My Anti-hero Fairy System

'Answer me, Hagrit. Have I always been like this?'

[Yes.]

'God! I was hoping you'd say no. I wanted you to say no.'

[But it's the truth. In your former life, you suppressed your dark side. You took it on the chin for everyone. People stepped on you, and you didn't fight back. You went home and punched holes in the walls, but you never stood up for yourself. When you killed Chad, you didn't just kill him—you killed everyone who ever hurt you.]

Cara fell silent as the memories came flooding back. Sylvester's life unraveling before her eyes. She saw how he'd been bullied in high school, solving cases only to be passed over for promotions time and again. She recalled the sting of rejection from every girl he ever wanted, not getting laid until he was 26. Even then, it wasn't love. It was pity sex with Amanda, where he discovered, ironically, that he loved giving head almost as much as receiving it.

Then there was the isolation. Not knowing his parents because they'd died when he was just three years old. His grandmother did her best, but she never truly understood him. She cared only that he did well in school, had clothes on his back, and food on the table. His emotions, his pain—they were always secondary.

'That's enough self-reflection for today,' Cara muttered, pushing the memories aside.

[Okay. Do you want to see your updated status?]

'Yes.'

[Sylvester Lancaster AKA Cara Bolton]

[Level 1 (1700/5000)]

[Points: 1700]

[Strength: 15 | Mana: 10 | Vitality: 10 | Agility: 10 | Resistance: 10 | Intelligence: 15]

[Attribute Points: 50]

[Skills: Love Aura, Fire-Blast]

'What is Fire-Blast? And when did I get it?'

[First off, Fire-Blast is one of the most powerful offensive abilities. It can severely injure or kill vampires and other creatures. Fairies harness this power through their hands, emitting concentrated beams of destructive light.]

[And you just unlocked it now.]

'So I've got myself a weapon? That's cool.'

[Want to take it for a spin? Let out some fire?]

Cara glanced at Arlene, who was focused on the road. 'Not now, but soon. I can't wait, though.'

As the car rolled down the highway, Cara's mind wandered to her encounter with Ashley the previous night. Memories of Ashley's body, the way she tasted, and the hunger in her touch flooded her thoughts. Cara licked her lips at the memory. Jesus, I can't wait to devour her again, Cara thought.

"Mom, remind me," Cara said, trying to sound casual. "What does Ashley do for a living?"

"Ashley is a lawyer," Arlene replied, her tone matter-of-fact. "She's the one who drafted the prenuptial agreement for Rudy and me."

Cara blinked, taken aback. "Wait, you have a prenup? Why? Don't you guys love each other?"

[I am sure Ashley was the one who pushed Arlene to sign the prenuptial agreement.]

'I think so to, but let's hear what Arlene got to say'

"Of course we love each other, honey," Arlene said, her voice steady and confident. "We both agreed it was the right thing to do. It proves I'm not a gold digger. I love Rudy for who he is, not what he has. And besides, I have my own income. I work for a non-profit. It's not much, but it's enough."

Cara studied her mother, noting the sincerity in her voice. She didn't even need to read Arlene's mind to know she was telling the truth. There was something soothing about hearing her mother speak so assuredly.

----

Arlene pulled up in front of a building with a large sign that read *Wesley's Diner.* Turning off the engine, she glanced at Cara and asked, "Honey, have you reached out to Kyle?"

"Kyle? Who's that?" Cara replied, feigning ignorance. She knew exactly who Kyle was but had no interest in talking to him.

Arlene frowned. "He's your boyfriend. You don't remember him?"

Cara shook her head. "No, I don't. I saw some pictures of me with a guy on my phone, but they didn't jog any memories."

"Wow, really?" Arlene said, her surprise evident.

"Yes, Really," Cara confirmed.

"Well, you might run into him soon. Maybe seeing him in person will bring your memories back," Arlene suggested, her tone hopeful.

*I'm definitely not looking forward to that,* Cara thought grimly.

"Well, here we are. Are you sure you want to go back to work today?" Arlene asked, concern flickering across her face.

"I'm sure, Mom," Cara said with quiet determination.

"Okay, then. Let's head in," Arlene replied as they both stepped out of the car.

—-------

As soon as they walked through the entrance, all eyes turned to Cara. A hush fell over the room, and the shock was palpable. Everyone had heard she died yesterday, so seeing her alive and well was nothing short of surreal.

The diner's collective thoughts began flooding into Cara's mind. She couldn't control it.

For reasons she didn't yet understand, she couldn't filter or block out the barrage of thoughts. They all hit her at once, a cacophony of emotions and voices swirling in her head. Her vision blurred, and her head started to spin.

"Honey, are you okay?" Arlene asked, her voice laced with concern.

"Yes… I'm fine," Cara replied shakily, forcing a smile and trying to appear composed, though her insides felt like they were being torn apart.

'Hagrit, what's happening? Everyone's thoughts are rushing in, and it feels like I'm losing my mind

*[I was afraid this would happen. You haven't been around a crowd like this before.]*

*'It hurts! How do I make it stop?'*

*[This will take a lot of effort. Focus on one thought, just one. And ground yourself by breathing in and out.]*

Cara clutched the edge of the nearest table, squeezing her eyes shut. She focused on a single thought, sifting through the noise to center herself. She took slow, deliberate breaths—one in, one out. The chaotic din began to soften. The thoughts still poured in, but their effects grew less overwhelming.

Just as she was regaining her composure, Cara locked eyes with a beautiful young Black woman, with huge afro curls, standing across the room. The woman's expression was one of utter disbelief, her jaw slack as though she'd just seen a ghost.

Before Cara could react, the woman walked up to her, hesitated, then lightly pinched Cara's arm. A heartbeat later, her knees buckled, and she collapsed, fainting directly into Cara's arms.

"Mom, who is she?" Cara asked, startled.

"She's your best friend, Farrah," Arlene said softly, her voice tinged with emotion.