Pax Septimus roughly translates to “Peaceful Seventh.” Originally the city might have been named after the seventh heaven referenced in the Talmud: the place where the throne of god resides. Regardless of the case, god certainly isn’t in Pax Septimus now.
The terror of the local populace was hidden from view. Anyone driving by would think the city was fine, but everything was run by one group of criminals or another. Most of the wealthier establishments paid tribute to the local mafia, cultists abducted fresh victims from their homes, and criminals plundered what they could at every opportunity. The underpaid police force was barely a match, and few of them valued the law over any bribe they could be paid.
Worse still were the unseen horrors lurking in the shadows. Otherworldly monsters loomed at every corner. They discreetly manipulated the populace through fear. The more fear they created, the more they could consume. And as they made more fear, more creatures would show up to expedite the process.
But with all the misery happening in Pax Septimus, there was one pocket of comfort. Beneath an unassuming warehouse was a massive underground dwelling called Bastion. It had taken a long time to construct, but the mastermind behind its construction had found it worthwhile. Regardless of what happened outside, they would be able to continue living in comfort.
The queen of Pax Septimus stood in a concrete room with a pool filled with a chromatic liquid. Like most espers, Penny wasn’t quite normal. Her maid suit was your typical anime convention fan fair, but her hulking gauntlets were not. Every once and a while, a bolt of electricity would leap off of her gauntlets and into the concrete floor. While her face was normal, a hard look at her eyes would reveal cameras hidden behind her pretty blue irises. A closer inspection of her head dress would also reveal rows of metal pegs that were embedded directly in her head. The sound of servos filled the air as her eyes shifted from one side of her room to the other. A typical ritual for the paranoid queen of Pax.
She had done everything in her power to ensure Bastion was as safe as possible. Bastion was a fortress, but she had also bought out anyone who could possibly oppose her operation. The mafia, the cults, even the police force. They were all in her back pocket. Not only did she pay them well, but she occasionally left Bastion to help crush resistances before they could fight back. It was their lives or her safety, and that was hardly a choice worth wasting her processors on.
Queen Penny did not like to return to her normal form, but the queen discovered that she could restore her mana reserves by soaking in a pool of mercury. It was also one of the few times she could enjoy swimming, as her metal chassis was too heavy to do so normally. She reached behind her waist to untie her corset top when one of her henchmen came to the door.
“My queen!” An oni called out to her. “You must-”
”Imbecile!” The flustered queen shouted. ”Entering these chambers is punishable by death!”
The henchman did not get a chance to respond before a black blade popped out of her chest. She had just opened her mouth to scream when the light left her eyes.
”…I guess she got exactly what she deserved!” With a swing of her blade, the oni’s corpse was cast off the onyx katana. Standing in the doorway was a woman in a black miko outfit with a mane of pink hair billowing out of her head. ”Hello, robo-slut!”
”Oros the mad.” Penny growled the name through her teeth. She didn’t really know why a depraved esper like herself had decided to attack Bastion, or how she had even discovered it existed. Though she didn’t really care. Regardless, it wasn’t an outcome she hadn’t prepared for. Oros probably had to fight her way through some of her henchmen, and likely expended some mana in the process. Meanwhile, Penny had a vat of mercury that would raise her mana levels as soon as she touched it. She also had no reason to believe Oros was stronger than herself. What footage she was able to recover was impressive, but impressive compared to her? Not a chance. ”What do you want?” Penny folded her arms. ”I don’t feel like killing you, so if you swear fealty to me, I’ll overlook this little incident and maybe even help you with whatever you came here for.”
”Alright, I’m all for trying the diplomacy option.” Oros cleared her throat, not bothering to wipe the oni’s blood off of herself. ”I, Oros the mad, do swear fealty to Penny, queen of Pax! My servitude is contingent upon her cutting off her own head, and to cease living entirely!”
