Chapter Text
"According to sources, the first portal was constructed in the year of Terravas, primarily as a test case. Once said test was confirmed as a success, the concept of the portal spread throughout the regions, allowing the use of interdimensional travel to become more widespread."
I reread that section.
Then reread it again.
And again.
And again.
No matter how many times the syllables slid across my mind, I just couldn't lock them in place.
Portals?
Interdimensional travel?
Regions?
Err, I guess that last one isn't too bad.
I strolled across the cement sidewalk, the city outskirts vibrating with serenity as in the near distance, the luminance of the metropolis glimmered, the shades ranging from timid greens and blues to boisterous pinks and purples.
Odd, considering that section of the city was supposed to be locked away to a different dimension, but what did I know? Maybe breaking the rules of space and time wasn't as refined as they made it out to be.
I kept my finger rubbing against my phone's screen, my eyes glued to the article. I didn't care if they wound up making enough portals to bake a freakin' donut! I was gonna get it.
The donut?
Or the portals?
Never mind. Now I'm just confusing myself.
His words echoed through my mind, fueling my dwindling determination.
"Try to learn more about this world.
That way, I can take you on adventures you'd only ever dream of."
I don't see how I can't go now, I thought. I don't have to know exactly what a werewolf is to appreciate it. Or how shadows can actually suck out people's souls.
Mainly, I just wanna be with you.
I closed the article, switching instead to my text messages. There, I clicked on the convo with L, reading the final words exchanged.
"Meet me at the DuskDrop Cafe."
I looked to my bunny head phone strap and sighed.
Another date just staring out the window.
Hooray.
I'm in a literal dimension where monsters brawl in the underground, and you wanna just sip on some lattes as we talk about our favorite authors? That's criminal.
There's more out there, and I wanna find it.
I locked my phone, letting the blacked out screen cast my reflection: a dorky teenage girl who spent way too much time playing Minecraft and reading books to have any kind of social life. I was the kind of geek who read about the adventure goers, not the one doing the adventure going. (That made sense, right?)
Even so, I was ready.
I had to be.
Otherwise, this universe packed with bloodthirsty monsters would chew me up and spit me out.
Case in point: it only took me a few seconds to go the whole nine yards of being successfully kidnapped!
Wait . . .
What?
It happened quicker than a bolt of lightning smashing the ground, than a bullet shredding through the wind.
One instant, I strolled peacefully down the sidewalk; the next, I had a sack over my head, shutting away my vision as my body was jerked into a cramped space.
"Gotcha!" I heard a voice cheer as my bones ached from the crash.
It sounded . . . unnatural, as if three different vocal lines had been wrapped into one.
"Good snag, Tarm!" another voice called out, this one belonging to a husky build.
Swiftly, panic settled in my veins, cursing my body with anxious twitches.
"H-Hello?" I cried out.
Ignored.
"Told ya we'd find her easy," Triple Voice said. "She takes the same route every time."
"These mortals are idiots," Mr. Husky derided.
That's not very nice.
"Who are you people?" I asked. "Where am I?"
"Shaddup!" one of them barked.
My lips locked tight.
Every now and then, I would rumble a little on the ground, letting me know that I had been snatched into a vehicle.
"What do we do now?" Triple Voice wondered.
"What do we do?" Mr. Husky echoed. "What do we do? I'll tell ya what we do. We're gonna get a few more of these funbags. Then, we're gonna head over to the market and make our paychecks!"
The response: a collective hoorah! from those present.
I, on the other hand, had knees that went to jelly as my breaths became shorter and shorter.
This isn't . . . This isn't what I think it is . . . is it?
"P-Please . . ." I begged. "Please, don't hurt me."
"Hurt ya? We're not gonna do anything like that." I could hear the smirk curve from Mr. Husky's lips. "Can't make any promises for who we sell ya to, though."
The rest of the car chuckled darkly.
I clenched my teeth.
Maybe I'm not as ready as I thought I was.
A final plea.
Please, help me . . .
L.
♪ I heard her name come around ♪
♪ A beautiful girl outside my circle. ♪
♪ Highly acclaimed for tearing men down. ♪
♪ She grabbed my heart and colored it purple. ♪
Throughout the cafe, the soothing notes played, blessing the few patrons with lovely tunes as they went about their lives. Some hammered away at their laptops, sipping their coffee to keep their focus, while others simply gazed out the windows, admiring the beautiful dusk drifting about outside.
