Griffin
★☽★☾★☽★☾★☽★☾★☽★☾★
The club was slowly gathering members as we travelled over the Eastern hemisphere, and, while I hated the crowding, I had to admit that the newest affiliates were rather interesting additions.
The Rose-Girl was excruciatingly tiresome, but I assumed it was because her attitude was similar to mine. She was fiery and passionate, and her inability to give up in anything irked me for a reason I could not decipher.
The Angel, who appeared to be disclosing a secret, was especially puzzling, but, going by the brooding air about him, I knew not to try to intrude on his personal life. Who was I to judge, anyway? He was allowed his secrets as was I, yet I could not help but feel wary around him.
Then there was the Nymph. I supposed I should find her alluring, but, with her quiet attitude and ability to cringe away from all of the men in the group, I found her rather annoying. Maybe she could not help it, being so terribly meek, but it did not change my opinion.
Even with the new additions, there were countless other beings like us around the world, and our trip was far from over.
“Guys,” Akira’s sharp voice cut through the silence in the darkened room, echoing against the cold aluminum walls. “There’s a girl in Russia. We have to go there next. We should leave in the morning.”
“Russia?” the white-haired girl — Acacia, I remembered vaguely — exclaimed, rising from the floor. “Do you realize how difficult it’ll be to be discrete there? Or how hard it will be to find a single person? They monitor almost everything. and the country is huge! What do you expect us to do, wear cloaks the whole time like some demented cult?” Everyone in the abandoned warehouse had turned to look at her, surprised by her outburst.
“What is your problem?” I demanded, drawing all eyes to me. “Even I can keep my mouth shut when I know it is not appropriate. Have you not realized by now that, despite their poor planning skills, this MCC is capable of handling any situation?” I had to admit, I was beginning to respect the idea of such a club, and, though I did not fully understand the point of it, I would vouch for it.
Acacia narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest and striding towards me. In response, I rose to my feet, sweeping the bottom hem of my coat over the dust-covered floor. I towered over her, but she refused to back down.
“Don’t act like you’re some kind of saint,” she growled, her eyes flashing in the darkness, their different colors reflecting light like crystal prisms. “Just yesterday you were cutting on Sebastien, saying he couldn’t do anything right. The very day I met you, you told Akira that she was a horrible leader and that she didn’t have any idea what she was doing.” She stepped closer to me, glaring at me with an intensity I was not comfortable with. “You have no authority over me, so don’t act like you’re a better person.”
I shoved her away, limiting the strength I used so I would not seriously harm her, but still she gasped, stumbling backwards. She lifted her head, menace burning in her eyes, and she made to advance, thorns bursting from her skin. A wave of black swam before me, the Angel standing between us with an expression of disapproval and fury.
“Arrestare il battibecco incessante immediatamente!” he ordered in flawless Italian, spreading his arms out at either side, effectively blocking the two of us. I narrowed my eyes, wondering why he felt he had the right to interfere. “You do not treat anyone like that, especially a woman. Do you understand?”
Taken aback, I unconsciously nodded, surprised that he had spoken up for once. He had seemed so quiet, but that mask appeared to hide a fiercer, passionate personality. I already despised him.
“Good,” he snapped, turning his attention from me, sparing a heated glare in my direction as he turned his head. “Are you alright?” He directed this question to Acacia, the little pugnacious flower. Instead of answering directly, she scoffed, narrowing her eyes.
“Laissez-moi seul,” she snapped, shaking her hair out of her face. “Va te faire foutre. Je peux me battre mes propres batailles, trou du cul.” Understanding her words, Dante dropped his hands, eyes wide beneath his bangs. It served him right to be insulted; he had tried meddle in an affair that did not include him.
“Now that you’re all done wasting our time,” Akira snapped, slamming her laptop’s lid down harshly, “we need to get some actual work done.” She quickly packed the device into a slim bag, sliding the strap over her shoulder carelessly.
“And what might you have in mind?” Sebastien, the sycophant, questioned, his inquisition sincere. How he managed to put up with everyone’s antics, I would never understand, and I did not wish to.
Akira rolled her eyes, rising to her feet and scratching her exposed ears.
“Well, we obviously need to get packed and get to the airport. If anyone would pay attention, you’d know that!” she was obviously upset, and, though we had only been acquainted for a short period of time, I knew it was best not to interject. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to calm herself as she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Look, I know we all have our differences or whatever, but we need to be able to cooperate if we want to figure out what’s really going on. And I know you all want to know, otherwise you wouldn’t be here.” Silence met her words as everyone accepted them, staring anywhere but at the werewolf.
