*Takeover*

That morning of Unity Prep started off the same as any other did. Students arrived, chatted at their lockers, and went on to class. Only a select few knew that by the end of the day, things would be drastically different at the school, not just for them but for everyone. And if they messed up...there would be blood. There would be death.

It was a lot to put on teens but these weren't ordinary teens.  They each kept their cool and went about their day, quietly communicating with each other. The plan had been set.

Lunch would be the time.

For Bryna, the day passed in a strange sort of blur that also seemed to take far too long. She found herself watching the clock and class. She could barely pay attention.  Heather was more of an annoyance than usual. Bryna snapped at her only once before claiming she had an awful headache and left to her locker to get some medicine for it.

Of course, there was no medicine in her locker for a headache so elected to skip lunch to go home and retrieve some else she'd never make it through the day.  No one questioned her though some of the boys offered to go in her place so she could still eat. But bad headaches put off people's stomachs and Bryna shook her head and left the school.  It was not to home that she went though. It was to a place she'd never been before and the whole time she felt ill, like something had lodged itself around her stomach and was squeezing it too tightly.

Back at the school, Sirius was sat with Haru.  When Heather came into the lunchroom without Bryna joining her at their usual table, that was the signal. The girl was no longer on school grounds, presumably.  He sent a text to one of their Earth Mover friends and then winked at Haru.

What happened next was both terrifying and dramatic for the school population.  What was actually firework hitting the school dramatically with explosive light seemed like a rocket. And ground shaking with the impact seemed like it had hit pretty hard nearby.  The first strike caught all the students off guard. But the ones that followed were what sent them into a panic.

Wolf let Bryna in, he didn't question. But as he pulled her inside, he checked up and down the street to be sure she wasn't followed. "how are you feeling??" He asked once he shut the door.

Braxton was there and so was Nel, she'd moved through the shadows. Glitch, Mandisa were there waiting for their go orders.

Haru grinned at Sirius' wink. But she quickly scuttled somewhere out of the way with him, so that they wouldn't get caught.

"Please remain calm!" Glory yelled over the noise, trying to keep the school in order. She was not afraid, because she was much mischief. She knew that what they were experiencing was no more than a very large scale prank.

"Like I'm going to be sick," Bryna admitted. "I don't think I was followed. I told them I was going home to get some medicine for a headache." Which wasn't much of a lie but it was certainly a believable one. Her father would likely not have even noticed she left the campus. He wasn't even calling to check on her and by now she knew shit was going down.

Which meant that Mandisa was sent a text when the prank began. "We're good to go," she said to Glitch. They could go retrieve the mother and from there the others could apprehend the headmaster.

The students back at the school were not remaining calm. While some were aware that this was in fact a dramatic prank, most thought that they were legitimately being attacked and panicked much like you would if you felt your life was in danger.

Faculty was suddenly very busy as things continued to happen around them. Their priority was to gather the students in a safe place which was very much not the cafeteria.

"Don't throw up," Nel said and pulled her into the kitchen. It was at least easier floor if she did decide to. "Have some water." she said and handed her a glass.

"Come straight back here with the mother, okay." Wolf said and then followed the girls to the kitchen. He trusted them.

Glitch nodded and then glitched towards the wall to leave the house. His glitch stopped right before though and he smacked into the wall. "Just nervous its okay, I got this." he said to Mandi before she freaked out at him.

It was utter chaos and no form of normality could be wrangled into the either panicked or amused children. It was driving the headmaster mad. He did not notice Haru and Sirius laughing at him. Yet.

"I won't be sick," Bryna said and followed Nel into the kitchen. She took the glass of water and slowly sipped on it. "I don't think." She just wasn't going to feel better until her mother was there with her. Even then, she would still be afraid. What if something happened at the school when they confronted him?

