I'm Home

"You don't look so happy to see me," Jade says while Hunter sighs, "what's up?" He says.

"Circe just received a message from the Bureau, who received a message from the council --"

"Like an email?" Hunter interjected, "you guys use e-mail?"

"No ... I mean, maybe? I'm not sure ... Anyways, the council has issued an order that you should now work at the agency during the weekdays until the break is over."

"And here I was thinking I'd spend the break in bed," Hunter stated.

"Seems like the council is keeping an eye on you," Jade said.

"Which cannot be a good thing," said Hunter, "have you seen the one with the hawk head?! That guy looks scary!"

"You'll hear no arguments from me," Jade agreed, "although he only acts against those with large following who claim to be a god," Jade stated.

"Is that why he's called the god-eater?"

Jade nods, "but wasn't Mene called the goddess of the moon at the council, why hasn't he eaten her?" Hunter asked curiously.

"Some people worship her but she never claimed to be a god," Jade explained. "Oh," Hunter said thoughtfully.

"Ironically, both he and his children were also worshipped in the ancient time," Jade added.

"Interesting, I really need to pay more attention in history classes," Hunter says.

Jade pulls up next to Hunter's house and Hunter looks from Jade to the building and back at Jade, "should I be worried you know where I live even though I haven't told you?"

Jade smiles, "tomorrow, 8 am sharp," she says while Hunter gets out of the car.

Jade drives away from the neighborhood before Hunter walked up to the door and took out his key, he inserts it into the keyhole and turns it, unlocking the door only to be greeted with a terrible stench coming from the room.

Hunter quickly pinched his nostrils close with his fingers and watches as the rats and cockroaches run back into their hiding place.

"For the love of -- can the break end already?"

...

After cleaning the room, Hunter settles into his bed looking around once more to see if everything is in order, 'well at least it's tolerable'

[This is tolerable?]

'I know, it's bad ...'

[What are you talking about? the place is spotless]

'Whatever, I'm going to take a nap, all that fighting has made me exhausted,' he said before lying on the bed and closing his eyes.

...

"As long as I, Pavane, son of Argusian, is alive, Western Superbia would never bow down to you!" Pavane stated.

Kendi stepped closer to the intellectual animal, "King Pa--"

"How about your leader speaks for himself," the King demanded. Yves frowned, before turning to her husband, he had a bored look on his face as he finally spoke, "before the new day dawns, I shall set foot in Western Superbia," he foretold.

"Then it would be over my dead body!" The King stated before shredding the feathers around its feet, revealing its curved, pointed horny nail on each digit of the feet. It displays its green tail feathers before spreading its brown wings with a sheen of gold.

The intellectual peacock flies down to the bridge in front of them, prepared to prevent the outsiders from entering its kingdom.

"Can I?" Yves asks her husband who gives her a small nod. Seeing this, Kendi steps back to the side of his leader allowing the fire-breather to handle the situation.

"Surrender now Pavane and I may spare your life," Yves says, fire forming around both her hands. The peacock jerks its neck and head forward before making a "keow" sound.

The intellectual animal races forward and so does Yves, her golden iris now turning into a ball of flame. Once they were close, Yves attempts to shoot the fire from her hand to the peacock but the intellectual animal quickly spins, breaking one of the bridge's large steps and using it to block.

The fire spreads but Yves controls it back, creating a screen of flames between them. She goes through it, staying in the air as she throws two successive kicks that push the large peacock backward.

The King spins, controlling the water under the bridge. The fire breather quickly draws back to avoid being caught in the water but the bird's neck glows before it blows on the water. The strike blast Yves away, breaking the bridge.

Yves rises back up, a shield of fire around her while her right arm turns dark, shadow-like. She runs on the water towards her opponent who flies to the sky. Yves jumps high, flames around her hands as she spins, kicking the bird to the water below before spinning again and going down, aiming her right hand at the peacock.

The bird screeches as the strike hit it but quickly rises back up, its neck glowing again, before blowing an energy wave at Yves. The fire breather claps her hand together, going through the wave before throwing a right uppercut that lands cleanly on the chin. She follows the punch with some more strikes to the intellectual animal's chest before grabbing it by the beak. She throws the peacock upwards before spinning, flames forming around her and following the bird with a kick.

Yves land back in the water. She shoots flames out of her hands, using them to propel herself forward landing a hot blow on the Western Superbian King. Her entire body turns into a silhouette with her hair turning to an orange flame and her body having outlines of fire as she shoots the strongest of her fire strikes at the intellectual animal, sending him back to its kingdom border.

