#this is for just straight up kissing the goblin's foot no sucking the ring off or eating his toe allowed | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

animorphstruther1987 · 4 years

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WIP story.

"You're home!"

"Finally, you miss me, babe?"

"More than you can imagine! What took you so long?"

"I know, I know, traffic was hell. Let me put my cycle away and I'll join you up on the porch."

"Nope, I've got a surprise for you inside."

As she turns to go inside I park my bike in its spot, and join her in the living room. What I see there leaves me nearly speechless.

"My... my jacket. You found it! Where was it?"

"I went over to your parents place while you were gone on that trip a year back. It was in a closet, I fixed it up. Do you like it?"

"Like it? I love it! I can't believe you did that!"

"Try it on, I need to see if it fits!"

I walk towards the jacket, circle it, lift the sleeves, it's been made just like new, except for a little patch right over the heart on the inside.

"What's this?"

"My initials, and yours. I figured I could make a few changes while I was fixing it up."

"There's more? Where?"

No answer, just that sly smile of hers, that one that she knows drives me crazy.

"Just try it on, come on!"

Lifting the jacket off the rack feels just like my high school days, the same familiar weight if the heavy brown leather, and as I slip it over my arms I have flashbacks to those days. My first kiss, in a movie theater. My first motorbike, bought after two years of saving, and even more arguing with my parents. Meeting Abi, after crashing in a storm trying to get home.

"This... I can't believe you did this for me. It's perfect."

I slip my hands into the pockets and feel something else, pulling it out I find a pair of aviators, well tinted.

"I thought you might like those" Abi says.

"It's all perfect. Thank you."

Bringing her into a kiss reminds me of something I got for her, after finally getting back from a week long trip for work.

"I've got a surprise for you, too."

She looks up at me, quizzically.

"I'm off for the week, only to be called in case of an extreme emergency."

"The whole week! You haven't been off for that long in two years! What happened?"

"I put my foot down, told them if I didn't get some quality time with my girl I was done, they bent."

"That's great honey! We can finally go to that barbecue with my family!"

"I can't wait, but first I need a day with you, and only you. I was thinking a movie, and then down to the pier for a while, check out the carnival."

"That sounds amazing, but tomorrow, tonight I just want to be alone with you"

The next day is one for the memory books. Abi goes all out, wearing the sundress I love, and the perfume she wore on our first date. I give my new jacket a test run in the movie, and get a few annoyed looks for paying more attention to Abi's lips then the movie. Lunch at the pier turns out to be phenomenal, with greasy medium rare burgers, and crispy fries. The pier carnival holds up to the rest of the day, with Abi winning a small bear, and me crushing her and winning a massive duck stuffed animal. Somehow the two switched hands partway through the day, I couldn't say how. Even the ride home is a good one, the sunset illuminating Abi's beautiful red hair, and the mallard's green fuzz sandwiched between us.

"Today was amazing," Abi says as we lay in bed, "tomorrow we meet my family in the park for the get together you've been promising for a year now"

"Alright, I get it, sorry my job is so demanding" I say, while I can't help smirking at her blatant sarcasm.

Rolling up to the park Abi's kid sister, Cat, is the first to notice us.

"Abi! You guys finally made it"

"Sorry, someone" she says while looking pointedly at me, "couldn't get up on time"

"Sorry, sorry, it would have been easier had someone not been jabbering in my ear all night."

"Alright you two, calm down and come get some brats" Abi's dad says as he walks over, with two sausages, handing one to Abi and one to me.

"It's great to finally get together again, sorry my job has been so demanding"

"Well you can make up for it by pushing me on the swing" Cat says, grabbing my hand and pulling me to the swing set. Abi follows, and leans against me while I push.

"Thank you for coming out"

"Babe, there is nowhere I would rather be"

Just then I hear a yell, distinctly stupid, "Hey, Grip, boss wants you."

