Disclaimer: I don't own FOP. Correction, I really don't own FOP. As much as I would like to say I do, I really, truly don't. I won't even go so far as to say if I did, there would be vast differences, because you guys already know that.
Chapter Three-Love Labor's Lost or It's a Question of Trust
"Do you have to sleep there?" Vicky asked, wrinkling her nose in taste. He'd found a moldy old bunk bed and pulled it up to hers, and quite frankly, she wasn't sure how close she really wanted him, especially since he acted like he cared about her.
"Why? Where else did you would you like me to sleep, dear and darlingest Vicky?" Mark said cheerfully. "I will sleep wherever you tell me to, even in your bathtub, if I can be close to you."
Wow, that's really sweet. He can't be for real. The Other acted all charming and look what he turned out to be? But why would the twerp let him in the house if he were like that? I don't know!
"Maybe on the couch or something. I don't want you…" Vicky trailed off, pain in her eyes.
"To get too close," Mark finished. "Got it."
When he puts it that way, it sounds kinda cold. But what am I supposed to say? He's a guy and sure, he seems nice but how am I supposed to know?
He flung himself on the couch and grabbed the remote. Some sponge was on, screaming about patties. The idea didn't entertain him so he flicked it off.
"Um, I'm going to sleep now," Vicky said quietly and slipped into bed, her hands shaking badly. He could take advantage of me while I'm asleep. There's always the button to call Cosmo and Wanda, though.
Why am I doing this?
Mark refrained from commenting but he found it unlikely she would sleep. Rape victims tended to have difficulty doing so and she looked as though it had badly shaken her. Still, why was she even letting him stay in what was essentially her room? Maybe she wanted to trust him.
"Good night," he murmured.
I'm not sure if I want to sleep or not. What's he going to do to me?
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Wanda shoved Juandissimo off of her and floated apart, her eyes sparkling with fury. She reached for her wand and found nothing. He was aimed and she was not.
"Where am I? Where's my wand? What you have done to Cosmo?" she snapped, the questions coming rapid fire.
Juan only laughed, a cruel mocking laugh that raised the hair on her arms. He produced a bottle of potion and his wand. While he enjoyed her righteous anger, there was still a wand present and she could always wrestle it from him, so he'd best knock her out soon.
He roughly grabbed her and spun her around. Mentioning Cosmo only made his blood boil and the mere suggestion he might have bothered with him irked him something fierce. The sooner she forgot him, the better.
Wanda struggled madly and landed punches on his torso. Baring a good physique, however, it ultimately did little. Besides, he knew she wouldn't succumb willingly- Wanda had to be forced into swallowing it.
Since she was screaming at him, he easily poured the bottle's contents down her throat. He didn't know why she bothered to scream- no one could hear her anyway. It wouldn't do any good.
Wanda choked and nearly went blue until he fainted. The book he'd acquired the recipe from deemed it fairly toxic if handled in large amounts and he'd had to make a great deal of it to offset her love. Although he might feel a little uneasy at the suffering because of this, the end result would be worth it.
"You are in a chateau in Marseilles, your wand is my property, and nothing. Who's Cosmo?" Juandissimo murmured and floated down to the purple four-poster bed in the center of the room.
"In due time, you won't remember he exists."
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Lorenzo couldn't sleep. Fists clenched tightly, he threw off the sheets and stood, glaring at the darkness. Gary, Gifoalski, and Cosmo and Wanda…
But especially Timmy…I should go wake up Remy for a late night training session and get some of this anger properly vented. The boy couldn't fight to save his life.
A note taped to his door gave him pause. It was written in a flowing green script and it told him one thing- he'd been betrayed. The two most recent additions to his team had decided to join Juandissimo.
"Fucking traitors!" The Other hissed, tearing the note off and neatly immolating it. Not only is Juandissimo gone with half of my spell books but now he's stolen two of my henchmen! I'll get even with him.
Slamming his fist into the wall and creating an enormous hole in the plaster, Lorenzo set off to torture Remy. If he couldn't directly hurt Juan, then his godson would have to do. Weak, puny little whiner he was.
"Wake up!" The Other screamed and flung open the door. "Get up or else."
Remy groaned and massaged his sore joints. He wasn't sure he cared to hear the 'or else'. Actually, he was quite certain the 'or else' would be rather painful. Money wouldn't throw The Other either, so it was time to endure another beating.
"Now," Lorenzo growled and produced his knife. When the lights were turned on, it glittered. Remy gulped hard, recognizing it as the same one he'd murdered Cal with (Lorenzo had boasted of his achievement).
"Up!" He kicked him out of bed and Remy landed on his stomach with a gasp.
