This story actually gets really serious and full of adventure; you just have to be patient. Deal with the romance part and it gets better, I promise. It's actually important to the plot! It is all connected to my Holiday Hazards series, also, but you might understand without reading them.
Dark Tempest
Chapter One: Return
Linda skipped down the street, smiling to herself. She was a naturally optimistic person, thus explaining why she was humming to herself also. The last year had gone really well! The circus thing wasn't working for her, since she kept interrupting Epros during his card shows…but then she had just started talking to Mr. Know It All in the Madril bar, since he always seemed so lonely. Then, she had actually gotten a job picking up on some of the local gossip, reading some books from the library, and just chatting with Mr. Know It All. Apparently he wanted all the info he could get. It was a very simple job, and she worked a bit at the bar also. She had a nice apartment, and her music lessons were picking up.
Oh yeah. The music lessons. She was glad to say her voice had greatly improved. She was still singing on street corners, but now people stopped to listen to her songs. It just….got better. More and more people appeared when she sang, and that could only mean her music career was taking off! She was going to have a concert in the park. It was everything she always wanted.
Then…why wasn't she happy?
I know why. She thought sourly. Being sad wasn't something Linda did often, and it passed on by so fast some people missed it. But she couldn't stop that annoying prickling in her head every time she thought of him.
Epros.
They had been dating since that night at Ari's house during the holidays. She had been crying, and he had come in to comfort her. Then, actually, he had started showing up more and more afterward. Bringing gifts sometimes and actually listened when she sang.
Everyone said we looked so cute together! And we were.
Then…he had broken up with her. Around this time of year.
She stopped to lean against the new railings installed around Madril. She was on the first level, which meant the only thing below her was the industrial area, far below, where the gears and junk worked. It was around this time, the summer, when she missed him the most. It was also when he had broken up with her.
She touched the onyx pendant on her silver necklace, turning the egg shaped gem over in her fingers. Black, with silver letters engraved on two sides. An E. And a L.
She felt the tears in her eyes, as she remembered his fingers slipping through hers…She had wanted to know why, but he said he couldn't…she'd be safer…
She had been heartbroken, and her friends had comforted her. Rosalyn had said she was too strong to cry for long over him, he wasn't worth the trouble! Marlene had agreed; the boys distanced themselves, feeling awkward over stuff like this. However, Stan had said if he saw Epros again he'd incinerate him, just for her.
They had helped her get rid of the junk that reminded her of him, but what had made her keep the necklace? What had made her hide it from them, and then wear it around her neck, hidden in her shirt?
She removed the clasp, staring at the silver chain that slipped through her fingers. The pendant flashed brightly. Just like his eyes.
If he was going to break up with her, why did he give her the necklace that same night? Pity?
But that was so unlike the former Phantom Evil King.
Linda suddenly steeled herself. She had to let him go. She held the necklace over the pit, looking at the mist created by the machines working far below.
"Tonight," She whispered, her new found maturity speaking for her, overwhelming her kiddy side, which it had begun to do more often. "I let you go."
And she dropped the chain. It spiraled out of sight, flashing brightly once more, before it was gone.
Gone. Like him.
Linda felt like a huge weight had been removed from her chest. She felt a helpless smile playing across her lips. She had finally let him go, that necklace had been the constant reminder of the whole year without him.
But now, she was going to move on.
She felt so happy; she grabbed her microphone from her bag, touching the familiar object. It was magical, amplifying her voice even without the equipment. She was alone on the street, and she turned down the volume so to not awaken the sleeping citizens. She smiled at the memory of Marlene grudgingly admitting she no longer sounded like she was "committing abuse to all windows in the area", so she didn't break glass anymore!
She leaned against the wall, singing to herself.
"This day just gets better and better, alone with you, in this weather…"
Sometimes it was nice to sing to yourself.
"The light touches you, from high up above. I wait for those words, 'It's you I love'…"
She cocked her head to the side, hearing someone walking. Oh. Well, it is a city.
"When they leave your lips, you hold me tight, then you say-"
"Everything is going to be alright."
"Everything is going to be alright."
Linda froze, staring around. Her first thought was, this isn't a duet! Then she recognized that voice.
God no.
God no.
That light, almost girly voice, but was too deep for that. With that accent you couldn't get anywhere else, similar to Stan's but different. That cultured, accented voice only belonged to one guy.
How had he known? To come back right after she had just gotten over him. Or so she told herself.
She didn't want to lift her head. She just tightened her grip on her mike, wishing her friend Maggie was here. She tried to ignore his voice.
"Won't you at least turn to face me? It's your face I came to see."
She tried to tell everyone she was, like, so totally mature now, you know? But she didn't think even mature people wanted to talk to ex-boyfriends. Rosalyn would have gone into an angry rant. She wasn't Rosalyn, it was against her nature.
Epros had had her heart, and he had broken it. Well, most of her heart. One piece was held by Coach, and Ari even had one. (She felt really bad for confusing him with a doll), but yes, Epros had had the biggest piece. He had destroyed it, and scattered what was left.
He was toying with her heart now, like a cat with a mouse.
"Linda?" He said, no longer rhyming, not when one word was all that was needed.
She finally lifted her head, staring at him. She was maybe a little taller, with her horns a little longer, but her hair was the same, cut short. He looked like the photos in her album, untouched by time. The former Phantom Evil King's eyes glinted in the light.
"Epros?" She let his name out in a gasp. "What are you doing here?"
He smiled slightly, floating over. "I wished to see you sing, it would bring me joy beyond anything."
"You told me my singing was terrible." She narrowed her eyes.
He set himself down a little away from her. He grimaced. "T'was true I suppose, once upon a time. Now I hear you're quite sublime."
Her natural flirty side came out, and she smiled slightly. "Had to hear it to believe it, huh?" She laughed slightly, and he laughed with her. It wove together like music, like it belonged there…
No it doesn't! She screamed at herself.
Linda hesitated, and then shrugged. "Okay. Glad you're here. Concert isn't until another week, though. " She gave him an honest smile. "We'll have lots of fun, you know? I've already invited everyone. It's late, I'm heading home."
Epros bowed. "I look forward to your performance, if I may say. I'd come to your concert any day."
Linda scoffed, turning around. "So you say."
She stiffened when suddenly he was right beside her, brushing his fingers across her cheek. The blush crept up before she could stop it.
"You know I didn't mean it that way. I can explain, about that earlier day." He said softly into her ear.
His fingers trailed down to her hand, and he pressed something cold into her grip. She brought her hands to her chest and ran down the street, not wanting to listen to anything he had to say.
Once she got home, she bolted into her room and jumped onto the bed. She opened her hand, staring at the object.
The necklace.
She put it on her bedside table and hugged her pillow, suppressing tears.
Why did he have to come back? Right when she was starting to get over him? What kind of sick game was he playing?
"Maybe," she said into the darkness. "I need to talk to Rosalyn."
If anyone knew how to get rid of guys, it was the Great Hero.