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Rachel got to her feet, twisting to see her back in the mirror; the tattoo-like design was going to catch her mother’s eye … the whole outfit would.  It wasn’t the worst thing she could imagine wearing, but she hoped it would become at least somewhat more in-line with her own tastes as it grew; although, the powers it added were worth the slight discomfort.

Activating Lunar Gang by her feet, she watched the cute creatures materialize out of sparkling lights.  They looked up at her with that cute jagged-mouthed smile as they snuggled up to her feet.

Gisele gave a short squawk that drew the rabbit blobs’ attention, and Rachel chuckled, shaking her head while bending down to poke the nearest white creature.  “Don’t worry; they aren’t taking your place … gah…”  She pulled back her hair, gazing between the four.  “Why am I getting so many pets?”

The rabbit crew lovingly rubbed against her hand or thighs, causing Gisele to flap over and hopped up with a concerned look in her deep-set eyes.

A soft sigh puffed out of Rachel’s lips.  “So … you want to help more, Gisele?”

Her little bird nodded, tail flicking to thump against the floor.  Rachel was a little surprised; the creature seemed to be frustrated about something.  After thinking back on the bird’s actions since getting her, it was understandable.  She had been somewhat dismissive of her.

“Alright,” she replied, reaching out to scratch her black feathery neck, “I suppose you’ll level, just like these rabbits, so you’ll need to see combat, too.”

Gisele tried to give her a determined look, but it was difficult with Rachel’s searching fingernail, seeking to discover the bird’s most enjoyable spot.

“C’mon on,” she prompted, pointing to her shoulder.

The Sky Reaver chirped, giving the blobs a victorious glance before flying up to land; it was easy with her hair tied into a braid, and Rachel thought some friendly competition between the two parties might be good.

Looking at herself in the mirror again, focused on the pink aura surrounding her body, she frowned; her Lunar Pool was primarily filled with the energy from a Flush Moon, dramatically increasing her Skills.  It appeared to be the best out of the three energies, and helped to temper a lot of the heated emotions her change had caused.

The White Moon was neutral, giving no added benefits, which helped her understand her transformation better over the past few weeks.  Ultimately, it wasn’t the most efficient energy to use, though, which meant it was better to use its energy first instead of the other two.

On the other hand, the Coral Moon had a fascinating effect; Rachel would go so far as to call it the Cursed Moon.  How the orange moonlight affected her was currently unknown, but the added elemental damage was impressive.  The elements weren’t normal either, having Cursed Ice, Cursed Fire, and Cursed Lunar Elemental Damage.

She’d need to test it before trying it in combat.

Breathing out a heavy sigh, she knelt down and studied her carrot-colored squishy ball of joy, adding a soft smile while petting its marshmallow head; its ears pulled back with delight.  Interestingly, the orange and pink was female, according to The System and the white was male.

“Well, I need to start building up my Coral Energy, and your cooldown activates the moment you’re destroyed … sorry, little girl, but the next two days are gonna be rough.  Head out into the backyard and absorb all the energy you can and send it over to me.”

Her ears had been following the discussion around the house as they prepared for the President’s address and Clay’s arrival.  Scarlet had let everyone know she was up but didn’t want to be the one to tell their mother she was in the outfit the woman despised.

Mind momentarily returning to the new moons.  She tested a theory, prioritizing her Lunar Energies with Flush being the last and White being the first to be used.  It worked.

Before leaving her room, she tried one last thing.  “Lunar Nia … I know you’re supposed to be living fabric … if possible, I’d like you to obtain a Skill that will allow you to speak with me, and please try to conform as much as you can to my own clothing taste.”

After thinking about it for a moment, she added.  “This is a partnership, and I’d like some choice in the design, but you should also have a say … let’s just come up with a compromise for the next outfit.”

Her left ear twitched as the double-cuff accessory released a low pulse of heat, probably its current way of communicating.  Taking it as a yes, she left the room, pondering what to say to her mother.

