B1 — 15. Hacker’s Introduction
Instead of sleeping, Rachel decided to enter her inner world through the meditative state and take the time to better analyze everything that happened in the last forty-eight hours. She played through the events, spotting things she’d missed when in the moment.
It was quickly becoming very evident how powerful this internal world was. It appeared to catalog everything she perceived with her enhanced senses and a short distance that seemed to be subconscious or related to some spiritual perception.
There were flaws in it that she started to see while poking and prodding the world from various angles. It did record reality accurately instead of by her own bias, but only when it came to her immediate surroundings, which could be related to a spiritual imprint others left on her soul.
As she relived sections of the night immediately following The Oscillation, Rachel discovered the reason for her organ failure. Time paused with her desire as she walked around the brown-skinned toad’s cobalt-hued dart. She concluded Scarlet couldn’t get all the poison since she’d been interrupted.
Swapping the scene to when she and Scarlet huddled close together, her blood spiking out to follow the deadly toad, Rachel focused on the slowed-moving liquid. Everything took on a new meaning as she examined its actions since she’d come into the picture.
Veronica was controlling it from inside Scarlet, or perhaps she was the blood itself, but there was a stark difference in its activity before and after the girl had sunk her teeth into her arm. This was obvious in the way it consciously lifted the vespertine reaper off the ground against her will when Selvaria caused the wave.
By the vamp girl’s own account, Veronica told Scarlet she’d been lost before that point in the endless ocean that was Scarlet’s internal world.
Reliving the moment when Veronica flipped her off, Rachel scowled while creating a seat to collapse into; she’d spent hours in introspection and was growing surprisingly tired. This wasn’t some infinite training simulator; it did cost resources—spiritual and mental—yet also provided another way to exercise those aspects.
Veronica is dangerous, and it’s only a matter of time before she grows restless from being locked inside Scarlet as a gatekeeper. She has feelings and was practically brainwashed since she was little to see Scarlet as her god… It appeared things were changing for her now, however.
Leaning to the side, she rewound time to the second the psychopathic girl had taken control of Scarlet’s body to fight the toads. She saw somewhat of a reflection of herself in Veronica’s thrill to engage the aliens but for entirely different reasons than her own.
Rachel loved the excitement of the battle and the heat of the exchange; the word ‘prey’ left a bitter taste on her tongue since it wouldn’t get her blood pumping—she had discovered that part of herself under the Azure Moon.
However, Veronica loved to toy with her victims and dominate them with insurmountable power, condemning them to the realization of how worthless their lives were. She saw it in the hundreds of battle simulations she ran through the night—Veronica saw herself as a force of nature that couldn’t be resisted.
With every battle Rachel simulated, Veronica won, and she lost without exception—it wasn’t even close—making her heart rate increase over time. Observing from her sitting position, fist held against her cheek, Rachel cursed as Veronica beat her in record time.
The frightening part she was now starting to see was how intelligent and cunning Veronica was. Rachel had no clue how the girl was groomed to take this pivotal position in the Scarlet Hand’s plot to restrict Twilight, but the teen was not your typical schoolgirl.
I’m not just dealing with Scarlet, and she’s not the real issue… Veronica is. She put the thought aside while watching the laughing girl possessing Scarlet’s body cut her into ribbons. Veronica won’t hesitate to rip me apart if I stop being helpful to Scarlet.
Releasing a long stream of air while studying her status sheet and what had changed, she rubbed her temple.
[Strategic Mind I - Advanced to B-tier]
[Mental Acceleration I - Advanced to B-tier]
[Beastial Instinct I - Advanced to A-tier]
Beastial Instinct only started rising when she began her simulated combat with Veronica; she could further develop her senses inside this inner world, yet [Divine Beast Empowerment I] couldn’t be exercised.
Her focus drifted to her energy stat to center on Constitution—it was this that made this mental space more flexible. Being of High Grade meant she could do much more with it than others, or so she’d come to believe, and it might even be worth putting a point or two into.
Yawning, she left the world, cracking open her eyes to the blazing sun, hardly blocked by the curtain by being on the window seat. Her arms felt like limp noodles in the light, and a wave of exhaustion flooded her exhausted brain; Maria’s healing could only do so much, she guessed.
She’d placed Scarlet’s bed far back on the opposite wall to keep the deadly rays away from her; she’d taken this position because someone would have to intrude on her personal space to open the blinds up.
Her parents were still fast asleep, with her father holding her mother close in the cramped hospital bed. She appeared to be enjoying the close contact. A smile touched her mouth as she settled into a lying position, using one of the hospital blankets they’d left for a pillow.
It didn’t take long for her thoughts to give way to dreams, returning to Anthony’s Quest. She roamed the faintly misty forest lands under the azure and alabaster skies; visions from the goddesses didn’t come—thankfully—allowing her the chance to rest her troubled mind.
Noise made her ears twitch, rousing her drifting consciousness as her mother’s soft laughter made her groan and crack open an eye; it was dark, and at least sixteen percent of her Lunar Pool had been restored—somehow, someone had gotten by her to open the blinds to allow the moonlight to hit her while passing by the window.
Scarlet and her mother appeared to have moved the beds to the side wall and brought in some chairs to sit in and chat. A quick vocal search discovered her father in the next room, trying to get answers from Mateo, but they weren’t alone.
Rachel sat straighter, stifling a yawn while hearing Captain Barbara Hall and another man she presumed was the military psychiatrist. Surprised, she realized she’d slept nearly fourteen hours—it was almost twelve at night.
“Finally awake?” her mother asked with a short chortle as she caught her stretching out, ears going stiff. “Scarlet and I have been becoming acquainted, and you startled her by bringing her into our room.”
“Eh-heh. Yeah…” The girl’s cheeks darkened with embarrassment. “I meant to stay up until you came back, but, umm… my mind had other plans. Sorry. I just closed my eyes for a second, and I passed out. Oh, are you doing better?” she asked with true concern. “You looked terrible last night.”
“A lot—better,” she said, stifling another yawn. “Maria’s an interesting woman. She’ll probably find me later today… Oof.”
Scarlet and her mother looked at each other in confusion when she winced, her mom asking the question on both of their minds.
“What is it—something wrong?”
Rachel rubbed her neck and got up to stretch out her stiff back and limbs. “Not really. Maria’s still recharging after healing me…” she trailed off, catching herself in time to not expose her terrified mother to how bad her condition had been. “I’m perfectly healthy after the good unicorn’s magic, though! No need to worry, Mom. Looks like the captain and doctor are here. I’ll just go see what’s happening—Mom?”
Internally pumping herself up, she went for the door, only to be stopped by her mother’s embrace.
“Just getting a quick hug in,” she whispered, kissing her on the cheek. “Please… don’t push yourself more than necessary. I can’t lose you.”
Rachel noticed Scarlet rubbing her arm with a melancholy smile as she broke away. “Haha. You know I’m built of tough stuff, Mom, but I’ll be more careful. Love you.”
“Love you…”
Her fingers slid down her arm while Rachel went outside, waving at the green berets on watch outside. “Morning!”
“Morning.”
“Heh. Crazy last few days, and now we have a Marine bigshot with us, but I guess you knew.”
“Roy sleeping?” she asked the two men, marking where the rest of the unit was, scattered throughout the hospital, gathering more information about public morale.
“Yup, he was woken up to report to the lieutenant and then hit the sack again.”
“Cool. Thanks for keeping watch.”
She knocked on the door across from the hall, scanning the multitude of voices within her range to get caught up on the latest gossip or news.
Selvaria was in the shower, her mother downstairs browsing clothes that might work with her daughter’s new physique.