One group, however, did neither, instead conversing amongst themselves. This trio consisted of towering animatronic figures—mechanical beings resembling humanoid animals.
First was the bunny, violet in shade as a tiny grin gleamed beneath his pink eyes.
Next came the bear, his framework a bit more beaten than the others. Most of his physique indulged in the shade of brown; however, several sections had been damaged severely, resulting in metallic wires being laid over the surface.
Last but not least: the rabbit—a rather thin fellow who basked mostly in a golden yellow, with his muzzle, inner ears, and stomach partaking in a lighter shade. Beneath his orb-like white eyes, a kind smile showed, revealing his perfect buckteeth. Dark brown gloves covered his four-fingered hands, whereas grey slippers concealed his feet. An adornment, he had a lavender bow tie wrapped neatly around his neck.
The rabbit looked to the bear with judgement, his smile fading.
"Freddy, baby," he said, "I dunno why you let them bully you like that. Couldn't you have just delivered the map?"
The bear tilted his head, his gaze both dead and alive.
"You wanted to add dramatics?" the rabbit interpreted. "This ain't Hollywood."
Another head tilt.
"I don't care if it was an easy fix! Shouldn't have happened in the first place."
This time, the bunny got in the chat, rolling over his own stare.
"I would've done the same thing?" the rabbit asked. "Oh, please. I ain't lettin' no oozy sharkface touch my buttons. No way, no how!"
". . ."
"I don't care if it was for his daughter. Dude should stop being such a sap and let her grow up. At this rate, she's gonna start thinking she'll turn into a fairy or something."
This time, the other two animatronics merely tilted their heads, crushing the rabbit with their unspoken questions.
"I'll understand when I have something to protect?" the rabbit asked. "Please. If that ever happens, I'll be on the money! I'll show you fellas how it's done, 'cause I'm just that great!"
". . ."
"'There's the Lucky I know'? Ah, fooey! You can kiss my buns, Bonnie!"
". . ."
"Was there really a need to bring my mother into this?"
The rabbit waved his hand, his expression turning less receptive.
"Forget this," he said. "It's like trying to talk to some brick walls."
He snapped his focus to the window beside them, watching the traffic roll smoothly by.
But, just before the rabbit could zone out the world in its entirety, something snatched his attention: a van, speeding past his sight. He saw it for only a split second, but as his gaze pierced the window, he could've sworn he saw a phone with a bunny head strap.
He raised an eyebrow.
"Interesting."
Then, to his company: "Give me one second, fellas. Gotta make a call."
The bunny and bear glanced at one another as the rabbit searched through his pockets, fishing out a basic flip phone.
". . ."
"Yes, I realize it isn't the stone age," the rabbit said. "Leave me alone."
He tapped his fingers against the mobile's buttons, then pressed the device against his ear.
Suddenly, something began to vibrate against my leg.
My phone?
"Heh?" Triple Voice wondered. "What do we have here?"
I felt some abnormally large fingers dig into my pocket, grabbing my cell phone to pull it out.
"A phone call?" Mr. Husky asked.
"Mm-hm. Says here it's from an 'L'."
My heart sank.
Now? Of all times?
I don't know whether to feel lucky or punked?
"I'm gonna answer it," Triple Voice announced.
"I dunno if that's such a good idea," Mr. Husky warned.
"It'll be fine. We gotta make our mark somehow!"
Oh, boy.
The ringing stopped.
"Hello?" the rabbit asked. "B, are you there?"
No answer.
"B?"
"Sorry. Only RG."
A response, only this voice seemed to thrive in slime.
"Short for Rich Guy! You know what I mean?"
A total shift, the rabbit's face went dark.
"Who's speaking?"
"I already told ya: It's Rich Guy. Well, not yet, at least. But after I finish selling this mortal here, you best believe I'm gonna be swimming in that dough."
For a time, the rabbit went silent, absorbing the moment.
Then came his simple request:
"Say that again."
The voice on the other end merely chuckled.
"What? You deaf or somethin'?" I heard Triple Voice ask. My body cringed at the cockiness in his vocal cords.