”Do not mock my gifts!” Her fists arced with electricity. ”Whatever you’re being paid, I can triple it. If you want a Bastion of your own, I can help you build it. But if you keep pretending that my death is what you seek, you’ll only find your own!”
Oros chuckled darkly. ”Right, of course. Because who in Pax Septimus wants to kill the queen? A coward who hides in a concrete bunker, refusing to ever show a single moment of weakness, refusing to stand up to monsters that even the Mavericks would gladly slay?”
Penny scoffed. ”You’re not pretending you care about those fools, are you? So long as we’re safe, does anything else matter.”
”Mmmm.” Oros got a crick out of her neck. ”Anyone I could get mad about you hurting is already dead, or has been driven away.” She gripped her sword with both hands. The grin on her face vanished. ”I’m not here for any noble cause. I just want revenge. I demand satisfaction, and you’re going to give it to me!”
”If you insist!”
”Yea, just after my patron finishes our sheets and my commission is completed. Then we’ll fight!”
Days Later…
Pax Septimus had 15 precincts, each one covering a fair swath of the city and needing its own Police station. Out of all of them, none were more corrupt than PSPD #11, and for good reason. The station used to be home to some of the bravest officers in the city, but a local crime syndicate came down on it with everything they had and overwhelmed the small police force. Those that weren’t slain were driven from the area, and they quickly moved in to help themselves to everything available to them. That included weapons and confiscated narcotics.
Naturally, the government had to get involved.
An armored transport vehicle was parked just out of view of the 4 story building. Standing at attention was Su Fang, or Breacher as she preferred to be called during missions. Her real identity wasn’t something she liked to share with others.
Anyone dressed head to toe in ballistic armor with a steel riot shield was bound to be an impressive sight. Though her height certainly didn’t detract from that image any. A soft breeze rustled her short blue hair, but couldn’t do anything to her horns. She was standing at attention, waiting for the mission to begin.
”We start soon?”
A woman will green hair had just stepped out of the passenger side of the vehicle. Su knew her as “Binky,” and had no idea what her real name was. What Su did know was that she was one of Su’s most trusted espers, and her being out here only meant that their mission was going to be an important one. ”Um, hopefully!” She folded her arms and leaned up against the side of the van. ”It’s probably not necessary, but I put a hit out on Shimr. I’m hoping a few freelancers join us. It will be good to see who stands with us. Once everyone’s shown up, Veronica will begin the briefing.”
”It good to have police back.”
”That’s not all!” Binky smiled. ”Without going into confidential territory, the station will give us access to our outpost. From there, we can continue to run operations inside the city.”
Su pushed herself off the van and turned to face Binky. ”You come with us? Or you just operator?”
”Not an operator, more like a trump card.” Binky sighed. ”My esper form is great, but I can only maintain it for 30 seconds tops. I’m just here in case something goes horribly wrong.”
”I see.” She looked around to make sure they were still alone. ”My daughter still safe?”
”Mika, right?” Su nodded. ”Yea, she’s at the forward base just outside of Pax Septimus. You should be able to see her after the mission.”
”Good.” She holstered her pistol and extended her hand towards Binky. ”To a successful operation!”
.
Binky smirked and accepted her hand. ”To a safe one.”
The Bastion was formerly a strong hold for the queen of Pax Septimus. Mysterious events caused the queen to flee her bunker, which made the area ripe for cultist takeover. Now they use the local tunnel complex to prey on civilians with impunity, sacrificing everyone they find to appease their dark lords.
But only for the moment.
A lone motorcycle rolled through the streets of Pax Septimus. Some old thing that the owner gave a quick coat of paint to slow the rust. Though onlookers were likely looking at the rider instead of her rusting motorcycle. She looked like a jester, only she appeared to be wearing a black leather leotard over a colorful outfit. A solid black helmet concealed her face, but her jet black hair spilled out of the back of the helmet. It was accompanied by neon colored braids that flapped in the wind.
