#you may remember his strange telepathic connection with his half-sister

[nocturnalazure]

To be continued

[ao3-outtahere]

Coming Through Arc1 - snippet

Almost another half a year had passed before the thoughts resurfaced again, waking Lance in the odd hours of the night for a week straight - more persistent than they had ever been before.

So, it was the seventh night he’d found himself on the porch, sitting in the half shadows cast by the moon gracing a clear sky.

There was a buzz in the back of his brain, familiar yet so strange, awakening more memories to haunt him. It left him restless, seemingly more on edge than he had been. His happy-go-lucky facade faded like the light of a flashlight meeting the void. Void.

Void. The sensation engulfed him and Lance greeted it like an old friend before he gave it any conscious thought.

Void. Nothingness, numbness...? No.

Void. Voltron. Voltron? Lance would’ve squeezed his eyes in disbelief hadn’t they been already tightened under his furrowed brow in deep concentration.

Void. The buzzing in his brain grew familiar, the sound resonating in his scull until it morphed into purring.

Void. Voltron. Purring. Impossible!

Lance jumped from his seat and darted towards the field.  His thumping heart threatened to break out of his chest, feet almost tangling in his sleep-deprived, almost panicked haste.

Lance stopped in the middle of the flat plane behind his house. He directed his eyes at the sky, not knowing where to look or what to expect. The silence around him seemed more deafening than the buzzing in his brain.

He must’ve made some noise, because the lights in the house lit up and soon his mother and Veronica joined him on the field. Lance knew they were both dressed in their cozy floral-print dressing gowns that still made Lance’s teeth hurt, and fur slippers; his eyes never left the sky. He felt their concerned to the point of irritated stares, eyes barely open from sleep and yet angry.

“Seriously, Lance, you woke us up in the middle of the night...” Veronica spoke. “What the hell is going on?”

“The buzzing is here again,” Lance answered without as much as blinking. He couldn’t miss the lion, even if it was just passing by.

“Lance, you told us yourself,” his mother put her hand on his shoulder, “the Lions of Voltron are gone.”

“I know, but this is unmistakable!”

“Get back to bed, Lance, or the Garrison will put you on observation.” Veronica’s voice was harsh.

“I, I- Look!” Lance jumped in the air, his finger pointing towards the sky. They followed it anyway, even if only to humour him. But there was something there.

A dot, first white, then becoming more and more red, was growing with each second on the clear sky. It seemed directed towards them, and Veronica darted to the house to get her gun.

The dot came closer and closer, the red hue making Lance’s heart flutter and his stomach tighten into a knot. Veronica came back, her stance almost aggressive as they anticipated the ship’s landing.

Any second now, the familiar silhouette on the sky was clearly distinguishable as the one and only Red Lion of Voltron. Lance started running towards it before he remembered to breathe.

“Lance!” His mother called from behind, but the man was too lost to even hear her. Veronica was hot on his heels, knowing better than anyone that Lance wasn’t of sound mind right now, and the Lion may not be as friendly as it used to be, and hell knows who or what was aboard.

The Lion landed gracefully in from of them. Its huge eyes shone yellow, a few new scratches littered its mouth and Lance did not stop running.

“Red, it’s you! Red!”

“Lance, get back here, we don’t know who’s on board!” His sister yelled.

Lance stopped only when the lion was at arm’s reach, his eyes full of awe and bewilderment, mouth agape and knees threatening to buckle underneath his weight.

“I’ve missed you, Red.” He raised his hand to rest it on its nose. “So, so much.”

There was an audible purr, it reverberated through the night and Lance could swear it was the ground resonating, not his trembling muscles.

We need to go, it spoke in his head. Well, not exactly spoke, more like projected ideas into his mind via the telepathic connection that somehow didn’t die out in the past years... Lance did not want to dwell on that.

“Lance! Oh my god!” His mother had finally joined them, and stood by his sister who still seemed frozen on the spot.

“I told you it was Red,” Lance finally turned to face them, though his hand never left the lion’s nose. It made it real and not a dream, touching Red.

“Why is it here?” Veronica found her voice again.

“I don’t know,” Lance’s gaze fell to the grass. “But I should go with him.”

“What? Last time you got into a lion you were gone for five years, Lance!”

“Mom, that did the universe some serious good that I did, you know?” Lance tried to crack a joke. “It may be the same now.”

The lion buzzed impatiently in his mind.

[undreaming-fanfiction]

A Night to Remember: The Company

Fandom: Cats the musical Rating: T (could potentially go up later) Pairing: multiple in future chapters, Tuggoffelees, Victoria/Plato, Demeter/Munkustrap etc. Category: magical circus AU, slow burn Chapter number: 7 Chapter summary: Quaxo and Victoria meet the troupe members, two sets of twins included.

