Eliminating Slayers

Chapter 6: Grace

Grace

The space was beautiful. It looked like something out of fairy tale. I looked around the room at the multiple and varieties of types of slayers.

Jack put a hand on the shoulder that wasn't covered and nodded towards a man and a girl, who I imagined was his daughter by how much she looked like him. It was Councilman Adams, of the Eliminators. Mr. Sipes, Blaze's father, and Blaze followed us as we approached the man and his daughter.

"Adams!" Mr. Sipes called happily.

"Sipes! Walker! Fancy seeing you here!" Councilman Adams returned, and did that awkward guy hug thing with Mr. Sipes, then shaking Jack's hand. "I'd like you to meet my daughter, Vanessa." he introduced.

The councilman's daughter shook the hands of Blaze's father first, then my grandfather. Her eyes then switched to me and Blaze, who stood there smiling. Blaze was probably because he had to.

"Vanessa, right? I'm Grace Walker." I smiled politely, and shook her hand.

"I've heard about you." She mentioned, smiling.

"I'm Matthew, but everyone calls me Blaze. So this is the lost assassin, huh?" Blaze introduced.

Vanessa chuckled a little. "Yeah, that's me."

I looked at her, and took in her looks. Her hair was a deep red. I'd heard she dyed it that color as a slayer style political statement. Her eyes matched her father's. Her dress was beautiful. It was black, and had a few flowers that looked nice on her.

"You're prettier than I imagined." I admitted, sheepishly. With what I had heard about her, I imagined she would have a few scars, or a crooked nose. I actually felt kind of bad about it.

"Seriously!" Blaze laughed. "I thought you were gonna be all scratched up and gross."

All three of us laughed.

"So, what are your advanced senses?" I asked.

"Scent and hearing." Vanessa replied. My face dropped slightly, and I'm pretty sure I paled a little as well. "What?"

"Oh, nothing." I attempted to lie. "We used to have a teammate with those same senses.." I trailed off.

"Oh! You guys are that one team." Vanessa recognized finally.

"Yeah." Blaze rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"Ness, come on. We're next." Councilman Adams said, making Vanessa look away from me and Blaze and at her father.

"Actually, we are." Corrected Mr. Sipes, motioning for Blaze. They disappeared through the door.

"We're supposed to go next." Jack said to the councilman.

"Why?" Councilman Adams asked sadly.

"They want to welcome the girls back together." Jack shrugged, and the two disappeared, leaving Vanessa and I standing there silently.

"So, I hear you just became a fully fledged Eliminator.." I tried to fill the silence.

"Yeah! I'm really proud. I want to make my dad proud of me, too." She smiled.

"You know, we're a lot alike." I said suddenly. For some reason, her eyes widened a little.

"We do?" She asked, eyes going back to normal.

"Yeah." I nodded. "I was lost for a while when I was young too. My friends found me about two years ago after I was almost killed by a Slenderman." I explained.

"What a coincidence. A slender made you lost, and a slender got you found." She smiled, but it almost seemed a little forced.

I chuckled. "Well, technically it was my former foster mother. She made me upset and I ran into the forest. I'm lucky Pear was there to save me and bring me home."

"Pear?" She asked.

"Persephone Jeager." I nodded and she returned the gesture, clearly knowing the story of my missing best friend.

"Grace Walker and Vanessa Adams." We heard a voice call from behind the door. I looked over at Vanessa and shrugged. I guess it was our turn to be introduced. And to the whole slayer community.

I smiled and held out my elbow to Vanessa. She looked hesitantly at it before finally slipping her arm through mine.

"Follow my lead." I whispered to her. She looked at me with wide eyes and after a quick moment, she nodded and looked forward.

We went through the door and were at the top of the grande staircase. Everyone was looking up at us. I smiled and waved gently with my free hand. No doubt by now everyone had heard of the missing and thought to be dead descendants of the two most powerful councilmen.

As we walked down the stairs, I spotted my team at the bottom and waved to them. I laughed as I saw little Ana smile the biggest smile ever seen on her, and flared her arm back and forth in her own wave. I loved that little girl like a daughter. I just, knew that in the future, she would be the kind of girl everyone loves right after meeting her.

We finally got down to the bottom and I looked at Vanessa, who's arm was still hooked to mine. "Follow me." I smiled warmly and she nodded. We walked over to my friends and unhooked my arm from Vanessa. Dylan came up to me and gave me a quick peck, and wrapped an arm around my waist. "Vanessa, this is my boyfriend, Dylan Lewis." I introduced and they shook hands. She smiled happily. "You've met Blaze." I gestured.

"Well, you don't need to tell her that Princess. I'm pretty sure she knows." Said Blaze, which made me glare at him. Two years. Two god damn years, and he still calls me that name. I punched him in the arm. "Damn!" He glared at me and held his arm. I still didn't like it. When would he get that?

"This is Ares, Becky, Tommy, and little Ana." I introduced, gesturing to everyone as I said their names.

"Hi." Greeted Becky, which made me raise my eyebrows and smile a little. It was rare that she spoke to strangers.

"Nice to meet all of you." Vanessa said.

"Hey, Ness!" A man called. We all looked over Vanessa's shoulder at a blonde boy running up to us. "Who are your friends?" He asked, looking at all of us.

"Everyone, this is Zac. Zac, this is everyone." Vanessa introduced. We all waved at the man. "Zac is my teammate."

"So you're an Eliminator?" Ares asked. I could tell he was trying to determine the threat level of the person in front of him.

"I am." Zac nodded proudly. I would be proud too if I got that job. They endure Punishment and torture as part of training. To say they survived all of that with all, or most of their sanity is amazing, despite the fact that Mages create the tonics and potions that saved their sanity and health. The even more amazing thing, is that they signed up for it willingly. But I would never be able to go through that. Witnessing Ares, Blaze, and Pear going through it was bad enough, hearing of the extent of Pear's was even worse. The fact that Mages make the stuff that helps calm them down and bring them back to normal is part of the reason I accepted their offer into their division.

"Grace." Jack came up behind me. "Come, Councilman Wayman wants to speak to you about your latest work."

"Wayman? From the Mages?" Asked Vanessa. I nodded.

"I'm studying part time with them. I am group nurse after all." I laughed. True. I was still the official nurse of the group. That was yet another reason I joined the Mages. "So, if you would excuse me." I said, giving Dylan a quick kiss before following my grandfather over to councilman Wayman.

Throughout the whole time I've been here, I was on the lookout for Pear. So far, I hadn't seen her.

___

A/N:

HEY GUISE. DIDJA MISS ME? Pfft. How could you not? IM EPIC.

LOLJK.

But seriously. What's going on? There hasn't been much activity from your side of Watty. HELLO? *knocks on computer screen.* ANYONE HOME?

Oh! Why don't you check out our new book? It's called "Becoming Gods." It's cool. And I'm like in love with the character I'm POVing. Like seriously? Guys would it kill you to be more like him? HE'S SO SMEXY.

Kay. Hormonal teenage girl rant over. SEE YOU NEXT WEEK DARLINGS.<3

-Nicki!