That same day Bigby and Clara questioned Tiny Tim.
"Look Tim you gotta explain this more slowly and calmly so we can understand you." Bigby said
Tim was distraught tears streamed down his face as he lay in the hospital bed, he had lost his crutch arm and will need to be in a wheelchair from now on.
"O-o-okay, It all started when I was around the shopping center before the crime happened when somebody grabbed me from behind his hand was ice cold it was so cold I fell asleep then when I woke up....." He paused
"We can come back later if you need us to." Clara said
"Clara we can't ri-" Bigby began to say
"No it's fine....when I woke up there was a fireplace, blood everywhere, there were elves dead and he had prisoners in the back!" Tim said
Snow, elves, and a fireplace....Clara thought he couldn't mean Santas workshop?
"What prisoners?" Bigby asked
"There was a male who looked to be a vampire he had a little girl with him, then there was another one I think she is a Fable." Tim said
Bigby began to think man who looked to be a vampire and a little girl.....plus there was another female..... Alice went missing quite a bit ago...
"Bigby I think we need to go to the North Pole" Clara said
"Yeah it's our best bet." Bigby said
"We're really sorry this has happened to you Tim." Clara said
"That's okay miss, it's just great to have people who can solve these things the sheriff does great work!" Tim said smiling through tears
Bigby didn't know what to say Tim was one of the only people who actually appreciated his work and generally liked him.
"I wish I could've helped you sooner Tim...." Bigby said
"It's alright sheriff just go save those other people." Tim said
Bigby nodded he was determined to make this person pay for his crimes.
The next day at the North Pole while Bigby and Clara traveled.
"You know little one I love things that look pale, like the snow and my snowmen outside guarding the place. The girl in the holding cell took a bit of time but she now looks perfect!" The man said continuing "And your father is magnificent! I didn't even need to help him on his way to perfection! What is his trick?" He asked
"That's not my daddy he's my cousin, he killed mommy and daddy when they went looking for him way back when I was little. Anyways he told me he was born that way and that his daddy was the leader of vampires!" The little girl said
Hmmm this could be a powerful ally the man thought he could use the girl as leverage but he couldn't simply have one odd egg in his future society he'll have to rule him with fear.
"Well dear this is where the fun begins!" The man said grabbing the little girl
In the dungeon holding cell. The man could hear the little girl shriek and cry in pain begging for help.
"HEY HEY HEY! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING!? YOU BETTER STOP NOW!!!" He began to yell "I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU I SWEAR!!!" He was yanking and pulling but the chains wouldn't give.
"PLEASE STOP!" His voice began to tremble "IF YOU KILL HER I'LL TORTURE YOU FOR CENTURIES TO COME!!!" He started to cry
"He's not going to kill her." The woman said
"Well he's still hurting her!" He replied
"He's just draining her blood to make her look pale, that's why I look pale." She explained
He could smell the blood now, he wanted a taste as he hasn't in days, the monster inside him wanted out to feast on the blood he smelt but he couldn't it was his little cousin.
After a while she stopped but in his head she kept screaming over and over, it scared him but normally he wouldn't care but it feels different this time.
"How are you so calm!?" He asked the girl
"I've seen and been through much worse. This isn't that bad." She said
"A little girl is put there screaming and crying and you're not bothered at all!" He said
"It bothers me that I can't help her but I have a plan. Bigby should be coming soon to put an end to this." She said
"Fabletown sheriff? Shit. I may not make it through this then..." He said
"Why is that?" She said
"Wolves and vampires don't tend to get along very well, I haven't been feed in days and when that happens-" He was interrupted by the girl
"Bad things happen, I know." She said
The man sighed he felt like he was going insane.
"You need to breathe and keep calm. Don't let it get to your head." The woman said
"You know an awful lot about this stuff, who are you?" He asked
"Alice. You?"
"Well back then people would call me Edregor but since I'm supposed to be more modern I go by Dewitt." He said
"Well Dewitt I suggest going to sleep they should be here by dawn tomorrow." Alice said
It killed him to do so but she was right he needed time to pass as quickly as possible so he lay down and went to sleep.
That's it! Any questions or comments let me know! Next one is the finale! :P
Oops that was a typo. xD Stupid phone....
I meant to say the murders are warnings; the killer is actually female, believe it or not. I will add clues as we head further into the story.
DragonButter's Vital Announcement
Ladies and gentables, I have come back from the dead (again) to ask for your help regarding the Fable S… moretoryteller awards! The past two days I've been skimming through your previous chapters to see how many Fables you guys have created for this topic. So far, the process has been somewhat slow.
Regardless, if any of you are willing to help me speed along the process by sending me the total number of Fables (including their names) you have created in a PM to me on here - it would be greatly appreciated. This also goes for how many stories you have finished in the past and how many chapters you have included in them. Therefore, if you haven't completed a story yet, then send me the current number of chapters you have finished so far.
Keep in mind, that you helping me with this is entirely optional. Though, I would appreciate it if you can help! If you are confused about any of this, let me know and I'll try to clarify further!
Wow, I though this guy was murdering because he was a bit deranged, but he's after making a new world order?! That's certainly a step-up. Hope Bigby and Clara get there fast, but what might happen between Dewitt and Bigby could make more trouble.
Christmas Challenge: Sad Saturdays
That same day Bigby and Clara questioned Tiny Tim.
"Look Tim you gotta explain this more slowly and… more calmly so we can understand you." Bigby said
Tim was distraught tears streamed down his face as he lay in the hospital bed, he had lost his crutch arm and will need to be in a wheelchair from now on.
"O-o-okay, It all started when I was around the shopping center before the crime happened when somebody grabbed me from behind his hand was ice cold it was so cold I fell asleep then when I woke up....." He paused
"We can come back later if you need us to." Clara said
"Clara we can't ri-" Bigby began to say
"No it's fine....when I woke up there was a fireplace, blood everywhere, there were elves dead and he had prisoners in the back!" Tim said
Snow, elves, and a fireplace....Clara thought he couldn't mean Santas workshop?
"What prisoners?" Bigby asked
"There was a male who looked to b… [view original content]
No one in the room had been expecting Beast to say that, and no one in the room quite knows how to respond. It is Beauty, behind Beast in the corridor, that speaks first.
“What... what do you mean?”
“I think I'd best explain to everyone.” As Beast steps inside Dr. Jekyll's office, Weasel gives him the red chalk and a sturdy nod. In appearance, Beast is similar to Bigby with a fatigued look and scratched face, and he decides to lean against the blackboard for some support while he explains.
And explain he does, over the course of half an hour, the tale of he and his brother Jacques. Of the faery, Faye, and her love for his brother; the enchanted rose; and the palace where his world changed. Never did Beast reveal his true name, finding the memories painful even after the centuries which have passed.
Mid-way through the monologue, Snow arrives to inform them of what she had been told by the witches: that the blackness in the sky had been caused by the death of a being that commanded powerful magic. Beast, however, already knows this to be the case; and him saying so piques Snow's curiosity, causing her to stay.
“So, that's the history you need to know,” Beast explains. “My brother died that day at the palace, the palace where you, my love -” he looks to Beauty who stands in the corner next to Snow, “-came to me.”
“Oh, Beast!” She says, in a manner that shows her heartfelt sorrow for him. “I had no idea. You never told me.”
“No. I apologize for that, my love.”
While Beast hangs his head low and Beauty's eyes moisten, Cindy whispers to Dixa. “If these two carry on with the 'oh, my love' routine for the rest of the speech, please jab me if I fall asleep.”
“Cindy!” Dixa replies. “This is a very emotional conversation and --”, Dixa can't be heard over the loud wail from Beauty, who's apparently heard Cinderella's remark and finds it most unthoughtful.
“At least I have a husband who loves me!” There's anger in Beauty's eyes as she glares at Cindy and Dixa. “Unlike you two – either single and nothing but a... but a flapper, or in a relationship with some horrendous madman! It's probably him who's jumping about the place, attacking us!”
“Hey!” Shouts Cindy, but it's Dixa who responds with the most ardour.
“Henry Jekyll is a fine man who is just as much a victim of all this as you are!”
“Preposterous! We all know who he really is,” replies Beauty. “We all know about Edward Hyde!”
“Edward Hyde and Henry Jekyll are not the same person! Hyde is a horrible villain, I agree, however he is as different from Henry as Bigby is when he looks like a wolf, or Beast when he looks like a beast.”
“And yet, Miss Dixa, Beast and Bigby still retain who they are when they transform; they're still the same person up here.” Beauty points to her head to clearly illustrate her point.
“Which reinforces what I'm saying even more. Henry and Hyde are two separate people that inhabit the same space, the same small portion of one mind, even, yet one side does not make up the other. They are two ends of one spectrum, direct antithesis. Henry is a fine man who's done nothing but help this town; help people's lives with medicine; and the Business Office with running the whole of Fabletown. With my help Henry put away Hyde long ago.”
Beauty isn't quite sure what to say next but it doesn't matter, as Beast steps forward to hold her. “Beauty, dear, it isn't Dr. Jekyll who's behind this. It is my brother.” After kissing her forehead he resumes his position next to the board. “When we came to you this morning, Bigby – and might I say that it feel almost months ago now -, it was because this Spring-Heeled Jack – I refuse to give it my brother's name – attacked Beauty. I knew already that the Heel was in town because Faye, the faery, came to me last week. I was walking the outskirts of town at sunset, taking in the autumnal glow after a long day when she appeared from the darkness behind a thicket of bare trees. How she looked is of small consequence to you all, but, I was shocked to find her little changed. She told me how, long after I'd left the palace with Beauty in the Homelands due to the threat of the Adversary, she took refuge there as the orc vanguards pushed forward.
“Clearly, although whether or not she realised it I cannot say, her time after Jacques death and been been spent healthily, and her mind became corrupted. Her grief over my brother's death turned to a distorted hatred, and, while still blaming me for taking Jacques protective rose despite him willingly giving it to me, she sought to -” Beast pauses, finding the words difficult to say aloud “- resurrect my brother. And she did, but not wholly. The flaming plumes that always signified the imminent arrival of the Adversary's army started to pollute the horizon, and she had no choice other than to leave her ritual half done. The thing she put life into was but an empty shell of my brother, yet still an able thing. They escaped together, fought together; her magic always controlling the resurrected being.
“Faye took an instant dislike to the Mundies; why, I cannot say. She set the Heel out to attack them for her own enjoyment; and after being driven from Europe, made her way to the New World, which is where, perchance, she found out about me. My presence came as a mix of welcome and unwelcome news: when she had gone to the palace for refuge her intention was to kill me, for she presumed I'd still be there. She had been disappointed by my absence, but learning about my existence here, and my dear Beauty, gave her a chance to attain the twisted revenge she longed for.
“Faye wanted me to kill Beauty. She had never intended for me to return from me bestial transformation, however she'd cast the spell in the fit of love's lose, and so the love of another for me could turn me back. Faye didn't know this. Anyway, I refused to kill Beauty. Faye, maddened, told me of her attempt at resurrection and the thing which now transpires to be Spring-Heeled Jack; and how she planned to terrorize the town until I'd done what she wanted. After so long, she said, she was going to send the Heel to kill Beauty regardless.
“After the attack this morning, I realized something must be done, so I went to the tunnels where she'd told me to visit once I'd murdered Beauty. I assume Faye planned on killing me there after I'd done the deed anyway. With my Beauty in danger, and the town also, I took a pistol and knife with me. I shot Faye – she hadn't been expecting me to try such a thing, probably because of her delusions of power over me. Before she had chance to heal I stabbed her in the heart.
“When she died it was with a hideous scream. Darkness of a physical existence swirled around and engulfed me, as it did the sky. The magic inside her escaped and with it that powerful hatred. I do not know how magic works, but while that darkness was present so was the scream, and I was uncontrollably transformed into the Beast, as I hear you were into a disfigured wolf, Bigby. It must have happened to others, the link being that we transform naturally, whereas others do so using Glamours. Hence why you two would not have been effected.” Beast nods at Flycatcher and Weasel.
“What about Dixa?” Asks Miss Muffet. “She did not transform.”
It is Dixa who answers. “I suspect that was because I was out cold from the fall, and was not aware of the noises or sights around me.”
Beast then finishes his tale. “Eventually, her dying magic faded, we transformed back, and now we're left with this fog.”
“The witches,” says Snow, “explain that it's because of the magical disturbance to the natural weather.”
“Does this mean Spring-Heeled Jack is taken care of, what with Faye's death?” Asks Cindy.
“No,” says Beast. “Faye's magic just controlled him - his life wasn't contingent on her's. He's still out there, somewhere.” Beast looks out of the window sadly.
“Right,” Dixa says decisively, bouncing herself off the desk and standing tall. “Where do we find him?”
“The tunnels the Mundies are building for the new underground train transportation. That was where I met Faye, and that's where I think the Heel would go now, where she was last.”
Dixa nods. “Then that's where we're going to go.”
Not one of the most entertaining chapters, but hopefully this explains everything. Any questions, let me know!
I figured, after looking back on my little mini 'bios' I gave Harmony's cubs back in the day, I'd update that to the age they currently are ^-^
Just as a fun thing, since I wasn't able to get a real chapter out today. (Super busy :L)
Ashlyn Mary
After all she's been through, the girl has learned to open up a lot more and embrace her wild side. She generally speaks her mind, not caring if it mildly offends those around her. She loves playing videogames, eating food, and having the responsibility that comes with being the Pack Leader. She's grown to love gardening, often helping her mother during the harvest season. Her best friend is Franklin, a 9 year old vampire boy who has the world's most obvious crush on her. She thinks it's cute. She wears her hair nice and short, dies it a dark brown/black (Although, it's naturally brown with blue streaks). A bit of a tomboy, but has those moments where she wears a dress or something pink. She plays both guitar and piano, though prefers guitar. She goes to public school with most of her other siblings, and tends to stick to the smaller crowds of mundies.
Noah Charming
The sports kid. He's generally more serious than the others, not caring much when it comes to family gatherings. He loves playing football in the yard with the younger kids in his family. He weight lifts, and has nicely sized muscles as a result. He combs his black hair in a very similar manner to his grandfather, on purpose because of the attracting it brings him. His girlfriend is a ghost, and although it's not your typical teen romance, he still believes he loves her and would do anything to fix the fact that they can only meet at night. He's overly protective of all his sisters, and is often seen with his cousin Carter when things get sticky. He also attends public school, and is found in the locker room or the football field more than any other place.
Elora Rose
After a tragic accident that left her with out many of her memories, Elora has changed dramatically over the course of a few months. Gaining a rather brooding personality prior to the accident because of various issues, she's since reformed herself and has become a more insightful person because of that. She used to be all about fame and money, but after seeing her life flash before her eyes, and the amount of damage done to herself, she's taken a much calmer, less destructive path in life. She enjoys quiet evenings now, reads more than ever before, and writes to help sort out her thoughts. All were exercises suggested by her doctors, but now they come out of habit and create a feeling of peace within herself. She can often be found sticking to herself, though she doesn't mind joining in group activities these days.
Robert Darien
Robbie spends most of his time in the library at his school, or the one in the Business Office. He loves books, loves reading, loves writing, and especially loves to study about his origins and what he's capable of. He has a sincere fascination of magic, knowing a lot of what his mother does. He doesn't like to get his hands dirty, however, and often refuses or at least dislikes doing more 'wolf' natured things. He sometimes feels left out occasionally, but he doesn't usually mind it. He has a deep crush on an unnamed fable, and his sister Ash is determined to finally figure out who it is. It's not that Robbie doesn't want to tell them, but more that he fears his crush would certainly find out somehow. And he knows how big a mouth his sister has. He is highly intelligent, and spends a lot of time helping other people with their homework.
Scarlett Snow
The most responsible one of her siblings, it came as a giant shock when everyone found out she was expecting a child. Being only seventeen puts a lot of pressure on her, however due to being a Fable, the pressure also seems to lift, as she's got a much longer life ahead of her than simple mundy children. She was angry and confused and at odds with the father of the baby at first, but after all the anguish, she's finally happy and so is her boyfriend Jackson. They've decided they truly love each other, and will be together for as long as life lets them. They have a baby girl on the way, and are also planning on marrying in the near future. All of this has yet to be announced to the family. Together, they live on the Farm at her grandparent's house, and life is generally good. Her favorite person is hands down Snow White, and she looks up to her as a role model. Her ultimate dream is to be in her own house one day and to be the leader of something greater.
That's all for now. I figured I'd write this up real quick, for your own enjoyment More chapters tomorrow, I was SUPER busy the past two days. Saw the third Hobbit movie today and it was awesome Also, today was my finally last day of school til next year AND IM SO HAPPY! Happy Holidays Merry Christmas!
Emily peeked over. The line of empty Beer bottles was making it incredibly difficult to see. Peter and Ethan sat quietly in the living room surrounded by files and pictures. Each Folker that had either a criminal past or despised both Fables and Folkers was looked over. Peter found three suspects that seem to fit the profile: Amber, a loyal follower before Decimus' death, Tony, who killed and murdered five Halfers but the charges were drop and Tracy,a well known Council member's wife who was not at all pleased when she heard John had developed a friendship with Bigby Wolf.
"We found three." Ethan holds up the pictures. "Our best bet is to start with the first one and make our way down."
"We should probably ask Jumbo if he or the Tailor knew anything or had a relationship with either of these people."
"Good idea."
Emily holds her thumb up. "Bloody brilliant. In the mean time, I'm gunna make some food and-"
"Should you really be doing that right now?" Gren looks over the couch. "I mean, you did get the shit knocked outta' you and-"
"I'm fookin' fine, Gren!" Emily slowly walks to the fridge. "I just got me a couple of broken ribs and bruises. Nuthin' major-"
Gren rolls his eyes, as he returns his focus to Peter and Ethan.
"So, you two think one of them folks did it?'
Peter sighs. "Our guess is as good as anyones right now." Peter pulls out his cigarettes. "May I?"
"I don't give a fuck, Peter. Smoke away..."
CRASH! BOOM CRASH! All three men look over; Emily, now surrounded by broken Eggs and spilled batter, lies on the floor and struggles to move. Gren is the first up, as he rushes to assist Emily.
"Fuckin' a, Emily!"
Gren kneels behind Emily. With his right hand and knee, lifts the injured Porgie up. Gren notices bleeding on her right arm.
Ethan and Peter grab her arms, as they lead Emily to the couch. Sitting on the couch, is Vivian; she shakes her head at Emily and can not believe how stubborn she truly was. Too much like her father.
"Sit your ass down." Peter forces Emily to sit. "The fuck! You have no business doing that shit, knowing you're injured and-"
Vivian nods in agreement, as Peter continues to speak. "Your brother is right, Emily. You need to rest and-"
"Oh fook off-"
Emily suddenly is aware of her words; sometimes she forgets no one else but herself can see her now and moments like that made it awkward.
Peter cocks his eyebrow. "Is that anyway to speak to your Sheriff, Emily?"
Emily flips Peter off. "Ya' lucky ya' me brother, Peter...."
"Enough." Ethan examines Emily's arm. "Fuck, Emily. You don't know what STOP means, do you?"
Emily shrugs. "Guess not."
Gren returns to the living room with a first aid kit. He opens the top and takes out disinfection medication, bandages and cotton balls.
"Sit still, Ems. This shit will burn."
Peter looks to the kitchen. "You want me to get that or-"
"No." Gren holds Emily down, as he pours the medication. "I got it-"
"FOOK!" Emily nearly punches Gren in the face. "That fookin' hurts!"
"Oh relax and shut up, Emily! Your own dame fault-"
Grumbling, Emily tries to hold back her tears. "Fook...fook..."
"I know....I know..." Gren's voice is suddenly soothing, as he holds Emily's hand. "Just....relax...."
Ethan, glaring at his watch, nods to Peter. "Well, we are going to be heading off, Gren. Are you, umm....going to 'babysit' Emily for us?"
"WOOT!?" Emily tries to move from the couch. "Listen here! I ain't no fookin' baby and I sure as 'ell ain't lettin' HIM watch-"
Vivian kicks Emily's foot. She glares at Emily, who is now rubbing her toes. "Enough, Emily. LET Gren HELP you..."
"The fook is wrong with ya' eyeball?"
Gren, Peter and Ethan all stare at Emily. "Uh, who's eyeball, Emily?"
Emily, trying to think of an answer, comes up with the only one she can at the moment. "Uh....Gren's eyeball?"
"Whatever, Emily. Think someone needs to sleep. Dad said he'd come by to take a look at you and-"
"Me club." Vivian is bewildered. Why would you ask this? "Is it...how is-"
"Right now, its a crime scene." Peter exhales a cloud of smoke. "I can't gurantee you anything right now, Emily. We are taking the bodies as evidence and until we say so, The Pudding and Pie is closed."
Emily sighs, leaning back into the cushion. "Fookin' fantastic..."
"Stop huffing like a two year old." Peter hands his sister a cigarette. "Smoke this and calm the hell down. I'm sorry, Emily but you nearly died because some insane lunatic is out killing any Halfer or Fable that crosses their path."
Gren sits beside Emily. "So, this ain't an attack on your family?
"No. Ethan and I, uh...we have two other Fables. One is dead."
"God...how awful."
Ethan nods in agreement. ."Until we figure anything out, we are ALL sitting Ducks. We need to be careful. Pair up."
Gren stands up. "Here, I'll lead you boys out."
While Gren and the others take this time to exchange concern and goodbyes, Vivian scoots closer to Emily. Her hand gently strokes Emily's knee.
"Emily-"
"I fookin' hate when ya' look at me like that..."
"Like how?"
"Like ya' are disappointed that I even ask 'bout the Pudding n' Pie. It's MY club, Vivian and-"
"YOU almost died, Emily!"
"It's not the fookin' clubs fault there is a Folker out lookin' fa' revenge and-"
"I will not sit back and watch you take that club's side, Emily. You deserve better-"
Emily ignores Vivian, as Gren returns to the living room. There is indeed an awkward silence, as he rubs his neck and sighs.
"Soooo....you still hungry?"
"I fookin' guess."
"You wanna call in some takeout?"
Emily notices Vivian widly nod her head. Emily rolls her eyes.
"Sure, why the fook not?"
While Gren calls in some Chinese food, Vivian happily claps her hands and sits deeper into the couch.
"Woot now, woman?"
"Nothing, nothing. I just can't wait to be right for once."
"Right 'bout WOOT, Vivian!?"
Still on the phone, Gren looks over. "What did you say, Emily?"
Gren continues to speak, while Emily stands up and wobbles away. For once, Gren was her best option to not fight the woman no one else saw. She didn't want them to think she was THAT looney in the brain. Assisting Emily, Gren pulls out a chair. Emily continues to see Vivian, grinning from ear to ear, and clapping. She seemed thrilled. Happy. Certain she was right.
Meanwhile, Peter and Ethan head back to the Woodlands. Jumbo was in custidy until further notice; Swineheart had the test results and now, the majority of Fabletown knew what was going on.
"Peter, tell me the truth-do you think this WAS an attack on our family?"
"What do you mean, Ethan? That's nonsense. We agreed this is meant for Halfers AND Fables, not just the Porgie family."
"Yeah but...they TRIED killing Emily."
Peter sighs. "No offense, Ethan but Emily isn't exactly the most friendliest person in this town...she has many enemies."
"Yeah but to try and attempt murder?"
"I'm just as lost and confused as you, Ethan. Let's just get back and-"
Suddenly, Peter's phone rings loudly. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone. With one quick swipe, he looks at the caller. Ethan notices his eyes widen, as Peter glares at the screen.
"Peter...." Ethan grabs his brother's arm. "Peter, who-"
"You're not going to believe who is calling me, Ethan."
"Who?"
"Aunt Mary..."
Any queations, you know the drill. Sorry for the lack of posts but dear ol' Pie took a second job; the graveyard shift ain't no joke but its called life and ya' gotta do what ya' gotta' do. The misses and I could use the extra $$$. Tired but its been worth it. Man has to take of his family, right?
Emily continues to see Vivian, grinning from ear to ear, and clapping. She seemed thrilled. Happy. Certain she was right.
+
She seemed thrilled. Happy. Certain she was right.
"You and a lost soul, just as confused as you emily, will become one and you will look at life differently. You won't need the club...."
Ding Ding! I figured it out, right!?! Is THAT the big plan!? I have a feeling you're not telling me something in regards to Carla and Gren....hmmm....what could that be?
Ahem....with THAT being said, I loved this, glad to see you still writing and can't wait for more.
And don't do too much, Pie. You look miserable but you gotta do what you think is best. I'm here for ya' if you ever need anything.
AND...I wonder who the killer is and now Mary is calling....she must know something. She's the lawyer, right?
"Anything?"
Emily peeked over. The line of empty Beer bottles was making it incredibly difficult to see. Peter and Ethan sat quietly in t… morehe living room surrounded by files and pictures. Each Folker that had either a criminal past or despised both Fables and Folkers was looked over. Peter found three suspects that seem to fit the profile: Amber, a loyal follower before Decimus' death, Tony, who killed and murdered five Halfers but the charges were drop and Tracy,a well known Council member's wife who was not at all pleased when she heard John had developed a friendship with Bigby Wolf.
"We found three." Ethan holds up the pictures. "Our best bet is to start with the first one and make our way down."
"We should probably ask Jumbo if he or the Tailor knew anything or had a relationship with either of these people."
"Good idea."
Emily holds her thumb up. "Bloody brilliant. In the mean time, I'm gunna make some food and-"
"Should… [view original content]
Cubdate (Instead of update. Get it? No? Okay...)
I figured, after looking back on my little mini 'bios' I gave Harmony's cubs back in the… more day, I'd update that to the age they currently are ^-^
Just as a fun thing, since I wasn't able to get a real chapter out today. (Super busy :L)
Ashlyn Mary
After all she's been through, the girl has learned to open up a lot more and embrace her wild side. She generally speaks her mind, not caring if it mildly offends those around her. She loves playing videogames, eating food, and having the responsibility that comes with being the Pack Leader. She's grown to love gardening, often helping her mother during the harvest season. Her best friend is Franklin, a 9 year old vampire boy who has the world's most obvious crush on her. She thinks it's cute. She wears her hair nice and short, dies it a dark brown/black (Although, it's naturally brown with blue streaks). A bit of a tomboy, but has those mom… [view original content]
Chapter Nine - O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Part Two
No one in the room had been expecting Beast to say that, and no one in the room qui… morete knows how to respond. It is Beauty, behind Beast in the corridor, that speaks first.
“What... what do you mean?”
“I think I'd best explain to everyone.” As Beast steps inside Dr. Jekyll's office, Weasel gives him the red chalk and a sturdy nod. In appearance, Beast is similar to Bigby with a fatigued look and scratched face, and he decides to lean against the blackboard for some support while he explains.
