Actions Have Consequences

[superkamiguy1]

The second match of the Seikai Taikai Tryouts was over. Sam had left the treacherous Devon Lee gasping on the mat 3-1. Even with the cheating bribed ref in their corner this was all a Cobra would ever amount to. Sam bowed and walked off the mat to the cheering embraces of the Miyagi-Fang Students and her loving father. "You did it, Sam, I knew it! I knew you could do it honey! Great job!" Daniel complimented his daughter among the sea of compliments she was receiving from the rest of the dojo.

"Thanks Dad! I love you!"

"I love you, Sam!" He declared.

Anthony descended the stairs to hug his sister but was interrupted by Kenny calling over to them. "Ewwww gross! You actually want to touch that shit-eater?!" He taunted.
Sam looked up at the pained look on her brother's face and back at the psychotic snake. "What's he talking about?"

"Go on, Lapusso you shithead, go on and tell her!" Kenny taunted again.

"Damn man! We can smell you from here! Take a shower once in a while!" Kyler added with a laugh.

Anthony just kept his head down and sat down next to Hawk.

"Yeah that's right, sit down you pussy!" Kenny called again. The Cobras laughed as Terry signaled to the ref.

"Ah, yes, uh, seeing as how we have a tie for a tie, we believe that the best way to handle this and see who is truly worthy to enter Seikai Taikai would be to have one more match to determine the true champion! Will Samantha Larusso and Kenny Payne please step onto the mat!"

"Sam! Sam wait!" Hawk coughed and descended down to her level to whisper in her ear. "Solar Plexus Punch. Takes you breath away. Watch out."

She nodded and rubbed his back. "Get your rest." She told him and after one last look up at Anthony who was choking back a sob she walked to the mat.

"Get in there and annihilate her. Destroy her. Make her suffer. No Mercy." Silver informed Kenny.

"No problem." Kenny replied with a smile and ran up to the mat.

"Hey there, Laslutto, you ready to eat shit like your loser brother?" Kenny taunted her.

"What did you do?" She asked coldly.

"Speak up."

"What did you do to my brother?".

"Sheeesh! It wasn't even a big deal! I don't know what he's so sad about! I mean, all we did was a little shit swirly. It was harmless fun! God, don't get your panties in a twist!" Kenny laughed good naturedly and slapped her arm...and then he paused as he saw the look in her eyes. It was a look that told him that Samantha Larusso wasn't home anymore. She wasn't there on the mat.

She was relieving every horrible thing that Cobra Kai had done to her and her family. Trashing the dojo, the school fight, Tory trying to kill her, the aftermath, the arcade fight, the home invasion, Tory trying to kill her, Hawk being jumped by the Cobras despite the alleged ceasefire, the prom fight, her failure at the tournament, all of it, all of it, all of it, replaying on a loop with the pain from her family playing on a loop in her mind and Kenny's confession echoing in her mind. She looked back at Anthony who was keeping his head down and hiding his sobs. At her mother comforting him. At Hawk trying to do the same despite his current condition and then she looked back at the Cobras, the sociopathic monsters, all of them laughing at it. Her rage began to boil over and threaten to wash over her like a tidal wave but...she tempered it. Just barely but she held it off and brought it down to a light wave that washed over her feet and then died down to tranquil water that she stood upon as her rage died down to a dead calm.

She took a deep breath in and slooowly blew it out as she came back to reality. She wanted to rip him apart. She wanted to pound his face into a bloody mess. She wanted to absolutely brutalize the little sociopath right in front of his dumbass friends and his worthless peace of shit Sensei's....but she calmed herself. She wasn't like them. She wasn't a rabid animal. She wasn't a psychotic monster. She wasn't a cruel heartless monster like Kreese or Silver or that new bitch. She was Miyagi-Do. Now and forever and rage and hatred and brutality was not their way. She was going to discipline the little shit without a doubt...but she wouldn't stoop to their levels. She was not Tory or Kyler or Kenny or Kreese or Silver. 

