Alina Valent's Story

Alina was not exactly prone to ennui, per se. But it always happened at the most unlikely time. When she arrived at Hunter's paradise, she caught the word that Victor went and found himself a puppy. Unbelievable! She had asked around, but no one had seen Victor since. The rest of the day Alina sat at her workshop listlessly, sulking at her missed chance to see the puppy. It would have certainly been the highlight people's days. Well, people who had seen the puppy, anyways. The rest of Alina's day was just disinterest. Hence, the ennui.

Alina's thoughts drifted from boredom to an attempt at productivity. Leanne and Kayla might need more ammunition, she thought. So she got started working on holy water and silver bullets. Holy water was particularly tricky to contain, she noted once in her research notebook. The concentration of normal holy water was too dilute and its viscosity too low--the bullets wounded the supernatural before the holy water took its desired effect. Since then, she has been mixing holy water with various substances and mixtures to improve its performance. The next batch of holy water bullets might be her best one by far. She opened her research notebook and began collecting the materials for this new batch. Putting on her gloves and goggles, she began the creation process.

Until the day was over she waited for Victor, for the puppy, for Leanne, for Kayla. No one came to visit her workshop. It happens, she thought. Alina had quiet days more often than most active Hunters, but that was the nature of her position. Alina looked at the case full of the finished product: improved holy water bullets, gleaming in the light, newly polished--Alina was not one to ignore the aesthetics. There were about 40 to 50 in the case, each handmade and created to be a dangerous and beautiful weapon. Alina couldn't wait to show it to the others, but none of them came that day. Alina was used to waiting.

"When they need me, they'll come." Alina said to herself, resting her head on her desk after she finished work. She fell asleep at her messy desktop, too tired and bored to even pack up and head home. It's the ennui.

"Okay, lets get you into your human form." Victor sat the puppy on his desk and took a silver pendent out of the lower drawer. Mr.Fuuton wiped the pendent under the paw of the puppy causing it to shift from a dog to a medium sized human which rapidly shed fur. After a few seconds the hair all over the creatures body was gone but the hair on the head was down to its back. "Oh my god." Victor buried his face in his palm when he discovered that the little male puppy he thought he acquired was actually a naked teenage girl.

"So your a girl?" Victor spoke through his hands trying not to see the scowl on the girls face. "You didn't check? Look dude I don't know, or really care who you are all I want to know is where are my parents?" The girl scoffed and looked around for something to cover herself with. "Just go to bed kid." Jason took a small tranquilizer gun out of the desk and shot the girl in the stomach. She quickly fell asleep and Victor could do nothing but sigh while getting up to go over to his Hunter friend, Alina Velant. "Hey Alina, come on open the door." Victor knocked on his next door neighbors front door.

Alina awoke from the knock at the door. She was not much of a deep sleeper, so she rubbed her eyes and headed to open the door.
"Victor? Oh, whatever. Hang on I'm coming." She called out.

The unlocked her door and, sure enough, Victor Fuuton stood before her. Alina was always thrilled to have visitors, even if outwardly her facial expression is still recovering from sleep. She noticed Victor was about to comment on the matter, but cut him as she yawned and said "Come in. I want to show you the new holy water bullets I just finished." Victor raised an eyebrow but Alina had already turned back to her workshop in confidence. The two were at her desk as Alina showed him the case of bullets. She took one of the bullets and handed it to Victor.
"Look at this and tell me what you think."
Victor examined it closer against the light, "Holy water bullet, but...silver tipped?"
That had been Alina's cue. She liked to brag about her work.

"An odd choice, yes, but let me explain." So far most people indulged her explanations, Alina was glad to have such allies.
She opened the bullet cartridge, an unusual act since it would only cause the holy water to spill. But that was where Alina had succeeded. She showed the inside of the cartridge to Victor. Inside was a semi-opaque waxy substance where the holy water should be. "I mixed the holy water with a type of paraffin I created. It's a lot more concentrated now. Thus much more deadly. The holy water will start melting upon contact with the supernatural. But this is a lot more caustic than normal holy water."

