DIP: The Piercer

Chapter 8

“Okay, tomorrow morning I'm going to introduce you to the DIP." Ashlyn said that made her crooked her forehead.

“Don't worry, if you recall the booths that we pass through before this office, that's one place of the DIP." Ashlyn chuckled.

“Okay, so what do I have to do now?" Flare asked her while looking around the room.

“Rest." Ashlyn replied while typing.

“Argh, I just woke up and now you want me to rest." Flare whined that made Ashlyn laugh like she never did before.

“Well you are right, you've been in bed so better to relax and don’t do much hard work since you just woke up plus tomorrow will be your big day." Ashlyn said that made Flare want to get out of the room.

“And oh! Before I forgot, you can go to the training center where you saw Luna and train yourself with Piercer." Ashlyn stopped her from her chair that made her stop when she heard the name of Piercer.

As she heard that, an image of the bow and arrow with the same markings on her arms showed into her mind that made her realize something. She realized that she had indeed become something else yet she isn't sure what kind of something else she has inside of her. Then she left the room without looking back to Ashlyn, instead she went straight to the training room where she suggested she spend her time for today since Flare didn't want to take another rest.

Flare went to the training room where she saw Luna trained. As she got there, everything you can see from the entrance was like any typical gym with some locker area but the most thing that took Flare’s attention was the huge field. She went there which made the others look at her because she was new. She felt the tension on their stare like they would eat her alive not until Luna came to her rescue.

“What are you doing here?" Luna asked her directly while walking toward her with four huge wolves on her tail.

“Ash told me to go here." Flare replied flatly that made Luna chuckled as she shook her head in disbelief.

“Seriously, Ash always does that to the newbies at the DIP." Luna said as they both started to walk toward the gym.

“Newbies? Is there anyone like me here?" Flare asked when she heard newbies.

“Yes, they are in their training and I'm just teaching some newbies who have the same ability like mine." Luna answered as she took a towel from her locker.

“Ability?" Flare asked with curiousness.

“Yes, as you can see I'm a tamer and summoner. I can tame beasts that can't be tamed and I can summon the beasts that I've tamed." Luna explained to her.

“Hmm, what do you think my ability could be?" Flare asked with such deep thought that made Luna laugh that caught the attention of everyone who was in their training.

Flare looked at her in a questionable face that made Luna smirked then pulled her out once again to the training field. Flare didn't know what's going on in Luna's head when she stopped in the middle of the training field then she summoned her beasts to attack her. Flare didn't know what to do except to run and dodge. Luna was shaken up on how fast Flare moved each time she tried to attack until one hit made Flare landed onto her knees.

Flare smirked since Luna was the very first person who managed to hit her with her simple speed. She looked at Luna and its beasts. She looked around the training field before she stood up like she remembered something she did every night when she didn't have any work. The adrenaline rush which made her heart pound, a night which made her shadow cloak every step she made and being unseen, a thief resting inside emerged from her. Recalling those nights sent a thousand tingling sensations throughout her body and some strange mystical air began to swirl around her right arm which made the tattoo glow. Not even realizing what's happening inside of her, Flare smirked and began to make a stance on aiming Luna's beasts and Luna as well. Luna felt the danger and made her beasts to counter which was the wrong decision she made so far. Flare can't help the smirked form onto her lips but when it shifted into a blank face, she began to dodge every attack coming from Luna's beasts until she's been tossed up. Well, Flare purposely made one of the beasts toss her up that made her land gracefully on the ceiling. But it was a perfect spot for Flare's arrow to be shot endlessly. When she released the arrow a thousand arrows began to rain around Luna's beasts which made them halt. Flare took the opportunity to move next to Luna since the beasts were being occupied by those arrows. She pointed the arrow which immediately turned into a very sharp blade with lightning around it down to her right arm.

“Touché." Luna surrendered on how quick Flare learned to move like that then she turned to meet Flare.

“How did you do that?" Luna asked Flare directly who was looking curiously to her right arm’s tattoo.

“I don't know, I don't understand it myself what just happened." She answered as the glow from her tattoo faded and made Luna nodded but taking a note about it since she was assigned to watch and train her.

“Don't worry I will help you since I'm assigned to train you. We will definitely find how you use your ability like that." Luna guaranteed to her as she patted her shoulder then went back to the gym then to the office area.

They were chatting along the way to the office area when they saw Ashlyn was already there talking to the chief of police because of the attire. They were both curious about what they were talking about but their presences had been noticed by Ashlyn. She glanced at them while talking to the police and when the police noticed Ashlyn gaze fell onto Luna then to Flare. The police were surprised to see Flare Cruz alive but seeing her in the hands of DIP, she's no longer alive to those people who knew her.

“Flare Cruz." The chief of police said her name that made her look confused.

“Do I know you?" Flare asked the chief directly, which made him chuckle.

