Obviously I do not own The Property of Hate nor the characters.
The Bowtie AU belongs to Kirarts on tumblr. I'm honestly not 100% sure who owns the peaceful bowtie au... but it's not me.
This is TPoH Bowtie/peaceful AU fanfic, because during Christmas time last year there were a lot of fanarts about the bowtie au with a happy "peaceful" ending, but how did the transition go? Naturally, being an enthusiastic tpoh fanfic writer, it was up to me to speculate it. ;)
Eight years. That's how long it's been since the very worst monster first beckoned her to be a hero. And four years since her failed attempt at vanquishing Her, witnessing her eccentric companion reduced to a garish rainbow bowtie. And two years since she started recruiting heroes of her own to finish what she could not. This whole time, she still hasn't remembered her real name. To those who have known her since the start, she is Hero. To her young recruits, she is dubbed the charming nickname of Nana. The girl also christens hew own nicknames for the children; having two by the name of 'Hero' would cause unnecessary confusion.
She knows not how many failed heroes have died in her care; she lost count after fourteen. But this one, a red haired seven year old nicknamed 'Joy'…had actually survived, and succeeded. Defeated Her and her forces with the imagination of a child.
Well, at least Hero thought she did. The final blow resulted in a blinding explosion of light and force, knocking everyone out for a short while. Madras the pocket watch was nearly torn out of Hero's pocket, and RGB the bowtie was somehow ripped from her neck. The colorful neckwear landed on the hard ground, and lost consciousness.
He knew not how much time had passed. Could have been a few minutes, or a few hours.
"…uugh…ow…" RGB hissed. Grunting, he pushed himself up off the cool ground.
Suddenly he freezes, realizing that he's not flexing his fabric to move.
He's flexing his arms, clad in blue and red striped sleeves. Planted to the earth is a pair of white gloved hands, contrasting with the dark and rocky soil beneath them. RGB gasped, and raised his now soiled glove to his face. He curled his fingers in the still air, testing that he still knew how to move his own hand.
Slowly he got to his feet-yes, he had feet and legs. And still wearing his rolled up khaki pants and fake-spat shoes! He reached up to his neck and-yes, he felt a silken bowtie around his collar!
Excitement surged through him to the point where he wanted to jump in the air and knock his heels together, happy to have his body again. Who cared that it was invisible or lacked a human head? It was his own, and after years and years of a life as a bowtie, he was more than ready to return to his strangely attractive body.
…And then he saw Hero a few meters away, lying on the ground, stiff as a stone.
"…Oh no…" RGB rushed to the girl, and lightly shook Hero by the shoulder.
"Hero…Hero, wake up!" He begged. "Hero, wake up! Please!"
The sixteen year old's eyelids twitched, and after some effort, opened. She blinked a few times to focus with a weak moan.
"Uuh…" Hero gazed at RGB's face sleepily for a second, and then jolted with surprise. Her eyes grew wide as her lips parted for a sharp gasp.
"Hero…Hero, it's me." The monster said. "It's me, RGB! I-I've got my body back!" He did his best to not burst out yelling the news with glee. "After so many years I'm finally…"
RGB's voice trailed off as he studied Hero's expression more closely. Surprise was evident in her face, yes, but…not happy recognition. The girl seemed more shocked, almost afraid.
"Hero? Are you alright…?" He asked, letting go of her shoulder. "You…you do remember how I used to look, don't you?"
Of course she did. Half of the time over their journeys when their hero at the time was asleep, she and RGB would have private little talks or quiet quarrels. Every time, she would somehow slip in how she was determined to get his body back, set everything right. Sometimes she complained about missing his mute dial, or wishing he still had a TV so she could watch some cartoons to pass time. Besides, how could anyone not remember a TV headed man?
But why did she stare at him like she had never met him before turning into a colorful bowtie?
"…Wait…don't tell me you have amnesia." RGB hastily grabbed her shoulder again, looking at her head on. "Hero, please tell me you don't!"
"N-n-no! I-I don't, I'm fine, really." She croaked, brushing his hand off and briskly getting to her feet. When she stood up, she towered above RGB by two inches…still eyeing him with disbelief.