All of them would need to go through the psych evaluation, and a good cold shower sounded nice. Rachel had no clue how sweat or BO worked with her new body—among many other parts of her anatomy—but mentally she’d feel better following her daily cleansing routine—a shower was on the agenda.
As for Anthony, unsurprisingly, he was with his fiancé. That avenue would be a tricky one, and if Maria wasn’t an option right now, his Quests should hold a solution. The issue lay in how soon they could get the cure since she only had months to live—at most.
Everything was moving quickly, and if what she thought was coming was correct, then she needed people she could trust and could be convinced to join her. It was becoming very evident throughout the world news that Mythickin and Legendkin were among the top echelon when it came to growth and power. Just like genetics, no two people were built the same—nature was unfair—and she could see why Zoe was complaining about, as she put it, her F-tier roll.
Still, from her experimentations in the internal world, Rachel could see it wasn’t so clear cut. Sure, there were limitations to the other Kins, yet Zoe was likely at a higher level than a vast majority of changed people. Due to her being in their party for Rachel’s shared EXP buff in the way of [Primal Force X] while participating in a Legendkin’s Quest and a Crystal attack, she would be more stacked than she liked to admit if she was careful.
With the type of Feats Rachel had obtained, she also concluded it wasn’t random; there was some guiding force in how they lived and the actions they took. It didn’t help when she also had goddesses interfering and adding weird options like increased defense via revealing clothing. The shocking Feat choice was still playing at the back of her mind.
Rachel stepped up to the door and knocked, waiting for a second before poking her head through with a smile. “Welcome to Miami, Captain Hall, and… Doctor Richard Raynott, correct?”
She turned her attention away from the auburn-haired, tall military woman sitting across from her father to the older gentleman in the armchair beside her. Richard had black hair, streaked partly with silver, giving him a distinctive look with his neatly groomed facial hair and strong features. The dark long-sleeve shirt and dress slacks put off a professional introduction.
The man was undoubtedly a silver wolf eye candy a group of girls she’d known in the gym would fawn over; highly educated, experienced, and successful by the strong presence he put off.
Her father was the first to greet her, fitting in with the two military officers and psychiatrist with his suit, crossed legs, and business-like attitude. “Good morning. Did you sleep well?”
“Longer than I thought I would,” she returned with a short laugh.
She entered, shutting the door behind her, and not expecting the Legend of Saint Barbara—the first Marine Raider special forces officer—to be in a knee-length business skirt, top, and braided locks; her dressed-up appearance told Rachel that the woman might be a rugged marine but was also perfectly comfortable and in-touch with her feminine side, including painted nails.
Of course, considering she was military, orderliness was likely an essential part of her daily routine that she could respect. Appearances were also significant in the military; at least, she assumed it was from everything she’d heard and seen.
The woman put off a pleasant vibe, and Rachel didn’t miss the woman’s impressive physique, developed in the Marine Corps.
“Good morning, Rachel. It’s lovely to finally meet you,” she said, smoothly rising to her feet to shake her hand as she approached. “You’ve already guessed that this is Doctor Raynott.”
He uncrossed his legs to rise and join them, handshake firm as their fingers tightened around each other. “It’s a pleasure. I look forward to getting to know you better, Ms. Park. Your father says you prefer your American name in general. I assume you reserve your Korean name for close friends and family?”
“It’s just easier that way,” she laughed, breaking away.
She assumed the psychiatrist had likely served in the military by his cadence, possibly during Desert Storm or the Global War on Terror that she’d heard about while in school. It made sense to send for a military psychiatrist to understand what his patients went through. For him to be so highly regarded spoke volumes, considering he’d been chosen out of all available doctors in the field for this assignment.
Barbara motioned to Mateo, drawing everyone’s attention as she took charge of the conversation. “Lieutenant, if you could keep Mr. Park company while we proceed with preparations for the evaluation. As I told you, we will be able to answer more of your questions after we’re finished.”
Her father’s folded fingers and tight-eyed expression told Rachel he was guarded; they’d likely stonewalled him on many answers that her mother wanted. “I look forward to the debriefing. Will my daughter be able to freshen up before you interrogate her?”
His voice was even and without heat, but the words carried a spear’s point.
Richard forced a laugh and pointed at a locked briefcase. “I need to set up and get things ready for our first session, which should give her plenty of time to get ready and have breakfast. Please, by all means, go down as a family; we all should be grateful for the safety of our families in these troubling times.”
Barbara nodded with a soft smile. “I’ll only steal your daughter for a moment, Mr. Park. Thank you for being patient with the military; I know it must be hard to have us going through your life history and digging up bitter memories.”
Her father’s expression didn’t change, but his tight grip told Rachel what they’d touched on while she was asleep; they’d discussed the accident with the drunk driver when she was nine—something her mother wouldn’t open up about and would refuse to be present for.
He silently acknowledged their statement, shooting her a look that told her to be cautious. Her father dealt with a lot of people and high-value clients that used their accounting firm, and he wasn’t used to being helpless, but martial law gave the military practically unlimited power to do whatever it deemed needed to be done. The United States had temporarily turned into a military state until the crisis was over or Congress challenged the order, causing him—and likely many others—a great deal of stress and anxiety.
Following Barbara out and into the room Scarlet had used before, she shut the door and crossed her arms to smile down at her; she was a few inches taller and likely near Anthony’s height.
“Lt. Mateo tells me one of his men believes you had another visitor, and I just wanted to confirm it in private. There’s no need to go into detail with me. I will pass it on immediately if that is the case and if you believe it is worth intruding on my superior’s busy schedule.”
Now that they were face-to-face, Rachel could feel her strength, and she was at least an equal to her, which was saying something when she was very likely lower-leveled. That was, in a fair fight, at least. Then again, it might be just the military training and experience that made her feel that way. Rachel hid a smirk; she was only at 16% capacity, after all.
“I think it is important—even time sensitive.”
“Right. Well, then, I suppose my superior may choose to contact you sooner than anticipated. Now, relax with your family for a bit. No need to fret. This first session shouldn’t take long; the doctor just needs to get a baseline of who you are.”
Rachel smirked, vision shifting to the wall. “Which is why you concentrated on getting my family here to have more insight into my past. You don’t need to worry; I’ll be entirely transparent.”
“Wonderful. If things work out, I hope to get to know you better,” she concluded, opening the door with a cheery tone compared to the threatening switch Rachel knew the soldier could flip on a moment’s notice.
She paused just outside, half-turning to shoot a curious smile at the red-haired woman. “Does one of these tests end with us in the ring together?”
“Haha. Perhaps! Still, I’m not very… good at keeping my opponents alive,” she said with a faltering smile. “I may look like this on the outside, but my unit’s specialty is more of a bomb than a stick to beat someone into their place.”
Rachel chuckled while moving toward the next room to meet with her mother. “Consider me even more interested.”
Entering, she updated her mom on the short-term schedule, stomach growling due to her drained Lunar Pool. Her mother was more than happy to cook something, including Scarlet, since her mom somehow had gotten on the topic of experimenting with blood dishes for the teen. It wasn’t long until her father joined them.
They found Selvaria and her own mom in the cafeteria, the bubbly woman almost the exact opposite of her dull-toned and generally unenthusiastic-looking daughter as she waved them over.
The leviathan had shrunk into more of a young teen-like size by expelling a lot of the liquid in her Seawater Pool to not break everything around her; it seemed like her mother loved her ability to change ages based on water volume. Selvaria was snacking on various foods with a pepper mill near her, passively listening to their ice-breaking conversation.
Rachel was thrown for a loop when the girl said she planned to make an underwater sea temple with an army of seals and penguins. She needed friends, of course. She concluded the girl didn’t have many of those, instead finding companionship in animals, or perhaps she was bullied growing up, but the answer came from Selvaria herself when revealing before The Oscillation she had minor brain damage.