"You never did this to Timmy," he groaned and Lorenzo pulled him up off the floor by his hair. Oh, he'd done it now, although what he'd done was a mystery. Only Timmy's belated parents knew of Lorenzo's love thang in this house and Remy was not on a need to know basis. Therefore, he thought he was merely making a note regarding Timmy's training which was not quite how Lorenzo saw it.
"Timmy is different," The Other snarled and slammed Remy against the wall. "Never speak his name in my presence."
"Why?" Remy blurted. "You never said anything like that before." If only I were more awake and could think things through. Why's he so sensitive about Timmy, anyway?
"Because." Lorenzo punched Remy hard in the stomach. "Where are Juandissimo, Anti-Cosmo, and Anti-Wanda?"
For good measure, The Other rained a dozen punches on Remy's body. He wanted to make him hurt for fouling his beloved's name. And, in a small part of him, he wanted to blame Remy for losing Timmy. There was no lust for Remy, only utter loathing.
"I don't know!" Remy sobbed. In addition to the throbbing of his body, his nose still ached. Through an act of will alone, he forced himself to speak clearly so he wasn't battered even more. Why was Lorenzo doing this to him?
"Bull shit!" The Other growled and pressed the knife into his throat. "Tell me the truth, poor little rich boy."
"I…I am! Please stop. I'll do anything, just stop!" Remy moaned.
"Hmm." Damn, he really doesn't know. A quick scan of his mind tells me as much. The only thing I really want is Timmy and he is no Timmy.
Fucking Gary. I was so close and he had to be the hero! I'll get him, I'll get all of them!
"Fine," The Other spat and dropped him. Remy slid to the floor and landed on the plush white carpet with a soft, inaudible plop.
"Start by finding out where they are. Oh, and I want to know where Wanda is as well. Juandissimo should really exercise more care when he mixes potions." That and I know he's got a thing for the frach. I was present in Timmy when he appeared.
"Got it?" Lorenzo snapped and left, kicking Remy one last time before departing.
How am I supposed to do that? Remy thought in dismay.
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Crocker, awake and insane at the ungodly hour of three a.m. on PST, grinned crookedly at his motley of fairy detection machines. No matter what Lorenzo might have told him about his foolhardiness, he was not satiated with merely knowing of their existence. He wanted a fairy of his own and sitting back idly only irritated him.
Tomorrow he was going to have a talk with Lorenzo and sort out his priorities. If he didn't give him the answers he wanted, then he would just leave. It was as simple as that.
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Cosmo awoke cold and alone. When he rolled over to try to reconcile with Wanda, he discovered a message in her absence. What was this?
After taking about twenty minutes to read and fully understand it, he crumpled it up and poofed into Timmy's room. He was incensed and looking for a scapegoat. Timmy would do- nearly everything that had happened since the summer had been his fault.
"What did you do with Wanda?" Cosmo cried, on the verge of hysterics. "What are you and The Other planning? I knew I couldn't trust you, but no! Wanda had to believe you were better. We should have made you live in the sewers! It would have suited you!"
Timmy, groggy, blinked up at his godfather in bewilderment. He stretched and stifled a yawn. "Huh? What are you talking about?"
"You kidnapped Wanda!" Cosmo accused, tears rolling down his cheeks. "Or did you just kill her?"
Now Timmy was fully awake. "I told you I'm not in cahoots with The Other anymore! Why would I want to hurt Wanda?"
"I don't know! You wanted to kill us three months ago or did you forget? I don't understand you at all. Why don't you just kill me now, huh? Waiting for The Other's signal?"
"I said I was sorry!" Timmy snapped, angry. "You don't understand at all! It was a mistake."
"Where is she?" Cosmo grabbed Timmy's collar and put his face not five inches away from his godson's. "What did you do to her?"
"I didn't do anything! I don't know where she is and… this isn't my fault! Something happened but I didn't cause it!"
"Where are you hiding her?!" Cosmo shrieked and held his wand out threateningly in front of his face. "I'm warning you, Wanda might've put up with you but I sure as hell won't!"
"What's going on?" Tootie cried and thrust the door open. She gasped- Cosmo's wand glowed in front of Timmy's face and sparks flew from it. Meanwhile, Timmy looked frightened and completely befuddled.
What happened?
He thinks I did something to Wanda!
Did you?
Thanks for your support, Tootie, Timmy sent darkly. Want to get a pitchfork and shove it in my face too? Start threatening me because everything is my fault, stuff I don't even know about!
"Let go of him, Cosmo," Tootie said steely. "He doesn't know what you're talking about."
