Reunion… and a New Encounter

Shin's message had been brief, but enough to make Lizbeth's heart beat wildly for the first time in years.

As soon as she received the confirmation, she left everything behind and left immediately for the United States. Van and the others could handle the mission without any problems, since it was not a dangerous one, so she was told to get on the first plane she could.

By the time she boarded a plane, Shin was already arriving in the United States. He had stopped in Arkham to visit his family and was now being escorted as a security measure to another place. They wanted to make sure it was really him and not some shapeshifter who had stolen his identity and tried to sneak in the secrets of Miskatonic and the Armitage Foundation.

When she finally arrived she was informed of the situation and went to a TF safe house on the outskirts of Hangman's Hill, in an area near the Miskatonic River.

Lizbeth did not need to knock at the door. No sooner had she set foot on the porch than the door opened by a faun-like fey who hid his goat horns with a Panama hat, and there he was.

Shin. Sitting in a chair with the others around. No way he was a shapeshifter.

There had already gathered Leon, the old Wingate Peaslee in wheelchair, and Mari—accompanied by her bodyguard Akerbeltz, the faun. Gehirn was there too, had flown in from the west part of the country when he heard the news.

Shin stood up when he saw her, and she entered like the wind.

"Nice to see you too, Liz," Akerbeltz said a bit sad, while closing the door.

"You, bastard! I'm going to kill you!" she shouted at him almost in tears, as she threw down the bag and the two embraced.

Lizbeth threw herself into his arms without thinking, without caring that she still carried three days of travel, sweat and exhaustion on her skin, or the tears rolling down her cheeks, or the way her body trembled at the feel of him again. Shin held her firmly, burying his face in her hair, remembering her smell.

The years had not passed in vain. His hair was longer than she remembered, but with the same serious expression on his lips, while the eyes expressed his true emotions. As if he had seen too many things in that time. But when their gazes met, everything else disappeared.

"I missed you too much."

They continued to hug for few moments, until Leon cleared his throat, hiding a chuckle. "We can leave, in case you two want the room."

It was then that Lizbeth noticed someone in the room she didn't know. A fey girl with short black and red hair sat cross-legged in an armchair. She was wearing a one-piece, cream-colored dress with a floral pattern. The girl's red eyes were fixed on Lizbeth, while her scaly tail, also red, wagged slowly. A dragon-girl? Lizbeth wondered. After greeting everyone like old friends Lizbeth approached her.

"Hi... I'm Lizbeth," she said, extending a hand. The girl, curious, accepted it and brought her face close to the hand to sniff it without saying a word.

Do I really smell that bad? Lizbeth thought.

"My name is... Mimi," the girl replied, a little shyly, letting go of the hand.

After everyone had calmed down a little, the conversation from before Lizbeth's arrival resumed. Although, due to the new arrival, they wanted him to start over again, eager to know the story of his disappearance.

"Seriously? Again?" Shin groaned.

"Yep, at least after the plane, that's the important part." Leon nodded, with a crooked smile.

"Bastards. You're doing it on purpose. You know it's me. What the hell was the point of bringing me here, then?"

Gehirn tilted his head in that insufferable way of his.

"Plenty of people have been looking for you… and honestly, we've been through this crap too many times. Someone disappears, comes back, and turns out to be a shapeshifter. Or worse—someone who changed sides."

Shin frowned. Lizbeth did too.

"Someone tried to impersonate me?" Shin asked.

"Yes," Mari replied, like she was commenting on the weather.

"What!?"

"When did this happen? Why didn't anyone told me?" Lizbeth asked.

Mari shrugged.

"We caught on quickly, Lizzy. It was a couple of years ago, anyway. No worries."

"How did you know?" Lizbeth asked, scanning the room.

"The guy laughed at something stupid," Gehirn said flatly.

Shin closed his eyes slowly, already fed up. Leon nodded, amused.

"Exactly. That sour-ass face of yours isn't easy to fake."

"Screw you," Shin muttered, without much energy and took a beer from the table.

