"Sir Kirkland! Sir Kirkland! Oh please tell us about the Polies and Miss Wy again!"
"I'd love to Elizabeta, but may I ask why?"
"Well, Sadik says that Miss Wy was an evil old hag and it served her right that she disappeared that way!"
"He did now did he?"
"Sir Kirkland, Sadik's right! My father said the exact same thing!"
"Oh what does your old man know? He wasn't in the fight like Sir Kirkland, Juan!"
"Buzz off you weren't invited to this conversation!"
"Hey the truth hurts."
"Why I oughta-!"
"Enough. Now why don't you all settle down and we tell the story as they are told in the books."
"But your versions are infinitely better Sir Kirkland."
"Thank you Belle but I don't want to rewrite history."
"Funny Sir Kirkland, but isn't that what you did?"
"Hmm… maybe."
January 22, 2039
Log. Today is the day we start our studies under the Newly Discovered Existences on Earth facility. It's taken us four years to get an approval from the government and the board but finally we are here. The laboratories are in full stock of anything we might need. The only problem is we have nothing to study. Over all the sightings, none have been successful captures. My crew and I are hoping that we'd find something soon or else the board will shut us down. They've given us the year to show them something, and when they say something they expect it to be big.
April 30, 2039
Log. I'm starting to get worried. We've spotted more Existences over the past three months but they always seem to get away. No matter, my wife, Doctor Laura, was on the last team to have seen the Existence and I thank my lucky stars that she had a camera with her. Pictures show that these Existences have the capability to appear human but seem to have abnormalities not readily noticeable. Spotted Existence appeared to be female, somewhere between the ages sixteen to eighteen. She managed to escape the crew who spotted her but notes indicate that she has been wounded and chances are we will be meeting her again.
July 16, 2039
Log. It took a while but we have Liechtenstein with us. It was the Existence that we spotted and managed to wound earlier in the year. Not only did we find Liechtenstein but we also managed to capture new subject dubbed Switzerland. Both seem to be rather attached to each other but neither seem hostile. Blood and tissue samples have been taken and we are anxiously waiting for the results on several tests. Won't the board be excited to see this!
August 27, 2039
Log. Two months and eleven days under supervision and captive neither Liechtenstein nor Switzerland have caused reason for worry. All the tests, as previously recorded, came back as nothing but perfectly normal. This is absurd! These creatures are not human there should be something in their DNA or data to prove this! I refuse to believe that I've made a mistake and that these two are not Existences. Switzerland has been recorded to sending a bullet through a man's head without a gun after said man threatened Liechtenstein with separation. Don't tell me I'm crazy, I know what I saw.
November 02, 2039
Log. I presented Liechtenstein and Switzerland to the board and they had nothing to say. Over the months of captivity, security was strengthened when not only Switzerland but Liechtenstein asked to be set free. They can't be set free. There's too much to learn, to study and we can't do that if they get away from us. No.
November 14, 2039
Log. Twelve days after subjects asked for release and something incredibly major happened. We had never seen Switzerland produce bullets out of thin air before but now we have, and what's more we caught it on tape! I took the time to study it and I've deducted that he uses whatever properties of matter he has on hand (basically anything) and compresses it to the point that it could become as lethal as a bullet. He has been separated from Liechtenstein into his own cell to prevent any accidents from happening. Existence promises to behave so long as nothing happens to Liechtenstein. So much has been happening I'm not sure I can keep this from Laura! I have to though, don't wanna shock her into an early pregnancy! I don't believe I said anything about that yet, she's six months pregnant now, Wy is excited to have a little brother or sister.
January 09, 2040
Log. More existences were captured today out in the wild. Both decidedly males, newly dubbed as Sweden and Austria. Sweden seems to be somewhere around the age of sixteen while Austria is older, if not by a decade then more. Neither seem to know anything about ages but both are quite aware of what is going on in the lab. Both Existences are volatile and will react if provoked. We haven't had the chance to take any samples yet, perhaps gassing them will have to become an option.
February 12, 2040
Log. A terrible thing has happened. A new Existence was spotted today, he was brought in easily enough. There was no resistance. Subject was dubbed Finland and upon introduction to the lab… well, it's a little hard to explain. Finland recognized Sweden and vice versa. Strangely enough nothing happened until one of the doctors tried to take a sample of Finland's blood. Power went out and when we managed to turn the backup generators on Sweden was no longer in his tube. For some reason that frightens me, had he always been capable of getting out had he wanted to? We're going to have to proof their tubes against… against whatever it was that Sweden did. Anyways, the scientists were at their wits end as one had stupidly injected Finland with a loaded spike. Existence was found ten hours later, dead, and in the next room where we found his body we found a very much numb looking Sweden. Odd.
February 17, 2040
Log. Sweden has ruined half of the lab and has taken many of our scientists lives with it. I am… sad to say that my own Laura was taken. Wy is devastated and to be perfectly honest so am I. I just… I can't afford to let my emotions get the best of me. If at first I wanted to study these creatures now… now I know better. They are a danger to us. They kill without reason. They may have taken my wife and unborn child but I'll be damned if I let them hurt anybody else. Research shows that it was penicillin that had been injected into Finland and we are now taking different variations and testing them on our remaining subjects. Hopefully we will be able to make one strong enough to prevent any more human deaths.
March 13, 2040
Log. Newly captured Existences. There were five, but we accidentally lost one during the capture. They have been dubbed Milan, Monoco, Sealand, and Seaborga. None seem to know the other but I'm worried. Wy seems to be communicating very well with subject Sealand. I don't know whether to take that as a good thing or a bad thing. He will be monitored very closely.
March 27, 2040
Log. There has been some disturbance in the lab. Subjects seem to react more and more to the toxins if they are in small quantities, and definitely not in a positive way. The injections have been upped into higher dosages but at longer intervals to be able to track any changes. As of now subjects Sweden and Austria are the least responsive and the last to lose consciousness while subjects Milan and Monoco lose themselves within seconds. Seborga has become more of a threat and we might have to put him down if his attitude worsens. Sealand has been the least troublesome and is quiet when asked to stay in his tube. Nonetheless he is dosed with the toxins just like the rest of his kind.
May 01, 2040
Log. Something… something's going on. My scientists are dropping like flies. The Existences have been locked away into their tubes for almost two months now so I know it is not their work. Nothing is explaining why my scientists are dying but I can't risk shutting down the lab. It's an inevitability should the board know of what's happening here.
June 09, 2040
Log. I've evacuated most of my scientists but the more loyal to the cause have sworn their lives to our research. I am so proud to know these people I couldn't have asked for a better crew, or a better daughter. Wy has been working so hard to help us solve whatever has been happening. It makes me so happy because I can't help but see her mother. Laura… oh she would be so proud of Wy too. Such a brilliant girl…
Aug- zhweeenk-.
June 09, 2040
Log. I've evacuated most of my scientists but the more loyal to the cause have sworn their lives to our research. I am so proud to know these people I couldn't have asked for a better crew, or a better daughter. Wy has been working so hard to help us solve whatever has been happening. It makes me so happy because I can't help but see her mother. Laura… oh she would be so proud of Wy too. Such a brilliant girl…
Au- zhweeenk-.
I am so proud to know these people I couldn't have asked for a better crew, or a better daughter. Wy has been working so hard to help us solve whatever has been happening. It makes me so happy because I can't help but see her mother. Laura… oh she would be so proud of Wy too. Such a brilliant girl…
Zhweenk-.
Wy has been working so hard to help us solve whatever has been happening. It makes me so happy because I can't help but see her mother. Laura… oh she would be so proud of Wy too. Such a brilliant girl…
Zhweenk-.
Can't help but see her mother. Laura… oh she would be so proud of Wy too. Such a brilliant girl…
Zhweenk-.
Can't help but see her mother. Laura… oh she would be so proud of Wy too. Such a brilliant girl…
Zhweenk-.
Such a brilliant girl…
Zhweenk-.
Such a brilliant girl…
Zhweenk-.
-brilliant girl…
She clicked the rewind button and listened to it again. It didn't matter if she broke the tapes, she'd made over a dozen copies of each and every single one. They were too precious not to have done it, it was all she had left.
