The Succubae Seduction Bk. 02: The Twins Ch. 06

Once she was done, she allowed herself to see from just above the cross guard. It was the most stable place to be able to look around.

They were surrounded. She didn't recognize any of them, or what they were. Many of them were misshapen, and twisted. Their leader was a tall, dark man with what appeared to be cat ears on his head, and whiskers by his black nose. His fingers looked dangerous with their claws, but it was the twin daggers in his hands that worried Shelly.

A quick glance towards the woman holding her showed that Jessica had removed her blindfold also.

Erwin purred with excitement as he grinned at them. Shelly could tell that he was excited to fight. She didn't feel as confident in their survival.

"Erwin, put those blades away!" Brooke snapped in a tone that implied he was an idiot, without saying the words. Shelly noticed that the mermaid hadn't drawn her blades. "Think! I know what the risks are if any of you are found out. If I didn't think they could be trusted, I wouldn't have brought them." She turned to Shelly and Jessica. "And you two! I told you not to take off the blindfolds. I swear you're almost as bad as your father was when he was a teenager, Shelly."

"But—" Jessica used Shelly to point at those surrounding them.

"No buts!" Brooke shouted. Brock and even the creatures around them took a step back. Brooke might look like a small woman, but all knew what she was capable of.

Shelly let herself change back, but kept holding Jessica's hand just in case. Brooke waited until she was fully changed, before turning back to the rest of the crowd.

"Do you really think I would endanger all of you after what I went through to make this place?" Erwin looked sheepish as Brooke berated him, but he didn't put his blades away. "Erwin..." Brooke placed her hands on her own blades. With as much grace as a frightened cat has, Erwin sheathed his daggers.

"Damn it, Brooke," Erwin muttered. "I was just making sure. We can't be too careful. If you vouch for them, we can let them be." He must have found a bit of his backbone as he looked back up to meet Brooke's green eyes. "But if they tell about this place, it's on your head."

"They won't tell," Brooke promised for them.

Shelly wasn't sure what it was she wasn't supposed to tell. All she knew was that a bunch of creatures she didn't recognize were hiding—even from the nearly all-knowing Gaia—and Brooke had somehow helped build this place.

Erwin turned to Brock and held out his hand. "Welcome home, Brock. We've missed having your smiling face around for a bit."

Brock shook it and returned the aforementioned grin. "Glad to be home, Mr. Schrödinger."

* * * *

Shelly realized she was staring. It couldn't be, she thought. There's no way. He should be dead. She thought she'd heard something about the man having committed suicide, but that must have been faked, if this was really Erwin Schrödinger.

"We haven't had any trouble down here," Erwin said between bites of his fish. Shelly had a strong stomach, but she felt queasy as she watched the cat-man eat. The ground felt unsteady, but it looked solid enough. "I was sad to hear that Varun had captured you, but you understand why we couldn't come help."

"The secrecy of this place is more important than one life," Brooke agreed as though it hadn't been her life in the balance. "That's why we have our rules."

"Rules that you broke," Erwin gestured to Shelly and Jessica.

"This place is more important than one life, but not all lives," Brooke returned. "There may come a time when you have to leave here and return to the world above."

Shelly hadn't noticed her surroundings when she'd lost her blindfold, but they were deep underground. What she had at first mistaken for a sky, was a vast array of glowing gray moss on the ceiling above a huge cavern. Houses were built up, some of them built out of the very ground, but she couldn't tell where they got the materials to do it. There was no vegetation in sight.

"Why should we fight for anyone?" Erwin responded. "If they knew we existed, they'd kill us without a second thought."

"You're crossbreeds!" Jessica spluttered, making Shelly jump.

She looked around and realized what should have been obvious from the beginning. It explained why she couldn't identify most of the creatures around her. She cursed herself for not having caught it. She was too wrapped up in the cat-man's identity. Erwin Schrödinger. Schrödinger's cat. Schrödinger was a cat, or at least a cat-man. Was he always that way, or did something happen?

"Yes, most of us are," Erwin glared at Jessica. "Some of us are just cursed, but Brooke and a few others have gone out of their way to help us. I'd appreciate it if you didn't go around telling anyone about us. We've worked hard to keep this place a secret from the Pillars. I'd hate to think what they'd do if they heard even a whisper about us." While his words seemed casual, his tone conveyed the threat behind them.

