Stella and Locke stood facing each other in a room surrounded by tall ocean painted walls. At the top of each wall Vanguard had erected a large pane of glass for observation. From behind the northernmost pane Dr. Rose and Licht looked on with anticipation. Leaning on the same wall Sunny lazily looked towards the center at his mentor and new roommate. Stella was wearing a new suit with several gauges and transmitters attached to it. Locke finished doing a few routine stretches before giving Licht a thumbs up. From within his little office space full of computers Licht pushed a button on a console.
His breath could be heard below in a microphone. "You may begin."
Licht nodded and said cheerfully, "You ever been in a fight?"
"Not really," Stella replied.
"That's common for new Vanguard's," Locke reassured her. "Now, hold up your fists like I asked you to. Good. Now, fighting a normal human being you might expect a punch or a kick. But as you know, Brightheart, we fight phantoms, and their reach can be unimaginable. So let's start with the basics." He stepped in front of Stella and spread his feet apart. "Punch me." His voice was flat.
"W-what? Already?" Stella's eyes were wide.
"Yes, punch me."
"Okay, if you say so."
She threw a punch from her elbow and let it barely connect with his shoulder. He quickly snagged her wrist and used her momentum as he turned his body around. The force of his movement as he leaned forward caused Stella to soar over his back. Before she could fully register what had happened she was sprawled out on the padded floor face up. Stella groaned and rolled to her knees.
"You're going to have to be faster than that. I was nice. Phantoms hardly know the meaning of the word. Again."
Stella threw several punches and each time found herself on her back in pain. Little by little she incorporated more movement into her strikes. First the turn of her shoulder, then hip. She hadn't noticed but the speed of her attacks had forced Locke to start moving his feet. On her final lunge she stepped into her straight, nearly grazing Locke's chin. This time rather than finding herself flying over his shoulder she felt the bottom of his foot plant into her abdomen. The force of his kick dropped her straight onto her rump.
"This isn't working," she complained while rubbing her butt.
Locke looked up and caught Licht's twinkling eyes. "Great job." He said into the microphone. "Please, continue."
Locke chuckled and said to Stella. "Well, Licht seems to think it is. And he's a doctor. We're not. Again."
Stella pushed off of her knee to slowly get herself up. She looked over to Sunny who had been watching through one open eye. Well, doesn't he look comfortable. Stella couldn't stop herself from grinning. That's right. He is comfortable. Stella's determined expression caught Locke's attention when she looked back at him. She took a deep breath in and let it out just like she had seen Sunny do so many times before. She performed an abrupt dash towards Locke that would have surprised most people. Locke adeptly side stepped forcing her to change her momentum and chase him around the sparring area. Her muscles were no longer tight before lashing out. Feinting quickly with her left before throwing a right straight, and then quickly throwing a short uppercut she pressed Locke. Her movements were loose for an amateur but Locke reacted like the battle hardened warrior he was. He dodged her strikes and swept her lead foot causing her to awkwardly split onto the ground.
"What the fuck?!" Stella seethed.
"You're doing fine," Sunny said with a sigh. "Of course he's going to read you like a book if you fight like that. He's not just using his body, ya know?"
"Maybe you want to take my place Sunny? You could show me how it's done," Stella said icily.
Sunny laughed softly and held up both hands in mock surrender. "I'm just saying."
Stella shook her head. "Thanks for your help, but I'm just saying I got this."
Stella stood once more unaware of the mana swirling between her and Locke. I have to handle her much differently than I did Sunny. She isn't responding to the cruel treatment, Locke thought. Have I lost the ability to train anyone other than him?
Locke took initiative tossing out light telegraphed punches and kicks.
"Whoa!" Stella said breathlessly, weaving and blocking each of Locke's strikes.
She held her ground for a moment dancing around his combinations. She's staying close so I can't throw any heavy kicks. Locke was happy with how quickly she was adapting. After a minute of Locke slowly tightening his jabs and using more efficient combos he disappeared from her sight. Stella's eyes were wide as they scanned the environment. I can see Sunny, but where did Locke go? Her panic was cut short by the feeling of Locke's knuckles coming into contact with her chin causing her to close her eyes. To her surprise his fist rested gently on her chin.
"Poof, lights out," Locke smiled and took a step back. You lost focus, all I did was bend. Awareness is important and I made no effort to hide my gate's presence. That being said, that was fucking amazing. Sunny ruined my expectations by setting the bar so high. But you ain't a slouch Brightheart."
