White noise filled the inside of the car and the occupants waited for the phantom to begin her story. Sunny glanced at Locke and nodded gently. Locke rubbed his stiff shoulders as he drove them out of the lot. The Musbang purred as he navigated the streets on his way back to the highway. The asphalt lit up from the twin moons shining from the car. Rain began to pelt the road and metallic roof of the sportscar.
Sunny turned back to face Yuna in the backseat. "If at any point you want us to take you home and forget this ever happened, just say the word." Sunny's tired eyes awaited a response.
Yuna turned her head to look at the rain roll down the window. After a little bit she swiveled her head to look at Stella with crossed arms. She remained silent for a few minutes before speaking.
"Okay," said Yuna. Her posture opened up as she relaxed. "I'm ready for this."
Stella's chest raised as she took a deep breath. Her voice rang through the speakers.
"These are the things I remember before I was murdered. I live…well, I lived in the apartment complex Sunny purchased. I worked at Cornwell's Candy Factory a few blocks over. The pay wasn't the best, but it was enough. I often worked overtime so I could save some PP. The days I wasn't working at the factory, I worked as a Private Investigator for hire. I was a novice, but I had been hired a few times and I did good work. Sure it wasn't always the best of gigs but the pay was astronomically better than what I got at the factory. I knew the risks associated with my decision to spend extra hours at the factory. I'd stayed in the district for a couple years, and all residents of Oldhaven know about the kinds of things that can happen if you are out and about at night. Regardless, I did what I had to do. One night after I got written up at work I received a letter from an anonymous benefactor, they offered to pay me an outrageous amount of PP. All I had to do was get some information on a new serial killer. The now dubbed Frankenstein Slasher. I had done some digging and learned that a couple of bodies had been discovered mangled…but at the time I never dreamed I would be one of them."
***
Stella took a look at her wristwatch and tutted at the time. I'm already pushing my luck, but what's a girl to do? Pondering as she wandered the grim streets of Oldhaven. Litter clung to the alleys and nocturnal animals fought amongst themselves for scraps as she scurried by alleys with little to no lighting. Wish there was a taxi out. Not like I could afford one. She shifted her eyes to the shadows behind obstacles inspecting them for movement.
Performing a one eighty upon hearing the sound of footsteps approaching from behind, she squinted into the night. The smell of rotting food and garbage filled her nostrils and the sound of sirens reached her ears. But her eyes caught no sign of life.
Stella continued towards her destination. I just want to go home. She kept on walking, passing dim streetlight after streetlight. They seemed to be winking at her ominously as she crossed them. I must be overworked. I'll just drop the overtime starting tomorrow. Once I cash in on that one job I won't have to worry for a long time. Her heart elated for a moment as she saw a couple emerge from the shadows ahead of her.
They were young, like Stella. But unlike her they were enjoying the benefits of a healthy love life. With the way they clung to each other the shadows made it appear as though they were a beast with four legs. Stella shook her head knocking the hallucination from her vision.
Nope. Just two disgusting love birds. Must be nice. Stella's jealousy was fleeting. Even though her apartment wasn't far off she could feel her legs grow heavier with every step. Did the factory move? I feel like I've been walking for hours. The couple passed Stella and she felt a shiver go down her spine once they were out of sight. The nape of her neck glistened with sweat, reflecting the now aggressively blinking streetlamps. Stella fought back tears as the sound of footsteps once more crashed into the asphalt behind her. A primal feeling caused her hair on her body to stand on its ends. Goosebumps lined her skin like scales of a basilisk. Run. Run. Run. Run. She could only hear the sound of her heart pumping as she dashed towards her home. Don't look back. Her senses screamed at her, forcing her to remain conscious. With each step she could feel the air grow thicker with malice.
A "person" from behind her let out a dry laugh that raked at Stella's nerves. Her stomach flopped and her eyes became misty. Her lips quivered as she fought against the lump in her throat. She finally broke when a voice called out from behind her.
"Oh my Stella. Don't run Stella!"
She faltered and fell to her knees, the street lights around her blacked out. Her sobbing was cut short by the sensation of something grabbing her by the neck. Her face was distorted as her scream pierced through the night. She whimpered when she felt the pavement meet her back. The thing that had been chasing her was upon her, too afraid to look she squeezed her eyelids shut. Before she knew it her legs were split from each other and brought up the sides of her body. Pain exploded behind her hips as her legs were forced into rotating in place.
A cold object plunged into Stella's chest grabbing ahold of something within her. Her eyes wrenched open at terror as they tried to comprehend what was happening.
