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Lacy here with our next Effie chapter! This episode is where we start to see something weird going on with Stiles. And Effie isn't going to handle it well, let me tell you. But first, a visit from Scott's dad, the twins are morons and mysterious ninja things that appear out of nowhere. Right? Read on, kids!
Disclaimer: I own Effie.
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Effie was getting really annoyed at finding herself sitting across from Rafael McCall, being questioned for helping people.
"So," Rafael spoke. "when did you get there?"
"At the same time." Stiles answered.
"At the same time as who?" the elder McCall questioned.
"At the same time as me." Scott confirmed.
"By coincidence?" Rafael asked.
"What do you mean by coincidence?" Effie decided to ask.
"That's what I'm asking you." Rafael said. "The three of you arrived at the same time. Was that coincidence?"
"Are you asking me?" Scott said.
"I think he's asking me." Stiles replied.
"I think he's asking both of you." Lydia chimed in.
"Okay," Rafael stopped them. "Let me answer the questions." Effie ducked her head to hide her smile. She was guessing they'd confused the poor agent. "Let me ask the questions. Just so I have this absolutely clear. Barrow was hiding in the chemistry closet at the school. Someone left him a coded message on the blackboard telling him to kill Kira. Then Barrow took Kira to a power substation and tied her up with the intent of electrocuting her, which blacked out the entire town."
"Sounds about right," Stiles agreed.
"How did you know he'd take her to a power station?" Rafael asked Stiles.
"Well, cause he was an electrical engineer." Stiles said. "So, where else would he take her?"
Rafael nodded. "That's one hell of a deduction there, Stiles."
Stiles smirked. "Yeah, what can I say? I take after my pops. He's in law enforcement."
John and Effie both snorted, thankfully Rafael decided to focus only on the sheriff, who covered his as a cough.
"Stiles, just, uh," John fought a smile. "just answer the man."
"We made a good guess." Stiles shrugged.
"What were the two of you doing?" Rafael asked Scott and Kira.
"Eating pizza/sushi." they looked at each other. "Eating sushi/pizza." they took a deep breath. "Eating sushi and pizza."
Rafael looked back at John. "You believe this?"
John sighed. "To be honest, I haven't believed a word Stiles has said since he learned how to speak. Effie, since she learned they could get away with anything if they pouted." the twins nodded in conformation. "But I think these kids found themselves in the right place at the right time and that girl sitting there is very lucky for it."
"Kira," Rafael spoke directly to the girl. "Is that how you remember it?"
The others tried to be subtle, and failed, as they leaned forward to look at Kira, as she hesitated to answer.
"Yes." she finally nodded. "Could I get my phone back now?"
Rafael shook his head. "Sorry but, no."
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Effie collapsed back on her bed, a loud sigh echoing in the room.
"I was sleeping,"
Effie turned her head, smiling at Derek's grumpy face. "I didn't even realize you were here." she crawled up to lay beside him, resting her head on his out stretched arm. "Did you talk to your mother?"
Derek nodded. "Yeah, it wasn't what I was expecting but I got my answer." he nuzzled Effie's temple. "What were you up to?"
Effie blew out a long breath. "Um, saving Kira from a serial bomber and nearly getting fried in the process."
Derek pulled back. "What?"
"Calm down." Effie pressed her hand against his chest. "It was Barrow, the Shrapnel Bomber." she gave Derek a brief rundown of everything that had happened, including her small lie about why she had to cancel their plans. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth but I knew you needed your full focus on contacting your mom."
Derek nodded. "No, I understand that. I just don't like the idea of you being in danger without being there to help."
Effie smiled. "That's the mate in you. I get the same way." she motioned to the abandoned painting. "That's the only reason I didn't follow you two months ago."
Derek rolled and looked at the portrait. "Why do my eyes look different?"
Effie moved to rest her head on his chest. "I mixed the three colors of your eyes. Human green, beta blue and alpha red."
"Why?" Derek had to ask.
Effie shrugged. "Because they're all a part of you."
Derek smiled, holding Effie close. "That simple, huh?"
"That simple," Effie agreed. "that complicated. Just like everything else."
Derek saw the sketch. "What's behind it?"
Effie unconsciously held tighter to Derek. "It happened in Coach's class. I drew it without even realizing it."
"Is this the first time since the Darach and the alphas?" Derek asked.
Effie nodded. "Yeah. I didn't have any visions or mystery paintings while you were gone." she frowned a bit. "In fact, both my fox and my spark were almost weaker until you came home."
"Mates draw strength from each other," Derek explained. "it would make sense that your fox was weaker. And your spark," he shrugged. "it's as much a part of you as the fox is. Looks like they're tied together in more ways than one."
"Great," Effie burrowed further into Derek's side. "another thing to worry about."
"But not alone," Derek reminded her.
Effie smiled up at him. "No, not alone."
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School without power, Effie found, was something she really liked. Without the endless droning of the florescent lights, it was easier to focus. Super hearing really was a bitch sometimes.
Still, leaving school was her favorite part of the day. Especially considering Finstock had been going around between every class yelling through the halls with a megaphone. It took everything Effie had not to crush the damn thing. Luckily for Coach, she overheard Ethan and Aidan talking to Danny about a rave. At Derek's loft. Without his knowledge. Figuring there was no way they'd get away with it, Derek didn't leave the loft much, except to see her, Effie escaped Finstock's obnoxiously loud voice and headed home.
However, an hour before dark, Effie received a text from Derek, saying he was getting food for the loft and if she wanted anything specific. After shooting a reply that all she needed was large amounts of chocolate and that she was out of tea, which Derek replied with a laugh about already guessing on the chocolate, Effie grabbed her bag and headed for the loft.