Stella's eyes came to life. Even though her breathing had grown ragged she seemed more fired up now than she was at the start.
"So, what you're saying is I'm doing comparably to Sunny when he started?"
"I'm saying no one has piqued my interest in their first sparring session since Sunny. Until now that is."
Stella eyed Locke's face muscles carefully as he spoke. "Again."
"Again," she says.
Locke's smile was about as telling as it could get. "You could make a grown man cry."
Sunny noticed in that moment a change came over Stella. Her aura took on a green color. Even the way her body settled after she exhaled was different, almost like a cage fighter during a championship. Her chin was tucked, arms ready to protect her head, and body was square to Locke's. Dr. Rose and Licht must have noticed it too, because Sunny could see their animated shadows on the ground in front of him.
Sunny's jaw dropped at the sight of Locke no longer smiling. Instead he had assumed his typical fighting stance. The air in the arena became electric and Sunny felt himself itching to get in on the action.
Locke rushed Stella with an expert high low mixup Sunny had seen drop other Vanguard many times. They were a blur as Stella reacted perfectly to each attack. Elbow slices, knees, straights, Stella dodged or parried them all. She managed to gain favorable positioning as she slipped a sharp hook from Locke. Without wasting a movement she cut with her right elbow across his temple. Her mouth was open and her eyes seemed to be in a trance like state as she countered Locke. Caught unaware he rocked backward and was put on the defensive. The fight grew more and more intense as they exchanged blows. He got her! Wait, no she got him! Locke missed Stella's chin with an uppercut and found his chin being drilled by one of her own instead. That looks a lot like his uppercut! Sunny's mind went wild as he watched Stella using Locke's arsenal and molding it into her own. She's faster! Locke was countered by a straight he had intended to use on her. It's like watching two Locke's out there… Except one is a lot easier to look at. Sunny chuckled to himself. Locke pulled away to catch his breath and he held up a finger.
"What the hell Stella?" His breath was uneven. "How are you doing that?"
"I don't know?" Stella dropped to her knees, pools of sweat crashed from her brow.
"You're a fucking legend," Locke complimented her. "It is as though—"
Licht interrupted Locke in the middle of his speech. "That would be all for now. Thank you Brightheart, Errandael. Would you all be so kind as to join us up here?"
"You don't have to ask me twice," Stella said under her breath, struggling to get to her feet. Sunny walked over to her and placed a cool hand between her shoulder blades.
"Stella, you were amazing! You should have seen yourself out there!"
Stella blushed and extended her arm out to him. "I could tell you that I knew what the hell I was doing but that would be a huge lie. Gonna leave me hanging?"
Sunny's soft laughter filled her ears and she relished it as he helped her up. She held on to his hand a second longer than he expected.
"I just wanted to beat Locke, and the next thing I knew my body was moving on its own." Stella began to take deep breaths.
Sunny shrugged. "I'm sure Licht and Dr. Rose already have an explanation for that."
"Right, leave old Locke to himself while you comfort the badass warrior princess over there." Locke yelled from where he stood hunched over.
"Let's go help him," Stella hurried over to Locke.
Moments later they were upstairs being greeted by the ecstatic expressions on Dr. Rose's and Licht's faces.
"That was brilliant, Stella!" Dr. Rose exclaimed. "The systems lit up the moment it happened. I was just telling Director Licht here that I had never seen data like what we saw when it happened."
"Err, what exactly happened?" Sunny asked.
"Well," Licht said. "It seems that Stella here has some very interesting powers while in her physical form, I mean. We have reason to believe she can do it while intangible as well." Licht turned to Dr. Rose to continue from where he stopped.
"While the battle was going on shortly after his gut kick. We noticed a spike in Stella's vitals which you all must have seen too. Especially from where you were, Sunny."
"Yes, her aura sort of changed." Sunny turned to look at Stella, his gaze darkening with an emotion Stella couldn't name. "Her Magik became stronger and I could almost reach out to touch it."
"Correct!" Dr. Rose said. "And we saw all of that on the systems. It was almost too much data and we couldn't make sense of it at one point. But we managed to crunch some of it into something we could understand. We realized that she was replicating Locke's fighting ability."
"All of it," Licht said into the silence that followed.
"What?" Locke said after a while.
"Yes, there were a few variations but it's the truth." Licht said. "We think Stella has the ability to copy her opponent's mana signature allowing her to replicate their moves, making them her own. Being a hybrid she has access to unbelievable power so it would stand to reason that she could use them to win against her enemies."
