Sunny's query hung in the air, unanswered and heavy in the silence of the room. He waited for the phantom's response and his palm was itching for a chromium weapon. The Zig Zauer B229 fastened to his belt wouldn't do nearly as much damage as it could. An unfamiliar part of him felt there would be no need for a weapon. The fact remained, if she wanted to take him out she would have done so already. Instead she idly hovered around inspecting his stuff.
Still, she was clearly something other than human. and the deeply ingrained training won Sunny over. It would benefit him greatly to be wary, so he kept his eyes on her form and anticipated her movements. The phantom began to glow and her eyes lit like beacons. Sunny felt the force of her gate swelling and expanding and then warm tendrils shot out from her. His legs wanted to move but against his better judgment he let them brush gently through his gate. His eyes widened in wonder and then closed when the light emanating from her became too much to handle.
The flash caught Sunny off guard and he could just imagine Locke screaming in his ear how he had died a thousand times already. "Might as well cut your eyelids off kid." Sunny mocked Locke's nagging in secret. Eyes still shut tight from the brightness he chuckled at the thought of dying in his new home. So much work to be left unfinished. Sunny mused but accepted it nonetheless. I'm still alive? That can't be right.
He opened his burning eyes slowly and saw a girl lay on the floor in the exact space the phantom had hovered. Instead of phasing through it her body squished against the hardwoods like any other human. Her hair was dark green, lush and wavy around her still form. Sunny rubbed his eyes and approached her cautiously, taking one careful step after another. Never had he seen a case such as this; a phantom that wasn't entirely a phantom. She might have been an Esper when she was alive, although Sunny wasn't certain. H-how does this happen? I don't remember reading anything about this. His wonder was written all over his face.
"Miss?" He said tentatively. "Are you okay?"
The girl groaned loudly where she lay and slowly straightened until she was kneeling on the carpet. She pushed her hair back over her ear and her eyes slammed into Sunny's. The room became a bit too hot for the both of them to handle as they remained locked in each other's gaze.
Sunny was the first to regain their senses. "Erm...do you need assistance?" He asked, struggling to tear his eyes away from her captivating figure and focus on her face. Which was no better alternative because her eyes were magnets to his, reeling him in like a fish on a line.
Was I always like this? No, I behave perfectly fine with Yuna and Dr. Rose. I should go for a check up. He shook his head to clear the slightly unwelcome thoughts in his head. He hoped it wasn't some trick from this girl that was...well, he didn't know what she was quite yet. I'm going to find what you're hiding. Sunny's determination was renewed.
"I'm fine," she said in a light voice. It wasn't entirely different from when she was intangible, just present.
"Swell, now that I know you can communicate, can you answer my question? What are you doing in my apartment?"
The girl stood up slowly and staggered on her feet. She brushed off her dress then lifted her hands to examine them like she had never seen them before.
"I'll never get used to this," she muttered to herself. Sunny's ears perked up at her words and he stepped even closer.
"Miss listen," he began, "today's been an awfully long day and I just want to finish moving in so I can get some sleep."
He almost snickered at the idea of getting shut eye. He knew that was wishful thinking as far as he was concerned, but she didn't need to know that.
"I'm sorry, I..."
She stopped her speech midway and stared at a box slightly open by her feet. A furry cat paw poked out from the slit and she crouched and ran her hands over it. That singular action had Sunny lowering his guard and he could feel the tension drain out of him completely. He was almost certain she wasn't going to harm him.
The girl sat down, crossed leg on the floor in front of the box and proceeded to pull out the contents within. The strangeness of the entire act was not lost on Sunny, but as with everything in his life, which were often stranger than not, he simply went with the flow and sat down in the same manner as the girl in front of him. They both eyed the furry cat plushies and vibrant coloured frog trinkets..
"These are really cute," the girl cooed, donning a stupid grin. "You must love cats."
"Yes," Sunny spoke energetically. "I love cats, cat figurines, stuffed toy cats, in fact..."
He reached for a smaller box and pulled out a chipped mug from it. The image of a smiling cat was stenciled on it. "This is my favorite cup. It is new but it doesn't look the part. Thanks to my friend who was here earlier."
The girl rummaged through the box, pulling out all sizes and colors and makes of cats and frogs. An amused Sunny watched leaning back on his palms. He was waiting for the usual snarky comment about his fixation with cute things. But she was oddly accepting, and that thrilled Sunny more than he cared to admit.
"Well, what's your name then? I think I failed to ask earlier," Sunny's lax demeanor surprised himself.
The girl kept a stringy black cat plush with cute paws she was playing with aside and stared directly at Sunny.
"Stella," she said simply. "Stella Brightheart. What's yours?"
Her directness threw Sunny off for a second and for a moment he wondered if she thought it was her apartment or his.
