---

Rachel’s eyes cracked open, ears shifting as unknown sounds fed into her awakening brain; it was as if rippling water was all around her, bodies swimming through it.

She dully stared at the wall of liquid hovering two feet above her bed, filling up almost 3/4ths of the room, Fiona, Hayan, Coral, and Rose inside it, playing underwater football with the Fairy’s powers, likely trying to practice her Spells.

By the fading light bleeding through the shudders and conversation around the still terrified residents of Florida City, it was 7 P.M.  Families were still trying to leave the area, panicked by the horrors that were coming to light as News stations flooded the room, trying to be the first to uncover the scoop—the information released only inciting panic.

Nora was still asleep in her Slime form, resting on folded blankets beside her sister’s folded blanket bed; she hadn’t brought the dollhouse she had bragged about last night.

Jessy was in the center of the back wall, keeping score with a piece of paper while doodling; Rachel saw a few small sketches of her sleeping and Gisele before they noticed she was awake.  The current score was 5 to 3, Fiona and Coral versus Hayan and Rose.

Gisele gave a chirp upon seeing Rachel open her eyes, likely giving her a cheerful, ‘good morning.’  The bird perched on the back of Jessy’s chair, having a good view of the game.

Rachel’s dull stare moved to Fiona, saying, ‘You couldn’t have done this outside?’

Fiona gave her a forced chuckle from inside her Water Shield, hovering inside the liquid; Hayan was trapped in a vortex of water but a Lunar Step and charged tackle freed him of the lower-tier Water Prison—Rachel knew Fiona could make it stronger, which meant she was trying to conserve sugar.

The real question that bothered Rachel was why she hadn’t woken up?  Once again, she didn’t snap back to consciousness when things were happening around her.

“Ugh … Why didn’t I wake up?”  she asked, watching her pets plop to the floor as Fiona’s deep blue glow brightened, converting the water to mist.

Jessy opened the window.  “Uh … Sorry, Rachel,” the girl mumbled.  “Fiona said it’s funny, but both Nora and you wouldn’t wake up, even if we did something like this—it’s crazy what kind of powers she has…”

Fiona snickered, floating over to wink at Rachel as she got up, managing her long locks.  “Yeah … I learned in Montana that you sleep like a rock!  Me?  Ugh … those military boys are so loud!”

“Mmh…”  Rachel’s lips tightened, following the dense mist with her eyes as it was blown out with Fiona’s wind, forcing all of their hair to follow the strong current.  “I guess it could be some kind of internal signal or instinct that wakes me up when something triggers danger … everything else is filtered out to allow me to gain sleep.”

“Totally!”  Nia giggled.  “Fiona’s right, your ears are practically mufflers when you sleep … Oh, he-he, Jessy really wanted to touch them, but she resisted!  Isn’t she strong-willed?!”

She stretched out with a low yawn, blinking a few times while staring down at her cute bra.  “... Morning, Nia…”  She noticed a bit of stress in her limbs after all the rapid movements the day before.

Jessy, Fiona, and even her pets mirrored her, making the girl squeal with joy in her head.

“They know I’m here, too!  Hi!  Morning!”

“Mhm…”  Rachel arched into a back walkover but wasn’t thrilled about her flexibility; although Jessy was more than impressed as she began stretching, Nia kept her bra and panties in perfect position through the process.  “... When did Jim, Bree, and Serah get here?”  she mumbled, hearing their sleeping bodies in nearby rooms.

Jim was in the room Mason used; her cousin was currently talking about his struggles and fears below.  Bree and Serah were sharing another one of the guest rooms, sleeping close to each other, only because Serah had rolled out of her covers and in between the two, lying on the hard floor.

So … ugh, I’m sore…

“Obviously!  You had to make snappy moves to dodge all those gross tentacles last night … Uh … on that note, can I go into the washer again…”

Feeling gross?

“SO GROSS!”

Heh, I suppose the dark denier of the living abyss can even feel slimy, huh?

“Eh … did you see those things?!  Yeah, and who was it that got slapped around?!  Me!  That’s who!”

Yup, yup, Rachel giggled, getting to her feet.  You ready for the spinning agitator of doom?

“Ho-ho-ho!  It’s not ready for me!  I’ve been waiting all night to enter the crucible,” Nia exclaimed.

… Just don’t break it.

“I’d never!  The nerve … Saying I’d break it … Then I couldn’t enjoy the contest.  Humph…”

“Nia?”  Fiona smiled, spinning around her.

“Oh, yes, yes?!”

