She froze, and decided to instead focus on her drink. Hopefully he'd leave her alone... she had never really had much interaction with other claimants from other houses but her father had warned her that other houses, had a disdain for hybrids like them. Taking another sip she focused in on the conversation around the bar, two of the patrons who sat in the very corner; had switched to Gaelic. Why switch to Gaelic... she turned her head, they were trying to hide something...

"Gluais cruth."

They were talking about shapeshifters... had they meant her or the man next to her? She then finally responded to his request to sit, there was no need to be rude... she just had to be on guard that was all. Moving over slightly, to give the nature claimant some space to move his chair, she went back to her drink and tried to stop her heart from hammering like a hummingbird. Amphitrite could count on the back of her hand, the amount of times she had interacted with other claimants, and that was less than four. Her parents, the cook that her parents had hired... who was a fire claimant and then their navigator who had been an air claimant, who had passed away after a particularly bad storm, the memory still lingerTed somewhat in her mind, but it was foggy all the same. As she finished her drink she finally decided to look at the Nature claimant, he was attractive, in a wild untamed kind of way... her eyes roamed over him, he definitely had muscles, how hard did he have to work out for those muscles? Realising her drink was finished, she looked at the bar tender, he was polishing a glass. 

"Could I please have a glass of water and some salt. Oh and a spoon if you will" 

The man looked at her dubiously, but proceeded to retrieve the items she requested, once they were set in front of her. She poured the salt into the cup, stirring it until the salt itself dissolved. The man, who she knew was human was looking at her; she ignored him and shut her eyes. Imagining a milkshake, salted caramel, just like how her father used to make them for her after a long day of cleaning the deck and helping down below with meals. She heard a gasp of amazement, and opened one eye to see her milkshake awaiting her. Lifting it to her lips, she took a satisfied sip, the sugar, the slightly burnt brown sugar. 

"How did you do that?"

She shrugged, if she was being honest, she normally wasn't so showy about her powers. But something about the male next to her made her feel the urge to exhibit some kind of ability, to demonstrate that she was indeed a claimant like he suspected. The man grabbed himself a glass of water, he did as she had done few moments ago and then placed the glass of salt water in front of her. 

"Can you make this beer?"

She grasped the glass and watched as water turned to beer, the man still not quite believing it — and having now caught the attention of everyone else, took the glass and took a swig before cursing in disbelief. 

"Why, it tastes like—"

She stood up, paid her tab and walked out of the establishment without another word, walking to the water, she stripped as she did, holding her clothes in a bundle — it was habit to always wear a swimsuit underneath and once she was well and truly clear of anyone, she walked onto the sand. Placing her clothes, now folded where she had earlier in the day, she jumped into the water. She needed to clear her head and maybe, whoever the shapeshifter was, if it was the man at the bar, he would follow. If not then the humans were right; just a local legend. Game on Shapeshifter.

FUCK. FUCK FUCK! IT'S COLD. I THOUGHT I KNEW COLD. APPARENTLY NOT. She had been a fool to think the water would play nice at this hour of the night, as she dove deeper only to surface sometime later, she was certainly a distance away from the shore — not that she minded, she could swim back just as quickly. She was about to dive back in only to see someone strip on the shore, was it the shapeshifter? Her eyes weren't so good despite being a darkness claimant well a half darkness claimant. She could not forget that she was a hybrid, Amphitrite wondered just for a moment if the mortal legend of "Mermaids" stemmed from Moon claimants like her, who lured men to their deaths, in the deep dark depths. She kicked her feet and swam a little closer to shore as the man sat down by the edge of the water; his scent still having not lingered far enough for her to detect whether or not it was the Nature claimant who had followed her. She had to crane her ears even more just to hear what he had to say. 


"You're going to have to repeat that. Sound travels on the wind. Neither of us are gifted with Air."


Hopefully she didn't sound like an unintelligible idiot, clicking her tongue she waited for her innate ability, or rather her echolocation abilities to kick in and tell her what she needed to know. When they did finally bounce back, she was relieved to know it was the Nature claimant after all. She dove back in the water, and sped towards shore, having not realised that the force of her swimming had snapped her Bikini bra string, by the time she resurfaced her hair was out and covering her chest anyway. Crossing her arms over her chest at the realisation she looked at the Nature claimant skeptically. 

"Aren't you going to try and kill me? I've been told plenty of times by others" technically she had only been told by her father "That claimants like myself are not to be tolerated and should be hunted down? Or perhaps you haven't done anything because you want to see what I'm capable of? Or maybe you've heard the rumours too. That your Ancient... what was her name? It started with F... any who, you've heard that she's been seen with that Death Ancient right?" Who also didn't like her people anymore than most claimants, she shrugged and making sure her chest was still covered she gestured to her belongings on the shore. 

