Chapter 6: Return to Action

The dull hum of the airship vibrated through Ellen's boots as she stared out the window. The cityscape of New Eridu blurred into the chaotic glow of the Hollow below, where jagged tears in reality pulsed with eerie light. Her reflection stared back, wearing the faintly amused smirk that had become a part of her new demeanor. Even so, her fingers tapped the hilt of her transformed scissors nervously.

"You're unusually quiet, Ellen," Von Lycaon observed, his golden eyes glinting as he polished his prosthetic leg. "Not nervous, are we?"

"Hardly," Ellen shot back, her voice carrying a playful edge. "Just wondering if this mission will be worth missing my vacation for."

Corin, sitting cross-legged with her broom-like chainsaw across her lap, chuckled softly. "If we didn't drag you back, who else would handle Rina's perfectionist nitpicking?"

"Ah, but you see," Rina interjected, her voice smooth and teasing, "this mission isn't for the faint-hearted. I would hate for anyone to... underperform." Her sharp eyes flicked toward Ellen, and while the words were framed with humor, the message was clear: Don't mess this up.

The Sharkboo, nestled on Ellen's lap, chirped in its strange language, its stubby fins tapping her arm. Ellen smirked and scratched its smooth head. "You've got my back, don't you, buddy?" The Sharkboo beeped proudly, as if to say, Always.

The Hollow was worse than Ellen had expected. The air was heavy with Ether, the environment shifting between fragments of reality—a crumbling cathedral floating above a rushing river, a subway car twisted into an endless loop of itself The team moved with precision, each member scanning for signs of the target: a rogue Ethereal of immense power.

The first attack came without warning. A distorted humanoid Ethereal with claws like scythes lunged from the shadows.

"Corin, left!" Ellen shouted, her reflexes sharper than before. Corin parried with her chainsaw broom, sparks flying as the creature screeched. Von Lycaon vaulted overhead, his ice-covered prosthetic leg shattering the creature mid-leap.

Ellen's scissors morphed into their whip mode, the blade unraveling into a gleaming chain. With a flick of her wrist, she snagged a second Ethereal and yanked it forward, slamming it into the ground.

"Nice form," Von Lycaon commented, his tone approving.

"Try to keep up, old man," Ellen quipped, her smirk widening as she spun the whip to deflect another attacker.

The Hollows stretched before them, an eerie expanse of distorted space. Crystalline formations jutted out of the ground like jagged teeth, their refracted light casting ghostly shadows. The Ethereal loomed at the center—a massive, amorphous entity with pulsating tendrils that lashed at the air.

Von Lycaon, ever the composed leader, surveyed the battlefield. His prosthetic legs glinted with an icy sheen, frost gathering around his feet as he prepared for the inevitable charge. Beside him, Corin gripped her broom-like chainsaw, her gaze nervous but determined. Rina stood poised, electricity flickering between her hands, her Bangboos—Anastella and Drusilla—hovering protectively by her side.

And Ellen... she rolled her shoulders, her upgraded weapon gleaming in the dim light. The giant scissors, now more versatile than ever, felt alive in her grip. She flexed the chain-whip mode experimentally, the metal links clinking ominously.

"Stick to the plan," Von Lycaon said, his voice firm but calm. "Rina, start us off. Corin, you're with me on defense. Ellen—be ready to exploit any opening." The team nodded in unison.

Rina stepped forward, electricity surging to her fingertips. Anastella and Drusilla immediately sprang into action.

"Drusilla, maintain output. Anastella, map its movement patterns," Rina instructed, her tone sharp yet controlled.

Drusilla's core glowed intensely as it absorbed and directed the energy radiating from Rina, focusing it into a refined current. A lance of electricity shot from Rina's hands, striking the Ethereal's nearest tendril. The creature screeched and reeled back, its movements momentarily disoriented.

"Lycaon, Corin—cover me!" Rina called as another tendril lashed toward her.

Von Lycaon intercepted the strike with a powerful kick, his frost-coated legs generating an icy barrier that froze the tendril mid-motion. Corin followed up, her chainsaw roaring to life as she hacked the frozen appendage clean off.

Ellen darted in, her weapon shifting fluidly into its chain-whip mode. She swung it in a wide arc, the chain wrapping around another tendril. With a sharp tug, she immobilized it, leaving the Ethereal vulnerable.

"Got it!" Ellen yelled, pulling hard to maintain control.

Von Lycaon didn't miss the chance. With an explosive leap, he closed the distance, delivering a series of crushing, frost-imbued kicks to the Ethereal's core. Shards of ice exploded outward with each impact.

The Ethereal, though wounded, retaliated fiercely. It slammed its tendrils into the ground, sending shockwaves through the terrain. The team scattered to avoid the attack, regrouping quickly.