January 22, 2039
Log. Today is the day we start our studies under the Newly Discovered Existences on Earth facility. It's taken us four years to get an approval from the government and the board but finally we are here. The laboratories are in full stock of anything we might need. The only problem is we have nothing to study.
Pause.
Nothing. She'd listen to the rest of these log records too but still nothing. There had to be something.
Pale fingers scoured the messy table top, pushing papers, pens, photos, records, labs, test results and whatever crap people had put on her father's-… her desk while she had fallen asleep. There weren't any new additions but she hoped that while she'd unintentionally slumbered that something would have come up.
Wy pushed the annoying locks of hair around her face behind her ear and pressed the play button again. She wasn't sure if she was just torturing herself with her father's voice but she kept the logs playing anyways. Maybe she had missed something, maybe she had been too careless and missed something.
-months and eleven days under supervision and captive neither Liechtenstein nor Switzerland have caused reason for worry. All the tests, as previously recorded, came back as nothing but perfectly normal. This is absurd! These creatures are not human there should be something in their DNA or data to prove this! I refuse to believe that I've made a mistake and that these two are not Existences. Switzerland has been recorded to sending a bullet through a man's head without a gun after said man threatened Liechtenstein with separation. Don't tell me I'm crazy, I know what I saw.
Wy shook her head at all the people that had not believed her father and again she pushed the annoying locks away. It had been nearly over a year since the pandemic spread through the lab. Only certain areas had been seal off and deemed safe from whatever virus it was killing the scientists. They weren't sure if the virus was airborne or not. They weren't even sure where it was coming from but her father's- her office, was safe.
If it wasn't she'd be sweating bullets in her suit like the rest of the brave few still loyal to their studies.
-If at first I wanted to study these creatures now… now I know better. They are a danger to us. They kill without reason. They may have taken my wife and unborn child but I'll be damned if I let them hurt anybody else. Research shows that it was penicillin that had been injected into Finland-
Penicillin. Was there something she had missed about penicillin? Pfft- of course not! She had checked, rechecked, and re-rechecked every single test on the first Existence to have died. Noting was abnormal about his blood, fluids, or whatever was left of him. Besides the virus didn't come anywhere near the time Finland had died. It had to be something else.
-Log. There has been some disturbance in the lab. Subjects seem to react more and more to the toxins if they are in small quantities, and definitely not in a positive way. The injections have been upped into higher dosages but at longer intervals to be able to track any changes. As of now subjects Sweden and Austria are the least responsive and the last to lose consciousness while subjects Milan and Monoco lose themselves within seconds. Seborga has become more of a threat and we might have to put him down if his attitude worsens. Sealand has been the least troublesome and is quiet when asked to stay in his tube. Nonetheless he is dosed with the toxins just like the rest of his kind.
What had she missed? Fuck!
Wy stormed up to her desk and shoved the papers around. The dark red caught her eyes first and she grabbed at it before raising it to her head and snipping away. She hardly felt it. She wondered if there was something wrong with her.
"Stupid. Hair. Won't just stay out of the way. Dammit." Wy slammed the pair of scissors on the table, her hands catching the brown locks of hair that had just previously been attached to her head. Solemnly she looked up at the glass walls of her father- her's dammit- office and had nothing to say about the person she saw.
It had not been the first time she'd attacked her own hair. Better that than a person. Wy stared at her reflection for a moment more before she felt it. The prickling of the backs of her eyelids as the tears formed. With her hair this short she looked like her mother. And with those bags under her eyes she could see her father. Perhaps with how thin she was… would she have resembled her unborn sibling?
"God." Wy pressed the palms of her hands to her eyes and slumped down into a chair, or at least before the damn thing rolled away and she fell, her behind throbbing harshly. She couldn't care less about that, her heart was hurting more.
Everything had happened so fast. The subjects were still in their tubes but her father… the doctors said that they couldn't treat what they didn't know. Wy had been crushed. She was alone now, she had no one. But… but she would find a way to fix all this.
"Children aren't supposed to play in here honey."
She owed every single scientist to have fallen with a still heart.
"Come on you know better."
She would fix this. No matter how long it took.
Stiffly, Wy pulled herself together. Slowly reminding herself that she had nothing to cry about. Until she found a cure to this damn virus she would not cry about anything. No. Just… just no. She had no right to cry until she fixed all this.
"Wy… what did you do?"
After all…
"N-Nothing daddy. I… I saw it like that when I came in, honest!"
It had been all her fault.
"N-No way… Ms. Wy caused the pan- pand… virus?"
"No you idiot! People can't cause viruses!"
"They can too!"
"Sir Kirkland, are you sure what you're saying is right?"
"You doubt me Mei?"
"Well… uh, I…"
"That's all right. I'd doubt myself too."
"Who thought of the Polies Sir Kirkland? Was it Ms. Wy?"
"No Juan, it wasn't Ms. Wy."
"Oh… who then?"
"A fellow scientist."
-x-
"Oh please Sir Kirkland will you tell us who it was?"
"Of course I can. I knew him personally."
"Ha! I told you so!"
"Oh put a sock in it Sadik!"
"Nye-nye!"
"Whatever. Sir Kirkland, please continue."
"Okay, hmm, his name was Yao Wang… or Wang Yao if you wanna get technical."
"I don't understand how this is supposed to help." Wy stared the man senior to her by no more than twelve years. Even at thirty-two he looked older, his face haunted by the horrors they had witnessed in the lab. He had been there the day subject Existence Sweden broke free of his tube and caused mayhem in the lab. He had the scars on his arm to prove it.
But Wy knew that Yao was one of her father's most trusted men. He had different reasons as to why he wanted to study the Existences. Mostly because he had found an Existence when he had been younger. Japan, he had called the Existence. Yao hadn't known what Japan was back then but when the Existence disappeared, Yao had been a witness to it and thanks to the board, was recruited for being one of the few to have spent time with an Existence. All his life he'd worked in hopes of seeing Japan again. But then the pandemic happened and his hopes were crushed some more. Even so he would not lose hope and he showed just that by researching what was mere myths to Wy's ears.
That's what she told him, her lips pulled down in a frown.
But Yao was excited about his findings. "They are called Polies aru. Poly if singular. The term was coined from the words 'power supply' and history shows that there has only ever been two Polies in existence. One positive and one negative aru."
Wy crossed her arms over her chest. "What do these Polies do?"
"They are sources of, well energy aru." Yao explained. "Your grandfather, before your father took over, studied history in hopes of resurfacing the earth with the power of the Poly. It is said that the PoPoly, positive Poly, could bring prosperity, affluence, and peace on earth aru. It was made of pure good energy."
"And the negative Poly, or Nepoly, could destroy the world as we know it." Wy assumed.
"Yes." Yao nodded. "It is said that both the PoPoly and the NePoly were kept hidden in hopes that neither would have to be utilized fully aru. Of course their essence, somewhat, was used to heal a little, hurt a little, but never used in full. The plague… the floods aru… the NePoly was used to cause those."
"And who exactly gave these orders?" Wy asked, voice ludicrous. "I don't believe that these power supplies wouldn't have been fought over. Something as powerful as this?"
"That's just it aru." Yao hurried to answer glad that Wy was catching on. "The Polies are needed to be kept together aru. The PoPoly can't function without the NePoly and vice versa for reasons that I don't know. And think about it, NDEE has not only American scientists in it aru. There are Chinese, French, Italian, Philippine, Russian, and so many more on board. Or at least there were. I don't think anyone in the world would truly want to wipe out the other hence the Polies being under the whole world's security, not just one country aru."
Wy was not moved. "How does this concern us?"
"If we can find both Polies," Yao pulled out a diagram. "No, if we find even one Poly, either could be used to exterminate the pandemic virus."
"How so?" Wy leaned over the diagram, studying it as well.
"I would prefer we find the PoPoly aru." Yao confessed. "There is a machine that we've been developing for studying the Existences and their talents through extraction of their pure essence, and thus their talents as well. What we plan to do is extract the good energy the PoPoly would have then use it to expel the virus as studies suggest the PoPoly capable of."
"And should we get the negative Poly?"
Yao frowned. "I would like to think of that as our last shot sort of thing aru. If we get the NePoly then we can reverse the functions of the machine for it, to instead of extract, infuse with the virus and hopefully it will suck it all in since it's supposed to take in all negative matter inside of itself."
