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 Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 8:49 am
Backdated to 11/15/22Brooklyn was somewhat amused, somewhat annoyed and somewhat touched by the fact that both Elliot and Atticus insisted on walking her back to St. Mags. Like, sure it was dark out, but she wasn’t afraid, no matter what spooky or awful things lurked in the darkness…and anyway, the fact that they were walking her just made her want to follow them to make sure they returned home in one piece, so it really…might not be the best of ideas.
Turning so she was looking at the two, Brooklyn raised her hands up and placed them behind her head while she walked. “You know, I really appreciate you guys walking me back, but I would have been okay on my own, and I’ve already promised that if I see something weird or magical I’ll stay away from it and not talk to anyone in dark colors.”
Like her former benefactress…that was someone she was staying far away from.
“And I’m not going to poke any strange creatures with sticks anymore either, I have learned…though, I suppose if I'm being honest, I am on the verge of a food coma from all of that dip and those cookies so…I guess I can’t rule out falling asleep on the sidewalk as I digest…so maybe this is all for the best after all.” Grinning, Brooklyn stuck her tongue out at both boys and turned to face the direction she was walking once more.
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Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 10:39 am
Elliot laughed and shook his head; he held Atticus’ hand in his own and swung it while they walked. It was bit brisk outside, so he’d dressed in long pants and boots and an extra jacket, but he’d been all too happy to use the excuse that his hand was cold.
He’d worn a small backpack, too, but he hadn’t explained why. It wasn’t for fashion, but he’d said, ‘Just in case’, like there wasn’t actually a real reason for it.
One he’d kept quiet about, until he couldn’t help himself.
“The dip and cookies? Please, I thought dinner would have been what did you in. But I’m glad that didn’t make the list, my parents loaded me up with leftovers to give you. I was supposed to wait until we were saying goodbye so you didn’t have a chance to say no. I’m surprised you couldn’t smell it coming out of my bag, to be honest. Did you have fun? They seemed to like you. They asked when you were coming back again. Or if they should send you care packages.”
It seemed like a peaceful enough night, and Elliot liked the excuse to get out and walk around, and maybe patrol after this. Something seemed just a little off, even though he couldn’t really figure out why. The hairs on the back of his neck weren’t standing up, but it almost felt like they wanted to.
Maybe he was just on the verge of a food coma, too.
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Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 10:41 am
Atticus had bundled up as well. He had a new jacket and nice boots, because nice boots were important, according to Devyn. But he was happy to hold onto Elliot’s hand as they walked. He’d had a lot to eat, but he still tended to eat less than what he suspected their parents would like him to eat.
“Anymore?” he looked at Brooklyn with concern. She was going around and poking youma with sticks? He could feel his stomach twist uncomfortably at the thought. Brooklyn said that she would be careful, but her previous actions were a bit questionable. Atticus hoped that she really would take being careful seriously.
“Your dads really did a lot, and that’s just like them sending leftovers. When I first started hanging out with Elliot, his dads would pack a double lunch so he could share with me. It was really sweet. I mean… I know it was your idea,” he said with a fond smile and squeezed Elliot’s hand. “But they went out of their way to make sure there was enough for you to bring. It was a lot better than cans of peas.”
He was smiling still. There were a lot of things about his past that he didn’t like to talk about, but Elliot made everything so much better.
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Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 11:12 am
“Well, by anymore I mean it just happened the once, that’s how I found out that Cara was involved in all of this, but…I had no idea what it was to be fair, and I had seemed like a good idea in the moment, I realized that it wasn’t pretty quickly though. I do learn, Atticus, I promise!”
Brooklyn threw him a grin and stuck her tongue out at the boy and resumed walking, trying to really process all that Elliot had said and to figure out the best way to answer him without either crying or sounding stupid or…gushing too much.
