Slight change of writing style from the last chapter, as seems to be unable to leave my punctuation alone.
Gyah… this should have been up a week ago, but I've been busy with school and work, and then I got caught up in the Pottermania.
Glyph: Liar. You finished the new book in one sitting. You're just lazy, and you've been spending your all your money on movies and comics the entire month.
(grumble) it was only four movies. Besides, you're the muse; you're supposed to inspire me and keep me from being distracted!
Glyph: You want inspiration? Here's inspiration! (smacks author over the head repeatedly with copy of Assassin & White Shaman 2)
Author's Notes:
1-It is assumed that everyone is speaking in German unless otherwise noted
2-Herne: British version of 'the Horned One', Celtic god of the hunt.
3- Woden: alternate pronunciation of Odin, also attributed to the hunt.
4- I say SZ instead of Esset because that's how I first saw it written in the subtitles on my WK DVDs. That, and because my spell-check ignores it this way.
"Blah"-speech (German)
"/Blah/" speech (other languages)
'Blah' telepathy
I don't own WK, I'm not getting any money from this.
Chapter Two:
Meet the Family
The members of the SZ hunter-retrieval team Herne waited in their Rosenkreuz apartment for the return of their commander with extreme apprehension.
Seven days ago, the team communications specialist and back-up telepath had been killed during a mission in Brazil.
Five days ago, they had returned to SZ headquarters in Germany.
Two days ago, the team leader had declared that he would be speaking with the Elders in regards to thoughts he had concerning the dead man's replacement.
One day ago, he'd gotten permission from the Elders to place a pair of untrained children of his choosing on the team.
This morning, he'd informed them that the two children would not be coming from the lower grades at Rosenkreuz, but from the crèche, the Pit of Hell.
"/I can't believe th'boss is doing this to us/" Danny moaned. The skinny blond man was the youngest member of the team at age 20, and the team's 'demolitions and destruction' expert as Rutger called him jokingly. He was also the most distressed at Matheson's announcement that morning. Distressed enough that he'd caused two light bulbs to shatter upon hearing it.
"Calm down Danny," Fatima muttered, examining the crack that had just formed in her coffee mug.
Rutger chuckled to himself.
"It won't be that bad," he said.
"/Oh really? Have you Seen something? What? Tell me/"
"Only that we're going to need lots of towels. And newspapers. And soap. A hell of a lot of soap, which I think I'm going to go get now," The dark-haired precognitive wandered into the apartment's bathroom.
"/Oi! The bloody hell'zat supposed t'mean? Rutger/"
"Leave it. And speak German. I can't understand half of what you're saying with that damned British accent." Fatima ran a hand through her long black hair.
"But the boss is getting kids from… there." Danny whined, "One hundred percent loony-tunes."
"It can't be that bad," Rutger called over the sound of running water. "You were in the crèche when you first came here, weren't you?"
"For three days. Worst three bloody days of my life I might add. I got lucky."
The TV turned itself on.
"You exaggerate a lot Danny."
"Not about this I don't. You're the empath Fati, tell me you can walk past that place without wincing."
"I don't go near it at all," she admitted after a pause.
"Precisely my point. Therefore, I am the authority on this subject."
"Here he goes. I don't need precognition to know I'm going to need earplugs," said the voice from the bathroom.
Danny paced the small living room anxiously. "You've heard the stuff about Jackal? Madison Magog? Comedy and Tragedy? Hellmary? All some of the most demented and murderous fuckers to ever grace the ranks of SZ?"
As much as Fatima wished otherwise, Danny was correct in that statement. Every name he'd mentioned was that of one of SZ's most legendary and brutal agents. "Yes. Your point Danny?"
"My point is they were all brought up in the crèche! Hell, I knew Madsie in there. He's the one that gave me the scar on my neck!" He jerked a thumb at the three jagged lines on the side of his throat, "Eight years old for chrisssakes! The only way to survive in that place is to go batshit! And now we're gonna have two little Michael Myers in the making sharing our apartment!"
'They won't be that bad Danny.'
"/Shite/"
Matheson's booming mental presence overpowered everything else. With a single thought he linked his mind with his three underlings.
'Were you successful Commander?' Fatima asked.
'What do you think?' Much to her surprise, the woman could feel a small, unfamiliar set of emotions trying to follow Matheson's mental projection, like a child trying to follow an adult's conversation going on over its head. Which it was, in a matter of speaking. She reached out to gently touch the little mind with her power, only to have it pounce quickly on her, following the trail of her thoughts all the way back into her own head. For a brief second, Fatima was terrified that her mind would be shredded.
'That's enough of that.' Matheson stopped the child from doing any harm.
"Fatima! Are you alright?" Rutger asked. When had he come out of the bathroom?
She let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
"I'm fine. It would appear that the Commander has acquired a fairly powerful telepath. Much more powerful than Alex was."
'We're just entering the apartment complex. Fatima, please keep a lid on your talent for now,''Roger.'
For a minute or two, there was nothing. Then came Matheson's mental voice again.
'Open the door. My hands are full.'