"M-my…I never realized how tall you've gotten." RGB murmured, trying to change the mood.
"Uh…Y-yeah…" Hero shook her head. "Wait, where's Joy?"
"Joy…? …Joy!" RGB whipped around, looking for the girl. "Joy! Joy!"
"…Over here…"
Hero and RGB sprinted to the voice, finding the redhead groggily sitting upright as if struggling to wake up on a Saturday morning. She rubbed her half closed eyes innocently, barely registering the dirt and cuts on her clothes and skin.
"Wha' happened…?" Joy mumbled.
"Joy, are you okay?!" Hero demanded, kneeling near the girl, inspecting her up and down. "Are you hurt? Bruised? Anything broken?!"
"I-I don' think so, Nana…" Joy scratched her head and gazed up at Hero. "…did I do it?"
"D-do what?"
"Be the hero… Save the world..." She rubbed her sore elbow. "…Was I a good hero?"
Hero froze, raised a hand to her mouth, and let a few warm tears run down her cheeks. With a whimper she grabbed Joy and embraced her tightly.
"I…I-I…" She choked. "I-I'm just glad you're okay…!"
Joy felt the brunette's tears stain her shoulder, and hugged Hero back, crying, "N-Nana, I didn't mean to make you cry! P-please don't cry-!"
After a gallon's worth of shed tears, RGB, who had been staring at the scene from the sidelines, reached into his pocket and discovered his red and white polka dotted handkerchief.
"Here," He held it out to the pair. "The sooner you two dry your eyes, the better."
As Hero reached out for it, Joy raised an eyebrow at the man. "Who are you?"
"Oh…? Ah, right, of course you wouldn't recognize me." RGB cleared his throat and spread his arms out as he bowed charismatically. "It is I, RGB, in the flesh!" He chuckled. "Well, if I had flesh, that is."
Joy tilted her head in confusion while Hero wiped the handkerchief on her face. "What're you talking about?"
"Hm?"
"You do have flesh!" She barked before pointing at his head. "…And cool hair, too!"
"I beg your pardon?" RGB raised his hand towards his head. "I don't have-"
He touched the side of his head, but did not feel hard, smooth plastic.
He felt something soft and wavy, like fur.
"W-W-What …?" RGB patted his head again, nearly batting off his hat. In a frenzy, he felt around what should have been a TV set, feeling instead chiseled cheekbones and a pointed chin. The monster slowly removed his shaking hands from his face. With tense shoulders, he grabbed his right sleeve with his quivering left hand, and pulled the fabric up his arm.
Where there should have been nothing was a forearm with pale skin.
The yelp from him was barely human as he tumbled backwards in shock. He landed to a pathetic sitting position, and tried not to make any sudden movements as if afraid of his own skin. Panting, he stared at his sprawled out feet, barely noticing Hero and Joy approach him.
"RGB, calm down!" Hero sternly whispered. "Just…just take deep breaths. Deep breaths."
"Hah…hah…hah…" He steadied his breathing, but could not steady his shivering, new body.
Hero knew he wouldn't snap out of it on his own; with firm lips she laid her hand on his shoulder, earning his attention as he gazed at her with hazelnut brown eyes.
"Get a hold of yourself, RGB! I-I don't know what happened, but, well…" She searched her mind for the right words. "…you're a human now… I think…"
RGB paused to let the thought sink in, and examined his hands. He gingerly ran his fingers through his locks of hair. He felt something foreign, and held his hand in front of him. The tips of his gloves were slightly…damp. Stained with his own cold sweat.
"How…how does it feel?" Hero asked. When the man didn't respond, she tapped his shoulder. He flinched, stared at her, and then blinked back to reality.
"Er, well, I…suppose it's alright." RGB croaked, wiping his gloves on his pants. "I'm still not fond of getting wet."
The teen sighed with relief. "Why am I not surprised…"She nearly chuckled. "…anyway, can you stand?"
"I-I think so…" RGB tentatively leaned forward while planting his feet on the ground. When Hero and Joy offered their hands, he accepted them and let the two girls pull him up. They stood next to him as if he'd collapse back to the ground, but his legs supported him just fine.