I then felt a poke at my thigh.
"Hey, girlie, who is this clown? Deaf as a wombat."
I'd be careful if I were you.
He's not the best at taking insults.
The bunny and bear both shuddered as the rabbit's phone cracked a bit beneath his grip.
"Anywho," the slimy voice said, "I'd love to keep chatting, but I got some buyers waiting. Plus, got some more merchandise I need to grab. See ya later, alligator!"
Click!
Again, the rabbit sat in silence, hearing only the emptiness coming from his cell phone.
I heard Triple Voice laughing his rocks off.
"I showed him!" he screeched.
"Talk about confidence," Mr. Husky said. "You're a natural!"
Another poke at my thigh.
"Hear that, fleshbag?" Triple Voice asked me. "You're finished. Nobody's coming to save you."
Part of me still dwelled in that despair, that uncertainty of what the next few moments would hold.
After that phone call, however, a larger part thrived, enjoying the warmth gifted by the embrace by Lady Hope.
I gave my mumble.
The bunny and bear stared.
". . ."
"Yeah," the rabbit said. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"Huh?"
They poked my leg again, this time a bit harder.
"What was that?" Triple Voice asked.
"Excuse me, boys," the rabbit said. "I'm gonna have to cut this meeting short. My apologies."
He rose to his feet.
"Got some business to attend to."
I clung to my sincerity.
"He will save me," I whispered.
The response: laughter all around.
"Oh, yeah?" Triple Voice snickered. "How's he gonna do that? He don't even know where you are!"
More chuckles.
Mr. Husky made his voice clear.
"Sweetheart, you're all alone. You're done for."
The rabbit turned to make himself scarce.
"If there's one thing I can tell you about L, it should be this . . ."
And as the bear and bunny watched, their metallic spines shrank with shivers—a sensation they, until now, didn't believe could exist.
His eyes bathed in a crimson glow, his lips as straight as could be.
A sight so wicked, any demon would crumble from a mere glance.
"He hates feeling like an idiot."
* * *
Eons upon eons had passed since my snatching, or so it seemed. In that time, a handful of other victims had been grabbed and tagged, each no less confused than the last.
"Shaddup!" Triple Voice would bark at them.
Good to know he didn't say it to just me.
. . .
I think.
Once the vehicle had stopped three or four more times, my kidnappers began unfolding the next part in their masterplan.
"All right," Triple Voice said, "I think we got enough baggage."
"What's the payday lookin' like?" Mr. Husky asked.
"Pretty hefty, if I do say so myself. With this haul, we'll be sippin' on margaritas in no time!"
They have those in the demon dimension?
But before the menacing morons could cream their pants any further, one of my fellow kidnapees committed the most cardinal of sins: she spoke.
"E-Excuse me . . ." she said softly.
"Huh?" our kidnappers quickly went sour. "Who the hell said you could talk?"
"I-It's just . . ."
Her words hung in her throat.
"Just what, huh?" Triple Voice growled. "Interrupting our conversation like this— Have you no shame?"
This guy really wants to talk about shame?
Okay . . .
"I . . . I, um . . ."
"Well, spit it out!"
"I really need to use the restroom."
Heh?
Did she . . . Did she just . . . ?
"What?" Triple Voice hissed.
"I'm sorry," the girl said. "I'm really sorry. I can't hold it in anymore."
I really expected our snatchers to just laugh it off. Heck, I even thought they'd make her pee on herself out of amusement.
So, when Triple Voice quietly groaned, "Oh no," his concern genuine, I colored myself shocked.
"Can I please go too?" another asked.
"Me too," another chimed in.
Gosh dang, what the frick have y'all been drinking?
"This is not good," Triple Voice said.
"We're gonna end up with one wet floor," Mr. Husky added. "Boss, what do we do?"
Next moment, a third voice arose, one that hadn't uttered a single syllable until now.
"Isn't it obvious?" he asked, his tone that of a mob boss. "We get the damn girls to the bathroom."
How . . . How very considerate.
A poke to my calf.
"What about you, mortal?" Triple Voice asked me. "You gotta go too or what?"
"Yeah," I lied. "Real bad. I can already feel the waterfall coming!"
