Possessive Behavior

The smoke hit us both square in the face as we entered the Mage-Annex. Jess coughed and tried to fan it away with her hand to no avail.

After returning home yesterday we decided to stay in and postpone our night around town until after the big mission. We had come to an understanding, but I couldn't help feeling like I was still on at least somewhat thin ice. How did the saying go again? Any man can make a claim and any woman can do the same? What mattered now were actions.

At least I was able to persuade her to get her bracelet checked out before showing up for her assignment today, hence us visiting the less discerning, more legally dubious Mages at 7 in the morning. Jess had her costume stowed away in a little carry bag that hung loosely over her shoulder, while I was in civilian attire as usual.

I bent down to the group of Mages sitting beside the door, each holding some sort of smoking utensil. The unpleasant swirls emanating from the cigarettes, cigars, and pipes polluted the air in a variety of unusual colors. Tufts of blue mixing with streaks of yellow and even the occasional plume of hot pink.

"Excuse me. Could one of you tell us where we can find an Enchanter?" I asked, as politely as one can when in an environment that was 90% smoke.

"Try a bank." a hoarse-sounding woman croaked after blasting her cigar fumes directly in my face, eliciting both chuckles and laughter from her peers.

"I meant here." I managed to get out after a few heavy coughs.

Another Mage took a deep hit of his twin cigarettes, lifted his head, and blew straight up. The purple smog twisted itself into a spiraling arrow and zigzagged across the room, pointing to a group of figures near the back.

"Thanks..." I mumbled, trying not to inhale too much. Instead of responding the man waved his hand, causing his smoke to encircle and push me away from him and his pals.

"They seem nice." Jess said as she joined where I had been left.

I gave her a nod and we began moving in the indicated direction. "I'll never understand these people."

Mages that only realized their talents later in life, and those who worked extensively with or grew up around "Mundies", as they liked to call all non-Mages (including Empowered), were mostly okay. They behaved like normal people would for the most part. But the ones that were born and raised around other Mages had this off-putting arrogance to them, at least in my experience, even if they clearly didn't mean to. Maybe arrogance was the wrong word. Cliqueiness? It didn't matter. The point was I didn't care for them that much. And so far I did not have the feeling that anything here was going to dissuade me of that notion.

The group in question sat at a cluttered table full of knick-knacks and utensils, most of which I had never seen before. Unlike the smokers, these people clearly took great care to look presentable. Besides the suits and ties each of the three was adorned by all manner of accessories, from rings over armbands to necklaces.

They were having a spirited conversation until they noticed us approaching. One of them, the only man, turned in our direction and gave us a light, barely noticeable bow.

"Welcome, ladies. How can I help you today? Do you want to buy one of our meticulously made artifacts, or are you here to have an object of your own enchanted?" His voice was pleasant and almost unnaturally soothing. Using charisma-enhancing objects was very much illegal, but I suppose that didn't mean much here.

"Neither, pal." Jess chimed in and held out her arm. "Can ya identify this thing? Tell us what it does or whatever? If it has any nasty naughty secrets?"

The man carefully grabbed her arm and ran a finger down the ornate pattern. "I might. Depending on the severity of the enchantment this might run you a couple thousand dollars. Do you have that much to spare?"

I threw the 2500 dollars I earned on the table and the Mage smiled. "I see that you do." He looked at Jess and let her arm go. "Would it be at all possible for you to remove the artifact? I want to get a closer look."

"Sure thing, dude." She felt around for the clasp and unlatched it easily, but when she tried pulling the bracelet off it wouldn't budge. "What the.....Why won't it move?"

The Enchanters began whispering among each other while Jess redoubled her efforts. I was about to try and help when the thing finally gave. "There we go." I said and gave her a pat on the back but as soon as I lowered my eyes to her wrist my stomach flipped.

Thin, fleshy root-like tentacles were growing from the exposed bracelet's underside. The wriggling appendages pulsed as if they were breathing or pumping something. Instead of being simply wound around her arm as I had hoped, they had instead burrowed themselves into Jess' flesh, her skin having partially grown around them already.

"AAAAAAAAÀAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!" I heard her shrill scream echoing down the hall. No doubt we had the attention of every Mage in the Annex now, though I did not have the stomach to care about that at that moment. The sight of the worm-like beings invading Jess' body brought me to my knees for a moment. One of the Enchanters floated a bucket down next to me. I had just enough wherewithal to notice that it seemed to be bottomless before emptying my meager breakfast into it. All the while I heard my roommate justifiably losing her mind in the background.

Once I wiped my mouth and got up I turned to her to attempt to calm her down but someone else acted first. As Jess was frantically trying to rip the bracelet fully off one of the female Enchanters took off one of her rings and tapped the blue gemstone against Jess' hand. Almost immediately her breathing slowed, her expression relaxed and she stopped tugging at the monster on her arm.

The creature began retreating into her wrist, dragging its ornate shell back into place, the clasp even fastening itself again. "The Calming effect of my ring will not last forever. I recommend you to gather yourself while it is still active so we do not have to repeat this in a few minutes." the Mage said matter-of-factly. Jess nodded and ran her hand down her face.

"What is happening?" she mumbled as I took her hand in mine.

.

The male Mage let his hand wander over the mess of a table in front of him until he found what he was looking for. He picked up a small triangular object that resembled a spinning top with a sharper-than-usual edge. Without delay he grabbed Jess' arm with his other hand and pressed the edge of the instrument against her bracelet.

As soon as they touched red sparks erupted from the meeting point and to my great dismay what I thought had been an inlaid gemstone on the crown of the spinning top slid back and revealed itself as a crystalline eyelid. The eye looked around wildly as the sparks intensified until the Mage separated the objects and it closed again.

"Did that hurt at all?" he asked as he put it away again.

Jess took a deep breath before answering. "Nope. Tbh, even pulling on it didn't hurt. It's just...." She shuddered and the Enchanter nodded in sympathy.

"I think I know what we're dealing with here. But just to be sure, what does it do? What is it supposed to do, I mean, and has it ever done something out of the ordinary?"

She shrugged. "I guess it floats stuff around. Makes'em levitate and shit. As for weird stuff, there was that thing that happened when we fought the Yellowbricks. Ya probs already know about that though."

He stared at her blankly. The third Enchanter, the woman who hadn't said or done anything up to this point giggled and shook her head. "You have to excuse him. He doesn't pay all that much attention to Mundie affairs. You're Witchling then?" He looked at her and she continued. "The artifact made a car explode during one of their silly cape fights."

"What would I do without you?" he said with a warm smile before facing Jess again. "Were you in a state of emotional or physical distress when the car was blown up?"

"Both, really." I answered for her and she nodded.

"T'was not a fun time for me."

"Well then, I am reasonably sure I can tell you what you are dealing with."

"And that is?" Jess urged, motioning with her hands for him to go on.

"I tell you what it isn't. A simple artifact. An Enchanter did have their hands in creating this, but it was a collaborative effort." He pulled up the spinning top again. "Like this. Someone either summoned, conjured, or bred a creature capable of great telekinetic power and then bound it to this bracelet."

"So the bling has no power whatsoever?"

"No. And I can see why it was done. Using artifacts as a Mundie can be very mentally taxing. This way the creature is the one who bears the brunt of the magic feedback. And since it was created for that purpose it can do so indefinitely. An outstanding Enchanter like myself could naturally achieve the same result using just our regular brand of magic, but whoever was responsible for this was either not talented or daring enough to pull it off. How embarrassing." The other two Enchanters giggled.

"So what does that mean for Witchling?" I asked and she squeezed my hand harder.

"Nothing much. You appear to be in luck. The creators of your little toy were almost certainly low-class hacks, but they weren't utterly incompetent. The relationship between you two is symbiotic. You let it have access to higher thought and a consciousness of its own using your brain, while it gives you telekinesis in return. But if it thinks you are in danger of dying, it will try to defend itself. So be careful if you use it in high-stress situations. The only real downside is that since it hijacks a part of your brain's processing power for itself you are slightly less....on top of things, if you know what I'm trying to say?"

"This thing makes me dumber?!?" Jess almost yelled and the Mage chuckled.