Dry your tears Stella Brightheart. The thing was an average sized man. His arm was fishing around inside her chest cavity. She was unable to do anything. I'm really going to die. Stella felt her body going cold as it lost all of its strength. The man's silver eye's pierced through Stella's. He had a mask covering his mouth and nose but she could tell he was smiling as tears fell from his eyes.
In the final moment of Stella's life she watched as the man jerked his hand back, ripping her heart from her chest.
"That is all I remember about that night, I woke up on the streets of Oldhaven a while after. I didn't know what I was at the time, a phantom. Yuna, I tell you all of this so you understand what it is I…we are asking of you. It's dangerous but The Frankenstein Slasher needs to be stopped."
The silence that followed after Stella's story was heavy. Only the sound of the road reached the party's ears.
"That's truly awful." Yuna's normally assertive voice was reduced to a whisper. "I can't begin to imagine knowing that I was going to die. How do you plan on stopping this killer?"
Locke cleared his throat.
"That is where you come in."
"Me?" She pushed her pointer finger against her chest.
"The one and only." Sunny smiled wryly. "Listen, we have no right to ask this of you. But we desperately need your help."
"Well," Yuna began, "what is the plan?"
Sunny's voice was hopeful. "I'd rather not spill the beans on a half baked plan. I'll fill you in and let you decide once it's actually finished. That being said, you'd be the key to its success."
"But meanwhile," interjected Locke, "I think you should still come with us to Vanguard HQ. Even if you choose to walk away from this situation with Stella, Vanguard could use your help."
"Okay Locke," Yuna smiled.
Locke looked in his rearview mirror. "How does tomorrow sound?"
"I'll make time for you all." Yuna said. She waited for a moment before pointing at a neon sign. "This is my stop, Locke. I'll get out here."
Locke parked the car close to the curb and Yuna waved goodbye. She looked back longingly at Sunny from a well lit staircase before going inside.
Sunny let out a breath and ran his hands through his hair.
"She lives really close to us, Sunny," Stella's voice rumbled through the speakers.
"Yeah, I guess so."
"You okay?" She asked.
"A tad sore from the battle, but I'll be fine when we get to HQ. How about you, Locke?"
Locke nodded. "Same, kiddo. My pride is hurt more than anything right now. At least Yuna seems game, sorry Stella. I know you aren't keen on getting her involved."
"No, Locke. But I realize it's probably the quickest way to end all this."
"Right," agreed Locke.
It was late at night and the streets were deserted. Locke drove steadily while Sunny leaned back in his seat, eyes closed slightly. Stella itched to reach for him, she could feel the tension from the battle draining out of his body. They had come so close to being defeated. Is this how they live their lives? Every day they wake up never knowing if it's their last. No one to thank them and no one waiting for them when they come home. I can't imagine how they have done it for so long. She looked longingly at Sunny.
Sunny's voice tore her from her thoughts. "Brilliant trick with the lightning. Sure was a shocking development. Meh. Gotta work on the one liners. You were cool back there."
Stella chuckled. "Maybe just a little workshopping will help Sunny. Although if I'm being honest I like that about you. I don't know how I did the lightning though. I was just scared that you might die."
Sunny lifted his collar to cover his ears.
"I think the A-class assessment might be just about right." Locke said after a while. His tone was somber and Stella wondered what the problem was. It almost sounded as if he was sad.
"Don't get quiet on me, Stella," said Locke, chuckling. "I must have sounded a bit scuffed there. It's just, well, I've been killing phantoms for a long time. And to have one pull such a power move like that before my eyes is hard to see."
"I kind of understand Locke. But I'll never bring harm to any of you," Stella reassured Locke.
"I know kiddo," said Locke softly. "I know."
Stella wanted to say more, convince Locke beyond a shadow of a doubt but she knew better. Today they were victorious, tomorrow they may not be. Stella listened to Sunny snore softly. I feel bad for him, Stella thought.
"We're here." Locke said a bit later, pulling into the parking lot of the church. He shook Sunny's shoulder. "Wake up, sleepy head. We're at HQ."
Sunny groaned and stretched like a cat, and Stella watched him keenly. He seemed to catch himself in the act, realizing that she was still in the car. He froze and cleared his throat.
"Err…g' mornin," His voice was groggy.
"Mornin," said Stella, grinning.
"Alright gang," said Locke, turning off the engine, "let's go."
Licht and Dr. Rose were waiting when they got to the lab.
"Whoa, were you guys in a fight?" Dr. Rose exclaimed.
"Yeah, and we won," Locke boasted. "We thought you'd want to take a look at Stella's suit."
"Oh?" said Licht, eyes full of life. "And why would you think such a thing?"
