Prologue 7 (Part 3) Ripples Of Growing Influence and Another Bold Move.

Videos had circulated of yesterday and it was now the talk of the school on how things had turned out in regards to their bet and the way The Sprites now regarded the Pixie. In addition with their call or new members, they were at an all-time high, but Kazu Nini was disappointed and shocked at how easily the Sprites had given up.

A part of her wanted them to have reacted.

Oh well, less drama meant that some of her goals would go on unnoticed; so she was not really bothered. This weekend though, she could not wait for the trip. Throughout the day she had been commended on how she had been able to finish her assignments, catching up to the class and still topping her grades.

She had been on a peak of positive energy so far.

Just as she sat with her friends and as the last period of the day was about to commence when she had told them about additional requirements to enter and the need for more staff, The Principal walked into the classroom and they all stood up to greet him. He raised a hand and they all stopped halfway as if there was a weight to everyone's very being. So strong it was that some started choking.

"Brave Pixie, come." It walked away and she followed, now remembering that the Twins were in the class she imagined their smug looks as she was just called to the Principal's office.

Or would they still have the guts to even show her that expression now?

Kazu Nini walked into a room that she had been in before; long curtains, open, that met either ends of it's wall and a desk with cabinets and 3 chairs about it. Another was just after her, where it gestured for her to sit by tapping the chair's back rest as he walked before the open window that showed some of the side and front of the school which he always left open to see his students go about their daily lives.

"I saw the video." She positioned her back into the chair and she was not sure what to say although part of her had expected this. "It was reckless."

"It was necessary."

"Still reckless."

"No, just ruthless."

It waited, "and what made the brave Pixie decide to make her very own horror skit?"

"When you are in a war, or a tug or a test or a bet or even a gamble, you need to crush all opposition so thoroughly that they should cower to even raise their heads." She knew she made him think about if he truly knew her. "Power, connections and roots are not held with only character. Light illuminates darkness, but darkness sharpens light." [1]

"So, you felt you had a place in their hearts and what? You want to be immortalized?"

She chuckled. "I honestly would not mind that but the purpose I did it was far from the bet I made and even recruiting people to me or even influence. This was something far back I had always planned and the bet just solidified my conviction towards doing it."

"Might I inquire?"

"No."

It sighed but smiled. "This would indeed make people think twice of kidnapping you or even bullying in this school as your counterparts – Devon and Kivon's Society, I forget the name – have learned how ruthless you are which in turn will prohibit them from acting against anyone under you that furthermore makes you a shield. However..."

"Kings, Queens and Jesters," se helped him complete his sentence and he had kept quiet as if he had read the future of her about to speak. Kazu Nini kept a straight face on but she just hoped that it would not bring up the matter of her scholarship.

"...On my part and the part of the school, this might hinder new students coming in. Especially as school is wrapping up for this academic year…"

Now she just wanted to punch his face.

"...I would need you to do something for me in order to redeem yourself of potentially crippling my customers or my students, or people craving the opportunity to school here...or the reputation of my academy."

She felt better, knowing that her Scholarship had not been affected. "What would you like, sir?"

"Do not worry, it would not be too much of an inconvenience for you. Since the tiger's back has been ridden and we cannot come off halfway, then we can just play along with you."

***

Kazu Nini walked into her house that day to find a cherry smile on her aunt's face. "Hello, how was school?"

"Ugh, the usual."

"Tell me about it." The older Pixie kicked the chair across from her so that her niece could indulge her.

"Mako Nini!" Her aunt stared at her as if she had gone nuts. "Behold a present." When the girl kept up the expression she went along with it.

"...Okaaaayyyy?"

It got really silent until Kazu Nini broke it. "You have not asked about the present."

"So...what is this present?"

"Introducing," she flared her arms in circles then during one of her slow spins, she deftly pulled the lunchbox out of a SpaceBox and went on one knee now that she was facing her aunt. Kazu Nini's arms out presented what her aunt thought that she had so irresponsibly lost.

The older Pixie went from confusion to realization until her mouth was hanging open in surprise.

"My hands would have been hurting if I were not a cultivator but it does not stop the awkward feeling if you do not say something ior unburden them."

The older Pixie slowly made her way to her niece but when she was about to grab it, the younger Pixie pulled it to her chest. "All mine, you can't touch it."

Mako Nini arced her brow as Kazu Nini threw it back in a SpaceBox.

"Where did you get that from?"

Kazu was disappointed at her reaction but she answered. "Um, now of my spo-" Now, if she did not move away in thirty minutes, she would choke to death in Mako Nini's embrace. Next were her kisses that no matter how Kazu Nini tried to avoid still landed nonetheless.

"I love you, I love you, I love you. I love you. I lo-"

Now, Kazu Nini found Mako Nini's kisses harder to avoid and she felt warmer inside, like she had never been hugged before.

Although she turned her face and slapped away the meagre amount that she could when she was not laughing.

***

Remembering she had assignments to do, not forgetting her cultivation and to not overlook the attentions her dolls needed from her, the week went by until Lowe Hagp pulled up in front of her house that Saturday Morning. [2.]

The Gnome barely had to try when she wanted to flash her teeth from behind the glass as it took most of her face and Kazu Nini was not repulsed by her overly large incisors. The girls' hair blocked the rest of her head features with its waterfall of an appearance so the whole thing only made her look unique in her own way. Kazu Nini hoped she was staring at its eyes as she waved and approached the vehicle.

"President." The Shapeshifter saluted as its form shook, albeit slower this time to allow its facial expression to be barely affected.

"Mistress." Jinja Kaliope shot the morphing creature's smug smile with mock glower.

