Cliff hanger! Kind of... A little bit of a weird one, but I wanted to update this and move a litttttlleee bit away from the lore a little. Since that's one of my favorite things to do with my fanfiction, after all.
I honestly don't know if I'll continue with this since it's something that was supposed to be a single one-shot and go thing, but I might need some time to plan things out for this instead. You know? I hope y'all are okay with that.
Anyway! I hope you guys enjoy! Much love, mates!
"GOOD MORNING BIRTHDAY BOY!" I smiled at my best friend as he draped his arm over my shoulders. "Were you able to stomach your mom's infamous birthday pancakes?" I grimaced at the taste of burnt batter and a little too much syrup for nearly anyone's liking.
My mom has always tried her best when it came to my birthday. Especially after dad left. Always trying to make it the greatest she could ever do.
Even if it meant nearly burning the house down every year as she tried desperately to become a better cook.
"Love my mom dearly, but she needs to learn that the kitchen is not where she belongs. Surrounded by patients in a hospital, totally. She kicks ass at being a doctor, but not at being a cook." Toby chuckled at me as he just justled me a little bit within his grasp.
"Which is why she's got you around. Like Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy, ya know?"
"Please, do not compare me and my mom to an old man who wears a clam bra and an also old man who wears tighter spandex than a chick in an 80's Go-Go music video."
"Only if you agree to never describe like that again." I let out a hearty laugh as Toby dropped his arm from over my shoulders. Obviously offended by how I described some of his favorite cartoon characters.
"Deal."
"Did your mom get you that Vespa you wanted?" I let out a soft sigh as I gave him a side glance.
"You and I both know that wasn't going to happen, dude."
"Hey! A dude can dream! What did she get you instead?"
"New gear for the upcoming season and that blender I wanted for my protein stuff."
"At least that's good."
"Still my birthday though," I grumbled the words a little as I made my way up the staircase outside the school. "Hate it more than anything, honestly."
"Even more than Strickler?"
"Now that's pushing it." Toby just chuckled at this as we entered the school building.
"Don't worry, dude. I have a feeling this one is gonna be good for you. Just you wait."
I ruffled through my hair as my body trudged through the hallways of the school. My thoughts running through the night before as my freshman varsity hoodie was laid over my right shoulder in a small flat bundle.
"FILTHY HUMANS!" I ducked under Nomura's blade attack as I dashed to my right. I glared toward the changeling as I brought myself up to my full height.
"I actually prefer the title of Trollhunter, but you do you, ma'am." I jumped back from her slash as I brought my sword up to block an attack to my right side. "We're just here to talk, lady! We don't want to fight you any!" I blocked another slash from her with my blade before jumping back to a safe distance.
"J- Bud, I don't think she's the talking type!"
"Oh totally didn't get that from the whole attacking me thing," I growled out the words as Toby was dealing with the goblin ordeal around him. It was just a few, but it seemed to cause at least a small issue for him. My distraction caused the changeling to gain the upper hand as she placed a heavy foot and planted it into my chest. This caused me to stagger back slightly. I was able to keep my stance though since I was used to the sudden heavy attacks from years of sports endurance.
"Whatever it is you seek, you will not get it from me." She growled out the last word before swinging both her blades down at me. But I leaped into a backward tuck and into a handstand to push myself back onto my feet. I called Daylight back into my hand like I was taught. The handle coming back to my hand with ease as I brought myself up to my full height once more.
"I just want to know what you and Janus Order wanted with the Nuñez infant." She gave me a confused look as she kept her blades ready before her.
"What do you mean? Isn't it obvious? He was chosen to become one of us. I thought that was clear if you know exactly who we are."
"But why the Nuñez infant? Why mess with that family? Why them?"
"The fetch chose them. Just as the amulet chose you. What they are given is an honor. To have someone with a hand within Gunmar's release is not something many can say when the end comes. It can even save them from inevitable doom if he does well enough." She glared at me as she took a step forward. "Why? Do you deem your call of destiny to be higher than ours?"
"I never said I was a high being. Honestly, I'm not worthy of this amulet at all." I kept my blade tight within my hands as she neared closer. "I just don't understand it. That doesn't mean I'm any better or worse than you. Even if our goals are completely different." She looked at me as if I was insane for a moment. A change of heart appearing within her eyes for a mere second before I had to block a barrage of hits against me.
