A New Gig

Chapter I
A New Gig
 

Wednesday, 18th March, 2015

Busying halls were ignored by a tall man as he nudged passed his kin after catching a familiar back. Shrugging his bag onto his back, the male in his late twenties with mousy hair strut towards the open sided walkway which overlooked the court-way to the north, and the field to the south. Lips stretching into a grin before he’d even caught his target, the blonde whom was almost a head taller than those around him snuck up. Slamming his hands down on unsuspecting shoulders, the pretty-boy cackled at the reaction he’d caused.

Spinning around ready to deck the intruder, a slightly shorter male with jet black hair snapped. “What the fu-” Cutting himself off, the older male in the tank top clicked his tongue of his teeth. “You’re an idiot, you know?” He shrunk back upon seeing a familiar face.

Still chuckling at his prank, the blonde held up his hand in wait for a sign that he was forgiven. “What’s up, man?”

Smacking the palm with his own despite the scowl, the brunette hummed. “Besides the heart attack you nearly gave me, nothing much.”

Shrugging, the blonde leaned against the cool brick of the open overpass and looked out over the magnificent garden dowsed in golden sunlight. “Riley, how can you stand so uniform when each year, coming here, gets better and better.” He nodded upwards as a trio of girls in shorts strut their way out from underneath them.

“You’re a dog, Gage.”

“And you wound me.”

“It’s not officially Ostara yet, but I bet you’ve still been on the prowl.”

“Dude, you should see the fresh meat.” Flapping his free hand, Gage hummed in dismissal. “I got four numbers just on my way here from the reception.”

“I’d rather not.” The brunette shrugged off the thought. “I’m quite happy with not being a paedophile, thanks.”

Suddenly straightening up, the blonde grunted. “Have you been pining for Red all year?”

“Don’t talk about shit you don’t know, dumbass.” The blonde was met by a fist to the chest.

“Alright, calm those huge-ass man boobs of yours.” Completing his remark with a nipple twist of his company, Gage jumped back, knowing his senior was going to hit him.

Ready to swing, Riley gauged the distance and instead, kicked his pest in the shin. Boot connecting with pale ripped jeans, the older man barked a laugh at the comical failing of his pal. “Serves you right.”

“I’ve always wondered what Charlie saw in you. It must be the fact you kick like a girl.” Wincing as he hopped, Gage pulled a contorted face while rubbing the offended spot on his left shin. “She must find comfort in the fact she could kick your ass til next Tue-” Cut off again, this time by a solid smack around the back of the head, the blonde crouched down with an obnoxious whine.

“Speak of the Devil, and she will appear.” Flicking pillarbox red locks over her shoulder, a pale female levelling six foot smirked at the pain she’d inflicted. “Hey, babe.” Completely ignoring her victim, the woman who’d been talked about held her arms out as she jumped at the brunette.

Straightening up once he was satisfied that the woman was preoccupied, Gage stuck his tongue out in mockery. “Great; a concussion, and the sight of you two sucking face.” Fixing the strap of his backpack, the tallest shoved his dirty blonde locks off of his face. “This place just fills me with love.”

Pulling back from the tight embrace, the redhead fixed the line of her crimson lipstick before glancing over her shoulder. “You’re gonna die alone…With cats.”

Brows raised, Gage flailed his arms. “I happen to like cats.”

“We already knew you liked pussy.” Turning around fully, the redhead hopped up onto the ledge of the overpass. Feeling the warmth of the sun on her bare, tattooed back, Charlize rolled her neck in wait for a feeble rebuttle.

Hoping to regain his masculinity, Gage gave in to the call of petty snaps. “So, what did you do with your vacation? Did you hook up? I heard you got a tutor, but that was just some Neophyte gossip. What really happened?” The blonde rattled on without letting the female get a word in before he’d finished.

Straightening up, the redhead danced her fingers up the sandblasted pillars supporting her. “Nah, I really got a tutor.”

“You got a tutor?” He gasped.

Upset look in his eyes, Riley peered up to the female playing coy. “You got a tutor?”

