The Cat, Witch and the Wormholes

WARNING! This text contains scenes of violence and insults motivated by racial and sexual discrimination. The author does not in any way support such views.

Chapter 15. Fool Moon

She knew perfectly well that avoiding her friend for such a long time was not good, but Lily couldn't help herself. Since that ill-fated battle with the Butcher, something inside Lily herself has changed, and she could no longer perceive Sunset as before. Her willingness to sacrifice for their sake, her desperate fight against a deliberately stronger enemy, in which Sunset could not win, and it was clear to everyone from the very beginning, but Sunset did not give up, she did not leave her comrades and readily accepted the fight to give them a chance to live.

And how beautiful she was at that moment, how enchanting her movements were, she was like a torrent, like an irrepressible flame that could not be extinguished. She glittered like the sun and fluttered like a butterfly. Even the radiance of her powers was almost magical. And Lily could not take her eyes off her, swallowed by the magnificent tumult of the fiery element of which was Sunset. Already at that moment, realizing that she succumbed to this enchanting and all-consuming feeling in her heart.

Never before has she felt anything of the kind, she has never before been embraced by such contradictory feelings and thoughts. Never before has she looked at someone with a nagging feeling in her heart and a languishing emptiness in her belly. She was confused, she was ashamed, she was afraid, she didn’t know how Sunset would react if she found out about the feelings that swallowed Lily.

Her inner struggle inadvertently forced Lily to distance herself from Sunset, to avoid her, to hide her eyes and not to hold her gaze on Sunset. She was afraid to be revealed, discovered, she was afraid that she would laugh at her, she feared rejection, she was disgusted by the thought that Sunset would turn away from her and leave her forever. And in her fear, she did not notice how she left her friend alone, and that others also began to avoid Sunset.

For all these months, she has avoided Sunset, sitting away from her in the classroom, leaving school without her, and even ceased to be interested in how Sunset spends her time. Until one day she accidentally heard that Sunset had stopped attending extracurricular activities and began to leave school early. But she remembered very well that Sunset always returned to the Tower on time, which means that she was spending her time somewhere else.

This worried Lily, because despite the fact that the survey proved that Sunset was not overtaken by the Butcher, her behavior changed and she began secretly spending time outside the Tower, without notifying any of the superiors. According to the protocol, she should have reported this to the authorities, but she did not want to expose her friend, especially if it turned out that there was nothing wrong with that. And so she decided to secretly follow her herself, in order to trace where Sunset was disappearing.

All day she quietly watched Sunset, so as not to miss the moment when she left school, and having guessed the right moment in time, she followed her in the distance. And Sunset didn’t notice anything, allowing Lily to follow her covertly for a few blocks to one of the inconspicuous two-story houses in the depths of the residential sector. But what surprised Lily most of all was the fact that Sunset had the keys to the door of this house, and how she without hesitation proceeded inside.

Lily did not know what to do next. She could return to the Tower and tell the curator about this, but then Sunset would be in trouble and Lily would again be to blame for her problems. It is possible that Sunset just rented out housing outside the Tower, but where could she get the money for it? Those that were given out on pocket expenses and on entertainment would not be enough to rent such a house. And it was forbidden for Wards to take a part-time jobs.

Finally, she made a decision - she will try to find out everything herself secretly watching Sunset in the house through the windows. That's why she quietly entered the backyard of the house and clung to the large window leading to the living room. And maybe her plan would have been successful and everything would have turned out as she wanted if it were not for the click of a cocked pistol's hammer and the feeling of cold metal at her nape.

"Well, well, well, it seems we've got a spy." Said girlish voice from behind her.

Sunset heard some commotion outside, and then the summer door opened and Lisa entered the house, pushing in front of her an unknown person hidden under the deep hood of their jacket.

"Hey, Sunset, it looks like we have uninvited guests." Lisa called her, still pointing her gun at the stranger.

"And what, you want to convince me that you still don't know who it is?" Snorted Sunset.

"Well, of course, I know who it is, but I think she should introduce herself, after all, she is a guest here."

The stranger girl hesitated a little, and then pulled back the hood and smiled nervously.

"H-hello, Sunset."

"Lily, what the hay are you doing here?!" Surprised Sunset.

"Uhm. I followed you." She looked down in embarrassment.

"You followed me? Wait. You spied on me!"

"I'm sorry! I worried about you, you began to disappear from school, did not tell anyone where you were going and became secretive." Lily tried to justify herself, but Sunset was not going to give her that.

