(A/n)
I'm uploading this story on here because I am beginning to lose my patience with Wattpad. If you are a reader from my other stories and are wondering why I'm not updating them, it's because I either am busy or just don't have time. Either way, Wattpad is still my main platform to writing my stories as I mostly use my phone (It's convenient for me) but I'm uploading my stories here in case my entire Wattpad account gets deleted.
—
3rd POV
London, England: 1928
The sound of gunshots echoed out from a dark alleyway and into the night. Only muffled by the rain pouring over the city, a group of men gave chase as they aimed their firearms at the figure ahead of them. Just as they pulled their triggers, the figure ducked and rolled around the corner, barely avoiding their bullets. A few grunts came from the men as they grew annoyed at their failed attempts. Rounding the corner, the group of men came to a halt when they noticed it was a dead end.
"Tch! Damn, we lost her!"
One of the men growled out while the others scanned the area with clear suspicion. With three stone brick walls surrounding the alleyway that had no windows, it didn't seem possible for their target to have seemingly disappeared. Which meant that they were still here, something that they all came to understand when they noticed the vast number of crates and barrels.
"Are you an idiot? She's obviously still here. Start checking the area."
The supposed leader of the group ordered while wiping the rain off of his face. The other five men nodded their heads in acknowledgement before carefully searching the area. With their lanterns in their hands as their only light source, they continued to search around for several minutes only to find no trace of their target.
"Aye, it's like she vanished out of thin air!"
The same man from before yelled with clear frustration in his voice. His partner, who was starting to grow annoyed by him, pushed passed him while bumping his shoulder. Earning him a glare that he ignored, he lifted his lantern while eyeing the windows above suspiciously.
"Oh, could you please listen to yourself?! She's a slippery one, I'll give her that, but she ain't magic!"
"Really now? Then explain how the bloody hell we haven't found a sliver of hair. For all we know, she could've turned to a bird and flew away!"
"Or turned to a rat and returned to the sewers where she belongs!"
Another man, far more cocky and older than the two, joked while nudging their arms. Lowering his lantern to light the floor, they could see inside of the nearby sewage drain that had rats scrambling to avoid the light.
The three men chuckled at the small joke before they stopped when the sound a bullet whizzing past between the them caused them to freeze in place. Slowly turning their heads to the perpetrator, they flinched at the cold gaze that they were receiving. Something within those eyes seemed different to them, but they didn't have the courage to bring it leader of the search group snarled at them while still aiming his revolver at them, smoke barely visible coming from the muzzle.
"If you three blokes are done yapping, I would appreciate it if you got back to searching!"
Without another word, they snapped back around and got back to doing what they were told. Releasing an irritated huff of breath, the leader of the group dropped his arm to his side before walking towards his more competent subordinates. Taking notice of his arrival, the two remaining men gestured for him to follow.
"Boss, we think we found something. Most likely where she went."
Silently giving them his approval, he followed them further into the alley while maneuvering past several stacks of wooden crates. They didn't walk for long as they finally came upon the corner of the alleyway where one of the two men pointed his lantern at a rusty ladder that led straight to the rooftops.
"Good work men. Jim, tell those three imbeciles to round to the other side." The man named Jimmie nodded his head before making his way over to the others. "Let us make haste, Henry. She couldn't have gotten far." The other man, Henry, nodded his head before climbing up the ladder with the leader following right behind.
A minute after the two made their way up the ladder and the others left the alleyway, the sound of metal scraping against stone could be heard. The manhole, hidden by the rain and the dark, slowly got pushed off of its spot and to the cobblestone floor. A person slowly lifted themselves from the hole before planted themselves onto the floor while leaning on a nearby crate for support.
Gritting their teeth, they grasped their shoulder tightly to try and reduced the bleeding from their wound. Blood raced down their arm and palm as the rain dragged it along with no remorse. Despite wanting to immediately run to safety, they knew that they needed to fix themselves up before it got any worse. Tearing off the lower portion of their trench coat, they quickly wrapped the long cloth around their shoulder before tying it up with a knot.
Once that was done, they carefully got up and began placing the manhole back in its spot before running back the way they came. Out of the alley's shadows, the dim lights from the lamps by the street revealed their identity.
A young woman with short blond hair that reached her shoulders, blue eyes that were filled with determination, and clothing that one would associate with formal ware. Said attire consisted of a white buttoned dress shirt, a brown patterned high waist skirt, and a light brown trench coat with a matching hat.
Aside from the dirt and grime that covered her entire body, she would have been considered normal in this era. But much like the bleeding bullet wound on her shoulder, there was nothing normal about the situation that she was in. Looking left, then right, she crossed the street when she noticed the area was devoid of people. Sticking to the shadows for cover, the young woman quickly traversed through the city, making her way to her destination.
—
Walking down the stone sidewalk of the street was a young man with black hair and brown eyes. His trench coat swayed as he walked upon puddles of water that continued to build up on the path he was on. The leather bag full of medical roots and herbs was kept close to him to avoid the rain. The umbrella in his other hand did well to keep him dry as the rain continued nonstop, though it didn't help keep the chilly autumn wind away.
With the sun barely gracing the clouds above with its light, there were very few individuals up and about this early in the morning. Something that worked to the young man's favor as not many took too kindly to strangers, especially those from far away lands like himself.
As many could tell from a glance, the young man was not a native to these lands. Born in the Far East, he had traveled here by sea and boat to expand his knowledge and horizons, even despite his family's protests. Although saddened by disappointing them with his choices, this was the path that he had decided to take with his life.
Too caught up in reminiscing the past, the young man failed to notice the person walking towards him. It was only when his bag had fallen out of his grip did he register the impact to his shoulder. Stumbling back a bit, he turned to the one who collided with him and was met with a cold glare from a much older fellow.
"Watch where you're going you berk!"
The man barked in clear hostility as he bent down to pick up his top hat from the floor. The young man quickly bowed his head while bringing his umbrella above the other man's head to keep the rain off him. With as much sincerity as he could muster in his voice, he apologized.
"Apologies, apologies!"
With his head low, he couldn't see the older man's facial expression, but judging by the tone of his response he didn't take it too well. Standing back up, the man swatted the umbrella shielding him from the rain away while adjusting his hat onto his head. The glare still present despite the act of kindness shown.
"Tch, bugger off would ya! I'll put ya to the curb if you keep it up!"
