Artica:
Sitting up, my insomnia was taking its toll on me. Massaging my forehead, a dozen demons were nearing my bunker. Ever since becoming a living reaper, our bunker was under constant attack. Swinging my feet over the edge of my bed, I threw my cloak over my silky black nightgown. Sliding on my boots, my fingers curled around my scythe. Walking to the exit, Rattler stopped me . His tongue flickered out, Rattler seeming to be irritated with me. I didn't have time for this, the threat was fast approaching. Surely, this was a problem I could manage with those damn demons lurking around my freaking home.
"I will be back in a hot minute. I have to fix the problem before they get here." I snapped hotly, Rattler tugging on his sweatshirt. "What are you doing? I can manage the pests." Shaking his head, he was already halfway up the ladder. Smiling slyly down at me, he hissed with annoyance. Let me go, damn it! My people needed saving without them waking up. Curse his stubbornness, my foot tapping impatiently.
"I can't let my friend go out there alone." He chuckled lightly, rolling his eyes. "I think that Sage would appreciate someone accompanying you. Shoot me for wanting to protect my hero." My ears pinned back, what he said made sense. Rolling my eyes, he couldn't be any more correct. Climbing up after him, his speed and wind powers could help with the airborne demons. Opening the top, he watched me seal it with a strong security spell. Running towards the invaders, we hid behind a couple of trees. Hovering behind the bushes, a million questions rested on the tip of my tongue. Their respect for me was unfounded, the very thought a foreign concept for me.
"Why must you guys care so much? As your leader, it is my job to protect you and not the other way around." I sighed tiredly, his eyes rolling. "Thank you for helping me out." Flashing Rattler a tired smile, our attention was stolen by three demons in matching red armor and ruby dragon masks. The branches cracked in front of us, a fuming Sage coming out with his blessed gun. Shooting daggers from his eyes, we both shrank back. Well shit, Sage had found us. Badgering me with the fact that I was pregnant, his brow cocked at Rattler waving at him. Ignoring him with a death glare, his attention turned back to me.
"I fail to see how you keep forgetting that you are pregnant, Arty." He growled through gritted teeth, pinning me to a tree. "Wake me up next time. They gravely injured you last time and I had to pick up the mental pieces. Quit putting yourself in danger needlessly. What the hell are they doing?" Seeing the circle, horror rounded my eyes at the circle glowing to life. Holding their hands up to the sky, a shimmering scarlet snake burst from the circle. Swallowing them whole, all of us said shit at the same time. Lightning crackled to life, the wind picking up. That was the fifth sacrificial animal they had sent, a deep seeded frustration brewing in me. Letting go of me, he lifted up his gun. Pop! His bullet bounced off the scales, the snake now barreling towards us. That was why I didn't want him with me, his bullets not having proved to be effective. Lately, he wasn't thinking right, and my strategy had saved our asses over and over again. Rattler was seconds from leaping into the air, my hand yanking him down. I wasn't going to lose another friend due to stupidity, my mind racing through the options. Rattler was my family but he was a little too young and a little too quick to jump into the fire.
"Let's not do that so you can go home in one piece." I reprimanded with deep concern, his hiss telling me that he wasn't pleased with me. "Where do we attempt to strike so we can figure out a weak point? I heard of people cutting snakes down with enough force but I don't have your speed. Sage, can you shoot out the damn thing's eyes? I know it uses its tongue but we need more time." Aiming for the snake's eyes, he hit his target. Recoiling back, he began to slither away. Coming out of my hiding spot, I didn't want to put the poor thing down but he was only a spell come to life. Rattler placed me on his back, his feet moving faster than I ever could. Forming a plan in my mind, we had to strike it down before it caused too much damage to the environment.