"Yeah, right! Where is she?" Cosmo snapped, punctuating each word with a brutal shake. He'd have loved to fight back but it would only further prove Cosmo's point. Nevertheless, he resented the accusations.
"Cosmo!" Tootie screamed and he dropped him on the floor. The fairy godfather was bawling too hard to be intelligible and they (Tootie joined Timmy on the bed and began playing with his hair) waited for him to regain his composure. This, however, took a little while and, when he was finished, he glared at his godson.
"Look, Timmy said he didn't have anything to do with it and I believe him. Why don't you?" She blinked- trying to remain awake when she hadn't slept well for the past six months was rather difficult.
Hey, um, are you okay? The way he was shaking you, I thought he was actually going to rattle your brain. Did he hurt you?
I'm actually feeling kinda dizzy right now. Is it okay if I just sorta collapse in your lap? He did and she stroked his cheek lovingly.
Cosmo sighed and kept his eyes on Timmy. He wanted to flee but Tootie was far too stern and he was a little intimidated by her. She reminded him of Wanda when she was dogmatic.
Unfolding the note, he began to reread it yet again until she stole it from his grasp and read it aloud. Despite its many wrinkles and creases, it was still legible and she had no difficulty discerning its meaning. No wonder Cosmo was so agitated…
Dear Buffoon (it read),
I have regained what was unjustly lost. Make no attempt to rescue her, she will not remember you.
Her husband,
Juandissimo Magnifico
For a second, Cosmo and Tootie simply stared at each other. She couldn't blame him for becoming frustrated and crumpling up the letter into a little ball. The memorandum was awfully cryptic.
Biting her lip, she realized she couldn't fathom it. Perhaps she should ask Timmy who this Juandissimo was because she, unfortunately, hadn't the slightest clue (she'd never met him). Cosmo should know as it was he who had become so angry in the first place. Now, if only she could inquire without getting her head bitten off.
"Um…" Tootie trailed off, well aware of the wand he held tightly in his right fist and unsure as to how to go about asking. "Who's Juandissimo?" Straight forward ought to do the trick.
"Juandissimo!" Cosmo thundered and she winced. Whoever he was, he certainly merited a great deal of antagonism. A rival, perchance? An old boyfriend of Wanda's who never fell out of love with her?
"Yeah, him," she muttered, still smoothing Timmy's hair. It was surprisingly therapeutic in an impossible to explain way. Hmm, there were some nasty bumps from his fight. He cringed when she touched them, poor thing.
Sorry…
"He's, he's…!" Cosmo cried, unable to finish his sentence because of his sheer fury. She couldn't gather the truth from him; she might, regrettably, have to rouse Timmy. At least she could rescue him from the nightmares he was bound to have.
Well, Cosmo's a complete loss, so, um, who the hell is Juandissimo and why is Cosmo punching the air?
Juandissimo is Wanda's ex-boyfriend. He's still sort of in love with her. Did he kidnap her or something? (Because I know I didn't!)
Tootie laughed humorlessly. Unless you aren't Timmy Turner but Wanda's ex-lover in disguise, I sincerely doubt you did. Ah, uh, if you are, I think I want you off my lap.
Ha, ha, Timmy sent back darkly, his eyes still clenched shut. Very funny. Can I go back to sleep now?
Are you sure you aren't going to have nightmares?
I'm not not going to have nightmares.
(sigh) I don't know if I want Cosmo to take care of you when you have them. He's pretty angry and prone to violence.
I noticed. Timmy replied sarcastically.
"So, he's Wanda's ex," Tootie mused aloud and continued to stroke Timmy's hair. She was pretty sure Timmy wasn't Juandissimo in disguise. Of course she knew her true love when he lay in her lap!
"Yes," Cosmo growled and brandished his wand, waving it about angrily. "The only other fairy Wanda ever slept with."
Averting her gaze, she thought, A little too much information. Thanks but no thanks. I know you're angry but her sex life is not really any of our business, even if you know what you're talking about, which I doubt.
Wanda slept with him?! Timmy sent in alarm and Tootie began to wish quite ardently she (and Timmy for that matter) hadn't heard this tidbit.
Look, it kinda disgusts me, so, uh, just go sleep, okay?
No, but this is bad. When I was at Lor-, The Other's house and he was 'otherwise occupied', he'd make me sit and read for hours from his library.
You read? I didn't know your attention span was long enough to allow that!
Ha, hah. He'd force me to read by paralyzing me and putting a concentration spell on me.
I wondered why your grades didn't slip.
Uh, actually, that was because he would do my homework for me. He'd also get me out taking tests and quizzes too. I was way too tired to do anything after training.
Oh, well, what did you read?
