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Catherine was just finishing unpacking her old stuff from her parents' home to a fresh apartment. She was finally going to that university she and her parents were waiting for her to go to.
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She moves things through her "living room", adjusting the dresser to be against the wall and placing her dusty family photos on it. After a bit more shuffling and placing, she sits down on her puffy couch and turns on the TV to her favorite show.
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"Finally done..." she sighed.
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Then she remembers the gift her grandparents had left her for the graduation party. Catherine told herself not to open it until she got to her apartment, but now that she was here, her curiosity finally broke her, causing her to snatch the box from the table beside her and rip open the wrapping paper.
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She slowly opened the box, and the only thing that was inside, was a brilliantly golden watch that sparkled when she rocked the box from side to side. There was also a note, written in her grandmother's handwriting.
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You have been selected as a Prodigy. Use that watch well, and have a wonderful time at university.
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"Prodigy?" She read the note over and over, trying to make sense of it. What was a Prodigy?
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She turned the card to the other side. More writing, it's seemed like directions.
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In the dead of night
Tap on the inside
Drag forward or back
Close your eyes and hold your breath
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Her cellphone started to vibrate. She picks up the phone, and holds it up against her ear.
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"Hello?"
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"Cathie!" It was Talia, her friend from high school. Her eyes lit up when she heard her voice.
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"Tal? It's been a while. How's everything doing on your end?"
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"Good. Still working on getting my stuff ready to move out, how about you?"
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"Traffic was slow as hell, but I have most of my stuff in the apartment. I have to go to the storage place tomorrow and get the rest.."
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"I could help you. We can meet up tomorrow and go together."
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"Awe, thanks," she said, twirling the golden streak of her hair. "I can go after I finish class for the day, show you this pretty watch my grandparents bought me."
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"Ooh, a watch?"
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"Yeah. Also came with this weird note. Something like directions?"
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"Weird. Your grandparents didn't say anything about it?"
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"No, I'm just opening the box, and you're the first person to call me.."
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"I dunno, maybe follow the directions and see what happens. Maybe it's how to get it set or something?"
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Catherine looked back down at the clock, realizing it hadn't moved an inch since she'd open the box.
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"You actually might be right, it's not moving...like at all."
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"I thought so. I'll let you concentrate on that and I'll call you back, okay?"
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"... Okay. See you later."
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"Bye!"
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...She looked out the window. The sky was bleeding orange through her curtains. Now was the perfect time to see what she what these instructions really did.
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She tapped the middle of the clock as instructed. She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and slides her fingertip counterclockwise.
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A wave of wind blew past her hair and almost knocked her down.
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"What the-"
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She reaches for the window to shut it from this hurricane blowing the papers in her room, until she realized. There was no way wind could be blowing past her. The window was closed.
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Catherine was even more confused now, frantically looking around to figure out what was happening. She could see the air around her warp into faces and memories of the past. Her living room shimmered a dim and faded blue. There was a blinding light, calling her to come closer.
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"Holy crap..." she said underneath her breath. "I guess I'm supposed to...go in?"
She takes a step towards it, the sound of the now shattered floor crackling beneath her feet. Then, she carefully walked towards the light.
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It felt as if she walked past a doorframe.
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"Grandma, Grandad, what the hell did you get me into..?"
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Catherine was outside, a large wall in the distance and music playing. Swaying next to her was a thin tree bearing large apples on almost every branch.
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"...Well, if I'm gonna stay here forever, I might as well get a snack..."
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Forcefully, she started to kick and ram into the tree, causing something larger than a couple apples fall out. At least a big one fell right beside her.
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"I hope that wasn't a dead body..." she half jokes, taking a bite of her newly obtained snack.
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It was a body, but he was very much alive.
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"A very comical jester thou are..." He says with clenched teeth as he gets up.
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She almost choked on the bite she was chewing on.
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"Jesus Christ!"
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"...Art thou okay?"
