Summary: An arrogant young disciple of Bastet is forced to spend lifetimes roaming the Earth in search of her soulmate, but what happens when she tries to run from destiny?
A/N: For those of you that have seen Fahrenheit 451, Abhimani is taking on the role of Clarisse McClellan.
Draped in a loose fitting oversized threadbare sweater with some barely visible shorts underneath and roughed up motorcycle boots with a burlap backpack hanging off her left shoulder, Abhimani leaned against the technicolor glass bar peering at the sights around her.
Another time. Another life. Another chance to get out of this hellhole of a curse her Goddess had bestowed upon her.
It’s not that she wasn't thankful for Bast’s favor or even that she thought she was better than the Goddess herself. Mani simply didn't believe she had to continue to do what her own Mistress does not if she is supposed to be a holy extension. What was the point of this punishment? What lesson was she supposed to learn from failing to find this man over and over?
As the deep skinned beauty’s eyes scanned the room, she watched the mentally enslaved people play in their virtual reality, hands waving around. They were really into this Big Brother shit huh? Two figures emerge right in her line of sight and though she moves to a more secluded area, she can still hear their voices approaching.
“Don’t worry I’ll talk to her this time,” the slightly shorter of the two men blurts out his eyes focused ahead but not close enough for her to see what he looks like.
“Keep your dick in your pants and stand guard,” Captain Beatty says in the usual gruff tone he thinks is intimidating or seductive. She wasn't sure but it sounded like his throat needed some moisture.
He always seemed to bring the second man with him. Presumably for back up since he always skulked in the distance and was never in her eyes’ reach. He stood off behind a pillar while Beatty walked up to her a little too much in her personal space as per usual with these meetings.
“Well, well, well Mani. You better not be wasting my time tonight. Your last tip led me to boy scouts with pornos.” Rolling her eyes, Mani replies.
“Reactivate my fingers like you said you would.”
“Feed me scraps and I’ll delete your travel permit.”
Oh you caucus dick munch. I swear if I wasn’t on a totally different mission…
“That’s bullshit. You need me.”
Grabbing ahold of the hand that was clutching the thin leather strap of her bag, Beatty seemed to caress the slightly weathered skin in his fingers, holding it preciously in his palm.
Here he go again touching shit he don’t need to be. Somebody get this dude some proper sexual harassment parameters.
“How many years did we restrict you? 6?”
“With all the tips I gave you, I should be free.”
I know he did not just… Ok Bastet, you really trying me now.
Jerking her hand away, Mani switches her position from against the wall Beatty had her up against and grabs a small folded piece of parchment from her pocket holding it up for him to see.
“Take a year off my sentence and I’ll give you something you like.”
The increasingly annoying white beady eyed white man grabs hold of her hand yet again, snatching away the piece of paper.
Abhimani lets out a heavy sigh before adjusting the strap on her shoulder and turning to the left to see the bodyguard spying from a distance.
What is this dude’s deal always staring? Hopefully I can get past him without trying some silly shit.
She proceeds to make her way to leave the moody lit place but was stopped by a pair of glowing brown eyes and a slightly hukling body in her way.
“I didn't hear the captain say you could leave.”
And once again the might roar of her Goddess rang in her head and judging by the perplexed look that flashed on his face, he heard it too.
“Oh? Then why does he always make you wait outside like a little dog, huh?”
However fine this “soulmate” was, she had things to do, places to go and she knew that now that they had officially seen each other, they would keep crossing paths. If only she’d known this was him the whole time the damn lesson would have been learned a while ago.
As she continues her exit, the man with the pretty eyes and beautifully plump lips grips her arm, but it didn't send the same shiver through her body like when Beatty touched her.
This was actually the first time her mate had touched her in all of the lifetimes they shared. It was…. Nice.
Of course she couldn't let him know he affected her so. She's met him now she can make him want her so she pretends to be almost disgusted by his forward advance.
“You’re just like Beatty,” Abhimani says with a condescending smile on her face.
That seemed to do the trick because he gently let go of her and his chest deflated a fraction.
Oh we got an independent over here.
“You spy on me but you never do anything. You stand close enough to hear but far enough that I didn’t even know what you looked like till now. Can’t say I’m disappointed.”
Another gleam flashed in his eyes at her slight admission.
And not one word of it was a lie. He was absolutely gorgeous. She didn't ever get to look at her man the way she was now cause he was either too attached to someone else or shot to death for her to focus but my oh my.
Oh thank you my Lady for this wonderous blessing.
“You’re welcome, my child.”
“Why? Do I make you nervous?”
He looked down as he replied, “You don’t.”
“When I see you burning up eels’ lives you don’t look nervous.”
“That’s because I’m very good at my job.”
He was so close she could feel the heat from his body, the slight smell of kerosene and his cologne creating a dangerous aphrodisiac.
I got a couple jobs you would be good at with your fine ass.
“Mmm. You ever stop to think for one second why you do what you do?”
“You should try reading before burning. See you around Montag.”
Flashing him a seductive smile, Mani turns her back and saunters out of the bar with a flip of her perfectly mussed curls leaving Guy all kinds of in his feelings and a hint of confusion as to where that roar came from. Unbeknownst to him, Beatty ,who had been watching the tail end of their interaction, comes up behind him and clasps a hand on his leather jacket clad shoulder.
