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[Lord of the Mysteries] For the Ones We Left Behind 14/15 (7938 words)
Title: For the Ones We Left Behind 14/15
Fandom: Lord of the Mysteries
Character/Pairing(s): Audrey Hall, Leonard Mitchell, Melissa Moretti, Benson Moretti, Klein Moretti, Xio Derecha, Fors Wall
Rating: PG-13
Warning: none
Summary: MI9 catches Benson Moretti, and end up with more than they expect.
The angel of the Arbiter pathway gave Klein a curious look and addressed him, “You.”
Me? Klein thought, and stopped hissing, even if he didn’t shift from his defensive stance close to the ground. Klein wasn’t used to looking so far up to see people, but his current vision was better for the night than his normal one, and therefore it was easier for him to study the man’s impassive expression in the dark even if “His” face was much further up than usual.
Another figure stepped out from behind the man, clad in a simple white dress with a bark belt, and barefoot even in the cold spring night. “She” stared down at him with black eyes and did not offer a greeting, although Klein felt it was implied, as Madam Arianna definitely recognised him.
Seeing “Her” with the MI9 angel, Klein felt a little more reassured.
But… what was Madam Arianna doing with MI9?
“Step back,” Arianna said to him, holding up a silver object in “Her” hands. “I will take care of Zaratul.”
With Amon gone, Zaratul would recover from whatever was done to him, and likely either attack or run soon. Klein carefully padded out of Arianna’s way, and watched carefully as the Arbiter angel made “His” way over to where Amyrius and Celt were both struggling to stand against Audrey, who looked exhausted and back in her human form.
The angel didn’t look like “He” was going to start a fight, staring at the MI9 members with what could be interpreted as disappointment.
Klein turned his attention to the group of people who appeared behind them, and flicked his tail when he saw the wide-eyed members of a Red Glove team standing at the edge of the plaza, taking in the results of the fight.
With his current night vision, Klein could make out Leonard standing at the edge, along with the Goddess’s Sword, Crestet Cesimir, and three others. A motion next to him brought Klein’s attention upward, where he saw Arianna extend a hand down for him, “Her” other hand holding on to that strange silver artefact.
Reading “Her” invitation for what it was, Klein hesitated only a moment before he took the opportunity to jump onto “Her” arm and then climb his way up to hunch over a shoulder, tail twitching as “She” straightened and once more turned “Her” attention to Zaratul collapsed by a pile of rubble. Zaratul’s eyes were slowly gathering coherency.
From this height, he could see far more than he could when he was on the ground, even if Arianna wasn’t particularly tall. In the distance, Audrey had an arm out protectively to block the huddled figures of Xio, Fors, Benson, and Melissa. The Hounds of Fulgrim were gathered to her to extend that protection, although there were a number fewer than before.
Historical projections, Klein realised. Half of them that came with him were historical projections in the first place.
Klein didn’t dare look behind him to see the reactions of the Red Gloves as Arianna stepped forward again toward Zaratul, “Her” movements smooth and confident against a sequence one angel. The orb in “Her” hands glowed for a moment before it turned dark, a blackness that seemed to suck in all light that hit it, and Arianna held the orb to chest level as “She” said, “Return to where you rested. The Nation of Evernight awaits you.”
Zaratul’s figure blurred and started to disappear at the edges, but “He” snapped to awareness at that moment and looked ready to escape—
“Teleportation is restricted.”
The angel of the Arbiter pathway casually intoned, and Zaratul glared as “His” figure got blurrier, features fading away into something indistinct as Arianna held firm onto the artefact.
Ha, Klein thought smugly from his place atop Arianna’s shoulders. No historical projections, no teleportation, no chance of marionettes without being noticed since I took over all the small animals around here and everyone else is too observant to let you get away… go back to the Hornacis Mountains!
Then Zaratul’s voice boomed out, “I wish to escape this place!”
Suddenly, the dark orb within Arianna’s hands stuttered and flickered back to silver again and again, its power hiccupping, and the laws established on the plaza seemed to fade away as well, leaving holes that would make escape easy.
Zaratul smiled.
No! Klein’s claws extended, but there was nothing he could do as a mere cat, and he watched alongside everyone else as the robed figure disappeared into the spirit world within an instant, choosing to run rather than fight.
Arianna lowered the artefact, appearing neither triumphant nor disappointed, and didn’t spare a glance toward the other remaining angel before turning back toward the Nighthawks.
“Your Eminence, ah—”
“Madam,” Arianna corrected Cesimir tonelessly.
The senior Deacon lowered his gaze respectfully. “Apologies. Madam Arianna. The cat…?”
They were all staring at the thin black speckled cat that stood on Arianna’s shoulders, yellow eyes staring back at them unblinkingly.
“This,” Arianna told them expressionlessly, “is the Goddess’s Blessed.”
What??
—
“The Goddess’s cat?” Leonard blurted out in bewilderment, and he felt the others’ surprise and disbelief as well, enough that he didn’t think of correcting what he just said. Next to him, Cindy was jabbing at Leonard’s ribs repeatedly in amazement, a hand over her mouth to muffle any inappropriate questions.
Madam Arianna waited patiently for them to ask further, but the cat on “Her” shoulders had frozen in shock, its head swivelling between staring at the angel and staring at the rest of them. It then jumped from Arianna’s shoulders, and “She” made no motion to stop it even as several of the Red Gloves tensed and reflexively reached their hands to catch the cat before freezing.
Leonard hadn’t— he never imagined that the Goddess’s Blessed would be a cat! He knew that the Red Gloves were probably already gossiping about whether the new Blessed might be a man or woman, but no one ever mentioned cat!
Even Crestet Cesimir was so shocked he nearly dropped his sword.
The cat on the ground circled around on nimble paws, its tail lifted and turned downward at the end as it twitched from one direction to another. It gave them a baleful glare, and then purposefully turned to walk away.
Leonard gaped and couldn’t help pointing, “Wait! But shouldn’t we—?”
Arianna gave no indication of stopping the cat.
Next to him, Cindy was now making noises that sounded like a quiet kettle, and she moved on to yank hard at Bob’s arm as the young man gaped.
“C-cat,” she whispered not-so-quietly into her hand, “kitty!”
The cat’s ear twitched as if it heard and understood her, and it continued to walk toward the other side of the plaza, where Leonard was worried something really bad would happen to it— he could barely comprehend what must have happened here!
There were bodies of downed MI9 members scattered around, although they all looked like they were still breathing, and spiritual hounds that neither Madam Arianna nor the angel of the Arbiter pathway (George Augustus I himself!) paid any attention to, and then there was—
Audrey, standing proud and defiant, covering the figures of Fors, Xio, Benson, and Melissa.
“Shouldn’t we be helping the Goddess’s Blessed?” Cesimir finally managed to choke out.
Leonard, despite his fascination with the cat, was more worried about the Tarot Club! At least they looked safe as George Augustus took the other two MI9 demigods in hand, forcing them to stop the fight. But still he itched to go over and ensure for himself that everyone was okay.
He really wanted to help out with the fight but hadn’t been able to get away from the Church the entire night, this time under the active gaze of the other Red Gloves until Her Eminence— Madam Arianna— asked him where the fight was taking place (like she already knew it was happening!).
It wasn’t as if he could lie to an angel! An angel of his church and pathway! And Leonard was certain that the Goddess and Mr. Fool had some kind of agreement, even if he wasn’t brave enough to test the issue.
But even so… where was Klein? Leonard knew the other wouldn’t leave his siblings in danger voluntarily. Did Zaratul manage to disperse his historical projection before they got here?
Leonard’s eyes focused on the small cat walking away with them, each step with an attitude of deliberately ignoring them.
It…
He stilled in thought.
It couldn’t be… right?
No, no, it couldn’t be. Madam Arianna called the cat the Goddess’s Blessed, while Klein was definitely Mr. Fool’s Blessed.
But why would the Goddess’s Blessed be here? And if the Goddess and Mr. Fool really did have some kind of agreement…
Leonard’s eyes got wider and wider, and he found himself starting to mimic the nonsensical hand gestures that Cindy was frantically making to calm herself down. Was she a cat person? She must be, with the way her eyes were following the small figure.
Leonard eventually found himself raising a hand like he was still a schoolboy, and asking, “Can I— I’d like to make sure the people there— over there, that is… that they’re alright, is that okay? I’m going to go do that.”
That seemed to break the shocked daze everyone was in, and Deacon Cesimir blinked once before nodding, and then ordering the others, “Go check on the ones who are unconscious. Inform me if they need medical assistance.”
With that, Leonard was able to wiggle his way out of that job, instead nearly jogging after the cat toward where the Tarot Club was, under the watchful eyes of Madam Arianna.
He stayed two steps behind the cat cautiously, and then couldn’t stand it anymore, calling out in a whisper, “Klein?”
The cat did not pay him any attention and did not slow its steps, but an ear flicked with irritation, and Leonard knew at that moment. He reached down with twitching fingers and scooped the cat up despite its shocked yowl, and lifted it up to head level to stare at its furry face and narrowed golden eyes that nearly glinted in the dark.
A paw batted his cheek and mouth, but there was no hint of claw even as the cat hissed.
“Is this something a Seer can do?” Leonard asked with bewilderment.
Sure, now that he thought about it, Klein being able to turn into a cat wasn’t that far a stretch, but Leonard was certain that the mythical creature form of the Seer pathway wasn’t anything to do with felines.
The cat stared at him, and Leonard stared back.
As the silence drew on, Leonard finally started having doubts. He was still certain this cat had something to do with Klein, but maybe it was… a familiar? A marionette, maybe? Now he felt silly standing there holding up a cat and expecting it to respond to him.
Wait, no! Madam Arianna already confirmed that this cat was the Goddess’s Blessed, so it definitely wasn’t ordinary!
There were two angels here, but he just had to risk it.
“Old man,” Leonard said, and the cat twitched its tail this time and pushed at Leonard’s face with two paws, “can those of the Seer pathway change into animals?”
