Chapter 32: 29. When a Divine Teenager Flexes

Jay was glad that Kleo turned out to be a quick study when it came to music. She wanted to join Mike in beatboxing, primarily for her amusement rather than her master's, but it worked out. The [Mage] and familiar coordinated a beat that excited Jay without being too complex for Kleo. Resultantly, Jay performed like he had an adoring audience rather than a bunch of moody teens and nervous guards.

Throughout the session, Jay caught the guards hesitantly drawing closer. Some of them probably wanted him to knock it off, but they had orders not to provoke the kids with magic powers. Other guards wanted a closer look because they were curious about the magical aspects involved or were drawn in by Jay's performance.

Jay wouldn't ever admit that he was a good dancer.

He was a bit insecure about labeling himself as decent or good. He was always a work in progress because there was always something to improve. Even now, he could tell he was overcompensating technique with pure Agility-enhancement to do things that skipped past certain human limitations. At the same time, he caught himself touching [Moonwalker] without thinking. The Skill's passive ability could easily take root if he didn't actively turn it off. 

He didn't want magic assistance because he needed to develop a base understanding of his current level. He also wanted to push himself to sweat, which took more effort. Even with the flips, spiraling handstands, and transitions into gravity-bending down rock moves and leans, Jay took longer than ever before to break a sweat. Jay found a few parts of the routine frustrating since he had to start from scratch to understand himself as a b-boy again.

To everyone else, he was probably the best live performance they'd seen in a while, if ever. Did they let inmates in prison dance like this? Was this a thing already? If it were, then he'd put prisoner dance troupes to shame.

It was almost too fun for him to stop when he noticed that half of the guard staff was getting their entertainment value out of duty. Then with the timing of an entertainer knowing when to stop to keep the crowd wanting more, Jay struck a near-perfect landing after a series of aerial spins and flips that didn't seem possible without wires.

One of the guards started clapping before his companions shushed him.

Jay gasped, relishing the feeling of his Stamina getting close to low. There was something raw and lovely about this tiredness. It came from the effort of his art rather than cropping up in a fight with high stakes. Stamina tended to burn quickly, but it recovered quickly compared to the other Statuses.

It was relieving, too.

So when he felt himself shuddering, he tried to hide the release of anxiety, panic, fear, and all sorts of dark emotions he kept stuffed away inside during the dungeon crawl. This was not the time or place for that.

Kleo bumped into his face.

"You're doing that on purpose," Jay said.

"Yup," Kleo said with the tone of someone who was an everyday menace.

Jay laughed and offered his palm. She rotated around in the air like an astronaut before reaching the docking platform. With a flash of purple gravity magic, she landed. Jay felt her minuscule weight through her little feet.

She was wearing the shrunken version of the Cloak of Stalking Delight, a dark gray article speckled with red splotches that seemed permanent. It wrapped around her more like a wild, billowy gown, giving her some level of modesty.

"I'm a [Faerie] now," Kleo said. "Level 1, too. Most importantly, I'm your [Faerie], Master Jay. Whatever happened ultimately gave me a new life that'll serve you best. How'd that happen keeps slipping my understanding."

Jay held back the temptation to check his profile and notifications. "I probably did something major after the dungeon master."

"Indeed, you probably did," Mike muttered. "And no matter how long I sit here, I can't figure out what."

"I think I'm going to bust out of here now," Dennis said, sounding like he was reaching his breaking point.

Before anyone acted or spoke further, Frank stood.

He stalked over to the bars, dragging his warped, chipped, and tarnished greatsword. Magic metal on mundane flooring didn't bode well for the flooring.

"Agent Stronghold, please return to your seat," the lead guard ordered.

"Sergeant, I need to see the Op Commander," Frank said.

"An officer will see you–"

Frank tapped the greatsword against the bars, cutting off the lead guard.

The lead guard shifted forward, asserting himself. "Don't act belligerently with me, Junior Agent. This might look unfavorable if a report ends up on the wrong people's desks."

"Ah, yes, it would be a shame to tarnish my reputation after years of fighting my way up to this point," Frank said, looking down at his missing left arm. "That's quite the perspective to think a written report will be my greatest concern right now."

"Medical attention will be sent after the officer determines it's safe for the medical staff," the lead guard informed, glancing at each inmate. "All of you will be seen soon."

Frank tapped the sword against the bars again.

The lead guard started to speak and got interrupted by magic metal on mundane metal once again.

The lead guard backed off without another word.

Jay sighed, feeling the weight of disappointment and irritation started to slam home. He didn't realize he'd shifted Kleo to his shoulder and was petting her head until Frank's altercation with the lead guard ended with nothing changed.

He froze.

Kleo seized his finger and guided it to keep petting her head. Jay did as she wished, finding it soothing for himself as much as it was for her. He took his seat at the corner, his attention occupied by Frank. 

