꧁ 𝟹𝚛𝚍 𝙿𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝙿𝙾𝚅 ꧂
"THANKS FOR COMING, RIC."
Damon said, closing the door behind him as his drinking buddy walks into the house, "You need something to drink? Coffee? Bourbon?"
"Bourbon in your coffee?" Skyler chimed, looking up over the couch opposite where Elena and Stefan are sitting.
"Elena mentioned you needed my help." Alaric said as Damon gestured for him to take a seat next to Skyler who gives a wave.
"Yeah, we were hoping you could shed some light on the uh Lockwood family." Stefan told him as the man gets comfortable.
Alaric seems curious but not entirely confused, "Now why would I know anything about the Lockwoods?" He asked, Skyler eyeing him curiously from beside him.
"Well you wouldn't, but your dead—" Damon starts as he sits down, "Not dead vampire wife might."
Alaric looks down, and Elena chimes in, "Isobel's research from when you guys were at Duke together,"
"You said that she had spent years researching this town." Stefan continued, Skyler decided to stay silent only studying the man, looking for answers in the way he sat, and his eyes. Oh, how much people could tell you if they just paid attention.
"Isobel's research here — Mystic Falls — was rooted in folklore and legend." Alaric told them, "At the time I thought most of which was fiction."
"I am indeed a work of fiction." Skyler hummed with a smirk. "Too perfect for the real world."
"Like that amazing vampire story." Damon commented ignoring Skyler's comment in search of answers.
Skyler rolled her eyes, leaning forward, she became serious or as serious as she could be when she already had the answers they desperately searched for.
"Aside from vampires what else?" Skyler asked, "mermaids? Werewolves? Witches?" She said it in a sarcastic tone, tilting her head though half of them were true.
"The Lycanthrope."
Stefan turned to Damon immediately.
"Wait like werewolves?" Elena asked.
"No way. Impossible. Way too Lon Chaney." Damon responded leaning forward.
Skyler arched a brow at him, "Oh like vampires?"
"I've been on this planet for 160 some odd years, I've never come across one." Damon told her in disbelief.
Turning to Alaric, Damon asked, "If werewolves exist, where the hell are they?"
"Most likely?" Skyler asked rhetorically, "Right under our noses. Hiding in plain sight."
Just like her.
The spy.
The villain, if you will.
The Mikaelson, posing as a Salvatore.
"Well, why do you suspect the Lockwoods?" Alaric asked them curiously.
"Because vervain didn't affect the mayor on founders day but the Gilbert device did." Damon explained, "And it affected his son Tyler."
"And at the school carnival, his uncle Mason exhibited inhuman behavior when he fought one of the carnival workers." Stefan added, "It suggested some sort of a supernatural entity."
Alaric nodded in understanding, and Elena spoke up, "We were hoping that Isobel's research could help us figure out what it is."
"What they are." Skyler added, staring at Alaric curiously.
"Well, all of her things are still at Duke." Alaric cleared his throat, "I mean her office is still there. She's technically still missing."
"So can we get access to it?" Damon asked getting straight to the point. He never liked beating around the bush.
Alaric looked away uncertainly.
"Ric." Damon called, "We need to know what we're dealing with."
"Before they turn around and bite us on the next full moon." Skyler supplied helpfully.
"If this wolfman thing is true, I've seen enough movies to know it's not good." Damon continued, "It means that Mason Lockwood is a real-life Lon Chaney and that little Tyler punk may just very well be Lon Chaney Jr."
"Or Peter Hale 2.0." Skyler commented, "Hey do they have the whole alpha beta omega system too?" She asked curiously. She knew enough about werewolves— she knew they existed, what they could do, what she could do to stop them — what she didn't know was all the actually interesting bits.
"Which means," Damon continued glaring at his sister halfheartedly for interrupting him, "Bella Lugosi— meaning me —is totally screwed."
__________
Stefan knocks on Skyler's door as she sits on her bed reading a book — her journal, one from her human years. It was an interesting read considering Katherine was now back in their life and all her initial analysis of her being a bitch was correct just even worse than she expected.
Skyler's eyes snapped to the door that she had left open, at the same time she snapped her journal closed. Nobody needed to know she had journals of her whole life, especially not her brothers.
"I need a favor." Stefan told her as he entered the room.
