THE FILLE FETALE

embryxnewton​:

With Sky and Tomi taking a day, and Sean still in class, Embry found herself with a lot of time during her free period. So instead of staying at school, she had the idea of to go to the library. Embry was confident that she could make the trip and back way before her period was over. after all, it was a short distance between the school and the library. 

As she approached the place, she heard familiar voices - although muffled - coming from inside. And honestly, she did not know what to expect considering the surprises in this town but she genuinely didn’t think she’d find Peyton here of all places. “Oh. Hi.” She slowed down her steps as she approached the two. Once she got to the counter, she lifted her backpack onto it. She didn’t know what to say and she wasn’t at all suspicious - this was just random. “Where’s Kala?” 

Evan could sense the blonde even before she actually set foot inside the library, and it was more than enough to put her at ease after that last little cringe-inducing demonstration by the young shifter. She smiled at Embry as she approached the counter and made herself at home, finding a small bit of satisfaction in knowing she had managed to make the girl comfortable in what was essentially Evan’s own home.

“Kala is at Guild meeting, and Peyton wanted to learn more about the town so, now I get the pleasure of playing babysitter until Kala returns,” she replied, not even bothered with the fact that Peyton was still very much there.

“Oh! Hello!” She greeted when she heard the doors open. Though she did meet her yesterday at the diner, Peyton didn’t really quite talk with everyone at length but from what she could tell so far, everyone was very friendly - some .. didn’t think before they spoke but the shifter was the last person to judge since she often ran her mouth too. 

“Guys, I’m right here.” She looked between the two - especially at Evan who spoke as if she wasn’t even there. “And yes, I don’t know if it was planned but I guess she needed a break from me because I talk to me as she mentioned many times before - and I do try not to talk too much but obviously it doesn’t work out. And yeah! I’m here because I just wanted to know more about this town. I was telling Evan here that this place is way better than the city life. It’s small, but everyone’s literally friends with everyone. It’s homey.”

“Well they do say it’s far better to listen when we’re quite ourselves so…” she trailed off, figuring her point was made well enough. Evan once again simply waited for an opportune moment. “And it shows,” she chuckled, in regards to having been an only child and now the youngest. “I’m sure everything will work out as it should. Things have a funny way of doing that, even if we don’t always end up with the result we wanted, we’ll usually get the one we needed. You of course also have to take into account that this is Amaryllis’ home now. It’s taken her years to make it so, and I don’t see her wanting to leave it behind. So the real question is, what will your mother be willing to do to keep her in her in your lives.”

Evan nodded and said, “Yeah, I tried the city life for a bit after high school. It wasn’t really for me. Too much newness, too many people, not nearly enough readily available resources for peeps like me,” she pointed to her ears. “At least here I know the layout of things, I know the people and if my aids run out of battery, not many folks will know ASL but they’ll now me and be able help out. This town has more than its fair share of surprises, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

She looked at the other incredulously because she had no idea it was that obvious,”Wait.. that I’m an only child or that I’m .. well, the younger one.” She frowned, "I feel like neither answer is going to be better than the other.” Peyton wasn’t bothered by it at all, just curious to what people saw because it wasn’t just Evan who said that about her. “I hope it ends well. I know it totally feels like an ambush - well, I guess it was an ambush.. even though I didn’t mean for it to be but like, she’s still family. I don’t think we should ever abandon family even if.. well, mom .. sorta.. did.” She grew quiet as she thought through her words. Were they going to be okay? She really hope they don’t get kicked out of town for bothering Amaryllis too much. “Oh! Of course! Of course, This is Amaryllis’ home. We’d be monsters to be trying to make her leave here. She knows this place way longer than she knows us so that totally makes sense.” She sighed, “Mom’s... she looks really cold-hearted but I swear she’s not. Honestly though, I’d be cool if she decides that we move here. I don’t think dad’s going to complain, he goes where mom goes. This town is pretty amazing on its own too. City’s life is totally overrated.”

