Hello World!
My name is kenmadragon, and I am new to this wild site! This is my first story, and was written by me and a friend I have IRL who also writes on this site (goes by 'yourarenotright'. check out his stuff). The following story is a cooperative effort between us, though since I am new to the site, I'm posting it for the both of us!
I rated it T, mostly because I am still trying to figure out where the boundaries between the ratings are, but I think it's safe to say this is probably in the T range.
And seeing as this is a fanfiction, that means, we need a Disclaimer (unfortunately)!
Disclaimer: I and my co-author do not own the Dresden Files. Jim Butcher does, and we are merely fans. I also do not own Jackie Hodge, but I do own Arthur Fontayne, and we both own the story.
Enjoy!
Most men would kill to be me at this moment, of course most men wouldn't have realized the danger they were in and therefore I would classify them as ignorant and unlucky. I was running across Washington Square Park, being chased by multiple, beautiful, (and by beautiful, I mean freaking GORGEOUS) women. I currently held a carton of milk (fat free) in my hand while I was cursing my best friend, and current roommate, Arthur Fontayne.
My name is Jackie Hodge and I am a sorcerer.
Before I can really tell you more about this current predicament I happen to be in, I have to tell a bit of backstory, just so you get a feel for who I am, and what I believe.
When I was a small child, both my parents were murdered. Not by burglars,thieves, or any of the more human and mundane things in a normal person's life. They were murdered by monsters, the things that go bump in the night. I was about to be killed myself, when my mentor, no...my adoptive mother got there. She fried the monsters and returned them to whatever hellish place they came from. She came and shushed me, and held me as I begged her to save my mom and dad. She said there was nothing to be afraid of, but there was nothing she could do. Of all my memories that one is painfully clear and sharp.
Anyway either my mother or father had been a practitioner or had wizarding heritage since I had an aptitude for magic. My mentor trained me and after I was deemed strong enough I set out, not to say I don't keep in contact, but the fact that modern technology and magic don't usually mix is a bit of a pain. But enough of that, back to the current situation at hand, the women chasing me.
Apparently they are a little pissed at me or Arthur (hopefully him, I do not want to have to deal with these ladies) for some offense which I wasn't smart enough to not make. Anyway, back to the chase, I vaulted over the back of a bench and rushed towards the chessboards and moved like a gust of wind. In addition to being a wizard and/or practitioner, I was the athletic type who liked to take walks and jogs through the parks, preferably without angry ladies.
Several seconds later I was running under the Washington Arch, since this was early in the morning, the park was almost completely empty. The only people there was the stray hobo sleeping here and there. This meant they could move without having to hold back, and they moved with an almost ungodly speed. I wanted to open a minor sinkhole, just big enough to slow them, but I don't think I had the time or the current oxygen level needed. They had been chasing me ever since I had left the goddamn Walmart, and I was sprinting since I began running. I neared the apartment and wanted to cheer in relief. I instead slowed and waved my hand at the floor and screamed,
"Arctis!"
Concentrating on the energy flowing through the air, I pulled heat into the air, drawing it from the ground. The temperature immediately dropped several degrees...Celsius. Ice formed behind me, covering the ground in a thin layer of frost and making the enraged females slip and slide. I pushed myself eventually finding the small townhome on a tiny side street, tucked away. I rushed for the familiar dwelling, reassuring myself as the feeling of safety washed over me as I rushed through the gate, slid my key into the lock, opened the door, flung myself inside, and triple locked it using our bolts and latches. I breathed heavily and slumped against it, resting my face against the cool metal of the door. In addition for it being metal, it was heavily fortified - the building itself would break before the door fell.
I saw my friend, Arthur Fontayne, lounging on the long couch, a tattered old book open in his hands, looking at me with mild surprise. "What in the world?" he questioned. I flung the milk, which hit him in the face and growled, "Wards. Now!"
I wasn't exactly intimidating my best friend, but he knew I was serious. He glared at me (presumably for the milk) before going downstairs to the lab, concealed behind what was a closet wall. I gripped my blasting rod from my belt loop and aimed it at the door, and watched the front door closely. If they broke the door down, I was going to take one of them down with me.
There was a slight tapping sound that was bugging me for whatever reason. I tried to ignore it. But then it began to get louder, and turned into a snapping sound. It was familiar, like when someone snaps their fingers. I wondered if they had found the townhouse, and weren't trying to break it down but …tap it down. Okay, now I think I might be going crazy. Maybe they had already gotten to me with whatever mind games those things played. Or, it could be someone is trying to get my attention. There was a hand thrust in front of me, and I blinked. I turned my head slightly, and noticed my worried - and wet - roommate standing next to me. I wondered how I hadn't noticed him, then realized I was so concentrated on blasting whatever came through the door that I had ignored him.
"When I said I needed milk, I didn't mean splashing it all over me. Now, what in the world are you doing?" Arthur asked, ever so polite, as if I was merely a child who was acting up. That brought a scowl to my face. As if he didn't already know. He was the one who told me to get the damn milk in the first place!
"I thought I told you to put the wards up!" I growled at him, lowering my blasting rod, ever so slightly. Arthur sighed, shaking his head. Damn it, why was he so relaxed?!
