And we're back! I do NOT own Teen Wolf or Dark Heavens/Journey to Wudang but I DO own my OC! This chapter will have more of a highlight of Briar's relationships with certain characters: Bai Hu, Michael and Lydia, for the most part. There will be interactions with Scott/Stiles/Derek, but plot-wise this will be a more flexible chapter in terms of the season. Please review and comment!
Glossary:
Xuan Wu (Putonghua)- North Wind, God of Martial Arts and Water, Black Turtle of the North, referred to by his human name John Chen or 'Mr. Chen' by Briar
Kwan Yin- a Buddhist icon, Goddess of Mercy, referred to by Briar as 'Miss Mercy'
Bai Hu (Putonghua)- West Wind, White Tiger of the West, Briar's father
Snake Mother(s)- Female demon (minimum level is 50), spawns other demons, highly sadistic. Described as having the torso of a skinned man with toxic ooze coating the skin while the lower half is that of a giant snake.
Triad- Gangster
Sifu (Cantonese)- Master
Shen- Can mean an Immortal being, similar to a god (mostly found is Chinese mythology) and/or the spirit within a person and the energy of their soul
Chi- Energy that exists in all living things.
Wu shu (Putonghua)- General term for all martial arts
Kata (Japanese)- a set of moves to practice with a weapon or hand to hand
Bái chī (Putonghua)- Idiot, potentially mentally retarded
Bì zuǐ (Putonghua)- Shut up!
Cào (Putonghua)- Fuck
Chǔn lǘ (Putonghua)- Jackass
Nǐ hǎo ()- A general hello.
Shǎ zi (Putonghua)- Blockhead
Wǒ de tiān a ()- Oh my God or 'Oh my Sky' [literal translation]
Xie xie (Putonghua)- Thank you
Zài jiàn (Putonghua)- Good bye
Ho ak (Cantonese)- Okay
Wěi (I believe this is Putonghua)- Hello, a greeting similar to 'hi' in English
"Briar? Have you already thrown out the beer cans?" Lydia yells.
Briar huffs as she drags two garbage bags full of crushed beer cans to the recycling bin.
"Not yet!" She yells back, empting them with a sigh of relief.
She tosses the used bags into the garbage and walks back into the house, spotting Lydia wiping down table surfaces. Her cousin smiles, pleased with the extra muscle.
"Last things we need to do are vacuum and do a final check of the rooms- once, I found this one boy who had passed out in the guest room closet and ran out of the house half naked." Lydia gossips.
Briar smirks in amusement.
"Was it a good show?" She teases, retrieving the vacuum.
Lydia smiles cattily.
"He was passible- good muscles, but his abs were floppy." Briar laughs loudly.
"Not all of us have six-packs," Briar reminds her.
Lydia quirks her eyebrow.
"Oh? I could have sworn I saw some very impressive abs when you changed out of your pajamas~"
Briar rolls her eyes.
"Geez Lydia, I didn't know you swung that way!" She retorts.
Lydia flicks her hair over her shoulder with a sniff.
"Oh please, not only are you the wrong gender to fully satisfy me but you're also my darling cousin. So much ick."
Briar bursts out laughing as she helps her dictator of a cousin finish cleaning. After they finally finish (even though it was mostly Briar cleaning) Lydia grabs her purse and keys.
"Come on! We still have daylight to go shopping!" She crows.
Briar laughs as she grabs her own purse.
"Oh, I see how it is~! I slave away and you get to rest up for our shopping binge!"
Lydia rolls her eyes.
"Oh get in already!"
Later…
"I can't believe I spent three hundred dollars over my budget." Briar says, numb.
Lydia snorts at her before pulling in at the house.
"I call that restraint!"
Briar rolls her eyes at Lydia.
"You and Leo would terrorize every boutique in existence…" She mutters, helping Lydia carry three of her bags along with Briar's additional four.
"He sounds perfect then!" Lydia smirks, unlocking the door.
As soon as the door opens Prada races up and starts barking. Briar resists the urge to growl as she stalks to her room, tired from all the shopping and cleaning. Locking her door, she collapses on her bed and dozes off… only for her phone to ring.
Groaning, Briar fumbles as she grabs it and answers with a yawn.
"Wei?"
"Where are you?!"
Briar's eyes snap open at her father's voice and she sits up, completely awake now.
"Good evening, Father. Why are you calling me?" She slips into formal tones immediately, as if to counter his constant swearing and ill-manners.
"Evening?! It's morning and where in the ten hells are you? I'm picking up you and Michael today!" Briar stifles a groan.
"Father, I am in America- surely Mr. Chen, Lady Emma or Mom told you that I was living here for a while?"
"America?! Why the fuck are you in America?!" He roars.
Briar pulls the phone away from her ear with a wince.
"… Mr. Chen and Mom agreed it would be best if I was out of China. Especially after being a Snake Mother's plaything."
The phone hisses during the uncharacteristic silence on Bai Hu's end. Briar bites her lip, aware her father doesn't have a clue of how to handle the elephant in the room.
"… Where are you in America?" He finally asks, his voice gentle.
Briar closes her eyes and steadies herself.
"Beacon Hills, California. I'm staying with my cousin Lydia and Mom's younger sister."
"Stay there. I'll come to you." He orders, his usual bossy self-reasserting itself.
Briar sighs.
"Ho ak." She hangs up and glances at her closet.
Standing, she crosses and starts pulling on clothes for riding that are flexible enough for martial arts. Briar makes sure her shirt has sleeves loose enough to slip over her bandages. Sighing, she grabs her sword as well and sits on the bed, unsure of what to do next.
Ugh, why does Father have to be such an inattentive asshole? Briar grumbles in her head.
A white light flashes and Briar sits up. It fades and leaves a tall Chinese man with shockingly white hair and impressive sideburns. His clothes are also white, a suit she would swear is Armani, and his eyes are a familiar tawny amber color. He smiles at her.
"Daughter Two Nine Eight."
Briar stiffens and bites out in a low voice.
"My name is Briar. Not Daughter 298, Father."
He merely brushes off her words and nods approvingly at her clothing.
"You are ready to go- good." Bai Hu grabs her bad arm and she feels a familiar pitching in her stomach coupled by agonizing pain as they travel to the Western Palace.
Briar stumbles when the world resolves itself to brilliantly colored dessert, her face pale. Bai Hu blinks at her behavior.
"Two Nine Eight, what the hell is wrong with you?"
Briar grits her teeth at that detestable name and glares up at him.
"Briar, you chǔn lǘ! And no, I'm fucking fine you shǎ zi!" Bai Hu is surprised by her outburst and his eyes narrow.
"Watch your mouth!" He barks, glaring back at her.
Briar narrows her eyes as she gets to her feet.
"Why should I? You don't bother, so obviously it's fine to swear as I please!"
