#din doesn’t get to walk both worlds and almost dies twice instead!!!!!!!!!!!!! | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

crossyourheart-twff · 4 years

Text

Chapter 2

This is a long one. Strap in.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/23812213/chapters/57624229#workskin

Parker was too numb to double check the pile of books headmaster Crowley set before her on the library table. He’d already checked their contents with the aid of magic so there was no real reason to verify, but it was his own way of distracting her, and boy, did she ever need a distraction. They’d been in the library for an hour, searching every book, map, and grimoire Crowley could think of in search of her home town. So far, they’d come up empty.

Now, after learning that her home apparently didn’t exist, she questioned where she was. Was this a dream? A hallucination? Had she had a breakdown at work and this was the consequence of a psychiatric cocktail pumping through her veins? Funny. It felt too real to be any of those things, but she pinched herself for good measure. The tiny bite of pain told her this was no dream. Whatever was happening was all very, very real.

Crowley shut the last book he’d pulled from the stacks, “Your home doesn’t appear anywhere. Not on a single map, nor in any of these texts.”

Nothing at all. So, the Mirror hadn’t been lying. But then how would Parker explain… herself? She had to have come from somewhere. She had come from somewhere, or else everything she knew, everything that she was, would be a lie.

She shrugged, not looking up from the table, “I don’t know.”

The headmaster tapped his chin. The frown he wore deepened as he considered all of the possibilities that came to mind, “At this rate you might as well be from another planet! Or perhaps,” Crowley lit up, “perhaps another world.”

Parker blinked, “Another world.”

Crowley nodded as if settling on the idea, “It might be the likeliest possibility. If that is the case, then I’ll have to do some deeper research to find a way to send you home. In the mean time, it does present a problem.”

Parker almost asked ‘how so?’ but based on how the night had gone, she wasn’t sure she wanted to. Crowley, on the other hand, did not hold back.

“For starters, since you do not have any magic Night Raven is simply not the place for you. However, as an educator I simply cannot turn you out on the street with nowhere to go,” Crowley thought a moment before continuing, “Of course there is the old Ramshackle dorm.”

“Ramshackle?” Parker said.

“Its an older building most students tend to avoid, but it is livable,” Crowley said, “Yes. Of course, you’ll have to earn your keep… I might have a proposition for you. You may stay on campus as a something of a grounds keeper. You may help by keeping the school clean in exchange for room and meals. How does that sound?”

How did that sound? This whole situation was nothing short of insane for Parker, but as far she was concerned she couldn’t afford to turn it down.

“Sure,” she said, “that’s fair.”

“Wonderful!” Crowley grinned, “That solves that problem. Now, as for your disguise- “

“Disguise?” She practically jumped to attention, “What do you mean disguise?”

Crowley shook his head, “This is an all boys school. That includes an all-male staff. Besides, I’m sure more than a few students might recognize you from tonight’s events.”

Parker couldn’t believe what she was hearing. A disguise! That meant she would have to go on pretending to be a boy until Crowley could figure out a way to get her home.

“Can’t you make an exception?” she asked, but even before she spoke she knew the answer.

“I’m making several exceptions already,” Crowley answered, “I’m afraid this is where I must draw the line, both for your own safety and the sake of my position! If you want any hope of returning home, this is a sacrifice you’ll have to make.”

It took everything in Parker not to fight back. This was ridiculous! To masquerade as a boy until she could leave? And who knew how long that would take? Still, Crowley had a point. It was this, or fend for herself in whatever world lay beyond the school, and after meeting Grim she wasn’t sure that was a chance she was willing to take.

“I guess I don’t have a choice,” she sighed.

Crowley sat back in his chair, “Very good. I think I’ll be able to whip something up for you. For now, let’s get you settled for the night.”

Ramshackle dorm lived up to its name. The building was so abandoned that if Crowley hadn’t walked through it’s rusted gate, Parker would have assumed it was condemned. Most of the windows were caked over with dust so thick it looked like dirty snow. Even the front door hung askew on its hinges. Crowley had to prop it open just right to get it to swing open and shut without dragging on the floor.

“It isn’t much,” Crowley admitted as they looked at the piles of broken furniture that littered the common room, “But it’ll keep you out of the rain.”

Just as Crowley finished a drop of water landed on Parker’s shoulder. Well, he was right about one thing: it wasn’t much.

Whether Crowley noticed the leaking roof, she couldn’t tell, especially as he turned and said, “Make yourself at home. I’m sure with some dusting this place will be good as new!”

He left a minute later with a swirl of his cape, leaving Parker by herself for the first time in hours. She stood in the middle of the common room trying to decide where to start cleaning, but in the end, all that did was give her emotions a chance to catch up with her. Without magic mirrors or demon cats or mysterious headmasters, Parker could finally take stock of her situation. She’d somehow wound up in another world with no clue how she got there, somehow managed to get herself a job as a janitor in exchange for a rundown dorm building to sleep in, and she was completely alone.

The silence of Ramshackle dorm was broken by a low rumble of thunder, followed by the steady beat of rain pelting against the windows. Several more leaks sprouted from the onslaught of rain, soaking into the already moldy carpet. Parker’s legs buckled beneath a wave of fatigue. Her eyelids grew so heavy she had to fight to keep them open long enough to hunt for a place to sleep. A set of rickety stairs lead up to a second floor. That must have been where the bedrooms were.

It took the better part of an hour before Parker could find a room in decent enough condition. It still wasn’t great, but at least the bed wasn’t broken. That and the roof here was mercifully intact. She only beat on the mattress twice before throwing herself down and sinking into an uneasy sleep.

