Island Hopping - Part 2

“Yep, all’s purple. I guess the dose was wrong…”

A perimeter was currently set around their landing zone by the colorful soldier, but Anna wasn't feeling that well. Getting close to overdosing to keep the effects of flying away worked for sure, but she got too close. Next time would need more attention to the dosage.

In other matters, other than the fairies, Minako was also roaming the area, seemingly setting her ofudas on the close by trees for some reason. One of which was where Col was currently sleeping after being dropped by the flying marines.

Either way, all seemed quiet, at least for now.

No movement around the jungle-filled island and no signal of any activity around. It was only a hot and damp place like any other in the same biome. And even then, the petite cop couldn’t let herself stay quiet and was already moving to give orders.

“We seem to be safe enough, so it's time to scout the area. Can you eight deal with it?”

“Yes, ma’am.” The fairy’s captain answered in her soft voice, but with the same rigid tone, before turning to the other members of the airborne team. “Pair up and try to stay out of sight. I want a pair following each side of the beach and one advancing forward while me and one of you guard this position. Decide between yourselves who’s going where and move in one.”

How exactly a pair of fluorescent colorful flying objects were meant to stay out of sight was beyond Anna, but she wasn’t in a condition to complain. And it took less than this one minute for them to start moving too, so she didn’t even have a chance to.

“This side seems fine, but… By the heavens, Annabeth, what are you doing?!” Karim shouted to her partner, who was now leaning facedown on the sand. And with how the other members of her group were, the contrast between them and the fairies was likely to make the stern cop very distressed.

Right as she called, though, the red-haired inquisitor rose up as if possessed and started to pat herself. Checking her guns one last time and then finally starting to speak right after.

Her recovery speed was as fast as usual.

“I’m fine now. What ‘bout wakin’ Col and movin’ on, ‘kay?” She asked as if nothing weird had happened, turning her gaze to the kitsune a moment later. “But what yer doin’, fox?”

Minako wasn’t far enough to be hidden by the darkness of the night, but it was still hard to read whatever spell she was using in this situation. If her ofudas weren’t as shiny as they were, even knowing that she was using them would be hard.

“This? I’m setting a couple of traps in case we need them. I’m still wary of this place...” She scratched her head in a somewhat bashful way as the explanation was going, but in the eyes of the two girls close by, it was a very decent idea. “Is it a problem?”

“I don’t think it’s necessary, but it’s quite a good plan.” The cop nodded in acknowledgment and then continued. “But what kind of traps are these? I never saw a triggered spell that wasn’t based on touch…”

Unless a spell had to fire something, it needed to be in contact with its source of power, so magical landmines were never a thing. Traps based on spells would be more in line with having a hidden weapon and using it as a surprise than about having them work alone.

But that was, of course, something that could be solved with the proper method. It was very inefficient to do so and the trap wouldn’t last more than a few minutes, though.

Still, Karim would call these methods sorcery, and it didn’t seem as if any of them were what Minako was trying to set. And now that Anna was a little closer to the fox, she could guess that she were closer to leaving an ever-active gas field. Which meant that she was likely going to activate it after they left.

“The kind that makes it hard to end? It’s not something very complex, mind you, only a precaution.” The five-tailed kitsune explained in another display of bashfulness. “I wouldn't like if our escape route was lost.”

“It’s an oracle’s foresight, so it may be useful fer sure...” Anna walked off while giving what little she had of encouragement, reaching her sleeping friend a few moments later. “But anyway... Rise and shine, little sunshine!”

For all matters and purposes, this was a stupid random phrase, but how stupid it was meant that it would never be uttered at random. And just like magic, which it somewhat was, Colette woke up after hearing it. Confused and not able to see much in the night, but awake nonetheless.

“Where am I…?”

“Hey! Just cause yer good with flyin’, you can’t sleep through a mission, ay?” Anna called out in an angry tone that was only able to make her partner sigh in exasperation. How the little blondie reacted each time was always fun though.

“Ah, that… Sorry, sorry. I’m not sure why I’m so bloody sleepy today, but I’m fine now.” Col answered while rubbing her eyes and getting up from the sand. “And other thing… Isn’t this place a little too dark for me? I can’t see a fucking thing like this.”

Dark wasn’t much of a problem to most spirits, even if by different degrees. Most could see well enough even if only using the moonlight, and other could outright create light. Even the development of night vision goggles never went ahead around the archipelago.

And for all that mattered, Anna was capable of seeing even better than they both. Even if only half her eyes could do it.

Col’s situation was a bit of a problem, though. But since it was an obvious necessity to humans, there was no lack of ways to solve this much. Some of which the redhead even had on hand at all times due to the useful side effects this drug had.

“Worry not, fer I’ve what ya need.” She proclaimed with a new set of needles and tubes in hand. “One shot and you’ll feel awake and see in the dark fer a couple hours. Easy, easy.”

“Your weird drugs can be useful too, eh?” Karim joined in, staring at the dose of glowing yellow liquid in her partner’s hand. “Can spare one for me too? I can manage the dark, but some extra would…”

“Don’t say that!” Col interrupted before any request could be completed. “She’s yet to say what’s the problem with this fucking thing.”

“C’mon, don’t be like that… Mah’ thingys’re always safe…”

“Say it already.” The brunette gave her an ultimatum, staring heavily enough at where she thought Anna was to make her comply.

“Fine… This one ain't much, ‘kay? It’ll only make ya stay awake fer a good while and up yer vision a li’l bit…” She explained as if it was the most common thing in the world. “And then you may or may not end up with a huge fever.”

“Huh… Not that bad then.” Colette seemingly accepted the syringe and moved to use it, only stopping herself after hearing what more Anna had to say. In fact, if the redhead hadn’t spoken so fast, even Karim was ready to get a shot too.

“Ow, and you may go half-blind later on.”

“Go fuck yourself!”

And then, after throwing the glowing flask to the ground and still unable to see much further than a couple of meters, the group’s brawler turned to the jungle and started to move. Behind her, a cop with a dry face and a confused kitsune both watched the broken expression that was covering Annabeth’s face.

Only some good minutes later that the inquisitor finally accepted the loss of one of her precious syringes and moved on.

And the first thing they had to do was find out where Col was after wandering without being able to see…