Not One of Us
Bigby stirred early the next morning. His body never let him sleep long. He probably only got about six hours of sleep, which was better than usual. He stood up from his chair, cracked his whining joints and stretched out any spring indentations that now left swollen knots in his back. Shifting his rotator cuff in his shoulder he started for the kitchen, doing his usual routine of peering into the empty fridge, pulling out a smoke, lighting it, and starting his coffee machine.
"Good morning," his latest house guest walked into the kitchen. Bigby almost forgot about the whole situation. He looked her over with tired eyes, noticing her hair was wet. She had a certain warm glow about her. It was natural against her ivory silk skin, "I hope you don't mind, but I used your shower."
He rubbed at his eye, "Don't worry about it." His mind couldn't help but wander to the thought that, that might be the only time a beautiful woman would ever be found in his shower.
She approached him and stood beside him at the counter, "Not a morning person?" she jabbed with a raise of her eyebrow.
His eyes locked onto hers and then to his coffee maker which was hesitating to do as it was told, "Hardly," he muttered through his teeth that were locked around his cigarette. His eyes narrowed at the piece of malfunctioning technology in front of him.
The blonde reached across him and flipped a switch on the machine. After a moment the rich dark liquid started to sputter from the spout into the coffee pot. She gave him a sympathetic smile, "It has to heat up first, or you'll just get water." His eyes went back to her. He wore his usual stoic expression, "You're welcome." her smile widened, taking a couple steps around him to sit at his kitchen table.
Bigby kept his palms flat on the counter. His eyes however, never faltered from the hour glass figured girl as she tugged on a piece of her hair aimlessly. Her smell was overwhelming. Even with the cigarette smoke inches from his nose, it was still overcome by this new smell. The pot filled about halfway and stopped. He pulled two cups from the cupboard above his head and filled them. Taking a seat at the table with her he set the cup down in front of her, "Hope you like it black." he commented.
The corner of her lip twitched up with happiness. Her delicate fingers curled around the glass, welcoming the touch of warmth it brought to her hands, "I think I appreciate the company far more." Her eyes raised, looking at him over the coffee cup.
There was a tickling tinge in his stomach as he fought off the feeling with a swallow of his drink. He scratched at the stubble that covered his chin, plucking the cigarette from his lips to put it out in the nearby ashtray. He curled his lips inward to run his tongue across them before opening his mouth to speak.
"Don't I get a cup?" Colin wondered, strutting into the kitchen to greet them.
"You're still here?" Bigby grunted, shifting his body to look passed the woman and to the swine who seemed to piggyback off his apartment.
"I forgot how much of an asshole you are in the morning." The pig remarked, approaching the table.
Bigby stood up and clasped his hand against his leg in his pocket, "We'll leave in a little bit." he told the Mundy in his kitchen, before moving passed the two home invaders and making his way to the bathroom to freshen up. If he didn't shower before work Snow would comment on how terrible he smelled. He could hear it now.
The girl stood up and filled another cup for the pig, finishing off the coffee pot. She turned to him and set it down in front of him, "Thanks sweetheart." he said with a grateful smile, before lapping up the liquid. He looked up at her and said, "If we worked together we could kick him out. You're a much more hospitable roommate."
A chuckle lodged itself in her throat as she gave a light shake of her head and took a sip from her cup, "It was nice of him to let me stay here. Granted I think it's more for your guys safety than hospitality, but still..." her head turned to the window that had the blinds drawn over it, "I can just tell... he's really kind."
Bigby reappeared in the kitchen two ticks later with his usual outfit on: black shoes, black work pants, a button up white shirt with the sleeves rolled up just below his elbows, and a black tie. His shirt was partly unbuttoned and his tie was draped over his shoulders while he resumed buttoning the shirt up the rest of the way. There was already a new cigarette dangling out of his mouth. As he tied the tie around his collar he noted the girl had given Colin a cup of his own and grimaced at her charity, "We should head to Snow's office." he told her.
Snow? Snow White? This was so strange. Were there going to be blue birds flying around her office singing little tunes while seven dwarves marched about? She hoped not. Standing abruptly to her feet, Chelsea followed after Bigby who had already started for the door.