And explain he does, over the course of half an hour, the tale of he and his brother Jacques. Of the faery, Faye, and her love for his brother; the enchanted rose; and the palace where his world changed. Never did Beast reveal his true name, finding the memories painful even after the centuries which have passed.
Mid-way through the monologue, Snow arrives to inform them of what she had be… [view original content]
"Anything?"
Emily peeked over. The line of empty Beer bottles was making it incredibly difficult to see. Peter and Ethan sat quietly in t… morehe living room surrounded by files and pictures. Each Folker that had either a criminal past or despised both Fables and Folkers was looked over. Peter found three suspects that seem to fit the profile: Amber, a loyal follower before Decimus' death, Tony, who killed and murdered five Halfers but the charges were drop and Tracy,a well known Council member's wife who was not at all pleased when she heard John had developed a friendship with Bigby Wolf.
"We found three." Ethan holds up the pictures. "Our best bet is to start with the first one and make our way down."
"We should probably ask Jumbo if he or the Tailor knew anything or had a relationship with either of these people."
"Good idea."
Emily holds her thumb up. "Bloody brilliant. In the mean time, I'm gunna make some food and-"
"Should… [view original content]
I figured people would like it XD I wanted to make it clear on certain terms how each Cub works individually, whom they have feelings for, and what they like now that their older. You know? I read the first one I wrote when they were ten, and I forgot half the things I said then XD I wrote that Ash had brown hair with blue streaks, and yet I picture her with black hair when I write her far too often. Oh well.
"Look at the hair! Look at the nose, the mouth; the ears, the hairline, the everything!"
Rose, bowl of popcorn in her lap, sat and watched a stupid, yet entertaning show called Maury. Mundies and their drama filled television shows. Gren and Robert, however, were not amused by the screaming mundy woman. Sitting beside her, were two men.
"Sad..." Robert whispered to Gren.
"What is?" Gren adjusted in his seat. "Rose or the show?"
"The show, Gren..."
Rose nearly dropped the popcorn, as she laughed and pointed at the television. She was so entertained by the yelling lady, as she pointed her finger at the baby's picture. Shoving a handful of popcorn into her mouth, Rose continued to laugh.
"Haha! That baby don't look like any of them! What you boys think?"
Gren huffed. "I think this is fuckin' stupid and-"
"Ah Gren-you love drama!"
"No..." Gren seems taken back by Rose's comment. "The fuck?"
Rose waves her hand around. "Ssssh! SsH! They are going to read the results..."
Gren arrived to Rose's apartment twenty minutes ago; he was on a mission to pick up his brother and figure out a plan to keep Robert away from Lyla. she was trouble. Unlike her sister, Lyla did not know how to mask both her smell and tracks. The damn council was indeed a smart species; Gren could not take that away from them but there were indeed ways to sneak around.
Now, here he was, twenty minutes later and still waiting. Gren looked robert up and down. He was black and blue along his side; he had scratches on his right cheek and he was having difficulty walking. Gren shoke his head in disbelief. He had no idea how wrapped up robert really was in Lya's world. He worried, however, because the mark on his arm said it all. That was something difficult to remove, should their relationship turn bitter.
"Shut up, Gren!"
Gren threw his arms up. "The hell did I-"
"In the case of ten month old Daven, you are NOT the father!"
Gren, Robert and Rose, now up and dancing, watched as this lady runs backstage and throws herself on the couch; the men, rushing in and laughing, chant 'not the father' over and over.
"I KNEW it!" Rose drops the popcorn. "Freakin' slut!"
Gren rolls his eyes. "You are one to talk, Rose."
HEY!" Rose points. "NEVER got pregnant, though."
Trying to avoid this 'intresting' moment, Robert bends forward, digs into his pocket and pulls out his phone. 0 calls. 0 messages. Robert was beginning to wonder if the Council was doing something serious as her punishment; Robert had heard horror stories of Council members, should one of their own disobey, have a variety of treatments waiting. Anything from burning, drowning, starvation, beatings and torture, to listening to something called Justin Bieber. They did anything and everything. Or, so he heard.
Gren noticed Robert's attention and grabbed his phone away.
"HEY!" Robert tried reaching for his phone but as he stretched to the left, the muscles ached and caused him to pull back.
"Seriously, Robert. You're becoming obsessed with this girl."
"You're one, Gren. You and Carla-"
"HAVE an understanding, dear sweet brother of mine."
Rose sits back down, trying to clean her mess of popcorn. She seemed both pleased and terrified to know Gren was interested in another person.
"Whoa, Gren. BIG change fo ya' there."
"What does THAT mean, Rose?"
"You know....you were never much for dating for well, anything like that-"
"We have an understanding."
Rose rolls her eyes. "So, just 'fuck buddies' Grendel?"
"Yup." No hesitation.
"Such a romantic man you are. She's a VERY lucky gal."
Robert finally snatches his phone and checks the messages. 0 again.
"Man, Robby...she must be something special."
Robert sighs. "Yeah, she is. Her family is fucking psycho, though."
"Hmm. Those Folkers. They are something."
Gren again adjusts in his seat. "Hm well, if you ask ME, they are not meant to be dated OR creatie relationships with. Its like naming a fucking stray Cat-you name it, you'll become attatched."
"Does Carla know you feel this way?"
Gren glances over at Robert. "Coming from the family that hated our kind."
"What...Grendels?"
"NO my silly brother. Fables."
Robert could recall a conversation the two had in regards to Folkers and their views on Fables. Robert, like so many others, do not understand why they seperated themselves from Fables and others like them in hiding.
"Mundies BELIEVE we are real. We do not need Glamours, therefore, live among the mundies."
"Well, so can we. Mundies see us as their own and-"
"It's not the same."
"Why not?"
"You guys CAME to this world, escaping what haunted you all back at the Homelands. We were always here."
Robert didn't carry on. It was smething he may never comprehends but it didn't mean damn; he loved Lyla, that much he knew and no Fable or Folker would keep him away from her.
"Well, we better get going...." Robert glances at his phone. "Ready Gren?"
"Ahhhh, no c'mon guys!" Rose tosses a pillow at Robert's butt. "STAY! We can-"
"We REALLY should be going, Rose. Thank you again for helping my idiot brother here..."
Rose sighs. "Fine....no problem."
Rose walks to the front and watches the Grendel brother head to the Elevator.
"HEY! You wanna hang sometime, Robby?"
Robert waves back. "Maybe, Rose. Maybe-"
Before he could finish, Gren shoves Robert into the Elevator. The ride is silent, as Gren leans against the wall. The bring, typical music plays above. Robert clears this throat.
"Intresting girl..."
"Yup."
Robert automatically knew he was in for it, as the doors swung open and Gren refused to hold a conversation.
Any questions or comments, leave them below!! Here is to hanging out alone today; partner in crime is asleep and my boyfriend is at work. -sigh- Welp, video games it is...:(
"We're here, love," Tim says to his wife as they turn onto the Farm's driveway. Harmony opens her eyes, watching as snow surrounds them on either side of the car, and beneath the dirt path they travel on.
"They got hit hard with snow this year," She whispers as she outstretches her arms. A yawn enters her mouth and she closes her eyes tight to avoid them watering. Placing her hands across her large belly, she smiles as the edge of the barn's roof is seen in the distance.
"Did we send all the gifts with the kids?" Tim asks as they park near the path to Wolf Valley.
"Yes, I sent each kid with a gift. Ash carried Jackson's, Elora carried Snow's, Noah carried Bigby's, and Robert carried Scar's."
"That's good. Less for us to lug around."
Harmony laughs. "Just what I was thinking. We shouldn't be the first to arrive. I think my father and stepmother are there, and so are my mom and brothers. Oh dear, my brothers," She groans.
Tim laughs this time,"It'll be alright. As long as you mom lets them out to trickle in the snow every few hours."
Harmony smacks his arm,"They're housetrained, you know!"
"Yeah, but whether they care to use a toilet or not is another subject entirely."
They reach the front doors to the manor, Tim's arm interlocked with Harmony's. They knock together, and the front door immediately swings open.
"Harmony! Timothy! So glad to see you guys!" Snow's voice squeaks, and she hugs each of them. Her eyes go to Harmony's large belly. "How are they doing?"
Harmony smiles at her grandmother. "They're good. They kick A LOT. I'm due very soon, you know."
"That's so exciting!" Snow says. She urges them into the house, which smells like apple pie and sounds like Christmas music coming from the living room. The whole house is teaming with life, their 5 teenage children mingling with other relatives. Prince Charming sits on the couch with Nalayani as their daughter, Harmony's half-sister Adi, talks about all the scholarships she's received because of her academics. Elora spots them, and runs up eagerly to greet her family.
"Mom! Daddy!" Elora squeals, hugging her dad tight. Tim chuckles, running his hand down Elora's growing hair.
"Not leaving it short anymore?"
"I want it to get long, like Mom's hair."
Harmony smiles, her hand automatically rubbing across her stomach. One of the babies is awake and tumbling around. She leads her husband over by the fireplace, gives more greeting hugs to more children and family members, and takes a spot on the love-seat near the Christmas Tree. Her eyes glittered over all the homemade ornaments, some made by her children over the years and others made by Snow, when she went through various 'crafting' stages of her life. She smiled at one she personally made, on the first Christmas she'd spent there at the Manor. It was an angel, made from twine and metal and spray-paint. it hung up near the top of the tree.
Bigby bellowed in, a huge smile on his face as he ripped his scarf and jacket off. "I'm dying in this crap! Now, where's my granddaughter at?"
Harmony giggled as he walked over, now in a T-shirt, and scooped her up from the couch. He was probably the strongest man she'd ever met. He planted a kiss on Harmony's forehead, the same he would do with every one of his granddaughters, and places her carefully back down on the couch. Tim stood and they hugged, greeting each other nicely as the songs changed. Ash was playing the piano the whole time, her mind set elsewhere in some sort of blissful fantasy world.
"Who else is coming?" Bigby asked as Snow entered the room. She carried another platter of cheeses and crackers to replace the empty one on the coffee table.
"More than I can count. Beauty and her daughter are coming, all the way from Haven. My sister is making an appearance with her knights. Therese is on her way now, with Reynard driving her. Um...." Snow, after placing down the plate, began rubbing the headache from her temples. Harmony could see the white line of the scar that was left there many years ago, peaking out of the wisps of her long black hair. Right across the side of her forehead.
"Is Conner coming?"
"Yeah, he's coming. He might be really late though, he warned me. I figured as much."
"And Ambrose, with Lake? I know they've been dating a little while now-"
"Hello, hello?" Ambrose's deep voice filled the foyer through the doorway. The blond boy stepped in, hand in hand with the woman named Lake, her green tinted skin gleaming with bits of glitter in the corners of her eyes, and her light hair twisted in an up-do. She looked stunning.
Harmony struggled to stand, hugging her uncle Ambrose tight as he made his way over.
"Hey, kiddo," He said in her ear, his hand touching her belly. "When are those kiddos coming to visit us?"
Harmony laughed. "Soon enough. Hello, Lake."
Lake smiled, her white teeth gleaming in all the lights that the room had to offer. She and Ambrose mixed in with the crowd of people, and Harmony began conversing with Snow.
"So is there anyone else showing up?" Snow asked her, taking a seat on a chair near the fireplace.
"I invited Mary with her family, but she said she had to go to Hans's parent's house or whatever. Jackson's sister is coming."
"Not their mother though?" Snow looked concerned.
Harmony frowned. "She's still not over what happened entirely. She....Holds resentment. And it's not very good. Ava though, she's perfectly fine with what's going on. She'll be getting here soon."
Snow smiles briefly. "That's good, at least. Jackson needs a more familiar face among this crowd of strangers."
Harmony nods in agreement. "So that's it then? All the people coming?"
"Well, Ghost is here, he's always floating somewhere-"
"I'm right here," Ghost says, the area suddenly a few degrees warmer.
"Hey," Harmony says to yet another one of her uncles. Ghost wanders away after some small talk, and it's back to just her and Snow. She sits across from her grandmother on another chair as they stare at the flames slowly tumbling, the smoke entering the chimney stack while the song again changes. Silent night is playing, and soon some of the guests are singing along to Ash's instrument playing. It creates a quiet peace among them, no words to enhance the moment. None that Harmony could think of, at least.
Scarlett's voice rises above the singing. "We have a couple of announcements!"
All heads turn. Harmony, especially, is eager to hear what needs to be said.
Jackson clears his throat, standing next to his girlfriend. "Okay. The first thing we have to say is..."
"...We're having a girl!" Scarlett finishes his sentence. "And we're naming her Charlotte!"
The whole room claps loudly at that, cheering for her and Jackson. "And the second thing is," She says.
"We've decided we want to get married!" Jackson says. A smile is spread across his face. Harmony is absolutely beaming at this news, her cheeks red with excitement as she slowly stands to walk over and hug them. Tim's hand places itself on her shoulder as she reaches Scarlett across the room, hugging her daughter. She watches as Jackson goes to shake Tim's hand, but Tim pulls the boy into a 'tough guy' hug.
"Congratulations," He says to them. "On both accounts. I love you, Scar. And you're a good man, Jackson."
Jackson smiles. "Thank you, sir." His arm wraps around Scarlett carefully, his hand resting across her bump. Tim copies him, putting his arm around Harmony and his hand on her belly. A flash of a camera catches them by surprise; It's Elora with her digital camera.
All is well, on Christmas Eve.
I hope you liked it ^-^ Happy I'm-finally-done-with-school-until-January-5th Day! It's great! I still had to wake up early because I have responsibilities! But That's okay, because it's not school!
Wow, I though this guy was murdering because he was a bit deranged, but he's after making a new world order?! That's certainly a step-up. Hope Bigby and Clara get there fast, but what might happen between Dewitt and Bigby could make more trouble.
Chapter Nine - O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Part Two
No one in the room had been expecting Beast to say that, and no one in the room qui… morete knows how to respond. It is Beauty, behind Beast in the corridor, that speaks first.
“What... what do you mean?”
“I think I'd best explain to everyone.” As Beast steps inside Dr. Jekyll's office, Weasel gives him the red chalk and a sturdy nod. In appearance, Beast is similar to Bigby with a fatigued look and scratched face, and he decides to lean against the blackboard for some support while he explains.
And explain he does, over the course of half an hour, the tale of he and his brother Jacques. Of the faery, Faye, and her love for his brother; the enchanted rose; and the palace where his world changed. Never did Beast reveal his true name, finding the memories painful even after the centuries which have passed.
Mid-way through the monologue, Snow arrives to inform them of what she had be… [view original content]
This was good! All the visits and family visiting at Bigbys place on the farm can make anyone feel all soft and warm! Well Happy you're-finally-done-with-school-until-January-5th Day to you too EMMY! XD
"We're here, love," Tim says to his wife as they turn onto the Farm's driveway. Harmony opens her eyes, watching as snow surrounds them on e… moreither side of the car, and beneath the dirt path they travel on.
"They got hit hard with snow this year," She whispers as she outstretches her arms. A yawn enters her mouth and she closes her eyes tight to avoid them watering. Placing her hands across her large belly, she smiles as the edge of the barn's roof is seen in the distance.
"Did we send all the gifts with the kids?" Tim asks as they park near the path to Wolf Valley.
"Yes, I sent each kid with a gift. Ash carried Jackson's, Elora carried Snow's, Noah carried Bigby's, and Robert carried Scar's."
"That's good. Less for us to lug around."
Harmony laughs. "Just what I was thinking. We shouldn't be the first to arrive. I think my father and stepmother are there, and so are my mom and brothers. Oh dear, my brothers," She groans.
Tim … [view original content]
"BIGBY, WE NEED TO HURRY!" Clara shouted over the howling winds
Bigby acknowledged, gestured her to jump on his back as he transformed into wolf form and started running. They couldn't see anything along the way and snow hit Clara's face like baseballs.
Back in the cell Dewitt woke up although he was trying to hold a monster back within him, he roared pulling on chains that wouldn't break irritated the monster more. With all this fit even Alice looked a bit scared of her situation, she even began to question whether she was going to make it out alive.
After a few hours of travel Bigby and Clara came up on what seemed to be Santas workshop. Bigby stopped, transformed back to take the stealthy approach with Clara near the reindeer stable.
"We are never, I repeat NEVER doing that again" Clara said irritated
Bigby chuckled "What can't handle some bad weather fox?"
"Keep running your mouth wolf." She sneered
"Anyways." Bigby said "This brings me back." He smiled
"A little too far I'm already getting sick of seeing your face" She managed to laugh
They moved around the corner to see some Santas reindeer have died. They move over to the window to see Snowmen arranged outside the workshop.
"Is this guy fucking serious right now?" Bigby said
"Well he must be they pretty much killed everyone here." Clara said
"Well watch and learn fox." Bigby smiled sneaking up and swiftly taking care of the snowmen except for one who huddled in horror.
"Wait please I beg of you! I didn't do anything!" The snowman said
"I know Frosty, don't worry about it." Bigby said
"You should know who's in there and who we're working for." Frost said
Bigby waited and called Clara over.
"It's Jack, Jack Frost he did this!" Frosty said
"I should've known!" Clara said
"SHHH!" Bigby told them "I'm going in, Clara you get the prisoners I'll handle Jack."
In the Workshop Jack was holding the little girl.
"It's almost that time again!" Jack said enthusiastically
"Please....no.....more" She managed to say
"But my dear your skin color is almost perfect!" Jack said making an ice dagger cutting into her skin
CRASH!!!
Jack was startled by the door being slammed open and gashed the little girls chest leaving a huge wound instead of the little ones he'd make.
"SHIT!" Bigby said running and grabbing Jack by the neck and slammed him to the ground putting cuffs on him.
"This sick shit is over Jack!" Bigby said and looked over to the girl
Clara ran into the dungeon finding a raging Dewitt and a locked up Alice, she picked the lock and opened the door.
"Don't you dare unlock him first he'll kill us all." Alice said
"Or we could take the off chance he'll feast on the bodies in the workshop." Clara said
She unlocked Alice and made sure she was a safe distance away from Dewitt. She then unlocked him and ran as he raced for the workshop.
Dewitt ran into the office saw the bodies and started feasting on the bodies. Bigby took notice.
"Hey what the fuck are you doing!?" Bigby said shoving Dewitt. Dewitt thankfully ate enough to gain composure of his mind again. Dewitt didn't care though he saw his little cousin on the floor.
"You might want to say your farewells." Bigby said
"Fuck you I can save her." Dewitt said cutting his wrist to give her his blood.
"DON'T-" Bigby began to say but it was already too late. She drank the blood and began to heal faster than expected. She had turned.
"You just single-handedly ruined this little girls life!" Bigby roared punching him.
They started to fight punching turned to clawing, bites became crunches. The more Dewitt smelt the blood he kept fighting and fighting.
Clara and Alice came up the stairs to see the fight, they immediately ran in between them to stop the fighting. They both calmed down but heard a mysterious noise...when they turned around the girl was already drinking blood on some of the elves...
"He didn't..." Clara said
"I had to! I couldn't let her die here! We came to visit Santa and we got this!" Dewitt said
"Speaking of where is he Jack?" Clara said
"Oh fine." He pouted saying words to bring Santa back.
When he appeared he was confused.
"What happened to my elves!? And my reindeer!?" Santa said in shock.
"Don't worry Mr. Clause we'll get them back to you in some way." Clara said
Bigby angrily walked outside getting ready to leave.
Clara walked up to Dewitt "This will have consequences, you know this don't you?"
"Yeah I know...Let's just head back." Dewitt said
The little girl moved her way to Jack and gave a smirk.
"Let's make your skin go snow white instead of ice blue." She said jumping and biting him
"HEY STOP!" Dewitt said pulling off the little girl. But it was too late she had chomped his neck.
Clara nor Alice had no clue what to say or to Santa so as they walked out they just said Merry Christmas and headed back home to Fabletown for Dewitts trial.
That's it! Sorry this is a little rushed life decided to threw a curve ball at me as of yesterday, but I wanted to finish this just in case I won't be able to do so. As of today I'll be posting everyday again! Since all of our big family events are over till Christmas. But Monday will decide if that everyday is just one more day of me being on the forums. I'll keep you guys posted! Any questions or comments let me know.
This was good! All the visits and family visiting at Bigbys place on the farm can make anyone feel all soft and warm! Well Happy you're-finally-done-with-school-until-January-5th Day to you too EMMY! XD
Emily continues to see Vivian, grinning from ear to ear, and clapping. She seemed thrilled. Happy. Certain she was right.
+
… more She seemed thrilled. Happy. Certain she was right.
"You and a lost soul, just as confused as you emily, will become one and you will look at life differently. You won't need the club...."
Ding Ding! I figured it out, right!?! Is THAT the big plan!? I have a feeling you're not telling me something in regards to Carla and Gren....hmmm....what could that be?
Ahem....with THAT being said, I loved this, glad to see you still writing and can't wait for more.
And don't do too much, Pie. You look miserable but you gotta do what you think is best. I'm here for ya' if you ever need anything.
AND...I wonder who the killer is and now Mary is calling....she must know something. She's the lawyer, right?
Its nice to have a cubdate pn the kids; there is a lot of difference in the cubs but that's how it is as we get older. Also, hope your little winter break is fun, wonderful and its actually a good thing you are busy-keep the mind busy. Be safe and I hope you have a great holiday season.
Cubdate (Instead of update. Get it? No? Okay...)
I figured, after looking back on my little mini 'bios' I gave Harmony's cubs back in the… more day, I'd update that to the age they currently are ^-^
Just as a fun thing, since I wasn't able to get a real chapter out today. (Super busy :L)
Ashlyn Mary
After all she's been through, the girl has learned to open up a lot more and embrace her wild side. She generally speaks her mind, not caring if it mildly offends those around her. She loves playing videogames, eating food, and having the responsibility that comes with being the Pack Leader. She's grown to love gardening, often helping her mother during the harvest season. Her best friend is Franklin, a 9 year old vampire boy who has the world's most obvious crush on her. She thinks it's cute. She wears her hair nice and short, dies it a dark brown/black (Although, it's naturally brown with blue streaks). A bit of a tomboy, but has those mom… [view original content]
"Look at the hair! Look at the nose, the mouth; the ears, the hairline, the everything!"
Rose, bowl of popcorn in her lap, sat and watche… mored a stupid, yet entertaning show called Maury. Mundies and their drama filled television shows. Gren and Robert, however, were not amused by the screaming mundy woman. Sitting beside her, were two men.
"Sad..." Robert whispered to Gren.
"What is?" Gren adjusted in his seat. "Rose or the show?"
"The show, Gren..."
Rose nearly dropped the popcorn, as she laughed and pointed at the television. She was so entertained by the yelling lady, as she pointed her finger at the baby's picture. Shoving a handful of popcorn into her mouth, Rose continued to laugh.
"Haha! That baby don't look like any of them! What you boys think?"
Gren huffed. "I think this is fuckin' stupid and-"
"Ah Gren-you love drama!"
"No..." Gren seems taken back by Rose's comment. "The fuck?"
Rose waves her hand around… [view original content]
There was a buffet of different takeout trays scattered across Gren's counter. Gren and Emily sat on the couch, surfing through the channels for something interesting. In her hand, she had a massive pile of food, ranging from the simple Orange chicken, to the Pork fried rice drowning in soy sauce and chili. Gren couldn't help but chuckle to himself a bit. This sudden moment of laughter caused Emily to turn her head and face the chuckling Grendel.
"The fook ya' find so funny?"
"Nothing nothing." Gren returns to his plate. "Just fuckin' thinkin' a bit, that's all."
"Bout what?"
Emily leaves the channel on a family movie program. At the moment, it was on a commercial. In the back, Vivian stood and watched the two interact. She was pleased to see Emily trying to talk, rather than yell, curse or start a fight. THIS side of Emily is something Vivian secretly wished she'd allow to shine through more often.
Gren began to speak. "Just, when you and the others were kids and you guys used to come over. You were ALWAYS going in the fridge, hoping I had leftover Chinese."
Emily laughs. "Cause it neva' failed ya' did!"
"I ALWAYS got food if I knew your aunt cooked the night before."
Emily nearly spilled her soda. "Oh come on-she neva' cooked THAT bad."
Gren raised his left eyebrow. "Really? Fuckin' look me in the eye and say that with a straight face..."
Emily attempted but failed before she had her eyes on Gren for a second.
"That's what I thought." Gren took another bite of his noodles. "You CAN'T."
Emily twirls her fork inside her noodles as well. The intense smell of pork, onion and sauce made her mouth water, as she lifted the fork and shoveled the food inside. Chewing, both sat in silence; perhaps absorbing in the moment of peace or the fact that for once, they agreed on something. Emily, however, couldn't get something out of her mind. It had been bothering her since their breakup and now watching Gren eat alone, triggered it even more.
"What happened between ya' two, Gren."
Gren sipped from his beer. "What'ta you mean, Ems?"
The movie returned; it was the 'Lion King' one of Emily's most treasured children's movies while she was growing up. Still was, even as she was an adult.
"Ya' and Carla. And don't give me this fookin' excuse that ya' grew apart 'cause even when ya' two WERE togetha', it neva' seemed like ya' two even cared!"
Gren gently placed the paper plate, still carrying a hefty amount of food, on the table. Curious, Vivian stepped a bit closer to get better audio of the conversation. Emily didn't seem to notice Vivian, as she too scooted closer to Gren. Their shoulders touched, which caused Gren to shiver in his spot. Emily's skim was warm, as he exhaled heavily and looked up into the ceiling.
"I loved Carla at one time, Ems. Fuck...I thought she was the one the witches told me about...."
"Woot the fook happened?"
"I did love her, Ems. I really did. There was something special between us for a couple of years. We had a lot of good times....good memories, too."
"Then woot, Gren?"
Gren continued looking up. "Things changed. Emotions changed...the truth."
"Like woot?"
Emily, even at a tender young age, always knew something was not right about Gren and Carla's relationship; she could recall her parents always laughing, touching, kissing and even when they HAD a fight, they'd always return with apologies and loving embraces. Gren and Carla USED to be that way up until the twin boy's second birthday. Since then, it was never the same; fights every other day, Gren's heavy drinking returning with a vengance and the occasional missing wife from time to time.
Emily remembered a time when her own mother accused Carla of having an affair. Carla never said yes or denied that accusation, which led everyone, including Gren, to assume was the truth. The divorce didn't seem to surprise Carla. She almost saw it as an escape to freedom. In a way, so did Gren; he didn't seem bothered or the least bit devestated.
"Can I tell you something, Emily?"
"Sure....woot is it?"