Her mother was enthusiastic that somehow her daughter’s path had crossed some new ‘friends’ and that now she was trying to learn how to interact with others. Of course, Rachel knew her mother would gobble up such a tale, asking about their plans and what they would do, while her father was more silent in these kinds of discussions, passively listening.
Rachel smiled at Scarlet, giving her a look that said there was no way for them to enter the conversation when her mother got going. Surprisingly, Scarlet appeared to be totally content just being a part of the group, laughing and listening to the mothers go back and forth. At a certain point, she saw Scarlet’s eyes falling to the table in sorrow. She’d lost everything, so Rachel knew times like these were a double-edged sword for the broken vespertine reaper.
She gave the girl an encouraging smile that Scarlet returned; it was relieving to see her able to not break down into tears when thinking about her broken family, despite the immense pain. Though it was probably a lot easier knowing that Veronica was to blame for her father’s death—even the blood-girl was probably unable to control that event from what Rachel had come to believe.
Once the mothers finished noticing they were in their own little bubble, they laughed and shifted focus. Excitement budded in Rachel’s belly when her mom got up to see if she could cook something in the kitchens—unfortunately, the request was denied, making her a tad disappointed.
Her mom said she understood the reasoning behind the decision; there are so many unknown factors in a hospital during normal times, let alone now. Allowing random people near their food with hosts of people seeking refuge at the hospital and the possibility of contamination was reason enough to reject the request.
Eating under the sky to regenerate her energy and finding suitable clothes to change into, Rachel kept track of everyone’s movements around the hospital. A few green berets shadowed them undercover, and Barbara met with Anthony to discuss a rather interesting topic about their Quests.
According to her, there was a cooldown timer on each one, and certain conditions had to be met in order to advance to the next Quest, which might include level, advancing Feats, or performing some other action involving their legend. She asked a lot of questions concerning the inclusion of other changed individuals in his Quest with details regarding the disguised prince that had given him a letter to give his father—that particular story had yet to conclude.
Maria was fast asleep behind the hospital, resting on the grass with a few of her gang while soaking up lunar rays. It fascinated Rachel that another Mythickin was empowered by the moon, but the celestial unicorn also gained power from the sun.
By a few comments that her tilting ears picked up, and the woman’s healing and purifying factors were diminished and strengthened by the position of the two. It was why the woman had burned so much energy on her since she wasn’t only restoring her body but purifying the poison, which was a part of her lunar kit.
Maria’s Solar Branch strengthened mending while the Lunar enhanced her sterilizing Feats. It was fascinating that she could do either, yet the price was heavy on the diminishing returns. Some of her gang got calls that made them nervous, but they only spoke about it in Spanish; it was obvious they were split on if they should wake their ‘Block Queen.’
Rachel returned to the room they’d used to start the private shower, going first since Richard was nearly ready for the interview. Scarlet grew more nervous by the minute, crimson-illuminated eyes darting in the psychiatrist’s direction occasionally as Rachel exited the bathroom, combing out her hair.
Her mom was quick to her feet to examine how the cut she’d made in the shorts for her tail was working. “Look how beautiful you look! I swear, you’re practically a goddess! Don’t think I didn’t see the way guys were looking at you,” she teased as an off-handed nudge toward previous conversations they’d had.
“Hehe. Yeah, but can they beat me in a fistfight? Mom! I keep telling you not to fiddle with my tail…” Rachel grumbled, turning away as she stroked the fur.
“Ooh, sensitive? You know, I was reading and found out hare tails are longer than rabbits’—naww… your big floppy ears are so adorable, and your tail’s so fluffy!”
“Mom…” she groaned, trying to fend off her affection while Scarlet laughed. “I need to go!”
“No! Just a little longer—I want to look at your ears more, and so much is happening with your eyes now—give your mom some time to know how much her daughter has changed!”
“I’m going!”
“Aww… You’re not being very nice,” her mom pouted.
Pulling away with some effort from her mother’s grabby hands, she hurriedly waved at Scarlet in her retreat. “Don’t worry. I’ll set things straight. Love you, Mom!”
“Then let me braid your hair!” she called back as she rushed to leave the room. “Ugh. Do… you want me to braid your hair, Scarlet?”
“Hehe. Sure. I’d like that.”
“Success!”
Rachel rolled her eyes; naturally, she knew at this point she could hear her, and her mom was trying to make her feel jealous in some weird way Moms; she didn’t get it. Yes, her mom was spiraling still and trying to keep her close, but it was almost crazy how clingy she was being; this wasn’t normal behavior from her mother. Then again, this wasn’t a normal situation, so that was fair.
Making it to the room Selvaria and her mother had slept in—where Richard had set up his laptop—Rachel knocked. He welcomed her in, and she sat across from him, crossing her legs and settling down.
The man had the device open, and on his lap, but from the second she entered, his attention was on her.
“Let’s not waste any time breaking ice; from what I’ve concluded while speaking to your parents and your previous introduction, you’re not the type to spend valuable minutes on chitter-chatter.” He folded his fingers atop the front of the laptop. “So… what is your impression of me and why I am here—what are your expectations from this?”
Rachel sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, drawing it to the side to look at the wall with its wellness chart and face diagrams.
“For this first interaction? You’re here to see if I fit enough boxes for the criteria the general is looking for while gaining valuable insight into Mythickin’s mentality. What have you found? A complex bag between emotions, logic, and expectations…
“I love having a competitive lifestyle. I hate staying still, and I have very little patience for those that, as I see it, waste time. The world has changed, and I have to adapt to it—that’s how I see things.”
She paused, head and ears tilting to the left while hearing a young nurse entering their section of the hallway. “Can we speak candidly regarding the person employing you—also, the coffee you requested is here.”
Richard nodded, leaning against his armchair, and followed her gaze to the closed door. “Now that we’re in this phase, it’s fine. The initial screening was just a precaution for other reasons, but this computer isn’t networked, and nothing in this room is connected to the internet. Due to all the new abilities, the general likes to be cautious regarding sensitive information, such as your communication with these… divine beings. How soon until the coffee arrives?”
“Twenty seconds.”
“Alright.”
They waited for the nurse to bring the cup since the psychiatrist was jetlagged. He had had to parse through a ton of documents in a short time to be prepared for this interview, not to mention come to terms with many uncomfortable revelations for an atheist, but his job wasn’t to question her visitations from the goddesses.
A bright-eyed blonde was directed to their door and knocked before entering; she wore scrubs and was chewing gum, blowing a bubble just before entering.
“I have your coffee, Doctor. Is there anything else—oh, I was wondering why they had this area blocked off and guarded… Wow.”
Rachel didn’t know exactly how to respond to the blunt response and unabashed stare as she delivered the item to the man.
“Thanks, Dear, and no, that will be all.”
“Okay. Cool ears.”
“Thanks?”
She popped another bubble in her exit, lingering with her hand on the knob for a second. “Uh, you’re the one that dealt with those alien toads that killed all those religious people that gathered together to pray?”
“Heh. No comment.”
“Cool.” She grinned and left with a wave, but Rachel’s eyes lingered on her thin wood and rectangular-shaped earrings; she hadn’t seen any other hotel staff wearing jewelry, but maybe she’d just gotten here since they were understaffed at the moment.
Turning away from the awkward encounter, Rachel settled back in, hearing the nurse hum to herself, popping bubbles and chewing her gum on her way to the break room to get coffee for herself.
