Shorter chapter than normal but I haven't had a lot of time lately and I really wanted to get this up. And now for some bad news! I need to put this story on hiatus until after the New Year :( I'm sorry but things are going to be hectic and I want to get my Christmas story ready so something had to give. Heaven Can Wait will still be going up as that's chapters ahead but I promise, this will not be abandoned and, should I find time, I will do some early work on this story. Please be patient with me and enjoy this chapter!
I don't own Hetalia!
Hetalia Tales 5:5 : A Fairy Tale Job Pt 4
Hercules appeared in the little village of Ville Bois, outside a building that was perfect for his use. He had already arranged ownership and just had to set up his 'bookshop'. It was for the benefit of one person! Matthew, the ten year old son of the local inventor and outcast, Francis Kirkland-Bonnefoy. The poor boy was having a hard time of it in the village with people thinking his father was mad, saying that he was married to a Fae who was looking for Matthew's twin brother, Alfred. The village did not believe in things like magic and the Fae so their logic told them that, if the Fae did not exist, neither did the twin brother.
So Francis was ridiculed and Matthew was pitied and that left Matthew feeling lonely. Hercules would befriend the boy and that would help Hercules set up the story that Matthew was a big part of. That being the quest to save a king.
It would be a long assignment, another ten years before Matthew and Ivan would meet and in the meantime, Hercules would get Matthew ready for his destiny. Subtly, of course!
The next day, the bookshop opened to the amazement of the villagers, not many people read but Hercules was waiting for a certain person. After a while, the door opened and a little blonde head with a curly strand poked around the door. The ten year old boy had violet eyes and a quiet manner that was evident when he called (quietly), "H hello?"
Hercules looked up to see young Matthew looking at the books in wonder and smiled at the shy boy who had yet to gain the confidence he would have in later life. Perhaps Hercules could help with that too.
"Good day, little sir!" he greeted. Matthew shied back a little and then came through the door completely, followed by a white bear cub. "My name is Hercules! What can I do for you today?" Matthew's shoulders came up as if trying to disappear and began to fiddle with the hem of his shirt.
"H hello! M my name is M Matthew!" Matthew stammered. "I I wanted t to look at the b books, if you p please, sir," Matthew's bear sat, waiting to see what the bookshop keeper would say. Hercules gave another friendly smile to the painfully shy boy.
"Look all you like, young Matthew," he replied, coming toward him and petting the bear. "What books do you like best?"
"I l like all k kinds," Matthew replied. "B but I like f fantasy b best." Hercules put a hand on Matthew's shoulder and steered him toward a certain shelf of books.
"These are fantasy," he replied and plucked one with a blue cover off the shelf. "I can recommend this one." Matthew took the book to look at the title, La Belle et la Bête! He looked longingly at the book as if he wanted to open it and devour the contents right there but he looked up at Hercules, sadly.
"I would l love to have the b book," he admitted. "B but I don't have e enough m money for it." He went to give the book back but Hercules pushed the book back into Matthew's hands.
"I loan books too," he replied. "Bring it back when you've finished it." Matthew's face lit up and he hugged the book to his chest.
"Oh, thank you!" he exclaimed, not noticing that the stammer was not there but Hercules noticed. Matthew had taken a step toward being more confident.
"You're welcome, Matthew," Hercules said, picking up a cat that had come curling round his legs and petting him. Matthew moved toward the door and opened it but before he left, he turned back to Hercules.
"Thank you again, Hercules!" he said. "Goodbye!"
"Goodbye, Matthew!" Hercules replied and looked down at the bear. "Goodbye, Kumajirou!"
Matthew was half-way home before he tried to remember if he had even told Hercules Kumajirou's name.
Hercules continued to stroke the cat as he watched Matthew and Kumajirou walked back through the village. He scratched the cat's ears and said,
"It's a start!"
Once he was completely settled, Hercules took his first 'trip' out of the village. What he actually did was went back to his own world to start Lucifer's behavioural retraining and raised an eyebrow at the scratches and bites he had all over him.
"The other cats did not take to him," was all that Kiku would say.
One of the first things Hercules discovered was Lucifer's damaged olfactory nerves, which was why he could not tell that Kiku had neko in him and why he tried to attack Kiku when he was pretending to be a mouse. Once he was healed, Lucifer could detect the cat in Kiku and was always around Kiku as if he was trying to apologise but it freaked Kiku out.
What was a bigger challenge was Lucifer's spoilt nature! Hercules fed his cats at specific times but Lucifer expected food when he wanted it and immediately. Boy, did he yowl when he did not get it! The only thing Hercules could do was not give in to him until he realised that yowling would not do any good and then there was the other problem. Integrating Lucifer with the other cats who really did not like him. For this, he enlisted Kiku's help.