Walking into her parents’ room as her mother prepared to change her bedding to be washed, Rachel got the stink-eye from the Korean woman.  “Rachel … you’re awake,” she mumbled, brown irises sweeping her appearance with critical disdain.

With her wide field of vision, Rachel caught more detail about her mother’s room than she initially paid attention to, noticing quite a few Korean and Japanese light novels on her parents’ personal bookshelf.

“Mom … let me explain why I’m wearing it.  You can’t think I’d actually like something like … well, this?”  She asked, and her earring burned a little, probably in protest.

“Mmh … okay,” she mumbled, wrapping her sheets up in her arms while dropping down on her bed.  “I’m listening … but those accessories, and when did you get your ear pierced?  The bunny vibes are just … what is that on your back?”

Rachel sucked in a breath through her teeth while turning around and pulling her braided hair over her shoulder to reveal the wicked, glowing pink bunny mark between her shoulder blades.  “It’s not a tattoo, Mom…”

“It sure looks like one,” she growled, judging eyes like spears, “and one that shines in the dark … neat…”

“It’s a magical outfit … it will keep me safe.”

“Mhm…”  Molly’s lips pulled in, vision sliding between her exposed back and thigh-high tights.  “I’m sure it will stop a knife from stabbing into your spine … paralyzing you.  Why can’t you wear something more … metal … and covered if you’re going into monster fights?”

Breathing out a long sigh, Rachel turned back around and explained how it extended her hair’s defensive attributes to her whole body.  It would change as it leveled, and it was supposed to be living fabric, which allowed it to change designs.

Her mother was still dubious.  “Well … I suppose I value your safety over … that.  It’s just … awkward and looks like something in one of Alexa’s manga.”

Rachel forced a laugh.  “I agree, Mom!”

It was getting closer to 6 P.M., causing everyone to gather around the living room and settle into couches.  Words were passed about everyone getting sleep; they had turned into a somewhat nocturnal family with Rachel and Scarlet’s new nature.

Alexa had been on her laptop, looking at some Japanese magical girl group that had formed recently … literally having magical powers.  The amount she didn’t know about her step-sister before The Oscillation was staggering.

She cosplayed, which her brother wasn’t really into by his muscle movement when the topic came up, but he still encouraged her; Alexa wasn’t bold enough to post them online, though; they were solely meant for her husband, and Scarlet seemed to be getting pulled into it.

Anime was a big thing for her, manga and light novels, which she had gotten Molly into … mainly the steamy lovey kind from what she’d seen on her parents’ bookshelf in their room.  She’d caught a glimpse of the vanilla love stories when explaining her outfit; at least, she hoped they were vanilla love stories.

Scarlet fit into the family surprisingly well; the vampire girl and Alexa shared a lot of interests that broke the ice.  Nam was glad his wife had found someone she could hang out with since apparently no one in the neighborhood really clicked with her interests.

Molly was a bubbling pot of energy, using what blood packs they had left in the fridge to make Scarlet ‘crimson lemonade’ after discovering the appropriate ratio with her before.

They would need to go for another blood bank run soon, but after the Legend’s Quest and her body-double taking in the Nightmare’s blood, she’d seen somewhat of a mitigation to her usual thirst, which was new to her.  It also brought up some questions about what transferred to their real bodies during the exercise.

Her parents and brother were thrilled Alexa and her weren’t at each other’s throats anymore.  There was a sense of depression that Rachel could sense in her sister-in-law when the topic of Demi was mentioned, which was probably felt by a lot of humans that didn’t receive the spirit seed during the event.

At 5:55 P.M., Rachel held the door for Clay to enter, having heard him miles away and tracked his progress.  He looked more rested, but his tense muscles couldn’t fool her ears; something was going to be said in this discussion that he didn’t like.

The sun was falling toward the horizon; the test proved well placed as it touched her skin, removing a portion of her White Lunar Energy.  The priority also identified which would be taken first.

“Welcome,” Rachel smiled, closing the door behind him.  “Sleep well?”