She was Samantha Motherfucking Larusso, The Bonsai Badass Of Miyagi-Do, and nothing would ever change that. 



Her rage quelled, her anger rolled over into a state of tranquility and she raised her fists up as the giggling moron took his position.

"BEGIN!" 

[superkamiguy1]

Aug 2, 2024 22:14:43 GMT superkamiguy1 said:

The second match of the Seikai Taikai Tryouts was over. Sam had left the treacherous Devon Lee gasping on the mat 3-1. Even with the cheating bribed ref in their corner this was all a Cobra would ever amount to. Sam bowed and walked off the mat to the cheering embraces of the Miyagi-Fang Students and her loving father. "You did it, Sam, I knew it! I knew you could do it honey! Great job!" Daniel complimented his daughter among the sea of compliments she was receiving from the rest of the dojo.

"Thanks Dad! I love you!"

"I love you, Sam!" He declared.

Anthony descended the stairs to hug his sister but was interrupted by Kenny calling over to them. "Ewwww gross! You actually want to touch that shit-eater?!" He taunted.
Sam looked up at the pained look on her brother's face and back at the psychotic snake. "What's he talking about?"

"Go on, Lapusso you shithead, go on and tell her!" Kenny taunted again.

"Damn man! We can smell you from here! Take a shower once in a while!" Kyler added with a laugh.

Anthony just kept his head down and sat down next to Hawk.

"Yeah that's right, sit down you pussy!" Kenny called again. The Cobras laughed as Terry signaled to the ref.

"Ah, yes, uh, seeing as how we have a tie for a tie, we believe that the best way to handle this and see who is truly worthy to enter Seikai Taikai would be to have one more match to determine the true champion! Will Samantha Larusso and Kenny Payne please step onto the mat!"

"Sam! Sam wait!" Hawk coughed and descended down to her level to whisper in her ear. "Solar Plexus Punch. Takes you breath away. Watch out."

She nodded and rubbed his back. "Get your rest." She told him and after one last look up at Anthony who was choking back a sob she walked to the mat.

"Get in there and annihilate her. Destroy her. Make her suffer. No Mercy." Silver informed Kenny.

"No problem." Kenny replied with a smile and ran up to the mat.

"Hey there, Laslutto, you ready to eat shit like your loser brother?" Kenny taunted her.

"What did you do?" She asked coldly.

"Speak up."

"What did you do to my brother?".

"Sheeesh! It wasn't even a big deal! I don't know what he's so sad about! I mean, all we did was a little shit swirly. It was harmless fun! God, don't get your panties in a twist!" Kenny laughed good naturedly and slapped her arm...and then he paused as he saw the look in her eyes. It was a look that told him that Samantha Larusso wasn't home anymore. She wasn't there on the mat.

She was relieving every horrible thing that Cobra Kai had done to her and her family. Trashing the dojo, the school fight, Tory trying to kill her, the aftermath, the arcade fight, the home invasion, Tory trying to kill her, Hawk being jumped by the Cobras despite the alleged ceasefire, the prom fight, her failure at the tournament, all of it, all of it, all of it, replaying on a loop with the pain from her family playing on a loop in her mind and Kenny's confession echoing in her mind. She looked back at Anthony who was keeping his head down and hiding his sobs. At her mother comforting him. At Hawk trying to do the same despite his current condition and then she looked back at the Cobras, the sociopathic monsters, all of them laughing at it. Her rage began to boil over and threaten to wash over her like a tidal wave but...she tempered it. Just barely but she held it off and brought it down to a light wave that washed over her feet and then died down to tranquil water that she stood upon as her rage died down to a dead calm.