“Is she connected with that tattoo?”

“It’s me!  I’m cute!  Aren’t I?!”

“Is she cute?”  Rachel asked, scanning for more information around the city; nothing really stood out, though.

Jessy flipped her notebook to another page with an eager smile.  “Oh … Nia, look!  I made a picture of you when you were sleeping!”

“Oh.  My.  Goodness!  I’m adorable!”  Nia chimed, earring tingling, making her ear twitch.  “I need that on our wall, Rachel!  Please!!”

Scratching the base of her left ear, Rachel sighed.  “... She wants me to frame it.”

“No!  I wanted it on our wall … Oh, that’s with the frame … yeah, yeah!  Frame it for me!  Please, pretty please!”

“Oh, yeah, sure!”  Jessy smiled.  “Umm … I can make it better on some art paper.”

“I’ll be even cuter?!  Do it!  Do it!  Do it!”

“She’s all for it,” Rachel translated, twisting her hips left and right.  “Mmh … so, you two showered yet?”  she asked, PJs and bound hair telling her the answer.

“Nope,” Fiona replied.  “I only woke up an hour ago—Jessy a bit before me.”

Jessy’s cheer dampened a bit, staring at her sketch of Fiona, flying with her wings.  “Umm … yeah…”

Knowing something was bothering her but not feeling the need to really address it at the moment, Rachel hummed, keeping her focus on Fiona.  “... I need to practice with my grandpa—tomorrow’s the last day for us to prepare before…”

“Right, right…”  Fiona cut her off, glowing green irises darting to her sister with a concerned look.  “Well … I guess she can’t really hear us when she’s a Slime.”

“Wait!”  Nia gasped.  “We’re traveling in two days!  That means a new outfit!  Right, right?!  I get to eat more and get a new outfit for the new place?!”

We’ll see…

“That’s not a no!  Yes!”  She tightened around her chest with excitement as if it was a promised success.  “Wait, why does Fiona's face look like that?”

Rachel was still focused on her friend; the small Fairy’s arms tightly hugged her sides, giving her sister a sad, studious look.  The jelly-like transparent blob was dead to the world.

Jessy caught the change in mood a bit late and tried to break the tension.  “... Umm … Yeah, Rachel, super cute underwear … Nia did that, too, right?”

“Jessy’s the best!  Can she always tag along?”

No.

“Aww…”

“I’m worried about a few things,” Fiona whispered.

“Thanks,” Rachel smiled at the teenage girl.  “Yeah, Nia does a great job—Umm, yeah, I am, too, Fiona.  So, wanna hit the shower and talk?”

She held out her arm for Gisele to flap over and perch on.  “Heh, you can join, too, Gisele—you guys, too,” she said, watching the three blobs bounce over to rub against her feet.

“Hmm … Moongmor and Gisele’s story?”  Fiona asked.

“That, among other things—there was a lot to process last night, and you kind of need help in the shower,” She mused.

“Heh … you think?  Three and a half inches tall, by the way,” Fiona said with a weak laugh while gesturing at her body.  “A toothpick with marshmallows is a workout for me.”

“The puffy kind?”  Rachel smirked.  “Dang, girl—gettin’ swole; we should Instagram that.”

“Shut up,” Fiona muttered with a grin, Jessy soon following with the brightening atmosphere.  “Some morning sugar would be nice, too, I guess,” she admitted.

“Uh … uh, me too?”  Jessy nervously asked, hands tight behind her back.

Rachel shrugged.  “The bathroom’s huge—should be fine.”  A smirk creased her eyes as she reached behind her back to unclip Nia, but the girl released it before she could even touch the clip.  “I wanted to … get some more info on what’s going on between you and my cousin, too!  Now that you two are going out—gonna tell us what happened when we left?!”

“Yes!  Look out, agitator, the eternal darkness descends upon you!”

Nia’s voice faded as Rachel slid off her panties.

Jessy’s pupils dilated with shock.  “W-What about going down the hall?”

Fiona giggled, stripping herself.  “If Rachel’s doing this, it’s to make you nervous; don’t fall for it!  She wouldn’t be caught dead naked by her family.”

Rachel’s smiling eyes turned to the tiny woman.  “No one’s awake on the second floor; no big deal.”  She motioned for them to follow, sliding the door open and stepping out into the hallway.

Gisele, Hayan, Rose, and Coral quickly joined her, heading for the bathroom.  Fiona darted down to pick up her pre-prepared items, throwing her dress and underwear on the bed before floating after them.  Face bright red, Jessy brought up the rear, Rachel grinning as she forgot a new change of clothes.