He did a quick sweep of her outfit with a pretty good poker face; the army man felt it was out of place on her.  “Yes, actually … I’ll save the details of my visit until after the message.”

“Fair.  Straight to business, then.”

Clay eyed Gisele on her shoulder as the bird gave him a soft chirp, feathers ruffling; Rachel had no clue how to interpret her actions, and so she ignored it.  The Bunny Gang was currently in the backyard, waiting for the moon to rise.

He greeted her parents, giving the same response as everyone settled in.  Molly sat with Rachel and Scarlet on either side.  Alexa and Nam shared the loveseat, while Sam and Clay took armchairs.

Her father and brother would typically go to a 3rd party News commentator but went to one of the Mainstream Networks to get the raw data without the critique, and everyone silently watched the Presidential Seal rotate on the screen.

President Capell appeared on screen; this was his 3rd year in office, his final year in the Oval Office unless he could win against his next political opponent.  Rachel hadn’t been following it, but how he handled this crisis would contribute significantly to his reelection.

To any average person, he’d look reasonably well-groomed, and his makeup team was on point, but to Rachel’s enhanced vision, able to catch each small twitch and crease in his face, he was clearly fatigued.  He spoke with a calm and precise tone, which impressed Rachel; it was difficult for her to even guess the stress he was under with what was being transmitted over the speakers.

 

“My fellow Americans, it goes without saying that our society has been turned on its head, and we are dealing with things that are so out of the ordinary that we might as well have entered the world of fiction.

“The Oscillation has changed people, and not only physically, but in the vast majority of cases psychologically to one degree or another.  It is easy to feel hurt, and even that your loved one is betraying you or is now a completely different person … have patience, I urge you.  If you are having difficulty, then vocalize it and seek professional help at the Department of Oscillation Affairs.

“Two new federal departments have been created and a few restructured to accommodate this sudden change; the details are on USA.gov for further instruction.  I will now detail a few of the major changes that the United States will see in the near future.

“I will begin with The Oscillation’s effects on citizens.

“Congress and the Senate are currently working with their own States and Districts to bring forward all the issues needing reform.  Lawmakers have already applied a Constitutional Amendment with bipartisanship involving all fifty States, Congress, the Senate, and myself to include Demi in its framework.  Demi enjoy all God-given, immutable, inalienable rights given under the Constitution.

“That being said, going forward, we will need to identify how best to incorporate their powers into our society.  We must be a society that provides order and safety to all citizens, Demi, and humans alike.  Congress will be looking into how we can best deliver that safety to all U.S. citizens through legislation.

“February 13th will be designated as a national day of remembrance of The Oscillation event, when we lost so many loved ones, citizens … our heroes, First Responders, our Military, Police, National Guard, Fire Fighters, Doctors, and countless others that stepped up to help the desperate, injured, and traumatized when the world was falling apart around them … they rose beyond the chaos.

“I ask for a moment of silence to remember those that gave their lives…”

He bowed his head, taking a deep breath for several seconds before continuing.

“The next topic will not be easy to hear … our world has become a hotbed of instability.  Nations are crumbling under just the effects of The Oscillation, chaos is gripping many nations less capable than the United States, and we have tried to help those that we were in the position to lend a hand … too few,” he whispered with pain, “but a few countries rose up to aid our efforts.

“The U.K., parts of the European Union, and Russia have helped to stabilize many of their surrounding nations, and we will keep as close of an eye as we can to be sure humanitarian aid is provided, and these nations will recover.

“One of those nations close to our border and threatening violence with our great country is a large terrorist organization comprised of Demi called The New Cuban Liberation Front.  The United States has many families that have immigrated from Cuba, and we currently understand the fear you have for your family’s well-being.

“We hold the southern half of the country, but it has been plunged into a living hell over the past week and a half with roaming bands of various organized cells claiming territory with warlords at their helm.  It has become a lawless zone.

“The United States will come to the defense of our neighbor, off the coast of Florida.  To all those in Cuba that can hear my voice, have hope.  We will rescue you, and soon.