Was it too much to consider begging to be adopted by Elliot’s parents? She did like them, as much as she didn’t want to admit it, and it would be nice to live in such a warm home and…
“I will never say no to food, or care packages, not that I’ve ever gotten them before, but now that I’m being told I might get them, I’ll never say no to it. I’m…relieved that they don’t hate me, I can’t deny that…I’m always worried about that, you know…”
Well, know or not they didn’t need to dwell on it, and neither did she.
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Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 11:15 am
Elliot couldn’t help but smile when Atticus said he really knew it was his idea, but he didn’t take credit for it. He squeezed Atticus’ hand and swung it a bit more, though.
“My dads didn’t always have it easy, so they know how important it is when someone makes a little bit of an effort,” he explained, because even if his parents were doing well now, and even if they didn’t always dwell on how things had been hard for them, he knew a bit about what it was like.
They’d worked very hard to make sure he was happy and had everything he needed, and he’d never been short of love or attention from them.
“I’m glad you won’t be poking any more youma, though. If you see anything weird, you should run away and get somewhere safe. Or call us. You haven’t met Atticus’ dads yet, but they’re strong and brave, they’d definitely come rescue you. We’d come make sure you were safe.”
He saw movement out of the corner of his eyes–a dash of white that he didn’t pay much mind to, except–
It was moving, pretty quickly, and then stopped when it saw them, and then bolted towards them again. It took him a second to realize it was a cat–a cat with a star on his forehead. A big, fluffy cat.
Oh, it looked like Soleiyu.
He almost looked excited to see them, except he was really hauling it towards them. Elliot didn’t know much about cats, but he thought the Mauvian might have looked a little alarmed. He couldn’t exactly see why; he’d come from the bushes, and there was a wall of trees behind that, but nothing seemed necessarily amiss.
Except, the hairs were standing on the back of his neck, anyway.
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Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 11:34 am
Atticus felt his cheeks flush red when Brooklyn stuck her tongue out at him, even though he knew she was just playing around. He didn’t mean to imply that she didn’t learn! He was just worried, and she’d already gotten involved more than was probably safe.
He felt Elliot squeeze his hand, and saw his smile, and his heart fluttered a little as he smiled back at him. Atticus still wasn’t sure why Brooklyn was convinced that people would hate her. Did people usually hate her? That didn’t seem fair. There was nothing wrong with her, as far as Atticus could tell.
Then again, he liked to think there had been nothing wrong with him (now that Elliot and their dads had helped reassure him there wasn’t), but people still hated him before. Or if they didn’t hate him, they just didn’t care if he was miserable or not.
Atticus nodded in agreement when Elliot suggested his dads coming to save Brooklyn from any trouble, but he didn’t get a chance to really say anything else on the subject. He could see something moving and --
Soleiyu??
Atticus paused where he was walking, not sure what was going on, but he was pretty sure Soleiyu wasn’t the kind of cat that enjoyed running around and getting leaves and things in his fur. He squeezed Elliot’s hand to indicate his concern, but hopefully didn’t alert Brooklyn too much.
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Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 11:41 am
One thing that Brooklyn didn’t really have any experience in was animals, so when a giant beast of a cat came charging at the three of them, for a moment she froze, and then her mind screamed that this was a large…or…a small mountain lion maybe? That was a thing…
She would have thought a bobcat with a tail but…she was mostly sure that such a thing didn’t exist, regardless, Brooklyn stopped in her walking and resisted the urge to fling her arms up to protect both Atticus and Elliot. She could punch a cat if she needed to but…
But after a moment, she realized that it might be another of the creatures. The youma…and if it was coming at them. “I think maybe we should run? If um. If it’s trying to attack us, don’t you think that’s a good idea? And I don’t have any sticks to beat it if that…if it’s not…I mean. If it’s one of the monsters. It’s really big.” Brooklyn was proud that her voice only trembled a little...and she hoped that the other two wouldn’t notice that it had.