"Damn Licht I bring you a gift and this is how you respond?" A glint came from Locke's eyes. "Nevermind kids, we can just head home." Locke waved at the pair and began to leave the lab.
"No need to be in such a rush my good friend." Licht put on a pained smile and his lip twitched. "I appreciate you all for keeping us in the loop. He should get looked at anyway." Licht pointed at Sunny. Dr. Rose would you be so kind as to get these two gentlemen checked on? They appear to be banged up. I expect you will return once you set them up with someone."
"Of course, Director. I wouldn't want to miss out on the discovery."
Sunny and Locke shared a look.
"Stella?" Sunny turned for a moment. "I guess we are getting kicked out. I'll come see you as soon as I'm done, okay?"
"She's in good hands, Alldust," said Licht. "The best hands even."
"Right." Sunny rolled his eyes. Dr. Rose led Sunny and Locke away.
Stella was left alone with Licht for the first time since they met. Inspecting him carefully she hovered closer to the door.
"Don't worry Stella. I don't bite." Stella noted the honesty in his voice and came closer.
"One moment, I've been wanting to do this." He opened a small familiar box in front of Stella. "Can't communicate if I can't hear you, right?" He laughed cheerily and pushed the earbud into his left ear. "Right, let's give it a go. Say your full name, please."
"Stella Brightheart." Stella's voice was smooth.
"Fantastic! I can hear you loud and clear, Stella Brightheart. What an interesting name that is, Brightheart."
Stella smiled at Licht. He's stalling, maybe he isn't as bad as I had thought. She decided to entertain him.
"It was the name the nurse at the orphanage gave to me," she explained.
"Really? How interesting." Licht snapped a pair of gloves on obnoxiously. "It may interest you to know that I'm an orphan myself." His tone changed. "Not that I share that information often, mind you."
"Oh, I'm sorry," said Stella.
"Nothing to be sorry about, my dear. It was a long time ago and wounds turn to scars. Well, I could take a trip down memory lane about the shadiest, grimiest town you've ever seen." The mischievous look in Licht's eyes returned.
"Oldhaven?" Stella ventured.
"Oldhaven." Licht smiled wistfully.
"You say it like…you love it, miss it, even."
"I love Oldhaven as much as I hate it, Stella. I can't make sense of it. I was born there. The women at the orphanage always say I was pale as milk, and my hair was that of an old man. The kids used to tell me that demons had cursed me and that's why my eyes were the colour of blood. Even amongst the strangest of children I was an outsider."
"Bullied?" Stella listened carefully.
"Looking back, more than necessary. As a child my only crime was being quiet and lonely. I had no say or control over the way I looked. But much like you would expect I was hated and feared. I was a little too different."
"And the adults at the orphanage couldn't do anything about it. I understand."
"I'm sure you do. So, one fateful day, after several years of enduring the abuse from bigger kids. I got fed up, and ran away on the night of a tempest so terrifying I thought I would die. Barefoot, and bruised from that evening's assault I pressed onward even in my dreams after I fell to exhaustion."
He paused and lifted his head to the ceiling. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, the muscles on his face twitching as if he had transported back in time to that night.
Stella waited until he was ready to continue.
"I woke up cold and shaking behind a dumpster. The pain in my stomach made me wish I endured the abuse a little longer so I could have a warm meal. I remember crying, and cursing Gaia for ever allowing me to live in such a terrible world. And that Brightheart is when I saw it."
Stella's eyes widened with anticipation.
"Saw it?"
"Yes, my very first phantom. A large spider, towering several feet into the air. You can't imagine how afraid I was. It found me in the drizzle, and came charging towards me. I was too weak to move and terrified of dying in such a way." Licht's eyes seemed to be looking far off. "But then I felt something build inside, something borne from my, until then, horrible upbringing. I know now that it was my first encounter with Magik. My fear and need for survival had pried my gate open."
Licht paused to adjust some settings on a monitor nearby before continuing his tale.
"I remember the rush I felt as mana crawled over every inch of my body. It was exhilarating." Licht leaned back into a computer chair.
"What happened then?"
"I woke up in a room just like this," said Licht, the fond memory creating a small smile on his face. "Surrounded by soft-spoken doctors and men dressed as if they were going into battle."
"I'd imagine that was scary. Even an adult would be shaken by that." Stella waved her hands as she spoke.
"Your imagination would be spot on dear."
The door swung open and Dr. Rose walked briskly into the room with Locke and Sunny in tow. Licht turned his back to the trio and winked at Stella, holding a finger to his lips. Stella smiled and acknowledged his gesture with a nod.
