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Shadows were a grim reaper’s best friend. Not dogs, not ghouls--although he had nothing against either of those--but shadows. Austin slipped into the nearest one, watching the little ghoul stroll through the town. She looked like fresh bait, he thought with a sigh. And of course she would pick one of the more dangerous roads to go down. Nonetheless, she was strolling along cheerfully, dressed in bright colors, her hands tucked into a fuzzy thing that hung from her waist--how was that helpful if you got attacked??

Terra stopped, looking up at a small shop--a minipet shop, he thought--and stepped through the barred glass door, a clanky, jarring sound of a bell going off to show her entrance. For a moment Austin stopped, staying perfectly still.

Then he followed her in, wondering just how lacking she was in observation skills.

She shouldn’t be in here, Terra thought as she looked around the room in wonder. It was full to the brim with strange items--items that gave off promise--and other small minipets that had already reached their first stage. Her eyes widened as she saw a table towards the back--with only four strange stones sitting on fancy pillows. She was drawn to them, curiosity kicking in as she tried to see what was so special about them.

Her fingers reached out, only to stop as the old woman behind the counter cleared her throat in a warning sound. Terra glanced at her. “If you hatch it, you buy it,” the woman said plainly. “And those are more expensive than a student can afford.”

“Si? What are they?” Terra asked.

“Wishes,” the crone said, cackling. “That red and white one you’re so fond of, it’s real popular for Christmastival. It’s a wonder I even have one, all those overpriced stores like to grab them the moment they show up.”

Terra, of course, had stopped listening as soon as she heard the word “wishes.” Her eyes were glowing as she stared at the white and red rock in wonder, and she clasped her hands at her chest, ghouly dreams of wishes coming true dancing around in her mind. Could a minipet DO such a thing? Then she forced herself to look away.

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “This is not what I am looking for.”

“Then what brings you here, little ghoul?” the crone asked.

“I am in need of--of a cheap pet,” Terra said. “I do not have very much money, but I do have a--a bottle, of sorts. I made it in a class.”

“Hmmm... well, look around. If you really don’t want to spend much, there’s the jar right there,” she said, reaching out and tapping a large glass jar on the end of the counter. “They’re leftovers, out of date pets that never popped. I’ll give you one for three seeds, but I can’t promise they’ll ever be more than anything you see there.”

Terra hesitated. She looked at the beautiful, glowing, smell-good-ing stone on its own special pillow--and then she looked at the glass jar of boring, dull colored THINGS that looked as if they should have been thrown away years ago. For a second she looked as if she was going to cry, then she let out a sigh, tightened her jaw, and stepped up to the glass jar to start digging through the dirty, smelly, and sometimes oozing objects for a pet.

She finally pulled her hand out, holding a small, fluffy object with a heart on it. “This is three seeds, no?” she asked the crone, showing it to her.

“Hmmm. I did say that, didn’t I?” the crone said, seeing what it was. “Fine. I’ll give it to you for three. But mind you, you’ve found a good thing in a pile of trash,” she added--knowing a good sell when she saw it. That pirate treat would have been useless even if it had popped--and more trouble than it was worth.

“I will give you two,” Terra said.

“And why is that?”

“Because clearly it is worth even less than you say by the glint in your eyes,” the ghoul replied, pulling out a small seed purse and digging out two silver seeds. She dropped them on the counter, not even giving the crone time to reply, and stalked out of the building, her find clenched in a still slightly slimy hand.

The crone started to stand, about to go after her--when a man appeared in front of her. He was a reaper, she saw, calming down slightly, and as a reaper there was a good chance that he had money (he was clearly an adult.) “And what can I do for you, sir?” she asked in a wheedling tone.

“That wish,” he said, nodding to the red and white one, “how much?”

“It doesn’t seem quite--“

“How much,” he repeated.

So she named a figure, expecting him to change his mind and go after one of the others. She didn’t really WANT to sell the peppermint--

The seeds dropped onto the counter, completely curtailing that thought. She wanted to sell it. Oh how she wanted to sell it. She waved and wished him Happy Christmastival at the top of her worn out lungs as he grabbed the stone and disappeared out the door.

((WC: 896))

“And he is very pushy!” Terra complained almost half an hour later. “He teases me very much, and it is irritating!”

