Welcome to Gaia! ::

Who: LuLu, Cordelia, and company
When: Evening
Where: Warehouse
Weather: Spring, some rainstorms

“Where are you taking me?” LuLu’s melodic tenor carried a dull, unpleasant edge. She shifted in her seat to turn towards Eloise. The man was seated across from her. His legs were neatly folded, his artificial one under his real one. He offered the rabbit a weary blink of his eyes and a long stretch of silence. Eloise half-heartedly adjust his glasses by pushing tem up the bridge of his nose. Still, no answer.

LuLu became keenly aware that he was likely not permitted to offer her any information. She gave him a barbed glare before turning her attention to the car’s window to look outside. They were in a large sedan that made up one part of a three car convoy. The rain outside was streaking against the windows in broad stripes so she knew they were moving fast. Whatever their destination was, Samuel was in a hurry to get there.

---

It was about an hour of travel before their caravan came to a halt. When they had arrived, Eloise immediately began to bark orders over his earpiece. He bounded from the vehicle with more energy than the girl had seen him with in weeks. He motioned for LuLu to follow. An especially stern look was applied to his features. “Someone is taking things too seriously.” The girl chimed. She used her jacket as an impromptu umbrella as she stepped outside.

“Someone is not taking their predicament seriously enough.” Eloise challenged. “Get moving.” He waved the rabbit along towards a building adjacent to the dusty lot they were standing in.

The girl hesitantly complied. She despised taking orders from Eloise, but understood she was not in a position where she could make her own demands. Samuel still had the upper hand as long as Franco’s life was on the table.

She shielded her eyes against the rain and scanned over the building. It was shaped like a broad box, and looked like it could have been a factory at one time. However, now, it was beyond rundown. Half the windows were broken and a portion of a wall had caved inward. LuLu was starting to question if it was actually safe to enter it.

“You are gawking too much.” Eloise interrupted her thoughts as he reached out to shove her forward. He was not gentle about it. Then again, he was not gentle about anything.

Dirt assaulted her nose and eyes as it was kicked up from the ground. She had to hold her breath as they moved past a curtain of plastic and through a pair of dilapidated metal doors. It did not get any better once they had entered. The inside was one large open room that was dimly lit. Abandoned machinery cluttered the corners, equipment stacked on top of each other into messy piles. Bent pipes, trash, and shattered glass littered the floor. Her guardian would have described it was a tetanus infection waiting to happen. LuLu cleared her lungs with a cough. “Do you take all the girls here for a first date?” She clicked her tongue. Her ears perked forward, and she barely contained her smirk.

Eloise’s sour pucker was more than satisfying to her. The girl shook out her jacket and giggled. “Why are we here, really?” She tested. Maybe she could get an answer this time.

The bodyguard turned up his nose and replied, “Be patient and you will find out.”

LuLu was not the patient type. The silent stretch that punctuated Eloise’s instruction had left her feeling even more unsettled than before they exchanged words. She stood together with him for a solid five minutes before she started to feel restlessness settle into her shoulders. She rolled her joints in objection to ease the growing tension. The rabbit started to pull her jacket back on. Suddenly, the bodyguard spoke into his earpiece. She jumped, startled by the interruption.

Eloise regarded the small device with a few succinct repetitions of ‘yessir’ and ‘affirmative’. Then, he glanced towards the entrance. “Yes, you are clear to come in.” LuLu resisted the temptation to crane her head and follow his gaze.

BAM. BAM. BAM.

Someone slammed against the metal doors savagely. Screw reservations – the rabbit openly gawked at the entryway now. They sounded absolutely determined to bring the rest of the unkempt building down. One more brick out of place, and LuLu was sure the roof would fall on top of them. A cloud of dust floating down from the disturbed rafters finally set her off. She squeaked, “Quit messing around!”

There was a beat of strained silence before the doors slammed open. A large silhouette burst in and tore at the plastic sheeting congesting the entryway. A loud, guttural laughter erupted from the huge man. “Scared of a little noise?!” He bared his teeth at the rabbit.

LuLu immediately went on guard. “Hulk.” She acknowledged him with a hiss. Her eyes leveled between them. She was confused on why he was here. Samuel and Eloise had been ‘protecting’ her from him for nearly a month while her arm had healed. Why was being treated like a special guest now? The Hulk stepped out of the entryway and into the large open warehouse. She then noticed the towering man carried a small bundle wrapped in a blanket over his shoulder. Her curiosity piqued even further.

“Hello again, Scarlet.” His words were hurled at her venomously. A husky voice bit back another chuckle that resonated in his barrel-like chest. “You are looking much better than when I last saw you. Sad to see all my hard work was for nothing, though.” The Hulk purred ominously and awaited her response. LuLu did not join in the joke. Jests were never funny when they were at her expense. Similarly, Eloise also found little humor in the boisterous man and regarded him with a poorly concealed grimace.

Realizing his punchline flopped tremendously; the Hulk ground out an annoyed ‘forget it’. He casually dropped the bundle he had been carrying to the ground with as much care as a sack of rocks.

LuLu flinched when a head of raven black hair and a sun kissed arm flopped from the blanket.

The Hulk’s thick fingers curled into his victim’s inky tresses and gave a harsh tug. LuLu also jerked forward. The word ‘stop’ hung on her lips, barely held back. His other hand came up to smack the mysterious girl’s cheek. “Wake up, sleepyhead. We have work to do.” The Hulk smiled with fiendish glee. He released her hair. The girl’s head lulled forward and caught itself just before hitting the cement again.

LuLu’s eyes snapped open wide in shock when she finally saw the girl’s face in its entirety. “Cordelia!” She had not recognized the frei at first. Even now, Delia did not completely look like her usual self. The basilisk was still half wrapped in the blanket and looked so frail clinging to the floor trying to find her bearings. “Cordelia!” LuLu cried out again. She glared between the two men. Ire set her eyes aglow like two glittering amethysts. The pile of crap thrown on top of her had reached critical mass. This was too much mystery, even for Samuel. The rabbit exploded. “What is this? Why is she here?! And, why are YOU here?!!” The sigel shouted and pointed at the Hulk. Hot tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. LuLu was horrified that Samuel had drawn another one of her friends into this mess, and had also invited a man who had literally almost murdered her into the situation.

Clapping erupted overhead. “I am sure it is all very confusing at the moment, Scarlet.” LuLu honed in on Samuel’s echoing voice. He was positioned above them all. The man stood upon a metal platform that wrapped around the perimeter of the warehouse. If he was not out of reach, LuLu likely would have already been swinging at him. He continued, “You are very resilient.” The man was being modest when choosing his words. The truth was that LuLu had genuinely astounded him with her physical endurance and mental resolve. With everything he had thrown at her, he thought it would have been enough to trigger the transformation he knew they both were aching for.