"Mind tossing that to me. I'm aware it'll get wet but my... top broke, well the Bikini did. Force of my swimming finally caused the stupid thing to snap. I'm Amphitrite but the humans call me Sela sometimes."

Lunia's mercy the water was cold and it wasn't much helped that she was now half naked... in front of a person she didn't know who could if he wanted to kill her in the water and it'd look like a terrible accident. Sometimes she wondered why the Ancients had designed Claimants to have no fingerprints... or any sort of proper identifying factor? She supposed that if he did murder her, the other claimants... wouldn't so much mind. Moon claimants weren't supposed to leave the Optic, yet here she was... she sighed.


"Why are you even here? Aren't you supposed to be with your Ancient or whatever?" She really didn't know the first thing about other houses.. suppose she was about to find out?

She considered his words, as she covered herself up once more, she didn't mind if any of her belongings got wet, they'd dry anyway. Kicking towards the shore she gestured to the space around Loic. 


"I guess, my parents raised me to be cautious of other claimants. They told me about my Ancient and her sister, Solaria. That they rebelled and that as punishment... there's a bounty on our heads. We have a soft glimmer, I mean..." 


What else was she meant to say in a situation like this? She moved to the right of Loic and gestured to the Ocean. Her home, or rather what had been her home for as long as she could remember, it was strange, the fact that she had begged to be on land but found herself back in the water almost immediately as though she couldn't stand to be apart from the water — as her father had explained, the water in her blood would always sway her towards the direction of the oceans no matter how much she tried to resist, when she asked why it hadn't been dulled by the Darkness in her blood, he told her that Lunia's main occupation was that of controlling the tides, that the water listened to the moon because without the moon the oceans would be out of control. Something like that, she tied her hair up in a bun, she'd have to wash her hair again, not that she minded... just meant more water. 


"My parents dropped me here because my entire life, until a few days ago was spent on the one boat, my father as a Moon claimant ran away from the service of Lunia and went into hiding, he has been on the ocean ever since, refusing to step a foot on land in case she notices. I'm hoping that I pass enough for a Water claimant that Lunia won't notice... or at least other Moon claimants won't notice and come after me." 


Why she was being so open with this stranger. She had barely a clue, though she supposed that she hadn't ever met anyone like her, well not entirely like her but a claimant who hadn't also been fleeing their own Ancient by hiding on a boat, drifting aimlessly around the globe. Naiick barely paid attention to the oceans in the Mortal realm to rat anyone out who was hiding. Stepping back onto to dry land, she shook herself loose of most of the water that clung to her skin, like a lover's caress. As she adjusted her trident she noticed a red spec in the sand, it was artificial... a laser? Was that what the humans call it? She followed the laser to its origin, it came from a building and now the laser was moving... moving... 


"I think someone is about to shoot us." 


She said it in as much a hushed tone as possible... what was it that the humans believed... her father had told her, she racked her brain and began to move back into the water, grasping her trident she readied herself for a fight. Right now, Loic wasn't the biggest concern, did human bullets harm claimants? She wasn't sure about that either. The red dot, that had been singular became three and two of them were pointed at her, the other at Loic... she bit her lip. Who would be after her? Maybe they were after Loic? 


"What do we do?" 

A gunshot rang through the air, despite the silencer attached. She ducked falling onto the sand, as more red dots emerged on the sand. She had to return to the water. Scrambling as quickly as she could back towards the sand, trident in tow — using it more like a shield at that stage to avoid the bullets she was glad to be back in the water. However, she realised she was alone and that meant... had they killed Loic? She clicked her tongue in panic, the clicks bouncing off Loic told her that he was ok, alive? Again she had no idea, all she knew was she had to remain under the water where it was safe. 

"Ahh fucking hell. Missed the bitch." 

"Careful, if she is what we think she is, she'll make us a fortune alive. Remember what boss said, if it is, then we must shoot her where she won't be too wounded." 

"She jumped back in too quick."

"What about her companion? Where the fuck did they go? Could have sworn they were on the sand." 

The team of sharp shooters started looking around, their rifles and pistols at the ready. It had been reported that a beauty of supernatural ability had been spotted in town, and they had been sent by their contractor to track and catch the creature. None of them quite believed that this creature obviously existed and they had been warned of a supposed "shapeshifter" but again, it had to be some stupid child's story. As they split up, two looking for the other form on the beach, and the other two approaching the water to get a boat, or perhaps just a better shot — perhaps the creature was just waiting in the shallows until they left — but it had to resurface eventually to breathe and that would be when they would take the opportunity to take it. 