She took a deep breath in and slooowly blew it out as she came back to reality. She wanted to rip him apart. She wanted to pound his face into a bloody mess. She wanted to absolutely brutalize the little sociopath right in front of his dumbass friends and his worthless peace of shit Sensei's....but she calmed herself. She wasn't like them. She wasn't a rabid animal. She wasn't a psychotic monster. She wasn't a cruel heartless monster like Kreese or Silver or that new bitch. She was Miyagi-Do. Now and forever and rage and hatred and brutality was not their way. She was going to discipline the little shit without a doubt...but she wouldn't stoop to their levels. She was not Tory or Kyler or Kenny or Kreese or Silver. 

She was Samantha Motherfucking Larusso, The Bonsai Badass Of Miyagi-Do, and nothing would ever change that. 



Her rage quelled, her anger rolled over into a state of tranquility and she raised her fists up as the giggling moron took his position.

"BEGIN!" 

BONSAI BREATHING! FIRST FORM: ROOTED FOUNDATION! 

Kenny went on the attack but Samantha easily blocked and deflected his attacks before she suddenly shifted to the side, grabbed his wrist, twisted his arm and cracked him across the face! Her free hand exploded across his face like a bullet and she released as Kenny stumbled to the side and then he fell down to his knees.

"BACK UP! BACK UP! NO POINT SCORED!"

Samantha shot the obviously corrupted ref a dirty look but said nothing as she backed away. (One point.)

"Payne? Payne are you alright? Can you continue?"

Kenny gingerly raised a hand to his cheek and rubbed it. (Holy shit what just hit me? I-I didn't even see that coming? What the hell?! This is supposed to be easy! Ow ow ow owwwwww!) He winced at the pain but dragged himself to his feet and nodded at the ref. "I-I'm fine...I'm fine...just...just a lucky shot that's all. I was just caught off guard."

The Ref looked over at Silver who nodded slightly and the Ref backed off. "Take your positions!" Sam and Kenny both did as The Ref ordered and took their positions again as Kenny snarled at her while Samantha remained calm and stone cold.

"BEGIN!"

Kenny screamed in rage and went on the attack but Samantha just dodged and weaved around his wild attacks while deflecting his attacks when she had to. He wasn't showing her anything she hadn't seen before from the other snakes. Miguel, Robby, Hawk, Tory, Kyler...she'd seen all of the best of them in action and Kenny wasn't showing her anything new. He tried a series of straight punches but Samantha trivially deflected them aside. He tried to switch in kicks but Samantha defended against a few of them before she pushed his leg down, grabbed it, stepped in and drove her right fist directly into his nose! It landed with a satisfying crunch and she threw him to the mat as Kenny rolled on the floor holding his nose. (Two points.)

Once again though the corrupted ref immediately declared no point despite the clear impact and ushered for Samantha to back off while giving Kenny plenty of room to recover despite giving Hawk no time at all when Kenny cheapshotted him earlier in the tryouts. The cheating and coddling for the snakes was laughably obvious. Regardless Samantha did as she was asked and waited until Kenny eventually got off his duff and got back on his feet. He took a few breaths until he caught it and then he lowered his hands and raised his fists again.

The 3rd Round began and Kenny slid his foot forward, placed one hand over the other and slowly brought it back while Samantha just waited. She could already tell what he was planning. The same cheapshot shit that knocked the wind out of Hawk. Unfortunately for Kenny that move was a one-hit wonder. She'd already seen through it and had devised a countermove just from watching him wind it up. She gestured for him to bring it on. The pair of them stared each other down for a moment before Kenny let out a loud kiai and lashed out at her. Samantha kept her eye on his fist the entire time and then at the right moment she suddenly dodged to his side, brushed aside his fist and kicked him in the gut! Kenny whiffed his Five-Finger Death Punch completely while Samantha knocked the wind out of him in her own way! She lowered her leg and slid around him as Kenny collapsed to the mat coughing and holding his stomach. (Three points. If anybody with integrity was reffing this match I'd have won by now. But this guy's an idiot sooooo we'll just keep going until he gets his head on straight.)

