Nayeon couldn't hear anything.
Not because of the punches and kicks, though. Father never kicked or punched her that hard anyway. It wasn't the loud barking outside as Grandma tried calming their dog down. It wasn't even the sound of her crutches hitting the floor after being knocked out of her hands. She could see his mouth moving, but Nayeon couldn't hear any sound coming from it.
Almost as if to fill the sound, her mind began to play the sound of Rebecca's body thumping onto the floor in front of her.
She reached out to protect her head and twisted her ankle, not that it hurt. Nayeon couldn't think of the pain as she picked Rebecca up on her back and ran her to the infirmary faster than anyone else could keep up.
Faster than her teacher and the twins, but not quite fast enough to outrun the voice blaming her for the situation.
"Stay off this leg for two weeks and you'll be good to go." she remembered the dormant doctor telling her and Father, which is why she couldn't understand why he was doing this.
It was her fault, but wasn't he the one who told her to keep her distance from the other kids? Why was he always like this? Why was he so-
"Unbearable!"
Oh. She could hear him. Yay.
"What did I do to be cursed with a troublemaker like you?"
Here we go again.
"First, you put me and your mother in constant danger."
She wasn't sure how that was her fault per se.
"Then you give those dogs an opportunity to take your mother away!"
Again. Wasn't her fault.
"And if that's not enough, you hospitalized one of your classmates and still haven't explained yourself, and now you're making me out to be a bad person because you won't fight back!"
She wasn't making him out to be a bad person, because he already did that all by himself.
By the time Nayeon realised what she had mumbled aloud, she had landed on and broken a table after Father kicked her across the room.
"Get out!" he yelled, "Get out of my house!"
Nayeon couldn't hear again. This time, however, it was because of the deafening voices in her head encouraging her to stand up and rip her father limb from limb, but she knew she didn't stand a chance.
With her choices limited, Nayeon grabbed her crutches and limped out the door to the train station, still unsure of where to go or of what to do. She had no friends to lean on, she thought, nor did she have any other family.
Grandma only had one son, and he moved in with her after Grandpa died and Mom went missing. Nayeon wondered if her mother had any siblings. She hadn't met her grandparents from her side of the family either.
She began to wonder if Mom went to stay with them because of the way Father treated her. He always said he did it to help her be strong because "being weak is the same as being dead.", but she didn't get it.
She never liked "training" and she didn't even like Father. Grandma always told her to just bear with him, but Nayeon was beginning to question whether "just bearing with it" was something she could even do.
What would've Mom done in this situation?
She could only ask herself the same question over and over again until she decided all she wanted to do was ask Mom herself.
Before Nayeon knew it, she was sitting on the dirty floor of the subway, bawling her eyes into her sleeves.
She couldn't help it. What else was she supposed to do? She was too young to have even the most basic understanding of the world around her anyway. All she could do was sit there and cry until someone, anyone, came and saved her.
"You alright, sweetheart?"
A chill ran up her spine the second the voice of an old man pierced Nayeon's thoughts. She glanced up, against her own body's wishes and froze in fear as the stranger reached his hand out. She managed to smack the hand away from her head and squeak out what was meant to be taken as "leave me alone", but it was apparent he didn't get the memo as he sat down next to her.
He started to go on and on about something Nayeon, quite frankly, didn't care about. She tried telling him she was fine and asking him to leave her alone, but the much older man ignored her pleas and continued to talk. As the man talked, that feeling from before reemerged inside of her, and made her sick to her stomach.
Fearing herself and what she was capable of, Nayeon got up to leave, but the man grabbed her arm.
"If you leave," he threatened, "I'll report you as a runaway and they'll take you back to whichever orphanage you're from."
What? Nayeon wasn't an orphan!
"That's what they all say, but who's going to believe your word over an adult's? No one."
In theory, the creepy old man would've succeeded, but he didn't count on Nayeon twisting his wrist the wrong way and limping away as fast as possible.
