One foot in front of the other, that's how these things went. Do not worry, do not linger for too long, let the chill of the night's air guide you. That is what Gilah continued to tell herself as she went about her stride just outside the city limits. A strange locale from what she could tell, far from the mental images she had imagined. Modern cities were meant to be grandiose, with skyscrapers nearly as tall as she once was. Fragile structures yes, but imposing on a ground level. Yet, the city Gilah saw, the very same her beloved Jason had grown up in, was far from what she had pictured. 

It was still a remarkable sight, but it seemed rather… odd, for lack of a better word. In a sense it felt rather 'homely' to her, which in itself was already cause for pause. While Jason was no stranger to technology, needing to point out cable wires, street lights, and phone towers the leviathan would do well to avoid, the appearance of the city betrayed such knowledge. If anything, it seemed a setting more fitting of the early to mid twentieth century. Were it not for the aforementioned technology in use, Gilah may have mistaken it all for a city trapped in time. 

Strange… even for one such as her. And that felt good; it gave credence to her decision. From the odd, fish scented air which filled her lungs to the luminous stars in the sky, there was a certain beauty to be sensed here. And with each thunderous footfall that carries the leviathan forward, she was able to explore more and more of this new environment's splendor. 

Her crimson eyes shined bright in the night, and a smile crossed the leviathan's lips. "Goodness, it's like I never left the Depths. Everything here feels so… natural. It's enough to put me at ease… is it always like this, Jason?"

Gilah's fingers curled comfortably around her beloved human's waist, keeping him several meters off the ground. As was determined by Ordegash's pact, Gilah had continued to shrink. Still, even now she towered over everything around her. She's likely never been so small before, and as such was subject to new sights and experiences. Jason looked up at her, loving the smile she wore. Even with her old aggression returned she still seemed like quite the sweetheart. 

"Year round, yeah." Jason replied. "Really, it's as strange a place to live as any other. Won't find it on any maps or compass. And you won't learn about it from any textbook. You'd have to live or travel here to know if Ravencroft 's even a real place, and even then…" 

Jason found himself lost in thought, recalling all manner of strange rumors and tall tales from his youth, most of which were told to him by his father. The two of them shared many beliefs, especially in regards to urban sea legends. Old tales that, in some way or another, had some connection to their home city; sights and stories lost to time as he'd say. 

Jason noticed Gilah had been watching him, a hint of concern in her blood red eyes as her beloved just trailed off out of nowhere. 

"Ah, but that's just the ole' Ravencroft  charm." Jason remarked, regaining his train of thought. "As it goes here, the stranger the setting, the more memorable the years to come. You'll feel right at home here, Gilah." 

She hadn't just imagined it, Jason's mind had indeed wandered off. Gilah watched her little lover attentively as he returned his sights forward, guiding the leviathan to his home. Gilah was no fool, there was far more to this city than Jason may be aware of. That said… 

"The ole' Ravencroft  charm?" Whatever mysterious this strange city had to offer would have to wait for the future. Odd though it was, it proved capable of spawning a soul as gentle as Jason. That alone was reason enough to place trust in this change in scenery.  "I like it! A lovely motto for a 'lovely' place to live. 

If Gilah was to live on the surface then she'd make the most of it regardless of any sort of mysteries. 

The she-leviathan made sure to watch her step as she continued her stride. While much smaller than she once was, Gilah still carried considerable heft in each step she took. One wrong move, one unfortunate accident, and the damage could still be severe. As it were, she was forced to a halt the moment a black, fur coated creature, a cat from what Jason could tell, darted past Gilah and narrowly avoided her footfall. The resulting step backwards, unfortunately, put her right in the path of a thankfully empty car. 

The alarm didn't even have time to sound as, before she could stop herself, Gilah had crushed the front half of the vehicle flat. 

Jason looked down, having heard the crunching metal quite clearly. "That… isn't good." While Ravencroft  was a strange city, with even the outskirts having strange rumors here and there, there would still be many to question how exactly a car got crushed in such a manner. "You're gonna have to get rid of that."

"I know, I know." Gilah replied, scratching her head with her free hand as she wondered how exactly she was going to do that. "Let me just… hmm…" 

Kneeling to pick up the scrap heap of a car, Gilah wondered how she could get rid of it. Were she several hundred larger she could actually eat it; consuming metal was as easy as digesting meat and bone to her. At her current size however, Gilah's fingers didn't even wrap halfway around the vehicle. And it wasn't like she could ball it up and leave it here, that'd just raise more eyebrows. 

It was best if she just did away with subtlety. 

