed."

"I'm throwing a big wrench into the works," I said. "I'd like to borrow ALL of your diving gear."

"What?" Lance blinked at me. "But... that stuff burns through mana like crazy. What level are you? You'll need hundreds if not thousands of mana points to power even basic defensive gear. Unlike generic hexasuits, the armor draws power not just from beast cores, it also pulls energy from the body of the wilder."

"Don't worry about my mana situation," I waved him off. "The equipment isn't just for me-I'm forming a new delving team of five and I'll need them armed and ready for some basic drill-work."

"A new... team?" Lance blinked. "On your first day? Drills?!"

"Gotta snatch em up while they're still hot," I grinned.

"And who exactly are these potential team members?" Lance asked.

"You'll see," I said mysteriously, finishing my pancakes.

"But you can't just..." Lance started to protest.

"Lance," I fixed him with a serious look. "Remember what we discussed last night? This isn't for me-this is what needs to be done for you-know-who."

The teenage Dover Demon's mouth snapped shut. He nodded slowly. "Right. Very well."

I could feel Cinder's eyes burning the side of my head. Lenora's yellow eyes danced between me, Cinder and Lance with great curiosity trying to asses the situation. The little hound was definitely growing up to be as dangerous and as clever as her mother. I'd have to buy her something nice on Arx to stay in her good graces.

"Wonderful!" Lady Nova beamed. "It's so nice to see young people taking initiative! And Lance, it's very kind of you to help Alexander get started!"

"Indeed," I nodded sagely. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we should head to school. Lots of preparation to do before class."

"Of course, dear," Anitta fluttered. "Oh, and Alexander? Feel free to come back for dinner. Like I told you yesterday, you're always welcome here!"

"Thank you, ma'am," I bowed slightly. "Your hospitality is greatly appreciated."

We headed out to Lance's personal workshop behind the mansion, Cinder trailed behind us.

"Here we are," Lance announced, unlocking a heavy door covered in protective runes. The workshop was impressive - walls lined with delving gear, magitek artifacts, and various pieces of armor. A large workbench dominated the center, covered in half-finished projects and repair tools.

"Here," Lance pulled out what looked like an armored backpack. "Dimensional storage bag. Should hold everything you need. It's 2x2 meters on the inside."

"Right," I said. "I'm going to need everything. Help me load up the bag."

"...Everything?" Lance sputtered.

"Everything you're not wearing yourself for your own delves," I nodded. "I don't know what each of my teammates will need amplified yet. Whatever I won't need, I'll bring back tonight. Sounds good? Ci - start packing those swords."

I pushed Cinder towards the weapons. She obeyed, filling her arms and then climbing into the bag, throwing me incredibly suspicious glances.

"Everything?" Lance sputtered. "But... why would you need..."

I leaned in close to Lance's face, dropping my voice to a whisper that Cinder couldn't hear us from within the bag.

"Your sister is on my team. You know how she is with armor. She's going to be VERY difficult, but I want her extra-safe today cus of the D&D breakup and Em's threats. If everyone on my team is wearing your equipment, she might actually put on some armor too through peer pressure. Whatever we won't need for further drill practice, I'll obviously bring back tonight."

Lance's eyes widened with understanding, then narrowed with fierce determination. Without another word, he began pulling gear off the walls - reinforced armor pieces, shield generators, amplifiers, emergency gate scrolls, healing potions, everything a delver might need. Everything far, far above my level.

With three sets of arms we quickly emptied the entire workshop.

. . .

Lance's Strand-Glider was an exceptionally swank, overpriced Omnid top-of-the-line vehicle. Technically classified as a "living transport" by Omnithean bureaucracy, it was a bio-mechanical marvel of flying manta ray breeding, complete with bonemesh seats at the top and hexamesh 6x wing cover membrane that unfurled to let us inside and covered us up like a shimmering dome.

I stared at the unusual interior like an absolute tourist, craning my head left and right.

