17. Questioning the hysterical Familiar

“AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” 

Ronke’s scream was ear piercing. So sharp that Iyabo ahd to immediately let go of the staff which she was tapping on to continuously and reach to cover her ears in reaction. 

She shut her eyes aslo, a bit of fear washing over her at the sudden outburst of the Familiar lady before taking rapid gasps to calm her nerves down. 

Once that was doen, she turned to look at Ronke who had stopped screaming now but was taking a rapid look about the environs trying to possibly recollect how she had landed down here. 

And when she had done that, another scream began to build in the throat of the Familiar as she took in a long drawn breath, her eyebrows knitted closely while her fists grabbed onto the rug which was below her in readiness to let out. 

Only that this time, just as she began, a palm reached for her from behind her head. 

SLAP! 

Iyabo’s palm butted against the back of Ronke’s head. This immediately set Ronke on the edge as she turned around just then, her mouth widely opened. However, just as she did then, the staff which had been sitting peacefully on Iyabo’s legs suddenly flashed through the air, the end of it, stuffed into the mouth of Ronke. 

“Warrghhh" Ronke tried to say which wasn't really possible due to the staff lodged in her mouth. She looked rather confused, her eyes wild while her hair was looking dishevelled and scattered all about ehr face. The gown which she had one was not any better, being that most of it had been thoroughly singed in the battle against the CFR huntress and even now,she still smells of smoke,only that the smell was much lesser. Either that or the strong smell of incense burning in the room had compressed the smell of smoke from the body and gown. 

“You see, this is the problem with you ll who get knocked out during a battle. You get healed and then the next thing that pops up to your mind is that you have to set out on a battle instinct. Once you cannot see that battle around you, you are immediately confused and the next thing is that you let out your frustrations in a scream.” Iyabo paused, holding onto the edge of her staff with both hands. 

“Like can you guys just choose another course of action rather than this? Ugh!” She rambled on, shaking her head. 

“Umrrrghhh….” Ronke tried to say something which was not really possible thanks to the staff that was still living in her mouth, rent free. 

“Look, don't give me that. I have had my own fair share of frustrations too, Okay? And I did not let out screaming at people so give me a break.” Iyabo grumbled, looking at Bayo now. 

‘I can't even talk.’ Ronke reasons within her mind as he considered the strange form of the lady who was before her. 

The last she remembered was her trying to cushion the inevitable fall that they were having in the midst of the town. She had not remembered what else had occurred after that. 

That was when it hit her. 

The others, Shin and Hana, where were there? And Bayo? 

Ronke’s eye widened as she caught a glimpse of the semi transparent body which was to the other side of Iybo now. Seeing that, she went hysterical, gasping and trying to talk or rather scream as she tried to get closer to him even as her hands went up in the air now. 

However, trying as hard as she could, she couldn't make it across to him because Iyabo's rod was strongly held still in her mouth, the positioning of it making it difficult for her to either talk or move. 

“NNNNNNNN HHHHHHHH!” ROnke cursed out inaudibly now as shemte her thighs, trying to gain the attention of the woman who held her still in place with ehr staff. “NNNRRRNN!” She grunted once more. 

“I said, no noise.” Iyabo turned to look at her now. 

As she did, her eyes widened now as a realization hit her. Ronke had been hysterical all along. ANd she knew why that was. However what she did not understand was; why a group of these who did not look like seasoned warriors would have been fighting. Talk less, a fight which had left them for the worse, with a battered ship and two casualties. 

Curiosity piqued, she removed her staff, wanting to start with the questions, only for Ronke to bolt up straight, and for Bayo.

“No, no, No...Bayo. Bayo… No!” Ronke cried out, thrusting her form over the abdomen of the Adze figure that was Bayo. “You can't do this to me, bayo. You always have a way of coming out on top. Please, Please… She cried out, tears streaming out from her eyes. 

“You need to pull yourself together.” Iyabo spokek, unmoving from where she sat now. “Because if you don't, then I am pretty sure that there is very little I can do about this.” 

Ronke stopped sobbing now, taking a moment to process all that she had just been told by the lady behind her. She squinted slowly, rising up from the figure of Bayo and then turning around.

“I don't understand. What is happening? Who are you? What is really going on here? I mean, what is ALL THIS?" Ronke screamed out the last words of her speech.

"Ahah! I would be the one doing the questioning love." Iyabo disagreed immediately, waving a finger at Ronke in the air. "You see Miss, it's one thing for a Familiar and Hadjans to be moving together. It's another thing for the same set of people to be having in their companionship, a strange breed of a Familiar with them." Iyabo said, looking at Ronke with a penetrating gaze. 

"W-what?" Ronke stammered out. "What are you getting at?"

"I mean, come on." Iyabo rolled her eyes now. "We both know that this species of Familiar is not the regular type, don't we know? You do know that, right? The power his form exudes and all of that? So if you really want to see him get healed, if I were you, I would cut down the crap of a facade and let out all the details. Understood?" Iyabo demanded her eyebrows nealy become an adjacent line with her eyes. 

"Uhhh… y-yes…" Ronke stammered, looking confused at the lady.

"Listen…" Iyabo sighed and took in a long breath now. "I need to know everything about you too so I can get a proper feel about this thing. He has been rejecting my treatment since. Which is rather strange, so if you want to give him a fighting chance, then answer me truthfully." 

"If I do, would you… will you heal him completely?" Ronke asked, rubbing her hands against her chest as she looked back at the still glowing form of the transparent Familiar Prime. 

"I can't promise that. I said I would give him a fighting chance. It's up to him to take it, if at all." Iyabo replied with a resigned voice. "But if you must give him hope, you must tell me everything that happened, okay?" She added quickly. "And that too, as quickly as possible."

It was Ronke's time to sigh now as she turned around to face Iyabo now.

Telling Iyabo would present some issues to them if they really were to look at it critically. She had the idea now of who Iyabo was, the healer she had been coming to Fairweather town to see… But then, a healer she was, there was no guarantee that she would keep her lips sealed afterwards.

If she was really going to tell everything, she could not just tell some things. Some of which included the fact that Bayo was an Ascender. Oh, how much she knew the hunt for Bayo was.

She was a member of the CFR after all. Or at least, was. So then, if she was going to let out that information, there was no guarantee about who and who would get to know of it later. And she knew pretty well that the CFR would not rest. Not after the battle and the defeat of their battleship. 

They would undoubtedly scry the path they took in a chase after them.

 This also meant that whatever they had to do, they had to make sure they went about it quickly. If by any chance the CFR came to know that they were here, after telling Iyabo, then it would truly be over for her. Not only her, but for the whole team.

Bayo was wanted by the CFR, at least the Spirit Prime Wolf form which he had used once was wanted by the CFR. If they captured her, the CFR would employ every method to piece out that the Bayo of now was the same as the Bayo of the Wolf form. And that would further solidify their beliefs in him being an Ascender. An Ascender which should be destroyed. 

Still, Rnke reasoned, if she did not tell Iyabo, she did not know what would happen. It was her back against the wall, a literal step of faith for her to take. If she withheld it, she was not sure that Iyabo would help. And there she was, she had to help. At least, while Bayo was still hanging onto the smallest strand of life.

 She blinked, closing her eyes and looking down at the rug which she sat on, the figured Bayo behind her.

"Fine. What do you want to know?" 

"Everything, Miss, everything!"