#dnae

“This is gonna be so much fun!”

Caesar throws his tiny fists out as he shouts. His joy is shared by the others as they sit on Monte’s roof, each draped in blankets and being fanned by Monosquirrels. The young soccer prodigy takes a particularly loud gulp of his cherry slurpie, uttering an equally verbose sigh when he finishes. Smacking his lips back on the straw, he sucks the rest down and dyes his tongue red.

Rafaella crosses their arms, a faint smile on their face as they say, “It certainly is. The Monosquirrels really are getting it all done for us.”

Monte hums, fiddling with a tablet as Gertrude wraps her blanket over her shoulders, hovering over him as he works. He hums, “I just sent the coordinates for the big boys to infiltrate. We should hear them in three...two...one.”

A series of explosions rings off in the distance, and the five children watch wide-eyed as through the smoke comes Monte’s masterpieces, his series of RPG-bots, currently on auto pilot, destroying banks, government buildings, and any place they deemed boring for children. They cheer, tossing their arms into the air, and Tabitha flaps her sleeves, her giggling tumbling out of her lips.

“Perfect! They’re gonna squash all those boring places to nothing but scrap metal!” she gushes, clapping her hands.

“Awesome! We get a front row seat to our domination, and all we gotta do is let Monte’s robots do all the dirty work!” Gertrude proclaims, leaping up and down.

Monte sits back, pinching a sugar cookie drizzled in white icing and stuffs it between his lips. He continues tapping away at his tablet, pressing coordinates and sending his robots to attack those exact places on Ferro Isle. Swallowing the warm, sugary treat, he smirks.

Striking directly at noon had been the perfect part of his planning. Watching feeble adults scramble for their lives while their children are taken to be “re-fitted” as their new allies. The adults are currently being scooped up and placed in mass prisons, each trembling as they await judgment for their new place in the society the children concocted.

Explosions hit their ears, but to them, it’s like fanfare. It’s the sound of victory emerging following the faint screams. The laughter of Monosquirrels reach them. Bewildered, horrified, or fearful screams fading reminds them of a song ending even though it’s destined to repeat scratched and varied.

Gertrude sits back down, waving for a Monosquirrel to begin fanning her. Cracking her neck, she asks, “So, when do we give our address?” “In a few hours. Shouldn’t a leader know that?” Rafaella snaps, glaring at her.

Tabitha chuckles, rocking from side to side. “Yeah-ha-ha-ha-eh! A leader should be good at remembering stuff unlike a slowpoke like me.”

“Don’t patronize me for askin’ a question,” Gertrude retorts, her good mood hardly soiled. “Questioning stuff is a good trait to have, ya know.”

Monte flicks his head up, asking, “Oh? But what if it’s Monte’s ruling? Should that be questioned?”

Gertrude grimaces, earning a peel of laughter from Caesar. She shakes her head, replying, “N-no, no, Monte. I was just, uh, countering Raf.”

Monte chuckles, returning to his tablet. “Oki-dokie! Monte knows Gertrude is a good leader, so everyone should be really nice to her.”

Caesar flips onto his stomach, kicking his legs in the air and watching robots fly through the sky. Monosquirrels, the flying squirrel variant, salute them as they drop nets and smoke bombs down onto the scrambling civilians. Caesar wonders what it’s like to be like one of them to watch the cartoonish carnage from down below.

“Monte, I really wanna go out there. I wanna kill some bad adults,” Caesar whines, and he leaps to his feet. He wraps his arms around the nonplussed roboticist’s shoulders, nestling against his hair.

“Caesar, the adults have to be judged first. In our new society, fairness is important,” Rafaella scolds, and Tabitha blows a raspberry at her.

“But that’s boring!” she whines, and Gertrude snickers.

“Yeah, yeah, it’s boring, but hey, Monte wants us to relax. We deserve it after setting this whole thing up,” their leader replies, and Caesar and Tabitha groan.

“Just a little longer, my friends,” Monte sneers, his eyes focusing on an apartment building where the soon-to-be hero will emerge, “and we’ll make our announcement. Then, everyone and everything on this island will belong to us.”

“People like you have no imagination!”

Rafaella rolls their eyes as Monte stomps his feet and crinkles his blueprints. They cross their arms, a haze crossing their vision. Monte may have a knack for robotics, but his designs are absolutely abysmal. Monte favors design over functionality with their cartoonish proportions. Those large hands couldn’t hold rifles or blades, but Monte insists they agree.

“Monte, your robots are nice. Monosquirrel is the pinnacle of artificial intelligence, but you should let me help you,” Rafaella says, but Monte huffs, hugging his blueprints to his chest.