Pallez stirred in the back of his mind, and there was a vague irritation that Leonard could feel before the parasite answered very quietly, shapeshifting is one of their skill sets, yes.
Leonard knew this. He just hadn’t imagined the ability extended beyond human features. But then again, he imagined Klein would be too embarrassed for anyone to find out he could use that skill, which was silly. That was a very useful skill!
Before he could ask another question, the cat bit at the finger Leonard raised to touch its nose, and Leonard pulled back instinctively, allowing the cat to squirm and escape his hold, once again landing on the ground in a graceful arc.
It turned its head to give Leonard a baleful glare, and then continued on its way to where the other Tarot Club members and its siblings were, making little jumps over rubble that left Leonard staring.
Never mind, that is definitely Klein, Leonard thought.
—
“Sir,” Audrey greeted William Augustus I, knowing that her mannerisms were beyond the line of curtness straight into rude. She didn’t curtsy nor bow her head, although her tone was light and demure and that was as much concession as she was going to give in this situation.
The founder of Loen Kingdom (Audrey was careful to bury her amazement and anxiety over meeting him and the sheer shock that he was still alive—) barely glanced over at her before returning “His” attention to the two MI9 members who were bleeding from various wounds and scowling heavily even if they bowed their heads to “Him”.
In contrast, the angel stared longer at the spiritual canines, with just a hint of curiosity coming over “His” face so subtle anyone other than a Spectator might have missed it.
“The Hounds of Fulgrim,” “He” said, giving name to those creatures. The angel then turned toward the two bleeding men. “You’ve chosen a formidable foe.”
“We only responded due to an obstruction in our investigation,” Amyrius gritted out. “They were the ones who fought us.”
“We’re only here because you took my brother away!” Melissa spoke up, trying to stand despite the others pulling her back down. She held her head up proudly, defiant against an actual angel walking the earth. Even Audrey was a little shocked— was this the courage that ignorance brings?
“We have a right to investigate his abnormalities,” Celt spoke up, his voice softer than the Minister’s but with as much conviction. “If he is not guilty, he would have been returned unharmed and you would have gone about your day. Your Eminence, these are cultists we fought! Our investigation bore fruit!”
Xio stood up herself, fuming, “We are not—”
Well, Audrey thought, technically they were cultists.
“The Hounds serve a powerful master,” the angel said, ignoring the protests all around. “The move only for one being.”
Audrey understood what he was insinuating immediately.
Mr. Fool! The Hounds of Fulgrim were sent by Mr. Fool!
It made sense, then, for Mr. World to have disappeared for that period of time and then come back with backup. He must have reported what happened to Mr. Fool!
The Hounds circled their group tirelessly, red eyes lighting the area up with an ominous glow, keeping a careful watch of the angel opposing them. But George Augustus did not attack, and the Hounds therefore stayed quiet as well, although one perked up its head and looked out in the distance to where other people had shown up.
Audrey flicked her gaze over and felt relief overcoming her.
Mr. Star!
The handsome young man with red gloves was walking toward them, alongside a small creature. Perhaps one of Mr. World’s marionettes? Audrey was glad that it wasn’t a rat, but instead a dark-furred cat with its tail up in the air and intelligent yellow eyes.
“A powerful being?” Amyrius asked, and he gave the Tarot Club and Moretti siblings a dark look. “An enemy?”
Why question who it was when they couldn’t even defeat just a few Tarot Club members? Audrey thought proudly. She flexed her fingers, repeatedly opening and closing her hand as she kept a careful watch over the conversation that she understood they were being allowed to hear. If they weren’t meant to hear it, the angel would have confined or exiled them already.
“Only if you choose to make enemies,” this time, it was Mr. Star who spoke up as he got close enough to be part of the conversation. The cat next to him seemed to hesitate, drawing back slightly before it jumped up onto the wall the group had been hiding behind previously, eying the angel warily, only to turn that same wary gaze over to…
Two of the Fulgrim Hounds were wagging their tails happily, pressed up to the wall and looking up. If they stood on their hunches, they would be able to reach the cat, whose back arched in alarm.
Cute! Audrey thought, her hands coming up to interlace her fingers in front of her heart. It was so cute!
Yes, the cat must be one of Mr. World’s marionettes!
“Of course the Church of Evernight has something to do with it,” Amyrius said darkly. “What can we expect from an organisation based on keeping secrets from its own government? To scheme with the enemies of Loen Kingdom—”
“You forget that Seers are part of the Evernight Church,” Leonard interrupted him with a frown. “And the Morettis have close ties to us even without taking in the extraordinary.”
This seemed to shut the two MI9 members up, and their expressions turned thoughtful.
Leonard turned his attention to William Augustus and for a moment he looked nervous, but seemed to catch himself before he said, “Your Eminence, have they told you the events of today? MI9 captured Mr. Benson Moretti on suspicion of being a spy, due to him having a common protection charm in his possession. Mr. Moretti is family to a former Nighthawk, and an upstanding follower of the Goddess. Having a minor protection charm is not illegal. Stealing away an innocent civilian and exposing them to torture under an extraordinary item, however, might be. I’m afraid I’m not as adept with the law as these gentlemen here, so I’ll have to let them confirm.”
The angel turned to look at the agents calmly.
Celt’s shoulders were slowly lowering, and he fidgeted guiltily. “...Under wartime law, we are allowed to interrogate anyone we deem suspicious.”
“And reveal information about them that doesn’t have anything to do with you?” Xio spoke up angrily.
“Only those who are guilty have something to hide!” Amyrius snapped.
“Everyone has things to hide.” Audrey spoke up, feeling more an expert in this field. She turned to William Augustus, and this time gave a proper curtsy now that she understood the angel was not here purely to crucify the Tarot Club. “Your Eminence, everyone has secrets that they must hide. Whether because the secret you keep isn’t yours to tell, or to protect friends or family, everyone has things they will not tell others. That doesn’t make them a traitor to the nation! Isn’t this the very basis of the Beyonder world, to hide its horrors from civilians in order to allow them to live happily?”
She lifted her head from her deep curtsy, and addressed “Him” directly. “After all, your presence itself would be considered a secret from the general population, would it not?”
The founder of Loen Kingdom, hundreds of years old, still walking as an angel on earth.
“Also,” Audrey felt compelled to add, “The Moretti family knew nothing of the Beyonder world before tonight. They were in fact not hiding secrets at all. If MI9 exercises its right to ‘question’ anyone they see fit, shouldn’t they also be prepared for the backlash? What would the populace say should they find out any innocent person can be abducted and tortured? Or will you keep this a ‘secret’?”
“You—!” Amyrius spat out, lifting a finger speckled with blood to point accusingly at Audrey. “To twist our actions and threaten us—”
“Stop.” The angel commanded, and the Minister froze in place.
Audrey didn’t back down as she gazed calmly at the Minister of Defense. She had grown up around nobility and politics, and it would take more than an angry voice to phase her. She may not have much experience with the way politicians did things, but she learned from her periphery.
Founder of Loen Kingdom or not, angel or not, she wasn’t scared of William Augustus I, either. Even “He” admitted that the Tarot Club backer was powerful, and Mr. Fool was a kind being who looked after “His” followers!
Surprisingly, the angel turned “His” gaze toward the cat that was still staring warily at the Hounds of Fulgrim.
“And what is your stance on this?” William Augustus asked.
The cat turned its attention to stare at the angel with brilliantly yellow eyes. Its tail was swinging back and forth low on the wall, tempting a Fulgrim Hound to whine and raise a paw hesitantly, not quite batting at it but merely watching the cat tail swing back and forth.
Audrey finally turned her attention to Benson and Moretti, the subject of their talks, who both looked perplexed at the interaction.
The cat meowed, then chuffed, and coughed for a moment. After that, it said in a voice similar to Gehrman Sparrow’s, “What’s done is done. What matters now is ensuring this doesn’t happen again, and that we aren’t pursued for this.”
(Mr. Star called out, “I knew it!” and then raised a hand to his mouth to cover his outburst.)
The cat tilted its head at the angel and asked, “And you?”
“What’s done is done,” the angel echoed with a nod. “He” turned his attention toward the MI9 members. “You will be pursuing the matter no further.”
While Amyrius gritted his teeth, it was Celt whose jaw dropped as he protested, “To just listen to them like that—!”
(Next to Benson and Melissa, Fors pointed at the cat with a slack jaw, “Is that Gehrman?”)
“What of the cultists?” Amyrius asked instead, eyes glaring at the Tarot Club members. Audrey gazed back at him steadily, smiling as white scales flashed on her cheek for a brief moment.
“You will be pursuing the matter no further,” the angel repeated, and then disappeared as the matter was taken care of, likely back to “His” earlier duties before this.
Audrey’s calm posture tensed again, eying both Amyrius and Celt carefully. This time, however, she wouldn’t be fighting alone if they started something, since both Mr. World and Mr. Star were now here, and it looked like members of the Evernight Church were wrapping things up in the background.
Mr. Star must have felt the same, as he offered up a fake smile, “We’ve brought healing potions with us, for your men who have been injured. Should the church keep your defeat here tonight a secret for you as well? We’re quite good at keeping secrets.”
The cat coughed what seemed like a choked laugh, and then calmly turned around before it could be caught.
Mr. Star turned to the rest of the Tarot Club then and winked before he added, “If anyone else here is in need of medical attention as well, we will also provide it for you. After all, we have valued members of the church here tonight.”
Ahh, that was right! Not only Benson and Melissa, but Audrey and Xio were both considered followers of the Evernight Goddess as well. Audrey nearly flushed when she realised that, now feeling bad for her split faith. Lately, while she maintained her gestures of faith for the Goddess, her mind had been praying to Mr. Fool the entire time instead.
Audrey made the symbol of the red moon on chest as she said demurely, “Praise the Goddess.”
She felt a moment of envy for Mr. Sun, who was converting the City of Silver toward Mr. Fool. It would be nice to openly pray to “Him” without accusations of being a cultist.
Mr. Star led the two MI9 demigods away with only one lingering glance at the cat on the wall, and Audrey let out a breath she hadn’t known she was holding.