"Tell her to shove off, and I told you not to call me that when I'm off the clock, I told her I wouldn't be available all week. Unless the world is literally ending, I don't want to hear it."

"She said you'd say that, she said to tell you that it would end for you if you don't come in"

"And I say I'm not coming in, I'm busy."

The goon's phone rings, he answers it then passes it to me.

"Grip, it's hit the fan. You need to come in." That oddly twinges voice of the boss ringing through the speakers.

"Boss. You know I can't. I told you, I'm with Abi and her family. I'm busy."

"Sucks, we need you to come in. And you know you don't get a choice here. Tell you what, you do this, you're even. No more, not unless you want. Full freedom, full severance, for life"

That was a good deal. The thing is, I did need this job, at least this last one. That full severance pay would support Abi and me, along with her whole family, if they wanted. I had gotten mixed up with this group, you may have heard of them. They usually go by the FBI. This branch, the Watch, was special though, they dealt with the weird, and I don't mean like naked dudes in LA. I mean like magic. I had dabbled in magic for a while, before I realized I had no skill for it, may or may not have blown up a small warehouse. I'm not at liberty to say. These guys found me, smoking from most orifices and quite a few pores, buried under the rubble. In return for saving my life I've done odd jobs for them for a while.

"Abi-"

"No. Nope. You promised. You said a week."

"I know. But-"

"No buts. You owe me at least today."

"You could let me talk to her," comes a tinny voice from the phone, which I was still holding up. "I'll explain the urgency if you'd just let me."

"No, boss, are you sure the job can't wait till tomorrow?"

"I'll give you twelve hours. Then you need to be here. That's all we can take."

"Thank you. Really."

I look up at Abi, almost in tears, and smile at her.

"I've got twelve hours, let's make the most of it."

She jumps into my arms, tears wetting my shoulder. Cat breaks us up by tugging on my arm,

"Well if you're not gonna talk in the phone, you could at least push me!"

Those twelve hours were the best of my life, after the barbecue Abi and I went home and watched a film, some obscure German film she wanted to see, and I almost fell asleep on the couch, only kept awake by her insistent jabbing in my ribs. At 11:30 I left her sleeping in bed, and rode to the office.

I get ushered up by the same goons that came to the park, straight to Mrs. Boss, real name unknown by all, probably even her cat.

"About time" I'm still five minutes early. "We have reports of a large magic blast inside the Great Sand Dunes, Colorado. You need to go and investigate."

"Colorado? I hear it's nice this time of year."

"Your flight leaves in 20 minutes. I trust you packed?"

"You know me. When was the last time I packed?"

She just rolls her eyes, almost imperceptibly, and gives me my key card to the basement.

I love the basement, it's full of guns and armor, but even cooler, it's full of funky gadgets. like a watch that can shoot little darts, or a ring that can absorb and release energy, or even a necklace that can make people explode if they put it on wrong. They've never let me take that.

"Pleased to see you again, Grip."

"You can't be sneaking up on me like that when I'm down here, I'll end up shooting you with a watch or something."

"I wish you best of luck with that, but we can argue over your skill later, now I get to show you what you can take."

"Oh goody, my favorite part. Which guns do I get this time?"

"The same as always. A 9mm and a shotgun. Why do you always ask?"

"Force of habit I guess, any other goodies in that bag of yours? Don't make me trick or treat for them."

"I would love to see that. But no, we don't have time. You get a ring, as per usual, and you get this."

He pulls out a small knife, sheathed in leather, with a strange glow about it.

"What is that? You know I prefer my distance."

"This is a single use sniper. It can hit any target within sight lines. You needn't even get within magic range of our guy."

Why they haven't used it before makes me curious, and Jones reads that in my eyebrow raise.

"We need to be in sight lines. And this magician is very good at staying hidden. We don't even have a photo of him."

"Then how am I supposed to see him? If the nation's best can't even spot him, what can I do?"

"That's where it gets tricky. And that's also where you have operational lead."

