DIP: The Piercer (complete - TO BE EDIT)

~ 15 ~

Raika’s energy was flowing all-over the place like it was overloaded with different powers that didn’t sync perfectly. Ashlyn was about to pat her shoulder when Raika suddenly turned to look at her. Then a skinless monster's right hand with sharp claws landed to her neck and choked her. Ashlyn was lifted up but she didn’t care about being killed by her at all instead, she just letRaika’s monster side do it.

“Remember our first meeting, Raika…Flare...” Ashlyn's choking voice said to Raika’s blank self.

Somewhere within Raika’s sense, she was being cage but not locked. She opened the cage and there she saw that she was choking Ashlyn which made her snapped from what was happening to her. When she heard Ashlyn voice telling her to remember their first meeting and hearing her mentioning her old name snapped her big time. Flashing memories from the day they met, to the first time they had a chat to the time she cried onto her shoulder, or even to the time when she opened her eyes at the infirmary of DIP. just by recalling them, she felt her hand release Ashlyn from choking and making herself screamed in pain. Ashlyn immediately cloaked her with her ashes before Raika burst her overflowing power elsewhere. She tried to minimize the effect of Raika’s power since it was dark, it would kill anything it touches.

“Come back to me please. Come to me.” Ashlyn whispered calmly to Raika’s burning pain.

Raika glanced at her which made her screamed up through the night sky which cleared the clouds and made the blood moon pass. As the energies were being released, Ashlyn immediately ran weakly to Raika to catch her from falling.

“Did I do right?” Raika asked weakly while in Ashlyn’s arms. Ashlyn gave her a loving smile before kissing Raika’s forehead.

“Yeah...you did...my lovely partner.” Ashly replied with a chuckle in her voice.

“But I hurt you.” She countered as she tried to distance herself from Ashlyn’s arms but failed. She was still weak from her burst.

“Neh, it's just a scratch. Plus, the medic is coming our way.” She reasoned with Raika since she indeed has some wounds from preventing Raika’s power kill for more.

“Fine.” Raika gave up reasoning with Ashlyn and let her body rest in her arms.

In just few seconds, the medic came under Luna’s supervision since Ashlyn told her to. Luna was so glad seeing them alive but weak which made her pinched both Raika and Ashlyn ears from making her worried again. She was like their mother or eldest sister in DIP.

“Take them home, I’ll deal with these ruins.” Luna said to the medic while looking at them before nodding off.

“Sir Josh, do you think the government will pass this?” Luna asked the head police while looking at the chaotic scene.

“Funny, but of course not. But the government will help you to rebuild these establishments.” Lieutenant Josh responded to Luna with a chuckle in his tone.

“Damn. I wish we could minimize these.” Luna sighed while shaking her head.

“It can’t be helped since you guys are facing entities that only few people could see.” He said before patting Luna’s shoulder then went to check the scene thoroughly.

As Luna kept her word on settling the chaos near the central mall, Raika and Ashlyn were being confined at the DIP infirmary from blood loss.

Within just a few days, Ashlyn was back on her feet and working again while watching over Raika’s progress.

“Anything you find?” Ashlyn asked the doctor that was checking over Raikas which was her doctor as well.

“She could be compared to you but technically not. Her great grandmother was one of us on her younger days and she was like Raika.” the doctor replied while both of them watched Raika behind the glass door.

“But?” Ashlyn asked as she felt that there was something else.

“But having an incomplete Piercer will only feed from her. She must learn to coexist if not control them.” the doctor explained to Ashlyn who released a heavy sigh.

“Exactly like mine. Having Demonic Warlock as your alter ego won’t make anything better unless you meet halfway.” Ashlyn said as she put her hand on the glass door and looked carefully at Raika's sleep body.

“Ash, Luna told me that both of you can feel each other, is that right?” the doctor asked.

“You can say that. Why? Does it have something to do with the case?” Ashlyn asked as well which made the doctor nod before they entered.

Inside Raika’s recovery room at the infirmary, the doctor put out the oxygen of Raika, even the dextrose pinned on her skin. Ashlyn was shocked at what the doctor did and turned angry at the old lady.

“Easy, Ash. take her hand and put your forehead on hers.” the doctor said which Ashlyn was confused about but did what she was told to.

“Let your warlock take over.” the doctor instructed and Ashlyn did.

Ashlyn felt her demonic warlock was already on the surface and it was sending something to Raika. Dark but not evil or dangerous darkness. It was more like a night. After that, her warlock came back inside and told her something.

