Lying still in the darkness that embodies her surroundings, Abby was silent as she felt the subtle movements of Yu beneath her as the child breathed deeply. Her candles had gone out a little while ago, and while a part of her wanted to have light again in the cramped chambers she was sharing with the younger girl; the brunette knew Yu preferred it this way. After all, she was a daughter of the dark.

Sighing through her nose as she felt the gentle petting from the raven-haired girl, the teenager was contemplative now as she rested next to the Hominal on her makeshift bed. ‘Yu…’ Her story… her past… it still struck a chord with her. And while her words of comfort did have their intended effect, she could still see the sadness written over the child’s face. It was like a blank slate to her whenever she felt something. She just knew what she was thinking.

Propping her chin on her arm, Abby frowned as her eyes darted up to the two glowing orbs of red above her. “If you want to talk, we still can you know… Or, we can stay like this I guess…” When the candle had burned out, the younger girl simply moved from sitting to lying down so she could cradle her closer.

It seemed her attachment to her had grown after their talk, not that she minded. But, she still had to wonder… would she get over her mate now, or, hold onto that burden she had been keeping secret until now. Stroking the Hominal’s arm as they laid together, Abby closed her eyes as she rested herself.

If Yu really wanted to, she could have still communicated with her. Tapping for yes or no, invading her mind with whatever shadowy powers she had used prior. There were ways they could do it. But, the teenager got the feeling she just wanted to sit here now and be comforted by her. Something she was very willing to go along with.

Nuzzling her cheek against the younger girl, Abby breathed deeply once more as she felt the fatigue of the day finally leaving her. She had been so worn out after everything. Not only meeting one new face but two, almost dying… Playing with friends and talking with them… And, of course… almost being crushed by Ebon…

Souring in silence, Abby’s mind began going over what might have happened had Yu not been there for her, before shivering. ‘Thanks again Yu, thank you for everything’. She owed her so much. She just wished there was more she could do to repay her. ‘Abb-b-by? Ab-by…’ Opening her eyes in surprise, the brunette looked up at Yu confused before seeing the raven-haired girl glance down at her.

“Yu?” Watching as she blinked a few times in utter silence, the brunette was startled once again as a voice invaded her mind… a familiar voice, albeit, scratchy… almost like someone was stuttering as they yelled. ‘A-b-by, wh-ere are y-you? Can… he-ar, me!’

Eve! It was her voice! It was hard to make out, but she knew it anywhere! ‘Eve! I’m here, Eve?’ Hearing silence for but a moment, the teen almost screeched as she heard a sharp cry in her head. ‘AB-BY! WHER-ER AR-AR Y-OU?!’ She was looking for her!

Leaning up abruptly, the brunette smiled in relief before looking up at the now focused Doppelganger. Feeling a few lite taps on her back, the brunette smiled before pointing towards a wall. “Yu, Eve is looking for me! Can you search for her again please?” Seeing the glowing eyes blink a few more times, they soon moved away from her before a guttural swirling noise echoed out behind them.

Waiting with anticipation, Abby soon frowned as she saw Yu shaking her head. “Wait, you still can’t see her? But, I hear her! She’s looking for me somewhere… but, it’s rough… I can’t quite figure out why though…” She didn’t know why she couldn’t hear the Vampiress clearly but a voice soon brought her out of her troubling thoughts.

‘ABBY! WHERE ARE YOU? ANSWER ME AGAIN!’ Looking around with frantic eyes now, a wide smile spread across the teenager's lips. She could hear her now! ‘Eve, I’m here! Can you hear me?’ ‘Abby!’ Smiling in relief, the shrunken girl sighed before raising her head as she heard the blonde’s voice continue to echo out clearly now.

‘Where are you?! I’ve been searching for you for hours but I can’t find you! Are you outside our caverns?! Is someone with you?! You’re not in danger, are you!  Tell me where you are!’ Smiling sheepishly, the brunette shook her head before her eyes widened… as the voices began to become scattered once again.

‘Te-ll me Ab-by! Ab-b-by! A-bby!’ Crying out for the Vampire in her mind, the brunette looked around in confusion before her eyes landed on the Doppelganger staring down at her. Wait… IT WAS YU! She had been able to hear her when she opened up her portal!

“Y-Yu! Open another gateway! Open it to the same place you had it before!” Guessing the Hominal jumped as she saw her eyes bob, they soon moved up and down rapidly before the guttural watery noise sloshed around her once again.