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Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 12:13 pm
Atticus saw the Mauvian, and without saying anything, he knew that they were probably thinking the same thing. He noticed Soleiyu’s glasses, dangling from the chain around his neck and worn like jewelry now.
Soleiyu slowed when he approached the three. He only knew two of them, and he knew Atticus more than Elliot. And, he did not have a telepathic connection with him, so staring into his eyes transmitted no thoughts. Soleiyu slowed somewhat when he approached, offended by Brooklyn’s words, and then angrily stomped his feet nearby as if that would convey something.
Elliot didn’t understand the message. People, he could usually read. Animals? Rarely. Was Soleiyu an animal? No, he was some magical space alien cat. That didn’t make him any easier to read.
“Hey, uh. Buddy,” he said cautiously. He was holding onto Atticus’ hand tightly but instinctively took a step forward. Brooklyn didn’t need protection from Soleiyu, but he did want to make sure that the Mauvian didn’t accidentally get kicked back into the trees. “It’s just a cat, Brooklyn, don’t worry. I’ve seen this one around the neighborhood, he’s just friendly. Please don’t hit him with a stick, he’s nice.”
…But something wasn’t right. Elliot felt a lump in his throat and he couldn’t figure out why. Soleiyu was acting strangely, and he didn’t know exactly what was going on but he could piece things together.
There weren’t many safe places nearby–a bathroom in the park was the first thing he thought of, and he looked behind him to make sure he could see it.
…It was in sight. Okay. That was a start. Soleiyu was shifting uncomfortably, looking over his shoulder. Elliot could feel his heart rate pick up. “Hey–that bathroom over there.” He glanced back to it briefly and then looked to the treeline. He wasn’t sure if he saw something move or not. “Atticus, can you take Brooklyn there real fast? You should go now. Like, right now. The cat might be hurt, maybe you can take him and clean him up real fast.”
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Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 12:33 pm
Atticus could feel the air leave his lungs as he stared wildly at Elliot when he suggested they run and hide. His first reaction was to say no! He didn’t want to leave him! He wouldn’t! Not if there was something lurking nearby that Soleiyu was running from.
But Brooklyn was with them. She needed to be kept safe. They’d promised to look out for each other.
And Atticus trusted Elliot. He knew he was clever and fast and strong, no matter how young they all were.
He didn’t have enough time to say everything on his mind. To tell Elliot to be careful, to give him a kiss, to hug him tight. Instead, all Atticus could do was give his hand another tight squeeze as his eyes filled with tears --
And let it go so he could reach down to scoop up Soleiyu under one arm, and take Brooklyn’s hand with his other to drag her if necessary towards the bathroom.
“Please help me?” he asked her, holding Soleiyu tightly but carefully so he wouldn’t hurt him. “Elliot will be okay. He’ll be okay.” He had to be.
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Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 12:42 pm
Brooklyn felt utterly uneasy about the whole situation, about leaving Elliot alone with what might honestly be a monster cat, and obviously Atticus was unhappy too…but then the cat was coming with them. She wanted to protest, wanted to say something, to do something.
“Are you sure that…I mean…” She swallowed and held on to Atticus’ hand, frowning. “Are you really sure? Is this the best idea I…”
There was something out there, if the cat wasn’t the issue, than something else was the issue and they were just leaving Elliot there…it didn’t seem like…
“This really doesn’t seem like a good idea Atticus…” Her voice came out as a croak and she looked down at the ground, hoping to find a stick, to find something that she could use in case Elliot needed help. There was something shiny on the ground and she bent down quickly to pick it up, if it was a pin or something, it would at least be something.
The moment she picked up the stick, something strange happened, and suddenly Brooklyn was no longer wearing the same clothes, but she now wore a dress…a very pink dress and everything was different. She paused and tugged her hand away from Atticus, mouth gaping open slightly, even as her head turned towards the woods. She felt something in there…and it felt awful.
