...Chapter 13, Lucky Breaks...

 

 

Shaking off the thoughts of what Bethany might do; I lead the way outside. But the moment I go to step off the porch, Bethany pulls me back, stepping in front of me. "Sawyer, can you watch our backs?"

“Sounds like fun.” Sawyer squeezes my butt, making me jump before she gives Bethany a sloppy salute. "Can do sis."

"Good. Now, before we go anywhere..." Bethany looks up and down the street then takes a deep breath as she shifts from foot to foot. It's only after she's completed shifting that I realize she's slightly taller. And her feet are glowing.

A second later, Bethany is completely encapsulated in light. It's not blinding, even with the dimmer ambient light of the blue lines overhead, but it's enough to paint her as a target. As I study it, I realize she's turned herself into an armored knight. A full-on medieval knight. Made of light.

I can't stop the snicker.

"What?" Bethany's voice echoes from inside her suit, not moving an inch despite my laughter.

"You're..." I can't help but chuckle again before finishing, "You're a knight-light."

Sawyer's laughter joins mine and I can hear the frown that accompanies Bethany's grunt from inside her new suit. But then she gives a small chuckle herself. "Damn. Can't believe I didn't think of that."

"It's... it'll be fine," I reassure her. It is pretty cool. And I've seen just how tough her light crafted shields can be. "Did you want to visit the Clarkson's like that though?"

"Uhm... doesn't matter. I... kinda fused the joints together," Bethany admits, causing me to snicker again. Until I inspect her armor closer.

Poking at the faceguard, I ask, "Did you leave yourself room to breathe?"

There's a sigh, which I can feel cross over my hand even as she responds, "Yeah. Luckily I'm not a total idiot."

"Not an idiot at all," I reply, though I can tell her follow up sigh means she doesn't agree. And I guess... "Well, okay, maybe a bit of one. Not your best moment."

"We have all been up since seven this morning," Sawyer says, poking at Bethany's suit right in the boob while staring up at Bethany's face. Or where her face should be. Then she glances at me with a smirk, "Well, most of us."

I don't know why, but for some reason, her direct attention manages to send a blush up my cheeks. And she's the one walking around with her pussy full of my cum. Not really fair.

"So," I start, trying to change the direction of my thoughts as well as the conversation. "Are you sure you can't dismiss the suit?"

"Uhm. Maybe?" Bethany answers, humming from inside.

"Maybe we could bust it up?" Sawyer suggests, several thin whips of water rising from behind her even as she suggests it. The over the shoulder angle makes me think of a spider, ready to strike.

Before I can mention how terrible an idea it is, Bethany says, "Do it."

Sawyer's whips of water blast forward as she cackles maniacally. She strikes several dozen times, but it doesn't even make Bethany's armor flicker. Which causes her cackling to drop off into a grunt.

"Totally not fair," Sawyer grumps as she dispels her whips with a flick of her hand.

And Bethany is still stuck in her armor. Deciding to take a more direct approach, I step forward and wrench on her arm. There's a pop as one of her pauldrons along with the armored arm I’m holding pops free. "I think that actually helped," Bethany says as she frees her arm from the disconnected section. "One second. Help with the other side?"

It takes us more than a second, more like a minute, as we free her from her armor. The top is remarkably rigid, and lifting it nearly tears her hoodie off. I can’t even admire her, more concerned with how the armor could dig into her if I slip. The chestpiece makes a solid thump as Sawyer and I drop it to the side. Getting her out of the legs, we have to lift her up, and she ends up crawling over my shoulder to land behind me. And then she's free of the armor.

"Need to figure out joints," Beth grumbles, kicking the leggings over. A second later, the entire thing fades away.

Unable to stop, I chuckle loudly and I can hear Sawyer snickering beside me. Then I remember why we're out here, "Right. The Clarksons."

"Oh. Right," Bethany says, her eyes panning the street. "Guess we should check on them."

"Well, don't sound Soi excited," Sawyer says as we head down the street.

Keeping watch, I notice Bethany shrug as I squint at a shadow in the yard next to the Clarkson's house. But it's only a lawn chair. As I resume my vigil, Bethany says, "They're not family."

"We should still help them, if we can," I say as we turn the corner and Mr Clarkson comes into view. It seems he's pulled a few people closer to the house. I can make out Mrs Clarkson's figure, but there's no sign of their children, Julie and Jonathon. "Not everyone got as lucky as we did."

"Sure. But mom says you need to be careful with people in situations like this," Bethany says, holding her hand up to stop me as Mr Clarkson turns his head in our direction.

Ignoring Bethany, I raise a hand towards Mr Clarkson, asking, "Hey, did you want some help?"

Mr Clarkson lowers his rifle, scratching at the stubble on his cheek while looking at the people around him. He nods, gesturing over his shoulder. "That'd be great Darren. Can you get them into the living room?"

"Sure thing," I answer, motioning my sisters forward to help me. Bethany rolls her eyes, but moves to grab the other side of Mrs Clarkson, securing her arm. It's a little awkward with our height difference but we manage to get her inside. When I go to grab the next person, Sawyer pushes me to the side, and she and Bethany lift him up. They have no problem supporting him, though they do drag his legs a bit.