“Hey. Off limits. Let’s go she recommended a spot.”
With that, the two firemen left and proceeded to do their jobs off the clock.
Mani walks into the seemingly dilapidated apartment building that was actually teeming with tenants and knocks on her neighbor’s door. The door opened to reveal a blonde woman with tired eyes holding her 5 month old big baby boy with a small mohawk like strip of brunette hair. Pulling the small glass bottle of milk from her jacket pocket, she hands it to the woman who lets out a sigh of relief at the sight of the thin creamy liquid.
“I haven't had milk in a week. Thanks but I couldn't find any cooking oil.”
Mani had already turned to her apartment door to let herself in and as the lock turned over, the woman called to her.
“Mani, be careful what you’re selling. People are talking.”
Nodding her head, Abhimani ducks into her apartment, dropping all her stuff down and removing her shoes.
Now why she would land me in this dump of a decade I will never know. If this is the future, may all the Gods be with the mortals. This is absolute purgatory but praise Bast I found him!
“You seem to be in high spirits.”
Of course Anubis followed her through every single life and like her, his form didn't ever change. He always remained the same enchanting black feline friend whom she had actually come to cherish after so long.
“Well if you must know my terribly named kitty cat, I met him today.”
“You mean the white devil who secretly not so secretly wishes to have you?”
“Oh Bast please not on his gray eyed life. No Nubi I mean him. He’s been with Beatty the entire time. I only just met him today.”
The bodacious woman flits around her small space to play a vinyl that she shouldn’t be playing on a record player she shouldn't be having and takes a seat at her tool table to fix the roll of a tape she was to deliver to this man who in trade has a place for her to tip the captain off for more “graffiti” for him and his team to burn.
As the smoke rises from her soldering gun, her mind wanders to privileged times spent in the dazzling night jungle running alongside the panthers of the past trying to beat the purple starry night.
Guy stands head bowed under the warm running water of his shower dripping down his face. Hoping it would clear his frazzled mind.
He had just returned to the station from a strange graffiti burning with this old woman who seemed to only speak in graffiti. She said no actual words but gave a quote of some sort?
‘Play the man, Master Ridley. We shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be put out.’
Of course he had no idea what the hell that meant but it was haunting him along with the word she said right after she lit the books and herself on fire.
He stepped out of the shower, dried off and got fully dressed in a pair of dark jeans, a black t-shirt, and an army green jacket. He was sure to retrieve the book he has stolen from the house from his locker and safely hid it underneath his jacket.
As he was making his way out, he caught the 9’s report of what they were now calling Beatty’s Barbeque. When they showed footage of the old woman burning, they replaced the word she actually said with a voice over ‘coward.’
Why would they cover that up?
Guy was simply getting more and more confused by the minute and he wasn’t sure how to handle it. He was anxious to get home so he could try to properly process the night’s events.
Beatty walks up behind him with a stern look on his face.
“You hesitated tonight in front of the men.”
The shorter, more good looking of the two men was instantly transported back to the house they left only hours ago when the captain instructed him to remove the old woman from the house after the graffiti was laid out and kerosene poured, she refused to leave. Guy attempted to reason with her and asked the captain if they would just leave her which was a sign of weakness and insubordination. Placing a brave look on his handsome face, he retorts back.
“I know but it won’t happen again.”
“You know it’s my first time seeing a self burn too but as far as I’m concerned, it means we’re doing the right thing.”
Beatty was his friend. His captain. His father figure. Maybe he would be able to clear up some of this bafflement in his brain.
“What was that old lady talking about? Master Ridley play something.”
He was almost embarrassed that he couldn't remember the entire text.
“Well back when people still believed in God, the Brits burned alive two eels at the stake. Ridley and Latimer for praying to a different book than their queen did. Before us, people committed genocides over books while others blew themselves up killing innocent people. Insanity plus 100.
“But why did she burn herself for books?”
The stormy eyed man looked away from him briefly before giving his rebuttal.
“Well she tried to burn us all don’t you think?”
“She didn't say coward. She said omnis. What is that?”
Breaking eye contact and turning about face, Beatty gives the information he actually wants to hear.
“Well the commissioner won’t say what the ministry knows but I guess we’re gonna have to find out.”
The captain moves to stand in front of him and hands him a silver square shaped lighter.
What is he trying to get from me?
Sensing Guy’s hesitation, the taller man urges him on.
Hurry up. I won’t ask twice.”
Immediately, he opens the lighter and flicks it on but doesn't hold it close enough for the lone flame to touch the other man’s hand and he looked back up to lock eyes with him.
“I know you’re different than the other men. I watched you grow up. And that’s how I know you feel the same inside as me. Closer.”
Lifting the lighter higher, the tip of the flame seems to disappear and fan out in his palm.
“I’ve been burned so many times, I don’t know where my scars end and my body begins.”
Guy lifts the lighter even higher, the flame all but gone into the captain’s hand as both men’s eyes stay locked in a vehement embrace. Finally Beatty grabs the lighter and extinguishes the flame with low pain filled groan stepping closer to him with an even more fierce gaze.
“There’s no way you’re gonna break. You’re the youngest cadet I ever accepted into the Youth Fire Brigade. I raised ya and one day you’ll be just like me son. You won’t feel anything when they burn you.”
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