Olivia's explanation was very telling, in more ways than one.  They were dealing with things that were way out of their scope.  Powers, beings, rules, and an ecosystem than would have never occurred to any of them this time yesterday afternoon.  Even so, however..<br/><br/>Perhaps it was just because Esther had grown up on fariy tales, folk lore, and meeting with spiritualists from all sorts of walks of life.  But for something like a predetor to utterly erase someone, not just from casual memories, but from whole families, records... pretty much everyone but the three of them.  That seemed unlikely.  Considering that Mindy had just gotten into her post-larval stage, Esther could determine that even on a binge trek, she was only<em>measurably</em>more powerful than Esther herself was at this moment.  Esther had a lot going for her, too, but she wasn't even remotely near the kin of fugueing out a mother-son dynamic.  The only one she knew that might be able to pull that off..  was the same jerk that had blasted Jason with lightening the night before.<br/><br/>Billy.  Even the name had taken on a completely different connotation since yesterday.  Mixed loathing and reverence.  The kind of confused love/hate feeling that leads to angry, violent sex.  Esther couldn't help the fact that Billy's power, his utter disregard for the rules and conventions of even his own transhumans, was a turn on.  But at this moment, she wasn't minded to be very civil to him if she ever saw him again.  Questions she should have asked, wished that she had known to ask, ran through her mind.  Along with one peculiar thing she'd heard from somewhere else..  About the Emissary being in danger..<br/><br/>"I wish I could talk to Billy about that one.  My Other said something strange today, about him actually being in danger."  Another forced chuckle.  "The first thing I couldn't believe since this happened.  I mean.. what could hurt that guy?"  She looked at Olivia, her eyes studying her.  She was beautiful, Esther had never questioned that.  But her fear, the expression she wore when she didn't have it all under control.. that way she smiled innocently when Rose whispered something to her.  Esther saw a different kind of beauty, more than skin deep.  Right after remembering the vengeance fuck she'd give Billy, Esther had to admit, it was hard not to take her under the bleechers.<br/><br/>However, there was something else this had told her.  Rose was a full tilit familiar.  The inch high companion was able to get into places that Olivia, and more importantly, that Esther wouldn't be able to get into.<em>That</em>was an extremely useful ability, especially for tonight, where getting into places was.. was.. Esther realized her eyes were on Olivia's thigh, and she suddenly, desperately, wanted to place her hand on it.  To guide it slowly underneath the skirt the red-head was wearing.  The reverie of seeing what was under there, of feeling the space where the soft skin of her thigh met her hip, and moving her hand between..  The image of Olivia opening her legs with a sigh, of arching her back in a soft moan, of kissing her, of pulling off her top and..<br/><br/>Esther realized she was flushed, and more than one part of her was salivating for Olivia.  She exhaled sharply, remembering what she had just been focusing on.  Olivia had a familiar.  Mike had the raw, justice inducing strength.  And Esther had been so very bad, so very in need of some sweaty, rock hard abs to show her the true meaning of justice...  Esther muttered something unlady-like, putting a hand to her forehead.  Mike's rock hard<em>fists</em>were invaluable.  Between Olivia's ability to track, and Mike's ability to take things down, tonight could go great!  They could find and purge this parasite, the three of them!  If only Esther could keep herself from ripping Olivia's dress off right now...<br/><br/>Esther ROLLS 3d10 for [Always has a project], to keep her hands of her allies so tonight doesn't get fucked up.  Result: 3, 8, 10,<br/><br/>Esther shook her head, her cheeks red, her breathing deeper.  "Shit.." she said, swallowing, sliding her hands over her forehead.  "The angel on my shoulder feels a lot like self-preservation," she muttered.  The humor of the situation caught up to her all at once, and she began to laugh lightly.  "I envy you and Golden Boy," she said, a grin on her face.  "Nothing those stupid Health classes taught you will prepare you for it.  You'll see."  There was a conspiratory glance, the kind big sisters give their virginal younger counterparts.  