Nice acting there. Gonna get an Oscar with that one.
"Hold it!" Triple Voice begged. "Don't let go! Don't let go!"
Apparently, it was good acting, after all.
"I'll try! I'll try! Hurry! Please!"
"Boss! To the mall! Please, step on it!"
"Yeah, yeah."
I felt the pedal smash the metal, evident by the car shooting up in speed.
The mall, huh?
Is it as gaudy as the one in my world?
He stomped down the street, mood sour as he muttered beneath his breath.
"The audacity . . . The f*ckin' audacity."
By now, the crimson of his eyes had vanished, although his ire strived.
"Think I'm a fool? Think I'm a punk? I'll show you . . . I'll show you what I'm made of."
He took a series of turns, rounding corners until the city around him morphed from pristine and crisp to dilapidated and unpresentable. Wooden boards X'd out windows as webs and dust caked onto the surfaces, and rodents and scum of all shapes and sizes scurried through alongside the multi-layered grime.
Eventually, the rabbit carried himself into a dim alleyway, and after descending a miniature set of stairs did he arrive at a cracked door of rotten wood.
His hesitation zero, he slammed his foot against the barrier, bashing it open.
Now before him, a room no larger than a studio flaunted its features: a folding table at the center, legs dug into the stained carpet; a torn couch set before an abused television; and a moldy kitchen.
Beside the table was a set of metal chairs, two of which housed a pair of peculiar individuals.
The first, an animatronic pig, obesity calling his name as the words I ❤ RIBS decorated his tight, stained shirt.
The other, an animatronic chicken, her body round like an egg as her beak maintained an unending gape.
The duo studied the cards in their hands, playing poker beneath the dangling lightbulb.
However, it didn't take long for their attention to snap to the newcomer.
"Lucky!" the pig roared. "You're back!"
The chicken sprung from her seat. "Lucky! Lucky!" Her breaths went heavy as she approached him.
"Relax," the rabbit said. "I'm not in the mood to deal with your nonsense. We're moving out in a few, so get ready."
"Moving out?" the pig asked. "But we've been living here for so long."
"Will the new place have a bath?" the chicken wondered. "My feathers are getting mighty stiff!"
The rabbit stepped over to a shut closet.
"We're not moving houses, you dunces," he explained. A second later and he brandished an axe between his fingers. "We've got some business to attend to."
"Ohhhhh," the other two sang in unison.
Instantly, their eyes basked in the familiar glow of crimson.
"Why didn't you say so?"
"I'll do anything for you, Lucky. Anything."
"Good. Because we have a mortal to save and some manners to teach."
Together, the trio fled from the house, their thirst for blood unquenchable.
It took some time, but by the grace of God, I felt the car finally slow to a stop. (Any second longer and the girl next to me would've exploded into a wet mess.)
"All right," Triple Voice said, "we're here. Now, let's get these girls to the bathroom before they destroy my van. It's a rental, ya know?"
"You weren't even the one who paid," Mr. Husky pointed out. "Boss was the one with the cash. He just used your name."
"Just get your business over with," the sinister voice demanded. "You're testing my patience as is."
"Sorry, sir," the other two said together.
They remind me of another trio I know . . .
"Well, we better get the masks off," Triple Voice said.
"Are you nuts?" Mr. Husky questioned. "Why would we do that?"
"Well, it wouldn't exactly look good if we walked around with girls who have bags over their heads. Wouldn't you agree?"
"Fair enough."
"Relax. Even if they see us, it's not like they can do anything about it. They're gonna be across the dimension by the final moon."
How far would that be actually? A couple miles, or . . . ?
In any case, the knuckleheads followed through on their words, and within a couple seconds, I had the sack on my head removed, returning to me my precious sight.
As I had already guessed way back when, I'd been snatched into a car—a van, to be specific. The inside, covered with dark thin fur, couldn't have been any roomier, rivaling the size of my bedroom back room. A black tint tainted every window, robbing the space of any clean luminance.
This thing a van or a trailer?
To my sides, my fellow kidnappees wore their worry on their sleeves, unsure of what fate had in store for them. Of the five of us, I was the sole mortal, their genetics ranging from a majestic unicorn girl to a cute goblin.
As for our snatches, to their credit, they looked exactly like how their voices sounded.