Gren giggled. It was eerie and almost heartwrenching. "I mean, it ain't no BIG secret but-"
"Just...bloody say it."
Emily already had an idea, as Gren made Emily put her plate down. He grabbed her hands. They were rough against her own.
"They are not even mine..."
"Wait, woot?" Now, she was confused. "Who ain't even your's-"
Gren sighs heavily. Despite his efforts to hold back the emotions, they immediatly poured out from his eyes. Emily, not sure how to handle this, grabbed Gren and placed his head against her neck. This seemed to comfort the grieving man, as he contiued to speak.
"Rosie. Gren Junior and Noah. Not even mine...."
Emily sighed. She kinda knew it but as children, you do not have words for it yet. The idea never seemed to comprehend very well in their minds but the adults seem to have know the difficult and ugly truth. It made sense now, looking back. Emily was torn, as she could do the only thing she knew. With her free hand, Emily rubbed Gren's back and tried to comfort him. Emily could no longer pretend and claim to have 'hate' for Gren; no matter how he felt or ever said about her family, Emily always had a strong bond and love for the drifter.
Even at this very moment, when they found themselves alone and looking out into empty space, her love was there.
"Then, why the fook did ya' stay, Gren?"
"I had no idea, Emily. I had no idea...."
"So, none of them are-"
Gren shoke his head. "Your aunt Carla was a lover. She was open to everything and anything. That's what I seem to have found so damn irresistable. She didn't have a hateful bone in her body. The complete fuckin' difference from me."
Emily leaned closer. "Than how the fook did ya' find out?"
"The boys had JUST turned seven. I noticed at their birthday party, there was an unknown man sitting in the back. He was a Grendel, I knew THAT much; you can't mask that woodsy or swampy smell we have that only those with powerful senses of smell could detect. I brought it to Carla's attention but she didn't take TWO seconds to think about it..."
"So, that man is-"
Gren sighed. "Yup. The biological father to all three of MY children..."
"Fook." Emily, despite trying to seem prepared, was sadly not. At least, for this amount of secrets and betrayl. Emily glanced over at Vivian. She didn't seem to be taken back. Almost like she knew in her own little way. "Fook..."
"Yup." Gren leaned forward and grabs his plate. "Neither one of them were mine. I raised them to think they were; believed I was a loving husband and devoted father, when my entire time spent playing the part was nothing more than a setup. A lie. All of it."
"Gren, I-"
"That fuckin' Witch lied to me."
Curios, Emily leans forward. "Woot witch?"
"The one to tell me about a Smith girl. I tried your mother but that didn't happen; your father had a death grip and to be honest, their fate for one another was NOT a secret anymore. Your aunt and I seemed to got along. I assumed it was her. But....I guess I was wrong again."
"Ya' SURE it was a Smith and not-"
Gren shakes his head. "No. That's what she said. That and this silly little bullshit."
"Woot bullshit?"
"You will meet and fall in love with a lost and confused soul; you will wonder aimlessly until your hearts meet. Only then shall the work of love combine the broken pieces and make one whole again."
Emily was silent, as she watched Vivian wipe a tear. Something clicked in Emily but the words were not available to use. Instead, she returned to her food and looked at the television screen. The 'Lion King' continued to play; the song 'Can't wait to be king' began playing, as Emily took her free hand and grasped Gren's. He smiled.
"Remember this was your favorite movie. You'd ALWAYS sing to this song, too."
"I also fookin' remember you'd sing with me..."
Gren chuckled. "I did that, huh?"
Emily laughs. "Ya' wanna dust off those old cobwebs and give it anotha' go, Gren?"
In sync, both Gren and Emily sang the familiar childhood memory tunes. Vivian sat back and watched, an enormous smile growing on her face.
"Everyone look left, everyone right. Everywhere you look I'm standing spotlight. Oh I just can't wait to be king! Oh I just can't wait to be king. Oh I just can't waaaaaaaait-to be king!"
The movie continued to play, as Emily and Gren, now in a laughing fit, ate the remainder of their food. Any hostile feelings either of them had were gone. Only thing at the moment was love.
Something both desperatly needed.
Ugh. Just got home not too long ago. Can't sleep. REALLY should but my mind sees the sun and automatically says 'Nope. You need to be awake!' My fiancee and I are going to attempt sleep here again; the baby has not let her have a goodnight's rest in days now. Miss Emily ADORES playing soccer with mommy's kidneys. Any questions, you know the drill. Almost Christmas. If I don't have a chance to say it later, happy holidays and hopefully you all have a wonderful day. I know pie is: eating, sleeping and football. xD
'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a wolf.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Reynard would soon be there.
"Wow, do you have to tell this story EVERY YEAR Grandpa?" Ash's exasperated voice filled the void.
"Yes," Bigby said. "Now shut up and let me finish."
The children and animals were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of magic and iPods danced in their heads.
And Mama in her robe, and I in my fur, had just settled our brains for a long Winter's nap.
"Haha, I get it; You said fur because you're a wolf, hahahahaha-"
"Shut up, you idiot," Scarlett jabs Jackson.
When out on the roof there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what's the matter. (Bigby stands among the group of children and adults, the fur on his body appearing with out much care, as he jumps around the room, acting surprised. Snow giggles, as she does each year.)
Away to the window- (Bigby runs to the Window) -I flew like a flash, tore open the shutter- (He opens it, chilling the room instantly and gaining a few rude remarks from Prince Charming) -And threw up the sash.
"What do you mean by throw up a sash? Is it one of those sashes that girls get in beauty pageants? Or what?"
Ash sighs in exasperation,"Just listen to the story, Ellie."
Elora closes her mouth and listens on.
The moon on the breast of the new fallen Snow- (Bigby winks at his wife) -gave the lustre of midday to objects below, when, what to my eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh with eight tiny reindeer.
"Wait for it...." Bigby says, his eyes trained outside the window. Each of his children, Winter, Conner, Blossom, Therese, Ambrose, and Ghost, fly in through the window, fake antlers upon their head. They land by the tree and bow, as if this was the best performance of their lives.
"Where's Santa?" Elora asks.
"Hohoho!" The voice rumbles through the windowsill. The last head pops in, Reynard in a loose red Santa suit and a blatantly obvious fake white beard.
"You could have at least got a red one to match your hair," Ash jokes.
Reynard gives her a look, but hastily climbs in, nearly falling ontop of Bigby as he enters the room, standing near the 'reindeer'.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick- (Bigby glares at Reynard, who seems suddenly distracted by Therese who stands gracefully at the end of the reindeer line) -I knew in a moment that it must be St. Reynard.
(Reynard goofily waves to the crowd of people.)
More rapid than eagles, his coursers they came, and he whistled and shouted and called them by name!
Reynard clears his throat, taking a deep dramatic breath: "Now Dasher! Now Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen! On Comet! On Cupid! On Donner and Blitzen! To the top of the porch! To the top of the- (Reynard pauses a moment, forgetting the line.)
"Wall"- (Bigby says.)
"Wall! Now Dash away, Dash away! Dash away all!"
(The whole group of 'reindeer' and Reynard scurry across the family room, exiting through the doorway down the hall with loud clatter of jingle bells and stomping feet.)
"Thank God that buffoon is gone," Bigby mutters. "Anyway, let's continue."
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky so up to the house-top the coursers they flew, with the sleigh full of toys, and St. Reynard too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof the prancing and pawing of each little hoof. (Reynard, who'd led the deer upstairs into the room above, suddenly stomps on the floor up there, signifying the 'walking on the roof' of Santa Claus. It stops, and the sounds of a single person dashing down the stairs is heard in the distance.)
As I drew in my head and was turning around, down the chimney St. Reynard came with a bound. (Bigby turns his head to the chimney, waiting impatiently. Aproximately 3 minutes passes, the family sitting before him squirming awkwardly as they wait.)
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" (Reynard crashes at the bottom of the chimney, causing a burst of laughter from everybody, including Bigby, while he helps himself up and dusts his ash-covered clothes off, coughing and groaning in pain.)
"I bet that one hurt!" Ash howled laughing, keeled over her knees. "I regret complaining earlier. This is the best rendition of the tale yet!"
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot. (Reynard glares at Bigby while Bigby smiles smugly)
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back-(All of the sudden, the bag that was supposed to be across Reynard's back comes falling, small wrapped gifts falling from the open hole.) and he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
(Reynard quickly scoops it up, putting the gifts back in the bag.)
His eyes--how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, and the beard on his chin was as white as the snow. (Reynard strokes his fake beard thoughtfully.)
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth- (Reynard panics, stuffing his hand in his pockets to find the pipe he was supposed to put in his mouth. He failed, shrugging his shoulders as Bigby continues.) -and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly, that shook when he laughed- (Reynard procedes to obnoxiously laugh and shake what little of a belly he has.)
-like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump- (Reynard fills his cheeks with air and smiles) -a right jolly old elf, and I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
Bigby smiles, saying,"If you ever suggest that to me again, I will rip your arm off. I've done it before."
Reynard's smirk disappears and he breaks the eye contact from Bigby nervously, letting the Wolf continue his story.
He spoke not a word- (Bigby glares at Reynard) -but went straight to his work,and filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
(Reynard proceeds to read labels on each small gift as he tosses it in each stocking, even the few he knocked over while coming in earlier.)
And laying his finger aside of his nose, and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose. (Reynard groans out loud, ducking in to the chimney.)
"I'm going to need some help," Reynard calls up. "Anybody?"
Therese's head pops down, her blond curls falling in the air and her reindeer antlers hanging on for deer life.
"You can't climb the ladder we threw down?" She asks.
"I'm a fox, not a freakin' monkey," He retorts. "Pull me up, baby!"
Therese's cheeks go red as she scowls, but puts her hands around him and flies him up and out of the chimney.
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!" (Reynard's tired, overly bored yet entertained voice calls down.) "And also, I expect a warm blanket and hot chocolate and clean cloths when I get back inside. I mean it."
The whole room claps and howls with laughter at the ending, and Bigby closes the window once and for all. The front door opens, with the reindeer and Reynard and they all reenter the room with smiles upon their faces.
"That wasn't as bad as last year, when Bigby forgot to put out the flames in the fireplace," Snow mutters to Harmony, still slightly laughing to herself.
"Oh, I remember. It wasn't Reynard last year though, it was Beast..."
Snow sighs inwardly. "Yeah, it was, wasn't it." She looks over to Beauty, who sits with her teenage daughter alone on a couch. "It's ashame what happened. Really. But none of that dwelling on the past. We need to get your children to bed, or the real Santa won't be coming!"
Harmony laughs, nodding, and the both of them stand, ushering people out the room with a candy cane for each and up the stairs everyone went. The teenage boys were in one room, girls in another, and each adult couple had their own room to sleep in, with the exceptions to Scar and Jackson who'd already had a room to sleep in.
Harmony finished brushing her teeth in the en-suit bathroom to her and Tim's room. He was lying in bed, a copy of 'A Christmas Carol' in his hands wearily. When she reentered the room, she inwardly sighed.
"You have to read it every year to yourself?" She asks him, although the answer is already known to her.
"Yes, dear. I have to. You know how it is."
"I do," She whispers. She climbs in to the bed, careful not to disturb the children that have yet to born. The sheets are silky and warm and remind her again of past Christmases spent here, in the manor.
"I love you," She whispers to her husband, who's eyes are still trained on the words on the page.
"I love you too," He whispers. His lips kiss her forehead as she settled herself across his chest, his arm going around her as his hand holds to book steady. She falls asleep there, and so does he after a little while. The night is peaceful.
The night is blissful.
The night is restful.
Tomorrow is a new day.
I hope you enjoyed that ^-^ It took a while to write out, I used the poem by Clement Clarke Moore to 'aid' Bigby's tale, replacing a few words to fit my story. More out tomorrow Christmas is in 4 days, I'm so excited! Can't wait, I asked for a bunch of books and nice sweaters, hopefully I get some of them!
I'm reading City of Bones right now, it's SO good!
Hopefully, your breaks are good too, I know it's a super busy time of the year especially right now!
This was the most random pos in regards to my story since I've began writing on here. xD I love it.
With that being said, I won't say muc… moreh until I write more. Everything you have been asking me on here and in person will be answered.
And don't do too much, Pie. You look miserable but you gotta do what you think is best. I'm here for ya' if you ever need anything.
I'll try but I gotta do what has to be done.
Wow...I never...I never saw this coming. That poor man. Shit, dude. To THINK the three children you raised are your own and then find out some random dude that shows up at random times IS their father. No wonderhe and Carla had issues. Fuck, man. You and these curve balls! I'm sorry but....I hate Carla now and her selfish ass. >:(
"You will meet and fall in love with a lost and confused soul; you will wonder aimlessly until your hearts meet. Only then shall the work of love combine the broken pieces and make one whole again."
+
Like I said before...I get it now. I see it. And the whole idea you had with Gren-that BIG change-I'm curious to see more. This can't be it; there must be more and I have a feeling we will see it soon. That being said, I have this uneasy feeling the recent murders, especially with Felicia, HAS something to do with Emily....
And I couldn't help but picture THIS wehn they were singing. I love that movie.
Vivian sat back and watched, an enormous smile growing on her face.
SHE KNOWS!!!! SPEAK, damn you!!! xD
Only thing at the moment was love.
Something both desperatly needed.
Loved this and looking forward to seeing where this goes. Now, take it easy, let that poor woman sleep and damn it , Emily-stop kicking mommy! Call me later whenever you wake up. I miss you, pie.
There was a buffet of different takeout trays scattered across Gren's counter. Gren and Emily sat on the couch, surfing through the channels… more for something interesting. In her hand, she had a massive pile of food, ranging from the simple Orange chicken, to the Pork fried rice drowning in soy sauce and chili. Gren couldn't help but chuckle to himself a bit. This sudden moment of laughter caused Emily to turn her head and face the chuckling Grendel.
"The fook ya' find so funny?"
"Nothing nothing." Gren returns to his plate. "Just fuckin' thinkin' a bit, that's all."
"Bout what?"
Emily leaves the channel on a family movie program. At the moment, it was on a commercial. In the back, Vivian stood and watched the two interact. She was pleased to see Emily trying to talk, rather than yell, curse or start a fight. THIS side of Emily is something Vivian secretly wished she'd allow to shine through more often.
Gren began to speak. "Just, … [view original content]
"GOODMORNING EVERYBODY IT'S CHRISTMAS GUYS!" Elora's voice fills the halls. The sounds of feet running up and down past Harmony's door stirs her awake, and she peels herself apart from Tim. His book is open across his chest, his breathing steady and his eyes closed shut. If she could, she would pause this moment and live in it forever.
But sadly, she hasn't gotten THAT far with witchcraft. She stands, rubbing her head. All night she'd been experiencing bad cramps, which royally sucks when you're also pregnant with four wolf babies. She walks across the room, sitting at the vanity and brushes her hair. The door swings open wide, her daughter Ashlyn's poking her head in.
"Mom! Let's go! Gramma Snow won't let us open gifts until EVERYONE is downstairs!"
Harmony laughs. "You will have to wait, your father is still-"
"DAD WAKE UP ITS TIME TO OPEN PRESENTS YOU NEED TO GET UP NOW NOW NOW!" Ash's voice fills the room, as she runs and starts jumping on their unmade bed.
Tim jumps out of bed, and yells out of fright, rubbing his eyes as he looks at his daughter. His eyes narrow, but Harmony is just laughing and Ashlyn is now staring at the pages in his book.
"Give that to me," He says sternly. He snatches the book from Ash's hand and closes it tight, throwing it in the end table's first drawer.
"Why Dad?" Ash asks, sitting up on the bed and crossing her arms. Tim slowly lowers himself on the edge of the bed, reaching on the ground for his brace.
"Because I don't want you reading that book until you're older," He replies.
"It's a book, Dad. It's not porn, or something else like that. Why can't I read it?"
Tim turns to face her. "You will not read it, until I'm ready to let you read it. Understood?"
Ashlyn frowns. "Fine. Whatever. We need to go open presents, so get ready and LET'S GO."
Ash runs out, her voice yelling down the hall as Tim stands and walks across the room to his wife. His hands rest on her shoulders as she puts her hair in a loose bun. She smiles weakly at him in the mirror, but then her expression goes serious.
"Why?" She asks, placing the hair brush down.
"Excuse me?" Tim is confused, his hands lifting from her shoulders.
"Why can't she read it? Why won't you tell them anything?"
"I-" Tim was completely caught off guard. "I-...um."
"You're afraid," She mutters, looking away from him in the mirror. She stands up and grabs a robe to go around her pajamas, and leaves the room while Tim stands there, dumbfounded.
"W-wait! Harmony!" He exits the room after her, following her down to the family room.
Harmony sits by the tree, her big belly protruding outward for all to see. She sits near Snow, as her husband enters the room. She can't stay mad at him, not even for more than five minutes. Her butt scoots over more, giving him space to join on the couch.
The kids are all near their piles of gifts. The adults sit on the couches, talking over the teenagers, who are loud because of the excitement of Christmas day. Noah is sat by Harmony and Tim's feet, his eyes glued to-
Is that....Sara Jane? Harmony blinks a few times, unsure of whether it was a trick of the lights.
Tim also notices, whispering in her ear: "Am I seeing what you're seeing?"
Harmony nods softly, tapping her son's shoulder. It takes a minute for him to respond, but he then turns quickly to his mother. "Yeah, Mom?"
Harmony's eyes go from his, to Sara's, and that's when Noah realizes the problem. "Oh! Yeah!"
He stands, leaping over piles of presents and people. At the other end of the room stands his girlfriend, still here even after sunrise. She smiles as he wraps his arms around her and kisses her cheek.
"Everyone," He says. "This is my girlfriend, Sara Jane. I asked one thing for Christmas, and it was to be able to spend the whole day with her. And so I got it!" He is beaming, his smile spread across his face so wide that Harmony figured it would never leave. She is happy for Noah, that he got the one thing he wanted most. He brings her over back to his spot, letting the girl sit on his lap and hold his stocking for him.
"Alright," Snow calls out. "You can open your gifts in 3...2..."
Before she can say one, Everyone is tearing at their paper, opening all sorts of gifts.
Ashlyn received a new pair of headphones, new clothes, some band albums, a poster of someone Harmony never heard of before. She also got a set of 4 tickets to see her favorite-
Robert's gifts lay strewn across his lap in a haphazard mess. His eyes are like electricity, skimming over various experiment kits and a 'Hard-Wiring for Beginners' book. He also has new clothes, a pair of shoes, classic novels and some new contemporary novels that are popular with the Mundies.
"I've always wanted to read The Mortal Instruments!" He exclaims. He pulls the entire set of books into his arms and reads each label on each book.
Elora, looking more shocked than anything, is sitting in her pile of things. It's a mixture of nicely printed notebooks, a few easier books than Robbie's book, and some drawing kits. It may have not been the things she asked for at the North Pole, but she's still happy.
"I can't wait to start painting with these," She says happily. Her hand grabs a candy cane and she starts sucking on it.
Noah's girlfriend opens each gift, a few jerseys of his favorite teams, a set of tickets for a hockey game in January, A new pair of cleats, and a....Teddy Bear? Noah takes the teddy from Sara Jane's hands and examines it with a smile.
"This one is for you," He tells her, giving it back. She smiles and kisses his cheek softly, looking at it.
Scarlett was the one with the most gifts, but most were not specifically for her. Baby essentials, mostly diapers and bottles and bibs and pink pajamas and girly baby things are what she mostly got, and then a smaller pile of cloths for herself, little things she'd wanted for Christmas, and jewelry. She's glowing, her eyes dancing over the cute outfits for her daughter. Jackson had gotten gifts too, but he was busier eating cookies and rubbing Scarlett's slowly growing belly.
Harmony's gifts too, were a mixture of baby girl and boy cloths, diapers, and extra bottles. She still had all the cribs from when her first litter of children were born, so she did not have a bassinet in her pile like Scar did. She snuggled up to Tim, the both of them staring at giftcards for 'Babies-R-Us' and Kohls and JCPenny. Afterall, she would need some nice new clothes that will fit her after the babies are born.
All the adults have smaller gifts, still mingling with each other. Harmony's mother stands behind the couch overlooking the room with a smile. Her father and stepmother are on the couch opposite, laughing and smiling as Adi shows them what she got. Her brothers are outside with Bigby, helping to shovel more newly fallen snow off the paths. Everything is perfect. Ever-
"Tim," Harmony chokes out, nearly spilling her hot chocolate all over her robe.
"What, dear?" He says absently, looking at all their excited teenagers mingle and discuss each other's presents.
"Tim, my water-"
"Oh, hey man!" Tim isn't listening.
Harmony takes a deep breath. Closing her eyes. "TIMOTHY MY WATER BROKE!"
The room goes completely silent.
What an eventful Christmas.
I hope you liked this one, I LOVE writing it, really. The best things always seem to happen around Christmas time, and that's completely the case for Harmony's family. Babies in the next chapter! Finally! This is what I've been waiting to write for literal months! Any questions, don't hesitate to ask <# HAve wonderful holidays CHRISTMAS IS IN 3 DAYS I'M STILL SUPER PUMPED!
Peter and Ethan drove to a different section of the Folker community. So many people called this part of town the 'the forgotten' for many reasons but none more apparent than the Folkers who were sent there for punishment or ended up here due to bad luck. Peter pulled up to an abandoned building; the street lights flickered above, as he turned the key and shut the engine off. Ethan pulled out the file and examined it.
While his brother was rather preoccupied at the moment, Peter stared out into the streets; several Folkers walked the dirty, rotten roads, in search for either shelter or food. Several others gathered around a poorly exsecuted fire, while another seemed to wander aimlessly around the lost and lonely streets. Several sirens could be heard, which sent three scattering into the shadows like Roaches.
Peter shoke his head. "Fuck, Ethan....does Katie know about this issue?"
Ethan looks up. "This is a section she is not allowed to touch."
"Why? I thought the Council was supposed to fix certain issues like this within the community?"
"Seems like this is a section even our dearest sister can not touch. Sad, really..."
Peter nods in agreement. "Shit....I had no idea the Folkers were so lost."
"Oh how the mighty have fallen...."
Ethan and Peter exit the vehicle. Several Folker members looked up and glued their attention on the men in trenchcoats. Handing the file over to Peter, the brothers locked the car and continued down the dirty streets. Not all parts of this little slice of hell was reduced to mere shambles; Peter noticed some local business still in tack, while a school sat several miles down near the railroad.
A park stood in the middle of it all, although the brothers both agreed they'd never visit nor bring their children to that paticulair park. They noticed a drug dealer and an addict exchange a few glances, then hand one another their part of the trade.
"Are you SURE this is where she is at?"
"According to the files, after the inccident with Decimus and the Wolf brother's seperation from the group, she sort of became lost and without any support, ended up here."
"God, Peter....what happened to this place? The Folker community used to be the place of dreams, hope and desire. Or, so that's what papa and Malcom used to always say..."
Peter exhaled, as he took out a cigarette. The smell was beginning to bother his senses. There was a heavy stench of garbage and rotten meat in the air.
"Power and money can cause either happiness or war. Too much and look where it leads you. Alone in the dark."
Peter and Ethan, aware of their surroundings, crossed the street and into a dark alley. They could see a small fire at the end still burning. A tent stood near it, as several clothes hung above to dry. Peter examined the file one last time and gave a slight nod to Ethan.
"This is her alright."
"Well, let's do this although I doubt she'll be too happy to see us."
Peter finishes off his cigarette and tosses the burning end into a nearby dirty puddle of water.
"Why not, Ethan? We are the loveable duo of Fabletown."
Ethan huffed. "Hm well, show me these 'fans' and I may consider that title. But for right now, let's approach her with caution."
With each step, Peter and Ethan drew closer to the tiny filthy tent located at the end of the alley. The only noise the brothers could hear were the continuing sirens, honking and occasional group of civilians walking around town. Ethan held up his hand; he began counting down and when he reached to one, Peter pulled out a gun and aimed it at the opening.
"Amber Derossa, this is the Deputy Mayor and Sheriff of Fabletown. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be-"
There was a faint chuckle of a woman inside. Still holding his gun out, the brothers noticed the movement inside.
"Come on out, Amber." Peter cocks his gun. "I'd hate to ruin such a wonderful selection of decorations but if it must be done-"
Amber sticks her hand out and waves. She exits her tent, a smile across her face. She does not appear to be angry or annoyed to see Ethan and Peter there. Peter could immediatly detect the strong odor of alcohol and the track marks in various parts on her arms and neck. Amber's once golden locks of hair were now tattered strings and her skin chalky and dirty.
"Well, well, well. Sheriff Peter Wolf. What a surprise to see you on this side of the fence-"
"Amber Derossa, we are here for the murder of Daniel the Tailor and-"
Amber laughs. "I ain't got nothin' for you, Wolf."
Ethan steps forward. "We picked the files of EVERY Folker that had an issue with either Fables or Halfers. We-"
"You think I killed a Fable just because I can? Please. I could never attempt murder, especially in the condition I'm in at the current moment."
"You were involved with Decimus. You nearly had Peter killed and turned into one of your weapons against the Fable community."
Amber continues to laugh. She walks over to the fire and takes a seat.
"Oh Ethan. Those were the good days...indeed Decimus and I were quite the team. His own son couldn't kill a Fly with a shoe if it landed a foot away from him. We almost had Peter, too. We had plans for him. Plans that were beyond anything the Fables could comprehend and try to prevent. But you Porgies and your inability to give up and leave well enough alone...."
Peter holds the gun to Amber's back. "You have ten seconds to tell me about the Tailor."
"Oh Daniel was a snobby little thing, wasn't he? Always there, flashing his riches around and making the rest of us feel like shit. Not that it mattered in the end, I suppose. Yet, some seem to forget we all ended up in this shit world the same."
"Did you murder Daniel, Amber?" Ethan tried to remain calm. "Or do you have any information in regards to this case?"
Amber shuffles her feet, as she reaches for a can of beans. Peter and Ethan both watch, as she struggles to open the can. After a minute of smashing the lid with a rock, Amber places the can on a rack and watches as the fire licks the bottom of the can.
"Would you boys like some dinner? It's beans and weenies."
"No, Amber. We are not HERE for the food. Now, I'm going to ask you ONE LAST TIME-do you know anything about the murder of Daniel the Tailor, yes OR no?"
"No, Porgie. I know nothing about Daniel. To be honest, I'm glad he's dead."
Peter continued to stand beside Amber and carefully observe her behavior.
"And why is that, Amber?"
"Oh Sheriff, please. Daniel is the reason we could not stand the Fable community. Or, one of the reasons I should say."
"Again, why?"