"Could you use your neko abilities to get the other cats to play nice with Lucifer?" he asked Kiku who grimaced slightly. "I know you have no reason to like Lucifer but it would help change his behaviour if he had friends or, at least, not surrounded by enemies!" Kiku sighed and nodded. He had some ability to communicate with cats if he really concentrated so, for Hercules, he would get the other cats to try and mend fences with Lucifer. Hercules gave a smile and gave Kiku a kiss.
"Thank you!" he said. "I should get back to the Tale. Don't give feed Lucifer until you feed the others. I'm trying to teach him that he can't have things on demand!"
"Hai!" Kiku replied and they kissed again. Then Hercules went to the book and disappeared. Kiku sighed and went to the cat room.
Hercules looked up as his shop door opened and fifteen year old Matthew came through the door with a thunderous expression on his face. Gone was the shy young boy that stammered his request to look at the books. He had more confidence now, his stammer had all but vanished and he would stand up for himself and his family which was what Hercules suspected had put that angry look on Matthew's face.
"Hello, Matthew," Hercules greeted as Kumajirou came up to be petted by Hercules. "You don't look happy."
"I hate this village!" Matthew declared, vehemently. "I hate the people and I hate Luciano's bullies!" Luciano and his gang had arrived in the village just before Francis and Matthew and now they unofficially ran the village. They either charmed or intimidated the other villagers but neither Hercules or Matthew were impressed by either approach.
"Ahh!" Hercules replied. "And what have they done to put you into such a bad mood?"
"They've been saying Papa's insane!" Matthew blurted. "And that Dad doesn't exist and Alfie's just a imaginary brother that I made up when I was a kid. Nothing that anyone else in this village hasn't said but they're the worst for it! Why does nobody believe me?"
"I do!" Hercules said. "Just as I believe your Dad will find your brother some day. Ignore them! Always remember that you know the truth! Now, how can I help improve your mood?" Matthew sighed.
"I'd like a new book but I don't have the money to buy one right now," Matthew replied with a slight blush. Hercules smiled.
"You can borrow one," he said. "Take your choice!" Matthew gave him a grateful smile and searched the shelves, finally picking one and showing it to Hercules.
"Ahh, revisiting a classic, I see," Hercules commented as he read the title La Belle et la Bête! "Enjoy it and don't listen to Luciano's thugs!" Matthew smiled, thanked Hercules and he and Kumajirou left the shop. Hercules watched as they went up the street and then he saw Luciano watching them too, a look of obsession on his face as he stared at Matthew as he walked away.
In another five years, everything would begin to come together.
Five years later …..
Hercules was aware that everyone was singing but no one else thought anything weird of it and, for Hercules, it was rather fun to watch. Then he saw Matthew, unaware he was singing, making his way to the shop.
"Hello, Matthew," he greeted as Matthew came in and he scratched Kumajirou behind his ears.
"Hello, Hercules," Matthew replied. "I came to return the book I borrowed." And he handed back a book with a green cover.
"Finished it already!"
"I couldn't put it down. Have you got anything new?"
"Not since yesterday."
"Okay," Matthew looked at the books on one of the shelves. "I'll borrow... this one." and he picked La Belle et la Bête from the shelf.
"You've read this twice already!"
"It's my favourite," Matthew said. "Far off places, magic spells, a prince under curse!"
"If you like it that much, it's yours." Hercules had always intended to give Matthew the book but he had to wait until this moment.
"But I can't..." Matthew was reluctant to accept such an expensive gift.
"I insist!"
"Oh thank you!" Matthew clutched his book and left the bookshop with Kumajirou in tow. As he walked back through the village, both the villagers and Matthew singing again, Hercules saw Luciano waylay him and they exchanged words as Luciano tried to get Matthew to accompany him. Luciano had romantic intentions toward Matthew that were not returned and they were soon joined by Luciano's twin, Flavio who clearly said something Matthew did not like because Matthew got angry with him and Luciano slapped Flavio around the head. More might have been said but then there was a boom and a plume of smoke shooting into the air and Matthew ran off in its direction while Luciano and Flavio began laughing.
It was beginning!
So we've had a little bit of Hercules's history with Matthew and a little of Lucifer's retraining. La Belle et la Bête! is French for Beauty and the Beast, I just couldn't resist that! XPI am sorry about the hiatus :( It's the first time I've had to resort to this but I promise, once New Year is out of the way, I will be back to this and, with any luck, I'll have a Christmas story ready to put up on Christmas Eve.
To chanceoutof20 – Nor can I! :) I'll make sure he's there for you!
To takuya – Thank you so much! I could never make Kiku hate his little kitties :) , he knows that it just Lucifer! :( Kiku's still a cat-lover! :3
To Maveriqua – Yes, revenge is sweet for Kiku XP And I'm looking forward to writing that bit, it's going to be fun! XD
Well, that's that for now! I'll be back on Thursday with Heaven Can Wait and, hopefully with my Christmas story (TBA) and I'll be back with this after New Year! Cast Iron Promise!
Till then,
Hasta la Pasta!