She paused to make sure Victor was following. "The amazing thing is: the silver tip catalyzes this whole reaction! Silver! The substance that can kill werewolves! It works to kill other supernaturals as well! It's like nature wants us to crush these guys." Alina finished with a smile.
"I'm looking forward to giving these to Leanne and Kayla. I'd help you with weapons too, Victor, but you seem pretty content with that claw. But I'll be next door if you need anything." she shrugged.

A realization came to Alina. "Ah! I remember know! I heard you got yourself a puppy? Were you here to show me the little guy?"

"I actually, how did you stop the salted holy water to not rust the soft alloy of the silver?" Victor took six of the bullets and found a black and silver revolver off the wall before loading the bullets inside the gun. "Beautiful. Would you mind, I can pay you for the guy tomorrow." He looked down the sights and say the werewolf girl tossing and turning on his desk. He sighed and listened to her brag about he work some more.

Ah! I remember know! I heard you got yourself a puppy? Were you here to show me the little guy? Alina asked making Victor look back through the windows. "Well, not exactly. I have a naked fifteen year old girl over at my house who's about your size. Could I borrow some clothes for a few days?" Victor looked through a window to see if the girl had woken up and if she was tearing apart his house, but luckily the girl was still passed out on his desk. "Hey when you have the clothes please meet me over at my house, thanks neighbor!" He walked out of the house, leaving the gun and his claws, and went into his home to move the girl into a cage.

Alina's morning routine took an hour on average. From bed to full ensemble. This morning her breakfast were cold cuts and toast. She always forgets to restock the groceries. She was daydreaming to the news when she realized she had more pressing matters.

Victor visited the previous night. "The specialized paraffin creates a membrane that prevents the salt from reacting to the silver. The energy from the trigger release causes it to react eventually, but it's the holy water we need anyways right?" She remembered explaining her newest creation to Victor. Her neighbor was the best audience and Alina is all-too-easily pleased.

Naked fifteen-year-old girl? She thought as she scavenged through her wardrobe. I'm here creating weapons and yet I'm certain my neighbor's the crazy one. She picked up a pair of jeans. Wait, does she have a tail? Better to go with a skirt. She might need a jacket, too. Losing all that fur and all. Alina realized that how easily she was going along with Victor's actions and smiled to herself. And thus she gathered enough clothes for the fifteen-year-old girl/puppy.

She knocked on Victor's door at 7 am. When he opened the door Alina thought she noticed an air of fatigue. It's probably just her imagination.
"'Morning. Here are the clothes you asked for." she handed him a duffel bag, and an additional small plastic bag. "It's from earlier this morning. It's just leftovers but just in case she's hungry."
Victor smiled and thanked her for the clothes.

She paused before speaking again. "Two questions, neighbor. One: is she one of your plans? And two: do I even want to know?" she grinned.

Jason awoke to see that Charin and Sam were still sleeping on his chest and that his new roommate was still sleeping soundly. "Oh damn." Jason got out of the bed without waking the two sleeping succubi and walked over to Lucas. "Hey wake up. Breakfast is in twenty minutes, and if you don't get there on time you don't eat." Jason shook the boy awake and took his clothes out of his dresser. "Come on you two, chow time." Jason pulled the two out of the bed and the floated into the air.

"Jeez, you drill sergeant! All you need is a bugle!" Sam yelled but her mouth was covered by Carin who was also pointing at Lucas. By the time the two settled down Jason was dressed in a new plaid shirt and blue jeans. "He always was a fast." Carin pouted and the three left the dorm room for the cafeteria where every student got their breakfast, Lunch and Dinner were to be gotten either off campus or also in the cafeteria.

"Hey, you gonna tell her?" Sam whispered in her friends ear while discreetly pointing at Carin. "Ugh fine. Hey Carin I forgot to tell you last night, I have a date today. Isn't that awesome?" Jason laughed thinking about Heather warmly in anticipation of the two's date. Speaking of the date, where do I take her? I can't believe I didn't think of that! Somewhere that she can remember. Perfect! Jason thought of the perfect place to take Heather on their first date.