“Well, in some time I do but now, I don't." The chief of police smiled at Flare that made her really confused even more.

“Take care Ashlyn." He said to Ashlyn who just nodded as her response then the police left without saying anything to them.

When the chief of the police left, Flare fixed her gaze to the trail where the chief of police walked out to. She was puzzled by what he just told her a while ago and when she looked at Ashlyn, she began to stare then glared at her who just chuckled. She felt the anger within her but Ashlyn just walked toward a podium. She stood up on the podium and called everyone's attention to announce something.

“Everyone, kindly do your work consistency and report to me the update of your operations. Also be noted by tomorrow, you will meet new faces, so please be kind to them." Ashlyn announced that everyone laughed then went back to their works.

Luna nudged the waist of Flare for them to walk toward the canteen. The canteen was typical from the other cafeteria but its luxury made Flare doubt if she could ever afford to eat in this cafeteria.

“I don't have any money." Flare pouted while they were walking toward the appetizer section.

“Well of course that's why I'm here, dinner is on me, so don't worry." Luna chuckled then snake her arms round hers.

“Okay." Flare smiled like a little kid that made Luna pinch her cheek.

“By the way, to afford the food here, you need to take some job on the bulletin board. The job written on it was by ranks from A to SSS. The SSS was the most difficult one because it's a job that can't guarantee your life." Luna explained how to afford the food in DIP's cafeteria.

“Okay, is it the same for others?" Flare asked while picking cheesy bake clamps for her appetizer.

“Doing jobs on the bulletin causes great rewards and it's up to you how you'll spend them." Luna nodded as she took crispy baby squid.

“Okay…hmm, I've been thinking...what position of Ashlyn here? She seems like a boss around you guys." Flare asked as she recalled Ashlyn authority around the DIP members.

“Well, you can say that she's our boss since she was the only one in our branch who deals with all SSS jobs. They simply respect her and to tell you this, there was one SSS job that she did that made her almost dead when she came back here but as you can see, she's too well and kicking." Luna laughed about it as they both went to the main course section.

“You were right about that. What ability does she have?" Flare asked while looking at the BBQ duck.

“No one knows. But for me being a tamer, she's a bit of a monster with such intelligence. Like she always has her endless plans running inside her mind and she grew within the short period of time." Luna replied as she took her favorite teriyaki steak.

“I see, she's making me feel curious about her ability." Flare mumbled which didn't escape from Luna's ears and made her laugh as they both went to a vacant table.

They both ate their dinner with some funny conversation about Luna's life at the DIP and Flare's previous life. They both got along but their laughter was cut when Flare's right eye began to turn bloody red like it was on the hunt. Luna gasped over it but stayed calm since she was a tamer. Flare's right arm began partially shifted into skinless form and the tattoo swirling around it began to glow intensely that made Luna's beasts show up to be on guard.

Right now, Flare was being a threat.

Everyone was alarmed by it, especially Ashlyn. When they all went to check what's happening at the cafeteria, they saw how stiff Luna and Flare were. They were not moving and Luna's beasts were so uneasy over the safety of their master. Luna's gaze still fixed on Flare like she was studying and calming her but no; she can't reach her.

Flare's tattoo was growing and it was reaching her neck until she felt a familiar presence which made her look for it till it landed on Ashlyn. Her rage was on wildfire but the more they looked at each other's eyes, Flare finally realized what was happening and made her hold her raging arm.

When she was calmed down, she immediately drank all of her water as well Luna's then looked at Luna with an apologetic face.

“Sorry…maybe because of the meal I ate." Flare sincerely apologized to her.

“You think? But I prefer different…" Luna said understandingly to what Flare’s going through.

“What do you mean?" Flare asked with curiousness.

“Your power was the same as Ashlyn but in a different way. They kept growing within a short period of time and you have to release them from time to time." Luna explained what she noticed to what just happened.

“I see…" Flare nodded while caressing her tattoo.

“To tell you this, I didn't reach you but somewhat when you saw Ashlyn, you managed to come back. So tell me, what's going on between you two?" Luna noticed the spark of bond between them.

“Nothing…I guess but there was something in the middle that made me feel comfortable around her like I’m secured and protected. Plus we've met before I died." Flare directly said to Luna who was listening carefully.

“Oh, I see. I felt it too when she helped me. But anyway, relax and try meditating, it could help your power circulate proper. By tomorrow we could definitely start." Luna smiled to her.

“Why not now?" Flare pouted like a kid that made Luna chuckle.

“Funny but very well, let's start your training by mediation. Make your energy stable and when you do, we could start your combat skills." Luna still chuckled but every word she said she definitely meant it.

“Okay, I like that." Flare smiled but her eyes told something else; death.

After the fussed over the cafeteria, Ashlyn watched Flare carefully while they talked.

"You're indeed something beyond compare." Ashlyn whispered while grinning like an sly monster that found its prey.