Not wanting to anger the man anymore than he already had, the young man quickly picked up his leather bag from the floor and left the scene. It would be inconvenient and time consuming to be caught up in a brawl, especially in the streets this early in the morning. Though he was more worried about the chances of the authorities catching word of it than the actual confrontation.
Nevertheless, he brushed aside the hostile attitudes the folks around here had for him. After half a year of living here, it started to lose its effects and go from a worrisome situation to simply an inconvenience or annoyance.
Turning the corner of the street, he nearly sighed in relief at the sight of his destination. A small clinic at the corner of the road surrounded by small shops and residential homes. Far enough from the city-square to avoid overcrowding but not too far to become inaccessible to the locals, this side of London was a perfect place to start a business.
Sadly, the establishment wasn't quite owned by him since he was simply an assistant, but nevertheless working there gave him first hand experience regarding the medical field. Especially since his employer was very knowledgeable in the subject themselves despite being a similar age to him. Making him hold a high amount of respect for them even when they told him not to.
Closing the distance, the wooden sign hanging outwards from the wall it was attached to swayed back and forth. The words "Watson's Cures and Concoctions" were engraved on it while traced in metal. Smiling to himself upon seeing it up close, he walked to the entrance of the clinic before turning the knob and entering.
A small jingle echoed out into the store as the small bell door chime shook. Though the sun was rising, the shades on the window blocked any of its light from reaching the interior. As the man's sight grew adjusted to the dim room, his smile slowly dropped as he saw light peaking out from the room behind the counter.
Usually, his bright and energetic employer/friend would be up by now, waiting to greet him with either a mischievous prank that only a child could come up with or a warm welcome. But it seemed that he wasn't going to receive either upon his return from his trip. Something that he quickly noticed as the merchandise had yet to be restocked upon the shelves.
Placing his closed umbrella upon the rack near the door, he slowly made his way towards the back of the counter. The wood creaked under his footsteps, only further unnerving him from the odd atmosphere he found himself in. The light leaking through the doorway was like a beacon, drawing him in like a flame would a moth.
Peaking his head through the door way, he was relieved to see that nothing was stolen or broken, indicating that no burglars made their way in. To his left was a small corridor that led to the storage closet and the cellar. To the right was a flight of stairs that led to the living quarters of the one who owns the shop. It was also the source of the ray of light as it passed through the barely cracked opened door.
Though his concerns were still there, he suspected that his employer was most likely up and about since the light was on. Knowing that they would be mad if he didn't announce his arrival, he set his leather bag full of herbs and medical roots on the counter before making his way up.
Slowly opening the door wider, he was once again expecting his employer trying to scare him with another playful prank, but was instead met with an empty living room. Due to being located on top of a clinic shop, the room was much smaller than what one would normally have in an actual house. The same applies to the kitchen and other rooms as the young man made his way through in search of his friend.
With no sign of them in any of the rooms, the last place he had to check was the bedroom. Something that he was not comfortable doing as he was someone who respected the privacy of others. Turning back to the stairs, he was about to leave when suddenly the sound of something shattering echoed out from the bedroom. Flinching at the sound, he turned back around and quickly made his way there and found that the door was already open.
"Miss Watson, are you alright?!"
His eyes glanced all around the bedroom with concern. When his sight locked on to the slump silhouette of a young woman on the nearby desk in the corner of the room, he made his way over. Her arms were sprawled out on her desk and it seemed that the sound was from her toppling over a vase of flowers. Seeing that she wasn't hurt, he sighed in relieve before deciding to wake her up.
"Miss Watson, the sun is out. It is time for you to get up." He gently spoke while nudging her shoulder softly. The response he got was a quick swat of the hand as she began whining with clear drowsiness in her tone.
"Leeeetttt meee sleeeeep, Yin!~" Though in the past she strongly suggested otherwise, the way she acted and the drool running down her cheek made her look more like a child than a twenty year old woman. "It's tooo earlyyyy!~"
Chuckling lowly to himself, the man named Yin rolled his eyes before relenting as he knew she most likely spent the entire night awake since he wasn't there to make her go to bed like he usually did. Even though he wasn't planning on pushing further, he found it dangerous for her to be sleeping on her desk that was littered with books, tools, and metal pieces.
Walking towards her bed, he moved the covers just enough for her frame to fit in. Making his way back, he avoided the shards of the broken porcelain vase before gently picking up Watson from her desk. Carrying her in his arms as he was able to see her face fully.
Her blonde bangs parted to reveal her soft facial features that many wouldn't deny as beautiful.
Yin didn't stop to stare however, as he made his way to the bed, though not before noticing the dismantled golden pocket watch on the desk. It must've been what she stayed up late to do as there was evidence of tampering by the small cogs and gears laying around the desk. Thinking nothing of it, he walked around the shattered vase with her in his arms before he raised an eyebrow when he felt her clutch his clothes tightly with her hands.
Yin mentally sighed as he knew where this was going.
Laying her down on the bed, he was about to place the blanket over her, but just as he had expected, her grip didn't let go as she kept him in place above her. Staring at her unamused, he moved his hand just above her forehead with his fingers ready to flick her. As her mouth slowly turned to a grin and she opened one eyelid to look at him, that was when he released his finger as it flicked her right between her eyes.
"AWCK!" She yelped before releasing her grip to rub the spot where the she was hit. Hissing a bit, she looked back at Yin with a small glare and pout. "That hurts every time you know?! Can you stop putting so much force into it?!"
Yin simply smirked at her while standing back at full height. "I believe that's the point, Miss Watson. It helps little children behave." He just barely avoided a kick to his knee as he stepped backwards, only making her pout turn bigger.
"I'm going to ignore that last part." She huffed before getting comfortable as she pulled the blanket over herself. "And how many times do I have to tell you to just call me Amelia." She only received an apologetic smile as Yin began picking up whatever he could of the vase shards.
"Watson-sama." He felt her eyes piercing the back of his head. "Watson-san." Her stare sharpened and he could feel a chill run down his spine. "Watson?"
She seemed to think about it for a second or two before finding it satisfactory enough to close her eyes. "Good enough, I guess."
With sweat dropping from his forehead, Yin went over and dumped the shards into the trash can. "Khm, Watson, if you intend to continue resting then I will be off to start my duties."
She waved her hand slightly to indicate that she heard before drifting off to sleep once more. Not wanting to disturb her any longer, he softly closed the door before making his way back down.