"You worried? And instead of asking me you decided to spy on me!" She shouted.

"As if you'd tell me what's going on!"

"Well, she's right, you wouldn’t explain anything to her." Agreed with her Lisa.

"Ugh!" Sunset grunted and plopped into chair. "I'm sorry, Lily, but I can't tell you anything, this secret isn't mine to tell."

"Yeah, I see." Lily uttered it in a tone full of jealousy and gave a beautiful Lisa a hateful look. But Lisa just chuckled and smiling slyly hid the gun.

Fortunately for Lily, Lisa did not have time to say anything, because at that very moment a sleepy and deeply yawning cat entered the room, radically changing the situation.

For a moment, Lily froze in horror, because the last thing she expected was to meet that cat here, whom the entire protectorate considered a new Butcher. And the fact that Sunset all this time knew his location, and hid it, most likely meant that shed was really influenced by the Butcher and Lily got herself into a trap coming right into it's lair. She already wanted to grab her PRT issued phone and press the emergency call button when she felt the familiar sensation of cold metal on her head and heard the sound of a cocking hammer.

"I wouldn't do it if I were you." In an icy tone said the blonde with a gun. "Raise your hands up and don't move." She patted Lily pockets and pulled out both of her mobile phones and tucked them into her own jacket.

"You won't kill a Ward, right?" Nervously asked Lily.

"I'll do it if I have to."

"Okay, okay, that's enough!" Shouted Sunset, jumping up from her chair. "Nobody will kill anyone! Lisa, put the gun down, there's no need for that!"

"She was going to call the Protectorate here."

"What? Lily, but why?"

"Because you are all influenced by the Butcher!" She growled.

"What? What the flying feather are you talking about?!"

"She believes that Seth has become a new Butcher and mastered us."

"This is ridiculous!" At that moment, Lily thought that she had a hallucination, because the cat sighed very loudly and made a facepalm with his right paw.

"Oh, I assure you, it is not a hallucination." Said blonde startling her.

"What?" Shocked, Lily tried to turn to her, but a pistol aimed at her poked her to stop.

"She thought that the sigh of the cat and his gesture were only a hallucination." Clarified to Sunset Lisa.

"Lisa, please, take the gun away already, I don’t think that Lily will do something stupid."

"Okay, but it will be on your conscience." She uncocked the hammer and put pistol in her pocket.

"Lily, I do not know how to prove to you that Seth is not a Butcher, but please, believe me, this isn't at all what you thought."

"Then what is it? What the hell is going on?!" Shouted Lily, lowering her arms. "Why then do you hide what you found him, and why do you call him by another name?"

"I don’t know where to start, but the cat isn't a Butcher, it’s a long story, but the fact that everyone considered him to be my projection is in fact a mistake, but I have stated many times that he’s actually a cat, and not a product of my powers. But nobody believed me, not even you!"

"Well, I admit that I was wrong, but how could he then defeat the Butcher, why he has powers, he isn't a human, he's an animal!"

"I would not call him an animal, he might be offended." Said Lisa.

"I don’t know for sure, but I was able to find out that in order to have powers you don’t have to be human, it’s enough to be a sentient being."

"Wait. Are you saying that he is a sentient?"

"And as if you didn’t understand herself that he was not an ordinary cat." Quipped blonde and the cat meowed in response. "Our Seth is a very unusual cat."

"Well, it may sound unbelievable, but he is not really a cat from Earth." Hesitatingly said Sunset. "He is an alien, so I can't tell the authorities about him, because they will take him away from me and I will never see him again."

"An alien? Are you serious?" Sneered Lily.

"But it's true! I can't prove it to you right now, because his kind left him on this planet, and he lived on his own until I met him." The cat meowed again and Lisa smiled broadly.

"He says that you still keep a sword under the mattress that should have been returned to the armory."

"What?! You are lying! He didn't say anything!"

"But this is true about the fact that you hide the sword."

"I don't know how you found out, but..."

"But nothing!" Interjected Sunset. "She told you the truth. The cat is talking, but only Lisa's power allows us to understand him."

"Wow, now all of a sudden this blond upstart has powers!"

"This 'blonde upstart' has a name and power that allows her to learn some small things about person, such as fantasies that are in the head of one insolent girl!" Angrily growled Lisa. "Do you want me to voice the true reason why you avoided Sunset?"

"Not. Not! I beg you, whatever, but not this!"

"Oh, now you beg me." Lisa's smile has become cruel.