Mandisa made a sound like a snort. "I am not judging. I'm nervous too," she said. This was pretty damn important and she didn't much like that her sister was at the school when the guy wanted her dead. But she couldn't think of that. No one could do anything at all until they'd secured the mother.

Not yet. But Sirius grabbed Haru's hand and pulled her under a table while the students around them continued to erupt in chaos. He knew they would be in trouble if they got caught. But on the other hand, it was just a prank. A chaotic prank but still a prank.

"Thank God, I just had this floor put down. Blood tend to stain..." Wolf said with a shrug and he'f been attacked at home a lot.

"His flooring guy loves him," Nel laughed and Wolf just grinned. They were trying to lighten the mood.

"Oh glad for that." Glitch said honestly, he didn't feel so fail any more. He managed to Glitch properly this time, moving through the walls and the streets until he arrived at where the mother was being kept. Of course, he waited for Mandisa as he pulled two capture spheres from his pocket. They would cause mischief amongst any guards.

Haru followed. Though Glory already was working their way over. "Oh shit, we are not busted yet." She said and sent a text.

A glamour weaver friend fell onto glory, his face contorted with pain as the illusion made it look like he'd been shot. "I mean that gives us maybe five minutes?" She facepalmed.

"Do you get blood on your floors much?" Bryna asked and then looked at said floors. They were very nice. Although, she wouldn't have been sick on them. She'd have found a bathroom. Or a sink. Something.

Mandisa appeared beside him, fading into view like a proper apparition. "Dark fae," she whispered to him, looking at the ones that were scattered around the area. She took out her own capture spheres. Their spirits could well play mischief and cause distractions. She set hers free.

"Hopefully it's enough time," Sirius said. He then grabbed Haru's hand, increasing the amount of chaos his lights and fireworks were wrecking on the school. He pulled her out from under the table and fled towards the cafeteria doors. "If they catch on, we separate," he said. They wouldn't be able to catch both of them.

"I want to say no, to make you feel safe." Wolf said then, because he really did feel the need to do that. "but it would be a lie. It's never my blood. If that helps."

"Well only a little and I've never bled on these floors so that might help too." Nel said with half a smile.

Glitch set his free and watched them run off with Mandisa's own fiends and cause much havoc and silliness. He waited a moment and then looked at Mandisa. They were still just kids and they were in pretty deep at this point. He felt overwhelmed by the trust he was being shown, but also so nervous he might vom. "Ready to be the heroes?"

But the headmaster thwarted the idea of them leaving, he looked enraged and virtually homicidal. "Oh nope!" Haru squeaked then and dragged Sirius the other way, she was heading towards where the food was served.

She was going to jump right over the hot plates as there was no way to get to the door.

"Only a little," Bryna said. At least they hadn't bled on the floors. But then, what had? The things they hunted. Things like those in her element. Things like the man they were going to be taking out soon for her.

"Yes," Mandisa said. "I mean, we have to commit at this point. Can't go back." She was sure there had to be traps or something in there to keep people from just being able to free Bryna's mother. At the same time, there was very little that could keep ghosts away so easily. So they had that going for them. She phased through the wall and took a moment to look around. Where was the woman?

"Oh he does not look happy!" Sirius said, trying not to laugh but also kind of terrified at the same time. Thankfully both he and Haru were in pretty damn good shape so jumping over the hot plates into the kitchen and heading for that door was doable.

"Well, it's really only maybe once or twice a year." Wolf said and he was just sometimes too lazy to clean it properly. So then it got dried into the floor and stained. "I'll just get an expensive maid who doesn't mind clearing it up."

"You couldn't have thought of that four floors ago?" Nel said and her palm hit her forehead pretty hard.

"No... I mean. Maybe."

Glitch followed her. But instead of going solid, he stayed as a Glitch. It would make his life easier if a trap did go off as he wasn't a solid object. "I think, this way." he said, because there was one of his fiends. Pointing in the right direction and then it vanished again.