“Uh, yeah, anyway… From what I can tell, the general is trying to make a case for Mythickin and Legendkin to the President, Congress, and the Senate. It helps that some individuals in those seats have also experienced The Oscillation, but it is nowhere near a majority. He wants data to show that some of us aren’t… extremists. I don’t think it’s a good direction, though.”
“Oh?” Richard made a few notes and looked back up at her. “Care to elaborate?”
She motioned at his computer. “We are extremists—it almost seems like a requirement. I’m guessing you have the notes of everything I’ve said to the general, so let me elaborate. From the second I changed, I haven’t been satisfied with my life’s direction, and if a path isn’t opened up to provide a path to fulfill our instincts, I can see a lot of trouble on the horizon, especially for Mythickin.”
He stroked his beard, scanning the reports. “You’re saying you’re attracted to violent situations, and everyday life isn’t something you can return to… That’s something many military veterans struggle with once returning home; the structure and direction the military offers provide a clear purpose they can believe in.
“Hmm. I can assume through your incredible sensory abilities that you’ve noticed the strange happenings around the world—the Crystal attacks, the rapid rise in terrorist activity, and the struggle for governments to give solutions to these surmounting issues.
“Many of those changed by The Oscillation feel as if their lives are ruined by the change, and it is more of a curse than a blessing. Still, there is a lot that can come from this, including technology and an ever-progressive future with the revelation that we are not alone in the universe… and with god-like beings that even seem frightened for what is to come.
“You want to act on the frontier of this new world we’re jumping into… and you know the powers that be will be hard to convince otherwise, but you didn’t have this plan from the start.”
Rachel laughed, legs crossing the opposite way while observing the sharp-eyed psychiatrist.
“No… No, I only wanted to be in control—I have to be in control… It’s probably self-compulsive. Also, I doubt the general would authorize a civilian to just jump into the military or have the potential blowback none of the politicians want, which is why I believe the general is considering a method the United States has employed extensively in the past…
“Private military companies. I believe that will provide a way for Mythickin to have the freedom they desire while still being under the US military’s supervision but not directly connected to pose a risk. Congress can set new laws regarding it and whatever is discovered within the gateways, such as the items I brought back from Anthony’s Quest or the stuff the military collected from the alien toads.”
“You’ve given this much thought,” Richard whispered, fingers skating across the keyboard. “I can’t say what the general is plotting, but that certainly does seem like an option some Mythickin could go, depending on what more comes of those topics, but let’s stick with the reason I’m here… If you are willing to be open with me, let’s start with the car accident. Tell me what you remember…”
Rachel had made it clear what she wanted, and now she had to go through the exhaustive screening portion to give Tom a picture of who she was and how useful she could be under the right circumstances.
While going through her troubled past, manipulative behaviors in hiding her feelings, and raging internal aggression from that turning point in her life, Rachel also touched on her connection to Scarlet.
She plainly stated she couldn’t talk about certain things about the vespertine reaper that she’d entrusted to her, which was also a power move to give her more leverage in keeping the girl a harmless little bat.
An hour passed, and Richard relieved her to gather his notes. Just as she was about to leave, he added one last request. “Oh, and could you direct Selvaria to join me in twenty minutes?”
A frown touched Rachel’s eyes. “You’re making Scarlet stew… She’ll only become more nervous with every person that goes before her. It’s mean, but I guess you must test her in ways other than me…”
He folded his fingers together with an even stare. “If you are thinking about PMCs, then military personnel has to be able to respond to high-stress situations where people’s lives are held in your hands by a hair’s breadth, and you don’t have the support of a government body or extensive training. Her psychological profile I’ve built from the reports I have thus far…
“I wouldn’t recommend her being anywhere near combat zones. She needs a stable life and people with whom she can rebuild trust and boundaries, yet you’ve handcuffed her to your leg. You, who, as you’ve described yourself, craves high-tense situations—to provide more leverage.
“I’d say that is far… meaner, Rachel. She obviously will develop trust and abandonment issues from her trauma, which could be devastating with how you’ve maneuvered your current relationship. I do believe you are trying to help her—to an extent—but you will need to draw a line soon, or things have a high probability of spiraling out of control for her, you, and your family. How far? I may be able to give you a rough projection in our next session. You likely already know this, though…”
Lips drawing in, Rachel left without a response; he wasn’t wrong, and her gut squirmed at the blunt evaluation. She had to pull Scarlet closer or break away, but it wasn’t Scarlet she was worried about—Veronica was who weighed on her mind—that was the critical piece of information complicating things that Richard was missing.
Barbara’s head lifted as she exited, spotting her neutral expression. “Ah, Rachel. If you could follow me. He’s made some time.”
Puffing out a long stream of air, she nodded and directed one of the green berets to deliver her message to the leviathan before following the captain into the same room they’d used earlier. A laptop had been set up; the Legend remained with her, promptly opening the device.
“It should only be a moment—ah, speak of the black-eyed devil.”
General Dallas had dark rings under his eyes yet slightly smirked at her chiming comment. “I’ve been told you have something new to report to me… Your giant tree prediction was on point, and negotiations to get inside it are not going well. Now the United Kingdom wants to know where we got our intelligence from since the damn thing sprung up right next to the Houses of Parliament.”
Barbara chuckled. “It’s become a whole political mess, hasn’t it?”
“Shockingly, yes… Ugh. What else can you add to my plate, Rachel; who was it this time?”
Rachel recounted the vision in detail, mentioning the rabbit Moongmor on the goddess’ shoulder and the urgent need to rescue the fairy Mythickin.
Tom ran his hand over his face. “Great… I don’t even have an answer as to where the Mythickin Fairy is—”
“I might be of assistance.”
The screen fritzed, pixelated, and swapped to a cute pixel art of an ever-changing face, with a blurry halo behind them and a fancy ‘A’ inside it. The flickering, flaming eye on the laptop instantly caught her attention as smaller pixel avatars did random activities across the display, such as taking pictures of each other and playing games.
“How…” Tom trailed off as the hacker chuckled, a fluctuating deep to feminine, filtered voice following.
“Did I beat your encryption? Chaos and earthquakes! Haha. It was child’s play for someone like the Myth of Astra—my calling card online. I’m dressed up, amped up, and in a black car—but you’re going to freak when you see what I’ve managed to collect, despite your precautions, General.
“What do you want?” Tom growled.
“Oh, in due time! Cracking your code has certainly whet my appetite, but to get me on planes and to fly across the US at the drop of a hat? It’s big! You have no idea how many energy drinks I’m running on and the lengths I went to win your game! I’m in love with this changing world.”
A smile brightened Rachel’s face. “You’re interested in me?”
“Haha! Conceited much? Eh… somewhat in you, but mostly the circumstances surrounding you! I’ve been rather fascinated by this little development in Miami—the pieces on the board that you’ve shown me, Tommy. Is this who you’re looking for, Rachel Park?”
A sideways angle of what appeared to be a hacked phone showed a dark room with a small, white-haired girl in a fish tank. Her face was puffy and red as someone loomed over the container out of view; she was wingless and a perfect match to who she’d seen in her vision.
“It… is.”
“Fiona White, or Flutter Wings, as she’s known online. A somewhat successful Gaelic teacher, and singing streamer; you can find all of her VODs to confirm it, and there’s even one of her just after The Oscillation, as you’ve coined it, General.
“In my humble opinion, she has quite the cute and wholesome channel from what I’ve seen, which is a shame because she has been taken hostage by a group of Cuban-affiliated gangsters that run the operations in the sunny state… Have I piqued your interest yet?”
A strange, filtered pop sounded from the audio before the hacker’s logo returned, a male avatar now smiling in the background. “I think we can have all sorts of fun. Care to hear more? Because your time is running out, and I bet you’re dying to know why!”