Course the bullets they used, would have felt like a mosquito to a claimant's skin but they didn't know that, they were human hunters of course... course that would have made things much easier, much simpler for the claimant pair to escape. Alas, the bullets they were using, were contracted by a secretive  force who only went by the alias Hákarl (Shark in Icelandic) who had promised the sharp shooters of these bullets magical abilities — they looked like ordinary silver bullets, except they weren't, covered in Ancient Runes, they were meant to be paralysing if they hit a target, a claimant target.

Course the men had been paying attention to their surroundings, in fact after their failed attempts to shoot Amphitrite many of them gave up and began packing up their equipment to leave, and so it came as a surprise when a creature that looked a cross between not only a man but a shark came to take some of them down. Some of the men immediately pissed themselves whereas others fainted and some ran — leaving their equipment and their dignity behind. The noise itself was enough to catch the attention of those who were still out at this hour, many of them stepping onto the street, looking around trying to figure out the source of the commotion. When none could be found, many put it down to being too drunk to the point of hearing things — another reason to stop the routine of nightly drinking. 


Amphitrite herself, stepped out of the water nervously, soaked to the bone she held her trident close to her chest as she walked towards where the shooters were to begin with, one of them was on the ground holding his hands up and whimpering in terror. She looked around for Loic... maybe he had gone after the ones who had run? She clicked her tongue, she couldn't detect him and she certainly couldn't tell if there were any bodies. The man whose hands had been in the air, skittered back, reaching for his pistol. 


Before he had the chance to load it and aim, she struck him in the gut with her trident, the weapon piercing through his body and causing the immediate loss of life. She had never killed a human before, much less one that seemed so cowardly. "Suppose you came hoping for an easy fight... Loic? Are you there?" She could only hope she was loud enough for him to hear, lowering herself atop the body, she reached for his pistol and emptied its contents. She hissed when the bullets touched her skin, they left angry red welts, examining them closer as they rolled around on the street she realised that they had been engraved. "These aren't normal bullets." Now she just felt like she was talking to the wind.

"I think these were made to kill us... I think someone knows we exist..." Now she was panicking, was she panicking? She never panicked? Well maybe she did panic... she lifted herself up and stepped over the body, careful not to get any blood on herself. She needed a shower, a really hot one... and to talk to Loic. Maybe he knew about these people, but before she could do any of what she wanted to do; she had to find him first.

As she waited for the wound to heal, she faltered back and away from Loic, he started to say things that made no sense, what did he mean by 'they wanted to snag us? "You're not making any sense. At all." You're scaring me...why is all of this happening, can't I being here be normal, I should try and find mum and dad... I should never have left the ocean... maybe this is my punishment and maybe Lunia is after me after all... She tried to keep a straight face on, tried to be brave. Realistically however her heart was pounding, her head was beginning to spin as they approached the water, once the cool liquid touched her skin she could stand no longer and collapsed face first into the ocean. 

Lunia, had felt a prick of pain, and that prick of pain had caused her arrow to go soaring before she had intended. Cursing she looked down at her hand, there two strange marks appeared, she found it peculiar, one could nor mar an ancient no matter how hard they tried. She licked the wounds, and they disappeared just as quickly as they emerged. Knocking another arrow into place she took a deep breath and began to aim, pulling the string of her bow back only for the prick of pain to return, thus the marks. "How strange." Looking up at the moon, her eyes glassed over, she watched as a claimant of hers, whom she had never actually met collapse into the water face first, before a shout of alarm was heard. She examined the claimant closely, she looked strong, and capable of handling herself – if that trident attached to her was anything to go by... so why was she unconscious and did this have anything to do with the marks that emerged on her fingers? "My oh my, it seems that there is trouble indeed. I wonder who the claimant with her is? I must consult the others." Neglecting her bow, Lunia jumped down from where she had perched herself and with a flick of her wrist and a tap of her feet, she began to descend into the mortal realm. 

She stepped gingerly out of the water, shaking her head and glancing around. There her claimant laid, her male companion was still there. She sniffed the air and determined that this was a nature claimant. Raising her hands, caused the ocean to surge up to be by her side as she approached the pair in question. Keeping a stance that suggested she was there to ask rather than fight she looked around. Other than the three of them, the place seemed deserted. Scaring the moon away with just a bat of her eyes, they were shrouded in the blackness of night. "Identify yourselves if you are able. I am Lunia, the ancient of the moon. What is wrong with my claimant?" Though she rarely had the patience to deal with such things, she crouched down and touched her claimant's forehead... mindful that this other claimant might strike her if were to try anything. The girl was feverish, trembling really as though a toxin had entered her system. "This is bad. You are one of Florita's children? We need her help." 


