Note: This is a chapter that did not make the cut into my strange occurrences story. So if you haven't read it... go read it!
In a way, Robbie had wished that he had never responded to the sounds around him; the soft trickle of water outside, his mother humming softly beside him, the bubbling of the brewing potions, or the soft crackle of the spitting fire below it. The sounds of home brought him back to a conscious state. He wished he hadn't stirred from his slumber, but that was only because the dreams had been so desirable; life was what he made it in dreams. It wasn't intangible, so unfathomable that it was pointless to even imagine it- he could see it clearly, what he wanted, really what he had ever wanted.
Cat Valentine.
She was with him, holding his hand proudly as they walked through the streets of Perimith. No one was wary as they passed, averting their eyes pretending to see right through the Prince and the Dividre… because Cat never had that horrible decision thrust upon her, they had never been separated. Together they grew up, Robbie didn't have to spend those painful years being separated from her, wondering where she was, who she was with… if she had forgotten about him.
No, she had never been taken away, her parents had not perished and his parents did not disapprove of his mate, because she was envisioned to everyone the way that Robbie had always seen the little redhead.
She was perfection.
But sadly, dreams rarely reflect reality, because as soon as Robbie's heart rate began to pound, the instant his eyes popped open, he was greeted by the painful and haunting emotion that is certainty. His memories swamped him; the piercing of the dagger; Cat poised her dark eyes gleaming with vengeance as she pounced; the heat of the kiss, her heart erratically beating against his chest before he pulled away.
His mother stifled a scream, her chair scrapping against the stone floor as she flung herself towards him. As she placed a hand on his forehead he noticed how frigid her hand was against his sweat soaked brow, tendrils of hair clung to the side of his face as she reached for a soaked hand cloth. Wordlessly she began placed the cloth on his forehead, letting droplets of water seep out and cascade down his temples towards his chin. Imogen Shapiro was weak, her once honey brown eyes where tried and dull; her steady hands shook as she placed her hand in his. Robbie smiled meekly at his mother, the question did not need to be asked, he could tell… the tattoo that branded the back of her hand was faded and old.
The mark of a deceased half.
Robbie felt a sharp stab of pain when he thought of his father falling in battle, was it when his mother was too concern with saving him when she should have been protecting her Altra Metá? He would admit that he and father didn't have the best relationship, his father resented that he wasn't as strong as the other warriors, he loathed the fact that Cat was his other half and he had ordered to have him assassinated; those are some factors that people tend to not get over quickly.
But still, Marcus Shapiro was his blood, and that meant something, so for his mother's sake. He wouldn't mention the crippling disappointed his father had bestowed upon him in his final day. Instead, Robbie would be remain silent.
"How are you?"
An idiotic question by any means, because he already knew the answer, Imogen Shapiro face spoke a million unsaid words; she was confused, unsure, apprehensive… but more than anything. She was heartbroken.
"A little better." She admitted, her voice slight and feeble, "I told Rex that you were a fighter, you always have been. I knew not to give up on you. You just needed some time to be alone with your thoughts."
"How long was I-" He paused, searching for the right word, glancing over at his mother who was shovelling the potion from the pot into a glass, "How long was Lost?"
"Twenty-one days." She replied, her eyes following the neon green liquid with the consistency of mud, as it splatted into the glass. As she clicked her fingers the glass travelled over to his bedside, where it hovered just above him, "Drink this."
Using his elbows Robbie pulled himself up into a sitting position and grabbed the glass. Plugging his nose, he forced down the toxic tasting tonic. He felt as though his very skin was bubbling and frothing, but the effect wasn't unpleasant, already he could feel his headache subsiding. As he held the glass to his lips he noticed it. His tatoo still burned as brightly and as vibrantly as it always had and that could only mean one thing: Cat was still alive.
"Where is she?" he asked as he stared at the dove, "Have they hurt her?"
Imogen opened her mouth as if to say something, before quickly changed her mind. Shaking her head she moved across the room towards the large window that overlooked the small town of Perimith. Robbie watched her intently as she placed her hand on the glass and sigh deeply, her other hand drifting to her mouth to stifle her sobs. Pushing the sheets off, his feet touched the cold floor as he walked over to her. It surprised him that his wound was causing him little pain, it only felt like a soft pinch every so often. Placing a hand on his mother shoulder she shook him off.