With a shrug and meager flick of her wrist, Gilah tossed the ruined car over her shoulder. The whole thing was sent flying, the leviathan's monstrous strength in no way diminished with her height, until it had cleared the limit on the opposite side of Ravencroft  and beyond. It could very well be entire minutes before it made contact with the ground again.

Jason was nearly left speechless. "Was that really necessary?" He asked with a sigh.

Again, Gilah shrugged. "Probably not, but I wasn't going to worry about someone else's property while we have our own things to deal with." 

Gilah continued on her way, leaving Jason to hope no would question a missing car rather than a partially crushed one. Though it was brief, Jason could have sworn he saw his titanic lover lick her lips as she tossed the vehicle. There was satisfaction in the act, albeit minor. A display of her returned bloodlust; a contained but undeniable desire for destruction. Gilah maintained her composure with strength born only of her previous experiences, keeping her desires contained. It was evident to see though that, even this small act of destruction, was enjoyed. It was, after all, natural. 

Perhaps Jason was overthinking it. And normally he would be. However, it became very obvious that Gilah was scouting for something else to 'accidentally' step on, evident by her head constantly turning to search. 

A quick cough from Jason was all that was needed to bring her back to focus thankfully. 

"We should probably hurry." The human suggested. "We don't wanna be out here should anyone decide to go for a late night walk."

Gilah huffed in minor disappointment but ultimately relented in her search. "Oh, yeah, of course." Though Jason was right she still wondered just how far she could throw something a little bit bigger than before. An experiment for another day. "I just… had… something in my eye?"

Jason chuckled. "Are you telling me, or asking me?"

"...yes?"

Thankfully, the rest of the walk went by without much issue. Gilah's size still allowed for speedy travel, and with the right directions it wasn't long before the pair had arrived at Jason's old, childhood home. 

Granted, Gilah had 'misplaced' a few of her steps right over some trash cans. Now there were maybe a little under a dozen that were as flat as a board. Still, outside that things had thankfully remained relatively peaceful the moment the two arrived at what was to be their new home. The Armitage abode was a ways off from the main city, being perhaps just on the edge of what one may call the outskirts, overlooking the ocean. From here Gilah could see the city lights, whatever establishments were open at this time of night, as well as the pier. She wondered if that too lit up wonderfully at night, though for obvious reasons it was empty; completely barren due to her mishap.  

As for the old home itself, it was rather large. Being rather far away from Ravencroft  meant that it was the only house for quite a few miles. Not some mansion, and certainly not some shack; a house meant for a decent sized family, and nowhere near as drab as some of the other buildings Gilah had seen. 

Considering Jason's background, along with his once fisherman family, many similar themes were expected and seen on the home's outer walls. Gilah was ecstatic to see what sort of decor waited inside, but understandably remained patient. She was much too large to squeeze in. 

"Nice place you have here." The Leviathan remarked. "Truly, it is very nice. It's clear great care was placed into your home's construction."

"I would hope so." Jason replied as Gilah gently lowered him onto the ground. Her fingers pulled away, but not before gingerly ruffling the auburn hair atop her human's head. "A lot of work went into this place. My dad helped build it with his father, and they with their parents. Even my sister, brother and I made a few additions of our own. A LOT of work and memories went into this place…"

"It's good to be back."

Gilah knelt down upon her knees. "I would imagine so." She waited patiently, as Jason looked over his childhood home, lost in memories. It wasn't long, however, until her own excitement got the better of her. "I don't mean to be rude… but now what?"

Jason was pulled from his thoughts. "Shit, right, sorry!" He made his way to the front door, grateful to see that the home mat was still there. Lifting it revealed a key, as everything he owned prior to living in the Depths was long gone. It always did pay to have a spare. Jason turned to Gilah, her far larger frame posing a significant issue. "You don't mind waiting out here for a bit, right? At least until you shrink enough to fit in?"

"Even if I did, what could I do?" Gilah asked with a cute giggle. She leaned forward, placing her elbows on the ground as she sized herself up. "I can't just force my way in there. I'd leave a hole."

"If you want I could look for some butter?" Jason joked. "Might be old but should do the trick."

Gilah leaned closer towards Jason, a soft snicker escaping her lips as she inched nearer. "Oh? And that would be your only reason? Nothing else~?" The leviathan's breath washed over her beloved as her crimson eyes shone brighter. "Because I'm certain we can think of a few more uses for it later tonight~."