Skyler let out a groan as she sat up, putting her journal on top of her nightstand, "What now?" She asked, dreading the answer already.
"Go with Damon and Elena to Duke." Stefan answered, "Just... keep an eye on them."
Skyler raised a brow at him, "What? Don't trust your girlfriend now?"
"I trust her, I don't trust Damon." Stefan responded.
She rolled her eyes, "Whatever, I'm not doing it."
"Come on, for me? Your favorite twin?" Stefan asked pulling out the puppy dog eyes he hasn't used on her since they were young — and human.
Skyler couldn't help but smile fondly at him, "You're my only twin."
"Exactly." He responded, "So will you do it?"
__________
"Guess what, I'm finally going to college." Skyler tells Kol on the phone as she slipped some wolfsbane into her bag.
"Oh yeah? What's your major?" Kol questioned teasingly, "Or are you gonna be the hot teacher?" She could picture him wagging his eyebrows clear as day and let out a laugh.
"I'm going to be a cock blocker," She told him, "I'm going with Damon and Elena because of Stefan's fragile masculinity."
Kol groaned on the other end, "Boring."
"And they're researching werewolves." Skyler added, zipping up her bag.
"Werewolves? Boy they're a little behind, aren't they?"
She rolled her eyes, "Everyone's behind compared to you, Kol." She reminded him, "You're ancient."
"You wound me, Skygem." He responded to her with a smirk.
Skyler went to reply when the front door swung open downstairs, "Come on, time to go, shortie!" Damon called up to her.
"I gotta go kill my brother!" She called loudly, letting Kol's short laugh echo in her ears before hanging up the phone and swinging her backpack over her shoulder before heading downstairs.
"Who was that?" Damon asked as she stepped down the last stair, "Your boy toy?"
"He's a friend." Skyler responded, not willing to give anything a way, "He keeps me sane while I'm in this hellish town."
"Oh yeah? How does he keep you sane?" Damon asked raising his brows.
Skyler smiled at him innocently and confidently said, "By helping me plan your murder."
That seemed to shock Damon enough, his mouth opening to respond though he couldn't seem to find the words.
"Come on brother," she told him, walking past, their shoulders brushed together, "And close your mouth before you catch flies! Elena's waiting!"
__________
"How you two doing back there?" Damon asked Skyler and Elena who chose to sit in the back while Alaric drove and Damon sat in the passenger seat, "You know this whole pretending to hate me thing is getting a little silly, Elena."
Alaric scoffed, "I don't think she's pretending. You did kill her brother."
Skyler nodded, "It's very easy to hate you, Day, I have my whole life." She grinned innocently at him.
"There is a huge asterisk next to that statement. He came back to life." Damon told Alaric then turning to his sister, "And you love me and you know it." He wagged his finger at her, his eyes narrowed, the perfect picture of a scolding mother.
"Do I though?" She asked tilting her head.
"Yeah. Thanks to a ring that you didn't know he was wearing." Elena commented to Damon unable to hold back any longer, her jaw was clenched as she stared out the window.
"Why are you so sure I didn't know?" Damon asked looking ahead.
"Did you?" She responded, he looked back.
"Yes."
"You're lying." Elena told him narrowing her eyes.
"Elena, I saw the ring." He continued stubbornly, "It's a big tacky thing, it's hard to miss."
Skyler arched a brow, "Oh is that why I found you drinking your sorrows crying that you killed Elena's little brother?" She mocked with a little pout for good measure.
Damon turned back, pointing at her, "You are no longer my favorite sister. Stefanie is."
Skyler only scoffed, shaking her head as he turned back, settling into his seat.
__________
"So Isobel was officially employed by the anthropology department given that most paranormal phenomena is rooted in folklore." Alaric told the group as the five of them walked into Duke.
Alaric went ahead of them, taking the lead as he perked into an office, "Excuse me, hi I'm Alaric Saltzman. I called earlier."
The woman, seemingly a secretary or assistant, stood up from where she was filing away files, "Yes of course." She then stood, shaking his hand with a smile, "I'm Vanessa Monroe, research assistant— comparative folklore."
Vanessa eyed Damon up and down before snapping herself out of it, "Let me just grab Isobel's keys."