"I'm your father!"
"So? You sure don't act like it!" She yells, fired up.
Around them her various half-brothers watch and sneakily make bets on who is going to be the most offensive. Bai Hu steps forward and roars.
"I am still your FATHER and deserve due respect!"
"FUCK that! Respect is earned, not given you womanizing dipshit! In fact, don't you have your shitty harem to impregnate? Why don't you go do that, since making shitty BASTARDS like me is the only thing you're good at!" She screams back.
Her half-brothers wince- it's not far from the truth. Bai Hu is an excellent fighter and horseman, but he definitely loves women a touch too much. As Bai Hu opens his mouth to retort, he is interrupted.
"Briar!" A male voice yells and her half-brothers part for the newcomer.
Her head snaps up and a smile blooms on her face.
"Michael!" She yells and races over to hug her twin.
The resemblance between them shows as they step back and eye each other. Both have the same tawny hair, tan skin, hazel eyes and height, though Michael is taller than her by a few inches. Michael's eyes land on her injured arm and he frowns.
"Briar, how is your arm?"
Bai Hu huffs but secretly is pleased that Michael appeared, shamelessly listening in on their conversation. Briar frowns at Michael, irked he had brought it up.
"Fine, it's healing." She growls at her brother.
He ignores her tone and looks at Bai Hu.
"Sir, I'm taking her to the healers." He informs him before dragging Briar by her good arm.
"Michael! Let go, you bái chī!" She snarls, slamming her elbow into his ribs.
Michael grunts and readjusts his grip to protect his side as he marches her towards the palace proper. Briar drags her feet and quickly jams her free hand's fingers into pressure points on his arm. Michael yelps, releasing her and Briar takes the opportunity to jump away from him, a full ten meters apart. Bai Hu raises an eyebrow, feeling his curiosity growing as he watches the twins' squabble.
"Briar! Shit, will you just let them take a look?!" Michael roars.
"If I want to be examined by doctors, I'll go myself without being dragged!" She retorts, crossing her arms with a wince.
Bai Hu notes her brief expression of pain and glances at Michael.
'Three One Five, what the fuck are you two arguing about?' He messages Michael directly into his mind. Michael's head snaps around to glare at him before relenting.
'She was hurt fighting a werewolf less than a week ago. Briar had to stitch herself up but hasn't seen a doctor for it.'
Bai Hu blinks and narrows his eyes. He flashes next to Briar, grabs her waist and teleports to the healers. Briar goes crazy, using every trick she knows to break out of his grip to no avail. When he releases her Briar jerks away and seems to curl into herself, shuddering. Bai Hu frowns but ignores her behavior, yelling at the medical staff to come look at her arm.
One of the doctors (another of her half-siblings) gently tries to examine her arm only to dodge a chi bolt. Bai Hu glares at her.
"Two Nine Eight, control yourself!" He barks.
She growls in response and forms another chi bolt, larger than the last. All the doctors prudently take cover while Bai Hu stalks towards her. The door burst open and Briar flinches, releasing the energy bolt. Michael ducks as it destroys the door-jam where his head was.
"Shit! Briar! Calm down!" He yells, wide-eyed.
Briar stares at Michael and trembles harder, wrapping arms around herself. She can see him and distantly hears his voice- but all she can focus on are memories of crushing scales squeezing her body to the breaking point as she squirms. Her flesh is burning and her nerves are screaming from the unending assault as the Snake Mother tightens her grip. Briar flinches as mocking laughter fills her ears- her sole reward for her efforts and Briar screams as Leo is dragged to the center of the nest-!
"BRIAR!" Michael yells, gripping her shoulders and shaking her.
She blinks and her horror (and the memories that spawned it) fade as she focuses on his face.
"D-Don't-! Don't grab me like that again-! Michael, I couldn't-! I couldn't get free! I c-couldn't fight-!"
Michael looks at Bai Hu in a panic, out of his depth.
"Uh, Briar, what-?"
"Two Nine Eight! State your current location!" Bai Hu barks.
Briar stiffens under Michael's hands and her eyes burn copper as she stares at Bai Hu.
"Western Palace infirmary, sir." She grits out between clenched teeth.
"And it is Briar, sir."
Bai Hu nods in approval- he likes her spitfire temper tantrums better than her mental breakdowns.
"Let Two Five Eight heal that arm and then we can train- remember, we're reviewing weapon skills on horseback today. A gimpy arm with slow you down and make you next to useless." He states, ignoring her darkening expression.
Bai Hu locks eyes with Michael.
"Three One Five, stay with her until she is pronounced fit for combat drills."
Michael nods, grimly determined to stay with his twin. Bai Hu glances at the medical staff.
"Well? Get to work!" He orders before walking out the door.
The doctors in the clinic glance at each other until 'Two Five Eight' cautiously approaches the twins.
"Where is the injury?" He inquires, keeping his body language non-threatening.
Briar glowers but finally pulls up the sleeve of her left arm, revealing the bandages. Deftly they are removed under her intense stare, revealing sloppy stitches holding four parallel slashes closed. He whistles, lifting her arm to examine it more closely.
"Did you get in a tussle with a tiger- an actual one, not Dad." He amends, glancing at Briar.
She snorts.
"Nope, just a gloomy pain-in-the-ass werewolf who thought I was there to kill him or something. What's your name?" She redirects him, raising an eyebrow at him.
The doctor laughs, letting her get away with the subject change.
"Elliot, or 258 as Dad prefers to call me. So… a werewolf? Really?"
She nods, wincing as he removes the stitches.
"Yup- and since I still know next to nothing about them, care to fill me in?"
Elliot snorts in amusement before growing serious.
"Look, I've never met one- that I'm aware of, obviously. But from what Dad's let slip before, they have three distinct ranks: Alpha, Beta and Omega. Omegas are the weakest because they're lacking pack protection; usually they're the crazy-as-a-loon types. Some of them become man-eaters and are officially on the shit-list of any local packs or hunters once they consume human flesh. Dad, and a few of our sibs, have killed Omegas that tried to escape into western China in the past."
Michael and Briar blink at the veritable font of information, listening intently.
"Alright, that's Omegas- not a huge problem in the long run. Next are Betas- they're the average werewolf. Aggressive, hot-blooded and mostly instinctive fighters; their main strength is teamwork with a strong dose of ferocity, especially when directed by an Alpha. Not capable of turning anyone into a werewolf by the way- same for Omegas. Oh, a great way of setting off a fight with a Beta is challenging their dominance." Elliot explains, setting aside the clippers in favor of a bottle of antiseptic.
Briar groans when she sees the bottle but doesn't tug her arm free.
"What do you mean challenge their dominance?" She questions, desperate for a distraction from the bottle of liquid pain.