Kenny lay on the mat desperately sucking in air as he held his stomach. Once again the Ref blindly ruled it as a 'No Pointer' while Kenny was given the freedom to recover. Samantha yawned while she waited. Once he finally got back to his feet Kenny immediately raised his hands up. "Time! Time out! Time out!" He called out and frantically ran back to Sensei Silver for advice while Samantha shrugged and literally danced across the mat back to her own corner. The Cobra Kai Students just stared at this display in disbelief. Dunking on Kenny like this was bad enough but now she was just styling on them!

[superkamiguy1]

Aug 28, 2024 0:23:19 GMT superkamiguy1 said:

Aug 2, 2024 22:14:43 GMT superkamiguy1 said:

The second match of the Seikai Taikai Tryouts was over. Sam had left the treacherous Devon Lee gasping on the mat 3-1. Even with the cheating bribed ref in their corner this was all a Cobra would ever amount to. Sam bowed and walked off the mat to the cheering embraces of the Miyagi-Fang Students and her loving father. "You did it, Sam, I knew it! I knew you could do it honey! Great job!" Daniel complimented his daughter among the sea of compliments she was receiving from the rest of the dojo.

"Thanks Dad! I love you!"

"I love you, Sam!" He declared.

Anthony descended the stairs to hug his sister but was interrupted by Kenny calling over to them. "Ewwww gross! You actually want to touch that shit-eater?!" He taunted.
Sam looked up at the pained look on her brother's face and back at the psychotic snake. "What's he talking about?"

"Go on, Lapusso you shithead, go on and tell her!" Kenny taunted again.

"Damn man! We can smell you from here! Take a shower once in a while!" Kyler added with a laugh.

Anthony just kept his head down and sat down next to Hawk.

"Yeah that's right, sit down you pussy!" Kenny called again. The Cobras laughed as Terry signaled to the ref.

"Ah, yes, uh, seeing as how we have a tie for a tie, we believe that the best way to handle this and see who is truly worthy to enter Seikai Taikai would be to have one more match to determine the true champion! Will Samantha Larusso and Kenny Payne please step onto the mat!"

"Sam! Sam wait!" Hawk coughed and descended down to her level to whisper in her ear. "Solar Plexus Punch. Takes you breath away. Watch out."

She nodded and rubbed his back. "Get your rest." She told him and after one last look up at Anthony who was choking back a sob she walked to the mat.

"Get in there and annihilate her. Destroy her. Make her suffer. No Mercy." Silver informed Kenny.

"No problem." Kenny replied with a smile and ran up to the mat.

"Hey there, Laslutto, you ready to eat shit like your loser brother?" Kenny taunted her.

"What did you do?" She asked coldly.

"Speak up."

"What did you do to my brother?".

"Sheeesh! It wasn't even a big deal! I don't know what he's so sad about! I mean, all we did was a little shit swirly. It was harmless fun! God, don't get your panties in a twist!" Kenny laughed good naturedly and slapped her arm...and then he paused as he saw the look in her eyes. It was a look that told him that Samantha Larusso wasn't home anymore. She wasn't there on the mat.

She was relieving every horrible thing that Cobra Kai had done to her and her family. Trashing the dojo, the school fight, Tory trying to kill her, the aftermath, the arcade fight, the home invasion, Tory trying to kill her, Hawk being jumped by the Cobras despite the alleged ceasefire, the prom fight, her failure at the tournament, all of it, all of it, all of it, replaying on a loop with the pain from her family playing on a loop in her mind and Kenny's confession echoing in her mind. She looked back at Anthony who was keeping his head down and hiding his sobs. At her mother comforting him. At Hawk trying to do the same despite his current condition and then she looked back at the Cobras, the sociopathic monsters, all of them laughing at it. Her rage began to boil over and threaten to wash over her like a tidal wave but...she tempered it. Just barely but she held it off and brought it down to a light wave that washed over her feet and then died down to tranquil water that she stood upon as her rage died down to a dead calm.