She limped and limped to the exit until she felt someone pick her up and run with her to the doors. It wasn't the man because she saw him chasing them, or at least attempting to.
After a few steps, he was out of breath, and apparently out of shape. By the time Nayeon was placed back onto the floor, she had a small inkling of who her possible saviour was, and she confirmed it as she looked up at her.
"You gotta be careful about guys like that." she warned, "They are always trying to take advantage of young, defenseless girls like- Are you even listening?"
Had they met before?
Nayeon stared innocently at the young lady, waiting for her response as she stared right back at the little girl in disbelief before laughing.
"I thought there was something wrong with you back then, but the fact you remember me confirms it."
She was right! She was the lady who comforted her in the park when she was little!
"If you can remember all that, then I take it you remember your way home?"
Oh, she did.
"Then go home."
She couldn't do that.
"Don't tell me you're actually an orphan."
Not at all!
"Then go home."
Nayeon really couldn't do that.
"Why?"
She just couldn't.
She heard the young lady sigh before saying, "Python. You can call me Python."
Elated by her cooperation, Nayeon followed her as she questioned how, "The girl who isn't afraid of snakes is apparently afraid of strangers?"
A lot had happened since they first met, and Nayeon didn't want to talk about it.
"Not even your name?"
Huh? Why would she want to talk about her name?
"Because I really don't think your parents named you, hey or kid."
Nayeon. Her name was Nayeon. She had completely forgotten to introduce herself. How embarrassing~
"It happens to the best of us. Now, what the abyssus were you doing to get captured by a pig like that?"
She was crying on the subway floor.
"Why were you crying? You seem too young to be having boy problems."
It wasn't boy problems! She didn't want to talk about it though.
"That's fine, but word of advice: don't sit on the subway floor. You have no idea where some drunkard has puked."
Horrified, disgusted, appalled, and repulsed, Nayeon aggressively patted her butt down as Python somehow found the situation amusing.
She took this chance to comment on how Python was probably so knowledgeable on the topic because she was one of the drunkards who would throw up in the subway.
Obviously peeved, she grabbed Nayeon by the cheek and pulled as she asked, "How long are you going to follow me anyway?"
Before Nayeon's mouth could answer this question, her stomach beat her to it as it let out a monstrous growl, which shocked the both of them.
Although she clicked her tongue while deciding, Python still walked Nayeon to the closest fast-food joint and got her something she had never eaten before in her life: junk food.
"I don't know if you're sheltered or entitled to have never tasted fast-food before."
There was something about seeing Python's smile as she giggled at Nayeon which just warmed her heart right up. Something about her smile reminded her of Mom, but she couldn't seem to put her finger on why she felt this way. It was as if she was looking at a slightly older version of Mom, she thought as Python finished eating and fell into a serious tone as she spoke.
"Listen, I know you don't want to, but you have to go home. These streets aren't safe for kids like you. Alright?"
She didn't need to tell her. Nayeon already knew she had to go home sooner or later, but she truly just didn't want to.
"How about this: go to a friend's house or wander around the neighborhood if you still don't have any friends. Anyone can tell you're not from here."
How?
"Everyone here has the eyes of a killer, even me, which is why an innocent, uncorrupt child like you needs to go home."
Using innocent and uncorrupt is repetitive.
"Nayeon!"
Okay, okay. She promised to go home as she finished up her first ever unhealthy meal.
Python ruffled her hair as she sulked, but her smile immediately obliterated her frown as they got up to leave. Nayeon repeatedly asked Python what her job was as they walked, but she refused to answer and instead gave her her jacket because, "It gets cold at night here."
The jacket didn't smell like Mom at all. Instead of clean lilac and lavender, the leather jacket was a mixture of different smells Nayeon had never come across. Before she could ask her what the smells were, Python was already waving to her from the entrance door of the subway and she was already halfway down the hall.