The previous chapter: Persuasion

Quaxo prided himself on having an exceptionally good memory. He didn't need any notes, reminders, scribbles on his forearms or whatever people did to keep track of things, he just always knew what he had to do and when to do it. When Victoria asked him about it (and actually forced him to think about it, not letting him get away with is usual shrug and mischievous "it's magic!"), he realized, much to his dismay, that it was partially in his nature, but more importantly, he was just always focused. He found it much more difficult to relax than his sister did, distrusting everyone and everything. Always knowing where he stood helped him feel better, prepared. He was not the one to be lulled into a false sense of security.

 And then he walked into that tent. And he felt...calm. And his uneasiness about Macavity and all the things he had to do before their performance just...became muted. Floated away. He was fully in the present, relaxed, not multitasking. And he hated it. He stopped in his tracks, trying to make sense of what he was feeling. It was reminiscent of what he felt the night before. 

 Tugger tapped on his shoulder from behind. "Really, Mr. Magician. No one here wants to harm you - at least unless you keep blocking the entrance, then you might cause some mild annoyance and perhaps a few pranks if you catch the attention of a certain duo - so cheer up and move your feet," he winked at the younger man and, without waiting for a response, nudged Quaxo's side. What left Quaxo's lips was definitely not a squeak and he was definitely not ticklish, but he never approved of being touched without prior agreement (or, if he was to be fully honest, by anyone who wasn't Victoria), so he took several strides inside and crossed his arms. Just to make sure. 

 Victoria was already exploring the tent, her eyes huge and full of wonder. I've never been to a circus before, she smiled at Jenny, rubbing her wrists as if she wanted to touch everything, to truly get a feel of the place. Such a large stage! I can't wait to see this place during a show!

 "Still too small for some," Jenny returned her smile, her eyes travelling to Tugger with an unusually mischievous spark. "Just a bit further, dear. The tent is indeed impressive, but the most interesting feature of our show are the performers. Don't you want to meet them first?" 

 And truly, as the siblings got used to the muted lighting, they saw that there were figures seated all around, quietly chatting and glancing in their direction. It was still too dim to see their faces properly, but some features were very distinguishable - there were two figures next to each other, a man and woman of roughly the same age as Quaxo and Victoria, very similar - twins? Their hair was giving a coppery reflection and, unlike others who seemed to be nervous or at least expectant, these two seemed relaxed, sometimes giggling and nudging each other. Their movements were strangely synchronized. Just behind them, a silhouette of a man with crossed arms could be seen, with an air of defiance. He was watching the two with apparent distaste for their laid-back attitude. There were more performers present, but as they finally entered the circus ring, Quaxo recognized Munkustrap's silhouette near the back of the tent. He was supporting someone, a tall, impressive figure, who was approaching them with slow and careful steps. The humming around the tent intensified. 

 "Thank you for coming," smiled Munkustrap and Quaxo could finally confirm his suspicion that it was indeed him whose calming aura was throwing him off. He bit his lower lip and twitched in annoyance when he heard Tugger's quiet chuckle, as if he knew exactly what Quaxo was feeling. With a side glance, he saw the man take one of the seats at the back, observing from afar. 

 As he assisted the tall man and seated him on one of the close chairs, the siblings could finally see his face. He must have been very old, his wrinkled face told as much - but the air of experience, wisdom and most of all, kindness, made Quaxo drawn to that man, not in the unnaturally calming way Munkustrap influenced him, but as someone he yearned to learn from, to draw inspiration. Victoria seemed to be feeling the same way, her breathing quiet and eyes never leaving the old man's. And when he spoke, both siblings suddenly understood why he was able to create this so-called haven for people with powers. It was impossible to resist his charm. 

 "Thank you for accepting our invitation." His smile was sincere and voice deep and calming. "I am called Old Deuteronomy and it was at my request that my sons visited you yesterday. As they told you, we are a...particular company. This circus originally started as a small place to allow our kind to be who we really are without having to hide. That is the goal we still have today. If you decide to accept our proposal, the people in this tent will become more than your coworkers - they will be your colleagues, neighbors, friends and family. Because of that, you will want to meet them before making the final decision. I am also here to answer any questions you may have, may it be regarding our circus, your powers or anything else." He nodded towards Munkustrap. "I understand that you, young lady, are a telepath?" 

 Victoria nodded and, to Quaxo's surprise, stuttered in her response despite not using her vocal chords. Y-yes! Yes, Old Deuteronomy. Well, I mean, I can project thoughts when I move...but not read them. So only half a telepath, or one-way telepath, I am afraid...

  Old Deuteronomy chuckled and winked at her. "Well, that is still half a telepath more than most people are! Splendid! You would be a great asset to our troupe. And you, young man?" 

 Quaxo, to his displeasure, felt all gazes shifting towards him. He felt as if he were under a microscope. "I...don't think I can describe it that much," he grumbled uncomfortably. "I can change some things around me. Swap things in their places, make some fortunate or unfortunate things happen when there is a chance they could happen. Or enhance some features."

 The old man's expression did not change, but his eyes showed deep interest. "Curious. Some kind of reality adjustment then? That is very interesting! You too are more than welcome to join our group if you want to. Now then, is there anything I can answer for you?" 