Even he didn’t believe it. He’d been seeing Charlize on-and-off for around four years. He knew how she behaved, and some of her darkest secrets, so when she said she had a tutor, it wasn’t very believable. After what had happened a few years back, and her state of mind - when she left –It was surprising that anyone would pick up the slack of responsibility left behind in the redhead’s downward spiral.

After all, only a miniscule few ever got the opportunity to be tutored one on one, even in their best state of mind. Having a tutor was of the utmost privilege; It meant spending several year bound by contract to obey a stranger with more power and experience, in the middle of nowhere while they basically humiliated you on an hourly basis.

Eyes shooting from his buddy and then back to the redhead, the blonde was on the verge of bouncing. “What was she like? Was she hot?”

Shrugging off the initial discomfort of her confession, Charlie crossed her left leg over the other. “She was a he. And I’m sure you’ve heard about him.”

“Then don’t keep us in suspense.” Almost winding himself into a tandem, Gage clung to the pillar next to his friend with a pant. “What was it like?”

Pulling her mane into a bunch, the redhead succumbed to the heat. Dragging the mass into manageable state, the redhead tied her locks up high before making her statement. “I had to go to Germany a month after the last Ostara. I spent from April until a day ago in the Black Forest learning stuff you couldn’t even dream of. I’m close to mastering two elements, and I’m on my third.”

“What did you have to do to get him to teach you that?” Was asked and the couple kicked the man in unison, sending him tumbling to the floor.

Taking a passer-by with him, the floored pair flailed as the culprits chuckled at the tangled mess on the cream, stone floor.  Pushing himself off the pillar, Riley stepped forward to help the stranger whom had unintentionally been caught in the attack. “Sorry about that.” He reached out to retrieve the hand of the young brunette dowsed in black, only to get a strong electric shock. Withdrawing his hand, and then his entire body in suspicion, the eldest bared his teeth as he stood in front of his girlfriend.

Holding one hand up as he tried to collect his bag, and collect a load of loose papers with his other, the pale brunette’s eyes shot to each of the trio with panic.

Most people would think of an electric shock as nothing, but they weren’t just anyone. As Scions, they weren’t affected by the elements like most; they never got wrinkly skin when staying in the bath too long, or colds, or electric shocks – unless the shock was from one of their own. And Riley knew all six people whom could cause something like that. Yet, he didn’t know the young man staring up at him like a deer in the headlights.

Still in a state of panic, the youngest brunette remained on the ground as not to come across as confrontational. “I’m Morgan Chauner.”

“Chauner?” Gage repeated with a heavy tone.

“A relative of Thomas?” Charlie nudged past the beefcake to get a better look. And she did. Striking blue eyes stared up at her, as his muscles remained stuck in a state of petrification.

Eyes growing wider, if that was even possible, the brunette gawked. “You knew my brother?”

All anxiety dropping from her body, the redhead relaxed her shoulders and held out her hand. “I’m Charlie. These two idiots are Riley Benham and Gage Weston.” She jutted her thumb to each man respectively before helping the young man to his feet.

Letting go of the appendage, the stranger pulled back once he’d gained his footing. “Charlie
Bordeaux?”

Furrowing her brows, the redhead nodded. “Yeah.”

“He talked about you a lot.” Lowering his head as he pulled his bag over his back, Morgan pulled his hood back up over his head despite the humid temperatures. “Tommy; he talked about all of you.”

“This is your first time here, isn’t it?” Riley cut in.

“Is it that obvious?”

“Tommy was a close friend of ours - in more than one way.” Shrugging his way into a standing position, the blonde clammed up. “He told me he had a younger brother, but he said your parents were against you coming here.”

“My parents never saw any point in it, seeing as I’d never be a Scion, and then after…” Crytaline eyes lowered in sad nostalgia. “Well, you know what happened.”

Patting the boy on the arm, Charlie looked away. “It was a horrific day. I lost three people important to me that week.”

“A lot of people say it was a curse by Ffion, because Eris was imprisoned.”

“Aye, kid.” The blonde jumped in with irritation. “Don’t throw those names about.”

