"Yeah it was but I thought it'd be interesting since he's rich," Alice answered, her gaze growing distant. "Everything around me just seems so dull that it's nice to change pace once in a while you know?"

"I don't know," Mr. Valen shook his head completely disregarding her theory. 'Intresting is just a dance word for abnormal, abnormal means not normal and I do not fancy not normal.'

"So, this story, continue," Alice said, throwing a cracker in her mouth, before taking a sip of her dink, her actions promoting a smile on Mr. Valen's face.

"So, I woke up in this building, and I'm the only one there," Mr. Valen began, feeding Alice a twisted story of how he was stranded at District Forty-Three, haven woken up in a body that was not his, how he stayed under a bridge with homeless people, how his strength and endurance increasesd because of whatever was wrong with him and how he ultimately hitched a ride to back to the District.

Alice was quiet, her mouth half full with crackers, his eyes focused on Mr. Valen as she spoke. "Mfff," she swallowed. "Thatgs a-amazing, you've had an almost unbelievable past few days-"

"Unbelievable?" Mr. Valen caressed his brows. "Where we not listening to the same story? It was mortifying."

"Mft well you didn't lose anything out of it," Alice spoke, lowering her voice as she continued. "You've gotten super strong right, how strong?"

Mr. Valen took another look at Amethyst, her form dangerously close to his, if she could, he was sure that she'd have phased into him by now. Sighing slightly, Mr. Valen spoke. "You remember Arino? From self defense class?"

"Yeah the martial arts guy prodigy," Alice echoed before saying. "Why didn't you just finish him up then since you're stronger than him? Are you trying to hide your identity or something?"

"That's the thing," Mr. Valen shook his head. "I'm not stronger than he his, he was also drugged, and by the looks of things Professor Hornet knows about it as well."

With that, Mr. Valen proceeded to tell Alice about his experience with Hornet, how it was illegal for normal citizens to use 'IT' how he had no idea what the drug was and how he had to fight Arino exclusively from now on.

"Then we have to find out what 'IT' is," Alice said, her voice calmer this time, more intent.

"We?" Mr. Valen spoke, his taking the last cracker from the bowl. 'I should have expected this, given her curiosity.'

"Hey that's mine," Alice suddenly, spoke, her speech more slurred than before as she almost dove towards the cracker Mr. Valen held.

Mr. Valen, in an act completely intuitive evaded, drawing the cracker closer to himself, but Alice was persistent, basically climbing onto him to get the treat.

The scent of her perfume warfted through his nostrils, a sweet chemical scent, that mixed with her pheromones confused him for a moment, prompting him to shove the cracker into his mouth.

"Hmmm," Alice intercepted him mid act, her lips slamming against his, her tounge, invading his mouth for a brief moment, completely stealing the cracker form him.

"Ohh My," Valen exclaimed as she jumped off him, a chuckle escaping her lips as she said. "Hahah, I got the cracker."

'She's drunk alright,' Mr. Valen noted her increased state of inticicaton, watching her as she brought out her phone. 'Should I take her home?' he thought.

Suddenly.

"Ring! Ring!" The number she dialed began to ring prompting Mr. Valen to asked quizzically. "Who are you calling?"

"Ohh thagt voman from the party, I have her number," Alice sang happily.

"WHAT!" Mr. Valen yelled, his eyes shooting open shocking Alice and the people around slightly, but he did not care, 'She has Amethyst's number?"

--------

Meanwhile

[A few moments before]

The air in the slum's sewers was thick with the reek of decaying shit and stagnant water, a miasma that did nothing to wipe the delirious grin from Amethyst's face as she ran.

"Woosh!"

Her footsteps were frantic, echoing off the damp brick floors of the sewer, a chaotic slapping sound resounding as her flipflops slapped the floor.

Behind her, the echoes were multiplied, heavier, faster—a thunder of pursuit.

"Return the weapon, abomination!" a voice boomed, distorted by the tunnel.

Amethyst laughed, a sound of pure, unadulterated madness that bounced off the walls. She clutched a long, cloth-wrapped bundle tight to her chest. It hummed with a low, malevolent energy, a vibration that made her teeth ache in the most delightful way.

"Finders keepers!" she shrieked over her shoulder, her blood-red eyes pulsing in the gloom. "You should have put a better lock on your little toy box!"