"The effect should be barely noticeable. Telekinesis is child's play, but these symbiotes can be very useful if bred for higher forms of magic. Some of our greatest Archmages have them, and despite their handicap, they haven't let up at all. So if the most sophisticated Mages of our time are not noticeably affected despite their great intellect a Mundie should have nothing to fear."

".....Thanks.....I guess...." Jess closed her eyes for a moment. "Can I get rid of it?"

The Enchanters shared a glance. "If you try to rip them out they would probably break your spine or tear the muscles in your arm to defend themselves without killing you."

Jess went deathly pale. "How the fuck can they do that?!"

"At this point, the feelers of your symbiote aren't just all bunched up in your wrist. They should have wrapped themselves around every and any available part of your body by now."

She stumbled back and threatened to fall but I caught her in time. "This is too much..."

"I suppose you could cut your hand off. That would lead to the remaining feelers dying off sooner or later. Arms can't survive for long without a body after all. But you never know how they might react. They could accept it and go quietly or rip you apart from the inside in revenge. I wouldn't risk it personally."

Jess nodded but remained otherwise silent. I took that as the queue to take over. "Thank you for your help. What do I owe you?"

The Mage grabbed the stack of money I threw down, took some, and handed me back the rest. I counted it quickly before putting it back in my bag.

"You took just 500?"

"Normally I'd ask for more, but I have been more than entertained today. A clueless Mundie with a fully grown symbiote that she bonded to accidentally. Me getting to tell that story is more than enough for a little discount, don't you think?"

"If you say so. See you later then." I said and gently took Jess by the shoulders to lead her back into the main lobby.

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"How are you feeling?" I asked as I returned to the small table with three cups of coffee. One for me, two for her, as usual.

"I dunno." She took a sip. "Weird. Gross. Did I mention weird?"

I gave her a nod. "Do you want to go on? As Witchling?" I poured four bags of sugar into my cup as I waited for her answer. It took until one of her drinks was empty for it to come.

"Yeah. I think I do. I mean, what's done is done, ain't that right? It's not like hanging up my cape will get this thing out of me or something." She sighed deeply. "It's my fault anyway. I stole this stupid armband and didn't pay any mind to what it might do to me. Fuck the risks, live in the moment, am I right?"

"We were all young and stupid once." I replied, causing Jess to chuckle.

"Back when ya were young people still used to carve runes into stone slabs to communicate; I don't think our youths are comparable, old lady."

I let out a chuckle of my own and flicked her forehead. "Shut up."

I was glad that Jess seemed to take it as well as could be hoped, but even though her goofy demeanor returned, I couldn't help but notice that the shine in her eyes was dimmer than usual.

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Once we arrived at Velveteria Jess was immediately whisked away by one of Souto's echoes, leaving me to wander the busy hideout by myself. I had promised her to wait for her here, so I was doing my best to find something interesting to occupy myself with. Sadly, I had never been the artsy type so this was proving somewhat more difficult than I would have liked.

After half an hour of roaming, I came across two familiar faces. Well, one familiar face. Number 1 Dad Duchamp, looking even more like a hapless father wearing ill-fitting and smudged glasses, was chatting with some kind of insectoid creature wearing a beret. I didn't really need that right now so I closed my eyes real quick to change perspectives. What greeted me when I opened them again was a woman in full football gear and helmet. Eh, good enough.

"Duchamp, Nitsch." I addressed the duo who welcomed me with a smile.

.

"Ah, the Master Controller. Fancy seeing you here." the older man said and shook my hand.

"How's it hangin', bro." Football-Nitsch uttered and raised her hand for a fist bump.

You know, on second thought, maybe it isn't good enough. I closed and opened my eyes again and shook the hand of a beautiful princess in a dazzling dress. Wearing a beret, of course.

"Whatever are you doing here, Lady Controller? I don't think the King mentioned having anything to do for you today?"

"What is she to you, right now?" Duchamp asked, adjusting his glasses.

"A princess, I think. She was a quarterback before."

.

"Ah, interesting. For me, she is a firewoman. It's a good look for her."

Nitsch giggled with her hand in front of her mouth like a proper lady.

