Pocket Dimension
April 2nd, 2018
14:45 AM

 

Doctor Sandra Jordan was walking with apprehension toward the stylish white tower, it wasn’t that tall and was more like the three-story building where she had her first apartment after leaving her mother. Sandra had previously called to announce her arrival, and she hoped to finally see her daughter; the last time she was here she couldn’t.

Looking at the time on her wristwatch, Sandra walked faster and arrived at the door where she pushed the doorbell button for visitor admittance. Only the staff and students could enter the dorms at will; Sandra heard someone loudly coming downstairs, then the door opened with a strong force and Sarah was in her mother’s arms.

Sandra could feel how different her daughter was right now, she was in her human skin, she was simply gorgeous and reminded her of a younger version of herself with blue eyes and white hair. She had seen pictures of Sarah that Elissa had generously sent to her, posing in her human form or having fun with her roommates in her demon form; but now, having her little demon in her arms and happy for a change felt good. Because yes, she could feel that Sarah was happy.

“Mom.” Sarah hugged her mother tighter.

Sandra reciprocates the gesture, “Someone is happy to see me.”

The demoness wore her Daphne Snow school uniform, and her mother found that it fit her well. Seeing her daughter smiling like this was a gift that Sandra never expected to have before. Sarah looked Sandra in the eyes and said, “Mom, thank you, thank you. This is the best thing that happened to me, being sent here!”

The doctor couldn’t believe what she was hearing, Sarah practically tried to guilt-trip her when she told her that she was going into a special school instead of staying homeschooled in their condo on Mercer Island. That change of heart was the sign of profound change in her daughter.

“You like this school that much?” Sandra raised an eyebrow.

Sarah let go of her mother and nodded as she smirked. “Not the school in itself, but my friends. Elissa, Dawn, Tsarra, and Tabitha. Oh and there’s Cassandra too! Elissa’s sister, she’s cute and fun to babysit.”

“Those girls treat you well?” The doctor asked she was surprised to hear that her daughter made so many friends this fast; normally Sarah was always hard to get to know, as she kept a wall between her and others.

Sarah nodded enthusiastically. “Mom, I had never felt this… normal in my life. Being half-demon here? No one cares, Elissa and her sister surely don’t; though Tsarra took some time to get used to. I thought that she was like one of those snooty elves like in the school but she’s just misunderstood. Tabitha is fun to hang with, she’s like a… well she’s a catgirl. Dawn, Elissa’s girlfriend, is a real geek but she has a heart of gold if you don’t piss her off.”

Sandra giggled and held her daughter tightly again. “You really like it here, I am reassured that sending you there was the best choice.”

The black woman wasn’t sure at first that sending her daughter to Daphne Snow was a good decision, but seeing her daughter having blossomed like this… she thanked the day she met Elissa and Malicia Von Braun.

“Mom, I love you.” Sarah’s voice cracked.

Sandra smiled, her perfect white teeth showing. “I love you too, sweetie.”

The two moved into the rest area on the ground floor of the tower where there was a fridge, bench, and sofas and a TV for students to mingle. The place was decorated with plants and tapestries showing the daily life of the school staff; they were made by the Arachne tribe that recently moved onto the island. Sarah sat her mother at her side on the red two-seater sofa, they made trivial chit-chat before discussing the main issue.

“Tell me, what did you learn here?” Sandra asked, she was intrigued by what kind of school Daphne Snow was, was it like in those stories about Henry Potter? She couldn’t know.

The young demoness was more than happy to inform her about it. “There’s a lot of things like the usual classes like Maths and Physics, but also Mystic Combat and Mana Manipulation, but recently I am learning how to do magic.”

Sandra nodded at that, this was why she sent her little devil here, to learn how to control her powers and to know how to defend herself. Then the doctor remembered what she saw when coming down the white cobbled road to the school. “I noticed that there are a lot of… weird habits or shaped people.”

People with the torso of a human and the rest of the body being horse-like, not that Sandra was judgey about that, well not a lot. After Tesla’s announcement about The Assembly, the world had become even weirder as supernatural beings were coming out of the woodwork and were sighted everyday.

“Mom, you shouldn’t judge, so you saw the Centaur students I presume?” Sarah laughed when she saw her mother’s expression, she was right.

Sandra nodded, as her cheeks reddened; she was really surprised by how brazen those had been, running free and even having sex in public. The doctor also saw blindingly beautiful pointy-eared young women running naked in the woods pursued by young men who turned into wolves or lynxes. “There are also a lot of girls going naked into the woods…”

Sarah’s twinkling laugh made her mother redden even more, she was amused by the conservatism she showed. “Oh, those. Mom, they are not really humans so you shouldn’t judge them for that. Nymphs and Shifters are really free-spirited.”

Interested by the anatomy and any information about those supernatural beings, Sandra had scanned them with her biological vision and got even more shocked by what she had discovered. “I also noticed some of them are pregnant.”

Sarah stopped smirking at her mother and became more subdued, she didn’t want to leave the school because of her mother being shocked by what was going on here. She cursed those Nymphs for their habits… Nymphs were Fae that typically resembled wood elf females with their pointed ears, and were blindingly beautiful.

They dwelt in forests, waterfalls or coves. They were guardians and protectors of the Yggdrasil network connecting the nine realms together. They had the ability to wield the powers of nature and druidic magic; they were always female, possessing a beauty that was dangerously entrancing; they prefer men who were good and handsome; they absolutely hated anything that was either evil or ugly.

Averting her eyes from the neutral gaze of her mother, Sarah continued to speak. “Well… yeah, I had a problem with that at first too; but don’t worry it won’t spill over to the more human side of the student body.”

For sure, Dean Malicia gave all the young human female mages a check-up where she applied a spell not letting any sperm reach their wombs, the ultimate birth control; all the girls stopped taking their pills after that.

“I truly hope so, I didn’t send you here to become a teenage mom.” Sandra’s gaze sharpened.

Sarah raised her hands in a placating manner and avoided laughing in her mom’s face about the fierce look she had on that didn’t scare Sarah one bit, as she was used to Dean Malicia’s antics now. “Don’t worry, no one has expressed interest beside Elissa.”

Sandra put her hand on her daughter’s arm and tightened it in surprise. “What?”

She couldn’t imagine her daughter being seduced by another girl, Sarah wasn’t the kind of girl to give in to any kind of seduction. But if it made her happy, Sandra would accept it, with difficulty; however, her daughter’s next words relieved her. “Fortunately I am straight, but I think she wouldn’t cheat on Dawn those two are truly in love with each other, even though there’s been some drama between them recently.”

Sarah continued to gossip with her mother, one of the things she liked to do the most here; Dawn and Elissa were fun to gossip about. Speaking of the devil, Sarah heard noises coming from the stairs, at least two people

“Dawn please let me go, I have to-” Elissa was interrupted and Sarah heard noises of kissing and clothes ruffling.

It intensified and then Sarah heard Dawn say in a rather taunting way, “You told me this body belongs to me, you should not renege on what you say.”

The girl had changed since two days ago, she was more assertive with Elissa who became more submissive to her girlfriend; Sarah knew that this was Elissa wanting to make her girlfriend less of a shy girl.

Elissa’s voice became more heated, “I am not reneging about- Hmff.” More kissing noises were heard.

“Sarah?” The doctor asked.

Her girl became distracted mid-conversation, she was used to those kinds of things from Sarah it meant that something caught her attention and she listened to it.

Sarah turned her head toward her mother. “Yes, mom?”

“Is there something going on?” Sandra asked.

Embarrassed, Sarah looked down at her uniform’s skirt not wanting to let her mother know that she was a bit turned on by what she was hearing. “Well yeah… Elissa is in the stairs but she’s otherwise... occupied.”

Sandra smiled and began to stand up. “Then let’s meet-” Sarah stopped her mom from going to the dorm floor or more precisely the stairs. “No! Mom, she’s occupied.” She gave her mom a meaningful glance.

The doctor caught her meaning. “Ah.”

It was ten minutes later when Elissa descended the stairs, her face was flushed red and her hair a bit in disarray. Today Elissa had her hair in a double headband french braid hairstyle; she tried to make herself presentable again but failed, she finally saw Sarah and Doctor Jordan in the rest area and froze before feigning confidence and walking toward them. Sarah couldn’t stop giggling at that and took a comb from her spatial ring and waited.

Elissa went to warmly hug Doctor Jordan and kiss her on the cheek, as for Sandra she gave a knowing smile to the young woman who couldn’t look at her in the eyes suddenly.

“How are you, Sandra?” Elissa asked, rearranging a stray strand of hair from her face.

Sarah came beside her and made Elissa sit on the sofa and placed herself behind her to begin straightening her hair. Elissa didn’t protest or say anything, just permitting her friend to help her; the doctor smiled at the relationship dynamic between the two girls in front of her.

“I’m good, are you ready to learn how to heal?” The black woman said, amused by the comb getting stuck in Elissa’s hair and Sarah fighting undo the knots.

“I was born ready!” Elissa said cheerfully.

She didn’t even care that her hair was in a dire state. Sandra was impressed by the capacity of this girl to ignore things while discussing with her. Elissa’s face became thoughtful as she pondered about something. “Can Sarah come with us? I don’t want you to be separated after you just reunited.”