Haru did laugh, she couldn't help it. All the dancing she did sure did help when she left over the hot plates. She kept going through the kitchen and found a larder just big enough for them both to fit in. "he won't look in here, if we do this." She said and popped open the exit door before getting into the food storage cupboard.

The headmaster would have to return to where the problem was of course. So he wouldn't be able to follow them further than the kitchen.

"You know...fairies often will help take care of a household," Bryna said. "Brownies and the like. I could see if there are some that wouldn't mind since you're helping me..." She didn't mind offering that. Those little ones could be rather awful if you upset them but they weren't particularly dangerous like her adopted father.

Mandisa remained an apparition, floating along after Glitch. She wasn't solid and therefore couldn't set off any traps. Which was good because she noticed plenty of them as she floated.

The mother was being held in a room with no light at all. She looked both frail and thin as if she had not been eating well for some time. Her clothes were dirty and old, wrinkled from long wear. There was nothing else in the room but a bucket, the stench of which assaulted Mandisa's nose and made her want to gag.

"Great idea!" Sirius whispered his approval and followed her into the cold storage. He didn't shut the door fully, just enough that it appeared like it was closed. That way he could still listen for the headmaster, who did pursue them but lingered only in the kitchen long enough to see that they had gotten away.

"Oh that would be great. More money to spend on you." Wolf said with a wink to the girls then. "Braxton and I have to leave now," he said looking at his watch. He left his wallet on the side. "I mean don't take the piss, but order some lunch. With ice cream. Nel ate all the other stuff."

"My bad," Nel shrugged. Not sorry.

Glitch went to move over to the woman, but of course he appeared like an angry ghost. Which wasn't what she needed. So he backed off. "you gotta do it, she's scared of me." and he couldn't go solid.

Haru giggled, after the headmaster had stomped off towards the cafeteria again.

"I don't know that I can stomach food," Bryna admitted. But then she thought of her mother. Had he been feeding her well? No. She knew that he hadn't been. She'd seen her in the video calls. "But my mother will be hungry. What would be good for me to order for her?" she asked Nel. Ice cream? Yes. But she needed proper food.

Mandisa looked no different as an apparition so she let that drop and returned to her true form. Solid form. "Hello," she said to the woman on the mattress. "We know your daughter, Bryna. We are here to take you to her." She did not want to touch the dirty woman but they didn't have a choice. And the woman could be bathed and dressed in fresh clothes when they brought her to Wolf's house.

"So that went well!" Sirius said when the headmaster had gone. "You think they got her out in time?" He really hoped so. He really didn't want all of that to be for naught. Because they were going to be in big trouble.

"Something easy mashed potatoes, gravy. Maybe some soup? I mean she's probably really hungry so something that isn't heavy," Nel said and got her phone. She was going to Google it. 'what can I feed someone who's been half starved for a long time??' she was just inviting the cops over.

"Bryna?" the lady responded, she too looked much like a ghost there wasn't much left of her. She tried to get to her feet, but stumbled.

Glitch went corporeal and snatched her arm before she fell and broke something. "I'm Glitch, I'm her friend too. Not really a ghost. But you'll have to be to get out of here." he explained to her.

"Bryna." was the woman's only reply, so Glitch looked at Mandisa. What to do with that?

"I hope so, I do." Haru said, she was too scared to pop open the door incase he was still lurking.

Alarm bells went off on the headmasters phone. It rang shrilly and he snatched it out of his pocket and looked. Intruders.

His head snapped back towards the kitchen where those wretched children had ran off. "Shit," he said as very suddenly the room went quiet. The students having left and the distraction was calming down.

He was not stupid, he knew what was happening. That little bitch.

"Shit is right." Wolf said, the sound of his voice made the fiend turn his head, enough for him to land a punch that sent him sprawling across the room.

Syncere immediately made a circle around the fiend. "I mean, usually this protects. But dark fae as you are... I'm pretty sure it's going to smart a bit. So you see this pretty pink and teal lines? I would stay inside of them. Braxton, I believe that's all I can do here. But I will wait if you should like?"

