WHEN HAYLEY TOLD ME OF Marcel's plan to attack the Pack, which I was quite honestly expecting, I immediately went over Katherine's properties in the US. And Atlanta was the only location that fulfilled all the requirements for a pack of wolves to live.
Atlanta was good. The weather was okay. It was in between New Orleans and Mystic Falls. And the bunglow was on the outskirts of the city. And there's no house for at least a 2-mile distance, and the surrounded by the woods. The only problem was the occasional hikers that come for trekking during weekends. For which I had to take Klaus's help and have his witches do the necessary spells.
Let's hope they won't spill their guts about this location. I don't know just how many times I can guilt trip Klaus and make use of his favors.
"uhh...What are you doing?" I heard Stefan ask from behind.
"I am trying to fix this stupid PlayStation," I answered with a grunt, trying to fix the cables and play it one more time, and made a noise of frustration when it showed error...again.
My nostrils flared a little in annoyance as I tried to figure out what exactly I was doing wrong with the outdated technology in front of me, and then I realized.
"OfbloodyCourse," I muttered. I turned back to a, very, confused Stefan and said, "Grab your jacket, we are going into the city and buy the new PlayStation."
"Is this not working?" Stefan asked, his nose wrinkled in confusion.
"This only works on CD, the new one works with everything, and has a lot of gaming options," I said, looking through the web and found the new PlayStation 3 in the market.
"Hayley, we are going out," I hollered to the werewolf, who was in the backyard with her pack, "Message me if you need me to grab something from the city."
"Okay," the wolf yelled back.
I turned to look at Stefan, who was still standing there bewildered. When I looked at him in expectation, he rolled his eyes, "I still can't get over the fact that you play video games," Stefan said as he slipped on his jacket and followed me outside.
"I am a teenager," was my only response, and the Salvatore scoffed at it.
★ ➷ ｡• ☆
"So, did you like the Pack?" I questioned as we pulled out of the driveway.
"Well, I had a week to get on terms with it. Though, since they don't talk except judge me, I would say, they are alright?" Stefan said, thinking about his answer.
"I guess," I hummed, it's only been a week, and they can't really communicate. "I really don't know how Hayley just spends time talking to Eve and watching over those mutts. I figured I would go mental if I stayed like this for a few more days, that's why we are making this trip. Video games will probably take my mind off boredom."
"Yeah...about that, Hayley said the pack was cursed. Do you think it can be reversed?" Stefan asked after some time, "I mean, she said the witch who did that is dead now."
"Apparently, Brynee Deveraux drowned, and the copy of curse is with Marcel. We don't really know how to reverse it, but I have Melantha working on it," I said, my lips pursued in thought, "Maybe, a siphoner could undo it since its a curse...but they are rare, and usually psychotic."
"Siphoner?"
At Stefan's question, I realized they probably don't know about them. "A Siphoner is someone who is not born with magic, but they have siphon from other magical objects," as Stefan raised an eyebrow at it, I elaborated, "I call them - Magic Suckers."
Stefan made a noise of understanding, and I continued, "But I don't know if it is possible," I haven't heard anything like that in the show, went unsaid, "Witches see them as an abomination and are usually exiled from their Covens, so they turn psychotic. But everyone goes a little mad sometimes, so..." I trailed off.
"Do you know anyone or anyone that might be in contact with one?" Stefan inquired.
I scrunched up my face at the question and said, "Not here. Not that I know of."
"It was a yes or no question," Stefan said, in a deadpanned tone, "So, you do know someone that is not from here. Are they dead or something?"
"No...He is very much alive...but just not here," I said, and Stefan frowned at my obviously vague answer. I huffed at his gaze and explained a little less vaguely.
"Remember when I said they usually are a little psychotic," and Stefan nodded, "So, let me tell you the tragic tale of Malachai Parker, a 22-year old-ish kid from Gemini Coven." I began dramatically.
"The Gemini Coven has a tradition on how to select their leader. When the twins are born into the Coven, they undergo a Merging Ceremony when once they reach the age of twenty-two. During this ceremony, the stronger of the two would claim their twin's power and emerge with double the strength they previously held. Their weaker twin dies, as a result, leaving the survivor to become the new leader of the Coven," I explained, and Stefan made a face at that.