The bird rises and flies away from the fire breather who prepares to chase. "Let him go."

...

Hunter's eyes opened as he heard a click as the front door swung open.

A young man of average height with brown eyes and medium-length brown hair with a cowlick that falls with its weight entered the room. He was wearing a white, high-collar jacket over a tan sweater vest and a pair of black pants. He was the sprite's best friend for as long as the mystic could remember. "Hunter?" He says surprised, "I only bought enough soup for myself, I really would hate to share," he added

"Don't worry, we aren't sharing anything, I'm taking it all for myself," Hunter countered before the two of them break into laughter.

"Come here," Hunter says and the two of them hug. "Look at you, you're looking even more ... Mystical," Jacob stated.

"What does that even mean?"

Jacob shrugs, "have you seen yourself in the mirror lately?" He asks before taking in the room around him. "Wow, this is --" he turns to Hunter before speaking, "sorry for the mess, I didn't know you were coming today, I would have cleaned up a bit," he stated.

"Dude, there was a rat as big as my head," Hunter said.

"Ah, I see you've met Timothy," Jacob said.

"Timothy?"

"Yeah," he nodded, "that damn rodent has been terrorizing me for the past three weeks," he stated.

"And you couldn't buy a trap?!"

"I did," Jacob replied, "I placed it over there," he added, pointing to an empty spot in one corner of the room.

"I don't see any trap," said Hunter.

"That's because Timothy ate the trap."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Come on," Jacob said grabbing the teal green-eyed boy's wrist, "let's go grab a bite, you can tell me all about the beautiful girls in that school ... Also Sophia has been asking about you since you left, I'm pretty sure she's --"

"Shut up, I've known her for years now, of course she'll ask about me."

"Sure, sure," Jake laughs.

...

They arrived at the restaurant and find an empty seat in the back. "Oh man, the boys are going to be glad you're back," Jacob says.

"Things haven't been good on the pitch?" Hunter asked.

"Yeah, only because we're missing our top winger," Jake replies.

"Well, I'm not going to be around for long but I'll try my best in the matches I'm available," Hunter stated.

"Yes!" Jake said excitedly, "Heffernan is back! Your defense is in trouble!" He continued.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't mister I can't come to the phone right now. What happen, did you lose your phone?" A soft female voice said.

Hunter turned to see a slender lady with pale skin, blue eyes, and red lips. She had long red hair, partly styled on the left side almost covering her eye. "Hey sof, nice to see you too," he smiled while she rolled her eyes.

Sophia pulls out one of the seats and sat on it. "What do you think you're doing, I want to place an order," Jake teased.

"How about you go get it yourself," the redhead countered. "Me? You're the one who works here," Jake stated.

"How's the family?" Sophia asked Hunter, ignoring Jacob's last statement. "What family? I grew up in an orphanage, you know this!" Hunter stated.

"Jacob said you went to visit your newfound uncle and cousins," Sophia exclaimed.

"Remember?" Jake chipped, "your uncle; the reason you've been away for nearly two months," he added.

"Oh yeah, my uncle ... I've been looking to find out a bit about my parent and ended up learning about my uncle ... a very nice man with two lovely daughters ..."

"That's great!" Sophia smiles, "did he tell you anything about your parents?"

"Eh ... Not really ... Apparently the last time they spoke was on my third birthday anniversary ... He had a falling out with my father and so he never visited anymore," he lied.

"That must suck," Sophia said before looking above Hunter's head. She rises to her feet as she notices her boss walking out of the kitchen, "what can I get you both?" She asked. They both placed their orders and Sophia goes into the kitchen, she returned a while later to serve them their dishes.

Hunter and Jacob continued to talk about the former's experience at the Metropolitan School of Mysticism until the plate in front of them were empty. They pay for their food before heading for the door but Sophia calls Hunter back.

"Hi," Hunter said with a small smile. "Hunter, I know how this sounds but you're gonna have to believe me," Sophia said looking upwards.

"What is it?" He asked calmly.

"Well ..." She said looking upwards, "I can't talk about it now, it would take a lot of explaining. Are you free tonight?" She asked.

"No. Jake wants me to say hello to the team," he explained.

"What about tomorrow night?"

"I think I am," he replied.

"Good, let's meet up here after I've finished my shift ... I promise you, this is important," she stated.

'Is it just me or is she looking at the ceiling before making any sentence'

[She's not looking at the ceiling ... She's looking at me]

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