“Y’want me to have someone talk with him?” Alpha asked, watching her with a little grin. She was jackin’ adorable, he had decided. And it amused the hell out of him how Vegas’s boil was just lounging in the corner, watching them--and she’d not even noticed once. Even when he’d been served dinner and several beers.

“No... I can handle it myself! He is my hermano--I will teach him a lesson!” she said. “I will put snow down his pants!” She looked so very proud of that decision, the werewolf thought. It had him laughing again.

“You do that, princess,” Alpha told her. “I’m sure he’ll think better after you do it.” Not. He’d caught onto her story quickly enough, and it rather astonished him how quickly Terra and Roch had become like family--annoying brother and all. And she had a gleam in her eyes that said she rather enjoyed the fighting relationship they had. “Tell me about those other boils you know, again. The grue, for instance.”

“Senor Nahm!” she said. “He is very much the gentleman!”

Alpha doubted that, but he didn’t say a word, just let her go on for as long as she wanted, spilling everything she knew to a guy she’d just met. But abruptly she stopped and pulled out a small watch. “Oh, I have been here so long,” she said. “I did not notice! I should pay for--“

“Don’t worry about it,” Alpha said, waving a hand. “Make sure you come and visit once and a while and we’ll call it even,” he added.

“Gracias, Senor Alpha!” she said, jumping to her feet and kissing him on the cheek. “I will come back soon! I need to get preparations for Christmastival presents now!” Then she raced off, waving goodbye to the other werewolves with a bright, happy smile. When the door shut behind her he found himself facing a group of highly amused werewolves.

“Alpha,” Kelly said, “you have white makeup on your cheek.”

Alpha reached up and wiped it away, snorting. “Omega, you’re on guard duty--go make sure she doesn’t get herself killed would you? Scythe boil, come talk with me for a bit.”

The reaper stood, nodding slightly at Omega as the teen wolf went past, then dropping down in the chair that Terra had been sitting in. “I can’t speak long,” he said. “I’ve got a present to deliver.”

“I noticed she barely mentioned your old man or you,” Alpha said, jumping straight to the heart of it.

“Yeah, so did I,” Austin admitted. “I’m working on it.”

“And I’m assuming she’s the reason you just boldly sauntered into my home turf and ordered the special,” Alpha went on.

“You know it is,” Austin said. “I have no problem with you, Alpha, in fact me and Bruno played pool just the other day.”

“You played pool? Without me?” Alpha demanded.

“Thought you’d be too busy being the high and mighty Alpha,” Austin said, grinning and leaning back in his chair.

“Like hell I am! And you damn well better invite me to the next poker game--I heard you wiped the table with my little brother.”

“Fine, I’ll make sure to call next time--but you know how it is when the old man owns a casino. Impromptu games start up.”

Alpha grunted, then shook his head. “Take care of that little princess,” he said. “She’s a good ghoul.”

“Roch is the first step. When she’s good with him--and it looks like that’s happening fast, well, we’ll start working on the rest of the family problem soon. Now... I really should go. Who knows how far she’s gotten?”

“Omega’s on it.”

“But like you said,” Austin said as he stood, “she’s the Scythe family princess.” Then he nodded slightly in respect. “I’ll see you on pool night,” he added as he headed for the door.

Terra was nowhere to be seen. He cursed.
***

Terra was lost. Of course, she hadn’t known where she was to begin with, so she probably shouldn’t have been surprised--but this time she didn’t know where she was and didn’t know how to get back to where she’d been. That was the difference. She stared at the dark, rather sinister looking area, trying to figure out what direction she had come from. She didn’t know. She spun in a circle, looking for something familiar--but all of the roads and corners looked the same.

“Hola? Is there anyone here?” she called. When there was no response except for snow kicking up in the wind, she wrapped her arms around herself under the poncho and picked a direction. Sooner or later she would come upon someone, ask for directions, head back to school. She could practically feel eyes watching her, but no one stepped forward.

A footstep caught her ear. It seemed to come out of nowhere, the single sound. Terra turned around, suddenly worrying that perhaps she shouldn’t have come this way--or even into this area--

And then she saw who it was.

“Looks like you got caught in a shadow trick,” Austin said, taking a long drag off of the smoke hanging from his lips. “C’mere, princess, let’s get you home now,” he said, holding out one gloved hand.