"Yes, killing their own twin is the initiation to their cult," I said, rolling my eyes. "So, Kai...short for Malachai was, unfortunately, born a Siphoner, and the traditional Gemini Coven started to treat him like an abomination and shunned him from their family. Ordered him to not touch any of his siblings, as he can siphon their magic with a touch."
"That's cruel. The kid didn't want to be born like that..." Stefan said.
"The world is cruel, Stefan," I said, tightlipped. "And Kai understood that too. I guess. So, he thought, maybe if he becomes the leader of the Coven, he will have some respect. But his father didn't want that. He knew Kai could easily win the merge against his twin sister Jo. So, he started having more children until he had another set of twins."
"Oh! Dear."
"So, what do you think a kid, a highly functioning sociopath, who never had any form of comforting touch since he was born, found out that the only thing that would give him some sense of security, some kind of feeling that he could be a part of something, is taken away from him?"
"He snaps," Stefan whispered.
"He did. When Kai discovered he can't participate in the merge because he was not a true witch...an abomination, Kai became what they wanted him to be. A day before he turned 22, he killed all of his siblings, tried to kill the backup twins, but his twin, Jo, stopped him and said she will merge with him if he let the twins leave. But it was a trap." I said, taking a Left turn.
"You see, the Gemini Coven not only specializes in cloaking spells but also Prison Worlds. It's like a purgatory, an alternate plane of existence where the same day repeats on a loop. It, however, needs a celestial event, a comet...an eclipse, something like that. So, Jo, who relinquished the magic a day before, alongside the whole Coven, tricked Kai a trapped in the purgatory dimension, reliving the same day for an eternity."
"Eternity? I thought he is a witch."
"Oh! That's the thing. Prisoners who are banished to the prison worlds are unable to die or age, as they are bound to the world as punishment. A kind of safeguard to make sure they don't end their eternal imprisonment early."
"So, did you know him...Kai," Stefan inquired.
"Nope. Just the story," I said. "I kinda feel bad for him, you know."
And I am sure, Stefan does too. It all about who tells the story and how they tell it. If Jo or Liv say the same story, Kai would've been a villain. It's all about whose point of view you are looking from.
But really, though, I kinda feel bad for the Siphoner. I understand why they imprisoned Lillian Salvatore and the other heretics. Lilly was a Ripper who murdered 3000 people or something.
So, of course, I understand.
But Kai was someone who doesn't know any meaning of empathy, courtesy to his dick father. So, of course, he snapped when they took away his last hope. I am sure Kai would've killed the father first if his life was not linked to him. Because I would have.
"We are here," I announced when I saw the mall.
★ ➷ ｡• ☆
We first collected the items on the list Hayley messaged us, and we finally went for the GameStop, hoping I would find something I will like. Twenty minutes into the shop, I had 4 new games and...I lost Stefan. So, I decided to pay for everything and left the store. Just when I thought to give him a call, I noticed him.
So, I stuffed it back in my pocket and made my way to him.
"Where did you go?" I said, "Come on, catch these," I said, handing the bag to him.
And a bewildered Stefan took them with his eyes wide. "What are you doing at the food stall?" I asked, confused. "Did Hayley ask you to bring something?"
When he just gazed at me in some strange look in his eyes that looked between confusion and awe, I raised my eyebrow in question. I waved my hand in front of his eyes to get him out a stupor, "Stefan?"
He blinked his eyes once...twice, and shook himself aware of his surroundings. Now I grew concerned, "Are you okay?" I asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Ahh..." Just then, my phone rang, and I grew even more worried, "Why are you calling me?" When I noticed he didn't have a phone in his hands, "Where's your phone?" I said, answering the phone.
"Please tell me you didn't forget me?" Stefan's voice said on the phone, and my eye grew wide.
It took me time to process what exactly was happening around me, and then realization dawned on me. Why didn't I realize they both were wearing a different outfit? Of course, Stefan's doppelganger is working as a paramedic in Atlanta.
"Katherine?" Stefan's voice turned concerned when I stayed silent.
"Ah.." I mumbled, unintelligently, "Can you come near this place, Sweet hut," I said instead, and he agreed readily.
