Hybridization

Chapter 147 – Ope, ‘Scuse Me

Chapter 147 – Ope, ‘Scuse Me

“They say imitation is the highest form of flattery.” – Kurt to Val after seeing the other ‘kitsune’

Kurt and company were walking along a path that ran on the west bank of the Grand River. It was part of a park that was used for several local events every year and in general was considered part of the Ford Museum.

“So, are there rapids?” Val asked while leaning on a railing and looking down into the water.

Kurt was standing next to her, looking at his phone. “Apparently once upon a time there were. They put in those dams to control the flow, and it ended up getting rid of the rapids and occasional flooding.”

“Oh, how did that work out for them?” Kristi asked from his other side as she watched a fountain and the kids playing around it.

“Not so great one year. Look at this.” Kurt showed them the picture on his phone that he had finally found. It was taken from inside a building and looking out through the window at the water which was three feet higher than street level. Along the glass, clearly back lit by the sun shining through the murky water was a fish happily swimming along the sidewalk.

“Haha, that’s so cool!” Val looked from the picture to the buildings along the river. “I wonder where that was taken?”

 “Don’t know but there were a few like this in 2013 from some pretty wild flooding.” Kurt put his phone away and they walked along the path to the front of the museum. They had debated going in but decided against it since they would rather walk around than visit somewhere indoors with the nice weather.

They crossed over the foot bridge and went along a few of the more popular areas and milled around for a while. They also walked around the meeting place, part of the public library, and scoped it out. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much to do in the city that didn’t involve some preplanning, so they quickly ran out of ideas and began the walk back to the hotel.

Kristi suddenly perked up. “Is this city pretty open about paras?” She asked.

“Not that I remember but maybe things have changed. This area was always pretty liberal.” Kurt answered, having stayed out of cities as much as possible even before the veil broke. “Why do you ask?”

Gesturing with her elbow, Kristi indicated a group of people standing around outside a bar. “There is a kitsune girl over there with her tail and ears out.”

Kurt turned and looked, immediately seeing the person in question. He also scented the wind which was blowing from that direction. Mixed in with the smell of cheap beer and cigarettes was not the smell of a kitsune.

“Umm, Kristi, I hate to break it to you but that is neither a kitsune nor a girl.” Kurt flushed a little as he said that, the tips of his ears warming and turning pink.

“It’s not?” Kristi asked, surprised. “Then what is with the tail?”

“Ah, umm…”

Val chose that moment to add her two cents to the conversation while suppressing a chuckle. “That would be a plug.”

Kristi looked again, squinting a little to try and see better. “A plug? Like an electrical plug?”

“Kinda.” Val was doing an admirable job of not laughing. “Except it’s just for show and it plugs into them.”

“Where would you plug… oooh, oh gods!” Kristi suddenly realized what she was looking at and averted her eyes to lock them firmly back on the sidewalk until they were well away from the group.

Kurt and Val did their best but, in the end, failed to hold back their laughter. Kristi ended up joining them and commented on it being a ‘weird earthling’ thing. They then proceeded to regale her with other kinky things that people on this world did.

They were so engrossed in their conversation that Kurt bumped right into someone as his group turned a corner on a narrow sidewalk. Kurt immediately backed away from what looked like two couples.

“Ope! Sorry! I’m a scoot past ya.” Kurt said, immediately reverting to his northern Midwest accent.

The shorter man he bumped into straightened his clothes and grumbled as he walked away. “Damnable fools. Be cognizant of your environment.”

Kurt frowned at the strange wording but recognized that most weren’t human just based on smell. He felt a gaze on him and looked up to the last member of the other group. She was a very tall woman at the back of the group who was looking at him with a wide eyed expression and he could see her pupils dilate. Then, in a flash, their groups passed and they went down the hill they had just come up.

“Who were they?” Val asked a few steps later.

“No idea.” Kurt shook his head. “Not human but they appeared close enough.”

“I got a weird feeling from the guy in the back of the group standing in front of his girl.” Kristi admitted before glancing over her shoulder.

Stopping at the crosswalk they looked at Kristi and Kurt pressed her for more. “Weird how? Can you describe the feeling?” He switched to the implant, sensing that this wasn’t a topic to be discussed in the open where they might be overheard.

Kristi replied in kind, broadcasting to both of them. “It’s strange. I felt a pull or an urge. Like hunger? No, that’s not right.” She paused and scratched at her forearm while she thought. “I got the feeling that he had something I wanted… Ah! It’s hard to explain.”

“It’s ok, take your time.” Val insisted while putting a reassuring hand on hers before just holding it as they crossed the street.

Taking a few minutes, Kristi arranged her thoughts. “I guess it would be like a breeze that blows at your back on the journey home. It’s pushing you along but not enough to really do anything. It inspires you to move toward it but can’t force you.”

“Was it a push or pull?” Val asked, completely bewildering Kurt with the seemingly random question.

“Pull, I guess. Or maybe like a magnet? It was the feeling that he was the same but different, but I could be stronger.” Kristi answered.