"Isn't that dangerous?" Wy asked.
"Yes aru. It's why I want to find the PoPoly. The NePoly is much too risky aru." Yao nodded then pulled together his papers and let out a deep breath. "So Wy, what do you think?"
Wy crossed her arms some more. "I think that this is a long shot."
Yao frowned. He had been hoping he wouldn't be turned down.
"But," Wy sighed. "It seems to now be our only shot."
Yao smiled.
"Where do we find these Polies Yao?"
"That's the thing. These Polies have been said to exist back when our people still lived on Earth."
Wy blanched. "That could be over thousands of years ago!"
"Exactly aru." Yao said. "It just so happens that we have an Existence that will be able to help us."
"Which one?"
"Sealand aru."
Wy pulled the offered documents towards her and read the details.
Subject Name: Peter Kirkland
Age: 21 – 25
Discovered: March 13, 2040
Talents: Time jumping
"Get him defrosted and warmed."
"On it aru."
"How long had you been in Freeze Sir Kirkland?"
"I think it was just a year Mei."
"Ohh…"
Everything was soft, whatever it was under him, under his head and it was cold. So very, very cold. There was a ringing in his ears as he woke… woke? How was that possible?
"He's waking up aru."
And there were also voices. Great. Not only was he deluding himself, he was also crazy.
"Do you think he can already hear us?"
He groaned. Go away. Go away. Go away.
"That's a yes. Sealand can you do what I ask you to do? Open your eyes please."
Sealand? Who was Sealand.
"He's not responding aru."
He… His name… He was Peetah. No, not Peetah.
"I wonder… Peter? Peter can you hear me?"
That's right. Peter.
"Yao he's waking up. You go and get the…"
Peter let out another groan, but managed to open his eyes. Groggily, he regarded the things in his vision, overwhelmed by the shocking whiteness of just about everything. Even the people. She was so pale, and dressed in a white cloak that didn't do anything for her pasty complexion.
"Oh good." He recognized this one. She was a scientist here in the lab, often visited him before he had been Frozen. Seborga had told him about her some more through mental links before he went… well off his rocker. But if he was right then that made this woman in front of him…
"Wy?" His throat hurt, it felt scratchy. He cleared it, or tried to and someone passed a glass towards him. He tried to sit up, lift a hand even but nothing was working. He wanted to move but he couldn't. He was numb.
The girl in front of him reacted, a thoughtful frown on her lips. "He knows my name. He remembers me. Peter can you move?"
"No."
"But he can speak." Wy's voice was lower, not the high pitched tone it had been. How long had it been? "That's good enough. Peter I need you to listen hard to me. I need you to try and focus."
Peter wanted to nod but instead he said. "Okay."
"Okay." Wy echoed. "Peter I need your help. There was a reason we Froze you. It's been a year since a deadly virus has overtaken most of the lab as well as the floating city. We've all taken precautionary measures but let me tell you that I'm not the only person who wants to live without the protective suits anymore. We need your help, your talents to find the Polies."
"My talents?" was all Peter had to say. "You kept me… locked here to take them away from me. Now y-you want my help?"
"Please." Wy stressed.
Peter will his body moved, pleased when it did so and he managed to sit up. He didn't like not being able to see Wy while she spoke. Now he could look her in the eye when he said, "No."
"Peter." Wy snapped. "If you don't help us, innocent people will die because of some idiot's mistake! No one knows why the virus spread so no one knows how to stop it!"
"Innocent people?" Peter asked. "You mean like Tino? He was innocent too right? Before an idiot struck him with something and you all had the gall to c-call it some stupid mistake."
"Tino…? You mean Finland? That was entirely different." Wy argued.
"Why?" Peter pressed. "Because we're different? Because we're not human? That makes it all right that you killed one of us?"
"It was one sacrifice for the good of many." Wy's eyes narrowed. "We were trying to find a way to show the world that you weren't dangerous."
"Rubbish!" Sealand growled. "We were living in this part of the world without even touching you! If it wasn't for your stupid lab they wouldn't have even known we existed! And it wasn't just one life."
"What?"
"It was two." Peter leaned back against the headboard of his bed, flinching at the hardness. "You ever wonder why no one else has died even with how much you stick us? Ever wonder what made Tino different? He was pregnant Wy! It wasn't Tino who reacted to the toxin, it was the baby!"
Wy shook her head scowling. "Men can't get pregnant Peter. Don't try to make a fool out of me."
"Oh I don't need to! You're doing it all by yourself! If you believe that we aren't human, that we're different, and that we have our talents," He spat the word out mockingly. "then why can't you believe that our men can get pregnant?"
Wy's confidence loosened a sliver. "T-The scans didn't show-. Wait a minute! We didn't have you in captivity when that happened! How do you know all this?"
"And I'm supposed to be the test subject." Peter murmured. "We know, the Existences know, because Roderich felt the baby. It was why Tino came here to find Berwald in the first place. Tino wanted Berwald to know that he was a father."
Wy closed her eyes. "We… We didn't know that that could happen. Of course we couldn't save Finland."
"Exactly." Peter deadpanned. "I don't care if you feel guilty. You should be cause you are."
Wy chuckled bitterly. "You've changed."
"No." Peter shrugged. "Not really. I've always been like this, I just didn't talk because we weren't supposed to talk. We weren't supposed to show you anything. It was our fault that we got captured to be turned into your little experiments."
"How about a deal?" Wy prompted. "If you help us with our problem, I will assure you and the rest of the Existences your freedom. We'll shut down the lab and everything."
"And how do you suppose you're going to do that?" Peter asked. "I may not know much but I do know that you don't control the world Wy. What's going to stop people from capturing any more Existences like you?"
"The board will make it clear to the government and will stop them." Wy said firmly. "If we can save the world then they will leave you alone. I guarantee that much."
"You can't promise me something this big."
"I just did." Wy grabbed his hand, both flinched at the unused contact. "Peter listen to me. There is a world beneath the floating city. It's where we used to live. It's been inhabitable for as long as I know but if your kind, your people can have talents like time jumping and others more that I could never believe then what's stopping you from living peacefully down there?"
"Another world?" Peter clarified.
"Another world." Wy nodded. "And you can live there, with the rest of the Existences. Just help me save this one."
Peter worried on his bottom lip for a moment. "What exactly… do I have to do?"
"I can't help but get the feeling that something happened between you and Ms. Wy."
"Oh Elizabeta what makes you say that?"
"Dunno. Just the feels."
"Let me get this straight." Peter tried to stay still as Wy connected a bunch of outlets onto him, but he couldn't help but turn his head in hopes of seeing Wy's face as they conversed. He was more comfortable this way. "You want to use this machine of yours to extract my talents so that you can time jump, grab the what's it and save the floating city. Is that right?"
Wy looked away from where she was reading his vital signs and scowled at him. "First of all, this machine we're using is to make sure you don't exhaust yourself. We don't want to hurt you. Second of all, we are looking for Polies. Or the PoPoly anyways. It's the positive power supply."
"You do care." Was all that came out of Peter's mouth. He smirked happily at Wy who took great pleasure in shocking his nerves with the use of the machine. Peter was frazzled for a moment before he regained his bearings and he let out a very stressed, "Ow."
"Oops." Wy gasped theatrically. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you! Of course you'd never had been hurt had you listened to me and just stayed still for just one moment."
"All right then." Peter grouched but remained still and silent as asked. He did not want to get shocked again.
Wy turned a few dials and knobs before disappearing behind a door and coming back with more wires. Peter was indefinitely shocked when she started putting them on herself.
"What do those do?" He asked.
Wy buckled whatever it was over her chest and checked some meters before looking up at him. "It's a modification of the machine. This one will affect me. I will be extracting your talents and they'll immediately transfer to me."
"You mean…" Peter chose his words carefully. "You're sort of like an Existence?"
Wy froze but nodded, it looked like it was painful for her to do so. "Yes. Yes in a sense I am… one of you."
"Neat." Peter chuckled. He took in a deep breath, hoping not to make things any awkward for Wy. "You ready for this?"
"Almost." Wy wrung her hands. "Are you sure it's not gonna hurt?"