‘ABBY! ABBY WHERE ARE YOU!’ ‘I’m fine Eve! I’m with Yu right now, don’t worry!’ ‘Yu?! She’s here in the caves…? Wait, you’re still in the caverns right?! You’re not in danger from her are you!’ Raising her hands defensively from the venomous tone she heard on the other end of their connection, Abby smiled dryly.

‘N-No Eve, I’m not in any danger… quite the opposite in fact… Where are you anyways? I’ve been trying to talk to you since I came here?’ Hearing a dark growling in her mind, the brunette shivered as the blonde’s voice entered her thoughts once again.

‘That, I would like to know myself! I’ve been looking for you for the past three hours! Where in the hell are you?! I couldn’t even feel your presence anymore!’ Smiling in comfort as she heard the worry in the older girls tone, the brunette shook her head.

‘I don’t know really. But, where are you? Tell me so I can have Yu open a portal for us.’ Hearing silence follow for a brief moment, the teenager waited patiently before her eyes widened as a quiet… but, repetitive banging could be heard somewhere in the distance.

‘I’m in the middle of a fork in the lowest caverns that lead up to the Commons. Did you hear me just now?’ Nodding her head, the brunette soon scowled before answering her. It had been a force of habit to nod for the Doppelganger that she almost forgot Eve couldn’t see what she was doing…

‘I heard… something. It sounded like a knocking noise but it was faint. Hold on!’ Looking back up at the Doppel as she continued to keep her portal open, Abby licked her lips before speaking. “Yu, did you see Eve now? She just… hit a wall…?” ‘I broke one actually…’

Biting back a smile, Abby nodded again as she looked up at the raven-haired girl. Hearing the swirling noises continue to move around, the child soon shook her head, or, at least she figured she did as she saw her eyes turning back and forth.

She still couldn’t find Eve? Frowning as she wondered why the brunette sat still for a moment before her eyes hardened. ‘Eve! Do you have a candle on you? Or something else casting light!’ Hearing a hum in her mind in return, the blonde soon answered her earning a smile in return.

‘I do… this area isn’t lighted like the commons, but what the devil does that have to do with anything?’ Sighing in relief as she got her answer, Abby smiled before shaking her head. ‘Eve put out the light! Yu can’t see you if you’re near any.’

Knowing a scowl was probably prominent on the blondes face now, Abby waited before Yu began to blink her eyes rapidly. “Yu, did you find her?!” Grinning from ear to ear as the Doppelganger nodded, the brunette laughed before standing up.

“I’m glad… I was really starting to worry about her…” ‘Flattering my amore~, but I can assure you the feeling was very, mutual.’ Hearing the Vampire’s elegant laughter in her mind, the teenager grinned before looking back up at her newest… or, oldest…? Guardian before smiling.

“Alright, Yu… I think it’s time I got back to the others…” She had to check up on Casey and the twins. Now that she knew Eve was safe that made her feel hopeful once more. Watching as the Doppelganger closed her eyes, the brunette waited quietly before she was gently picked up in the child’s hands.

“Thank you, Yu… Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.” Hearing nothing in return as per usual, Abby waited for something to happen before sputtering as her face was suddenly enveloped. Pressing her hands against the child’s lips as she felt the kiss in the dark, Abby relaxed before giving the younger girl a kiss back.

Even if she couldn’t talk some kind of a warning would have been nice! Lasting for a few moments, the Doppelganger soon broke off their kiss before her glowing eyes opened once more. “Heh… I-I guess you wanted to say goodbye first, didn’t you? Don’t worry Yu, I already told you I’m not going anywhere. If you want to spend time with me again, just tell me, alright?”

“Love… you, Ab-by…”

Jumping in surprise as she saw the large pair of eyes staring back at her, Abby was frozen as she heard the angelic tone that was the child’s voice… her actual, voice. “Y-Yu…?” Watching as the Doppelganger closed her eyes, the brunette felt herself being moved before an all too familiar pull began to tug on her signaling that her time… was up.

Smiling in happiness, Abby waved back to the Hominal as her head disappeared into the darkness, soon being followed by the rest of her as she was slowly engulfed in the shadows surrounding her…

‘I love you to Yu.’

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Standing alone in the darkness of the caverns she found herself in, Eve was mute as her ears zeroed in on her surroundings. She was startled to have heard Abby’s voice finally answer her in here of all places. This was the middle of nowhere…

But, at the same time, she was more concerned with why she couldn’t sense her up until now. Their connection should have let them communicate from great distances. These caves stretched on for miles but even so, just how far away was she? And better yet… how did she get there?

