Chapter Eighty-Three: Oak Falls
- Arthur
- Mar 27
- 28 min read
Updated: Apr 5
Chapter 83
Oak Falls
At the Donati manor, Tristan, Deimos, Celeste, and Jaxon sat on a lounge in the backyard pool patio with Sylvia and Prof. Stewart Murphy sitting across from them. The professor had his gaze fixed on both Jaxon and Tristan. Celeste wore a Possessed Pestilence tank top, a denim jacket, a jean skirt, torn fishnet hose, and black ankle strap boots. Tristan wore a white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, a blue cravat tucked inside, a black vest, black trousers, and black wingtip Oxfords. Deimos wore a “Not a Plaything” shirt, leather jacket, torn jeans, and cowboy boots. Jaxon wore a dark gray snakeskin button up shirt, black leather pants, a leather jacket, and black cheslea boots.
Sylvia: “I have a job for all of you! You four are going to enter the cave in Honker’s Cove in Oak Falls to locate a precious, rare emerald! I feel it’s best to have two healers for this job!”
She said excitedly.
Jaxon: “Hell yeah! Another mission!”
He grinned, clapping his hands together.
Tristan: “Two healers? Sounds dangerous.”
He leaned back. Deimos nodded.
Deimos: “I’ll be around to protect you, Tristan. Fret not!”
He put his arm around him.
Jaxon: “Pfft, I like to live dangerously.”
He draped his arm around Celeste. Celeste smirked at him.
Ashley sauntered outside, carrying a tray of freshly baked cookies with a cat teapot full of tea for them.
Ashley: “I baked fresh kitty cookies and brewed some rose tea for your meeting!”
They beamed.
Ashley: “Oh, and Celesete… don’t steal these cookies!”
They winked at her and laughed. Celeste reached out, grabbed four, and ate them.
Tristan: “Thanks for the tea, Ashley. I love tea.”
Stewart poured Tristan a cup of tea.
Tristan: “Thank you, sir!”
Stewart reddened.
Deimos: “I… don’t. I love coffee.”
Ashley: “Oh, my apologies, Deimos! I’ll get you a coffee!”
They beamed, remembering Monica telling them how he took his coffee.
Deimos: “Thanks, Ashley.”
Ivy came out and planted her hands on her hips.
Ivy: “I told you to throw those out! My cookies are better! I followed my Nana’s recipe to the letter!”
She snapped, grabbing the tray and dumping them in the trash. Ashley gasped.
Ashley: “H-HEY! MY CAT COOKIES!”
They cried and their lip trembled. Tristan knit his eyebrows and felt for Ashley.
Ashley: “Wh-Why are you so mean?!”
Jaxon: “Because she’s jealous that Celeste is the green queen, while she’s the mean green NPC queen!”
He scoffed and laughed. Celeste beamed at Jaxon. Ivy’s jaw dropped when she saw Jaxon, Tristan, and Celeste.
Tristan cleared his throat.
Ivy: “Why is HE here!?”
She snapped at Tristan. Tristan rubbed his forehead. Deimos tightly clenched the fabric of the lounge seat.
Tristan: “Sylvia requested my presence.”
Ivy: “WHY IS SHE HERE?!”
She cried at Celeste.
Jaxon: “WHY IS SHE HERE?!”
He cried at Ivy, mocking her. Ashley looked away to laugh. Celeste snorted. Deimos glared at Ivy. Tristan cupped his mouth to hide his laughter.
Ivy: “Why can’t you be more like your brother?! He just won a Nobel Prize in Medicine for discovering the cure for greenpox!”
She said flippantly. Jaxon glared at her.
Jaxon: “Why can’t you be more interesting and cool like the rest of us? No, you’re just an NPC.”
He huffed.
Ivy: “What does that mean?!”
She asked sharply. Jaxon scoffed.
Jaxon: “Pfft, of course, you don’t play video games. It means you have no character. You just exist in the game for the main characters, who are us, to do our missions. But you’re one of them annoying NPCs who whine all the time to do stupid quests you could do yourself!”
Tristan: “Oh my, I love RPGs, too!”
He smiled at Jaxon.
Ivy: “It’s all you did was play video games while I cleaned your house, and your father let Celeste tickle his feet.”
She huffed. Tristan’s right eye twitched.
Celeste went to the bin and got the cookies out to eat them.
Ivy: “EWW! That is DISGUSTING! First, you wouldn’t eat from the plate, and now you eat from the bin like a raccoon?!”
Celeste: “I’m a cat, not a raccoon! Don’t cry, Ash! I will eat your cookies!”
Ashley’s eyes brightened.
Ashley: “Aww, Celeste! You’re the best kitty friend! You can steal my treats any time!”
They cried happily.
Blair came out.
Blair: “Okay, WHY are THOSE PEOPLE here, Sylvia?! I don’t want to look at Celeste or Jiro or Deimos or Tristan! I want them all gone!”
He snapped. Ashley sighed and their brightened vibes drained again.
Sylvia: “Blair, please, it’s for a mission. I promise it will be worth it.”
She said coolly.
Jaxon: “Here comes another whiny NPC.”
He sighed.
Blair: “It’s the beatnik.”
He huffed.
Deimos: “I don’t want to see you either, Blair. The feeling is mutual.”
He said coldly.
Blair: “You were like that in high school! You and Tristan were both mean to me!”
He cried. Tristan rubbed his temples. Deimos rolled his eyes. Jaxon scoffed and laughed at him.
Jaxon: “Gee, I wonder why.”
Tristan: “You looked down on us, Blair! Why don’t you do some reflecting before you continue to judge? Also, why are you harping about issues that happened years ago? It’s irrelevant now.”
He said firmly. Ashley uncomfortably sipped on their tea.
Ashley: “...I’m gonna bake more cookies.”