She didn’t have far to drive. Parked just a few blocks away from an old warehouse was a black Cadillac. Not a new one either, this was a muscle car that had been kept in pristine condition since it’s debut in the late 50s. Though it had been modified. Instead of having five seats, it had just one to accommodate its large driver. A giant with white skin and a gas mask waited for Luna’s arrival. One of his arms hanging out the side of the vehicle.
The woman parked her bike in front of the Cadillac before dismounting. She pulled off her helmet and shook out her hair so that it would lay flat on her back. Once she was done, she fixed her eyes on the giant. ”Good evening, Billy!”
The giant straightened out his posture before puffing out his chest. It was covered in scars, but they seemed to disappear between his well defined muscles. ”I-say I-say, it is a fiiiiiine evenin’, ain’t it Tetrad?”
”You can call me Luna when nobody’s around, I don’t mind.” She tucked her helmet under her arm and looked around. ”I’m here first?”
”The old HQ got hit pretty hard. Trixy and Jez are gettin’ things in order while we clear out the new one. Unsure if we have the manpower to spare anyone right now.” Billy snorted.
”Are you saying it might just be us?” Luna pointed at the warehouse as her eyes grew into saucers. ”Just the two of us breaking into the Bastion!? That place is over run with cultists now, isn’t it?”
”I’m fixin to make sure there are no complications out here. But ya ain’t gunna be by yourself.”Billy’s large hands presented Luna with a comparatively tiny phone. ”So relax, girl. I put out a call on Shimr. Gunna have some freelancers join us if nothin’ else. Would be a big help to find people who believe in us.”
”Mmmm, Well, I’m not too hot on fighting along side randos.” A smile crept across Luna’s face. ”Buuuut, maybe we’ll have some guys join us. That’s always fun.”
Billy reached behind his head and scratched his neck. ”Accordin’ to Shimr, most of the local espers are woman. So uh.” He averted his gaze. ”Ya might get disappointed, is all I’m sayin’.”
”Huh? Really now?” Luna lowered her shoulders, but she kept her smile up. ”Guess I’ll be fine if they aren’t turbo lesbians. I get enough of that from Trixy.”
With G.E.M.I.N.I. and Maverick Alternative moving into Pax Septimus, it did not take long for the freelancers to move in as well. Pax Septimus was due for a good cleaning, and with two large factions moving in, there should be more than enough work to go around. The night before, a swath of freelancers wiped out every monster in a 5 block radius around a vintage diner. The owner of “The Great Escape” was entirely unaware of the menace, and even what espers were. Regardless, he welcomed any patron that was willing to spend money at his establishment. And so it quickly became a hot spot for freelancer activity. A place where they could have a coffee and bagel before beating down some occult menace.
The Great Escape held no surprises on the inside. The big red seats, the checkerboard floors, complete with a vintage soda fountain. The only modern addition was a little stage where performers could entertain patrons. In fact, there was someone performing right now!
Standing up on stage was a young, delicate looking girl. There was a distinct lack of color in all of her features. Her hair was white, as was her dress, and her skin was on the pale side too. But her eyes were a brilliant emerald green, and drew in whoever she looked at. Everyone wondered if she could play.
She moved across the stage gracefully. Everyone looked at her at least once. Pretty things are fleeting and an esper needs to treat their eyes every once in a while. Her flowing dress was more appealing than the mangled teeth of a cultist, or the layers of skin on a flesh melder. Though beauty could only remain interesting for so long. The next question was could she play?
The pale girl opened up a velvet case and pulled out a violin. None of the espers present were familiar with wood working, but they could tell a fine instrument when they saw one. It had been polished to a mirror sheen, and was just as captivating as the girl who held it. But could she play?
They were about to find out.
She rested the violin on her shoulder and brought the bow across the strings. And she played. And it made sound. She was playing a song, but it wasn’t anything that commanded everyone’s attention. The espers present were here on bushiness anyway. GEMINI wanted to reclaim a police station from some criminals, and Maverick wanted to clean some cultists out of a depraved esper’s hide out. The pay was about the same for both jobs, so it just depended on what they were feeling up for or who they wanted to appeal to. It wasn’t every day freelancers got choices.
