Civilians Don't Mess With Hosts

The four left and went outside of Urasaria, where a government vehicle was already parked for them. Rochelle frowned. "Did she forget to give us keys?"

Serena looked back at the entrance to Urasaria, the gate, the hallway, the street over to the main buildings, the first floor of where the Council of Four's office building was, the fourth floor, then muttered to herself as streams of fog filled the driverside door with keys. Mia opened it and sat in the driverside, Serena's the passengerside. Still outside, Rochelle waited until they weren't looking and gave Tiffany's ass a squeeze, then sat down with her in the back, rubbing her thigh a little as Mia started driving.

"So, what did you guys do for Valentine's Day?" said Tiffany. "You've all got girlfriends, right?"

"Um, me and Yuruko just played videogames all day. We watched the new Evangelion movie, too - that's a Japanese movie."

"Is that the one with the character Yuruko likes?"

"Yeah, Rei Ayanami. Yuruko was telling me about the symbolism and all that, too." Serena scratched her hair.

Mia pulled in to a suburban neighborhood. "Well, Aimee was out on a contract, but we were still able to talk for a few hours, watch a movie together, and she ordered a few of the books I've wanted to read recently, so..."

"Oh, for a class or something?" said Tiffany.

"Er, no."

"Oh, just for something fun?" said Tiffany, then excitedly: "Well, me and Rochelle got to go together for one of her interviews. They flew both of us out to LA, and-"

"Are you a celebrity or something?" said Serena.

"Rochelle is." said Mia. "Was it the same magazine as last month, Rochelle?"

Rochelle nodded.

"Yeah, it was." said Tiffany. "They were doing this thing about lesbian couples at Urasaria, and we didn't mention that, y'know, she's my mentor, since it'd get weird, but it was so fun! I mean, we got to have our pictures taken and everything, and some people there even recognized us. Hey, maybe we could get VIP tickets to a concert or something some day, right?"

"Well, maybe." Rochelle shrugged.

"Uh, do you need VIP tickets if you're a student?" said Serena. "Who's gonna stop you?"

"Hey, fame's no good unless it's earned." said Tiffany.

Mia pulled up in a suburban neighborhood, gestured to Serena, then stepped out with her to walk to the address.

As Rochelle looked outside of the tinted window and over to the lawn of another home, she noticed there were a few ornaments strewn about it: pink flamingos and garden gnomes. As she felt Tiffany rub against her back, she exhaled smally, then turned to her and smiled as Mia & Serena came back, and let the man they were escorting sit to the left of Tiffany.

"Alright." Mia turned as she sat in the driver's seat. "My name is Swarm. This is Miasma, Screwball, and Vector."

"Yeah, but you can call me Tiffany." said Vector.

"Uh, right." Rochelle smiled. "Lemme just show you my Revenant real quick, just so you know. You don't need to know what it does."

Twinfast's claws & tail formed, as did Worldwide's scarabs, Blackburn's fog, and Contagion's walnut. Mia already knew Rochelle's Revenant allowed her to freeze (without ice!) anything in place, and Contagion's walnut could control anything without a mind & somethings with.

To satisfy the desires of some readers: of course, they asked him the type of questions expected - who he was, why they were escorting him, if he was some escaped Nazi scientist or war criminal, and he could answer none of it.

Their drive was generally silent until they turned left on to a clear avenue, flanked by buildings, and as they passed by the middle of it, Mia noticed Rochelle was on her phone in the back. "Rochelle, are you looking up directions?"

She glanced up. "I- what?- oh, sure."

"Er, I already have them-"

- a truck appeared fifty-feet ahead of them, screaming and making for a head-on collision -

" - World -"

- and a hundred men appeared on each sidewalk left&right, hundreds of bullets rising in the air -

" - Blackburn!" panted Serena, swift fog reinforcing the vehicle further as a hundred gunshots entered it -

" - Worldwide!"

- and a wall of ice erupted ahead; and in to the sudden barrier crumpled the truck, their own car driving up&over as a ramp of ice formed -

- but a strip of roadspikes appeared ahead, tires popping and car sashaying as they drove over; another ramp of ice brought them below, forced to slow as a dozen trucks appeared ahead -

" - Worldwide!"

