It’s been five days since the kidnapping and everyone has been in a frenzy. Cole has been in between his office and meetings for the past couple of days speaking with officials. Damian and Tony were ordered to stay by my side to prevent any chances of a second kidnapping. After we took off from the lighthouse, Cole’s employees reported to have seen no traces of Noah and Jacko within a 10 mile radius. Filled with worry, Cole made Tony drop me off at the manor with Damian and ordered some of his staff to maintain a perimeter around the manor to prevent anyone from leaking into my room. Cole had left for another meeting and was working on getting the council to issue an alert for Mythicals in the area to be cautious when going out at night. I hadn’t been the only one kidnapped, as observed by Cole’s staff and the police.Three mermaids, one werewolf, a swarm of pixies, and a heavily injured avian were found in the truck I was held. Of all the other victims, they were the only to have survived; most likely due to Noah’s sadistic obsession, I think. The next few days continued to be filled with tension as the Doc was brought from her clinic to patch up Tony and me.
“I don’t know where to begin,” she started. She noticed the tension within the manor as mages bustled to and fro. She peered into the room where Tony and I were being held and shook her head. Cole’s medics had healed the easilyaccessible injuries while slowing down the worsening of what they couldn’t heal. She quickly got to work by patching up Tony’s torso and wrapping other injuries. When she was ready for me, I tensed. Doc is the only one who knowsabout my mark and stripes, and I wasn’t ready for Tony to see them; especially since I almost made him go insane.
“So, what’s got everyone in a frenzy this time?” Doc bristled, getting some tools from her medical bag,” I’m prettysure these injuries aren’t from training and this is the second time I’ve had to come around this area because this kid got injured.” Tony and I looked at Damian and silently pleaded with the man to explain to the woman before she adds to this weeks body count. As Damian explained the situation, she looked as if she were ready to throttle someone. Grabbing a tool, she stalked over to me and ordered me to take my shirt off so she could check my biometrics. Shaking my head, I shrink into the sheets and try to make my self as transparent as possible; only to find out that I can’t do it properly. Taking my confusion as a chance, she pounces on the bed and removes my shirt to reveal my marks and stripes. I cringe, expecting the gasp that comes from the two men but not the onset of hands on my face as the twofuss over it.
“How long have these been here? Does this have anything to do with that flower mark I saw?” Tony shouts, instantly turning Damian’s head as he looks at me incredulously.
“You had a what?!” the Brit exclaims. I narrow my eyes at Doc.
“What happened to not showing anybody the marks? ‘Cause so far, we’re not doing a good job.” I glare at the woman as I wait for an explanation. She smirks and continues to inspect the marks and tells me to shut up and try liquefying my body to where she can run the tool. Ignoring the fact that she dodged my question for the moment, I try to make my body easy to run through but, like earlier, I find that I’m unable to do anything. Instead my body gains a soft glow. Tony ducks behind the bed and covers his ears while Damian looks in awe.
“I thought so,” Doc proclaims, running the tool over the marks in search of an access point,” I believe that when you did that screech, I used a majority of your remaining energy. I think you might need to recharge soon.” At this, I grow somber since recharging would mean going to my father’s lake and , with that, I would run into Undine from my childhood.
“That doesn’t seem to be the only thing,” she continued,” It looks as if your body is trying to compensate for the lack of energy by shifting your biological makeup…” At my confused look, she sighed before turning to Tony and Damian.
“Put this kid somewhere where he won’t stress for a while. I presume you can’t move him for the time being, with the lock-down and all, so I suggest you keep him calm. If he gets agitated, he might revert back into that trance and attack.” Moving her tool from my body, packed up and moved to Damian, whispering something that causes his eyes to bulge and then nod his head. Grabbing her bag, she heads to the door and begins to walk out when she stops.
“Also, tell that idiot brother of mine that he needs to do better at keeping his new ‘son’ safe and that the next time I see him I’ll clock him in the head for letting the kid get injured twice.” At saying this, the two stiffen and she walks out.
The room remains quiet until I realize something.
“Wait a sec…Doc is Cole’s sister?!” I press. They didn’t look anything alike. That and she doesn’t have that ridiculous accent like Cole (Then again, he admitted to faking it) or carry herself in a similar fashion.
“Aye,” Damian said while pressing his fingers to his temple,” Mr. Meister is her younger brother. She doesn’t exactly practice in the family business but is just as strong, if not stronger, then her brother.” Tony sits in a bed across from me and whines as his stomach grumbles.
“In the meantime, I’ll get you guys something to eat. You seem hungry,”he then turns to me and asks,” if you want, I can ask the chefs to let you play with some dough while your laying in bed. According to Dr. Meister, you’ll be in bed for at least another day or two.” I shake my head and snuggle in the blankets again. I’ve never had trouble using my abilities before or confined to a bed. I’d be bored for a while but it looks as if I’ll just have to sit back and wait for Cole to come back before I ask the really pressing questions. Damian left and the room fell into silence once more.
“Hey, Ripples, I got a question for you.” Tony asked cautiously. I feel guilty the man had gotten injuries on my behalf, so it was a little hard to look him in the eye.
“I might have an answer,” I replied, trying to initate some comedy. He chuckled for a bit before frowning.
“What was up with you back there? The last time I checked Undine don’t glow,” glancing over at me through the corner of his eye,”or markings. Were you lying when you said that monster didn’t hurt or is there-” He’s cut off by a knock on the door. Lilith walks in and places a tray with a jug of water and two glasses.
