Silhouette

After the soul-sucking experience known as being interrogated for hours on end, James was finally free to go. That lizard lady, Inspector Vanille, had the decency to apologize for the trouble and even explained he'd likely have a few more visits from the police in the foreseeable future. She also reminded him there was no reason to be nervous so long as he had done nothing wrong. And hey, for once in this life, James felt like he qualified. While he had done plenty of morally questionable things, legally he had always been in the right. At least as far as the evidence showed. He was mostly involved in self-defense incidents.

As cops and people in bizarre costumes escorted him back out of the Union Headquarters, he was reminded that freedom from the police didn't mean he could happily go on with his day. Flashes welcomed him back into the outside world, and the people escorting him so far spread out to hold back the tide of paparazzi and journalists that threatened to overwhelm him. For the first time, James was happy to see a large group of cops around him.

As shouts and calls for his attention flew by, he pondered how to best handle the situation. Going away without saying anything was his preferred option, but he knew it wouldn't paint a great picture. If anything, it invited detractors to weave it into him fleeing the scene or something nefarious. At the same time, he had no desire to stay any longer and be bombarded with more questions, especially by a crowd of gossip-hungry journalists.

Oh, to hell with it. I'll pick one out, answer a thing or two, and then I'm off.

He'd already been here far longer than he initially planned to, and he had guessed he'd been held back before he even came. He didn't want the kids to panic because he was taking too much time getting back. Similarly, he didn't want Mischief to worry. He'd rather avoid a plague of rats running through the streets, especially if he had to be the one cleaning up the mess.

A quick scan through the group yelling for him left him unimpressed. None particularly stood out from the rest, not even those with more eye-catching features. The novelty of inhuman bodies had worn out at this point, at least when it came to still clearly humanoid forms. He would still have to do a double take if he saw someone like Maltodextrin, for instance. Past the physical aspect, even their behavior was streamlined. No particular spark in the eye or calmer demeanor to be seen. The questions they already asked did help differentiate between those who already had a narrative all planned out and which role he fit in and those who just wanted to clarify some points, but that was it. Perhaps the outstanding journalists depicted in shows and movies had spoiled him on that point.

A quick game of mentally reciting a counting-out rhyme popular back in his middle school days later and he formed a tendril that pointed at a random blonde woman in the crowd.

"You. Go ahead."

To her credit, it only took a second for her to catch on what was happening and step closer while gesturing at her cameraman to follow, the police escorting James letting her through when they saw the black tentacles corraling her closer.

"Sylvie Solemn, for channel 13. Am I correct to assume you are mister Silhouette, the one who brought the Nightsnatcher here?"

"Yes, I brought its body here. It attacked one of my employees a few days ago, luckily I was nearby and took it down. It's only after running some tests I realized what it could be and decided to bring it here."

"Do you have any idea where it might have come from?"

"We came across a few answers during our research, which I've shared with the Union and the police. I trust them to verify that information before making it public."

"How did you catch something that evaded the Union for so long?"

"I told you, a stroke of luck. I would have never found it. I struggled to perceive it even as it attacked us."

"How did you defeat it, then?"

"Ah, that's a trade secret. Though if the people of Zalcien wish to ensure their safety in case they ever run into a similarly aggressive creature, they will soon be able to visit 123 Blackrose Street."

"What do you mean?"

"I, Silhouette, am officially announcing the grand opening of the Penumbral Palace in two weeks. In our shop, you will be able to browse through many self-defense accessories such as tasers, batons, magnetic shields, and reinforced clothing. No lethal weaponry, of course, only items meant to fight off animals or ruffians."

"Isn't there a risk some could use this equipment to rob or attack others?"

"You could say the same of a kitchen knife. And frankly, I'd prefer to know the person threatening me did so with something meant to paralyze over a deadly weapon. Rest assured, we reserve the right to veto any sale should we dub any buyer too suspicious. Similarly, we will notify the police and the Union on the best ways to take down anyone using our merchandise."

"Is your victory over the Nightsnatcher some sort of public stunt?"

"Again, I came across this creature by sheer chance. Besides, anything with the necessary output to kill it is too dangerous to be made available to our regular clientele."

"Could you elaborate on that?"

"We'd be more than happy to equip our brave agents of the law with some of our more impactful items, including some not meant for sale."

"Has the way you've been treated so far not changed your opinion?"

"As time-consuming as it was, I do not mind the worry the representatives of the law displayed. So long as they strive not to let possible bias get in the way of their investigation, they will discover the truth, and the truth is just as I say."

"Aren't you worried they might impede your venture?"

