Disclaimer: Don't own anything except original characters. All material (c) to respective owners. I write these for fun and make no profit. They're just random plot bunnies that live within my strange mind.
I'm trying to write more and apologize for updates taking so long, life has been really busy and stressful. I keep at it but haven't been able to post much. Thanks for reading and all my wonderful readers for your support.
Chapter 9: So It Begins
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First thing they noticed when returning was nobody was in sight; Sabina gripped a startled Ichabod's wrist and pulled him after. Willy turned rushing after the pair, hearing the others mutter with one another before following them. "Where are they?" she froze eyes wide when a werewolf jumped from the shadows, she heard a sharp yip and opened her eyes.
The headless horsemen was standing there with a small smile on his face, and glancing at her with a sudden 'again?' look on his face. Slowly she turned seeing Ichabod had fainted at her feet and smiled slightly when Willy leaned down with some form of smelling salt in his hand.
"I will never understand how that man became part of the agency." Corso lit another cigarette sighing miserably at the horror movie surroundings.
Willy turned with a smug look on his face. "Because he's clearly smarter then you are." He then returned his attention to reviving Ichabod.
She covered her mouth keeping her eyes level with Ichabod and Willy, clearly Corso wasn't on friendly terms with Willy. Violet eyes met hers with a knowing smirk and then lowered to Ichabod who jumped startled by the smell under his nose.
"He killed it." Sands glanced around the area for more signs of werewolves and the others. "Where are the others Horseman?" the Horseman glanced around and then let out a shrill whistle. The others slowly started to come out of hiding.
Ichabod climb to his feet, trying to retain some dignity and ignored the smirks from Corso, Mort, and Jack. "What happened?" he focused briefly on the arm around his and smiled slightly at Sabina before the others started to explain.
"He came out of the woods with help." Seth offered with a slight rattle of his bones, returning his arm to his body and glowering at his now ripped apart suite. "We're all fine thanks to him though." He pointed to the concerned looking Horseman and glanced up at the surprised expression on the others faces. "Welcome to Monster…er…never mind, not in the mood to play host." He attempted to reattach more of his various bones and sighed glancing skyward.
Gene and Tom exchanged nervous looks with each other watching Seth pulling himself back together. "He's the only skeleton so far." Jack offered startling both of them and smirking cockily. "The rest of yer mates alright?" Seth scowled at the amusement within Jacks voice, but nodded.
"Except Stefan." Consuela winced having Cam help her drag him from the woods. "He got nailed pretty good." Ichabod paled at the sight of Stefan's torn apart side and glanced up at the Horseman who looked almost regretful. "It wasn't your fault Horseman…Stefan was always too head strong for his own good." She smiled slightly at the grunt of protest from her friend.
"Right…I'll take care of that." Sands ignored the others and started to help Consuela with the small first aid kit she had found within the car.
Jack, Corso, Tom, and Gene followed Willy around to make sure the others were in better shape then Stefan. Seth started to speak with Sands while the Horseman assisted where he could, and Sabina made Ichabod sit on a stump where no werewolves were in sight, hoping he would recover a bit better. "He's going to protest." Sure enough Ichabod immediately waved her off and attempted to stand.
Sabina gave him an amused look and planted her hand firmly on his shoulder. "Don't make me glue you to that seat…I'm sure Willy would have a candy for just such a reason." He rose a brow at this, but remained seated.
She watched those intense dark eyes shifting around lost in thought, clearly Ichabod was further observing the situation at hand and had produced a small notebook to put down his thoughts. Seeing she was currently of little use Sabina sat down on the stump beside him and studied his observations. She knew very well how intelligent he was, but it was often overlooked due to his many strange reactions, fainting, and how he seemed to speak over others heads, without intending to do so. She knew Willy could understand him to an extent due to his faults making him equally hard to understand. "I've fallen for the intelligent and fainting one." The realization made her cheeks warm slightly, but she refused to let it get to her at the moment. There was enough to concentrate on without 'relationship type' issues becoming part of the situation at hand.
She noticed Ichabod frown slightly in his work and glance up at Rowen; she could see suspicion in his expression and wondered what he had discovered. Slowly he stood against her hand on his shoulder and glanced around the woods, their claw like branches almost clinging to the sky before them. She felt it, something was off and they were in the open. Not a great place to be when a shadow demon capable of dimensional travel is after you.
"Come on." Ichabod grasped her hand gently and pulled her after him, he then waved over Willy who was clearly annoyed with Sands taunting him, a dagger between his fingers. "Willy."
Willy scowled indignantly at Jacks amused look and walked over to Ichabod and Sabina. "What is it?" his tone wasn't exactly warm and he was fishing in his pockets for some of his candies, Sabina reached out catching his wrist firmly making him glance at Ichabod. "What's wrong?" slowly he resisted his attempt on revenge against Sands and leveled his violet gaze with them.
Ichabod glanced around making sure they were out of hearing range of the others. "Rowen was the only one that wasn't injured, from what I gathered from the Horseman and the attack on them…he should have had some wound of sorts, he doesn't even have a scratch." Willy quirked his brow and attempted to state something, but was interrupted. "I know he's a monster and they heal faster, but even Consuela hasn't healed completely and she's a vampire…they nearly heal instantaneously." Slowly Willy closed his mouth and sniffed irritably.