" I hope I’m not interrupting anything,”she blushed as she set the tray down and poured the glasses of water,” I figured you would need some water. It’s been about five days since you returned and I wanted to help out. I feel bad that you got kidnapped.” She looked at the ground and shifted her position several times before she looked back at me, a remorseful-yet-resolved look on her face.
“I feel that I should’ve waited for you at the clinic, but Dr. Mari is my summoner. Wherever she goes, I’ll usually follow; that is unless she sends me off to do something…” She sits in a chair across from me and watches as Tony and I drink our waters. I start to feel better with more water in my system and try to move the remaining water in the cup, barely swishing the substance. Placing the cup beside the bed, I sigh in frustration and lay back in bed. Lilith leaves the room with a nod and promises to see if she can swing by at my next check-up.
“I’ll walk home with you this time. Even if Dr. Mari asks me to do otherwise.” she said with a flourished twirl, disappearing from the room.
Tony looks incredulously at where the girl had been standing and gazes at me once more. He hadn’t forgotten his previous questions and looked exhausted. He tries to stand up from the bed to move to the door but stumbles half-way. Reaching my hand to help him, he flinches at the movement with a cornered look on his face. Realizing his mistake, he tried to apologize and brush it off as his attempt at doing it by himself; however, I knew that look. His face screamed fear. He was afraid of me and what I could do, while he has a good reason to be tense it still stung. Fighting the pang of guilt and hurt in my chest, I shrug it off and try to play it off as a joke. Damian comes back in that moment with a tray of light food: some soup and saltine crackers.
“Alright, so Dr. Meister insisted that this was to be your lunch for the next few days, so I won’t hear any griping from the two of you blokes. Eat up while you-”he paused at seeing Tony and me,”What’s the matter with you two? What happened while I was gone?” he pressed in concern. Tony was back in his bed, pupils like slits and shook his head for his answer. I shrugged at Damian and grabbed a bowl of soup and a pack of crackers. Thanking the man, I looked at Tony with a somber look.
“We’re fine, Damian,” I said as I picked at the soup,” We just got some clarifications on some things. That’s all.” Tony winced under his covers and started to eat his soup as well. The silence continued for another hour until I declared myself ready to go to sleep.
~~~~~~~~
It was a damp and cramped space with little lighting to help me identify my surroundings. Chained to a wall was a shimmer, its pristine form glowing faintly as the slosh of water crept up the wall. I figured, at this point that I’m dreaming and settle down as I watch the crests foam upon contact with the space’s edges. The shimmer, humanoid and wistful, moves its head slightly as it lays upon the chain’s restrains. Its haggard appearance is alarming, but I can’t figure out why.It’s glow brightens for a moment, filling the area around it with a chilling aura as if trying to suspend all movement. Its luminescence penetrates my being and fills my body with tension. Its lifted head catches my shocked gasp and smirks as it brightens some more. Its figure grows, but then fades; leaving me in a suspenseful darkness, I search for where it went. Soon as I turn, I become able to see the area where it had once resided empty of itsoccupant.
I search around for where it might have gone. Turning to and fro, I continue to spot nothing and resume walking around the space to map out the area. I don’t get far. Radiating an ominous aura, I panic as the shimmer’s figure appears in front of my being only inches from my face. I raise my arms and will the water on the ground to move in an effort to save myself, only to see it open it mouth and release a shrilling wail.
Waking up, I find myself covered as Damian is muffling my mouth with pillows. Tony is huddled in a ball, morphed into a small armadillo, trying to block out any more sounds that may come. Sensing that I’m awake, Damian looks down apologetically and releases me. Scratching his neck, he grabs another cup of water and orders me to drink. Tony is shivering at this point. When he notices that I’m no longer screeching, he morphs back and winces at the pain from his wrapped injuries.
“What the bloody hell was that,”Damian screamed. He visibly looks as if he’s trying not to lose it as he stands up and phones Doc for Tony. Glaring at me, he tries to continue but is cut off by the sound of Doc picking up the line. Turning around to answer, he mouths that he’ll continue after he gets back and walks out of the room. As he leaves, I imagine the figure of my father’s back as he left that night and chills sprint down my spine. Looking around the room, I seethat my screeching wasn’t the only thing that was concerning the two guards. All around me is the aftermath of what looks like a hurricane. Water was strewn across the room on the walls, the floor, the beds; Tony, now over his shock, tries to calm me down some more.
“Hey,” he starts from across the room,” if it makes you feel better, he also yells at me. Don’t take it the wrong way. That guy could get ticked off at a bagel, if possible-” he stops as he realizes his words aren’t helping. Tired, wet, and confused I hang my head and bring my knees to my chest in despair. I had just arrived at this new place and was already screwing up. As I tried to calm my body down, I feel a sharp pain in my head as my body starts to feel hot. Freaking out, I move in an effort to get a hug for support; then stopping as I realize that it would probably make the man more uncomfortable, making me to curl in tighter. Head buried in my knees I try to stop any tears that threaten to fall when I hear Tony’s bed creak as he moves off the bed.
Thinking he left, I instinctively hold myself, until he places his arms around me and pats my head in a calming manner. He rubs circles on my back with one hand and ruffles my hair, whispering comforting words; I break down and weep. He lets me continue and then proceeds to rock me back and forth, humming a lullaby-just as my father used to when I was young- I sob even harder. After a moment, I calm down and decide to chance opening up. Damian walks in and pauses whatever he wanted to say as he spots our position.
“I have something to tell you guys, and I need to you to promise you’ll hear me out…” I start, peering into both men’s eyes. They nod.
“Great,”I begin,” well, here’s what happened within the last couple of days…”
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