The Fairy caught up in an instant, giving her a soft glare.  “Although, I am a bit surprised how fast you threw off those clothes in front of her.”

“Meh,” she whispered, glancing back at the girl just stumbling into the hallway.  “Knowing where everyone is at all times gives me a lot of confidence, and true, I wouldn’t ever have walked butt-naked through my family’s house before changing.  I was even skittish about changing in front of other women before The Oscillation—it’s whatever, though.”

Fiona nodded, Jessy, catching up to them.  “Same here—after shrinking to … this,” she mumbled, “I’ve become more accustomed to it, I guess.”

“O-Oh, I get that,” Jessy whispered, giving the Fairy a heated but understanding smile.

Rachel laughed, knowing why the girl really was embarrassed; it would come up soon.

Sliding the door out to the washer and dryer beside the bathroom, Rachel put her bra and underwear inside, setting it to the heaviest setting with an extra rinse—Nia would enjoy this ride even more compared to the last.

Jessy’s muscles were tight, thighs pressed together while glaring at the floor and trying not to look at her naked body.

“So?”  Rachel asked.  “Need to go to the bathroom before we start?”

“Huh?!”  She released a low groan.  “You knew … Well, I can’t leave you in the hall—you’re naked.”

Lifting an eyebrow, Rachel sighed, pointing her thumb at the door.  “Just go; no one’s going to come upstairs.  Besides, Mason is with my grandfather out front getting the mail right now.

“Oh … really?”

“Mhm.  The agents are still sleeping, too.”

Jessy moaned before rushing into the bathroom and closing the door, heading for the toilet.

Fiona watched her go with sad eyes.  “Poor girl…”  Her arms tightened around her small, folded towel, dress, and new undergarments, giving her a dirty look.  “You could be a little more gentle with her; she’s super shy … talkative, but shy.”

“Awkward would be the word, but it’s endearing,” Rachel whispered with a fond smile.  “It’s kind of what I like about her—she reminds me a bit of Scarlet—just way worse.”

“Mmh … Okay, I can see that,” Fiona admitted.  “She does remind me a tiny bit of how Scarlet can be…”  she trailed off, expression softening.  “So … how is she, by the way?”

“Scarlet?”  Rachel’s gaze fell to the floorboards.  “Hmm … a whole lot better.  She’s become a part of my family—my mom adores her, and she’s clicking with my step-sister more than I ever did.”

Fiona’s tone lowered, hugging her items closer to her chest while resting her chin on them.  “That’s great … Family is so important.”

“... What do you think about Nora after all that?”

She paused, releasing a short shudder.  “... I don’t want Nora to join us in Cuba.”

Confused, Rachel’s head tilted to the side.  “No one was suggesting she did?”

A few seconds passed in silence, closing in around them.  “... I don’t want it … I can’t … Nora eating monsters and things like that is whatever … I don’t know,” she whispered in a short growl.  “Maybe Nora has a right to call me a hypocrite—I don’t want Nora to kill a human.”

Biting the inside of her cheek for a moment, Rachel pulled her hair around to her front, staring at it while leaning against the nearby wall.  Gisele was on the floor with her pets, focus darting between them to follow the conversation.

“... I get it, Fiona—You’re just trying to protect your little sister, and Nora’s gone through enough as it is—she doesn’t need to add that to the bucket list of problems she’s dealing with.”

“Right!”  Fiona’s concerned green eyes lifted to her.  “That … the Eldritch thing scares me, too … Not Nora herself—no, it’s what the seed’s doing to her … against her will—at least conscious will … Look what it’s already done and how it’s affecting her.”

Brushing out her hair, Rachel slowly nodded.  “There certainly are ugly sides to The Oscillation that ruined people’s lives…”

Her thoughts returned to her promise that, if possible, she’d get Alexa powers—there were things to consider if that ever became possible.

The two dropped the conversation as Jessy came out of the bathroom, jumping before staring down at her hand and rushing back to the sink to wash them.  “S-Sorry!”

They chuckled, and Rachel smiled at the washer as it finished filling with hot water, beginning its agitation; Nia was probably screaming with excitement, and she wondered how it truly felt to the Living Denier, bouncing up and down.

Once inside, Rachel caught Jessy’s narrowed gaze studying key parts of her exposed figure.  “... Do you two even need to go to the bathroom?”  Her tone was totally defensive, likely abashed that Rachel could hear her using the toilet; if only Jessy knew what she tried to filter—the things that happened behind closed doors in a city was enough to make even her shiver and facepalm.