God, I need a cookie right now, they thought and skipped to the kitchen. Tristan watched them go.
Jaxon laughed at Blair and Ivy.
Jaxon: “Hey, NPCs, get a hobby or something?”
He scoffed, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it.
Blair: “I can actually focus on things, Jiro. I don’t have ADHD, unlike YOU and HER!”
He pointed to Celeste, who just froze. Jaxon gaped at him. Tristan glared at Blair when he said that remark and saw how Celeste reacted. Deimos glared at Blair as if he were ready to lunge at him. Ashley cupped their mouth in disapproval and disappointment in Blair.
Tristan: “Blair…, get out of here now.”
He said firmly. Jaxon rose to his feet and got in Blair's face.
Jaxon: “We can focus on things that aren't boring like YOU!”
He fired back at him. Blair backed away.
Ivy took Blair’s arm.
Ivy: “Take me to Asagao, Blair. I need to shop for a bit.”
She smiled at him. Jaxon scoffed at her.
Jaxon: “Oh, now you want to pester my mother and be her NPCs, too?”
He laughed.
Ivy: “I spoke with her when the shop opened here! She’s a nice lady! She tells me about Ichiro and how proud she is of him!”
She smiled.
Jaxon: “Ah, so boring stuff then.”
He waved his hand.
Celeste: “What’s Asagao?”
She asked.
Ivy: “It’s a dress shop. You wouldn’t shop there, so why are you asking?”
She rolled her eyes.
Celeste: “What does it mean, though? Did she name it after her cat or is it a code name?”
She stroked her own hair. Jaxon smiled at her endearingly and kissed her head. Celeste smirked at him. Ashley giggled.
Ivy: “You’re SO unbelievably STUPID!”
She snapped at her. Jaxon recoiled and saw red. Ashley knit their eyebrows, feeling second-hand hurt.
Jaxon: “You're SO unbelievably BORING! It's a FLOWER, bitch!”
He snapped at her. Ivy drew back and glared at him.
Tristan: “You could have just told her it’s a flower, Ivy. Is that so hard?!”
He said through clenched teeth.
Ivy: “You used me to get to Deimos!”
Deimos rose. Ashley groaned. Here we go again, they thought.
Deimos: “Go. To. Hell, Ivy.”
He hissed through clenched teeth.
Ivy: “I always knew you were abusive, Deimos, but I didn’t think you’d want to hit me!”
She ran away in tears.
Deimos rolled his eyes. She’s not wrong, I was tempted to punch her many times, he thought.
Jaxon: “We're gonna need something stronger than tea.”
He pulled out his whiskey and poured it into his tea.
Jaxon: “Whiskey, anyone?”
He held up his bottle. Celeste shook her head and heaved a deep sigh.
Tristan: “No, thank you. We have to be alert.”
He said firmly but gently.
Sylvia: “I am so sorry about this. Ivy is anxious about the proposal.”
Tristan: “That is not an excuse.”
He said tersely.
Deimos: “Nah, this is what living with Ivy is like. Hey, Ashley, ya think the guest room at Lazaros’ is not a bad idea now?”
He said wryly. Ashley pursed their lips.
Ashley: “Only if Lazaros wants me there.”
They sighed, feeling terrible for how they scared him.
Deimos: “Consider it. An impersonal guest room beats whatever the fuck this is.”
He huffed. Ashley nodded in agreement.
Ashley: “I can't stand her… I can't stand it here anymore… I wish I were with Lazaros…”
They cried into their hands. Tristan rose and consoled Ashley.
Tristan: “Go to him, Ashley. I think he wants to be with you. You don’t need this.”
He said softly.
Ashley: “R-Really?!”
Their face lit up. Tristan smiled and nodded.
Ashley: “I'll grab Keke and bake him some cookies!”
They beamed and skipped back into the house.
Deimos: “I used to cut myself when I dated her. The more you know.”
Tristan bowed his head. Sylvia drew a long breath.
Jaxon: “Fuck that. Drink instead! It will drown out her bitching!”
Deimos gaped at Jaxon.
Deimos: “I don’t rely on alcoholic drinks, and it did improve my healing powers. Win-win.”
He said evenly.
Deimos: “When are we going?”
Sylvia: “If you four can get into my minivan now, it’d be wonderful.”
She smiled. Jaxon turned to Celeste.
Jaxon: “We're going on another mission!”
He beamed at her. Celeste gave him a half-smile.
Celeste: “Yeah, of course! Another mission.”
She said as her voice trailed off. Tristan gazed at her.
Jaxon: “What's wrong? Aren't you excited? Is it the minivan?”
He pressed her. Celeste put her hands up.
Celeste: “No, no, I’m fine.”
She nodded. Jaxon smiled at her and put his arm around her.
Jaxon: “Don't worry, we're gonna have fun away from the boring brigade!”
He assured her with a grin. She smiled in his arms and sighed.
Celeste: “You’re right.”
~
They were all in the minivan with Sylvia driving and the four in the backseats. Deimos and Tristan sat in the middle seat, and Jaxon and Celeste sat in the third backseat. Celeste gazed out the window. Tristan was reading a book and smoking, and Deimos had headphones on while smoking. Jaxon kicked back and relaxed, kicking off his boots. Tristan sniffed the stink and fanned his face. Deimos stopped, removed his headphones, and glared at Jaxon.
Deimos: “Your feet stink!”
He hissed at Jaxon.
Tristan: “Put your shoes back on, Jaxon. Celeste, I thought you were going to have him use that peppermint oil spray?”
He said to her, but she wasn’t paying attention.
Jaxon: “Come on, you guys! It's not that bad! Right, Celeste?”
He grinned at her. Celeste didn’t reply to him. She gazed out the window.
Sylvia: “Stop fighting before I turn this car around! Put your shoes on, Jaxon!”