"I'm fine." She said, as she moved away from him, "I just need a moment."
"Is this about Cat?" Robbie asked, "Oh God, she hasn't been… she isn't dying is she?"
"No, of course not, nothing like that." Imogen managed as she watched the lights flickering up at the Cathedral, "No Robbie. We have much to discuss tomorrow."
"Why tomorrow?" He questioned as he tried to contain his sudden burst of anger, "Why not tell me now?"
"You need to rest." She replied as she moved towards his bedroom door, "I'll have the servants bring you up some dinner."
"I don't want to rest." Robbie exclaimed, "I want you tell me what is happening."
Her nails dug into the thick oak door, she paused, not looking her son in the eye as she mumbled, "Throne room. One hour."
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One foot in front of the other, spin in a circle, repeat.
Robbie had been pacing around the throne room for half an hour now and every time, he couldn't bring himself to look at the grand throne in the very centre of the room. He wondered why his mother had requested to speak with him in here; he was never allowed to enter the throne room, once when he was younger, he and Cat had snuck in here on one of the trolleys that carry in food for his father to pick at as he listens to the problems the people of Perimith may suffer. Hiding under the soft linen sheet, he and Cat would peek out and watch his father delegate and rule.
He wasn't pleased when he heard them giggling. He wasn't allowed to see Cat for a week after that, and because she really was his only friend… it was a pretty lonely week for the prince.
The creak of the large double doors opening indicated the entrance of his mother. She had changed into her regal clothing; her crown sparkled on her head as she stalked past her son, her chin arched proudly as she took her seat on the thrown. Respectfully, Robbie bowed at his mother as she took her place on the Throne; she was now the sole ruler of Perimith.
Fingernails drummed against the rich oak that adorned the plush throne as Imogen Shapiro ordered her son to rise, her voice commanding. Robbie had always associated his mother with a hawk, now more than ever. Her eyes zoned in on him, and instantly Robbie felt intimidated, like a mouse that was moments before death.
"Can we discuss Cat now." Robbie asked, trying to keep his voice steady, "I want to see her."
The right side of his mother's mouth twitched and for a moment there was silence. It was torture, worse than being stabbed, because at least he was aware what was happening. But right now he felt out of the circle, he could practically hear the people whispering about him.
"We shall talk about Cat after this." Imogen stated, "and it is because Robert, this is frankly more important."
Sighing wearily, Robbie nodded, "Right okay mother, what is it?"
"I had to wait for you to for to wake, the rules are practically prehistorical." She mumbled to herself, eyes boring into the stone floor.
"What rules?" He asked bemusedly, "I don't understand."
"I am not allowed to rule Robbie." Imogen stated as she rose from the throne, "The Elders have informed me that they are will not change the laws stating that a woman can be a leader. So naturally, the Throne has to be passed down… to my eldest son."
The potion that his mother had made him drink must have been brewed wrong, because Robbie felt weak again, a cold flush swept over his body as he gazed, mouth slightly ajar, at the now empty Throne.
"You cannot be serious."
Removing the crown from her head, she shook her head in disbelief, "You are Perimith's King now."
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When Robbie was younger he had told Cat about his ambition when he ruled Perimith; how he was going to make a difference in his city. He would be the first King to not be a dictator; he wanted to be appreciated more than feared. Cat had made him promise that they would still be friends, even when he was a mighty king and she was only commoner. He recalled how his cheeks glowed beetroot red when he told her that obviously they would remain friends, because Cat was going to rule alongside him.
He realised now, as he walked down the streets, there was a profound sense of sadness that he would have never associated with ruling. The people respected him, cheered as he was crowned king, showering him with petals, causing fireworks to whiz around the sky as he made his speech written by his mother. For the first time, Robbie Shapiro was not an outcast.
But it was also the first time that he wished he was.
He was torn, after his mother tried to hand him the crown, he had rushed out of the throne room and ran into the streets. His mother didn't even attempt to stop him, which he knew she could have done easily with a small twirl of her forefinger. He made a beeline for the only place he knew he may find comfort… and the answers that he was looking for.
