Lunchtime Chessboard
Class has ended and the cafeteria buzzed with energy "hormonal shits", the smells of overcooked spaghetti and stale breadsticks mingling unpleasantly in the air. Hunter Zolomon carried his tray with practiced nonchalance, his gaze scanning the room like a chessboard. Each clique was a cluster of pawns, knights, or rooks—useful pieces, if placed correctly. The athletes dominated the center, their table loud with laughter and boasting. Out of the immediate fray, the quieter, more strategic types lingered along the walls.
He chose a table near the edge of the room, not quite isolated but far enough to invite curiosity. It was a calculated move, but his instinct paid off within minutes.
"Mind if I sit?"
Hunter glanced up to find Bonnie Bennett standing there, her tray balanced in her hands. She had the cautious expression of someone testing the waters, unsure if she was about to be rebuffed.
"Go ahead," Hunter said, gesturing to the empty seat across from him.
"Thanks." She slid into the chair, setting her tray down with a soft clatter. "You're new, right?"
"That obvious?" he replied, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
Bonnie laughed lightly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Small town. New faces stand out."
"Fair enough," Hunter said, stabbing his fork into the spaghetti. He didn't eat, though; the food wasn't the point of being here. "What's your name?"
"Bonnie," she said. "Bonnie Bennett. So, what brings you to Mystic Falls?"
"Family needed a change of pace," he replied, keeping the answer vague. "And you? Lived here your whole life?"
"Pretty much," she said, shrugging. "It's quiet. Nothing too exciting ever happens here."
Hunter's lips twitched at the irony. "I'm sure that'll change."
Bonnie tilted her head, her eyes narrowing slightly. "What makes you say that?"
Before Hunter could answer, another voice broke into their conversation.
"Well, isn't this cozy," Caroline Forbes said, sliding into the seat next to Bonnie without so much as a second glance at her. She set her tray down with an unceremonious clatter, her bright blue eyes locking onto Hunter. "You've been here, what, five minutes, and you're already the center of attention?"
Bonnie groaned. "Caroline—"
"What?" Caroline interrupted, flashing an innocent smile that was anything but. "It's not every day we get someone new around here. You can't blame me for being curious." She turned her full attention to Hunter, her tone dripping with playful intrigue. "So, Savannah, huh? That's what everyone's saying."
Hunter leaned back slightly, keeping his expression neutral. "That's right."
Caroline's smile widened. "You don't talk much, do you? That's interesting. Most new guys can't wait to tell everyone their life story."
"Maybe I don't have one worth telling," Hunter said evenly, watching her reaction.
"Or maybe you do, and you just don't want to share it," Caroline countered, her tone playful but probing. "Which, of course, makes you even more interesting."
Bonnie sighed, cutting into her salad with unnecessary force. "Caroline, can you give it a rest? Not everyone wants to be interrogated during lunch."
"I'm not interrogating," Caroline said, feigning offense. "I'm just making conversation."
Hunter chuckled softly, finally taking a bite of his food. "It's fine. I don't mind."
Bonnie glanced between the two of them, her expression caught between exasperation and amusement. "Well, I'll leave you to it. I need to catch up with Elena anyway." She stood, taking her tray with her. "Good luck," she added under her breath as she walked away.
Caroline waited until Bonnie was out of earshot before leaning in slightly, her voice lowering just enough to feel conspiratorial. "You know, there's this party tonight. Just a little thing in the woods, nothing too crazy." Her eyes sparkled mischievously. "There'll be food, music, drinks—something a little stronger than soda, if you're into that."
Hunter raised an eyebrow, his fork pausing midair. "A party in the woods?" he asked, feigning mild surprise. "Sounds… lively."
Caroline laughed, leaning back in her chair and crossing her legs. "Lively's one way to put it. It's just a Mystic Falls tradition, I guess. A chance to let loose." Her gaze flicked over him, the faintest hint of something warmer in her expression. "You should come. It'd be a shame for the new guy to miss out."
Hunter hesitated, letting the invitation hang in the air for a moment before responding. "Thanks for the invite," he said, his tone grateful but laced with a hint of reluctance. "But I've got a lot to unpack and settle in. You know how it is."
Caroline's lips twitched, her expression flickering between disappointment and intrigue. "Sure. I get it. But if you change your mind, you know where we'll be."
"I'll keep it in mind," Hunter said with a small, decisive nod. "If I can make it, I'll be there."
Caroline's smile returned, her eyes lingering on him for a beat too long. "Good. It'd be nice to see you there."
As Hunter stood and picked up his tray, he caught the faintest flicker of something in her expression—curiosity, maybe even a hint of jealousy. She wasn't just grilling him for answers. Something else was behind it, a personal edge beyond simple interest.
It didn't take a genius to figure out the subtext. Caroline Forbes had spent years watching her best friend Elena Gilbert attract the kind of attention she always seemed to miss out on or at least the type she wanted. And now, here was Hunter—new, mysterious, undeniably intriguing—and he wasn't circling Elena like many others.
As Hunter walked away, he could feel her gaze following him, sharp and persistent. Caroline Forbes wasn't just curious about him. She was sizing him up, figuring out how he fit into her world, and maybe wondering if he could be hers in some shape or form.
He smirked to himself. People always wanted what they couldn't have.
Mapping the Town
By the time school let out, I had gathered enough information to start piecing together the puzzle of Mystic Falls. The names and faces of key players were filed neatly in his mind, along with the layout of the school and the nuances of its social web. But school was only one part of the mission.
The late afternoon sun cast long shadows as he walked through the streets of Mystic Falls. The Lockwood Mansion loomed in the distance, its grandeur a testament to the family's wealth and influence. The Mystic Grill bustled with patrons, its warm lights glowing against the darkening sky. But I wasn't interested in either of those places today.
Mystic Fall cemetery was a relic of a bygone era, its weathered gravestones standing like sentinels over the dead. Hunter walked with purpose, his boots crunching against the gravel path. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves. It was quiet here, save for the distant rustle of trees swaying in the wind.
He stopped before a gravestone etched with the name Giuseppe Salvatore. His fingers brushed over the cold stone, and a faint hum of energy buzzed beneath his fingertips. "It's still here; one can never be too careful with butterfly effects. Just my whole being existing itself fucks up the timeline."
That being said, I quickly opened up my satchel." I don't have much time," yet, for some reason, that didn't affect me as much as I thought; I had to keep an eye on that. I carefully draw a pentagram with black salt. While simultaneously positioning four candles at the cardinal points (North, South, East, and West) to channel their respective energies.
"Now it is time for the nitty gritty." I slice my hand using my blood as a conduit to decrease the effect of traditional magic on the body—Inflammetur Teine and, with that, the candles light. " I have one time to get this right, or I'm fucked with that being the case i visualize the grimoire to the best of my abilities from what I remember from the show, "Byenveni nan danse lanmò, kote plas chanje anba lalin lan. Mwen rele fòs sa yo, an reta, an prezan, ak tan kap vini. Kite yo dwe nan plas lòt yo! Twoke! Twoke! Fè chanjman rive!"
"Byenveni nan danse lanmò, kote plas chanje anba lalin lan. Mwen rele fòs sa yo, an reta, an prezan, ak tan kap vini. Kite yo dwe nan plas lòt yo! Twoke! Twoke! Fè chanjman rive!"
"Byenveni nan danse lanmò, kote plas chanje anba lalin lan. Mwen rele fòs sa yo, an reta, an prezan, ak tan kap vini. Kite yo dwe nan plas lòt yo! Twoke! Twoke! Fè chanjman rive!"
Seal!!!!