Tatia comes first. Surprisingly so, since the young couple know that Amara should be the first one to appear. That's who they are expecting when the little bundle of joy appears in the witch's circle, bonded by Traveler magic. However, when the little blanket with a note that shows deep red writing specifically signs, Tatiana Inkeri Aslog Petrova, nestled in with the baby inside, the couple gives eachother one glance and just accepts what fate has handed them. Perhaps it's a fluke.
Ekaterina Iskra Petrova comes next. What the couple observes though is that the young child that had been described to them as selfish and at times ruthless seems a bit... incomplete? They can't quite put their finger on it, but Kat doesn't quite act like she's whole. In fact, she's the exact opposite of the all but legendary Katherine Pierce they had heard so much about. Maybe it's because her humanity is still intact but that still doesn't explain why she seems a bit off. At least not for a while, not until the next one comes. That's okay though because she has Tatia to watch over her and they seem to get along almost like sisters.
They soon find that it must have something to do with the fact that Kat's vampire form is still roaming throughout life because Elena Becky Gilbert- now Petrova is the same. She's how they expect a girl who has just been reborn with no recollection of her past life to act. Elena, like Kat, is all there just not whole. Ironically enough, Kat becomes complete before Elena does. A scary thing to think about but true.
The one that they had been waiting on first, Amarantha Zoe Despoina Petrova, comes last. She's just a bit smaller, they think, and maybe that's just what makes her a bit grander. Amara's a relief, one they thought they were never expecting.
When Nina decided to volunteer her and her husband, Tony, for the reincarnate spell the Traveler's had been trying to prefect for hundreds years (for the Petrova line of course, which is always made much harder when working with that group of subjects) she's surprised that they are the only volunteers. Nina thinks it's because of the reputation the Petrova's have built for themselves that makes people wary. Tony on the other hand is a bit miffed himself that Nina signed them up but he tries not to let it show. The counsel allows it because Nina herself was a Petrova that they had groomed which is easy to forget since she's the only one to date to make it past the age of 19.
When the ceremony begins Tony and herself are aware the aging process will slow tremendously for the girls so that they can grow together and at the same time rather than apart. Still when the girls are all together for the first time it's like staring at identical quadruplets. Tony does a double take when Nina decides to stand behind four four year olds and they all look like they could one day grow up to be her. She knows he's mad that now they will forever have a target on their back but the moment they each first call him Daddy he doesn't care.
The girls are different. The same but definitely different. Like sisters to be. Amara is the meek one of them all and definitely the quiet one as well. As she grows her fashion sense expresses pleated skirts nice blouses and cute sweaters and wavy wind blown locks. Tatia is more outgoing and adventerous with little ringlet curls to set her apart. She sides with sports wear or shorts, a couple of layered tank tops and the occasional hoodie. Kat is persistent, daring, and playful. The girl can't get enough of what's the latest in high fashion and often goes for the more thrifty and expensive stuff her hair is in big curls. Elena enjoys close long sleeved shirts jeans and a jacket with her pin straight hair. Elena is sweet, compassionate, and sometimes a bit influenced by her sisters but she is the youngest. Growing up together is different Nina thinks. The girls have bonds. One's that don't involve sacrificing one another or the willingness to kill. When people ask if they are quadruplets Nina just says yes if asked who's the oldest Tony will go in order of how they came to them: Tatia, Kat, Elena, Amara, it's easier that way. They truly are a blessing.
"Oomph!" Kat grunts as a pillow is thrown ontop of her 8 year old head. Moving it to try and take a look at who threw it in their room (Mommy and Daddy insist that they share a room, the giant attic, until they move out, which Kat doesn't mind but she wants to buy lots of pretty shoes like the ones mommy wears and Amara's corner of the room has lots of space so...) Kat sees Tatia covering her laugh in front of her. Kat pretends to be grumpy but Tatia knows her sister. She's already trying to hide her playful smile and cover herself up again in the pillows and blankets.
"Go away Tatia," Kat says from underneath the pillows trying to get comfortable once more. "It's too early."