“She’s right,” the rabbit girl — Karin — piped up, peeking around the corner, her elongated ears twitching. Cowering as everyone turned to stare at her, she continued in a small voice.“We shouldn’t be fighting.”
“Then let’s get moving already,” Akira ordered briskly, throwing her hands in the air in exasperation as she stepped angrily out of the building and into the night, shaking her head and grumbling to herself as she left.
Reluctantly, we obeyed, all of the creatures in the room grabbing their belongings and stuffing them into whatever bag they had managed to bring. I had never unpacked. Avoiding the glare Acacia was directing at me, I followed after the unofficial leader, preferring the open air over the enclosed building for more reasons than one.
She was leaning against the wall facing the street, taking a sip from a clouded bottle. As soon as I had set foot out of the building, her red eyes flickered to me, and she immediately capped the container, stuffing it inside her bag hastily.
“Are you alright?” I asked abruptly. Her head whipped around to face me, her eyes narrowed to slits and her eyebrows furrowed. I had only meant to be polite, seeing as she acted as though she hated me, but I had apparently done too much to annoy her.
“No, I’m not alright, Dragonboy,” she snapped, running her hands through her hair and pulling it in frustration. I did not correct her, sensing her frustration would only be fueled by my interjection. “No one seems to be able to get along with one another, especially you. What is your deal? Why do you have to pick fights with everyone who doesn’t see things your way?” For a moment, I was unsure how to answer; in all honesty, I did not know why I argued so frequently. I needed to express my opinions, and, after years of solitude, I had an opportunity to do so. Maybe that was the reason.
“I am sorry,” I managed to mutter, putting as much sincerity into my words as I could. She seemed surprised; her glare softened slightly. “I just am not used to being with so many people. It should not matter to you, however. So, why does it?” At that, she turned on me, prodding my chest with a finger as she answered.
“Why does it matter? Are you seriously asking me that?” she shouted, her voice abrasive to my ears. “I’m the leader of this club! Do you know how difficult it is to try and run something when no one’s willing to cooperate? It’s almost impossible, and you are one of the worst people to deal with!” I backed up quickly, ramming my wings into the wall behind me, eyes wide. “With your constant arguing and making people feel like sh*t, you don’t even realize how hard it makes my job, do you?”
I opened my mouth to speak, but she cut me off immediately.
“No! Don’t interrupt me!” she yelled furiously, her eyes flashing. “I have to put up with everyone’s fighting and disrespect while I’m trying to figure out what to do about the real problem! Don’t you understand at all?” Her anger pulsed through the air, thick and contagious. I tried to keep my own emotions under wraps.
“Akira, stop,” the vampire’s cool voice cut through our conversation, extinguishing the heat of our combined anger. The werewolf closed her eyes tightly, dropping her finger and exhaling heavily. “You shouldn’t take your anger out on Griffin; he isn’t the only one at fault.”
“Oh, but I am a major player, am I not?” I spat, turning on Sebastien. Everything about this man irritated me, and, though I could not explain why, I would not question it. “You act as though I am a villain.”
“Well you are,” he answered coldly, appearing momentarily regretful. “Or, in the very least, you were.” Staring in disbelief, I was rendered speechless for a few seconds, astonished he would stoop so low.
“If I am a villain, why am I here?” I retorted, lifting a single brow inquisitively, daring him to answer. “Why would I join a group of alleged heroes willingly? How dare you accuse me of that. Just because I am not afraid to express my opinions does not mean I am against you. If you do so again, I will not hesitate in giving you another bruise on your face to match the one on your nose.”
He did not answer but instead gingerly touched his previously-broken nose. It was not wise of me to enact a threat, but my frustration needed to be expelled in some form.
“That’s enough,” Akira stated, shaking her head. “Everyone’s coming out now, so try to act civil. You two give me a migraine.” Rubbing her temples, she strode between the two of us, and our gazes met for a mere moment in identical glares.
I cannot express my hatred for him. No matter. The airport was the most important thing at the moment, and finding a Russian was second. I only hoped that, in the near future, we could stay in one place for more than a few days. I hated relocating.