Fiona settled into the tub, laughing.  “Nope!  We don’t need to use the bathroom ever again; mu-ha-ha-ha-ha!  It’s amazing!”

“... No way—you’re not joking with me again?”

“She’s right,” Rachel confirmed.  “We sweat and all that stuff.”

“Thank god…”

Fiona smirked, head popping up as Rachel started the tub for her, getting her products on a paper towel to be disposed of later.  “Although, we have been told our sweat naturally smells good!”

“Life isn’t fair,” she eventually grumbled, glaring at her own figure while undressing, and in sudden realization, she groaned, pulling her shorts up and throwing her nightshirt back on before rushing back to the room to grab clothes.  “I’ll be right back…”

Rachel and Fiona giggled.

The Fairy talked with Gisele after offering to help her get clean, too, to the girl’s enthusiasm, suggesting she get a telepathic Skill or some other Spell to help her communicate with Rachel.

Rachel washed down her other three pets before starting on herself, Jessy returning shortly after to take the place next to her.

Her grandfather’s 2nd-story bathroom was built with a large tub and a dual rain shower head fitted into the ceiling that could be customized to change pressure and temperature for both sides; it was designed for couples.  Two removable handheld wall attachments were also available for both sides to use if needed.

Jessy, washing out her blonde hair, stared at the wall, refusing to look at Rachel’s naked body.  “Umm … weren’t you two talking about this Moongmor person?  He sounded kind of strange the way Fiona was talking last night.”

“Heh,” Fiona’s small head popped up again as she rose into the air, still helping Gisele out.  “Uh … yeah, it’s a pretty unbelievable story.”  She was using her own water balls and heat spells to speed up the process.

“Mmh … in short, I’m not that concerned about Moongmor himself,” Rachel admitted, drawing Fiona’s lifted eyebrow.  “His motivations seem fairly evident.”

“Ah … Okay,” Fiona nodded.  “I get that.”

“No—it’s the other hidden creatures that were manipulating things or watching the Legend’s Quest that worries me—especially that godly woman that attacked him and killed the Warden.”

“Godly woman … Warden … Huh?”  Jessy mumbled.

Rachel and Fiona went over the gist of what they could while washing up, and surprisingly, Jessy kind of shrugged it off.  “Eh … yeah, okay, I’m not gonna even think about that stuff.” Her gaze slowly found Rachel’s figure again, lips tight as water rained down her wet head.  “... Rachel … is there … you know, any more advice you have to … yeah…”  Her vision slid to the floor, likely wondering if her new boyfriend was listening.

“What’s … going on?”  Fiona asked, clearly lost from her trailing pauses, heat exploding from her hands in a wave to dry Gisele’s ruffled feathers.

Rachel pulled her hair around, still lathering it up with product.  “Mmh … What answer are you looking for me to give?  You’re pretty agitated right now by the sound of your muscles.”

“Gah … that’s so invasive,” Jessy growled, hugging herself while turning away.  “Mmrrggrrgrr…”  She stared in the fogless mirror at her own figure, gaze shifting between Rachel’s back and herself.  “So … Mason called Clare last night—after the whole thing … He broke up with her, and she was pissed.  She … She said she was going to drive down here to see if he could break up with her to her face—not over a call.”

“Oh?”  Fiona popped back up with surprise.  “Mason told you that?”

“Mmh, yeah,” She mumbled, shifting comfortably under the water while pinching her love handles.  “... This morning—when I went down to say good morning…”

Rachel turned to give her a teasing look.  “Kiss him good morning, you mean.” 

Predictably, she got a blush from her and glare from Fiona; Rachel had no clue why it felt good to tease Scarlet or Jessy, but seeing the girl’s dark cheeks was so amusing.

“W-Well … yes … But he told me that and … Well … I kind of panicked and didn’t know what to say…”

“What did he do?”  Fiona asked.

“Shrugged it off,” Jessy grumbled.  “He didn’t think much of her saying that … I hid upstairs until Fiona woke up after that.”

A laugh bubbled through Rachel’s throat.  “So … you’re worried Clare will steal Mason back?”

“Rachel, it’s not funny,” Fiona growled.  “It’s not impossible.”

“Yeah … That’s what I’m saying,” Jessy cried, scratching her forehead while getting out to dry off.  “Clare’s … she’s just so manipulative … I mean, I don’t want to believe it … Not now—after we … you know.  It’s just…”

“You’re scared,” Fiona filled in.