His icy eyes swept down to focus on the ribbon spinning daintily from her hips. Samuel’s gaze practically plucked at the material with contempt. His lips set in a hard, concerned line. “It put us both in quite a predicament. Things became… complicated.” The man offered coolly.

Though Samuel’s previous plans had seemingly failed, they all succeeded in placing the right pieces on the table. Everything was now in position. An unquestionable defeat at the hands of Hulk had created a rival for the girl and had allowed Samuel to plant a new goal for her to pursue. This goal transcended the meager tournaments she had been a part of. He needed LuLu to truly be invested to drive herself to the extent that Samuel required. It was obvious to anyone with a pair of eyes that the girl was fiercely loyal – perhaps, to a fault. He took advantage of this. The girl’s desire to protect her friends and family ended up being the perfect tool to motivate her.

Samuel had observed the rabbit as she took the time he had given her to heal and grow stronger from her loss. And now, she was ready to be pushed further than ever before.

By his design, LuLu’s greatest rival had put one of her friends in danger. With Franco’s life also on the line, Samuel knew the girl would not back down. Their unavoidable clash would be the final catalyst. And, Eloise would ensure she was taken over the edge. It would only be a matter of time now.

The muscles in the sigel’s jaw pumped as her teeth clenched in defiance. LuLu growled, “The real Scarlet would be disgusted by you.”

Samuel smiled; a menacing glint of white. “The real Scarlet?” He mused. “You are the real Scarlet. At least, you will be soon.” His eyes scanned over the warehouse’s large windows, covered in years of grime. Still, he could see rain dripping along the broad planes. Events were unfolding just as he predicted. The spring showers would allow something gorgeous to take root from chaos. Scarlet would bloom anew today, and she would bloom for him. He reached for the dried rose pinned to his lapel. He tore it away and, after a brief moment, crushed it in his hands. He spilled the crumbled petals onto the metal grating he stood upon. His voice boomed in the warehouse, “Give me a spectacular finale to watch, my dearest!”

The man nodded to Eloise and Hulk. “Permission to engage granted.” He stepped back into the shadows out of sight, but he would still be watching them all intently. Samuel always remained in close contact to oversee the orchestration of his plans. Each step needed to be performed flawlessly. After all, he was doing this for her.

Once she was complete and they both witnessed her perfection, Samuel was certain that she would thank him. Samuel could always see the potential lying dormant in the girl. It was just under the surface in wait, and he was the only one daring enough to rip it out of her. He knew she would understand the passion behind his actions once they had reached their conclusion. After all, sometimes people did unorthodox things for their love.

At Samuel’s command, the Hulk released a vulgar cheer. “That’s what I am talkin’ about!” He clapped his hands together, and looked disturbingly like an overgrown child celebrating a job well done. He shifted on his lumbering feet eagerly, but stayed close to Cordelia. The brute bellowed at Eloise, “You heard the boss man, Glasses! S’time for some fun.”

The weight of Hulk’s words hit LuLu like a lead cannonball - it was probably the hardest hit he had ever dealt her. She staggered back. The knowledge that the Hulk was working for Samuel had left her dumbfounded. The sigel felt her stomach flip flop as her thoughts fell down a rabbit hole, and what lay at the bottom was the horrible realization that Samuel had been working a preposterous scheme from the moment they had met. He had destined her to be a part of his game, and she had been blind to it. Samuel was one of the worst sorts of predators, a wolf in sheep’s wool. The fact that LuLu had not realized it until it was too late made her feel sickened.

LuLu grabbed at her spinning head and gritted. She shoved away those sordid thoughts and tried to focus on the matter at hand. Her gaze sharpened. She could not worry about only herself anymore. Samuel had brought someone else into his mess now. Her amethyst eyes fell onto Cordelia. They had only met a handful of times before, but LuLu could call her a friend without hesitation. In fact, she had been looking forward to when they would meet again. However, even with her wild imagination, the sigel never could have anticipated their next encounter would be under these circumstances. LuLu would not be able to forgive herself if the frei was hurt.

LuLu was undoubtedly Samuel’s prey and had fallen into his trap. However, it was still up to her whether or not she would be devoured by the wolf.

She started to float forward. Determination was set on her face. Eloise also began to step forward, his path ready to cut into hers. When LuLu paused in her advance, so did he. His expression was neutral, and he was not in a particularly threatening pose. However, from previous experience, LuLu knew not to run guns blazing into a fight with him. She would not underestimate the bodyguard their second time around. The two began to circle each other in the large space provided for their fight. Though a palpable tension was building between them, it appeared like neither one was eager to take the first move.

The Hulk soon grew impatient with both of them. “Quit dancing around!” The large man reached behind his back and pulled out what appeared to be a pair of knuckle dusters. LuLu scrutinized the weapon from her side of the room. When he threaded his fingers into the weapon and brought it level with his chest, she could see that something was off. The rabbit wore at her bottom lip when she realized both of the contraptions were capped with a blade. They looked devilishly sharp. Hulk continued, “I am ready to try out my new toys. Get over hear already!” The man’s scowl then moved from LuLu to Cordelia. A wicked grin suddenly split his face. “Unless, your friend wants to play?”

LuLu’s felt her stomach drop. Her expression began to mimic that of Cordelia’s. It was one of concern. The situation was quickly escalating around her. She watched as the Hulk stepped closer to her friend, and she felt helpless to stop it. Eloise was still blocking her path.

The basilisk emitted a warning call with her wings. Hulk guffawed. “Really, lil’ thing? You think that is gonna save you?” His volume climbed and echoed on the brick walls. “Only chance you got is if Scarlet decides to get her a** over here!” He took another step closer. And then, another. He tucked his arms closer and the metal grips surrounding his knuckles glinted threateningly in the low light.

Her friend was in danger. Eloise be damned! LuLu launched herself towards them.

The Hulk spun on his heel. His grin grew impossibly wider. “Yeee-hah!” He was ready for this fight to start! He lumbered to the rabbit like a locomotive building momentum, ready to run her over.

Eloise did not appear pleased by his counterpart’s enthusiasm, however. His neutral expression twisted and he commanded, “Hulk back to your post! Watch her friend!” The demi-human was already falling in line behind LuLu. Though the sigel was inhumanly quick, his long stride allowed him to close the distance between them.

Eloise was perturbed as his directives fell on deaf ears. Well, probably deaf and dumb. The Hulk continued his path for the sigel, and Cordelia was seemingly forgotten as a larger challenge had captured the brute’s attention. He tore down everything in his way as he came for LuLu head on.

The rabbit heard Eloise curse under his breath. He was also close. An idea struck her, fortunately, before either of her opponents did. When the Hulk loomed near enough to wind back for a strike, she dropped to the floor and a cloud of dust kicked up. By the time it cleared, she had already slid under the thug. She skidded along the ground and then sprung up to continue her sprint towards Cordelia.