Scowling as she recalled her Amore's words, the Vampiress opened her bloody eyes as she glanced around. It wasn’t impossible for her to see in the dark but even so, she didn’t like wasting her energy on trivial things either.

‘Yu…’ Shaking her head from the name Abby had given her, the blonde sighed tiredly as she thought about their phantom resident. She had come here pretty recently compared to most of the girls here, but, she had been under the impression that she had simply left them. Not she or any of the other girls had caught sight of her in months. Not even her many familiars had seen her for that matter either.

‘Perhaps you knew she was still around, Najia…’ Suffice it to say, it was irrelevant whether or not to why she was here, but, what was important was why she was now in the possession of her mate. She didn’t like the thought of another Hominal encroaching on her territory…

If she so much as laid a finger on her Abby she’d-. Stiffening as a watery noise echoed out near her feet, Eve glanced down now before her eyes widened. Watching as the darkly lit walls began to be sucked inward; a blackened void soon took their place… before a pale hand extended out of it… and on it, was her Abby!

Panting as she felt her breath returning to her, the brunette looked around in confusion as she tried to get a feel for her new whereabouts. It was dark in here… but, not as dark as it had been inside of the Doppelgangers shadow that was for sure.

“Abby…” Freezing up as she heard a voice above her, the teen looked up weakly before a smile spread across her face, as she stared into a new pair of glowing red eyes. “H-Hi Eve…” She couldn’t see the larger Hominal, but, it was obviously her. She’d be a fool not to realize that.

Kneeling down on the ground as she stared down at her little love, the Vampire’s eyes turned to the pale fingers beneath her that she stood on. “You’re safe, and unharmed, correct?” Hearing the not so subtle change in the older girls tone, Abby nodded quickly.

“I-I’m perfectly fine! Yu, actually kind of saved me… twice.” Raising her brow from the smaller girl’s words, the Vampiress watched the pale hand gently depositing her Amore on the ground before it began to slink back into the portal it came out of, the gateway it originated from soon disappearing along with it.

Nodding to herself, Eve soon smiled before moving her own hands around her Abby. “Well then for that, she has my thanks. If I ever see her in person again, I’ll make sure to give her a proper one. Where have you been all this time though Abby? I’ve been worried sick…” Moving her hand towards one of the older girls fingers for support in her darkly lit environment, Abby could do little more than shrug her shoulders.

“I can’t answer you, Eve… I honestly don’t know. Yu took me to the place where she sleeps I guess. But, do you know what happened to the others! Are Casey and Emma and Ella alright?!” She had been scared for the Vampiress on account of her not talking to her until now but she knew Ebon had fought with the others… And that only ended in pain…

Staring down at her love solemnly, the Vampire sighed before patting the brunette reassuringly. “Don’t worry, everyone is alright. My two familiars did a good thing by taking you away from the Ragdoll. Even she played a part in your safety as well. As soon as I awoke, I had one of my other familiars waiting in my chambers there to alert me to what went on… But, I feared the worst when I couldn’t find you. If not by Ebon, then, by someone else…” She growled.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Abby nodded before looking back up at Eve with joy. The others were ok! “How are they doing? I don’t know what happened when Casey fought with Ebon but I saw both the twins take some nasty hits. Do they need medical attention?”

Smiling warmly at her little love, Eve gently closed her eyes, as her fingers continued to stroke down the Human’s back comfortingly. “You needn’t worry. I have both Emma and Ella resting in their own quarters. They’ll recover with the Energy I gave them. And as for the Ragdoll I gave her back to Kari. Though, you might want to comfort the younger girl. She seemed rather disturbed to see her friend how she was…” Eve mumbled.

Noticing the frightened look on the brunette’s features once again, Eve gently patted the smaller girls head before shaking her own. “You can calm down. The Ragdoll is more durable then my familiars are. Her injuries aren’t nearly as bad. If I had to guess, she might even be up and moving already.” While she didn’t really care what happened to the Dullahan, she knew it would put her little Amore at peace knowing she was safe.

Letting out a sigh of relief knowing all of her friends were ok now, Abby soon had to wonder… “A-And… And what about Ebon…?” Blinking quietly, Eve’s eyes narrowed before she turned around, and began to walk away with the smaller girl.