“Yeah … Shouldn’t I be?”

Finished washing her hair, Rachel began wrapping it in a towel.  “Look, Jessy—doing a stress workout to try to lose a few pounds or fat around your waist isn’t going to help, and comparing yourself to me or any other girl won’t either.”

Jessy’s arms wrapped around her core, vision shifting to the wall, but her eyebrows came together as Rachel continued.

“Jessy … Mason called Clare and broke it off—you’re in, girl, but to stay there, yes, you can’t just do nothing or else it will fall apart.  Chill—stop obsessing over it … You’ve been trying to get into shape, which is great because men do judge women by looks—so do we.  It is what it is.  So…”

“What?”  Jessy asked, desperate hope in her eyes, and Fiona looked like she was about to bite her glowing fingernails.

“... Ask him to join you on a jog when we go down.”

“That’s it?”  Jessy asked, not convinced, but Fiona gasped.

“No, it’s perfect!  Yeah, and ask him to go easy on you; men love that!”

She was really trying not to bite her lower lip.  “Mmh … You’re sure it will work?”

“He’s a Beastkin,” Rachel added with a chuckle.  “Men are super competitive, and if he feels like he’s got an advantage and you respect and think highly of him—which you do, and you can’t keep up anyway, then yes, he will find that super attractive—especially since his parents instilled a good workout routine in him, which is something he can help you with.”

Jessy’s face brightened.  “Thanks, guys … I know I’m hopeless…”

Fiona started to dry herself off with her magic.  “Naa, we all need help from time to time!  That’s what the girls are for.”

Rachel’s turned to the wall, damp ears bending over a bit.  “Nora’s up … It’s like she’s drunk.”

“What?  Is she okay?”  Fiona worried.

“Yeah … I think.”

Not soon after, the Cheetah girl came stumbling into the room in half a daze, throwing off her clothes while spouting nonsense; she got to the tub before collapsing into her Slime state, crawling over the edge to soak.

“What’s going on…”  Fiona whispered, floating around the top of her sister’s spread-out liquid state.

Rachel stared down with the others, Gisele landing on the side of the tub.  “I think she’s just exhausted by the rings she had under her eyes when she came in—I guess Devouring Hollow has a lasting effect, and she needs to recover—she did enter it three times last night when things were looking a bit dicey.”

“This is just the backlash, then?”  Fiona mumbled, gently stroking her sister.  “Okay … rest up, sis…”

“Is she sleeping again?”  Jessy asked.

Rachel shrugged, heading outside to grab Nia as the wash finished.  “Probably.”

She only needed to touch the bra before both pieces flashed with light, transferring to her body and becoming her casual wear; the tightening and adjusting were expected at this point as the girl situated herself—all the water had been expelled already.

“Wow!!  That was wild, Rachel!  It was so much faster than last time—it was longer!  I battled the slippery stuff like a legend!”

Heh, all clean?

“I am a pure maiden once again!”  Nia laughed in her embellished way.

I’m glad you’re happy.

Heading downstairs with the others, Rachel opened the door to greet her grandfather, and after a simple exchange, Jessy pulled a confused Mason out of the room.

“... Jessy … Where—are we going?”

“Jogging!”  she chimed.  “Umm, I have some shoes that I bought that I need to break in.”

“Woah, Woah, Woah!  Jogging—you?!”  he asked in mild confusion, staring down at her shorts, sports bra, and new shoes.  “You never wanted to go jogging with me before?”

“I know,” Jessy sighed, directing his attention to Rachel.  “Your cousin’s got me all hyped, though!  I want to start working out—Rachel’s inspired me.”

“W-Wha, heh-he-he-he…”  he grinned, scratching the back of his neck.  “Okay, but I hope you don’t take that back, ‘cause I’m 100% on this train, but, uh … yeah, Rach is kind of extreme … don’t go pushing yourself to match her insane regimen.”

“Pfft!”  Jessy giggled.  “Are you kidding me?!  No way!  I’ve got no clue how all this works, so, umm—you’ll need to teach me, okay—oh, and don’t be too hard on me!”

“Yeah, okay—sweet!  Let me go grab my stuff…”  he said, running upstairs in a bright mood.

The couple left for the front door shortly after, everyone smiling after them.

Once the pair were gone, Rachel turned back to her grandfather, lips falling a little.  “So—what’s your plan for teaching me a new Skill to control my Lunar Energy?”

Fiona settled on the table with Rachel’s pets surrounding her.  “I’d like to learn some control stuff, too—Nora … Especially Nora.”