Nayeon always had a habit of zoning out, so there was nothing she could do, but limp back outside those doors to give Python back her phone.
She looked left then right, but before she could call out to her, she saw a group of people in black suits approach her. Scared and worried, she called out to Python anyway, and the entire group turned around with her. She saw her try to move, but two guys grabbed her arm, as two others walked towards Nayeon.
She took her stance, but she soon dropped it after hearing Python yell, "Don't resist."
And so she didn't resist as she and Python were thrown into some cars and driven to the outskirts of town, below the train tracks.
Nayeon did her best to hold onto Python even while being tied up as a man in a gold suit asked Python, "A little birdy told me you have the goods. Where are they?"
"You must be on them if you can talk to birds." she snarkily replied.
Unphased by her sarcasm, the gold suited man lifted his arm, and someone grabbed Nayeon from behind.
With her feet a few inches off the ground, Nayeon couldn't resist even if she wanted to as another man started to beat her up. Luckily for her, his punches were substantially weaker than Father's, but he was hitting the same places as he did earlier.
"Leave her out of this. She's not even from here." Python pleaded, but the man didn't stop punching until blood finally splattered out of Nayeon's mouth.
The gold suited man raised his arm again, but at that point, Nayeon couldn't hear as much as she couldn't see. She had never had to fight anything as strong as this unbearable urge inside of her, compelling her to rip every single person's throat out.
She didn't understand why this feeling was consuming her mind or why she was so afraid of it either.
"Are you sure it's the feeling you're scared of?"
Nayeon raised her head to put a face to the unfamiliar voice, and she couldn't take her eyes of the pearl shaded goddess before her very eyes.
With beauty second to none, she couldn't help but stare as she moved closer and closer to her.
"Do you want an answer to your question?"
That was all Nayeon wanted!
"Very well." she said as she placed her forehead on Nayeon's and filled her eyes with the same pearl white until she heard Python yell, "Nayeon!"
She snapped back to reality and saw her hands wrapped around the neck of a teenager in a black suit. He was the only one left, she realised as she studied the mutilated bodies scattered around.
"Let go of him!" Python commanded, but Nayeon studied his eyes for a bit longer before Python yelled again.
"Let go of that boy or so help me-"
Okay.
She released him after determining he wouldn't be any fun to kill and turned to help Python to her feet as the boy scurried away.
Then it started.
The uncontrolled giggling as tears streamed down her face.
Why was she like this? What had she done?
"Shh. It's not your fault." Python gently held Nayeon in her arms and consoled her as a new question spawned and played itself on repeat.
Why didn't she hate this new feeling?
Britney still didn't know the answer to her question as she woke up in a small twin bed in a small apartment, but best of all, she woke up in Kiara's arms.
She snuggled up against her as she understood why her brain played that memory for her. She loved Python, but it wasn't the same love she held for the princess at all. She was in pure bliss ... until a grumpy Michaelangelo walked into the room.
She figured he wouldn't bother them if they were still asleep, but that sneaky bastard woke Kiara up first to spite her. Britney wasn't about to give up so easily, she thought as she held onto Kiara as the princess sat up.
She wondered how Michael would react as he said, "You have something on your lip, Ki. It's right~ here-"
Britney immediately got up as she sensed Michael about to kiss Kiara.
She successfully managed to block the kiss, but she got away with a, "I'll leave you two to duke it out."
"It's not fair!" Michael complained the second Kiara closed the door behind her. "Why do you get to sleep with Ki? That's just as dangerous as her sleeping with me."
Britney didn't care as she simply laughed at him as they walked out of the room to Brandon saying, "Kiara, if I were you, I'd go for Britney."
"Hey!" Michael contested.
"What? She just seems more mature."
Britney agreed on this statement.
"Nah~" the rival twin said, "Michael is more emotionally available. No offense, Brit."
Offense taken.
"That's right!" a happy Michael cheered, "What do you think Awan?"