B1 — 15. Hacker’s Introduction
Instead of sleeping, Rachel decided to enter her inner world through the meditative state and take the time to better analyze everything that happened in the last forty-eight hours. She played through the events, spotting things she’d missed when in the moment.
It was quickly becoming very evident how powerful this internal world was. It appeared to catalog everything she perceived with her enhanced senses and a short distance that seemed to be subconscious or related to some spiritual perception.
There were flaws in it that she started to see while poking and prodding the world from various angles. It did record reality accurately instead of by her own bias, but only when it came to her immediate surroundings, which could be related to a spiritual imprint others left on her soul.
As she relived sections of the night immediately following The Oscillation, Rachel discovered the reason for her organ failure. Time paused with her desire as she walked around the brown-skinned toad’s cobalt-hued dart. She concluded Scarlet couldn’t get all the poison since she’d been interrupted.
Swapping the scene to when she and Scarlet huddled close together, her blood spiking out to follow the deadly toad, Rachel focused on the slowed-moving liquid. Everything took on a new meaning as she examined its actions since she’d come into the picture.
Veronica was controlling it from inside Scarlet, or perhaps she was the blood itself, but there was a stark difference in its activity before and after the girl had sunk her teeth into her arm. This was obvious in the way it consciously lifted the vespertine reaper off the ground against her will when Selvaria caused the wave.
By the vamp girl’s own account, Veronica told Scarlet she’d been lost before that point in the endless ocean that was Scarlet’s internal world.
Reliving the moment when Veronica flipped her off, Rachel scowled while creating a seat to collapse into; she’d spent hours in introspection and was growing surprisingly tired. This wasn’t some infinite training simulator; it did cost resources—spiritual and mental—yet also provided another way to exercise those aspects.
Veronica is dangerous, and it’s only a matter of time before she grows restless from being locked inside Scarlet as a gatekeeper. She has feelings and was practically brainwashed since she was little to see Scarlet as her god… It appeared things were changing for her now, however.
Leaning to the side, she rewound time to the second the psychopathic girl had taken control of Scarlet’s body to fight the toads. She saw somewhat of a reflection of herself in Veronica’s thrill to engage the aliens but for entirely different reasons than her own.
Rachel loved the excitement of the battle and the heat of the exchange; the word ‘prey’ left a bitter taste on her tongue since it wouldn’t get her blood pumping—she had discovered that part of herself under the Azure Moon.
However, Veronica loved to toy with her victims and dominate them with insurmountable power, condemning them to the realization of how worthless their lives were. She saw it in the hundreds of battle simulations she ran through the night—Veronica saw herself as a force of nature that couldn’t be resisted.
With every battle Rachel simulated, Veronica won, and she lost without exception—it wasn’t even close—making her heart rate increase over time. Observing from her sitting position, fist held against her cheek, Rachel cursed as Veronica beat her in record time.
The frightening part she was now starting to see was how intelligent and cunning Veronica was. Rachel had no clue how the girl was groomed to take this pivotal position in the Scarlet Hand’s plot to restrict Twilight, but the teen was not your typical schoolgirl.
I’m not just dealing with Scarlet, and she’s not the real issue… Veronica is. She put the thought aside while watching the laughing girl possessing Scarlet’s body cut her into ribbons. Veronica won’t hesitate to rip me apart if I stop being helpful to Scarlet.
Releasing a long stream of air while studying her status sheet and what had changed, she rubbed her temple.
[Strategic Mind I - Advanced to B-tier]
[Mental Acceleration I - Advanced to B-tier]
[Beastial Instinct I - Advanced to A-tier]
Beastial Instinct only started rising when she began her simulated combat with Veronica; she could further develop her senses inside this inner world, yet [Divine Beast Empowerment I] couldn’t be exercised.
Her focus drifted to her energy stat to center on Constitution—it was this that made this mental space more flexible. Being of High Grade meant she could do much more with it than others, or so she’d come to believe, and it might even be worth putting a point or two into.
Yawning, she left the world, cracking open her eyes to the blazing sun, hardly blocked by the curtain by being on the window seat. Her arms felt like limp noodles in the light, and a wave of exhaustion flooded her exhausted brain; Maria’s healing could only do so much, she guessed.
She’d placed Scarlet’s bed far back on the opposite wall to keep the deadly rays away from her; she’d taken this position because someone would have to intrude on her personal space to open the blinds up.
Her parents were still fast asleep, with her father holding her mother close in the cramped hospital bed. She appeared to be enjoying the close contact. A smile touched her mouth as she settled into a lying position, using one of the hospital blankets they’d left for a pillow.
It didn’t take long for her thoughts to give way to dreams, returning to Anthony’s Quest. She roamed the faintly misty forest lands under the azure and alabaster skies; visions from the goddesses didn’t come—thankfully—allowing her the chance to rest her troubled mind.
Noise made her ears twitch, rousing her drifting consciousness as her mother’s soft laughter made her groan and crack open an eye; it was dark, and at least sixteen percent of her Lunar Pool had been restored—somehow, someone had gotten by her to open the blinds to allow the moonlight to hit her while passing by the window.
Scarlet and her mother appeared to have moved the beds to the side wall and brought in some chairs to sit in and chat. A quick vocal search discovered her father in the next room, trying to get answers from Mateo, but they weren’t alone.
Rachel sat straighter, stifling a yawn while hearing Captain Barbara Hall and another man she presumed was the military psychiatrist. Surprised, she realized she’d slept nearly fourteen hours—it was almost twelve at night.
“Finally awake?” her mother asked with a short chortle as she caught her stretching out, ears going stiff. “Scarlet and I have been becoming acquainted, and you startled her by bringing her into our room.”
“Eh-heh. Yeah…” The girl’s cheeks darkened with embarrassment. “I meant to stay up until you came back, but, umm… my mind had other plans. Sorry. I just closed my eyes for a second, and I passed out. Oh, are you doing better?” she asked with true concern. “You looked terrible last night.”
“A lot—better,” she said, stifling another yawn. “Maria’s an interesting woman. She’ll probably find me later today… Oof.”
Scarlet and her mother looked at each other in confusion when she winced, her mom asking the question on both of their minds.
“What is it—something wrong?”
Rachel rubbed her neck and got up to stretch out her stiff back and limbs. “Not really. Maria’s still recharging after healing me…” she trailed off, catching herself in time to not expose her terrified mother to how bad her condition had been. “I’m perfectly healthy after the good unicorn’s magic, though! No need to worry, Mom. Looks like the captain and doctor are here. I’ll just go see what’s happening—Mom?”
Internally pumping herself up, she went for the door, only to be stopped by her mother’s embrace.
“Just getting a quick hug in,” she whispered, kissing her on the cheek. “Please… don’t push yourself more than necessary. I can’t lose you.”
Rachel noticed Scarlet rubbing her arm with a melancholy smile as she broke away. “Haha. You know I’m built of tough stuff, Mom, but I’ll be more careful. Love you.”
“Love you…”
Her fingers slid down her arm while Rachel went outside, waving at the green berets on watch outside. “Morning!”
“Morning.”
“Heh. Crazy last few days, and now we have a Marine bigshot with us, but I guess you knew.”
“Roy sleeping?” she asked the two men, marking where the rest of the unit was, scattered throughout the hospital, gathering more information about public morale.
“Yup, he was woken up to report to the lieutenant and then hit the sack again.”
“Cool. Thanks for keeping watch.”
She knocked on the door across from the hall, scanning the multitude of voices within her range to get caught up on the latest gossip or news.
Selvaria was in the shower, her mother downstairs browsing clothes that might work with her daughter’s new physique.
