《Within the Darkness》


 Chapter One: Insomnia

    [This story is a work of fiction. Any likeness to real people and events are likely unintentional and coincidental. This story contains graphic depictions/descriptions of gore and violence as well as other adult themes that are not suitable for all readers such as sexual themes and more.]


    Nighttime, somewhere deep in the woods, a panicked woman is running for her life from something in the moonlit darkness. She keeps looking back and letting out various sounds of panic or screaming. She trips over a root only to scramble up and continue running. In the darkness something is stalking her, hunting her, chasing her. It moves silently and unimpeded by the trees and branches.


    Blackness, accented by gentle beams of purple from the sky. A silhouette of a woman running among the outlines of the trees. Every time she takes a step and the sound of the impact echoes, ripples of distortion wave out on the ground from where her foot lands like waves in a lake. Her body heat stands out amongst the dark green and brown of the plants around her. The dull colors of nature subdued into the background as the predator focuses solely on its prey. Ever closer now, ever nearer. The clumsy woman trips again, losing her right shoe. Low heels, platform. Not exactly made for deep woods running off the trail. Especially at night.


    She turns herself around to face her pursuer, sliding backwards on the ground with one hand, kicking her feet at the ground and digging it up as her other hand waves in protest to the same rhythm of her head shaking in equal protest. But no thoughts seem to be given to the plight of the woman as black tendrils of solidified shadowy darkness coil around her limbs and torso. She begins to scream and struggle against them but it is no use. The ripples of distortion move through the air as the more intense sound waves vibrate the predatory creature in a way it finds unpleasant.


    It begins to pull at her arms and legs, her screams and struggles becoming more intense. The sonic vibrations are now somewhat painful for the creature but it powers through it in desperation brought about by a deep insatiable hunger. It pulls with all its might doing its best to ignore the screams of pain and the discomfort they bring it. A loud ripping sound can be heard, followed by an intense and sudden pop, then by even more ripping as the screams reach an ungodly volume and the right leg is torn free from its socket at the hip. Blood dripped fast from the wound.


    Crunching sounds emanate from the creature as the limb is brought into the shadowy mass that is its main body. The screaming and struggling continue as more ripping is now heard. Again followed by a sudden pop and more ripping as now the left arm comes free at the shoulder and enters the main body of the creature with a series of crunching sounds. Done dealing with the pain brought to it by the woman''s screams it finally moved a tendril from her body and wrapped it around her head. There is a sudden jerking twist followed by a loud snap. The woman goes limp, finally silent. The creature rips off her head and continues munching it''s hard earned prey. Ungodly crunching sounds echoing into the moonlit forest.


    James wakes up with a start, covered in cold sweat and breathing heavily. He calms himself down before going to the bathroom sink and using it to splash water on his face before looking in the mirror at his own pale skin and the intense dark circles under his eyes. He groans as he dries off his face with a small towel before brushing his teeth. Still groggy he gets dressed and heads to the door. There he puts on a hoodie and picks up a backpack before going back and grabbing a cream cheese beagle off a table before heading out. He hops onto a yellow school bus and off it goes.


    It was a warm June morning and the monotony of what little schoolwork there was at the end of the year made the day feel slow. With the final bell James grabbed his backpack and headed out the door. Rather than get on the bus he walked to a black jeep where a man in a suit opened the door for him and pointed at the back seat. James grumbled and groaned before getting in. The man in the suit then drives James to a somewhat large but bland looking building. The man then leads James into the building and to a door. After opening it for James and gesturing into the room, James enters with a sigh and the man closes the door behind him from the outside.


    In the room there is a leather chair and a classic therapy couch. In the chair a man in glasses holding a clipboard sits with his legs crossed. He gestures to the couch. ¡°You know the drill Mr. Holden.¡± James makes his way over and gets into the couch as the man flips through his notes. ¡°Happy belated birthday Mr. Holden. Finally eighteen. Once you have graduated from high school these meetings will no longer be mandatory. Let''s see here¡­ James Holden, 18, male, Caucasian. Suffered from chronic nightmares starting in the first grade. Sorry if I have to play catch-up, the person that was originally assigned to you is on leave.¡±


    James sighs. ¡°It''s fine really. Considering I had a relapse last night I don''t object to starting from the beginning.¡± The therapist nodded and adjusted his glasses. ¡°Okay then. I''ll let you ease into it by telling me about the incident.¡± James took a few breaths. ¡°Well it was a long time ago so my memory is fuzzy on a lot of the details but I''ll go through what I remember and then I''ll let you know when we shift to the content of the nightmare.¡± The therapist tested his pencil and got ready to take notes. ¡°Ready when you are Mr. Holden.¡±


    ¡°I was around five years old at the time, in the first grade. We were having a sort of ¡°learn on-site¡± field trip. The school wanted it to be a camping thing overnight to learn about nature or whatever. We would hike, set up tents, and learn survival tips. Scout kid stuff. The schools here really like adding practical long term life lessons to the curriculum whenever possible. Highschool even has an elective that teaches you how to do taxes, balance a checkbook, and other such things. There is another elective class that teaches work experience. Anyway, everyone got their parents to sign off and we were divided into groups of three to five people with each group having the parent of one of the kids as a chaperone. Then they would always have two groups and two adults moving together with groups swapping what group they were paired with from time to time.¡±


    The therapist nods. ¡°Sounds like an interesting and informative trip. I assume they had you identify bird and tree species or something.¡± James nodded. ¡°Yeah. Identifying as many animals we spotted as we could. Real hands on learning Ranger Scout kind of stuff. I think the teacher was also a scout leader so him adding a Ranger Scout trip for students wasn''t abnormal.¡± The therapist nods. ¡°Okay, continue.¡±


    James once again took in a few deep breaths. ¡°I don''t really clearly remember much from the trip. I spent a lot of time just chatting and joking with other kids. Goofing off and being a normal five year old. Nothing out of the ordinary. It started getting dark and we set up tents and¡­¡± James¡¯ hand starts to shake as his voice also shakes. ¡°I remember hearing screaming from a kid in the middle of the night. The chaperone got out of the tent to check it out telling us to stay out. After waiting for what felt like forever and still hearing screaming, now with adult voices joining in, I left the tent. I don''t remember if I wanted to investigate or simply run for my life but everything after that is a blur. Next thing I remember I was covered in blood, sitting in an ambulance with a blanket over me. Too scared to even speak to the police and military people that were there. I was one of the few to survive.¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    The therapist goes a bit pale. ¡°What happened?¡± James shifted around on the couch. ¡°The cop said it was a rabid bear that either contracted something similar to rabies or got into a drug stash. Tore up anything and anyone that happened to be in its general area. Thing was declared dangerous enough to deploy the National Guard or something I guess because why else would military people be there. But as a kid my idea of what happened was¡­ different. And what I imagined to have happened kept haunting me in my sleep. The nightmares eventually stopped but recently they''ve come back.¡±


    The therapist takes a few notes. ¡°Tell me about the dream, then maybe we can come up with a few ideas as to what could have caused this relapse.¡± James took a few shaky breaths. ¡°In the dream it wasn''t some bear. It was a monster. An honest to goodness monster. The thing was hard to see, like it was made of shadows. Though I know now that shadows and darkness are just the absence of light and not a physical thing. In my nightmare, this shadow entity is what ripped apart all the students, teachers, and parents that died that day. It grabbed them like some sort of giant floating octopus made of shadows and it¡­ it quartered them in the way one would split a wishbone. The sounds of fabric and flesh ripping, the sound of bones breaking and joints being forcefully popped out of sockets, the sounds of screaming and blood splashing onto the trees, rocks and grass.¡±


    James paused to take a number of rapid shaky breaths as he recalled his recurring nightmare. ¡°It¡­ was eating them. Pulling the severed limbs into itself and consuming them. I saw as one of my fellow students, a Japanese American girl named Yuri, was grabbed from behind and snapped in half like a twig right in front of me before she was split in two splashing her blood all over me. I fell backwards and back up into a tree as the mass of shadow covered over me blocking out what little light there was in the majority of my vision leaving me in almost complete darkness. Then, I felt a strange sensation of serenity wash over me. I was going to die, there was nothing I could do about it. Resistance was futile. So I simply¡­ gave up. I chose not to fight it and suddenly it was like all my fear of death washed away.¡±


    The therapist took more notes. ¡°You embraced the end as inevitable and saw fearing something you could not change as pointless. An illogical waist of energy.¡± James nodded. ¡°Something like that. The monster paused above me, as if it could sense the change in me. It could feel fear and the sudden absence of it within me. It seemed to abandon seeing me as food and now saw me as a curiosity. An anomaly. Something to study. It seemed to observe me and look me over for some time. Hesitant to kill me for some reason. It then slowly reached out a shadowy tentacle to my face. Poking at it gently as if trying to get a reaction. I just sat there, frozen, unable to move and waiting to die. It prodded my mouth a few times before forcing itself into it. Sliding down my throat causing me to choke and start suffocating. But even then I did nothing. Then a bright spotlight hit the creature. I heard what could only be described as a scream as it recoiled in pain and ran off.¡±


    The therapist took even more notes. ¡°So the creature of darkness was naturally weak to light. It stopping to study you because of your unique reaction bought time for a rescue. However, that''s not what really happened, is it?¡± James shook his head. ¡°No, because there is no such thing as monsters. Darkness can''t take a physical form and attack people. Although I don''t remember what really happened, it was likely as the police said. A coked up and diseased bear having a bad trip taking it out on anything that moved. I probably never even saw the thing and passed out from the shock of seeing a dead body in bloody pieces. The bear then assumed I was dead and moved on. My body automatically played possum leaving me one of the few people to walk out of there alive.¡±


    The therapist jots down more notes. ¡°Do you have any ideas as to why the nightmares returned now of all times?¡± James shrugged. ¡°School stress. I''m about to graduate and go out into the wide world. It''s a scary place out there and sometimes it feels like I''m being pulled in a bunch of different directions by the people in my life. Many of whom just want what they think is best for me. I feel lost sometimes, without clear direction. I''m bumbling around in the dark while being metaphorically torn in a dozen different directions. It feels like everyone has these expectations of me and I don''t even know if I want to fill any of them.¡± The therapist nods. ¡°You just want to find your own path. It''s understandable at your age to feel this way. I''m honestly not surprised you''ve had this relapse. I suggest you find a goal you want to pursue. Work at it. Don''t ignore the pulls but you don''t have to follow them. Acknowledge them and make it known you won''t go that way. Talk to the people in your life about how you feel. Hopefully the nightmares will fade again. Because unfortunately when you graduate we will no longer be offering our service for free.¡±


    James sighed. ¡°Yeah, the good ol¡¯ government fit the bill for these mandatory visits. Unfortunately, needed or not, I doubt I''ll be able to afford it. You charge more an hour than I''ll be lucky to make in a week.¡± the therapist chuckled ¡°Yeah, and it doesn''t help that most insurance companies don''t cover mental health things. They are not considered ¡°necessary¡± or get labeled as a pre existing condition. Because God forbid you actually get to use the insurance you paid for.¡± Jemes nodded. ¡°Is my hour up yet? I''d like to go home. My English teacher thought it would be funny to issue a large assignment with like two weeks of school left.¡± The therapist looks at the clock. ¡°I mean I get paid for the full hour whether you use it or not. I''m supposed to keep you for all of it but if you want to skip out early just this once I won''t tell anyone if you don''t. You only have one or two more sessions anyway.¡± he signs something on a piece of paper and hands it to James.


    James looks at it. ¡°You''re prescribing me sleep aids?¡± The therapist nods. ¡°I wrote in a number of refills so it should last three months. Since I issued it now it''s covered. No out of pocket cost.¡± James takes the paper and puts it in his pocket. ¡°Thanks, I guess.¡± The therapist nods while paging through His notes. ¡°A car will be waiting outside to take you home.¡± James exits the room where a man in a suit escorts him back to the black jeep. Once in the backseat the man in the suit drove James back home. Feeling extremely hungry he made himself a nice big plate of spaghetti and meatballs for himself. Once that was done he opened his backpack and started working on his end of the year English project.


    After spending several hours on the project, James gets a quick snack before settling into his bedroom to relax by watching TV for a bit before going to bed. He tosses and turns several times trying to get comfortable before eventually settling in and actually trying to doze off. James sat still with his eyes closed, laying on his back with a pillow over his face for what felt like a small eternity before finally going to sleep. Once asleep he began to toss and turn restlessly in his sleep as his dreams were haunted by the horrors of the past. Images of the terrible monster his childish mind created to fill the gaps in his memory flashing before him in his dream. James was never the same after that.


    On the therapist''s clipboard several notes about how James: ¡°went from the most outgoing extroverted child anyone ever knew to a quiet shell that sat in the back corner trying not to be bothered.¡± ¡°Has difficulty connecting to others.¡± ¡°Creates a wall and distance as a sort of protection, refusing to get close to people.¡± ¡°Is continually haunted by the tragic and sudden death of multiple people that he may or may not have witnessed first hand.¡± ¡°Is dealing with repressed memories and emotions that are resurfacing due to external stresses.¡± ¡°Does not blame himself or hold himself accountable for the tragic deaths, shows little to no signs of survivors guilt.¡± ¡°Shows no signs of having developed or developing Nyctophobia despite the nightmares of early childhood.¡± ¡°Tests show zero fear response to stimulation from images and exposure of dark rooms, bears, or extreme gore.¡± ¡°Shows no signs of violent tendencies and shows signs of empathy when shown images of suffering from a living person. Shows no such signs of empathy when shown images of people already dead. Low risk for psychopathic or sociopathic behavior. Continued treatment: unnecessary.¡± ¡°Naturally suffers from sleep issues like insomnia, prescription for sleep aid provided.¡±

 Chapter Two: Hunger

    Although the nightmares did eventually subside without the use of sleep aids, James started to develop a new problem. James was always skinny and pale, having always had a high metabolism. However, at eighteen, as if going through a new growth spurt, he started getting hungry more often. It wasn''t even noticeable at first. Just needed some extra snacks here and there. But slowly and surely it increased. It was like that metaphor about putting a living frog in a pot of water and cooking it by slowly increasing it to a boil without the frog noticing. James did not even question his increase in appetite even when a year later he was eating a full sized fourth meal plus snacks. The growth in hunger eventually seemed exponential as it only got worse. By the time James hit twenty he was eating six full meals and snacks while still feeling hungry.


    James could not financially afford to increase his food intake any farther, and so he didn''t do so. He started waiting till pizza places closed and tossed out their unused products to grab the top few boxes so he could eat the pizzas inside them. Eating several large pizzas on top of having extra full meals and snacks. Yet still, even with this, James'' hunger did not subside. Instead the hunger only grew more intense resulting in James having slight hunger pains no matter what he did. One day, while walking, James suddenly froze in place as he saw a deer nibbling on some grass in the woods. It popped its head up and stared at James. Then, after a moment of eye contact with the animal, the deer bolted into the woods.


    James, without thinking, as if in some sort of instinct, chased after it on foot. He moved faster than he had ever moved before. He moved at inhuman speed while somehow able to avoid tripping over roots, branches, and brush. Unbothered by branches at all heights smacking his body as he ran. Somehow he was able to close the distance on the deer, something that should not have been possible for a human. Then James leaped into a tackle and slammed the deer into the ground before sending his bare hands into the belly of the deer as if he was using claws to rend the flesh from its bones. Shoveling raw meat into his mouth. Even going as far as to take the animal''s heart and liver out with his bare hands and savagely munching on it raw like a wild beast.


    James slowly came to his senses and looked at the half eaten corpse with its intestines strewn on the grass. His hands, face, and shirt stained with the blood and raw meat of the fresh kill. James stared at his shaking, bloody hands. He had just eaten most of a deer, in a single sitting, raw. Yet still, even with this, he barely felt a difference in his hunger levels. It was like a drop in the bucket of the nearly bottomless bit of his new hunger. Even with the greatest metabolism, the stomach only has so much space. James knew there should have been a point when he felt full even if it was fleeting and lasted just a few minutes. It should not have been possible to eat what must have been over a hundred pounds of raw meat, blood, and sinew. At least, not for a human.


    James shakily walked to a nearby creek and started cleaning himself up. Taking off his shirt to dip in the water and wring out multiple times, trying to get the blood out. After wringing out the shirt one last time James puts the soggy wet shirt on before starting to shamble back home. In a bit of a daze, James was practically on autopilot as he made his way home. Once inside he walked to and sat on the couch before putting his face in his hands. ¡°What is even happening? Why am I always hungry lately?¡±


    James gave up on trying to satisfy his endless hunger. The next day, after the incident with the deer, he had gone from eating six plus full meals with snacks to a complete and total fast. Zero food. If eating did nothing for his hunger, then what was the point? For the pleasure of tasting the flavor of it? After a full week of having no food, nothing changed. The hunger pains were nearly unbearable and made sleeping difficult to the point James finally cashed in the prescription for sleep aids since the therapist didn''t put an expiration date on it with the meds being paid for in advance. Three months after his birthday the sleep meds had run out and the hunger pains never stopped. James continued to eat nothing for long enough for a human to have definitely starved.


    James considered the possibility of a parasite like a tapeworm but if that were the case it would have come out of his nose looking for food after he had smelled it and he would have still died of starvation. One day while James was at the grocery store, helping someone else carry food to their vehicle as he struggled to continue a normal looking life and show no signs that anything was wrong, he bumped into someone while walking to the checkout. It was the therapist. ¡°James, is that you? You''re not looking so well. You are even paler than the last time I saw you and the dark circles under your eyes are even more prominent. And that''s saying something in your case. Did you relapse again? I heard you cashed in the sleep aids a while ago because I got a call from the pharmacy.¡±


    James looked at the therapist with a blank expression. Even if it were not for the hunger issues he would not have had the energy to have a conversation with him. James blinked a few times before responding. ¡°The nightmares didn''t come back, but I''ve been dealing with hunger pains. My metabolism jumped but it''s definitely not a parasite. I would get myself looked at but outside the hunger I feel totally fine.¡± The therapist tilted his head. ¡°Maybe it''s psychosomatic. It might pass on its own but I''d suggest some self reflection to try and find a source. That''s just some free advice since I kinda feel bad seeing you in a rough shape.¡± James responded with an empty ¡°Thanks doc.¡± Before continuing on with his day.


    James did some self reflection but couldn''t find a change in his life that would have caused this change and even if he found a source there was definitely something wrong with him that was far outside of a normal treatable problem. He continued with his suffering and the hunger pains even increased despite the fact he should have starved to death by now. With the sleeping aids gone and no more refills he spent the next few nights without any sleep on top of having no food. After the third night of zero sleep the hunger pains had hit a new intense height. He tossed and turned violently and restlessly, groaning out from the literal gut wrenching agony. The pain was so intense that he eventually passed out from the pain of the torture, finally having the first moment of relief in what seemed like forever.


    Once he had passed out all sense of feeling, including the hunger pains, seemed to melt away as everything went black. Blacking out from the pain was the first mercy James had received since he noticed his insatiable hunger. After a moment of feeling weightless in the black dreamless void James could see again, what looked like a strange dream. His body seemed to be moving on its own but he could not really feel it. It took his mind a while to process that his vision lacked its normal color.


    James watched like an observer as he floated forward through the woods. A bunch of trees and foliage with no color that looked like what one would imagine a three dimensional laser radar scan would look like. Lines and curves showing distance and depth but no color. Like the render of a model in a game that had been made transparent but with an unnecessary level of detail. Then James noticed that from the well lit night, the glow of the moon through the trees. Like waving lines or streaks of gentle purple light descending from the sky. It was strange and beautiful.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    The color began to wash into the shapes in James'' vision but they were either duller or straight up different then he was used to. The dark dull greens didn''t look like the normal look of leaves at night but more like it was desaturated with a filter and the bark of the trees looked more like a dark and desaturated shade of orange then actual brown. James saw waves and ripples quickly emanate from things he pushed out of his way as he floated through the surreal looking forest. When the waves hit him he felt them move through his body and simultaneously heard the rustling sounds of the leaves and branches that were being moved by him.


    Any movement and sound disturbed the airflow and James could now see and feel the changes in that flow as he continued to move through the woods at a fast pace. All these senses bombarding him were overwhelming as everything bled together and hit him all at once making it more difficult for James to pull himself out of the dull daze he was in. He snapped into an awareness when he noticed something in front of him that he seemed to be chasing after. There was someone running away from him.


    It took awhile for James'' mind to process what he was looking at, especially with the sensory overload. But that was definitely a woman running away from him, and she was definitely scared. James could see the heat coming off her, he could feel and practically taste her fear. ¡°(What a strange dream.)¡± James thought to himself as he did his best to focus. Meanwhile he closed the gap on the woman. James still felt weightless as his body seemed to practically hover at the frightened woman who was screaming. The screams slightly hurt and annoyed James. Then he felt a shift like moving a limb before observing a tentacle-like mass stretching out and coiling around her leg. He then noticed more still coil around her other limbs and torso.


    James could feel these masses that were wrapping around the woman as her screams and struggling only continued. He realized that these were a part of him and was suddenly making an effort to move in order to stop himself but his body wouldn''t respond. It was moving on its own and he couldn''t control it. James could only observe in horror as the tendrils begin to pull at her limbs. James felt disgusted and horrified as he heard the ripping, popping, and snapping noises he knew all too well. The sounds of flesh tarring, bones snapping, and joints being separated at their sockets. This nightmare was more advanced than any he had ever had before, with himself being put into the point of view of the monster.


    He felt as the severed limbs were pulled into his body to be crushed down for some form of digestion as the liquid blood dripped through his body as if it were formless and without real substance. He could feel as the limb moving through him was broken down and worst of all as the hunger he felt finally started to dissipate. The vibration from the screams began to hurt too much to ignore as they seemed to shake his very being and James could not stand to watch as this shadow-like form of his slowly quartered this poor woman. ¡°(Oh god, just make it stop. I don''t want to see this anymore. I don''t want to feel this anymore. Just end her suffering or let me wake up already.)¡± As if in response to his thoughts a tendril moved to wrap around the woman''s head. Then, in a single swift twisting motion, snapped her neck. Finally there was peace and everything went black again.


    James slowly regained consciousness, his mind spinning and reeling from the extremely vivid and surreal nightmare he had experienced. However, his grogginess quickly and suddenly washed away when he realized that his hunger pains were completely gone. He tried to blink but nothing seemed to happen as he realized he could see in a three hundred and sixty degree field of vision. He felt an aching as his mind tried its best to possess the overabundance of stimulation from all directions as shapes and color washed in. James picked one direction as forward for his vision and focused on that, letting the rest become background information easing the pain of overstimulation. James saw jagged shapes of dull washed out gray all around him except in one direction where a gap in the gray was bathed in an intense and violent stream of purple that hurt to look at.


    James slowly reached out to what almost looked like a solid object only for his tendril to go into it as easily as open air. Only for him to immediately recoil the limb back after feeling an intense burning sensation. He backed away and decided to try a breathing exercise when¡­ no air flows through his lungs. He was not breathing and when he tried to do so manually could not breath. He could not feel or hear his own heartbeat. This on top of not being able to close his eyes and suddenly his mind was reeling again. He forced himself to get a grip and focus. Having a panic attack did nothing to help his situation. ¡°(Okay¡­ let''s take inventory. That pain was too much to not be real. Conclusion, this is not a dream. That means last night wasn''t a dream either.)¡± James looked for a puddle of water but on finding one he couldn''t exactly see a reflection.


    James moved around the cave and found movement to be surprisingly natural. ¡°(From what I can tell my body is an amorphous blob. My mass is collected into a central point that is like a ball. I hover above the ground and when I need to grab or reach out, my body shifts and forms a tendril to act as a limb. My body is not a single solid object, more like a mist. Conclusion, I am either a gas or a collection of particulate solids. Considering I can act like a solid and grab things I lean to the latter. My body is able to mimic many of the functions of a normal biological form. I have vision, hearing, and tactile senses that seem to bleed into one another. When I move it is similar to moving a muscle and the fact I feel pain indicates I have some way of replicating a nervous system.)¡±


    James slapped at the ground and felt the impact vibrate through him just before seeing and feeling the sound ripples created by his action. ¡°(I''m not touching the ground but it''s not because I can''t do so. I felt no pain from that despite hitting it hard. So outside my sensitivity to sunlight and sound I don''t seem to feel pain. I have a sort of echolocation because of or as part of my sensory bleed. Since I was seeing in all directions before I focused myself I''ll assume my entire body is like one big sensory organ. Functioning as my eyes, ears, and skin. I can''t seem to smell or taste anything though. Probably for the best, all things considered. Although I myself do not fully understand what my body is made of and how exactly it works I''m able to function. I''m alive. I just wish I knew how or why I became like this.)¡±


    James sat still in silence trying to gather his thoughts trying to process what was going on and what had happened to him. Though he knew he couldn''t leave the cave during the day he could get more used to his new body by moving around in it. After a while of exploring the very small cave James quickly got bored. ¡°(I wonder how the acoustics are in this cave. I should shout the word echo to test them. ¡­ ¡­ Wait, how do I talk without a mouth?)¡± James hoped that just like with his movement if he simply acted his body would respond. If he could ¡°walk¡± by walking without thinking about it he should be able to ¡°talk¡± by talking. Just doing the action practically autonomously with no effort as if it was something he always did.


    James felt a sensation that reminded him of sand being pushed by the base of a speaker as a part of him in his center vibrated producing a low droning ¡°aaaaa¡± sound. Followed by a lower ¡°ooooo¡± sound. Then James let out a high pitched and painful screeching sound. After that he began to practice producing sounds mimicking the phonics of language. ¡°Ah. Ah. Aye. Aye. Oh. Oh. Buh. Buh.¡± ¡°(That last one felt weird but I guess I''ll get used to it.)¡± ¡°Kh. Kh. Sss. Sa. Sa. Sam. Buh. Buh. Bam. Huh. Huh. Ham. Luh. Luh. Lam.¡± James then tried to make the ¡°puh¡± sound but couldn''t get the p part. Instead he generated a sound that wasn''t a part of English phonics that sounded more like two pieces of sandpaper being scraped together.


    ¡°(Well looks like I am going to have to relearn how to speak. Let''s try a sentence.)¡± ¡°Ssshe ssellss sssea sshellss by -¡± James struggles with the ¡°th¡± sound a few times. ¡°(I''m dragging my S sounds, can''t make the P or t-h sounds. I haven''t even attempted an R sound and I have no idea how I managed a L. I''ll probably have to keep practicing. Though I''m not sure just how much talking I''ll need to do in this form. It''s not like I''ll be having regular casual conversation.)¡± James then spends the rest of the day practicing speech, having nothing better to do for passing the time.

 Chapter Three: Adaptation

    James spent days practicing sounds, not feeling thirsty the entire time. This made sense since his body couldn''t even retain liquids all that well. He did start to feel hungry though. So once night fell James went out to explore the forest around his cave looking for something to eat. James hoped an animal would satisfy his needs as the thought of willingly consuming a human was extremely unpleasant to James. It would make his stomach churn if he had one. It was an overcast night with no moon or stars to light it, but despite the darkness James could see just fine.


    Although the way he saw things was different then he was used to before his transformation. The level of detail he could see in things was almost like being able to touch them from a distance. The complex texture of an object, even parts that one would not normally be able to see, were on full display. Because his senses were mixed and part of his senses worked like echolocation he was able to see things behind other things and even in pitch black darkness. Nothing could hide from him as long as it was in his field of view. He could even detect temperatures from a distance. How hot or cold something was changed the hue of it a bit with brighter, more vibrant things being hotter and duller things being colder. Since he moved at night, most colors were dull and almost lifeless unless it was from an animal.


    This made endothermic or warm blooded animals stand out. This body was definitely that of a predatory hunter. James had a hard time imagining having a natural predator. The way he moved felt loose at times, almost like he was fine sand moving in the wind. He could probably fit his body into and through extremely small spaces. So it was hard to picture anything wanting to or trying to eat him based on that alone. James also imagined he''d be hard to kill. Most conventional weapons would pass right through him. So outside a bright spotlight, a sonic disruption device, or fire, it was hard to picture taking damage. James was suddenly pulled from his thoughts when he spotted a familiar shape in the distance. A deer, grazing in the woods.


    James went for it, easily able to keep up since he didn''t have to worry about most obstacles. He grabbed it by the back leg and lifted the animal off the ground by it. The deer kicked and bucked while being held off the ground by a single tendril on one of its back legs. It let out sounds of panic as it drowned in its own fear. James grabbed it by its other limbs and started breaking the poor animal down for consumption, eventually ripping its head off and putting it out of its misery as he crunched and munched the parts. Meat and bones. Nothing solid went to waste as all that remained of the deer was a bloodstain in the grass. However, James barely felt a difference. The deer was just a drop in the bucket. There was a difference though, albeit small. So James continued to hunt.


    Deers, bears, turkeys, horses, cows. The larger the animal the better. Or so James thought. And yet, even after spending all night up till he saw the sun starting to rise, no amount of animals seemed to truly satisfy his hunger. The number of livestock and wild game James killed wouldn''t go unnoticed. James returned to the small cave under a large tree before the sun came up enough to hurt him to rethink his next move.


    James had plenty of time to think, since he didn''t seem to need sleep. Sure, he could enter a sleep-like rest mode but all that did was buy him more time before he had to eat. It was more like hibernation than regular sleep. Shutting down as much as possible to reduce how many calories you''re burning. James didn''t even know if calorues were even applicable to him. Since the amount of mass consumed was not the issue. There was some factor he was missing. Something that aided his digestion to make it more efficient? Or maybe this body needed something besides solid subsistence to satisfy its dietary requirements.


    ¡°(Maybe¡­ it has to be a human for some reason?)¡± James shivered at the thought. Cannibalism was definitely wrong. Eating animals was at least debatable. ¡°(Then again it''s not exactly cannibalism anymore since I''m not exactly human. Still, we are talking about the consumption of a sentient and sapient individual. A person with a deep and complex personality with dreams, aspirations, and a family. But if I don''t eat, then what? Do I starve to death? Go on autopilot and eat whoever is unfortunate enough to be the closest? I''ve already experienced that horror once. Being a helpless observer as my body acts without my will. There may even be a chance I would lose myself to the baser instincts of this body becoming nothing more than a mindless beast praying on whoever I found.)¡±


    James was mortified by the possibility of his body going around on its own and eating people. The person he was effectively experiencing death and leaving a heartless monster that could kill hundreds of innocent people. ¡°(No, I can''t risk that. If I must feed then I''ll be the one to choose. I''ll hold on to what humanity I have. There are plenty of people in the world that deserve death. Monsters in human skin. Plenty of unwanted people no one would miss. The best and most logical thing to do is choose the lesser of two evils. I''m already a killer, so I might as well reduce the number of killers. Drug dealers, pedophiles, disease ridden homeless people with no hope of ever climbing out of their miserable lives if I''m desperate. I mean¡­ it''s not like I''ll get sick from eating them.)¡±


    James floated around, waiting for night to fall once more. Once the sun was setting he could start making his way back to the city to find someone worth killing. While he had time to think, James couldn''t help but wonder what his family and friends thought. I mean he''s been gone for several days now and someone definitely noticed he was missing by now. Were the cops searching for him as a missing person? Was he presumed dead? What happened to his original body when he changed? Once the sun was setting James was setting out to the city and refocused himself on the task at hand.


    James had hit the farms on the outskirts on his first day but had not tried to enter the city proper since his transformation. Once there he stuck to the shadows. Streetlights didn''t seem to bother him that much though. James found this interesting as it indicated he was only sensitive at either a higher intensity or specifically to ultraviolet light. ¡°(I''m kinda like a vampire. A reluctant vampire.)¡±


    James continued to carefully stalk dark alleyways and backstreets looking for an unsavory individual. When passing by an alleyway that led to a dead end he stopped halfway to the other side of the entry to the dead end. He saw two individuals. One was female, oozing fear all over the place. The second was a male, oozing some strong emotion James wasn''t able to identify since he''s only sensed strong fear from a distance before. The man looked like a thug from a movie and even had a pocket knife he pointed at the woman as he grabbed her neck with his free hand. He brought his face close to hers and licked it. ¡°Come on now sweet thing. I promise I''ll make you feel good. Just stop struggling and be a good little girl. You can pay with your money and your body, or you can pay with your life.¡±


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    The woman looked up at something behind her attacker and went pale, then a low distorted voice came from the shadow behind her attacker. ¡°How would you like to be the one on the receiving end of some unwanted penetration?¡± The thug''s eyes widened as he spun around to point his knife at whoever interrupted him, but there was no one there. He pointed his knife and moved from side to side looking for whoever just spoke. ¡°Why don''t you come out of hiding then if you''re so brave?¡± The thug then felt something tighten around his leg before pulling and landing him on his back on the ground. He went pale as he saw a black mass wrapped around his leg like a snake. Then suddenly he was pulled down the alleyway into the darkness, screaming out as he flailed and clawed at the pavement.


    The woman shook in fear, her eyes clenched shut as she continued to hear the man screaming in the distance along with what sounded like branches snapping and phone books being ripped in half. The screaming stopped and the woman slowly opened her eyes while still shaking. She slowly pried herself off the wall and walked to the alleyway intersection. She looked down each direction seeing nothing of note outside one of the street lights flickering. ¡°Hello?¡± She spoke timidly. Then after a pause she shouted ¡°Is anybody there?!¡± To no response. She scrambled for her phone to call nine-one-one before bolting out of the area.


    James sat hiding in the darkness. He rid the world of a rapist and satisfied his hunger. It seemed only humans did the trick for some reason. Something to look into later. James had to be careful. Drawing unnecessary attention was definitely not a good thing. In fact any kind of attention was risky. If word got around about some man eating shadow monster who knew what would happen. As he made his way to the edge of the city, James realized there was one thing he wanted to do before going back to his cave. He floated his way through the shadows all the way to the place he once called home.


    The building was blocked off by police tape and two cop cars were just sitting there. All the lights were off and no one was in the building. It seemed as if the two cops were simply sitting there and watching the place in unmarked cars that were out of plain sight. James made his way to his bedroom window which looked like it had been busted open and flew in. The room looked about the same as he left it except for the massive bloodstain on his bed and crime scene flags in different places. They definitely noticed he was gone and probably assumed it was a murder or something like that. He figured he was declared missing and presumed dead at this point.


    James floated back out the window and finally started to slowly make his way out of the city and back to the cave. One there he thought about everything he''s learned. ¡°(From the bloodstain left behind that reminds me of what I leave behind when I eat¡­ I think what I am now ate the old me from the inside and I somehow kept my sense of self. Considering my appetite leading up to it it probably started a year or two before then. My former body becoming nothing more than a cocoon for what I am now.)¡± James stressed a little bit, not really any closer to the why and how of his current plight.


    James paced back and forth in the darkness of the cave, unsure if he would ever discover the how and how of his condition. ¡°(If there''s no way to figure it out then there isn''t really a point in thinking about it. I''m stuck like this with no answers and no way back. All there is left is moving forward and adapting to the situation. I''ll take things one problem at a time if I have to. For now my only problems are keeping myself fed and keeping myself hidden. Bring discovered by others is not an option.)¡± Thanks to a ¡°trial and error¡± like approach, it didn''t take long to figure out his current dietary requirements. James noticed that after feeding it took at least three days before he started to feel hungry again and he could go a full week at most before that hunger reached a point where it became concerning.


    This meant in order to retain his sense of self, his sanity, what was left of his humanity. James needed to feed once or twice a week. This meant one or two people would be going missing every week because of him. Would this be noticable? Especially with James intentionally targeting the worst people he could find. If he had access to the internet he''d probably look up the local sex offender registry. This way even if anyone noticed the increase in missing people, they wouldn''t care. A higher percentage of the ones going missing would be criminals who some would argue should be permanently removed from society. James couldn''t just eat someone who was actively in prison, not without leaving evidence and traces of his existence. So this meant either catching people in the act or waiting for them to be released or escaping prison on their own.


    James was not about to test his luck to see if or how a camera would record him. Just because he had a hard time seeing reflections didn''t mean he didn''t have one. In fact he had a lot of questions as to how he saw the world and colors. It was obvious that he was seeing things he didn''t or couldn''t before but most of it was due to sensory bleed. Everything he saw, felt, or heard was also picked up by his other senses because his body had a hard time telling them apart. Also the strange purple glow that came really intensely from the sky during the day but was subdued at night raised a lot of questions. The best answer James could come up with is that what he was seeing was something outside the normal visible spectrum for humans.


    ¡°(Maybe what I''m seeing is ultraviolet light. So light at lower lumon counts and less intense UVs are fine but at higher levels are dangerous to me. Still not sure why but that''s like asking why sunburns happen. Yeah there is a scientific explanation for it, but even if you don''t know it has to do with your body''s inability to produce melanin you still know sunburns are bad and should be avoided. I''m not a scientist, I don''t need to understand the intricacies of my anatomy. Sure I may have a lot of questions but with no way to answer them I''m just wasting time and mental energy. Not that I don''t have a surplus of time to think about things like how a so-called shadow monster would replicate and reproduce.)¡±


    James then had a sudden and horrible thought. (¡°There''s never just one.)¡± Something that applied to ants and mice. If you spot the one there is always more. This suggested the possibility of other monsters like himself and perhaps even not like himself. Just hiding somewhere out there. Within the Darkness. Creatures that go bump in the night. Then he remembered that nightmare he had as a child so many years ago when he was just in the first grade. The nightmares that came after those students died. The monster in those dreams¡­ was just like the one he was now. ¡°(Was that¡­ actually real? I always denied it because monsters were works of fiction. But now I''m living proof of the falsehood of that belief. Not only are monsters real, but it is more than likely that the government is aware of that fact. Not only are they aware, they most likely have weapons made specifically to combat monsters like myself.)¡±


    James had no real way to get answers at this time, but now he was confident they were out there. Maybe in the future he could investigate it without being noticed, but for now his main objective was survival and maintaining self control. Though if he thought about it the old version of him could definitely be considered dead. His emergence in this new monstrous form could be considered a sort of rebirth. James Holden was dead, and from that death a new entity was born. One that would take on a new name befitting his shadowy form. ¡°From now on I am no longer James Holden. From this day forth I shall go by the name¡­ Pitch Black.¡± ¡°(That''s kind of edgy and cringy sounding but whatever I''ll run with it. There''s worse names I could have come up with.)¡±


    Pitch settled down into a divot of the cave, squishing himself into it like a sort of shadow puddle. He then decided to enter his sleep mode for a bit during the day in order to preserve whatever energy he used to get around and obtained from killing and eating humans. As he started settling in he still had a number of thoughts about the way he instinctively did things with this body. ¡°(I always seem to play with my food and keep it alive when I start the process. I always make sure my victim sees me and is fully aware of what is happening and going to happen to it. I feel myself gaining some measure of sustenance during this time. I''m fairly confident that fear is a major component to my diet for some reason. Since animals with higher intelligence and understanding have better comprehension of their situation the fear would be stronger in humans then other animals. Dogs, dolphins, and cephalopods would likely be second. Maybe this is why humans work best. I feast more efficiently if I feed on a significant amount of fear first.)¡± Pitch managed to reach the equivalent of sleep for his new body after several moments of sitting in silence.

 Chapter Four: Discovery

    Pitch has now spent an entire year now in his new body and he was getting used to his grim routine. Every three to six days he would carefully enter the city looking for a scumbag that wouldn''t be missed. A murderer who served his time, a known child abuser, a registered sex offender, some strung out druggie with a problem with meth and cocaine. He would go out of his way to aim for the worst of the worst without getting caught or leaving obvious evidence in a high traffic public area. Sometimes Pitch would go into the city early so he could spend days searching for and stalking his prey. Once he found his target, if he had time, he would freak them out by making things nearby fall over or scaring animals so they would jump at the chosen victim.


    Pitch would spend days, sometimes the entire time between meals, harassing his target. Making them as scared and paranoid as possible before finally taking his meal. This wasn''t something he did out of some sadistic urge to punish or hurt these people. This was something he did because the more fear he cultivated in his target the more filling his meals were. The more filling the meal the longer he could go between them. The longer between meals the less people that died and the more satisfying each meal was. It was like taking the time to marinate a steak to bring out the most flavor.


    During the day he would go back to his cave but a few months in and every night he''d be returning to the city. It became part of his routine that he kept up for the entire year. Pitch was careful not to let himself be seen except by his victim when the day came to harvest the fruits of his labor. So he was confident that no one had realized anything had changed. Everything that did was easy to dismiss. Pitch was wrong in this assumption. Unknown to him he had earned someone else''s attention. Someone who had noticed the rise in missing persons because the first sloppy killing and the missing livestock early on had them actively looking for a pattern. Once confident in the presence of the target they were after, a squad would be mobilized.


    One former general of the army, General Ishwada, looked over the reports from the area including one witness report that claimed to have seen a monster made of shadows. ¡°Have these reports been confirmed?¡± The general''s voice boomed through the room. The one who handed him the papers responded quickly. ¡°Yes sir. We have received missing persons reports from the city as well as missing livestock reports from the outskirts. Crime scene reports in many cases indicate only a pool of blood to be found at or near the location of many missing persons. Consistent with prior reports during the incident sixteen years ago. This is the first sign of potential activity from the subject in three years and would be the first confirmed sighting since sixteen years ago. The first missing person was reported last seen in the same area as the incident sixteen years ago.¡±


    Ishwada rubbed his chin. The Japanese American man was quite large and muscular. His salt and pepper hair as well as his face wrinkles showed his age and experience. ¡°So it seems to have returned to an old hunting ground and has become either bold enough or desperate enough to hunt within city limits.¡± The younger man nods. ¡°Reports suggest the subject has a higher level of intelligence than previously theorized since no CCTV footage has spotted the subject. Data suggests it has been active in the area for at least a year with a group of potential incidents dating back three years ago suggesting the subject may have a migratory hunting pattern. Returning to the same group of locations in a sort of cycle. We also noticed a new pattern in the victims of the subject starting almost a year ago suggesting a change in behavior for reasons that are as of yet unknown.¡±


    Ishwada looked over the folder he was given. ¡°What kind of a new pattern?¡± The younger soldier responds quickly once again. ¡°The new pattern suggests the subject has taken to specifically targeting criminals and homeless people above other targets. There are also reports that suggest a separate unknown entity may also be active and using this to their advantage as there are a number of reports of people being taken off the streets by an unmarked vehicle.¡± Ishwada grumbled. ¡°That sounds like a problem for the regular police and law enforcement. How confident are we that the subject is in this area?¡±


    The younger man responds ¡°Analytics puts our odds at a ninety percent chance of an Anomaly or Cryptid being responsible. Seventy five percent chance it''s at least the same species as Subject Alpha.¡± Ishwada slams the folder shut. ¡°Deploy a squadron of men. Full anti-Cryptid protocols. Have them suit up to engage the subject under the assumption that the entity is in the same category as Subject Alpha, the Nyctophobian Cryptid known as an Umbran.¡± The younger man nods and goes to issue out his orders.


    Pitch was completely oblivious to the fact that now he was the one being hunted, oblivious to the fact that a force had been mobilized against him. On a day Pitch had overslept a bit and not got out of the cave until dark, he would learn the hard way. Pitch floated a bit of the way from the walking trail, deciding since it was a bit late to haunt the city he would simply go on a leisurely stroll through the woods. He had plenty of time before he needed to eat again so there was no harm in taking a day off. Then he sensed a familiar rumbling in the woods. The rumbling of car engines. ¡°Who the hell would be off-roading out here in the middle of night?¡±


    Pitch then saw lights approaching. Jeeps with big fog light set ups heading straight for him. It didn''t take long to realize the jeeps had him surrounded on all sides. They closed in, shining lights right at him as men exited the vehicles. The jeeps and the equipment the men had all looked military grade but Pitch didn''t recognize the uniform. Though it was harder to see with all these night lights shining through his body causing a mild burning sensation. The men were all armed with strange looking guns that they pointed right at Pitch. He simply hovered in the middle waiting for the military-like people to make the first move.


    One of the soldiers, likely the squadron commander, started shouting orders. ¡°We have the subject surrounded. Begin Subject Alpha Containment Protocol.¡± Pitch didn''t act hostile yet. ¡°(Containment? Yeah, I''d rather not be locked in a cell and experimented on.)¡± ¡°I''m far from being surrounded. I''d suggest you turn around and leave before I''m forced to do something I''ll regret. I''ll only become hostile, if you become hostile.¡± A soldier responded immediately with fear in his voice ¡°Did that thing just fuckin talk?!¡± Another soldier shouting ¡°This wasn''t in the briefing!¡± A third then said ¡°Screw this, open fire!¡± Before pressing the trigger on his gun.


    The gun fired a concentrated ball of purple light at Pitch and as it went through his body he felt an intense burning more painful then anything he had ever felt before. As if suddenly spurned by an adrenaline fueled fight or flight response the shadowy mass leaped into action heading right for one of the jeeps. The black particles enter through the gaps in the grill before tearing at the engine and causing a small explosion as all its lights go out. The mass moved from jeep to jeep, it''s tendrils reaching out and quickly disassembling the jeeps, ripping them to shreds while avoiding gunfire and even whipping the weapons out of the hands of the soldiers or even whipping them in half as if using a blade.


    The mass spun and twirled as explosions and shrapnel rocketed the area. Extra large spotlights and directed sonic disruption guns were fired but the mass nimbly avoided most of not all the attacks. Within moments the soldiers were without vehicles and half of them were now either unarmed or forced to switch to side arms. The mass then turned its focus to the men and began lifting them up and ripping in half or quartering them with a disturbing quickness. With just a few men and definitely not enough equipment to kill or contain the subject the remaining men attempt to retreat in fear. The mass acted quickly, catching up to them one by one and swiftly snapping their necks.


    Pitch hovered there, looking at the carnage. Shrapnel launched into trees, rocks, and the grass. Small fires and smoke billowed from the wreckage of the vehicles with bodies and guns strewn about the area in bloody pieces. Pitch let out something akin to whistling. ¡°That''s a lot of damage.¡± He then looked at the many bodies just sitting there. ¡°Well they''re already dead. It would be kinda wasteful not to eat them.¡± Pitch then spent the next several minutes picking up and crunching down the remains of the entire platoon of soldiers having the biggest meal since his transformation while he still had several days before he''d normally feel hungry. Having eaten more than his fill, Pitch returned to his cave leaving the carnage of the battle behind.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Pitch found himself feeling lethargic, the way he used to after eating a large meal back when he was a human. So once in the safety of his cave he settled into a divot and let himself enter his rest mode. He found settling down a bit harder as his body seemed to have formed a dense practically solid core of material after the meal. It was either part of the digestion of the large meal or he had increased mass and density due to the large meal. Either way it was just another aspect of his new body Pitch would have to take note of. Once he did get comfortable however, whatever counted as sleep for him wasn''t hard to find.


    That night, Pitch learned yet another new thing about his new form. It was capable of dreaming. Despite it being a full year since he had only slept a few times he had yet to experience a dream since his transformation. In his dream the memories of his recent battle replayed in his mind. First at super speed, then specific moments in slow motion. Pitch definitely felt pain and took damage several times during that fight. If he could be damaged, then there was a definite risk of death. The military men had equipment just for him. Meaning they were either aware of his existence or he wasn''t alone. Considering how long new weapons and technology take to develop and build they likely had the equipment long before he had this form.


    This confirmed without a doubt that there was at least one more entity like himself and left the possibility of other entities existing open. It also confirmed that there was some sort of task force equipped and trained to fight such threats. Whether it was the government or a secret private military company that was technically a civilian operation was unknown. If Pitch worked under the assumption that the attack he witnessed as a child was real, that would mean that even sixteen years ago this group existed and had equipment made to fight monsters like himself. Since they fought off the shadow monster with a spotlight then as well.


    Pitch found it strange that his new form was similar if not identical to that of the monster he saw that day. Clearly it couldn''t be a coincidence. That monster had to have something to do with this somehow. It was still out there somewhere and was likely responsible for his current predicament including the existence of the anti-monster task force he had recently devoured. Unlike him the way it acted didn''t seem to have an intelligence behind it. It was what he would likely become if he ever lost himself. Just a mindless animal, taking prey wherever he found it.


    Pitch didn''t just want answers anymore, he needed them. However, as he was, there was little to no way to look for them. If he knew about this stuff back when he had his human form he could have investigated things. When Pitch woke up he felt strange compared to normal. He felt the jagged rock of the cave poking at him but it was not painful. When he opened his eyes the cave had normal color with normal light shining through the entrance. When he opened his eyes? Pitch frantically moved his hands around and patted at his body. ¡°(Hands, legs, eyes, a face!¡±) Pitch moved to the puddle in the cave and saw his own naked reflection looking back at him.


    Pitch continued to feel up his body in surprise and shock but something didn''t feel right. His sense of touch was off. Pitch punched the cave floor next to the puddle with a thud. He felt the impact but no pain despite how hard he hit it. He also didn''t crack his knuckles. He squeezed his own fingers and although they offered the same solid feeling of a finger and even felt like there was a bone inside he could not crack his knuckles. Pitch tried cracking his neck and also nothing. He looked into his mouth and everything looked normal. He did not feel or hear his heartbeat and suddenly became incredibly aware of the fact he wasn''t breathing. The moment he thought about that his body seemed to react by mimicking those functions.


    Pitch then spoke out loud, his voice sounding like it used to. ¡°I may look the part, but I don''t think I''m human. I imagine if I were to be cut, stabbed, or shot, there wouldn''t be any blood under this skin. Just whatever material my new body is made of. It seems I''ve acquired a new ability, to create false flesh and mimic a human body. Though the fact I look like I did before this started suggests I can only take that form. This does give me a few advantages though.¡± Pitch got up and walked to the exit, his movements were so natural one wouldn''t know he hadn''t walked in a year. He slowly put his hands into the sunlight coming into the entrance.


    Pitch felt the warmth of the sun for the first time in a year, and although there was some mild discomfort it was manageable. He stepped out of the cave and although he had to cover his eyes at first they adjusted to make seeing sunlight more tolerable. It seemed he had normal human vision when in this form meaning he had somehow even produced regular eyeballs and mimicked how they communicate to the central nervous system that was his strange body. Pitch walked his way to the city, tripping several times on his way there. By the time he reached the outskirts of the city before it gave way to farmland and forest he got his body to replicate more hair.


    As he entered the city naked, covered in dirt, and somewhat disheveled looking, he quickly found someone walking and shambled to them shakily. ¡°Help¡­ me¡­¡± his voice came out sounding raspy and dry, the way Pitch imagined it would if one had not drank any water in days. Naturally the cops and an ambulance were called that took Pitch to the hospital. He let them take blood pressure tests and heart rate tests but refused to submit to any blood tests or give saliva and urine samples. ¡°Name?¡± The nurse asked as he shined a light into Pitch¡¯s eyes. ¡°James Holden.¡± He responded. ¡°Okay and how old are you James?¡± The nurse asked as he shined the light into the ear. ¡°I''m twenty one years old.¡± The nurse then shined the light into Pitch''s mouth. ¡°Can you tell us what happened?¡±


    Pitch thought of a story, something he could give to the hospital and the police that would be convincing. He did his best to make his voice shaky and sound scared, even going as far as to sob and somehow produce tears. ¡°I¡­ I don''t know. I went to bed one night and woke up in the woods with cuts all over bleeding everywhere. There was more blood around me with scraps of cloth on the ground. I spotted what I thought to be a severed arm and I¡­¡± Pitch sobed louder letting out more tears. ¡°I was so scared. I heard branches snapping and I got up and ran. I had no idea where I was so I did my best to patch myself up and live off the land. I would follow the direction of the sunrise everyday in hopes I''d reach civilization.¡±


    The cop who was standing by taking notes was talking on the radio a bit away before approaching Pitch. ¡°Do you know what day it is?¡± Pitch shook his head. ¡°I managed to get through the winter and there have been several full moons since then. I would guess sometime in June or July, but it''s not like I had a calendar and I had no idea how long I was out before I woke up.¡± The cop nodded. ¡°Do you remember any distinct landmarks at or near where you woke up?¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°I hid in a cave sometime after I ran off. It had a big tree growing above the entrance. At most a mile away from where I woke up. It was night dark when I woke up and I wasn''t exactly keeping track of what direction I ran on that first day.¡±


    The cop nodded and finished up his notes. ¡°Mr. Holden, you have been missing and presumed dead for a little over a year now. Your home was found with the window broken and you missing. The only evidence left behind was a blood soaked bed and small scraps of fabric. I know if you saw an attacker you probably would have said something. I have to ask if you have any idea who or why anyone would have a reason to attack you.¡± Pitch looked down and shook his head with his eyes closed. ¡°I live alone in the other ring, in the boonies not far before the city gives way to forest and farmland. I''m a bit out of the way so my only guess would be opportunity. Someone who saw an easy target they could grab. I imagine I was gone for hours if not days before someone noticed because I tend to keep to myself. I have no idea the motivation behind the actions or why they left me in the woods. Best guess¡­ human sacrifice? But that sort of thing only happens on TV.¡±


    The cop hands Pitch some clothes. ¡°Well the place you live was cleaned up but never cleared out. You can probably move back in and try to pick up where you left off. We''ll also notify the owner and tell them you are not to be responsible for paying rent or utilities during your absence. We can''t get you your old job back though, that is all you. I''d suggest you call anyone and everyone in your life to let them know you are okay. In your back pocket is my card. Call if you remember anything else. You are free to go.¡± Pitch looked up, tears streaming down his face. ¡°J-just like that?¡± The cop nodded. ¡°Just like that. I have no reason to hold you. There will be an investigation and an unmarked vehicle will be posted outside your home for a while just in case. I''d suggest installing a security system right away.¡±


    Pitch nods as he cleans his face and gets dressed. ¡°T-thank you, officer.¡± He then shakily walked out of the hospital and started going home. Pitch didn''t really have anyone to call. His parents were no longer in the picture. The cop probably didn''t know this but he owned the home he had lived in after he inherited it from his parents who died in an accident shortly after he turned nineteen. As an only child he had no siblings. He didn''t exactly put in much effort to keep in touch with classmates after school finished. All he really had in his life was a job he got fresh out of highschool to help his parents with expenses and buy himself games and such.


    On his way home while walking he spotted a building that although he had passed it many times before even well before his transformation, it stood out to him. Almost as if calling out to him. He looked at the large building with the sign ¡°NexGen¡± with the X being a double helix. Followed by the slogan ¡°Unraveling the Future.¡±

 Chapter Five: The Long Con

    Pitch didn''t understand why he felt drawn to the NexGen laboratory. The building had been there for as long as he could remember. A civilian owned science center devoted to the study of genetics. Its goal, at least as they present it to the public, is to find treatments and cures to genetic disorders. They receive government funds and oversight and although the main lobby and a number of labs are open to the public with tours of the facility being available, they keep their more sensitive research secret. To prevent someone else from stealing it. As such they are very selective when it comes to even the lowest level employees. Even the janitor has to submit to a full background check, regular drug tests, a literal pile of NDAs, and the company has a preference for people with military backgrounds or family history when it comes to those that are not scientists.


    Outside scientists the building keeps a twenty four seven security force and even the janitors are requested to have combat training as extra security. Since James Holden had no criminal background, his father was in the army, and he himself once trained in martial arts; he was exactly the kind of person they looked for in a person that wasn''t in the research staff. James had prior experience in janitorial work with that being what he did before going ¡°missing¡± so when the company received his application they called him in for an interview.


    Pitch sat across from one of the building managers who wore a suit and looked over the application. ¡°Mr. Holden, I''ve looked over your application. With one miner hang-up you are exactly the kind of person we like to hire around here.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°That''s part of why I applied. You might''ve seen me in the news recently because I was found after being missing for a year. Explaining the gap in my resume and why I am seeking new employment. My old job position was filled so they couldn''t take me back if they wanted to. Plus I hear the pay and bonus incentives here are worth the NDA stuff and the hovering. I already have a cop outside my home watching it so extra surveillance doesn''t bother me.¡±


    The interviewer nods. ¡°It says here your father was in the army. Died in a car crash the year before your disappearance. Where did he serve?¡± Pitch responded almost automatically. ¡°Vietnam, sort of. Caught the ass end of it. Honorable discharge during peacetime, medical.¡± The interviewer nodded. ¡°Your father had quite the impressive record. Was qualified for a special operations unit the week before his discharge. If he hadn''t been injured he would have been involved with Black Ops.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°Any other questions?¡± The interviewer nodded. ¡°Just one. How confident are you in your self defense?¡± Pitch looked to the floor. ¡°Honestly, I''m probably a bit rusty. I mean it''s not like I practiced martial arts while lost in the woods for a year.¡±


    The interviewer nodded before standing up and going to the door, stretching out his hand to shake Pitch¡¯s. ¡°That''s it for the interview. We''ll be in contact.¡± Pitch walked over to shake the man''s hand. ¡°Thank you for your time.¡± He is met by a firm and strong grip. The interviewer then moves in for some sort of grapple or throw. James'' muscle memory kicks in and Pitch instinctively grabs back before flipping the interviewer on the floor in a split second with a loud thud. Pitch lets go and takes a step back. ¡°Oh god, I''m so sorry.¡± The man laughed. ¡°Seems your reflexes are just fine Mr. Holden. Consider yourself hired.¡± He got up and brushed himself off. ¡°Welcome to the team.¡±


    The man offered his hand again, only this time it was a normal handshake. The man opened the door and gestured out. ¡°You''ll start on Monday. How''s the graveyard shift sound? There''s a three dollar an hour premium.¡± Pitch responded enthusiastically. ¡°Graveyard shift sounds perfect.¡± And left the building with a smile and a wave. Pitch then hopped into a car and drove home. Once inside the first thing he did was wash his face in the sink. ¡°Alright, I''m in. Now to figure out why I feel drawn to that building. It''ll take a while and unfortunately graveyard shift cuts into my feeding time. I''ll have to start scheduling meals around my job and I''ll probably have to give up or reduce the amount of time I''m haunting a target. Hopefully I can keep this up without being caught or even gaining suspicion. Last thing I need is some murder happy anti-monster PMC to raid my home.¡±


    Pitch walked over to and sat hard on the couch before turning on his TV. ¡°(This new ability allows me to create a human-like shell around my true form that protects me from sunlight. However I can only look like I did before James died and Pitch was born with minor alterations. I can look skinnier or more muscular. I can darken or lighten my skin tone a few shades. I can grow my hair and nails. I can simulate most visual responses like saliva, tears, breath, and a heartbeat. I can look and act like an ordinary human. I can even chew and swallow normal food and drink, though it does nothing for me. I can taste it so it''s mostly for pleasure, nostalgia, and to avoid suspicion. People would ask questions if I didn''t eat something during my lunch breaks.)¡±


    Pitch had a solid goal to aim for and a plan was now in motion. It would be easy to investigate the building as a janitor and with it being the graveyard shift there would be less people to question him when spotted. Then again most normal people paid little mind to cleaning staff. They were basically invisible unless in an area that didn''t receive manual cleaning. James took classes in electronic engineering and even shop class in highschool so he might be able to also be a part time mechanic. This would give him higher pay and greater access with little to no questions about his presence and any questions could be easily brushed off. It would be a slow start earning the trust of the company and gaining deeper access, but Pitch was in no rush.


    Pitch took things one day at a time, slowly working his way in while doing his best not to raise suspicion from the company, the authorities, or anyone else. However, even after five years of living this double life and having access to most of if not all the more secure areas that needed manual cleaning, Pitch was no closer to finding his answers. It was possible that whatever was causing the pull that he felt was in an area he couldn''t access even now. When in the building he could feel his closeness to whatever was reaching out to him but from what he could tell it was always below him. Even when he was on the lower floor. According to the official blueprints and everyone he talked to, the facility didn''t have a basement. Storage areas like refrigerators were kept close to the lab that needed them. There was a vault or two for samples but they were relatively small refrigerated rooms about the size of walk-in closets.


    Although never allowed to open one Pitch had seen inside them multiple times. The stairs ended on the first floor and no elevator Pitch could find had a basement button or even a place it could be hiding. If there was a way into a secret basement, it was likely hidden from all but the most trusted scientists and security guards. Five years of investigation and he wasn''t much closer to finding an answer then before taking this job. Pitch had basically given up on ever finding out why he felt drawn to this place but continued to keep up appearances. One day, after finishing up cleaning in a hallway on the third floor, James was stopped while heading for an elevator to go down. ¡°Hold that elevator!¡± A female scientist yelled as she rushed from the other end of the building holding a folder of papers. Likely lab results.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    The woman tripped some distance away landing face first into the tile and dropping the folder. Papers flew everywhere. Pitch put the mop cart in the elevator door to keep it from shutting and walked over to her. He started picking up papers before offering the woman his hand. ¡°Here, let me help you.¡± He grabbed her hand and helped her up before handing her what looked like graphs. Likely lab results that Pitch didn''t understand and couldn''t fully read. As he helped the scientist up she froze when she saw James¡¯ face. Her eyebrows knitted with an expression like she was trying to figure out where she had seen him before. ¡°Do I¡­ know you?¡± Pitch laughed as he picked up the scientist off the ground. ¡°I''m a janitor slash electrician slash part time maintenance man around here. I''ve been working here for five years. You''ve probably seen me mopping the floor, changing a lightbulb, or fixing a pipe.¡±


    The woman blinked a few times before picking up and trying to put on her glasses. The frame is now bent. She does her best to bend it back but it still looks crooked. Pitch gestured to the elevator and walked into it, pushing his mop cart in. The woman adjusted her papers quickly and stepped inside. ¡°I guess¡­¡± she then looked at the name tag on Pitch¡¯s overalls. ¡°James?¡± Pitch looked at the scientist who was almost a full foot shorter than him. Her dirty blond hair tied into a short ponytail. ¡°Yes?¡± The scientist then asked ¡°Is your last name Holden?¡± Pitch knitted his brow. ¡°Yes?¡± She then asks ¡°You''re like what¡­ twenty five, twenty six?¡± Pitch answered ¡°Twenty six.¡± She then asked ¡°Did you go to school in town here? Specifically Teddy Roosevelt High.¡±


    Pitch was a bit surprised by this. Did he know this scientist before this job? ¡°Yeah. Graduated with honors about eight years ago.¡± She let out a snort sound. ¡°You don''t recognize me, do you?¡± Pitch shook his head. ¡°I have no idea who you are.¡± She put her hand to her chest. ¡°It''s me, Kathryn Smith. We went to highschool together. You were friends with my brother Cuda.¡± Pitch searched his memories of highschool as James. He remembered having a few classes and even eating lunch with someone named Cuda Smith. Though everyone called him Cu. Though on friendly terms Pitch would not have said they were friends since they never hung out after school. He also remembered having at least one class with his awkward nerdy sister, Kat.


    ¡°We had chem lab together once.¡± Pitch said after remembering. Kat nodded enthusiastically. This woman was a lot less self conscious and shy then the Kat he remembered. ¡°Yeah. Oh god I can''t tell you how good it is to see a friendly face around here. What a small world it is to run into you here. It''s crazy to think we''ve worked in the same building for five years and I only just now noticed you.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°Most people don''t notice the cleaning staff or low end mechanical maintenance. I also remember you being the type to get so wrapped up into a project that you''d lose track of time and not even notice it was getting dark outside.¡±


    Kat giggled. ¡°Yeah, I''m still like that.¡± She paused. ¡°Hey, we should catch up sometime.¡± The elevator door opened and Pitch started stepping out. ¡°I uhh¡­ yeah. Sure. Why not.¡± Kat followed and walked with Pitch for a bit. Pitch started cleaning and Kat kept walking. ¡°I''m really busy right now but I''ll catch you later. We can exchange numbers then, yeah?¡± Pitch waved at Kat as she turned a corner. ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± A bit after she was gone Pitch mumbled to himself. ¡°She''ll probably forget about me by the time her shift is over. If not, she''ll forget by tomorrow. Not sure why she was so friendly with me just now. She was always so shy and mousy in highschool.¡±


    Pitch¡¯s mumblings were interrupted by the power going out and the sound of a woman letting out a scream that was quickly muffled. He set his mop in the cart and slowly walked over to the corner before peeking around it as the emergency lights came on. There he saw Kat being held in a chokehold from behind with a hand over her mouth by a guy in black tactical gear, black riders gloves, and a black biker helmet. There were other similarly dressed people around her, one of whom was holding the folder and looking at it before tossing it hard on the ground. ¡°Where is it?! Talk or things get very bad for you.¡± Some of the men were armed with weapons that reminded Pitch of the UV pulse rifles but these had blue lights instead of purple. These definitely weren''t from the same group but they got their equipment from the same manufacturer.


    The man holding Kat¡¯s mouth took it off to let her respond only for her to start shouting for help and get muffled again. The guy moved to punch her in the gut putting himself between Kat and Pitch. Pitch slowly walked down the hallway to the well equipped thugs before doing his best to alter his voice so Kat wouldn''t recognize it. ¡°Drop the woman and walk away.¡± The thug turns, still blocking Kat''s line of sight, and starts laughing. ¡°Yeah, and what are you going to do about it, scarecrow? Wipe my helmet visor with a bar rag?¡± Pitch pointed at the lead thug. ¡°I''m going to clean your clock and mop the floor with ya.¡±


    The guy practically doubled over laughing. ¡°You hear this guy?¡± Suddenly he stood straight and took a serious tone. ¡°Turn this fool into swiss.¡± He gestures to the men with normal assault rifles. They take aim and begin to fire, emptying several rounds into Pitch''s body. He looks down at the black holes with small tendrils of his true self now reaching out. ¡°Oh, so that''s what happens.¡± The facade disintegrates as the lights flicker before the shadow form rushes at the man holding Kat with the men shooting lightning bolts out of the tech gun at it. The black particles enter the man''s mouth and vanish. The man shakily points his gun at one of his allies before pressing the trigger and filling him with holes. He then sweeps the gun across the room trying to get everyone except Kat who is tossed as far as possible away from the carnage.


    The remaining men shoot at their former ally turning him into swiss. Shadow tendrils exit the bleeding wounds and connect creating a net before violently pulling inward causing the man to implode as blood splashes out. Chucks of the man are pulled into the black mass before tendrils whip out to grab or slash guns before picking up two dudes and ripping their limbs off. Screams fill the building as they are quartered alive before finally falling to shock and blood loss. The rest start trying to run with two tossing their weapons at the ground before doing so but the monster moves swiftly cutting them off before cutting them in half or ripping them to pieces.


    Blood splashed everywhere as screams filled the room until eventually everything was dead silent. ¡°Well, I might as well eat them.¡± A distorted voice came from the shadow. The floating black mass then started to gather the body parts and pull them into itself with a series of squelching and crunching sounds as blood dripped out of it from its meal. Then the shadow talked again. ¡°Curse my programming to never waste food.¡± The shadow then hovered over to Kat who was shivering in the fetal position on the floor. Blood on her once clean and sterile lab coat. Pitch could practically taste the fear coming off her but resisted any urges to consume her as well. ¡°Are you okay?¡± The distorted voice droned from the monster.


    Kat slowly moved her arms from in front of her face and looked at the black mass of what looked like shadows. ¡°You''re¡­ not going to kill me?¡± Pitch hummed. ¡°Working in a place like this, you''re probably really good at keeping secrets. Just don''t tell anyone you saw me.¡± Kat began to unfold herself. ¡°What about the cameras?¡± Pitch let out another hum. ¡°Those thugs cut the power and the cameras. I benefit from the measures of whatever they had planned. Speaking of, what were they after?¡± Kat shakily picked herself up and did her best to fix her outfit. ¡°They were asking where the entrance to the basement was. Which is weird because as far as I know we don''t have a basement.¡± Pitch grumbled. ¡°(They were after the same thing as me.)¡±


    Kat walked over and picked up one of the few intact lightning pulse rifles. ¡°This definitely isn''t standard issue for anyone.¡± She looked it over. ¡°I''ve never seen anything like this, but at least it has a stun option.¡± Pitch hummed. ¡°I have, but those shot concentrated energy bursts that emitted high levels of ultraviolet light.¡± Kat knitted her eyebrows and tilted her head, but chose not to press farther about the weapon. She had other questions that took priority. ¡°Okay so¡­ what are you exactly?¡± Pitch''s tendrils joined into two thicker ones that mimicked a shrug motion. ¡°I don''t know. I don''t know what exactly I''m made out of as far as the molecular structure, but it''s like really fine black sand.¡±


    Kat took a hand and slowly reached out to the shadowy blob. Her hand sank into the mass as if it were a fog. She then wiggles it around. ¡°That feels weird.¡± Pitch grumbled, the partials vibrating on Kat''s hand. ¡°Imagine how it feels for me. I''m the one with a hand inside me.¡± Kat giggled. ¡°That kind of tickles.¡± She eventually put her entire arm in the mass, reaching for the center when she felt something cold and solid. Like a metal ball floating at the core of the mass. She has to move her body part way in to grab it, her hands gently caressing the mass.

 Chapter Six: Rediscovery

    Pitch felt as Kat willingly walked into his amorphous body made of black particles to feel the solid core that formed after his large meal. Her hand gently caresses the floating orb. She studied its texture as her hand strokes across its surface. Because Pitch''s particles were so small they floated behind Kat''s lab coat and even the clothes underneath. He could feel the grooves of her skin, the small thin hairs all over her body, every curve and crevice of her body that was within the dark cloud that was his true form. His body began to actively move to explore her''s as her fingertips gently kneaded and prodded the orb and Pitch couldn''t help but be aware of how much more sensitive this concentrated mass of himself was.


    Pitch also couldn''t help but become aware of just how touch starved he was. Humans needed physical and social contact, they had become mentally programmed to require it. Although his body had changed, mentally he was still mostly the same. However, once he became aware of just how intimate this interaction felt, Pitch became extremely self conscious about it. It didn''t help that she was inside of him, where he would normally break down food. His body tensed up.


    Kat was studying the solid feeling orb and getting a feel for its texture in hopes it could provide some answers as to the construction of the new entity she had encountered. It was nothing like any creature she had ever studied and as such she felt a drive to reach into the unknown. Everything else in the world dropped away as she focused solely on the orb. She was suddenly taken out of her tunnel vision focus when the loose fine sand like particles suddenly started to offer resistance. Horror suddenly settled in as she realized her entire body was enveloped by the creature. She slowly let go of the orb and the resistance went slack again allowing her to step out as easily as she stepped in.


