Orso Fiction 023

Orso Fiction 023-Nightfall
Step, by slow step, Zeke ambled toward Century.

“Drop by any time to say hello!”, the girl had told him. That was an invitation. He smiled. His rules were extremely restrictive, but they made finding a loophole all the more satisfying.

---

The Seven Roses, with the exception of Adelina and Rosangela, laid in the well-decorated living room Sonia had rented to them, nursing their wounds.

“I don’t know what to think, guys.”, Raimonda said, after a long period of silence.

“I hate this.”, Nerina agreed. “The same people that saved our lives, we’ll have to fight. Just for their rings and some metal.”

“It’s not ‘just for their rings and some metal’”, Malvolia corrected. “It’s for a cure for Princess…But I don’t like it either.”

“Ignoring how unprofessional she was…”, Orabella said. “I don’t think I can fight that red-haired girl, now. I’m not so prideful as Adelina, I can see I owe her my life.”

“I think Adelina has it worst.”, Ernesta said. “She’s the one Sonia gives the orders to. Adelina has to deal with taking orders, and with this new debt of honor.”

“Guys…I don’t know what to think.”, Orabella said. “There has to be another way.”

“Another way to cure her?”, Nerina asked. “Do you have any ideas?”

“Well…When I think about it, the red-haired girl…she could heal all of us, and didn’t seem like she was burning too much energy. Maybe she…maybe she could cure Princess.”

“That’s…risky.”, Malvolia said.

“It’s better than living with knowing we killed the first people to show us honest kindness in years.”, Raimonda said. “I think we should do it.”

“We’ll have to let Adelina vote.”, Ernesta said. “It wouldn’t be fair if she didn’t have a say.”

“But its agreed, then?”, Nerina asked. “We’ll try to help Princess, without hurting anyone else.”

---

Sonia listened to them from behind the door, masked in shadows. This was unfortunate. Not unexpected, of course. She knew how Osvaldo would respond to a problem like this, and she silently clicked her tongue at how crude it was. No, her method would be more subtle, more refined.

Clearly, she thought, fingering a small vial full of a black liquid in her pocket, she hadn’t made the little girl sick enough. She could fix that.

---

Osvaldo readied six hypodermic needles, full of a similar, but subtly different, black liquid. Their newfound senses of justice were inconvenient, but nothing he couldn’t suppress.

---

“Tell us about yourself.”, Hayley Madeira said, sitting with Allison Boyd to her left, and Frediano Ferraro across the table. Hot chocolate she had made for them sat on the table.

“Well, what’s to say, that you haven’t heard from my brothers?”, he asked, trying to soften his usual cold tone to the girls. “I am Frediano, son of Berenger Ferraro. We are the greatest metalsmiths in the world.”

“No, we mean about YOU.”, Allison said. “Like, what do you like to eat? So we know what to bring you while you’re working, stuff like that.”

“I…prefer cold foods.”, Frediano said. Both girls looked awkwardly at the hot chocolate he was drinking, mostly out of politeness. “I apologize. My father told me to expect you to be so kind. I should be trying to reciprocate.”

“No, don’t worry, it’s fine.”, Hayley assured him.

“Father also told me…that you have suffered a great tragedy?”, Frediano asked.

“Well…a little bit.”, Allison said. “Our friends are off in training, to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“And you are holding down the fort, so to speak? I see. I understand your Rain Guardian…Stacie, I believe, was in need of a new weapon.”

“A good one couldn’t hurt.”, Hayley agreed.

“I assure you…The Arcoferro I make for her will be the ultimate weapon. She will find it lacking nothing. My father told me, that creating these weapons would be how I help you recover from this disaster. I will not fail you.”

“Thank you…”, Allison said.

“Is he bumming you two out?”, Tammaro called from the other room. “He’ll do that, don’t mind him.”

“Oh, Tammaro…”, Frediano chuckled. “But, I suppose he’s right. I’m the most…solemn, of the seven of us. My crafting technique involves letting my emotions rain over the metal, so my real self is reflected in the final product. It’s my moment of catharsis. Until then, I am…quite stoic.”

