White Sheep

Chapter 24

This week had one of those amusing beta instances I tend to think other authors would balk at. Basically, College Fool received this and looked over it last night, and I woke up this morning to a PM that (very politely and with good reasoning) said "Yeah, I think like everything from the middle onwards needs to be changed entirely."

It was a huge amount of work, and I can't help but think most people would have said "Lol, no way." I just shrugged, and figured the points raised were good ones. As such, this was gutted back down to 4k words, and then re-written. Good times!

Beta: College Fool

Cover Art: Kegi Springfield

Chapter 24 – Huntresses among Sheep

Mercury sighed for what felt like the tenth time and knocked on the door. It was eight in the morning, and already a time when he'd normally be getting ready for lessons. Luckily, it was a weekend, but that just meant he was awake at a time he'd normally be sleeping. The people on the other side of the door must have been the same, for he heard some vague cussing followed by the sound of something heavy falling out of a bed.

He then heard enough swears and curses that even he felt impressed. There was the sound of padding feet, then a latch being pulled. The door slammed open, revealing a pretty brunette in her pyjamas, one shoulder revealed as the cotton hung loose.

She also wore sunglasses... to bed.

"State your purpose or die," Coco Adel said, the threat cut off by a powerful yawn. "Actually, it might be state your purpose and die as well. I'm not quite sure yet."

"I'm here for Velvet."

Normally, he'd have gone for something a little more flirtatious, just to play with her, but it didn't look like Coco was in the mood, and he could sympathise. The girl nodded, yawned again, and then turned back into her room.

"Hey Bun, your boy-toy's here to take you away."

"Mrffl...?" Velvet asked.

"Mercury," Coco replied.

"Ufbrl...?"

"Yeah."

Mercury whistled. "You can understand that?"

"Yes." Coco yawned. "No. Maybe? I don't know. What time is it?"

"Eight."

"In the morning?"

"Unless you slept all day, yes."

"Wouldn't be the first time." Coco sighed and looked behind her, and he could hear the sound of a zombie moving around inside, presumably as Velvet fell into her dresser in the vague hopes clothing would find her. "Give her a second," Coco said. "We're none of us good at waking up early here. Well, except Yatsu with his spiritual crap. I swear, if he offers me another herbal infusion tea, I'll snap. Oh, on that note, you pull this again and I'll shove my handbag up your ass and deploy it."

"Deploy...?"

Coco smirked. "You don't want to find out. Oh wait, here she comes."

Velvet stepped out from behind Coco, and to her credit she'd managed to find an outfit and put it on without any problems. Her hair was stuck up a little though, and that created a surprisingly cute image with her ears above it. One was bent halfway, almost like they too hadn't quite woken.

He wondered what would happen if he pushed it up. Would the other fold down?

"Hey Velvet," he said. "Sorry for waking you up. I wanted to ask you something and thought it would be better in person."