Sandra’s eyes glittered at that, she put her hands on her chest, touched by Elissa’s good heart. “I was about to suggest that she joins us! You are such a thoughtful girl.”

Sarah finally untangled her friend’s hair, they were tough and it was normal as she was a superhuman, nothing broke.

Elissa said, “I try, Sandra.”

“Thanks, Eli, I didn’t want her to leave this fast.” Sarah winked at her friend.

Elissa liked the two Jordan women, they were easy to love, Sarah was a different person in her mother's presence as if she was more subdued, Sandra was more outgoing and free-spirited.

“Let’s go then, we are off to see our first patient, girls!”

---

Teagan Williams was on her porch, seated in her chair, with a pitcher of lemonade on the drinking table at her side; as she sipped her drink she asked herself if everything that happened to her and her granddaughter Belle was fate or god’s plan for them. She had worried about Belle for so long, the profession she chose was a really dangerous one and Teagan was a weakness that her enemies would exploit.

However, now she was in a sort of magical realm kept safe by her granddaughter’s boss, she was given everything she needed.

Hearing the sound of an electric car coming in, the old woman took her crutch from beside her table, stood up and walked to the driveway to see a black sports car in the process of being parked. Once that was done, three women exited the car and they turned to look at Teagan. Two young women and an older one came to meet her.

“Hello there, Mrs. Williams.” Sandra wore a pierced sexy slim thin blue long sleeve dress while she was carrying her medical bag with medical supplies and medicine.

“Hi, ma’am.” Sarah greeted Teagan neutrally.

“Greetings.” Elissa saluted her.

Teagan stared at them for a long moment, she felt a bit underdressed while looking at each of the women in uniform and the professional dress. “What brings you here?” The old lady asked puzzled by their presence.

The attractive black woman smiled at her and said, “I am doctor Sandra Jordan and this is my daughter, Sarah,” Sarah waved at Teagan while she looked at the beautiful house. “and this is my pupil, Elissa.” Elissa slightly bowed her head to Teagan with a serious expression.

Teagan found the black woman with the african braids and glasses to be really classy, her daughter looked more interested in her house and garden than in her and she understood the girl as it was a nice piece of work. This Elissa girl though? Teagan didn’t know how to categorize her: she looked cold.

“Oh?” The old lady looked at them questioningly, encouraging Sandra to continue her introduction.

The doctor approached and stopped just short of the entrance of the house and said, “We are here because your granddaughter, Belle Williams asked mister Tesla if we can help you with your ills. We have special powers giving us the power to heal and cure. I see that we are not coming too late for that.” Sandra’s eyes glowed in yellow light as she scanned Teagan’s body with her special sight.

Elissa placed herself beside Sandra using her sight and then stopped to say to Teagan. “We can help you with your leg, Mrs. Williams, I see that it is getting worse and you have the start of...” Sandra placed her hand on Elissa’s mouth to make her stop. Teagan didn’t need to know that she was starting to have a cancerous growth in her brain.

The old lady looked at the byplay and shook her head, but she decided that she will listen tentatively to them if they were here on Belle’s behalf. “The winters are hard on me, indeed. Aah have begun to feel faint in the mornin’ when aah wake up too, it’s hard to get up from my bed.”

“Don’t worry! We are going to fix everything, Mrs. Williams.” Sandra cheerfully said, she looked warningly at Elissa who didn’t understand why her mentor silenced her.

Sarah understood why though, her best friend Elissa was a blunt girl. When Teagan invited them inside, Elissa locked her car, only taking her phone with her. Many minutes later, they were in the homey living room, it was decorated with care and had a rustic feel to it. Teagan sat on the brown leather sofa and Sarah found a low stool.

Elissa was listening to what Sandra asked the old lady, mainly what were the symptoms she was feeling. The old lady took her time to express what she felt most days. “Aye, aah have started to have some headaches in the morning now and aah feel a bit drowsy in the afternoon, it happened even before the fire that burned my first house and… aah feel that aah forget things sometimes.” Teagan said, then she thought a bit about what she said. “Aah reckon it’s cancer, right?” Teagan guessed, her voice was sad and matter of fact.

Sandra’s face was neutral until finally, she nodded at Teagan. “You are a really smart woman, yes I can see the start of a brain tumor, but I can fix that.”

The doctor thought of minimizing the news but she felt that lying would be pointless, so she told the truth to Teagan who seemed to appreciate it as she gave Sandra a mirthless smile that melted into a thin line as she said, “Aah don’t want to die before seein’ my grandkids.” Teagan said ruefully.

Elissa interjected as she was scanning the old lady’s knee. “Sandra I don’t know how to tell you this in medical terms, but the patella looks really worn and there are some jagged pieces of it hurting the tendons and the muscles around it.”

Sandra’s gaze became serious and she began to ponder about why this wasn’t treated earlier. “That’s not good.” The black woman turned her head to the old lady and asked her, “Mrs. Williams, why didn’t you go to the doctor?”

Teagan shook her head. “Ah, darlin’ my finances ain’t what they were. The insurance didn’t want to pay.”

It was one of the more common problems with the new economy after the Vadwaur invasion; insurance companies tried to avoid paying. A lot of people said that they would stop paying them if it wasn’t mandatory to pay for one, this system really was as hateful as it was useful.

“The usual problem, I see,” Sandra said gritting her teeth, she couldn’t believe that such injustices were still happening.

Teagan was touched that a woman she just met was angry on her behalf, but she didn’t let the anger fester and said, “But now, aah get two nice healer girls to take care of me. Aah am lucky, right?”

Sandra laughed at that. “You see the silver lining in everything, don't you Mrs. Williams.”

Teagan clapped, flashed the other women a grin and said, “Aah sure do. For example, my granddaughter has been takin’ care of me, dropped out of school, found a job but people didn’t want a blue-skinned freak to work for them, so she had become a vigilante and took the money of the drug dealers or criminals and played Robin Hood. She persevered and became a hero workin’ for Tesla now. So, yeah aah see the silver linin’ gal.”

Elissa giggled. “I like how you think Mrs. Williams, I will try to do the same!”

Yes, that was right; Elissa thought that never giving up and thinking of a better tomorrow was something good if you were actively trying to change your situation if it’s bad. After all, nothing was guaranteed in life. Change is one of the most difficult things that we face. But change is inevitable, and what happens is, because sometimes we’re not willing to change, we get stuck in what the Goddess used to do, instead of moving forward into what the Goddess is about to do. Just because Hekate blessed you where you are doesn’t mean you can just sit back and settle there.

You have to stay open to what Hekate is doing now, you have to be willing to change, not every blessing is supposed to be permanent.

Teagan’s voice disturbed Elissa from her thoughts. “Call me Gran, you are such a nice girl. Are you a student in the school aah heard about?”

Smiling at the old lady, Elissa began to say, “Yes Mrs-” Teagan scowled a bit at her. “I mean Gran. This school is really fun.” Elissa corrected herself smoothly.

*This woman isn’t simple…* Elissa thought in her heart.

“Aah’m sure of it. Do you think you can fix my knee?” Teagan asked with hope mixed in her tone.

Elissa bragged, “One-hundred percent sure!” She then stared at her mentor. “Sandra do you know how I can heal without getting tired?”

This was the major drawback of her healing ability, closing wounds or making sickness go away took barely any energy, however, the more intensive use of it like regeneration or modifying something at the cellular level took a toll on her. Sandra was waiting for this question and answered promptly, “Easily, you take the energy from outside to be able to do that, it’s like this white energy covering-”

But she was interrupted by Elissa who recognized the description of the white energy, she was intimately aware of it as during meditation every morning and every night before she falls asleep she was taking it into her body and getting stronger; in fact her body needed cosmic energy as a supplement to grow safely to adulthood and permit her superhuman physiology to arrive at peak condition.

Elissa had also discovered that supplementing her attacks with cosmic energy gave them a boost, but using it was tiring and wasn’t that advantageous, however it all changed if she could use it in conjunction with her abilities.

*Why didn’t I think of that before?* Elissa thought.

“It’s cosmic energy!” Elissa cried out, ashamed of herself. “Hekate, I feel like an idiot. So you take in cosmic energy and supplement it to your healing!”

Sandra’s pearly teeth showed as she grinned at the girl. “I call it Chakra, but your name works too, I am glad that you get it then.”

Elissa nodded with eagerness.

“I know what to do!” Elissa was happy to have discovered a way to not get tired, the possibilities open to her were now limitless for her support abilities.

*Even my Siren Song power would be- No Elissa don’t go there, it’s taboo. Controlling people, bad bad.* Elissa thought in her heart, the temptation was there.

Back on the subject, Elissa knew of a sure way to absorb the energy; It was like taking in Cosmic energy with the Inshek’s meditation methods. She closed her eyes and let her perceptions spread out around her; the young woman became aware of everything, the women, the furniture, the plants, and the mana field. Then a more subtle energy was detected, it was like the energy of nature, it was always there as it covered everything.

Elissa began actively taking in the cosmic energy, focusing and as she opened her eyes she saw everything in a golden shade. To everyone else, Elissa’s eyes became golden replacing their emerald green color. Teagan became transfixed by this phenomena and stayed silent and attentive while the doctor taught the girl.

