Allison was sitting on her bed pulling on her workout leggings.  Oozie was sitting in front of her watching Allison intently.  The teenager was yanking on the leggings probably a little too hard.


    “She totally knew what was happening and sent me there to deal with it!  Upholstery color?  She could have at least hidden it better.  I despise this whole know but pretend you don’t know crap.  Just tell me the Synthlin needed help.  Or hey there is a terrorist attack.”


    She looked at the nargle who lunged and licked her face.  Allison pushed Oozie down gently.  Allison shook her fists in frustration and growled.


    “I know she has black ops people.  Why not use those?  No, I’m going to send the Intern whose every movement is tracked and is completely unarmed!  Can you believe that Oozie?”


    Oozie rested her head on Allison’s knee and looked up at the teenager with her big blue eyes.


    “I know, I should have said something.  But what am I going to say to that catfish face?  Yeah, sorry uh, had to stop a top secret terrorist attack?  I doubt that would even move the needle with that stuck up…”


    Allison exchanged her bra for a sports bra and pulled on a T-shirt.


    “I promise we’ll go for a walk in the park as soon as I finish my workout.  Then supper and a shower.”


    Allison was living in what would be a high end condo on twenty-first century earth.  It had a full gym and pool in the building.  She spent half an hour beating on a punching bag.  Thankfully it was meant for Silwrath so her superstrength didn’t obliterate it.  She wasn’t trying to destroy it, but she was so frustrated by the day’s events that she needed to get it out, a few of her hits came close.  After some weight training.  She headed towards the park with Oozie in tow.


    The park was busy.  It was a beautiful early evening.  Oozie trotted beside Allison as the girl jogged down the jogging path that looped the large park that formed the center of the futuristic city. After three laps Allison pulled a tennis ball out of her small backpack and took Oozie to an open field and started playing fetch.  Oozie finally got tired out, so Allison decided to give the nargle a rest before they walked back to their condo.


    Allison noticed someone was watching her as she finished taking a drink from her water bottle.  It was a fellow human.  In fact, it was the teenage boy that she’d sucker punched.  He was recovering from a sprint, so he was walking path and forth trying to catch his breath.  He kept looking at Allison.  Eventually he walked over to Allison.  Oozie looked up from the water dish Allison had filled for her and put on the ground.  The nargle growled-hissed.  Allison made a shh sound.


    “Chill out Oozie.”


    The teenage boy paused at a distance until Oozie stopped glaring at him.  He got up the confidence to move over to her again.  Allison winced internally when she saw the bruise that was apparent even on his dark skin.


    “Uh, do I know you?  Did you go to school on New Venus?”


    Allison raised an eyebrow.


    “Wow, people still use that pick up line?”


    He looked embarrassed suddenly.


    “Wha.. Uh… um, no I just… you look familiar.”


    Allison pointed her finger at Oozie, who looked like she was going to be a brat.


    “Whatever you’re thinking, don’t brat.”


    She looked up at the boy.


    “No, we’ve never met and if we had I’d probably just avoid you. I’m not much for troublemakers and you look like you’re a big one with that bruise there.”


    He touched his cheek as if remembering he was hurt.


    “Oh this?  No… no it’s not like that.  There were these terrorists, and I totally stopped them from blowing up our embassy.”


    Allison tried not to laugh.


    “Really?”


    He shook his head and smiled.  Allison thought he had a beautiful smile.


    “Nah, just playing.  I was sneaking into the basement to avoid my dad, and they knocked me out.   Security got them.  Are you sure we’ve never met?  You seem so familiar.”


    Allison scratched Oozie’s head absently while trying not to drool all over this really beautiful man… or well almost man.


    “Do you go to the basement of the embassy all the time?”


    “Yeah, you know hang out, have a few drinks, vape… just chillin’ you know?”


    Allison smiled.


    “Ah, I thought it was something cool, you know like reading a book or something.”


    His face quickly fell but he was apparently not one to give up.