Jason didn't resist as Gilah's lips met the side of his face. Though she had shrunk considerably, she was still an absolutely massive being. As demonstrated not too long ago, if she so wished then she'd be able to shove half of Jason's body in her mouth. Of course Gilah would never do that, but it seemed she enjoyed the perks her size and strength granted her now as compared to her previous demeanor. It was a clear result of her reignited aggression, and from the looks of it she enjoyed being quite the tease. 

"I'm only joking, Jason." 

Bringing a hand up to caress her beloved's body, Gilah relented in her brief make out. She did, however, give Jason a few more moments of bliss as he wasn't quite done yet, pulling back her soft lips the second she pulled away. Eventually, they both had their fill of fun. 

"At least, I was just joking about using butter. That sounds horribly unhygienic. We'll still have our fun, don't you worry." Gilah lovingly caressed the side of Jason's head with her thumb. Oh how she had longed to do something so simple without needing to fear his fragility; the truest form of rapture. "Until then, my sweet, I'll just wait here a while longer. But do you think you could get things ready? You know… for us?"

Jason gave Gilah's thumb a small peck. "As if you even need to ask." 

With that, Jason made his way inside, keeping an eye on his gigantic lover until he was eventually forced to leave her sight in order to clean. Already Gilah could hear him get to work, moving things around in order to make room for her still shrinking self. She laughed softly before rolling onto her back, her heart beating a hundred times a minute. 

This was happening. It was actually happening. "A life with my Jason… an actual life…" Gilah couldn't keep herself from smiling so wide. She wanted to cry and laugh; her joy knowing no limits. "I can hardly wait…"

So profound was Gilah's joy that she wasn't even aware of the warmth which soon began to envelop her body. All she could do was look up at the sky, watching as it grew further away and dreaming of what the future may hold. Even as she shrank down, that was all her mind allowed her to do. 

Dream of a bright future. 

Inside the Armitage home, however, was another story. Jason had begun cleaning, but to his surprise found that very little inside needed to be picked up. Not just that but as far as he could tell, his home wasn't in need of dusting, sweeping or mopping, even after a year being away from such duties. Almost as though someone else had done such chores in his absence. 

"That's odd…"

Everything was kept in order, with not even a single frame out of place. Running a finger across the sill of a window, Jason was amazed to find that it was practically spotless. 

It just didn't make sense. Why would everything be better than when he last saw it? From the living room, to the guest rooms, to lastly the master bedroom, everything was kept pristine. An absolutely baffling discovery to be made. Jason had to give credit where it was needed, whoever kept this place clean was quite skilled. Truly, they had an eye for detail. 

Hell, after a quick check Jason had found that even the kitchen had been kept well stocked. Someone had definitely been living here, and the only two individuals who came to mind would have been Jason's older siblings, Valerie and Donovan. The issue here, however, was that as far as he knew they had moved away from Ravencroft  quite some time ago. His sister visited from time to time, often uninvited, but usually never at the Armitage home. And Donovan, despite their caring nature, couldn't have moved away from his childhood home faster, having waited years to do so. 

"Certainly wasn't a thief…" Jason reasoned. "What burglar keeps a place tidy? No, it has to be one of those two. Did one of them move in while I was gone? Couldn't have been Donny… he's traveling way too much to settle down. And Val… maybe her?"

A pair of powerful arms wrapped around Jason's shoulders, pulling him away from his train of thoughts. He was fearful for a moment, believing that yet another intruder had come in. Understandably, he calmed down when remembering who it was that stood guard outside, as well as how insane someone would have to be to try to break in with a leviathan out in the front. 

"Whatcha muttering about, cutey?" 

Jason found himself lifted up off the floor as the arms wrapped around his body even tighter, but never to a point of being uncomfortable. Looking up, Jason was pleasantly surprised to find that Gilah had shrunk even further, now standing at a height of what looked to be just over eight feet. Two feet taller than he was, and still boasting that incredible strength. At this size, both lover's could truly appreciate the details of one another's form. 

"Goodness, you're much smaller than I would have thought." Gilah remarked with a snicker. She brought her face closer before locking Jason across his left cheek. It was a strange change of pace to not have her whole tongue cover his entire body; a welcome change. "Still, your time in the Depths really did you wonders. Who knew you were so handsome up close~?" 

Pursuing her lips, Gilah planted one kiss after another upon her mate's head, not relenting as she savored this new experience. She wasn't lying when she said Jason was a handsome man. Even before living in the Depths he was a well built individual, as per his choice of career. All three of the Armitage siblings were well built, with Jason being the tallest and strongest of the trio. His time spent having to swim everywhere, when not hitching a ride on Gilah's shoulder, only served to improve his physique. 