"Still, Shin. If you, please," Wingate cut in calmly, motioning with one hand while checking a small device resting on his lap.

Lizbeth recognized it: a portable lie detector, the kind used for field interrogations. It was connected to Shin by a thin strap around his forearm, which he didn't bother to hide.

And then, between beers and cigarettes, Shin began to tell the story again. They wanted to re-check again to what extent he remembered what had happened.

The first part, which she had not heard, Lizbeth already knew anyway.

It all happened because of that object that had been recovered from the Indian Ocean by the Chinese Navy in 1974. It had been picked up by sonar at first and thanks to infiltrators in the intelligence branches other groups had learned what it was. An Oopart mentioned in certain Indian legends and the southern part of Sumatra. It was associated with earthworks.

They were not sure if the navy knew what they had in their hands. That changed when the ship it was being transported on was attacked by an unknown mercenary group, one of the interested parties who had obtained the information from the infiltrated spies. The navy ship was sunk, but publicly, the little information that had been revealed spoke of a problem with the hull of the ship. Later it would be known that the mercenary were associated with a strange sect, scattered in different parts of the Pacific, even as far as Australia. Shin, Leon and Van were the ones who assaulted the mercenary military plane in mid-flight to steal the object.

From that part came the part they wanted to check.

The incident in the military plane had been worse than anyone had imagined. Leon managed to snatch the Oopart in time. Shin, however, wasn't so lucky. Leon jumped to be caught by the TF plane's skyhook at just the right moment. In the middle of the fight, an explosion caused Shin's body to be literally pulverized.

That happened when a gap opened up in front of the left wing. It happened so fast that he did not have time to activate his armor and was absorbed by the turbine. In that instant, something inside him activated—the particles, just for a fraction of a second, as he was reduced to dust. That spark was enough to trigger the final explosion when the turbines were destroyed by the armor particles. He felt no pain, he had no time to react. There was only darkness.

Shin then pointed to the one who accompanied him. "It took me ten years but I regenerated. That's when I found her."

Everyone turned to look at the fey girl with black hair and a few red locks. She was still on the couch and was looking at everyone with her red eyes as she wagged her scaly tail back and forth, nervous.

She was quite silent, but her expression was more one of anticipation.

Shin continued.

When he awoke, he was on an island he did not recognize. In fact, it took weeks for his memories to fully return. There was no trace of the plane or his attackers—of course, that had happened ten years ago. There was just him and a wild landscape that seemed to exist outside of time.

For almost a year, he lived in that place while he thought of a way to get out. He traveled the entire island. It was only a few square miles and there were ancient ships that he did not recognize. But there was food and water at least.

It was on that island that he met Mimi, a fey who had been trapped there even longer. She could not speak for the first few months, and because of that Shin thought she had never left that place. A fey that had appeared in a completely isolated place. Shin taught her to speak and adapt, to understand the rules of that strange place.

Together, they explored the island, discovering its secrets, looking for a way out. Because of certain plants and their growth, Shin determined that Mimi must have been on the islands for at least 25 years. In the rings of certain trees he was able to check the cuts of Mimi's claws. Mimi could grow claws from her hands and feet and she normally used them on the island to climb. Her tail had similar capabilities, which helped her hunt.

After some trials, one day, they succeeded.

Shin didn't explain exactly how, only that it was thanks to Mimi that he was finally able to return to the real world.

And now he was here.

The gathering with the others lasted well into the night. There was laughter, anecdotes, and more than one toast to celebrate the return of the biggest jerk, at least according to Mari, who didn't seem happy that he had disappeared for so long. Shin, for his part, said he was still amazed that it had been ten years. But now he knew that in the extreme case that his body was reduced to mincemeat, he could come back to life as well.

Mimi remained a bit shy, but smiled as the others began to take her into their confidence.

Lizbeth saw that Mimi had sharp teeth like herself when she dove into the water or used her siren skills. But that tail threw Lizbeth off, she was no siren. What kind of fey was that girl exactly? True, she seemed adorable. Yet Mimi didn't seem to want to stray too far from Shin.