All of them would need to go through the psych evaluation, and a good cold shower sounded nice. Rachel had no clue how sweat or BO worked with her new body—among many other parts of her anatomy—but mentally she’d feel better following her daily cleansing routine—a shower was on the agenda.
As for Anthony, unsurprisingly, he was with his fiancé. That avenue would be a tricky one, and if Maria wasn’t an option right now, his Quests should hold a solution. The issue lay in how soon they could get the cure since she only had months to live—at most.
Everything was moving quickly, and if what she thought was coming was correct, then she needed people she could trust and could be convinced to join her. It was becoming very evident throughout the world news that Mythickin and Legendkin were among the top echelon when it came to growth and power. Just like genetics, no two people were built the same—nature was unfair—and she could see why Zoe was complaining about, as she put it, her F-tier roll.
Still, from her experimentations in the internal world, Rachel could see it wasn’t so clear cut. Sure, there were limitations to the other Kins, yet Zoe was likely at a higher level than a vast majority of changed people. Due to her being in their party for Rachel’s shared EXP buff in the way of [Primal Force X] while participating in a Legendkin’s Quest and a Crystal attack, she would be more stacked than she liked to admit if she was careful.
With the type of Feats Rachel had obtained, she also concluded it wasn’t random; there was some guiding force in how they lived and the actions they took. It didn’t help when she also had goddesses interfering and adding weird options like increased defense via revealing clothing. The shocking Feat choice was still playing at the back of her mind.
Rachel stepped up to the door and knocked, waiting for a second before poking her head through with a smile. “Welcome to Miami, Captain Hall, and… Doctor Richard Raynott, correct?”
She turned her attention away from the auburn-haired, tall military woman sitting across from her father to the older gentleman in the armchair beside her. Richard had black hair, streaked partly with silver, giving him a distinctive look with his neatly groomed facial hair and strong features. The dark long-sleeve shirt and dress slacks put off a professional introduction.
The man was undoubtedly a silver wolf eye candy a group of girls she’d known in the gym would fawn over; highly educated, experienced, and successful by the strong presence he put off.
Her father was the first to greet her, fitting in with the two military officers and psychiatrist with his suit, crossed legs, and business-like attitude. “Good morning. Did you sleep well?”
“Longer than I thought I would,” she returned with a short laugh.
She entered, shutting the door behind her, and not expecting the Legend of Saint Barbara—the first Marine Raider special forces officer—to be in a knee-length business skirt, top, and braided locks; her dressed-up appearance told Rachel that the woman might be a rugged marine but was also perfectly comfortable and in-touch with her feminine side, including painted nails.
Of course, considering she was military, orderliness was likely an essential part of her daily routine that she could respect. Appearances were also significant in the military; at least, she assumed it was from everything she’d heard and seen.
The woman put off a pleasant vibe, and Rachel didn’t miss the woman’s impressive physique, developed in the Marine Corps.
“Good morning, Rachel. It’s lovely to finally meet you,” she said, smoothly rising to her feet to shake her hand as she approached. “You’ve already guessed that this is Doctor Raynott.”
He uncrossed his legs to rise and join them, handshake firm as their fingers tightened around each other. “It’s a pleasure. I look forward to getting to know you better, Ms. Park. Your father says you prefer your American name in general. I assume you reserve your Korean name for close friends and family?”
“It’s just easier that way,” she laughed, breaking away.
She assumed the psychiatrist had likely served in the military by his cadence, possibly during Desert Storm or the Global War on Terror that she’d heard about while in school. It made sense to send for a military psychiatrist to understand what his patients went through. For him to be so highly regarded spoke volumes, considering he’d been chosen out of all available doctors in the field for this assignment.
Barbara motioned to Mateo, drawing everyone’s attention as she took charge of the conversation. “Lieutenant, if you could keep Mr. Park company while we proceed with preparations for the evaluation. As I told you, we will be able to answer more of your questions after we’re finished.”
Her father’s folded fingers and tight-eyed expression told Rachel he was guarded; they’d likely stonewalled him on many answers that her mother wanted. “I look forward to the debriefing. Will my daughter be able to freshen up before you interrogate her?”
His voice was even and without heat, but the words carried a spear’s point.
Richard forced a laugh and pointed at a locked briefcase. “I need to set up and get things ready for our first session, which should give her plenty of time to get ready and have breakfast. Please, by all means, go down as a family; we all should be grateful for the safety of our families in these troubling times.”
Barbara nodded with a soft smile. “I’ll only steal your daughter for a moment, Mr. Park. Thank you for being patient with the military; I know it must be hard to have us going through your life history and digging up bitter memories.”
Her father’s expression didn’t change, but his tight grip told Rachel what they’d touched on while she was asleep; they’d discussed the accident with the drunk driver when she was nine—something her mother wouldn’t open up about and would refuse to be present for.
He silently acknowledged their statement, shooting her a look that told her to be cautious. Her father dealt with a lot of people and high-value clients that used their accounting firm, and he wasn’t used to being helpless, but martial law gave the military practically unlimited power to do whatever it deemed needed to be done. The United States had temporarily turned into a military state until the crisis was over or Congress challenged the order, causing him—and likely many others—a great deal of stress and anxiety.
Following Barbara out and into the room Scarlet had used before, she shut the door and crossed her arms to smile down at her; she was a few inches taller and likely near Anthony’s height.
“Lt. Mateo tells me one of his men believes you had another visitor, and I just wanted to confirm it in private. There’s no need to go into detail with me. I will pass it on immediately if that is the case and if you believe it is worth intruding on my superior’s busy schedule.”
Now that they were face-to-face, Rachel could feel her strength, and she was at least an equal to her, which was saying something when she was very likely lower-leveled. That was, in a fair fight, at least. Then again, it might be just the military training and experience that made her feel that way. Rachel hid a smirk; she was only at 16% capacity, after all.
“I think it is important—even time sensitive.”
“Right. Well, then, I suppose my superior may choose to contact you sooner than anticipated. Now, relax with your family for a bit. No need to fret. This first session shouldn’t take long; the doctor just needs to get a baseline of who you are.”
Rachel smirked, vision shifting to the wall. “Which is why you concentrated on getting my family here to have more insight into my past. You don’t need to worry; I’ll be entirely transparent.”
“Wonderful. If things work out, I hope to get to know you better,” she concluded, opening the door with a cheery tone compared to the threatening switch Rachel knew the soldier could flip on a moment’s notice.
She paused just outside, half-turning to shoot a curious smile at the red-haired woman. “Does one of these tests end with us in the ring together?”
“Haha. Perhaps! Still, I’m not very… good at keeping my opponents alive,” she said with a faltering smile. “I may look like this on the outside, but my unit’s specialty is more of a bomb than a stick to beat someone into their place.”
Rachel chuckled while moving toward the next room to meet with her mother. “Consider me even more interested.”
Entering, she updated her mom on the short-term schedule, stomach growling due to her drained Lunar Pool. Her mother was more than happy to cook something, including Scarlet, since her mom somehow had gotten on the topic of experimenting with blood dishes for the teen. It wasn’t long until her father joined them.
They found Selvaria and her own mom in the cafeteria, the bubbly woman almost the exact opposite of her dull-toned and generally unenthusiastic-looking daughter as she waved them over.
The leviathan had shrunk into more of a young teen-like size by expelling a lot of the liquid in her Seawater Pool to not break everything around her; it seemed like her mother loved her ability to change ages based on water volume. Selvaria was snacking on various foods with a pepper mill near her, passively listening to their ice-breaking conversation.
Rachel was thrown for a loop when the girl said she planned to make an underwater sea temple with an army of seals and penguins. She needed friends, of course. She concluded the girl didn’t have many of those, instead finding companionship in animals, or perhaps she was bullied growing up, but the answer came from Selvaria herself when revealing before The Oscillation she had minor brain damage.