Her grandfather nodded, giving Fiona his undivided attention.  “Yes … I was going to speak to you about your sister when we had a moment of privacy—is this moment acceptable?”

Rachel could hear Nora still in her Slime State upstairs, nodding to the Fairy.

“... Yeah … she’s resting right now.”

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes before letting it out in a steady stream.  “... Nora could use my help far more than my granddaughter, yet it is her choice to accept it and yours to convince her, Fiona.”

“Can you help her?”  Fiona asked, leaning forward in desperation.  “Anything at all!  She’s been going through…”  Tears appeared in her eyes.  “She’s been going through such a rough change—stuff even before The Oscillation, but now—it’s so much worse.”

Her grandfather folded his fingers atop the table, expression grim.  “Fiona, your energies are fairly even and balanced already—There is room for improvement, but it is not a necessity.  Your sister requires it—Nora's entire Core was mixed with uncertainty, pain, and autophobia when the two of you arrived.”

He shifted to Rachel for a moment.  “Rachel will benefit from learning the Emotional Balance Skill I can teach her, which should eventually increase to a stage that she can pick which energy she wishes to utilize—it may be even possible to combine with your Pool, splitting it into various sections that expand it.”

Rachel’s ears and tail were stiff with excitement; it was everything she could want—an expansion to her Lunar Pool meant an increase in her total % that dealt with each Energy, and she could cycle between them as desired, potentially even combining them.

“I need that,” Rachel breathed.  “Can you teach it to me by tomorrow night?”

“Hmm … it would be difficult—The weakest form that you can slowly advance—possible.  However…”  His dark brown eyes narrowed, turning back to Fiona, aged lips tightening.  “When the three of you returned last night—something changed in Nora…

“Emotional Balance might help her, but it is not a fix after … There is a horrific force that was unleashed deep within her—I need to teach her an Advanced Skill called To Know One’s Self.”

“Can I learn it?”  Rachel asked, eager to gain any advantage she could.  “Would it help?”

“It would,” Her grandfather admitted, a shudder rippling through his frame, “but Nora—Nora needs it to not lose herself in the future … There was a sleeping creature hiding within her last night—like a fleeting glimpse of death beyond a veil just thin enough to see its silhouette.”

Fiona’s face paled, instantly following Rachel’s own mind to Scarlet and Twilight.  “Y-You mean something is possessing my sister?!”

He didn’t respond for several seconds, sitting back with a thoughtful expression, arms folded across his chest.  “Not necessarily—it might not make much sense because I cannot fully comprehend it myself—I do know that this path will work, yet it will only prepare her for what will come in the future—to face this growing thing inside of her that sees to utterly consume her—she will have a fighting chance.”

“No…”  Tears fell down Fiona’s eyes.  “I … brought her here—I let her come—it’s all my fault…”

Her grandfather’s eyes creased with compassion.  “... You cannot blame yourself, child.  Perhaps that decision did lead to this outcome—perhaps not.  In the end, it is no longer relevant, and guilt—tearing yourself apart—will only serve to hurt your sister more.  A path forward is what is needed, Fiona—hope, and I can provide that.”

He gestured to Rachel, pondering if any of the unseen entities following her could be involved in this change.  “Have Rachel help you call your parents and tell them that she is receiving help with her transformation and will be gone for a few weeks—I will fortify her for what is to come.”

“Nora…”  Fiona cried, tight fists pressed against her lap.  “Why can’t my sister get a break?  It’s not fair…”

The Slime was still knocked out in the tub upstairs, and the sounds Rachel heard from her while devouring pieces of the horrifying invader returned in her mind as she remembered the encounter.  Did those things corrupt her?  Can Maria cure it?  It’s possible … We’ll have to try.

“How long will it take?”  Fiona asked, face slick with tears.

“... That depends on her aptitude to adapt—so, I cannot say.  I suspect it is high, but this is one of the most advanced Skills I can teach, involved with gaining a much more profound understanding of who you truly are—it is more frightening than you might think, looking at who you are—unfettered, and learning how to embrace the darkness without losing yourself in the process.”

Rachel hummed, studying Fiona’s fearful expression; this wasn’t what she’d expected when getting up this morning.  “We’ll do what we can, Fiona.”

“... I just want my sister to have a normal life,” Fiona whimpered.  “... Is it impossible at this point?”