The team leader stood like a statue with the sword hilt held with a vice grip in his fist. The emotional gravity on Frank's shoulders grew greater. Jay started to worry because there was a limit to how much anyone could bear before they snapped.

"Please," Jay muttered. "Someone save us before this gets ugly."

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The heavens answered.

An alluring and authoritative voice rang far and wide like a feminine thunderclap.

"Bring me the fool who dared cage my Champions like animals!" Yoanna demanded, easy to hear even if she wasn't close by. "I want that person to beg me for forgiveness! And free my Champions while you're at it before I bring out my apocalyptic inner Karen. You don't want to see that side of me when I haven't had my midday mocha chip frappe."

Dennis and Mike dropped their gloomy mood and erupted into cheer. The two high-fived, which ended with Mike nursing his hand to his chest while bent over in pain. Dennis apologized as Mike pulled out a basic health crystal and absorbed it. That could've triggered the guards if they weren't already triggered.

"Please note that while I am quite angry with you, I will not harm you directly," YoAnna informed from somewhere beyond. "But that doesn't mean I won't wreck your stuff and terrorize you with the threat of power you couldn't hope to turn away or do anything about. So bring me your commander and my Champions. Or continue to tremble little humans and face the devastation of your little toys while I'm in a mood!"

Radio conversations were a garbled mess of men and women shouting in confusion at each other. Meanwhile, the sound of metal tearing and crumpling under the stress of an immense power resounded over the cell area, encouraging a cacophony of people to scream and panic. The sharp crack of a rifle going off was the most distinct noise to Jay, filling him with instinctive worry as the staccato of gunfire erupted somewhere outside.

The sound of YoAnna's derisive snort drowned out the gunfire.

"Little men with little guns," YoAnna said with mocking glee. "This is awakening a side of me I shouldn't explore. But it does work out to be an interesting and much-needed stress-reliever. If only I didn't feel like I was getting distracted from the main point here. Oh, right. Commander. Champions. Gimme them."

"That's your patron?" Kleo asked, activating her gravity power to orbit around Jay again.

"Yes," Frank said, clipping off the "unfortunately" part he probably wanted to say.

"Hm," Kleo hummed. "I like her. But I don't like her. I wonder what she'll think of Master Jay and me?"

Jay felt a mortal shiver pass through him, a male premonition of warning. He looked nervously at his familiar. It just occurred to him that she was an attractive girl. An example of an 'Oh no, she's hot' moment of clarity.

"Jay, did it just occur to you that there might be contention between your growing list of female connections?" Mike asked, looking away from the guards arguing whether to let the Champions out or wait on explicit instructions.

Jay gulped and gave his best friend a nod. Maybe Mike would offer a solution and–

"Godspeed, ol' buddy, ol' pal," Mike said, looking back to the guards as they wrestled with the keys.

Eventually, an order broke through the noise chatter on the radio. The cell door was swung wide open by the lead guard.

"Agent Frank, orders have been received for you to pacify the girl by any means necessary," the lead guard commanded." The organization will find this favorable when reported."

"I will do as commanded, sir," Frank said. "At the best of my abilities, even if I have to limp over there slowly."

"What?" the lead guard gasped.

"For you see, we haven't received any care or medical attention," Frank explained dryly. "We are all quite hurt from stopping a dungeon from invading our world. Being in this cell for over two hours might've worsened my condition, let alone the others."

"Oh, wow, I'm so hurt, I can barely move," Jay said, bending over and trying to look feeble.

"I need efficient therapy to heal the hurt inside," Mike said. "I, too, am stricken."

"We never found a dragon waifu for Mike yet. Much sad. Heartbroken," Jay said.

"I'll need extra therapy for that, too," Mike added.

"It's okay if the boys can't amount to anything since you have me!" Kleo cheered with maddened glee. "I can say the little humans want her to knock it off and stop being a big, stupid bozo! I bet she'll take that well!"

Before the lead guard could throw a fit, Dennis intervened. "Let's finish this so I can go home."

The crawlers exited the cell, Frank leading the way. It wasn't hard to navigate the maze-like quarantine structure. The sound of YoAnna's rampage and unpredictable attitude of being both enraged and amused was hard to miss.

“Luckrun,” Frank called.

“Si, Papi?”

Frank groaned, suppressing a shudder. "Teenage godling on a rampage. Go rein in your childhood friend."

Jay smiled nervously, giving the seemingly aloof Kleo a sidelong glance. "Why can't Mike?"

"Because we all know you're her favorite," Dennis said, clapping Jay on the back as softly as he could muster.

"Ouch," Mike said.

Dennis kept talking. "Go break a leg. But don't really break a leg. That'll suck if you lose it. Rather lose an arm instead of a leg and… uh."

Frank leveled a glare on Dennis, making the Superjock hunch over and try to shrink away.

Before Frank turned that glare on Jay, the [Freak] and his [Faerie] sped off to face a divine teenager in the middle of a rampaging flex.

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