They walked down the hall and of course a small cluster of Fables has assembled a line outside Snow's office. When the group caught a glimpse of the girl, it was as if they were seeing a phantom. Among the face's was none other than Bluebeard, "What the devil?" Bigby didn't break stride as he moved to the front of the line and allowed Chelsea entry before slamming the door behind him.
Snow was zoned into some paperwork she was looking over, "Good morning Bigby," she greeted, knowing his entrance anywhere. Her eyes blinked up momentarily, then shot up in a hurry, as she stood up abruptly from her desk. Her mouth hung open with disbelief, as her jaw moved trying to formulate a sentence.
"Before that vein in your forehead bursts, let me explain." Bigby insisted, crumbling the cigarette between his thumb and index finger, "There was a fight at the Trip Trap last night... she was there..." he wasn't exactly sure how to continue, "She's... different Snow."
"What is a Mundy doing here, Bigby?" sneered Snow, crossing her arms.
Chelsea was getting tired of being called that word already. It felt like an insult. Like she was below these people somehow.
The office door swung open and a flawlessly faced man with black hair, blue eyes, and perfect teeth came strolling in, "What's this I hear? Something about a Mundy in the Woodlands?" it was none other than Prince Charming.
Bluebeard silently came in after the intruder and closed the door behind him, flashing the others outside a cocky grin of amusement.
"Okay, everyone get the fuck out." growled Bigby, coming toward Charming and Bluebeard.
Charming continued passed the grouchy wolf and looked the woman over like she was a piece of livestock, "Huh... I feel like we would have met before now." he smiled at her, "Though if we had met... trust me... you'd remember." he winked at her.
Chelsea gave him a cold look, "You must be Charming." her eyes narrowed.
"That's right." He nodded, "They also call me Prince." He cupped her face with his hand, rubbing his thumb against her cheek, "What do they call you? Gorgeous, I'd assume."
She jerked her head away from his hand and gave Bigby a look.
"Knock it off." Bigby protested, coming to her aid.
"Settle mutt. We're just talking." Charming said nonchalantly.
Chelsea eyed a pair of swords jutting out of a slender bin. Her eyebrow went up as she moved passed the men and went to retrieve a couple of blades, "Hey! Pretty boy!" she called to the Prince across the room, "How are you with a sword?"
The corner of the Prince's mouth curled up, "If you're lucky, you may just find out." he wasn't talking about an actual sword.
Chelsea tossed him the blade, not carrying whether he cut himself trying to catch it, "Want to know why I'm here Miss White?" Chelsea questioned, coming forward, "I'll show you."
"I detest fighting a woman." Charming said with a disapproving look.
"It makes me no difference. Are you ready?" the Mundy girl wondered, giving him a chance to ready himself. She straightened the sword into an upward stance. Charming chuckled lightly, holding his sword out to her lazily like he was hardly taking her seriously. In the flicker of a second her sword was crossed against his. She was fast. Incredibly fast. Snow leaned in, suddenly enthralled by what was happening before her eyes. Bigby and Bluebeard stood on the other side of the scuffle, also very much in shock.
No one was more cut off guard than Charming. It took him a moment to parry the girl, "You're... feisty." he breathed, removing his jacket so he could move more freely.
She came at him again without hesitation, this time striking his sword with such force he had a hard time keeping up. Her eyes started to glow white as her blows became more ferocious. After displaying her stamina she tightened her grip on the hilt of her sword and began making horizontal slashes at his blade, cutting it like butter three times. When he was left with a stub of a blade, she flicked her wrist, knocking what remained of the blade from his hand and putting the tip of her victorious sword an inch from his Adam's apple, "Do not touch me again." she warned coldly, her eyes reverting back to normal before spinning on her heel and approaching Snow White. She stuck her hand out, palm up, to display her light powers to the woman, "This is why I'm here... do you know why I can do this?"
Snow couldn't speak. She just watched as a woman single-handedly took down Charming at swordplay. The man who was known as the most crafty swordsmen of all Fables. Bluebeard was grinning as if he had just found the perfect woman. Seeing Charming's skin crawl was quite humorous to him. Bigby also found the scene to be entertaining, but he was also in quite a bit of shock. This woman was a skilled fighter, but how? How in such a modernized world was she able to convert her combat tactics on the flip of a dime?