"No it never hurts." Peter reassured her. "It'll make you feel dizzy and all that but it won't hurt."
"Okay." Wy checked his vitals for the last time before placing a hand rather stiffly on his arm. "Now you just have to… take us back in time. A thousand years or so will be nice."
Peter nodded and readied himself. Time jumping was more of an act of will more than anything else. "About that, I was thinking instead of going back a particular time and jumping forward from there I thought I'd just jump to the Polies."
"What?" Wy shrieked, loudly right by his ear mind, and smacked him. "You can do that?! Why didn't you tell me?!"
"You never bloody asked!" Peter grabbed hold of the fist she was aiming for his head and grinned. "Don't throw up now."
Plop.
Plop.
"Ow!" Peter hadn't had a lot of experience with time jumping but he was sure that he had better work on his landings. It wouldn't be every time that he had a cushion to support him. Or did cushions talk?
"I'd like it if you please got off of me now."
Peter looked down and found himself smiling at the smaller man. He was definitely a man, even if his face was slightly on the feminine side and he was dressed in what seemed to be a track suit. A very dull grey color, actually it looked like ash. Peter apologized before hefting himself off of him and taking a moment to look some more.
The man sighed in relief when Peter was off of his person. "Thank you."
"No, I uhhh, that was rude of me." Peter rubbed the back of his head. "My apologies I don't usually… drop myself on people."
"That's all right." The man smiled. "You aren't used to using your gifts. My name is Kiku and you are Peter yes?"
Peter stared at the hand Kiku extended for a shake. "How did you…?"
"Oh," Kiku giggled- giggled?- and pressed a hand to his lips to muffle it. "So silly of me. I'm a clairvoyant, it is ah, well a talent."
"A talent." Peter repeated before he realized what that mean. "Oh! Man! You're an Existence?"
"Existence?" Kiku frowned considering it. "I don't call myself that. No one does."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't offend you or anything did I?" Peter asked.
"No, it's all right." Kiku smiled. "What are you doing here Peter? I may see glimpses of the future but I am not all knowing."
"Uhh, well I came back in time with Wy and- Wy!" Peter just realized he was one time jumping-buddy short. He had told Wy that he'd never time jumped with a passenger and he had been hoping that nothing would go wrong. It was now very likely he had jumped and left Wy somewhere between the timeline and since he jumped to reach the Polies and not on a specific date Wy could possibly be anywhere in the years. "I am so, so, so screwed."
"Your friend is fine." Kiku assured him. "She's just not one of us so she isn't allowed here."
Peter's head snapped in relief. "Oh that's good. Wait. What do you mean she isn't allowed here? Where's here?"
"Ah, in the Underground of course." Kiku giggled- yup that was definitely a giggle- again and stood up. "Come with me. I'm sure the rest of the crew will want to meet you."
Peter was dumbfounded, was he just meant to follow this strange man? He hardly knew him? And who was this crew? But oh Kiku was a fellow existence. He had powers too! And that meant… that meant he would never hurt Peter. At least not in the way Wy's NDEE whatever hurt him.
"Peter?" Kiku was a few ways away from him now, and he was looking quite unsure of himself.
Peter pulled himself to his feet and walked up to the other man, who was no doubt shorter than him. He inwardly grinned. He was taller than someone and that surely was a first. Everybody else had been taller than him, Michelle, Roderich, even Wy had three inches on him and it was good to feel that he wasn't the smallest person in the world.
As they walked, Kiku said nothing, almost as if he knew that Peter wanted to get a good grip of his surroundings… right, clairvoyant. What he was amazed him as well as confused him. Everything was slightly down washed but it was also still a bit modern. Not really a dump as the walls were sturdy but of an old gray color and it had mold growing on it. The floors were made of wood and they creaked with every step he took. It seemed like… like a manor of sorts. It didn't look like anything his history books said eighteen sixty four would look like but he wondered if he were in the Victorian era.
Peter wondered if he could ask Kiku what year it was and he remembered that Wy had been very firm about him not divulging the reason he was jumping through time. "They might keep the Polies away from us. Don't let them know you're after it."
Suddenly the lights above him flicked on and off, and it almost felt like the ground was moving. Peter let out a soft yelp as he was slammed to his side into the wall. He hadn't seen anything, but he most definitely did not trip like some idiot. Again he was pulled away from this wall only to be slammed into the one across from it. He shouted in outrage.
"Mathew-san, it's all right. He's one of us." He heard Kiku hum cheerfully.
"I am so sorry!" a panting voice gasped out and Peter was once again pulled away from the wall, only now he was on the floor, on his knees, his head spinning like crazy. Beside Kiku now stood a blonde with long-ish hair and a strange lock curling weirdly over his face. He had glasses on (Peter struggled to remember when glasses were invented) and seemed windswept.
Peter raised a hand but stayed where he was on the floor. "It's all right. I'm okay."
"I thought you were an enemy." Mathew explained. "With all the signals and warnings blaring off my brother was afraid something happened to Kiku. He asked me to look for him and when Kiku's room was a mess I thought something bad had happened. We got all the intruders by the way. We're still safe."
"That's good." Kiku said. "I'm all right though Mathew-san, Alfred-kun worries too much."
"He just doesn't want anything to happen to you Kiku." Mathew chuckled and ruffled Kiku's hair. The shorter man pouted at this and smacked Mathew's hand away.
Peter chose this time to join the conversation, slowly getting onto his feet as the spinning stopped and everything was where they were meant to be. He eyed the newcomer warily, he was not as friendly as Kiku had been. "Where'd you come from? I didn't see you until I slammed into a wall."
"Did I mention I was sorry?" Mathew mumbled nervously and upon Peter's nod, sighed in relief and relaxed. "It's a talent. A friend of ours is controlling the electricity right now to confuse any of the intruders and I just speed along and see if anybody needs help. So far you're the only person I didn't recognize which made charging you a necessity."
"Ah." Peter nodded. "A charge first questions later sort of guy?"
Mathew shook his head, then nodded, then again shook his head. "You have to meet my brother for you to understand when I tell you that it is all his fault."
"Okay." Peter chuckled.
"I really am sorry." Mathew smiled back and offered a hand. "I don't believe we've properly introduced eh. My name is Mathew."
"Pleasure." Peter shook his hand. "I'm Peter."
Mathew looked at him for a moment. "I say, you look a little like a friend of ours. Doesn't he Kiku?"
"Hmmm?" Kiku had walked away from them at some point and was now looking over his shoulder. "Now that I think about it, yes he does look like Arthur-san."
"Who's Arthur?" Peter asked as he too started walking forward.
Mathew sighed and shook his head. "Another you have to meet to understand kind of situation."
"Right."
Mathew had done all the talking and Peter had been given a very brief once over before all hell broke loose. People were patting him on the back, hugging him as if a long lost brother and to these people he might as well have been. Their small crew was made up of eleven people and he was sure they were all Existences like him. He tried to imagine if this was like the group Tino and Berwald associated themselves with before they had been taken by the lab.
"Mon Dieu, you are absolute filthy!" Francis, the third to have come and offer him a rather hard hug, clicked his tongue at his clothes and went so far as to try and pat all the dust and dirt that Peter had absolutely no clues on how it got on his clothes. It wasn't like Kiku's room was dirty. "We must get you new clothes and a bath as soon as possible non?"
"Let him breathe first Francis." Antonio was standing by a pot over what was clearly an old fashioned stove with coal and everything but the smells that were coming from his corner were heavenly. He smiled at Peter. "Ignore his touching. He's just that way."
"But don't let him get too far." Gilbert chortled. "He won't stop if you don't ask him too. One of his ridiculous quirks."
"Oy! I am right here you buffoons!" Francis snapped and since he couldn't very well chase after Antonio (food) he ran after Gilbert who ran with just as much vigor as a five year old child doing an insanely irregular laugh or…
"Is he choking?" Peter gasped aghast.
"Non." Mathew chuckled. "He's laughing. Sounds really odd, eh?"
"Yeah," Peter chuckled. "I mean, yes it does."
Peter tried to decipher what it was he was hearing and decided that it sounded somewhat like… like… "Kesesesese!" or something. He watched as the two chased each other until a very much irate man, younger than them mind, grabbed them both by the ears and snapped rather angrily for them to "Stop acting like damn children, you bastards!"