Sandra began to say slowly, “You are seeing everything with the scan vision, Elissa. Think about dismissing it but don’t break the connection with the cha- I mean cosmic energy.”

To the doctor it had been the most difficult thing to do on her path as a healer taking in the energy while using it, dividing her mind into two threads of thoughts to be able to control it. Sandra hoped Elissa would get it, but she wasn’t worried as the girl was a mage too.

“Yes, Sandra.” It was easily done, Elissa was used to dividing her mind to process and do multiple things at once; this was a mage and sorcerer ability.

Sandra continued to instruct Elissa. “Now look at Teagan’s knee without the scan vision. See how swollen it is? It’s clear that there’s a problem.”

“Gran, does it hurt?” Elissa asked the old lady with compassion.

“It has for the last five years, little one,” Teagan said crinkling her eyes as she appreciated the young woman’s concern.

“Elissa follows your instincts and heal her knee, and just to be safe, check the other one for the same signs of deterioration. While you are at it, do you have any alchemical concoctions to help Mrs. Williams?”

Elissa began to smirk as she looked at Teagan, “I have just the thing, it was difficult to make but Master Bridgeburn passed this rejuvenation potion’s formula on to me.”

Elissa took out her bracelet that quickly grew to become a chest, Teagan and Sandra’s eyes popped out of their sockets when it happened. Sarah and Elissa smirked at their surprise and the redhead opened her alchemical chest and began to look for the desired potion.

Teagan began to say, “T-this is…”

“Magic.” Elissa continued Teagan’s stuttering sentence. “Ah, I found it! With this Gran, you’ll be just like new. Hmm, there’s a problem though it’s going to put you to sleep for one hour while it’s taking effect. We are going to need to stay here and assist while it’s acting on your body.” In her hand, Elissa held onto a red-colored bottle.

Teagan hesitated, subconsciously putting her hands on her abdomen, “Aah don’t know…”

“Trust me, Gran, nothing bad will happen to you.” Elissa soothed Teagan with a hand on her arm, her eyes were full of assurance and care.

Teagan had always thought of herself as a good judge of character, this Elissa girl seemed like a good person and was genuine, but she could also see that she had steel in her in the depths of her eyes.

“Ok.” The southern lady nodded, making the decision to trust the doctor and her pupil.

Elissa gave the potion to Sandra who put it on the low table and then the two began to work on the old lady. Sarah stayed in the background watching the proceedings as her mother and friend began to treat Teagan. Eyes glowing, hands shining the doctor was taking care of disintegrating the cancerous tissues in the old lady’s brain while taking care to not damage her brain.

Elissa was liquefying the jagged edges of Teagan’s patella and reforming them as they should be, slowly healing the muscles and tendons so as to not hurt the patient. Once done, Elissa moved on to the next knee that was in the same process of deterioration and she fixed it too. As for Teagan, she felt a weird sensation throughout her body as the two healers worked; it was similar to feeling ants moving inside of her.

“I am done,” Elissa announced while massaging Teagan’s knees delicately.

The patient herself felt the ants stopping and suddenly there was no pain.

“I will check your work when I am finished,” Sandra said without looking at Elissa.

To the doctor her scan vision was acting like a CT and MRI scan combined as she looked at Teagan’s brain in three dimensions, it’s structure, malleability, the tissues, neurons. Her instincts guided her, she knew how everything worked; her biological manipulation used Teagan’s DNA as a blueprint to enable her to fix the bugs that she was seeing in the machine that is the body. The leftover brain tissue Sandra couldn’t take care of began to be absorbed back into her body.

Sandra sighed, smiled for a job well done and announced, “It’s good.”

The doctor made a last scan of Teagan’s body looking from her brain to her toes; the work that Elissa did on the old lady’s knees was perfect, it showed that the girl paid attention to details. But Sandra thought that it was most likely that Elissa’s healing ability was more powerful than hers.

“Sandra, I don’t feel tired! More like I was in an intense jog or sparring session.” Elissa piped up.

Giggling at Elissa’s enthusiasm, Sandra replied, “Excellent analogy, you see how adding an alternative source of energy boost your abilities. I think with those that you use the most you could become less tired, but taking in energy still affects your stamina, Elissa. Be careful from now on.”

The body was like a capacitor in that case, absorbing energy made the user accumulate fatigue.

Elissa nodded sagely. “I will!”

Then Elissa took the potion from the low table and put it into the old lady’s hands. “Gran, drink this, you’ll see the results when you wake up next.”

Without hesitation, Teagan swallowed the mixture and she was surprised by how it tasted. “It tastes like honey!”

“Well, yeah the normal taste was horrible so I had to flavor it,” Elissa replied after winking.

The previous potion smelled and tasted like old socks; Elissa stared at the nice old lady and saw that her eyes were already heavy as drowsiness assailed her.

Finally, Teagan fell asleep.

“Well then we will wait, I am going to play with my phone!”

“Mom I will stay with Elissa, I suppose you’ll be waiting for Mrs. Williams?”

“Yes, I want to see alchemy in action.”

Elissa and Sarah sat beside each other, chatting with Dawn and Danny; the demoness participated in the gossip session. As for Sandra for ten minutes, she had been watching the effects the potion was having on Teagan. The old lady’s skin tightened and her wrinkles faded; her hair became less white and gained a honey blonde color. The doctor found this fascinating and with her scan vision saw that it wasn’t just a cosmetic change, it was like Teagan was becoming younger, no, in fact, she really was becoming younger as her body had shed at least thirty years.

“God, this is great.” Sandra became transfixed by this scene.

Sarah’s eyes didn’t leave Teagan’s body for one second. “Yeah.” She said.

Elissa giggled at the behavior of the two black women, she disconnected from the chat room and looked at Teagan too. The old lady didn’t look old any longer, she seemed to be middle-aged now. “The effects will take another fifty minutes to finalize,” Elissa said while looking at her manicure.

“She’s getting younger!” Sarah said flummoxed.

“How expensive is this, Elissa?” Sandra asked.

She was interested in getting this potion stashed away for when she got too old for anything to prolong her life.

“If I were to sell this in the magical market it would go for 150 000$.” Elissa replied not concerned with the figure.

Sandra and Sarah looked really surprised by the figure she just quoted. The doctor closed the empty bottle almost reverently and gave it to Elissa who appreciated the gesture; good bottles and vials were difficult to get as they were handmade by goblin craftsmen. Elissa took another rejuvenation potion from her chest and handed it to Sandra. “But, Sandra for you it’s free, take this. There’s no expiration date.”

“I-it’s too…” The doctor tried to give it back to Elissa, but the young woman didn’t even look at the red bottle.

“Sandra, I want you to be around longer; maybe you don’t know it but Sarah is immortal, she won’t age past twenty years old like my mother.” Elissa insisted.

Good people like Sandra were rare, and she wanted the woman who made her get over her fear of her cryokinesis to be around for a long time; her instinct told her that their meeting wasn’t just luck. Sarah intervened as she took in what her friend said, she was immortal? That she will stop aging? She wasn’t ready for this revelation.

“Mom takes it, when you get older you’ll need it. The next one-hundred-fifty years aren’t going to be easy on you even with your superhuman physiology.” Sarah said.

Sandra relented. “Very well.” Taking the bottle she placed it in her medical bag.

Sarah turned to Elissa and went to hug her tightly. “Eli, thank you, you are the best.”

Elissa reciprocates the gesture of affection. “Aww Sarah, we are friends you don’t have to thank me.”

The three women waited another fifty minutes and right on time, Teagan woke up. With bleary eyes she looked around her and noticed that her vision was clearer than before, there were no aches and pains in her body anymore. Sandra held her hand to Teagan who took it and stood up; she braced for the pain in her knee but was surprised by it not flaring up at all.

“Aah feel… strong and energized.” Tegan said, once again she was surprised at her voice having changed. It sounded like in her younger days.

Elissa conjured an ice construct in the form of a floor-length mirror with a highly reflective surface; Teagan was staring at her reflection and was left unable to say a word. It was like being back in time, she saw herself in her thirties and with her daughter pregnant with Belle.

“That’s you, Gran. But you aren’t old anymore so I don’t think it’s appropri-” Elissa began to say.

“No, Elissa for you aah will always be Gran. No, take-backs, ok?” Teagan said as she looked at her reflection and incidentally at Elissa behind her.

Elissa smiled and relished in the trust she was suddenly given. “As you wish.”

Teagan twirled in her dark blue sundress. “Yes aah wish so, young lady.”

A feminine voice interrupted Teagan’s moment, heavy footfalls could be heard from the porch and the house’s main entrance door was opened. A rather tall blue-skinned woman with a muscular yet feminine build and white silvery hair appeared and hollered, “Gran! Aah’m back with Achilles, do you have that lemonade ready?”

She wore a black Tesla skinsuit armor and a duffel bag that she promptly threw to the side on the dinner table. However, she froze when her eyes found Teagan. The form of a man blurred at the woman’s side, he had long red hair and a lean and athletic build. Elissa recognized her uncle instantly, Sarah and her mother asked themselves what was going on.

“Elissa, what are you doing here?” Achilles asked as he saw his niece, then he remembered that he had asked Tesla to send a healer to help with Teagan’s knee. But he didn’t see the old woman anywhere.

“Heya, Uncle Achilles.” Elissa waved at her uncle.

