Act IX

by Alexander Gordon

  Star meowed fiercely as she suddenly reappeared behind Daniel, the girl grabbing Reiko by the hair and yanking her up to face an extremely irritated jinx. The harvester merely blinked with her one eye then quickly broke free and clung to Daniel’s chest, inciting further alarm and anger from the other girls.

  “Is this what I must do to get your attention again?” she worried, nuzzling herself closer to Daniel while he was leaning back away from the girl’s decaying face. “Will you only listen to me if I dote on your human such as this?”

  Star frantically shook her head with quick meows to that. Daniel glanced back to see the jinx saying something anxiously in defense while waving her hands about before her then watched the ant girl next to him squeaking and punching the harvester to get off them. It only took two hits before the monster was knocked clear off into the air next to Lucky. Reiko slowly reoriented with a chuckle then smiled amusedly at seeing the ant girl squeaking at her with discontent and waving her off.

  “Such foul language,” Reiko playfully scolded with a shake of her finger. “You my dear are quite rude.”

  “You can understand her?” Triska asked. “You can actually understand not only Star but also ant girls as well?”

  “Of course,” Reiko smugly replied. “I hear the souls of others when they speak, I can understand her just as easily as with all of you. The voice of the soul always rings clearly in my ears.”

  The ant girl made a very recognizable hand gesture to show how much she didn’t care for the harvester and squeaked in a tone that suggested as much.

  “I’m understanding her pretty easily too,” Clover mentioned with a raised eyebrow at the girl. “She’s very clearly telling you to fuck off.”

  Reiko showed a bitter smile towards the ant girl with her ghostly tentacles extending out again, the limbs and their bladed ends swaying about and causing tension to rise once more with those around her.

  “My my, such a filthy soul in this one. I’m going to have to cleanse it immediately. It would be nothing but a grand service to Eden to be rid of such a horrible speaking bitch! How dare you talk to me like that, you wretched little whore!”

  Before she could charge Daniel lowered the ant girl’s arm and held out a hand towards Reiko.

  “Enough!” he called out, voice echoing into the cave and getting Cindy and Pip to stop nearby and take notice. “Our day has taken a very large detour and there is much we need to get straightened out to get back on track. We need to get out of this place and find our way again, we need to safely return our new friend here to her family and hopefully gain audience with her queen to discuss something very important, and we still need to find a place to make camp for the night that is surely approaching very quickly. We’ve got a lot to deal with, so I’m going to ask you kindly, once, to please calm and control yourself.”

  “Excuse me?” Reiko replied with a smirk. “What makes you think you can tell me what to do in the least?”

  The ant girl glanced to him with a raised eyebrow as Daniel showed not fear or doubt but rather a sharp gaze of indifference towards the harvester.

  “The only reason I’m talking to you right now is because you’re supposedly a friend of Star’s, that’s the only reason we’re not taking arms up against you as of now. You attacked my mates, you nearly killed Specca, and you are making this trek through the cave very tiring. Monsters like you would normally be the last we would expect to act civil with others, however you appear to have the ability to use self-control, albeit loosely. Can you please settle down so we can talk like refined beings of Eden?”

  Reiko slowly drifted closer to Daniel while her spectral extensions swayed about behind her, the harvester’s cold smile going over his calm appearance before she held a finger to her chin in question.

  “What is your name, human?”

  “Daniel Sorres.”

  “Daniel Sorres,” she replied distantly. “I’m going to ask you two questions, the answers to which will determine if we remain friends or become enemies.”

  Triska and the other girls tensed up and kept a close eye on the harvester, her spectral tendrils slowly arching back and aiming around the monster’s dress towards Daniel who kept a calm expression on his face.

  “The first,” Reiko started slyly, and then showed a genuinely curious look. “Why is it humans have two names? Isn’t one enough?”

  The other girls staggered slightly from that while Daniel showed puzzlement to that odd question.

  “What?”

  “Just what I asked. I don’t understand why humans feel the need to use more than one name. It’s excessive. Isn’t one name enough to be called in this world? Please explain why you humans use more than one.”

