"Hey guys," Hunter greeted pulling a seat. "Long time no see," Sydney said. "Who's your friend?" She asked.
Hunter turns to his red-haired friend but doesn't say anything, letting her introduce herself. "I'm Summers. Sophia Summers," she said, shaking the orange haired girl first and then brown haired boy.
Sophia's skin was now pale but she still had a cloth over her eyes. "Not to sound insensitive but how did you know where we are? I assume you were blind or something," said Martin.
"I can sense your locations," Sophia explained.
"Hunter didn't say you were a mystic," Sydney chipped.
"I didn't?"
"You didn't," Martin stated.
A barista approached the table of four, "what would you guys be having?" She asked in a soft, ethereal voice. Hunter's ears perk up and he turns to face the barista, the sprite would recognize that voice anywhere.
The barista's eyes meet the sprite's and the latter smiles, an expression the former mirrors. "Hey stranger," she said.
"Hey you," he replies.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Am I missing something?" Sophia chipped.
"Guys, this is René, my ..." Hunter paused
"Girlfriend," the green-eyed girl stated.
"René, this is Sophia, Martin, and that's --"
"Sydney, right?" René said with a small smile.
"Yeah ..."
"So what would you guys be having?"
"Latte for me," Sophia said. "I'll have a cappuccino," Martin stated. "Can I have tea instead?" Sydney asked.
"Of course," the barista smiled. "I'm guessing you will like a mocha?" She asked the dark-haired boy. "Yeah ... Sure," he replied.
"I'll go get your orders for you then," René said before walking away.
[When are you going to let her know you don't enjoy that drink?]
'Not now!'
"I never imagined you would have a girlfriend," Sophia said, breaking the silence.
"Oh come on, I can't be that bad-looking," Hunter frowns.
"It's nothing to do with your looks ... You carry yourself like someone who has several women fawning over him but rejects them all," Sophia explained.
"I see it too," Martin agreed. "Like a player but without the actual playing if that makes sense," he added.
"Whoa, whoa, WHOA! I thought today's outing was so we would meet new people and talk about the holiday, how did you get here?"
"I agree with Hunter: you two got a little carried away there," Sydney said.
"Thank you!" Hunter smiled, happy the werewolf is on his side.
"Fine," Sophia rolled her eyes. "You two met before, right?" She asked the orange-haired girl.
"Once. At the Colosseum," Sydney stated.
"You've been to the Colosseum? I always wanted to go there," Sophia said.
"You should," said Martin. "I heard the government plan on tearing it down and turning it into a stadium," he added.
"I saw that too," said Sydney, "they want to turn it into a modern stadium to accommodate special events and celebrations," she stated.
"Speaking of celebrations, it's the last day of December, is any of you interested in watching the fireworks tonight?" Martin chipped.
"Ooh, nice segue," said Hunter, "and count me in, I've always wanted to see it live since ever."
"Same!" Sydney exclaimed.
"I've seen it before but it never gets old," Martin stated. "We can watch it from the bleachers in the Met university stadium - that's the best spot to view the fireworks," he added.
"I guess I'd be coming along too," Sophia said.
"... And here's your coffee," René said as she returned to the table and set each of their orders in front of them. "You guys going somewhere?" She asks.
"The new year's fireworks," Hunter said.
"I've seen it on TV countless times, wouldn't hurt to see it live," René said.
"You can tag along if you're free," Martin said.
René turned to check the clock on the wall behind the counter, "well I'm ..." She paused, waiting for the second hand to hit '12' before she continues. "I'm free now, when do we leave?" She asks.
.
.
.
Martin drives to a beach, parking his car in a secluded spot. "I thought we are going to the Varsity stadium?" Sophia asks, "why did you stop at a beach?"
"Wait, you can see?" René asks confused.
"Well --" Sophia stuttered.
"Yes she can," Hunter quickly says, "Sof covers her eyes because light affects her eyes and can cause real damage if exposed to it," he lied.
"Oh," René said understandably. "Sorry about that," the emerald-green-eyed girl said to the red-haired girl.
