Chain of perfection [unedited]

Chapter 8: nighttime

Kai

"Oh no, what did you do?"

Seeing Mallory's gossip history, this is probably a bad decision, but as Kai said, desperate times call for desperate measures.

"You know the Attritions my parents have? I kinda made a fake portal creation license to help them get home."

Mal chokes on her coffee. "Wait, seriously?"

"And I have no one to help me create the portal so would you be down to help me?"

Kai half expected Mal to be like "oh no, that's so illegal!" And report her to the police, but her face turns inquisitive, like she's questioning whether or not to help, and then it brightens.

"I'd love to!" She says, brightly as always. Normally Kai would've been annoyed, but now she's relieved.

"Thanks so much, Mal."

—

It's been about a week. Kai's relationship with Mallory has significantly improved, although the appreciation is still secretly one-sided.

Kai is glad for the constant distraction of the portal training while pretending she was going to the gym. Last week had given her things that she'd really rather not think about.

Her mom had sent her upstairs, but she was secretly listening to the conversation. She didn't recognise her mom, who was usually so bright and forgiving.

It was her alter ego, the one she reserves for Attritions. But she's been so nice to Blake and Avi...

She also notices that they've stopped hanging out with her outside of the house, and even if they do, it's never for too long. Did Mom scare them that much? They don't seem like the type to be intimidated.

She's walking to the training centre with Mallory, who seems to have her head in the clouds more than usual today. Kai shows her licence to the reception, pays for the hour, and goes to a room.

"Where's your attritions?" Mal asks.

"They're not mine, Mal. They're complete people by themselves and they belong to no one from how I see it."

Mallory stays silent for a moment as if she's contemplating. "Well ours haven't been having the best of days. Timmy's started using the leather crops a lot, and my mom hasn't been doing anything about—"

"Wait." Kai cuts her off. "Your mom owns whips?"

Demure, sophisticated Ashlyn Vale would stoop so low as to have whips and leashes for her attritions?

"Yeah. Worse even, she teaches Timmy to use them."

"Oh my god."

"He's been becoming a total jerk to Attritions as soon as he sees a microchip on their necks." Mallory places her bag on the lone table in the room. "I'm pretty sure we're the only people in the world who don't, actually. My mom's usually so nice but she changes completely when she's around Attritions. It's sad."

Kai lets out a barely audible sigh of relief. It seems as if Mallory cares about the well-being of Attritions after all.

"Alright girlfriend, let's go." Mallory walks to the centre of the room.

"We're not dating!"

"I meant as in platonic friend!"

"Whatever."

Okay, okay. All of Kai's memories from the previous session come flooding back. Just step back, other person beside you, take her hand in yours, and—

A stream of water shoots out Mallory's hand, immediately extinguishing the red flames.