Florita slid the carrots, leeks and potato pieces into the pot, humming under her breath as she aroma of chilli and lime continued to filter around the room, oh how she loved the scent of food being made. As she was about to reach for the bottle of white wine to give herself another drink, the sound of someone entering her domain caught her attention. Turning the flame off, her hands immediately went to her sides, roots and vines alike began to emerge from the ground, cracking the marble and damaging her kitchen – all of this could be easily repaired later. "Who is it?" She preferred never to be violent in her own home, and especially when making her own dinner. The sight that met her as she approached the noise was none other than Lunia, Loic and a very sick looking moon claimant who was beginning to turn a ghastly shade of mustard yellow. "What is the meaning of this? What is wrong with her." "If I knew we would not have come." "Lay her on the couch, and go fetch Eviax. Loic, I need you to explain how this happened. I will call for Vetani, it seems we may need her expertise." Gesturing the trio towards the couch, where the woman who was still turning mustard yellow was quickly laid down. Blowing on her wrist, a small cloud of dandelion fluff emerged from out of her skin and floated towards the direction of Vetani. "It has been such a long time since we last saw each other Loic, how are you?"

Florita nodded attentively, what caught her attention was the abbreviation once Loic clarified what he meant; a bone settling feeling of dread began to cloak the Ancient of Nature as she considered what the words meant. Course, she knew the program existed – some of her claimants were stuck in that indefinite hell hole, from memory Loic had in the past also come from there. "How do I say this... it's like a racial purity segment of the Program. More specifically their job is to hunt down claimants on the outside with unique abilities and take them in to be... made new." Speaking about the Program had always made Florita partially ill. Not because she cared much for the doings of a sick group of scientists but because she knew that her daughter, the one coming to save Amphitrite's life was part of it. 


Vetani stepped into the room, once she had received the message she was needed by her mother, she had been distilling a new type of neurological toxin. Disposing of her gloves into the bin by the sink she noticed what on the sink and cringed away, how her mother could stand to eat 'human labelled food' made her sick. Alas, as she chose to stop breathing out of her nose, she finally came across why she had been summoned to begin with, a sickly mustard yellow female was on the couch surrounded by one of her mother's claimants – one she could briefly recall was someone who her mother was particularly fond of, and a very annoyed moon Ancient. Emerging partially out of the shadows was none other than the life treasure Eviax who carried with her a vine basket full to the brim with supplies and what appeared to be baked goods - again human food.

"Well. What happens now?"

"We allow my daughter the chance to look at Amphitrite and see what she thinks. Maybe it is not so serious then we thought?"

"Really? She looks rather sick." 

"Do you know what it is? How to fix it?"

Eviax began to unpack her supplies, taking things out and then putting them back in when she realised that they were of no use, it would have been a hit or miss moment to see Eviax's eyes change colour to examine the damage to Amphitrite soul... that was her primary concern, it did not matter if the physical container, the body was harmed. Bodies could be healed, but souls were harder to mend when damaged even slightly by the smallest things. Amphitrite in the meanwhile began to twitch, her limbs flying involuntarily as though she was fighting an invisible enemy, Lunia fearing for her claimant's safety placed her hands on the female's shoulders and began to hum a lullaby  – one known only to Lunar claimants, as her humming became persistent this gave Eviax and Vetani the chance to look at Amphitrite for the first time. 

"The poison is one from the Program, but I gather y'all know what the Program is and what it is capable of. Seems they're testing out claimant bio weapons. She'll be sick for some time... and may need the core to heal her." 

"None of us have access... what do we do then?" 

"I can try to extract it, it won't be painless. She may even resent us for it." 

"Do whatever needs to be done." 

Florita was eyeing Loic with concern, though she hadn't really gotten to the bottom of why one of her claimants was so concerned about a claimant from a different house entirely... hell she wasn't even sure how they would have crossed paths. Didn't Loic stay away from places that were overly populated? This female looked like she was not used to being on land based on the length of her shoulders, or was that a water claimant thing that had been passed down? Lunia continued to hum in the background which in some ways calmed down Amphitrite enough for Eviax to begin the long process of unfolding and unlocking the parts of her that were directly related to her soul... something about all of this was scary. Vetani on the other hand, turned on her heel to return to her lab to grab some things. 

Amphitrite furrowed her brows, she realised that she was very much trapped inside her own body unable to move – unless it was to make involuntary jerks... who was touching her? Why was it so dark? What happened to Loic? Was he ok? What had caused this? Her mind began to spiral and she felt like she was actually drowning... which ironically for a person who was partially a water claimant that made little to no sense. It was just as she thought it was best to hide in the deepest darkest recesses of her mind, that a soft white light emerged and so did a woman with braided hair and a basket of things. Who was this? How did they get inside her mind. 

"Who the hell are you?"

