Serenity - "Heartless" Oneshot

Serenity

A/N Another Heartless oneshot? Yep! Do I care that no one is going to vote or read these? NOPE IMMA KEEP WRITING THEM. This was supposed to be a thirty-minute speed-write before I started my history work but then I got distracted and created this 1.7+K word monstrosity. My history work'll probably be turned in late lmao. Slight angst, but mostly fluff. Also, one almost curse but it's not completed so you don't need to worry. 

se·ren·i·ty 

/səˈrenədē/

noun

the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled.

The shrinking potion felt strange, but it wasn't the reason Cath curled herself into Jest's chest as Raven, Hatta, the Joker, and herself neared the mirror that now loomed over them. It was Mary Ann's cries and pleas from behind her (not directly behind you, she's farther away. You wouldn't be able to help her anyways. Keep moving, Catherine) that made the girl squeeze her eyes shut and shiver into her lover.

A roar was heard, echoing from wherever Catherine's old friend was being kept, and the cries got louder.

"I need to help her"

"Cath"

"Please. I can't leave her. You three go without me-"

"I can't do that"

"Jest"

"M'lady. Please, we can't go. She betrayed you, she lied to you and she almost had me imprisoned"

"... Even so... I can't leave her. She's been my only friend, even if she ended that with her betrayal"

"I know, darling. That's what I love about you, you'd go even if she was a stranger. But please, don't think of it as leaving her. Think of it as being with me, and Hatta, and Raven. Think of it as being safe"

She hesitantly turned her head towards her screeching maid, hands gripping her dress so tightly her knuckles turned white and the fabric started to tear.

"Lady Pinkerton" she winced at the sound of Hattas's smooth voice close to her ear "Listen to the Sister's prophecy. Those who ignore their artwork are doomed, so if you let your ignorance control you, a happy ending will be forever out of reach, and lives will be lost"

Even though he didn't directly say it out loud, it felt like the shop-keeper had foretold his own prophecy. More people will die if you go back, more lives will be lost if you save Mary Ann.

And Catherine couldn't help but feel that he was right.

After a brief moment, Cath finally released her tight grip on her clothing and flattened out her skirts, turning back towards the Looking Glass where Chess could be seen and tangled her fingers into Jests. And as Catherine Pinkerton walked through the portal, the cries stopped and she felt a smile grow on her face. Goodbye, Heartlands. You wretched place. Goodbye.

...

Rooks, Pawns, Bishops, and Queens alike clashed their weapons against each other, the battlefield a brilliant mix of red and white chess pieces. Catherine was among them, eyes narrowed as she wielded the Vorpal sword, defeating enemy after enemy with a quick and emotionless slash or jab. Jest fought a few yards behind her, taking out Red kingdom warriors almost as fast as his lover, Raven never far from his side. As for Hatta, he had decided that fighting wasn't his forte and he would simply leave them to it and prepare some tea while chatting with the actual White Queen.

Jest found himself in mortal danger multiple times (thankfully saved by Raven or another loyal chess piece) while gaping at Catherine, who had made incredible progress in her fighting2 since she arrived at Chess. Jest's own brother had trained her, so the rook wasn't too surprised when she had been able to take out a few soldiers during her first battle. What he didn't expect was for her to absolutely demolish the Red Queen's army during the next battle. She had quickly become the strongest fighter on this side (and probably the other side too since everyone in the Heartlands were little bitc-) of the Looking Glass. Although many insisted that the Queen should stay in the castle for safety unless there was an emergency, Catherine had become too much of a necessity to simply put her on the bench. Not to mention that she probably would have found a way to sneak her way into battle because no one could stop Catherine Pinkerton when she decided she wanted something. And in this case, she wanted her bakery.