“That being said, there is a new, earth-shattering threat that required my administration to consider … unfavorable options.  With The Oscillation came these Crystals…”

The screen changed to images of the various shaped and colored objects worldwide with military personnel around them, and footage of their journey into the other world was added, excluding their presence.  Molly’s hands found Rachel and Scarlet’s, squeezing tightly with worry.

“These Crystals act as gateways to other worlds, and as far as we’ve been able to understand, require domination of the opposing side to close … if not, they will expand and become worse until one side is utterly crushed.  Monsters, creatures beyond our understanding, are beyond these portals, and once they close, there is no indication those beyond can return.

“This is not a joke,” he leaned forward, “we are in a continual war with a seemingly infinite number of dimensions and worlds with utterly unknowable creatures waiting to sink their teeth into our planet.  If The Oscillation was sent to prepare us … I cannot speculate what that actually means.

“All I can do as your elected President is to offer you my administration’s solution … we have tried our advanced military weaponry, and while some are effective, most are not, and the adaptability … literal world-ending powers that can be found beyond cannot be underestimated.  Simply put, even the United States does not have the military strength to hold our own in this now unstable world with fighting a war on hundreds, if not thousands of fronts, that could pop-up any minute.

“The best solution we have identified … is to turn to an option I believe will not be immediately popular, but given the information I have, it is our only option.  Our military can help our world and keep us safe from external threats outside the country, but I must call upon the United State’s citizens to take up arms to defend their land.

“If we are a world at war, then we must adapt, improvise, and overcome this challenge we face with bold action, and so, I am introducing an Executive Order, The Crystal Act, which grants citizens the right to create organizations dedicated to closing these gateways.

“As of now, only Demi can enter these gateways, and there will be a strict screening process that organizations must follow and submit records monthly to remain licensed, identifying why you deserve to be within or advance to another Crystal Bracket or difficulty level.

“These organizations are not a part of the U.S. Military and must compete with other groups to purchase the rights of these Crystals from the government.  In short, these are corporations that can bring back resources to advance our civilization to the next level to contend with these rising threats.

“We are entering a new age.  Perhaps, in time, even normal humans can join this fight to defend our world.  With The Oscillation came Artificers, which can create items that people without Demi powers can utilize.

“There is much to explore, but we must also be vigilant and keep a cautious eye on what we bring back, which is why everything will be scrutinized by sanctioned agents when returned.  A category list of grade items will be shown on the government website.  We are in the process of combining all of this information and have already shared most of it with other cooperating nations earlier today.

“Nations like Japan, South Korea, Russia, the U.K., and European Union, with many others, have given their full support of this program after reviewing our intelligence and will be going forward with it in their own nations.  Other countries may also request these organizations for help, and the military will offer defense contracts if needed when dealing with specific types of Crystals.

“Travel is still unavailable in some regions due to various reasons that will be available with a possible time-frame for when they may open-up.  Do not lose hope; we are rebuilding, and we will not only overcome this challenge but rise above it as the United States always has.  Strengthen your resolve, for we will defend family and country from these invading threats.

“God be our strength, and God bless America.”

 

The broadcast ended, and everyone turned to Clay; most of that had been told to her parents the day before, and it could be expected that many citizens would feel exactly like her mother and father.  Although, the organization part was new.

Rachel was the first to speak.  “So, you branched off Fiona and Maria’s suggestion?  I assumed this was going to happen based on what Tom and you hinted at.  We are already contracted with the government, which means we will be one of the first to form these organizations?”

Molly clearly didn’t like the idea but knew the crystals had to be closed, and Rachel was more than willing to do it; it felt as if her heart was pulling her toward them.

Clay nodded.  “Not only that … I am here to inform you that President Capell has personally requested your first sanctioned mission be to Cuba to free the people there.”

“W-Wait,” her mother stammered, “that’s not what you said … you said she’d be fighting monsters, not other people!”