"They are hyper aware of their rank in the pack- the higher their position, the more power they have in the pack socially. It's similar to the system we have with the number one son, or daughter, having higher rank than everyone else save Dad or his wives."
Briar and Michael nod in understanding.
"Sooooooooo, super easy to piss off due to fragile egos- got it. But how does the Alpha fit into it?" Michael asks, his grip on Briar shifting so she doesn't accidently injure Elliot as he cleans her wounds.
Elliot snorts and makes a wry face.
"Do either of you know what 'Alpha' means?"
Both twins blink and shake their heads. Elliot sighs.
"It's the first letter in the Greek alphabet- it means 'first' or if you want to put it in a social context, the most dominant person in a group. Alphas are the leaders and the only ones with the ability to turn a regular human into a werewolf. Betas will defer to them unless an Alpha proves themselves a danger to the pack, in which case they can be challenged for the position. Dad said they're the biggest pains in the ass to deal with- they can take more damage, are stronger, faster and heal quicker."
"But… how do you determine which is the Alpha?" Briar says slowly.
Elliot smiles grimly.
"Alpha eyes glow red. Blue or gold means Beta or Omega. Hold still now," He warns her, guiding his chi into the wounds to prompt her body to heal faster.
Briar closes her eyes as the throbbing from her injuries is replaced by comforting numbness.
So… if Elliot's words are accurate, then I've already met the Alpha- which makes Scott and Derek Betas or Omegas by default.
"There! Try to take it easy for the next few days, alright?" Elliot tells her.
Briar nods and stands up.
"Thanks- and sorry I almost blew off your head with a chi bolt." She rubs the back of her head, shamed.
Elliot simply laughs.
"Don't worry about it- someone has to keep us on our toes. Just try to avoid more injuries, alright?"
Briar nods and walks out, flexing her fingers with ill-hidden glee. Michael quirks an eyebrow at her.
"Ready to train?"
She nods then pauses and groans.
"I need to do twenty five level one sword katas first- Lady Emma's orders."
Michael smirks at her impishly.
"Sucks to be you~!" He taunts as he dodges her punch.
"Oh don't worry, you'll keep Michael- there's nothing stopping me from fighting you afterwards~!" She reminds him sweetly, unsheathing her sword.
Michael takes off, his face slightly paler at her threat. Briar shakes her head, chuckling and steps into the first stance of the kata.
Nine hours later…
Briar barely restrains herself from flopping on her bed but fails to contain a massive yawn. Bai Hu frowns at her but nods curtly in farewell, teleporting himself away. Sighing, Briar winces as her muscles protest but forces herself onto her feet and heads to the shower. The warm water nearly lulls her to sleep, so much so she barely dries off before falling flat on her bed and falls asleep.
And while her body is relaxed in slumber, Briar's dreams are anything but restful…
Next morning…
"Briar! You better not be sleeping the day away again!" Lydia yells through her cousin's door.
A muffled groan answers her and Lydia smirks as the sound of stumbling feet reach her. The lock clicks and Briar pokes her head around the door.
"Wei?" She yawns, politely covering her mouth absently.
Lydia gives her a once over and fixates on Briar's hair in abject horror.
"What the devil did you do to your hair? It looks like you dropped yellow seaweed on your head and let it mat and snarl into a rat's nest!"
Briar blinks, reaches up, touches her hair and frowns at the feeling of matted hair.
"Uh…"
"Honestly! Come on, let's fix you up so you look more human and less like Bigfoot." Lydia huffs, dragging Briar after her.
Briar tries to process what is happening- she really does, but staying up nearly 24 total hours straight (yey jumping time zones after a night of partying) leaves her in a very mellow mindset. So while Lydia combs out the mats and snarls, Briar dozes off in the chair. When the grooming stops Briar groans in protest, blearily opening her eyes.
Lydia's expression softens and for a moment Briar can see her cousin- not the queen bee or the lacrosse captain's girlfriend or the 'it' girl. Her adorable, somewhat spoiled, cousin Lydia who was always willing to play dress up or talk about detective stories. Briar reaches behind her and touches Lydia's arm, basking in the simple connection between them. Lydia raises an eyebrow at her and Briar smiles.
"I've missed you." She states simply.
Lydia's eyes widen and her mouth opens slightly, the way she does when she's unsure or surprised. Briar let's her hand drop and rolls her head back to stare at Lydia upside down, still grinning. Lydia sighs and bops Briar on the nose, causing Briar to squeak.
"I've… missed you too." She admits, not looking at Briar.
Briar nods and stay silent.
Nothing more needs to be said.
Monday morning…
"Nǐ hǎo Allison!" Briar calls, waving with her coffee mug.
Allison smiles, nodding back as Lydia and Briar fall in step.
"Hi Lydia, Briar. How was your weekend?" She asks politely.
"Tolerable. Usually cleaning up a party takes all of Saturday, but, since Briar started staying with us, we had it done by one! Then I took her on a shopping trip as a reward, only for Briar to fall asleep as soon as we got home!" Lydia gives Briar a mock glare, which she ignores.
Allison looks wary, unsure of what to say. Briar sends her a smirk and gently nudges her shoulder.
"Ignore her- she spits venom but she's still a softy under it all. For her special people, anyway," She adds thoughtfully.
"Everyone else better watch out."
Allison giggles as Lydia pouts at Briar.
"Stop trying to ruin my reputation!" She huffs before waltzing inside the school.
"Love you too, Lydia~!" Briar calls after her.
Briar winks at Allison and they both burst into laughter as they begin to follow the queen bee. Before they enter the building Scott appears, wincing under their combined stares.
"Hi Allison! Can I talk to you for a second?" He asks, fidgeting with his backpack strap.
Allison bites her lip hesitantly.
"I don't know Scott…"
Briar rolls her eyes.
"Apologize first, Scott: that is basic protocol of groveling for forgiveness." She states dryly, leaning against the wall.
Scott glances at her, panicked, and Briar merely smiles. He takes a breath to steady himself and looks Allison in the eye.
"I'm sorry I left you at the party, but there were circumstances-"
"I know, your friend said you got sick." Allison cuts him off, turning away from him.
He blinks then valiantly tries to regroup.
"Yeah, I got sick and believe me if I could have I wouldn't have left you there like that." He grovels, making puppy dog eyes.
Briar quirks her eyebrows.
"But you did- with no explanation." Briar reminds him idly.
Allison and Scott both turn to stare at her- Briar stands up straight and stalks over to Scott, forcing him to take a step back.
"You were a shǎ zi and I'm warning you… pull a stunt like this again I will use you as my practice dummy." Briar grins at him, showing her teeth.
Scott gulps and Allison appears torn between concern and badly hidden mirth. Briar claps him on the shoulder and saunters away, leaving them alone.
"See you in class~!"