"Enough!" Roared Sunset, startling everyone. "Enough." She said in a much quieter tone. "Our quarrel will not lead to anything good. We have to stop before it ends badly." She sighed. "Lisa, I understand that her distrust has offended you, but you don't need to disclose her reasons, without her consent. Yes, I am sad that my friend decided to avoid me, but her reasons belong only to her and we have no right to demand answers from her." Sunset turned to Lily. "Lily, we did not lie to you about anything, and we had good reason to hide the cat from the authorities. They were looking for him to take him to secret facility, and they were not going to return him to me. And I can't let this happen to my friend."

"I see." Murmured Lily.

"And if you can’t keep his whereabouts secret, I’ll only ask you as your friend to give us a chance, give us time so that Lisa and he can leave." Begged Sunset.

"Urgh! Okay! Fuck!" Sweared Lily. "Maybe I'm making a mistake, maybe it's wrong, but I won't tell anyone about him."

"Thanks. This is all I ask for."

"But you owe me for it!"

"Okay." Smiled Sunset.

"And you forgive me for following you."

"Sure."

"And you ... And you ... And you will go with me to the concert!" Blurted out flustered Lily.

"Ehm. What concert?"

"The concert will be on the evening of the fourth of July at Christopher Street Piers, in a week."

"Okay, I'll go with you."

"Thank you! And I apologize for following you." Sincerely said Lily.

"I forgive you, but I ask you in the future instead of spying on me, just at least ask me first."

"Okay. I'm sorry."

"Well, we have to go back to the tower. So let me pick my things and we will go together."

"Sure. I'll wait for you at the door."

Sunset ran to the second floor, and Lily, with a still embarrassed face, went to the exit. But on the way to the exit she was intercepted by the already calmed Lisa, who grasped her hand and turned Lily towards her.

"For what you have done now, I should have told Sunset all your secrets, but I am not a bitch and I will give you a chance to correct everything yourself." She said in cold tone.

"I know."

"You know nothing, Lily Yukimura. Neither about me, nor about the cat, and, moreover, you know nothing about Sunset."

"But..."

"Don't interrupt me."

"Okay."

"I know all about your feelings for her, and I also know that you think that there is something between her and me. So that you know - you are mistaken!"

"So you and she are not..." Cheered up Lily.

"No, we are just friends, but I'll have to disappoint you." Lisa paused for a moment. "I strongly advise you not to confess your feelings to her, and this is not because I have any prejudices towards you, no, but be sure that if you open up yourself to her, you will be refused."

"She isn't..."

"That's not the point. She just doesn't find any human attractive in this way."

"What?! You mean she's a..."

"NO! No. She just doesn't like anyone like that."

"Oh."

"I wont stop you, but know that nothing good will come of it."

"I'll think about it."

"Well, it's your funeral"

Lisa handed Lily her phones back and she immediately took them. And after a moment Sunset appeared and they together left the house.

Brad Meadows was always a nasty individual. Growing up on the street and brought up by the street, he absorbed all the cruelty and ruthlessness of impoverished suburbs. He never avoided a fight, and always preferred to hit first, and afterwards to clarify the situation. But he was not the typical stupid thug who filled the back streets of his native South Queens, no, Brad always knew how to think with his head, he knew when there was time to retreat, and when he should have gone to the end, with whom it was possible to have profitable business, and who should be avoided at all costs.

And perhaps that is why he did not join the criminal ranks of various New York gangs. He always considered himself above all this trash and would never agree to be in third roles. But life demanded a steady income, but because of the nature of Brad, school did not work for him. He dropped out of school in middle classes, preferring to spend time working as a loader or a laborer at a construction site.

His tall stature, strong body and enormous stamina allowed him to work for days with the slightest rest breaks. Gaining respect among the movers and builders, who saw in him not just a street urchin, but a young man who was prone to hard and honest work. And even his penchant for getting into trouble and running into fights did not have a negative effect on respect from the working class. And he grew up among the same simple and stubborn people like him. Making money to support his elderly grandmother and younger sisters.

Their parents died shortly after the birth of the youngest sister, accidentally finding themselves in a shootout between gangs of niggers and spics, to survive in which they did not have the slightest chance. And he still remembered that evening when a cop knocked on their door and said that their parents would never return home. He remembered how loudly sobbed his sister and how silently cried his grandmother. And as he had no answer for the youngest one to the question of where is their mother.

