Number Four Privet Drive was a boring place full of boring people. But it harboured a dark secret in its fourth house... In this house lived Vernon Dursley, and his wife, child and nephew.
Vernon treated his wife and son very well. He loved and cherished them with all his heart, and worked long and hard to provide for their desires.
However, this did not mean he was a good man. Far from it. He was an angry, short-tempered man that always treated the general public like yesterday's trash.
But the worst thing about him was, by far, the way he treated his nephew... Or as he saw him, his stress-relief punching bag.
Everything that went wrong in his life was Harry's fault, pure and simple. He stubbed his toe? Freak put the table in the way and got a beating. Breakfast burned? Freak needed to cook better, so he got burned on the stovetop. Dudley and his friends made the freak drink chemicals? Freak provoked them, so he got the hot fire poker.
Now, Vernon wasn't entirely at fault. An old jinx surrounding the house was greatly enhancing his anger and hatred. Without it, he would at the very most starve and hit him... But the longer the blood wards stood, the more enraged and creative he became with his punishments.
Harry Potter was scared. All his life, all he had ever known was pain, fear and sadness. He was certain he would die if this kept up...
Whimpering, the little boy curled up in a ball, trying his best to sleep through the pain of his latest beating... He let out a choked sob that he wasn't able to choke back. "I wanna be somewhere else... Anywhere else..." He whimpered.
His pleas were heeded... In a flash, little Harry Potter was gone from his cupboard, his blanket and teddy bear left behind on the cupboard floor.
He felt something soft... He finally opened his eyes and felt a cool wind on his face. Looking down, he saw he had landed on some grass. Harry blinked, confused as to what had happened. Then he looked up. When he did, he felt his spine freeze. In front of him was a tombstone, beside him was a tombstone, all around him were tombstones. Had he died?! Did his freaky stuff kill him?! He was led to believe it would, but... if he was dead, wouldn't he see his mommy and daddy? Or... or whatever else there was?
Weakly rising, Harry began wandering aimlessly, trying to find a way out of the graveyard, or someone to help him. But he didn't believe he would ever find either. He was a freak. That's all he was. That's all he ever would be.
He finally gave up, sitting with his back to a headstone, not knowing what else to do. He had been told he would be hurt if he cried, but... it's all he could do.
He managed to fight back tears enough to avoid breaking down completely... But he couldn't prevent a few from streaming down his face and onto the grave beneath him, the small tear droplet trickling down into the ground below...
In a coffin lay a corpse, relatively preserved due to the parasite taking residence within. The corpse was that of a girl. In spite of her blue skin, boney hand and missing eye, she still managed to look as radiant as she did in life, her youthful beauty having been maintained, her long purple dress still in pristine condition despite the years inside the coffin. Across her corpse laid a skeletal snake-like parasite, loyally lying by the side of his best friend's daughter.
They had been revived three times in the past seven years to face the Skullgirls. Despite their condition, they had managed to make friends, and tie up several loose ends, chief among them being the destruction of the very people who had killed her: The Medic mafia.
They'd had help, of course. Filia was truly appalled by her family and knew they needed to be taken down. Cerebella had realized she was following the wrong side after one dirty job too many, defecting from the Medicis alongside her best friend Feng and arch-rival Beatrix. Peacock, Ms. Fortune and Big Band all had their own personal grudges against them that they felt needed to be unleashed. Parasoul had been itching for an opportunity to destroy the corruption of the Medicis. Painwheel loyally followed Filia into battle. And Valentine? Well, she saw a chance to atone.
Between all of them, the Medicis numbers dwindled quickly. Ottomo had been crushed to death in his own mech courtesy of Big Band. Vitale had had his neck snapped by a tearful Cerebella. Lorenzo had been personally executed by the princess for his laundry list of criminal offenses. And she herself had been able to kill Black Dahlia, the one responsible for the massacre of her family. It was strange... When Leviathan had pierced her chest, the cyborg had looked almost... relieved...
With her family avenged, she was then able to target the Skullheart once more, her friends following her faithfully into battle. They had managed to win with no casualties on their end, even though the last Skullgirl was much stronger than Marie had been... Upon the heart's destruction, Sienna Contiello, or Squigly as she preferred to be called, returned to her sleep, awaiting the next return of the Skullheart.
This was a month ago. She was not due to awaken for several years.
Yet a small droplet of water dripped over her forehead... And her single red eye slowly opened. "Ngh... Hmm...?" She looked around at her surroundings and frowned. "...Leviathan...? Are you awake...?"
"Indeed I am, m'lady." Her parasite's suave voice sounded out. "But... I don't quite know how that could be... The other graves are silent and untouched, yet we... We are alive and able to walk the earth once more..."
"It can't be the Skullheart then... But how-" She stopped when she heard a muffled sound coming from above ground. "...Leviathan... Do you hear that...?"
Leviathan listened closely. "Hmm... Yes, it sounds as though someone is up there..."
"Yes... It sounds like... Like a little boy...! Leviathan... I think there's a lost child up there! Please, help me get the coffin open! We must help him! This is an awful place for a child to get lost in!"
"Of course, m'lady... But I would imagine we are quite far under... I shall help you burrow through all the dirt. Now come..."
Harry whimpered softly, burying his face into his knees, when he heard something from beneath him... It sounded like a muffled conversation between two people.
Timidly, he looked over... And then, a skeletal hand burst out of the dirt right next to him.
Harry yelped in terror, crawling backwards as another hand burst out. Slowly, a figure began to drag itself out from the dirt. Harry looked on in terror as whatever was in front of him made its way out until it finally stood up, it's body cracking and snapping as joints and bones seemed to re-align, or an old body was stretching for the first time in a long time. Harry wanted to run, he wanted to do anything, but he was too scared. He was also tired... tired of the pain, tired of running, he just wanted it to stop...
Squigly looked around, knew she had heard something. Turning around, she saw a tiny, frail baby looking up in absolute horror at her. She frowned, realizing what had probably just happened. She couldn't blame someone as tiny as this- wait. Was he a baby? He seemed a bit... older... regardless, she couldn't blame someone as young as this child for being apprehensive at a figure literally emerging from the ground.
"Are you alright, little one?" She asked softly.