I then gave my attention to Stefan's doppelganger in front of me. "This might sound crazy, but...can you hide for me for two minutes," I said, but, Tom Avery was busy staring at me to listen to anything.
Stupid Markos and the bloody spell to get doppelgangers together!
When I snapped my fingers in front of him, the human decided to do as requested. When I saw Stefan coming from behind, I just closed his eyes with my hands.
Let's hope this will get him out of his emo phase and stop those frown lines on his forehead.
"What are you doing?" Stefan inquired with a huff.
"A surprise," I said, "You will either love it or hate it."
And Tom Avery's eyes grew wide when he looked at Stefan, but stood there.
"Alright, I am gonna open your eyes in 3,2, and 1," With that, I removed my hand. from his face.
Stefan looked dumbfounded while Tom just raised his hand a little in greeting.
"Stefan...meet you doppelganger..." I trailed off, and Tom supplied his name.
"Oh! This is brilliant!" My mind muttered.
"How...How is this possible," Stefan stuttered out.
"Told you. You would either love it or hate it," I muttered and when I saw the human was still carrying my things, I took it out of his hand and handed them to Stefan.
"This is amazing!" I said aloud when I saw their surprised and horrified expression, "You guys talk, I will get some...food," I said, to make them even more awkward.
"Oh, you don't have to do that," Tom said, shaking his head, and I waved him off. But, before I could go, Stefan caught my wrist, subtly shaking his head, begging me to not leave him, which just made me smirk evilly. "Find a nice table for sit...yeah."
And that's how you get revenge on a broody vampire.
"So, are you guys from here?" I heard Tom ask.
"No. I live in small-town near Virginia," Stefan began, "Katherine, however, travels around the world."
"So, you are passing through, then..." Tom continued the awkward small talk.
"I guess you could say that," Stefan said, making me roll my eyes.
Boys!
As soon as I got the sandwiches, I made my way to their table. "So, Tom...is it? Tell me a little about you?"
"There is nothing much to say, really," Tom said, muttering thanks for the food, "I was born and raised here. As soon as I completed the med school, I decided to work as a paramedic in the Metropolitan Hospital here."
Stefan smiled at that, and I just nodded my head, "Stefan wanted to be a doctor as well," I supplied, and Tom seemed surprised by my words, just as Stefan was.
"So, what made you stop?" Tom asked, intrigued.
"Ah...blood makes me squeamish," Stefan said, and turned to me, "I didn't think you knew about that."
I simply shrugged my shoulders, "I have my ways."
"So, how do you guys know each other," Tom asked, "If you don't live in the same place. I am sorry...I shouldn't pry," the human said, shaking his head immediately.
"Oh! It's no worries. We both asked about you, and you would want the same," I said, and Stefan smiled at that.
"Katherine and I have a history together...I guess," Stefan said. "Then we lost touch, and we met again. And my girlfriend died, recently," his voice grew soft, "So Katherine here decided to take me on this therapy trip. Away from home for a little while."
"I am sorry," Tom muttered, "About your girlfriend." Stefan just smiled, tight-lipped with a nod.
Time passed, and the two doppelgangers got out of their awkward bubble in no time. They exchanged numbers and decided to meet one more time before we leave the town.
★ ➷ ｡• ☆
"So...do you have any explanation for that, back there?" Stefan asked, unclenching his fingers when we reached home.
Hayley and Eve were still looking at the pictures on my phone of two Stefans, trying to see if it is photoshopped. The sun has just set, and the wolves were lazing around the backyard around us.
"I guess," I muttered, "Well, there is one, but it's an old folk tale of how doppelganger came into existence."
"Klaus was a folk tale as well until he came into our lives," Stefan said, "And at this point, I will take anything you throw at me."
"You sound desperate," I commented.
"Oh, just get on with it," Hayley huffed when I raised my eyebrow at her, she pouted, "I like your stories."
"Fine. Has anyone heard of the Immortal Silas?" I asked aloud, and when no one said anything, I sighed.
"Wait. I will need alcohol after the day I had," Stefan said, rasing to his feet. "And I think I definitely need to be drunk to understand this story."
★ ➷ ｡• ☆
So, here comes the introduction of Silas and Kai and the travelers. Not much action, I know. But it's story time, I guess...
How was it?