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Started December 05, 2022 by @FanfictionFanatic-The-Elder group

tune

"Meh," Mallory says. "I'm going to sleep." She rolls over and falls asleep.

Maddalena rolled her eyes but chuckled softly, making a mental note to remember that for when she got home, and followed Mallory’s example. Though she was a bit neater about it, laying just flat on her back and closing her eyes.

When Mallory wakes, she hears birds outside. She looks around and sees the clock says 8:20. She gets up and washes her face in the sink. She makes some coffee. She walks downstairs to the lobby and gets some breakfast. I'm downstairs eating breakfast she tells Maddi telepathically.

Maddalena wasn't sure how long she slept before hearing Mallory’s mental message, but she fell back asleep shortly after. Apparently, all that fighting yesterday had left her more tired than she expected. Not that she was used to her powers draining her energy. But she assumed that it was part of her punishment and being mortal.

Mallory checked on Maddi mentally. She was still asleep. Mallory hopped in her car and drove to the store to get some simple hygiene products and a few things to pass the time. When she returned to the hotel, she went upstairs and sat on her own bed. (there's two beds btw)

(I figured.)

Maddalena finally managed to force herself awake and was surprised to find herself alone. It took her sleep-addled mind a minute to remember everything that had happened and that she was not supposed to be alone. “Mallory?” she called out before exploring the room a little more as well as taking the time to clean herself up for the day. Though she realized that this was also the first time she was able to actually take stock of herself.

Mallory vanishes into ethereality. It takes a lot of concentration for her, but she needs to visit her brother. She doesn't see him in the ethereal. "Mallory?" she hears. It takes her a minute to snap back to reality(oop there goes gravity). "Right here," she says, appearing on the bed.

Maddalena jumps as she hears the unexpected voice before she looks out of the bathroom. “Where were you? You were not here earlier.” she asks, more curious than anything else.

"Looking for RinRin," she states vaguely. "Didn't see him, which means he's probably around or doing something."

“Oh.” she rolls her eyes and walks over to her bed. “Then you have been practicing your abilities? That is how you arrived just now?”

"Yes and no," she answers. "I haven't been practicing, it took me several minutes of absolute concentration to travel there. But, my abilities do seem to be getting better and easier to use." Mallory smiles. "I gotta call my boss." She picks up the phone and dials the number. "Hey, I just wanted to let you know I'll be out for an undetermined amount of time due to a family emergency. Thanks for your time." She listens. "Yep, you too. Bye." She hangs up. "She's not going to fire me, which is good," she says to Maddi.

Maddalena hums, accepting the answer with a shrug. “I've always heard that practice makes perfect for mortals… Perhaps I should try as well.” she sighs since she is technically mortal as well. “So what is the next step of our plan?” she asks once Mallory is done with her call.

"Yes, that's what RinRin was trying to do. He was trying to force progress out of you, and he succeeded." Mallory sighs. "I don't know, I suppose we stay here for a little until RinRin's next –" A box fell from a foot above the bed. "That's… interesting." She summons a Malyara dagger. "Shall we open it?"

“I know what he was trying to do.” Maddalena nods. “But I can't help but feel that his methods were also to mock me. Normally, I would be able to do all he said with no trouble… and I'm used to fighting. It's not easy to gain recognition when you are part of a Parthenon that’s seventy percent male.” she scoffs, rolling her eyes. At the appearance of the package, she habitually draws one of her own daggers and nods. “We might as well. We won't know what else to do with it until we do.”

Mallory opens the box, which isn't even sealed. Inside is a cat. "Is that… Rexa?*
"Mrow?" the cat says.
The cat morphs into RinRin, with his cat atop his shoulder. "'Sup," he says.
"Why did you put yourself in the cat?" Mallory asks, severely confused.
"I did tell you Nashville has certain barriers, but there was another. Coming from you." He looks Mallory in the eyes and then notices her right eye. "What happened to your eye, sister?"
"Oh." She touches her eye. "It's from the burst of power and this," she says and summons a Malyara blade. "You told me to call these Malyara blades."
"Yes, and mine are called Rinusa blades, for they are created uniquely by me," RinRin says, and he too summons a Rinusa blade. "You've already learned to make simple blades, next you need to try making more complex things. Like this," he forms it into a katana, then a switchblade, then a spear, and finally a claymore. "See?" He morphs it back into a katana and stuck it to his back.

Maddalena watches the exchange with equal parts interest and confusion. Though she smiles as RinRin gives his demonstration. “That's a useful skill.” she comments off-handedly, remembering how frequently she used to be able to do that with her own daggers. “Are you two sure you have no divine blood?”

"None," they said in unison. They looked at each other and smiled.

(cya!)

“You certainly could fool a crowd if you claimed that you did.” she points out with a casual shrug.

"Mhm," RinRin said, casually floating a foot off the ground. "As for where to go next…" he shrugged. "I'm not sure. Monsters tend to stay out of major cities, so from here, you could go to St. Louis or Chicago. Those are the nearest major cities. But, beyond that, I'm not sure. I–" he falters. "Stay out of Chicago. Monsters might hide as the criminal population. Go to St. Louis. Maybe we'll find some answers there." He thinks for a moment, then says, "When I arrived, I sensed a barrier around the hotel coming from you, sister. I was unable to simply teleport in. I had to trick the magic into thinking I was a simple box of mail." RinRin raises an eyebrow. "Any idea how you're doing that? I mean, I can do the same, I'm just wondering how you're managing it."

Mallory frowns. "I didn't even know I was doing it."
RinRin shrugs. "Well, don't dispel it until you get on the road. Shift the shield. I sense trouble nearing." He looks behind him. "Good luck, sister. You'll need it." He vanishes.

Mallory looks at Maddi. "Let's go then." She walks to the car and gets on the road for St. Louis.

Maddalena listens carefully to RinRin’s words, finding it a little strange that monsters would leave such a large target alone. His comment about hiding as criminals makes more sense to her. Then again, as the patron of thieves, she would know more about certain types of criminals than most.

“I hope that your barrier is strong and undetectable.” she points out just before RinRin leaves. “Otherwise you could be inadvertently sending out a signal for where we are.” But she nods and follows Mallory to the car.

Mallory drives for a while, almost eager for Maddi to ask questions, and Mallory knew she was full of those.

Maddalena sat quietly for a while before letting out a short soft laugh. “You and your brother’s blades are named after each of you.” she mutters, a little surprised at the realization.

"Well, I didn't actually have blades until the fight in the park. Apparently, he froze time when we both went berserker. He studied the blades and told me in my mind to call them Malyara blades." Mallory says. "He named his, I assume."

“I realize that.” she nods. “I was aware that he froze time but… the more time I spend with you, the more I am convinced that you really are… like me.” she admits. “I know that you both just said that you are not but… the amount of power you apparently have is something that I have only seen amongst the Parthenon.”