Shadows and Stardust: A Tale of Ambition & Quest for Recognition

The greatest of scientific advances are often discovered by accident – Dr. Otto Von Brünn

Operation Menu: Phase Dinner (D-144.3 hours)

Estelle's eyes followed the erratic dance of the single light bulb as it flickered in response to the slightest touch. Each time someone brushed against it, the feeble illumination would momentarily surrender, casting the basement into brief darkness before bravely flickering back to life. Her fingers, freshly painted with white tips, drummed on the armrest of her wicker chair. The chair, once pristine, now bore the marks of its hurried descent into the basement earlier that day, its legs lopsidedly wobbled on the rough concrete floor.

Tauru, on the other side of the room, seemed equally restless. His gaze darted around, scanning the space for something more comfortable than the makeshift seating arrangements. He located a faux leather recliner, its surface cracked and worn down, and adjusted its position every few minutes. Seeking that elusive spot where the worn-out cushion met his body just right, a futile attempt to find comfort amidst the basement's ambiance.

Meanwhile, Indigo and Triumph settled on a threadbare bean bag, its surface marred by countless battles against time and wear. Every time they shifted their weight, the bean bag protested with a soft rustle. Through the tiny seams, white foam beans made a daring escape, cascading to the floor like a gentle snowfall. The room bore witness to their every movement, capturing the essence of their restlessness in the delicate dance of falling foam.

Whisper, her blank expression etched across her face, dragged a table into the room to the corner, the screeching sound of its legs against the floor echoing loudly across the room. With a loud sigh, she positioned the table to her liking. Swiftly, she unbuttoned her jacket, and revealed a glimpse of her white button-down shirt beneath, before gracefully hopped up onto the table.

Her long black hair, cascading down her back, was flicked away from her shoulder with a deft movement. From an inner pocket, she extracted a worn notebook, its pages stained with remnants of past musings. The cover faded and creased, hinting at the countless stories it held within. Whisper's pen danced across the pages, capturing thoughts and ideas as they flowed from her mind to the paper.

Meanwhile, Triumph, ever hopeful, observed her intently, his tail wagging in anticipation. His eyes, bright with anticipation, followed her every move, a silent plea hidden within them. Perhaps, just perhaps, there might be a dog biscuit hidden in her jacket pocket, a small yet cherished reward for his unwavering loyalty and patience.

His big round eyes stared up at her, but the reward for his patience was never granted, and Triumph placed his head back down on Indigo’s leg.

The door cracked open and T.C. walked in carrying a leather satchel.

“Sorry, I’m late ladies and gentlemen,” T.C., and after he spotted Estelle drumming her fingers added. “And Boss Kitty.”

Estelle gestured with a subtle flick of her wrist, indicating to T.C. that it was his cue to begin. Whisper, perched on the edge of the table, delicately stowed her book away, her eyes bright and shining as she smiled at him.

"Well, welcome, everyone," T.C. began, his voice quivering with a mix of excitement and nervousness. "I hope you know of the reason for the meeting today?"

Tauru nodded knowingly, "You were told about a significant discovery related to yesterday’s Battle of the Heights."

Indigo chimed in, adding depth to the conversation. "Specifically, how Angel Eyes observed, amidst the chaos of combat, that aluminum strips interfere with the infrared spectrum when utilizing Witch Sight."

"Ah, yes," T.C. responded, his gaze dropping to his notes as he collected his thoughts.

Whisper leaned closer, her voice gentle, "Perhaps, T.C., it might be wise not to divulge the entirety of your findings during breakfast and lunch or by sharing your notes with everyone in advance. A bit of mystery could enhance the impact of your presentation."

“Not to mention practicing your brief, very fucking loudly, in your room with the door wide open,” Tauru said.

“Sorry,” T.C. said laughing. “I’m kinda getting used to this promotion to first mate thing.”

“Congratulations, mini-Boss Kitty,” she said kissing him on the cheek.

His cheeks turned bright red as he stared down at his feet. Tauru and Indigo laughed.

Estelle lifted her right hand and made a pinching motion with her thumb and forefinger.

“Right, short version,” T.C. said reaching into his bag and pulling out a handful of aluminum spheres.

He passed the glitter bombs around the group, his eyes lingering on Whisper as he handed her one first. She took the glitter bomb delicately, rolling it around in the palm of her hand before holding it up to the light, her eyes shining in the light.

"And how does this work?" she inquired in a soft, alluring voice, leaning closer to him.

Her proximity seemed to fluster T.C., his words stumbling as he tried to explain.

"These, um, glitter bombs... you just kind of," T.C. stuttered, attempting to find his words under her gaze.