- and an enormous wall of ice blocked the road ahead, secondary walls of ice forming around the vehicle, full-auto shots still cracking it from street level as they spoke -

" - stay here!" shouted Mia, gesturing to the man already ducking -

" - we're gonna go out there?" winced Rochelle, Twinfast's tail and claws readied, Tiffany at her side with Contagion's walnut -

" - do we have a choice?" panted Serena -

" - Serena! Are the bullets Revenants?" shouted Mia, Matoi in her tone as the walls started cracking outside -

- Serena's tentacle dipped in to the pockmarked car, rapid shaking head - " - no, they're not -"

- another barrage entered the hood&roof, sudden shooters in the apartment windows besides, swift sweep of fog filling their clothes with kevlar -

- and a roof of ice formed over their heads, swift scarabs outside repairing the pockmarked walls, giving them time to speak, the warzone outside filling their ears.

"We could try to get out again -" said Tiffany - " - but -"

" - no -" said Mia - " - the way it appeared instantly -"

" - they've got someone transporting them." winced Serena, and Mia nodded quick.

"And him." she said, gesturing to the man - " - we have to deal with them directly."

"Ready?" winced Serena, readying to step out, and the four nodded -

- and burst out of the doors, ice armor forming over the car as they split in two directions, Mia&Rochelle left and Serena&Tiffany right -

" - melting in - three, two, one - now!" shouted Mia, and in the next instant -

- the walls of ice separating them from the sidewalk shooters melted, fifty feet separating each pair from the swarms of men; Mia&Rochelle rushed down, sword and tail readied, scarabs charring to ash what shots reached them as they came to the start of the swarm -

" - Worldwide!" shouted Mia, sword sweeping and meeting with five others; but none could stand against the blade that was rightfully her's. The scorching white went through the mob, half-men charred in to black pieces as the two surged, slashing murderously as they carved through, building at their right and sudden shooters seeking their heads -

- but a line of fire scarabs set the entire building alight, blaze shooting with the speed of fire down the entire row. All around them were men dying and screaming, stepping husks burnt red, decapitated skulls hanging off necks that were stained crimson. The mob was packed tight in the streets, a constant volley of foes as they advanced -

" - Twinfast!" shouted Rochelle, tail seeking three necks -

- and ripping out three skulls; another lead volley fell on them again, and as it came close -

- her tail swept up, bolts freezing them in midair, scarab swarm ripping men's skin off their bones below, hearts no longer beating as they fell rigid, pillars of white flame erupting ahead -

" - not a Revenant -" grunted Mia - " - where the fuck is the host?!"

"Just -" - another corpse with its eyes frozen shut - " - gotta keep going -" - said Rochelle -

- and as a raptor might dig a meal, ripped one of the men's heart out, whirl of claws and tail shredding another in to three halves, pressure of their strikes forcing the mob back -

- and three hundred feet behind, Mia heard the avenue-blocking walls shatter open, trucks starting their trek forward again -

" - fuck, I - I have to go back -" she panted.

Rochelle nodded, and with no time to waste, Mia rushed back down the avenue, hearing more gunfire enter the ice vehicle as she ran, and as a hundred feet separated her from the trucks -

" - Solar Beam!" she shouted, aiming her palms forward; the familiar beam erupted outward -

- and disintegrated every last truck as she aimed it back down the avenue; her aim shot to the burning buildings left, and as it entered their foundations -

- it disintegrated them in an instant, not a single ash left as they fell and collapsed, smoke and embers filling the avenue with rubble. She rushed back to the vehicle, new scarabs protecting it, four walls of ice forming around as she kept guard -

- and on the other end, the swarm still stood against Serena&Tiffany, Blackburn's tentacle dripping blood, dozens of men turned to red mist ahead -

" - Blackburn!" she shouted; a stream of black fog flew to one man in the midst ahead -

- and a thousand razorblades burst out of his body, storm of metal carving his compatriots to nine hundred and ninety-nine pieces; above, the building windows filled with gunmen again -

" - Contagion!" shouted Tiffany, throwing the walnut up, the keen end entering one man's skull -

- and his aim turned on his compatriots, fullauto shots entering every other apartment shooter's skull, corpses falling with drilled skulls out of shattered windows - but they had no time to rest.

Another hundred men appeared thirty feet ahead, infinite swarm appearing once more -

" - fucking shit, fuck!" shouted Serena, and by a sweep of Blackburn's tentacle -

- filled thirty men with thirty explosions, a hundred new members of the red mist club as they swept out to the road, meeting with Rochelle at the center -

" - god - damn, fuck -"

" - where's Mia -"

" - she went back - " - Rochelle ripped her eyes back, seeing only a frozen border around the prodigal car - " - to keep the guy - "

- a storm of gunfire arose ahead; with the speed of light the three turned, clothes of kevlar and rapid fog keeping them safe; in the next instant, Serena felt something moving behind, and as she turned again -

" - truck!"