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Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 12:55 pm
Elliot was proud of Atticus, for the few seconds that it seemed like his plan might work. He was athletic. He was fast. Physically, he figured he was stronger than both of them.
He was durable. Atticus could have gone to the bathroom to call for help. Elliot could have distracted whatever was chasing Soleiyu. Could have lured it in another direction with an energy signature.
Now, he didn’t really have that opportunity, because Brooklyn was gone and there was a Page stood in her place. He didn’t know why she’d stopped. He didn’t know why she didn’t listen.
Now really wasn’t the time to figure it out, because the treeline shook again.
Elliot’s lips were pressed in a tight line and he looked at Atticus almost helplessly.
He was at a disadvantage without powering up, and even if he did, if there was something powered in the forest, Brooklyn was the easier target.
“Brooklyn,” he said again, sternly, maybe a little desperately. “You don’t know what you’re doing, you have to get out of here. Please.”
Soleiyu was watching closely; his eyes darted from her, to the treeline, and back again.
He didn’t know what was going on but he recognized the symbols on her dress and all the wires in his head felt like they were suddenly crossed. He felt an electric current that wouldn’t shut off, and every new thought felt like a sudden spark in his mind. He didn’t protest in Atticus’ arms, but his tail stood up straight.
She’d powered up, but she was unlike any other he’d seen before.
Well. Almost.
“She's a Page?" he blurted, but he knew the boys had been told to be careful with their identities, so he didn't dwell on the subject for long. She seemed like she was new, brand new, so he jumped into the important information. "It’s a youma. I don’t know how strong it is, it’s just big. I got away from it, I think it was tracking my energy signature. But it’s going to be able to feel yours,” he said to the girl.
Elliot’s eyes flashed and he wished he could tell her how to power down, he wished she had any time to power down.
A great, beastly youma pushed through the treeline and stumbled over the bushes Soleiyu had come under. It had long arms and walked with a bit of a hunch. It had the face of a rodent and a tail to match, but its body looked more like a dark brown orangutan.
Its eyes were on the four of them, and it let out a low, hollow bellow before it began to knuckle-walk towards them at a surprising speed.
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Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 1:09 pm
He was confused by what Brooklyn was saying. Was she really afraid of Soleiyu? She’d wanted to run when she thought she was going to run away from Soleiyu, but now she thought it was a bad idea?
Atticus didn’t have time to try and reason with her. He needed to get her to the bathroom, to get her away from whatever was chasing Soleiyu, to give Elliot time to power up without her seeing --
But then she was picking something up from the ground, and was no longer Brooklyn, and was pulling her hand away from him.
His heart was pounding. He could see the look in her eyes and he knew there was something just out of sight. And he knew they were putting Elliot more in danger the longer they stood there. He was telling them to go and they had to get out of there.
When Soleiyu spoke, Atticus gasped. Not because he’d never spoken to him before. On the contrary, he very much liked talking to Soleiyu. But because Soleiyu obviously felt it was important enough to let Brooklyn know how serious this was.
“Let’s go,” Atticus begged her, his eyes filled with tears as he looked over to where Elliot was, to where the youma was crashing through the trees. “He’s really, really fast. He’s trying to protect us. Please, Brooklyn. Trust Elliot. I do.”
Once more, Atticus reached for Brooklyn’s hand with the intention of pulling her towards the bathrooms. If they could lock the door behind them, Soleiyu could help with her powering down. He hoped.
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Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 2:09 pm
Brooklyn didn’t understand what was going on. She had picked up the stick? Pin? Metal flower? Whatever it was, she had picked it up to at least offer some protection…something small and slender in the eye was always a good bet to ward off something bad after all…but now Elliot sounded angry with her…or worried and angry, whatever it was, she didn’t like the tone, and Atticus had tears in his eyes yet again and…
…And the cat spoke. The cat spoke.
