Blessed by Night

Generally, Cami had a few rules that she was always supposed to follow whenever she was in her parents' room.

No opening drawers without permission.

Cami didn't know why they were such sticklers about that, but it was one of the rules she actually tried to stick to following.

The beeping noise was coming from one of the dressers alongside the bed. The one at the very bottom.

So since she couldn't open that drawer by herself, she wisely decided to nudge the large serpent coiling around her.

"Hm..? What is it, sweet child?" Ajani hissed.

"Ba. Gaba." Cami pointed to the dresser.

Ajani slithered towards the door and used her tail to slide it open.

There, sitting underneath a bottle of lubricant and tail plugs, was a small metal box with a red beeping button atop it.

Ajani's coils trembled in surprise.

Long ago, when Malachi made the wish for the N'Kai to leave the earth to him, Tsath left behind a single communicator that Mal was expected to use when and if he professed himself to be in need of an army. Or… perhaps it was more accurate to call them an armada.

Malachi was understandably reluctant to even even consider that as an option.

Ajani was a cool, calm, and collected serpent.

But holding what was a key to mass destruction on the tip of her tail, Ajani was the very epitome of a nervous wreck.

She started to slither off the bed. 'I need to tell him, or-'

"Da!"

Camille hopped up and gave the big red button a solid smack.

Watching a serpent's eyes bulge out of their head was every bit as comical as it was concerning.

There was a small whooshing sound before a hologram of an ominous monster-like creature appeared above the cube.

"Tsa!" Camille beamed.

The creature made some kind of clicking noise that almost sounded… happy?

"Little A'Shea. I am quite thrilled to see you in such an astute bit of health. You've grown well."

Camille stuck out her chest with pride. "Gaba."

"So the eating of vegetation promotes growth for your species..? Curious. N'Kai do not have this need."

"Bwa?!" Camille could have cried from the indignation.

Had she been duped?? Was she just eating vegetables for no real reason at all?!

"Where is your father? Is he well?"

Finally pulling herself together, Camille pointed towards the bedroom door. "Bu. Uwah."

"I see… he's drinking adult juice and touching your mothers inappropriately. Are they celebrating something perhaps?"

"Gaba."

"A birthday… I see. A pity we were unable to celebrate with him, but perhaps fate will be more kind to us in the future. For now, I ask you to pass on a message whenever you are able."

Camille nodded hard and opened up her listening ears.

Shiro and Ajani both sauntered forward to listen closely as well. Since they were both 80% sure that Cami would miss the most important bulks of the conversation.

"I am aware that I have given your father my word that if you were in need we would retitj to aid you. As family does for family."

Cami nodded, proving that she understood almost everything so far.

"However, I'm sorry to announce that a present conflict takes us a considerable number of light years away. For the time being... it seems we will be unable to lend you any aid if you should require it."

Camille waved her hand dismissively. "Gaba. Bu." She flexed her little arms to show off her nonexistent biceps.

Tsath made a noise that sounded like demented laughter. "Yes, you and your father are quite strong indeed. I'm sure you and your father will be able to handle those humans as well as those others lurking on earth with you."

Camille proved that she was indeed listening when she made a confused face. "Ah.. bwa?"

Before Tsath could give her an answer, Tsath's hologram was rocked by an explosion. She heard him yell some commands off into the distance and her anxiety saw a noticeable uptick.

"B-Bwa?"

Tsath looked back at her and smiled reassuringly. "It seems I must depart now, A'Shea. Please, live well and send your father my regards. Hopefully, we will speak again soon."

The transmission cut out shortly afterward; leaving Camille worried over someone else's wellbeing for the first time in her young life.

- 11 Months Later...

"Hurry up... This is already taking too long."

"Going as quick as I can, man... Do you want me to drop all of this shit and leave you behind?"

"You can't drive, dick-less. You'd never make it home without me!"

Two disgruntled men worked to load a heavy piece of machinery into a van.

The sun was shining as brightly as ever with not a cloud in the sky to obscure it's beauty.

A cool winter chill rattled the burglars even though their winter coats and ski masks.

After much effort, the two of them were able to load the heavy equipment into the van. "Thank fuck."

One of the men shut the back doors with two loud bangs.

But when they heard a third come from the top of the truck, they glanced upward with their hands on their weapons.

"What the fuck...?"

Standing on top of the van; clad in a strange red outfit with a red cape was a man neither of them had ever seen before.

His face was covered by a ski mask and scuba glasses, and he stuck his chest out with far too much pride for a man in tights to possess.

"Not what, but who! I'm... The Red Leviathan!"

-

*TV Announcer* "Another reported act of vigilantism today, this one being the second in a six-week period. Cameras at the scene recorded a man in red tights apprehending two men who appeared to be stealing a vending machine.

While this event appears to be the work of one individual, it comes at a rather tumultuous time for the United States, where tensions with the newly integrated evolved class are high. Talks of legislation to- *Click!*

-

Celeste cut the television off in the midst of Camille's news program.

She wiped her brow of sweat as she stared down at her with a helpless look.

"You know, you may be the only toddler I've ever seen who'll watch the news voluntarily. Do you really understand everything that is going on?"

Camille puffed out her chest with pride and placed her hands on her hips.

"Nope!"

Celeste just rolled her eyes as she squatted down to eye level with the little girl.

"You got everything packed up already, right? Your dad helped you before he left this morning?"

"Yes! All done!" Courtney nodded.

Celeste smiled at her knowingly. "Well, I think your sister could use a little bit of help. Wanna be a good big sister and give her a hand?"

Out of nowhere, an air of superiority surrounded Cami's figure. Her eyes showed immense amusement as a grin formed along her face.

"Heh. Okay!"