"Crazy days," Mr Clarkson says as we watch my sisters carry his friend inside.

"Yeah.”

"I saw the tree. And the messages. Gonna be trouble for you and yours," Mr Clarkson says, setting his rifle down before motioning me closer to another of the collapsed people.

Taking the other side, I nod. "That's what mom said too. Almost didn't want to let me come help."

"Smart. Appreciate you checking in anyway. Your family's always been good to us. Looking after my kids and such. I'll remind people of that once they start waking up," Mr Clarkson says as we settle the man on an empty spot of their living room.

We stand to the side as my sisters bring another lady in. From the smell of booze on her breath, it smells like she was ready to pass out before whatever happened at midnight.

Soon as my sisters are passed, we go outside. Mr Clarkson does a quick survey of the street before he kneels next to the last man on the lawn. As we're lifting him up, Mr Clarkson asks, "Did you get an essence too?"

"Uhm, yeah," I reply. Part of me wants to tell him more. I've known Mr Clarkson for over a decade. Madison and I used to babysit his kids when we were still in highschool even. But mom and Bethany's worry still my tongue.

"Good. Good," Mr Clarkson says as we push through the doorway. "Mine's simple. Let's me shoot things better. And it lets me shoot without ammo."

At this unprompted sharing, I feel guilty. And not just because I didn't tell him what I can do. But because that sounds... weak. Maybe not horribly weak, but not nearly as strong as any of ours. But maybe he's not telling me everything.

"And I'm pretty sure I've got your mom to thank for having it," Mr Clarkson adds as we set the man down next to the others. "Got mine... lord, was it only yesterday?"

"Since we came here? Yeah," Bethany interjects, stepping into Mr Clarkson's face so aggressively he takes a step back. "What do you think mom has to do with your powers?"

Mr Clarkson doesn't seem to get offended at Bethany's intrusion into his space as he smiles, one that only touches the corners of his eyes. "Your mom gave us that beautiful quartz geode. I was moving it when my... what did the message say... when my color-out happened. Anyway, when I woke up, I'd dropped the damn thing on my foot. But when I rolled it over, the quartz inside had disappeared."

Turning away, moving towards the back of the house, Mr Clarkson speaks over his shoulder, "Now, I can't be certain, but I think my essence came from that rock... somehow."

Moving into the backyard, we each pair off, grabbing another unconscious person. Sawyer grunts as she and Bethany lift a heftier woman, saying, "That... could mean there's a bunch of people with powers. Mom loved giving out old rocks."

"Sure. But not all your mom's presents disappeared," Mr Clarkson says as we move a man badly in need of a breath mint into a nook in the hallway.

"Gonna be hard to fit everyone on the bottom floor by the time we're done," I say as we lower the man against the wall. "You guys have a lot of people over."

"Molly figured a party would help calm people down. Wasn't expecting them to pass out like this," Mr Clarkson shrugs as we move back outside. I can barely hear Sawyer whisper 'obviously' as we move passed where her and Bethany are struggling with the woman.

He pauses at the top of his back balcony, looking towards the fire that's still burning in the old steel truck rim turned firepit. "Maybe we just get them off the lawn?"

Nodding, we set to work, moving the remaining people up to his balcony. When we're done, they still haven't woken.

"Did it take us this long?" I can't help but wonder as we stand together, Mr Clarkson bringing us some cool lemonade. His house isn't under a no-grid power reduction. They're just running off the solar farm. Which if there wasn't System muckery involved, I'm pretty sure would've failed by now.

"Nah. Molly said I was only out for a minute," Mr Clarkson replies, staring at the unmoving people. "Maybe it was easier cause... nah, I ain't got nothin."

Bethany's chortle at this draws my attention, and I can see her smiling at Mr Clarkson. It occurs to me that Bethany never spent much time around the Clarksons. She was too young to babysit Jon and Julie, but too old to be in class with them. When I think about it, Bethany was never that close to most of our neighbors. She mostly spent time with us. Or her soccer team.

"You're taking it all pretty well," Sawyer observes even as she nuzzles up against me. I don't even think as I wrap my arm around her. I'm not worried about Mr Clarkson suspecting the nature of our relationship, since we've always been a cuddly family, even in public.

"Giant murder lizards coming after my family? I guess so. Molly's doing mostly. Kept my head on straight. 'Focus on protecting the kids', she'd say. She's right. Can't wait for her to get her power. Bet it'll be something," Mr Clarkson's smile is nearly as bright as the blue constellations above us before it cracks. Then he looks towards the living room, where Mrs Clarkson is resting. "Long as she wakes up."

"We should check on her. There's a small chance my power could help," I suggest. Not sure my powers or my basic first aid will let me treat 'gaining magical powers', but I should at least try.

Leading the way, I drop down next to Mrs Clarkson, checking her over. Still breathing, steady pulse, no blood. My power isn't giving me anything either. The family only restriction at work.

"Are your kids okay?" Bethany asks drawing my attention away from Mrs Clarkson.

Mr Clarkson nods. "They're in their rooms. First thing I did was check on them. Then a damn lizard showed up and it didn't feel right leaving people on my lawn to become gecko chow."

As if Mr Clarkson's words were a warning, a growl comes from just outside the front door.

Perfect timing.