She notices an older man with blond hair waving at Allison and smiles.
I wonder if that was her dad…? I'll ask her later. Briar decides.
Later at lacrosse practice…
Briar stands in line as she waits for her turn. Similar to her tryout drill, the aim was to successfully drive the ball into the goal while avoiding the defenders. Jackson was one of the two defenders with Danny as the goalie. Briar watches as Jackson successfully fends off Scott, driving him hard onto his back. Her eyes narrow as he resumes his starting position, cracking his neck.
She glances at Stiles- who looks worried. And rightfully so, as it turns out, when Scott slams viciously into Jackson's shoulder. Both boys collapse and Jackson crumples while Scott remains on all fours. Briar breaks into an all-out run, getting to the two boys first.
"Stay still!" She reprimands Jackson and glares at Scott.
"Go cool down: NOW." Briar orders Scott.
He meets her eyes with his golden ones but a quick flex of her Killing Intent gets the message across. Scott bolts for the boys' locker room; Stiles follows. Briar shakes her head in annoyance and glances down at Jackson.
"Your shoulder is dislocated." She tells him bluntly.
Danny, Jackson and Coach blink at her matter-of-fact delivery. Jackson narrows his eyes at her.
"What do you know?!" He sneers.
Briar rolls her eyes.
"I worked at a martial arts school back home- one of the more common injuries were dislocated shoulders. I'm not setting this since I'm not a doctor- keep ice on it and strap it to your chest to reduce jostling. The sooner you get to the hospital, the sooner you can get checked out and patched up professionally."
She stands, nods to Coach and Danny then walks towards the boys' locker room. Briar doesn't bother to warn them- she just walks in as Scott starts to pounce on Stiles.
"Cào!" She hisses, blurring as she gets between Stiles and the young werewolf.
Scott's face had changed to a similar build as Derek's but with gold eyes and with all the intelligence of a rabid dog. Briar sighs and blocks the first blow with an open hand, redirecting the force to empty space while at the same time using a palm heel strike to his solar plexus. Scott drops, gasping for air and Briar gets him into a double arm bar, keeping him down.
Stiles stares at her with a mixture of awe and terror, holding a fire extinguisher at the ready. Briar smiles at him reassuringly.
"You alright, Stiles?" He blinks then seems to snap out of his daze.
"Um, yeah, yeah I'm fine, no biggie, just my best friend wolfing out on me and oh my god I thought Scott was going to-!"
"But he didn't." Briar interrupts, keeping her voice soothing.
"And even if I hadn't come in, you would have handled it Stiles." She nods meaningfully towards his impromptu weapon.
Stiles flushes.
"Wha- this? Nah, I mean I hope it would but it's not like I'm you, able to face down were… wolves." His words slow as he processes what he just said.
Stiles stares at her in abject horror.
"Oh, shit! Please tell me you're not one of those psycho hunters, Briar, please, please, please have mercy on Scott he was only turned a week ago-!"
"Stiles? Breathe." She orders, slightly concerned by his pale complexion.
He obeys, sucking in large gulps of air. When she judges him calm enough she answers his questions.
"No, Stiles, I am not a hunter. I figured out the 'werewolf' part on Friday, so you didn't spill the beans."
"How?" Scott grunts from under her.
Briar shifts to get a good look at his face- normal. She releases him and kneels between them.
"A story combined with little facts like you having become more active despite having asthma…" She explains dryly.
Both boys flinch then Stiles frowns at her.
"Why are you not freaking out right now? You should be totally freaking out and having panic attacks and-!"
"Stiles. Breathe." Briar reminds him.
He blinks at her, confused then pauses to focus on his air intake. Scott shares his friend's confusion, watching Briar warily. Briar scratches her head and mentally sighs.
"Okay boys, let's start with the simple stuff. One, Scott is a werewolf, a Beta to be specific. Two, he was turned a week ago. Three, I encounter my first supernatural creature in America the same night. Four, this is not my first encounter with the supernatural hence my 'freaking out' is minimal. Five, I learned to fight so I wouldn't be at a disadvantage in battle. You two with me so far?"
Both boys nod and continue to stare at her.
"We'll talk about this later- Stiles, I'll need to hitch a ride with you since Lydia took Jackson to the hospital." She stands and looks at them.
"Consider what set you off, Scott- that's the first step." Then she walks out of the locker room and returns to practice.
Stiles and Scott look at each other.
"Should we trust her?" Scott wonders, rubbing his chest.
Stiles frowns before choosing his words.
"… Maybe. She's not as scary as Derek and seems at least to have a clue about what's happening to you… But at the very least, she stopped me from spraying unpronounceable chemicals into your face so there's that."
Scott nods, a frown of his own on his face. Stiles notices and gives him a funny look.
"What's up Scott?"
"… When I- shifted on the field I was so angry and I just wanted to hurt Jackson… But Briar wasn't scared of me. She made me back down and leave the field and I don't know how she did it." He confesses in a whisper.
Stiles processes that and goes over what he had seen: Scott and Jackson colliding, then Briar sprinting over to them. She seemed to say something to Scott then he hightailed it out of there while she stayed with Jackson.
"… Well, we can always ask her." Stiles says doubtfully.
Scott nods slowly, thinking it over and then he notices the time.
"Ah! I need to get to work! Stiles, can you meet up with Briar, I've gotta go!"
Stiles gives him a disbelieving look as Scott bolts out of the locker room with his clothes stuffed into his backpack.
"Dude! Rude!" He huffs.
…
After practice, Stiles spots Briar sitting on the school steps watching clouds. He stares at her awkwardly then clears his throat. Loudly.
"Ah, hi, Briar." Stiles bumbles over his words.
She blinks then glances over at him- her face breaks into a warm smirk as she takes in Stiles' body language.
"Hey Stiles, how's it hanging?" She asks nonchalantly, leaning back on her hands.
"Good, good- okay, not so good but that's why we really need to talk." He says seriously.
Briar's expression softens then she nods and stands, throwing her bag over one shoulder.
"Then let's go." She says simply.
Stiles blinks as his brain processes what she said then he nearly trips in his haste to get to his Jeep. Briar waits patiently for him to unlock the doors before sliding into shotgun. The ride was… peculiar to say the least. Briar mostly watches the trees pass by while Stiles drums on his steering wheel and fiddles with the radio. Much to Stiles' relief, the drive to his house is over quickly and soon enough they are sequestered into his room.
Stiles sits in his chair and spins a pen around his fingers, eyeing Briar. She ignores his stare as she sits down on his bed and adjusts herself to her liking before meeting his gaze. She smiles wryly.
"You don't trust me." She states, watching his reaction.
Stiles' face goes slack in surprise- and fear before he schools his expression into a determined glare.
"What makes you say that, Briar?" He challenges, leaning forward.