Peyton’s mouthed made an ‘o’ as she learned that the librarian was wearing an aid before she got really excited, but still waited until the other finished speaking. “Oh! OH! Someone taught me a sign or two one year..” She hummed as she tried to remember it, her hand slowly making the gestures, “Um... I think it was this... and this..? Wait no, this.....” It took her a while but in the end, managed to remember.. most of it. “Was that right? I hope I didn’t like.. accidentally insult you.” She chuckle - was she joking? Maybe. The girl wasn’t even sure if she got the sign down. 

Evan knew better than to try and actually provide a response to someone who couldn’t manage to hold off for more than two seconds before speaking again, so instead she just waited until there was an actual pause. “…yeah…I’m beginning to see why Kala would be more than happy to find somewhere safe to drop you off for a bit. She’s not really the most social, and you my friend probably drained her battery a few times over just in the walk over,” she chuckled. Picking up on how the girl was still uncertain about her place in town, Evan offered her a smile and said, “You wanted to meet your sister. That’s not a sin. My own sister did the same thing, and eventually we’ve managed to come to a point where we get along rather well and get to speak reguarly-ish. She works nights, so we usually hang out at her job, but as awkward as it is finding out you have family you never knew, it works out. Besides, I thought we made it pretty clear last night that unless you’ve managed to fuck up royally, we’re a pretty welcoming bunch here.”

Evan nodded at the first question and said, “Yeah. 1692.” She let out a small laugh and added, “Fallcrest was specifically founded as a haven for us, and was even actually warded in order to only be for supernaturals up until 1776. And even though we’re far from the only ‘supernatural’ town in the world, I assure you there will never be a place quite like Fallcrest.”

“I can tell.” She laughed when the other said that Kala wasn’t the most social. That much was obvious even if no one said anything, especially with the way she had been dealing with her. “Still, she’s pretty fun to talk to! At least I think so - clearly the feeling isn’t mutual though because she just thinks I talk too much. But it’s not like I don’t find what she says interesting? I like hearing what she says.” As always, the shifter rambled. “I hope it works out with Amaryllis.. I would love to have a sister around - of course, I wouldn’t force it on her if she really wants nothing to do with us - but! But, she did agree to meet up with us, well, mom first because they’ve got stuff to sort out .. but that’s a start, right? I have a sister. I can’t wrap my mind around that after years of thinking I was an only child - and now I’m the youngest.. Oh my god.” 

Peyton leaned against the counter, “Wow, this town really got history.. That’s pretty awesome. I know there’s other ‘supernatural’ places in the world but other than my home, this is probably the only other place I’ve physically been to so it’s still pretty neat to me. And in a small town, I never knew just how real it was.. you know the idea of literally everyone knowing you and you knowing everyone was. I don’t even know my neighbour.”  

Evan knew better than to try and get in an actual greeting when Kala came around, so instead she just gestured a small salute with her fingers and then turned her attention to the young…shifter. Granted, the blonde couldn’t give too much credit to her supe-dar on that one because knowing that she’s Amaryllis’ sister kind of narrowed that down. “Eh, it’s not the first time she’s just waltzed in and dropped off a cute girl at my desk before waltzing back out. Of course, it’s usually my girlfriend and her little brother, but I’m nothing if not adaptive.”

She let out a chuckle at the rambling. “Breathe, kid. As the head librarian, I run a tight ship and i can manage well without me when needed so no worries there. As for what I can share, I can either take you back to 1692 when the town was founded and then run you through every major -and not so major- detail form then to now….OR, you can find it in your heart to spare us both and actually give me a specific point or thing you want to know more about.”

When Evan explained that this was pretty much a normal occurrence, Peyton couldn’t help but be curious. “So.. it sounds like Kala is always escorting someone around? But that aside, that’s totally not the same. I’m a stranger - probably not that welcomed of a guest considering why I’m in town in the first place..” She mumbled the latter, “However, me versus your girlfriend and her brother, that is clearly difference situations. I doubt you’d turn your girlfriend away if she came here unannounced. You could totally kick me out if you were busy - or just didn’t want me here and I would have no say, not really.” 

Peyton’s eyes widened when she heard how far back this town could go. “Ummm.. Is there like a specific point in time when Fallcrest was basically the hub for supernaturals? Or had it always been like that? I just find it cool that almost everyone is in the know - except for a portion of the humans of course, but still - this sort of community. We definitely do not have this at home.”