Elbowing her friend, Charlie grunted at the idiot before returning staring off with a shrug. “Ffion wouldn’t waste her time with something so important.” Chewing the inside of her cheek, the bitterness in her tone grew quite extraordinarily. “But really,” glancing to the newcomer, the redhead scoffed. “you should be careful about who you talk to about the Chazade family.”

“You know them personally?” The newcomer asked, not brave enough to say the family name unless he invoked a great evil upon himself.

It wasn’t a first. Charlie had seen the majority of her kin shy away from the fact that the Chazade name had caused as much harm as good. Actually, it had become somewhat of modern legend. The fact that they had done as the most damage in their time as they had  done good had caused a sort of cult where more preoccupied with worshipping the few bad apples.

But that didn’t stop Charlie from loving Eris; She had been best friends with the middle child since as far back as she could remember. And that was not including the fact that Eris’s Aunt, Electa, had taken her in as one of her own when Charlize’s parents split under the pressure of neither of them being magically inclined.

No matter what was said about them, Charlize never believed any of it, aside from the fact they weren’t as daft as people tried their hardest to make them seem. No matter what colour people were damned on painting then, the redhead was sure of one thing -

“Charlie?”

Hearing her name called, the redhead shook her head into a smile. “It’s a subject I’m passionate about.” She grit her teeth into a hospitable smile.

The brunette nodded back in respect. “Me too. I’ve read some of her thesis, but a lot of them have been burnt.”

“Ffion’s?”

“Eris’s.”

Coughing a laugh, the redhead shrugged. “Most of our teachers didn’t even get to see Eris’s school work.”

“I have obsessive tendencies.”

“Creepy.” Gage whispered under his breath.

Jutting Gage in the ribs with her elbow, Charlie shoved him out of the way. “What are your plans for Ostara?” She took a deep breath of the air filled with the scent of spring.

Smiling back, the brunette stuck his hands in his pockets. “I actually have a checklist: of getting to know my brothers friends, and learning something not in the books. If I get to do that, I’ll be happy.”

Pushing his way back into the frame, Gage placed his hand down on the youngest’s shoulders. Peering down on a pale face filled with anxiety, the blonde’s expression contorted as his muscles tensed. “You’re an angry kid.” Grabbing Morgan’s wrist as he tried to pull away, the blonde drew from the limb. “You can’t lie to us.” Feeling his objection squirm, the blonde tightened his grip wit dark intent. “Don’t ever try to play us, you little shi-”

Unearthed by the fact their most cheerful friend had used his powers on a whim – and on one of their own - Riley and Charlie were ready to cut in at any moment when something fluttered by his face. Spazzing, Gage flailed his arms, ultimately releasing the newcomer. “What th-st-stop it.”

Sauntering into view from around the corner, and then down the hallway which had emptied without realisation, a petite female with cinnamon skin shook her head in disappointment. Lacking in height, yet full in the hips and bust, the brunette with a mass of chocolate locks slumped at the sight of her old acquaintances. “Your style has always been so obvious, Gage.” Almost laughing, the tanned female huffed. “And so easy to overcome.”

Wafting the swarm of lilac butterflies away from him, the blonde snapped. “What’s your problem?”

Framed tightening at the question, the woman’s expression tensed. “I was tasked with keeping Thomas’s brother safe from asses like you.”

“Maybe he doesn’t want the help of a healer.”

“What else could he want?”

Cutting in, Charlie stared at her fellow female. “Answers, Dahlia. Just like the rest of us.”

“Oh, Chaz, you’re back.” Clasping her hands behind her back, the brunette rolled her neck.  “How was your trip?”

“Almost as tiresome as coming back here.”

“Don’t be so angry.” Peering up, the older woman cocked her head. “At least your tutor will be here soon.”

Snapping to attention, Riley turned to his partner. “What?”

“With what’s going on, all tutors of Five Point members have been summoned.”

“That is new.”

“I don’t mean to interrupt, but is anyone going to explain what is going on?”

Holding her hand up to quiet the newcomer, the redhead narrowed her brows as she continued to stare at the exotic looking woman in the long gypsy skirt and lace blouse. “All tutors. Did you get one too?”

“My brother was supposed to be here.”

Full lips dancing on a smirk, Dahlia folded her hands in front of her. “I’ve had a dream about the dead.”