“She’s not dead if that’s what you’re asking. But, she won’t be coming after you anymore. Of that, I can promise you.” Eve whispered her tone succinct and full of spite. Gulping silently, Abby shook her head before squeezing the older girl’s fingers. “Y-You… You didn’t do anything bad to her… r-right?”

She couldn’t imagine the Dragon just came to her senses and agreed not to pursue her anymore. She hated her with a passion… and a very fiery one at that… Keeping her eyes closed as she walked, Eve was silent for a moment before her eyes peeked open, a dark smile gracing her lips as she recalled her course words with the Black Dragon.

“Details aren’t needed, Abby. All you need to know is we had a little chat… and, we’ve come to an understanding…” Not feeling reassured by her words what so ever, Abby had to inevitably nod her head, and end the topic at hand. It seemed the blonde didn’t want to tell her what she actually did… and perhaps, that was for the best.

While she didn’t like Ebon that much… she still didn’t want to see her hurt like before. Hopefully, Eve understood that. Feeling her little Amore’s feelings being re-laid to her, the Vampiress said nothing as they continued to walk.

She didn’t have anything else to say on the matter. It was already settled between her… and Ebon…

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“ABBBBBBYYYYYY!”

Smiling quietly back at Kari as the little Witch all but sprinted over towards her and Eve, the little blonde sniffled weakly as tears streamed down her puffy cheeks. How long had she been crying? “I’m fine Kari, don’t worry! It’s good to see you again.” The brunette smiled warmly.

Standing in front of Eve rigidly, the toddler continued to sniffle as she looked up at the Vampire with hesitation, something the regal blonde soon picked up on as she saw the younger girl on the verge of tears once more. “Would you, like to hold her…?”

Chuckling as the dirty blonde began to shake her head furiously, the Vampire’s fangs peeked out as she smiled in amusement before lowering her hand for the child. “Abby! I… I was so worried something happened to you! S-Stop making me worry so much you… you jerk!” Kari whined, her fingers wrapping around the brunette protectively as she pulled her into her chest so she could hug her close.

Feeling her heartache from the younger girl’s whimpers, Abby frowned before gently moving her hands over hers. “I told you already Kari, I’m fine. A-And it’s not like I’m looking for trouble! Things like this just kind of happen when you’re the size of a doll…” She mumbled dryly.

Seeing a look a hurt cross the Witch’s face, Abby quickly raised her hands to amend what she said. She didn’t mean it as an accusation! “R-Relax, I’m not blaming you. I just meant… it happens.” She sighed. Looking up at the concerned face of the toddler, however, the teenager knew she had struck a chord by accident as more tears peaked out at the corner of her eyes.

“K-Kari, really I-“, "We can issue blame all day, but, that will achieve nothing. What matters is my Abby is safe, as is your friend.” Eve muttered her tone both calm and quiet as she tried to comfort the younger girl. Though, it was hard to tell if it worked her not. It almost looked like the younger Hominal was about to scream when she heard her voice…

Why did she have to keep acting this way around her? She had never even once picked a fight with her before! Looking over her shoulder as Eve brooded silently for some reason, Abby moved her hands over to the child’s fingertips before cupping them warmly.

“It’s fine Kari. I’m, fine. Everything worked out for the best actually. I got to meet Amy and Yu. Not to mention Ebon won’t come after me anymore either. Right, Eve?” Bowing her head as she nodded, the Vampiress smirked before crossing her arms. “It’s true. I can assure you of that.” Seeing the younger girl sniffling less, Abby smiled now. She must have been crying for who knows how long to get her cheeks as red and as puffy as they were…

“Wait, you found the Doppelganger? I thought she left a long time ago…” Kari mumbled, her tears finally subsiding as confusion settled over her features now. Nodding her head in turn, the older blonde chuckled as her now free hand moved up towards her bangs to occupy fingers.  “As did I. But, apparently from what our dear guest tells us, Yu’s been keeping a watchful eye on her in our absence, quite the stroke of serendipity if you ask me.” Eve smiled.

Nodding as well, Kari glanced back down at Abby once more as she lightly gripped the teen in her hands. It was no small feat to have a Doppel show themselves to another. She could only hope it was because she wanted to protect her though... “Y-You’re not hurt at all, r-right…? N-No scratches either!” Nodding her head cheerfully, Kari soon moved the startled girl up to her cheek before clutching her even closer.