"But how do you hide from Gaia?" Shelly asked. It didn't make any sense.

"This is a floating underground island," Brooke smiled. "Gaia can only see what's touching her Earth. Since this chunk of rock isn't touching her Earth, she can't see it. It also means that nothing will grow here, without her influence. We're constantly working to supply this place, while keeping everything secret."

Something in the mermaid's voice told Shelly she wasn't saying everything, but Shelly knew better than to ask. The fact that they were on a floating island explained why she was feeling queasy also. She saw Jessica nodding to Brooke's words. Shelly wondered if she was going to bring up her heritage, but Jessica remained silent. Shelly didn't blame her. Sometimes you kept a secret for so long, you continued to keep it when it didn't matter.

"When Mom comes to visit me, she brings me stuff and I bring it here," Brock said. "We're quite the clandestine operation." He seemed quite proud.

Something else clicked in Shelly's head. "That's how you plan on getting into Varun's, I mean, Poseidon's demesne. This place is connected there somehow."

Brooke nodded. "There is a large tunnel with an underground river going from here to the Pillar of Water's area. We'll use that to infiltrate Poseidon's area while you and Jessica talk to Marchosias."

Shelly tried not to let her shoulders slump. She didn't know where in the Shadow World they were, but she knew where Marchosias's island lay, and it was a far distance from the border between Earth and Water. She was exhausted from the lack of sleep last night, followed by the fight for their lives against the Paladonic Knights and Daughters of Respite. Knowing that she would have to travel that distance, then try to get information out of Marchosias didn't appeal to her.

Jessica must have sensed her emotions, because she reached over and gripped Shelly's hand. Shelly felt comforted by the gesture and squeezed back, earning herself a smile from her beautiful girlfriend.

"If you think we're going to embroil ourselves in your affairs just because you created this space for us, you're wrong." Erwin pounded the table, making Shelly jump. Unfortunately, his hand struck his fork, and sent it flying into Brooke's chest. It fell to her lap where she looked at it for a moment. With more calm than Shelly could have mustered, the mermaid picked up the fork, examined the chunks of food still stuck on it, then flung it back at Erwin with lightning speed. The cat-man flinched as it brushed past one of his black pointy ears and embedded itself on the wall behind him.

"It doesn't matter what I think," Brooke said in a tone that made ice seem hot by comparison. There was no anger on her face, and she appeared perfectly calm, but her green eyes matched her voice. "But if you think that hiding out here will keep you safe while the Pillars are struck down, then you're a bigger fool than I thought."

Erwin glared at Brooke, but the effect was ruined as he licked the back of one hand, then used it to wipe at his offended ear. "I learned a long time ago not to meddle in things that I shouldn't."

"You couldn't have known that the cat you were using for your experiments was the favorite of a fairy," Brooke replied. Her voice warmed, but it was the difference between an Antarctic night and an Antarctic morning. "This concerns you and every other creature living in this world. If the Pillars fall, this world goes with it. Perhaps all of creation."

"Bah!" Erwin growled and his lips curled, showing sharp fangs. His golden eyes flashed as he met Brooke's stare. "We heard the same thing during the Chaos War, and look how that turned out. Someone will always come along and save us."

"There was a prophecy that time," Brooke stated. Her voice lost whatever warmth it had gained, and if anything, grew harder. She still looked relaxed, but Shelly noticed one hand was close to the blade on her left hip. "And my husband didn't do it alone. A lot of good creatures died, ensuring this world survived. Lyden wasn't the only hero."

"And now we come to the crux of things." Shelly heard Erwin purr as he spoke, as though he'd caught a mouse he was ready to pounce on. "You need fodder for your armies. You want us to sacrifice ourselves so our betters can live on to fight another day."

Shelly couldn't believe the audacity of this man. Brooke had helped create a space where he and other outcasts could survive without being persecuted, and his way of repaying her was to act like this?

"You are the most pompous, egotistical, self-righteous man I have ever met," Jessica spoke up. Erwin looked away from the mermaid with an expression that said he was shocked anyone would dare interrupt his conversation with Brooke. "She hasn't asked for your help, you imbecile. She was warning you of what might come."