Mimi reminded her of herself. Lizbeth stood by his side most of the time, listening to every detail of his story with a mixture of anger and relief that he had made her worry for so long. But inside, she knew there was something else, something he hadn't said in front of everyone.

And she wasn't wrong.

That night, everyone stayed in the house and they made a barbecue. A few days of rest wouldn't hurt anyone, and after a decade of absence, Shin had earned it. Leon was just looking for a good excuse to prepare a nice meal outdoors.

Later, when Lizbeth and Shin finally decided to take a shower together, it ended up being three.

The bathroom was large, but the shower was not big enough for all three of them. Shin would have liked to be with Lizbeth, but Mimi had followed them. Trying to escape from Gehirn and Wingate, who were interested in what kind of fey she was.

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"I've been teaching her how to deal with the world, but she doesn't want to leave my side," Shin explained.

"That's okay, it doesn't bother me."

Mimi still wasn't used to the idea of indoor showers—she'd only ever bathed under waterfalls or in the ocean. The shower was fascinating and terrifying in equal parts. She stood between both, under the stream like someone trying to decode ancient magic. Lizbeth smiled nervously and Shin shrug.

"I'm going to wash your hair."

"It's too hot," Mimi said, tail twitching. "Now it's too cold. It keeps changing. This is so weird."

"That's because you keep turning the knob," Lizbeth muttered, trying not to laugh.

Mimi's red-scaled tail swung lazily behind her, brushing against Lizbeth's thigh. It startled her.

"Ah—watch the tail," Lizbeth said, stepping aside.

"Sorry," Mimi said. "It has a mind of its own sometimes."

The tail flicked again. Slippery, strong, and warm—nothing like a normal limb. Lizbeth took the opportunity to examine her a little with her eyes. Mimi was really pale, and the color of her hair and tail contrasted with her skin. In a way, she didn't know why, but she found her similar to Shin. She couldn't explain why, but there was something about her that seemed familiar. No, it was more like the feeling she had when she first saw Shin. That feeling of being in the presence of something... not entirely fey… maybe? She shook the thought from her mind as she looked at Mimi's bare back. Lizbeth bit the inside of her cheek, nervous, unsure how she was supposed to react. What the hell am I even doing? she thought.

Mimi turned to her and sniffed Lizbeth again, nose wrinkling slightly.

"Do I… do I smell weird or something?" Lizbeth asked, not hiding the concern in her voice.

"You smell like apples," Mimi said. "But also like... lightning?"

"Lightning?" Lizbeth raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Mimi nodded. "Like something sharp, but not bad."

"She means ozone, is the bath light, not you… maybe just the apples are right, though." Shin said, from behind them, calmly lathering Mimi's hair. "And no, you don't smell weird. We're all using the same shampoo anyway."

"Yes!" Mimi beamed. "It smells nice. But I don't like when it touches my eyes. It stings."

"Don't get it in your eyes, then," Lizbeth said smiling, reaching for a towel. It was better to get out of the shower, there wouldn't be any privacy for the two in there, and that tail was really restless for three people to be in a single shower.

"This's hard. My tail keeps knocking over the bottles."

"You're telling me…"

The tail swung again, brushing against Lizbeth's lower back. She flinched.

Mimi looked back innocently. "Sorry! I'm still getting used to having space this small. And people this close."

Lizbeth sighed, but then she smiled despite herself. It was kind of funny. And she could see now—really see—how much the girl was trying. Despite the strangeness. Despite that tail.

When they finished, Lizbeth helped Mimi dry off her hair and Shin walked her to the guest room. She went reluctantly, peeking over her shoulder like a cat being taken to another room.

Then they were alone again.

She felt both like making love but, before that, Shin stopped her.

"There's something I didn't say in front of the others" he muttered, and sitting down on the bed.

Lizbeth arched an eyebrow as she shed her towel and settled in beside him. "I knew it. Let's see, let it out."