They pinch their brow as Monte sticks his tongue out. They should have known Monte would resist criticism. Their remarks about how round and silly his robots looked were met with glares and hissing refutation. Anything that wasn’t praised was simply blocked out followed by a chorus of “la la la.”

Reclining against the couch, Rafaella sighs and plucks the remote. They change the cartoon to the news, grinning as Monosquirrels appear and discuss the latest set of rules they had imposed on the island. They glance over at Monte, finding him quiet and enraptured with the news as well when it cuts to a segment about their robots overpowering anyone foolish to rebel.

Monte hums, tilting his head and murmuring, “I should give the talk show host Monosquirrels some better outfits.”

Rafaella’s brow furrows as they remark, “That’s not something you should be doing with your time.”

Monte throws his head back, a loud whine bouncing against the roof of his mouth. “You’re! So! Boring! Rafaella, a picture of you should be next to the definition of boring in the dictionary.”

Taking a deep breath, they ignore the budding irritation swelling in their brain and cast a tight-lipped smile at Monte. “Well, a picture of you would be next to the word ‘whiny.’”

Slamming his lips shut, Monte straightens and directs his attention to his blueprints. He’s not sure why Rafaella is so adamant in making his robots appear more ‘villainous’ and ‘serious.’ Robots, in his opinion, are exceptionally cute. To be treated as simple war toys is simply slander.

Frowning, Monte sighs and says, “Rafaella, you’re sounding pretty much like a grown-up.”

Rafaella’s fingernails press into their palms. They continue methodically chewing on their icy mint gum, its freshness faded and leaving them with a numbness on their tongue. Focusing in the television, they scoff at Monte’s assertion.

“Monte is super duper worried that one day Rafaella is gonna grow up to be a boring, boring boooring adult, and Monte will have to kick Rafaella out onto the street where there’s nothing but dirt and crud,” he adds, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

“Shut it. I’m the VP of this team. You have to do what I say,” Rafaella snaps, and they try to grab his blueprints, but Monte is faster, hoisting it out of their grasp.

“Nooope! Rafaella is a mean, stinky adult! They don’t bathe!” Monte sneers, laughing as heat burns in Rafaella’s cheeks.

“I-I bathe! I bet I clean myself more than you do! In fact, I clean myself way more than anyone else in your mansion! And here’s another fact, Monte, you smell like oil and sugar all the time!”

Monte smirks, evenly matching Rafaella’s glare and says, “And what a nice scent that is compared to the smell of musty science books.”

Throwing their arms up, Rafaella utters a sharp groan and stands up. Watching Monte stuff his blueprints into his jacket, they thrust their finger at his nose and bark, “Whatever! Just-just get something productive done today, and at least consider my advice.”

It was a sound that should not have been present in the forest. Maxim lowered his newspaper, his morning interrupted by the sudden whirring of the wind. He rubbed the remaining sleep from his eyes, the scent of coffee brewing around his head. Standing up, he gripped his mug and stepped off his porch, looking up among the puffy white clouds for the source of the strange noise.

Maxim slipped off his leather coat, the humidity finally getting to him as he sighed and squinted at the sky. Sunlight pressed through the clouds, beaming down on him. It matched the serenity of the woods, filled with buzzing insects and chattering squirrels, but the odd sound remained. It twisted and curved in the air, sending out sharp, metallic reverberations.

Maxim's brow furrowed, spotting a blackened dot among the parting clouds. Tilting his head, he created a visor with his newspaper and stared at the growing black orb. It was not a dark rain cloud; knowing the forecast ahead of time dismissed that suggestion.

As the sound grew, pulsing out against the wind almost mechanically, Maxim was baffled to find a helicopter speeding right for his home. Dropping his newspaper, Maxim backpedaled on his porch and watched the helicopter spiral, nosediving for his roof. He went back to rush back inside only for the shrill roar of an engine cutting out to attack his eardrums, the faint sound of his toddlers bawling in his head.

Rory slammed the front door open, jarring Maxim into looking back at him. He could certainly hear his children crying now, their voices screeching as loud as the helicopter unceremoniously landing in front of their home. Rory held his ax, and Maxim reprimanded him, ordering him to put it away.

The helicopter door slammed open, and the winded form of Monte Ferro stumbled out of his helicopter. He wheezed, hands on his knees as if he had run ten miles. Jerking his head at the dumbfounded husbands, Monte raised his hands and gasped, words ghosting past his lips.

“Do you have any idea what time it is?” Rory shrieked, throwing his ax and mumbling a curse when Monte yelped, ducking out of the way.