The smell of cinnamon and fried eggs sent Parker’s stomach rumbling. She wasn’t sure who oversaw the cooking in the main dining hall, but whoever it was their cooking smelled delicious. Unfortunately, she had to wait until the last of the students cleared out before she could have her own breakfast.

Crowley came by early that morning with her assignments for the day and a rumpled set of coveralls. The baggy work clothes did most of the work in disguising her, but he’d snagged a plain cap for good measure to hide her hair.

“It’ll have to do,” he said, then sent her off to tend to the dinning hall.

So far, the students of the school didn’t spare her a second glance as she’d wiped down tables and collected dishes. In return, she didn’t so much as glance at any of them, choosing instead to focus on the job at hand and, whenever the work died down, admire the chandelier that illuminated the room. It didn’t have a single lightbulb that she could see. It was lit entirely by candles, yet there didn’t seem to be a trace of smoke anywhere. One of the branches of light extended towards a set of tapestries on the back wall. There were seven total, each with the image of a different person and in one case a dark-maned lion. She wondered at them even as she tied her latest garbage bag shut.

“Impressive, yeah?”

Parker turned to the voice on her left. A student stood there looking over the tapestries in the otherwise empty dinning room. For a second Parker thought he might have been the red head from the night before, until she realized it couldn’t have been. This one was taller.

“Uh, yeah,” she answered, coughing to try and lower her voice, “Are they like the founders or something?”

The student looked her over, “Something like that. They’re called the Great Seven. Each of the dorms here are modeled after them,” he pointed towards the tapestry of a woman dressed head to toe in hearts, “That’s the Queen of Hearts, figurehead of my dorm. Name’s Ace, by the way.”

“Oh,” Parker didn’t quite know what to say next, so she settled on “I’m Parker.”

“Every one of them were great magicians,” Ace said, “So naturally everyone here wants to be just as powerful by the time they graduate.”

Parker took another look at the Great Seven. She didn’t doubt they were powerful magicians. By the looks of them that much was obvious, but the more she examined them the more uneasy she felt. She wasn’t quite sure what it was, the arch of the octopus woman’s brow, the calculated stare in the lion’s eyes…

“I don’t know,” she squinted, “They look more terrifying than anything.”

“Of course you’d say that,” Ace said, “You’re that magicless runt that caused a scene at the ceremony last night. Don’t think I didn’t notice. What, you didn’t have any magic so they made you the janitor instead?”

Ok, she could see where this was going. The sooner she disengaged, the better.

“I should get back to work,” She turned away, but Ace wasn’t finished.

“Aww c’mon,” he grabbed Parker by the arm. She froze under his grip. He was too close to her, way way too close. Panic tingled at her fingertips and around the spot where his hand held her bicep. If this idiot blew her cover not even a day in... She had to get him off. Now.

“Let go,” Parker tried to shrug him off.

“Don’t be so lame,” Ace laughed. He yanked Parker forward so hard she almost fell. Her free hand flew to the cap on her head, just to be sure it hadn’t slipped. A newfound rage burned inside her chest. She straightened, adjusted her stance and knocked Ace away with more force than she intended.

“I said, let go!”

Horror spiked in her stomach as she watched Ace tip backwards over his heels and into the tray of another student. Ace caught himself on the edge of a table, but it was too late as the tray was knocked out of the other student’s hands. A bowl of leftover oatmeal hit the stone floor, splattering the liquid it held onto both of their uniform pants.

“Aagh!” the other student cried, “what’s wrong with you?”

Ace ignored him. Instead his gaze locked straight onto Parker. She back tracked as he pulled himself up.

“Picking fights, then?” Ace straightened, “Couldn’t get yourself into school so now you want to take it out on me?”

“Look I-” She didn’t get a chance to finish as Ace launched himself at her. She ducked out of the in time to avoid being pinned to the wall. Ace reared, ready to go after her again when the student he’d fallen into held him back.

“Are you insane?” the student shook Ace. Parker noticed he wore a red and black ribbon around his arm just like Ace did. They must have been dorm mates, “Riddle’s going to kill us if-“

Ace shrugged him away and went after Parker again. She braced herself, covering her head with her arms as he charged straight at her. This was it. But just when Parker expected the impact she heard Ace scream instead. Curious, she lowered her arms and nearly keeled over when she saw him hovering in the air just above her.

“I can’t let you drag me down on our first day!” Parker saw the other student aiming what looked like a pen right at Ace. It took her a second to realize he’d used magic to keep Ace from beating the absolute crap out of her. She would have thanked him, but she sensed this whole thing was far from over.

“Put me down!” Ace clawed at the air around him as if he were trying to swim, but only managed to turn himself upside down. The other student only glared in response. His pen remained aimed on Ace, “Fine! I give! I give! Now get me down before Riddle hears about this!”

That seemed to do the trick. The other student nodded and shifted his pen, but Ace only dipped a few inches in the air.

“Put him down!” Parker said.

“I- I’m trying,” the other student shook his pen now, but Ace only matched his motion. Nothing he did released Ace from the magic that held him. He hovered higher now, a good three feet over their heads and rising. Ace struggled even harder as the other student’s motions became wilder. Parker could only watch as he dipped and rose in a spastic pattern. It seemed Ace wasn’t expecting his ankle to brush against one of the branchlike arms of the chandelier, for when it did he cried out and gave a mighty kick. They all heard something on the chandelier crack.

The other student jumped. His magic released Ace and sent him plummeting to the floor. Parker had to stop herself from screaming as he fell. If it weren’t for a sudden gust of wind that slowed him just enough, she was sure he would have broken his neck. Something small fell to the floor between the three of them and shattered into a thousand sparkling pieces. A second later, the chandelier flickered and went dark.