“Gran is that you?!” Belle shouted, she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Her Gran looked just like that when she was younger.

Teagan giggled at her granddaughter’s reaction. “Afternoon, Belle.”

“Gran?” Belle was still unable to process this new change.

Teagan walked to her blue-skinned granddaughter and cupped her face between her hands and said, “Yes, it is me.”

Achilles couldn’t believe that this attractive woman was the old lady he had been hounding for her cooking. He looked at Elissa who gave him a smile; the speedster often forgot how the girl was like her biological mother, generous with her gifts and not thinking of the consequences…

“Let’s all have dinner here!” Teagan didn’t offer, it was an order.

Achilles and Elissa’s stomachs rumbled in unison at that and everyone laughed at them. This was a good day, Elissa hoped she would have more of those.

---

New York - Manhattan
Hudson Square
Howard Blake’s safe house
05:48 PM

 

Douglas walked into the elevator, he pushed the button that will bring him to his grandfather’s apartment. The hero took the time to go to the hairdresser who fashioned his thick short black hair; Douglas wore an Armani suit that his wife ordered for him, it had been difficult to leave her as she really liked seeing him in it.

He dreaded the confrontation that was surely going to happen when they met, but he was prepared for it, he looked at the case in his hand. It contained the costume that his grandfather had given him when he had asked him to take on the mantle; Douglas had been really happy when it happened, he just couldn’t fathom why everyone in the family avoided Howard, but now he understood.

Ding.

The elevator arrived at its destination, Douglas straightened his black suit and exited the elevator cage. The grey and white walls around him gave the place an austere feeling that rubbed him the wrong way, fortunately, he knew that at the end of the corridor he would find the brown door of his grandfather’s residence. His CLO pinged and Douglas checked his AR to see who could be texting him; he wasn’t surprised to see that it was Heracles who told him that he should be careful with what he was doing and that he shouldn’t trust Howard.

Since his wife scolded him before them, Douglas thought that Heracles had drastically changed his behavior. He was now caring and often came to coach his sidekick Ultra Girl, Douglas didn’t mind; after all, he found the girl a handful.

Finally, at the door, Douglas knocked and it opened to a gorgeous twenty-something petite woman with blonde hair, a curvaceous build and she looked a bit breathless as her lips were swollen. This wasn’t what astonished Douglas the most, the young woman was pregnant, it showed through her red dress.

“Yes?” Her voice was a soft alto.

Voiceless at first, Douglas tried to continue speaking. “I am-”

The eyes of the blonde woman opened wide in recognition and she smiled at him. “Oh yeah, you are Howy’s grandkid. Please come in I will tell him you are here.”

Giving way to Douglas, the woman opened the door wider; the hero entered the apartment. The woman went deeper into the apartment of at least two-thousand square feet, that was luxurious enough to make even Douglas blink at it. Oakwood wood flooring, white furniture and Persian rugs everywhere. The apartment was dominated by trendy decorations and giant-sized pictures of the woman Douglas was following.

“Howy, your grandson is here!” The blonde woman shouted.

The hero’s mind was churning with thoughts. *What the hell?! Grandpa has a mistress? And she’s pregnant?*

Howard Blake’s voice rang from the living room where he was putting on his white shirt. “Carly, darling the boy is here you say?”

“Yes, love.” The woman named Carly said as she went to Douglas’ grandfather and kissed him full on the mouth.

This disgusted the hero, he was thinking about his grandmother and now he understood why she left. She had even tried to get divorced but Howard didn’t permit it. Douglas was seeing a totally new side of the man he had considered this tall and heroic figure.

“Doug, come here please,” Howard told his grandson. He turned to his mistress drinking in her beauty and enjoying the satisfaction that she was carrying his offspring. “Carly, I need to speak with my grandson, take the limousine for a shopping tour, Nigel will drive you around.”

The chairman was already texting his driver; Carly hugged him and said, “You know how to treat me well love, thanks.” She planted a chaste kiss on his lips, turned and saw the look in Douglas’ eyes. The woman didn’t care at all what he thought but she taunted him with a wink, “Later honey.”

Carly took her handbag from the low table and left the apartment, the two muscular men looked each other in the eyes. Howard could see the astonished gaze of his grandson and was it loathing he was seeing? He wasn’t used to seeing this emotion on Douglas’ face who had always been respectful. As for Douglas, he entered into a sullen silence.

“Follow me, Doug.” Howard’s voice lost all warmth as he ordered his grandson.

The hero followed Howard silently, he was resolved now; after seeing how lost and angry his grandfather was, the decision he had already taken in his heart was now unshakeable. Howard guided his grandson to his office, closed the door and went to sit at his desk. “Please sit, Doug.”

Douglas put the case on the ground, combed his hair with his fingers and sat looking seriously at Howard, he leaned in his chair and waited for the man to speak.

“So, I hear Tesla put together another organization.” Without Preamble, Howard began.

He was disgusted by Nikola’s move and what was worse? Dorina followed him, he knew she didn’t like him but to him, they gutted the League! The sharks were circling him smelling blood already. His political allies were already asking him what he thought he was doing when he antagonized the richest man on the planet. Howard didn’t care about money anymore, what he needed was to keep the League afloat until he could help fight against the aliens who were without a doubt gathering their strength to crush Earth.

Douglas nodded, seeing the angry expression on his grandfather’s face. “Yes, The Assembly.” The hero’s expression stayed neutral, not letting any of his inner thoughts betray him.

This frustrated Howard, he couldn’t read Douglas. He had been able to when he was just a toddler until his late teens, but since he came back from his trip in the Himalayas and trained in his power the brat didn’t think he was beholden to him any longer.

“Why did you join it?” It sounded like a reprimand.

Even though Douglas was older and an independent adult, Howard thought he still held sway over him. The hero chose to quickly remind him that it wasn’t so, Douglas wasn’t a puppet or kid before whom Howard could just dangle something to tempt him and take it away when he wasn’t satisfied with what he was doing.

“Because I believe in what he is trying to do. The odds aren’t in our favor as the solar system is crawling with Vadwaur scout ships.” Douglas said as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

And it was, Tesla had the smarts, the means, and the allies to pull it off, to save humanity. Howard didn’t.

That floored Howard, his grandson knew! What more did he know? And what shocked him is that Douglas who had been one of his biggest supporters threw in his lot with Nikola. “Why him? Don’t you believe in me? I only want what’s be-”

Douglas chose to interrupt the old man in his tirade, tired of hearing the same excuses he had for what seemed to be justifications to him. “To be frank with you, grandfather, I am not sure what you thought you were accomplishing by alienating Nikola. And you signing with that dubious company, Val-Tech was it? In an attempt to replace him? This will blow up in your face.”

The hero certainly knew more about Val-Tech than Howard, but he didn’t want to be the guy who fucked up his allies’ plans. Tesla had a plan to eliminate Val-Tech once and for all, as they were the financial arm of The Cabal.

Affronted, Howard smashed his fist into the desk that caved and everything on its surface was thrown through the room. “Shut up! I-”

Douglas stayed calm, not at all moved by Howard’s childish display. “Grandfather, you should step down.” The hero said bluntly.

Eyes wide Howard stood from his chair, “Not you too?!”

First Dorina, then Tesla and now his own grandson. They wanted him out, to defang him! Even though he was the only one who seemed to care for the well being of everyone. But he would win this, he would show them that he can save everyone!

Douglas crossed his legs, looked Howard in the eyes and continued to speak, not feeling at all guilty about causing him distress. “I agree with Queen Dorina and Tesla, you are unable to let go of your petty games and your political career. In an attempt to fix the wrongs you have committed, you made everything worse.”

Howard growled. “I will not step down, I am the only one who can fix everything.” The chairman hovered with his power of flight, trying to look intimidating as he gazed angrily at his grandson.

Douglas laughed at that, Howard was a sad man. “Grandfather, no, Mr. Blake.” He wasn’t acknowledging their parentage anymore. “I think that you can see that you are wrong but that you are not man enough to take a step back and own up to your responsibilities. You are not the most powerful superhuman or even the wisest person, in fact, the job you are so desperately holding onto is about delegating the problems to competent people who will fix them.”

Howard was furious, he had never been disrespected so! He couldn’t understand how his grandson had turned against him, he had nurtured him, trained him to take on his mantle. “How dare you?! Ingrate!”

Douglas smiled defiantly. “We see people like you on the job, it saddens me to say that you are afflicted by two ills; a hero complex and a savior complex, this is my first time seeing the two in one individual. I doubt that anything I will tell you will make you see reason. Fortunately, I didn’t come here for your approval or anything of the sort.”

The hero picked up the case and opened it, inside, a world war two soldier’s helmet with a white and red bodysuit reminiscent of the American flag with a stylized F on the torso that glowed under the electric light of Howard’s office.

Howard’s eyes gleamed in fury with the casual way Douglas treated this uniform. “You are not worthy of wearing this mantle I entrusted you with! Give me back-”

Douglas closed the case and threw it at Howard who caught it. As for Howard, he expected to see his grandson beg to keep the costume and the name, but this nonchalant and rather derisive behavior threw him a lot. He was used to be held high by Douglas

“The costume and the contract for the holder of the name: Major Freedom are in there. I don’t want to be attached or identified with you anymore, you are a terrible man, Mr. Blake.” Douglas said as he stared at the man he once respected and thought of as the greatest hero on this Earth, but since looking at Tesla’s evidence of his schemes and the lives taken as a result of his failures he thought that Howard was dirtier than mud.