Tatia giggles at this. "Elena and Amara are already up."
Kat throws her arms up from underneath the covers dramatically. "Crazies!" Then she is still. Elena and Amara dash over to look down at their sister. "Come on Kat, you've been asleep forever." Amara says poking at her sister's foot.
"Are Mommy and Daddy up?" she says muffled by the mattress.
"Well..." Elena trails off.
"Then neither am I."
The three girls look at eachother then all at once they get an idea. "Fine." Tatia says with knowing smile.
"Yep." Amara nodds her head.
Elena leans in so that Kat can hear her clearly. "We'll just tell Erin Mavens not to come over today."
Suddenly Kat is jolted up in a flash. "That's today!" and the girls are laughing up a storm on the floor.
Kat gives them a mock glare before she decides to play with them. "Oh well I guess I'm just going have to play with Nathan, Darien, and Skylar instead!" She laughs running away. The girls eyes go wide.
"Kat!"
Alls they hear is a giggle. "Catch me, if you can!" and the others take off running and laughing too.
When the girls are in middle school they decide summer is the best time to stay up and gossip into all hours of the night. That's fine with their parents, their room is on the ground floor. It unsettles Nina though that her daughters (when she stopped thinking of them as the ones she has to protect and started thinking of them as her own flesh and blood she'll never know) have nostalgic love for men that they've never met, or at least have once before in a time that they can't remember. She finds this out when she goes to tell them goodnight.
"Okay, dream guy?"
"Oh Kat why do you always ask us to play these things?" Amara says on her bed on the other side of the room.
"Because games are fun." She says laying on her stomach looking at her magazine but not truly reading it. "Guess you don't have him in your head yet so we won't start with you. Elena?"
"Easy. Dark, handsome, and a bit of bad boy but still would do anything for me."
Kat groans. "Too predictable. I'd get bored so fast. I'm not talking about dream guy you're in like with. I'm talking in love. Back me up Tatia?" The girl hesitates. "Tatia!" Kat gasps.
"I don't know I kind of think mine is similar to Elena's. Except my dream guy is misunderstood but still looking for the better things in life,"
Kat smirks. "You?"
Tatia shruggs. "Maybe. He's all about keeping his loved ones close, a family man you know? But he's dark in a way that he once was light."
A sigh escapes Amara. "Ooo, someone's found her description." Kat taunts. "Tell us!"
"I want someone who would be faithful," Amara tells them staring up at the ceiling "Who'd want to be with me until the end of time."
"I guess that's nice." Kat says nonchalantly.
Amara becomes curious. "What's your dream guy Kat?"
Kat is dead silent. For a moment Nina tries to distinguish how reincarnation works along with Traveler's magic. It's been awhile since the vampire Katherine Pierce died in the Salvator house (word gets around quick when you're a Traveler) and now that makes Kat complete. Nina figures that Kat and Elena didn't start out complete because they died and came back as vampires. It's not like they were transparent or anything, it was just the energy about them. They didn't notice it but it seemed subtle maybe even a a bit subdued to others around them. To a normal human they'd think that they were perfectly fine but anyone exposed to the supernatural they'd see something. Elena's not whole yet but that might take some time. After all the Elena Gilbert in Mystic Falls is very intent on living her vampire years to the fullest. Kat on the other hand is now complete and in being so it is often hard to tell how much of her is Katerina Petrova and how much of her is Katherine Pierce. Nina hopes the best of both and she has a suspicion that that's how it is.
Finally Kat speaks but uncharacteristically soft. "I want a knight. Nobel and gallant with every intention of loving the good and the bad parts of me. Someone to chase me to the ends of the earth through time."
Nina's heart stops. She knows that not one of her daughters has any recollection of their past lives but that it still lingers at the edge of their brain, walking the thin tightrope, hoping to fall over and back into their lives. Ironically all the girls sigh at once and it is then Nina decides to let herself in.
"Alrighty girls, I'm saying goodnight."
