Orange sat on the edge of a nearby table while reloading her rifle. When she looked up she suddenly yelled to Razor.
"Watch out!" She screamed while raising her rifle.
Gerald moved with a flash and appeared between her and her target before she could fire.
He caught the snake made of flames that had escaped the foam that it had previously been trapped in.
He grabbed the flames around the neck.
"Shh. It's alright. Don't be frightened." Gerald said while softly stroking the back of the creature's head.
It hissed a few times while its tail constricted around his arm, but the creature settled down after a couple of moments. The flames extinguished and it took a solid form again. Its red scales glimmered under the light coming down from the ceiling. The scales flicker as if they contained a dwindling fire.
"What is that thing? Razor asked as he nervously approached with his weapon held at the ready.
"Don't worry. It is an elemental creature. It was Turnips familiar, but since his mana is sealed, its connection has been lost. It is no longer a servant, just a scared animal in an unfamiliar place. It's a shame."
"What is sir?" Orange asked as she moved closer to get a look at it.
"Elemental creatures have a limitless potential. Well, that is the case if they are given the chance to grow on their own or fed extraordinary elements. But this little guy was fattened up by ordinary flames. Compared to what he could be, it is a shame."
*Snap*
In between the fingers on his right hand that he just snapped appeared a small ball of white-hot flames. Razor and Orange who were over five feet away immediately covered their faces and backed away from the scorching heat.
The snake grew excited and uncoiled from his left arm and lunged at the ball of fire. It swallowe dit whole before it fell to the ground.
The snake started hissing in pain as its flesh began to smoke. It twisted and jerked around as if it was being burned from the inside. It started to shake and convulse. The snake vomited a mouthful of blood and the screeched.
*Crack* *Crack* *Crack*
It's scale began to break open. It shook and then shed its skin. Interestingly enough, when the snake slithered out of its skin, it was now not even a foot long, it was ten inches at best. But its scales were no longer a dull red but a bright and brilliant scarlet that shone with intensity.
Gerald walked over to a line of blood on the ground. He knelt down and then clicked his tongue towards the snake. The snake slithered over. Gerald pressed his thumb into the blood and then rubbed it on the head of the snake. It took only a moment for the blood to evaporate off the snake.
"Ahh!" Razor moaned.
"Don't fight it." Gerald said.
A minute later the soldier stopped clutching his head. He then looked towards the small snake. It looked back at him. Razor tilted his head and the snaked mimicked him. He tilted it the other way and the snake did the same.
The snake then lunged at the soldier.
"Watch out!" Orange shouted.
But Razor didn't move, he extended his hand and the snake landed on his arm and transformed into ink. The tattoo crawled up his arm and then hid under his shirt.
"I guess this is for you then." Gerald said as he took the sheathed dagger form Turpin's waist and walked towards Orange.
He took her hand and gently pricked his blade on the print of her thumb. A small bead of blood welled up. He placed it the sheath of the dagger and used his finger to draw a symbol.
*Shatter*
The sound of glass breaking was heard as the seal that Turpin had placed on the weapon disappear.
This time Orange started to clutch her own head.
"Just bear with it." Gerald said.
A moment later she shook it off and looked at him. He handed her the weapon. She didn't take it.
"It's yours now. A magical artifact is a useful tool, and it doesn't need mana to operate. Mana is only needed to make a seal."
"But sir." She said without taking it. "We are supposed to turn these over to the unit."
Gerald looked over to Razor who was playing with the small snake that materialized in his palm. He didn't say anything but it looked like he was going to agree with Orange.
"I haven't been in the Calamity unit very long, but I know a bit more about it than the two of you." He said. "Our unit is vastly underfunded."
"Sir, I heard that our unit has one of the largest budgets in the military." Orange replied.
"That's true, but take that mana restricting collar for instance. That thing cost more than a tank and Turpin will be wearing it till the day he dies. Meaning that we can never use it again. Just today, our unit lost a tank. Sure, we got a big budget, but our expenditures are obscene. It is common practice for people in our unit to take advantage of anything that is of use. Normally you would turn over the snake and dagger, but that is because they are useless to you. Only because I am here today, you are actually able to use them in the future. Take the dagger. But don't be mistaken. You must report that you have them and they are now under your control and in your possession."
Orange hesitantly nodded. "I understand." She said as she took the dagger and attached it's sheath to her belt.
Razor was back to happily playing with snake.
"Okay. Take the weapons and ammo, seize any cash for the unit. Check for a safe in the office upstairs." Gerald said.
The two soldiers sprung into action.
"A team of Agents will arrive shortly to help process the scene." Agent Right said through the ear piece. "I will put out an alert for the owner of the club, we will find him soon, you three don't need to worry about that."
"Don't bother." Gerald said. "He is tied up in the trunk of my car. And don't come through the back door, it is rigged to explode."
"I will let the team know." Agent Right said.
Gerald dragged to unconscious wizard over to the bar and took a seat. He reached behind the counter and poured himself a drink. The NSA agents showed up in less than two minutes and started to help out and took away all the computers. All the while, Gerald nursed his drink and 'supervised' from his seat at the bar.
Two hours later, Turpin was on his way to a black site while Gerald and the others returned to the NSA outpost.
"Thanks for having our backs." Razor said to Gerald.
"I was more assured knowing that you were there." Orange said.
They weren't just blowing smoke. They were both there when Gerald dealt with the wizard that infiltrated the new recruits.
"Who knows, maybe we will work together again someday."
"Until then sir." Razor said as he was about to turn around and leave.
"Hold it." Gerald said.
The two turned back to him.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" He asked.
The two looked confused until he looked them up and down. They remembered that the suits and guns were his.