Her grandfather released another controlled breath, head bowing with a mournful expression.  “Sometimes accepting the tragedy in our lives is the only way to move forward—to begin to heal.  You are not alone, Fiona, and neither is your sister.  It has been my life’s purpose to support those in need—I will do everything within my power to help her through this.”

“When do we begin?”  Rachel pushed, knowing they were short on time.

He rose to his feet, causing Rachel’s pets to jump back in preparation to leave the area.  “First, we fill our bellies, then I start with you, Rachel.  When Nora comes down, Fiona will need to talk to her in private to let her know of her current situation and convince her to accept help.”

The lump in Fiona’s throat dropped, voice very different from its normal lovely tone.  “... Okay—I’ll do my best—No … I’ll convince her!”

They entered the kitchen shortly after, eating and further discussing the topic until Nora awoke forty minutes later, slowly finishing her shower, and after ten minutes, she seemed to finally become conscious of her own actions.

“... Why am I even in the shower … I don’t need this … Gah—maybe I’m going crazy … I’m so wrecked!”  she moaned, absorbing the water, replacing her clothes, and trudging downstairs to join them.

Fiona took her across the house to talk to her and explain what they’d discovered, Rachel listening in.  It didn’t take long for Nora to become skeptical.

“C’mon, Fi … I’m dead tired—heh, I don’t have some old god in me or something!”

“What about that Skill, though?”  Fiona pushed.  “It said it’s an Eldritch-Type; you know what that means, and Rachel’s grandpa might even be able to help you with your hunger.”

Nora folded her arms, releasing a soft hum.  “I don’t know … it just sounds like you’re trying to keep me from joining you on something—still, that would help … starving sucks…”

“Mhm!  I’m just worried about you,” Fiona pleaded.  “Look at how many insane things happened yesterday!  Scarlet had troubles when she changed, too—we’re still working on figuring all of this out … Please, Nora, for me?”

“Mmhgh … Fine,” she mumbled, scratching the base of her right cat ear.  “And fighting the ‘darkness inside’ sounds like a hype thing!”  she laughed.

“Not funny,” Fiona growled.  “Mom, Dad … We’re all worried about you.”

“When have Mom and Dad not been worried about me,” Nora grumbled, playing with her hair.  “I said I’d do it … Chill.”

“Thanks, Nora!”  Fiona closed in to hug her neck before returning.

Rachel figured she was using the personality of the Cheetah girl she mimicked to brush past the explanation; she was on board but didn’t really recognize it as dangerous—at least until the agents woke up and came down to interrupt their training.

After their reports and coordinating with the local Police Force, they came to get some more information from them but were crashing at that point from emotional exhaustion, and her grandfather recognized it, offering them rooms to rest; they could question her when they awoke.

They asked for a description of the creatures; all the electrical equipment in the entire area had been somehow destroyed by the invaders.

Nora grinned at the three, jumping up to tell them to follow her.  Confused, they comply, Rachel and Fiona nervously knowing what she was going to do, but she refused to see the issue.

Stepping into the backyard while leaving Rachel’s grandfather inside, she waved her hand dismissively at Fiona’s worries.  “Fi!  I’m a Mimic Slime; I’ve been copying things I eat this entire time … It’s no big deal.  I transform, they get the pictures of the ugly things for the record, and we’re done!  Five seconds—no prob, and I’ve been analyzing them, and yeah, they’re super scary, but I ate them, making me even scarier!”  she said, puffing up her chest.

Rachel’s eyes narrowed, her arms folded across her chest; the agents had no clue what they were getting themselves into while passively following their conversation—one girl saying it’s no issue while the others were concerned.

“Have you really dissected them and know how to mimic them?”

Nora shook her head with a short shrug.  “Naa—not yet!  I gotta first mimic them to grasp the memories that aren’t like—super recent.  These guys were on their way to harvest some of those mushroom guys for their people or something.”

The air in Bree, Sam, and Serah’s lungs froze as the cute Cheetah transformed into the parasitic nightmare, phones falling from their hands as Nora opened the hundreds of mouths to reveal its horrific jaws and unearthly sound.

The mist was naturally forming around the area, and Rachel felt the same dark, subtle fear returning that sought to lull in its prey—a string entangling the heart in a confusing rapture of curiosity and apprehension.  Swiftly snatching Bree’s falling phone, Rachel took as many pictures as she could.

Only eight seconds passed before Nora constricted back into a Cheetah girl … stunned expression glazing her eyes as she stumbled to the side, falling to the ground.

“Nora!”  Fiona cried.  “Nora—I told you!  Are you okay?”