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"You could've told me you were in that stupid tree!"
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"I was asleep..."
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"...Who the hell sleeps in a tree?!"
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"...I shall ask again..art thou okay?"
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"I don't even know where I am!"
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"...I see.." The boy takes a look at Catherine's watch, which was swinging around her neck, only to for Catherine to jump to conclusions and slap him as hard as hard as she could.
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"What's your problem?!"
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"I was admiring your clock. I have no interest in you."
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He pulls a golden chain from his garments and revealing another sparkling golden watch, identical to her own.
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"My name is Nathaniel. It seems thou art also a Prodigy..."
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"Prodigy?"
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"A Prodigy is a time traveler and protector of Time itself. This ability is gifted to one of Prodigious blood before them."
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This was so unbelievable to her, but to be honest, so had everything else.
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"Well, if I'm freely able to time travel, I should be able to get back home, right?"
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"...No, not necessarily. If thou go to a time too far, thou won't have enough Tempural Energy to go back to thine own. Thou will need to travel to a closer time.."
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"Does that mean I'm stuck with you?"
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"If thou wants to survive, thou might want to stay with me."
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"I can't tell if you're being sincere or a damn creep.."
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He creates a sword from nowhere and places it's deathly sharp edge close to her throat.
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"Does thou want to die here from starvation?"
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"Are you seriously going to kill me if I don't go with you?"
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"No, that was for attempting to insult me.."
He lets it go, where it fades away into metallic dust, pulling her up.
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"Now, if thou wants to survive, I would suggest you follow me.." he says walking away.
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"Fine. But do something weird and I'll beat the hell out of you."
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"We must be far aroint from the commoners. We mustn't expose ourself."
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"Yeah yeah, secret organization and whatnot. Just hurry up so I can go home,"
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Nathaniel, with his own watch, does the same movements. The time warp appears, brilliantly blue and whispering just as before.
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"Ladies first..." He leads Catherine inside.
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"Ugh.." she stomps into the warp, dragging him by the cravat with her.
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This new time period. It was definitely more industrial, and in the front of them was an worn, abandoned mansion, the windows covered by wooden planks.
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"...Maybe it's better looking indoors?"
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Catherine walks up to the menacing house, but as soon as she knocked on the splintered door, it creaked open.
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"...Come on Nate, door's open."
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"Nate?"
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"It's a nickname. Just hurry up."
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"Why don't thou go by thyself?"
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"Because. You have weapon powers. What if this place is full of gangsters or something?"
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"Fine...however, I shan't be responsible for thou."
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"Just shut up and come in."
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The walk across the wooden floor,9 screeching every step they took.
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"What does thou plan to find?"
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"We can stay here for the night, and we get out the next morning."
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"In this rodent infested place?"
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"It's better than outside, isn't it?"
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They hear another creaking door from somewhere from above the crooked stairs.
Suddenly realizing someone was here, they hid behind a dusty, dingy, couch.
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Shaky footsteps follow.
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"E-Ezra?" A girl's soft voice echoed. She flicks on the barely functioning lights, only slightly brightening the room enough to see.
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Just before the girl could come towards them, Nathaniel jumps up and chokeholds her. The girl appropriately screams, struggling to break free.
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"Nathaniel, what the hell?"
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"If she wants to survive, she'll stop screaming."
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Catherine sees the girl reaching for something from her back pocket...
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The girl takes her object and jams it into his arm, allowing herself to escape. Nathaniel pulls the object, a pair of scissors, out of his arm.
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"H-How did you get here? Who are you?"
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Catherine slowly gets up from her kneeling position. "The door was open when we knocked. We didn't break-...well, we did, but we thought it was abandoned..."
The front door swings open. An older woman runs in and throws Nathaniel and Catherine out of the way.
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"E-Ezra!"
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"Isabelle! Are you alright?!"
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"I'm o-okay,"
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"Good, good.." The woman, supposedly named Ezra, lets her go. She turns to the two, her expression changes from a caring mother figure to a ball of rage.
