Alusion
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Chapter Sixty-One: Cleaning Up Loose Ends
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Chapter Sixty-One: Cleaning Up Loose Ends
As I finally step into the apartment I share with my father, I let out a sigh of relief. The journey home from the GDF Headquarters was… well, quite the adventure — at least, for everyone but me.
Throughout the entire trip home, people stared at Celeste and me as we strode through the skyway — often raising their phones to snap pictures. Some shouted questions, some cleared out of our way in a hurry, and others… others looked at us as if we were war heroes coming home. Through it all, I stood tall and proud — or as tall as I could manage, at least — despite how the weight of all their attention made me quake inside. Still, for Celeste, I will endure this every day until the end of time. She needs to feel seen and to do that, she needs to be seen.
It’s a relief to finally be home, though. So, as I shut the door and remove the gazes of the final few gawkers from my back, I smile.
“That wasn’t so bad,” I think at Celeste. “Did you see how that little girl stared at you! She looked so happy to see you!”
[I’ll admit that it felt nice,] Celeste responds. [But you don’t need to do this every day. I’d be fine turning invisible from time to time.]
Glancing to the side, I gently boop Celeste on the nose. “The only time you should turn yourself invisible is when you want to. I’ll never ask that of you again.”
In response to this, Celeste sends not words but instead a powerful mix of impressions and emotions. Happiness that I’m trying, self-consciousness on her own behalf, and lingering anger and shame from our previous argument.
This makes me smile; as long as she knows that I’m trying and that I want to be partners, then I can be happy. While I find the attention of so many others uncomfortable, a part of me wonders if they need to see sentinels walking the halls as much as Celeste needs to be seen.
So many people living in Shinara feel the same way, wanting to help but not knowing how. It’s a hard balance to strike in life, knowing that sentinels are out there fighting for your future, but the battles they fight are on so grand a scale that participating in them without powers of their own is near impossible. I know that feeling well; it’s how I felt when I was still just a helpless high school student, unable to do anything but cower behind my father and hope to be saved.
Not anymore, though. While I feel the energy from my ascension waning, I still feel strong, like I could stand before a charging bull, and the bull would need to be the one to move for fear of getting hit by me. That power still pushes me to move, to act upon the world and bend it to my desire. Truly, is it any wonder that the strongest of A Ranks are the true world leaders? Who can sit still when they have that much power… well, other than Audrey, I guess; she seems almost professionally lazy.
“Dad! I’m home!” I call, dropping my keys and watching with satisfaction as they vanish into blue-white mist before hitting the ground.
“One second!” Dad calls from somewhere else in the apartment.
A few minutes later, while I’m still pulling off my shoes and depositing them into my inventory — because really, who can hold back on using that — Dad appears from around the corner into the kitchen and gives me a beaming smile.
“Hey, kiddo!” he exclaims, quickly walking over to scoop me up in a hug that lifts me off of my feet.
As he squeezes me, I mentally reassess my previous assertion about standing before a bull — power does not necessarily equate to physical size and mass. “Daaad!” I squeak, trying to squirm out of his powerful grip — my legs kicking helplessly through the air.
Dad grins, setting me gently back on my feet, “Sorry, sorry,” he says, rubbing the back of his head. “I was just worried about you, is all. Are you okay?”
My mind flashes back to the image of the sky being blotted out by looming volcora as I finally understood that no one was going to be able to reach me in time.
“Yep, perfectly fine,” I say, finding that the words are more honest than I expected. Despite what happened to me… I am fine. Maybe I’ve just finally come to accept, at least in part, that what Audrey told me about living on the edge is true. I’ll probably have many days when I wake up in a hospital bed, but any mission I can walk away from afterward is a good one.
“That’s good,” Dad says, his grin still wide. Gently, he holds me by my shoulders — Celeste having hopped to the floor during our hug — looking down at me with an expression of boundless love. Once again, I resolve myself to not repeat the mistakes of the past, to ensure that my brilliant father never has to hold my soul gem in his palm.
“You know,” Dad says, releasing me, “you look a little different again. You have some gold flecks in your eyes now, and your hair is more golden blonde than dirty blonde.”
