"So... now what?" Zack squinted at Luv, eyes narrowing like a suspicious cat. "What do we tell Chang and the others?"
Luv shrugged, nonchalant. He slapped Zack on the back with an exaggerated force. "Leave that to me, my friend. First thing's first, though. You grab a sample of that... whatever it is."
Zack raised an eyebrow, his face twisting in disgust. "You mean that gross, gooey mess you called 'contamination' earlier? Ugh. Fine. Following orders is my job, anyway."
"Good. Take it, bag it up, and deliver it to your president. Tell him I need him to take a look." Luv flashed a grin that could've been a little too smug.
"So... you don't know what it is, either?" Zack asked, already regretting the whole thing.
Luv rolled his eyes like the answer should've been obvious. "It's probably black magic-related. You know, your president's speciality."
Zack sighed and slipped on his gloves, cringing as he carefully scooped up the sticky substance into an investigation pouch. "Alright, let's just get out of here."
They headed for the stairs, but Zack paused, a sudden thought creeping into his mind. He called out in a whisper, "Hey, Luv..."
Luv halted mid-step, turning around. Zack scratched the back of his head. "Do you, uh... know why those two hate Miss Ananya so much?"
Luv snorted, but didn't look at him directly, his voice light and teasing. "Oh, that?" He smirked. "Why don't you ask your seniors? Or better yet, ask Ananya herself."
"That's..." Zack stumbled over his words, voice a little too loud. "That's because... it's hard to say stuff like that to someone's face, okay? I don't know the full story, and Chang and Cho... they just dodge the question and say, 'We don't know either.'"
Luv let out a small, thoughtful hum. "Ananya's one of those people who never shares what's really going on inside. She's tough to read. Came up stronger than any Nyxdith before her."
Zack rolled his eyes. "Wow, you sound like some old uncle telling stories. You're younger than her! What's next, you gonna claim you taught her how to walk?"
Luv smirked, all mystery and confidence. "Well, it's half true."
Zack gaped at him. "What, you got your brain snatched by that angel or something from before?"
"HAAAAA!"
The scream sliced through the air, sending a cold shiver down Zack's spine.
"That was Kiki?" Luv shot Zack a glance as they both bolted up the stairs, taking them two at a time.
"Does your girl always scream like that?" Luv asked between breaths, grinning.
Zack's expression didn't change. "She's not my 'girl.' Kiki and I—barely talk. We work in separate units. She's not... that kind of girl."
Luv snorted. "Yeah, sure. You're totally clueless, huh?"
"Excuse me?" Zack shot him a glare.
They reached the top floor, and the sight stopped them dead in their tracks. A writhing, pulsating mass of black goo blocked their path. Zack's stomach churned. It was like the stuff they had encountered before... only worse. Alive. Breathing. Gross.
"Senior!" Zack shouted, hoping to hear some kind of response through the slimy barrier.
Luv cocked an eyebrow. "That's not gonna work."
"Why not?" Zack snapped, eyes still glued to the wall of filth. "Just use your magic! You're a Splinter, right?"
Luv casually adjusted his jacket, unfazed. "I was just curious about what kind of monster this is. Doesn't look like it came from Halcyon's portals."
Zack groaned. "Great, now you don't know either?"
Luv scratched his chin. "It's definitely some kind of black magic... or... whatever this is."
Zack exhaled sharply. "So, can you cut it already? Kiki screamed, did you forget?"
"Sure, sure," Luv said, pulling a knife from his pocket like a magician revealing a trick. "I'll slice through this mess in no time."
Zack stared. "Seriously? You carry a knife around like that?"
Luv shrugged "This isn't mine, probably of Chang when he gave me his coat." He started hacking away at the wriggling mass with the precision of a surgeon. Zack groaned in frustration, rubbing his temples.
"Why not use actual magic?" Zack grumbled.
Luv didn't even look up. "Saving my mana for something bigger. And don't you dare tell anyone."
"Oh, if everyone dies, I'll be sure to spill all your little secrets," Zack muttered under his breath.
One swift cut, and the gooey wall split open with a sickening squish.
The air inside the inn hit them like a punch to the gut: thick with a foul stench and drenched in contamination.
"Z-Zack..."
A muffled sob.
"That's Kiki!" Zack spun around, searching wildly. "Where is she?"
Luv glanced around, tapping his chin. "Hmm... sounds close."
A moment later, his eyes flicked down. "Oops. I was stepping on her."
Zack stared. Oh.
It took a few minutes, but they finally managed to dig Kiki out of the disgusting mess, her face pale, her body trembling as she sobbed.
"I-I was... then... h-hic... that thing... ate us... I... got separated..." Her words broke apart in sobs. "And Zack... y-you... stepped... on me…"
Zack and Luv exchanged a look that spoke volumes.
(Did I understand any of that? No. No, I did not.)
Luv scratched the back of his head. "Maybe we should go find the others too."
Kiki clung to Zack, still hiccuping. "N-no... I want to stay with Zack..."
Luv crossed his arms, staring at her. "What about me, huh? You want me to be devoured by that slimy thing?"
Zack narrowed his eyes. "...Seriously?"
Kiki's grip on Zack tightened. "N-no, he's staying with me," she insisted, her voice thick with tears.
Luv smirked. "He's staying with me, actually."
Zack's jaw clenched. I'm seriously surrounded by idiots right now.
(Why do I even put up with this?)
His expression soured as he watched the two of them tugging at his arms like they were claiming territory.
(If this keeps up, I might just toss them both into the contamination and be done with it.)