She ordered. Jaxon pouted.
Jaxon: “All right, all right!”
He pulled his boots back on and huffed like a scolded child.
He leaned over to Celeste.
Jaxon: “Let's play eye spy! I spy something with my eye, someone sexy!”
He purred, stroking his hand down her leg. She jumped and looked at him. She smiled a bit and leaned her head on his chest. Jaxon smiled at her and petted her head.
Jaxon: “What's wrong, baby? Why are you so quiet?”
He pressed her. Tristan turned to focus on his book to give them privacy. Deimos put his headphones back on.
Celeste: “I’m being quiet?”
She laughed as she leaned on his chest.
Jaxon: “Yeah! You want a snack?”
He offered her a candy bar from the box of snacks. She shook her head.
Celeste: “Nah, I’m not hungry.”
She sighed and hugged him close. Jaxon gaped at her.
Jaxon: “C-Celeste?! Are you in there?!”
He knit his eyebrows, shaking her shoulders.
Celeste: “I’m fine!”
She laughed a bit.
Jaxon then turned to Tristan.
Jaxon: “Hey! Tristan! You're smart! Wh-What’s wrong with my Green Queen?!?”
He pleaded with him. Tristan lowered his book.
Celeste: “Nothing is wrong!”
She said rather snappishly.
Tristan: “Blair’s comment about her having ADHD upset her.”
He replied. Jaxon's expression soured.
Celeste: “No, it didn’t, Tristan! I am FINE!”
She snapped. Deimos removed his headphones.
Deimos: “Blair claims to be this nice guy but he’s a sanctimonious asswipe. He always was and always will be.”
He said acidly.
Jaxon: “Don't let NPCs get to you! He's a sheep and you're a wolf!”
Tristan sighed.
Tristan: “This is a sore spot for her, Jaxon.”
He said and knit his eyebrows.
Jaxon paused. He always thought she was invincible. He didn't think she could get hurt. He didn't know what to do.
Celeste: “No, it’s not, Tristan!”
She huffed.
Jaxon: “Don't worry, I will kick his ass for you!”
He grinned, cracking his knuckles, trying to offer her assurance and lift her spirits. He didn't know how else to. Celeste smiled a bit.
Celeste: “You’d do that for me?”
She bit her bottom lip.
Jaxon: “Hell yeah, I would! You take Ivy, I take Blair! Let's get ready to rumble! We can be a tag team! Obviously, we'll win the championship because we're so awesome and sexy!”
He grinned and laughed, punching his hands and flicking his gaze to her, hoping it was working. Celeste cupped her mouth and giggled. Jaxon smiled with relief. Tristan turned around. He speaks her love language, he thought.
Jaxon: “Fuck em. Let's have fun!”
He grinned at her.
Celeste: “Like what?”
She asked him. Jaxon shrugged.
Jaxon: “I dunno, whatever fun stuff comes up on the road! We will make it fun!”
He chuckled.
Celeste: “Yeah, I always said being with you is fun and I meant it!”
She purred. Jaxon grinned at her.
Jaxon: “I always have fun with you, too!”
Deimos turned around.
Deimos: “I have a fun game! Celeste, start making him use that peppermint oil spray on his feet! Unless you’re now like that weird bucktooth guy who lives with Fabien!”
He said wryly. Celeste giggled. Jaxon glared at him.
Jaxon: “HEY! That's not a fun game!”
Celeste: “What brought that up, Deimos?”
Deimos: “He took his fuckin’ shoes off and the stink filled this car.”
He huffed.
Jaxon: “My feet don't stink!”
He huffed.
Celeste: “Oh, if I knew, I would have punished him for you.”
She smirked at Jaxon. Deimos groaned. Tristan laughed a bit. Jaxon laughed.
Jaxon: “I love it when you punish me, baby!”
He grinned and kissed her head. Celeste kissed him back.
Celeste: “Why did you take your shoes off?”
She asked as she trailed her nails over his chest. Jaxon shivered at her touch and smiled when the Green Queen he knew and loved shone bright again.
Deimos: “To torture us. We’re not the weirdo who lives with Fabien. And don’t say you never saw that guy huffing your boots.”
He shook his forefinger at him.
Deimos: “Or your fanclub on Fu’s Feet Links.”
He added. Jaxon glared at him.
Jaxon: “Syliviaaaaa, Deimos is being mean to me!”
He pouted like a child.
Deimos: “Deimos is telling the truth.”
He huffed.
Sylvia: “Settle down, all of you! We’re going to arrive here in the evening.”
She said exasperatedly.
Celeste: “Don’t fret, Deimos! I got ya covered!”
She tickled Jaxon’s neck and his sides.
Jaxon: “HahahahahaHahaahhaah, hey!”
He laughed and kicked the front seat. Deimos turned to him with a glare. Celeste tickled Jaxon’s inner thighs.
Jaxon: “HahahahaahhHahhhhhhhAhaah!”
He squirmed in the backseat. She smirked. She unzipped his chelsea boots, took those off along with his socks, and tickled his feet. Tristan and Deimos turned around to gape.
Jaxon: “NOHOHOHOhohohoo hahahahahaahh!”
He rasped. Celeste unzipped her purse and got her peppermint oil spray. She spritzed some on his feet and rubbed it in.
Jaxon shivered and yelped.
Celeste: “It’s so your feet won’t stink.”
She smiled at him as she massaged it in.
Deimos: “Yeah, the smell is gone!”
He threw his arms up.
Jaxon: “My feet don't stink!”
He huffed.
Celeste: “They don’t now.”
She smiled at him.
Jaxon pouted.
Jaxon: “Whatever. I'm just glad you're smiling again.”
He blurted. Celeste raised her eyebrows and smiled widely at him.