The plane ride itself was rather uneventful, to say the least. I was forced to sit next beside Akira, and, throughout the four hour flight, she ignored me completely, save for a few annoyed glares she tossed my way. She was too busy exploring the files on the program she had showed me to pay much attention to anything else.
We landed in Moscow, and, as we waited for our luggage to arrive, I decided I had had enough. With only a second of thought, I pulled her away from the others, dragging her over to the rows of chairs in the waiting area. It surprised me that she did not refuse, but I supposed she knew the confrontation was inevitable.
“What had you so enthralled on that screen that you refused to acknowledge me in the slightest?” I demanded once we were by ourselves. “You may hate me, but I am a part of your club, am I not? Do I not have the right to know what you discover?” She fumed silently for a moment, inhaling sharply before turning her attention to me.
“Look, you don’t have to be so pushy and persistent all the time, alright?” she blurted fiercely, her words rushed. “I don’t need to give you any information. I’m the leader, not you, therefore I’m allowed to keep some information to myself.” She prepared to continue, but I cut her off.
“Akira, let me explain this to you slowly,” I stated simply, silencing her next words. “I am not insulting you, but you cannot truly believe that you are able to solve this mystery by yourself. It is inhumanly possible.” I was being honest, and I knew she could see it no matter how much she fought against it.
“Shut up,” she hissed under her breath, trying to keep a low profile in the crowded airport. “You don’t know what I’m capable of. What would you know about anything? You’re just a lowlife thief, a criminal who has no respect and no conscience. You’re arrogant, ignorant, and completely oblivious to the fact that you aren’t better than everyone else. I don’t even know how you can think that with your history. It doesn’t make any sense. You’ve been alone your entire life, but you think you can come and act like you’re king of the world.” I refused to react; the shadows under her eyes told me she was not intentionally acting this way. Even so, she leaned towards me with narrowed eyes, baring her teeth. “I hate you.”
“Alright, look, I am going to forgive you for saying all of that; I can see you are exhausted,” I elucidated exasperatedly, sighing into the chair and resting my hands behind my head. “You do not hate me. You and I both know that. You are extremely weak though you try to hide it. That is not a good quality for a leader. In the least, you could accept it. If you wish to be recognized as a leader, you need to act like one. Do not try to deny it; we both know it is true. The thing is, you know for a fact that you cannot expect to be able to do everything on your own. Why are you gathering a group if you plan on doing the work yourself?” She lowered her gaze, avoiding my eyes. “Let me help you. I do not care how much you dislike me. I can at least take some of the burden away. I do not need anymore enemies.”
Biting her lip, she slowly lifted her gaze back to mine, sighing as she blew a few ebony strands from her face.
“Alright, fine,” she groaned, shaking her head. “I guess I’m sorry for snapping at you.” That apology would have to suffice for now if I was to gain any important information. Stretching her arms out before her, she yawned, proving my point even more. She slid her bag from her shoulder, opening the pocket and pulling out her sleek laptop. Curious, I leaned forward as she launched the program, now having a better view and understanding of the whole ordeal.
“So, what did you find exactly? Did you not already unlock the secrets of this device?” I questioned quietly, peering at her out of the corner of my eye. She acted as though she had not heard me, and I decided against persisting with my attempts. She would tell me when she was ready; I was beginning to understand how she worked, by now.
After a few minutes of what I deemed mindless clicking, a new window popped up, the words at the top reading “Xenogenesis Engineering Laboratories” in bold letters. Confused, I turned to Akira, her expression grim. Now exceedingly curious, I turned my attention back to the screen, scanning the words beneath the heading.
“Genetic engineering... illegal testing... inhumane experiments... induced mutations,” I skimmed the paragraphs, reading the most dismaying words aloud. I snapped my head around to face the werewolf, bewildered. “What does this mean, and what does it have to do with us?”
“I really don’t know,” she shrugged, disheartened. “I can’t figure it out. It doesn’t make any sense.” She scrolled to the bottom of the page where a list of coordinates resided, their number blurring together. “It lists all their locations, and I’ve put them on a new map like the other dots were. They showed up yellow for some reason. I still can’t make sense of it.” A thought occurred to me suddenly.
“May I?” I pondered, gesturing to the computer. Hesitantly, she forked it over, watching my every move carefully. “You said you plotted the locations of these laboratories, correct?” Nodding, she furrowed her brows, wondering what I was getting at. “I have a hunch. Let me replot all of the mythological creatures’ dots quickly. I just want to see...” I honestly had no idea what I was doing, but I managed to click the proper button. Immediately, the red dots that had been on the first screen she showed me had reappeared.