The headmaster hissed low and threateningly. Of course hearing his masters name did not inspire confidence.

"Soup," Bryna decided. "Soup is warm and healing...supposedly." Chicken noodle soup was meant to be a cure all. "We can order it from one of those soup and sandwich shops?" That way she could order a sandwich for herself. Or whatever. Just something. At this point she knew she needed to eat. But bread would be good for her mother as well. Soup and bread.

"Yes, Bryna," Mandisa said to the woman again. "We are taking you out of here. To Bryna. To be with her. Away from that man. Our friends are likely getting rid of him as we speak. But we can't linger. We have to go. To your daughter. To Bryna. Now."

"I think we're okay now..." Sirius said. It was so cold in there that he didn't want to linger all that much longer. "It sounds like they've gotten him." With Braxton there, the Master, what could he do? Nothing, right.

"If wouldn't mind," Braxton said. His orders to the trapped fiend were specific. He could not retaliate, he could not escape, and he could only speak when prompted. He was quite fully trapped. Braxton was not playing and was not showing any mercy in the handling of the creature that stood there before him. "Wolf, was one show of force enough? Or would you like to get another in before I continue?"

"Okay, yeah. I could eat tomato soup and a sandwich right now," Nel said and found one that delivered. She picked herself one and then handed it to Bryna.


"Oh yeah," Haru said having heard them how. She pushed out of the closet and then waited for Sirius she wanted to watch though.

"I'll stay then, thank you." Syn said as he was somewhat the one who'd waived police things out of the way for now. He wanted to make sure he could truthfully report back to the King and Queen.

"Oh, I do like you." Wolf said then because he very much appreciated the rights to punch the guy again, so he did.

This time the fiend spat blood and likely two or three teeth. Though he said nothing. He could not.

Bryna picked something for herself and her mother. She wasn't sure if she should be ordering for the others that were there, including the young looking boy person who was just sitting by the window and not interacting with anyone. She handed it back to Bryna, unsure. "I wish they'd hurry," she said.

Mandisa followed Glitch out. At least the woman was not fighting them, which she hadn't anticipated until they'd saw the state she was in. But it was over. They had the mother and they were taking her back out. She sent the texts to the right people. They would be at Wolf's soon.

Sirius followed her. He wanted to see how this went as well. The guy looked pretty beat up when they got there though he hung back. He was not afraid with the thing's Master right there. But he was still nervous. He wondered what they would do.

Braxton only watched. "That's good. For now," he said and finally addressed the fiend. "I have been told the decent thing to do here is to hear what you have to say. And from there, we will act accordingly. Though, as a warning, I am not inclined to let you off easily considering how you treated the Princess. Even for our kind, you have crossed a line."

"They will." Nel said, she hadn't even noticed that Alex was in the room he was so very quiet.

Glitch moved through the walls with bryna's mother. He was gentle with her though, stopping when she couldn't take it any more and then continuing, it took only a few extra minutes. "Mireya?" He called out because she was here too.

Haru was quiet. She was just curious about how this was going to go down. Especially as in unity prep, they didn't exactly approve of death by trial.

The fiend looked at his master, he just growled lowly. Not just at the master, but to all of them around. The shock of Wolf's hit and the fairy protection around him had reverted him from his human glamour and boy was he ugly.

Bryna started to pace. She started to feel queasy again and took another sip of water. "I don't know how much longer of this I can take." She glanced at her reflection in the microwave. She was still wearing her father's glamour for her. She made a face and dropped it. Then she started pacing again.

"Here, Glitch," Mireya said, getting up and going over to him. "Oh is this her?" The poor woman was not in good condition. "Hi, you're Bryna's mother right?" she asked, flashing her most charming smile. "I'm Mireya, the Princess of Fairies. Your daughter is waiting for you but first, I would like to heal you. If that's all right with you?"

