After school, the twins waited in the library for their parents to come pick them up. They haven't been able to explore around the city yet, so staying on academy grounds was their only option for now. While Vanessa hopped up to a table to begin re-reading Romeo and Juliet for class, Victoria wandered the building before stumbling upon the manga area. She let out a light squee before she jumped just high enough to grab book one of her favorite series, Full Metal Alchemist.
The screen near the front door was playing the news on low volume as to not to disturb others, though that was proving to be a challenge due to recent events. Vanessa overhead the tail end of the broadcast, along with the crowd of whispering around the desk. "From the court case of an alleged pedophile being waived, to the terrifying confessions from the leadership of our nation...one has to ask? Are these people really who you want keeping us safe. This has been Rachel Fabrey with A68 saying please be cautious."
Abney, across the damn city, was currently sitting in New Horizons, currently being checked over by Jennifer of all people as he had a very unique condition that made life difficult for him... and ironically enough, the ticking clock noise he had heard at the end of the court case only served to be justified in terms of worry, as the curse that he, and oddly enough, Rosarisi, was afflicted by had reared its ugly head again.
"So give me a straight answer... what did it do this time?" he asked flatly.
Jennifer said nothing for a moment, continuing her scans and tests before closing the unique device she used to test for such an irritating curse. "Congratulations Abney, you've somehow rewound again." she says sadly. "It's not a matter of what it did this time, but..." she sighed softly. "...you're fourteen again."
"Oh come on!" he whined. "That means I'm gonna be stuck in school even longer..." he said in a sad tone, sobbing just a little. "Is there any way to undo it? I know you're a mighty Archangel and can do some pretty fucky things with time, space, and reality, but isn't there a—"
"I wish I was allowed to Abney, but unfortunately, you're gonna just have to deal with it until it decides to skip back to your old age, or, you age up the old fashion way." said Jennifer with a frown. "I'm sorry. My boss would hang me if I did anything to correct this as it'd be actively interfering with temporal fates, and I don't think you want Azrael up your ass about it"
"Fuck him..." he growled in annoyance. "...I'll deal with it, not like it interferes with my work anyways!" he scoffs, hopping off the table. "Thank you for being so prompt... do you ever sleep?"
"Nope!" she smiles. "Now run along, it's a school day tomorrow"
"Yeah... don't remind me..." he grumbles as he heads out.
As he was exiting the hospital, he would be greeted by the sight of two tall, fully grown Ninetails. One of them looked almost like him with an orange coat and frayed red hair, though he also displayed a mix of cream stripes that seemed to have been scarred to hell and back. The other though likely caught him off guard, a charcoal colored female with pure white tails and hair, her emerald green eyes and markings visible as they walk past him towards the school.
He blinked, the first one, sure, he had seen variants like that before, the scars made him curious though, but the second one... that one sent a bit of a panic through him as a deep-rooted memory came back to haunt him. Harper. He eyetwitched, then decided to duck and run off toward the library, barging in as he panted, looking just a little panicked.
"There's no way that was... no, no no, Harper is dead, and so is his work..." he muttered quietly to himself, then shook out his coat quickly, collar rattling for a moment as he did so, before he moved off to hide in the manga section of the library, unaware of who or what might be in there too.
Victoria set her book down, raising a brow in curiosity over her new friends panic, "Abney, right? What's going on...you look like those bullies from lunch cornered you or something. Anything I can do to help?" she asked as she approached him.
Abney tensed just a little, then nodded and gulped a little. "Just... panicked from a misunderstanding from someone on the street, is all, I thought they were something—" he bit his tongue, then corrected. "Someone else... someone I don't wanna see ever again." he took a deep breath, then sighed, steam leaving his mouth after he did so. "Sorry... but a hug or something would be a mild help"
She looked as if she wanted to inquire more about who he was running from, but pulled him into a hug instead. "Sorry to hear." she replied as Vanessa came back towards them. "Vicky, mom and dad are here...oh, hey Abney! Sorry I didn't notice you sooner." she blushed, not wanting to admit she had gotten absorbed in the world of Shakespeare.
"Hi Vanessa" he said, returning the hug to Vicky before he let go and gave a light smile, admittedly, he was curious of their parents, but didn't wanna just wander up and say "hi" to them, but that wouldn't stop him from peeking at the main lobby of the library to see them.
Sure enough, he would see the same pair from the street, confirmed by Vanessa running over and giving an affectionate nuzzle into her mother's dark coat. Victoria was slower, turning to Abney and asking, "Wanna meet them?" in her usual bright tone, completely oblivious to his fears.