Dr. Rose addressed Licht with a short breath. "I apologize for the wait, things were as they normally are. A mess."
"Not to worry," Licht said brightly. "We were just about to begin."
And just like that his defenses are back up. I think I got an inside look at the director today. Stella's smile was rosy as she waved at Sunny. She did her best to act normal. Licht extended the headphone case to Dr. Rose.
"If you could just put the earbuds in, Dr. Rose. Very good. Errandael, Alldust, good to have you back. Let's begin."
Dr. Rose led Stella into the closed off compartment and they returned a moment later. Stella was dressed in a white dress with a purple ribbon tied around her midsection. She wore comfortable black sneakers on her feet.
"We had to take the suit off in order to get the data this time," Licht explained, bending down to type furiously at the keyboard. "I'm pulling it up now. Voila!"
"Oh my!" gasped Dr. Rose as she looked at the charts on the screen. "Now I understand the bruises. You must have fought a lot of them."
"Can't be." Locke said in a mock business-like tone. "I'm certain it's one really big one, S-class or above. Look at all those fancy spikes in the graphs!" he joked.
Locke and Sunny shared an amused glance. They clearly had no idea what they were looking at.
Licht caught the movement and chuckled. "I'll explain in a moment, Errandael. I assume this is why you wanted me to take a look?"
Locke nodded. "Yep."
"So, let me take a wild guess. You ran into a phantom."
Locke smirked. "We already said that, Licht. Gotta do better."
"You ran into an elemental phantom." Licht tilted the monitor towards his face.
"Go on," Locke's voice egged Licht on.
"You two fought well but the phantom was more than you bargained for. Stella did something absolutely fantastic. That would explain the spikes in the charts."
"You should have seen it, Licht." Sunny had admiration in his gaze. "Lightning crashing down from the sky, it was straight out of a legend."
Silence followed his proclamation and Stella began to fidget with her hair. She could feel the room get several degrees warmer.
Licht cleared his throat before speaking. "Best that she's one of us then, yeah?"
"Right you are, Licht. And you won't believe this. We might have a new addition to our ranks," Locke smirked.
"Another one? My, it's raining Vanguards this side of the planet."
"Her name's Yuna," Sunny reported. "I'm sure she'll be by soon enough."
"Fantastic." Licht grinned.
"So, what's the update on Stella's suit?" Sunny changed the subject.
"Well, I would say it's just about ready. Ninety percent perhaps? With this newly provided data we will work wonders! We're getting closer to creating a suit to help Stella last in Redress." Licht held in a laugh as he looked at Sunny.
Dr. Rose spoke up. "Meanwhile, I'd like to run some tests if you don't mind. You can choose to wait for her here if you like."
Stella spoke before Sunny had a chance to get in a word.
"You don't have to wait on me Sunny. I trust them. I'll find you once we're finished. Please get some rest."
Sunny hesitated for a second before responding. "As you wish, Stella."
Sunny and Locke took their leave from the R&D laboratory a moment after. It was some hours after midnight and the hallway was dead.
"I overheard Stella in the car," said Sunny once he was sure they were alone. "Are you concerned she could go rogue?"
"Not necessarily, son. She's got a good head on her shoulders. A strong sense of justice and a burning spirit, I trust her with my life. But if the old fucks of The Round Table find out…"
"I know." Sunny broke in. "If they learn she is more powerful than they assumed, there'll be trouble."
"Right. But let's not worry about it now, we've got a case on our hands. The Frankenstein Slasher. I must admit, the media has got a way of labeling serial killers."
Sunny scoffed. "Yeah, it's all in a bid to create sensational news. It disgusts me, to be honest. This monster is getting infamy over this."
As they came closer to the barracks Sunny remembered something he forgot to mention earlier.
"Locke, something occurred to me when Stella was telling us her story. It seemed unlikely at first, but after listening to Stella talk, I think the Frankenstein Slasher is a phantom, Locke."
"Shit. I thought about it too. Explains why the cops are finding it difficult to locate him. They're simply not equipped to handle the case."
"That's why we need to step in, Locke." Sunny said, pushing the door to a room labeled '1313' open.
They walked into the room and sat on the large mattress up against the wall. The room had a desk with a computer and several figures. A dresser, closet and bathroom. Between his computer setup and the bed was a minifridge.
Locke cracked his knuckles. "Since we're going to use Yuna, I've come up with a plan. You got a map?"
"Like on my phone?"
Locke sighed and shook his head. "I've got a map on my phone, Sunny. No, I'm talking about an actual map of the city."
"Oh. I have one at home. But I think they should have one at the library."
"Well, go get it then."
"Right. Don't fall asleep old man," Sunny teased. "This is important."