"That's some seriously cool shit, Licht." Locke said in awe.
"I know," Sunny said, grinning widely. "She's amazing."
"I don't know guys." Stella's face was burning up. "Like I told Sunny, I didn't know what I was doing half the time."
"And that's okay. It's only natural to not understand your own abilities at first. Sunny here is still working on a way to skip the incantation for his own," Licht intervened. "Something else though, we might need to work on your stamina. Because you can copy abilities quite well but if you're exhausted before you vanquish your opponent, well then. That's problematic, isn't it?"
"That's true," Dr. Rose agreed. "But I'm certain with time, and enough training with this pair," Dr. Rose motioned towards Sunny and Locke, "she will be unrecognizable."
Locke smiled. "I for one think she is fucking powerful regardless."
Stella shimmered out of focus for a few seconds and Dr. Rose lifted her left arm. She glanced at her wrist watch and said, "Two hours and then some with your outing earlier. That's progress."
Stella became intangible a second after and Dr. Rose led her away.
"We're still sorting out the suit and everything else with her staying tangible for longer," Licht said. "We're yet to understand how it's possible, but we're doing the best we can."
"Seems to be paying off. A whole two hours." Locke said amiably. "That could make all the difference in the field."
"That's for sure," Sunny agreed.
"Well gentleman, before I take my leave I have a suggestion." Licht sounded serious.
"That is?" Sunny wondered.
"I hate referring to her as tangible in her human form. Dr. Rose gave the form a good name earlier I'd like to use."
"Oh?" Locke leaned in.
"Redress." Licht shot an unsettling grin at the two Vanguard. "But really I must get going." Licht began to walk out of the office area.
"Redress huh?" Sunny thought aloud. "So does that mean her intangible form is undress?"
Licht shrieked with laughter as he exited the room. Locke tried to cover his mouth so Sunny's embarrassment wouldn't be multiplied.
"You guys suck." Sunny's ears glew like the light towers in a harbour.
"He's not so bad." Locke said, fighting back a laugh.
"Whatever. Listen Locke," Sunny's tone was serious. "I must have taken it too far. Suggesting that we use Yuna as bait I mean."
"No, Sunny. I was thinking about it while sparring with Stella. It was unfair what that monster did to her, and the other women. He will fucking do it again. We have to do whatever it takes…but only if Yuna agrees to it."
Locke held out a fist and Sunny met it with his. "I appreciate you for having my back on this. If you do come up with a better plan make sure to share with the class. Actually, has Yuna been in touch?"
Locke shook his head. "Not yet, I'm sure she is thinking all this over. We can't expect everyone to react well to it. Then again she has her personal brand of hellfire. She seemed more excited than anything about being a Vanguard," Locke said. He turned towards where Stella left with Dr. Rose. "Believe it or not I felt like I was fighting an A-Class phantom down there. I need a damn shower and some grub."
Sunny chuckled. "I'm glad she's one of us then. If The Shield of Vanguard says she's that strong then I can only be grateful."
"Me too," Locke smiled.
***
Yuna's call came in while they were in the mess hall positioned right below the ground level. The Sun had long since set over the horizon of Gaia. Stella and Sunny sat next to each other across from Locke as he told stories from his youth.
"I'll tell ya, things were pretty much straightforward then. You saw a phantom, you killed it before the law showed up. Most of 'em were in the know anyways…but the new kids were always the hardest to keep quiet. It was simple to manufacture all sorts of bullshit if we finished our jobs quickly. With the advent of social media, cover ups have been a whole new ordeal. Shit's been so tiring. We had to buy out every platform under all sorts of proxy companies. Then we had to perfect the art of social engineering. Now whenever someone tries to expose us online it's easy to make them look crazy or provide 'evidence' on how they bongoshopped the image or video."
"Must have been a tough transition, Locke." Stella's voice came through their earbuds.
"Depends on whom you ask Stella." Locke was quiet for a while. "You wouldn't know this but back then Licht was in the field with us."
"Really?" Stella's brow raised. "That's hard to believe."
"Yep, but something happened. Messed him up real bad, but when he came back to us he changed. His obsession over science and medicine was terrifying. A man possessed by his work. He vowed to prevent grievous injury and loss of Vanguard lives as best as he could. He may be the biggest pain in the ass but he's reliable. Ever since then we have grown exponentially thanks to his leadership in his department."
His phone rang just then and he spoke for a few seconds and ended the call. Sunny had been quietly playing with his food the whole time. Why is he talking about Licht so much now? Sunny wondered.