Shaking his head Douglas said, “The other members of the family were right, you have lost touch with reality. I fear for the world now that you have shown your true colors.”

Douglas stood, adjusted the lapels of his suit, then turned his back and was about to exit this den of iniquity.

“I didn’t say you could leave.” Howard’s voice became low and menacing.

“Oh, are you ordering me now?” Douglas turned to Howard but was punched in the face and thrown into the wall that crumbled under the impact, he stopped when he hit another wall.

Howard hovered toward his grandson looking ready to thrash him.

“You shouldn’t have done that, old man.” The hero spat, then wiped the blood coming out of his nose with his sleeve.

Howard glared at him. “Impertinent brat.”

Douglas catapulted himself toward the chairman thanks to his tactile telekinesis, as he flew he punched Howard in the face and the old man crashed through his office and out of the building. A hole opened in the wall leading outside and the hero went through it following the trail of destruction left by Howard. While he hovered over Washington and the UPS customer center he saw his grandfather getting out of the wreckage of a few cars in the parking lot.

Howard flew at him in anger, punch first, but his grandson caught it in his left hand absorbing the impact and redirecting the strength into a punch to the chairman’s jaw. BAM, Douglas saw him crashing into the parking lot and followed him by diving feet first onto the chairman’s torso who caught him by the ankles stopping him from hurting him; Howard hovered quickly eight feet from the ground while still being horizontal and turned on himself to use centrifugal force to throw Douglas.

The chairman stared at Douglas as he righted himself in midair. The hero laughed at Howard and lunged toward him. The two strongmen type of superhuman collided, and boxed in the air, avoiding jabs that would decapitate most men. The battlefield changed as they battled over west Houston street. Howard was beginning to become winded, he simply didn’t have the same stamina as Douglas and his battle senses had dulled with all those years flying a desk; he got impatient as he tried to cross counter his grandson who caught his hand and broke his arm.

Howard cried out but was silenced by Douglas headbutting him with all his strength to make him fall in the middle of the road where he crashed loudly, chunks of pavement flew from the impact. Traffic stopped and people got out of their cars to watch what was happening.

“You sold those heroes out, Mr. Blake. You don’t even know it. You gave our enemies power that should have been used to defend the weak, over pettiness and your own sense of self-importance.”

“W-what?” Howard was bleeding from the head and his mouth and barely understood what Douglas said. His face was swelling and wasn’t pretty to look at.

Chuckling at the sorry sight of his grandfather, Douglas said, “You’re beginning to get the idea, Mr. Blake. You could have changed the world, now? Look at you, to you, your own grandson became a political liability and you are now a joke.”

People had been filming everything that happened with their phones. Douglas’ hand closed around Howard’s neck and he raised him to eye level as he hovered one meter from the ground. “I want you to remember, Mr. Blake. In all the years to come, in your most private moments, I want you to remember, my hand, at your throat, I want you to remember, the one man who beat you.”

Douglas let go of his grandfather who fell bonelessly in the middle of the road the young man looked around him, the people were continuing to record the altercation or pointing fingers at him. Then the hero noticed how his suit was torn everywhere and shook his head.

“My wife is going to kill me, this suit was expensive.” He smiled and then looked at the darkening sky and flew at high speed, creating a sonic boom and he was gone.

Howard lay broken on the pavement and unconscious while people recorded him.

---

Pocket Dimension
Daphne Snow School of Arcane Art
April 3rd, 2018
10:00 AM

 

“What a beautiful Tuesday,” Elissa said as she stretched like a cat.

Today she wore a blue overall and work pants with brown security boots, her hair was secured in a tight ponytail. Elissa was outside in a clearing prepared by master Yastan Forgemaster able to accommodate space for every student to be able to build the kind of contraption the Dwarf called practical knowledge and application.

In Daphne Snow, the school program was focused on teaching practical skills to the student body; academics were important, yes, but being able to make your own tools, shelters and facilities even if you were stuck in the wild was truly important. However this class taught by master Yastan wasn’t popular enough; with Elissa, only four other students were taking it, two elves and two shifters. All males. When Elissa was stretching the effects of gravity on her chest made those boys lose IQ.

Master Yastan laughed at the young men and clapped to recapture their attention. “Aye, boys stop looking at the lass and focus! Today yer butts are mine! We will take all day if it’s necessary but we will build those enchanted Yurts!”

““Yes Sir!”” The four boys said in unison.

“Sure, Master Dwarf, sir.” Elissa said mock-seriously.

“Don’t sass me, Elissa!” Yastan shouted, but Elissa knew he wasn’t angry just taking his teacher role seriously.

Elissa gave a mock salute, not at all deterred by his false anger, which made the Dwarf sigh heavily and he gave up trying to discipline her; she was after all one of his best students. The boys frowned at that, they didn’t like how their teacher was playing favorites with Elissa.

“Well, ye bunch of moles, I hope ye have yer tools with ye.” The Dwarf flexed his muscles while staring up at his student, he wore a black overall with a leather tool belt with his hammer and other tools hanging out of it.

The boys had their toolboxes at their feet on the grassy ground and crouched to open them and get the tools that they’ll need. Elissa didn’t have her toolbox with her, it had mysteriously disappeared from her locker in Yastan’s shed. Elissa thought it was foul play from someone, but she still came to the class.

“Hum Master Yastan?” Elissa called out her teacher.

Yastan turned to the young woman, smiled at her and asked, “Yes lass?”

Elissa didn’t know why but there was like a gaze full of expectations on Yastan’s face and this didn’t reassure her at all. Gathering her courage, she confessed while looking the Dwarf in the eyes, “I didn’t find my toolbox in my locker…”

Yastan nodded and gave her a tight smile. “Aye, I took it away.”

Astonished Elissa couldn’t help cry, “WHAT? But Master Yastan I need it!”

The other students were astonished by this revelation, some of them began to chuckle at Elissa’s distress; they didn’t like her showing them up all the time. One cold stare from Elissa and the atmosphere around her freezing around them dissuaded the boys to continue in this endeavor and they focused on preparing their tools.

“Nay, ye don’t, ye are that special kind of human called superhuman ain't ye? And ye can bend steel as easy as Tin and yer tough, tougher than a Dwarf and ye can use yer ice powers to create tools. Yer Ma’ told me to push ye to yer limits, I intend to do so.” The Dwarf said smugly.

Her mother again? Won’t she let up? Just because a sword wounded her pride? Or was it more training, preparations for the unknown task her parents prepared her for? But Elissa won’t take this lying down, she should be treated the same as the other students. “Master-”

The Dwarf stared at her hard. “Don’t Master me, now git! Build me this Yurt!” He dismissed everyone to their workplaces with a thumb behind his shoulder.

Elissa’s shoulders sagged and she went to her workplace with her hands in her pockets, kicking pebbles on the way in frustration.

*To Hel with it! I will not let them get me down, I was never afraid of the consequences of failure and just like Master Yastan said: I already have all the tools I need.*

“Hmph.” Elissa didn’t care anymore, she just stopped at her workplace that was dead center in the clearing. The wooden Yurt platform was nine meters in diameter and already pre-constructed by Yastan and the merry band of Dwarves from the Forgemaster clan that choose to live in the pocket dimension after having forged Elissa’s sword.

Through her mage sight, Elissa noticed that the platform was enchanted with shrinking and protection runes, creating a pseudo artifact that permitted the shelter built on the platform to safely shrink and be carried anywhere. From what she could see from the runework, Elissa guessed that the protection spell was to prevent the platform from shrinking with living beings inside and to deploy a field that rendered the shelter invisible and protected it with a layered kinetic and magic field.

Elissa liked the simplicity of this pseudo artifact, it was a derivative of a more powerful version of a spell called Mordenkainen’s Magnificent Mansion from the conjuration school, where the user conjures up an extradimensional dwelling with a single entrance.

Yastan at least gave her basic things like slime glue, nails, and a measuring tape. Placed neatly at Elissa’s feet were ironwood lattice walls, a door, and frame, side covers with some of them having windows integrated, rafters, tension cables. From the other side of the Yurt’s platform the center ring, top cover and dome skylight were also there. To Elissa, it looked like a giant puzzle, as she tilted her head the young woman was already seeing which tools she would need to finish everything.

First Elissa took the jar full of slime glue with her and began to nail the door and frame and to the intended place where the stairs met the Yurt platform. Like the Dwarf had asked of her, Elissa used her fingers and super strength to push the nails in to fix the door in place while following the blueprint in her mind; she then glued the lattice walls together on the platform which took her a good ten minutes to do in the proper order. Elissa waited another twenty minutes, giving the glue time to take effect, slime glue was an alchemic compound that was used for permanently joining things together but contrary to normal glue it wasn’t possible to dissolve it.

Once ready, Elissa checked that the walls would hold by conjuring a strong breeze and as the walls didn’t even move she turned the breeze into a strong gust of wind; the ironwood lattice walls didn’t move an inch! Elissa was happy about that.

