Summary: where's their toad tortoise and why is there a child here now?
The morning started off pretty easy, Shelby had gotten half the house plans done the night before. She just needed to finish the rest and get supplies and she'd be good to go
It'd been a week since the market incident, she probably had to go today or tomorrow...they were not bringing the kids this time
Anyways, she went to put food into tortoises bowl, who they let wonder around the house. He was fairly big and tended to stay ont he counters so they didn't risk stepping on him
False was an early riser while Oli took a while so she was brushing their teeth in the bathroom at the moment
Shelby herself always struggled to get out of bed, especially early in the morning, but now she had a reason to
"I have to feed....gasp! the children!" She said dramatically outloud walking past the bathroom, getting a giggle from False who was just getting out of the bathroom and had walked infront of her, she smiled
"Im gonna make omelets today" Shelbh said and False LIT up
"With mushrooms right??" They asked rushing over to sit on the bar stool at the counter, shelby smiled leisurely walking over to the kitchen
"Yeah, I can add mushrooms and all that" she said, and falses tail wagged excitedly with made Shelby giggle
She looked over at Oli an- what was that purple flash? Shelby shook their head, probably just her imagination
She broke two eggs in the pan and scrambled them, before going over to the fridge "uhhhh, so, ham, Cheese and mushrooms right?" They asked and False nodded
"Alrighty then" they said and adding in mushrooms, ham, and cheese before folding it and putting it on the plate and sliding it over to False, "there ya go Sparky" she said happily
Oli groaned from around the dragon egg, waking up even though he REALLY didn't want to
He yawned, throwing his legs over the edge of the bed and resting his eyes for a few mor minutes sitting up
Shelby chuckled at seeing him and pulled out some fruit, handing an apple over to False and putting a plum where Oli usually sits
"Do you wnat anything to drink?" She asked
"Uh, can I have some water?" False asked, tilting her head
"Yeah" Shelby said, grabbing a plastic cup, it was blue and had lighter blue dog on it with white spots, and filled it up before passing it over
"Mmgn, apple juice?" Oli asked, eyes still closed and resisting the urge to lean back on the bed
She went over to the fridge.....AGAIN, and grabbed the half empty container of apple juice and another plastic cup, purple with a yellow star
"If you get up and sit on the stool then yes, I'll give you your apple juice" she stated, shifting the apple juice back and forth to make a point
"Mmmm, but I don't wanna!" Oli whined, Shelby sighed
"Well I'm not going over there to give it to you" she said, filling up the cup and putting it next to the- wait where'd the plum go?
They looked at the counter confused, hand still on the cup as she thought
She knew False wouldn't steal it as they always asked before grabbing anything, and it didn't drop so...where'd it go?
"Okay then..." they whispered, letting it go and instead going to grab another plum
Oli and False tilted their heads in confusion but shrugged when they looked at eachother for context
Oli groaned and made a dramatic show of getting up, but got up nonetheless and dragged theirself over to the counter
Shelby has already scrambled more eggs and quirked an eyebrow at him, they gave a toothy smile which made her shake their head in affection
"Here ya go oak" she said passing the food to the boy
He cooed, and shelbys ears perked at a noise and she looked over at some boxes she'd gotten earlier that were in the corner
She hummed walking over to them, "....hey has anyone seen tortoise?" She asked, wondering if he soenhow got into the boxes
She lifted one up and....nothing was there no frog no person no nothing. Gods she felt like she was going crazy...
"Nope havnt seen him!" Oli chirped, False shrugged in agreement
Shelby hummed, tail flickering as she thought it still felt....off and she wasn't sure why
"Alright then, I'm sure he'll turn up..." shelby said, trailing off
Meanwhile, inside a box Tortoise couldn't believe his fucking luck
He'd shifted, out of his control....like always, and Shelby had found him- he couldn't say anything or shift back to tell her that he wasn't a pet or actual frog so had no choice but to go along with it
Now, though, his magic had finally managed to shift back! At the worst moment. Morning time. And he HAD to get out- NOW
He had to fond his parents, after all. They told him to stay put- what if they came back and thought he was gone?
He slowly got out of the box, okay he could make a break for the door and run out- easy, if it squeaked he could just run, he was good at running!