"I think breakfast is delicious, Mr. Jeon."
"Oh, Jeon is fine." the owner of the apartment blushed.
"Nonsense!" Rebecca said, "You practically saved us. In fact, I will personally beat anyone who disrespects you to a pulp."
That sounds like something she'd do.
"I just wish we could use magic to find this Grand Duchess lady!" Sky complained.
"There's no helping it," Celestia explained as she fed Cloudy, "Dragons can sense the magic of other dragons, and that means Richard can track us down if we're not careful."
"Shouldn't we just find Kylian and the others first?" Halley asked, "The search would be a lot easier with their help."
They couldn't. They had to find the Grand Duchess first. After seeing the state of the Guro-gu Palace, her cryptic promise to Britney was the only thing they could've been sure about.
"She's right," Awan agreed as he carefully pulled a mesmerized Chayse away from the stove top and trapped him in his arms as the deer boy stared at the invention with awe.
"But after we find the Grand Duchess, we need to find the Light Creator's magician."
Britney's brain slightly wandered as she described Awan and Chayse as adorable, but it soon came back to reality as Celestia announced, "I'm going with Britney, today!"
A massive argument had ensued the night before on whether any of the royals should go searching, but Celestia managed to convince Kiara and Rebecca that she'd be fine with Britney, and the assassins' daughter was fairly impressed with her achievement.
If she was able to convince those two, she'd never have to worry about arguments, Britney thought as Kiara squeezed her little sister goodbye before she eventually got the same embrace from her princess. It was the ritual they all participated in right before they went on patrol, but Britney noticed how confused everyone looked as Michael planted a kiss on her forehead before they left.
Now she knew Celestia practically had no filter at this point, but Britney was especially taken aback when she asked, "So are you guys friends with benefits now?"
First of all, a shocked Britney cleared up, they were not 'friends with benefits'.
"Then why did he kiss you? Does he want you back or something?"
She never asked him.
"Do you still love him?"
Yeah, she did.
"Then why did you guys break up?"
Full of questions, wasn't she.
"Sorry." she pouted, "It's just so confusing."
Yeah it is. It's colourful, strange, infuriating, nauseating, and depressing all at once.
"Well, do you think we'll find her today?"
Britney hoped so. They had been searching Pam Luos for the last week and a half, and they were in the last section of the town. If the Grand Duchess wasn't there, they were monumentally screwed.
"I just hope everyone's okay."
Britney was sure everyone was fine as the sound of a royal announcement filled their ears as they walked towards the TVs in the shop only to hear, "An announcement from Her Majesty, Queen Mahogani Lupress Myra of the South."
Huh?
"Her Majesty?" Celestia questioned as her voice shook, "The only way for Mahogani to ascend the throne is if Father and Lameckus die-"
Britney grabbed her and held her head to her chest as one of the men watching beside them turned and asked,"What did you say?"
Oh no.
"Did she just say father?"
No, Britney tried to lie, but the man saw straight through her and commented on, "How much money I can make for turning in one of the lost princesses and their accomplice."
Britney tried to plot their escape route as the man's hand got closer and closer to her hair, but just before he could do anything, he screamed.
Britney's attention, however, flew in front of her as she watched Lady Chaeryoung ask them, "Are you alright?"
As an elated Celestia clung to the Lady, Britney turned and saw Grand Duchess Ahn-Jong drag the man into a nearby alley before walking up to her.
Britney dropped to one knee in her presence, but Ahn-Jong grabbed her by the arm and yanked her up to her feet before saying, "Don't you do that ever again."
Britney wondered why she was so angry as the announcement on the TV ended with, "This was brought to you by Magic Master Julian Myra, the supreme leader of Wisteria."
*****
Britney squeezed Ahn-Jong's shoulder as they stood at the top of the arena, watching all the accused being walked to their execution chairs.