Banging on the door, he ignored the looks he was receiving from those passing by. This was the first time they had seen their King since that night, and now here he was in the flesh. It took a matter of seconds before the whole town heard the news and swarmed him. His back pressed against the door, he panicked at the sheer size of the crowd, the questions being thrown at him. He could control his breathing, he was going to faint.
A withered hand hooked around the back of his shirt, he stumbled as he was pulled through the threshold of the door. The old woman muttered to herself as she dragged the new King through her small town house. Plonking him down on the chair she thrust a cup of tea at him. The house felt vacant and vast. Ivy Valentine sat on the opposite side of the table and smiled weakly at Robbie.
"You are going to have to get better with crowds your Majesty." She said as she stirred her tea, "You will have to perform a lot of public speaking in your new role."
Robbie shook his head in awe, "Ivy I can't believe it, this just isn't happening. Not now, it's all too soon."
"So naturally you ran here." Ivy stated, "because you thought you would find your answers here. But sadly my dear, you only found me."
And there it was. Robbie's answer, the look on her face said it all. While he had been slumbering, they had been plotting, putting their twisted minds to use. Sadly it had worked for them, they had finally gotten what they desired the moment she was born.
They had disposed of Cat Valentine.
"This doesn't make sense!" Robbie exclaimed, as he paced the small kitchen, "I would know Ivy, I would know if she was dead!"
Ivy snorted with laughter, surprised at the boy's train of thoughts, "Oh my child no! Cat is not dead, she is just no longer with us."
"Why does everyone keep speaking in cryptic riddles!" Robbie complained as he pulled at his hair, "Why can't you all just spell it out for me in plain English!"
"Nate came to visit me." Ivy explained, "I should really thank you for that, I believe it is because of you and your brother that he is still alive."
Robbie nodded, "It was nothing."
"It's not nothing." Ivy corrected, "It was the first time I had seen him in years, he was everything I had ever hoped he would be. Stronger, self-assured, loyal, the spitting image of his father. You brought him back to me, even if it was only for that one occasion, and I will never be able to repay you."
"I am glad that it brought you happiness." Robbie said, controlling his growing frustration, he had waited long enough to hear the story of Cat's fate, but he wasn't about to emotionally batter Ivy Valentine, this woman had suffered a loss also.
"Well, Nate arrived on my doorstep, he told me he couldn't stay long. He told me that the Elder's had given Cat a birthday present of sorts. They gave her a potentiate potion and said she could take it, it would make her forget about everything she had experienced that concerns our world. She would be a mortal."
He stopped pacing and leaned on the countertop, swallowing the lump that had formed, he forced himself to not cry… he could hear his father's order, a King does not cry when sad, they force themselves to remain mutual. But he felt as if the lump in his throat was an anchor, and it had left a sinking feeling in stomach, it was dragging him down into the depths of sorrow.
"She didn't even say goodbye." He whispered, "She just left me here."
"She thought it was for the best." Ivy said soothingly, "Besides Robbie, you know what kind of life she would have had if she had stayed here. She would have never been accepted, everyone would have doubted her motives. I am happy knowing that she is safe with her brother, she has the life that she deserves now."
"But this wasn't how it was suppose to end." Robbie exploded, "She wasn't meant to leave me, my father wasn't meant to leave me with all this! I can't— "
"Yes you can." Ivy rose, and placed her hands on his arms, "Robbie you are so strong-minded, you saved us all, you put your own life at risk. You are the greatest warrior this land has ever seen. The people need someone like you. We can't go on pretending that maybe one day we shall see her again, we just have to accept it."
"But maybe— "
"Robbie she is gone. Cat is mortal, she is never coming back."
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Which leads us up to this point, King Robert sat rigidly on his throne as he pretended to listen as his mother called out his schedule. He felt awkward, his cloak itched, the crown did not sit right on his head… everything about this just felt so wrong.
He should be ecstatic, their land was finally safe and he was King, he had power and status, things the people of Perimith could only dream of. Yet he couldn't stop imagining a different life, he couldn't prise her from his thoughts. She was consuming and now more than ever he was apprehensive, because she was never coming back, she had no reason too. She didn't even remember who he was, there past… the fact that he loved her so deeply that the pain of being separated was taking a toll on his mental welfare.