Whimpering, Harry scooted backwards, not willing to look up. It was fake kindness... It had to be... No one would ever be nice to a freak like him, after all... "...Little one...I'm coming over to you now. Please don't be frightened. I promise you, I will not harm you." Squigly said as gently as she could as she made her way over. Harry tensed up, his curiousity slowly overwhelming him as he slowly looked up...
She wasn't scary... The blue skin and single red eye were unusual, but... She was looking at him the same way his aunt looked at his cousin when he was hurt...
Squigly rested her hands on her knees and bends over slightly to get a better look at him. "Hello there, little one." She said gently. "What in the world are you doing...Oh my, you're still crying..." Now taking a knee, she gently wiped the boy's tears away with her skeletal finger.
"It's alright, it's alright." She said in a soothing tone. "I'm not going to hurt you." Maybe it was his age, or maybe it was his hidden desperation to be loved by someone, but Harry felt like she may be telling the truth. But then again, he was a freak. Freak's didn't get love... He had been so preoccupied with his fears that he didn't notice the woman put a bony hand on his cheek. "Oh, you poor thing. You're scared stiff." She cooed.
She frowned when she felt him flinch slightly, but it wasn't the normal flinch where people would try to get away from her. This was more like he had been expecting something else to happen when she touched him. Thankfully, the poor dear seemed to calm down a little as the tension in his shoulders released. Leviathan emerged to get a closer look at the boy himself, letting out a confused grunt. "Most peculiar indeed... What's a strapping young lad such as yourself doing alone in the cemetery at this hour?" Harry looked at Leviathan, and he began to feel curious about the snake skeleton. Seeing the child looking at him in curiosity, Leviathan realized that they had made a rather critical social faux pas. They hadn't introduced themselves! "Oh! Where are my manners, please forgive the late introductions, young man," his tail swished around to point at himself, "My name is Leviathan and this is my lady, Sienna Contiello." Sienna smiled and wavef as she was introduced.
"You can call me Squigly, if you like."
Harry blinked. "H-Hi, Mr. Levia...Levi...Leviathan...?" Leviathan nodded in affirmation. "And um...hi, Miss Squigly..." Squigly smiled.
"My, my, aren't we a polite young man? However, that still leaves us with our initial question... Why in the world are you here all alone at this hour?" Harry opened his mouth to reply, but clamped it shut when he remembered what his uncle swore he would do if he ever told anyone about his freakishness. Squigly, seeing him tense up, started to finally put lyrics to the song she really didn't want to hear. "Sweetie, did... did someone hurt you...?"
Harry tensed up and sniffled slightly before slowly nodding his head. "I...I did something he didn't like, and he...he got mad, and it... It really, really hurt, and I felt really sad and I didn't wanna be there anymore, so I wished I was somewhere else, and then I was...I was here, and..." His shaky, nervous rambling was cut off when Squigly fell to her knees and hugged him tightly.
The child had clearly been abused. She didn't need to hear him say it out loud to know that. Right now, more than anything, the child needed affection. Squigly held the child close, frowning as she felt him squirm, as if trying to pull away. Had he really not even been hugged his entire life!? What had his (she assumed) parents done to him?
"Hey, hey... it's okay." She whispered soothingly, trying to calm the tiny boy. Unfortunately, it seemed to work very little, leaving him still shaking uncontrollably. She was at a loss for words, but she believed if she showed the poor dear she wasn't going to harm him, maybe he could tell her what was happening. From there... well, she could figure that out later. Right now, the tiny boy was her main priority.
There was a long moment of silence before Harry felt bold enough to timidly hug her back. Squigly and Leviathan shared a look. Whoever Harry was with before better hope that they never got their hands on them, they would probably be unable to stop themselves from turning them to ashes. Returning her focus back to Harry, Squigly started to hum a simple tune as she started to rock him in her arms.
Harry was confused. Why was this woman hugging him? Why was she being so nice? Why wasn't she hurting him? Why... why did she look like a skeleton in some regards? Harry blinked, then all his questions melted away as he felt himself falling asleep. Using his freaky stuff tended to take a good amount of energy from him, and whatever remaining energy he had was usually gone after he got beat. But this woman was holding him nice, maybe... maybe he could sleep, just for a minute.
When she felt the boy relax, Squigly gave him a sad look. "You poor little thing... I can imagine how scared you must have been, appearing here unexpectedly..." She rested her cheek atop his head. "I'm so sorry that someone was cruel to you..." Harry began shaking, feeling somewhat overwhelmed by her tender treatment. Squigly was confused for a moment before the answer came to her, "It's ok to cry, Harry. Neither Leviathan or myself will hurt you, nor will we allow anyone else to do so." Harry's grip on her her tightened as his thin shoulders started to heave as he began to sob. Even with her telling him it's ok to cry, Harry still tried to stay as quite as possible, sending an ache through her still heart. He was still restraining himself... She silently took a seat by her tombstone, hugging the boy close to her bosom and gently running her fingers through his hair. Leviathan rested his head atop the boy's shoulder as a sign of comfort as well, opting to stay silent and offer comfort through gestures alone.
Squigly didn't know, and frankly didn't care how much time had passed until she felt Harry simply shivering in her arms, his tears long since ended, quiet whimpers being the only thing he was emitting. The zombie woman sighed and began rubbing his back trying to soothe him.
"There we go, do you feel better now?" She asked gently, lifting Harry's chin up and smiling down at him, looking into his watery emerald eyes. Harry sniffed, but gave a very timid nod.
"Good... Go on and rest now, sweetie... You must be exhausted..." She whispered gently into his ear. He rested his head against her shoulder, and almost instantly dozed off, snoring softly in her embrace. With a sigh, Squigly carefully got to her feet and looked around to see if anything had changed since she last woke up. Hopefully it hadn't been too long and some of the people she met while fighting the Skullheart were still around. She began to walk away before noticing the gravestone Fillia made and smiling softly at the sight. She made her way towards town, focusing mostly on the boy in her arms. "Leviathan... If we ever encounter the one who hurt this poor boy..." She trailed off, but Leviathan recognized her tranquil fury.
Leviathan released a brief jet of purple flames, "Of course my lady, such evil can not go unpunished." With a sigh, she looked out through the cemetery fence at the city. Thankfully it looked like she hadn't been asleep for very long, so there should be more than a few people she could go to for help. It wouldn't be proper to care for a child in a graveyard after all. She felt the boy shift slightly in her arms and let out a soft whimper, as if having a nightmare, to which she responded by running her fingers through his hair and shushing him gently. He let out a soft, adorable coo and snuggled even closer up to her before sucking his thumb.