A lot of boring books, Timmy replied and he could feel the air rustle above him. (Cosmo still threw a fit in midair). But a few dealt with true love.
Aren't they all in French?
I think he had English translations. But anyway, it said something like 'there's a bond forged when two become one' and, 'through this bond, be it forged long ago or recently, true love can be strengthened or destroyed wholly (a dictionary word).
And, Tootie picked up his thought, if dark magic can eradicate true love and Juandissimo and Wanda unwittingly created such a tie through, through, sexual intercourse (ugh…), she might be able to forget him (Cosmo) because the only way to destroy love isn't to eliminate it but to erase all memories of a beloved.
Wow. How do you know all that?
I stole a book from The Other's mansion too. Some of it was in English and not all was incantations. Besides, you need someone smart around here. If I left you and Cosmo in charge, the world might be dominated by mutated cockroaches.
Uh…
Don't tell me that actually happened!
Fine, I won't tell you.
(sigh) How many wishes have you made that haven't backfired terribly?
Well, the effects were only temporary.
Ugh.
Meanwhile, Cosmo had ceased ranting and Timmy, exhausted, fell asleep at his last message. It appeared she was alone with his godfather again. Now, at least, she knew the situation.
Swooping down, Cosmo's eyes met hers for a second before she too succumbed to her drowsiness and fell asleep. The final impression she had was he seemed worried, frightened, and sympathetic. The last emotion made no sense to her and she pondered it in her dreams.
"I know it's not your fault but blaming you helps. Sorry…"
Timmy gasped and began to jerk back and forth violently. Cosmo froze, indecisive. Wanda, if he had listened to her, told him in the past he was having nightmares or, as she referred to them, flashbacks.
Breaking out in a cold sweat, he moaned and Cosmo drew tentatively closer. Suddenly, his heart beat more rapidly and his anxiety over his godson began. What was going on? Was this why Wanda wanted to reconcile with Timmy? Was he going to die?
"Lorenzo…stop…please…I don't wanna…I don't…sorry…Cosmo and Wanda…" Timmy gasped and his breaths came in little wheezes.
Trembling, Cosmo wiped Timmy's brow and pushed a stray lock of hair back. Perhaps he'd stay and make sure he'd be all right. Maybe Wanda was right…
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"Come now, don't you love me?" The Other crooned and caressed Vicky's cheek. She shut her eyes tightly and prayed for strength. Every night it was return to hell, her subconscious altering her rape and adding more horror. However drunk she might have been that night, it was not nearly drunk enough to forget her pain.
"No!" Vicky screamed and attempted to run but her legs gave out on her. Of all the rotten luck, she collapsed into his waiting arms. How many times must she relive this?
Pushing her hard against the dingy concrete wall, Lorenzo grinned mockingly and apparently failed to notice the stench from the dumpster beside them. It was everything she didn't want to recall, everything she feared. Why? Why did it have to happen?
"What's the matter, bitch? Not exactly how you pictured your first time? Aw, don't worry. I guarantee it'll be your last," The Other drawled and fondled her breast through the thin red fabric of her dress.
"Just, please, no, I don't want..." She begged and wished she could get this damned body to move and attack him. At least let me stand a fighting chance.
"This," The Other finished and ripped her dress off. "Pity. A recent report said this is how women want it to be. They fantasize about rape. Don't you want to be dominated? Don't you want me to take you?"
"NO!" Vicky sobbed. "Leave me alone…"
"Oh, well. I'm afraid, as the saying goes, 'you're screwed'. What's the matter? Did you want Timmy instead?"
"No! That's sick, twisted…"
"Like you? Don't you want to hurt people and inflict your misery unto them? We're kindred spirits- we hurt the ones we love."
"I'm not like you. I'm different, I'm…"
"You're what?" The Other spat. "Icky Vicky? Icky with a 'V'? You're about to get what you deserve, what everyone wished would happen…"
"No!" She howled desperately, knowing every word he spoke to be true.
"Yes." With one snatch, she was nude before him and he out of his briefs. Forcing her legs open, he began to thrust inside her-
"NO!" Vicky sobbed and buried her head in her pillow. Or, rather, what she deemed her pillow but was actually…Mark's chest.
For a second she lingered there, his arms wrapped protectively around her and his head on hers. However her fear returned and she pulled away. What was he doing? He'd hurt her, he'd take advantage of her.
"Don't touch me!" Vicky screamed and he let go. A tinge of guilt clung to her- his intentions might have been good. After all, if he was going to do anything, surely he would have done so already. It was a shame she couldn't believe this just yet.
"You were screaming and flailing in your sleep, dearest Vicky," Mark replied sadly. "I only wanted to comfort you."