He'd wondered why Gilbert had told him to not piss Lovino off. Now he knew and… they had such strange names.
"I think I'll go help Antonio with dinner, the patrol gets cranky when food isn't ready by the time they get back." Mathew mumbled to himself. He then looked at Peter. "Feel at home Peter."
"Thank you." Peter smiled. He was sitting down in one of the couches and staring around the room. So far it was the biggest room he'd been in and it was able to hold seven of the promised eleven. The seven were Antonio, Gilbert, Francis, Mathew, Lovino, and a now sleeping Kiku.
He was joined on his couch by Lovino, who had let Gilbert and Francis go after making sure the two were not going to act like children anymore.
Peter steeled his nerves. A group as big as this crew must know something about the Polies. He cleared his throat, "Uh, hey Lovino?"
"What?" Lovino snapped grouchily. He was resting his head on the back of the sofa and he turned it Peter's way. He had a strange curl sticking out of his hair which distracted Peter for a moment before he remembered he had questions, very important questions to ask.
"Uhh, why are there so many of you?" Peter licked his lips. "I mean, I've never met many other exi… talented people like me so it's very overwhelming to see so many of you together and all."
"We're a family." Lovino answered.
"Family?" Peter glanced around himself. None of them even looked remotely alike. Sure Mathew and Francis were both blonde and… actually no that was it.
"Gilbert has a little brother. I have a little brother. Mathew has a little brother." Lovino listed off, still staring at Peter lazily. "They're all in patrol. We met each other here and there's strength in numbers so we stuck together. Now we're a family."
"That sounds… nice?" Peter asked, not sure what to say.
"You'll get used to it." Lovino grumbled, his eyes falling closed. "I didn't like it at first but after a while I realized it's better than living alone. My fratello got on with everyone and that was great but it took me a while to feel safe with them. Doesn't matter how long you resist though, these people are so damn lovable you won't be able to do anything about it. No matter how annoying they are."
Peter raised an eyebrow.
Lovino sighed. "I'm telling you this because I know it's difficult to adjust. I just want to make it clear for you that if a person as grouchy as me can find a place in this dysfunctional group of misfits, so can you. You're welcomed here Peter.. especially since you are one of us. We all stick together. No one gets left behind."
"Thanks." Peter cheered up a little. He was glad that these people were so willingly open. Maybe getting information on the Polies wouldn't be so hard after all. "Uh say, why do you have people going on patrol?"
"You think that we're the only people here?" Lovino asked. "There are people out there that want our heads, or rather our blood to study our talents. I'd assume you knew that since Kiku said you were on the run but then again I wouldn't expect someone who's friends with a scientist of all people to be afraid of getting locked up in labs."
Labs? But… no, that doesn't mean anything. Labs popped up decades ago. Am I in the right time? "Wy is a nice person."
"I'm sure she is." Lovino drawled sarcastically. "Either way if you wanna meet up with that friend you can leave too. No one's gonna miss you since you haven't been here long enough. Heck you haven't even met Feliciano yet."
Talk about a one eighty. "You're cheerful."
"Really ve?" Arms were looped around Peter's shoulders and he found a shockingly brown pair of eyes staring at him from above. The man then pulled back some more and gave Peter his space. "No one's ever called my fratello cheerful before! I like you!"
"Tch, Feliciano he was being sarcastic!" Lovino deadpanned from his side of the couch, successfully gaining… Feliciano's attention. Oh! Was this his brother?
"Ve~ Lovino I missed you!" Feliciano threw himself at his brother and caught him in an embrace. He also nuzzled Lovino's face, cooing affectionately.
"H-Hey!" Lovino let out a breath and hesitantly wrapped his arms around Feliciano, not protesting to the nuzzling. "I missed you too."
Feliciano smiled at that before plopping himself on the couch as well, jumping over the back of it and laying his head on Lovino's lap. He smiled at Peter. "Who are you by the way?"
"I'm Peter."
Feliciano said nothing to that and continued to converse with his brother, telling him of what happened during his patrol, and boy did Feliciano had a lot to say. The minute that passed by was uneventful until more people walked into the room through the corridor and the first Peter saw looked somewhat like Mathew and he pointed at Peter. "Woah a new guy!"
"Alfred that wasn't polite." The man coming up behind him smacked him on the back of the head and winced right after doing so.
Alfred didn't seem to feel it. "Iggy look at him! Dude looks just like you!"
"Yeah right." Iggy turned to him and offered a hand and an apologetic smile. "Please don't mind him. He's an utter moron. I'm Arthur and you are?"
Arthur huh, "Uhh, Peter."
"You sound unsure." Arthur frowned.
"No, I know my name." Peter promised, laughing slightly. "It's just that I've said it so many times today I kinda forget that you all don't know me."
"Oh, I can make that easy for you." Alfred grinned. He then turned on his heel and yelled at the last two people coming into the room. "Hey Ludwig! Ivan! We got a newbie and his name's Peter!"
"A newbie?" Peter noticed that the last two were probably the tallest of the eleven, sans Francis who was tall by his own rights, and most definitely more buff (though Gilbert wasn't too bad himself).
Feliciano reacted to the blonde and waved from his position on the couch. "Luddy! Come here and tell fratello all about the patrol! Tell him how brave I had been!"
"Ah," Luddy… or was that another nickname? What had Alfred said? Oh right, Ludwig. Ludwig cleared his throat and nodded at Peter in recognition before making his way to the brothers. He looked at Lovino who was staring at him expectantly. "Yes, he was very brave. Fought against an invader all by himself."
"Ve~! You see fratello! I did good!" Feliciano beamed widely.
Lovino chuckled and pressed a kiss to his brother's forehead. "I know you did Feli. I never doubted you for a minute."
"Ve~!"
Francis had taken the opportunity and slung an arm around Arthur, pulling the other man closer to him and pressing his lips to his. Peter felt his cheeks flush. He'd never seen anything like that. "Cherie, tell Francis what happened on the patrol please. You seem awfully tired."
Arthur's response was to flush bright red as he shoved Francis away and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'd rather you not molest me in front of Peter you stupid old frog. You might scar him for life… and I'm fine."
"And yet it's okay for them to do it in front of us." Mathew mumbled from where he was helping… uh, Ivan… Ivan out of his coat. The blonde man shook his head but didn't argue when Ivan pulled him onto his lap. He stayed there, resting his head against Ivan's shoulder.
Peter moved his eyes away and wondered why he was suddenly noticing how everyone was pairing up. This… this… he had only seen this between… no, he had never seen this happen before. He had just been told. What did he expect though? Of course when you were with a number of people for so long, development happened. He shouldn't have been too surprised.
They really were so open though, Peter realized as he watched Alfred rouse a grumpy Kiku from his sleep. The blonde was trying to wiggle his way into Kiku's arms and the smaller man was clearly not appreciating the waking. He frowned at Alfred who chuckled happily, his voice louder when Kiku gave in and pulled him into his arms.
Peter wondered why no one was asking him questions. Yes, sure they asked him who he was and it seemed like they knew about Wy (Kiku) but not a single one of them asked him where he came from, what he was doing here, and what he intended on doing now that he was here. They hadn't even asked him what his talent was.
Odd.
"Arthur," Francis scolded. "Leave the dinner to Antonio please."
"He's cooking for one more person tonight." Arthur huffed. "Anthony could use some bloody help."
"Actually I'm all right Arturo, I'm almost done." Antonio grinned wickedly.
"Fine." Arthur turned on his heel and plopped into an arm chair situated near the couch and just sat there, grumbling underneath his breath. The setting of the room was Antonio, the stove situated in one corner and had what seemed to be an island counter around him in a square, one side of the square was cut off a bit so people could go in and out. Beyond the counter was a dining table with six chairs and to the left of that was the sofa and more comfortable looking love seats. It was sparsely decorated but the room had big windows that let in cool gushes of wind and had a clear view of the sky and its many stars.
They had electricity, and clearly food but he wondered what kept these people alive. Could it be… "Hey guys, can I ask you a question? What exactly do you know about Polies?"