"Err...Sunny, Sunny Alldust. Nice to meet you, I guess. So, you want to tell me what's going on here?"
Stella remained silent and Sunny waited for a long time for an answer that didn't come. She simply picked up one of the cat figures and tapped its head, causing it to bob playfully. Sunny reached out and grabbed the miniature cat and held on tightly. He held the girl's gaze with sapphire colored eyes and in them he revealed to her how close she was to being vanquished.
Stella's breathing ceased and she paled until her skin was milky white in the dim lighting.
"Don't hurt me," she whispered fearfully.
W-what the? She responded like any human would to Sunny's flip of the switch change in attitude. He let go and observed her intently. Of all the things to say, she chose that. It bothered Sunny, that this phantom with no atom of maliciousness present in her being would say that to him. Locke had mentioned to Sunny some years ago that some Espers fought creatures of the dark so savagely that their souls got bits of the taint. I had thought I'd never be one of them but I guess after fourteen years… Still, the look in her eyes made him reconsider his actions and relax a bit to put her at ease.
"Why do you say that?" Sunny asked softly.
"The look in your eyes. For a moment it seemed as if..."
"As if?"
"Never mind, Mr. Alldust," Stella said.
She patted the ceramic cat on its head causing it to bobble one more time and stood up. She started making her way towards the door but she stumbled against a box and fell to her knees. She got up quickly, paying no mind to it as though it were normal. She hastened her steps and reached out to turn the aged knob.
"Wait!" Sunny yelled. What am I doing? Sunny started to sweat. This was a phantom, benign or otherwise, and he was letting her go. Which didn't seem proper to him as a Vanguard. What would Locke do in this situation? He wondered to himself.
Stella froze at the power in his voice. She folded her hands and turned until she was facing Sunny.
"You can't leave yet." Sunny said seriously. "You haven't answered my question. How is it that you were a phantom a moment ago, and now you're...alive?"
Stella shook her head gently, confusion evident on her face. "Look, I don't know how this happened, all I know is that I died, I guess. And now I'm here."
"You're going to have to give me more than that Stella. I want to trust you but you must have found yourself in this room somehow. Are you the only phantom in the vicinity?"
Sunny glanced around in alarm. If there was someone else, that would explain the sensation he had felt earlier while in the hallway. He turned to Stella and grabbed her shoulders. His eyes showed a glimpse of fear and anger.
"Are there more Phantoms, Stella?"
The word didn't seem to register in Stella's head so he switched tactics.
"Ghosts, Stella," he clarified. "Earlier I felt something...someone that wasn't you. Who was it?"
Yes, he had gotten through to her. She swallowed and nodded gently. Sunny led her away from the door and directed her to the couch. He casted his senses out, searching for a gate around the vicinity, a gate other than Stella's. He found hers immediately, seeing as they were almost touching. His gate brushed against hers and lingered, coiling around it in a burst of color that flashed at the back of his head and deep inside him.
What was most shocking was that her gate responded to his with the same intensity. Her gasp of surprise jarred him out of the bubble of pleasure he had been in momentarily. He had to focus; his life could be in danger. He reluctantly broadened his reach and he came upon an emptiness, cloying and utterly unpleasant. He withdrew into himself immediately and turned to Stella.
"I believe you, there's someone else here."
He wondered why there was so much paranormal activity in this building. He didn't think it was a coincidence that there were phantoms present. This was Oldhaven and he was a Vanguard after all. But he thought for a moment if there was something peculiar about the complex that drew phantoms. He felt the strangeness when he and Locke were bringing in the boxes.
"It's Glenda," Stella said. "She's usually quiet around this hour."
She was sitting on the couch, arms folded and desolate eyes fixed on Sunny.
"Likely a friend of yours?" Sunny quipped, stuffing his hands into his pockets.
"Quite unlikely, I avoid her." Her voice dripped with annoyance.
"Why?"
"I don't know," Stella said defiantly. "Something feels odd around her. She scares me."
A phantom afraid of another phantom? Sure, it has happened but they usually don't bunk together. Intrigued Sunny probed. "Have you seen her?"
"A few times, she was cool and friendly at first. But after the second time we met I started to feel weak around her. When she would haunt the man that lived here before, she seemed to enjoy making him delirious with fear. I couldn't bring myself to face her since."
"That explains why he was so eager to get it off his hands," Sunny said. "Where were you when she haunted this man?"
"I hid, if you must know. I had no grudge against him but it was out of the question to face Glenda."
Sunny nodded slowly and pushed off the wall he'd been leaning on. "Right, let's get to it then."
He sauntered towards a box by the corner and cut open the tape. He reached in and pulled out something that glinted in the dim light. A warbling sound filled the air, like the ringing of hot metal far off in the distance. He pulled out a black utility belt and strapped it to his waist. He placed the metal thing in a sheath on the belt and walked towards the door.