The Hulk emitted a gurgling growl as he realized his mistake. However, the man was far from nimble enough to correct his trajectory. He was heading straight for Eloise now!

The bodyguard only appeared mildly alarmed, however. Eloise adjusted his stance with the dexterity and fluidity of a man who could walk on water, if he so chose. He moved with the Hulk leading the oaf’s momentum until the he was swung over Eloise’s shoulder and into the air.

LuLu’s plan had not created quite as much damage as she had hoped. However, it may have bought both her and Cordelia enough time to escape. With the Hulk doubled over on the ground and Eloise far from the exit, LuLu yelled at the frei. “RUN FOR IT!”

With some harsh words of encouragement from her friend, LuLu was quick to file in line with Cordelia. The rabbit shot the basilisk a glower as a reminder that she was trying to save both their asses. Regardless, the look did not have all that much venom behind it. She was too preoccupied with making hasty retreat for the exit. “I know! Too much. Explain later!” Her words where bitten off. The rabbit could feel her heart jackhammering in her chest.

She was afraid and rightly so. LuLu fully understood the danger they were both currently in, and it was impossible for anyone in their right mind to be unfazed by their circumstances. Still, LuLu knew that regardless of her fear she needed to contain the situation to ensure her and, more importantly, her friend’s safety. The rabbit glanced back at both Hulk and Eloise. They were still far enough away that the sigel actually felt some confidence that they could pull off this getaway. With a burst of energy, LuLu catapulted herself at the set of heavy double doors.

However, if she had directed her attention to Cordelia instead of her enemies, she might have noticed that the doors were not going to budge.

The rabbit bounced off the exit, but left a nice sigel shaped dent in the aged metal. “Dammit.” The rabbit cursed under her breath as she tried to still her spinning head. It was their first setback, but LuLu should have realized that their luck was going to run out sooner rather than later. Things had been going too well for them up until that point.

Samuel was clever. He was not the kind of strategist who would leave an escape wide open for them to take advantage of. LuLu began to hunt for another route. However, she froze mid-search when her keen ears picked up on heavy stepped shuffling coming from behind her. It was unmistakable. The Hulk was back up on his feet.

The rabbit shifted her stance so that she was positioned between the two men and Cordelia. To her displeasure, the Hulk was already wiping the dirt from his face. A thick vein pulsed on his bald head, and it looked about ready to burst. “That’s a cheap trick!!!” He grunted loudly. His heavy brow wrinkled in anger. “Come face me one n’ one, y’gutless hussy.” The massive man stomped his feet and readied another rush at the rabbit.

However, Eloise decided it was his time to interrupt. The demi-human cut the Hulk off mid stride by kicking one of his legs out from under him. The behemoth staggered. Eloise seemed satisfied now that everyone’s attention was his. The demi-human spoke in an even tone, well enunciated and direct. He stated simply, “I will only say it once more. Listen to commands, Hulk.” The red-head adjusted his glasses up the bridge of his nose. They gleamed ominously. “I will allow you to engage Scarlet, but do not lose sight of her friend.” It was becoming more and more apparent that the Hulk was on the last rung within Samuel’s pecking order.

The larger man ground out a low, gravelly affirmation to Samuel’s bodyguard. His posture looked eerily like a mutt who had been disciplined by his owner. Despite a promise to play by his rules, Eloise’s calculating red eyes remained firm on the Hulk.

Eloise knew that in the grand scheme of things it did not affect Samuel’s plan whether or not the oaf won his skirmish with the rabbit. In fact, a rematch with Scarlet had been the Hulk’s request. It was his payment for carrying out his orders, and the fool likely did not realize his role had already reached its conclusion. Samuel would not place anything of importance on the shoulders of an idiot. Hulk was of little consequence now.

It would take true diligence carry out the rest of Samuel’s plan, and Eloise knew that was his purpose. If the Hulk turned out to be detrimental to Eloise’s pivotal part in the strategy, he would eliminate the behemoth himself.

Eloise swept aside the tailored hemline of his navy suit jacket. He brandished a retractable baton from a clip on his belt. With a flick of his wrist, a mechanism released and allowed the weapon to unfold to its full length, around two feet. Eloise ordered the Hulk, “Get on with it then.” He suddenly struck it against a rusted barricade. It shook from the force of his strike. The corroded metal came to life after years of being forgotten in the warehouse to emit a raucous, creaky din that vibrated through the whole room. The Hulk jolted forward in shock.

LuLu’s ears fell back against her head to muffle the harsh noise. She glanced to her counterpart. “Can you turn into smoke?” The sigel already had some idea of what the frei’s answer might be. If she had Delia’s particular set of skills, she would have vanished into a smoldering cloud hours ago. LuLu did wait long the basilisk’s reply. Hulk was on his way over to them now, so, they did not have much time left to waste.

LuLu reasoned that she was the only raevan Samuel had become familiar with. Therefore, he likely did not know what others of her species were capable of. LuLu was certain between Delia and herself they could pull out a trick or two against Samuel and his henchmen.

Unfortunately, LuLu did not know the specifics of Delia’s powers either. This included her limitations. After all, the rabbit had only received a small sampling of Delia’s smoke abilities at a concert months ago. Regardless of what little understanding she did have, LuLu sprang into action utilizing what was there.

Her eyes set on a crack between the two heavy doors. It was a half inch gap where they did not completely align together. A thin beam of light poured through. It would be impossible for anything human to squeeze through. However, a trail of smoke would have much better luck passing the obstacle.

She pulled off her jacket and handed it to the frei. Keeping her warm had helped Delia regain strength before. Since it had worked so well last time, it was worth giving it another shot.

The rabbit then grabbed for the hem of her thin t-shirt. She yanked at the material until a ragged strip ripped from it. LuLu began to wrap her knuckles in a haphazard binding to protect them. Hulk was nearly there. It would not be long before the fight went into full swing, and she wanted to be prepared.

She pointed out the gap between the doors. “When you can change, get out of here.” Suddenly, the rabbit’s tone shifted and her sweetly pitched voice took on a sharp edge. “For now, stay behind me. I can buy you time.”

The sigel rolled tension out of her shoulders. Her arms propelled forward in a few quick bunny punches, one after the other, to warm up her muscles. LuLu’s stance then shifted to defense. She bobbed forward and back like a boxer pacing the ring as she brought her arms up to block her face.

She still felt the fear from before. However, there was also an undeniable spike of excitement and adrenaline now. It reminded her of the thrill from her first big match. What she was she about to do?