Monte glanced over his shoulder, grimacing at the spot where he once stood. The ax cut into the grass, digging a solid groove through it. Wiping sweat off his brow, Monte blurted, “I-I have a g-good reason for coming like this!”

“Well, spit it out. We have kids to comfort since they were so rudely interrupted by some crazy guy diving down at our house,” Maxim snapped, and he noticed Joseph and Jolyne whimpering, standing in the doorway. He quickly knelt by them, urging them to remain calm.

“Do you two have my daughter?” Monte asked, and he carefully plucked the ax off the ground, feeling its heaviness dawn on him. Gulping as he caught Rory's infuriated glare, he added, “L-Lucrezia said she dropped her off and didn't tell me where!”

“So, you panicked and made a mad dash here,” Maxim said, picking up Jolyne while Rory held Joseph, their children clinging to their shirts and scowling at Monte.

Monte pursed his lips. “When you put it like that, it makes me look like an asshole. Please rephrase it.”

Maxim sighed, shaking his head. “Mirabella is not with us.”

Monte gawked, throwing his arms out before slamming his palms to his eyes, Throwing his head back, he shrieked and kicked his helicopter. Hearing Joseph yelp, Monte shouted his apology and leaped back into his helicopter. Sensing Rory's murderous aura, he barked, “I only came here because your husband is that banshee's best friend, and I thought my daughter was just dropped off here! Don't blame me!”

“Have you tried Alexei?” Maxim offered, and Monte blinked, his mouth falling open. “He loves kids. Your best bet is with him.”

“Also, you should probably call ahead,” Rory added, but his suggestion went unheard as Monte lunged back into his chopper and revved the engine.

The quaint family watched as the shaky helicopter took off for the sky. Realizing Monte had taken his ax, Rory snapped at him to return it only for his ax to be launched at his head. He caught it with his teeth, Joseph and Jolyne immediately clapping in awe. Maxim rolled his eyes, chugging the rest of his black coffee. Announcing he was going to make pancakes, Maxim led his cheering family back inside.

If it wasn't made clear by his encounter with the Bulgakov-Lyons family, Monte was having an extremely bad day. He had his fair share of abysmal times, but the new father was currently dealing with a crisis. Lucrezia had gone off on one of her impromptu vacations and left, or rather abandoned, their daughter. He was not even aware she was gone with her having custody for the week only to flounce off to the Bahamas. From her social media, Monte nearly had a heart attack when he realized Mirabella was not in any of Lucrezia's pictures and called her, demanding to know the location of their daughter. She texted back with the claim she dropped Mirabella off with a friend and never specified which one. He knew Lucrezia had eccentric friends as a mafia donna, but to leave him completely in the dark made his heart pulse in his throat.

In retrospect, Monte knew the helicopter was too much, but he had no rationality when it came to his little girl. He was sweating and panting as he maneuvered the chopper miles in the sky, swearing about fuel tanks and his “bitchy ex” even though he had never properly dated Lucrezia. Their one night stand was enough for them, culminating in a bond that produced a cute little baby.

He surveyed homes high in the sky until he spotted the house he bought for Alexei and Lu Chu. It was like every brain cell began to synapse when he shoved a lever forward, shooting the copter towards the ground once more. Monte slammed his foot on the brakes, realizing his critical error as Lu Chu's flower garden came into his painfully close view. Jerking the lever to the side, Monte slammed the chopper into their driveway, narrowly avoiding Alexei's car.

Sweating, Monte ripped off his jacket and scrubbed his face. He dry-heaved, feeling his breakfast swell up in his throat, but he swallowed it all down. Cutting the engine, Monte toppled out of his helicopter and landed square on his face. Remaining on the hot cement of the driverway for a moment as a few neighborhood children gazed at him from their lawns, Monte slammed his fists into the ground, feeling like his younger self throwing a tantrum.

“That bitch, that bitch, that bitch! Why does she always have to act like such a bitch? She's an unfit mother! Why can't the stupid custody courts see that? I hate her! Hate her, hate her, hate her! Bitch!” he cried, hands cut up. He then lunged to his feet, smiling quickly and regaining confidence. A childish screaming fit always calmed him down.

Hurrying to Alexei's front door, he had no time to waste and went over to the window instead. Monte knew one of the front windows was missing a screen, eaten away by moths of all creatures, and opening the window, Monte jumped through.

At least, he expected too. Instead, the window slammed down on his bottom, trapping him. Monte froze, his smile still on his face as the world crashed down around him. A television provided static in his ears, and he slowly looked up.

