#lady seraphim

“So...this is where it all goes down...huh?”

Of course, Ulysses has been inside of House Fraiser before, but back as a young student. “It feels like I’m getting to see the behind-the-scenes of it all. Is...this your office...I guess?” What he’s really asking is if this was the room that belonged to her...although he can’t quite bring himself to say the words. Or to hear them back from Sif. Instead, he finds himself eyeing the contents of every shelf, every heavy book, and even the plants sitting in the windowsill. “Sorry, is now a bad time?” He turns to look back at Sif. With news of any sacrifice that must be chosen by each head of house, he realizes she might be under too much pressure and not open for any visitors. “I can come back. If you need me to.”

THANK YOU SO MUCH BESTIE I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY

{Prologue}

12:00:00 A.M. Midnight approximately Tuesday on July 21st. 

3 days before the devastating and traumatic string of incidents.

SCENE: Raccoon City Streets - NIGHTTIME 

A Young Woman at the Age of 22 was limping along the city streets. A missing person’s flyer on an electric pole. “MISSING: JULIE-SUE HARRIS”. Suddenly a loud and quick RIIIIIP breaks the silence. The Young woman has aggressively ripped the flyer straight off the pole out of irritation. On that note she continues to limp to her destination.

As she continues going to where she’s going. She gets a few flashbacks. A flash of her screaming for help while her wrists are bound, laying on the examination table, battered and helpless. A man injects her with some type of parasite? A gunshot echoes through her mind and she looks at her hands seeing blood on them. Her vision flashes back to reality. She’s here… At her apartment.

The Woman limps up the stairs and feels around for her extra key near her plants on the shelf. It’s got to be here somewhere? She found it behind her favorite plant… her orchid. She inserts the key in the door and unlocks it, she enters her apartment, before fully entering she picks up her mail.

INT.: Julie-Sue Harris’ Apartment- NIGHTTIME

She turns on the light, revealing a fair skin woman. She walks through the apartment like a ghost returning to their place of origin, she throws the mail on the table. She then walks over to the mirror and looks in it, examining her Strawberry Blond hair that now has Platinum blond Ombre highlights. She looks closer in the mirror, looking into her Violet eyes that mimic a sunset sky, a yellow glow? That wasn’t there before. Her limbs were bandaged up, she touched the stitching on her neck. She silently sighs. Her train of thought didn’t even come into fruition because her phone rang. She picked up the phone. Rebecca Chambers was on the other line.

Rebecca Chambers: “Julie! Why are you out of the hospital so soon? Your Vocal chords haven’t even recovered yet- Wait… You can’t speak. I’m heading over there right now!” She hangs up the phone after scolding Julie.

Julie-Sue Harris blinks at the phone as she just hears the dial tone. She puts the phone back on the base. A voice in Julie’s mind speaks to her.

Playful Female Inner Voice: [‘Yep… Leave it to Rebecca to act like an older sister figure. I guess it’s a bit refreshing, huh? Especially… You know what… too soon.’]

Julie squints at what the voice said. She can hear the voice wincing as she awkwardly clears her throat.

Julie-Sue Harris’ Inner Thoughts: [‘Definitely not helping, Lady…’]

Playful Female Inner Voice: [‘Yeah… I'll drop it.’]

Julie hears a knock on the door. She opens the door, her eyes are wide a bit as she sees Rebecca at her door panting a bit. Julie looks around in a bit of shock and disbelief.

Julie’s Inner Thoughts: [‘How’d she get here so fast? Did she run up here? No way she sped over here. Good thing my neighbor across the hall didn’t spot her.’]

Rebecca: “Are you gonna stand there? Or let me in?” She furrows an eyebrow at Julie. Wonder what Julie will do but also really concerned about her.

Julie’s Inner Thoughts: [‘She really didn’t need to come here…’]

Playful Female Inner Voice: [‘Are you sure about that? Because I feel like you’re definitely lying to yourself, dear. Before you ask “Why?” because you wouldn’t be hearing me if you were okay. So, take a breath and just let down your guard.’]

Julie contemplates her inner thoughts for a moment but then lets Rebecca into her apartment. Rebecca enters Julie’s place. She looks around a little and then looks back at Julie. Rebecca gives Julie a gentle smile.

Rebecca: “Alright! The first thing you should do is take a nice shower and I know you don’t have food in your fridge. So I’ll go shopping tomorrow for you.”

Julie was about to whisper something, Rebecca gently pushed Julie to the bathroom. Julie lets out a soft gasp. Her usual stoic expression cracking a little as she enters the bathroom, she just gives in. Rebecca hands Julie a towel, wash cloth and her nightgown. 