After putting the herbs he brought into their respective storages, he filled the shelves with bottles of medicine that Amelia most likely prepared ahead of time hand. Sliding the window shades up to let the sunlight in, he turned the sign hanging above to "Open". Nodding to himself in satisfaction, he finally took off his coat before straitening his dress shirt to look professional before taking his position behind the counter.
—
"Have a nice day Mr. and Mrs. Dubie." Yin smiled and waved at the two elderly couple that had just purchased some medicine. "I hope your grandchild recovers soon."
"Ha ha! If the medicine is from here, I have no doubt she will be up and running in a few days."
"We appreciate everything you do for us."
These two were one of the few who welcomed him warmly during his first days here in London even despite the language barrier they once had. In fact, they even allowed him to stay at their orphanage when he had no place to stay. That's why even though he was grateful and touched by their sweetness, Yin was willing to be honest with them as he shook his head at them.
"Please, I am but a cashier. If someone deserves your gratitude, it would be Miss Watson. She's the one who brews each and every one of these cures."
Every word he spoke was true since Amelia personally makes every dose that they sell, and since he simply sold them to customers, he wasn't entirely sure what he contributed here. Unfortunately, it seemed that the couple before him thought he was just being humble.
"Oh, what nonsense! Your services here aren't the only thing we are talking about Mr. Lin. We may be old but don't think we forgot about how you helped out at our orphanage."
The old man stated while playfully glaring at the young man. His wife seemed to agree with him but decided that they had spent long enough here.
"Dear, I believe it's about time we go. Would you please give our thanks to Miss Watson for us, Mr Lin?"
"Of course, I am certain that she will be pleased to hear it as much as I."
Waving them goodbye once more, Yin made a mental note to pay their orphanage a visit. It has been awhile since he had last seen the children there, even before his trip up north, no doubt it would be a pleasant surprise. Smiling at the thought, once he heard the jingle that indicated that the couple had left, Yin made his way to the room behind the counter in preparation to restock the shelves once more.
As he was placing the bottles in a box to carry with him, he stopped when he heard a faint sound coming from the cellar. At first he thought it was his imagination, but when he heard it once more, he was curious as to what could be causing it. Placing the box down beside him, he slowly made his way to the door that led to the bottom level of the shop. Though he felt guilty for trying to snoop around his friend's shop, it was drowned out by his curiously. Placing his hand on the doorknob, he began turning it as the door creaked. Just as he was about to open it fully, a female's voice spoke just behind him.
"BOO!"
"AH!"
Startled, Yin slammed the door shut as he jumped away from where the voice was located at. The laughter that came after immediately clued him in on who it was. Amelia stood just a few inches behind him as she clutched her stomach while laughing nonstop. The shock in Yin's face was immediately replaced with a pout as he waited for her to stop.
"I'm glad to see you up and energetic as usual Miss Watson."
"Ahahaha! *Hic* Th-The look on your face! Pfft!"
"It amazes me how much of a child you are." Yin muttered underneath his breath in Japanese. Usually he reverted back his homeland's language whenever something took him off guard. To his surprise, Amelia seemed to not have not only heard him but also understood him.
"Says the one pouting like one!" Nudging his side, Amelia responded back in fluent Japanese as she smirked at him. Seeing the pout leave his face, she raised a brow at the look of surprise that he had. "What? Is there something on my face?"
As she was touching various parts of her face to see if something was amiss, Yin's brain tried to see if it was playing tricks with itself. One could say that his confusion was warranted, after all, not once had he known her to be able to speak his language. It wasn't to say that she hadn't tried or that she wasn't capable of learning it, but it was simply out of nowhere that he had to take a moment to process it.
"Watson...since when did you learn—" Just as he was about to ask, it seemed as if Amelia herself realized what she had said as her eyes widened.
"O-Oh! T-That? I, uuhh, y-you know..." She trailed off while waving her hands around before freezing. Dropping her arms to her side she sighed in disappointment. "Too late in fixing this. I guess the cat's out the bag now. It was supposed to be a surprise, you know since you didn't exactly bring anything with you from your home country. I've been secretly studying to get better, so you could at least have someone to talk to naturally and be reminded of—."
She stopped mid-sentence when she saw the smile he was sending her way. Joy, gratitude, appreciation, a bundle of warmth was radiating from that one expression alone. As if infectious, Amelia felt a smile of her own making its way to her face. Though there was something quite odd.
"Thank you. It brings me great joy in hearing that." Hearing those words made her nearly wish that it this moment stayed permanently. Maybe it was due to the fact that they hadn't seen each other in a few days that they seemed to want to relish in the moment. After a few moments of silence, they both chuckled at each other. "Though not commonly done, I can't say I dislike being welcomed like this from my trip."
"Hehehe, well I was going to make some relaxation tea for you, but as you already know I didn't exactly sleep that much the past few days."
"Which was what I was worried about since my departure." He sighing while shaking his head, the smile still there. Leaning down to pick up the box full of antidotes and cures, Yin began walking past her. "As much as I would like to continue this, we have much work to do."
"Actually, about that, I was thinking of us taking the rest of the day off. I mean, you just got back and no doubt you are still tired?" Yin stopped and turned back to face her, curiosity apparent in his eyes. "The cafe that you told me about has finally opened up for business, we could go and check it out if you want?"
Thinking about it for a moment Yin turned to look out the window of the shop and seeing that not many seemed to be walking around this portion of the city. The rain also seemed to have let down its assault, but the clouds were still present. What pulled him to temptation was the fact that few customers were coming in despite it being past noon. Placing the box on the counter, he turned to Amelia who already had a knowing smirk as he nodded his head.
"If you would have me as company, I wouldn't mind that, Watson."
—
The two of them walked side by side as they made their way to the cafe. One of them had a look of discomfort while the other a look of contentment. The looks they received wasn't quite helping since it made him more self-conscious.
"Miss Watson, I don't feel particularly comfortable with this." Yin spoke while hoping she would get the hint. Which didn't happen as she responded by simply smiling innocently at him while still keeping her arm locked with his.
"What do you mean?~"
He didn't respond immediately as he kept his face looking forward. Locking arms with the opposite gender wasn't that uncommon since many were escorted in such a way. What was an issue, however, was how close she was leaning in to him and the clothing she wore. A clear difference from the women that they had passed, Amelia wore a black overhaul type skirt that reached her knees with a white shirt with frills underneath, something that was clearly frowned upon if the looks of disgust and disapproval they received were anything to go by.