Her mother was enthusiastic that somehow her daughter’s path had crossed some new ‘friends’ and that now she was trying to learn how to interact with others. Of course, Rachel knew her mother would gobble up such a tale, asking about their plans and what they would do, while her father was more silent in these kinds of discussions, passively listening.
Rachel smiled at Scarlet, giving her a look that said there was no way for them to enter the conversation when her mother got going. Surprisingly, Scarlet appeared to be totally content just being a part of the group, laughing and listening to the mothers go back and forth. At a certain point, she saw Scarlet’s eyes falling to the table in sorrow. She’d lost everything, so Rachel knew times like these were a double-edged sword for the broken vespertine reaper.
She gave the girl an encouraging smile that Scarlet returned; it was relieving to see her able to not break down into tears when thinking about her broken family, despite the immense pain. Though it was probably a lot easier knowing that Veronica was to blame for her father’s death—even the blood-girl was probably unable to control that event from what Rachel had come to believe.
Once the mothers finished noticing they were in their own little bubble, they laughed and shifted focus. Excitement budded in Rachel’s belly when her mom got up to see if she could cook something in the kitchens—unfortunately, the request was denied, making her a tad disappointed.
Her mom said she understood the reasoning behind the decision; there are so many unknown factors in a hospital during normal times, let alone now. Allowing random people near their food with hosts of people seeking refuge at the hospital and the possibility of contamination was reason enough to reject the request.
Eating under the sky to regenerate her energy and finding suitable clothes to change into, Rachel kept track of everyone’s movements around the hospital. A few green berets shadowed them undercover, and Barbara met with Anthony to discuss a rather interesting topic about their Quests.
According to her, there was a cooldown timer on each one, and certain conditions had to be met in order to advance to the next Quest, which might include level, advancing Feats, or performing some other action involving their legend. She asked a lot of questions concerning the inclusion of other changed individuals in his Quest with details regarding the disguised prince that had given him a letter to give his father—that particular story had yet to conclude.
Maria was fast asleep behind the hospital, resting on the grass with a few of her gang while soaking up lunar rays. It fascinated Rachel that another Mythickin was empowered by the moon, but the celestial unicorn also gained power from the sun.
By a few comments that her tilting ears picked up, and the woman’s healing and purifying factors were diminished and strengthened by the position of the two. It was why the woman had burned so much energy on her since she wasn’t only restoring her body but purifying the poison, which was a part of her lunar kit.
Maria’s Solar Branch strengthened mending while the Lunar enhanced her sterilizing Feats. It was fascinating that she could do either, yet the price was heavy on the diminishing returns. Some of her gang got calls that made them nervous, but they only spoke about it in Spanish; it was obvious they were split on if they should wake their ‘Block Queen.’
Rachel returned to the room they’d used to start the private shower, going first since Richard was nearly ready for the interview. Scarlet grew more nervous by the minute, crimson-illuminated eyes darting in the psychiatrist’s direction occasionally as Rachel exited the bathroom, combing out her hair.
Her mom was quick to her feet to examine how the cut she’d made in the shorts for her tail was working. “Look how beautiful you look! I swear, you’re practically a goddess! Don’t think I didn’t see the way guys were looking at you,” she teased as an off-handed nudge toward previous conversations they’d had.
“Hehe. Yeah, but can they beat me in a fistfight? Mom! I keep telling you not to fiddle with my tail…” Rachel grumbled, turning away as she stroked the fur.
“Ooh, sensitive? You know, I was reading and found out hare tails are longer than rabbits’—naww… your big floppy ears are so adorable, and your tail’s so fluffy!”
“Mom…” she groaned, trying to fend off her affection while Scarlet laughed. “I need to go!”
“No! Just a little longer—I want to look at your ears more, and so much is happening with your eyes now—give your mom some time to know how much her daughter has changed!”
“I’m going!”
“Aww… You’re not being very nice,” her mom pouted.
Pulling away with some effort from her mother’s grabby hands, she hurriedly waved at Scarlet in her retreat. “Don’t worry. I’ll set things straight. Love you, Mom!”
“Then let me braid your hair!” she called back as she rushed to leave the room. “Ugh. Do… you want me to braid your hair, Scarlet?”
“Hehe. Sure. I’d like that.”
“Success!”
Rachel rolled her eyes; naturally, she knew at this point she could hear her, and her mom was trying to make her feel jealous in some weird way Moms; she didn’t get it. Yes, her mom was spiraling still and trying to keep her close, but it was almost crazy how clingy she was being; this wasn’t normal behavior from her mother. Then again, this wasn’t a normal situation, so that was fair.
Making it to the room Selvaria and her mother had slept in—where Richard had set up his laptop—Rachel knocked. He welcomed her in, and she sat across from him, crossing her legs and settling down.
The man had the device open, and on his lap, but from the second she entered, his attention was on her.
“Let’s not waste any time breaking ice; from what I’ve concluded while speaking to your parents and your previous introduction, you’re not the type to spend valuable minutes on chitter-chatter.” He folded his fingers atop the front of the laptop. “So… what is your impression of me and why I am here—what are your expectations from this?”
Rachel sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, drawing it to the side to look at the wall with its wellness chart and face diagrams.
“For this first interaction? You’re here to see if I fit enough boxes for the criteria the general is looking for while gaining valuable insight into Mythickin’s mentality. What have you found? A complex bag between emotions, logic, and expectations…
“I love having a competitive lifestyle. I hate staying still, and I have very little patience for those that, as I see it, waste time. The world has changed, and I have to adapt to it—that’s how I see things.”
She paused, head and ears tilting to the left while hearing a young nurse entering their section of the hallway. “Can we speak candidly regarding the person employing you—also, the coffee you requested is here.”
Richard nodded, leaning against his armchair, and followed her gaze to the closed door. “Now that we’re in this phase, it’s fine. The initial screening was just a precaution for other reasons, but this computer isn’t networked, and nothing in this room is connected to the internet. Due to all the new abilities, the general likes to be cautious regarding sensitive information, such as your communication with these… divine beings. How soon until the coffee arrives?”
“Twenty seconds.”
“Alright.”
They waited for the nurse to bring the cup since the psychiatrist was jetlagged. He had had to parse through a ton of documents in a short time to be prepared for this interview, not to mention come to terms with many uncomfortable revelations for an atheist, but his job wasn’t to question her visitations from the goddesses.
A bright-eyed blonde was directed to their door and knocked before entering; she wore scrubs and was chewing gum, blowing a bubble just before entering.
“I have your coffee, Doctor. Is there anything else—oh, I was wondering why they had this area blocked off and guarded… Wow.”
Rachel didn’t know exactly how to respond to the blunt response and unabashed stare as she delivered the item to the man.
“Thanks, Dear, and no, that will be all.”
“Okay. Cool ears.”
“Thanks?”
She popped another bubble in her exit, lingering with her hand on the knob for a second. “Uh, you’re the one that dealt with those alien toads that killed all those religious people that gathered together to pray?”
“Heh. No comment.”
“Cool.” She grinned and left with a wave, but Rachel’s eyes lingered on her thin wood and rectangular-shaped earrings; she hadn’t seen any other hotel staff wearing jewelry, but maybe she’d just gotten here since they were understaffed at the moment.
Turning away from the awkward encounter, Rachel settled back in, hearing the nurse hum to herself, popping bubbles and chewing her gum on her way to the break room to get coffee for herself.