Deimos: “Wow, Jaxon, you’re showing your emotions. Did you tell her you love her?”
He asked evenly. Jaxon’s face turned as red as his streak.
Jaxon: “Stop talking.”
He hissed at him through clenched teeth. Deimos raised his eyebrows.
Deimos: “Wow, Jaxon, your face is red.”
He smirked a bit. Tristan turned around to face him and laughed a bit. Celeste locked her gaze on Jaxon, biting her bottom lip. Tristan flicked his gaze to Deimos and Jaxon.
Tristan: “You never told her you loved her?”
He grinned.
Jaxon: “Of course, I did!”
He blurted and hissed. Celeste grinned and leaned on his shoulder.
Celeste: “I love it when he gets flustered.”
She moaned.
Jaxon: “Only for you, baby. Only for you.”
He kissed her head. Celeste chuckled.
Tristan: “Hey, Jaxon, before Ivy… interrupted us, I was going to ask what your favorite RPGs were. I love those and can relate to those annoying characters that give you useless side quests and complain it wasn’t the right gem you mined.”
He explained and rolled his eyes. Jaxon laughed.
Jaxon: “Oh, I love Blood Slayer! You play as this Vampire and go on blood quests! She’s like those villagers in Tudor Town. They whine at you to get them water or whatever, like, bitch, I’m a VAMPIRE, not your maid. Get your own damn water.”
He explained. Tristan’s eyes lit up.
Tristan: “Oh, I own that game and I beat it! I love it!”
Jaxon: “I hated the horse level. It was so boring! ‘Mopey Maple’ was so annoying! Why is it my problem to get her horse back? Not my problem you’re stupid and left the gate open because you were picking apples. That’s Ivy in a nutshell. I wish she’d pick apples instead of arguments!”
He pouted. Tristan laughed bitterly.
Tristan: “I know that level and… yeah.”
He gritted his teeth. Deimos rolled his eyes.
Deimos: “HUGE understatement.”
Jaxon: “You strike me as a Blood Slayer fan. You know what I’m talking about.”
He nodded to him.
Deimos: “Yeah, I love that game. I bought a copy for Tristan.”
He replied and smiled.
Deimos: “We have an apple tree in my backyard. I picked apples for her once because she asked me to and bitched that I bruised them because Celeste jump scared me. I dropped them on the ground.”
He relayed and growled. Jaxon gaped at him.
Jaxon: “Jesus Christ… she really IS Mopey Maple!”
He shook his head.
Jaxon: “It’s like when you run out of time on the clock and she bitches at you for taking too long to get her horse back! WHY is there a timer!? I’ll get your horse back when I get it! Stop bitching!”
He huffed.
Deimos: “Oh, don’t get me started on her family events. She would drag me to those because of family, and her sister, who is an adult, is a ‘little’ who is dating a ‘dommy grandpa’.”
He rolled his eyes. Tristan rubbed his temples.
Tristan: “Ivy’s mother is my secretary. You may have met her. She has another daughter who is an adult woman who wears diapers and sucks on a pacifier. And her partner is this old man who resembles Captain Samson. He’s her ‘dommy grandpa.’ ”
He explained. Jaxon burst out laughing.
Jaxon: “What the FUCK?! And I thought Nariko was disturbing.”
He laughed and shuddered.
Tristan: “I ceased going to events when Lily shoved her diapered butt in my face and she soiled that diaper.”
He said blankly as the color drained from his face. Everyone gaped at him.
Celeste: “Ew.”
She finally said. Jaxon gagged and coughed.
Jaxon: “Pull over! I-I’m going to be SICK!”
He groused. Celeste patted his back.
Celeste: “Need Sylvia to pull over, hon?”
Jaxon wordlessly nodded. Alcohol and disgusting details made for a sickening concoction.
Celeste: “Sylvia, pull over!”
Sylvia: “We’re almost here.”
Celeste kicked the seat.
Celeste: “PULL THE FUCK OVER!”
She barked. Sylvia sighed and pulled over. Celeste opened the door and led Jaxon out. Jaxon knelt on the side of the road, throwing up in the bushes. Celeste held his hair back as her fingers trailed down his spine. Jaxon shivered at her touch and gazed up, taking in their surroundings.
It was a stark contrast to Pink Top City with its lush greenery. There was a sign with a painting of a village on the coast of the ocean with “Welcome to Oak Falls!” Celeste saw a rabbit hopping in the grass. Her eyes went large. She screamed and clutched to his chest. The rabbit hopped away, out of sight. Jaxon held her close.
Jaxon: “Don’t like rabbits, huh?”
He comforted her, stroking her head.
Jaxon: “Me neither.”
He twisted his mouth, thinking of Olivia and Vanessa. Celeste shivered in his touch and whimpered.
Jaxon: “Let’s get this show on the road! Anyone got any gum?”
He asked.
Tristan: “Feeling okay?”
He handed him some spearmint gum.
Jaxon: “Thanks.”
Sylvia: “Before you four venture off, want to stop at Pete Moss’ General Store?”
Deimos: “I need to get cigarettes.”
Jaxon: “Oh fuck, me too!”
He exclaimed.
They all piled back into the minivan, and Sylvia drove through Oak Falls. It was a small, quaint fishing village. They drove by a small red house with a patio surrounding it and “Dorothy’s Tea Room” on the green canopy. She pulled up to a small convenience store, which was a dark brown two-story building that had a green sign with “Pete Moss’s General Store” inscribed in gold letters above the doors. She parked the car, and Tristan, Deimos, Jaxon, and Celeste got out. Deimos and Tristan stretched their legs.
Celeste entered the store. There were shelves of homemade baked goods, fudge, as well as chips, chocolate bars, candy, and magazines. The fridges were stocked with soda, beer, energy drinks, water, and milk. Celeste knelt to the fudge eyeing it up.