“N-No, heh … I … I’m fine,” she mumbled, stumbling against the side of the house to prop herself up.  “It was just…”

The fog that was already starting to dampen all sound around them swiftly evaporated and the agents collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.

“W-W…”  Jim couldn’t even get the words out, Bree and Serah unable to speak.

“Those are what we fought,” Rachel replied in a short mumble, carefully watching and listening to Nora’s unusual response.  A shiver ran down the girl’s frame, ears lying back and rising again in confusion.  “What was it like, Nora?”  she asked, hoping to probe a little bit of what they were dealing with.

“Umm…”  Nora shook her head.  “I … I saw through—there was something so far back … I saw the portal in the last one’s memory … the Gateway changed…”

“Again?”  Fiona asked, shooting a worried look to Rachel for a moment.  “If it changed—like Montana…”

“No,” Rachel mumbled, watching the agents shakily recover.  “Not like Montana—This was a changed Crystal Break.  What was it like, Nora?”

“Bigger … a lot bigger,” Nora mumbled.  “A weird spiky shape—I don’t know how to describe it—a pyramid on top of a pyramid?  Umm … it was white, and there was something … No, I can’t remember it, but there was this feeling.”

She wasn’t horrified—she was curious, scratching her left arm as her tail flicked and ears twitched.  “A song—only it was this pull—that hooked around my—I don’t even know…”

Nora blinked before giving them a sheepish smile.  “What were we talking about again?”

“What the … was that?!”  Serah muttered, still shaking on the ground.

Rachel’s stomach squirmed at the newly discovered change.  If it changed—white … Clay never mentioned that color?  Pyramids on top of each other?  Something’s wrong, and if she can access super recent memories, why didn’t she pick up on it before.  Not only that, it shouldn’t have closed until we repelled all attackers, too … It doesn’t add up.

Do I tell Tom about this and get help?  If I do … Fiona would never forgive me—No, I can’t betray her, which means I need to discover the answer on my own.  Can I leave her with Grandpa, though?

A conflict erupted in her chest; something was wrong inside Nora, and it was linked to the Crystal’s sudden change only moments before collapsing after they killed the last invader.

Trust Grandpa’s judgment… or put off the Cuba Mission to stay and protect him?  There’s no one I’d trust more than me!  Unless … it wouldn’t be the end of the world if Anthony stays behind.

 Deciding to go with her gut, Rachel would have faith in her grandfather, but decided to ask Anthony for his help; Fiona would more than welcome the additional support.  It was the best option she had.

Time passed, and she managed to convince the three agents that things were handled; they were too rattled by the creature to even think clearly in any case—Rachel didn’t want to know what could have come through that transcended those things and what its purpose was in hiding, potentially in Nora.

She got a hold of Anthony, running far enough away to give him her fears without Nora hearing, and she spent the next two days in relative peace, learning the Skills, and finally, the time came.

Anthony drove down in one of the new company cars that Maria bought—a classic cherry 67 Chevrolet Chevy II Nova, of course.  Rachel planned on initiating the moment he stepped out of the vehicle, but he actually beat her to the punch, hand wrapping around her waist to pull her against the car to lean down and kiss her.

She’d missed the salty taste of his lips, heart picking up at the dramatic action; she shouldn’t have been, she could hear every twitch his muscles made, yet it was a shock that he acted before her.

By the smirk he gave her once pulling away, he knew what he was doing; as retaliation, she used his shoulders to lift herself up to kiss him back!  The others had yet to come out, giving them privacy.

Jessy and her cousin were getting along great, and his ex didn’t end up crashing their party, while Rachel was there at least.  Anthony was excited to learn some stuff from her grandfather along with Nora, and she was happy to have company.  The Legendkin could be a pretty good entertainer and martial arts coach.

The green glow of Fiona’s Levitate Spell enclosed Rachel as she was pulled into the sky, smiling down at Anthony, Jessy, Nora, and her grandfather; her cousin was all for Anthony offering to help him work on some martial arts and sparring—way more excited than her offer.

“Get stronger, cuz!  Love you, Grandpa!”

“Bye, Nora!  I love you!”

“See ya, Fi!”

Mason grunted, a smirk on his lips as he watched her go.  “Tch … yeah, I’ll get stronger … enough to take on that little cream puff next time.”

Hayan was giving him a smug, challenging leer, saying, ‘Just try, Buddy!’

Rachel took a deep breath … They were meeting up with Tom on Cahira’s Dragon Turtle; he was going to be breaking everything down.

Cuba … Who do I need to kill?

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