    Kat became really flustered. ¡°I''m so sorry, I just got a little lost in my observations. I didn''t even stop to think about what I was doing. Oh god, you could have eaten me easily just then. I wasn''t thinking about anything other than the orb and didn''t even realize I was inside of you. It must have taken restraint to not devour me.¡± Pitch was also flustered. ¡°I assure you, my reaction was not the result of hunger. I''ve more than had my fill.¡± Kat tilted her head. ¡°Then why did you clamp down on me if you weren''t thinking of eating me.¡±


    Pitch became extremely embarrassed but did his best to explain things scientifically. ¡°The particles I am made of are my skin, eyes, ears, mouth, and nerves. If I understand correctly, what you were grabbing was basically a condensed ball of¡­ well of me. It is¡­ surprisingly sensitive.¡± Kat gasped. ¡°Oh god, I didn''t hurt you did I? I was doing my best to be gentle.¡± Pitch then responded without thinking. ¡°That''s the problem.¡± Kat knitted her brows with an expression of befuddlement as the information sank in. She then turned beat red. ¡°Oh, s-sorry. I didn''t realize how intimate and invasive my observation was. I didn''t think you¡­ uhh¡­¡±


    Pitch created a bit of distance between them. ¡°I didn''t know either. I actually was working under the assumption that this form completely lacked the ability to become¡­ aroused. I am still learning new things about this body. I''ve only been this way for five years.¡± Kat again looked confused. ¡°Wait¡­ five years? Do you mean to tell me you are only five years old?¡± Pitch let out a laugh. ¡°No, I used to be human. Don''t ask me how I got this way, I don''t know.¡± Kat put her hand on her chin. ¡°Okay but why are you here?¡± Pitch decided since he had already been forward and honest to continue. ¡°Something here is calling out to me. From below the building.¡±


    Kat sighed. ¡°From the ¡°basement¡±. Okay, unfortunately I can''t help you there. I was being honest when I said I didn''t know we had one. I have a lot of questions about you and how various parts of you function.¡± Pitch bluntly responded ¡°I probably don''t know the answers to most of them. The power will be restored soon and security is likely nearby. So I should go.¡± Kat reached out a hand. ¡°Wait, what do I call you?¡± Pitch sighed. ¡°I go by Pitch. Pitch Black.¡± Kat giggled. ¡°Really?¡± Pitch sighed. ¡°It seemed the most fitting name to pick.¡± Then he rushed into the vents before the security guards came over. Kat covers for him with them.


    Pitch went to the elevator and reformed his shell, clothes and all. It seemed he could now create fabric as well. Pitch grabbed his cleaning gear and some headphones before going back to mopping. Security guards running over and clearing the area. One takes off the headphones. ¡°Did you not hear the gunshots or notice the lights go out?¡± Pitch looked up at the guard. ¡°I noticed the lights but figured maybe it was a blown circuit and I''d get to it later. I''ve got the Doom soundtrack full blast so¡­ yeah.¡±  The guard pointed to the elevator. ¡°Evacuate the building.¡±


    Pitch got on the elevator to see Kat already in it with messy hair and a bloody lab coat. ¡°Hey Kat.¡± He said casually. Kat just looked at him. ¡°Did you not notice what was going on? I mean look at my lab coat, it''s covered in blood.¡± Pitch looked at it. ¡°I''ll put it in the laundry or whatever.¡± Kat tilted her head. ¡°So this¡­ doesn''t even faze you?¡± Pitch laughed. ¡°The only part of this that bothers me is the overtime I''ll have to do to get all the bloodstains those thugs left out.¡± Kat sat there, buffering for a while. One could practically see the circle spinning in front of her. Btw, that buffering circle is called a thobber.


    Kat finally asked. ¡°If you were on the other end of the building cleaning, how did you-?¡± Pitch interrupted ¡°I overheard a guard say something while I was on my way out.¡± Kat gave a simple ¡°Ah¡± as the elevator opened. Pitch then had a thought. ¡°(Having another person on the inside, an ally, would definitely help. More so if it''s a scientist. I already know Kat so that''s a bonus. She wasn''t even scared of me after she realized I wasn''t going to hurt her. Maybe I should let her in on my secret.)¡± Kat stepped out and Pitch followed, grabbing her shoulder. ¡°Hold up, uhh¡­ Let''s exchange numbers and catch up sometime.¡±


    Kat looked at him. ¡°You know what, after the day I had I think I needed a drink. How about I get changed and we go to the bar?¡± Pitch was hoping for something more private so they could talk, but decided he could wait. ¡°Okay, yeah. I''ll meet you outside.¡± Pitch went to the changing room and adjusted his outfit to something casual then waited outside the front entrance of the building for Kat. Kat soon came out in a polkadot grandma looking getup. With the polkadot vest and matching skirt over a white dress shirt and a fresh pair of glasses. ¡°There''s a bar just a short walk away.¡±


    Pitch walked with Kat to the bar, once there she had three beers and started drunkenly rambling on about what happened to her for a while. Pitch sighed and insisted they change subject three times. After sitting in silence for a while as Kat sipped on and nursing drinks, Pitch decided it was now or never. ¡°Can we go someplace more private?¡± Kat''s face got beat red. ¡°O-okay.¡± Pitch walked her out of the bar¡¯s back door and a bit down the alleyway. ¡°I wanted a chance to talk to you in private, because there''s something I wanted to tell you.¡± Kat felt her heart skip a beat. ¡°Y-yeah?¡± Pitch took a deep breath, or rather mimicked doing so. ¡°In the shadow monster you saw today. I''m Pitch.¡±


    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Kat''s smile faded. ¡°What?¡± Pitch''s hands got really expressive. ¡°You probably didn''t see it on the news but six years ago I went missing for a year. Well that was because somehow I turned into the shadow monster you met today. I was stuck like that for a year until after a really big meal I gained the ability to make a shell that resembles my former self.¡± Pitch lifted his arm and it partly dissolved his arm to show his true form leaking out where the arm used to be.


    Kat slowly woke up groggy and with a splitting headache. ¡°Ugh¡­ I guess that''s what happens when you''ve never had alcohol before. I''m such a lightweight.¡± She then had the sudden and shocking revelation that she wasn''t in her own bed, and this wasn''t her room. ¡°Oh god. Oh god no.¡± She then reached into the blanket to find she was fully clothed and had an extremely confused look at her face. Then frowned slightly. ¡°Eh?¡± Then James walked in and handed her a hangover cure.


    Kat drank it, then made a bleh sound before getting a drink of water. ¡°Did we¡­?¡± Pitch responded plainly ¡°No. What do you remember from last night?¡± Kat rubbed her eyes as she sat up properly, her memories fuzzy. ¡°There was that attack at work, and we went drinking. I''ve never done that before so I''m a lightweight.¡± Pitch sighed and dissolved his arm to show his true form again. ¡°I''m the shadow monster that saved you. I already tried to explain this.¡± Kat rubbed her eyes more. ¡°Yeah, it''s slowly coming back to me.¡±


    Pitch tilted his head. ¡°You seem oddly calm about this.¡± Kat got up and looked around before finding a bathroom and washing her face. ¡°If you wanted to kill me I would already be dead.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°We are safe here, you can ask me all the questions you want. I''ll make you coffee.¡± Pitch made coffee before sitting down in the kitchen. Kat sat down a bit later after fixing her hair and grabbed the cup, sipping on it a little bit. ¡°Okay so¡­ let''s start with the possession thing. When you made that guy a puppet that shot his buddies.¡±


    Pitch sighed ¡°That was the first time I did that and I don''t think I''ll be doing it much. I wasn''t just inside his body, I could hear some of his thoughts. I don''t know how it works.¡± Kat nodded. ¡°You said you changed six years back. Did you notice any changes before the transformation?¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°An increase of appetite.¡± Kat nodded. ¡°What''s your diet like? Is it¡­ human exclusive?¡± pitch sighed. ¡°Yeah, ever since becoming this, people are the only thing that satisfies my hunger. I can eat normal food but it doesn''t do anything for me. Other animals do something but it isn''t even and I have to kill it myself either way. I eat once or twice a week and sleep maybe once or twice a month. I don''t need to sleep, I just like to.¡±


    Kat siped on her coffee. ¡°Your current form?¡± Pitch grumbled. ¡°It''s like a mask, and I can only make it resemble my old self including creating my clothes. But making clothes is new, last night was the first time I did that. Otherwise I''d be naked after changing back.¡± Kat tilted her head. ¡°That raises a lot of questions about your¡­ reproductive anatomy.¡± Pitch sat back in his chair. ¡°In this form I have parts but as far as I can tell they are just for show. I am unaware of how or even if my new form reproduces. Until yesterday I didn''t even think I had erogenous zones that aroused me when touched but you proved that wrong.¡±


    Kat''s face got red. ¡°S-sorry about that. I didn''t know that I was¡­ affecting you that way.¡± Pitch sighed. ¡°I should apologize too. When you were feeling the dense orb of my mass standing inside my particles they uhhh¡­ let''s just say that like sand my particles get everywhere and I feel the texture of what they touch because they are my entire sensory system.¡± Kat''s eyes widened as she put down the cup and moved to cover herself. ¡°You mean you¡­ saw and felt my¡­¡± if she were a cartoon or anime character her ears would emit steam as her face reddened more. ¡°I really should have thought before I acted. I''m normally not that forward.¡±


    Pitch chuckled. ¡°Yeah, I remember you being extremely shy in highschool.¡± Kat picked her coffee cup up and downed the rest with a satisfied ¡°ah¡±. After a brief pause she blurted out ¡°I had a crush on you in highschool.¡± Before covering her mouth. Pitch raised an eyebrow. ¡°You mean you had a crush on James. Although I have his memories I think of the transformation as a death and rebirth. That''s why I took the name Pitch. However, you''ll still have to call me James in public. How you felt then doesn''t really matter. How do you feel about me now, as I am? Now that you know everything.¡± Kat thought about it for a moment. ¡°I¡­ don''t know. Why did you even decide to tell me your secret? You could have just gone full double life.¡±


    Pitch got up from his seat. ¡°Because I need help getting to the bottom of why I feel a pull to the NexGen building that''s coming from a basement nobody seems to know about.¡± Kat thinks about it for a moment. ¡°Are there other things like yourself? Are there more monsters out there?¡± Pitch look at Kat. ¡°I suspect there are other kinds of monsters but have yet to encounter any. I only ever saw one other thing like myself and that was back in the first grade.¡± Kat''s face scrunched, then her eyes widened. ¡°You mean when all those kids died on the camping trip? The news said it was a coke bear or something.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°A cover story. Someone who''s either a part of the government or receiving money from the government knows about and is covering up the existence of monsters.¡±


    Kat suddenly had a look of determination. ¡°I''ll help you get to the bottom of this. We''ll find our answers, together.¡± She reached out a hand to Pitch who grabbed and shook it. ¡°Consider this alliance official. Any ideas on where to start?¡± Kat shifts around. ¡°Have you considered¡­ the tabloids? You know like¡­ Cryptid conspiracy sites? No one takes them seriously so they get left up but who knows. We might find some actionable Intel.¡± Pitch blinks a few times. ¡°So we what¡­ join a bigfoot tracking site? There''s a reason no one takes those places seriously. We''d be sifting through a stack of needles looking for a single specific needle.¡± Kat shrugged. ¡°Well, unless you have a better idea. Besides, you don''t eat or sleep, meaning you have a bunch of free time during the day.¡±


    Pitch sighs. ¡°Outside this shell I''m weak to intense light, ultraviolet may play a factor. Also weak to sound and Medusa can be easily overstimulated because my mind isn''t exactly wired for three sixty degree perception of all senses.¡± Kat tilted her head. ¡°The shell protects you from some of that, I''m guessing. What about fire or lightning?¡± Pitch shrugged. ¡°No data. I haven''t tested it. It''s not like I''m getting a flamethrower and testing it on myself to see if it hurts.¡± Kat chuckled. ¡°Right, sorry. I should have known that if you knew then you would have said something.¡± Pitch nodded.


    Meanwhile, inside a base of some sort, General Ishwada is looking over footage captured from the encounter with their target. He rewinds and replays what little they got from dash and helmet cams from multiple angles multiple times. He takes out a notepad and starts writing. ¡°Subject confirmed to be a Cryptid. Classification, Nyctophobian. Species, Umbran. However, study of the subject''s behavior differs wildly from encounters with Subject Alpha. Despite the light definitely being enough to harm the subject, it did not attack right away. It only attacked when the soldiers made the first overtly aggressive move. The movements of the subject suggest an understanding of technology never shown by Subject Alpha.¡±


    General Ishwada rewinds and watches multiple screens again. ¡°There are two conclusions that could be drawn from this. Conclusion one, Subject Alpha is smarter than anticipated and has spent the last sixteen years adapting. Conclusion two, this is a separate entity of the same species as Subject Alpha which would confirm that Subject Alpha is not the last of its kind as originally thought. Our tracking has only shown one Umbran for twenty years and we have zero data on if the Umbran species is capable of self replicating. Studies on other cryptids suggest it is unlikely. So it''s possible there was simply a second entity in hiding till the first caused it to come out. We have zero data on an existing social structure.¡±


    General Ishwada shuts off the recordings. ¡°Cave paintings have been recovered that seem to depict multiple Umbrans, these cave paintings will be studied and all information will be added into the Subject Alpha case file. This concludes the report to the incident on [Redacted]¡± he closed his notes before getting up. ¡°I want regular patrols in the area, discrete if possible.¡± A younger man behind him salutes the general. ¡°Yes sir.¡± before leaving to carry out the orders. The general then takes out a locket and opens it. Inside is a picture of a little girl. ¡°I made a promise to you Yuri, I will bring the monster that killed you to justice. Then, I''ll rid this world of monsters once and for all.¡± he shuts the locket with a look of determination in his face.

 Chapter Seven: Teamwork

    Pitch now had a partner in his investigation, someone who knew his new identity that he could confide in, a familiar and friendly face. It felt off that it was now at all times that Pitch seemed to get a friend. He had been slowly closing himself off from the world even before the transformation, as he had often found it difficult to connect with others. James had always assumed it had to do with the trauma of that day in first grade. A deep subconscious fear that if he got close to someone they would die too. It only got worse after the loss of his parents, the only family of his he actually cared about.


    Pitch washed up and got ready for work. Taking a shower in the human facade wasn''t really necessary since it didn''t sweat unless Pitch needed it to do so and didn''t produce body odor. Yet he did it anyway, if for no other reason then the feeling of normalcy. Once at work things started out basically the same as normal with him cleaning and not being bothered by anyone. That was until Kat caught him in the elevator. ¡°H-hey.¡± Kat fixed her hair. Pitch looked over to Kat. ¡°Hi.¡± Kat shuffled about in the elevator. ¡°So, any specific plans?¡± Pitch shrugged. ¡°I was hoping you had some ideas. I''ve already been working here for five years and got nothing.¡±


    Kat nodded. ¡°Well I have some ideas on where to start. If there is some secret here then odds are my boss would know. He''s been here for ages. Things should go faster and smoother now that you have someone working for the same goal. Teamwork makes the dream work as my dad always says.¡± The elevator opens and the two both step out only to immediately freeze. On the floor were several men in military grade gear wearing uniforms that Pitch definitely recognized. ¡°Crap.¡± He said under his breath. ¡°Those are the anti-monster people.¡±


    The two do their best to look and act normal as they walk up. ¡°What exactly is going on here sir?¡± Pitch asked one of the men. ¡°I''m not authorized to disclose any information at this time.¡± Kat looked over at them scanning the blood from yesterday. ¡°You guys aren''t normal security and I''ve never seen equipment like that before.¡± The guy once again responded with ¡°I am not authorized to disclose any information at this time.¡± Pitch sighed. ¡°I¡¯d like to speak to your commanding officer or whoever¡¯s in charge here. Now.¡± His commanding tone definitely got the attention of a few men. The guy sighed and called for the commander.


    After a bit a muscular and older Japanese American man with salt and pepper hair walks over. His uniform has stars on it and reads ¡°Ishwada¡±. He looks at the two before focusing on Pitch. ¡°Have we¡­ met before?¡± Pitch though about it for a while before shrugging. ¡°Not sure. Names James Holden. This is Kathryn Smith. We work here. Obviously. We wanted to know what was going on but this guy was being super unhelpful.¡± Ishwada blinked a few times. ¡°Holden? Any relation to a Sergeant Jack Holden?¡± Pitch took a step back in shock. ¡°Y-yeah. He was my dad. He uhh¡­ passed away a few years ago. Car accident.¡±


    Ishwada nodded as he rubbed his chin. ¡°Jack was a good man, a good soldier. I served with him during ¡®nam. There''s little I can tell you at this stage but since you are Jack''s kid and this place already has you under an NDA I''ll assume you can keep a secret. We are a special task force, technically a sort of civilian militia. Most of us are formerly military though. We investigate and sometimes combat unusual situations that normal law enforcement and military are not equipped or trained for.¡± Pitch looked around before asking ¡°Would your men have been investigating say¡­ a coke bear incident about sixteen years ago?¡±


    Ishwada went pale. ¡°W-what do you know about that?¡± One of the other older men leaned over and whispered in the general¡¯s ears. ¡°O-oh. You¡­ you were the one kid who survived. I''ve read those files so many times over you''d think I''d remember that. Guess this new case has me sidetracked. The reasons we are investigating this case include the attackers having access to equipment that isn''t commercially available and¡­¡± Pitch finished. ¡°The fact that no bodies were found. That alone would count as unusual.¡± Ishwada nodded. ¡°Officially my group doesn''t have a name, but some call us the Black Eagles. Only reason I''m telling you is I think because if you are anything like your father you''d be perfect for our outfit.¡±


    Pitch seemed to consider it for a moment. ¡°I uhh¡­ I don''t think I can jump into something like that without at least a week to think about it. I never did military training or served myself. I''m not sure if I''d be a good fit.¡± Ishwada writes his personal number on a paper. ¡°Well if you decide you want to give it a try just call me. We could always use good loyal men. I''d suggest you go about your day and alloyus to investigate.¡± Pitch salutes the general and walks away with Kat. ¡°I didn''t expect that. Not only is the anti-monster task force one hundred percent real, but I know a high ranking figure in it. I even knew his daughter.¡±


    Kat looked over to Pitch. ¡°Oh? Don''t tell me you dated the general''s daughter.¡± Pitch shook his head. ¡°She was in my first grade class.¡± Kat gave a deadpan ¡°Oh.¡± Then after a pause a louder ¡°Oh!¡± Before expressing her thoughts ¡°That explains his motivation for being in the task force. His daughter died because of the thing that attacked your class. The shadow monster. Do you think he suspects anything?¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°He suspects the shadow monster is in the area, and thanks to me he''s partly right. From now on I''ll have to be extra careful.¡± Kat nods as they walk together.


    After a moment of silence Kat breaks it. ¡°You know this is a great opportunity to find some answers. We can investigate the Black Eagles by eavesdropping on them or you could jump in one of them and wear him like a skin to get in close.¡± Pitch sighs ¡°That ability has drawbacks like the mental bleed and if I''m in there too long my body will eat his from the inside out. I won''t be able to simply exit and leave him in pristine condition.¡± Kat looked over at an air vent. ¡°You could always use the vents. I mean they are far too small for a human but for a floating blob of extra fine black sand it should be fine.¡±


    Pitch looked at the vent entrance then around. ¡°I''ll need to find a blind spot that has a vent and I know just the place. You get to work business as normal and we can meet up after our shifts and exchange notes. You''ll likely get questioned since you were there. Be careful.¡± Kat nodded. ¡°You two¡± before the pair split up on their separate missions. Pitch went into a janitor supply closet and let out his true form before flying into a vent and going through the building to where the men were so he could spy on them unseen.


    Even with his amorphous nearly gaseous body the air ducts felt a bit cramped, but Pitch pressed on since he had a mission to complete. Set up above the men who thought they were alone he was in a prime position to overhear their conversations. Two soldiers standing at the end of the hallway are casually talking now that the floor was cleared of other people. ¡°This is kinda scary, you know. This Umbrian already took out an entire platoon of our guys even with the special training and equipment.¡± The other guy then said ¡°yeah, well, we should have sent more men. The Umbran has the highest threat rating of any Cryptid, and that''s saying something. I mean have you read the files on some of those things? Those are just the ones that have been encountered and cataloged. Who knows what else is out there.¡±


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Pitch takes a mental note of the fact they used the term ¡°Cryptid¡± and confirmed there are more than one with the name of what he was specifically actually being spoken out loud. Finally he had some confirmation, some solid information he could build on. For the first time since this all started Pitch was finally closer to answers. The fruits of his labors are finally paying off. He just hoped that Kat was doing just as well as he was.


    Kat went to her lab as if everything was normal for a while before her boss came over to her station with Ishwada in tow. ¡°Hey Kat, I know you already gave me a statement but you''re going to have to give it to this guy too. Sorry for the hassle.¡± Kat nods and follows them into a private room before going through the motions telling Ishwada the same thing she told her job. ¡°It was dark and I curled up into a ball in fear. I didn''t see anything, I did my best to cover my ears and ignore the screams. Then when the screams ended and I looked up all that was left was the aftermath.¡±


    After Ishwada took his notes, thanked Kat for her time and moved on, Kat''s boss grabbed her shoulder and kept her in the private room for a moment. ¡°Just hold up a moment Kat. There''s one more thing we should discuss.¡± Kat got a bit nervous and couldn''t exactly keep it in. ¡°Y-yeah?¡± the boss sighed ¡°Normally we wait at least a few years to get a good read on someone before we do this but in light of your recent encounter I guess it''s now or never. Before I go into full detail I''ll remind you that you are under several NDAs. First things first that you should know. Monsters are real. Our lab has partnered with the Black Eagles to study these monsters in order to help them find weaknesses to these threats to humanity. You said those men were after a basement that doesn''t exist? Well it does. It''s where all our Cryptid research is done. Today, you''ll get the tour.¡±


    Pitch sat in the vents for what seemed like forever, getting mostly mundane coffee break talk. Occasionally he would overhear encounter stories for other Cryptids, learning the names and classifications for a number of them. It seemed that Cryptids were mostly classed by different fears for some reason. The Umbran was considered a Nyctophobian Cryptid. Ghouls and the Wendigo (of which there were apparently two different kinds) were Ososphobian. Doppelgangers were currently classified as Automatonophobian but the classification was apparently being debated for some reason.


    Pitch wished he could ask why the classification of Cryptids all had to do with fears, he wished he could ask about how they''ve been keeping the existence of monsters a secret as well as whatever else they may know. All Pitch could do was sit and wait and hope information would casually come up in a conversation. It wasn''t like these people were going to start expositing information for the sake of an unseen audience.


    Kat is taken to a hidden elevator with a security system in it that combines a number pad, a hand scanner, and a retina scanner. The elevator only has three buttons. G, B1, and B2. The boss man covers the number pad while typing in his code before placing his palm and eye to be scanned. Then he hits the B1 button. The elevator starts going down giving Kat time to talk. ¡°So not only do we have a secret basement, but a secret sub basement. What''s in the basements?¡± The boss responds quickly. ¡°You''ll see what''s in the basement and be given access but you won''t be entering the sub basement. All that''s down there is a special generator that powers the building keeping it off the city grid.¡±


    This raised more questions than answers. If this building has its own generator in a secret sub basement, how the hell did those thugs cut the power. ¡°How many people have access to this generator?¡± The boss raised an eyebrow at this question but saw no reason not to answer it. ¡°Counting myself, six people I''ve personally selected.¡± The elevator door opens and Kat is taken into a secret laboratory with containment units holding literal physical monsters. Kat actually recognized a few from popular culture and Cryptid form pages some of which are full of conspiracy stuff. Some of which might be true considering what she is seeing. ¡°What¡­ is all this?¡±


    The boss gestures around the room. ¡°This is how we really pay the bills. Did you really think we turned a prophet from our humanitarian crap upstairs? Blag Eagle captures them, dead or alive. Then we contain and study them looking for weakness so we can develop new weapons to combat the threats these monsters pose.¡± Kat looks at the various different monsters all in cages having experiments many would consider inhumane even on an animal like a rat and has to keep herself from getting sick. ¡°These are still living things though, right? Don''t they deserve some measure of decency?¡±


    The boss grumbled. ¡°If I had a nickel for every new person who said something like that¡­ look, these things aren''t some lost species of animal. We''ve done blood tests and most Cryptids don''t even have traditional DNA. They spit on the face of everything we know about biology. There are two prevailing theories as to where they come from and how they come to be and both rely on a relationship with energies created by strong emotions. They are either born from or drawn to these specific energies. That''s why a lot of them are tied to fears as those are thought to either be the origin point or driving force of these entities.¡±


    The boss takes a breath before continuing. ¡°It requires a high concentration of a specific energy so there is a population range of where these things spawn whether it''s here or pulled in from some place out of phase with our reality. Too few people and there isn''t enough energy, too many and you encounter something we call ¡°fear pollution¡±. Basically too many different energies mix and nothing can spawn from it. So Cryptids tend to spawn in rural areas with a few exceptions. There are a few examples of ones not born from fear or in highly populated areas but they are outliers. The most well known example is the onrio or poltergeist. They are born from high amounts of hatred, pain, and or regret of a single person on their death.¡±


    Kat is handed a tablet with a ton of files on it. ¡°Here, you can read these to catch up. This tablet can''t connect to the internet at all but I''ll still ask you to be careful with it. Showing it to anyone is a breach of NDA.¡± Kat nods. ¡°Understood sir.¡± She then finds a place to sit so she can thumb through the files. Folders labeled by classification make it easy to find what she is looking for. After scrolling through folders she finds one labeled ¡°Nyctophobian¡±. ¡°(If anything fits as a classification for Pitch, fear of the dark does.)¡± She then opens the folder.


    Inside there is a primary text file along with supplementary image and video files. Kat decided to read the text file. ¡°Classification: Nyctophobian Species: Umbran. This particular Cryptid is associated with the fear of the dark and is not be of if not the oldest kind of Cryptid there is. Appearing like a living shadow, the Umbran seems to be made of a bunch of extremely small solids that are somehow suspended in the air moving in unison. Though believed to have once been common, it is currently believed that only one or a small handful remain. Known weaknesses include intense light with a high amount of ultraviolet having more effectiveness and intense or focused bursts of sound. No members of this species have been captured. A recent discovery of a cave painting may shed some light on the decline of the population and potential social structure of the Cryptid.¡±


    Kat looked at the videos which included dash and body cam footage of encounters with either Pitch or something like him. With one showing the monster destroying a platoon of soldiers and jeeps. Also included are images of the aftermath of several suspected attacks. Although Kat knew not all of these were Pitch she began to wonder how many people he had eaten. Six years with two a week being the normal amount. That''s somewhere around two hundred and eighty eight people. Kat felt a bit sick thinking about this. Even if every single one was a criminal who had committed unforgivable acts that was still a lot of people consumed.


    Kat shook those thoughts. Pitch doesn''t have a choice as to whether or not he feeds, but what he does choose is who he feeds on. The fact he''s picking the lesser of evils is proof he''s not a bad person. Especially considering the possibility that starving himself would make things worse. Not feeding manually ment his body would do so automatically. He would kill indiscriminately and likely whomever was closest and potentially not regain reason after. Kat would have probably done the same thing if it were her instead.


    Kat put the tablet into her lab coat before looking at the living and dead Cryptid specimens in the secret laboratory before going back to the elevator and making her way out. She texted Pitch''s phone letting him know they would meet at his house rather than just outside the building. Once they compared notes they would have to plan their next move. Things would be more delicate now that Black Eagle was investigating the area looking for Pitch. Seeing the files made it clear the General had a personal grudge against the Umbran, because one was responsible for the death of his daughter.

 Chapter Eight: Clarity

    Pitch and Kat met back up at his place, with Kat holding a tablet. ¡°This tablet has everything that Black Eagle and NexGen know about Cryptids. Turns out Black Eagle has been taking their captured specimens to our lab dead or alive and that''s what is in the basement. There is also a second sub basement with some sort of special generator. This means whoever cut the power was one of six people including the head researcher himself.¡±


    Pitch grabbed the tablet and scrolled through it clicking on multiple files. ¡°These things don''t even seem to follow any of the same rules as normal organic life. What one would consider their DNA is completely different and some of them have extremely different anatomy from anything that evolved here with many of these things looking human. Just look at all these classifications. Cascadian? A type of Cryptid that can feed off of or has gained a tie to fear of the Cryptid itself in addition to its original source fear in order to propagate.¡±


    Kat nodded. ¡°There are also a small handful of Cryptids that can reproduce using something closer to normal organic processes. For example the two different Wendigo Cryptids can reproduce using something similar to viral by hacking where they convert hosts into more members of its own species. Then there are Doppelgangers and Sasquatch that can reproduce sexually the same way humans can. It''s believed that the Sasquatch is one of the few examples of a Cryptid that isn''t spawned from a powerful negative emotion. Instead it''s thought that Sasquatch were once a naturally existing species near extinction and our desire to find them resulted in a sort of hybrid Cryptid saving but changing the species.¡±


    Pitch out his hand on his chin while looking through more files. ¡°Do they¡­ have files on others like myself?¡± Kat nodded. ¡°Check under Nyctophobian. The species designation is Umbran. Apparently it''s the only known Nyctophobian Cryptid and there are so few of them that Black Eagle believed that they were dealing with the last remaining member.¡± Pitch looked through the files and his eyes widened. ¡°I knew it. That attack when I was in the first grade, my nightmare, was real. Somehow that creature is tied to what''s happening now.¡±


    Kat moved over to Pitch and pointed at the tablet. ¡°There are also pictures of cave paintings. I''m not exactly good at interpreting pictures.¡± Pitch finds and opens the files. The first images depict early humans imagining monsters in the shadows. As they do so a sort of black smoke comes out of them and forms real monsters that attack the early humans. One of the monsters depicted looks like an Umbran. ¡°So it seems the ancients believed that their fear created these monsters much like some of our scientists theorize. There are several depictions of them running, hiding, and fighting off the monsters.¡±


    Pitch moves to another drawing that seems to show several Unbrans all ripping apart and grading on humans. The ones with more humans fed on have more skills drawn inside them and are drawn bigger to accommodate the skulls. ¡°This one shows a crap ton of Unbrans feeding on humans, and the more they feed the more powerful they get.¡± The next painting shows humans seeing lightning hit wood and light it on fire causing a few Unbrans to back away. Then another painting shows humans lighting torches and using them to keep Unbrans at bay.


    Pitch hummed. ¡°So it seems these early Unbrans either had zero resistance to fire or were big babies about even the smallest amount of pain. Early humans realized they would back away from fire and quickly weaponized it. This next one has ones with a high number of skulls getting past the torches while ones with less skulls stay back indicating the ones with higher body counts and thus more power could push through the defenses.¡±


    Pitch looked at the next image that shows humans creating bigger fires and hanging primitive lanterns to increase their defense, adapting faster then the Unbrans could adjust as now only the most powerful of them could make it through their defenses. ¡°Humans created better defenses, faster than Unbrans could overcome them leaving only the most powerful able to continue to feed. The image after this seems to depict them turning to cannibalism to gain enough power to overcome us. Choosing quality over quantity they reduced their own numbers from many to just a few.¡±


    The next image shows the small number of Unbrans who were now able to hunt again and were killing humans, but one is different, being drawn with a single highly detailed and large skull. This one member is shown continuing to cannibalize other Umbrans. The last panel shows just that Umbran. ¡°It seems to depict that despite being able to overcome our defenses one Umbran realized it was far more lucrative to continue to cannibalize other members of its kind until only it remained. Though it would be the last in the area that doesn''t mean last in the world. Though this likely happened all over the world as early mankind developed and adapted. You''d be lucky to have a few on every continent.¡±


    Kat put her hand on her chin. ¡°So Umbrans are rare due to excessive cannibalism and for some reason new members are not propagating. Either there isn''t enough concentrated Nyctophobia, or new entities are being killed off by either humans or the older and more powerful Umbran of the region. It is likely they developed some way of detecting other members of their own kind, seeing them as competition or prey.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°Explains why there was only just the one around here but does nothing to explain my current existence.¡±


    Kat puts her hand on her chin. ¡°I think I know why you are drawn to the lab now though. It''s likely Umbrans feed on other Cryptids as well as humans. Acting more like a normal predator in a normal ecosystem. From what I''ve seen Cryptids normally don''t compete against others even of different kinds. There also is little to no evidence of any positive social structure among any Cryptid species besides Doppelgangers, Sasquatch, and oddly enough the Succubus. Because apparently those are a real thing. Of course there would be a lust based Cryptid, it''s one of the stronger base emotions we have.¡±


    Pitch swipes through the tablet again. ¡°There have been signs of both the Wendigo variants and the Ghoul tend to travel in small packs and it''s possible since Wendigo convert humans that they can reproduce sexually. Although pack hunting does not necessarily mean they have a social structure. Just that they realized group hunting is a broken and overpowered tactic used by many predators. It''s allowed smaller predators like weasels to roll up on much bigger threats. So imagine how effective it would be for a creature in the same weight class as a bear.¡±


    Kat goes a bit pale. ¡°Bears hunting like wolves is an absolutely terrifying thought. Especially knowing there used to be a canine relative closer in size to a bear that likely hunted in packs. Though if I remember right those were closer to a coyote than a wolf.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°It''s a good thing I''m immune to anything most Cryptids can do. I only have a small number of weaknesses, meaning the only significant threat to me are humans.¡±


    Kat shifts around. ¡°And technically Doppelgangers. Analytics estimates that one in eight people living in the world are Doppelgangers with a total population of around a billion. Meaning that in any crowded area you have ever been in there was definitely at least one Doppelganger there. They live completely normal lives and have secret communities where only other Doppelgangers and maybe Black Eagle knows who and what they are. Most of them create unique identities and just live normal lives.¡±


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Pitch tilted his head. ¡°So they don''t kill and replace people?¡± Kat shook her head. ¡°Only a small minority still do that. The majority of them integrated into human society. They became so much like us that killing or eating us started to feel wrong among most of them. Since they can self propagate they don''t need to drive up their origin fear to continue existing. Just like humans they basically self domesticated.¡± Pitch chuckled. ¡°That''s actually really interesting. I''d bet other kids of Cryptids can''t even tell the difference and prey on Dopples just the same.¡±


    Kat nodded. ¡°Black Eagle actually treats Doppelgangers the same as other civilians. Same with the Sasquatch, though they exist in small nomadic tribes that stick to the wilderness as far away from civilization as possible. Sasquatch have intelligence comparable to our own and are even capable of language. They are basically an advanced type of Amish as far as Black Eagle is concerned since they rarely encounter and thus rarely harm humans. They just want to be left alone. There are an estimated ten thousand Sasquatch across the Americas. Mostly found in the US and Canada. The Yeti is considered a branch of the Sasquatch that lives in the mountainous areas of the US, Canada, and in the himalayas. It''s believed the root species existed around the world alongside early homosapiens and neanderthals.¡±


    Pitch nodded. ¡°So a lost relative of humanity that sort of went extinct but was revived or saved from that fate by becoming a Cryptid hybrid thanks to us. Makes me wonder what other kinds of hybrids can exist. Sasquatch, Doppelgangers, and Succubi are similar enough to humans that they should be capable of intermingling.¡± Kat nodded. ¡°No record exists of a human and a Sasquatch or Yeti mating but there are reports of human and dopple as well as human and succubi relations. The result of the former is normally a human that takes after almost entirely after the human parent. Sometimes they''ll have anomalies like double jointed parts or really bendy bones.¡±


    Pitch lets out a small grunt of disgust. ¡°I don''t know why but the phrase ¡°bendy bones¡± bothers me.¡± Kat giggled before continuing. ¡°When a human and succubus produces offspring it is also mostly indistinguishable from a normal human. They''ll have a naturally high charisma and sometimes stronger pheromones than average humans but not nearly on the level of the succubus. Because the majority of succubi avoid being overly hostile they too are treated like regular civilians by Black Eagle. The minority that still kill humans are treated similar to regular criminals but held by Black Eagle.¡±


    Pitch nods. ¡°I imagine most succubi work in adult entertainment like gentlemen''s clubs. Feeding a little bit off a large group or sometimes a bit more from a single person. Leaving them tired but alive. Also are we simply not going to distinguish the male incubus as a separate entity or¡­¡± Kat laughed. ¡°Yeah, the males are a thing. It''s just easier to use one word like with humans.¡± Pitch hummed. ¡°I guess, it still feels a bit odd to lump them together and call the males succubus as well. I guess I''ll have to get used to it.¡±


    Together the two read up on all the information on Cryptids in the tablet. The result of the secret collaboration between Black Eagle and NexGen. Although they now had a lot of information and many questions were answered, Pitch didn''t feel much closer to discovering his own answer to his more personal question. How and why was he now a Cryptid? How and why was he now an Umbran? What connection did the attack twenty one years ago have to what happened and was happening to Pitch?


    The two spent so long reading files that Kat passed out on the couch with the tablet in her hand. Pitch put it on a charger and laid her down before putting a blanket on her. Since he had just had a big meal not long ago, Pitch didn''t exactly need to eat. So Pitch went to his bed and laid in it like a human for the first time in years and closed his eyes. Eventually he reached his sleep mode while in his human facade.


    Pitch slowly woke up to a dimly lit room in his own bed like a normal human. Sitting under the covers he felt a warmth unlike anything he had felt since his transformation. He felt comfortable and didn''t want to get up. He simply shifted a bit in the bed when he realized the warmth wasn''t coming from him. After all, he only produced body heat when he thought someone might notice the absence of it. As such he wouldn''t have been doing so in his sleep. If he still had a heart, it would definitely race as he noticed the second body in his bed.


    Kat, in the middle of the night, had crawled into his bed for some reason. She was cuddled up to his side with her leg over his. Both of them were fully clothed but Pitch still felt a bit embarrassed. Kat shifted a bit in her sleep and Pitch tensed up. ¡°(If I were still human, I''d definitely be erect right now. If not from morning wood then the stimulation.)¡± Pitch slowly tried to wiggle out of Kat''s grip without waking her, however she woke up as soon as he started moving.


    Kat''s face got red the moment she saw James'' face next to her''s. ¡°H-hello.¡± Pitch refused to look at her. ¡°Hi? Why are you in my bed?¡± Kat looked away. ¡°I had a nightmare. I was going to just get a drink of water and go back to sleep, but when I looked up I saw a man looking into your living room window. He ran off when I screamed but I couldn''t get back to sleep in that room, even with the window covered. So I¡­¡± Pitch finished ¡°You came to what you considered the most secure room in the house?¡± Kat shook her head. ¡°That would likely have been the bathroom or in the basement. There is a difference between the most secure room and the room I felt the safest in.¡±


    Pitch knitted his brow. ¡°So you felt safer cuddled up with a literal monster than in the basement or bathroom?¡± Kat slowly nodded. ¡°Y-yeah. I guess.¡± Pitch sighed. ¡°Kat, I eat people.¡± Kat turned her head looking farther away from Pitch. ¡°Yeah but you saved me. You''re not a bad person¡­ monster¡­ whatever. You''re just trying your best in a bad situation. If I was in your place I''d be doing the same thing. So I can''t blame you. Besides, when I look at you, even in your new form I don''t¡­¡± Kat paused for a moment. ¡°I don''t see a monster.¡± Pitch looked at Kat, or rather the back of her head, turning over to do so. ¡°Then what do you see?¡±


    Kat shifted a bit, the realization that Pitch was now at her back hitting her. Her face reddened. ¡°I still see the man I once knew. Lonely, scared, lost. Someone who''s just trying to find their way, desperate for connection but too afraid of losing someone to reach out. I see¡­ a kindred spirit. In a way, both of us wear a facade. I''m still¡­ I''m still that shy little girl you once knew but I¡­ force myself to smile and be friendly. To be forward and forthright. Because I''ve become more afraid of remaining alone than of losing the few people I already have.¡±


    Pitch reached his arms around Kat and hugged her. ¡°We''re a team now Kat, I need you. Not just that but I want you around. I had forgotten just how lonely I was having slowly gotten used to my self imposed then externally imposed isolation. Humans are social creatures and mentally I''m still mostly human. As much as I denied it for years, I need friends. I need companionship. And I don''t want some facade of a friendship. I want someone who knows me and accepts me. You know what I am, what I do, what I am capable of doing. Yet you¡­ are willing to share a room and even a bed with me. You feel safe with me and trust me despite knowing.¡±


    Kat shifted in the bed a bit. ¡°I¡­ think I should get out of the bed now. This uhh¡­ feels more intimate then a friendship right now.¡± Pitch let her go. ¡°You are the one that crawled into bed with me. Besides, this appearance is basically a costume remember. Physical intimacy is probably beyond me regardless of what I want.¡± Kat sat up in the bed. ¡°What¡­ do you want?¡± Pitch looked at her back as she continued to avoid eye contact. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kat turned her head a bit. ¡°If things were different, if we had normal lives and reconnected¡­ what would you have wanted? A simple friendship? To just push me away like everyone else?¡±


    Pitch thought about it for a moment. If he was never turned into a monster and took this job and met Kat in a world where Cryptids didn''t exist, what would he have done? ¡°I think if you reached out to me upon recognizing me like you did, I would have at least wanted to try and be friends¡­ despite myself.¡± Kat sighed. ¡°I just¡­ I don''t know. When I first saw you at work I got so excited when I realized it was you. I''ve been so focused on work I neglected everything else so when you showed up I¡­ remembered the last time I desired human connection. Realized how much I''d been missing out on. In a way, I forgot what it meant to be human as everything but my work faded away.¡±


    Pitch put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°I guess we both lost our way and forgot a little bit. Sure, we may never be the same again. We may never feel normal or human again. But we are still people. Two people who need one another. Not just as partners with a shared goal but as friends. Any developments from here can be dealt with as they come. The future is uncertain so there is little point in planning too much ahead. We''ll figure stuff out as we go.¡± Kat puts her hand on Pitch''s and turns to look at him. ¡°O-okay. We''ll sort things out as we go.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°First things first is figuring out if our peeping Tom is one of our lovely friends at Black Eagle or someone else.¡±

 Chapter Nine: Observation

    Pitch and Kat spent the day in his house and went to NexGen for the graveyard shift. Once there they realized that despite cleaning the mess, gathering all the evidence they could, and completing interviews; there were still Black Eagle staff posted in the building. General Ishwada was also still there and spotted Pitch leaving the employee changing area. ¡°Ah, Mr. Holden. Just the man I wanted to see. I had a few questions for you.¡± Pitch looked up at the General. ¡°I''ve already been interrogated, General. I have work to do.¡±


    General Ishwada did a small nod. ¡°This isn''t an interrogation, I''ll make it quick. I was curious, both your father and grandfather served. Why didn''t you?¡± Pitch looked him straight in the eyes. ¡°My father and grandfather were both drafted, they didn''t choose service. In addition they had siblings. I was an only child. Also I was only nineteen when I was orphaned, so even if I signed I likely would have been turned down.¡± Ishwada nodded. ¡°Your father still put you through the paces, correct?¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°Standard drills, close quarters combat, the works. Not because he had a desire for me to enlist but because I was bullied from a young age for my shyness.¡±


    Ishwada nodded. ¡°You closed yourself off after surviving that drugged out bear or whatever it was.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°That leaves me with a question I have. Do you have any relationship with a girl named Yuri Ishwada? I didn''t want to assume just because of the last name.¡± The general nodded. ¡°She was¡­ my daughter. You were in her class, correct? Did you know her well?¡± Pitch shook his head. ¡°We were just five, so not really. Anything I knew I would definitely have forgotten by now. Sorry.¡± Ishwada looked to the floor. ¡°No, it''s fine. I should have expected that response. Her death is the reason I do this.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°If that''s all I''ll be getting back to work.¡±


    Ishwada looked around. ¡°Well the reason I brought this up is because I was wondering if you were interested in becoming a member of Black Eagle. The work has its risks but the benefits are definitely worth it. You''d be helping to protect not just your country but your people.¡± Pitch considered snapping at the general but managed to calm himself. ¡°Tell me, General, what do you consider ¡°my people¡±? What do you consider a person for that matter? You''d be surprised how invisible cleaning and general maintenance staff can be. You''d be surprised by the kinds of conversations I''ve overheard here.¡±


    The General went slightly pale. ¡°I have no idea what you are even talking about Mr. Holden.¡± Pitch grumbled. ¡°I know what this place really is, what it really does. I know it wasn''t a bear that killed your daughter. So I have to ask General Ishwada, where do you draw the line?¡± the General clenched his fist. ¡°I won''t lie, I have strong negative emotions tied to what happened to Yuri. I don''t want anyone else to suffer the way I did. I want more than justice or vengeance. I want to prevent the past from ever repeating itself.¡± Pitch frowned. ¡°Regardless of the cost? Even if it means staining your soul black as night by committing genocide on something nearly indistinguishable from a human?¡±


    Ishwada raised his voice a bit. ¡°It''s not genocide, they don''t even have DNA!¡± Pitch shook his head. ¡°You can justify your mission all you want Ishwada. Saying their victims were less than human is exactly what people who commit genocide do. So if you and you are willing to kill Doppelgangers who have never committed a crime, then I would rather not take orders from you.¡± Ishwada looked at the floor with a clenched fist, Pitch then took a very calm tone. ¡°What happened to your daughter was tragic, the thing that did that was no different than a wild animal. I don''t blame you for going after it with extreme fervor. However, you can''t let that hatred bleed over to something that had nothing to do with her death. It''s natural to fear that which is different, but overcoming that fear is what removes its power.¡±


    Ishwada sighed. ¡°I¡­ you''re probably right. I''m just¡­¡± Pitch puts up a hand. ¡°It''s fine General, just try to keep a level head and an open mind. Otherwise you risk repeating the worst kind of mistake humans can make. I''ll be getting to work now.¡± Pitch walked away uncontested. ¡°Ugh, who am I to give a lecture on morality, after what I''ve done? It''s not as if my hands are clean.¡± Pitch sighed ¡°Either way I''ll have to be careful if Black Eagle is going to keep this place under observation.¡±


    Partway into cleaning, Pitch realized in the heat of the moment he forgot to ask you f Black Eagle was keeping an eye on his house. ¡°...Ah fuck. I got so worked up I forgot what we really wanted to talk about. I hate when that happens. I''ll just have to see if the General is still here when I end my shift.¡± Pitch continued cleaning and doing his job. Then he felt a sudden strange sensation, almost like being flicked in his mind. A sort of ping. He looked up and around to see the lights flickering for just a moment.


    The strange moment passed as quickly as it came so Pitch continued with his work, eventually passing through a lab that Kathryn was working in. She was rubbing her eyes in frustration. ¡°Everything okay Kat? You look like you''ve had a long day.¡± She looked over at Pitch and smiled. ¡°Yeah, my new duties are definitely a bit of an energy drain. Imagine spending a good chunk of your life studying something to the point that you feel there is nothing new you could learn about it. Then suddenly have everything you knew tossed into its head. I''m over here trying to map the genome of something that has whacky not-DNA that defies every rule of genetics I thought I knew. It''s still made out of normal matter though, thank God.¡±


    Pitch looked at the equipment. ¡°If you are working on something for the basement, shouldn''t you be using the equipment in the basement?¡± Kathryn rubbed her eyes. ¡°I''m trying to multitask since I still have my responsibilities up here. I could use some fresh eyes.¡± Pitch sighs. ¡°Untrained eyes with no idea about anything to do with genetics?¡± Kathryn nodded. ¡°Exactly! You have no preconceived notions and only know basic stuff you picked up in highschool. You might be able to see something I would miss because of my education bias.¡±


    Pitch moved in and looked into the equipment. ¡°Proteins, fats, all the things you''d expect to see in an organic lifeform. This screen over here, is that what its version of DNA looks like?¡± Kathryn nodded. ¡°I think so, but it''s nothing like anything that exists on earth.¡± Pitch knitted his eyebrows. ¡°I mean¡­ that''s not entirely true. This may not exactly be the normal double helix but it still used protein pairs. However¡­ Normally there are two different pairs of whatever you call those connecting nubbins at the end of each half. It seems in addition to it''s abnormal shape it also has more then four of those creating more then two pairs. It looks uneven, it''s not even uniform. It''s like what you would get if you asked an artificial intelligence to create a DNA strand.¡±


    Kathryn blinks a few times, then looks at the image. ¡°That''s¡­ not the worst analogy. But there should be at least some sort of consistent pattern that should at least carry over from one member of a species to another. But every strand of whatever that crap is looks totally unique. There''s only a small section that seems to match up.¡± Pitch blatantly says ¡°Well yeah, everyone''s fear is different. We respond to it differently. One person''s experience with claustrophobia is going to be totally different from that of another person. So although it is claustrophobia and a Cryptid spawned from that energy will always have a similar appearance it''s created from the unique experiences of multiple unique individuals.¡±


    Kathryn¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°That''s it! Ugh, I keep coming at this the same way I would with a normal genetics problem. I already said this wasn''t normal genetics. I should be approaching this like it''s an entirely new science with its own rules and look for them. Of course there would be so little overlap between two entities created from emotional energy because the people generating it are unique and flawed. There would be minor differences that wouldn''t be noticeable unless you looked really close. Impurities that wouldn''t be enough to be fully rejected. They would evolve not just alongside our fear but potentially gain noticeable unique traits from case to case. Part of the reason this looks like such a jumbled mess is because unlike normal reproduction there are more than two donors.¡±


    Pitch nodded. ¡°I''m glad I could help, I guess. However, you should write your ideas down and do whatever tests you plan to do later. You look like you need sleep.¡± Kathryn looked back into her equipment. ¡°I don''t need sleep, I need answers.¡± Pitch put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°The answers aren''t going to run away on you Kat. You can''t think right in this state. Now this isn''t a request, get some rest. Or I''ll make you get some rest.¡± Kat pulled her face out of her equipment and looked at Pitch. ¡°And how exactly do you plan on doing that?¡± Pitch crossed his arms. ¡°I''ll pin you into a bed and hold you down till you pass out if I have to.¡±


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Kathryn¡¯s face got a little red. ¡°Y-you will?¡± she then shook her head. ¡°I mean, you don''t have to go that far. I''ll take a break. I''d like it if you join me.¡± Pitch tilts his head. ¡°I don''t exactly need rest as often as you, remember? I only need to sleep once or twice a month.¡± Kathryn looked Pitch right in the eyes, then away. Pitch could sense a mix of emotions coming off her and shifting. ¡°But I guess this isn''t about what I need.¡± Pitch helps her up and walks with her to the break room and sits on a two person sofa with her. Kathryn lays her head on Pitch''s lap with pitch putting his hand on her head.


    Kathryn quickly dozed off and after a few minutes of sitting on the sofa, Ishwada walked into the break room to get some coffee. He freezes mid sip when he sees Pitch and Kathryn there. ¡°I hope I''m not interrupting anything.¡± Pitch shook his head. ¡°As long as you don''t get too loud, the only thing here to interrupt is her nap. She''s been working hard and stressing herself out. Everything she''s devoted her life to has suddenly been flipped upside down.¡± Ishwada nods. ¡°I definitely understand that feeling.¡± Pitch took the opportunity to ask something he wanted to ask earlier. ¡°So are you still here because you are running an internal investigation?¡±


    Ishwada tilted his head. ¡°I''m not entirely sure what you mean.¡± Pitch sighed. ¡°This building is powered by a generator in a sub basement below the secret lab. Only six people have access to that generator. In addition, the tech used by the thugs was similar to that used by Black Eagle personnel. Do the math General.¡± Ishwada grunts. ¡°You''re suggesting a leak?¡± Pitch shook his head. ¡°Not exactly. I''m thinking one of your superiors simply got impatient.¡±


    The General had a confused expression. ¡°What are you suggesting?¡± Pitch looked Ishwada right in the eyes. ¡°Are you really naive enough to think someone is willing to dish out the budget for these projects out of the goodness of their hearts? You really think these people give a damn about the well-being of the public? It''s an investment. Did you really think all of this research was just for weapons to fight Cryptids? Cryptids are the weapons.¡± Ishwada takes a strict tone. ¡°That would be a violation of the Geneva Convention.¡±


    Pitch laughed. ¡°Let me guess, under the assumption they count as a biological weapon? You don''t think of these things as alive. Besides, is it even a war crime if you never declare war? They would have to be able to trace the weapon to the source to take it to court and the source is a civilian operation that isn''t officially controlled by the governor military and merely receives oversight. Plausible deniability.¡± Ishwada goes pale and starts to produce a cold sweat. Pitch could tell this is something the General had considered in the back of his mind. By pointing it out all Pitch did was bring an existing fear to the surface.


    Ishwada regains his composure. ¡°I only came in here for a quick coffee, I have work to do.¡± He then downs the still hot beverage and marches out of the room. Pitch then goes back to brushing Kathryn¡¯s hair with his hand. ¡°I don''t think he''s a bad person. Misguided maybe, with a strong sense of justice. Maybe this will start some infighting and distract Black Eagle away from me.¡± Pitch then sat in silence for several minutes before gently shaking Kathryn. ¡°I think that''s a good enough Kat nap.¡±


    Kathryn slowly wakes up before sitting up and stretching with a yawn. ¡°That was a good nap. James, err Pitch. Time to get back to work I guess. Although¡­ I was rather comfy.¡± Pitch looked Kathryn in her face. ¡°I don''t get how you can be so comfortable around me. It''s one thing to deal with me out of a mutually beneficial relationship, but another to be this¡­ intimate with me.¡± Kathryn got up and made herself a cup of coffee. ¡°I don''t know how to explain it but you always had a sort of effect on me. I just feel comfortable and calm whenever I know you are nearby. I feel¡­ safe with you.¡±


    Pitch grumbled. ¡°You really shouldn''t. Especially now. I mean I¡­ my diet alone would frighten most.¡± Kathryn blew on her coffee a few times. ¡°I know that, and it definitely bothered me a little bit at first. However, when I thought about it rationally, it stopped bothering me as much. I was easily able to get over it because despite everything you still have the same effect on me as always. In fact, now that I think about it I kind of dread going back to my house and being alone. Speaking of which, did you ever ask if there was Black Eagle surveillance at your house the other night?¡±


    Pitch gave himself a facepalm. ¡°God damn it, I had two chances and got distracted both times. Ugh, sorry.¡± Kathryn laughed. ¡°It''s fine, we''ve both got a lot on our minds lately.¡± Pitch sighed. ¡°Let''s just finish this shift so we can go home. I''ll close all the curtains tonight just in case.¡± Kathryn nodded and the two left the break room and went about three days as if everything was normal.


    While cleaning, Pitch overheard the general arguing with someone and closed in to hear better. General Ishwada was quite worked up. ¡°I may not have the investigation experience of a cop, but I can tell when someone is lying to me or hiding something. Out of the six people with access to your generator, two were on active duty. Both saying it wasn''t them and that they didn''t see the other do it. When the other four were asked if either one would have had a motive to help those thugs, everyone said no, including you. Someone helped them, and it feels like your people are either truly ignorant or actively protecting the traitor.¡±


    The man he''s talking to speaks calmly. ¡°Unless you have evidence or an actual accusation, I''m going to get back to work.¡± The General growled. ¡°These people were after something in your basement.¡± The other man sighed. ¡°From what Kathryn said I don''t think they knew exactly what was down there, whoever put them up to it probably just told them bioweapons.¡± The General took a breath and calmed himself. ¡°The thugs were killed by an Umbran, the same kind of Cryptid that I''m after. However your records don''t show one in holding. Any ideas why and how it was here in the building and why it left without injuring anyone other than the thugs?¡±


    The other man hummed. ¡°Honestly, your guess is as good as mine. I thought there was only the one entity in the entire continent and before now it never did anything like that. The way it''s acting is so different from previous reports that I can''t help but conclude that somehow this is a separate entity from the one responsible for the tragic events of twenty one years ago. It was theorized that the Umbrans were capable of reproduction via mitosis, similar to an amoeba. This would make it one of the few Cryptids capable of self replication separate from its source or origin.¡±


    The General grumbled. ¡°Same entity or not, Unbrans are too dangerous to be kept in captivity. I know you probably would like to study one, but I''m letting you know now. I''m doing what I feel is necessary for the good of humanity, and will not hesitate to eliminate any and every Umbran and other fully hostile Cryptid there is.¡± The other man took a moment to respond. ¡°I understand how you feel. If that is everything I''m due to check on the generator soon.¡± The General responded quickly. ¡°I would like to investigate the generator room.¡± The other man, already walking away, waved at the General without turning around. ¡°That request has already been denied by both myself and your superiors.¡±


    Pitch waited a while before moving his cleaning closer to Ishwada. The General looked at Pitch. ¡°Were you eavesdropping just now?¡± Pitch smiled at the General. ¡°I don''t know what you''re talking about. What reason would I have to do that? It''s not like I''m performing my own investigation into this matter on my own or anything.¡± Ishwada chuckled. ¡°So that''s how this is. Okay. Well if you were to do such a thing with your science friend I would theoretically ask to exchange notes. Of course this is all hypothetical.¡±


    Pitch nodded. ¡°Just to ask, hypothetically, do you still have a reason to keep my home under observation?¡± Ishwada knitted his brow. ¡°I ordered no such observation. I considered it but felt it was unnecessary considering your history. So if someone from my organization is spying on you, I didn''t send them.¡± Pitch hummed. ¡°I caught someone creeping in my window last night. I thought about calling the cops but figured maybe I was still under investigation because I was on the floor of the event but witnessed nothing.¡±


    Ishwada shook his head. ¡°If you are, I''m not the one behind it. I''ll ask around just in case.¡± Pitch bowed lightly. ¡°I''d appreciate it. I''ll get back to work then. See you around.¡± Ishwada grumbles. ¡°Unfortunately, the people I work for want me to move on and focus on something I can make actual progress on. They want results, not lengthy investigations.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°Aye, but I still might bump into you.¡± The General nodded and handed Pitch a card with his number on it. ¡°If you happen upon any information you think is useful, don''t hesitate to call. Consider me an ally in your search for answers.¡±


    General Ishwada bows lightly and walks down the hallway leaving Pitch to finish cleaning. After a shift that felt surprisingly long, pitch met up with Kathryn outside of the NexGen building. ¡°Ready to go?¡± Kathryn hesitated a moment before nodding. ¡°Is it okay if¡­ I want to sleep in your bed again?¡± Pitch shrugged. ¡°I don''t see why not. Even if I needed to sleep I normally do so in my true form using the bathtub.¡± Kathryn turned a bit red. ¡°O-oh. I was kind of hoping that¡­ it would be like last time.¡± Pitch looked at her and knitted his brow. ¡°You want to¡­ sleep in the bed with me? What are you, my girlfriend now?¡±


    Kathryn got even redder than before. ¡°No. I mean I- I just feel safer with you there is all.¡± Pitch sighed. ¡°You can''t say you just want to be friends if you keep requesting to share a bed with me. Even if all we do is cuddle with clothes on, that''s not something normal friends do. If you want a different kind of relationship, something more than just friendship, you should just be forthright about it.¡±


    Kathryn poked her index fingers together and mumbled something Pitch couldn''t hear. ¡°My hearing is good, but not that good Kat, you''ll have to speak up.¡± Kathryn spoke just a little louder. ¡°I wouldn''t exactly be opposed to it¡­ I had¡­ a crush on you in highschool.¡± Pitch tilted his head. ¡°I was human then, or at least mostly human. How could you possibly be interested in me as I am now?¡± Kathryn shifted back and forth and mumbled. ¡°I don''t know¡­¡± Pitch sighed. ¡°I mean I did think you were cute back then so if things were different I definitely would have asked you out back then. You don''t look much different now, we get along well enough. It''s just¡­ how would that work?¡±


    Kathryn shrugged. ¡°We could¡­ figure that out. Cross that bridge if and when we come to it. One step at a time. If things don''t or can''t work out for one reason or another I''m sure we are both capable of maintaining a professional relationship afterwards.¡± Pitch sighed and started walking to his car. ¡°I would say this feels weird but honestly with all the crazy stuff going on, dating someone is probably the most normal thing among them. Only strange thing is everything around it. So I guess I¡­ I don''t know. I can take tonight to see how I feel about it and I''ll let you know in the morning.¡± Kathryn gave an enthusiastic nod. The two entered the car and went to Pitch''s house.

 Chapter Ten: The Signal

    Kathryn woke up in bed, snuggled up to Pitch''s back who was laying on his side. Kathryn slowly got up, figuring Pitch was likely awake since he didn''t need as much sleep but didn''t want to bother him just in case. She went to the living room and grabbed the tablet with the cryptid files on it and started scrolling through it. She found Black Eagle even made files on witnesses that survived encounters. Among these files she noticed one for James Holden. It made sense since he survived an attack by an Umbran in first grade. She looked around before opening it up out of curiosity.


    She found in addition to witnesses statements, Black Eagle also took blood samples. There were even a number of reports for years after the event. Opening up those files revealed that Black Eagle had somehow acquired James'' therapy notes from his psychiatrist that he was assigned after the event. This was a clear violation of Doctor patient confidentiality laws. Not that it surprised Kathryn. What she did find odd is the blood test report tagged an anomaly in his DNA. They also had his blood test from when he applied to work at NexGen that showed the anomaly became more pronounced.


    From what Kathryn knew, Pitch had simply replicated what his blood was like before James died. This meant any and all tests would match what he had at that time. These files on James suggested that he was on Black Eagle¡¯s radar after the event that happened twenty one years ago and they haven''t stopped checking in on him since. He''s been under observation for basically his entire life.


    Looking into the file and the mention of the anomaly, Kathryn found that anomalies like the one in James'' DNA are not uncommon and are thought to be the result of cryptid human hybridization with some kinds of cryptids being able to produce offspring with humans. Not only is this still a possibility today but multiple mythologies and folklores make mention of otherworldly things such as fairies or angels mingling with humans. Since many folklore and myth creatures are confirmed to be real as cryptids today it is highly likely many of these folk creatures are or were cryptids that have either reached near extinction and gone into hiding or have completely died out.


    Individuals with more prominent anomalies sometimes display anomalous abilities. Such a thing was investigated in the case of James as Black Eagle looked into how the anomaly manifested as soon as they noticed it. It seemed James even at a young age emitted a stronger electromagnetic frequency than average by a significant amount. This EMF would occasionally interfere with some electronics like analog antennas and older street lamps. There was also evidence to suggest his EMF interacted with and could even influence the ENF of others. This allowed a young James to be strongly in tune with others.


    In a simpler way of wording it, James was empathetic. Able to detect and even project emotions in a short range. This ability allowed him to make friends easily as well as understand the feelings of others so he could defuse a bully and help them through why they lasted out or even project calm to reduce someone''s anger. However, after the trauma in first grade he shut himself off and ignored this ability for the most part.


    This apparently made him a stronger candidate for recruitment than average with Black Eagle seeing the potential for using this ability to detect and defend against cryptids. However, they decided to give him space for a few years after his parents died meaning he went missing before they had a chance to try to recruit him. This ability was also at one point thought to be the source of something referred to as The Signal. Apparently they noticed a strange increase in cryptid activity in the area and theorized something was drawing them in like a signal as nothing else could explain the heightened amount of activity. However, it was concluded that the timing wasn''t right since the increase was detected after the incident twenty one years ago.


    So James couldn''t be the source. It was however believed he could detect The Signal as it was most likely some kind of EMF that couldn''t be detected by satellite and would require on ground localized scans. This information made Kathryn pause. With how Pitch''s current body worked being a cryptid that detects fear as part of its hunting and digestion it''s possible his natural ability to detect emotions was enhanced by his new form on top of being a cryptid. That combined with how he described feeling a pull from NexGen when he passed it after coming back for the first time since becoming a cryptid.


    This led Kathryn to one conclusion. Whatever was causing The Signal, it was inside NexGen. Was it the high number of cryptids being kept there? If so then why didn''t the increase start sooner? NexGen has been holding cryptids since day one and it''s been around longer than James'' entire life. So what could it be? Maybe they are intentionally sending it out to draw in cryptids to get easier access to specimens.


    While Kathryn was lost in thought, Pitch finally wandered out of the bedroom. ¡°I was wondering where you went. What''s up?¡± Kathryn hesitated a bit before showing him what she found. Pitch looked everything over while rubbing his chin. ¡°I haven''t noticed an increase of strange stuff but Black Eagle has done a good job of covering things up so far. A gas leak here, a rabid animal there. Unless you were actively looking for something you probably wouldn''t notice anything wrong.¡±


    Kathryn nodded. ¡°Only question is why it took till now for them to check in on the place they used to imprison and run tests on Cryptids.¡± Pitch grumbled. ¡°They have no idea the lab itself is the problem, and there have been no recorded escapes. So they had no reason before now. I''m guessing since we are now actively looking for cryptid activity we''ll see it a lot more. Like when you get a car and suddenly notice every time you pass that car. It''s not because there''s suddenly more of it on the road, you just didn''t have a reason to notice.¡±


    Kathryn hummed. ¡°Okay, so what''s next.¡± Pitch scrolled on the tablet a bit. ¡°I don''t know. I still feel like we''re missing something. For now we continue as we have been. Working at NexGen and looking for clues. In the meantime I think I''ll give you a sample of my particles to look at with the equipment so we can better understand my body. We can run a few tests on me and gather data. Maybe we''ll find something that''ll help us out if or when we encounter the Umbran that started all this.¡±


    Kathryn nodded. ¡°Just name a thing you want to test and we can get started.¡± Pitch dissolved his pinky to let his true self out before grabbing an airtight bottle and putting a part of him in before closing it on himself and separating the particles from himself with a light wince. ¡°That wasn''t so bad.¡± The particles go limp and drop to the bottom of the container, no longer connected to the main mass and no longer active. Kathryn shook the bottle around, rattling the contents with a humm. ¡°I''ll run this sample through as many different scans and tests as I can.¡±


    Pitch nodded. ¡°I have a few tools here we can use to run a few tests. In the garage.¡± Pitch walks to the garage and Kathryn follows. Once in there Kathryn looks through a number of things until she pulls out an EMF reader. ¡°This will definitely come in handy. Why do you have this?¡± Pitch looked at the device. ¡°It can help find power leaks and stuff. It''s not like they were invented for ghost hunting. Although since some cryptids likely give off a strong EMF it''s possible to use one of these to tell if one is nearby.¡±


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Kathryn turned on the device to scan Pitch who then entered his true form and got scanned again. ¡°Well you are definitely giving off a strong signal. I have another question. Why do you have a freaking Tesla coil in your garage?¡± Pitch shrugged. ¡°I always thought they were cool. It''s hooked up to a laptop that takes energy readings right now because last time I turned it on I was checking how conductive various materials were.¡±


    Kathryn chuckled. ¡°You could have just googled it?¡± Pitch looked at Kathryn, a bit confused. ¡°I have the equipment to find it out myself, why wouldn''t I use it?¡± Kathryn nodded with a smile. ¡°Good point.¡± And turned on the laptop to open the program out of curiosity. While fiddling she accidentally turned on the program. The Tesla coil fired up and Pitch happened to be floating between the coil and the rod the electricity would get sent to.


    The coil hummed to life as it built up energy before shooting a small bolt of lightning at Pitch. The blueish white bolt hits the black mass, jumping from particle to particle at lightning before turning purple after a few jumps and seemingly getting thicker. It bounced around a bit before Pitch intentionally discharged it at the rod. Kathryn jumped back from the laptop. ¡°Holy shit!¡± Pitch chuckled. ¡°Don''t fret, that didn''t exactly hurt. It actually tickled a bit.¡±


    Kathryn then stated ¡°That wasn''t why I jumped back.¡± Before turning the laptop over so he could see the numbers. Pitch retook his human form and looked it over. ¡°That¡­ shouldn''t be possible. Unless it''s grabbing energy from me on the way though. If these numbers are fully accurate, as long as I was well fed I could be used for cold fission.¡± Pitch then paused as his eyes widened. He then grabbed a whiteboard and started writing down math. ¡°Hey Kat, do you know how our city gets its power?¡±


    Kathryn has a confused expression on her face, not sure where Pitch was going with this. ¡°Well we used to have a coal plant, but some clean energy company bought it and closed it down ten years ago, switching over to solar and wind based energy powered by solar and wind farms in the outskirts of town.¡± Pitch wrote out three equations. ¡°This is the estimated amount of energy the solar and wind farms should produce on average. Calculated by how many Watt hours per square foot of panel and Watt hours per windmill. This second one is a rough estimate of how much energy a city of our size needs per hour.¡±


    Kathryn looked over the numbers. ¡°I don''t have to be good at math to see that we definitely are not producing enough power. What is the third equation?¡± Pitch points to it. ¡°This is an estimate of how much the energy output of our clean energy generation would be increased by running it through an Umbran. As you can see it''s more than twice what we need. This is what is causing the signal, what is drawing me to NexGen. The thing in the sub basement, the secret reactor powering the building. I suspect that NexGen captured the Umbran and that fact was not conveyed to Ishwada or perhaps even kept secret from most if not all of Black Eagle.¡±


    Kathryn put her hand on her chin. ¡°Selling the excess energy would definitely help pay for things. But I feel like we missed a step. How would this not be something known to the energy company since wouldn''t they be aware of the fact their farms aren''t enough?¡± Pitch looked at Kathryn. ¡°Do you remember who bought the coal plant?¡± Kathryn thought for a moment. ¡°The green energy company is called N.R.G Solutions if I remember correctly.¡±


    Pitch nodded. ¡°It''s a subsidiary of Tomarrow Corporation, owned by Thomas Marrow aka TomBone.¡± Kathryn''s eyes widened. ¡°NexGen is technically owned by Tomarrow Corp. A big money company was needed to provide the budget. As long as we gave the treatments they could sell we continued to receive funding. I figured we somehow did the cryptid stuff behind their backs but now it seems like Tom is actively trying to prophet off cryptids. Not sure how or when he would have learned about them though.¡±


    Pitch nodded. ¡°The how of how we got to this point isn''t as important as doing something about it. As long as they torture the Umbran in the basement this city will continue to be a hot bed for cryptids and people will die. We need to work our way in till you can gain access to the reactor and we can shut it down. Even if that means giving the Umbran a mercy killing. It''s not like we are doing a rescue operation for an abused pet. This is a man eating monster we are talking about. One that your bosses are actively feeding in order to produce clean and technically renewable energy.¡±


    Kathryn''s face scrunched in disgust. ¡°That''s awful. Unfortunately getting that level of trust is going to take time and can''t be rushed.¡± Pitch nods. ¡°So in the meantime I''ll devote myself to taking out any cryptids causing problems and helping Black Eagle in a way. Though containment isn''t a great option if I don''t kill them considering we know where the living specimens go.¡± Kathryn nods. ¡°It won''t be easy, but we''ve got a clear goal.¡±


    Pitch closes the laptop. ¡°Yeah, now that business has been taken care of, maybe we should talk about the personal.¡± Kathryn looked to Pitch. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Pitch gestured between the two of them. ¡°This. I mean how exactly are we going to handle this? Are we going to start off slow, going on dates like a normal couple and eventually build up to living together if things go well making this the last night we spend in the same bed till then? Or do we accept that nothing in our lives will ever be normal and play this by ear?¡±


    Kathryn shifted back and forth a bit. When she suggested they try and be together she didn''t exactly think it through. All she knew is for the first time in her life she wasn''t going to let something she wanted slip away from her because of her own insecurities or other issues. She figured she would deal with problems as they came up. ¡°I umm¡­ wasn''t thinking that far ahead. I figured we would just go with the flow. Whatever happens happens.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°Play it by ear then? That works for me.¡± He then kissed Kat on the cheek.