"I'm sure you have already noticed, but we aren't receiving fond looks." Yin muttered just so she could hear as his eyes tried not to meet any of the others. "Your reputation is also at risk here, I doubt many will want to pay your establishment a visit if this is their first impression of you."
"They can think what they want, I find this outfit cute and comfortable." Amelia scoffed lightly at his side while looking at how the bottom of the other women's dresses were stained by the rain and wet pavement. "Besides, today isn't one for dresses such as those."
Glancing out of the corner of his eye, Yin could see the logic in her argument but if they were taking the weather into account then wouldn't she be feeling colder than usual with her skin exposed as it was? Though he thought of saying it out loud, he decided to simply ignore it once he saw the cafe just up ahead. His eyes widened a bit as he saw it, something that she didn't notice as she nudged him to get his attention.
"Hey, hey, don't you think I'm cute as well?"
She quite suddenly asked as they were just about to enter. Before answering, Yin took a moment to glance at her fully as he held the door open for her. As unusual and abnormal as her fashion sense was, he couldn't lie and say that it didn't suit her personality. Seeing that she was still waiting for a response, he just decided to be honest and nodded his head.
"I believe cute would be an understatement to describe how you look, but yes."
She didn't respond as she smirked and walked into the cafe. The smile that she had seemed to grow a tad bit wider as she passed by him. Entering right after her the smell of coffee beans entered his nostrils as he took a glance around. The cafe was fairly new and barely had any people in it, including the staff. A frown made its way to his face as he looked at the window of the shop for a moment before he turned back around. That frown disappeared and was replaced with a smile as Amelia turned to him.
"Since today's about relaxing, how about you go take a seat while I get us something?"
He was going to deny it as it would be rude to have her pay for their stuff but stopped when she was already up at the counter. Awkwardly accepting the kind gesture, he made his way to a table of two just next to one of the windows. It was a few minutes before Amelia came back with a set of cups and some small pastry.
"Sorry for the wait! I decided to get these last minute!" Yin waved her off as he accepted his cup of coffee before waiting for her to sit. Once she did they both chatted a bit before drinking their cups. "Ahhh~ Nothing beats some good ol' coffee in the morning."
"It's past noon, but yes, I guess you can say that it is..." He stopped to try and find the right words. He wasn't fond of coffee as he much preferred tea.
"Bitter? Foul? Revolting?"
"...Unique, is what I was going to say."
"Mmhmmm~ Well, I already knew that. Which is why I have just the thing to make it better!~" Without asking, she quickly snatched his cup from his hand before turning around with it. When Yin tried to see what she was doing, she turned to look over her shoulder with a frown. "Hey! Shoo, shoo! It's a surprise!"
"Another? I am certainly lucky to have so many in just one day."
She stuck her tongue at him like a child would before turning back around. Rolling his eyes a bit, Yin turned to look out the window. The clouds overhead didn't seem to be leaving but they at least weren't as dark as they were earlier this morning. His eyes wondered a bit before they settled on the large tower that just barely peaked over the rooftops. A tower that was shaped like a rectangle with a clock on each side and a pointed end on top. Big Ben, they had called it, Yin simply knew it as The Clock Tower.
He had never been to it as he spent most of his days here in London trying to learn the language and getting the basic necessities. After being hired by Watson, he had become financially stable enough to rent a small housing area just a few hours away from her shop. It wasn't much but I was enough to get by through the first few months.
Something warm being placed into his hands brought him out of his thoughts as he turned to see Amelia looking at him with a look of anticipation. He glanced at his hands to find his cup of coffee there but with a sweet smell emanating from it.
"Come on! Try it! It might not be to your liking, but it will definitely make it drinkable."
Seeing the look she had made him not want to disappoint her. Wanting to at least give it another try, he slowly brought it to his lips before taking a sip. Expecting the same flavors to enter his mouth, he was surprised when a silky smooth sweetness blessed his tongue. Amelia smirked as she noticed the way his eyes widened and how the small sip turned to a full on mouthful.
"That was...certainly something. Though the bitterness is still present, the sweetness made it more tolerable. Tell me, what was it that you did?"
"Hehe~ *Hic* Its just caramel that I decided to make since I knew you wouldn't enjoy coffee by itself. I was planning on using honey but I didn't want to carry a jar with me the whole day."
"You seem to have been doing a lot lately, I never took you for one to take interest in making sweets, is there a particular reason as to why?"
"Hmm? No, not really. Just wanted to experiment and ease my curiosity." She nonchalantly responded before nibbling on a pastry. "Moving on from that, how about you tell me about your trip?"
"Oh? I am sorry to that it isn't particularly entertaining as you would hope." She gave him a look that said she didn't care. Seeing that she didn't seem like she was going to relent any time soon he sighed. "If that's what you want, then fine. During my four day trip..."
As he told her about the events of his trip, the sun began to set as the clouds lightened. The two enjoyed each other's company even when their drinks and pastries were finished. However, only one was enjoying the moment for what is was, the other felt that something was off with the other. They couldn't quite put their finger on it, but they were slowly putting the pieces together and becoming aware that something wasn't right.
Yet, they still acted as if nothing was wrong and continued their outing as if it were normal.
—
Back at Watson's clinic, the locked door to the cellar released a loud banging noise. After a few seconds it released another, then another, and another, before finally the entire wooden door gave in and broke from its hinges. A silhouette rolled on top of it as they had used their entire weight to do the deed.
Gasping for breath and hissing lightly, the silhouette slowly stood up from on top of the door and stumbled their way down the small corridor. Their blonde hair was covered in sweat while the back side of their head was stained in dried blood, indicating a blow to the back of their head. Their clothing was a simple nightgown that women usually wore for bed. Her blue eyes frantically scanned her surroundings despite how dizzy and lightheaded she felt.
"Yin!" She shouted as she stumbled her way to the main room of the shop. Leaning on the doorway, she hissed as the bruising on her wrists burned, reminding her how tight the ropes that bounded her were. But at the moment she ignored it in favor of calling out once more. "Yin! Are you there?!"
Not receiving a response, she turned back around and made her way upstairs. Upon making it up, she quickly made her way to her bedroom before freezing at the sight of the scene on her desk. The dissembled golden pocket watch laid there with its gears and cogs out for display. The woman's eyes widened in horror as she slowly made her way to it.