And just like that assembling the framework went faster as Elissa raised the center ring and installed the rafters, secured the tension cables and did the same with the rafters and the doorframe. It was hard work but Elissa managed to put everything together before noon by using her super-strength and her ice constructs in the shape of tools.

“Ye can stop ye bunch of reprobates!” Yastan shouted. “It’s midday! Go have lunch or something, but don’t leave the area.”

Elissa checked the time on her AR HUD and saw that it was indeed 12:02 PM.

*Well at least I am almost done!* Elissa gushed at her work.

She looked at the work of the boys and they weren’t even close to where she was, some had barely put the lattice walls around their platforms or installed the rafters and skylights. Elissa was proud of herself. She felt a familiar mana behind her and turned to see Dawn still glowing with her purplish magical aura; a sign that she had just teleported, she wore her school uniform and the school supplied messenger bag.

“Hey.” Dawn waved at her girlfriend whose eyes lit up when she saw her.

Dawn wouldn't ever get tired of seeing love written all over Elissa’s face each time she looked at her… Dawn was becoming aware of her feelings for Elissa, it went beyond liking at this point.

“Watashi no ai, anata wa.” (My love, you are here) Elissa said in Japanese. The young woman walked to her girlfriend and hugged her tightly.

“Ee, watashi wa koko ni imasu.” (Yeah, I am here) Dawn answered.

They kissed chastely though, the girls didn’t intend to put on a show for the boys present under the shadow of the trees. Dawn teleported the biggest multi-layered lunchbox ever into her hands and gave it to Elissa who giggled at it, her stomach rumbles could be heard by Dawn.

“Aww, my foxy princess is hungry.”

Elissa nodded, as she felt famished after the intense use of her ice constructs. “Very!” She said vehemently.

“I see.” Dawn girl said simply.

Dawn put a picnic blanket under a tree in the clearing near Elissa’s almost completed Yurt and they began to eat in earnest. Sarah was a talented chef, and she made a sliced tomato salad, mozzarella sauce as an entrée and Spaghetti Bolognese. There was enough for twelve people but Elissa devoured everything. Dawn had secured enough for herself, fortunately. They shared a water bottle and then Dawn began to watch a video that went viral on her phone.

“Hey, it’s a super fight,” Dawn said as she saw the fight from multiple angles, it seemed someone had collected the videos from multiple devices like smartphones or CCTV cameras as the resolution differed a lot between shots. It was a younger man against an older man and the fight went on as they flew and punched at each other and crashed into the asphalt.

To Elissa, it was clear who was the superior fighter as the younger flying man won when he headbutted the old man who looked familiar. “Yeah and look how fast it goes and-” Elissa looked more attentively and was astonished, “By Hekate, is that Howard Blake?”

Dawn paused the video and looked at the face of the man the younger super held by the neck, “Huh, yeah it is him.”

Elissa laughed and put her arm around Dawn’s waist, “Mom hates that guy, it couldn’t have happened to someone nastier.”

Dawn frowned at that, it was the first time she heard Elissa disparage the chairman of the League. She thought that as she wanted to become a hero, Elissa would respect the man, but it wasn’t so: why did her girlfriend say- that about Howard Blake? “Huh? Why, isn’t he-”

Elissa understood that Dawn was confused about her opinion on the chairman so she simply informed her girlfriend, “Dawn, this guy is a snake. Everything he does is to satisfy his ego, don’t be blinded by his past actions only his current ones matter now.”

Elissa remembered what happened when they migrated to the USA, Howard Blake tried to force her parents into his little squad of omega superhumans; Her mother, father, and uncle schooled him and had almost killed him. It was one of the rare moments where she disagreed with her dad, Heracles; he should have let Malicia decapitate the man. Elissa was guarding her little sister in The Sanctum while everything happened, but she wasn’t worried at the time as she was scrying all the events.

“Ok, I believe you, you wouldn’t lead me astray, but the chairman got thrashed hard. Did you see his head?” Dawn said amazed.

Elissa casually answered, “From what I can see he has a big concussion and a superficial wound in the middle of his forehead that’s bleeding profusely, a broken arm and some scraps. Nothing too terrible. In that guy’s place, I’d have severed the chairman’s arms, flash-frozen them and then brained him with them.”

Dawn looked at Elissa who’s face looked impassive, her eyes stuck on her girlfriend’s smartphone screen watching the fight in the video again. Dawn commented on Elissa’s explanation of what she would have done, “Sometimes you say the most disturbing things, Eli.”

Elissa turned her head to Dawn’s uncertain expression and flashed her a confident grin. “I aim to please.”

It caused Dawn to redden and she felt Elissa’s hand caressing her thigh. Embarrassed, Dawn tried to make conversation. “Hum, from what the guy who beat up Blake says in the video, he is his grandson.”

Elissa didn’t let up, teasing Dawn a bit more but still, she answered her. “I know which one, Douglas Blake the current Major Freedom.”

Elissa picked her girlfriend up and placed her on her thighs, hugged her and began to breathe in the scent of her hair. Elissa’s hands then slid under Dawn’s shirt and she began to lovingly stroke her girlfriend’s lower abdomen. Dawn fought to not moan but stood firm, not wanting to give Elissa what she wanted and continued the conversation.

“Something tells me that…” Dawn said, panting.

Their feelings having deepened after they had their tête-à-tête and communicated to air the grievances they had against each other; their relationship was almost ready to pass onto the next level but it never went further than some heavy petting and kisses. Elissa giggled as she put her head in the crook of Dawn’s neck, kissed her and finished her girlfriend’s guess, “Douglas isn’t Major Freedom anymore? Yes, I too have that suspicion, let’s keep an ear to the ground my dear, this is too juicy not to keep being informed of the situation.” Lovingly said, Elissa.

“Yes, let’s do that.” Dawn nodded, letting Elissa speak like her mother yet again, those moments when she was a teenager and she switched to being all Ladylike still threw her off.

The boys looked enviously at the two lovers, they didn’t have any girlfriends willing to bring them food when they worked like slaves all morning; they couldn’t understand why this girl Elissa had everything, power, fame, and smarts.

“Break is done, you lousy moles! Get back to work!!” Shouted Yastan’s familiar voice that broke everyone’s thread of thoughts.

Elissa and Dawn kissed, then the asian girl gathered her effects and teleported away with a wave to her girlfriend. Elissa stretched and felt ready to finish assembling her Yurt. It was already 02:05 PM and Elissa wanted to wrap everything up.

Elissa began to work and started on insulating her Yurt; the walls and then the roof, she used wind magic to make the slime glue harden faster. It took a solid thirty minutes. Fortunately, she had already put the central column inside, all she needed to finish this task was to put side and top covers on and she was golden.

It was 03:30 PM when Elissa completed her Yurt, Yastan began to inspect her work and he made a lot of satisfied noises in his beard. The Dwarf crossed his powerful arms, nodded and said, “Aye, lass you did it. You can build a shelter with yer own hands, no tools needed. I pass ye.”

Elissa jumped in joy. “Yes!”

Yastan averted his eyes from the young woman’s chest doing springy things and continued to inspect her work. Elissa really appreciated the praise, she would have liked to continue to work on the Yurt though; working with her hands had been something fulfilling in itself. Maybe she could translate this feeling in doing more work like this.

“Will we have to design the floor plan, Master?” Elissa asked, enthusiastically.

Yastan shook his head. “Nay, leave it to me and me boys! You did the biggest job lass, we will make ye the most luxurious interior that we can, with a kitchen, a toilet, and a bathroom. Hope yer ready for it.” The Dwarf smiled and gave her a thumbs up.

Elissa was disappointed but she didn’t show it. “Hum, Master Yastan. Is this going to be used soon?” Elissa tilted her head.

The dwarf’s comment about crafting the interior caught her attention: if he said it, it must be because she will be expected to live in it. Elissa’s intuition flared up, it didn’t presage anything good! Yastan cursed his loose tongue, sighed heavily and turned to Elissa, “I… can’t tell ye, anything lass, I promised yer Ma’. But lemme tell ye a wee something, Train, train hard until summer.”

*I knew it! What is Mom concocting again?!* Elissa’s mind churned, it was difficult for her to guess what her unpredictable mother would do lately. But the more she thought about it, the more she dreaded summer.

“Thank you for your advice Master Yastan, I shall follow it.” Elissa said.

---

Pocket Dimension
Von Braun Residence
04:15 PM

 

Heracles walked to his bedroom where he felt that he would find his wife. Outside the door, he heard his wife laughing maniacally. Sometimes the red-haired man thought that his wife was like those villains he saw in his daughters’ movies, laughing evilly at someone or a situation of their own making. He loved her but sometimes her quirks where strange, he found some of them cute nonetheless.

Opening the door, Heracles saw Malicia laying on their bed, she wore one of his large black t-shirts with tight red shorts; a sight that made Heracles hard with lust, but he controlled himself and continued to observe her. Malicia was looking at her tablet and then she began to laugh again. He took off his armor piece by piece and placed it in his closet leaving him wearing only his boxers.

Intrigued by what was so amusing to his wife, Heracles asked, “What is so funny, love?”

Malicia turned her head to her husband, smiled impishly at him and winked. “Come see.” Was her answer.

