The Woman Knows
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters associated with Betelgeuse or the movie about him. I own Cornelius and this plot, the rest is the creation of Mr. Burton. I am making no money from these writings (and losing much sleep). I also don't own Cliff's Notes (I won't make any smart-alecky comments about them belonging to Cliff either).
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm glad so many seem to enjoy the 'June-bug' story. Thanks to everyone who read and Shelly, Llewlyn, Psychotic Fluffbunny (Mnesomne's Tears), lexijake14, Kawaii Usagi Chan San, e.s, and Mad-Hatter-LCarol for reviewing. Reviews make me insanely happy. Please enjoy.
Part 2 of 3
It was a different Juno that woke up to gentle pats to her cheeks. All the assertiveness and confidence that had been squashed in her during her life had risen up and made itself known. No longer was she the frightened girl she had been in life. Now she had what it would take to deal with the what-s and the who-s that would be coming her way, at least in theory. This change was caused by the Knowing, the strange psychic kick in the brainpan Cornelius had laid on her and she wouldn't be forgetting or forgiving that little fact any time in the near future.
As she slumped in her chair trying to remember how to operate her body, and trying to work up the desire to do so, over all of the new information swirling around where her motor skills would normally be she considered how much effort it would take to beat the man senseless. Of course violence would be a good reason to get moving and it worked for her as well as anything else would have. She groaned, once she remembered how, and tried to sit up.
"Better now, dear? Juno? How do you feel?"
"Oww. How do you think I feel? Hmph. I could use a cigarette. Wait. What's happening to me?"
She had never been prone to vices, except reading and flights of fancy, but she had smoked a few times in secret and enjoyed it. Her father had been a heavy smoker, but her mother and siblings had not approved for aesthetic reasons dealing with teeth or skin. She had never before had such an intense craving and she couldn't understand why it would be for something so unexpected, why not chocolate or something like that instead?
"Cravings, Juno? What's your poison? Mine was drinking, though I'd only had a beer or two in my whole life. The 'people' in charge have an odd sense of humor. They think having something a little forbidden from your old life will make this new one more tolerable, I suppose so you'll do a better job. I've heard rumors that before, back when no efforts were made to help the caseworkers, there were bottlenecks and shady dealings. Back then our kind would take off for decades or make deals with less than reputable types to get out of working ever. In any case, mine was booze and the fellow before me absolutely inhaled bacon, I thought I'd never get the smell out."
He stopped speaking to wave his hand around as if daring her to sniff for any lingering pork odor and then he just stared.
"What?" she snapped. "What do you want now?"
He had the nerve to smile at her, which she would have wiped off his face if her hand would obey, and calmly handed her the cigarette case that appeared in the inbox.
"What do you Know?
"I don't! My head's full of…stuff. I can't sort it out. So many names and faces and I don't know who they are or why they're in my head. Ugh."
"My dear, those are you clients. Your duty as case worker will be to help them adjust to death and all that comes with it. You'll pass out the Handbook and you'll try to keep the living from discovering us."
"But I don't want people to die because of me. I don't want this job! I'm not cut out to be the grim reaper."
He sighed again and patted her arm.
"So young and confused, I wish you weren't stuck in this position my dear. As I said, no one wants this job, it is a punishment. And no one will die because of you and you won't be reaping-that's not our department, only Fate or whatever you call it causes someone to die. That jumble in your head is the Knowing and it is the only way you could get the job done well, it used to be done with a checklist. It's like having the Cliff's Notes version of Fate's design, the notes on who's going to need your help and sort of in what order. It is a little like precognition, but not as near, sure, or convenient."
She nodded, but felt the need for some clarification.
"What do you mean 'sort of the order'? And how do you Know who your last person is?"
"Sort of means that you'll mostly get them in the correct order according to your list, but sometimes there are anomalies that lead to revisions. For instance, those souls touched by magic don't always follow the rules when it comes to death. You'll figure out more as you go along. Your replacement will simply feel different from the rest, in my case I felt you from the start. Now try calming yourself and see if you can't make some sense of it all."
Juno settled herself in the chair, lit up a cigarette, and focused on the madhouse behind her closed eyes. After a moment everything seemed to click and the names and faces all shuffled into a sort of ordered chaos. One question popped immediately to mind when she opened her eyes.
"Cornelius, who exactly is Betelgeuse?"
Part 2 of 3
AUTHOR'S NOTE 2: Reviews make me squee, please give them forth. Please?