In other words, I have to improvise. Great. Well, that is why the hired me.

"Alright. Thanks for the gear. I'll be going now. To my certain demise."

"Bah, you said that last time."

After landing in Colorado I realize I should have packed a warmer jacket, even in October it's cold. Driving from Denver down to the dunes, arriving after a night of flying, and entering the regional office, it sinks in how this job might go. Just like the fireball that sinks into the concrete at my feet. I dive into the building, but no more flames impact around me. I get into a crouch behind a desk, and see a young intern around the corner. He motions for me to join him, and explains the buildings defenses, no magic can get in, at the cost of magic in the building being impossible. He leads me to the office of the general, who motions for me to sit and wait while he's on the phone.

His office is small, with pale yellow walls and a too big wooden desk. On the desk was a picture of a young girl, I assume his daughter, and a lamp. A pin on his chest announces his rank and name, Gen. Watt. He murmurs into the phone for another minute then motions me over.

"Thank you for coming. I assume you met the little goblin at the door?"

"Charming, isn't he? Is that our man?"

"If it were that easy, we wouldn't need you. That's a golem he's put there, when we destroy it another just shows up."

"Well, what have you got for me then? Anything better than somewhere in a park larger than Connecticut?"

"Not really, I'm sure you've heard how elusive he is. All I can give you is a wish for good luck."

"Well, I'll head out then. Thanks for the rest stop."

After our closing remarks I head out into the park, taking the back this time. Making my way to the motel down the road I try to come up with a game plan, preferably one that avoids fireball slinging gremlins.

It's amazing what your mind thinks of when you are on the verge of death. I remembered the night I met Abi. I had just crashed my bike. She was a first responder. My phone, having registered a spike in heart rate had queried a 911 call. My last act before passing out was to accept. I woke up in a hospital, nearly dead. The doctors said I would have, had a donor not given a large sum of money. That donor was the government, and that's why I'm working for them, at least on the outside. Abi was the ambulance driver. She came to visit me in the hospital, said she did it for all her patients. Later she admitted to thinking I was cute, even, especially, all beat up, and unconscious. She was by my side for most of the recovery. Once I got out, we moved in together. The rest is, as they say, history.

I wake up tired to a chair. I heard a grunt,

"Oy! Was he awake fer!"

Darkness encloses me as a fist collides with my jaw.

I again join the world of the living. My first sight is an ugly nose, pressed near my face, as a humoncolus inspects my head.

"Yes, all very well. Fine and dandy. Superb", it says in a nasally voice, with a distinct lack of caring. Once it notices I'm awake it jumps away, and starts to inform me of my situation. I've been captured by the wizard, who is holding me until further notice. After the clay bore leaves I check my gear. The guns are gone, so is my ring, but the knife is still sheathed in my boot, on top of my foot. That'll be a fun challenge to get to. It must have slipped down when they got me.

As I'm finishing the check for broken bones, none, a woman walks in. She is wearing a red robe, almost like a bath robe, except more like silk than cotton. She also has on dark green combat boot, the ones with straps and laces most of the way to the knee. Her dark hair is cut in a bob that almost covers her eyes. As she walks in she starts speaking.

"So, you're the infamous Grip. I thought you would be harder to catch"

I try to reply, only to find my jaw erupting in pain.

"Ah, you've discovered what I like to call my 'anti-sarcasm muzzle. Although it won't let you talk at all. I suppose that anti-sarcasm is wrong, but I'm sure you would only reply in sarcasm anyway, so it might work. But I digress, welcome to my abode."

She said this last part in a very unwelcoming way, with a distinctly angry smirk. Almost like we were hunting each other.

"I trust you weren't hurt to much? You never can tell with those golems."

Just then a clay abomination walks in.

"Ma'am, you should probably come see this. There's a lady outside yelling at the door," again, the nasally voice grates on me, why do they always have to be annoying? The witch walks out, and as she does I realize that she is probably the wizard I was looking for. I might be a bit concussed, not as fast as I could be. Or, not fast at all. I try to yell a question at her back, but am once again stopped by her stupid magic muzzle thing.