“We appreciate-“, Hayley began, but was interrupted by an alarm. Instantly, both Hayley and Allison received a call from Bradley and Taylor, urging them to get to the base’s front.

“I will accompany you.”, Frediano said, standing suddenly. “Brothers! Follow us, it’s time we help out.”

Tammaro, Sansone, and Arduino all burst from the next room. In Tammaro’s hand was a large sheathed knife, decorated with rubies. On Sansone’s hands were a set of metal gauntlets, the backs of which were decorated with small topazes. Arduino held his emerald-encrusted boomerang. Frediano drew a concealed crossbow, decorated with sapphires.

---

“We’ve heard the whole story.”, Dana Kobylenski said, standing in front of the doors to Century.

“And?”, Zeke asked. “Do you regret your meeting me?”

“No.”, she admitted. “I don’t think you’re beyond saving.”

Zeke laughed.

“I was MADE to be beyond saving!”, he called wickedly.

“Where’s the big one?”, Paige Pieranunzi called.

“Isaac? He didn’t want to come.”, Zeke said. “Are you still hurting about how he sent that excuse for a Thunder Guardian running away?”

“Don’t let him bait you.”, Rebecca Kresge warned. “He’s good at that, they said.”

“I’m only doing my part.”, the Apostle said with a crooked smile. “I’m just getting so lonely, without Zach here…And the only Orso that comes to visit me anymore is Alex Carroll…”

“Alex?”, the three thought simultaneously. From inside the base, as every member present got ready, the man’s words echoed through their offices and the hallways. They all paused, a bit stunned. Alex himself froze in his seat. This couldn’t be happening.

Dana stopped thinking in that moment, and released her Rain Wolf. It wasn’t as powerful as Neptune, Stacie’s animal of similar design, but hers was a potent force, as numerous missions had proven.

“Grit!”, she called. “Get him.”

Allison and Hayley, who reached the door first, couldn’t find the words to scream in warning.

Paige released her Rain Eagle, Queen, which shot at the smiling man. She was joined by Rebecca, releasing her Cloud Horse, Shadow. The three animals together rocketed at Zeke, who only smiled…

…until just before Grit’s fangs touched him. His body let off a distinct orange glow in the night’s darkness, and the three animals, as though a great wind had hit them, were blown away from him. Each was covered in serious wounds.

“I forgot how much fun ruthless displays of power were…”, he murmured to himself, and took a step forward. Suddenly, a crossbow bolt, covered in Rain Flames, landed right in front of his right foot. He looked up to see the four Ferraro brothers around him. Tammaro held his knife to his back, Sansone was on his right, fists poised to strike either his face or his side. Arduino was on his left, holding his wickedly sharp boomerang to his throat. Frediano was immediately in front of him, aiming the next crossbow shot at his face from point blank range.

“So many metalsmiths…”, Zeke murmured. “How fun. Is it true, what they say about your father?”

“Every word of it. Especially the parts that sound impossible.”, Arduino said, a bit of a chuckle on the last sentence.

“Then I shouldn’t treat four of his sons like common opponents, I suppose.”

“It would be unwise.”, Frediano agreed.

“I thought you said you were keeping your distance.”, Sansone said.

“I got invited to visit.”, Zeke said. “It’s rude to interfere.”

“What’s this?”, Tammaro said, seeing the top of a design on his back. Zeke laughed.

“You want to know?”, he asked. “Well, I don’t see the harm in showing you what I’m made of. The women in your base would be wise to turn away. I don't want to take their breath away.”

In a flash of flame, Zeke’s shirt vanished, revealing the full emblem. Tammaro nearly dropped his knife.

“And is it true…what Father told us about the one that made you?”, he asked, voice wavering. Zeke turned and gave him a wide smile, with eyes inviting as the grave.

“Every word of it. Especially…the parts that sound impossible.”

-

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