  Daniel slowly glanced around and saw the other monsters in the cave watching him curiously, apparently all wondering the same thing, while Triska had a dull expression set towards the inquiring harvester.

  “Well,” he slowly replied rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s simple really. The first is our own name, and the second is our family name.”

  “Family name?” Reiko repeated. “So you name clans you form with other humans for whatever reason? That still seems overly complicated and grossly unnecessary. Why is it humans do this?”

  “It’s our family names,” Triska spoke up. “Mine is Raylight, it belongs to those who are in my immediate family. My mother, father, siblings if I had any, it’s how we know what family line we come from.”

  “I see,” Reiko pondered. “So that means that if Daniel Sorres were to have children, they would don his second name in recognition that they are part of his family. Is that correct?”

  “Yes, that’s how it works,” Daniel agreed.

  Alyssa and Squeak glanced down and gently held hands over their waists while Triska smiled softly from the thought, the girls then quickly looking back to Reiko as she laughed a bit in amusement.

  “Still seems unnecessary, but I’ll chock that up to being silly human traditions,” Reiko reasoned with a careless shrug. She then cleared her throat and turned to him with a warning smile on her face. “That answers one question, however the second may be even more important that you answer correctly if we are to remain on speaking terms with each other and for me not to label you as a fool.”

  “I would hope it’s more important,” Alyssa dryly chimed in.

  “Why are you here?” Reiko asked. “You’re a long ways from any human settlement, deep in The Outerlands, and surrounded by many monsters who all need humans like you to breed with. Yet here you are, traveling with them, not being raped by them, claiming they’re your mates, and showing no fear to likes of me. In fact you’re speaking to me as if you were to one of your own kind. Where did you come from, and where are you going? What is it that has brought the likes of you out here?”

  “I’m glad to see you can speak gracefully when you choose to,” Daniel remarked. “I’ll be happy to tell you, I was just about to explain my reasons for being out here to our other new friend here before you came. While we make our way out of this cave, I’ll tell you both everything.”

  Reiko giggled then quickly flew around in a blur, circling the carriage then embracing Star from behind while nuzzling her cheek against the jinx’s.

  “Story time!” she cheered. Star yowled and thrashed about before Reiko quietly whispered into her ear. “Enough playing hard to get, Bloodcat. I want to pet you again.”

  Star froze and glanced to her with a quiet meow, seeing the harvester chuckling with a mischievous smile as she brushed the cat’s hair.

  “No more running away from your friend, alright? I’ve missed you so much since those days. You remember them, don’t you?” Reiko gently asked, then spoke in a faint whisper for only Star to hear. “Either we listen to his tale together, or I’ll start reminiscing about yours.”

  Star gulped and quickly looked around to see everyone watching her, except for Cindy and Pip who had resumed running about together with playful laughter. With a reluctant
growl Star settled down and allowed Reiko to hold and pet her, the dull frown on her face showing she didn’t like it but wasn’t going to tempt the harvester into enacting upon her threat. Reiko giggled and nuzzled against the jinx while her dress flowed freely above and behind, her curious yet haunting smile then turning to Daniel as she gently waved him on.

  “Speak, and enlighten us,” she politely requested, only to then talk in a cutesy voice while snuggling closer to Star. “I’m just going to hold onto my most favorite kitty in the whole wide world while you do so. Don’t mind us, hee hee!”

  “Okay then,” Daniel slowly replied with a weak smile. “Afterwards if you’re still in a talking mood with me perhaps we can discuss how you two know each other so well.”

  “I think that would be a very entertaining story to tell,” Reiko slyly mused, with Star looking to Daniel with eyes that showed great fear from that idea. “Maybe that would get Star to stop acting so cold towards me. All I really want is for my dear friend to like me after all.”

  Star slowly forced a smile, barely, and grudgingly held the harvester at her side, earning a happy squeal from the eccentric monster and a curious smile from Daniel.