 Before Quaxo could react, Victoria took a step forward. Yes, well...I would like to know - why us? What causes these powers to appear? 

  "A good question, one that I can answer only partially, I am afraid. The gifts, as we call them, are still a mystery in many regards. There are various type, be it some kind of aura that one can spread around them, or an active ability. Anyone can manifest these powers. However, if a child is born to a parent with a gift, they are much more likely to have one of their own. They do not seem to repeat themselves, at least we haven't seen a single person who would manifest the same trait as someone in our troupe. They can be similar, but always unique in a certain regard. There seems to be one exception to the rule, and that is twins sharing one gift." 

 The two giggling figures Quaxo saw earlier suddenly bolted up from their seats and took overly dramatic bows, grinning at the stunned siblings. Light finally hit their faces and Victoria took a deep breath at the similarity - both their expressions, their movements, it was as if one person split into two, only of different genders. "Old D. means us!" exclaimed the man and ruffled his sister's hair. "Pleasure to meet you! We are Mungojerrie and-ouf!" he wheezed when the girl's elbow nudged his side. 

 "And Rumpleteazer!" she exclaimed, returning the ruffle. "And before you have to ask, because that's what every newbie wants to know, our gift is sharing control over our bodies. For instance, I can make Jerrie slap himself! But I don't like to do it, because we also share pain. Also tickling. I hate it when he tickles himself." 

 "I only do it when you deserve it, Teazer," snickered Mungojerrie and leaned against his sister. "And if you think we're an exception and that not all twins have to share a gift, let me introduce our competition. Because we're not the only twins here. Come on, say hi to the newcomers!" he tapped the shoulder of a girl in front of him. 

 Reluctantly, she stood up and so did the man next to her. Their height difference wasn't as noticeable compared to Teazer and Jerrie, but their features were also surprisingly similar - the same straight dark hair, slicked back and shiny, the same dark, unreadable eyes and neutral expression. "Nice to meet you, Quaxo and Victoria," she said without blinking. Victoria shivered next to Quaxo and he too felt completely bare under those two pairs of eyes. "I am Tantomile. This is my brother Coricopat. We are mind readers." 

 Now it was the brother who spoke. "Yes, Victoria. We are what Old Deuteronomy talked about - similar power, but still unique. We are the other half of your telepathy. Except for each other." 

 "Our minds are connected," added Tantomile, answering Quaxo's question before he could phrase it. "We can exchange our thoughts freely, but as for others, we can only read them. But don't worry, we usually choose not to, as we perceive it an invasion of privacy." 

 Teazer hugged the telepathic twins from behind. "They are amazing! You definitely want to see their act, people are so freaked out!" 

 Jenny laughed and raised her finger at Teazer. "And they are very useful when someone, not mentioning which set of non-mindreading twins, steals Munkustrap's favorite mug and we need to find out who did it." 

 The man sitting behind Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer scoffed. "Not that we need anyone to read their thoughts to figure that out. It's always them, whenever there's a disruption." 

 He ignored the pretended outrage from the twins, but Jenny didn't let him off the hook so easily. "Now now, Plato. Since you are more talkative than usual, why don't you introduce yourself as well?" 

 With a grunt and poorly hidden, if hidden at all, distaste, the man stood up. He was taller than most of the troupe members, perhaps with the exception of Old Deuteronomy and his sons, and even though he was young, his face seemed older than one would expect. Perhaps it was his defiant expression that made him look almost pained. "Plato, welcome to our humble abode. I have perhaps the lamest power ever - I can transfer emotions when I move." He glared at the siblings, as if he expected them to laugh at him. 

 Why would that be lame? blinked Victoria, raising her eyebrows. Do you think my power is lame?

 The defiance was immediately replaced by confusion. "...I...what? No, no I don't, I mean..." 

 Victoria smiled at him with such sincerity and innocence that Quaxo almost felt sorry for the man. He was utterly unprepared for her charm. You have no idea how happy it makes me to finally find someone who has a similar power! And such an awesome one at that! When you give people words, you still need to rely on them to interpret them. But you - you can make people feel things! That is incredible! 

  Old Deuteronomy burst into laughter and so did a few performers around the stage. "See, Plato? We kept telling you and you did not believe us. Perhaps this admirable young lady will finally make you change your mind?" 

 And with that, the atmosphere in the tent changed. The reluctant acceptance transformed into excitement - finally, a new arrival! Apparently, there were only a few people who joined the circus in the last years, so Quaxo and Victoria were considered a breath of fresh air. And the siblings shook hands, talked, but mostly listened and learned about the people who, if they wanted them to be, would become their new family. 