"The wards have been up ever since you left to get the milk. I told you, I forgot the milk when I was getting the supplies to replenish the wards. They've been up since you got here. Couldn't you feel it when you got past the gates?" He responded casually as he turned to head back to his book. I grumbled as I stepped after him, tucking the blasting rod into my back belt loop, within easy reach, just in case. I checked the locks on the door, and felt a hint of satisfaction as I refastened the bolts on the door and heard the 'snick' as they locked into place. I headed back to the closet that hid the entrance to our lab, and hung it on one of the free wire hands, and glanced about as I re-entered our little dwelling.
It's actually a rather nice place. Situated in one of the low tech areas of Greenwich Village in the City That Never Sleeps, the little townhome had been specially renovated for two rather strange individuals, who seemed to use technology that modern society had deemed long since obsolete. It was rather small, and was painted brown, with mahogany shutters by the white windows. The curtains were drawn, and the shadows that played against them wavered, as if dancing - candlelight. Walking from the tiny foyer, I glanced at the rather comfy living room, with its earthen shades and hues, decorated with soft rugs if various styles and threads adorning the floor, the comfy sofa with fluffy pillows, the rigid backed wooden armchairs with threaded coverings, the little dark mahogany tables upon which were various lamps and candles, casting the entire room in a rather old time light. The walls had various shelves containing more candles and other esoteric objects, like tiny statues, strange devices, the occasional trophy. The walls were plastered with paintings of ancient scenes and various posters from various places. And on top of the mantle, was a small statue of a phoenix intertwined with a dragon, flanked by the portraits of myself and my roommate.
"You know, we are going to need to get more milk, seeing as this is ruined now." Arthur said accusingly, holding up the leaking milk carton I had thrown at him. I winced, feeling a bit guilty about it.
"Oh well, guess you're going to have to get some more in the morn'-" he continued, then cut himself off as he rushed over to the couch, dropping the leaking milk carton on a towel that had somehow found its way to the table beside the couch.
"The Arcanis Fulminis Crematoria!" he exclaimed, clutching the sopping book he had just been reading. I could tell that it's pages were damp from the milk, and a bit sticky. Arthur rushed from the living room, clutching the book as if it were a dying kitten in need of immediate medical attention. I plopped myself down on one of the armchairs, which creaked as I did. Contrary to what it looked like, that arm chair is incredibly comfortable. I crossed my legs over a plush ottoman and heaved a sigh of relief. Safe.
But there was still something wrong, I could feel it in my bones. Closing my eyes, I went over what exactly had just happened to me. And it was freakin' bizarre.
"I'm guessing you ran into Clarissa..." I heard Arthur call from the stairs. Opening my eyes, I glanced at him, coming down the stairs, rubbing his hands dry with a towelette.
"Yeah, I did," I responded, without thinking. Arthur nodded and turned to head into the kitchen when it hit me.
"Wait a second! How did you know it was... argh! I forgot! They were looking for YOU. Frak, man! What the hell!" I yelled at him, furious. I had nearly forgotten in the chase why exactly those women - if I could actually call them that, seeing as they weren't exactly human - were chasing after me. The leader of the group had wanted Arthur! The details started to become much clearer to me, and I sat up straight, rubbing at my temples. Arthur sat down, a bit unperturbed. That annoyed me. It was his fault I was getting chased across the village by those ...those ...things, and he didn't seem to feel bad about it in the slightest!
Finally, after a long period of silence, Arthur spoke up. "So, what exactly did Clarissa want, again?"
"Not just Clarissa, she had about four others with her, maybe five," I replied. I noticed a look of worry cross his face. There was something he wasn't telling me. We had been roommates long enough for me to tell that about him. He knew something, something he wasn't letting on. I let it slide for now. I was too pissed off at the fact that he was the cause of my troubles for the night.
"They wanted information on you, Fonty," I said through a sigh. He winced as I called him 'Fonty', which brought a slight smirk to my rather dour face. He hated it when I called him that, which is why I did. I continued, "They wanted to find you, for whatever reason, and wanted me to get..."
"Wait, did you.."
"Like hell! I gave 'em squat, and when things got hairy, I booked it! They gave chase, but I think I lost them near Washington Square..."
Arthur looked a little relieved, and relaxed as I told him that. But he still seemed worried. I couldn't tell why. What was he keeping from me? After what I had just gone through, what was he hiding that I didn't deserve to know? After a another break of silence, I could not longer take the curiosity, and angrily burst out, asking, "What exactly did you do?!"
Arthur sighed, closed his eyes, as he leaned back, and clasped his hands behind his head. "Well, it went a bit like this. I noticed that the place's wards were going to be close to breaking point by the sun rise is a few hours, so I started to rebuild the sigils and glyphs about the place, and try and bolster the boundaries of the threshold. Well, then I noticed that we were out of supplies, and needed some stuff. None of the other shops were open, but the 24 hour Walmart was, so I headed out, and got some groceries..."
Ah, the cliff-hanger. It seemed like a good place to end this first chapter.
And yeah, it's a bit confusing, but hey, it's the first chapter. And my first fan-fic. So be nice, kay?
Read & Review, please!
Next time, on The Sorcerer Chronicles...FLASHBACK! ;P