Sirius made a face at the sight of the creature. How he really looked was not how he expected. "So that's...disconcerting." He just looked at Haru. "Seriously, I have just lost all faith in our faculty for not knowing that this was running the place." He glanced around. They were alone for now. But if people started coming back, things would get complicated.

"Now, now. Use your words," Braxton said with a disapproving waggle of his fingers. He was not nervous about authority interrupting them. They'd been sanctioned by the King. Syncere represented them in this case as an ally. He was glad the man had stayed.

"They are just being careful with your mum," Nel said, she'd gotten the text saying that she was out. But she wanted her mum to be healed a bit first.

Bryna's mother looked at Mireya for a long time. Then she nodded. "Bryna." She said, because she wanted her baby so bad.

"Maybe we should get them all to show off their fiend forms so we know what the fuck we have on staff." Haru said, cursing for the first time in her life. But damn, he was ugly.

"What words do you want me to say?" the fiend replied, it's voice slimey and raspy. "You won't let me go, I won't let it go. You're going to have to just kill me."

"I mean, it's no fun if you're asking for it..." Wolf said, full of disappointment.

"I know," Bryna said. "I know they are. I just wish she was here. I wish I knew what was happening." The waiting was killing her. She didn't know really what condition her mother was going to be. She knew that Mireya could heal her should she need it but she just wished she was there already.

"Right, Bryna," Mireya repeated cheerfully. This poor woman. She was clearly not mentally there. What had he done to her? "This won't hurt a bit," she told her, holding her hands out and letting her golden magic glow from her hands to the woman's body, healing the wounds that she could.

"But we didn't even know this guy was a fiend," Sirius pointed out. "They could lie. I mean, how would we even prove they weren't? And just because he's ugly doesn't mean he's evil. I mean, he is pretty ugly. It's kind of offending my eyes in a big way to look at him. But not all cute things are nice."

"Have you any remorse for what you have done to the Princess and her mother? And what you planned to do to the Princesses and Masters who attend your school?" Braxton asked. He had to get something out of the thing to satisfy Syncere so that they could say they had done everything the right way before they disposed of the creature.

"The headmaster is bound by Syncere, Wolf has punched him twice and broken his jaw in like five places. He lost three teeth. Braxton is questioning him and Mireya is healing your mother as we speak. Don't do it to her. Do not run out there. Let Mireya finish. Because she's your mum, you're not supposed to see her that way. Not ever and she will never forgive herself for letting you see her beaten up, okay? I know it's hard. But if you can trust anyone, it's me." Nel said and she did something she found so incredibly hard to do with Wolf, who she'd known for a lot longer, she hugged Bryna.

Bryna's mother was just focused. She'd been focused the entire time. Do as she was told, not fight. So she could see Bryna and keep her safe. Because that monster never hurt her daughter and he didn't get others to do it. Because she'd cooperated as much as she hated that, it was true. She felt the warmth of Mireya's healing and it felt nice. She felt her body mend and the clarity of the situation was clearer. But when Mireya was done she stood up and only slightly wobbled due to malnutrition.

Glitch helped her though, his eyes were so full of pity and sadness. She was a walking ghost and it made him feel for Bryna and her mother. "C'mon Mrs D," he said and smiled at her. "let me help you to Bryna."

Mrs D, pat Glitch's hand softly. That way that mothers had that said 'you're a good, sweet boy,' but the words didn't quite make it out of her lips.

"He offends me." Haru said with a shrug, she thought about it though. "We could get Eden to come and visit. He can psychically check them for integrity and at this point it's needed."

"My only regret is my failure." the fiend snarled. The growl from Wolf only spurred him on. He growled back and tried to make himself seem bigger, more threatening. "The balance is tipping and none of you will understand. Darkness licks the boots of the light side." he spat more blood on the floor but managed to aim it towards Braxton. "Master! Bah, you make me sick. You are weak. All of you are-!"