Rachel squeezed her hand, pulling her confused and angry eyes away from the military man.  “Mom … I’m going to be going into conflict either way, and people do need help.  You’ve met a lot of the people I’ll be with … Scarlet, Maria, Cahira, Selvaria … you haven’t met Fiona yet, but heh, I’m sure you’ll love her.”

Scarlet jumped in, hugging Molly.  “Yeah!  We’ll be saving a lot of people and bringing them back to their families and … and then we can come back and have a good family dinner!”  She said with a bit of emotion.

There wasn’t much her mother could say to that, lips pulling together with a small tremble while leaning in to return the hug.  “... I just don’t want to see my girls get hurt…”

Rachel drew her attention to the hem of her orange-laced white overcoat with a rueful smile.  “That’s why I’m wearing this, Mom … you know I’ll be okay.  If you want, you can try to cut my hair,” she chuckled, “I’ve already tried.”

“Yeah,” Scarlet giggled, still in Molly’s embrace, “she literally broke the medical scissors!”

Her brother actually spoke up next, which caused everyone to turn to him in surprise.  “My sister will be going into these deadly places and getting stronger to deal with future threats, I assume?”

Clay took a deep breath, tight hands folded in his lap.  “Yes.  There is evidence to believe larger Crystals with much stronger creatures will arrive in time.  Our strategy is to push forward as hard and carefully as possible to maximize our world’s survival.

“Unlike our military weapons, Demi are incredibly adaptable.  Most current Demi couldn’t withstand our modern weapons, which must be a factor is why the President is sending Rachel … something about the Cuban terrorists requires us to be prepared for the unknown.  I was not given knowledge of the operation’s start or specifics since I am not a part of it.

“I am only here to inform you and her of the request and to ask for her to identify a name for the group.  I have spoken to Fiona and Maria on the topic, and both of them agree that you,” he turned to Rachel, “should be the organization leader.”

Rachel slowly nodded, sitting back.  “You agree, Scarlet?”

“Naturally!  Heh, I mean, you’ve kind of been the brains behind everything so far, and none of us would have made it here without you.”

Her father’s shifting posture caught Rachel’s eye; his gaze was on Nam, though.  Alexa’s confused green eyes were on her husband, too.

Rachel crossed her legs with a thoughtful hum.  “I think we all played our part, but if you all feel that I should be the head of the group, then I’ll accept it.  A name will be more difficult, though.  When should I have it ready by?”

“By the end of tonight would be appreciated … the President plans on identifying your group as the front-runner and example of the program.”

Her mother groaned, shaking her head.  “No, but … that’s so much attention!  There are already terrorists after her.”

“It just can’t be helped, Mom,” Rachel mumbled, rubbing her shoulder.

“Ahem,” Nam had a serious expression while glaring at the floor.  “Clay, if there really is a chance at our neighborhood becoming a warzone when Rachel is away … I need to get stronger to protect my family, too.  That Legend’s Quest we went on showed me that I’m not ready for something like that … something my little sister was able to accomplish.”

“Nam…”  Alexa mumbled, arms tightening on his thigh and her stomach.  “We … need to talk about it.  I mean…”

He turned to give her a kiss on the forehead and tightened his arm around her shoulder, pulling her in.  “Alexa, I know if you had powers, you’d be biting at the bit to join my sister.”

“W-Well, yeah, but … I mean, that’s totally different … you have the company, and…”

Her father folded his fingers together across his crossed legs, giving his son a calculating nod.  “I … understand.  If things are really changing this drastically, then perhaps we’ll move the company in a new direction.  If these Crystals require financial backing to purchase, then it means companies will be expanding to encompass this new market.”

He turned to give Rachel a warm smile.  “It seems our family will be getting involved in aiding our nation’s call.  I assume you will be pushing forward with your own endeavors, with Maria and Mr. Reed having a substantial amount of financial backing.”

“W-Wait, Gwon, we … can we talk about this,” Molly begged, heartbeat rising rapidly.  “If Nam goes into these Crystals, then there’s an even greater risk of losing more of our family!”