"Throw me in the air. I will allow all of my power to build around my scythe." I ordered sharply, his face falling into a discerning frown. "Block the attacks for me, 'kay." Throwing me into the air, I could nearly touch the clouds. Sending my energy to the tip of my scythe, I allowed my descent to build up the speed I needed. My hair flew back, a ball of lightning building on the tip. Rattler could barely be seen, his blades clashing with the serpent's fangs. Getting close to its neck I swung away. Breaking through the scale, the tender tissue cooked while it thrashed. A muscular body smashed into me, Rattler finishing up with dicing up the snake. My vision blurred, the impact was enough to paralyze my body. One of his general's marched towards me, his flaming blade spinning in his palm. Flames consisted of his hair, his orange skin glistening in the heat of his hair. Golden Greek armor emphasized his two foot taller tank of a body. Trembling in my spot, he seemed impervious. Swinging his blade over his head, Rattler smashed into him. Don't do that! Your body was built for speed, not fighting. Dropping to the ground like a fly, he had the body of a titan. Bullets bounced off of his skin, the fight coming down to me. Using the moment to escape with a knocked out Rattler from underneath him, fresh bruises covered the arm he hit. Shit, those wouldn't heal. I needed to train with someone who knew how these monsters fought, his superior ability becoming clear. If I couldn't beat him with brute strength I would have to use my wit. Fishing around my boot, I pulled out one of my new grenades filled with vials of Holy Water. Dropping Rattler at Sage's feet, I leapt into the air. Ignoring his protest, something had to be done. The titan with the flaming sword grabbed my leg, his mouth wide open. Tearing off the top of my grenade with my teeth, I dropped it into his mouth. Swallowing it automatically, one swift kick broke his wrist temporarily. Knocking Sage and Rattler, I covered them with my cloak. Protecting my people was my job, my heart pounding a mile a minute. A bright light blinded me, the light dying down to reveal a severely weakened demon general. Helping Sage to his feet, I tossed him onto a branch high above me. How the hell did that not kill him? Cursing under my breath, another plan had to come to mind or I would be dead. Being Dead wasn't as much fun as living, the option of life ultimately being my goal.
"Hit him where you can to keep poisoning him with Holy Bullets while I cut him down." I shouted over the idiot's thunderous roars, Sage nodding his head once as his gun shifted into a sniper rifle. "Thanks, Sage." Charging at him, our blades clashed violently. Lightning danced around his flames, my boot blocking his punch aimed for my stomach. Sending him into a giant rock, I didn't know how long I could hold him off. Sage's angry glare directed towards me wasn't helping me out, another thing catching my eyes. Sage's bullets bounced off of my cloak, every other one hitting their target. What was up with his aim tonight? Something was eating at him, his angry expression fell into a depressed expression. That expression haunted my mind, a conversation needing to be had between us. He hadn't been right since I ran away after getting pregnant again, my mind wondering if that was the cause of it all. I would have to do something to cheer him up, maybe make him his favorite dessert. Using my cloak's invisibility power, confusion dawned on my enemy's face. Climbing onto the tree, I laid on top of Sage. Glancing up at me with a broken smile, his free hand held mine. Perhaps a little seductive word play would ease his sadness, my husband needed me right now more than a fight with an enemy.
"What's eating at you, Master?" I inquired seductively, his mood lifting slightly. "You are hitting me more than our target. You only suck when something is bothering you." Curling my tail around his waist, he let out a sigh. A dejected chuckle escaped his lips, his eyes meeting mine. What was this broken expression? Grasping at what it could be, his words answered my racing mind.
"I need you to understand that I was royally hurt when you ran away. Did you think that I couldn't handle being a father again or do you not want this child? I keep thinking that it is both. Arty, I want you to be happy and it doesn't seem like that anymore." He expressed freely, looking a lot better after. "I want a date with you. You know, the normal kind. I want to wine and dine you but I can't. Maybe we could cook dinner together or something. I am feeling so left out of everything. What is he doing?" The monster of an idiot was kicking dry bush after dry bush down in fits of rage, the only wound not healing was the bullet wound on top of his head. Glancing at each other, we had formed a plan without speaking a single word. Throwing me off of him, a panting Rattler kept providing me blades of air to stand on. Pushing off of the latest one, I flipped through the air. Undoing my invisibility, his eyes feel on me. Time to die, I shouted to myself. My cloak floated up, exposing me to his hit. This had better work or I was going to be minced meat. Allowing my lightning to build at the tip of my scythe, his fist aimed for my stomach. Angling myself, the impact of his fist shattered my arm but the goal was achieved the moment my tip hit the wound at the same time as his bullets. Dangling off of my scythe, a bewildered expression met my wicked grin as his skin began to smoke from the combination of the lightning and the raw power of Sage's bullet. Separate we were weak, together we were stronger. Wrapping myself in my cloak, the blast sent me into Sage's arms. Covering him up, the blood and guts slid off without staining the fabric. Peeking out the crack, a cussing Rattler stood in a pile of blood of guts. Mouthing a silent apology, another hiss spoke of light discontent. Decaying to ash, he was still a bloody mess. Sniffing the air, any threat was gone. Kissing Sage passionately, one hand slid down to the small of my back while the other one rested on my tiny bump. Refusing to let me go, time stopped like always. Rattler cleared his throat, both of us shrugging our shoulders. Jumping off the branch, my nose scrunched up at the inky blood dripping from the tip of my scythe. Shaking it off, the blood splattered across the ground. Staring at the stains for a minute, the whole fight had been too close of a call for me. Shrinking back down into its jewelry form, he tucked his gun back into his pocket. Kissing my lips feverishly, Rattler massaged his bloody forehead. Releasing me from his spell, he glanced back at me. He had his girl to love and boy did we hear them at night.
