[2.10 ???] To Each His Own Agenda

*Minor violence and language warning.*

...I guess it's my turn to tell the story. 

Who am I? 

I cannot answer. Not yet. 

Please, trust me - I am the only one who can tell you the entirety of the events that unfold.

-----------------------------------------

Pipper ruffled his hair roughly with his hand, lost balance and nearly fell into the pond. 

Pipper: Whoa, whoa... ok, so that's where that edge is. Pepper you outta be faster with your directions!

Pipper had moved to a new pond, and was practicing with Pepper to memorize his new surroundings. Following her directions, Pipper circled the pond familiarizing himself with every rock, log and plants in the vicinity. 

Pipper: So... you really think this looks ok? I know Fia said this top would make clients take me more seriously but... I feel so exposed! You really think I look good? Eh... you know I never had much self confidence...

Pipper traced the buttons on his new cardigan with his fingers and grinned. It was the first time Fia had gifted him with something, and it had felt so... strange when Fia helped him change into his new attire. 

Pepper's panicked voice snapped him awake from his memories of Fia's fingertips against his chest.

Pipper: ...Hm? Pepper, what's wrong? ....Who's coming?

Angelus: I heard you moved to a new place, but this is a poor choice.

Pipper: Angelus?!

Angelus: Worst possible location for business... low supernatural population... but it doesn't surprise me you moved closer to where my half sister is currently spending her time.

Pipper: H-H-Ho-How did you find me here? 

Angelus: I am the client - you answer my questions, not I yours.

Seth: God, I HATE flowers. 

Pipper: I already gave you with what you wanted. Please, just... just go away!

Angelus: That is precisely why I returned. Your elixir proved more than useful. I have another request for you to fulfill.

Pipper: NO! I... I -

Angelus: Seth. 

Seth cracked his neck and stepped towards Pipper. 

Pepper screamed at Pipper to run, but Pipper knew there was no escape against two vampires, half vampires they may be. 

His knees shook but the rest of his body stood stiff as he felt his arms being grabbed from behind him. 

Seth: There's this thing I saw humans do on TV. Seemed fun. I give humans credit for one thing - they can be damn creative. 

Pipper felt his feet hit the water of the pond and stopped. 

Seth pushed him from behind and he tripped into the depths of the cold water. 

Angelus: You will tell me who this Cloud is.

Seth took Pipper waist deep into the pond. 

Pipper: ...Cloud? I - I don't-

Pipper felt his hair being pulled back, snapping his neck, then his head being forcefully pushed downwards. His face slapped the water and submerged under by the push, a rush of water gushing into his mouth and nostrils. 

Angelus: ...You call that creative?

Seth: Just wait. See? SEE? He's running out of breath! ...F*** yeah! You see how much he's kicking?! HAHAHAHA-

Angelus: Let him out.

Seth: Shut it, Angelus. You said so yourself - he's possessed by a particularly powerful spirit. Only way to kill him is to kill that damn ghost... He won't die easy. Stop f***n ruining my entertainment. 

Angelus glared at his brother with his icy eyes. Seth felt the chill from Angelus' stare even with his back to him.

Angelus: I need to speak to him. He needs to respond. He cannot hear or speak to me underwater. Do you understand?

Seth cursed and released his hold on Pipper head. Pipper jerked his head up, gasped and coughed out a stream of water. The relief of oxygen filling his lungs mixed with the stinging pain in his eyes, ears and throat. 

It wasn't the worst kind of torture he had to endure, but it was not a sensation he welcomed. 

Over the cries of Pepper ringing in his head, Pipper heard the deep ominous voice of Angelus speaking to him again.

Angelus: Tell me, what does Sophia want with this human?

Pipper: ...I told you, I.... I don... I don't know!

Pipper felt his head slam into the water once again. 

Pepper's cries had dwindled down into soft whimper that echoed strangely underwater inside his body.

Fia's voice came to him in a whisper from the back of his mind. 

"Tortures onlys persists in the struggles. Shows no emotions, and the advances wills stops."

Hearing the memory of her voice calmed Pipper's mind and body. He closed his eyes, and his muscles eased. He held his breath and remained motionless. 

Seth: He stopped struggling. He die?

Angelus: ...

Seth: ...This is no fun. 

Pipper's meditation was broken as his head was torn out from underneath the water to the cold night air. He felt the water drops dripping from his face, and heard them drop onto the pond's surface. 

Seth: I take what I said back. Humans are creative as f***. 

Seth lifted Pipper's thin frame up above his head in one motion of his arms. 

Pipper's arched body shivered as the night breeze blew through. 

The feeling was all too familiar yet different. 

Then Pipper felt the wind carry his body through the air, brushing off the water on his body in a cold slur, as Seth threw him towards the direction of Angelus' voice.  