There was an awkward silence where everyone was staring at him. It was broken when Feliciano removed his head from Lovino's lap and turned to face Peter. He looked at him, stared for a moment, before shrugging his shoulders. Whatever it was that gesture meant broke the silence and Antonio announced that dinner was ready and that they should just serve themselves.
Peter watched as they all ambled to that side of the room to get food all except for Lovino who was still staring at him. He decided to save himself lest he never get the chance to ask again. "I… I'm sorry. I didn't know it would be such a bad topic."
"Where did you learn that word?" was what Lovino asked him.
"History class." Peter lied. "I was told that… that they were beings of pure energy. That they were power supplies that could be utilized to either save or destroy the world."
"That's true." Lovino nodded. "Partly true at least."
"Do you know them?" Peter pushed. "I mean, have… have you actually seen the Polies?"
Lovino sighed but raised a hand. From that hand a small spark of light appeared and Lovino extended it towards him. "Touch that."
Peter wondered what Lovino's power was but did as asked and when his fingers touched the light he pulled them back immediately. His entire body had just been shocked. "What was that?"
"Energy." Lovino smirked. "It was energy in its purest form. I know what Polies are. I am one."
"Why don't we take a break then?"
"What?! No Sir Kirkland! You must tell us how it goes!"
"But Elizabeta it's time for lunch."
"Please Sir!"
"Yes! Please!"
"Oh all right but we have to eat something. You go ahead and fetch your lunches and I'll keep talking while you eat."
"Awesome!"
"Mum made me shawarma. I love it!"
"That looks tasty!"
"Shush! I wanna hear the story! Sir Kirkland do go on!"
"All right… now where did I leave on… yes."
Peter couldn't believe his luck. He had found one. What a discovery! The Polies weren't objects they were living and breathing power supplies! No wonder so little was known about them! He hadn't made a mistake after all! He fought to control the smile on his face. If only Wy could be here so he could rub his victory in her face. Now she couldn't go back on her word about giving him and the Existences a world of their own. He was hoping it would feel like this place, with the crew. He would make it feel like this.
All lively, lived in, and… and familiar. Safe. Antonio was done making sure everyone had plates, and had even given Peter a plate before he sat down and tucked in. Everyone's mouths were full of food, except for Lovino was still staring at Peter.
"Why do you wanna know about Polies Peter?" Lovino asked.
Peter swallowed the mouthful of rice. Wy had fed him but he still missed food and eating and whatever was on his plate was exceptionally good. Nothing he had had before but it wasn't too strange. As he did so he wracked his mind for an excuse and seriously hoped that none of them were mind readers. "I… In the world I come from, I've been teased a lot for believing in the Polies. I just… want to learn about them so that I can prove all those people wrong."
"How do you plan to do that?" Lovino asked. "You can't bring me back with you so you'll only have your words."
Peter attempted to salvage his lie. "Me knowing your real will be enough. At least… at least I know."
"Fair enough." Lovino mumbled. When he said that, it was as if it was some sort of code and Gilbert walked up to the couch, two plates in his hands.
"Scoot over Vyes." He nudged Lovino with his hips who scowled but obliged giving enough space for the silver haired man to sit down. Gilbert then passed one of the plates to Lovino and began eating from the other one.
Lovino ate his dinner but it did not stop him from talking to Peter. "I'm a Poly and it's not gonna take a mind reader to know that Feliciano is one as well."
Feliciano waved from his chair with Ludwig who was trying to feed him vegetables.
"If I may, who's the NePoly and who's the PoPoly?" Peter tried to ask but Lovino held up a hand.
"I can't tell you that. Lovino smiled. "Information like that in the wrong hands would be a danger to everyone not just Feli and myself. You understand."
"Of course." Peter nodded but he swore he would find out who was who. He would not come back to Wy with half-assed information. He would never live it down. "Uhh, the others… they know what you are?"
Gilbert answered as Lovino continued to eat. "Of course we do. We were their protectors, or at least we had been. Vyes doesn't want us around for that reason anymore and I can't argue with that."
"I don't need protecting." Lovino grumbled around his mouthful. He swallowed. "And neither does Feliciano."
"Ja you've said so before." Gilbert leaned forward, putting his face close to Lovino's.
"And have I ever been wrong?" Lovino asked.
"Nein." Gilbert pressed a quick kiss to Lovino's lips.
Peter felt a bit of his heart drop. The Polies could find love too. Huh, when he found which Poly was which how would he separate them? He looked at Ludwig and Feliciano, the latter chatting speedily and the former listening intently. Should he based things on looks alone he would call Feliciano the PoPoly as he fit the description properly. But looks were deceiving, he knew that the most.
"Who's up for seconds?!" A metal smash resounded in the room, startling most people including Gilbert, whose quick kiss with Lovino, developed into something heavier. The two broke apart and Lovino's cheeks were flamed with red. Antonio was smiling apologetically at everyone. "Sorry! I didn't mean to drop that, it slipped. Anyways, no one wants more? I'll leave this here then. Goodnight."
Peter watched as the man stormed away from the room not able to understand what set him off.
Gilbert sighed. "I'll talk to him."
"Please." Lovino whispered.
Peter wondered what happened between them.
"Beer?" Alfred had approached Peter once everyone started clearing out. No one had said anything after Gilbert rushed after Antonio and they had all continued as if nothing had happened. Feliciano had volunteered to do the dishes and no one protested. Now they were all just lounging about again.
Peter accepted the bottle but did not drink.
Alfred noticed this and gulped down some of his own. "Under aged?"
"Do I look like I'm under aged?" Peter quirked an eyebrow.
Alfred's grin remained and he shrugged his shoulders. "I wouldn't know. You can never tell with talents. For all I know you can remain forever beautiful."
"What a useless talent." Peter grumbled. For the heck of it he took a sip of the beer but no more. It tasted as foul as he thought it would.
"Francis wouldn't say so." Alfred chuckled. "He'd kill for that talent. Any talent that's not his."
"What? Why?" Peter straightened up intrigued. He'd never thought of ever hating his talent. His talent was, well for the most part, cool.
"Not all talents are nice kid." Alfred sighed. He leaned back on his elbows as both were sitting on the ground, looking at one of the walls. It pulsed with color, something that hadn't happened until Ludwig tapped it half an hour ago. "Francis is… he's poisonous. Lethal to anyone he comes in contact with."
"What?" Peter croaked. "But that… he hugged me earlier!"
Alfred laughed. "He's not poisonous now. But he used to be."
"How is that possible?" Peter wondered. "Did he… can you get rid of your talent?"
"No." Alfred snorted. "Your talent is who you are. If you get rid of it you get rid of yourself in a literal sense. You can't just abandon your talent."
"I didn't know that." Peter admitted.
"Not much people do." Alfred nodded. "The only reason I know is… well when I found out about having a talent and being all special and that crap I didn't believe it."
"No?"
"Nope. I hated it. I couldn't touch anyone without hurting them. I couldn't hug someone without accidentally breaking their ribs. I couldn't kick a soccer ball without giving someone a concussion." Alfred hanged his head. "For some lonely kid without parents, having no friends was even worse. Matty was there, he was always there, but I hated that I was so different."
"Super strength?" Peter asked.
"Bingo. I was saved though. Someone told me that… that it didn't matter that I was different. I wasn't bad. Different didn't mean bad. Labels were just labels. Just because he was quiet didn't mean he was dumb. Just because he was often right didn't mean he was a smart ass." Alfred took another sip of his beer. "Matt's got speed by the way."
"You're like superheroes." Peter mused. He did wonder who this 'he' Alfred was referring to.
"That's one way of thinking about it." Alfred grinned. "Me, the hero. I am the hero."
"Who's hero?" Peter teased.
"His." Alfred nudged his bottle towards a direction and Peter looked up to see Kiku walking up to them. The smaller man made himself comfortable beside Alfred and smiled at Peter.
"Hello Peter-san."
"Kiku." Peter smiled. "I don't think I've said this yet but thanks for earlier. For not panicking and stuff I mean."
"Panic? This dude?" Alfred asked, looping an arm around Kiku's shoulder. "You can never catch Kiku off guard man. He's a clairvoyant. Doesn't know everything but he knows enough."