All they had to do was get to Louis and save the royals as soon as the coast was clear enough for them to slip through and take everyone while using the least amount of magic possible.
That was the plan, Britney thought as Ahn-Jong looked at her and smiled before pulling her mask down. The plan was to save everyone as quickly and safely as possible. No one expected the scream of pain from the Empress and her husband as Halley and Brandon grabbed Louis from the unconscious Felix and Thomas.
Britney sure as abyssus didn't expect Ahn-Jong to carelessly jump towards the bottom of the arena either.
Her feet moved before her as she watched a bullet of light fly through the Grand Duchess' head, but she couldn't do anything as her body fell to the floor, dead in the sea of sleeping folk on the ground.
Brandon was trying to talk Britney out of going after her, but she simply shoved him off her before jumping down herself. She felt the bullet fly past her face as she landed safely on the ground.
Halley jumped down after and immediately dragged Britney along as she picked up the body of their only hope. She pulled her along as Brandon carried Louis on his back, not that Britney noticed.
She had failed the Grand Duchess. They had no hope without their map to freedom, she thought as Second Prince Chung-Ae cornered them on the arena floor.
Britney saw their lips moving, but she couldn't hear anything as Ahn-Jong's body turned cold in her arms.
What was she to tell the others? They were supposed to have been looking out for each other, and Britney couldn't even protect her. What would she say to Chaeryoung? What would she tell Celestia?
She could only wonder as she saw a glimpse of the royals, lifelessly lying in their death chairs.
As Britney wished the ground would just swallow her up, it did.
The ground underneath them opened up like a mouth, and the five of them fell into another portal. Kiara had saved them again, Britney thought before she suddenly tightened her grip on Ahn-Jong's body.
What would Kiara have said if she saw the body? Would she have hated Britney for taking away the only older sister figure she had in her life? The one who comforted her when she heard the news about Julian? Would she-
"Britney!" Her head shot up as everyone stared at her, but she couldn't help herself as she tearfully admitted it all.
She admitted how she failed to protect Ahn-Jong and her parents and Kiara's brother and mother too. She failed everyone. She-
Britney's mind went blank as Kiara held her in her arms, but her warm embraces always had that effect on her.
Even though Britney had participated in many group hugs, being the center of one was a feeling she could never forget as she bawled her eyes out in their arms.
"It wasn't your fault." Brandon assured, "The executions did stop, but we just didn't account for snipers."
"But they did account for you guys." a familiar voice said, "I already took care of your mole, and the others are in a safe location with their animal friends."
Britney wiped her tears as she asked Kiara if it was safe for her to use magic, and Daisy clarified, "This isn't a traceable kind of magic, so you don't have to worry about it."
Untraceable magic? That existed?
"Yeah, my boss made it."
His boss?
"Must be a genius." Awan said as he offered Britney a tissue.
"He practically invented that word."
*****
Though the lighthearted-ish mood managed to make Britney stop crying during the journey, she found herself unable to move as Chaeryoung cried while grasping onto her wife.
She couldn't even lift her head as she wondered why her death was so painful. The others never bothered her, so why was she so broken over being unable to protect Ahn-Jong?
Never once did Britney fear death until that day where she watched as Kiara walked over to her little sister and told her their older and little brother and mother were sitting in chairs with bullets in their heads because Britney couldn't protect them.
She couldn't bear to lift her head as she heard Celestia wailing in her sister's arms.
And so they sat in that field, crying for hours until the wails dimmed down as Chaeryoung and Celestia lost their voices. With the sun about to set to Britney's left, all she could hear from her surroundings were three voices.
Daisy: Boss!
Oddly familiar voice: I'm sorry we all had to meet under these circumstances.
Michaelangelo: Dad?
Britney's head rose ever so slightly at the title as her eyes came to rest on a middle-aged man in a worn out suit and a worn out lab coat holding black roses in his hands as his brown curly hair gently blew in the wind.
So that was the famous Raphael Sullivan.