This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the world of Legacies and Reprisal, which is trademarked by The CW (Legacies) and Hulu (Reprisal) respectively. All characters are created and owned by Julie Plec (Legacies) and Josh Corbin (Reprisal), and I do not claim any ownership over them or the world of Legacies and Reprisal. The story I tell here is my invention except where inspired by scenes and lines from the show, and it is not purported or believed to be part of Julie Plec and Josh Corbin story canon. This story is for entertainment only and is not part of the official storyline. I am grateful to Julie Plec and Josh Corbin for their wonderful stories about these worlds, for, without these tv shows, my story would not exist.
CHANGING PATHS
After the spectacle, Katherine, Joel, Queenie and Meredith had moved off into a separate room with the girl, Hope, to discuss things in private. Everyone else was milling about, talking in their little groups about what had just occurred and what this could mean for the Bang-A-Rang. The three river phoenixes sat around their table, separate from everyone else, drinking shots of the Bang-A-Rang's best whiskey. As Johnson put it if now wasn't the time to drink then when was. They were all lost in their thoughts contemplating what had just happened.
Matty gulped down his glass of whiskey, feeling the intense burn go down the back of his throat. He couldn't stop thinking about that girl, on the surface, she looked delicate, innocent, fragile. Like someone who needed constant protection from the world around her lest the world break and destroys her. But then when you look into her eyes, really look into her eyes, you see it, the strength, the confidence in her abilities, the knowledge of what she is capable of that no one could take away from her. She was a warrior in the truest sense of the word. There were her displays of magic, for what else could it be, that he still couldn't explain nor was he sure how he felt about magic being real. Then there was her fighting ability, the Brawlers had the reputation as being the best fighters in the three rivers, but this girl took them down easily and he was pretty sure she went into the fight knowing she was going to win.
She was like no woman he had ever met, not like his mother whose self-absorbed neglect had made him leave as soon as he could. Not like the pin-ups who might flirt and bestow affection but whose love always came with a price. And then there was Katherine, Queenie and Meredith who might've exuded strength and intelligence in their own right, but nothing compared to this girl, Hope radiated strength, confidence and power and he couldn't wait to see what would happen next.
After what had occurred in the main hall, I was taken aside by those who seemed to be the main leaders around here, the woman Queenie was completely mistrustful of me, but Katherine had decided and wanted me to stay so she would defer to her decision for now but still couldn't hide her disgruntled expression.
Joel on the other hand, while he wasn't fully accepting of Katherine's decision was willing to at least trust Katherine until he was given a reason not to. And Meredith seemed to have decided I was her new best friend/sister, as far as she was concerned any girl who could take out the Brawlers like that was good in her mind. Which is how they ended up where they were now.
After the meeting they showed her to the room that she would be staying in for the duration of her stay, it was the same room, she woke up in. Once again, Molly was there to fix up her injuries, some of her stitches had come undone during the fight. Once she was patched up, they took her on a tour of the compound. The garage where all the cars were worked on, the field of campervans and makeshift homes where those who worked here lived and the Bang-A-Rang where all the action took place. It was a cross between a bar, burlesque club, strip club, brothel and fight club, a place it appeared where people can escape their lives and every desire was met. Then Meredith decided since I hadn't come with much luggage a shopping trip was in order and Katherine agreed. Which is how I found myself at the nearest strip mall under the instructions to get whatever it was I needed or wanted.
As I was perusing the shelves Meredith kept glancing at me, it was clear the redhead had questions she wanted to ask me but was choosing to keep silent for now. I picked out a few pairs of jeans, a few tops, A brand new jacket and a black dress, they then went to shoes, her choices consisted of a pair of boots with a kitten heel and a pair of black Mary Janes. Katherine said I could get more, that money wasn't an issue. I told her it was okay, that I had what I needed. I didn't know how long I was going to stay here or when I was going to need to run again. The sorcerer knew where she was, he or his followers would show up eventually.