"I'm sorry these are my friends Elena, Damon, and Skyler." Alaric told her before she could walk away, Skyler did a little wave with an awkward smile, "I hope this isn't too much of an imposition."
"Please. Isobel's office is right through there." She told them, going to her desk to grab her keys, "Isobel was one of my first professors. I'm a grad student. She was brilliant." She grabbed the keys before sitting on her desk, "One of the reasons I went into folklore."
Alaric gave a smile and she continued, "I have to ask..."
"Has there been any news?"
"No. No, I'm afraid not." Alaric responded.
Vanessa nodded, before standing up, "It's right this way." She said walking over to a nearby door and unlocking it, leading them through to Isobel's office.
Elena went first followed by Damon and then Skyler and finally, Alaric.
Skyler studied the room as they walked in, it was dark and dusty, the only light coming from the open blinds of the window. The room clearly hadn't been touched since Isobel's disappearance.
Looking around, Skyler wondered what was in all the books scattered on the bookshelves, then she wondered — how much was a piece of fiction and how much was reality?
"I'll grab the light. Feel free to look around." The assistant told them, "It's fascinating, isn't it?"
"That's one word for it." Skyler smiled as she walked out.
Damon unsurprisingly immediately found the alcohol while Elena and Alaric were looking at things around the office, Skyler found her way to a bookcase in the corner, her eyes scanning the books curiously.
"Where'd she go?" Damon asked looking back.
Elena turned around just as the assistant came back in with a crossbow pointed right at the young brunette, Elena let out a gasp, and just like that Damon was in front of her, protecting her from the arrow that would've killed her.
Damon groaned in pain as his hand flew out, using the bookcase to hold himself up somewhat as he fell, bleeding.
Skyler ran at the huntress before Alaric could, slamming her into the nearby wall and holding her a few feet in the air by the throat.
"You almost killed my brother." She snarled, glaring harshly at her.
__________
"Pull it out, I can't reach it, Elena," Damon told Elena who stood behind him as he bent down so she could pull the arrow out from his back, "Just pull the damn thing out. It hurts." He looked over at Skyler, "Cmon help me out here."
He yelped as Elena pulled out the arrow before he could realize it thanks to him being distracted by his sister.
"Ahh." He exclaimed as he stood, stretching his back and shaking it off, "That bitch is dead."
"Uh, you're not gonna kill her." Elena told him sternly.
Damon walked up to her, his voice coming out rough when he spoke, "Watch me."
"She's right." Skyler called, stopping him in the doorway, "You can't kill her."
He turned to her incredulously and she continued, "Not alone anyway."
"Either of you touches her and I swear I will never speak to you again." Elena threatened weakly.
"Good." Skyler deadpanned.
"What makes you think that has any power over me?" Damon questioned, "'Cause I took an arrow in the back for you?" He walked forward with a grin, "You are severely overestimating yourself."
"And his will to live." Skyler added helpfully and honestly.
He tried to swing an arm over Elena's shoulder but she stopped him, grabbing his arm, "Right I forgot that I was speaking to a psychotic mind who snaps and kills people impulsively."
"Fine. Go ahead." She told him, "Do whatever you want."
Damon stared into her eyes, never breaking eye contact, "You're trying to manipulate me."
"If by "manipulate" you mean tell the truth, okay." She nodded, "Guilty."
She stared at him and when he didn't respond, she walked away.
"Totally manipulating you." Skyler told him pushing herself off the desk.
Damon spun to her, his eyes wide and smug, "I knew it!"
_________
"This box tracks Katherine's arrival to Mystic Falls in April of 1864." The assistant slash Hunter said as she brought a box over to Elena while Damon and Skyler stood guard together.
"Is that all there is about her?" They hear Elena ask.
"I say we run for it now while we can." Skyler joked.
"And have Stefanie kill us?" Damon questioned, a brow arched at her.
"Does vervain really work?" The assistant asked.
"Nope! Not at all." Damon called.
"Can they hear us?"
"Nooo that would be creepy," Damon faux whispered.
"And stalkerish." Skyler whispered in the same mocking tone, "Vampires know to mind their own business." She gave a pointed look at Damon who smirked.
"Can he read minds too?" The woman asked Elena only half-joking.
Damon turned around, "You know if you want to see me naked, all you have to do is ask."
