by J. J. Egosi
“She was driving way over the speed limit that fateful day. How she even got to the sixth dimension is beyond me. That woman has probably been dimension jumping her entire life, in hopes of finding a good home.”
“And it seems she settled for you,” Michael said.
“Not exactly,” Alexa replied.
Michael looked at her in confusion. Isabella and Julianna mirrored while Ursula looked the other way.
Alexa took a deep breath. “Just as it was my turn to go through the four way intersection, that moron comes flying in, hitting me on my left side. I swear that imbecile must have never driven in her life.”
The memory of their collision still sent her blood boiling. Not nearly as much as it did when it happened. Rather, there was a calmness to that day now.
“I took her to court immediately after that. After just a few minutes, the jury concluded that Ursula could not pay for the damages on my steam craft. She had two options left: a life sentence or an execution.”
“That seems rather extreme for a traffic offense,” Michael suggested.
“Not when it wasn’t your first accident,” Alexa replied with a stoic glare.
Michael stared in silence, racing with what sort of trouble she caused with past incidents. Julianna and Isabella were just as nervous, turning their attention towards Ursula. She looked away, trembling with fear.
“It also didn’t help that any crimes dealt against the queen were handled with extra severity.”
Alexa recalled the court hearing and the judge’s immediate inclination to favor her. They never so much as glanced over her file. The jury and the audience were all on her side, as well, leaving Ursula to represent herself.
“Seeing the despair in her eyes, I knew I couldn’t let her ago. She was an idiot, but no one deserves to go down that way.”
She recalled Ursula’s whimpering terror and the tears that spilled from her face in the courtroom before the judge.
“What I did was quite controversial. I pleaded to the jury to let me take her in as my servant to pay for my damages. This happened about a year ago. We’ve been tied at the hip ever since.”
Michael only realized now Alexa had smiled during the last part of her story, and he smiled, too. “I understand now.”
“You understand what?” said Alexa.
“You really care about that girl, don’t you? However, your cruel ways as a tyrannical businesswoman have prevented you from ever showing her the care that she deserves,” he said.
“You just like making assumptions, don’t you? A narcissistic prick is what you are,” Alexa said with a scowl.
I’m sure you probably had some sort of reputation to uphold. Your kind always does,” said Michael, looking over at an embarrassed Isabella.
“Shut up. You don’t know me!” Alexa refuted.
“I think I do, Alexa. You’ve grown cold as a leader. Now, the only way you communicate with Ursula is through your rage. Despite all this, I think that deep down, you’re a good person,” he said.
“What? After everything you’ve said to me and everything you’ve seen me do, you still think I’m a good person?” Alexa said, completely confused.
“Yes. I do.” Michael replied in a calming tone. “That day you could have let Ursula die or rot in some prison cell. But you showed compassion, despite her inconveniencing you. Although many years of stepping on people for financial and political gain have hardened you to the point where your heart seldom beats, I’m sure you can express your feelings to Ursula appropriately. A way that shows the compassion I know you have for her.”
Tears flowed from Alexa’s face. “Damn it! Why did you have to read so much into everything? I was just trying to do something nice for once that day.”
“That’s how he is.” Isabella smiled.
“Kind-hearted and resilient. Even if he is a little stupid sometimes.” Julianna smiled, too.
“And while you probably made her life difficult, I’m sure she was grateful to you for allowing her to have one at all,” Michael said to Alexa.
He looked over at Ursula and smiled. She looked back at him and smiled back.
“You’re right.” Alexa began, with a deep breath. “Ursula means a great deal to me. I’ve just never been able to express myself, as you said.”
“It’s not too late. I’m sure Ursula’s waiting to start the life she wanted all along. A life where she can call you her friend,” Michael said.
“A friend.”
Alexa dropped to her hands and knees. The titan disappeared, returning the lands to their peaceful state.
Michael walked up to her with a smile. “I’m proud of you, Alexa.”
