Steaming hot cup-o-noodles in hand, I plop down on the living room couch. News on the TV is more about the LN Ambassador meeting with the president. Try as I might, I can't bring myself to give a shit. I know it's all smoke and mirrors. We have garbage they need to power the Goddess Cannons and they have magic. Despite all the posturing and negotiations, there is no way either side will turn down this opportunity. To me, the big news is that The Others have created an alliance with the newly formed African Continental Union. Now that is worthy of news. The western powers will hesitate to destabilize a nation with monstrous magical friends from across the veil. It's sure to make things interesting.

I put the smoking styrofoam cup on the coffee table and check my phone.

A dozen texts from my dad. He wants me to document my time over in El'Enara with pictures and anecdotes. He says it may help a future hunter in the same way his book helped me. He's probably right, and I'll probably do it, but not yet. It's too soon.

One missed call from my buddy Nova, who is dying for me to take a trip to Korea with him. He's gone and gotten himself addicted to k-dramas and is convinced he was born to live in Seoul. He's a great guy, but a little delusional. Though, who am I to judge? Here I am pining over a woman I'd met in another world.

It's been six months. I've quit my job and I've been applying at art studios. I joke with Nova about getting a gig at Disney, but I'm not brave enough to try. I've rubbed uglies with a giant snake and shot a vampire, but approaching The Mouse is still a bit out of my comfort zone.

When I'd returned, Watson and Holmes told me that due to an incident on the other side involving a politician and terrorist, I was being removed from The Initiative. Because it wasn't my fault, my contract was still valid. They erased dad's debt and paid off mom's hospital bills, unfortunately I was only entitled to a fraction of the severance package. I'd laughed in their faces and told them where to send the checks.

My mysterious benefactor loved my sketchbooks so much I was able to convince him to pay nearly four times as much for a secret third I'd worked on.

Money won't be an issue for a while.

Maybe this was all worth it in order to put me on the right track. I'd been sitting around, a passenger in my own life. I couldn't even see what was wrong with that until the night Kheelisha, Colette, Obera, Bursten Blanth, and I conspired against Minister Atropa to save Chineelia's life. It was the first time in a long time I'd taken the driver's seat, and it was exhilarating. After that high, I can't go back to how I was.

I text my dad that I'll start my own journal in the morning. I'm still not sure about Korea, but maybe the change of scenery will take my mind off of you know who.

The doorbell rings and I jump up to get the ice cream I'd ordered from Uber Eats.

"Took you long enough," I say loudly as I open the door. "I got bored and made some ramen."

My heart skips a beat.

"What's ramen, Mr. Smalls?"

The Captain smiles at the goofy look on my face. Black leather jacket, hair up in a goldish-brown wrap, and dressed in a tangerine tube skirt. I barely recognize her in street clothes, having only ever seen her in uniform and a towel. Her eyes are impossible to miss. Those eyes I think about every night stare back at me.

"How in the world— Get in here!"

I grab her jacket sleeve and pull her inside. Closing the door behind me, I lean against it and try to collect my racing thoughts.

"What are you doing here?" I finally ask.

"I came to see you, idiot," she chuckles.

I've missed the sound of her voice. "How?"

"Minister Glopp assigned me to the ambassador's staff as a favor." She removes her jacket and places it on the back of my couch. "Washington D.C. is very far away."

"Washington State is even further. Wait, you traveled here from D.C. just to see me?"

"I wanted to see your home. This New York City is a very weird place."

Coming from anyone else, it would have made sense. Coming from a monster girl from across the veil it seems almost ludicrous.

"On my way here, some guy tried to buy drugs from me, and some girl sold me some." She fishes two blunts out of her jacket pocket.

"That's crazy... At least you didn't get lost on the subway or something."

She shuffles her feet and looks around my apartment.

"I really missed you, Marlon, and I needed to thank you for everything you did for me."

"I missed you too, Chineelia. I missed you real bad."

Her eyes light up and she closes the distance between us. For the first time in what feels like an eternity, she's close enough to touch.

"I think that's the first time I've ever heard you say my name," she says, voice low, husky. "I like how it sounds."

"Good," I whisper. "I like saying it."

We're so close, I feel drunk and not in control of myself. I lean forward and she moves to meet me. Our lips touch and lightning rips through my body. I'm light. I'm airy. I'm happy. We pour into one another. Our worlds and their troubles dissolve and all that's left is us. I pick her up and carry her, never breaking our embrace.

We bump into the doorframe to my bedroom and finally come up for air.

"Where are you taking me?" she asks.

"My bed, Chineelia."

She grins. "What do you expect to do there?" Her playful tone drives me wild.

"I'm gonna claim you, of course."

"Claim me?"

"Yeah, we do things a little differently here."

"Oh Yeah?" She leans in and whispers in my ear, "show me."