Jaxon: “You want?”
He chuckled and smiled at her. Her eyes sparkled.
Celeste: “Yeah, I want that one, that one, and that one.”
She pointed to “Death by Chocolate”, “Walnut”, and “Mint.” Jaxon chuckled and grabbed them for her to take to the counter.
Behind the counter was a tall, slender, pale redhead girl with freckles scattered across her face, shoulders, arms, and legs. She had long wavy red hair that cascaded down her back, large violet eyes, and thin lips. She wore an orange shirt, jean shorts, and pink slip-ons on her large feet. She fixed her gaze on Jaxon, Deimos, and Tristan, finding all these men so hot, and wondered if any of them were single.
Jaxon: “Hey there, I just want these warrior babe-fuel snacks, please!”
He plonked them all down on the counter, winking at Celeste. Celeste giggled and grinned at him. The girl bit her bottom lip.
Girl: “Anything else, hands—, I mean, sir?”
She stammered.
Jaxon: “Anything else, hot stuff?”
He turned to Celeste, smacking her butt. Celeste giggled and wiggled her ass. She wrapped her arms around Jaxon. The girl grimaced. Oh, he’s taken, she thought.
Celeste: “No, but didn’t you say you needed cigarettes?”
She purred.
Jaxon: “Oh yeah. I got distracted by you.”
He teased, poking her nose. Celeste giggled and kissed him softly on the lips.
Jaxon: “Yeah, I’ll just grab some Marlboro Reds!”
He said to the girl. The girl reddened.
Girl: “D-Do you have ID?”
She stammered.
Jaxon: “The fuck do I need that for? Don’t you know who I am?”
He laughed. The girl shook her head.
Girl: “N-No.”
She brushed her hair behind her ear. Jaxon’s eyebrows rose surprisingly.
Jaxon: “I’m the frontman of Steel Axe!”
He huffed. She embraced herself.
Tristan: “Just show it, Jaxon. It’s just a thing all stores do.”
He said gently. Oh God, the other cute guy and he’s French, she thought.
Jaxon: “All right, all right, fine!”
He pouted, placing his driver’s license down on the counter. She examined it and bit her bottom lip. She handed it back to Jaxon.
Girl: “Here you go, handsome!”
She blurted.
Jaxon: “Thanks!”
He grinned, taking back his card and placing his arm around Celeste. Celeste smiled back at him and kissed him.
Deimos approached the counter with a case of Corona Extra.
Deimos: “Marlboro Reds.”
He said tersely. The girl reddened. Another hottie, she thought. I’m surrounded by hot men, she thought, flustered. Deimos raised an eyebrow.
Tristan: “And get me some Montclair Silver.”
He knelt and kissed Deimos. She grimaced. And they’re both taken by each other, she thought.
Girl: “Do you two have ID?”
Tristan and Deimos nodded, withdrawing their wallets and showing her their driver’s licenses.
Girl: “Are you two in the same band?”
She asked Deimos and Jaxon. Deimos raised an eyebrow. Jaxon looked at Deimos and laughed.
Jaxon: “No? What gave you that idea?”
He laughed.
Girl: “Oh, you two dress kinda alike!”
She laughed.
Deimos: “I am in a band, but not with him. He’s just my friend.”
He said evenly. Jaxon’s eyebrows rose surprisingly.
Jaxon: “...Friend, huh?”
He grinned widely. Deimos reddened and looked away. Tristan cupped his mouth and chuckled. Celeste grinned like the Cheshire Cat.
An old, stocky man came from downstairs. He was bald, except for the gray hair on his temples and in the back, and wore a green shirt with overalls and work boots. He walked with a limp.
Old man: “Ah, I see you youngsters are becoming acquainted with my daughter, Alex. She recently transitioned! I’m Pete Moss, owner of this store. You two look like you’re from the big city.”
He walked over to the counter.
Pete: “Did Beth come to pick up her rolls, Alex?”
Alex: “No, Daddy.”
Pete nodded.
Pete: “Beth’s son, Percy Pearson, was in the military. He was in private first class. He has been missing in action for years. He was last seen in Dusseldorf.”
He drawled. Jaxon quirked an eyebrow.
Celeste: “Percy?!”
Pete nodded.
Pete: “Yeah. You know him?”
Tristan: “What does he look like?”
Pete cleared his throat.
Pete: “Tall, burly man with a big nose and red hair. You seen him?”
Tristan shook his head. That isn’t the Percy we know. Must be a coincidence, he thought. Jaxon burst out laughing.
Jaxon: “That sounds nothing like him. Must be a different Percy.”
He laughed.
Deimos: “We should go.”
He nodded to the minivan.
Jaxon: “Come on, friend, let’s have a smoke!”
He playfully teased, putting his arm around him. Deimos reddened.
Deimos: “Stop it. I… blurted it out.”
He muttered as they left the store.
Jaxon: “Ha ha! You like me! You’re my friend!”
He teased him, blowing a raspberry. Jaxon froze when he realized what he had just said. Deimos reddened and folded his arms across his chest, pouting.
Deimos: “Stop.”
He mumbled. Tristan patted his shoulders.
Tristan: “Take care, Alex and Pete.”
He nodded, and he and Celeste left.
~
The four were in Honker’s Cove and stood before a cave on the coast of the ocean with the waves crashing against the rocks.
Tristan: “This is it.”
Celeste turned on a flashlight, and they entered the cave. It was quiet, except for the sound of waves crashing and water dripping.
Tristan: “I hope this doesn’t get too narrow.”
He crouched down. He was the only one crouching down as the others weren’t as tall as him.
Celeste: “So, Jaxon, what do you wanna do with the money when we get paid?”
She bent over and walked backwards.
Jaxon: “I wanna take you on a sexy shopping spree!”
He grinned at her.
