Chapter 208: Interlude: Scarlet - An Open Door

"Ahem. Scarlet?" The soft voice made Scarlet peel the blanket back to see the concerned fairy flying in front of her, Maria at her back and holding some wireless headphones. "I can’t really use these anymore, and so... I was wondering if you wanted to have them to listen to music?"

A dull pain pressed against her breast as Scarlet forced a smile and nodded. "Thanks, Fi. Thanks, Maria. Umm, sure, I’ll connect it to my phone."

Taking the items and accepting her phone from Molly, who slid it across the table to her, Scarlet returned below the blanket to connect them. Maybe music would help her relax a bit and drown out her thoughts.

Connecting them, she slipped them into her pointed ears and settled in against Molly, squeezing her hand to let her know she was thankful for her attention. The somber music of Demon Hunter’s ’I Am A Stone’ washed through her brain. Her lip tucked under as Ryan Clark’s voice drew her inward, and she let the song she hadn’t listened to since she was thirteen express her emotions, its volume set to the lowest level to adjust to her sensitive hearing.

She lost herself in the tune, putting it on repeat as she sought some sort of redemption. Her parents had abandoned her after turning her into a monster. She had some world-ending final boss inside her, yet she was so weak. Why was Rachel so much stronger than her?

I don’t want to be weak, she internally cried, crimson liquid falling out of her eyes. I want to be strong and help people... like Rachel’s helped me. I want to help her. I have to get stronger. I have to change. I’ll beat whatever demon is inside me... and I’m not alone. I have to walk on my own, though. I have to walk with Rachel instead of everyone carrying me.

Molly gently squeezed her hand as they neared Miami Airport, and Scarlet pulled the blanket off her head. Naturally, the fussy mom drew out her hairbrush like a weapon, going to battle with her messy locks. A swift glance at the door showed Rachel still in the bedroom with the French Legendkin.

The flight to Miami was only two hours, but that was a long conversation; hopefully, nothing heinous had happened, which, if she was being honest, was probably the same chance as winning the lottery at this point.

Scarlet got to her feet and straightened her black dress, frowning as she filtered through the airplane walls to see dark clouds hanging over the city; it wasn’t a thunderstorm, at least, but it was raining. Of course. Why wouldn’t it?

Keeping the headphones in her ears, she used the rhythm to keep her nerves from spiking. She hadn’t had the chance to talk to Rachel about Twilight’s visit yet, and maybe that was one reason why she was so anxious. Well, that and seeing her father’s corpse and her mother crashing the ceremony with a vampire escort or something ridiculous like that.

As they were getting their luggage out of the compartments, Maria bumped her hip with a concerned frown, and Scarlet pulled out one of the headphones. "You know it’s not your fault, chica. We got your back. I know it’s rough."

"Thanks," Scarlet whispered, looking away and knowing she couldn’t really lie to the unicorn as she found her elbow to squeeze for support. "It’s just... Yeah, I didn’t know about my powers, and I was scared... so my blood reacted... killing my dad. It, umm, yeah... Haaa-hehe. It is what it is, right?"

"Damn. I didn’t mean it like that," the Spanish woman mumbled, rubbing her own arm uncomfortably before pulling her against her chest and into an embrace. "Yo, cry if you want, chica. We all cry, okay? Life sucks. Death sucks."

"Yeah..." She swallowed and accepted it. "Death sucks."

She got loving hugs from Alexa, Molly, Nia, and Fiona, but Selvaria almost bent her in two with her embrace. Coral latched onto her face at the same time, floppy orange ears locking behind her head. It was nice to have people around, even if it hurt.

Rachel wrapped up her call with the President and general shortly after they landed, exiting with Jeanne to offer Scarlet a soft smile.

"Do you want me to be honest about how you look?" the Korean girl asked with an appraising eye after breaking away from their hug.

Jeanne followed it, French accent thickening. "Exactly how a normal girl would react. You shouldn’t push yourself. If you need time, then let us know."

Scarlet shook her head, gut tightening now that Rachel was in front of her again. Her internal world had a crack in its glass, and she didn’t want to get sucked out into the storm, but Twilight’s words about forging her own way forward haunted her.

"Umm. Actually, I’d like to talk to Rachel on the way to talk to my dad’s attorney— That’s, uh, where we’re going first... before the funeral, right?"

Rachel’s ears fell forward as she nodded, the others standing around and waiting for their next move. "Everyone else can go get ready for the funeral. Mom?"

The dark-haired woman handed her daughter the keys to her SUV; the Green Berets escorting them had probably kept it safe while they were in DC. "Take your time. We’ll be waiting for you to arrive. Do you have your phone in case something happens, and the address of the graveyard? I know some of the Green Berets will be following you, but—"

"Mom! Mom! Chill," Rachel chuckled, making Scarlet smile as the hare drew her mother into an embrace to stop her worries. "We’ll be fine. I survived a lesser god who wanted me dead. My hearing is sharp as ever, but yes, if anything happens, I’ll give you a call. Are your Shaman Senses tingling?" she joked, causing her mother to direct a light glare up at her daughter before reaching down to pinch her tail.

"Mom!" Rachel cried, ears shooting straight up and making everyone laugh.

"Just checking your reflexes," her mother whispered while fussing with her dress. "So far, I’m not impressed."

"Says the Trojan Horse," Rachel grumbled, rubbing her backside. "You said you’d stop this morning when we were in the bathroom."

"No!" her mom chimed. "I said this would be the last day I did it... unless I felt like teasing you another day."

"You added that last exception!"

"Maybe you didn’t hear me," she snickered, pulling her down to kiss the base of her ear. "Take care of our little Scarlet. Your father is getting the adoption papers drawn up for when and if Scarlet ever decides she wants to become a part of our family. We just want you to know you’re not alone, Sweetie," the woman said, turning to fix pieces of her own outfit now. "We want you to know you’re loved."

Trying not to let her bottom lip quiver, Scarlet hugged the mom who had been there for her whenever she felt lonely and isolated. Alexa and Molly had been with her for much of the past two weeks, taking her mind off things with anime or K-dramas.

"I really do appreciate everything your family has done for me."

"That’s okay, Sweetie. Remember, it can be our family whenever you want it to be."

Seeing them off, Scarlet unfurled her umbrella as they stepped off the jet into the rainstorm. Oddly, it wasn’t as hard to exit the plane as it had been to step onto it. The tapping of the droplets against the plastic made her shiver, and the airport area they’d stopped at was filled with vehicles, mostly military.

Rachel met Barbara and Mateo in the downpour, mock-returning the salutes they gave her. "I see you came early to scope everything out, Captain."