FiFi's Bizarre Adventure, Part 1:Black Herring
By:CleruSonofShintetsu
[Chapter 2:New Day, New Anxiety]
The morning sun rose, and the girls got dressed accordingly. Sophia decided to leave early that day, and thus left Filomena a note. The green haired lass picked up the note and read it over, sitting back down on her bed as she did so. The note read as such: "Dear FiFi, you need not worry about me, for I have simply decided to walk about town for a spell. I believe there is breakfast being served downstairs. See you at 12:00, stay safe darling."
Closing the letter with a smile, Filomena went downstairs and decided to get a simple English breakfast. As she ate, she looked out of the window at the men women and children bustling about town. Paper boys were jogging about, men were off to work, and women sat and gossiped about this and that. Filomena finished her meal, paid the pounds, and headed out to the streets of London itself. The ball wouldn't be starting for another few hours, and she figured that, if nothing else, she would visit a few landmarks.
She walked to and fro throughout the city, taking in the foggy London morning atmosphere, such a vast yet familiar difference to it's more ominous and mysterious nightly hours. She would stop by Big Ben and take a look at the great big clock tower. She was breathless, enamored by the great timepiece that dotted London itself. She heard a man's voice beside her, a gentle but firm one. "Impressive thing, ain't he?" he said, Filomena turning to face him. The man had some thick sideburns, glasses, and a brown suit to boot.
"A-ah yes...it is beautiful. Who might you be, good man?" She asked, curtsying politely to the gentleman before her. With a chuckle and a handwave, he shook his head and said. "Please, no need for formalities. I am Sir Wilbur Hancock II, I am a member of Parliament and a loyal friend to her highness, Queen Victoria. I have served for over 30 long years, and I intend to retire soon. What say you then, love?"
The man, upon closer inspection, looked like he was exactly thirty, much less a man who could be even a decade older, and Filomena took note of this. "I am Filomena Fidilio of Venice, my family were once classical merchants, and now work in varous comfortably paying industries, from hat making to fishing, to flat out business work like my father and grandfather. I am proud of my families ability to adapt, and my favorite games include chess and cards." she explained, much to the amusement of the man before her.
"I see you are a woman of intellect, in a world that so discourages such things of women. Interesting, I value those with an open mind, and would love to get to know you better at the upcoming ball. I believe your name was in the record book correct?" he said, much to the surprise of Filomena.
"Y-yes, but how did you know I was invited? I've not shown you my invitation at any point so far. Perhaps you are...?" her thought was cut by the man's smooth response. "Indeed dear, I am also in charge of the invitations for the ball, and you were already signed in, I believe by a woman in a fancy red dress. Funny that really, she came early...perhaps to secure an early entry to the ball?" he explained. This made sense, as he only made the invitations, he couldn't have literally known everyone who acquired one from the first come first serve system being used, only those who were formally invited directly.
Filomena rolled her eyes, covered by her bangs. "Ah yes, Sophitia, always one step ahead of me. Not like that's a surprise." She said, barely containing a hint of frustration at the idea. The man tilted his head and scratched his sideburns. "Oi, are you alright love? What ails you?"
"Oh, it is nothing..." Filomena started, shaking her head and folding her arms. "Despite our friendly banter recently, we are honestly forcing it. Our friendship has been strained very much this past year, and we are using all our power to make things work again. Instead, our ideals, our class differences, our petty opinions, it's all getting in the way of things..." she vented, the man patting her shoulder understandingly.
"Listen love, why don't you follow me for a spell? I want to show you something." he said, fixing his glasses as he did so. Filomena was a touch confused, but agreed to go with the man. The two would walk through London until reaching a rather dark and chilly part, where even the sun struggled to shine. The place was covered in snow and dampness, and it was as if a portal to a dark, hellish world opened up. They had arrived on Ogre Street, at least the entrance anyhow.