....that plan failed when he got to the couch and heard-
"So do you guys wanna go swimming today? There's a lake nearby and I figured it'd be fun" Shelby said, doing the dishes
Tortoise perked, "yes I love swimming!"
And then froze at the realization that he wasn't supposed to be human....fuck
"Uh I mean- uhhh" he stuttered out and ran for the door
"How did a child get in the house?" Oli asked from the stool, False squeaked from beside him, still suprised
Shelby ran to the small boy, how old was he? 3? Either way they struggled with the door
"You know thats....locked, right?" Ahe asked behind him
He giggled nervously, stilling and turning his head to her. Honestly she'd never felt so tall
"Up we go" she said picking him, he was surprisingly light, up
"Put me down!" He yelled, squirming
Okay- admittedly shekby shouldn't be picking up random children. On the other hand he was in her house and she had no idea what else to do- maybe he was lost?
"Hey- hey, it's okay! I'm not gonna hurt you!" Shelby insisted, holding the squirming kid at arm length
"Not true!" He yelled and kicked
"I just wanna know why your in my house!" Shelby exclaimed, voice a little panicked
"Your the one who brought me in here! I just wanted to be in the light!" The boy yelled, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes now
"Okay okay- hold on, just calm down, ill put you down and we can talk okay?" Shelby asked, the boy was losing strength as he wasn't moving as much
"There's nothing TO talk about!" He yelled grunting and then stopped, panting
Shelby paused and looked atvhim concerned, "do you....want food and water?" They asked hoping to calm the kid
He nodded, seemingly forgetting why he was struggling
"Okay" shelby whispered, placing the boy on the couch and left to get water and food, she passed by the twins, who where standing a little away form the couch
"watch him for me okay?" She asked and they nodded, "Alright"
And with that, the only adult left the twins to pear over the couch at the child who was panting on the couch
Tortoise, meanwhile, groaned. He'd been so close- why hadn't the stupid door unlocked!? And why was she being so nice, she was gonna do something to him he knew it!
"I like plums what about you?" Oli asked making tortoise jump and whip his head to them
"Uh..." Yeah he did like them....he probably shouldn't let them know but...."yeah...."
"Cool! What's your name?" Oli prodded
"You uh, don't have to answer just....we uh, just wanna know" False said nervouse sfiddling with some loose fabric on the couch
"Uhhhh, um you kinda already know...." he said, looking down, "I mean I didn't have a name before and it stuck so uh, yeah. Tortoise.."
"Oh! That's our frogs name to!" Oli said happily meanwhiel False froze in thought
She hummed, "oh....OH!" They said louder realizing, "how!?"
"How what?" Oli asked and looked between the two then it clicked, "oh! OH!! Are you a shapeshifter?!" He asked excitedly
"I mean...uh, kinda? Yes. I'm a frog partial hybrid" he waved his webbed fingers to show off, "and I don't have very good control over my shapshifting abilities so I shift by accident and get stuck like that...."
"Shouldn't your parents be teaching you to control them?" False asked quietly
"They uh, can't. My mom drank a shifting potion before she knew I was pregnant and it triggered the frog hybrid gene that she carried so neither of them are hybrids nut I am and they uh....left me here" tortoise said, getting quieter as he talked
He perked up, "but they'll be back! So I have to go wait!"
"Where'd they leave you?" Oli asked, cathcing on to the same thing as False
"Um, in the middle of the forest- a little ways away from her maybe like....a mile or two?" Tortoise pondered then shrugged
"I kinda just picked a direction and went cause it was getting dark and I got scared...." he admitted
"How old are you?" False prodded
"6"
Oli and False shared a look mixed with understanding and sympathy
False quickly turned to go tell their mo- Shelby. To go tell Shelby. About it while Oli stayed to cheer tortoise up
Oli jumped over the couch landing on the cusions with a bounce and a giggle, "soooo do you like dragons?" They asked with a smile
.....
"Wgat do you mean his parents left him." Shelby asked, tone flat as she froze at the fridge
"I uh- I mean um" False stuttered and Shelby blinked, closing the fridge and turning aorund
"Sorry aparky I uh- I just don't like the thought that his parents abandoned him...I'm not mad at you. Promis" Shelby reassured, kneeling down to her level and False nodded
"Okay um, but yeah he said his parents left in the middle of the evermoore- probably with no supplies and just left I uh, I think they um...." False didn't want to be the one who had to say it
"Left him to die?" Shelby promoted getting a slow, somber, nod out of False, "Okay, well what were gonna do is feed him and if we can't convince him to stayed hom know he's always welcome and met him go" Shelby said standing up again
False froze, "wha- what- but he could die! We can't let him go back" they said panicked, "he's SIX!"