Within minutes Julie was in the shower, the water cascades down her stitched up back. Julie has her hands on the wall in front of her, she has her head down. She gets the same flashback she had earlier. This time she sees another woman in a kennel battered and tied up in a basement. She breathes out slowly and closes her eyes. She shakes her head. 

Julie’s Inner Thoughts: [‘No matter how many times I have these flashbacks… They feel unreal and feel like they’re not exactly mine…]

Julie can feel something crawl through her veins, she winces a bit. Her knees buckle, she falls to the floor of the tub. She lays there and grips her hair, she tosses and turns as her breath becomes ragged as she’s trying to stop the pain. She couldn’t even scream or make any sound.

Julie’s Inner Thoughts: [‘Think Julie…’]

An idea hits her, in her weakened state. She reaches up for the soap, opens up the shower curtain a little and throws the bar of soap. It hits the door making a loud sound. It bounced and hit her toothbrush cup. The ceramic cup breaks which alerts Rebecca.

Rebecca comes rushing to the bathroom. She opens the door, she sees the soap and then looks up to find Julie in agony.

Rebecca: “Julie!” She steps over to soap and runs to her. She helps Julie out of the tub. She gently lays Julie on the bathroom rug. “What do you need for me to do?” She asks Julie, very worried.

Julie Whispers: “I have a medication injection in my jean pocket.”

Rebecca quickly rummages through her jean pocket. She finds the injection and injects Julie carefully in the side of  her neck. Julie winces slightly but keeps still. After an hour, Julie was sitting on the couch, she didn’t even sip the glass of water Rebecca gave her. She looks down, feeling a bit ashamed and guilty. Rebecca looks at Julie, she picks up that Julie isn’t really eating as much. Rebecca approaches her, she sits down next to Julie aware that she’s having a difficult time.

Rebecca: “Julie…” She says to her in a gentle tone.

Julie was trying to choke back her tears. She broke down crying, it was like the floodgates opened up. Rebecca reaches over and pulls Julie into a hug.

Rebecca: “I know Jules… I know.” She gently rubs her distressed friend’s back, trying to comfort her. She just holds Julie closer to help ground her and calm her down.

Eventually Julie calmed down. She was resting on Rebecca’s shoulder. Rebecca looks over at Julie and smiles a little, even though Julie is not okay right now. She’s relieved that her friend is alive and wants to keep it that way. She has hope that Julie will recover in her own time. Julie slowly sits up.

Julie Whispers: “You should head back home…”

Rebecca: “No way. Besides… This will give me a good time to spend a bit of time with you before I leave.” She admits.

Julie Whispers: “Leave? Where are you going?” She tilts her head at Rebecca out of curiosity.

Rebecca: “Well, I have a case with my first case with S.T.A.R.S. Some officers went missing in the Arklay Mountains. So my squad is going to be sent there to find them.” She answers.

Julie looks at Rebecca with a bit of unease. Something about this whole thing doesn’t sit right with Julie and she doesn’t know why. Maybe she’s paranoid after what happened to her? She thinks about what she’s going to say.

Julie Whispers: “Um… do you need any help?” She asks her, Julie was a bit worried about this case. Something was nagging at her, like metal scraping against metal something was grinding against her nerves and setting off her instincts.

Rebecca: “No, no, I probably should’ve not told you that since you’re a Detective. I forgot you’re the type who jumps at any hard case to solve. Well, I’m glad some things haven’t changed. It’s a nice reminder that the old Julie is still somewhere.” She chuckles a little. Her smile fades away as it changes into a contemplating expression. “I don’t want to leave you alone while you’re recovering… Hmm… You know what. I’ll contact Liz for you, I know she’d drop everything to take care of you. To be honest, I think you need someone like that in your corner.”

Julie Whispers: “She’s uh… she’s an interesting one.” She silently lets out an awkward laugh.

Rebecca: “She’s a lively one I admit, but she has a good heart. Anyway, come on. Let’s get you to bed. You need rest and so do your recovering vocal chords.” She gives her a reassuring smile.

Rebecca helps Julie off the couch and walks her to her bedroom. After Julie gets ready for bed, Rebecca sleeps on Julie’s futon couch. Julie was laying in bed staring up at the ceiling. Eventually, she falls into a restless sleep. She then gets a Nightmare… in her nightmare there were people screaming in terror. The streets of Racoon City were a desolated mess and on fire. She sees silhouettes roaming about and moving unnaturally. She can also hear a clock ticking and the cogs of the clock moving. Julie quickly wakes up and gasps. She sits up, hyperventilating. 

Julie’s Inner Thoughts: [‘What was that?’]

The Next Morning 10:35:06 A.M. Tuesday July 21st 3 days Before the outbreak.