Wolf had enough of that shit and cracked the fiend across the jaw again. This time breaking it so badly it hung loosely and swung from side to side. "That's enough of that garbage."

"Well that's plenty for the royals to be appeased, so you may do as you wish from this point. Though, um... Fairies are about life. I am not sure I can watch you take one." Syncere said, he'd seen it before and it had taken a part of him. His sister being alive had refilled it... But if they kept taking pieces then eventually nothing would be left.

"It's okay, Syn. You go do you and we will deal with the messy bit." Wolf said because he wouldn't want to do it to Mireya. So why would he do it to Syncere?

"thank you," Syn said and for some reason he bowed as if they were stationed higher than him. He was showing them serious respect before he vanished.

"Oh..." Bryna just breathed. Her mother was in the other room. She wanted to see her but she understood why her mother should be healed first. It was so hard. They'd been separated for so long. It should have been enough to know that she was safe and just in the other room. But it wasn't. She wanted to see her. Wanted to touch her. It had been so long and just waiting a little longer was so hard. But then she was being hugged. She had no idea how hard that was for Nel to do. But it was not something that she was used to. She hadn't gotten a hug, a real hug with sincere comfort, in so long. She started to crack, to lose her brave face and break down as she hugged onto Nel.

"We'll help you," Mandisa said, helping her take Mrs. D into the kitchen where Bryna was. She took her other arm. The woman was so frail, so weak. They needed to get her food and a nice bath. But she knew that neither woman would settle down properly until they'd been reunited.

"I don't think we can do anything until they appoint a new headmaster," Sirius said. "There's going to be an official investigation into the school. It might even get closed down for a little bit..." He hoped not. "Well, we can at least suggest Eden and talk to him about it. Maybe the officials will allow it or bring in their own psychic. Something. Let's go find Gaius..." He didn't want Haru to be around for what was about to happen next. Actually, he didn't want to be around it either.

Braxton respectfully inclined his head at Syn. He would not take life in front of the man if it was not necessary. And right now, it wasn't. But once Syn had gone and the two teens had fled away, what happened next would not be pretty and would be quite cruel. But so was Braxton's nature.

Nel couldn't handle the tears but it was okay because she didn't have too. She saw Mandisa and Glitch with her mum. "Hey look," she said and turned Bryna around.

Mrs D immediately went over to her daughter and wrapped her in a hug. "Oh, Bryna. Bryna, my dear daughter." she said as she finally started to cry.

Glitch was quiet. Then he just sort of smiled. He nudged Mandisa in a way that said 'we did that, how cool are we?'

Haru heard the screams but she didn't blink. She just ignored them. "Where do you think Gaius is?"

Wolf just let Braxton have that fun this one time.

Bryna looked over when Nel turned her. And there was her mom, not a face on the screen like she'd been for years but actually right there in person. She was in her mother's arms before she even had time to react. But then the dam just broke. She burst into tears and hugged her mother as tightly as she dared. "Mom," she said, her voice breaking with emotion.

Mandisa looked at Glitch then. "We are so treating ourselves after this," she said. Because they had earned it. They'd made that happen. And it actually felt nice to be a good guy. She could see why her sister liked it so much. She sent off a text to let the ones at school known that mother and daughter had been reunited.

The doorbell rang. Mireya, hanging back to recover from healing Bryna's mom, went and answered it. "Food is here," she said, bringing it over to Glitch and Mandisa and then setting it down in the kitchen. Soup and sandwiches for all.

"I don't know...I'm not sure where the faculty took the students away to..." The school was eerily quiet in that section now that they'd dropped the assault. "Let me text him." He got an answer. "Okay, this way."

Just this one. Braxton didn't seem to actually take in pleasure in what he was doing though. But once it was over he had his fae clean up the mess so that the students wouldn't be subjected to it.