Heartless Harpy

Most of the time, Cassie remained a warrior princess, but for only one night a year, Cage’s acting streak awakened in her. She flaunted in front of the mirror admiring her Harley Quinn cosplay after the painstakingly applied or rather smeared make-up. “No, Punkin, you’re not going anywhere in this,” Johnny crept up behind him. “The neckline is larger than was specified.” “Dad, seriously? With this neckline, you can’t even see where the chest begins, and you are already taking out the brain. As long as you’re around, no JJ will approach me,” Cassie winked and then frowned. “Why haven’t you changed yet?” “We’ll leave in two hours, no need to be in such a hurry.” “Damn, we still have to glue that artificial wool for you. Why did you choose Teen Wolf this year? Though don’t answer, it doesn’t matter, anything is better than Ninja Mime.” Johnny playfully nudged his daughter at the insulting remark. “I wanted to have a snack first, would you like something?” “No, I don’t want to smear make-up more than necessary.” He rummaged through the half-empty fridge for something tasty, but he was distracted by Cassie’s phone conversation. “No, not this year. It’s hot in the mask and Kuai won’t understand. Yeah, he’s just walking his students.” “What, we are waiting for free ice cream in October?” Johnny said tactlessly. “Ugh, dad, it’s not good to eavesdrop,” Cassie called out mockingly and continued the conversation. He grabbed the rest of the loaf, a piece of cheese and dumped everything on the slicing table. “Are you going to dress up?” Cassie’s voice sounded cheerful. “Come on!? Oh-oh-oh everyone’s just going to shit themselves when they see you.” She glanced over her shoulder at her father, who out of the corner of his eye noticed it and smiled as he stacked slices of cheese on the bread. “Are you sure you don’t want any?” “…Hang for now… No, I’m not hungry.” Cassie winced at the sight of her dad’s treat. “Ugh, it’s time to throw this cheese away, it stinks like shit, I can feel it from here.” “Expensive cheese should smell like that.” Cassie put the phone to her ear and after a moment called out to her father: “It’s been lying there since your divorce!” “Don’t exaggerate, Punkin.” Johnny ate his sandwich with gusto, wincing slightly at the strange taste. Cassie rolled her eyes, tilted her head to the side, and glared at her father. A striking resemblance did not escape him, from which his heart sadly squeezed. Relationship with Sonya improved significantly after Cassie’s victory over Shinnok, and they both regretted the lost years. About divorce, about every quarrel, about every shed tear of their daughter, but Sonya still continued to ignore them. He wanted to invite her this evening, but her phone was busy all the time. Johnny lost track of time, he was brought out of pessimistic thoughts by Cassie’s muffled stomping as she descended the stairs. “Jacqui left her coat from her suit with us.” “She’s Superman now, right?” Johnny said without looking up from his phone. “Hah, tougher.” He raised his head and gasped. A black snake’s tail streamed down the stairs. Johnny followed the direction of the tale and saw a dumbfounded Cassie. “Dad, are you okay? Damn, you shouldn’t have eaten that crap.” He felt how black scaly rings wrapped around his torso and even a simple breath was difficult. “Are you not feeling well? Dad. Dad!” Her voice did not hide her excitement, her features became more distorted, long hair gathered in tails and on the sides merged into a hood, her lipstick smeared all over her face into an open mouth. “That’s all, now my beloved daughter will devour me,” Johnny flashed through his head, with everything going through together. How she, being still small, patiently waited for her mother to return from work and how he had to carry her to bed. Every holiday they celebrated together. And every adult conversation with a small child about the reasons why her mother disappeared from home for so long, silent on the fact that she may simply not return. Johnny tried to be everything to Cassie, but he knew that he could not completely replace the absent mother. And was not at all surprised by her desire to connect her life with a military career, even though Sonya was against it. Through a prick of jealousy, Johnny was sincerely glad that at least now Sonya began to pay more attention to her daughter. Even if they spend less time with him. Now it will be devoured, because it has finally become unnecessary. “Why, Cass?” Johnny said sadly. “Why do you want to get rid of me?” “What? You put all sorts of filth in your mouth.” The snake face leaned over him, Johnny pushed her with the last of his strength, but she barely stumbled back. There was a dull knock on the door, the monster disappeared from view, but the cold vise did not loosen one bit. Cassie was talking worriedly, but the voice of the answerer made her throat churn. “Bring a glass of water and a basin, and I’ll see how he is”. Johnny tried to get up, but a winged female figure stepped out of the corridor. She began to approach and a phrase said in one of the quarrels surfaced in his memory: “Heartless Harpy”. Involuntarily, this nickname was assigned to General Blade. She didn’t know anything about it, or tried hard to pretend she didn’t, but Johnny intended to smash the nose of anyone who called her that. No one dares to do this but him. She sat down opposite him and put hands on his chest. The fingers were barely visible through the bulky feathered wings. It seemed to him that invisible claws were tearing flesh and bones, looking for a way to the very heart. There was a bleeding hole in her own chest that she intended to fill. Long blond hair that became like a mane of feathers fell over her shoulders, but for the first time he did not