    “No, no I do that all the time too.  You know and like the other stuff.”


    Allison looked at his cheek.


    “Does that hurt much?”


    He shook his head.


    “Nah, doc said it’s a good thing I got a thick skull.  Could have had a concussion.”


    Allison smiled at that.  He was just getting more and more attractive.


    “Sounds like your doctor needs some bedside manner.”


    He laughed.


    “Nah, it’s my mom, she’s the embassy doctor.  Are you an embassy brat too?  New here?  You staying in diplomatic housing?”


    Allison shook her head.


    “No, I live in that building behind you.”


    He looked at the high end building.


    “Wow, your parents must be loaded.”


    Allison nodded.


    “Yeah, something like that.”


    He rubbed the back of his neck.


    “There aren’t a lot of humans around here, especially our age.  And the League people are great and all but uh, you want to go for lunch somewhere tomorrow?”


    Allison was thinking YES.  Then she realized she worked all day during weekdays and the next day was Wednesday or its equivalent on Silwra.


    “I can’t.”


    He frowned slightly.


    “Like, busy tomorrow can’t or you’re not allowed to like… date or something?”


    Allison decided to stop torturing the boy.


    “I work on weekdays.  I’m an intern with the League Council.”


    He looked at her building again.


    “Woah, they put you and your family up in that building?  Where do I sign up?”


    Allison laughed softly.


    “No interns usually stay in diplomatic housing in the dorm section, but since I have a condo here, they’re letting me live there.”


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    He looked really surprised.


    “Wait, you own the condo?”


    Allison nodded.  She figured she might as well be honest and up front to avoid an Edward-type situation.


    “You really don’t know who I am?”


    He snapped his fingers and pointed at her.


    “We have met!”


    Allison shook her head.


    “No, we haven’t, I would have remembered you.  Trust me.  Wow do you diplomatic brats live under rocks?”


    “Who are you then?”


    Allison laughed again.


    “I am Allison Wanjala you know… Battlelord Allison Wanjala… aka Allison Aurelius.”


    His eyes went wide.


    “Oh shit.  That’s you?  I totally thought you were black too.  Nah, no way.  No way I run into Allison Wanjala in the park… nah. You’re messing with me.”


    Allison shrugged and leaned down.  She emptied Oozie’s water bowl and after a few shakes put it in her pack.


    “Its my name.  Believe it or don’t.  I need to get going.  I’m hungry and so is Oozie here.  See you around hero.”


    She stood up and started walking home.  Oozie nipped at the boy playfully as she passed by him.  Allison ate supper then went for her shower.  She leaned on the shower wall and let the hot water soothe her overworked muscles.  She’d strained them with her mad rush to the embassy.  Damage her nanites would heal, but muscle strain was just how her body was supposed to work so they didn’t do anything for it, nor did her dhampir heritage.  Her use of vampiric speed for even a brief instant had pushed her already overworked body past its limits.


    She was mentally and physically exhausted and it wasn’t even nine at night.  She was planning on lying down.  Her door buzzer went off.  She shuffled to it.  Oozie stalked behind her ready to pounce on whomever had dared disturb her bound human.  It was a humanoid wolf, like Dhark.  She had a courier outfit on and a rather dusty box under her arm.  The young woman did a little victory dance before realizing Allison was giving her a confused look.


    “Sorry, I just can’t believe it is you.  I mean the package had your name on it, but everyone thought it was a joke.  Uh, could you sign here, please, Battlelord?”


    Allison gave her thumb print and signed her name.  The courier handed her the box.  The packing slip made her raise her eyebrow.  Enid Aurelius.


    “When was this sent?”


    The wolf-woman was almost bouncing.


    “System says twenty years ago, everyone thought it was a joke.  Odds were against you being here.  It was there longer than I’ve been alive.  Were you expecting it?”


    Allison shook her head.


    “Nope.  Have a good night, thank you.”