Cheerfully forgetting the men that struck through their hearts harder than the greatest of tragedies the girls answer back. "Goodnight!"
The first time Tony is home with the girls since they started having fluent conversations in other lauguages(in Greek/Latin, Bulgarian, Old Norse/North Germanic, and English. His wife insists that they be fluent in all of those, which they naturally are.) is when Tony has a day off and so do the girls from school. They. Will. Drive. Him. Insane. They don't look like it and seem like it but his daughters are somewhat of natural little schemers.
Nina is at work so he decides today is a good day as ever to work on making sure the the house is secure. However trying to do that with four little girls constantly wanting his attention can be a bit of a hassle.
It starts when he's making breakfast. Talking on the phone, making waffles, and bacon and sausage, Tony doesn't hear the pitter patter of little feet piling into the kitchen. It's not until he sees them all sit down on the stools at the kitchen counter that he starts trying to shorten his sentences to one word answers. He sees how they are trying to be nonchalant about not listening in but knowing them they're just too curious. Tony is talking to the right hand witch who will relay anything involving security measures to the Traveler in charge of keeping them under the radar.
"So everything's in secure?" He asks into the phone glancing at the girls from the corner of his eye.
Kat voiced her opinion. "Wow, those waffles sure smell good, right girls?" They all nodded in confirmation.
"Don't worry, the Traveler's and my clan are doing everything we can."
"I'm sure the meat is good too." Tatia sighed in impatience.
Tony half turns so that he can whisper. "You're sure?"
"Daddy, I'm ready for some of those waffles now." His daughter in pink nightgown says with a smile as if to tell him that they are all becoming hungry and impatient and if it's Elena who has to tell him this then he knows the other girls are ready to eat too.
"Trust me the spells are perfectly binding, besides who could possibly want to find them? They already think they're dead."
"Daddy!" Amara demanded to be fed...he was in serious trouble if his most quiet daughter was screeching.
"Trust me, they are very much alive. I'll call you later." and with that Tony hung up. Turning to his daughters in question, they all had some form of annoyance written in their body language. Amara was refusing to look at him, choosing to glare at the cabinet right next to him instead, with a tense stature. Tatia was twirling a piece of her hair looking directly at him with a sour face. Kat had one hand holding up her head while the other tapped her fingers on the counter top looking bored as ever. Elena had crossed her arms and just seemed too huffy.
Tony sighed trying to imagine how their actual parents (well Elena's really only half counted) had dealt with just one little Petrova. Wasn't it enough that Tony married one? After all, Nina was a handful when she was mad at him but dealing with four mini Petrova's? His brain explodes about twice as much at the end of each day.
Remembering about the food an idea popped into Tony's head. "Well my breakfast is ready." He told them grabbing the plate of ten waffles and stacks of bacon and sausage and trying to walk to his bedroom. "I wonder what my girls are going to eat?" He mused out loud.
"Daddy!" They all laughed and ran past him, piling on the bed and turning on the TV to watch cartoons.
Tony just laughed. Maybe today wouldn't be so headache inducing...yeah right!
When Elena and Kat have their first big fight, it's not what anyone expects. The other Travelers insist on knowing any and all new developments pertaining the girls but some red flags that they had warned Nina and Tony about before hand was the girls methods of anger. Specifically, Kat and Elena's. The fight itself perplexes the family. It's not about boys or integrity, or style or deceit. In fact, no one even realizes they're in a fight, Elena included, until Kat pushes her away.
They are playing outside and before Nina knows it she hears Kat's voice. "NO!"
Running out of the kitchen to see what is happening in the back, Nina expects the worst. What she sees is ten times more daunting. Kat is on the ground with angry tears streaming down her face as Elena stands off to the side watching with a face mixed with hurt, worry, and sympathy for her sister. Nina stands off to the distance taking in the scene in front of her, feeling as though neither one of her daughters have truly processed that she is there yet.
"I...I'm...I'm sorry Kat!" Elena's voice climbs higher as Kat's tears flow more freely. "Kat?"