Estelle, intrigued by the glitter bomb in her hands, examined it closely. With a gentle squeeze, she felt its smooth surface, its size akin to a child's glass marble. Strands of silver crisscrossed the shiny exterior, catching the light in mesmerizing patterns. As she touched the silver strip, a slight tingle ran down her spine, and she bit her lower lip.

Pushing the strange sensation from her mind, Estelle focused on the glitter bomb in her hand. T.C. and Whisper engaged in conversation nearby, their voices melding into an inaudible hum in the background. Indigo shifted in his beanbag chair, edging closer to Tauru, but Estelle was lost in her fascination.

"Aren’t you an adorable little magically conductive beauty," she murmured, her voice barely audible, as her finger traced along a delicate silver line on the glitter bomb's surface.

Ceasing her gentle caress of the silver stripe, Estelle held her hand above the glitter bomb. The sphere started to levitate between her hands. Gradually, a low hum filled the air, accompanied by a subtle vibration that intensified with each passing moment. Estelle's eyes widened with astonishment as she observed the glitter bomb reacting to her push of a bit of energy into it.

Suddenly, the lines of silver on the sphere blazed into a brilliant white, and it began to shake violently, its energy seemingly unleashed. Sensing the impending burst of magical energy, Estelle swiftly surveyed the room, her eyes darting around. Spotting an unoccupied corner near the door, she flicked her hand, sending the glitter bomb soaring toward the empty space.

With a muffled pop, the glitter bomb exploded upon impact, leaving behind a faint glimmer of residual magic and floating aluminum chaff in the air.

“I…was about to get to that part,” T.C. said rushing towards the floating glitter cloud. “When you add a bit of your energy it explodes and with an additional little perk. You can move it around.”

Moving her hand to the side, the cloud of chaff shifted position.

“I guess if the target tries to get out of the way or something you can redirect it, like a remote control,” T.C. said grinning. “So, you like it?”

Whisper swept her hand through the floating strips of chaff, her fingers gracefully parting the shimmering cloud. A mischievous grin played on her lips as she pulled her hand back, reveling in the enchanting display. Intrigued, Estelle delicately shifted the chaff around, her fingers moving it towards the light, where it glimmered like a myriad of tiny stars.

"How long does the cloud last?" Tauru inquired, his eyes fixed on the swirling chaff.

"I'm not really sure," T.C. responded, his laughter lacing his uncertainty. "I guess it depends on how much energy you push into it."

Meanwhile, Estelle's nimble fingers wove an intricate ballet, causing the sphere to morph and change shape. The glittering surface reflected the light, casting a mesmerizing cascade of colors in every direction. Her eyes, filled with fascination, followed the intricate patterns she created, each movement of her fingers causing the strips to dance and twirl around in a display.

The silvery light captivated Estelle, its brilliance drawing her attention like a moth to a flame. In its gleam, she found herself entranced, her body seemingly moving of its own accord as she stared, spellbound, into the dazzling reflections cast by the glitter. The light wove a shimmering spell around her, pulling her closer as if beckoning her into an enchanted realm.

Suddenly, a deafening BAM shattered the mesmerizing moment.

Estelle's vision blurred, and her head rang like a bell struck by a mallet. As her senses gradually steadied, she found herself gazing up at concerned faces – Tauru, Indigo, Whisper, and T.C. – hovering over her.

"Are you okay, Boss Kitty?" Tauru's voice was filled with gentle and devoid of curse words as he tried to help her sit up.

A chuckle escaped Estelle's lips, but it quickly escalated into uncontrolled giggling. Blood trickled from her nose, the metallic taste on her lips only adding to the surreal situation. Estelle's giggles morphed into laughter, uncontrollable and infectious. She clamped a hand over her mouth, her eyes welling up with tears as the absurdity of it all overtook her.

Whisper punched T.C. in the arm, causing him to wince in pain.

"Was that supposed to happen?" she inquired, her tone a mixture of a hint of annoyance.

T.C., nursing his sore arm, stammered, "Umm, no?"

Indigo, his voice laced with cautious awe, said, "Boss Kitty, you just super-positioned."

Confusion flickered across T.C.'s face.

"How? That skill was removed last season," he protested.

"I've seen that skill up close," Indigo affirmed. "That was the super-position ability."

Amid the astonishment, Triumph sniffed her and began to glow green. With an affectionate lick to the side of her face, as the blood stopped running from her nose. Estelle fought back the next rounds of laughter. She bit the side of her finger, trying to contain the bubbling emotions threatening to spill out.