‘Don’t lose her. She’s mine. My wife.’

Ashlyn was shocked by the revelation but she wasn’t sure about Raika’s being a wife of her demonic warlock.

“What did your warlock say to you?” the doctor asked like she knew that her warlock was going to say something to her.

“That I shouldn’t lose her. That she was hers. Her wife. I don't get them at all.” Ashlyn sighed before sitting at the end of the bed of Raika.

“Seems like you don’t know who is your warlock.” the doctor stated before looking at Raika’s.

Ashyln was a bit confused but she did wait for the doctor to continue while Raika was finally healing quickly than before.

“Tasha Harmonick was a very powerful witch in her time but there was a catch on being a witch in her case. She needs to feed from human energy or nature for her to survive. But on the night that she was feeling weak, a stranger came and gave her a helping hand. She didn’t want to do it but her life was on the line, she sucked the stranger’s life but she didn’t know that it was a succubus. Ever since she tasted the energy coming from that succubus, she began to look and suck its energy which led them on mating. Life was lively but other creatures killed her partner which changed her drastically and fell into darkness. DIP came in the picture to lock her up but no one could until one graceful thief managed so.” the doctor started to tell a story which seemed like she knew very well.

“As this thief caught her, she stayed with her and with the help of a tamer, they managed to bring Tasha back to her senses. She was called the Demonic Warlock and her team was known as the triple star DIP.” the doctor continued which made Ashlyn wonder who the others.

“What are the names of her teammates?” Ashlyn asked

“One was the Graceful Thief named Flerixa Cruz and the X Tamer named Nann Olfonse.” the doctor said with a smile.

“That’s you.” Ashlyn pointed to the doctor since she couldn’t believe that her doctor was one of the legendary three stars of DIP.

The doctor just nodded while smiling before looking seriously at Ashlyn before looking again at Raika.

“Do you remember when you possessed the power of your warlock?” the doctor asked Ashlyn which made her think her first day at DIP.

“Don’t quite remember but I think it's about when I was brought here.” Ashlyn answered, making the doctor sighed before patting her shoulder.

“You're supposed to be dead if I didn’t do anything. I call for Tasha and ask if she would help you and without second thought she did which really took me off guard. Tasha always doubts and thinks thoroughly but meeting you, I guess she saw something.” the doctor explained.

“Wait, she died but how did you call her?” Ashlyn asked.

“I’m her tamer and she’s not gone aside from her body though. Remember this Ashlyn, not every beast or monster you're going to meet was a human turned into one but some were wondering soul of a beast. They were just looking for a vessel, a perfect host and most of them went berserk while some turned good.” the doctor explained to Ashlyn which she take seriously.

“So, you put Tasha’s demonic warlock in me so you could save me from dying?” Ashlyn guessed which made the doctor chuckle while nodding off.

“Yes and no. You were dying from loss of blood but there was also something in you. There was some power maybe from your lineage but it was too weak to be awakened. You possessed a strong will which made you survive. Tasha only helped you out but when she was done helping you, Tasha’s power was already passing inside of you. Meaning, her power choses you to its new master that’s why you have it but Ash, keep up with the Piercer because if not, you were not just gonna lose the piercer but Raika as well.” the doctor answered with care in her eyes.

“You mean, death will take her.” Ashlyn sighs while the doctor nods at her response.

“But since you possessed the Demonic Warlock, it will definitely be possessive of Raika.” the doctor stated seriously with a sigh. Ashlyn was caught when the doctor mentioned possessive.

“Why was it possessive over Raika?” Ashlyn asked but somewhere in her she knew the answer but she wanted it to be clarified.

“Raika’s great grandmother was Flerixa and Tasha was her wife.” the doctor answered though she knew that it would confuse Ashlyn. She just waits for her reaction.

“How’s that even possible? They’re both women.” Ashlyn was confused.

“When Tasha turned deeply into her power, she awakened the succubus energy that she sucked from her mate which led her to have a manhood.” the doctor explained which made Ashlyn nod.

“Like you had each time the demonic warlock took over your body.” the doctor continued.

“Meaning...the piercer inside of her was the wife of my demonic warlock, is that what are you saying to me, doc?” Ashlyn concluded which made the doctor nod in agreement.

“That explains why both of you can share such a bond that nobody does.” The doctor explained their bond a little but Ashlyn already understood what their bond meant.