    Allison waved and closed her door.  She threw the box on her kitchen table and crossed her arms.  She wasn’t sure she was in the mood for her biological mother’s particular brand of weirdness tonight.  She sighed as curiosity got the best of her.  She tugged on the cardboard and ripped an end open and emptied the contents onto the table.  It was a strange pack.  It looked like it was leather but her heightened sight and touch told her it felt more like microfiber nylon.  There was also a paper envelope that had been sealed with wax.  The bag seemed familiar, but she wasn’t sure where she’d seen something like it before.


    Allison hesitantly reached for the note and broke the wax seal.  Inside was a carefully folded letter.  The letter was written in beautiful flowing cursive.  It was almost calligraphy.  It was in Alliance Basic.


    My sweet daughter,


    I would normally have given you this gift on your eighteenth birthday.  You were indisposed during your real eighteenth birthday, so I decided to send it to you on a bad day.  I hope it cheers you up.


    Each of your brothers and sisters that have reached adulthood have been given the same gift.  This pack is from Atlantis.  Inside you will find a blank Atlantean tablet for you to write your story in.  You will find another Atlantean tablet with my own journal on it.  You will find a third that can teach you much of the vampiric powers that you have inherited from Isis along with how to use the gifts my ties to the spirit realm have granted you.  There is also an Atlantean sword, an Atlantean dagger, an Atlantean pistol and rifle.  Finally, I have included two dozen bloodstones filled with my blood.


    Allison looked at the pack skeptically.  Then she continued the scan the letter with her golden eyes.


    This pack is an extra-dimensional space.  I do not think any of us has managed to fill one up yet.  I encourage you to abuse the space it provides to keep objects that will remind you of happier times.  For something so powerful, it is quite simple to use.  Simply put what you want to store in and when you want to retrieve something reach in, think of the object you want to retrieve, and it will appear in your hand.  If you forget it is in the bag, you will not be able to retrieve it.  Objects in the bag are effectively in stasis.  If it goes in cold it comes out cold, if it goes in hot, it comes out hot.  Food and blood will not spoil.


    For those that do not know how the bag works, it will appear as a normal pack.  You can access either the extra-dimensional space or the normal space as you wish.  Technology will not see the extra-dimensional space.  I have used this to get around no-weapon security zones on many occasions.  It also makes a good dumping ground for things you cannot dispose of such as weaponized nanites.


    I am sure you are clever enough to figure out how it all works, but should you find yourself at  a loss, your Aunt Maria, or sisters can help


    With all my love,


    Enid


    Allison folded the letter up and put it back in the envelope carefully.  She felt tears welling up in her eyes.  She wasn’t even sure why.  She barely knew her biological mother.  Perhaps it was just stress from the day.  She gingerly picked up the pack and opened the flap.  She reached inside and thought about Enid’s journal.  A tablet appeared in her hand.


    The tablet had a white border and transparent screen.  The screen lit up and the text appeared.  It was the same cyan color as her armor’s HUD.  There were thousands of entries.  As her mind raced thinking of her sister’s different entries flashed.  She tapped one and the screen shifted and there was a video in full color of a little girl, maybe five or six with long flowing red hair chasing after a butterfly.  The text read.


    It is the twin’s sixth birthday today.  I can’t picture a world without them and yet when I found out I was pregnant again I wanted nothing to do with it.  I begged father to help me abort them.  I am glad he was wise enough to see what I was too blind to see.  The twins have shown me that there is more to life than blood.  Still, I have a sense of impending dread.  As if every shadow holds the Black Sun.  The twins are my light, but I fear the darkness of the past will snuff them out before they can grow.  How long before I must move on to protect my children?  At least when the time comes they’ll have their father.


    Allison watched as Eyre’s twin brother ran across her path and they both collapsed and giggled.  The word father flashed.  She tapped it.