 They learned (from Jenny because the man could not be bothered to tell them himself) that Tugger was able to bend people to his will, although he wasn't able to control it, he did it subconsciously. "He doesn't like to talk about it," she teased, watching the rebellious man giving her an evil glare, "because he still hasn't found out how the gift works. The ones who were around him since he was young build some sort of an immunity, or at least awareness when it starts happening so we can fight it. You have no idea how long it took us to make him eat his vegetables when he was a child. His gift mostly works on people he doesn't live with, or at least that meet him sporadically - those can't resist it. Or that's what we thought until last night," she giggled and winked at Quaxo. "Still, it has its merits. He has one of the most unique acts in the circus, as you'll see. And my power? I am afraid it's nowhere as interesting, dears - I can transfer intent. Basically, if you mean no harm to a person and they still don't believe you, I can persuade them by making them feel what you feel towards them." 

 There was Alonzo, a man with a curious pigment spot over his entire left eye socket. He casually greeted the siblings and mentioned his gift - the marked eye could see several seconds into the future, sometimes even longer. He used to work as a fortune teller at fairs before joining the circus and took over the knife-throwing act. His gift made sure he'd never harm his assistant. 

 Munkustrap also approached them with a wide smile and, seeing Quaxo's posture, forced himself to relax and eased the calm aura. He explained that his gift was calming people in his vicinity, no matter how agitated they were. As he was in charge of keeping the troupe functional and in good spirits, he sometimes went a bit overboard, especially when he was nervous and expected trouble. "Not that I expected trouble from you," he quickly added when he saw Quaxo staring daggers at him, "but whenever there is a newcomer, people can get nervous." 

 And when it came to being nervous, no one was as jumpy as a certain young woman was. Demeter was also a newcomer and apparently, she had some very bad experience. She didn't talk to the newcomers much, mostly just nodded and didn't leave her friend Bombalurina's side. Munkustrap politely mentioned that it would be better to talk to both of them later, as crowds made Demeter feel uneasy. Nodding at Bombalurina, she took her friend's arm and led her out from the tent. 

 There were many more new faces and names and even more mentioned, such as Bustopher Jones, the circus's patron who only stopped by once or twice a week, as his gift made him easily overwhelmed - he read emotions and senses, but unlike the telepathic twins, he could not switch his power off and would often seek solitude, just to quiet his mind. 

 After the conversations have quieted down and everyone said their hopeful goodbyes, the siblings were left alone with Munkustrap and Old Deutoronomy. Quaxo was pretty sure Tugger and Jenny were still lurking somewhere in the tent's shadows, but he found it difficult to focus on anything but the old man. "Now, my young friends - we do not ask you to decide immediately, we know that it is a significant change of your lifestyle. Think it over, you have every right do so

  So what do you think? Victoria asked on their way home. Quaxo didn't need to ask her for her opinion, she was never able to hide her excitement - she was giddy and radiated such happiness that Quaxo hasn't seen in months. 

 "I think they were...nice," he admitted reluctantly. "Also pretty interesting. Sometimes creepy," he admitted when he remembered Coricopat and Tantomile. "Are you thinking of joining them?" 

 I would love to, Victoria admitted, but her smile wavered. I mean, they were such nice people! And interesting too, as you said. But...I would never join without you, brother. I don't want a new family if you're not in it. 

  Quaxo grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "Me too, sis. Let's talk to our boss tomorrow and see what he can do about our contract, what do you say? Perhaps it's time for us to move on." 

-----

I am running out of excuses to give for my slow updates. The only thing I can say is that I love hearing from you guys, I have many ideas for the story but unfortunately life is getting in way of everything, to provide a very short explanation, one of my family members got a cancer relapse and my mother is not doing so well. I try to spend more time with her and support her, but it doesn't leave me in the best state for writing. Thank you everyone who read so far and who hasn't given up on the story yet, you mean more to me than I can describe. This chapter was mostly character introductions and exposure, hopefully there will be some action in the next ones.

[elliehearnwrites-blog]

Twins

2001

Mila and Ammie were born at 3.00am and 3.20am on the 13th March 2001. Their mother, Sofia, suffered massively during the birth and nearly died from the amount of blood she lost during labour. She suffered from Post-Natal depression and this affected her two existing children, Liza and Kotryna quite seriously. Sofia felt an incredible resentment towards her children, not only for destroying her body, youth and social life, but also for impairing her mental health so entirely. It was the nature of her mental illness that she blamed her children, who were not at all to blame for her deteriorating state. Sofia’s cancerous feeling of ill will spread to her eldest two children who began to resent their new siblings for taking away their warm mother and replacing her with a cruller, colder version. The change in Sophia was more dramatic for Liza and Kotryna but at least they had known a different side to her, the twins only got to know her nasty side.

Sofia’s husband and the girls’ father, Lukas, was a loving and devoted man, but he had a large family to provide for and worked tirelessly to afford to pay the bills. He wanted to be there for his wife but he was so often absent around the house it was hard for him to properly gauge what was happening. He assumed when he got home late at night and Sofia was fraught and distressed it was just because it was at the end of a long day, he did not understand that she was much worse throughout the day and that she hid her behaviour and feelings from him. He did notice a change in his older girls, but he assumed this was because they were jealous of the attention the twins were getting. He was shocked at how much more work taking care of two newborns was compared to one at a time, but the challenge had shocked him. He loved all his girls so much and he did not mind working every day in order to try and provide the best life he could for them.