"What is this...foul place? It unnerves me greatly Mr. Hancock." she said, immediately set on edge by this place. The man nodded somberly, turning towards Filomena and holding a hand out towards the foul street. "This is Ogre Street, the most morally bankrupt, foul, crime ridden cesspool in all of London. It's not really even a street, it's more of a small cancerous chunk of London proper, inhabited by the brave, the poor and homeless, and the black hearted. I would say the stupid too, but those blokes are long gone by now, turned into fuel for those who remain. The homeless at least know their snuff around these parts."
The two would take a few steps into the wretched streets, Filomena just barely keeping her cool as they did so. Eventually, they would stop in the middle of a four path crossway, silent as a mouse the place was. Hancock held a hand in front of Filomena's chest. "Hold love...I smell a foul stench in the air, and it is not exactly the body of fallen animals. Stay close!" he commanded, to which Filomena did so, looking at every pathway twice over.
They heard a gurgling and snarling, as a horrible apparition appeared before the two. It leapt into the air and had no jaw, eyes like a serpent, and rake like nails, deformed and tangled to hell and back. The man spat and delivered a firm kick to the zombie's gut, sending it up into the air, before being kicked back down again. "BACK FOUL DEMON! You dare attempt to strike an innocent woman!? I suppose your kind are already long gone! It's not like you filthy ingrates would know strength if it bit you in the ass and tore it off eh!?" he said with seething venom. Kicking the zombie in the head three times, before kicking it a fourth time and splattering it across the snow. The man huffed and huffed, Filomena had also started panting in utter fear, even at the man who just saved her.
"W-w-w-what the hell was THAT!? A-and how did you manage to cut down that thing with ease and brutality!?" she questioned, starting to step back in terror. The man approached her and gently grabbed her arm, taking a deep breath, encouraging her to do the same. Filomena caught the hint and breathed with him, her worries washing away for the most part. The man would lead her out of the foul street posthaste, and they would return to the entrance of the place. "I also have one more job, mostly due to inheritance of the problem. I am a paranormal researcher when I am blessed with the chance to continue such work. What you just witnessed was the sight of a zombie, a being of undead nature and rotten body. It is surprisingly strong, but slow and imbecilic, unable to cut down any half competent man in a fight on it's own. They have been festering and popping up more and more in London, and it is thanks to me and my brother that they have yet to spread out."
If Filomena hadn't seen the zombie herself, then she would have ousted the man as an utter lunatic. Though religious herself, being catholic, she was not one for mass superstition, and would only believe so many things could be strange and inhuman like, say, a zombie. She started to fiddle with a chess piece in her dress pocket, trying to focus and calm down. "I see...y-you do good work, I just...I want to help but I know I can't."
Hancock shook his head and pat her shoulder, "You need not worry of such things, you will one day find a man in your life who will protect you from harm. You are smart, beautiful, and talented to boot. Leave such matters to professionals like myself dear. If you'll excuse me, I have to report this to her highness. I will await your arrival at the ball. Until we meet again, dear Filomena Fidilio." He said with a final bow, walking off and waving with a grin.
Filomena rubbed her temples and headed back towards Big Ben. She was utterly dumbfounded, would Sophitia even believe her if she told her? Speaking of Sophitia, Filomena was hugged from behind by her friend. "Heeeeeeey~ Filomena!" Sophitia said in a teasing tone. "Who stirred your cooking pot?" she asked, Filomena squirming free and turning to face her.
"A-ah yes, yes...I am well, Sophitia. I had a scare earlier, that's all." she explained, waving her hands in reassurance. Sophitia tilted her head and put a finger on her chin, tapping it twice and asking, "Oh? And what could possibly scare a strong lady like you? Rats? Cats? Flying bats?"
"I-it's not funny!" Filomena protested, folding her arms in a pout. "B-but yes, it was a small rodent that startled me, I thought it was something worse, but it was me getting scared over nothing." she explained, Sophitia giggling in utter amusement at this. Thankfully, the lie was believed.