Confused, Danny did as ordered.
Matheson stood in the doorway, 6 feet 2 inches of muscle-bound blond Nordic male, with an exasperated expression in his one eye and holding a squirming six year old under each arm.
"These," he said, setting the two on their feet, "Will be the newest members of Herne. The girl is Robin," the child he indicated waved at them, sucking the fingers on her other hand nervously. "The boy is Schuldig." The other child stared unblinking.
Stepping aside, Matheson allowed Herne their first look at their new team members. The children were almost completely covered in dirt and grime and dried blood, what little skin showed through was pale from lack of sun. Their hair was so matted and filthy it was difficult to tell what color it was. The girl wore the torn remains of a pink jumper, random strips of cloth wrapped around her hands, and hole-filled socks. The boy was clad in threadbare jeans and a green and white jersey that was little more than a rag. He was wearing only one shoe, the other foot was bare.
Danny, impulsive young Danny, was the first to react.
"They smell like a damned burial pit. Don't tell me they stopped at least turning the hose on the kids once a week in that place."
"I wouldn't know," the Commander replied. "These two were in the basement cells for several weeks."
"/WHAT! That's not possible. They don't FEED you in the cells. What'd they do for food/"
"/There's lotsa mice./" Robin said matter-of-factly.
"/I think I'm gonna be sick…/"
"Schuldig, Robin, these are the rest of my team. You will be working and living with them from now on. This is-
'Fatima Antonelli, Daniel Blythe, Rutger Johansson.' Schuldig sent to them all.
"I thought I told you no scanning without my permission." Matheson glared down at the boy.
Schuldig pointed at Robin innocently.
"And I told you to keep your fingers to yourself."
There was the briefest of pauses as Schuldig translated. "Jacket." Robin said at last.
Schuldig projected an image of Matheson placing his coat over the two to shield their eyes.
Matheson groaned inwardly as he realized his mistake. That was back in the crèche. Robin had read through the memories imprinted on the coat, and sent them all to Schuldig instantly. They'd known about Herne and his offer to join before he'd even made it. How many more times would these two surprise him today?
"They need baths, as well as medical. I trust the arrangements are underway?"
"The bathtub's almost full sir," Rutger said, "Shall I call upon Frau LeRay?"
"Yes, and while you're out get-"
"Get supplies," Rutger finished.
Many of Matheson's peers had been surprised when he'd picked Rutger for his team. Precognitives of Rutger's class were generally looked down upon, passed over in team placements for the more powerful seers. He rarely ever had visions, and when he did, they were weak. His power was mostly subconscious, a little voice in the back of his head saying things like 'turn here,' or 'you'll need that'. As a result, Rutger was the team supply man, always getting what his commander needed without being told.
Rutger paused on his way out the door, "No clothes?"
"No. I acquired some clothing for the children yesterday. We shouldn't need any." If they did, Rutger would get some anyway.
"Understood. I'll be back soon."
"And now, it's bath time for baby right?" Danny muttered.
"Yes," Matheson placed a hand on each child's head and directed them towards the bathroom.
Splash
"Hold still!"
"Ugh, this is disgusting. I think we have to change the water already."
Screech
Splash
"/Bubbles/"
"/Bloody fuck! Stop twisting so much/"
"/You said a bad wo-ord…/"
Splash
Giggle
'I can wash myself!'
"Does he talk?"
'Yes.'
"I meant out loud."
'…'
"No, he doesn't."
Splash
Knock knock
"Herr Rutger requested that we send up additional towels and hygiene supplies."
"Oh thank God."
Splash
"/What in hell is THAT/"
"/You said a bad word again./"
'Mine.'
"That's the pet rat I mentioned. Remember?"
"When you said pet, I thought you meant some cute little store-bought thing! This is a goddamned sewer rat! It's huge!"
'Mine.'
"…Right…Okay… Pass the soap."
Splash
Struggle
"If you'd stop squirming there wouldn't be soap in your eyes, so stop biting me!"
Splash
"There's no way we're getting through all these knots."
"Danny, get a trash bag and some scissors."
Squeak
Splash
Sputter
"I'm back. Got a few delousing kits, some lotion and skin stuff. Unfortunately, Frau LeRay won't be able to come till tomorrow morning. And would someone please explain to me I begged an old hamster cage off the lab guys?"
Groan
"Tell me you didn't just say 'delousing' Rutger."
"/Fu-/ Fuck."
'You said a bad word.'
Yeah, ever notice that 'Muse' rhymes with 'Abuse'? Now that mine has stopped hitting me…
Glyph- Leo no baka.
(ahem) As I was saying, review time!
Reviews:
Kojima Ayumi: Robin's sort of a funny plot device I came up with. She started her existence two years ago as Brad's annoying baby sister. (LOL) I dumped that idea, but kept the basic character concept.
Arcanas- Thank you. I can't wait for the rest of Schwarz either. In fact, the story originally started with Farfie.
Next chapter will be up soon (No, I'm serious this time. It's already more than half done. Muse or no muse.)
Glyph- I heard that!