What if one day he started to forget, his tattoo would fade… and with it he would forget all the minor detail that he adored about Cat; the way her dimples showed when she giggled, the way her eyes lit up whenever she was given a piece of candy, the sound of her voice, her childish nature… and what if that manifested, what if his memories decayed more rapidly like that.
Until he couldn't remember her at all.
"You have a meeting with Perriwinkles at noon, then you have training at two—"
"I don't care." He whispered.
"After that you have to go with your brother to the hospital to visit the patients."
Then he exploded, sparks flew out of his hands as he grabbed the horrible piece of metal that adorned his unruly hair. He flung it across the room, rising out of his chair.
"Robert!" Imogen Shapiro rushed to pick up the crown, "That is not how a ruler behaves."
He laughed; a cold and foreign laugh that sounding odd coming from him, "What's the point!? I can't sit here and pretend that I am going to be a great ruler to this country, not when all I feel for it is a sense of loathing that I cannot quell."
"Is this about Cat?" Imogen said meekly, "Trust me Robert, I know it is hard to lose your other half-" her voice cracked, "But you just have to continue, you have to keep moving forward."
"This isn't about Cat." He told his mother as he pulled his cloak off, "It's about the hypocrisy of this of this place. I can't rule in a land where I know they forced her out just because she was different. They want us all to be perfect, all to be clones of one another. In this society if we try to run, we are outcasts; we are hunted down and slaughtered. For god sake, you let your own son get turned into a puppet for sneaking into the mortal world! I now rule people that tried to kill me the night I saved them- my own father wanted me dead. I don't want to be a part of this anymore. We should make our own paths, not have them forced upon us."
"Robbie." Imogen was lost for words, "Are you saying?"
"As King you have to grant me this wish and you will do it without bickering and without question. I want you to make the potion that they gave to Cat. I want to be mortal."
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Imogen Shapiro was a stubborn woman, so it did not surprise Robbie when she stopped him for leaving the throne room. What did surprise him however; was the tight hug she forced upon him. This was the first time Robbie had seen his mother truly cry, despair wracked her bones, taking gulps of breath she cried for the loss of her husband, and now for the loss of her oldest son. But Robbie knew that she would come to terms with this, because she recognised how depressed her son was becoming, and if you strip back her ranking, her powers… she was a mother first and foremost, and all she really wanted was, like Ivy Valentine, to see her relatives happy.
So here Robbie sat, on the edge of his bed, one hand wrapped tightly around the small vial of potion, the other curled around his mother's shaking one. Rex lounged on the floor, his arm draped loosely around Anabelle who had been invited to the strangest going away party Robbie had ever seen.
"So, what happens now?" Rex asked, "Rob, you just drink it and what? You forget about all of us."
Robbie shook his head, "Of course not Rex, this potion will only make me mortal. I don't want to forget my baby brother, who is now a King at the tender age of 17."
Rex winked, "Youngest ruler in a 100 years baby! There is going to be some changes around here. I am so glad you abstained the throne, because you know I was plotting to kill you in your sleep and blame it on one of the maids."
Anabelle whacked him in the stomach, "Rex!"
"I'm joking of course!" Rex said defensively, "Rob knows you know… I feel that way about him that brothers only admit when they are close to death."
"I know man." Robbie said, "you too."
"So what are you going to do?" his mother asked, her hand gripped his tightly, "Will you be safe, did we give you enough of the family heirlooms. Maybe I should give you another bar of gold."
He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, "Stop worrying. Everything is going to work out the way it should."
"I packed your bag for you." She told him, "There is a note with your details on it and there are keys to your own apartment. I enrolled you in that school… though why you would want to return there after what happened, I just cannot fathom."
"I love you." Pulling his mother closer, he gave her a small hug and kissed her cheek, "You know you can always come and visit. I am sure the new King would allow it."
"Maybe." Rex replied, "We shall see, she may not even want to."
Anabelle shot up to her feet and gave Robbie a quick peck on the cheek, "Bye Robbie, I hope you find what you are searching for in the mortal realm."
He laughed nervously as he popped open the vial. "Me too."
"So do we count down from ten? Tell you to chug it?" Rex asked, "What's the protocol for making someone human."
Bringing the potion to his nose, he took a whiff and was overwhelmed by the realising the sweet scent that instantly made him feel drowsy. He looked around the room one last time, reflecting on all of the things that he would lose by drinking this potion. But he knew that it was a small price to pay if it meant that he could see her again.