Yet despite that, he doubted being able to free himself from Gilah's embrace. No matter how strong a human could get, they'd never be able to match the might of a leviathan such as her. 

"Enjoying your new size already?" Jason asked with a smile. "Moving a little fast, don't you think? Just skipping right towards the end." 

Gilah rested her chin on Jason's shoulder, requiring to kneel down slightly so as not to arch her back too much. "Can you blame me?" She responded. "I went from forty to eight in a few minutes. Who knows how small I'll get the next time? I wanna hold you like this while I'm still able to." 

Hand on her head, Jason massaged his fingers into Gilah's scalp. He felt vibrations amate from her chest; a purr to demonstrate the joy she felt. 

"Something tells me, even if you were the short one you could still hold me down like this if you really wanted to." 

"Mmm, maybe…" her hold tightened once more. "But I'm going to miss being the bigger one."

"I think I will too." Leaning upward, Jason's lips met Gilah's as the two embraced, truly embraced, now that their respective sizes were near matching. Pulling away, he looked lovingly into his other half's crimson eyes. "Think of it this way. After tonight, I'll be able to carry you down the aisle. That sound good to you?" 

"Very much so, yes~." 

The two embraced once more, ready to go further as Gilah lifted her beloved into her arms. Her size was still greater, and while she had it by the Depths she would use it. She's done a remarkable job keeping her desires in check, along with her ancient aggression. Now though, she was ready to let loose. Even now, as she held Jason in her arms it was taking everything she had to not squeeze him closer to her chest and never let go.

Tonight, while she was still the Butcher; for just one night she'd let everything come undone. 

"I know that look in your eye." Jason remarked as Gilah's crimson glare grew brighter. "What are you thinking?" 

Gilah grinned widely, baring her sharp teeth for Jason to see. "Oh, nothing much~." Her tongue glided across the upper row, running against each and every sharp point. "I'm just thinking how I'm going to have to hold back, oh so much to keep that frail body of yours from breaking~." 

Gilah's breathing grew fast last, as the gills on the side of her neck began to flare. Her pale skin began to grow dark, as the bright blue hair that had been tied back into a ponytail turned luminous. "Wouldn't you say it's unfair, Jason, how I'm going to have to hold back just to ensure you don't break?" 

"To keep those cute little bones from snapping, from your itty bitty bed breaking. Why, I might not even be able to sink my teeth into your…" 

Cutting into Gilah's impressive, if not a tad bit worrisome, lust fueled stride; the house phone rang. 

"MOTHERFUCKER!!!"

****

To say the tension was thick would be a massive understatement. The pressure Valerie felt was without comparison; no word in the human dictionary or beyond coming anywhere near what she was feeling. Fear, of course, along with worry, wonder, and every other sensation under the sun that ran along those fine lines. 

Here she was, sitting besides the Ruler of the Depths, a being she was warned against encountering, as they were both served cheap booze by an awfully curious Adrian. It wasn't often he worked this late at night, and when getting a call from Valerie to open up shop he was just about ready to hang up. It was the shaking urgency in her voice, however, that kept him from doing so. As things were, he got all sorts of bad vibes from Cathay, who Valerie introduced as nothing more than a foreigner; a traveler who decided to make a quick stop through Ravencroft  as she went about her 'business'. Adrian had half a mind to call the cops as things already seemed sketchy enough, but something deep within himself, call it a primal gut feeling, prevented him from doing so. As if, were he to even make an attempt to do so, he'd come to immediately regret it. So, for now, he stayed his hand and played along. 

Thankfully for the two of them, Cathay was in no mood to talk, instead preferring to silently drink her glass of whiskey. Cheap, but strong enough to sting all the way down. The first sips forced a few coughs from the Ruler's throat, this being her first time having such beverages. "It burns a bit…" she compared the feeling to the frills of a cosmic beast; a leech to be specific. Venomous, yet considered a delicacy, the consumption of this specific type of horror was a favorite of hers. "It reminds me of the sh'gelai. Not bad for a race of primitives." She took another sip, content with the burning aftertaste. 

"At the very least she isn't killing anyone…" Valerie thought, taking a drink from her own glass; regular beer. If she played her cards right, perhaps loosen Cathay's nerves with some good ole booze, she'd be able to persuade the cosmic powerhouse from acting on any destructive desires. She knew they had come here for her younger brother, and it was her duty to keep Jason safe. 

"You know, that'd be better with some orange juice mixed in." Valerie suggested as she snapped her fingers at Adrian hoping he'd get the hint. "You seem like a screwdriver type of gal. Ever had one? I'm sure you'd love it." 