Alexei sat on the couch, an apple inches away from his mouth. He lowered his hand, the apple rolling out onto the cushions. Standing up, Alexei took the remote and shut off his Saturday morning cartoon. Watching Monte writhe and grow red in the face, Alexei ambled over to the window.

“So, this is new,” Alexei said.

“Don't patronize me. Monte is already humiliated enough,” Monte whined, losing his will and slumping, his hands and arms touching the wallpaper.

“Oof, referring to yourself in the third person, huh? What's up?” Alexei asked, tilting his head.

“Lucrezia's on vacation and dropped little Mira off with someone! Is it you?” Monte asked, shooting his finger at Alexei.

Alexei nodded, and relief flooded Monte until he remembered he was still stuck in the window. Asking for help, he immediately shouted at Alexei to put his phone away. Taking a picture, Alexei shrugged and pocketed it.

“When I die, I'm giving your share of my massive wealth to Lucy,” Monte seethed, and Alexei chuckled, gripping the window.

“Aw,come on, dude. It's funny. You could've used my door like a normal person instead of bringing this on yourself.”

“It's Lucrezia's fault! She's the one who took my baby! Why aren't you getting me out yet?”

“Man, I have a front door. You should've used it. This is way too overdramatic even if you're looking for Mirabella.”

“Just pull me out already!”

Alexei huffed, his arms tense as he tried to push up the window. Frowning, he realized Monte's coat was caught in it, preventing the window from opening all the way. Wondering if he should get butter, Alexei snatched Monte's arms and heaved him forward. He grunted, gritting his teeth and pulling, but Monte remained in the same position.

“I'm stuck, aren't I?” Monte hissed, and when Alexei nodded, he heaved a dismal groan.

“Do I butter you out or oil you out?” Alexei asked.

Reverting back to his mastermind persona, Monte broke into a manic grin and replied, “If you do either, Monte is giving his entire fortune to Mira and Lucy. There will be not a scrap left for you. Monte will ensure nothing goes your way for the rest of his life. He'll even make it so that he gains custody of your child.”

Alexei laughed in a manner that was just too high pitched and shouted, “Pulling it is, you man-child!”

Pressing his foot to the wall, Alexei yanked Monte with all his might, but he remained wedged in his window. They grunted, each pushing and struggling until a pop echoed, and Monte launched forward, slamming into Alexei. Landing on top of Alexei, Monte rubbed his bottom and groaned, feeling like it was a Sunday night with Caesar. Alexei sucked down a breath, Monte's weight crushing his ribcage. Blushing, Monte set his hands to the sides of Alexei's head, mumbling an apology when a shadow crossed over them.

“Wow! I knew you two were close but not that close!”

Jerking his head up, Monte burned scarlet as Lucy grinned down at them, She held Mirabella in her arms, rocking the cooing girl, and as Mirabella took a picture of their precarious picture, Monte broke into a wide grin. Alexei gave a peace sign.

Hurrying to his feet, Monte smiled and took Mirabella from Lucy. He held close to his chest, brushing threadlike hair from her eyes. As Mirabella yawned and snuggled against him, Monte wept. He rubbed his cheek against her head, his tears landing on her face. Mirabella, despite being a newborn, babbled incessantly and pulled her father's hair, a loud, joyful cry piercing the Pyretta siblings' ears.

“Monte, my wall has cracks in it now because your big butt got stuck in my window,” Alexei said, pointing at the new cracks curving out from the window and into the wall.

Monte quickly threw three wads of cash at him. He kissed Mirabella's head, murmuring that he would one day get full custody over her, and as Alexei counted his thousands, he thanked Alexei and Lucy for looking after his daughter.

“By the way, where's Lu Chu? I figured she'd want to see me humiliated,” Monte said, and Lucy sat next to him, offering her finger to Mirabella, who immediately snatched it.

“She's doing a let's play. I sent her the pic of you stuck in the wall. I think she's uploading it now,” Alexei said.

Humming with a blank smile playing on his lips, Monte looked at Lucy and said, “You're getting my fortune if something ever happens to me or Mira.”

Lucy hesitated. “Uh, do I still get it if I also sent the photo of you and my brother to Lu Chu?”

Monte remained stiff with a sharp grin on his face. Bringing Mirabella close to his face, he whispered, “Monte will make sure that only you are the sole proprietor of my wealth. Monte will kill anyone who comes in your way.”

“Bah-bah-dah-dah!” Mirabella shouted, pinching Monte's nose.

i forgot how to write, but tabitha is one hundred percent GOOD.

The fires in the shopping district of Ferro Isle had been quelled. As the scarlet skies with the ever present poisonous clouds hovered over the despaired peninsula, Monosquirrel Kids played until their bodies tired. They danced to sing-a-long blasting through massive radios sectioned in broken office buildings. Skipping over corpses and tossing rocks at fleeing adults became their past time. Although they never spoke, their eerie tittering echoed among dying car alarms and frequent death throes.