"Yeah, it's a shame; I have really pretty eyes," Sophia said.
"To answer your question Sophia, the stadium is just further down that road," Martin finally responded, "it's still 6 pm so I thought we could kill time by hanging out in the beach for a bit. There's also drinks in the trunk," he stated.
"Well it's too cold for swimming and too dark to tan," Sydney stated.
"We could just sit around and talk," Hunter suggested.
[For nearly six hours? Goodness me!]
'Shut up!'
"I'll set up the blankets then," Martin said stepping out of the car.
"I'm going for a swim," René said before jumping out and heading straight to the water. As she got closer, the Northlander took off her shorts and shirt leaving only her choker and undies on.
"I just notice how light her clothes were," Sophia said, "isn't she cold?"
"She's from the Northland ... she's probably seen worse," the sprite stated.
"Ah ... Speaking of, that lie you told her about my eyes was so fast and sounded so authentic like wow," Sophia said.
"Are you praising me for lying?"
"Honestly, I don't know whether to be impressed or scared you can lie that good on the spot," Sydney chipped.
"That's more like it."
"Did you bring your camera?" Sydney asks.
"I did," Hunter replied. "Let's take some pics then." They hop out of the car and help Martin with the blankets and refreshments.
"I thought we were taking pictures?"
"Just a moment," Sydney says setting down the cooler in the sand. "Let's start," Sydney says striking a pose.
Hunter raises his camera to his eyes and begins clicking the snap button.
"Your turn Sophia," Sydney says pulling the redhead into the picture.
"I don't think I'll look good with the blindfold," Sophia complained but Sydney holds her close while Hunter takes some pictures.
"Now solo," Sydney says stepping away. "The blindfold isn't helping," Sophia pointed out.
"Just try to be creative. You could pose with your arm over your eyes," Hunter suggested.
Sophia tries it, getting on her knees and putting her arm over the blindfold. "Cool!" Hunter commended and the redhead carried on with some daring and suggestive poses.
"Your turn," Sophia said to Sydney.
"I already had a solo take," said Sydney but Sophia merely shrugged, motioning the werewolf into the frame while she steps out.
"You know what they say: you can never have too many pictures," Sophia stated.
"Who says that though?"
"Me?"
Sydney throws a peace sign in the air while Sophia frowns. "Boo! Boo! Boo her, boo that woman!"
"What did I do?"
"Sexy poses! Give us some sexy poses!" Sophia demanded.
"How? I don't know what to do with my hands," she pouted.
"Here," Sophia said helping Sydney with some poses.
Once Hunter was done taking pictures of Sydney, Sophia made the sprite take pictures of Martin and then Martin took some of Hunter.
Hunter looks through the pictures while wondering why the Northlander was taking so long in the water. He turned to see her emerge from the water, her body glistening. Hunter made sure to take a picture.
"Did you just to a picture of me?" René said, her face flushed and a smile flickering on her lips.
"You want me to delete it?"
"You can keep it," she blushed.
"Come on guys, grab some drinks," Martin shouted from the other side.
René puts on her clothes and the two meet with the others who were already seated forming a small circle. Hunter opens the cooler and grabs a bottle of water.
"What do you think you're doing?" Sophia asks.
"Err ... Grabbing a drink," the sprite replied.
"That's water though."
"The others are alcoholic, you know I don't drink," he stated.
"But that would make you the only one here not drinking!"
Hunter shrugs, "someone has to drive you guys home," he said.
"You don't have a license."
"Someone has to look after you guys?"
"Nope!" Sophia sets a beer in front of the sprite before settling by his side.
"So there's still around five hours left before the fireworks ... What do we do?" Hunter asks
"I have an idea!" Sydney exclaimed.
"Yeah I'm thinking the same thing," said Sophia.
"What is it?" Hunter asks.
"What do you see in front of you?"
Hunter looks down at the bottle of beer then back at his friends, "peer pressure?"
"No silly, it's a drink; let's play a drinking game."
"Only if I go first," Martin said. "Wait, what are the rules?"