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"What...are you doing here?"
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"We just wanted a place to stay for the night.."
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"And you think attacking my sister is a reason why I should let you stay?"
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"We thought the place was-"
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Ezra pulls out a knife and points it towards Catherine's neck.
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"... Isabelle?"
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"Mhm?"
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"What should we do?"
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"...If t-they need a p-place to stay...I don't mind letting them stay in my room.."
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"...You're too sweet." She removes the knife and slips it back into her bag. "Show them upstairs. Scream if anything happens."
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Isabelle nods carefully hops up the stairs and disappears into the shadows of the dimmed house.
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The duo carefully follows her. Isabelle grabs the stairs to the attic.
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"Damn, you live in the attic?"
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"It's very spacious up here..." she responds, carefully climbing up.
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Isabelle was right, the attic was extremely spacious, but that space was filled row to row with porcelain dolls.
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Catherine hated the things, their uncanny faces and glassy eyes intimidated her. She carefully walked up, the attic emitting a stuffy, but aromatic mist upon her face. That didn't stop her from cringing at the collection, though.
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"I found them when we moved here..." Isabelle stated, her voice a slight echo. "My little sister loved them, so I fixed them for her to play with.."
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"If you don't mind me asking..." Catherine started. "Where is she now?"
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Isabelle went silent. "I d-don't want to t-think about it..."
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Isabelle then sits in her lofty bed, in the more immense part of the attic. Dolls and stuffed animals decorated the
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The two Prodigies sit down on the wooden floor next to it.
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"You d-don't have to sit on the floor."
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"I mean, this guy sleeps in trees like a goddamn sloth, so maybe the floor is an improvement.." Catherine quipped. Nathaniel angrily stares in response.
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"A-anyways..." Isabelle interrupts. "How did you two get here?"
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"If the Tempural Energy brought us here..." Nathaniel thinks aloud.
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"That means one of them is a Prodigy, right?"
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"Most likely..."
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"P-Prodigy?"
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They both pull out their golden watches. "You haven't seen a clock like these have you?"
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"It seems...familiar..." Isabelle instantly gets up and rummages through a desk full of needles, thread, and fabric, when she stops and pulls out another identical watch from the drawer.
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"At first, I t-thought it was just a normal pocket watch my father had forgotten..."
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"Huh. Well, I guess that answers our question.."
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"S-so does that m-mean I can go with you two?"
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"Considering that your sister isn't too keen on letting us stay here in the first place, I don't think asking her is a good idea."
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"D-do have to ask Ezra?"
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"Ask me what?" the sound of the older sister's voice boomed throughout the attic.
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Isabelle finally spoke up. "I-I want to go with them!"
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"...If that's what you're going to do.." she fully stands up from the opening. "then I'm going with you. Prodigious or not."
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"Would that even work?" Nathaniel asks.
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"It wouldn't h-hurt to t-try..."
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"...If thou insists.."
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"But seriously, you three head to bed. I want sleep too."
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"Okay..." Isabelle calls out. "Goodnight."
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"Goodnight.."
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And with that, Ezra left the attic, sliding down the ladder with fading footsteps. Isabelle throws a couple blankets and pillows their way.
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Lights leak through the planks of the roof the mansion the next morning. The stuffy perfume was instantly overpowered by the smell of warm breakfast cooking downstairs. That was enough to wake the three of them.
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"Good morning you two..." Catherine says, stretching the tired out her body.
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Nathaniel was already sipping a cup of coffee. "This drink is surprisingly...bitter.."
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"Well, you're supposed to drink with milk or sugar if you don't like it bitter."
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"I think w-we have some downstairs.." Isabelle informed, head slightly poking from out of her thick comforter and quilt. She then pulls the blankets off and steps out, stretching herself and stepping down to the floor. Catherine had seen something peek out from the opening behind Isabelle, just out of the corner of her eye.