The Monosquirrel Kids were currently surrounding the immense Ferro Department Building. The windows were shattered, spilling glass inside the several clothing stores. They raided the clothes, tearing the demons’ clothing to shreds. Bras and stockings were set on fire and tossed into rolling garbage cans. Scissors slashed through skinny jeans and v-necks. Colorful fabrics were stolen and added as patches to the children’s clothing. Young girls scoured the toy section of every clothing store, snatching dolls to tear apart and replace them with Monosquirrel plushies. The boys smeared grime and oil onto the walls to paint Monosquirrel symbols.

The only supposedly safe haven was the adjacent parking lot. With shadows covering the decimated the pavement of the lot, the children feared the creeping darkness. They ignored the blackened areas, choosing to venture out in groups. Most children chose to scurry out into the darkness only if they were accompanied by Monosquirrels or saw a scampering adult rush into the shadows.

It was the perfect place for hiding as a captive. Checking the Hit List card provided by Mirtala, Hannah skimmed the person’s name, Jeremiah Hoofburger, and crept along the upended backsides of vehicles. Their broken metal carcasses provided perfect coverage for her. She had kept her head low as the tepid footsteps of Monosquirrels wandered past and giggled amongst themselves. Even though she was protected from the children, the Monosquirrels were another concern. With their heightened senses and various weapons depending on their type, the Monosquirrels truly dominated Ferro Isle at an indomitable rate.

Hannah gripped her sleek kitchen knife, pilfered when she escaped from her apartment room during the Monosquirrel invasion of Ferro Isle. The blade was slightly dulled from cutting into Monosquirrels as she escaped, but in her hair, she had more cutlery. Hannah watched the dim shadows looming on the ground. The Monosquirrels ambled along their own merry way. As their claws glinted under the flickering lights, Hannah swallowed as she caught her reflection in them and resumed hiding behind the overturned truck.

A tiny hand tugged at her bangs. Hannah grimaced, murmuring for Lucy to remain quiet. Lucy, perched in Hannah’s hair, pouted and slunk deeper into Hannah’s hair. Lucy mumbled about her boredom, gripping her cheeks.

“After we save this cowboy, we’ll go back to the Resistance and play some games or something, okay? We need to rescue this cowboy, and we’ll leave,” Hannah whispered, getting to her feet when the coast was cleared. She trekked down the lot, keeping her knife poised to her chest as the Monosquirrels wandered down farthest staircase at the other end of the lot.

Lucy glanced over her shoulder at the descending Monosquirrels. She had known them as friends for the past few days, but according to her new mother, they were malicious and evil. Her big brother promised all Monosquirrels would be her friends, leaving her with a lingering feeling of doubt as they left. She fidgeted with her mother’s hair as Hannah stepped in front of an elevator.

“Second level above the entrance to the parking lot,” Hannah whispered, checking the card.

“Who’re we getting this time?” Lucy asked.

“Jeremiah Hoofburger. I’ve only talked to him a few times, but his son is friends with my son.” She paused. “I don’t even know if Jeremiah’s son is alive either.”

Lucy hummed, tilting her head. “Why not?”

“All of us captives lost touch with our loved ones, so I can only hope our boys are alive-gah!”

Hannah leaped back as the elevator doors fluttered open. A heinous roar bellowed from the Beast Monosquirrel as it sunk its claws into the elevator doors. It tore through the metal doors, slashing them apart and salivitated thick gunks of oil. As Lucy screamed, the Beast Monosquirrel slammed its paws into the air only to hesitate when it noticed her.

With the Beast Monosquirrel’s momentary confusion, Hannah sunk the knife deep into its scarlet eye. The Beast Monosquirrel’s canine-like legs shuddered and spilled out. The tail unfurled, and the electrical cracklings along its back faded. Hannah kicked the monstrous robot out of the elevator and hurriedly slammed the button for the second floor.

“Dammit. I didn’t think these stupid monsters knew how to use elevators,” Hannah grumbled, and Lucy gnawed on the inside of her mouth. Hannah’s voice honeyed, asking, “Are you okay, sweetie?”

“It stopped because it saw me. Money said Monosquirrels will never ever ever hurt me,” Lucy said, pressing her forefingers together.

Hannah raised her eyebrows. The jarring information baffled her thoughts. Lucy had been delivered to the adults by Shirorisu, and Shirorisu offered Lucy to Hannah. The adults hardly trusted the toddler, subsequently ignoring her existence after Shirorisu forced everyone to be kind to her. Silence and solitude towards a three-year-old, for them, was the extent of kindness they would show any child.