They began playing their game and once the dark started setting in, they started a small fire at their focal point. When the group began getting tipsy, they dropped the drinking and just told each other stories.
"... And he reached for his gun only to pull out a banana ..." Sydney says, "... that whole build-up was leading to that punchline," she stated sort of embarrassed at herself for making the joke.
Sophia bursts into laughter and Hunter raised an eyebrow, "you good, Sof?" He asks.
"Yeah ... The joke was pretty funny to me," the redhead stated.
"That makes one of us," Hunter said. Sophia uses her elbow to nudge the sprite's side. "What?"
"You know, you never mentioned how you two met," René stated.
"Us? Like 3 ... 4 years ago, I was helping my aunt at the eatery when this one ran in," Sophia related.
"Ooh, young Hunter? What was he like?" Sydney queried.
"Believe it or not, more insufferable than the current Hunter is," Sophia stated.
"Gee insufferable? I wasn't that bad!" Hunter complained.
"Okay, maybe 'insufferable' is a strong word but you're too young for me to use curmudgeon," said Sophia.
"Oh come on!"
"Anyways, Hunter just burst straight into the eatery and begs me to hide him. I decide to hide him in the kitchen --"
"Just like that, no questions asked?" René chipped.
"Well ... no ... I was young and stupid, okay?" She said with her hands in the air.
"Not my worst decision though. Turns out my aunt was whipping some eggs with a whisk and the little devil starts lecturing her about how one must always whip eggs with chopsticks."
The group laughs while Hunter shrugs, "seriously though, you should whip eggs with chopsticks," the sprite states.
"What happened next?" Sydney asks.
"Oh that's the good part," Sof said smiling, "you see --"
"It's a long story that ends with me getting a job as a chef in the eatery," Hunter interjected.
"You are so boring," Sophia rolled her eyes.
"We can't all be as interesting as you are, THAT would be boring," the sprite stated.
"So Hunter can cook?" Martin asks.
"As much as I hate to admit it, he was the best cook at the eatery," Sof stated.
"Maybe you should make something for us soon?" said Sydney.
"We'll see. What's the time Martin?" Hunter asks.
"Around 12 minutes until midnight," said Martin.
"We should head to the bleachers then," Sof says rising to her feet. The others follow after her while Hunter stays behind, "you guys go ahead, I'll be with you in a minute," he says.
"Are you okay?" René asks concerned. "Yeah ..."
"Alright, don't stay too long." They continued to the stadium leaving the sprite behind. Once he was sure they were out of earshot, the sprite spoke again. "It must be getting boring just listening," Hunter said.
"Not really, I enjoy doing this," the familiar voice of Leah replies stepping out of the shadows.
"You enjoy secretly observing others?" Hunter inquired.
"What, no!" Leah said, "I ... I meant I enjoy doing my work," she stuttered.
"Which is?"
"Secretly obs --" the vampire pauses while Hunter laughs. "Grab a drink and take a seat," he said.
Leah grabs a can of beer and sits on the blanket next to Hunter's.
"So, how have you been? I don't think I've seen you a lot since Sof was at the hospital," Hunter says.
"I've been ... Working," Leah replies. "You should get going before your friends get worried ... One of them is behind that palm tree," she warned.
"Yeah, it's Sof so is fine. You can join us if you like," Hunter offered.
"I don't know, Jade said not to interfere with your day-to-day activities unless your life is in danger," Leah stated.
"Well, Jade isn't here, is she?" Hunter said.
"I -- the time is 11:53, you should go," Leah stated.
"I should. If you change your mind just step out of the shadows, and I'll come up with an excuse for you," Hunter said before standing to his feet and walking towards the stadium.
"I said I was right behind you," Hunter said.
"Thought the alcohol was getting to you ... I had to see if you were okay," she stated.
"You can rest well, I didn't even taste it," Hunter said.
"Who was that?"
"Just Leah, she says hi by the way," Hunter stated.
"Why didn't she stay behind?"
"Oh, she's staying behind, just out of sight."