"Eviax, I'm the treasure of life. Loic went to get help. You're with Florita, Lunia, myself, Vetani. Loic is ok. He's not hurt at all." 

"What is happening, what is wrong with me?" 

"You were the victim of an attack by an organisation called the 'Program', Loic will be familiar. You touched one of their weapons that usually is used as reconnaissance. To knock you out enough or put you in such a state that you can't save yourself from death or being transported to the program." 

Amphitrite nodded, though she was still uncertain of this woman who was beginning to unpack items inside her mind, jars filled with fireflies that seemed to give off peaceful light, she approached Eviax who was looking around as though examining her mind for damage. Reaching out, as though to touch the life treasure, she suddenly fell into another part of her mind... memories that had occurred from years past filtered past her and somewhat scared Amphitrite.

"What is happening." 

Dropping a vial into Loic's fist Vetani looked over the Nature claimant.

"For you kid. Don't want the toxin to spread anymore in you. Mother would have a fit. I'll look after your girlfriend. You in the meanwhile, need to find a way to Marjorie. The actual cure is within the Program's main lab. You'll need a team of claimants to break in and get it. It looks exactly like this vial I've handed you but larger. I wish I had some on me, but the ingredients are costly and it would take too long to make." 


She tried her best to make herself sound as reassuring as possible, though she wasn't sure if this Loic kid had it in him to go and do this, the Program she was sure was actually looking for Loic... and so in some sense this was like walking into a cave full of starved lions, a trap to be sure if one looked at it that way, however this really was the only way Vetani thought she could help without exposing her own connections to the Program. 

The Shifter stood with confusion in the meanwhile, as an explanation of the Program caused even more of a headache, making him hold his head with a painful snarl, as if a burst of anger was boiling in his mind, and far from his own volition. So many questions popped up in his mind as one of his past lives boiled with recognition. Claimant bio weapons? Why? What piece of scum would have the nerve to think he can toy with other lives like that? Is this why his past memories are flooding in like this? Loic was also visibly horrified what he saw was happening to Amph...To a being who is normally unaffected by the weaponry of mere mortals, the thought of himself possibly facing a worse fate only made him aware of the gravity of the situation, making him grip his head harder, to the point some blood trickled off where his nails pressed.

It was as if they were telling him something...

Once Vetani came to him with a task, Loic rose a hand the moment he drank from the flask, letting out a sigh of relief, while another kept gripping his forehead. "Rrrr--Noo jist haud on, Treasure, me head's fockin' achin' here...First, we ain't even lovers--Second o'all, who's this Marjorie lass? And also, what in the fock is this Progam y'keep talkin' about? Sounds like a buncha downright bastards, alroight, but I got heaps o' questions noo...The first being why th' fock they're doin' this, and why these bampots are still'ere?! Past lives are fumin', mate, so I know this was their business, tha's it, and Ah umnae goin' in blind inta this." Stated the claimant, his voice filled with a mixture of equal parts confusion, as it was with boiling anger. Even his face partially shifted animalistically as he spoke, albeit constantly shifting and not taking any particular shape, often causing faint growls to be heard in the middle of his speech, similar to a guard dog reacting to an intruder. Both clearly felt something incredibly wrong about it all, but held themselves back...Awaiting the word of those they considered above them.

Vetani pursed her lips and internally found herself wondering if her mother ever even bothered to educate her house members. Once he was done speaking she placed her arms against her hips and looked him dead in the eye. 

“Marjorie Torres, female champion of the house of Kinoz. She has been leading the rebellion and extraction – rescue of claimants and Aikekunai alike from the program since she was a little girl. She is currently in Brasilia with another champion called DeVian Desdon. You are to look for a house with a bright yellow tiled roof in the outskirts of the city, near the slums. There you will find a business with a human named Bruno. He will summon Marjorie for you. Tell him you were sent by me.” 

She spoke so quickly and so reverently, one would think she was a mentally ill devote. Once all the words were out she rummaged in her bottomless pockets for her cellular device. 

“I will call her and let you know of her arrival. She will not be so trusting at first. But she is a great mother figure to many of your kind. If you let her help you. You will find your ‘friend’ safe and sound before the week is over.” 

She dialled a number and put it to her ear as Amphitrite sat up suddenly and screamed as though the hounds of the devil were after her. Her muscles spasming before relaxing, only to start another round of torturous attack on the young moon claimant. Vetani, aware that Marjorie would pick up at any second diverted herself out of the room and shut the door behind her.

Marjorie had been knitting, sitting by her husband and drinking a sweet cup of warm coconut laced horchata when her small little pink brick of a phone began to hop across the table, its vibrations always amused her. She waited until the very last second, taking her prop glasses off, putting her needles down and with her non dominant hand, placing it to her opposite ear. So few a times she could be recall being directly contacted by Vetani Desvoy, that she found the urge to speculate what this call could possibly be about. 