"I don't need comfort," she retorted, bristling. "Or pity. Just go back to Europe!"
"I was banished from Yugopotamia," he reminded her. "Because I fell in love with you and I made myself human to stand a better chance. I can't return because no one would take me. They would shoot me down."
She sat up and watched him, a semi-reclining figure to her right. Somehow, she didn't feel Mark was particularly guilt ridden for abdicating his throne and abandoning his birth place. Maybe he really had returned to seek her out and cared not for the repercussions of his actions at home. If so, it was the sweetest thing she'd ever heard, but could men really be trusted? Was he lying just to sleep with her like The Other?
"But you are here (albeit much altered) and that is all I require," he finished and reached out to stroke her cheek but recoiled. If she didn't want him to touch her, he wouldn't.
Vicky blushed and refrained from rolling her eyes. God, that line was so corny. How did she knew he wasn't just saying it to be charming? The Other could be charming and seductive.
"Just go away," she moaned and flopped back down. Internally, she thought her emotions were waging a full scale war. Part of her longed for the serenity in his arms and the rest was pretty well convinced he couldn't be trusted. The turmoil made her nauseous.
"If my goddess desires it, then I shall," Mark said and remorsefully returned to the couch. Suddenly she'd never felt quite so alone. Did she really have a right to demand anything from him when he'd given up everything for her (supposing he wasn't lying)?
"Wait!" Mark, in surprise, lifted his head up.
"Yes, my dearest?" He replied.
"You can, that is, I want you here," Vicky stammered, not even sure if she knew what she was trying to say, never mind if he did.
"Okay," Mark said, befuddled. "I guess you want me to sit on the bed and…"
"If I have another dream, you can, uh, just hold my hand, okay?"
"All right!" He grinned and sat next to her. "I promise I will not sleep until the nightmares vanish!"
She stared blankly. Wow, he was weird. In his two year absence, she'd forgotten how bizarre he could be at times.
"A mite too enthusiastic?" He said.
"Uh, yeah."
"Go to sleep. I won't leave your side." And he didn't.
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Wanda gasped and rocked back and forth. Tears streamed down her face and every once in a while, a huge tremor would rock her body and cause him discomfort. He had to discover what was taking so long, as well as understand why she would start having convulsions.
Leaving his own body, Juandissimo entered Wanda's mind room. It was utter chaos. He wondered, for a second, if he'd entered the wrong one. This couldn't be her room, it looked as if a tornado had struck it.
In the corner of the room, Wanda darted back and forth to capture fluttery things that kept eluding her. However, it took only a few seconds for him to recognize them as her memories. As furiously as she sought to hold them, they vanished. No matter how hard she tried, every glimpse she held meant the loss of ten.
He floated closer and her mental projection pivoted, sobbing as well. When she did turn, no less than forty shots of Cosmo disappeared. It made him smile just thinking of it.
"You did this!" Wanda snapped and shot around, snatching the edges of her past. "COSMO!"
Juandissimo only watched as she scrambled around frantically and the memories simply went in the opposite direction, dematerializing as they did so. This was useless- she could not hope to maintain her past. He would rewrite it whether she liked it or not.
Brandishing his wand, he cast it about and scattered the ones in her possession as well as those in flight. No more remained, yes! Wait, there was one he couldn't seize and she captured. Oh, well, it couldn't be terribly important…
Unseen by Juandissimo, a shot of Cosmo became the key to the lock on Wanda's memories. This would be her sole recollection of him and could open the floodgates to her past, something he did not know. The potion only suppressed memories and did not erase them wholly. Therefore, if another possessed the key to Wanda's recollections, they, in theory, could restore them. This Juandissimo could not know and Cosmo was to find out.
She spun around and he gasped. Gaping out of her chest was a massive clot of blood streaming out. No, it couldn't be. Had she become heartless? Well, this could hardly be his fault…
For one second, Wanda remained compassionate and, before she acquired a temperament Lorenzo would admire, she croaked one final thing, her eyes laden with unshed tears.
"Cosmo!" She sobbed in agony. Then she collapsed on the floor and everything straightened itself out rather harshly.
Juandissimo, startled, took a half step backward before she stood (her chest cavity healing itself minus her heart) and glowered at him. He could feel hate radiating from her and knew the potion had gone terribly, horribly wrong. By eradicating her memory of Cosmo and thus her love for him, she had lost the sole thing he desired, her warmth and personality. Alas, but perhaps she could still be his.,
"Get out," she spat and produced a magnificent glowing wand that, he noticed, had an unpleasant green tinge to it.
"Now."
Right before he did, he saw her stifle a sob and whisper, "Cosmo…who are you?"