"Can you two wait to fuck each other until we get back? We all get it. You guys fuck like rabbits." He snapped venomously, not enjoying being messy. A sarcastic return rested on the tip of my tongue, Sage beating me to the punch. Having always been the joker, Sage stuck to his personality.
"Sure and what have you been doing with your girlfriend, good sir." He teased playfully, playing with my hair. "You guys don't think we can't hear you but boy can we. What else is the hissing and thumping noises coming from your little space in the bunker?" Shaking his head, Rattler knew he was right. Letting the subject drop, we stopped to look at the orange rays of the sunset bathing the sands of the Badlands. It was beautiful to me, the colors entrapped my heart. Rattler's words summed it up, my eyes falling on him.
"This sure is beautiful isn't it." He hissed happily, letting the sunlight bathe him. "I miss the sunlight and its warming rays." An idea struck in my head, I had to build him an UV bed. He must have missed the natural effects of the sun, my finger tapping on my chin. I might have enough supplies to pull this off, my real smile illuminating my features. Jumping out of his arms, I sprinted back to the hole. There was no time to dilly dally, I had an invention to work on. Ripping the door open, I leapt down. Swiping the twins from Mouse, I fed them on the way to my workshop. Laying them down in their playpen, they began to play with their new learning toys that I invented. Letting out a sigh, inventing always cleared my mind. Keeping them next to me, I pulled out a bunch of my scraps. Arranging them in piles, I took a step back. Drawing out a plan in my head, I grabbed my necessary tools. Getting into it, the hours passed with breaks to feed my twins and myself. Stepping back, the last thing that needed doing was turning on the UV tubes hanging over the rock looking chair. The material covering it would prevent a fire and make it extra comfy for him. Pride glistened in my eyes, this invention almost being my favorite. The door opened, a sweaty Sage hung on the door frame. Checking in on me after what smelled like hours of working out, he must have been training the boys. All of them insisted with the endless chaos erupting outside, their desire to protect me was adorable and appreciated.
"What is that?" He queried with caution, a bit of lightning crackling at the tip of my finger. Touching the UV tubes, they flickered to life. Leaving him to watch the twins, my eyes scanned the area for Rattler. Skidding into the kitchen, I crashed into his chest. Jumping up and down, I dragged him through the halls. Bewilderment flickered in his eyes, a curious smile flashing on his lips. Pointing to the UV chair, a harsh what left his lips. This was going to be my sorry for letting him get covered in guts. Sage hung back to watch the show unfold, my eyes narrowing in his direction. Flashing me his crooked grin, I couldn't find what was attractive about me at this moment, grease covering my cheeks. Feeling like a literal mess, my hands crossed.
"It's a UV chair." I blurted out oddly, wanting to make myself presentable for some freaking reason. "I noticed how you perked up at the sunlight hitting you and you probably need it to recharge every now and then. Please test it out. I worked hard on it." Sitting down on it, he melted into a puddle. Letting out a sigh of relief, his girlfriend came into the room. Seeing him lounged out, she hopped on top of his lap. Squealing with joy, it was like they were coming to life. Looking more vibrant than ever, their goofy grins couldn't leave their faces. Success was mine, my real smile not leaving my face for a few minutes.