Heracles climbed onto the bed and placed himself at his wife’s side, she promptly put her head on his arm, glued herself to him and began to play the video. What wasn’t surprising to Heracles was seeing the fight between Douglas and Howard Blake. This is exactly the kind of situation he had worried would happen when his teammate told him he was going to distance himself from his grandfather and give him back the Major Freedom costume.

They had already discussed another name for him but still keeping the essence of what Major Freedom had represented to him; Douglas intended to become Colonel Liberty, a rather corny name in Heracles’ opinion but was catchy enough.

In the video, the fight went on, someone had collated all the videos in the area to have a good idea of what happened in the confrontation. Howard Blake showed signs of someone who had once been a warrior but let himself go, his battle instincts had dulled; Heracles could see it in the way he moved, the older man lacked the stamina that Douglas his grandson possessed. So it wasn’t a surprise that his teammate finished him in record time and the chairman went down in the middle of the street.

At the last minute of the recording, Heracles heard Douglas tell his grandfather while he held him by the throat, “I want you to remember, Mr. Blake. In all the years to come, in your most private moments, I want you to remember, my hand, at your throat, I want you to remember, the one man who beat you.”

Malicia burst into another round of maniacal laughter, tears in her eyes because she was so amused. He knew his wife hated the man, but he didn’t expect her to laugh at his demise this way. He found it slightly unsightly of her.

“This man got what he deserves, I really would have killed him though; he keeps pilling problems in front of us.” Malicia meanly added.

Heracles shrugged his shoulders. “I guess.”

The sorceress looked him in the eyes and raised an eyebrow. Not at all used to this laconic answer from her husband, she received awkward vibes from him.

“Aren’t you going to say something more constructive than that?” Malicia asked.

Heracles wasn’t in the mood to mock a man who will have his comeuppance, what interested him was speaking to his wife about her activities. “That man, Howard Blake, is going to suffer, no matter what I say about him, he put himself in that situation.”

Malicia was seeing a pattern there, when her husband wasn’t happy with her he entered this kind of laconic state. “I see, you are not being your usual self Heracles; is there something you wish to tell me?”

His wife invited him to say what he had to say and he jumped on it. “Yes, it concerns our daughters.”

Malicia stiffened slightly and said, “Oh? They are well, learning their academics and making friends.”

It was the truth, but she had noticed the strained relationship between Cassandra and Elissa since she taught her younger daughter how to teleport in spite to bother her big sister. It was a spur of the moment decision, but she regretted acting like a childish tool and didn’t know how to apologize, pride and guilt stopping her from doing her motherly duty and mending fences. Malicia had even noticed how Cassandra was kind of standoffish with her.

“Malicia, I am not an idiot. You have meddled with Cassie and Elissa and you have to fix it.” He was saddened that she would resort to deceiving him.

This was one of the moments when Heracles felt that his wife was truly alien, her feelings were exacerbated. Her love for them was absolute, but you couldn’t take the Fae and the Demon out of a Dae and expect them to react as humans would. Malicia would defend and spoil her daughters, but to teach them lessons she would put them through harsh trials as her own mother did to her.

However she wouldn’t hesitate to create tension between them, but when her daughters didn’t just brush off her scheme and things weren’t going back to normal she realized that she had made a mistake. Heracles was prepared to fight his wife, it always happened when they didn’t agree on something or when he wasn't willing to let it go and let her do what she does best.

Malicia’s magical aura seeped out of her, surrounding her body, her horns and eyes glowed in a yellow-green light as she asked her husband, “You dare order me?”

Heracles chuckled at that. “Yes I do. In fact if you don’t do it, I guess I will be spending more time in New York with the team for a while.”

Malicia turned on him fast, like a cobra, straddling him and putting her glowing hands around his neck and said, “No one blackmails me, even if you are my-”

Heracles caught her hands and used his strength to turn on the bed and pin Malicia to the bed with her hands behind her. The red-haired man looked angrily at her, something she wasn’t used to from her husband. Usually, Heracles let his wife decide everything and didn’t blink at some of her acts that an outsider would deem evil; however, he had a bottom line. Something he had told her to never do, she was playing games with their daughters.

Heracles stared at her, his words were full of a cold anger. “I told you to never play games with Cassie, now she’s sad. When I came back the last time, she was crying and telling me how her big sister didn’t love her anymore. What do you have to say for yourself?”

Malicia stayed silent, averting her eyes from those of her husband that were blazing in anger. Malicia felt ashamed, heartsick and sad that she had caused a rift in her family because of her actions. But her pride still didn’t allow her to recognize this fact aloud.

“That’s what I thought.” Heracles didn’t let her go, she was bound to retaliate. “You are going to do something about it?”

Malicia tried to struggle, but her hands were firmly pinned behind her and she didn’t want to use magic on her husband. That would create more problems and anger him even more. This was the third time that Heracles had become this angry with her and it scared her, something that she would never confess.

Heracles’ baritone voice rumbled with anger. “Look at me when I am speaking to you.”

Malicia turned her head and gazed at him.

“Will you fix the problem?” Heracles asked, he was calm but his anger would resurface at any wrong word from his wife.

Malicia’s pride melted under her beloved’s gaze, she felt compelled to tell the truth, “I don’t know how.” Malicia said, her voice full of despair.

As she was under him, Malicia felt as if she was left bare and vulnerable. A bit afraid to show this side of her that didn’t feel in control of anything. Heracles’ eyes softened and he released her, the glow around Malicia dimmed and she was back to normal.

Heracles kissed Malicia’s brows, put his finger on Malicia’s chin and said, “I will show you how, my love.”

Malicia melted as she saw the love she’s used to seeing on her husband’s face, an expression solely reserved for her. But as quickly as it appeared it was gone as Heracles added, “But I want something to be clear, if you ever do it again, I will take the kids away from you.” Heracles threatened as he made her look into his eyes once more for her to see that he was serious.

Shock and fear tightened her heart, Malicia couldn’t and wouldn’t imagine a life without her babies and her man; the husband who loved her unconditionally, the girls she raised and loved since they were but babes, “No, please I love you.”

Heracles smiled, “Then be more mindful of your actions, Mal.”

Malicia desperately clung onto Heracles, holding on for dear life. “I-I will, please don’t leave me.”

“Good.” The man said.

He kissed her, she smelled of flowers and fire and he touched her everywhere. Malicia pressed her pelvis forward, grinding gently against Heracles’ boxers. He moved with her, teasing his body against hers through the little clothes they had on. Heracles pulled her shirt off, revealing a lacy black bra before kissing his wife again.

“I will make you remember that night when I conquered you,” Heracles whispered in Malicia’s ear.

Malicia shivered and held tight on her husband and answered with a, “Yes, my love.”

---

 

07:20 PM

 

Cassandra was waiting in the living room, sitting on the white sofa, her parents had suddenly decided to convene for the family for dinner. Her cat, Lady Christine, lay on her feet, warming them, never once leaving them. The little girl had been gloomy for a while now, afraid to go back to her sister’s tower and disturb her and her friends.

*What about me? I want my sister back!* Cassandra thought.

Through her powerful hearing, Cassandra heard the main door of the manor open from the living room; a familiar scent wafted from the entrance, the little girl wanted to stand up and meet her sister but something held her back. She didn’t want to be a bother to her sister.

“Cassie, sweetie, are you here?” The familiar voice of Elissa rang in the manor.

Hearing her sister call out to her made her happy, but for once she didn’t just run out like before to hug Elissa. Lady Christine decided to get out of the way, her mistress had been down for a while and fighting with her sister right now would be counterproductive to her mood. Cassandra saw her cat move away, a sight she was not used to since normally Chrissy always wanted to cuddle with Elissa and mock fight with her.

“I-I’m here, sis,” Cassandra called out.

Elissa’s footsteps could be heard from the foyer, she was coming to her for once; she heard Elissa coming down the hall as she came nearer to the living room; Cassandra became nervous about how to interact with her sister. Wondering if she'd hate her, or would she tell her off like before?

“Hey, Cassie.” Elissa appeared through the living room door and waited for something.

Cassandra looked at her big sister and said, “S-sister.” Then she looked down at the floor while awkwardly fidgeting her fingers.

Frowning, Elissa made a ‘come on’ gesture and said, “Huh, where’s my hug?”

The little girl looked up and quickly looked down, after seeing the confused expression on Elissa’s face. “I’m sorry.” Cassandra stayed where she was not daring to move and looked down at her feet again.

“Oh.” Elissa smelled and saw the cloud of shame and fear that surrounded the little girl and knew it was because of her. Elissa had hurt her little sister’s feelings and as loyal to her as Cassandra was, she was doing what she always did, she trying to help her. In this case, Elissa guessed that the little girl was trying not to be a bother.

Elissa sighed heavily, walked over to her sister and hugged her with all her strength. “Are you mad at me, Cassie?”

The little girl hugged her back, loosely at first, “N-no. Sister are you mad at me?” Cassandra’s hold on her sister tightened as she asked that, afraid of the answer.

Elissa kissed Cassandra’s forehead, and said, “I see, that’s why you didn’t come to see me like you always do. Maybe I came on too strong when I told you to not teleport. I am sorry Cassie. I love you, you can come to see me whenever you want. I’m not mad at you, alright?”

The older sister almost pleaded since she didn't want to alienate her little sister. She had cared for Cassie since she was a baby and they loved each other ever since. Not having her in her life would be like losing a limb.

