Mystic Mystery’s

Steven Grant was a gift shopist. He’d prefer to be a tour guide, think’s that he’d probably be pretty good at it too besides his overall awkwardness. Despite the fact he could talk about Egypt all day long, Donna thought that he’d probably bore the tourists out. Therefore he found himself working in the gift shop.

    Outside of work? He was an avid reader (Or anything and everything regarding Egypt), a wonderful fish father (His little one-finned wonder was his pride and joy after all), and was trying to figure out a solution to the sleeping disorder that caused him to experience things like this-

    “Please don’t be dead! Please don’t be dead-“ Two hands roughly shook his shoulder, “Wake up!”

    His jaw ached something fierce and as he picked himself up from where he’d practically been plastered to the ground. He couldn’t stop the painful groan that escaped his lips as he moved his jaw around, wincing as it popped back into place. He could taste copper in his mouth- blood, ugh…too much blood.

    The world was a bit blurry too now that he thought about it. In front of him a colorful blob moved around- was it- did the blob have hands? Oh- no it was a girl.

    That girl from the museum!

    “Marc I swear to god you can’t do that to me again- I thought I was going to have a heart attack!” The girl laughed nervously pulling anxiously at her hands.

    “Insolent girl- you have the wrong idiot in front of you!” 

    Swinging his head around Steven tried to find the other person talking but it looked like it was just him and the girl in the field.

    Wait- were in the world was he!?

    “Oh-“ The girl eyed him curiously. “I remember. Your Steven…”

    “This is too weird-“ Steven couldn’t stop his inner thoughts from spilling out. The girls eye’s softened as she looked at him.

    “Go back to sleep worm- and take this child with you!”

    The girl pouted in front of him, rolling her eyes, before standing up to brush the dirt and grass off of her jeans. Mud had already stained the knee’s and Steven wondered if she’d appreciate a some tips about stain removal… She muttered something under her breath about ‘useless pigeons’ before turning her eyes on Steven.

    “I’m really sorry about all this-“ She said. “I’m sure it’s all really confusing and what not-“

    “A little bit yeah-“ Steven murmured. Who was this kid and why was she here with him- better yet why was he here and not his apartment with Gus?

    “Neither of you were supposed to be here!” The angry voice rumbled.

    “Oh can it already!” The girl groaned. “I’m almost ready to turn myself back over to Wong and Stephen.”

    Who was Wong? Steven was fairly sure he’d never heard of anyone by that name and why would she- oh. Maybe she meant a different Steven?

    “Listen. Steven I understand that this seems bad- but we’re really in the middle of something so I’m going to need you to listen carefully.” The girl said.

    Ignoring her, Steven turned around finding an old Manor- or castle? Behind them. From atop the building leaning out of a window a man looked down upon them. Taking a hand out of his pocket to wave, Steven instead found a brilliant Golden scarab in his hands. The man above waved awkwardly back.

    “Gun!” 

    Hands upon his back pushed him forward’s as bullets rained down around them.

    “Don’t just stand there! Run! Use your magic- do something!”

    “We get it- we get it! Go!” The girl screamed pushing Steven ahead.

    The duo took off across the field weaving and darting to and fro as more bullets fired after them.

    Steven made up his mind at that point, when- and if- he survived this he was certainly inquiring with a doctor about this condition.

…

    She’d fought against other Sorcerer’s, Monsters and Aliens at this point but even Olive found guns to be the most unpredictable opponent, one wrong move and it was over.

    Especially since healing spells weren’t her specialty. Minor scrapes and bruises- easy fix. Broken bones, well…sometimes she accidentally added a second bone- which was weird now that she thought about it. If her teacher was a Doctor, why was she so bad at healing spell’s?

    This realization made Olive even more grateful after she and Steven had managed to outrun the goon’s trailing them. Although taking refuge in the very village that homed most of these goon’s probably wasn’t ideal. But here they stood trying to catch their breath backs pressed against one of the old townhouses. If it were up to her she’d simply whisk them back to London, but with Steven fronting she couldn’t risk exposing him to unnecessary magic and confusing him even more than he already was.

    Marc had explained some things to her over the past day and a half they’d spent searching for Harrow’s men. The whole mess at hand, Khonshu’s involvement and Steven Grant. Although Marc didn’t outright say it, Olive had spent a small chunk of time with a certain doctor and had come to her own assumption about the man. Steven Grant was one of Marc’s alters and despite Marc seemingly ignoring his DID or being completely unaware of it, he was keen on keeping Steven safe and out of this whole mess.

Something that Olive was currently trying to do as well.

“Alright- let’s just keep our heads down and try to figure this out ok?” Olive said, glancing over to Steven.

The British man thought it over for a moment, still catching his breath from their sprint, before nodding once. He pulled the hood of his jacket up trying to remain as inconspicuous as one could in a strange place. Olive did not have this luxury, her windbreaker being hoodless meant that she would have to risk exposing herself if any of the goon’s recognized her. Also maybe she shouldn’t have picked such a jarring color- the scarlet red jacket had been a joke between her and Stephen, now it was essentially a red flag.

Together, they merged onto one of the streets around the corner and followed after a crowd of people making their way into the center square.

She had a horrible feeling about this.

”Maybe we should-“

Before Olive had a chance to turn them back around, a man stepped up the street, the sound of broken glass echoing in his shoes. The crowd went silent as he came into view besides a few grateful murmurs. People reached out to touch him as he passed by. As he grew closer Olive twisted around tucking herself behind Steven and turning her face to his sleeve blocking her from being recognized.