“So is that it?” Benson asked, holding onto his sister. “Is it all over?”
“For now,” Audrey admitted. “I suspect the trouble isn’t entirely over, but it’s the best we can get for now.” Unless she placed MI9 under mass hypnosis, that was. For a long moment, Audrey was very tempted to do so despite her tired spirituality.
She could do it, and then the Tarot Club wouldn’t have to worry about their information stored, or leaked, or exploited.
But Audrey knew her own limits— she would be unable to do anything to a full fledged angel, and if she tried something like this, she doubted William Augustus would be so lenient the next time they met.
“Don’t worry,” Mr. World said, having turned back to face them. Audrey noticed the cat subtly looking over at Benson and Melissa before looking away, and doing that several more times. It was such cat-like behaviour! Audrey itched to pet the soft fur, but held herself back because she didn’t think Mr. World would appreciate that. “The uncertainty will only last until there are enough followers.”
Followers for Mr. Fool! Audrey thought excitedly.
“And when will that be?” She asked.
The cat shook its head, and said in a manner that reminded Audrey very much of Mr. Fool, “Soon.”
It must be difficult, Audrey thought, for a god to be counted as an orthodox deity. If anyone worshipped a god that was not one of the seven, they were considered cultists! Yet if Mr. Fool needed a number of followers before “He” could be considered an orthodox god, then wouldn’t it be a conundrum? If you’re not an orthodox god, then you can’t grow your church without being hunted down, but in order to become an orthodox god, you need to grow your church!
Once again, Audrey felt a pang of envy for Mr. Sun’s freedom to worship Mr. Fool freely.
“And…” Audrey grew quiet, remembering her revelations tonight. She glanced over at Benson and Melissa, who were pretending not to listen in, but didn’t have anywhere else to go. “We had to tell Mr. Benson and Miss Melissa… quite a bit. Would you… like to tell them more?”
She hoped so. Now that the Moretti siblings already knew of the Beyonder world, and the Beyonder world knew of them, there was no need for Mr. World to stay away from his family, was there? She hoped he got to go home and rest, even if it was only from time to time. She thought that Melissa deserved to have her other brother back, especially a brother as amazing as Mr. World.
Audrey thought of her own brothers, of Hibbert who did his best, and of Alfred who had been away for too long but always answered her letters and sent her gifts from wherever he was.
The cat grew impossibly still, and Audrey could tell it was because he was actively working to conceal what he was feeling. It was so much more obvious as a cat! Mr. World was far more expressive in this form than normal, and it showed when he actively tried to control his own reactions when he felt he had something to hide.
The cat’s yellow eyes stared over at the Moretti siblings, and this time it was Benson and Melissa who were pretending they weren’t looking back, only sneaking glances once in a while.
“...Maybe,” Mr. World conceded. His tail flicked again, rousing the Fulgrim Hounds that had taken to lounging underneath the cat. Now that the threat seemed to be gone, they were all vying for space against the wall, watching the cat attentively. Audrey was a little hesitant still to approach the spirit creatures, but despite their frightening appearance, they looked very docile grouped up like that.
Mr. World paced around on the limited space at the top of the destroyed wall, looking down all the while. He seemed to grow more agitated as he realised there was no way down that didn’t involve landing atop one of the Hounds, as they had surrounded the area and were wagging their tails joyfully.
Like a cat trapped in a tree! Audrey thought but didn’t dare to say. It’s so cute!
Xio, who had previously been checking Fors and the Moretti siblings over to ensure they were uninjured, said, “Miss Audrey… your face is a little strange.”
Audrey patted her face and willed herself to stop thinking about how cute Mr. World was as a cat and tried to stop smiling like that as well. From the corner of her eye, she could see Fors looking dazed, her eyes staring blankly at the prowling cat.
Maybe now she can see how sweet Mr. World actually is, Audrey thought, seeing Miss Magician’s conflicting emotions clearly.
It was Melissa who found the courage to speak up first, as she asked the cat, “Do you… need some help getting down?”
Oh! Audrey thought, I should have offered as well!
Perhaps sure of his disguise this time, being a cat, Mr. World’s eyes lingered on Melissa, who gave him a concerned look.
“Thank you,” he said very primly, “I can handle it.”
And then he looked down at the Hounds and said in a strange tone, “Can you move a bit?”
In response, two of the Fulgrim Hounds lay down on their stomachs, looking quite proud.
The cat’s ear twitched in irritation. “I meant out of the way.”
One of the ones on the ground rolled over, half on the other Hound since there was no room to fully do so.
“You’re being pedantic,” Mr. World complained to the fearsome spirit creatures, and Audrey had to bring up both hands to her face to cover her amusement. “Move.”
In response to that, their tails wagged faster, and several yipped excitedly, a sweet noise that belied their size. In fact, in the excited thrum, it looked even more perilous for Mr. World to jump down.
There was a suspicious shake of the cat’s paws, and Audrey realised suddenly Mr. World was having a difficult time suppressing the cat’s instincts to flee from large and terrifying dogs. His voice sounded very firm and sure of himself, but the cat body was trembling ever so slightly.
“They don’t seem threatening,” Audrey voiced, hoping that the words said aloud might help calm Mr. World. “They seem very excited to see you.”
The cat managed to look quite skeptical.
“How about this,” Audrey stepped closer, and reached out her arms, “I can— that is to say, I have very sturdy skin! Do let me help in this situation, as a favour to me.”
Just in case Mr. World had been worried about the cat’s claws accidentally scratching Melissa, Audrey wanted to offer another solution. It also wasn’t empty words to say it would be a favour to her, as she really did want to help the cat!
Also, Audrey pretended not to notice how she could have found a plank or board to offer as a platform for him to leap off of. Mr. World could call her out on that, but she understood him well enough to know he would be too embarrassed to do so.
The cat took a step back, and then forward, before its ears drooped down in acquiescence. “...Then I’ll be troubling you, Miss Audrey.”
As the cat jumped from its position and Audrey caught him easily, the Hounds of Fulgrim were suddenly now very interested in Audrey, or in particular, the cat within Audrey’s arms. They swarmed once more, so that Mr. World would once more have a difficult time jumping down.
“They’re doing this on purpose,” Mr. World complained quietly, and Audrey smiled fondly at the warm and soft cat in her arms leaning ever so modestly away from her torso.
“I think they just want to greet you properly,” she told him. “Maybe if you let them do that, they’ll give you some space?”
When Mr. World didn’t protest, but instead flicked an ear to acknowledge he heard her, Audrey very carefully leaned down just slightly with the cat form of Mr. World carefully cradled in her arms, letting the Hounds lean up to sniff curiously, their cold and shadowy noses also brushing up against Audrey’s arms.
One particularly bold Hound very excitedly licked a long strip down the length of the cat, who stiffened in surprise. Then the Hound did it again, and this time the cat yowled and flailed, claws caught in Audrey’s sleeves as it tried to climb up to her shoulders.
Audrey carefully untangled his claws from her clothes, fondly thinking of when Susie was a puppy and would trap herself in the sleeves of her dresses, struggling until the seams tore.
“Be nice,” she found herself saying to the Fulgrim Hounds, who looked a bit chastised. Perhaps it was the sweet memories of Susie that made her bold in that moment. “You’re much, much bigger than Mr. Gehrman right now, and anyone would be intimidated by something so much bigger surrounding them.”
The bold one made a whining noise and stepped back, tail now hanging down and the red, fiery glow of its eyes somehow a little dimmer.
How sweet! They really do understand me.
This gave Mr. World just enough space to jump down to the ground should he choose, but instead the cat watched with its ears back from Audrey’s shoulder, the pupils of its yellow eyes narrowed into slits. Audrey already missed the comforting warm weight in her arms.
I’ll have to give Susie a long hug when I get home. I wonder how long she’ll let me get away with it…
“The fight is over,” Mr. World said to the Hounds, “How long are you staying here?”
The indignance in his tone sparked a snorted laugh, but it wasn’t from Audrey. They both turned their heads to see Fors with two hands covering her mouth, shrinking behind Melissa despite the fact that she was obviously taller.
“Please pretend I’m not here,” Fors’s words were muffled through her hands, looking mortified.
Melissa seemed to have the opposite attitude, openly curious about the fact that the cat was speaking, was negotiating with people, and that it was meant to be the legendary Gehrman Sparrow, from what she gathered.
Audrey could almost see the questions in her eyes, about powers and whether it meant people could turn into animals and—
“Can you crush a rock, too?” Melissa asked.
Next to her, Benson looked rather embarrassed by his sister.
—
That was not the question Klein expected to hear.
Klein didn’t know if the cat face could convey confusion, so he didn’t bother to hide it. Do I look like some Resident Evil character, especially now?
Yes, the Seer pathway gave him some manner of physical enhancement, but it was focused more on agility and muscle control without giving him extraordinary strength, and it definitely wasn’t enough to do something like crush rocks.
“No,” Klein told his sister, trying very hard to behave as if he wasn’t feeling something about speaking directly to Melissa again. He gave Fors a glance, the woman still flushed with embarrassment, and flicked the tip of his tail. Of course Klein had been watching from Sefirah Castle for most of their conversations, and recalled Leonard’s explanation.
“But you can change your form,” and at this point, Melissa had a very calculative look. Klein felt a full-body shiver as he was subject to her stare. “Does that mean you can— look like anyone?”
His spiritual intuition was warning him like crazy, and Klein stilled the cat body into deliberate placidness. Calm down, calm down, there’s no way—
“Miss Audrey called you Mr. Gehrman earlier,” Melissa continued, still with that look in her eyes and ignorant to the way some of the Tarot Club appeared a little panicked now. “Does that mean you’re really Gehrman Sparrow? The one who came to rescue us earlier?”
“Melissa!” Benson cried out, embarrassed for how forward his sister was being. He glanced over to Klein and Audrey, and bowed his head, “I’m sorry for how direct she is— and thank you for your help, all of you. I don’t understand what happened, but it happened because you came to help us.”
