TW: This arc will discuss about the romanticization of mental illness in the media. Additionally, this protagonist will face issues such as depression, anorexia, and, most notably, Stockholm syndrome. However, I must add that the mental illnesses depicted here are extremely inaccurate.
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"'WeLcOme tO nOX CItY.' That doesn't explain anything!" [Name] retorted, wanting to bang her head on the wall. She was getting real sick of Aidyn's crap.
The man just laughed and placed the newspaper to his side. "Oh yeah, I forgot you haven't experienced a world alteration yet." Amusement twinged his tone despite the exhaustion evident underneath.
"Don't laugh," [Name] scowled while snatching the newspaper from his hands. All it talked about were gang wars and crime reports. Absolute garbage (just like my GPA yeehawww). "Why did the house suddenly change? What happened to the neighborhood?"
"Well, because you've been such a good antagonist, I'll tell you, [Name] darling!" Aidyn chirped. "Normally, after every protagonist, our world resets in preparation for the next story. Judging by how the house looks, we're most likely going to have a more mature and edgier protagonist."
"I don't understand?"
"Think of it as a time skip from a Christmas scene to a cherry blossom confession. The snow automatically melts, and the trees are decorated with pink blossoms. However, instead of the seasons changing, our world changes. We are accommodating the type of story our new protagonist wants. For example, if the protagonist wants a fantasy world, then the world will transform into their fantasy world. Crystal wanted a school story, thus the cutesy, neighborhood setting," he elaborated.
[Name], piecing everything together, nodded in hesitation. It was true. With Crystal, the world swirled with millennial pink, daffodil yellow, and sky blue. However, this new world was muddied by coal-black and blood red. It was, indeed, very edgy.
"But isn't it too soon for a new protagonist. We typically have a week of rest at a minimum." Footsteps and confused chatter sounded upstairs; it seemed that the others just woke up.
"It was Headquarter's decision." As much as she wanted to punch that nonchalant shrug, [Name] knew that Aidyn was just the messenger. Sometimes, it was easier finding a scapegoat than focusing on the actual problem.
"Aidyn! Aidyn!" The two turned and saw Lumi rushing down the stairs. His cardigan flowed behind him like a soothing river, and worry wove itself into his eyebrows. Despite only waking up mere moments ago, his eyes were vibrant with life. "Please don't tell me this is another vampire story. We're not prepared yet!"
"It's not." A cheeky grin stretched across Aidyn's face.
"Werewolves?"
"Nope."
"Kidnapped?"
"Eh... partially."
"Oh no... please don't tell me it's—" Lumi gulped, "— a mafia story." Upon a nod of confirmation, his entire face whitened. By the time the two finished their guessing game, everyone was downstairs in their pajamas. It was clear who was a morning person and who was a night owl by their expressions. Some were pumped with adrenaline, while others were still recovering from being harshly awakened.
"You're kidding," Nari blurted from the kitchen, already making a large pot of coffee to share. "Aren't we too low-level for a mafia story? I thought those were for more experienced groups."
A murmur of agreement rippled through the sleep-deprived crowd. A mafia story? In this economy? Typically, they were in charge of high school rom-com with a hint of vampire stories tossed in to add flavor and dimension.
A pleasant smile crept its way onto Aidyn's face as he said, "well, headquarters specifically requested that we take this mission, dear Nari. I agreed because we need more money considering our last mission didn't go that well."
[Name] glanced down with a strained grin. Ouch that hurt.
"Just give us the story details, and stop leaving us in the dark," N sighed, combing back his bed hair only for it to bounce back up. The cup of black coffee in his hand released puffs of white smoke into the air.
"I'm gonna wait till everyone is here," Aidyn winked before preparing to relax on the couch.
The entire house fell into an awkward silence. "Everyone is here, Aidyn," [Name] softly said; bittersweet words spilled out of her mouth without restraint. No one expected Aidyn to care considering his history with troublemakers like Sei.
Even though he didn't show it explicitly, there was a falter before the same shit-eating grin was plastered across his face. "Haha, I was just testing you guys. You all passed!" That same condescending tone returned as if everything was just a game to him.
Essi chuckled out of pity. Of course, the gesture was greatly appreciated by everyone because it allowed Aidyn to transition into plot-debriefing with ease.
"As you all know, this story is considered a mafia story. Since none of you have experienced this kind of plot, I included the basic structure of all mafia stories in the back: badass/weak girl gets captured, mafia boss notices girl, angst, angst, police fight, girl either become mafia boss or runs away, the end." By now, a thick packet— titled OPERATION: STOCKHOLM SYNDROME— was already distributed to the crowd. Paper flipping and pen scribbling accompanied his lecture.
Despite all his questionable antics, [Name] only had admiration for Aidyn's work ethic. He understood the inner workings of a system that was anything but kind. Working Aidyn was an entirely different man from bastard Aidyn. He was punctual, shrewd, and knowledgeable. When mistakes went awry, [Name] never forgot the dark circles under his eyes or how the consequences weren't as extreme as she'd thought. Perhaps his sadistic nature was the by-product of countless all-nighters.