"Jessica—" Brooke tried to intervene, but Jessica kept going.

"A Pillar is dead, and the rest are in danger. How can you choose to sit here in your little hole, pretending the outside world doesn't exist? Hell, you can pretend your balls are the size of watermelons and your cock is as big as your arm, but from where I'm sitting, neither one of them even exists. Pretending whether something is real or not doesn't make it exist, or mean you can ignore it."

"My cock and balls are plenty real, girl!" the werecat snarled and jumped to his feet. He reached into his pants and laid his genitals on the table. "That real enough for you?"

Shelly was impressed with the man's boldness, if not with the material presented. Sheldon's is bigger, she thought, then shrugged that uncomfortable idea away. Why would she think of him? She'd been with other men who were larger than this guy. Erwin was just a little bigger than average.

"That depends," Jessica sneered. "Does it bluster and preen itself like its master, or does it actually do something?"

"Jessica!" Brooke snapped, losing her calm demeanor.

Shelly saw Brock trying to hold back his laughter at Jessica's insult. Shelly found herself struggling not to laugh at the comical way Erwin's black-furred face turned slack at Jessica's words. Jessica didn't look away from the cat-man.

After a couple of tense seconds, Erwin's lips curled up as he burst out laughing. "By the Pillars, you've got a sharp tongue on you, girl. You're right. I've spent so long trying to hide who and what I am. I was once a great scientist, you know that? Then one day a fairy catches up to me. Imagine my surprise in finding out fairies are real! Ends up, one of the strays I'd used to prove a hypothesis had been his favorite. As punishment for my actions, he made me into this. I still remember the way he chuckled as he flew away. That was almost a century ago. Not only did that little sprite curse me, but he made me immortal to boot so I could suffer for all time. I had to fake a suicide to hide what had happened, and that wasn't easy! He made sure his insult was felt all the time also. When no one is looking at me, I'm a normal human, but the second I'm observed, I become this cat-person. I had to hide what I was, until Brooke found me. It looks like it took someone like you to help me remember my humanity."

"I didn't ask for your history, old man," Jessica said, though she'd lost her anger.

Erwin chuckled some more, then turned to Brooke. "You'll need some supplies, though you know we don't have much. It also looks like you're about dead on your feet. Get some rest. We'll have the boat prepped and ready for you when you wake up." He stood and walked to the door, leaving them alone.

"Can we trust him?" Shelly asked as soon as she felt it was safe. Chances were that with those ears, Erwin had exceptional hearing.

"We can trust him to keep his skin whole," Brooke said. She looked over to Jessica with a shrewd look. "That was a very foolish thing you did. Erwin is their leader here. No matter how much Brock and I have helped them, if he told this community to kill us, they would."

"Sorry," Jessica apologized. "I just couldn't take any more of his self-righteous bullshit."

They were all silent for a while. Shelly was still trying to understand how this city came to be. The amount of energy required in creating this space, or the floating island, and set up the whole thing was more than she could imagine. Then, for there to be a portal here from Earth... She thought only the Pillars were strong enough to fabricate those. That meant that at least one Pillar knew about this place, but which one? The most likely answer was Aunt Lysa. She was a crossbreed, just as all of Lyden's children were. Though she wasn't really the twins' aunt. She would have been the most likely to sympathize with this group. Were there others strong enough to create portals? What about the Firsts?

If there was a First working with them...

Her thoughts were interrupted by Erwin returning. "I already have food being prepared for you at Brock's hut. It's a little crowded in there for the four of you. I have room here if you girls want to stay." The way Erwin purred as he added that last statement gave Shelly the creeps.

Before she could respond, Brooke spoke up. "That'll work great, Erwin. But I think the girls should stay at Brock's place. I think they'd be more comfortable there. If you don't mind, Brock and I will stay here. It'll give us the chance to set down more plans for tomorrow and let them rest."

If Erwin was disappointed, he hid it well.

"Come on!" Brock said cheerfully as his mechanical legs carried him past them. "I'll show you where I live."

In all the years she'd known her half-brother/sister, it never occurred to her to wonder where he lived. She'd never had any interest in seeing the home of the sibling that made her uncomfortable to be around.