“Yes, thank you,” Melissa echoed before anyone else could respond, her tone sincere enough, but with an unmistakable sharpness. “You didn’t have to help, you don’t even know us, right? But you helped us anyway. I read that Mr. Sparrow is a bounty hunter. Should we provide a sufficient payment for your service?”
“Of course not!” Klein blurted out, feeling entirely bulldozed over by his sister’s statements. Since when has she become like this? Last he recalled, he could still wheedle her and slowly change her mind with his own statements. When had she upgraded that into her own version to fluster him?
The cat claws unconsciously kneaded at Audrey’s shoulder in distress. Luckily, Miss Audrey didn’t react negatively, but instead shifted her center of gravity to allow him better balance.
“But why not? We may not be able to match what you’re usually paid, but surely Gehrman Sparrow is renowned for his bounties? Mr. Sparrow, I do say, you looked startlingly familiar when you appeared earlier. Have we met before?”
She fired each sentence off like verbal gunshots, and Klein felt equally distressed and strangely proud of her assertive attitude, even as he looked around for some support. Benson stood shocked, while Fors was attempting to back away slowly while still maintaining a close enough distance to keep listening. Xio glanced back and forth between them, her expression also strangely blank.
No, no, he was not going to get flustered by this and behave in a non-Gehrman Sparrow way.
“We have, haven’t we.” Melissa said, and it was not a question. She then looked at Benson, her voice going up a pitch. “You felt it too, did you, Benson?”
“I—” Benson glanced between them as well, looking torn.
“You did.” Melissa insisted when it looked like her brother was going to stay silent. She whirled slightly to stare the rest of the Tarot Club members there in the face, her dress picking up from her quick movement. “I’ve had this whole evening to think, and nothing makes sense. Charms and magic and— MI9 wanting information from us.”
“It was a misunderstanding, Melissa,” Benson urged.
“It doesn’t feel like one,” Melissa declared.
Klein wanted to be anywhere but there at the moment. Even being up in the grey fog would be better, to view this scene from a distance. He could do that, he could just end his historical projection, and next time say whoops, guess time was up, it’s a reasonable series of events, after all—
“Maybe I normally wouldn’t have thought this,” Melissa continued to say, her eyes wide in the night and her usually carefully combed hair sticking to the side of her face thanks to previous events. “But I just learned so many impossible things. Like calling lightning and illusions and— and these creatures!”
She gestured to the Hounds of Fulgrim, who were still surrounding Audrey and watched the conversation with wagging tails and tilted heads.
“Maybe this is all just a strange dream I’ll wake up from in the morning,” Melissa said, hands shaking. “But until I wake up, I have to consider new possibilities. Invisible walls and shapeshifting and the churches and government hiding secret abilities. What is the extent of all this? Is it possible for someone to re—”
“Miss Melissa.” Audrey interrupted with a calm smile.
Klein’s heart felt like it was racing, and he looked over to see Audrey interlace her fingers in a demure fashion, head held high with a serious look.
“I understand this is a lot to take in,” Audrey soothed. “But there are some things that should not be said aloud.”
With that, her head moved slightly to look over at the Red Gloves and the MI9 members they were helping. Melissa’s mouth shut quickly, and she looked ready to cry.
“Will this all be just a dream in the morning?” Melissa asked. “All these abilities… is there one for making us forget, too?”
“Is that something you want?” Xio asked her very gently.
Melissa glanced at each of them, and then at Benson, who looked solemn, the lines of his face deep under the steady light of the gas lamps. After a moment of thought, she shook her head.
“No. I don’t like the thought of having my mind tampered with. I want to remember everything, even if it scares me. There are too many questions I need answers to.”
Klein leaned precariously over Audrey’s shoulder. “...What if you’re unhappy with the answers?”
His voice absolutely did not quiver, and he had enough control that he knew the cat body was still and not trembling. He thought of the conversation he had with Leonard earlier, about secrets and forgiveness.
“How could I be unhappy with something that’s true?” Melissa asked back. “My feelings don’t factor into whether something is real or false.”
Her fierce determination made Klein turn his head away, looking into the darkness instead. He saw as Arianna walked toward them calmly, stopping several steps away to give them space to talk. “Her” face and posture was as sedate as ever as “She” waited patiently.
“Madam Arianna,” Klein greeted, and finally found the courage to jump from Audrey’s shoulder to the ground in the small space that the Hounds of Fulgrim allotted him. As he trotted up to the angel of concealment, he could hear Benson speaking quietly to Melissa behind him, and Xio talking to both of them.
Arianna only nodded in greeting, sensibly not naming him. “Her” black eyes looked over at the others for a moment, long enough for them to fall quiet.
“Can this incident be concealed?” Klein asked quietly, understanding that he would be asking a favour from the Goddess for this. He didn’t like the idea of it, not when the Goddess had already done too much for him time and again. The feeling of being indebted was suffocating. Klein would normally seek to sort things out himself, but he was willing to incur this debt if it meant protecting his siblings and the Tarot Club.
There was little chance for Audrey to wipe the memory of everyone in MI9 now, especially with the Evernight Church also involved in the incident.
“Yes.” Arianna said. “It will be done after you leave. Tonight will be concealed from those in MI9 who are below the status of angels. Their lives will not be disturbed.”
It was a shame that the Tarot Club couldn’t take care of the incident themselves, but Klein felt a wave of relief nevertheless. Benson and Melissa didn’t have the ability to defend themselves against Beyonders…
But he didn’t like the idea that he used the Evernight Church’s powers to help in this incident at all.
Arianna must have sensed his hesitation, as “She” said, “In return, ”She” would like something you acquired tonight.”
Klein’s tail drooped in relief. That made things so much easier— 2-214 would be better suited behind Chanis Gate, and it was something he could willingly give up. Better to have a Sealed Artefact that exposes secrets kept safe by the Church known for concealment.
“Thank you,” he said sincerely.
Arianna nodded, accepting the gratitude, and then added, “The Goddess would also like to see you again soon, so take care of your business beyond “Her” sight.”
That was certainly easier said than done. “I’ll try.”
He ignored the strange reactions from behind him.
As Arianna walked away, eventually disappearing into the night as if erased entirely, Leonard jogged back.
“All done here?” He asked, expression bright as he took in the sight of the Fulgrim Hounds surrounding the small cat. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully for a moment, as if listening to an unheard voice, and then said, “You seem popular.”
Just to spite him, Klein turned his head away and didn’t respond, only to bump his nose against a Fulgrim Hound that leaned down to sniff at him curiously, causing the cat body to make an unholy noise in protest and jump back.
“Wow, they really like you!” Leonard exclaimed, ignoring his lapse in control. “I can understand it. Don’t worry, though, I can help.”
You’re not helping! Klein wanted to shout as he felt Leonard lift him up, his legs dangling humiliatingly in the air as he was suddenly above the Fulgrim Hounds’ eye level again. The spiritual creatures only looked too excited to see him in the air once more, not at all moving to protect him from the one abducting him!
“How long do you have left here?” Leonard asked conversationally, tucking the cat into his arms as if Klein gave him permission to do so (which he hadn’t!). “Why didn’t you answer me earlier?”
“Not long,” Klein answered reluctantly, and then swiped at him with a paw. Leonard only looked delighted at the action rather than chastised. “And cats don’t have human vocal cords. I had to figure that out.”
Actually, he knew how to change that already, but he hadn’t felt like answering Leonard and giving himself away so quickly.
Poet classmate, are you treating me like a real cat?
A hand was petting at his ears, and Klein gave Leonard the most unimpressed look he could muster. Then he twisted in Leonard’s arms to look down at the half dozen Hounds of Fulgrim and told them, “Thank you. You can return now. I’ll also be going back in a minute.”
One of the Hounds, one with only one glowing red eye, leaned up to press a cold nose against the cat nose for a moment before it retreated, and chuffed happily. It nudged at the other Hounds around it, and then turned away to disappear into the historical void, the other Fulgrim Hounds following suit after one last look back and several wagging tails.
“Put me down,” Klein said to Leonard. “It’s true that I can’t stay for much longer. I need you to help take them back home.” He didn’t have to specify who the ‘them’ were, as Leonard glanced at the Moretti siblings without being prompted.
“Of course I will,” Leonard replied. “That’s not something you need to ask from me. And wouldn’t you just disappear?”
“This body isn’t a historical projection,” Klein said as he jumped down, shaking his entire body for a second as if shaking off dewdrops from the fog. “It’s a marionette. You’re not going to like it when the spirit threads are cut.”
“Wait!”
Klein hesitated, and looked back over his shoulder to see Benson’s figure coming, the man’s fingers twitching without his cane and hat to hold on to. He looked tired from the long night with slight lines at the corner of his eyes, older than when Klein had seen him last.
Benson Moretti patted at his jacket, brows drawn together, and said, “Melissa wasn’t wrong. You… I wanted to say, thank you. Personally. I, too, have many questions, but…” the man laughed softly at himself. “I doubt you’ll answer them right now.”
No, although perhaps not for the reason Benson might think. Klein shifted his weight, tail twitching from side to side. Like he said to Leonard, he didn’t want his siblings to see the marionette strings fall.
“I do hope that one day…” Benson pressed a hand to his chest, “you could come visit us. And tell us… all about your adventures.”
Leonard’s eyes were wide, looking between the brothers, and Klein hung his head.
“One day,” Klein finally said, and dipped his head as if tipping a hat.
Then he left, disappearing deep into the shadows as he ran down the broken alleyways where no one could follow, leaving behind those at the plaza until he woke back in the Land Forsaken by God.
A/N: ...Did Benson and Melissa really figure it out? Not 100%. But they have super high suspicions. Of course Leonard figured it out immediately, though! Amyrius and Celt deserved more time to explain themselves but I didn't give it to them because this chapter was purely my reward to myself for this story. There were 3 things I wanted with this, and it was: Hounds of Fulgrim, cat!Klein, and him being outed as the Goddess's Blessed.