  “Oh, then again we’ll see,” Reiko sighed in delight while nuzzling her cheek against Star’s. “We’ll see, we’ll see, we’ll see, hee hee!”

  Daniel shook his head slightly at seeing the girls appearing to get along then turned to the ant girl who was watching him with a raised eyebrow. She blew her bangs away from her eyes, showing them to have just enough interest in hearing his story, and then waved her hand to signal she was waiting.

  Triska watched from the corner of her eye as Daniel began telling the newcomers about his quest, with the ant girl showing hardly any interest while Reiko seemed more fixated on cuddling with Star than anything else. Hearing an agitated grunt she turned to see Kitten scowling at her while hovering above the ground like the ethereal image she was.

  “What are you thinking letting a harvester near my master like this?” Kitten angrily demanded. “I mean, okay, I get it, he’s out here to talk about peace and crap to other monsters. I can understand him talking to that ant girl, but why isn’t anyone else concerned about the soul stealing monster that’s right behind my master?”

  ‘I am concerned about Reiko being near him,’ Triska argued shaking her head. ‘We all are. I’m sure even Daniel’s leery about her being nearby. But she’s behaving with us, she isn’t trying to kill us to which wouldn’t likely be very difficult for her.’

  “She nearly killed your friend earlier, she could just as easily kill you all if she loses her shit again, and that includes my master! This is where I draw the line, Triska! It’s one thing to let that sand wraith stay with us, I mean she’s dangerous but at least she’s an idiot. That harvester is a natural born killer, something she cannot and I’m sure will not deny. There’s no reason for her to be allowed near my master like this!”

  ‘Daniel isn’t sending her away,’ Triska pointed out. She glanced back to see Daniel talking to the girls, having a calm smile on his face despite the soul eating monster lingering right behind him. ‘Maybe because she’s Star’s friend, or maybe he sees another possible ally for mankind. Either way he isn’t casting her away or fighting her off with his magic. He trusts her to an extent.’

  “That doesn’t mean she’s safe to have around him! How am I supposed to just accept this like you are?”

  ‘Trust him!’ Triska yelled in her mind towards the cambion. Kitten jumped back with a startle as Triska slowly shook her head. ‘That’s what we’re all doing right now! You think any of us are okay with Reiko hanging around Daniel at all? You think we’re perfectly fine with the idea of Cindy staying with us? They’re both dangerous monsters, known far and wide to be merciless killers and harbingers of death! And yet look over there!’

  Kitten saw through Triska’s eyes the sight of Cindy and Pip running about playfully near them, the fairy zigging and zagging around rocks and pillars while the wraith chased her with not-so-nimble steps.

  ‘She wanted to play with Pip,’ Triska said empathically. ‘A sand wraith who would normally only care about eating us alive wanted to play with that fairy because she likes her. Would you have ever believed she could behave like that? That she would be such a nice girl despite what she was?’

  “But…”

  ‘Daniel had faith there was a kindhearted girl in her, in a sand wraith. And he was right. Aside from her personal resentment towards me she’s been nice to everyone else. Despite being a monster that devours everyone around them, she’s been kind to us after Daniel talked to her. He got through to her, helped her overcome her nature, and may have even given her a better future because of it. Daniel trusts her, and so we’re trying to as well.’

  “Even so, are you saying you trust Reiko?”

  ‘I don’t know,’ Triska cryptically replied. ‘Part of me doesn’t, part of me will always be overprotective of my man and be ready to kill anything that gets too close to him. But the part of me that trusts Daniel is stronger, believes in what he’s capable of doing. I don’t know if I fully trust Reiko yet, but I know I trust Daniel with whatever decision he makes. If he feels there’s a chance we can be friends with Reiko, and maybe even form peaceful relations with her kind, then I’m going to have faith in him.’

  “She could kill him at any moment.”