    Kathryn rubbed her cheek and smiled. The two spent some time together casually watching TV before getting ready for and going to work. For Pitch it was just a normal day. Though it felt strange now that Black Eagle was no longer posted inside the building. Pitch knew they didn''t go far because of the high level of activity in the city but still. Working in the lab building felt different for a number of reasons. Here Pitch was, going about his day like everything was normal, despite knowing the only other living member of the species he was now a part of was being tortured in the basement.


    Even if the monster was actively malicious rather than just acting in its nature, no living thing deserved to spend its life in such torment. And for what? A source of clean renewable energy? The people behind this place didn''t care about containing cryptids for the safety of the people, the only thing they saw was a resource they could exploit without consequences because cryptids would have no protections under current laws similar to how aliens had no protections. If a space person crashed into your backyard you could rape, kill, and eat it on camera and legally speaking get away with it. However, one can imagine anyone depraved enough to publicly do such a thing would quickly be punished by the court of public opinion.


    There are lots of people who would have sympathy for a sentient life form from the stars. But who on this earth would feel any remorse for a life form literally born from the energy of emotions? Especially when most of them are born from emotions that are seen as negative. Who would feel remorse for the death of something born from the fear of cannibalism that eats people or a literal sea monster that sinks ships for fun? Pitch found his thoughts spiraling ever darker as he thought about the worst parts of humanity.


    Pitch had to shake that off and remind himself there is also good in people. He bet if he tried hard enough he could find a file on a wholesome cryptid born from positive emotions. All it would take was a solid minority to convince people cryptids are not all bad. To think before they act in a way that could be considered genocidal by a loose definition considering cryptids don''t have traditional genetics.


    In fact there were several things about cryptids that didn''t make sense when pitch thought about it. He wasn''t exactly a scientist but even he understood that energy to matter conversation wasn''t exactly efficient. It took something like the equivalent of sixty four tones of TNT just to generate two grams of matter. Anyone who was a fan of a specific sci-fi movie franchise knew that humans make really crappy batteries so something that would be just a percentage of the waste energy coming off a person would be lucky to light a lightbulb even with hundreds of people.


    Even the lowest energy solution of pulling an existing entity from an adjacent dimension overlapping ours would probably require something akin to multiple nuclear power plants. Cryptids actively defined several scientific rules from what Pitch understood. If he were to create an analogy he would say it felt like God took a day off and outsourced creation to an artificial intelligence for a day. Creating something that at a distance resembled normal life and seemed to follow the rules on closer inspection is outed as fraudulent. An uncanny existence with rules that are similar but not the same as the universal standard.


    This however wasn''t Pitch''s problem to look into. It was best to focus on things within his range and power to effect. Thinking about the nonsense at work only served to distract him from his goals. To figure out why and how he was changed and freeing the Umbran from its torment. This would be accomplished by him and or Kathryn embedding themselves even deeper into NexGen and possibly Black Eagle. Something Pitch knew wouldn''t happen overnight.

 Chapter Eleven: Dark Reflection

    Vance woke up in a cold sweat from a nightmare he couldn''t fully recall. Itching the new scar on his arm that looked like some wild animal had attacked him. Claw and bite marks from what seemed to be a dog. It was just a dog, wasn''t it? Vance¡¯s memories of that night a few weeks ago were fuzzy. He was on vacation, camping with some friends. They were drinking beers and eating s''mores while telling campfire stories. Eventually after putting out the fire the group went to bed.


    While up in the middle of the night to take a piss, Vance heard a branch snapping in the distance. He looked over, and even called out to the sound. ¡°Hello?¡± There was no response, only silence. Vance put his thing away and cautiously started heading back when he heard crunching sounds. He turned around to check it out, going deeper into the woods. He moved a branch and froze in horror at what he was seeing.


    There was a doe, a female deer, laying on its sides. Its belly had been torn open and its entrails were on the floor. Its intensities were being lifted and Vance''s eyes followed them to whatever was eating the animal. It looked¡­ human, but also canine yet not. Its legs were digitigrade, its hands were clawed and looked human with a fully formed thumb. It was holding the intestines in its bloody hands and putting them to its bone white canine shaped mouth that looked like a skull with antlers on its head. This head sat upon a thick, muscular, human like torso with black matted fur with bald patches. Despite its build the thing looked gaunt, like it was starving.


    This thing, that must have been a trick of the light, seemed to be taking the intestines and slerping them like bloody spaghetti noodles. Vance sat there frozen as it continued to eat. Then he took a step back, getting ready to run, when he stepped on and broke a branch. There was a loud snap, and suddenly the creature was looking at him with its cold black dead eyes with a single white dot on the center. It seemed to look right into his soul.


    Vance tried to run, but it gave chase, tackling him to the ground. He defended with his arm getting it torn up by tooth and claw when there was a sudden gunshot. The creature let out an ungodly howl before running off and Vance took the opportunity to run. He didn''t even look back to see who had saved him.


    Vance washed off his face in the sink then got himself a big breakfast. Six eggs, four bacon strips, and four slices of toast. This was twice the food he had made for himself just three days ago. Even with this, although his stomach had been filled, he still felt an indescribable hunger. He did his best to ignore it and go about his life, but one day his life changed. While walking home he decided to take a shortcut through an alleyway. Something he usually avoided. While going through he passed by several homeless people, the reason he avoided the alleyways.


    Two of them were fighting over something. Either a sandwich or a bag of drugs. Vance didn''t check to get a closer look, he just wanted to get home faster and make dinner. The fight escalated and one homeless man stabbed the other before running off with his prize. Vance rushed over to the man with the knife coming out his belly. ¡°Oh god, oh god. I''ll¡­ I''ll call you an ambulance or something.¡± Vance honestly didn''t care about the plight of the homeless on any given day, but he still couldn''t stand by and do nothing as someone died.


    Vance put his hands out to the knife when he got the sudden whiff of blood. Normally just seeing bloodshed makes him queasy. But at this moment, the smell was intoxicating. Vance even found himself drooling a little. ¡°(What is wrong with me? Why am I suddenly really hungry? So hungry¡­ so hungry.)¡± Vance stared at the wound for a moment before looking around to see the two of them.were alone. There were no witnesses. Vance grabbed the handle of the knife and finished what the other homeless didn''t before using the knife to carve into the man''s flesh.


    Chunks of raw human meat were thoughtlessly shoveled into Vance''s mouth in a foggy haze of twisted instinct. By the time Vance came to his hands and face were stained in blood and bits of raw meat. He shook with the knife in his hand while looking at the half eaten corpse of another human being and nearly threw up. He kept gagging, trying to force it out but he couldn''t do it. He washed himself off in a nearby puddle before shackaly walking away. Vance got home still shaking and was unable to do anything else that day until going to bed.


    Even several days later there was no news on the TV about a half eaten dead homeless person. Vance killed a man and ate his flesh, without any consequences. He got away with it Scott free. Vance looked down at his hands and the shaking stopped as a grim smile formed on Vance''s face. ¡°What else can I get away with?¡± He let out a wicked laugh as he felt the shackles of society loosen. ¡°What else can I do, just what else am I capable of?¡± He continued laughing before forcing it back. He pushed on his face to force it back into a normal expression. ¡°Let''s test our limits Vance, after all, why shouldn''t I just do whatever the fuck I want?¡±


    Vance acted normal in public, but secretly he felt ecstatic. For the first time in his life he felt truly free. He always felt like he was different than others, better than others, like he shouldn''t be held to the same standards. But he always kept himself in check, not simply doing whatever he wanted because he was afraid of the consequences. Jail time, having others look down on him for being immoral by their tiny standards. The world should be his oister, a play thing to do with as he pleases. Finally he had a sign, to abandon the fear and let go of the chains he had placed on himself.


    Vance spent much of his childhood bullied, feeling like even his own family didn''t love him. He came to the conclusion this was reality trying to push him down and cripple his true potential. But then realized the fires of hardship were forging him into an unbreakable and sharp blade. He was of the mentally he was intended for greater things, that he was being molded into the next step of human evolution to write the wrongs of society. That one day he would restore the natural order of Darwinism, a world where the strongest rules over and prey upon the weak. As such he began to test and display his strength whenever possible.


    He became the bully, pushing others down at every opportunity to prove he was superior. To prove that he was forged to be the blade that culled the wheat from the chaff. As such, he became extremely hateful of another individual. Someone who, like him, suffered hardships at every turn. Someone who''s blade was forged by the hottest fires of suffering. But unlike him constantly reached out and helped lift the weak. He used his blade to help cut a path for those who could not do it themselves. He was a symbol of everything wrong with modern society. Lifting up and ensuring the survival of the disabled and unworthy when Vance felt we should do as the Spartans did and throw the physically disfigured off a cliff.


    The worst part of this individual was the fact Vance shared genetics with the soft hearted fool. This other sword that had been forged to be as sharp and durable as him but used it to cut a path for the weak rather than cut down the weak was his own cousin. This pissed him off more than anything. So he regularly challenged his cousin to prove who was superior. No matter how hard he pushed his cousin down he simply kept getting back up. He hasn''t spoken to or even seen his cousin in years but now it was as if god himself was giving Vance permission to embrace his predatory nature.


    This was the rule of nature, survival of the fittest. Predators rule over prey and humanity has gone without a natural predator long enough. Now that his potential was unleashed he could become this predator, not just of humans but of whatever had attacked him. He would become the pinnacle of Darwinistic evolution, an ultimate apex predator with no rival sitting on top of a savage world where only the strongest survive.


    Ishwada was woken up by his phone going off at three in the morning. Groggy and tired he grabbed his phone and picked it up. ¡°Hello hello, this is Ishwada speaking.¡± Even in English he had a habit of keeping the Japanese tradition of saying hello twice. The voice over the phone is female. ¡°This is officer Hamilton of the New Arkham Police Department, my mentor gave me this number and told me to call it if anything unusual came up.¡±


    Stolen story; please report.


    Ishwada rubbed his eyes and looked at the clock. ¡°It''s three in the damn morning. Who gave you this number?¡± The female voice responded ¡°Chief Garland.¡± Ishwada got up and got dressed with the phone in a new hand, swapping hands as he did so. ¡°Okay, give me a run down of what the situation is.¡± Hamilton signed. ¡°It''ll be easier if you see it. I''ll text you the address.¡±


    Ishwada arrived at a home with crime scene tape around it. Cops and criminals scene investigators working the scene. ¡°This better be good Hamilton.¡± The woman working the scene was surprisingly young for how she sounded, she looked fresh out of academy. Hamilton gestured for the former General to follow her in. ¡°I used to live in Florida, I once saw a dude on bad meth eat a man''s face. That had nothing on this.¡± That alone had Ishwada curious. He followed the young cop into the living room of the building.


    The room itself was trashed and in a state of utter chaos, on the floor lay the victim. His knees were broken and bent backwards, his feet were broken and mutilated, his hands had sharp fake nails glued onto them, his arms and back had what looked like black fur haphazardly glued to his skin, and there was a deer skull on his head. The man''s belly had been cut open more than once and most of his insides were missing.


    Ishwada put his hand over his mouth. He had seen strange and fucked up thing in his time but this was definitely new. Although it was definitely outside the normal, a ritualistic murder wasn''t exactly what he and his group dealt with. The cop gestured to the corpse. ¡°This is the fifth one we''ve found in a similar state in as many months. We''ve got a serial killer on our hands and we think he may also be responsible for a number of cannibalistic deaths prior to this. The coroner tells me that the broken limbs, nails, and head dressing were all done before the victim was killed and eaten raw.¡±


    Ishwada takes a closer look at the skull to see something black had been set in the eye socket with a white dot painted in the middle. A detail that likely wouldn''t be there unless the killer had encountered the cryptid this victim was made to resemble. This killer was going out of their way to make their victims resemble the pop culture variant of the Wendigo before killing and eating them. Why someone who managed to survive an encounter with the Ososphobian cryptid would do such a thing was unknown. This wasn''t typical behavior of someone who had been infected.


    Ishwada stood up from his crouched position over the body. ¡°How far back do these killings go, counting the suspected early ones before our UnSub took to this M.O.?¡± Hamilton looked over her notes. ¡°Oldest suspected killing is¡­ eight months back.¡± Ishwada rubbed his chin. ¡°(An infected person would definitely be showing physical signs of change. Loss of hair, paling of skin. However it''s hard to imagine someone seeing a Wendigo close enough for this level of detail and leaving unscathed.)¡± ¡°This case definitely qualifies for my group to help with the investigation and detaining of the suspect.¡±


    Ishwada goes outside to make a call to his superior to let them know that New Arkham, a hotbed for Cryptid activities over the last two decades, has had another incident. This time with a Wendigo that was a bit farther east then normal. He then walks in to see an investigator take a sample under the fake nails. ¡°Looks like our perp got sloppy and the victim got a good claw in. We''ll send in a sample to see if this sicko is in the system.¡±


    Ishwada noticed more skin under a second nail and took his own sample. He then placed it in a portable kit for DNA identification. ¡°Fancy gizmo you got there, but I''ve still gotta have my own sample and chain of evidence.¡± Hamilton remarked. Ishwada nodded when the device dinged, having finished its work. ¡°Match found. 50% anomaly detected.¡± Was on the readout. Ishwada clicked a button to see who the sample matched to.


    ¡°Vance Warden, Twenty Six. Long record of assaults, disorderly conducts, and vandalism. Definitely has anger issues but this seems a bit of a leap for someone with a record like this Ishwada remarked after reading the display. Hamilton sighed. ¡°He''s got two living relatives in this city, his mom and a cousin who got a restraining order on him in highschool after said cousin was assaulted. My mentor Garland dealt with him a few times. He works at a local steel factory. Not exactly well liked outside some equally aggressive individuals. So he''s got a small group of three friends.¡±


    Ishwada nodded. ¡°How about you and I split up the interviews of people that know him. You start with the three friends and I''ll hit up the family.¡± Hamilton agreed. ¡°Yeah. His mother is Karen Warden and his cousin with the restraining order against him is¡­¡± she flipped through her file on Vance. ¡°James Holden. Same age as the suspect.¡± Ishwada blinked a few times. ¡°That''s interesting. This is the second case that I''ve had this month where he had some involvement. I know his address, you can text me the mom''s but I''ll start with Holden.¡±


    Pitch and Kathryn were going over what little information they managed to gather since their last meeting and going through the tablet again when there was an unexpected knock on the door. Pitch hesitated before getting up to open it only to see General Ishwada standing there. ¡°Hello General. I thought you were being sent to your next case or mission or whatever and wouldn''t be here anymore.¡± Ishwada lets out a small grunt. ¡°New case brought me here. Can I come in?¡±


    Pitch moved and let Ishwada in. ¡°Looks like our little casual coffee and movie night will have to wait¡¯ Kat. It looks like Ishwada has a new case and somehow it has brought him back here.¡± Kathryn chuckled and put the tablet away. ¡°That''s fine.¡± Ishwada sits down on a chair. ¡°I''m going to get right to business. When is the last time you''ve seen or heard from your cousin Vance Warden?¡± Pitch let out a groan. ¡°It''s been awhile. I think I spotted him in the distance a year ago maybe. I actively avoid him after the whole restraining order thing. A restraining order I''m fairly sure he''s in violation of by the way.¡±


    Ishwada nods and places a picture of Vance on the table for Kathryn to see. The muscular man had a scar that went from his forehead and curved down around his eye to his chin and a bald head. ¡°This is the creep I saw in the window that day. The one I thought might be Black Eagle spying on you after we were cleared during the investigation into the lab attack.¡± Ishwada and Pitch both asked ¡°Are you sure?¡± In unison. Kathryn nodded.


    Pitch hummed. ¡°Well that would explain the police being after him but not you. Kat and I both know you don''t handle restraining order violations or normal crimes period.¡± Ishwada nodded. ¡°He''s a person of interest in a case involving ritualistic serial killing.¡± Pitch blinked a few times. ¡°If you had said he had killed someone in a violent rage I wouldn''t have been surprised but a ritualistic killing on the multiple seems a bit¡­ outside his normal operation.¡± Ishwada nodded ¡°I believe he had a close encounter with a Wendigo, pop culture variant.¡± He then slides over a folder with crime scene photos.


    Pitch looked over the photos and despite the graphic nature hardly reacted. Kathryn on the other hand nearly threw up on seeing them. Pitch flipped through the photos. ¡°The body has been dressed and mutilated to resemble the Wendigo, my guess is while still alive before the victim was killed and cannibalized. It''s like he''s going out of his way to invoke the image of the monster before symbolically killing and eating it like a predator. Putting himself above it in the food web. As if he''s trying to achieve dominance over something he sees as an apex predator. That sounds more like Vance. The guy had some weird Darwinistic Meritocracy views. Believed the natural order was the string subjugating the weak.¡±


    Ishwada rubbed his chin. ¡°It''s possible his own personality and darkness influenced and mutated the Cryptid conversation. Instead of becoming a Wendigo from the infection he''s becoming something new. Transforming into his own idea of an ultimate apex predator with no natural rivals that can stand above a savage world.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°His childhood started a lot like mine. Filled with hardship and bullies. Unlike me who was humbled and arrived to be better at every opportunity, he took the struggle making us stronger mentally to heart before falling down a rabbit hole of thinking the strong should rule over the weak. He became a bully himself using his belief as an excuse to ridicule and abuse anyone he saw as weaker than himself.¡±


    Ishwada grumbled. ¡°Well if he''s becoming something new instead of a Wendigo because of the Wendigo infection then we can''t assume he''ll have the same abilities and weaknesses as a partially converted Wendigo. Looks like general equipment. Thanks for your help. It''s refreshing to deal with someone in the know about Cryptids and not have to dance around or juggle cover stories. Unfortunately the risks of going public are greater than the benefits.¡± Pitch looked at Kathryn then back to the General. ¡°This may be an unusual request considering I turned down joining Black Eagle already but I''d like to aid you in bringing down Vance.¡±


    Ishwada thought about it for a moment. ¡°Normally I wouldn''t allow something like that, however I understand if you feel a measure of responsibility. Despite your differences he is still family.¡± Pitch shook his head. ¡°I never saw Vance as family. I just want to help bring him down as payback for all the torment he put me through as kids.¡± Ishwada let out a laugh. ¡°Well either way I already think you have what it takes to be Black Eagle.¡± Pitch grumbled. ¡°I won''t be taking orders. If anything you can think of me as a consultant. I want to be clear that although I trust your motivation the same is not true of your employers.¡±


    Ishwada nods. ¡°Understood. Shall we go then? We can even take the scientist if you want. It could be useful to have her along to observe and study the new specimen.¡± Kathryn nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Consider me there. This could be the breakthrough we''ve been hoping for. To finally understand how Cryptids work.¡± With everyone in agreement the three pack into General Ishwada¡¯s armored Humvee and head over to Vance''s house to investigate the area for clues on where he might be or possibly who his next victim could be.


    The three arrive at his house and Ishwada knocks on the door to no response. He then picks the lock and walks in anyway. After a quick search it''s found that the house is empty. Not only that but it is surprisingly clean. Pitch hummed. ¡°I don''t think he''s been here in a few days.¡± He then checks the fridge. ¡°He''s got a six pack of beers in here, so he intended to come back eventually.¡± The group continued to search through the house with Kathryn checking the bedroom. She opens a drawer and finds a freshman yearbook from Teddy Roosevelt High School. ¡°I think I found something.¡± The other two come to see what Kathryn found.

 Chapter Twelve: Through the mirror darkly

    Pitch eyed the yearbook, it was of the freshman year he, Kathryn, and Vance shared. Early the next year was when he assaulted James and got himself expelled and transferred to the juvenile correction educational center. Pitch tilted his head back and forth. ¡°It''s a yearbook, so what.¡± Kathryn tapped the book. ¡°It was on the top shelf of a drawer on top of the clothes. Also the spine is deformed indicating he''s opened it a lot.¡±


    Kathryn starts flipping through the pages and gets to the one with pictures of various sports teams. She quickly noticed several faces were crossed out. Five in total. One member of each sports team minus the football team. Pitch groaned. ¡°Well that''s not good.¡± Ishwada points to one of the names. ¡°This name was on the I.D of the latest victim.¡±


    Pitch double checked a detail he noticed. ¡°He''s taken out one member of a sports team except football if you don''t count track as a sport. Not only that but he targeted specifically one person. He tried out for all of these teams but was either rejected or kicked out because he was too aggressive and collected penalties. The people crossed out, his victims, were the ones who got the position he either had or aimed for. So assuming he continues this pattern he''ll go after whoever got the position he wanted in football next, then the gym teacher and coach of the sports teams.¡±


    Kathryn looked at the picture of the football team and went pale. ¡°What position did he hold in football? Pitch hesitated to respond. ¡°It''s¡­ exactly what you fear unfortunately. His next target is your brother Cuda.¡± Kathryn closed the book and started running towards the door. ¡°We have to hurry.¡± Pitch rushed over and put a hand on Kathryn¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Slow down there. I know you are worried but we need to play this smart. If we just rush in to extract your brother from danger we might lose our best chance at bringing down Vance.¡±


    Ishwada pitched in ¡°He''s right, our best bet is to stage a stake out and grab the guy as soon as he wakes his move¡± Katelyn gets frustrated, her hands becoming animated. ¡°Vance isn''t even human anymore! How do we fight that!?¡± Pitch gestured to Ishwada. ¡°We have someone with equipment for dealing with Cryptids and the experience to use it. If we can, we''ll take Vance alive for questioning and study. He could be instrumental in discovering the missing pieces in the Cryptid puzzle.¡±


    Kathryn took a few breaths to calm herself. ¡°You''re right. I must be calm and keep a level head. It''s just¡­ one of the few things on this earth I get real emotional over. Cuda has been there for me my whole life and is the best brother I could ask for. I don''t want him getting hurt.¡± Pitch let go of Kathryn¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we''ll stop Vance. Even if I have to kill him myself.¡± Kathryn knew Pitch wasn''t just offering to remove Vance from existence in the traditional way. He was offering to use his true form and risk getting exposed for her sake. ¡°Thanks.¡± Kathryn managed before they returned the book where they found it the best they could and left the building making sure to lock it back up on the way out.


    Vance pulled into his driveway in the early morning as the sun started to rise, having spent the entire night trying to find his target out and about enjoying the nightlife but had no luck. He was fairly confident his target still lived in New Arkham so it was only a matter of time. Vance unlocked his door and stepped into his home, turning on a light as he took off his shoes and entered the building proper. He paused for a moment, something felt off. He quickly checked every room but nothing was out of place.


    Vance shrugged it off and did a run with a vacuum before taking a shower and going to lay down in his bed with the yearbook in hand. ¡°Nothing in this world can stop me, all those so-called athletes are nothing but prey animals to me now. I''ve ascended beyond humanity and am rapidly evolving into the ultimate apex. Soon I''ll correct everything wrong with this world and restore the natural order. Survival of the fittest with me at the pinnacle of it all. A savage Spartan world where we toss the physically disfigured and mentally disabled to their deaths.¡±


    Vance got up to put away the yearbook before laying back down and dozing off, dreams of his savage utopia floating though his sick and twisted head. Completely ignorant that anyone has caught on and is hot on his trail looking to put an end to his brutal killing spree.


    Pitch paced back and forth in his home in his human form having not needed to sleep. He was anxious, he had not encountered a Cryptid since his transformation and was not sure what to expect from Vance at all. Since he wasn''t a registered species and was instead an anomaly, there was no real way of knowing the true extent of his abilities. So Pitch mentally made a short list of things he expected. ¡°(Enhanced strength, stamina, speed, durability. Clawed hands and sharper teeth. Night vision. All things I expect from a predatory Cryptid and all abilities the Wendigo have. Though his body shape has not visibly changed there is a chance he''s developed an ability completely separate from the root Cryptid that infested him. I have to be prepared for anything.)¡±


    Ishwada had already placed someone outside Cuda¡¯s home to keep an eye on it just in case, but Pitch knew he had to be ready to move as soon as Vance made his. Pitch wasn''t sure why Ishwada allowed him and Kathryn to participate in the investigation and capture of Vance, other than the fact they were familiar with him. This didn''t matter though, as there was a determination to stop what this former bully had become.


    ¡°Does this make me a vigilante? I mean I have these abilities so I might as well make them useful. It''s not something I had intended to do, I''ve been more worried about finding answers. I can''t change what has happened and what I am but I can choose what to do with it. I''ve already gone out of my way to choose a lesser evil, why not actively do good? Maybe I can convince Ishwada to let me be a consultant on a regular basis so I can get info from Black Eagle without joining it officially and having to take orders. They also might scan me more thoroughly. I can reproduce blood but I don''t know if I can trick an X-ray.¡±


    Pitch did his best to pass the time till his shift started and arrived at his job to clock in for the day. It was hard to pretend like everything was normal when all he wanted to do was locate Vance and stop his murder spree. Vance always had a strange way of getting on James'' nerves. It was like looking in a dark reflection. Someone with a similar starting point that went in the totally opposite direction. Now that he too was a Cryptid it was almost like looking at what Pitch could have become if he had not cared as much about doing the right thing.


    Pitch shook himself from his own thoughts and focused on his job. At the end of the shift while making his way out of the building he met up with Kathryn in the lobby. ¡°Ready to go home? I''ll drive you.¡± Before she could respond Ishwada came rushing in with a large briefcase. ¡°Cuda made a social media post from a bar while celebrating with coworkers. It''s likely Vance will recognize the bar and be able to follow him home. It''s now or never, let''s move.¡±


    Kathryn did a small jump in surprise. ¡°I know I said I wanted to be proactive in protecting my brother but I didn''t expect you to bring us with you. Don''t you have a squad of trained Black Eagle people who are better suited.¡± Ishwada put the case down and opened it. ¡°Small unit to be discreet. Two Humvees for a total of ten people including myself and I could use someone that knows this guy and how he thinks on the field with me.¡±


    Ishwada hands Pitch an electric rifle from the case, the same kind the thugs that tried to raid the lab had. ¡°Here, take a Volt Rifle.¡± He then hands him a side arm made with the same technology. ¡°And a Watt Pistol. I assume you''ve shot a gun before so it should be fairly intuitive for you.¡± He then hands a Watt Pistol to Kathryn. ¡°Keep the safety on till you are ready to fire. It has a stun and kill setting so keep an eye on what you have it set to.¡±


    Pitch and Kathryn hop in his jeep and they follow the two armored Humvees as they race to Cuda''s home. They get there just in time as a car pulls up that Kathryn says is not her brother''s. A man steps out and once there is enough light on him it becomes clear that it''s Vance. He stretches his arms out, his face aimed straight at the Humvees. ¡°I thought I would have more time before the worms sent their resistance. It''s only natural that someone knows about and handles things like what attacked me. I suppose you''ve labeled me a monster as well?¡±


    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Pitch steps out of his jeep aiming the Volt Rifle right at Vance and slowly moving forward in a stance one would expect from military training. Vance recognizes James¡¯ face. ¡°James Holden? This must be fate. Were you working with these people before my ascension, or did you force your way in as soon as you learned about me?¡± Pitch keeps a distance with his gun aimed. ¡°I''ve come to put a stop to your kill streak. I won''t stand by as you kill innocents.¡±


    Vance smiled a wicked smile. ¡°Are lambs not innocent when we send them to slaughter? It is the right and the privilege of greater beings to rule over the lesser. As humans are to livestock I have become to humans. My encounter with that monster unlocked my true potential. It''s allowed me to achieve my destiny as the apex predator of a savage world.¡± Pitch doesn''t move. ¡°You''re delusional. Your dreams of a strength based meritocracy end here Vance. Dead or alive I''m making sure your reign of terror ends here.¡±


    Vance frowns. ¡°I''m disappointed. I was hoping the only person in this world I ever regarded as an equal would side with me but I suppose this is how it always was. My equal yet opposite. My destined rival. Or you should have been. You represent everything wrong with modern society. Using your strength to protect the physically and mentally disabled. Allowing hunchbacks and retards to survive to spread their flawed genetics. But now that I''m something more than human, something greater, you stand no chance against me. With you gone I''ll be the undeniable top dog. No one will be able to stop me as I cleanse this world of the lame and retarted masses. Only the strongest have the right to thrive. Everyone else is pretty, lucky to live as slaves and livestock at the whims of someone like me.¡±


    Pitch grumbles ¡°Thanks for the impromptu lesson on the basics of eugenics, Hitler.¡± Vance takes a step forward and Pitch fires a bolt of lightning at him from the Volt Rifle set to stun. ¡°I don''t care about race or gender or even sexual preferences. Just strength.¡± The attack doesn''t even seem to faze Vance. Pitch quickly switches the gun to kill mode and as it''s charging up Vance lunges at Pitch only to freeze once he''s closer. Vance started to laugh nervously with a wicked smile on his face. ¡°Of course. Of course out of all the maggots in this world you would be the one to ascend like I have. My equal yet opposite. I should have known from the start you were no longer human. But this¡­ this feeling.¡±


    The soldiers exit the Humvees and start taking positions around the two. Vance puts his shaking hands in front himself. ¡°It''s like every cell in my body is telling me to run. My fight or flight response is telling me to flee like some prey animal.¡± Pitch aimed the gun right at Vance¡¯s head ¡°You talk too much.¡± and pulls the trigger. A small thunder is hard as the high voltage bolt is fired into Vance''s face point blank.


    Once the smoke cleared Vance glared at Pitch as the burn mark started rapidly healing before his eyes. Vance swings at Pitch with now clawed hands. Pitch managed to move back to take a body shot at Vance which causes him to wince as he is pushed back slightly. ¡°That hurts James, it really does. But all it''s doing is pissing me off! Drop the facade already James, show me what you really are!¡± Pitch took a look at the Volt Rifle that was set to its highest setting. He then gives the gun a hard snack and starts to tinker with it.


    Vance decides not to wait to see what his opponent has planned. He takes a stance like a runner about to sprint. There are some snapping sounds as his legs shift to become digitigrade. Vance bares his teeth now more closely resembling a piranha or a shark with a solid row of sharp teeth that definitely weren''t there a moment ago. ¡°I''m going to enjoy tarring you limb from limb and eating your corpse.¡±


    Vance gets in close and goes for another swipe when he suddenly hears a high pitched whine. There is a sudden loud bang as the Volt Rifle explodes sending an electric pile that knocks them both back. Ishwada gives the order. ¡°You''ve got a clear shot, take it. Open fire!¡± all the Black Eagle soldiers started shooting with their rifles set to kill. Vance scrambled off the ground as he was pelted with enough electricity to kill a man multiple times in rapid succession. He noticed the wounds were taking longer to heal.


    Vance rushed the men, making one swipe at the gun and a second at the guts, killing the man in front of his comrades who backed up a bit. Vance then stuffs the now freed intestines into his mouth and started slerping them like thick meaty spaghetti noodles. The men hesitate a bit when Ishwada takes a shot and the rest snap out of it and take steps back as they continue to fire at him. Pitch gets up and shakes himself off but hesitates to act. Kathryn steps out of the Jeep to take pot shots with her Watt Pistol as she joins the soldiers.


    Vance is forced to back away a bit before he can make a second attack. ¡°Kathryn Smith? Now isn''t that an interesting development.¡± He rushed in and decapitated a soldier before gulping down the head by unhinging his jaw like a snake. He then bites the neck stub and starts drinking blood from the corpse like some sort of bloody Capri Sun. All while the remaining men continue to fire at the monster almost uselessly. Ishwada moves to the back of the Humvee and opens the back showing some sort of turret that looks like a Gatling gun made with the same electric tech.


    Ishwada fires up the gun and starts making rapid fire shots with each one being stronger than a Volt Rifle forcing Vance to dodge and move back. Vance growls. ¡°I''m pissed, so to return the favor I''m going right for the girl. How does that feel James? If you don''t show me your true self the cute little Labrador dies by my hands.¡± Vance starts rushing in at inhuman speed, going at an arc for the back line. However Ishwada overheard Vance so he had the weapon ready and fired several shots into the man sending him backwards.


    Vance changes strategy and runs to a stop sign, rips it out of the ground, and tossed it at Ishwada. Pitch runs in and tackles him off before the sign shoots through the turret like a spear. ¡°You should have brought a bigger gun, something like an RPG maybe.¡± Ishwada gets up and brushes himself off. ¡°I don''t get it, we were taxing his healing and it was slowing down but then our attacks seemed less and less effective the more we hit him.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°He''s actively adapting, changing into a form best suited for the fight at hand. Getting faster, stronger, more durable, and resistant to the specific type of damage you''re doing. The longer the fight drags out the more powerful he becomes.¡±


    Ishwada grumbles. ¡°So what do we do?¡± Pitch sighs. ¡°Fight fire with fire.¡± Vance charges in once more, aiming for Kathryn. Now even the kill shots from the Volt Rifle barely make Vance flinch. He goes for the attack, claw aimed right at her face when suddenly he is thrown to the floor. Tackled by James. ¡°You wanted to see the real me, to see what I really am? You''ve fucked around long enough, it''s time for you to find out.¡± Vance gets himself off the ground and dusts himself off. ¡°Finally, a worthy opponent. Our battle will be legendary.¡±


    Vance charges at Pitch, making several swipes only for Pitch to keep bobbing and weaving like a professional boxer. Vance starts getting clearly frustrated. ¡°With all the talk about fuckin'' around and finding out I expected you to at least fight back.¡± Pitch then takes an opening to unapologetically kick Vance as hard as he can in the balls causing Vance to double over. ¡°That''s a dirty trick. I didn''t expect you to stop so low.¡± Pitch doesn''t respond verbally and tosses several Volt Rifles and Watt Pistols at Vances feet. All of them flashing.


    James seemingly vanishes as the weapons let out high pitch tones and detonate causing the street and house lights to go out in the area. The remaining Black Eagle soldiers turned on tactical flashlights before slowly approaching the now downed Vance with only Watt pistols in hand. Ishwada noticed his rifle was missing as well. ¡°Did anyone else notice when Mister Holden disarmed the squad?¡± One man shook his head. ¡°No sir.¡± Then cautiously leaned in to check Vance for a pulse. ¡°It''s weak, but he''s still alive.¡±


    Pitch walked over, still in his human guide. ¡°I was honestly hoping that would kill him. World''s better off without him in it. But I suppose that would be too easy. After all, he''s gotta take responsibility for what he''s done.¡± Kathryn walks to her brother¡¯s house. ¡°I''m going to check on Cu, he''s probably awake after that. Better have a really good cover story planned.¡± Ishwada nods. ¡°We''ve got that covered. In the meantime...¡± Ishwada glares at Pitch. ¡°You have some explaining to do young man.¡±


    Pitch nods and walks a bit gesturing for Ishwada to follow. He hesitates but does so as the two gain some distance away from the rest of the soldiers. He lets out a sigh. ¡°As you may have been able to guess by my reflexes and performance as well as whatever you may have overheard, I''m not exactly human anymore either. I have no intention of harming the innocent and only want answers as to how and why I''ve been changed. I''ve been this way since I went missing. I joined NexGen because I felt drawn to it. I firmly believe it''s why this city is such a Cryptid magnet.¡±


    Ishwada rubs his chin and thinks. ¡°Is it because of the high number of Cryptids being held? Also I''d like you to specify what kind of hybrid you''ve become.¡± Pitch addresses the question first with his own question. ¡°Is the facility in New Arkham the only NexGen building with Cryptids?¡± Ishwada responds with a quick ¡°No.¡± Pitch continues ¡°Are any of the other labs magnets for Cryptids?¡± Again Ishwada responds ¡°No.¡± pitch continued ¡°Then it must be something else, something unique to the building in New Arkham.¡±


    Ishwada thinks for a moment. ¡°The generator? I don''t see how a generator can produce the signal. Is it because of the unique EMF it gives off? No¡­ the facility would be shielded to prevent that.¡± Pitch gives him the information he''s missing. ¡°It''s a Cryptid, this city is powered by a Cryptid. I don''t have solid proof-¡± Ishwada cuts him off ¡°No, it makes sense. It''s clearly not nuclear but produces a similar amount of energy. We are a long way from cold fusion otherwise the military would definitely have it already. I''ve seen for myself that Cryptids defy traditional science.¡±


    Pitch nods. ¡°Then you see why we have to work together? For the good of both our kinds, Cryptid and Human. I understand if you don''t trust me but understand I also can''t fully trust you. So no, I won''t be telling you what kind of hybrid I am. If I did, I''d put myself at risk of death or capture by your men. They''d exploit my weaknesses and treat me the same as any other Cryptids. A resource to profit and benefit from or a weapon. Because, if I wanted you dead you wouldn''t be standing here.¡±


    Ishwada lets out a grunt. ¡°Not exactly inspiring trust or confidence by saying shit like that. Fine, we can work together for now. But the moment I feel you''re a risk I won''t hesitate to bring you down.¡± Pitch nods. ¡°I wouldn''t have it any other way."

 Chapter Thirteen: Chimera

    Kathryn was surprised that Vance survived the explosion Pitch caused. She wasn''t sure what cover story Black Flag used for all the noise in the middle of the night. She had made sure her brother was okay and told him she''d explain everything later when she had a chance but for now she had to aid in the study of the lab¡¯s newest specimen. The containment crew grabbed Vance and brought him in and he was now in a cell alongside other contained Cryptids. Unconscious but alive. Kathryn had already taken several samples of blood, hair, and skin for testing.


    She couldn''t help but feel excitement at the prospects and possibilities this opened up. This could be a missing like that''ll finally close some of the gaps in knowledge when it comes to Cryptids. Her equipment dinged to indicate it had finished processing the samples and she looked over the analysis. Vance¡¯s human DNA was still partly intact but much of his genetics had been corrupted and altered after the infection. However the process was not as far as it should have been and the signature was so different from the ones on file for the Wendigo types that already existed in the system.


    Part of it did resemble that signature but other parts didn''t. In fact it looked like the sample contained parts of multiple Cryptids in its signature. In addition to Wendigo there was also a bit of Doppelganger and Succubus. She raised an eyebrow at this. ¡°He''s¡­ a Chimera?¡± She then hears sound from the containment cell as Vance wakes up. ¡°Where-¡± his eyes widen as he sees his surroundings. ¡°What the-¡± Kathryn moved over to the cell. ¡°Good morning sleepyhead. Well I say morning but it''s actually really late at night an entire day after you were knocked out.¡±


    Vance looks at the different Cryptids in containment. A ghoul, some amphibious creature that looked like a large mutated mudfish, a werewolf looking creature, and there was even a cell with a potted vine plant in it. He smiled wickedly. ¡°It seems what attacked me wasn''t the only monster and there''s an entire secret ecosystem of these things. I have further to climb then I thought but thanks to you I''m in the perfect place for my continued ascension. It''s like an all-you-can-eat buffet in here.¡±


    Kathryn scowled at him. ¡°You''re not leaving this cell anytime soon Vance. You''re going to be studied with the other Cryptids until we figure out exactly what''s going on.¡± Vance tilted his head. ¡°Cryptids? Like Bigfoot? Does that mean the thing that attacked me was one?¡± Kathryn nodded. ¡°Wendigo, pop culture variant. Wendigo are capable of infecting humans and converting them.¡± Vance looked at his own hands. ¡°Well I''m not a Wendigo.¡±


    Kathryn looked over the data. ¡°No, you''re some sort of Chimera. You seem to have bits of Doppelganger and Succubus in you but I''m not sure how.¡± Vance smiled wickedly once more. ¡°I think I may have a hypothesis for you Doctor. I am what I eat.¡± Kathryn looked up at Vance with knitted eyebrows. ¡°Come again?¡± Vance¡¯s wicked smile only grew. ¡°Turns out the captain of the hockey team and his cheerleader girlfriend were Cryptids the entire time. A Dopple and a Succubus respectfully. I killed them and partook of their flesh like a good predator should. It seems I keep what I kill which is why I''m so happy to be here now with all these fine specimens.¡± Vance licks his lips hungrily.


    Kathryn shivers in disgust. ¡°You are vile, sick and twisted. You belonged in a cage, even before losing your humanity. All this did was give you an excuse to be what you really are and allowed the outside to match the rotted and festered insides.¡± Vance gets right up to the transparent duraplex barrier between himself and Kathryn and breathes in heavily through his nose. ¡°How can you stand there being so mean while smelling absolutely intoxicating?~¡±


    Kathryn makes a face of disgust but doesn''t respond verbally as Vance continues to be a creep. ¡°That sweet smell.¡± he licks his lips. ¡°It makes me want to taste you. To put you in my mouth and savor the flavor of you. It makes me want to put your supple flesh in my mouth and feel your juices running down my throat and cheek.¡± Vance then licks the duraplex barrier. Kathryn gags a bit, unclear if he''s talking about sex or food, almost throwing up in her mouth from how revolting both ideas are to her. ¡°I would never consent to such a thing.¡± Vance laughs maliciously. ¡°Hahahaha, how cute. You think I need your consent. I''m an apex predator, if I don''t get what I want, I simply take it by force. The best part would be seeing James¡¯ pathetic face when he learns of what I''ve done to his girlfriend. Or perhaps I''ll make him watch as I ravish you.¡±


    Kathryn gets closer to the barrier and jabs her fingers in the duraplex. ¡°You''re never getting out of here, I''ll make sure you rot in that cell.¡± Vance smiles wickedly once more as he rubs his hands together with a sinister snicker. ¡°No denial of being his woman? I wasn''t fully serious when I said that but the lack of rebuttal proves me right.¡± He then puts his open hands in front of himself with the palms facing upwards before blowing hard on his hands. This causes some pinkish purple glittery smoke to hit the duraplex and go through the small air holes and into Kathryn''s face and eyes with her accidentally breathing it in with a cough.


    Vance then takes a sweet but sinister tone. ¡°Now how about you be a good girl and open this cell. I promise to show you a good time if you do~¡± Kathryn coughs a few times before quickly pulling a switch to pull out the excess of the stuff Vance put in the air, then hits another to hit Vance with tranquilizer. ¡°Have the subject moved to a controlled environment cell similar to a succubus, he has access to the pheromones.¡± some other scientists move to do so while the supervisor checks in on Kathryn. ¡°Are you okay? I was sure you breathed that in.¡±


    Kathryn nodded. ¡°I did, but for some reason when he spoke I felt zero compulsion to aid him. Not even a little bit with me fighting the urge. There was zero urge.¡± The supervisor gets a lot and takes a few swabs from Kathryn¡¯s face as well as blood and saliva samples. ¡°I''m going to run a few tests. You can get back to work.¡± Kathryn does just that. After a while of focusing on taking samples and running tests the elevator opens and Pitch steps out.


    Pitch walks over to check on Kathryn. ¡°How''s it going?¡± Kathryn doesn''t look up from her work. ¡°It''s going.¡± She continues for a moment before pausing. ¡°Wait a second, how''d you get down here?¡± Pitch responded simply. ¡°They gave me clearance after the whole thing with Vance. Because I helped in his capture they now know that I know about Cryptids. Speaking of that horrid individual, I don''t see his cell.¡± Kathryn does a quick stretch. ¡°We had to have him moved. It seems he can mimic the abilities and traits of other Cryptids that he''s eaten in addition to his root type. Wendigo, Doppelganger, Succubus. At least he hasn''t gotten access to something that can''t be killed with traditional weapons yet.¡±


    Pitch grumbles. ¡°So not only is he a monster but he is what he eats. A Chimera that can continue to evolve by co-opting the abilities of other monsters. I''m glad he''s locked up now.¡± Kathryn sighs. ¡°This place might not be the best holding area for him, if there''s a mass breach-¡± Pitch interrupted her. ¡°Everyone here would die regardless and he''d have an all you can eat buffet. I get it. It''s a good thing this place is secure.¡± Kathryn sets down the work she''s doing and walks over to Pitch. ¡°We should go out after work. I want to do normal couple things. I just¡­ want to step away from the weirdness. I mean don''t get me wrong I love discovering new things and Cryptids are fascinating¡­ it''s not like work is going anywhere so I''d like a normal day.¡±


    Pitch thinks about it. ¡°Where would we even go? It''s the middle of the night. Even the late night fast food places stop service before our shift ends. The only places still open are the twenty four seven convenience stores, the super store, and the twenty four seven breakfast restaurant.¡± Kathryn lights up a bit. ¡°Ohh, pancakes, waffles, and French toast.¡± Pitch chuckles. ¡°Okay okay, I get it. I''ll take you to breakfast after work.¡± He then kissed her forehead. ¡°Is there any way I can help with your work?¡± Kathryn shook her head. ¡°Not really. I''m just waiting on test results.¡±


    At the mention of receiving test results the supervisor returns with his own test results. ¡°So according to these tests you had only minor exposure, so minor your body was easily able to break it down. It seems you are covered in activated charcoal particles so small they can''t easily be seen with the naked eye that absorbed most of the¡­ toxin before it reached your system.¡± Pitch tilted his head. ¡°What''s he talking about? Did a Cryptid try attacking you?¡± Kathryn takes a look at the lab results herself. ¡°Vance tried using pheromones like a succubus to compel me to free him.¡±


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Pitch blinked a few times. ¡°Oh.¡± he then waits in silence as he waits for Kathryn to finish up looking over the results. She hands them back to her supervisor. ¡°I''m not sure when I got activated charcoal on me, but it''s good to know it can defend against succubus pheromones. Be sure to add that to the file for future reference so Black Eagle can better fight a rogue succubus if they have to.¡± The supervisor nods. ¡°Already did. I''ll let you get back to work now.¡± He then leaves the two alone.


    Kathryn is now able to focus on Pitch. ¡°So did you get in with Black Eagle? You were going to try and convince Ishwada to let you be a consultant or something and regularly do missions. How''s that going?¡± Pitch sighs. ¡°He gave me his personal number and we''ve been texting. I might be able to convince him but then he''d have to convince his superiors. Superiors who may or may not know I''m a Cryptid myself.¡± Kathryn gives a small nod. ¡°But you weren''t born that way.¡± Pitch grumbled. ¡°Neither was Vance, and you see how that turned out.¡± Kathryn then reminds him. ¡°Vance is a monster in the truest sense, he belongs in a cell. You at least try to do the right thing.¡±


    Pitch sighs. ¡°I''ve still done some terrible things, and even if it''s just criminals and unsavory individuals, I still have my¡­ unique dietary requirements.¡± Kathryn put a hand on Pitch''s shoulder. ¡°The fact you feel guilt and remorse over what you''ve become and what you''ve done is proof enough of your humanity. At least to me. You didn''t have a choice in what you are, but you did have a choice in how you reacted to it. You chose the lesser of the various evils, the best of a list of bad options. You are a good person.¡± Pitch looks at the floor. ¡°My humanity? Can you even say I have any? This body is nothing more than a mask, a facade. What do you think they would do to me if I were to suddenly abandon the masquerade? They''d lock me up with the rest of the monsters that pose a threat to humanity.¡±


    Kathryn tightens her grip on Pitch''s shoulder. ¡°These people aren''t exactly a moral compass pointing to the moral north, they are not without sin. You don''t need to be so hard on yourself.¡± Pitch nods and Kathryn moves in for a hug. ¡°You are making the best of a bad situation and trying to help people. As far as I''m concerned, you''re more human than most people I know. It''s ironic in a way.¡± Pitch chuckles at that and hugs back. The two then get back to work until they finish their shift.


    Once their shift is down the two clock out and meet at Pitch''s jeep. They hop in and go to the breakfast restaurant. The two are quickly seated and begin looking at the menu. After a while they set the menus down, ready to order. Kathryn orders blueberry pancakes, chocolate chip waffles, and French toast. Pitch orders the hungry man combo that comes with three different kinds of sausage, bacon, eggs, and two slices of toast. They both order milk to drink, hand over the menus, and wait for their meals.


    While they wait, Kathryn takes the opportunity to talk some more. ¡°I''m going to assume you only ordered food for appearances.¡± Pitch smiles ¡°In this form I can taste things so sometimes I eat for the pleasure and nostalgia of it. Speaking of eating, I''ll probably have to take care of that soon. Things have been so hectic lately that I''ve forgotten to track my days.¡± Kathryn Taos the table. ¡°That''s not good, I''d suggest taking care of that tomorrow.¡± Pitch nods and the two sit in silence for a moment before the food is brought out.


    The two take their time eating and eventually finish up. Pitch pays the bill and gits ready to leave. ¡°I know this wasn''t exactly a romantic dinner, but technically it is only our first date.¡± Kathryn giggled. ¡°I didn''t even think about that. We''ve been through so much in such a short time since we reunited and only agreed to start dating a short time ago. It feels like it''s been more than a month but it''s only been like¡­ a week or so.¡± Pitch laughs as the two get back into his jeep. ¡°Well either way I enjoyed this little respite.¡± Kathryn nods. ¡°A nice change of pace and some proper rest to reset every now and again is good.¡±


    Pitch taps at the steering wheel a few times. ¡°So where am I taking you?¡± Kathryn is a bit confused by the question. ¡°What do you mean? You''re taking me home obviously. I think I''m going to go straight to bed and crash.¡± Pitch nods and drives her home. Once there he walks her to the door. ¡°I''ll see you tomorrow then.¡± Kathryn nods and gives him a kiss on the cheek. ¡°See you.¡± Once the door is closed Pitch drives home. He looks up at the night sky. ¡°I still have a few hours before daybreak. Maybe I should get myself a quick meal today rather than wait.¡± Pitch goes inside and opens the window before dropping his facade to go hunting.


    Pitch finds someone he mentally marked previously as a target, some drug dealer that''s been slinging crap on kids for years. Pitch didn''t take his time to scare the poor man, but simply took his chance the moment he was alone in a poorly lit area. Pitch didn''t even give him a chance to scream and put a tendril over the man''s mouth before snapping his neck and ripping him apart for consumption. Once the deed was done Pitch went straight back home as the sun was going to be starting to rise soon.


    The next day when Pitch clocked in after doing some minor cleaning and maintenance he headed down to the lab. This time he took his time looking at all the Cryptids they had there. He recognized a lot of them from the Cryptid forums and the descriptions given in the files he''s already read. Some, however, are either completely new to him or ones he simply hadn''t read up on yet. There were a lot of different varieties of these monsters after all. Pitch thought to himself that since he didn''t need sleep he might as well read every file in that tablet when he had the chance, but that could wait till later.


    Pitch takes a moment to observe a slimy looking mudfish Cryptid on his way to check on Kathryn and their prisoner Vance. ¡°That is one ugly looking mother fucker.¡± A scientist who''s running tests on it looks to Pitch. ¡°I see you''ve met the Mississippi Mudfish.¡± Pitch knots his eyebrows. ¡°I''ve never heard of that one before. Things uglier than the Hodag. Thank fuck that one''s definitely a hox.¡± The scientist laughs. ¡°We bought this guy before he got caught on camera or seen by locals, or at least before enough people witnessed it for it to gain traction on one of those Cryptid forums. We''ve definitely learned from our failures with Sasquatch, Mothman, and the Jersey Devil. Don''t get me started with the devil. That thing still gives me nightmares. I''m glad that the bastard is in the New York facility in Manhattan.¡±


    Pitch nods with his hand on his chin. ¡°What''s its root? What phobia is this uggo tied to?¡± The scientist looks at his pad. ¡°We don''t know. Maybe something to do with a fear of the swamp or bayou? Fear of murky water? Honestly it''s hard to tell since we''ve only got the two specimens. One here and one in New Orleans. Oddly enough this guy was found in the pollution of the Wisconsin River rather than a bog or something like its relative. We are still trying to figure out if it migrated all this way or if it spawned here. That would be a big help in figuring out its root.¡±


    Pitch continued to look at it for a moment before asking: ¡°I''m well aware of a vast variety of Cryptids with most spawning from emotions that are seen as negative like fear and hate. I''m curious if you''re ever encountered one clearly created by positive emotions. I''m not talking about things like angles that you suspect may have existed but have yet to find in the modern age.¡±


    The scientist smiles and nods enthusiastically. ¡°There is one specimen we''ve encountered that is so far unique but definitely tied to happiness and joy in some way. It''s basically the therapy dog of Cryptids. An entity simply known as ¡°The Tickle Monster¡±. It''s an adorable little thing but exposure is still limited to those that use it. More than a few hours can be potentially hazardous. There is in fact such a thing as too much of a good thing.¡± Pitch smiled at hearing about this Tickle Monster. ¡°I¡¯d definitely like to meet this critter. I could use a dash of wholesome every now and again.¡± The scientist nods. ¡°I''ll be getting back to work now.¡±


    Pitch gives his farewells and leaves the scientist to study the mudfish. He quickly locates Kathryn who''s studying Vance. ¡°Any luck?¡± Kathryn groans in frustration. ¡°Not really. The files on existing Chimeras are not helping because of how rare they are and how unique they tend to be. I''ve probably re-read the file on the Jersey Devil a dozen times.¡± Pitch nods with a hum as Vance pounds on the duraplex barrier that is void of air holes this time and has its own isolated air system. Pitch ignores Vance and continues to talk to Kathryn. ¡°How about you fill me in starting with the Jersey Devil. Assume I know nothing about it. I only have, at the most an, entry level of knowledge. So¡­ it''s not far off.¡±


    Vance shouts from his cage. ¡°Are you just going to ignore me?! I swear when I get out of here I''ll make you watch as defile and ruin everything you care about. You won''t be my equal forever. I will surpass you! I''ve seen what you really are James. It''s only a matter of time. You only won because you had help and used technology. If I caught you alone-¡± Pitch glares at Vance and interrupts him. ¡°You haven''t even seen a fraction of my true self. The only reason you are alive right now is because we had witnesses. I would have snapped your neck without breaking a sweat if you caught me alone.¡±


    Pitch then clears his throat and indicates for Kathryn to talk. Kathryn nods and begins. ¡°So the story most people in Cryptid forums know for the origin of the Jersey Devil is that there was a mother who had several kids. Like¡­ a dozen kids and she was pregnant with her baker''s dozen. She became convinced it was a devil and was induced into an early labor birthing the abomination we know as the Jersey Devil.¡± Pitch nods and goes ¡°uh-huh.¡± To indicate he''s listening.


    Kathryn continues. ¡°That story is, as I understand it, mostly accurate. The working theory is that her fears, stress, and anxiety about the kid caused a focused amount of the emotional energy that causes Cryptids to form. This altered her child to becoming a hybrid Cryptid. Since like with the Onrio or Poltergeist it was one person with a strong and concentrated amount and there were different negative emotions aimed directly at the unborn it was able to take in more than one type of root. This caused it to have features with different roots making it a Chimera. Normally multiple emotions don''t mix like that resulting in the Fear Pollution theory.¡±


    Pitch nods ¡°So Chimera are rare and each one is unique. So what do you think caused his Wendigo infection to mutate?¡± Kathryn slapped the duraplex. ¡°That one''s easy, his twisted ideals fed into the Cryptid sample polluting and mutating it.¡± Pitch nodded with his hand on his chin. ¡°That seems like a solid working theory.¡± While Vance pounds on the barrier and complains about them treating him like he''s invisible. The two then move to some casual talk before going on to finish their shift.

 Chapter Fourteen: Melissophobia

    [Melissophobia - The fear of bees, particularly tied to the act of being stung and often includes wasps. It is not uncommon among people with bee allergies.]


    Pitch woke up from sleeping in the tub in his true form, it has been a few days after the capture of Vance the newly formed Chimera Cryptid. It was still not a pleasant thing to think about, the fact that Vance and James had similar upbringings but went in opposite directions. Like a twisted dark mirror of what James could have been like under different circumstances. Looking for answers, Pitch was still waiting on lab results from the sample Kathryn took. She had been really busy with the latest capture and hadn''t had time to analyze the sample.


    Shortly after getting up and taking on his human guise, he got a text from Kathryn informing him she planned to meet him at his house to talk privately. Pitch waited for the knock, answered the door, and let her in. The two then sat down on the couch. Kathryn then hands Pitch a folder. ¡°These are the results of the tests I did on the particles you gave me. Still strange that if you put a part of yourself in an airtight container then close it, that part will simply go limp and become like sand in a jar.¡±


    Pitch opens the folder. He sees equations from tests that ran energy currents through the particles as well as a chemical, mineral, molecule read out of what his particles are made of and the same the atoms take in the structure of the particles. ¡°Carbon, iron, potassium¡­ a lot of the same stuff organic life is made out of. But this structure¡­ It''s like a bunch of extremely dense interwoven crystal lattices. It''s deceptively complex. Not only that but it seems you were even able to get a DNA reading on the genetic material within the structure.¡±


    Kathryn nodded. ¡°In addition to traces of your previous human DNA I got a good look at the Cryptid structure. I couldn''t exactly freely compare it to others in the database though considering the closest match wouldn''t be on file.¡± Pitch nodded as he continued to look through the file. ¡°Did you come up with any theories about my origin?¡± Kathryn shuffled and pressed two fingers together. ¡°I''ve had a working theory for a while, but I''ve been reluctant to share it.¡±


    Pitch puts the file down on the table and gestures to Kathryn. ¡°Let''s hear it. Even if it''s unpleasant it''s better than nothing.¡± Kathryn still hesitated while looking at the floor. ¡°So you know how you told me that when you possessed that thug you had some of his memories bleed into you? Well I think when the Umbran that killed those students when you were in first grade was hit by that light it left a big enough chunk of itself to propagate. Slowly feeding off you and everything you eat over many years. Eventually it started to grow exponentially resulting in your hunger boost at eighteen. By then everything that was James had bleed into the new Umbran.¡±


    Pitch put a hand on his chin. ¡°So quite literally my new self ate my old self from the inside but because all the memories bled over till essentially the Umbran had a copy of your consciousness. Meaning your statement of having died and being born as a new entity isn''t entirely inaccurate. You are the offspring of the Umbran that attacked James that then absorbed everything that made James who he is. It''s definitely something that would give most people an existential crisis as they think over various philosophies as to what makes us a present, a human, and how one defines self and identity.¡±


    Pitch nods. ¡°It''s a solid theory too. One could say I both am and am not the same person. After all, wouldn''t someone with your exact memories and experiences be you? Since there isn''t a second me running around it''s not like we have to deal with a tulpa situation. That would be awkward.¡± The two then take a moment to let the idea sink in when there is a knock on the door. Pitch slowly gets up and goes over to answer it. On the other side is General Ishwada. ¡°Can I help you, General?¡±


    Somewhere in the city of New Arkham, two guys are approaching a warehouse. They step out of a black pickup truck and look at the building. ¡°Apparently they just up and abandoned this place a few years back, leaving whatever they had stashed in here behind. Not sure why they just left everything here, but some of it has to be worth money. We can make an easy buck and no one gets hurt.¡± The other guy rubs his hands together and pulls a set of bolt cutters out of a truck. He used them to cut the lock off the door and the two opened the garage before the truck was moved to the inside of the building.


    The two then start looking around the warehouse. Half empty shelves with boxes liter the area. Naturally guy number one grabs one to see what''s inside. ¡°Toasters.¡± He then takes the box and puts it on the back of the truck. Guy number two checks a couple boxes. ¡°This one has boxes of staples in it for an office stapler, and this one has staplers.¡± He loads up the boxes. Guy number one goes to check another box but pauses as he starts to pull it off the shelf. ¡°Do you hear that?¡± Guy two pauses checking his box to look up and listen. ¡°Hear what?¡±


    Guy one explains ¡°That buzzing noise.¡± Guy two looked around as he listened more. ¡°It''s probably a generator or transformer or something.¡± Guy one then reminds him: ¡°We are using the truck lights to like the place because it''s not getting any power. So what in God''s name-¡± he is suddenly cut off as the sound gets louder. ¡°Is it¡­ getting closer? Who''s there?!¡± He shouts out into the building, but receives no response. The sound gets louder, the quieter, then louder again, moving through the building.


    The guy loads up his box and decides to check it out. ¡°I''m going to see what that is, you keep loading.¡± He looks around the building until the sound is almost defining. Then he spots the culprit behind the sound. A bee, or perhaps a wasp, only it is the size of a house cat. ¡°The fuck!¡± He shouts before he starts to run. Unfortunately the creature gives chase. The monstrously sized vespid gives chase and sings the man in the back leaving a massive hole and an even bigger lump around it as the man falls dead right in front of the other guy. He screams, closes the tailgate, and hops inside the truck before speeding off.


    Back at Pitch''s house, Ishwada is sitting on a chair talking to Pitch and Kathryn. ¡°Anyway, that''s the situation.¡± Pitch sat in silence for a moment. ¡°Okay, but why exactly come to me? It''s not like last time where I knew the culprit.¡± Ishwada puts a hand out. ¡°I may not know exactly what you are, but what I do know is that Cryptids seem to have some way to detect other Cryptids with the method differing between types. Yours seems tied to the EMF field you have been able to produce since before. This gives you a longer range of detection. Basically I was hoping you could be a Cryptid radar for me in this case.¡±


    Pitch thinks about it. ¡°I would like to be a regular consultant on cases, and hands-on experience with Cryptids could help me learn more about them but I don''t want to take orders from your bosses or you. No offense.¡± Ishwada puts a hand up. ¡°None taken, you''ve voiced your opinions on the material before. I might have to clear that with my higher ups but as long as you show no signs of hostility towards my men and me we''ll be fine.¡± Pitch nods. ¡°Same. Alright then, let us hunt down an oversized bee.¡±


    Pitch gives Kathryn''s hand a gentle squeeze. ¡°I''ll be back.¡± He then leaves with the general to investigate the giant bee situation. The car ride to the site was silent and awkward. Once there the two step out, accompanied by three Black Eagle goons. Everyone was armed with Volt Rifles and Watt Pistols. The group slowly approached and entered the large bay door, guns aimed and moving on a pivot. Pitch closed his eyes and took a few unnecessary breaths. ¡°I can do this, just gotta feel for a presence.¡± After a moment, Pitch detects something and starts moving towards it.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Pitch rounds a corner to find a Black Eagle trooper rapid firing at something. Figuring it had to be the bee, Pitch began getting closer only for the soldier to start speed walking backwards while shooting at their target. Pitch goes into a sprint and shoves the soldier to ground, getting between him and the house cat sized vespid. ¡°Alright you oversized freak of nature, square up.¡± The creature got closer, aiming to sting Pitch. However, the moment it got close it froze, giving Pitch the opportunity to fight back.


    Pitch smacked the creature away with the butt of his gun before shooting at it a few times. The large wasp is quite nimble and able to dodge the lightning pulses. ¡°Sit still you annoying insect.¡± Pitch raised his voice slightly in frustration. The Black Eagle soldier got back up and also started shooting at the creature causing it to buzz off. ¡°Great, now I have to track it down again. Squirrelly bugger.¡± The Black Eagle soldier takes the time to brush themselves off. ¡°Thanks for the assistance, I guess.¡±


    ¡°You''re welcome, I guess.¡± Pitch replied somewhat rudely before searching for the creature again. The soldier followed him. ¡°It might be better if we stick together. We are supposed to move in teams of at least two but that thing got my partner. These bullet resistant outfits are unfortunately not as good at being stab resistant.¡± Pitch looks over at the soldier. ¡°You guys knew it was a bee, do you not have a different armor that is resistant to stabbing?¡± The soldier doesn''t respond.


    Pitch suddenly stopped walking and put his arm out to stop the soldier as well. ¡°It''s nearby, must be standing on something because I don''t hear it.¡± Gun pointed, the soldier begins to pivot and search for signs of the creature. ¡°You know, there''s one minor thing bugging me about this mission. No, that wasn''t an intentional pun.¡± Pitch looked over to his temporary companion. ¡°Okay, I''ll bite. What''s bothering you about this case?¡± The person looked Pitch dead in the eyes. ¡°Just like with ants and rats, there''s never just one.¡±


    Pitch''s eyes widened. ¡°So you are suggesting this is just a scout drone for an entire hive of house cat sized wasps? From what I''ve seen Cryptids don''t always follow the same rules and patterns as other things. Just because normal bees, hornets, and wasps have nests doesn''t mean this thing does.¡± There is then a sudden intense buzzing as the creature blazes by, picking up the Black Eagle member and carrying them off. They try to shoot it or flail out of its grasp but it''s in vain as they are carried out of sight. ¡°Fuck.¡± Pitch cursed.


    Pitch noticed that the soldier dropped their radio so he picked it up. ¡°This is James Holden, one of the soldiers just got snatched up alive and carried off. I''m in pursuit. I''m in a section with kitchen appliances and going¡­ north. Over.¡± Pitch started heading that way as the radio chirped a confirmation. He started speed walking with his Volt Rifle at the ready in case he ran into a jumbo wasp. Moving cautiously through the warehouse. Hearing footsteps nearby he heads that direction.


    Pitch turns a corner to find himself pointing his gun at Ishwada who''s traveling with the last remaining Black Eagle soldier that came with them. Pitch lowers his gun and nods at the general. ¡°I think we should call for backup. There''s a non-zero chance that there''s more than one of these things.¡± Ishwada nods and switches channels on his radio to request two additional Humvees. Requesting they be sent with net guns and riot shields in addition to the standard equipment. HQ confirmed the request would be answered but it would be a while before they got there.


    The radio chirps again with a female voice coming over it. ¡°Can I get a proper description of the Cryptid? Something more than ¡°big fuckin was wasp¡± would be nice.¡± Pitch sighs and picks up the radio. ¡°The Cryptid is likely Melissophobian in nature, and there may be multiple subjects. The whitenessed subject resembled a yellow jacket wasp a size comparable to if not slightly bigger than that of a common house cat. It is capable of lifting a full adult human and flying off.¡± Pitch then puts the radio back on his belt before looking around. He noticed he''s in a section with sports balls and gym equipment.


    Pitch stops causing the others to stop.. Ishwada looks around. ¡°Are you detecting anything?¡± Pitch shook his head. ¡°No, but I have an idea.¡± He locates a box with basketballs and soccer balls. ¡°You both should grab a couple.¡± Pitch says as he holsters his gun to pick up a few sports balls. Ishwada gives Pitch a confused look. ¡°You lost me, son. Why are we grabbing sports balls?¡± Pitch chuckles to himself. ¡°Funny bee fact, they enjoy playing with balls.¡±


    Ishwada groans. ¡°I can''t tell if you''re being serious or not.¡± Pitch explains. ¡°They did tests on bees and found that they would go out of their way to roll a ball even if no reward was offered to do so. Meaning they''ll do so with no obvious benefits indicating they just do it for fun. Not sure if wasps do it too but there is a possibility we can distract them with these.¡± The two shrug and grab sports balls as well.


    The three then continue walking when Pitch stops once again due to hearing a buzzing sound. The others look for the source while Pitch feels for it. ¡°Damn thing''s moving around too much to get a lock on it. ¡­ ¡­ And there''s at least two.¡± Pitch grabs the radio and whispers into it. ¡°Confirmation on multiple targets, at least two. Waiting on visual confirmation. Going radio silent. Over.¡±


    A one of the subjects, resembling a yellow jacket indicating it''s the same or at least same type as the one already seen, rounds a corner in front of them. The creature blocks their forward progress. Pitch slowly placed a soccer ball on the ground, kicking it between his feet. The giant wasp lands and watches the ball go back and forth. After dribbling the soccer ball for a bit he slowly kicks it to the large vespid.


    The monster puts its leg on the ball and rolls it back and forth before grabbing on it with its two front legs and pushing it back to Pitch. ¡°Holy crap, it worked.¡± Pitch dribbled the soccer ball again before kicking it at an angle. The wasp flies after where it went while the three start walking forward. They spot the thing rolling around the ball and even lifting it up to bounce it. Playing by itself it makes no attempts to pass it back to Pitch again.


    The soldier looks over at the cat sized vespid. ¡°You know, if it wasn''t so terrifying with its size alone, it would almost be cute.¡± Pitch chuckled. ¡°I''ll send you a video of bumblebees playing soccer with foam balls bigger than they are. The little buggers will even ride on them and roll around.¡± While crossing an intersection, Pitch has to suddenly jump backwards to avoid a wasp five bombing across the aisle.


    Pitch turns to see it hovering. It''s as large as the other but its body is shaped differently and has a different coloration. Its black head is accented by dark red eyes and its black midsection leads to a dark red thorax. ¡°That looks like¡­ a vulture bee.¡± Pitch picks up the radio and whispers. ¡°Visual confirmation on the second subject. Subject two resembles a vulture bee with size comparable to subject one.¡± Pitch then sees another yellow jacket fly over to the vulture bee. Pitch knows it''s not the one they left behind as it came from another direction.