They spent a few more minutes talking about it until it became obvious they weren’t getting any more information. While they were curious, they were also cautions. This wasn’t their normal territory and there were a lot of unknowns in a city so much larger than theirs.

Upon their return to the hotel, they passed Jade’s pack headed out for their tour around the city and pointedly ignored them. They met up with Penny in the restaurant in the hotel for lunch and filled her in on what they were up to. She also caught them up on what was going on back home along with her activities that day.

Kurt wasn’t surprised to hear that their manager had spent a good portion of the day lounging around in a robe while working on her laptop and texting Jamie. She then spent a little time in the spa attached to the gym and tried to relax before they returned.

After lunch they returned to the rooms to go over a map and make some plans for several instances if things went south in a bad way. After that was done, they just kicked back on the bed and watched a movie on the TV until it was time to get dinner then head out to the meeting.

*****

Rindi felt like she was about to have a heart attack. That man they bumped into was…

She didn’t know how to describe it but now knew what her mother meant about knowing the souls of men. Her other half wanted to slink away into the shadows and try to avoid the attention of such a hunter. She shivered as she looked back over her shoulder like he was about to round the corner again. She fought to recall that brief moment to the best of her ability.

When their eyes had met, she knew in an instant that he had a powerful soul. She also knew that power had come with an ocean’s worth of sorrow and pain. He had been formed in the crucible of war and suffering on more than a few occasions.

He was unlike her previous masters who, despite being accomplished fighters, were no warriors. Their souls had a more pragmatic flavor that failed to spark any interest.

It was like comparing someone who was good at something and thus did it for a living to someone who lived and breathed it to survive. His soul had a feral and wild edge to it which barely restrained an unimaginable amount of violence and devastation. But the duality of man ever being the case, that restraint came from… duty? No, a desire to-to… And she lost it as they passed.

“Catch up, you useless half breed.” Manto sneered over his shoulder.

Rindi cursed to herself before lengthening her stride to catch up with the group. It wasn’t hard to do since she was by far the tallest of them. As she closed in, she heard the conversation going on between the others.

“…Like the blond. Something about her irks me.” Manto said, apparently having paused in his conversation to yell at her.

“We could always go deal with them. We are due compensation for the insult of him treading on me.” Garik mused while casting a glance back the way they came.

“Master, I don’t think that is a legal practice on this world. They don’t take kindly to the bold and strong like you.” Tanska cooed.

Rindi wanted to gag at the blatant manipulation going on but choked it back as Garik turned to her. “Is this true?”

“Yes, master.” She answered immediately. Her being the only one to read the information pamphlet was coming back to bite her. “That is considered an unwarranted assault in this world.”

“See, master?” Tanska combed her fingers though his hair. “Besides, we have an appointment to keep with our local contact. The sooner we complete the job, the sooner you get your payday.”  

Rindi tried not to roll her eyes. Apparently, Garik was blind to even the basest manipulation and he eagerly agreed to her words. But credit where it was due, Tanska was keeping a level head in navigating this strange world.

Their trip to the ‘hotel’ had been… interesting. They hadn’t realized what half the amenities were since their world’s version looked very different. The real challenge had been food. Ordering from sprawling menu’s was not common on the world of Askenet. That being said, they quickly discovered the ‘buffet’ style restaurants and had taken to those with a will.

Money had been an interesting conundrum too since the notes used were the larger value than metal coins. Even stranger had been when they saw someone pay with a small card by tapping it on one of the ubiquitous machines.

“For as much as this world has been annoyingly complex, I must complement the city layouts and their building.” Garik said while looking up at a massive building with a completely glass exterior. “Road running mostly straight, clean streets, everything is labeled. I dare say some other realms could learn from this.”

“While I very much doubt that this is the standard for this world, I hear Verdant has a similar styling and even greater… what did they call it?” Manto said. “Ah, technology. That’s the term for all their little machines and infrastructure.”

“I do like their lighting.” Garik agreed. “Controlling so many lights with the flip of a switch and not needing to shutter lanterns or otherwise cover the light-stones. Even the variety of lights, big and small, bright and dim. They even have different colors.” He pointed to one of the yellow boxes that held three different color lights and seemed to control carriage traffic on the street.

“I believe we have arrived.” Manto said while pointing at a sign across the street. “We were to meet our contact near that building.”

Another thing that Rindi disliked about the situation, this ‘contact’. They had yet to meet the person who was supposed to provide information on their target. All they had was a name, that was likely fake, and one of those phone numbers to contact him. Everything thus far had been so strange, keeping them off balance in the unfamiliar society.

She was getting the feeling that they were being used. Like they were an expendable asset that could just as easily be betrayed as it could be used. Naturally she didn’t share this with the others who were so sure of themselves.

They passed by a bronze statue of a woman then entered the green space that separated them from the meeting spot. She could see masses of people milling around in the small open area and children running around the small grassy hills that supported trees that were still bare from the winter. Their group passed through quickly and then took up residence on a table to wait for their contact.