The Hulk’s first punch sailed over her head. The rabbit knew to keep low and circled out of her opponent’s reach. His second swing did not have a chance of connecting either. LuLu’s movements were quick – far too quick for a human, especially the Hulk, to keep up with. She knew this, as well. The sigel made a spectacle of herself as she nimbly avoided the large man. She had seen enough of his fighting style to be able to anticipate his moves. He was not all that unpredictable, and it was easy enough for her to stay at least one step ahead of him. He was all heavy swings and sluggish footwork.

The girl was not planning to give the Hulk an opening. He would be lucky to land a single hit on her today. Still, evasion would not be enough to take him out. LuLu had to land a few hard, precise punches to topple this giant. The Hulk may have experienced some of her moves during their first match up, but she had taught herself plenty of new tricks since then; most of which were not permitted in a regulation match. She was ready to test them out.

LuLu could not help the sly grin spreading over her lips. Her eyes followed the Hulk’s next wind up. The blades in his hands created a sharp whistle as they sliced through the dusty air towards her head. Though his weapon brought a dangerous addition, they also made it easier for her to track his attacks. LuLu’s body slid to the side to escape his path. One of her hands shot up. She caught his bulky forearm in her dainty fingers. Her grip dug in so he could not pull away.

Hulk would regret this encore in the next instant.

With one carefully placed uppercut, she struck the soft fold adjacent to his elbow. When LuLu felt the joint collapse, she knew her attack had been successful. His arm jutted up in a way that no one’s limb should. She released her hold on him. With one mighty flap of her wings, the sigel accelerated back out of his reach.

The Hulk was doubled over. The grip on his damaged arm fell limp and one of his knives clattered to the ground. He bellowed with his powerful lungs. It sounded like a wounded beast to her ears. She may have felt pity if the man had not been trying to skewer her moments prior. But as things stood now, she was happy to give him a taste of his own medicine. Hulk was ruthless, but the rabbit could match him in this regard. Previously, he had not been provided with the opportunity to experience how cruel she could be to her enemies. Even LuLu had forgotten how potent a need for vengeance could be. It had been many years since she had last faced someone who truly made her blood boil.

LuLu felt the tattoos on her body shift – subtle coiling movements under her skin. The markings on her left side bled across her shoulder blades. Then, they were looping down both her arms like snakes. The tattoos on her body continued to twist restlessly even as a veil of red and black morphed onto her face. LuLu stood tall as she addressed Hulk. It was a scare tactic that was instinctual to her. Look big and shock the fight out of your opponent. “Do I need to break the other one?” She wagged a finger at his intact limb, and the man turned a few shades paler.

LuLu’s intimidation was cut off prematurely as a noxious fume assaulted her senses. The rabbit’s attention was immediately pulled to the corner she had left Cordelia to recover in. She was horrified to find it covered in flames. “Delia!” She cried out. How had she missed that?!

Despite LuLu’s own worry, the frei seemed rather serene amongst the flames. It was like the Basilisk was right at home. Her friend lit another object ablaze, and the rabbit understood who was to blame for the small inferno that was now slowly engulfing the room.

“Heads up LuLu!”

The rabbit’s gaze shot up like she was expecting a blessing from the heavens. However, she decided very quickly she did not want to be the recipient of this particular gift. She turned her back and began to head away from the burning projectile. Her arms were braced over her head.

On the other hand, Eloise ran towards the threat. The tall man started to align himself. Where Hulk had been a boy bumbling around with toys, Eloise was an expert with his weapon. He skillfully threaded his baton through a wire handle on the paint can. The container was caught in midair. Unexpectedly, he flung the blazing tin canister back towards Cordelia! The bodyguard scoffed, “Children should not play with fire.”

LuLu wanted to retrace her steps back to Cordelia and back to the fight, but the toxic concoction of chemicals filling the air was making Lu’s sensitive nose twitch. She was starting to feel lightheaded, and she would be of no use if she passed out. The rabbit looked for a space that had not been invaded yet by the smell of burning paint.

‘Shlink-’

Without warning, pain erupted in her shoulder. A mist of bright red suddenly impeded her vision. If LuLu had a moment to catch her breath, she would have realized that it was her own blood stinging in her eyes. The Hulk’s blade then sliced into her forearm with another clean swipe, much like the cut on her shoulder.

LuLu spun around just in time for her jaw to cushion a powerful right hook from Hulk. Click. Her teeth met unexpectedly with a noise she could feel pound in her eardrums. It was like her brain was rattling around in her skull; and, in that moment, the Hulk flipped a switch that had remained untouched. LuLu’s whole body was suddenly locked in slow motion. Though she willed each and every one of her muscles to dodge, they would not listen to her. Why now?! – The girl pled with her own traitorous limbs.

She could see the next hit coming, but she could do nothing to stop it. The huge man used his working arm to land a punch to her ribs. The metal guard wrapped around his knuckles dug relentlessly into her diaphragm. She could also feel the edge of its blade pricking into her skin. LuLu wheezed as all the air she vitally needed escaped her in one sharp exhale. Then, when no air was left in her lungs, she began to cough up bile. It was bitter and stained the ground under her black like ink, but it was much worse than anything she had ever consumed. The rabbit was almost amazed that it had come from her own body. Crap – she reasoned. This was not good.

---

Eloise immediately went on guard. He could not explain the trick Cordelia had pulled to disappear. However, what was certain was that his opponent had vanished, and he did if she would turn up again. Currently, all that remained of the basilisk was soot and billowing smoke. This was not part of the plan.

His eyes narrowed behind his glasses. He began, “Bravo.” He was not one for theatrics, but it appeared some improvisation was required due to this deviation. After all, it was not often when someone underwent spontaneous combustion. Scarlet’s friend had certainly put on a show before she departed.

The demi-human brandished his weapon once again. He approached the fire pit Cordelia had cobbled together. Though he did not know her exact location- or if she was even still alive- Eloise hoped he still had her attention. “If you will not be rejoining us, I can assist Hulk.” LuLu’s retching could be heard across the warehouse. “She will not last long, though.”

---

The sigel fell back onto the floor clumsily when one of the Hulk’s legs kicked out at her. The Hulk continued to advance on her. Even with his injury, he was not going to back down anymore. He had placed three good hits on her now and likely believed his victory was assured. LuLu saw that the man’s lips were moving quickly but no words came out. Or rather, his words were drowned out by the static playing in her head. Whatever he was saying, she was certain it was full of arrogance and spite. It was probably for the better that she was not able to hear him. Still – she needed to regain her wits soon. Hopefully, before she became another mysterious stain on the warehouse’s crumbling walls.

The sigel’s senses had tunneled. All she could see was the behemoth in front of her whom she needed to preoccupy so that Cordelia could escape. LuLu had been on the receiving end of countless punches before. Gut hits, black eyes, sprained wrists – she was familiar with it all. She could handle a hit. This brawl was different though. This fight was beyond unbalanced and was rigged to be out of her favor by Samuel. But, LuLu was not complacent with the destiny he had determined for her. To give her friend a chance, she needed to take everything that was dished out at her. LuLu’s lips curled despite the dull ache in her chest and the feeling of warm blood running out of her wounds. She spat at Hulk, “Show me your worst.”

