Kayleigh started digging through the closet next to the front door, pulling back with an ‘Aha!’ She brandished an old and worn cricket bat.
Cass tilted his head. “You uh, seem pretty excited there.”
Kayleigh shrugged. “We were forced to go on vacation after we dealt with Helia. It’s been a while since we got into a scrap. I kinda miss it in a weird way.” She rested the bat over her shoulder as both her and Cass walked outside.
“Yeah, I know what you mean but… these are people people. Not transformed or anything. It’s… quite a different experience.” Cass shook his head trying to push away the memories he buried deep as threatened to resurface. He tried his best to focus on walking forward.
Kayleigh raised an eyebrow. “I feel like that statement is something we need to unpack later. But nah, I used to get in a lot of fights growing up. It’s funny really. Thabks to me my dad’s two most spoken phrases were ‘I’m sorry about my daughter’ and ‘Kayleigh you were so cool but you can’t punch first and talk later.'” She had the most mischievous grin Cass had ever seen.
“Right… I just can’t believe you were such a hellion growing up. You couldn’t tell it by look at you now.” Cass chuckled as he cracked his knuckles.
Kayleigh bowed. “Despite the odds I’ve grown into a fine, young gentlewoman.”
The duo arrived at the entrance of the Hawthorn Hideout. They looked across the street at ‘The Final Page’, but no lights were on and there was no sight of Mrs. Moore.
Kayleigh grasped the handle of her bat with both hands, taking a deep breath. “Alright Cass. It’s been a while so let’s take it careful and one step at a time, alright?”
Cass nodded, placing a hand against the door. “Surely it’ll be like riding a bike, right?”
Kayleigh gave him a serious look. “Don’t call me Shirley.” She immediately started chuckling.
Cass rolled his eyes. “Har har, I’m opening the door now.” Cass threw the doors open, both him and Kayleigh jumping forward in combat ready stances. Cass scanned the area but no one was around. Not letting their guards down, both walked forward slowly.
“This doesn’t feel right.” Kayleigh whispered as she tightened her grip on the bat. “I already figured we were walking into a trap but you’d think they would have sprung it already.”
Cass made sure to follow pace with Kayleigh, his fists up and ready to strike at any moment. As they walked forward, Cass heard something thumping deeper inside the building. “What’s that?”
Kayleigh took a single step forward, trying to find the sound Cass was talking about. She looked at him and confusion. “It sounds like it’s coming from the rink proper. I was already not too fond of this Cass but now doubly so.” She took a deep breath. “This is for Barkley.”
Cass nodded in agreement. Both of them carefully approached the double doors that lead to the rink. Kayleigh took one last look around them before Cass got in position to open the door. Silently, he counted to three before bursting through. This time instead of being greeted by darkness, Cass saw bonfires organized in a circle around the center of the rink. Loud music was playing through speakers placed around the ground. Scanning around he saw Barkley in a cage near the center of the rink in front of something that resembled a throne. It was built up on a pile of jerseys, helmets, elbow and kneepads, and roller skates. Cass peered upwards and saw someone sitting on top of the throne. The person had long, messy and curly red hair, and piercing green eyes. They wore an oversized brown fur coat. They had an expression that was a mix of insanity and unbridled rage. Strangest of all was the symbol in the middle of their forehead. It was like she had a blood red triangle embedded into it.
The person stood up, clapping with a maniacal look on their face “Well, well stars above look-“
Kayleigh interrupted her. “Yes. I’m alive. I know I’ve been gone a while. It was cute when Moira, Sean and Mrs. Moore did it but I don’t need the whole spiel a fourth time, especially not from you, Cara.” Kayleigh pointed her bat at Cara, her face sporting a frown. “Let go of Barkley. I won’t ask again.”
Cara cackled again. “Someone’s impatient. But where are my manners! It seems we have someone new in town.” She looked over at Cass. “I’m Cara Hawthorn, the glorious leader of the prestigious Hawthorn Group! We’re rebranding from ‘Gang’, makes us more profitable looking for the future. Pleasure is yours. And you are?”
Cass’s brow furrowed. “I’m Cass. Please release my dog.” He still stood with his guard up.
Cara put on a look a feigned shock. “My goodness Kayleigh you sure found quite the man. Strong looking and of few words. Of course we’d be more than willing to return the pup, as long as tribute is paid.” She rubbed her fingers together as if she were holding paper money.