Briar shrugs.
"You're tense, can't completely relax around me now and have kept me in your line of sight the entire way here."
Stiles blinks.
"Shit, you are a ninja!" He breathes.
Briar chucks a pillow right into his face, making him splutter and flail as he tries to remove it. When he finally manages it Briar is right in his face, looming over him. She smiles, showing off her teeth.
"What did I say about referring to me by that name?"
"… not to?" Stiles hazards.
Briar nods and pats his cheek.
"Good, try to remember this time."
Stiles scarcely breathes until she retreats back to his bed. Then something she said earlier clicks in his head.
"Wait, wait, wait, you said this 'isn't your first encounter with the supernatural'." Stiles exclaims, pointing at her.
Briar frowns at his bad manners.
"I did and that is true." She admits carefully.
Stiles jolts forward as he internally spazzes out.
"Okay, what was it?!" He demands excitedly.
"A vampire, ghoul, ghost, creepy devil in Armani-"
Briar bursts into laughter, cutting Stiles' interrogation short.
"W-Why are you laughing? You're laughing, I don't- I don't get it, did you think I was joking or something because let me assure you I am dead serious right now. Right now!" He snaps, his glare rekindling.
Briar masters herself and gives him a dry look.
"Stiles, I didn't recognize any of those creatures except for the ghost. The supernatural beings I have met are Asian in origin- I'm from Hong Kong, remember?"
Stiles opens his mouth and closes it a few times before letting out a dumbfounded 'oh'. Briar nods in agreement.
"Oh indeed. How much do you know about Chinese belief systems, mythos, legends or culture?"
"… uh, China likes rice?" Stiles answers eventually.
Briar sweat drops.
"… so, basically nothing. Right." She settles herself more comfortably before beginning her lecture.
"China is one of the oldest human civilizations still in existence. It is incredibly diverse with multiple dialects and customs in each region. There have been many influences over the years- the Mongols, Tibet, the Western countries and India as examples of other cultures. Other important impacts are religion- Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism form the main trifecta followed even in present day."
"However, certain beliefs remained consistent across China: there are gods, there are demons, and there are nature spirits and numerous otherworldly creatures that roam this world alongside humanity. This is where it gets weird," She warns him.
Stiles nods seriously and Briar girdles herself before forcing the next words out of her mouth.
"They still exist in present day. My employer back in Hong Kong is the God of Martial Arts, Water and the North Wind, also known as Xuan Wu. I refer to him as Mr. Chen. My bastard asshole of a father is Mr. Chen's best friend and is also a god of questionable character. I regularly fought demons and even had the misfortune of meeting the Demon King before coming to America."
Briar keeps her eyes fixed on the far wall behind Stiles as she talks then waits for the inevitable questions. Stiles, being Stiles, does not disappoint.
"… Gods? Demons? SERIOUSLY?! What're they like?! Are they dangerous?! What kind of 'otherworldly' creatures are there aside from demons and gods? What'd you mean by 'Winds'? You're the daughter of a wind?! How does that even work! Wow, my brain actually hurts right now- suddenly werewolves are way more straight forward! They go bat shit on the full moon! Simple, done! I mean there's pesky details but compared to your life ours seems way more clear-cut." He babbles, muttering thoughtfully to himself at times.
"Breathe, Stiles." Briar reminds him dryly.
He complies with big gulps of air. She sighs, pushing her hair out of her face.
"Let's start with the simple questions: are the gods, typically called Shen or Immortals, and demons dangerous? Simple answer, yes. More in-depth answer; demons like screwing over everyone and Shen are not always tolerant of humans' idiocy. As for what they're like… there is no clear cut answer I can give you. They just are. Demons torment their victims and love chaos. Shen and Immortals are themselves with similar failings as humans or their animal selves."
Briar grimaces at the next few questions.
"As for the Winds… okay minor tangent. There are four 'Winds' or cardinal guardians entrusted to serve the Yellow Emperor- who is the holiest Zen dude you will ever hear of. He's so holy there are no icons or statues of him because to attempt it is to fail utterly. An artist just can't convey what he is in his totality. Moving on, each Wind is represented by an animal with an elemental designation associated with it. East is the Blue, or Green if you're Japanese, Dragon. South is the Red Phoenix, West is the White Tiger and North is the Black Serpent Turtle."
"In the same order, their respective elements are Wood, Fire, Metal and Water with Stone belonging to the Yellow Emperor, who coincidently represents the center of everything. The Winds can transform into their animal forms or can wear human shapes, which hopefully answers your question of how I exist." She ends bluntly.
Stiles has a glazed look in his eyes as he processes her lecture before refocusing on her.
"So, which Wind is your Dad?"
"… The West Wind, Bai Hu." Briar says in a tight voice.
Stiles blinks then his eyes widen comically.
"Holy shit! You're half tiger?!"
"That's what you focus on?!" Briar snaps in exasperation.
"Well, what should I focus on?! You just dumped a whole bunch of crazy and very interesting things in my lap and I had to pick something to fixate on! Besides,"
He suddenly looks weary, slumped in his chair.
"My best friend from diapers is a werewolf with zero control while there is a murderer running free in Beacon Hills. You might be an old hand at all this supernatural stuff, but we aren't. And… Briar, I'm terrified what might happen."
Briar stares at him for a long moment before letting out a soft sigh. Stiles stares at her in increasing confusion as she stares at him with a completely serious expression.
"Stiles. You are not alone- never forget that. You've got me in your corner." She tells him.
"… Uh. I don't know what I'm supposed to say- am I supposed to say something?" He scratches his head.
Briar smirks but shakes her head.
"You don't have to. Okay, let's go over what I've gleaned from friends overseas about werewolves."
Stiles' eyes bulge in surprise.
"There's more?!"
Briar snorts loudly.
"You bet. Lucky me I got some of the basics on werewolves in general- you ready?"
Stiles nods, frantically scans for a paper and pen then decides to use an old homework assignment. He looks at her expectantly. Briar dredges up what her half-brother told her.
"Werewolves come in three main social castes: Omega, Beta and Alpha. Omegas are loners, thrown out of or left their packs- they are the lowest of low and are willing to eat humans to survive. Hunters and werewolves belonging to packs consider them hazards and kill Omegas when they find them. Omegas usually have blue eyes when they shift."
Stiles bobs his head as he scribbles quickly.
"Betas are the average werewolf- they can have gold or blue eyes, tend to have shorter tempers and are sensitive to challenges to their dominance. They have a strong pack mentality and are stronger when they work with others. Betas have enhanced strength, senses and are not as susceptible to their instincts as Omegas, but they still feel urges. Scott is a Beta and, from what I can tell, so is Derek. Fun fact- Betas and Omegas are incapable of changing humans into werewolves."
Stiles head snaps up in shock. Briar nods solemnly.
