Lottie had wondered how MIO hadn't even been disturbed after the Amortidor's...tantrum. But apparently when you shockwave telepathic energy through a building, all of the non-monsters inside go into a psychic sleep for a few hours. So it gave her some time to figure out what they did have on them. Which wasn't a lot - most of their information came from what Lily told them, but there was one item they possessed that caught her eye. All of the things they had on them were in a tall wooden cabinet with an engraving on the front in code. Lottie recognised it immediately - it was the MIO symbol for Hyde, a half smile, half frown face. A small padlock was across the doors, but Lottie easily broke it, even as Jekyll. Inside was a collection of greyscale photographs, a small vial of monocane and a ring. It was the ring that caught her eye. The metal was a rose-gold colour, and a diamond shaped stone was set into it. It was a plain white colour, but when she picked it up it turned an emerald green. It glimmered like a moonstone and she thought to herself of fire. Blazing streams of fire burning away everything she despised in the world. She focussed it all on the ring in her fingertips, red flames licking at all the old pains she still thought about. Then, she smelt smoke all of a sudden, driving her away from the jewel. Surely it couldn't have been. There on the mahogany desk beside her was a glow of a flame flickering away, and covering the wood in a black ash. Scared, she dropped the ring to the floor. It couldn't have been just a coincidence. The flames grew in height, but didn't spread, only concentrated on one black and white photograph. Curiously she picked it up and put out the embers, that had caused a long black mark to scar the paper. However the picture underneath was still visible - it was Dance.
She dropped it back onto the desk and went to retrieve the ring from the floor. Then she thought of the flame and how she imagined it from her own memory, and it silently terrified her. If she carried that ring with her, what would become of the thoughts she had? It would destroy so much. That was probably why it was here in a dusty MIO cabinet. Quickly she dropped it into her pocket, taking all the files, and walked away.
"Can I come with you?" the Amortidor asked Robert outside the MIO building. He had been checking Hannigan's pulse, who had passed out before he could warn Sackler of the incoming psychic storm, and, unfortunately, still had one.
"Of course", Robert replied. "You're one of us".
"But I'm not. I'm just a copy". There was a beautiful sadness in her eyes that made an idea jump into Robert's head.
"How would you like to protect the world? From demons".
"If it would make you happy, uncle, it would make me happy".
"Well, think about it for me. Anyway, we better find Lottie".
"No need. I found what I needed", Lottie lilted, stepping over the sleeping MIO agents, and threw over the pack of files.
"Well then", Robert answered, pulling out some of the photographs and smiling at them. "We better be getting home. Maggie will be worrying".
The snow had all melted from the sidewalks so the walk home was much shorter, and rather less chillier. However a sheet of grey sleet was still bundled in the corners of the curb, and the windows of the house still had long spikes of icicles underneath the sills. "Home" Lottie thought, and she finally had the right to it. Robert led the way, opening the door to the candlelit living room. Near the fire were Maggie and Garson enjoying the warmth that contrasted so much to the outdoors. The table that sat between them had two crystal glasses and a decanter of brandy that had been half-drank. Ravi was perched on a leather bound stool nearby, reading extracts from the Jezequel book, and Olalla was sitting on the stairs picking at her nails. It was Ravi who first noticed them come through the door, dropping his book onto the floor and coming to greet them.
"Robert!" he mused, delighted. "I wondered where you got to".
"I haven't been that long, have I?"
"You left about five hours ago. Garson's been worried sick". Robert looked over to him, but he had dozed off in his armchair.
"It looks like it". Olalla came over next, rather nonchalantly, and without a word, smacked him across the cheek. However she soon backfooted and gave him an awkward hug instead.
"I thought you were dead. I thought they caught you".
"There is a heart of gold somewhere in there then", Robert murmured, rubbing where she had hit him.
"Am I seeing double?" Ravi asked as he noticed the two Lotties.
"No, it'll take some explaining".
After some effort, they eventually woke the sleeping pensioners in their front room and told them of their exploits down in the MIO vaults.
"You cried?" Olalla had commented. "Wuss".
"Our sister was dying in my arms. It was a natural thing to do", Robert had retorted.
"So, you're my sister?" Olalla asked Lottie, who had stayed rather quiet during the conversation.
"Afraid so. I know you don't like me, and I know I'm a bit of a misfit, but...try and put up with me".
"What gave you that idea?"
"It's just, you were very against the idea that I was a Jekyll".
"I do that with everyone. After being used all my life, I don't really know what to do when someone pops up and is actually nice to me". She looked outside the window at the people going by, and realised how long it had been since she had used her bloodspike. "And anyway, I have to take up Renata's mantle soon, so you won't have to put up with me for long".
"Actually, about that", Robert interrupted. "Lottie Mark 2 is willing to take it up instead".
"Really?" Olalla asked, in a mix of surprise and gratitude. "You do that for me?"
"Of course, you're my auntie. I'll do whatever I can".
"Oh my God, thank you!" She reached forward and gave her a warm hug. "I don't know how I could ever repay you".
"There is... one thing", The Amortidor said quietly.
"Of course, anything".
"I'd like a name. You know, I've always been called Pan, or Monster, or thing, but I've never had a proper name".
"What about... Renata? I'm sure she would have loved for you to carry on her name and title".
"Renata. I- I love it", she whispered, then remembered something. "Your powers, Lottie, you need them back".
"Don't worry darl. You controlled them better than I ever could. They're yours".
"And this is for you", Robert started and removed the Hyde Sword from his belt. "What better way to protect the world than with a little reminder of us?"
"Thank you", she exclaimed, tears of joy welling up in her eyes. Nodding to everyone, she turned and walked out into the cold air. "Renata. Guardian of the Surface World".
"We finally made it", a gruff voice said behind her. She turned to see the Harbinger smiling slightly, and he ran towards her.
"Teken?" she asked herself and remembered how they loved eachother so much before they both went their separate ways. "Teken!"
As soon as her hand reached for him, her healing energy suddenly turning his skin golden. He looked around in surprise as the hound part of him drifted away and he became human again. Teken was just how she remembered him, as handsome as ever, and she just couldn't believe that he was here. Her Teken. But then the crashing reality that she had to go and serve her title came back.
"I have a job to do, I'm sorry", she whispered and held his hands.
"Then I will join you. Just like the good old days".
"But I'm not Lottie".
"And I'm not Henry Ford, but I don't see anyone complaining. The point is, I don't care what you look like or that you're a demon slaying Old God with anger issues, I care that I've been completely and utterly infatuated with you since forever. I just want to be with you".
"I can't give you the original, but I can give you everything else".
"That's the spirit".
"I love you, Teken", she lulled, walking off in the direction of the Jezequel house.
"I love you too".