“I dream about the dead all the time.” Crimson brows raised as everyone’s pulse gained ground above reality. “Usually they’re trying to eat my bra-”

“Are you always going to mock me?”

“What did you see?”

“A war against the dead.”

“That’s not ominous at all.” Eyes wide, the blonde flapped.

Not quite liking the prophecy Charlie made for her kin, the redhead jutted her head. Lowering her tone upon closing the gap to less than a foot, the redhead whispered whilst avoiding eye contact. “What else?”

Smirk stretching into a grin, yet sadness growing murky in celadon irises, the brunette kept face for the onlookers. “A new leader with dangerous motives will show themselves within the next two days, and…” Gritting her teeth, the dark beauty closed up unintentionally.”

“Tell me.”

“A Scion will die within one week.”

“Who?”

“I really don’t know.” Fidgeting with herself, the brunette drew back even more.  “But you are all my friends.”

Solidified before she’ even arrived, the redhead bared her teeth conviction. “I won’t let anyone die. Any of you.”

Forced grin loosening to a genuine smile, Dahlia recoiled in ache. “You’ve grown so strong, Chaz, but even if everyone was here, the calamity which is racing for us wouldn’t be stopped.”

“There is nothing that can be done?”

“There is enemies at every gate.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s just what I was told.”

Patting the woman on the shoulder, Charlie urged the older female on her way. “Don’t go too far.” Turning around and making her way back to the group, the redhead put on a stoic face.

“What wacky shit is she spinning now?”

Snapping around, Charlie bared her teeth with a snarl. “Don’t ever call her predictions bullshit.” Brows raised along with her arms, the redhead’s muscles constricted with conviction. “She has told me a lot of things that have come true. A lot of things.” Prodding the air between them, the female panted in irritation.

Feeling the tension, along with the lack of belief, Morgan snuck in amongst the doubt. “Dahlia told Thomas that he was going to die if he protected a younger boy during an attack on The House of Five Points.”

Everyone stopped what they were thinking to stare at youngest male. “I was never told what really happened. My parents said I didn’t need to know.” The brunette crossed his arms over his chest.

Huffing at the turn of events, Riley grunted. “Even your parents don’t know the full story.”

“That story was a lie.”

“What?”

“Charlie!” Unintentionally barking, Riley snarled is.

Shrugging off the prophecy and the looks she was receiving, the redhead cracked her fingers. “He is one of us now. He should know.”
Riley slapped his hand off the pillar. “I don’t agree with that.”

Tearing her eyes from a glance bordering on a scowl, the redhead looked to the blonde. Holding his hands up as if it would help him appear like he wasn’t picking a side, Gage shook his head. “He hasn’t been sworn in.”

“Fine.” Charlie coughed before staring at the newcomer. “How much do you want to be part of this mess?”

Stark blue eyes gleamed back citrine ones. “I have to know, no matter the cost.”

Shrugging, the redhead strut past her acquaintances and the newcomer. “Then let’s do it now before everyone else arrives.”

Watching the tattooed back make for the end of the hallway, the brunette was taken over by nostalgia.  Chocking up his abjuration, the brunette panted his feet. “I deny the Communion.” Riley blurted before he had even thought it over.

Glancing back, Charlie narrowed her brows. “Do I really have to wait until tomorrow to pull rank? Are you really being so stupid?”

“We don’t even know him.” The brunette shook his head with tension.

“Being united is our best bet. You know how it works.”
 
“We should call a vote.” The nuisance muttered.

“We could, but I know the rules better than you do. ‘Any motion which is rejected has to wait seven days before being put forth again’, and we both know Gage will side with you because of the ‘Bros before hoes’ bullshit.”

“Nah,” the addressed raised his hand sheepishly. “I’m all for not dying. Let’s bring him in and level up.”

Throwing her nose in the air with a scoff, Charlie strut down the overpass with her two male companions. “Looks like we’re going for it then.”

Irate by the imaginary betrayal of his friend, Riley fumed. “You don’t even know the ceremony.”

Ignoring the snark, the female threw her nose up. “But I know someone who does.”
 

Updted: 14 April 215 - 03:08