- she saw another truck aiming direct for them, coming fifty feet within -

- and the next scene was instant. Contagion's walnut shot through the window and in to his skull; the truck veered away, turning and screaming as it flipped, trailer skidding towards the women with the speed of sound -

" - Twinfast!"

- and Twinfast's tail froze the truck mid-skid, blocking the avenue, swift dip of Serena's tentacle reinforcing it as another barrage entered from the other end -

" - we gotta like -" panted Rochelle - " - fucking shit dude, this fucking -"

" - there!" shouted Tiffany, gesturing wildly back -

- to a single manhole on the street. With no time to ask questions, the three rushed back and over, Twinfast's tail ripping it out, sewers down below.

"Let me, I'll - I'll get Mia, okay?" said Serena, and the other pair nodded, sweeping down on to the ladder, starting their climb down -

" - looks safe!" shouted Rochelle, and Serena nodded as she run back up the avenue, to at last come to the gates of the frozen prison.

"Mia!" she pleaded with the warden - " - it's me!"

- a door of ice melted, and in to the prison she swept, Mia still at the car and safe.

"We're, we found a -" nodded Serena - " - manhole, for a - a chokepoint -"

- Mia nodded. "Is - is it safe to take him out, then?"

"I - uh, hope so." panted Serena, and Mia laughed.

"Help me push the car, then."

The two laughed and walked to the car of ice's hood, and as Serena placed her hand&tentacle on it -

" - ow ow ow holy shit -"

" - sorry." laughed Mia, and Serena with her as she felt shared elemental resistance flow in to her, dulling the subzero chill.

"That's the first time you forgot." grinned Serena, wall of ice melting as they pushed the car back up the street.

"And hopefully the last." chimed Mia, coming up beside the manhole; but behind, a new swarm of trucks appeared -

- but the next scene was instant. A cloud of gire scarabs melted the car to ash, ice scarabs keeping the man safe inside; Mia ripped him by his collar, and the two leaped down the ladder -

- and saw Rochelle below, readying to land on her skull -

" - uh - Twinfast!" she panted -

- and a sweep of tail&nails above froze the air, providing a safer platform for the three as they landed, Mia laughing nervous.

"Sorry." she chimed, and Rochelle laughed, stepping away careful, Tiffany behind her. Serena filled the hole above with steel, and the three rushed down, concrete paths along the sewer's walls.

"Really stinks, though." winced Tiffany, and Mia nodded.

"Still, we - may be able to lose them, here."

"Probably won't even wanna come down here." chimed Rochelle, and the five laughed.

"Man." murmured Serena, and the five started walking as she filled their wounds. "That shit was -

- and five groans filled the tunnel as the explosions began outside - they started their rush again, Revenants readied as they ran along the wall -

" - they might - we'll be alright if they try to collapse it, so -" panted Rochelle - " - they're not gonna know which way we went, so -"

" - there's - up there -" panted Serena, tentacle gesturing ahead -

- and there, two hundred feet ahead and left, a section of the wall opened to a tunnel; with no time to waste, the five ran up to the entrance -

- and saw no light within, careful footsteps as they halted.

"Wait, what?" panted Rochelle. "There's just a…"

"That's the most obvious Revenant I've ever seen." winced Tiffany, and the others laughed.

"It, yeah, but -" - Serena winced as she glanced behind, hearing her steel barrier starting to buckle - " - if we go in - I can fill the wall up, and they, they can't find us, right?"

Mia nodded. "It's better than taking our chances up there."

"Yeah." nodded Rochelle - " - uh, we can just leave if something - happens, too, so.

The five stepped inside, Serena filling the hole with concrete behind, and a torch of scarabs lit the tunnel, hall tight but built for four, darkness at the end of the tunnel.

"Alright." whispered Mia, hearing the barrier shatter outside; the rushing of footsteps began again -

- and the five stood quiet as they heard the mob pass by, shouting and cursing for them as they ran through the sewers. A gesture from Mia, and the five started walking ahead, a second torch of scarabs for Rochelle as she took position behind.

"Um." Serena whispered, taking her cup out. "Can I take the back?"

"Sure." whispered Rochelle, and the two swapped. Streams of fog filled Serena's cup with glow-in-the-dark paint, and she kept the trail dripping behind as they walked.

"Yeah, good idea. Serena." nodded Tiffany.

The five came to the end of the tunnel, fork in the halls starting. With a sigh, the five took the left, and saw a left turn up ahead.

"It's a maze." groaned Serena.

The man suggested that they keep their right hand on the wall, as he had once read a similar trick for escaping any maze. They attempted it and were soon met by a third right-turn, indicating they had circled around; they tried left-hand and made somewhat better progress. Serena's fog filled bags of snacks, food & drinks for the five to keep individually, and they continued for four hours, until they came to a clearing with four halls at the end.