“Alright, we are looking for a tall, blond guy wearing tan trousers and a blue tunic or shirt. I think he called it a windbreaker?” Garik said.

Rindi settled into her spot at the table for a long wait. She amused herself with the thought that the only windbreaker she could see was the rather flatulent lesser angel.

*****

“What have you been able to see?” Jay asked Surath.

The old goblin diviner stood and stretched. After sitting on a pillow for so long it was a wonder that her joints didn’t creak and pop. “In which place, sir? I have viewed both and done rituals several times over the past few days. Multiple types too.”

“Start with our building in Petoskey and the goings on there.” Jay eventually picked one.

Surath nodded then walked over to the seating area Jay was at, hopping up on the chair and accepting a cup of tea from him. “That one seems to remain the same, though with more detail. You once told me that a wizard had done some divining in that region?”

Jay nodded. “One of Kurt’s associates.”

“Hm, yes, that explains the turbulence I saw during the sweat.” Surath paused to sip her tea. She was referencing one of the many rituals she was capable of performing to try and divine the future or distant events.

“Did the bones tell you anything new?” Jay asked.

“They did indeed.” Surath smacked her lips after taking a long sip of the herbal tea. “While the bones do not present an image, they do present hard data.”

She set the cup down and retrieved the notebook she had been scribbling in. “We have seen that there will be a confrontation during the astral projection, the sweat, and through the dreamscape but it was always unclear as to the type. Now we know that there will be physical violence, but it will be one sided.”

“Perpetrated by?”

“Us, dear.” Surath laughed. “The other thing I know is that it will be at night while everyone is unaware. Things will appear normal in the light of day, and most will be none the wiser of the severing of strings, as the Greeks were fond of saying.”

“How did you get the day and night thing?” Jay asked. He had seen the throwing of bones before but never understood how it worked. It was even more archaic and open to interpretation than tarot in his opinion.

“Because the death runes are on the bottom but the bones land in a way that the rune can still be seen.” She answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Jay fought the urge to roll his eyes. “Ah, of course. What of Kurt?”

It was then that the easy smile the goblin seer had been wearing vanished, replaced by a scowl. “Seeing anything with that boy around is nearly impossible. I even tried his companions and got nothing but a jumbled mess.” She hiked her thumb to her ceremonial rug where the knuckle bones were scattered suspiciously evenly.

“Every opportunity has equal probability of happening or not happening. Fate seems to be twisted enough that I can’t even see if there are other people involved past that… what did you call it?”

“Parliament. The Paranormal Parliament.” Jay answered while leaning in and resting his elbows on his knees.

Surath nodded. “Right, them. I have seen them up until they meet with Kurt.”

“And what then?”

“Just a jumble of nonsense. Too many people in too small an area that I am trying to see.” Surath once again cast a baleful gaze to her various diving instruments.

Jay paused, an idea coming to him. “What about after?”

The goblin smiled. “Ahh, ever so perceptive, you daemons. Yes, what about after?” She repeated before taking up her teacup again and having another long sip. “Well, that’s the strange thing. I can’t tell about the counc-Parliament but I can see what I think is him and the others.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, what is most curious is how I see them. The only view I have gotten of the time after this event was during the sweat. I was able to see their souls or what the spirits tell me are their souls, I haven’t actually seen one in person.

The reason I think they are souls is because the body is a hazy vague shape while its core is clear and vibrant. I saw the four hybrids, their multi-part lineage distinctly shown.”

Jay did some very easy mental math. “Penny, Kurt, Val and Kristi.”

“Indeed, that is my assumption. Of course, I see nothing during the Parliment but I do see after.” Surath finished her tea and set the cup on the table. “The interesting thing is that while I saw four walking up to the mess of fate that is the meeting, I saw five walking away.”

“Five?” Jay was confused. He didn’t think that it would be Jade, her soul was a mimicry of Kurts, in theory, so it wouldn’t be too distinct.

“Five hybrid souls.”  Surath confirmed. “Two of which were linked by a chain.”

Jay sat back and considered that for a while, propping his chin on his fist. A chain linking two of them? That was pretty obvious to interpret but… but these visions were always open to just that, interpretation.

“Well, if that is the best I am going to get, I will take it.” Jay sighed. “Is there any advice you can give besides, be ready and trust my agents?”

“Not really.” Surath shrugged. “After seeing that boy in action I have a feeling you don’t need to worry about much.”

Jay snorted. “That’s reassuring at least.” He sighed and sat back on the couch. “While I am here, is there anything I can do for you?”

Surath smiled, baring sharp teeth while her large ears perked up. “Since you offered, can you tell that stuck-up nephew of mine to at least call once in a while? His parents worry and look to me to stay in touch with him.”

Laughing, Jay nodded. “Sure, I will tell Feraz to visit after this debacle.”

“Great, tell him to bring his pet too. That poor fox doesn’t get enough love and attention from him.”