THE MOMENT
"He'd never let me win," 23 nodded as she explained her reasoning while idly petting a wandering tuxedo cat. She sat cross-legged atop a park picnic table with the collared stray enjoying the sun from her lap. A towering, pale demon with bone-white horns curling out of her head sat on a skeletal throne opposite the young girl while they chatted. The conversation had begun a while ago, and at some point, the unknown feline happily wandered near the girl while completely ignoring the demon. "I know that much. So, that means I was really close!" she beamed with pride.
She was sharing the tale of a competition against her father while Ballisea the Demon Queen listened with an interested smile. However, with that latest assertion, Ballisea's smile faded, and she shook her head.
"Don't get ahead of yourself, my little Luna," Ballisea said. "You are correct in assuming he would not let his daughter win easily. However, you are also forgetting the specifics. Earlier, you said it was through Ozone's services. Aurelio would not let anyone one, unless he was paid to. He was hired for training; his job was to let you think you were close."
"AAugghhh," 23 was frustrated, but she didn't want to move the cat. She settled for sharing her displeasure vocally while Ballisea giggled. "Why can't he just be a normal dad!?" Their match was only the 2nd time they'd ever spent time playing together; and both times it was because Aurelio was using it as a stepping stone to his own goals.
"Mijita...," Ballisea's laughter echoed all around the girl. "If he was a normal father, he wouldn't be YOUR father. You were born spontaneously from nanos and soul splicing, fully aware and appearing in the form of a 10-year-old. He's quite brilliant mechanically, but with anything else, your father's an idiot. And, very slow. He went from no family to a pre-teen daughter overnight, then you became twins a little after that."
"Wait...," 23 tilted her head up at Ballisea. "You mean it? He doesn't hate me?" It was the only reason she could think of for him avoiding her so much.
"He does not hate you," Ballisea nodded, but kept speaking. "However, I feel I should remind you that doesn't mean 'love' is the only option left. Your father is as flawed as anyone, yet, he harbors no negative feelings toward you."
"Sorry kitty," 23 gently scooped up the cat and set it on table next to her before standing up. She smiled at Ballisea. "That's easy then," she said. "If he doesn't hate me, but still isn't around, it just means I need to be more noticeable. Can I start ranking up solo?" she asked. She would've already been doing that if she'd had permission. It was Ballisea's initial decision, but things had changed.
"I'd rather avoid the name '23' climbing any leaderboards...," Ballisea replied, and that's exactly what 23 was hoping for. When she first prohibited it, she explained that names had a surprising amount of power, and she didn't want 23 getting any notoriety. But, she'd been thinking about it and as soon as she decided on her newest goal, she had a clear idea.
"What if I use a derby name?" she asked. Until recently she was assuming she'd use '23' for her derby name, but now there was a better option.
"What did you have in mind?" Ballisea asked. 23 grinned.
"Something that my dad won't be able to ignore," she said. Ballisea knew enough to guess, and she nodded with a laugh.
"You may," she nodded at 23.
"Thanks!" 23 celebrated briefly as she opened a portal, then she walked through it. "Bye kitty," she waved at the cat that had remained sitting on the table. The portal closed with 23 gone, and Ballisea alone in the park.
"Since I'm here...," Ballisea surveyed the park. It was the middle of the afternoon and the weather was pleasant, but the park appeared to be mostly empty. Not a single person had jogged by to interrupt their conversation, thanks to her aura. She decided to indulge in some fun and immediately skeletal soldiers began marching out of several black portals.
"REEOOwwWR!" The cat started hissing at Ballisea as soon as the skeletons appeared, and she looked down at the animal. Its back was arched, fur on end as it growled at the Demon Queen.
"You are a brave one, aren't you?" she smiled at it, then sighed. It wasn't lost on her that the cat didn't seem affected by her aura keeping everyone else away, but other than that minor benefit, it was a normal cat in all other respects. "Very well. Visiting with the little Luna has left me in a warm mood. I'll honor your bravery. By my word, this Earth is now protected from any unnatural or violent end due to multiversal bickering," she said. She made a gesture and the initial platoon of skeletons vanished all at once as easily as she made them appear.
"May you live the rest of your days content with the knowledge that you have swayed the heart of Ballisea." As soon as she finished the sentence, she was gone without a trace. The cat lingered for a bit before deciding to find its way home.
"Well, howdy Mr. Heartbreaker," Olivia was happy to see the formal feline wander in through the pet door toward its food bowl. She was working at her laptop and took a moment to stretch as she watched him get comfortable and start eating. "No action today either, huh?" she laughed. For fun, she'd paid a fortune teller $20 and got told her cat would save the world one day. She was going to get her money's worth by keeping the joke going as long as possible. "Don't worry, maybe there'll be something for you to save us from tomorrow," she giggled a bit more as she focused on her work again.