"Oh, he's so adorable." Squigly cooed, with a wide smile. She held the tiny boy closer and watched as he slept peacefully, now seeming to have drifted into a more peaceful dream. "Leviathan, what are we going to do?"
"Pardon M'lady?" The parasite blinked in confusion.
"What... what do we do now?" Squiggly asked, trying to think of something, but coming up empty. "We can't just leave him here, and I don't want to send him back to wherever he came from. That may get him hurt again." Leviathan was silent for a minute, thinking things over, and seemed concerned himself.
"Well, that group you met a while ago, the ones who defeated that Skull Woman, might they be of assistance?"
"Maybe..." Squigly frowned. "But... What am I supposed to do? Take him to them and then leave?"
"M'lady... I'm certain they'd insist you stay as well. You've managed to form unbreakable bonds... They wouldn't abandon you... And I daresay the boy's taken quite the shining to you as well... Now, let us dwell on it not. It's quite improper for a lady to be here at this time of night, where miscreants may lurk." Smiling and patting her parasite, Squigly began to step out of the graveyard. Things were quiet except for the sound of her footsteps and Harry's soft breathing. To help keep Harry's nightmares away, she began to softly hum a lullaby that her mother once sang to her. Harry seemed to really like the lullaby, as he found himself smiling subconsciously. Squigly leaned down to kiss the top of his head, only to receive a bitter reminder of the stitching on her lips.
'Maybe one of them would be the ideal foster home for the child.' She thought. 'He's probably terrifed, and when he wakes up, he wouldn't want to stay with a freak like me.' She walked for a bit, occasionally smiling down at the still sleeping boy. She got a better look at him, seeing that he wasn't a baby... but he was as small as one. She'd have to wait until it was morning to really get a good look at him, but he was as light as a feather!
She touched the stitching with a sigh. Leviathan nuzzled her temple, bringing back a slight smile to her lips as she reached the graveyard's front gate. Squigly stopped in her tracks as an unexpected obstacle appeared. "Really, a padlock and a chain?"
Leviathan leaned in for a closer look. "I could melt it off quite easily, m'lady, but I fear it may be seen as disrespectful towards the rest of the deceased..." Squigly sighed and nodded.
"I suppose I'll be climbing then." Squigly looked down at Harry in concern. She would need to be extra careful. A fall from the gate would be a minor inconvenience to her, but Harry wouldn't be able to walk it off. Leviathan carefully wrapped his tail around Harry to hold him in place, "I'll hold him in place, m'lady. Just take your time." Squigly sighed and began to climb. Thankfully the top of the gate was rounded instead of lined with spikes like the fence.
She began making her way down again, just one step at a time. Thankfully, Harry didn't wake up, as the last thing she wanted was for him to panic and cause her to fall. No, don't think that. Just relax. It took a few minutes (far longer than it normally would've) but Squigly sighed when she felt her feet touch solid ground. She took Harry back into her arms and sighed with a slight smile. He was adorable... no way around it. He was just so tiny and seemed so innocent.
He seemed to be squirming a bit in his sleep, slightly uncomfortable from the climb most likely. Shifting her hold on him, she laid his head against her shoulder and gently whispered in his ear until he settled down. Leviathan began to take a careful look at their surroundings now that they had left the cemetery. "M'lady, it appears that we have only slumbered for a short time," His tail lashed out to grab a newspaper that had been discarded.
Squigly looked over it and saw that only a few months had passed since their last awakening. She smiled softly upon realizing she had the freedom to live her life once more. She looked down at Harry with a grateful smile. "I don't know what you did to bring us back... But thank you..." She tried to kiss his head again, only to huff when the stitches got in the way. "Ugh... I am going to cut these stitches the very instant I get the chance..." Unbeknownst to them, an old friend was nearby hurrying to investigate signs of movement in the graveyard. A giant of a man in a suit designed like a cross between a noir detective and a saxophone known as Big Band was on the case. To his shock a very familiar ghoul stood outside the still sealed iron gates reading yesterday's newspaper.
"Sienna?" Squigly stopped when she heard a familiar voice,.She turned around with wide eyes and grinned.
"Mr. Birdland?"
"It is you!" Big Band said, surprised. "I thought you went back to sleep..." Squigly was going to reply, but then she noticed the confused and concerned look on Big Band's face. She blinked, then realized why he was concerned. The tiny boy in her arms.
Squigly sighed softly, then decided it was best to deflect the conversation. "It's wonderful to see you again. Sorry for not curtsying or anything, but...my hands are rather full at the moment..."
Big Band shook his head, "That's alright Squigly, I'm just surprised to see you up and about. Not that I'm not glad to see you, but I hope this doesn't mean we have another undead invasion on our hands?" Squigly merely shook her head and gestured towards the gate.
"Not to worry, the gates are sealed and the others are in their tombs where they belong. I'm honestly still not entirely sure why I am awake once more, but I can tell you that the Skull Heart is not involved."
Big Band nodded his head. "Not the Skull Heart, huh? Guess we're gonna have to... Wait..." Leaning forward, he saw the stitches over her lips and sighed softly. "Seriously can't believe no one thought to cut those out yet..."
"Yes..." She muttered.
"So uh, who's the kid?" Big Band asked, bringing up the main point of confusion for him.
"I didn't get his name." Squigly frowned. "I woke up and heard him crying, and I found him in the graveyard. He hasn't said much since then. He hasn't even said his name."
"You think he got lost? Or was this something else?"
"I don't want to think so, but I believe it was something else." Squigly replied, a slight hint of anger in her voice. "From what he did say, he seemed terrifed of even being seen, and he appeared in the grave yard alone. I don't know how, but I don't like it."
She subconsciously touched her stitches as she talked. Big Band's eyes softened as he saw just how much Lorenzo's last insult bothered her, "Hey don't worry about it, if the doc can bring me back from the brink of death he can get those stitches out no problem. Let's just get you back to the lab and we can solve this mystery together." He looked at Harry. "Somethin' tells me the kid's gonna need the doc's help just as much as you do..."
Squigly followed along behind him obediently, but also rather confused. "Hmm... Big Band, you're from...Lab 8, correct? Like Peacock? From what I heard, was the doctor of that lab killed by that nurse?"
Ben chuckled. "Turns out that was all a ruse to keep the Skullgirl off his back... Ol' Val's no saint, but she's definitely no monster either..."
