Tom paced, furrowing his brow as he glanced at his watch. Nat's contact was late and he hated waiting. "Geez sit down already," Yuriko groaned. "You're making me tired."
"Sorry," Tom sighed. "But all this cloak and dagger stuff just irks me. That and where's Nat's contact? She was supposed to be here 15 minutes ago?"
"Do we even know who this person is?" Ben asked.
Tom shook his head no. After meeting with Nat at S.P.E.A.R, the dhamphir instructed Tom, Yuriko, and Ben to head to a diner in town. From there someone would be in contact with them. The only thing Nat did say was to wait, if they hadn't heard anything within an hour they were to contact Nat.
"So how come your godparents took off?" Ben asked.
"They said they needed to check on some things at home," Yuriko said. "They'll be in touch though."
"And what about the kitsune?"
"Akira is hanging around out of sight Ben," Tom stated. "He does that, kinda lurking in the shadows keeping an eye on things. Something goes south, he'll jump in."
Ben simply nodded, the young man now scanning the parking lot in a vain attempt to spot the fox man. "I'm still trying to get used to the idea that kitsune actually exist," he said softly. "I mean, my parents always told stories about oni, but I didn't think they actually existed."
"You'd be surprised whats actually out there," Tom replied. "A lot of myths and legends are true."
"Just exaggerated though," Yuriko added. "The whole trickster spirit thing for kitsune is more of a stereotype. Some are but the ones I've met are just...cunning."
"Also they're not all women with fox ears and giant knockers," Tom said, turning to Yuriko. "Don't believe all the Manga comics my sister collects." Yuriko scowled, flipping off her brother as Ben stifled a laugh.
"Bite me Tom."
As Tom continued to laugh, the siblings now paused, watching as a dark SUV pulled in. "Yuki?" he asked.
Yuriko narrowed her eyes, reaching out with her mind. Scanning the drivers mind, she nodded. "Yeah that's our contact." Yuriko, Ben, and Tom now watched the car park as a blonde woman in her mid thirties stepped. "Tom and Yuriko Harris?"
"Yes?"
The blonde woman smiled, slowly walking towards the trio as she held out her hand. "Malissa Fuller," she said. "Nat told me you would be here, was hoping we could talk?" Malissa now turned, eyeing the young man before her. "Annnnd who are you?"
"Ben Mishimuro," he said. "Yuriko's boyfriend."
"Didn't realize you were bringing the boyfriend," Malissa stated. "Does he have any skills to help with all this?"
"That doesn't matter," Yuriko said quickly, cutting Malissa off before she could continue. "He's as much as part of this as Tom and I. Now, Nat said something about information on Casseus. What can you offer and how do you know him?"
"Well," Malissa smirked. "I am his step daughter."
Tom scowled, immediately using his magic to restrain Malissa in thick iron chains. "Fucking knew it," he growled. "Ben, get Yuki out of here! I'll deal with this."
Malissa frowned, glaring at Tom as she began to glow. In a flash of light, she now transformed. Instead of a woman in her mid thirties, a teenage girl dressed in a dark military uniform stood.
"Will you relax," she exclaimed. "I'm not here to hurt you or your sister. I'm S.P.E.A.R's mole! Who do you think has been feeding them information on New Horizon all these years!"
"Bullshit." Tom grumbled, the man now summoning forth a series of blades that now hovered around him. "You have any idea what that guy has done? The shit he's done to my sister?'
"Yeah I've heard," Malissa stated. "Why do you think I'm helping S.P.E.A.R? I can't stand my step father. He's pure evil. Now, you want to put the knives away?"
"No," Tom growled. "I'm not taking any chances. Spit out the info and then we'll see."
"Tom?"
Tom turned, noting the concerned look on his sister's face. Casseus had always been a sore subject for Yuriko. The dark wizard having captured and tortured her as an infant. Then, when Yuriko was a teenager, she traveled through time coming face to face with Casseus in an attempt to stop Villar from destroying the timeline. That journey found Yuriko impaled through the chest by a lich, only to watch helplessly as Casseus murdered a wizard, nearly killed her Aunt Naomi, and paralyzed her magical teacher Mary Elise. If not for the actions of Akira, Yuriko would have certainly perished. Instead, Akira killed Casseus. Taking his head and almost losing his life in the process. That should have been the end of Casseus.
Sadly they were mistaken.
Yuriko now took a tepid step forward, locking eyes with the daughter of the wizard who had haunted her dreams for years. Despite every fiber of her being saying otherwise, she needed answers. "So what are you?"
"I am Malevolent Azalea," Malissa declared. "Leader of the Dark Garden. My dark flower shall blot out the light of the world!"
Malissa groaned, rolling her eyes as she completed her speech. "Ugh, every damn time with that speech," she grunted in annoyance. "Do you have any idea how much of a pain in the ass it is to utter that every, single, time?!"
"Um, no clue," Yuriko replied in confusion. "So wait...are you the bad guy then?"
"No," Malissa said. "I mean...yeah it looks bad, but I'm more of a double agent. Maybe an anti-hero."
"Yeah look, that's all well and good," Tom sighed. "But we got more important things to worry about. Nat said you could help us."
Malissa nodded, a small smile spreading across the teenage magical girls face as she answered. "What would you say if I said I could sneak you into New Horizon?"