Save State Hero 3 -ch 3-

Chapter 3

Edmund popped into the tunnel of Save-states.

Almost reflexively he looked around to make sure that Andrea’s soul wasn’t here.

Somehow the maddeningly random Beastkin had managed to get herself stuck in a space between worlds. Wondering from Save-State to Save-State all while never quite suffering further issues and yet remaining somewhere Edmund could save her.

Because that was Andrea and her strange luck.

Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, Edmund felt better for it.

Canceling the Save-state he found himself standing in a street.

He was standing next to a car and on the other side of it was Dot.

Down the road was Alina, a young female that was and wasn’t a vampire at the same time.

“I… what? I feel so… oh? Oh. Oh!” Dot muttered, shaking her head several times. Then she turned to look at Edmund and laughed. “Wow, we came much further back this time. That’s wild.”

Glancing at the sorceress, Edmund still wasn’t thrilled at the fact that she now was aware of their movements. Having taking cues from what Claire had done, Dot had rewritten and modified a number of spells to track herself down, via Edmund.

Or Claire had directly told her which was entirely possible.

Dot was now her own personal system of notes because she could give herself any information she wanted.

Standing up from the person she had just subdued, Alina put herself in full view, her eyes immediately tracked to Edmund. Her black-hair fluttered about her and her green-eyed and heavy stare was locked to him in a way that he recognized.

She was currently processing all the blood she continuously took from him, that apparently traveled with him, from Save-state to Save-state.

Right now, she was dressed in office attire that didn’t do much to hide her extremely eye catching figure or beautiful features. Most clothes didn’t do anything other than mark her out as being part of the one-percent of the population of insanely attractive people.

Then she blinked, smiled at him, and moved away from the person she had knocked flat. Moving straight toward him unerringly.

“This is quite a bit further back than normal,” Alina said and came to a stop in front of him.

He knew what she wanted and it would just speed up her ability to understand what was going on.

“In the car,” he said and gestured at it. “I’ll stick my arm across the seat behind Dot. Alright? We need to go finish things up and get on over to that stupid registration mission.”

“Of course, Teddy,” purred Alina, the smile on her face making her almost impossible to look away from.

“Are we all calling him Teddy at this point? It feels like it,” Dot remarked as she settled back into the passenger seat of the car, while Edmund got in the driver’s seat.

“I think so. I just really like how it sounds,” Alina offered as she quickly got into the car behind Dot. “Do you want to call Ellie or me? Whoever doesn’t get Ellie should get Iren.”

“Wait… where’s… Harper?” Dot asked and looked around.

“Waiting for me back at Legion,” Edmund answered and turned the car into gear. “She didn’t come with in this timeline because she didn’t know better.”

“Oh. Alright,” Dot said and pulled out her phone. “I’ll get Ellie and Harper. You get Iren. She listens to you better on first contact.”

“Sure, but I’ll need five minutes,” Alina answered as Edmund stuck his arm into the back of the car. She took his wrist between her hands, turned it around, then bit down into his flesh. Looking incredibly pleased with herself.

“Ah, yeah. I forgot about that. If I can handle all three I will,” Dot offered as she tapped at the screen.

This almost goes too well anymore.

So well that it’d be difficult without them doing this now.

Edmund got them moving.

He had a registration mission to finish as quickly as he could.

***

Walking through the open portal that left the mission area, Edmund was exhausted.

Wiped out completely.

He had genuinely forgotten how rough the registration mission had gone and how often he had been forced to save and reload to get things perfectly.

Thankfully it’d gone much easier with Alina, Dot, and Ellie there to help him change outcomes.

Harper had managed to get killed more than a few times, causing him to restart.

Iren hadn’t gotten killed at all.

In fact, she had performed better this time around than she had originally.

“I hate that one,” grumbled Ellie, trooping along behind him.

“Me, too. It was pretty disgusting but… it could be worse,” Dot offered.

Edmund couldn’t argue that point.