Triple Voice revealed himself as a tiny gremlin, outfitted with a raggedy suit.
The figure beside him—a Frankenstein-esque being—wore a similar outfit, although his seemed much tighter. Mr. Husky, I presumed.
"Alrighty," the gremlin said, "let's get a move on, ladies! Up ya get."
He ushered us to our feet, releasing us from our bondage.
"Don't try anything funny," he warned us.
Yeah . . .
You were a bit scarier when I only knew your voice.
The fact that this tiny guy is threatening me is actually kinda depressing.
Mr. Husky rose as well.
"Okay, Boss," he said, "we'll be back in a jiffy."
The sinister voice—the one that stiffened the hairs of my arms—replied from the van's front, still unseen.
"Yeah, yeah. Just hurry it up."
Obliging, Triple Voice slid the door open, and as I stepped onto the pavement, I took a deep breath, savoring the crisp air. Still, the stars glistened in the onyx sky; however, rather than ambling through a desolate neighborhood, I now found myself in a thinly populated parking lot. Everything from basic electric cars to gothic carriages occupied the bays, all stationed before a massive structure brimming with luminance peeking through the many windows.
Not gonna lie, I was expecting something a little more . . . Satan-esque.
Then again, L took me to a Starbucks before, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.
After following us out the car, Triple Voice and Mr. Husky shut the doors, then planted themselves at our front.
"All right," the former said, "let's get this show on the road."
We obeyed, following as they led us through the double doors of glass and into the building. To my surprise (or maybe not), the supermall of the demon dimension didn't differ much from the one in my homeworld. You had the many shops lined up, their signs vibrant with colors; the kiosks loaded with random, useless merch; the guy in the corner trying to sell his mixtapes.
(Er, maybe that last one isn't in every mall.)
The crowd consisted of what I expected: monsters dressed in casual attire, from cargo shorts to anime hoodies.
They have anime here?
"Don't make a scene," Triple Voice warned beneath his breath. "Otherwise, we'll get real ugly."
Well, considering you've already kidnapped us, I'd say things are looking pretty ugly.
But that's just me.
Moments later and we arrived at a short hallway leading down to the bathrooms.
"One at a time," Triple Voice instructed. "Need to make sure y'all don't try any funny plans."
Yeah. We might try to make bombs out of the toilet paper.
To my surprise, although the other girls had been begging to let loose, now that the opportunity rolled by, none seemed willing to take the bite.
Interesting.
Thus, I took the initiative, carrying my lonesome self into the equally lonesome lavatory. A few stalls presented themselves, each just as empty as the last.
I opted to face the gigantic mirror hanging above the row of sinks, studying my person. Bags made home beneath my eyes, complementing nicely the bold veins creeping towards my pupils.
And here I thought exams were stressful.
I turned on the faucet, scrubbing my face with the warm water.
What is the plan here, Miss Human? Clearly, I can't make a dash for it. Windows apparently don't exist in demon bathrooms. Vent, maybe? Nah. I'd still have to unscrew it, and that would take too long. Dumb and Dumber would be on me like white on rice.
Hope whispered in my ear.
I could wait for him.
Despair slapped my cheek.
How the heck would he even know where I am?
A sigh slipped past my lips.
"If only you wanted to have a date here . . ." I whispered.
"I mean, we could have made the arrangement."
I jumped, shocked by the sudden new voice. But that surprise quickly melted into genuine joy as I turned to meet the newcomer:
my bunny boyfriend, looking just as dazzling as he did when we first met.
"L-Lucky?" I asked.
In return, he raised a finger to his mouth.
"I'd recommend keeping the voice down," he suggested. "It'd be kinda weird for someone to be talking in here, don't ya think?"
My instincts dialed up, I lunged forward, wrapping my arms around him as his warm fur blended with my skin.
He stumbled back. "Woah, there. Don't ram me into the sink, would ya?"
Nonetheless, he returned the gesture, hugging me with every ounce of his love.
"How did you get in here?" I whispered after letting him go.
"I have my ways," L answered.
"How did you know I was here?"
"I have my ways."
"How . . ."
I cut the question short.
"Let me guess: you have your ways?"
He rubbed my nose.
"Why, aren't you a smart one."