"Well, let us move on from such trite. After all, we are grown women now, not children! We have more important things to worry about...like an amazing ball coming up! Ohoho!" Sophitia laughed, Filomena joining in with a more shy laugh.
"If you need anything, let me know. I have a few more errands to run, and then we'll be walking about the foggy streets together, alright?" Sophitia said, reassuring her green haired friend. Filomena replied only with a knowing nod, spotting a bottle of white wine in her hand. "Sophitia...why do you have a bottle of wine with you?" she asked, unfolding her arms and examining the bottle, branded under a rather well known alcohol brewer.
"Ah this? You know I love my wine, beer and liquor don't do it for me, and taste terrible to me." Sophitia explained, twisting the bottle around and admiring it's contents. "I do so enjoy the colors of many drinks, there is an art to many things, like brewing. You can make utter poisonous guff, and you can make high class art. This bottle in particular, is high class art, aged and preserved for over 10 years, not the oldest or grandest wine, but certainly aged well and worthy of a good drink. In short, it is my philosophy in life, what is yours, Filomena?"
Though this came out of nowhere, Filomena was used to her philosophical side, struggling to match it she may be. "Well...if your philosophy on life is that life is art, and that we should preserve the fine things in life, and work to preserve ourselves...damn, I have nothing close! I can read you but I cant think of my own philosophy on life." Filomena said, blushing in embarrassment.
Sophitia shook her head, "You correctly assessed my meaning at least, but don't worry so much. I am a very thoughtful person, not everyone need take interest in the art of philosophy to be smart or worthwhile in life. Now then, I will see you around." she said, patting her back hard and walking off, Filomena staggering forward as a result. She watched her friend disappear into the streets, sighing in frustration.
"What is happening...? We talk and walk like old times, and yet...I still feel like something is wrong. Have I taken leave of my senses? I just...I hope that we turn out to be fools worrying over nothing in the end. We are vastly different now than we were a mere week ago." She said, contemplating on the subject as she walked back to the hotel.
Filomena thought back to the rest of her life so far, how the two friends bonded out of what felt like sheer luck. Come now, a middle class woman and a rich woman being friends? If she were poor, it would seem even more laughable. However, they were brought together, as if the hands of fate decreed it be so. However, despite their shockingly tight bond, it had deteriorated over the course of a single year. They started with petty disagreements, mean spirited banter, and soon enough, full blown fights, for petty and important issues alike. They both knew that their emotions were genuine, and a chance to recover was indeed there, but how far can they force themselves together before another fight splits them again?
[Sophitia POV]
Things weren't that much better on Sophitia's end either. She had gone to a poor district in London, and was even more frustrated at the thoughts swelling up inside her, her feelings pulsating like a disease. She popped open the bottle and began to drink up, rubbing her lips and growling. "DAMN IT ALL! What happened...what happened to this friendship? Why cant we have one positive moment without devolving into frustration!? Are we just...too different now? Are we just destined to break apart? Does social class and opinion constitute the end of a bond like ours? Jesus, Mary, and Joseph guide me..." she grumbled, swilling down another gulp of the white wine.
Before she knew it, she was alone, barely a soul in sight. "Oh hell, now what? Did I do it again? I...I am no drunkard, I haven't drank that much yet...", which was a statement proven true, only a sixth of the bottle, at best, was gone, though it was a fair sized bottle to be sure. Soon enough, she found herself face to face with a copper, bumping into him and staggering back. "A-ah! Officer...forgive me I-"
The cop raised a hand and chuckled. "Fret not dear...that's the least of my concern. Oi, you seem a bit lonely, love. Why, with a dress like that and a tough demeanor like yours, you might as well be a better version of my ex wife." He said with a grin, feeling the bare back on Sophitia's dress. Her skin was indeed soft and beautiful, but she turned around and threw the bottle at the cop, barely missing his head. She then pulled out a sheathed dagger, the small scabbard having the image of the Virgin Mary on it. She unsheathed the dagger, revealing a beautiful straight dagger, 8.4 inches of steel, with a silver decorative grip, and a perfectly polished blade to boot. She pointed it forward with a furious glare.