It wasn’t as bad as killing Faith, his friends, or the heroes of Runner’s side.

Edmund was glad that Dot had been the one to open their portal. It meant she’d put them somewhere they could talk without concern or worry.

In fact, it looked like she had put them into his apartment with Harper, rather than Legion. It was just rather dark to see anywhere in the living room.

“We’re clear,” Dot stated from behind him.

“Oh thank goodness,” Ellie said and went straight to the couch as the lights turned on.

Edmund could only chalk up the fact that he hadn’t realized it was home to his being so very tired. Because it was so obvious now that he felt very stupid.

“This damn suit-and this helmet-especially the horrid waist guard,” grunted out Ellie as she started working at the armor she was wearing. “None of it fits me! I’m going through my Dryad change and none of it, fits me!”

Hurling down the pieces of armor one after another Ellie quickly made a pile of them. In the process she was putting on more than a bit of a show for everyone. Her skin and skimpy undergarments making an appearance right there in the middle of the living room.

“I love being bite-sized for Eddy but this armor is ridiculous! Because the last time I wore this, it was before my body started my Dryad change!” barked Ellie and threw down the upper leg guards. Only to stand up straight, look to Edmund and blow out a breath.

She was wearing a pair of panties, a sports bra, and the lower guards as well as boots.

That was it.

Being barely five foot, an over-developed bust, narrow waist, and wide hips, did indeed make her look a lot like Faith. Ellie had a body-shape that was better than Alina’s even.

With her standing there in almost nothing she looked incredible.

Her black hair that fell away from her head in waves that almost looked curled was a touch wild, which was expected given it’d been stuffed up in a helmet. The blue-black sheen to it was a bit more visible given it was slightly damp.

Her green eyes were glued to Edmund and stuck to him at the moment.

“Oh look at you go, Ellie-babe!” Iren cheered, walking straight through the living room and toward the kitchen. “You’re in your ‘ready for Eddy’ getup before even I am. You can have the first go of it, just clean him up for me.

“You always leave an earthy smell behind on him and while I don’t mind it, actually I gotta admit I kinda like it, but anyways… I don’t mind it but it does make me jealous.

“Do we have beer in this Save-state, Per? Should I go buy some if not?”

Iren vanished into the kitchen.

Ellie’s eyes went from a normal piercing green, to a bright glowing green. As if they were lit from within.

A very obvious and clear sign that Ellie had just had her brain, sex drive, and hormones get dumped into a quagmire only Dryad’s could experience. Likely filled to the brim with needs because of what Iren had said.

Ellie blinked, turned, then began walking toward the bedroom without a word.

She didn’t take her eyes off Edmund though and he felt like an animal was stalking him until she left.

“Was… was that her wanting you to follow her, or was that look the ‘stay here’ one,” Harper mused, slumping down into the couch. “Because I honestly couldn’t tell the difference.”

“Stay here, look,” reported Adeena appearing from the bathroom. She hopped over the back of the couch and then held out what looked to be a bowl of pork rinds and a green and white brightly colored can. “She needs some time to herself. Teddy-Eddy will go get her later, but only after she gets a chance to shake off the embarrassment.

“Our sweet Ellie is a true blue maiden at heart. She’ll be mortified for days that you all saw her semi-naked.”

“Adeena you’re a magician,” whispered Harper, taking the bowl and the already opened soda from her. She sounded incredibly thankful.

“Of course, Per. You’re my bestie,” Adeena stated and promptly laid her head on Harper’s shoulder. “Ellie has Iren, Alina and Dot have one another now.”

“What about Eddy?” Dot asked, moving over to the recliner. She had stripped herself out of her armor and was now in a set of underclothes that could double as pajamas.

“He has all of us. Though I know who his favorite is, but I can’t tell you,” Adeena said in a loud whisper that reminded him of Andrea. “Also, we cannot let Edmund go to Legion tomorrow. Tomorrow is when Andrea normally runs him down and introduces him to Lane. She’s a Beastkin and ends up somehow wriggling herself into the group.

