The Carnelian Fox

by Kay MacLeod

  A group of armoured officers with fresh Gems, all sporting law enforcement badges, flooded the creaking corridor. I recalled Finn just before the cool metal of handcuffs ringed my wrists and two uniformed men dragged me away from Charlotte’s body.

  Chapter Thirty

  “The employees all reported you broke in and stole an elder kit from their facility. What do you have to say about that?”

  They were playing good cop, bad cop. So obvious, so cliché.

  The woman pushed a mug of steaming hot chocolate towards me. I took a tentative sip while I adapted to manoeuvring with bound wrists.

  “Just tell us your side of the story, Sam. We want to hear what really happened. I mean, if you were in the wrong, you wouldn’t have pulled the tab, would you?” How patronising. I didn’t want to talk to this pawn. What was the point?

  “Perhaps you called for help because you got caught and thought you could scam your way towards a free kit? We checked your log, your fox reached elder level while you were in there.” The burly male officer slammed a palm on the table they’d cuffed me to.

  “I want to talk to Mina Capshaw.” I wanted answers and someone to blame more than anything.

  “You’re talking to us, Sam. What happened? We’re here to help. You called us, remember?” The woman brushed back her copious blonde curls over her shoulder and seated herself opposite me. “What are you going to tell people when they ask what happened here?”

  “Fetch Mina.”

  “That’s enough.” Her unmistakable voice sounded from speakers. It wouldn’t surprise me if she’d been behind the one-way mirror the entire time. I’d kind of counted on it.

  The edge of the door scraped as Mrs Capshaw stepped in. Heels echoed throughout the bleak space. Her imposing figure cut a perfect silhouette against the cold neon lights of the hallway outside the interrogation room the duo questioned me in.

  “Get out,” she told the officers. They complied.

  Reaching across the table, Mrs Capshaw took a key and unlocked my wrists. Then she sat back into the officer’s chair and watched me over steepled hands.

  “Why didn’t you contact me?”

  “Why did you kidnap me?” I countered.

  “Didn’t I ask first?”

  “I don’t deal well with feeling like I’m caged. Or actually being caged.”

  “This is bigger than you, Sam. You knew that and still risked yourself, anyway. You agreed with me last time we spoke and then went against everything we discussed. Can you blame me for wanting to step in?”

  “I can blame your jellyfish man for killing Charlotte.” I gripped the edge of the metal table, letting the chill seep into my skin so I experienced something other than grief and white-hot rage.

  “Oh.”

  I’d never seen her so distracted. She rubbed the corner of one eye, delicate so as not to smudge her makeup. Then pursed her lips, pupils wavering in a slight dance as she considered my words.

  I made a circle of my arms on the table and rested my throbbing head on top. Let her sort this mess out.

  I stayed like that for ages, listening to the tap, tap of Mrs Capshaw on her eBand. Maybe I cried, but I didn’t know if I’d ever be the same again. Callum’s accident was the worst thing that had ever happened to me, but losing a Gem was different. I should have kept her safe. She’d given me everything, and I’d let her down in the hugest way imaginable.

  “He’s gone, Sam. I’ve let Davies go. Incompetence or sloppiness is unacceptable from my staff. I didn’t intend for anyone to get hurt, least of all you or her.”

  “Is he? I doubt you’d fire someone with a Gem that strong.”

  “There are plenty more like him. I frequently cull my list to those most suited for my work.”

  “Well, what now?” I murmured, lethargy overwhelming me to the point I didn’t even care whether she caged me.

  “Now I make all this go away and you promise to keep your mouth shut. You’re smart enough to do that.” Mrs Capshaw leaned back in her chair, every iota of her attention intent on my reaction.

  “I can just walk out of here? No strings attached, no blood contract?”