Kayleigh kept her sights on Cara. “Lady, you know I’ve been gone for a long time and I have no money. What would you even accept as tribute anyways? You ransacked my house and stole my TV for goodness sake.” Kayleigh gripped the bat so fiercely her knuckles began to turn white.
Cara shrugged. “All you had to do was bring anything of value really. Be it monetarily or emotional.” He looked at Cass again. “Perhaps we could exhange him for the dog?”
Kayleigh snarled. “Not a chance in hell. I’ll give you one last chance to let the dog go and I’ll even be kind enough to let you skip town mostly unscathed.”
Cara shook her head. “And what makes you think you could ever possibly stand up to me?” Cara snapped her fingers. A group of 14 people emerged from the shadows wearing helmets, pads on their knees and elbows, jerseys with the logo that said “Hawthorn Hotrods”
Kayleigh stared in disbelief. “You turned your roller derby team… into a gang? And your outfit is just your uniform? Cara, are you insane or just creatively bankrupt?”
Cara’s expression turned sour. “And what of it, Kayleigh? I took this sport seriously and you just… you didn’t respect it! You treated it like a game! My team’s reputation went into the gutter just because we couldn’t beat a group of casual little—” Cara huffed, brushing her hair out of her face. “Doesn’t matter. What matters is today I finally get my revenge.” Cara’s gang lunged forward.
As one of them tried to jump on Kayleigh, she swung her bat as hard as she could, hitting her assailant across the head with a loud crack. The attacker was sent flying back into one of the unlit bonfires. “Good thing they were wearing a helmet. Cass watch out to your right!”
Cass turned quickly, spotting another person rolling towards him. They swung twice at him, Cass narrowly dodging both attacks. As they were readying another attack, Cass threw an uppercut, connecting with their chin. The attacker fell backwards onto the floor, yowling in pain, mouth bleeding. Cass winced. He hated this. He hated hurting people. He hated fighting. But this was for Barkely and for the safety of Kayleigh’s hometown. The remaining 12 of the Hawthorn Hotrods stopped their approached, looking at each other with fear. Cara snapped at them. “What are you doing? Who told you that you could stop? Keep going, or else. And don’t do that stupid one at a time thing, jump them!” Her threatening tone spurred the team back into action.
The group split evenly. Kayleigh swung her bat upwards, catching someone on the chin as she dove under a nearby table. Her attackers approached as she flipped the table over and kicked it towards them, knocking over two people. The other four swarmed around her, with no escape in sight.
As Cass was about to follow the group attacking Kayleigh, he was caught on either side, his arms being pulled in separate directions. Cass winced in pain, looking at one of the aggressors in the eyes. “Listen… she’s just a bully, you dont have to follow her orders.” Cass grimaced as the pain worsened.
As Cass looked closer, they looked like a younger girl, her eyes were full of fear and panic. “You don’t understand she… she’s capable of horrible things, she….” the girl shook her head as she reached forward and punched Cass square in the face.
Cass reeled, feeling his nose bleed. It seems there was no reasoning with these people. Cass took a deep breath and grabbed the wrists of both people holding him. He pulled them suddenly, making them slam against into other. They fell to the floor, letting go of Cass. He wiped his nose, shaking his hands before taking up a fighting stance. Two more team members circled around him, waiting for an opening.
Cass stole a glance towards Kayleigh. Her jacket was cut up and her mouth was bleeding but she was still up. She managed to knock out four people. Her back was against the wall, the cricket bat split in two. Deciding to take the risk, Cass charged forward, tackling through of the girls circling around him, launching her towards Cara. As Cara and her underling crashed, Cass grabbed one of the people jumping at Kayleigh, turning them around and punching them in the face. They crumbled onto the ground immediately. “KAYLEIGH!”
Cass couldn’t reach the other person in time. Kayleigh held her bat up to block one punch but the attacker connected with another to the gut. Kayleigh had the wind knocked out of her, coughing and sputtering. The girl pushed Kayleigh onto the ground, straddling her and launching a barrage of punches.