She comes back sometime later, this time with a staff, and a dark purple robe. I can't tell if this is still the same day, my cell not having any windows, so I assume the clothes change marks a new dawn. She says nothing, just smiles, maybe a bit sadly, and casts a quiet spell. All my joints instantly erupt into pain. She turns and walks out the door. As she leaves I hear a screaming, and I realize as my throat gets sore that it's me, not one of her golems.

After what felt like years she returns, that same faint, sad look on her face. She casts another spell and the pain recedes.

"That was one hour. You held up remarkably well, I'm surprised at how long it took you to faint. That was to show you just what I'll do, and trust me, it wasn't as far as I'll go. I don't want anything from you. I don't even want the Watch to leave me alone. They will be a non-issue here very soon."

As she turns to leave she remembers something.

"That girl at the door, you might know her. Her name is Abigail."

A whole new kind if pain washes over me, hurting worse than her magic ever could.

A homunculus comes into my cell. It brings a tray of food, along with a glass of water. It unlocks my hands, sets the tray in the floor, and leaves. I would the food down, this being the first meal I've had since landing in DIA. It consists of bread, and a thick potato soup. The dirt on the floor getting into the soup only enhances the flavor. I find a note under the bowl,

Sorry I forgot to feed you. Oops. I'm not used to this whole "gaoler" thing. Don't worry, I've fed Abigail. She seems very healthy. I think. Is she usually that pale? Anyway, I'll be back tomorrow morning. Don't wait up. Ha.

The note almost takes away my appetite. But I haven't eaten in so long I manage to choke the rest down. I fall I to a fitful sleep, finally able to stretch on the floor as long as I don't move my feet to much.

I'm woken by the door clanging open. I sit up, and quickly realize just sore my whole body is, after fitful sleeps in a chair and on a stone floor. It's her again, this time in a light green robe.

"Do you only wear robes? That seems cliche" I manage to get out, through my sore throat.

"Oh. My muzzle seems to have worn off."

I feel a clamp over my face, and am unable to speak again. She moves a bit closer, and taps her staff against the chains on my feet, which fall into the stone. She taps it again on the far wall, and a small cot appears.

"Truly sorry, as my note said I'm really not used to this whole prisoner thing. I've come to talk with, or I guess to, you. As you can't leave, having seen me, you will have to stay here forever. Or at least until I finish my task."

With that, she turns around and walks out of the cell, the door closing behind her.

Days pass, food appears on the floor, nothing changes. With each meal I make a mark on the wall, the lines slowly add up.

I can speak again, and I've started talking to myself, quietly recounting the events that led up to this. I almost manage to convince myself there was nothing I could've done, but I'm never quite able to shake the image of Abi in a cell like mine. Each time I try to remember how I got caught. Each time my memory blanks after I leave the office. What if I had left out the front? Would she still have gotten me?

Eventually the sorceress returns. Her robes are gently smoking and covered in ash. Through the various holes I can see her undershirt, a tasteful red to go with what I assume to have been a purple robe.

"Good to see you're still here. I almost thought you would have tried to escape by now. Is Abi really that important to you? I wouldn't hurt her. I'm not like that."

By now my knife is accessible, and I'm only waiting for am opportunity to use it.

"What do you want with me? What are your plans here?"

"I told you, I don't want anything from you. You are just a nuisance in my way. As for my plans, I only want equality for the masses."

[ ] Robin Hood approach!!!

[ ] Plan (eat the rich? The FBI? Gov in general?)

[ ] Grip doesn't believe, then does(?)

[ ] Abi reunited

[ ] Grip agrees to help

[ ] Sorceress dies(?) Disappears(?)

[ ] Grip finds Gov being bad

[ ] Grip + sorceress defeated by tyrant(?) Or beat them(?)

#writing #story #WIP

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