“No more harem members. It’s just us for now. This is our harem.”

“Harem,” Alina said, taking the love-seat directly neat to where Dot had slumped into the recliner.

“I mean… he already sleeps with more than one of us in the same day. Is there another term for it?” asked Adeena, not moving away from Harper. Who was even now eating, just listening to everyone talk. “Don’t think about it, Dev. It goes easier. Just ask him to come sit next to you and have a snack. You’ll feel better.”

Alina’s head turned and looked to Edmund.

He’d been working at his armor all this while.

“Yeah, yeah, you can snack, Dev, just one second,” he admitted. He would never turn her away.

He had nearly lost her once and he wasn’t about to risk it again.

The warm and loving smile that morphed Alina’s face was worth telling her yes.

“Now, our next plan, yes?” Adeena prompted. “Seville and Leila. Which really means Vince. Yes? Yes, yes? Yes, no, yes?”

“Yeah,” confirmed Edmund, getting his boots off. Once clear of his armor he walked over to where Alina was on the love-seat and flopped down next to her. He held his wrist up to her mouth. “That’s what we agreed on. How do we do it? What’s our plan?

“I feel like our best bet is to wait till after Ryker dies and gather information. See what we can piece together of it all.

“We can assume some things would change with Ryker not dying but still, information can’t hurt. Right?”

Alina promptly bit down on his wrist after grabbing it with both hands. Then slowly tipped to one side and stuck her head on Edmund’s shoulder in a way that nearly mimicked Adeena and Harper.

“That’s a good idea, I love it!” called Iren from the kitchen. “Teddy, bringing you a beer. Anything else for anyone else?”

“No. That sounds good, thanks,” he answered and looked at Alina. The vampire met his eyes, smiled around his wrist, and shook her head slightly. It wasn’t like she could answer. “Alright then… well… thoughts?”

“I mean, it makes sense. Do I run off now when Ryker dies?” Dot asked, a strange looking fluttering across her face.

“Uhm, honestly we haven’t tested it since I saved you,” admitted Edmund. “Though you have set up those spells to protect yourself from Zeus’ influence. They’re still active, right?”

“Yes. I can feel them. I’ve reworked them a few times with Claire,” admitted Dot. “I included notes on what I did. Though you’re really becoming somewhat of a magical warehouse.”

“Right? So many weird bits and bobs in there now. Even my bond to him is getting weird,” Iren said with a laugh, walking back into the room. She was carrying four beers, two in each hand. She was also wearing just a pair of underwear and a sports bra again. “I figured since Ellie had gotten into her ‘ready for Eddy’ wear I should, too.”

Iren plunked herself down next to Edmund, just about squeezing him up into Alina’s side as well as her own.

She held one of the four beers out to him and set the other three down in front of herself.

Her left arm then went around Edmund and Alina both as she took a swig from it. Her feet coming up to rest against the coffee table in the next moment.

“It’s… getting weird?” asked Harper, looking concerned.

“Mm, yeah. Nothing wrong with it, just weird. I know where he is at all times and I’ve been getting stronger and faster,” Iren clarified and shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not complaining, it’s just something different and Eddy wanted us to point out anything odd.”

“Yes, please. Anything out of the ordinary. I’ve been seeing more and more weird one offs that don’t match to changes,” admitted Edmund. “Anyways… we push up to where we lose Ryker, then talk to Seville, then Vince, and figure out where Leila went. That sound about right?”

“I’m good with it,” Dot said with a nod of her head. “It’ll be good to confirm I’m free, too.”

“Its a reasonable plan,” Harper began and looked a bit concerned. “I want to reinforce Dot’s magic hold over herself before we go. Maybe have Claire give her one more once over. From what everyone’s said, it was rather difficult to rescue our resident princess.”

“Sorry, sorry, I swear I’m worth it,” Dot said with a wave of her hand and a grin for Harper.

“I mean, I’m just there to be a mount for my little snookums here,” Iren said in a saccharine sweet way, followed by a chuckle. Only to lean over and rub a horn against his head. “It’s fine by me.”