When the twins reached 8 months Lukas realized there was something very wrong, he had come home on several occasions and found the twins in an airing cupboard. He thought it was just Sofia’s fatigue but the third time he found them they were on a bare wooden shelf, with no blankets and just nappies on. He saw for the first time their awful nappy rash and he cringed as he felt the splinters in their backs as he lifted them up. That night he took all of his children to his mother’s house, an hour away and deep in the forest. Despite his mother’s declining health, Lukas felt what it was like to leave your children with someone and not feel an indefinable sense of unease. He wondered how he could have been so unobservant. His relief was soon replaced with dread as he neared his home and imagined Sofia waiting for him.

Lukas had already spoken to a local hospital about his wife, he had not wanted to involve the police as he knew this behaviour was not the norm for his wife and did not want her reputation to be forever tarnished. He also did not want to face raising his children alone, and despite her recent moods and worrying behaviour he still loved her. His love for her had shrunk and changed, comparing it to as recently as when she was pregnant he could hardly believe how much had changed but there was something still there. Besides, they have four children together, if nothing else that was worth salvaging. The hospital had told him it sounded like she was very unwell and he was given strict instructions to bring her in and they would take care of her. He knew she was not going to be receptive to any suggestion of this and he was still undecided as to whether or not he should try and trick her. But he resolved this was disrespectful to her, it was best to tackle this situation honestly, he did not want to break her trust in him at this time when he expected she must be feeling very isolated. He pulled up on their drive, got out the car, he could already hear Sofia crying from the driveway.

2014

Mila and Ammie had just turned thirteen, but they were completely unaware of this as Mila rifled through a bin looking for some food for her and Ammie. As she carried it back she thinks about how she has taken a role of protector, despite being only twenty minutes older than Ammie; she had always felt responsible and slightly maternal towards her. These maternal urges may have developed at such a young age because of the lack of maternal affection they received in their first few months. Ammie had reacted very differently to Mila, she had become incredibly introverted and would speak only to Mila. Mila always reminded Ammie of how lucky they were that they were twins, they had a special bond, it would have been so lonely and Mila doubted that just one would have survived everything that had happened.

It was a good day as Mila had found half a loaf of bread and a jar of jam that had plenty left in it. She thought of how strange it was that people would be so wasteful with their food, but she didn’t complain. If it weren’t for such wasteful people her and Ammie wouldn’t be able to eat. She did feel regretful that neither of them went to school after primary, if only she were a bit older she could teach Ammie, but they were at the same level. She didn’t feel too sad though, she felt there was still plenty of time for them to get school in later. Soon their situation would turn around.

At first Mila and Ammie had blamed their mother entirely and hated her, they wondered how she could be so neglectful. But after their endless discussions about it they reached some semblance of closure. Their grandmother had helped, she had explained that their mummy wasn’t very well. She said sometimes when you get sick it does not just make you throw up it can affect you in ways that you can’t see. Their first 6 years with her were their happiest, she was such a loving presence, and always cuddling them and making them feel so special. Their dad said how they had given their Grandmother a new lease of life. He said if it weren’t for them she would have gone much sooner. When the girls had started school she started to get really sick. The loss of their Grandmother affected them massively.

Mila was starting to worry about how much longer they would survive. She knew things were getting worse, she couldn’t quite define it but she felt a strange foreboding. Ammie seemed oblivious to anything, she had been the same melancholy girl since Mila could remember. Even before things turned bad after their Grandmother died Ammie was always sad for no reason that Mila could see. They shared a strong connection, so when Ammie was sad it affected Mila; their grandmother had told them it was a ‘twin thing’.

“Just another one of their twin things.” Their Grandmother would say repeatedly every day. Neither Mila nor Ammie could imagine what life would be like without such a strong bond with someone else. They were very different girls; they liked different things, and they argued a lot, but they were connected on a telepathic level. Each sister could anticipate the reaction and behaviour of the other, perhaps this was why they had such raging arguments. They were always aware of a sense of abandonment, a sensation they had grown numb to. Mila and Ammie had an unusually strong bond, even for twins, it may have been due to their circumstances but from a young age that had developed the ability to shut out the outside world and live in their own little twin world. Whenever they felt sad they would go to this twin world they had created. It was a happy escape and a place the twins were able to control, unlike the outside world that they had never had any control over.

Mila took hers and Ammie’s few remaining clothes out through the forest, which surrounded her late Grandmother’s house, and brought them down to the stream to wash them. She sat on the edge of the stream and worried. She worried what would happen to them in the next few years, she worried about the fact they didn’t go to school, she worried about the fact that they might not have anything to eat tonight, but she mostly worried about Ammie picking up on her worry and feeling the same way herself.