Celeste: “What do you wanna get me?”
She smiled and batted her eyelashes.
Jaxon: “Hmm, more bikinis and sexy toys!”
He winked.
Deimos: “Saying that in front of us?”
He asked dryly. Tristan chuckled.
Jaxon: “What?! Like you don’t do nice stuff for each other too?!”
He scoffed.
Tristan: “Of course, we do.”
He laughed softly.
Suddenly, the four dropped and slid down a slide. Tristan shrieked and Celeste laughed as she slid down. Jaxon held her arm and laughed with thrill and joy. Deimos held Tristan close to him.
Jaxon: “This is the MOST fun mission yet!”
He grinned, cheering as they slid down. They landed on the ground with Celeste landing in a cat-like grace. Jaxon thumped onto the ground. Deimos carried Tristan and put him down. She saw the emerald in front of them,
Celeste: “THE GEM IS THERE!”
She ran to it.
The ground shook below them.
Tristan: “Wh-What was that?”
He stammered. Deimos held Tristan close.
There was a screech in the cave, a jangling of chains, and suddenly, they heard stomping. Three pupil-less eyes stared at them on a swollen, bulbous head with an overpowering animosity, and another screech thundered from its crooked mouth in a fit of rage.
Thick snot escaped the creature’s broad nostrils set within a serpentine nose.
Its swollen head sits atop a tall, robust body with gold shackles attached to loose chains on its wrists.
The creature stepped closer to them, its two legs stumbled, each footstep shaking the ground. A thick tail twirls behind it, and tendril-like veins protrude from it in several places.
Celeste: “...WHAT THE FUCK?!”
The creature rammed its fist into Celeste, knocking the jewel from her hands and she crashed into the stone walls.
Jaxon: “CELESTE!”
He rushed over to her, grabbing her boobs, emitting a red glow.
Celeste: “Thanks, babe!”
She jumped back on her feet.
Tristan slammed his foot down, forming a path of icicles that shot at the creature. The icicles pierced the creature. It let out a mighty roar, grabbed Tristan’s neck, and threw him down onto the ground with such force, blood splattered everywhere, and Tristan broke every bone in his body. Tristan gasped and lay there. Deimos’ jaw dropped, horrified.
Deimos: “TRISTAN!”
He cried and knelt to him, healing him and sobbing.
Deimos: “Please don’t die, please don’t die!”
He sobbed as he healed him.
The creature licked his blood off him and raised his fists to crush them. Celeste lunged at the creature, trying to twist its head off. The creature slammed her against the wall and threw her again,c rashing her into the ground. Celeste lifted her head. One of her eyes was bloodshot. Her legs and arms were broken. Jaxon screamed and rushed over to her.
Jaxon: “NOO! CELESTE!”
He threw himself at her, rubbing his hands all over her arms and legs to heal them.
Deimos healed Tristan and hugged him close.
The creature lunged at Jaxon, grabbing his arm and embedding its claws into his arm.
Jaxon: “ARGHH! NOO!”
He rasped, clutching his arm, running low on energy. His body was new to this and he didn’t have the stamina to last long yet.
Deimos knelt to Celeste to heal her and finish what Jaxon started. He panted as he healed her. This was wearing him out. When he finished, Celeste ran to the creature, grabbed its head, and sank her teeth and nails into its eyeballs. Tristan formed ice around the creature to secure it. The creature roared as Celeste ripped one of its eyes out with her mouth. She spat it out and roared as she used her strength to pry its head open. Its piercing screams filled the cavern as Celeste cracked its skull open. She grabbed its spine, cracked it off, and impaled it.
Deimos collapsed to the ground and passed out. Tristan rushed to Deimos. Celeste knelt panting. Jaxon panted.
Jaxon: “Holy shit… that was so metal.”
He laughed.
Tristan: “Celeste, would you carry him?”
He asked her and picked up the emerald.
Celeste: “Y-Yeah.”
She sighed and rose, helping Jaxon up. Jaxon wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. Celeste kissed him back.
~
Jaxon, Celeste, Deimos, and Tristan showed up at the Donati manor with Sylvia and the emerald.
Sylvia: “You four did a great job! It’s thanks to you, Ivy’s dream proposal will now come true thanks to you all!”
Deimos’ right eye twitched. Jaxon rolled his eyes.
Deimos: “Come again?”
Celeste: “The fuck do you mean Ivy’s proposal?! Why are we learning this NOW?!”
She threw her arms up.
Jaxon: “Wait, hold up, what’s that got to do with… Wait… THAT WAS FOR HER?!”
He gaped at her.
Tristan: “Ahahahahahaha, we almost died.”
He laughed humorlessly.
Ivy came in, clasping her hands.
Ivy: “Ah, Sylvia, did they get the emerald so I can get my engagement ring made in my birthstone?”
She smiled. Sylvia rose and presented her with the gem.
Sylvia: “All in one piece, my dear!”
Ivy’s smile faded.
Ivy: “...That’s not an emerald.”
Deimos gritted his teeth. Tristan’s right eye twitched. Jaxon gaped at her.
Jaxon: “So what?”
Tristan: “Ivy, it’s green.”
Ivy: “It’s not an emerald, Tristan! It’s a GREEN TOURMALINE!”
She cried.
Celeste: “You say tomato, I say tomahto.”
She said with irritation.
Ivy: “SHUT UP, CELESTE! YOU ALL RUINED MY ENGAGEMENT RING! I WANTED A RARE EMERALD AND YOU ALL GOT ME THE WRONG ONE!”
She bawled. Jaxon laughed bitterly.
Jaxon: “Holy shit, she really is Mopey Maple. Great, so we almost died for nothing.”
He huffed.
Tristan: “Ivy? Did you know a creature attacked us? AND ALMOST KILLED US?”