"This is the best I have felt in a long time." They both sighed at the same time, not wanting to move. "Thank you." Putting my finger in the air, it was through mere observation that I saw his energy build up in the sun. While I couldn't provide the sunshine, I could provide a carbon copy. Leaning against the wall, I folded my arms across my chest with an even brighter smile. Many emotions burned in my eyes, the fact that one of my family members was happier making my day.
"When we stopped to watch the sunset, I noticed you began to recharge and remembered that reptiles need UV rays to keep their bodies operating at full power." I chirped cheerfully, happy that the invention worked. "I can't have you guys fighting at less than one hundred percent." Leaping off the UV chair, Veny hugged me from the side. Stiffening up, this was something that I should be used to by now. Yawning groggily, alarm widened my eyes at the fact it had been two days. Swaying slightly, Sage caught me in his arms. Gazing upon me with all of his love, he scooped me into his arms. Always the hero, his next words melted my heart.
"You haven't been like this in a long time. Something must have really clicked in you. You have a visitor and he wants to offer you something." He bragged with a bright smile, Ash waiting for me in the living room. He had a box of vegetables and homemade chocolates resting on the table, his robes flowing over the couch. Waving at me, his brow cocked at the grease covering my cheeks. Rolling his eyes, a sense of pride twinkled in his eyes. Those vegetables were in amazing shape, my fertilizer doing its job. Seeing him smile was a nice change from the last time we visited, a bit of the stress having faded away.
"So we grew so many vegetables that we hand them out at church now. The kids wanted to say thank you so I brought the chocolates they made. Thanks to you everyone is doing better." He bragged with a wide grin, my friend leaning on his knees. "I heard that Mink is teaming up with the guy in Hell. If I were you I would keep my eyes and ears open. Judging by the new bruises, you have met a couple of her friends. Perhaps I should offer some insight to my most stubborn friend, you won't be able to do it alone. Always keep Sage by your side. You would do well to find their weak points and exploit them. As for Mink, she is losing her power as more people join my church. I have to get back to my wife and people. Until next time, my dear friend." Disappearing through a door, a pensive expression haunted Arty's face. Hopping out of his arms, I needed to get cleaned up. Walking into the bathroom, I drew up a bath as Sage came in with the twins. Something was up with the way he was looking at me with a sly grin, his lips brushing against their foreheads.
"Are you up for a date tonight?" He queried with an eager smile, rocking the twins. "Mouse can watch them for the night with Sunny or your brother. Please go on one with me. I missed you in the last couple of days. I want to treat you even though you wanted to treat me." Peeling everything off, I sank into the water. The grease floated to the surface, Mouse poking her head in. How on Earth did she know when to enter a room?
"Did she say yes?" She queried with excitement in her voice, her palms pressing together. "I want to give my big sister a break." Rolling my eyes, I gave her the go ahead. Stealing them away, they looked so much bigger in her arms. Any day now they would be crawling around, tears welling up in my eyes. Peeling off his clothes, I forgot he needed a bath as well. Dropping a bit of herbs into the water, he climbed into the tub. Pressing his body against mine, his lips kissed mine hungrily. Arching his body towards him, his fingers danced up my thigh.
"I am going to give you a treat after dinner." He whispered huskily in my ear, his lips brushing against the nape of my neck. Letting out small gasps, he was sexually starved as always. Kissing the top of my head, he dropped a cup of water over my head. Shooting him an unimpressed expression, his ears popped up at my ears pinning back. Grinning slyly, he turned me around. Scrubbing the shampoo into my hair made him smile his real grin, my anxiety melting away. Taking care of me was his love language, the shampoo bubbles soon floating on the surface.
"I want this child and you." I promised him sweetly, tears welling up in my eyes. "I love you and you should know that." Embracing me from behind, his chin rested on the top of my head. A sudden wave of crippling depression came over me, a long sigh escaped my lips. Tired, I was simply exhausted. It felt like everything around me was crashing around me, the situation getting more difficult by the second. My enemies were stronger than me, the lack of a trainer for me proving to be my weakness. The last guy wouldn't have died if Sage wasn't there, my hands beginning to tremble. I had plenty of power but it never seemed like enough with those bastards. What was I going to do?