Ammie waited for Mila to get back, she always waited in the bedroom when Mila was gone because she got nervous when she was alone. She heard someone downstairs, it didn’t sound like Mila. And she couldn’t feel Mila’s presence. She heard someone calling her name.

“Ammie! Ammie? Come down and see your mummy Ammie!” It felt like their mother’s voice calling her. She wondered if she was imagining things, she sat very still and looked straight ahead at the wall. She hoped she wasn’t going crazy. She carefully moved to look out the window to see if Mila was coming back, and as she did so she wondered why she was trying not to make any noise if she was imagining things. She heard footsteps coming up the stairs. She didn’t have time to hide, she stood where she was and stared at the door. It opened and a woman came in who Ammie didn’t recognize but who was acting very familiarly towards her. Her body language did not suggest she was there to hurt Ammie, but she had been fooled before and was not ready to put her guard down, despite having very little to actually guard herself with.

“Ammie, sweetie. It’s mummy, can you see me?” This strange woman started crying. Ammie had not seen her mother since she was less than a year old, but this woman did not match the image she had created of her. In her mind her mother was an ugly monster who abandoned her, not this lady. She was small and delicate with a kind face and lovely curly hair, she looked a bit like Ammie.

“Say something, sweet Ammie. Please.” She started crying even more and took a step towards Ammie.

“I- I don’t know my mummy. Um.” Then her nerves took over, as was always the way with Ammie. She started to feel Mila’s presence, she wanted to look out the window but was struggling to take her eyes off this woman. She could definitely feel that Mila was getting closer and she felt more and more confident. She decided to make a break for it. She ran around this strange woman and down the stairs. She could hear the woman’s crying get louder as she ran away, it was one of the creepiest things she had experienced. She met Mila outside the house and they ran into the forest together. Ammie cried and told Mila what happened. Mila worried again but tried not to left Ammie feel it. She hugged her and the girls slept in the forest that night, luckily it was summer and they had already made several safe spots in the forest surrounding the house, because Mila was had been paranoid about something like this happening. They slept well that night, as they felt safe with each other.

The next morning the girls went to the bottom of the garden and watched the house to make sure no one was there. Mila did not know what to do now; someone knew they were there. It was likely she would come back, or worse maybe tell the police or someone and they would come and get them and then God knows what would happen to them. They couldn’t see any movement in the house so they decided to go back, get their stuff and think about what to do next. They entered the house and checked every room but no one was there. Not even any sign someone had been there, the strange woman must have left. Mila did wonder is Ammie had completely imagined it, and she really hoped she had. She wondered whether staying in that house was worth the risk. It was deep in the forest and she wasn’t sure how long they had been there undisturbed but it must have been years by now. The girls sat on the floor and ate the food Mila had found yesterday. From now on Ammie would have to come everywhere with Mila.

2014

Sofia sat with the psychologist, Doctor Novak, she couldn’t speak because she was crying so much.

“Sofia, my dear. I think we both need to be honest with each other, this has been going on for too long. The approaches you have wanted to try quite clearly aren’t working and we have been trying for a number of years now. I think it is time to try something else.” She sniffed and nodded. “I hope you don’t feel I am being harsh with you but I can see it from an outside perspective, with less invested emotion. I just want what’s best for everyone.”

“I don’t think I am ready for what you have suggested. It is so severe, I don’t know if I could bring myself to go through with it.” Her sobs started to slow and she felt a stony defiance start to form inside her. Why would Doctor Novak want to do this to her?

“Well, you wouldn’t have to do actually anything, Sofia. Others will do it for you. Look, we have known each other for over 13 years now, I hope you know I have only ever had your best interests at heart.”

Doctor Novak looked at Sofia for a long time. He tried to read her facial expressions; defiance, anger, maybe even shame. He didn’t know who these emotions were directed at but he suspected at herself more than anyone else, or just the situation. But it was no one’s fault, it was a very sad situation and it called for incredibly unorthodox psychiatric methods, methods the Doctor had no experience with. It was so rare he was unable to find anything in any medical journals to help him and no doctors he had spoken to had any advice. At this late stage he could not see a cure or reconciliation without an incredibly difficult solution.

“Sofia, I think what’s just happened today shows what must be done. Please.” He pleaded with her for quite some time before she finally agreed to what he hoped was the best course of action.

“It will seem barbaric and it will be painful and may result in a lot of emotional trauma, but you know yourself that you can come back from what seems irreversible. It will make them stronger.”

Things were soon put into motion, Lukas met Sofia and told her he was pleased with her decision, he had been petitioning for this course of action for quite some time. But he never wanted to pressure Sofia into doing something she didn’t want to do, not after last time. Besides, he would not be able to make this kind of decision on his own, he needed the support of his wife, just as she had needed his for so long. It had been incredibly hard on his older girls, Liza and Kortyna had taken it so well, they were such well adjusted girls despite everything that had been thrown at them. They had not received the attention they deserved but he was so proud of the way they had blossomed.