Cassandra looked at her big sister, her eyes were all misty as if she was about to cry. “You really aren’t?”

Elissa gently brushed away the tears that began to roll down her sister’s cheeks. “Nope, you are the best little sister in the world.”

Cassandra smiled. “The bestest?”

The older sister was overawed by Cassandra’s cuteness and pulled her even tighter against her. “Yes, yes. I love you more than anything, you know that?”

“Hehehe.” Was the little girl’s smug answer to her sister.

Meanwhile, Heracles and Malicia were delightedly watching the two of them. Their father was proud of Elissa having managed to break through Cassie’s melancholy mood; and Malicia was feeling guilty for creating the situation they found themselves in. Their parents silently entered the living room, Malicia wore a simple blue dress, her enchanted jewelry, and kitten-heeled pumps as she had no one to impress today; Heracles was in a white shirt, which only showed off his powerful muscles and black slacks with brown shoes.

Cassandra saw them arrive, Elissa felt them enter; getting out of each other’s embrace, the two girls waited for their parents hand in hand.

Heracles smirked at his two girls, nonchalantly walking to them. “Good evening my daughters, Elissa I am happy that you could come.”

The young woman huffed and then rolled her eyes. “Of course I would, dad. We didn’t have anything planned at the dorm anyway.”

Elissa stared at her dad who was still all smiles, looking as if nothing was wrong; normally their mother was the one who took control of those kinds of conversations. To Elissa, Malicia looked subdued as she looked at them with a lot of hesitation.

Letting go of Cassandra’s hand, Elissa went to Malicia and asked, “Mom, are you ok?”

The young woman took her mom’s hands and linked their fingers, the empathic part of Malicia’s demonic ability read concern, love and care for her. Malicia felt this and it nourished her more than when she devoured the negative energy generated by all those people in Italy when she attacked the Vatican. She didn’t devour her daughter’s emotional energy but the byproduct did the job to sustain her.

“I am good, Elissa,” Malicia reassured her oldest, but she couldn’t even smile.

Someone coughed, it was Heracles and he looked expectantly at his wife. “Malicia don’t you have something to say to the girls?” the man asked in a commanding voice.

Elissa saw her mother’s shoulders tremble, she tightened her hold on Elissa’s hands and said, “Elissa, I-I am s-sorry. I used your little sister to get back at you for what your sword did. It was petty, childish and…”

The young woman hugged her mother tightly, and whispered in her ear, “It’s ok, I already made up with Cassie; Mom I forgive you.”

Malicia’s hands rested on Elissa’s waist. “Why? shouldn’t you be angry with me, Eli? I used your own sister against you.”

This was how Malicia was raised, her mother Queen Mab had used the same means and attitude she had been exercising with her daughters.

“Mom, I know how you can be.” Elissa chuckled derisively. “You must have had a really different upbringing, and you rely on what your own parents -who aren’t human- taught you. I’m never going to stop loving you, you know that?”

This moved Malicia more than anything, she was loved even though she did wrong by Elissa. Malicia looked at Cassie who smiled a bit at the scene.

“But I hope you’ll never do that again, or we will have to fight it out.” Elissa threatened, and she was serious; her gaze speared her mother who didn’t think she was bluffing at all. Even though she wasn’t her match yet, Elissa had this quirk about her that made her a really frightening opponent. She didn’t let up or give up unless it was a tactical retreat.

“Sometimes I think I don’t deserve you two.” Malicia looked at Elissa, she realized that she was feeling even more guilty about not telling Elissa the full truth. She felt really bad about keeping her real identity from her. She made the decision to tell her soon before it came to destroy their relationship; maybe when Elissa returns from the trip Malicia planned for her this summer.

“Mom, enough with that.”

Cassie came and hugged them, Heracles came to do the same. He was happy that everything got resolved, he didn’t like to have to threaten his wife but her demon side, the part of her that was in command only responded to strength.

“Family hug!”

And this is how the dinner started, with good feelings and a family that was once more united. Elissa and Cassandra fought each other for the delicious potato gratin and the beef and Malicia scolded them for their conduct at the table.

Heracles received a call on his phone and went into the kitchen to take it, leaving the women to themselves. Elissa’s phone rang, it was a text. Dawn was telling her to check the link she had forwarded, before clicking on it the young woman excused herself from the table but she was rebuffed and Malicia told her to show her what was so interesting.

Elissa clicked on the link and what she was seeing was an interview with Queen Dorina and Nikola Tesla, the subject they were speaking about was why they left the League. They were in a lounge sitting before a brown-haired young woman in her twenties who asked them the reasons of why they ceased to support the Superhuman League.

“I couldn’t just continue to support the League, they created more problems than they solved.” Tesla said hotly.

The man leaned in his seat and crossed his arms looking not at all pleased by being asked the question. Queen Dorina smiled at the journalist, as she said, “I have evidence that Chairman Blake used his power as the chairman of the Superhuman League to create his own little army out of superhuman criminals. People who needed to either be still incarcerated in the Deep or put to death after what they’ve done. I left the Superhuman League because I don’t believe this organization can be trusted with Howard Blake as the chairman in power.”

The Deep was an underwater super maximum-security prison for super-powered criminals located in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii; Elissa knew that much, superhumans of beta, alpha and omega rank were imprisoned there. The scum of the earth, rapists, mass murderers, crazy unkillable superhumans were placed there.

She didn’t believe that anyone was unkillable, Malicia could just dust them with a snap of her fingers. The young woman thought that when she will become a hero, she won’t be bringing in prisoners if they were too dangerous to contain.

The interviewer shook her head with an expression of disbelief, “I can scarcely believe you, your Highness, mister Blake has been the staunchest ally of the free world. He created the League and has been defending us all…”

Dorina raised her hand interrupting the journalist and said, “I will stop you here, young lady. We have already gathered evidence of his malicious acts and I intend to call for his impeachment. This man thinks that he is the only one who can save the world, but he always makes things worse.”

As for Tesla, though he looked pained by what he was doing, he continued after Dorina, “It pains me to say this, but Howard has stopped being the man I knew during the war. He lost objectivity and only cares for his own political career now. Because of him a lot of heroes died at the hands of his Omega squad, he lost control of them and they have started killing the heroes who had put them in prison and he controlled the media to try and avoid taking responsibility.”

The journalist was left with her mouth wide open at this revelation.

“As we can’t leave the world in the hands of such an individual, we stopped supporting the League and created our own organization. This time we will take into account everyone living on this planet: Humans, Superhumans, and Supernaturals.” Queen Dorina added.

Elissa paused the video and put her phone in the middle of the table. In a sense, the young woman was satisfied that she wouldn’t be affiliated with the Superhuman League, but this Assembly was an unknown to her even though it was led by Tesla and Queen Dorina. Those two were people she trusted, the Amazon code was straightforward and was all about fighting with honor, justice, and your heart; Nikola Tesla was a surrogate uncle to her and he helped her family a lot.

Elissa decided to speak with Dawn and discuss joining her future temporary super team affiliated with the Assembly.

Malicia looked at her daughter who had a thoughtful expression on and said, “Interesting isn’t it. I told your father that we should have killed this man when he came at us with his little squad. Now see where we are.”

This was another case of ‘I told you so’ that Malicia expected to hold over her husband, he had made her spare the man after all. Elissa nodded at Malicia, “I agree with you mom. If I ever meet the man, I will kill him myself.”

Malicia shook her head.

“No Elissa, you shouldn’t. Unless you can do it discreetly.” Malicia warned.

Cassandra raised her hand to signal she wanted to say something, Malicia raised her chin to tell her to talk. “Mom! Why didn’t you curse him?” Cassandra asked innocently.

The little sorceress knew her mother well, she would have killed the evil bad guy from afar. Cassandra saw her mother shrugging and look really annoyed, “I tried, but it seems the Corvinus council is protecting him.”

Elissa stood up in surprise, she was mad. “Them again? Mom, we should wipe them out.” She didn’t like this organization.

Malicia giggled at her daughter’s reaction. “Oh, I intend to do so; they have been sniffing around us for too long.” Her voice became cold and her eyes glowed with yellow light, showing how serious she was about this.

Elissa looked at the tattoo enchantment where Gram was stored. “Maybe we could-”

Heracles entered the dining room looking as if he was in a hurry. “Girls, I am sorry I have to go; something happened in New York.”

He informed his family, he was about to go to his bedroom to put on his armor when Malicia appeared before him.

“Any details you can give us?” Malicia asked, she wouldn’t let him leave just like that.

Heracles sighed and said, “You remember those people that Howard Blake put in his little army? They are tearing the city apart.”

This couldn’t be a coincidence, Malicia was certain of this; she told her husband, “Then go, Heracles! Don’t leave any of them alive.”

Heracles chuckled darkly at his wife, kissed her and said, “I didn’t intend to.”

Elissa’s dad left just like that, she hoped that she would be in a position to help him soon. One day she would help him sort out the trash.

“I really like when dad says things like that!” Cassandra piped up.

“Me too,” Elissa said, she looked at her mother. “Well let’s finish eating, Cassie!” Elissa planted her fork in the last slice of cut beef.

Cassandra did the same and looked at her sister, “You can’t have this last slice! You cannot!”