Locke pointed at the door. "Just get going."
Locke went over the plan in his head as he waited for Sunny to return. He pulled out his phone and searched out articles concerning The Frankenstein Slasher.
"Most of his victims were discovered with broken limbs. Each victim was noted as missing a different body part." Locke read from one of the articles. "What a sick bastard."
Her heart… Locke shook the disturbing image of a phantom tearing Stella's heart from her chest out of his mind. The thought that the killer had brutalized so many people annoyed Locke. No that's not it. If I'm being honest with myself I'm starting to take this case personally. Locke let out a sigh and recounted his training. Too much emotional investment in a mission was frowned upon, he knew that. I'm sure Sunny is taking this much harder than me. I might have to bench Sunny depending on how things go. Locke stood up and looked at Sunny's open computer. A document stared back at him. No words were written before the blinking cursor except 'Chapter One.'
I'm sorry kid. You really should get some sleep. Locke sighed. He went back to the bed and opened up the map on his phone. He quickly took notes on the streets and paths where the bodies were found, zooming in and out of the relevant areas.
"I found a map," Sunny barged into the room, Locke's eyebrow twitched from the shock. "It's a bit old, but I think it'll do. Why have you got that look on your face?"
"What look?" asked Locke with a higher pitch in his voice.
"Like a dog who shit on the carpet?" Sunny eyed his room suspiciously.
"Language… I don't know what you're talking about, kid. Hand me the map and sit down."
Locke laid the map on the bed, spreading it out until it was as flat as it could be. He placed his phone on one end and Sunny's on the other to free up their hands. The map wasn't terribly old. Oldhaven was still plotted in the center. It had smudged a bit as if someone had spilled something on it.
"Here's Oldhaven." Locke placed his finger on the map. "These are the streets where most of the murders happened."
Locke pulled out a pen and marked off the streets. "See where they all lead?"
"Yes, this alley. Right here." Sunny said through a mouthful of protein bars.
"Got it," said Locke.
"That was easy, you would think the cops would know this already." Sunny muffled.
"Oh, I think they do. Knowing where the killings lead to is one thing, catching a phantom is another."
"Right." Sunny swallowed his snacks. "Yuna fits the profile of the deceased girls perfectly."
"That's right, Sunny. Essentially, we'll use her as bait."
"But we'll be waiting." Sunny added.
"That's right, kid. Offer this, Frankenstein Slasher, something he wouldn't be able to resist." Locke's seriousness put Sunny off.
"She is an amazing woman. I doubt it would be able to pass her up. Before we put her out there I want to have an airtight plan and run it by her." Sunny ran his fingers through his hair.
"I agree, she would have to undergo some training too. Just in case the plan falls through she should be able to fend for herself. We can never be too careful." Locke sighed and then looked off. Sunny could tell he was reminiscing about something.
Two sharp knocks sounded on the door and it opened a moment later. Dr. Rose poked her head in and addressed the two Vanguards.
"We're done, but I think you'll want to see this."
"Jeez, Doc," Locke complained. "It's quite late already, can't it wait? I may be in peak form but I am an old man ya know."
"Quit complaining, old man," said Sunny. "She's done so much for us, tough it out."
They left the room and trailed the doctor back to the laboratory. Stella and Licht were waiting for them. Stella was in her human form again and the suit was back on her body.
"We found something!" Licht stated proudly. "From the data provided, we were able to speculate the extent of Stella's powers. Now I'd like to present a theory."
"This oughta be good," said Locke, crossing his arms.
Licht waved his hand to his trusted peer. "Dr. Rose, if you please."
"If you will please come with me," she said, moving towards another door.
They obliged, following Dr. Rose until they got to the arena where Sunny had recently fought Gilgamesh. I hope Enna isn't here to beat me up again. Sunny looked around nervously.
"Please make room for Stella." Dr. Rose said.
Dummy targets had been set up far in the distance and Sunny shared a wary look with Locke.
"What's this about?" asked Locke.
"Stella has got an affinity for lightning," said Dr. Rose.
"Is that all?" Sunny said, almost disappointed. "I think we sort of figured that out when she exorcized the giant snake phantom."
Licht tutted. "I do remember Dr. Rose advising you to let a girl have her moment, Alldust. She's not finished. Please continue, Dr. Rose."
"Just as you have an affinity for pure light, Sunny." She turned to Locke. "And the very planet beneath us, Errandael. Stella can manipulate charge. That's on a whole other level compared to simple lightning manipulation."
Stella gave Sunny a quick glance and walked towards Dr. Rose. Sunny's face filled with concern as he saw Dr. Rose pull a black pistol with a rectangular shaped muzzle from her lab coat.