She was going to kill Ethan and Aidan.
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Sliding the door to the loft open, Effie narrowed her eyes on the twins as they turned to her as one.
"H-hey Effie," they said.
Effie stormed down the steps. "Are you two kidding me?! This is Derek's home, not some rent by the hour motel!"
"Um," Danny appeared. "Effie, what are you doing here?"
Effie gave him a look. "This is my boyfriend's place. These morons," she motioned to the twins. "don't have permission."
Danny turned to them. "Seriously?" he shook his head. "I'm sorry, Ef."
"I don't blame you, Danny." Effie said, honestly. She rubbed her forehead. "I'm guessing it's too late to stop this now?"
Danny nodded. "Yeah, a bit."
Effie sighed. "Alright, go ahead and have the rave. But you two," she turned on the twins, who wisely shrunk back. "I will be telling Derek it was you who did this when he finds out. And he will find out."
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Effie glared up at Derek's building as she left. Morons, both of them. Complete and total morons.
Turning to climb in her jeep, Effie stopped at the sight that greeted her. Two masked guys, looking like medieval samurai ninja things. Exactly like what she'd drawn in class.
"Aren't you guys a bit old for Halloween?" Effie asked, flexing her claws behind her back. When they manifested swords, from their chests of all places, she brought them forward. "Yeah, I didn't think it would be that easy."
Shifting as she delivered a roundhouse kick to the first guy, Effie focused on having extra strength and felt the rune appear on her chest. With magically charged claws, she dodged, weaved and slashed at the ninja.
Dropping back to one knee, Effie panted and cursed as she saw the ninja weren't even winded from their fighting. Taking a quick look around for something to that help her, Effie gasped when she found two more ninja, one on either side of her. As they grabbed her arms and the first two approached, Effie threw her head back and let out the loudest howl her lungs could produce.
Or, at least, that's what she had intended. One of the ninja grabbed the back of her neck and her voice froze in her throat.
The last thing she saw before her world blacked out was glowing eyes, reminding her of fireflies.
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Freezing cold, that was all Effie could feel as she came to with a gasp. She shot up, once more finding herself in Derek's arms, cradled against his chest.
"Effie?" Derek's voice reached her.
Effie groaned, though through chattering teeth, it sounded like a dying animal. "I'm okay. What happened?"
"You were attacked." Derek said.
Effie gave him a look. "No, really?"
Derek shook his head. "I was too. I'm guessing we were attacked by the same thing and whatever those things are, whatever they did to us, nearly kills."
Effie accepted Derek's help to her feet. "They looked like freaky samurai ninja things to me. Like what I drew. Ever seen anything like them before?"
Derek shook his head. "No. But," he touched behind Effie's left ear. "they seem to have left marks on us."
"Great," Effie leaned against Derek's side. "Well, the twins hijacked your loft for a rave, Ethan and Aidan are trying to get into Scott's good graces. They're one giant target up there."
Derek gave a low huff/growl. "We'll deal with the morons later. We can't let these things get anyone else."
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Effie and Derek stood in the doorway to the loft, disbelief written on their faces. The loft was practically packed and there were black lights and luminescent paint everywhere.
"You have my full permission to kill them." Effie said, just barely being heard over the music.
Derek nodded. "Good." he took her hand. "Stay close. We don't know where those things are."
Effie followed Derek through the crowd, heading for the DJ station. They tried to get close but the bouncer stopped them.
"Bro," he stopped Derek with a hand on the chest. "sorry The Bloody Beetroot doesn't take requests."
Effie released Derek's hand and took a step back. This wasn't going to end well.
Derek tried to step by him again. And was stopped. Again.
Derek grabbed the guy by the throat. "He'll take mine."
He casually tossed the bouncer aside, Effie watching him fall with a shake of her head.
"You really shouldn't have touched him." she said, though she knew he didn't hear her. She turned back just in time to see Derek flip the DJ station, ending the music. She watched as everyone in the room turned towards them, startled and scared.
"GET OUT!" Derek's voice thundered through the loft and, it took a few seconds, but the entire crowd panicked and left.
Effie stepped up to Derek's side as Scott, Kira, Aidan, Ethan, Allison and Isaac appeared around the room. And interspersed between the shifters and humans were the same ninja that had attacked Effie and Derek. And they were turned towards Aidan.
"Guys," he said. "they're all looking at me." he panicked slightly. "Why are they all looking at me? Guys?!"
Effie watched with the others as Derek and Scott sprung into action, attacking the ninja. But it was useless, they couldn't land a single blow. Before long, both were on the ground and the ninja were zeroing in on Aidan again. Effie slid to her knees at Derek's side, helping him rise to his own while watching Isaac step towards the closest ninja. He drew his claws but the ninja manifested a sword from his chest, as with Effie. As it spun the sword around, Isaac wisely backed off.
"Somebody do something." Allison said.
No one moved. It was too late. They already had Aidan surrounded and, before they could blink, he was on the ground and the ninja were advancing on Scott and Kira. However, luck, or sunrise, was on their side. As the sun started shining through the window, the ninja vanished, as if mere dust in the air.
Effie helped Derek up, both standing in the middle of the room.
"What the hell were those things?" Scott asked.
"Your dad's twenty-four hours are up." Isaac said to Allison.
Effie looked around the group. "Where's Stiles?"
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Breathe, everyone. Next chapter literally starts with the twins together. Like I would keep them apart for any longer then needed. *pauses* Uh, forget I said that. Anywho! So, Effie has been marked by the Oni and proven to be herself. Good news, right? That's the last bit of it for a while. Let me know what you think, flame policy stands and thanks for reading!
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