"Fables like him is the reason why if was so difficult to make it in this world. They'd go around, flashing their cash and rubbing it in our faces; while the rest of us worked nine to five and lived paycheck to paycheck, he was spending it on exorbitant gifts and dirty strip clubs."
"What does this have to do with anything?"
"Oh Ethan...Sheriff...you think we were the only ones who wished to see Daniel vanish from this Earth? Your own father wanted to see his name crossed from the books. I don't see either of YOU questioning him."
Peter slammed his elbow into Amber's neck and pinned her to the ground.
"If I were you, I'd watch my tone of voice right about now."
Amber struggled beneath the weight of Peter's massive arm. She began to choke.
"GAH! UGH, Sheriff! Is this any way to treat a woman down on her....cough cough luck? You REALLY need to cough cough show some fucking restraint! cough cough You're an animal, Sheriff!"
"START....TALKING....AMBER! Or are you so quick to forget, huh?"
"I don't know WHAT cough cough you want me to SAY, Sheriff! I told you EVERYTHING I cough cough know!"
Peter presses Amber's body deeper in the dirt. Although Ethan attempts to lift his brother up, the bulging veins and sudden change in his eyes says differently. He noticed the fine hair growing around his jaw line, chin and mouth. Ethan stands back and all he could so was wait.
"TALK Amber-We KNOW it was a folker because this person left a note in blood and it was targeted at both Fables AND Halfers!"
"Ask any one of these bums out here down on their luck, Sheriff!" Peter stands up, leaving Amber to gasp for air. "I told you everything I know! If I was to go after the Tailor, I would have done it YEARS ago when Decimus was still alive. Even when that fucking idiot, the Jersey Devil, tore him apart like a Christmas Ham, we never ONCE tried to attempt vengance."
"Bullshit." Ethan folds his arms. "You tried taking Peter as your own."
Amber giggles. "Oh Ethan...you have no idea what's really going on in these city walls, do you?"
"Then elaborate for me and the Sheriff, Amber. Tells us what's really going on."
"Who ever this Folker killer may be, is out for vengance and to make a point. Why bother committing crimes all of the sudden on both Fables and Halfers? Because I'll tell you why-they are not doing this just for shits and giggles. Oh no. This is for their rightful place in this world. A warning. A message, as you may see it."
"A message to WHO, Amber?"
"To all you Fables who mingled with our kind and the Halfer children born into this world from it. I'm looking at YOU two."
Peter managed to keep his true feelings aside, as he placed the pistol back into his coat pocket.
"Amber-"
Amber holds out her hands. "Go ahead and arrest me, Sheriff, if you THINK that will solve your little crisis. Trust me, though-I had nothing to do with the murder of Daniel, nor do I wish to be involved with anything related to Fables or Halfers. We used to be a powerful bunch of people. Now look all around you...nothing but shattered dreams and lost souls."
Ethan gave a nod to Peter indicating they were through. Although Amber was a nusiance years ago, both the brothers could see she had been defeated and was nothing more than a shell of a person. The beans began to boil, as she reached over and dug her plastic spoon inside the mixture.
"We'll be in contact, should I need more information."
Silence. Amber's eyes stared directly into the dirt. Peter and Ethan turned to return back to their car.
"You may want to look deeper into the situation, Sheriff. Deputy Mayor."
Ethan and Peter paused and turned slightly to Amber. "What do you mean?"
"This is a warning. A message to your kind. You must look deeper than what the files tell you. Because whoever is doing this, wants to grab YOUR attention. They made it a point. Left a message of blood on the wall."
Ethan and Peter said nothing, as they walked back to their vehicle. They both sat in the car in silence. Peter took out another cigarette and handed one to Ethan. Although his brother rarely smoked, the look upon his fragile face indicated he needed a break.
"You alright, Ethan?"
"I don't think she did it or had any idea what was going on."
"I agree with you on that."
Ethan exhales deeply. "Peter, DO you think this is a message? An attack of some sorts? I mean, whoever this Folker is, attacked our sister's club. Emily nearly died because of it!"
Peter leans back into his seat. "I'm starting to think that, too. Here-let me call aunt Mary back. Maybe we can head out to the Pudding n' Pie and investigate the area."
"Good idea."
Peter pulls out of the alley and returns to the dim lit streets of the Folker community. Once a powerful community of wealth, strength and power were now nothing more than yesterdays and once upon a times. Turning on the radio, Peter drove over the bridge and back into Fabletown. Up ahead, the glow of pinks, blues and scandelous posters that enveloped this oh so familiar part of the city.
Peter parked beside the Pudding n' Pie, as he and his brother took a moment of silence.
Any questions, you know the drill. Just got home and had time to write a section. Been playing with this idea for awhile; guess when you're up all night, it gives you time to think. I'm exhausted and hopefully after a nice shower, I can get some sleep.
I had forgotten about Amber until I recalled your past stories and she nearly killed Malcom by drowning him in the ocean. I had no idea she had that much power as far as the Council went.
I loved the description of the run down part of the Folker city; Ethan could not have said it better. 'Oh how the mighty have fallen.' The Council became so consumed by power, that they began fighting one another just to keep that title.
It's nice to see Ethan and Peter working side by side; if I remember right, they were always close as kids. I'm pretty sure amber does not know a thing. It was heartbreaking to see her in such a terrible spot in life. I guess we can cross her off the list....for now. She mentioned a lot of key points as far as the tailor goes: he was wealthy, yes but does that give the person the right to murder him? I think there is another part to this story....hmmm...
Ugh and the pudding n' pie. Can't wait to see what waits for them. AND, I know you are VERY busy so no rush but would there be anyway you could draw some Gren and Em pics?
Peter and Ethan drove to a different section of the Folker community. So many people called this part of town the 'the forgotten' for many r… moreeasons but none more apparent than the Folkers who were sent there for punishment or ended up here due to bad luck. Peter pulled up to an abandoned building; the street lights flickered above, as he turned the key and shut the engine off. Ethan pulled out the file and examined it.
While his brother was rather preoccupied at the moment, Peter stared out into the streets; several Folkers walked the dirty, rotten roads, in search for either shelter or food. Several others gathered around a poorly exsecuted fire, while another seemed to wander aimlessly around the lost and lonely streets. Several sirens could be heard, which sent three scattering into the shadows like Roaches.
Peter shoke his head. "Fuck, Ethan....does Katie know about this issue?"
Ethan looks up. "This is a section she is not allowe… [view original content]
Just going to say that I'm glad Dixa's back and ready to kick ass! (preferably when she's chewing bubblegum, I bet Yeti's like the chewiness… more of gum)
Anyways! This is interesting with the Spring-Heeled Jack legend you've included so far. I can only imagine how things will go down.
Cubdate (Instead of update. Get it? No? Okay...)
I figured, after looking back on my little mini 'bios' I gave Harmony's cubs back in the… more day, I'd update that to the age they currently are ^-^
Just as a fun thing, since I wasn't able to get a real chapter out today. (Super busy :L)
Ashlyn Mary
After all she's been through, the girl has learned to open up a lot more and embrace her wild side. She generally speaks her mind, not caring if it mildly offends those around her. She loves playing videogames, eating food, and having the responsibility that comes with being the Pack Leader. She's grown to love gardening, often helping her mother during the harvest season. Her best friend is Franklin, a 9 year old vampire boy who has the world's most obvious crush on her. She thinks it's cute. She wears her hair nice and short, dies it a dark brown/black (Although, it's naturally brown with blue streaks). A bit of a tomboy, but has those mom… [view original content]
Hmm, it must be either Amber or Tracey, then. I know you've probably written the reveal below, but I want to see how things get there so I'm gonna catch up first! Nice to see Gren's caring side; one minute he's all bitter and the next he's helpful. It's kind of confusing, but I think Gren himself must be confused.
Anyway, hope the graveyard shift isn't too much for you! You're being responsible though and that by 'graveyard shift' you mean the usual definition of a late job, as opposed to an actual graveyard shift. Because they're creepy.
"Anything?"
Emily peeked over. The line of empty Beer bottles was making it incredibly difficult to see. Peter and Ethan sat quietly in t… morehe living room surrounded by files and pictures. Each Folker that had either a criminal past or despised both Fables and Folkers was looked over. Peter found three suspects that seem to fit the profile: Amber, a loyal follower before Decimus' death, Tony, who killed and murdered five Halfers but the charges were drop and Tracy,a well known Council member's wife who was not at all pleased when she heard John had developed a friendship with Bigby Wolf.
"We found three." Ethan holds up the pictures. "Our best bet is to start with the first one and make our way down."
"We should probably ask Jumbo if he or the Tailor knew anything or had a relationship with either of these people."
"Good idea."
Emily holds her thumb up. "Bloody brilliant. In the mean time, I'm gunna make some food and-"
"Should… [view original content]
Halloween is finally finished! xD Okay, it ended for everyone else about a month ago, but, you know, I'm a slow writer. And a worn out one - I've struggled with writing this, ran out of describing power, yet I wanted to get it finished this year. So, I used some pictures for direct descriptions, and I decided to link them at the correct places so that it might make things easier to read. Hopefully this is better than I think it all is, but either way I think I might go on a writing break for a while. Seriously, how do you all write so much and keep it good? Anyway, I'm going to get on catching up, and Merry Christmas! internet hugs to all
Chapter Ten – The Long Halloween
“Dixa,” whispers Mr. Weasel over her shoulder. “I think that's him.” They both stand at the end of a relatively narrow tunnel, relative to the cavernous space which following the passageway underground has lead them to. It's dark, them being underground, but Dixa and Weasel can see well enough in the low light; which is a good thing, or else they might not have realized that the tunnel they had been walking has it's exit mid-way up the side wall of the far larger tunnel before them.
This larger tunnel is much more than an over-sized passageway, however: it's a train station, and it's almost fully built. There are two tracks side-by-side below, and on the outer sides of the tracks are two long platforms, with ticket offices, benches; even shop fronts and cafes built a way up on top of each other. (http://i.imgur.com/P9tWS.png) Given by it's location alone this is clearly not a standard construction, and yet whosoever designed the space took further architectural strides to impressive and impose upon those who would journey on the trains here: the ceiling, high above, is one long barrel vault with square-cut holes along the zenith to act as chimneys for the fumes of the trains. (http://tinyurl.com/ms3kwzb)Currently, no light from these apertures falls as far as the tracks below. Supporting not only the stone of the ceiling above but the very mass of the earth are columns striking up from the platforms, each stone shaft connected to the one next to it by a weight-sharing arch. (http://tinyurl.com/lqakpkc) Finally, a metal walkway branches out across the great space, meandering through the columns and joining the top floors of the shops to the platforms below. In the centre of it all, between the two tracks, a small fire burns and a man sits next to it.
“I believe you're right, Weasel,” replies Dixa. From their vantage point they can see right across to the other wall and all below thanks to the high nature of the arches between the columns. Directly in front of them, not yet finished in construction, is the metal walkway with it's twisting iron railings – they would need to jump to reach it.
Further up the passageway which Dixa and Weasel stand at the end of - that has been built with the intention of providing direct access to the surface for the Mundy commuters - a lamp emits an orange glow, casting the shadows of Cinderella and Flycatcher onto the smooth stone walls. The two have waited further back as they cannot see better than you or I in such degrees of darkness and so require the lamp, yet are mindful of how it would attract any foes to their presence. They stand alert, not daring to speak lest they miss a crucial noise or sound, however it is only when Mr. Weasel is within a few feet of the light that they hear him, his natural form so naturally stealthy that it carries over to his glamoured self.
Whispering, he tells them about the Heel in the vast station up ahead, and while doing so fiddles with something in the right pocket of his old mauve coloured over coat. (http://tinyurl.com/ko38dt5)
“What you got in there, Weasel?” Asks Cindy, who finds Weasel's fidgeting distracting.
“Oh,” he realizes what he'd been doing and removes his hand. “It's nothing.”
“You're nervous, aren't you?”
Mr. Weasel takes a moment to tighten a grey scarf around his neck and reposition the excess of it into the top of his red waistcoat. “Yes,” he admits, with his head down. “I haven't done this sort of thing before. Alone, at least.” He looks straight up at Cindy, his face discernibly pale in the warm light. “There were many threats in the Wild Wood – where I grew up – but somehow, I suppose because I was with the other weasels, things never seemed... so alarming. Evil faeries and undead highwaymen weren't all that common for us small folk.” Weasel lowers his head again.
“Well,” says Cindy, somewhat reluctantly, “you *can back out if you want to.”
“Oh, no! I'm not leaving you three here to face whatever's in that station alone.” Cindy smiles when Weasel says this, and Fly – who's been leaning against the wall – chimes up.
“I'm pleased to hear that, Mr. Weasel.” He pulls his fastened grey jacket straight as he stands unsupported. “One for all and all for one, as they say.,” finishing with a smile. (Jude Law)
“You're particularly calm, Fly,” Weasel observes.
“Yeah, I don't know,” and he shrugs. “Sometimes, when you're in the moment and focused, the nerves just go.”
“Come on,” says Cindy, “we'd best get to Dixa.” Fly take the cue to blow out the lamp he carries. “Lead the way, Mr. Weasel.”
“Both of you take hold of my hands,” which they do, and then Mr. Weasel starts walking, following the passage on it's slow, downward descent.
“You can both call me 'Percy', you know. It is my first name.”
Cindy contemplates the moniker for a moment. “I suppose 'Mr. Weasel' just always seemed more natural.”
“Yeah,” agrees Fly. “It has more of a ring to it.”
Mr. Weasel mumbles something inaduable before clearly saying: “Well, let's just hope no other weasels ever turn up. Otherwise, things could get very confusing.”
“That depends,” returns Cindy. “Perhaps it'll be a female weasel that next turns up. Tell me, Mr. Weasel, is there a Mrs. Weasel?”
“Not last time I checked.” He answers, which puzzles Fly.
“What's that supposed to mean?”
“It just means 'no'.” Weasel quickly clarifies “I don't know why I said it like that; I sometimes say silly things when I'm a bit nervous.”
“Is that nervous about being married or nervous about Spring-Heeled Jack?” Asks the ever-inquisitive Flycatcher.
“I'm not that nervous about getting married, Fly”
They carry on in silence for what feels like a few minutes, but is in fact only one; the threat of being detected seemed both likely and serious due to the lamps highlighting them so keenly in the blackness, which is why they decided to split up so far. Soon, however, they're almost at the end of the tunnel, when Mr. Weasel comments on admiring Cindy's jacket and skirt. (Skirt)
“Thanks,” she replies. “I believe the Mundies call them 'artillery jackets', because troops in their army wear them.” (http://tinyurl.com/kastwon) Adding, “this one I modified so a lady could wear it, and so it can hold a pair of revolvers in holsters on the inside.” And Cindy does indeed have a pair of revolvers in those two holsters, as well as a sword and dagger by her waist. Mr. Weasel and Flycatcher are similarly armed; Dixa, however, said she'd rely on her Yeti self should trouble start to brew.
“Yes, the gold stitching on the front really brings out your hair colour. It suits you,” Weasel responds.
“Well, thank you. Again.” Replies Cindy, pleased with the compliment.
“You look beautiful in it. Well, you'd look beautiful out of it, but I'm sure you know what I mean.” Mr. Weasel carries on walking at the same pace after saying this as if he'd commented on something obvious, like how it's been a rather long day.
Flycatcher, therefore, wonders whether Mr. Weasel is simply being awfully polite or whether he isn't quite aware of what he's saying. Cindy is surprised, and taken-aback.
“You... you think I'm beautiful?” It isn't so much the kindness about her looks that confuses Cinderella, as more the fact that Mr. Weasel has said it so boldly.
“Oh, dear,” he says, misreading her tone of confusion. “Sorry, I say silly things when I'm a bit nervous.”
“No! I mean, you don't need to apologise, even if you are just saying it because you're nervous.”
Mr. Weasel's voice grows louder than would be advised as he's lifted by Cindy's response. “I might only be saying it aloud because I'm nervous, but I really do think that you are beautiful.” If there had been more light on the scene, Weasel and Cindy would surely have shared “a look” at this moment, “a look” that could have revived a stunned bird. Sadly, there is no adequate lighting, and instead Mr. Weasel squeezes Cindy's hand. Except:
“Weasel,” asks Fly, “why did you just squeeze my hand?”
“What? I thought that...” Weasel shakes his head in the darkness, cheeks going bright red. Though, no one can see it. “You know, Fly, you have very smooth hands.”
“Huh, thanks.” This time it's Flycatcher who's rather pleased with one of Mr. Weasel's compliments.
“Does that mean I have rough hands?” Inquires Cindy, guessing Weasel's true intent; but before she can be answered they arrive at the end of the passage.
Upon arriving, Mr. Weasel notes that the fire burning below has grow in size and scale since he left; and while dazzled Dixa remains concealed to Weasel's eyes, her plum coloured jacket and skirt matched well to her dark skin and hair. She reaches forward and taps him lightly on the shoulder. (http://tinyurl.com/mxavhxm)
“Weasel, have you gone blind?” She asks.
“No, it's that fire – it wasn't that bright when I left, was it?”
“No. It's growing, but I don't know how. The Heel hasn't moved at all while you've been gone.” Cindy and Fly step forward to be at a level with Mr. Weasel, where the passageway widens sufficiently at the exit.
“If it keeps goings,” comments Cindy, “we won't need the lamps anyway. What's the plan?”
“I've been thinking it over while you've been gone,” says Dixa, “and here's what I think we should do.”
The plan, however, did not exactly stay on track.
“You won't take him!” The angry scream comes from Spring-Heeled Jack, but it has the sound of a woman.
“Dixa!” Cindy yells, spurring her friend to quick action. Dixa leaps up from the tracks onto the platform by her left as the fire in front of the Heel rises to an unnatural hight until it explodes in a burst of white flame, licking all around with a scorching touch and roaring like a maddened beast. Dixa made it behind the stone column where Cindy stands just in time.
So intense is the heat it forces itself down everyone's throat and would seem to suck them dry, casuing them to cough violently
“I think,” Cindy manages to rasp, “that plan A has failed.” She hugs closely to the stone, in case another blast of flame ensues. Dixa gasps just the same next to her.
“We'll have to -” cough * cough* “- go to plan B.” Dixa catches her breath a moment. “At least this is quite fun!”
“What the hell, woman? This isn't my idea of fun!” Returns Cindy.
“Okay, well, not fun, but it's more exciting than what normally happens everyday!”
“Remind me why we put you in charge of the plan making?”
Another gout of fire issues from the flames around the Heel, forcing Dixa and Cindy to get as flat against the stone as possible. Likewise above, Mr. Weasel and Flycatcher lay as flat as they can on the metal walkway and crawl along, desperate to get off the metal that's increasingly starting to feel like a stove.
“Why does the Heel sound like a woman?” Shouts Dixa when the heat recedes, the crackling fire still loud in her ears.
“If I had to guess,” replies Cindy, “Beast was wrong about the Heel being separate from Faye. Or, I don't know – she's a faery! They can do weird stuff with magic!”
“Well, I have another plan!” Dixa announces.
“Oh, you're last one worked out so well!”
“Really, Cindy? That's not helpful!”
“Just tell me what it is!”
“I'm going to make a run for him, or her, while you shoot at it and distract it. Are you ready?”
“I'm not sure bullets are going to do anything to it!” Cindy grabs Dixa's arm and looks straight at her, earnestly. “Just don't die.”
“I won't, because you'll be distracting it!” Dixa replies, giving Cindy a wink.
“Oh, I hate you! Go, now!” Cinderella twists around the stone column, whips out a revolver from inside her jacket and takes a well-aimed shot through the flames to hit the Heel right on it's helmet. The fire has begun to twist and turn and writhe like snakes around the Heel, yet it momentarily abates. Dixa launches forward, transforming instantaneously from the tall woman in respectable clothing into the ferocious Yeti; feet human-like, but large and padded, she remains standing on them. Legs become taught with muscle, grow longer and larger and move with the energy and motion of pistons firing. The white fur that now covers her is in a mass around her torso; her arms and hands grow thick as they did earlier in the day, with the muscles rippling and in high definition over her shoulders. Her charming face is replaced by that of one mixed with a bear, eyes large and black, a snubbed snout extending above a jaw of jagged teeth with the sharpness of razor rocks.
It takes Dixa only a few paces to reach a point where, in one graceful movement, she goes from running to crouching to flinging herself through the air and through the fire, arms clamping around the resurrected body of the Heel and taking them both far, to land heavily onto the tracks, spraying up gravel and grit all around them with the force of a cannon shot.
With the Heel below her on the ground, Dixa swings her arm up to strike down at it's head but is flung backwards by an invisible blast and hits one of the stone columns with such force that it cracks and loosens the cement. She kneels on the platform, winded.
Rising, the Heel wildly cries, “the fist will never beat the will of magic,” doing so again in the voice of the woman and faery, Faye.
After witnessing the clash from above, Mr. Weasel throws caution to the wind; he unsheathes his sword, climbs atop the railing of the walkway and, much to Fly's astonishment, drops down. Landing with a low crouch directly behind the Heel, Mr. Weasel pulls back his sword arm so that he can thrust it through any armour his target might be wearing; but he's too slow, in the space of a second the Heel whirls it's elbow round, striking Weasel square on the jaw and knocking him to the side. Spinning, the Heel grabs the neck of Mr. Weasel with it's left hand, pulls a knife with it's right and stabs the glamoured Fable once in his abdomen, and once in his chest, deep and hard. After, it opens it's left hand and let's the bleeding Weasel crumple to the floor.
Seeing her friends beaten back so, Cindy charges along the platform, wielding two pistols and firing in quick succession to prevent the Heel from gaining balance - each bullet ploughing through it's clothes, puncturing it's armour and ripping holes in it's decayed skin. With every hole made in it's body flames spit out. The fire on the tracks still pulsates and spins, alive on a wind, illuminating the station as a bright light striking out before shrinking, making the columns that glow orange in the reflection dance with dark shadows.
Within meters of the Heel, Cindy runs out of ammunition in both guns; she throws them forward and replaces them in her hands with a sword and dagger. Jumping down onto the tracks, her hand is tight on the leather handles despite the heat that makes her sweat. Bringing out it's own sword to a gloved hand, the Heel uses it's nefarious magic to burst powerful pulses at the gravel between the train tracks and directs it at Cindy – the fragments fly at her face and cut with the same indiscriminate damage of a grenade. She shields her eyes as best she can with her arm, but the velocity and force with which the miniature lumps of rock hit her increases every second, and the light cuts become gouges and tears that leak blood. Unable to stand in the maelstrom, Cindy is brought to her knees while the grit flies with such speed it screams through the air at her.
A gunshot rings out – the Heel is at a sudden stand still – the gravel drops from the air. Flycatcher, after finding his way down from the walkway in the disorientating light, took a breath and has sent a bullet right through the heart of the Heel. Though a resurrected form, the heart still holds some key to life and the damage has an effect. Fly quickly moves from his position further down the platform and is hit hard over the head with a walking stick, the orb shaped brass handle clanging as it smacks into his skull.
As Mr. Weasel's awareness of all around him fades, Dixa appears as a flash of white lightning, her claws and teeth eviscerating the body that was once of the man called Jacques. Cindy struggles to her feet, blood dripping from her forehead and cheeks, arms covered in stinging crimson lashes; the clamour around her is almost debilitating as Dixa's thunderous bear-like roars blare out and the fire behind her cracks and rumbles, yet she can hear a voice slice through it all.
“Well, well, well.” It's an Irish voice. “Are you really all that stupid?” A southern Irish voice.
Cindy rotates to see the silhouette of a man up on the platform opposite her, across from the fire. It steps down onto the tracks and towards the inferno.
“I thought I was supposed to be the mad one. Or, maybe I'm just the bad one.”
“H... Hyde?” Cindy calls out.
“Oh, don't mind me, m'dear Cinderella. You seem to have got more important things to attend to; such as your face falling off, for one thing.” Hyde's laughing is suitably maniacal.
Cindy, ever the resourceful type, has been carrying a spare, small pistol strapped around her ankle. She bends and takes it out, pointing the weapon straight at Hyde. “Why the fuck shouldn't I kill you now?!” She yells.
“Tut tut, you're swearing. Swearing doesn't suit you – it spoils your prettiness, m'dear.” He stands still next to the fire – dangerously close to it in fact – while Cindy carefully makes her way towards him. The yellows bend across Hyde's unnerving face and exaggerate the twisted grimace he displays. “But, oh! How I don't doubt that you'd shoot me. The thing is,” he reaches into his suit jacket of stereotypical Victorian design, “that I actually know how to end this,” and retrieves a vial that he holds up for Cindy to clearly see. It glows green in the light.
Unsure what to say or do, Cindy remains still and holds the gun. There's a deafening roar behind her and a blur above her: the body of Spring-Heeled Jack catapults through the air, impacts on the ceiling with such a force cracks in the stone strike out, and then falls to the floor with a tremendous thud. Dixa then sidles up to Cindy, her white fur matted with sticky blood and grey skin ruptured where the Heel has fought back.
“Where is Henry?” She demands of Hyde, voice low and thick.
“It's you, Dixa!” Hyde answers cheerily. “Y'know, for a second there I just did not recognize ya'. Maybe you've done something with your hair; I don't know, I haven't been out in a while.”
“Where is HENRY?” The anger in Dixa's voice cannot be ignored, and even Hyde is wary of the Yeti.
“You shouldn't worry about him so much! He's in here. Somewhere. I don't know where exactly, but, generally about the place.” He waves his hand around his head. “Before you all get really pissed with me though – or, I should say, before you two do, seeing as Flycatcher and Mr. Weasel have so rudely left this waking world – you may want to consider this.” He shakes the vial in his left hand.
“What is that?” Shouts Cindy.
“This?” Replies Hyde in a mocking fashion. “This is magic's worst nightmare. This is science.” Immediately after speaking, Edward Hyde uncorks the vial and throws it into the flames. The fire turns to a singular, intense red; shudders into a neon pink and then purple; before finishing as the blue of a summer sky.
A cry emits from the body of Spring-Heeled Jack, which had landed further down the tracks. The fire cracks and fizzes, before moving through the air in a stream and spinning round the Heel's body. “Jacques!” The body cries. “My love!” A scream bursts, rises to a blistering shriek, there's a pulse of pure white light, and then darkness and silence fall.
One week later.
“Percy, you're awake!” Cries Dixa, rushing through the hospital door and over to his bed, where she gives him a hug of both relief and happiness.
“Aiiiee! Too hard! Too hard!” He chokes back. After being awake for only ten minutes, he isn't quite yet ready for a Yeti hug. Dixa quickly lets go and Weasel breathes deeply, hands uncurling by his sides atop the grey blanket on his bed.
“Oh, you'll be fit for a proper hug soon,” replies Dixa, taking a seat.