    Pitch whispers into the radio again. ¡°Confirmation on a second subject resembling the first meaning there''s at least two that resemble yellow jackets. Although no visual confirmation has been made, I think it''s safe to assume this is confirmation of the existence of a hive. Requesting no response from HQ. Side note, the two different subjects are not acting hostile to one another. Over.¡± He then clips the radio back to his side before placing a second soccer ball on the ground and dribbling it. Both bees land and watch the ball.


    After dribbling it for a while he kicks it forward only for the vulture bee to catch it under its leg. It passed the ball between its legs, mimicking the dribbling before passing the ball to the yellow jacket. The other bee then matches its movements before passing it back. The two giant vespids continued to pass the ball between themselves while Pitch, Ishwada, and the last random Black Eagle mook continued forward slowly.


    Pitch then whispers to the other two walking with him. ¡°So¡­ proportionally speaking¡­ How big are we talking about for the size of a hive?¡± Ishwada stops in his tracks. ¡°Oh. Oh god. I wasn''t even thinking about that. It would have to be the size of a mansion if not this entire warehouse. The hive wouldn''t even be inside the building because it would have to be the size of a building.¡± The soldier has to hold back from raising their voice. ¡°How in the hell would something like that go unnoticed?¡± Ishwada chuckled. ¡°You''d be surprised how little attention people pay. Also very few people go through the warehouse district. Outside the companies that use them there''s next to no through traffic here.¡±


    Pitch nodded. ¡°Has that building always been there?¡± Or ¡°Wasn''t that an empty lot just last month?¡± Would likely be as far as they thought about it. Even if the building didn''t look normal they''d probably assume it was some architectural art piece.¡± The group then continue their slow pace till they come up to the north wall of the warehouse. A section of bricks had been knocked out leaving a hole in the wall leading outside.


    ¡°It''s likely the wasps entered through this hole from their hive outside¡± Ishwada remarked as they approached the hole, ready to exit the building and find the nest of these oversized vespids.

 Chapter Fifteen: Trypophobia

    Pitch stepped outside and was immediately assaulted with the feeling that something was wrong. His senses that normally told him what direction a Cryptid was in was suddenly pinging a lot. He kept getting the sense that something was passing underneath him on top of the feeling that something was not far in front of him. He started looking around and saw dozens of giant wasp Cryptids flying from nearby warehouses over to these two buildings. He noticed a third type of giant wasp that was all black in color. Pitch was able to recognize this particular specimen due to past experiences with its smaller non Cryptid look alike. These new wasps¡­ were ground wasps.


    Pitch picks up the radio once more. ¡°Visual confirmation on a third type of wasp Cryptid resembling a digger wasp. Multiple subjects resembling these three types are seen moving back and forth between warehouses and some nest that''s yet to be spotted. Over.¡± He then starts looking for a nest. It should be rather easy to find, even in the lower light of the setting sun. However it takes a moment of his eyes adjusting to realize that two of the buildings definitely don''t belong here.


    Both buildings had a general almost egg shape to the main mass of them with the bottom either being flat or in the ground. They both had sickly grayish almost flesh like color and even texture to them with several spots being discolored from some form of bruising or irritation. One building, on closer inspection, almost had a shape resembling that of a stereotypical beehive like one would see in a cartoon. However, the same was upside down coming up from the ground rather than hanging from a tree and had a number of irregularly spaced holes on it. The circular bumps that went down the mass as typical of a beehive, on closer inspection, were not simply built bumps but rather fleshy, fatty, skin rolls.


    It is at this point Pitch notices the four evenly spaced lumps in the man mass as well as a different looking mass on one side and another even more different looking mass opposite to that. Pitch''s eyes widened as his brain recognized the four similar lumps as legs at rest on the side of the body with the two unique lumps at the front and back being a face and tail respectful. Pitch looked at the other mass, also having the legs, face, and tail masses and sees that instead of the consistent fat rolls it had wrinkly skin stretched tight around its bulbous body is swirling, waving patterns that swirled around the irregular holes resembling the look of a paper wasps nest made of flesh.


    It was clear now to Pitch, that somehow, these massive nests were living and breathing creatures. The nests themselves were Cryptids, in a symbiotic relationship with two of the three wasp types. With the digger wasps likely co-opting the sewer system beneath them as their nest. Pitch slowly picked up the radio. ¡°Visual confirmation on the nests, there are two above ground with the digger wasps likely using the sewers. The nests are¡­ alive. A second species of Cryptid with a symbiotic relationship with the Melissophobians. These Cryptids are likely Trypophobian in nature.¡±


    After describing the main body Pitch goes on to describe the faces. ¡°The large faces of the living nests are grotesquely human-like. Resembling that of a wrinkly old man with the traditional cartoon shaped nest¡¯s face being like that of an obese old man with three chins and big round almost elephant like ears with the other face of the paper wasp looking nest resembling that of a gaunt old man with his face skin pulled tight to his face creating wrinkles in odd directions and long droopy earlobes that almost drag to the floor while in its laid down position. The legs also resemble those of a human with large human-like feet, with the back legs having the same structure as the front only facing the other direction. Over.¡±


    Pitch then placed the radio back on his hip while he continued to to look in a disturbed awe at the massive grotesque living hive monster. ¡°How is it possible for a Cryptid to be this large? I thought that larger Cryptids with sizes like the Loch Ness monster were exceedingly rare. But here we''ve got not one but two Cryptids with sizes that dwarf that in the same area.¡± Pitch takes a moment to observe the nests, slowly walking around them from a distance with General Ishwada and the grunt following not far behind.


    Pitch stopped walking when he noticed the more cartoon nest shaped Cryptid had a chunk of its flesh missing like it had been wounded at some point. Some yellow jackets are gathered around it spitting some sort of fleshy goop on the wound. As it does the fleshy goop reforms to conform to the shape of the Cryptid, closing the wound bit by bit. Pitch puts his hand on his chin as he sees this repair job in progress seeing that once it''s finished it''ll look as if the injury never happened. ¡°I don''t think the Trypophobians formed the same way as a normal Cryptid. I think the Melissophobians used the flesh of their victims to build the nests with it then becoming animated and Cryptidized after the fact.¡±


    Ishwada makes sounds of disgust and discomfort as he looks at the two fleshy masses. ¡°Well it would definitely explain why these things are able to far surpass the normal size limits.¡± Pitch lets out a few hums. ¡°I don''t think we''ll be able to take one of these Fleshrums in alive. It''s far too big for containment. At least locally. Moving it out of town would also be extremely difficult to do unnoticed.¡± Ishwada nods in agreement. ¡°I suggest we kill it with fire. ¡­ Wait, did you just refer to the living hive as a Fleshrum?¡± Pitch nods. ¡°A fitting name, don''t you think?¡± Ishwada lets out a gagging sound. ¡°I mean it''s accurate, I guess.¡±


    The Black Eagle goons finally spoke up after a long while of silence. ¡°Yeah, but what about the sheer numbers of wasps? These are fully inhabited nests.¡± Pitch looks to them and gives his theory on the matter. ¡°I think the nests each started with one queen who manifested pregnant. They''ve been spawning new wasps since. This probably took the better part of the year to build up to this point. With the Queens likely spawning in different areas in the early spring only to gather here and form a super colony as a defense mechanism.¡±


    The mook then asks ¡°A defense mechanism against what?¡± Pitch answers ¡°A super predator. Before you ask what I mean, I''m talking about humanity. We''re really good at making entire species go past tense just by demolishing their natural habitats. It''s also possible these wasps see the local humans as a rival super colony. That would make this a territorial dispute.¡± Ishwada makes a face. ¡°I had no idea wasps had such a complex social structure. Any ideas for easy ways to fight them? I doubt distracting them with sports balls will work forever.¡±


    Pitch thinks for a moment. ¡°Is there any chance you can get us a tanker semi filled with alcoholic apple cider?¡± Ishwada''s face changes to one of confusion. ¡°Again, I have no idea where you are going with this.¡± The goon then excitedly goes: ¡°Oh! I know!¡± They clear their throat and calm themselves. ¡°He wants to get the wasps drunk. Then the sober wasps will banish, cripple, or even kill the drunk wasp to prevent the tainted nectar from compromising the entire hive. I saw it on National Geographic one time.¡±


    Ishwada decides now is a good time to ask; ¡°Couldn''t we also smoke them out? Although I guess it would take a lot of effort for something on this scale.¡± Pitch nods. ¡°Also, that would just make them less aggressive and maybe put them to sleep. There is no way of telling how the Fleshrums will react. If it was just the ground wasps I''d one hundred percent recommend smoking them out.¡± Ishwada grabs his radio with a sigh before pressing the button. ¡°This is Squad Commander Ishwada, putting in a request for the reinforcements to commandeer a liquid tanker semi truck and load it with apple cider alcohol. We''re going to drink the wasps under the table. Apparently. Over.¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    The person on the other side responds. ¡°Hehe. I didn''t know you had a sense of humor sir. Over.¡± There''s a pause with Ishwada not responding. The other person then comes through a second time. ¡°Oh, you''re serious. An unusual tactic but we''ll see what we can do. Reinforcements are twenty minutes out. Recommend holding out till then if possible. Over.¡± Ishwada clicked the button on the radio again. ¡°Subjects are currently not making hostile moves. Basically ignoring us. Over.¡±


    Pitch rubs his chin. ¡°This is odd though. They were acting extremely hostile practically unprovoked before when we were farther from the nest. Now we are right up in their shit and they aren''t doing anything.¡± The Black Eagle soldier shifts and starts walking to the side keeping the same distance from the hive. Eventually every wasp within sight stops in their tracks and turns to face the soldier buzzing angrily and hovering in place. The soldier then walks back closer to Pitch and the wasps take a moment to return to normal operation.


    Ishwada rubs his chin. ¡°Well that''s strange.¡± He tried gaining distance from the group in the other direction and got the same reaction before returning to the group and the wasps again ignoring them. ¡°You would think they''d be more hostile against a group if it''s territorial behavior.¡± Pitch hums. ¡°I think it might be me. For some reason my EMF is either making us invisible or¡­ maybe they see me but are actively avoiding getting close. One went to charge and sting me earlier but the moment it got close it started acting strange and backed off.¡±


    Ishwada continued to rub his chin. ¡°So as long as we stay close to you and don''t make any aggressive moves we are safe. It''s strange but I''m not looking a gift horse in the mouth.¡± After some waiting Ishwada picks up his radio once more. ¡°Take care in approach, targets will likely get worked up at loud noises or fast movements.¡± The group heard the low sound of engines as several Humvees and a semi truck with a liquid tanker rolled up a bit down the street. The three slowly walk over to them.


    ¡°Greetings General, I have you special request along with back up troops in case this doesn''t work.¡± He then looks at Pitch. ¡°What''s with the civve? He''s not even in minimal police gear.¡± Ishwada looked at the tanker. ¡°He''s a consultant of sorts, this was actually his idea.¡± Pitch finds a spot to pool the liquid, filling up small potholes. ¡°For once I''m greatful the city can be so neglectful.¡± Once the potholes are filled everyone backs away from the pools to let the wasps find them. A small number of each kind of wasp find and hover over the pools before landing and drinking from them.


    After a bit they shakingly fly up and make their way back to their hives, swaying side to side unable to fly straight. When they make it to the hives and try to signal where the new food is located they sloppily dance and are quickly attacked by the other wasps. ¡°It''s working, they''ll attack any wasp that drinks the cider. If they lower their own numbers enough we''ll have less to worry about when we take out the nest. Speaking of, can we just bomb the two walking nests?¡± Everyone looks at Pitch who once again suggested simply dropping something on the nest.


    Pitch then says. ¡°Gas leak explosion.¡± Ishwada sighs. ¡°Destroy the nests, take whatever survives. Then we''ll have to clear out the sewers.¡± A few of the men grab ordinary RPGs and launch them at the nests. Chunks of flesh are blown off as the Fleshrums stand and start trying to walk and the wasps go crazy. The bombardment continued as wasps charged the attackers only to be met with concentrated fire from electric tech including but not limited to a net gun. There were shotguns, snipers, RPG equivalents, a turret on one of the Humvees, and even grenades.


    Ishwada hands a few grenades to Pitch. ¡°Here, we call these Edison Bulbs. They are the first among the electro-tech weapons and the reason we name them like we do. They were intended to be EMP grenades but for some reason kept exploding with electricity. Couldn''t find a fix so they simply swapped for cheaper materials and ran with it.¡± Pitch laughed. ¡°Haha, Edison Bulbs. That''s hilarious.¡± He then tossed out a few, with the third one actually hitting a digger wasp in the face before going off.


    Eventually the Fleshrums were nothing but burned mush and wasps lay on the ground dead, dying, or stunned. Ishwada issuing orders. ¡°Okay, clean up and contain what you can, then we''ll send teams into the sewers with smoke emitters to smoke out the diggers. Last thing we need is another gator situation. I swear if I hear about us getting calls about bees in the sewers someone is getting it.¡± There''s a collective ¡°yes sir.¡± As the crew start doing clean up and collection.


    Ishwada looked at Pitch. ¡°Sorry if your idea didn''t seem to help much cause we just overwhelmed them, but I''m sure it did something. That kind of creative thinking is definitely something we could use. You''ve convinced me to keep you on as a consultant.¡± Pitch does a light bow. ¡°Thank you sir, I''ll do my best to help. I may no longer be human, but I am still a citizen. I just want to do my part in helping people. Also, this gets me closer to finding the answers I''m after.¡±


    Ishwada chuckled. ¡°Good to hear, just don''t be so outright with your status as a Cryptid. Some of our numbers are not as open to the idea of cohabitation.¡± Pitch tilts his head. ¡°Doppelgangers and succubi are voting citizens.¡± Ishwada grumbles. ¡°So was my father during world war two.¡± Pitch knew exactly what Ishwada was talking about. He had trouble finding the words. ¡°He¡­ his father came here because he didn''t like where the Empire was going and brought his wife with. I remember overhearing you talk to my dad about it.¡±


    Ishwada nods. ¡°It was a dark time in American history when the war hit. My father, despite being born here, was still Japanese. He got the same treatment as many Japanese who were living in America at the time.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°I think I''m going to help with the clean up.¡± He left the former General behind as he started helping Black Eagle load wasps both living and dead as well as bagging samples from the Fleshrums. Pitch let out a sigh. ¡°I should have known this was here, I should have spotted it sooner. I''ve hunted criminals in this very area and not once did I see a flesh hive being built. If I had noticed it¡­ I could have prevented so many deaths.¡±


    It took several hours to clean everything up with a second team coming in to smoke out the sewers. With special gear just for the mission they open a manhole and head in. ¡°Alright boys, we are putting a hit out on the queen. We need to stop these things from making more of themselves first and foremost. We''ve got enough living and dead samples so feel free to kill on sight.¡± Pitch started walking to the manhole but was stopped by Ishwada. ¡°Where do you think you are going? You don''t have a gas mask or anything.¡±


    Pitch blinked a few times. ¡°Right, breathing.¡± Ishwada himself blinks silently. ¡°Wait¡­ do you¡­ not need to breathe?¡± Pitch looks around. ¡°I barely need to sleep as well. Like once or twice a month for just a few hours.¡± Ishwada lets out a loud groan. ¡°That ain''t fair. What in the hell even are you?¡± Pitch simply replied ¡°Not human, that''s all your getting out of me for now.¡± Ishwada sighs. ¡°Fair enough. But maybe not flex that by going into a smoke filled area with no gas mask.¡± Pitch looks at the manhole. ¡°I wasn''t thinking that far ahead, just about clearing out the wasps.¡±


    Ishwada puts a hand on Pitch''s shoulder. ¡°You''ve helped more then enough.¡± Pitch raises his voice. ¡°But I haven''t, I go through this area all the time and didn''t notice anything was amiss!¡± Ishwada sighs. ¡°You can''t do that. You can''t blame yourself for everyone the wasps killed simply because you didn''t catch them sooner. No one noticed. You weren''t looking for it, no one was. You were just passing through or focusing on something else. It''s not your fault.¡± Pitch sighed again. ¡°I''m going home.¡±


    Pitch started walking and making the long journey home on foot, leaving the scene behind. Once home Pitch plops into his bed and just lays there not needing to sleep, but rather just wanting to rest. ¡°I need a vacation.¡± After a brief moment his phone went off. Pitch picked it up. ¡°Holden abortion clinic and pizzeria, were yesterday''s loss is today''s sauce.¡± Kathryn¡¯s voice come from the other end. ¡°Funny. How''d it go with Ishwada?¡± Pitch sighs. ¡°I''m mentally exhausted, but it went well all things considered. Fought some giant wasps, saw some giant living beehives. Ishwada is willing to have me on full time.¡±


    Kathryn''s shocked voice came over the phone. ¡°Living beehives?!¡± Pitch sighed. ¡°You''ll be getting samples and specimens later today so you''ll have lots to do on your next shift.¡± There''s a moment of silence before Kathryn talks again. ¡°I actually have tomorrow off and was wondering if you wanted to go out. Have a proper date like a normal couple. We haven''t had a chance to since the late night breakfast last minute after our shift that one time.¡± Pitch enthusiastically responded. ¡°Yes, one hundred percent. Pick a place and consider it done.¡±

 Chapter Sixteen: Imposter Syndrome

    A day off, a nice simple down to earth date. For what felt like the first time in years, for the first time since his death and rebirth, Pitch was going to do something normal. Sure, Kathryn and him had that late night breakfast date, but that felt more like an impromptu last minute thing rather than a planned out event. Now the two finally had a chance to go on a proper date and feel like an actual couple rather than two friends getting pancakes after work. Pitch let Kathryn pick the location and set everything up so that he could be pleasantly surprised. Although he didn''t need to eat normal food, tasting it was still a pleasurable experience for him.


    Pitch wasn''t sure what to expect from Kathryn when it came to what she considered a dating venue for what was effectively a special occasion. He found himself in a small family restaurant, one that despite being there for years and Pitch living in New Arkham all his life he didn''t know about. It was an Irish pub kind of place. The building was a simple old brick building and the restaurant sold traditional Irish dishes and pub food. Everything from Irish shepherd¡¯s pie to corn beef and hash to haggas to Irish style sausages. The two were sat down by a young lady waitress who looked somewhat familiar to Pitch but he couldn''t place it.


    After ordering their food and sitting for a while a large man in a white apron walked out with their food. ¡°Hello kitten, long time no see.¡± The man spoke in a detectable but not too thick Irish accent. Kathryn looked at the large man with a big smile of familiarity. ¡°Heya Uncle Mac, how ya doin¡¯?¡± Kathryn herself takes on a slight Irish accent. Pitch sinks into his chair a bit. ¡°Uncle Mac?¡± Kathryn nodded with a smile. ¡°Yeah, he''s my uncle on my mother''s side. The waitress is his daughter. My cousin. I figured since I''ve met your cousin it wouldn''t be too much for you to meet mine. It''s a bit early for me to present you to my parents but I''m not sure how I feel about that tradition considering you''re technically an orphan.¡±


    Pitch grumbles slightly. ¡°Vance and I may share genetics despite everything, I''d hardly consider him family. Besides, I''ve met your brother.¡± Kathryn does a dismissive wave. ¡°I know I know, but still. Also although you met my brother I''ve yet to introduce you as.. well¡­¡± she clears her throat ¡°James, meet Uncle Mac, Uncle Mac, meet James. He''s¡­ my boyfriend.¡± Mac reaches out his arms with a hearty laugh. ¡°Ah so the nerdy kitten has finally found herself someone who''s able to drag her face out of her work long enough to breathe fresh air and touch grass. That alone is enough for me to like you. Go ahead and call me Big Mac, everybody does. Even if there''s nothing Irish about that creation despite the people behind it being from the old homeland.¡±


    Kathryn rolls her eyes. ¡°Uncle, we aren''t here to talk about the history of the fast food hamburger. We''re here for a homemade meal and a nice date.¡± Mac laughed again. ¡°Then I''ll leave you two love birds to it and stop botherin¡¯ ya. Enjoy your meals.¡± Mac saunders off back to the kitchen. Pitch looks at his meal then back to Kathryn. ¡°Look, I get the idea behind that s, but a little heads-up would have been nice.¡± Kathryn shifted in her seat. ¡°Right, sorry. I just¡­ I don''t know. This is all new to me and the pacing may be off but I''m just trying to do the normal couple things. I thought it would be a nice surprise.¡±


    Pitch sighed. ¡°It is, it just feels¡­ a bit fast is all. Normally you wouldn''t meet the family till after the third date. I know things with us are far from normal but part of the point of this was to be an oasis of normalcy in our strange lives.¡± Kathryn nods. ¡°I''ll¡­ try to do better. Just a bit excited is all. It''s all new so I still get all fluttery.¡± Pitch chuckled. ¡°I guess making a mistake like this because you are nervous is rather normal. Although as far as date locations this place doesn''t exactly speak romantic.¡±


    Kathryn sighs. ¡°I know, but honestly I''m not sure what does. I could have picked a fancy expensive restaurant for a candlelit dinner. After all, it''s not like you couldn''t afford it. However, no matter where I pick to eat, your experience will always be lesser. Maybe next time we should watch a romance movie.¡± Pitch groans. ¡°I''ve never been a fan of sappy romance movies. A star lot walk in the park maybe?¡± Kathryn considered the idea. ¡°We can still do that tonight. We have the entire day so why not spend it as a couple.¡± The two then focused on their food till it was done before paying for it. Kathryn offers a goodbye hug to her uncle and the two leave the restaurant.


    Pitch looked around as they walked. ¡°Doing normal stuff like this almost feels strange. I guess I''ve already gotten used to the idea that nothing in my life will be normal. I mean look at use, having a completely normal date and taking things one step at a time. Yet it''s hard not to think of the hypothetical, the natural what ifs of this continuing to one of its natural conclusions. Not to mention the fact I don''t even feel like a real person sometimes. Like my very existence is a lie.¡±


    Kathryn looked to Pitch. ¡°I mean¡­ you only are able to walk among others while basically wearing a mask, and I can only introduce you to people using what is effectively a dead name.¡± Pitch chuckled at that phrasing. ¡°Ah yes, Pitch Black and his not-so-willing transition from human to Cryptid.¡± Kathryn also got a chuckle out of this. ¡°I noticed you didn''t use the word monster there. I know it''s probably hard not to think of yourself as one but you''re far from malicious.¡±


    Pitch suddenly stopped walking and started looking around. Kathryn also stopped walking. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Pitch continued to scope out the area. ¡°I felt something just a bit ago. I think there''s a Cryptid nearby. We should probably check it out just in case.¡± Kathryn nods. ¡°If you insist.¡± Pitch followed his instincts down a thin alleyway to a spot that looked like a fire exit from the basement of the building coming up in stairs. The building itself was easily over a hundred years old and the door to the basement was metal and had one of these eye sliders for peeking out of. Pitch chuckled. ¡°This building used to be a speakeasy. I wonder if it''s still active.¡± He goes down the steps to the door.


    Pitch lifts a fist up to knock. ¡°Whatever I felt went in here somehow, so be ready.¡± He then knocked on the door. Someone slid the slider and looked out. ¡°Password.¡± Pitch thought about what to say, but quickly realized the so-called man who looked out of the door was himself a Cryptid. Pitch then whispers ¡°I''m guessing it''s something along the lines of ¡°Doppelganger¡±?¡± The man sighed. ¡°Not exactly but you can pass.¡± He opens the door and lets the two in. ¡°Welcome to ¡°Imposter Syndrome.¡± The two look around the bar, an otherwise normal bar with a pool table, a foosball table, and an air hockey table. There was an old jukebox and several stools at the bar. The place was doing really well for the middle of the day. The bar also had a grill as food was served.


    The bouncer grumbles. ¡°Are you two with Black Eagle or Black Flag or whatever they call it?¡± Pitch dies a so-so gesture. ¡°I''ve worked with them, but as you can probably tell I am a Cryptid just like all of you.¡± Pitch took a second look around the bar. ¡°Out of all the things to find in New Arkham, a Doppelganger speakeasy wasn''t one of them.¡± The bouncer let out a low growl. ¡°We also get the occasional succubi. Basically, this place is a haven for the non-human citizens where they can be themselves without fear.¡± Pitch chuckles. ¡°Like one of those old secret gay bars back in the day. Neat.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    Pitch shrugged. ¡°Well we are already here and it''s clear there''s no danger. Might as well buy something before heading back out.¡± He sat at the bar and raised his hand to get the bartender¡¯s attention. ¡°I''ll take a thing of the spiciest, sloppiest wings you have, with a side of fries, and a glass of mead.¡± Kathryn looked at Pitch. ¡°Didn''t you just eat?¡± Pitch sighs. ¡°You know how little eating regular food does for me.¡± After a short wait the food was placed and Pitch started using the sauce as a dip for his fries. ¡°So¡­ a Cryptid speakeasy. How exactly did that come about? What''s the history of this place?¡±


    The bartender being between orders and doing some light cleaning looked over to Pitch. ¡°Well like any speakeasy it started in prohibition. The entire point was to provide a place for people to drink in peace. This was also around the time of a Doppelganger movement. Not something in the normal history books but before the twenties there wasn''t exactly a Doppelganger community. We operated in family units and tribes with the only indication of other Dopples being the feeling we get when we draw close to another Cryptid. An instinct that tells us they are also not human.¡¯


    Pitch nods as he continues on his fries. The bartender sighed. ¡°With the industrial revolution and the invention of the camera as well as improvements on tracking births and population it was clear that things were going to get difficult for Dopples unless they made a change. So, a sort of government was formed. Similar to a tribal counsel for the indigenous peoples. They established the rules that Dopples and now Succubi live by and also insure those rules are followed in the interest of survival. If our existence is ever discovered and made public¡­¡± Pitch finishes the thought. ¡°You fear the worst. A Doppelganger Holocaust.¡±


    The bartender offers a nod. ¡°I couldn''t help but notice your use of Dopple and Doppelganger, you''re not one of us, are you?¡± Pitch shook his head. ¡°No, I''m not a Doppelganger. Why don''t you tell me about these rules that were set.¡± The bartender sighs. ¡°They''re fairly simple. One is not to replace a human outside special circumstances. If one does so they are to report it to the counsel. If one switches to a new identity they are not to benefit from their old one or use their old connections unless the new life would also have access to similar resources. One is advised against but not prohibited from entering the public eye, gaining fame and being watched and scrutinized by the public is too much of a risk to the community.¡±


    Pitch nods. ¡°Makes sense. Basically boils down to don''t expose us and don''t abuse your abilities. I''m going to guess you also prohibit active violence against humans and crime in general since ending up in the prison system could be problematic.¡± The bartender nods. ¡°So if I may ask, if you''re not a Dopple, what are you? I doubt you''re a succubus considering how¡­ average you look. No offense.¡± Pitch shook his head lightly and waved his hand with the last fry in it. ¡°None taken, but if you don''t mind I''d rather not disclose that information.¡± Pitch then grabs a wing and shoves the entire thing in his mouth before crunching on it.


    The bartender makes a bit of a disgusted and concerned face. ¡°Those¡­ weren''t boneless.¡± Kathryn glares at Pitch who works through and swallows his food. ¡°What!? He said it''s a safe haven to be myself and since the bones won''t hurt me and eating bones isn''t exactly strange to me I felt like eating around them was just a wasted effort.¡± Kathryn sighs. ¡°It''s still kinda gross, Pitch. Even if the splintering bones can''t damage you.¡± Pitch looked down at his food, slightly disappointed. ¡°Sorry. Although, this ghost pepper sauce is fire. I always did like spicy food and now I can take that even farther since I don''t have to worry about heartburn or other health concerns.¡±


    Kathryn sighs and gestures to the bowl. ¡°Go ahead and eat it as you wish. I''ll just have to get used to the unusual.¡± Pitch grabs a second wing and starts crunching it down, bones and all. Kathryn groans in displeasure. ¡°It''s definitely not sexy though.¡± The bartender also makes a face of disgust. ¡°You can say that again.¡± Pitch finishes a third wing before licking off his fingers. ¡°So if a group of Dopples formed a biker gang, would they then be¡­ bikergangers?¡± This makes the person next to pitch nearly spit out their drink as they hold in laughter from the stupid joke. The bartender simply rolls his eyes.


    Pitch makes quick work of the rest of the wings before cleaning his fingers off and drinking his drink. ¡°Too bad I can''t get drunk, now I''ll never know what it feels like.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Oh well, I''m ready to move on now I guess. This was an interesting experience and the snacks were good.¡± Pitch pays for his meal and gets up to leave. Pitch almost expects something to go wrong, for someone to find a reason to pick a fight and for this to turn into a bar brawl like something out of a movie.


    However, nothing like that happened, and the two were able to leave peacefully. Pitch let out a sigh of relief. ¡°I think all this high octane action is getting to me. I''m starting to expect conflict at every turn.¡± Kathryn puts a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Then it''s a good thing we''re using this day to relax and reset.¡± Pitch nods as the two start walking to the park. ¡°I know it''s too early to think of talking about this since we said we''d take things one step at a time but¡­ I''m still not sure how physical intimacy is going to work. I can taste foods and feel touch in this form but this shape is just a mask. My bits are just for show.¡±


    Kathryn sighs. ¡°We''ll cross that bridge when we come to it. I mean¡­ I want you to be able to enjoy our relationship in the same ways I do. It''s just¡­ there''s so many things that aren''t normal about this arrangement. When we are talking or hanging out everything just clicks but who''s to say other steps will be that easy. There are hurdles but thinking about them before we even reach them isn''t productive or helpful. Take things slow, one step at a time, and I''m sure it''ll just come naturally. As long as we don''t try to force it. There''s no time limit, neither of us is going anywhere.¡±


    Pitch nods and hums, grabbing Kathryn''s hand as they walk into the park and find a nice place to sit in the grass. The two watch as the sun starts to set, simply enjoying each other''s company. Holding hands they lean shoulders on one another as the sky darkens and the stars and moon come into view. The two lay down in the grass looking at the night sky in silence for several moments, shoulder to shoulder. Kathryn leans even farther into Pitch, pressing her body into his before turning her head and giving him a simple and humble peck on the cheek. ¡°This is nice, taking a moment to just slow down and let the world move around us.¡±


    Pitch lifts and kisses Kathryn¡¯s hand. ¡°It''s the simple things, the small things, that are often the most precious. The small moments, taken between seconds, stretched into a small eternity. Where it is just us, and the universe. Where everything else just seems to melt away, if only for a fleeting moment. These are the times when life is best lived, when life is most worth living. Treasures, sentimental and intangible, that no one can ever hoard.¡± Kathryn blinks a few times. ¡°That was¡­ oddly profound.¡±


    The two returned to the simple silence for a moment before Pitch finally sat back up. ¡°It''s starting to get late, I should probably walk you home.¡± Kathryn sits up and gets to her feet, brushing herself off a bit. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Pitch stands and together the two start walking. Hand and hand they take the long journey walking to Kathryn¡¯s house in the moonlit night. Pitch walks her to her door, Kathryn shifting back and forth outside it. ¡°Today was nice, I had a really good time.¡± Pitch smiled at her. ¡°Till the next one I guess.¡±


    The two both stand outside the door for a moment, Kathryn hesitated to open the door and Pitch hesitated to leave till he saw her enter it. He leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss on the lip. ¡°Goodnight.¡± Kathryn blushed as she opened her door. ¡°Goodnight.¡± Pitch then proceeded to walk the long walk to his own house. A smile on his face and a spring in his step, he hummed the entire way. Nothing could ruin this feeling, nothing could crash this high. When he finally made it home he laid in his bed on his belly kicking his feet in the air for a while before finally settling himself down.


    Pitch hadn''t felt this giddy about something since he was a child, it was odd that in spite of everything it was only now after a near literal death and rebirth that he had finally found something that genuinely made him happy. ¡°I don''t think I realized just how alone and lonely I''ve felt all these years, since I pushed people away after the incident in first grade. I only got more guarded after losing my parents. But now I feel like I''m finally moving forward rather than just trending water or walking on a treadmill. I didn''t realize how stuck and trapped I felt. Only now, after my original body has been destroyed and I''ve effectively died, have I actually found a meaning to my life. Something to chase, a goal to pursue. I feel¡­ motivated.¡±

 Chapter Seventeen: Thymos

    Although it is true that a majority of Cryptids spawn from fear and are of the Phobian varieties, there are other emotions that can spawn them. The second most commonly drawn from emotion is anger. Since the word Phobia is taken from a Greek word, the classification of the Cryptids who are connected to anger instead are classified under a Greek word as well. Thymos, anger. Thymosian cryptids, though not quite as common as Phobian and with less known varieties, are not necessarily more or less dangerous than others simply because they are less common. Agents on the field should always act with the utmost caution when dealing with any cryptids, especially Thymosian ones, as they display higher levels of aggression and violence then their Phobian counterparts ~ Excerpt from the Black Eagle Archives - Cryptids 101


    A woman, malnourished, near dead, practically emaciated while still alive, lay chained to a gray stone wall like that of a basement. She has gray, discolored skin, long black dirty hair, and a dirty white dress. Despite her weakened state she struggles against the chains making gargled failed attempts at growling. The chains rattle and shake as the neat dead near feral woman fights with what little she has. All she knows is anger, all she desires is revenge. Seething with scorn, bubbling up from inside her she can feel as her hatred only grows. Bottomless, endless, red fury. Drawn from the deepest blackest abyss of her soul.


    The woman¡¯s raspy voice comes out, barely audible, barely human. Scratchy and distorted. ¡°Kill you¡­ killlllll youuuuu¡­. My anger will not die¡­ will not cease, even after my death. It will outlive me¡­ out live you¡­ will not rest¡­ until your corpse lay bloated at its feet. Kill you¡­ kill you¡­ even if it''s the last thing¡­ I¡­ do¡­¡± The woman finally goes limp, her fight seemingly drained from her body. After a moment, a hand reached out to check for a pulse. ¡°Damn, and here I thought with that resolve you''d last longer then the others. Oh well, this suits me just fine. After all, a corpse can''t-¡±


    The man is interrupted as the woman''s body suddenly twitches. Her eyes open showing the milky white eyes of a corpse. The chain breaks and the woman hits the ground before being hoisted back up by the rattling chains that connect to the ceiling and wrap around her assailant. The chains move across the ceiling and floor, pulling the woman''s ragdoll body like a puppet on strings. A macabre marionette who''s strings or rather chains have wrapped around the object of her undying hatred. With a quick motion and a rattling of chains, they are suddenly moved, taking parts of the man with them. Snapping his neck, breaking his limbs, leaving him a broken and bloody mess on the ground.


    The chains rattle as the woman''s feet touch the ground as the ceiling chains continue to move her. ¡°Kill you¡­ killlll youuuuu¡­ killlll youuuu¡­ kill kill kill kill kill¡­¡± The woman''s raspy voice continued as her corpse was puppeteered through the house, pulling her from the basement she was locked up in to the upper floor. There, another man sat in a recliner, watching TV. The woman walks with the chains rattling, finger pointed at him. He turns to see where the rattling is coming from it to shoot out of his chair in horror. He scoots backwards on the ground as a raspy voice echoes. ¡°Kill you¡­ kill¡­ you¡­ kill you¡­¡± the chains reach out and snare the terrified man, before suddenly jerking. Snapping and crackling echoes through the building, his broken and twisted corpse hits the floor with a wet plop.


    The chains then pull the woman back into the basement, where she sinks into the wall like a ghost, her raspy voice still echoing even after she vanishes into the wall. ¡°Kill you¡­ kill¡­ you¡­ kill you¡­ kill you¡­ KILL YOU!¡± And then finally it fades, the signs of the woman¡¯s presence was what remained of the chains as well as the blood and dirt in the walls and floor where her body once sat.


    Pitch got a call late at night from General Ishwada. The former General had been called in on a case due to its brutal and unnatural looking nature. The lead cop happily hands the case over to Black Eagle, not knowing fully what they do besides dealing with the crazy and strange that the cops would rather not. Since Pitch was now a full time consultant Ishwada called him in to assist with the investigation. Pitch had just gotten back home after a feeding when he got the call, and prayed it wasn''t for his fresh kill.


    He was relieved when he once again found himself in front of a house marked off with crime scene tape. Ishwada was there to greet him. ¡°Holden.¡± The former General offered a nod. Pitch returned the nod. ¡°Ishwada.¡± He then looked at the house. ¡°So what exactly do we have going on here?¡± Ishwada lifted the tape and gestured for Pitch to enter. Pitch goes under the tape and holds it up for Ishwada. ¡°Ah, the kind of thing that''s better off shown.¡±


    Pitch is escorted to the living room where the body of a somewhat rotund and unkempt man lay broken. Pitch made his observations out loud. ¡°Overweight, tank top and boxers, covered in dust and crumbs from snacks. His shirt is stained with food and drinks. A slob.¡± He looks around the room. ¡°The room is oddly clean, only one drink cup and one spilled bag of chips. Prosteen. He definitely doesn''t care for himself so he doesn''t live alone.¡± He looked over the corpse again. ¡°His face is frozen in an expression of fear, the brakes are surprisingly clean. It was quick, with surplus strength to snap him like this. Whatever did this was strong.¡±


    Pitch takes a second look at the living room, then the corpse. ¡°He was sitting in that chair when he suddenly fell over the side, tipping it and knocking over his table. He crawled backwards and then¡­ snap. He has marks from what did it. Something thin and long like¡­ a rope? No, a chain.¡± Pitch looked around the room. Something was off that he couldn''t quite place. ¡°Is this the only body?¡± Ishwada shook his head and led Pitch downstairs and into the basement where a few Black Eagle members checked the scene. There he saw the second victim. ¡°Muscular, but similarly minimalist dress. Tank top and boxers. Neither of these guys were planning on going anywhere. His outfit is clean, minus some sweat stains on his tank top. He definitely takes better care of himself than the other guy.¡±


    Pitch leans in closer. ¡°Same cause of death, a sudden and strong pulling and twisting motion. However, he was caught more off guard than the other guy.¡± Pitch looked at the wall and the chains and touched it, a shiver goes up his spine. ¡°Someone was bound here by these chains, but they¡­ aren''t broken. They simply disconnected. Whoever was kept here was likely in rough condition. Dirty, unkempt, and likely malnourished. They had someone prisoner down here and¡­¡± Pitch touched the wall again and suddenly took several steps back. ¡°I can still feel them, or rather, their final emotions. Soaked into this very wall. The anger and resentment¡­ a poltergeist, or as you would know it, an Onrio.¡±


    Ishwada raised an eyebrow. ¡°You were able to deduce that from¡­ the leftover emotional energy and the state of this place and the victims?¡± Pitch looks to Ishwada. ¡°What¡¯s our next move?¡± Ishwada put his hand on his chin. ¡°Onrio are notoriously difficult to handle because of how unique each one can be. There are a set of common abilities all of them have. They can seemingly move through walls and manifest from inside objects. They are often anchored to the location they spawned in. They hunt and haunt the target of their rage until they die and then they tend to lash out at least on anyone that resembles their original target that enters the area they inhabit and at most literally anyone that triggers them.¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    Pitch sighs. ¡°And the trigger could be anything from stepping foot in this building to disturbing the site they died to being even slightly aggressive to a woman in their area. We obviously can''t leave her here so I''m guessing we perform an exorcism of sorts.¡± Ishwada nods. ¡°That¡¯s one way to put it. Though proper holy water is a pain to get.¡± Pitch blinks a few times before looking at Ishwada. ¡°There''s¡­ proper holy water?¡± Ishwada nods. ¡°It''s a bit of a long story but if someone truly believes they can sanctify water or objects it works. However these anomalous objects often don''t work as well in the hands of someone that doesn''t believe in them. It''s thought that the emotional energies directed at the object can alter its properties much like a smaller scale of how Cryptids work.¡±


    Pitch thinks about this information for a moment. ¡°So crosses work on Cryptids but only when held by a true believer and holy water can be made but only in someone who truly believes they can make it? That''s kinda weird but honestly all things considered it''s whatever. Wait¡­ dies that mean iron and salt works on ghosts?¡± Ishwada groans. ¡°Unfortunately a building has to be altered into an anomalous object and that can take a long time depending on the size of the building and the number of people in it.¡± Pitch''s eyes widened. ¡°Wait, that means most churches are in fact holy ground! Wouldn''t that mean Doppelgangers and Succubi can''t enter churches?¡±


    Ishwada sighs again. ¡°Dopples can enter churches just fine, Succubi however can''t enter most churches.¡± Pitch hums as he absorbs the new information. He then hesitantly touches the wall again. Ishwada glares at him. ¡°Didn''t you say that could trigger her? Aren''t you scared?¡± Pitch looked back at Ishwada. ¡°I said it could, doesn''t mean it will. Also no, I''m not scared. Nervous maybe. I always did have a weird crush on Sadako growing up.¡±


    Ishwada blinked and looked at Pitch a bit confused. ¡°You¡­ what? I figured your trauma would have made you steer away from horror movies.¡± Pitch shook his head. ¡°Just the opposite actually. It was like I was chasing that same feeling. Where I got so scared I reached a paradoxical serenity. However, nothing I watched was scary enough so I eventually watched the original Ring with subtitles after a recommendation. Eventually as I grew I had a¡­ thing for spooky ladies. What started with Sadako was later reinforced with horror games. The nurses from Quiet Valley and even Wraith from Evolve.¡± Ishwada lets out a huff. ¡°You ain''t normal kid.¡±


    Pitch chuckles. ¡°Yeah, apparently I''ve been a weirdo since before I stopped being human.¡± Ishwada grumbles. ¡°I''d prefer you not remind me you''re a Cryptid hybrid. Also, the fact that''s happened to two members of your family is suspicious.¡± Pitch grumbled. ¡°My circumstances are different from his. He was infected and his twisted mind altered what he became. I was¡­ less willing to be a monster. I''d give just about anything to be human again, he tossed his humanity away before he was a Cryptid.¡±


    Ishwada took a moment to respond. ¡°Right, sorry. Anyway¡­ I''ll see if we have any holy water in stock.¡± He turns around and starts going up the stairs and Pitch starts to follow. He stopped and looked around when he thought he heard a rattling sound. Pitch pushed a goon forward and launched himself backwards as a woman bound in chains changing from the ceiling dropped down out of nowhere, dangling there like a marionette on strings. Pitch looked at the woman. ¡°Man, if I weren''t in a relationship, I totally would.¡± Ishwada who was still on the steps and turned around when he heard people fall over just gave Pitch a look. ¡°This isn''t the time to be weird James, get serious.¡±


    Pitch scrambled up off the ground brushing himself off. ¡°I am being serious, I just can''t help myself around such a horror hottie.¡± He then gives the woman a playful wave. ¡°Sup.¡± The Cryptid woman growls at Pitch before pointing at him and sending her chains at him. He manages to dodge them. ¡°A simple no would have been enough.¡± The Onrio lets out a small roar before whipping another chain at Pitch who dodges. ¡°Alright, plan b. Was hoping I could disrupt the angry energy with a different kind of energy.¡± Ishwada shouts at Pitch. ¡°And you thought lust would do the trick?! She was bound by two guys, one of whom looks like an incel.¡±


    Pitch continued to dodge the attacks. ¡°Well at least she''s focused on me, but I definitely won''t have the time for you to grab holy water. You think you could get me a set of bolt cutters instead? I bet there''s one in the garage.¡± Ishwada was about to protest, but remember how Pitch had a habit of knowing just what to do. So he nodded. ¡°On it.¡± Before rushing up the stairs. Pitch continued to run, dodging and weaving while making sure none of the Black Eagle goons got hit by mistake. ¡°You know, if you''re not going to help, you could at least get out of the way. Seriously, you might as well be wearing red shirts over that black armor.¡±


    Eventually Ishwada returned and slid the bolt cutters at Pitch. ¡°They were out in the open, no idea what you plan on doing with them though.¡± The Onrio continued to flail chains at Pitch who took glancing whipping blows to his arm as he moved to the bolt cutters, giving them a couple test chops. The Onrio chanted at Pitch. ¡°Kill you¡­ kill you.¡± Over and over again as she tried to attack him. He dodged to the side of an attack that nearly hit him in the face as he reached over and grabbed the chain, wrapping it around his hand and pulling on it.


    Pitch gets in real close and snaps the bolt cutters on the shackle on one of the woman''s arms, cutting it off. He continued to take glancing blows as he aimed for the shackles, taking off the ones in the limbs first, some needing multiple tries and cuts. Pitch''s body was covered in marks from the whipping but he was still in one piece and avoided getting grabbed. When he finally went for the shackle on the woman''s neck however, she reached out and grabbed the bolt cutters. She wrenched them from Pitch¡¯s hand and snapped them in two. ¡°Kill you. Kill you. Kill¡­ you¡­¡±


    Pitch cursed under his breath before speaking. ¡°Fine, fuck it, we ballin¡¯¡± he said before charging in recklessly and taking several hits on the way. He jumped onto her back wrapping his legs around her waist as he grabbed the shackle with his bare hands. The woman flailed and tried to get him off her back with her hand and whipped him several times but he did not stop. Eventually with a grunt of effort the shackle started to strain and open before there was a sudden snapp and Pitch flew off the woman''s back.


    Now, without her chains to command, the angry Cryptid charged at Pitch with her bare hands. He simply side stepped it, grabbed her arm, and pulled her in. He then put her into a hold as he sat on the ground pulling her with. The Cryptid practically in his lap. Pitch let out a soft and kind sounding hush sound as he ran his hand through the matted and dirty hair. ¡°Shhh¡­ it''s okay now.¡± ¡°Kill you. Kill you.¡± ¡°The shackles and chains are gone now, and they''re already dead. You''re safe now, you''re okay.¡± Pitch continued to run his hand through her hair and hush her. ¡°Shhh¡­¡± ¡°Kill. Kill. Kill.¡± ¡°I know, I know it''s scary, but it''s time to let go now. I know we came a bit late, but you''re safe now. It''s over. Shhhh. Shhhh.¡±


    The angry grunting turned to soft sobbing. ¡°Kill you¡­ kill you. Kill you. Kill¡­. You¡­ you¡­¡± ¡°Shh. It''s okay. It''s okay. You can let go, it''s over. You. Are. Safe. They. Are. Dead. You can rest now. Shhh. You can rest now.¡± The fully adult looking woman sobbed as small white particles came off her and she shrank to the size of a little girl. The little girl curled up in the fetal position in Pitch''s lap as she continued to sob. He simply kept stroking her hair and hushing her. Eventually the sobbing turned to light sniffling, and the little girl dissipated into small white particles that dispersed into the air.


    There was a long stunned silence from all the Black Eagle people, including Ishwada, before he put a hand out towards Pitch from a distance. ¡°What in the fuck was that?!¡± Pitch got up and brushed himself off. ¡°An exorcism, I guess. Her anger wasn''t just at the men, it was at never being rescued. So I saved her.¡± Ishwada blinked a few times. ¡°Last time I exorcized an Onrio, it took a full team of people with holy water super soakers. I lost three guys. And you just¡­ talked one down?¡± Pitch shrugged. ¡°I''m literally an empath, knowing and understanding how others feel is kinda my jam. I can also project my emotions onto others. So I projected a calming aura.¡±


    The former General blinked a few more times. ¡°Let''s just pack up and call it a day.¡± He orders the mooks to clean the place up as he takes Pitch to the Humvee. ¡°Do you need a doctor? She whipped you pretty good back there.¡± Pitch groaned. ¡°I''ll be fine, I don''t even feel this. Won''t even leave a bruise. She couldn''t have snapped a bone even if she got me in a grapple. It''s really hard to injure me, let alone kill me.¡± Ishwada started driving. ¡°If you say so.¡± There''s a moment of silence. ¡°You did good back there, not a single casualty or even injury outside yourself¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°Just doing my best to protect my fellow citizens. The innocent ones at least.¡± Once he was home, Pitch collapsed into his bed, mentally and emotionally exhausted.

 Chapter Eighteen: Confession

    Pitch had felt almost like a new pattern was emerging in his life. He''d go about his normal life and was still keeping his job at NexGen, but then whenever Ishwada had a case for the last two cases Pitch had been called on to assist. Although it was something Pitch had actively asked for he had not realized how mentally and emotionally taxing the job would be. The hardest part was maintaining his mask and not showing his true self to Black Eagle. This meant avoiding cuts and sometimes damage in general as if taking a single hit could kill him.


    Although such a thing would be true for a human, the former General already knew Pitch wasn''t. Pitch had allowed himself to take blunt trauma in the last fight and showed that his strength and durability surpassed what a human was capable of, but he still restrained himself as to not scare Ishwada or his men too much. Working with a Cryptid was one thing, since Black Eagle did employ a number of Doppelgangers. Pitch firmly believed however, that if Ishwada knew what he was, even if told how he was, the former General would act emotionally over rationally. That if discovered his life, or at least his freedom, would be at genuine risk. Especially considering Pitch was directly responsible for the deaths of several Black Eagle members.


    Yes, it was technically self defense. Yes, Pitch didn''t know who they were. This did not change what Pitch had done to those men five years ago. It did not change the fact that he metaphorically had their blood on his hands. The only person Pitch could truly confide in was Kathryn, and so he invited her over to talk about his concerns. ¡°Anyway, that''s about everything I''m dealing with right now. It''s been stressing me out lately. I''m not sure how long I can keep this up, but we need the General on our side if we''re ever going to confront NexGen and their use of an Umbran to power the city. He definitely agrees they''re suspicious but he needs something more if he''s going to convince his bosses to look into the sub basement.¡±


    Kathryn put her hand on Pitch''s shoulder. ¡°I''ve been trying to get in good enough to gain access to that area or at least overhear something but they''re definitely not taking chances when it comes to the generator. They''ve kept it secret this long even within the company by letting only a few people know about it not counting the head researcher. There''s only two people per shift that have access and they are always posted in different sections in the regular basement and have different break rotations to prevent them from even being able to talk. They''ve thought of everything. There isn''t even an air vent for you to use to sneak down there. I''m not sure how we''ll ever get anything from within NexGen outside of what we already have. Unfortunately you can''t show Ishwada the math without him asking where it came from.¡±


    Pitch rubbed his eyes and cheeks with his hand. ¡°It really is the best way forward isn''t it? Trust goes both ways and if we want Ishwada to trust me, I''m going to have to trust him. Besides, it would be a far worse disaster if he found out much later on his own then it will be from me just telling him. I just¡­ don''t know where to start.¡± Kathryn squeezed Pitch''s shoulder gently. ¡°Isn''t it obvious? You start at the beginning, and be thorough about it. Try to cover everything related to what you are and how you got here before handing him a thumb drive with everything we''ve gathered up to this point. All the evidence.¡±


    Pitch sighed. ¡°Right, right. If I''m doing this, it won''t be without you. We''re in this together.¡± Kathryn moved her hand to grip Pitch''s tightly. ¡°I''ve got your back. Through thick and thin.¡± Pitch nodded. If he still had lungs he would have taken in several breaths to help ready himself for the conversation he was going to have to have with Ishwada. ¡°This is definitely a risky move Kat, if this goes south-¡± Kathryn squeezed Pitch''s hand tighter. ¡°Don''t do that, you''ll only start a spiral. Focus on what needs to be done right here and right now. We can deal with the aftermath when we are on the other end of this.¡±


    Pitch sat for a moment holding Kathryn¡¯s hand. He gave her a simple small smile before getting up and letting go. He paces back and forth a few times anxiously. ¡°Okay¡­ let''s do this.¡± He then picks up his cell phone and calls Ishwada who picks up fairly quickly. ¡°Hey Ishwada, are you free? I had a few things I wanted to talk about. Privately. ¡­ Yeah, my place is fine. It''s free and clear since I bug bombed it, completely roach free. I''ll see you when you get here.¡± He then hangs up. ¡°He''ll be here in about a half hour.¡±


    The two wait patiently for their guest to arrive. Pitch makes some tea in a kettle and sets out a charcuterie board. When there''s a knock on the door, Pitch quickly answers it and lets Ishwada in offering tea and snacks. ¡°I wasn''t sure what kind of tea you drank, so I made matcha. I''ve got milk if you want.¡± Ishwada grabbed a pillow and sat at the low sitting coffee table in the traditional Japanese fashion before pouring himself some matcha milk tea. ¡°You definitely know how to make a host feel welcome.¡± Pitch chuckled. ¡°I didn''t expect you to sit on the floor, but whatever works for you.¡±


    Ishwada sips the tea and nods. ¡°So what was it you wanted to talk about that requires an in person meeting?¡± Pitch shifted on the couch. ¡°I¡­ think I need a bit more time to mentally prepare so I''ll start with some lighter questions. During our last mission you told me holy water is a thing and that the power of belief can alter an object and grant it anomalous properties. Does that mean someone with a mental condition like schizophrenia could alter reality around them?¡± Ishwada shook his head. ¡°No single person could ever hope to do anything notable no matter how strongly they believe something. Holy water is relatively low energy but most things take multiple people all believing the same thing.¡±


    Pitch quickly asks a follow up question. ¡°What about cults and those fake as shit healing preachers?¡± Ishwada explains: ¡°Well unless that preacher is drinking his own kool-aid and actually thinks he can heal people his own knowledge of his fraudulence is enough to prevent him from healing people for real. And even if he did and could it wouldn''t be instant and would take time. It''s far more likely these people keep the energy for themselves. Probably in some vain attempt to extend their own lifespans. As for cults it depends on the size. The amount of influence on reality and the creation of anomalies and Cryptids seems directly proportional to the population and its density. They may not follow the laws of physics we are familiar with, but there are definitely rules and limitations that remain consistent.¡±


    Pitch takes a moment to digest the information and takes a few breaths even if they are just for show and more out of habit then necessity. ¡°Okay, I think I''m ready for the real conversation now ¡° he places a thumb drive on the table. ¡°This includes everything we''ve gathered from our investigation of NexGen including mathematical and logistical proof that NexGen has a Cryptid in a sub basement powering New Arkham. As well as proof that their parent company is part of a massive operation that involves the kidnapping and subsequent murder of a significant number of homeless people and registered felons.¡±


    Ishwada raised an eyebrow. ¡°Something tells me you''ve had most of if not all of this information for a while but had some reason not to share it sooner. Mostly because you yourself said you had strong reason to suspect wrongdoing weeks ago. So what''s changed, why give me this now?¡± Pitch sighs. ¡°Because trust works both ways, and if we are going to work together to weed out the corruption in Tomorrow corp and Black Eagle we need full transparency. Including telling you how I got some of this information and what kind of Cryptid hybrid I am.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Ishwada sets down his tea and gestures to Pitch. ¡°I''m all ears.¡± Pitch lets out one final sigh. ¡°Our current working theory is that my transformation was a slow build that started long before my disappearance five years ago. It all started on that faithful unforgettable day sixteen years ago, the day Yuri and the rest of my first grade class were brutally slaughtered by that Umbran.¡± Ishwada nodded, indicating that Pitch had his full attention and to continue. ¡°During that moment of serenity, when all fear left me and it started to study me, it stuck a tendril down my throat. We think that when your men hit it with the light and it bolted, that it left the tendril behind.¡±


    Pitch paused briefly as Ishwada took a sip of tea. ¡°That part remained inside me, feeding slowly off what I did like a parasite. A supernatural tapeworm. It went without notice and issue until I reached the age of eighteen. It is at this point it started to grow exponentially and normal food became less and less effective. It slowly started eating me from the inside as I reached a point where nothing seemed to reduce my growing hunger. You see, Umbrans have an ability to possess people and maybe even animals. When they do there is a mental bleed causing the two beings to experience the memories of the other. But since the fragment had none of its own it was one way.¡±


    Ishwada''s eyes widened as his face paled. Pitch continued as Ishwada set down the teacup. ¡°That day I vanished, the James that was died. Eaten from the inside in his sleep. Giving birth to a new hybrid Cryptid that on that first day was in a feral state existing in the backseat as the body fed on its own. Since then I''ve been regularly feeding on criminals to keep myself from going feral and losing what little humanity I have. I''m almost literally a shadow of my former self, the echoes of the memories of a dead man in an amorphous body wrapped in a human looking shell that''s little more than a mask.¡±


    Ishwada sat in stunned silence for what felt like forever. Pitch then made his final statements. ¡°This data includes information that I''ve gathered from experimenting on myself. It proves that NexGen is using the Umbran that killed your daughter to generate power for the city. They''ve had it locked up for years and it''s responsible for The Signal that draws in Cryptids. In fact from what I can tell they caught it around the same time my appetite jumped when I was eighteen.¡±


    Ishwada runs a hand on his mouth. ¡°Then when I lost those men to an Umbran a year after you vanished¡­¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°I was defending myself, acting mostly on instinct then intentionally to prevent myself from being located later. Once they were dead my habit of not wasting food kicked in as I¡­ consumed all of them. That''s when I got the ability to make this shell. Since then I''ve devoted myself to finding out what happened to me and tracking down the Umbran that started this. Like you I''ve been trying to get my hand on the monster that killed your daughter so I can end it. Not simply for revenge either, but that''s a bit of a factor. I mostly kept this to myself because I was worried how you would act once you knew, worried you''d try to kill me. I''ve acted mostly in the best interest of my continued survival and trying my best to pick the lesser of many evils.¡±


    Ishwada moves from sitting on his legs to sitting on the floor and leaning back, stretching his legs under the low sitting coffee table. He rubs his face with both hands for a minute before letting out a mixture of a sigh and a groan. The exasperated sound goes on for quite some time before Ishwada leans forward and grabs the thumb drive. ¡°So you''re saying that the Cryptid I''ve been hunting has been in containment for seven years?¡±


    Pitch nods. ¡°We think Tom Marrow is using the various subsidiaries of his company to build the infrastructure to place power plants like the one in New Arkham all over the U.S and the E.U. That he¡¯s been feeding it more than the minimum to get it to split. Many Cryptids defy the normal rules of reality as we know them, making the impossible possible. Turning pipe dreams into reality. Unbrans can amplify the electricity run through them for some reason making them able to perform something akin to cold fusion, a sci-fi nonsense myth originally made up by some guys in the eighties as part of a scam.¡±


    Ishwada holds up the thumb drive. ¡°You know if I show this to the people above me they''ll have questions as to how I got it. Not to mention Tomorrow corp is responsible for the technology we use to capture and kill Cryptids. There''s a chance they''ll ignore it, or worse already know about it. They might not give me permission to go to the sub basement even with this. Besides¡­ let''s say hypothetically we get down there. Let us also say hypothetically you kill it. Then what? New Arkham shut down the old coal plant, meaning the city would be without power.¡±


    Ishwada rubs his face more. ¡°I''m stuck between a rock and a hard place, working for a goal separate from the rest of Black Eagle I can''t even tell them about. And on this secret special mission my only help and back up are some lab rat and a monster who just happens to hold the memories of a friend''s son. You¡­ aren''t human, you''re not even James anymore.¡± Pitch sighs. ¡°In private or in my true form, I go by Pitch. Pitch Black. I know it sounds kinda dumb but it felt wrong to use James outside of as a mask to protect myself.¡±


    Ishwada grumbles, groans, and sighs. Shifting back and forth trying to think of what to do next and what to do with this information. ¡°This is a lot to take in, and it shakes the foundation of everything I thought I knew. Everything was so much simpler when I could think of Cryptids as monsters to slay, even with the addition of the few exceptions. Now I''m looking down the barrel of a large scale conspiracy to¡­ what? Provide the world with clean energy? But it''s a bad thing because it''s at the expense of some literal man-eating monster but you want to put it out of its misery because you don''t think it deserves such torment and I want to kill it for vengeance. What are we even doing?¡±


    Pitch sighs. ¡°What is right, what is good, what is just. These three things are not always the same. Sometimes all we are left with is a bunch of bad and evil options. Sure, torturing a literal monster in exchange for clean energy may not sound like a bad deal, but these people see all Cryptids as a resource to be framed and exploited like a precious mineral or a fossil fuel. Although they may defy our definition of life, they are for all intents and purposes, alive. Living things deserve a level of respect. Is a tiger a monster when it attacks a person? These things are only doing what is in their nature. If we allow the use of an Umbran to power a city¡­ to power a nation, to power the world¡­ Where do we draw the line?¡±


    Ishwada sighs. ¡°Like any good man, you just want what''s best for you and your''s. It''s funny, even as a man eating monster you are striving to do what you feel is the right thing. Even if no one else can see it. You can say something about how you are only acting logically, that there''s no emotion behind your actions. Truth is, there''s a passion behind it. I finally got to reading your full file after letting you work with me. Your psychological evaluation is included. Honestly, I think the shrink got a few things wrong. You''re not emotionally stunted. You may feel like your emotions are watered down and hard to access, making it difficult to tell how you feel.¡±


    Ishwada stands up. ¡°But I think, especially knowing your ability to sense the emotions of others, that it''s actually the opposite. You are so overwhelmed by your own emotions and the emotions of others it causes a sort of¡­ overflow error in your system. If that makes sense. Honestly, as funny as it sounds, knowing your natural empathic abilities and the way Cryptids function¡­ I think maybe you were always meant to turn out this way. As a Cryptid, especially something like an Umbran, your abilities were likely enhanced. It''s why you''re so good at detecting and dealing with Cryptids. What I saw in our last mission¡­ the way you handled that Onrio¡­¡±


    Ishwada picked up and downed the rest of his tea. ¡°It was quite possibly the most human thing I''ve ever seen. You defeated it not through force but by reaching out and taking some of the emotional burden so the energies that made up the Cryptid could be resolved and dissipate. To be able to show empathy to something everyone sees as a monster¡­ I think maybe¡­ there¡¯s something noble about it. I may not exactly have the best feeling towards Cryptids, one could say I''m a little biased, but if there''s one thing I can empathize with it''s the fear of prosecution for being different.¡±


    Ishwada turns to leave. ¡°I''m glad you chose to open up to me, and although I don''t know what I''ll do with this information just yet and will need time to adjust, I do know that we''ll likely continue to work together. Because as strange as it might sound, I''m not sure I can do this without you. Right now, you are my best chance at reaching my goals.¡± Ishwada left peacefully, without conflict. Pitch let out a sigh of relief and sat back. ¡°I''m going to turn into my true form in the tub and just¡­ soak.¡± Kathryn looked at Pitch. ¡°Did you want me to stay over?¡± Pitch hesitated before nodding. ¡°You can use the bed tonight. I just¡­ I don''t want to be alone in this house right now.¡±

 Chapter Nineteen: Family Matters

    Pitch woke up in a bit of a daze, having not even realized he had dozed off for a few hours. It took a moment for his mind to process the fact he was a puddle of extremely fine sand-like particles sitting in a tub with the stopper put in place. Groggy and sluggish he slowly worked his way up and out of the bathroom. He floated towards the living room but stopped when he saw the door to his bedroom open as Kathryn stepped out with a yawn. Wearing only a long shirt as a nightgown and undergarments, her hair was in a scattered mess. The bedhead disaster almost seemed to defy gravity. She scratched at herself in a half asleep state then almost jumped when she saw Pitch there. ¡°Ah, shit! ¡­ Don''t sneak up on me like that!¡±


    Pitch chuckled. ¡°Sorry, I forget I don''t exactly make sounds like footsteps while in this form. Did you sleep well.¡± Kathryn shrugged. ¡°Could have been better.¡± She then went to the kitchen and got herself a glass of high pulp orange juice and took a swig. ¡°Bleck, why do you get the high pulp stuff?¡± Pitch hovered in the next room. ¡°It was my preference before¡­ you know. So it''s partly out of habit. I mostly buy food for guests so if you want I''ll get the no pulp stuff.¡± Kathryn smacks her lips a few times. ¡°Nah, I''ll get used to it. The texture may feel off to me but I''m not going to ask you to change on my account.¡±


    Pitch then reminded her. ¡°I only eat normal food to look normal and sometimes the pleasure and nostalgia of it. None of the food in the fridge is for me.¡± Kathryn took another swig and smacked her lips again. ¡°It''s actually starting to grow on me already so¡­¡± She shrugs as she starts to make breakfast. After a short time she''s eating eggs, toast, and bacon in the dining room with a fresh glass of orange juice while Pitch hovers there. ¡°You know Pitch, you don''t have to hover in the room with me. You can do your own thing.¡±


    Pitch shifted a bit before responding. ¡°I''m just¡­ trying to be a normal partner. Normally in a relationship when a couple share a home they eat breakfast and talk in the morning. But since I don''t require breakfast and you''ve stated that you''re perfectly comfortable with me being in my true form and don''t have to pretend to be human around you I have no idea what to do with myself.¡± Kathryn chuckled. ¡°I''m sure we''ll find a new normal eventually. Speaking of normal, I have another day off and was thinking we could visit my parents. I know it still might be a bit too soon but-¡±


    Pitch interrupted her. ¡°After everything I''ve been through lately, a normal dinner with your family sounds lovely. Besides, it''s not like they''re complete strangers to me. The context will be different this time but I have met your parents.¡± Kathryn nods. ¡°My brother will also be there, so prepare yourself for that.¡± Pitch nods. ¡°Although I suppose this means I''ll be sitting at a table and eating food I don''t need so as to not offend your dad. I assume he''ll be cooking. I know if your mom cooks it''ll be something like corn beef and cabbage or shepherd¡¯s pie. I get it, you''re Irish.¡±


    Kathryn tilts her head. ¡°Do you not like Irish food?¡± Pitch shifts his form around trying to express something in body language but isn''t sure how with his true form. ¡°I enjoy it just fine, I just don''t like that she only knows a handful of dishes. Also, corn beef and cabbage always gave me gas. Though I guess that''s not a problem anymore. Besides, if I didn''t like it I could just choose to not taste it. I have a limited range of what I can alter with my shell.¡±


    Kathryn nods and continues eating. ¡°I''ll send a text to let them know I''m bringing a guest.¡± She continues eating till the food is done then puts the dishes in a partially loaded dishwasher. ¡°I''m going to shower. Are you?¡± Pitch shifts in an attempt to convey confusion. ¡°Why would I need to shower? My shell comes out clean when I create it and it''s not like I sweat. I might use deodorant to mimic the smell of a normal human but I don''t need to keep a regular hygiene plan anymore.¡± Kathryn was silent for a moment before responding. ¡°Right, I forgot about that.¡± She then goes to shower.


    After a while Kathryn comes back out in clean clothes scrubbing her hair with a towel on. Pitch notices she hasn''t put her glasses on yet. ¡°You look really different with your hair down and your glasses off.¡± Kathryn looked at Pitch. ¡°Do you prefer this look?¡± Pitch shrugs, the one gesture he''s mastered in his true form. ¡°I didn''t say I liked it better, just that I''m not used to seeing you this way. Honestly, whatever is most comfortable for you is best.¡± Kathryn scowls. ¡°I hate those kinds of responses. You are allowed to have a preference, you don''t have to go out of your way for me. If you have a hairstyle you like or an outfit type you enjoy I''d be willing to give it a try at least once.¡±


    Pitch took a moment to think. ¡°Sexy librarian or secretary are both solid. Also, I kinda liked when you wore pigtails in highschool.¡± Kathryn was a bit surprised. ¡°Pigtails, really? I always thought I looked like a dork with pigtails and braces.¡± Pitch did his best to mimic shaking his head. ¡°You looked like a cute dork.¡± Kathryn blushed. ¡°O-okay then. Maybe I''ll dress up for you another time. Today I''m looking nice for my folks.¡± Pitch mimics a nod before forming a shell with semi-formal clothes on. ¡°I''m ready when you are.¡±


    The pair grabbed a few things and packed them in the car with Pitch driving to Kathryn''s parents'' house. They arrive at a humble home at the edge of the city before it gives way to farmland. Pitch pulls into the driveway and mentally prepares himself. He looks at a big red truck also in the parking lot. ¡°I see Cu is already here. I guess there''s nothing left to it but to do it.¡± Kathryn gave Pitch a light tap on the shoulder. ¡°You got this.¡± Before opening the door and getting out. Pitch also gets out of the jeep and the two grab hands before walking to the door.


    Kathryn took a few breaths before ringing the doorbell. After a short moment the door was opened by a woman who looked like an older version of Kathryn but as a redhead without glasses. The woman was also dressed in tighter fitting clothes that accentuated her assets. Deeper in the door was a large and muscular blonde man who had noticeable age wrinkles who was standing next to what looked like a younger version of himself with strawberry blonde hair.