"Whoa, whoa! What are you doing?" Sunny began to move in to protect Stella but was quickly halted by the sound of Stella's voice.
"It's alright Sunny." Stella reached out to take the gun from Dr. Rose. "You don't need to be so worried about me."
Stella walked away from them and positioned herself square to the dummies. The gun looked enormous in Stella's small hands. It's like a hand cannon. Sunny almost let a smile slip from his serious mug.
"Will you tell me what's going on already?" A concerned Locke looked on warily.
"Just watch," Licht insisted.
"But… I have never seen a weapon like that in our armour or schematics. Will it work? Is it dangerous?" Locke popped a strawberry flavoured stick of gum into his mouth and began chewing vigorously.
"Well that's the beauty of it all," Licht's grin was full of childlike passion. "We won't know until we try, isn't that great?"
"Well fuck me," Locke crossed his arms and watched.
Stella took a deep breath and slowly allowed the air to leave her lips. She thought back to the laboratory, Licht had mentioned the possibility of something to her. Stella remembered how she had insisted she wanted to try it out. Licht being who he is didn't need convincing.
Stella spread her legs apart and lifted the gun with both hands until she had the target in her sights. She went over the instructions Licht had made her repeat before Sunny and Locke had been summoned.
With another deep breath she opened her gate and let the Magik flow throughout her body. She recalled the feeling she'd had when she controlled lightning during her most recent battle. The atmosphere in the arena began to change and everyone could feel their hair slowly rise. It was like a static current had run around all of them.
Stella's bubbling Magik coursed freely within her and she compressed it towards the black metallic weapon in her hands. The muzzle of the gun seemed to create a mini violet vortex, ejecting sparks erratically from within. Stella let the pressure on the gun build until she couldn't hold it any longer, and then she let it out with a gasp.
A crackling ball of lightning shot out from the muzzle of the gun, her body was sent tumbling backwards from the force of the eruption. Sunny had been ready for such an occurrence and moved incredibly fast to position himself behind her. He caught her mid blowback saving her from smashing her back against the rafters behind them. The lightning ball careened passed the targets decimating the bleachers behind them.
"Stella!" Sunny lifted her head forcing her eyes to make direct contact with his. "Are you alright, Stella?"
Stella's ears were ringing and Sunny's face was a bit blurry but she responded cheerfully. "D-did you see that?!" She had a stupid grin on her face.
Her form flickered for a second and then stabilized. Sunny took the ice cold gun away from her hands and lifted her gently.
"I have never seen anything like that in my entire life!" Licht's voice gave away his disbelief. "That was absolutely fantastic! I didn't even know what to expect!"
"Maybe you should give me a heads up next time, Stella," scolded Sunny.
Stella pushed Sunny away from her. "And why's that, Sunny? You don't think I'm capable of taking care of myself? I just shot lightning out of an empty gun. I saved your life!"
"That's not the point," Sunny retorted.
"What's the point then? I don't need your protection Sunny. Do I look like a damsel in distress to you?!" Stella's body began to shake as she shouted at Sunny.
"I'm literally responsible for you! All I am asking for is a heads up. Why is that so hard to understand?!" Sunny was seething at his green haired friend. He began to roll up his sleeves in an effort to cool down.
"I can't deal with this, right now" Stella said, lifting a hand to her head. She staggered away from Sunny and made her way towards the exit.
"Stella!" Sunny called out to her, taking a step in her direction.
"Sunny! Leave it," Locke chided.
"But—"
"I've got her, Sunny. Get some rest. That's an order." Locke shook his head and went after her. Before taking off he shot Licht a deadly look.
"What did I do?" Licht said innocently to Dr. Rose.
Sunny picked the gun up and weighed it. And then he pushed the magazine release button. The magazine fell out and there were no bullets in it.
"Huh." Sunny said to himself. He looked over to the bleachers that she had just destroyed. A crater ate away the entire section. "How did she do that?"
"I could give you an explanation if you like." Licht offered.
"No, thanks Director," said Sunny stiffly. "You've done enough tonight."
He left the arena a moment after, wondering how interesting it was that the girl he wanted to protect the most in all of Gaia was also the girl that didn't need his protection. I think I messed up. Sunny tormented himself over their conversation as he headed back to his room. It's gonna be a long night. Sunny yawned, but he was no stranger to the cycle of self doubt and hate playing in his mind. It was in fact going to be a long night for Sunny Alldust.
***
Stella's use of lightning had depleted the suit's power and her own. She became intangible the moment she stepped into her new sleeping quarters with Locke in tow. Room '1300.' Locke sat awkwardly on the small bed with purple covers. watching her float to and fro in front of him.
