3rd POV
As the sun rose above the city of Kuoh, a particular woman was recalling the events that transpired the day prior. Her headache has not yet ceased. In fact, it seemed even worse than before, but alas... She could be thankful she slept in a proper bed as opposed to the tough and uncomfortable skin of the trees outside.
Indeed, some luck has struck Grace and her partner Absalom, but how long would it last? Considering she already ran into some other supernatural fellow yesterday, not very long probably.
She gazed upon the clock hanging on the wall, indicating 7 and a half in the morning, and then looked around the 5 stars hotel room she was in, letting out a sigh of relief... Relief that she hasn't faded from existence entirely yet.
'Finally awake, are you?', a rough and impatient voice echoed inside her mind, so loud that it made her cover her ears, despite the futility of it.
"Ugh, not so loud!", she shouted out, not caring if there were people outside the room that would hear her. "Tch. So much for a good sleep..."
'Why bother? You're a soul taking physical form only due to my corruption. You don't even have bodily needs!', the Nephilim, Absalom, seemed to regard this period of relaxation as a waste of time. Then again, his race was known to wage wars for months on end with no need for rest. Some habits die hard.
"I don't know. Why do YOU insist on being such a bitch in the morning? Maybe YOU could use some sleep!", she smashed her fist in the near wall, not leaving a dent, thankfully.
The Nephilim didn't respond this time, but Grace would swear she heard her partner mock her words in a childish tone. You wouldn't guess this was THE Absalom, firstborn of the Nephilim. But maybe this is the effect eons of time has on the conscious mind. After all, Death has this playful side to him too.
The woman stood up to stretch slightly and wake up properly. On the night table to the right of the bad, she found some pills and a glass full of water, as well as a note, reading 'This should help with your migraine. When you're ready, come down.'
"What is this?", she questioned.
'The woman from last night, she left this here after you fell asleep.'
You have to admit, having a Nephilim linked to you is quite the surveillance system. You could doze off in the middle of a bank heist and still have a 100% chance of waking up alive with the thieves in pieces. Place your order now.
"Lara Jones was it...? Well, as much as I appreciate it, I don't think those meds will have any effect on me..."
'So NOW you think bodily functions are useless. Marvelous.'
"Quit being so nagging. What are you? A divorced middle-aged mom? Cause I sure as hell don't plan on playing the role of your 'new husband'.", she closed her eyes, diving deep inside her mindscape, only to see a Nephilim at the end of his wits.
'...can we please get back on track? We're wasting time. Especially after meeting that poser yesterday.'
Not many can get away with calling the Norse god Loki a poser, but in these circumstances, the pair had no idea who was or wasn't a god at this point. I mean, regardless of status, they all bleed at SOME point, right?
"You know, the more I see you in that form, the more you look like a failed attempt at designing a demon lord..."
'I assure you. ANY demon lord is at least ten leagues apart from me.'
"Oh, I am in no way contesting your power. It's just that your personality doesn't match the appearance anymore. I can't take the 'I'll end the world' speech seriously at this point."
The woman chuckled slightly at imagining that impression of Absalom, much to the latter's displeasure, but their fun had to be cut short. Ah, my mistake. Her fun.
3 knocks on the door happened consecutively, before the door was forcefully opened in a hurry, with a "Stop right there!" along with it. Into the room came Lara Jones, the stunning beauty herself, somehow expecting to catch a perpetrator inside.
"...what are you trying to do?", Grace squinted her eyes, feeling rather weirded out by this event.
The redhead scouted the room several times before turning to her 'guest'. "Who were you talking with? I heard you making comments about becoming a husband of all things...?"
'Grace, you blithering idiot.', if he could transform right now, he would love to facepalm himself at this very moment.
"A-ah, that. I was just, you know... ", she fiddled with her fingers trying to cook up an explanation.
Fortunately, for Absalom, not Grace, Lara took notice of the untouched pill on the nightstand and let out a sigh of slight disappointment.
"Are you sure you didn't hit your last night during the earthquake?", she reprimanded her.
Of course, the first impulse of Grace was to shout back: 'Bitch, I MADE that earthquake!', but she had to bite her tongue and go against her feisty nature for once.
"You're a rude one, aren't you, Miss Jones?", she hit back, trying to keep the conversation somewhat civilized.
"Am...I?"
"Are...you?", Grace responded, unsure of where this exchange was even going anymore.