The rock crushing joke finally paying off here for those familiar with the Chris Redfield punching boulders meme, lol. Now to wind this all down.
Previous || Next
Fandom: Lord of the Mysteries
Character/Pairing(s): Audrey Hall, Leonard Mitchell, Melissa Moretti, Benson Moretti, Klein Moretti, Xio Derecha, Fors Wall
Rating: PG-13
Warning: none
Summary: MI9 catches Benson Moretti, and end up with more than they expect.
The angel of the Arbiter pathway gave Klein a curious look and addressed him, “You.”
Me? Klein thought, and stopped hissing, even if he didn’t shift from his defensive stance close to the ground. Klein wasn’t used to looking so far up to see people, but his current vision was better for the night than his normal one, and therefore it was easier for him to study the man’s impassive expression in the dark even if “His” face was much further up than usual.
Another figure stepped out from behind the man, clad in a simple white dress with a bark belt, and barefoot even in the cold spring night. “She” stared down at him with black eyes and did not offer a greeting, although Klein felt it was implied, as Madam Arianna definitely recognised him.
Seeing “Her” with the MI9 angel, Klein felt a little more reassured.
But… what was Madam Arianna doing with MI9?
“Step back,” Arianna said to him, holding up a silver object in “Her” hands. “I will take care of Zaratul.”
With Amon gone, Zaratul would recover from whatever was done to him, and likely either attack or run soon. Klein carefully padded out of Arianna’s way, and watched carefully as the Arbiter angel made “His” way over to where Amyrius and Celt were both struggling to stand against Audrey, who looked exhausted and back in her human form.
The angel didn’t look like “He” was going to start a fight, staring at the MI9 members with what could be interpreted as disappointment.
Klein turned his attention to the group of people who appeared behind them, and flicked his tail when he saw the wide-eyed members of a Red Glove team standing at the edge of the plaza, taking in the results of the fight.
With his current night vision, Klein could make out Leonard standing at the edge, along with the Goddess’s Sword, Crestet Cesimir, and three others. A motion next to him brought Klein’s attention upward, where he saw Arianna extend a hand down for him, “Her” other hand holding on to that strange silver artefact.
Reading “Her” invitation for what it was, Klein hesitated only a moment before he took the opportunity to jump onto “Her” arm and then climb his way up to hunch over a shoulder, tail twitching as “She” straightened and once more turned “Her” attention to Zaratul collapsed by a pile of rubble. Zaratul’s eyes were slowly gathering coherency.
From this height, he could see far more than he could when he was on the ground, even if Arianna wasn’t particularly tall. In the distance, Audrey had an arm out protectively to block the huddled figures of Xio, Fors, Benson, and Melissa. The Hounds of Fulgrim were gathered to her to extend that protection, although there were a number fewer than before.
Historical projections, Klein realised. Half of them that came with him were historical projections in the first place.
Klein didn’t dare look behind him to see the reactions of the Red Gloves as Arianna stepped forward again toward Zaratul, “Her” movements smooth and confident against a sequence one angel. The orb in “Her” hands glowed for a moment before it turned dark, a blackness that seemed to suck in all light that hit it, and Arianna held the orb to chest level as “She” said, “Return to where you rested. The Nation of Evernight awaits you.”
Zaratul’s figure blurred and started to disappear at the edges, but “He” snapped to awareness at that moment and looked ready to escape—
“Teleportation is restricted.”
The angel of the Arbiter pathway casually intoned, and Zaratul glared as “His” figure got blurrier, features fading away into something indistinct as Arianna held firm onto the artefact.
Ha, Klein thought smugly from his place atop Arianna’s shoulders. No historical projections, no teleportation, no chance of marionettes without being noticed since I took over all the small animals around here and everyone else is too observant to let you get away… go back to the Hornacis Mountains!
Then Zaratul’s voice boomed out, “I wish to escape this place!”
Suddenly, the dark orb within Arianna’s hands stuttered and flickered back to silver again and again, its power hiccupping, and the laws established on the plaza seemed to fade away as well, leaving holes that would make escape easy.
Zaratul smiled.
No! Klein’s claws extended, but there was nothing he could do as a mere cat, and he watched alongside everyone else as the robed figure disappeared into the spirit world within an instant, choosing to run rather than fight.
Arianna lowered the artefact, appearing neither triumphant nor disappointed, and didn’t spare a glance toward the other remaining angel before turning back toward the Nighthawks.
“Your Eminence, ah—”
“Madam,” Arianna corrected Cesimir tonelessly.
The senior Deacon lowered his gaze respectfully. “Apologies. Madam Arianna. The cat…?”
They were all staring at the thin black speckled cat that stood on Arianna’s shoulders, yellow eyes staring back at them unblinkingly.
“This,” Arianna told them expressionlessly, “is the Goddess’s Blessed.”
What??
—
“The Goddess’s cat?” Leonard blurted out in bewilderment, and he felt the others’ surprise and disbelief as well, enough that he didn’t think of correcting what he just said. Next to him, Cindy was jabbing at Leonard’s ribs repeatedly in amazement, a hand over her mouth to muffle any inappropriate questions.
Madam Arianna waited patiently for them to ask further, but the cat on “Her” shoulders had frozen in shock, its head swivelling between staring at the angel and staring at the rest of them. It then jumped from Arianna’s shoulders, and “She” made no motion to stop it even as several of the Red Gloves tensed and reflexively reached their hands to catch the cat before freezing.
Leonard hadn’t— he never imagined that the Goddess’s Blessed would be a cat! He knew that the Red Gloves were probably already gossiping about whether the new Blessed might be a man or woman, but no one ever mentioned cat!
Even Crestet Cesimir was so shocked he nearly dropped his sword.
The cat on the ground circled around on nimble paws, its tail lifted and turned downward at the end as it twitched from one direction to another. It gave them a baleful glare, and then purposefully turned to walk away.
Leonard gaped and couldn’t help pointing, “Wait! But shouldn’t we—?”
Arianna gave no indication of stopping the cat.
Next to him, Cindy was now making noises that sounded like a quiet kettle, and she moved on to yank hard at Bob’s arm as the young man gaped.
“C-cat,” she whispered not-so-quietly into her hand, “kitty!”
The cat’s ear twitched as if it heard and understood her, and it continued to walk toward the other side of the plaza, where Leonard was worried something really bad would happen to it— he could barely comprehend what must have happened here!
There were bodies of downed MI9 members scattered around, although they all looked like they were still breathing, and spiritual hounds that neither Madam Arianna nor the angel of the Arbiter pathway (George Augustus I himself!) paid any attention to, and then there was—
Audrey, standing proud and defiant, covering the figures of Fors, Xio, Benson, and Melissa.
“Shouldn’t we be helping the Goddess’s Blessed?” Cesimir finally managed to choke out.
Leonard, despite his fascination with the cat, was more worried about the Tarot Club! At least they looked safe as George Augustus took the other two MI9 demigods in hand, forcing them to stop the fight. But still he itched to go over and ensure for himself that everyone was okay.
He really wanted to help out with the fight but hadn’t been able to get away from the Church the entire night, this time under the active gaze of the other Red Gloves until Her Eminence— Madam Arianna— asked him where the fight was taking place (like she already knew it was happening!).
It wasn’t as if he could lie to an angel! An angel of his church and pathway! And Leonard was certain that the Goddess and Mr. Fool had some kind of agreement, even if he wasn’t brave enough to test the issue.
But even so… where was Klein? Leonard knew the other wouldn’t leave his siblings in danger voluntarily. Did Zaratul manage to disperse his historical projection before they got here?
Leonard’s eyes focused on the small cat walking away with them, each step with an attitude of deliberately ignoring them.
It…
He stilled in thought.
It couldn’t be… right?
No, no, it couldn’t be. Madam Arianna called the cat the Goddess’s Blessed, while Klein was definitely Mr. Fool’s Blessed.
But why would the Goddess’s Blessed be here? And if the Goddess and Mr. Fool really did have some kind of agreement…
Leonard’s eyes got wider and wider, and he found himself starting to mimic the nonsensical hand gestures that Cindy was frantically making to calm herself down. Was she a cat person? She must be, with the way her eyes were following the small figure.
Leonard eventually found himself raising a hand like he was still a schoolboy, and asking, “Can I— I’d like to make sure the people there— over there, that is… that they’re alright, is that okay? I’m going to go do that.”
That seemed to break the shocked daze everyone was in, and Deacon Cesimir blinked once before nodding, and then ordering the others, “Go check on the ones who are unconscious. Inform me if they need medical assistance.”
With that, Leonard was able to wiggle his way out of that job, instead nearly jogging after the cat toward where the Tarot Club was, under the watchful eyes of Madam Arianna.
He stayed two steps behind the cat cautiously, and then couldn’t stand it anymore, calling out in a whisper, “Klein?”
The cat did not pay him any attention and did not slow its steps, but an ear flicked with irritation, and Leonard knew at that moment. He reached down with twitching fingers and scooped the cat up despite its shocked yowl, and lifted it up to head level to stare at its furry face and narrowed golden eyes that nearly glinted in the dark.
A paw batted his cheek and mouth, but there was no hint of claw even as the cat hissed.
“Is this something a Seer can do?” Leonard asked with bewilderment.
Sure, now that he thought about it, Klein being able to turn into a cat wasn’t that far a stretch, but Leonard was certain that the mythical creature form of the Seer pathway wasn’t anything to do with felines.
The cat stared at him, and Leonard stared back.
As the silence drew on, Leonard finally started having doubts. He was still certain this cat had something to do with Klein, but maybe it was… a familiar? A marionette, maybe? Now he felt silly standing there holding up a cat and expecting it to respond to him.
Wait, no! Madam Arianna already confirmed that this cat was the Goddess’s Blessed, so it definitely wasn’t ordinary!
There were two angels here, but he just had to risk it.
“Old man,” Leonard said, and the cat twitched its tail this time and pushed at Leonard’s face with two paws, “can those of the Seer pathway change into animals?”
Pallez stirred in the back of his mind, and there was a vague irritation that Leonard could feel before the parasite answered very quietly, shapeshifting is one of their skill sets, yes.