I smiled.
L then looked me over.
"They didn't hurt you, did they?" he asked.
"No. At least, not yet. They have a bunch of us out there."
"Yeah, I saw. Don't worry, I'm gonna make this right."
"Well, considering you found me already, you have must something up your sleeve."
My bunny boyfriend grinned.
"But of course. I'm the best there is, ain't I?"
My lips curved sweetly, and I couldn't help but hug him once more.
Returning the favor, he kissed me on the forehead.
"You've been doing great so far," he told me. "My brave, brave girl."
If having a little panic attack is what you call "brave," then I'm a freakin' legend.
"Just keep acting as you have been," L told me. "I'll be right behind ya."
"You got it."
After one final embrace, I began to head back towards my kidnappers.
"By the way," I said, "you probably shouldn't sneak into the lady's restroom. Makes you look like a perv."
"And you probably shouldn't get kidnapped. Makes ya look like an idiot."
I giggled.
From behind a wall, the chicken and pig eavesdrop.
"Aww~," the swine sang. "How nice~."
"Nice?" the chicken asked. "Just listen to them! That's supposed to be me in his spotlight! Not her! What does he see in that mortal?"
"I'm guessing, not a psychopath, unlike some winged person I know."
The chicken glared.
"Want me to show you your ribs?"
The pig tilted his head down.
"No," he sighed.
The instant I stepped out the bathroom, I wiped all essence of joy from my person, assuring all that I couldn't have been any more miserable.
"'Bout time," Triple Voice said when I returned. "What? You got a whole ocean you were saving up?"
"Y-Yeah," I answered awkwardly. "S-Super ocean, in fact."
Shout out to you, awkwardness.
You know just how to impress.
The little gremlin waved his hand. "Whatever. Next!"
One by one, the rest of the girls took their turns, during which I had to refrain myself from glancing in every direction known to man.
L's watching us. Watching me.
I patted my hair.
Oh, gosh. I look like a total dork!
. . . Wait, never mind. I always do.
I blushed.
He doesn't mind, right?
Beside me, Mr. Husky raised an eyebrow.
"What's the matter with you?" he asked. "Gotta go again?"
"Hm? Oh, n-no. Just thinking about that new shirt I bought."
What?
Humungor just shook his head.
"Weirdo."
That's fair.
After every girl had done their business, Tiny & Giant led us back out to the parking lot, loading us back into the van.
"Alrighty, boss," Mr. Husky said once everyone had been situated, "we're all set."
"Excellent," The sinister driver said.
His figure turned, and although his being still thrived in shadows, I could see clearly his pronounced golden eyes.
"Now, to the final act," he told me.
I quivered.
"Hm," Mr. Husky chimed in. "That's a weird way to call the base."
Soon enough, the van started to roll, only this time, we didn't have sacks latched onto our heads.
I guess it was too much work, after all.
Thus, I, along with my kidnappees, set our gazes out the window, watching as the scenery shifted from a suburban wonderland to a rural dungeon, one where structures basked in rarity, where paved streets lost their touch to dirt paths.
If you wanna take someone anywhere to get got, this is the place.
. . .
I'm not a hitman.
I promise.
Eventually, we reached our destination: a raggedy warehouse shaped like a cube. Not a single window occupied the walls of cement, promising those that entered the sensation of a prison.
Or a tomb.
Our kidnappers parked the van near the double-door entrance.
"All right," Triple Voice told us, "everybody out."
We obeyed, even though our restraints had been cut loose long ago.
After all, we didn't exactly have anywhere to run to.
Even the sinister man joined the crowd; although, his person still clung to concealment, his being shielded by a thin layer of shadows.
Inside the building, the eerie factor only multiplied, thanks largely to the dim candles that hummed from the sides, revealing the chipped chains attached to the walls.
"That's where we're going," one of the girls whispered.
I cringed.
"Quiet!" Triple Voice ordered.
Towards the back, a hallway gave its welcome.
However, the sinister man stopped short, halting us all in our tracks.
"Boss?" Mr. Husky asked.
"This is as far as you go," the shadow assured.
He turned around, letting glisten his aureate irises.
"So, why don't you show yourselves already? No use in this cat-and-mouse game."
Everyone else merely tapped against the weight of their confusion.