“Marjorie?” 

“Vetani, a pleasure.” 

Vetani could hear through the illusion voice, a pretence that made Marjorie look and sound as though she was a mortal woman of ninety-nine. When really, she was as fit as a fiddle and in truth an attractive thirty year old champion who had lived the better half of two hundred years. Bruno, her husband for what it was worth turned his head away and continued to read the day’s sport section like a man would count his gold; sighing and scrutinising every letter and word for some hidden meaning. 

“I have someone in need of your assistance.” 

Those words felt like nuclear bombs and it caused Marjorie to shut her eyes and hum, she allowed herself to nearly sink into the earth – her greatest gift allowing her,  regardless of realm detect where someone or someones were. It was why the program were so anxious, to have her. She sensed the presence of Vetani, whose own energy was as unpredictable as a ball of writhing cobras. An Aikekunai was standing in a room nearby, another in terrible pain and the presence of Florita and Eviax. 

“I presume it is the Aikekunai who is in need of me?”

“Yes, one of Florita’s children.” 

“One of your siblings.” 

“I only share half of my blood with them, can you help him?”

“What is it he needs? Why did he not seek me out himself?”

“He doesn’t even know who it is you are. He brings with him a near-dead claimant who has been shot with what my mother tells me to be a bio weapon. Mass produced by Levei.” 

Marjorie froze, the horchata no longer sweet but bitter tasting on her tongue. She sat up straighter. Vetani knew then she had the attention of the champion. 

“I believe, Levei has sold this technology to the humans. Or at the very least is arming her knights with it.” 

“Why was I not told sooner.”

“I only just arrived. The near-dead one. She’s in need of our help and seeing as the Aikekunai was with her when it happened. Mother insists that you assist us.” 

Vetani has to hold her phone even closer to her ear as Amphitrite seemed to crash onto the floor and attack Eviax. The two wrestled, one in utter agony and the other attempting to soothe and coax (much to the annoyance of the first who was drooling at the mouth and screaming murder). It had not occurred to either Eviax nor Florita that the thing that was currently controlling Amphitrite; had detected Eviax’s element and was now attempting to jump host. 

“By all that is good about death itself.” 

Vetani hung up on Marjorie and stormed back into the room as great strong vines of green, brown and black rocketed through the floors and onto the howling claimant. Eviax; free of Amphitrite watched in some amount of horror as Florita bundled the compelled claimant in vines upon vines until no limbs could move and no sound could be heard.

“Loic, Brazil now. I will deal with this. You must go and you must tell Marjorie what it is you know and pray she has the resources to save your friend.” Florita commanded breathlessly. 

Marjorie had sent Bruno to bed early, stating that she would take charge of the business that night. Bruno, relieved and somewhat amused that he would be having a night off, decided he would spend it watching television of their black-white set and betting innocently on some poker match he had stumbled across. Marjorie herself stood in the kitchen and made batch upon batch of hot Churros, Prego, Castanhas Assadas and Pastel de nana. Handing out steaming plates to those who waited in queue with empty clean bowls, stomachs growling and looks of pure anticipation on their worn exhausted faces. 

Vetani had not done her the curtesy of describing what this Aikekunai looked like, nor what house he was in, or for that matter what he would be doing to arrive. She had watched the tap nervously – wondering if they would materialise in her sink, or perhaps the flames of the stove, or the metal cutlery in her drawers. Perhaps she should have her sons guard the perimeter of the house so that if and when this Aikekunai showed up, they would be ready….

It was Bruno who had first noticed things were off, he had been going to the bathroom when he noticed that their family’s fig tree seemed to have split in two and was growing into a doorway, he knew that his wife did occasionally do work for people who he had never seen and apparently could not ask about. He shouted in alarm. 

“Marjorie! THERE’S SOMEONE HERE.” 

His wife, his beautiful thirty year old looking wife (She was actually far older than he was, just that her appearance lied) rushed towards his direction as he pointed shell-shocked at their fig tree… that now looked ordinary. Had he been tricked? Was he finally going insane. He shut his mouth and wondered if Marjorie was annoyed for his sudden interruption. 

“What did you see.” 

“Our tree, it became a door and–“

“Must be a nature one. Go back to bed dear, I will meet them.” 

His wife turned, not before giving him a kiss on the cheek and summoning her own weapon wordlessly. Many people – including her own sons and adopted daughter DeVian had a habit of thinking that Marjorie was all for the intelligence and not for physical violence; in reality the champion of the house of Earth was more than capable of violence. She just chose mercy and words most of the time. It had been nearly a decade since Bruno had last seen the earthen Falarica emerge from the ground as though digging itself out of a grave, it was simplistic but hummed with power that suggested it would if necessary pierce an opponent not only once, but many times to the point of leaving the victim akin to a sea sponge, another point of marked difference was unlike the tradition of including an incendiary projectile on its tip; the weapon instead relied on the use of dust  and sand to act as a natural barrier and weapon against those who thought they could beat her by maintaining a certain distance. 