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After a night of taking care of the little werewolf girl and feeding her a memory altering drug that he created himself, Victor had crashed from some exhaustion. Before he joined the hunter's he was the most gifted student/assistant of a neural and biological technician. Until he found out that he was a man who was using alchemy instead of science. Upon learning this Victor murdered the alchemist and was adopted by the hunters, taking his vast scientific knowledge with him. Now he uses his ability's to make poisons and conducts experiments on monsters for the hunters

Victor was jolted awake when someone knocked on his door for a change, so he climbed out of his experiment chair and answered the door to see his neighbor Alina. "Hey you brought the clothes, thank you! Its been getting weird treating her without clothes on." Victor woke the dazed girl up and had her dress herself. "You never have shown an interest in my experiments before Alina, what's so special about this one." Victor studied the girl as she ate the food that his neighbor brought her.

"Well the other hunters and I are going to use this girl in some way to break into a school and kill a bunch of supernaturals, but their the plan maker's I'm just the mad scientist that turns poor little girls into traitors. Sometimes I hate what I do to these little creatures." Victor never did like hurting children or small creatures, something his mother and father taught him as a child.

Victor was both a Hunter and a man of science, traits that Alina Valent holds in high esteem. He says he's a mad scientist, but Alina knew her neighbor well enough to understand that there's a method to his madness. Whatever crazy plan Victor seems to get involved in, Alina finds herself completely trusting him. The girl dressing up in her clothes was no exception.

"You never have shown an interest in my experiments before Alina, what's so special about this one."
Alina laughed. "You mean I can't be concerned when my neighbor, a full-grown man, tells me he has a naked fifteen-year-old at his place?" She joked then glanced at the girl eating her breakfast. "She's a lovely thing. And young. Treat her gently, Victor." she added involuntarily remembering the occasional screams she had heard living next door to him.
There was a brief silence as the two acknowledge the fact that "gentle treatment" was never an option.

"Anyways, I'd better be off to HQ to drop off the new bullets. Busy day ahead for me, since you're telling me you've got a recon op planned. So, uhh, come over for dinner tonight to celebrate the mission? Or beer, if you'd prefer."

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Headquarters was not far away from Alina's workshop, even when she took indirect routes to hide her path. Alina left without letting herself hear Victor's answer to her invitation. Two years as neighbors and colleagues and never has he been over other than for business. It was the same with the other Hunters. They visited her workshop but none stayed for dinner. Alina wanted to make a kind gesture to Victor, especially with his latest experiment on the young girl. But she can't handle immediate rejection. If he comes over, great. If not, we're still cool, Alina reminded herself. Such were her thoughts along the way to BlackBird headquarters.

She met none of her colleagues at headquarters. Normally she would at least have found Kayla, whom Alina considered very approachable. Alina became unsure if she wanted to look for team leader Leanne. She was a bit intimidated to approach her directly. Not without anyone else or having Leanne come to her--it felt presumptive. Being the most inexperienced on the team by far, Alina often wondered if Leanne considered her a hindrance in the headquarters. Not that Alina had made any attempts to check otherwise. It remained an insecurity of hers. In headquarters, I'm the weakest link. I hate that.

She glanced around the entrance floor of HQ, hoping to at least find June. But he didn't seem to see him anywhere nearby. She considered leaving the bullets with someone, but discarded the idea as soon as it came. Alina was always more protective of her prototypes. The workshop is a much better place to keep this until they come

She left a note for Leanne, Kayla, and June, posted in their main strategy room.
New bullets, holy water type. Stronger and nastier than the previous ones. Silver tipped. Stop by my workshop as soon as you can. --Alina

Alina left headquarters feeling inexplicably frustrated with herself. No, Alina you don't care what others think of you. she thought. But they weren't just "others". These were her teammates. Different rules apply.

"Your going on a date. That's unlike you, last time you got close to another woman you drained almost all of her soul." Carin reminded him trying to sabotage the idea of the two starting a relationship, but to no avail. "Come on Carin, give their little date a chance." Sam laughed as the three left the dormitory and headed for the cafeteria.