"Yes he's right and you know it." She smirked at the amused look within those violet eyes. "Have any of the others been around him?" Willy shook his head and glanced up at the sound of wind whipping overhead; Rowen was in the air and appeared to be alert to something.
Ichabod shoved her lightly into Willy's arms and run over to the others; calling out everyone should go back into hiding. Before she could do anything, Willy was pulling her into the woods near Daredevil and the Horseman. He motioned something to the Horseman and she was left while he went back out to help the others. She attempted to follow, but the Horseman placed an arm in her way and shook his head. "I'm suppose to just stand here and watch?" she gave the Horseman a glare, but he offered an apologetic shrug and pulled his sword on two approaching werewolves, the others behind them went yipping back into the woods.
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Willy and Ichabod were along side each other fighting off an attack of hundreds of various demons, the others were having just as much trouble and were starting to loose the upper hand. Jack and Sands were slashing away, while Gene and Hanson were shooting away. Soon everyone would be out of weaponry, and from the looks of things Corso and Mort weren't fairing much better.
Midori instinctively rose in the air to get a look at the chaos below her and frowned her face turning from hurt to fury in seconds. Rowen was directing the enemy and without realizing her error she was flying directly at him in seconds.
Ichabod was the first to glance up. "MIDORI DON'T!" cringing at the sound he watched with horror in his face, while Midori crashed hard into an invisible shield and started to plummet to her death below.
Cyan was at Ichabod's side in moments and focused all her energy in stopping Midori's rapid descent, suddenly from the side Daredevil come charging into the battle and reared attacking an approaching demon from them. Corso come flying to Willy's feet with a very sore disposition and bloody arm. They were all fairy horribly in this battle.
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Sabina angrily tried to free herself from the Horseman's grasp, even if he was trying to prevent her from getting hurt, she wasn't about to watch them get killed. "Let me go!" she growled angrily twisting in his vice like grip. "I have to help them…
"No." she stopped hearing the strange raspy sound of his voice, it was the first time she had ever heard the soft almost cracked sound of his tone. It wasn't unpleasant to the ear, but gave you a strange feeling of dread in the process of hearing the light grating sound. "Ichabod doesn't want you out there, neither does the candy maker." She felt his grip lighten and turned glancing up into the cold blue gaze.
"That doesn't matter…they're in danger." She argued attempting to go to their aid and crashing into the swift moving Horseman, whose grip was firm on her arms again. "Horseman." She warned her voice brimming with anger.
Slowly his gaze leveled with hers and she found herself shuddering. "Do you know how to use this?" she glanced at the familiar black box within his grasp and quirked her brow. "Ichabod handed it to me…he demands you go to their world and tell of their problem." She sighed accepting the box and glanced up at him.
"Fine." She whispered reluctantly, but she had other thoughts in mind. "The only one to get through to would be Tia Dalma, Katrina won't exactly be thrilled…" she paused punching in the last of the coordinates like she had witnessed Ichabod do several times. "…to see you." Before he had the chance to react, Sabina shoved the box within his grasp and winced hearing his startled cry. "Good luck Horseman…we need it." She charged out into the middle of the battle.
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"She's mad." The Horseman glanced up at the rather tall unfamiliar sunny yellow building and cringed. "Somehow I don't think I will be welcome." He murmured slowly ascending the stairs and stepping through the large wooden doors.
Assuming he was following things correctly he entered into a massive room and froze when all eyes fell upon him, the deafening silence suddenly broken by a startled feminine shriek. "Ms. Van Tassel." He winced at the high sound of her distressed voice and peered around at the other many people present in the room, none of which he was familiar with, accept for the aforementioned Katrina.
Reluctantly the Horseman stepped further into the room and glanced around the various faces. "Tia Dalma?" he questioned hesitantly, slowly Katrina's eyes narrowed suspiciously at the Horseman and flickered to Tia Dalma accusingly.
"Aye, and who be ye?" Tia Dalma ignored the accusatory glance from Katrina and stood observing the Horseman intently.
"The Hessian, or better known to Ms. Van Tassel…The Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow, headless being former." He offered a razor toothed smile and studied the other members in the room wearily.
Katrina instantly withdrew a small velvet pouch, startled when a strong hand locked firmly on her wrist. "Let him speak." She studied Dr. Wonka with a dangerous loathing in her dark eyes, but relaxed slowly returning to her seat. "Why are you here Horseman?" he rose a brow getting a strange feeling something had happened within the other dimension.
The Horseman considered the reaction around the room and continued to tell them of the battle he had left, and the danger the others were truly in. In conclusion he was assigned to meet the needed assistance outside the doors and leave immediately. This time there was no delegating necessary.
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Sabina grabbed a dropped throwing knife from a dead demon and rammed it into the back of a blade demon, currently attempting to slash through a very beaten looking Mort. "Sands!" she yelled watching the familiar agent whirl and fire at an oncoming crocodile like demon.