“I look forward to it,” he coughs. “I notice the weather's looking nicer.”
Dixa looks out of the small, but private, room's window. “Yes,” she says, despite it raining. “So long as we don't get unaccounted for darkness and ghoulish fog for a few more centuries, all should be fine.”
“Best check when the next eclipse will be,” Weasel replies jokingly. He'd mentioned the weather as a way of circuitously asking whether or not Spring-Heeled Jack and Faye were no more; when he first woke, his questions to the nurses had been regarding his companions, but they only had vague answers. “How is everyone?” He asks, and sips from a cup of water.
“Doing rather well, Mr. Weasel,” answers Dixa with a smile. “I'm not sure Flycatcher is ever going to trust me again, but he's recovered from the knock to his head.”
“His head? What happened to it?”
“I'm not sure when you blacked out – do you remember Hyde appearing?”
“No, not at all.” His face shows confusion.
“Well, Hyde knocked Fly out – I don't know why, the man's rather unpredictable. Anyway, it was Hyde who put an end to the Heel and Faye, really: he put a vial of Jekyll's damnable potion into the fire, which seemed to be the force that kept Faye's spirit inside the body of Spring-Heeled Jack. The potion caused Faye to be subdued and, surprisingly, the very mind of Jacques was brought out. Just the same as with Jekyll and Hyde. Jacques couldn't move, had no control over the body that used to be his other than to ask us to put an end to the madness of Faye. His mind had been present to all her doings, even if it was locked away in the resurrected brain. We did as he asked,” she explains, though refrains from going into the grisly details of how her and Cindy went about it.
“Oh. I see.” Weasel adjusts the sheets over his wounds. “And what happened to Hyde?”
“He disappeared after putting the potion into the fire. I believe Henry must have been influencing Hyde enough to get him to journey to the station with the potion in the first place.”
“Jekyll really is a good man.”
“We'll get him back, some day.”
And now came to the question Mr. Weasel has been rather nervous about. “Is Cindy... well?”
A bright smile alights on Dixa's face as it so often does. “You know she's well, Weasel – I just told you.”
“Oh, erm, yes.” He blushes.
“You want to know if she's been to see you, don't you?”
“Well, maybe.” Weasel gives a sheepish grin.
“Of course I have!” Comes a reply most would consider far too loud for a hospital, as Cinderella rushes on in. “You really need to be careful of pointy things, Mr. Weasel,” she says, grinning cheekily.
“Haha, yes. I think I've learnt a lesson there.” He casually looks out of the window and rubs his neck. “Actually, Cindy, I've heard you're rather good with swords.”
“It's an interest I have,” she admits.
Mr. Weasel looks straight at her. “Would you, erm, mind teaching me how to properly use one?” There's a weak smile on his face that slowly rises in unison with the corners of Cindy's mouth.
“Certainly,” she replies coolly, then winks. “It's a date.”
And so is the tale of how Velma, Daphne, Shaggy and Fred – with the – hang on, this is the wrong script. Oh, where is – I know it's in this pile somewhere – must get a new assistant – arg! they've all fallen on the floor. No, don't walk over them you silly cat! This is why I never – wait, I've found it. Ahem.
And so is the tale of how Dixa, Cinderella, Flycatcher and Mr. Weasel – with the curious help of Edward Hyde – rid Fabletown of the villain Spring-Heeled Jack, and the faery Faye.
Tetra woke up in his apartment in the woodlands, realizing that today was the day he was leaving and this time not returning....It saddened him but what could he do? It was out of his reach....
He packed his bags grabbing everything and putting it into his bag, he remembered when he first got here and smiled. Now he's gone like the wind.
He walked by Bigbys office.
"Today's the day huh partner?" He must be referring to Luke.
I assumed to be Luke and shook his hand "Yeah Naoto wants to have the kid in Japan."
"I see...take care..." Bigby said looking sad.
Tetra kept walking and found Snow.
"Makoto please stay!" She said
"Sorry Snow I gotta go." Tetra assumed to be Makoto and hung his head.
Snow hugged him "Well take care, Rose says goodbye as well."
Tetra nodded and walked in the elevator and went to the front returning his key.
"Safe travels Luke" Grimble said
Tetra nodded and went out to call a cab where the boy who cried wolf said farewell to him as well while driving to the train station.
When he got there surprisingly he saw everyone he met from the forums here who was still staying.
"Thanks everyone" Tetra smiled "This is where we say our goodbyes, I was supposed to come back but things didn't turn out that way... In fact I'm not coming back on here at all..." He continued "I hope everyone has a great next year, no doubt there will be tough times and obstacles but remember to always face yourself and overcome these obstacles no matter how impossible they are because when you do you will be surprised to see that you've not only over come the goal but you've learned more about yourself as well. When you meet people always greet them with a smile because you never know why they may act that way. Get to know your friends until there is nothing more you can know so you can have that bond and trust because that person you spent time with will always have your back like you had theirs no matter what situation you are in."
Tetras train arrived and he stepped on. "Goodbye everyone, keep being friendly to other members accepting them with open arms. This is truly the greatest place to be on Telltales forums. It was great meeting you all." The train doors closed and it disappeared in the distance.....
Goodbyes
Tetra woke up in his apartment in the woodlands, realizing that today was the day he was leaving and this time not returning....… moreIt saddened him but what could he do? It was out of his reach....
He packed his bags grabbing everything and putting it into his bag, he remembered when he first got here and smiled. Now he's gone like the wind.
He walked by Bigbys office.
"Today's the day huh partner?" He must be referring to Luke.
I assumed to be Luke and shook his hand "Yeah Naoto wants to have the kid in Japan."
"I see...take care..." Bigby said looking sad.
Tetra kept walking and found Snow.
"Makoto please stay!" She said
"Sorry Snow I gotta go." Tetra assumed to be Makoto and hung his head.
Snow hugged him "Well take care, Rose says goodbye as well."
Tetra nodded and walked in the elevator and went to the front returning his key.
"Safe travels Luke" Grimble said
Tetra nodded and went out to call a… [view original content]
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Christmas Challenge: Sad Saturdays
That same day Bigby and Clara questioned Tiny Tim.
"Look Tim you gotta explain this more slowly and calmly so we can understand you." Bigby said
Tim was distraught tears streamed down his face as he lay in the hospital bed, he had lost his crutch arm and will need to be in a wheelchair from now on.
"O-o-okay, It all started when I was around the shopping center before the crime happened when somebody grabbed me from behind his hand was ice cold it was so cold I fell asleep then when I woke up....." He paused
"We can come back later if you need us to." Clara said
"Clara we can't ri-" Bigby began to say
"No it's fine....when I woke up there was a fireplace, blood everywhere, there were elves dead and he had prisoners in the back!" Tim said
Snow, elves, and a fireplace....Clara thought he couldn't mean Santas workshop?
"What prisoners?" Bigby asked
"There was a male who looked to be a vampire he had a little girl with him, then there was another one I think she is a Fable." Tim said
Bigby began to think man who looked to be a vampire and a little girl.....plus there was another female..... Alice went missing quite a bit ago...
"Bigby I think we need to go to the North Pole" Clara said
"Yeah it's our best bet." Bigby said
"We're really sorry this has happened to you Tim." Clara said
"That's okay miss, it's just great to have people who can solve these things the sheriff does great work!" Tim said smiling through tears
Bigby didn't know what to say Tim was one of the only people who actually appreciated his work and generally liked him.
"I wish I could've helped you sooner Tim...." Bigby said
"It's alright sheriff just go save those other people." Tim said
Bigby nodded he was determined to make this person pay for his crimes.
The next day at the North Pole while Bigby and Clara traveled.
"You know little one I love things that look pale, like the snow and my snowmen outside guarding the place. The girl in the holding cell took a bit of time but she now looks perfect!" The man said continuing "And your father is magnificent! I didn't even need to help him on his way to perfection! What is his trick?" He asked
"That's not my daddy he's my cousin, he killed mommy and daddy when they went looking for him way back when I was little. Anyways he told me he was born that way and that his daddy was the leader of vampires!" The little girl said
Hmmm this could be a powerful ally the man thought he could use the girl as leverage but he couldn't simply have one odd egg in his future society he'll have to rule him with fear.
"Well dear this is where the fun begins!" The man said grabbing the little girl
In the dungeon holding cell. The man could hear the little girl shriek and cry in pain begging for help.
"HEY HEY HEY! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING!? YOU BETTER STOP NOW!!!" He began to yell "I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU I SWEAR!!!" He was yanking and pulling but the chains wouldn't give.
"PLEASE STOP!" His voice began to tremble "IF YOU KILL HER I'LL TORTURE YOU FOR CENTURIES TO COME!!!" He started to cry
"He's not going to kill her." The woman said
"Well he's still hurting her!" He replied
"He's just draining her blood to make her look pale, that's why I look pale." She explained
He could smell the blood now, he wanted a taste as he hasn't in days, the monster inside him wanted out to feast on the blood he smelt but he couldn't it was his little cousin.
After a while she stopped but in his head she kept screaming over and over, it scared him but normally he wouldn't care but it feels different this time.
"How are you so calm!?" He asked the girl
"I've seen and been through much worse. This isn't that bad." She said
"A little girl is put there screaming and crying and you're not bothered at all!" He said
"It bothers me that I can't help her but I have a plan. Bigby should be coming soon to put an end to this." She said
"Fabletown sheriff? Shit. I may not make it through this then..." He said
"Why is that?" She said
"Wolves and vampires don't tend to get along very well, I haven't been feed in days and when that happens-" He was interrupted by the girl
"Bad things happen, I know." She said
The man sighed he felt like he was going insane.
"You need to breathe and keep calm. Don't let it get to your head." The woman said
"You know an awful lot about this stuff, who are you?" He asked
"Alice. You?"
"Well back then people would call me Edregor but since I'm supposed to be more modern I go by Dewitt." He said
"Well Dewitt I suggest going to sleep they should be here by dawn tomorrow." Alice said
It killed him to do so but she was right he needed time to pass as quickly as possible so he lay down and went to sleep.
That's it! Any questions or comments let me know!
Next one is the finale! :P
Oh shit a girl!?!? Hmmm....there goes my theory than! Back to the drawing board!
A Folker female who hates both Halfers AND Fables? Interesting...
Question, for our characters involved in the christmas challenge and past holiday challenges or overralll?
Overall if you can!
That is alot of characters lol, like 9 months worth. But I will gather all that I can find.
We need to set up an investigation wall, with papers and pictures, and those bits of red ribbon on pins they use to show connections. xD
There's still some time left before. The dedication and motivation is admirable!
Wow, I though this guy was murdering because he was a bit deranged, but he's after making a new world order?! That's certainly a step-up. Hope Bigby and Clara get there fast, but what might happen between Dewitt and Bigby could make more trouble.
Chapter Nine - O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Part Two
No one in the room had been expecting Beast to say that, and no one in the room quite knows how to respond. It is Beauty, behind Beast in the corridor, that speaks first.
“What... what do you mean?”
“I think I'd best explain to everyone.” As Beast steps inside Dr. Jekyll's office, Weasel gives him the red chalk and a sturdy nod. In appearance, Beast is similar to Bigby with a fatigued look and scratched face, and he decides to lean against the blackboard for some support while he explains.
And explain he does, over the course of half an hour, the tale of he and his brother Jacques. Of the faery, Faye, and her love for his brother; the enchanted rose; and the palace where his world changed. Never did Beast reveal his true name, finding the memories painful even after the centuries which have passed.
Mid-way through the monologue, Snow arrives to inform them of what she had been told by the witches: that the blackness in the sky had been caused by the death of a being that commanded powerful magic. Beast, however, already knows this to be the case; and him saying so piques Snow's curiosity, causing her to stay.
“So, that's the history you need to know,” Beast explains. “My brother died that day at the palace, the palace where you, my love -” he looks to Beauty who stands in the corner next to Snow, “-came to me.”
“Oh, Beast!” She says, in a manner that shows her heartfelt sorrow for him. “I had no idea. You never told me.”
“No. I apologize for that, my love.”
While Beast hangs his head low and Beauty's eyes moisten, Cindy whispers to Dixa. “If these two carry on with the 'oh, my love' routine for the rest of the speech, please jab me if I fall asleep.”
“Cindy!” Dixa replies. “This is a very emotional conversation and --”, Dixa can't be heard over the loud wail from Beauty, who's apparently heard Cinderella's remark and finds it most unthoughtful.
“At least I have a husband who loves me!” There's anger in Beauty's eyes as she glares at Cindy and Dixa. “Unlike you two – either single and nothing but a... but a flapper, or in a relationship with some horrendous madman! It's probably him who's jumping about the place, attacking us!”
“Hey!” Shouts Cindy, but it's Dixa who responds with the most ardour.
“Henry Jekyll is a fine man who is just as much a victim of all this as you are!”
“Preposterous! We all know who he really is,” replies Beauty. “We all know about Edward Hyde!”
“Edward Hyde and Henry Jekyll are not the same person! Hyde is a horrible villain, I agree, however he is as different from Henry as Bigby is when he looks like a wolf, or Beast when he looks like a beast.”
“And yet, Miss Dixa, Beast and Bigby still retain who they are when they transform; they're still the same person up here.” Beauty points to her head to clearly illustrate her point.
“Which reinforces what I'm saying even more. Henry and Hyde are two separate people that inhabit the same space, the same small portion of one mind, even, yet one side does not make up the other. They are two ends of one spectrum, direct antithesis. Henry is a fine man who's done nothing but help this town; help people's lives with medicine; and the Business Office with running the whole of Fabletown. With my help Henry put away Hyde long ago.”
Beauty isn't quite sure what to say next but it doesn't matter, as Beast steps forward to hold her. “Beauty, dear, it isn't Dr. Jekyll who's behind this. It is my brother.” After kissing her forehead he resumes his position next to the board. “When we came to you this morning, Bigby – and might I say that it feel almost months ago now -, it was because this Spring-Heeled Jack – I refuse to give it my brother's name – attacked Beauty. I knew already that the Heel was in town because Faye, the faery, came to me last week. I was walking the outskirts of town at sunset, taking in the autumnal glow after a long day when she appeared from the darkness behind a thicket of bare trees. How she looked is of small consequence to you all, but, I was shocked to find her little changed. She told me how, long after I'd left the palace with Beauty in the Homelands due to the threat of the Adversary, she took refuge there as the orc vanguards pushed forward.
“Clearly, although whether or not she realised it I cannot say, her time after Jacques death and been been spent healthily, and her mind became corrupted. Her grief over my brother's death turned to a distorted hatred, and, while still blaming me for taking Jacques protective rose despite him willingly giving it to me, she sought to -” Beast pauses, finding the words difficult to say aloud “- resurrect my brother. And she did, but not wholly. The flaming plumes that always signified the imminent arrival of the Adversary's army started to pollute the horizon, and she had no choice other than to leave her ritual half done. The thing she put life into was but an empty shell of my brother, yet still an able thing. They escaped together, fought together; her magic always controlling the resurrected being.
“Faye took an instant dislike to the Mundies; why, I cannot say. She set the Heel out to attack them for her own enjoyment; and after being driven from Europe, made her way to the New World, which is where, perchance, she found out about me. My presence came as a mix of welcome and unwelcome news: when she had gone to the palace for refuge her intention was to kill me, for she presumed I'd still be there. She had been disappointed by my absence, but learning about my existence here, and my dear Beauty, gave her a chance to attain the twisted revenge she longed for.
“Faye wanted me to kill Beauty. She had never intended for me to return from me bestial transformation, however she'd cast the spell in the fit of love's lose, and so the love of another for me could turn me back. Faye didn't know this. Anyway, I refused to kill Beauty. Faye, maddened, told me of her attempt at resurrection and the thing which now transpires to be Spring-Heeled Jack; and how she planned to terrorize the town until I'd done what she wanted. After so long, she said, she was going to send the Heel to kill Beauty regardless.
“After the attack this morning, I realized something must be done, so I went to the tunnels where she'd told me to visit once I'd murdered Beauty. I assume Faye planned on killing me there after I'd done the deed anyway. With my Beauty in danger, and the town also, I took a pistol and knife with me. I shot Faye – she hadn't been expecting me to try such a thing, probably because of her delusions of power over me. Before she had chance to heal I stabbed her in the heart.
“When she died it was with a hideous scream. Darkness of a physical existence swirled around and engulfed me, as it did the sky. The magic inside her escaped and with it that powerful hatred. I do not know how magic works, but while that darkness was present so was the scream, and I was uncontrollably transformed into the Beast, as I hear you were into a disfigured wolf, Bigby. It must have happened to others, the link being that we transform naturally, whereas others do so using Glamours. Hence why you two would not have been effected.” Beast nods at Flycatcher and Weasel.
“What about Dixa?” Asks Miss Muffet. “She did not transform.”
It is Dixa who answers. “I suspect that was because I was out cold from the fall, and was not aware of the noises or sights around me.”
Beast then finishes his tale. “Eventually, her dying magic faded, we transformed back, and now we're left with this fog.”
“The witches,” says Snow, “explain that it's because of the magical disturbance to the natural weather.”
“Does this mean Spring-Heeled Jack is taken care of, what with Faye's death?” Asks Cindy.
“No,” says Beast. “Faye's magic just controlled him - his life wasn't contingent on her's. He's still out there, somewhere.” Beast looks out of the window sadly.
“Right,” Dixa says decisively, bouncing herself off the desk and standing tall. “Where do we find him?”
“The tunnels the Mundies are building for the new underground train transportation. That was where I met Faye, and that's where I think the Heel would go now, where she was last.”
Dixa nods. “Then that's where we're going to go.”
Not one of the most entertaining chapters, but hopefully this explains everything. Any questions, let me know!
Cubdate (Instead of update. Get it? No? Okay...)
I figured, after looking back on my little mini 'bios' I gave Harmony's cubs back in the day, I'd update that to the age they currently are ^-^
Just as a fun thing, since I wasn't able to get a real chapter out today. (Super busy :L)
Ashlyn Mary
After all she's been through, the girl has learned to open up a lot more and embrace her wild side. She generally speaks her mind, not caring if it mildly offends those around her. She loves playing videogames, eating food, and having the responsibility that comes with being the Pack Leader. She's grown to love gardening, often helping her mother during the harvest season. Her best friend is Franklin, a 9 year old vampire boy who has the world's most obvious crush on her. She thinks it's cute. She wears her hair nice and short, dies it a dark brown/black (Although, it's naturally brown with blue streaks). A bit of a tomboy, but has those moments where she wears a dress or something pink. She plays both guitar and piano, though prefers guitar. She goes to public school with most of her other siblings, and tends to stick to the smaller crowds of mundies.
Noah Charming
The sports kid. He's generally more serious than the others, not caring much when it comes to family gatherings. He loves playing football in the yard with the younger kids in his family. He weight lifts, and has nicely sized muscles as a result. He combs his black hair in a very similar manner to his grandfather, on purpose because of the attracting it brings him. His girlfriend is a ghost, and although it's not your typical teen romance, he still believes he loves her and would do anything to fix the fact that they can only meet at night. He's overly protective of all his sisters, and is often seen with his cousin Carter when things get sticky. He also attends public school, and is found in the locker room or the football field more than any other place.
Elora Rose
After a tragic accident that left her with out many of her memories, Elora has changed dramatically over the course of a few months. Gaining a rather brooding personality prior to the accident because of various issues, she's since reformed herself and has become a more insightful person because of that. She used to be all about fame and money, but after seeing her life flash before her eyes, and the amount of damage done to herself, she's taken a much calmer, less destructive path in life. She enjoys quiet evenings now, reads more than ever before, and writes to help sort out her thoughts. All were exercises suggested by her doctors, but now they come out of habit and create a feeling of peace within herself. She can often be found sticking to herself, though she doesn't mind joining in group activities these days.
Robert Darien
Robbie spends most of his time in the library at his school, or the one in the Business Office. He loves books, loves reading, loves writing, and especially loves to study about his origins and what he's capable of. He has a sincere fascination of magic, knowing a lot of what his mother does. He doesn't like to get his hands dirty, however, and often refuses or at least dislikes doing more 'wolf' natured things. He sometimes feels left out occasionally, but he doesn't usually mind it. He has a deep crush on an unnamed fable, and his sister Ash is determined to finally figure out who it is. It's not that Robbie doesn't want to tell them, but more that he fears his crush would certainly find out somehow. And he knows how big a mouth his sister has. He is highly intelligent, and spends a lot of time helping other people with their homework.
Scarlett Snow
The most responsible one of her siblings, it came as a giant shock when everyone found out she was expecting a child. Being only seventeen puts a lot of pressure on her, however due to being a Fable, the pressure also seems to lift, as she's got a much longer life ahead of her than simple mundy children. She was angry and confused and at odds with the father of the baby at first, but after all the anguish, she's finally happy and so is her boyfriend Jackson. They've decided they truly love each other, and will be together for as long as life lets them. They have a baby girl on the way, and are also planning on marrying in the near future. All of this has yet to be announced to the family. Together, they live on the Farm at her grandparent's house, and life is generally good. Her favorite person is hands down Snow White, and she looks up to her as a role model. Her ultimate dream is to be in her own house one day and to be the leader of something greater.
That's all for now. I figured I'd write this up real quick, for your own enjoyment
More chapters tomorrow, I was SUPER busy the past two days. Saw the third Hobbit movie today and it was awesome 
Also, today was my finally last day of school til next year AND IM SO HAPPY! Happy Holidays 
Merry Christmas!
"Anything?"
Emily peeked over. The line of empty Beer bottles was making it incredibly difficult to see. Peter and Ethan sat quietly in the living room surrounded by files and pictures. Each Folker that had either a criminal past or despised both Fables and Folkers was looked over. Peter found three suspects that seem to fit the profile: Amber, a loyal follower before Decimus' death, Tony, who killed and murdered five Halfers but the charges were drop and Tracy,a well known Council member's wife who was not at all pleased when she heard John had developed a friendship with Bigby Wolf.
"We found three." Ethan holds up the pictures. "Our best bet is to start with the first one and make our way down."
"We should probably ask Jumbo if he or the Tailor knew anything or had a relationship with either of these people."
"Good idea."
Emily holds her thumb up. "Bloody brilliant. In the mean time, I'm gunna make some food and-"
"Should you really be doing that right now?" Gren looks over the couch. "I mean, you did get the shit knocked outta' you and-"
"I'm fookin' fine, Gren!" Emily slowly walks to the fridge. "I just got me a couple of broken ribs and bruises. Nuthin' major-"
Gren rolls his eyes, as he returns his focus to Peter and Ethan.
"So, you two think one of them folks did it?'
Peter sighs. "Our guess is as good as anyones right now." Peter pulls out his cigarettes. "May I?"
"I don't give a fuck, Peter. Smoke away..."
CRASH! BOOM CRASH! All three men look over; Emily, now surrounded by broken Eggs and spilled batter, lies on the floor and struggles to move. Gren is the first up, as he rushes to assist Emily.
"Fuckin' a, Emily!"
Gren kneels behind Emily. With his right hand and knee, lifts the injured Porgie up. Gren notices bleeding on her right arm.
Ethan and Peter grab her arms, as they lead Emily to the couch. Sitting on the couch, is Vivian; she shakes her head at Emily and can not believe how stubborn she truly was. Too much like her father.
"Sit your ass down." Peter forces Emily to sit. "The fuck! You have no business doing that shit, knowing you're injured and-"
Vivian nods in agreement, as Peter continues to speak. "Your brother is right, Emily. You need to rest and-"
"Oh fook off-"
Emily suddenly is aware of her words; sometimes she forgets no one else but herself can see her now and moments like that made it awkward.
Peter cocks his eyebrow. "Is that anyway to speak to your Sheriff, Emily?"
Emily flips Peter off. "Ya' lucky ya' me brother, Peter...."
"Enough." Ethan examines Emily's arm. "Fuck, Emily. You don't know what STOP means, do you?"
Emily shrugs. "Guess not."
Gren returns to the living room with a first aid kit. He opens the top and takes out disinfection medication, bandages and cotton balls.
"Sit still, Ems. This shit will burn."
Peter looks to the kitchen. "You want me to get that or-"
"No." Gren holds Emily down, as he pours the medication. "I got it-"
"FOOK!" Emily nearly punches Gren in the face. "That fookin' hurts!"
"Oh relax and shut up, Emily! Your own dame fault-"
Grumbling, Emily tries to hold back her tears. "Fook...fook..."
"I know....I know..." Gren's voice is suddenly soothing, as he holds Emily's hand. "Just....relax...."
Ethan, glaring at his watch, nods to Peter. "Well, we are going to be heading off, Gren. Are you, umm....going to 'babysit' Emily for us?"
"WOOT!?" Emily tries to move from the couch. "Listen here! I ain't no fookin' baby and I sure as 'ell ain't lettin' HIM watch-"
Vivian kicks Emily's foot. She glares at Emily, who is now rubbing her toes. "Enough, Emily. LET Gren HELP you..."
"The fook is wrong with ya' eyeball?"
Gren, Peter and Ethan all stare at Emily. "Uh, who's eyeball, Emily?"
Emily, trying to think of an answer, comes up with the only one she can at the moment. "Uh....Gren's eyeball?"
"Whatever, Emily. Think someone needs to sleep. Dad said he'd come by to take a look at you and-"
"Me club." Vivian is bewildered. Why would you ask this? "Is it...how is-"
"Right now, its a crime scene." Peter exhales a cloud of smoke. "I can't gurantee you anything right now, Emily. We are taking the bodies as evidence and until we say so, The Pudding and Pie is closed."
Emily sighs, leaning back into the cushion. "Fookin' fantastic..."
"Stop huffing like a two year old." Peter hands his sister a cigarette. "Smoke this and calm the hell down. I'm sorry, Emily but you nearly died because some insane lunatic is out killing any Halfer or Fable that crosses their path."
Gren sits beside Emily. "So, this ain't an attack on your family?
"No. Ethan and I, uh...we have two other Fables. One is dead."
"God...how awful."
Ethan nods in agreement. ."Until we figure anything out, we are ALL sitting Ducks. We need to be careful. Pair up."
Gren stands up. "Here, I'll lead you boys out."
While Gren and the others take this time to exchange concern and goodbyes, Vivian scoots closer to Emily. Her hand gently strokes Emily's knee.
"Emily-"
"I fookin' hate when ya' look at me like that..."
"Like how?"
"Like ya' are disappointed that I even ask 'bout the Pudding n' Pie. It's MY club, Vivian and-"
"YOU almost died, Emily!"
"It's not the fookin' clubs fault there is a Folker out lookin' fa' revenge and-"
"I will not sit back and watch you take that club's side, Emily. You deserve better-"
Emily ignores Vivian, as Gren returns to the living room. There is indeed an awkward silence, as he rubs his neck and sighs.