It led to Hannah being forced to take Lucy with her during her captive retrieval escapades since she could not trust the adults in the Resistance. As Mirtala and Phoebe battled against the Psychics of Hope, she took it upon herself to rescue people like Mirtala and herself. The prominent black wristband plagued them, threatening to explode if they stepped even a centimeter outside of the city. One captive’s bangle had already been detonated before she could rescue him, blasting apart into hundreds of pieces in the sea.

“Who’s Money?” Hannah asked, plucking Lucy from her hair. She set her knife back into her voluminous hair as the shuttering elevator creaked to a halt on the parking lot’s second floor.

“Money and his Monosquirrels helped me. They took me away from Mom and Dad. He said they were mean, and they really were, so they saved me because of his…” Lucy tapped her cheek, struggling to think of her brother’s words.

Hannah crept out into the new lot with minimal lighting and cracked metal fixtures. It was mostly vacant to her displeasure, allowing Monosquirrels swift accessibility to them. Colorful chalk drawings of Monosquirrels, stars, and children coated the walls, and the dust burned their noses. She cradled Lucy to her chest as Lucy mulled over her brother’s phrasing. Hannah glanced around and discovered no one present. Only mauled corpses remained slumped in the remaining cars. She swallowed, approaching the closest one and peering inside. To her relief, it was a woman and not Jeremiah.

“Oh! He said it was for his children’s paradise! A paradise of children, by children, for children, I think!” Lucy boomed, her voice echoing.

Hannah immediately froze, her foot stopping in midair. She pivoted away from the car, hearing a plethora of guffawing laughter race up from the adjacent stairwell. Prying Lucy in front of her, her bug-eyed gaze only softened when she realized Lucy’s meaning.

“Wait a second. A-are you saying that pudgy boy in the Psychics of Hope’s video was the one who took you in? That black-haired kid in the hoodie and sweater vest?” Hannah asked, and the familiar laughter of the Monosquirrels reigned closer and supreme.

“Yep! That’s why the Monosquirrels are my friends! Money said so!” Lucy gushed, smiling, and she pointed at the stairwell. “See? Here they are!”

Monosquirrels shot up the staircase with their claws raised, and their fresh laughter spewed. Hannah yiped, speeding towards the elevator only for the expected footsteps to not follow. She shuddered, gripping Lucy to her chest and peering over her shoulder.

Lucy waved at the gaggle of Monosquirrels. The various Monosquirrels, almost always eager to maim, remained still. Despite their raised claws, they refused to budge. Their confused murmurings, pertaining only to giggling, became their personal language of bafflement. One even pointed at Lucy and shrugged.

“They won’t hurt you. They’re programmed not to hurt you, right?” Hannah breathlessly asked.

“Mm-hm! Monosquirrels are my friends, too. They won’t hurt me at all,” Lucy said, and she mimicked their laughter.

Hannah tightly swallowed. She straightened her back and withdrew her knife. Keeping it at her side, she shifted on her heels and glanced back at the elevator. Hannah pursed her chapped lips, prepared to casually walk around the Monosquirrels.

The Monosquirrels jittered, suddenly whipping their heads in all directions. Hannah leaned away, and Lucy’s smile faltered. The parking garage rumbled as if being struck with a minor earthquake. Debris rattled, and Hannah almost lost her balance. She clutched the truck’s mirror, steadying herself and observed the Monosquirrels race towards the open wall. They climbed over one another, looking out a massive crack in the wall and suddenly broke out into wild laughter as a shadow crossed over them.

A massive robotic hand clutched the wall and wrenched it apart. The glaringly despairing world infiltrated Hannah’s mind once more. She raised her knife, desperately attempting to keep her balance. Her footing remained hazardous as the earthquake continued, and she felt Lucy conceal her face into her chest.

“So! You’re the one who took the Psychics of Hope’s little sister!”

The boyish voice triumphed over the shaking. Hannah opened her eyes, finding herself face-to-face with a spunky young boy posing on the shoulder of an immense robot. He held a box-like controller with gaming buttons on it and joysticks. The robot was like a knight. It held an immense scarlet sword and shield imprinted with the mark of the Warrior. With a garishly emerald cape and reminding Hannah of one of her son’s mecha animes, the WarriorBot suddenly slashed a swift line through the middle of the parking complex.