"No. Unless they are corrupt, that is. In this case, I have no doubt their less morally questionable colleagues will intervene. Either way, I know I can rely on you and your fellows to report the matter to the public."

"Thank you for your trust. Could you-"

"Forgive me, but I have matters to attend."

With these words James stepped back, partially melding into the shadows on the ground to retreat further away before completely fading away into a gust of black fog that poured forth and flew past the assembled crowd. Journalists turned to try and follow the phenomenon, but it was too late. The darkness was already gone, with no trace left behind. Of course, those who had been filming or taking photos found themselves with interesting footage to watch and share.

Approaching his facility at high speeds, James mentally patted himself on the back. In his opinion, it had gone rather well. The disappearing act may be a little much, but the theatrics of it should be enough to scare off those who might try to become too nosy. At least he hoped. He knew paparazzi could be determined, but surely dealing with people who could casually distort reality and the like gave them some sort of survival instinct. Well, even if not, the infused were equipped with non-lethal weaponry for this sort of situation.

As he found himself near his Penumbral Palace, however, James' good mood quickly went away. Waiting before his front door was a pair of bizarre humanoids, undoubtedly mutants of some sort. If the unwanted and unplanned visitors after a long and annoying day weren't enough, the clothes they wore gave away who they were. He might not have been a native to Zalcien, but he had been around long enough to recognize the green robes made of living plants weaved together that were the telltale sign of the Hivines. He couldn't deny the way vines and leaves were assembled while still alive to form a captivating garment was remarkable. Those truly were the perfect attire for a group of nature lovers.

His issue stemmed from the fact the Hivines weren't an ecological group or community that preferred a more primal lifestyle, but rather a cult. On the HardCored forums he was a part of, one member had become one of them and the way she expressed herself was shamelessly that of a brainwashed fanatic. It might be hypocritical of him to dislike someone for altering people's minds. After all, he too stole free will with his infusion. Even those who had willingly been subjected to the process in the person of Polisson and Mischief were still changed to become loyal to him above all.

The big difference, however, was that James wasn't actively going around trying to corrupt people while portraying the act as a blessing of sorts. When it came to people rather than inanimate objects, he only infused his willing allies or enemies trying to kill him. The Biflora's religion on the other hand was a spreading plague on the city, one the Union couldn't handle for the simple fact their manipulative leader knew how to best tango with the law to avoid trouble himself.

Again, it could be hypocritical of James to despise someone without meeting purely based on the rumors about them considering what was likely to occur via the media soon. With what happened to Daisy, he knew better. He may have never met her before her indoctrination, but the way the others behaved made it clear she had drastically.

Still, it wouldn't do to just attack the two out of nowhere. So far they appeared to simply wish to talk, given the way they repeatedly knocked on his door. There was no sign they were a threat, so self-defense wouldn't be an excuse. Not to mention, he already caught the attention of one of the major Villainous factions of the city, he'd much rather avoid repeating that with the mad cultists.

The duo of creatures looking for him was... Well, not all that strange considering some of the things he'd seen, but definitely outliers compared to the regular citizens of Zalcien. One had a massive torso with freakishly long arms but was so low on the ground that it either had no legs or stumpy little ones. Its head was somewhat similar to a newt, though unlike the bald amphibians it featured a crest of sort. Flaps of flesh he had mistakenly identified as feathers at first twitched slightly every time the creature moved, somewhat reminding him of parakeets and the like.

The second one was much more human-like, to the point it was rather obvious it indeed was one, just heavily distorted. An extra finger and an extra thumb on each hand, bones a slightly too-long neck with bulging vertebrae peeking through the skin, ears that were a little too thick with lobes that dangled down to its protruding chin that went further than its small bulbous nose. Its sandy hair was thick, each strand like a string, and the wild mane hung down to just above the ground. Its forehead was bald, with nothing above its narrow amber eyes. Perfect to fit in the uncanny valley, while at the same time being far more normal than many of the bizarre physiques of the world.

Thinking about it, such an appearance might have been possible back on Earth. He'd seen some paintings of those infamous inbred nobles. At least the one waiting for him looked viable enough.

He materialized behind them before faking a cough to catch their attention. The newt's frills puffed up in surprise as the amphibian turned whereas the more normal one stayed calm, looking over its shoulder before forming a small smile on its thin lips. The duo in green robes turned to greet him while performing a light bow, the leaves composing their attire fluttering all the while in an unnatural way that had James consider there might be even more life to those than he had assumed.