"Soooo....you still hungry?"
"I fookin' guess."
"You wanna call in some takeout?"
Emily notices Vivian widly nod her head. Emily rolls her eyes.
"Sure, why the fook not?"
While Gren calls in some Chinese food, Vivian happily claps her hands and sits deeper into the couch.
"Woot now, woman?"
"Nothing, nothing. I just can't wait to be right for once."
"Right 'bout WOOT, Vivian!?"
Still on the phone, Gren looks over. "What did you say, Emily?"
"I, uh....said, uhhh....No Vegetable dishes. Uhh....yeah..."
Gren continues to speak, while Emily stands up and wobbles away. For once, Gren was her best option to not fight the woman no one else saw. She didn't want them to think she was THAT looney in the brain. Assisting Emily, Gren pulls out a chair. Emily continues to see Vivian, grinning from ear to ear, and clapping. She seemed thrilled. Happy. Certain she was right.
Meanwhile, Peter and Ethan head back to the Woodlands. Jumbo was in custidy until further notice; Swineheart had the test results and now, the majority of Fabletown knew what was going on.
"Peter, tell me the truth-do you think this WAS an attack on our family?"
"What do you mean, Ethan? That's nonsense. We agreed this is meant for Halfers AND Fables, not just the Porgie family."
"Yeah but...they TRIED killing Emily."
Peter sighs. "No offense, Ethan but Emily isn't exactly the most friendliest person in this town...she has many enemies."
"Yeah but to try and attempt murder?"
"I'm just as lost and confused as you, Ethan. Let's just get back and-"
Suddenly, Peter's phone rings loudly. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone. With one quick swipe, he looks at the caller. Ethan notices his eyes widen, as Peter glares at the screen.
"Peter...." Ethan grabs his brother's arm. "Peter, who-"
"You're not going to believe who is calling me, Ethan."
"Who?"
"Aunt Mary..."
Any queations, you know the drill. Sorry for the lack of posts but dear ol' Pie took a second job; the graveyard shift ain't no joke but its called life and ya' gotta do what ya' gotta' do. The misses and I could use the extra $$$.
Tired but its been worth it. Man has to take of his family, right?
"You and a lost soul, just as confused as you emily, will become one and you will look at life differently. You won't need the club...."
Ding Ding! I figured it out, right!?! Is THAT the big plan!? I have a feeling you're not telling me something in regards to Carla and Gren....hmmm....what could that be?
Ahem....with THAT being said, I loved this, glad to see you still writing and can't wait for more.
And don't do too much, Pie. You look miserable but you gotta do what you think is best.
I'm here for ya' if you ever need anything.
AND...I wonder who the killer is and now Mary is calling....she must know something. She's the lawyer, right?
Tee-hee, cubdate, I get it! This'll be a great help for the list as well, thank ya.
Just going to say that I'm glad Dixa's back and ready to kick ass! (preferably when she's chewing bubblegum, I bet Yeti's like the chewiness of gum)
Anyways! This is interesting with the Spring-Heeled Jack legend you've included so far. I can only imagine how things will go down.
Don't worry about not being active as often as you used to, you're still welcome here either way!
I figured people would like it XD I wanted to make it clear on certain terms how each Cub works individually, whom they have feelings for, and what they like now that their older. You know? I read the first one I wrote when they were ten, and I forgot half the things I said then XD I wrote that Ash had brown hair with blue streaks, and yet I picture her with black hair when I write her far too often. Oh well.
"Look at the hair! Look at the nose, the mouth; the ears, the hairline, the everything!"
Rose, bowl of popcorn in her lap, sat and watched a stupid, yet entertaning show called Maury. Mundies and their drama filled television shows. Gren and Robert, however, were not amused by the screaming mundy woman. Sitting beside her, were two men.
"Sad..." Robert whispered to Gren.
"What is?" Gren adjusted in his seat. "Rose or the show?"
"The show, Gren..."
Rose nearly dropped the popcorn, as she laughed and pointed at the television. She was so entertained by the yelling lady, as she pointed her finger at the baby's picture. Shoving a handful of popcorn into her mouth, Rose continued to laugh.
"Haha! That baby don't look like any of them! What you boys think?"
Gren huffed. "I think this is fuckin' stupid and-"
"Ah Gren-you love drama!"
"No..." Gren seems taken back by Rose's comment. "The fuck?"
Rose waves her hand around. "Ssssh! SsH! They are going to read the results..."
Gren arrived to Rose's apartment twenty minutes ago; he was on a mission to pick up his brother and figure out a plan to keep Robert away from Lyla. she was trouble. Unlike her sister, Lyla did not know how to mask both her smell and tracks. The damn council was indeed a smart species; Gren could not take that away from them but there were indeed ways to sneak around.
Now, here he was, twenty minutes later and still waiting. Gren looked robert up and down. He was black and blue along his side; he had scratches on his right cheek and he was having difficulty walking. Gren shoke his head in disbelief. He had no idea how wrapped up robert really was in Lya's world. He worried, however, because the mark on his arm said it all. That was something difficult to remove, should their relationship turn bitter.
"Shut up, Gren!"
Gren threw his arms up. "The hell did I-"
"In the case of ten month old Daven, you are NOT the father!"
Gren, Robert and Rose, now up and dancing, watched as this lady runs backstage and throws herself on the couch; the men, rushing in and laughing, chant 'not the father' over and over.
"I KNEW it!" Rose drops the popcorn. "Freakin' slut!"
Gren rolls his eyes. "You are one to talk, Rose."
HEY!" Rose points. "NEVER got pregnant, though."
Trying to avoid this 'intresting' moment, Robert bends forward, digs into his pocket and pulls out his phone. 0 calls. 0 messages. Robert was beginning to wonder if the Council was doing something serious as her punishment; Robert had heard horror stories of Council members, should one of their own disobey, have a variety of treatments waiting. Anything from burning, drowning, starvation, beatings and torture, to listening to something called Justin Bieber. They did anything and everything. Or, so he heard.
Gren noticed Robert's attention and grabbed his phone away.
"HEY!" Robert tried reaching for his phone but as he stretched to the left, the muscles ached and caused him to pull back.
"Seriously, Robert. You're becoming obsessed with this girl."
"You're one, Gren. You and Carla-"
"HAVE an understanding, dear sweet brother of mine."
Rose sits back down, trying to clean her mess of popcorn. She seemed both pleased and terrified to know Gren was interested in another person.
"Whoa, Gren. BIG change fo ya' there."
"What does THAT mean, Rose?"
"You know....you were never much for dating for well, anything like that-"
"We have an understanding."
Rose rolls her eyes. "So, just 'fuck buddies' Grendel?"
"Yup." No hesitation.
"Such a romantic man you are. She's a VERY lucky gal."
Robert finally snatches his phone and checks the messages. 0 again.
"Man, Robby...she must be something special."
Robert sighs. "Yeah, she is. Her family is fucking psycho, though."
"Hmm. Those Folkers. They are something."
Gren again adjusts in his seat. "Hm well, if you ask ME, they are not meant to be dated OR creatie relationships with. Its like naming a fucking stray Cat-you name it, you'll become attatched."
"Does Carla know you feel this way?"
Gren glances over at Robert. "Coming from the family that hated our kind."
"What...Grendels?"
"NO my silly brother. Fables."
Robert could recall a conversation the two had in regards to Folkers and their views on Fables. Robert, like so many others, do not understand why they seperated themselves from Fables and others like them in hiding.
"Mundies BELIEVE we are real. We do not need Glamours, therefore, live among the mundies."
"Well, so can we. Mundies see us as their own and-"
"It's not the same."
"Why not?"
"You guys CAME to this world, escaping what haunted you all back at the Homelands. We were always here."
Robert didn't carry on. It was smething he may never comprehends but it didn't mean damn; he loved Lyla, that much he knew and no Fable or Folker would keep him away from her.
"Well, we better get going...." Robert glances at his phone. "Ready Gren?"
"Ahhhh, no c'mon guys!" Rose tosses a pillow at Robert's butt. "STAY! We can-"
"We REALLY should be going, Rose. Thank you again for helping my idiot brother here..."
Rose sighs. "Fine....no problem."
Rose walks to the front and watches the Grendel brother head to the Elevator.
"HEY! You wanna hang sometime, Robby?"
Robert waves back. "Maybe, Rose. Maybe-"
Before he could finish, Gren shoves Robert into the Elevator. The ride is silent, as Gren leans against the wall. The bring, typical music plays above. Robert clears this throat.
"Intresting girl..."
"Yup."
Robert automatically knew he was in for it, as the doors swung open and Gren refused to hold a conversation.
"Trip Trap, Robert. We need to talk."
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Any questions or comments, leave them below!! Here is to hanging out alone today; partner in crime is asleep and my boyfriend is at work. -sigh- Welp, video games it is...:(
"We're here, love," Tim says to his wife as they turn onto the Farm's driveway. Harmony opens her eyes, watching as snow surrounds them on either side of the car, and beneath the dirt path they travel on.
"They got hit hard with snow this year," She whispers as she outstretches her arms. A yawn enters her mouth and she closes her eyes tight to avoid them watering. Placing her hands across her large belly, she smiles as the edge of the barn's roof is seen in the distance.
"Did we send all the gifts with the kids?" Tim asks as they park near the path to Wolf Valley.
"Yes, I sent each kid with a gift. Ash carried Jackson's, Elora carried Snow's, Noah carried Bigby's, and Robert carried Scar's."
"That's good. Less for us to lug around."
Harmony laughs. "Just what I was thinking. We shouldn't be the first to arrive. I think my father and stepmother are there, and so are my mom and brothers. Oh dear, my brothers," She groans.
Tim laughs this time,"It'll be alright. As long as you mom lets them out to trickle in the snow every few hours."
Harmony smacks his arm,"They're housetrained, you know!"
"Yeah, but whether they care to use a toilet or not is another subject entirely."
They reach the front doors to the manor, Tim's arm interlocked with Harmony's. They knock together, and the front door immediately swings open.
"Harmony! Timothy! So glad to see you guys!" Snow's voice squeaks, and she hugs each of them. Her eyes go to Harmony's large belly. "How are they doing?"
Harmony smiles at her grandmother. "They're good. They kick A LOT. I'm due very soon, you know."
"That's so exciting!" Snow says. She urges them into the house, which smells like apple pie and sounds like Christmas music coming from the living room. The whole house is teaming with life, their 5 teenage children mingling with other relatives. Prince Charming sits on the couch with Nalayani as their daughter, Harmony's half-sister Adi, talks about all the scholarships she's received because of her academics. Elora spots them, and runs up eagerly to greet her family.
"Mom! Daddy!" Elora squeals, hugging her dad tight. Tim chuckles, running his hand down Elora's growing hair.
"Not leaving it short anymore?"
"I want it to get long, like Mom's hair."
Harmony smiles, her hand automatically rubbing across her stomach. One of the babies is awake and tumbling around. She leads her husband over by the fireplace, gives more greeting hugs to more children and family members, and takes a spot on the love-seat near the Christmas Tree. Her eyes glittered over all the homemade ornaments, some made by her children over the years and others made by Snow, when she went through various 'crafting' stages of her life. She smiled at one she personally made, on the first Christmas she'd spent there at the Manor. It was an angel, made from twine and metal and spray-paint. it hung up near the top of the tree.
Bigby bellowed in, a huge smile on his face as he ripped his scarf and jacket off. "I'm dying in this crap! Now, where's my granddaughter at?"
Harmony giggled as he walked over, now in a T-shirt, and scooped her up from the couch. He was probably the strongest man she'd ever met. He planted a kiss on Harmony's forehead, the same he would do with every one of his granddaughters, and places her carefully back down on the couch. Tim stood and they hugged, greeting each other nicely as the songs changed. Ash was playing the piano the whole time, her mind set elsewhere in some sort of blissful fantasy world.
"Who else is coming?" Bigby asked as Snow entered the room. She carried another platter of cheeses and crackers to replace the empty one on the coffee table.
"More than I can count. Beauty and her daughter are coming, all the way from Haven. My sister is making an appearance with her knights. Therese is on her way now, with Reynard driving her. Um...." Snow, after placing down the plate, began rubbing the headache from her temples. Harmony could see the white line of the scar that was left there many years ago, peaking out of the wisps of her long black hair. Right across the side of her forehead.
"Is Conner coming?"
"Yeah, he's coming. He might be really late though, he warned me. I figured as much."
"And Ambrose, with Lake? I know they've been dating a little while now-"
"Hello, hello?" Ambrose's deep voice filled the foyer through the doorway. The blond boy stepped in, hand in hand with the woman named Lake, her green tinted skin gleaming with bits of glitter in the corners of her eyes, and her light hair twisted in an up-do. She looked stunning.
Harmony struggled to stand, hugging her uncle Ambrose tight as he made his way over.
"Hey, kiddo," He said in her ear, his hand touching her belly. "When are those kiddos coming to visit us?"
Harmony laughed. "Soon enough. Hello, Lake."
Lake smiled, her white teeth gleaming in all the lights that the room had to offer. She and Ambrose mixed in with the crowd of people, and Harmony began conversing with Snow.
"So is there anyone else showing up?" Snow asked her, taking a seat on a chair near the fireplace.
"I invited Mary with her family, but she said she had to go to Hans's parent's house or whatever. Jackson's sister is coming."
"Not their mother though?" Snow looked concerned.
Harmony frowned. "She's still not over what happened entirely. She....Holds resentment. And it's not very good. Ava though, she's perfectly fine with what's going on. She'll be getting here soon."
Snow smiles briefly. "That's good, at least. Jackson needs a more familiar face among this crowd of strangers."
Harmony nods in agreement. "So that's it then? All the people coming?"
"Well, Ghost is here, he's always floating somewhere-"
"I'm right here," Ghost says, the area suddenly a few degrees warmer.
"Hey," Harmony says to yet another one of her uncles. Ghost wanders away after some small talk, and it's back to just her and Snow. She sits across from her grandmother on another chair as they stare at the flames slowly tumbling, the smoke entering the chimney stack while the song again changes. Silent night is playing, and soon some of the guests are singing along to Ash's instrument playing. It creates a quiet peace among them, no words to enhance the moment. None that Harmony could think of, at least.
Scarlett's voice rises above the singing. "We have a couple of announcements!"
All heads turn. Harmony, especially, is eager to hear what needs to be said.
Jackson clears his throat, standing next to his girlfriend. "Okay. The first thing we have to say is..."
"...We're having a girl!" Scarlett finishes his sentence. "And we're naming her Charlotte!"
The whole room claps loudly at that, cheering for her and Jackson. "And the second thing is," She says.
"We've decided we want to get married!" Jackson says. A smile is spread across his face. Harmony is absolutely beaming at this news, her cheeks red with excitement as she slowly stands to walk over and hug them. Tim's hand places itself on her shoulder as she reaches Scarlett across the room, hugging her daughter. She watches as Jackson goes to shake Tim's hand, but Tim pulls the boy into a 'tough guy' hug.
"Congratulations," He says to them. "On both accounts. I love you, Scar. And you're a good man, Jackson."
Jackson smiles. "Thank you, sir." His arm wraps around Scarlett carefully, his hand resting across her bump. Tim copies him, putting his arm around Harmony and his hand on her belly. A flash of a camera catches them by surprise; It's Elora with her digital camera.
All is well, on Christmas Eve.
I hope you liked it ^-^ Happy I'm-finally-done-with-school-until-January-5th Day! It's great! I still had to wake up early because I have responsibilities! But That's okay, because it's not school!
I can't wait until Christmas omg can you?
The bad guy always has to take a little more than he can chew
Yeah things could end up more hay wired than they need to be!
I found it quite entertaining! The bantering between Dixa, Beauty and Cindy was quite good!
This was good! All the visits and family visiting at Bigbys place on the farm can make anyone feel all soft and warm! Well Happy you're-finally-done-with-school-until-January-5th Day to you too EMMY! XD
Christmas Challenge: Unfolding Sunday
Bigby and Clara ran in the blizzard
"BIGBY, WE NEED TO HURRY!" Clara shouted over the howling winds
Bigby acknowledged, gestured her to jump on his back as he transformed into wolf form and started running. They couldn't see anything along the way and snow hit Clara's face like baseballs.
Back in the cell Dewitt woke up although he was trying to hold a monster back within him, he roared pulling on chains that wouldn't break irritated the monster more. With all this fit even Alice looked a bit scared of her situation, she even began to question whether she was going to make it out alive.
After a few hours of travel Bigby and Clara came up on what seemed to be Santas workshop. Bigby stopped, transformed back to take the stealthy approach with Clara near the reindeer stable.
"We are never, I repeat NEVER doing that again" Clara said irritated
Bigby chuckled "What can't handle some bad weather fox?"
"Keep running your mouth wolf." She sneered
"Anyways." Bigby said "This brings me back." He smiled
"A little too far I'm already getting sick of seeing your face" She managed to laugh
They moved around the corner to see some Santas reindeer have died. They move over to the window to see Snowmen arranged outside the workshop.
"Is this guy fucking serious right now?" Bigby said
"Well he must be they pretty much killed everyone here." Clara said
"Well watch and learn fox." Bigby smiled sneaking up and swiftly taking care of the snowmen except for one who huddled in horror.
"Wait please I beg of you! I didn't do anything!" The snowman said
"I know Frosty, don't worry about it." Bigby said
"You should know who's in there and who we're working for." Frost said
Bigby waited and called Clara over.
"It's Jack, Jack Frost he did this!" Frosty said
"I should've known!" Clara said
"SHHH!" Bigby told them "I'm going in, Clara you get the prisoners I'll handle Jack."
In the Workshop Jack was holding the little girl.
"It's almost that time again!" Jack said enthusiastically
"Please....no.....more" She managed to say
"But my dear your skin color is almost perfect!" Jack said making an ice dagger cutting into her skin
CRASH!!!
Jack was startled by the door being slammed open and gashed the little girls chest leaving a huge wound instead of the little ones he'd make.
"SHIT!" Bigby said running and grabbing Jack by the neck and slammed him to the ground putting cuffs on him.
"This sick shit is over Jack!" Bigby said and looked over to the girl
Clara ran into the dungeon finding a raging Dewitt and a locked up Alice, she picked the lock and opened the door.
"Don't you dare unlock him first he'll kill us all." Alice said
"Or we could take the off chance he'll feast on the bodies in the workshop." Clara said
She unlocked Alice and made sure she was a safe distance away from Dewitt. She then unlocked him and ran as he raced for the workshop.
Dewitt ran into the office saw the bodies and started feasting on the bodies. Bigby took notice.
"Hey what the fuck are you doing!?" Bigby said shoving Dewitt. Dewitt thankfully ate enough to gain composure of his mind again. Dewitt didn't care though he saw his little cousin on the floor.
"You might want to say your farewells." Bigby said
"Fuck you I can save her." Dewitt said cutting his wrist to give her his blood.
"DON'T-" Bigby began to say but it was already too late. She drank the blood and began to heal faster than expected. She had turned.
"You just single-handedly ruined this little girls life!" Bigby roared punching him.
They started to fight punching turned to clawing, bites became crunches. The more Dewitt smelt the blood he kept fighting and fighting.
Clara and Alice came up the stairs to see the fight, they immediately ran in between them to stop the fighting. They both calmed down but heard a mysterious noise...when they turned around the girl was already drinking blood on some of the elves...
"He didn't..." Clara said
"I had to! I couldn't let her die here! We came to visit Santa and we got this!" Dewitt said
"Speaking of where is he Jack?" Clara said
"Oh fine." He pouted saying words to bring Santa back.
When he appeared he was confused.
"What happened to my elves!? And my reindeer!?" Santa said in shock.
"Don't worry Mr. Clause we'll get them back to you in some way." Clara said
Bigby angrily walked outside getting ready to leave.
Clara walked up to Dewitt "This will have consequences, you know this don't you?"
"Yeah I know...Let's just head back." Dewitt said
The little girl moved her way to Jack and gave a smirk.
"Let's make your skin go snow white instead of ice blue." She said jumping and biting him
"HEY STOP!" Dewitt said pulling off the little girl. But it was too late she had chomped his neck.
Clara nor Alice had no clue what to say or to Santa so as they walked out they just said Merry Christmas and headed back home to Fabletown for Dewitts trial.
That's it! Sorry this is a little rushed
life decided to threw a curve ball at me as of yesterday, but I wanted to finish this just in case I won't be able to do so. As of today I'll be posting everyday again! Since all of our big family events are over till Christmas. But Monday will decide if that everyday is just one more day of me being on the forums. I'll keep you guys posted! Any questions or comments let me know.
Thanks! I've always imagined that EVERYONE would spend Christmas Eve and Day at Wolf Manor, you know? And yeah, you too XD
This was the most random pos in regards to my story since I've began writing on here. xD I love it.
With that being said, I won't say much until I write more. Everything you have been asking me on here and in person will be answered.
I'll try but I gotta do what has to be done.
Cubdate. That too made me chuckle.
Its nice to have a cubdate pn the kids; there is a lot of difference in the cubs but that's how it is as we get older. Also, hope your little winter break is fun, wonderful and its actually a good thing you are busy-keep the mind busy. Be safe and I hope you have a great holiday season.
Love how Rose is watching Maury! XD That made me laugh so hard!
You telling Gren to shut up is also going to be included in YOUR story: SHUT UP, GREN! XD
There was a buffet of different takeout trays scattered across Gren's counter. Gren and Emily sat on the couch, surfing through the channels for something interesting. In her hand, she had a massive pile of food, ranging from the simple Orange chicken, to the Pork fried rice drowning in soy sauce and chili. Gren couldn't help but chuckle to himself a bit. This sudden moment of laughter caused Emily to turn her head and face the chuckling Grendel.
"The fook ya' find so funny?"
"Nothing nothing." Gren returns to his plate. "Just fuckin' thinkin' a bit, that's all."
"Bout what?"
Emily leaves the channel on a family movie program. At the moment, it was on a commercial. In the back, Vivian stood and watched the two interact. She was pleased to see Emily trying to talk, rather than yell, curse or start a fight. THIS side of Emily is something Vivian secretly wished she'd allow to shine through more often.
Gren began to speak. "Just, when you and the others were kids and you guys used to come over. You were ALWAYS going in the fridge, hoping I had leftover Chinese."
Emily laughs. "Cause it neva' failed ya' did!"
"I ALWAYS got food if I knew your aunt cooked the night before."
Emily nearly spilled her soda. "Oh come on-she neva' cooked THAT bad."
Gren raised his left eyebrow. "Really? Fuckin' look me in the eye and say that with a straight face..."
Emily attempted but failed before she had her eyes on Gren for a second.
"That's what I thought." Gren took another bite of his noodles. "You CAN'T."
Emily twirls her fork inside her noodles as well. The intense smell of pork, onion and sauce made her mouth water, as she lifted the fork and shoveled the food inside. Chewing, both sat in silence; perhaps absorbing in the moment of peace or the fact that for once, they agreed on something. Emily, however, couldn't get something out of her mind. It had been bothering her since their breakup and now watching Gren eat alone, triggered it even more.
"What happened between ya' two, Gren."
Gren sipped from his beer. "What'ta you mean, Ems?"
The movie returned; it was the 'Lion King' one of Emily's most treasured children's movies while she was growing up. Still was, even as she was an adult.
"Ya' and Carla. And don't give me this fookin' excuse that ya' grew apart 'cause even when ya' two WERE togetha', it neva' seemed like ya' two even cared!"
Gren gently placed the paper plate, still carrying a hefty amount of food, on the table. Curious, Vivian stepped a bit closer to get better audio of the conversation. Emily didn't seem to notice Vivian, as she too scooted closer to Gren. Their shoulders touched, which caused Gren to shiver in his spot. Emily's skim was warm, as he exhaled heavily and looked up into the ceiling.
"I loved Carla at one time, Ems. Fuck...I thought she was the one the witches told me about...."
"Woot the fook happened?"
"I did love her, Ems. I really did. There was something special between us for a couple of years. We had a lot of good times....good memories, too."
"Then woot, Gren?"
Gren continued looking up. "Things changed. Emotions changed...the truth."
"Like woot?"
Emily, even at a tender young age, always knew something was not right about Gren and Carla's relationship; she could recall her parents always laughing, touching, kissing and even when they HAD a fight, they'd always return with apologies and loving embraces. Gren and Carla USED to be that way up until the twin boy's second birthday. Since then, it was never the same; fights every other day, Gren's heavy drinking returning with a vengance and the occasional missing wife from time to time.
Emily remembered a time when her own mother accused Carla of having an affair. Carla never said yes or denied that accusation, which led everyone, including Gren, to assume was the truth. The divorce didn't seem to surprise Carla. She almost saw it as an escape to freedom. In a way, so did Gren; he didn't seem bothered or the least bit devestated.
"Can I tell you something, Emily?"
"Sure....woot is it?"
Gren giggled. It was eerie and almost heartwrenching. "I mean, it ain't no BIG secret but-"
"Just...bloody say it."
Emily already had an idea, as Gren made Emily put her plate down. He grabbed her hands. They were rough against her own.
"They are not even mine..."
"Wait, woot?" Now, she was confused. "Who ain't even your's-"
Gren sighs heavily. Despite his efforts to hold back the emotions, they immediatly poured out from his eyes. Emily, not sure how to handle this, grabbed Gren and placed his head against her neck. This seemed to comfort the grieving man, as he contiued to speak.
"Rosie. Gren Junior and Noah. Not even mine...."
Emily sighed. She kinda knew it but as children, you do not have words for it yet. The idea never seemed to comprehend very well in their minds but the adults seem to have know the difficult and ugly truth. It made sense now, looking back. Emily was torn, as she could do the only thing she knew. With her free hand, Emily rubbed Gren's back and tried to comfort him. Emily could no longer pretend and claim to have 'hate' for Gren; no matter how he felt or ever said about her family, Emily always had a strong bond and love for the drifter.
Even at this very moment, when they found themselves alone and looking out into empty space, her love was there.
"Then, why the fook did ya' stay, Gren?"
"I had no idea, Emily. I had no idea...."
"So, none of them are-"
Gren shoke his head. "Your aunt Carla was a lover. She was open to everything and anything. That's what I seem to have found so damn irresistable. She didn't have a hateful bone in her body. The complete fuckin' difference from me."
Emily leaned closer. "Than how the fook did ya' find out?"
"The boys had JUST turned seven. I noticed at their birthday party, there was an unknown man sitting in the back. He was a Grendel, I knew THAT much; you can't mask that woodsy or swampy smell we have that only those with powerful senses of smell could detect. I brought it to Carla's attention but she didn't take TWO seconds to think about it..."