Big Band tipped his hat as a van slid to a stop, with a Lab 8 scientist behind the wheel and the nurse in question opening the door with a set of scalpels clenched between her fingers alongside Peacock, who was holding a flintlock pistol and grinning. Valentine blinked her one visible eye in surprise when she saw only Squigly and not the army of mindless zombies they had been expecting. Peacock, meanwhile, grinned and rushed out to greet her undead friend as Valentine turned to Big Band in confusion.
"Uh, hey..." She blinked. "I thought she..."
"So did I." Big Band shrugged, answering the question before she could ask. "Look, we're here cause she wants those stitches out of her mouth. She was hoping you could help."
"Oh, yes of course." Valentine nodded. "I'm surprised no one did that earlier, if I had know, I would've done something sooner."
"I think she'd say we had bigger problems then." Big Band remarked, and Valentine nodded. Over with Squigly, she was hugging her friend with one arm and holding Harry with the other.
"It's so good to see you!" Peacock exclaimed happily. "I thought you were going back to sleep or something!"
"Well, I was, but then something came up." Squigly remarked, breaking the hug and readjusting the tiny boy in her arms.
"Well, hey, ya can't complain or nothin' when you're outta the grave an' lookin' fresh as a daisy, huh?"
Leviathan smirked pridefully. "Hmph! Naturally! I'd never allow m'lady to rot away, after all." Squigly scratched Leviathan under the chin before turning to the others.
"Everyone... I believe this boy in my arms is the one responsible for my revival."
Valentine tilted her head as she took a closer look at the child in Squigly's arms, "If he is the one who woke you up that would mean he possesses some form of inborn magic. However, even with Leviathan keeping everything together, to wake you up at his age?" Leviathan nodded his head in agreement.
"It is highly unusual for someone so young to possess such power, but it is not without precedence. Very old magical families tend to develop signs of magic at a young age and with much greater strength than most."
Squigly looked confused at this. "Oh... I see..." She looked at Harry. "Magic... Yes..." Leviathan looked over at her and tilted his head.
"Ah... I suppose it's never come up in conversation, has it, m'lady?" Squigly looked at him with a small frown.
"Leviathan...I'd like a more in-depth explanation when we get the chance, if that's all right..."
Leviathan bowed his head to her, "Of course m'lady, I'll do my best but it has been a very long time since I met a magic user of any real power. I may not be able to remember everything all at once." Squigly nodded her head in agreement. It was odd to think about after knowing him all her life but sometimes she forgot just how old Leviathan was.
Big Band approached. "It's a bit of a drive to get back, Lev. You and Val can explain on the way back." Squigly followed them into the vehicle, immensely grateful for her good fortune, before looking at Valentine.
"I'm...quite surprised you believe in magic... I was under the impression that you were a woman of science."
Valentine looked at Big Band before shaking her head in amusement, "Considering all the things we have seen that can't be fully explained by science? The ancient parasites, the living weapons, the Skull Heart itself, or how about Eliza? There is a lot more to this world than we know." Big Band pondered her words as he carefully stepped inside after her, best to get everyone back to the lab and sort this out in some form of safety. All that mattered right now was letting Dr. Avian know the graveyard was quiet, but things may have gotten a little complicated.
As they were making their way to their next destination, Harry finally began to wake up. He had been in a weird dream, he had been surrounded by graves, then a woman appeared and was kind to him... Wait... was he moving? As his vision became clearer, he blinked in confusion, he wasn't in his cupboard, where was he? He looked around, seeing a lot of people he had never seen before. Had he been found!? Where was he going?! Fear shot through him as he began to try to get up, only to feel arms hold him close. "Oh, you're awake child. Good." Harry looked up terrifed, and saw the woman from his dream. She game him a sad smile when she saw the fear in his eyes and rubbed his back. It didn't help this time, Harry was scared beyond words at this point.
"Little one... Please don't be frightened..." Squigly whispered softly. "You're safe, I promise... I did promise not to hurt you, just relax..." She hugged him close to her shoulder and began to softly hum in his ear. Harry's eyes widened before drooping slightly. She was real... She wasn't a dream... She was nice... Miss Squigly would...protect him... And he was still so tired... Yawning softly, he closed his eyes, allowing Squigly's soft lullaby to soothe him right back into a peaceful slumber. Ben heard signs that the child had briefly awakened. Looking back at Squigly, he saw her looking down sadly at the boy in her arms and rubbing his back gently, doing everything in her power to keep him asleep and doing a very effective job at that. All it took from her was a few whispered words or some soft humming and the kid would drift back off after a bad pot hole or dip in the road spooked him. Peacock was looking over at the boy in Squigly's arms with a small, genuine smile. Though she didn't particularly like to show it, she did harbor a genuine soft side for young children. Valentine simply watched in silent amusement. However, Big Band took the time to further inspect the kid and the conclusion wasn't pretty. Kid was definitely way too small and thin for his age, faint bags under his eyes like he didn't get much sleep, and to add onto that, he seemed almost primed to wake up at the slightest provocation. He didn't see them too often back in the day but he recognized an abused kid when he saw one.
"Geez..." He muttered, knowing that this kid was in rough shape. "You said you found him in the graveyard?" He asked, looking up to Squiggly.
"Yes." She nodded. "He was sitting against a tombstone when I awoke and found him. But I don't have the faintest idea how he got there, the cemetery was closed for the night..."
"I can't say how he got there, or how he was able to wake you. But it's pretty clear he's been through hell. He clearly hasn't slept in ages, and I think however he got into the graveyard was because he was running from something. Most likely his family."
"You... you think his family did this to him!?" Squigly asked, her eyes widening in shock.
"Maybe." Big Band said hesitantly. "I can't say with full certainty, but I've seen stuff like this before. It's very likely it could've been his family in some regard. Whether they were the enablers, or the abusers, remains to be seen."
Everyone fell silent for several moments, letting what Ben had told them sink in. Squigly looked down at Harry and noted just how light he was... It was like she was holding a newborn baby... And the many red stains on his shirt... She dreaded seeing whatever horrors lie beneath it...
"Yo, Squigs." She blinked when Peacock's fingers snapped in her face.
"Oh...I'm sorry, Peacock, I was...reflecting. Um... What were you saying?"