Gerald led them into the room with their storage crate and opened it up so they could return his things. He had already helped them out with the snake and dagger. He wasn't going to give them some of his suits and weapons as well. He earned those through hard missions. They were his. Ten minutes later, they were back in their own gear.
"Ugh, its bulky and heavy." Razor whined.
"And it doesn't look as cool." Orange added.
Gerald chuckled and shut the supply crate.
He then walked out to find the suit waiting for him.
"Thank you for the help Major General Acers." He said.
"Sure." Gerald said while giving him a nod. "But I must be going now. I think they should be able to handle to paperwork." He said while motioning to the two who just exited the room in their tactical gear.
*Ring* *Ring* *Ring*
Gerald picked up his phone.
"Hello, this is Gerald."
"What happened?"
"Tell me, where is she now, I am coming."
Gerald nodded and then hung up the phone. The suit could see the furry in his eyes.
"What's wrong, you guys helped us out with this. If you need a hand, we will be happy to help." The suit said. Agent Right who was standing next to him was nodding eagerly. She wanted to interact with Gerald a bit more so she could get a closer look at his tech.
"I will handle it." Gerald said. "Some one made my girlfriend cry." He muttered as he strode towards the elevator.
The suit and Agent Right only watched as he walked away. They had expected that it was some threat towards national security.
"Uh oh. Some one is in for a bad day." Orange said as she walked up to the suit and Agent Right.
"Yeah, one guy in training made fun of a sweater that his girlfriend gave him. That dude had a real hard time the next few days." Said Razor.
"Jeez, I can't imagine what would happen to someone who made his girlfriend cry." Added Orange.
"He wouldn't do anything dumb would he?" Agent Right asked.
"I don't think so." Razor said. "But that doesn't mean that whoever offended him will have a good time."
***
Gerald got out of his car and headed into the shopping mall. He rushed but he didn't run. He briskly walked to the third floor.
He put his phone away as he walked into the designer dress store.
Moving to the back of the store he could here Jessica, the roommate's voice. He walked around the corner and saw the roommate outside of one of the dressing rooms.
"Amy, don't listen to those bitches, let's just get out of here." She said to the door.
"Who are you calling a bitch, you skank?" Said a dolled-up plastic project who was surrounded by her friends.
"Just get the hell out of here Kristen. Why do you always have to be an asshole?" Jessica snapped back.
"I was only saying the truth. These dresses would only be stretched out by someone with her figure."
"Shut up, you know that is bullshit. Not everyone is a size zero like you."
A sales lady that was at the side spoke towards the dressing room. "Ma'am, I either need you to buy the dress or give it back. We have other who are waiting."
Gerald stopped watching and stepped forward.
"Gerald!" Jessica called out when she saw him. Her call elicited a sound from inside the dressing room.
He nodded to the roommate and walked to the dressing room door.
*Knock* *knock*
"It's me." He said.
*Click*
The door was unlocked, Gerald let himself in.
He found Amy with a dress at her waist and her bra covering her chest. Her hands were coving her face.
Gerald walked forward and wrapped her in a hug and ran his hand through her hair. He really didn't know what to do; but being there couldn't hurt.
Amy grabbed him tightly and pushed her face into his chest. She stopped crying. Gerald waited.
Eventually, she softly spoke. "The dress is too small."
"So what." Gerald replied.
"I know I am a little chubby, but Kristen always makes me feel so bad about myself."
Gerald continued to run his hand through her hair. "I like you exactly how you are. So I don't see a problem."
Amy slowly looked up to him. "I tired on the dress and forced it when I shouldn't have. I… I ripped it. Then I saw that it was two sizes smaller than what I asked for."
"Is that all?" Gerald said with a smile. "Get out of it and I will take care of the dress."
"You… you can't fix it? That would be impossible." She quietly whispered while pulling the dress down and slipping back into her jeans and then pulling her top back on.
Gerald held up the ripped dress while Amy watched embarrassedly. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded knife.
Amy gasped when he started to cut up the light blue evening dress.
Gerald cut out a square of the soft fabric and folded it over before stuffing it into the outside pocket on his suit jacket. He then stepped in front of the mirror and adjusted his cuffs and looked at himself and admired the new pocket square.
"Not bad. What do you think?" He asked, looking towards Amy.
"It's nice." She said with a genuine smile.
Gerald then took the dress and cut another strip of fabric. He took Amy by the shoulders and turned her towards the mirror while moving behind her. He tied up her hair into a ponytail with the strip of fabric.
"There, now we have matching couples' accessories."
The smile beamed across her face as she hugged his side. Gerald put the knife back into his pocket and pulled the tag from the scarps of the dress.
"Are you ready to get out of here?" He asked.
Amy nodded and followed him out as he opened the door.
"Hmpf. About time." Kristen said while reapplying her makeup. "Did the dress not work for you?" She asked with a cruel smile.
"If you aren't trying it on, I will need the dress back." The saleslady said.
"I think it is quite nice. I like the fabric." Gerald said while patting his new pocket square. "I will take it." He said, holding out the price tag to the saleslady.
When he saw the shock in her eyes, his suspicions were confirmed.
"I… unfortunately, that dress isn't for sale. It has already been purchased and is on hold for another customer." The saleslady said after composing herself. She didn't seem to notice that Gerald's pocket square was made from the same material as the dress in question.
"Oh, that's too bad." Gerald said while pulling the scarps of fabric from behind his back and passing it to the saleslady.
"EKKK! What did you do?" The saleslady screamed in fright.
"I thought it would be better as a pocket square."
"You… you ruined it!" She screamed.
"So what." Gerald said with a shrug.