Young Writers Society

Author's Note: Hi. I have nothing to say for my month of absence from this site except that I had to follow the call of writing fan-fictions. My ships needed me.

The goons looked decently unsettled at the display; so was she. How did I…? I’ve never been so confident holding a knife, but my movements were fluid and unconscious, just now. That train of thought hastily got pushed to the back of her head, and Tabby rolled her shoulders in an unconscious gesture that settled her mind faster than any breathing technique she could’ve used; she needed to be focused, or she’d only mess herself up.

A smirk tugged at her lips. The guy still hadn’t moved, looking back and forth between his empty hand and his knife in hers. He looks as if I just killed his cat. Jeez, chill.

His lackeys shifted on their feet, and Tabby got her first proper look at them. The woman had purple hair and antennae sticking messily out of her head, her eyes looking like that of a bug. Unsettling and creepy. Perfect. The man- Dex, Tabby remembered- had black hair that was sporting a neon green stripe; it hurt Tabby’s eyes to look at it, it was so hideous.

“Let’s just go, Alex,” Dex begged, tugging on the sleeve of the leader’s sleeve hesitantly. “You heard the stories- no one who targets her comes out alive. We can still cross the border to Anedrie before she can gather enough authorities to hunt us down.”

Tabby stayed silent, categorizing the information for later use. Alex snarled at Dex, and at Tabby’s calculating gaze. “She found the passage that leads to the royal treasury- with us escaping through it. We already waited three whole days to kill her; she could’ve told someone by now, but Lily says she took care of it. I’m gonna make sure it’s taken care of permanently, that’s all. Then we don’t have to leave at all, we can do what we always have. Lily’ll stay quiet.”

Tabby burst out laughing. As the pieces clicked together, Tabby couldn't help but to express her amusement at the childish game that had played out before she had even gotten there; all her fear, nervousness, and anger had deflated, and Tabby couldn't help but wonder what kind of messed-up politics she had gotten entangled in this time.

Alternate Tabby was a menace; Tabby had always thought she had been a helpless type, but she had been far from it. Lily had tried to kill her to become the future leader of the kingdom. Alex had been caught like a common thief, and used Lily to get rid of the witness. Then he threatened to tell the authorities about her traitorous act, unless she let him continue to steal from the vault. Actually better thought out than Lily’s plan, Tabby had to give him that.

Dex looked down right scared now, worrying his teeth between his lips at the mental breakdown Tabby was having. Alex looked annoyed, and Purple over there looked like she was about to skedaddle.

“You should listen to your friend-Dex was it? He seems to know what he is talking about.” Tabby’s grin is positively feral, a more common sight since she entered this reality. I always thought I’d be the bookish sidekick, but I’m kicking butt here. Or at least talking smack.

Suddenly, Tabby hears quiet groaning coming from behind her. Tabby curses the change of her luck as Alex is reminded of the two small presences he had dismissed earlier. Alex’s look mirrors hers from earlier, the cogs in his head turning visibly in the glimmer of his eyes. He nodded to the girls.

“Maybe if we take them you’ll be more willing to cooperate.”

“When has that line of thinking ever worked?” Tabby inquired, thinking of her options. Classic fight or flight. Normally, she’d be inclined to fight, but… Tabby looked back at the girls. They aren't dead, but they are in bad shape. There’s no way I can hold the guys back long enough for them to run away on their own, and it’s too dangerous for them to be here.

I came here to protect them. And Tabby’s decision was clear. Almost without thinking, Tabby threw one of the knives at the one called Alex; by the time they looked up, they only saw the swish of her skirt as she dashed through the door carrying both girls.