The Ravagers

The Jukebone Affair // Nova

"Don't fight a battle if you don't gain anything by winning."

-Erwin Rommel

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Nova was taught to react without thinking when in the face of danger, let her instincts take control. That was what she did. Lisa took a face full of Nova's ribbons. A rusty line stretched across her face. She smiled at Nova. Nova leaped forward to hit her again. She fell instead, landing in an empty room.

'What the hell?' She wheeled around.

She was at the Jukebone hall but no one was there.

Was this a-? No way.

Glitches weren't real.

But Nova was standing in one.

Lisa could control glitches?

Nova felt warmth surge through her fingertips but her powers didn't do anything.

Suddenly, the ground moved below her feet.

'Nova!' Nat's faint voice rumbled around the room, 'Jump!'

Nova jumped immediately. This time she landed back in the room with people. People were running all around. Through the surging crowd, Nova saw Pace, crumpled on the floor.

Nova ran forward to help him up. He was too heavy for her.

Pace slapped himself, 'She's controlling me. Lisa.' Pace groaned.

Nova wheeled around, ready to hit Lisa in the face at whatever chance she got.

Then she saw the whole thing.

Nat had her fists pressed so tightly, blood was trickling out. A few feet away from her, Anu ran towards Lisa. Lisa must've been a few meters away. By the time Anu would reach her, Lisa would be ready. There was a inhuman sound from Nat and Anu leaped forward. Nova blinked and almost missed Anu disappear and appear right in front of Lisa, her leg stretched into a well aimed kick.

Lisa staggered back and disappeared.

She appeared a little way from Nova. Anu threw a badly aimed knife, aimed at Nova. Before Nova could duck, Nat made the same sound and the knife disappeared, then appeared behind Nova and buried itself itself in Lisa's thigh.

Lisa screamed. Through tears, she pushed her hand out and clenched. Beside Nova, Pace pressed his hand in his temple. Blood was flowing through his eyes now. Nova's stomach heaved.

'Do something, idiot,' Nova's inner voice shouted. 'Don't just stand there!'

Anu ran again. Nova ran too, trying to block Pace's sounds.

Heat surged down her whole arm this time. A plum shield slammed into Lisa's back. Nova heaved her hand up, Lisa went flying off.

Pace had stopped groaning.

Something scorched inside Nova's head. She clutched at her hair. Nails dug inside her head, her brain pounding mercilessly. Nova could almost hear herself scream. Almost.

Through the haze of red tinted tears flowing on her cheeks, Nova saw Nat's familiar black magic envelope Lisa.

The pain left Nova. She pushed herself up again.

Behind her, Nat shrieked.

'Get out of my head,' Nat shouted, 'Get OUT!'

There was no way they could defeat Lisa, even together. Lisa would take turns peeling their brains, it would not take her more than a few seconds to change persons and attack her new target. They needed a distraction. Desperately.

Green tendrils creeped across the floor. Before Lisa knew it, her feet were tied by vines. Hello was here!

Nova punched Lisa in the face with a plum fist.

Nat was sobbing on the floor and Hello was jumping around, screaming like a maniac. Nova looked around, searching for anything that would help. If Pace was still functioning, her could have frozen Lisa's eyeballs in place.

Nova ducked behind a curtain to escape Lisa's penetrating gaze. Like someone pulling back a haze to reveal clarity, an idea hit Nova.

Love! Nova strained her brain, trying to remember what could make or break a mind curse. Love was definitely the answer. It was a strong emotion, strong enough to bring back locked away thoughts and body controls. All Pace had to do was look at someone he loved and just, maybe, he'd be able to shake Lisa's powers off. There had been another emotion just as strong but Nova couldn't quite put her finger on it...

Nova jumped out from behind the curtain. It was a risky idea but the only one she had. Who did Pace love? Or maybe, what did Pace love? His designer clothes? His shiny boots? Was there not a person he loved?

She'd have to guess. Nova decoded to go for Pace's designer clothes.

'Nat!' She shouted. A sobbing Nat looked up from the floor. 'The Castle.'

Nova thanked the heavens that Nat was not a questioning person when it came to fights. Nat immediately complied, twisting her hand out and putting it to her head.

Nova felt the floor jerk beneath her. 'Bring me back in a minute.' Nova shouted but she wasn't sure if Nat heard her because Lisa shifted her attention from an unconscious Hello to Nat.

Nova landed at The Castle, straight into the toilet bowl. Ignoring her dripping wet shoes she ran around the place, trying to fond something Pace loved.

'What would Pace love?' She asked herself repeatedly as she trifled through every piece of clothing Pace had ever stitched.

She settled on a pair of wings Pace had made for a model who never ended up wearing it. They were huge, shimmery and all around glorious. Nova had tried them once but she never got the permission to wear them to an event.

Nova hoped Nat was still breathing and that she was about to open a glitch for her. All Nova had to do was show Pace this fabulous item and hope his love for it would help him take over his own thoughts.

Luckily, a glitch opened and Nova fell on the floor of the Jukebone Palace.

'Pace!' She shouted, 'PACE!' She started waving the wings around, hoping wherever Pace was, he would see them.

Pace stood at the corner of the hall with a blank look on his face as if he had never seen the wings before.

Nova felt her stomach drop. That was not the expression he was supposed to give. He was supposed to overflow with adoration.

'Failed plan, Missy?' Lisa's voice asked from behind before Nova felt her head rip apart. Nova screamed, and flailed around wildly, her head nearing a terminal point. It burned through her body, the pain, sending sparks throughout her face.

The last thing she saw was Lisa give her a sweet smile.

Them the world went black.