Her father sighed, hoisting himself off the couch to take Rachel’s spot; she swapped places with him, allowing him to comfort her mother.  “Chan-hee,” he whispered as she took his hand, pleading brown eyes staring up into his, “our world is changing, and we must change with it if our family is to survive.  I don’t like it … you know I don’t, but that doesn’t change our reality.  The best thing we can do is support our children to become as strong as they possibly can so they have the power to return to us.”

“... But I’m scared,” Molly whimpered, tears appearing in her eyes as he guided her head to his chest.  

“I am, too, honey … but we must have faith in our children.  Nam, Rachel, and Scarlet will always beat the odds; we must believe that.”

“Mhm … I know, but … it’s hard.”

On her father’s telling gaze, everyone got up, moving to the study further across the house to let them talk; Rachel passively listened to her father comfort her mother as she dealt with the terrifying nightmares she’d had the night before after learning what was coming.  The Oscillation had really affected her mother, giving her flashbacks of the worst experience in her life.

Clay released tension in a puff of air as he dropped into a chair with a grunt in the bright study space.  “Yes, Nam, I can streamline your application, seeing as I’ve witnessed your ability first hand, but you’ll need to find a team by tomorrow night to get ahead of the pack.  At least a group of five Demi.”

Nam slowly nodded.  “I’ll work on that.”

Scarlet’s lips were tucked in, fangs poking out as she tried to figure out what she should do in the situation.  Alexa was struggling with the adventure and experience of having powers, going to new worlds, and vanquishing evil, or so Rachel imagined, while contending with the fact her husband was putting himself in mortal danger for her, and there was nothing she could contribute.  That was the primary thorn in her heart; Rachel was sure by her bodily reactions.

“Alexa,” Rachel interjected before she’d managed to form a response.

“... Uh, yeah?”  Her bound blonde hair bobbed a little as she shifted uncomfortably to face her, unconsciously rubbing Nam’s knee.

Folding her fingers, Rachel couldn’t help but empathize with her step-sister; she felt she would be the exact same if Nam had gained powers and she didn’t.  “There are a lot of unknowns with Legend’s Quests, these Crystal Gateways, and The Oscillation itself … if I come across a way to give you powers to join Nam, I’ll get it for you.”

Clay’s face creased at her replay, but Alexa’s countenance brightened with hope.  “Then … I could join Nam?  Maybe … I don’t know, be a healer or … or a Witch or something?”

“Rachel,” the Sergeant Major mumbled, “an artifact like that would be best utilized by a trained soldier.  It would be a precious tool to be used to increase our fighting force.”

Alexa’s thighs tightened at his response, but Rachel turned her unassuming smile to the man.  “Indeed, it would.  However, is not anything besides artifacts capable of overpowering the United States the organization’s property?  There’s the tax, of course, but the cost can be paid through cash, I assume.  It really depends on the item itself, and the President even said, given time, normal humans could enter the fight.”

“True,” he reluctantly relented.  “Have you come across something like that?”

She shook her head.  “Not at this time, but The Oscillation happened, proving the force is out there; we just need to discover it.”

Besides, Rachel felt it would be much better for their marriage overall, and she could always temporarily join their team to assist them if anything bad happened.  In fact, she almost felt like this was Nam’s attempt to rise to her level and compete, which excited her.  She’d welcome Alexa as a potential rival for Crystals.

Scarlet scooted forward a bit with a grin.  “Yeah, I’ll keep my eyes open, too!  If what we know about this seed inside us is true, if you get one, then you’ll definitely become a magical girl!”

“That would be so cool!”  Alexa squealed; it was as if she’d turned twelve again with Scarlet and her talking about anime.  There was something about cards granting some girl named Sakura that was a Cardcaptor, or something like that.

Rachel sat back to absorb all the information surrounding their house, gauging how people felt about the President’s message within several miles.  Nam had his arm around his wife’s shoulder, but his gaze was pulled inward, probably pondering on who he knew that could join his organization.