The silence didn’t last nearly as long as she would’ve liked, but to the girl’s credit she had at least given her the ten seconds she asked for so… “More like wikipedia on steroids. Her mom used to be the Keeper before her, so she’s basically grown up with all this knowledge just within arm’s reach. If anyone can keep you busy and out of my hair for a few hours, it’s her…given that she isn’t already busy with Embry or something…” Kala trailed off as she began to look around the library as they approached the frond desk, and once she spotted the familiar face making its out form the back, she sighed in relief and simply said, “Evan, you met Peyton last night. She would like to know everything there is to know about this town. Please be a doll and spare her no detail, I’ll come back to pick her up after a quick meeting with the Guild. Have fun!”

And without further preamble she was off to Dr. Wren’s office.

Peyton was just listening as Kala explained to her why Evan would be the go-to person if she needed to know anythign about this town. This walk to the library was perhaps the most she ever heard her friend speak and it just fascinated her so much that she soaked in every word. What she didn’t expect was for the girl to dip the moment Evan came into view. She barely had time to react by the time Kala already left the building. “Um. Sorry.. that she basically dumped me onto you like this.” She chuckled, "But yeah, it’s nice to meet you formally. and like Kala said, I heard you were basically the wikepedia of this town soo.... got any interesting stories I could know about .. or read, if you have it somewhere. You’re probably really busy to be doing storytime with me.”

Kala really should’ve known better. There is absolutely very little that one can say around this girl that won’t lead to a barrage of questions. Questions, that in this case, she was very much not okay with having to think about. “I was too young to remember much,” she said by way of getting around it. “As for watching other people shift, I suppose it depends on the situation. It’s not any different than watching a person change their clothes. So I suppose consent is key.” At this point Kala just held a hand up and spread across the taller girl’s face, causing the other to stop walking. “Stop talking. Please. Just, ten seconds of silence. I’m sure it won’t kill you,” she said as she removed her hand and continued.

Kala glanced over her shoulder as they now made their way up the library steps. “Yeah, she’s a giant nerd, but she’s also the Keeper of the Tomes. So if you have a question about this town, she’ll be the one to have the answer.”

“Oh. Right.” Peyton felt that she may have asked a stupid question since she was a shifter herself after all. “Of course.. I just.. “ She let her thoughts trailed off as she tried to remember if she had to shift in front of anyone aside from her parents. When she was still learning to control her powers, she surely did by accident but she was so flustered of the whole situation to actually think about it like changing clothes.  “I .. Um. Okay.” She pressed her lips tightly together as she nodded, not wanting to say another peep. Peyton suddenly felt bad for talking so much. She didn’t want to be sent away but honestly, every little tidbit about the dragon shifter was so interesting to her. 

As they walked in, Peyton was very intrigued to know what Evan’s like in her ‘natural habitat’. “Oh so.. she’s Fallcrest’s wikipedia?” She joked as she approached the counter. “Well, that’s good because I just wanna learn about this town - I don’t know what exactly, but just.. something.”

“Well, for starters we’re in rural, northern Pennsylvania in November…so yeah, I think a coat isn’t just okay, it’s expected,” Kala pointed out, “And you’ll want to work on being a scaredy cat if you plan on staying in town any longer than the next few hours because this town is full of surprises.” As soon as Peyton resumed speaking, Kala was reminded of why her father’s advice of ‘Never miss an opportunity to keep your mouth shut’ was her default. “No, they did not, but they no longer remember. She wasn’t, but she was a snake all the same and- I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that last part because if I kill you myself, I don’t get paid and I go to jail.”

Kala gave a small shrug and said, “Sometimes the best impact to make is no impact at all.” At the question she grinned and said, “She legit lives at the library.”

“Okay. That’s a good point. I’ll carry one with me always...” She mumbled as she thought about whether or not she even brought a jacket during this trip or she’ll have to go get a new one. “Oh a snake shifter? That must be so cool to watch? Did you watch? Or is that creepy? I mean, I sorta shifted and you saw, but this was accidental so I got a little flustered. Is it just me who don’t find it that creeps? Well.. if the person was creepy in general, then maybe yea, I wouldn’t want them to watch me shift.. “ She rambled before laughing, “Why do you not like being called cute? I think you would have been a very adorable baby! It’s not like it’s a bad thing. You can be cute and still badass. I mean, you were a dragon baby. Badass and adorable.”