Me, on the other hand—I swallowed the lump in my throat, certain of the next event to pass.
And sure enough, before all of us, motion emerged from the entrance, approaching and approaching until the figures became visible in their entirety: Penny the Chicken; Hangry the Pig; and my bodacious bunny boyfriend, Lucky the Rabbit.
"Huh," he said, laying his axe over his shoulder. "Really didn't think you'd find us out."
Triple Voice grimaced. "What the . . . ? What are they doing here?"
"How did they find us?" Mr. Husky asked, worried.
"Simple." Lucky smiled. "When you're looking for trash, all you gotta do is sniff."
That was smooth.
The shadow man joined the fray.
"You think you have the advantage?" he snarled. "You think we played into your hands, when, in reality, you played into mine."
He blew into the space above him, as if he let mist flee from his lips, only instead of a serene cloud, he had the darkness of his person escape, uncovering the truth of his character: a monstrous being at least ten feet in height, his body slender as grayness colored his aged skin. For an outfit, he wore a fresh trench coat, bringing attention solely to his sharpened claws and razor-like teeth.
"If it isn't Nosferatu," L said. "And here I thought we'd heard the last of you."
The lanky creature, Nosferatu, appeared unfazed.
"Decided to lower my position," he explained. "The big stage is not where I belong. I'd rather have a billion thin strands than a ginormous link."
"You can go as tiny as you like. Your crimes won't."
"As it would appear.
"So, tell me, Lucky: What brings you to my humble abode? Here to catch me red-handed? Drag me back to that wretched wench?"
"If you're referring to Miss Lamella, I'm sure she'd be ecstatic to have you back. Unfortunately for your ego, you're just the side dish."
L pointed right at me.
"I'm here for her."
My cheeks went warm.
"Is that so?" Nosferatu asked. "Well, in that case . . ."
Suddenly, the menace grabbed my body.
"Come and get her!"
He yanked me his way, dragging me into the hallway as the bottom half of his body turned incorporeal.
I stretched my hand out.
"L!"
Instantly, the animatronics eyes flashed crimson.
"I'm going for her," Lucky said. "You two, take care of the small fry."
The gremlin puffed his chest.
"You're not getting past us!" he claimed.
"Yeah!" the fat one agreed. "You're going nowhere."
But by then, the rabbit had already vanished, nothing more than a puff of dust left in his place.
"Where did he . . . ?" the gremlin uttered.
"Now, now." Penny stepped forward. "No need to be shy. We're always looking for some new friends! By the way . . ."
Her smile went dark.
". . . which one of you had the audacity to disrespect my beloved?"
Hangry joined her side, eyeing fatty mcfatty.
"You look like you got some big ribs," he said, salivating. "Mind if I have a taste?"
The lackeys trembled.
I struggled to free myself, getting nowhere against Nosferatu's iron grip.
"Quit moving!" he demanded. "Otherwise, I'll drain you dry!"
"I don't think so!"
Close behind, L had managed to catch up, sprinting like mad as he waved his axe.
"Let her go, you wonky stick figure!"
"What a pest!"
The shadow man lifted one hand, aiming his fingers at my rabbit, and like hornets zooming from the nest, his claws burst forward, starving for the kill. And when they regenerated, Nosferatu fired once more, insistent.
His haste crisp, L bounced along the walls, dodging the projectiles.
"That's not very nice," he said.
"Stay still!" Nosferatu ordered.
"How 'bout 'No'?"
"Fine. Have it your way."
Wiping expectations, my kidnapper swiveled around, charging right for my rabbit.
"Try again!" L roared, sinking his body to skip Nosferatu's snatch.
With a failed plan, my kidnapper paused to face my partner in crime.
"Sorry, old man," L said. "You're gonna have to move faster than that."
"Think again."
Like tainted stars, Nosferatu's eyes brightened their glow, letting bleed into the air a low hum.
"My people have been around longer than you think. We vampires have knowledge that will make you question reality."
Quickly, L threw away his gaze.
"I know all about you bloodsucking freaks," he said. "You're not getting the jump on me."
"Already have."
KRAK!
Before anyone could unravel a single syllable, Nosferatu emerged beneath L, snatching him by the chest to thrust him upward. His body vibrated as his spine cracked against the many, many ceilings.