I shrug, although I really should have expected that. “Yeah, I got stronger as a sentinel while I was away, and Celeste and I ascended another stage.”
Dad nods, looking confused but proud. “This will… help keep you safe?”
I smile and nod, “Yep, my shield will be stronger, and I will be a lot better at protecting both myself and others. I’m no longer the weakest kind of sentinel; now, I can actually start to fight back against the scarier things if they come.”
“Well, good,” Dad says, his blue eyes twinkling. “Anything that keeps you safe is a win in my book. Let me heat you up some leftovers, and then we can watch some more of our show. I’ve been saving episodes for you, so we’ve got a lot to catch up on.”
I grin, my eyes almost beginning to water at the idea. After everything I went through in Shirakaze, spending the night curled up beside Dad and watching his new cop show sounds perfect.
“You got it! First, though, I’ve got to send a few messages,” I explain.
I have a lot of things to do and not enough time to do them. As such, it’s time that I use my authority as a sentinel and pull some strings to have others help me out. And then… maybe I should hire an assistant. Someone to keep up to date on what’s going on with the stupid lawsuit, figure out the sponsorship deals, and… stars; that sounds so nice! I’ll have to see if I can find someone to hire; I have the money for it, as I got paid again during my time away.
With that, Dad and I go our separate ways for the moment, as I go to beg some favors off of Prof and Karma to get someone to help Yumi get settled and go check on Nash. I can start trying to find an assistant in the morning.
***
Audrey wasn’t lying when she said that the crash after an ascension would be bad. At some point, while I was curled up on the couch watching TV with Dad, I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I know, I’m waking up in my bed. Dad must have carried me into my room last night after I fell asleep, although I must have been really out to not wake up from being lifted.
Still, I feel good as I pop out of bed in the morning. The knowledge that I’m safe and won’t be in danger any time soon does wonders for my mood. And yet, there is still so much to do! I don’t even know if I have school today, and honestly, I’m not even sure there’s much of a point in attending my non-sentinel classes anyway. What’s a math lecture going to do for me when the world is ending? Especially when that time could be better spent learning something that could help save lives.
Either way, today is a Sunday… I think, so there isn’t any school anyway — which means that today is the day to finally start tackling all the small problems that have cropped up since becoming a sentinel. Things like the lawsuit, the sponsorship, and what feels like dozens of other things that all call for immediate attention that I can’t give them. Stars, I haven’t even dared to think about taxes yet.
I vaguely know that there was a lawsuit hearing a few days ago — which, luckily, I wasn’t required to be present for as I was on a mission — but I still have no idea how it went. It’s time to change that, to get someone to help me deal with those kinds of things while I focus on the important things like not dying and making sure other people also don’t die.
As such, after taking a morning shower — because stars do I stink — I get on my computer to see what I can do to hire someone who might be able to help me out. And since my team was given the day off training for recovery, I find myself on the way to my appointment a mere hour later.
***
“Man, we should have started flashing our sentinel status earlier,” I tell Celeste as I walk down a beautifully decorated hallway — the height of corporate chic for interior design. My words are more to make her feel better than anything else, as I’m still very much not used to all the attention we’ve been given.
Upon arriving at the agency, we were given what I can only describe as the royal treatment. Greeted by members of upper management and offered every kind of refreshment. Truthfully, I prefer the way the Sanctum Collective does things when dealing with sentinels over this — subtle acknowledgments of who and what we are without overdoing it. By contrast, the Luminary Partners firm treats me and Celeste like queens of old.
Eventually, I arrive in what I’d now call a classic upper-class meeting room with amazing views over Shinara and the ocean beyond. I do my best not to feel out of place sitting on furniture that must cost a mind-boggling sum in my cheap dress. Although now, it’s not that I can’t afford anything better; it’s just that I have no idea where to even start looking.
Across the table from me, backlit by the expansive window, three executives sit with smiles plastered on their faces. Luminary Partners isn’t the only firm in Shinara that helps people like sentinels, politicians, and celebrities, but they are the most prestigious. All these people probably make more money in a day than most of the people in the slums make in a year.
Still, that doesn’t remove the fact that I need them… sadly. I do wish they didn’t feel so fake, though.