Valerie laughed nervously, trying her absolute best to keep from annoying the eldritch goddess. Any wrong move and that'd be it; game over. For her and every else on the planet. Hell, maybe even the whole galaxy. 

Cathay eyed Valerie, glancing up and down the human's body. For a moment, Valerie believed they were weighing their life, determining if she was even worth keeping alive. Thankfully, the Ruler relaxed. "Sure, I'll have this 'screwdriver' of yours. But don't think I'm some clueless whelp, ape. I know what you're doing, and it'll only delay the inevitable. Either I'll find Jason, or Jason will find me. It's unavoidable."

Adrian brought his hand down on the counter hard, foolishly drawing Cathay's attention to himself. "You know what happened to Jason!?" Now he was truly reconsidering his previous hesitation to call the cops. If this woman had something to do with their disappearance, anything really, then she'd have to talk. "You need to tell us. Shit, you need to tell the cops!" 

"No, no, NO!" Valerie cut in, trying to shoot down the idea as quickly as possible. "No cops! We don't need them! Everything is under control!"

Adrian was taken aback by this. "Val, that is your brother! You're the one who's been working yourself raw trying to find some sort of lead as to what happened to him! You should be jumping at this chance for answers!" 

"I have this covered, Ady.  Trust me." 

"You would do well to listen to her." Cathay chimed in. She took a sip from her glass before inching down her shades slightly; her molten eyes nearly making contact with Adrian's. "Some things are better left unspoken, 'Ady'. Stay as you are, serve your little drinks, and you might just survive the night. Step out of line though, or speak out of turn…" 

A pressure enveloped the room, followed by an unending feeling of dread that gripped both Adrian and Valerie. So profound was the feeling that, in the case of the former, they had come close to relieving themselves on the floor. At any single moment it felt as if either one of them could come undone and simply cease to be. 

"And I see for myself what you apes taste like. Understand?"

Both human's nodded vigorously, knowing the consequences of any poor actions. 

Cathay smiled. "Mmm, good primates."

The sense of dread faded just as quickly as it had come the moment Cathay returned her interest back to her drink, and in the aftermath Valerie found herself breathing heavily. Her heart was racing, though for reasons far from the Ruler's original intentions. The power they possessed, the sheer domineering force behind their fiery gaze, both definite points of interest for one such as Valerie. It wasn't long before she found herself needing to make an effort to hide her blush; there was a time and place for everything after all, and she needed to focus on the task at hand. 

That said, it wasn't often Valerie pictures herself as a sub. 

At least Adrian was attempting to keep his composure. Despite the pressure that had assaulted his very being, he remained to stand as strong as he was capable of. That said, every fiber of his being screamed of mortal danger. Even more so than before, he had a faint idea of the danger Cathay posed. Slowly stepping away from her, Adrian reached his hand underneath the bartop where a gun rested in case of the event that his bar were to ever get robbed. Under no normal circumstances would he even think of using it, yet these were by no means normal circumstances.

That sense of dread Cathay had instilled… it wasn't normal. Worse, it wasn't human. So, when faced with such terrifying odds, the human mind does not always commit to what is rational. 

"Look… I get you might not want to talk about it…" Adrian began, much to Valerie's horror. She tried to speak out to keep her old friend's mouth shut, but was too slow to do so. "But If you know anything about what happened to Jason…"

"Didn't I just tell you to shut up?"

Immediately, everything came undone. Not just Valerie's efforts to keep the terrifying Ruler done, but seemingly the whole world around them fell apart. It began with the walls of the bar, cracking or ripping away like paper and stone, revealing a velvet surface behind it. The cool air of the conditioned building grew humid, occasionally followed by a blast of hot air that carried with it the familiar scent of whiskey. Little to no light was allowed as reality came undone around all three parties before being restructured into some fleshy cave. On all sides, great walls of ivory prevented any form of escape, save for the very back where only a vast dark hole laid. 

With her seat suddenly gone, Valerie fell onto her hands and knees, feeling for herself the strange terrain.

It felt… oddly familiar. 

Looking at her hands, Valerie found them submerged in some form of liquid. It was viscous, hard to get rid of, and served to amplify the scent of booze. She was still trying to figure out what it was until a large glob of the stuff struck her from above. It landed on her back, drenching her shirt and leaving it heavier than it was prior. All around, the quantity of liquid increased as fear began to grip her once more. 

Everything made sense the moment Valerie heard a large, ear shattering GULP from the back of the cave, to be rid of some of the viscous fluid. 