"No...no...no...no, no, no, no, no!"
Slamming her fists onto the desk, she grabbed as much of the watch as she could before quickly turning and getting dressed. Once dressed in her attire of that of a detective, she sprinted out and into the streets. Everything she had worked for and built up to this point was going to shambles.
—
It was now nearly midnight as Yin and Amelia made their way to the next spot that she wished to bring him. They had just came back from visiting the orphanage that the Dubies owned. They were both a bit tired from playing with the orphan children, Yin more than Amelia as they were excited to see him once more. At the moment, the two of them were making their way up the stairs to the top of The Clock Tower.
"Come on! Come on! The view up here is amazing!"
With Amelia tugging him along, Yin could only obey and try to keep himself from tripping on the stairs. Their footsteps echoed throughout the stairwell making Yin worried that they would be caught for trespassing so late at night.
As they reached the top where the glass faces of the clocks were at, they both stopped to catch their breathes before Amelia made her way over to one of them. Unlike the others, this one didn't have stained glass but a crystal clear window that allowed them to view the city. The clouds had finally let up and parted to revealed the moon in its full glory. Moonlight shined through, illuminating the room that they were in as well as Amelia's silhouette.
The scene was one that would be the subject of a painting, at least in Yin's eyes. Because of that, he had the subconscious feeling of staying where he was simply so he wouldn't ruin the moment. Finding the courage to finally move, he stepped forward and made his way beside her as he gazed out the window. The view was indeed as beautiful as she had advertised it to be. It being his first time being here and seeing it, he was at awe at seeing the various buildings that surrounded them as well as the river that divided the city.
Glancing at the person next to him, Yin could see the side profile of Amelia's face. Instead of admiring it, he instead went into deep thought about the events that occurred today. From the early morning to the past hour, he was beginning to think himself crazy or a lunatic for his absurd thoughts. Most likely noticing his silence, Amelia turned to face him only to notice him staring at her.
It wasn't because of her beauty.
It wasn't because of the view.
It wasn't because of her inviting hand that she offered.
It wasn't because the warmth that he felt within his chest that seemed to grow over the past few months.
It was the look in her eyes that he finally noticed that it seemed so out of place on the person that he knew as Amelia Watson. A look that he had grown accustomed to during his life from childhood up until now. One that he never wished to see in the eyes of the person in front of him. So much so, that he couldn't stop the absurd words from escaping his mouth.
"Who...who are you?"
She froze at his words, perplexed would be a perfect word to describe what she looked like. Though it didn't last long as she simply chuckled and threw him a joking look. Yin wanted to believe himself crazy or delusional, but the more he racked his mind the more abnormalities he found himself noticing.
"Huh? What type of question is that, Yin? Are you trying to get back at me for not helping you settle the kids down?"
Yin didn't answer as he stayed put and narrowed his eyes at her, causing her to loose her nonchalant attitude. Her hands dropped to the rail in front of them as she looked at him, the look in her blue eyes not once changing. Things weren't making sense and he was simply making excuses for himself not to think so.
"I'm Amelia Watson, owner of a small clinic, your employer and as well as your friend."
Oh, how much he wished that were to be so. But the evidence was right in front of him as he listened to her respond to his question in fluent Japanese once again, as if it were second nature to her. When she saw that he hadn't budged, she sighed before gazing back out the window, completely giving up on resisting as if she knew it would be pointless.
"...When did you notice?..."
She quietly asked after a moment of silence, only making him more suspicious at her lack of rebuttal. His thoughts scrambled to give an answer that wouldn't make him more crazy than he already seemed to be. But the need to know forced him to voice out his observations.
"Before our outing...you mentioned how I didn't bring anything with me from Japan. Although true, how is it that you were able to learn my language with nothing to guide you. You spent more time teaching me the past few months than I did you, and even then, we had no books from my country for you to learn from like I did for here."
He noticed, for how couldn't he, that she would occasionally respond in his language during several conversations throughout the day. At first he wasn't bothered as it was quite nice to speak his language once more, especially with someone who could understand him. However as the day went on, he found it strange how she was so proficient at it, since even now Yin would still trip his tongue on occasion when speaking English. But at the time he simply chalked it up to her being more intelligent than him.
"Haha...I hardly noticed...Guess I was just so...so used to things being..." She whispered weakly to herself as she leaned against the rail in front of her. The moonlight casting a shadow over her face, hiding her expression from Yin. "There's more...isn't there. I haven't exactly been at my A-game lately."
Though he didn't understand what she meant at the end, he nodded his head at the first portion and continued.
"The cafe...you said that I told you about it, but I don't think I remember ever mentioning it...but what caught my attention was the fact that you knew where and when it was going to open despite today being its grand opening."
Yin had spotted the cafe earlier this morning when he was making his way to Watson's shop. He was planning on taking her there whenever they had a free day or when the weather was nice. When Amelia suggested going to a cafe that he mentioned, he expected it to be one of the ones he mentioned in the past that he spoke briefly about, but he was bewildered that it was the exact same one he saw earlier this morning. At the time, he thought it was but a simple coincidence.
"When I told you about my trip at the cafe...You never corrected me when I purposely stated that I was gone for four days instead of two..."
"...Really?...I didn't notice...It's hard to tell how long you've been gone..."
Her words were only causing him to become more confused than he already was. Nothing made sense, here this person was looking, speaking, and sounding just like the Amelia Watson that he knew, and yet deep in his gut he knew it wasn't.
"Sometimes...it feels like just yesterday I saw you...other times it feels like an eternity...Since when did you get so perceptive?"
"I learned from the best...once again, who are you? Perhaps another nation's spy? The war has long been over, though it is obvious tension is still rising."
Yin felt a sourness in his throat as he asked that question once more. The sound of her grip tightening on the rail caused him to take a step back. Though seeing his reaction, she quickly stopped and turned to face him. When the light finally shined on her face, Yin was subjected to a look that was on the verge of breaking. Like porcelain, her blue hollow eyes trembled as she steeled her face as best as she could but it did nothing to hide just how fragile she was at the moment.
"Yin, I need you to trust me. I am not a spy or anything like that." She asked with a calm expression, but the cracking of her voice gave him all he needed to know on how they were taking this. "I've been telling you this whole time that I'm Amelia Watson... believe me or not I need you to trust me."