“Uh, yeah, anyway… From what I can tell, the general is trying to make a case for Mythickin and Legendkin to the President, Congress, and the Senate. It helps that some individuals in those seats have also experienced The Oscillation, but it is nowhere near a majority. He wants data to show that some of us aren’t… extremists. I don’t think it’s a good direction, though.”
“Oh?” Richard made a few notes and looked back up at her. “Care to elaborate?”
She motioned at his computer. “We are extremists—it almost seems like a requirement. I’m guessing you have the notes of everything I’ve said to the general, so let me elaborate. From the second I changed, I haven’t been satisfied with my life’s direction, and if a path isn’t opened up to provide a path to fulfill our instincts, I can see a lot of trouble on the horizon, especially for Mythickin.”
He stroked his beard, scanning the reports. “You’re saying you’re attracted to violent situations, and everyday life isn’t something you can return to… That’s something many military veterans struggle with once returning home; the structure and direction the military offers provide a clear purpose they can believe in.
“Hmm. I can assume through your incredible sensory abilities that you’ve noticed the strange happenings around the world—the Crystal attacks, the rapid rise in terrorist activity, and the struggle for governments to give solutions to these surmounting issues.
“Many of those changed by The Oscillation feel as if their lives are ruined by the change, and it is more of a curse than a blessing. Still, there is a lot that can come from this, including technology and an ever-progressive future with the revelation that we are not alone in the universe… and with god-like beings that even seem frightened for what is to come.
“You want to act on the frontier of this new world we’re jumping into… and you know the powers that be will be hard to convince otherwise, but you didn’t have this plan from the start.”
Rachel laughed, legs crossing the opposite way while observing the sharp-eyed psychiatrist.
“No… No, I only wanted to be in control—I have to be in control… It’s probably self-compulsive. Also, I doubt the general would authorize a civilian to just jump into the military or have the potential blowback none of the politicians want, which is why I believe the general is considering a method the United States has employed extensively in the past…
“Private military companies. I believe that will provide a way for Mythickin to have the freedom they desire while still being under the US military’s supervision but not directly connected to pose a risk. Congress can set new laws regarding it and whatever is discovered within the gateways, such as the items I brought back from Anthony’s Quest or the stuff the military collected from the alien toads.”
“You’ve given this much thought,” Richard whispered, fingers skating across the keyboard. “I can’t say what the general is plotting, but that certainly does seem like an option some Mythickin could go, depending on what more comes of those topics, but let’s stick with the reason I’m here… If you are willing to be open with me, let’s start with the car accident. Tell me what you remember…”
Rachel had made it clear what she wanted, and now she had to go through the exhaustive screening portion to give Tom a picture of who she was and how useful she could be under the right circumstances.
While going through her troubled past, manipulative behaviors in hiding her feelings, and raging internal aggression from that turning point in her life, Rachel also touched on her connection to Scarlet.
She plainly stated she couldn’t talk about certain things about the vespertine reaper that she’d entrusted to her, which was also a power move to give her more leverage in keeping the girl a harmless little bat.
An hour passed, and Richard relieved her to gather his notes. Just as she was about to leave, he added one last request. “Oh, and could you direct Selvaria to join me in twenty minutes?”
A frown touched Rachel’s eyes. “You’re making Scarlet stew… She’ll only become more nervous with every person that goes before her. It’s mean, but I guess you must test her in ways other than me…”
He folded his fingers together with an even stare. “If you are thinking about PMCs, then military personnel has to be able to respond to high-stress situations where people’s lives are held in your hands by a hair’s breadth, and you don’t have the support of a government body or extensive training. Her psychological profile I’ve built from the reports I have thus far…
“I wouldn’t recommend her being anywhere near combat zones. She needs a stable life and people with whom she can rebuild trust and boundaries, yet you’ve handcuffed her to your leg. You, who, as you’ve described yourself, craves high-tense situations—to provide more leverage.
“I’d say that is far… meaner, Rachel. She obviously will develop trust and abandonment issues from her trauma, which could be devastating with how you’ve maneuvered your current relationship. I do believe you are trying to help her—to an extent—but you will need to draw a line soon, or things have a high probability of spiraling out of control for her, you, and your family. How far? I may be able to give you a rough projection in our next session. You likely already know this, though…”
Lips drawing in, Rachel left without a response; he wasn’t wrong, and her gut squirmed at the blunt evaluation. She had to pull Scarlet closer or break away, but it wasn’t Scarlet she was worried about—Veronica was who weighed on her mind—that was the critical piece of information complicating things that Richard was missing.
Barbara’s head lifted as she exited, spotting her neutral expression. “Ah, Rachel. If you could follow me. He’s made some time.”
Puffing out a long stream of air, she nodded and directed one of the green berets to deliver her message to the leviathan before following the captain into the same room they’d used earlier. A laptop had been set up; the Legend remained with her, promptly opening the device.
“It should only be a moment—ah, speak of the black-eyed devil.”
General Dallas had dark rings under his eyes yet slightly smirked at her chiming comment. “I’ve been told you have something new to report to me… Your giant tree prediction was on point, and negotiations to get inside it are not going well. Now the United Kingdom wants to know where we got our intelligence from since the damn thing sprung up right next to the Houses of Parliament.”
Barbara chuckled. “It’s become a whole political mess, hasn’t it?”
“Shockingly, yes… Ugh. What else can you add to my plate, Rachel; who was it this time?”
Rachel recounted the vision in detail, mentioning the rabbit Moongmor on the goddess’ shoulder and the urgent need to rescue the fairy Mythickin.
Tom ran his hand over his face. “Great… I don’t even have an answer as to where the Mythickin Fairy is—”
“I might be of assistance.”
The screen fritzed, pixelated, and swapped to a cute pixel art of an ever-changing face, with a blurry halo behind them and a fancy ‘A’ inside it. The flickering, flaming eye on the laptop instantly caught her attention as smaller pixel avatars did random activities across the display, such as taking pictures of each other and playing games.
“How…” Tom trailed off as the hacker chuckled, a fluctuating deep to feminine, filtered voice following.
“Did I beat your encryption? Chaos and earthquakes! Haha. It was child’s play for someone like the Myth of Astra—my calling card online. I’m dressed up, amped up, and in a black car—but you’re going to freak when you see what I’ve managed to collect, despite your precautions, General.
“What do you want?” Tom growled.
“Oh, in due time! Cracking your code has certainly whet my appetite, but to get me on planes and to fly across the US at the drop of a hat? It’s big! You have no idea how many energy drinks I’m running on and the lengths I went to win your game! I’m in love with this changing world.”
A smile brightened Rachel’s face. “You’re interested in me?”
“Haha! Conceited much? Eh… somewhat in you, but mostly the circumstances surrounding you! I’ve been rather fascinated by this little development in Miami—the pieces on the board that you’ve shown me, Tommy. Is this who you’re looking for, Rachel Park?”
A sideways angle of what appeared to be a hacked phone showed a dark room with a small, white-haired girl in a fish tank. Her face was puffy and red as someone loomed over the container out of view; she was wingless and a perfect match to who she’d seen in her vision.
“It… is.”
“Fiona White, or Flutter Wings, as she’s known online. A somewhat successful Gaelic teacher, and singing streamer; you can find all of her VODs to confirm it, and there’s even one of her just after The Oscillation, as you’ve coined it, General.
“In my humble opinion, she has quite the cute and wholesome channel from what I’ve seen, which is a shame because she has been taken hostage by a group of Cuban-affiliated gangsters that run the operations in the sunny state… Have I piqued your interest yet?”
A strange, filtered pop sounded from the audio before the hacker’s logo returned, a male avatar now smiling in the background. “I think we can have all sorts of fun. Care to hear more? Because your time is running out, and I bet you’re dying to know why!”