The wind lost against gravity and Pipper's body struck the ground. Pipper barely heard the cracking of his ribs over Pepper's screeching yell ringing through his brain. 

Pipper didn't feel any pain through the adrenaline. Only when Seth stomped on his back did he let out a moan from a sharp piercing pain where Seth's foot met his spine. 

Seth: God - what the f***. He use to be more fun than this.

Angelus:  Enough.

Angelus knelt down and patted Pipper on the head. He traced his cold finger down Pipper's arm.

Pipper cringed at Angelus' touch and curled up on the ground. The throbbing in his body grew stronger, and the pain became more acute as Pepper grew increasingly quiet, no longer serving as a distraction. 

Angelus: Not telling us will hurt Sophia in the end.

Pipper did not move.

Angelus: We have met with this Cloud. 

Angelus saw the small twinge of Pipper's shoulders and knew he was conscious and listening. 

Pipper's voice croaked out, each syllable stabbing into his throat.

Pipper: ...Why don't you ask her yourself?

To Pipper's surprise, Seth spoke next in an exasperated tone. 

Seth: Yeah, why don't we ask her ourselves? 

Angelus continued to completely ignore his brother and directed his words towards Pipper.

Angelus: If you do not tell us her reasons, I will kill him. 

Seth: Angelus - what the f***-

Angelus: Let Pipper speak.

Seth: The f*** is wrong with you? ...Forget this I will just go kill him myself. I don't- 

Pipper: Don't. Please...!

Seth: What the f*** is-

Angelus: Tell me. What does Sophia need Cloud for?

Pipper: ...Cloud... He... he is the one who will make... who will make Fia... who will make her human. 

A silent moment passed before Seth erupted into an outcry that rang loud enough to shake the nearby trees.

Seth: What the F*** are you saying?!

Pipper: ...Fia has requested a potion to turn into a human. 

Seth: HUMAN?! YOU LYING LITTLE-

Angelus held out his arm to silence Seth.

Angelus: And... what does Cloud have to do with this?

Pipper: ...Fia... she... she needs Cloud.

Angelus: Why?

Pipper: ...The last ingredient for the potion to become human is a mysterious one. It is listed as "The substance that which defines what it means to be human." I have no clue on what that substance is. Sophia used my services to see the answer to question to 'Who will make her human -Who will give her this last ingredient.' 

Angelus: ...I see...

Pipper: ...The first several times, she didn't see a vision. Then, the image of a man with orange hair and green eyes began to surface each time she used my powers. She... She searched long and hard to find out who this man is... please... you... you can't... you can't ruin her dream!

Angelus grinned despite himself. A strange feeling overtook his mind and he started to laugh. 

Things were going better than he had planned.

Seth stared at Pipper's beaten figure on the ground and the laughing form of his brother in disgust. 

Seth: You both are f***ed. There is NO WAY Fia is turning into a DAMN HUMAN! 

Angelus: SETH, stop-

But Seth had already sprinted off with his vampiric speed into the darkness. 

Angelus stood and dusted his clothes, smirking.  

He gazed down on the slumped Pipper, and threw a small vial to him from his pocket. 

It hit Pipper on his shoulder, and rolled down in front of his chest. 

Angelus: Your payment. Thank you for your time.

Angelus started to walk away, as Pipper searched the ground in front of him and grabbed the vial with his shaking hands. 

Angelus stopped, looked over his shoulder to Pipper.

Angelus: Make sure you make that potion for Sophia. Make sure you...

Angelus chuckled to himself again. He could not help it.

Angelus: ...Make sure you make her dream come true. 

Pipper heard Angelus' footsteps fade away as he clutched the vial Angelus had tossed in his hands. 

His knuckles turned white from his tight grip. 

With a flick of his hand he threw the vial and heard a splash upon the pond's surface. 

He imagined the vial sinking slowly to the pond's bottom. 

Tears formed on the corner of his eyes. 

He grabbed the small container he wore around his neck for comfort. 

The elixir he had been working on for years, his cure, his hope, his goal. 

The tears gathered and slid down his face. He tasted the saltiness in his mouth.

Then, from the back of his mind, Sophia's voice found him once again. 

How could he have forgotten?

"Sacrifice makes dreams come true."

Pipper forced a smile that looked more like a scowl and picked up his battered self from the ground. 

He heard Pepper's small voice return inside his head. 

Pipper: ...Pepper...? You ok? ...Yeah, I'll get better. Nothing a good elixir won't heal. Yeah, that was stupid of me.. haha-ow... ...Lets go fish that vial out of the pond first, ok?

Pipper carefully waddled his broken body into the pond to search for the ingredient he had tossed into the pond. 

He will make his dream come true. 

He will make Sophia's dream come true... 

No matter what he must sacrifice.

-----------------------------------------

Fae: Welcome home!

Fae hugged her first son with warm open arms. 

Tae: ...You look great mother.