Peter felt something pull on his conscience. What… was Alfred implying something? He let out a small laugh, it was hopefully not as obvious as he felt it was. "H-He told me that too! Is that some kind of catch phrase?"
"Sorta." Alfred chuckled and kissed Kiku's forehead. He looked at Peter. "I'm gonna go get another beer. Okay if I leave you two alone?"
"We'll be all right." Kiku said.
"Kay." Alfred stole one more kiss then got up and went to get wherever the beers were being stored.
Peter wondered why Kiku wanted to be alone with him. What did he know? What did he see? Oh shit! Oh shit! Dammit!
"Peter-san."
"Y-Yeah?"
Kiku's eyes glazed over, almost as if he wasn't there entirely. "No matter what happens, I know you'll do the right thing."
Peter's breath caught. Kiku's eyes returned with their slightly gleaming look and he seemed surprise.
"Are you okay?" Peter asked.
"Hmm oh yes." Kiku smiled. "I'm just… whenever I see things I sometimes forget or sometimes get lost. It takes a while to put myself to rights. Do not worry though, this happens all the time."
Peter nodded though his mind was elsewhere. Do the right thing? The right thing for whom?
"Peter?"
Peter looked at Kiku. "I'm sorry what?"
"I said, what were you and Alfred-san talking about?"
"Oh, uh. He was telling me about him… and you I suppose. You're story."
"Ah." Kiku seemed pleased. "Did he tell you about how he saved me?"
"No." Peter frowned. "He was telling me about how you saved him."
"That's how he always says it but he's wrong." Kiku frowned. "He was the one that saved me. The… my talent was slowly driving me crazy you see. People thought I already was and I didn't want to be ridiculed by them so I ignored them, isolated myself and one day when I was just walking around, ignoring the world I bumped into this boy and almost immediately I knew that he was…"
"Was?" Peter prompted.
"Meant for me." Kiku breathed. "He was meant for me. No matter what anyone else said this boy was who was going to stand by my side and never leave me. Through the good and the bad. Of course he had his own problems and all I had to do was show him that he wasn't alone but he was also there and he showed me that I wasn't alone either. My talent told me that Alfred was who I was going to spend my life with and that I should treasure him. My talent told me that Alfred was in danger of losing himself over to his fears. I don't like it when he's hurting and for some reason my talent is telling me that something's going to hurt him some time soon."
Peter froze but Kiku was not looking at him.
"I am gonna die before that happens." Kiku muttered with much feeling. "I swear it."
Peter was going to bed for the night, wondering about what Kiku knew and didn't know. He was on edge, not comfortable with so many unknown things. He did not want to be attacked in the middle of the night, while he was in dream land and unaware. The room he was in was the farthest away from everybody else. Maybe he could time jump from here, find Wy then bring her back. He would grab both Lovino and Feliciano and leave it to Wy to figure which was which.
That was a good plan but it was full of many risks. What if he couldn't find this timeline again? What if when he came back the crew would be ready for him? No, he'd have to stay here for now. Remain here until he could come up with a better plan.
"Peter?" A knock on the door brings him back to the present and he opened it, not surprised to find Mathew there with a blanket. "It gets cold at night sometimes, especially when Ludwig can't control the electricity very well. Now more than ever cause he's a bit tipsy."
"Thanks Mathew." Peter took the blanket from him and tossed it on the bed behind him. The blonde man was still standing, looking at him with an unsure expression on his face. "What's wrong?"
"I just…" Mathew chuckled nervously. "It's stupid."
"You can tell me." Peter smiled.
"Okay but promise you won't laugh or something eh?" Mathew asked. Peter nodded is consent. "Well, I know that you might have trouble deciding on whether or not you want to stay or go. I mean, you did drop out of space and time here and it was all an accident… or I mean, you wanted to learn about the Polies but… it doesn't seem like the place you came from… was very nice."
Peter saw the concern in Mathew's face.
"I'm not judging them!" Mathew added hastily. "I'm just basing this on my observations. W-We have our problems too, I mean you saw Antonio and Gilbert but… but we never hurt anybody. We're a family."
"Of course." Peter nodded.
"So I was just…" Mathew cleared his throat. "You've met Ivan, eh?"
"Yes." Peter shuddered, and he would be glad to forget about that particular meeting.
"Well… he was… he was a sentinel back then." Mathew mumbled slowly. "He was very unfeeling, cold, brutal. The best guardian in the whole world. He was meant to protect the Polies, make sure they never got out to the world, even by ways of word of mouth. Or in other words…"
"An assassin?" Peter guessed.
"Oui." Mathew nodded. "I… I was asked to do some Intel. Food was hard to get and Alfred was having issues of his own and I'm very grateful that Kiku was helping him out with that. It was my job to get us money and I did it by getting information most people wouldn't want others to know."
"You needed information on the Polies." Peter said, understanding dawning on him.
"Yes." Mathew replied. "Ivan chased after me, but neither of us knew that the other was talented. I thought it would be easy, you know. With super speed and all that. Imagine my shock when I found myself frozen."
Ice.
"He froze me and had smiled at me. He was out of breath, panting and telling me that I'd done a good job. No one had ever outrun him or made him run after them before. He usually just froze them, snapped them whilst they were still ice, and that was that." Mathew smiled wryly.
"You two fell in love?" Peter guessed.
"No." Mathew chuckled. "I hated him. I… of all the things I had, my talent was the most I was proud of, except for Al of course, I love him to death. So when someone caught me unaware, made me feel helpless and stuck of all things, I was absolutely positively livid. I wanted to beat the crap out of Ivan."
"And did you?" Peter asked.
"I tried." Mathew said. "He unfroze me and said that he found me interesting. We would fight, hand to hand, no talents."
Peter whistled. "Who won?"
"It was a draw." Mathew grinned. "We ended up in a draw when neither of us could move but both of us were still conscious. I argued that had he not frozen me before the match I would have been more capable, he said that I was making excuses. He just laughed and then he let me go."
"He let you go?"
"Yup. After a month, I was on another job and I may have gotten a little careless, my phone wasn't on vibrate and it alerted the security dogs. I was almost caught. Imagine my surprise when everything around me got frozen solid into blocks of ice."
"Wow."
"Yeah." Mathew agreed. "I asked him what he was doing, Ivan told me he wasn't letting the only person who managed to be his equal get away from him lest I become stronger or better or more… whatever than him."
"And here you are now." Peter wagged his thick eyebrows.
"Yes." Mathew laughed. "Here we are now."
"That's a really nice story." Peter smiled before he yawned into his hand.
Mathew looked positively shocked. "Maple! You're tired! I shouldn't have kept you up!"
"That's okay." Peter waved a hand. "It was worth it for the story."
"Thank you. I just… a lot of us here, we weren't so better of back then. But living here, meeting these people, being with them, becoming a family. I want you to know that it's the best thing that's happened for all of us." Mathew smiled but he ushered Peter inside and made to close the door. "Goodnight Peter."
Peter mumbled a soft goodnight. His head hit the pillows and almost like a switch sleep took him. He didn't worry about Polies, or Wy, or a world for him to live in. He dreamed of soccer balls and snowflakes and the feeling of falling in love.
The next morning Peter woke up to alarms and he opened the door to the room he'd been leant only to be nearly bowled over by a running Alfred, Ludwig, and Ivan.
"Sorry lad!" Arthur was the only to stop and apologize but he too was in a hurry. "It's nothing to worry about, just a little pest problem. Everyone else is in the kitchen. Breakfast is waiting."
Then he too was out of the hall and out the door. Where was the exit even? Peter would have to find out where it was lest he need to use it soon.
"Good morning amigo!" Antonio was cheerful again, and he was handing out plates of food to everyone still present. He had basically handed one to Peter before resuming his cooking duties. Peter didn't mind. Antonio was a wonderful cook, as proved by this second meal of pure deliciousness.
"Sleep well?" Gilbert grinned. He was sitting on the counter, swinging his legs back and forth like a little kid. Peter would have believed that if it wasn't for the fact that he seemed to be nursing cuts on his arm.
Peter blinked. "What happened to you?"
"It's just a scratch." Gilbert promised but from where Peter was standing it clearly was not.