Realization struck like a truck. "Oh God… this is…" Valerie looked down on the 'floor' noticing how it undulated ever so slightly. Her eyes grew wide. 

"A mouth..." Cathay answered calmly. She pointed upwards, drawing Valerie's and Adrian's attention upwards. Far above, far more than several dozens of meters, the two saw some strange, pearly white orb floating midair. There wasn't a fault to be seen on the floating object, and yet the longer Valerie looked at it the more she could tell something wasn't right. The rise and fall of what sounded like a heartbeat permeated the booze scented air, soon being all the two human's could hear. The strange orb… was alive. 

"My mouth to be specific." Cathay explained with a grin. To further demonstrate the level of control she possessed here, she rose her tongue skyward, carrying with it Valerie and Adrian. Both cried out in complete horror as they came terrifyingly close to the living orb above, so near now that they might be able to reach it were they to jump. 

Neither one could stand up no matter how much they wished to do so. Valerie managed to stay strong, her mind naturally made to withstand such impossibility. Adrian on the other hand was not so fortunate, muttering to himself that this all could only be a dream. His mind had long broken the moment Cathay altered reality to such a degree, and only deteriorated more with each passing second. The only thing that seemed to break his mindless ramblings was the approach of Cathay's wet footfalls, her boots squishing against her own salivating tongue. Behind him was a veritable cliff fall that led right down the daunting Ruler's throat. 

Adrian scrambled backwards in fear as Cathay's wings tore free from her jackets' confines, giving his poor mind the last push it needed into complete insanity. 

Gently, she placed the foot of her boot on top of his forehead. 

"Humans such as you should know when to keep quiet..." 

A slight push was all she needed to send Adrian falling backwards. Down the slope that was her tongue and into her waiting throat. He slid and struggled the whole way until finally reality was mended with a sickening gulp. 

Everything was as it had been before. There were no faults within the bar as it came into being once more, only now missing the owner of the establishment. Valerie remained on the floor wondering if that all really happened. Looking up at Cathay, and how the Tyrant massaged her throat and licked her lips, she knew her answer. Returning to her seat, the Ruler resumed imbibing herself, content with her miniscule 'snack'. 

"So, about that 'screwdriver' concoction you mentioned." Cathay reminded, in no way caring over the events that just transpired or the impact it held. "I'd very much like to try it now. As a… chaser? I believe that's the term, yes?" 

She smiled, fully aware of the weight behind her words. That grin, that vile, horrible smirk, would commonly be enough to instill fear in any other creature. Even her fellow Rulers, greater or lesser who were capable of similar feats, would have a suffocating sensation of dread instilled within them because of that simple, condescending smirk. Instead, this all served to push Valerie to a point which might seem foolish considering the situation. 

Rage

She shot up to her feet, whipping off the saliva from her hair and face with her hands before slapping Cathay across her cheek. 

It happened fast. Far too fast for Cathay to register as she had been so certain of the terror she instilled. It was unexpected, as well as unthinkable. She could only look at Valerie in wonder. 

"You colossally monstrous BRAT!" 

The Ruler grit her teeth as annoyance and anger bubbled. "You primitive little ape… HOW DARE-" Another strike across her other cheek silenced her. Neither hit hurt, but it was more the meaning behind each slap that proved wounding; to her pride especially. 

"You don't get to talk! Not after what you did!" Valerie shouted. A weak, fragile, and pathetic human speaking to a being as powerful as Cathay in such a manner was unheard of. She had no way of understanding how to respond to such disrespect. "This time YOU shut up! and listen, 'cause lady I have got SHIT-TO-SAY! GOT IT?!"

Cathay unconsciously nodded. 

Valerie inhaled deeply, ready to unleash the storm. "You, YouR MaJEstY, are an exceptionally horrible person." She stated bluntly, giving no sense of hesitation. "And believe me when I say I know horrible people. Fuck, I dated horrible people! And you make those shit's seem nice by comparison! I've known you for… maybe an hour, and already I can see WHY my brother and your 'friend' left like they did."

Cathay stood up from her seat in anger. "Watch yourself, human. Choose wisely what you say next. Especially if you intend to blame me for their departure." 

"I mean…" Valerie shrugged, fully aware of the danger but no longer caring. "If the shoe fucking fits right?"

"Even if you're not the specific reason, if this is the type of attitude you can expect in the Depths then is it any damn wonder WHY those two left?!" Valerie did not relent, even against a force that defied all reason she did not back down one bit. "Tell me, at any point did you think 'Oh, these two aren't happy here? Well, if they wanna leave then they very well should.' Never crossed your mind? Did the thought ever occur?"

