Chapter 2
My first song is some trashy dubstep piece that the club manager insists on using, despite everyone hating it. From behind the curtain I begin manipulating the water as the song rises. I swirl 4 small whirlpools around in each corner, and one large one in the middle. I shoot up small little spouts of water from the corner whirlpools to the beat of the song. As the song builds up for the drop, the room goes dark.
Suddenly the beat drops, simultaneously with my curtain, and a bright spotlight shines directly on me, reflecting beautifully off the rainbow scales on my tail. I launch a massive geyser of water from each whirlpool as I throw my hands into the air to the cheers of the dancing crowd.
I use my corral ring to eloquently spin the water plumes into a twisting and spiraling array of water that just barely brushes the ceiling. In tune to the beat I dance along with grand hand motions and gestures that are not at all necessary for my magic, but that mundane people go crazy for. At the next drop of the beat I suddenly let the water fall. As it crashes down into the tank I dive in right behind it, straight into the largest whirlpool.
I dart and dash around the tank at superhuman speeds, twirling and twisting to the music. Behind me I push and pull the water to form a trail of bubbles. After a few laps I gather up my bubbles in the front of the tank, directly in the window so the crowd can see. I begin to shape them into bubble art. I form a dolphin, and make it swim around a bit, then I shape my bubbles into an old timey sail boat and have a giant bubble squid attack it until it sinks. Finally I form the bubbles into the logo of the beer brand that sponsors the club, before dashing off to dance around the tank some more.
Three songs later I finish my performance by launching myself out of the water and into the air, along with more giant geysers of water. I do a double backflip and land a perfect dive into the water as I form a large wave to splash into the first row of tourists and cover my exit from the tank. I take my place back on my platform behind the tank and give a final bow to the frenzied crowd. The cheers and screams may not be as loud as Chama’s, but I did my best and had a lot of fun, so I’m proud of myself.
The only people who don’t look happy are the group of French women in the front row, who are thoroughly soaked. They also may have now accepted their new eyebrowless lot in life, and don’t seem pleased with that either. One of them shouts a slur at me, prompting me to make a quick exit to the dressing room.
My favorite fire channeler is waiting for me with a big grin on her face. Chama is in her street clothes now, black jeans and a black leather jacket over a tight gray shirt. She’s freshly cleaned and seems ready to collect her hug, which I happily deliver.
“Hey, you got me all wet! That’s not fair, I didn’t hug you when I was covered in soot.” Chama pouts up at me.
“You tried to hug me, but I stopped you. Maybe if you had longer arms you could reach my forehead to stop me.” I reply with a wink, and a pat to the top of her head.
Her face scrunches up as she wags her fist at me “You giant fish! Don’t make me turn you into a plate of bacalhau com natas!”
“I’m sure I would taste delicious.” I smile back with a cute little tilt of my head.
“Yea I bet Lina wouldn’t mind taking a bite.” she says with a smirk.
“Wh-what?” I stammer, and look at her confused.
She lets out a big sigh and rolls her eyes at me. “Nevermind, You did great out there! It was the best show I’ve seen from you.” She congratulates me with a punch to my arm.
I pull her into another wet hug. “Aww thanks. I’m sure I’ll be half as good as you someday.”
“Oh my goddess, get off me Lua! Go find a towell!”
“Ok, ok. I’ll see you after I change.” I giggle as I release her from my soggy embrace.
“Sorry, but you probably won't. I think I’m going to take home one of those young German ladies at the bar.” She smirks at me as she waves goodbye.
“Alright, have fun then, see you tomorrow night!” I shout at her back as she bounces away. Once again, I doubt she hears me.
I change back into my white dress and make my way back to the vault to discharge my artifacts. Luckily my hair still looks great. I used the spell in my ring to form a barrier around it to keep it dry underwater.
I present myself to the burly guard for entry into the vault, and with a stern look she follows me inside. Under her supervision I place my artifacts onto the neutralizing plate. With one hand submerged in the anchor and one on my artifacts, I carefully draw out the aetheric charge in each artifact, and pull it into my body. Careful not to let too much build up inside me, I slowly send it down my other arm and into the tub of water.
After the guard inspects my artifacts with a small but complex device to ensure they are free of aether, she signs my artifact release form and clears me to leave.