Upon arrival the girls ran into the line and Jason sat down waiting for his food to be brought. Sam and Carin bought three trays loaded with three strips of bacon and a bowl of mixed fruit. "Thanks." Jason said and ate his food quietly when he saw Heather across the cafeteria. "Aw he just found her." Sam pointed over to the other tables and at Heather.

He jumped up after downing the rest of his food and walked over to Heather. "Hey, eating cereal I see." Jason smiled as he sat down next to her. Carin and Sam were watching from the table on the the other side of the building, but kept trying to see what the pair were saying. "Hey, how you two doing?" A large campus athlete hit on the two succubi, but was sent away by Sam while trying to view Jason's talk.

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"Hey, I am not buying a minor alcohol." Victor laughed as she left and he went back to his experiment. "Alright, three more treatments and your memory's will be just how we want them." Victor said and administered the drug/shock therapy. A tube started to siphon out a green goo which traveled into the girls head and two sensors that were connected to the forehead started to shock her.

"Ah!!!" The girl screamed as the liquid and electricity started to take affect on the girls mind warping her short term memory's to show that supernatural beings murdered her family, and hunters saved her. Victor started to retch when he saw her body tighten and release. "God that's just disgusting." Victor pulled a trash can next to him and watched the girls brain start to adapt to the treatment.

"Good." He muttered and stopped the shocks along with the liquid. "You alright?" Victor said while walking over to the girl and getting something else for her to eat. "Hey kid, I think I just got asked on a date." He and the girl laughed a little bit as she ate the leftover from Alina's food. "Did she make this?" The girl asked with her mouth full. "I didn't ask. Speaking of not asking, whats your name?" Victor wondered and sat back with his eyes closed. "Cass." The girl rubbed her finger along the plate and licked the leftover sauce off of her finger.

Back in her workshop, Alina was flipping through her research notes. She was desperate to occupy her thoughts with work, so her more annoying recent thoughts don't interfere. The last page in her book contained a sketch of the finished prototype holy water bullet. Below the drawing were lines headed "Field Notes" with an empty section below the heading. These prototype bullets weren't tested yet. The field testing part is not generally her specialization. She relied on her teammates who were far more skilled with weapons and bullets to give her feedback on her creations. Alina's creations were, after all, designed for them. So far, no feedback. The last section of her notes on the bullet incomplete.

She proceeded to make a new batch of specialty bullets. Silver bullets were the easiest to make. Light bullets were slightly more complex; it required photon beam injection, along with ultraviolet and infrared radiation characteristic of sunlight, concentrated into a cartridge. Alina made a mental note to recheck the optimal UV-IR ratio for the bullet. But those were simply statistical details.

Alina got up and strode to her bookshelf at the corner of the room. She pulled out another research notebook; one dedicated to her scientific interest: explosives. She knew exactly what the last pages were about--her research on microexplosives. It would be her weapon against the supernaturals, even they are susceptible to unseen danger. Her prototype was a poisoner's ring containing several milligrams of her prototype. She remembered exactly what the dead end was: she couldn't find the perfect detonator. She needed something to somehow trigger the reaction.

The blasted alchemists would simply use their magic at this point. Magic clears all their scientific roadblocks. Disgraceful.

"If I can't even make this on this scale then I don't know what I'm hoping will happen with a smaller amount."

There was nothing left to do but trial and error. She could try out all possible materials for the best detonator. That would involve a lot of work. And not enough time. Alina thought. So she began reorganizing the bomb recipes she already she knew how to create. This type of approach gets tedious quickly. Alina was still at her dead end.

I feel that someone doesn't like me very much in this room. Jason looked around for someone who was staring at him resent fully, but only saw a man with a look of suspicion in his eyes. "Should I say something to that guy?" Jason looked over to Heather and pointed to the creepy guy who was staring at them. This guy must have suspected something about Jason, but Jason hadn't done anything out of the ordinary lately except for erasing that False off of that guys dorm room. He hadn't even participated in a BLOODS ritual in over a month, all he has done is recruit.