Julie finally wakes up to the sound of Rebecca putting food away in Julie’s fridge and another woman’s voice. Julie gets out of bed and walks out of her room, entering the living room. There, Julie sees Rebecca and a familiar colorful rose gold blond woman in her kitchen. The woman heard footsteps and turned around and smiled bright at Julie.

Elizabeth Astrei: “Hey Sleeping Beauty~ How’s my girl doing?” She walks up to Julie and pulls her into a gentle hug. Even though she’s trying to hold back some of her feelings, she truly missed Julie a lot.

Julie’s eyes widens as she just slowly reaches up and hugs Liz back. She pats Liz on the back a little, Rebecca just gives them a soft smile and giggles. A few hours pass and the late afternoon rolls around and Rebecca is about to depart from Julie’s place, she gives Julie a notepad and pen before she leaves.

Rebecca: “Well, it’s about time for me to leave. Liz, please take good care of Liz for me while I'm gone.” She says, trusting Liz will be there for Julie.

Liz: “I totally will, suga’. I’ll keep a close eye on this one.” She points her thumb at Julie, responding to Rebecca with her charming Sultry Southern Drawl.

Julie’s Inner Thoughts: [‘Damn.. I’m right here. They’re treating me like a small child.’] She gives them a side eye.

Rebecca looks at Julie's neighbor’s door across the hall, she turns to Julie.

Rebecca: “Do you know who lives here? I heard them come in at 3 o’clock in the morning. They were stumbling around a bit.” She comments.

Julie looks at the door, she opens up her notepad and writes.

Julie’s Note: “Uh… I think it’s another college student that lives there. His name is Leon.”

Rebecca: “Ah, I see. Well, I better get going. I’ll see you after my mission.” She waves goodbye to them.

Liz: “Goodbye Rebecca.” She waves Goodbye to Rebecca.

Julie waves goodbye to Rebecca as she walks away. She then starts walking back into her apartment. Liz looks at Julie heading inside, Liz looks up at the door across the hallway almost with a knowing gaze before heading inside of Julie’s apartment and closing the door.

Meanwhile in the apartment across the hallway, a sleeping Leon S. Kennedy was in his bed oblivious to the world around him.

{End of Prologue}

Ulysses considers himself a skilled peruser of boutiques and haberdasheries alike. Drop him into any boutique and he’s certain he could find exactly what he’s looking for. Ladies perfumes? Organized by brand. Hair care products? Back of the store, right by the hair accessories. Belts? Sorted by material and then color next to the row of hat displays.

But this boutique.

He looks for perfume and stumbles across the shoes. He tries for lotion instead, and stumbles across the dresses. Uly stops there - the full body mirrors are always kind to him, and he uses the opportunity to run a hand through his hair and ensure each strand still remained in place. Focused on his own appearance, he doesn’t notice anyone leaving the dressing room right away, not until a younger woman stands in the mirror next to him, admiring her current dress.

Although, Ulysses does notice the material hang loosely at her shoulders and bunched up at her back.

“Are you here by yourself?” He leans over to ask. “I can zip that up for you, if you’d like.”

For nearly his entire life, Ulysses has been able to swallow his hunger. He has always put on a playful smile, a flirtatious wink, and stuffed his mouth with the rarest stake restaurants were legally allowed to serve. The prior two years have changed his mindset - and after fighting monsters from portals, confronted with so many other people, the urge to eat returned stronger than before. 

Cold, tired, and injured, he doesn’t believe he has it in him to be chased down by anyone else. He chooses his next target more carefully; this night’s victim is a drunken man stumbling down the sidewalk alone. Ulysses imagines he’ll taste terrible, bitter and overconfident, but it’s better than being shot at again.

There’s still screams and fighting back, but an already inebriated victim is easier to take down. When he sniffs the air, he’s convinced he’s alone -- until his ears flicker halfway through his meal. Another wolf approaches, but this one is different than others he’s met before; they’re just as hungry as he is.

“What do you think you’re doing out here?”

She’s returning home after a long days work. One woman had cried on Helen’s shoulder after learning she was unable to conceive and had seemingly tried every hack in the book. She was worried her partner was going to leave her because of it. They’d overstretched the appointment, and threw the rest of the day off balance.

Exhaustion had seeped into her bones - both physically and mentally. She wanted her wine. She wanted her bed. She wanted her bad reality TV where everyone’s lives were far more complicated than her own. But coming home - Helena had always made sure to monitor the tree line. Cerenia’s tower, just within the woods...Helena can’t risk someone taking advantage of her naivety and kindness. She has to ensure Cerenia’s safety.

So anyone poking around strikes a red flag to her. Although Helena’s own home is further down the path, and her feet are killing her, she still stands to the side of the old dirt road with both arms crossed over her chest. 

“That wasn’t a rhetorical question. I expect an answer.”