He left school, he left his friends, he left the football team, all in order to find at least some work to support his family, to plunge into the hard work to drown out the cries of hatred and rage in his own soul. But this was not enough. At first they lost the house, being unable to pay the mortgage loan and were forced to move to an apartment in a less prosperous block. And then some nigger trying to rob his grandmother stabbed her with a knife, and she died in the hospital without going out of the coma, leaving them alone.

Without her pension and part-time work, he could no longer support his sisters, and was forced to agree with the social worker about sending them to relatives in Texas. But he didn't go with them, he knew that in Texas, too, not everything was all right, and his relatives would have a hard time keeping and raising his sisters. And although he could provide help working in the field, or on the farm, but he knew that feeding the extra mouth would be only a burden.

And so he stayed in New York working in the port and at construction sites, sending the money to Texas to his sisters. And everything was pretty good, until Leviathan attacked Japan by drowning the island of Kyushu, forcing millions of Japanese to become refugees and emigrate to America. Millions of desperate people flooded into the cities in search of housing and work. Willingly working for any penny and turning the labor market upside down.

And after them, employers began to cut wages to Americans, forcing those to either accept new working conditions or leave. But Brad endured until the last moment, until the salary became prohibitively low, practically forcing him to beg and be homeless. And he could no longer support his sisters by sending them part of his salary, and was forced to find a much more dangerous job. His former foreman from the construction site told Brad that the steel mill required labor, but the work would be hard and dangerous, but Brad had no choice.

But even there, fate was not favorable to him and just six months later, an incident happened to him. They moved the ladle filled with hot slag when the fixings cracked and the ladle rolled over and fell down, crushing the catwalks and other platforms, dragging Brad along with them. And lying under a pile of twisted metal, he hatefully cursed the fucking Jig who must had checked the attachment of the ladle before the operation. And filled with rage and hatred for the niggers and Latinos who killed his parents and grandmother, and the fucking migrants because of whom he lost his income and had to go to the factory and got into an incident, and while he was dying from pieces of metal pierced through his body he madly hated them all.

But a miracle happened, and he gained power, and the metal that killed him now obeyed him and became a part of him. He got out from under the rubble safe and sound, he survived, which means his sisters will not become orphans. But others were not so lucky; in total, nineteen people died in that tragedy, all of whom were white Americans, like him who lost their jobs because the migrants were willing to work for lower wages, and like him they had to come to this factory, and become the victims of one incompetent Jap.

In his rage, he found and beat this fucking Jap half to death, and only the intervention of the factory guard saved that bastard life. But as a result, Brad lost his job again and received a black mark in his file. Now, no self-respecting employer would take him to his job because of his inclination to violence and racial intolerance.

And Brad was again on the street, unemployed, without means of livelihood, without the opportunity to earn money. And worst of all, the rumors about what happened reached his relatives in Texas and they politely asked him not to come again or even to call so that he would not have a bad influence on the younger sisters. And he had to obey, because in his heart he realized that such a person as he does not have a place next to them. He did not justify their trust, could not help them when they needed it, so he practically betrayed them.

And the migrants and fucking coloreds were to blame for all this. It was because of them that he and his family suffered, it was because of them that they lost everything they had, and they had to pay for it. And with the newly acquired powers, he finally could take revenge on them. He began to attack groups of unsuspecting coloreds, beating them, maiming them and robbing them, thus fulfilling his thirst for revenge. And it was during one of these raids that he met Cricket and Stormtiger. They quickly found a common ground and became friends.

And it was Stormtiger who introduced him to the world of lethal underground fights for parahumans. And now, for several years, their trio has had the glory of the most ruthless and invincible fighters in the ring. But most of all, they were known for their intolerance towards migrants and people of color, making attacks on them and even engaging in clashes with the police and the PRT.

The dark infamy of Hookwolf, Cricket and Stormtiger resounded throughout the streets of the New York.

"This country is becoming a haven for migrant criminals, so, what do you expect?" Snarled already drunk Brad, taking a sip from a beer bottle, at the summer cafe on the pier. "Decent, hardworking Americans as was my parents, lose their jobs, values and lives to this social parasites. Those blacks, browns, yellow, whatever."

"You're saying your parents murder was race-related?" Andrew was surprised by this.

"Yeah, it's race-related. These fucking niggers staged a gunfight on the street and my parents were right in the middle of it all."

"Fuck! I never knew." Said shocked Melody.

"Because I have never told anyone this before." Brad sighed and put a empty bottle on a table. "Every problem in this country is race-related, not just crime. Immigration, AIDS, welfare. Those are problems of the blacks, the wabs and the japs. Not white problems."