Ichabod and Willy both glanced at each other with perturbed looks and hoisted Corso to his feet. "Sabina!" Willy all but growled watching her turn to both of their approaching presence.
"Yes?" She questioned ignoring both determined glares and yanking the knife from another demon.
"You deliberately…" she rose a hand to silence Ichabod's rant.
"I don't do orders well, especially when I see all my new friends getting hacked to pieces." She turned seeing Midori was alright, except for a minor broken wing and arm. "The Hessian is back dealing with your superiors." She saw Willy's eyes widen considerably and noticed Ichabod grow a shade paler. "Shit!" she caught Willy before he fell to the ground and turned away when Sands put a hole between a slimy demons head, making green ooze fly everywhere.
Willy glanced at the long sword in his shoulder and then at the green blood on him. "Ew…Owy." He closed his eyes wincing at the painful burning sensation in his arm.
"Always thinking of germs first." Ichabod sighed in relief seeing he would be alright. "What was that?" all turned to the sound of yips, and painful cries from the deep part of the woods.
"Shadow boy coming." Tom and Gene were both covered in various assortments of blood, including their own and were holding large swords from various demons slain around them.
"Duh Tom." Willy winced pulling himself to his feet, cursing Sands everything in the book when he removed the sword and had Corso wrap the wound.
"He enjoyed that." Sabina noticed Willy's scowl in her direction and smiled, it was time for the real trouble to start.
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The Horseman's exit was slow, until he got to the bottom of the stairs and face to face with his current backup. Edward Scissorhands and Cry-Baby Walker were standing outside, along with a very tired looking Fred Abberline, and his current partner Spencer Armacost. "These four? You have got to be kidding." He considered Edward carefully and sighed.
Edward could sense the Hessian's discomfort and glanced up, scissors clicking nervously. His black leather suit and wild raven hair gave him a slightly harmless appearance, but underneath it all and if necessary he could become dangerous. Cry-Baby took an instant dislike to the Hessian's curious blue gaze and adjusted his black leather jacket, his white t-shirt and jeans warn, and slicked brown greaser style hair slightly ruffled. "What's the teardrop for?" wondered the Hessian studying rather irritated looking Abberline. Abberline was wearing his usual charcoal gray suit, with his shoulder length hair disheveled, appearing to have been dragged from something important. Spencer was wearing a tan business suite, and matching trench coat, running a hand through blonde colored hair and dark eyes lingering defiantly on the Hessian.
Abberline sighed gazing tiredly up at the group around him. "The girl that had Sands show us these rings…she's the one in trouble?" sensing no threat from the current four members of the dimensional agency, the Hessian relaxed slightly.
"Yes…as well as the others she's with, including the allied monsters." The Hessian noticed Edward twitch his scissors slightly. "Is he dangerous?" he knew he was already dead, but getting scissored apart didn't exactly appeal to him.
Cry-Baby smirked glancing over at his partner. "Only if you're on the other side. Otherwise Edwards a tenderhearted softie." Edward smiled slightly at his comment, and then allowed dark eyes to linger on the Hessian.
Spencer stepped forward and analyzed the coordinates within the Hessian's black box. "We had better hurry, if they're in the kind of trouble the council warned us about." With a natural inhuman like quality about him, the others nodded in agreement before joining the Hessian's side.
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"Not good!" Jack and the others all scattered, Ichabod pulling Sabina and Willy down into a muddy ditch off to the side of the woods.
"Understatement Jack!" Sabina considered their options and swallowed hard, technically without the backup the Hessian was supposed to bring, they were all severely outnumbered. She hesitantly peaked over the ditch and felt her jaw go slack at the sight of gleaming blades attacking several of the demons, slicing them like paper.
She glanced at Ichabod who was intent on Willy's current muttering about dirt and germs. "The Hessians back…and Edward's using his scissor hands to his advantage." Willy offered an amused smile at the shock in her face and climb to his feet.
"Abberline!" all three turned to the sound of Jack and watched Cry-baby dive at the constable before he nearly was rammed through by a blade demon. "Nice job Whelp!" I couldn't help the smile at the finger Cry-baby sent Jacks direction, and then I noticed Spencer was easily holding his own with Sands against several more demons.
"You have to stay hidden here." She glanced up at Ichabod and Willy both.
"Last time I stayed alone…you braved a forest full of werewolves and the Hessian." I pointed out watching Willy snicker behind his hand at the dry sarcasm in her voice. "Besides…you all need help." She pointed out that they were all in deep trouble with the demon onslaught and the monsters on their side weren't fairing much better then the mortals themselves.
Willy sighed miserably and shrugged at Ichabod's annoyed expression. "She's right…as much as it pains me to admit that." She stuck out her tongue at Willy's usual obnoxious retorts. "I'm not overly useful with this injury either." Again Ichabod sent him a scathing look, and then met her determined gaze.
"You are far more impossible then this candy making imp." She giggled at the indignant expression on Willy's face. "Be careful…I would rather not repeat the forest incident." She nodded getting to her feet and marched back out to the battlefield with Willy at her side.