Lance chuckled. "First time in a Strand-Glider?"

"Ye," I let out.

"This is Lancer," Lance said proudly, patting the dashboard. "He's a skyray that's been bread specifically for high speed inner-city gliding."

"Hol' up," I said. "Did you name your glider Lancer?"

"Course he did," Cinder commented from her seat beside me, rolling her ocean-blue eyes. "Yes, it's literally just his name with an 'r' added at the end. Peak originality of a twelve-year-old right there."

"Shush you," Lance said. "The Lancer expects respect from his passengers."

"This is why I ride with Io," Cinder groaned.

The Strand-Glider's membrane rippled as Lance pulled back his hair, closed his eyes and connected a shimmering, tentacle thing to the side of his head. Then he leaned on the seat and closed his eyes. With a graceful movement, the flying manta ray spread its massive wings and launched into the morning sky.

Unlike Iogann's interdimensional van, the Strand-Glider's flight was smooth and nearly silent. The hexamesh dome above us was semi-clear, offering a panoramic view of Leviathan's Cradle and the sky overhead as we soared over the city.

The Strand-Glider banked smoothly towards the cliffs and slowed down next to a giant, moss-covered skull hanging from the side of a cliffside mountain featuring flame motifs painted on the door.

"Picking up Christi?" Cinder asked, sounding resigned.

"She is my girlfriend," Lance replied without opening his eyes, still deep in his mental connection with the living vehicle. "Unless you forgot."

Christi emerged from her skull-house moments later, running along the hanging fire-bamboo bridge, her pink-orange flames burning brightly in the morning light. She was wearing her usual pink suit and dress combo.

"Morning Lancy!" she called out cheerfully as the membrane lifted to let her in. Her flames flickered slightly when jumped into the shotgun seat next to Lance and spotted Cinder and me. "Oh! Hi guys!"

Cinder looked like she wanted to melt into her seat as Christi stared at her white sweater with wide eyes.

"Is that... a WHITE See-Mass sweater?" Christi's flames flickered brighter. "Wow! I love it! Cass..."

"Don't. Call. Me. Cass." Cinder ground out.

"Sorry, I'm just excited to see you wearing something that's not a funeral color," the torch-girl bobbed.

"Shut up," Cinder growled. "I'm ignoring you."

She turned towards the membrane-window.

I sent Christi a wink, answering her look and the Pink Chancellor's flame sent sparks dancing across her shoulders as she squeed internally, pleased that her machinations have worked out so well.

The rest of the car ride went a bit awkward with Christi chattering away.

As the Strand-Glider landed in the designated sky-beast parking area, I was already whisper-strategizing with Yulia in Kaska.

The student office was relatively empty this early in the morning - perfect timing. I pulled out a portable hard drive and plugged it into the computer, my fingers flying across the keyboard.

"Are you printing an entire library?" Cinder commented sarcastically, watching page after page emerge from the printer. "What could possibly require this many trees to die?"

"Insurance," I replied smoothly, gathering the stack of forms.

I pulled out five identical forms, sliding one towards each of the present student council members seated around the office. Christi, being the most eager, grabbed hers immediately and started reading.

Her pink-orange flames flickered with curiosity as she scanned the document. Within seconds, she looked up. "Wait. You're planning to file an infarction against a teacher? With our help? What?"

"An infraction against the crimes of Instructor Zalimar Evernacht," I said.

"I wasn't aware that Instructor Zalimar committed any crimes against you," Quint's skull-like face turned my way.

"Not yet," I said. "But he will soon. I'll send the video to all of you at such time and then you'll sign the form. When you do, take a photo and Omnigram me the form. Sounds good?"

The Wendigo student council president, leaned forward. "And what exactly are these forms for?"

"Insurance," I repeated, sliding the documents across the table. "In case something goes wrong during today's Delving class."

"You're that certain that something will go wrong?" Quint asked.

"Absolutely," I said.