“You’re proud of me? Why?” Alexa asked.
“Facing your problems is never easy. And you did it. That’s why,” Michael replied with an earnest grin.
Alexa looked up at him, bewildered, before breaking out into a chuckle.
“You’re peculiar, you know that.” Alexa rose to her feet, smiled, and wiped her tears. “All my accomplishments, money, and power, yet you’re the first to ever acknowledge the kindness deep within me. You’re the only person to ever say they’re proud of me.” Alexa leaned forward, pulled him into a tight hug, and kissed him on the lips, as tears poured down her face.
His eyes quickly widened with disbelief. The girls looked at them both with expressions of frustration and outrage.
“Surely, this is a joke,” Julianna said.
“Afraid not. It appears with his kind heart, she’s also smitten with him,” Isabella said.
Michael released her from his lips and stared into her eyes with a nervous laugh. “You dimension walkers sure are affectionate once you break through your thick exteriors,” he said. She nodded and laughed too.
Ursula ran up to them, hugging Alexa with as much tightness as she could muster and crying with joy. “I’ve waited so long for this day.”
“The wait is finally over. I can finally be the person I wanted to be. Someone you deserve. And it’s all thanks to Michael,” said Alexa, looking over at him.
Michael returned to his normal form and nodded. “It was nothing. I’m just happy to help.”
“Is there any way we can return the favor?” Ursula asked, tugging him by one arm.
He looked down at Ursula’s low-cut top, and then his face reddened from embarrassment. “None that I can think of, so don’t worry about it.”
“Yes, Michael.” Alexa wrapped herself around his other arm. “If there is anything we can do, please ask. We will make ourselves of use to you, any way we can.”
He only noticed now her top was just as revealing. He could almost see the outline of her nipples peering from the top. He gulped and looked the other way.
“It’s alright, I’m fine,” he said in a high-pitched voice.
Isabella and Julianna stormed toward him, grabbing him by the legs. “He’s mine. Hands off, you pink-haired slut!” said Isabella.
“Slut? I don’t think so,” Alexa replied. “I’m only trying to return the favor.”
“Return the favor without kissing my husband,” Isabella demanded.
“He’s my husband,” Julianna protested.
Julianna and Isabella exchanged scornful looks, unaware they were stretching Michael well beyond the point of comfort.
Alexa looked over at them with a smile. “Admittedly, I was a bit jealous when I saw Ursula kiss him with such ardor. I suppose a part of me wanted to experience a bit of that.”
“And what did you think?” Ursula asked.
Alexa smiled. “I think he and I are going to be the best of friends.”
“Let go of me, please. All of you.” Michael gritted his teeth in discomfort from the tension of being pulled in four directions.
Julianna and Isabella looked at one another with stern nods.
“I think the competition for his heart just got stiffer,” said Julianna, “Which means something else did.”
“I say we call a truce. At lea
st until we know for certain he doesn’t harbor any feelings towards either of them,” said Isabella.
Julianna looked down and saw a clear bulge under Michael’s belt. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. Isabella noticed it too and reacted the same way.
“What a masochist,” they both said.
“Well, since you offered a repayment, Alexa, I’d be happy with you teaming up with us. That is, once you and the others put me down.”
“You mean that?” Alexa said, wide-eyed.
The four of them placed him back on his feet. He relaxed his muscles back into place while he caught his breath.
“Yeah. We’re going after the same organization and, together, we have four titans against their two. We’ll be unstoppable!”
“Which means they can never have more than us,” Isabella said, smiling with optimism.
“That demon king will be history,” Julianna said with a confident smile.
Right, Michael thought, I got so caught up in dealing with these two I nearly forgot the dream I had with Lucifer.
He looked around at the smiling faces and nodded.
When I had that vision of something flying down from another world, this was far from what I expected. But I can’t complain. With two more allies, we’ll be even stronger. I’ll be sure to tell all of them my findings once my back stops aching so much.