The effects were immediate. Smoke and debris slammed around them as the building sloped to the right. Hannah screeched, watching the remaining vehicles on their level tumble into the gaping hope. With gravity as her enemy, Hannah hobbled back to the elevator and gripped it for support. Monosquirrels raced over each other only for several to collapse into the hole. Smashing cars echoed and surmounted the chaos of the imploding lot.

Caesar’s toothy grin stretched into his round cheeks. He grasped his left joystick, thrusting it forward and snatched Hannah. Heaving her out of the building with Lucy shrieking and clinging to her hair, Caesar brought them closer to the robot’s face.

“Hey, Lucy! ‘Member me? It’s Caesar!” Caesar proclaimed, waving at the frightened toddler. Irritated with her silence, he added, “Y’know, a Psychic of Hope? Monte was so worried about you. He said you were captured by the demons, and Raf and I were so scared that you were dead. I’m so glad I get to be the one to kill your kidnapper! That way, Monte’s only gonna have eyes for me.”

“Wh-what the hell are you talking about? Shirorisu said he found this kid!” Hannah blurted only to shriek as the WarriorBot’s tightened his grip around her waist.

“Be quiet or I’ll snap your spine!” Caesar demanded as Hannah coughed up spittle.

Grinding down on her teeth, Hannah’s expression writhed. She heard her bones creak, muffled under the cacophony of the collapsing parking garage behind her. Lucy cried something, but her own agony silenced the demure girl.

“That’s more like it! A demon like you deserves the worst punishment!” Caesar snarled, reaching behind his back and unsheathing a bloodied blade attached to his waist. “You’re the worst of the worst. Kidnapping a toddler and turning her to your side is unforgivable. The tears Monte shed because you stole Lucy increased your original points by another two thousand, making you worth five thousand points! That’ll be more than enough to help me cinch victory in Demon Hunting!”

“Wh-what the hell is wrong with you kids? You’re killing adults all for a fucking game!” Hannah roared, brow furrowing. Sweat dribbled down her face. Her rage burned her expression. “You kids already blew one boy up! Isn’t that enough?”

“Your bones must not be in enough pain if you can yell at me,” Caesar chirped, eagerly flicking his joystick and tightening his robot’s hold on Hannah.

Hannah wailed, throwing her head back. Tears obscured her vision and swept down her cheeks. She writhed, feeling as if her arms and legs would be completely shredded into the WarriorBot’s ferocious grip. Her ribs pinched her guts, and she gnashed down on her teeth, squeaking out despairing cries.

“Mom! Mom!” Lucy shrieked, clutching Hannah’s shoulders. “Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Don’t hurt Mom!”

Caesar’s grin disappeared, replaced with imminent displeasure. He crossed his arms, sighing. “Oh, geez! This is the worst case scenario Rafaella thought of. They knew you would be brainwashed by your kidnapper. That’s what Stockholm Syndrome is, and you have it, Lucy.”

“I-I don’t know what that is! Stop hurting Mom!” Lucy cried, waving her small, bruised fists.

“But it’s okay! I know just what you need, and that’s to be rescued.” Caesar trotted along the arm of his robot. He smirked down at Hannah and slightly loosened the WarriorBot’s grip. As Hannah gasped and paled, he added, “Oops! If I let you be any loose, you’ll slip right out and splat on the concrete.”

“H-hey, st-stop,” Hannah sputtered, blood staining her lips. She coughed, legs kicking beneath her as the WarriorBot lifted his ring and pinky finger. Humid air tickled her thighs. “Y-you can’t be serious. Th-this isn’t h-h-h-happening.”

“Ah, you’re shaking like a leaf! Rafaella said I should use that analogy when demons start denying their situation, and they were right. It is a good saying,” Caesar said, and he snatched Lucy’s shoulder. “Time to come home, Lucy! Monte’s gonna make a huge party for us! It’ll be you, me, Monte, and Rafaella! Not Tabitha though. She’s out fighting that demon duo, and poor Gertrude kicked the bucket, but as long as we have Monte, we’re fine!”

Lucy flinched, scrunching her face in disdain and terror. His words bristled her skin and sliced her. The memories she shared with the Psychics of Hope, each full of joy and laughter, flashed across her thoughts as Caesar spoke. Their smiling faces warped, reminding her of her deceased parents. Even Monte, the one who adored her, was poisoned.

Monte lied. Caesar was hurting her mother. The other Psychics of Hope ravaged Ferro Isle. The Monosquirrels were not her friends. She had been brutalized by them without even realizing it. Though, she was only three, and it was not like she turned a blind eye to their carnage. She saw Monte thrash his servant and then abandon her to merciless adults.

All she had were the flimsy thoughts of her misplaced brother, the two young women who bravely fought the Monosquirrels, and her mother dangling to her demise. They were all she had.