want to touch it. “Johnny, be patient, we’ve already called an ambulance,” Sonya said, her usual callousness and indifference gone. “Help me get this snake off me.” She looked at him blankly, at which point Cassie slipped a basin between them and brought a glass of water to father’s face. “Johnny, what are you talking about? There are no snakes here.” “You’re on the same side now, aren’t you?” He continued diligently to turn away from the offered water. “Yes, at the same time. We really wanted to make this evening special for you, but now we will spend the whole evening with you in the hospital, at best. Now do me a favor and drink the damn water.” Johnny sighed wearily. Beside him, holding a glass of water in his scaly hand, sat a huge black snake with a white muzzle, which he once considered his beloved daughter. He continued to look at them in fear, but still gave up and drank the water. “I wanted to spend my last moments with my family, but I didn’t imagine it at all.” “Stop whining, it’s just poisoning!” Sonya was already palpably angry and slapped him on the chest, Johnny groaned in pain. “Sorry. And I think I know how to calm you down.” He huddled back into the sofa, unable to resist the impending doom. Sonya took his face in her hands, ran her fingers over his slightly unkempt stubble, and smiled softly. Johnny involuntarily smiled back. “That’s it, better than any painkiller,” Cassie gently patted his shoulder and stood up. “I’ll go wait outside for an ambulance, I won’t ruin the moment.” The moment of calm dragged on forever. The warm smile brought Johnny back to the glory days when they were still young and happy. All the pain experienced over the years was dissolved from her still loving look. He thought it didn’t matter what monsters his loved ones had become. He will accept any of them, just as they love him with all his shortcomings. A sharp pain in his stomach brought him back to the harsh reality, it seemed that his stomach was about to fall out. Bottomless blue eyes radiated an all-devouring hunger, and a gentle smile turned into a predatory grin. Johnny began to struggle, but Cassie and the doctors arrived in time with a dose of sedatives. The hospital stench filled his lungs as he gasped for air. “Oh, he woke up!” Cassie’s voice rang out excitedly as she literally jumped into the chair next to him. “God, they just washed his stomach and you rejoice as if he was resurrected.” Johnny focused his vision with difficulty, hoping it was all just a nightmare. Sitting in front of him was his daughter, her makeup a little blurry around her eyes, but it was still his Cassie. A smile spread across his face and she visibly relaxed. Sonya sat on the empty bed across from him, wearing a simple suit of large brown wings attached to her arms and a dark sweater with a large red heart, obviously borrowed from Cassie. “So we could not spend at least one holiday normally in so many years.” “Not your fault, this time.” Johnny chuckled weakly. “But this is the first time we are together, and not because another evil devil has spotted our world. And, remind me, why am I actually in the hospital? “You eat anything, at least sometimes check the expiration date. That goes for you too, sergeant.” “Yes, ma’am, and sometimes check the expiration date, ma’am.” Cassie saluted playfully. “And for the record: I warned him.” “I heard, but you weren’t convincing enough.” Sonya turned to Johnny. “Your doctor said we could take you home soon.” “But how …” Johnny wanted to be indignant, but Cassie hugged him. “Let’s skip this year. It’s a pity, of course, because mom tried so hard for the first time.” Sonya clicked her tongue in annoyance and sighed as Cassie continued speaking. “Come on, I was surprised when you said you wanted to join. The last time we celebrated something with the whole family… what… 15 years ago?” “I had to take revenge on someone.” Sonya looked at Johnny with fake anger. “And do not dramatize, I did not just disappear from the home.” “Wow, I forgot that annoying you can be so much fun. Save this costume for later and I’ll show you how impressed I am with it.” He raised his eyebrows lewdly and laughed as Sonya rolled her eyes and Cassie pretended to vomit. Time in the company of family flew by unnoticed. Johnny was still sick, but the company of the most precious women in his life drowned out any discomfort. The horror he had experienced faded away, leaving behind only inverted memories that he decided to share. He had rarely seen Sonya so depressed until Cassie sat down next and hugged her. “Dad and I still love you very much and have always loved you, right? So right?” Their eyes met, he felt his heart jump out of his chest. “Yes. I just wasn’t sure if you loved me all this time.” Sonya silently got up, took him by the chin and kissed him greedily on the lips. “Is that clear enough?” “Given that the child is nearby, more than.” Cassie took out her phone and started taking selfies with her parents. “Jacqui needs to know we’re going to get lost. And on the way home, we can take some more pictures. I’ve been messing around with this costume so much, it’ll be a pity if no one sees it. No offense, mommy, but you’re only getting a plus for trying. But no one paid attention to her chatter, they were more than happy to be in each other’s arms again. “Promise me one more thing,” Johnny suddenly said. Sonya turned in his arms and looked at him incredulously. “Promise that under no circumstances will you try to kill me and eat my heart.” She hung for a moment with her mouth open at the request. “Johnny, did you hit your head anywhere while no one was watching? What the hell are you talking about?” “Promise.” He squeezed her tighter, making her wince. “Okay, okay, I promise. At least half, if you don’t let go.”