Peacock smirked. "Remember when we all went in and blew the whole Medici operation sky high? Well, old thunder thighs and clown girl basically took the whole thing over. Turning it all sunshine and rainbows in there. Not my thing, really, but hey... beats having a buncha corrupt goons in charge, right? Well, they're in the market for a lounge singer at the casino. I know you ain't the type that'd wanna be cooped up in some dusty old lab all day, so I figured you'd be interested in going for it. Job's live-in and everything, so you'll be earning your keep too." Squigly goes to say something. "Oh, and don't worry about the whole zombie thing. All we gotta do is cut those stitches and people'll just think you're into the whole goth look. It's really blowin' up lately."
Squigly blinked in surprise before a small smile appeared. "Yes, it would be nice to sing on stage once more." Leviathan nodded in agreement at the idea of her performing on stage.
"Ah, it would be so wonderful to see m'lady grace the stage with her presence again. I wouldn't be surprised if the casino's patronage doubles from her talents alone." Big Band and Valentine gave one another a look before chuckling, it was such an odd sight to see a being as old as Leviathan gush like a proud uncle.
"Maybe." Squigly remarked. "Maybe..." Was that an option? Could she really just... cut the stitches and perform once more? Admittedly, if that was an option, she wanted to take it. She'd love to sing again, but, wait. She was holding a sleeping child. What was she going to do with him? Agh... She wanted to sing again, to entertain crowds, but she also didn't want to just abandon this child...
"Hey, you don't have to decide right now." Peacock added. "I just wanted to bring that up."
The rest of the ride was silent, Squigly finding the idea more and more appealing by the minute... She could bring Harry along... couldn't she? Soon enough, they reached the lab. Squigly stepped out, holding Harry close as she did so so that he stayed asleep. Peacock stepped out next to her.
"Aight! All we gotta do now is take you two to gramps, and he'll fix the both of ya right up!" The cartoon redhead said with a nod. Squigly followed behind her friend, feeling Harry begin to stir once again in her arms. She looked down with a smile at the tiny boy who looked up sleepily at her.
"Hello dear." She said calmly. "Are you feeling better?'
"A little." Harry mumbled.
"That's good..." Squigly said with a soft smile. "I'm glad you're starting to recover... We're here to help fix you up, sweetie. There's a nice doctor here that will help you with any injuries you may have..."
After a period of traversing hallways, they came to a room. Ben slowly opened the door. "Yo, doc! Ya in? We got a couple new patients for ya."
The elderly doctor Avian turned to acknowledge them. "Ah, Ben, you're back. New patients, you say? Ah, this must be the young Contiello girl that Patricia talked about... But how is she...? Well, that can wait, if she needs my assistance..." The doctor rose to his feet and approached. "And who might this young man be?" He asked, addressing Harry.
"His name's Harry." Squigly answered. "And... that's about all I know. I found him in the cemetery, and he seems to be in rough shape." Avian frowned but nodded, leading the two over to a medical table. Squigly set Harry down on it and smiled when he gave her a somewhat nervous look. Figures... the kid probably hadn't had any real affection before...
"It's alright sweetie, Dr. Avery needs to take a look at your injuries, ok?" Harry was nervous, but nodded his head in acceptance, Dr. Avery chuckled as he suddenly felt like a pediatrician with a new patient, nervous at meeting someone new and only able to get through it with their mother right next to them.
Harry pressed himself closer to Squigly, clutching at her dress with his tiny fists as he looked around timidly at all the new faces. Squigly smiled, then tried to kiss his head again, only to be thwarted by the same old obstacle. "Oooh... Stupid stitches..." She grumbled with a light huff. Dr. Avian carefully removed the little boy's shirt. He was disturbed at what he saw, but also fairly jaded due to the states of other patients, from Peacock to Big Band to Illeum to Painwheel. The rest of the room was no stranger to gruesome injuries either. It came with almost everyone that came in. Squigly, on the other hand, wasn't quite so used to it, and was unable to stop herself from screaming at the sight loud enough for the entire building to hear it.
Harry was terrified. He tensed up rock still, and didn't even breathe. Once everyone had collected themselves, Squigly realized what she had done. But then again, who could blame her for her reaction? Harry's body was covered in scars, burns and bruises. His chest seemed non-existent as it seemed to deeply go inwards, pressing against his ribs so much all of them were clear.
"H..Harry...I'm...I'm sorry..." Squiggly finally breathed out, collecting herself. "I didn't mean to frighten you."
Squigly wrapped him up in a tight hug, rocking him back and forth in her arms. Valentine was actually staggered by the force of the scream while Peacock tapped the sides of her head to make sure she hadn't gone deaf. Dr. Avian and Ben put a comforting hand on Squigly's shoulders. Leviathan was looking at the injuries and trying his best not to let his anger be noticeable, as he understood that it would scare the boy and make things worse. "This... Is absolutely unforgivable...! Who is responsible for such an atrocity...!" The parasite hissed through gritted teeth. Harry winced, thinking he was referring to him. "No, no, dear boy... I mean the state of your body."
Squigly began to cry softly. Ben spoke up. "Hey... Hey, look at me... This is bad... I know that...But that's why we're here. The doc can handle this, but you need to calm down. For him." Squigly was still trembling with Harry in her arms, but she forced herself to take calming breaths. Meanwhile Valentine had stepped into the role of a nurse and had begun taking notes on Harry's injuries even as a scowl was visible under her surgical mask.
Illeum, the mother figure of the entire lab, rushed into the room, a worried expression on her face. "Is everything al...oh... Oh dear..." Squigly tightened her hold on Harry, running her fingers through his hair.
"I'm so sorry, dear..." She whispers softly into his ear. "There's... no reason you should have to be in so much pain..."
"But... I... I deserved it." Harry blinked, confused. If the room was silent from Squigly's scream, it was dead silent now. Everyone within earshot seemed to turn at the same time and look at the two. Squigly let out a gasp as she looked down at the tiny boy in her arms. The boy in question looked up as if this was normal, and seemed downright confused as to why his reaction shocked her.
"Damn it..." Big Band sighed, leaning in the doorway. He had heard the scream, and now he saw why. He had hoped that it wasn't the kid's family who had hurt him. But his reaction alone made it absolutely clear. Not only had the kid's family physically hurt him, he was mentally hurt as well.