"Fucking coloreds don't give two shits about this country." Andrew nodded.

"Yeah. And even fucking laws are on their side."

"And even on the day of our national holiday, these freaks dare to defile it with their vile songs and dances."

"Huh. What do you mean?" Brad was taken aback.

"You didn't heard?" Andrew gulped the remains of beer and threw the bottle into the river. "These queers staged their disgusting concert again at Christopher Street Pier."

"What?! Why didn't anyone tell me before?"

"We thought you knew." Shrugged Melody.

"If I had known, I would've scared these cunts away while they still preparing!" Brad jumped up from his seat and gritted teeth. "They think they can pour their crap on the day of our national pride? They think that we will just stand aside and be silent? No! I will show these fags what happens when you insult the real Americans!"

Brad threw a few banknotes on the table, paying for the drunk alcohol, and headed towards the exit, and a few moments later, Andrew and Melody looked at each other and then rushed after him.

Sunset and Lily arrived at the concert even before it began, having had time to enjoy the performance of aspiring groups at the opening, tasted the food sold from the trays and just walked along the pier. Sunset noticed that Lily was a little nervous today, but didn't attach much importance to it, because after three months of their unintended disagreement, trying to act as before was out of the question.

She liked the concert itself, although for her such music was unusual and slightly strange, and a little embarrassing behavior of young couples, most of which consisted of male-male or female-female pairs. Perhaps many of them were just friends who came to the concert, like she and Lily, but some were definitely more intimate with each other. And to be honest Sunset did not know how to behave in this situation. In Equestria, it was not customary to so openly express their feelings and sympathies in public, and she was a little uncomfortable with this candor.

But she had to worry about this for a very short time, because Lily took her to the edge of the pier and turning her back to her, suddenly began to wring her arms nervously.

Seth woke up with the feeling that someone was standing next to him and looking at him with a burning look. He opened his eyes, but there was no one around, and just behind him something shone slightly. Turning quickly, he only had time to notice how the radiance seemed to flow out of the room, moving into the corridor, forcing him to jump out of bed and run to catch up with the glow.

And the glow, as if laughing at him, each time eluded him around the bend, not allowing it to be caught up, rolled down the stairs and leaked through the door to the street. He sat across from the street door, not understanding what it was, maybe he was seeing all this, maybe he was dreaming, but as soon as Seth turned away from the door, he heard a muffled woman’s voice:

"Save her."

'What? Who's there?' Asked startled Seth, but no one answered. He turned again to leave, but again he heard a more distinguishable and very familiar voice:

"She needs you. Save her." And a blurry luminous figure appeared beside him. "She will suffer! Save her!"

'Oh Blooming Apples!' Said horrified Seth. 'LISA!!!' He shouted, and ran to her room. 'LISA!!! Wake up!'

He burst into Lisa's room and jumped on her bed.

"What the hell, Seth?" Muttered sleepy Lisa.

'Wake up now! We have problems!' Shouted agitated cat, nervously looking at the glowing figure, which for some reason Lisa did not notice.

"What happened?"

'Something happening to Sunset, we need to find her and fast!'

"But she went to the concert with Lily, and then should return to the tower."

'I don't care! We need to find her immediately!' He jumped off the bed and ran out into the corridor.

"Okay, okay. I'm on my way."

Lisa quickly laced up her shoes, put on her jacket and went down to the entrance hall. The cat was already waiting for her at the door, nervously walking in circles next to it.

'Hurry up!'

"Stop, you fool, where are you going?"

'Lily said that they will be on that pier, they should be there, I can feel it!' He chose to keep silent that the blurry luminous figure was already floating down the street.

"Hey, wait, let me start the car."

She barely had time to open the car door, as the cat leaped into the passenger seat with all his appearance urging her to hurry.

"Sunset, I know that I wasn't the best friend, but I just didn't know what I should do." Nervously said Lily, still fidgeting with her hands. "Since that battle with the Butcher, something has changed. I..."

"You were afraid of me because you thought that I could be a Butcher." Guessed Sunset.

"No, it's not! I just. I don't even know how to say it." Lily remembered Lisa’s warning, but decided to hope for her luck. "I have never done this before. So please don't be hard on me." Her face was very red and her eyelashes quivered with emotion. "Sunset, you were a wonderful friend to me, and I know that we know each other not so long ago, but I want you to know, I lo..."