Locke sighed. "It was Yuna, she's game."
"That's great news. You're going to bring her in now?" Stella phased through the table slightly.
"Not yet, she wants to talk first. With all of us. At The Fool's Remedy. I'm driving this time."
Locke picked up his keys from the table and they left the mess hall. Stella waited patiently by the car while Sunny and Locke checked some things out of the armoury.
"What weapons do you think will be good for me?" Stella said into their earbuds when they returned to her.
"Definitely something experimental and crazy." Sunny said with a smile. "To compliment the awesome suit you've got on."
Stella grinned and phased through the Musbang's door. Sunny and Locke got into the car. After a moment the engine rumbled to life and they sped out of the garage.
"Sunny, how's your writing going? I've been meaning to ask." Locke shifted his gaze to the passenger seat, eyeing Sunny.
"Not good, Locke. You know how it is. I'm glad I got my Vanguard work. Otherwise I would have starved to death by now."
"I think you just have a lot on your mind, and need to rest more." Stella's voice pulsed through their ears.
"She's right, you know," Locke admitted. "The dark circles under your eyes are scary. But somehow it makes you look good. I can't explain it, kid. Believe me when I say I wouldn't be sad to see them go."
Sunny sighed, "Yeah, I'll take care of it."
They were a short distance from The Fool's Remedy on a side street when something crashed into the Musbang from behind. The Musbang slid across the road but Locke maneuvered the vehicle expertly bringing it to a halt safely. Sunny and Locke were out a second after with their weapons out; Sunny with his bladed chromium tonfas and Locke with his staff. Stella hovered slightly behind them trying to get a look at what hit them.
The smell of burned rubber and muck filled the air. The musbang's headlights were pointed in the direction they had been heading, lighting up the road. Fortunately due to the various structural upgrades provided to the vehicle it sustained little damage. Strangely no street lamps were lit and the trio faced the darkness. Sunny had already listened for the sound of civilians or other vehicles and heard none. They stood readily for whatever would spring at them from within the blanket of darkness. This was no accident. Sunny's eyes narrowed as a choking menace sensation filled the air.
A deep roar rumbled through the night shaking the Vanguards to their core. A gigantic mangled form erected itself before them masking its identity with night. Even though it was hard to see an unmistakable silhouette of a hammer extended from the beast's tail.
"What the fuck is that?" Locke cussed.
The phantom phased out suddenly and its aura disappeared along with it. Sunny and Locke cast their gate out in hopes of locating the enemy.
"Where'd it go?" Stella whispered.
"Fucking move!" Locke shouted while shoving Sunny away from him. Locke pounced in the opposite direction.
The phantom burst through the earth sending concrete and dirt in every direction. It's brown snakelike form surprised Sunny. Standing a couple times taller than Locke it had four scaled legs and two massive arms. Its head was unreasonably large and was shaped into a sleek design perfect for surfing underground. Stella tried to fly upwards to get away from it but as it reached the apex of its jump it wrapped its gnarly hands around her.
"NOOO! GET OFF ME!!!" Her frightened scream seemed to force Locke and Sunny into action.
"Stella!"
Sunny stood up quickly and went after the phantom. He tried slashing at its mud covered legs but they were thick like molasses and proved impenetrable for his tonfas.
"Locke! Where are you?!" Sunny scanned the environment hoping to see his mentor.
A portal opened by the phantom's hand that clutched Stella and a chromium rod jabbed into its wrist. Locke's arm could be seen plunging his weapon clean through the phantom causing it to get lodged in its skin. Then a large chunk of hardened mud crashed into its wrist from the other direction creating an unsettling snapping noise from its hand. The phantom writhed in pain and let go of Stella. Locke closed the portal and Stella floated back down to Sunny. Locke quietly got Sunny's attention beckoning them to regroup behind the Musbang.
"What the hell is that thing? I don't think punching it is going to work," Stella said, breathlessly.
"It's a phantom," Locke said calmly.
"No shit," Stella swore.
Locke peered across his Musbang's windows to get a better view of the phantom.
"Definitely an elemental. Nature powers. Probably upper B-class? Can't be too sure."
"Another one?" Sunny pushed his hair back. "I'm sick of fighting elementals."
"Isn't that something? An affinity for nature."
Locke's wild grin was scary on his mug. Sunny could feel the heat of his gate swelling from his body. Locke was in his element. Locke's gaze never left the raging phantom. It swiped at tall bushes on the side of the road hoping to hit the Vanguards.