The Hulk wound up his next strike with care and consideration. The rabbit was certain he intended for this attack to be his last. He flipped the knife in his hand and directed at her head. She caught a gleam of metal in her vision before it went completely black.

For a brief moment, LuLu thought she had taken her last breath, but her chest continued to expand and contract with life. She brought a hand her sternum and was relieved. However, it was short lived. The girl’s memory soon returned in one overwhelming crash. Her brain had finally found its way back into her head, and with it came the recollection that she was still in the middle of a fight. LuLu retreated back torwards a wall. Her eyes were wide and searching as she tried to piece together the past minute she had blacked out through.

Her next realization was that a veil of black now covered her vision. Though it was off-putting, it was not much different than wearing a pair of sunglasses. She tried to blink away the intrusion, but it did not budge. Though she was concerned by the new shadowy cast her eyes had been endowed with, a groan erupting from someone nearby caused that thought to quickly slip to the back of her mind. LuLu could hear a croaky voice clearly. It was the Hulk, and he was only a few steps away from her.

The man muttered, “What the hell are ya’ exactly?” His words were pained as he fumbled with something protruding from his thick shoulder.

LuLu emitted a surprised yelp when she found that his, previously uninjured, arm had been impaled by a steel rod. It looked like the kind that was used in construction. Dozens of them littered the ground of the warehouse. The large man shifted and obvious discomfort twisted his face as his muscles flexed against the rebar.

The Hulk continued with a hiss, “How did ya’ make these?”

Those? – LuLu questioned to herself. She caught movement in her periphery, something winding around the metal imbedded into Hulk. A black substance had enveloped the rebar. It dripped with a thick consistency that mimicked oil. The rabbit watched with both dread and amazement. The entire surface of the fluid shivered, and she shivered with it. It was as though its shifting and writhing were somehow connected directly to her nerves.

The substance began to repel away from the metal and pooled together into one tendril. It slunk lazily back towards the rabbit. LuLu felt her heart begin to race as it came closer. She tried to sink away but the girl feared taking her eyes away from the entity that was a horror movie-turned-reality. She watched as the distance between them closed by feet then inches then – by nothing.

Then, the tendril disappeared back within a wound on her shoulder with a familiar coiling feeling. LuLu finally understood. It was ink. More accurately, it was her ink. The Hulk’s questions now made sense. It must have happened during the black out. She had created an attack out of ink, one that had been powerful enough to turn the behemoth into a kabob.

‘That was me.’ The girl mused to herself. Her lip slipped between her teeth in thought.

LuLu pressed a hand over the slice carved into her shoulder. She pulled it away, and rather than the red blood she had been expecting, her hand was covered with black ink. The ink faded back into her skin, and new tattoos formed on her fingers. She could feel her rune pulse as she reabsorbed the source of her power. The energy settled in her limbs and made her feel restless.

The sigel’s whole body prickled. Tattoos were running wild on her skin. There were unstable colors and shapes; runes and images from her dreams that were bleeding into each other. They were moving across the plane of her body like shifting plates. But, they were concentrating at the wounds on her shoulder and forearm.

“Ugh. Dun think this is over, creepy eyed tattoo freak.” The Hulk grasped at the end of the long bar planted into his shoulder. With a deep inhale, he began to pull. “ARRUAAGH!!!” Hulk groaned as the metal slipped bit by excruciating bit from his body. Sweat poured from his temples, and the man was gasping for breath in huge gulps. He looked like a speared fish. “This ain’t gonna keep me down!” With one final tug, the bar was free. He tossed it to the side and it skid across the floor with a clatter.

LuLu recoiled when the rebar stopped just short of her. Her eyes snapped up to find that the Hulk was already charging forward. Though his arms were in bad shape, he had both raised up in an offensive stance. His eyes were bulging with rage. His first strike was sloppy – even for him – he should know by now to use more effort than that against LuLu. The rabbit blocked it. His second swing had a bit more pepper behind it, though. Even with her arms braced, it connected like a lead brick and sent the sigel scooting back by a foot or two. Hulk seemed pleased by this, and he fell into his second wind with reckless zeal.

Swing after swing came at her. Each one pressed her back further and further. LuLu knew his goal was cornering her. But, she was not worried. The thing about a cornered animal is they have a tendency to lash out with whatever means necessary. LuLu was no exception to this. She also had a new power at her disposal.

The bone of her wings clacked against the brick. Soon, her back was pressed against the hot stone, too. The Hulk’s strikes continued to chip away at her defenses. Until – one got through. Then, another found its way to her side. Three strikes to the body left the girl with an edge of dread. “Any day now.” She murmured at whatever authority was controlling the magic in her body, because it did not seem like it was hers to manipulate. If it had been, the Hulk would have already been subdued.

Whatever unseen force was at work, it decided to sit on her appeal while she graciously accepted another two hits to her ribs. LuLu had taken enough damage that she was starting to falter again. She was becoming winded. Her arms would not be able to block the next one, a headshot, ready to touch down between her eyes.

LuLu begged and pled for that power once again.

Her prayers were answered. Just before the hit landed, LuLu felt liquid heat flood from her shoulder. “Thank god.” A wave of ink deflected the man’s punch. His fist slammed uselessly into the wall behind her. Then, more warmth radiated from her body. This time it was in her forearm. The feeling enshrouded the appendage. Her fingers flexed. Though, she did not recall willing them to do that. Regardless, she was beyond thrilled to see that ink had encased her right arm like a glove. A sharp claw crowned each finger. LuLu sighed, “About damn time.”

It was now her turn to attack.

The Hulk was left stunned as his punch was effortlessly deflected by the rabbit. His attention was immediately drawn to the lethal looking talons the she had formed from a strange liquid gushing from her wounds. He became acutely aware that he had lost both of his knuckle dusters during their scuffle. Now, the man realized, the tables had turned. He was the one at a disadvantage now. His mouth gaped in awe.

He pulled his scraped knuckles away from the wall and began to pull his arms towards his body to go on the defensive. But, his plan was cut short as a cloud of dense smoke suddenly obscured his vision and filled his lungs. It came without warning, and he found himself choking on the noxious air. Tears pricked at his irritated eyes. “The hell?!” The man snarled in confusion.

LuLu was also baffled by the smoke’s sudden appearance. The fire was on the other side of the room. It had not spread over to them - yet. So then, how was it here?