Now that she knew what to look for, she took in her surroundings once outside. The air was humid, but not cloyingly so. The ground was solid, but she could sense the slight motion as the island rocked on the water. Some of the homes were built out of wood, and because they were underground, they didn't have to worry about bad weather. More were made from the ground itself, dug out of the very rock they lived on. High overhead, moss gave off a strong grayish white glow that reminded Shelly of an overcast sky.

Brock—wait, now he was Bridgette. She hated when he did that—led them to one of the homes built into the rock. A tall hill rose up, and carved into the side were some steps leading down to a wooden door. Bridgette placed her hand against the door, and a moment later Shelly noticed a gentle glow rise and then fade before the door opened. Even in a place inhabited by those that relied on one another to survive, they still had to lock their doors.

Jessica stopped Bridgette before she could lead them in. "You know, it can be a bit disconcerting when you keep changing genders like that. Why don't you pick one and stay that way?"

Shelly had often wondered the same thing, but was afraid it would have been rude to ask. Bridgette didn't seem to mind, though, and smiled.

"Honestly? Because I know it bothers some people and those that it does, deserve to be bothered." She walked inside as she continued speaking, though her words filled Shelly with guilt. "I used to get teased a lot when I was younger, but Dad showed me that there was nothing wrong with who I am. He taught me that it didn't matter what my gender was, as long as I was happy with who I was. Some situations work better when I'm a woman, and some work better as a man. I like being Brock around Dad. I think he relates to me better that way, though I know he loves me no matter what. Erwin likes to stare at my breasts when I'm Bridgette, so I usually stay as Brock around him. I decided to be Bridgette now, so it's just us girls."

Bridgette showed them her small but cozy home, while Shelly reexamined her feelings towards this sibling. She'd always been uncomfortable around him/her because of her ability to change genders, but how was that any different than the twins' ability to change shape? It was still the same person inside.

This home made the house she shared with Sheldon look huge. There was a small entryway that doubled as a sitting room, an equally small cooking area, and two smaller rooms attached.

"Mom doesn't stay here often," Bridgette told them. "So, I don't need a lot of room. Since I was always bound to the water, I never left my room." Shelly poked her head in and saw that the room was nothing more than a pool of water. "There's an underwater tunnel that leads to the back door, and that's how I usually come and go. I can't believe Dad got me these awesome legs!"

"They work well for you!" Shelly told her, deciding to treat her better from now on.

"You two can sleep in here. The bed is a little small, but neither of you are big so you should be fine." Bridgette showed them Brooke's room. The bed was big enough that they'd both fit, but small enough that they'd have to cuddle. She didn't mind that thought at all. In fact, as she looked at the bed, she had to stifle a yawn. The day had been a full one, and she was looking forward to some sleep.

"I'd better get back to Mom," Bridgette said with a smile at Shelly's yawn. "Erwin is all right, but I've seen the way he looks at my chest when I'm in this form. I swear, if he weren't half cat and hated getting wet, he'd have tried to get with me a long time ago."

Shelly laughed at the thought of a cat trying to get with someone who was half a fish.

"He won't try anything on Brooke while she's alone with him, will he?" Jessica asked. Shelly appreciated that her girlfriend was concerned about Shelly's stepmom, but Jessica couldn't know what Brooke was capable of.

Bridgette laughed before answering. "No, he wouldn't dare. Mom could kick his ass, and he wouldn't dare do anything to offend Dad. Everyone knows what Dad did and respects him." She looked around for a moment before adding, "Sorry there's not much in the way of accommodations, but help yourselves. I'm sure Mom will come get you in the morning."

Shelly's odd sibling left them, though she resolved to become better friends with her in the future.

"You dad seems like a pretty cool guy," Jessica stated as the door closed behind Bridgette.

"Yeah," Shelly said, wondering where this was coming from. "Some people don't like the fact that he has so many wives, or that he has so many powerful friends, but I tend to like him." She meant to say it light heartedly, but knew she meant it.

"He's smart, open minded, strong—"

"You're not crushing on my dad, are you?" Shelly asked, bothered at the concept.

"What?" Jessica asked with wide eyes. "No! Eww. It's just that you don't meet many men like that. I can see parts of him in you that make you so wonderful."