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"Hey, Isabelle. I think one of your dolls is caught on your clothes.."
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"O-Oh? That's never h-happened before..." she reaches behind her. "I c-can't reach it.."
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Catherine sighs, walks over to the girl, and attempts to pull the plush cat, adorned with a creepy stitched grin, off of her back. But when she tugged, the thing angrily screamed and gripped tighter.
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"What the hell?!"
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"Hey hey hey!" the thing said with an angry tone. "Don't pull on me! You'll rip my fabric, you idiot!"
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Catherine stepped back in astonishment.
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"D-Dawlly?"
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"Heya Izzy!"
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"B-But..."
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"What? You think my memory died with your sister?"
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Isabelle starts to go slowly down the rest of the stairs, continuously asking the talking and asking the doll questions. Catherine followed behind, eavesdropping on their conversation.
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"What are...you doing here?"
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"Apparently, I'm your new Gift! Look look!"
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Thin black thread ran between Isabelle's fingers, wrapping around her arms and up her neck.
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"Pretty cool right?" the doll asked, smiling from ear to ear.
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"...I need to wash the sleep from my face.." Isabelle runs like a bolt of lightning to another part of the hall. Catherine hears water running, a splash, whispering, another splash, whispering again.
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"Isabelle, are you alright over there?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7Nm2lxB77
"I-I'm fine!" she calls back.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6eXHOavDFh
"Do you want me to come in?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwRTTugBnW1
"N-No!"
Catherine shakes her head and walks towards the smell baked into the air.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeEP1qlK1Lu
"Took you long enough." She places a plate next to an empty chair. "Where's Isabelle?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnqb5T0kNtV
"In the bathroom.."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEfzOjhwUL4
Ezra leaves another plate and speedwalks to the bathroom door.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqUiUd9UdH
"Isabelle-"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfNdpxvW44
"J-Just a minute.."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxjPEFWuGzE
The door opens, and Isabelle scrambles to pull down her sleeves.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXinr8q3SoL
"...Did something happen?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvrkiFX1lyz
Isabelle softly shakes her head no.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZLYTOwRujH
The doll's piercing, scraping voice suddenly entered the room.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8G2RShxP9
"She's lying. She's trying to hide me!"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmCaYzjvpy
"N-no! G-go a-away!" Isabelle was holding her head inside her hands as more thread spilled from her sleeves.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJUo1MKpAa
"Don't get too frustrated. Don't want you to go insane and start stabbing people again, right?" the toy chuckled.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGBveWzpsCu
"W-what?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipC4dPlFcB
"I don't know what you are, but stop messing with her." Ezra said sternly.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡivW8iZYFR5
"You don't want to attack me either. I'm attached to her soul now, and you won't like her when I make her angry~!"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWRRRMnppw
"Let her go, asshole!" Catherine yelled.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbnHD9U9bZ
"Wow, such vulgar language! I wonder how many words you can say after she sews your damn mouth shut!"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ755DSpJXo
"Try it, prick!"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH7O51MSUJh
"Oooh, okay!"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡltlHKq3wg8
Isabelle's expression changed from fear to anger in seconds, her scared mumbling to angered growls.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNG1gZlQK0
"Isabelle?" Ezra slowly tries to approach.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBklhrGQD61
Isabelle reaches for her back pocket once again.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExr8brzdAX
"Move! She's got a-" Catherine pushes Ezra out of the way, taking the jab from Isabelle's scissors.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvF5TsRLcrk
"See? I told you!"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqBXe8hJils
"Shut up.." Catherine says, holding the shoulder wound.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43eufmfZFm
"Isabelle, that's enough." Nathaniel says, approaching her. "Or... maybe she's in the doll's control?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoYOgIOs5r7
"Damn straight! And that's only a portion of what I can do!"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdLCBG7xqCK
"I see.." Nathaniel states, showing his own Gift. A large, metal, thorn shaped shield adorned his right arm, sharp enough to cut the air around it.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSLi3uDcz3
"Catherine, I would like it if thou take her dearest sister to safety."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYijjQO13lp