He blamed himself, if he had not left his girls with their Grandmother while their mother received the care she needed none of this would have happened. No matter how grim, he had to ride out the consequences of his actions. Despite the fact he knew this was his fault, he found some comfort in the fact that this could not have been predicted. Doctor Novak had to invent a word to describe what he called ‘a total phenomenon’, which was ‘Sororal Cognition Blackout’. Essentially this meant that his girls had such a strong connection, and their early trauma was so great they invented an entire world for themselves. Instead of allowing themselves to assimilate with their family after their Grandmothers death, they did not acknowledge any of the family. Lukas had moved them all to the his late mother’s house, money struggles from the massive medical bills after Sofia’s illness meant they had to sell their house and after his mother died and left them the house it made sense. However, in hindsight Lukas believed this made them worse, it allowed them to live in their fantasy. It had been incredibly distressing, Lukas stooped so low as to have separate bins; ones which he cleaned and left food in for the girls, and the other for real waste, which he kept in the boot of his car so the girls would never eat anything damaging. It was not rewarding and it was mostly incredibly worrying, things had climaxed when the girls spent the night in the woods because Sofia had tried to speak to Ammie.

The only thing left for it was for the girls to be completely separated, there seemed some potential to get through to at least Ammie when she was not under Mila’s spell.

[undreaming-fanfiction]

A Night to Remember: Persuasion

Fandom: Cats the musical Rating: T (could potentially go up later) Pairing: multiple in future chapters, Tuggoffelees, Victoria/Plato, Demeter/Munkustrap etc. Category: magical circus AU, slow burn Chapter number: 6 Chapter summary: Quaxo and Victoria decide to visit the circus the morning after the night visit. Tugger is not a morning person.

The previous chapter: A Late Visit

Tugger, being a night owl through and through, wasn't really keen on being woken up before the sun had risen high above the circus tent. If he was woken up earlier, for reasons beyond his control and liking, he asked for two things - a good reason and a gentle approach. The morning after his and Munkustrap's visit of the Spectacular siblings, he was granted only one of those - the reason was, indeed, good, but the approach was...well. What else to expect from his brother?

The tall performer was just having the most wonderful dream, something along the lines of lying on a beach, on his own, no fans, no squealing, no unexpected hugging, when a too familiar voice interrupted the pleasant vision and yanked him back to the decidedly less comfortable reality of his caravan. "Rise and shine, dear brother of mine!" A second later, the curtains were drawn apart, no warning, no gentle coaxing, just a sharp sound and even sharper light.

Tugger grumbled and rolled over to his other side, covering his face with a pillow. "You monster. You cruel, cruel monster. How could you do that to a member of your family?"

Munkustrap chuckled and sat beside Tugger on his surprisingly wide bed. Count on the younger man, a known lover of long and comfortable sleep, to squeeze the widest bed possible into the caravan and seemingly defy the rules of space. "Why so glum? Our night mission was a success, you know. The two promising recruits were intrigued by your presentation and decided to visit us the first thing in the morning. They are currently at the entrance, Jenny dragged them over for a cup of tea. But they will definitely want to see the rest of our troupe and who better to show them around than the man who persuaded them to give this humble establishment a chance?" If Tugger didn't know any better, he'd suspect Munkustrap of being slightly mischievous.

"Good for you, oh mighty persuader...persuasion person...whatever." The pillow was not yet removed and the caravan owner was definitely falling asleep again. "Great job, Munk. 10/10. Now go and impress them even more."

But of course, the cruelties had no end. A firm hand yanked the pillow off Tugger's face and exposed his face to the morning light, bright and unforgiving. "Nothing of the sort, Tugger. You were the major factor of our success. In fact, you did so well on your own! You should consider ditching me more often. So off you go and be even more charming than you are now."

Still half blinded by the light, Tugger opened one eye and squinted at Munkustrap. "When did you get a sense of humour?"

Munkustrap smiled and stood up, preparing to leave. "I believe it was born when I saw you gaping at that young magician for not being impressed by you. Ah, one of my most cherished memories."

And before Tugger could react, the heartless man stole his blanket as well and not even a heartfelt "you're dead to me" helped. It truly was a horrible morning.

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A lot of grumbling and swearing later, Rum Tum Tugger finally emerged from his caravan and made his way towards the circus entrance. Even Jenny's cheerful "Good morning, sunshine!" did very little to improve his mood and neither did seeing the two smiling siblings (well, the girl was definitely smiling, but the magician's face would hardly qualify as a smile - the corners of his mouth were very, very slightly turned upwards and his dark eyes never stopped watching their surroundings. A suspicious guy).

He leaned against a nearby tree and gave a slight wave at Jennyanydots, a mild-looking lady in her forties or fifties. Her copper hair, possibly but very elegantly dyed, glimmered in the morning sun. "I hope you slept well, dear," she winked at him. She had a squirrel sitting on her knee and two surprisingly tame pigeons on her shoulders. Given how calm the siblings looked, they probably had been explained what Jenny's gift was - everyone called it talking to animals, but Jenny insisted it was more of a telepathic connection and feelings exchange. Anyway, animals of all kinds loved her and she returned the love tenfold more.