"…kinda getting tired." muttered Rochelle.

Mia nodded, and Serena painted an arrow on the left wall. "We'll sleep in pairs, then."

Serena made pillows for the four via filling Worldwide blocks of ice, and Rochelle & Tiffany slept first as Serena & Mia kept watch.

"… man. This shit's so creepy." murmured Serena as they sat against the wall.

"At least we have enough food and water to last us for months." muttered Mia.

"Yeah." Serena glanced up the hall. "…um... I gotta..."

Mia nodded, and Serena went off to piss. Halfway through hearing her stream, it was interrupted by a scream; Mia shot up and rushed to the chamber entrance-

-and there was a creature standing there, fifty feet from Serena, one all four would eventually see, but upon their escape, none could fully agree on a description for it. It was taller than Mia, bipedal, possessed claws, a tail; any more than that they never agreed upon, and they rarely wished to discuss it.

It moved like nightmare as it ran down the hall towards Serena, and as it came within range -

" - Blackburn!" shouted Serena, streams of fog filling it with acid -

- and with aghast expression saw it still standing, seemingly unharmed as it sought her neck; she swept with the speed of light back and away, Mia at her side now, sword&scarabs readied. A pillar of white flame claimed the creature's body -

- and they saw it barely harmed, shaking rabid as it rushed - the women swept back, chamber approaching their backs as they stepped back, seeking distance first -

" - Rochelle! Tiffany! Run!" shouted Mia -

- and stifled relief to hear them awake quickly, already starting to run away, fifty feet separating them and the creature -

" - we'll find the exit!" shouted Rochelle's voice behind, rapid footsteps starting to disappear.

Ahead, the creature stomped slow, and as it started its rush again -

- a wall of ice erupted out of the ground, and in to the frozen barrier it collided -

- and a dozen icicles burst out of the other end, pinning and trapping it there; the women stepped away careful, eyes sharp for its next move.

"It's gotta be really fucking durable -" - panted Serena - " - I did the acid, but -" - and in the next instant -

- the wall of ice shattered open in a storm of shards, creature breaking free from its containment; with no option left, the women turned and ran, keeping sharp left in the chamber. The creature was gaining pace behind, and in the next instant -

- it yanked Serena back by her jacket's sleeve, trapped on her own coat -

" - Blackburn -" - she winced -

- and scissors filled her new jacket, shredding it to a thousand chunk, freeing her from the creature as she landed and started her run ahead again, catching up to a rushing Mia. Her tentacle dipped in to a section of the floor, creature starting up behind again -

" - Mia, can you water it?" said Serena; Mia nodded, aiming her sword back -

- and a jet of water erupted behind, blasting and dousing the creature as it came over one casual section -

- and Serena sighed as it still ran, no damage done. "I was trying to do a reaction, it's not like that one we fought on the train -"

- Mia nodded, fire scarabs lighting their path as they ran, a fork in the labyrinth up ahead - " - left -" - she whispered, and as they came to the fork -

- a wall of ice erupted behind, blocking the creature's vision as they took the left, a second wall of ice blocking the right path as they kept their run. Three hundred feet separated them and the next fork, and as they came up, a carpet of stalactites grew down the right as they kept left, steps of the creature starting to slow behind -

- and the two ran down the hall, constantly rushing, stifling relief as the creature's screaming faded in to the other hall. They ran for thirty minutes longer, trying their best to keep left, and eventually started to slow.

"Okay - okay -" panted Serena, eyes still behind as they halted, breath filling their lungs - " - I think we lost it, or - shit, fuck -"

" - we lost Rochelle and Tiffany, too." said Mia, and Serena nodded rapid, a constant spin to her eyes.

"S-Shit, shit, shit."

"Calm down." Mia tapped Serena's shoulder, and her protege nodded. "Calm."

"…y-yeah. Fuck. That's… we gotta find them. Right? Um."

"…were you able to..." Mia glanced down the hall.

"Nope." winced Serena. "Um, sorry. Just got…"

"It's alright." nodded Mia, seeing no trail of paint behind. "Still, if… We can't risk going back, but…"

"Yeah, and… Um. I dunno if I should keep the paint going, either - since it might try to track us that way, too. Wait. Hang on."

Her cup filled with paint, and she drew an arrow pointing back down the hall, 'ALREADY BEEN THIS WAY' below.

Bab 72: Civilians Don't Mess With Hosts

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Bab 72: Civilians Don't Mess With Hosts

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