Moving towards the other side of the mall, you are quickly swallowed into the crowd pushing towards the right. To escape you run into the nearest store. Sighing, you wish for the millionth time that you had not waited so long. As you step into the store, you feel a release from the hustle and bustle outside.
Looking around you found you have entered The Freelance Expression an odd cafe/store. Its pretty strange so most people keep out of it. To your left, a couple steps through the door, which leads to the fortune teller. To your right, tables are set up around an empty stage. A few people lounge in the tables.
You pass through the tables and had towards the back of the cafe. There you enter through the open door into a 70's type store, but past the clothes there are expensive jewelry. Muttering about how the store should stick with one theme, you flip through some tie-dyed shirts before moving on. After a few minutes you decide to leave the store. Turning around, something glittery catches your eye. You move towards a counter where beautiful expensive jewelry is stored.
"These are perfect." You look up to see a good-looking man pointing to a pair of earrings.
"Oh, these earrings," despite the setting of the store the women behind the counter sounds like a used car salesman. "Yes, they are very pretty. I think you picked the best earrings. Yes, these are my favorite!"
"Are they?" the man said dryly.
"Yes," the lady said pulling the earrings out. The earrings were silver dangling earrings with a crystal bunny on a crescent moon. "Well, I must say it is quite expensive, but I like you so I'll give a little discount."
"Will you now?" he said with the same unbelieving tone as before.
You see something sparkle in the corner of your eye. Ignoring the bidding from the young man and the salesperson you turn to the counter, but you don't see anything sparkle anymore. There are many beautiful necklaces, bracelets, earrings, etc,. THen a dark blue heart-shaped sapphire brooch catches your eye. Its simple compared to the extravagant pieces around it, but something about it seems familiar. Thinking you could buy it for your mom, you notice the price tag.
"Hm... steep," you mutter. You start to move away, deciding to try another store, when the young man who was purchasing the earrings runs into you.
"Sorry," you mumble. Getting your first good look at him you note his horrible taste in clothing, but he does look familiar...
"I don't... Oh, Darien!"
"Um... Mushroom?" you flinch at the nickname, but you remember where you met him before. He is one of Andrew's friends.
"You're Andrew's cousin right?" Darien asks.
"That's me," you confirm. "Hi..."
"Hello."
"So... um... it was nice seeing you," you say as you start to head out.
"Yea," he nodded and starts to leave too.
"Arsenic..." you hear the word whispered in your ear; you look around startled, but you don't see where it came from. Darien is also looking around oddly.
"Yes, Besessene. What have you to add in the harvest?" now you here the sounds comeing from a small back room to the left of you. You have to strain to hear the other women demand.
"Madame..."
"You disappoint me, My Sklave... Never send an inferior to- Never mind, and The Shafts?"
"The shafts madame?" the voice wavered with fear.
"You know The Shafts. How long till it is finished?"
"The building has some unexpected delays, but it will soon be finished."
"Unexpected delays?" the other women who is obviously in charge asked in a quiet rage that was slowly building up. "When Venom comes The Shaft must be ready."
"Venom? I was lead to believe we will not openly invade..."
"You poor human... you are now relieved of your duties. Leave now." you jump pretending to go through some clothing, Darien following your lead, but you are shocked to see that no one emerged from the small room. All you hear is a peculiar sound of something sizzling for a second before it is replaced with silence. "Humans are only good for one thing... energy..."
Then you hear that same sizzling.
"You called for some dark warriors, Arsenic?" a melodic voice asks then laughs.
"Cyanide," you hear the voice of the one who calls herself Arsenic growl in disgust. Cyanide, laughs her beautiful laugh some more.
"Arsenic, I am the only one who can control the dark warriors... Perhaps you need my assistence, sister?"
"Very well then. But do not forget I am head of the Japan Invasion. I need some dark warriors to head the building of The Shaft."
"Venom reports that there will be no open invasion for now..."
"Yes, I know," snaps Arsenic, "they will be underground. With the shafts enslaving the humans will be easier and faster-"
You jump in surprise at the words and the clothes rack starts to rock. Both Darien and yourself jump to catch it, but it crashes to the floor making a huge sound and mess.
The door opens, and before the two of you can think, you both start running for the door.
"Get them!" you hear Arsenic yell.
Like a blur, the person you assume to be Cyanide runs from the door of the small office to block your escape.
Taking a good look at Cyanide you realize she is not really a person. She
is built like a human though a bit taller then the average woman, but her
skin is a pale blue and in the dark her skin glows like a glow in the dark
sticker. Her hair is bright blue, the color cyan.
She seems to be quite pretty, except for her eyes. They are solid blue
with no pupil. She is wearing an odd suit that is grey, white, and dark
green. It seems to be a uniform.
"So, you thought you could eavesdrop on me," despite her beautiful voice it put cold icicles in your stomache as her menacing smile came closer to you.
She stopped when she saw that you were paralyzed in fear. Then let out a mirthful laugh.
"Arsenic, of course, would be the only fool big enough to discuss such plans where anyone could here...'
"Cyanide! I said finish them... do it now."
"What? Its not like their going to escape. Besides I am the top torturer, I know how to break them." This made you more frightened, you wondered to yourself what was going on and why they would possibly want to torture you. That's when you noticed Darien nodding his head towards the door. Glancing over you overcame your fear after realizing that the two aliens were not paying any attention anymore.
Slowly, you creeped back toward another exit at the back of the store.
"They are getting away! Grab them!" Arsenic screamed.
Cyanide, in a flash was beside you. You wondered for a second how she could move so fast, but quickly push that aside as she grabs you by the neck. You feel cold searing through you, and then numbness. As your eyes start to blur out, you see her laughing faces, all three of them.
"No!"
You jerk at the shout before realizing that you were the one who screamed. You notice Darien is also held down by the neck, but he is resisting Cyanide.
Soon the punches slow and the two of you fall into a deep sleep.