Anger clouded Cass’s vision. As he was about to charge forward again, he was tackled by two of the Hawthorns. He did not stumble though. He kept walking forward out of sheer anger and determination. He felt more and more weight on top of him as more of the team members piled on top of him. Cass let out a roar, tossing the people on his back off of him and onto the floor. He blindly attacked the pile beneath him, throwing wild punch after punch. He didn’t stop until he heard someone say ‘it hurts, stop’ Cass felt tears streaming down his face. What had he done? These girls were innocent, they were threatened by Cara, forced to do her bidding. He looked over to where Kayleigh was. She stood over the unconscious body of her attacker. She wiped her nose and gave Cass a thumbs up.
Cass then turned to look at Cara, eyes full of hate. As he walked towards her, he carefully took his jacket off, placing it gently on top of Barkely’s cage. He whimpered, his fur matted and caked in mud and gunk. Cass reached his hand in, petting Barkely. “It’s okay, boy. It’ll be over soon.”
Cara clicked her tongue. “I swear you can’t find good help anywhere anymore.” She threw her own coat off. She wore the same uniform as the other Hawthorns, except her jersey had gold accents. Cara jumped at Cass, swiping at him with an open hand. Cass barely managed to step back, however Cara’s attack still connected. He felt blood dripping from his cheek. Cass looked over and saw that Cara had beastial claws that looked like spikes of ice at the ends of her fingers.
Cass took a step back in surprise. His first reaction was to transform, but he stopped himself. He couldn’t bring himself to attack a regular person in his beast form. He raised his fists, ready to keep fighting. Kayleigh stood beside him. They nodded at each other and charged at Cara.
Cass ducked under Cara’s next strike, tackling and pushing her into the throne. He cocked his arm back ready to uppercut her. Cara instinctively pushed her hands down in an attempt to intercept, but it was a feint. Cass ducked to the side as Kayleigh came down and smacked Cara on the top of her head. Cara clutched her head in her hands, rolling away from them. Cass stomped at her, barely missing his mark. Blood was streaming down Cara’s face from the wound on her head.
Cara snarled, wiping the blood away. “Now, now. Two against one isn’t very fair.”
Kayliegh scoffed. “Oh shut it you.” She swung with her bat again, but Cara managed to catch the attack mid swing. Cara thrusted her free hand forward, aiming for Kayeigh’s stomach. As she did, Barkley slammed against his cage, moving it enough to knock Cara off balance. Kayleigh took the opening, kicking Cara as she fell onto the floor.
Cara scrambled back up to her feet, poised to strike again. Cara, however, lost track of Cass. she realized this too late when a pair of arms wrapped around her waist, lifting her up and slammed her into the ground. Cara groaned as Cass dusted off his hands.
Kayliegh smiled at Cass. “Seems like that takes care of that. I’d say we didn’t do too bad despite being rusty, huh?” As she stretched, the sounds of bones popping and clicking filled the building. “Ow. Okay. Stretching before exercise is important, right.”
Cass chuckled lightly as he approached Barkley’s cage. He tried fiddling with the lock but had no luck. “Maybe the derby dork has a key on her.”
Kayleigh responded with an offended scoff, obviously faked. “How dare you, I was a derby dork once I’ll have you— CASS WATCH OUT!” Kayleigh pushed Cass out of the way. Whatever attacked Cass left deep gashes on Kayleigh’s chest and stomach. Looming over her was a large mass of white fur. The figure turned towards Cass, letting out a blood curdling roar. Long, pointed and icy fangs protruded from its black maw. Its nose was in the shape of a toe stop. On its arms were eyelets threaded with red laces, all the way down to its paws. Attached to its paws were the same claws that Cara had. The same symbol of a red stained glass triangle was on its forehead.
Cass immediately pulled out his cassette player and pressed the play button, ready to transform. But nothing happened. He clicked the play button again. Nothing. He clicked repeatedly. Nothing was happening. “Damn it.” He put the player back onto its holster. It didn’t matter right now. The only thing that matters is getting that monster away from Kayleigh. Cass threw himself against the beast, barely managing to knock it off balance. Kayleigh was struggling to breathe. Cass punched the beast in the snout, sending it reeling. He knelt down in front of Kayleigh, panicking. “No… no no no no Kay? Kay stay with me, please.” Cass tried applying pressure to her wounds.
Kayleigh slowly opened her eyes and looked up Cass. “Ah, hell. I’m sorry love, it’s not as bad as it looks, promise.” Kayleigh coughed as she stood. She took her jacket off, her t shirt ripped and stained with blood. “Hey look, we match now.” She pointed at her scratch marks and the one on Cass’s cheek.