  “Why won’t you believe we’re on the same side? I’m not here to restrict you or to fight you. I’m here because you could be in danger, which would put me and our entire way of life in jeopardy. Also, I’m here to drop all charges against you and send you on your merry little quest. As far as it concerns anyone, you got accidently mixed up in this mess. You wandered into the wrong area by accident and didn’t understand why you’d ended up held in the facility while the police came to retrieve you. You panicked and pulled your SOS. There was no theft, no reason for the battle. It happened because of a misunderstanding. That is the most you will ever say to anyone, and I will make sure no one bothers you further with it. I think that’s a fair solution, don’t you?”

  I nodded. To be honest, it was better than anything I’d hoped for. I imagine nobody else would have the same deal offered to them.

  “You must keep some protection around, Sam. Until you can fend for yourself at least. This time you won’t have the chance to cooperate. You won’t even realise they’re there until you need them. Which, if you stay on this trajectory, won’t take long, I’m sure.”

  “Are you sending Eli after me again? Because I’m getting bored with that guy ruining my life.”

  “I suppose you didn’t hear? No, how would you? I’m uncertain whether you’ll take this as good news, but Elias was the one person in that building unaccounted for during the police raid. We intended to ask you what happened to him. No one knows where he is.”

  ***

  That’s that part of the story, I guess. Of course, there’s more. Damn, there’s always more.

  It crushed me back then, the conspiracies and the battles and the loss. I couldn’t imagine things getting any more messed up after that. When I left the police station, I was firm in my mind I would set out to be a typical battle Prime. Go train my Gems, build my broken team back to full strength, enter some contests. I was done with adventures and hurting. It was time to settle down, earn some credits, be normal.

  But you know me. Nothing ever goes to plan, right?

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  Game Mechanics

  Welcome to Mag-Core’s official guide to Maiyamon! We’ll walk you through everything you need to know to get started as a Primary User of your very own Genetically Engineered Monster (Gem).

  Typing:

  This table shows the strengths and weaknesses of each type of attack. All Gems naturally resist their own typing. They are usually born with a single type and may gain a secondary type when they evolve. Some dual typed Gems will gain attacks or abilities not available to any other combinations such as a flame/frost Gem using frostfire or a water/flame Gem using steam.

  Animal:

  The variety of Gems are endless! Every animal comes in every type combination and many mythical creatures have been brought to life through Maiyamon too. Most animals will have a role they perform best, such as a defensive rhinoc
eros or a swift cheetah, but Gems are adaptable with the right training and upgrades.

  Size:

  Your Gem will be one of four sizes - tiny, average, large, or gargantuan. Larger Gems have higher physical attack and defence, smaller Gems are faster and more evasive.

  Evolution:

  Gems evolve as they gain experience, changing their form and growing into a more powerful monster with higher overall stats. The stages are – cub, adolescent, and mature. An established Prime may even gain the knowledge to allow one of their mature Gems to reach a fourth form with the use of an elder kit.

  Stats:

  Every Gem has a unique stat pattern determined from birth. Some monsters may seem better than others, but you can always use upgrades to boost areas your favourites are lacking in.

  The stats are-

  Physical strength

  Elemental power

  Physical defence

  Elemental resistance

  Attack speed

  Evasion

  Stamina

  Intellect

  Accuracy

  Upgrade slots:

  A cub starts with one upgrade slot and unlocks an additional one each time they evolve. A mature Gem will automatically gain a random upgrade with their evolution.

  You can fill these slots with enhancements or equipment. Enhancements are destroyed if removed, equipment can be moved between Gems.

  Upgrades can boost a stat, give a special resistance, add a weapon, teach an attack, or give an ability such as water breathing. Experiment with different combinations for your team!

  You can also gain upgrades for yourself that allow you to choose premium evolution types such as giving your Gem wings, a humanoid form, or transforming into a hybrid. Visit our online store for more details.

  Aesthetic Packs:

  You can alter the appearance of Gems with aesthetic packs. These only provide cosmetic changes but can be a lot of fun, especially if you want to enter your Gems into shows. Packs can include a change of length for fur/feathers, a ruff/mane/crest, change of skin type like fur/feathers/scales/leathery, and add colour or an overlay like sparkles or a shimmer.