It felt like her mind was torn in four directions, one that wanted to run away and hide, unhappy with the tone of Elliot’s voice and the fact that she had been the one to make Atticus cry again...one that wanted to get angry and lash out, the cat was saying she was a Page just like Cara was…she could help. Just because she was a girl didn’t mean she was weak. Just because Elliot was a boy didn’t mean that he was stronger…
One part of her mind was utterly confused with the whole situation. She had wanted to get magical powers, yes but…she wished that she would have simply found a good fairy to bestow them, not some Hell monkey…thing. And the last part of her mind was the part that she assumed was the rational side, which was scared to the bone. But. Still.
Swallowing hard, Brooklyn allowed herself to be led by Atticus, her mind fully at war with itself.
Why did she have to trust Elliot? Why couldn’t they trust her? This was already a completely unequal friendship…the least she could do was keep them safe.
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Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 2:58 pm
Elliot’s heart was pounding in his chest because the youma was big. He wasn’t scared of it, but he was worried that his friends might get hurt. Soleiyu was limited with what he could do, he was small and didn’t have many ways to defend himself. As civilians, he and Atticus didn’t have much to defend themselves with, either.
Soleiyu had said a youma. Not multiple youma, not an Agent. Just one.
He could handle just one.
The youma was watching as the other three moved, and Elliot didn’t know that he could distract it for long without powering up.
He didn’t think there was anyone around, but he looked quickly to double check. It seemed safe–as safe as it could be with a giant, rat-faced, oversized orangutan youma running towards you.
There wasn’t much to use as a weapon around here, and the only thing he had in his bag as food. He didn't think youma ate so he didn’t waste time trying to pull anything out. He’d been playing with a baseball earlier, tossing it up and down, and that was easy to find at least. He’d shoved it in the side pocket of the bag. It wasn’t anything special, just an old ball. He didn’t have any regrets about chucking it as hard as he could at the youma.
It hit solidly, and the youma stumbled. If Elliot had more things to throw at it, he might not have even had to think about powering up.
But, he wasn’t going to be reckless. The youma was watching him. It moved towards him. Good. He just needed to buy a little time.
Soleiyu tried to keep himself as stiff and easy to hold as possible, especially because he knew that Atticus and the Page were going to have to move. He assumed Elliot had a plan; he wasn’t a reckless boy. He tried to glance over his shoulder at the two of them, but Elliot only looked determined.
“What’s your name?” he asked the girl. “Can you focus while we run? You should hear something in your mind. A name, a Wonder. It’ll be the source of your power. I’ll explain everything to you when you get somewhere safe. You’ll be okay, we’ll get this under control. I’m sorry for surprising you. I’m glad you didn’t hit me with a stick, though.”
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Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2022 5:21 pm
Okay, okay this was going to be okay. He could barely see through his tears. He could hear the youma somewhere behind him, knew that Elliot must have been working on keeping it distracted.
He tugged on Brooklyn’s hand as hard as he could, hoping that his naturally weak grip would be enough to get her to follow him and Soleiyu around the building and out of sight to give Elliot a chance to power up. The restroom was right there, they just had to make it.
Elliot was buying them time, and Atticus knew they had to make the most of it.
He wasn’t sure if he should be acting surprised about the cat, or if he should admit that Soleiyu had helped him before. He figured it wasn’t important at the moment, and he didn’t want to interrupt him when he was asking Brooklyn to focus.
Atticus wished he had access to his earrings. Even if he did, he didn’t have time to give one to Elliot before they parted ways. His heart was racing, and not knowing if Elliot was okay was making him dizzy with worry. But he knew how reckless Brooklyn was, how convinced she was that she had to protect them when it wasn’t fair for her to assume they needed her protection. Against a bully? Sure, Atticus would happily let her stand up for him if she wanted to, but against a youma both he and Elliot had more experience.
When he got to the bathroom doors, he had to let go of her hand to try and tug the first one he got to open. If they were safe inside, he could try to call his dads. Soleiyu was still tucked under his arm and he didn’t seem eager to put him down.
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