“What is a shadow trick?” Terra asked, looking, but not taking the hand. This, she thought, this was her true hermano. He looked very much like Roch, now that she was looking closer. But there were lines on his face where Roch had none, and his hair was much more normal, cut short and blonde. Those silver eyes, though, they were almost exactly the same as Roch’s. Although she didn’t realize how much softer they were than usual as he looked at her.

“Oh, it’s an illusion,” Austin said. “Tricksters trying to rob you, or just scare you set them up. It’s a loop. Your werewolf guard got tricked by it as well,” he said, still holding out his hand. “I can get you out.”

“Have you been following me?” Terra demanded.

“You’re in the worst part of town, princess,” Austin said. “You really think I’m going to lose you to scum like this?”

“You do not care for me,” Terra said. “I have been here for two weeks and you have not approached me since we first met!”

He sighed. “I just... suck as a parent, screech,” he said honestly. “And as a brother, I guess you could say. But can we have this discussion somewhere else? It’s not exactly safe here, and I’m going to have to haul Omega’s a** out of the fire as well--Alpha would kill me if he found out.”

“Fine,” she said, looking around. Austin looked to be the safest way out. Reluctantly she reached out, taking his large hand and letting him lead her forward. The world seemed to shift as they walked forward, shedding a layer of something she hadn’t even realized was there. It made her feel slightly queasy, so she looked at Austin’s back, focusing on that.

Then they were free. Austin turned, grinning at her--it was almost as if it were Roch that had saved her, a deceptive little thought whispered. “That’s my princess,” he said, taking another drag off of his smoke before tugging her to the corner of the street. “Now stand here for a bit while I go save Omega.”

Then he disappeared. It was as if he were never there, she thought, hugging herself again. This was her--her real brother? He came back a few moments later, hauling a teenage boil, one that looked about her age, out of the shadows by the back of his shirt. “Hey now, kid, you have any idea what Alpha would say if he found out you fell for this trick?” Austin demanded as he let go of the boil. “Go back to your pack, tell them I’ve got her,” he said, blowing the wolf off entirely.

“You’re just a rea--“

“I would be very careful, if I was you,” Austin said, stubbing out his smoke. “I might be just a reaper, but I’m still a Scythe. And in your world I would be Beta of my clan. Much as that fact can piss me off sometimes.” He cupped his hands around his cighoulette to light it--when he’d gotten a second one, Terra couldn’t rightly know. “Besides, she’s one of mine.”

Omega stared at him, then slowly, reluctantly, nodded and headed off back to Lucky’s.

“Now,” Austin said. “Let’s go on a date, princess. I’ve even gotten a Christmastival present for you, if you want it.” He held out his arm, bending it at the elbow for her to grab. She hesitated, still not sure what she should do. “You’re FEAR of my FEAR, princess. And while I think the age gap’s a bit too much for us to really be brother and sister like, I can be a dad, or an uncle, or whatever you want to call me. We’re family.”

“You believe that I am a Scythe?” she asked. “I just showed up out of nowhere, claiming the name--I did not even know what the name meant. But you use it as if it has power, and I do not believe Alpha did not know who I was. Was I wrong to -- I do not know,” she said finally. “I feel that I am... out of my...” She trailed off, unable to come up with the word. “Is he really my padre?”

“So even you doubted it?” Austin asked, amused. “There’s a chance that you’re not a Scythe,” he told her. “I won’t lie--we’re not the only reapers with a market on musical instruments for weapons, but--“ he said, looking at her more closely, “you have eyes like ours, blond hair like ours, you carry a trademark style Scythe weapon--they might have instruments, but they’re not usually bladed, and sometimes they’re familiars, see? The electric sound--Roch has that, too, princess. It seems to be part of the next generation of Scythes. Not to mention, you come from a town that the old man frequents often. Now the question is--how many reapers with a heritage of bladed instruments, blonde hair and silver eyes would possibly have been to a town that’s well known for undead--and pretty much only undead? If there ARE others--well hell, we’re probably related to them, too.”

“Roch is a blonde?” Terra asked blankly. “I thought his hair was purple!”

“He dyes,” Austin said. “The kid’s got really strange tastes, I’ll be the first to admit it. But has he treated you as anything other than family? Is that why you’re doubting things?”

“No... he is...” she frowned, thinking about it honestly, “very much what I have always thought big brothers are supposed to be,” she admitted. “But do not tell him that. I enjoy yelling at him.”

Austin burst out laughing.
***
((WC: 1,856 because the Austin part))