  Traits:

  Not all Gems have traits. Some develop them when they evolve, gain them from tough challenges, or are simply born with them.

  Traits can provide abstract effects or change the way a Gem may behave. Other traits are specific to an animal such as the ‘producer’ trait on furry animals that give their Prime a piece of wool every few days that can be sold or collected to exchange for aesthetic packs.

  You’re ready to choose your first Gem and begin your own adventure, but there is always more to discover with Maiyamon! Make sure you follow us to keep up with the latest news and updates.

  Monster catching just got real!

  Acknowledgements

  No matter how many times I write an acknowledgements section, even when I end up mentioning the same people, it’s an emotional experience. I think about all the people that have supported me and given up their time and energy to make sure something I’ve created is the best it can be. My name may be on the cover, but these are the guys that helped polish this book into something you get to enjoy too.

  First, I thank God for every drop of weirdness and creativity He blessed me with. Even my initial drive to write books after years of just wanting to came from a lady asking a simple question in church.

  “What are you passionate about?”

  That first thing you thought of just now, that’s there for a reason. Do something with it. My immediate answer was ‘fantasy stories’ so I figured I better get on with publishing them.

  Next, I want to thank my parents. When you bought me a Gameboy Pocket and Pokémon Red when I was eleven, I bet you didn’t think I’d still be playing those games and writing books in that genre in my thirties! You guys always encouraged me to love whatever I was interested in. Never any expectations or discouraging me away from things because of my age or gender. I’m comfortable in my own passions and interests no matter who I’m around because of the way you raised me and that helps so much in writing authentically without fear of being judged.

  Caz, what can I even say? You’re so consistent (without being obnoxious ;D) every step I take on this journey. No matter what I need, you’re always there to beta read, edit/proof, plug me on your BookTube channel (Catsandcamera for everyone else reading this), and give advice when I’ve looked at something for too long and can’t figure out what’s good anymore. Thank you for telling me when I’m being crap, thank you for catching my mistakes, thank you for being so truthful that when you tell me you love something, I know I’ve genuinely done a great job! I appreciate you more than you could know.

  My awesome beta team! You guys gave me incredible feedback. I fixed some bits that could have been major issues because of things you picked up on and got to add in some fantastic suggestions to help flesh things out.

  Kev, I love how you’re always honest with me and always willing to hash out ideas and designs until they’re perfect. Thank you so much that you always have time for me! Whenever I panic about pretty much anything writing related, I know I can turn to you for advice.

  Kirsty, the pure positivity and excitement you had for this book was such a boost for me! It’s always scary to write in a new genre, especially one where there aren’t many examples to take cues from, but when I read your response, I realised I was onto something good. Thank you for your awesome encouragement.

  Debbie, thank you for always being there for me as a fellow writer as well as my beta reader. It was so useful to have the opinions of someone who isn’t familiar with the genre to know whether my explanations worked. It’s a relief to know that people other than gamers could enjoy this story too!

  Jason, your in-depth analysis and comparisons with other areas of the market was vital in tweaking the last edits of this book. I wanted to make this something that fulfils a desire that readers are missing right now, thank you for helping me to move towards that goal. I hope I’ve managed to accomplish it.

  Nick, thank you for always being willing to read something I wrote, even if it isn’t your typical reading fare. I think a good story should always be enjoyable and I know you’d tell me if you didn’t enjoy it!

  I definitely need to thank my incredible husband too. Al, you’re the most supportive, patient, loving person I could ever hope to be married to. I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I appreciate the crap out of you and I’m going to buy you such a fast car one day!

  Last, I want to thank you for reading! I hope this story satisfied a craving and you’re hungry for more. Since eleven-year-old me found this genre, I always wanted to read stories like this but never found many to enjoy. I’m intending to rectify that. Sam and Finn, along with the rest of the team, will be back soon. I’d love to expand the world and follow more Primes through their adventures too, if you guys are up for reading them?

  Anyway, much love to you all!

  Take care, Kay