Regardless of the reactions, the girl continued to play.
"Damnit, Bets. Couldn't even wait to say goodbye...?"
”Mph...“ Betty did her best to ignore the voices. They weren’t here, it was all in her head. She was able to keep playing, but the voices were getting more intense.
"Okay? OKAY?! No shit everything isn't okay, everything is fabulously fucked in fact, and it has been for awhile, AND NOBODY DID JACKSHIT ABOUT IT!"
”Calm down, please.“ Betty whispered. She tried to keep calm herself, but it was like she could hear this man screaming into her ear. Her heart beat faster, and she struggled to keep playing without incident.
"Just say the word. I can end this, here and now!"
”Don’t!“ Betty cast her eyes at the floor in a vein attempt to hide her expression. But these feelings would pass. All she had to do was-
"Do it."
Her hand froze in place. The music had stopped, and her arms were visibly trembling. Someone called out to ask if she was alright, but she couldn’t speak. Her vision was blurring over with tears, and her throat was too tight to speak words.
”Hey, hey!” A handsome man with remarkable red hair hopped up onto the stage with Betty. He pulled out a wooden stool from the back of the stage and pushed it up behind her. ”Sit down, violin girl!”
With a sigh, Betty sat down in the chair. She tried to avoid eye contact with everyone who was presently looking at her. How embarrassing to have a break down in front of so many people. She didn’t even finish the first song in her set. Though she could feel her neck loosen up just from resting. ”T-thank you, mister…?“
”Just call me Elroy!” He extended her hand towards her. ”America’s top freelance esper!”
After she wiped the tears off of her cheek, she tipped her head in Elroy’s direction. ”Esper? What’s that? Is it a fancy name for a…“ She examined his outfit. ”Costume designer?“
Elroy binked, curled his hand closed, and continued to smile. ”Espers are friends, violin girl!” He folded his arms. ”What happened?”
”I’m not sure.“ Betty didn’t take her eyes off of Elroy. ”I just had a dream a few days ago. I was on a beach, and I left without telling a friend goodbye. And even though I wasn’t there, I could see how upset it made them. But I don’t remember if I’ve ever seen them before. I don’t even know if we were ever friends. And it makes me really sad because-“ She brought her hand up to her mouth. ”It’s all really strange and doesn’t make sense when I put it into words. But I woke up crying, and occasionally it just works its way into my head. I haven’t been sleeping well.“
Elroy laughed. ”Yet you’re performing a late night set? Silly violin girl!”
A portly man approached the stage. Anyone familiar with the The Great Escape knew this man was the owner. Perfectly bald, but they had an outstanding mustache. ”It’s been hard times for all of us.” He groaned. ”I paid good money for a full performance. So unless either of you are going to perform, please move off the stage so that someone else can.”
Betty might have been a bit humiliated, but she wasn’t stupid. He wasn’t going to pay her if she didn’t keep playing. ”I should be fine now. Sorry sir!“ She was prepared to stand up when Elroy’s arm stopped her.
”What did I say, violin girl?” Elroy cast out his arms. ”Espers are friends, I work freelance, and I’m the best in America!” He extended his arm towards the crowd. ”Trisha! My axe!”
”On it!”
A Gibson guitar flew out of the crowd and landed in Elroy’s outstretched hand. It was a classic design: a Less Paul with a sunburst color scheme. It had been beaten to shit from years of shredding, but that only primed the few people who didn’t know about Elroy for what they were in for. It had already been plugged into an amp, and a kick plate had been shoved over to Elroy’s position.
”Who’s up for some Van Halen?” Elroy didn’t wait for a response. He ran his fingers over the strings of his guitar and started to play the definitive version of You Really Got Me.
1x Like