"Alright, but I'm coming back. Ezra, let's go."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHwsRGgbqqg
"...Be careful with her, Nathaniel."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyx67T6FxOw
"...I shall try."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc1bvkjsppK
The two run out of the mansion, only barely able to hear the sounds of things clattering to the floor.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMpxU210hz
"I'll be back, hopefully with your sister."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS4ck7cVaiU
"Please..."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Tlc42r0Jg
Catherine runs back into the now destroyed house.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvvtk0aZPl
"Awe, Cathie's back!"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzP5vBLYEVX
Catherine takes a glance at Nathaniel, scratches from the scissor jabs and slashes all over him and his shield-spear.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCg8ZK1IsK7
"Isabelle is very formidable when angered.." he says in-between shallow breaths.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXaaUFR7uI
"Finally giving up, Nate?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOYDY2eaFj0
"...Yes."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2vtkosLTNg
"Good! Now..."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmaeYnwcSub
Isabelle snaps back to her normal self, dropping the scissors.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9iLbWWuDy
"Dawlly...never do that again..."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1VmkmOZznm
"How about this? I only do it when you need me to. I'll even ask, okay?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9MT4yJdDe
"...Only w-when I need to."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR25sC2rGpa
"You got it boss!" the doll disappears, slipping itself inside her pocket.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSoVGngJELq
The three of them go outside, where Ezra makes sure Isabelle is okay. Isabelle assures her she's just fine.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrxqi8JrVt
Catherine tapped her clock, pulled the hands forward, and the time warp opens.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXoNZnjzKQC
"Well, let's see where this takes us. Hopefully, I can finally go home."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuGwFO2RWVP
"I-I've never d-done this before.."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXCoMfjF7Np
"It's like walking through the door. Nothing bad's gonna happen, alright?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxiJOMkz1DV
"O-okay.."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMh83Jeuhn
And with that small exchange of words, the four of them went through the time warp, but instead of a different Time Period like they were expecting, it was a small pocket dimension. And inside...was a giggly, eccentric white-faced jester, covered in makeup and vibrant colored clothing.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUANWCGZE8o
"Oho! Visitors visitors!" it said, jumping up and down.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxCXcS7yQBE
"Oh great.."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZejHQoyQoL
"U-uhm..."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2Dwybmx9V
"What's the matter? Afraid of lil' old me?" it's crescent moon like smile only got wider. "I know plenty of games that'll get you nice and warmed up to me!"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3BZIlJcy4L
"Games like what?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgzE8hRjzx
"Dodgeball perhaps?" he pulls out bells, three times as small as his spindly hands.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkSFEDjiSd
"Those are...easily avoidable." Nathaniel says, taking a better look at them.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQ3AJ5E4VS
Ohohoho! No, no, these are everything but avoidable!" the jester proclaimed. "Take a look and see!"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAEL3fxNHAv
The jester threw them behind himself. Then, a loud boom emanated from every corner. A burning ball of orange and red roared behind. "So, let's get playin', shall we?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAK9JxieVNB
"I'm afraid not.."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkeSDQKJbdR
"Yeah, you can't really play dodgeball with high grade explosives."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1ZoqJ9ja7
"Oho! I don't think you understood! That was an order..."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvOJBYch5K
"You, a jester, order me?" Nathaniel revealed his Gift.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyxRKKIUEis
"That's the rule of the game!" the jester throws the bomb from every angle it can with such agility, leaving the four to barely escape the explosions.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKECWFs0QQc
"This piece of crap isn't kidding!"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSw8OyNVexy
"I-I'll try to hold his arms b-back! Dawlly!"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUTvMM3tPk
"Yeah yeah, I've got it." Dawlly took Isabelle's Gift, wrapping the thread around the jester's body.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAZx7SYCVV3
"Oooooh, not fair, not fair!"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAJqacoK4D
"Shut the hell up, you almost killed us, you better believe it's fair." Catherine snapped, dusting the ash and gunpowder from her clothing.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiAPqpjdrLd
"You rulebreakers must be punished!" A loud roar came from the jester's voice. They braced themselves.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfeAcA0UfY
"Tempus: Cessatio!" another voice called out. Suddenly, it felt as if time itself had stopped. Catherine and the others couldn't move. In their frozen state, they saw a woman, floating there in front of them. Going in front of their assailant, the woman tears a warm, brilliant light from the jester's chest, and slips it into her bag. She snaps her fingers, and suddenly...
