Meeting Barbra (chapter 12)
A/N just to clarify again, Barbra aint the main the girl, sure she is a friend, sometimes even more, but she aint the wify,
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In the dimly lit alley, Ted and the demon faced off, the atmosphere heavy with tension. The air held a metallic scent, a mix of blood and the acrid tang of magic. The temperature seemed to drop as the confrontation unfolded.
The demon extended his individual fingers, elongating and sharpening them before launching them at Ted with alarming speed. Ted conjured up a ward, its ethereal glow shattering as the fourth finger pierced towards his abdomen. A slight contortion saved him from a more severe injury, the demonic finger grazing his side. The sensation was a sharp, burning reminder of the demon's lethal capabilities.
The demon, relishing the taste of Ted's blood on his pinky finger, began to utter a word before two consecutive fireballs engulfed his face. The explosion not only obliterated his head but also set the taxi ablaze, casting an eerie orange glow in the alley.
To Ted's surprise, the demon's head regenerated, prompting a realization. "Is it unkillable?" Ted pondered, shaking his head. Determination flickered in his orange eyes as he unleashed another sonic blast, creating distance. The demon, undeterred, collided with the burning wreck of the taxi, rising again.
"Nothing is unkillable," Ted thought, redirecting his focus. A spectral arrow aimed for the demon's heart, a strategic move to exploit a vulnerability. The demon swiftly transformed his hand into a makeshift shield, thwarting the arrow. Ted's smirk revealed the satisfaction of uncovering a weakness. "Got you, bitch," he muttered under his breath.
The demon, clearly embarrassed and enraged, charged towards Ted with formidable speed. His hand morphed into a blade, attempting to cleave Ted in two. Ted agilely dodged the attack, countering with a powerful punch to the demon's kidney. The ensuing sonic blast sent the demon staggering backward, but not without the cost of Ted's shoulders being pierced.
Coughing, Ted struggled to maintain composure as his vision blurred. The demon, relentless, approached, relishing the prospect of tormenting Ted's soul. Despite the pain and the impending threat, Ted's lips curled into a defiant smile. His hand, containing the magical ring, hovered dangerously close to the taxi's gas chamber, a subtle plan forming in the midst of chaos.
"Night, night," Ted said with a blood-stained smile as he unleashed a pyroblast. The resulting explosion merged with the fiery demise of the taxi, and as the smoke cleared, neither the demon nor Ted were visible. The burning wreckage released more smoke, adding to the pollution already staining the city sky.
-Scene Change-
Exiting a firing range, Ted massaged his ears. Unharmed except for the holes in his shoulder and above his kidney, he considered calling a taxi before recalling the events from a couple of hours ago. "That reminds me, I need to get a couple of sunglasses," he thought and headed for the nearest shop. After buying a dozen sunglasses, he felt the textures of his fingers and observed the dwindling durability of his items. Pondering, he said, "Maybe I should try a repairing rune. Yeah, that would be a good idea," liking the concept as he made his way home.
-Scene Change-
In Gotham's public library, amidst mountains of books, Ted, donning fashionable green sunglasses, watched a video on his phone while wearing headphones. The books covered topics ranging from agriculture to renewable energy, to conserving energy, to laws about owning land. A familiar ginger-haired woman in a red tracksuit approached him.
"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" she whispered, carrying several books.
"Oh, please take a seat," Ted replied. She commented on the vast number of books, to which Ted agreed. He noticed an invisible wave flash from his sunglasses as he looked at her, sighing in relief. "Alright, she is human," he thought. She introduced herself as Barbara and asked if he was planning on going off the grid, citing the books he was reading. Ted shrugged, "Yeah, just getting tired of the big city, pollution, and noise." Barbara agreed, saying, "I can relate; sometimes, all you want is a little peace and quiet."
"I'm Barbara, by the way," she introduced herself, extending her hand. Ted shook her hand and smiled, returning the introduction. "Ted, you know, Barbara, not many people can pull off red hair," he complimented, earning a chuckle from her. She complimented his eyes, saying, "They burn bright," eliciting a surprised look from Ted.
"Whoa, I never heard that one before, but then again, no one ever complimented my eyes before," Ted chuckled. Barbara expressed disbelief, and he explained, "Well, I usually avoid interaction with people." She noted him as an introvert, and he stopped watching a video, saying, "Ah, so you are a tech-savvy or an Instagram model?" Observing her electronics, he complimented her looks, and she laughed, clarifying, "Tech-savvy." Ted teased her, asking if he was hitting on her, to which she responded with a playful smile, "Wait, are you hitting on me?" Ted, confused, simply replied, "Am I?"