"Madame." The beautiful Wood Fairy spoke up next.

Like usual, everybody was in their regular positions as at last time when they all moved together. Only the Dragon was absent as it had agreed that it would remain mostly clandestine and would not be to most public occasions which the New Universe had to attend.

"How is everyone and what are our objectives, today?"

"We good." The pretty Elf shone a smile, raising her head up from her Telewatch.

"Same." Naro Meena was looking out the window.

"Yeah." The driver added and began moving towards traffic.

"How is it coming up?"

The slime turned his skull towards his boss. "Fine, actually, we are in the last stages."

"When would it be ready?"

"It can be tested by the time we graduate, but the final version should be good a few months and a half from now."

She nodded before speaking, as the results were better than she expected. This final touch to what she had wanted for the longest time and that had been bolstered when she realized that her tribulation being a part of it would only boost it. "Begin recording, act casual."

The New Universe drove beside and under mounts, chariots, carriages and similar vehicles until their surroundings went from developed to ruined roads and finally ones without tar. The cars here were less and most people in this area hung around in the streets with ProjectileGuns and various other weapons like knives or bombs publicly strapped around their waists. At what was barely discernible as a boulevard, they turned to the leftmost fork. The car wobbling on the unfinished road as if they were in a turbulent storm. When they saw more gangs, more trees, more broken-down houses and even worse roads where they had to veer into another lane before relatively safe movements could be carried out, they reached a house with a set of people having similar tattoos of a dragon and a lamp across their necks to their wrists.

With the only vehicle in sight, save ones that were parked but had people playing cards and rolling dice from, they drew a lot of eyes.

The Gnome, with her Telewatch capturing events on a live feed, and the Slime, stepped out from the car before Kazu Nini. She didn't let the irritation of her shoes getting dirty from the terrible ground get to her she and spoke to her subordinates. "In and out, quick."

The young Pixie trailed before Naro Meena the Slime before more of the tattooed people moved and blocked their way with a crowd. The Slime raised his Telewatch and made some gestures before it rang. The person did not pick up but the house they had intended to go to – the only decent one around there with a good roof and most of its paint on – had its front door open. Passing the porch, a human arrived and the scowl on his face looked as if that was the only expression that could ever be there. He wore a singlet and jean shorts that stopped at his knees, a golden watch on his wrist and his bald head reflected sunlight.

"Naro, who you with?" His purple eyes darted around Her and Lowe Hagp before returning to Naro Meena. "I did not know they were coming."

"Easy," he raised his hands as the man's crew raised and pointed their Projectile Guns at them. "She is the one with the goods."

The man was about to speak when Kazu Nini interrupted him. "Is he the only one with a supply, we can get so many others and if worse came to worse, then we can always fight it out." She laughed before she spoke and turned around. "Besides my hands are itching me to try out my new weapons. Let's go."

Kazu Nini was already walking to the car, grabbing the handle to her door when she heard an applause behind her. "You've got spunk, kid. I like you." He made a motion to his house. "Please, come in."

"I don't trust you." She motioned to Naro Meena and Lowe Hagp. "Come in."

"Wait, wait, wait. It's business; no point of emotion. Let's just get it over with." He motioned for his crew and they lowered their weapons.

She considered the moment, then turned into the car after knocking on the doors and handed them all ProjectileGuns of their own.

When she reached the Gnome and the Slime, she handed them theirs before allowing herself to be in the center of the New Universe as they approached the house and the man's crew parted way for all 10 them.

The wooden floors cracked but held, the smells of the place were surprisingly not bad and the lighting was low and pink as if to set a mood. On the sofa were piles of Hyur and ProjectileGuns. Some people slept on a bit of currency, some huddled together on others while another set just counted the Hyur.

What made her eyes almost linger for more than a second was that she saw Silver and Gold Hyur among the Pile. 10,000 Bronze hyur was 1 Silver Hyur and 100,000 Silver Hyur was 1 Gold Hyur.

She turned her stare casual and moved deeper into the house until they reached a room with more of his people. She said nothing about the sagging to his pants and watched him sit behind another pile of Hyur. Crossing his legs on the table after he sat, he asked them a question. "Why are we here?"

She reached into her a SpaceBox on her waist to reveal 10 more and about 100 Projectile Guns, with 25 being of the Sniper caliber. The man whistled.

"That's the most guns I have seen pulled out from a single girl." He approached her crew and reached out a hand to which Jinja Kaliope extended his own over their property before looking at Kazu Nini for permission and she slightly nodded her head. Waving the gun about, he checked the chamber and frowned to her. "This is 100% legit, where did you get it from?"

"It's the same reason why I waited so long to sell them. I do not know their exact origin, but I know it is someone powerful."

He paused. "How powerful."

"I did not ask; I do not know."

He scoffed at her with an expression that was an effort to make her dumb. "How can you no-"

"I did not ask and I do not know because even after I was kidnapped, beaten and finally escaped, I am smart enough to realize that there are things I should mind my business in regards to." She tilted her head. "At least for now."

He nodded his head in understanding. "Tell you what? I will check it out and I will get back to you when I ha-"

"If it takes longer than a week, I am coming to get them."

He laughed and shook her hand.

When they drove out, Jinja Kaliope turned back at her till she looked back at him. "I am proud to be under you."

She let out a chuckle and they moved until they drove back to the boulevard and this time, they took the rightmost fork.

[1.] While it is true that darkness is dispelled in light, when it is truly dark then light shines even brighter. So, it is like a balance thing.

[2.] To 'pull up' is to drive before someone's house, showing up when you usually have business with them.