The copper growled at first, but then cackled to himself, in way too much amusement. "You think I'm scared of you? A woman? A blue blood pretty girl no less? I'll say, you have a nice dagger, but I have a gun." he explained, taking it out and tossing it aside. "However...if I wanted to shoot you, I wouldnt be doing this." He ran forward and tackled Sophitia to the ground, but as soon as he was on top of her, his eyes widened, a sharp pain running through his chest. He looked down as Sophitia removed the dagger from his chest, shoved him off, and flecked the blood off the weapon. "H-how...how did...you...?"
Sophitia spat on his face and kicked him in the groin. "Because, unlike my soft hearted companion, and most frail wives to be...I don't play nice. You are what's wrong with this city...so beautiful, yet so poisoned by your filthy ilk. Why if not for that one copper from our first night here, I would assume most of you are spineless predatory cowards. Farewell." she waved, wiping off what little blood remained on the dagger and walking off. She rubbed her temples after putting her dagger back in it's scabbard and back in her dress.
"This ball...this day to day stress...if something doesn't give, I am going to lose it!", and with that, she returned to London proper, shambling about and just barely collecting herself going forward. Eventually, she would find herself out of the dark alleys of the city and into the afternoon light. She would spot a contingent of Queen's guards, led by a big and muscular man with a magnificent bushy beard and a serious look on his face. Judging by the small symbols and button layout on their coats, though Sophitia did not know it herself, these were the Scots Guards, one of the numerous branches of the Queen's guard, and they were headed to the palace for the changing of the guard ceremony.
Curious as can be, she followed them while remaining out of their way, jumping a bit as the captain called for people to "make way for the Queen's Guard" in his roaring voice when they got in the way. She would attend the small crowd of people watching from outside the front gate as the guard was changed. The ceremony fascinated her, and some of the men were indeed cute to her, but most importantly, they were majestic and noble in her eyes. To Sophitia, she was impressed by the uniforms and discipline of the guard, and found some newfound respect for the British.
The ceremony came to a close and a man approached Sophitia and cleared his throat. She turned around and faced the man, who bowed politely and introduced himself. "Hello love, I am Sir Wilbur Hancock II. That man leading the Scots Guard? That was Oswald McDavid, said to be the strongest man in all the isles. His beard only accentuating his masculinity and might, he is desired by many, yet somehow taken by none. As far as anyone knows, he has a sister and nephew, but this is all. What is your name if I may ask, before I continue to ramble?"
Sophitia only found herself more fascinated by the man as he was described, and found interest in the man explaining this all to her. "I am Sophitia Corleone...it is nice to meet you Sir Hancock."
Hancock raised his eyebrows, "Ahhh...very good! You are the Sophitia that Filomena mentioned earlier!" he said, chuckling to himself in mild amusement. Sophitia tilted her head and put a hand on her hip. "Oh? You have met my friend? She didn't come and bother you too much did she?" she asked with a smirk on her face.
"No no no...I was the one who came to HER in fact. I helped her and had a chat with her earlier. We found ourselves in Ogre Street and one thing led to another, we had to deal with a pest or two. Fret not, your friend is unharmed, I promise." he explained, moving his hands about in expository motions.
Sophitia sighed in relief, putting a hand on her chest and smiling. "Good, good...I will be out of your way now." she said, stepping aside as the gate guards spotted him and began to open the gate for the man. Hancock waved to the guards and pat Sophitia's shoulder. "Stay safe darling, I hope to see you and your companion at the ball tonight." and thus, he walked through the gate, the doors closing behind him.
Sophitia walked away and headed to the hotel to rest up for the ball. She walked up to her and Filomena's hotel room and stretched her arms out, laying down on the bed and taking a brief nap. The two had a long night ahead of them, and hopefully this party would be the start of the true mending of their relationship.