Dean Corey Black walked into the cafeteria with a tired look on his face and scanned the crowd for his nephew. When he saw him Corey drifted over to the boy, and brushed shoulders with a student who was just standing in the middle of the cafeteria in the process, only to place two rings in front of the two children. "You both forgot to get those when you signed up." He flashed his own and walked into the back where they were making food to steal some of the soup they were making for lunch.

"Um, that was random." Jason said while picking up the ring and handing the other to Heather. "Anyways, I was planning on either taking you to see a movie or just taking you out to the campus team tournament A today. Your choice." Jason said awkwardly and showed her the daily tournament sheet. He personally wanted to try a traditional date like a regular human, but left it up to her.

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Victor sighed and thought about just canceling with Alina, because hunters normally didn't socialize because they could be killed whenever the walked outside. "Well Cass, I hope your ready for your last treatment. It will be the worst." Victor sighed and turned on his computer. A tube started to siphon out a green goo which traveled into the girls head and two sensors that were connected to the forehead started to shock her. "You son of a bitch!" Cass screamed but then fainted as the liquid stopped coming out of the tube signaling that all the treatments were completed and finally the computers whirred to a stop.

(Short post, Alina's not involved in much right now besides work)

Alina thought she heard screaming next door. She paused. No, the scream was quite real. But then realized she was in the middle of something too. She had been sketching something new in her notebook, her latest design. A new explosive imbued with silver, holy water, and light all at once. Alina had initially suspected instability in imbuing all three at once. But she found no other way to proceed with her mental block.

The behavior of the light particles is the most likely cause of instability, possibly resulting in a violent reaction. She scrawled in her notes.
"That's good...I'm making bombs, instability is okay." Alina did not realize she was talking to herself, "but how to control it?"

She got up and reached for yet another notebook several times. Referring to her past experiments for clues that might help her in her latest project.
Time flies for Alina once she is engrossed with her work.

Mornings always started early for Leanne, before the sun even pulled away from the horizon. This day was no different. She sat by the window of her room, and the gun, taken apart in her hands, gleamed in the last rays of dawn. She wiped down each of the pieces with experienced movements, lubricating and fitting the parts. When she finished, she deftly flipped the gun in her hands and simulated a shot. The mechanism was smooth. Satisfied, Leanne stretched and tucked the weapon away into the holster at her hip. “That was the last of them,” she murmured, eying the various pieces of equipment ordered around the room. It had taken a good hour to go through them all. It was a tedious effort, but the woman’s expression was softer than usual. She bore a hint of a smile on her face, seemingly pleased with herself. There was just something so automatic, so intrinsically simple about the tiring task that it was calming. It was always the best way to start off what was sure to be a stressful day.

It took another hour or so before she deemed herself completely prepared for the events to come. The sky was blue by the time Leanne finally left her residence, looking like nothing more than the average citizen. All the equipment that she had prepared was expertly hidden on her person – no normal person would ever suspect a thing. This too, gave the young woman just a small sense of ease. The air still carried that crisp edge to the air that only mornings had – it helped Leanne focus her thoughts on the day to come. However, as soon as she reached the headquarters, which was almost too short a distance from her own home, all trace of that peace disappeared.

Only the most diligent of BlackBird’s hunters were already up and about the headquarters, but none of them, Leanne noticed, were the ones she needed. Well, there was something she needed to get done there anyway. Rapping on the wall to catch the available hunters’ attention, she made her announcement. “You’ve been briefed about the nature of our current mission,” the young woman stated, her voice impassive and a stern threat in her eyes. “In my absence, Haleton is to take command of home-based operations. As always, adhere to his orders as you would to mine. As for this mission, details are to remain undisclosed, and I need the field hotline manned at all times in the case of an emergency on our side.” There was no need to ask if they understood – they were surely used to her way by now. “Let the others know when they arrive.”