“Oh no…” the student who’d levitated Ace went white.

Meanwhile Ace sprang from the floor. He rounded on the other student, “Are you an idiot?! If headmaster finds out we broke the chandelier-“

Footsteps clicked against the floor one by one. She didn’t have to turn around to know who awaited them.

“If I,” Crowley’s voice was brittle, “find out.”

As one, Ace, Parker, and the other student faced the headmaster. His mouth was set in a thin line as he came closer, looked from them to the floor, and stared at the broken remains that littered the floor. Crowley didn’t move. Parker wasn’t even sure he was breathing. He only stood there, head down, absorbing the sight before him.

“Have you any idea,” the headmaster said at long last, “What you’ve done?”

They didn’t have a chance to answer as Crowley flew into a rage.

“This chandelier was made by a renown master of magical items! It was entrusted to this school since it’s very foundation over a century ago, and thanks to you delinquents it will never be lit again!” the head master pinched the bridge of his nose through his mask, “The destruction of such priceless artifact is grounds for expulsion.”

Expulsion. The two students went rigid at the news while Parker wondered, did that apply to her? She technically wasn’t a student so there wasn’t a way to expel her. But by the way Crowley was fuming, she wondered if this was serious enough for him to kick her out on the street. If he did that, she’d have nowhere to go and what’s worse, it would mean the end of his help in researching a way home. She might be stranded here forever.

“Can’t you fix it with magic?” she dared ask. It felt like a stupid question, but she hoped maybe his temper was blinding him to the simplest solution.

“Magic isn’t all powerful,” Crowley said, “fixing a magical relic of this importance can’t be done with a simple spell, especially not when it’s source of magic has been damaged beyond repair.”

Source of magic… could he mean the thing that shattered all over the floor? She glanced down at what remained of it. It looked like some kind of glass ball, or crystal. Crowley took the time to examine the rest of the chandelier.

“Of course,” he began, “the rest of the structure seems to be intact…” Hope sparked in the both Ace and the other student as circled the chandelier from the ground, “It might all be a question of replacing its magic crystal.”

“I’ll do it!” the other student jumped up, “I’ll fix it, please, just don’t expel me! Whatever I must do, just say it.”

“Yeah, and I’ll help!” Ace added, “I can’t get kicked out of school on the first day.”

Crowley held up his hands to quiet the boys down, “Finding a compatible crystal is no small task. It must be the same type with the same origin. The crystal that powered this chandelier was taken from the Dwarf Mines, and those have been empty for decades.”

Ace frowned, “Maybe one of the crystals was missed. We’ll go check! And If we can find a replacement, we can stay at Night Raven, yeah?”

Check the mines? Ace must have been desperate to keep his place in the school. Parker was sure there was no way Crowley would take him up on that. Absolutely-

“Alright,” the headmaster nodded, “Since I am such a generous headmaster, I’ll allow you a chance. You’ll have until tonight. If the three of you manage to find a replacement by then, you won’t be expelled.”

The three of them? Parker wasn’t sure whether to thank the headmaster or protest. How was any of this her fault? Ace was the one who started the fight, the other guy was the one who used magic! Granted, she did end up shoving Ace into the other guy’s breakfast so… Ok, maybe she did have a hand this. Whatever. At least they had a chance to make things right.

“You may go together once classes have ended, but for now, shoo,” Crowley gestured towards the exit of the dining hall. Ace and the other student left bowing, promises of success and a shower of thanks poured from their lips all the while. When they were gone, Crowley simply nodded towards the remains of the crystal and the discarded meal tray.

“Clean this up,” he ordered, and disappeared. Parker frowned and went to find a broom.

Between cleaning the dining hall, the bathrooms, half the classrooms, and the library, Parker was exhausted. By the time the final bell chimed through the halls of the school, she felt simply storing her cleaning tools was too much to bear. How was she supposed to go searching through an old mine feeling like this? She decided not to dwell on it as she locked the broom closet. It was time to meet the others.

They, waited for her in the Hall of Mirrors, an aptly named room containing the entrances to all seven dorms along with an enchanted mirror meant to transport travelers to destinations off Night Raven’s campus. Or so they said. Really, Parker was ready to believe anything at this point.

“Let’s go,” the other student said, and made his way over to the mirror without so much as a look back. Parker and Ace followed in silence following his lead as he stepped through the mirror. For a second, Parker hesitated. In her mind, she knew all she had to do was step through, but her instincts weren’t getting the memo.

Ace shoved her forward. It was what her body needed to get moving, annoying as it might have been. Her foot slipped into the mirror much as it would have a puddle of water. The reflective glass rippled and swirled until she couldn’t feel herself moving. The sensation was like running in a dream, moving and not at the same time. In a blink, it was over. The Hall of Mirrors was replaced with a forest of trees and thick leaves. What little remained of the afternoon sun streamed in patches on the grassy floor. What she didn’t see was the other student.

“Where’d he go?” Parker jumped at the unexpected sound of Ace’s voice.

A moment later, the other student emerged from a thicket, “I can see the Dwarves’ cottage. If I’m right the mines aren’t too far off.” He slipped off again, not bothering to see if the others were behind him.

They caught up to the other student as he came upon the entrance to what must have been the mines. Whoever worked the place hadn’t been around in decades. In fact, it was so abandoned it reminded Parker of Ramshackle Dorm.

“Empty,” she said, “Do you think it’s safer to go in there?”

The other student huffed, “We don’t have a choice.”

“Relax,” Ace started towards the mine’s entrance, “Or do you need buttercup over there to hold your hand?”

“My name,” the other student grumbled, “is Deuce.”

“Yeah, sure,” Ace shrugged, “get in here, Goose.”