Leonard knew this. He just hadn’t imagined the ability extended beyond human features. But then again, he imagined Klein would be too embarrassed for anyone to find out he could use that skill, which was silly. That was a very useful skill!
Before he could ask another question, the cat bit at the finger Leonard raised to touch its nose, and Leonard pulled back instinctively, allowing the cat to squirm and escape his hold, once again landing on the ground in a graceful arc.
It turned its head to give Leonard a baleful glare, and then continued on its way to where the other Tarot Club members and its siblings were, making little jumps over rubble that left Leonard staring.
Never mind, that is definitely Klein, Leonard thought.
—
“Sir,” Audrey greeted William Augustus I, knowing that her mannerisms were beyond the line of curtness straight into rude. She didn’t curtsy nor bow her head, although her tone was light and demure and that was as much concession as she was going to give in this situation.
The founder of Loen Kingdom (Audrey was careful to bury her amazement and anxiety over meeting him and the sheer shock that he was still alive—) barely glanced over at her before returning “His” attention to the two MI9 members who were bleeding from various wounds and scowling heavily even if they bowed their heads to “Him”.
In contrast, the angel stared longer at the spiritual canines, with just a hint of curiosity coming over “His” face so subtle anyone other than a Spectator might have missed it.
“The Hounds of Fulgrim,” “He” said, giving name to those creatures. The angel then turned toward the two bleeding men. “You’ve chosen a formidable foe.”
“We only responded due to an obstruction in our investigation,” Amyrius gritted out. “They were the ones who fought us.”
“We’re only here because you took my brother away!” Melissa spoke up, trying to stand despite the others pulling her back down. She held her head up proudly, defiant against an actual angel walking the earth. Even Audrey was a little shocked— was this the courage that ignorance brings?
“We have a right to investigate his abnormalities,” Celt spoke up, his voice softer than the Minister’s but with as much conviction. “If he is not guilty, he would have been returned unharmed and you would have gone about your day. Your Eminence, these are cultists we fought! Our investigation bore fruit!”
Xio stood up herself, fuming, “We are not—”
Well, Audrey thought, technically they were cultists.
“The Hounds serve a powerful master,” the angel said, ignoring the protests all around. “The move only for one being.”
Audrey understood what he was insinuating immediately.
Mr. Fool! The Hounds of Fulgrim were sent by Mr. Fool!
It made sense, then, for Mr. World to have disappeared for that period of time and then come back with backup. He must have reported what happened to Mr. Fool!
The Hounds circled their group tirelessly, red eyes lighting the area up with an ominous glow, keeping a careful watch of the angel opposing them. But George Augustus did not attack, and the Hounds therefore stayed quiet as well, although one perked up its head and looked out in the distance to where other people had shown up.
Audrey flicked her gaze over and felt relief overcoming her.
Mr. Star!
The handsome young man with red gloves was walking toward them, alongside a small creature. Perhaps one of Mr. World’s marionettes? Audrey was glad that it wasn’t a rat, but instead a dark-furred cat with its tail up in the air and intelligent yellow eyes.
“A powerful being?” Amyrius asked, and he gave the Tarot Club and Moretti siblings a dark look. “An enemy?”
Why question who it was when they couldn’t even defeat just a few Tarot Club members? Audrey thought proudly. She flexed her fingers, repeatedly opening and closing her hand as she kept a careful watch over the conversation that she understood they were being allowed to hear. If they weren’t meant to hear it, the angel would have confined or exiled them already.
“Only if you choose to make enemies,” this time, it was Mr. Star who spoke up as he got close enough to be part of the conversation. The cat next to him seemed to hesitate, drawing back slightly before it jumped up onto the wall the group had been hiding behind previously, eying the angel warily, only to turn that same wary gaze over to…
Two of the Fulgrim Hounds were wagging their tails happily, pressed up to the wall and looking up. If they stood on their hunches, they would be able to reach the cat, whose back arched in alarm.
Cute! Audrey thought, her hands coming up to interlace her fingers in front of her heart. It was so cute!
Yes, the cat must be one of Mr. World’s marionettes!
“Of course the Church of Evernight has something to do with it,” Amyrius said darkly. “What can we expect from an organisation based on keeping secrets from its own government? To scheme with the enemies of Loen Kingdom—”
“You forget that Seers are part of the Evernight Church,” Leonard interrupted him with a frown. “And the Morettis have close ties to us even without taking in the extraordinary.”
This seemed to shut the two MI9 members up, and their expressions turned thoughtful.
Leonard turned his attention to William Augustus and for a moment he looked nervous, but seemed to catch himself before he said, “Your Eminence, have they told you the events of today? MI9 captured Mr. Benson Moretti on suspicion of being a spy, due to him having a common protection charm in his possession. Mr. Moretti is family to a former Nighthawk, and an upstanding follower of the Goddess. Having a minor protection charm is not illegal. Stealing away an innocent civilian and exposing them to torture under an extraordinary item, however, might be. I’m afraid I’m not as adept with the law as these gentlemen here, so I’ll have to let them confirm.”
The angel turned to look at the agents calmly.
Celt’s shoulders were slowly lowering, and he fidgeted guiltily. “...Under wartime law, we are allowed to interrogate anyone we deem suspicious.”
“And reveal information about them that doesn’t have anything to do with you?” Xio spoke up angrily.
“Only those who are guilty have something to hide!” Amyrius snapped.
“Everyone has things to hide.” Audrey spoke up, feeling more an expert in this field. She turned to William Augustus, and this time gave a proper curtsy now that she understood the angel was not here purely to crucify the Tarot Club. “Your Eminence, everyone has secrets that they must hide. Whether because the secret you keep isn’t yours to tell, or to protect friends or family, everyone has things they will not tell others. That doesn’t make them a traitor to the nation! Isn’t this the very basis of the Beyonder world, to hide its horrors from civilians in order to allow them to live happily?”
She lifted her head from her deep curtsy, and addressed “Him” directly. “After all, your presence itself would be considered a secret from the general population, would it not?”
The founder of Loen Kingdom, hundreds of years old, still walking as an angel on earth.
“Also,” Audrey felt compelled to add, “The Moretti family knew nothing of the Beyonder world before tonight. They were in fact not hiding secrets at all. If MI9 exercises its right to ‘question’ anyone they see fit, shouldn’t they also be prepared for the backlash? What would the populace say should they find out any innocent person can be abducted and tortured? Or will you keep this a ‘secret’?”
“You—!” Amyrius spat out, lifting a finger speckled with blood to point accusingly at Audrey. “To twist our actions and threaten us—”
“Stop.” The angel commanded, and the Minister froze in place.
Audrey didn’t back down as she gazed calmly at the Minister of Defense. She had grown up around nobility and politics, and it would take more than an angry voice to phase her. She may not have much experience with the way politicians did things, but she learned from her periphery.
Founder of Loen Kingdom or not, angel or not, she wasn’t scared of William Augustus I, either. Even “He” admitted that the Tarot Club backer was powerful, and Mr. Fool was a kind being who looked after “His” followers!
Surprisingly, the angel turned “His” gaze toward the cat that was still staring warily at the Hounds of Fulgrim.
“And what is your stance on this?” William Augustus asked.
The cat turned its attention to stare at the angel with brilliantly yellow eyes. Its tail was swinging back and forth low on the wall, tempting a Fulgrim Hound to whine and raise a paw hesitantly, not quite batting at it but merely watching the cat tail swing back and forth.
Audrey finally turned her attention to Benson and Moretti, the subject of their talks, who both looked perplexed at the interaction.
The cat meowed, then chuffed, and coughed for a moment. After that, it said in a voice similar to Gehrman Sparrow’s, “What’s done is done. What matters now is ensuring this doesn’t happen again, and that we aren’t pursued for this.”
(Mr. Star called out, “I knew it!” and then raised a hand to his mouth to cover his outburst.)
The cat tilted its head at the angel and asked, “And you?”
“What’s done is done,” the angel echoed with a nod. “He” turned his attention toward the MI9 members. “You will be pursuing the matter no further.”
While Amyrius gritted his teeth, it was Celt whose jaw dropped as he protested, “To just listen to them like that—!”
(Next to Benson and Melissa, Fors pointed at the cat with a slack jaw, “Is that Gehrman?”)
“What of the cultists?” Amyrius asked instead, eyes glaring at the Tarot Club members. Audrey gazed back at him steadily, smiling as white scales flashed on her cheek for a brief moment.
“You will be pursuing the matter no further,” the angel repeated, and then disappeared as the matter was taken care of, likely back to “His” earlier duties before this.
Audrey’s calm posture tensed again, eying both Amyrius and Celt carefully. This time, however, she wouldn’t be fighting alone if they started something, since both Mr. World and Mr. Star were now here, and it looked like members of the Evernight Church were wrapping things up in the background.
Mr. Star must have felt the same, as he offered up a fake smile, “We’ve brought healing potions with us, for your men who have been injured. Should the church keep your defeat here tonight a secret for you as well? We’re quite good at keeping secrets.”
The cat coughed what seemed like a choked laugh, and then calmly turned around before it could be caught.
Mr. Star turned to the rest of the Tarot Club then and winked before he added, “If anyone else here is in need of medical attention as well, we will also provide it for you. After all, we have valued members of the church here tonight.”
Ahh, that was right! Not only Benson and Melissa, but Audrey and Xio were both considered followers of the Evernight Goddess as well. Audrey nearly flushed when she realised that, now feeling bad for her split faith. Lately, while she maintained her gestures of faith for the Goddess, her mind had been praying to Mr. Fool the entire time instead.
Audrey made the symbol of the red moon on chest as she said demurely, “Praise the Goddess.”
She felt a moment of envy for Mr. Sun, who was converting the City of Silver toward Mr. Fool. It would be nice to openly pray to “Him” without accusations of being a cultist.
Mr. Star led the two MI9 demigods away with only one lingering glance at the cat on the wall, and Audrey let out a breath she hadn’t known she was holding.