Peyton frowned as the dots still weren’t connecting. “So she’s a bookworm?” 

“You should also just start bringing a jacket with you in general. Temperature around here is dropping, and though we and the wolves tend to run hot, it would still be an odd sight to see a petite girl running around with no jacket in the snow,” Kala pointed out. She offered a nonchalant shrug in response to the rambling. “We can only exert as much control over our abilities as we can over our own feelings. Which, means that there’s very few -if any- points in which we will have one hundred percent control over everything at once.” 

Sensing that the girl was genuinely out of sorts over the happenings, Kala took a breath and said, “When I was still a baby, my dad dropped me off at daycare because he was a single-working-father and, considering what his job entailed….anyway, that didn’t last long because three days in I got upset and went full wyvern on the poor ladies. The actual collateral damage was minor, and the guild was able to use the approved memory spell on the witnesses, but the impact was longstanding. From that day forth, I was kept at home and dad hired a shifter nanny whose main method idea of caring for me was subjecting me to her version of ‘exposure therapy’…” Kala trailed off as she realized she’d already shared far too much. “Long story short, it’s perfectly fine to have a few ‘surprises’ pop up now and then. Just, you know, be prepared and have a means to address them…safely.”

As she led them off, she said, “Technically still to the public library, but I think you’d really appreciate getting a chance to talk with Evan a bit more in her natural habitat…”

“Yea, I’m starting to think that’s a good idea.” She mumbled as she tugged on the knot even though she wasn’t actually tightening it anymore than it already was. “Surely there are days where someone’s just running about with a coat.... Even if it might just be Tiktok purposes.” Peyton chuckled as she finally looked back up at the other. “I do try! But sometimes, it’s like, how do people have such good control when they’re unexpectedly surprised. Like if you were to scare me from behind, I will for sure jump and maybe turn. Not completely maybe.. You can’t control being scared.” 

She grew real quiet for the first time as she listened to Kala as she talked about her childhood. Such gems! There was no way Peyton was going to interrupt the other. Her smile just widened as she listened about Kala having to resort to a nanny and waited until her friend was done telling her the story. “Oh my god. I’m guessing they didn’t take it very well to have a baby wyvern attack them...” Her nose wrinkled at the thought of exposure therapy. “Wait.. so.. does that mean she was a..” She lowered her voice, “A dragon too? Or was she something else? Oh man, I would love to see what you were like as a kid. I bet you were real cute.” She laughed, “The first time I shifted, I was playing with my friends - they just thought I disappeared and a stray cat appeared...Very anti-climatic.” 

“What do you mean.. in her natural habitat?” 

She acquiesced to the request, and let go of the flailing appendage as she went ahead and took a few steps away from the girl, now that they people had gone by. In rare moment -even to herself- Kala was overcome with sympathy as she watched the shifter struggling to get her tail under control. “It’s alright,” she started, holding her hands up to try and ease the girl down a bit. “The more you focus on it, the more frustrated you’ll get and the harder it’ll be to change it back. Just….here,” she said, slipping her coat off, and then reaching out to tie it around Peyton’s waist, ensuring it ensnared the tail well enough. “That should hold it until you’re able to get it sorted and will help keep it tucked away if you happen to see something shiny again.”

Taking a breather, she recalled what Peyton had mentioned just before the little fiasco. “If it’s the town you’re looking to learn about, I can do you one better than the public library. Though we will be heading there anyway. Come on, follow me.”

Peyton was surprised that Kala was actually trying to help her calm down but never did she expect that she would even take the jacket off her back to help hide the tail. “Thanks..” She whispered as she subconsciously held her breath as the other leaned in to wrap the jacket around her waist. Her eyes fell to the knot in front of her. “I guess I should bring a jacket with me during my stay here. In case of something happening - not that I plan for this to happen every time. Definitely not. I swear I’m not planning to just show my cat tail with everyone because that’s just absurd.” She shook her head at the idea of it. “And I swear I’m usually better and keeping my um.. features hidden. I don’t really know what’s .. happening.” 