Quint's amber eyes narrowed, studying me intently. "Explain."

I pulled out my phone, displaying the compilation video. "Emerald Stratos has made multiple public threats against me. She's specifically stated her intention to harm me. These forms are simply a bit of a preemptive legal protection measure."

"I'll talk to Em," Quint said with a weary sigh after Emerald uttered her 20th 'nullie!'. "Besides that, these forms are specifically mentioning Koshei Zalimar Evernacht as the perpetrator."

"Quint," I said. "I'm not planning to bother Em at all, but if she or one of her friends murders me and Instructor Zalimar ignores it, then simply sign this form. Good?"

Quint studied me for a long moment with what was possibly a calculating look. The other student council members - Christi, Lance, and a couple of other reps watched the exchange with varying degrees of interest, curiosity and concern.

"Fine," Quint finally said. "But if this turns out to be some elaborate prank..."

"Quint," I said. "I know that you're dating and protecting Em and this isn't against her. If you DO not sign the form when Zalimar messes with me, your position as student pres will be done."

"A bold threat," Quint's hissed, eyes flaring dangerously within his skull. "Especially from a new student."

"Not a threat," I smiled. "A prophecy. You're a Wendigo. You can smell the truth of my words. The student bullying at this school has gone on long enough. I'm going to end your career if you get in my way. I know you're going to get in my way. I know you're going to cover up what happens today. You're between a rock and a hard place. You have a choice to make today. Either you act like the Student President or you act like Em's boyfriend and resign."

Quint's shuddered slightly as he inhaled.

"You..." he started.

"Will be attacked today by Instructor Zalimar," I finished for him. "And you will either sign that form when it happens, or your political career at this school ends.

"In the meantime," I continued, pulling out another stack of papers, "I need to register a new delving team."

"A what?" Quint blinked, momentarily thrown off balance by the sudden topic change.

"I love you," I said, sliding the registration forms across the table. "Five members. Full legal paperwork already filled out. Just needs your signature as student council president."

"'I love you'!? What kind of a... delve team name is that? It sounds ridiculous," Quint sputtered, completely derailed sideways. "You're not even a registered delver yet. You can't form a team without completing basic training and certification!"

"Already done," I pulled out more paperwork - certificates bearing Father Matthias' signature and church seal. "I completed my certification through the Triumvirate Cathedral's youth program last month. All perfectly legal and documented. Check your phone Father Matthias should have emailed you about it yesterday."

Cinder choked from where she was sitting.

Quint's amber eyes narrowed as he checked his phone. Sure enough, there was an email from Father Matthias, complete with all the proper documentation and timestamps.

"This is..." he started then fell silent reviewing the documents.

"You still need parent or guardian approval for team formation," Quint pointed out after a deep pause. "And qualified sponsors."

"Already taken care of," I said, sliding another form to him. "Father Matthias is my guardian in Omnithornia. Lady Nova will be handling my sponsorship."

"Lady Nova?" Quint's sputtered. "Justice Nova's wife?"

"Indeed," I smiled pleasantly. "She's quite supportive of proper, supervised delving activities. Much better than unsanctioned summoning shows, wouldn't you agree? Anyways, my paperwork is in order, so make with the signing."

Quint twitched as he studied the forms. "Cassiopeia Nova, Katherine Kells, Iogann Wanderer, and Vespera Simmi," he muttered reading out loud. "Hrmm. I haven't seen any indication that these members have agreed to join your team," he noted, tapping the form with a claw.

"They will," I said confidently. "I've already arranged everything."

"Everything?" Quint demanded. "Including getting Katherine Kells to agree to join a delving team? The same Katherine who hasn't participated in any school activities in years?"

"Yes," I nodded. "The very same. Look, I gotta meet them in like 5 minutes. Sign the damn form, before Cass and I are late to class."

"Very well," Quint signed the form with a flourish. "I hope you know what you're doing."

"I always know what I'm doing," I replied, gathering up the forms.