“P-Promise?!” Smiling weakly, Abby nodded once more as she tried her best to hug the toddler back. She was always protective of her but it seemed abnormally so today. ‘I guess I really did scare her this time…’ Not that any of this was her fault for that matter…

“Kari, listen to me. I’m, fine! Nothing’s wrong, I didn’t get hurt, and I don’t need medical attention… alright?” Feeling her body jarred as the younger girl nodded her head, the brunette smiled before resting her face on the toddler’s cheek.

“Everything’s alright, I promise.” Watching the two girls in silence, Eve’s lips slowly curled into a smile before she turned her back to them. They had some catching up to do. And, as much as she wanted to keep her Abby with her now that she would be awake for a while, she had someone who needed attending to first… or more, two little someone’s…

“Both of you rest and keep watch over Najia. I know you need to get back to work so I won’t hold you up. I have a few patients I need to look after as well so I’ll be departing now. I’ll come back in the evening to check on you both. Call me if you need anything while I’m gone, Abby.” Eve muttered before giving them both a lighthearted wave.

Pulling her forehead away from Kari’s cheek, Abby looked over her shoulder at the departing Vampire, but, before she could say anything, the little Witch beat her to it. “T-Thank you…” Pausing mid-step, Eve’s brow rose slightly as she glanced back at the younger girl. She was shivering…

Letting out an airy sigh, the blonde nodded her head before wind quickly picked up around her body, taking her away with a gentle breeze in a way only she seemed to be able to travel with. “You’re welcome…” Staring at the spot where the older girl had just been, both Abby and Kari were silent momentarily, before the former of the two looked back up at the child still holding her.

“You’re not still scared of Eve, are you Kari?” Cupping the little Human tightly, the Witch said nothing as she continued to look towards the spot where Eve had just been, her mind seemingly lost as she thought about something else entirely.

“Kari?” Stiffening up, the little blondes focus soon returned before she looked back at Abby quietly. “I-I… We… should check up on Najia…I wanted to talk to you yesterday about her... but, you never came back…” Kari mumbled. Staring up at the little blonde as she averted her eyes, Abby closed her own before nodding.

Something was up with the young Witch… and, as much as she wanted to know what it was, the teenager knew she’d have to be patient. “Alright, let’s go check on our patient than.” Smiling weakly, the younger girl nodded her head before pulling the smaller girl into her as they began to walk away.

Both unaware, of the troubled expressions worn on each other’s faces…

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‘Temporal artery, 62 pulses… Carotid artery, 61 pulses… Brachial artery, 62 pulses… … Femoral artery, 61 pulses… Posterior Tibial artery, 62 pulses… Dorsalis Pedis artery… 63 pulses… Radial artery, 60 pulses even…’ Every point was perfect.

Pulling her hands off of Najia’s wrist along with her head, Abby smiled giddily as she looked up at Kari’s fretful gaze. “Every one of her primary arteries is clear, and her heart is pumping perfectly through each of their designated pathways. With no fever either at a standing temperature of 98 even, I think you’ve done it. She’s going to make a full recovery Kari.”

Cupping her mouth silently, the little Blonde began to shiver as she stared down at the sleeping Hominal with glee. They did it! They really did it. Sitting herself down on the unconscious Kitsune’s arm, Abby had to shake her head. This recovery time was unreal.

‘Severe blood loss… poisons in your body and bloodstream… a high fever of 110… You must really be a Monster to survive after all of that…’ Smirking at the comical notion, Abby simply shook her head. Almost all odds had been stacked against the poor woman, and yet, she would make a full recovery in no time flat. Hell, if she had to guess by the way her skin was regaining color and the warmth of her body shed say it would only be another day or two tops.

All things considered, this was the best news they could give everyone. Najia was going to make it. Glancing up at Kari once more, the brunette sighed as she saw her tearing up. “Don’t cry, Kari. I know you’re happy, but you knew she’d recover. You just wanted me to verify it with you to be safe, right?”

The younger girl was skilled when it came to medical knowledge, something that would seem foreign for most children to know. But, she was very bright for her age… and this was one of the easiest diagnosis’ she or her master had ever done for that matter.

Blushing faintly, the younger girl lowered her eyes for a moment before weakly nodding her head. “I-I wanted to make sure there wasn’t anything else wrong with her... anything I might have missed… And, you know more than I do so…” Nodding in understanding, the brunette rubbed the back of her head sheepishly before looking back over to the sleeping woman.