Cass let out a sigh of relief. She has to be okay if she’s still joking around like this. “Kayleigh, there’s no doubt that thing is a cassette beast. We need to figure out a way to deal with it before it gets back up. I tried transforming but it didn’t work.”
Kayleigh looked at Cass in shock. She pulled out her own cassette player and hit the play button. Nothing, again. “How are we supposed to deal with this, we barely managed normal human people, Cass I’m–“
Kayleigh was interrupted by the sound of chuckling emanating from the bear. It turned around slowly. “What’s wrong, Rangers? Can’t use your cute little gimmick all of a sudden?”
Kayleigh and Cass stood there in shock. That voice was painfully familiar. “Aleph.” both said in unison.
“In the flesh! Or rather, the fur. I’ve gotta say, you humans are astounding.” The beast swung its limbs around as if admiring the ability to move.
Kayleigh took a step back. “This is impossible. You shouldn’t have reformed yet. Ms. Amber–“
“Yeah she wasn’t wrong, but she wasn’t entirely right either! You see, you humans are incredible! All it took was a simple trick.” Aleph chuckled.
“And what trick is that?” Cass’s mind went into overdrive as he tried to distract Aleph, trying to find something they could do.
Aleph clicked his tongue which sounded very weird coming from the mouth of a bear. “Oh, you! I wouldn’t reveal that so freely! Anyways, I won’t make the same mistake twice. It’s over for you two.” Aleph roared, pouncing on top of Cass. Cass lifted his arms up in an attempt to protect himself to no avail. Aleph began brutally mauling Cass.
Aleph suddenly let out a pained groan as he stopped his attack, rolling away from Cass. Kayleigh was standing over him, panting. She stabbed Aleph in the back with her broken bat. She pulled Cass from out under Alpeh before falling over next to him.
“Cass. I’m scared. I don’t know what to do. Should we run? What if we can’t outrun him though… What if he still has his Archangel powers?” Kayleigh was visibly shaking.
Cass grabbed her hand and squeezed. His arms were covered in claw marks. Cass felt so much pain he was lightheaded. What could he possibly do? If only… it was like a lightbulb lit up in his head. The locket. He reached for the lanyard around his neck.. except it wasn’t there. Cass remembered he left it in one of his jacket’s pockets. Maybe… just maybe if they could contact Ms. Amber, or hell, even Morgante somehow…. maybe they could get out of this. “Kayleigh. I have an absolutely insane idea. I’m going to distract Aleph and I need you to go grab my jacket. There’s a locket in one of the pockets. Ms. Amber gave it to me. If you can grab it and open it maybe it can contact her and we’ll have the smallest chance to escape. Before you even think about asking, I swear to explain later why she gave it to me.”
Kayleigh looked confused but she still nodded her head. “Promise you’ll run if it gets too dangerous, okay?”
“I promise and I swear it.” The couple nodded at each other before getting up and running to their respective targets.
“Hey Aleph. Are you even trying? I’m still standing.” Cass forced a chuckle. His vision was blurring. But he was determined to hold out.
Aleph stood up, snarling. “Oh you little so and so. Feeling cocky and confident, huh? There’s nothing you can do. Your tapes are locked. I made sure of that personally. The cassette players may be mere talismans but the beasts on the tapes themselves are not.” Aleph stood on his hind legs, chuckling. “I’ve had enough. No more villain monolog.” Cass readied himself as Aleph prepared to charge at him. Except Aleph turned around and lunged at Kayleigh.
“NO!” Cass ran as fast as he could. But he wasn’t fast enough. Aleph struck down Kayleigh as she was searching the jacket. Cass felt his heart shatter into a thousand pieces. He had to do something. He had to save her. He couldn’t let Kayleigh die. Not here not now. Cass jumped onto Aleph’s back, grabbing the handle of Kayleigh’s bat. With a loud scream, he pushed the bat in deeper and twisted, making Aleph flail around in pain.
“WHY YOU LITTLE SPECK OF WORTHLESS DUST WHEN WILL YOU LEARN TO GIVE UP.” Aleph managed to grab Cass off of his back, throwing him into one of the walls of the rink, ripping the bat out of Aleph.