"Wait here." He threw over his shoulder.
"Wha—wait!" Stella said, bolting out of the couch and tripping against her foot in her haste to catch up to Sunny.
"A bit of a klutz, are you?" Sunny teased.
Twin spots of red colored her cheeks and she lowered her gaze for a moment and then powered on. "Where are you going?"
"To take care of the phantom."
"What?" Stella said in confusion.
"Listen Stella, I need you to just wait here while I take care of Glenda the bad ghost outside."
"What do you mean take care of her?" Wariness crept into Stella's gaze and she said to Sunny, "What...are you?"
"I should be asking you that, Stella. Because I have never seen a phantom that could become human on a whim. This is a first for me, and here I thought I was starting to run out of firsts."
"Well...I don't know what I am either. And even though I just met you, I'm not staying here waiting around for you to get yourself killed."
Sunny was oddly touched by her admission, but Glenda had to be exercised before she harmed anybody. And he also wanted to keep an eye on Stella. She wasn't a threat, but he hadn't figured out what she was yet. If Sunny was being honest he found her fascinating, and he wanted to find out if he was feeling what he was feeling genuinely, or if she was influencing him somehow.
"Okay, come with me. But stay behind and run when I tell you to."
"I will run on my own accord if I think it necessary," Stella retorted.
"Know what?" Sunny said, "You're right, my bad. I meant no harm by it."
I've gotten so used to barking orders at civilians mid fight I just started treating her like one. Sunny acknowledged his social awkwardness but didn't linger on it. After all, staying alive was more important. He pulled out the metal thing from its pouch and Stella got a better look at it. This will have to do until I get a new set of my actual gear. Sunny thought longingly of his custom equipment.
It was a rod, slender and cylindrical, and it looked heavy. There were intricate carvings on it, words and scribblings that Stella couldn't recognize nor read. All the fibers of her being were repulsed by the sight of the rod. Her skin crawled as he lifted it in front of her and she shrank back in alarm.
Sunny took notice of her reaction and nodded knowingly. She was definitely a phantom, Sunny could tell from the way she reacted to the chromium rod. Phantoms hated the stuff and all Vanguards had their weapons made from it.
"Let's go," Sunny said, brandishing the rod in front of himself.
He pulled open the door and stepped out into the darkness of the doorway. He left his door open so the light from within would spill on the floor and illuminate the hallway slightly. It wouldn't have mattered, the darkness was absolute.
It didn't take Sunny long to locate the source of the unsettling Magik he felt earlier. In reality, it found Sunny instead. Slithering over his skin, chilling and unpleasant to Sunny's gate. Like death's touch its cold chill ran down his spine and sweat broke out all over his face.
"Glenda," Stella said behind Sunny, "She's getting closer."
Sunny's breath quickened as his body prepared for a battle that was certainly going to take place. He could feel his gate widen in anticipation, surging Magik through his body like an electrical current. Sunny channeled his Magik and infused the chromium rod with it. This caused it to glow brightly in the darkness. He pushed a button on the rod and chromium blades appeared at both ends of the rod. They seemed to cut away at the darkness like scissors through weak clothing. Two meters long and dangerously sharp, Sunny boosted the blades until they produced light bright enough to fill the entire hall. Sunny's most cherished ability as an Esper was his ability to channel pure energy into light. Everything about his livelihood as a Vanguard was unique, from his terrifying skill to his rare affinity for light Magik. It had ended many Phantom versus Vanguard battles long before they had a chance to become dire.
"Whoa," breathed Stella from behind Sunny. She pointed at his rod, "That's a pretty cool trick to use on a stick."
Sunny hid his smile and casted his senses out. The light from the blades reached the end of the hallway and would let Sunny know if an attacker was approaching. They were almost at the end of the hallway when Sunny's senses tingled. Raising the blade above his head he squinted to get a good look but saw nothing. He turned to walk back towards the other end of the hallway when Stella crashed into him. They fell to the floor in a noisy heap and the chromium rod was knocked out of Sunny's fingers. They were thrown into darkness and the shadows rushed in as though they were waiting for the right moment to pounce.
"Shit!" Stella muttered under her breath. "I'm sorry."
"Nevermind that," Sunny said, struggling to keep his mind on the imminent battle, but Stella's soft body on top of him distracted him greatly.
Here they were, about to be killed by an ill intentioned phantom and Sunny was stuck underneath a beautiful girl, trying to suppress primal urges as her hands pressed on his chest.