"So, that man is-"
Gren sighed. "Yup. The biological father to all three of MY children..."
"Fook." Emily, despite trying to seem prepared, was sadly not. At least, for this amount of secrets and betrayl. Emily glanced over at Vivian. She didn't seem to be taken back. Almost like she knew in her own little way. "Fook..."
"Yup." Gren leaned forward and grabs his plate. "Neither one of them were mine. I raised them to think they were; believed I was a loving husband and devoted father, when my entire time spent playing the part was nothing more than a setup. A lie. All of it."
"Gren, I-"
"That fuckin' Witch lied to me."
Curios, Emily leans forward. "Woot witch?"
"The one to tell me about a Smith girl. I tried your mother but that didn't happen; your father had a death grip and to be honest, their fate for one another was NOT a secret anymore. Your aunt and I seemed to got along. I assumed it was her. But....I guess I was wrong again."
"Ya' SURE it was a Smith and not-"
Gren shakes his head. "No. That's what she said. That and this silly little bullshit."
"Woot bullshit?"
"You will meet and fall in love with a lost and confused soul; you will wonder aimlessly until your hearts meet. Only then shall the work of love combine the broken pieces and make one whole again."
Emily was silent, as she watched Vivian wipe a tear. Something clicked in Emily but the words were not available to use. Instead, she returned to her food and looked at the television screen. The 'Lion King' continued to play; the song 'Can't wait to be king' began playing, as Emily took her free hand and grasped Gren's. He smiled.
"Remember this was your favorite movie. You'd ALWAYS sing to this song, too."
"I also fookin' remember you'd sing with me..."
Gren chuckled. "I did that, huh?"
Emily laughs. "Ya' wanna dust off those old cobwebs and give it anotha' go, Gren?"
In sync, both Gren and Emily sang the familiar childhood memory tunes. Vivian sat back and watched, an enormous smile growing on her face.
"Everyone look left, everyone right. Everywhere you look I'm standing spotlight. Oh I just can't wait to be king! Oh I just can't wait to be king. Oh I just can't waaaaaaaait-to be king!"
The movie continued to play, as Emily and Gren, now in a laughing fit, ate the remainder of their food. Any hostile feelings either of them had were gone. Only thing at the moment was love.
Something both desperatly needed.
Ugh. Just got home not too long ago. Can't sleep. REALLY should but my mind sees the sun and automatically says 'Nope. You need to be awake!' My fiancee and I are going to attempt sleep here again; the baby has not let her have a goodnight's rest in days now.
Miss Emily ADORES playing soccer with mommy's kidneys. Any questions, you know the drill. 
Almost Christmas. If I don't have a chance to say it later, happy holidays and hopefully you all have a wonderful day. 
I know pie is: eating, sleeping and football. xD
A Visit from St. Reynard
'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a wolf.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Reynard would soon be there.
"Wow, do you have to tell this story EVERY YEAR Grandpa?" Ash's exasperated voice filled the void.
"Yes," Bigby said. "Now shut up and let me finish."
The children and animals were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of magic and iPods danced in their heads.
And Mama in her robe, and I in my fur, had just settled our brains for a long Winter's nap.
"Haha, I get it; You said fur because you're a wolf, hahahahaha-"
"Shut up, you idiot," Scarlett jabs Jackson.
When out on the roof there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what's the matter. (Bigby stands among the group of children and adults, the fur on his body appearing with out much care, as he jumps around the room, acting surprised. Snow giggles, as she does each year.)
Away to the window- (Bigby runs to the Window) -I flew like a flash, tore open the shutter- (He opens it, chilling the room instantly and gaining a few rude remarks from Prince Charming) -And threw up the sash.
"What do you mean by throw up a sash? Is it one of those sashes that girls get in beauty pageants? Or what?"
Ash sighs in exasperation,"Just listen to the story, Ellie."
Elora closes her mouth and listens on.
The moon on the breast of the new fallen Snow- (Bigby winks at his wife) -gave the lustre of midday to objects below, when, what to my eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh with eight tiny reindeer.
"Wait for it...." Bigby says, his eyes trained outside the window. Each of his children, Winter, Conner, Blossom, Therese, Ambrose, and Ghost, fly in through the window, fake antlers upon their head. They land by the tree and bow, as if this was the best performance of their lives.
"Where's Santa?" Elora asks.
"Hohoho!" The voice rumbles through the windowsill. The last head pops in, Reynard in a loose red Santa suit and a blatantly obvious fake white beard.
"You could have at least got a red one to match your hair," Ash jokes.
Reynard gives her a look, but hastily climbs in, nearly falling ontop of Bigby as he enters the room, standing near the 'reindeer'.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick- (Bigby glares at Reynard, who seems suddenly distracted by Therese who stands gracefully at the end of the reindeer line) -I knew in a moment that it must be St. Reynard.
(Reynard goofily waves to the crowd of people.)
More rapid than eagles, his coursers they came, and he whistled and shouted and called them by name!
Reynard clears his throat, taking a deep dramatic breath: "Now Dasher! Now Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen! On Comet! On Cupid! On Donner and Blitzen! To the top of the porch! To the top of the- (Reynard pauses a moment, forgetting the line.)
"Wall"- (Bigby says.)
"Wall! Now Dash away, Dash away! Dash away all!"
(The whole group of 'reindeer' and Reynard scurry across the family room, exiting through the doorway down the hall with loud clatter of jingle bells and stomping feet.)
"Thank God that buffoon is gone," Bigby mutters. "Anyway, let's continue."
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky so up to the house-top the coursers they flew, with the sleigh full of toys, and St. Reynard too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof the prancing and pawing of each little hoof. (Reynard, who'd led the deer upstairs into the room above, suddenly stomps on the floor up there, signifying the 'walking on the roof' of Santa Claus. It stops, and the sounds of a single person dashing down the stairs is heard in the distance.)
As I drew in my head and was turning around, down the chimney St. Reynard came with a bound. (Bigby turns his head to the chimney, waiting impatiently. Aproximately 3 minutes passes, the family sitting before him squirming awkwardly as they wait.)
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" (Reynard crashes at the bottom of the chimney, causing a burst of laughter from everybody, including Bigby, while he helps himself up and dusts his ash-covered clothes off, coughing and groaning in pain.)
"I bet that one hurt!" Ash howled laughing, keeled over her knees. "I regret complaining earlier. This is the best rendition of the tale yet!"
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot. (Reynard glares at Bigby while Bigby smiles smugly)
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back-(All of the sudden, the bag that was supposed to be across Reynard's back comes falling, small wrapped gifts falling from the open hole.) and he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
(Reynard quickly scoops it up, putting the gifts back in the bag.)
His eyes--how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, and the beard on his chin was as white as the snow. (Reynard strokes his fake beard thoughtfully.)
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth- (Reynard panics, stuffing his hand in his pockets to find the pipe he was supposed to put in his mouth. He failed, shrugging his shoulders as Bigby continues.) -and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly, that shook when he laughed- (Reynard procedes to obnoxiously laugh and shake what little of a belly he has.)
-like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump- (Reynard fills his cheeks with air and smiles) -a right jolly old elf, and I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
"You know you want me, Bigby. Don't deny it," Reynard teases.
Bigby smiles, saying,"If you ever suggest that to me again, I will rip your arm off. I've done it before."
Reynard's smirk disappears and he breaks the eye contact from Bigby nervously, letting the Wolf continue his story.
He spoke not a word- (Bigby glares at Reynard) -but went straight to his work,and filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
(Reynard proceeds to read labels on each small gift as he tosses it in each stocking, even the few he knocked over while coming in earlier.)
And laying his finger aside of his nose, and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose. (Reynard groans out loud, ducking in to the chimney.)
"I'm going to need some help," Reynard calls up. "Anybody?"
Therese's head pops down, her blond curls falling in the air and her reindeer antlers hanging on for deer life.
"You can't climb the ladder we threw down?" She asks.
"I'm a fox, not a freakin' monkey," He retorts. "Pull me up, baby!"
Therese's cheeks go red as she scowls, but puts her hands around him and flies him up and out of the chimney.
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!" (Reynard's tired, overly bored yet entertained voice calls down.) "And also, I expect a warm blanket and hot chocolate and clean cloths when I get back inside. I mean it."
The whole room claps and howls with laughter at the ending, and Bigby closes the window once and for all. The front door opens, with the reindeer and Reynard and they all reenter the room with smiles upon their faces.
"That wasn't as bad as last year, when Bigby forgot to put out the flames in the fireplace," Snow mutters to Harmony, still slightly laughing to herself.
"Oh, I remember. It wasn't Reynard last year though, it was Beast..."
Snow sighs inwardly. "Yeah, it was, wasn't it." She looks over to Beauty, who sits with her teenage daughter alone on a couch. "It's ashame what happened. Really. But none of that dwelling on the past. We need to get your children to bed, or the real Santa won't be coming!"
Harmony laughs, nodding, and the both of them stand, ushering people out the room with a candy cane for each and up the stairs everyone went. The teenage boys were in one room, girls in another, and each adult couple had their own room to sleep in, with the exceptions to Scar and Jackson who'd already had a room to sleep in.
Harmony finished brushing her teeth in the en-suit bathroom to her and Tim's room. He was lying in bed, a copy of 'A Christmas Carol' in his hands wearily. When she reentered the room, she inwardly sighed.
"You have to read it every year to yourself?" She asks him, although the answer is already known to her.
"Yes, dear. I have to. You know how it is."
"I do," She whispers. She climbs in to the bed, careful not to disturb the children that have yet to born. The sheets are silky and warm and remind her again of past Christmases spent here, in the manor.
"I love you," She whispers to her husband, who's eyes are still trained on the words on the page.
"I love you too," He whispers. His lips kiss her forehead as she settled herself across his chest, his arm going around her as his hand holds to book steady. She falls asleep there, and so does he after a little while. The night is peaceful.
The night is blissful.
The night is restful.
Tomorrow is a new day.
I hope you enjoyed that ^-^ It took a while to write out, I used the poem by Clement Clarke Moore to 'aid' Bigby's tale, replacing a few words to fit my story. More out tomorrow
Christmas is in 4 days, I'm so excited! Can't wait, I asked for a bunch of books and nice sweaters, hopefully I get some of them!
I'm reading City of Bones right now, it's SO good!
Hopefully, your breaks are good too, I know it's a super busy time of the year especially right now!
I knew you'd get a kick out of them.
I know but just don't overdue it. People have gone to the hospital because of that.
0_0'
Wow...I never...I never saw this coming. That poor man. Shit, dude. To THINK the three children you raised are your own and then find out some random dude that shows up at random times IS their father. No wonderhe and Carla had issues. Fuck, man. You and these curve balls! I'm sorry but....I hate Carla now and her selfish ass. >:(
+
Like I said before...I get it now. I see it. And the whole idea you had with Gren-that BIG change-I'm curious to see more. This can't be it; there must be more and I have a feeling we will see it soon. That being said, I have this uneasy feeling the recent murders, especially with Felicia, HAS something to do with Emily....
And I couldn't help but picture THIS wehn they were singing. I love that movie.
SHE KNOWS!!!!
SPEAK, damn you!!! xD
Loved this and looking forward to seeing where this goes. Now, take it easy, let that poor woman sleep and damn it , Emily-stop kicking mommy! Call me later whenever you wake up.
I miss you, pie. 
"GOODMORNING EVERYBODY IT'S CHRISTMAS GUYS!" Elora's voice fills the halls. The sounds of feet running up and down past Harmony's door stirs her awake, and she peels herself apart from Tim. His book is open across his chest, his breathing steady and his eyes closed shut. If she could, she would pause this moment and live in it forever.
But sadly, she hasn't gotten THAT far with witchcraft. She stands, rubbing her head. All night she'd been experiencing bad cramps, which royally sucks when you're also pregnant with four wolf babies. She walks across the room, sitting at the vanity and brushes her hair. The door swings open wide, her daughter Ashlyn's poking her head in.
"Mom! Let's go! Gramma Snow won't let us open gifts until EVERYONE is downstairs!"
Harmony laughs. "You will have to wait, your father is still-"
"DAD WAKE UP ITS TIME TO OPEN PRESENTS YOU NEED TO GET UP NOW NOW NOW!" Ash's voice fills the room, as she runs and starts jumping on their unmade bed.
Tim jumps out of bed, and yells out of fright, rubbing his eyes as he looks at his daughter. His eyes narrow, but Harmony is just laughing and Ashlyn is now staring at the pages in his book.
"Give that to me," He says sternly. He snatches the book from Ash's hand and closes it tight, throwing it in the end table's first drawer.
"Why Dad?" Ash asks, sitting up on the bed and crossing her arms. Tim slowly lowers himself on the edge of the bed, reaching on the ground for his brace.
"Because I don't want you reading that book until you're older," He replies.
"It's a book, Dad. It's not porn, or something else like that. Why can't I read it?"
Tim turns to face her. "You will not read it, until I'm ready to let you read it. Understood?"
Ashlyn frowns. "Fine. Whatever. We need to go open presents, so get ready and LET'S GO."
Ash runs out, her voice yelling down the hall as Tim stands and walks across the room to his wife. His hands rest on her shoulders as she puts her hair in a loose bun. She smiles weakly at him in the mirror, but then her expression goes serious.
"Why?" She asks, placing the hair brush down.
"Excuse me?" Tim is confused, his hands lifting from her shoulders.
"Why can't she read it? Why won't you tell them anything?"
"I-" Tim was completely caught off guard. "I-...um."
"You're afraid," She mutters, looking away from him in the mirror. She stands up and grabs a robe to go around her pajamas, and leaves the room while Tim stands there, dumbfounded.
"W-wait! Harmony!" He exits the room after her, following her down to the family room.
Harmony sits by the tree, her big belly protruding outward for all to see. She sits near Snow, as her husband enters the room. She can't stay mad at him, not even for more than five minutes. Her butt scoots over more, giving him space to join on the couch.
The kids are all near their piles of gifts. The adults sit on the couches, talking over the teenagers, who are loud because of the excitement of Christmas day. Noah is sat by Harmony and Tim's feet, his eyes glued to-
Is that....Sara Jane? Harmony blinks a few times, unsure of whether it was a trick of the lights.
Tim also notices, whispering in her ear: "Am I seeing what you're seeing?"
Harmony nods softly, tapping her son's shoulder. It takes a minute for him to respond, but he then turns quickly to his mother. "Yeah, Mom?"
Harmony's eyes go from his, to Sara's, and that's when Noah realizes the problem. "Oh! Yeah!"
He stands, leaping over piles of presents and people. At the other end of the room stands his girlfriend, still here even after sunrise. She smiles as he wraps his arms around her and kisses her cheek.
"Everyone," He says. "This is my girlfriend, Sara Jane. I asked one thing for Christmas, and it was to be able to spend the whole day with her. And so I got it!" He is beaming, his smile spread across his face so wide that Harmony figured it would never leave. She is happy for Noah, that he got the one thing he wanted most. He brings her over back to his spot, letting the girl sit on his lap and hold his stocking for him.
"Alright," Snow calls out. "You can open your gifts in 3...2..."
Before she can say one, Everyone is tearing at their paper, opening all sorts of gifts.
Ashlyn received a new pair of headphones, new clothes, some band albums, a poster of someone Harmony never heard of before. She also got a set of 4 tickets to see her favorite-
"-FAVORITE BAND!" Ash squeals. "BEST. CHRISTMAS. EVER!"
Robert's gifts lay strewn across his lap in a haphazard mess. His eyes are like electricity, skimming over various experiment kits and a 'Hard-Wiring for Beginners' book. He also has new clothes, a pair of shoes, classic novels and some new contemporary novels that are popular with the Mundies.
"I've always wanted to read The Mortal Instruments!" He exclaims. He pulls the entire set of books into his arms and reads each label on each book.
Elora, looking more shocked than anything, is sitting in her pile of things. It's a mixture of nicely printed notebooks, a few easier books than Robbie's book, and some drawing kits. It may have not been the things she asked for at the North Pole, but she's still happy.
"I can't wait to start painting with these," She says happily. Her hand grabs a candy cane and she starts sucking on it.
Noah's girlfriend opens each gift, a few jerseys of his favorite teams, a set of tickets for a hockey game in January, A new pair of cleats, and a....Teddy Bear? Noah takes the teddy from Sara Jane's hands and examines it with a smile.
"This one is for you," He tells her, giving it back. She smiles and kisses his cheek softly, looking at it.
Scarlett was the one with the most gifts, but most were not specifically for her. Baby essentials, mostly diapers and bottles and bibs and pink pajamas and girly baby things are what she mostly got, and then a smaller pile of cloths for herself, little things she'd wanted for Christmas, and jewelry. She's glowing, her eyes dancing over the cute outfits for her daughter. Jackson had gotten gifts too, but he was busier eating cookies and rubbing Scarlett's slowly growing belly.
Harmony's gifts too, were a mixture of baby girl and boy cloths, diapers, and extra bottles. She still had all the cribs from when her first litter of children were born, so she did not have a bassinet in her pile like Scar did. She snuggled up to Tim, the both of them staring at giftcards for 'Babies-R-Us' and Kohls and JCPenny. Afterall, she would need some nice new clothes that will fit her after the babies are born.
All the adults have smaller gifts, still mingling with each other. Harmony's mother stands behind the couch overlooking the room with a smile. Her father and stepmother are on the couch opposite, laughing and smiling as Adi shows them what she got. Her brothers are outside with Bigby, helping to shovel more newly fallen snow off the paths. Everything is perfect. Ever-
"Tim," Harmony chokes out, nearly spilling her hot chocolate all over her robe.
"What, dear?" He says absently, looking at all their excited teenagers mingle and discuss each other's presents.
"Tim, my water-"
"Oh, hey man!" Tim isn't listening.
Harmony takes a deep breath. Closing her eyes. "TIMOTHY MY WATER BROKE!"
The room goes completely silent.
What an eventful Christmas.
I hope you liked this one, I LOVE writing it, really. The best things always seem to happen around Christmas time, and that's completely the case for Harmony's family. Babies in the next chapter! Finally! This is what I've been waiting to write for literal months! Any questions, don't hesitate to ask <# HAve wonderful holidays CHRISTMAS IS IN 3 DAYS I'M STILL SUPER PUMPED!
Peter and Ethan drove to a different section of the Folker community. So many people called this part of town the 'the forgotten' for many reasons but none more apparent than the Folkers who were sent there for punishment or ended up here due to bad luck. Peter pulled up to an abandoned building; the street lights flickered above, as he turned the key and shut the engine off. Ethan pulled out the file and examined it.
While his brother was rather preoccupied at the moment, Peter stared out into the streets; several Folkers walked the dirty, rotten roads, in search for either shelter or food. Several others gathered around a poorly exsecuted fire, while another seemed to wander aimlessly around the lost and lonely streets. Several sirens could be heard, which sent three scattering into the shadows like Roaches.
Peter shoke his head. "Fuck, Ethan....does Katie know about this issue?"
Ethan looks up. "This is a section she is not allowed to touch."
"Why? I thought the Council was supposed to fix certain issues like this within the community?"
"Seems like this is a section even our dearest sister can not touch. Sad, really..."
Peter nods in agreement. "Shit....I had no idea the Folkers were so lost."
"Oh how the mighty have fallen...."
Ethan and Peter exit the vehicle. Several Folker members looked up and glued their attention on the men in trenchcoats. Handing the file over to Peter, the brothers locked the car and continued down the dirty streets. Not all parts of this little slice of hell was reduced to mere shambles; Peter noticed some local business still in tack, while a school sat several miles down near the railroad.
A park stood in the middle of it all, although the brothers both agreed they'd never visit nor bring their children to that paticulair park. They noticed a drug dealer and an addict exchange a few glances, then hand one another their part of the trade.
"Are you SURE this is where she is at?"
"According to the files, after the inccident with Decimus and the Wolf brother's seperation from the group, she sort of became lost and without any support, ended up here."
"God, Peter....what happened to this place? The Folker community used to be the place of dreams, hope and desire. Or, so that's what papa and Malcom used to always say..."
Peter exhaled, as he took out a cigarette. The smell was beginning to bother his senses. There was a heavy stench of garbage and rotten meat in the air.
"Power and money can cause either happiness or war. Too much and look where it leads you. Alone in the dark."
Peter and Ethan, aware of their surroundings, crossed the street and into a dark alley. They could see a small fire at the end still burning. A tent stood near it, as several clothes hung above to dry. Peter examined the file one last time and gave a slight nod to Ethan.
"This is her alright."
"Well, let's do this although I doubt she'll be too happy to see us."
Peter finishes off his cigarette and tosses the burning end into a nearby dirty puddle of water.
"Why not, Ethan? We are the loveable duo of Fabletown."
Ethan huffed. "Hm well, show me these 'fans' and I may consider that title. But for right now, let's approach her with caution."
With each step, Peter and Ethan drew closer to the tiny filthy tent located at the end of the alley. The only noise the brothers could hear were the continuing sirens, honking and occasional group of civilians walking around town. Ethan held up his hand; he began counting down and when he reached to one, Peter pulled out a gun and aimed it at the opening.
"Amber Derossa, this is the Deputy Mayor and Sheriff of Fabletown. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be-"
There was a faint chuckle of a woman inside. Still holding his gun out, the brothers noticed the movement inside.
"Come on out, Amber." Peter cocks his gun. "I'd hate to ruin such a wonderful selection of decorations but if it must be done-"
Amber sticks her hand out and waves. She exits her tent, a smile across her face. She does not appear to be angry or annoyed to see Ethan and Peter there. Peter could immediatly detect the strong odor of alcohol and the track marks in various parts on her arms and neck. Amber's once golden locks of hair were now tattered strings and her skin chalky and dirty.
"Well, well, well. Sheriff Peter Wolf. What a surprise to see you on this side of the fence-"
"Amber Derossa, we are here for the murder of Daniel the Tailor and-"
Amber laughs. "I ain't got nothin' for you, Wolf."
Ethan steps forward. "We picked the files of EVERY Folker that had an issue with either Fables or Halfers. We-"
"You think I killed a Fable just because I can? Please. I could never attempt murder, especially in the condition I'm in at the current moment."
"You were involved with Decimus. You nearly had Peter killed and turned into one of your weapons against the Fable community."
Amber continues to laugh. She walks over to the fire and takes a seat.
"Oh Ethan. Those were the good days...indeed Decimus and I were quite the team. His own son couldn't kill a Fly with a shoe if it landed a foot away from him. We almost had Peter, too. We had plans for him. Plans that were beyond anything the Fables could comprehend and try to prevent. But you Porgies and your inability to give up and leave well enough alone...."
Peter holds the gun to Amber's back. "You have ten seconds to tell me about the Tailor."
"Oh Daniel was a snobby little thing, wasn't he? Always there, flashing his riches around and making the rest of us feel like shit. Not that it mattered in the end, I suppose. Yet, some seem to forget we all ended up in this shit world the same."
"Did you murder Daniel, Amber?" Ethan tried to remain calm. "Or do you have any information in regards to this case?"
Amber shuffles her feet, as she reaches for a can of beans. Peter and Ethan both watch, as she struggles to open the can. After a minute of smashing the lid with a rock, Amber places the can on a rack and watches as the fire licks the bottom of the can.
"Would you boys like some dinner? It's beans and weenies."
"No, Amber. We are not HERE for the food. Now, I'm going to ask you ONE LAST TIME-do you know anything about the murder of Daniel the Tailor, yes OR no?"
"No, Porgie. I know nothing about Daniel. To be honest, I'm glad he's dead."
Peter continued to stand beside Amber and carefully observe her behavior.
"And why is that, Amber?"
"Oh Sheriff, please. Daniel is the reason we could not stand the Fable community. Or, one of the reasons I should say."
"Again, why?"
"Fables like him is the reason why if was so difficult to make it in this world. They'd go around, flashing their cash and rubbing it in our faces; while the rest of us worked nine to five and lived paycheck to paycheck, he was spending it on exorbitant gifts and dirty strip clubs."
"What does this have to do with anything?"
"Oh Ethan...Sheriff...you think we were the only ones who wished to see Daniel vanish from this Earth? Your own father wanted to see his name crossed from the books. I don't see either of YOU questioning him."
Peter slammed his elbow into Amber's neck and pinned her to the ground.
"If I were you, I'd watch my tone of voice right about now."
Amber struggled beneath the weight of Peter's massive arm. She began to choke.
"GAH! UGH, Sheriff! Is this any way to treat a woman down on her....cough cough luck? You REALLY need to cough cough show some fucking restraint! cough cough You're an animal, Sheriff!"
"START....TALKING....AMBER! Or are you so quick to forget, huh?"
"I don't know WHAT cough cough you want me to SAY, Sheriff! I told you EVERYTHING I cough cough know!"
Peter presses Amber's body deeper in the dirt. Although Ethan attempts to lift his brother up, the bulging veins and sudden change in his eyes says differently. He noticed the fine hair growing around his jaw line, chin and mouth. Ethan stands back and all he could so was wait.
"TALK Amber-We KNOW it was a folker because this person left a note in blood and it was targeted at both Fables AND Halfers!"
"Ask any one of these bums out here down on their luck, Sheriff!" Peter stands up, leaving Amber to gasp for air. "I told you everything I know! If I was to go after the Tailor, I would have done it YEARS ago when Decimus was still alive. Even when that fucking idiot, the Jersey Devil, tore him apart like a Christmas Ham, we never ONCE tried to attempt vengance."
"Bullshit." Ethan folds his arms. "You tried taking Peter as your own."
Amber giggles. "Oh Ethan...you have no idea what's really going on in these city walls, do you?"
"Then elaborate for me and the Sheriff, Amber. Tells us what's really going on."
"Who ever this Folker killer may be, is out for vengance and to make a point. Why bother committing crimes all of the sudden on both Fables and Halfers? Because I'll tell you why-they are not doing this just for shits and giggles. Oh no. This is for their rightful place in this world. A warning. A message, as you may see it."
"A message to WHO, Amber?"
"To all you Fables who mingled with our kind and the Halfer children born into this world from it. I'm looking at YOU two."
Peter managed to keep his true feelings aside, as he placed the pistol back into his coat pocket.
"Amber-"
Amber holds out her hands. "Go ahead and arrest me, Sheriff, if you THINK that will solve your little crisis. Trust me, though-I had nothing to do with the murder of Daniel, nor do I wish to be involved with anything related to Fables or Halfers. We used to be a powerful bunch of people. Now look all around you...nothing but shattered dreams and lost souls."
Ethan gave a nod to Peter indicating they were through. Although Amber was a nusiance years ago, both the brothers could see she had been defeated and was nothing more than a shell of a person. The beans began to boil, as she reached over and dug her plastic spoon inside the mixture.