“Deuce.”

Parker sighed and followed them inside. The path before them yawned deeper into the ground. Much like her dorm, cobwebs and dirt reigned supreme over ancient support beams. The stone walls had chunks of glittering rock embedded in them, but none looked like the crystal they’d broken. That’s when it occurred to her. They were in a mine, meaning if they did find the crystal, they were going to have to pry it out of the rock. How were they supposed to- she smiled as they rounded a corner. Propped against the wall was a small pickaxe. Jackpot.

She jogged ahead and lifted it, wiping away cobwebs. The handle wobble a little, but it was better than nothing. Just as she was about to find the others, something jumped on her from above. Parker screamed as whatever it was leapt to the floor and took off further down the mine.

“Hey!” she cried and ran after it, almost knocking into Deuce as she did.

He jumped back in surprise as the creature darted around his ankles, ”What-?”

“Stupid humans! That crystal’s mine!”

Parker’s grip tightened on the pickaxe. It was Grim.

“Not you!” she cried out. It was bad enough she’d been roped into this along with Ace and Deuce, now she had to deal with the devil cat? Again?

“Uh, you know him?” Ace’s blinked as Deuce and Parker ran further into the mine. Both ignored him. The trio panted hard as they followed Grim’s blue glow down winding tunnels and tortuous caves. His light became smaller and smaller the further they went.

“That sucker’s too fast,” Ace frowned.

“I got it,” Parker adjusted her grip on the pickaxe and put on a burst of speed. In her mind, she told herself: Grim was a Running Back, a soccer ball, a pitch that was quickly flying out of bounds. And Parker had her feet. She was on the smaller side, but her size made her nimble. Grim darted left. Parker was about turn behind him when an unearthly roar shook the mine around them. Grim flew back and hit the wall hard as a massive shadow emerged from the tunnel he’d run through.

Parker’s face went cold as the blood drained from her cheeks. She heard Ace and Deuce halt just behind her.

“What is that thing?” Deuce cried.

“Headmaster Crowley never mentioned one of those,” Ace took a step back.

The monster towered over them, a faceless nightmare of a creature. Something black oozed from it’s head onto the tattered remains of a shirt.

“WON’T. GIVE,” the creature bellowed, “STONE. IS. MINE!”

Stone. So, there was a magic crystal left! Any hope the knowledge brought disappeared as the monster reared back, “WON’T. GIIIIIIIVE!”.

Ace was about to turn and run when Deuce caught his arm, “What are you doing? It has the crystal!”

“And?” Ace tried to pull away.

“We’ll be expelled without it! We need to go after it!”

Parker shot Deuce a look, “We need to be alive to get it! Let’s go!”

The monster roared again, the reverberations shook loose pebbles from the ceiling. The creature reared back and charged the three of them. Ace blew it back with just enough force to buy them some time to run. Parker was vaguely aware of Grim sprinting at her heels. They cleared the entrance of the mine a minute later, the monster’s chilling voice still echoed at their backs. They didn’t stop running until they couldn’t see the mines anymore. When they felt it was safe, they collapsed in a clearing by a small stream.

“My one chance at getting into Night Raven College, gone,” Grim lamented.

Ace shook his head, unblinking eyes stared at a patch of grass somewhere in front of him, “That’s it. I’m not going back there. I’d rather get expelled than fight that thing.”

Parker was too busy gulping air into her lungs to protest, but Deuce on the other hand… The second Ace suggested giving up his spine straightened and went rigid. Slowly, he craned his neck until he could get a good look at the red head.

“You can’t be serious,” Deuce stared Ace down. When Ace didn’t answer, Deuce narrowed his eyes, “Don’t screw with me. I would rather die than face expulsion. There’s a magic crystal right there, and you want to give up?”

She hated to admit it, but in that moment Parker wasn’t sure who she sided with. On the one hand, Deuce was right. The magic crystal was in their reach and the risks of not going after it could mean she was trapped in this world forever. On the other hand, the monster was terrifying. If she even wanted a chance to get home, she’d need to stay alive to do it.

Ace rolled his eyes, “That’s some big talk from someone like you. You think your magic is strong enough to beat something like, go right ahead, but I’m not risking my life just to stay at Night Raven.”

Deuce clenched his jaw, “Oh, so you’d rather stay here like some spineless coward?”

“Coward?” Ace let out a single laugh, “buddy, you need to straighten out your priorities. There are worse things than getting kicked out of school.”

Something akin to fire lit in Deuce’s eyes. Parker sensed at once that Ace had crossed a line neither of them knew was there. Deuce rounded on Ace.

“Worse?” he asked, “You mean like, disappointing your family? Or showing up at home not even a day after promising you’d make them proud?” Deuce raised his voice, “Or maybe hearing your mother cry about how she doesn’t know where she went wrong because her screw-up son can’t get his damn life together?” Deuce was shaking now, “Yeah. You’re right. There are worse things”

Silence stretched between the four of them. Ace’s throat bobbed as the truth of Deuce’s words sank in. For once, Grim refused to look either of them in the eye. As for Parker, she took a deep breath and adjusted the cap on her head. That was some heavy stuff, but what could they do? Ace’s magic barely did anything more than give them enough time to escape. Going back would be suicide, but they couldn’t give up now that they knew a replacement crystal existed. Not when Crowley expected all three of them- Parker blinked. Three of them.

Three of them.

“I think,” she began, “there might be a way to beat the monster.”

Ace, Grim, and Deuce faced her, but it was Ace who said, “Don’t play.”

“I’m not playing,” Parker put up her hands, “think about it. There’s four of us and one of it. We might be able to outsmart it if we work together.”