As he hit the wall, Cass couldn’t breathe anymore. His lungs felt like they were filling with liquid. He coughed into his down and look down. Blood soaked his hand. He bit his lip, trying to force himself up through the pain. Cass grabbed his cassette player and pressed the play button again out of desperation. Nothing still. Frustration and desperation coursed through his body. He looked over at Kayleigh. She was still alive, but battered. She sat in front of Barkely’s cage, trying to shield him from Aleph. She turned her gaze towards Cass. Their eyes met. Despite not being fused, they could still feel each other’s emotions. There was fear, panic, a touch of despair. But despite it all, hope yet remained.
“After all, why wouldn’t the champions of rebellion still cling onto hope in defiance of despair?” A familiar voice sounded within Cass and Kayleigh’s mind. Both of their eyes widened. It was Ms. Amber. “Just as hope reflects itself in many different ways, you must do the same. Show him the alternate reflection of your souls, sugar.”
As she concluded her sentence, the words rang through Kayleigh and Cass’s heads. They understood what needed to be done. Kayleigh kicked out one of Aleph’s legs, making him stumble momentarily. Both her and Cass popped the tapes out of their players and flipped them to their B-Sides. Adrenaline coursed through their veins as they both pressed the play button.
Cass closed his eyes. He prayed. He didnt know who or what he was praying to, but he prayed all the same. It felt like time was moving in slow motion. As he released the button, the familiar and comforting sound of static filled his ears. Cass felt his body morphing and contorting into a different shape. He felt broken bat he held in his hand transforming with him. This transforming felt different, yet similar. He knew he wasn’t transforming into Xayamesh. But it still felt like him.
The name of the beast came to him as a gentle whisper. Bladeling
The new form Cass took was clad in black and brown leather armor, his head was the shape of a kettle helmet. In his right hand he brandished a wooden sword. His skin was made up of chain mail under the leather.
Cass opened his eyes with renewed conviction and determination. He looked over and saw that Kayleigh had also transformed. Her new form had long green hair that looked like hornwort, her skin a deep cerulean color. Her face was shaped like a seal. Across her body she had what looked like four thick cords.
The name came in the same gentle whisper as before. Selkbeat.
Aleph regained his footing as he looked looked at Kayleigh in contempt. “Oh COME ON. I swear you guys su-” before he could finish his sentence, Kayleigh struck the cords on her body, letting out a sound blast that sent Aleph backwards. Cass took this opportunity to lunge at Aleph, slicing at his pelt with the sword. Cass left a light gash, but it wasn’t. Cass stepped back to reposition, holding his sword in an ox guard stance.
Aleph huffed. It seemed he had nothing left to say. He let loose swipe after swipe, each being deflected by Cass’s sword. Aleph lowered himself to the ground before launching his head upwards, breaking Cass’s guard. He then raked his claws across Cass’s chest, ripping his leather armor. However, one of Aleph’s claws got caught on one of the chain link rings on Cass’s body. Alpeh flailed his arm around, trying to shake loose as Cass clung onto the arm, gripping his sword hilt as tight as he could.
Kayleigh sent multiple sound blasts into Aleph’s back, slowly ripping through the fur on his body. Aleph roared in pain, still flailing uncontrollably.
“Destroy the shard.” Ms. Amber’s voice sounded in Kayleigh and Cass’s head once more. They locked eyes and nodded. Kayleigh slid on the ground using her stomach, slamming into Aleph with the entire weight of her body. As Aleph fell, Cass brought down the pommel of his blade into the center of Aleph’s forehead, shattering the glass triangle.
“NO!” Aleph yelled in frustration. As the glass crumbled, a red mist escaped the wound.
Slowly, the beast’s form shrunk. As the transformation ended, what laid crumbled on the ground was Cara. Her eyes fluttered open as she looked around in confusion. “Where am I….? Is this the skating rink?” she looked up at Cass. “Who are you?” Cara began hyperventilating. “Where’s my dad? I’m scared.”
Cass felt as confused as Cara looked. Both Cass and Kayleigh undid their transformation, kneeling down in front of Cara.
“Cara? Are you… still evil?” Kayleigh said, wary of how Cara would react.
Cara, still scared, looked at Kayleigh. “Kay…leigh? You’re alive? Oh my god you’re alive!” Cara began crying as she threw her arms around Kayleigh.
Kayleigh very awkwardly patted Cara on the back. “So I take it you don’t remember that you tried to kill us?”