"So, to be crystal clear, Derek couldn't have changed Scott that night?" Stiles demands.
Briar shakes her head.
"I confirmed it when his eyes changed to blue. The only werewolves capable of changing humans into werewolves are Alphas. They have red eyes, not blue or gold. Alphas also so happen to be the most powerful of the three types of werewolves- in the social hierarchy, they are the leaders. What they decide goes- they have the normal werewolf benefits but are overall stronger, faster and heal quicker."
Stiles leans back, stunned. Briar takes the moment to stretch and let's his brain process all the information she had dumped on him.
"… We need to tell Scott." Stiles says eventually.
Briar inclines her head.
"That would be a good idea." She agrees.
Stiles spins his chair and opens up Skype, tapping his foot impatiently as he waits for Scott to connect. A few minutes later it dings and Scott's worried face appears on the screen.
"Dude! Where have you been?! I've been calling forever!" Stiles snaps.
Scott frowns at him.
"I was working, remember? I can't always respond immediately, Stiles!"
"Well, big shit has hit the fan and sharing literally cannot wait!"
Briar rolls her eyes and steps behind Stiles so Scott can see her.
"Boys, calm down." She sooths.
"Hi Scott, please understand Stiles is worried about you and doesn't want horrible bullshit to happen to you. Stiles, remember Scott is the one with the furry problem and needs to chill out sometimes. Scott, I had a chat with Stiles about the info I have on werewolves. From the impressions Stiles and you gave me, you are lacking in solid info, right?"
Scott opens and closes his mouth a few times, his eyes flickering between her and Stiles.
"She's in your room?!" He squawks.
"Dude! Focus!" Stiles snaps.
"Yes, I'm in his room since we didn't want any eavesdroppers." Briar explains.
Scott glances worriedly at Stiles then glares at Briar.
"If you hurt Stiles-" he starts heatedly.
"Scott, Stiles is not in danger from me." Briar interrupts him firmly.
Stiles snaps his head around to stare at her.
"I'm not?"
"You're not- unless you attack me with the intent to kill or wake me from a sound sleep." She allows.
Stiles nods thoughtfully at the reasonable amendments.
"Fair- scary, but fair."
When they both refocus on the screen, Stiles notices movement in a corner of Scott's room. His eyes widen and he starts typing. Briar notes the change in his behavior, scans the screen and stiffens.
Stiles: Dude, there's someone in your room!
Scott frowns at the text, confusion wrinkling his face.
Scott: What?
Stiles forcefully slams his keys.
Stiles: TURN AROUND!
Scott starts to turn and the feed shuts off. Briar and Stiles stare at it for a moment and Briar breaks the tense silence.
"Where does Scott live?" She demands grimly.
Stiles points out his window and down the street.
"Over there- wait, why are you asking?! Oh my god you're going over there?! Wait, wait, wait, BRIAR!" He yelps as Briar yanks open the window and soundlessly drops, landing gracefully.
She starts running, ignoring Stiles' yelps of horror. Briar beelines for the house Stiles had pointed to and runs behind it, out of view of the road. Then she activates her energy centers, still running, and starts to race up the side of the house. Meanwhile, Stiles races out his front door and sprints down the road, barely seeing Briar's form vanish around the side of Scott's house.
"Shitshitshitshitshit! How-! Is She-! So-! FAST?!" Stiles swears.
He veers around the corner of Scott's house and freezes, his brain trying to process the sight in front of him. Briar is floating parallel to the ground next to Scott's bedroom window and ripping it open.
"… Wha-?" He squeaks, gaping at her.
Briar glances at him, then jerks her head towards the house before climbing into Scott's bedroom. Stiles takes a moment to shake off his daze over her gravity-defying ninja skills then uses the key he had made to unlock the door. Inside Scott's room, both werewolves stare openly at Briar. She takes in the threatening posture Derek is using and narrows her eyes.
"Back off or I'll break your spinal cord, Hale." She says calmly, standing fully in the room.
He raises his eyebrows at her threat. Briar smiles grimly and lets the chi she had built up in her hands glow visibly. Scott and Derek eye her warily, not sure what to make of her glowing golden hands. At that moment Stiles bursts in, sees Briar's hands and immediately says the first thing that pops into his head.
"Now you have glowing hands?! What else can you do, fly?! First you jump from a second story window like it's nothing then you tear down the street faster than an Olympic sprinter and then you floated on the wall, parallel to the ground and yet you still say you're not a NINJA?!" He exclaims, waving his hands frantically.
Briar deadpans at Stiles. Scott glances at both his best friend and Lydia's cousin, unsure of what is going on between them. Derek frowns, mulling over Stiles' claims.
"Not now, Stiles." Briar snaps, approaching Scott and Derek.
Scott scoots over towards Stiles warily, watching Briar and Derek face off in his room. Derek's face is impassive but Scott frowns as a strange smell starts to come off of him. Briar locks eyes with Derek's, tawny versus green, and smiles chillingly at him.
"Tell me, what was so pressing that you felt the need to molest Scott in his bedroom?" Her voice purrs dangerously.
Derek's frown deepens.
"I'm not molesting him- I was warning him to not play lacrosse Saturday night!" He retorts.
Briar tilts her head.
"Ah, my mistake- you were threatening him then. Obviously that makes it so much better." She says sarcastically.
"A newly made werewolf with minimal control, frightened out of his mind- that is totally a sound plan. Nothing could go wrong with that at all."
Derek is outright glaring at her now while Scott and Stiles stay out of the way, unwillingly entranced by this train-wreck of a conversation. Briar rolls her eyes at Derek.
"I'm assuming you saw his performance on the field earlier today?"
Derek nods stiffly. Briar sighs and allows the chi in her hands to dissipate, returning them to their normal tan appearance.
"Is your concern related to his lack of control?" She presses.
Derek grudgingly nods again, uneasy with the turn in the conversation. Briar glances between Scott and Derek for a moment, weighing options before speaking.
"Then teach him self-control: that neatly solves the problem, correct?"
Derek's eyes widen in surprise and he is not the only one. Stiles instantly starts listing off reasons not to trust Derek while Scott merely glares angrily at the older werewolf.
"Enough!" Briar barks, shutting Stiles up.
She waves her hand at Derek.
"Right now, Derek is the only werewolf that we know of who is not outright hostile towards Scott. If Scott reveals himself as a werewolf, even by accident, then any repercussions from that also affect Derek. He has motivation to see that you learn control, if only for his own continued survival. Scott, you have until Friday to learn at least the basics- if you cannot, I can step in."
Scott becomes wary of the militant glint in Briar's eyes.
"Does it have to be him?" He asks hesitantly.
Derek gives Scott a disgusted look while Briar nods firmly.