Elena tries to get closer but her sister stops her. "Stay back!" Kat yells. Looking up into identical eyes she whispers it this time. "Stay back."
The younger Petrova stays where she is but falls down to the ground so that she can be on the same level as her sister. Nina watches the exchange feeling everything that her and Tony have come so far for break down before her very eyes. "Kat?" Elena whispers in a surprisingly calm tone. "What happened?"
Katerina, or Katherine, at that moment Nina can't distinguish the difference, doesn't speak. It comes to Nina that the whole reason everyone calls her Kat is because she was one of the most fascinatingly confusing dopplegangers in existence. For only Katherine would have the gull to put up a fight, maybe even slap her own sister (Nina now sees a red pulsing and fading mark in the shape of a hand on Elena's identical face) but only Katerina could have the will to break down and feel remorse for her sins.
"I hurt you." Kat whimpers.
"I know Kat, but I forgive yo-"
"No, Elena!" Kat commands. Taking a deep breath she admits what really is churning this turbulent storm. "I...I saw myself trying to kill you, Elena. So I had to keep you away, so I hurt you..." She trailed off emitting shame throughout her body language.
Elena seems to be mulling this over in her head, trying to find the right words. "But you didn't," The younger girl looks to her older sister in hope. "and I'm still here." Inching forward so that they are now a foot from one another Elena sends a little smile as if to say This is going to happen but we're sisters. "Please, keep us in?"
Nina doesn't know why but the power of those words cause her daughters to embrace into a crying smiling hug filled with giggles of secret understanding. Letting herself be known it dawns on Nina that this is something that is far from over but it's not she or Tony who will be the ones to resolve it but her children. "Girls, lunch is ready."
Kat sniffles rubbing her eyes with a grin on her face, "Okay." Helping her younger sister up the two nine year olds all but skip into the kitchen as if it never happened. For a moment Nina almost believes it never was.
Tony observes how multi-talented his daughters are. It hits him like a brick as they prepare to end there last year of middle school and transition in becoming high schoolers but before that happens they need to survive summer vacation, or more likely, he does. Pillow fights and staying up until the next day call for Nina and Tony sleeping less with four different but still dependent girls. It's not until September rolls around that it dawns on Tony that this is around the time that the Travelers wish to see the girls progression.
They send one wolf, two vampires, a human, and one very knowledgeable witch. Tony and Nina put on the impression that they are old friends of theirs that are visiting and want to formally meet the girls. It's not that long of a stretch since though Nina is not an official Traveler, she had been groomed by them and had grown up knowing these people herself, and from what Tony can tell when they arrive they are quite a friendly bunch. Putting up formalities with simple discussions of whether Nina has talked to this person or if she had seen a recent picture of that, even bringing up little instances and occurrences but from what Tony can tell they just all grew up together, well the vampires certainly not but they were all very understanding.
The wolf's name is Danjou. Young looking, funny, charming, a little bit full of himself but from what Nina retorts back out, Tony can tell that Danjou has others well beings in mind and it's all really just for show. He's the Gamma of his pack, Nina tells him before hand and acting as so he is the rock. Not in charge like the Alpha, isn't critical like the Beta, won't settle for babying or in need of protection as the Omega, no he's the one that sees things for what they truly are, keeping his pact grounded even if he has to mask it with arrogance or comedy. For that Tony feels a small respect for Danjou.
Tony has had experience with vampires before. Often they are young restless things with lost or old souls. These ones Tony does not expect. One looks to be a 15 year old but Nina explains Sophie is older than Nina's own grandmother. However, Tony doesn't believe it until he sees her eyes. The petite long haired redhead looks entirely childish except her eyes held a worn look and she carries herself as if you should be saying "madame" every time she walks into the room. Her husband is very much older in the age in which he was turned than her but Nina quips was always the more childish one. Tony shakes his head at the thought that Colin had the age appearance of Tony, 30, and Sophie always presented herself as his daughter to those unaware to the supernatural world. Still it made Tony shiver at the notion.