Harry didn't really understand why she was upset, but he did his best to hug her back. She exhaled shakily and just held him tight, trying to stave off her feelings of anger and despair. After they had both calmed down, Avian put a hand on her shoulder, "Squigly, why don't you go to the other room with Valentine? She'll be able to get those stitches out in a flash." Squigly looked down at Harry while touching her lips before nodding.
Harry looked over to Squigly, who turned to him with a warm smile. "Don't worry, Harry, Leviathan and I will be back. Be good for the nice doctors, okay?" Harry nodded his head timidly as Squigly left the room with Valentine. The two walked in silence. "So...Did things turn out all right for that poor Carol girl...?"
Valentine nodded her head with a sigh, "It's definitely a work in progress, but Dr. Avian has managed to undo most of the experiments performed on her and is in the middle of preparing to safely remove the Buer Drive from her spine. Her scars have been reduced significantly but she is still distrustful of most people. Thankfully her friend Filia is around to help her through all of this." Squigly sighed in relief, that poor girl looked like she was in so much pain the last time she had seen her.
Valentine sighed softly. "She'll hate me until the day she dies. And that's perfectly fine... Following orders is no excuse for what I did to her... Really, I'm not much better than the ones that did all that to Harry..."
Leviathan chipped in. "You have the decency to feel regret, and have taken steps to atone. That much puts you above those unspeakable...THINGS."
"I know, but... it doesn't feel like it changes anything." Valentine remarked glumly. Squigly understood why she felt this way, and all things considered, it was a fair reaction. All she could think to do was to be there to help her friend in any way she could. She didn't know if words helped in this moment, but she figured she could try.
"I can't say if she'll ever forgive you." Squiggly began tentatively. "But I believe that in time she will see your remorsefulness."
"Yeah... I hope." Valentine mumbled, rubbing her arm. "So... weird question, what are you gonna do with the kid when we're done here?"
Squigly thought about it, before smiling softly. "Well, I'm going to keep him, of course... I'm...rather attached as I'm sure you know."
The rest of their walk was in silence before they came to an empty office. Valentine sighed before spinning a scalpel between her fingers, "Alright, let's get rid of those stitches." Squigly did her best to hold still, but her hands still trembled at the thought of finally being free of Lorenzo Medici's last insult to her. Valentine chuckled slightly at her smile. "Well, aren't we eager? I haven't seen you this happy since after you and that cat girl put that scummy Lorenzo down like the dirty dog he is." She got to work on the stitching, carefully cutting them away and taking great care not to cut her lips. Finally, the stitching was completely gone. Squigly let out a sigh of relief as she touched her lips, even as the holes left behind disappeared thanks to Leviathan. A constant reminder of her dead enemy finally gone, and while she might not have cared too much before, they certainly were a nuisance when she was trying to comfort Harry.
She rose to her feet and gives Valentine a hug, much to the nurse's surprise. "Thank you very much, Valentine... It feels wonderful to talk using my own mouth again..." Leviathan nuzzled her.
"This is splendid, m'lady! At long last... All influence that Medici snake had has been snuffed out!"
"Thank... thank you..." She finally managed to say again, feeling like she wanted to cry in happiness. Valentine smiled and hugged her back.
"Heh, I'm glad I could help." She said with a grin. "And it's good to have those gone, it feels like he really is gone now, doesn't it?"
"Yes, and I feel... alive." Squigly remarked, before hearing Valentine try to surppress a laugh. "Yes, yes, ha ha. Ironic, I know." She muttered.
"Sorry, I just..." Valentine grinned before laughing slightly. "Never mind."
Squigly moved her hand across her lips again. She could feel air going in through her mouth. She felt like she was free, that was an odd feeling as she was effectively a reanimated corpse, but whatever.
Valentine nodded. "Well then... I believe you'd like to check up on that kid of yours, right?" Valentine chuckled as Squigly happily skipped along back to the room Harry was in, but she couldn't help it. She was just so happy to be finally free of that nuisance. Now she could cover Harry's little face in kisses to make up for the earlier failed ones.
She carefully opened the door to the operating room and peeked her head in. "Hello, everyone... I hope I'm not interrupting anything?"
Big Band turned to her. "Nah, you're good, Sienna. Timing's perfect in fact. The little guy was just about to take a bath. Might as well kill two birds with one stone and have you go in with him. That dress of yours could probably do with a bit of cleaning in the meantime."
Squigly raised her visible eyebrow at him, "You do realize I don't have anything else to wear at the moment? I do appreciate the offer but..." She trailed off as a grinning Peacock held up a swimsuit. Thankfully it was a rather modest one piece in purple. "Ah, yes, of course, you can create anything at any moment you wish." She said with a small smile, accepting it. She looked over to see Harry already dressed in a pair of swim trunks and looking thrilled to see her. He ran up to her and wrapped his arms around her leg in a hug.
"Aww..." She cooed softly, bending down and hugging him back. "I'm happy to see you doing better dear."
"Thank you." Was all Harry said, just embracing the hug. Squiggy smiled sadly, now knowing clearly that this was the first time he had been shown affection by anyone. She really didn't want to believe the child's parents or family had been responsible, but she was having a harder and harder time thinking of an explanation. Even if he was from Little Innsmouth, it couldn't have been the escaped Hellhounds. Nadia had dealt with the remaining ones, and apparently one of them ended up getting out of the town, but proceeded to run into the wild. Had Harry been there? No. That still didn't explain how he got to the graveyard. He had also woken her up after the Medicis were killed, so it couldn't have been one of their associates. But then again, Nadia honestly doubted any of them would hurt a kid, but still... Harry was feeling better, and she could talk to him with her own mouth. That's what mattered most right now.
Giggling softly, she stood straight, bringing Harry up with her so she could hug him close. When he looked up to talk to her, she surprised him with a kiss on his forehead. When he gasped in surprise, her smile widened, showing him that the stitches were gone. Then she kissed both of his cheeks and hugged him close, gently running her fingers through his hair. "You came back..." Harry said softly, to which she nodded her head and kissed his forehead again.
"Of course I did, you little darling... I would never leave you." She coos.
"Why?" Harry asked, looking up at her in genuine confusion. Squigly blinked, then smiled down at him.
"Well, I think you're an adorable little thing. And I could never imagine someone hurting you, so I figured it would make the most sense if I stayed to make sure you were okay." She explained, laughing gently at Harry's somewhat confused face. It was clear he was trying to understand, but just couldn't.