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDeAi1QKP33
The four of them grab ahold of their chest and faces, frantically trying to understand what happened.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNOWowWIks
"Hey hey hey, don't worry, I didn't do anything to you.." the woman states. "I just took Pierrot's Tempural Spirit."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOihqwmEJuW
"Is that w-what that...warm light was?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewqTYpPjVc
"Mhm. I'm glad I came at the right time, too. Can't be a teacher without students, right?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvl2sHrbz0
"Teacher? You mean to tell me I have to go to school here too?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQcPmx1zfTN
"Eh, somewhat. My name's Verna, by the way. I keep watch of the Time Realm while Father Time is away. Now, for your next mission..."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFfGgQsOUWH
"Mission? We literally almost got blown to smithereens by clown boy over there, don't you think we need a little bit of a break?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19DpQ89ASD
"Well, you still need one more Prodigy in order to reach your 'breakroom', so find him and come back, okay?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN0dbm5Bva2
"Uuugh, fine. We'll find the stupid boy and bring him back. Where are we headed? Past? Future?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQTnCtNOrg
"Future, now hop to it."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9V7yahJyw
"Alright, alright, but after this, I'm going home."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqm6RnxGNdQ
"If you so desire.." Verna gladly drags Pierrot to the time warp and chucks him in. "I'll see you guys later. Don't die."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB1Rim15BMg
Catherine hoped this was the last time she had to travel around. The after affects of it was starting to hit her, but nonetheless, she did the thing threw herself in, and...
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFp5uPpZZUT
Suddenly, she was surrounded my metal bars, and a dingy atmosphere.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8Yv11WkkR
"Ah, crap..." she grumbled. "...We're in prison.."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN4WaHbIaNl
"We shall split up. I go west, Isabelle and Ezra go east, and Catherine, thou go north."
Nathaniel states, pointing them in the right direction.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNuaIyPYlcu
"Okay, splitting up inside a place like this is not a good idea.." Ezra returns.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrYQOtAWvtz
"It is the only way we can cover ground. I'm sure you understand we're looking for someone in such a large facility."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZU9YpyOyAO
"If this was a horror movie, we'd be dead. If we split up, we get lost and can't get to the others if we need them." Catherine adds. "The best way is to go down to every four way, and try your plan. We go down each of the halls, if we don't find the guy, we come back, go down to the next four way, repeat."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0tZcxU6Pdh
"That's a b-bit complicated..."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbKvfyUZ4k
"It's not as complicated as you think."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWphkZULXg
"Yeah, let's try this one and see.."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfLmPgt44A
They try it on the first four-way they come across, but all the cages in the halls were empty. They try the second one, same thing there. The third time, but to no avail.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWFbb0CVT8D
It was only after the fifth time when someone was found within these brick walls and metal bars.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXGvAin3Cuz
"God, I hate this place. Why are we in prison, damnit?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7PecuTJZ8
"Correction..." a boy's voice echoed. "I'm in prison. You're in a prison."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeAE8hvmIEg
"Oh shut up, smarta-"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW3HeZ4agva
For once she could finally feel the Tempural Energy reaching out to her, pointing her to the person they were looking for.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKXaMo5fVv
"You. You're a Prodigy."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mN8cNLnEg
"A what now?" He begins slinging around a golden blur.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxcb78SNvq
"Whatcha got there?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgiLjI4rm64
He stops twirling the thing around his finger. "It's a watch or something. I just liked the way it looked. I'm a bit of a kleptomaniac."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nROElvfkw
"So you stole it."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzWmokOO4lH
"I'll take what I can get. Now, what's a wonderful looking lady such as yourself doing here?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNSiRPih0Z
"Oi, d-don't flirt with me!" Catherine sputtered. "I'm here to get you, and then I'm going home, that's it, alright?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vgNhD5J4s