“She’ll come around in no time Kari. You did it.” Hearing a quiet squeal from the child, Abby had to bite her tongue not to laugh. This might be the happiest she had ever seen her. “I can’t wait to tell everyone! I know Casey wants to know but the others need to know too! Should I go now? No, maybe I should wait… but why should I wait? W-Wait, there are still things to do isn’t there? A-Abby what should I do?”

Snickering now from the indecisiveness of the younger girl, the teenager simply shrugged her shoulders. “I guess tell Casey first and then Eve. After that see who else you can find to spread the word around I suppose.” It wasn’t really her place to give advice on the matter but the toddler didn’t look like she honestly knew what she wanted to do herself.

Feeling her eyes widen, Abby all but hit herself as she palmed her forehead. HOW DID SHE FORGET ABOUT HER UNTIL NOW?! “Kari! Where’s Casey at? Is she doing alright?” Looking back down at the smaller human in surprise, the little Witch paused her celebration as a look of worry fell over her prior excited features. “C-Casey… Umm, well…”

Waiting for something more than stutters or incomplete sentences from the child, Abby stood up now. “Kari, is she alright? What happened to Casey? Is she resting in her own domain or is she somewhere in yours? How bad were her injuries? You treated her, right?”

Fidgeting as she was asked question after question from the smaller teen, the toddler soon began to look away. “U-Umm… Casey’s, fine… I guess. But, she’s not in the caves at the moment…” Blinking in surprise from the unexpected answer, the brunette had to scowl now.

“Okay… then, where is she? She fought with Ebon. No one just fights a dragon and walks away unscathed. She wasn’t badly injured, was she?” Watching as the younger girl began to rub her arm nervously, Abby took a deep breath as she tried to calm her nerves. The little Witch was doing a horrible job of it for her…

“Kari… I need to know what happened. Is, Casey, alright?” Looking back down at the stern look being directed her way, the toddler whimpered before shakily nodding her head. “Y-Yes… K-Kind of… Earlier today, Eveline brought her back here before you showed up. She… She was beaten up really badly though… b-b-but none of her wounds were lethal! But… after I bandaged her up and she woke up…” Kari trailed off.

Waiting for her to continue, Abby frowned once more. “What made her leave the caves, Kari, where is she? You said she wasn’t in that bad of shape but that doesn’t sound like something Casey would just do. What are you trying to hide from me? We’re friends, aren’t we?”

Widening her eyes in shock, Kari whimpered louder before kneeling down in front of the table despairingly. “Y-Y-YES! I… I’M NOT…” Seeing tears peek out on the younger girls face, the brunette raised her hands calmingly before nodding her head.

“Kari… there isn’t anything you could tell me that would upset me or make me angry with you. So please, just tell me what Casey’s doing. I NEED, to know. It’s my fault she was hurt after all…” Abby trailed off bitterly. Everything that had befallen them all could be traced back to her… as much as she hated to admit it.

Clutching the wooden stand that Najia’s bed mat rested on, the little Hominal lowered her eyes before nodding. “I… I don’t know what I can tell you, Abby… But, I can show you, if you really want to see. I don’t understand it either…” Looking back at the child in surprise now, the teenager slowly began to nod.

‘I wonder what’s going on with Casey that’s confusing even her…’ Stepping off down from the wooden stand and making her way over to the silent child, the brunette nodded once more. “Alright, Kari. Let’s go take a look together. Is that alright?”

Sniffling, the younger girl nodded before moving her hands around Abby gently. “A-Abby… you promise you won't get mad at me when you see Casey… r-right…?” Feeling herself raised into the air by the fearful girl, Abby quietly looked up at the Hominal’s dishearted face before smiling warmly back at her.

“I promise. Whatever you did probably doesn’t have anything to do with whatever Casey’s doing. So relax. I’m not upset with you, alright?” Nodding timidly, the dirty blonde began making her way out of her cave, as her mind wandered over to what else she could tell the brunette after her last remark.

‘Does that mean… I can tell her the truth and she won’t hate me…?’

No… she couldn’t tell her. If she ever learned about it, then there was no way the little Human would ever call her a friend again…

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“H-Here… she’s up ahead. B-Be quiet though so she doesn’t hear us. I don’t think Casey knows I followed her here earlier.”

Sitting atop the young Witch’s shoulder as the dirty blonde began scaling a small pile of rocks on the outskirts of their mountain cave, Abby watched in silence as she lifted her head over the ledge to peer beyond it. What was she about to see she wondered…?