The wind picked up, ruffling Hero's trench coat, RGB's blazer, and Joy's athletic skirt. RGB held onto his boater hat as he gazed upwards. Dark, heavy clouds blanketed the sky in a foreboding shade of grey.
"Oh no…" He cringed.
"RGB, you're not a telly head anymore." Hero glared annoyingly at him. "You haven't been made of metal, wires, or anything that can carry an electric current for years. And a little rainwater isn't going to hurt you now, either."
"Yeah, Nana and I get wet all the time and we're fine!" Joy quipped in. "Besides, now that you're a person, you'll have to start taking baths or else you'll stink!"
RGB tensed, clenching his teeth in dread and fear. "Er…w-well…that can wait another day." He cleared his throat. "What matters now is to find some shelter before it starts raining. Immediately."
"It's not like you're made of sugar, Jeebs." Joy tilted her head sassily, earning a glare from the man.
"Come to think of it, isn't the human body over fifty percent water?" Hero added in an almost coquettish manner.
"You two aren't helping." He grumbled as he walked away. "Now come along, before we become drenched."
"…Wait…RGB?"
"Yes, Hero?"
"Can you snap your fingers?"
"Hm?" He turned around, finding the teen gazing at him while holding her bamboo cane. Formerly, his cane.
"…Ah, I see." RGB pinched his middle finger and thumb together, paused, and briskly slid them past each other in a crisp SNAP!
A split millisecond later, the cane flew from the girl's hands and straight for the man's head, bonking him in the process.
"OW!"
It fell to his feet while he held his sore skull and readjusted his crooked hat. Uttering a curse under his breath, he snatched the cane up and stuck it into the ground, holding it properly. The man straightened his posture, staring back at Hero and Joy with one hand held elegantly behind his back. He wondered if they found him handsome.
"Y'know, if you had a red nose with your rainbow hair you'd look just like a clown!" Joy giggled.
"…Well, at least they don't find me hideous." RGB thought, almost smirking sarcastically.
"So…I guess it's yours again." Hero shrugged. "It never did go well with my outfit."
RGB scratched his ear, not sure what to say next. "Yes…well…ahem…w-we should really be on our way befo-"
Pip!
A single, miniscule drop of water landed on his nose. Then another on his shoulder. And a few more on his hat. Biting his lip, he looked up-feeling more drops fall on his face.
"Hey, it's raining!" Joy sang while holding her hands out, enjoying the sensation. "Rain means puddles for jumping in!"
"Oh no, no no…" RGB growled, tensing from the rain. He relaxed, however, when Hero gently patted his shoulder.
"You'll be fine, RGB." She reassured. "…and if you're not…then we'll still be here for you."
RGB blinked, seeming to reluctantly accept the water on his skin. They were silent for a long moment, until Joy tugged at Hero's damp sleeve, suddenly no longer interested in the idea of splashing in puddles.
"Hey, Nana?"
"Yeah?"
"Uh…so what do we do now?"
"...Huh? What do you mean by…" Hero's voice trailed off as she let the thought digest.
"You, young girl, have saved the world." RGB said in a hushed voice, rubbing his thumb against his cane. "You have become a hero. Served your purpose. Carried out your duty." He paused. "…and now you wish to know what will become of you now, correct?" Another pause. "…I take it you want us to take you back home…?"
The child bit her lip before tightening her grip on Hero's sleeve. "Nana, I…I don't wanna go home."
"W-what…?" Hero's eyes widened. "But…but you…"
"I-I don't remember anything like you told me, but…" She hesitated. "But I think the reason I went with you guys is to…make someone…notice me." Her hazel eyes grew moist with a faint film of tears. "I-I think it was my mom or something like that, but…I don't think she'd care if I came back a hero…"
Joy's shoulder's flinched as she sniffed. Hero gasped and swiftly knelt down to hold the girl in her arms while she softly sobbed into her chest, dampening her yellow turtleneck.
"I-I don't remember anything b-but I know I wasn't happy back there…" The child whimpered. "I really, really like it here! A-A lot better than home! Sniff-Nana, I wanna stay here with you and everyone!" She cried while gazing up at Hero's face. "Don't take me back home! Please! I don't wanna go back!"