“So is that it?” Benson asked, holding onto his sister. “Is it all over?”
“For now,” Audrey admitted. “I suspect the trouble isn’t entirely over, but it’s the best we can get for now.” Unless she placed MI9 under mass hypnosis, that was. For a long moment, Audrey was very tempted to do so despite her tired spirituality.
She could do it, and then the Tarot Club wouldn’t have to worry about their information stored, or leaked, or exploited.
But Audrey knew her own limits— she would be unable to do anything to a full fledged angel, and if she tried something like this, she doubted William Augustus would be so lenient the next time they met.
“Don’t worry,” Mr. World said, having turned back to face them. Audrey noticed the cat subtly looking over at Benson and Melissa before looking away, and doing that several more times. It was such cat-like behaviour! Audrey itched to pet the soft fur, but held herself back because she didn’t think Mr. World would appreciate that. “The uncertainty will only last until there are enough followers.”
Followers for Mr. Fool! Audrey thought excitedly.
“And when will that be?” She asked.
The cat shook its head, and said in a manner that reminded Audrey very much of Mr. Fool, “Soon.”
It must be difficult, Audrey thought, for a god to be counted as an orthodox deity. If anyone worshipped a god that was not one of the seven, they were considered cultists! Yet if Mr. Fool needed a number of followers before “He” could be considered an orthodox god, then wouldn’t it be a conundrum? If you’re not an orthodox god, then you can’t grow your church without being hunted down, but in order to become an orthodox god, you need to grow your church!
Once again, Audrey felt a pang of envy for Mr. Sun’s freedom to worship Mr. Fool freely.
“And…” Audrey grew quiet, remembering her revelations tonight. She glanced over at Benson and Melissa, who were pretending not to listen in, but didn’t have anywhere else to go. “We had to tell Mr. Benson and Miss Melissa… quite a bit. Would you… like to tell them more?”
She hoped so. Now that the Moretti siblings already knew of the Beyonder world, and the Beyonder world knew of them, there was no need for Mr. World to stay away from his family, was there? She hoped he got to go home and rest, even if it was only from time to time. She thought that Melissa deserved to have her other brother back, especially a brother as amazing as Mr. World.
Audrey thought of her own brothers, of Hibbert who did his best, and of Alfred who had been away for too long but always answered her letters and sent her gifts from wherever he was.
The cat grew impossibly still, and Audrey could tell it was because he was actively working to conceal what he was feeling. It was so much more obvious as a cat! Mr. World was far more expressive in this form than normal, and it showed when he actively tried to control his own reactions when he felt he had something to hide.
The cat’s yellow eyes stared over at the Moretti siblings, and this time it was Benson and Melissa who were pretending they weren’t looking back, only sneaking glances once in a while.
“...Maybe,” Mr. World conceded. His tail flicked again, rousing the Fulgrim Hounds that had taken to lounging underneath the cat. Now that the threat seemed to be gone, they were all vying for space against the wall, watching the cat attentively. Audrey was a little hesitant still to approach the spirit creatures, but despite their frightening appearance, they looked very docile grouped up like that.
Mr. World paced around on the limited space at the top of the destroyed wall, looking down all the while. He seemed to grow more agitated as he realised there was no way down that didn’t involve landing atop one of the Hounds, as they had surrounded the area and were wagging their tails joyfully.
Like a cat trapped in a tree! Audrey thought but didn’t dare to say. It’s so cute!
Xio, who had previously been checking Fors and the Moretti siblings over to ensure they were uninjured, said, “Miss Audrey… your face is a little strange.”
Audrey patted her face and willed herself to stop thinking about how cute Mr. World was as a cat and tried to stop smiling like that as well. From the corner of her eye, she could see Fors looking dazed, her eyes staring blankly at the prowling cat.
Maybe now she can see how sweet Mr. World actually is, Audrey thought, seeing Miss Magician’s conflicting emotions clearly.
It was Melissa who found the courage to speak up first, as she asked the cat, “Do you… need some help getting down?”
Oh! Audrey thought, I should have offered as well!
Perhaps sure of his disguise this time, being a cat, Mr. World’s eyes lingered on Melissa, who gave him a concerned look.
“Thank you,” he said very primly, “I can handle it.”
And then he looked down at the Hounds and said in a strange tone, “Can you move a bit?”
In response, two of the Fulgrim Hounds lay down on their stomachs, looking quite proud.
The cat’s ear twitched in irritation. “I meant out of the way.”
One of the ones on the ground rolled over, half on the other Hound since there was no room to fully do so.
“You’re being pedantic,” Mr. World complained to the fearsome spirit creatures, and Audrey had to bring up both hands to her face to cover her amusement. “Move.”
In response to that, their tails wagged faster, and several yipped excitedly, a sweet noise that belied their size. In fact, in the excited thrum, it looked even more perilous for Mr. World to jump down.
There was a suspicious shake of the cat’s paws, and Audrey realised suddenly Mr. World was having a difficult time suppressing the cat’s instincts to flee from large and terrifying dogs. His voice sounded very firm and sure of himself, but the cat body was trembling ever so slightly.
“They don’t seem threatening,” Audrey voiced, hoping that the words said aloud might help calm Mr. World. “They seem very excited to see you.”
The cat managed to look quite skeptical.
“How about this,” Audrey stepped closer, and reached out her arms, “I can— that is to say, I have very sturdy skin! Do let me help in this situation, as a favour to me.”
Just in case Mr. World had been worried about the cat’s claws accidentally scratching Melissa, Audrey wanted to offer another solution. It also wasn’t empty words to say it would be a favour to her, as she really did want to help the cat!
Also, Audrey pretended not to notice how she could have found a plank or board to offer as a platform for him to leap off of. Mr. World could call her out on that, but she understood him well enough to know he would be too embarrassed to do so.
The cat took a step back, and then forward, before its ears drooped down in acquiescence. “...Then I’ll be troubling you, Miss Audrey.”
As the cat jumped from its position and Audrey caught him easily, the Hounds of Fulgrim were suddenly now very interested in Audrey, or in particular, the cat within Audrey’s arms. They swarmed once more, so that Mr. World would once more have a difficult time jumping down.
“They’re doing this on purpose,” Mr. World complained quietly, and Audrey smiled fondly at the warm and soft cat in her arms leaning ever so modestly away from her torso.
“I think they just want to greet you properly,” she told him. “Maybe if you let them do that, they’ll give you some space?”
When Mr. World didn’t protest, but instead flicked an ear to acknowledge he heard her, Audrey very carefully leaned down just slightly with the cat form of Mr. World carefully cradled in her arms, letting the Hounds lean up to sniff curiously, their cold and shadowy noses also brushing up against Audrey’s arms.
One particularly bold Hound very excitedly licked a long strip down the length of the cat, who stiffened in surprise. Then the Hound did it again, and this time the cat yowled and flailed, claws caught in Audrey’s sleeves as it tried to climb up to her shoulders.
Audrey carefully untangled his claws from her clothes, fondly thinking of when Susie was a puppy and would trap herself in the sleeves of her dresses, struggling until the seams tore.
“Be nice,” she found herself saying to the Fulgrim Hounds, who looked a bit chastised. Perhaps it was the sweet memories of Susie that made her bold in that moment. “You’re much, much bigger than Mr. Gehrman right now, and anyone would be intimidated by something so much bigger surrounding them.”
The bold one made a whining noise and stepped back, tail now hanging down and the red, fiery glow of its eyes somehow a little dimmer.
How sweet! They really do understand me.
This gave Mr. World just enough space to jump down to the ground should he choose, but instead the cat watched with its ears back from Audrey’s shoulder, the pupils of its yellow eyes narrowed into slits. Audrey already missed the comforting warm weight in her arms.
I’ll have to give Susie a long hug when I get home. I wonder how long she’ll let me get away with it…
“The fight is over,” Mr. World said to the Hounds, “How long are you staying here?”
The indignance in his tone sparked a snorted laugh, but it wasn’t from Audrey. They both turned their heads to see Fors with two hands covering her mouth, shrinking behind Melissa despite the fact that she was obviously taller.
“Please pretend I’m not here,” Fors’s words were muffled through her hands, looking mortified.
Melissa seemed to have the opposite attitude, openly curious about the fact that the cat was speaking, was negotiating with people, and that it was meant to be the legendary Gehrman Sparrow, from what she gathered.
Audrey could almost see the questions in her eyes, about powers and whether it meant people could turn into animals and—
“Can you crush a rock, too?” Melissa asked.
Next to her, Benson looked rather embarrassed by his sister.
—
That was not the question Klein expected to hear.
Klein didn’t know if the cat face could convey confusion, so he didn’t bother to hide it. Do I look like some Resident Evil character, especially now?
Yes, the Seer pathway gave him some manner of physical enhancement, but it was focused more on agility and muscle control without giving him extraordinary strength, and it definitely wasn’t enough to do something like crush rocks.
“No,” Klein told his sister, trying very hard to behave as if he wasn’t feeling something about speaking directly to Melissa again. He gave Fors a glance, the woman still flushed with embarrassment, and flicked the tip of his tail. Of course Klein had been watching from Sefirah Castle for most of their conversations, and recalled Leonard’s explanation.
“But you can change your form,” and at this point, Melissa had a very calculative look. Klein felt a full-body shiver as he was subject to her stare. “Does that mean you can— look like anyone?”
His spiritual intuition was warning him like crazy, and Klein stilled the cat body into deliberate placidness. Calm down, calm down, there’s no way—
“Miss Audrey called you Mr. Gehrman earlier,” Melissa continued, still with that look in her eyes and ignorant to the way some of the Tarot Club appeared a little panicked now. “Does that mean you’re really Gehrman Sparrow? The one who came to rescue us earlier?”
“Melissa!” Benson cried out, embarrassed for how forward his sister was being. He glanced over to Klein and Audrey, and bowed his head, “I’m sorry for how direct she is— and thank you for your help, all of you. I don’t understand what happened, but it happened because you came to help us.”