Eloise also took notice of the mysterious smoke now ensnaring the Hulk. He adjusted his glasses as he appraised the oddity. A dense, dark vapor was billowing around Hulk. However, it was too regular in its form. The way it concentrated at his head was not quite as organic as the real thing. A misplaced voice coming from the within the obscuring veil confirmed his hypothesis. LuLu’s friend was not dead. She had turned intangible and was on the run.

Realization dawned on LuLu when she heard Delia’s disembodied cry coming from the cloud of soot. She had successfully bought the other girl enough time for her to tap into her transformation powers. The sigel was elated. However, she could not celebrate her victory entirely. According to Lu’s instructions, the basilisk should have been well on her way out of the warehouse by now– not surrounding her opponent’s head! She would make sure to scold Cordelia later for not following her direction. For now, though, she was grateful for the assistance. No matter how small it seemed. The sigel did not waste any time taking advantage of the opportunity the frei had provided her with.

She lashed out at the Hulk with her new claws. Her sharpened nails sliced through the Hulk with ease. His shirt was left in shreds. Five large lacerations marred his chest. Each one had been cut with near surgical precision, as though a scalpel had done the work. LuLu’s other arm wound up and she held nothing back as she battered the Hulk’s jaw into dust. The man emitted a wretched cry. It was a critical hit which resonated through his whole body. With his foundation crushed, he swayed like a tower ready to collapse.

Thrill ran through her like a current.

LuLu could not exactly describe the power flowing within her, but she felt stronger than ever before. Her punches felt heavier, her limbs more nimble. It was as if her ink had grafted itself into her nerves and muscles. The essence sustaining her was somehow augmenting her every movement.

The ink snaking from the wound on her shoulder coalesced into a single black tendril once again. The appendage slashed through the air like a whip at the Hulk. It left a deep gash when it cracked against his skin. There was a pained grunt and the large man fell down onto his back with a loud thud. The shock must have finally gotten to him, because he had left himself wide open. LuLu scaled atop the Hulk in one quick bound.

One of her hands closed around his throat while the other went in for a jab. The ink whipping from her shoulder injury slashed at the air menacingly. A rush of adrenaline rapidly overtook the rabbit. Her brain was suddenly filled with the need to attack and nothing else. Her fingers squeezed at his windpipe and countless swings battered the man caught underneath her. She had the ferocity of someone trying to wear away a stone wall. However, her target was much more fragile than solid rock. She did not even realize how much damage she had done until his mangled cry broke her from her punch drunk stupor.

The sigel snarled under her breath. What had she done to the Hulk? She could hardly tell his features apart anymore. Everything was streaked with ink and blood. The girl had not even realized she was doing it either. She had completely lost control of herself.

She resurfaced a part of her memory she had fought to bury. It was of another time when she had lost control of herself. LuLu’s whole body went rigid. Her blood – or, whatever fluid was now running through her veins – went cold. She pulled herself off of the man.

The Hulk gurgled, “P-please, stop… mercy.”

His words made the sigel uneasy. The Hulk had hurt her and Cordelia. But, did he deserve this?

‘He should suffer.’

LuLu jolted. The voice in her head sounded like her own. But, the thoughts were not hers; at least, not in their entirety. They were twisted by her foulest wishes. LuLu concluded that it was a byproduct of allowing her ink abilities to run rampant. It was similar to the last time her essence had overtaken her.

However, she had asked for power this time – begged for it, even. She had not realized what it would cost her, though. Her pursuit of an edge over the Hulk had brought her closer to a dark place in her mind that she had wished never to revisit. Like her own version of Icarus, she had been carless and had flow too close to the sun. She could only hope she would be able to recover from her reckless decision.

LuLu growled at first, a primal sound. She was taken aback. Her body no longer felt like it was only hers to control; but, instead, like it also belonged to the essence she was composed of. The girl fought away the feeling of dissociation and found her words. She murmured at the Hulk, “Stay. Down.”

She lowered her arms. At least, that is what she told her body to do. However, the whip-like ink formed into her shoulder struck out at the Hulk and wrapped around his neck. It reeled him in while he flopped like a large fish. His knees kicked up dust as he was dragged on the ground.

LuLu’s claws flexed and lengthened without her consent. She felt her arm rising to attack of its own accord.

Eloise had been surveying the fight impartially from the sidelines. He watched LuLu’s mannerisms become more erratic with near clinical curiosity. Though he could not explain why it was happening, he could see the girl spiraling into wilder and wilder mannerisms. And, one thing that even unsettled him was how her eyes were now two black orbs. They felt devoid of emotion, like a shark when it was on the hunt. They locked on with intensity with whatever was in her path. The demi-human watched as she nearly tore the Hulk apart.

He pressed a button on his earpiece. “Sir, both girls have demonstrated powers we did not anticipate. Scarlet’s appearance is changing, too.” There was a long pause before he received Samuel’s directives. The demi-human nodded. “Affirmative. Moving onto phase two.” He held up his baton. Then, he tapped its end against his empty palm. There was a bright spark and small flickers of blue electricity suddenly engulfed its surface.

Eloise charged forward. His long legs carried him with a graceful speed. His weapon crackled as charges of electricity leapt across it like lightning. His first strike landed through the smoke surrounding the Hulk’s head and at the nape of his neck. The man went unconscious in an instant. His whole body fell limp. Eloise’s next strike was aimed at LuLu!

((Enjoy a song with this post.))

As Eloise joined the fray, the autonomy leading Lu’s ink appendages seemed to shift focus. It was momentarily forgotten that the Hulk was their target to destroy. Instead, their direction quickly turned to a new enemy whom was ready to be torn apart. The ink rooted into her shoulder lashed out at the redhead.

The man felt a vague tug at his head, something akin to a strong gust of wind. It concerned him at first, but then the sensation disappeared in an instant. His eyes narrowed in suspicion as the smoke that had been plaguing the Hulk was now concentrated around him. The thick cloud was obscuring his vision, but he picked up his pace to move past the obstacle. The charcoal black haze tried its best to keep up.

Though Lu’s attack was now a nearly indiscernible blur, Eloise responded by side stepping. He zipped out of the smoke’s embrace and created an opening for himself. The demi-human struck at the solidified ink with his weapon. There was a bright flash and a sudden hiss much like the sound water makes when it is boiling over. Eloise’s attack was successful; whereas, Cordelia’s and Lu’s were not.

The ink practically melted away on contact with the electrified metal. LuLu felt a stab in the junction between her neck and arm as the current flowed through her, only somewhat dampened by the ink. She gritted her teeth from the discomfort. Fortunately, the pain was short lived as the tendril carrying the high voltage soon lost its shape entirely and broke the connection. It ended up as a murky splatter on the concrete floor in front of her.

