Crossover Escape: Gotta be more than Lucky to survive

2.11 Talking Reason

Luca examined the speaker. He was fairly certain now that either the sirens were matriarchal, or he just happened to encounter a group with female leaders. Either way the siren that spoke was female and with a wave of her hand the sirens that had attacked them withdrew. Luca felt a pain in his heart as the whip wielder flowed to her feet and turned away walking over to the water. As she stepped into the water the river rose up around her and the speed of her healing tripled. ‘That is annoying. Note to self don’t fight sirens in the water.

“So if you’re not one of the Bloodletters snacks, or one of the Beasts toys then who are you?” the siren leader asked as she flipped up onto a rock by the shore. As she moved the water flicked up around her in a sparkling teal shower and then splashed back into the river. Geysers spewed up where the shimmering water landed.

“Just passing through.” Luca smiled as he responded.

[Lucky: Bomb spacing.] Luca sent the message as he looked at the water returning to the river. That looked like an explosion where the water touched. He had no interest in finding out if that would apply to people as well as just the river.

After the message was sent Luca appreciated how fast his team reacted. They shifted their feet and each moved towards a different person. Shade proved that he was quick on the up take or he just had intentions as when Ghost moved away from him he approached Luca. Ghost shifted to stand beside Cowboy while he also shifted them away from the other groups.

Holly and Rӓv approached Declan’s trio and they spread out at the approach allowing Tails to stay with Declan while Rӓv and Holly took a sorcerer each. the thing Luca appreciated most about the division on one his team with one of the others was that it meant there was someone to communicate with in every pair. Luca noticed out of the corner of his eye that Help had made their way into the trees and was watching the sirens from amongst the leaves.

The siren examined Luca and then swept her eyes over the rest of the group before raising a hand to tap her lip. It could have been attractive if it weren’t for the grey cast to her skin and the fact that her race had just tried to kill them.

“A grumpy bird came to see me before the rage last night.” The siren paused with a smile before she continued. “About some aliens with the keys to a whole new world.”

Luca stared back at her blandly as he twirled his right sword up behind his back. He hoped it looked like he was changing fighting stance. While he used the change in position to type out another message.

[Lucky: We can now be certain that basically anything we encounter will have heard about the bounty on our heads.]

[Rӓv: Great.]

[Ghost: Everyone wants to play.]

[Tails: Pity they bought cheat codes.]

[Holly: Is a bummer facing bots.] Luca wanted to roll his eyes at their joking though it did at least tell him that their mental states were fine. A glance at people showed that their physical states seemed fine as well. Though Luca did have to wonder at the strange change to stamina levels that seemed to have occurred since they’d arrived in Twilight land. Hopefully it didn’t have negative side effects.          As it stood it was something Luca needed to take advantage of or none of them would be going home at all.

“Keys to a kingdom? Sounds like wishful thinking to me.” Don’t address the main inference, try to shift the focus, and change the topic. Luca gave himself a mental pep talk as he tried to find a laxed by ready posture to stand in that still let him hide one hand.

[Lucky: anyone got any witty idea about what to say to get us free passage over the river?]

[Rӓv: Nope don’t know enough about their society to manage a manipulation. Not to mention I can’t understand what they say to make a timely response.]

[Tails: Your next best I think?]

[Holly: I’d be willing to try but like Rӓv I can’t understand them.] Luca resisted the urge to sigh again he felt like he’d been doing nothing but sighing and wanting to roll his eyes since he got to this place. It was bad for his emotional stability. Though really the main issue was that he just kept ending up in situations that he’d rather hand to others and being unable to do so. Still he just had to keep going at this point so if he can’t be witty, he just needed to be evasive.

“It does seem like a rather outrageous suggestion, doesn’t it? I had intended to ignore it as a fabrication until I met some humans who just don’t seem to belong let alone a witch working with sorcerers.” Luca subtly tensed his muscles prepared to fight again.

“You’ve never heard of individual expression?” Luca arched a brow as he spoke. He did actually hold much hope that he could distract them, but he wanted to try.

“You make a good point, after all how could aliens speak our language. Besides why would the Shade be with them.” Luca almost chocked on his next breath. He couldn’t decide if she was being sarcastic or serious, she sounded perfectly serious, but his mind was stuck on disbelief that she just accepted that.

“Yes, well we’re striking it out, need to meet some people.” Luca gave his forward had a slight wave to indicate generally the other side of the river. The siren looked behind her and then at the raft. She smiled slowly.

“Well you have proven your warriors on land so we can let you cross our river.” Luca liked the positive sound of that it was just he could hear the unsaid but at the end.

“Oh? We are hoping to be as unobtrusive as possible.” Luca was not going to ask or offer deals that would open the potential for them to be caught out to easily.

“Stop beating around the bush, name your challenge Sea Singers we need to get going.” Shade cut into the conversation and Luca was somewhat grateful since it meant someone more familiar with the other party had entered the negotiations. Though Shade’s attitude was not exactly diplomatic.

“So impatient.” The siren laughed and it was an enticing sound that gave Luca the urge to walk forward. At the moment he shifted his feet, claws dug into his shoulder and Luca blinked.

[Lucky: Rӓv music back on and hold your partners.] Lucky sent the message and thankfully the visual que was enough to start his team. Then jerked in place and then reached out to pinch the person beside them. A moment later faint music came through the coms. Luca expected the beings with heightened senses to notice. Still no choice they needed the buffer.

“The challenge is simple. We will let your raft cross, but someone must swim the passage.” The siren arched a brow as she made the offer. Not wanting anyone to influence that offer Luca responded before Shade could.