Bewitched (Neymar Jr) ✔

#9, The Local VME

"I knew you would change your mind and see things my way," Zelo said with not just a little bit of confidence.

Avalon scoffed. "Please don't hold yourself back on your I told you so parade on my account."

The cat cackled in amusement, the sound loud in her right ear; he was perched on her shoulder while she made her way through the urban streets of Castelldefels. "You know that's not in my nature."

Ha! Dream on, cat!, Avalon thought. His tail coiled around her neck, tickling her side and cheek involuntarily. Or maybe not; with Zelo, you could never be so sure. She fanned it away with an irritated wave of a hand.

"In any case," the cat continued, "I'm just happy you found your morale and conscience again and decided to help the human."

Avalon only grumbled at that, coming to a halt at the next intersection. Glancing back at the screen of her phone to gather her surroundings, she turned right and followed the street toward what she hoped to be the town's centre. Blissfully, there weren't any people walking around so nobody could give her a weird look and think her crazy for talking to a cat. "I just want to help Neymar and be done with it. I haven't forgotten about my vow and I will not go back to my training either. This is a one-time operation, are we clear?"

Zelo didn't say anything for a while. Then, "You like him, don't you?"

Avalon groaned. "Of course I do. But that's strictly platonic, mind you," she added when she heard Zelo take a breath to retort. "And even if the other scenario were the case, he's still my boss." She shrugged. "I just like him, is all. As a friend. He seems like a good guy, all right? I just want to help him. Don't even know how yet but there you have it. There's nothing more to it."

"Sure," Zelo retorted dryly. They both were well aware of there being more to it; so much more.

Avalon sighed. "You should've seen him, Zelo."

She'd already told him what had transpired in the kitchen the other day. In great detail. But ever since then, the topic wouldn't leave her alone. Irony, right? From ignorance to pestilence. And why? Because the love spell holding Neymar hostage was far more potent than she had expected it to be.

"A text message was all it took for the love spell to work its magic!" she said, feeling anger rise at the memory of how helpless she'd felt. "He couldn't help it. Grinning like an idiot at his phone.... He doesn't even know that something's wrong with him. No. We can't just watch and let her do whatever she's planning on doing with him."

Zelo harrumphed. "Hey, I've been in the 'Free Neymar' club longer than you have! You decided to turn a blind eye to a man in need until now."

She grumbled again. "Fine, you be the president and I'm the reluctant member that's already planning to quit once the trial month is over."

Zelo scoffed. "I prefer evil mastermind. But FNC president will work as well, I guess. Play your cards right and I just might make you vice."

"FNC? No, forget I even said anything. It's not the point here," she retorted, shaking her head in irritation and rolling her eyes at him. Ts. Some evil mastermind. "In any case, now that you got your wish and I'm gonna stick my nose in someone else's business, there's a few things we need to do. And we only have a couple days to do them or else we're pretty much screwed."