After that, she kept her morning rounds short, only stopping by key rooms to make similar arrangements in each, when she reached the main strategy room. There, Leanne spotted a note in familiar handwriting. Alina had developed some new bullets it seemed – how timely. Well, it seemed a good a place as anywhere to meet with the rest of the team. Slipping her cell phone from her shoulder bag, she quickly wrote out a simple text message.

‘Meet at Alina’s workshop. Last minute briefing before we leave.’

The notice was sent out to all the members needed for this mission – at least, the ones whose cell phone numbers she had. Fortunately she kept track of almost all the hunters she associated with. If they didn’t get the digital message, they would still see the note in the room. With that all done and over with, she set off to the designated site.

The workshop wasn’t a place Leanne visited frequently, but she was familiar with its location – just a little too close to Victor’s own residence. She couldn’t fathom the idea of being neighbors with that man… and there was also the issue of a few key points of his plan. All the same, that would have to wait a while longer. Raising a hand and deftly knocking on the door of the workshop, Leanne simply said loudly, “Alina, I saw the note.”

"Lee..." Alina said as she opened the door. Was I expecting Victor? Checking how ridiculous she sounded, even mentally, she focused her attention to Leanne. The BlackBird team leader obviously has more important business, from the looks of it. Alina collected herself.
"Come in, please. Have a seat."

As Alina welcomed the Hunter she turned and quickly made for the case of bullets on her desk. She had already sorted them out. Leanne sat in her living room, a room decorated in a manner that suggested Alina's guests would be waiting for pleasant company instead of weapons. It was one of the normal, civilian, parts of her workshop. Alina entered her living room with a case of weapons in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. She presented both in front of Leanne.

Alina had no idea if Leanne even drank tea, thus the tea was more of a gesture. The weapons, however, were not.
"The holy water bullets are new. Infused with holy water colloid instead of the liquid stuff. More concentrated, more deadly. I also restocked the silver and light bullets as well. I also included the usual smoke and light grenades. I did tune-ups on the assault rifle should you need it, and I can prepare other equipment as well."

"I got the text." Alina continued as she poured herself a cup of tea. "I suppose we'll wait for the others first."

Kayla was sitting on a stool, in her small cabin, polishing her rifle. It was a cabin where she stored weapons that she never really used often. Each weapon hung on the wall, polished and loaded, ready to go whenever. It the corner of the cabin was a large window in front of desk full of cleaning supplies and a stool. Kayla held her weapon in the sunlight that shone through the window, and examined her work. She smiled to herself, satisfied.

Buzzzz

Kayla cursed to herself and set the rifle down gently on the desk. She began searching for her phone, opening up the dresser drawers. Of course, her phone was always on vibrate, and sense it was text, the phone would only vibrate once. Though Kayla had to admit, it was better than the ringing. She couldn't stand the constant ringing, god it was annoying. Kayla yanked open a drawer and a punch of papers fell out, along with two guns. Damn you!" she muttered, as she searched through the mess, finally finding her phone. After fiddling with it for a moment, she opening up the text message.

‘Meet at Alina’s workshop. Last minute briefing before we leave.’

Kayla sighed after reading the words. Without even bothering to clean up the mess, Kayla left the cabin, closing and locking the door behind her. She began her short walk to headquarters and in a matter of minutes, she had arrived. Though it did take her a little longer to find Alina's workshop. After all, she rarely visited the place unless necessary. When Kayla finally reached the place, she knocked loudly twice, then opened the door, entering. It was a bit rude, but Kayla didn't notice much. "Glad you didn't start the tea party without me" she said, a soft grin on her teasing face.

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"Oh, hello Kiran!" Mikala said, smiling. Mikala rested her chin on the palm of her hand as she looked around. "So how are things with your roommate?" she asked attempting to make conversation. Mikala's eagerness from yesterday was low, and she was even more distracted than usual. It wasn't because something had caught her attention, more like her head ache was still wearing off, slowly and it was interfering with her.

‘Meet at Alina’s workshop. Last minute briefing before we leave.’ The simple text blinked on the screen of June’s personal phone. In his efforts to separate his life as a student and a hunter, he owned two phones, and countless times, he had told Leanne to contact him only through the hunter number – apparently she realized that he would never get the message that way. Tch.