  ‘So could any of us,’ Triska laughed in her mind. ‘He’s surrounded by monsters, ones that could overpower him, rape him, and even kill him. Yet despite that he’s smiling his usual smile and talking about ideas of peace between our races. He has faith in his beliefs, and so do we. The other girls out here with us feel the same way, that’s why they’re not attacking Reiko or trying to rush Daniel away to safety. They believe in him, and they believe he’ll be alright even with Reiko so close to him right now.’

  “You really have so much faith in him as that?” Kitten wondered. “That you would let him risk his life such as this?”

  ‘Don’t you have faith in him, Kitten?’ Triska quipped with a glance to her. ‘Aren’t you his devoted demon? Don’t you trust in your master’s decision?’

  “But… this is… it’s not that…” Kitten stammered before growling and looking down in frustration.

  ‘Daniel can bring out the best in any monster he speaks to. He helped all of you girls control your nature and become better people in life, there could be a chance he could win over Reiko as well. Speaking to any monster, getting as close to them as he does, he knows the risks he’s taking with his life. Even so he knows he can overcome them, and we have faith that he can as well.’

  “But with a harvester?” Kitten complained with an irritated scowl. “It was a miracle he managed to get that sand wraith to refrain from killing you all, but having this monster become an ally to anyone is hoping for too much. I have faith in my master, don’t misconstrue that, but it doesn’t mean I’m okay with him being so close to a murderous creature such as that soul stealer!”

  ‘I’m not exactly comfortable with it either, but even so I’m not losing my faith in Daniel’s ability to bring out the good in monsters he meets. If anyone can convince Reiko of peace between her kind and ours it would be Daniel.’

  “You really have complete faith in him talking to even a harvester about peace?” Kitten curiously asked. Triska chuckled at that and glanced to the side, seeing the still bodies of swarm clumped near the walls and rocks as they passed them by.

  ‘Given Daniel’s luck with winning over monsters so far, I’m wondering if he might even be able to convince swarm to be good girls.’

  *****

  Specca slowly opened her eyes with a quiet groan, senses gradually coming back to her as she realized she was lying on their bed with two butterfly girls sitting at her sides.

  “That’s twice today you’ve came close to dying,” Falla told her. “Either you’re really lucky or really unlucky, I can’t tell.”

  “Are you feeling al
right, Specca?” Luna worried, the girl wearing the nixie’s glasses while squinting through them.

  Specca slowly sat up holding her head, taking a moment to gather her thoughts before quickly looking about in a panic.

  “Wait, what happened? Where’s-”

  “It’s okay, calm down,” Falla assured taking the nixie by the shoulders. “The others are getting our home out of the cave filled with dead swarm. We brought you in here to rest after you fainted. Just take it easy.”

  “Where’s Reiko? Is she still here?” Specca asked looking around frantically.

  “Last we saw her she was crying and begging Star to forgive her for scaring you,” Falla answered with a shrug. “I think she’s still out there with everyone.”

  “She said she was sorry for scaring you like she did,” Luna mentioned with a weak smile. “Though she was giggling a lot when she said it, I’m not sure if she meant it.”

  “She didn’t,” Falla flatly remarked.

  “Star is really friends with that soul eating monster?” Specca asked in disbelief. “How did that ever happen?”

  “We’re not sure,” Falla said taking the nixie’s glasses off her sister’s face. Luna blinked and rubbed her eyes while Falla gently set the spectacles on Specca. “Daniel and the others are going to find out their story, as well as the other ant girl’s. I’m sure he’ll get everything figured out by the time we get out of this cave.”

  “This is all too much to handle at once,” Specca sighed covering her face. “First Cindy comes along, and then Clover and Doku become Daniel’s mates, and now we’re stuck underground from ant girls using bombs, and there’s a harvester who’s apparently friends with Star, and- oh my word, I just want to take a nice soothing bath and enjoy some tasty fish. But we’re all out of fish thanks to that troublesome cat!”

  “Specca, it’ll be okay,” Luna promised as she leaned closer to hold the upset nixie. Specca cried into her shoulder while the butterfly gently rubbed her back, her sorrowful sobs echoing in the room while bringing worried smiles to the sisters as well as another who came in from the archway.