"I'd love to take you."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8eZlYHhR1N
"...I hate that you'd love to take me. Now get up."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoi8eEsabO3
"If I move any further than that doorframe, it shocks me. Unless you have a better idea, I'm staying right here."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpD5W1ClMVs
"If the problem is the doorframe, then I can just destroy it, right?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRgfgbqopqT
"...If that's what you want to do."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FBE3NkDan
"Do you have a stick or a bat or something?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCBqH8PIOD
"Nope, they confiscated my stuff before they threw me in here."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzUStUSXpLl
"Then I'll just break it by hand." Catherine states. She walks up to the bars, starts kicking at the bars to, at least, loosen them, but suddenly... she's on the other side.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjH2EU1NEHw
"What the hell?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7P1R4mkWea
"Got anymore good plans, Einstein?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNEWTp55HMh
"You shut up." She sternly commanded. "I'm trying to figure out how I got in here in the first place."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlj08Oae1R4
"From what I've seen, you just clipped right through. The bars didn't move a bit."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMPXv3l7JS
"...Let me try-"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfnXZMuXGb0
As if on cue, she falls through the floor, unaware of her newly obtained Gift. It was like swimming through water, as she gracefully glided through the solid rock floor. She peeks out from the floor, finally discovering her ability, Phasing.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN0jk9r7iWL
"Holy crap." she snickers. "I'm definitely pissing off Nate with this."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjfs7evbCLQ
"Hey, you're not helping me out by plotting whatever you're planning."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0iyoR4a0V
"Yeah yeah, give me a second."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYtptatGF3v
She slips back through the floor and back behind bars.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiXUehrrfBa
"I'm gonna be honest, I don't think this is going to work."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ArU3uYQs2
"Can't hurt to try though, right?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBXCpskA8W2
Catherine sighs. "Come on...try not to breathe."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcQf9psLoa
She unwillingly grabs the guy's hand, and activates her ability. On the other side, she throws him out first, then climbs up after him.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYd29S01cPC
"Nice...I guess."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20PpBo7a99
"Now, let's go. Please."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwejtDzNhfn
"Finally."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMlerlajiq2
"Hey Nate! Isabelle! I found him!"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOI14G29oc6
Catherine turns to the boy. "Put the stupid watch on...what's your name again?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvoSbfJQgdZ
"Arsenio..." he letting the watch drop around his neck.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBV6lM6BAtr
"Alright, we just have to wait for the others."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGT0i3MqSSw
"N-no need Catherine..."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vagZNJraN
"Speak of the devil. Here they are."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKg05LajJO
"H-Hello...my name is...Isabelle..."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs8t9b0YCUl
"Arsenio..."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuLM8E8IEiF
"N-Nice to meet you.."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMsxQHYiybT
"I haven't seen anyone for the last...five years. And two beautiful young ladies at that."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDVFXMqmGd8
"Let's skip the pickup lines and get out of this place, please?" Catherine rushed. " I have classes tomorrow, and you people are wasting precious time."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6A4OWLcjbS
"Actually, you guys won't be staying home for long." Verna's voice echoed through the dingy halls. "I'm sure you'll miss your friends and family, but the Time Realm really needs your help.."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvYfvLQTa6E
Catherine groans. "I don't want to keep moving around different points in time! I'm getting sick just walking through the stupid portals and whatnot!"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvaVP4JPS5U
"I understand, you want to go back to your normal lives, but without you, we basically have no concept of time at all."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVYJZtC6Qyr
"...What else could you possibly need?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlTLs9httn6
"I need you five to come with me.." Verna's usual bubbly tone grew stern and serious in a heartbeat as she opened another time warp, guiding them inside. They walk out the other side, to an almost heaven-like place.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ73bjIojG3z