It was a little distracting with Scarlet and Alexa’s conversation, flipping between Sailor Moon to some show called Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica to Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou.

Most of the populous had to watch it over a few times to actually get what he was saying, and many were listening to commentators trying to puzzle out how this would affect their personal lives.  It was surprisingly calmer than before, but people had grown more accustomed to a sudden change with The Oscillation.

The country was preparing for war, but this could bring new technology, make people rich, and revolutionize the entire way they lived their lives.  It was both exciting and scary since the President hadn’t shown the most graphic images; she wondered if he would use the High Rolls, New Mexico Crystal attack during the screening process or save that since they knew the color and shape of such dangerous gateways now?

There would need to be a guide given on difficulty level, which he had touched on.  It was something she’d have to bring up with him when they next spoke.  Right now, she needed to prepare for Cuba and develop their organization’s structure.

When Tom called, Rachel wasn’t too surprised; it was getting late enough where the backyard was overshadowed enough by the falling sun to have the quarter moon counter its effects, and she went outside.

Scarlet and Alexa had moved upstairs to watch a show called Shugo Chara, which had Scarlet kind of embarrassed for some reason.  Nam and Clay talked about his experience with the other gateways and what to expect; although, Clay noted that nothing had been as difficult as the Legend’s Quest as of yet.  Her mother was swiftly calming down.

Once outside, Rachel examined her three puff-balls, smiling up at her while still absorbing moonlight; it was starting to rise now that the sun was falling below the horizon.  “Details on this mission, Tom?”

“Yes,” his chair squeaked as he leaned back.  “It’s the 23rd today … Can you be ready by the 27th?  We’ll have all the needed information by that time to give you a list of leading targets.”

Her mind flashed back to her grandfather’s invitation and request to talk to her cousin.  “I do have something that could fill my time.  I need to come up with a name before you wake up in the morning?”

“That would be optimal to have a baseline other organizations can use with how you set up your roster.  Whoever you feel would best fit in with your team; you’re smart, I’m sure you’ll figure out how best to manage the fine details.”

“Hmm … I’ll get everyone on a line and figure it out tonight.  You’ve heard of Cahira’s new boat?”

“Heh,” his serious tone lifted for a moment, “boat?  If you can call it that.  Yes, it could be of use, and she’s got a freaking War Ship fully loaded with magical bullets and the works, from what I’m hearing.  That Legend’s Quest was really something.”

Rachel’s head tilted slightly to examine her outfit.  “... You have no idea.  Will there be an app to buy Crystals?”

“There will.”

“Wild … well, I look forward to the progress and information.”

A confused edge touched his tone.  “Something seems … different about you.  There’s less excitement in your voice than I thought there’d be.”

“Ah, that would be the effects of a Flush Moon.  I can give you the details another time.”

“Huh … a Flush Moon … like a blushing moon?”

“Similar.”

He took a moment to answer.  “... Okay, then.  Anything else I should be concerned about?”

Her developing relationship with Anthony crossed her mind.  “... No, I think that’s it.  I look forward to the trip.  Now, I have some planning to do.”

“Good luck.”

Tom hung up, and Rachel pulled up Maria’s number, sending her a text about the meeting and asking if she had the new guys’ numbers or if they had phones.  The response was quick; they didn’t.  There was a hotel room phone they could link with everyone, though.

Damn … Anthony needs to get a phone.

She messaged her grandfather’s cellphone, which he rarely checked, but she had the entire night to set up a time to spend three days with him.  Rachel debated whether to take Scarlet, but in the end, decided against it with how Soo-geun was acting; she didn’t need the headache of him hitting on any girl she might have brought.  Plus, it gave the girl time to bond with her new family.

Now … what to do about our line-up?  Adding every Mythickin and Legendkin that wants to join seems like the best option.  So, let’s start recruiting!

Rachel linked with Maria and bridged all the calls, having Scarlet put her anime binge on hold for a bit while they sorted everything out.  Fiona even answered; she wouldn’t be back in Miami for another two days, though.

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