So he brought the potion to his lips, and tipped the vial back, letting the potion spill back into his mouth and travel down his throat. He heard his mother gasp as she bounced back, Rex scrambled back on the floor, his eyes wide with shock. For a moment Robbie burned a fearsome red, as if his powers where being singed away from him. Then he fell back on the bed, his eyes slamming shut as sleep consumed his body.
Finally it was over, Robbie had chosen his own path… but it just so happened that this path was going to coincide with a certain redheads who lay slumbering in her bed in LA, unaware that this was taking place, completely oblivious to the fact that tomorrow, it would all begin again.
Tomorrow they would be reunited.
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He watched as she walked towards the entrance of the school, her feet thumping against the concrete as she blew ripples into her piping hot coffee. He almost couldn't believe what he was seeing, he had heard of the miracle that Cat performed, but to actually see it in the flesh was astounding. Jade West was surly and rude as she passed her fellow classmates, grunting at them as they greeted her.
She didn't know, would never have expected, that the moment she slammed her locker door, she would be greeted by the familiar face of Robbie Shapiro.
The coffee cup became airborne, it contents showering her feet in blistering hot coffee, either Jade was tolerant to pain or maybe she just didn't care, because she had no reaction. Her crystal blue eyes stared at him, and for a moment Robbie though that he was imagining this, and that Jade was still a fallen, and she was going to kill him.
But she did something even more terrifying:
She hugged him.
Students actually stopped to stare at the pair, because Jade West was crying, this boy had managed to crumble down the wall that she built so firmly around herself. But they would never understand why, never be able to comprehend how deep a connection they had. They were certain they would never see each other again, but life is funny like that, it has these twists and turns that no one can predict.
"Why are you here?" she asked as she broke the hug.
"I gave it all up." He replied, "It's a long story that and I don't really think we should get into it here."
"So you—you're not."
He shook his head, "Some things are more important."
She nodded, understanding what he meant complete, and she shooed him with her hand, watching as he rounded the corner in search of the girl that he really wanted to see. Then she noticed that her actions had drawn in a crowd, a crowd that was looking at her like there had been a shift in the hierarchy.
"What?" she barked, as she glared at each one of them, "Got something you would like to say."
Evidently not; because they all scattered like helpless antelope. Galloping off in any direction to avoid the wrath of Jade West. Leaving only Sinjin, who was running in a circle; the weakest member of the herd.
She smiled cruelly, "Oh Sinjin. You are in for a bad time."
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He was beginning to think that fate was teasing him, because he had circled the school twice, and not once had he spotted her. With his schedule in his hand he entered the school from the Asphalt Café in search of Sikowitz's room in the hope that she may be in the same class as him. As he stared down at the page, he failed to notice the blur of pink and red that was about to crash into him. They collided, their bodies smashing off one another, and together they fell to the ground.
He groaned as he rose, ready to curse at whoever was stupid enough to be running around a corner. But of course when he saw the red hair, his stomach jolted and knotted. Her curious brown eyes studied him as he rose to his feet and offered to help her up, and while it was completely bizarre to pretend that he didn't know her, to shake her hand and introduce himself, he was willing to endure it, because he knew that this was a new beginning for both of them. Cat wouldn't feel pressured to love him because he was her Altra Metá, because that no longer applied to either of them.
She was just Cat, and he was only Robbie.
He knew magic no longer applied to them, but he could have sworn that the instant there hand touched, there was the slightest flicker of a spark, and that tiny glint was enough for Robbie to know that he had made the right decision.
He belonged here with Cat.
So he smiled, and gave her hand a slight squeeze, almost laughing because it was ironic to introduce himself whenever they had been through so much. But he didn't want to forget it, because she deserved people to remember how truly amazing she was. He would defend her any time someone called her foolish, or a child, or an idiot… because she was smarter than them all, braver than them all.
She was extraordinary.
But he bit back his laughter, and introduced himself with as much sincerity as he could muster.
"Nice to meet you Cat, I'm Robbie."
There you are my lovelys!
Kay-rock! I expanded on it, but this didn't make the cut, but because you are such faithful readers I thought i would deliever it to you all anyway.
Hope you enjoyed it!
Sweeney7760