Looking around for a moment, the younger girls eyes soon widened before she licked her lips and nodded. “Y-Yep… she’s still here. H-Here, take a look yourself. This is where she went off to after she woke up. But, I still don’t know what she’s doing…” Kari murmured…

Feeling herself lifted up as the younger girl leaned upwards a tiny bit more, the brunette looked over her shoulder before her eyes widened. She didn’t know what to expect, but, this wasn’t it. Past the small cliffs of the mountainside, was a clearing. It was a perfectly flat plane; one she hadn’t even seen when Amy took her flying earlier.

But, scattered all around it were different boulders and rocks of various shapes and sizes. But, the main thing she was looking for was dead center in the middle of them all. Standing in front of one of the largest of the boulders, was Casey… and she was brandishing her makeshift scythe as well.

‘What on earth are you up to?’ Taking in the younger girl’s appearance, the teen couldn’t help but frown. Now she knew why Kari had been fretting over showing her or even telling her for that matter. The redhead looked… horrible…

White bandages littered both her arms and legs and went up under her dress past what she could see. But, they ended up at her neck which apparently held her head in place where her own shadowy scarf had been prior. From what she could see that wasn’t bandaged, however, the poor girl was still badly bruised.

One side of her face was blackened… and her right eye was swollen as well. ‘C-Casey…’ She must have put up a hard fight to be as covered as she was. Watching the Dullahan as she stood perfectly still, Abby soon looked away as she shifted her gaze back to Kari.

“H-How bad were her injuries? And why did she come all the way out here after she woke up, I still don’t understand…” Clutching the rocks she was hiding behind tightly, the little blonde simply shook her head. “Her injuries weren’t life-threatening but I had to stitch a lot of cuts up with a needle. She’ll probably be able to take the threads out by tomorrow though given how quickly she recovers. Other than that she had some blood loss but not much. I… I don’t know why but, Ebon didn’t really seem to hurt her that much. She must have been distracted or something to not have done any permanent damage to her….” Kari mumbled.

Looking over Casey thoughtfully, Abby silently shook her head. If Ebon wanted to hurt Casey she could have done it in a thousand different ways. This might prove what she thought true. The little Dragon didn’t actually seem to want to hurt any of them. Well… except for her. Closing her eyes quietly, Abby took a deep breath before sighing.

“Okay, but, this doesn’t explain what she’s doing here… Do you know?” Watching in absolute silence, the little Witch said nothing before raising one of her fingers up and pointing down towards the rock the Dullahan was seemingly frozen in front of.

Looking back down at the redhead, the smaller girl grew silent as well as she joined Kari in their watch. Was she going to do something? As seconds ticked by into minutes, both girls continued to look down at the redhead as her hands brandished her weapon outward.

Did she plan on… hitting the rock? Feeling her question suddenly answered as Casey’s arms twitched, both girls looked on with baited breath before their eyes shot open in disbelief. Letting out a loud scream as she swung her scythe at a downward angle into the rock, both the peeping pair was rendered mute by what she had done.

Panting tiredly as the blade of her weapon dug into the ground on the other side of the rock, Casey lifted her head up before a feral grin spread across her lips. Watching with mixed emotions all three girls were just as surprised, as they watched the top half of the stone begin to slide off itself… as it was cleanly cut all the way through.

Hearing a loud crash as the top half of the one-ton boulder fell apart, both Abby and Kari had their mouths hanging agape at what they had just seen. ‘S-S-SHE CUT IT IN HALF?!’ HOW IN THE HELL WAS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE! A blade couldn’t do that to a rock! And… and so perfectly to…

The rigged exterior that had once been surrounding it was now opened to reveal the perfectly smooth surface where the Dullahan’s blade had collided with it. This… this was beyond words. And it looked like Casey was just as surprised as well.

Falling to one knee as she continued to pant from exhaustion, the redhead bit back her grin as she looked at the decapitated boulder before her. “Hell… it’s about damn time… Sheesh…” She had been at it for almost three hours! But, she finally pierced it. No, she destroyed it!

Smiling viciously as she used her scythe as leverage to stand back up, the older girl marveled at her work before shaking her head. “That’ll do…” She would need to learn how to do that with every swing so she didn’t have to concentrate as hard as she did before but this was progress! ‘I wonder what Najia will think when she sees this!’ Hopefully, it wasn’t a one-time kind of deal though…

Hearing as light cracking noise behind her, Casey soon paused her gleeful thoughts before turning around. “Huh?” Watching as some pebbles lightly skid down the side of the cliff behind her, the Dullahan furrowed her brow before scowling.