Lucy chomped down on Caesar’s fingers. Caesar yelped, instinctively pushing Lucy away and blew on his fingers. Jerking his head back to her, Caesar silenced himself when he realized Lucy was no longer in Hannah’s hair.

Lucy fell. Her fingers splayed as she dropped. She heard Hannah’s screech her name, but she toppled farther down, and the vast distance forced Hannah and Caesar to become blots in the sky. Her eyes widened, breathing out a final gasp as the disheveled ground came closer.

Alexei’s soft lullabies whispered in the screaming wind. Her head rolled backwards, and she closed her eyes.

Her body suddenly lurched to the left. Lucy yelped, feeling her leg heave back into the air. She was briefly swung in the air and then catapulted into a window. Hands outstretched and caught her. She slammed into someone’s chest like a linebacker snatching a footballer.

“Y’all alright now, li’l darlin’?” Jeremiah Hoofburger asked, unwrapping his lasso from Lucy’s ankle. “Ya had a mighty fright fallin’ from that big ol’ distance.”

Lucy blinked. The frozen tears in her eyes slowly slipped down her cheeks. Jeremiah winced, holding the whimpering girl to his rugged vest. He emerged from the remains of the parking garage, glowering up at the WarriorBot.

Caesar heaved a relieved breath. “Oh thank God! A demon proved he wasn’t completely evil today!”

“Lucy! Lucy, Lucy!” Hannah shrieked, craning her head and spotted Jeremiah. “Y-you! Where the hell were you?”

“Sorry, m’lady! When the buildin’ collapsed, I made a mad dash for safety, but I stuck ‘round these parts. Yer the one roundin’ up all the captives, right?” Jeremiah called, cupping his hand to his lips.

“You’re damn right! You should’ve showed up sooner, asshole! I wouldn’t be in this mess if you didn’t hide yourself so fucking well!” Hannah barked, and Jeremiah tipped his hat.

“Loudmouth,” he whispered to himself, lightly bouncing Lucy in his arms.

“Whatever! I don’t wanna hear demons argue!” Caesar snapped, and the WarriorBot extended his arm, sending Hannah higher into the sky. “Since Lucy isn’t here to be squished, I can take you out! Die! Demon Hannahberry!”

The WarriorBot spread his fingers and grasped Hannah’s neck and legs with his immense heavy bonds. Hannah gasped, head forced upwards as Lucy wailed for her. Hannah grit her teeth, and Caesar slowly moved his joystick, clearly pleasured with her inevitable death.

“I-it hurts, hurts,” Hannah whimpered.

“It’ll hurt a lot more in a few seconds!”

“I wasn’t-wasn’t t-talking about me.”

Caesar uttered a dumbfounded grunt. Even though her arm ached, Hannah lodged her kitchen knife like a throwing star. It impaled the side of the controller, slicing through the box and nearly nicking Caesar. He yelped, dropping his controller, and it plummeted to the ground.

Without a master, the WarriorBot wobbled. He turned over his hand so his palm faced the sky. Hannah stumbled to stand, limbs bruised and almost appeared stretched. She glanced over her shoulder, finding the parking garage too far away to leap into for safety. Taking her chances, Hannah hobbled for Caesar and clutched his shirt.

“Put us on the ground or I’ll toss us both off,” Hannah snarled, lifting the Warrior to her face.

“Y-you wouldn’t. You were just s-so scared,” Caesar spat.

Hannah pulled him closer. “Not anymore, you little shit.”

Their enmity flashed in their glares. They remained furious for a mere moment until Caesar broke. Caesar slapped his robot’s cheek, demanding they be placed down. Crookedly, the WarriorBot clutched their shoulders and gently placed them on concrete and wobbled. As the WarriorBot collapsed, Caesar screamed and itched through his scalp.

“Oh, come on! This isn’t fair at all! Why’d you hafta stab my controller? I’ll have to shout orders at him all the way home!” Caesar kicked the ground and stomped away from the trio. “I don’t even care about Lucy. She just takes Monte’s time away from me.”

They watched Caesar storm off, shouting for the WarriorBot to follow him. Hannah panted, gripping her elbows, and Jeremiah steady her. He wrapped her arm around his shoulder, and Lucy clung to her mother’s chest, sobbing wildly.

“I’ll walk ya. Just tell me where to go, and I’ll march,” Jeremiah murmured, and Hannah slowly nodded.

“There’s an underground tunnel close to here. Just go straight for a bit and then down the first alleyway on the right,” Hannah said, wrapping her free arm around the sobbing Lucy. “It’s over, sweetie. When we get back to safety, we can rest.”