Moments later and the night air blessed us once again, with the vampire bringing my rabbit and me to the rooftop.
Nosferatu hurled him to the side.
"That . . . That was good," L groaned, quivering as he got back to his feet. "Did not see that coming."
"You need to learn some respect, boy," the vampire said.
"Funny. That's what I was gonna say to your associate down there. Truth be told, if you weren't here, I'd be dicing him up right now."
My rabbit brandished his blade.
"But I got bigger fish to fry."
"So much effort. So much vigor. You couldn't have just let me be, Lucky. Couldn't just turn the other cheek."
"You're smuggling people across the dimensions," L spat. "Not the most noble of things."
"You act as if we're noble creations. Remember who you are, Lucky—a demon. An atrocity. An abomination against nature itself. We were made not to praise harmony but to destroy it. We feed off the suffering, the demise."
My holder tightened his grip on my neck.
"Yet, you'd rather play wedding with this mortal."
Lucky furrowed his brow.
"I'd suggest you take it easy," he growled.
"First, Malak with that caretaker," Nosferatu spat. "Now, you with this pile of flesh. When will you realize that these things are nothing compared to us? They're nothing more than cattle waiting to be slaughtered. They do not belong in this world."
He dragged his claw against my cheek, carving a line of carmine.
I winced.
L choked the handle of his axe.
"To you, she may just be some thing," he whispered. "But to me, she's more than that. She's more than just some simple mortal.
"I look beyond. I look at within, at how she cares for others, how she values us, despite our differences. She peers past the surface—a lesson you should learn.
"Perhaps she doesn't belong in our world . . ."
He took aim with his blade.
". . . but that doesn't mean I don't want her here!"
"L . . ." I whispered.
I felt it: the tugging of my heartstrings, being played like a harp by my beloved.
"I love you."
"I will save you," he promised.
"Enough!" Nosferatu roared. "I will have no more of this disgusting showing!"
He lifted me up, prepared to hurl me off the edge.
Voom!
A flash, L dashed to the side, and his mercy empty, he flung his axe.
Solid hit.
Shing! the metal whined as Nosferatu's arm split in two.
"Ah!" the vampire cried, clutching what was left of his limb. "You bastard!"
I dropped to the ground, only for my rabbit to swoop in and carry me to safety.
"You're okay," he whispered, caressing my head.
I breathed in the waves of happiness.
"This isn't over!" Nosferatu cried from afar. "You haven't seen the last of me!"
"And I'll take you down each time," L promised.
His arm still on the rooftop, the vampire regained his shadowy form, his golden gaze fixed on us for one final moment before his existence faded into the night sky.
My rabbit breathed a sigh of relief.
"Probably should've thought that plan through better," he told me. "Kinda lost my axe in that mix-up."
I giggled.
"There's the L I know."
I kissed his cheek.
Several hours later . . .
Before, the warehouse had been desolate, but now, the party was bustin'! (I sound cool yet?) Authorities of this universe closed in on our location, bringing aid to my fellow kidnappees, along with several other girls who had been kept captive.
As for Triple Voice and Mr. Husky, let's just say . . . Penny and Hangry had their fill.
L and I sat against the building's face, soaking in the relaxation that finally managed to breeze our way.
"That was intense," he said.
"Yes," I replied. "Yes, it was."
Just then, a really short girl with white hair and green eyes approached us, levitating smoothly above the ground.
My rabbit quickly shot to his feet to bow.
"Miss Lamella," he said.
The girl waved her hand.
"At ease," she suggested.
L loosened up.
"You did a good job today, Lucky," the girl praised. "Although Nosferatu was able to escape, we managed to get a lot of intel from this hideout. All in all, I'd consider this a win in our books. You should be proud."
"Thank you, Boss. Glad I could be of help."
I awkwardly rose to my own feet.
"Th-Thank you, Madame— Wait, Miss— Wait . . ."
L shook his head, whereas the girl chuckled.
"Cute one, this one." She looked me over. "Not quite on the level as my grandchild-to-be, however."
Her message passed, the important shorty left us to our devices, leaving Lucky with a final question.
"Wanna go to that cafe now?" he asked me.
I shrugged.
"Screw it."