    The woman smiled at the two and moved to invite them in, speaking in a subtle accent. ¡°My kitty has come home! And she brought a friend. A-¡± the woman paused before putting an extreme and unnecessary emphasis on the word ¡°boyfriend¡±. Cuda looked over to Pitch and lit up. ¡°James?! James Holden?! My God it''s been years! How have you been, man?¡± The large man raised an eyebrow. ¡°You know this young man?¡± Cuda chuckled. ¡°Yeah, bro went to highschool with us.¡±


    Kathryn nodded. ¡°We reunited through my job, he''s a janitor and electrical mechanic there. He worked there for years without me noticing but one day we bumped into one another and started talking again. We sort of started forming a bond over some crazy stuff at work lately and next thing you know we''re having regular movie nights and going out to eat.¡± Pitch then nods. ¡°I''ve actually met you all before, many years ago in passing.¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The father grumbles and crosses his arms and practically stomps his way over to Pitch. ¡°Well since you likely didn''t catch or remember our names, allow us to reintroduce ourselves.¡± He reached out a hand for Pitch to shake. ¡°I''m Jacobi, but Mr. Smith is preferred.¡± Pitch gives the man a firm handshake, doing his best not to put too much into it. The mother smiled at the interaction. ¡°Just call me Fia.¡± Pitch gives the woman a nod. ¡°My name''s James. Nice to meet you all. And yes Cuda, I remember you.¡±


    Cuda also gives Pitch a big smile. ¡°When I heard my sister was bringing a guest I didn''t expect it to be someone I already knew, but then again I always did think you two should have hooked up back in highschool.¡± Pitch let''s go of Jacobi¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡­ had a lot going on back then.¡± Fia started moving everyone to the kitchen. ¡°Let''s get started on the family dinner then and make our guest feel right at home.¡±


    Everyone sat at the table as Fia set out food at the center of the table. ¡°Now I don''t know how your parents raised you, but we say grace in this house.¡± Pitch sighed. ¡°My parents didn''t exactly do church or grace when I was growing up. But I''ll respect that you do it.¡± Jacobi crosses his arms and lets out a displeased grunt. ¡°Were you at least baptized?¡± Kathryn responded with an exasperated ¡°Daaaaaad.¡± Pitch looked at Jacobi. ¡°My grandma insisted I be baptized so yeah. In fact I was baptized at Saint Emmanuel Lutheran right here in New Arkham.¡±


    Jacobi grumbles a bit more, as if displeased. Kathryn glares at him. ¡°Dad, I''m a scientist. I don''t care if the guy I pick is the ¡°right kind of Christian¡±. I don''t even care if he believes in God.¡± Jacobi lets out a grunt. ¡°Well you should. If things get serious and you tie the knot, don''t you want your lover to be with you in heaven after you die?¡± Kathryn turns her head away from Jacobi. ¡°I''m not having this conversation with you dad. If there is a heaven and a god I highly doubt he cares if we worship him. It would be awfully vain to punish someone for eternity when their only crime was not believing you existed.¡±


    Jacobi grumbles but remains silent. Fia sets the last few items on the table, having set up something akin to a Thanksgiving Day feast. She then sits between her husband and daughter. ¡°Alright everyone, join hands.¡± Pitch grabs Kathryn¡¯s hand on his right and Cuda''s on his left as Fia says grace. She ends with an ¡°amen¡± and everyone starts eating. Fia gives her husband a look. ¡°Honey, I want you to say something nice about our guest. Be a good host and be civil.¡± Jacobi grumbles. ¡°Custodian work and electrical mechanics aye? Sounds like a real proper job for a man. Explains the solid handshake despite how skinny and pale you look.¡±


    Pitch sighs. ¡°It''s fine if you don''t like me Mr. Smith. The only person here that needs to like me is your daughter. I didn''t come here seeking your approval or your blessing. I came here because my girlfriend wanted me to have dinner with her folks.¡± Jacobi crosses his arms with a scowl before a light barely noticeable smile crept onto his face. ¡°Well you''ve got spunk, I''ll give you that.¡± Fia chuckled. ¡°So Kitten, when can we expect grandchildren?¡±


    Despite his anatomy, Pitch practically started to choke on the bite of food in his mouth. Kathryn looked at the table. ¡°M-mom! It''s far too early to be thinking of that!¡± Pitch leaned back in his chair, as the reminder that he probably couldn''t have kids hit him. Fia laughed. ¡°Sorry, sorry. It''s just that Cuda has been too focused on his career to bring home a girl. I understand wanting to be stable on your own before trying to be with someone else, but I was already married to your father and expecting Cu when I was your age.¡±


    Kathryn groans. ¡°Mom, I''m only twenty five and Cu is only a year older than me. We have plenty of time.¡± Cuda was eyeing the table. ¡°I¡­ do have someone but it''s far too soon to bring them home. I''m taking things slowly this time around. I''m not making the same mistake twice.¡± Pitch gives Cuda a tap on the shoulder and could feel the mix of emotions coming off him. ¡°Hey man, you don''t need to please your parents with your choice. As long as you''re happy and like being with them that''s all that should matter.¡± Fia nods. ¡°I agree with James. Whoever you bring, as long as they make you happy, I''ll be happy. Your dad might be a sourpuss about it, but if you give him time I''m sure you''ll find him warming up to them.¡±


    Cuda smiled. ¡°Thanks mom, James. I needed that.¡± The group finished their meals with some mild casual banter before Pitch started to grab empty dishes and bring them over to the sink to be washed. Fia smiling at him. ¡°What a gentleman. You don''t have to help clean up.¡± Pitch shook his head. ¡°I used to do this for my own family whenever we had big meals like Thanksgiving. I actually kinda miss helping out like this.¡± Fia tilted her head. ¡°Did you¡­ have a falling out with your family.¡±


    Pitch shook his head. ¡°My parents aren''t around anymore. They were in an accident shortly after I reached adulthood.¡± Fia put her hand by her mouth. ¡°Aww you poor thing. That''s terrible. Well, if you slip up and accidentally call me mom, I won''t mind. I''m not going to force the issue though.¡± Pitch nods. ¡°I think it''s a bit early to be calling you mom.¡± Fia continued to give Pitch a large genuine smile. After the clean up is finished Cuda starts packing up. ¡°I have an early start tomorrow. I''ll see you guys later. Later James.¡± With a wave and returned farewells Cuda left the building.


    Fia frowns slightly after he leaves before making a single clap with a smile. ¡°How long do you two plan to stay?¡± Kathryn looked at her watch. ¡°Well we don''t have to work until late tomorrow, so we could stay for a bit.¡± Fia moves things to the living room and turns on the TV. Jacobi sits in a recliner and puts up the foot rest. Fia puts her attention on the couple rather than what''s on the TV. ¡°So I assume everything is going well so far between you two. I''m guessing you haven''t moved in together or shared a bed yet. So that means you''re still in the early stages. Kissing and hand holding?¡±


    Kathryn sighs. ¡°Mom, I''m not going to go into graphic details about my love life with you. We haven''t gotten that serious yet. We''re trying to pace ourselves.¡± Fia frowns slightly for a moment before returning to her smile. ¡°Well a change of subject then. Maybe I could tell James the old family legend from my side of the family.¡± Kathryn rolls her eyes. ¡°I don''t want to hear about how our ancestor was blessed by a fairy for the hundredth time.¡± Pitch looked at her, then her mom. ¡°I''m interested to hear at least a little bit about it.¡±


    Fia lit up. ¡°Well I won''t do the whole story since Kat can do that. But basically many generations ago my Irish ancestor saved a fae, because of this he blessed her with a child and good luck.¡± Pitch moved his attention back and forth between Fia and Kathryn. ¡°With good luck you say?¡± Pitch remembered the file on Kathryn that mentioned her anomaly manifested as probability manipulation. In more simple terms, a good luck aura. With a range that seemed to match the empathetic aura that Pitch inherited from his human self. The theory that these anomalous abilities came from interactions with Cryptids seemed to hold water if stories like this that were somewhat common were true.


    The couple continued to casually talk with Fia for a while as Jacobi took a nap watching sports from his recliner. As it got late in the night the two eventually said their farewells. They packed back into the Jeep and started the trip back to Pitch''s house. ¡°I think that went well.¡± Kathryn was genuinely enthusiastic about how well received Pitch seemed to be. Pitch nodded. ¡°Although he came off as cold, I think your dad started to like me by the end of the dinner. So all in all a success.¡± Kathryn fidgeted with her fingers. ¡°Can you¡­ take me home with you tonight?¡±


    Pitch chuckled. ¡°Sure, but if you keep spending the night over we might have to think about making it a permanent move.¡± Pitch was attempting to make a joke but Kathryn didn''t laugh. She only fidgeted more. ¡°Would you¡­ like me to?¡± Pitch took a moment to respond. ¡°I thought we were trying to pace ourselves?¡± Kathryn fidgeted more. ¡°That wasn''t what I asked¡­¡± Pitch sighed. ¡°I mean¡­ of course I''d like for you to live with me eventually. I just don''t want to rush into anything and mess it up.¡±


    Kathryn nodded and after a while they pulled up on Pitch''s house. They grabbed their things and brought them in. Once everything was inside and out of the way Pitch gestured to the bedroom. ¡°It''s all yours.¡± Kathryn started walking, tired and ready to sleep. She stopped after a few steps and hesitated for a moment. Pitch was about to walk off but Kathryn reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling him back. He looks at her as she stares right into his eyes. She didn''t speak, but she didn''t need to.


    Pitch could feel the anxious and nervous energy coming off Kathryn, he gripped her hand a bit tighter before pulling her in for a passionate kiss. Pressing lips together firmly and deeply the two embraced one another in a hug as they locked lips for a moment. After a bit Kathryn pulled away. ¡°I¡­ I love you.¡± Pitch smiled. ¡°I love you too.¡±

 Chapter Twenty: Ososphobia

    Things had been going relatively smoothly for Pitch for almost a week since the last case he helped Black Eagle with. If there were any active cases in New Arkham, Pitch wasn''t involved in them. Then he got a text from Ishwada asking to meet up to help him with an ongoing case connected to one Pitch was involved in. Since he only got involved in a few cases he wasn''t sure what that meant. When Pitch got to the scene, a blocked off spot in the middle of a road, he still had no idea what to expect.


    Despite being late at night the crime scene was crowded with people gawking at the scene, covering their mouths. When Pitch got there he had some difficulty cutting through the crowd to get to the scene. The moment he sees it he understands why it drew such a crowd at an ungodly hour. On the road lay a woman, her belly torn open and her insides pulled out. The opening on her gut as well as her face had clear claw marks and what remained of organs looked torn as if by the teeth of a predator.


    Pitch leaned down to look over the corpse, the scene looking somewhat familiar. Pitch looked at Ishwada and the moment their eyes met us was as if the two had communicated telepathically. The pop culture variant Wendigo that attacked and infested Vance was still at large. Pitch gloved his hand before reaching out to the corpse with his eyes closed. He whispered to Ishwada who got closer to look for himself. ¡°I can still feel the lingering aura of the victim and her attacker. The body is still warm. This kill is fresh, an hour or so at most.¡± Pitch then tilted his head, and suddenly despite his anatomy nearly threw up as he gagged. ¡°Make that victims.¡±


    Pitch took a few steps back feeling dizzy and covering his mouth. ¡°Oh god. It¡­ it aimed for it. Targeted it specifically.¡± Ishwada also has to back away and overt his gaze. ¡°That¡¯s atypical. Normally they act like wild animals. Clean the bones and move on unless interrupted.¡± Pitch then pointed at the ground in front of the body. ¡°If it got interrupted then there would be bloody front claw marks from it bolting away or at the interrupting person on all fours. Also, though I''m not sure if it''s relevant, the victim is a NHC. Non-human citizen. Can''t tell the exact type.¡±


    Ishwada rubs his face with his hands. ¡°If this is the same one that bit Vance, is it possible the flesh it ate when it took a bite out of him mutated it somehow?¡± Pitch shrugged. ¡°You''d know that better than I. I''m still relatively new to this.¡± Pitch crouches back down and checks the body for an I.D, eventually finding one in the victim''s purse. Pitch takes the I.D and goes to the crowd, spotting the familiar face of someone he saw at the Identity Crisis speakeasy bar and grill. He shows them the card. ¡°Do you recognize this woman?¡±


    The man looked at the card, then at the crowd. ¡°She used to frequent a bar I go to. Stopped showing up a while back.¡± Pitch put down the card. ¡°Do you remember when that was?¡± The person thought for a moment. ¡°About five months ago.¡± Pitch frowns. ¡°That matches the timeline well enough.¡± The person tried to look past Pitch to the victim. ¡°Do you mean that¡­ oh god.¡± Pitch nodded before pulling the person to the side to talk privately. ¡°What can you tell me about the victim?¡±


    ¡°She was a regular at Identity Crisis, her and her husband. They were one of two Dopple succubus couples in New Arkham. Her husband was an incubus and they had been trying for a baby for years. Although it''s not officially against the rules, the Dopple counsel frowns upon and heavily discourages Dopples from having intimate relationships with non Dopples. It''s essentially soft banned.¡± Pitch puts his hand on his chin. ¡°Why is that?¡± The person sighs. ¡°I imagine it''s for similar reasons that some people don''t like interracial relationships. They say it''s to help protect us. Did you know many contortionists are the result of Dopple human breeding?¡±


    Pitch chuckled softly. ¡°Yeah, I read that in a set of files on different Cryptids. Many successful politicians and cult leaders have a strong Succubus lineage that boosts their charisma. Thanks for your information, you''ve helped this investigation greatly.¡± He then returned to Ishwada. ¡°The victim was a Dopple and her baby a hybrid Cryptid with the father being an Incubus. Apparently this is the first successful pairing between the two as far as is known because such a relationship is soft banned.¡±


    Ishwada knitted his brow. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Pitch explained. ¡°Apparently the local Doppelganger counsel as well as most if not all others heavily discourage and frown on Dopples having relationships with non Dopples. So basically they really don''t like it when interracial couples exist but they haven''t outlawed it.¡± Ishwada hummed. ¡°That''s¡­ oddly human actually. Seems they''ve copied our flaws along with everything else. They really are just like us.¡±


    Pitch nodded. ¡°Just like us for real.¡± Ishwada gives a cocked eyebrow. Pitch cleared his throat. ¡°I have a theory that the Wendigo was after the baby because it was a hybrid, and that it may now be hunting hybrids specifically after being mutated from its interaction with Vance who himself became a Chimera style hybrid. That or it''s a territorial defense seeing hybrids as a threat after its encounter. Either way, it''s atypical behavior is likely directly tied to that interaction.¡±


    Ishwada nods in agreement. ¡°Can you track it? If the scene is that fresh it might not be far.¡± Pitch looks at the road near the victim. ¡°Well an hour is a while, it could be miles away by now. Wendigos usually go after isolated targets and avoid crowded areas and cities. This one is inside the city however, and has been since before it mutated. So odds are it has a nest somewhere in the city, treating at least a part of it as its territory.¡± Ishwada looks around. ¡°Wendigo hunting grounds can be pretty big. Any idea what to look for?¡±


    Pitch thought for a moment. ¡°Abandoned buildings or maybe the sewers through an open entrance. It wouldn''t want to stay anywhere it could be found while sleeping. Also I don''t think it would have an easy time opening most doors.¡± Ishwada takes a moment to think. ¡°Isn''t one of the city¡¯s old graveyards near here? The mausoleum might be a good spot to check. The only people that regularly visit that gravesite are the groundskeepers these days.¡±


    Pitch nods. ¡°It''s as solid a place to check as any.¡± Ishwada instructs the people to finish processing the crime scene and takes Pitch to the old gravesite nearby. The two immediately start making their way towards the mausoleum. At the entrance they see blood and drag marks and even hear a short shout as they approach. They ran to see that the Wendigo was eating a groundskeeper who was still alive. Though not for long as the life left him shortly after the two arrived as the Wendigo continued to eat its new meal.


    Ishwada lifted what looked like an electric tech shotgun and aimed it forward, keeping his distance. ¡°I''ll be depending on you to take it out, since you are immune to the infection.¡± Pitch rolls his eyes. ¡°Now I see why you wanted me on this case so badly. By the way, what''s the shotgun called? Since the electric tech guns all have electromagnetic scientist and inventor names.¡± Ishwada gestured for Pitch to go on already. ¡°It''s an Ohm scatter-shot. Great for when something likes getting close and personal.¡±


    Pitch slowly gets closer to the Wendigo that seemed to be two distracted with its meal to notice the two intruders. Pitch was about ten feet away when it finally stopped eating and jerked its deer skull like fang-toothed head up to look at him, the small white dots in its otherwise vacant looking black eyes aimed straight at him. After a moment of staring at Pitch who didn''t move it lowered it''s head while still looking at him and took to steps back on all fours. Ishwada stayed at the ready. ¡°What¡­ is it doing?¡± Pitch tilted his head. ¡°It''s¡­ offering me its food. I think. I read that although they are usually solitary hunters, Wendigos sometimes hunt in small packs of three to five in areas with lots of large open woodlands.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Ishwada continued to aim his weapon. ¡°So you think that gesture is the same as what wolves do when offering food to the alpha?¡± Pitch groans. ¡°I swear to god- Wolves don''t have alphas. That entire idea started with a misunderstanding of wolf social structure and I don''t know why people continue to perpetuate it. It irritates the crap out of me.¡± Pitch then puts his full attention back to the Wendigo that was still doing its bowing motion. Pitch slowly approached with his hand out till he was about five feet away, the Wendigo started mimicking a whimpering sound. ¡°(Is it¡­ scared?)¡±


    The thought was a strange one, although thought to have the intelligence of an animal comparable to something like a dog or racoon. However even animals including but not limited to dogs could show signs of fear. ¡°(Is this why the giant wasps kept clear of me? Since Cryptids can sense other Cryptids can they tell I''m something way higher up the food hierarchy compared to them?)¡± Pitch then thought about how the Onrio still attacked him. ¡°(Maybe the Onrio was an outlier?)¡± Pitch slowly reached out and put his hand on the fresh corpse.


    From what he could tell, the gravekeeper was human. Maybe he was simply in the wrong place or maybe he had a strong Cryptid ancestry. There was no way to tell at this time. The Wendigo backed up more, keeping its head low and its eyes on Pitch, until its back leg hit the back wall of the mausoleum. It looked at the wall, then back to Pitch, maintaining its stance. ¡°(Actually, if they can tell I''m that dangerous, why don''t Doppelgangers freak out around me?)¡± Pitch found himself a little lost in thought and distracted trying to figure out why the Wendigo was reacting this way.


    The moment he let his guard down the Wendigo pounced, biting Pitch on the shoulder and clawing into his sides. Pitch backed up out of shock more than anything. He grabbed the monster on its sides and gripped tightly before tossing it off him. The monster hit the floor and quickly flipped to its feet, circling Pitch on all fours. He expected the monster to be snarling at him, with this being a combat stance mentally as a challenge to Pitch. However, something about its body language was off.


    The monster kept its humanoid claws and head low but its digitigrade back legs with clawed human-like feet weren''t in a ready-to-pounce stance but rather were already fully extended pushing its hind end into the air. It started using its toes to make little jumps with its hind end as it started to bounce back and forth. Ishwada moved to keep a clear shot but kept his distance. ¡°What is it doing now?¡±


    Pitch tilted his head as he observed the abnormal behavior from the Cryptid. ¡°It looks like¡­ bounding. It''s what puppies do when trying to initiate play.¡± Ishwada lowered his weapon slightly. ¡°It looked scared of you earlier, now you think it''s trying to play with you?¡± Pitch kept his eyes on the creature and started to circle it. ¡°It could be an adrenaline response. Wendigos have a bite strength comparable to an alligator or crocodile and claws that are sharp enough to rend a boar¡¯s hide. They can break and sometimes even eat bones. It should have been able to rip through my shell easily. But it didn''t.¡±


    Ishwada lifted his weapon again. ¡°Okay, but why would a fight if flight trigger cause it to try and play with you?¡± Pitch explained. ¡°Actually there are four Fs for an adrenaline response. Fight, flee, friend, and freeze. Although sometimes the friend option is accelerated to fornicate. Predatory animals lean towards fight and flee while prey lean to flee or freeze. Only a handful of animals use the friend response including humans. It might even be at least partly responsible for Stockholm Syndrome. It was cornered and couldn''t flee. I think it knows fighting would only lead to death so that left friend and freeze. The bow might not have fully been a display of fear but rather of submission.¡±


    Ishwada kept his guard up. ¡°So¡­ what you''re saying is¡­ it''s acting¡­ submissive and breedable?¡± Pitch turns to glare at Ishwada. ¡°Who the hell taught you to talk like that? Please never say anything like that again.¡± Ishwada gave a smug grin. ¡°Hey man, I''m not the one who gets turned on by monsters here. If you want I can give you two some privacy. Not sure how Miss Smith would feel about that though.¡± The Wendigo leaps for another ¡°play attack" nipping at Pitch''s neck again as it claws at his ribs. Pitch is forced to bring his attention back to the monster. ¡°Just because this doesn''t hurt doesn''t make it less annoying.¡±


    Pitch, in his frustration, brought his hand to the monster''s neck, and grabbed it. Once grappled, he forced the monster off of him and slammed it to the ground still holding it by the neck and squeezing. Pitch scowled as he held the monster down with a single hand and tightened his grip. The Wendigo flailed wildly as it realized Pitch wasn''t playing around. It started to seriously claw at his ribs, tearing into the shell and letting small dar tendrils leak out the wounds. It swiped its claws through Pitch¡¯s arm only to have the severed hand connected to the stump and continue to choke the monster as any new swipes simply passed through the fine sand like particles that kept the now disembodied hand in place.


    Ishwada stood there in stunned silence. Even though Pitch had told him what he was, the former General could push the thoughts into the back of his mind and continue. He could put the mission first. But in this moment, as he watched Pitch manhandle a monster several times stronger than a human like it was nothing and the fact his metaphorical mask had now been literally torn, Ishwada was forced face to face with a monster. The same kind of monster that killed his daughter. Ishwada''s aim moved up, at Pitch, despite his knowledge that an electric tech gun would be useless against an Umbran.


    Ishwada closed his eyes and took a breath as the sounds of the Wendigo struggling continued. Flailing continued as the sounds of flesh and bones smacking into grass and dirt continued for a while until eventually it was quiet. Ishwada opened his eyes to see Pitch restore his shell as he took his hand off its neck. ¡°It finally passed out. Call in the containment unit.¡± Ishwada hesitated for a moment before responding. ¡°R-right.¡± He radioed in the request. ¡°They''ll make sure it stays sedated.¡±


    Pitch got up from his lowered position and took a few steps to Ishwada who instinctively took a step back and raised his weapon. Pitch put his arms into the air and frowned. ¡°Woah there General, I''m not going to attack you. We''re on the same side here.¡± The General slowly lowered his shaking hands. ¡°I know¡­ I know. It''s just that¡­ it''s one thing for you to say you''re an Umbran in disguise, it''s another to see it in action. When I saw the shadowy tendrils leaking out of your body, it was like I was back in that forest on that horrible day. I know it wasn''t you, but I-¡±


    Pitch took a step backwards. ¡°You don''t have to explain yourself to me Ishwada, you can''t help how you feel. My true form is indistinguishable from that of the monster that killed your daughter, it''s only natural for your body to become hostile when reminded of that day.¡± Ishwada holstered his gun. ¡°Jiryu.¡± Pitch tilted his head. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Ishwada let out a loud sigh. ¡°My given name, is Jiryu. Ishwada Jiryu.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°When in private, I go by Pitch Black rather than James Holden since technically James died. Just Pitch is fine. But only between us and Kat.¡±


    Ishwada nodded. ¡°Nice to properly be introduced, Pitch.¡± The two waited for a bit more when a containment team with special tranquilizers came to properly sedate and move the Wendigo with Kathryn assisting them. ¡°Hey guys, I see the latest monster hunt went well. Is this the same one that attacked Vance?¡± The two guys both nodded. Kathryn put on gloves and started a brief field examination. ¡°Subject is a female, estimated age mid to late twenties. No visual signs of mutation outside the norm for the pop culture Wendigo.¡±


    Kathryn then moved up and down the Wendigo, checking various parts of the body. ¡°Bite mark on the neck has scared, based on how it has mended the subject was bitten around seven years ago. Subject has a musk, I''m guessing she''s currently in estrus. We''ll definitely have to keep her cell as far away from any male Wendigos for at least a month.¡± Ishwada groans. ¡°I made a joke earlier about it being in the mood to breed, I completely forgot that Wendigos can in fact still reproduce sexually. Explains why it started acting strange to P-¡±


    Ishwada paused and looked at the containment crew. ¡°To James. It sensed not only that he was a Cryptid but she could possibly even tell that relatively speaking he was higher on the food hierarchy. So when adrenaline kicked in it displayed submissive behaviors in the hopes he''d respond positively and at least keep her as a pet if not a mate rather than kill and eat her.¡± Kathryn tilted her head. ¡°Wait, the Wendigo tried to seduce James?¡± Ishwada shrugged. ¡°Maybe. I''m not an expert in animal or Cryptid body language but it did start trying to play-fight like a puppy once it was cornered by James.¡±


    Kathryn puts a hand on her chain. ¡°Ah yes, the four Fs. With its other options removed it attempted to befriend or perhaps more. So how exactly did you two knock it out? I don''t see a tranq gun.¡± Pitch held out his hand. ¡°I choked it till it passed out.¡± Kathryn¡¯s eyes widened for a moment as the realization of how strong Pitch is relative even to other Cryptids is re-established in her mind. ¡°R-right. You didn''t have to be as careful as normal since you are immune and it was just the two of you. Well I''ll go with the containment crew and get started on the more invasive analysis. I''ll see you boys later.¡± Kathryn does a loose salute gesture as she takes the loaded vehicle and heads back to the lab.


    With her and the containment crew gone it was just the two guys left who walked to the General¡¯s Humvee. ¡°You know General, if you feel uncomfortable sharing a car with me, I can make my own way back.¡± Ishwada closed his eyes and sighed before stepping into the Humvee. ¡°No, no. Get in. I just¡­ need time to adjust is all. Knowing what you are makes my skin crawl but you''re my best shot at getting to the monster that killed Yuri.¡± Pitch got into the Humvee as well. ¡°You don''t have to force yourself, General. It doesn''t hurt my feelings if my true form makes you uncomfortable.¡±


    Ishwada sighs. ¡°I know. And you don''t have to be so formal when it''s just the two of us Pitch.¡± Pitch nods. ¡°Alright Jiryu. I''m ready to go home.¡± Ishwada drove Pitch home and dropped him off before giving him a salute-wave and driving off. Pitch walked into his house and sat around for about an hour before dropping his mask and going out an open window to hunt. As much as he hated it, it was still a necessary part of his existence.

 Chapter Twenty One: Domino

    Pitch clocked in for his job at NexGen like it was just another normal day, three days had passed since the capture of the Wendigo and he had yet to get an update. He decided to go down to the basement since he now had clearance and could do so to check on things. He approached Kathryn who looked like she hadn''t slept in the three days since the last case. ¡°Kat, are you okay?¡± Kathryn pulled away from a microscope or something with a similar observation set up and pushed up her glasses to rub her eyes. ¡°Eh P- James? Yeah, sorry. I jumped into my old habit of losing myself to my work again. I''ve learned so many new things about Wendigos and have been studying the mutation of the specimen you helped capture.¡±


    Pitch sighed and crossed his arms. ¡°You really need to take breaks to sleep. I mean actually sleep, not just slip away into a broom closet to take a cat nap for an hour. I''m built to only need a few hours every other week, you''re only human. You''re going to burn yourself out.¡± Kathryn waved a hand at Pitch. ¡°I know I know it''s just¡­ look at this.¡± She points to the device. Pitch put his face to it with a sigh. ¡°I have no idea what I''m looking at.¡± Kathryn explained. ¡°The mutation is affecting all of the Wendigo¡¯s essence. Meaning if this Wendigo were to infect someone they would inherit its mutation. This is possibly the first actual solid evidence of Cryptid evolution and development. Also the signature may contain a small part of Vance''s mutation; the rest is entirely new. Meaning his tainted blood was simply a catalyst for the changes. The mutation was more of a reaction to the blood rather than being caused by the blood.¡±


    Pitch took his eyes away from the device and rubbed the bridge of his nose. ¡°Yes yes, it''s all very groundbreaking. But these samples aren''t going to vanish because you went home to get eight hours of sleep. The discoveries will still be there when you get back.¡± Kathryn tried to object. ¡°Yeah but then someone else-¡± Pitch put his hand on her shoulder. ¡°This is a team project, a group effort. You don''t have to be the first to find the missing links you''ve been after. Take a breather, take a shower, and take a goddamned proper rest. Before I have to make you.¡± Kathryn closed her eyes and took a few breaths. ¡°You''re right, I''m no good to anyone if I''m mentally burnt out. I''ll take tomorrow off and we can have a date night.¡±


    Pitch smiled and removed his hand. He then looked at the elevator when it dinged to see who entered the lab to find it was Ishwada and a squad Black Eagle people all armed with Ultra Violet Pulse and Sonic Pulse rifles and cannons. Pitch started to feel nervous and slowly walked over to the former General. ¡°Uhhh¡­ what''s going on Jiryu? Why does it look like you''re ready to fight an Umbran?¡± Ishwada looked at Pitch. ¡°You were right, I showed the higher ups the data you gave me and they found any and every excuse to dismiss everything. From starting off with a weak attempt at denial to pointing out that since it provides power to the city I can''t kill it. So I gathered a few loyal people and we are going to force their hands. I tried being patient and working within the group but it seems that my superiors weren''t just okay with supporting misuse of Cryptids as a resource but are actively encouraging it.¡±


    Put out his hands up and waves them down over and over again. ¡°Woah there General, maybe slow your roll a little bit. I''m glad you''ve gained some measure of empathy towards Cryptids since I pointed out the risk of them being in a situation similar to the Jews and Japanese during world war two but maybe not burst into the lab filled with monsters guns loaded. Who knows what the head scientist will try if you back him into a corner.¡± The head scientist comes out from somewhere in the back, his mid length hair a somewhat wavy mess. ¡°You don''t have the authorization to be here Ishwada, but luckily for you I''m a reasonable man. I''ll give you and your men access to the generator room under one small condition.¡± The man fixed his glasses with a finger and smirked, Pitch could feel his skin crawl somehow.


    Ishwada crossed his arms. ¡°Okay, I''ll bite. What''s this condition?¡± The man reached out his hand gesturing to Kathryn and Pitch. ¡°I want Miss Smith and Mister Holden to also accompany you.¡± His smirk grew. Pitch looked over to Kathryn and whispered. ¡°I don''t have to be an empath to know he''s up to something.¡± Kathryn whispererer back. ¡°This is our best and possibly only chance. Whatever he has up his sleeve we can handle it.¡± Ishwada looked over to Pitch who nodded back. Ishwada nods in response. ¡°I accept these terms.¡±


    The head scientist then started to lead them all to the secret sub basement entrance, taking an elevator hidden behind a wall downward. The elevator was barely big enough to fit everyone. When the door finally opened everyone felt grateful to not be packed into an elevator like sardines. Everyone did a stretch before looking over and taking in the new environment.


    The entire room was set up like a donut with a circle of equipment around a translucent central dome with the Umbran getting zapped inside a fence grate-like cage being visible from the outside. It had an upper level that had a catwalk that went to a special containment door similar to a quarantine set up at the top of the dome to insure the contained subject couldn''t escape the airtight cell. The dome itself had several thick cords coming off it and going upwards and into the wall. The head scientist gestured to it. ¡°Here you see our containment dome that is set up like an airtight faraday cage keeping it separate from the outside. Food is fed into the top to keep the subject in peak condition as electricity is shot in, amplified, and extracted from the subject.¡±


    Pitch then pointed out. ¡°By fed he means live humans are abducted off the street or transferred from a prison in secret and dropped in. Because it has to feed on humans that are both alive and conscious. The fear response from its prey is fundamental in the digestive process.¡± The scientist smirks. ¡°I love it when I don''t have to explain everything. We go through great lengths to ensure only the least desirable of human specimens are fed to the Umbran. Criminals, homeless, drug addicts with no hope or intention of rehabilitation. Of course to do this we have to source from across the county. Sometimes we grab people on the death penalty from other states. Using sedatives and rigged heart monitors to fake deaths before moving them.¡±


    Ishwada grumbles. ¡°You''re committing murder on a mass scale.¡± The scientist reaches out his arms. ¡°The lives of the unwashed, unwanted, and those already wanted dead is a small price to pay for clean, renewable, radiation free energy. Don''t you think? If we had more of these Umbrans we could single handedly solve the energy crisis in a way that is totally pollution free. Imagine it, a world of renewable clean energy at the low low price of sacrificing people that no one wants around anyway.¡± The scientist gestured to Pitch. ¡°Say Mister Holden, can you really tell me you''ve never done something bad, unforgivable perhaps, because the alternative was worse? Can you really look me in the eyes and tell me your hands are clean? Humanity is slowly poisoning the world into a state that can''t support us. Sacrifices are necessary for our continued survival.¡±


    Pitch grunts. ¡°Like you actually care about humanity. Choosing to give something up is a sacrifice, what you''re doing is ritualistic murder. You''re just trying to justify your abuse the same as any abuser. When in reality the only reason you''re so ready to try and convince people that this is the lesser of evils and that Cryptids don''t even count as life is so you can market this as a clean, radiation free, and cruelty free energy source. After all, who wouldn''t be willing to pay a little extra for energy that doesn''t contribute to the carbon footprint. This isn''t about lesser evils, making the best of a bad situation, morality, or saving the world. It''s about finding ways to profit off a mostly untapped resource and lining your pockets. If my hands are stained, at least I''m not wasting my breath trying to pretend I''m not a monster or convince people what I do is what''s best for humanity.¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The scientist scowled but his smirk quickly returned. ¡°Well, you people do whatever you think is necessary. We''ve stashed enough energy in backup batteries over the years to power the city for at least a year while a new power plant is built. One that''ll definitely add to the already massive carbon footprint of humanity.¡± Ishwada signals his men to go to the catwalk and the entrance to the containment. They set up ropes and the scientist orders for the people to shut down the electrical exchange and prepare for the containment cell to be opened.


    The top door opened and the excess slack of rope dropped down letting the Black Eagle squad descend into the quarantine area. The outer door closed before the inner door opened and the men started to fire their guns immediately. The monster was hit and made sound in response before shadowy tendrils shot at them, grabbing them all and ripping them off the rope in a single swift and effortless movement before it squeezed down breaking the weapons and started to rip them apart one by one. Ishwada put his hand over his mouth as he was powerless to do anything to help the men he sent in.


    The scientist gestured to the dome. ¡°Looks like feeding is taken care of for the day. You can see yourselves out, and don''t expect me to let you down here a second time without the proper authorization. Not that you''d be able to get another squad to volunteer considering what happened to this one. So unless you have another idea to kill my Umbran¡­¡± He turns his attention to Pitch and smiles wickedly. ¡°(Does¡­ does he know somehow? How could he possibly know?)¡± Pitch''s eyes flick to Kathryn. ¡°(She used it in private but it was still company equipment.)¡± ¡°You''ve been recording everything being run through all your equipment without telling your employees, haven''t you? Are you really that paranoid and untrusting that you''d have screen recorders installed in every microscope and computer in this building?¡±


    One of the other scientists flinches. ¡°W-wait¡­ is he also recording what goes on the personal desktops in the private offices?¡± The scientist rolls his eyes. ¡°Yes Phil, I''m well aware of your search history. I''d prefer if you didn''t look up or create adult content while on the clock. Although, I will admit, you definitely captured the naked essence of the various types of Cryptid hags under our care. I even considered offering you private time with one to see what happens but didn''t want to risk your death since you''re harder to replace than a normal worker. Also yes, I put trackers and recorders on the equipment I send home with you people in order to detect and plug leaks.¡±


    Pitch was backed into a corner. This guy knew what he was and made it clear this was his one and only shot at the Umbran in the cell. But what was this guy''s endgame? He let Pitch down here knowing exactly what he was so what was his goal? To expose Pitch, or maybe to find out how Pitch came to exist as a way to create more Unbrans and thus more of these power plants? This felt like a lose-lose situation. Either Pitch exposes himself and risks being forced into a similar cell or leaves things the way they are with little to no hope of getting back down here later.


    Pitch climbed a ladder to the catwalk and walked over to the quarantine doors. Ishwada shouts for him. ¡°What are you planning to do James?¡± Pitch looked at Ishwada. ¡°You can stop walking on eggshells Jiryu, William Grimes the Science Slime already knows. Kat used the lab''s equipment to run a sample of my body and he saw everything. He''s known for a while. So now I''m going to kill his precious Umbran the old fashioned way.¡± Pitch rolled up his sleeves as the outer door opened. ¡°I''m going to punch it really hard until it dies.¡± He steps into the quarantine area and waits for the doors to cycle.


    When the inner door opened Pitch quickly dropped the mask and everyone watched as two black masses clashed inside the containment cell. Purple lightning started to arc back and forth between the two masses, eventually one sparked out and hit one of the collection nubs in the cell causing one of the readout dashboards to spark like the dashboard on the set of a classic sixties sci-fi show. The scientist who moved to gain some distance shouted out. ¡°They seem to be amplifying the energy back and forth, increasing it exponentially! It''s too much for the system to take at once! At this rate we''ll fill all the energy silos and overload the entire system!¡±


    The head scientist adjusted his glasses and smiled as he started to laugh a wicked laugh. ¡°Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful! I can feel it from here. Unlimited power!!!¡± The two masses continued to clash and purple lightning continued to spark and hit the collection nubs overloading the scanning equipment. ¡°Sir, the energy is operating at an unusual wavelength. We''re getting feedback reading and echos. The motion detector is picking up movement from outside the cell, and it doesn''t match that of the people in this room. Anomalous readings are continuing to get more intense. If this keeps up there''s no predicting what might happen.¡±


    The head scientist continues to laugh maniacally ¡°Isn''t this what science is all about?! Fucking around and finding out.¡± Ishwada''s eyes widened. ¡°You''re a mad man! This is getting out of control!¡± The containment cell becomes a back swirling stormcloud of purple lightning with strikes hitting nubs at an increasing rate causing several pieces of equipment to spark, overload, and one counsel even explodes sending a researcher into a wall. Ishwada shouts over the chaos. ¡°We have to put a stop to this somehow before the entire building goes up! Miss Smith, any ideas would be greatly appreciated right about now! Outside Pitch, you know Umbran anatomy the best out of anyone here.¡±


    Kathryn runs her way to a dashboard. ¡°I''ve got an idea, but it''s kinda crazy. This''ll either work great or send us all straight to hell.¡± She frantically started turning dials and hitting buttons before slapping a final button. There was a whirring sound as something seemed to build up. The tone became high-pitched just before the storm-like mass was hit with a bolt of energy causing the mass to separate and Pitch''s mask to reform as he was flung into the wall with a pulsing wave of energy that moved through the room and shut down all the electronics in it similar to an EMP. After a moment of darkness the emergency lights came on as lighting the room in a dim red light as the systems started rebooting using reserve power.


    The Umbran lay in a puddle seemingly unconscious so Kathryn and Ishwada used the ropes to extract Pitch who looked paler than normal and felt cold to the touch. Kathryn slapped him in the face a few times trying to wake him up. ¡°They''re both out cold, but alive. Let''s get him out of here and secure the area.¡± They extract Pitch and Ishwada goes over to the head researcher. ¡°You were willing to get us all killed! And for what, to satisfy your own morbid curiosity?!¡± The head ain''t smirked. ¡°You can''t put a price on knowledge.¡± Ishwada gives the man a shove before pulling out a set of handcuffs and restraining the man. ¡°I''ll deal with you later.¡±


    Vance was sitting in his cell, chin in his hands, when suddenly he felt a wave of energy pass through him before the lights flickered and turned off. A power surge knocked out everything and even caused several of the containment cells to open including his. Scientists ran and screamed as several specimens immediately lashed out on their former captors. Vance smiled wickedly as he went for the nearest Cryptid. A ghoul. He tore into it with his claws and started eating the flesh raw before moving over to a Mississippi Mudfish and rending its flesh for consumption as well. Scientists and guardsmen grabbed guns to fight back, turning the room into a chaotic mess.


    Using only the red emergency lights to get around Vance went from Cryptid to Cryptid using the chaos to get a bite of as many different kinds as he could. ¡°If I am what I eat, I might as well get a little bit of everything and further my evolution. Then I''ll be so far beyond anything James could hope to become and consume him too, becoming the ultimate apex predator without equal.¡± Vance took down and started eating another specimen that looked like a floating jellyfish when the lights came on. Vance¡¯s head jerked from the armed guards to the exit and made a run for it, his body shifting in strange and grotesque ways and teeth, mouths, and tendrils formed to grab and consume anything in his path to the exit. He busted through the reinforced doors and made a run for it as the laboratory began to re-establish control and containment.


    Vance continued to run until the building was far outside of his sight and ducked into an alleyway before finally stopping to take a breather. He looked at his hand as it shifted between being a human arm, one with an armored carapace, a massive of thorned tentacles, and finally an eel like maw with no eyes. He laughed maniacally. ¡°Now, there''s nothing in this world that can stop me. I will be king, and my throne will be made from the flesh and bones of the weak and unworthy.¡±

 Chapter Twenty Two: Shadows and Light

    Kathryn waited outside a padded observation room for Pitch to wake up, pacing back and forth worried sick and wondering what his color-reduced skin could indicate about his health considering he doesn''t exactly have internal organs or anything. Ishwada simply tapped his foot on the floor and his fingers on his arm. Eventually, Pitch sat up gripping his head and groaning. ¡°Talk about a hangover.¡± His voice came out somewhat distorted and he looked at the one way mirror. Kathryn took a step back in surprise as she saw the pure black eyes in his face.


    Kathryn swallowed hard and hit the talk button on the wall. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Pitch rubbed his eyes and opened them again looking right at the one way mirror. ¡°Like I was hit by a truck.¡± He then stood up and looked around. ¡°Airtight, I''m guessing the door is locked. Someone is being a little paranoid. How long was I out? Did any of the specimens escape?¡± Ishwada hit the button. ¡°Well all things considered you can understand our caution. Especially considering the appearance of your mask is different from normal. We''ve been unable to account for a few counting the Chimera but everything else either died or was locked back up. You''ve been out for three days. Besides the headache, do you notice anything different from normal?¡±


    Pitch checks the door, confirming it''s locked. His distorted voice echoes in the room. ¡°More of an everything ache, I did almost die fighting that thing. Is it still alive?¡± Ishwada looked at Kathryn before hitting the button again. ¡°As far as we can tell, yes. But it was knocked out as well and is still in containment.¡± Pitch walked over to the corner of the padded room and sat down with a groan. ¡°I just want to go home and take a nap.¡± Ishwada pressed the button to talk once more. ¡°Well we are going to run a few tests first, just to be safe. We have no idea what other side effects there may be or if they are lasting. So just hang in there for now.¡±


    Ishwada let go of the button and looked at Kathryn. ¡°Well?¡± Kathryn rubbed her arms like what someone that was cold would do. ¡°Something doesn''t feel right. I can''t exactly put my fingers on it. But in addition to his appearance he hasn''t said our names once.¡± Ishwada looked at Pitch. ¡°I mean, he did almost die. So maybe give it time. Let''s go in and get our sample. A simple test on his particles to check for degradation or whatever it is you''re doing.¡±


    Kathryn took a few deep breaths and opened the door walking in with Ishwada and holding a syringe. ¡°I''ll be grabbing that sample now.¡± Pitch put out his arm. ¡°Sure thing Kitten. After that we get to go home right?¡± Kathryn looked at Ishwada before nodding. ¡°Once you''re in the clear we can go home.¡± Pitch looked to Ishwada. ¡°Has the generator been turned back on or is it still off?¡± Ishwada looked at the particles as they entered the syringe. ¡°It''s off. As stated before the Umbran is still unconscious and contained. The city is running on reserves right now and cover stories are already in circulation.¡±


    Pitch nods as the syringe is removed. ¡°You''re not going to turn the generator back on when it wakes up, are you?¡± Ishwada shakes his head. ¡°Once you are in good health we''ll probably hit it with sonic and ultraviolet weapons to weaken it so you can have a second go.¡± Pitch nods as the two start to leave the room. ¡°Alright General, keep me updated.¡± Kathryn closed the door behind her, being absolutely sure to lock it. ¡°Maybe all the excess energy frazzled him? Jumbled his circuits. We''ll know once I run my tests.¡± Kathryn holds up the syringe and starts making her way to her equipment while Ishwada watches the isolation area. ¡°Yeah, I''d hate for him to have a lasting injury because of something I asked him to do.¡±


    Kathryn started up both the electron microphone and the mass spectrometer to run parts of the sample through and waited for the results. The lights started to flicker and Kathryn looked up at them. ¡°The hell?¡± Unfortunately she had to keep an eye on the machines. After a while she checked both machines. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Ishwada pops up behind her. ¡°Ah, perfect timing it seems. What you got?¡± Kathryn looks over the results. ¡°Several of the crystalline structures are cracked and damaged indicating there''s a limit to how much energy can run through them. Basically an overload. Also¡­ I found what I thought to be moss on the tiny crystals but when I looked deeper into it despite having the structure of moss contains zero DNA.¡±


    Ishwada looked at the sample results. ¡°So it''s Cryptid moss?¡± Kathryn shrugged. ¡°Looks like it, but I''ve never seen Cryptids take the form of plants. It''s also decaying rapidly because I ran it twice. Like its mass is crumbling and fading away.¡± Ishwada nods. ¡°Like what made it has lost its ability to remain stable. Something like that happened when Pitch solved the Onrio case. Anything else of note?¡± Kathryn looks over the papers printed out by the machines. ¡°I''m still looking for other anomalies but there''s a small leftover energy signature. It''s anomalous in nature and resembles a form of radiation.¡±


    Ishwada started walking away. ¡°Call me if anything else is strange.¡± He stopped to look at the flickering lights. ¡°I''ll go check what that''s about.¡± He left the area as Kathryn looked over her test results with a fine tooth comb. Her eyes widened as she noticed a detail any other researcher would have missed.


    The researchers and a small team of techs in the sub basement spent three days fixing and cleaning the mess, it looked just like new by the time they were done. The Umbran contained inside the generator cell had barely moved since it got knocked out during the scuffle three days earlier. Its particles layed on the floor like a puddle. Finally they became active and slowly regained lift, floating into its standard position making a series of warbles and noises that sounded somewhat like quiet whale calls.


    A female researcher looked over. ¡°Ah, the subject is awake. Start the generator back up.¡± One of the scientists in the room objected. ¡°Mam, we have plenty of surplus in the energy silos, in fact we went from having just one filled to having five filled during the scuffle. Also the Black Eagle Commander instructed us to keep the generator off.¡± The female researcher scowled at her fellow researcher. ¡°He''s not in charge here, I am. I''m the most senior member of this team now that Grimes is in holding. If we have room for surplus storage then fire up the generator.¡±


    The man tried to object again. ¡°We don''t know what kind of damage the subject took, if we turn it back on we-¡± The woman slammed her hand onto one of the control counsels. ¡°Did I stutter?! I''ll turn it back on myself if you''re going to be that way!¡± The woman turned on the generator and lightning started rapidly hitting the Umbran turning purple then hitting a receiver node. However, this time a horrible sound came from the Umbran. Like a small whale trying to mimic the cadence and pace of a hyena laugh. A repeated low pitch sound. It shifted from the low pitch to a higher pitch and back again with the lights starting to flicker.


    The man reading the devices looks over to the female researcher. ¡°We''re getting a lower return than normal, about twenty percent. I''m also getting strange readings and the returns aren''t stable. The amount we are getting keeps fluctuating.¡± The first man shook his head. ¡°I knew this was a bad idea. We should shut it back off.¡± The woman raised her voice once more. ¡°Unless you think this place is going to explode or the subject passes out again, you are not to turn that off unless I say so. Understood?¡± The man nodded sheepishly. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    After a while of flickering lights, Ishwada came down to the sub basement to find the source of the flickering lights. The moment the elevator door opens he''s assaulted with a series of sounds pulsing through the room. ¡°What in the devil is going on down here?¡± He then noticed the generator had been turned back on. ¡°Why is that back on, I specifically told you to leave it alone.¡± The female researcher turned her attention to Ishwada. ¡°You had no authority here, at all. Yet you arrested Grimes and put a hold on our work without even having prior clearance. Black Eagle didn''t authorize this, you have no say or power here. So I''m going to continue doing my job and following my orders because I''m not about to risk my life''s work because you decided to go rogue.¡±


    Ishwada raised his voice. ¡°Me go rogue? How about the fact you people managed to capture the Cryptid I''ve been after and have had it in custody for eight years and didn''t even tell me?! Instead you created a secret powerplant that uses it to power the city. Why is it making so much noise??¡± The female researcher grabs at her hair. ¡°I don''t know, it''s never done that before. It always sat quietly.¡± Another researcher spoke up. ¡°I''m telling you it''s injured and we should have at least given it time to recover.¡± The female shook her head. ¡°Time is money and we can''t waste any. Besides, if the subject dies we have a back up now.¡±


    Ishwada''s head snapped into looking at the woman. ¡°Excuse me?! You are talking about a sentient being with a sense of identity. Not to mention he''s been a valuable asset to my team. You can''t just kill your prisoner and slot him in there to replace it. The non human citizens protection agreement was worded the way it was for this very reason. To extend the protections offered to Doppelgangers and Succubi to new types of Cryptid capable of human levels of thought.¡±


    The woman uncrossed her arms and tilted her head. ¡°I¡¯ve been running experiments of Doppelgangers for years, with orders. There''s no such protections. I would have been informed.¡± Ishwada blinked a few times. ¡°The agreement was proposed as early as the sixties and was finalized in the eighties. How can you work in this field and not know about that? It''s the first thing we go over at Black Eagle because we have to work with non-human citizens as part of the agreement. One of my squad that died three days ago was a Dopple.¡±


    The woman blinked a few times, then shrugged. ¡°Well as Grimes always says, there''s no price too high for progress. So what if we have to break a few rules and violate some laws. We are talking about the betterment of humanity and saving the world. Surely you can''t be placing the lives of criminals and literal monsters above law abiding citizens.¡±


    Ishwada took a few breaths. ¡°It''s easy to establish a tyrannical rule, when you take the rights away from prisoners and criminals. You start with only feeding the monster death row inmates, but then what about states without the death penalty? What if it''s not enough? Expand on what lands people on death row? Sure you may start with killers, rapists, and child molesters. Then it''s immigrants or because you can easily convince people they are a danger to humanity, it''s non-human citizens. Next thing you know you''re putting Doppelgangers and Succubi on a registry, then placing them in camps and using them to feed the Unbrans powering the world. All justified by them being something less than human.¡±


    The woman raised her voice. ¡°Because they are! They are monsters, born from the negative emotions of humanity. I don''t care if there''s that one outlier that just likes hugging stuff the staff here and at Black Eagle use like a therapy dog. They are monsters, and should be exterminated. However, I hate wasting something that could benefit humanity. So why not use the resources at our disposal?¡± Ishwada grits his teeth. ¡°You''re just as bad as the other guy. Do you really not see the problem? Do you really not see the rabbit hole you''ve opened yourself into? I too once wanted all Cryptids dead. But then I was reminded to look at my own past and compare it to the worst outcome of the future for Dopples.¡±


    The woman hits a few buttons then puts out her arms. ¡°You want to lock me up with Grimes, fine. But I just password locked the controls so you can''t turn it off without me or Grimes. Eat shit and die, monster sympathizer.¡± Ishwada put cuffs on the woman and started to escort her out. ¡°I really thought people of science would be more reasonable and logical than this.¡± As Ishwada starts taking the woman away the sound pulses from the Umbran start taking on a pattern. Three low pitch pulses followed by three high pitched ones followed by three low pitched ones before pausing and starting again. Ishwada paused for a moment, but continued to the elevator. Ishwada locked up the female researcher in a containment cell right next to her boss.


    One of the security officers of the building was looking over the footage of the incident, his eyes dark from sleep deprivation as he has been running over the footage with a fine tooth comb for three days. Frame by frame. Looking for anything out of the ordinary. He watched as the energy was shot into the two Umbrans causing an EMP like effect. As the pulse reached the camera there were three frames of contact before the signal was lost. He looked closely at the screen for those three static filled frames.


    He went back and forth a few frames at a time until he was sure. During the last three frames, the room had been empty of researchers and looked dilapidated and abandoned. Plants growing over several pieces of equipment and the cell itself looked broken open. Then he noticed the static that lasted a few frames before it went black resembled a face looking directly at the camera. In the last frame before the static he saw a shadow under the camera like something moving. He didn''t understand what any of this meant but took pictures of the last frames and printed them out on large papers before putting them in a folder and running out of the room to find a researcher.


    The man scrambled and tripped over multiple things on his way through the building before eventually colliding with a person and sending them and himself to the floor. He slowly got up and gathered his papers to see the person he bumped into was Kathryn Smith. He helped her up after she gathered her own papers. ¡°Miss Smith, perfect. You qualify to see this. He then placed the pictures on a table. ¡°Look at this, I think we finally got evidence that there is in fact an otherworld connected to the Cryptids.¡±


    Kathryn looked at the frames and her eyes widened. She put the images back in the folder and took them. ¡°Thanks, I''ll definitely get started on that when I have the time. Right now I have to find Ishwada.¡± Kathryn ran off with all the paperwork in as much of a rush as the man had been in, looking for the former General.


    Pitch mentally prepared himself between the quarantine doors. This was going to be the first time since the initial fight with Black Eagle that he would be in genuine danger. The door opened and he dropped in, dropping his shell and switching to his true form before attacking the Umbran. It felt like they were trying to eat one another as energy shot back and forth and outward. Pitch couldn''t focus on that as while trying to eat the Umbran images flashed through his mind.


    Brief glimpses into this thing''s past flashed before Pitch''s mind. Ancient times of hunting early nomadic humans. The humans using fire to push them back and no longer being able to feed with ease. They turned to cannibalism with the amount of strength gained far greater than what they got from humans. Eventually, only it remained. Now immune to fire but only resistant to sunlight it continued to hunt alone. As far as it knew, it was the last of its kind. The images continued and got more intense as Pitch started to feel what it felt in the moment. The primal base emotions without any reason to temper them. Mindless, aimless, only driven by instinct.


    Then he saw that day that the Umbran attacked the first grade class from its point of view. To it, it was just a meal of opportunity. Food that was unfortunate enough to cross its path. Then it came up to young James, who''s fear dissolved. The Umbran was confused, and since fear was part of its digestion it could sense the change. It started poking and prodding looking for a fear response, but nothing. It even started to try to possess him to gain greater understanding. An ability the Umbrans actively avoided because feeling the feelings of their prey was detrimental.


    Then it was attacked and rushed out so fast it left a piece of itself inside of young James. He then continued to watch it go about its days until it was captured and studied and finally tortured to generate energy. Pitch felt pain surge through his body as the energy passing back and forth had started to reach a point beyond what he could hold. Then, he was hit by a pulse. There was a split second where Pitch saw the lab in an abandoned, dilapidated, and overgrown state with the cell cracked open. But then everything went black as he lost consciousness.

 Chapter Twenty Three: Discombobulation

    Everything was black so Pitch had no concept of time, when he started to come too he was just happy to not be dead. ¡°(Ugh, fuck. Everything hurts. I forgot I could feel pain since it''s been awhile since I''ve faced a genuine threat.)¡± Color and sound slowly started to return as his amorphous body started to hover once again. Making sound of pain that probably wouldn''t register as such to a human. As his perception came in he quickly realized he was still in the reactor cell. He heard muffled voices then the device was turned on with him inside it.


    Lightning moving through his body never hurt before, but this time it did. Either because his body was already damaged or because it was too much to handle. Pitch continued to let out groans of pain but no one outside responded. Pitch started to try his best to use his body to alter the electricity moving through his body to either cause a surge or at least mess with the lights. After a while the lights in the reactor room started to flicker so Pitch started trying to get them to flicker in a pattern so he could replicate Morse Code. However, as much as he tried, he couldn''t seem to get it.


    After what felt like hours of torture Pitch heard the familiar voice of Jiryu Ishwada. Unable to speak through the pain Pitch made sounds in the pattern of Morse Code. The message was simple: S.O.S. However, Ishwada left the room and didn''t stop the process or unlock the chamber. Pitch continued doing what he could to reach out and be heard but it was difficult to focus on talking with the amount of pain he was under.


    Kathryn sprinted through the building asking people if they''d seen Ishwada, running through various rooms before she eventually checked the interrogation room that Pitch was in and found the General squinting at the man inside as he was pacing back and forth in the containment room. Every so often he would stop and look at the mirror, as if waiting to be let out. ¡°There you are, General. You''ve gotta see this.¡± She then handed him the two folders.


    Ishwada opened one and looked through it. ¡°Evidence of an otherworld? What''s this got to do with Pitch?¡± Kathryn shook her head and took that folder. ¡°Sorry, wrong folder.¡± Ishwada flipped through the second folder. ¡°I don''t understand half of this.¡± Kathryn turned to a specific spot comparing the new sample to Pitch''s old sample. ¡°Now it''s difficult to be a hundred percent sure with the damage and the mold, but this sample isn''t from Pitch. Because unlike Pitch''s sample there''s no sign of human DNA. Pitch still has traces of James¡¯ DNA in his crystalline structures. This sample is pure anomaly. One hundred percent Cryptid.¡±


    Ishwada squinted at the results then looked at Pitch in the containment room. ¡°You''re saying that guy in there, isn''t Pitch? But if that''s not Pitch¡­¡± Ishwada looked up at the lights flickering. The flickering started to take on a pattern. Three short flickers, three long, three short again, then paused. ¡°Morse Code? S.O.S. Since James'' dad was military he''d likely be familiar with it.¡± Kathryn pointed to the Pitch in the containment. ¡°Then how is that looking like Pitch and knowing our¡­ oh¡­ oh god.¡± Ishwada raised an eyebrow as he looked at Kathryn. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Kathryn gripped her head, resisting the urge to pull out her hair. ¡°Back when Pitch took out those thugs that attacked the lab he jumped into one of them and basically possessed his body. During that time he experienced a sort of mental bleed that caused him to see the thoughts and memories of the person he possessed. During the fight where the two tried to eat one another they were basically one mass. So it''s possible that there was some mental bleed giving the other Umbran some of Pitch''s memories as well as his ability to create a human-like protective shell.¡±


    Ishwada takes a moment to let that sink in before bolting to the door. ¡°They turned the generator back on, we need to shut it down ASAP.¡± Kathryn ran after him to the hidden elevator. As soon as it opened up Kathryn rushed in and hit several things until the generator turned off and switched to backups. The shadowy mass inside slumped and sagged as if having trouble maintaining a hover. It made several warbling noises as Kathryn opened the containment. The entity slowly hovers out only to slump down and land in an empty mop bucket that was left behind from the cleaning.


    Kathryn ran to the bucket and tried to lift it only to find it was surprisingly heavy. ¡°Pitch, Pitch, talk to me. Pitch!¡± The black mass made a series of sounds before letting out a heavily distorted. ¡°Sleep now~¡±; Kathryn shook the bucket. ¡°Nonononono not yet. Tell me¡­ tell me something only Pitch would know.¡± The entity made several warbling sounds again. ¡°Mental bleeding¡­ much pain¡­ can''t¡­ focus. K-k-Kathryn. K-k-Kat¡­ I¡­ love you.¡± A small tendril that was trying to reach out slumped into the bucket.


    Kathryn started sprinting to the elevator. ¡°Nonononono, don''t you dare die on me.¡± She rushed the bucket to her equipment and started running scans. The bucket was giving off a weak but still present electromagnetic signal. Kathryn rubbed her temples with her index and middle fingers trying to think when she remembered that the sound that cats make can boost healing. By producing sonic and electromagnetic pulses at low intensity and the right frequency it would help heal rather than harm. Kathryn racked her brain to find the frequency and intensity she needed and put on a soundproof headset before getting to work hitting the metal bucket with a complex mix of sound waves and electric pulses.


    After several hours of watching the response in the masses electromagnetic signature the black mass started to move again. Kathryn turned off the device and removed the headset so she could talk to Pitch. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Pitch let out something akin to a groan. ¡°Like I''ve been run over by a steam roller. Where¡­ where''s the other Umbran?¡± Kathryn sighed. ¡°He''s in a sealed interrogation room, wearing a shell that looks a lot like yours.¡±


    Pitch shifted in the bucket. ¡°That checks out. Before I had a lot more trouble with my true form. Moving around and processing three sixty degree perception. But now it''s a lot easier and comes more naturally like I''ve been at it a while. Basically, we both gained some abilities the other had but we ourselves didn''t. I guess that means he''s in better shape then I am right now too. If not for your quick thinking I probably would have died. Although¡­ there was something I saw after that pulse hit me. Like¡­ a different version of the lab.¡±


    Kathryn nodded. ¡°We actually picked that up on the camera too. We think that was the theorized otherworld tied to Cryptid creation and the location where Emotional Energy Pollution goes.¡± The mass in the bucket shifted around, still unable to leave the bucket. Kathryn put her fingertips to the material at the top and gently ran them across the fine sand like surface. ¡°Just rest for now. I''ll make sure the imposter doesn''t go anywhere.¡±


    Kathryn took the bucket and placed it in a broom closet. ¡°You should be safe here, just let me handle everything.¡± She then makes her way back to the interrogation room where the other Pitch was starting to pace even harder. She hit the button to talk. ¡°So I ran my tests and found no traces of human DNA. Not only that, but I''ve spoken to the real Pitch. So who the fuck are you?¡± Ishwada walked into the area just as Kathryn had finished talking so he could hear the response from the entity.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    The imposter shook his hands back and forth. Nononono, the other one''s the imposter. I''m the real James.¡± There was a long pause with no response. ¡°Not buying it? Oh well.¡± The fake then smiled a wicked smile, showing sharp pointed teeth in its mouth. Yet another imperfection in its mimicry of James'' form. ¡°Well, I had no name before since such things were unnecessary, but you humans seem to have some need to give things names. You can call me Abe, and if you have no intention of letting me out of your own volition, I''ll simply see myself out.¡± The entity that just named itself Abe dropped the facade, seeing no need to try and pretend in order to attempt to further confuse the humans.


    The amorphous black mass rushed the one way mirror, Kathryn and Ishwada running out of the way as it smacked itself into the mirror. It slapped it hard with its tendrils several times eventually busting through. The mass hovered through the halls and into an air duct vent. Alarms blared warning others of the breakout. Kathryn ran to the closet security guard and radioed in the person watching the camera footage to see where Abe went. ¡°I don''t see him on the cameras, will update when I do.¡±


    Guards rushed to make sure all the other containment units were secure and eventually the radio chirped with a voice confirming the mass was spotted leaving the building and floating off. The other Umbran, now named Abe, was on the loose. Not only that, but it now has the ability to wear a human-like shell during the day to protect itself from the sun. ¡°Shit ¡° both Ishwada and Kathryn said under their breaths once they got the news. Unfortunately, that would have to be a problem for the future.


    Kathryn once again rushed through the building to the broom closet she stashed Pitch and grabbed the bucket still filled with the extremely fine black sand that was his body. ¡°The other Umbran escaped, named himself Abe before busting through the one way mirror and using the vents to get outside without getting attacked or having to run it''s way through anyone. I don''t imagine he''ll be as discerning as you when it comes to picking his meals.¡±


    The mass rippled and waved as Pitch talked. ¡°Damn, I was hoping to be able to go for round two after I recovered by hitting him with sound and UV before I jumped in there. Looks like we''ll have to catch him in the wild to do that. I doubt he''ll go far as long as I''m still around. He won''t rest until I''m dead.¡± Ishwada tilted his head. ¡°Why''s that?¡± Pitch explained. ¡°Abe cannibalized his own people until he couldn''t find any more. Apparently Umbrans get a lot more energy from eating their own than they do eating people. It''s not even a competition. So they basically self-cannibalized themselves to near extinction.¡±


    Kathryn nodded. ¡°The murals suggested as much, but I''m guessing you experienced it first hand thanks to the mental bleed that happened while trying to eat him. Unfortunately this means we now have a second Umbran with human intelligence out there. One without morals. Before when it had the intelligence of an animal it was likely easier to track.¡± Ishwada nodded. ¡°It''s a lot easier to predict the actions of something like a wolf than a human. A lot of people say wild animals can be unpredictable but they actually usually have a set of responses to different stimuli.¡±


    Pitch groaned. ¡°Can we¡­ go home now?¡± Kathryn looked around. ¡°Yeah, let''s get you home.¡± She gave Ishwada a farewell before taking the bucket to Pitch''s jeep and loading it inside and driving to Pitch''s house. Once there she set the bucket next to the bed. ¡°Get some sleep now so you can heal up. Take all the time you need.¡± She gently pushed her hand into the extremely fine black sand-like particles and moved it around. ¡°I''ll be right here, offering a hand to hold.¡±


    A tendril stretched out from the bucket and gently brushed the side of Kathryn''s face. ¡°I''d kiss you, but this body has limits.¡± Kathryn grabbed the tendril and gently kissed it like one would kiss a hand. ¡°Then let me do the kissing.¡± She kneeled on the floor with the bucket between her legs and kissed the tendril again as she adjusted herself to move her face closer to the bucket. She pulled her hand out, and kissed the surface of the mass. A ripple sent out like water moving as Pitch made a strange warbling sound. ¡°M-my particles are all concentrated in here, so I''m kinda sensitive with my density in one spot. That''s why I was squirming a bit when you ran your fingers over the surface earlier.¡±


    ¡°Oh~¡± Kathryn said in an almost teasing tone as she once again gently ran her fingertips over the surface, ripples and waves following her movements like a shiver. ¡°So you''re saying this is doing something for you~?¡± Pitch lets out a shivering sound. ¡°Y-yeah. Kinda.¡± Kathryn smiles. ¡°This gives me several ideas for later, but for now let me take care of you. Think of it like a massage from your girlfriend, with some kisses added in. After all, this is a rare opportunity for some much needed intimacy after such a close call.¡±


    Kathryn gave the surface another kiss before taking her second hand to the bucket and running the fingertips of both hands over it gently. ¡°I was so worried about you for a second there, never scare me like that again.¡± Pitch let out a soft sound indicating he was enjoying the physical contact. ¡°I''ll¡­ try my best. Just don''t stop.¡± Pitch hummed as he felt a sensation that to him was akin to someone slowly running their fingers across the skin and hair on one''s arm or lag.


    Kathryn let out a soft giggle. ¡°So what base would this count as, hmm~?¡± Pitch''s body continued to ripple and wave in response to the contact. ¡°I¡­ have no idea. This is definitely doing something for me, that''s for sure.¡± Kathryn let out her own hum as she kissed the surface again, this time as she pulled away she hesitated a bit away from the surface. She then stuck out her tongue and licked the surface causing shivers to move through the mass and even a verbal response. ¡°Huuhahh! Woah there Kat, you''re getting a little too freaky with it.¡±


    Kathryn giggled. ¡°Sorry, I was curious to see how you''d react.¡± Pitch made a light grumbly noise. ¡°I bet I tasted awful.¡± Kathryn shrugged. ¡°Not really. You don''t really have a taste or smell when you''re clean. Not sure how you aren''t covered in stuff right now considering I have no idea when the last time you''ve had a bath is.¡± Pitch thought about it for a moment as Kathryn''s fingers continued to stroke the surface of his body. ¡°I actually don''t clean my true form so I only wash when caught in the rain. I can however vibrate most stuff off me. Kinda like those sonic showers in sci-fi shows.¡±


    Kathryn nods as she digs her fingers into the fine sand like structures in the bucket. ¡°That''s interesting. I wonder if that also helps you break down food for digestion.¡± Pitch hummed. ¡°It''s part of the process, that and grinding things down like a belt sander. Or one of those sand blasters for removing paint.¡± Kathryn adjusts the bucket a bit. ¡°Did you lose mass in that fight? I remember you filling half a tub.¡± Pitch grumbled. ¡°Yeah, I think so. I''ll restore to full size eventually.¡±


    Kathryn frowned slightly. ¡°I guess I can be patient.¡± Pitch shifted his body in the bucket. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Kathryn moved her face close to the bucket. ¡°Oh, you know.¡± She kissed the mass again before whispering in a sultry and seductive tone. ¡°Taking a bath in you.¡± Pitch¡¯s mass shivered intensely in the bucket. ¡°Woah, now we''re talking freaky. You do realize what you''re implying right? Basically naked cuddle time.¡± Kathryn nods. ¡°Yeah, I know. But something about almost losing you made me realize that I don''t want to miss out on things just because of our physiological differences.¡±


    Pitch let out a sigh of content followed by one of slight aggravation. ¡°It''s probably the adrenaline talking then.¡± Kathryn dipped her fingers fully into the mass and dug around in it. ¡°Maybe, but it''s rarely a bad thing to think about the future. We''ll get to that point eventually unless something bad happens which I find unlikely. As long as we come properly prepared there''s nothing to worry about.¡± Pitch lets out another contented sigh. ¡°True, we can worry about our problems after I''ve rested up.¡±


    Elsewhere in New Arkham, as dawn starts to rise, a mass of shadow-like particles hover through an alleyway. The sun starts to burn the creature before it almost instinctively shifts to the human-like gise that resembles James. Abe looked at a reflective surface and pokes at the fake skin on his face. ¡°Am I really only stuck with this one form? It may protect me from the sun but I''ll need to cover up if I want to actually pass as human. Such a gross image, even if practical.¡±


    Abe grabbed a cloth from a clothes line to cover his mouth and found a pair of sunglasses to cover his eyes. ¡°Humans really are disgusting creatures. I''d give credit to how industrious they are at finding ways to overcome any obstacle but it''s frustrating for something so weak to pose such a significant threat to me.¡± Abe continued to shamble through alleyways. ¡°I''m starving, guess I''ll have to find a quick snack.¡±


    Abe walked through the alleyways until he spotted a bagger shaking his cup. The homeless man looked up at Abe and shook the cup harder. ¡°Spare some change?¡± Abe took off his moth covering and gave the man a toothy grin. He started trying to back away as he quivered in fear. ¡°D-demon, get away from me!¡± Abe continued walking forward. ¡°Ah, the taste of fear. Go ahead and scream, it''ll only add to my dining experience.¡±

 Chapter Twenty Four: Mysophobia

    [Mysophobia: A fear of moss or mold sometimes considered to be a subtype of germophobia as it is tied to dirt, grime, filth, and the risk of illness they cause.]


    Pitch slowly recovered, having to eat a big meal or more regularly to recover. Lucky for him, the lab had a number of death row inmates who were already legally considered dead they had planned to feed to the other Umbran who now goes by Abe. Even with the larger meal, Pitch still felt hungry and had to hunt his normal number of times that week. For the first time in his life he felt grateful that New Arkham has an unofficial slums district that is ripe with criminal activity.


    Fully healed and ready to go, Pitch just needed a lead on the location of the escaped Cryptid. If not Abe, then something. There was that other breakout that saw Vance escaping as well as a few other Cryptids. So now there were somewhere around five or six cryptids on the loose in New Arkham and yet no new reports of strange deaths or sightings have come up.