The human's name is Mike he's a mid 50 year old that gives off the permanently grumpy vibe. Right off the bat, Tony doesn't like him for words he can't express but maybe it's because of the way he lingers on Nina's face when she's done speaking or how he kisses her hand a beat longer than necessary. Whatever. Tony doesn't think his opinion will matter too much anyway.
Anabel is the youngest of the group but already a powerful little witch who just so happens to be the same age as the girls. She's cute and sweet and very polite reminding Tony of Nina's neighbor Kayla who popped in once to check up on things. He's actually quite surprised that Anabel is able to be so quiet and unseen until she talks. With the giant blond braid falling down her shoulder Tony was actually startled when she appeared suddenly but no one else seemed to jump so she must have been there all along.
When everyone is settled in Nina calls the girls out to tell them about one another. Tony doesn't take in just how much each one of his daughters does until he hears it from their mouths himself. However that's not what they are looking for. They look for signs of something, something that Tony can't pinpoint himself. They ask questions that seem irrelavent to the supernatural community all together and yet Tony himself wonders how the girls don't find it suspicious. When it comes close to the end Nina exclaims to the girls that her friends must leave now but that they will be coming back someday to see them again.
Walking out with the peculiar group and his wife Tony feels a strange daunting sense of pressure is about to be put on his shoulders. So when Danjou speaks with clarity and confidence, Tony feels the lull of dread. "The eldest will inherit the blood of wolf, changing every night as the moon fills the sky full and bright. She will suffer the lest and most have control like no other but I fear for her heart."
Mike speaks next with a lack of interest as if he'd done this a thousand times over. "The youngest holds an ability long thought to be locked away. Sniffed out by the damned, coveted by the unrighteous, and considered insane by the nonbelievers. Her pain will bring others rest, her happiness will bring a dark force to light, and her distraught and confusion will serve as a path that she will pave to make others and herself stronger."
Finally the vampires and the tiny witch collaborated. "The two in the middle were hard to read." Colin explains.
Sophie nods in agreement. "There is a fine line between what is thought to be destroyers and judges, abominations and saviors,"
Anabel stepped in. "But we believe that those two will ultimately choose their destiny themselves."
"The bond of sisters is greater than any group, pack, clan, or coven to ever face this earth." Sophie reminds them all. "It will be interesting to see how, they themselves, would have been each others downfall and yet still will be, along with being one another's own protectors. We sincerely apologize for bestowing on you both the knowledge of their destruction and the impending doom that they could eventually bring about to the Earth itself and we hope that you make it through. Good night." Sophie curtsies and they head out.
Tony's gawking at the ideas now implanted in his head but his wife turns to him calm as ever. "Well that was a waste. Sure they bring desolate wherever they go, they're Petrova dopplegangers. I just want to know whether they were talking about the order in which they came to us or the order they were originally born in!" She huffs muttering as she walks in the house. "Is Amara the werewolf or Tatia? Do I get a grimwore if I know it's going to be studied by Elena or not, because Kat won't if she's the witch? Ugh that leaves the question if Elena's the youngest or Amara because this ancient power stuff is really confusing, if I don't know how and who to prepare for! I guess I should just stock up on blood bags, if it's a toss up between Tatia and Kat vs Kat and Elena, two out of those choices have a problem with feeding and one of them is listed in both choices! And I can't..."
Tony stopped listening after his wife went on a rant. Sure those people predicted the end of the world with his children but he really wished they'd predict if his wife was going to be this neurotic forever.
AN/: So I wanted to play around with this. The thought of the girls growing up together intrigues me and I want to explore their dynamic. I will be reintroducing some characters from the actual series, mind you. My hope is that eventually I can set it up to be more than what it seems with characters from The Originals, Disclaimer not mine, and The Vampire Diaries, also not mine, influencing them. Let it be clear that the Traveler's dynamic is supposed to be vague, as in no one truly knows what side they are on. Also this is going to have some bashing of characters but within the realm of decency. Please review and tell me what you think.