Keeping her mouth covered as she pressed her back against the other side of the rubble, Kari was wide-eyed as panicked as both she and Abby tried to comprehend what they just witnessed. Feeling just as much panic as the younger Hominal for almost being seen, Abby rested her back into the younger girl’s stomach as they let out a concurrent sigh of relief before they began to whisper.

“WHAT THE HECK DID SHE JUST DO?! H-HOW DID SHE DO IT?!” “I-I-I DON’T KNOW! SHE WAS JUST WHACKING THE ROCKS EARLIER WITH HER WEAPON. HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW SHE’D CUT IT IN HALF!” “IS THIS WHAT SHE’S BEEN DOING THIS WHOLE TIME?! HOW HAS SHE NOT PASSED OUT?” “I DON’T KNOW! DON’T YELL AT ME! YOU SAID YOU WOULDN’T GET ANGRY!” “I’M NOT ANGRY I’M APPALLED! SHE SHOULDN’T BE DOING THINGS LIKE THIS WHEN SHE’S INJURED!” “TELL HER THAT THAN SHE WON’T LISTEN TO ME!”

“The hell are you two doin out here?”

Screaming simultaneously as they fell forward, both Kari and Abby sputtered as she looked upwards, their faces paling as they saw the Dullahan in question staring down at them darkly. “C-C-Casey?! H-How did you do that!” “It was amazing!” “You’re not hurt are you!?” “Y-Yeah! You shouldn’t be doing things like this!” “Even if they were really cool…” “KARI!” “WHAT?! IT WAS REALLY, REALLY COOL!” “Don’t encourage her!” “R-R-Right! S-Shame on you Casey, don’t do stuff like this when you’re hurt!”

Giving both her voyeurs a deadpanned look, the redhead scowled as she tried to figure out just what the hell was going on. ‘Are they praisin or naggin?’ She couldn’t tell. And they didn’t answer her either. Pulling herself over the side of the cliff as she slid down to join them on the other side, the Hominal sighed tiredly before looking at her two little snoops, her eyes soon landing on Abby as she smiled back at her weakly.

“What I'm doin is my business. It ain't important to the both of ya so leave it alone…” Crawling forward from the toddler's hands, Abby stood up as she looked Casey over, the Dullahan’s emerald eyes soon meeting hers as she smiled. “Glad ta see yer alright though Abby... The bloodsucker said as much but… I-It’s good to know you’re here and safe I guess.” Casey smiled, her tone lacking its usual... mirth? No, it was something else. It almost sounded like guilt really...

Nodding back at her, Abby’s expression remained neutral as she took in the younger girls visage. “Casey… What on earth was that? I don’t know how you did whatever that was just now but you shouldn’t be exerting yourself. Just look at you…” The teenager muttered, before lifting her hands up to point over… all of her.

“You’re bandaged to the teeth and you have internal bleeding going on inside of you. This is no time to do… whatever that was.” Blushing in silence from the older girls words, Casey scratched her cheek sheepishly before simply shrugging. “Ya might have a point. But, I've finished anyways. Besides, the boyd fixed me up real good already. I’m fine-“ “I never said that…”

Gritting her teeth for being called out on the spot; Casey scowled now before reaching forward and pinching the younger Witch's cheek much to her chagrin. “Don’t think I forgot about ya either! What are ya on to be spyin on me all sneaky like?! What in the hell was that about!”

Whining as her face was tugged on, the little blonde cried out as she began pushing back against the redhead. “CASHYYYY!!! SHTOP IT SHTOP IT! CUT IT OUT!” Sliding down Kari’s cloak as she skidded to a stop near their feet, the brunette watched silently before a wide smile spread across her lips as she watched the two children shoving each other around.

“Come on you two knock it off. We should head back to the caves. There’s a lot we have to talk about.” Abby smiled. Tearing their eyes off each other as the Dullahan pulled on Kari’s cheeks and the Witch pulled on Casey's hair, both girls begrudgingly nodded before letting go of one another.

“Why, did something happen?” Smiling back at the redhead, Abby simply nodded. A lot had happened, but, they would talk when they got back. Squabbling aside, when she learned the good news, she knew the Hominal would be thrilled.

Not to mention, when she told them both about her plans on staying with them too. She could only hope that Najia would be as thankful as they made her out to be. Because if she had to actually leave when the time came… her heart might break.

She really wanted to be, one of them.

To be continued.