"Who does he think he is? My father?" Stella's voice raged inside Locke's ear.
Locke patiently listened to her rant as she floated restlessly in front of him. His face and posture remained judgement free. She vents her anger in the same way as Damian. So it would be best if I just let her get it all out. Locke recalled his several run-ins with the angsty youth of Vanguard.
"He saw me shoot lightning out of a gun and that was all he could say?! Not even a 'Good job, Stella!' or a 'Wow, that was so cool!' What a pretentious dick!"
He cleared his throat awkwardly and looked toward the door before turning his attention back to Stella. "Do you mind if I offer my opinion?"
"Please do." Stella's voice cracked like a whip but she kept her ears focused on every word he said.
"I won't make excuses for Sunny, he did cross the line back there—"
"Thank y—" Stella stopped talking when she realized Locke hadn't finished.
"That being said, I would like to give some history. If that's okay?" Locke waited for Stella to nod. "Sunny is no ordinary Vanguard as you know. He really is something special. The Round Table has such high hopes for him but…" Locke pondered if he should continue.
"But?" Stella's gaze never left Locke even as she paced.
"But his failures still haunt him, Stella. He lost a whole squad of allies in one day and he hasn't been the same since. I've raised him since he was yay high." He lowered his palm down to his knees. "No matter what happened he always bounced back, always had confidence. I should have been there and it breaks my heart. But you have to understand when it comes to his friends, Sunny is beyond protective because of his fear. He doesn't want to watch you be exorcized in front of him like when he watched all of his friends get slaughtered."
"Oh." Stella's voice was laced with sadness.
"It's not really my place to tell the whole story, but it is my responsibility to let my boy know when he could have handled something better. On behalf of both of us I'd like to apologize. He can be fucking stupid sometimes."
Stella's back and forth movement slowed and then stopped eventually.
"I think I went too far, Locke," said Stella. She unconsciously moved for the door before speaking again. "I should go and apologize to him."
Locke stood up and shook his head. "Not now, Stella. Tomorrow. Besides, I don't think you need to apologize. I think you two just need to communicate better. We all have had a rough time of late and tensions have been high. It goes without saying he cares about you, and I do too. I'm going to take my leave if you're alright. I'm beat."
Stella nodded. "Good night, Locke. Thank you for talking me down. You're a good man."
Locke gave a curt nod and left Stella's room. He smiled to himself as he walked towards his quarters. Once he got inside he began to strip his damaged uniform from his chiseled body. Every inch of his body was covered in defined bulging muscles as he made his way to the shower. Once finished he climbed into bed and sighed loudly.
"Sometimes I forget how dumb young love is," he said, chuckling to himself. "A phantom and a Vanguard huh? Fuck it, I don't want to think about it." He turned off the lights and was asleep a moment later.
Stella waited until the sun had come out fully before she left her room. She spent the entire night practicing the meditation Dr. Rose had taught her to increase her magik control. Since Stella was unable to sleep she needed to fine tune her control. According to Dr. Rose it would allow her to stay redressed longer. I'm going to need it for what I'm going to do. Stella's determination kept her focused the entire time. Licht and Dr. Rose had done wonders with the suit. Stella could stay a whole three hours without undressing, provided she didn't push herself too hard.
She turned the corner of her hallway that connected to Sunny's and her courage immediately left her body. Eeek. That was so embarrassing. Stella thought back on their previous interaction and cringed. She pushed herself to get in front of Sunny's door. Holding her breath she slowly raised her hand to knock. The door swung open before she could rap on the door. Sunny had a black duffel bag over his shoulder. He was dressed in high end training gear. The blue and black hoodie was loose on him hiding his strengthened body. He wore blue shorts with black skin tight wicking pants underneath. Stella was most impressed with how he coordinated his cross trainers and earrings to match his outfit. Heavy bags were under his eyes and he could barely keep his eyelids separated. Sunny's face lit up for a moment upon seeing Stella redressed in front of him. She's cute. He looked her up and down. She wore a white Abibas crop top over her sports bra and black leggings. Her Abibas shoes were black with red stripes. Sunny remembered the night before and shifted his eyes to the side.
"Uhm, 'mornin Sunny." Stella rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet.
"'Mornin." Sunny's voice was abrasive like sandpaper. Stella could tell he hadn't gotten a wink of sleep.
"So, I was thinking and I probably reacted poorly yesterday at the arena. And I wanted to say I'm sorry. I know you were just worried about me."
