"We have a common enemy. Kaya nandito ako para makipagtulungan sa inyong pabagsakin ang Elite Killing Tournament."

Chayse knew that it was a smart move to form an alliance with the crow-shifters. She smiled cheekily, knowing they'll have a better success rate to finally end that cursed tournament. Oh, she can almost smell the promotion already! Ano pa bang rason nilang tumanggi sa alok niyang tulong? Kaya kampante ang dalaga na mapapapayag niya ang nakababatang Neverwoo---

"Not interested."

.
.
.

"SHOT PUNO!"

Bago pa man mailapag ng bartender ang pang-anim na niyang baso, the blonde female briskly grabbed and gulped it down in one go.

'Not interested... NOT INTERESTED?!'

"Sino ba siya sa inaakala niya?! That sassy and spoiled bastard. Wala talagang nakapagsabi sa'king kasama ng pagiging imortal ang pagiging bastos!"

Sa gilid ng kanyang mga mata, napansin niyang napapailing na lang ang bartender sa kanyang inaasal. He was pretending to be busy with wiping the glasses, but Chayse knew that he was silently judging her and her drinking habits again. She couldn't blame him, though. Not when he witnessed her drinking away her frustrations since the day she reached legal age.

"Alam mo, KC... Minsan hindi alak ang solusyon."

"But I am seeking for the truth, Leo!"

"Okay, pero anong---?"

"And where there is truth, there is wine! Or it's the other way around? Can't remember, so it doesn't matter."

"KC, may pasok ka pa yata bukas---"

"SHOT PUNO!"

Napahilot na lang ng sentido si Leo. Sa pagkakaalam ni Chayse hindi nagkakalayo ang edad nilang dalawa. How old was he again? 28? 29? In another universe where she actually had the time for romance, baka siya na ang nag-first move sa isang 'to. For now, Chayse's content that she has (at least) one person she can consider a real friend.

But that's the problem: a real friend rarely tolerates your bad habits.

"That's enough tequila for the night."

Biglang hinablot ni Leo ang pang-pitong baso na niya ng alak (na si Chayse na mismo nagsalin dahil ayaw na siyang bigyan). The blonde scoffed and adjusted her eyeglasses, glaring at him through the lens.

"Leo, gimme back my drink!"

"No. Go home and sleep," iritableng sagot ng lalaki. "Kung sinuman 'yang kanina mo pa sinusumpa, mas makakatulong pa siguro kung sa mangkukulam ka lumapit at hindi sa mga santo ng alak dito."

Chayse wanted to tell him that she already approached a local witch, pero sarado tuwing weekends ang shop niya kaya hindi siya makapagpakulam. 'Sana talaga nag-book ako ng appointment!' Sumagi na naman sa isip niya ang bastos na Neverwood.

But she honestly doubts if curses can work on those who are already cursed.

It's been a few days since the night she proposed an alliance in his hotel room. Hindi niya talaga makakalimutan ang walang ekspresyon nitong mukha noong ni-reject niya ang inaalok na tulong ni Chayse! Damn, does that spoiled brat even know how to smile? Or at least be grateful a mere mortal like her reached out to him?!

Not interested, my ass.

Noticing how worked up she is, Leo sighed and leaned over the counter.

"Imbes na mag-overnight camping ka rito, why not put your above average IQ to use? I'm sure you'll think of something, KC."

Chayse slumped in her seat. "You really think so?"

"I know so. You always come up with a solution. Umm... Just keep track of your actions, 'kay?"

Mabuti na lang talaga at hindi masyadong marami ang mga tao ngayon kaya nagagawa pa niyang kausapin ang kaibigan. Otherwise, he would've scolded her for distracting him with her constant muttering. Sino na naman ba ang pinanggigigilan nito?

Maya-maya pa, biglang nagningning ang mga mata ng dalaga.

"EUREKA! Tracking! Leo, you're a freakin' genius!"

"Umm... Thanks? Pero ano namang kinalaman ng tracking sa---"

"GOTTA GO NOW, BYE!"

At bago pa man tanungin ni Leo kung ano ang brilliant idea ng henya, namalayan na lang niyang kumaripas na ng takbo si Chayse papalabas ng lugar. But of course, not before crashing into several tables and almost slipping on the dance floor. Nabasag pa ang ilang mga bote ng alak. At doon niya naalala...

"TEKA! PAANO YUNG BAYAD MO?!"

Leo almost wanted to bang his head on the counter.

Note to self: ban Miss Chayse Dayanghirang from every bar in Eastwood.

.
.
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And that's how Chayse ended up hiding in the shadows while tracking down a certain crow-shifter in the middle of the night.

'I'd love to see your smug face after I put you in a bird cage, Evillois Neverwood!'

Ilang buwan na ang nakakalipas mula noong binigyan siya ni Leo ng idea na gumawa ng isang tracking device para solusyunan ang kanyang problema. After contacting several (not-so-real) friends on campus and passing her midterms with flying colors, sa wakas ay nahanap na rin ni Chayse ang tamang oras para gamitin ito.

"I command you all to bow down to me."

Wow. Okay? Special ka?

Napasimangot na lang si Chayse nang makitang lumuhod na ang mga tao sa "hari" ng Neverwoods.

How he's doing it, she has no idea.

One thing's for sure: he's worst than a spoiled brat. Naturingang imortal na may superpowers pero hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin niya matugis ang Boss ng Elite Killing Tournament? Damn, mukhang totoo nga ang mga tsismis na inaabuso ng paranormal creatures na kagaya nila ang oras nila sa Eastwood. Unlike normal humans, these immortals take time for granted just because they'll never run out of it.

That alone is enough to make Chayse hate his guts.

So when Evil finally transformed into a crow, she immediately activated the tracking device that she carefully wired in his phone. Nang lumipad na papalayo ang crow-shifter, a cheeky smile graced Chayse's lips when the signal flickered to life on her screen.

"Gotcha!"

Mabilis niyang sinuot ang kanyang helmet at sumakay sa motorbike na hiniram niya sa Rebellion. Bahala na.

Time to hunt down Evil.

---

"She was too much and too little,
molded into one human form;
She was happiness and heartache,
who took this world by storm."

---Evillois Neverwood