“Together?” Grim balked, “I’m the Great and Mighty Grim! A magician of my caliber doesn’t collaborate with lesser wizards.”

Parker crossed her arms, “Oh, so, you’ll be fighting that thing on your own then?”

Grim sputtered as the others watched him rack his little brain for something, anything to say to that. Unfortunately for him, he knew they were right, “But getting that crystal is my only chance to attend Night Raven. After I heard you idiots broke the the chandelier, I thought…”

Parker sighed, “How about this, if you help us we’ll put in a good word for you with Headmaster Crowley.”

The idea sparked some life back into Grim, or she thought it did based on how the fire of his ears flickered brighter.

“What about you two?” she looked over at Ace and Deuce. The two exchanged a glance. Ace still did not look convinced, but at the very least he was listening.

A beat later, it was Deuce who asked, “What do you have in mind?”

The four of them huddled behind a line of thickets at the edge of the Dwarves’ Mines. From where they were, it didn’t look like there were any signs of the monster. Still, they kept out of sight in case it lingered around the entrance.

“Everyone remember what to do?” Parker turned back to the others. They each nodded.

Alright. Nothing for it, then. With a nod of her own, she stood and jogged for the entrance of the mine, collecting rocks as she went. As soon as she was just outside the mouth of the mine, she tossed on in as hard as she could.

“Helloooo! Big faceless monster dude!” she cried, “You home?”

Parker let loose another rock. This time, the familiar roar echoed from deeper in the cave. Good. She had to draw the monster further out. She kept up the taunting and tossed another three rocks before the monster’s head emerged from the mine. It was working!

“Over here!” She jogged further from the entrance and landed a rock to the monster’s left shoulder. It roared again, though Parker didn’t think for a second she’d hurt it. The monster edge closer and closer with each taunt until the entrance to the mine was left wide open. Now was their chance, “Grim! Ace! You’re up!”

“Hurricane force winds, coming right up!” Ace loosed a rush of air so powerful, Parker had to jump out of the way to keep from being blown into the monster, her hand was pinned to her hat. Grim wasn’t far behind, sending a wall of flame into Ace’s wind. The fire whipped into an inferno that encircled the monster.

“Alright Deuce,” Ace called over, not daring break his gaze away from the monster, “Its all you!”

Deuce, however, was in a panic.

“Something heavy… something heavy,” he muttered to himself.

The monster roared and swatted at the inferno.

“Deuce!” Ace yelled.

“Ah!” Deuce made a snap decision, “Big- heavy-yeah! Come forth, Cauldron!”

If not for the fact she was caught in the middle of an honest to goodness battle against an honest to goodness monster, Parker would have gawked as a large, cast iron cauldron appeared over the monster’s head, then crushed it to the floor.

“Yeah!” Grim pumped his paw into the air like a fist.

“Let’s hurry and get this over with,” Ace ran into the mine, Parker went after him, retrieving the pickaxe she’d left by the bushes.

“You think they can keep him subdued?” she asked.

“They’ll have to,” Ace grinned.

Before long, they made it to tunnel where the monster had first appeared. There, embedded into the stone at the end of the chamber was a crystal the size of Parker’s fist. Parker ran up to the stone and raised the pickaxe. The impact rang through her bones like the vibration of a bell. She lifted it to strike again when Ace snatched the tool from her hands.

“No time,” he said, and made quick work of the rock. In three strikes the crystal rolled to the floor. Parker wasted no time in scooping it up. Ace tossed the pickaxe aside and followed her out. They made it out of the mine in record time, yelling “Go! Go! Go!”

Grim and Deuce did not need to be told twice. The cauldron keeping the monster down was beginning to buckle as it tried to rise.

The four didn’t stop until they found the spot where they’d first exited the mirror. Parker was only half surprised to find another mirror etched into the trunk of a wide tree. She didn’t stop to wonder if, technically, it was the same mirror on the other side. She was too busy leaping through it to care.

Grim was the last one through the mirror. As soon as he landed in the Hall of Mirrors Deuce cried, “Close!”

A flash of light later, the mirror’s face returned to normal. None of them breathed as the enormity of their success settled over them. They had worked together, had survived the most terrifying creature any of them had ever seen, and made it back in time to save their positions at the school. Parker looked around the empty Hall of Mirrors to convince herself she was there.

As one, they all checked to make sure the crystal didn’t fall on their scramble back to the school. Sure enough, there it was, sparkling a rainbow of colors in the palm of their hands.

They’d done it.

The floodgates of relief burst open. All four cheered, a mix of disbelief and joy swam through them as they jumped up. Ace clapped Deuce on the back while Grim did a little dance Parker knew she’d have been roasted for calling adorable. But the excitement turned to dread as Ace yanked Parker into a headlock.

“You pulled through, you magicless twerp!” He laughed digging his knuckles into her head through her hat.

“Ace, no!” Parker said, but it was too late. Ace was already mid-noogie when her hat tumbled off her head, the braids she’d so carefully hidden in the cap dropped around her face. Ace let her go and jumped back like she was a hot coal.

“No way,” he breathed.

Parker scrambled to shove the hat back on. Her fingers shook as she struggled stuffing her braids back under the brim.

Grim frowned, “’No way’ what?

“Are you blind?” Deuce shot him a wide-eyed look, “He’s a- she’s a-”

“Shhhh!” Parker’s gaze darted around the Hall of Mirrors, hoping against hope they were alone, “No one’s supposed to know!”

Ace scoffed, “Supposed to- how’d you- why- huh?”

Something bitter tingled along the back of Parker’s tongue like spoiled pop rocks. Crowley was not going to be happy about this.

She gestured out of the Hall of Mirrors, “I’ll tell you on the way.”