"I am not a werewolf, Scott- neither is Stiles. We can watch, observe and come to our own conclusions on how your powers work, but it isn't the same as personal experience. So, yes, it does have to be him unless you would rather it be the bastard who bit you. Given that, which of them would you rather deal with?" She points out.
Scott wavers for a moment, clearly remembering the attack before he stiffens his spine.
"I need to think." He says firmly, glancing at Stiles.
Briar inclines her head, taking the hint, and moves towards the window before glancing back at Derek with a quirked eyebrow. Derek slowly follows her, landing just as easily as her two stories down. Briar starts walking back to Stiles' house, Derek shadowing her closely if not warily.
"... Why don't you think I'm the one who attacked Scott?" He eventually asks her, perturbed.
"Different eyes, different forms." She answers, not bothering to look at him.
Derek frowns then it clicks.
"You saw it? And it didn't attack or hurt you?!" Derek says in disbelief.
Briar tosses a smirk back at him.
"Oh, he did attack me- but unlike Scott, I'm used to fighting supernatural creatures. He didn't land any blows, but the fight gave me a nice up-close look at him."
Derek flashes in front of her and grips her arms, his eyes glowing bright blue. Briar glances down at his hands then back to his face.
"Remove your hands, Hale." She says evenly.
He glares at her and tightens his grip.
"Not until you tell me about the Alpha!" He growls.
Briar's eyes flash and she moves, breaking his grip on her arms while simultaneously flipping him over her shoulder and into the pavement. Derek grunts, trying to orient himself when sudden pressure is applied to his windpipe. He tries to throw it off but Briar abruptly straddles him, pinning his arms with her legs and pressing her fingers viciously into his throat. Blearily he tries to focus on her and a chill runs down his spine.
Briar's eyes are glowing an eerie dark amber color and she is baring her teeth at him aggressively. The wolf in him cowers away from the sight, instinctively understanding who the more dangerous predator is.
"Do not touch me, Hale. I will not tolerate such behavior from you again or I will take your hands as penance! Am I clear?" She hisses, leaning right into his face.
Derek knows with bone deep certainty that his life is in danger- and while he struggles to retain his dignity his wolf half takes over, unwilling to die for his pride. His eyes flash back to green and he tilts his head to the side, submitting to her. Briar squeezes his throat again in warning before releasing him, already on her feet and striding into the darkness while Derek tries to regain his breathe. Meanwhile, a pair of crimson eyes watch their altercation with interest before also vanishing into the night.
…
Briar sweats as she runs through a sword kata, focusing solely on her next position as she brings the weapon in for a block then counterattack. Lydia slides the door open and quirks an eyebrow as Briar finishes the kata with a thrust and horizontal slice before sheathing her blade. She huffs out a sigh then blinks when she spots her cousin watching her.
"Ah…" Briar sweat drops at being discovered.
"Briar, I had no idea you knew how to use a sword- why do you even have one, anyways?" Lydia questions, approaching her.
"… It was one of the weapons I learned back in Hong Kong." She finally replies, draining her water bottle.
Lydia tilts her head cutely.
"Did your martial arts master teach you how to use any other weapons?"
Briar hesitates and Lydia narrows her eyes.
"So he did teach you something else- what was it?" She demands.
Briar winces before sighing.
"Tambo, nunchakus, bo staff, spear, chain whip, rope dart, sais, tonfas, short daggers, tessen and I was just beginning to learn how to use a war scythe."
Lydia's eyebrows shoot up in surprise.
"All of those?!" She exclaims.
Briar winces.
"Ah, yeah." She mumbles.
Lydia purses her lips, considering her words carefully before speaking.
"Why would you learn so many different types? Isn't that extremely difficult?"
Briar shrugs nonchalantly.
"I mean, yes, they all have different challenges but they aren't completely unrelated. Bo staff, tambo and spears all have similar basics in terms of hand placement and stances. And there are situations that are better for certain types of weaponry. For instance,"
Briar gestures towards her sword for a moment.
"I wouldn't be able to bring a sword or tonfa to a socialite gathering- but I could bring a tessen since it would appear to be a 'mere' fan. Or have stilettos in my hairdo, hidden in plain sight as hair pins. Little things like that can be the difference between life and death."
Lydia visibly perks up when Briar mentions the fashionable aspect, frowning thoughtfully.
"… Can you show me?"
Briar's face crinkles in confusion.
"Show what..?" She asks warily.
Lydia's expression becomes impatient.
"Your stiletto hair pins and this 'tessen' you have."
"… Uh, why?" Briar hedges, feeling cornered.
Lydia rolls her eyes.
"Well, it's a smart idea to have a form of self-defense and if it's cute, then all the better!" She chirps.
… I did this to myself, didn't I? Briar sighs mentally before gathering her stuff and supervising Lydia's inspection of her more decorative weapons. They spend a better part of an hour discussing pros and cons of certain pieces with current fashion trends. Lydia was intrigued enough that Briar makes a note to see if there are any spare stiletto hair pieces at the Western Palace that Sunday.
Thank heavens that I managed to convince Father to move his 'bonding day' to Sunday this week. She reflects with a groan. Briar shies away from the memory of cajoling her stubborn parent into listening to her- after making promises to be respectful and not cuss him out. It doesn't lessen her stress concerning the game but at least she is available to play. Thoughts of the upcoming lacrosse game reminds her of Scott and his control issues.
Hopefully Derek gave him useful tips.
…
Saturday night arrives with grand fanfare and Briar tugs on her uniform, smoothing out the stiff creases. Coach hadn't listened to Scott's excuses and Briar almost feels sorry for Scott when Lydia pressured him into playing. Unfortunately, both Stiles and Scott had avoided talking to her for the last few days so she has no clue what was going on with them. She isn't particularly bothered, since she can interrogate Stiles on the bench.
Jackson proved able to play- how he managed it Briar keeps her suspicions to herself, since dislocated shoulders don't heal magically in five days. After Coach lists off who is on the field, Briar assumes her place on the bench; right next to Stiles. He doesn't notice her, mumbling to himself as Scott walks onto the field and bouncing his leg anxiously.
"… Stiles- why are you acting jumpy?" She finally asks him.
Stiles actually levitates six inches off his seat in shock, snapping his head around to swear and question at her simultaneously.
"Shit! Briar! Where the hell- I mean when did you- what are you doing?!" He garbles incoherently.
"Stiles, chill out for fucks sake." Briar snaps, slightly irked.
"Where the hell did you appear from?! One second you're not there and then you are! Freaking ninja lady!"
Briar glares at him and flicks his forehead- hard. He yelps, covering the injured spot and stares incredulously at her.
"What the fuck was that for?!"
"You know what!" She hisses back.
"Oh, and that's a perfectly good reason to split my skull open!"
"Wǒ de tiān a, bì zuǐ!" Briar hisses, gripping her lacrosse stick tightly.