"But it is a good question. Is there perchance anything you might need from our humble gathering of starving artists?"

I shrugged. "Not really. I'm just wasting time until Witchling comes back. Promised her to wait. I am curious though. Is your little trio going to be part of the big mission?"

Duchamp nodded, then shook his head. "Not all of us, no. Manet's Powers aren't really all that useful for our purposes. I'll be there as a guard, and Nitschy here..." He ruffled through the part of her hair that was not covered by the beret. "...she is crucial in getting the message across."

"You are entirely too kind." she replied with a curtsy.

"How so?" I asked him.

"Come on, Master Controller. You have to learn to love the surprises that life throws at you around every corner. Just sit back and let yourself be amazed."

I had forgotten who I was dealing with. Artists. Damn artists.

"But if you want to pass the time, why don't you introduce yourself to one of our collaborators? The Boss had her visit scheduled for this afternoon, but she showed up a couple of hours ago anyway."

"I do not wish to insult you, my lady, but it is obvious to all onlookers that the holy realm of artistry isn't a place you are accustomed to or feel at home." Princess-Nitsch interjected.

"What she is trying to say is that maybe our guest is someone more your speed. You never know."

I sighed. "Alright. Can you at least tell me who she is?"

Duchamp shook his head. "What did I tell you about life's surprises?" He motioned behind himself. "She should be somewhere around the corner. Have fun."

With a roll of my eyes, I waved the two goodbye and followed his instructions. It did not take long to find what I was looking for.

Near one of the many piles of discarded art supplies wandered a phantom, pacing slowly back and forth, almost as if hovering. I recognized the figure immediately. She had been quite prolific even during my time as a hero. Her costume was one of the simplest in the game, a long, thin, black, hooded robe. The hood was low enough that everything above her mouth was obscured and the sleeves only revealed the very tips of her long, slender, pale fingers.

This woman was known as Boneyard. Her power gave her complete mastery over her own bones, as well as an incredible healing factor. Worst of all, if her bones came into contact with another bone, she gained full control over that one as well. If one of her bones pierced you deep enough to connect, it was over. That was her preferred method of killing. Making someone's skull split itself open, or making their ribs rip their own heart to shreds.

She had been a terrifying serial killer in her youth until she was picked up by Freakshow at age 19. Since then she had calmed down quite a bit, at least as far as I was aware. I had not really kept track of these things after my return to society.

I guess her presence made sense. What better way was there to animate Ray's body than to take control of his skeleton? Not that that made me any less nervous. I had decided to just turn around and leave when she noticed me.

".....Who are you?....." Her words were slow and deliberate. "I thought....I told your boss that I don't want his artist friends to disturb me."

I raised my hands. "I'm no artist. I'm....another collaborator, I guess. Like you."

Boneyard approached me slowly. " Who...?"

"Uhm...." I scratched my head. "The Master Controller. Small timer. Nothing compared to you."

She was directly in front of me now. I didn't realize how tall she was until I saw her towering over me.

".....No need to be so humble......Alice told us about your little talk....." I had completely forgotten the Child at Heart. Maybe telling her what she wanted to hear hadn't been such a good idea after all.

".....Any friend of Alice....is a friend of the L.A. Freakshow.....It's so nice.....to finally meet you......"

I heard a disgusting squelching noise below me and soon found out its source. Boneyard had reached up to shake my hand. But instead of lifting her arm, her bones had detached themselves from her flesh. I could see the empty hull of meat hanging limply on her elbow as her skeletal hand reached out in greeting.

I hesitantly accepted, shuddering as the hard bones, wet with blood closed around my palm.

"......The Haunting Nightmare......is eager to meet you.......He thinks you may be........Freakshow material......."

My head swam in disgust during the handshake, so, incapable of thinking clearly and wanting to stay on her good side, I blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"I'm honored. Maybe you can set up a talk between us after Souto's mission."

Boneyard grinned widely, revealing her razor-sharp teeth. "That would be......wonderful.....I'll do what I can...."

Oh, Mallory. I thought to myself. Why can't you just keep your fucking mouth shut for once in your life.