Charlatans of Revenge

10. Out of Mind

CW: Gas lighting, mental abuse, swearing

Mous walked through the hallway silently, as they usually were, until they reached a specific door. They bit their lip for a second, thinking, before getting out two bobby pins to open the door. Behind that previously locked door, was their parents. Mous didn't know what was happening to them, but wanted to check on them. The Owl was currently there so that was probably going to be fine. The door had opened easily and swung open to reveal Tansy and Aconite Harringburg. Despite the terrible last name and terrible people who had them, Mous was there. Aconite looked at their child up and down with an unimpressed face while Tansy wasn't looking at them.

"They're here, dear." Aconite stated to Tansy, with a pompous attitude.

"Who, the ones sent here to finally end this nightmare?"

"Singular they. The one who can get us out of this mess. Isn't that right, sweetheart?"

Mous took a deep breath and shook their head. If their parents escaped Mous would definitely get murdered first, because they'd be useless bait to get those two. Tansy scowled and spat close to Mous's boot. Aconite stared them down.

"You can't speak, you can't have a normal name, and now you can't help your parents?" Aconite counted them on her fingers as she spoke. With each one Mous started to see the face of their father. His hair was, for once, out of place, and he looked like hell. Well, a different hell. One for himself instead of others. "You probably didn't even notice we were gone until the Owl told you. Strange how a blind woman can find us before you The Prodigy could. Your powers are as useless as your love."

This was a mistake. Mous turned around towards the door but their arm was grabbed tightly. Mous tensed up and looked back tentatively. Tansy. He looked desperate without wanting to appear as such. Mous's breathing sped up as they were begging themself not to yell. They wouldn't know what to yell, anyways.

"You're going to get us out of here. You're going to follow whatever goose chase The Owl puts you on and keep trying until your grave. Understand?" Mous nodded quickly, Tansy's gripped tightened and Mous bit their lip again to keep from screaming. "Say it."

"Y...es. Yes." Mous choked out before yanking their arm from their father's grip.

"Good."

Mous walked out the door, locking it to cover their tracks, and continued down the hall without a word. Once they were out of the building they took off their goggles. Tears that were previously unable to climb down their face did so with great leisure. They leaned against a building and let themself cry, for just a bit, before continuing to walk home. They had a device to make.

-

Kat walked home from doing groceries, humming to herself. She opened the apartment door and put the bags on the counter. She looked around the apartment, it looked like she was home alone. Neat. Kat started mumbling the lyrics incomprehensibly while she put an avocado and a few oranges into the fruit bowl. It was a peaceful atmosphere, until Kat heard Arish knocking loudly and yelling from outside the door. Kat went to the door to open it and saw Arish about to knock once more with a closed fist and narrowly avoided punching Kat.

"Took you long enough! What's up?"

Arish walked inside while Kat closed the door. "Why were you so loud?"

A shrug. "You don't have a phone and Prin is busy. I wanted to hang out!"

"Ah."

So this is how they ended up going to the beach together. Neither of them wanted to swim, but the extremely rich tourists seemed to want to swim just fine. Kat put on a swim suit with a beach wrap on, just because it fits the vibe at being at sea. Arish was just wearing her casual clothes because that's what they came with when at Kat's house. Which, fair enough. The two picked up some shells, threw pebbles into the ocean and ate Kat's just barely bought oranges. The beach was right next to town, so they sat on the wall that divided the concrete with the sand, though one could never get rid of sand. They talked about practically nothing.

"You know Prin apparently talked to a cute boy at the ball." Arish mused, finally finishing off her orange. "He left pretty fast though after the open relationship talk though."

"Don't even mention the Ball." Kat complained, lying down on the wall slowly. "That place was such a mess, it was horrible. I hung out with Precious Vigor for about two hours afterward, because xe wanted to talk about hiring me more permanently. Which would pay well but I think Caleb would strangle me for working for a millionaire."

"Yeah, fair point though."

"True."

Kat sat back up, intending to lean her head on her hand. "Ugh, my hands are all sticky from the orange. I'll be right back."

She waved to Arish, walking up to go to the bathroom. Which was just a communal bathroom at the front of the beach with about three gross stalls. The beach was relatively empty, other than the occasional tourist or group of teenagers with nothing better to do. Once Kat finished washing her hands she walked out, about to get to Arish but saw something from the side of her eye. When she turned to look, she heard Arish called out, asking what's taking so long. But Kat saw Catnip. She saw that their leg was back and that they were on the phone. Which just looked like someone yelling at them without Catnip being able to talk back.

Out of some level of concern, Kat walked up.

"-texted that you have the device? All I need to know is does it WORK? Try it out on someone before bringing it to me okay? And if it doesn't your mother's throat will be in The Owl's hands. Understand?"

What the fuck? Catnip hung up the phone, putting it back into their pocket. They took out a bracelet. It looked mechanical and made by hand. Catnip was going to put that on someone? What if it was to kill people or something? Without thinking, Kat ran up to them and tackled Catnip.