"We need a decisive strike," Von Lycaon said, his voice steady despite the chaos.

"Leave that to me," Ellen replied, determination gleaming in her eyes.

Switching her weapon back into scissors mode, Ellen charged forward. Rina provided cover, sending arcs of electricity to disrupt the Ethereal's movements. Anastella's mapping overlay projected weak points onto the creature's body, guiding Ellen's attack.

Corin moved in from the side, her chainsaw blazing a path through smaller Ethereal offshoots that tried to intervene. Von Lycaon used his frost abilities to pin down the creature's remaining tendrils, locking it in place.

With a final leap, Ellen drove her scissors into the Ethereal's core, ice and electricity converging on the impact point. The creature let out a distorted roar before collapsing into a heap of dissolving energy.

As the team regrouped, Ellen wiped her brow, her chest heaving from exertion.

"Good work, everyone," Von Lycaon said, his voice carrying a rare note of pride.

Rina adjusted her gloves, her Bangboos hovering close as if to comfort her. "I'll run diagnostics to ensure nothing lingers from the Hollows' corruption."

Corin let out a shaky breath, her chainsaw finally silent. "I'll take care of cleanup. It's... good to have you back, Ellen."

Ellen gave a small smile, though fatigue weighed heavily on her. "Yeah... feels good to be back."

The sun was beginning to set as the team emerged from the Hollow, its strange, shimmering boundary collapsing behind them. The air outside was cool and fresh, a stark contrast to the oppressive atmosphere within.

Von Lycaon stretched, his prosthetic legs hissing softly as the ice dissipated. "Good work. No casualties, no major injuries, and the Hollow is neutralized. A textbook operation."

Ellen smirked as she swung her scissors over her shoulder. "Textbook? You're making us sound boring, boss."

Corin gave a tired laugh, still gripping her chainsaw. "Boring would be nice for once. You know, a mission where we just clean an actual house and not fight for our lives."

"I'd second that," Rina said, brushing her hair back into place. Anastella and Drusilla hovered nearby, their small forms emitting faint hums as if in agreement. "Although, I suppose the Hollow doesn't dust itself."

The group shared a laugh, the tension of the mission melting away.

The team returned to their cozy base, a blend of old-world charm and modern functionality. The scent of freshly brewed tea greeted them as Von Lycaon, ever the gentleman, had prepared refreshments in advance.

Ellen flopped onto the couch, her new outfit and weapon still gleaming from the mission. Sharkboo followed, hopping onto the armrest and letting out a series of beeps and chirps. Ellen chuckled, giving it a fond pat.

"You did good out there, too," she said to the Bangboo, which spun in happy circles.

Rina placed a tray of tea on the table, her usual grace on full display. "Ellen, you're still recovering. Are you sure you're ready for missions like this?"

"I'm fine," Ellen said, waving her hand dismissively. "Tired, yeah, but that's just who I am. You should know that by now."

Corin sank into a chair, cradling her cup of tea. "You seemed sharper than usual, though. That new weapon's really something. It's... you."

Ellen's smile faltered for a moment, her thoughts briefly returning to the fusion with the original Ellen. She shook it off and leaned back. "Yeah, it is. Guess I've got the team to thank for helping me figure it out."

Von Lycaon, standing by the window, turned to face the group. "Teamwork is what we do. And you, Ellen, are part of what makes this team what it is. Don't ever forget that."

As the evening wore on, the team found themselves reminiscing about past missions.

"Remember that time Corin mistook an Ethereal for a pile of laundry?" Rina teased, a grin on her face.

"Hey, it looked like laundry!" Corin protested, though her laugh gave her away.

"And Von Lycaon," Ellen said, pointing with mock seriousness. "You still owe me for wrecking my favorite jacket during that Hollow ambush."

"I owe you nothing," Von Lycaon replied, his tone deadpan. "You charged into the ambush while I was securing the perimeter. That jacket was collateral damage."

Sharkboo beeped, almost as if chiming in on the teasing.

As the evening wound down, Ellen found herself standing in the quiet kitchen, her weapon propped against the wall. She looked at her reflection in the polished metal, noting the subtle changes in her appearance. The fusion of her and Ellen was evident—not just in her looks but in the way she felt.

Sharkboo beeped softly, nudging her hand.

"I'm okay," she murmured, picking it up and cradling it. "We're okay."

She returned to the living room, where her teammates had begun to doze off. Von Lycaon sat in an armchair, a book resting on his lap, while Rina had curled up with a blanket. Corin snored softly, her chainsaw tucked away for the night.

Ellen smiled, Sharkboo perched on her shoulder. This was her family now, her world.

And for the first time in what felt like forever, she felt... whole.