Hero gently rubbed Joy's back, shushing soothingly. Just as she was wiping away her tears, she felt RGB poke her shoulder. The teen looked up, surprised to find worry in his eyes.
"H-Hero…look." He pointed behind Joy, at a tiny black creature sluggishly forming from a puddle. A few spikes popped out, needle thin and razor sharp. At one end, a scythe shape took shape with a white, gleaming circle as an eye.
"A-A fear…?" Hero gasped. The Chihuahua sized fear turned in her direction at her voice, and stared at her. Wasting no time she swiftly pushed Joy to RGB, stood up, and stomped firmly on the fear. Its final cry mingled with the splash of its puddle.
Then there was silence…Hero just stood there with her boot still in the inky puddle, dyed by the monster's blood.
"…She can't be killed." She finally said.
"W…what?" RGB shook his head. "You don' t mean…But, we just…Joy just-"
"Defeated Hate. Overcame her. For now." Hero corrected. "…She's kind of like the trees. She lives on with or without us, always existing, somewhere. But she'll come back if we don't keep her in check." The girl turned around. "Hate is always there, like an emotion; you can't kill it. But we can prevent her from taking over everything to the point of destroying the world." She walked towards Joy and bent down to the girl.
"If it's okay with you…then I think this world would like for you to continue being a hero."
"R…really…?"
Hero nodded with a grin. "After all, protecting the world is a pretty big job for an ex-hero and ex-bowtie."
"Ahem." RGB interjected.
"Alright, Mr. Picky," Hero rolled her eyes. "How does ex-tellyhead sound?"
"…better, I suppose."
The teen turned back to the girl, who was on the verge of jumping with excitement.
"So I can stay here? With you guys?"
"As long as you're okay with putting up with us for the rest of your life." Hero smirked.
"You bet I'm okay with it!" Joy beamed. She jumped into Hero's arms and tackled her to the ground in a bear hug. Laughing, she glanced up at RGB, who was bending over them, watching them with a faint grin.
"Hear that, RGB?" Joy chuckled. "Now you're stuck with me! And there's nothing you can do about it!"
"For once, being stuck working alongside a child doesn't sound so bad." He held out his hand. "Now you two get up before you're completely caked with mud."
Hero and Joy froze and looked at their now soiled attire, nearly completely soaked with murky brown stains. The two girls got to their feet, fully inspecting the consequences of their little mud bath.
"Hey, Joy," Hero asked. "You wanna piggy back ride? My coat's so dirty a little more mud isn't going to make a difference."
"Okay!" Joy sang as she climbed onto the teen's back and hooked her tennis shoed feet through the older girl's arms. Just then they felt the raindrops grow heavier, and the shower swiftly escalated into a hard, pouring rain.
"Oh no…" RGB cringed, frantically peeling his blazer off and holding it above his head like a clumsy wannabe umbrella.
"RGB, I told you a little rain isn't going to hurt you." Hero said in a flat tone while walking past him. "You look pretty silly like that, y'know."
"A little drizzle is one thing, but in case you haven't noticed, it's starting to rain cats and dogs!" He barked defensively. "I've had several traumatizing experiences with water, and I don't want another!"
"But then how are you gonna take baths so you don't stink?" Joy quipped as she turned her head.
"That can wait another day, right now we need to get out of this horrible weather."
"Then stop standing there and get moving." Hero threw over her shoulder as the man briskly walked to her side and matched her pace.
"Let's see if we can't find a cave or something to wait out this 'all mighty storm'." She chuckled.
"I sincerely wish you had a mute button."
"Actually, I kinda wish you still had yours."
"And I wish you would put a cork on all this nonsense." He almost grinned.
"And I wish you'd enjoy a few nice moments of peace and quiet!" Hero nearly laughed her words.
Joy, however, laughed out loud, enjoying the playful banter between her two closest friends as all three of their voices overpowered the steady, heavy rumble of the rain.
...and there's my theory on the transition from plain ol' angsty bowtie AU to peaceful happy bowtie AU.