"Do you know how absurd it is asking me that?"
"I know..."
"Trust is something earned not given."
"I know..."
"At the end I still don't know what you are asking me to trust you for.
"I know...I know, but...trust me."
He was struggling in being firm with what he wanted to do. It wasn't fair that the person who looked desperate and on the verge of tears looked like someone he knew personally. Taking a deep breath, he slowly nodded his head, though he made sure to keep the staircase leading back down in his peripheral vision.
"...Fine...I'll at least hear you out."
She grimaced hearing that, but nodded her head as her eyes held a small hint of hope. Holding her hand out for him to grab, she smiled a bit while swallowing the lump in her throat.
"I-If you trust me, j-just take my hand."
Hesitantly, and reluctantly, he began moving his hand towards her. He didn't know if this was simply a test to see if he truly indeed trusted her or if this was just a way to lower his guard. Nevertheless he hovered his hand above hers. He paused for a moment as he stared at her while trying to search for something that would give away her intentions. He didn't know what it was that he saw in her eyes, he didn't feel any ill intentions but for some odd reason the look in her eyes gave him this feeling of insanity and desperation.
For what in particular? He didn't know.
As his fingers graced hers before intertwining with each other, a smile of relief made its way to her face as she finally let the tears spill forward. To his shock, she dropped to her knees while tightly clutching his hand with both of hers, as if he would disappear if she were to let go.
"T-Thank you! Tha-nk you! Thank you!"
She repeatedly said in between her cries, causing Yin to be unsure of what to do in this situation. He didn't know why she was thanking him when he did nothing but be suspicious of her, but he couldn't handle the scene of this broken down woman. Unsure of himself on what he was to do next, he decided to just slowly kneel to one knee before placing his other hand on her shoulder. He noticed how she flinched at his touch, making him stop before he opted to simply wipe her tears.
"Miss, uh, umm...this is difficult to go about since you call yourself by my friend's name...I still don't quite understand what's going on but please don't cry."
Even when he tried to help her up to her feet, she didn't seem to budge. Instead she stared at his eyes as he rubbed his thumb to clean her of her tears. For a moment, he noticed a small spark, a small kindle that was once extinguished, become lit in those eyes. He didn't feel particularly comfortable being looked at with such a gaze so he turned his head and stood up. As if wanting to keep her eyes to his level, she stood up as well.
"Are...Are you willing to clear this confusion that I am having now that you have calmed?"
She didn't say anything except give nod and a small hum. Slowly, almost reluctantly, she let go of his hand with one of hers before reaching into the pocket of her dress and taking out a familiar pocket watch. Yin watched, curious more than anything, about what she was planning to do with it.
"Finally...I'll be able to fix everything..."
She whispered to herself so that he wouldn't hear before clicking open the watch as a ticking sound echoed from it. Adjusting one of the knobs with her thumb, she then pressed down on it as a sudden chill went up Yin's spine.
This...This was wrong.
He didn't know what she did but a feeling of dread washed over, making him take a few steps back away from her. It was only when his arm struggled to pull loose from her grip did Amelia turn up to look at him. When she did, he flinched harder than she had as he stared at what he could only describe as a madwoman.
"I-I'm going to fix this...I'll get things back to the way they were...W-We'll all be back together!...T-Together...Together... Together! Together! Together! Together!Together! Together!"
Fear.
That was what Yin was feeling at the moment as he watched the woman begin laughing to herself. It was only now that Yin realized he should have never grasped her hand. Her iron grip on his hand tightened at a nearly inhumane way as he could feel the blood circulation cease with his fingers going numb. Even when he pulled with all his strength, she didn't even budge an inch as she stared at him with a maniacal look.
"Yin...You aren't trying to leave me...are you?"
"What do you think it looks like, woman?!"
"I-I'm not just some woman!" She shouted with a snarl while inching closer to him. "A-Ame! C-Call me Ame like you used to!"
"Like I said before, I don't know you!"
Seeing no way of peacefully escaping, Yin brought his free hand back into a fist before swinging at her. The swing wasn't going to be as strong as he had hoped since it was with his left hand, but it was surely enough if aimed at her head. She simply clicked her tongue before doing something to her watch again. To Yin's shock, her body quite literally blurred before his eyes before he felt his entire left abdomen burst in a wave of pain. He had barely blinked before he was suddenly facing the ceiling of the tower on his back with the air knocked out of his lungs. The perpetrator staring down at him with an eerie look in her eyes.
"Y-You do know me! *Hic* You've just f-forgotten is all! But don't worry, I'm sure I'll be able to get you to—!"
"Time's up."
A voice that seemed to emanate from all directions cut her off mid-sentence. Yin took the chance to slowly crawl to his knees before standing back up while looking around. His back and abdomen still burned from the pain but he ignored it in favor of looking for their sudden guest while also keeping his distance from the other person.
When he saw nobody with them, he turned his eyes back to "Amelia's" before he glared at her. He had expected her to attack him once more when she looked at him, but instead she stretched her arm out once more for him to take. Something that he wasn't going to fall for again.
"Yin, hurry! Give me your hand!"
He didn't answer and instead made a dash for the stairs while he could in order to get some help or the authorities to detain this madwoman. The sudden footsteps racing just behind him let him know that she was somehow already behind him. He was so close to making it, but the swiftness of his foe was too much as she already latched a hand onto his shoulder and yanked him back. Pulled by the intense force, he turned and braced himself for another assault but was put off when she clasped her hand over his with the pocket watch in between them.
Suddenly, sparks began emitting from their joined palms nearly blinding them with its brightness. The ticking sound of the pocket watch was still loud and clear in Yin's ears despite the crackling noises that drowned everything out. With his eyes blinded and ears deafened, he couldn't tell what was happening as he stood frozen in place.
At the last moment of whatever this was, he felt a sudden pull that yanked him from his captor's grasps as someone yelled out his name.
"Yi—!"
Their voice quickly faded out like an echo as his vision turned dark.
—
When she felt his hand slip from her fingers, her mind nearly blanked. Amelia tried to reach out for him in order to feel some form of comfort in what she was trying to do, but instead found nothing but air. Her heartbeat quickened as she slowly glanced at the hand that was supposed to be holding his, only to find empty air.
Not even her precious pocket watch was in her hand.