She risked a glance back. Five figures, clad in dark, tactical gear that seemed to drink the faint light, were gaining. Their movements were a blur of enhanced strength and speed, their forms barely human as they ate up the distance. One leaped, clearing a wide runoff channel in a single bound, landing with a crack of concrete.

The cloaked figure was a silent, flowing shadow just ahead of her, its large cloak making it a specter in the darkness. It did not speak, did not pant, did not share in Amethyst's manic glee. It was a study in grim necessity.

"Sister!" Amethyst sang out, her voice dripping with faux sweetness. "They're being ever so rude! I think it's time we excused ourselves!"

The cloaked figure gave a single, curt nod. It stopped and turned, placing itself between Amethyst and the hunters. The lead pursuer skidded to a halt, his hand going to a weapon at his hip. "Stand aside, creature. This does not concern you."

A low, distinctly male chuckle emanated from within the hood. "Everything concerning her," the voice rumbled, "concerns me."

He didn't wait for a reply. As the other four figures fanned out, preparing to flank them, the cloaked figure thrust out its arm. The air in front of it didn't tear or shatter; it simply unmade itself. A circle of absolute nothingness yawned open, a void portal that sucked the sound and light from the tunnel. The stench of the sewer was replaced by the cold, clean scent of pine and night air.

Amethyst didn't hesitate. With a final, triumphant cackle, she sprinted straight for the abyss and leaped through.

The lead hunter shouted in fury, lunging forward, but it was too late. The cloaked figure stepped backwards into the void after its charge, and the portal snapped shut with a sound like a universe sighing.

The shouting, the stench, the oppressive weight of the sewer—it all vanished.

Silence. Then, the chirping of crickets and the whisper of a night wind through towering pine trees. Moonlight dappled the forest floor where a moment ago there had only been filthy water and concrete.

Amethyst stumbled a step on the soft, loamy earth, catching her balance. She threw her head back and inhaled deeply, the bundle still clutched in her arms.

"Ah! Nothing like a midnight stroll in the woods to clear the head after a bit of exercise!" she declared, her crimson eyes scanning the dark, towering trees with childish wonder. The chase was already a forgotten game, replaced by the new playground.

replaced by the cold, clean scent of pine and night air.

Amethyst didn't hesitate. With a final, triumphant cackle, she sprinted straight for the abyss and leaped through.

The lead hunter shouted in fury, lunging forward, but it was too late. The cloaked figure stepped backwards into the void after its charge, and the portal snapped shut with a sound like a universe sighing.

The shouting, the stench, the oppressive weight of the sewer—it all vanished.

Silence. Then, the chirping of crickets and the whisper of a night wind through towering pine trees. Moonlight dappled the forest floor where a moment ago there had only been filthy water and cMeanwhile

[A few moments before]

The air in the slum's sewers was thick with the reek of decaying shit and stagnant water, a miasma that did nothing to wipe the delirious grin from Amethyst's face as she ran.

"Woosh!"

Her footsteps were frantic, echoing off the damp brick floors of the sewer, a chaotic slapping sound resounding as her flipflops slapped the floor.

Behind her, the echoes were multiplied, heavier, faster—a thunder of pursuit.

"Return the weapon, abomination!" a voice boomed, distorted by the tunnel.

Amethyst laughed, a sound of pure, unadulterated madness that bounced off the walls. She clutched a long, cloth-wrapped bundle tight to her chest. It hummed with a low, malevolent energy, a vibration that made her teeth ache in the most delightful way.

"Finders keepers!" she shrieked over her shoulder, her blood-red eyes pulsing in the gloom. "You should have put a better lock on your little toy box!"

She risked a glance back. Five figures, clad in dark, tactical gear that seemed to drink the faint light, were gaining. Their movements were a blur of enhanced strength and speed, their forms barely human as they ate up the distance. One leaped, clearing a wide runoff channel in a single bound, landing with a crack of concrete.

The cloaked figure was a silent, flowing shadow just ahead of her, its large cloak making it a specter in the darkness. It did not speak, did not pant, did not share in Amethyst's manic glee. It was a study in grim necessity.

"Sister!" Amethyst sang out, her voice dripping with faux sweetness. "They're being ever so rude! I think it's time we excused ourselves!"

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