    Tonight was interesting.  I was saddling Noctis because one of the women on my lands was in labor and the midwife was in over her head.  I ran into a knight.  He thought I was stealing my own horse.  He tried to fight me.  He wasn’t bad I still ended up using bloodseeker to spank his ass.  At least once he realized I was the Lady of the House he apologized.  I suppose he’s attractive if you’re into playing with your food.  My assistant and I were able to save the mother and child.  It was close.  Mother’s healing journal has never failed me.  I am glad Mariana convinced me to stick with the healing lessons.  The mother will need clean wound bindings and more of the healing herbs but if her husband and the midwife follow my instructions she will survive.  We had to cut the baby out there was so much blood, resisting is always the hardest part.  Especially after I had to use Atlantean magic to pull her wounds onto myself.  Whoever decided balance must always be maintained is an asshole.  Was probably God.


    Allison thought of herself, and another journal entry flashed.  She tapped it.  It had a picture of twin fetuses, it looked like a scan from a medical scanner.  Then a selfie of her biological mothers holding up the image.  The text read.


    We have been trying to get pregnant for months.  Amee was starting to get worried it was her nanites causing the miscarriages.  I knew she was wrong.  We are two women trying to create children together.  Not exactly the way nature intended.  Her nanites were a complication but our friend at BMC has finally figured out a solution.  We’ve already picked the names of our twins.  The boy will be Robert, named after Amee’s grandfather, the girl will be named Allison, after my dearest love.  Amee thought it was sweet.  I can’t wait to meet them.  Sure, I’ll be stuck as a mortal for seven more months, but it will be worth it.  All my children have been worth it.


    Allison touched the picture of her biological mothers.  She had found more out about the real Enid Aurelius in the last ten minutes than in her entire life.  She held the tablet to her chest.  Then slipped it back into the pack. She put the letter in as well.  She held the pack to herself for several minutes.  Oozie had her chin on Allison’s thigh again looking up at her with adorable blue eyes.  Allison pet the nargle.


    “It’s alright.  They’re good tears.  Let’s go to bed.”


    Allison put the pack beside her bed and curled up under her blankets.  Oozie hopped up and snuggled against her.  Allison tried to close her eyes but couldn’t sleep.  She kept looking at the pack wondering about the vampire power instruction manual.  She sighed and grabbed her non-magical tablet.  She linked to the Phoenix and did a search for the System’s Alliance Ambassador to the League.  She leaned the tablet against Oozie who being the sleepy nargle she was, didn’t seem to notice or care.


    Allison jumped into a rabbit hole looking for the ambassador’s son’s social media accounts.  He was quite a prolific poster.  He was apparently going to a League school and was playing sports for the school teams.  There were a lot of pictures with his shirt off and Allison appreciated every single one of them.  She found out a few things about him, one was his name: Xavier Sharp.  He was from the UK Dome originally.  Moved around a lot.  According to relationship status, he had never had a girlfriend.  Allison reasoned that it was likely because he moved around a lot.  He liked twenty-first century movies.  Most importantly, she really liked his shirtless photos.  Bit spoke through the tablet.


    “Stalking our assault victims now, are we?”


    Allison blushed.


    “No.  I was just curious about him, that’s all.”


    Bit spoke in a teasing tone.


    “So how did staring at is shirtless photos for several minutes each help you satiate your curiosity?  Asking for purely academic reasons.”


    Allison’s cheeks were now a bright red.


    “I was not.  You’re just making that up.”


    Bit let it drop.


    “Why don’t you have a social media presence?  All of your peers seem to post about everything.”


    Allison swept away a picture of Xavier flexing that she probably had been looking at for way too long.


    “I like my privacy.  No one needs to know I went for a jog today.  Or that I like old music.  I don’t want random messages from people.  Eww.  I don’t even like people.”


    “Allison, you’re a public figure now.  People want to know what you think.  What you like.”


    Allison gagged.


    “No thank you.  Let them speculate.  I already risked my life for them on multiple occasions.  They can’t have my identity too.”


    She turned the tablet screen off and put it behind her on her nightstand and told the computer in her condo to turn off the lights.  She hit her pillow a few times.


    “Good night, Bit, love you.”


    “Good night, Allison, I love you too.”