Chapter 190: A Woman of Action

Jeanne ignored the enraged man as if he were of no concern at all, giving the citizens hope that things wouldn’t escalate. Yet, that clearly wasn’t the case as her unfurled banner began to illuminate, beating back the expanding Negative Force—and surprisingly quickly—all while she continued to help the injured man.

"Here, take my hand... Everything is going to be okay." She showed a cheery radiance that seemed infectious, her illuminated hand gently pressing against the guy’s chest; he winced as a crack came from his arm and shoulder, yet he didn’t cry out, and they both began to heal. "I have cured the lasting damage, but you will still have some fractures and bruising. Please see a doctor as soon as you are able."

"Y-Yeah..." he coughed, breathing normally again. "Thank you... Who are you?"

"No one important," she chimed, her thick braid swaying as she helped him to his feet and turned to the brunette. "Would this be your husband, Ma’am?"

Rachel took one of the nearby empty chairs at a table, Nia hesitantly joining her as they watched the saint work; several people had noticed their teleportation, yet were too enthralled by the troll and holy woman to bother them.

Sirens picked up in the distance as another staff member got through to the police. Tom’s call directly to the FBI director would spark a bigger response.

Brushing back her somewhat messy brown locks, the woman cleared her throat and nodded as events played out around them. "He... may not be pretty to look at, but he’s... he’s such a nice man—attentive. I don’t know why he suddenly a-acted out like that."

Jeanne moved in to hug the woman, the embrace jolting her out of her panic and helping to ease her thumping heart. "He will be fine, Ma’am. Please, take a seat so you don’t collapse. It is not his fault."

Rachel rested her cheek against the back of her hand, spotting her other three dinner guests exit the elevator and join the crowd. The saint placed her hand on the shaft of her spear, brow set as she used her other hand to press against the red-skinned troll’s enlarged chest; his heart had grown in size and was beating faster by the second as he struggled to free himself from the chains.

"Charlemagne," she whispered as the man casually strode forward to stand by her side, "there is a pernicious force infusing into his very soul, seeking to corrupt and twist him into something... Infernal."

"A demon?" Arthur asked, joining the pair as Tom ushered everyone toward the stairs to evacuate while leaving the troll’s wife close enough to see what was going on with her spouse. It seemed that the possibility that this was a possession was swiftly spreading between customers and staff; it didn’t help how flashy Rachel and Jeanne had been.

The blond man stood nearby, ready to take action if needed, not that Jeanne seemed to be in any danger of losing control. "And what are the chances this happened when we were in attendance, Charlemagne? Was it meant for us?"

Rachel piped up from her table. "Personally, I’ve felt, seen, and experienced Hell Force, as many of you know, quite intimately. This isn’t that. It’s something new, and I doubt it was planned for us. My guess, we were in the right place at the wrong time. Hehe. Blame my misfortune. That being said, I... think I’ve felt this energy before," she said, gaze drifting to Nia for her own take.

Her white-haired bun was examining her nails as if bored. "It is similar to some of the monstrous creatures that were in the coliseum, only far less potent, for obvious reasons."

"Not a demon," the dark-haired emperor hummed, walking around the chained troll as Jeanne began to gradually overwhelm the Negative Force with her aura, chanting a prayer under her breath. "A monstrification of some kind... possibly an experiment, which means the observers would be nearby."

Arthur sighed and shifted his gaze to her. "You’re the sensory experts, Rachel."

Ears falling forward a tad, Rachel chuckled. "They covered their tracks well, and misfortune isn’t helping me on this one other than avoiding the same fate. I doubt they were inside the restaurant unless this was a total surprise for them as well, because no one in the immediate area gave the impression that they knew this was going to happen... Unless you heard something I didn’t, Nia?"

She shook her head. "Nothing that would indicate they were taking notes or expecting it."

Charlemagne nodded. "It would do little good to speculate without further investigation, which... I expect the US FBI and Homeland to coordinate on?" he asked, spotting Tom already on the phone and making calls while motioning for the remaining occupants to leave via the stairs. "This is certainly one way to end our night together. Thoughts, Jeanne?"

The blonde puffed out her cheeks as her chains vanished, and she smoothly slid the spear out of the troll’s chest without a mark. Arthur easily caught the man’s weight and helped him down while the troll’s wife rushed to his side, trying to remain strong and asking Arthur if her husband would be alright.

Jeanne’s light dimmed, and Rachel felt a noticeable decrease in the saint’s perceived threat levels; it had been more taxing than she had made it look.

"Something isn’t right..." she whispered, adjusting her dress top. "It was far too potent to be anything less than someone of a similar level to us."

"Pfft!" Rachel smirked and waved at the three Legends. "We have different standards. Don’t mind me. My expectations are tainted by Hell."

"Yes, well, be that as it may," Jeanne sighed, "it is something worth investigating, because if we had come minutes later, I doubt I would have been able to restore him to his normal state... Healing is not my specialty."

Rachel’s ears rose as the blue-eyed blonde directed a cheery grin her way.

"In any case, thank you for informing me in time to save his life and prevent any further damage he might have caused. I believe we made for a wonderful team!"

"I like a woman of action," Rachel returned, rising to her feet and smoothing out her skirt. "I’m starting to think I should plot to recruit you to the team somehow. I’m positive I could get you a US citizenship," she added, flashing her teeth.

Fixing her hairband with a chortle, the blonde returned the smile. "I am flattered by the offer, but France is my home. That does not mean we cannot cooperate! I suppose we are to leave this for the general?"

Arthur made sure the wife was okay before rising to his feet to look between them. "I’d like to move on to our next destination as soon as possible. Charlemagne?"

Clasping his wrist behind his back, the Legendary emperor of Europe studied the troll for a few seconds in silence. "...I shall remain here with General Dallas to inquire further into this matter. There are a few things I wish to confirm before returning to our hotel. Jeanne, please, enjoy your time away from my schemes."

The change in formality was a plus for Rachel as the blonde laughed. "Yes, Charles, but I fear I have left one schemer for another. Maybe Rachel will be more... flexible."