Anita
Chapter 4

The familiar burn dragged Anita from unconsciousness and she lashed out, grabbing the wrist of the offender and growling under her breath. They twisted out of her grasp and Anita sensed them move back a few steps. She laid on her back a few more moments, eyes closed against the unforgiving light of the sun. “What time is it?” The words were barely intelligible but she didn’t bother to repeat them. They would understand or they wouldn’t.

“The first wave has just finished.” Anita blinked open her eyes at Layette’s voice and surged forward into a crouch, groaning at the fresh wave of pain that assaulted her body. “Hey, relax.” Layette put a hand on her shoulder to stop her from getting to her feet.

Grudgingly, Anita sunk onto the floor, pulling off the green mush from the ground and tossing it into the wind. Her hand brushed a crystal on the ground and she frowned. Layette smiled apologetically, “We had to pull them out before the corruption spread.”

“It’s fine,” Anita paused a moment before turning to the other girl, “thank you. Are you hurt?”

Layetta shook her head, chestnut brown hair falling into her face. “Nipped by a Gamma but that’s it.”

“A Gamma?” Anita scoffed, “Layette I’m so beyond disappointed in you.”

A blush creeped into her cheeks, barely visible through her darker skin. “Well..I..It wasn’t just one Gamma!” she sputtered.

Anita snickered at how defensive she was. “I’m just teasing, I saw your little horde. So, ah ...you and Diaxel work well together huh?”

This time the blush crept into her stones, swirls of red mixing within their green depths and Anita giggled. “Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!” Layette whispered urgently, slapping Anita’s arms repeatedly.

“Ow,” Anita hissed and Layette stopped immediately.

“Sorry! And besides you know they’d never allow it.” Anita gave her a sympathetic smile, the Keepers cracked down on any semblance of a relationship, fearful of what might arise from a union of two Guardians.

“Uh..” Anita glanced up at the voice, rolling to the side defensively before relaxing when she realised it was just the kid she’d saved. He stared at them wide eyed, big green eyes bulging with fear.

“I’m not going to eat you, relax kid.” Anita waved a hand, inviting him to join them.

“Um..” He glanced back and forth before slowly sinking to the ground, Anita could tell the second he remembered it was wet; his impossibly wide eyes widening even more impossibly.

“Kid, if you open your eyes any more they’ll fall out of your head, just spit it out and relax. We’re all Guardians here.”

He blinked rapidly a few times and nodded, wiping his face with his sleeve and revealing the thick yellow crystals underneath. “I..um..just wanted to say thanks, for stepping in. And I’m sorry you got hurt because of me.” His voice held an accent Anita couldn’t pinpoint.

She waved away his apology. “Don’t worry about it. Newbie like you shouldn’t be facing an Alpha alone. Is this your first time out on the field?” she asked.

He nodded vigorously. “First day of many I hope.”

“Figured so.” Anita waved a finger at his body. “Crystals can’t help your senses if you leave ’em covered, just so you know,” she explained, gesturing at her own bare chest.

“Oh.” He glanced down at his shirt and chewed on his lip.

“Kid, first of all what is your name? I’m sick of referring to you as kid.”

“Cassius.”

“Alright, Cassius, second of all, unless you have a nest of spiders under there, you don’t need to be self conscious. Literally none of us care what you got.” Layette nodded along with her words and she continued, “But seriously if you have a nest of spiders under there you can march your ass over that way and let them deal with it.”

“I don’t have spiders! Just because I’m Australian!” Australian! Anita mentally snapped her fingers, that’s what his accent is!

“Whoa whoa little buddy, ’twas nothing more than a jest. Hakuna your matatas.”

Sirens blared up around the courtyard, later than usual. It must have taken the Keepers a bit longer this time to clear out all the bodies. Anita didn’t like the thought of that, there had been a lot of Herects sure, but the delay also meant a lot of Guardians had fallen with them. The alarms let out one final earsplitting shriek, signaling there was only a minute left until the next wave arrived.

Cassius jumped a few feet in the air and shook himself. He hesitated for a moment but eventually shrugged out of his shirt and, after glancing around frantically to see if there was anywhere to put it, dropped it on the soggy wet ground with a shrug. Anita gasped softly, walking around behind him and laying a hand on his back.

“You lucky little fucker. Do you even know how to use these?” She brushed her hand along the layer of yellow crystals, splayed out like wings on his back, exactly like wings on his back. The contact made him shudder, reminding her of how sensitive they were to the touch. “I knew some of the air crystalled Guardians had wings but you have to be the only one in this entire compound with ’em. Lucky little shit.” Envy arose in her as she frowned at her own blue crystals. Hers allowed her control of water, ice and snow but he could fly. She was incredibly jealous.

“Oh, yeah, it’s really easy.” He glanced over his shoulder and they twitched, the wings rising slightly from his back and slowly beginning to flutter. He rose carefully into the air as the final countdown began.

“Stay up there as long as you can!” Anita shouted loudly over the sound of the cannons. “Just hit them from up there, you’ll be safe.”

She turned back to Layette as the final few seconds ticked down, the younger girl bounced lightly on her heels, eager for the newest fight to begin. This time they would stay together, join up with Diaxel and shred their way through the horde.

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