After a quick detour to collect my share of the night's tips from the club manager, I make my way out onto the street. A strong wind whips at my dress, flaring it out around me. I take in a breath of the warm summer night air, still humid from the rain earlier today, and begin my walk home.
I walk along the side of the Tagus River, holding my dress down with one hand. The light from the full moon shimmers beautifully across the still water. The streets aren't busy anymore this late, but groups of drunk party goers making their way home are scattered about, shouting about Benfica or Braga.
Apparently Diana Neres scored a hattrick tonight, but Ricarda Horta from the visiting Braga scored a last minute equalizer to rob Benfica of 2 points. Not that I wanted to know any of that, I don’t like sports, but it's difficult not to hear about Benfica when they play, regardless of the result. Drunk football fans are very loud. Too loud in fact.
I decide to take the smaller, darker side streets and back allies the rest of the way home. They may be dirty, but at least they're quiet. Apart from a very large and very round woman in a Benfica shirt peeing behind a dumpster, I don't encounter anyone by the time I arrive at the base of my hill.
I've barely begun my ascent when I round a corner to find myself face to eyebrowless face with the group of French tourists from the front row of the club. I freeze, there's four of them, gathered in a group, smoking cigarettes outside a closed minimercado.
My whole body tenses as they clearly recognize me.
"Well look who we have here" the largest one says in a thick accent.
She takes a step towards me.
"If it isn't the little witch that thinks it's funny to assault us on our holiday." She flicks her half smoked cigarette aside with a snarl.
"You think you can just attack normal people, ruining our holiday, and get away with it?"
"Look, I'm just trying to get home." I nervously stammer out. "Surely you must know if you sit in the front row of a water magic show you're going to get splashed."
Anger flashes across her face. "How dare you! You're lucky we still let your kind have jobs after what you did to Hamburg. You're dangerous, all of you! You need to learn some respect!"
She turns to her friends "what do you say ladies, should we teach this freak a lesson about her place in the world?"
The other 3 women step towards me, one of them looping around behind me. Something snaps inside of me and I break out into a run. I just barely get around the snatching arms of the big one, but only make it a few paces before I'm tackled from behind.
All the air rushes out of my chest with a muffled "oof" as the weight of whoever tackled me lands on my back. Then the kicks start pouring in. My sides, my chest, my hips, my legs, are all stuck with muffled thumps as I cry out in pain. A hard strike to my head sends my vision spinning.
In a panic, I realize I still have my inert coral ring on my finger. It's much more difficult to push aether into an artifact without an anchor or neutralizing plate, but it's not impossible. I've never done it before, but I have to try.
I focus as hard as I can to ground myself. Surprisingly the pain from the kicking helps me stay present. I focus on my intent for my spell, and clumsily shove as much aether into the ring as I can.
Someone stomps on my knee, breaking my channel as I cry out in pain. I hope I got enough aether in there. It'll have to be enough.
I reach out, calling to the water all around me. Puddles in the street dry up, rooftop gutters empty, a half full water bottle in the next street over tips as the water pours out, and moves to me.
With about a bathtub’s worth of water that answered my call gathered into a ball a few meters above our heads, I make my move.
I quickly pull it down to my chest, forcing my attackers take a step back. Before they can collect themselves I explode the ball of water outwards at as high of a velocity as I can. All four of them fall, crying out, more in shock than pain probably.
One of them screams "Help! Help! She's attacking us! She's attacking us with magic!"
I look up to the building above us to see the sleepy eyed heads of a half dozen old women poking out over their balconies and leaning out open windows.
One of my assailants notices too and implores her friends to leave with a squealing, panicked voice. "Cmon, let's get out of here before the cops show up. She's got magic!"
The squealer and one more turn and run down the hill, leaving me with just 2 smoothe browed assailants. The big woman shouts as she begins kicking me more. "How dare you! How dare you use magic to attack us!"
The second woman joins in again. I cover my head and roll into a ball to try and protect myself as best I can while I gather up my water.
I only manage to get about a basketball sized mass of water this time. I direct it onto the face of the smaller woman. I hold it there as she flails around trying to free herself. The larger woman steps off me and runs to help her friend.