Stella's voice came into their ears again.
"How did he do that mud thing?"
"Short answer. Locke has a thing for natural Magik, just like I have a knack for light Magik."
"Alright, listen guys," Locke rejoined the conversation. "I have a plan. And I'd like to kill it before it totals my whip."
He whispered to them for a few seconds.
"Got it?"
"Got it!" Sunny and Stella responded.
"Alright then."
Locke propelled himself to his feet. He twirled his staff until it blurred and from it a black hole formed. Stella stared in awe as Locke stepped through it and it closed shut with a sucking sound.
"Your turn Stella."
Sunny kept his eyes on the phantom.
Stella nodded and floated high into the air. It's a good thing I don't need special gear for phantoms to hear me. She thought back to her fight with the fiery rat she and Sunny exorcized.
"Hey!" She yelled.
It paused its searching and turned its winding, disfigured body towards Stella. It roared at Stella and swung a fist upward at her. She dodged deftly and the phantom screamed. Energy balls the size of baseballs erupted from its opened mouth flying passed its fang like teeth. Stella weaved in and out of the magikal onslaught trying her best to raise her altitude. The phantom seemed to catch on to her movements and lowered its head scanning the ground around it.
"Sunny, no!" yelled Stella as the phantom turned and faced Sunny.
Sunny had left the cover of the vehicle to attack the phantom from behind but upon being spotted summoned an array of three spheres of light. The spheres blinded the phantom temporarily and Sunny pressed forward. He didn't have time to double back to reposition. Getting up close and dangerous to do as much damage as possible was the only thing on his mind. Stella dove down after the phantom, not knowing what to do. Even though it was blinded it was able to locate Sunny by sending roots from the ground in every direction. Once they ensnared Sunny his tonfas fell out of his hands.
"Let him go!" Stella screamed at the phantom.
The roots lifted Sunny and carried him until he was several feet in the air, his mana erupted but the roots sapped it away. Just then, a black portal appeared above the phantom and Locke flew through it with a new much larger staff in his hands. It seemed to grow several sizes larger until Locke was holding onto it like a tree trunk. With a mighty swing Locke brought the gargantuan rod down onto the snake phantom's neck. It bellowed in retaliation but lost control of the roots it had been using to imprison Sunny. Oh shit. Locke looked on as Sunny began to fall from a great height. Even if Sunny could tank the fall and land unharmed it would still take him several seconds before landing leaving him vulnerable.
Stella's scream froze in her throat and panic sprung her forward to Sunny. She held out her hand and raised it above her head. The Musbang and street lamp lights flickered. Even the car's radio turned on and off rapidly as the atmosphere became filled with static. Sunny's body slowed until it was suspended in the air. Stella moved her hands sideways causing him to move away from the enemy phantom's location. She rushed to him and her gate reached for him immediately.
"Are you okay, Sunny?" Stella's eyes were glowing.
"You saved my life." Sunny's shock was obvious.
Locke came out from a portal he created right beside them.
"Are you okay, Sunny? That was close."
"Did you see that? She made me fly!" Sunny exclaimed, still a bit stunned from his ordeal.
"Who turned the radio on?" Locke asked, glancing at the Musbang.
A loud roar jarred them out of their conversation and they ran towards the Musbang once more to hide behind it.
"Well that was a bust," Sunny said. "Any other tricks you'd like to show off?" Sunny looked at Stella with a hopeful look in his eyes.
Stella shook her head, "Is this the right time for jokes?"
Roots pushed out of the ground in front of them and Locke raised the ground in front of them hoping the roots would feel the earth and move on. When they made contact with his conjured wall they drained the mana from it causing it to collapse. Sunny and Stella quickly took off in an attempt to avoid the roots. Locke pounced on top of his car slapping the roots with his shrunken rod.
Sunny eyed the phantom and saw a clear chance to end it once and for all. He quickly manifested a spear of light energy as Locke joined them in front of the phantom.
"Locke, could you get me up there?" Sunny asked, pointing towards the phantom's chest. "The mud isn't much there. And it's a shot."
"Sure but I might miss it if it moves. It's got to be restricted."
"Can you do both?" Sunny asked.
Locke grinned, "Sure, walk in the park."
"Let's do it then."
Stella watched as Locke spun his rod again and created a dark portal which Sunny stepped through when it was big enough.
"Now then," Locke said and lifted his rod up.