"This...is the Time Realm. And over there...is the home of Father Time."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRTJI1KZsTv
"What are we doing here, exactly?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡckzQyNmi2y
"It's the Fabric of Time..." she almost mumbled. "It's ripping apart as we speak. Quickly, we mustn't waste time."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjjLYMiYyW
The Prodigies ran as fast as they could, following Verna to a secret room, and when she opened the door, the mess of what seemed to be the Fabric of Time floated within.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiTY1aZ0P7t
"This is where we keep logs of events of the past and future, and without them, the events that helped become you will disappear and..."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4aPJJqju2
"So what can we do to fix it?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqy4sAHt8Lk
"The Timebreakers are probably a cause, pocket dimensions do tend to warp the timeline quite a bit. Stop them, and we might be able to mend it enough to solve the other part and heal it completely.."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7QSSvIUyO
"And what happens if we don't?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWImeWTzj7
"I'm afraid the concept of time would be lost. No night, no day, no anything, the world...no, the universe would be destroyed if there's space but no time."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPjMiRB0Z5
"So, mend the Fabric, and we can go home?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK25ZgHuuup
"Yes. If I could do this alone, I would."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5l5zA8QnXX
Before Catherine could speak her mind, Nathaniel comes up with an answer.
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9AL7kfIncq
"Thou may rely on us."
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0Eg4VqX3B
"Nate!"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPFw1QBLPku
"Would thou rather us die without trying?"
511Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmum1CtHTjV
"No, but have you seen what the stupid jester did? We almost died back th-"
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"Dying is not something I am afraid of. If thy cowardice is what is holding thou back," he turns his back towards her. "Then maybe thou should not be a Prodigy after all."
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Walking towards the door, he looks back towards the Timekeeper. "Does thou have any rooms for us to stay in?"
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"...Ah, yes. This way.."
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Verna gracefully leads them out, closing the door as she peeked inside. She approaches another door, places her own, slightly larger watch into the divot in it's center.
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As the door slowly opened, Catherine heard the clicking of the gears as the two parts glided from each other.
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The room was strangely comfortable to the five when they finally dropped where they were standing.
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"Finally!" Catherine exclaimed. "I can finally sit the hell down!"
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"Get comfortable, because this is where you're going to sleep every night until the Fabric of Time is fixed."
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"I can deal with that." Arsenio states, lounging on one of the beds. "Now, how about some snacks? I'm starving.."
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"Yeah yeah, I'll get you teens something to snack on. Just...don't destroy anything, alright?" Verna replies.
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"O-okay.."
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Verna leaves them in the spacious room.
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Isabelle gets to sewing and knitting with Ezra helping her, Nathaniel starts to read a book, and Arsenio tinkers with his handcuffs. Catherine watches as they do their own hobbies and starts to do her own, writing short paragraphs in her notebook. She enjoyed as her slightly cursive handwriting inked on the paper as she wrote about some ideas she had rattling in her head.
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She looked at the others. The paragraph's words entered her head as she saw what each were doing.
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Catherine wrote and erased, thinking of other ways she could rephrase it. It took forever for her concentrated mind to slow down and fall asleep, and just before she gave up, she noticed everyone else, items in hand, asleep comfortably in beds.
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"Heh." she chuckled. "I can finish this later." Catherine slips the now dull pencil into the book's crease before shutting it closed, pulling the blanket over herself, and finally closing her eyes.
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To be continued in Prodigy: Casters of Time: Chapter 2
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