"If you think it's that simple…" 

"Ohohoo, it is that simple!" Valerie shot back, not giving Cathay a chance to speak. "Because here's the neat part, and I don't think you've given this a lot of thought. If you care about someone, then you wanna see them happy. And if they're happy going someplace else, then you let them go SOMEPLACE ELSE!" 

Cathay stepped back as Valerie moved closer. Never in her life has she been talked to in such a manner. Even prior to ascending to her throne, where some in the cosmos were capable of challenging her, she was spoken to with fearful respect. This… was simply an impossible circumstance. 

"I-I do care about Gilah!" Cathay replied with a weak stammer in her voice. "What your brother's done to her…"

"Is good" Valerie cut in. "It sounds like the change she needs." 

"And if you cared about her at all you'd be happy for her, regardless of whatever reservations you have against the act. You don't go to their new home, threaten to burn it down and eat an innocent man; which is fucked up mind you, Adrian didn't do anything wrong!"

Cathay fell silent as Valerie just looked her over, now more unimpressed than fearful. "I don't care if you are some cosmic tyrant, you don't do that to other people. Especially if it involves someone you care about. So, here's what we're gonna do…"

Valerie stepped forward as Cathay was lost to her thoughts, confusion and wonder taking hold. She fell in surprise and was unable to get up as, the moment Cathay fell, Valerie placed a hand upon her chest to keep her down. "You're going to make sure my friend is safe, you're going to think about what you want for yours, and you're going to think about what you're going to say to my brother when you see him. Because, guess what, I have a much better idea over where he is… are we clear on that?"

Cathay's breathing felt irregular. "Y…yes…" she muttered timidly. 

Valerie continued to push Cathay against the floor. "I-can't-hear-YOU!" 

The Ruler gulped, nervous, as though she had to impress this weak, little human. 

"Y-yes, ma'am…"

That was more in line with what Valerie wanted to hear. She stood up. "Good. Now dust yourself off, you look like a mess. Also…" she pointed towards the bar's counter. "Let Adrian out."

Reluctantly, the Ruler obeyed while still on the floor. With a single snap of her fingers Adrian appeared between the woman, terrified beyond every sense of the word and covered in stomach bile, but thankfully alive. Valerie would help him if she could, but she likely knew there was only so much she could accomplish. Sadly, an issue for another day as right now she had a call to make. 

She made it all of five steps away before needing to clutch her chest. Though she kept a brave face, within her mind she was battling every manner of emotion, chief among them being fear. "OHMYGOD, I can't believe that worked!" 

Arguing against a Ruler? Just what the hell was she thinking? "Way to keep your temper in check, idiot! That could have turned fifty shades of fucked up!" Valerie was incredibly lucky that some of her ranting found purchase, sparking some self reflection for the cosmic tyrant. But if, for even a split second, Cathay had chosen to shut Valerie up…

She used both hands to lightly slap her face. "Nope. Don't think about that. Just be thankful you're alive." Reaching into her pocket, Valerie pulled out her cellphone. "...and be thankful that you can make this call."

She dialed the Armitage home phone number, thanking the fact it still used landline, and prayed that her previous assumption was right. 

Her phone rang once

It rang twice

It rang three times before the call was finally received and she heard a voice. 

Her brother's voice…

"Hello?"

Time stopped as Valerie raised a hand to her lips, in complete awe. She smiled softly as tears began to fall from her eyes. It was him… her baby brother. 

"Jason…"

There was a moment of silence between the two as both needed time to register one another's voice. It had been… so long, and neither one was certain they'd ever hear the other again. Valerie needed to wipe the tears from her eyes as she wondered if her brother was doing the same. 

"Valerie… I…" Jason tried to speak on the other end. In turn, he was cut off as his older sister took control of the call. 

"Jason, you don't have much time." As much as she wished she could use this opportunity to actually speak with her sibling, Valerie was still gravely aware of the situation: of the danger posed on her brother. She wasn't certain if the still recovering Ruler would take her words to heart, and as such didn't wish to put Jason in any needless danger. "Cathay's here at Ady's. She wasn't… in the best mood. I'm kinda hoping it improved some, but honestly I'm not even sure what she's thinking at the moment. Adrian's traumatized, Cath's quiet as hell, and really I'm freaking the fuck out…"

"But more than anything… I'm just glad you're safe…"

Valerie felt a weight lift off her shoulders, as though the difficulties of the past year had just… vanished. This was the closure she had needed for so long. 