After turning the page, Aidyn took in a deep breath, mentally bracing himself. "Another thing about this story is that there are kidnapping elements, which means that the setting will be this house. Hence, the name OPERATION: STOCKHOLM SYNDROME. The protagonist will eat with us, sleep with us, and— all-around— live with us." As expected, outrage ensued. This house was the only place they could act like themselves without consequences. If the protagonist was monitoring their every action, then they had to constantly be in-character and working.
[Name] couldn't help but wonder if this was how Headquarters made sure she didn't mess up again. Even one slip up would result in her landing on the blacklist.
"Before you kill me—" he pretended to ignore the bloodlust radiating off Rion, "— I reasoned with HQ and coaxed a few safe rooms out of them. The protagonist will never enter them. The map on the back will show where it is."
The mischievous smile [Name] knew all too well appeared on Aidyn's face. "Now, onto the plot...
The city of Nox is never the utopia the postcards portray it out to be. Sleazy thugs wanting to make a quick buck or two hides in the alleyways like lingering ghosts; you never see them, but they always see you. Crime exists in all forms in this sinful city: murder, kidnapping, human trafficking, drug deals, and more. 'Beware the crevices,' the locals always say with hallowed eyes. However, the main focal point of Nox City is the five mafia groups that rule their respective sections. Nasty Nectarines of the North. Exotic Eggplants of the East. Spooky Strawberries of the South. Wobbly Watermelons of the West.
And, finally, the Spicy Kumquats located in the center of the city.
Despite their innocent name, the Spicy Kumquats are as malicious as they are infamous. Power swirls at their fingertips. One snap and your entire life will be destroyed.
Enter Zebrina Bloodmore. A kickass, depressed teenager that hails from the central district. Because of her alcoholic mother and abusive father, Zebrina's life only understands pain, which is demonstrated by her all-black attire and heavy eyeliner. The only things that give her happiness are her black combat boots and her best friend. Despite the atrocities in her life, Zebrina finds strength in her perpetual stubbornness.
Zebrina's life is turned upside down when her parents sell her to the Spicy Kumquats for a bottle of vodka. There, she meets the dark, yet handsome members that comprise this deadly group. Will she make it out alive, or will the wolves eat her whole instead?"
Memories of when all of the boys cried over the opening of Pixar's Up was still fresh in [Name]'s mind. Dark, yet handsome? Yeah, that was none of the boys. The only person who was remotely dark was maybe Rion or Leo.
"Can you explain 'dark, yet handsome'?" Rion asked for Essi, who was too scared to raise his hand. "Like psychopathic dark? Cuz I got that down."
"Edgy dark?"
"Maybe creepy dark?"
Aidyn only dismissed their suggestions with a wave and continued to find the correct wording. "Hmmm, maybe like Xavier dark."
Everyone's faces collectively fell at his description. Xavier's were handsome-growling-predatory-consent-ignoring jerks. Xavier, along with Damien and Giovanni, were the holy trinity of Wattpad douchebag names. Like, seriously. The names dripped with edge and ruthlessness.
"It would've been cool if the protagonist subverted expectations with different personality traits," Keo added to the conversation-- his head tilted. "Different personalities will make the mafia group seem more 'alive.'"
"You're only saying that because you're not as edgy as Leo," [Name] joked while nudging Keo's side.
"Shhhhh, don't expose me!!" Keo laughed, placing a finger over his mouth.
Aidyn cleared his throat, gaining back the attention from the two dumbasses. "This story will diverge from the standard structure to accommodate a rise in strong female characters. Well, 'strong.'" Air quotes delightfully hinted at what type of protagonist Zebrina would be. "Oh, by the way, we only have three days to get ready."
Everyone flew into a flurry of panic and frustration; however, Lumi's voice was the loudest. "WHAT?! [Name] and Keo are still recovering from their injuries. Not to mention, Leo just got kidnapped!" As the family doctor, Lumi was obviously enraged by the ludicrous deadline. Not to mention, this type of mission was leagues above their capabilities! This ain't it, chief.
"Not to worry, Lumi sweetest! I reasoned with headquarters and managed to delay [Name]'s and Keo's entrance because of their wounds."
"I—"
"Of course, I didn't forget about you, Leo." Leo looked like he wanted to be anywhere, but here. "I made sure you got the easiest role: you just have to die!"
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The only criminal organization I know is the phantom troupe 😤
Again, I must stress the the triggers that will be address in this arc: stockholm syndrome, depression, anorexia, kidnapping, and more. I am in no way endorsing these topics, and I hope to use this platform to address some... problems I have with stories with similar content such as this arc. Thank you for sticking with me and this story.
As always, you guys are my stars and moon <3
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