Stella felt his Magik swell and she saw the strain on his face. The phantom seemed to be slowing down. It shrieked and thrashed as it fought against an invisible force. Locke groaned as he ran his own web of roots up the phantom's four legs, locking its lower body into place.
Stella gritted her teeth as she watched Locke struggle to maintain his Magik against their powerful foe.
"Almost…" Locke's muscles strained as he fought against the power of the thrashing phantom. His roots remained in place securing the beast in place. A portal opened directly in front of the beast's chest. The phantom reacted much quicker than anticipated and it opened its mouth to send a barrage of energy balls at Sunny.
So this is how it ends? Sunny relaxed his grip on the glowing spear for a moment.
"Leave him alone!" Stella's voice resonated within Sunny's chest.
He didn't need the earbud to hear her as a wave of ivy spread across the snake's mouth clamping its mouth shut. Without hesitation Sunny's expression shifted as he buried his spear through the phantom's chest. His momentum didn't stop and he sailed straight through its body coming out cleanly on the other side. The beast wailed miserably and made a last ditch effort to rid Sunny from this realm. Its massive hammer-like tail raised from the ground to swat Sunny out of the air. Sunny's hair began to rise and he looked over to Stella. She had her right hand raised into the air above her and brought it down valiantly. Whoa. Sunny was speechless as he watched a lightning bolt scream through the sky and crash into the snake phantom's body. It caused the beast to light up and flicker for a moment before disintegrating from existence. Sunny could feel the tip of the hammer brush against his nose as it finally left their realm. Stella slowly dropped back down to the ground as she used her power to drift Sunny's body safely to her once more.
"Everyone okay?" Locke looked between them.
Sunny and Stella nodded.
"T-that…was amazing!" Sunny beamed at Stella. "I didn't know you could do that!"
"I didn't know that I could do that!" Stella triumphantly struck a victory pose.
"What a tough motherfucker."
Locke looked over at where the exorcized phantom had been. "I guess you're the MVP of today," Locke said with a proud smile. "I knew you could do fantastic shit, but this is just beyond what I could have imagined."
Sunny grinned and his grin turned to a grimace. "Yeah, I hurt all over. Can we still make it to the coffee shop? We look like we wrestled in the mud."
Locke laughed, "No, we look like we almost got our asses kicked."
Stella chimed in, "We should call her, tell her that something came up."
"We're almost there already," Locke said. "Let's just meet her in the car park."
They bundled themselves in the car moaning about the inevitable aches and pains they would be feeling the next day. They arrived at The Fool's Errand's car lot and Locke sent Yuna a text. He got one back almost a second later.
"She got off work a little bit ago, she's been waiting."
Yuna stepped out of the coffee shop and walked briskly towards the Musbang. She stepped up to the backseat door and pulled it open. She got in and slammed the door shut. They all wondered who was going to go first.
"Hello, Stella," she said after a while, looking at the phantom in the backseat beside her. "Why are you listening to hardstyle music, and why are you late?"
"Long story, Yuna." Locke said tightly. "I apologize for the wait."
"It's fine. But I have some questions for you guys."
"Oh good! Ask away," Sunny said.
"I'm not going to have to quit my job, am I?"
"That's what you're worried about?" Locke looked into the backseat at Yuna like she was crazy. "No, Yuna. You can keep your day job. In fact, it's recommended. It helps camouflage us."
"Okay, second question. Am I going to get paid for… exorcizing phantoms?" Yuna's eyes lit up.
Locke sighed and tapped his steering wheel. "Girl are you alright? Shouldn't you be worried about your life or what you might be signing up for?"
Yuna stared into space for a moment until Sunny spoke. "We get paid really well. Any other questions?"
"Oh! Um..no, I guess not." Yuna blushed.
Sunny smiled at her and Stella looked out the window beside her.
"Well, don't hesitate to ask. Okay?"
Yuna pumped her fist. "Yeah, yeah. Now how do I sign up? Do we do it here? Need my blood?"
"What? No!" Locke seemed to be second guessing this decision. "We can get you sorted at HQ. They'd be glad to have you."
"Locke…" Sunny said, glancing at Locke and Stella.
"Ah, shit. We might as well get it out of the way." Locke grumbled.
Sunny glanced at Stella and said, "Are you ready to tell it, Stella?"
Stella nodded gently and hovered closer to Yuna.
"What?" Yuna looked at the trio with excitement in her eyes. "Tell what?"
Sunny reached for the volume control knob on the radio and turned it up. "Yuna, we need your help with something dangerous. But first, I want you to hear Stella's story."