Alina held up her left hand and gave a thumbs up, not releasing Edmund’s wrist.

“And what about our Oracle?” Edmund asked now that everyone had agreed, looking to Adeena. “Dearest dear, my Fate and my fate, my only Adenna, what say you? What can you offer us?”

“For you, my all, Eddy-Teddy, dearest dear, my only love,” whispered Adeena in a strange strangled hiss. It sounded like she was trying to swallow her tongue. “Your Fate and your fate think it’s a good plan, but she can’t be there. She shouldn’t exist in that space.

“Can’t exist.

“She should never go there for any reason or everything might fracture. Fracture and break, torn apart, a true loss of fate.

“Shatter and crackle and flutter and pop.

“I-her… she… it’ll be okay, I think. I’m sorry I can’t be there. I shouldn’t exist as it is.”

Harper had set down her soda at some point and reached up with that hand to lightly run it through Adeena’s hair.

“Nor was I, remember? We were both brought here by Edmund,” Harper said soothingly. “We belong just as much as anyone else. Stop fussing over it.”

“Mmmkay,” agreed Adeena, her eyes darting around to everyone in the room, before she snapped her eyes shut tight. Her eyelids crinkling as if she were closing her eyes with all the force she could.

“Well, there we go then. We’ll head over to Legion tomorrow, get Ellie some new armor, throw together requests for the Ryker fight, and get ready. It usually happens pretty quick after this point.

“Ryker contacting Alina and Dot that is.”

“You’re not going out on a date this time!” Ellie called from the other room. “We have just a little bit of extra time because of that. We can just meet up at the meetup point and go from there!”

“She’s not ready yet,” wheezed Adeena. Her eyes still scrunched up tight. “Not yet, Teddy-Eddy, dearest dear. Not yet, not yet. Soon, soon.

“But not there. Don’t put it there. She won’t like it today. No, no. Iren would, yes. Today is the day.

“Drunk. Drunk, dragon. That’s the key.”

“I have no idea what you’re seeing Adeena, but I’m right here and none of us have left yet,” Iren said with a firmness that brought the whole room into an oddly tense moment.

Adeena’s eyes flicked open and she stared at the Dragon.

Then she slowly grinned.

“Yes! You’re right. Thank you, Iren. If Harper wasn’t my bestie, you’d be my bestie. You’re too easy going though and can’t handle me very well as often as Harper,” Adeena apologized.

“Pssssh, I’ve got enough on my plate with my Dryad and my snookums here,” answered Iren, finishing her first beer off and setting it to the side. She picked up the second and snapped the cap off it with ease. “Honestly I’ll help however I can but I don’t think I could give you what you need.”

“Okay, there’s our plan. For now, we relax,” Edmund stated.

“There’s… a smashed hairball on your foot, Iren,” Harper muttered in a strange way.

“Ugh, really? I thought I just stepped in a puddle,” complained the Dragon, lifting her foot up and looking at the underside. “Man… Dog has got some hilariously great placement for those.”

Smiling to himself, Edmund memorized the joy and camaraderie of the moment.

It felt incredibly warm to him.

Iren flicked a finger at the hairball and it came off her foot and hit the ground with a “thup” noise.

“Ewww… Iren… really? I work hard to keep this place clean,” complained Harper, her hand still going through Adeena’s hair.

“I’ll pick it up when I get up, promise. Along with my empties,” Iren said, leaning back into the love-seat again. “It’s not like I knew what it was. I’m a big girl and I’m heavy. Anything I step on ends up flat.

“Even those fucking little sharp builder bricks. They flatten out, too”

“Wait… did you step on my build?” Edmund asked, looking at Iren. “It was broken this morning.”

“Uh… so… hey, about that thing that was above the bed. The weird car looking thing. Remember when we got really into it the other day?” Iren began, grinning at him. “And I was kinda throwing my horns around? Yeah… about that thump you heard…”