I painfully rise to a seated position, leaning on my elbows as I focus and strain to guide my water, keeping it on the woman's face as she runs around.
My connection to the water increases. A mass of water this small is easy to control when I’m not being kicked. I close my eyes and reach out to feel every molecule of water. I can feel the woman’s face through my water as it contorts in panic and fear. I feel her thick caked on makeup, her dimpled chin, and her thin lips, clutched tightly together. I can feel her fingers clawing and scratching desperately at the liquid prison. I can feel her flared nostrils as she pushes the last of her air through her nose to desperately try and keep my water out.
Her last breath escapes my water pocket in small, helpless little bubbles. With one straining push of my focus, I force my water into her nose. I pry open her tightly sealed lips and pour my water down her throat. I feel every drop as it splashes into her lungs. I feel her throat spasm and contort as it chokes wildly on my water.
Then I feel pain. So much pain. Sharp, white hot pain, in my own throat. I open my eyes to see the larger woman who started all this standing over me. She looks down on me with a look of panic in her eyes. Confusion, fear, and then regret quickly sweep across her face. I only notice the knife she held as she drops it to the ground. With one last look at her friend, lying motionless in the street behind her, she turns and runs.
I feel wet, like I’m laying in a shallow stream. It feels nice. I could stay here, float on this stream until I fall asleep. I look down to see my dress soaked through. I was expecting the comfort of water, but instead found blood. So much blood. Oh goddess, that's my blood!
I grab at my throat in a panic, only to pull my hands away covered in blood. I try to scream but nothing comes out. I feel tired, so tired. My head spins as I desperately cling to consciousness. I look up the hill, just up the street I can see a light on in the Pastelaria.
Lina waited on me. She said she would. I wonder if Jessica will finally kiss Natallie on Forbidden Bite. Lina’s been waiting on that all season.
No! I can’t die here. Not so close to home. Not so close to Lina.
With a silent cry I drag myself to my feet. I stumble forward, one foot in front of the other. I hold my hand to my neck as blood pours out, gushing around my fingers to run down the street. I focus all my willpower to stay conscious, to put one foot in front of the other as I drag myself painful step by painful step up the hill.
I’m so close. Just a few steps away from the pastelaria, I reach out for the door, only to fall onto the street in a pool of my own blood. I almost made it. Well, I did my best. As I accept my failure, the door flies open. Piercing light sears my eyes.
“Lua! Lua no!” I faintly hear Lina cry out to me. She sounds distant, far away, like she’s yelling from the end of a long tunnel.
I look up at her face as she pulls me into her arms. Wow, her arms are really strong. She’s so beautiful. The full moon sits perfectly centered behind her head, casting a halo of light around her soft brown hair.
“Lua! Lua, please!” She cries out, as her tears fall from her face onto mine. I can feel the water in her tears mix with my blood, and flow down the street, my street.
I realize that I made it, I made it home. I can rest now. I relax into Lina’s arms, I relax into my pain. I don’t fight it anymore. All I can feel is pain, so much pain. How can humans feel this much pain?
I take one last look at Lina’s beautiful face as my vision slips into darkness. Her sobbing cries are the last thing I hear before my world is returned to blissful silence.
Not saying I appreciate of her act to kill, but the fact that she does not shy away from killing her those who instigated a fight, says a lot about her character. Very different from vanilla MCs and Murderhobo MCs.
Thanks for the chapter.
Thanks! Yea, Lua's capacity for violence is definitely interesting... Without dropping spoilers I'll just say that it's definitely something that she's going to have to reconcile with her values.
"I pry open her tightly sealed lips and pour my water down her throat" Yikes
Uuuuuuh, was she specifically trying to /kill/ that lady?
This is a small spoiler for Lua's character development, so I'll put it in a box to be safe:
That's going to be one of the themes of Lua's character arc. Her learning that she's capable of that level of violence, even if only in self defense, and processing all her feelings about it and deciding if she wants to use her magic in that way. I foreshadowed it a little in chapter one when she was walking to work, thinking about the Portuguese explorers of the past. Lua's got a lot of feelings to process for the next few chapters, so it's going to take a couple chapters for it to come up, but it will be something she has to face eventually.
Thanks for reading, and commenting!