    Pitch was sitting in a chair in his human guise when he realized something. ¡°With Abe no longer in the lab, that means the signal that attracted Cryptids to New Arkham is no longer a thing, right?¡± Kathryn tilted her head. ¡°I¡­ guess. We theorized that the signal was because he was sending out some sort of distress call, perhaps unintentionally, because he was being tortured. However, we never actually proved that. Even if we did, there''s a chance something else could draw them here as well.¡±


    Pitch sighed and checked his phone, no new texts from Ishwada. ¡°Well if there''s no longer a signal then it''s possible the escaped Cryptids spread out and are no longer in town. Although, we wouldn''t be the only county that''s inexplicably a Cryptid magnet if there''s something else drawing them here. It feels like every state has that one county and or city that''s just¡­ Weird.¡± Kathryn nods. ¡°So if the General doesn''t call for you, what do you intend to do today? Because I don''t know if you still have your job at NexGen or not. Even if you do, none of the researchers will look at you the same since what you are is now public among them.¡±


    Pitch taps his fingers on the table. ¡°Well I guess there''s not much reason to keep that job anymore since the reason I started working there was to find answers and I now have them. At least the ones for myself. Anything I need from there you can get.¡± Kathryn scraped her fork on her half empty plate of bacon and eggs. ¡°And it''s not like you need food or rent, also you get paid by the General and had two jobs. I got a promotion to head researcher since the two most senior people were both put in holding by Ishwada.¡±


    Pitch nodded. ¡°Yeah, I heard they were both the sort of amoral scientists you find in a sci-fi horror or thriller movie. Progress for the sake of progress with no thoughts given to how you got there or the aftermath of getting there. Let''s see if we can then immediately do. With you as head we don''t have to worry as much about Cryptids being exploited or Doppelgangers being illegally tested on.¡± Kathryn finished her meal and sent a text. After a bit she got one back. ¡°Just texted the building manager to see if you still have a job, apparently he can''t fire you for being a Cryptid because the agreement with the Dopples prevents that.¡±


    Pitch shifted in his chair. ¡°Right, the non-human citizens'' protections agreement with Black Eagle and Tomorrow corp. I guess I count for that.¡± Kathryn nods. ¡°But you have off today so I''ll ask again what you wanted to do today.¡± Pitch thought about it for a moment. ¡°Do you have off today?¡± Kathryn does a so-so gesture. ¡°I am supposed to be helping the team adjust to the changes in leadership, but I was scheduled for today off before my promotion. Last I checked, that hadn''t changed.¡±


    Pitch took a moment to take stock of everything that needed to be done. He had already taken time to rest and recover so he felt he should be going after Vance and Abe ASAP. Without leads there was little he could do however. ¡°I guess we can go on a date night.¡± Kathryn smiled and nodded, but that nod faded as suddenly Pitch¡¯s phone rang. He picked it up. ¡°Holden pizzeria and abortion clinic, where yesterday''s loss is today''s sauce. How may I help you?¡± Pitch''s own smile faded as the voice of the General came over the phone. ¡°Do you know where Blue Cheese Farm is?¡±


    Pitch made a confused expression. ¡°It''s the massive blue barn at the edge of town with a big greenhouse, right? I''ve seen it plenty of times but they don''t do tours and the entire area is fenced off and guarded. They definitely take trade secrets and family cheese recipes seriously. I''ve had a few days of their specialty select cheeses. Did something happen?¡± Ishwada''s voice responded over the phone. ¡°It''ll be easier to explain once you get here. Make sure to grab the Black Eagle i.d I gave you that has you listed as a civilian consultant.¡±


    Pitch sighs. ¡°Okay, I''ll be there in a half hour or so.¡± He then hung up the phone. ¡°Duty calls. Sorry love.¡± He gave Kathryn a kiss on the cheek. ¡°Love ya.¡± Kathryn picked up her empty plate and stood giving him a kiss on the cheek as well. ¡°Love you too, be safe out there. You may be difficult to kill, but you''re not immortal.¡± Pitch nodded and made his way out the door as Kathryn went to do dishes.


    Pitch arrived at the farm to a minor surprise as in addition to Ishwada, a few Black Eagle grunts, and the farm''s owner, was Cuda. Kathryn¡¯s jock brother. Shaking the hand of an enthusiastic grunt and rubbing the back of his head with an awkward smile. Rather than check with Ishwada first as per the norm, Pitch went straight to Cuda to see what was going on. The goon was gushing over Cuda. ¡°Ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod. I can''t believe I''m meeting the Bulldog of the New Arkham Psychos. I''ve been following your career since you were still in highschool. You''re a local legend!¡± Pitch guy right up in there and interrupted the two. ¡°Hey Cu, what uhh¡­ is this situation?¡±


    Cuda looked over and gained a genuine smile. ¡°James! Funny running into you here. I came by to pick up a custom order I made since it''s cheaper to pick up at the gate than to pay for delivery. However, when I got here the place was blocked off and then these PMC guys showed up. All they''ll tell me is that there''s an active crime scene and that I''ll have to wait for my order until after it''s been cleared. Then it turned out one of these people happened to be a big fan.¡±


    Pitch chuckled. ¡°And I''m guessing you don''t want to leave till you have your cheese. I don''t want to stand out here all day waiting for it, so I''ll grab it for you when I''m done here. I uhhh¡­ am a civilian consultant for these people. Not because of my mechanical or electrical experiences. I''m surprisingly good with people and noticing minor details. Also people seem to feel more at ease with a local than a stranger.¡± Cuda stops shaking the hand of the grunt. ¡°That makes sense. I''ll trust you to grab my cheese then. I''ll catch up with ya later James.¡± The goon asks Cuda to sign her gun before he leaves. Cuda obliges before leaving with a wave.


    The soldier holds the weapon before looking at Pitch. ¡°I can''t believe you''re friends with Cuda the Bulldog Smith. That''s so cool. How come you don''t talk about it?¡± Pitch sighs. ¡°I often forget he''s a local celebrity, we went to highschool together. Let''s just get through this case. This was supposed to be my day off and I''m missing out on date night.¡± The soldier looked at him, slightly confused. ¡°You have a girlfriend? Does she know what you are?¡± Pitch nods. ¡°I''ll probably have to tell Cuda too eventually and read him into the world of Cryptids. It''s¡­ a long story.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Pitch starts making his way to the farm followed by Ishwada. ¡°Alright Jiryu, talk shop. I''ve already spent enough time fiddling around.¡± Ishwada grumbles lightly as the farm owner takes them to the barn. ¡°Well the family that owns this barn are Doppelgangers. Have been since before they migrated from Greece a hundred years ago. Now the descendants of immigrants in addition to being Dopples, the family keeps dairy traditions from the old world alive as well as some more¡­ unusual practices.¡±


    Pitch looked to the owner and back to Ishwada. ¡°It''s my understanding that modern Dopples try their best to blend in. They don''t creep up on people to kill and replace them and haven''t done so for ages. So what unusual practices could they be doing?¡± Ishwada sighs. ¡°Well some time before they migrated back in the nineteen twenties there was a Cryptid incident involving a group of Mysophobians. This particular Cryptid species is one that can be traced back thousands of years and appears in Greek mythology as well as a few other places.¡±


    Pitch lit up. ¡°A mythology creature!? That''s cool. I was wondering if any were real. I may have spent time reading files but there''s so many I haven''t found a myth monster file yet. So what are we dealing with? A gorgon? A harpy? Oh, perhaps one of those man-eating horses.¡± Ishwada rolled his eyes. ¡°No. The Catoblepas. This family managed to get a few back before they migrated and attempted to domesticate them like cattle.¡±


    Pitch shifted through a few different expressions. ¡°So wait¡­ so you''re telling me in addition to normal cows this farm has a herd of scaley moldy moss cows? Don''t those things send out toxic spores? How the hell would you farm something like that without a gas mask?¡± The farmer responded. ¡°Gas masks have been a thing in some shape or form since eighteen forty nine, so the answer to that question is that my ancestors didn''t farm them without gas masks.¡±


    The goon who was gushing over Cuda then asked. ¡°What would the plural be for the Catoblepus? Catoblepi or Catoblepusses?¡± Ishwada looked at her and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Please, for the love of God, never say Catoblepusses out loud again.¡± The farmer chuckled. ¡°It''s actually Catoblepae. Anyway, Black Eagle has been a big help providing what we need to care for them and keep them hidden in exchange for the ability to study them in the farm. There are things we can get here you can''t get in a lab.¡±


    Pitch nods. ¡°I''ve noticed that Cryptids will mimic the actions and habits of the animals they resemble. So I''m guessing that the ancient Catoblepae tended to act like wild cows with a particular craving for plants that would normally be toxic or poisonous to normal cows.¡± The farmer nodded. ¡°They were mostly deadly to people because of the bad smelling toxic fumes they created. The bulls would gore people occasionally but if you take precautions for the spores they aren''t any deadlier than a normal cow. Which is to say, watch for horns and hooves and don''t spook ¡®em.¡±


    Pitch nodded. ¡°Okay, so if you domesticated the Catoblepae, that means you found a way to minimize if not eliminate the dangers. If the mushroom cow isn''t a threat, why are we here? Also what are you farming them for? You never answered that.¡± The farmer took them into the large barn and past the normal cows. He opened an airtight quarantine door and handed a gas mask to Ishwada who wasn''t wearing an air filter helmet like the goons do before offering one to Pitch. ¡°Oh, I don''t actually need that. So unless seeing me without it makes you uncomfortable I''d rather not wear it.¡±


    The farmer shrugged and put it on before opening the second area where the Catoblepae were. ¡°My livestock isn''t the problem, they are the victims. Also, with testing we have found that a Catoblepas will eat a large number of poisonous and toxic plants, depending on what you feed it and how much you can get interesting results. Some poisons, if used correctly, make medicines. Also, they''ll eat any kind of mold. If you feed one nothing but the mold for Penicillin, you can get its fur to grow it. It''ll even be in the milk it produces.¡±


    Pitch knitted his eyebrows. ¡°I have several questions, but that can wait. Let''s see the crime scene.¡± The farmer walked them to one of the pens where a Catoblepas lay dead, with claw and bite marks on its moss covered body. Pitch walked over and started looking at the creature. It was a bull or male, adult. Pitch combed through the moss and mold covered fur to find the scales underneath. This cow-like creature was part cow, part lizard, and part mycelium colony. The fur wasn''t actually fur with mold and or moss on it, but was itself a type of fungus that served as a sort of soil bed for a plant. This fungus has roots under the scale-skin of the creature.


    Pitch moved to the wounds and tilted his head letting out a hum. ¡°Hrm¡­ these claw marks aren''t like anything I''ve ever seen, and there are signs of mastication on the flesh. Whatever attacked it was eating it.¡± Pitch looked to the door that led in. ¡°This farm has guards, and this room is not exactly in plain sight. The quarantine door needed a code. There are no signs of forced entry and the air filtration offers no way for anything living to get in. Hell, even I couldn''t get in here without breaking something. If the air filtration was busted through then we would already know that.¡±


    Ishwada put his hand on his chin in thought. ¡°So whatever we are dealing with is smart, able to sneak past the guards, and somehow knows the code?¡± The farmer grunts. ¡°Only members of my direct family know the code.¡± Pitch looked over the wounds once more. ¡°Are you by chance related to a former captain of the Teddy Roosevelt Highschool hockey team about my age? Alexander¡­ something hard to pronounce? He died recently in a string of murders.¡±


    The farmer knitted his brow, confused as to where the question was going. ¡°Alexander Tsukolos, yeah. He worked here part time and was my cousin. Why?¡± Pitch sighed. ¡°The guy had a shitty memory, probably because of all the drugs he did back in highschool. He kept notes on everything. It''s possible Vance saw them and after learning about Cryptids came to eat one and add it to his collection.¡±


    Ishwada groaned. ¡°Great, so the Chimera that gains the abilities of any Cryptid he eats has added Catoblepas to it. I''m guessing he snuck in using shape shifting.¡± Pitch nods. ¡°He has the ability to shape shift and use the traits of over a dozen different Cryptids. Though now we have a lead. He''s still in New Arkham, hunting down any Cryptid he hasn''t eaten yet. So plus one set of abilities.¡± The farmer shifted. ¡°Two actually. The Catoblepas isn''t one Cryptid, it''s technically two. It took us a while to figure out but the cow and fungus are two separate entities living in symbiosis.¡±


    Pitch grumbled. ¡°Okay, so I''m guessing the fungus is the Mysophobian or perhaps Mycophobian. Then you have the cow lizard that''s¡­ what?¡± The farmer takes out some notes. ¡°We think the bovine-like part was originally what was known as Gorgon. Not Gorgon like Medusa, but a cow that ate and breathed poison. In some stories it turned people to stone like Medusa. I''m guessing it''s based on some sort of pollution fear. Then the fungus came later. Not knowing it was the same monster they gave it a new name. Since the cow-like one no longer exists without the fungus as a species and new ones are born as a seed bed for the spores the two entities are treated as one. The fungus Cryptid can''t exist without a host and the Gorgon has become dependent on it as well.¡±


    Pitch writes a few things down. ¡°Kathryn will definitely want to know this. She''ll probably ask to study it herself. Anyway¡­ is there anything of note nearby? A secret farm for another type of Cryptid perhaps?¡± The farmer shook his head. ¡°As far as I know I''m the only Catoblepas farmer in the state if not the world and there are no other domesticated Cryptids that I''m aware of besides the therapy dog thing. Cuddle-bug or tickle monster I think they call it.¡±


    Pitch nodded. ¡°I should definitely schedule an appointment with that thing, but there''s probably a huge waiting list since it''s one of a kind. I''ve yet to even see a picture of it. So it seems this is a dead end and Vance is going to make it as difficult to find him as possible. Although there is one thing I find strange.¡± Ishwada looked over the scene himself. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Pitch pointed to the door. ¡°Why didn''t he just eat the closest one to the door? Instead he went several slots in and chose this one specifically. It''s not like it makes a difference.¡±


    Ishwada looked at the other Catoblepae. ¡°It''s the biggest bull of the herd. He aimed for the pinnacle of the male specimens. The alpha bull if you will. It fits in with his prior attacks. He''s establishing dominance by only going for the strongest.¡± Pitch took a second look at the cattle. ¡°Ah, yes. Good catch.¡± He then walks back and forth getting a closer look at the different members of the herd. He stops to look at one of the smaller females that has its tongue sticking out. ¡°What''s with this goofy looking fella?¡± The female soldier looks at it and giggles softly to herself. ¡°Hehe, Cato-blep-us. This one''s a little goober and I love it.¡± The farmer lets out a short chuckle. ¡°Heh, yeah. That''s Poo-brain. She''s got the I.Q. of a mashed potato. Living on two brain cells and a dream. I''m not sure why she came out that way. She''s our precious bean.¡±


    Pitch hums. ¡°Wait, can Catoblepae breed in the normal way? That''s atypical for Cryptids but not unheard of.¡± The farmer put a hand on his chin. ¡°I wouldn''t call it normal. Are you familiar with how platypus are mammals that lay eggs? It''s kinda like that. The eggs are about the size of an ostrich egg but soft like a snake egg and are kept in pouches that grow on the sides. The babies once out of the egg live off the fungus of the mother at first but already have the spores under their scales by the time the egg opens but it''s like moss on a tree and hasn''t grown to resemble hair yet.¡±


    Pitch shuffled around a bit. ¡°We should have a look around other areas. Maybe we''ll find something that gives us an idea where Vance went next.¡± Ishwada nods. ¡°You heard him, canvas the entire area.¡± The woman soldier salutes and radios the other Black Eagle goons to canvas the area. Pitch reached out a hand and pet Poo-brain. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the monster that did this is going to pay.¡± Poo-brain let out a strange sounding moo.

 Chapter Twenty Five: Chasing Shadows

    Pitch spent hours alongside the Black Eagle soldiers looking for any signs of where Vance might have gone after the attack on the farm but even with his ability to see outside the normal visual spectrum there was nothing. No footprints in the grass, no blood trail, no cocky ass note bragging about getting away with stuff. Pitch figured that Vance must have left using the gravel road before the corpse was found and without notice. So he asked to see security footage and after checking it found that there was a moment where a guard came in from out of line of sight and started moving amongst the others.


    This guard then worked his way inside and after a while back out, slowly working his way out of the area without raising any suspicion. ¡°You might want to consider having designated posts so guards can report when there''s a guard out of place. Not a single person questioned the extra head or his patrol.¡± The farmer nodded. After checking everything and having no way to really track Vance at the time the two started getting ready to leave with Pitch being clearly frustrated.


    ¡°Grah! Dammit! That bastard is still out there.¡± Ishwada grumbled. ¡°Settle down now.¡± Pitch grabbed at his hair and pulled lightly. ¡°I can''t, I''m responsible for every death that he and Abe cause, it''s my fault they escaped. If I hadn''t rushed in there half cocked-¡± Ishwada slaps his hand on Pitch''s shoulder. ¡°Hey, I was just as eager to try and kill that thing as you. We both should have taken a moment to rethink but it felt like it was now or never. So don''t start with that.¡±


    Pitch took a few breaths, more out of habit than anything. Ishwada hummed. ¡°Where does the air go when you breathe?¡± Pitch knitted his brow. ¡°Eh?¡± Ishwada did a motion with his right hand. ¡°You don''t have lungs and you''re clearly taking in then pushing out air. What exactly is going on there?¡± Pitch thought for a moment. ¡°I think I''m just drawing air into the mask and compressing it inside with my body.¡± Ishwada tilted his head. ¡°So that whole fake body of yours is like one big lung?¡±


    Pitch shrugged. ¡°My normal body is my skin, stomach, eyes, ears, and mouth when I''m in my true form. Though this form comes with a working eyes and mouth. Not sure how the nerves of the mask connect to the nerves of my natural body though. Honestly, by all means it shouldn''t work at all. Then again, it''s not like the rules we normally follow matter when it comes to Cryptids.¡± Ishwada nods and looks at a few notes. Pitch grabs the cheese wheel for Cuda and the two go to their vehicles. ¡°I''m thinking that Vance only went here because he knew about it and had no plans outside finding other Cryptids to eat.¡±


    Pitch nods. ¡°This means the best way to get him right now is to track down the other Cryptids that escaped. Hand me a list and we can get started.¡± Ishwada hesitated for a moment before writing down a list and handing it over. Pitch gave it a once over before getting in his jeep. Pitch ran his hands over his face with a sound of exasperation before driving home. Once there he gave the list a second look. ¡°Banshee, Yuki-onna, Chupacabra¡­ A Wampus? Whut the fuck is a Wampus? And finally a Raiju. I''m somewhat familiar with Raiju. Japanese Shinto folklore. Servants of Raijin, said to be weasel-like or wolf-like creatures that are basically the lightning bolts that strike the earth given form.¡±


    Pitch sits in a chair and sets down the list, taking a moment to relax before grabbing the tablet with the Cryptid files to look up the monsters on the list. Knowing the folklore or mythology around a Cryptid species that''s been around a while only gets one so far. Pitch goes by alphabetical order and locates the file on the Banshee. ¡°So it''s either tied to the fear of loud sounds or something similar to an Onrio where it''s born from the strong emotions of a single person giving it a human appearance. It can fly, scream loud enough to break things, and hearing it can cause heart attacks. The specimen they had was estimated to be hundreds of years old. I guess you can carbon date a Cryptid?¡±


    Pitch continued down the list, learning as much about the abilities and habits of the various Cryptids on the list. He then closed the tablet and looked at the Watt Pistol he had been given to use by Ishwada. He looked over the weapon on the outside. ¡°Electrical engineering is my thing, something I started learning before this stuff happened. Maybe I could take this apart and learn how it works. I''ll send a request for one of every type of infantry weapon so I can tinker around.¡± Before he could get started however, there was a knock at the door. Pitch went to answer it to find it was Cuda.


    ¡°Oh hey Cuda, come to get your Gouda?¡± Cuda chuckled. ¡°You said you''d drop it off but I guess you forgot.¡± Pitch sighed and grabbed the cheese wheel to handbit to Cuda. ¡°Here Cu, sorry about that.¡± Cuda grabbed the cheese. ¡°You owe me an explanation.¡± He said in a serious tone. Pitch blinked. ¡°I''m not sure what you mean.¡± Cuda pointed angrily at him. ¡°I may be a jock, but I''m not an idiot. That PMC you are helping out, the one that handles strange things, was there for that serial killer that was after me as well.¡±


    Pitch sighed and sat on the couch indicating for Cuda to sit down. *I planned on explaining things eventually anyway.¡± Cuda moved and sat down. ¡°What the hell is going on around here, how is my sister involved, and why does it feel like everyone is ignoring the increase of weird shit and people going missing?¡± Pitch waved both his hands at Cuda. ¡°Calm down man, I''m getting to it.¡± Pitch takes a few deep breaths. ¡°I''ve already thought over how I would have this conversation a dozen times over, so I guess I''ll start by being extremely blunt. Monsters, are real.¡±


    Cuda raises his eyebrow. ¡°I''m going to just roll with that and ask how that has anything to do with the serial killer or the dead cow.¡± Pitch sighs. ¡°Are you being intentionally obtuse? The serial killer thing was a cover up, sort of. Vance is, or rather became, a monster. I''m not going into too much detail but he''s loose and he killed the cow. By the way, not a cow but I''m not getting into that right now. Black Eagle is responsible for killing, containing, and providing cover stories for the monsters while NexGen does all the research to find better ways to fight and counter them.¡±


    Cuda scowled. ¡°Look man, you''re normally a straight shooter, but do you really expect me to believe-¡± Pitch raises his hand, cutting Cuda off mid sentence and his srm dissolves showing the shadow-like tentacle underneath. ¡°Holy shit!¡± Cuda exclaimed as he leaped backwards into the chair so hard he flipped it. ¡°What in the hell- how in the hell-¡± Pitch restored the arm to normal. ¡°I became a Cryptid six years ago and originally joined NexGen looking for answers. Now I help Ishwada and Black Eagle track and either contain or kill other Cryptids. Vance also turned into a monster of a different variety and he was the serial killer.¡±


    Cuda stands up and fixes the chair. ¡°Vance going psycho doesn''t surprise me. Does Kat know about your¡­ condition?¡± Pitch let out a short laugh. ¡°Hah, she was the first one I told. She''s known since before we started dating.¡± Cuda got back into the chair, sitting once more, rubbing his face with his hands. ¡°I have so many questions.¡± Pitch passes over the tablet. ¡°Take your time looking through this. The files are quite thorough.¡± Cuda looked down at the tablet then up at Pitch. ¡°Thorough enough to include reproductive stuff?¡± Pitch groans. ¡°Seriously? You find out monsters exist and one of the first things you ask is: can they fuck? What is wrong with people these days?¡±


    Cuda starts skimming through the tablet. ¡°Well this says that they are either created from or pulled here from another dimension by strong emotions, so it''s actually a good question as to whether or not they can¡­ self replicate.¡± Pitch sighed. ¡°Most Cryptids can''t reproduce sexually. The few that can fall into two categories. Those that reproduce because of their root, and those that can technically reproduce because they convert the bodies of something that was a normal creature before it became a Cryptid.¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Cuda continued to skim the tablet. ¡°So because you used to be human¡­¡± Pitch let out a loud groan. ¡°If I have sexual organs in my true form, I''ve yet to find them after six years. I became a type of Cryptid that might split into two like an ameba but considering I''m the first human hybrid of this type there''s a lot that''s unknown about the differences between myself and a normal Umbran.¡± Cuda nodded as he continued to scroll. ¡°Huh, this has info on Cryptids on human relationships. Bah, it''s all written in this medical jargon. That''s not sexy at all.¡±


    Pitch rolled his eyes. ¡°It''s an official report for people that have to deal with these things in a police level, not a monster fucker smut fiction.¡± Cuda chuckled and set the tablet back down. ¡°I''ll have to read the test later otherwise I''ll be here for days.¡± Pitch shifts in his seat. ¡°You freaked out hard at first but now you seem really chill about all this. About me.¡± Cuda shrugs. ¡°You''re still you right? Despite what happened. Kat trusts you, and that''s enough for me.¡± Pitch gives a nod, happy to have another ally that knows the truth.


    Cuda puts up a finger. ¡°I do have a question or two though. If Doppelgangers can shape shift to the point they can change genders, wouldn''t that make the gender fluid?¡± Pitch sat there in silence for a long moment before tossing his hands in the air. ¡°I mean I guess. Biologically speaking.¡± Cuda chuckled. ¡°Also, since you used to be human but now you''re a Cryptid would that make it a transition of species? So technically speaking you''re a trans person.¡± Pitch gets a bit uncomfortable at that assertion. ¡°I don''t think trans people would appreciate the comparison considering I''ve got a bit of a reluctant vampire situation going on.¡±


    Cuda chuckled. ¡°I was just teasing. You shouldn''t be so serious all the time. Anyway, I should take my cheese and go.¡± Cuda then got up, grabbed his cheese, and headed to the door. ¡°I''ll see you around James.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°If we are in private or it''s just your sister or Ishwada you can call me Pitch.¡± Cuda paused. ¡°You¡­ chose a different name? Wouldn''t that make James your dead name?¡± Pitch groaned. ¡°I technically died and got reborn so keeping the old one felt weird.¡± Cuda gave a nod. ¡°Makes sense. Also Ishwada knowing the truth and being chill with it is definitely something I didn''t expect considering he''s the leader of the monster hunters.¡±


    Pitch hums. ¡°I''ve made myself useful in dealing with other Cryptids.¡± Cuda gives another nod. ¡°Anyway, laters.¡± He closed the door behind him and left. Pitch let out a long and exasperated sigh, relieved to have finally taken care of getting Cuda in the loop. Now Pitch could relax.


    Vance ran through an alleyway and turned a corner into another at high speed. ¡°(I know I saw you, you little shit. Get back over here.)¡± He continued to chase after a person he saw. ¡°(James, you little fucker, don''t you dare run from me.)¡± He turned another sharp corner to a dead end where James stood with his back to Vance. He spoke with a distorted voice. ¡°I already had my fill today, you should have left well enough alone.¡± Vance ran up and slammed his hand on James'' shoulder. ¡°No James, I''m not going anywhere. We still have unfinished business.¡±


    Vance then turned James around to see his pale face, black eyes, and sharp toothy grin. He let go and took a step back. ¡°You''re not James. Are you some sort of old school Doppelganger? I''ve already eaten a Doppelganger.¡± The monster smiled even wider. ¡°Ah, so you thought I was the other guy. And I sense you feel a strong and primal hatred for him. This hatred¡­ is mutual. I seek the destruction of the one you call James as well. Though I''m not currently in a hurry. Building up my strength and all that.¡±


    Vance got the same skin crawling feeling from this entity as he did James but it was slightly different. The best way to describe it is that unlike James he sensed actual malice from this entity. ¡°I''ve been doing the same, getting myself ready for a rematch. Eating different kinds of Cryptids to gain their powers.¡± The entity tilted its head, then smiled again. ¡°I see. That''s an interesting ability for a Cryptid. Since we both want the one you call James dead, I suggest¡­ an alliance. A collaboration of sorts. Born out of this mutual loathing.¡± Vance considered the proposal for a moment. He was normally a lone wolf, but whatever this guy was he definitely wanted a crack at it and knew he wasn''t ready to take one. So for now, why not keep him within reach.


    ¡°Sure, why not. I''m Vance.¡± He reached out a hand to shake the entity¡¯s. The entity looked at the hand before grunting. ¡°Call me Abe. I will not be partaking in that gesture. I''m not fond of physical contact.¡± Vance takes his hand back. ¡°Understandable. It seems we have a mutual understanding and a goal.¡±


    Not long after Cuda left the house, there was a second knock on the door. Pitch let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°Who could it be now?¡± He went to the door to open it. This time it was Kathryn. She was holding a massive bag of pre-popped popcorn and some DVDs. ¡°I heard you had an emotionally stressful day today so I was thinking we could put on a movie and cuddle on the couch.¡± Pitch stood there for a moment before going back in and holding the door open for Kathryn to enter. The two quickly picked an old B movie about a giant octopus and sat down together munching the popcorn as the movie played.


    ¡°It''s strange that we can both enjoy these sorts of movies, all things considered.¡± Pitch commented. Kathryn let out a short and soft laugh. ¡°These older ones are so cheesy they might as well be comedies today. Good for a laugh and lord knows we both need one.¡± Pitch chuckles and noms on popcorn. ¡°Yeah, munching on popcorn and watching old B movies and Kaiju flicks is definitely nostalgic for me. My dad and I would regularly do Kaiju Klash marathons when I was still in school.¡±


    Kathryn wiggled in her seat a bit. ¡°Do you¡­ want me to change the movie?¡± Pitch shook his head. ¡°No, I''ve had plenty of time to process the death of my parents. Let''s keep watching.¡± The movie continued and progressed to a scene where the octopus reaches a dock and starts grabbing people and tossing them or squeezing them. It picks up a lady and just flails her around as she screams a low budget old movie scream. Kathryn began to squirm in her seat again as she nommed on popcorn, her thighs rubbing together as she wiggled in place.


    Pitch noticed her fidgeting and stopped going for popcorn. ¡°Everything okay? You look like you need to use the bathroom. I can pause the movie if you want.¡± Kathryn let out a small startled whimper when Pitch spoke, as if she didn''t expect him to notice her fidgeting. ¡°That''s uhhh¡­ not the problem. As we''ve grown more intimate I''ve started picturing different aspects of our future including but not limited to the progression of our romantic and eventually even sexual relationship. I''ve imagined, fantasized even about it and in many of those fantasies you are in your true form. So I''ve started to develop a¡­ attraction to a certain type of¡­ media.¡±


    Pitch raised an eyebrow as he looked at Kathryn who was still squirming but trying not to. ¡°Eh? So you''ve¡­ developed a thing for tentacles?¡± Kathryn blushed hard. ¡°K-kinda. I mean it''s the most natural way you''d interact with me in a physically intimate way. I know it might not do much for you cause even if you can make a part of your body more sensitive I don''t think you have a way to¡­ reach climax and complete things on your end.¡± Pitch chuckles and gives her a kiss on the cheek. ¡°Well at least you find both my forms physically and sexually attractive in your own weird way.¡±


    Kathryn was still blushing as she grabbed Pitch''s face and went in for a kiss on the mouth. The two shared a deep passionate kiss as Kathryn put the bag of popcorn to the side of the couch as she moved onto Pitch''s lap as she continued. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself in further, deepening the kiss. After a bit Pitch pushed Kathryn just enough away for him to talk. ¡°Slow down Kat, I get you''re all worked up right now and have probably been a little worked up since I nearly died, but I want to be sure we are both absolutely ready and sure we''re going to take the next step because it''s what we actually want and not us simply giving into the moment.¡±


    Kathryn smiled and blushed. ¡°I was only thinking of making out with my boyfriend, maybe some light dry grinding with clothes on. Nothing more.¡± Pitch smiled lightly. ¡°You''re a bad liar and dirty minded.¡± Kathryn looked away a bit. ¡°Is that... A bad thing?¡± Pitch chuckled and kissed her on the lips gently. ¡°You''re cute when you''re embarrassed. My adorable little dirty minded nerd.¡± Kathryn fake pouts. ¡°I''m not that much shorter than you.¡± She then lets out a giggle and kisses Pitch again, laying him on the couch as she starts making out with him once more.


    The two get more into the motions as Kathryn begins to wiggle on Pitch''s lap and run her hands on his chest while kissing him deeply. She brings her hands down and slides them under his shirt to have skin on skin contact. Pitch responded in kind by moving to grab her by the hips and ass as she wiggled and grinded against him with increasing fervor while the kissing also increased in intensity as Kathryn and Pitch started swapping tongues as well as saliva.


    Kathryn let out a soft gasp as she pulled away with a slightly confused face. She took one hand off his shirt and moved it to Pitch''s crotch. Pitch smiled at her. ¡°I figured if it still worked as normal I''d definitely be bricked up right now so I decided to mimic the effect.¡± Kathryn blushed. ¡°I have some mixed feelings about that since technically you are faking it but you did admit under normal circumstances you''d be aroused enough for that and you''re making up for a shortcoming of the mask over your true form.¡±


    Pitch moved his hands to Kathryn''s hips under her shirt. ¡°Did you want to continue? I can remove our shirts.¡± Kathryn considered her options. ¡°I want to continue but if we keep this up I don''t think I''ll be able to stop myself. So I think I''ll move to the bed and go to sleep.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°I''ll lay by your side while you sleep then.¡± Kathryn got up, but hesitated to leave the room. ¡°I am curious as to what you were packing as a human though.¡± Pitch chuckled. ¡°Maybe I''ll show you next time.¡± Kathryn blushed hard. ¡°O-okay. But just so you know I want our first time together to be with you in your true form.¡± Kathryn turned off the TV and the two went to the bedroom to cuddle.

 Chapter Twenty Six: Tone Deaf

    October, Halloween decorations everywhere. It was both the best and worst time to deal with Cryptids. On one hand it was easier to cover up, on the other it was less likely for strange things to get reported as people would assume it was just pranksters or halloween shenanigans. The leaves were now fully in autumnal colors and starting to melt from the trees. The cold weather was increasing and it was possible there would be snow before Halloween. A regular occurrence in Wisconsin.


    This didn''t stop Black Eagle from deploying the moment they got the smallest report of horrible loud screeching in search of the Banshee that got loose during the incident at the NexGen laboratory. Three Humvees plus Pitch were deployed to the area that was believed to be the location of the Banshee based on triangulation of the sound reports. This would be a tricky case even with the Halloween excuses as it was in a residential area. However, difficulties weren''t going to stop Black Eagle from doing its job.


    Since it''s night, there isn''t much activity outside making things a bit easier. The convoy comes up the street to see the Banshee standing over a night jogger who was on the ground and had blood coming out his ears. The monster was a pale blue color with thin formations of translucent cloth wrapped around and coming off its body like thin sashes. Its somewhat feminine humanoid figure was thin, almost malnourished looking and the long hair on its head flowed in a way that defied gravity. In the spot one would expect a woman''s face was one big round mouth with multiple rows of teeth that can suck in lots of air before screaming and small black dots for eyes.


    This monster may have had a human-like shape but was definitely not human. It was unclear from here if it ever was or if this was simply an example of a Cryptid having a humanoid shape for no particular reason. The Banshee saw the men as they hopped out of the Humvees and started to float up in defiance of gravity. It breathed in deep before letting out an unholy scream. Even with the sound canceling helmets the Black Eagle soldiers still gripped their heads and were stunned. Pitch and Ishwada arriving last got out after the scream, Ishwada in full gear for once gets the attention of a soldier. ¡°You good? Anyone have a spare helmet?¡± He pointed to Pitch who had regular clothes on.


    The soldier he directly addressed shook his head. ¡°Even if I did, I wouldn''t give him one.¡± Ishwada grumbles. ¡°He''s on our side. You guys didn''t have any issues with him when we did the Wendigo case.¡± The soldier raised his weapon at the Banshee and started to fire, with it easily dodging by flying. ¡°That was before I found out he was completely immune to poison. I thought when you said he was a Cryptid that he was a Doppelganger or something. But I don''t know what he is, so I don''t trust him.¡± Ishwada practically growled. ¡°Not trusting is a long way from willingly letting him get hurt.¡± The soldier scoffed. ¡°He''s apparently immune to damage, so it''s a waste of resources.¡±


    Pitch walked over to Ishwada. ¡°Don''t bother making it an order, even if I wore the helmet I''d be just as vulnerable.¡± He points to his ears then moves both hands open palm over his body. Ishwada nods, understanding that Pitch is reminding him that his entire body under the mask is basically his ear among other things. He then looked at the dodging Banshee. ¡°Maybe I should have brought an Ampere rifle. The sniper of the electric tech guns.¡± The Banshee breaths in and lets out a second scream. Pitch gripped his ears as the mask ears were not exactly just for show and not just of habit as he nearly fell to his knees in pain. His entire body was ringing like he had tinnitus everywhere.


    One of the soldiers moved over to a Humvee as soon as the stun wore off, still grabbing his helmet as he opened up the back and grabbed what looked like a sniper. Ishwada pointed it out. ¡°Ah, someone brought one.¡± Ishwada himself made a few focused burst round shots at the Banshee, trying to get it to stay in one area long enough for the sniper to take the shot. Ishwada ordered the rest of the men to do the same. Pitch lifted his Watt pistol and also started to take pot shots at the Banshee. Though he couldn''t hit it any better, he wasn''t exactly trying to.


    After a bit of boxing her in, the sniper charged the Ampere rifle and took the shot. She moved a bit just as the shit fired with a surprisingly loud sound like thunder. The shot hitting her in the shoulder. She suddenly dives down and flies in just above the road making a b-line for the sniper. Everyone continued to fire at the Banshee as she made her approach. The monster angled its body to be standing right in front of the sniper and stood on the ground for the first time. She grabbed the sniper by the head, breathed in, and screamed right in his face. When the Banshee let go the soldier crumpled to the ground.


    Pitch ran to him, the Banshee backing off and returning to a hover as soon as he got close. Pitch checked the soldier. Still alive, just unconscious and likely going to have to live with permanent hearing loss. Pitch picked up the Ampere rifle and prepped it before charging it up for a shot. Surrounding her and trying to box her in wasn''t working because she could fly and dodge easily and move out of the circle from above, so Pitch decided to try something a little different. ¡°Hey ugly, over here!¡±


    The monster looked at him after the active taunt was issued and breathed in to let out another scream at a distance that stunned the soldiers for a moment. Pitch''s body cringed hard till he was nearly crouched but he grabbed his pistol with his left hand and fired it at the Banshee anyway, hitting the same shoulder as the snipers round earlier. It let out a small yelp sound before glaring at Pitch who aimed the sniper at her face. The Banshee rushed at him and as she was coming Pitch fired a round right into her mouth as she breathed in for an attack.


    The Banshee twitched as she hit the ground with a bounce before sliding to Pitch''s feet. Pitch went to kick her but she rolled and got back to a hover just above the ground. Pitch grumbled. ¡°Surprisingly durable for such a gaunt thing.¡± The Banshee moved on again and swatted the sniper right out of Pitch''s hand while letting out a small ethereal wail that wasn''t enough to hurt anyone. She then grabbed Pitch by the face and got right into it. She breathed in, with Pitch trying to smack her arms and hands to get her to let him go. ¡°What are you guys waiting for? She''s not moving, take the shot!¡±


    After a short hesitation everyone, including Ishwada, fired burst rounds at the Banshee. Although a few rounds hit Pitch, most of them landed on the Banshee who let out her scream while still taking in air. The sound came out not as one solid sound but somewhat broken up with small pauses. Although Pitch still nearly fell to the floor. He made a strange gagging sound. ¡°I feel like I''m gonna throw up.¡± Pitch felt dizzy, disoriented, and queasy. ¡°Is this what motion sickness feels like? Vertigo maybe? Either way, I don''t like it.¡±


    The Banshee started to fly around oddly, not just to dodge but it almost seemed like it too was disoriented. Ishwada looked at it curiously. ¡°What did you do to it?¡± Pitch made coughing sounds


    ¡°Nothing really. I slapped its arms uselessly until you guys fired at it. Though a few rounds hit me.¡± Ishwada looked at Pitch, knowing what his body does to electricity. ¡°You good?¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°It wasn''t enough to cause problems.¡± He then picked the sniper back up. The Banshee started letting out wails rather than screams as it clumsily danced in the sky avoiding fire from the ground.


    Ishwada observed it for a moment. ¡°Maybe it''s because it took damage? Enough to get it to change tactics.¡± Pitch also put his gun down to observe. ¡°I don''t know but I''m getting really sick of this thing dancing around and avoiding attacks.¡± Ishwada looked at him. ¡°Are you sure it''s not just because this thing can actually hurt you?¡± Pitch grumbled. ¡°That''s annoying too, but not my main focus.¡± The Banshee dives back down and starts making strafing runs, screaming as it passes people, the soldiers nearly collapsing as she does.


    Pitch lets out a groan. ¡°Yep, she''s changed tactics. Hit and run. I''m guessing she''s not used to people surviving her attacks.¡± Ishwada nods. ¡°It would make sense, outside the team that captured her originally, she''s probably never encountered people that can take attacks from her. Too bad we can''t just fire a net gun at her.¡± Ishwada chuckled. ¡°Actually we have an electrified wire net gun we call a Faraday.¡± Pitch looked at him. ¡°Is there an electromagnetic scientist you haven''t named a weapon after?¡± Ishwada hummed. ¡°Volt Rifle, Watt Pistol, Ohm scatter-shot, Edison Bulb, Ampere Rifle, Faraday Cage, Gauss Cannon, Tesla Maelstrom¡­ nah, I think we covered all the major ones.¡± Ishwada ran to his Humvee and fished through the items in it while the soldiers provided suppressive fire.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Pitch watched as Ishwada pulled out the large net gun. ¡°You missed Galvin and maybe Ritter. I also wouldn''t be surprised if you had fire or heat guns named Fahrenheit, Centigrade, Kelvin, Rankine, or maybe after Herschel.¡± Ishwada knitted his brow. ¡°Who the fuck uses Rankine? Nobody even knows what that is. No normal person anyway. Also, the UV gun is named after Ritter because he discovered UV light after hearing about Herschel¡¯s discovery. Even if he''s more known for his electromagnetic contributions.¡± Ishwada took aim at the Banshee as it weaved back and forth to avoid the shots from the soldiers, occasionally diving in for her attack. One of the soldiers collapsed to the ground either dead or unconscious. There wasn''t time to think about the losses right now, the job came first.


    Ishwada aimed for some time, waiting for the right moment, and took his shot. The electrified net hit the Banshee and sent her to the floor. ¡°Got her!¡± He exclaimed as she struggled under the net getting zapped. She breathed in deep, her chest inflating from the air going in, and letting out a scream louder than anything she''d let out before causing everyone to stumble. This scream sent pulses of airwaves that pushed the net off the Banshee. Pitch wobbled and his vision was blurry and he started to hear a faint heartbeat as he tried his best to shake it off enough to focus his eyes.


    ¡°I''ve had just about enough of you.¡± Pitch growled in a distorted voice before running right under the Banshee. He then crouched down and leaped high into the air aimed right at the Banshee. Pitch collided with her mid air pushing her up and managed to maneuver himself to bring above her, bringing her down with him. He wrapped his right hand on her neck and slammed her to the pavement as he landed on his feet on the pavement beside her. She struggled and kicked but Pitch climbed onto her and straddled her, holding her down with his body as his hands squeezed her neck.


    ¡°If you won''t shut up, I''ll shut you up. You''ll finally be silent and I can have some peace and quiet once more.¡± The Banshee gasped and scratched at Pitch''s hand, letting out soft whimpers and wails. Pitch squeezed harder causing her to kick and claw and flail even harder. She started letting out short burst screams that would be choked out by Pitch¡¯s squeezing. He then put his other hand on her throat, squeezing with both hands and throttling the monster and slamming her head on the pavement repeatedly as she fought for air, gasping and sputtering out spit.


    Pitch''s skin paled as he smiled wickedly and his eyes turned out black. He laughed maniacally. ¡°Hehehehe, so tell me Banshee. Do you fear death?¡± He gripped tighter as all the monster could do was make choking sputtering noises as she kicked, flailed, and clawed so hard she was scratching up herself as much as Pitch who was bleeding from his ears and the nail marks on his arms since his mask was built to mimic surface injuries. The cuts were not deep enough to break the mask.


    Pitch''s hands flex as they tighten even harder, he shakes his hand one last time before grunting and making one last intense squeeze. There is a light distinct crack sound followed by a high pitched boom as a sound wave pulses from the Banshee as her body goes limp. Pitch lets go as his skin and eyes return to normal. He wipes his forehead with his hand. ¡°Damn, I nearly lost my cool there.¡± He got up off the Banshee and looked up to see the still conscious Black Eagle soldiers, minus Ishwada, all still pointing their guns with shaky arms. One even picked up the Ampere Rifle and was aiming it right at Pitch''s head.


    ¡°Uhhh¡­ the Banshee¡¯s dead. You can lower your weapons now.¡± Pitch said with a normal sounding voice, but all the soldiers, including the Doppelgangers, kept their weapons raised. ¡°Jiryu, can you order them to stand down?¡± Ishwada took a step forward and removed his helmet. ¡°Stand down men, target neutralized.¡± One of the soldiers steadied his aim. ¡°Secondary target identified. Contain if possible, kill of necessary¡± Ishwada moved in even more, walking up right behind the man and grabbing his shoulder. ¡°Did you not hear me? That man is an ally and I order you to stand down.¡±


    The soldier keeps his weapon raised. ¡°Sorry sir, but I can''t do that. I''m fine working with Doppels and Succubi because they are just as vulnerable as us and if they go rogue we can handle it. But that¡­ man, if you can even call him that, just did a jump that could have leaped a tall building in a single bound. He then choked out and snapped the neck of a Banshee with his bare hands. I heard he didn''t need a helmet for the Catoblepas toxic spores and he was able to survive a Banshee scream point blank. Not only that, but he clearly enjoyed killing it near the end. It''s not just the fact that he''s not human, but he''s clearly some kind of monster. Not just a Cryptid, but an honest to goodness monster.¡±


    Pitch chuckled nervously. ¡°So I got a little carried away, she was really annoying and the screaming hurt. It was clear we weren''t going to capture her and I was sick of her god damn death screams. As a Cryptid feeding on fear is kinda part of the deal so when I sensed fear my more monstrous instincts kicked in. I''ll try to conduct myself in a more calm and reasonable manner in the future and I''m sorry if I scared anyone.¡± Several of the soldiers lowered their weapons but kept them at the ready on standby just in case. The one with the sniper, the same one that refused to give Pitch a helmet at the start, kept his weapon aimed.


    Pitch sighed and put his hands in the air. ¡°I suggest you put that gun down, you''ll regret firing it.¡± The soldier scoffed. ¡°Maybe, but you won''t be alive to see it.¡± He pulled the trigger and a thunderous sound came out of the weapon as a bolt of lightning struck Pitch right in the forehead sending his head backwards. He brings it back up with a scowl and no clear sign of injury. ¡°That was unpleasant and unprofessional.¡± He then flicked out his arm pointing to a tree with a snap of the limb. A thick purple bolt of lightning struck the tree and broke off a large chunk causing it to fall over.


    Pitch was about to sprint at the soldier to disarm him but Ishwada beat him to it. ¡°I gave a direct order to stand down! Besides, if he wanted any of you dead, he''d have done it. I''ve put my trust in him, and you''ve put your trust in me. I expect you to conduct yourself like professionals. Do I make myself clear?!¡± The man gave a soft ¡°yes sir¡± prompted by Ishwada yelling ¡°I can''t hear you.¡± The man said ¡°yes sir¡± a lot more loudly this time. ¡°Now pack up the corpses and wounded and get ready to roll out.¡± ¡°Yes sir!¡± Shouted the soldiers and they started to get packed up.


    Ishwada put his hand on Pitch''s shoulder. ¡°Are you sure you''re okay? For a moment there you looked like the other guy. It was kinda scary.¡± Pitch took a breath. ¡°I¡­ don''t know what came over me. I guess I''m not used to things being a genuine threat to me. Normally my struggle is making sure I keep the mask up and make sure everyone is comfortable. But it shouldn''t be my job to make sure everyone is comfortable with my presence or existence. So when I was actually in danger and feeling pain I guess I stopped caring about everyone else being comfortable. Then once I had her in my hands and she knew she was going to die¡­ the fear and desperation was almost human and¡­ well let''s just say I haven''t exactly been eating as well as I used to since I finished off the remaining death row inmates and recovered from my injury.¡±


    Ishwada tilted his head. ¡°You''ve been starving yourself?¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°I''ve been slowly cutting down, trying to get it so I only eat once every other week instead of once or twice a week. Trying to balance out the extra meals I had to eat to recover.¡± Ishwada rubs his mouth with his hand, having obvious mixed feelings about Pitch''s diet. ¡°As distasteful as what you need to eat to avoid going feral is, I can''t have you working hangry. I get most would say murder is murder but honestly the kinds of people you go for probably won''t ever change. Drug addicts, dealers, people already near death from sickness due to drugs¡­ These people aren''t beyond redemption but one must seek it out and these people don''t want to or are too far gone. STD, drugs¡­ these people are already dying.¡±


    Pitch looked at the floor. ¡°I can try to justify it all I want, call it mercy¡­ I still feel like shit. I''m no better than that scientist feeding death row inmates to Abe.¡± Ishwada scowled. ¡°Bull shit, that guy also did illegal experiments on Dopples and Succubi. He didn''t feel bad about any of it, if fact he was proud of the progress he made. The fact you feel remorse is proof you''re still human on the inside.¡± Pitch sighed. ¡°Yeah, but for how long, Jiryu? I feel like I lose a piece of my humanity every time I eat or have to embrace my current body. The worst part of it is Kat has accepted all of me, and I can''t bring myself to do the same. I look at Abe or Vance, and I see a dark future. A path I could have walked or could still fall into if I''m not diligent. I feel like I''m holding my humanity by a thread, only to find out I''m pulling at the frey.¡±


    Ishwada pats Pitch''s shoulder. ¡°Have you taken any time to actually process things since the change? I mean you said you felt like you died and were reborn. Have you taken the time to mourn the loss of the old you?¡± Pitch shook his head. ¡°I''ve been focused on the mission, and it didn''t really feel like death in that way. I mean I''m still here, kinda. I''m still me, mostly.¡± Ishwada nodded. ¡°I know what it''s like, to dive into something to avoid your own feelings. To distract yourself from processing the loss because if you do that makes it real. Take some time off from your other job, I''ll only call on you if I really need you. Take some time to process the crazy shit that''s been happening. I''ll put you in line for a session with Tickle Monster. One hour with that Cuddle Bug and the stress will just melt away.¡±


    Pitch gave Ishwada a weak smile. ¡°Thanks for looking out for me Jiryu. It''s great to have a small group of friends that know all of me since I brought Cuda in the loop. He took it fairly well. Asked a lot of questions about the mechanics of monsters when I expected questions about who was and wasn''t real. I know I should have given you a heads up but he ambushed me at my house after spotting me at the farm.¡± Ishwada gave a dismissive wave as he loaded up his Humvee. ¡°Yeah, that''s fine. Now go home and relax.¡± Pitch noticed a long ornate and decorative looking lock box that showed significant age in the Humvee. ¡°What''s with the fancy old box?¡±


    Ishwada looked at it. ¡°Old family heirloom, it''s like seven hundred years old and contains a Katana. Family legend says it was forged by a dragon for an ancestor in order to protect the land from demons. I thought since a lot of myths are Cryptid related I''d bring it along. I forgot where I left the key though.¡± Pitch nodded and started heading to his own jeep. ¡°I''ll go get that rest now.¡±

 Chapter Twenty Seven: Whispers of Despair

    Pitch spent his down time relaxing and hanging out with Kathryn, but the break didn''t seem to last long as early on Halloween day, not even two full weeks from the Banshee case, Pitch got a call from Ishwada. ¡°I know I said I''d avoid bothering you unless I absolutely needed you and uhh¡­ well I''ve got a case I can''t quite figure out. I''m fairly sure a Cryptid is involved but it''s not one from the list. We still have to handle it either way. I''ll send you the address.¡±


    Pitch confirmed he''d be there and hung up with a sigh. ¡°Looks like my vacation is over, Ishwada needs me on a case.¡± He went over and gave Kathryn a kiss. ¡°Feel free to stay as long as you want.¡± He then grabbed a few things and drove to the location. It was a normal looking house in one of the residential areas not far from downtown. When he got there the place was guarded and blocked off with police tape. Pitch was escorted in by a Black Eagle soldier who led him to Ishwada. ¡°What''s the case Jiryu?¡±


    Ishwada let out a long sigh. ¡°I''ve got no fuckin¡¯ clue and it''s starting to drive me up the wall. Resident committed suicide, shotgun toothbrush, Kurt Cobane style. Painted the ceiling. However, before he died he spent a lot of time in the house and there were several noise complaints with the victim saying some strange near schizophrenic stuff. Problem is, the guy didn''t have any mental conditions prior to moving in. He just¡­ slowly lost his shit for no reason. My instincts are telling me a Cryptid is involved but I can''t find any signs of one.¡± Ishwada handed Pitch a folder with crime scene photos and notes including the complaints. Some of them being nine-one-one calls from the victim.


    Pitch flips through the folder, checking the information, and stops at a photocopy of the victim¡¯s i.d. ¡°I knew this guy, he went to Roosevelt High School. Him and some friends started a band back then. I once went to see them play. They were doing well but he looked tired. They were actually on tour or something traveling the state. That was years ago.¡± Ishwada nods. ¡°We already interviewed his other band mates. Transcripts are in the file.¡± Pitch scanned through them.


    ¡°Started showing signs of exhaustion years ago, followed by manic depressive episodes attributed to stress. Looks like your normal spiral of depression due to high pressure to me up till the noise complaints about him screaming. Then there''s the nine-one-one call he himself made. Reads like some schizophrenia shit.¡± Pitch clears his throat, not that it''s something he needs to do. ¡°I hear them whispering. They''re in my ears, they''re in my walls.¡± Ishwada pointed to a wall with claw marks. ¡°Yeah, and his band mates reported him curling into a ball, rocking back and forth, and whispering or muttering to himself at one point. Apparently the whispering and muttering was a regular thing that only got worse.¡±


    Pitch checked the crime scene photos. ¡°Nothing abnormal here. Just looking at it one wouldn''t think anything of the scene.¡± Pitch started walking through and scanning the house, looking for anything that seemed out of place. ¡°They''re all staring at you.¡± Pitch looked up, and couldn''t help but feel the Black Eagle soldiers were staring at him, keeping their distance after what happened with the Banshee. ¡°After all that effort to seem normal, they just see you as a monster.¡± Pitch sighs and does his best to focus on his task. He noticed a small hole in the bottom of the kitchen wall.


    ¡°Does this place have a big problem or something?¡± Pitch asked out loud. Ishwada looked over. ¡°The victim made several complaints about one but after several fumigations over several years and his behavior it became assumed it was part of whatever disillusion he was under.¡± Pitch tilted his head. ¡°I think you meant delusion but yeah. I see signs of some sort of infestation. That or he made the holes himself.¡± ¡°Look at them, armed for what looks like a suicide. They''re just waiting for an excuse to shoot you down and be done with it.¡±


    Pitch cleared his throat and cracked his neck. ¡°How can you pretend everything is normal after everything you''ve done? After everything you''ve become? How many people have you eaten? How many have you killed?¡± Pitch felt a weight on his shoulders and the lingering feelings of a Cryptid presence. ¡°There''s definitely something nearby but I can''t get a lock on it.¡± One of the Black Eagle soldiers nods. ¡°It feels like the entire house is a Cryptid, like it''s coming from all directions. But Cryptids don''t get that big.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°Does this house have a history of people living in it having manic depressive episodes or schizophrenic delusions?¡±


    Ishwada looked through his own copy of the folder he handed Pitch. ¡°Previous tenant had some issues but not to this extent and the guy before that suffered from chronic insomnia.¡± Pitch put his hand on his chin and sat in a chair to think. ¡°You''re a threat to everyone around you. What happens if you suddenly get very hungry in a crowd? What happens if the number of people you regularly eat stops being enough and your appetite grows?¡± Pitch rubbed the top of his head and groaned. ¡°You deserve to die just as much as every other monster in this world. It''s not safe with monsters like you in it.¡±


    ¡°You should die. You should die. You should die, you should die.¡±


    Pitch gripped his head with both hands and whispered to himself. ¡°Shut up, it''s not the time for this.¡± ¡°You''re a monster. Just as bad as the rest. You''re a threat, you should be eliminated.¡± Pitch continued to walk around and do his best to focus on observation, noticing several small holes near the floor or in the wall and at wall and ceiling corners. He then took a closer look at the scratches made by nails on the wall but the oppressive weight Pitch was feeling kept getting worse. He could almost see a dark cloud or shadow obscuring his vision and ability to look at the markings as negative thoughts continued to echo in his mind getting louder and louder.


    Pitch began breathing heavily as he started to hear the sound of a rapid heartbeat. Gripping his head as the echoes got too loud to ignore. ¡°Monster. Killer. Cannibal. You deserve to die. The world is safer without you in it, you''re a threat to everyone around. One day you''ll lose control, just another mindless beast. This mask isn''t fooling everyone, they all know what you are. Stop pretending everything is fine, everything is normal. Stop pretending to be human. You know what you are. You know what you''ve done. And so do they. The only reason you''re alive and free is because of the mercy of others that find you useful. Jiryu doesn''t see you as a friend or even an equal. You''re just a tool to him. Everyone is staring at you. Everyone is staring¡±


    ¡°Shut up shut up shut up. Shutupshutupshutup.¡± Pitch shook his head as he whispered to himself. The sounds of a heartbeat became louder and more rapid as his breathing became more laboured. Practically hyperventilating despite not even having lungs or needing air. Ishwada was going through the house and directing troops to check different areas inside and outside the house when he noticed Pitch standing in front of the claw marks gripping his head with his eyes darting back and forth, looking like he was having a panic attack or something.


    Suddenly the sounds of Pitch¡¯s rapid ragged breathing and incoherent mumbling whispers were broken by him suddenly and violently shouting. ¡°SHUT UP!!!¡± His eyes suddenly widened as he looked around. ¡°I need some air ¡° he then said before fast walking and almost jogging out the door. Ishwada handed his copy of the folder over to the closest soldier and followed. ¡°I''ll be right back.¡± Ishwada got outside to see Pitch sitting on a curb grabbing his head and rocking slightly. ¡°You okay J-¡± Ishwada then realizes no one else is in earshot of them. ¡°Are you okay Pitch?¡±


    Pitch looked over to Ishwada and wiped his face with his hands. ¡°...No. I thought I was doing better after the Banshee case but here I am having a breakdown in front of everyone. They already distrust me after the Banshee case, every time I pass a soldier they take a step back and grip their weapons. Like they''re just waiting for a reason to unload on me. I feel like I''m walking on eggshells and like the self made mask has become like a prison and nothing more than a weight pushing me down. Jiryu, I feel like I''m coming apart at the seams. I can''t be myself because the real me would scare everyone. I can''t even blame them because I scare myself. I mean for fuck¡¯s sake Jiryu, I fucking eat people. There''s no redemption from that when it''s a basic need. How can I stand here trying to protect the world from monsters when I''m allowed to roam free?¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Ishwada sat next to Pitch and put a hand on his shoulders. ¡°I wish I could help you, but I have no clue what you are going through or what it''s like. I can only give some general advice taken from my own experiences.¡± Pitch took a few breaths, the sound of a heartbeat still echoing in his ear. The whispers had died down but not stopped. Pitch then had a clear and sobering thought. ¡°(I don''t have a heart, so who''s heart am I hearing?)¡± The different places of evidence echoed in Pitch''s mind. Suddenly, everything clicked. Pitch reached slowly for his own ear and reached behind it, pulling what looked like a silkworm from behind his ear.


    Ishwada looked at it. ¡°Is that a silkworm? I''ve never seen one like that. It''s rather ugly.¡± Pitch squished the critter. ¡°A Cryptid, the source of our problem.¡± Ishwada raised an eyebrow. ¡°That one little thing drove that man to suicide?¡± Pitch got up and practically matched back into the building. ¡°Clear the building and get me a fire axe. Everyone out, evacuate.¡± The soldiers all looked at Pitch wordlessly. Pitch raised his voice slightly. ¡°Did you not hear me, are you deaf? I said everyone out!¡± Ishwada came up from behind Pitch. ¡°You heard him, evacuate the premises.¡±


    The soldiers grumbled and started slowly clearing out with one audibly saying. ¡°What, are we taking orders from a monster now?¡± Ishwada scolded him. ¡°No, you take orders from me, and I trust the instincts of this person. So if he says clear the building I roll with it because I know he''s got a good reason.¡± The last person made his exit and Ishwada handed Pitch a fire axe. Pitch then slammed the axe into the spot on the wall with the claw marks. ¡°So what exactly are you up to?¡± Pitch slammed the axe into the wall three more times. ¡°They''re in the walls.¡±


    Pitch opened the wall to reveal a wall of silk with several silkworm looking creatures wigging on the bed of silk. Several of them, including one so far and engorged it looked more like a drug then a silkworm fell out of the hole. ¡°My god, the building must be infested with these things.¡± Ishwada commented as his hand moved over his mouth. Pitch started stepping on the silkworms that fell out, crushing them easily. ¡°Have all the men check behind their ears and I guess get ready to fumigate this place with holy water or something. Because although these things are squishy I highly doubt we can manually crush them all and it''s clear normal big bombs don''t work.¡±


    Ishwada grabbed an unsquashed silkworm and went outside the building. He led it up for display to his men. ¡°This is what we are dealing with. The house is infested with them. Check behind your ears. From what I can gather these things feed off despair, depression, and anxiety.¡± Pitch then added to that. ¡°They latch behind your ears and whisper echoes of your own self deprecating thoughts at you and project a small amount of emotional energy at their victims to feed into these emotions and get you into a spiral. Feeding back into it. It becomes more frequent and louder as it grows. Since I''m something of an empath I''m surprisingly susceptible to their influence.¡±


    The soldiers mutter amongst one another for a bit as Ishwada thinks of how to clear the building. ¡°I wonder if the Black Scripture people from the Vatican would have holy water bug bombs handy.¡± Pitch looked at Ishwada. ¡°...Right, I forgot there were versions of this group in other places including the one run by the church.¡± Ishwada nods. ¡°Black Scripture is the oldest of the currently active Cryptid handling groups.¡±


    Pitch tapped his foot on the ground. ¡°So are we just going to wait around and keep the area sealed until we can clear it out or backup arrives?¡± Ishwada shrugs and he calls someone on his phone. ¡°Yeah, it''s me. You wouldn''t happen to have something along the lines of a holy water bug bomb would you? I''ve got a bunch of small fuckers nesting in a wall and don''t have anything to deal with it.¡± Ishwada nods a few times while the other person talks. ¡°Okay, I''ll see you when you get here.¡±


    Pitch sighs as he heads to his vehicle. ¡°I guess I''ll just sit in the car till the Black Scripture exorcist gets here. I''d take a nap but since I need so little sleep I basically nap once or twice a month and that''s it.¡± Ishwada groans. ¡°Stop rubbing it in my face. I wish I required less sleep. Then I wouldn''t be tired all the time.¡± After a while of waiting an old vehicle with wood grain on the side and a cross shaped hood ornament arrived with four people. Two male and one female.


    One of the men was an older white man with wrinkles and salt ¡®n pepper hair, he had broad shoulders and was likely well fit and muscular under the papal suit. The other man was younger, probably around Pitch''s age and had black hair, brown eyes, and slightly darker skin. He has a few notable tattoos on his face including three small crosses under his eyes where a gangster would put teardrops. He was also muscular and based on his posture Pitch imagined him to be one of those Hispanic gangbangers you''d see in a 90s movie.


    Of the two nuns one was an older white lady that looked exactly like what one would expect when picturing a nun. The second was younger and had made some clear modifications to her nun habit to show more leg and expose her sides. She even modified the top to create an underboob boob curtain effect but had put in a white shirt under the black top. Based on the fact she pulled at it and pouted she had been forced to do so by her superior. She had bleach blonde hair and green eyes with a mole on her chin.


    Pitch raised an eyebrow at the younger nun but didn''t question it, as the older priest went to great Ishwada like an old friend. ¡°Jiryu. It''s been a while. How have you been?¡± The two exchanged a quick hug. ¡°Ups and downs old friend.¡± he then looked at Pitch and rubbed his eyes. ¡°This guy with you is the spitting image of a young Jack.¡± Ishwada nodded. ¡°That''s Jack''s son, James. Well actually there''s more to it but I''m not getting into that right now.¡± The older female nun walked her way over. ¡°Well look who needed our help to exorcize demons. Are you finally ready to admit our group is superior? Maybe if you didn''t spend so much time faffing about trying to capture them you''d do better.¡±


    Pitch raised an eyebrow at the older nun now. ¡°You do realize there are Cryptids that are non-hostile, right?¡± The older woman crossed her arms. ¡°Non-hostile my foot. A demon¡¯s a demon, and that''s that. If it weren''t for the agreement with Black Eagle not to attack Dopples in America we''d be exercising them too.¡± Pitch crossed his arms. ¡°So you''re saying that you would lynch a voting citizen just for being different? Who the fuck you think you are, the Ku Klux Klan?¡±


    The nun turns to Pitch with anger in her eyes. ¡°How dare you, I''ll have you know-¡± Pitch interrupted. ¡°Let me guess, some of your best friends are black.¡± The nun grumbled and huffed but before she could say something new the older priest moved over to calm her down before returning to Pitch and Ishwada. ¡°So I know it''s a bug like Cryptid but what am I dealing with exactly?¡±


    Pitch took a deep breath before explaining. ¡°I''m calling the Cryptid Whispering Despair, and the building is full of them. Absolutely infested. These silkworm looking fuckers aren''t physically strong or durable but what they do have is numbers and the ability to latch onto the back of your ear and whisper self deprecating thoughts the victim already has. Indicating it can potentially read thoughts to an extent. This slowly causes the victim to spiral into a worse and worse state. Eventually the voices and thoughts become too much.¡±


    The priest nods. ¡°Okay, I''ll see what I can do. Hector, you''re with me.¡± Hector then spoke with an accent that Pitch was kinda expecting. ¡°Sure thing homes, I''m right behind you.¡± The two went inside the building. The older nun continued to glare at Pitch while the younger one approached him. ¡°Hey there tall, pale, and handsome~ Did you know that nuns of the Black Scripture are not required to make vows of celibacy?¡± Pitch blinked a few times with a blank expression. ¡°I uhh¡­ have a girlfriend.¡±


    The blond woman had an exaggerated pout. ¡°Well I never said I was looking to be your girlfriend. I''d be as confidential as a confessional.¡± Pitch looked over at Ishwada. ¡°There are literally two other people in earshot including the old nun.¡± The younger nun looked at the old nun who was scowling at her. ¡°A lack of a vow of celibacy is no excuse for your sluttery. You''re not a Succubus, so stop acting like it.¡± The younger nun crossed her arms and pouted, then she addressed Pitch again. ¡°I''m Anastasia, the grumpy old bat is Jeanette.¡±


    Ishwada butted into the conversation. ¡°The older priest is Father Franklin Falcone, he served with me and your father in the military. His exorcist in training is relatively new. Hector is something of a rescue from what I''ve been told.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°I got that from the amount of cholo energy the guy gave off. Dude''s a walking stereotype turned priest.¡± The group waited several hours before the two men came back out. ¡°Consider the area fumigated, Jiryu.¡± Ishwada gave the priest a firm handshake. ¡°Thanks for the assistance, Frank. We''ll have to catch up sometime and have a drink.¡±


    After sharing the form handshake the two separated. Pitch looked at the house. ¡°I''m going to do a once over, just to be sure. They can''t detect Cryptids like I can.¡± Ishwada nodded and Pitch walked through the entire building with some measure of hesitation. Once he was fully confident that the building was cleared he finally made his way back to his jeep. ¡°I''m going home to snuggle my girlfriend.¡± He waved goodbye to Ishwada before heading home to end his stressful day.

 Chapter Twenty Eight: No Rest For the Wicked

    Pitch passed out as soon as he got in the tub in the bathroom, quickly slipping into a dream. For the first time in years he found himself back in first grade during the day of that field trip. The field trip that started it all. Except this time his vision jumped from his own perspective to that of the monster''s. It was after something, drawn to something. The other humans were just in the way, covenant snacks between it and whatever was drawing it. The source of what drew it, a child. One Pitch recognized immediately as Yuri Ishwada.


    Pitch''s perspective shifted to his own as he reached out to grab Yuri as she was grabbed by the monster. Trying the best his little body could to pull her from its grip. ¡°Hold on Yuri, I won''t let you go!¡± Yuri reached a hand down her shirt and pulled out a necklace, handing it to young James. ¡°Raitoburing¨¡.¡± She was then pulled away and torn to bits in front of James. Pitch then saw from the monster''s point of view as it became curious of young James¡¯ lack of fear and started to prod him.


    Pitch awoke with a start, but before his mind could even process his existence his phone rang. Pitch shifted into the mask form and picked it up with a crappy stereotype Italian accent. ¡°Big Tony''s Pizzeria and Abortion Clinic where yesterday''s loss is today''s sauce. How may I help you?¡± It was Ishwada at the other end. ¡°Farm animals have been found emaciated at the edge of town with clear signs of having been attacked by a Chupacabra.¡±


    Pitch groaned. ¡°Send me the address and I''ll be right there.¡± He quickly got ready, checking a jewelry box for the strange looking necklace and grabbing it. ¡°I forgot I had you, I should give you back to your rightful owner. Once ready he went to check the farm that got attacked. When he arrived Ishwada greeted him. ¡°You know, I wasn''t going to call you in since I already know what I''m after.¡± Pitch took one look at the wound on one of the animals and recognized the three toothed bite marks from pictures he had seen on Cryptid conspiracy site. ¡°Yeah, Chupy is one of the better documented Cryptids among normal people. So¡­ why''d you call me in on the case?¡±


    Ishwada sighed. ¡°It''s less that I needed your help and more because it''s on the list. I thought you''d be upset if I left you out.¡± Pitch pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°To be honest, I''d rather be moving Kathryn in with me than deal with Cryptids right now. Especially after what happened with the Whispering Despair. I still haven''t fully recovered yet. Now everytime I enter a crime scene or situation to help you I can''t help but feel like everyone is staring at me. Waiting for me to mess up and give you a big I told you so. Even the Dopplegangers can''t look at me straight after the Banshee case. Oh, and I dreamt about the night your daughter passed for the first time in ages. Remembered she gave me this with her final words. Raitoburing¨¡.¡± Pitch handed Ishwada the strange pendant.


    Ishwada looked at the necklace a bit perplexed. ¡°Eh? Oh! That''s where I left that. Thanks for returning it as well as delivering her final word. Lightbringer.¡± Ishwada then refocused on the case. ¡°Anyway, sorry for dragging you out for this. But, since you''re already here, you might as well help out.¡± Pitch looked over the different animals. Mostly goats but the Cryptid attacked a few sheep as well as a cow and a pig. ¡°Is it normal for a Chupacabra to go after cows?¡± Ishwada shook his head. ¡°Normally they only aim for small livestock with goats being their favorite for some reason. We also have no idea as to a possible origin outside a fear of predators eating one''s livestock but that feels too specific. Especially considering how many there are. It has among the highest population of any non-citizen Cryptid I know of.¡±


    Pitch put his hand on his chin. ¡°It might be an example of a regular animal turned Cryptid and thus it would be able to breed like an animal still. All the Cryptid types with high populations seem to have the ability to reproduce sexually.¡± Pitch looked up at the overcast sky and listened to distant thunder and frowned. ¡°The weather is about to turn. In about an hour it''ll be pouring buckets. A storm is coming, and not just the one in the sky.¡±


    Ishwada gave Pitch a perplexed look. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Pitch blinked a few times, perplexed himself. ¡°I don''t know, but I''m getting this anxious feeling. Could just be frayed nerves from yesterday. Doesn''t help that I already feel like I''m being watched by everyone in Black Eagle.¡± Ishwada nodded. ¡°Right. Let''s try and focus on the case for now. Here''s a map of farms that have been hit. This one''s the most recent.¡± Ishwada hands Pitch a map with points marked.