She took a deep breath in and slooowly blew it out as she came back to reality. She wanted to rip him apart. She wanted to pound his face into a bloody mess. She wanted to absolutely brutalize the little sociopath right in front of his dumbass friends and his worthless peace of shit Sensei's....but she calmed herself. She wasn't like them. She wasn't a rabid animal. She wasn't a psychotic monster. She wasn't a cruel heartless monster like Kreese or Silver or that new bitch. She was Miyagi-Do. Now and forever and rage and hatred and brutality was not their way. She was going to discipline the little shit without a doubt...but she wouldn't stoop to their levels. She was not Tory or Kyler or Kenny or Kreese or Silver. 

She was Samantha Motherfucking Larusso, The Bonsai Badass Of Miyagi-Do, and nothing would ever change that. 



Her rage quelled, her anger rolled over into a state of tranquility and she raised her fists up as the giggling moron took his position.

"BEGIN!" 

BONSAI BREATHING! FIRST FORM: ROOTED FOUNDATION! 

Kenny went on the attack but Samantha easily blocked and deflected his attacks before she suddenly shifted to the side, grabbed his wrist, twisted his arm and cracked him across the face! Her free hand exploded across his face like a bullet and she released as Kenny stumbled to the side and then he fell down to his knees.

"BACK UP! BACK UP! NO POINT SCORED!"

Samantha shot the obviously corrupted ref a dirty look but said nothing as she backed away. (One point.)

"Payne? Payne are you alright? Can you continue?"

Kenny gingerly raised a hand to his cheek and rubbed it. (Holy shit what just hit me? I-I didn't even see that coming? What the hell?! This is supposed to be easy! Ow ow ow owwwwww!) He winced at the pain but dragged himself to his feet and nodded at the ref. "I-I'm fine...I'm fine...just...just a lucky shot that's all. I was just caught off guard."

The Ref looked over at Silver who nodded slightly and the Ref backed off. "Take your positions!" Sam and Kenny both did as The Ref ordered and took their positions again as Kenny snarled at her while Samantha remained calm and stone cold.

"BEGIN!"

Kenny screamed in rage and went on the attack but Samantha just dodged and weaved around his wild attacks while deflecting his attacks when she had to. He wasn't showing her anything she hadn't seen before from the other snakes. Miguel, Robby, Hawk, Tory, Kyler...she'd seen all of the best of them in action and Kenny wasn't showing her anything new. He tried a series of straight punches but Samantha trivially deflected them aside. He tried to switch in kicks but Samantha defended against a few of them before she pushed his leg down, grabbed it, stepped in and drove her right fist directly into his nose! It landed with a satisfying crunch and she threw him to the mat as Kenny rolled on the floor holding his nose. (Two points.)

Once again though the corrupted ref immediately declared no point despite the clear impact and ushered for Samantha to back off while giving Kenny plenty of room to recover despite giving Hawk no time at all when Kenny cheapshotted him earlier in the tryouts. The cheating and coddling for the snakes was laughably obvious. Regardless Samantha did as she was asked and waited until Kenny eventually got off his duff and got back on his feet. He took a few breaths until he caught it and then he lowered his hands and raised his fists again.

The 3rd Round began and Kenny slid his foot forward, placed one hand over the other and slowly brought it back while Samantha just waited. She could already tell what he was planning. The same cheapshot shit that knocked the wind out of Hawk. Unfortunately for Kenny that move was a one-hit wonder. She'd already seen through it and had devised a countermove just from watching him wind it up. She gestured for him to bring it on. The pair of them stared each other down for a moment before Kenny let out a loud kiai and lashed out at her. Samantha kept her eye on his fist the entire time and then at the right moment she suddenly dodged to his side, brushed aside his fist and kicked him in the gut! Kenny whiffed his Five-Finger Death Punch completely while Samantha knocked the wind out of him in her own way! She lowered her leg and slid around him as Kenny collapsed to the mat coughing and holding his stomach. (Three points. If anybody with integrity was reffing this match I'd have won by now. But this guy's an idiot sooooo we'll just keep going until he gets his head on straight.)