He said as his voice rose.
Ivy: “Be quiet, Tristan! You used me to get Deimos! You don’t know what hurt and suffering are!”
She sobbed. Jaxon threw his head back, groaning.
Deimos: “Are you FUCKING KIDDING ME?!”
He bellowed at her.
Ivy: “Tristan did this with Celeste! He wants to see me miserable because I was hurt that he missed a lunch date!”
Tristan glared at her with anger.
Tristan: “Ivy, YOU are the one harping about that! Did you forget the day before my GROOMER attacked Ashley, Blair, and me had to reface my trauma again?! But NO! I missed your lunch date, and I’m the bad guy?!”
He barked at her.
Celeste: “You know what? Fuck you! We’re taking this and selling it.”
She huffed, taking the tourmaline. Jaxon grinned.
Jaxon: “Yeah, fuck you! We almost DIED for this! It’s ours!”
Blair came out and huffed.
Blair: “Great, it’s the beatniks.”
Deimos: “You don’t know what a beatnik is.”
He huffed. Jaxon laughed at Blair.
Tristan: “Blair, not now!”
He growled.
Jaxon: “Beatnik? The fuck? Who even says that in 1987?”
He laughed and shook his head.
Celeste saw Ashley pile towels in the laundry.
Celeste: “Hey, Ash!”
She waved to them. Ashley smiled at her.
Ashley: “Hey, Celeste! Wanna steal my cookies?”
They chuckled. Celeste beamed.
Ivy screamed.
Ivy: “THE GOOD TOWELS! WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY GOOD TURKISH TOWELS?!”
She cried and ripped the basket from them. Ashley froze and felt their stomach sink.
Ashley: “Wh-What? What are you talking about?!”
Vanessa rushed behind Ashley.
Vanessa: “I-I clogged the toilet, and Ashley was trying to clean it for me! They didn’t have anything else! It’s not their fault!”
Ashley pursed their lips and nodded.
Ashley: “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t realize! I’ll clean them well!”
Ivy: “YOU RUINED MY GOOD TOWELS!”
She sobbed and went to Blair.
Ashley: “How was I supposed to know they were the good towels if you didn’t say so?!”
They pouted.
Ivy: “I am tired of Ashley! They ruin my baked goods and now my towels! I am tired of them stinking my house with their potpourri!”
She sobbed on Blair. Blair held her close. Ashley knit their eyebrows.
Blair: “Ashley, I know Maxx has hurt you a lot, but this is no excuse for this.”
He said firmly.
Ashley: “Wh-What?! This has nothing to do with Maxx! It’s HER! I’m tired of HER! She ruined MY baked goods and screams at me about towels! It’s not HER house! It’s yours!”
They cried.
Blair: “Ashley, you’re very hurt from how Maxx is making albums about you, but Ivy is not the enemy. Maxx is.”
Ashley gaped at Blair and glared at Ivy.
Celeste: “Maxx takes stock music and screams ‘Fatley’s XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXL Underwear’ over and over and calls it a song. It’s old news now.”
She drawled. Ashley gaped at Blair and recoiled, looking insulted.
Ashley: “...What?! I don’t CARE about Maxx! That was MONTHS ago! I’m over that! I’m hurt with HER! She IS the enemy! She’s mean to everyone!”
They cried at Ivy.
Tristan formed ice under him. Sylvia rose.
Sylvia: “Do not use your powers, Tristan.”
She said firmly.
Blair sighed.
Blair: “Ashley, Ivy is doing this because she cares. She doesn’t want another Tristan, Celeste, or Jiro. You’re better than they are.”
He said to them. Ashley gaped at Blair.
Ashley: “She only cares about her own selfish self! She doesn’t care about me! She’s mean to me! They’re nice to me, and I like them!”
They stepped back towards the others.
Tristan: “Blair, what about Maxx and Yvette, who actually DID hurt Ashley? Why are they out of the equation?”
Ashley folded their arms and nodded.
Ashley: “Yeah, Blair, Yvette, and Maxx hurt me, but they didn’t hurt me!”
Blair stepped back and paused. He looked at Ivy.
Ivy: “Mayumi told me about Nariko! She seems like a nice girl! We both were hurt by terrible men.”
She glanced at Tristan. Tristan bored his cold glare on her. Deimos bared his teeth.
Jaxon’s blood boiled, and he shot off from his seat, fuming. Ashley gaped at her.
Ashley: “She’s NOT a nice girl, and neither are YOU!”
They snapped at Ivy.
Jaxon: “NO! Fuck you! Going to my mother and believing her! You have NO idea what she did to me!”
He rasped.
Celeste: “Yvette kidnapped Jaxon, brought him to Shin-Yamato to force him into marriage, and Tristan, Deimos, and I were almost eaten by sharks. But sure, she’s a nice girl.”
She said dryly.
Jaxon: “SHE TORTURED ME FOR HOURS WITH THAT STUPID VIKING!”
He rasped.
Jaxon: “And they could have died because of HER! And now we all could have died because of YOU!”
He snapped.
Ivy: “The world would be better off without Celeste and TRISTAN!”
She spat. Tristan rubbed his temples. Deimos saw red when she said that. Jaxon glared at Ivy.
Jaxon: “Don’t you DARE say that!”
Ashley gasped, cupping their mouth, and turned to Blair.
Ashley: “Come on, Blair, can’t you see she’s pure evil?!”
They knit their eyebrows.
Blair: “I… oh, it’s the emerald you wanted, Ivy!”
He picked it up.
Ivy: “It’s not an emerald!”
She huffed.
Blair: “Oh, I thought it was. It’s green!”
Deimos: “Yeah, disagreeing with Ivy is not an option. You’re a fast learner, Blair.”
He said dryly. Celeste took the tourmaline from Blair and hugged it close.