She didn't have a moment to think about it as the sounds of footsteps from behind her caused Amelia to turn her head over her shoulder. Only to be met with a fist to the face that she hadn't been prepared to receive. The amount of force behind the blow threw her to the ground as she felt her entire vision spin.
"What have you done?!"
A voice so familiar, so distinct that she would never fail to recognize, assaulted her eardrums as she tried to get back up from the ground. She couldn't even pick herself up an inch off the ground before she felt someone straddle her waist causing her to look up. There, with a look full of hate and confusion, was this timeline's Amelia Watson, adorned in her iconic detective outfit and her fist raised high into the air.
It didn't stay up there for long as she quickly swung it down against the other Amelia's head before raising the other.
"Where is Yin?!"
She raised her other fist again, and brought it back down.
"What did you do with him?!"
Only to do it again and again, over and over she would bring down her fists in an unrelenting assault on the doppelgänger beneath her. The one receiving this brutal attack could only bring her arms up and cover whatever part of her head she could.
"Where is he?!"
All the rage and hate she had coursing through her was vented out through that final scream. Her arms tired from swinging, her throat coarse and sore, but her eyes still held the same intensity as before. Taking advantage of her opponents tired state, the other Amelia quickly latched her hands to the others wrist before pulling and giving her a clean headbutt that sent the other Amelia tumbling backwards.
Both Amelias released a hiss at the pain, though the one who spent the entire day with Yin did so for an entirely different reason. As she was finally able to sit up, she clutched her shoulder as her white dress shirt slowly became drenched in a dark crimson color. The bullet wound on her shoulder that she stitched closed opened back up, most likely from moving so abruptly earlier.
Slightly disoriented from the wound on her forehead, she stumbled to her feet while ignoring the other Amelia. Despite how close she was to despairing at how much things have gone off the rails, there were more pressing matters to attend to. For one, she had yet to find the one who she dreaded to see and hear.
The Amelia dressed as a detective was able to recover from being nearly knocked unconscious. Her hand clutched her head as blood dripped from the wound she sustained. Gathering her breath, she rolled over to her knees before sitting up in them. Glaring at the back of the other Amelia's head, she slowly tried to stand up before falling back on her knees.
"Y-You idiot! *Huff* W-What the h-hell *Huff* w-were you thinking?!" When she didn't get a response, she nearly fumed and was tempted to start another beat down with her other self. That, however, was put to a stop when she heard the faint sound of something. "W-what's that noise? Do you hear that?"
The other Amelia didn't respond as she clutched her shoulder tightly while gazing around frantically. The sound became more audible the longer she looked. Before she knew it, something washed over the two them, a feeling that they'd never forget ever since that particular day. And that alone made the noise ever more clearer.
*Tick*
*Tock*
*Tick*
*Tock*
The sound of the second hand of a clock moving echoed out throughout the empty room. However, there in lied the issue: that shouldn't have been possible. Both Amelia's felt the familiar sensation wash over them and both knew what it meant. This timeline's Amelia placed her hand in her pocket and felt the watch inside: it was still broken. This could have meant only one thing.
Everything was frozen to a still.
From the clouds up in the sky to the rats in the sewers. The world became stagnant as Time seemingly stopped this very moment. Yet, the sound of the seconds ticking by still continued. Echoing and bouncing off the walls in all directions, it made them turn their heads around while frantically looking for the source.
*Tick*
*Tock*
*Tick*
*Tock*
The sound was louder...closer than before, almost as if it were right where they were.
"Time's up."
The words from earlier surfaced in her head. The Amelia that wasn't supposed to be here allowed those two words to register in her mind. When she took into account of who has said it, she realized that with their personality they quite possibly meant every word they said.
In this case, quite literally, Time...was...up.
Snapping her head upwards, she froze at the sight of a dark silhouette walking down the window of the tower. As if unaffected by gravity, they walked down the glass in a slow and steady pace that matched the seconds going by. This timeline's Amelia followed her gaze before going wide-eyed as well. It was here that they realized, that the ticking sound wasn't a clock but the sound of this person's footsteps.
*Tick*
"How disgusting."
Only when they were basked by the moon's light did their silhouette become visible.
*Tock*
"How revolting."
Their dark blue hair and bangs swayed as they continued their way down. Adorned above their head was something that almost resembled a halo, only that it had three components spinning at different intervals. The fastest one matching the steps that they took. A chain was used as a hair accessory for the front of her hair while the back had a white veil. As the flaps of their cape swayed to an unseeable wind, they had finally reached the floor. With the hands of clock as blades in her hands, she stared at them with a look of indifference.
*Tick*
"How utterly disgraceful."
She began making her way towards the blondes frozen in fear. The trembling of their hands and legs had them locked in place. They both knew who this was. Her voice was cold, emotionless, far more unnerving than they last remembered it. The Amelia dressed in black and white only stared forward, even when the woman passed by her not even acknowledging her presence. The other Amelia behind her could only take a weak step back as she made her way towards her.
*Tock*
"...To be tainted by the hands of a mortal."
She spoke with clear disdain as she stared at her with those cold eyes. In the next moment, before she could blink, Amelia's entire right arm from the shoulder down was gone. In the hands of the woman in front of her was the broken remnants of the golden watch that was supposed to be held in her tight grasp. As she finally registered the pain of violently losing her arm, she let out a loud shriek before dropping to her knees. Blood continued to spurt and ooze onto the floor, forming a puddle that grew nonstop. The other Amelia dared not look behind her as the smell told her enough of what was happening to this timeline's Amelia.
*BANG* *BANG* *BANG*
The sold of three gunshots echoed from right behind her, and yet no sound of a body hitting the floor could be heard. The sound of something being violently ripped apart came right after as the other Amelia's screams sounded out once more.
She didn't know how long the screaming had continued, but at some point it suddenly stopped. Almost abruptly it seemed, to the point she nearly questioned if it was but the wind. But the heavy stench of iron still remained unfiltered to her noise, it even smelled stronger than before. Gathering her courage, she slowly turned her head to see what had occurred behind her.
Blood.
There was blood everywhere, splattered along the wall and floors. You wouldn't have been able to differentiate it from paint if it weren't for the small clumps of meat along the corners of the wall. Amelia fought the urge to hurl as she couldn't even find the body of this timeline's Amelia. A result that only occurs as punishment for interfering with the cogs of Time, one that is given to the prisoners shackled by its will by the Warden herself.
