Quoted By:
<span class="mu-r">“This place is awesome! How long has it been down here?”</span> you asked.
<span class="mu-r">“Since the dawn of mankind’s rule, I think. At least, that’s what the elders tell us.”</span> Mekara answered, keeping her eyes forward. <span class="mu-r">“According to them, it was founded after the war of vampires and succubi nearly saw both sides wiped out//exterminated//massacred. And neither of them were capable of directly opposing humankind, so many of them fled underground.”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“So you guys have been around since forever.”</span> you marveled.
An amused grin spread across Mekara’s metallic features.
<span class="mu-r">“Not me, personally. I wasn’t born until Kei created me. Created us.”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“Like…a mad scientist?”</span>
Mekara chuckled, and you could feel the rumble of her laughter through your fingertips.
<span class="mu-r">“No, like…he <span class="mu-i">willed</span> us into existence. The same way that he brought your little one here.”</span> she said, her orange pupils darting towards Cindy as she glanced over her shoulder.
<span class="mu-s">“Like…Tulpas…”</span> Cindy muttered.
You raised an eyebrow at her.
<span class="mu-r">“Tulpas?”</span>
<span class="mu-s">“The Kaiju King thought of them, and made them real…”</span> she explained, sounding a bit more coherent now.
<span class="mu-r">“Oh, like imaginary friends.”</span> you concluded.
<span class="mu-r">“Sort of.”</span> Mekara conceded. <span class="mu-r">“Kei’s able to conjure//invoke//summon creatures from his imagination alone. If he can draw it, he can make it. But, if the thing he’s drawing already exists…”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“Then he summons that existing creature.”</span> you finished for her.
Mekara nodded her large head.
<span class="mu-r">“Bingo! You’re a quick study.”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“I’m slowly becoming an expert in all things weird.”</span> you proclaimed.
<span class="mu-r">“Let’s see if you feel that way by the end of the day. Monster Metropolis has got enough ‘weird’ to last several lifetimes.”</span> Mekara said.
At a glance, you could tell that the ground was rapidly approaching, and Mekara was making no effort to slow down. At the bottom of the stairs, you could see Ana and the Mask Maker waiting past one of those Japanese Torii gates. Even from here, you could make out Ana’s clear alarm at spotting the giant metal woman hurtling towards her.
<span class="mu-r">“Hold on!”</span> she called out, shifting her feet slightly so that the added friction caused a rapid decrease in her velocity. You might’ve gone flying if not for her warning, but you worried that Cindy might throw up with all this shaking.
Then, right before she reached the bottom, Mekara pushed off of the ground, sprang off of the top of the gate with one hand, and flipped onto her feet in a crouched position behind Ana and the Mask Maker with a loud thud.
Ana was breathing heavily, staring up at Mekara with a wary expression. You waved down at her.
<span class="mu-r">“Hey babe, check out my sweet ride! How’s about you and me hit the town?”</span>
Ana gave you an odd look, but Mekara seemed to preen a bit at being called a “sweet ride”.
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(Cont.)