I sighed as I pulled myself right back to reality.
The changelings are just following the same beliefs as the trolls, as the trolls are following the same kind of bullshit as humanity, while humanity is blind to it all.
I pulled at the roots of my hair slightly as I tried my best to take a deep breath.
But at least we got some of our questions answered. Even if I wasn't able to ask them directly.
A fetch chooses who they take. Nomura is the one that controls the goblins. The reason they do it all is because of this high power bullshit to release Gunmar. All for the hopes of a better life. A better title. A better place to live.
Or at least, the hope for one.
I sighed as I let my hand fall to my side.
But now we also know Nomura literally lives at the museum. So stealing a piece of the bridge is out the window. Goblins are on their way to find the final piece. Which means they'll come after the amulet soon which is the true final piece. At least from what Nomura said.
All in all, my body feels like lead, I'm tired as hell, and there's a big ass bruise on my chest that causes it to ache whenever I fucking move. But I guess it was a win in a way.
I brought my attention back to reality as I saw Claire standing before her locker. My hoodie in a bundle within her left hand. I walked up to her with a single thought ringing within my head.
Well. Maybe today will let me have a better one.
"Kept my promise." I slipped the hoodie I had laying on my shoulder off before presenting it to her. She turned her head to me with a soft smile.
"Are you sure about me keeping that one?" I just shrugged as the two of us switched the contrasting varsity sweatshirts.
"It doesn't fit anyway. Might as well give it to someone that will put it to good use." She gave me a small laugh in reply before slipping into the sweatshirt as if she has done it million times. She adjusted the strings slightly so that they were even before making sure that the hood was resting on her back the right way. Once she was satisfied, she looked up toward me with a sweet smile.
"What do you think?" Unlike the grey sweatshirt, the black one actually matched her dark leggings, navy skirt, and combat boots. Making her seem a lot more, well, Claire even without her normal half-cut blazer. I couldn't help but smile like a fool at the sight. My cheeks burning just the slightest as I gave a meek reply.
"Looks great." Her smile widened at my words and I could have sworn I would be blind if it shined any brighter.
Or dead with how hard it made my heartbeat banged against my chest, but let's just gloss over that one for now.
"Thanks." Though she seemed confident as she spoke, her voice gave away how flustered she was though as it had a bashful tone to it.
How, in the literal hell, can someone be that confident as well as adorable? Jesus Christ on a bike.
"Congrats." I pulled myself out of my thoughts as she spoke. "You made it twenty-four hours. I guess you do keep your word, huh?" Out of instinct, I slipped the sweatshirt on with ease before pulling it down into place. I never realized how odd it was not having it with me. The sweatshirt feeling like a second layer of skin coming back to me as I fixed it accordingly.
I guess Toby was right, huh? I really didn't go without this for the longest time.
I just gave her a lopsided grin as I slipped my hands into my sweatshirt.
"If there's one thing I'm good for, it's sticking to my promises. My mom made sure of that when I was growing up."
"Sounds like a good woman."
"She is." I felt a small blush take over my face as I muttered out the rest I had to say. "She'd love you, honestly. She always enjoyed those that can push me out of my comfort zone."
"Well," She rubbed the bicep of her left arm with her right hand as she gave me a nervous glance. "I guess it's only fair, huh? Don't you still need help with Miss Janeth's math class of torture anyway?"
"I guess I do. With the show coming up soon too, it wouldn't be bad to get a few extra hours of practice."
"How's Friday again then?"
"Same time?"
"Sounds good to me."
"Perfect then." My smile grew wider as the bell rang. "See you around then?"
"Most definitely. You're not getting rid of me unless it's in your dreams, Lake." I watched her walk toward her math class as I stood there like a fool. A dopey grin taking over my face as a simple thought rang through my mind.
The only time I would dream of her leaving would be in a nightmare.
I groaned as I leaned against one of the walls backstage. My body nearly going limp from all the muscles in my body begging for some kind of break.
You've got this, Lake. Just push on through. Like Coach said, 'If your body wants to quick, don't let it. The burning means it's working'.
I slipped down onto the floor suddenly as my legs finally decided that they had had enough of me refusing them.