“She’s as eloquent as ever,” June mumbled through his piece of toast, held in his mouth to keep both hands free. Just what was so pressing an issue that he couldn’t wait until after breakfast to handle it? Well, his school policy stated that with the exception of some terribly incapacitating ailment, all absences were to be reported a day in advance… and with his attendance record, the explanation was going to be embellished and take a while to write. It wasn’t like he would have the time or leisure to write the masterpiece of an excuse that he was going to need in order to keep his absence off-record during the hunters’ little road trip… and he really, really didn’t want to repeat another year. He couldn’t exactly write the truth. ‘I’m skipping school in favor of raiding one exclusively for supernatural beings,’ wasn’t going to go over very well, after all. Everything would just be so much easier if his adoptive family actually cared about what he wanted to do. Too bad life wasn’t so simple.

In a few minutes, signatures were meticulously forged, the message was faxed, and he was well on his way to the workshop. Looking at the packet again, there were too many holes in this ‘plan’ to raid the school… not to mention way too many moral implications that the hunters were overlooking... He was thinking too much, as always. It was no wonder he was always so aggravated before a 'mission'.

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The weapon’s workshop was certainly one of the more unique establishments in the Hunter’s Paradise. Leanne was never sure what to make of the welcoming décor and coordinated designs. She supposed it suited its owner, for she could never completely figure out Alina either. Every time she visited, Leanne couldn’t quite adjust to the little gestures of welcome – such as a simple cup of tea. Quietly, she took it up and tried a sip. It was hot and surprisingly pleasant.

Well, unfamiliarity aside, it didn’t change the fact that the younger huntress was good at what she did. As always, Alina had outdone herself. Leanne listened to her words intently, looking over each of the newly modified weapons before her. They were just what the mission would need. Quickly she mentally checked for anything they else they could possibly need, and it was just at this time that another visitor arrived. “Kayla,” Leanne murmured in greeting, setting down her tea. Not missing a beat, she continued, “This is the equipment we’ll be using on this mission. Alina will explain how to use it once the others arrive.” At that, she glanced at her cell phone once more. If the rest didn’t come within the next ten minutes, she wasn’t going to be very pleased at all.

However, she needn’t have worried about one of the two. With impeccable last minute timing as always, June entered the workshop, giving a wave with one hand and holding one of his own phones in his other “Lee, I have two phones for a reason,” he said, sinking into one of the seats in the workshop. “Use the right one.” Well, perhaps she would have if he ever responded to his allotted phone for hunting. It wasn’t just once or twice that he’d kept them all waiting, and if there was one thing Leanne despised, it was waiting idle for others to arrive…

… which was apparently what was happening with Victor just then. Ignoring June’s inquiries on the purpose of each of the modified weapons, Leanne asked, “Alina, do you know what’s happened with that werewolf Victor’s decided to take in?” The last words came out a little wry. No matter what the intent, she didn’t approve of anyone ever dragging a supernatural creature into a plan. She knew from experience, it never ended well. Depending on his level of progress, she decided it might be easier just to give the cub a swift end before it complicated things… children always complicated things. “If he doesn’t come in the next three minutes, just tell us how these weapons work. We can relay information later,” she added with another impatient glance at her phone.

Mikala smiled brightly at the pink hair girl. "Great and-" Mikala stopped mid sentence. "It's so kawaii!!!" she shouted, looking at the cat that was peeking over Karne's shoulder. Mikala clasped her hands together, looking up at the small fluffy cat called Nani. "Where did you get it? It's it boy or girl? Oh it's so cute!" she gasped, wanting to reach out and hug the cat. Mikala was easily distracted, having the attention span of a gold fish (maybe exaggerating). Mikala turned, back to Kiran, a frown on her face as she placed her hand son her hips, leaning forward. "Why didn't you tell me your sister had a cat?" she said, almost angry but her frown quickly turned back into a smile as she turned back to Karne.
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Kayla couldn't help but laugh as Leanne asked about Victor's little werewolf. "I can't wait until this goes wrong" she said placing her chin on the palm of her hand and leaning her elbow on the table. God, of course Victor would be the last to show up. Can't say I'm surprised though" she thought and let out a small "Tch" sound.