She was abruptly interrupted by screams of horror heard from the shore. The music suddenly stopped and the pier was filled with the sounds of crashing, destruction, cries of pain and swearing. The girls without losing a moment fastened on the face of a half mask that they always carried with them in case of emergency, and rushed to the place of commotion.

They didn’t have to run far, because already halfway they were met by a woman in a worn sports uniform with a mask of a steel cage on her head and armed with sickle-shaped weapons, who crashed the scenery and musical equipment on the stage. She immediately noticed them, and abandoning her work, she produced a piercing squeal, stunning for a moment both girls.

"Damn it! Why they always do it at the wrong time." Cursed Lily. "Could they wait at least a couple more minutes. Argh!"

"There is no peace for us, even on holidays."

"I'll hold her, and you scout the situation and call for reinforcements."

"Okay. Just be careful."

"I will." She smiled picking up a few stones from the ground to use them as projectiles.

Sunset nodded back and pulling out her PRT-issued phone pressed the emergency call dial.

Brad was enraged by the arrogance with which these faggots dared to desecrate the sacred land of America. They behaved as if they were masters here, as if they were allowed to do whatever they wanted, doing their ungodly rituals and perverted kissings in front of the public. But they not only embraced with their own kind, no, they also dared to involve teenagers in their affairs. And worst of all, this place was full of coloreds.

He will not tolerate this, he will destroy each and every one of them, drown them in their own blood. He will lodge in their souls the fear and knowledge of the inevitable punishment for their heinous crimes. Everyone, each of them, will pay for the infamy they have done.

Without warning, he struck the first blow to the body of the black fucktard who was in his way. And no one has yet had time to understand anything, when his huge fist already crushed the jaw of a bastard in make-up. They screamed in agony, but he didn’t care. Rage filled his mind and hatred became the vehicle of his will. And steel began to envelop his body, turning him into a giant iron wolf, with a body covered in spikes, twisted hooks and sharp lashes of metal.

He struck left and right, without discerning the appearance, gender or race, and even if they were white he did not care, they came here of their own accord, and therefore must suffer for it. Bloodlust flooded his mind and he was no longer holding back, inflicting more and more terrible wounds to his victims. Breaking one's hands and chopping the legs of another, crushing the face of the third and splitting the spine of the fourth. Blood sang in his veins, and the metal sought to gather its terrible harvest.

Their car already flew into the embankment when they heard the first cries of horror and pain. Seth shot out of the car like a bullet and rushed towards the pier, only miraculously dodging fleeing people. He was met by a man who fired explosive blasts of compressed air at the crowd and, and without hesitation, struck him to the torso with all his might.

Andrew didn’t become a cripple only by a miracle, because he had covered his body with a shield of compressed air in advance, but the blow struck him was of such might that he was thrown to the side as if he weighed nothing. He hurried to get up, but he only managed to notice a blurred silhouette in the shape of a cat, as a more equally strong blows fell on him from all sides. And in the end, his shield could not resist and another blow sent him into oblivion.

"Wow. I didn't know that you could be so dangerous. To cut down a fighter such as Stormtiger is worth a lot." Whistled amazed Lisa.

'One less bastard.' Seth smirked. 'Still, we should quickly find Sunset. I have a very very bad feeling.'

"If I guessed right, then she should be on the other side of the pier."

'Then let's not waste a minute.'

And they ran on.

Sunset barely had time to call for reinforcements, as a picture full of destruction and cruelty opened before her. The moaning bodies of the victims lay all over the pier and everything around was covered with blood and littered with fragments of scenery and stalls. But the most terrible was the sight of a huge steel wolf monster, which with its paws, teeth, hooks and spikes struck the visitors of the concert.

She was shaking from the sight of blood and the screams of pain and fear hovering over the pier, her mind was covered with the veil of horror, and her eyes refused to believe what was happening. It was so similar to the nightmare that she had to endure when she first arrived in this world, so frighteningly identical in its cruelty and bloodthirstiness.

"Well, well, well, look who came to me. Little girl hero." In a gruff, growling voice, spoke a steel wolf, and from his voice, everything inside Sunset shrank from fear.

"I can't let you wreak a havoc." She answered in a shaky voice.

"Well, how will you stop me?"

"Please, surrender, I have already called for backup and they will soon arrive here. Do not aggravate the situation."

"Are you asking me to surrender? Are you serious?" Baffled Hookwolf.

"Of course I am serious! You have crippled many people today and now you are going in prison!"