Headmaster Crowley stared at them from his seat behind the desk. He’d spotted the crystal the instant they’d entered his office and demanded they tell him everything. Between the four of them, they managed to cover every detail of their adventure up to and including the fact that Ace had blown Parker’s cover. The headmaster listened, nodding occasionally as they described what they’d seen and how they beat the monster. Parker was certain his calm demeanor would all vanish once she confessed, but even after they’d stopped talking, Crowley was careful to keep any emotion from showing on his face.

They stood there for ten seconds, then thirty, then a full minute without so much as a word from Crowley. Then, as if shocked from his seat, the Headmaster sprang up and beamed at the four of them.

“In the history of this school, never has there been such a rousing display of cooperation between students!” Parker thought she saw tears welling in the corner of his eyes, but didn’t bring it up. Anyway, he was moving around too much to get a proper look, “You all stood up against a common enemy and defeated it hand in hand. This truly is an auspicious day!”

“We- we definitely did not hold hands,” Deuce said.

Crowley either didn’t hear or chose to ignore his comment as he rounded on Parker and beamed, “You! You don’t have a spark of magic in you, and yet you’ve managed to accomplish something no professor ever could! Perhaps its your lack of talent that gives you the ability to think strategically.”

Parker couldn’t believe her ears, nor could she conjure up a better response than, “Thanks. For that.”

Again, Crowley went on as if no one had spoken, “We still don’t know how you’ve come to us, but its clear to me, Miss Parker, that you have something to offer this school yet.”

Parker still didn’t quite understand everything she was hearing, “So, you’re not kicking me out?”

“Why ever for?” Crowley laughed.

“Because I managed to blow my cover after only a day?” She exchanged a glance with Ace who could only shrug. He was just as confused as the rest of them.

“Hey! What about me?” Grim’s patience was at an end, “I helped too, you know! And these guys promised they’d convince you to let me attend!”

Ace put up his hands, “All we said was that we’d put in a good word for you, fur ball.”

“Grim’s right,” Deuce said to Ace, “We did promise.” He turned to Headmaster Crowley and gave a short bow, “Grim was an important part of getting that crystal, we think it’s more than fair that he can attend Night Raven.”

For the first time since they recounted their adventure, Crowley’s smile faltered. He examined Grim from a distance as if trying to gauge something in him. Grim stared back, standing on his hind legs with his front paws crossed in front of him. It was a little unnerving to see a cat standing like a bratty child. Then again, the mine monster was more disturbing to look at.

“I see,” Crowley stroked at his chin, “Well, he certainly has displayed bravery…”

“And he has fire magic,” Parker chimed in, “It’s incredible.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Ace muttered.

Crowley thought for a second more, then said, “I don’t doubt it. But some of the subjects do require more (how do I put this?) human characteristics to be successful,” the headmaster’s gaze fell on Parker. He hummed, tapping his chin as if considering something, “Then again, there is the issue of Parker’s identity having been discovered…”

Ace, Grim, Deuce, and Parker all exchanged a look. How in the world did one have to do with the other? She’d been discovered by Ace and Deuce, but that had no bearing on Grim whatsoever. They jumped up as Crowley sparked to life once again and clapped once.

“I have it!” Crowley said, “Parker and Grim, how do you feel about being enrolled as two halves of the same student?”

Both Grim and Parker didn’t respond beyond a confused, “Huh?”

“Simple!” Crowley’s smile was back, “Grim has the magic, but may need some extra assistance with the more mundane aspects of class, and since he isn’t assigned to any dorm he can be the second resident of Ramshackle. As for Parker, I appear to have underestimated the challenge of hiding her, well, her herness. If I enroll her as a freshman, that will make it much easier for you boys to help her prevent anyone else from finding the truth.”

Ace started at the news, “How is this secret my responsibility?”

Deuce didn’t even hesitate,” Maybe because you were the reason we found out.”

“What?” Ace whipped his head towards Deuce, “I didn’t know!”

“Neither will the other students,” Crowley said, “Having one of you three around at all times will ensure none of them accidentally reveals her to the rest of the school.”

“Don’t I get a say in this?” Parker asked, “What happened to being the janitor? I don’t want to be a student I… I’m taking a gap year!”

Crowley shrugged, “Well, you certainly have a choice. But know that if you decline my generous offer, Grim will be unable to attend.”

Parker knew better than to look at Grim, but she found herself doing it anyway. Grim looked up at her with the biggest, bluest eyes she had ever and would ever see again. The meekness on his face and the dulled flames at his ears made him look like a proper house cat. She couldn’t say no to that.

She glared down at him, “Fine. You manipulative little a-“

“Then its settled,” Crowley nodded, “You’ll begin classes in the morning.”

“Um, no,” Ace was not about take this, “Deuce and I never agreed to do anything!” When Deuce didn’t say a word, Ace shoved him, “Back me up, cauldron boy.”

Deuce glowered, but didn’t say a word.

Crowley was beginning to get irritated, “Well, if you don’t agree I could always go through with your expulsion.”

“What?” Deuce jumped up. He couldn’t believe what he just heard.

“That’s extortion,” Ace narrowed his gaze.

Crowley simply smiled and sat on the edge of his desk, “Welcome to Night Raven. I’ll expect to see all four of you in classes tomorrow. You’re dismissed.”

And that was the end of that. The four of them exited the headmaster’s office with varying emotions. Grim burst out first, doing a little dance that set off sparks wherever he went. Deuce followed, looking for all the world like he hadn’t slept in weeks. Ace muttered under his breath as he followed behind his dorm mate, and Parker trudged out with a knot in her stomach so tight she feared she would heave. How were they going to do this?

