Missing Chimeria

I couldn't tell if I was dreaming.

I watched events unfold in the third person but felt the sensation of Rose's blade slaying Owldile and Shear Bak alike. Kairo shared memories that flashed through my mind after the battle. I felt bad that the only thing I could offer him was the last three years after the dissaperence of my father.

Experiencing things through Rose had a lag I blink in and out of awareness, images of passing through crowded

Bazaars and alleys. I felt us giggle at the doors of the bar, then something upset Rose. She then sat eating what was hands down the greatest meal and drink I've ever had, and before long, I was being drugged to consciousness. As I surfaced, I could hear the concerned back and forth of several people around me. My eyes flick open to a familiar face holding me in his arms.

"Elevator Hottie?" I ask, recognizing the rest of the people hovering over me.

"Ach two for two!" Radney says with a big grin toward Kairo, causing his eyes to roll hard. I blink my vision into steadiness and realize the elevator hottie was slightly older than the last we met.

"You're grayer than before." I blurted, not realizing that may come across as ruder than intended. Kairo breaks into laughter, tears filling his eyes.

"Seems your siren song is wearing thin old man." He jabs Radney in the arm who helps me to my feet.

"Siren song?" I asked, checking the room and realizing we were still in the bar I let the last Rose memory float to the surface. My face blushes hard as I taste the amber liquid on my lips and remember a distinct smell and the prickly feeling of hair on my face.

"Rowdy here is part siren part leprechaun, and it seems you've become accustomed to his song." This was all Kairo could manage through tears of laughter.

"Don't bloody call me Rowdy dammit." I could see Radney blushing through his salt-and-pepper patchy beard.

"I thought the gray made him cute!" I seem to be the only one to hear that bringing me to smirk.

"Next time we decide who to kiss Rose." I thought to myself assuming that's how we communicated.

"Rose knows who you want to kiss." A devious reply that made my cheeks and ears run hot.

"So you are Willow and you share this body with Rose?" I spin to acknowledge the bartender and woman who sat watching me with excitement the memory of warm food and good drink bobbed to the surface.

"Uhh, yes nice to meet you, and thank you for feeding us." I do a slight bow to help show gratitude but I feel myself grow uneasy at the ease of referring to myself as us.

"We have always been we..." Rose commented like an intrusive thought not helping the unease. The couple peaks over their shoulders at the carved name Rose and back to me.

"Anytime Willow." The young woman signed warmly.

"Thank you." I sign back earning a wide grin from Pan.

"Alright we need to head to the Velvet District and if everyone is done partaking in bar food or fights we should head that way now." A short patient Kairo said while making his way toward the staircase. Radney follows suit after rummaging through the pockets of some of the unconscious. We wave goodbye to V and Pan before following behind him.

Reaching the sidewalk in front of the bar I watched a frustrated Kairo scrolling through images on his phone while Radney losing interest immediately began to wonder. Not sure who to follow I stood next to Kairo watching him scroll through images of another part of the city.

"Shit there doesn't seem to be any... hey Radney have you been to the..." Kairo stopped realizing the only one still around was me.

"Where the hell did Radney go?" I looked unsure which corner he disappeared around so I shrugged. Kairo runs his hands through his hair frustratedly.

"Fuck I need him to see if he has a memory of the velvet district we need." Kairo makes a call on his phone which I assume is to Radney.

"Where the hell are you!" He screams at the phone I couldn't make out what was said back because the sound of an engine was roaring at us from one of the corners.

"What do you mean up the street?!" To match Kairo's words the car that the noise belonged to whips around the corner with a screech of its wheels and made its way toward us. The vehicle comes to a squealing halt in front of us with Radney inside. He was driving a cherry red convertible with its top-down he put the car in neutral and revved its engine loudly.

"Where in the bloody fuck did you find this?" Kairo spat through clenched teeth.

"Up the street, as I said." Radney replies plainly. I notice under the now idling car noise were shouts of anger coming from the corner Radney appeared from.

"We don't need a car if you've been here already dickhead." Kairo growled while rubbing his temples. The shouts of angry men grew closer as they argued.

"Seeing how there are no brothels in that area I wouldn't have a memory of that would I bigger dickhead." Radney replied with a prideful smile. Kairo goes into a rant filled with different curses and colorful words I wasn't sure I'd ever heard but my attention was split to the voices that had now rounded the corner. A group of werewolves barrels around the corner smelling the air and searching the street.

"Oi!!!" The biggest werewolf barked breaking up the Kairo and Radney argument. The wolfmen begin sprinting toward us Kairo jumped and blinked into the passenger seat. Radney checks the rear view smiling hard at the werewolves baring down on them. He puts it in drive and floors it spinning wheels shriek to life as the car pulls away from the group.