"Eww gross." Skyler scrunched her nose up.
"No." Elena told Isobel's assistant, "That he can't do. He is very capable of being a first-rate jackass."
_________
"Any luck?" Damon asked Elena who was going through all the information Vanessa had on Katherine's arrival.
"There's nothing in here about Katherine that we don't already know." Elena responded.
Damon sighed, "Ah man. You know, it's a bummer we're not friends anymore. Because I can tell you what I know."
"Or I can have Skyler tell me." Elena replied simply.
Skyler scoffed, "I am playing no part in this besides killing the bitch and making sure Damon's mouth stays off of yours."
"Hey, guys check this out." Alaric said handing the book to Vanessa, Elena made her way over to them.
"There's no record of werewolf mythology in Mystic Falls," the woman explained as Damon and Skyler reluctantly moved closer, "but here are some records of some of the lesser-known legends."
Skyler turned her out after that, having already known a decent amount about werewolves she didn't find much interest in any of it, until...
"The short story, 600 years ago, the Aztecs we're plagued by werewolves and vampires. They terrorized the countryside, made farming and hunting impossible. Until an Aztec shaman cursed them, making Vampires slaves to the sun and werewolves servants of the moon."
Skyler tilted her head curiously as she continued, "As a result, vampires could only prowl at night, and werewolves could only turn on a full moon. When the full moon crests in the sky, whoever unlucky enough to fall under the werewolf curse turns into a wolf."
"Can they control the transformation?" Damon asked.
"If it were a choice, it wouldn't be called a curse." She responded.
"And they wouldn't be called the servants of the moon." Skyler added thoughtfully.
Vanessa nodded, continuing, "Werewolves Will attack humans but instinct and centuries of rivalry have hardwired them to hunt their prey of choice — vampires."
The Mystic Falls group looked around at each other and Skyler exhaled, "Well that's lovely."
"If werewolves are hunting vampires I would know about it." Damon told her still in stubborn disbelief.
"Not if there aren't that many werewolves left alive." The assistant responded, "Hundreds of years ago, vampires hunted them almost to extinction."
"Why would they do that?" Elena questioned confused.
"To protect themselves." Skyler responded simply.
Vanessa nodded, confirming that she was right before explaining further, "Legend has it that a werewolf bite is fatal to vampires."
The Mystic Falls gang looked around at each other once more, this time in shock as the words sunk in.
"Ooh."
_________
"Hey. Have you done any researches on doppelgängers?" Elena asked later that day, they had been looking through everything they could for hours in search of information.
Skyler looked over from where she stood next to Alaric, she was supposed to be helping him go through his stack of research but she had wound up mindlessly flipping through the pages.
"Well, the word means a lot of different things to different cultures. But typically a doppelgänger is a living, breathing double of oneself." Isobel's assistant explained.
"Did Isobel have anything that'd explain the link between me and Katherine?" Elena asked.
"That's all she had on Katherine, unfortunately." She responded, Elena, sighed, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear and looking down, disappointed.
"But I can tell you that doppelgängers usually torment the people they look like, trying to undo their lives." She told her.
"We know that, Katherine loves to undo people's lives." Skyler commented.
The woman glanced at her before continuing, "It's not exactly uplifting."
"And more things we already know." Elena replied, flipping through a file, "Just— I want to know why we look alike."
"Shit luck." Skyler suggested.
"Headscratcher isn't it?" Damon asked.
Elena slammed the file down, annoyed with Damon, "Do you know something or are you just being yourself?"
"Well, if I know anything, I'm not going to tell you, not with that attitude." Damon told her, Skyler rolled her eyes as the man walked up to Elena.
"That's good, Damon. And this is coming from someone who wants to be my friend." Elena responded, "But you know what? Friends don't manipulate friends. They help each other."
_________
"I want to get out of this town." Skyler groaned as they passed the town sign.
Alaric chuckled, looking at her in the rearview mirror, "Why did you come back if you hate it here so much?"
Damon's eye twitched and he looked back at his sister curiously.
"Because," she stated simply, "family is always and forever."
It was the truth.
She just didn't mention who her family was.
꧁ 𝟹,𝟷𝟻𝟶 𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚜 ꧂
For those who stuck around till the end, here's some special edits of Skygem and Koala for you! ❤️❤️