Stiles blinks and his expression becomes offended.
"Okay, I might not know Chinese, but I can tell when someone is dissing me! At least swear at me in English so I have a chance to yell back dammit!"
Briar grits her teeth before speaking very succinctly.
"I said, 'Oh my god, shut up'. I have already told you I do not appreciate being called a ninja and I had hoped you would respect that. Clearly, you can't. So rather than waste more time, did Scott learn any self-control or is he still a hormonal teenager with zero discipline?"
Stiles looks away from her. Briar narrows her eyes.
"Stiles. Did he learn control or not?"
"… If I say yes will you drop it?" He mutters quietly.
"If it were true, perhaps. But since you would be lying to my face… no, I can't." She says bluntly.
They both focus on the game as it starts with a piercing whistle. Beacon Hills manages to snag the ball and forces their way onto the visiting team's side of the field. Scott moves himself to an open area and waits for the ball to be passed to him- it never comes. Jackson intercepts the ball, throwing a smirk at Scott as he scores a goal. Briar tenses, an ominous feeling growing inside her gut.
Jackson wouldn't- or would he? Cào! Stupid male egos-!
As the game goes on, Briar and Stiles grow more worried as Scott is shunned by the entire team, as per captain's orders. But when Lydia and Allison hold up the 'We Love Jackson!' sign, Briar knew they had to do something. Stiles and Briar nod to each other then start verbal support.
"Come on, Scott buddy," Stiles whispers anxiously.
"Scott! SCOTT, if you can hear me, nod once!" Briar says, forcing calm into her voice.
On the field, Scott can see his vision start to go red but a part of him latches onto Stiles' and Briar's voices. He nods, jerkily, but he does it.
"Alright Scott, breath in and then let it out. Focus on me and Stiles, not those a-holes. Your mission is to get the ball- don't wait for it, go and get it." She orders.
Stiles nods enthusiastically.
"You can do it, Scott!"
"Find the ball, take it and get it into the goal. Go!" Briar encourages him.
Scott races off and steals the ball from the enemy team then throws it into the goal. The crowd starts to cheer as he begins hammering goal after goal after goal. Coach urges the other players to throw the ball to Scott- they hesitate but follow his demands. Scott glares down the player with the ball, his wolf side coming to the fore and the poor dude passes it to him. Scott then ties the game and with his last (ridiculous) throw slams the ball through the goalie's lacrosse stick, inside the goal.
The crowd goes wild, cheering for Scott and Briar stays to the side with Stiles. Both of them notice Allison and Scott slipping off for some private time. Briar makes a note to grill Allison about her moves later when an older man approaches Stiles and herself. She tilts her head in confusion, noting he has a sheriff badge.
"Stiles, we let Derek Hale go tonight."
Stiles jaw drops.
"Wha-what?! Why?! He had the second half of the dead body buried on his property!"
"We got an ID on the body- Laura Hale. Derek Hale's older sister. He was the one to give us the ID. Given the lack of motive, we had to let him go." The Sheriff states stoically.
Briar stays very still as she listens to the conversation- only understanding part of it, but pieces start to fill in.
Derek ended up in jail- presumably because of the dead body that was discovered on his property. Was he arrested in suspicion of murder? And how does Stiles fit into this? And why does he seem to know the Sheriff on a personal level..?
"Ah, excuse me sir, but how do you know Stiles? Does he get into so much trouble you know him personally?" Briar interjects as politely as she can.
Stiles and the Sheriff turn to look at her then the older man lets out a soft chuckle.
"You could say that, miss..?"
"MacLaren, sir. Briar MacLaren." She introduces herself with a short bow before remembering that the Sheriff is a Westerner.
Her face turns an interesting shade of scarlet as she offers her hand.
"Sorry sir, I forgot-!" She stammers.
Nice, very nice, Briar! She snarks at herself, tense.
The sheriff chuckles again and shakes her hand gently.
"Nice to see a teenager with manners- I'm Sheriff Stilinski and the father of this hooligan." He jerks his thumb at Stiles, who huffs in reproach.
Briar stares at both of them before seeing the similarities in their features. With effort she stops herself from yelling swearwords at Stiles, instead giving him a sweet smile. Stiles shivers uneasily, feeling cornered. She looks back at the older Stilinski, keeping her tone pleasant.
"I'm sorry if this is presumptuous, but why is Stiles being informed of police matters? Is he also part of the police force?" Briar questions, trying to understand.
"I'm telling Stiles about police business since he and Scott are the reason Hale was arrested in the first place." The sheriff sighs gustily.
Briar feels her face freeze into a pleasant mask: it takes considerable control to not demand answers from Stiles at that moment.
"Oh? I'm surprised they are involved." She says smoothly, allowing only shock to show in her tone.
Mr. Stilinski nods slightly, seemingly older and wearier.
"I wish you two would leave police matters to the police," He reprimands Stiles, frowning.
Stiles looks away awkwardly and Briar excuses herself, giving her farewells. After changing, Briar walks into the woods and makes her way to the place she first encountered Derek. The lack of light doesn't bother her too much as her feet carry her onwards. She pauses, hand resting on a trunk and listens. The wind stirs the branches, small animals rustle the undergrowth and an owl hoots nearby. Nature, not civilization.
Briar leans against the tree trunk and looks up, staring at the stars, marveling over the different constellations. She doesn't look at Derek when he appears out of the darkness, keeping her eyes heavenwards.
"… I didn't get to see the stars in Hong Kong: the pollution was too thick. Here, they're so bright…" she murmurs.
He stays quiet, watching her. Briar finally glances over at him and meets his stare with one of her own. Silence builds between them, until Derek breaks it.
"You didn't know."
She shakes her head slowly, expression distant.
"I didn't. If I had… it would have been different." She says softly.
"That's presumptuous of you."
Briar shrugs one shoulder then stands up straight before bowing slightly.
"My condolences for the loss of your sister." She states, holding it.
Derek's eyes widen in surprise as Briar pulls out of her bow. He could hear her heartbeat- it hadn't wavered in the slightest.
She meant it.
Derek stiffly nods back, unable to voice his thanks for the simple acknowledgement. Briar smirks wryly, dusts herself off and starts walking back the way she came.
"What will you do?"
Briar stops at his question then pauses as she gathers her thoughts.
"… In many ways this is not my battle. But, I also swore an oath and I intend to keep it. How I do so- well, I suppose we will see." She answers.
Derek watches her vanish into the woods before heading back to the Hale house, his thoughts uneasy.
And that is a wrap! If you have any comments or insights you would like to add, please review! I am considering a pairing, but it will be much later on. As you may have noticed, I tend to combine several episodes together (especially since I'm writing this based off of what I remember). So if I get something wrong, please let me know!