“This is great,” Ursula said in an enthusiastic tone. “The five of us. A total dream team!”
“I’ll have some royals ship over necessary funds. A mission like this could take a while,” said Alexa.
“I guess we’re setting up camp for two more,” Julianna suggested.
“We sure are,” Michael replied.
They all looked at each other with wide enthusiastic smiles, confident about the new friendship and adventures ahead of them.
Chapter 5
The Face Of All Your Fears
A
week had passed since Alexa and Ursula joined Michael’s group. They settled in comfortably with the team, getting along with one another. Despite the occasional difference, their ambitions to defeat the legion of Morningstar remained aligned.
Julianna rose when the sun’s light barely graced the eastern horizon. She wiped the sleepiness out of her eyes and stepped outside to the sound of birdsong. She had a primary task on her mind this day: to sew and enchant infinity bags for the rest of her team. She gathered her tools, laid them across the wooden table she engineered for this task, and got to work.
Ursula walked up to her with a curious gaze. “Hey, what do you have going on there?”
“It’s the new infinity bags I’m making for you,” Julianna replied.
“Yes, she’s quite the talented one, isn’t she?” Isabella chimed in while wrapping her arm around Isabella.
“That’s very flattering, but I need to concentrate. One wrong stitch and the enchantments won’t work,” Julianna said as she took Isabella’s arm off her.
Isabella pouted. “Fine. Refuse the compliment, now, will you?
Julianna sighed. “If you want me to teach you how to sew, I can do that another time.”
Isabella’s face lit up with joy. “That would be great!”
“Do you think you could teach me too? These bags look really cute!” Ursula said.
“I’m glad you think so. I picked the colors myself,” Julianna proudly said, focusing on the pink bag meant for Alexa.
Alexa didn’t share their sentiments. Her focus was elsewhere, reserving her interest for something worth her while.
Ursula looked at her. “Hey, aren’t you excited about the bags too?
Alexa scoffed. “Not even a little.”
“You could at least show some gratitude.” Isabella bitterly said.
“It’s fine. She’s just being bitchy because she likes nothing from this dimension,” said Julianna.
“That’s not it.” Alexa sneered.
“Then, what is it?” Julianna asked.
“Did you have to make them the same colors as our hair?” Alexa inquired.
“Why, do you not like it? I thought they’d be easier to identify that way.” Julianna explained, surprised by Alexa’s opinion.
“You don’t think it’s strange? I mean, it’s bad enough we’re using such outdated technology, but to color coordinate on top of that? Seems a bit much. A little childish if you ask me,” Alexa said.
“Tell me what you think,” Julianna said with a dim eyed glare.
Ursula said, “Oh, come on! They’re super adorable. I bet you’ll come to love it,” nudging her shoulder.
“Doubtful,” Alexa said before she turned away from the group.
“I’ve been meaning to ask; these enchantments, I mean…” Isabella began.
“Yes?” Julianna replied, looking up from the bag she was working on.
“I hate to be rude, but couldn’t you put these enchantments on any bag? Why go through the trouble of making new ones?” she asked.
“It’s because only a certain material is compatible with the enchantments. None of our current knapsacks will work, so these will have to do,” Julianna replied, tightening the seams on Alexa’s bag.
“That’s a leather outline, right?” Isabella felt her fingers across the smooth strips across the bag. “Won’t that get damaged by the rain or snow?”
Julianna smiled. “It’s a magic bag. Equipped to combat any outside resistance. Not even a sword could pierce through one of these.”
“A sword? Really? That’s so cool. Alexa, how could you say this is lame and shitty?” Ursula said, standing over the table with an innocently expectant smile.
You called my bags lame and shitty?” Julianna asked, looking at them all with a downhearted glare.
Alexa rolled her eyes, placed her palm on her forehead, and shook her head. “Damn it, Ursula! I told you that in secrecy.”
“Whoops, sorry. You should have let me have the last slice of smoked beef last night.” Ursula pulled on her lower eyelid with her finger mockingly.