Kenny lay on the mat desperately sucking in air as he held his stomach. Once again the Ref blindly ruled it as a 'No Pointer' while Kenny was given the freedom to recover. Samantha yawned while she waited. Once he finally got back to his feet Kenny immediately raised his hands up. "Time! Time out! Time out!" He called out and frantically ran back to Sensei Silver for advice while Samantha shrugged and literally danced across the mat back to her own corner. The Cobra Kai Students just stared at this display in disbelief. Dunking on Kenny like this was bad enough but now she was just styling on them!

Kenny immediately ran up to Silver sniveling and sniffling like the pathetic spoiled brat he was. "Sen...sen...Sensei. Sensei! Wh-wha...what the hell? What the hell is going on?" He mumbled out. "I thought you had this taken care of!"

"I should be asking you that question. You're getting slaughtered out there! It's just one fighter. One weak little girl. You are Cobra Kai! One of the best fighters I've ever seen with the highest potential in your entire class. Why are you letting her humiliate you like this?"

(...You know, maybe I've been too harsh on Kwon. At least he was never this pathetic.) Kim mused.

"I-I-I....I don't know. Man I'm trying my best out there and she's all over me! I can't get through! If I can't get through then I can't land anything!"

"Stuff that talk. She's just playing head games with you. Catch your breath, relax and then get aggressive. Get into her head, use your speed to dodge her attacks and brutalize her. Make her suffer. Make her hurt. Break her down physically and mentally and then finish her off and make it bloody. Make an example out of her, you hear me? I want her to experience pain. Stick and move, alright? Use hit and run tactics while you're playing your mind games until she crumbles. You've got this Kenny."

Kenny took a moment to take a breather and catch his breath and recover. "Yes. Yes Sensei."

"Louder."

"YES SENSEI!" He turned to Kim. "Seonsoong Kim? Do you have anything to add?"

"Have you considered not embarrassing us?" She snapped at him.

"I'm sorry. I will do better. I'll make you proud."

"Hmph. Tall order. Don't embarrass us any further. Get out there and win already."

-

"Sam! Sam that was incredible! Where were you hiding all of that?" Daniel asked her.

"I learned it from some good teachers."

"Wherever you pulled it from keep using it." Johnny advised her.

"He's right. Stay focused on the task at hand and don't let them get into your head. Just block him out, use your head, trust your instincts and power on through." Daniel advised her.

"Cobras are cowards using dirty tricks. Once you realize that they are mere baby snakes pretending to be serpents they will hold no power over you." Chozen informed her.

"Yes Sensei's."

Robby stepped forward and said something about Kenny but she ignored him. She had a fight to win. Whatever past he had with the loser wasn't her problem.

"Give 'em hell out there honey." Amanda told her daughter.

"Kick some ass out there Sam." Miguel added.

Hawk gave her a thumbs up.

Sam nodded and bowed to the Miyagi-Fang Alliance before she turned around and refocused on the fight at hand. Kenny meanwhile was taking his sweet time to rest and recover so she did the same until he was finally ready to return to the mat.

"Okay, you got a few cheapshots in but that all ends now, LaSlutto. I'm going to punch your teeth down your throat!" Kenny snarled at her.

Nothing. Sam remained calm. Baby snake.

"Oh what you got nothing to say? Huh?! Your brother certainly did. He cried and screamed like a bitch. Like the bitch you all are."

Still nothing. Kenny continued to spew his empty childish playground insults towards her but Sam gave no reaction. It all just fizzled away into empty white noise. The judges however were just plain groaning at this point. THIS was the best that Cobra Kai could field for the Seikai Taikai Tryouts? This childish cowardly brat? He belonged more on the playground than in a world tournament. The Judge's biases hadn't escaped their notice either. It was all just so sad. At least the Miyagi-Fang Dojo were acting maturely here. So long as they continued to do so they would be a shoe-in for the tournament.