Harry smiled and slowly wrapped his arms around her, causing her breath to hitch. She honestly wished at that moment that she still had the ability to cry. Her heart was still but she felt like it would burst at any moment from the joy she felt. "You're a very sweet little thing, Harry..." She cooed lightly.
She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to face a smiling Illeum. "I'm sorry to break up the touching moment, Miss Contiello, but can I get you to follow me please?" Squigly nodded.
"Of course. Lead the way, ma'am." She said with a respectful bow. She followed Illeum to the washroom, still holding Harry close.
"All right, Sienna... If you'll just remove your dress, I'll take it to the wash for you so you'll have it ready for tomorrow." Nodding, Squigly set Harry down gently and turned him around.
"I just need you to face the wall for a moment, dearie." She said gently before removing her dress, handing it to Illeum and changing into her swimsuit.
When she exited, she picked up the tiny boy and held him close, earning a smile that she thought was so precious. She laughed softly and tickled his chin, and Harry squirmed for a moment, then settled down, looking up at her with adoring eyes.
'He... he doesn't think I'm...wrong?' Squigly blinked, surprised. She had expected Harry to be thankful, but once he got a better look at her, she had expected him to be terrifed of her appearance, but here he was, staying close to her as if his life depended on it. She patted his head and adjusted him in her arms. She wanted to smother him in affection, but she was also apprehensive about scaring him.
Sighing softly, she climbed with Harry into the pre-prepared bath. She felt Harry tense in her arms before slowly relaxing and laying against her chest. Squigly smiled and just rubbed her fingers through his hair while letting him soak in the warm water. She chuckled softly when he leaned into her touch like an affectionate kitten.
"It... it feels nice..." Harry mumbled, enjoying the warm feeling washing over his battered and bruised body. Squigly smiled down at him and continued running her fingers through his hair.
"Yes, it's relaxing." She remarked with a smile.
"It doesn't burn..." Harry said quietly, getting Squigly's attention. When would the child have been exposed to hot water? Was he forced to wash the dishes and the water was too hot?
She blinked when she felt something rubbing against her back, and turned to see Leviathan, using his tail to rub her down with a loofah. "Allow me to clean you off, m'lady. And in the meantime, I'd advise you wash off young Harry... Heaven knows how long those old wounds have had time to take in dirt and filth..." She pouted, but relented that Harry really did need a bath, regardless of how comfy he was. Taking a small amount of shampoo in her hands, she started to wash the wild mass of hair on his head. She started to softly hum a song as memories of her mother washing her hair come back to her.
She felt him snuggling in closer and giggled softly. "Now, I just need you to close your eyes for a moment, dear..." She rinsed off his hair carefully, then grabbed a spare loofah, put body wash on it and gently scrubbed Harry down, cleaning off all the muck and scum. Soon enough, both of them were completely free of dirt and grime.
She didn't like how many wounds he still had, even after the blood and dirt was cleaned off. Still, she had freaked out once, and didn't want to frighten him again. Harry seemed to be almost in a trance as Squigly cleaned him off, making him feel clean for the first time in a long time. Harry looked up at her and tilted his head slightly, as if wondering something.
"Miss Squigly?" He finally asked.
"Yes dear?"
"Why was your mouth all stitched up?"
Squigly winced. "Well... After I died, a bad man stitched my mouth shut." She decided to give him a simple answer. Harry seemed content with that answer. Squigly smiled as she held Harry with one arm as they relaxed once more in the warm water. Leviathan quietly placed the soap, shampoo, and loofas back in their appropriate places all the while smiling at how his lady treated the young child. She didn't seem to have noticed it herself quite yet, but she had stepped into the role of his caretaker quite smoothly and he wouldn't be surprised if she decided to take it one step further and become his mother. He smiled wistfully as he remembered Squigly's childhood. One of her favourite things to do was treat her dolls as though they were her children, and even when she eventually outgrew such games, she was still periodically thinking of names for her future children... As awful as it was that she would never reproduce with a dead womb... this was an excellent substitute.
"Um... are you... dead?" Harry finally asked. "Because... I thought the scary place was for people who weren't alive." Squigly smiled down at him, she was trying to be a comforting presence, and hoped it was working.
"Well, you see child, I'm undead." She explained. "I am in a sense dead, but I am also alive."
"Oh. Okay." Harry blinked, his face conveying his absolute best attempts to understand, but it slightly escaped his grasp. He leaned forward and snuggled closer to her chest. "You're pretty..." He mumbled sleepily.
Squigly gasped softly and put a boney hand to her mouth, tearing up at the compliment. "Oh, Harry... Thank you very much... You're such a sweet little thing..." She kissed his forehead gently. It brought a smile to Leviathan's face to see how close they had become in such a short time and how things seemed to be looking up for his lady. A child to call her own and the chance to sing on stage once more. It seemed that karma had finally started to smile down on them.
Eventually, the door opened, and Illeum stepped out with Squigly's clean and freshly folded dress in her arms, as well as a pair of children's pajamas. She set it down on the toilet lid. "Your dress is cleaned now, dear. And one of the kids offered their old pajamas for Harry. Not like they fit anymore, after all."
"Thank you." Squiggly said with a respecting nod. She sat Harry down and quickly took her dress behind a stall. She quickly changed into her clean clothes and walked back out, picking up Harry in one arm and helping him into the pajamas. It was a onesie that had a faded red colour, it was also rather warm just to hold. Harry seemed amazed by the clothing, and made no objection to being bundled up.
Both Squigly and Illeum took note of the pajamas and noted they were too big for him. They felt their hearts twinge. Sure, it looked very cute, but it was a further reminder of his abuse... Squigly sighed sadly and hugged him close, smiling for him the best she could. "You look very adorable, dear." She said gently. "How do you feel now that we've cleaned you off?" She smiled as she ran her fingers through his no longer disgusting hair.
Harry smiled at her and leaned into her touch, "I feel better, the water was nice and I don't hurt anymore." Squigly smiled at his enthusiasm as he babbled excitedly. It was amazing what a little kindness and affection had done for him.
She chuckled softly and picked him up again, holding him close. "Are the others doing alright?" Squigly asked. Illeum blinked then smiled.
"Squiggly, you and the little dear were the only ones hurt." Squiggy blinked, realizing that they hadn't just finished the fight with the Skull Girl, that had happened awhile ago. She mentally kicked herself and shook her head.
"Right, right. My mistake."