    Pitch looked it over, looking for a pattern. ¡°Is it¡­ circling the city?¡± Ishwada looked at the map. ¡°Looks like it. The city is surrounded by farmland so it makes sense. However, Chupacabra normally don''t hunt alone. This one is likely doing it because it was separated from its group. It''s drinking a lot for a single entity though. This is just a few days'' progress.¡± Pitch cursed under his breath causing Ishwada to give him a look. ¡°The most common cause for a sudden increase in appetite in animals.¡±


    Ishwada looked confused. ¡°You lost me, but it might be because I haven''t had my morning tea.¡± Pitch let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°I think the damned thing is pregnant.¡± Ishwada looked at the carnage of this farm, one of many. ¡°It would check out with what we know, but when? Did the lab have a second Chupacabra and allow them to interact for¡­ science?¡± Pitch shrugged. ¡°That''s not important right now. Let''s try to head this thing off, go two farms up and flank it when it gets there.¡±


    Ishwada nodded and started to issue orders, the two then went in their own vehicles and quickly drove to a different farm in the path the Chupacabra was taking. The Black Eagle personnel took up hidden positions ready to take on the Cryptid. After a bit of waiting as it started raining it arrived.


    From the distance it looked like a mangy canine of medium size, similar to that of a labrador. Although the exact species wasn''t clear as it looked like it could be anything from a ratty dog, to a coyote, to a hyena, to a tasmanian wolf or a mix of multiple things. Its long, canine-like face had two fangs coming up the sides of its mouth and one going down over the middle and almost looked like small tusks rather than fangs. The ratty, mangy looking creature stalked slowly onto the farm. It slowly made its way to a sheep and got ready to pounce, but as it leaped a Black Eagle fired a Faraday net at it. The Chupacabra was easily captured and subdued.


    Pitch got up from his spot as the Black Eagle personnel started making sure the thing couldn''t break free and loaded it into a containment van. ¡°You guys didn''t even need my help.¡± One one the Black Eagle soldiers snapped back. ¡°Well yeah. We''re trained and equipped to deal with these sorts of things. We don''t need your help. Ever.¡± Ishwada took a stern tone with the soldier. ¡°Holden¡¯s insights and instincts have saved lives and reduced casualties. Speeding up cases and has done nothing but help us.¡±


    The soldier snapped back. ¡°Yeah? And how is he being paid for his services? What price could a demon like him be asking for his services?¡± Ishwada crossed his arms. ¡°You work directly with a Succubus in your squad and have had no complaints.¡± The soldier pointed angrily at Pitch. ¡°This¡­ thing makes Wendigos look safe. At least I know what a Succubus is and how to deal with one. I don''t even know what he is.¡± Ishwada grumbles. ¡°I have faith and trust in him, that should be enough.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    The soldier grumbled before going back to the containment van. Ishwada pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Just give them time and they''ll see, you''re just trying to do your best.¡± Pitch sighed. ¡°Whatever, it''s fine. I''m not here to be everyone''s friend. I''m here to do a job.¡± Ishwada nodded. Then five Black Eagle men carrying a large barrel they grabbed out of the containment van run over and dump the liquid contents onto Pitch like Gatorade at the end of a football game win soaking him way more then the rain already had.


    ¡°What the fuck?!¡± Pitch shook the water off himself. ¡°What was that for?¡± He then felt a slight tingle on his skin. ¡°Wait¡­ what was in that container?¡± The man that was causing issues earlier stammered. ¡°That¡­ should have worked. You should be in flames right now.¡± Ishwada growled at his subordinates. ¡°What, was, that?¡± One of the men mousily responded. ¡°Holy water.¡± Pitch shook himself off a bit more before laughing. ¡°You know, it kinda tickles. I might have to take some home.¡± Ishwada orders his men to take the Chupacabra to containment. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Pitch chuckled lightly. ¡°Yeah, in fact I feel great. That anxious feeling that''s been weighing me down is gone and I feel lighter than before. I think the holy water actually helped.¡± Ishwada tilted his head, making a perplexed expression. He cycled through a few expressions as his mind sorted through things. ¡°Well, I''ll table that for later. Let''s get you home and in dry clothes.¡± Pitch chuckled. ¡°What, before I catch a cold? I don''t have to worry about that anymore.¡± Ishwada knitted his brow. ¡°Right¡­ well this case is solved so either way-¡±


    Pitch suddenly gets a different tingling sensation followed by a sound of something ripping. He immediately grabbed Ishwada and leaped to the side as lightning struck the spot they were standing. ¡°That was a close one.¡± Then, out of the smoke of the impact came a small blue furred creature. It had six limbs and six blue eyes and looked like a weasel mixed with a bit of wolf and a small dash of insect. Its size leaned closer to the size of a weasel and it let out a strange sound that could be described as a slightly distorted high pitched chuckle. Like a clown chuckle from a low budget haunted house attraction.


    Ishwada cursed under his breath. ¡°Shit, Raiju. And right after sending everyone else out.¡± Pitch shouted. ¡°What the hell is the Raiju doing here?! It seems really pissed off at us for some reason.¡± Ishwada looked at his Humvee and back again. ¡°Not us, me. I was the one that originally captured it. Just a week before the breakout happened. Bosses offered a bonus if I could get one alive from Japan and bring it to the facility here.¡± Pitch frowned slightly. ¡°I can''t believe that you went on a mission to Japan and didn''t even think about calling me.¡±


    Ishwada looked at Pitch. ¡°I don''t call you for every mission, that would mean near daily deployment.¡± Pitch raised his voice a bit. ¡°Yeah but¡­ Japan. I''ve always wanted to go.¡± Ishwada grumbled. ¡°If you can hold that thing off long enough for me to get a classic Faraday ready for containment, I''ll buy you two tickets to Tokyo. Deal?¡± Pitch cracked his knuckles and neck, somehow. ¡°Man, for two tickets I''ll knock the thing out myself. Come on you oversized spark ferret, I''ll show you the business end of my fist.¡±


    Pitch picked up a rock and tossed it at the monster¡¯s head to get its attention off of Ishwada. ¡°You may look like a mutated Pocket Monster, but the only thing you''re going to catch is these hands.¡± Ishwada making his way to the Humvee shouts back. ¡°The people catch the monsters, your pun doesn''t quite work.¡± Pitch shouts back. ¡°Shut up, they can''t all be bangers.¡± The Raiju growled at Pitch before it seemed to turn into a lightning bolt that shot right at him. Pitch was caught off guard and unable to dodge in time considering the monster moved at the literal speed of lightning.


    Pitch was tossed a solid distance before sliding down the wet grass as lightning and thunder boomed in the distance and the rainfall got heavier. He picked himself out of the grass with a groan. Ishwada made it to the Humvee and started shuffling through it. ¡°You okay, Pitch? That looked like it hurt.¡± Pitch looked at the claw marks in his chest making a nice X that cut through to his true body. ¡°Considering I just got Volt Tackled by Chernobyl Pikachu, not bad. Though I''m kinda glad all the Black Eagle grunts left because I''m leaking out of the mask over here. Try to go faster, though. I''m not sure how much energy I can take from this thing.¡±


    Pitch fired a purple bolt of lightning out his hand at the ground. ¡°If it hits me hard enough I might not be able to discharge it fast enough.¡± The Raiju tilted its head back and forth as it started to circle Pitch. Suddenly seemingly curious about the other Cryptid facing it. Pitch waits for it to make its move. ¡°(As long as it''s not going after Ishwada while he prepares the Faraday, that''s all that matters. Then I just gotta keep it still long enough for Jiryu to take the shot.)¡±


    Pitch stretched out his arms to the sides. ¡°What''s the matter, you scared? Never fight someone who could tank a hit from you and keep tickin¡¯? Come at me, you oversized rodent!¡± The Raiju was struck by lightning, growing twice its original size. It then made another attempt at an attack, moving as fast as lightning in a zig-zag pattern. This time Pitch is ready and is able to dodge to the side. When he does he sends a fist straight into the monster''s about causing it to let out a yelp as it is sent a distance away. ¡°Holy shit! You catch that, Jiryu? ¡®Cause that was awesome!¡±


    Ishwada shouts from the Humvee. ¡°I''m a little busy preparing things, so no.¡± Pitch shook his arm and hand, having still taken in some electricity despite being the one that attacked this time. ¡°I do a ¡°faster than lightning¡± feat, and you missed it.¡± He than readies himself for the Raiju¡¯s next attack. Ishwada finally comes out of the Humvee with a Faraday net gun in his hands and a katana strapped to his hip. ¡°Keep it still for a bit.¡± Pitch looked at Ishwada and scolded him lightly. ¡°You took the time to pull out the katana? I thought you lost the key.¡±


    Ishwada chuckled. ¡°Yeah, it was on the necklace I gave Yuri. The one you returned to me a while back. Now hold the monster still long enough for me to get a clean shot.¡± Pitch nodded before making a run at the Raiju. It responded with its own tackle only to find itself grabbed mid-attack by Pitch. The monster started discharging lightning at Pitch and after a while Pitch started shooting purple lightning back at the monster causing it to start growing and turning purple. Pitch continued to hold it in a sort of bear hug as he looked back at Ishwada. ¡°Any day now Jiryu.¡±


    Ishwada steadied his aim as rain, lightning, and thunder continued to increase and drown out other sounds. He fires the cage with Pitch devolving his mask just before it lands, reforming himself on the outside as the large Raiju struggled inside the cage it barely fit in. It shook and rattled the cage making all sorts of animalistic feral noises. ¡°Cutting it kinda close there, Jiryu. Any longer and it would have gotten too big for the cage.¡± Ishwada sets the gun down and starts walking over, calling in the request for a containment van. ¡°Sorry about that, I had to adjust for the wind.¡±


    Pitch looked at the creature in the cage and chuckled. ¡°Halfway down the list already thanks to this twofer.¡± Pitch started to walk to his jeep. Then he turned back suddenly as he heard a loud strange sounding cry from the monster followed by the distinct sound of electrical discharge and the deployable cage being destroyed. The monster was free and instead of going after Pitch who was fighting it earlier dashed at Ishwada. ¡°Jiryu!¡± Pitch shouted as he reached out his hand, too far away to do anything even if he was in his true form. Ishwada however, reacted with the reflexes of a trained fighter, grabbing the handle of the ancient katana and pulling it out with great speed and force.


    The sword came out and a small red gem embedded in the hilt near the guard glowed as flames flicked off the sword boosting the speed and force of the already impressively fast and powerful attack. The sword made contact with the Raiju mid air with its claws out aiming for Ishwada''s throat but its many eyes widened as its body was cut in two. The two sides then broke down into small bolts of lightning that struck different points of the blade. A second of the gems, once clear, turned a glowing purple before the glow died down. The hilt now had two different colored gems and three colorless gems.


    Pitch stood there stunned, frozen in shock for a moment. Then after several seconds of them both standing in freeze frame as the storm raged Pitch finally spoke. ¡°What the fuck was that?!¡± Ishwada looked at the sword. ¡°I don''t know man! The family legend spoke of it stealing off a fire demon spirit but I wasn''t expecting it to be able to use the powers of Cryptids it''s killed.¡± Pitch pointed at the sword. ¡°That is some anime shit right there. I don''t care if it doesn''t make sense, nothing related to Cryptids follows normal rules. That shit¡¯s bad ass. Now you just need your armor to lean into a modern interpretation of samurai armor using Black Eagle¡¯s tech and you''ll be slaying demons in no time.¡±


    Ishwada laughed. ¡°Hahaha¡­ yeah, no. I''m not going out of my way to dress like a stereotype. I''m definitely having the sword on me at all times while I work though.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°Well I guess we can cancel that containment van. I''ll see you for the next mission or whenever I see you next. I''m going back home before I get struck by lightning.¡± Pitch was finally able to make it to the Jeep and start driving home, slowly due to the weather.

 Chapter Twenty Nine: Snowvember

    It was early November, not long after the Chupacabra and Raiju case, when suddenly a massive cold front hit New Arkham out of nowhere. A snowstorm hit just a week after that thunderstorm. Getting snow during this time of year is not unheard of for the area, but for Ishwada and Pitch they couldn''t help but feel that this sudden change in weather was no coincidence. This was likely the work of the Yuki-onna that escaped the lab. Though the question remained as to why it took till now for it to start using its abilities.


    Since Ishwada seemed extremely confident that it was the Cryptid after looking at data produced by the scientists at NexGen, he grabbed Pitch and the two headed off to take on the creature causing the problems. Once in the Humvee traveling in a caravan of armed Black Eagle personnel, the group discussed their mission. ¡°Yuki-onna can be tricky because of their mastery over cold, ice, and snow. However, our suits are weatherized for things like this.¡± Pitch grumbled. ¡°I''m guessing you assumed that I can handle extreme cold since I wasn''t given a suit. I actually never tested if extreme cold bothered me.¡±


    One of the other men spoke, ignoring Pitch. ¡°I just hope nothing happens after we capture it. The two previous transport trucks were hit.¡± Pitch''s head swung so hard that it might''ve given him whiplash if he were human. ¡°Excuse me but what? Did you just say both transportation trucks were hit? By what, and why wasn''t I told.¡± Ishwada sighed. ¡°I didn''t want to stress you out more than you already were. Reports indicated that both were hit by an unknown Cryptid. The first one was reported to have a dog-like body and the second was said to have flown.¡±


    Pitch growled for a moment before speaking. ¡°Vance. I''m not sure how but he''s been stalking us, letting us do all the work, then hitting the trucks when we''re done.¡± Ishwada nodded. ¡°Maybe he managed to get his hands on one of our helmets and is listening to our radios. We may have to start using code to avoid future issues. Anyway, the Yuki-onna has set up shop at the edge town. It set up shop in the Brier Lake area.¡± Pitch went through his mental map of the city, knowing it like the back of his hand. ¡°There is a park on one side and log cabins used by hunters on the other. The next closest landmark of note is Bedlam Asylum.¡±


    Ishwada looked at Pitch. ¡°Is there any significance to that?¡± Pitch shrugged. ¡°Possibly. If you''ve heard the rumors you''d have probably sent men to investigate. If any place in this city had a Cryptid living there it''s Bedlam Asylum. The place is allegedly a relic filled with outdated equipment from the fifties. We''re talking black and white horror movie Asylum. Electroshock therapy, lobotomy¡­ all illegal today but that doesn''t stop the rumors. Also the place is said to be haunted. You know, the usual local stuff that you''d find anyplace with an Asylum that uses a building that old.¡±


    Ishwada chuckled. ¡°Well we haven''t gotten a call but that doesn''t mean there''s no activity there, just that nothing that''s happened has stood out enough for someone to call someone about it. If nothing strange is being reported then we simply won''t hear about it.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°Brier Lake may not exactly be a mountain, but as far as places in the city it''s the closest to the natural habitat of the Yuki-onna. Relatively isolated, only buildings are log cabins, and it''s mostly woodland besides the cabins.¡± Ishwada nodded once more. ¡°It''s a solid spot for us as well as the chances of being seen or collateral damage is low.¡±


    The group pulls into the lake park area, driving into what looks like a blizzard. The entire area already looked like a winter wonderland with the lake fully frozen over. Pitch lets out a whistle. ¡°Damn, maybe I should have brought my thermals.¡± Ishwada couldn''t help but ask: ¡°Do you have body heat?¡± Pitch shrugged. ¡°I can produce heat to mimic natural body heat but I don''t do so unless I''m actively worried about someone touching me long enough to realize I''m room temperature, just like the average I.Q. of one of your soldiers.¡±


    One of the soldiers immediately responded. ¡°You know we can hear you, right? We''re not deft.¡± Pitch quickly retorted: ¡°After the Banshee fight, some of you might be.¡± Ishwada opened his door letting a blast of cold air in. ¡°Let''s spread out into teams of two checking cabins. If you find the target, call for backup and do not engage unless it engages you. James, you''re with me.¡± Pitch grumbled as he got out the Humvee. ¡°Everyone at Black Eagle knows I''m a Cryptid, I''m pretty sure you don''t have to keep using my old name.¡± Ishwada nodded. ¡°Yeah, but then they''d ask questions and you might end up having to show them your true form and who knows how they''ll react to that.¡±


    Pitch followed Ishwada to a cabin, seemingly unbothered by the cold. ¡°You know there''s one minor detail that''s been bugging me about this case, you know besides the location.¡± Ishwada checked the door, finding it to be unlocked, and checking inside. No lights, no sign anyone has been inside in a while. ¡°Yeah? What''s that?¡± Pitch checked inside a window not far from the door. ¡°Well in the stories I''m familiar with, the Yuki-onna isn''t actually hostile. Its abilities are something they deal with and oftentimes rescue hikers who are about to die.¡±


    Ishwada hummed before closing the door of the cabin. ¡°This one''s clear. As for the stories, I''ve never encountered a Yuki-onna personally. I''m familiar with the stories myself and they seem mixed. Some stories have them rescue people, but in others they show up before you die so they can relish in your last moments as the cold takes you.¡± Pitch hummed as the two started making their way to the next cabin. The snow continued to grow more intense making it difficult to see one''s own outstretched hand. Ishwada found the second cabin locked so they checked the windows. Occupied by humans. Likely out hunting.


    The two tried to go to a third cabin but that quickly became nearly impossible as Pitch lost track of Ishwada. He tried shouting for him but the wind cut down his voice. ¡°Jiryu! Jiryu!¡± Pitch quickly found himself disorientated and lost, his walking slowing as it got harder to focus. ¡°I guess cold does affect me.¡± Eventually, Pitch''s vision got blurry and he collapsed on the ground. He was awoken to a small beeping noise and the feeling of a warm wet cloth on his forehead. He smiled weakly and chuckled. ¡°Kinda pathetic, huh? I''m immune to poisons and illnesses, have taken on some of the scariest Cryptids¡­ and what does me in? A fucking blizzard. I was born in this state, you''d think I could handle some cold, especially considering my condition.¡±


    Pitch then hears some distant cursing in Japanese causing Pitch to laugh. ¡°It''s not that bad, I''m sure you can handle things just fine without me. Especially considering you got that fancy sword now. Hehe. Raitoburing¨¡~ You know, it''s kinda fun to say.¡± Pitch heard a small jump from the distance followed by a voice speaking Japanese. ¡°Raitoburing¨¡?¡± It is at this point Pitch realizes the voice was female and becomes extremely worried.


    Pitch started to sit up and attempted to take the cloth off when a cold, pale, and somewhat frail looking hand pushed him back down into the bed. The voice said something in Japanese. ¡°Damn it, I don''t speak Japanese. I''m fine by the way, I''m not human. Uhh¡­¡± He gestured to himself. ¡°Yokai.¡± He then gestured to the Yuki-onna. ¡°Yokai.¡± The Cryptid gasped and backed away a bit allowing Pitch to get up and look at the Yuki-onna properly.


    She was beautiful, with her snow white skin and hair, ice blue eyes, and a snow white kimono with sparkly ice blue snowflake designs. Her body looked somewhat sunken and frail like she''s not been outside or seen the sun in ages. ¡°You''re¡­. Stunning. But¡­ something is wrong. Are you sick? Uhh By¨­ki?¡± Pitch gestured to her trying his best to get through the language barrier.


    The woman shook her head. Pitch wasn''t sure how to continue the conversation so he simply got up with the Yuki-onna keeping her distance. ¡°I''m not going to hurt you, as long as you don''t try anything.¡± Pitch checked his pockets to find his phone was still there. The device turned on and Pitch looked at it for a moment before looking out the window. The snow was so bad that the window might as well have been a wall. He then called up Ishwada. The phone eventually picked up. Ishwada spoke over the sound of wind. ¡°Pitch? What happened? I lost track of you hours ago.¡±Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    Pitch looked around. ¡°I passed out, I guess. I woke up in a cabin with the Yuki-onna caring for me. She can talk but unfortunately everything she says is Japanese. Any chance you can translate?¡± Ishwada shouted over the wind. ¡°Give me a sec to find a better place to talk from.¡± Pitch listened to wind over the phone when eventually he heard a door shut and the wind stopped. ¡°Alright, ready to translate.¡± Pitch nodded and swapped the phone to speaker mode and spoke. ¡°Hello there, I go by Pitch Black. I''m a Cryptid like you. I have no intention of harming you.¡±


    Ishwada translated what Pitch said, replacing Cryptid with Yokai. The Yuki-onna jumped slightly before speaking back with Ishwada translating. ¡°She says her name is Shiro, she pulled you out of the snow when she saw you unconscious without the proper clothes on. She rescued you thinking you were just a human that got caught in the sudden snow storm.¡± Pitch hummed. ¡°So what''s the play here Jiryu? Wouldn''t she be protected under the non-human citizen protection agreement?¡± Ishwada hummed. ¡°Yeah, probably. That means our best bet here is to offer relocation.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°Okay, let''s offer to move her somewhere safe then.¡±


    Ishwada spoke in Japanese to Shiro, explaining that her capture was likely a mistake and that she should have been relocated somewhere where she was unlikely to accidently harm someone. She then responded back with Ishwada conveying her words. ¡°She says that rescuing lost people in the snow is how she lives. I''m guessing she gains some amount of necessary sustenance from the interaction. So we can''t put her somewhere no human would go. I''m sure I can figure out something. If not in America then perhaps return her to Japan.¡±


    Ishwada then spoke back and forth with Shiro before speaking to Pitch again. ¡°I think she''s ready to be moved. I just need the cabin number.¡± Pitch opens the door to check the cabin number. ¡°Thirteen. Cabin thirteen.¡± Ishwada lets Pitch know he''s on his way. Pitch hangs up and sits on the bed, waiting. Shiro walked over to him and looked him over, getting a little too close. ¡°Are you observing me now, trying to figure out what I am?¡± Pitch lifted his arm and Shiro curiously looked at it, touching it. Pitch then dissolved the mask over his arm showing his true self to Shiro who jumped back a bit.


    ¡°Kage?¡± She said in the tone of a question. ¡°Not exactly.¡± Pitch responded. He then slowly reached out and touched her hand with his tendril. She moved her hand through it a few times. ¡°Kage no suna?¡± Pitch chuckled. ¡°Close enough.¡± Just then her face became less sunken and filled out. Shiro now looked healthier. Pitch was taken aback by this and when she looked in the mirror so was she. Shiro patted her face a few times in awe. After saying several other things in Japanese she looked at Pitch and said a word he recognized. ¡°Raitoburing¨¡.¡±


    Pitch tilted his head, unsure of why she was using that word. Then there was a knock on the door. Cautiously Pitch checked it. It was Ishwada in normal winter gear. Pitch let him in and he introduced himself to Shiro who took several steps backwards pointing at his katana. ¡°<Demon''s Bane.>¡± Ishwada slides it off himself and sets it on the table near the door. ¡°Apparently she''s familiar with my family sword.¡± Pitch tilted his head at Ishwada. ¡°I thought the sword was called Lightbringer.¡±


    Ishwada shook his head. ¡°No, it''s Akuma no hametsu or Demon''s Bane. I''m not sure why Raitoburing¨¡ was my daughter''s last words.¡± Shiro then started gesturing at Pitch. ¡°Kage no suna. Raitoburing¨¡ no Kib¨®? Raitoburing¨¡ no Pandora.¡± Pitch looked a bit confused. ¡°Did she just say Pandora? But that''s a Greek myth.¡± Ishwada put his hand to his chin and started talking to Shiro. They talked back and forth before Ishwada started talking to Pitch again.


    ¡°Apparently there''s a legend among some of the older Cryptids and Yokai. According to this legend the events of Pandora''s Box actually happened. In the story we know, when Pandora opened the box it let loose all the evils of the world. Illness, fear, aging. According to her, this event led to the opening between worlds, allowing the physical embodiments of these things into our world.¡±


    Pitch knitted his eyebrows. ¡°But we dated that mural of the Umbrans back to the earliest days of man. Cryptids have been around since neanderthals still walked the earth.¡± Ishwada talked to Shiro who responded. ¡°She says according to the legend there were people before that. That this is not the first time humans reached an advanced stage. But when Pandora''s Box was opened the civilization was destroyed leaving only fragments and plaguing the more primitive cousins of this advanced people.¡±


    Pitch hummed. ¡°So what, we''re talking about Atlantis here basically? So she''s suggesting that Atlantians created Pandora''s Box and it''s responsible for Cryptids being able to enter our world. So what''s that got to do with this Lightbringer?¡± Ishwada and Shiro exchanged a conversation for a moment. ¡°Like with the story of Pandora''s Box we know this one ends with them shutting it in time to ¡°keep hope inside¡±. Some believe that one day a Lightbringer will appear and bring hope to the lands ending the nightmare these ancient people started. The legend ends with the line: Hope shines brightest in the absence of light.¡±


    Pitch hummed. ¡°So she thinks I''m this Lightbringer because I''m an Umbran that''s actively trying to help? As much as I''d love to end the problems caused by Cryptids, what would that mean for all the ones that are non-hostile? I also have no idea how to prevent the interaction between our world and the other world. We only confirmed it existed a little over a month ago.¡± Ishwada shrugged. ¡°I don''t know. This also makes me question why my daughter used that as her last word. She wasn''t a Cryptid and wouldn''t know the legend.¡±


    Pitch hummed. ¡°Well she said it as she handed me the key to your sword so maybe it''s a coincidence.¡± Ishwada shifted back and forth. ¡°I did tell her the key was a totem of protection. So maybe she was trying to protect you? Though since she had been grabbed it was clear it didn''t protect her.¡± Pitch looked at the sword on the table. ¡°Let''s say that somehow your daughter knew the alternative version of Pandora''s Box that released monsters and needed the Lightbringer to close the connection. Maybe given the context the sword is a key?¡±


    Ishwada knitted his eyebrows. ¡°That''s¡­ an idea. The sword does seal away monsters but it''s limited to five. I doubt it could seal off an entire world. Also would open up a lot of questions.¡± Pitch thought for a moment, shifting through his memories. ¡°Well she did manage to slip away at first, there was something about her Abe was after. He targeted her and everyone else was a bonus. Maybe her mom''s a Cryptid and just didn''t tell you.¡±


    Ishwada sat in a chair for a moment. ¡°Okay, let''s assume you''re right for a moment. This would mean my daughter thought you either were the Lightbringer or would find them back when you were in first grade. Before you got attacked by Abe. She trusted you with the key to my sword thinking it''s connected somehow¡­ if we took this and the legend as a prophecy at face value then everything that''s happened and is happening is all predetermined.¡±


    Pitch did a so-so gesture. ¡°Not exactly. I remember there always being a trick to prophecy when it came to Oracles. They would speak in vague terms or riddles that could be interpreted a number of ways to the point where odds are eventually something would happen to fit the bill. So it was more like them betting on patterns or people actively or unintentionally making it a self fulfilled prophecy. Also she could have thought the sword was the key and not me. She probably handed it to me because you knew my dad. Not because she thought I''d be this Lightbringer.¡±


    Ishwada grumbled. ¡°Well even if we took this at face value it''s not doing us any good now. Let''s table it and get Shiro here to migrate somewhere safer.¡± The two get ready and help guide Shiro to a Humvee where they sit her in the back explaining that they''re moving her someplace safer where she won''t unintentionally cause problems. Shiro accepted the move and simply remained silent during the trip. They drove to the local airport plus flight school that supported small personal craft and not commercial planes.


    The three boarded the plane and flew Shiro to an airport near a mountain range and helped her up the mountain to an abandoned cabin up in the snowy areas at the top. ¡°This should be perfect for you. No one''s lived in this cabin for years and people hike this mountain regularly. You''d be surprised how many get lost here considering it''s far from the tallest mountain in the world.¡± Shiro thanked the two as she settled in. Before Pitch and Ishwada left she offered a warning that she felt a negative energy from an area she passed on her way to the lake, indicating there may be some Cryptid activity in Bedlam like Pitch suspected. She blew into her hands creating an ice blue snowflake and giving it to Ishwada as a necklace as a thank you gift. Pitch and Ishwada then left her in her new home. She gave a final goodbye and some extra words to Ishwada before they left and the two took the long trip back to New Arkham.


    ¡°I kinda wish she would have been hostile, having ice powers for my sword would have been cool. Though I guess not every case can be a fight for our lives with a monster looking to kill us.¡± Pitch chuckled. ¡°Well you''ve got three slots on the sword left so who knows what we''ll encounter that''ll give it cool new modes. Plus a cool new necklace. I on the other hand am glad this case went smoothly after all the difficult ones lately. I had two in a row that actually affected me. I got so used to the idea that I couldn''t be touched outside a set small number of weaknesses that I got sloppy. A humble reminder that I am still mortal and still have human emotions. I should definitely be more careful from here on out.¡±


    Once home Pitch took little time resting and booked a moving truck. He wasn''t going to wait any longer. Kathryn and him would live in the same house together. His house would quickly feel more like a lived in home again with her presence being more regular and permanent. She already spent more time at his house then her own so it only felt natural for them to move to the next step.

 Chapter Thirty: Beast of Bedlam

    Pitch and Kathryn moved the last piece of furniture from the moving truck to his house before returning the rented truck and then going home to relax. Pitch looked at the spaces, now less open with the addition of new furniture. Rather than feel cramped it felt cozy, more lived in and comfortable. Before the house always felt so empty, especially considering there were rooms that had been previously unused by Pitch since he lived alone. There was an event office area and entire second bedroom that were almost completely untouched until now.


    With the hard work done, they sat on the couch in the living room to relax, with Pitch reaching his arm around Kathryn and giving her a forehead kiss. ¡°Now that we share a home it feels less like I''m squatting in an abandoned house.¡± Kathryn nuzzled into Pitch. ¡°It''s definitely nicer this way. Everything feels like it''s going right. My brother knows about you and is oddly fine with it. We have a healthy loving relationship. You have a small social circle of people in the know you can talk to about anything. Honestly, what more could we want?¡±


    Pitch rubbed Kathryn''s shoulder on the side pulling her in more. ¡°At this moment, I want for nothing. I do worry though, about the future. I try not to spiral out but there are so many things to think about.¡± Kathryn kissed Pitch on the cheek. ¡°One step at a time, we''ll cross bridges as they come. Let''s just enjoy this moment.¡± Just after she said that Pitch''s phone rang. Kathryn let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°Jinxed it.¡± Pitch grabbed it and picked it up with Ishwada being on the other end. ¡°Department of Human Resources, Serving humans since 1923. How may we serve you?¡±


    Ishwada took a moment to respond. ¡°Pitch, I know I said I''d avoid calling you unless I needed you or it was part of the list, but I definitely need you in this case. Shiro said something about sensing a heavy darkness on her way to the lake, remembering what you said I decided to make a surprise visit to Bedlam Asylum shortly after waking up. I''m not sure exactly what I''m dealing with and could use your talents.¡±


    Pitch sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll be there shortly. But one of these days you''re taking me on a case outside this city.¡± Ishwada responded quickly. ¡°Sure thing, next case I get where they ask me to go outside my current post I''ll bring both you and Kat with me. Just get over here quickly. I put a siren in your jeep during one of our previous cases in case I needed you to rush, use it.¡± Ishwada then hung up and Pitch put away the phone. ¡°Sorry love, but looks like I''m needed.¡± Kathryn smiles and gives Pitch a kiss on the lips. ¡°Go, do good.¡±


    Pitch kissed Kathryn back. ¡°I''ll definitely give it my best attempt.¡± Pitch found the magnetic emergency siren and light on the floor of the back seat and placed it on his jeep before turning it on. The thing blared loud noises while flashing red as Pitch raced down the streets running red lights and dodging cars. He stopped right outside the asylum and next to Ishwada''s Humvee, got out his jeep, turned off the siren, and rushed to the door of the building.


    As Pitch reached for the door, before he could actually attempt to open it, the door opened from the inside. Instead of it being Ishwada as Pitch expected it was a balding old man with white hair in an oddly expensive looking suit. He spoke in a withered and weathered voice. ¡°I don''t know what that damned Jap told you, but I''ll tell you what I told him. There''s not a damned thing wrong going on in my asylum. I''ve been running this place for sixty years without a single major incident. There hasn''t been an incident here worth reporting since my father ran in in the fifties and I was just a lad.¡±


    Pitch simply scowled at the cantankerous old man. ¡°Listen here you dusty bigot, I don''t have time for you to play the denial game. There are potentially lives at stake here. And although you might not care about the lives of the mentally unwell living here, someone definitely should.¡± The old man crossed his arms. ¡°I don''t see no badge or warrant.¡± Pitch flashed his Black Eagle badge that Ishwada gave him and he forced his way into the building past the old man. ¡°Now get out of the way and let me do my job.¡±


    The old man grabbed Pitch by the arm and pulled it back, with a surprising amount of strength for his age. ¡°You don''t have the authority to-¡± Pitch pulled out his Watt Pistol and charged it, aiming at the old man. ¡°I will not hesitate to fucking taser your dusty ass into the afterlife. I assure you, I have all the authority I need.¡± The old man took a step back and Pitch went to look for Ishwada. He found him in the cafeteria trying his best to calm and talk to one of the patients who was all out of sorts.


    ¡°THE SCREAMING! IT NEVER STOPS! PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!¡± The patient gripped their head and thrashed. The other patients in the cafeteria were sitting with their feet on the seats and their knees up, hands on their heads rocking back and forth and muttering softly to themselves. The moment Pitch entered the room he suddenly felt a wave of vertigo and dizziness and had to steady himself. He felt slightly queasy, gripping his head as he slowly walked to Ishwada. ¡°The air in this room is heavy, oppressive even. On top of that there''s this¡­ disorientation. Nothing makes sense and everything is entirely too loud.¡±


    Ishwada looked at Pitch and reached out for him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Pitch shook his head. ¡°No, but I''ll power through it. Whatever is going on here, they''re all feeling it. Confusion, and definitely not the normal kind.¡± Ishwada nodded and moved his focus back to the patent. ¡°I know you''re scared, but you help me. Where is the screaming coming from? If we can locate the source we can stop the noise.¡±


    The muttering of the patients suddenly increased in volume, everyone in the cafeteria muttering the same thing in unison. ¡°The stars are screaming. The stars are screaming. Calling out, crying out. Help us help us. The pain, the pain won''t stop. Everything hurts, everything burns. We can''t see straight, can''t think straight.¡± Then they all shouted in unison. ¡°THE STARS ARE SCREAMING!!!¡±


    Pitch felt a second more intense wave hit him. His skin started to tingle and itch, his vision started to blur, his ears started to ring, and it felt like the air and ground had turned into molasses moving in slow but powerful currents around him. Pitch had to steady himself on a chair as he let out a gag noise. Ishwada looked at him in concern. ¡°Maybe I shouldn''t have called an empath to help with a case involving the mentally unwell.¡±


    Pitch waved his hands back and forth. ¡°No, I''m exactly the person you should have called.¡± He pulled a bottle of water from his hoodie and chugged it. ¡°I just have to fortify myself a little.¡± Ishwada eyed the bottle that got drained in seconds. ¡°Is that¡­. Holy water?¡± Pitch nods. ¡°I managed to get some consecrated water from the Black Eagle equipment warehouse after that time I got it splashed on me. I already feel better.¡±


    Ishwada made a number of faces as if having an internal debate. Then he spoke. ¡°We tested holy water on the other Umbran way back when we drove it away from the woods the day my daughter died. It''s one of the few things that hurt it in addition to powerful UV, sound waves, and fire if you do it right. But you¡­ aren''t hurt by it.¡± Pitch knitted his eyebrows for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure what to do with that information. I''ll just¡­ set it aside for now.¡±


    Just then the person in charge of the establishment walks in having finally caught up with Pitch. ¡°You people with your badges and your armor and your fancy guns need to leave right now. Your presence is only activating the patients. There''s nothing illegal or strange going on here. These people are simply sick and need special care. There''s nothing here for you to investigate and you don''t have the authority to just waltz in here and act like you own the place. I''m a United States citizen and I have rights.¡±


    Pitch waved his pistol around aiming it at the ground. ¡°You have the right, to remain fucking silent. There''s definitely something unusual going on here and you seem oddly keen to hide it. Some of these people may be prone to paranoia, delusions, hallucinations, or what have you. But if everyone is complaining about the same thing even when isolated there''s definitely something behind it even if it''s not what they think. I''d suggest you cooperate or things might take an unfriendly turn for you. I''m normally a calm and reasonable individual, but you are really trying my patience.¡±


    The man angrily pointed his finger at Pitch and waved it between him, Ishwada, and the small number of Black Eagle personnel helping with the case. ¡°I''m not going to just sit idly by as my rights are violated by some foreigner, his PMC goons, and a ghostly drug addict looking skeleton with skin draped over it!¡± Pitch could feel the anger rolling off of the old man and did his best not to let it affect him but couldn''t help but growl. He was then distracted when he saw the nurses bringing out meds for the patients. Instead of pills in a small paper container like one would put ketchup in at a fast food restaurant and a disposable cup for water they were handing out colored sports bottles like a jogger or cyclist would use. The ones unable to take meds traditionally get injections into I.V bags attached to stands.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Pitch knitted his eyebrows and pointed to the bottles. ¡°That''s unusual.¡± The old man crossed his arms. ¡°We find they take their meds better if we dissolve them in water and act like it''s just a normal drink to wash down food and hydrate with.¡± Pitch squints at the old man. ¡°I would like to see the patient sheets and the meds each person is taking.¡± The old man shakes his head. ¡°That would be a clear violation of HIPAA.¡± Pitch rolled his eyes and walked over to a patient, kneeling down to talk to them. ¡°I''m awfully thirsty, do you mind if I take a sip?¡±


    The person slowly looked at Pitch with a dead lifeless stare. The life that was in them when they were chanting and yelling earlier seemingly gone. Pitch grabbed the sports bottle and lifted it. The old man scolds him. ¡°Those are expensive antipsychotics, and you don''t have the authority to take and test-¡± The old man stops mid sentence as Pitch squirts some contents into his mouth. A dark tea-like liquid came out of it. Pitch swirls it in his mouth and swallows.


    Pitch then smacks his lips together a few times. He then shivers and makes a bleh sound. ¡°I¡¯d recognize this taste anywhere.¡± He points and moves his finger from table to table. ¡°Grab every one of these sports bottles and handcuff that man. This right here is the opposite of an antipsychotic. It''s Black Lotus tea, with an extra kick from having the mold that grows from oranges aka unprocessed LCD in it. Alexander Tsukolos created a similar concoction in highschool via special milk tea.¡±


    The Black Eagle soldiers eye one another before shrugging and doing what pitch said. All except one who''s armor had the name Anderson on it who just stood there. Pitch continued as Ishwada handcuffed the old man. ¡°I woke up three days later after having met god. This stuff may be watered down but it contains illegal substances and giving to mentally unstable people is clearly an abuse.¡± The old man objected. ¡°No evidence you find here is admissible in court without a warrant.¡± Pitch waved his pistol at the old man. ¡°I will fucking gag you I swear to God.¡±


    Anderson crossed his arms. ¡°How can you be so sure that it is an enhanced version Black Lotus? I''ve had it before and one wouldn''t know it wasn''t a normal herbal tea just from tasting it.¡± Pitch sighed. ¡°Run it through one of those portable scanner things like what Ishwada used to check the DNA of that pregnant woman from¡­ you know the case. Ugh, having a civve in earshot kinda sucks. Do we have code words or something we can use?¡±


    Ishwada chuckled. ¡°I''ll get you a pamphlet, but it''s a number thing like what cops use.¡± He then hands the portable scanner to Anderson while holding the cuffs with his other hand. Anderson puts some liquid into the test tube and loads it into the scanner. ¡°Ingredients include water, cannabis extracts, peyote extracts, hallucinogenic mushroom extracts, ergot fungus extracts, and small amounts of refined LSD. By the way it infests grains not oranges but that confusion could be due to old naval stories. The mold on oranges is basically the same as the so-called black mold on other fruits.¡±


    Ishwada looked at the old man. ¡°Okay, explain why the hell you are giving a high grade mind altering hallucinogenic to mental ward patients.¡± The nurses suddenly tried charging for the old man and trying to attack Ishwada but were quickly detained, complaining the entire time. The old man tried to get free but couldn''t. ¡°You don''t understand, you couldn''t possibly understand. You haven''t seen what''s on the other side of the white door.¡± He then looked at Pitch. ¡°You¡­ you''ve seen it. Why are you trying to stop me when you''ve seen the white room? You''ve heard her voice, felt her embrace. I''m just trying to regain what I lost when I left the white room.¡±


    Ishwada forced the man into a chair and used a second set of handcuffs to tie him to it. ¡°It looks like the guy running this place is more insane than the people in it.¡± The old man struggled. ¡°They are vessels now, so that I may record the word of God. The whispers of Creation.¡± Pitch groaned and gripped his head. It seemed as if the shadows were moving. ¡°Ugh¡­ I think I might somehow be hallucinating even though that shouldn''t be biologically possible for me.¡± He wobbled a bit and had to steady his footing.


    Ishwada moved over to Pitch. ¡°Do you need more water?¡± Pitch shook his head as he started to hear what sounded like a heartbeat once more. ¡°(It''s like with the Banshee and Whispering Despair. When there''s an actual threat to me my body starts weighing out and I hear a heartbeat.)¡± ¡°This cult stuff isn''t the only thing going on here. There''s an A.L.F. here somewhere.¡± One of the patients grabbed Pitch¡¯s shirt by his shoulder. ¡°Brilliant blue star, deep in the darkness. Why won''t you let me see you shine? I hear your sparkle, I know you''re there, but your light is lost to me. The stars are screaming, only your light can push back the darkness. The Beast of Bedlam watches from The Hollow.¡±


    Ishwada grumbled. ¡°This would be a lot easier if we had a credible witness who wasn''t talking nonsense or in riddles.¡± Pitch looked around the building. ¡°Does this building have a basement?¡± Anderson looked through a folder. ¡°Blueprints show one, likely used for storage.¡± Pitch gives a nod. ¡°This place may be big but not that big so I imagine you guys have been in every room outside the basement.¡± Anderson nodded. ¡°Did a full sweep of all the rooms with people in it, but the basement was locked and the codger wouldn''t open it.¡±


    Pitch looked at a small ventilation shaft. ¡°Alright, I could probably get in there without a key but then I wouldn''t have backup. Breaking down the door is our best option if we want someone besides me down there.¡± Ishwada chuckled. ¡°Maybe you can pick the lock.¡± Pitch knitted his eyebrows. ¡°I have no experience with such things and the keyhole is too small for my normal tricks. If it were an old fashioned lock I could do it.¡± He then walked over to one of the doors leading to the basement and jiggled the locked handle. The old man seemed oddly calm, and started humming.


    Pitch looked over to the old man. ¡°When you saw the lady, what did she say to you?¡± The old man perked up. ¡°I thought you''d never ask. Once she got my attention I only got one word. Return.¡± Pitch hummed and put his hand on his chin. ¡°Return?¡± Pitch grumbled. ¡°Anderson, did you check his desk for the key?¡± Anderson nodded. ¡°Desk is locked as well.¡± Ishwada patted the old man down and found a small key and tossed it to Anderson. ¡°This should unlock the desk and the basement key will be in it.¡±


    Pitch sat down as the shadows waved around more intensely. ¡°In absolute darkness, when all else is lost.¡± Ishwada tilted his head. ¡°Is that part of a phrase?¡± Pitch shrugged. ¡°When I nearly died I had this strange dream-like experience. I stepped into an old looking white door with an oblong handle and the little bumps in a circle. You know those old oval shaped handles¡­ the door had claw marks across the little rectangle shapes on the face. Inside the door was a hallway of dingy looking arms and hands. Whispering, grabbing, pleading.¡±


    Pitch took a breath. ¡°Then a pristine and feminine hand reached out from a gap in front of me and pulled me away from the hallway. There was a bright light that blinded me, then I found my head in a lap and face being slapped awake by a woman trying to get me to focus and stay with her. I opened my eyes to a white room and a glowing lady in a white dress with hair of liquid gold flowing as if we were underwater. A common description many give of an angle during near death experiences. Despite this being a bit different from both popular depictions of angels.¡±


    Pitch''s hands started becoming expressive. ¡°Apparently not only is seeing this lady or something like it a common experience near death but even more so for those that almost die from Black Lotus overdose. Most who come back only remember one or two words spoken by this lady of light if any. Usually it''s something like: Live or Incomplete. Letting the person know it''s not their time being the interpretation. However, during my three days I got a full sentence. She seemed insistent that it was important and that I remember everything I saw in the white room.¡±


    Ishwada squinted. ¡°So there might be something behind his madness and not just your normal anomaly?¡± Pitch shrugged. ¡°I''m not sure, but I sometimes refer to the lady of light as the Mother of Creation or Spirit of Creation. Because that''s what it felt like she was intended to represent. I didn''t put anything behind it at the time besides how scared I was at nearly becoming past tense.¡± Anderson finally came back with a different key and unlocked the basement door. Once it opened Pitch nearly fell over as he was hit with a new and intense wave of emotion and other more primal feelings.


    The moving waving shadows suddenly creeped out from the corners and started covering more of the room. Pitch gripped the chair he was using to steady himself. He heard Ishwada calling his old name but it was distant despite him being nearby and the shadows overcame his vision leaving him in darkness. Pitch''s hand gripped tighter and finally some of the darkness cleared. Pitch was still in the hospital but it looked like it was nighttime and the building was suddenly empty. Not just empty but it looked like it had been abandoned for years.


    The windows were all broken and the area was overgrown with vines and other plants. The thorny vines had little flower buds on them that suddenly started blooming like a wave in a stadium crowd then shut just the same. The door to the basement that was closed again slowly opened and Pitch watched it with anticipation as his hands clenched tighter, breaking the chair. Then he saw a shadow moving from the stairwell. Out from the shadows of the stairwell crawled an unholy abomination. A human arm that looked like melted and burned flesh slapped out dripping a strange liquid and it pulled itself into view.


    An amalgamation of twisted melted blackened flesh like a dozen people all melted together and missing parts like plastic figurines placed in an oven. Twisted and broken off limbs and bits of melted flesh dripping off as numerous melted faces twisted and contorted to face him. Eyeless and skulls partly showing the mouths of the three two five distorted faces that could aim his way all opened as if to scream but all that came out was a garbled and distorted bubbling noise. Despite this, Pitch still heard a voice. It was like a choir of whispers all trying to reach out at once.


    ¡°Pain¡­ endless pain. Suffering. Suffering. Please¡­ peace. Bring me peace. End the screaming. Bring me¡­ silence once more. Send me back to the void.¡± The twisted, melted amalgamation reached for Pitch causing him to jump back and let out a scream. Pitch hit the floor and it was like someone flipped a light switch. The room was back to normal and everyone was looking at him as his shocked face darted around the room. He could still hear the sound of a rushing heartbeat but he knew it wasn''t his own. Pitch slowed his breathing as he had started hyperventilating as if out of muscle memory.


    Pitch pointed to the open, empty basement doorway, his arm shaking. ¡°N-no one else saw that just now?¡± Ishwada had his hand reach out for Pitch. ¡°Maybe you should take a breather outside.¡± Anderson handed him a silver metal flask with a golden cross on it. ¡°Holy water, I heard you say it calms your nerves.¡± Pitch chugged the flask and felt a wave of calm wash over him. ¡°I''ll be fine, just keep the holy water coming. Whatever is affecting this place it''s far more powerful and dangerous then anything we''ve encountered before.¡±


    The old man started to wiggle and shake in his chair. ¡°You saw it, didn''t you? The angel of God. Be not afraid of its appearance for it is a messenger of his word.¡± Pitch got up with the help of Ishwada and Anderson and brushed himself off. ¡°I''m not sure what I saw, but it sure as shit wasn''t an angel. It was like¡­ the amalgamated pain and anguish of the people abused here given physical form and molded into one twisted flesh. I''d throw up if I could.¡±


    Pitch took a few breaths out of habit to try and calm himself more before making his way to the basement. ¡°Getting rid of the anomaly isn''t going to fix things, not fully. What we need is to overhaul this entire facility. Or at least the staffing. Killing and containing monsters doesn''t do much good if you don''t remove what created them.¡± He then entered the door into the stairwell, looking down into the dark basement, unsure of what exactly to expect.

 Chapter Thirty One: Beast of Bedlam (part two)

    The dark shadows of the basement were foreboding and intimidating for Pitch despite the fact few things could actually physically harm him. He felt his skin crawl as he looked down into the dark depths. Pitch took a few deep breaths to ready himself out of habit before slowly making his way down. He switched his eyes from normal to something closer to the vision he has in his true form causing his eyes to look like black opals. The only thing he couldn''t do was echolocate because that would require some of his particles to be out there in the open and he had several Black Eagle soldiers following him along with Ishwada.


    Ishwada looked around the poorly lit stairwell. ¡°I left the old man with a subordinate. Consider your six covered.¡± Pitch gave Ishwada a nod. ¡°Thanks for that.¡± Slowly, he started down the stairs. As Pitch made it to the bottom he started to hear the heartbeat sound as he looked at rows and rows of shelves in the basement making a sort of maze of supplies. A light was turned on but even with that the basement was poorly lit. Pitch had to depend partly on his enhanced vision. He wondered if the helmets had special visors since none of the Black Eagle soldiers were having issues but didn''t bother asking since there were more important things going on at the moment.


    Pitch continued walking, almost following the sound of the heartbeat. Although it didn''t seem to come from any particular direction the sound would get more or less intense as he moved. Ishwada noticed that Pitch seemed to be following something. ¡°Are you seeing or hearing something we can''t?¡±¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°A heartbeat. I heard the same thing when dealing with the Banshee and Whispering Despair. Although the sound seems to be coming from nowhere or even possibly from me somehow it does get more intense the closer I am to a threat.¡±


    Ishwada grimaced at the idea that Pitch was using some sort of instinct that was trying to warn him about a threat to find the Cryptid. Encountering something that could actually pose a threat to Pitch was the last thing he wanted to do. ¡°Do you think that''s wise?¡± Pitch looked him dead in the eyes. ¡°You and your men risk your lives every time you deploy. I can put mine on the line every once in a while.¡± Ishwada gave a simple nod and the two continued their search.


    Guns raised and aimed, everyone moving on a pivot. Suddenly Anderson shouted out: ¡°Movement spotted, engaging potential target.¡± He takes a few shots on stun mode through a shelf. Whatever was on the other side started moving away quickly and knocking things over. Ishwada made several hand motions at Anderson and the others who nodded and started moving to surround the target. Pitch pulled out his pistol and moved with them and found himself in the spot Anderson fired at. On the ground was a trail of thick dark red and black goop. Pitch used his radio to let the others know it left a trail and started to follow it.


    Slowly he followed the trail as it zigged and zagged, leaving a path like some kind of snail. The soldiers all moved closing in on the creature but moving in from every possible pathway it could take and boxing it in. Pitch finally got line of sight on the now surrounded Cryptid. It looked like a blob. A mostly amorphous blob of dark red and black slime moving and bubbling as various shapes and patterns seem to form on its body. Then when a bubble popped at the top of it what looked like a human skull popped out from where the bubble was.


    The jaw swung open limply and a low continuous droning sound started to emanate from the blob. ¡°Ooooooohhhhhhhhhh-aaaaaaaaaaaaa.¡± The jaw started getting flapped by the movements of waves in the blob, clanking together repeatedly in a pattern or rhythm. ¡°More. More. More. Mort.¡± The soldiers backed away slightly as it gibbered. ¡°Da. Da. Dadadada. Da. Da mihi. More. More. Mort. Mortem.¡± Pitch''s hands shook as he aimed his gun at the blob. ¡°The only death you''re getting is your own.¡± The thing gibbered more. ¡°Time. Timeo. Fam-em. Famem timeo. Expectat ultra velum.¡±


    Pitch steadied his hands and cranked his pistol to max output and started charging it. ¡°Yeah, no. Too spooky for me.¡± Everyone started charging weapons and firing but Pitch was still charging his weapon till it nearly overloaded before firing the shot. His pistol sparked as it unleashed a ball of electricity at the blob that was already taking hits and making sounds of distress. Its form sank down before it sprang between two soldiers and through a shelf to the other side. Ishwada pointed to one soldier. ¡°You, cover the exit. Everyone else, work on getting that Cryptid.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir.¡± Echoed through the basement as the soldiers deployed back into the frey. Pitch and Ishwada shortly behind them as the men scatter out looking for the blob. ¡°Any idea what exactly that blob is, Pitch?¡± Ishwada asked, hoping for some insight. Pitch grumbled. ¡°It''s amalgamated misery. Born from the pain and suffering of the abused patients who were being used by the owner to try and channel the voice of the divine consciousness. In order to re-acquire the knowledge of the universe held during a fleeting moment near death. Honestly, as mad as I am, I find it hard to actually blame the old man.¡±


    Ishwada gave Pitch a confused look before he continued. ¡°In that fleeting moment everything made sense. All the chaos and grotesque things that exist. You see everything. The beautiful and the grotesque, the chaos and the order. All moving and swirling like a moving painting and although it takes a moment it all clicks. The feeling is indescribable. Then as the knowledge slips out through your fingers like liquid light you grasp desperately to keep it. Even just a fraction of what you saw, of what you felt. Left only with the vague recollection of having been one with the universe and how that felt.¡±


    Ishwada blinked a few times as Pitch continued. ¡°A man could spend a lifetime, driving himself insane just for another taste. Or they can let it go. Humans¡­ we¡­ aren''t ready for it yet. We''re still far too young.¡± Ishwada blinked a few times. ¡°Pitch, you lost me forever ago.¡± Pitch sighed. ¡°The white room he spoke of, I saw it too. When I nearly died.¡± Ishwada nodded. ¡°Yeah, you said that before but I''m kinda lost as to what it all means.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°Yeah, I know. I''ve never been a religious person myself so the experience was definitely something else for me. Faced directly with a vision of what could be an afterlife and the closest thing to God, telling yourself it was just the drugs despite the many similar stories from others. But even if it wasn''t real I can empathize.¡±


    Ishwada sighed. ¡°Well you are empathetic so I guess that''s not entirely abnormal for you to find common ground even with a mental case.¡± Pitch suddenly raised his gun and pointed it. ¡°Heads up, it''s close.¡± Ishwada looked at the pistol. ¡°Didn''t you fry that thing?¡± Pitch looked at it and lit it up. ¡°Almost, I got three more shots like that before this thing is out of juice.¡± The two moved cautiously at a pivot looking around for any signs of the blob. Pitch then walked backwards into another soldier, bumping them and spooking both people as they aimed weapons at one another for a moment before lowering them. ¡°God damn it Anderson!¡±


    Anderson waved his gun around. ¡°Me? You nearly gave me a heart attack!¡± He then took a few breaths as a second soldier walked over. ¡°I lost track of it again Anderson. I think It jumped into a vent.¡± Pitch then heard banging from the vent, followed by garbled sounds. ¡°Videt extra velum. Eius cor verberat cum exspectatione.¡± Anderson looked up at the vents. ¡°Is that thing speaking Latin?¡± Pitch nods. ¡°Yeah, and knowing what it''s saying isn''t a good thing. Trust me.¡± Ishwada looked at Pitch. ¡°You know Latin?¡± Pitch shrugged. ¡°Kinda? I know a number of words in a number of languages and use similarities between them to guess and then fill in blanks. So my translation wouldn''t be one hundred percent accurate. Works with just about any language with Latin roots like Spanish and French.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The group is interrupted by a slamming sound followed by the cover of the vent being sent at the floor with force and the blob landing on top of the soldier with Anderson who screams out and writhes under the blob. Anderson, Ishwada, and Pitch all back away from the soldier and aim their weapons. Anderson offered an apology before shooting. ¡°Sorry man, hope your armor keeps you safe.¡± He started firing rounds into the blob despite it being on top of his ally, the rapid fire Volt Rifle putting holes in the blob. Ishwada also shot while Pitch overcharged his Pistol and fired.


    The burst blast a chunk off the blob hitting the guy underneath. The blob jumped off and started sliding away. The soldier dropped to the ground and Anderson checked for a pulse. ¡°He''s dead Jim.¡± Pitch grumbled. ¡°Nobody calls me that. It''s James to you.¡± Ishwada chuckled a bit before composing himself and clearing his throat. ¡°Let''s worry about cleaning up after we get rid of or capture that thing.¡± Pitch hummed. ¡°I think we should bring out the Faraday. Electric net the thing.¡± Ishwada nodded. ¡°Right, good idea. I''ll radio in for someone to bring us one.¡±


    While waiting for the Faraday net gun to arrive the three men continue searching for the blob. ¡°This thing is surprisingly nimble and durable for a fleshy blob.¡± Pitch stopped moving and aimed at the vent. ¡°Be careful. It''s close.¡± Anderson looked at Pitch. ¡°I get that Cryptids can sense when someone they meet is a Cryptid but I wasn''t aware it was like a sixth sense.¡± Pitch looked to him. ¡°I''m not sure it is for others, but in combination with my empathic abilities and enhanced senses whenever it gets close I hear a heartbeat. I sure as shit know it''s not mine.¡±


    Ishwada looked at Pitch. ¡°I know you said you heard something similar during the Banshee and Whispering Despair cases, but I was wondering if it was the same heartbeat.¡± Pitch knitted his eyebrows. ¡°How would it be the same heartbeat? Unless you''re suggesting I''m hearing yours or¡­¡± Both Anderson and Ishwada were looking at Pitch waiting for him to finish his thought. ¡°Or what Jim?¡± Ishwada corrected Anderson. ¡°James. He already indicated he doesn''t like people calling him Jim.¡± Pitch''s eyes scanned the room. ¡°One of the things the blob said. Eius cor verberat cum exspectatione. His heart beats with anticipation. The blob keeps referencing someone or something beyond the veil that''s watching.¡±


    Ishwada goes slightly pale. ¡°You mean something from the otherside? The dimension that is layered with our and plays a part in Cryptid creation? That would imply an intelligence that lives there. Something potentially capable of at least seeing our world if not freely moving between worlds.¡± Anderson put in two cents unprompted. ¡°You know, that Chimera kept raving about becoming an apex predator and king of Cryptids, but since they seem to mirror or parallel nature you''d think something like that would already exist. A Cryptid to end all Cryptids, king of their version is of the animal kingdom.¡±


    Ishwada spoke softly. ¡°Phobophobia. Fear of fears.¡± Pitch felt a strange sensation before looking at a vent to see the blob jumping out, aiming for Anderson. Reacting quickly he jumped over and pushed Anderson out of the way causing the blob to land on him instead. Pitch''s skin sizzled and smoked as he dropped to his knees and let out a groan of pain. The sound of a heartbeat suddenly racing faster than ever before asca painful burning sensation moved through his body in waves. Pitch clenched his eyes tightly when the pain suddenly disappeared. He opened his eyes to find the blob was no longer covering him.


    Then Pitch noticed the room was even darker than before, half the lights that were on were off or even dimmer with some flickering with a buzz. He then noticed vines and cracks in the floor tiles with the thorny vines growing out from the cracks. Pitch heard the sounds of flesh slapping tile as if someone was moving around barefooted but the sound was¡­ off. Pitch looked behind him to see the twisted melted amalgamation of flesh and bone pulling itself across the floor heading right for Pitch. Pitch tried to back away but slipped a bit hitting the floor as the surprisingly fast mass skittered at him grabbing his wrist.


    Pitch yelped as he hit the floor a second time, now back in the regular basement with the blob leaping off him with a yelp and the twisted melted amalgamation still holding Pitch''s wrist. Anderson shouted. ¡°What the fuck is that and how the hell did it get here?!¡± Pitch overcharged his Pistol one last time and fired it at the new monster making it flail to the floor. ¡°Not enough!¡± The entity screamed in pain with a cacophony of voices. ¡°More. Bring me peace!¡± Anderson set his own weapon to overload and slid it under the new entity. ¡°Sit still, it''ll be over soon.¡± The creature looked down as the Volt Rifle exploded, taking out a chunk of its body. Pitch finished it off by placing a belt of Edison Bulbs on it and pulling all the pins blowing another chunk off it.


    The new entity dropped to the floor twitching, Ishwada fired a few more rounds in it till it stopped moving. ¡°I''d like an explanation please!¡± Pitch pushed him to the side as the blob came in for another attack. It attached itself too and started consuming the other entity. Then two more Black Eagle soldiers came over with one holding a Faraday net gun. He fired an electrified net capturing the creature and frying it to death. Its screams of pain eventually stopped as the lump went limp.


    Ishwada wiped sweat from his forehead. ¡°I would have liked to take them alive for the guys in the lab coats but I guess they''ll just be getting corpses this time.¡± Pitch put out his hand and gestured to the two corpses. ¡°Hey man, we did what we had too. Now I''m not sure what the blob was because that body horror thing is the amalgamated suffering creature. So maybe the blob is concentrated madness or something.¡± Anderson gestured to what was left of the body horror. ¡°Speaking of, where did it come from? It just seemed to manifest when the blob attacked you.¡±


    Pitch grumbled. ¡°I''m not sure how but when it attacked part of my mind seemed to get sent to the Otherside. Like when I hallucinated earlier. Then the thing grabbed me and piggybacked its way to this side.¡± Ishwada put his hand on his chin. ¡°We''re going to have Kathryn run some tests on you once we get back. For now let''s clean up.¡± The soldiers bagged up what was left of the two monsters and started heading back up the stairs. Pitch and Ishwada followed once clean up was done to find an angry old man still tied to the chair. ¡°What did you do? What did you do!?! You killed one of the messengers of God, sent to our world from the great beyond.¡±


    Pitch gestured to a trash bag being carried out. ¡°That thing was definitely not an angel.¡± The patients started humming in unison with Pitch sighing. ¡°Oh great, now what?¡± The old man became ecstatic. ¡°God has seen fit to grace us once again with her words!¡± The patients continue humming a tone with Anderson commenting. ¡°Hey, I think I know this tune.¡± He focused on it and started sobbing his head and humming with it. ¡°It''s Enter Sandman by Metallica.¡± Pitch went a bit pale. ¡°Yeah, I''m starting to think it''s not God or the White Room they are tuning into right now. They''re tuned into the Otherside. Or something in it.¡±


    The patients reach a part of the song where they swap from vocalizing the instrumentals to one singing lyrics. ¡°It''s just the beasts under your bed, in your closet, in your head.¡± Pitch cursed under his breath. ¡°Shit.¡± Anderson and Ishwada both looked at Pitch waiting for him to explain. ¡°The thing they are trying to reference in their drug-addled state is The Boogie Man.¡± Ishwada looked from side to side. ¡°That one''s just a myth right? A story to scare kids.¡± Pitch shook his head. ¡°I don''t think so, I think that''s the king. Fear of fear. And I think it knows I exist.¡±


    Ishwada grabbed the old man out of the chair. ¡°We can worry about that later, right now we''ve got a lot on our plate. This guy''s going into a special holding until he can be processed by the authorities.¡± Ishwada slapped tape over the man''s mouth and started leading him out. ¡°For now, get some rest. I''ll talk with the higher ups about pushing you up the list to see the Cuddle Bug. I''ll also get more holy water bottles so we have a bunch in stock for when you need them.¡± Pitch nodded and rubbed his eyes. Pitch arrived home after a bit and walked into the door feeling a bit drained.


    Kathryn was there quickly to greet him. ¡°So how was work?¡± Pitch looked at her but didn''t speak. ¡°That bad huh? Well I''ve got a spot on the couch all warmed up for you. Let''s go.¡± Pitch followed her and sat on the couch cuddling up to Kathryn. ¡°Things are going so fast now, there''s too much going on for me to handle all at once. There''s Vance and Abe, the Wampus whatever that is is still on the loose, I seem to have a connection to the Otherside that''s tied to Cryptids that''s different then normal and The Boogie Man is not only real but may or may not be watching me sleep from the other dimension for some reason.¡± Kathryn strokes Pitch''s hair. ¡°I''ll run scans in the morning. For now you rest. We''ll take on one thing at a time.¡± The two spent the rest of the day cuddling on the couch together.

 Chapter Thirty Two: Hybrids

    Pitch stood inside the chamber that once held Abe in his mask form while several sensors ran scans. Then he dropped the mask and let his real form get scanned. After that he let Kathryn take a sample. ¡°I know the last place you wanted to be is inside that chamber again but this place has the best equipment for scanning you since it was set up for scanning Abe who''s body is similar to yours. This is unfortunately the best spot to run tests on you.¡± Pitch sighed. ¡°As long as we find out what''s going on I can put up with being a bit uncomfortable.¡±


    Kathryn looked through the results on her computer as they started coming up with Ishwada looking at the screen over her shoulder with his hand on his chin. Kathryn points to one set of results. ¡°There are Pitch''s results from when I first ran tests on him back in spring.¡± She then switched to a second set of results. ¡°These are what I just got. Material wise you''re still made of the same stuff but your Cryptid DNA has changed. Mutated. This isn''t unusual for a hybrid Cryptid from what we''ve seen.¡±


    Pitch nodded and moved over to look at the results. ¡°So my Cryptid DNA is adapting to a different source? Drawing on something besides fear?¡± Kathryn nods. ¡°From what I can tell, yeah. Much like how Vance''s body mutated to accommodate multiple kinds of fear, yours has accommodated to something else. I ran a search to find a match in the Cryptid database but this new signature doesn''t match anything on file. All I can tell is this new signature is counteractive to your existing one.¡± Kathryn¡¯s face goes pale. ¡°It''s almost like cancer, the particles with the new signature attack the old signature particles. Unless I figure this out¡­ Pitch could potentially die from this.¡±


    Pitch returned to his human form just to rub his face hard. ¡°Great, I''m dying of emotional cancer.¡± Ishwada looked over the information, not really understanding it. ¡°Have you tried expanding the search to include anomalous objects? They work on the same principles as Cryptids but on a smaller scale.¡± Kathryn types a few things on the keyboard and hits enter. ¡°Not a bad idea Ishwada. I didn''t think of that because I''m still thinking of things like normal biology. I have to change my thoughts to line up with the rules Cryptids follow.¡±


    After a while a match popped up on the computer and Kathryn checked it. ¡°That explains it. This anomalous signature is one of two found in consecrated water. The best word for this particular signature is: Hope. Unfortunately hope is the enemy of fear and hatred. The things that make most Cryptids. This is part of why holy water is effective against them. Hope quite literally breaks down the fear or hatred that makes up their body.¡±


    Ishwada scowled. ¡°But unlike Abe, Pitch doesn''t burn when touched by holy water. In fact it actually seems to have a positive effect. Wouldn''t this suggest that either hope is now the dominant source or that somehow the two opposing energies have become stable?¡± Kathryn rubbed her eyes. ¡°I don''t know. Nothing like this has ever happened before. Also, I was getting this weird feedback like when Pitch got hit with that blast in the chamber while fighting Abe. Best conclusion is that part of Pitch is physically connected to the Otherside somehow. Like there''s a part of him in both worlds now. If this progresses he could shift over and be stuck or gain the ability to shift between them permanently or be used for Otherside Cryptids to get through to here.¡±


    Ishwada nodded. ¡°I saw that last option actually happen. Something from Otherside pulls him in and it gives monsters a chance to piggyback here. We suspect that The Boogeyman, king of Cryptids, is involved. Since it''s the only entity that at least based on the stories can freely move between worlds. The existence of Boogeyman was never confirmed until now.¡± Kathryn rubbed her face even harder. ¡°It''s possible these two opposing energies can stabilize, but right now you have two parts of you literally at odds with one another and although you are stable it could kill you like cancer.¡±


    Pitch looked at himself and touched his abdomen. ¡°But I feel fine, though I guess people with cancer often do. Hell, since I started drinking holy water I''ve needed to eat less. Also that thing where I eat an unholy food combination in front of someone for the reaction still works like getting a snack. Peanut butter squid is actually not as bad as it sounds but man does eating it mess with people.¡± Ishwada squinted at Pitch. ¡°So you''re telling me that by eating a pineapple and anchovy pizza with barbecue sauce on it and dipping it in ranch to the horror of everything actually gives you sustenance? I thought you just did it to fuck with me.¡±


    Pitch smiles. ¡°Oh yeah, that part is fun too since I can turn off my taste buds. However, I do seem to actually gain from it. It''s like eating junk food and can help curb my appetite similar to how holy water has been working.¡± Kathryn had to ask for the sake of information: ¡°How often do you eat now?¡± Pitch thought about it for a moment. ¡°I went from every three or four days to every four to five. I can get an extra half day to a day if we go out to eat for a date night that week. Making it closer to five to six. From once to twice a week to just once a week.¡±


    Kathryn put her hand on her chin. ¡°So if we find something stronger than normal holy water, there''s a possibility we can get you off your need for humans? But that would cause your body to shift from being balanced to accelerating the progress of the Hope mutation that could potentially kill you.¡± Pitch shrugged. ¡°If it means not having to deal with this reluctant vampire situation I''m willing to risk it.¡± Kathryn raised her voice. ¡°Well I''m not. Things are finally looking good for us and our relationship and I''m not going to lose you to some weird Cryptid cancer.¡±


    Pitch pats her shoulder. ¡°Kathryn, calm down. I''m not leaving you anytime soon. Okay?¡± He kissed her on the lips gently. ¡°I''ll be fine, you just have to have faith.¡± Kathryn frowned as she looked at the floor, then nodded and smiled at Pitch. ¡°R-right. If we focus our energy on it, we can help ensure you survive. After all, emotions and beliefs are the foundation of Cryptid biology.¡± Ishwada stood there with his hand on his chin in silence for quite some time. ¡°Penny for your thoughts Jiryu?¡± Ishwada was jolted out of his state by Pitch.