"Ha! Do you want to know my answer, little twat?" Snarled Hookwolf grabbing the black guy's collar and lifting him above the ground. "This is my answer to you!"

A huge spike stretched out from behind his back and with a sharp jerk pierced the guy through the chest. And then more, and more and more. Sunset eyes narrowed in horror, and then she screamed.

Seth was only a few seconds late, jumping out in front of Sunset at the moment when the villain in the form of a huge chrome wolf inflicted several deadly penetrating wounds to the visitor of the event. And already then it came to him that he was again in a very bad situation, similar to the one that was from a town full of monsters. He still hoped that maybe it was still not so bad, but when Sunset screamed shrilly and her eyes began to glow with a bright light, he realized that he couldn’t hesitate anymore.

He knew that if she summoned her powers here, then the whole city would suffer the same fate as the last time, when only mountains of ashes and dust remained from that town of monsters. But he had little choice. Either he will commit a desperate act in the hope of a positive outcome, or they will all die. And that's why he covered her and himself with the smallest and strongest shield on which he was only capable, at the last moment having managed to shield the world from inevitable tragedy.

And then everything inside was filled with a flame so dense and hot that he couldn't even see the tip of his own nose. But he could not see anything anyway, because his eyes immediately boiled and burst, his fur evaporated, and his skin burned and crumbled to ashes. And he did not even feel anything, because all the nerve endings were burned, allowing him to at least not feel the insane pain that was supposed to consume him.

But he was still alive, still stubbornly clinging to his life, and his miraculous regeneration continued to restore his body unstoppably. Of course, even the regeneration of Goa'uld could not cope with such work, but the powers received from the butcher more than compensated for everything that was needed, and so the fire did not advance further than the muscles.

And Seth on a pure will power held himself in consciousness, repeating over and over again as a mantra the same words:

'Hold the Shield.'

'Hold the Shield.'

'Hold the Shield.'

'Ho̴̯͓̞̍͑̈́l̴̢̺͔̖͗̓̆͂̕̕d the Shiel̴̡̨̫̤̤͝ḑ̸̲̘̜̟̜͒̔͐̀̓̃͝.'

'Hol̸̦͇͖̠͕̫̯̥̗̠͕͕͗͒͒́̎͗d̷͖͚̰̻͓͔͋̈́̎̉͠ ̸͕̹̩̙͚̫͔͇̪̂̓̃̆̂́̿̏̌͌̆̓̀͝͝ͅͅţ̶̛̛̭̹̖͓͋̑͊͐̇̅͊̕͘͘͜ͅh̷̨̗͇̙͖̤̫͎̳̫̙̯͕͕͌͒̽̂͛̉͆̐̚͝e̵̡̡̛̼̱̱͎̞̞̰̥̯̅̇͐͂͂ͅ ̸̺̦̖̍̉̌͒͜S̴̨̛̤̞̘̠͚̻̮̳̪͖͐̊͐̈̃̊́͂͗͊̃̄ḣ̷̛̛͈̤̜̮̝̟̠͋́̍͑͂̓̌̀̕͜͝͝ield.'

[Destination.]

'H̴̼͇͐o̴̖̫̒l̸͙̈́d̸̩̼͊̇ ̷͎͕͂t̶̥̀͘h̴̙̘̒e̸͚̎͊ ̵̝̀S̵̞͉͂̀ḧ̶̙̚i̴̔̊ͅe̸̩͑̌l̸̦̣̏̔d̶̢̞͒.̸͍̘̋'

'Hold̵̮͙͍̥̮̩͙͚̑̾̚͜ ̵̻͉̘̐t̷͖̣̤̱̩́̉̐̋̈́̑͑̅̽̈́̈́̉͒͝h̶̢̧̧̧͖̖̖̯͔̗̠̠͖̔̋̓̓̊͆̆̀̎̕̚ͅe̸̺̱̥̝̣͓̿͛͗ ̵̡̥̘̥͇̣̜̼̦̬̣̊ͅ.̸̡̥̝̒̑̍̒̈́ͅ.̸̢͆̑͂̄͂́͆́.̸̠̪͔̖̟̠̗͇̊̎'

[Agreement.]