She sighed softly. "Time...really flies when you're dead, it would seem..." Squigly sighed softly. "It seems just a few hours ago that we fought the Skullgirl..." She felt a small tug at her dress, then looked down with a tilted head. "Harry? What's the matter? You seem...concerned about something. What is it?"
Harry looked up at her. "M-Miss Squigly...? Y-You're not gonna...leave me... are you...?"
"No dear." She smiled, kissing his head again. "I'm not." Harry seemed quick to attach himself to the only affection he had been shown. While that was heartbreaking to her, Squigly was also happy that she was the one the little dear was growing so attached to. It had occurred to her she wasn't sure where she was going after this, maybe she'd take the job singing in that casino. But wherever she was going, Harry was coming with her.
She tightened her hold on him. "I'm not going anywhere and no one will seperate us, I promise." She placed a loving kiss on his forehead while Harry grabbed tightly on to her dress, and for a moment they just stood there in their embrace, Squigly trying to get across with actions that she would be there for him.
Leviathan observed their interactions with a warm smile, not daring to involve himself. After all, every mother needs time to bond with their child without outside interference. Quietly, he retreated back into her head, deciding now is the time for him to rest. Squigly smiled down at Harry. "Now... Why don't you go back to sleep, dear? You look exhausted."
"Oh, but... I..." Harry mumbled, as if remembering something.
"What dear?"
"Don't I have to finish the chores?" Harry asked, looking up at Squigly, who looked down with a blank expression.
"Pardon?"
"I... don't I..." Harry began, trembling slightly, afraid he had upset Miss Squiggly. However, his fears were quelled when she tightened her hug and rested his head against her chest.
"None of that now my sweet." She cooed.
Harry tried to protest, only to let out a yawn, causing him to pout and Squigly to giggle softly before giving him another kiss. Ileum smiled as she looked at them, knowing that Harry was in good hands. "Speaking of settling him in for a proper rest we have prepared a room for the both of you."
Squigly bowed with a closed-eyed smile. "Thank you very much, Miss Illeum..." She tightened her hold on Harry. "Come, dear... It's time for both of us to rest." Harry smiled happily and nuzzled in closer to his new caregiver. She gently stroked his back. "Once we're situated, would you like a lullaby?"
"Um... if it's not too much to ask of you... you're already being really nice." Harry said tiredly.
'Oh my goodness... I love him!' Squiggly mentally cheered. 'He's just so... precious... so cute, so loveable!' Squigly calmly made her way to the room she would be resting in. The room had a cool blue colouring that made Squiggly feel relaxed in a sense. She looked around before walking over to the bed and pulling the covers back. She gently tucked Harry under and smoothed the covers. She let a soft 'Aww' out when she heard Harry whimper, not wanting to be away from her. "I'll be back in just a second love." She said quietly.
She had a few memories of meeting small children when she was alive but all of them were so fussy compared to Harry, he was perfectly happy just to be held in her arms. Then she remembered just why that was, and her smile faded slightly. This child had been beaten down by the world to the point that the simplest act of affection was a rare act bestowed upon him by the gods. She sighed softly, knowing she could not change the past, only the course of the future. She blushed slightly as she remembered the lab workers she had passed on the way to the room... It was clear they had heard her pained shriek when she had seen Harry's wounds... It was likely for the best that she took the job at the casino... Illeum had informed her that Filia had been informed of her revival, and would be coming by tomorrow. Apparently, her friend had been overjoyed to hear she was back... She noticed something out of the corner of her eye, and looked over to see an elegant nightgown draped over a chair. It had a cartoony skull decorating the midsection, making it clear it was a gift from Peacock.
She laughed softly, rolling her eyes somewhat. Peacock certainly had a quirky style to things, and to be fair, that's what she liked about her. She got changed quietly and made her way back to the bed, seeing Harry snuggled into the sheets as if this was the best thing he had ever experienced. Squigly smiled sadly, having a feeling that this was... She shook her head, she could talk with him about that tomorrow. "Hello dear." She said with a smile as she pulled Harry close. The boy let out a happy coo and snuggled back into her embrace.
Squigly smiled at him while Leviathan curled up beside their pillow before she softly began to sing a lullaby. Her song whispered it's way into Harry's ears, gently pushing away any nightmares that would try and trouble him that night and slowly easing him into a restful slumber. Before closing her eyes ,Squigly leaned over to place one last kiss on his forehead as her song came to an end. She smiled softly at the boy cuddled up in her arms and closed her eyes softly, feeling a deep sense of contentment in her heart. She thanked Harry for everything he's done for her and Leviathan. "We would have nothing without you... Thank you, Harry... I love you..." She whispered softly into his ear.
He responded by nuzzling closer and mumbling "Mama".
She gasped softly, then teared up. However, she understood he was just sleeping. "...I wish I'd lived long enough to have that chance..."
Still, maybe now she would have a chance to be a mother... then again, she didn't want to force anything on the poor dear. He was hurt enough as it is, and she wasn't sure she could be a mother. A caretaker? Definitely, but a mother? She wasn't sure.
Leviathan looked over at his host and smiled softly. "My lady, please remember this, there is far more to being a family than merely sharing blood. Loving one another is of far greater importance, and it is crystal clear you care for young Harry like he was your own." Squigly's smile returned as she wiped away her tears.
"You always seem to know just what to say." Leviathan softly chuckled at her words.
"I'm one of the oldest parasites still among the living my lady, with only Samson being my remaining peer, and you pick up a few things over the centuries."
Squigly looked back at the sleeping boy in her arms and kissed his cheek gently. Warm, fuzzy feelings flowed through her heart. "I'll wait... The day he calls me his mother while he's awake and alert... I'll accept his request with open arms and a big smile..." The zombie said softly, running her boney fingers through his hair.
"Well, I believe that day will come eventually." Leviathan remarked. "But for now m'lady, I believe it's best we sleep."
Squiggly nodded and looked down at the sleeping boy, smiling once again. She adjusted herself and pulled tucked Harry into her arm, trying to keep Harry as snug and happy as possible. The tiny boy didn't seem to be having any nightmares, and Squigly hated that she could consider THAT a good thing...
Harry smiled in his sleep and leaned into her touch, sending a warmth through her heart that she didn't quite know how to describe. Feeling content, she wrapped her arms around Harry and held him close as she closed her own eyes. For the first time since before her death, she felt complete.