The Anima App (Part 9)

So uh... obviously not related to the prompt. This one is a little shorter because it started out being like... 5000 words? Anyway, I had ton split it up into two different parts, so expect to see a new one soon!

WE'RE ALMOST AT TEN!!!

The tension in the air is almost enough to crush someone, but hey; at least it's not about me.

You know, I don't actually know why people just assume I'm such an attention whore. Nothing's scarier than a spotlight, as they always say. Or don't.

"You were my favorite student," the furious beacon in Nœl's eyes dim as he stares at Vedette. "I thought you had so much potential"

"That's the thing about being the best," Vedette hisses. "Everyone's afraid of you taking their place"

"Oh my god," my body crashes into Carson. "Is this what it's like to be a background character?"

"Shut the fuck up," he mutters, clearly bothered. Of course, I don't pay attention to him and keep teasing him. 

"Like... I get to watch everything going on..." please don't ask why I'm euphoric over being out of the spotlight. You've never had the world riding on your shoulders before.

"You wanted to kill an innocent girl," Vedette points toward me. Shit. Why do I have to be the important one? 

"Uh," I correct her. "He said he's just gonna throw me into like... time jail or something. Because he's the time god"

The time traveler rolls her eyes, closing her palm around the satchel of cards. "He's a damn liar too"

"I'd advise against speaking out against me," Nœl shivers. "Unless you'd rather lose your job"

"Fine," Vedette smiles toward Carson and me. "It's not like we were doing anything useful anyway with you in charge"

Her badge smashes down onto the ground in an explosion of golden dust. "I momentarily resign from the time traveler corps until the Anima case is finished"

"You don't have to give up your job for us," Carson cocks his head. 

"Um," I shrug. "If she wants to throw her life away, she can do it"

He rolls his eyes at me. "If you think it's the right choice, Vedette, we will stand behind you"

"Far behind you," I eye Nœl's furious gaze. "Far enough away at least"

"If you truly chose to leave the time traveler corps," Nœl snaps his fingers. "Then you'll all perish. Send in the special army!"

The glass screams in pain as it shatters, spreading all throughout the room. "Get down!" Vedette tackles us as Nœl makes a grand exit, exploding into a golden smoke.

The smell of sulfur wafts up to us as Vedette shriek. "If you breathe that in, you'll die. We need to evacuate the other cars!"

The three of us dash out of the car, all falling into the next one in a synchronized mess. That's right kids; even with your limited athletic ability, you could be asked to save the world because your slutty great grandma's husband really just wanted to win an election. And you too could be so lucky to question your bisexuality and long-time friendship.

"You need to leave the vicinity!" Carson shouts to the snobby upper class taking up the entirety of the high-class carriage. "There is a toxic gas in the last car. Please refrain from entering it"

"Of course we would," a blonde man sniffs with distaste. "Don't you think you kids shouldn't be in here? We wouldn't dare go to the next car anyway until this train ride ends"

He looks to me, scrunching up his nose. "And don't you think a woman of..." he pauses for a moment before deciding on the worst words. "Your background should be in this type of car?"

"Excuse me?" Oh, so now he's gonna play the race card.

Carson has to hold me back before I rip into this man. Who does he think he is? "Sir," he coughs, trying to grab the man's attention again. "We really do need you to leave, it's dangerou-"

"I decide what's dangerous here!" he moves back to his phone, swiping through lazily.

"You're wasting time!" Vedette screams, shoving us out of the way so she can stare down at the man.

"Can I help you?"

"Fuck. Off," she growls, her eyes actually glowing red as she brandishes her cards, completely wicked and wretched. 

He tries to hide his fear as he brushes his coat off. "What is this supposed to be? A threat?"

"No," Vedette swipes her hand across the first card that comes up, a tarnished ace of hearts. Sparks fly off of her finger as she does so, landing beside the man. "It's a promise"

"God!" he gets up, patting himself down. "Where are we even supposed to go?"

"There's a dilapidated train station about 500 feet ahead. Prepare to vacate this car immediately"

He dashes off, clutching a stuffed brown leather suitcase to warn the other passengers. "What the hell was that?" I turn to her, sensing Carson shift closer to her, probably trying to defend her. 

She brushes me off, running back through the cabin to the head. "He wouldn't move. I'm not patient, you know"

"What about your eyes?" Carson adds nervously.

Vedette sighs, leaning against a rack of umbrellas. "We might as well take these while they're here"

"You're avoiding the question"

"Isn't it obvious?" Vedette hisses. "I'm a villain. Every single day, I get worse. I feel like I want to stray away from Nœl more and more"

"Of course," I place my hand on the crimson and black umbrella she's been fidgeting with, stopping the feverish movements. "Who wouldn't want to leave that guy?"