They walked together down several hallways until they came to the point they’d have to separate; Deuce and Ace would go back to the Hall of Mirrors and their own dorm while Parker and Grim made their way back to Ramshackle dorm. They hovered together, not quite sure how to leave each other after everything.

“We’ll see you tomorrow, I guess,” Ace rubbed the back of his neck.

“I guess,” Parker answered. She wasn’t too keen on him after the objections he’d given to Crowley. They shuffled around for a second more.

Ace sighed, “It’s nothing against you.”

“We know you’re not happy with this either,” Deuce added.

“I am,” Grim sang. He ignored the three scowls aimed at him.

Parker softened. Deuce was right, she wasn’t happy but neither were they. With a little less force than she thought she needed, Parker half smiled, “We’re stuck.”

“Yeah,” Ace returned the smile, “We are.”

At last the tension that haunted them since they returned dissolved. Deuce even managed a parting joke before both groups dispersed at last.

“Get a good night’s sleep. You’re going to need it.”

32 notes · View notes

dancerwrites · 7 years

Text

written because pike has had to deal with everything in the space of one week, and my heart hurts

She holds the Guiding Bolt back, radiant energy pulsing at her fingertips, watching Scanlan out of the corner of her eye. It’s been a long time since they’ve fought together but it’s also been a long time since Vox Machina has had combat on this grand a scale, and some things from the past fit together like forgotten puzzle pieces, like a bird taking to the air or a duck to water.

Pike waits, the power building, building, building, until something catches her eye and she turns to see a familiar face, previously only seen through her astral form, push through the red sphere.

Pike’s fury builds and her lungs feel devoid of breath for a long moment as their eyes lock, the necromancer’s own flashing with a spark of magic as her lips move, her voice hissing across the cavernous room.

“Not this time, my dear.”

There’s a flash from her hand as a spell shoots out, hitting Pike in the chest. Pike feels her own spell fade, and for a brief, hopeful moment she thinks that is all that it did, but then her mind grows cloudy, almost like her vision was fading. But it remains crystal clear, almost in too-vivid detail, and suddenly she’s on the ground, loud noises around her and too much going on.

She wants to yell, wants to shout, but the confusion sweeps her up. She knows that the colors in front of her are bad, and that the people behind her – she hears them shouting and calling out – are good, though she can’t put words to her thoughts and she squeezes her hands around what she’s holding, knowing that she can use it and that some things are beyond what she needs words to understand.

It’s not clear how she knows, but then there’s more noise crashing around them and she needs the big one. She needs him – she can see him in her mind and doesn’t know his name but she knows that he can help, that he will know what to do, that he won’t leave her, that he’s always been there, but then she hears his voice and she turns, seeing him far above.

That’s too high, or maybe she’s too low, and she doesn’t understand why they can’t be together right then, or how to explain it. All she knows is the way her chest feels and how her ears are ringing and when she looks around there’s nothing she can do despite the weapon she holds in her hand, heavy and solid and real despite the blur in her head and she suddenly feels very very vulnerable and small and helpless, and even when she hears something cutting through the strong noises around her she looks around wildly only just in time to see sparks – bright, pretty to look at, but it means someone is gone and she feels alone and oh gods-

She doesn’t know that she doesn’t remember how to pray, but the pull within her chest – the reaching above for something more – is familiar, though the emptiness that comes afterwards is not, and she is left feeling more confused and in pain and she wants so many things that she can’t name, that won’t come to mind-

And then someone else is there and holding her and no she’s not supposed to be here something’s wrong stop holding her – but she feels something soft and gentle on her face, smells something strange, hears words being said above her head that are familiar and the feelings makes her less scared and there’s a sudden heat behind her eyes, her face and cheeks dampening as she breaks down into tears.

Vax had seen Delilah’s spell, painfully familiar, hit Pike, and while he had thought for half a moment that she would be fine, he changes his mind when sees her head turn at the noise from Percy’s gun, fall to her knees, and look around to where Scanlan has just disappeared, pure devastation shining on her features.

He needs to get down there.

He sends a quick prayer of thanks to the Raven Queen for the armor she’s given him as he takes off, fast as one of Percy’s bullets, toward the gnome in golden plate armor below him, and he braces himself to pick up her weight, which is considerable for her small frame when factoring in her muscles and armor and mace. He knows he’s not the strongest, and that he can’t fix what’s been done (that’s Kiki’s job, and she can do it as long as she and Pike both make it through this in one piece). He just needs to help her hold out until then.

Pike’s weight slows him down, but they manage to make it close to the edge of the cavern – at the very least the two of them are out of harm’s way for a moment.

What Vax hadn’t anticipated was Pike attempting to get away from him, her considerable strength allowing her to push his skinny arms away like they weren’t there before he comes to himself, pulling her close once again.

The scared mumbling and lack of words coming from Pike’s mouth break his heart, and he holds her as close as he can without smothering her. He puts a hand behind her head, the other around her arm in an attempt to keep her from punching him, murmuring words of comfort despite recognizing that she’s not going to understand a word of it.

“Hey, Pickle, I’m right here. You’re not okay now, but you’re going to be, because Keyleth can fix you – you just need to hang on until then.”

Pike keens in his arms, her chest quaking, the sound dissipating into the rest of the din created by those finishing up the fighting. Her arm breaks free from where he’s holding it and, worried about an impending strike, he doesn’t realize she’s wrapped herself around his torso until he feels the breath nearly squeezed from his lungs.

“Pickle, give me some air,” he half-jokes, his ribs resisting the compression. He readjusts his hands, hugging her back.

Tears come to his own eyes when he recognizes the shuddering and jerking in his arms as poorly-controlled sobs, his arms holding just a bit tighter, his wings coming around to shield them from the rest of the world…

Until it’s all gone.