“No one gets in the way of my food and you know that!” Alexa responded.
“You girls certainly have an interesting dynamic going on,” Isabella said, laughing. “I’m glad to see you’re getting along.”
“I wouldn’t go that far.” Alexa crossed her arms and looked away. She peeked back and forth in Ursula’s direction before forming a smile. “But, I suppose things could be worse.”
“Yeah, I could have gone hungry!” Ursula said with a gasp.
“Shut up.” Alexa nudged her with a smile.
“And done!” Julianna said, finishing the last stitch on the bag. “Perhaps now that it’s finished, a certain stuck up queen will change her tune.”
“Super cute! Alexa, if you don’t want it, can I have it?” Ursula asked, holding her bag in the air.
Alexa snatched it from her hands. “No, it’s mine.” She clasped it and looked away in embarrassment.
Julianna looked over at her with a smug expression. “So, you do like the bag, don’t you?
“No, they’re fucking stupid. I just don’t like sharing with Ursula. That’s all,” Alexa claimed, blushing.
“Just say you like the bag. Otherwise, I’ll have to give it to Ursula. Or even worse, Michael!” Julianna said, grinning.
Alexa’s eyes widened. “You wouldn’t!”
“I’m an assassin. I can make anything happen.” Julianna reached for the bag. Just before she could, Alexa quickly turned away, guarding the bag against her.
“Fine, I like it,” Alexa admitted.
“I’m sorry. What was that?” Julianna said, looking over her shoulder.
“I said the bag’s great, alright? It’s efficient and fashionable,” Alexa assertively replied to the group.
“Good. Now, hand it over so I can enchant it for you,” said Julianna. Alexa reluctantly did as she requested.
“Hey, speak of the angel; where is he, anyway?” Isabella asked.
Alexa added, “We should
be planning team maneuvers to combat the threat of the demon king and his legion. Where the hell is he?”
“It’s only nine, so he’s probably still sleeping,” Julianna replied before enchanting Alexa’s bag.
“That’ll be the third morning in a row he’s missed sword training lessons, correct?” Ursula asked.
“Yes…” Julianna said, regretfully.
“What a bum.” Alexa rolled her eyes and sighed.
“Maybe he’d like a bag, too. Perhaps a gift from a pretty girl will motivate him,” Isabella said, grinning as she eyed Julianna.
“Flattery won’t work for you,” said Julianna.
“As if. I was talking about me delivering the bag. I’ll see what he’s doing.” Isabella walked over to his tent.
“Be careful. A man that age could be doing some very questionable things at this hour,” Alexa stated, looking over at his tent.
“Like what?” Ursula asked.
“Like playing with himself,” Julianna replied with a mischievous grin.
“What? Why would he do that when he has us?” Ursula asked, flabbergasted.
“Who can say? He’s always been reserved about his feelings,” Isabella said, sighing.
“Maybe he needs a confidence boost,” Ursula replied, heading towards his tent.
“Sorry, but satisfying a man’s ego is not my problem. If he doesn’t realize what he’s got, that’s his problem,” said Alexa.
“How charming. I’m sure when Michael decides on who to marry, he will keep you in mind,” Julianna said, sarcastically.
Alexa replied, “I should hope so. I’m the oldest, tallest, smartest, richest, and best looking. Even a nitwit like him would know I’m the obvious choice.”
“Hey, guys!” Isabella shouted in their direction from outside his tent. “Come Look!”
“Why, what’s wrong?” Julianna asked as she and Alexa rushed towards his tent to join the others.
“I swear. That man needs so much coddling,” Alexa said, shaking her head.
“I’m sorry. Wasn’t it you who cried in his arms after he beat you?” Julianna said.
“It was a fucking tie, damn it!” said Alexa, her face reddening.
They peeked in Michael’s tent and found him lying half-naked in a scatter of empty beer and liquor bottles, reeking of alcohol.