Abney gulped, spotting the dark coated tales yet again... he felt his heart beginning to thud harder in his chest, his fur slightly standing on end, but then he reminded himself, that's not her, that couldn't be her, that will never be her, before his eyes turned back to Vanessa. "S-Sure, uh, might as well right?" he says, his voice pitching in a higher tone, almost sounding girly for a moment, which would probably amuse the two of them.
Victoria didn't seem to notice his hesitation as she bolted to the door, almost tackling her father with a playful pounce. "Mom, Dad guess what? We met someone like us here! His name is Abney and...huh...I swear he was right behind me."
He steps out into the open, hesitating a bit, before finally pushing his woes aside and walking up, giving a polite bow to the two of them. "Hello sir, ma'am, I'm... Abney" he said with a soft smile, despite being fourteen now, he looked closer to twelve.
Vincent looked him over for a second before giving a hardy chuckle, "Nice to meet you son, it's good to see my girls won't feel so different here. Names Vincent Shade."
Angelica was quiet as her husband spoke first, she seemed to carry herself in a very professional, almost noble manner. When she spoke, her voice was a stark contrast to Vincent, soft and smooth. "Agreed, pleasure to make your acquaintance Abney. My name is Angelica. It seems our girls have taken quite a liking to you on their first day, thank you for your kindness." she said with a respectful bow of her head.
He thinks to himself. "Okay, good, the name doesn't line up with the demon... and if it was Shadow, she would try to eat me in about... now." he gives a kind smile to the two of them. "It truly is a pleasure to make your acquaintances, I seem to have become fast friends with your daughters" he chuckles and smiles, rubbing the back of his head with a paw for a moment, only to get a very odd feeling he was being watched. "So uh, is there anything you'd like to know about me? Ask away, I have nothing to hide" he said shakily, his blue eyes occasionally glancing at Angelica, despite the fear, he kept reminding himself it wasn't Shadow, and he was safe.
"Perhaps we can start by inquiring as to why you seem so uncomfortable, have we done something to offend?" Angelica stepped closer, those deep green eyes almost staring straight into his soul before Vincent held up a paw. "Now now dearie, you don't need to interrogate the poor lad."
Abney would gulp as she stepped closer. "I don't wish to offend, but I'm nervous, very nervous" he admitted, he didn't wish to say exactly why as to not be rude, but he hoped she wouldn't push. "I mean no offense, and you've done nothing wrong, I promise, really!" he said, giving a meek smile toward Angelica that said 'please don't hurt me'.
She stopped, her face now showing a gentle smile, "That's fair I suppose, I do appreciate your honesty. How long have you resided on the island if I may? I've been hearing some unsettling information..." she tried to ask next, but she fell silent when noticing a look from her husband. "Dear...I told you not to worry about that. It can't be as bad as it was back home, enough." Vincent stated coldly. "This place seems to have a far better leadership in play than that bloody dictator."
Vincent welcomed the break in tension then calmly looked back towards Abney, "Not a problem, your little brother here was simply getting to know us a bit."
The twins looked shocked, "Why did you only mention having a brother? Hi! You can call me Victoria, Vicky for short. Nice to meet you." Victoria chimed in. Vanessa on the other hand walked over to Abney and whispered, "Sorry...mom saw the news last night, she's scared." before realizing she was being rude, "I'm Vanessa, h..hello." she introduced herself like her sister.
"Hi there, I'm Ruby!" she smiles, then rests a paw on top of Abney's head. "And don't mind the non-mention of me, he sometimes forgets I exist, I'm pretty forgettable~" she laughs.
"Do nooot!" he whines. "And you're hardly forgettable Ruby, you've been a menace for the past fourteen years"
"Mmm, even though I don't look it" she chuckles.
"Erm... so uhm... meet my sister Ruby, I legitimately thought she was in America still, not... here." he gulps, which meant that his parents were here too no doubt. Uh oh.
Angelica was glancing over the hybrid with curiosity but didn't say anything before Vincent stated, "It seems that the two of you have some catching up to do, come girls, we should be getting home."
The two young Vulpix nodded in unison before hugging Abney on either side. "Yes sir, see you tomorrow Abney, nice to meet you Ruby!" said Victoria as they followed their parents out to the sidewalk.
"See ya!" she grins, then the moment the two were alone, she slowly looked down and growled at her brother. "You're coming with me..." she said in an annoyed tone, before yanking him up by the scruff and walking out of the library, headed right for where their family was.