"Ah, you must be the Silhouette. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

The humanoid sounded... Off. It felt as though this was the work of a very good AI rather than a natural voice. Rather than forming new sounds every time, it was like it simply mimicked the ones it had memorized. It was the sort of small detail that would set someone on edge without knowing the reason why.

"As my sister says, it is wondrous to meet you."

Meanwhile, the newt's voice was a grating thing, with an underlying thrill accompanying every syllable. For the first time in either of his lives, James understood what people meant when they said they wanted to strangle something just because of the noise it made. Not that he'd go ahead and do the deed, disliking someone's anything wasn't a good reason to torment them. He just hoped the uncanny valley representative would be the one doing the talking.

"You know who I am. I'm afraid I cannot say the same."

"You may call me Clarabelle."

"And I am but her humble brother, Lawrence."

"As you might have guessed, we are here for official Hivines matters."

"If you could find the time to listen, that is. We are aware your day was somewhat tumultuous, we can wait. We'd be more than happy to invite you to come to us when the time is right."

Yeah, no. James had no delusion of being smarter than someone capable of openly assembling a cult of happy worshippers in the middle of a city with no repercussions, but he wasn't about to go headfirst into their den or whatever. That was the quickest way to get ambushed and brainwashed.

"I can give you five minutes."

The humanoid clicked her tongue while the newt licked his eyeball. James was unsure if the latter meant the same as the former, or if that was just a weird coincidence.

"We wish to thank you for your deeds on behalf of the Biflora and all children of nature."

"Yes, as my brother says, the demise of this Nightsnatcher abomination is a blessing."

"I expected you to value all life equally."

"Yes, all spawns of nature are equal."

"But the monsters crafted by those whose hubris is greater than their intellect and the nightmares from beyond the world are no such thing."

"Indeed, sister, indeed. Manmade horrors and those birthed out in the void are to be put down, for the sake of all."

"Your actions put an end to a threat to our natural world."

"I do not believe mentioning the Nightsnatcher was eldritch."

"The Biflora's blessing allowed us to know it was not part of the natural order."

"And its design was far too beautiful to be the work of the Patcher or Xenocorp's fools."

The big thing that went unsaid here but James nonetheless caught on was that somehow the Hivines got to have agents interacting with the body and got the time to share the news. It hadn't even been a day, only a few hours. They infiltrated the police, and even worse, possibly the Union. He knew they were everywhere, but experiencing it firsthand was a different thing. He might have to resume the paranoid measures he put in place when he feared there might be a spy for Runar trying to join his employees.

"Well, I am happy to see more people benefit from it. But you'll understand my suspicion when I say I doubt this is the only reason you are here."

"Of course, of course. Survival instinct is a powerful thing."

"What my brother means to say is that we are used to uncertainty and worry. Be at ease, we simply wish to discuss. We believe you might feel at home among us."

"Pardon?"

"Zalcien is a city plagued by rot. The Empress' mechanical minions lay in wait in every corner, waiting for an opportunity to drag you screaming into the darkness."

"Abrakaboom and Wicked Witchcraft do as they please, devasting the land with their accursed spells and horrible magic."

"And what of the Blood Angels? The lost souls at their command might be feeble, but the inferno and bloodbath brought upon by their leaders are all too great."

"Even the people are marked by these sins. Mad machines kept alive despite the risks they pose, devices of all sorts threatening to ruin everything at every moment..."

"And our gracious protectors are not free of blame either. You saw it. You lived it. They fear those they feel too different from their carefully selected designs."

"They prefer the sharp yet orderly edges of cold metal over the beauty and chaos of blossoming flesh."

"And you, dear amorphous friend, are closer to us than them."

"So, won't you consider it? You do not have to choose now. We will always be there, waiting for you to realize the truth."

The light in their eyes might have been a heartwarming sight in other circumstances. Here? It wasn't. The mere notion of these two talking about their cult like this, as though they were talking about their favorite thing in all of existence or their lifelong goal, was sickening. Those weren't the eyes of Polisson, Mischief, Techlord, or the Infused. Those were the eyes of his children when they were watching Captain Cyan and talking about their dreams of becoming Heroes. To turn that childlike wonder into this...

Disgusting.

Sadly, he didn't have the leeway to share his true thoughts. At the end of the day, he still couldn't afford to antagonize them. He wouldn't be their friend, but he couldn't let them become enemies.

"I appreciate your offer. Now, if you excuse me, I have work to do. Feel free to tell the Biflora I appreciate his gratitude."

With that, he turned back into a shadow and he was gone. The two figures cloaked in plants simply bowed once more before walking away, their faces unmoving as they left in silence.