Bruno decided hiding under the bed would be the most worthwhile shelter whilst his wife walked the short distance to the front door in a defensive position. 

“Announce yourself and your intentions.”  Marjorie demanded. 

The claimant would seem to regain his regular, shaggy form once the explaining had begun, before swiftly swinging his wild locks of hair backwards, taking deep breath, his hazel eyes radiating with power as his purpose had been made clear.

"Aye, right now tha's better.", said the brutish fellow, his hazels following Vetani as she closed the door, only for him to be alerted by Amph's mad screeching, to which he approached closer with a sigh. Until suddenly, she leaped onto Eviax like mad hound, to which he immediately rushedto the mad, drooling claimant. His arms immediately extended and shifted in body and weight, dark fur bursting out as the forearms expanded greatly as well as the shoulders. With the arms of a great ape, he attempted to slide his hands under her arms to hold her up.

"Lass! LASS! Fockin' rocket, wha's got to ya!" just in time for Vetani to hold her with her vines, letting go to give Florita the time to wrap the lass up. The moon claimant was now nothing more than a writhing, muffled body bag of nature. His knuckles were practically touching the floor, in spite the rest of his body standing upright and proper, before they then retracted back into their original state.

"Pure boggin' tha' was...", Loic spoke breathily, sighing once he could finally catch a break in this chaos, only to then be given the directions needed, immediately heading into the portal created, and pulling the enormous, old leather travelling rucksack straight over his back.

With a chuckle, his body shrunk as his door opened, taking the form of a burrowing owl before gliding off into obscurity. As he hid in a nearby bush, the white-brown avian guise served him well. His bright yellow eyes would soon spy a man shouting for a name all too familiar, before he would then skedaddle on his long, little legs.

"HoooOOOOOT!"

Loic, still in the form of an own, strained his avian body to announce himself at the front, loudly even, like it were a hunting horn before then scurrying off to be able to transform safely. The same old blending-in garb was upon him, leather pants, old shirt and all, as he calmly approached from the left.

"Name's Loic MacIrvine, ol' mate Vetani sent me. Marjorie, innit? No need for us skelpin' each other noo.", said the claimant, maintaining a distance as he presented both of his palms exposed, only calmly swaying his legs from right to left, his lips sinking slightly downwards as he eyes the earthen weapon, humming as his bottom lip moved from one side to another, nodding on with an audible hum. As if in rhythm with the weapon, he too seemed to pulse with a power of his own, only seen slightly in his green-flecked eyes, like the heartbeat of wilderness.

Then, once the weapon was sheathed, he would extend a hand, readily showing his pronounced fangs with a smile as he merely waited. If his lips travelled eeven slightly upwards, the idiot would have almost resembled a grinning ape. So this was the champion with the knowhow of this mess? She sure looked the part, and could feel the scent of earth all over as he took a deep breath while their hands shook.

“So it is you who Vetani spoke on the phone. Pleasure.” 

Majorie lowered her weapon and decided to use it as furniture, just how much did Vetani disclose about her? Gesturing for him to come inside she kept her weapon close to her side as she examined him closely. It felt like she had walked into a boreal forest, no doubt Florita had chosen to impart on this Aikekunai a unique scent; one she supposed was not like the other male individuals in his house… what with smelling like Oregano. 

“My name is Marjorie Torres. I am as you have likely surmised, the champion and defacto leader of my house. Seeing as Flori is indisposed and utterly obsessed with murdering mother nature.” 

She listened to him speak and nodded approvingly, it seemed this ‘Loic’ was completely out of his depth here… granted anyone would be if they were being shipped to the hells-cape that was The Program’s main facilities. Marjorie almost took pity on him, she would have consoled if he were weaker; but something told her he would not go down without a fight. 

“You’ll be transported to the outskirts of the current whereabouts of the program with one other. A former and highly wanted Moon claimant. His name is Zackery Lun however the neurological damage  caused by the scientists have led him to believe his name is Dack.” 

Dackery or Dack for short, was in all meanings of the word a giant clueless child with a talent for causing problems with his large size and insatiable need to cushion or rather swallow up in his flesh anything with a pulse that was unarmed or holding food. Rescued around the same time as other highly valued assets, Dack was left quite literally to fend for himself after being separated from his comrades.   Nowadays the claimant lives under the constant supervision of Luis and Nivan (Both claimants who escaped at the same time as Dack). 