And then Esther stood to leave.  That was close, really, and she needed to do something about that.  As much as she didn't want to face it, her Other half was trolling for booty, and she could either get on the train or watch the wreck.  Again.<br/><br/>Esther turned and explained about how she'd been looking for them all day.  Olivia said something, something to her Rose that Esther couldn't quite make out.<br/><br/>Esther ROLLS 2d6 [Physical] to hear things being said.  Result: 3, 5<br/><br/>"Shawn?"  she asked, her tone a little crass.  She was frustrated, on several levels, and the longer she stayed looking at Olivia looking confused and vulnerable, the more frustrating it would be.  "Really.  I asked him to let you know I was looking for you guys, earlier."  She glared back at the school building.  The Parasite was an effective hunter.  It was trying to keep the three of them divided.  Either that, or Shawn was simply a rat bastard.  That could also be dealt with, although it would need some finesse.  And some better timing.  More than taking out this parasite, Esther realized, she needed to make sure she didn't get on Mike's bad side right now.  Allies would make things easier.  But if he became an enemy, she wasn't sure she could withstand him.  In fact, she was pretty certain she couldn't.  Would Mike go nuts about the Dorothea thing?  Would he see reason?  And what, oh<em>what</em>was Esther going to do about her<em>own</em>drooling sexual needs.<br/><br/>"Get to Mike."  Esther said softly.  "If you can, don't mention Dorothea until after tonight.  I won't hold you to it, I just want him mad at the actual threat, for now."  She'd underestimated this Parasite.  No, not really.  She couldn't have known,<em>because she wasn't fucking informed</em>that her first day of being the new her would attract an experienced urban hunter like Mindy.  And Billy.. if he was in danger, it was good he was staying away, but you would think he'd at least sit around to help his fledgling new..<br/><br/>..It hit her like a bell.  There was no way these things could have established themselves so quickly without prior provocation.  These things didn't want them.  They wanted Billy.  Just what had that guy done, up until now?  And what had he gotten out of that ritual..?  Was it them?  Was the whole thing just to create a coven of decoy Billies?<br/><br/>The need for angry sex came back, hard.  Esther felt herself slipping.  The<em>right</em>wrong thing to do would be to grab Olivia and sate herself, and ask that to be their dirty little secret.  But Olivia had Rose, a voice of reason that was completely devoted to Olivia's comfort and happiness.  If she pissed Rose off, she lost Olivia.  And if she lost Olivia, Mike would be hunting her, along with a parasitic variable that was interested in bigger fish than either of them.  Like it or not, they needed each other right now.<br/><br/>The<em>wrong</em>wrong thing to do was to find some poor soul, like Dorothea, and feed.  She thought about this as she moved back into the school building, just able to brush aside the mental image of fingering Olivia there in the bleechers.  Or the one of Esther, Purple Eyed Sex Goddess Esther, naked with her ass in the air, her lips attached to Olivia's dripping pussy, as the Princess of the school clawed at Esther's hair and howled to the sky.  Or the mental image of-<br/><br/>"I never thought I'd say it, but I really need to get laid."  she muttered, not really caring who heard.  She needed to deal with Shawn, although like as not, he wasn't actually at fault for his dishonesty.  She had an idea, perhaps regarding Bacon... No, too easy for the Red and Gold to place as her work.  Just for now, she needed to be a little quieter about it.  Later, though, when Mike's good will wasn't quite so essential, or when she had more time and means, she would take care of Bacon.  It would be great for Cynthia, to have that asshole replaced.  Come to the point, it would even be fun to take that whore classmate of their's for a turn.  Since her potential amounted to being a barbie doll, anyhow, it was on the menu.  For now, she needed a different tactic.<br/><br/>It was time, Esther decided, to order out for lunch.  Moving toward the auditorium, she made for the doors.  It wouldn't be too hard to find a shop in this town, and to convince someone to put the out-to-lunch sign up for a little while.  Would it?<br/><br/>Somewhere deep inside her, the Old Esther, Yesterday's Esther, screamed.  What had she become?