"Well… I told you... I woke up on the beach. Alone. Naked. I had no idea who I was or what I was doing there. My body felt numb, like I'd been asleep for years. I walked along the shore for hours, I think. Everything in my head was fog. Fragmented images. Voices I didn't recognize. Just this instinct—keep moving, don't stop. That's when I saw her."

"Mimi?"

Shin nodded.

"I saw her in the beach. A small figure… but not entirely human, you know. Something was moving on her back, like legs or tentacles. She froze when she saw me. And I froze too. But the second I moved, she lunged. Like a predator. She used those appendages on her back to push herself along the ground. Like a spider."

Lizbeth frowned slightly, but said nothing.

"Well… I ran. I don't know for how long. I made it into the jungle. There were those old, rusted ships inland I said before, with trees growing through the rotten wood of the hulls. The whole place felt so damn... unreal. Like a museum swallowed by the jungle. But she knew the terrain. Every inch of it. She caught up with me. Veeery easy. Jumped on me. Bit into my neck… and tore out a chunk."

"Wait. What…?"

"And right in that moment—through the pain—something clicked in my head. I knew I could regenerate. I felt my skin close, bones pulling themselves back together. And with that came fragments of memory. Not much, but just enough to remember that I needed to run."

"And she….Mimi?"

"She fainted. Started convulsing. Like something in what she bit off was poisoning her. Or changing her. She shook for a few seconds, then passed out cold. I didn't want to wait but I checked, she was still breathing. I left her there and kept going. I was alone for two more days, trying to figure out who I was."

"And she?"

"She... followed me. She was like spying. From a distance. She didn't try to attack again. She just watched. Like she was studying me. I looked for food. So did she. We spent a week like that. No words. No contact. Just... like two creatures circling each other. But the hunger, the killer instinct... it wasn't there anymore."

"And after that?"

"One day I got tired of it. I gestured at her. Tried to show her I wasn't a threat. And to my surprise… she responded. I mean clumsily, but she understood. We started communicating through signs, noises… scattered words. Though she couldn't speak at all back then. She growled like an animal. It took months before she could understand real language."

"And then…"

"Then…"

Shin fell silent, like he was searching for the right words.

Lizbeth gave him a smile. "I can already see where this is going. So just say it."

"At first I thought she was just some feral fey. But she's something else."

"What?"

"A mimic."

Lizbeth narrowed her eyes. "Like the monster kind? You... kidding me?"

Shin shook his head. "Not the kind that pretends to be treasure chests like legends, no. She's... different. She's… more fluid. Adapts to whatever she touches at will, or almost anything. Her form wasn't like it is now when I found her. She acted on instinct. Pure survival. I thought she was an animal."

There was a pause.

"So you lived with a mimic for a year?" Lizbeth asked, her voice neutral.

He rubbed the back of his neck, clearly uneasy. His eyes lifted and met hers.

"We spent weeks like that. Figuring each other out. She mimicked things. Gestures. Words. Even feelings—I think. And at some point, I started noticing it. Something in me… responded to her. Physically. Like she was tuning into something familiar. I know this will sound strange, but… it reminded me of the effect your voice have on me."

She tilted her head, but didn't interrupt.

"It wasn't instant. It wasn't forced. It just… happened. Little touches. Glances. Then one night, we gave in. I don't even know who made the first move. We just... met each other halfway."

Lizbeth was quiet. Her expression unreadable.

"I felt something. Warmth. It's hard to explain. Like she'd pulled something buried deep inside me. She made me feel aroused, but it was strange."

She smiled and reached over, gently touched his hand. Her fingers were warm.

"Look, I understand what are you trying to say," she said softly.

"I didn't want to lie to you about it. I just didn't know how to explain it. We were together for months, and by the time my memories full returned, it was too late to pretend nothing had happened. We'd shared too much."

Lizbeth nodded slowly. "Does she know about us?"

"She does. She didn't understood at first what relationship are, of course. But later… she understood. I explained everything and... actually she was eager to meet you."