"Listen we can't force him to stay here, he'd just resent us and hate it- but if we let him know he can stay here and not force it, then he'll feel better staying" Shelby explained
"If he does leave well visit and give him some supplies, and convince him to come back every so often and hopefully he'll stay, okay?" Shelby asked
False paused, it was a good plan and she couldn't really argue, "....okay"
"Okay, good, now wanna help me chop up some fruit?" She asked and False nodded their head
.
.
.
When the two went back out they foudn Oli ranting about dragons, again, to an amazed 6 year old boy
So amazed, I fact that he didn't realize the two new people in the room or food and drinks on the table and instead ranted about amphibians, and how dragons where technically a part of the group as they were related to lizards
Yeah....they didn't have any trouble convincing him to stay, though there was hesitation he said he'd stay until his parents come and that they needed to nail a not the tree he was at before
And that was how shelby realized that- "fuck I've adopted another child" Shelby said, shocked that she didn't realize it sooner
False was on the couch, Oli took the bed with the egg, and Tortoise had taken over Shelby's sleeping bag, Shelby herself was at the bar stool, light dimmed, drinking coffee looking over the kids
"Fuck now I have three kids" she cursed realizing her predicament- she'd also have to deal with an actual baby when the egg hatched making it number 4
Oddly though, she didn't find herself minding it, especially at the thought of having a baby she didnt-
Well....she did know why, the phantom pain that came and went wouldn't LET her forget
Either way she'd take care of these kids, get proper adoption forms soon and she'd have to start building up her shop, since well- they'd need dmoney obviously. And shelby and to be the one to get it
Her savings should be enough for a little bit- her mom had also sent money when she got the letter
They already had plans for the shopping but now they also needed plans for the house- that was okay it was fine, they'd all be fine, she'd be fine
Shed....get supplies tomorrow, for now though she should go find that spare sleeping bag of she wanted to get any sleep tonight
.
.
.
.
.
Shelby had the stuff laid infront of the house which she needed to renovate....fuck that was gonna be a whole other nightmare
Ao she had the stuff, already had potion ingredients and her lrices she jjst needed to buikd the shop
she could go into town and see if any farmers need help with the weather, or do 'quests' for the witch academy for extra money
What would bring in the big money thiugh was having an actual stall, potions for adventures, pranks, party tricks, and hospitals would sell good
Yeah, it'd work out, it had to, it would and she'd be fine The kids would be fine
She'd get the money, renovate the house, get the kids files and get adoption papers for each of them to make it official-
Wait, fuck. She needed to take the kids to a hospital for check ups and vaccines.the twins had said the white coated people had given them plenty of vaccines and tortoise said his parents liked him enough to get him vaccinated
Which was.....good, but she still needed to double check and all that- and look into getting a therapist for all of them, maybe get them tested-
Crap, she also had to get books on school stuff considering the only schools avaliable were for specific thing everything basic was up to the parents
Tecah you kid how to write and read? Parents, math? Parents, magic? Parents, etc
Schools were to expand on those subjects, but you were responsible for teaching them the basics, 2+2 and all that
(Think of it like all schools are colleges and everything under that is supposed to be done by homeschooling your kids, or paying someone to)
Okay so she'd add that to the expenses list:
Shop
House/plans
Hospital
Papers
Food
School/books
Toys
Beds
She could order most of that online but again. It'd cost money and be pricey
"Okay, breath Shelby" she thought taking a deep breath, "one thing at a time. Focus in building the shop for now, you can schedule an appointment for next week maybe and the other stuff with come in time" they sighed
"Yeah, one thing at a time Shel. One thing at a time. Boy she did not have time for nayhting else really he was packed
Thank the gods she didn't have to deal with anything else right now
.....
.....
.....
.....
Katherine sighed, spraying over her bed exhausted by the day. The last thing she needed was to talk to anyone else-
*bum bumbumbum bud dadadadadaaa do do do doooo da ba dum ba dummm*
"Dammit Gem" Katherine cursed recognizing the ring tone and yanking out her communicator frustrated, "what?" She asked annoyed
"Heyyy Kath" Gem said a smile in her tone, "so you know how tmyou fight monsters?"