'S̵̨͕͝h̸̠͎̦̠̋í̶̤̻͙͔̈̌͠e̸͙̓̈́l̴̜̖̥͂̊͑̈d̵̪̾͘̕.̵̩̇'

'H̷͓̹̍ó̴̯̊͑͊l̷̜̣͖̻̀ḓ̵̰̭̀͒̔ ̶̥͓͠t̷͍̫̦͌̎̀̕ḧ̴̰̥͙͐ĕ̶͎̎͠ ̶̢̛̩́̚S̵̯̻͕̬̽̀͘h̸͚̱̰̃̇̃ǐ̸̤͉̂̀e̵͔͉̩̥͑l̴̟͖͆̉̿̕d̶̢̛̥̳̙͊'

[Trajectory.]

'Hơ̷̫̗̩̟͍̎́͑͋̈́̓͌͠ļ̴̧̢̭̻̣̖͚͎̹̠̭̯̈̔͑̀̈́̆̆̓̈́͛̚̕d̶̡̟̟̻̭̥̹̜̙̱̪̟̦̊̈̿̋͌̊̒̾̈́̈̔͋̈̍͠ the Sḣ̴̢̡̛̘̞̜̔͐͒́̃͆̆͌́̚͘̕í̵͙̭̘͌́̈́̋͗͆ẽ̸̢̬̲̲̲͖͓̈͝ld.'

[Adjustment.]

'H̵̡̧̦̭͇͖̪͎̭͖̗͈̰͕̓̓̒͛͐̋̉̏́͘͝o̵̢̢̳̘̬̬̗̘̙͂͐́̑͌̒̉́̀̚͜͝l̶͓̘͎̯̲̮̫͔̮̝͂̿͐̓̂̓͒d̵̨̨̡̦̜̹̞̠͇̺̲̮̹͓͒̇͌̋͗̋̂̓̔̆̄͛̏̅͝.̴̧̣̗̻̼͒̈̌̂́͋͝'

[Complementation.]

[Agreement.]

't̸̺̅͑̏̈́̓͋̓h̷̢̝̦̒̈́̆̆̑̍̓e̸̡̘͎̥͉̫͍̦̻͉̥͉̲̥̫͒͐̒ ̷̰͓̀̓͛̇̈́͆̋̓̅̚͜S̴̢̳̭̝̺̍̀̋̂́̉͆̍̆̒͝ͅͅh̸̨̩͖͍̹̗̞̥͖̱̆̓̂̽̐̚͘͜͠í̴̥̩̥̗̝̯̻̬̇̂̃̄̀͑͂̉̚ͅȩ̸̯̝̩̖͓̔͛̈́́̃̈́̀̋̔̓̓̈́͘͝l̴̞̯̞̦̝̙̞̥̖̙̺̦̎͋̈̀͗̒̾͗̚͠ͅḑ̶͙̘̮͂̿̀̊̊͗͆̽̃̉̈́͛̋͝.̴̧̡̹͓͈͍̫̩͙̣̤̂̀͐̑̀̍̿̊͒͜'

[Reinitiation.]

[Proceeding.]

'Ho..'

'Ȩ̵̈́̈́͒̔͂̿̈́̈̌̅v̵̡͔͉̿̔͒̄i̴̡̗̪̘̰͔͙̦̾̀͌͋͋l̸̺̮͙̩͍͙̩̲̽̅̓́ ̷̡̧̠̝̹̖̦̟̗͌̒͛͌̐̌͘̕͠͝c̶̦͍̱͛̿̒̎ơ̶͚̘̩̌̍̂͊͗̇̎̌̚m̶̨͖͔͓͔̘̫̞̱̉́̀é̵̡͚̞̒͒̂̈́̑͝s̶̰̉̆ ̵̛̞̣̞̭̽͗̈́̅̈͝i̷͎̺̪̘͍̿̔̃́̏͒͑̕͜n̷̨̠̱̒̋̊̆͂̊̌̆ͅ ̶̛͎͙̳͚͚̻̺̞͑͋̀̌͠r̴̡̫̭̥̯͊͆͆̓̆͝ơ̴̧̧̪̳̣͖̠͙̤͔͑́̈́̎͑̒u̵̪͖̪̼͚̞͋n̵͖̆́̔d̵̙̯͍̞̤̞̉̅̃̆͜ ̸̲̮̙̖̝̩͛͆̂̚̚š̴̨̫͔͍͇͚̞̹͐̂̀͠h̴̨͎̫̲͙̑̐̐̓͐̒̔̏̐ả̷͜͜p̷̦͉̀̌̐ē̸̢͚͎̙͓̗͐̿̀͛̈́̃͘̕̚͜s̷̞̈́̂̓͊̈̓̉̅'

[Reconfiguring.]