"Huh?"
"I'll tell you the full story some other time," Hunter said untying his hair and letting it fall to his shoulder. "So? Are you having fun?"
"Yeah, your friends are great," Sophia stated.
"Glad you're enjoying yourself." They walk into the stadium to find the group seated on the tiered planks bar René. "Where's René?" Hunter asks.
"She's over there," Martin said pointing towards the tunnel.
Hunter moved to the area where René was, her face lighting up as soon as she sees him. "What are you doing here?" He asks.
"Suffered a wardrobe malfunction ... You look good with your hair down," she said her cheeks turning red.
"Maybe in the dark I do, when the sun comes out you'll think I'm a hobo," Hunter said while the brunette laughs.
[Screw you!]
"You know, I wanted to talk to you," Hunter said stepping a bit closer to the Northlander.
"Figured. I waited in the water for you earlier," she replies.
"Sorry, I was kinda occupied ..."
"No worries. I'm guessing you want to talk about what happened at the café?"
"Yeah ... So you're my girlfriend now?"
"Too soon?" René said her cheeks turning red.
"No, I think this is all well-paced," Hunter said before leaning in and kissing the Northlander. There is loud bangs in the background as the fireworks begin to explode, the colored flames and sparks lighting up the night sky.
"Aren't you going to look? It is the reason you came here, right?" René whispered softly to the sprite.
"Yes, but the view in front of me is far better," he says before closing the distance between them.
*ELSEWHERE*
Jade checks the time on her watch before looking at the small television at one side of the bar, a video about the new year's fireworks was being broadcasted.
"You're very hard to reach, you know that?" A voice said from behind.
"Camille," Jade said downing her drink before pouring herself another cup.
"Gee what's with the cold shoulder? A 'nice to see you again' would be ... nice."
"Maybe if this was a simple reunion," Jade said not even sparing the woman a look as she sits on the stool next to the vampire.
"Am I that easy to read?"
"What do you want?" Jade asks.
"Straight to business, huh? Okay - have you heard about the mysterious human disappearances in the Met?" She asks.
"Not just the Met, Skyhill and Skyline also," Jade said.
"Right. Well, one of the guys that were filed missing popped up two nights ago in the United Republics. His body was found under a bridge, the local police suspect foul play," she stated.
"So you think they are being trafficked?"
"Not think, I know they are being trafficked. A ship with a clearance slip issued by the Bureau is headed to the United Republic soon but the ship has no listed mystical artifact in its many cargoes, it is also heavily guarded by several hired guns. Now, it's possible they just requested a clearance slip to avoid any bumps on the way but why bother when you should have nothing to worry about? I believe the cargo is filled with humans. I'm not too sure though and can't risk pissing the owner off," she stated.
"And since when does the Alpha sector deal with public safety?" Jade quizzed.
"We don't, just helping you with your jobs!"
"..."
"Tough crowd, eh?"
"Why don't you just raid the damn place?"
"We would if it wasn't run by the family that keeps the Bureau afloat and helps with our diplomatic relations with the human governments," Camille stated.
"The Archaeons?"
"Got it one. Like I said: I'm not very sure so I can't risk them figuring out we raided their place if it turns out clean," she explained.
"So you need me for what exactly?"
Camille runs her hand through her hair, smiling awkwardly. "Not just you ..."
"No."
"It's safe. He hasn't been added to the Bureau's system yet," Camille stated.
"Bullshit! You don't know that," Jade argued.
"Except I totally do. These things take time, you know that more than I do. Help me out and I'll also help you out," she offered.
"And what can you help me with?"
"I know that you're looking to get some Intel on the H.S.S."
"And how would you know that?"
"I have my ways," Camille stated.
"I only told one person," Jade said with a small sigh.
"And he went snooping around where he didn't belong. Wasn't difficult linking it back to you," she stated. "Come on Jade, just this once and I'll get you all the files you need,"
Jade sighs. "How soon can you get the files?"
"It will be on your desk once the mission is completed. You still live in Winds Gate, right?"
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