“He is simple minded but if you allow him to act as a physical barrier. He will be most inclined to help.” She folded her arms over her chest. 

As though the ground beneath them was shaking, a large sumo sizes male came stomping egregiously slow towards the yellow bricked building. Marjorie winced as Dack unknowingly trodded on her roses. Roses could be repaired and replaced she supposed. The giant male knocked on the window, ducking his head and giving Majorie and innocent smile. 

“Hello Dack. Your new friend will be out in a moment. Remember, you are to keep the paths blocked for him so he can do his job.” 

Dack entered before he half stomped, half waddled his way towards a seat and Marjorie winced when the furniture seemed to creak under the strain of his weight. There was only one other person who would be accompanying the unlikely duo. The sound of an engine running, a helmet being removed and high heels clicking told the Kinoz champion that the last of the trio would be arriving and making her presence known in just a second–

“HELLO.” 

Her voice was loud enough to wake the dead, but not quite. A tiny fair boned woman who looked both confusingly Japanese and Scandinavian at the same time waved and approached with her two war hammers. She looked excited and exhausted, feisty and annoying…. There were lots of words to describe her. 

“This is Verin Noba, she will be your escort. As the realm you will be venturing in belongs to her house.” 

“We’re also going to be breaking a lot of people out with us. I’m told you’re replacing the water kid that was meant to be coming along. You’re on a personal mission no?”

Marjorie preferred the middle of the three Noba sisters, precisely because Verin once she started speaking, did not know how to shut up. Pursing her lips and looking to the ceiling for deliverance. Marjorie told herself that she could just send Verin home and get someone else to come to her last minute. 

“WHOSE ready to go?” Verin said out loud. Dack did not respond, he was embarrassed that his weight had, as Marjorie knew it would… ruin her couch. 

Verin gestured to the dirt floor below her, though nearly invisible to the naked eye, Verin could see her shadow widening and taking the form of a doorway; she loved the darkness of the night but she especially loved the fact she could rely on her shadow to do what she needed: be it doorway to the Vortex or otherwise. Once the door was sufficiently large to be able to take on Dackery’s mass, Verin waved her hand… a set of stone stairs lifted from nowhere and nothing but shadows… the sound of carnival songs and deranged screaming came from the staircase.

“Word of advice, stay close and don’t try to create any light. If you do, I won’t be held responsible if you’re torn limb from limb by the forces that protect my realm. Got it?”  

She threw her plastic ball at the ceiling, it made a satisfying ‘thwack’ every time she managed to hit the very edge of the neon globe that acted as her only source of light in this forsaken place. Winifred threw it again, her stomach was growling and she could hear the Void asking her to swallow up the entire place and spit nothing and no one out. 

“I am so bored!” 

“Perhaps you should be less bored.” 

She sat up and looked around her empty room as a set of stairs seem to collapse the floor beneath her, and a tiny woman whose head she could not really see – Verin wore a veil when travelling through the Vortex. What appeared to be someone who could only be compared to that fat round creature in that game that people slept on… what was it called? It started with the letter ’S’. Last but not least someone that Winifred was sure would be trouble. 

“What the fuck.” 

“Shut up. We’re here to rescue you. Here to rescue a lot of people actually. Dack, go find the nearest big doorway to block please.” 

The behemoth of a man left the illusion staircase and stomped quite literally into the wall, causing the wall to collapse and Winifred to open her mouth in shock; why she had never seen another claimant just disregard the door and walk through it. She shook her head as the tiny woman offered her, her hand. There were shouts and what had to be an alarm going off, the actual building itself was sterile white with less than efficient light globes that were coloured slightly off-white, the hallways were for the most part identical, a part from the occasional signage that screamed 'do not run' and other little tidbits... it felt like a hospital but not the kind you walked out of healed. Winifred like every other inmate or experiment was dressed just like the rest, in hideous cream jumpsuits and socks, Verin noticed that the girl's right big toe was poking out of her worn socks. Dackery pleased to be back in a place that he hated with all his being continued to stomp through walls and cause claimants to shout left and right, Dackery would continue his effective stampede of damage, swallowing up in his flesh like stomach anything that came across (not to eat them, but to protect them in a prison that would release them just as soon as he was back in the human realm with Marjorie). 

“Come on, you first and then the others. Desdon right?”

“Y-yes, what the fuck who the fuck are you.” 

“I’m your saviour, so is he. So is the guy who just walked through the wall. Help me run around and get the others.” 

Verin looked at this nature claimant she had learnt was named Loic, she gave him a smile. 

"Good luck, we'll be out of here as soon as Dackery finds the list of people that Marjorie wants out of here and anyone else whose smart enough to know this place is a hell hole."