    ¡°Sorry, lost in thought. I was just thinking about the Pandora''s Box thing Shiro told us about. If you think about it, you''ve become a container with hope inside.¡± Pitch blinked a few times. ¡°I¡­ let''s table that for later.¡± Ishwada''s communicator went off and he picked it up. ¡°Ishwada here.¡± A voice came from the other end. ¡°Situation orange, anomalous entity spotted near your area. Description matches escaped entity from your list. The Wampus. Sending details.¡± He checked the screen and looked at Pitch. ¡°Welp, looks like work calls.¡± Pitch gripped Kathryn''s hand and pulled her in for a kiss. ¡°I''ll try and be safe out there ¡°


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Kathryn refused to let go of Pitch''s hand. ¡°I''m going with this time. Hand me a Watt Pistol.¡± Ishwada hands her one. ¡°I''ve got no time to argue.¡± The three rush to the elevator and exit the building with haste before loading into Ishwada''s Humvee. They race off with sirens blaring to the area where the Wampus was spotted. The vehicle screeched to a stop at its destination: A casino in the outer parts of town before the city gave way to farmland. Ishwada looked around the parking lot, lit by street lights in the middle of the night. There were a few cars in the parking lot despite the place being closed for the night. ¡°Who the hell would be here at this time?¡± Ishwada grumbles.


    Pitch took a look at one of the cars. ¡°Cleaning crew? Or the owners are holding a meeting.¡± Just then the door swung open and three men ran out. One was a young man in his twenties, the second was older with salt and pepper hair, the last was older and fully grey. They were all members of the tribe that owned the casino. Pitch ran over to them. ¡°Are you three okay? What are you still doing here at this time of night?¡± The youngest pointed at the building frantically and stammered, stumbling in his words and struggling to speak.


    The oldest man sighed. ¡°You panic over nothing. All is well. We have nothing to fear.¡± The youngest stammered more. ¡°But the claws, and the teeth, and the extra set of legs¡­ what even was that thing?!¡± The old man sighed and pulled out an old pipe and stuck it in his mouth before pulling it back out. ¡°This pipe is just a prop, I quit smoking ages ago but keep it as a reminder. Chewing at the end helps calm my nerves. Anyway¡­ that so-called monster is from the ancient legends of our ancestors. The Wampus Cat. You have nothing to fear from her claws.¡±


    Pitch let out an exasperated groan. ¡°Can someone please explain to me what the fuck a Wampus Cat is?! I never found time to read up on it with everything else that''s been going on lately.¡± The old man nibbled on the pipe mouth then pulled the prop back out of his mouth. ¡°Well it''s a creature from Cherokee folklore, so it''s actually a bit out of its natural area. Then again, so are we. It takes the appearance of a large cat such as a cougar, mountain lion, panther, or bobcat. But it has six limbs. Stories say it used to be a woman but was transformed as punishment for eavesdropping and others say she was a protector of our people sent by the spirits. Perhaps as penance for her crime.¡±


    Pitch put a hand on his chin. ¡°We are a bit far north from the area the Cherokee held back in the day. We''re also too far south for another feline creature from indigenous folklore. The water cat of Lake Superior. From Ojibwe and other far northern tribes.¡± The old man smiled. ¡°Mishipeshu, I''ve heard of that one.¡± He then made a serious face. ¡°You''re not here to kill the Wampus Cat are you?¡± Pitch shook his head. ¡°Not unless absolutely necessary. We just want to make sure it doesn''t hurt anyone.¡±


    The old man scowled. ¡°I already explained to the guy that she''s a protector, tasked by the spirits to defend our people. It likely came here because we are here, far north from our ancestral home. Though how it got this far north to start with is beyond me.¡± Ishwada put up his hand. ¡°Hi there, I''m Jiryu Ishwada. I work with a group known as Black Eagle. We contain or if needed kill as well as keep secret the existence of a number of critters once thought to simply be folklore. Anomalous entities known collectively as Cryptids or Yokai. The Wampus Cat was being held at a lab nearby for study after it was captured by a team that works for the same organisation I do. Please keep our existence and what happens here secret. There are lives at stake if the knowledge gets out to the mass public.¡±


    The old man nodded and spoke in his native language to the other older man before looking at the youngest. ¡°Yeah yeah. Like anyone would believe me anyway.¡± The old man then looked at Pitch. ¡°I humbly ask that she be returned to our ancestral home.¡± Pitch scratched his head. ¡°You want us to just¡­ transport her to¡­ and let her loose in¡­ the wilds of the general area of Tennessee? I''m not sure if we can do that without putting people at risk. Who knows how the Wampus Cat will react to people. Besides, people might notice when it starts killing livestock or whatever to eat.¡±


    The old man sighed. ¡°These things were never meant to live in cages. Please.¡± Pitch looked at Ishwada and Kathryn before looking back at the tribesmen. ¡°I''ll¡­ do what I can.¡± Ishwada grabbed a Faraday and loaded it with a non-electrical wire net. ¡°I won''t be calling for backup. The boys might get trigger happy.¡± Pitch and Kathryn both nod as the three start searching for the Wampus Cat. Pitch then hears from the distance a strange and unsettling sounding roar and gets the feeling it''s stalking him from nearby but looks around to see the parking lot is still mostly open.


    Then Pitch heard the sounds of claws scratching on asphalt from behind him and turned to see a six legged big cat running at him. Its appearance reminded Pitch of pictures of cougars or mountain lions with its elegant golden fur and white under belly. It had striking green eyes and it bared its teeth at Pitch and growled at him before trying to pounce with its claws out. Pitch dodged to the side just barely and put his arms up lowering his body. ¡°Woah there. I''m not going to hurt you. Okay? Settle down. I''m trying to help.¡±


    The thing snarled and growled at Pitch as he held his hands up. As the creature circled he turned to keep facing the large cat-like Cryptid. He then took his Watt pistol and slowly set it on the floor before sliding it away. ¡°See? I''m not going to hurt you.¡± The Wampus Cat lowered its body and took a single step forward. Pitch took a single step back. The creature then raised its body and slowly took a step forward. This time Pitch took a step forward as well. The Wampus Cat stopped snarling and growling before walking up and sniffing Pitch.


    Pitch put out his hand and let the Cryptid smell him. It then made a strange mewling sound before brushing its face at his hand. It lifted its paws with its claws retracted and pawed at the air. Not sure what the creature he flipped his hand so his palm was aiming up. The Wampus Cat then gently put its paw in Pitch¡¯s hand and gently pressed on it a few times. Kathryn came within sight and froze when Pitch brought up his free hand to tell her to hold her ground. ¡°Put the gun down before coming over.¡±


    Kathryn slowly placed the gun on the ground before slowly walking to the Wampus Cat. The Cryptid arched its back but Kathryn reached out her hand and let the creature smell her. After smelling her the Wampus Cat licked Kathryn''s hand and laid down on the pavement. This gave Kathryn the opportunity to examine the Cryptid. ¡°Let''s see, besides the obvious change of the extra limbs the face shape is a bit different then a cat''s. Also the placement and structure of her mammaries is not anatomically correct with a feline. Closer to those of a human, even if they are relatively small. It''s like the body of an Olympic runner mixed with a cat but the cat is taking dominance. Her front two paws even have thumbs. There''s also some webbing here like a polar bear¡¯s paw. So she''d be a solid swimmer.¡±


    Pitch sighed. ¡°That''s all well and good, but what do we do with her?¡± Kathryn one hand on her chin as she leaned down to pet the Wampus Cat and let it pick her hand. ¡°Legend says she used to be human right? That makes her a hybrid. Strange that fact wasn''t logged by NexGen. Although I''m the head researcher now, I don''t think she''d trust the lab or the other workers. I have some equipment in your garage so maybe I can study her there. Something tells me she''ll be well behaved.¡± The Wampus was now locking up Kathryn''s arm, nuzzling it, and even purring.


    Pitch looked at how submissive the creature was acting to Kathryn when compared to the simple acceptance it has for him. The creature was responding positively to Kathryn and even seemed to have formed a bond with her quickly. It then clawed into the pavement. Kathryn narrowed her eyes at the marks. ¡°Pitch¡­ there''s definitely a human intelligence in there. Look.¡± Pitch looked at the crude but clear drawing of a house. ¡°Okay, fine. Just until we can figure something out.¡± Ishwada finally made his way over. ¡°There you guys are. I see you have it handled. Should I put the weapons away?¡±


    Pitch nodded and Ishwada collected the weapons off the ground and put them away. The three then loaded into the Humvee with Kathryn and the Wampus Cat sharing the back seat. Ishwada started driving the two home. ¡°So¡­ what happened and what''s next?¡± Pitch sighed. ¡°The Wampus Cat is a hybrid and contains intelligence. Kathryn wants to take it home with us to study her without risking issues at NexGen.¡± Ishwada nodded. ¡°I''ll trust you two to handle it then.¡±


    Ishwada drove the two home and they led the Wampus Cat into their house with Pitch looking for something to feed it before placing a raw steak on a plate for it. It happily started to naw on it. ¡°You know normally I''m the one who finds a way to connect to the Cryptids using my empathy but it seems like you''re the one who found a connection this time. I wonder why it responded to you better. Because you''re female? Or it could be something else I''m missing. Either way I guess we have a third housemate for a while until you can figure things out."

 Chapter Thirty Three: Confrontation

    Kathryn spent a week running tests and scans at home in her garage to try and figure out what exactly was going on with the Wampus Cat that was now in the home she shared with Pitch like the feline was a pet. Now solidly into December, snow covered the ground throughout New Arkham. Pitch entered the garage to get an update to see if Kathryn had found anything out yet. ¡°I get I wasn''t exactly using the garage before but at a home laboratory wasn''t exactly something I had in mind to place here. Tell me you have something.¡±


    Kathryn looked up from a computer with the Wampus Cat at her side receiving head scratches. ¡°Well she''s definitely a hybrid Cryptid. She still seems to possess human level intelligence but she either lost the ability to speak when she was changed or maybe was rendered mute from an injury although I didn''t see signs of that. She can write, although her penmanship leaves much to be desired. Can''t blame her though since her hand isn''t exactly the most nimble thing.¡±


    Pitch sighed. ¡°Do we have a root emotion figured out or anything?¡± Kathryn shook her head. ¡°That''s hard to pin down and usually some guesswork is done there anyway. She did however tell me a name so we don''t have to keep calling her Wampus Cat. Her name is Kasa.¡± Pitch makes a confused face. ¡°Are you sure that''s her name?¡± Kathryn nodded. ¡°I handed her a pencil and asked her what her name was. I know she understands English because after handing her a pencil and asking if she did she wrote the word: yes.¡±


    Pitch blinked a few times. ¡°The Wampus Cat is an old legend but who''s to say this is the original or that she couldn''t have learned to read and write English in that time.¡± Kathryn continued to scratch Kasa between the ears. ¡°She''s actually our age. She''s been in this form for about three years. She was visiting her family at a reservation when while walking during a strange storm she found herself lost in a strange fog. Once there she overheard voices but they spoke in a language she didn''t understand. When she came out of the fog she was like this.¡± Pitch out his hand on his chin. ¡°The Otherside maybe? But the only Cryptid with that level of intelligence is the Boogeyman.¡±


    Kathryn put her hands out. ¡°Also she described it differently then you did. So maybe there''s more than one layer of the Otherside. Like¡­ that thing from Egyptian mythology you told me about once in highschool.¡± Pitch tilted his head. ¡°The Du¡¯at? Could be. After all, Cryptids are born from emotions and beliefs with us finding out that some emotions don''t mix well. So it''s possible they are together but separate via layers that bleed into other layers. So the layer we have been seeing is the Fear layer but she saw some other layer. With me being tied to that particular Otherside layer because the original origin of my Cryptid side is nyctophobia.¡±


    Kathryn nodded. ¡°So whatever her root is, it''s not fear. Also to think that Boogeyman is the only primal Cryptid of the purest form of an emotion would be silly. If there is an embodiment of Fear, a fear of fears, then there should be something similar for other strong base emotions. Embodiment of rage, of joy, of hope, of sadness. Each as old as human civilization if not older since there''s the possibility this isn''t the first time humans have formed a civilization since apparently according to ancient Criptid legends there was one before that got destroyed in a cataclysm that resulted in Cryptids being able to cross into our world from the Otherside. Seriously, how can you get a lore drop about Pandora''s Box being a real thing and not tell me right away?¡±


    Pitch shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve got a lot going on right now.¡± There was then a moment of silence when Pitch realized something and his eyes widened. ¡°The feywilds!¡± Kathryn tilted her head. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Pitch''s hands became animated. ¡°Early on we saw in the file that one of the things that made the scientists consider the existence of an Otherworld was the legends of places like the Feywilds. Since different fey would just be Cryptids under a different name like with Yokai. In fact, now that I think about it there are legends around the world from different cultures of a world layered with ours and each one is different.¡±


    Kathryn sighed. ¡°And this is relevant now because¡­?¡± Pitch focused his thoughts. ¡°Because in many of those, including stories of the fey, there are places where the veil is thinner and people walking around slip though. And in some of those the people that step through are sometimes changed from the experience. Just like Kasa here. Though normally that happens if the person is stuck there for a while.¡± Kathryn looked at Kasa. ¡°Do you have any idea how long you were in the mist? Minutes? Hours? Days?¡±


    Kasa shook her head then started writing. The words on the paper were jagged and difficult to read. ¡°Time felt off. Seconds, hours. Unsure. Day turned to night by the time I returned. Felt like seconds.¡± Kathryn nodded. ¡°So it felt like only a little time passed but it was actually hours. Things must have been hard for you before now.¡± Pitch grabbed a seat to sit next to Kathryn. ¡°Did you ever figure out why she was more drawn to and comfortable with you than with me?¡±


    Kathryn shrugged. ¡°I asked and she said it was my scent. Not just because I was a woman. Apparently I smell a bit like a feline Cryptid so she felt at ease around me as a fellow female feline.¡± Pitch chuckled. ¡°That''s the largest amount of words for ¡°I smell like a cat¡± I''ve ever heard.¡± Pitch¡¯s phone then beeps and he checks it. ¡°Looks like Ishwada has a lead on Vance or something. We''ve already taken care of the last escaped Cryptid so I guess he must have gotten sloppy after realizing he wasn''t getting any more new abilities. I''ll see you when I get back.¡± Pitch kissed Kathryn and gave Kasa a light pat before heading out the door to meet up with Ishwada.


    Pitch arrived to find Ishwada standing next to a containment vehicle for transporting captured Cryptids. The thing shook and made noises with Ishwada slapping at the side with a smile. Pitch looked at the vehicle and then Ishwada. ¡°Did you catch the bastard without me?¡± Ishwada''s grin grows. ¡°Nope, this is bait. You see I never did report the Wampus Cat capture meaning that as far as Vance knows it''s still out there. Until now. I''ve got a rattler engine in the back of this baby to make it look legitimate. Since I suspect he somehow has been listening in, we''ll call in a capture and hope Vance comes looking for a meal.¡± Pitch put his hand on his chin and nodded. ¡°Classic. Simple but hopefully effective. Are we going for capture or-?¡±


    Ishwada shook his head. ¡°I''ve got clearance to kill on sight. Vance is too dangerous to risk leaving alive and will only become more dangerous with time.¡± Pitch nodded and got in the passenger seat. ¡°Alright then, consider me onboard.¡± Ishwada nodded and got in the driver''s seat. ¡°We can come back for your jeep after this fucker¡¯s dead.¡± Ishwada then radios in a successful capture before starting to drive and waiting for Vance to take the bait. Driving in the middle of the night down back roads of the city where there was no traffic and few people up and about to see or hear anything, especially considering it was a cold winter night.


    The vehicle shook a bit due to the engine in the mack rattling around to make it look like there''s something trying to get out making Pitch slightly uncomfortable as he gripped a handle by the door. Eventually there was a loud slam as something impacted the side tipping the vehicle over on its side. Pitch quickly climbed out, taking Ishwada with him. Ishwada held tightly onto his Ohm scatter-shot and his special sword. Pitch pulled out his Watt pistol and aimed it at what looked like a hairless fleshy dog with eyes and mouths all over its body, gills on its neck, venomous webbed claws, and a set of fleshy bat-like wings coming off its back.


    ¡°God damn Vance, you really let yourself go.¡± The creature let out a laugh before talking in a cacophony of voices. ¡°This is what evolution looks like, picking the best traits from every Cryptid I''ve eaten.¡± Ishwada quickly put on his helmet and turned on the air filters. ¡°You are the ugliest thing I''ve ever seen, and that''s saying something considering the body horror abominations I''ve set eyes on.¡± Vance chuckled more. ¡°Vanity is a sin I''ve evolved beyond. I am pure killing power, and I''m not alone in my endeavors. Trap or not, I''ll be walking out of here alive and you''ll be just another meal. Whatever you''ve become, it''ll be a part of me too.¡±


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Pitch laughed. ¡°Hahahaha, oh man. I''m not sure what''s funnier; the way you look, or the fact you think you can actually win. Do you even know what I am?¡± The many mouths on the not exactly canine form smiled. ¡°Not exactly, but I don''t need to. If it bleeds, it can die. I''ve seen you bleed. Besides, I''m not working alone anymore. I''ve got backup this time so if I''m in a pinch and can''t kill you myself, he certainly can.¡± Vance charged at Pitch but Ishwada was at the ready with the Ohm scatter-shot and hit Vance point blank sending him to the side slightly but not doing much damage despite being practically point blank.


    Vance¡¯s many mouths grin as he snarls lightly. ¡°The rubbery skin of the Mississippi Mudfish is a great electric insulator. None of your usual tricks will work, General.¡± He then pounces at Ishwada but the snowflake necklace he has on lights up and generates a blast of cold forcing Vance back. Ishwada draws his sword and the ice enters the blade causing a third gem to light up an icy blue. ¡°Do you have blubber like a seal in there too? Because I''ve got both fire and ice in this special sword made for killing monsters like you.¡± He then makes a hard downward swing causing a blizzard like blast to hit Vance hard forcing him to take another step back as his body starts to shiver slightly.


    ¡°So it''s two on one then?¡± Five armed Black Eagle soldiers come out from a second Humvee Humvee with Gauss Cannons lead by Anderson. ¡°More like seven on one.¡± They fire at Vance forcing him back with Anderson running up. ¡°I was nearby and once I heard your call I figured you were up to something like this. It only made sense. You should have arranged for back up from the start.¡± A second Humvee came from the other direction and also deployed five soldiers. ¡°So I did it for you.¡± Pitch grumbled slightly. Now he couldn''t go all out if things got hairy. ¡°Thanks Anderson, but this one''s kinda personal.¡±


    Anderson scowled. ¡°Yeah well too bad, we''re not about to let you two handle this alone and have the General die in us. You, on the other hand, can go ahead and get eaten by that thing for all I care. Things have only gotten messier since you''ve joined and as far as I''m concerned that thing over there is your fault.¡± He pointed to the abomination that is Vance who was getting attacked and forced back by Gauss Cannons due to them also having a physical payload. After a while Vance let out a strange and horrific sound. One that made Pitch''s skin crawl.


    Anderson put his hands to his helmet. ¡°What in God''s name is that noise?¡± Pitch recognized the howl. ¡°It''s the call of the Wendigo.¡± Five Wendigo came out of the shadows and approached the soldiers. Ishwada issued the order quickly. ¡°Handle the Wendigo first, leave the Chimera to myself, Anderson, and Holden.¡± The soldiers turned to face the Wendigo, firing their weapons but the Wendigo were two quick. They each pounced on and bit the neck of a soldier with the remaining four each shooting four of the Wendigo mid feed and taking them and their meals out in one shot leaving just the one.


    Anderson not wanting to take any chances left Ishwada and Pitch to fend for himself to take a shot at the last Wendigo who dodged the attack and started coming right at him. There wasn''t enough time to charge a second shot for any of the Gauss Cannons and Anderson thought he was done for. Pitch gave Ishwada a nod who launched a wave of fire at Vance using the sword to force the Chimera to keep his distance as Pitch moved at inhuman speed. When the Wendigo went to bite down on Anderson who could only cover and wait for death, its teeth met something else instead.


    Anderson was knocked to the ground but didn''t feel his neck get bit, he slowly opened his eyes to find that Pitch pushed him to the ground and put his own arm in the mouth of the monster. His arm was bleeding and if the Wendigo bit down hard enough it would sever the arm. Anderson stammered. ¡°B-but won''t you get infected?¡± The four Black Eagle soldiers moved to help Ishwada keep Vance at a distance with their Gauss Cannons. Pitch growled as he held off the monster. ¡°Don''t worry about it. I''m immune to all poisons and diseases. Though I do have to worry about this thing taking my arm off.¡±


    Anderson slid a bit back and got up. ¡°So you can''t like¡­ make bone armor over your skin or something like that?¡± Pitch knitted his eyebrows. ¡°(I made teeth and my hands and feet are basically full recreations so I can definitely make bone.)¡± ¡°I uhhh¡­ I''ve never tried that. I always assumed that I couldn''t really change this form. Just recreate and repair it.¡± Anderson raised his side arm and aimed at the Wendigo''s head as the Watt pistol charged up. ¡°You saying ¡°this form¡± implies you have another. What exactly are you?¡± Pitch sighed. ¡°Honestly, I''m not sure if I know anymore. I thought I had it figured out but I can do things that even the being closest to me in form can''t do.¡±


    Anderson blew off the head of the monster by shooting it point blank. The body went limp. Pitch turned his attention to Vance. ¡°Time to end this.¡± Pitch moved in a blur of motion right into the frey and soun kicked the Chimera right in the head sending it realing as the Black Eagle soldiers stopped shooting. Pitch took a martial arts stance bouncing slightly on his feet. ¡°Come on you ugly bastard, it''s me you want. One v one me.¡± He then did a hand taunt motion. Vance grinned with his many mouths. ¡°No, I don''t think I will.¡± He then let out a new sound Pitch didn''t recognize. Out from the shadows in the distance came an amorphous blob of black sand floating in the air as a single mass. It spoke with a distorted voice. ¡°Hey there party people. Did you miss me?¡±


    Pitch and Ishwada both cursed under their breaths. ¡°Fuck, he''s teamed up with Abe.¡± Anderson pointed to the other soldiers. ¡°Switch to Ritter Rifles. Quickly!¡± The men all scrambled to the Humvee with Anderson who grabbed UV rifles. Ishwada activated the ice gem on his Demon¡¯s Bane. ¡°It''s a good thing we learned that extreme cold is effective.¡± Pitch cracked his knuckles. ¡°Good, that makes this a two for one special.¡± Ishwada didn''t hesitate to use Demon¡¯s Bane to send a blizzard powered sword slash at the two with the fleshy skin on Vance''s body collecting a bit of frost and starting to change color.


    Abe moved back a bit after being hot with the extreme cold. ¡°What the¡­ my body feels¡­ sluggish. So you''ve found yet another weakness. No matter, I''ll just have to learn to dodge more.¡± Anderson and the four men start shooting their Ritter Rifles at Abe who starts moving quickly after the first round hit him. With a blur of speed he went straight for the three Humvees and entered them with his sand like body, blowing them up from the inside one by one. Anderson shouting. ¡°That''s not something the Umbran has ever done before.¡± Pitch knew where he learned the weaknesses of vehicles from, but couldn''t exactly say anything out loud. Pitch''s head jumped from Vance to Abr and back again a few times as he tried to decide what to do.


    ¡°(I can''t leave Jiryu alone with Vance, but I''m the only one that stands a chance against Abe. What do I do?)¡± Pitch patted down his body. A Watt pistol, a bandolier of Edison Bulbs, and a bandolier of sports bottles filled with holy water. He took off the Edition Bulbs and activated them all before tossing them at Vance. Although immune to electricity he''d still be effected by the explosions. As the Bulbs went off he ran in a blur of speed at Abe before grabbing tossing sports bottles at the Black Eagle soldiers who caught them. Pitch two two himself and squeezed them splashing Abe with the water. Abe¡¯s body sizzled and burned but when he tried to move the soldiers also squirted him with holy water.


    Abe made sounds of pain as his body sizzled and burned. Pitch couldn''t help but smirk. ¡°These things help calm me down, but since you''re pure Cryptid born from a fear it breaks down your body. Even as grains of sand it''s kinda hard to dodge water.¡± Abe let out a low growl and Vance shook off the explosion. Ishwada did his best to send fire and ice slashes at Vance to keep him busy long enough to get back up. Abe let out a roar as a tendril lashed out at high speed cutting two Black Eagle soldiers in half. ¡°I''m done playing games with you Child. You were a curiosity once, but now you''re just an inconvenience. I''ll consume you one way or another!¡±


    Vance hearing this runs back from Ishwada and bolts to Pitch at full speed taking out a Black Eagle soldier with his claws before going after Pitch. ¡°No! He''s my prey!¡± Vance goes to bite down on Pitch''s neck but Pitch put his arm in the way. When Vance bit down he found his teeth met hard white bone that had covered Pitch''s arm like layered armor looking like scales of bone. ¡°Thanks for the idea Anderson. I don''t have to worry as much about loosing a limb now.¡± Vance¡¯s many eyes widened a bit before he snarled and tried to bite down harder. Anderson looked at the one remaining Black Eagle soldier besides himself and Ishwada. ¡°Overload the Ritter, hit the Umbran with everything!¡±


    They both set their Ritter Rifles to overload and tossed them under Abe with Ishwada running at the group with his hand out. ¡°Wait! If you do that-¡± His warning was too late as a flash of strange purple light enveloped a small area blinding everyone including Pitch. Pitch felt a slight burning in his skin and internals, but thanks to him having his mask on he was mostly fine. He opened his eyes to see Vance was dazed from the effectual flash bang and Abe had quickly formed his own mask. Anderson''s head jumped between Pitch and Abe. ¡°What?!¡±


    Abe''s hand turned into a shadow tendril that quickly stabbed through the helmet of the last Black Eagle grunts before turning back to normal. He grinned an evil sharp toothed grin. ¡°Yeah~ I bet you have a lot of questions for James here. Or should I call you Pitch? I only learned how to make a mask that protects me from UV light because of you, my child. My fellow Umbran. It''s too bad you retained your humanity when you were reborn as a Cryptid. We could have been great together.¡±


    Anderson and Vance were both equally shocked. ¡°Your a Umbran hybrid?!¡± Pitch grumbled and groaned. ¡°I''ll explain everything later Anderson, for now just trust in on your side. If I wanted you dead you wouldn''t be here.¡± Anderson grabbed a Ritter pistol from his side. ¡°Just tell me where to aim this so it still hurts him while he''s in a skin suit.¡± Pitch chuckled. ¡°Go for the eyes Anderson, that much should be obvious.¡± Anderson cracked his neck as Vance shook off the daze. ¡°Ishwada and I will keep pale and spooky off you long enough to rip that Chimera to shreds. No more holding back, go full monster if you have to. If rather fight with a monster and live then be stubborn and die.¡±


    Pitch couldn''t help but smile. ¡°Good choice Anderson, consider the Chimera to be minced meat.¡±

 Chapter Thirty Four: Confrontation (part two)

    Pitch cracked his neck and knuckles as Anderson kept his gun trained on Abe''s face and Ishwada fetched a Ritter Rifle of his own to also aim at Abe. Pitch dropped his mask and his shadowy mass went at high speed at Vance¡¯s twisted form. As Anderson and Ishwada fired their weapons at Abe who had to dodge in a human form he wasn''t used to.


    Vance tried to run, but found himself lifted by the leg. His wings flapped but tendrils quickly wrapped around all his limbs. He struggled but couldn''t free himself forcing him to shapeshift. His body turned to goop and dropped out of the tendrils before reforming into a humanoid shape once outside Pitch''s grip. ¡°Kinda hard to hold onto something that can become a liquid.¡± Vance teased. Meanwhile Abe was lashing out with tendrils that replaced his hands, missing Ishwada and Anderson despite his best efforts.


    Abe shifted back into his true form but as soon as he did UV rounds were sent at him with some hitting him forcing Abe back into the human form. ¡°They''ve got me in a stalemate, you''re on your own, Chimera.¡± Vance grinned wickedly at Pitch. ¡°I wonder how exactly my body will implement your Cryptobiology~ Your form isn''t flesh like other Cryptids.¡± Pitch lashed at Vance with a limb like a whip, and although it seemed to hit him his body simply turned to goop in that area. Pitch let out a low growl trying to figure out exactly how he was going to kill Vance.


    Anderson and Ishwada started tossing flashbangs at Abe, a weapon that uses two things that still affect Umbrans. Abe grabbed his ears and recoiled at the attack. Pitch leaped at Vance with his entire body, putting Vance inside a cloud of fine black sand-like particles that started swirling around the Chimera like a sandstorm tornado. Vance covered his eyes and tried to escape but he couldn''t see no matter what kinda form he tried to take. Vance''s goopy, rubbery flesh started to rip and break away. He screamed in pain but eventually the screaming died out and there was nothing left of the twisted hybrid.


    While Pitch was ripping apart Vance, Anderson made a second trip to the Humvee pulling out a pet carrier that made a strange almost purr like sound as he moved it. This caused Abe to take a step back as his eyes widened. ¡°You didn''t- you wouldn''t dare. You keep that abomination the hell away from me!¡± He pointed at the pet carrier angrily. Anderson made several tongue clicks and wiggled a full anger in the cage before opening it up.


    Out of the carrier came a critter. Its main body was covered in pink fur with purple spots and it looked like a mix between a cat, a fox, and a ferret with small pointed ears and a short nose and whiskers.. Its size was comparable to that of a large house cat. It had a big fluffy tail, and a body that seemed to shift in length from short and stubby to longer but chubby. Another notable feature of the cute and fuzzy critter was the fact that it had six stubby little legs it waddled on.


    Abe took several steps back. ¡°You stay back, you foul demon. Abominable hellspawn.¡± Anderson smirked. ¡°I think someone needs a hug~¡± He pointed at Abe. The small critter let out a yippee as it ran at high speeds and glomped Abe to the ground. It''s little legs running against his body as it purred. Pitch''s skin started to burn as he struggled to get the critter off of him. ¡°Got it off. Get it off!!¡± He then started laughing, clearly against his will. ¡°Make it stop. Make it stop!!¡±


    Abe then swatted the critter off of his smoking body. It let out a yelp before going into the pet carrier causing it to skid some distance away. Ave pointed angrily at Anderson. ¡°You''ll pay for that Black Eagle scum! I''ll make you face a fate worse than death before I devour you!¡± Anderson and Ishwada both pulled out Ritter guns and UV flashlights and started unloading on Abe as the pet carrier continued to shake and flip until it was a safe distance and in a bush before stopping and waiting for someone to pick it up that wasn''t hostile.


    Pitch turned his attention to Abe who was getting hit from both directions by bright UV flashlights as rounds from Ritter guns burned at his pseudo flesh. Abe looked over to see that Vance was gone and Pitch was still standing. ¡°I really thought the Chimera would put up a better fight than that. Guess it''s time to skedaddle.¡± Pitch¡¯s mist-like body moved quickly, grabbing Abe''s mask by the limbs and lifting him up. Ishwada and Anderson backed off for a moment.


    Abe dissolved his mask and the two shadowy masses clashed like a storm, with small sparks of purple electricity coming off the two as they blended together like two black sandstorms trying to while one another out. Anderson ran over to the wreckage of the Humvee and sifted through it. He found an intact metal box with a barrel and two super soakers inside. He rolled out the barrel and stood it up, handing Ishwada a soaker. ¡°I grabbed these since holy water works on most Cryptids. Good thing I kept it in a hard box.¡±


    The two loaded up the super soakers and fired at the ragging mass. Smoke coming off it as a voice groaned in pain. Ishwada chuckled. ¡°The holy water only hurts Abe, giving Pitch the leg up.¡± The masses eventually stopped raging and sending out sparks. Anderson fired a shot of holy water into the mass with no noticeable effect. The shadow mass then formed a human body. Pitch had been victorious.


    However, he didn''t exactly look happy about it. ¡°I''m¡­ the only thing like me now. The last of my kind.¡± He looked at his hands with a melancholy expression. ¡°I''m fully and truly unique, but that also means I''m alone.¡± Ishwada scoffed. ¡°What are you talking about, you have Kathryn waiting at home. So what if you''re the last Umbran. This is a victory. Not one but two really bad Cryptids are no more.¡± Pitch looked up at Ishwada with a sad expression on his face. ¡°He ate them, his own kind, for power. And now I''ve done the same. I probably won''t need to eat for a full month now and I''ve likely gained some new power or at least mass.¡±


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Ishwada sighed as he fetched the pet carrier. ¡°I''ve got the Cryptid known as Cuddle Bug or Tickle Monster. You look like you need it.¡± Pitch nodded as he took the critter, petting and nuzzling it as it purred. The fatigue in his body from the fight seemingly mending as if by magic. ¡°I''ve won but for some reason it feels bittersweet. Vance was the last bit of family I had even if he was an awful person and if you think about it Abe was family too. I guess maybe that''s why this doesn''t feel like a win. I just killed the last two semblances of family that I had. Even if they were evil bastards. After all, who am I to judge? I eat people for fucks sake.¡±


    Ishwada put a hand on Pitch''s shoulder. ¡°Out of necessity, they enjoyed it. Even if you still feel bad about it, that''s only more evidence of your humanity. That you feel for the people you kill even when they''re criminals, murderers, and rapists.¡± Anderson called in for a clean up crew then addressed Pitch. ¡°Look, I may have had my issues and doubts, hell to be honest I still do. But for today you can consider me an ally. You did good and even if you are a monster you reduced the number of monsters by two. As long as you keep helping and don''t turn on us I guess I can live with working with you.¡±


    Pitch let out a long sigh. ¡°Yeah, okay. I kinda just want to go home and take a nap now.¡± Ishwada let out a chuckle and lightly slapped at Pitch''s shoulder a few times. ¡°We''ve already got a pick up on the way.¡± When the cleanup crew finally came in they also brought in a new Humvee for Ishwada who loaded Tickle Monster into a carrier and put it in the trunk. ¡°Your hour is up, any longer and it can start having a detrimental effect or the critter gets a little too excited about cuddling up and tickling a person.¡±


    He then got in the driver''s seat followed by Anderson and Pitch getting in and he started to drive. Taking Pitch back to the parking lot where he left his jeep first. Pitch had sat in the back seat, the images that flashed through his mind while he was eating Abe still lingering. ¡°(I didn''t just consume Abe, he''s a part of me now. Some of his memories are now mine. The cannibalism, the human victims, him going from mindless monster to actively sadistic and sapient.)¡±


    Pitch then spoke out loud. ¡°Abe became a sadistic sociopath as soon as he gained sapience. He gained his sapience from his interaction with me when we fought and exchanged memories. What does that say about me?¡± Ishwada tapped at the steering wheel. ¡°That we all have a darkness inside of us. Each and every one of us has a shadow that''s always lurking. The dark primal impulses left behind from an ancient version of ourselves, or perhaps with how Cryptid stuff works, we each have a little bit of an anomaly. But either way, everyone has it to some extent. For some it''s buried very deep, but for others they embrace it. It''s all about choices, Pitch.¡±


    Pitch sighed as he laid down in the back seat. ¡°I thought I would feel better after those two were gone, like a weight had been lifted or something. But instead I just feel¡­ empty. Like there''s now a big void in my life. How fucked up is that? It''s almost like I already miss the chaos and constant threat to my life.¡± Ishwada chuckled. ¡°Well¡­ Boogieman is still a potential threat, so you have that to look forward to. Considering how ancient and powerful he is there''s definitely a risk of death.¡± Pitch shifted a bit in the seat. ¡°I think¡­ that a part of me wants that.¡±


    Anderson looked back at Pitch, realizing what he had just said. Admitting that there was a part of him that actively wants to die. Whether it be because he feels like the world would be better off without him, or because he wants to be spared some grim fate that awaited him was still unknown. Pitch closed his eyes but then forced them open. Everytime he closed his eyes the images of Abe''s life haunted him. Eventually, they arrived at Pitch''s jeep. He gave a half-hearted wave goodbye as before getting in and made the drive home. Pitch entered the house and went straight to the bedroom.


    The house was empty at the time Pitch got home since Kathryn was still at work, he simply collapsed into the bed with a thud and quickly dozed off into a dream with his mask still up. He had a number of visions from the memories of Abe just like the last time the two had fought. This time the visions went back, back to before Abe had even come to earth. He was just wandering aimlessly among other ancient Cryptids, in the fear layer of the Otherside. When suddenly and without warning a strange swirling vortex had appeared, drawing them in and spitting them out into the surface layer of the world that we know.


    The world was in the middle of some sort of apocalyptic cataclysm. There was a total solar eclipse creating a blood red halo in the sky, turning day into night, but the moon was somehow also there as a large and full blood-red circle on the other side of the sky. There were tsunamis and flooding destroying a once immaculate and artistic looking city that had caught fire as people were running in a crazed panic all the while Cryptids had started coming through these vortex-like tears in reality and attacking the already panicked people.


    The city looked like a mix of different cultures from around the world, made of stone and decorated with precious metals and gemstone. A mixture of white marble, tan to red baked sandstone, yellow limestone, and decorative terracottas. There were vases of clay, porcelain, and even glass of various colors. There even seemed to be decorative volcanic glasses including but not limited to obsidian and artistic pieces made of what looked to be jade. There were even decorative cloth sashes and banners that were once hanging from the buildings. The people were dressed in something that resembled the artistic robes of different cultures including the Greek and Japanese. With one main colored clothes accented with patterns and a decorative sash also accented with patterns. All this beauty and art was being destroyed however as the city was rocked by water and fire and monsters entered the world through rifts.


    All kinds of things from swarms of small insects to twisted abominations of flesh came through the vortexes. Abe himself did not hesitate to start praying on and pulling apart the scared people that tried to run, having never known hunger until this moment. The fear baked into the air of the Otherside was enough to satiate him beforehand, but now he knew both hunger and gluttony as there was an overabundance of food to eat and a motivation to eat while it was still available.


    Pitch witnessed as people evacuated and the city was destroyed and sank. Although the vortexes had stopped, the eclipse did not. Wherever the sun went it was eclipsed with the permanently blood red moon continuing through its phases separately from this dark eclipse. Days passed, months, years even. That time passed with Abe having moved to the mainland and hunting primitive humans. It seemed as if the sun didn''t rise properly for what must have been a small eternity. Hundreds or perhaps even thousands of years had passed before the strange eclipse and seemingly eternal night finally ended and the sky returned to its normal state.


    Pitch woke a few hours after falling asleep. He rubbed his face and eyes hard, letting out a groan of exasperation and frustration. ¡°Was that the destruction of the precursor civilization? The Atlanteans or whatever you want to call them.¡± He slowly and shakily got up and moved himself into the bathroom, washing his face in the sink for a moment before looking at his pale reflection in the mirror. ¡°I look like shit.¡± He spoke out loud to no one in particular. ¡°Feel like it too.¡± He then looked at the tub in the corner of his eye, and started thinking about having a soak after the vivid nightmare he just witnessed.

 Chapter Thirty Five: Stress release

    Pitch started loading up the bathtub with holy water and turned on the tub¡¯s heater to warm it up. He then switched to his true form and sank into the water a bit, letting his body soak in it. He let out a relieved sigh as the water and hope energy from it washed over him. ¡°I definitely needed this after today.¡± He then let his entire body sink in since it was not like he needed to breathe.


    Pitch then heard some banging and knocking and started to lift a part of his body out of the tub when the bathroom door opened and Kathryn walked in. She froze for a moment when she saw Pitch in the tub. ¡°Rough day at work?¡± She asked nervously. Pitch let out a sigh. ¡°Yeah, exceptionally so. But Vance and Abe are dead now. So that''s a win. I guess.¡± Kathryn walked over and sat next to the tub. ¡°Did you want to talk about it?¡±


    Pitch shifted in the water a bit. ¡°Not right now. Later for sure. Is everything okay? You seem distracted.¡± Kathryn looked away, her face flushed. ¡°I just walked in on you in the tub.¡± Pitch sat in silence for a moment. ¡°You''ve seen me in this form many times. What''s different about seeing it in the tub?¡± Kathryn turned more red. ¡°It just¡­ feels more intimate I guess.¡± Pitch chuckled. ¡°We''re dating and I''ve basically seen you naked. There''s no need to get all flustered.¡±


    Kathryn looked at Pitch and dipped her hand in the water. ¡°R-right. Well Kasa just went to sleep a while ago and I was thinking of taking a bath before going to bed myself.¡± Pitch shifted in the water. ¡°Well I''m already in here so you''ll either have to wait or hop in.¡± He said in a casual tone, clearly not being entirely serious about suggesting she join him in the bath and more doing it in jest to lighten the mood.


    Kathryn turns so red that her face¡¯s color came to resemble that of a lobster¡¯s. She nervously sputtered. ¡°Y-yeah? I mean, if you want me to¡­¡± She tugged at the collar of the shirt under her lab coat and swallowed hard. Pitch focused fully on Kathryn. ¡°I was sort of joking, but if you started getting ready to join me I wouldn''t stop you.¡± Kathryn slid her hand deeper into the water and through Pitch before pulling it out and slowly taking off her lab coat and sticking it in a laundry basket, her face severely flushed.


    She slowly and somewhat shyly started removing the shirt underneath, followed by her pants leaving her in her underwear. Although he had felt her body before when she was exploring his on the day they reunited, he hadn''t actually seen her without clothes on in the traditional sense. The first thing Pitch noticed was the fact that Kathryn¡¯s face wasn''t the only part of her with freckles. The spots get more dense in some areas than others, covering her entire body. The spots with the highest density between her cheeks, clavicle, top of her shoulder, the outer edges of her elbows and knees, her hips and a bit of her outer thigh on the sides, on the sides of her shins by her ankles, and on the sides of her wrists.


    Her face still flush, she hesitated to continue, giving Pitch plenty of time to observe her nearly nude body. ¡°Sh-should I continue?¡± Pitch did his best to replicate a nod with the part of his form sticking out of the tub. ¡°Yes please.¡± If Pitch still had a heart it would have skipped a beat and definitely be racing right about now. The anticipation was palpable. He tried his best to remain calm and not rush her, but he wanted her to join him just as badly as she seemed to.


    Kathryn slowly removed her underwear, revealing her supple and somewhat subdued assets as she placed the items in the hamper. Her slender frame had slightly toned musculature and her thin hips and less than ample tits were closer to what one would expect from a professional runner even if her muscles weren''t quite at that level. It was clear she jogged regularly though and kept herself in shape. Although not everyone would find the auburn haired pale and freckled woman attractive, Pitch surely did as he observed every new freckle on the once covered skin.


    Pitch had to hold in a chuckle, as he noticed a thicker collection of freckles on her pubes and butt cheeks, as well as forming a ring around her areolas. ¡°Absolutely stunning, and such cute freckles too.¡± Kathryn blushed and looked away abashedly, the red in her cheeks darkening her freckles. Finally she removed her glasses and set them on the sink before slowly approaching the tub. ¡°So uhh¡­ we both know how this is going to work right? I''ll basically be bathing inside both the water and your body.¡±


    Pitch formed a tendril in order to beckon her into the tub with it. ¡°Climb right in, the holy water¡¯s fine.¡± Kathryn was still somewhat hesitant but slowly dipped her foot into the water and sank it in. Then she maneuvered herself to be standing in the tub before sitting down and slowly laying into it. Pitch felt his particles as they were pushed by her entering the tub, the texture of her skin felt fully by his body. Every inch of the skin she placed in the water was touched and embraced by his being.


    Kathryn¡¯s muscles were tense at first but after a moment they listened up. ¡°Did you heat up the holy water before putting it in? It''s nice and warm.¡± Pitch hesitated to move and adjust himself, feeling a bit nervous himself. So it took him a moment to respond. ¡°Kinda. The tub heats up.¡± When Pitch spoke Kathryn tended up a little and even let out a small humming sound. Worried, Pitch inquired about it. ¡°You okay, you tensed up and made a sound just now.¡±


    Kathryn clenched her hand in the side of the tub and let out a moan. ¡°Y-your body vibrates when you talk. It messages my entire body.¡± Kathryn paused for a moment. ¡°Do you think you could shift yourself a bit? This full body cuddle hug would be better if you nuzzled me or rubbed up on my body.¡± Pitch hesitated but slowly and gently shifted different parts of his body, rubbing them against hers. First brushing her arms and sides, then shifting the parts of him that were around her legs. Kathryn wiggled a bit as he moved. ¡°Y-yeah, that''s nice. It''s like I''m getting a cuddle, a hug, a massage, and a sand bath all in one.¡±


    Pitch continued to rub himself on her body, working on her hands and feet, going with the motions and letting himself get into it. Kathryn shifted herself and squirmed a bit under the motions, giggling lightly. Pitch then started letting out humming noises as he started rubbing at her back and chest. Her body tensed up as she let out a small whimper and lightly bit her lip. ¡°Hmmm ohhhh~ Getting a bit naughty are you?¡±


    Pitch froze for a moment. ¡°Do you want me to stop? I probably should have asked first.¡± Kathryn blushed hard. ¡°No no no, continue. Please. Just do what comes naturally and I''ll let you know if I want you to stop.¡± Pitch went back into humming and rubbing against Kathryn¡¯s back and chest. Focussing on his movements he swirls his particles around her areolas and nipples causing Kathryn to tense, squirm, and let out a soft mode. ¡°O-oh~¡±


    Pitch felt this as an encouragement to continue and increased his enthusiasm. He started to rub up on Kathryn''s belly and slowly moved his attention downwards. Slowly he moved over her belly button, to the lowest parts of her abdomen and onto the flesh of her groin and pubic area, feeling the small hairs that were creating a sort of peach fuzz in the area. Kathryn felt a bit embarrassed when Pitch moved his attention there. ¡°S-sorry if I''m a bit fuzzy. I didn''t exactly clean myself up in anticipation of this.¡±


    Pitch replied out of habit. ¡°No worries, all of you is beautiful regardless.¡± Kathryn tended up and let out a slight moan as her toes curled. ¡°Hhohhh~ O-oh~ hmmmm~ R-right there. Maybe a bit lower.¡± Pitch shifted his body on her more and let out a soft hum before speaking. ¡°But if I do that-¡± Kathryn¡¯s leg kicked slightly. ¡°Y-yes, please.¡± Pitch let out a chuckle causing her to tense up again. ¡°You don''t have to tell me twice.¡± Before moving his focus even lower, brushing himself on her cleft of Venus.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Pitch ran some of his sand between Kathryn''s leg and through her slit, running back and forth as he hummed. Kathryn squirms under his touch and lets out soft moans. She reached her hands into the water and grasped idly at Pitch''s particles with her hands moving through them. She felt slightly disappointed until Pitch clearly caught on and made a section more dense for her to grip like a solid object. Forming tendrils for her to hold like hands. She gripped and ran her hands around the tendrils as Pitch continued his motions and focused the bulk of his efforts on rubbing the outside of Kathryn''s womanhood.


    Kathryn felt slightly bad as she stroked the tendrils. ¡°I wish I could do more for you. You''re making me feel so good but returning the favor is at best difficult.¡± Pitch did his best to reassure her. ¡°Just keep doing what you''re doing Kat, right now I''m focusing on you.¡± The vibrations caused Kathryn to clench her legs and put her knees together. ¡°Hooo~ O-okay.¡± She rubbed the tendrils with her hands, then she put the mass in her hand and started stroking it. ¡°I don''t know if this is doing anything for you, but I''ll do my best.¡±


    Pitch moved and writhed the tendrils in her hands, thrusting into them slightly. ¡°Because of how dense I made these, they''re kinda sensitive, so it feels good. Keep it up.¡± Kathryn arched her back a bit. ¡°Hmm~ Consider it done love~¡± She gripped a bit tighter and moved her hand a bit quicker as if trying to give the tendril a hand job. Kathryn bit her lip slightly as she worked her hand and did her best on focusing on trying to make Pitch feel good and return the favor. She paused for a moment and tilted her head a bit while looking at the tip of the tendril. Kathryn blushed hard as she pulled it to her, the tendril moving with her hand as a solid object.


    Kathryn pulled the shadowy tendril to her face as her blush hardened. She leaned in and gave it a kiss. This caused a shiver to move through the tendril and Pitch''s hum to intensity for a split second. Kathryn made a wicked grin before slowly leaning in and licking it with a hum. ¡°Yeah~ I can work with this~¡± Pitch''s particles shivered when she licked the tendril and this encouraged him further. He sped up his rubbing and even started running circles around her clitoris with his fine sand like particles. Kathryn let out a whimper and squirmed as she giggled.


    Kathryn then licked her lips while looking at the tendril, giving a devilish smile before licking the top of it and going as far as to stick it in her mouth, sucking on it slightly and twirling her tongue around it. Pitch''s particles shivered intensely under her efforts as the humming increased in response with the tendril remaining mostly solid. Pitch''s entire body wiggled and shifted messaging Kathryn all over. He then formed a second dense pseudo solid mass shaped like a tendril and playfully prodded at the entrance of her womanhood.


    Kathryn let out a high pitched yipping sound with the tip of the tendril still in her mouth causing a vibration to move through it. She then giggled somewhat nervously but didn''t request for him to stop. It was clear to Pitch that Kathryn still felt some apprehension about making this their moment. Making this their first time going all the way as a couple. However, after a brief pause she wiggled her lower body against the tip that had prodded her while running her tongue up and down the top of the one in her mouth before pulling away enough to talk. ¡°B-be gentle, okay? It''s¡­ my first time.¡±


    She was clearly nervous but still egging him on to continue. Pitch also had doubts, he didn''t exactly have any personal experiences as a human making this his first as well. It didn''t help that his unusual anatomy left several questions for how this would work on his end. He clearly felt pleasure, that wasn''t the problem. The problem was whether his body could reach any sort of climax without it being induced on his end by progressively making the part of his body he''s using denser and more sensitive.


    Pitch simply decided to go with the flow, respond to Kathryn and his own body''s responses and simply do what came naturally. Even if normal Umbrans didn''t have sexual organs or reproduce in this way, as a hybrid it was possible he had some unique anatomy to facilitate such a thing without him knowing. There was much about his body Pitch didn''t know. As a unique individual that was regularly evolving and changing there was always something new to discover.


    Pitch decided to go for it and take the plunge. He pressed the tip of his tendril against the entrance of Kathryn''s womanhood a bit harder, inserting just the tip. Kathryn tended up and clamped down on Pitch as the hand not on the second tendril shot down only to rest on her groin. She pulled her mouth free as she let out a moan and started breathing heavily. ¡°W-wait. Wait. J-just give me a moment. H-hold it right there and let me adjust before you start moving.¡±


    Pitch paused, not even talking as Kathryn continued to breath heavily. After a while she settled herself down and started to wiggle on him a bit. ¡°S-slowly. Move slowly¡± Pitch didn''t protest as he slowly sunk the tendril a bit deeper before slowly pulling it out till just the tip remained. Then he slowly pushed in again only inserting himself a few inches and staying shallow. Slowly working at it and allowing Kathryn time to adjust and mentally prepare herself for more. Kathryn started to wiggle and push back against Pitch causing the holy water to slosh in the tub.


    She let out a moan as she started stroking the tendril in her one hand intensely and thrusting slowly against the one inside her. Grinding and wiggling on it. ¡°D-deeper Pitch, go deeper~¡± She once again placed the tip of the tendril in her hand into her mouth, sucking on the top and swirling her tongue. She started bobbing her head, taking more of the tendril into her mouth and humming causing shivers to move through Pitch''s body. This caused him to hum more intensely, increasing the vibrations.


    Pitch let out his own sound of pleasure as he slid the tendril deeper into her womanhood, touching her hymen, and started thrusting lightly with the one on her mouth. ¡°This feels so good for me too, Kat. Please, do more~¡± Kathryn did just that, swirling her hand in the water to indicate to Pitch to form a third tendril. Once formed she stroked it with her hand as her mouth continued working and she wiggled against Pitch. Her breathing and moaning grew more intense. Pitch''s body vibrated and shivered as his three tendrils thrusted for Kathryn.


    Pitch sank his tendril even deeper into Kathryn''s womanhood, causing her to yelp slightly as her hymen was broken. Pitch paused the tendril in her womanhood as she too paused. After a while she pulled the tendril out of her mouth before resuming stroking with her hands and wiggling. ¡°I''m ready now, don''t stop. Don''t you dare stop or pull out till we''re both satisfied. We both needed this and the build up was killing me.¡±


    Pitch chuckled. ¡°Agreed. Now my beautiful freckled lover, can you talk dirty to me~?¡± Kathryn blushed hard. ¡°Please, don''t make me wait for it~¡± She wiggled and thrusted against him, sloshing the water again. ¡°Go ahead, I''m ready for you~ Give it to me~¡± She moaned as she wiggled, her stroking intensified once more before sticking the newer tendril in her mouth and sucking it in. Working her tongue and hum-moaning on it, causing Pitch to shiver and hum again. Needing no further encouragement, Pitch sank the tendril deeper into Kathryn''s womanhood as his others resumed thrusting.


    Pitch slowly built up speed, with Kathryn matching it causing the water to spill out of the tub with both moaning intensely. Pitch''s tendril started knocking on Kathryn''s cervix with every thrust as the amount of force he used increased. His entire body started to tense up, but so did Kathryn''s as she only increased her fervor and wiggling. Her hum-moaning increased as she steadily built up to her climax. Pitch''s body squeezed down on Kathryn''s a bit as it spasmed, her entire body shaking. Her eyes widened as she instinctively swallowed something that was entering her mouth and thick dark blue slime came out of the tendril in her hand.


    She let the tendril fall out of her mouth and after a bit her hands loosened their grip as she continued to breathe heavily. ¡°T-that was amazing.¡± She lifted her hand up, trying her best to keep the thick dark blue liquid from washing off. ¡°Is this¡­ you''re cum?¡± Pitch used two of his tendrils to shrug as he pulled the last one out of her and floated out of the tub. Kathryn also got out of the tub, making sure to keep the liquid in her hand. ¡°I''m going to put this in a container so I can run tests on it later.¡± Pitch floated to the bedroom and waited. Kathryn eventually entered and crawled into bed in her underwear. Pitch slid under the covers next to her as she drifted off to sleep and snuggled up to her and held her in his tendrils as she slept.

 Chapter Thirty Six: Phantom Distress Call

    Pitch watched as Kathryn woke up, nestled in his tendrils in a big hug. She stirred to face him and smiled before passing a hand there where his face would be if he was human. She then missed at the air where his body was before slowly getting up. ¡°Last night was¡­ amazing. I can''t believe we''ve finally done it. It feels surreal, like this is all a dream. I just wish we could sit here and cuddle a bit longer but I have work to do.¡± Kathryn walked to a dresser and grabbed underwear, smocks, and then grabbed a lab coat from the closet. ¡°I have a sample to run and still need to figure out how to help Kasa. If I can figure out how to restore more of her humanity, then maybe I can also stabilize you so you''re not killing yourself on the inside.¡±


    Kathryn walked back over and gave Pitch another air kiss before making her way out the room. ¡°I''ll be in the garage if you need anything though.¡± Pitch floated his way out of the bed. ¡°Good luck Kat.¡± He waved at her as she shut the door on her way out with a wave. Feeling somewhat down, Pitch floated to the living room. There was a knock on the door just minutes after he started trying to settle in and watch some TV. He quickly put on his human mask before going to the door and opening it.


    On the other end is Ishwada and Anderson. Pitch sighed as he saw the two both geared up. Ishwada being the one to address Pitch. ¡°I''ve been given a specialty request to go to Miami Florida. The request, oddly enough, was issued for you. Apparently Black Eagle wants your special skills on the case. Not sure what skills exactly since as far as HQ knows you''re just a human with an empathy anomaly who''s great with electronics and knows his way around a mop.¡± Pitch nods. ¡°I''ll let Kathryn know I''m heading out.¡±


    Pitch entered the garage to see Kathryn hard at work running samples as she pet Kasa who laid down beside her. ¡°Hey babe, Ishwada got a call for a case in another district that requested for me specifically. So I guess I''m flying to Miami Florida.¡± Kathryn stopped what she was doing and looked up at him. ¡°No without me you''re not. Come on Kasa, we''re going to Miami.¡± She packs a few things and walks to the door. ¡°I can check the results when I get back. The machine is doing all the work at this point anyway.¡±


    The three go to the front with Pitch addressing Ishwada. ¡°Well Jiryu, I hope they gave us a private plane because apparently the entire family is going.¡± Ishwada chuckled. ¡°I figured as much so I arranged special temporary living arrangements to keep Kasa out of sight.¡± Everyone packed into Ishwada''s Humvee and made the trip to the local airport where they then loaded into the small jet to take the trip to Florida. Once they landed Ishwada drove them to a camper set in the grass to the side of the landing strip covered by trees. ¡°The case is at the airport itself so this''ll have to do.¡±


    Kathryn opened it and led Kasa in. After setting some food aside for her she shut the door Leaving Kasa by herself inside as they remained outside. ¡°You stay here, I''ll be back.¡± She said as she closed the door. Pitch looked to Ishwada. ¡°So the case is at the airport? What exactly are we dealing with? Is broad daylight and this area isn''t exactly remote outside of the airport area itself.¡± Ishwada shrugged. ¡°They just told me to report to air traffic control with you in tow. No other details.¡± Pitch sighed. ¡°I''d guess something that flies fast. But that alone would not require special assistance.¡±


    The four made their way to the air traffic control tower and after showing I.D. were let inside. The person in charge greeted the group enthusiastically. ¡°Finally! We''ve been putting in a request for days before anyone even agreed to send someone. I called six different numbers before I was redirected to your organization. Though¡­ I was under the impression there were just going to be two. Don''t get me wrong, I''m glad I got more, but I was told I was getting a specialist and a handler.¡±


    Ishwada walked over and shook the man''s hand. ¡°Ishwada, former General of the U.S Army and Commander of the Wisconsin division of Black Eagle PMC. Dealing with the strange and unusual stuff the government doesn''t touch. This here is Lieutenant Anderson, a trusted member under my command. This is James Holden, Civilian consultant. Our specialist for this case. This is Kathryn Smith. She''s a genetics specialist and James¡¯ girlfriend. She''s mostly here to support James.¡±


    The man continued shaking Ishwada''s hand. ¡°Ah, I see. Well the more the merrier.¡± Pitch grumbled. ¡°Let''s get straight to brass tax. What exactly are we dealing with here?¡± The air traffic control chief snapped into a focus. ¡°Oh, right, of course. Right this way.¡± He then walked up to the radio. ¡°So uhh¡­ it''s hard to put into words since it''s not happening now but around midnight every night for about five minutes we get this interference in the radio. This has been going on for¡­ three months or so now I think. Since it''s just a few minutes during a low traffic time we ignored it. But some of the guys handling the radio started making complaints.¡±


    Pitch put his hand on his chin. ¡°Elaborate.¡± The chief continued. ¡°Hearing patterns in the static, hearing phantom voices on the other end, one of our regulars requested switching shifts because he started having nightmares and was convinced it was tied to whatever is going on with the radio. I tried to get a recording of the static one night but the recorder is also on the fritz whenever this happens. All the lights start flickering, and it''s spooking everyone in the tower. We were desperate and weren''t sure who to even call. Eventually I got a number for Black Eagle and explained everything.¡±


    Pitch looked at the radio. ¡°Looks like we''ll have to wait till midnight and see what''s going on ourselves. What''s the range on these radios?¡± The chief responded quickly. ¡°They''re not exactly long range, a few miles or so. The frequency isn''t exactly public but it''s not private either. However, I don''t think it''s a prank because of the electrical issues. If it is, then hats off to the amount of effort put into it.¡± Pitch nodded. ¡°We''ll be back in about ten minutes to midnight to observe this. I''m guessing you can''t track radio signals.¡± The man shook his head. With that handshakes were exchanged and everyone returned to the camper to wait.


    After sitting around and keeping busy by playing Gin Rummy and chatting for several hours the group of four returned to the tower with a different chief in charge of the third shift. She introduced herself to the four and seemed happy to see someone was finally going to fix the problem. Pitch stood right by the radio and watched the clock while he readied his phone to record what was going on. ¡°We tried that, you know.¡± The female chief told him. ¡°For some reason all electronics go wonky whenever the signal comes in.¡± Pitch sighs before putting away his phone. ¡°I should have figured as much.¡±


    The clock struck midnight and the lights started to flicker lightly as the radio chirped with static. Pitch listened carefully as the static came in and out, trying to get a better signal. ¡°Do you hear that?¡± Pitch asked while looking at Ishwada. Ishwada listened for a bit. ¡°Morse Code? It almost sounds like an old school S.O.S made of static.¡± The static then became more frantic. Pitch frowned. ¡°That''s definitely not Morse Code. I''m guessing all they know of that is S.O.S. Four, one, eighteen, eleven. Four, one, eighteen, eleven. Same pattern a third time. Six, five, one, eighteen. Now that''s repeating two more times. Four, five, one, twenty, eight. Repeating two more times.¡±


    There was then a long static, Pitch listened closely as he tried to get a better signal. Suddenly, Pitch heard a faint voice, almost like a whisper, barely coming through the static. ¡°Help us. Monsters everywhere. Trapped. Lost. No way out.¡± Pitch tilted his head as the signal started to cut off and the static. Pitch hit the button on the radio. ¡°Hello, respond.¡± ¡°Come in, over.¡± There was light static as Pitch looked at the clock. It struck five minutes after midnight and the lights returned to normal.¡± Pitch put the radio back before sitting down with an exasperated sigh.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Ishwada rubbed his eyes. ¡°So did you learn anything?¡± Pitch groaned. ¡°The first part, the person knew S.O.S but not any other Morse Code. Imagine you know about the code but nothing more. Trying to recreate something similar the easiest solution is to press the button really fast relative to alphabetical placement. Dark, fear, death. That''s what they sent after the S.O.S. Based on what little I heard when I managed to get a voice to come through I think I know where the call is coming from.¡±


    The chief looked relieved. ¡°So you can put a stop to this?¡± Pitch pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°I honestly don''t know. The S.O.S call is coming from that radio.¡± He points at the one he just held. ¡°It''s coming from this tower.¡± Ishwada, Anderson, and Kathryn all went slightly pale. Ishwada grabbed a bottle of water, wet his hand, and splashed his face with it before handing it to Pitch who drank from the bottle. ¡°So the S.O.S is coming from¡­¡± Pitch nodded as he finished off the holy water. ¡°Yeah, and I''m not sure what we can even do about it.¡±


    The air control chief looked confused, but shrugged and did her best to get back to work. Kathryn pulled out a tablet and started going through it. ¡°There has to be something, right?¡± Pitch shrugged. ¡°I''ve gone between a couple times but never intentionally. I''ve even towed things with me once. So if I knew how to trigger that I could just pop in and out grabbing the people. I don''t even know if it was me causing the transportation between locations.¡±


    Kathryn brought the tablet over to Pitch. ¡°What about this?¡± Pitch grabbed the tablet and looked at it. Moving it closer and farther away from his face a few times. ¡°Franklin Finkton? Wasn''t he a nut job?¡± Kathryn nodded. ¡°They definitely thought so at the time, but the thing he went to prove is exactly what we''re dealing with. Besides, we both know the rules are different for these things. So maybe his device to visit the feywild and prove it was a real place actually works. I mean Black Eagle has a file on him so I''m not the first to suggest that his work could be valid.¡±


    Pitch pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Okay, but where in the hell would we get enough old fashioned mirrors? Modern ones wouldn''t work for this. We''d need at least one mirror that was nearly a hundred years old back when they still used actual silver and even sometimes mercury.¡± Anderson looked around the room. ¡°I uhh¡­ I have one at home. It was an heirloom from my grandma. I could have it transported. However, I''m not doing that if whatever you do with it results in damage.¡±


    Pitch looked at Anderson with his hand still on the bridge of his nose. ¡°I can''t promise that, but I''ll try my best. I''m just glad the regs finally gave us enough space to talk. Make the calls, get stuff moved. It''ll probably take me a while to set everything up once we have everything. I can''t believe I''m about to try and recreate the Finkton gate and hope it works. This feels silly.¡± Pitch then looked to the air traffic control lady and talked loud enough for her to hear. ¡°We''re going to need a few things brought over, but hopefully we can fix this.¡±


    The four returned to the camper since there was little they could do till the things they needed were brought over. Kathryn spent time petting and interacting with Kasa as the guys minus Pitch took naps. Pitch simply stood and waited in silence as night eventually gave way to morning and the group got up to grab the things that got brought over. The group needed someplace they could isolate and secure that was as close to the tower as possible. The building had a storage area for bags that went unclaimed so they cleared out an area in what was basically a mini warehouse attached to the airport building. Pitch, Kathryn, and Anderson all got to work setting up while Ishwada remained in the tower.


    The mirror was placed upright with wires and a number of devices being hooked up to it. Pitch carefully set everything up and eventually got up and wiped off his forehead even though he wasn''t sweating. ¡°This should be about right. Now we just need to find the right combination of light and electricity to get the thing to work. Unfortunately, it seems Black Eagle either didn''t get all his notes or lost some or he never got it to work because I saw a bunch of tried attempts but marked no success.¡±


    Kathryn sighed. ¡°Well at least we know a number of combinations not to try. You''ll just have to fiddle with it till you get it right.¡± Pitch sighed as he activated the hodgepodge contraption. The generator they got whering to life as electricity was run through the mirror and light was shined on it. Anderson cringed as everything was turned on. ¡°Please don''t break the mirror. It''s worth a lot of money and has sentimental value.¡± Anderson¡¯s radio then chirped with Ishwada talking on the other end. ¡°Anderson, we''ve got a bit of a development. Over.¡±


    Anderson picked up his radio. ¡°What do you mean? There''s no active Cryptid, this is a rescue mission with zero dangers on our end. What kind of development could there possibly be outside of stuff the¡­ was was the term Pitch used? Regs. Yeah, why can''t the regs deal with it? Over.¡± The radio chirped once again. ¡°We''ve got Black Scripture, and they''ve brought in tanks. They''re literally right outside the airport and they radioed in using a civilian frequency. They''re demanding we bring them the demon. But as you said there''s no Cryptid in this case on our end so I don''t know what they are on about.¡±


    Pitch sighed as he turned off the makeshift device. ¡°Unless they''re here for me and someone ratted me out to them. Everyone in our division knows I''m a Cryptid and I''m surprised no one contacted HQ about it. I guess they turned to Black Scripture instead.¡± Anderson got a bit animated and raised his voice slightly. ¡°Yeah, but no one knows exactly what you are.¡± Pitch let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°Yeah, but you and I both know there are members of Black Scripture that don''t agree with the non-human citizen protection agreement.¡±


    Pitch starts making his way out of the storage area with Kathryn grabbing his shoulder and stopping him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Pitch looked at her and smiled. ¡°I''m going to try and reason with them. After all, their go to weapon of holy water doesn''t hurt me.¡± He gently placed his hand on Kathryn''s. ¡°I''ve got this.¡± She lets go and nods. ¡°I''m going with you.¡± Anderson groaned. ¡°Yeah, I might as well come too. It''s not like I''ll get this thing working on my own.¡±


    The three went out to the road to see it had been cleared out of cars but a crowd had gathered. The Black Scripture had three armored vehicles. One was one of those riot APCs with the water cannon on them. Likely loaded up with holy water. The second looked like a proper tank but the barrel was rectangular and was glowing blue. Likely a larger version of an electric pulse cannon similar to the Gauss. The third was a small armored vehicle with what looked like two large Gatling guns on the turret that was obviously made to be able to be aimed up.


    Pitch sighed. ¡°You want to hit me with that oversized squirt gun, go right ahead.¡± The door on the passenger side of the APC opened and sister Jeanette. ¡°I should have known, I should have known you were one of them with your disrespectful and heretical behavior. Your presence is an affront to the Lord.¡± Pitch raised his voice. ¡°Then do something about it and hit me with that big ass water cannon! I''ll prove I''m not the evil you think I am.¡± He spread his arms out wide. Waiting for the Black Scripture to attack.


    Jeanette gave the order and the water cannon was fired, pressurized water hit Pitch and slammed him into a wall were he was stuck and unable to really move without turning into his true form. Instead he simply sat there and waited for the water to stop. Eventually the cannon shut off and Pitch got back up and walked right to where he was standing. ¡°See? I''m not a demon. Holy water doesn''t hurt me, in fact I drink it to help calm me down.¡± Jeanette¡¯s face turned red with anger as she activated a radio. ¡°Fire the Galven. Kill this fool.¡±


    The radio chirped with the person on the other end objecting to his order. ¡°But mam, the water had no effect. Doesn''t that mean-¡± Jeanette interrupted him. ¡°I gave you a direct order, fire the cannon.¡± The electric pulse cannon on the second tank quickly charged as the APC moved out of the way. Pitch stood there with his arms out wide and a big smile. ¡°Go right ahead.¡± In the hopes they would stand down assuming the weapon would have no effect. Instead Jeanette rushed over to the tank ¡°Fine, if you want to play it that way I''ll play along.¡± and hopped in. The cannon turned slightly and instead aimed at Kathryn.


    The cannon fired and Pitch''s eyes widened. He moved with an inhuman quickness to be between the shot and Kathryn making sure it hit him instead. The shit was absorbed into Pitch''s body as small purple arcs of electricity came off him and he fell to his knees holding his chest. He slowly looked over to Kathryn who was about to run at him but he held his hand out and shook it indicating that she should keep her distance. His body looked to be dissolving in a purple energy. Both the mask and his real self looked to be burning away. Pitch looked down and saw he was vanishing. He looked up and spoke one last sentence before his face disappeared as well. ¡°I love you.¡± With a hand outstretched and a single tear in his eye before what was left of him vanished.


    Kathryn fell to her knees and cried as Jeanette laughed wickedly, proud of her accomplishment. Ishwada and Anderson both pointed guns at her and declared that she and her accomplices were under arrest for murder. Several Black Scripture members abandoned the vehicles and ran hoping to escape with Jeanette getting the weapon ready for a second shot but Anderson quickly sent EMP bombs under the vehicles to disable them. In the end, with the help of stun rounds from their Watt Pistols, Ishwada and Anderson managed to detain Jeanette and five others. Kathryn simply continued sobbing loudly as she hit the floor with her fists and cursed.