As they were talking, a sudden shift of temperature caught their attention. The temperature was getting colder than it used to be and it was getting thicker. As the coldness covered the entire room, Ashlyn began to feel some dagger in her chest which made her hold Raika’s foot. Ashlyn tried her best to feel for Raika’s body since the coldness made the surrounding so foggy. 

“Raika…” Ashlyn whispered then the fogginess in the room suddenly subsided.

When it finally went back to the normal temperature, Raika was no more. She vanished with no trace at all but before Ashlyn could panic, the doctor held her hand tightly.

“Feel her.” the doctor instructed which reminded Ashlyn about their bond.

Ashlyn took a deep breath and tried her best to locate where her partner would be. As she tried to locate her, a smile crept onto her lips as she finally found her.

“Did you find her?” the doctor asked that Ashlyn just nodded off.

“Yes and this time, it's time for her to face the cloud in her chest.” Ashlyn said with seriousness in her tone.

Meanwhile, Raika drifted even further into her dream which seems real to her. She was at the familiar small planetarium. She knew the place very well until a familiar voice echoed behind her. 

‘It’s time for her to face the cloud in her chest.’

But when she turned, there was no one. She was sure that there was someone with her but she couldn’t see them. Raika sigh defeatedly but when she recalled those words, something in her began to hit. It felt like she was being pierced but there was none.

Raika sighs once again but this time she relaxed herself within the planetarium before taking a sit on the carpeted floor. She began to meditate to answer some questions bugging her guts.

“Cloud in my chest...my negativities...my lies...my regrets...my guilts...my fears…” Raika stated as she felt them flowing around her.

As the negative energies began to float around her, the sketch book that she got from a witch suddenly fell out from her sweatshirt and began to flip. When the pages ended up to the piercer image, it suddenly glowed brighter before flashing memories for its old tale till the recent one.

‘In every light there's darkness that follows and in darkness, there's always light hidden within’

“In every light, there’s darkness that follows and in darkness there’s always light hidden within…” Raika repeated what she heard within her which exactly made her right arm glow and released a pleasing scent. 

Raika opened her eyes and she was not surprised to see some dark smoke revolving around her then at the center there was indeed a spot of light. It might be tiny but it was surely there making the darkness float like a calm night sky. But when she put her hand to touch it, the dark smoke suddenly scattered like a vines of nature but immediately disappeared when she felt a very strong yet familiar energy coming closer to her.

“You can control them now.”  Ashlyn proudly said before sitting next to her.

“Not much but getting there.” Raika replied before showing them to Ashlyn.

Ashlyn watched Raika’s energy shifting beautifully around its owner to hers. Ashlyn giggled before pulling Raika to an embrace.

“I miss you.” Ashlyn honestly told her.

“Already?” Raika teased and made Ashlyn pout like a sweet kid.

“Yes and I heard a story of your great grandmother to someone here.” She said with little giggles in her voice. She knew it would excite Raika.

“Really? That’s good news. I want to hear them too.” She replied with her excited tone which Ashlyn expected too but something interrupted them.

There were green and orange alarms which made Ashlyn sighed before lending her hand to Raika then both of them went to the quarters to check what type of monster it was this time.

“No time to relax.” Raika whispered to no one but Ashlyn chuckled.

“Don’t worry we can get ‘us’ some vacation.” Ashyln whispered to her ears that made Raika hit her shoulder. Raika was blushing.

“Sweet couple, focus please.” Luna teased which made the other DIP who heard it whistles.

“We’re not dating.” Raika countered defensively and her blushing wasn’t helping at all.

“Yet.” Ashlyn smirked which made Raika pinched her sides.

“Shut up.” Raika told her as she tried to ignore the fact that she was a tomato already.

“Whatever couple. There were three two-S rank monsters on the loose. Lieutenant Josh already barricades the perimeter.” Luna teased them then stated the situation.

“Okay folks, team up. Shaun led the medic team at each point where the barricades were. Drake take the Hunter team with you at three points as well. Luna, Raika, you're with me.” Ashlyn announced which made Drake speak.

“How can you take them?” Drake asked which made Ashlyn grinned like a devil.

“We’re more monsters than they are.” Ashlyn laughed hysterically which made Raika smack the back of her head. Raika knew that it was the demonic warlock speaking there.

“Anyway, Gear up and move out!” Ashlyn ordered each of them before leaving the headquarters.