Certain is that Lara felt as if she received a punch under the belt. She couldn't believe she was hit with the same words she'd usually throw towards Bruce Creed...
"Apologies for that slip-up. It would seem I've fallen under some bad influence recently.", she rapidly admitted.
"Ah, lover quarrel. Say no more.", the 'patient' tried to sound understanding but it backfired completely.
"What!? I wouldn't be caught dating Leon even if he was the last man on this earth!", she instinctively blurted out, at which point both her interlocutor and her guard dog were left speechless.
'Leon Creed!? Does he interact with every human on this earth?!', the Nephilim erupted in frustration, feeling unable to escape his younger brother's reach.
'Relax. Maybe this is another Leon she's talking abou-'
"To begin with, why would I want to become part of the Creed family? To have Bruce as a brother-in-law!? No way!", Lara continued, as if she felt the need to justify her outburst.
...
'Come again, Grace?'
'Not another word, you Edgelord.'
Jokes aside, the more she interacted with this girl, the more Grace's head was killing her, as if it was about to split open from the inside. 'Absalom, we gotta get out of here, quick.'
'It's getting worse?'
'I feel like my head is going to come off any second now.'
'Fine. The moment she leaves, you get dressed and we're out of here. Besides, nothing good will come out of sticking around Leon's associates.'
'....thanks.'
"You should really take those meds. You're starting to turn paler by the minute."
"No, it's ok. I'll ugh...I'll just take a breather outside in a few minutes. It'll be fine.", she assured Lara, who was still reluctant to accept that excuse.
"If you say so. When you're ready come downstairs. We'll have a doctor check-up on you. Now excuse me, I have someone to greet downstairs."
With those last words, she shut the door behind her, leaving for the main lobby.
'We can't afford to have you checked up. You have n-'
"No pulse, cause I am technically dead, I know. I'll just...dash right past her and run straight back into the forest, to lose her."
'You can also jump straight out the window.'
"In the morning? When people go to work? That's asking to be spotted.'
'Tch. Human society is such an inconvenience.'
"We finally agree on something."
Meanwhile:
Lara, albeit still worried about her newest acquaintance, had an important meeting to attend. No, not the business kind by any margin. It's just that after complaining so much to her family about how the heir of the family just dumped all the work on her and vanished god knows where, her sister has decided to come give her a helping hand. And wouldn't you know it, as she reached the main lobby, she couldn't control her excitement.
"Cecilia!", she shouted, disregarding any other employee that accompanied her sister here.
It has been half a year since they last saw each other. Meet Cecilia Jones, perhaps one of the most feared ladies in the family tree after Scarlett and Aina, being also the lover of Edward Hyde, cousin of Leon, and the rest of his siblings.
If you opened up the dictionary at the word 'Businesswoman', you'd find there a picture of Cecilia Jones, a woman who does everything by the book and therefore has quite a distaste for the lack of diplomacy skills as far as Aunt's Scarlett's children are concerned. Perhaps the only fault anyone could give her was smoking, but even then there's a group of people who would see that as empowering. It's no wonder she has something akin to a Fanclub among Abstergo employees. Alas, a story for another day.
"It's so good to see you, Cecilia.", Lara bowed slightly, acknowledging that her sister was here for business and not just a family visit.
"You seem well enough, Lara. Any chance Uncle Alex or Aunt Scarlett are here today?", was what she said, but in truth, she meant to have the 2 questioned about their son's improper attitude towards his work.
"I've been informed they're currently away on 'family matters', whatever that might entail."
"Sigh...and here I promised dad to change their minds. Ah well, let's at least sort the business in Kuoh out before proceeding.", Cecilia stepped inside, puffing out the smoke with each step until she hit a standstill.
In a hurry, both she and Lara were brushed aside by a speeding Grace, dashing for the exit, as her heart was in unrest the moment she laid her eyes on Cecilia.
"Hey! Where are you going!?", the younger sister called out to the runaway, but no avail. "Grace!", she shouted again, but this time, her entire figure disappeared around the corner.
Lara apologized immediately to her big sister, offering her hand to help her stand up, but she wouldn't move. The cigarette that was lit up and trapped between her lips fell helplessly to the ground, as Cecilia Jones, with shaky legs and teary eyes called out in a drowned-out and cracking voice...
"Grace..."
To be continued...