As we stared at the screen, we blanched simultaneously, flickering our gazes to each other only once. I was unnerved beyond belief. I could not hope to understand.
“Everywhere one of us came from, there’s a lab,” Akira observed in a hushed voice, her eyes wide. “How the hell does that make sense? Could it be a coincidence?” She knew her idea was false as soon as it left her lips, but I could not come up with an explanation.
“So it seems,” I replied quietly to her first question, ignoring the others, moving the cursor over the yellow dot in Greece and clicking.
I had to know if my thoughts were correct. I could distinctly remember certain... things... from my childhood, and I needed to see if they applied.
Instantaneously, a new page appeared, a picture of a rustic building loaded in the top corner, and a picture of a man who was all too familiar to me in the opposite corner.
Hurriedly, I closed the page, unable to look at it any longer.
“We should probably keep this quiet until we find out more about the connection between the labs and the mythological beings, alright?” Akira whispered, shutting the computer and snatching it from my lap. “I can’t risk everyone panicking, not right now.” I nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly with her for once.
“We will need to tell them in a discrete location, one with total privacy,” I commented, glancing around at the passerbys. “This information is very likely valuable. It would be unwise to reveal it in public. We need to be sure that the area we are in is secure, correct?” I had been getting too far ahead of myself; instinctively, I had been trying to take leadership.
“You’re right,” she surprised me by answering, seeming oblivious or indifferent to my brashness. “We’ll tell the group when we’re back in Virginia. My home is one of the safest places I know.” She paused as she stuffed the computer snugly back into her bag. Inhaling sharply, she turned to me, her previous scowl erased. “You know, Griffin, you really aren’t that bad. I’m sorry I kind of misjudged you.”
Shocked, my eyes went wide; it was the first kind thing she had said to me since meeting her.
“Yeah, don’t get used to this,” she continued, lowering her eyelids partially. “I’m really tired. I doubt I’ll ever say something like that again, especially to you. Ah, no offense.”
Shrugging, I turned away, accepting her explanation. I did not mind, really. She was one of the only people I had ever known who had trusted me with valued information. I could care less about the words she would spew out in the future. I had been accepted as an ally. To my surprise, I found I was grateful.
With my mind whirring and my thoughts consumed with theories, I tried to prepare myself for the last journey before heading to America.
I could only hope that, by the time we arrived at Akira’s home, we would have something figured out. If we did not discover anything else soon, I feared we would be left at a dead end.
All our efforts would be wasted. We would be hopelessly lost.
However, we would have each other to fall back on...
Who was I turning into? What was I thinking? I had never before depended on others for my own sanity. Besides, I despised the majority of the other members.
I would never forgive them for tainting me with their ways of companionship.
At that moment, the Angel interrupted my mental babbling as he strode before us, crossing his arms over his chest.
“You two should come back to the group,” he insisted monotonously, his face nearly expressionless. “Sebastian had an idea about how we can find the girl in Russia without being interrogated or appearing suspicious.” With that, he waved us over to the group, not bothering to wait. Exchanging a glance, we rose to our feet and made our way over to the huddle where Sebastian stood in the middle, hunched over and whispering.
He saw us out of the corner of his eye and motioned us into the circle. Reluctantly, I obeyed, hating to have to take orders from the likes of him.
“The Mafia,” the vampire murmured dramatically, his eyes sparkling.
“What?” Akira demanded, sharing my confusion. Sighing, Sebastian continued.
“No one will bother us if we dress and act like a Mafia group,” he explained with a groan, trying to make us understand. “The clothes won’t be a big deal since we have a decent amount of money, and it’ll make our job a lot easier. Plus, I can speak Russian. It's perfect.” I hated to admit it, but it was a rather ingenious plan.
“Though you are a leech,” I commented, drawing shocked stares from all, “that is a rather brilliant plan, and I commend you.” He appeared extraordinarily offended at first, but he quickly recovered.
“Thanks, Dragonboy,” he replied coldly, venom dripping from his words. “Now, let’s get a move on. We shouldn’t waste too much time here. We have a girl to find and clothes to buy.”
THE END
★☽★☾★☽★☾★☽★☾★☽★☾★
Well, that was the next installment in the adventure! W00t! New discoveries, new clothes, new people, new places... Well... I thought it was pretty cool... Hope you enjoyed it! :3