Cara gave Kayleigh a mortified look. “I did WHAT?” Kayleigh and Cass met gazes and shrugged.
“It’s a long story. For now we should-” Cass was interrupted by the sound of glass clinking against itself. Leftover shards of the triangle coalesced back into its original shape, mist oozing from it.
“That’s it! I had it! Here I was, just trying to reform and you painful thorns in my side decided to mess it all up. FINE! I’ll take my leave, but not without leaving a present.” Aleph’s voice came from the shard of glass. The mist slowly enveloped Cara. She screamed as her body contorted into unnatural shapes. Kayleigh and Cass clutched their heads in their hands. This pressure, this headache…. Cara was being turned into an Archangel.
Words formed in front of Kayleigh and Cass’s eyes.
AEMULUS
CONQUEST OF RIVALS
Kayleigh and Cass jumped back, transforming back into their beasts. Cara’s transformation was completed. Her body was twisted into the shape and color of a golden trophy, with her screaming face emblazoned in the center.
The duo still felt fear. But it wasn’t overwhelming anymore. They felt strength coursing through their bodies. They were ready to take on any and all threats as long as they were together.
Cass struck first, slashing at the Archangel’s handles. The hit landed, causing it to scream with Cara’s voice. Kayleigh flinched. She took a deep breath before strumming a song on her strings, granting her and Cass more strength.
The Archangel tipped forward, shooting Olympic medals at Kayleigh. Cass jumped in front of the attack, deflecting as many medals as he could. The few he missed grazed his face. He stabbed forward with his sword, landing a blow on the base of the Archangel’s body. Another scream. The wound leaked what seemed to be molten gold. Aemulus swung its body around, splashing the molten metal onto Cass. The liquid started to chew away at his sword. Cass threw the blade away, raising his fists. Kayleigh slid around on the floor, repositioning to shoot sound blasts.
As the blasts hit their targets, the Archangel began vibrating. It lunged forward, scooping up Kayleigh. She screamed in pain as Aemulus accumulated the vibrations and let it loose inside of its cup. It tossed its body around once more, splashing the ground with molten gold and ejected Kayleigh. Cass dove to catch her, both of them on the ground.
“What’s the plan, Kay?” Cass’s breathing was ragged and tired. “Do we cut and run?” He looked Kayleigh in the eyes, a fire lighting up in his. “Or do we send a reminder to Aleph that no matter what he does, he’ll never get rid of us?”
Kayleigh smiled, standing herself up. “As if you’d have to ask, love.” She pressed her flipper against his chest. “No matter what, I’ll be beside you to the very end!”
Cass grasped her hand as they pressed their foreheads together. Cass and Kayleigh’s heart acted as one. They were enveloped in the sound of static. Their bodies melded together.
The beast they became had long green hair, clad in leather armor and a chainmail body, the head was the shape of a seal. The sword they wielded had four strings down the middle of the blade, the hilt was a fretboard.
The beast known as Selkblade slowly walked towards Aemulus, blade resting against their shoulder. The archangel screeched, summoning two more trophies, one silver, one bronze. The three beings tipped forward, shooting medals at Selkblade. Unflinching, Selkblade held their blade like a guitar, striking a single cord that blasted all the projectiles away. In frustration, the Archangel grabbed its summons into its cup, rotating rapidly. Aemulus flipped forward, flinging the balled up molten remains of its comrades.
Selkblade brought their blade downwards, slicing the ball clean in half. In one quick motion, Selkblade jumped forward, plunging the tip of their blade into Aemulus’s body. They held onto the hilt tightly as they strummed on the cords, sending vibrations into the Archangel’s body. In one final scream, Aemulus crumbled into dust. Curled up in the center of the remains was Cara.
With the fusion undone and reverted back into their human forms, Kayleigh and Cass fell onto the ground. Cara groaned.
“Cara I swear if you transform one more time I’m going to scream.” Kayleigh stared daggers at Cara.
She continued to groan without moving. The red stained shard of glass fell onto the ground in front of Cass. He reached forward to pick it up when suddenly his hand was slapped away. “Now, sugar, didn’t your parents teach you not to play with dangerous things?” Cass looked up and saw Ms. Amber.
She smiled at Cass before whispering “Guess things worked out afterall, huh?” Cass blushed as he nodded. Ms. Amber chuckled. “C’mon, pick yourself up. We need to talk.”