Jaxon: “You’re NOT getting it. It’s OURS!”
He snapped, putting his arm around Celeste.
Ivy: “Blair, I want Ashley out of this house now. Send them to a homeless shelter and garbage their stuff.”
She commanded. Ashley gaped at Ivy and glared at her.
Ashley: “You’re so evil!”
They gasped.
Ivy: “They side with Tristan and Celeste.”
Ashley: “Tristan and Celeste are nice to me and my friends! Unlike you!”
They countered.
Tristan: “You can’t be serious. Ivy, I have apologized to you countless times. We almost died to get your rock!”
He snapped. Ashley frowned at Blair, feeling hurt when he said nothing.
Ashley: “Don’t even bother! I’ll take myself out! I’m out of here!”
They huffed and glared at Ivy.
Ashley: “I’m going where I’m wanted and treated with love!”
They stomped off to gather their belongings. Blair bowed his head.
Tristan: “We’ll walk you to Lazaros’, Ashley.”
He smiled at them. Ashley smiled at Tristan.
Ashley: “Thank you, Tristan! You’re a good friend.”
They said and frowned at Blair.
Sylvia: “I’m sorry, Ashley. I really am.”
She patted their shoulder. Ashley flashed her a smile.
Ashley: “I’m sorry, too, Sylvia… you have to live with that mean cake hater!”
They huffed at Ivy.
~
Celeste, Jaxon, Tristan, and Deimos walked Ashley down the street.
Deimos: “Ashley, I dated Ivy for two years. I used to hurt myself to drown out the sorrow. Lazaros can confirm it.”
He nodded. Ashley knit their eyebrows.
Ashley: “Oh my stars! That’s TERRIBLE! I’m so sorry you went through that, Deimos!”
They hugged him, feeling sorry for him.
Tristan: “Then she tried to have an emotional affair with me while dating Deimos, dated my father, and now my father is more broken than before.”
He sighed and cupped his mouth. Ashley cupped their mouth.
Ashley: “Oh god… that’s so messed up! I’m so sorry! She’s like that mean redhead lady with the stinky feet!”
They hugged Tristan, feeling sorry for him. Tristan hugged them back.
Deimos looked at Jaxon and Celeste, who tugged a wagon with a huge sack. Ashley tilted their head.
Deimos: “The fuck is that?”
Celeste: “Ivy’s pantry.”
She snorted. Jaxon cackled.
Celeste: “And their booze. I don’t drink, so it’s not mine! Jaxon and me fuckin’ swiped it while the bitch was sobbing about some crap Vanessa did.”
Jaxon: “Our BEST mission yet!”
He grinned, giving her a high-five. She high-fived him back. Ashley stumbled over a laugh and burst out laughing, feeling their spirits lift again.
Ashley: “That’s amazing…”
They laughed.
They stood before Lazaros’ house. Lazaros was on his loveseat and gasped.
Lazaros: “ASHLEY!”
He screamed and rushed to them.
Ashley: “LAZAROS!”
They cried and rushed up to him. Lazaros hugged them. Ashley shivered to his touch and hugged him back.
Lazaros: “Why is Jaxon here after what almost happened to you?!”
He cried. Tristan stepped before him.
Tristan: “Jaxon is so sorry, Lazaros. He would love to sit with us to watch Ashley feast on the biggest duck you can cook, Ashley.”
He said breathlessly.
Celeste: “Yeah, we love watching Ashley eat almost as much as you.”
She said wryly. Lazaros flushed red and bit his bottom lip. Ashley reddened at his expression and shifted their eyes with a smirk.
Jaxon: “Pfft, there’s MUCH weirder kinks out there.”
He shuddered, thinking of Yvette and what Tristan told him about Ivy’s sister.
Lazaros: “It’s not a kink! I do it out of love!”
He huffed. Ashley smiled up at him and giggled.
Deimos: “Right, I forgot.”
He said dryly.
Ashley: “Ivy was mean to all of us! She almost got them killed! Then she binned my cookies and screamed at me about towels! And Blair blamed me!”
They cried onto Lazaros’ chest. Lazaros consoled them.
Lazaros: “It’s okay, Ash… I know what she is like. She dated Deimos for a couple of years. Nothing has changed.”
He crooned.
Lazaros: “She almost killed you?”
He asked Deimos. Deimos nodded soberly.
Deimos: “We went to a cave in Honker’s Cove to get an emerald. Some monster was tossing us around like rag dolls, I passed out from healing too much, and Ivy complained it wasn’t an emerald but some other fuckin’ green gem.”
He kicked the ground. Lazaros gazed at Deimos and nodded.
Lazaros: “...I see…”
~
Lazaros led Ashley to a bedroom near his. It was a large bedroom with orange tones, a queen-size bed with carved and curved wooden frames, a tapestry hung over their bed with dream catchers in each window, and the curtains were blood orange with sun faces on them.
Lazaros: “Is this better?”
He asked and bowed his head. Ashley’s cerulean eyes sparkled.
Ashley: “YES! O-OH my stars, Lazaros! This is BEAUTIFUL!”
They beamed, hugging him. Lazaros beamed.
He hung his head and bowed.
Lazaros: “I know I’m taking a long time, but… I want to take it slow with you… because I care about you and… I’m afraid of hurting you. I don’t want that. I was never in a proper relationship, and I want to do this… right.”
He explained. Ashley cupped their cheeks, and their eyes filled with tears.
Ashley: “Aww, Lazaros! That’s so sweet! I care about you, too, and don’t want to hurt you either! I never was in a proper relationship either.”
They smiled at him.
Lazaros: “Well, Ash, now it’s time to close this chapter and start another.”
He kissed their head. Ashley reddened and smiled at him.
Ashley: “I can’t wait to start this next chapter with you, Laz.”
They kissed his cheek.
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