Behind the counter Antonio was chopping something that was probably vegetables and seemed to be oozing with happiness for some reason and Peter decided he didn't really want to know. He pulled a seat out on the table where everybody else was eating breakfast and tucked in.
"I hope they come back soon." Feliciano said barely understandable with his mouth full. "Why do those bugs have to keep coming back here? I'm just glad they're nearly dying out hopefully they'll go for good. I mean, I know life is precious and all that but they're nasty and I just wish they would leave us alone-."
Lovino showed his imminent displeasure and kicked his brother under the table. "Swallow, then talk."
"That's what he said." Gilbert cheered.
"Bite me!" Lovino snapped and fixed the white haired man a glare. "What are you doing there anyway? Sit at the stupid table and eat with us. You too Antonio!"
"Relax Lovi, I'm just finishing this last one." Antonio promised before he doused the charcoal underneath his old fashioned stove with some water then proceeded to come to the table. He joined them, sitting beside Feliciano.
Peter swallowed a mouthful realizing someone was missing. "Where's Kiku, Francis and Mathew?"
"Ve~ With the patrol." Feliciano said. "You probably didn't see him cause he's speeding by. Ivan doesn't like not having Mathew with him."
"He just wants to keep him safe." Antonio piped up. "And I think Kiku is still sleeping. Alfred kept him up."
"Don't remind me! Those bastards were loud!" Lovino shuddered.
Peter blinked. "A lot of people seem to be paired up here."
Francis, who appeared by the doorway, waved a hand with much flourish. "It's l' amour~!"
Feliciano nodded in agreement. "Oh it really is! There's Kiku and Alfred, Mathew and Ivan, Ludwig and myself, Francis and Arthur-!"
"No matter how much my silly Tommy will deny it."
"-and Lovi and Gilbert!"
Peter couldn't help it, he had seen the kiss last night but…
"Excuse me amigos, I don't think I made enough food for the rest of us."
"It gets a little boring here sometimes." Lovino murmured. He was laying on his side, head pillowed on his arms. The patrol had come back and everyone seemed to have something to do inside the manor except for Lovino and Peter.
Peter chuckled slightly. "Where is everybody else then? What are they up to?"
"Training most probably." Lovino snorted. "Not that they have to train for anything or whatever. They just wanna have something to do so they spar sometimes, brawl. Livens things up on a good day, gives us a need to raid medical facilities on a bad one. Basically they do it for fun."
"Or relief?" Peter raised a blonde eyebrow. "I saw Gilbert's arms earlier. Was that one of their spars?"
"You could say that." Lovino chuckled. "We call it cat fights, or the rest of this good for nothing crew calls them that."
"They have so much tension." Peter noted. "It isn't obvious cause everybody seems so friendly with one another until something in Antonio snaps and he just walks away, which I think is a good thing, but Gilbert follows after him and… well…"
"They beat the crap out of each other." Lovino deadpanned. "And you're right. Antonio snaps, but… he… the bastard has good reason to snap. And… and I may be… that reason."
Peter saw all the pieces fit. "An old lover?"
"In a way." Lovino rolled his eyes. "Look, I don't really broadcast my life to anyone who listens, but since I'm trying to convince you that this is a place where nothing can destroy our trust and faith in each other I'll tell you anyways."
Peter smiled.
"Antonio… You know how the Polies, Feliciano and I need guards? Well, most of the members of the crew… we sorta lied when we said we just met each other here. Gilbert, Antonio, Francis, Arthur, and Ludwig were members of the squad that looked after us. Kept us secure in a vault somewhere deep under the ground." Lovino studied Peter's reaction, in hopes that he wouldn't take the lying too badly. "Of course they worked on rotation, I never saw them all at the same time, heck I'd never even seen Arthur before. Just Gilbert, Antonio, and Francis. But first… first I met Antonio."
"Don't be scared, I- I'm not gonna hurt you. I just… who are you?"
"Power."
"No. I mean, who are you? I'm Antonio."
"… I have no name."
"O-Oh."
"Antonio taught me about what was in the world outside of my vault. He taught me that there was such a thing as a sun, that was almost like what I could do… it was a form of energy. In fact, it could be considered a Poly all on its own only it didn't talk like I did. It didn't breathe or speak liked I did. He said I was special."
"Lovino."
"Hmm?"
"Call me Lovino you bastard. Are you deaf or what?!"
"A-Ah, I'm sorry it's just that Lovino isn't a real name…"
"Wh-What?"
"-Isn't a real name in Iceland! But here… it's a good name. Lovino."
"Good. For a second you almost got me worried there."
"Ah I apologize."
"Stupid head."
"He… he gave me my first meal. It was pasta." Lovino smiled, his eyes looking far away. "He also brought fresh tomatoes. He'd grown them himself, he said. It's his talent. He gives things life and health. It's why I'm so in-tuned to him. He was… Antonio at some point was all father, brother, lover, and friend."
Peter's brows furrowed. "What happened?"
"Gilbert happened." Lovino chuckled bitterly.
"What are you doing here?"
"I… Don't tell anybody but I'm lost."
"No one's supposed to be here go away dammit!"
"Uhh remember when I said was lost. Were you living under a rock kid?"
"Yes."
"Oh. Uhm, mind me asking what you're doing there then? Like you said no one's supposed to be here cause the Poly might over react or something."
"Why?"
"Well it would be dangerous-."
"No why would I overreact?"
"Not you kid, the Poly."
"I am the Poly."
"… Okay I'm laughing now. Can't breathe and all that. Get out now."
"I don't understand bastard. What are you talking about?"
"Look kid it's dangerous here. Don't make me use my talent and make you pass out or something, I'm assuming you're talented too."
"L-Let go of my arm bastard!"
"This is for your own good."
"N-No! Antonio! Let go! Let go! Let go!"
"Hey now- ow!"
"W-What?"
"That's my line, Gott! That hurt! What the fuck did you do to me?"
"I-I… that was… the was energy. My… my talent."
"That was you? Wow, you really are the Poly. That hurt, but I'm awesome so I'm all right. You though?"
"I… I… how are you still standing?"
"Hmph. Is now the only time you've met someone as awesome as me?"
"It was the only time I met someone who didn't drop dead after being blasted by so much raw energy." Lovino crossed his arms over his chest, now lying flat on his back and staring up at the ceiling. "Of course I didn't really wanna kill him, just make him pass out cause he was really scarin- I mean, I hadn't met anyone except for Antonio and the others but they always wore white suits."
Peter was honestly surprised when Lovino turned to look at him, cold grin on his face. "You know I don't need Kiku to tell me your judging me right now."
He blanched. "I'm not! I'm just… all right I'm a terrible liar."
"Damn right you are." Lovino chuckled. "You can hate me, detest me, and all that bullshit but let me tell you personally that you will never understand me."
"I can try." Peter mumbled. "I mean, tell me a little more about yourself. What's it gonna hurt?"
"I'm a Poly." Lovino deadpanned. "Any and all information on me could mean either the death or prosperity of the world. Depends on which one I am."
"Well that's easy." Peter snorted. "I mean, it's obvious isn't it? You're the bad and Feli's the good."
"If you say so." Lovino hummed. "I'll say though that if that's what you think then isn't pissing me off a bad thing?"
Peter straightened from his reclining position on an arm chair. "Well I don't wanna base all things on looks alone."
"You aren't as stupid as I thought you were." Lovino praised.
"Hey!"
"It was a compliment idiot."
"Sure." Peter agreed. "What happened after Gilbert didn't faint. I mean, what's his power anyway?"
"Leeching." Lovino said. "He… he takes a bit of your power, and most of the time power is strength. In a sense he's making you weak through leeching off of your own power. He gets stronger too."
"Wow." Peter whistled, then it hit him. It was strong, it was cold, it was pulling him and it hurt.
"Peter?"
"Peter?"
Wy.
He had to find Wy.
"Then what happened? Oh please Sir Kirkland don't stop!"
"I'm afraid I actually have to. I see your parents cars outside."
"Oh man."
"You will continue tomorrow though, won't you Mr. Kirkland?"
"If we have the time."
AN: Well that was long. A bang to start off the Poly!Verse. I must admit I made that up on the spot. I think the succeeding chapters will be a lot more entertaining because this chapter was the intro chap. Your thoughts on this would be great to hear lovelies~!