Maybe that was the reason why she almost didn't take her eyes off me?

"And how do you feel about her?"

He hesitated.

"I care about her. I'm not going to pretend I don't. But it's not what we have. She's different. What we went through—it like... bonded us. I know it is difficult to understand."

Lizbeth's hand stayed on his.

"She's been alone for a long time. What happened between you two… I don't think it's something either of you chose with full awareness. But if she has feelings for you, you need to be honest with her. Like we always promised to be."

"I will," Shin said quietly.

"Same goes to you… and with me," she added, a little more firmly. "You can always tell me everything. Even the messy parts. Like before… there is many kinds of love."

"I know."

"I tried going on a few dates too, but… nothing ever really happened. Deep down, I knew you were alive, somewhere. But… I was scared too."

"I don't blame you," he said, gently running his hand along her back. "Our lives are a mess."

"Yeah… but a beautiful one."

She leaned in and kissed him. There was no anger in it. Just understanding—and a thread of something else. Sadness, maybe, for the time apart, but still the same feelings.

"You haven't changed," she whispered.

"Neither have you."

"Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad one," she said, and stifled a laugh.

They lay back on the bed, wordless for a while. Just breathing together.

Lizbeth let out a small laugh, soft and dry. "Don't worry," she murmured, brushing his cheek with her fingertips. "She's very pretty."

Shin exhaled. "Yeah. Too pretty. I think she was just… alone. Too long. Desperate for contact? After that first time she attacked me, her behavior shifted. It was like she… evolved? Got smarter. More self-aware. I have a theory but not sure about it. I think something similar happened to me when I got here… is just that I can not remember it very well."

Lizbeth reached out and touched his hand. He flinched at first, then relaxed.

"You don't have to justify it. I believe you."

"I just didn't want you to think I… that it was something I wanted, it just happened."

"I know that." She paused. "And after?"

"There were… moments. Over time. I regained my memories. She learned boundaries. But by then we'd already… connected. In a weird way."

"You said she didn't quite look the same back then?"

"Oh, I meant the appendages that grow from her back—though she can use them anywhere on her body. Pretty much any part of her can become a weapon."

Lizbeth frowned, confused. "I can't picture it. She looks so pretty."

Shin glanced sideways at her. "I think you'd like it. It's shocking at first, but... yeah, her true form is beautiful too, just that can scare you if you do not know about it."

She rolled onto her side and drummed her fingers on his chest.

"And what was it you needed to tell me?"

"That… and that I wasn't alone all this time. You're not angry that she was with me?"

"No, dummy, I told you."

"It's not like what we had with Milena and Sari," he said. "That was... chosen. This was survival. I just didn't want you to think I replaced you."

"You didn't." Lizbeth leaned toward him, kissed his shoulder. "But maybe next time, don't take ten fucking years to call."

Shin winced a little when she playfully bite his shoulder. "Fair."

"I'm just kidding. I know it wasn't your fault either...We haven't seen each other in so long," she added, tracing a finger down his chest. "Could we talk about the rest… maybe tomorrow?"

"I'd like that."

"And now?" She smiled mischievously. "Do you feel like it?"

"You?"

"Yes, please."

She leaned in again. "Let's do it slow. Quiet. There are too many ears in this house."

"Agreed."

The two lay down unhurriedly, enjoying the rediscovery of their bodies after so long apart. Between whispers and muffled laughter, the passion grew, igniting like embers fanned by the wind. But at some point, just as Lizbeth was about to lose herself completely in pleasure, a shiver ran down her back.

She had the feeling that someone was watching them.

She opened her eyes for an instant and cast a quick glance toward the door, but saw nothing. Still, she thought she heard the sound of bare feet in the corridor.

She sat up and went to the door and looked into the hallway. There was no one there. She did not give it too much thought. She closed the door and focused again on Shin, on his caresses, on the touch of his skin against hers.

Once again, it was better to focus on the present they had in their hands and put the past aside—or at least for later.

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