I guess Coach never fought against changelings before then.
I reached out and rubbed my thighs after laying them out before me. The muscle there was tender as I tried to rub the soreness out of them.
Damn. They feel like I ran the three-mile dash for the first time all over again.
"You look tired all to hell." I looked up toward Claire who was still wearing the sweatshirt I gave her this morning. "Are you doing alright?" She made her way over toward me before taking the spot right beside me.
"Just a long day is all. I also got a knot in my muscle from training this morning so that doesn't help." I flashed her a reassuring smile as she just gave a worried one in return.
"Are you sure?"
"Yup!"
Fucking nope.
"Well, if you say so." She slipped a hand into the hoodie pocket and pulled out a small tube of something. "Here," She presented it to me with a soft smile. "This should help." I gave her a confused look before taking the tube from her before turning it around to read the label on it.
"Pain killers? Aren't these not allowed on school campus?"
"Nothing can get in the way of me and my pain killers. Especially certain days." I uncapped the tube as a blush took over my face. I wasn't going to question her on it as I just took a single pill from it and took it with ease. I handed it back to her after closing it again.
"Thanks." I swallowed dryly once more to make sure that the pill went down.
"No problem." She slipped the tube back into her pocket as she grabbed a small box out of it instead. "But that's not the last thing I have for you." I gave her a wide-eyed look as she presented the box to me.
"What's this-?"
"It's your birthday, isn't it?"
"How did you know?"
"Your friend Toby there is a chatterbox. Not as good at keeping secrets as you are, obviously." She nudged me with the box. "Come on. Take it." I glanced down at the small navy blue box before looking back up toward her. A small smile gracing her face as I took the box from her as if I was taking a small ball of glass from her instead. I brought the box close to me and turned it around with my hands as I weighed it slightly.
"You didn't need to-."
"Just open the damn thing, Lake! I've never been one for anticipation and this time, it might actually kill me." I chuckled at her as I decided to just pull the lid off the box in one clean swoop. Staring up at me within the box was a small black and white bracelet made of small soccer ball designs. I pulled it out of the box without a second thought and slipped it onto my wrist. I turned my wrist around a few times to get it adjusted to the weight of it, but it didn't take long. The dangling bracelet already feeling as if I wore it for ages. Just like my sweatshirt. I looked over toward her with a wide smile.
Just like hers.
"I love it." I looked back down toward the bracelet before giving her another smile. "Thank you."
"I'm glad." She gave me a proud grin before bringing her hands into her sweatshirt pocket. "It took a little thinking-."
"SHE WAS SEARCHING ONLINE FOR HOURS! DON'T LET HER FOOL YOU!" I watched as she glared at Mary who interrupted the small scene.
"Mary, I swear to God-." I just chuckled at this as I reached out to place a hand onto Claire's.
"It's alright. Toby's the same way a lot of the time." She just turned toward me to give me a sheepish smile. Her hand upturning to intertwine her fingers with mine. She stayed there for a moment as we had in the gym the day prior. It was a gentle moment between us as we kept our hands in one another's.
"ALRIGHT EVERYONE! Let's get everything situated, shall we? We don't have much longer until the showcase so let's get this show on the road!" Claire slipped her hand out of mine as she rose to her feet. Easily making her way toward the stage before shooting another smile in my direction as she kept walking toward the stage.
Maybe Toby is right. Maybe today will give me something to look forward to.
I glanced down at the bracelet on my wrist as I put the box together again.
Already gave me proof something good came from today.
Yet in the shadows, without my knowledge was a sudden glow. A light yellow coming from the ceiling above me as I rose to my feet and made my way onto the stage. The oval lights following me with a curious tilt of their head.
"Something in silver here it comes." It hisses from the shadows as it crawled across the ceiling tiles. "A knight in armor with destiny, he becomes." A wide smile spread across scaled cheeks as it kept its glowing yellow eyes upon me. "A new pray he is, a new treat he becomes." It jumped across a few inches of tile. Somehow still holding strong against the ceiling as it stared down below him.
"And human at that." It licked its lips as it gave a twisted smirk. "A new treat. Like a rare plum."
"And here I come. To take such a tasty treat." It's smirk only widened as it finished the statement. "And make it a single crumb."