"All right, now that I have scared the living bejeezus out of everyone, it's time to get them moving back inside again. Girls, Mr. Tree, is making us a basket to go up to the top in, so I want you guys to get in with me. Kitsune, you can come up as well with your children, but Alfredo, you know what to do," I explained, and the big cat nodded, running off through a large opening in the crowd.
Beside me, a massive basket was knitting itself together, and I nodded at the girls, but they were too busy staring. The girls all stayed silent as they watched, save for some laughter, but there was one missing.
I turned and looked at Victoria, who was trying to blend into the crowd, but I quickly spotted her. I started walking over to her, and she tried to back into the crowd, but I narrowed my eyes at her.
"Stop messing around and get in the basket with the others," I ordered her, and I received a glare in return.
"Who do you think you are to order me around?" Victoria yelled at me as she stomped over to me, and I groaned.
If the kiss could be called that, all progress was tossed, it seemed. The girls would have my hide if I left her down here.
There was also a particular bookstore owner that was glowering at me, but I ignored Darius. I would deal with him later, but there were much more important things to deal with than moody women and irate fathers.
"Please, get into the basket so the girls don't throw a fit for leaving you down here," I said, but then stepped in close and said in a lower voice, "Considering what you did to me after I healed you!"
Victoria glared at me as sparks flew between us, and she put her face so close to mine that our faces nearly touched. She finally turned up her nose and marched over to the basket where the girls were calling her.
I groaned and looked over at Darius, who was still glaring at me and sighed, waving him over. Anya had wanted me to tell her dad about us a long time ago, but seeing how she was supposed to be leaving, I didn't want to ruin my job.
Unfortunately, he found out without me telling him and looked rather pissed at me as he marched over. I assume I was in for it, and I wasn't wrong.
"So, when were you going to tell me that my daughter is one of the many women that you are bonking?! Don't you have any self-respect?!" Darius roared at me, and I shook my head, surprising him.
"Nope, not at all. Do you think I have a choice that your daughter fell for me? Or the other girls? I can tell you this much: I have avoided them like the plague since I was sixteen! I finally gave in to one, and somehow I ended up with three, which is now seven since I WOKE UP THIS MORNING! Do I look like the type of person that needs more distractions right now?!" I asked, throwing my hands up in the air.
Darius looked at me with shock, and I wanted to shake the man from my own internal frustrations. I was not prepared to go up and face seven different women that said that they had feelings for me, even if some of them were extremely misguided!
"Just get in the damn basket with the rest of them. I have been thrown around the city and have been trying to save people all day, and I still have more stuff to do. So, can we deal with this at another time, if it still needs to?!" I asked with narrowed eyes, and Mr. Holdt nodded and hurried around me as I looked over all the people around me.
I asked Mr. Tree to give me a boost, and a trunk grew up from under my feet, boosting me up in the air above the crowd of people. Everyone stared up at me in amazement, but also many looked at me with fear.
I could understand how they felt after what happened this morning, but I was only trying to help. Maybe I wasn't the nicest or the most thoughtful person, but I was trying my best.
"Listen up, everyone! My name is Daniel Brighton, and I am sure that you are all confused by everything around you. Yesterday, at around five pm, all the power in the entire world stopped working. At the same time, a small race of advanced AI Systems invaded our world, infecting thousands of people across the world. These Systems have given them power and warped their minds to think that we are the enemy. Out of all these Systems, one was given to me, the Evergrowth System, but I am the only one that is fighting for our side!" I shouted to everyone and waited to let it all sink in.
There were mixed reactions, but I expected that.
Some people cheered me, some people started to cry, while others yelled in outrage, but none of it was going to change the truth.
"The world is never going back to the way it was before, but I will not let the human race lie down and die. Behind me and at the hospital are the first of many Great Trees that will become your homes. I will work on getting food and water to everyone before the end of the night, but you will have to have patience with me. Lastly, do not fear or be mean to the large cats and dogs; they will become valuable partners in the days to come," I said, and to my surprise, people started to bow their heads to me.
I lowered myself and headed off to the women, but I would need to do something about that. I didn't want people looking at me like a god that could solve every problem, even if I might be able to.
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