“Yes, thank you,” Melissa echoed before anyone else could respond, her tone sincere enough, but with an unmistakable sharpness. “You didn’t have to help, you don’t even know us, right? But you helped us anyway. I read that Mr. Sparrow is a bounty hunter. Should we provide a sufficient payment for your service?”
“Of course not!” Klein blurted out, feeling entirely bulldozed over by his sister’s statements. Since when has she become like this? Last he recalled, he could still wheedle her and slowly change her mind with his own statements. When had she upgraded that into her own version to fluster him?
The cat claws unconsciously kneaded at Audrey’s shoulder in distress. Luckily, Miss Audrey didn’t react negatively, but instead shifted her center of gravity to allow him better balance.
“But why not? We may not be able to match what you’re usually paid, but surely Gehrman Sparrow is renowned for his bounties? Mr. Sparrow, I do say, you looked startlingly familiar when you appeared earlier. Have we met before?”
She fired each sentence off like verbal gunshots, and Klein felt equally distressed and strangely proud of her assertive attitude, even as he looked around for some support. Benson stood shocked, while Fors was attempting to back away slowly while still maintaining a close enough distance to keep listening. Xio glanced back and forth between them, her expression also strangely blank.
No, no, he was not going to get flustered by this and behave in a non-Gehrman Sparrow way.
“We have, haven’t we.” Melissa said, and it was not a question. She then looked at Benson, her voice going up a pitch. “You felt it too, did you, Benson?”
“I—” Benson glanced between them as well, looking torn.
“You did.” Melissa insisted when it looked like her brother was going to stay silent. She whirled slightly to stare the rest of the Tarot Club members there in the face, her dress picking up from her quick movement. “I’ve had this whole evening to think, and nothing makes sense. Charms and magic and— MI9 wanting information from us.”
“It was a misunderstanding, Melissa,” Benson urged.
“It doesn’t feel like one,” Melissa declared.
Klein wanted to be anywhere but there at the moment. Even being up in the grey fog would be better, to view this scene from a distance. He could do that, he could just end his historical projection, and next time say whoops, guess time was up, it’s a reasonable series of events, after all—
“Maybe I normally wouldn’t have thought this,” Melissa continued to say, her eyes wide in the night and her usually carefully combed hair sticking to the side of her face thanks to previous events. “But I just learned so many impossible things. Like calling lightning and illusions and— and these creatures!”
She gestured to the Hounds of Fulgrim, who were still surrounding Audrey and watched the conversation with wagging tails and tilted heads.
“Maybe this is all just a strange dream I’ll wake up from in the morning,” Melissa said, hands shaking. “But until I wake up, I have to consider new possibilities. Invisible walls and shapeshifting and the churches and government hiding secret abilities. What is the extent of all this? Is it possible for someone to re—”
“Miss Melissa.” Audrey interrupted with a calm smile.
Klein’s heart felt like it was racing, and he looked over to see Audrey interlace her fingers in a demure fashion, head held high with a serious look.
“I understand this is a lot to take in,” Audrey soothed. “But there are some things that should not be said aloud.”
With that, her head moved slightly to look over at the Red Gloves and the MI9 members they were helping. Melissa’s mouth shut quickly, and she looked ready to cry.
“Will this all be just a dream in the morning?” Melissa asked. “All these abilities… is there one for making us forget, too?”
“Is that something you want?” Xio asked her very gently.
Melissa glanced at each of them, and then at Benson, who looked solemn, the lines of his face deep under the steady light of the gas lamps. After a moment of thought, she shook her head.
“No. I don’t like the thought of having my mind tampered with. I want to remember everything, even if it scares me. There are too many questions I need answers to.”
Klein leaned precariously over Audrey’s shoulder. “...What if you’re unhappy with the answers?”
His voice absolutely did not quiver, and he had enough control that he knew the cat body was still and not trembling. He thought of the conversation he had with Leonard earlier, about secrets and forgiveness.
“How could I be unhappy with something that’s true?” Melissa asked back. “My feelings don’t factor into whether something is real or false.”
Her fierce determination made Klein turn his head away, looking into the darkness instead. He saw as Arianna walked toward them calmly, stopping several steps away to give them space to talk. “Her” face and posture was as sedate as ever as “She” waited patiently.
“Madam Arianna,” Klein greeted, and finally found the courage to jump from Audrey’s shoulder to the ground in the small space that the Hounds of Fulgrim allotted him. As he trotted up to the angel of concealment, he could hear Benson speaking quietly to Melissa behind him, and Xio talking to both of them.
Arianna only nodded in greeting, sensibly not naming him. “Her” black eyes looked over at the others for a moment, long enough for them to fall quiet.
“Can this incident be concealed?” Klein asked quietly, understanding that he would be asking a favour from the Goddess for this. He didn’t like the idea of it, not when the Goddess had already done too much for him time and again. The feeling of being indebted was suffocating. Klein would normally seek to sort things out himself, but he was willing to incur this debt if it meant protecting his siblings and the Tarot Club.
There was little chance for Audrey to wipe the memory of everyone in MI9 now, especially with the Evernight Church also involved in the incident.
“Yes.” Arianna said. “It will be done after you leave. Tonight will be concealed from those in MI9 who are below the status of angels. Their lives will not be disturbed.”
It was a shame that the Tarot Club couldn’t take care of the incident themselves, but Klein felt a wave of relief nevertheless. Benson and Melissa didn’t have the ability to defend themselves against Beyonders…
But he didn’t like the idea that he used the Evernight Church’s powers to help in this incident at all.
Arianna must have sensed his hesitation, as “She” said, “In return, ”She” would like something you acquired tonight.”
Klein’s tail drooped in relief. That made things so much easier— 2-214 would be better suited behind Chanis Gate, and it was something he could willingly give up. Better to have a Sealed Artefact that exposes secrets kept safe by the Church known for concealment.
“Thank you,” he said sincerely.
Arianna nodded, accepting the gratitude, and then added, “The Goddess would also like to see you again soon, so take care of your business beyond “Her” sight.”
That was certainly easier said than done. “I’ll try.”
He ignored the strange reactions from behind him.
As Arianna walked away, eventually disappearing into the night as if erased entirely, Leonard jogged back.
“All done here?” He asked, expression bright as he took in the sight of the Fulgrim Hounds surrounding the small cat. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully for a moment, as if listening to an unheard voice, and then said, “You seem popular.”
Just to spite him, Klein turned his head away and didn’t respond, only to bump his nose against a Fulgrim Hound that leaned down to sniff at him curiously, causing the cat body to make an unholy noise in protest and jump back.
“Wow, they really like you!” Leonard exclaimed, ignoring his lapse in control. “I can understand it. Don’t worry, though, I can help.”
You’re not helping! Klein wanted to shout as he felt Leonard lift him up, his legs dangling humiliatingly in the air as he was suddenly above the Fulgrim Hounds’ eye level again. The spiritual creatures only looked too excited to see him in the air once more, not at all moving to protect him from the one abducting him!
“How long do you have left here?” Leonard asked conversationally, tucking the cat into his arms as if Klein gave him permission to do so (which he hadn’t!). “Why didn’t you answer me earlier?”
“Not long,” Klein answered reluctantly, and then swiped at him with a paw. Leonard only looked delighted at the action rather than chastised. “And cats don’t have human vocal cords. I had to figure that out.”
Actually, he knew how to change that already, but he hadn’t felt like answering Leonard and giving himself away so quickly.
Poet classmate, are you treating me like a real cat?
A hand was petting at his ears, and Klein gave Leonard the most unimpressed look he could muster. Then he twisted in Leonard’s arms to look down at the half dozen Hounds of Fulgrim and told them, “Thank you. You can return now. I’ll also be going back in a minute.”
One of the Hounds, one with only one glowing red eye, leaned up to press a cold nose against the cat nose for a moment before it retreated, and chuffed happily. It nudged at the other Hounds around it, and then turned away to disappear into the historical void, the other Fulgrim Hounds following suit after one last look back and several wagging tails.
“Put me down,” Klein said to Leonard. “It’s true that I can’t stay for much longer. I need you to help take them back home.” He didn’t have to specify who the ‘them’ were, as Leonard glanced at the Moretti siblings without being prompted.
“Of course I will,” Leonard replied. “That’s not something you need to ask from me. And wouldn’t you just disappear?”
“This body isn’t a historical projection,” Klein said as he jumped down, shaking his entire body for a second as if shaking off dewdrops from the fog. “It’s a marionette. You’re not going to like it when the spirit threads are cut.”
“Wait!”
Klein hesitated, and looked back over his shoulder to see Benson’s figure coming, the man’s fingers twitching without his cane and hat to hold on to. He looked tired from the long night with slight lines at the corner of his eyes, older than when Klein had seen him last.
Benson Moretti patted at his jacket, brows drawn together, and said, “Melissa wasn’t wrong. You… I wanted to say, thank you. Personally. I, too, have many questions, but…” the man laughed softly at himself. “I doubt you’ll answer them right now.”
No, although perhaps not for the reason Benson might think. Klein shifted his weight, tail twitching from side to side. Like he said to Leonard, he didn’t want his siblings to see the marionette strings fall.
“I do hope that one day…” Benson pressed a hand to his chest, “you could come visit us. And tell us… all about your adventures.”
Leonard’s eyes were wide, looking between the brothers, and Klein hung his head.
“One day,” Klein finally said, and dipped his head as if tipping a hat.
Then he left, disappearing deep into the shadows as he ran down the broken alleyways where no one could follow, leaving behind those at the plaza until he woke back in the Land Forsaken by God.
A/N: ...Did Benson and Melissa really figure it out? Not 100%. But they have super high suspicions. Of course Leonard figured it out immediately, though! Amyrius and Celt deserved more time to explain themselves but I didn't give it to them because this chapter was purely my reward to myself for this story. There were 3 things I wanted with this, and it was: Hounds of Fulgrim, cat!Klein, and him being outed as the Goddess's Blessed.
The rock crushing joke finally paying off here for those familiar with the Chris Redfield punching boulders meme, lol. Now to wind this all down.