Fae: Haha... I grew a few grey hairs while you were gone. But I still look good, don't I?

Tae looked into his mother's warm brown eyes. Her smile was genuine, but he still detected the same sadness in the depths of her eyes. 

The shine that had disappeared since her husband's death had never returned. 

Cloud: BRO! It's good to have my man back at home!

Tae: It's great to see you too, Cloud. I see you've still been working out. 

Cloud: Yeah man, still following the regimen you gave me before you left. It's getting pretty easy though, you might wanna start me up a new one... especially for building these muscles before you head back to college.

Tae: Sure, I can do that. But, I don't think I will be returning to finish my degree. 

Cloud glanced towards the figure behind Tae as Fae flashed a shaky smile.

Cloud: I'm guessing that's cause you found what you were looking for in college already?

Fae: Tae, who is this?

Tae: ...This is Miki Chue... She... uhm...

Tae glanced over at Cloud, who crossed his arms and grinned. 

Cloud: C'mon bro. She's what?

Tae: ...She is a very close friend of mine. 

Cloud rolled his eyes while Fae laughed halfheartedly. 

Miki played with her hair and stared at the ground, her eyes shifting uneasily.

Miki: ...Hello. I'm sorry for showing up unexpectedly like this but - 

Tae: -But I invited her to visit for a few weeks. She... she needed a change of scenery. 

Fae: Well - this is certainly unexpected but... you are welcome to stay. We have an extra room avaliable. 

Miki: ...Thank you, Mrs. Ribbon.  

Fae: Please... called me Fae. Now, tell me about yourself-

Cloud pulled Tae off to the side while Fae tried her best to talk to Miki who kept nervously glancing at Tae, stumbling through answering Fae's questions. 

Cloud: Haha, looks like mom's having fun. First girl in the house, ey?

Tae smiled back at Miki in answer to her glances. 

Tae: I guess so.

Cloud: You didn't do so bad man. You did better than I expected to actually bro. She's one good looking lady. Check out her hair and her eyes man... 

Tae looked at Cloud with a quizzical look. Cloud laughed back at his face. 

Cloud: I'm complimenting you man! I'm proud of ya. I thought you'd never end up with a woman. Who knew you went to college to pick up chicks eh?

Tae: It wasn't like that-

Cloud: Eh, whatever! It worked out. 

Cloud playfully punched Tae on his shoulders. 

Cloud: So when are you two getting hitched? Big wedding? No, you're more a small wedding guy-

Tae: Cloud-

Fae: Tae, show Miki into her room, please. You two must be tired from the travel.

Tae sighed and patted Cloud on his shoulders before joining the two ladies in heading inside. 

Cloud's phone rang, stopping him from joining them. 

Cloud: Yeah, I'll catch up. Show her Joy and Egon - she likes animals right? Right?!

Cloud: ...Who's number is this anyway? 

Cloud picked up his phone to an unknown caller. 

Cloud: Waddap Cloud speakin'. Who's this? ...OH, you're that dude. 

Cloud: What's up man? I thought you would never ring me up, thought you forgot about us man. You all having a meet up soon?

Cloud: Uh, yeah I'm free tomorrow night. Yeah, I'll call up Gabe and - Oh just me? Why man, I thought you had room for both of us! ...Alright, that's fine, I can help with some setting up. Why at night though? Oh, you have work in the morning?

Cloud tapped his feet and thought about the invite. Tae was home and he wanted to spend time with him, but then again his girl was here so... ah what the heck.

Cloud: Cool man, I'll be there. Yeah yeah, I gotcha, just me, no Gabe. Same place. Right. Got you.

Cloud stretched his arms and jumped up and down in anticipation. He stared at the clouds above and shaded his eyes from the bright sunlight.

Cloud: Yep. Thanks, Angelus. I'll catch you tomorrow.

Those who don't know what Pipper is talking about Fia using his services, please read [SE] With My Own Eyes to find out!

I decided to chop this part since it was taking too long to finish the original length I had planned. 

So Tae is home and brought Miki with him! Technically, I had to call Miki over from university to have it work logistically but this was a easier story option (lazy). 

Fae also aged up right after Tae had come home, but I didn't get any screenshots of their reunion that was worth using... so she is already aged here when they meet. 

And yes, I don't have plans to return Tae to university. He did worse than I had expected - but I blame that on the series of events that happened between him and the Chue sisters >.>

Cloud kept getting wishes to gain more muscles which is strange because he looks pretty buff to me already. 

I personally felt bad for Pipper writing this and tried to tame down his torture Q_Q. 

So a mysterious narrator, Tae is back, Angelus and Seth finds out Fia's goal from Pipper (and they disagree with each other it seems) and Cloud gets a phone call to meet Angelus. 

I have already started the next entry... which will reveal a large part of Sophia's motivations... so stay tuned!

Thanks muchoes!