Arthur Harrow had arrived. 

Wasn’t he uncomfortable with all those shards stabbing into his feet? You know what- Olive wasn’t even going down that road right now. She had bigger things to worry about…she could address that mess later.

”What a beautiful day. It’s like we’re in heaven-“ Arthur said as he stopped in front of the crowd. “Only it’s not heaven, is it? The darkness sometimes hides in our very hearts.”

Yeah- she was starting to regret not just portaling them home. She wasn’t really interested in the whole villain  monologue right now…Her feet hurt from running, she was still out of breath and her hair stuck to the back of her neck with sweat. The people around her however- they hung on to every word, staring at him like he was some sort of god.

Perhaps they thought he was?

    A man stepped forward’s after Harrow’s speech offering himself for ‘judgement.’ Olive’s interest peaked as she watched the scene unfold. Harrow took the man's hands in his own and rested his cane between them allowing it to swing rhythmically between them. Before she could take in anything else a woman pushed in front of her blocking her view.

She cursed being short, and tried to find a way to peak around her before giving in.

“What’s happening-“ She asked Steven.

“His arm- it’s moving…” Steven whispered, “The tattoo?”

“This is a face of a good man-“ Athur’s voice echoed through the silent street’s, sounding almost like he was on the edge of tears.

Guess he was good at crocodile tears. Ammit probably would be proud of him-

“Please- let’s get out of here.” Olive begged. “If we stay any longer we risk getting caught.”

She wasn’t going to wait around any longer. Tugging at Steven’s sleeve she pulled him forewords and away from the crowd but he stopped her before they got to far, tugging his sleeve free and stepping closer to the front.

Sure- lets just walk right into danger.

A women had now taken the place of the man before her, Harrow’s cane now swinging in between them. It was then that Olive was able to see the scales on his arm move with the cane, she understood now what Steven had meant about the tattoo. The scales finally stopped when they were tipped off balance.

“I’m sorry-“ Harrow said.

The woman desperately tried to pull her hands away once- twice- begging the man for some sort of forgiveness, before she slumped to the street below. Two of Harrow’s men picked her body up and moved it away walking past Steven and Olive.

Olive knew that she was dead. Her heart fluttered in fear- how had he done that?

Harrow shouted something suddenly and the crowd surrounding Olive and Steven sunk to their knee’s leaving the duo exposed. She anxiously took a step back but realized that they were mostly blocked in by all sides- Harrow’s men were steps ahead of them.

“Oh bollocks!” Steven gasped following the crowd.

Olive wasn’t going to give the man the satisfaction, locking her knees as she glared at the man.

“I know you-“ Harrow pointed to Steven. “The Mercenary. You-“

He moved his finger to point at her. “You’re new-“

“Do something child!” 

Olive realized that Khonshu was talking exclusively to her, as Steven still kneeled in front of her.

“Save the Scarab!”

She’d done it before- in desperation. When she was just a kid after the attack in New York…She could easily reach her hand into Steven’s pocket without him noticing, without Harrow noticing as well. She could take the Scarab before Harrow had a chance to get it-

And Steven rushed forward’s, pulled it out of his pocket and held it out to Harrow.

“FOOL! What are you here for if you can’t even follow my orders!” Khonshu screamed and Olive winced, rubbing at her temple.

Harrow reached to take the Scarab-

And then Steven’s hand thrusted behind him.

”Don’t mess it up now! I’ll kill you both if you lose the scarab!”

Ripping it from his palm Olive darted backwards nearly tripping over the crowds of people still kneeling around them, one of them popped out their foot trying to move out of her way and Olive tumbled to the cobblestone knee’s scraping as the Scarab flew out of her hands. It clinked as it bounced upon the stones and out of her reach.

A meaty hand grabbed furiously at the collar of her windbreaker and she was picked up by one of the goons.

“Let go of me!” Olive screamed. “Steven- Marc! DO SOMETHING!”

…

There were bodies littered around him- blood. Oh god so much blood…

Steven held his hands up to look upon and found that blood was on his fingers, his palms, the scarab. How had it gotten back in his hand?

The girl- he remembered the big muscled man had grabbed her and she’d screamed, begged, lashing out with her nails. He’d wanted to help her when the goon had pulled her arm suddenly- he’d heard the snap and watched her face wretch in agony.

“Steven- run!!” Oh- she was behind him now?

He saw the angry crowds closing in around them, the girl held her arm protectively against her chest, she really needed to get to a hospital…probably would need a splint. But the injury was far from her mind as she darted behind an old car and down the street. Steven struggled to keep up as angry hands pulled and pushed. Ultimately he ducked underneath someone’s arm as he scrambled to the box truck with the cupcake sign on the side.

The girl apparently had the same idea and she jumped into the passenger seat moving a flat of cupcakes into her lap with both-

Her arm was completely fine? How was she bending it all normal like all of a sudden?

“DRIVE!” She hollered. One of the men tried to reach her through the window and she slammed a frosted cupcake into his face.

Twisting the key and slamming his foot onto the gas the truck screeched down the streets until he found a road to turn onto. He glanced at the girl and saw as she wiped away at a blood splatter left on her cheek, she grimaced at the sight before unwrapping a cupcake and taking a large bite.

At least she seemed somewhat calm about this situation. Steven’s hands were sweating and his heart thundered in his chest. 

“Would it be a horrible time to tell you that I don’t even have my license?” Steven asked.

The girl looked wide eyed at him- cheeks stuffed full of the frosted treat.

”Ah- I’ll take that as a no then…”