Kenny finally shut up and put his fists up instead. The match began and he went on the attack once more while Sam patiently blocked, deflected and evaded all of his attacks. Her body was moving on its own as she patiently defended against his attacks. Kenny was throwing everything he had into the match and wasting his energy while Sam reserved her own and used only as much energy as she needed to dance around him. Punches, kicks, knees and elbows were all swiftly dealt with while she waited for her opening. They continued to clash while they moved around the mat until she saw her opening as she grabbed his arm, twisted it, trapped it and then she cracked him across the face again and sent Kenny stumbling away from her as she breathed and refocused her defenses.

[Valhalla Erikson]

My name is Violet Ragnarson. And I am a Sorceress

Hinansho was the kind of place I avoided like ex-girlfriends and awkward family reunions. Me and technology don’t mix—kind of like Politicians and common sense. You drop me in the middle of a city like this, and you'd get chaos with a side of fried circuits. But when the Magi Society came calling, needing someone to check out some bad mojo that had gone down here recently, I couldn’t exactly play hard to get. That’s the problem with favors—you can't dodge them forever. Not without making enemies, anyway.

Still, I’m no idiot. I like to come prepared for these sorts of things, even when they involve entering a high-tech metropolis that would probably blackout just from me breathing too hard. So I made a call to an old friend—a witch, sharp as they come, with a talent for making things work even when they shouldn't. She whipped me up a talisman. Simple, nothing flashy—no glowing symbols or mystical chanting involved. It was made to keep me from frying every digital device within a hundred-foot radius. A necessity if I didn’t want to turn Hinansho into a smoking crater.

The city gleamed ahead of me, all steel and glass, a neon nightmare pulsing under the perpetual twilight. The sky was a sickly, washed-out gray that gave everything a grim sort of glow, like a dying star that just didn’t know when to quit. I wasn’t a fan, but there was no turning back now. I adjusted my jacket—a bit too warm for the climate, but it made me feel like I had some armor—and stepped into the belly of the technological beast.

There was something about this place, though. Beneath all the glittering towers and endless streams of data, I could feel it. The kind of wrong that made your skin crawl, like someone walking too close behind you on a quiet street. Magic had touched this city, left its greasy fingerprints all over it, and whatever had caused the disruption wasn’t the friendly, unicorn-rainbow kind of magic. No, this felt more like someone had ripped open a door they shouldn’t have and let something crawl out.

The Magi Society wanted answers, and they figured I’d be the one to find them. Maybe they thought I'd handle it with my usual charm and subtlety, which, if they knew me at all, was about as likely as a snowstorm in hell. But hey, I can’t say no to a challenge. Or maybe I just didn’t want to admit that the idea of something bigger, darker out there, lurking behind all this shiny tech, intrigued me more than it should have.

"What's your take on all this, Keeper?" I asked, glancing at my traveling companion. Keeper, my pet—and I use that term loosely—was a massive, tiger-sized dog. I’d saved him a few jobs back when I was running errands for the Paladins. Back then, he’d been small enough to fit in my palm. Now, not so much.

He let out a happy "Woof!" and wagged his tail like we were just out for a stroll, not walking straight into potential disaster. He had a good nose for trouble, but he was enjoying the new scents and sounds this city had to offer. Lucky him.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Glad you’re having fun, buddy." But I didn’t need his heightened senses to tell me that whatever was wrong here, I was smack in the middle of it. Ground zero for whatever was coming.

And something *was* coming—I could feel it like a storm in the air, the tension building up in the cracks between this tech-riddled city and the unseen forces stirring underneath. If Hinansho was going to crack, I’d be there to catch the first tremor.

Note: Violet kept the name that Carmella suggested. How heartwarming.