A loud shriek jerked him out of his fantasy and he quickly turned and deposited Stella on the floor beside him. Simultaneously searching frantically in the darkness for his dropped weapon. The thing shrieked again and cold chilling air blasted into Sunny and Stella, sending them careening off down the hallway. They crashed into the wall and Sunny gasped in pain. He groaned and reached for Stella in the dark.
"Stella? Are you okay?" he asked, winded from the crash. He got no response and he feared for a beat if his new found friend had died. Gotta get my act together,again. Sunny became fed up with himself and clapped his cheeks. His handprints lined his face but he was entirely focused now. He raised his hand placing a stationary orb of light above him allowing him to see the approaching phantom as it burned away the encroaching darkness. He saw Glenda the phantom he was after hovering at the end of the hall. Her tattered summer dress exposed a rotten right leg filled with cigarette burns and belt marks. Her eyes were rolled into the back of her head but Sunny was fixed on the bruising of her neck barely hidden by her dark hair. Oh I get it. Sunny figured it out. I'd attack men too Glenda. Let's put you to rest. His intense aura shifted slightly. His fear became understanding and his anger turned to guilt.
He cast his gaze around until he found his rod beside Stella's form and he reached for it. The moment his hands closed around it the brilliant light engulfed the blades once more. He placed a finger on Stella's pulse for a moment and confirmed she was still breathing. Then he stood up with his weapon in hand and created several more energy balls floating all around him. Walking briskly towards the shadowed form in the distance he felt its gate challenge him openly. Glenda began screaming, her voice full of mischief and malice.
"I'm coming for you," Sunny said, "just you wait, it's almost over."
He took off on a run and barreled down the hallway at Glenda, who had become a huge wraith easily towering over the approaching Vanguard. She let out a chilling scream forming sharp icicles that exploded out of her gaping maw. She began moving speedily towards Sunny and as she grew closer he moved quicker. Bringing the chromium rod in front of him he twirled it expertly, forming a shield to protect himself and Stella who was unconscious behind him.
"Is that all you've got, Glenda?" Sunny shouted above the din of his weapon breaking the ice.
Glenda screamed and said in a voice like nails scratching on chalkboards, "I WILL END YOU!"
"You're more than welcome to try!" Sunny said and then vaulted into the air.
The energy balls formed a huge sphere behind him and for a moment, it seemed as if the sun itself was in the hallway. Sunny lifted his weapon above his head and brought it down forcefully, slashing at the phantom's shoulder. But Glenda was quick, she dodged and waved a huge dark arm. It slammed into Sunny midsection and lifted him off his feet to bounce him off the rickety walls of his new home. He crashed to the floor and groaned in pain.
"This suuuucks," he complained, only stopping when he heard a voice call out.
"Sunny! She's coming!" yelled Stella, who was now awake where she lay sprawled out some meters away from him.
Sunny glanced at Glenda and saw her pressing the offensive. She had become even bigger and she crashed into the roof and doors, and through cement and iron.
"Oh she's big mad." Sunny muttered under his breath. But he had to stop her before she got to his apartment. Ya know I just bought the damn place. I'd prefer if she didn't wreck my apartment too.
He went after her again, and this time he anticipated her movement. He dodged a blow to the head, swerving under her arm and rolling until he was directly in front of her. He lifted his rod and stabbed it deep into Glenda's torso.
"Rest easy now," he said softly and jerked the rod to the side.
Glenda screamed and her voice shook the complex. As she faded her scream did too until there was no trace of her left. Sunny's energy ball still glowed brightly above him and in its light, he could see the disaster Glenda had wrought.
"Shit," he swore. "I just freaking moved in."
He realized that if he hadn't stopped her in time, she would have destroyed Stella, the entire floor and himself.
He lifted his gaze and his eyes connected with Stella's immediately. She leaned up against a wall and her legs were spread out in front of her. Sunny stood up and walked towards her. He became alarmed when he saw that she was shimmering. She struggled to speak and she came in and out of focus. Sunny put his weapon away and lifted her off the floor. He pushed open his door and got in, shutting it behind him with his leg.
"Hold on," he said, placing her gently on the couch taking a step back to observe fully what was going on.
His breath ceased when Stella vanished completely and he waited a full minute before he called out her name.
"S-Stella?"
She appeared again and said to Sunny while staring at the wall opposite her, "You must have a lot of questions Sunny, but I do not remember my story. Not completely. But the reason I'm this way is because there's something I need to do. No one else but me. All of this was very confusing initially, but this I know. I will find the one who killed me."
Her words were filled with pain, and Sunny was speechless for a moment. Stella vanished once more, dropping through the couch. When she came back she did so through the floor near Sunny's feet. Floating in front of Sunny her faded green hair and lightly colored amber eyes caught his unyielding attention once more.
"What the fuck?" Sunny said to Stella.
He was puzzled as his hand phased through Stella's shoulder.
***