“That was,” Estelle said determined to stand up. “Something else.”

She rubbed her forehead, her vision fading in and out. Tauru assisted her in standing back up.

“I was momentarily distracted,” Estelle said and smoothed out the wrinkles on her dress.

“Did the Glitter Bomb cause you to shift like that? I didn’t even see you move,” T.C. asked.

Tauru crouched down low and ran his finger along the floor. He stopped where the chaff had fallen.

“Quantum Tunneling,” he said. “Boss Kitty punched a hole in Congenital Border and fuckin’ jumped through. Did you pick up any mad skills or magic items recently?”

Estelle pressed her fingertips against her forehead, and she mulled over the question.

"Must I remind you of my objection to the use of magical objects?" she asked. "I had no other option but to accept the second level of subatomic management as my next skill."

Observing the perplexed expression on Indigo's face, she elaborated, "At that particular moment, no other skill was accessible, and the incessant beeping had grown increasingly bothersome."

Indigo stroked his beard thoughtfully, his eyes fixed on Triumph.

"It appears that what we once deemed a useless skill might have more depth than we originally thought," he remarked.

Triumph responded with a cheerful wag of his tail.

Estelle, settling gracefully into her chair, interjected with a hint of intellectual pride, "Mage skills, unlike those of other classes, require considerable time, dedication, and practice to master. Take the Dybbuk box, for instance; it's a recent testament to the intricate world of mage shifting. Most mages lack the patience and temperance needed for the exhaustive research and development phase inherent to successfully execute a spell."

"Dybbuk box?" T.C. inquired, his curiosity piqued.

Whisper, always eager to share her knowledge, explained the intricacies of the skill.

"It involves taking a specific spell and assigning a particular macro to it, triggered when specific conditions are met. Usually, it's reserved for defensive wards," she clarified.

"Huh, interesting," T.C. murmured, his eyes glued to his screen as he navigated through his skills. "I can level up to level two after the next ding."

His fingers danced across the interface, pulling up the detailed specifications of the Subatomic Management skill.

Triumph trotted over and rested his head on Estelle's lap, and nuzzled her hand till she began to pet him. Tauru, noticing Estelle's tension, rubbed her shoulder reassuringly.

"You know, during a battle, you can disable the notification option by…" Indigo began, his sentence cut short by the abrupt intrusion of Heather.

The door swung open forcefully under the impact of a boot, and she barged into the room, her gaze fixed on Estelle.

"Here, look at this," Heather said, thrusting a stack of papers toward Estelle, who struggled to focus on the notes as her pupils adjusted slowly.

Heather placed her hands on her hips and gently rested her hand on Estelle's forehead. With a furrowed brow, she peered closely into Estelle's eyes, holding a pen light, and waving it around.

"Really? Didn't anyone think of getting me? You have a serious concussion," Heather stated gravely.

The penlight revealed a concerning discrepancy: Estelle's right eye contracted, but the left pupil remained unchanged.

"Stick out your tongue," Heather commanded, her tone firm yet compassionate.

Estelle complied, her tongue drifting slightly to the side.

"Someone might want to tell me why Boss Kitty has brain swelling?" Heather questioned, her voice tinged with worry, as the severity of Estelle's condition became apparent.

Tauru and Indigo provided a brief account of the incident to Heather. Once their explanation concluded, Heather pressed her fingers gently against Estelle's temples. A soft white glow emanated from her fingertips and encompassed both.

"Only a slight concussion, with swelling primarily on the frontal lobe, slightly more pronounced on the right hemisphere," Heather informed them, her professional demeanor calming the room. "Triumph, you managed to stop the hemorrhaging and alleviate the pain, but the swelling persisted."

"Sorry, I'm still learning," Triumph confessed, looking at her with puppy dog eyes.

Gradually, the color returned to Estelle's cheeks, and she sat up in her chair. She began tucking her hair back in her purple and black hair band.

"You did a good job, Triumph. Internal bleeding, especially in the head, which I might say isn't an easy fix," Heather praised, her hand gently scratching behind Triumph's ears.

Triumph perked up at her words, his tail wagging enthusiastically in response.

“Before you decide to sonic boom yourself into the wall again, we have a bigger problem, Boss Kitty, read,” Heather said.

Estelle's gaze raced across the paperwork, urgency reflecting in her purple eyes as she absorbed every word. Her body tensed up.

Heather, her expression grave, turned to the others and adjusted her round-rimmed glasses. She coughed, clearing her throat before delivering the news with a tone of urgency.

"Guillotine has begun his killing spree again, and this time it's on our turf," Heather stated, her voice tinged with concern.

***