"But why were your eyes like that?" Carson asks. "I mean, it's not like anyone else has glowing red eyes"

I can already tell Vedette's dreading the inevitable backstory she's about to reveal. "As I've said before," she shakes a little as the words exit her mouth, teetering over with each tremor. "There are two timelines. While we don't have much information about the next one, we do know that something will happen that will release the magic from the gods' control. As far as I know, Caddy and I are the only mortals capable of magic. Of course, considering Caddy's lack of prowess, I'm really the only one left"

"Hey!" I protest. Carson jabs me with his elbow for interrupting her, but I ignore it. 

"Caddy is a special case; she's the descendant of a goddess, so it's only natural that she'd have a sliver of magic. Why it took so long for her Anima to grow, as well as the fact that she's the first descendant to have Anima is very peculiar"

"Well," Vedette shoots daggers at me, but I move on, unbothered. "What about that other girl? The one Nœl was talking about?"

"She would be related to you," she confirms. "However, I believe I know the case he's referring to; where you are a descendant of one of Toruń's children she prefers to hide, the girl Nœl gave Anima is a publicly known daughter of Toruń. The direct transfer of birth must have made it easier for Nœl to grant her Anima"

"Do you think he's going to use her for his own reasons?"

"There's a chance. I've always had my suspicions that Nœl would have ulterior motives like this. We're going to need to work on strengthening Caddy's Anima"

"Speaking of Nœl," Carson points to the door behind us. "Shouldn't we be running?"

A golden glow spreads across the car like moss as I feel myself growing woozy.

"Damn it all!" Vedette shouts, stamping her foot. "I spent too long discussing pointless matters with you! We need to evacuate the car before it's completely overtaken!"

So, just in case you think that three teenagers are competent enough to save the world, you should remember this. It takes Carson nearly tripping over his shoes to stop all of us from falling onto each other.

"He's already covered both sides!" I scramble back to my feet, staring back at the golden light. "What are we supposed to do?"

A mischievous glint glows in her eyes. "Oh no," Carson puts his hands up in defense, backing up. "We're not doing that"

"Too late," Vedette grabs both of us, smirking. "So, there's a chance we'll die from this"

Before either of us can say anything, Vedette dashes toward the window, bracing for the brunt of the shards.

"We're gonna die!" Carson shouts, just as a claw digs into my back.

"3 of spades," Vedette explains, staring up at three pitch-black, gargantuan ravens carrying us down the ground slowly. She brushes herself off meticulously, scowling down at my hand.

"You didn't need to grab the umbrella for me,"

I stare down at my hand like an idiot, just as surprised as her to see the parasol balanced in my palm. "Um... I didn't"

"Maybe it was Anima?" Carson offers.

"It doesn't matter," Vedette rips it out of my hand. "It looks fucking gorgeous with my outfit, but Nœl's bound to find us. We need to escape into the forest"

"Ah yes," I mumble. "The forest that's on fire from the ligthning. The forest that's on fire. That forest"

"Nœl's time travelers should have a natural aversion to fire," Vedette explains. "We should buy ourselves as much time as possible"

And just like that, she's already jogging off. "You know," Carson reminds Vedette. "I'm pretty sure humans have a natural aversion to fire too"

"Yeah," she shrugs. "Oh well. They'll probably think we're insane if we run in here"

"So they'll stop chasing us?" I ask, probably sounding too naive. 

"Oh no. They'll just try even harder"

The thundering of footsteps doesn't betray Vedette's claim. "Shit," she curses. "Well, just run faster. If we can lure them into the fire, maybe they'll give up"

"How much convincing is it going to take for you to learn that normal people die from fire too?" I complain. It doesn't help that her graceful running is matched by my not so graceful stomping.

"Stop right there!" Nœl's voice carries from above us. A large light shines on our faces as the intense whirring of a helicopter hovers above us. "Vedette, I'm giving you one last chance!"

"I'm never going to work with you!"

"I hardly believe that's the case. You're too tied up to this girl! You used to be a real time traveler, Vedette"

She doesn't say anything, only biting her lips. Shittiest boss ever right here.

"I have the Pallagerkaggygo," Nœl threatens. "I can easily set the rest of the forest on fire as well"

"Are you that much of a monster?" Carson shouts back, ever the naturalist. 

"Um," I suppress a giggle. "What the fuck is a Pallagerkaggygo?"

A thick growl comes from behind Nœl, shrouded in the darkness. "Let's hope you don't find out," Vedette grabs our arms, getting ready to bolt off again.

"I'm giving you one last chance, Vedette"

"Oh my fucking god!" I scream while pumping my legs. Sweat rains down from my forehead, but I ignore it. "She doesn't want to work with you!"

"Very well," Nœl snaps his fingers. "Send in the Pallagerkaggygo"