Jumping lightly from my shoulder, Celeste lands on the oak wood table and settles herself primly to my side. Then, she starts us off. [So, how shall we begin?] Celeste asks in the minds of those present.
Amusingly, at least to me, the executives seem momentarily taken aback by Celeste’s voice sounding in their minds. They do work with sentinels, yes, but they likely aren’t used to dealing with familiars.
However, the slight bit of surprise only lasts a moment before the lead executive — a middle-aged blonde woman named Maranda — truly starts the meeting.
“Well,” she starts, her voice just that perfect measure of excited and upbeat, but not too excited and upbeat. “Let us start by officially welcoming you both to Luminary Partners. I understand you are interested in contracting out a partner for yourselves to help you navigate the difficulties of life as a sentinel. We have helped dozens of other sentinels in this city alone with this exact same problem, and we would be ecstatic to help you as well. I believe we should begin by you explaining exactly what you’re looking for so we can help match you with the partner perfect for you.”
Mentally, I sigh. I really hope that not everyone here will constantly speak to me like they’re performing a sales pitch. In this case, it’s acceptable because they are doing a sales pitch, but it would be awfully annoying to deal with at all times.
“What kind of issues can you help with?” I ask, drawing Maranda’s attention to me. “The things I deal with are often extremely varied. Sometimes, it will be basic things like meetings and scheduling, but I also need someone who can help me with finances, legal issues, and various other things.”
Maranda’s smile widens just a fraction, making me feel like I’ve just fallen into a trap. “Well, then it sounds like one of our partners would be perfect for you. They are extremely used to dealing with all manner of issues and can be trusted to keep your finances, legal troubles, or whatever else you need private. Think of them as the best friend you can call on whenever you need them, and they will take care of the problem for you. I’d say the only thing we can’t do is fight the Volcora on your behalf, Miss Solace.”
I nod, keeping my expression clear, but I have to admit, they’ve got me. I absolutely need someone like what they’re discussing, and while it will be a hefty hit to my wallet, it seems absolutely worth it.
Glancing to Celeste I ask, “What do you think?”
Celeste narrows her gold-flecked eyes at Maranda but eventually sends me her acceptance. While she doesn’t understand the need for someone to help us in this manner in the same way I do, she can see how it could be helpful.
“I would say we’re definitely interested,” I tell Maranda. “But I would like to hear more about how all of this will work. Why should we work with you over some other similar firm?”
I ask this, knowing already that I was pretty much hooked, but wanting to play at least a little bit difficult. They need to know that I’m not a pushover who will just agree to something at the drop of a hat — even if it is occasionally true.
At this, Maranda launches into the numerous benefits of working with the illustrious Luminary Partners and just how much one of their partners can do for us. Apparently, making problems disappear before I even need to worry about them. And while I’m pretty much already sold, it’s nice to hear about all the benefits that I’ll be paying for.
At the end of the meeting, I end up signing a thick contract — after reading it first, of course — and I quickly find myself on my way to meet my new “partner.”
***
“This is where I’ll leave you,” Maranda says, standing before the door to my partner's office. “Remember, if you have any difficulties at all with our service, the number I provided you is for my personal cell phone. Don’t hesitate to call.”
I smile politely and nod, knowing that Maranda likely would answer any call from me on the first ring. She seems like the type of person to go the extra mile to help a client… and maybe not the greatest boss in the world for the people under her as she would also expect them to do the same. However, by now, I’m at least certain that she’s dedicated.
“Thanks for your help,” I say, glancing toward the door to the partner’s office. “I’m sure that…” I pause to read the sign on the door. “Kiley will be able to help me with everything from here and out. It was a pleasure meeting you.”
Maranda offers a few more polite words before heading on her way, likely to pat herself on the back for landing another rich client. Finally, some relief from the constant sales pitch — let’s hope it’s not about to continue.
With a resolved breath, I step forward and knock on the hard oak of Kiley’s office door. Truthfully, I’m a bit stressed out to meet the person who will be helping me out with so many personal things. I worry that if we don’t get along, then this could become a painful experience rather than a helpful one.
Immediately after knocking, I hear a muffled curse, the clatter of things falling down, another curse, and finally a muffled, “Sorry! Coming!” as the person on the other side clearly tries to pick up what had fallen.