Her head tilt when Kala said there was going to be a place better than the public library. “Where are we going?” She asked as she followed the other to.. wherever.

Kala simply fixed her with another flat look as she said, “Demon isn’t a dirty word, and whispering it as if it were one when you obviously have no issue with boasting about being a cat, is just as offensive as using the word ‘gay’ to mean stupid.”

She dropped her hand rolled her eyes. “Please, don’t flatter yourself. I’ve had full bison that barely made a dent. One house cat isn’t going to even make a tickle. Might as well be giving a hungry lineman a single pea, Now come on, please tell me you have an actual plan for today, because aimlessly wandering around town is not my idea of fun.”

“I didn’t mean it like that- I didn’t say that I was a cat that loudly either.” Her voice was still pretty hush hush as she spoke. “I don’t think they was anything wrong with being a demon. I think it’s pretty cool - because you get that internal fire thing going on. Very convenient if anything. I can’t do anything like that but turn into a cat so.. I just look scrappy.” She frowned as she thought about her cat-form. She was rather small even for a cat but she didn’t really know why. 

“...Is your appetite as big as a dragon? Because ... like how much food intake do you need then? I assume like.. a Loooooot.” She frowned, “Well, I was hoping to.. go to the library or something. Read up on this town because I feel like there would be a lot of interesting stories about this place.”

“Oh yeah, why don’t say that little louder! I don’t think they heard you two streets over,” she said with faux enthusiasm, before giving her an incredulous look and just shaking her head as if to say ‘what the fuck is wrong with you?’. The fact she didn’t actually just voice it was a surprise to even Kala herself. “I’m a dragon shifter who happens to be half-demon,” she said lowly. “Turns out that inherent control of heat for me isn’t just limited to spitting it out of mouth.” At the question of cooking things with just a touch, she held up her hand to be just an inch away from covering Peyton’s face. “You know, I’ve never tried it, but if you scoot up just a bit…”

Her eyes widened as she looked around their surroundings, rather relieved to realized that no one was around them to hear what she said. “Sorry.” She quietly apologized before listening very intently to what Kala was saying. She was beyond intrigued because every little bit of information about the other was like gold. It was so hard to get anything out of Kala so even the tiniest bit of news was welcomed. “That is so cool.” She smiled widely, “I mean, I heard your sister was half demon.” Her voice grew to a whisper when she said the word ‘demon’. “But since you never really mentioned anything about it, I never even thought that you’d have magic. That is SO cool. I can’t do any of that because my parents are both, y’know, so I’m just.. a cat through and through. Not that I think it’s a shame either, but it would have been so cool to just.. do magic.” Her eyes widened even more when the hand was put right up to her face. “Um.. well.. I’m not food - well, I mean, I could be a snack but “ She laughed, “No one ever actually called me that before, but please, don’t burn my face, I don’t think my parents would appreciate if you burn my face either. And it would really hurt, wouldn’t it? So please, don’t burn my face - or any part of me really. I like to be burnt free.”

It took quite a bit of her willpower allotment for the day to not just growl in exasperation at this kid’s indecisiveness over what to do with the stupid box. That security team meeting at the end of the day was gong to suffer greatly because of this. Instead she just looked at Peyton with a blank, unreadable gaze as she used her other senses to scan their surroundings. Satisfied that the pranksters had moved on, she moved over to the bin herself and laid a single hand on the box. Kala made sure to keep her gaze down into the bin as if she were studying something, but the longer she held the box the stronger the sent of melting plastic became, and soon enough the box was reduced to a charred heap of a certainly ‘defused’ glitter bomb. “The world is a safer place.”

“How’d you.. “ Her eyes widened as she witnessed the box basically melt on the spot. “Do you know magic?” Peyton recalled the other being a shapeshifter but she did not expect her to know magic too because that was freaking cool! The cat shifter herself smiled brightly despite how unamused Kala was with this entire situation. She knew the girl wouldn’t be stuck with her if it wasn’t part of her job so for that, Peyton was thankful and wanted to simply be friends - same goal as before. But part of her was almost positive that Kala didn’t like her and was merely tolerating her until she leaves. “The box melted just like that - like that is so cool. I wish I can do that.... Oh my god, can you just cook stuff just by having it in your hands? That would be inconvenient as hell.” 