The thing about Eloise was that he had been gifted with the blandness and affect of a saltine cracker. Consequently, it was difficult for LuLu to discern exactly where his cynical sense of humor ended and his professional side took over. The sigel had not improved much in making the distinction despite knowing the man for nearly six months. Ultimately, she had fallen into the habit of assuming that he was always no nonsense and deathly serious about everything. But, you know what they say about assuming – It makes an a** out of you.

Eloise’s first hit had been too close for comfort. Cordelia’s efforts were also doing very little to distract him. The heat and snap of electricity from his weapon was more than enough of a warning to LuLu that he now meant business. As the man continued to attack, it became painfully obvious to the sigel that he had been toying with her up until that moment. LuLu questioned, had he really been holding back that much? It was hard for the rabbit to fathom that he was capable of any form of acting, but the proof was laid out for her. The bodyguard’s technique was on an entirely different level than what LuLu had experienced during their practice match. Furthermore, his attack had been powerful enough to leave her with one less ink weapon at her disposal.

The demise of the bloodthirsty appendage was not entirely a bad thing with all things considered, however. Keeping her sentient projections in check was one more variable weighing on the sigel’s already overtaxed mind. “Damn.” She cursed. Her voice was course and not yet completely her own. Upon the destruction of the ink whip, LuLu had regained some control over herself. The delicate scales governing her restraint were tilted in her favor – For this instant.

The sigel swung away from Eloise and tried to place some distance between them. However, it only took the man a few steps to bring her back into range. His movements were far faster than she had been expecting. The baton was also a thoughtfully selected weapon for him. It increased the stretch of his already ridiculously long arms. The combination made his attacks nearly unavoidable for her. Despite the mental relief associated with having one less self-aware amalgamation of ink to account for, LuLu could not help but feel that much more vulnerable without it.

LuLu’s eyes, though still devoid of an iris, were darting back and forth as she struggled to follow the tactical baton swiping at her. The fear of what would happen if a strike did land directly on her body kept LuLu motivated to continue dodging. However, Eloise was neither letting up nor was he leaving room for her to counter attack. It was taking all of her effort just to keep the demi-human at bay, and LuLu found that desperation was churning once again in the pit of her stomach.

‘He is too strong.’ A foreboding voice hissed in her head once more. ‘You need your full powers.’

Her gaze brushed over her right arm, still enveloped in dripping ink and adorned with claws. The afflicted muscles pinched as they, again, moved discordantly from her commands. Her fingers curled into an open fist, the tendons were so tense the trembled. LuLu’s other hand shot out and clutched at the disobedient limb. She pled in her jarring voice, “Stop. You will listen to me.” However, the ink responded defiantly. It spread further up her arm at a sluggish pace. As it was consuming more and more of her skin, she could feel her influence over the appendage weakening yet again.

Eloise, ever astute, took notice of the girl’s turmoil. He identified a fresh wound he could take advantage of. He drew in closer, and LuLu could only assume it was for yet another attack. Though, the demi-human did not use his baton this time. He went in for a hook, instead, that caused the sigel to crouch low in order to defend. The motion was aborted halfway, however. LuLu, who was still caught mid-duck, could not avoid Eloise as he grabbed tightly onto one of her loose braids and pulled her in close by her hair. He grappled his other arm around her petite frame. LuLu’s brain immediately went into a tailspin. She had been captured! Every nerve in her body was screaming at her like an alarm.

Eloise spoke to her and she could feel his breath on her nape. She tensed. His tone was composed, a stark contrast to Lu. He murmured in a low whisper so that only she could hear his words. “You will lose.” His words were so finite that they terrified LuLu.

She began to struggle and the bodyguard’s grip tightened in warning. She stilled and listened. “If this is all you are capable of, it is pathetic. You will be an utter disappointment at this rate, Scarlet.” He produced a single dry laugh. He then drew his baton closer to her. It popped and sizzled near her neck and she felt herself drawing into the man’s chest to avoid the heat it emitted.

Eloise commanded, “Fight harder.”

The unsettling voice in her head echoed his words. ‘Fight. Fight. Fight.’ LuLu tried to shake away the intrusive thoughts but they were too insistent. She felt her feeble grasp on control slipping away even more. ‘Hurt him. Or, he will hurt you.’ The voice kept booming at her. It was becoming too powerful. ‘DO IT NOW.’ LuLu could not hold it back anymore.

The demi-human emitted a grunt. It was a stifled sound that had never passed from him before. Eloise released the girl and she felt herself falling forward. He spoke distantly, “Excellent move.” Eloise’s hand moved to clutch at his abdomen. He groped at the sharp projection that had been plunged into the unprotected region.

LuLu soon discovered that, in fact, she was the one responsible for the blade that was currently becoming very well acquainted with the man’s guts. It had been formed from one of LuLu’s arms. Upon that realization, the rabbit was suddenly overcome with a wave of dread. Not owing to Samuel or Eloise, but stemming from a fear of what she had reverted into. Both of her upper extremities no longer looked like anything human, or raevan for that matter. Instead, her limbs were two tangled messes loosely shaped into fierce looking weapons. She commanded them to change back, but her thoughts were now disconnected from her actions.

The lance like appendage wound back and slid out of the man’s insides with a wet slosh. Eloise’s pulled off his suit jacket. It was quickly used to wick away the mixture of gore and ink expelled from his wound. A muted swear escaped from him. His red eyes were blown wide behind his heavy rimmed glasses. Though he seemed distressed, he also appeared somehow pleased. A faint smile had found its way onto his lips.

LuLu had thought this time would be the same as before. She had been sorely mistaken. When her essence had taken control of her as a frei, it was as though LuLu’s right mind had been tossed into a trunk and locked away. However, this time around, it felt to LuLu like she was in the passenger’s seat and only had one hand on the wheel. She was aware of her actions, but she was unable to slam on the brakes to stop them. Disturbing thoughts flooded her brain to the point that there were two separate conversations taking place within her head. Something saying ‘stop’, and something saying ‘GO-GO-GO’ much more loudly. That is what largely drove her body now, an overwhelming surge of negative emotions – anger, greed, hatred, and fear.

The ink mimicked LuLu’s fractured constitution and splintered into multiple whips. They performed together in a chaotic flow, wild slashes with just enough order to form an organized movement. The rabbit’s body lunged at Eloise. The tables had been turned, and the demi-human was now the one evading an incredible power. Tendrils of ink were grabbing for his arm, legs, and head – really, anything that would successfully drag him down. And, a few even made contact and left shallow scratches behind.

The demi-human managed to dispose of a handful of the appendages with his electrified baton. However, for each one he destroyed, another quickly took its place. His efforts felt wasted as they were not putting a dent into the unhinged sigel’s advance. In fact, the ink she wielded only seemed to be growing more aggressive. They were no longer just grabbing and swiping at him. Instead, he observed that tendrils had hooked onto litter from the floor and were pulling machinery into his escape path.