Sunny's face relaxed and it appeared as though a heavy weight had been lifted from him. Stella blushed as Sunny tilted his head and showed her a smile she'd never seen on him before. He's gorgeous. Stella could feel her heart race.
Sunny's voice caught her attention. "I'm so happy you still want to talk to me. I think I owe you an apology too. I was too worried about keeping you safe. I failed to pay attention to how you felt about everything. You really are amazing Stella, that attack last night was crazy! Just keep that thing pointed away from me."
Stella laughed softly at the humor in his tone.
"So, we cool?" inquired Sunny, putting his fist out.
"We're cool." Stella bumped her smaller fist into his.
The brief contact was electrifying. As always, their gates reacted in a flourish as they touched. Every other thing faded away and to them they were the only ones standing in the doorway to room '1313.' Sunny didn't know how long they were staring into each other's eyes while their gates sang in harmony. They were abruptly ripped back to reality by Locke's dry voice.
"Well that was fast."
They broke the contact, embarrassed and slightly annoyed by Locke's appearance. Both of them knew if they had been left alone a moment longer they would have entered Sunny's room and locked the door.
"Hello Locke." Stella quickly thought of something to talk about. "Where are you off to?"
"I've gotta pick Yuna from the coffee shop. The council signed off on it. Of course they want to meet her. OH GUESS WHAT THEY ASKED ME?!" Locke couldn't contain himself as he busted out in gruff laughter.
Sunny closed his door shut and sighed. "Let me guess, they asked if she was another phantom."
"HAHAHA! That's my boy! You got it!" Locke was bent over wheezing.
"And what did you say?" asked Sunny, smirking.
"I was so tempted to drag it out, tell them it's another phantom just to see what happens next. But I was running late. Oh, I am running late. I'll catch you guys later."
Locke left the duo standing in the hallway. They awkwardly stood around unsure of what to do next.
"So, how many hours until you lose this form?" Sunny broke the stranglehold.
Stella counted on her fingers. "Three hours, or less."
"More than enough time for a session, what do you say? I could get you up to speed a bit."
Stella beamed at Sunny. "What are we waiting for?"
The sparring hall was devoid of people when they arrived. It was that period in the morning when the HQ wasn't filled with the grunts and groans of men and women punching and throwing each other on the soft mats beneath their feet. Instead many of the members were asleep, licking their wounds they received from the horrors of the night.
Sunny dropped his bag and began to do some stretches. Stella followed and a moment later two Vanguards came in. They wore an unwelcome expression as they looked down on Sunny and Stella.
"Maybe we should go elsewhere," Stella said.
"What for?" Sunny was on his butt leaning forward reaching for his toes.
Stella gestured in the direction of the Vanguards stealing glances at her and Sunny.
Sunny scoffed and kept on stretching, "Just ignore them. They'll come around."
Sunny stretched until his limbs were completely loose. I have to pay extra attention to my body today. Sunny thought about how his overall lack of sleep would impact his performance. By the time Sunny and Stella had finished stretching more Vanguard had filled the room. Stella seemed to be growing increasingly uncomfortable until Arnold entered the room. He noticed the two of them and promptly approached them.
"Alldust." Jasper raised his hand in greeting. He turned to Stella. "How's it going, Brightheart?" His tone was jovial and made Stella feel more comfortable.
"I'd be better if that lot could focus on their training instead of ours." Stella half joked with him.
"Sorry about that," Jasper said. He spun and glared at the Vanguards. "Are you all trying to interrupt the training of The Unseen Tyrant and his sparring partner?" They all averted their gazes and went about their business.
He lowered his tone as he spoke. "They haven't seen anything like you before. All they know is what they have been told, so there's bound to be distrust. After all, to them you are a phantom." Jasper took a step away from the pair. "Don't take this the wrong way. I'm not rooting for you guys or anything. I'm just following orders." Jasper hastily removed himself from their training space.
"He means no harm," Sunny clarified. "He's always been a tightwad though."
"I figured." Stella was completely loosened up and started to bounce on her feet freely.
As she threw a gloved fist into the sandbag in front of her, she found her mind wandering. It might take a lifetime before they accept me. I will make it happen though. After all, I am a Vanguard just like them. I just so happen to also be a phantom. Stella drove her right hand into the punching bag nearly folding it in half. Sweat poured from her as she looked over to Sunny. He relentlessly was working the bag. That's strange. Stella noticed Sunny's combos would have been perfect counters against Gilgamesh's onslaught. I don't get it. He won didn't he? Stella watched on in fascination as Sunny obsessively pressed on in a trance-like state. Minutes went by and Sunny continued drilling the bag, his pace only quickened. Stella's fascination turned to unease. He…isn't normal.