“So what? You want me to call up the Sheriff’s Department and have them send out their bomb squad?” Though she was very obviously mocking the girl, her tone remained dry and flat leaving just enough room for some question as to whether she might be serious or not. It was the sudden contact that had her eyes shifting much of their own accord. Kala glanced down quickly, both to hide the reptilian vertical iris from passersby. and to not alarm the girl in front of her.

She was so focused on regaining her control, and getting her eyes back to normal, she didn’t even register what Peyton said, instead just heaving a deep sigh and glancing around until she found what she was looking for. A large trash bin. Easing out of the grasp of the cat, she reached down and grabbed the strewn package, promptly shoved into Peyton’s chest causing the girl to grab it, and then unceremoniously picked the girl up and plopped her in the middle of the bin. “There. Now you get to do everything you’ve clearly stated you wanted to do, and I don’t have to deal with a mess that isn’t mine. Enjoy your diffusion.”

Though she knew it was sarcasm, she was about to say no before the box was shoved into her arms and then she found herself in front of a bin. She blinked, looking from the bin to the box and then to her friend (Yes. Friend.) Peyton had no idea what happened in that short time since Kala basically said no a few seconds ago, and now she set her up to do exactly that. “I... Umm.. Nevermind.” She mumbled as she placed the glitter bomb into the trash, not wanting to accidentally set it off from the blunt force (although it probably wouldn’t go off considering it had been smacked to the floor and it remained fine.) “I just really hope it doesn’t explode on someone else.” Peyton turned around, almost looking like a kid who got in trouble with the teacher because she had an inkling that she made Kala mad - well, irked but still, it wasn’t what she intended to do. 

“The implication that my actions would be anywhere near as reckless as yours -or worse- even more so, is insulting at best,” Kala replied, her tone cold yet steady. When the girl dropped down to start poking at the box, Kala simply reached down and latched onto the hood of the girl’s jacket to pull her back upright. “Stop it. If you’re looking to toss it in a bin properly, that’s fine, I’m all for protecting the environment, but if you even remotely consider purposely setting that mess off, I will drag you right back to your parents’ hotel room and quit.” Quit her little assignment with them, not her entire job of course but, sometimes drastic measures were to be implied.

The girl yelped as she lurched back, almost stumbling but luckily was able to regain her balance. “Shouldn’t we at least defuse it so that it doesn’t accidentally set off on someone?” She looked down at it, “Are we sure it’s a glitter bomb because I’m already surprised that it didn’t go off just by you smacking it out of my hands. I don’t even think the lid’s enforced on that well..” Peyton rambled as she took another look at the box. “Wait, nooo, don’t quit.” She turned around and grabbed onto Kala with both her hands. “I like your company, I really do but also like, if you’re not with me, I’m going to be basically grounded because my parents are working remotely right now.” 

Kala simply reached out a hand and swatted the box out of the shifter’s hands entirely. “Jesus H. Christ, no wonder your parents felt the need to have me still follow you around even though they’re already here,” she grumbled. “Your survival instincts are shit. Even if you did genuinely think that thing was a bomb, why the hell would you continue to carry it around? What if it was on a timer and the longer you held it closer you were to it going off in your face?” Letting out a sigh, she said, “It wasn’t a real bomb. Just a glitter bomb. Some dumb high schoolers have been handing them out trying to film reactions.”

“Ah hey!” She looked at the box that was now on the ground, “Swatting it out of my hands isn’t that much better either if it was a real bomb. I was at least careful with it, you just treated it like nothing - what if it imploded in our faces the moment you slapped it like that.” She crouched down to poke at the box, making sure that the lid was not in her direction in case anything did happen. “So.. does that mean we’re getting filmed right now?” She looked up and around to see if the person who gave her this was still around. “Can we still open it? I never had a glitter bomb delivered to me before - not that I want the glitter to be on us, just.. have it explode.. pointing the other directing - wait, that’s like littering.. Is there a trash can point this at?”

@ivmwc​