Meredith, of course, didn't have this issue, showing up with a pile of dresses, hot pants, low cut tops and several five-inch heels. With a big smile on her face, she put her pile of clothes next to Hope's more modest pile before turning to Katherine expectantly. Katherine nodded at the salesclerk who rang up the purchases and bagged their purchases for them. Katherine then handed the salesclerk a wad of cash, the salesclerk checked it, nodded and then they exited the store.
Katherine turned to her, "Anything else you think you might need, it's easier to get everything now than later on."
"It's fine, I don't need that much, to begin with," I said.
"It's okay," Meredith piped up, "If Hope needs anything else, she can borrow something of mine." Meredith smiled at me, trying to help me out.
"Okay," Katherine said, "let's head back to the Bang-A-Rang, hopefully, the boys haven't destroyed the place in our absence."
They all smiled at that following Katherine to the car.
Back at the Bang-A-Rang, she could feel everyone watching her from the moment she exited the car. It was unnerving but she couldn't blame them, these people had never come across magic, never seen it before. They didn't grow up surrounded by it as she did. She would need to give them time to process it, to accept it as part of their reality now and hopefully they wouldn't burn her at the stake in the meantime. She made her way to her room and put her purchases away, as she was doing this, she heard a knock at her door. Opening it, Joel was standing there. Joel stood there for a minute, ran his hand through his hair, while his brown eyes looked nervously around the room, he still didn't trust her. "At our meeting today, you mentioned you could do something to alert us if the people who are after you showed up."
"Yes," she said confused, "I can apply wards that will notify me if anyone with magic crosses them."
Joel nodded, "I think it might be a good idea, to put them up earlier rather than later, just as a precaution."
"Okay," she agreed. "Take me to where you think would be a good idea to put the wards up, I'll get it done."
Joel nodded seeming satisfied for the time being and Hope followed out of the room and down the hallway.
Joel was driving her around to each of the points that bordered the land that the Bang-A-Rang resided on so she could ensure that the wards encircled them, and each time Joel looked distinctly uncomfortable seeing her use magic until finally, she'd had enough. In the middle of applying another set of wards to the boundary, she spun around auburn hair flying around her head to look at Joel "what's your problem? You almost jump every time you see me do this which given this is the fifteenth lot of wards, I've put up you should have well and truly stopped by now."
Joel just looked back at her stunned but not surprised by her outburst. "I'm not sure what to make of you," he said cautiously. "You have all this power and strength, you're clearly in danger, I don't believe you need our help as much as Katherine might suggest, and your presence here could put all of us in danger, either from the people who are after you or possibly even from yourself."
"So, if you see me as such a problem, why don't you say that Katherine, or take sides with Queenie since she doesn't like me either."
"It's not that I don't like you. It's that I don't know you. The people that live here, that have grown up here, they are my family, most of them, if not all, have nothing to go to outside of this compound, no friends or family beyond what they've got here. This place and all who reside here is what I'm trying to protect and you threaten that."
She understood now. This place was what Salvatore Academy was to many of the supernatural beings of the world. She knew what she could say to partially gain some of Joel's trust. She would have to reveal some of the past. At last, the parts that she could bring herself to disclose.
"I know where you're coming from. I had a place like that once, where I felt safe from the outside world, where I could just be me free from the judgement and the isolation that simply being different from everyone else can bring. Then the darkness came the same one that's here and wanted to destroy it along with me. I thought by running I could keep that place safe along with everyone who made that place special. It didn't work cause the darkness destroyed it anyway."
Looking at Joel, I could see he was listening intently.
"I can't guarantee that if I leave that same darkness won't destroy this place in an attempt to hurt and weaken me, but I can tell you that I will stay to try and stop that from happening again my magic may not be strong enough, but I can try and hopefully protect another place that gives a home and hope," I smiled a little at that one before continuing, "and life to those who may not have any."
I held Joel's gaze at that and then he nodded, and I could sense any enmity between us was at an end for now. As long as I helped protect the people and this Bang-A-Rang and the surrounding compound he would be on my side. I turned back to the border and raised my hands to put up another ward. I heard a whisper behind me.
"Thank you for understanding how important this place is."
I smiled and continued applying the wards.