Snow smoothed her skirt with her fingertips, "Bluebeard, Charming... Leave. The sheriff and I have a lot to discuss with our... guest."
It took some coaxing from Bigby, but they were finally escorted out the door with a swift slam. Bigby locked the door so there wouldn't be anymore intrusions.
Snow rubbed her temples, "Word of this is going to spread fast. People will be thrown into a panic about a Mundy walking among us freely in Fabletown." she shook her head, staring absently at her desk.
"What was I supposed to do, Snow? She approached me." Bigby cupped his hand over a new cigarette between his lips, igniting the tip, and placing the lighter back in his pants pocket.
"How..?" Snow didn't know where to begin, "How did this happen?" she asked the young woman who stood before her curiously.
"It just... happened." Chelsea explained, returning the sword to the bin she found it in.
"Can I come out?" a voice asked from out of no where.
"Go ahead, Bufkin." sighed Snow.
A flying monkey appeared from behind a wardrobe and flew down to land on Snow's desk. Chelsea's heart swelled. She couldn't help but smile, "Wow..." she mouthed. A good flying monkey? That seemed strange. But was it really? Bigby seemed totally tame and he was supposed to be the Big Bad Wolf. This was so strange.
"Fascinating." Bufkin inquired, looking the girl over, "I've never met a Mundy before. How do you do?"
Chelsea grabbed at her elbow nervously, "It's been... an interesting twenty four hours..." she said with some reluctance, "If you're Bufkin... Bigby said he thought you might be able to help me."
Bufkin momentarily gave her a saddened look, "I can try. The answer may be in one of these books, but..." he looked over his shoulder and then back to her alluring green stare, "It will take me some time to find the information. We have quite the library here."
"Is there some way I can help? I can help you research." Chelsea suggested.
"I apologize," Snow cut in, "but we have some pretty confidential information inside those books. It would be in both of our best interest, if we tried to figure this out for you."
Chelsea stared at the woman for a time. She was beautiful. She had jet black hair, crystal blue eyes, a nice figure, and her clothes were ironed to prestige condition. However, there was something about her that irked the girl, "Because I'm a Mundy?" she asked, in an almost mocking tone. The blonde's eyes looked about the giant office, "Look, I get it. I'm an outsider. I don't belong here and you've all made that loud and clear." her voice started to shake, "But right now, I don't belong out there either! I get angry or fed up and my eyes start to glow!" her emotions were starting to bubble out and as a result, that bright light appeared in her eyes, "I can pick up grown men three times my size. Hell-!" the girl started to lift off of the ground, suspended in air with no help of wings or flying contraption, "Does this look normal to you?!"
She swiftly landed on her feet and pressed her hands down on the desk, "Don't act like you give a shit what happens to me. Do you honest to God think my intention is to go out and tell the world I spoke to Snow White and spent the night inside the Big Bad Wolf's apartment? I would be considered a lunatic!" she quickly turned around and started for the door, "Don't worry, your secret is safe with this Mundy. At the end of this, you're just going to make me forget anyway right!?" she unlocked the door and slammed it behind her.
Snow had a mix of emotions on her face; she was irritated by the girl's outburst, worried that she would wander out into the streets and start preaching about Fabletown, and downright confused by everything that just happened in her office. She let out an exasperated sigh and rubbed at her eyes.
"Poor girl..." Bufkin murmured, "She's so lost. And we thought we didn't have a place in this world..." the wise bookworm took flight and started back for his countless bookshelves of endless information.
Bigby felt his heart sink. If anyone knew what if felt like being an outsider among his people, it was him.
"Go after her Bigby." Snow instructed, "It's just as dangerous for her to be wandering out in the streets of Fabletown as it is for us. Convince her to come back... we'll... figure something out." the woman shook her head and sat back down in her chair.
Bigby headed for the door and paused with his hand on the door knob. He exhaled and opened it, stepping out into the now empty hallway, following the fragrant scent of the Mundy girl. She took the stairwell, so down the steps he went.
Author's notes: I got some pretty nice feedback from chapter one so I wanted to thank those who read and reviewed. It's much appreciated. As I said before random characters that haven't been introduced to the game series yet will be popping up in this fanfiction. Thanks for reading. I'll see you guys at chapter 3.