LuLu could feel the malevolent intent coursing through her. She did not know what she would do when she caught up to Eloise, but she knew it would be bad for both of them. The rabbit cringed when one of her bladed arms narrowly avoided taking off his head. Every rational part of herself that she was still clinging to was telling her that this was not right.

Yes, Eloise was a wicked man; his leader Samuel, even more so. Half of her was consumed by a hunger for revenge against them and a terror of what would happen if she lost to them. But, LuLu did not want to win if it meant becoming worse than them. She was certain that Cordelia was still watching. Her friend was likely sickened by her actions. LuLu could not bear that thought. “S... stop. N…. no m-more. No more!” She choked on a bubble of ink caught within her lungs. Its bitter taste surged into her mouth. Black tears ran from her eyes. It all collected under her chin and was shortly incorporated into the mass of ink attacking Eloise.

A swiftly executed combo took the demi-human by surprise. One whip-like appendage came to trip up his feet while another, with a large rock draped in its depths, collided callously with his face. The man felt like a sledgehammer of ink had pummeled him in the nose. His eyes bunched up painfully for an instant as his glasses had shattered from the impact. It all worked together to stun Eloise just long enough for a third tendril to elicit an attack. In line with the Hulk’s own unfortunate fate, an extension of rebar was jabbed at Eloise.

Eloise – as skilled as ever – fell back and deflected the bar from hitting any vital organs by using his baton. However, he could not stop it from connecting all together. The metal rod stabbed through his pants leg. It became caught in part of the concrete and the structure of his artificial limb. The man was fixed in place, and he was quick to realize this predicament. He held his weapon in front of himself as a makeshift barrier. LuLu winced sympathetically at the man. She knew the defense would not hold up. As anticipated, her ink ripped the baton out of his grasp in one formidable move, and its destiny was to be tossed aside like any other scrap of metal on the cluttered floor.

The ink she had been creating tangible items from seemed to be attached only to her most malicious thoughts and feelings. It had been effective for crafting a monochromatic landscape that was just as cold and powerful as the emotions used to sculpt it. But – What would happen once Eloise was disposed of? Would she turn on her friend next? LuLu was not so sure of the answer. However, what she was certain of was that she could not continue to succumb to her anger.

LuLu knew that she capable of far more than this one noted illustration. The girl remembered all of the art she had created before, such as the vibrant tattoo she had fashioned for Zeke. She had access to a whole spectrum of colors and feelings. This pronounced black was meant to be only one small part of her. The girl had let it get out of hand, and she needed to reign her composition back in. Hatred was still pouring into LuLu, but the girl was determined that her next action would not be guided singularly by her rage. She needed to add a pop of something else to make this her masterpiece. “I… am… still… me. I am not a monster!” She would not let her ink hurt someone she cared for ever again.

‘ZAPP-‘

Painful energy coursed through her like a shotgun blast. LuLu’s black eyes flew open. She suddenly found that Eloise was gripping both her shoulders. His palms held a yellow glow, and twin runes adorned the tops of his hands. The circuit continued to flow excruciatingly through her whole body. It was a horrifying knowledge that the electricity he wielded had not come from technology but from magic. He was a demi-human, so it was not unrealistic that he could generate the lightning discharges himself. Still, it had been surprising to the sigel. LuLu felt the charge die off. Both her arms went limp, and she watched as the ink limbs flopped into unstable masses of goo. Her lip slipped between her teeth and she wore at it. The girl had no means of attack or defense anymore.

The man pulled up his artificial leg from where it was pinned down with slow, almost robotic movements. He then rose from the ground. “You are still holding back! So very, very disappointing.” Eloise sighed and could not help the soft click his tongue made. He trudged towards the rabbit laboriously, the wound in his abdomen was still weeping crimson.

The man’s palm clenched around her forehead, long fingers tangled into the sweat dampened bangs plastered to her skin. LuLu could feel a smoldering heat growing in his hand gradually. It bloomed from uncomfortable warmth until it was a temperature that threated to scramble her brains. She closed her eyes and waited for Eloise to release the charge he was building so carefully.

However, the attack did not come when she was expecting it. The man was seemingly going to take his time in disposing of her. Eloise continued, “Samuel invested a lot of time and energy into your success.” His grip tightened on her. “I know he will be upset by these results. You have not shaped up like he anticipated.”

LuLu spat back at him. “Screw Samuel.” The girl’s jaw was set squarely. “I am fine the way I am.” She meant every word, even with her ink stained skin and functionless arms.

The man’s voice was becoming more irregular as he responded. “You are too headstrong to become be the Scarlet he desires. His plan was doomed from the start.” Eloise hissed. “Samuel was thoughtless to be blinded by you.” He was worried that this would reflect back on him poorly. Though he was correct that LuLu would lose their fight, ultimately, he had failed to complete the last step in Samuel’s plan. The girl was still woefully without a lower body. He had not been able to push her far enough to provoke the transformation his boss wanted.

He leaned in closer to her. His red eyes locked with her hollow gaze. For the first time, LuLu could see that he was just as spent as she was. His hair was disheveled and an eye was swelling shut. His face was covered in fresh scratches that would likely scar and his skin was becoming clammy from blood loss. He did not have the energy to keep up this fight for much longer. But, neither did she. This would be their final standoff.

Eloise was becoming sloppy, his acting less precise. She could read him now, and she had an idea of what buttons to push. LuLu would call his bluff. “Samuel thinks he loves me.” Her forehead pressed up against the man’s palm despite the electricity still prepared to strike her down. “He would not let you kill me.” She spoke slyly, “But, you are another pawn.” LuLu knew there was some truth to her words.

The man’s teeth were clenched. “I may not be able to eliminate you, but I can destroy everyone around you.” He gritted out. “First, Cordelia. Then, Joshua. Laurel… Xiu… Cesc…” Names continued to pour from his lips. It was an unending stream of people – all her friends and acquaintances.

However, LuLu did not feel anymore fear or ire from this. Instead, she felt pity for Eloise. Samuel had built a huge wealth around himself. But, he had also built a cage. At his heart, he was a lonely, cold man who wanted everyone around him to feel the same. This included Eloise and her.

LuLu was also reminded of the countless people she loved and cared for. And who cared for her in return. They were people she wanted to return to. Samuel did not know true love. He only knew of obsession and fantasy. She was so much more than whatever Samuel idolized her to be. She was not his Scarlet nor was she his monster. When she was not being fed hatred or paranoia, she was full of love, joy, and warmth. She had almost forgotten what those emotions felt like.

Something familiar settled within the sigel. Her numb arms began to tingle. Then, suddenly, a pleasant heat washed over her and relaxed her tired muscles. Waves of red ink crashed around her and the last traces of her anger were swept away. For the first time in a long while, she felt at peace.