"Morning Jenny. Spectacular siblings." He may have sounded a tiny bit sarcastic there, but no man should function on so little sleep. "Early birds, are you? I didn't expect to see you at this ungodly hour." And to Tugger's mild annoyance, the magician's smile visibly widened.

"Not at all, Tugger," he assured him while sipping his tea. "But your and Munkustrap's description of this place was so vivid and enchanting that we simply had to come and see as soon as we woke up."

We didn't sleep that well, Victoria admitted, silencing a yawn that almost found its way to her lips. We had too much to think about.

Tugger sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Yeah, well...if you didn't come, we would've found you ourselves. We usually don't get to share all the news in one go, otherwise people just...stare. And doubt. And then it ends poorly."

Noticing the confused glance the brother and sister exchanged, Jenny shot Tugger a disapproving look. "Really, dear. You make it sound so dramatic. No need to scare our new friends away." Turning back to the siblings, she attempted to reassure them. "You have to forgive him, my dears, he is always grouchy in the morning. But he is right. There needs to be a...slight follow-up, I'm afraid. There is something people usually don't react well to, especially when being visited by two strange men in the night."

Victoria's eyes were huge, going back and forth between Jenny and Tugger. What is it?

Quaxo was quiet for a while, staring into his tea. So many things seemed to be going through his head, Tugger was almost concerned he'd just grab his sister and leave. Perhaps it would have been better to tell them everything in one go, but with the past experience...who could have known there would be a single person who didn't appreciate a careful, gentle approach?

The dark eyes finally left the dark liquid, darting back to the tall performer with a surprising directness. "Well, since we're already here, we might as well hear all of it. What's so disturbing you couldn't have told us yesterday?"

Jenny patted his hand in a calming manner. "Please understand, Quaxo. It is not...disturbing as such, but some people, especially those who learn for the first time they are not the only ones with...certain gifts...do not take well being told that they may not be able to handle something. After all, we are all rather special. But some...in different ways."

We have already heard of Macavity, Victoria turned towards Jenny, confused. We already know he's dangerous.

Tugger sighed and the roll of his eyes would probably have been irritating, if he wasn't so tense. "Yeah, you...kinda don't. Not all of it, anyway." Silencing the complaint that was already making its way to Quaxo's lips, he continued. "Look, he runs a criminal group, that's what you already know. Quite a few of our kind are involved, that's what we also told you. But Macavity doesn't need to threaten to get his way."

Victoria was still frowning, not fully following, but Quaxo took a sharp breath and muttered, "He's one of us, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is," Jenny nodded. The reassuring smile left her face for a moment, making it look older and more tired. "Look, dears. From what I have heard, you know from your own experience that our gifts can often influence others, directly or indirectly. You," she turned to Quaxo, "can influence your surroundings. Tugger here is one of those who affect people's behaviour, they are more...willing to do what he wants without him even saying it. Such gifts can be dangerous if used selfishly. And Macavity has one that serves him too well in his activities. He has the gift of persuasion."

"For instance," Tugger interjected, "let's say that you go and meet him after your performance. You may know all these things, you are forewarned, you think you can just say no to him. Except when he speaks...things other people had told you don't mean anything anymore. Because he sounds so sincere, so bloody caring," he spat those words out with so much venom Victoria tensed in her seat. "In the end, you join him because you trust him. That is the danger of meeting him. Some manage to escape after while - he stops using his gift on them when they are no longer useful, because he finds it entertaining, to crush people's illusions. What a guy."

"Which is yet another one of his persuasion tactics," sighed Jenny. "If he cannot persuade you fully, he just uses his gift on others in your surroundings. I can't count all those who lost their jobs or homes because Macavity wanted them in his...group. They eventually join, either due to his persuasion or lack of options."

Tugger suddenly left his spot and leaned over the three of them. "Which is why you can't meet him today! You may have been able to somehow cancel my gift," he looked at Quaxo, who visibly froze due to the unexpected closeness, "but Macavity is something else. And I don't want to imagine what he'd do with the two of you. Telepathy and reality alteration. No wonder he wants you so badly."

The tense atmosphere was fortunately interrupted by Jenny who nudged Tugger's side, making him leap back and squirm. Quaxo noticed with a barely contained glee that the tall man might be ticklish. "Now now. You're not here just for tea and a morning horror story," she teased and blatantly ignored Tugger's look of hurt dignity. "Come on, let's meet the rest of the troupe!"

The siblings stood up and carefully approached the dark entrance to the circus tent, Victoria with barely contained excitement, Quaxo with his usual caution. The place might turn out to be their new home...or a trap. That was their usual conflict of personalities, Victoria hopeful and trusting, Quaxo...not so much. Still, he found himself wanting to believe these people, despite his better judgement.

"Oh come on, they don't bite!" growled Tugger and pushed them inside.

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Next chapter: The Company