"You can't rush Victor...you know that." Alina sighed, pouring tea for her other guests.
To be completely honest they couldn't exactly rush her, either, but then again her workshop was conveniently the meeting place. She sipped her tea and savored the mild anticipation as Leanne and Kayla expected her to proceed. As added gesture she twirled strands of her long orange locks with her free hand. Words like ruthless, cunning, and powerful are often used to describe the best of Hunters. "Terse" would be Alina first choice in describing Hunters. They are determined, that is true, but the side effect is how impatient they can be. She sighed again. The tea tasted lukewarm.

"She looks charming in the clothes I picked for her, I think." Alina began. It took a moment to register that she was referring to Victor's werewolf girl.
"But what does it matter?" she moved in a quaint manner combining a dismissive wave and a shrug. "You two know what happens to Victor's subjects. Complete rewiring of their identity, but at least you don't hear the screams. I know that look, Lee. I think we're better off without using her. But this is one of his moments and...it's not like there's a risk on our side, so to speak."
Alina was not sure if that was entirely true. Every supernatural is a threat to Hunters. She would never challenge Victor's expertise; she was merely analyzing the risks associated with Victor's plan--something Leanne had taught her when she first joined the Hunters.

She placed her teacup and disappeared into her workshop, shortly reappearing with Kayla's and June's share of weapons.
"I gave just about the same set to Lee, to restock your ammo. Several of the bullets are prototypes, especially the holy water one. You're my best beta testers, don't let me down. I'll need to check your rifles afterwards to finish the experiment. Sorry, Kayla, I know how attached you are to yours. Just bring it with you the next time you come here."
Telling Kayla that I'll need to take her rifle from her, however briefly, was probably not a good idea. Alina wondered how long it would take for Kayla to show up after testing the bullets.

"Flash. Spice. Shock." Alina said with a smile as she handed June's share of equipment to him. Flashbangs, pepper spray, and stun gun were June's preferred weapons. She wondered how June fought with just these, though confident of his fighting skills. Alina found June enigmatic: he was one to appreciate subtleties while she herself thrived in the superficial. She feels as though June is her polar opposite, and yet not. Both of them had a closer tie with normal human living than the other Hunters. He's rather difficult to approach, as they didn't exchange much work due to June's school life.

"Still have a few minutes." she sighed as she and Leanne both glanced at the time.
Alina had thought about creating a serum that could paralyze the supernatural as she worked on June's equipment. But she dropped the idea almost as soon as she thought of it. Stun guns, when put to good use, can physically paralyze werewolves and vampires. At least temporarily. But to effectively paralyse the magic-users, the mind must be disabled as well. When properly synthesized, the serum would both stun the mind and body. But Alina does not know any method of doing that--disabling all but the rudimentary brain functions of a supernatural. To her knowledge, that was not even possible.
I'll have to ask Victor about that soon, then.

Victor gathered up the sedated girl and saw that he got an email on his computer. Meet at Alina's workshop. It said and he could only sigh. "What could they want? Probably just to belittle my research." Victor muttered and held Cass's hand so he could walk her over to the next building. She looked at him with distant eyes and extremely tiny pupils. "Oh right the IV." Victor disconnected the tube and the girl perked right up. "Oh hey bro!" Cass spoke and looked at their hands and muttered, "Pervert." Victor brushed this off and brought her over to Alina's house. "What do you guy's want this time?" He complained and then sat her and himself down, but by that time Alina was finished with her briefing and he felt the need to leave.

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The dean sat at his desk and pondered the day. He stole food from the cafeteria, He delivered the BLOODS rings to his nephew Jason, and he even got a transcript of a new student. "Huh? Oh Bernhard, you have the new werewolf student Arawn Drast right?" Corey smiled and spun around in his chair until he got nauseous.