Katherine raised an eyebrow, "yeah?"
"And how there's no good potion makers in your kingdom cause your parents had something aganst witches and magic?" She asked
Katherine tensed and growled, "what about it?" She asked tensly, clearly getting pissed off
"Oh- sorry, I uh, guess I hit a nerve didn't mean to..." Gem said trialing off feeling guilty
Katherine took a breath, "its fine I've just....had a long day is all- continue"
"Okay, well there's a new potion shop opening up in the evermoore!" Gem said happily
"O...kay?" Katheribe said confused
"So you can get potions there- appearntly it's run by an actual witch or, a trained one? I dont fully gte utz you acne be a witch hybrids but also witch can be used as a title?" Gem suad confused and pondering how that worked
"I don't know Gem maybe you can ask this witch if you meet her" Katherine said, rubbing In between her eyes
"Yeha maybe, well I just wanted to let you know, since it's run by someone whose a witch they could be a lot mor potent then the oens you make and help you more!" Gem said, deer tail wagging
Katherine hummed, "yeha maybe- I'll check it out one day- but I kinda want a nap right now" she admitted
"Oh right! They try and set you up again?" Gem asked, disgust in her voice at talking bait the board members
Ever since becoming queen at 19, though she still preferred princess, her board members were trying to push her into getting married sooner rather then later
"Yeah- I just...don't have any interest in anyone right now...." Katherine said
"You've gotta be tougher with them!" Gem insisted, "as soon as my members suggested marriage I shut it down so fast and threatened to fire 'em...sometimes you need to be a little tough"
"I know it's just the fact that my parents were pushing them to find me suitors before I turned 20 and they went through all that work and I can't just- throw away all their hard work" Katherine said, feeling guilty
"Which is why you go on dates with these women and then go home feeling gross and guilty" Gem said tone flat
Katherien rolled her eyes, "yes" she stated, "I mean- its better then when they tei a to set me up with MEN" she said faking a gag and getting a laugh out of her sister
Gem sighed, "Alright, but I'll help if you ever want them to shut up!"
Katherine smiled softly, feeling better, "Yeah I well, bye sis"
"Byeeee!"
Katherine hung up and laid back down on the bed, this'll be fine. It'll be okay, she'd be okay....for now though she was going to sleep
Notes;
:3 did you like the ending? Little plottwist
Little- little Katherine and Gem appearance? Did ya like it? Bet you did
Anyways uh, foreshadowing, another hint it shelbys fucked up past, and fluffy hope you enjoyed!
Tortoise is a child was stolen from the discord though, of course changes and all that like tortoise Bing a hybrid is me, him being 6 is me, but him being a child in general was inspired by the discord chats and- doesn't matter. Enjoy the sassy child!!
Name: tortoise Gil berdonv
Age/height: 6, 3'7
Sexuality: ??
Gender: cis He/him
Species: frog partial witch hybrid
Medical: dyslexic, autism, trauma
Over all personality: he's very energetic and well bitevyou. He also has attachment issues- other then that, if he likes you. He'll rather about trains and animals and really anything he finds interesting. Also gets distracted by rocks, mud, sticks- he really likes nature nd well drag it in....yes he's tried to drag in a tree branch-
Name: Katherine Elizabeth Glimmer
Age/height: 27, 6'1
Sexuality: lesbian, demisexual
Gender: transfem, she/her
Species: cat/•¤○♤■ tracer
Medical: adhd, trauma
Over all personality: Katherine is very adventurous, kind, smart, and well also get distracted by any shiny rock in her vicinity. The curse had definitely effected her ability to socialize but she's doing okay!...okay maybe shes a little lonely- She loves those who she considered family and would fight or die for them. It worries Gem a little bit...
Name: Gemini sun tay
Age/height: 27, 5'7
Sexuality: bisexual
Gender: intersex, she/her
Species: butterfly and deer humane
Medical: adhd
Over all personality: very kind and helpful. She doesn't let anyone tell her how to run things. Absolutely loves making scented candles, just candles in general really. also loves berries and sleepovers with Katherine whom she considers a sister, vice versa to, very good at swimming. She has horns to!