Pike feels the wings around her vanish and she realizes that she knows they were wings, that the person holding her is Vax, and that she is Pike, that she is crying.

The gut-wrenching sounds of bodies hitting the floor from a great height echoes through the cavern and Pike stiffens, pushing against Vax’s chest to turn, to see what’s happening, to take in the rest of the battlefield for fallen comrades.

She turns just in time to see Delilah Briarwood disappear into the black orb with her minions.

“It’s good, Pickle, it’s good,” Vax says behind her, but nothing is good and everything is wrong and she’s so confused, but her instincts kick in.

Thankfully, Vax lets her push away from his chest as she jumps up, scanning the battlefield quickly, searching for familiar faces, doing a headcount, double-checking twice when she realizes they’re missing one, only to breathe a sigh of relief when she sees Doty on the ground. (And while part of her feels guilty at the relief she feels, it’s a gods-damned miracle that none of them fucking died here today. Tary can fix Doty. She’s not sure how much energy she needs to keep in reserve if that was only a sneak-peek of what they’re up against.)

Pike’s hand finds her holy symbol, clutching it tightly despite the fact that no one seems to be in mortal peril.

Vax comes up behind her, thankfully not taking care to hide his footfalls (she’s not sure she can handle stealthy allies right now, not when she wants to have an eye on all of them to make sure they don’t do anything that’s fucking stupid before they have a plan).

Her attention focuses on Percy as he takes takes shot after shot, his arm seizing up before he throws Animus away, Bad News letting off a puff of smoke as he discards it alongside the smaller gun. Retort successfully fires a bullet, but it disappears into the orb with little fanfare, and Pike watches as Percy falls to the ground looking utterly spent.

Vex approaches him from behind, relieving Pike of the urge to rush to him. Instead Pike feels Vax put a hand on her back, gently pushing her toward the rest of them.

Pike hurriedly wipes away the tears that had fallen on her cheeks.

If she was honest with herself, that spell, that confusion, was one of the most terrifying moments of her life, right up there with her death and the moments each of her friends had fallen, however briefly, into the realm of the Raven Queen.

For a moment she had felt completely cut off from everyone and everything she held dear - even Sarenrae’s presence in her heart had been diminished - and it was not something she wanted to feel ever again.

“I’m a little worried that once we walk outside, Pike becomes dumb again,” Scanlan says, his voice cutting through the rumble of everyone else’s. And she appreciates his concern, but she hates how much she latches onto him saying anything at all.

(What she hates more, once she realizes exactly what he said, is that he’s almost definitely right.)

Pike feels everyone’s gaze turn to her and she shrugs, trying to stay nonchalant despite the pit of dread curling in her gut. They continue to talk, to plan, and Pike takes a moment to breathe, to try to take things in. She can certainly ask questions of a cultist, and they’ll gather their forces based on his information - they can figure out how best to strike.

“Do you know if Sarenrae knows anything about it?” Keyleth asks, her voice, hesitant but strong, cutting through Pike’s thoughts.

“I can check,” Pike says, turning back to the orb, aware of the continued weight of everyone’s stares even as she concentrates on the symbol of Sarenrae held tight in her hand and the power that the goddess has gifted to her.

The rush of fire when the connection solidifies, when her goddess comes down from the heavens and the warmth of her presences suffuses Pike, is terribly beautiful. She knows, once again, why those who are not religious can be instilled with the fear of the gods, but at the same time it’s such a glorious feeling that she feels like she might nearly start crying again.

She sees the doorway, sees beyond it, glimpsing what their future will bring.

“This is destiny,” Sarenrae says, her breath hot against Pike’s ear, and Pike shivers at the weight of that word in conjunction with what she sees physically before her. “This needs to stop. Only terror will come through this.”

They need to go there, at some point, likely soon, to defeat this evil that’s come upon the land, and even though by Sarenrae’s own admission she won’t have as much power there, Pike half-wants to reassure her that a little is more than nothing at all, and that it’ll work. They’ll make it work.

She stays quiet, though, not sure if there are rules about giving comfort to goddesses, and says “thank you” as softly as she ever has.

There’s a hot touch on her forehead before the visage before her leaves, and while the air feels colder than the biting winters in Whitestone after she’s left, Pike feels a pulsing warmth deep in her chest, in time with her heartbeat, and doesn’t feel entirely alone.

When her mind clouds over for a second time, she whimpers at the confusion for a moment, but it isn’t nearly as terrifying as it had been. She not only feels good around her, but good inside her and, moments later, the fog clears. Her thoughts clarify the images she’s seeing and she knows Keyleth’s hand is pressed against her forehead, her eyes locking with Pike’s. The knowledge that the spell worked brings a grin to both of their faces.

Pike’s first instinct is to go in for a hug, then a kiss, and while she starts aiming for the lips, she tilts her head at the last second and kisses Kiki’s cheek instead, something that’s not quite embarrassment causing her cheeks to darken, even as Kiki’s blush pink at the attention.

Keyleth, for her part, plays it off with a reassuring smile and a “After all the times you’ve saved us? I learned it from you,” which makes Pike grin again, and she pulls Keyleth into a tighter hug for a moment before turning her attention back to the matter at hand.

They’re all alive, they’re all together, and they’ve got the strength of gods on their side.

They’ve got a world to save.

#critfic #critical role #fanfic #pike trickfoot #keyleth #kiki #vax'ildan #sarenrae #my writing #so many feels #give them all happiness please #cr spoilers #critical role spoilers #i almost forgot to tag this with spoilers dear lord #all the spoilers #so many spoilers #do not read if you're not caught up

76 notes · View notes