"We'll be in contact, should I need more information."
Silence. Amber's eyes stared directly into the dirt. Peter and Ethan turned to return back to their car.
"You may want to look deeper into the situation, Sheriff. Deputy Mayor."
Ethan and Peter paused and turned slightly to Amber. "What do you mean?"
"This is a warning. A message to your kind. You must look deeper than what the files tell you. Because whoever is doing this, wants to grab YOUR attention. They made it a point. Left a message of blood on the wall."
Ethan and Peter said nothing, as they walked back to their vehicle. They both sat in the car in silence. Peter took out another cigarette and handed one to Ethan. Although his brother rarely smoked, the look upon his fragile face indicated he needed a break.
"You alright, Ethan?"
"I don't think she did it or had any idea what was going on."
"I agree with you on that."
Ethan exhales deeply. "Peter, DO you think this is a message? An attack of some sorts? I mean, whoever this Folker is, attacked our sister's club. Emily nearly died because of it!"
Peter leans back into his seat. "I'm starting to think that, too. Here-let me call aunt Mary back. Maybe we can head out to the Pudding n' Pie and investigate the area."
"Good idea."
Peter pulls out of the alley and returns to the dim lit streets of the Folker community. Once a powerful community of wealth, strength and power were now nothing more than yesterdays and once upon a times. Turning on the radio, Peter drove over the bridge and back into Fabletown. Up ahead, the glow of pinks, blues and scandelous posters that enveloped this oh so familiar part of the city.
Peter parked beside the Pudding n' Pie, as he and his brother took a moment of silence.
Any questions, you know the drill. Just got home and had time to write a section. Been playing with this idea for awhile; guess when you're up all night, it gives you time to think.
I'm exhausted and hopefully after a nice shower, I can get some sleep.
I had forgotten about Amber until I recalled your past stories and she nearly killed Malcom by drowning him in the ocean. I had no idea she had that much power as far as the Council went.
I loved the description of the run down part of the Folker city; Ethan could not have said it better. 'Oh how the mighty have fallen.' The Council became so consumed by power, that they began fighting one another just to keep that title.
It's nice to see Ethan and Peter working side by side; if I remember right, they were always close as kids.
I'm pretty sure amber does not know a thing. It was heartbreaking to see her in such a terrible spot in life. I guess we can cross her off the list....for now. She mentioned a lot of key points as far as the tailor goes: he was wealthy, yes but does that give the person the right to murder him? I think there is another part to this story....hmmm...
Ugh and the pudding n' pie. Can't wait to see what waits for them.
AND, I know you are VERY busy so no rush but would there be anyway you could draw some Gren and Em pics?
Again, another great chap.
I'm sure they do, but I don't know if it was around in Victorian times! Not that it really matters - I'll try to keep it in mind for the future.
Pun-tastic! xD This is a handy remainder of where everyone is. I'm curious to see who Robbie has a crush on, and it's fun reading about them!
Hmm, it must be either Amber or Tracey, then. I know you've probably written the reveal below, but I want to see how things get there so I'm gonna catch up first! Nice to see Gren's caring side; one minute he's all bitter and the next he's helpful. It's kind of confusing, but I think Gren himself must be confused.
Anyway, hope the graveyard shift isn't too much for you! You're being responsible though
and that by 'graveyard shift' you mean the usual definition of a late job, as opposed to an actual graveyard shift. Because they're creepy.
Halloween is finally finished! xD Okay, it ended for everyone else about a month ago, but, you know, I'm a slow writer. And a worn out one - I've struggled with writing this, ran out of describing power, yet I wanted to get it finished this year. So, I used some pictures for direct descriptions, and I decided to link them at the correct places so that it might make things easier to read. Hopefully this is better than I think it all is, but either way I think I might go on a writing break for a while. Seriously, how do you all write so much and keep it good? Anyway, I'm going to get on catching up, and Merry Christmas! internet hugs to all
Chapter Ten – The Long Halloween
“Dixa,” whispers Mr. Weasel over her shoulder. “I think that's him.” They both stand at the end of a relatively narrow tunnel, relative to the cavernous space which following the passageway underground has lead them to. It's dark, them being underground, but Dixa and Weasel can see well enough in the low light; which is a good thing, or else they might not have realized that the tunnel they had been walking has it's exit mid-way up the side wall of the far larger tunnel before them.
This larger tunnel is much more than an over-sized passageway, however: it's a train station, and it's almost fully built. There are two tracks side-by-side below, and on the outer sides of the tracks are two long platforms, with ticket offices, benches; even shop fronts and cafes built a way up on top of each other. (http://i.imgur.com/P9tWS.png) Given by it's location alone this is clearly not a standard construction, and yet whosoever designed the space took further architectural strides to impressive and impose upon those who would journey on the trains here: the ceiling, high above, is one long barrel vault with square-cut holes along the zenith to act as chimneys for the fumes of the trains. (http://tinyurl.com/ms3kwzb)Currently, no light from these apertures falls as far as the tracks below. Supporting not only the stone of the ceiling above but the very mass of the earth are columns striking up from the platforms, each stone shaft connected to the one next to it by a weight-sharing arch. (http://tinyurl.com/lqakpkc) Finally, a metal walkway branches out across the great space, meandering through the columns and joining the top floors of the shops to the platforms below. In the centre of it all, between the two tracks, a small fire burns and a man sits next to it.
“I believe you're right, Weasel,” replies Dixa. From their vantage point they can see right across to the other wall and all below thanks to the high nature of the arches between the columns. Directly in front of them, not yet finished in construction, is the metal walkway with it's twisting iron railings – they would need to jump to reach it.
Further up the passageway which Dixa and Weasel stand at the end of - that has been built with the intention of providing direct access to the surface for the Mundy commuters - a lamp emits an orange glow, casting the shadows of Cinderella and Flycatcher onto the smooth stone walls. The two have waited further back as they cannot see better than you or I in such degrees of darkness and so require the lamp, yet are mindful of how it would attract any foes to their presence. They stand alert, not daring to speak lest they miss a crucial noise or sound, however it is only when Mr. Weasel is within a few feet of the light that they hear him, his natural form so naturally stealthy that it carries over to his glamoured self.
Whispering, he tells them about the Heel in the vast station up ahead, and while doing so fiddles with something in the right pocket of his old mauve coloured over coat. (http://tinyurl.com/ko38dt5)
“What you got in there, Weasel?” Asks Cindy, who finds Weasel's fidgeting distracting.
“Oh,” he realizes what he'd been doing and removes his hand. “It's nothing.”
“You're nervous, aren't you?”
Mr. Weasel takes a moment to tighten a grey scarf around his neck and reposition the excess of it into the top of his red waistcoat. “Yes,” he admits, with his head down. “I haven't done this sort of thing before. Alone, at least.” He looks straight up at Cindy, his face discernibly pale in the warm light. “There were many threats in the Wild Wood – where I grew up – but somehow, I suppose because I was with the other weasels, things never seemed... so alarming. Evil faeries and undead highwaymen weren't all that common for us small folk.” Weasel lowers his head again.
“Well,” says Cindy, somewhat reluctantly, “you *can back out if you want to.”
“Oh, no! I'm not leaving you three here to face whatever's in that station alone.” Cindy smiles when Weasel says this, and Fly – who's been leaning against the wall – chimes up.
“I'm pleased to hear that, Mr. Weasel.” He pulls his fastened grey jacket straight as he stands unsupported. “One for all and all for one, as they say.,” finishing with a smile. (Jude Law)
“You're particularly calm, Fly,” Weasel observes.
“Yeah, I don't know,” and he shrugs. “Sometimes, when you're in the moment and focused, the nerves just go.”
“Come on,” says Cindy, “we'd best get to Dixa.” Fly take the cue to blow out the lamp he carries. “Lead the way, Mr. Weasel.”
“Both of you take hold of my hands,” which they do, and then Mr. Weasel starts walking, following the passage on it's slow, downward descent.
“You can both call me 'Percy', you know. It is my first name.”
Cindy contemplates the moniker for a moment. “I suppose 'Mr. Weasel' just always seemed more natural.”
“Yeah,” agrees Fly. “It has more of a ring to it.”
Mr. Weasel mumbles something inaduable before clearly saying: “Well, let's just hope no other weasels ever turn up. Otherwise, things could get very confusing.”
“That depends,” returns Cindy. “Perhaps it'll be a female weasel that next turns up. Tell me, Mr. Weasel, is there a Mrs. Weasel?”
“Not last time I checked.” He answers, which puzzles Fly.
“What's that supposed to mean?”
“It just means 'no'.” Weasel quickly clarifies “I don't know why I said it like that; I sometimes say silly things when I'm a bit nervous.”
“Is that nervous about being married or nervous about Spring-Heeled Jack?” Asks the ever-inquisitive Flycatcher.
“I'm not that nervous about getting married, Fly”
They carry on in silence for what feels like a few minutes, but is in fact only one; the threat of being detected seemed both likely and serious due to the lamps highlighting them so keenly in the blackness, which is why they decided to split up so far. Soon, however, they're almost at the end of the tunnel, when Mr. Weasel comments on admiring Cindy's jacket and skirt. (Skirt)
“Thanks,” she replies. “I believe the Mundies call them 'artillery jackets', because troops in their army wear them.” (http://tinyurl.com/kastwon) Adding, “this one I modified so a lady could wear it, and so it can hold a pair of revolvers in holsters on the inside.” And Cindy does indeed have a pair of revolvers in those two holsters, as well as a sword and dagger by her waist. Mr. Weasel and Flycatcher are similarly armed; Dixa, however, said she'd rely on her Yeti self should trouble start to brew.
“Yes, the gold stitching on the front really brings out your hair colour. It suits you,” Weasel responds.
“Well, thank you. Again.” Replies Cindy, pleased with the compliment.
“You look beautiful in it. Well, you'd look beautiful out of it, but I'm sure you know what I mean.” Mr. Weasel carries on walking at the same pace after saying this as if he'd commented on something obvious, like how it's been a rather long day.
Flycatcher, therefore, wonders whether Mr. Weasel is simply being awfully polite or whether he isn't quite aware of what he's saying. Cindy is surprised, and taken-aback.
“You... you think I'm beautiful?” It isn't so much the kindness about her looks that confuses Cinderella, as more the fact that Mr. Weasel has said it so boldly.
“Oh, dear,” he says, misreading her tone of confusion. “Sorry, I say silly things when I'm a bit nervous.”
“No! I mean, you don't need to apologise, even if you are just saying it because you're nervous.”
Mr. Weasel's voice grows louder than would be advised as he's lifted by Cindy's response. “I might only be saying it aloud because I'm nervous, but I really do think that you are beautiful.” If there had been more light on the scene, Weasel and Cindy would surely have shared “a look” at this moment, “a look” that could have revived a stunned bird. Sadly, there is no adequate lighting, and instead Mr. Weasel squeezes Cindy's hand. Except:
“Weasel,” asks Fly, “why did you just squeeze my hand?”
“What? I thought that...” Weasel shakes his head in the darkness, cheeks going bright red. Though, no one can see it. “You know, Fly, you have very smooth hands.”
“Huh, thanks.” This time it's Flycatcher who's rather pleased with one of Mr. Weasel's compliments.
“Does that mean I have rough hands?” Inquires Cindy, guessing Weasel's true intent; but before she can be answered they arrive at the end of the passage.
Upon arriving, Mr. Weasel notes that the fire burning below has grow in size and scale since he left; and while dazzled Dixa remains concealed to Weasel's eyes, her plum coloured jacket and skirt matched well to her dark skin and hair. She reaches forward and taps him lightly on the shoulder. (http://tinyurl.com/mxavhxm)
“Weasel, have you gone blind?” She asks.
“No, it's that fire – it wasn't that bright when I left, was it?”
“No. It's growing, but I don't know how. The Heel hasn't moved at all while you've been gone.” Cindy and Fly step forward to be at a level with Mr. Weasel, where the passageway widens sufficiently at the exit.
“If it keeps goings,” comments Cindy, “we won't need the lamps anyway. What's the plan?”
“I've been thinking it over while you've been gone,” says Dixa, “and here's what I think we should do.”
The plan, however, did not exactly stay on track.
“You won't take him!” The angry scream comes from Spring-Heeled Jack, but it has the sound of a woman.
“Dixa!” Cindy yells, spurring her friend to quick action. Dixa leaps up from the tracks onto the platform by her left as the fire in front of the Heel rises to an unnatural hight until it explodes in a burst of white flame, licking all around with a scorching touch and roaring like a maddened beast. Dixa made it behind the stone column where Cindy stands just in time.
So intense is the heat it forces itself down everyone's throat and would seem to suck them dry, casuing them to cough violently
“I think,” Cindy manages to rasp, “that plan A has failed.” She hugs closely to the stone, in case another blast of flame ensues. Dixa gasps just the same next to her.
“We'll have to -” cough * cough* “- go to plan B.” Dixa catches her breath a moment. “At least this is quite fun!”
“What the hell, woman? This isn't my idea of fun!” Returns Cindy.
“Okay, well, not fun, but it's more exciting than what normally happens everyday!”
“Remind me why we put you in charge of the plan making?”
Another gout of fire issues from the flames around the Heel, forcing Dixa and Cindy to get as flat against the stone as possible. Likewise above, Mr. Weasel and Flycatcher lay as flat as they can on the metal walkway and crawl along, desperate to get off the metal that's increasingly starting to feel like a stove.
“Why does the Heel sound like a woman?” Shouts Dixa when the heat recedes, the crackling fire still loud in her ears.
“If I had to guess,” replies Cindy, “Beast was wrong about the Heel being separate from Faye. Or, I don't know – she's a faery! They can do weird stuff with magic!”
“Well, I have another plan!” Dixa announces.
“Oh, you're last one worked out so well!”
“Really, Cindy? That's not helpful!”
“Just tell me what it is!”
“I'm going to make a run for him, or her, while you shoot at it and distract it. Are you ready?”
“I'm not sure bullets are going to do anything to it!” Cindy grabs Dixa's arm and looks straight at her, earnestly. “Just don't die.”
“I won't, because you'll be distracting it!” Dixa replies, giving Cindy a wink.
“Oh, I hate you! Go, now!” Cinderella twists around the stone column, whips out a revolver from inside her jacket and takes a well-aimed shot through the flames to hit the Heel right on it's helmet. The fire has begun to twist and turn and writhe like snakes around the Heel, yet it momentarily abates. Dixa launches forward, transforming instantaneously from the tall woman in respectable clothing into the ferocious Yeti; feet human-like, but large and padded, she remains standing on them. Legs become taught with muscle, grow longer and larger and move with the energy and motion of pistons firing. The white fur that now covers her is in a mass around her torso; her arms and hands grow thick as they did earlier in the day, with the muscles rippling and in high definition over her shoulders. Her charming face is replaced by that of one mixed with a bear, eyes large and black, a snubbed snout extending above a jaw of jagged teeth with the sharpness of razor rocks.
It takes Dixa only a few paces to reach a point where, in one graceful movement, she goes from running to crouching to flinging herself through the air and through the fire, arms clamping around the resurrected body of the Heel and taking them both far, to land heavily onto the tracks, spraying up gravel and grit all around them with the force of a cannon shot.
With the Heel below her on the ground, Dixa swings her arm up to strike down at it's head but is flung backwards by an invisible blast and hits one of the stone columns with such force that it cracks and loosens the cement. She kneels on the platform, winded.
Rising, the Heel wildly cries, “the fist will never beat the will of magic,” doing so again in the voice of the woman and faery, Faye.
After witnessing the clash from above, Mr. Weasel throws caution to the wind; he unsheathes his sword, climbs atop the railing of the walkway and, much to Fly's astonishment, drops down. Landing with a low crouch directly behind the Heel, Mr. Weasel pulls back his sword arm so that he can thrust it through any armour his target might be wearing; but he's too slow, in the space of a second the Heel whirls it's elbow round, striking Weasel square on the jaw and knocking him to the side. Spinning, the Heel grabs the neck of Mr. Weasel with it's left hand, pulls a knife with it's right and stabs the glamoured Fable once in his abdomen, and once in his chest, deep and hard. After, it opens it's left hand and let's the bleeding Weasel crumple to the floor.
Seeing her friends beaten back so, Cindy charges along the platform, wielding two pistols and firing in quick succession to prevent the Heel from gaining balance - each bullet ploughing through it's clothes, puncturing it's armour and ripping holes in it's decayed skin. With every hole made in it's body flames spit out. The fire on the tracks still pulsates and spins, alive on a wind, illuminating the station as a bright light striking out before shrinking, making the columns that glow orange in the reflection dance with dark shadows.
Within meters of the Heel, Cindy runs out of ammunition in both guns; she throws them forward and replaces them in her hands with a sword and dagger. Jumping down onto the tracks, her hand is tight on the leather handles despite the heat that makes her sweat. Bringing out it's own sword to a gloved hand, the Heel uses it's nefarious magic to burst powerful pulses at the gravel between the train tracks and directs it at Cindy – the fragments fly at her face and cut with the same indiscriminate damage of a grenade. She shields her eyes as best she can with her arm, but the velocity and force with which the miniature lumps of rock hit her increases every second, and the light cuts become gouges and tears that leak blood. Unable to stand in the maelstrom, Cindy is brought to her knees while the grit flies with such speed it screams through the air at her.
A gunshot rings out – the Heel is at a sudden stand still – the gravel drops from the air. Flycatcher, after finding his way down from the walkway in the disorientating light, took a breath and has sent a bullet right through the heart of the Heel. Though a resurrected form, the heart still holds some key to life and the damage has an effect. Fly quickly moves from his position further down the platform and is hit hard over the head with a walking stick, the orb shaped brass handle clanging as it smacks into his skull.
As Mr. Weasel's awareness of all around him fades, Dixa appears as a flash of white lightning, her claws and teeth eviscerating the body that was once of the man called Jacques. Cindy struggles to her feet, blood dripping from her forehead and cheeks, arms covered in stinging crimson lashes; the clamour around her is almost debilitating as Dixa's thunderous bear-like roars blare out and the fire behind her cracks and rumbles, yet she can hear a voice slice through it all.
“Well, well, well.” It's an Irish voice. “Are you really all that stupid?” A southern Irish voice.
Cindy rotates to see the silhouette of a man up on the platform opposite her, across from the fire. It steps down onto the tracks and towards the inferno.
“I thought I was supposed to be the mad one. Or, maybe I'm just the bad one.”
“H... Hyde?” Cindy calls out.
“Oh, don't mind me, m'dear Cinderella. You seem to have got more important things to attend to; such as your face falling off, for one thing.” Hyde's laughing is suitably maniacal.
Cindy, ever the resourceful type, has been carrying a spare, small pistol strapped around her ankle. She bends and takes it out, pointing the weapon straight at Hyde. “Why the fuck shouldn't I kill you now?!” She yells.
“Tut tut, you're swearing. Swearing doesn't suit you – it spoils your prettiness, m'dear.” He stands still next to the fire – dangerously close to it in fact – while Cindy carefully makes her way towards him. The yellows bend across Hyde's unnerving face and exaggerate the twisted grimace he displays. “But, oh! How I don't doubt that you'd shoot me. The thing is,” he reaches into his suit jacket of stereotypical Victorian design, “that I actually know how to end this,” and retrieves a vial that he holds up for Cindy to clearly see. It glows green in the light.
Unsure what to say or do, Cindy remains still and holds the gun. There's a deafening roar behind her and a blur above her: the body of Spring-Heeled Jack catapults through the air, impacts on the ceiling with such a force cracks in the stone strike out, and then falls to the floor with a tremendous thud. Dixa then sidles up to Cindy, her white fur matted with sticky blood and grey skin ruptured where the Heel has fought back.
“Where is Henry?” She demands of Hyde, voice low and thick.
“It's you, Dixa!” Hyde answers cheerily. “Y'know, for a second there I just did not recognize ya'. Maybe you've done something with your hair; I don't know, I haven't been out in a while.”
“Where is HENRY?” The anger in Dixa's voice cannot be ignored, and even Hyde is wary of the Yeti.
“You shouldn't worry about him so much! He's in here. Somewhere. I don't know where exactly, but, generally about the place.” He waves his hand around his head. “Before you all get really pissed with me though – or, I should say, before you two do, seeing as Flycatcher and Mr. Weasel have so rudely left this waking world – you may want to consider this.” He shakes the vial in his left hand.
“What is that?” Shouts Cindy.
“This?” Replies Hyde in a mocking fashion. “This is magic's worst nightmare. This is science.” Immediately after speaking, Edward Hyde uncorks the vial and throws it into the flames. The fire turns to a singular, intense red; shudders into a neon pink and then purple; before finishing as the blue of a summer sky.
A cry emits from the body of Spring-Heeled Jack, which had landed further down the tracks. The fire cracks and fizzes, before moving through the air in a stream and spinning round the Heel's body. “Jacques!” The body cries. “My love!” A scream bursts, rises to a blistering shriek, there's a pulse of pure white light, and then darkness and silence fall.
One week later.
“Percy, you're awake!” Cries Dixa, rushing through the hospital door and over to his bed, where she gives him a hug of both relief and happiness.
“Aiiiee! Too hard! Too hard!” He chokes back. After being awake for only ten minutes, he isn't quite yet ready for a Yeti hug. Dixa quickly lets go and Weasel breathes deeply, hands uncurling by his sides atop the grey blanket on his bed.
“Oh, you'll be fit for a proper hug soon,” replies Dixa, taking a seat.
“I look forward to it,” he coughs. “I notice the weather's looking nicer.”
Dixa looks out of the small, but private, room's window. “Yes,” she says, despite it raining. “So long as we don't get unaccounted for darkness and ghoulish fog for a few more centuries, all should be fine.”
“Best check when the next eclipse will be,” Weasel replies jokingly. He'd mentioned the weather as a way of circuitously asking whether or not Spring-Heeled Jack and Faye were no more; when he first woke, his questions to the nurses had been regarding his companions, but they only had vague answers. “How is everyone?” He asks, and sips from a cup of water.
“Doing rather well, Mr. Weasel,” answers Dixa with a smile. “I'm not sure Flycatcher is ever going to trust me again, but he's recovered from the knock to his head.”
“His head? What happened to it?”
“I'm not sure when you blacked out – do you remember Hyde appearing?”
“No, not at all.” His face shows confusion.
“Well, Hyde knocked Fly out – I don't know why, the man's rather unpredictable. Anyway, it was Hyde who put an end to the Heel and Faye, really: he put a vial of Jekyll's damnable potion into the fire, which seemed to be the force that kept Faye's spirit inside the body of Spring-Heeled Jack. The potion caused Faye to be subdued and, surprisingly, the very mind of Jacques was brought out. Just the same as with Jekyll and Hyde. Jacques couldn't move, had no control over the body that used to be his other than to ask us to put an end to the madness of Faye. His mind had been present to all her doings, even if it was locked away in the resurrected brain. We did as he asked,” she explains, though refrains from going into the grisly details of how her and Cindy went about it.
“Oh. I see.” Weasel adjusts the sheets over his wounds. “And what happened to Hyde?”
“He disappeared after putting the potion into the fire. I believe Henry must have been influencing Hyde enough to get him to journey to the station with the potion in the first place.”
“Jekyll really is a good man.”
“We'll get him back, some day.”
And now came to the question Mr. Weasel has been rather nervous about. “Is Cindy... well?”
A bright smile alights on Dixa's face as it so often does. “You know she's well, Weasel – I just told you.”
“Oh, erm, yes.” He blushes.
“You want to know if she's been to see you, don't you?”
“Well, maybe.” Weasel gives a sheepish grin.
“Of course I have!” Comes a reply most would consider far too loud for a hospital, as Cinderella rushes on in. “You really need to be careful of pointy things, Mr. Weasel,” she says, grinning cheekily.
“Haha, yes. I think I've learnt a lesson there.” He casually looks out of the window and rubs his neck. “Actually, Cindy, I've heard you're rather good with swords.”
“It's an interest I have,” she admits.
Mr. Weasel looks straight at her. “Would you, erm, mind teaching me how to properly use one?” There's a weak smile on his face that slowly rises in unison with the corners of Cindy's mouth.
“Certainly,” she replies coolly, then winks. “It's a date.”
And so is the tale of how Velma, Daphne, Shaggy and Fred – with the – hang on, this is the wrong script. Oh, where is – I know it's in this pile somewhere – must get a new assistant – arg! they've all fallen on the floor. No, don't walk over them you silly cat! This is why I never – wait, I've found it. Ahem.
And so is the tale of how Dixa, Cinderella, Flycatcher and Mr. Weasel – with the curious help of Edward Hyde – rid Fabletown of the villain Spring-Heeled Jack, and the faery Faye.
Goodbyes
Tetra woke up in his apartment in the woodlands, realizing that today was the day he was leaving and this time not returning....It saddened him but what could he do? It was out of his reach....
He packed his bags grabbing everything and putting it into his bag, he remembered when he first got here and smiled. Now he's gone like the wind.
He walked by Bigbys office.
"Today's the day huh partner?" He must be referring to Luke.
I assumed to be Luke and shook his hand "Yeah Naoto wants to have the kid in Japan."
"I see...take care..." Bigby said looking sad.
Tetra kept walking and found Snow.
"Makoto please stay!" She said
"Sorry Snow I gotta go." Tetra assumed to be Makoto and hung his head.
Snow hugged him "Well take care, Rose says goodbye as well."
Tetra nodded and walked in the elevator and went to the front returning his key.
"Safe travels Luke" Grimble said
Tetra nodded and went out to call a cab where the boy who cried wolf said farewell to him as well while driving to the train station.
When he got there surprisingly he saw everyone he met from the forums here who was still staying.
"Thanks everyone" Tetra smiled "This is where we say our goodbyes, I was supposed to come back but things didn't turn out that way... In fact I'm not coming back on here at all..." He continued "I hope everyone has a great next year, no doubt there will be tough times and obstacles but remember to always face yourself and overcome these obstacles no matter how impossible they are because when you do you will be surprised to see that you've not only over come the goal but you've learned more about yourself as well. When you meet people always greet them with a smile because you never know why they may act that way. Get to know your friends until there is nothing more you can know so you can have that bond and trust because that person you spent time with will always have your back like you had theirs no matter what situation you are in."
Tetras train arrived and he stepped on. "Goodbye everyone, keep being friendly to other members accepting them with open arms. This is truly the greatest place to be on Telltales forums. It was great meeting you all." The train doors closed and it disappeared in the distance.....
You're leaving? I hope it isn't because of any bad real life problems you've got going on...
Either way, I hope you'll come to visit from time-to-time in any case. You're always welcome here!