"Ah, perfection at its finest. Don't you think?"
The voice that was the cause of this carnage suddenly whispered into her ear. Her eyes darted over to the corner of her eye and there, perched on her shoulder nonchalantly, was the blue haired beauty who stared emotionlessly at the scene before them.
No...
She wasn't staring at the splattered mess but instead at the watch that she was dangling on her hand. Where it was once torn and dissembled beyond use, it was now clean and fixed as if she never broke it in the first place. The Warden stared in fascination, almost hypnotically, while ignoring the chills running down Amelia's spine.
"So perfect, oh why would anyone break such a thing..."
This iteration of Amelia suppressed the urge to flinch at that. It was she who broke this timeline Amelia's watch to prevent her from interfering, she could only imagine the punishment for doing so.
"I hope you realize that I've grown tired of this game that you mortals call 'Cat and Mouse', Thief."
Thief...Ironic how one who inspired to uncover the mysteries left around the world by criminals and the likes would end up as a Thief herself. Stolen what wasn't hers, an aspiring Amelia Watson had traveled to the edges of the Earth to uncover the mysteries left by those before them. It was a simple job at first, offered by an unknown source that willing informed her of the supernatural. She, of course, accepted and began adventuring to her heart's content, uncovering ruins and temples, until she stumbled upon an ancient artifact blessed by the creations of the Gods.
"I humored you and your little games, Thief...For you promised to play by the rules...But in your naivety for salvation, you brought with you the horrors that no mortal could hope to overcome."
A certain glint appeared in Amelia's eyes as they began to hollow out. Her body began to feel numb to her as the faintest of whispers spoke through her mind. Yet, she did not feel alarm...perhaps it was because she wasn't allowed to.
"Even now, you remain oblivious to the corruption seeping through you...though what should I have expected from a mortal?"
The moon shined brightly into the window of the Clock Tower. The clouds had finally dissipated from the sky, allowing a clear view to the night sky. A night sky...that seemed to be getting darker and darker even despite Time being stopped in place.
"Tell me...If salvation was truly what you sought for here...then why did you waste your time on a meaningless outing?"
Silence was all that she received as the barely visible horizon in the distance seemingly disappeared. One by one, the stars in the sky began flickering before burning out. Shadows began swirling about, as the moon's shape began to morph.
"It is quite alright...I already know the answer. A fool is what you are."
It hurt to hear those words. She had tried her best, tried to succeed and protect what she could. In the end, she had lost everything and everyone even when she did all she could. Was she running away? Some would think so, but it didn't matter. Amelia Watson...was tired...perhaps that's why she chose to spend the day relaxing and trying to forgot all that she had went through.
"Ah, before you ask, the other mortal who was with you was safely transported away. It was the least I could for your final wish."
Amelia closed her mouth just as she was about to ask. With what little sanity she still had, her mind had still went to the thought of his safety. Although it didn't bring her any warmth, it still put her at ease, even if it was fragile. Because although this may not have been the Warden that she grew to know, she knew that any iterations weren't the type to lie.
"..."
The Warden said nothing more. Before Amelia knew it she was standing in the clock tower alone, gazing out the glass window. After a few seconds, the blonde began to slowly close her eyelids. Although conscious of what was occurring to the world around her, at the moment she decided that perhaps it was time to rest.
She had done as much as she could with her life, uncovering mysteries, befriending supernatural entities, making treasurable memories, confessing to the one she grew to love, going on deadly adventures, before finally watching it all slip through her hands like sand.
This...what she had done today and the results that would come right after...were just her futile and greedy attempts of trying to get those things back. The stubbornness that she had never grown out of came back in full with her hopes of restoring what she lost. But she was forced to realize in her final moments right now, that what she lost couldn't have been easily replaced.
Naive...she was too naive...
When she finally closed her eyes and shut the world out of sight, the moon too finally gave out as its light flickered before completing withering away.
The world was plunge into darkness.
And soon, Amelia...and the reality she had just doomed...ceased to exist.
—
Yin's POV
I couldn't tell if I was dreaming. In one moment I was being held hostage by my friend's doppelgänger, the next I'm in this pitch black void feeling weightless. The other variable that contributed to my theory of this being a dream was the fact that for a moment, I was floating in the air. It didn't last long when I felt something within the palms of my hand, a certain round metallic object to be precise. I had no time to think about it as the weird feeling of falling came over me. Soon the smell of salt and fish surrounded me and assaulted my sense of smell. A smell that I had grown familiar with during my voyage to Europe.
It was the smell of the sea.
I realized right here and now, dream or not, that the sudden feeling of falling I felt wasn't a mysterious force, but simply gravity doing its work and unfortunately, the thing I was about to land on was the ocean.
The last thing I remembered before being subjected to this free fall was the sound of my name echoing in my ears. After that, the loud whirlwinds of the air brushing past me filled my ears. I wanted to sit down and think about everything that had just occurred, but knew that I couldn't at the moment. My vision was dark, but I could still see the barest amounts of light flickering around me. No doubt it was the water. With no time to spare, I braced myself and tried to make my body as slick as it could to dive into the water.
The sounds of the waves moving about finally reached my ears, only indicating that I was a few moments away from making contact with the water.
'One, two, thre—'
Even when I had braced myself before hand, the moment my feet pierced the surface of the water, the sheer cold nearly sent me into shock. The air was almost knocked out of my lungs as the waves played with me like a child would with their toy. Swimming upwards was easier to think than to do as the waves swallowed any of my attempts for the surface.
I tried to stay conscious for I knew that if I hadn't, I would be simply food for the fishes. But every second in these freezing waters made me my limbs feel numb. Every attempt for the surface only made me sink deeper and deeper into the ocean's depths. Before I knew it, whatever sight of the night sky I could have seen at first was beginning to disappear.
Deeper and deeper, I sunk as the bubbles of my life escaped my lips. As I began to lose the sensation of my body, I instinctively clutched the watch in my hands tightly and brought it to my chest. As my consciousness began to fade, the last thoughts on my mind were about whether or not a certain blonde was safe or not.
'...Am...el...ia...'
—
(A/n)
By the way, Yin Lin is just Y/n L/n in X Reader type of fanfics. I use Wattpad, so I'm accustomed to using Y/n L/n for my stories.
It's dumb, and I know that, but unfortunately that's just how it's going to go.