"Cathay's here? On the surface?" Jason asked, worry clear in his voice.  Valerie was just about to say something when, on the other end of the call, she heard a voice. 

A woman's voice, distressed, trying to get Jason's attention while he muttered to himself words his sister couldn't hear. 

"I'm coming over." His answer came quickly, no hesitation at all in his voice. 

Valerie immediately regretted informing Jason over the situation. "No, you won't. Jason, it's you she's after. I really doubt you being here will help."

"Probably not." He agreed. "But there'd be no point in running. You don't know Cathay like I do. She won't stop until she's burned the whole cosmos looking for me. But if I come to her, that saves everyone from trouble."

"Besides… I've got backup."

Again, Valerie was reluctant to have her brother come here. But she knew him too well. His mind was already set on this, so reluctantly she agreed. "Fine… just know if anything happens I'll kill you before she does."

She could hear her brother chuckle. "Love you too, Val. I'll be there soon."

****

Understandably, Gilah is very much against Jason’s plan of action. Perhaps even more so than his own sister. Yet nothing, not even his adoration for the leviathan, was going to prevent him from coming to Valerie’s aid. If she needed him, then there was no Ruler on the Cosmos, no god feared by creation, which would be capable of stopping him. 

“Jason, please. Just think about this.” Gilah urged as her human mate went about his old wardrobe in order to find something to wear. Thankfully his time in the Depths hasn’t been too life changing, so much of what he owned still fit. That said, in some small ways Gilah was disappointed. 

She had come VERY closer to bedding him. Now, here she was sitting on said bed, watching as her beloved prepared himself to face something FAR worse than death itself. 

“I’ve already thought about this.” Jason replied as he tied his shoes. “And I'm going to confront Cathay about this. We both know how she can get; the whole planet’s in danger so long as she’s here.”

“W-we could run!” Gilah stammered. Working so hard to get away from the Depths, and by extension Cathay, and even though she still valued the Ruler immensely, Gilah was in no way keen on stepping back into that sort of setting; for fear of being dragged back in. “Or h-hide! Just… Do we have to do this?”

“WE don’t.” Jason replied. “I know why you’re afraid, and would never want to force you into that sort of position against Cath. But this is my sister we’re talking about, and I'm not going to leave her alone. So I'm going.”

Gilah couldn’t say a word as Jason walked past her, already having his mind made. He was ready to face a force which defied nature despite his own shortcomings. Afraid or not, he was still walking, leaving her behind. Not out of anger or disappointment, never that. Instead, it was genuine sympathy on his part as he knew Gilah's hesitation. More than just being dragged to the Depths, the way she had left likely wounded Cathay immensely. 

Their arrival here was as much her fault as it was Jason’s. And yet he was still willing to shoulder both those burdens. 

“Dammit…” Gilah grit her teeth, at odds with her own cowardice and desire to keep Jason safe. What use was her reawakened bloodlust if she wasn’t going to use it in his defense? She has challenged armies, gods of creation and conception, as well as all manners of horrors and devils. Now was NOT the time to fall to fear. “FINE. OKAY!”

Gilah stood up, the bed creaking greatly as she took away her substantial weight. She beat her fist against her chest, pumping herself up as though this were the battle of her life. “O-KAY! I-i’m going with you…”

Jason looked up at Gilah, her towering form doing little to do away with her fear. “Wait, shit really, you are?”

“Of course I am! If you think I'm going to let you face Cathay BY YOURSELF then your sister was right to call you an idiot.”

“I… she never called me an idiot.” 

Crouching down, Gilah grabbed Jason by the sides of his head before pulling him into a loving kiss. Pulling away, she then pressed her forehead against his. “I know… But I did. My lovely, foolish human.”

Jason looked into her eyes, caressing the leviathan’s soft cheek. “We’re in this together. Through more than just the pact we made. Through our trust and faith in each other.”

Gilah felt her heart racing, and cursed having missed the chance to throw Jason onto the bed. She couldn’t even weigh how much time she had now as, were she to jump at the chance, she’d likely invite ruin onto the planet.

“First, we should probably find you something to wear.” Jason recommended. If his sister had been living here, then perhaps she had something Gilah could put on. Adorn something more fitting than garments made from… Depth Beast remains. “This’ll be your first time meeting my sister. First impressions and all that.”

Despite her tall height, she agreed. “Yeah… probably. Maybe… uh…” Gilah gave her underarm a quick sniff, noting scents common with her old home. “Maybe something to help with the smell of salt water and fish?” 

A quick makeover was in order for this odds defying couple who stood together, here and now.