I stand there, slightly less nervous now, watching the door with a raised eyebrow. “Do you think I should go in and help her?” I think to Celeste.
[Not sure. I imagine she’s probably fine though,] Celeste says, sounding as confused as me.
For another thirty seconds, we stand in front of the door, hearing both more cursing and more clattering. Celeste and I share a look as we both reconsider just waiting. Finally, though, the door bursts open, revealing a young woman of mixed African and Asian descent. She has dark black hair, semi-frantic-looking brown eyes, and skin the color of chocolate. Kiley looks to be around twenty-five and wears a smart black pantsuit. The pantsuit appears disheveled and maybe a bit cheap, but it’s clear how much effort Kiley put into her appearance, effort that was thoroughly ruined by the previous few minutes.
Oddly enough, Kiley looks even more nervous than I do, which weirdly calms me down even further. I’m sure I’ve read about the phenomenon that when two people are both nervous, one becomes calm to help the situation or something. Or maybe I have no idea what I’m talking about. Well, I’m not talking, am I? No? Gosh, pay attention, Serena!
Shaking my head to clear my quite derailed train of thought, I give Kiley a smile and offer my hand. “Serena Solace, it’s nice to meet you. Although, if you’d like to come back at a different time, I’d be more than willing.”
Kiley shakes her head, “No! I mean…” she clears her throat. “No, that won’t be necessary, Miss Solace. Please come in and sit down. Wait! I forgot to introduce myself, I’m Kiley Chen, your Luminary Partner. But you probably already knew that. Just call me Kiley,” the woman rambles, taking my hand and giving it a firm shake in a maneuver that feels very practiced.
At her gesture, I follow Kiley into her office, which, like Kiley herself, seems like it used to be quite put together. Emphasis on the used to be. Papers are strewn across her desk, along with pencils, pens, and a stapler. Even one of the pictures on the wall hangs crookedly. The smiling faces of a tall African man and a smaller Asian woman are tilted at an odd angle. The other wall has a full-length mirror that seems to have mercifully survived intact.
I can’t help but smile at Kiley, who immediately reminds me of Celeste from when we first met. Although Celeste was much more put together, they have the same bouncy energy.
Taking a seat on one of the plush leather chairs across from Kiley’s desk, I can’t wipe the small smile from my face as I watch Kiley make her way to her chair, looking to almost trip over something that was left on the floor on the other side of the desk. I was nervous to come here, but this seems like a person I can get along with. Although, hopefully, she’s more organized in reality than this first meeting would indicate.
After I sit, Celeste leaps from my shoulder and onto Kiley’s desk, and the woman’s eyes linger on her chimeric form as she moves. With both of us settled, Celeste and I pretty much just watch Kiley and wait for her to tell us what to do. I’ve never had a Luminary Partner or whatever before, so it would be helpful to at least get some context.
Getting settled herself, Kiley looks across her desk at me, looking a bit like a deer in the headlights. However, that doesn’t stop her as she plows onward. “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today, Miss Solace. I must say that it is truly an honor to work for a real live sentinel.”
I wince a bit at her words. I don’t want any kind of hero worship or anything like that, and the last thing I want is a sycophant.
“Please just call me Serena,” I request, feeling awkward.
Kiley nods, seeming to grow calmer and calmer. “Of course, Serena. Now, how about we start by having you lay out what I can help you with? I’m happy to start taking problems off your hands today.”
At this, I smile. As I start laying out everything I need help with, I can only hope that Kiley knows what she’s gotten into.
Comments
Legokill101
impulsive, overly emotional, easily influenced by said emotions, and not thinking of the future? that just sounds like your typical teenager/high school student to me
Metal(Liz)ard🏳️⚧️
Poor Akari is going to go bald from stress trying to deal with Serena now. She better demand compensation with hugs and quality time
Blackjack
Blah. She reveals her identity on a whim, without consulting anyone of her peers on the dangers. She walks directly home revealing where she lives publicly. Yeah, that's not going to have unintended consequences. & she's making plans to go into the slums, where cultists will take any opportunity to kill her, so she can make a social visit. I swear this girl has zero sense of self preservation. Akari, help!
