Act 1: Normal Days

Chapter 1: And Normal Mornings

--- Harper Everette, Before The Event ---

(She leapt back as the dragon’s breath hit her shield, letting her roll with the initial impact before bleeding the rest off as her feet touched the ground and skidded off the remaining force.

“Is that the best you’ve got?!” She cried, swinging her arm to scatter the remaining flames as she glared at the monster before her and tightened her grip on her sword.

“Foolish little hero! You think you can stop I, the great Draconis?!” The beast laughed, its booming voice echoing throughout the massive cavern.

“I know I can!” She yelled at the dragon, rushing forward with her sword in hand.

The great dragon king swiped at her with his claws, leaving massive trenches in the dirt as she jumped over the claws and onto the back of the beast’s hand. With her feet on the monster, she began running up its arm, just barely avoiding the blazing breath the dragon unleashed behind her as she kept one step ahead of it.

Once on the dragon’s shoulder she leapt into the air before driving her sword between the monster’s eyes.

“No, I shall not be defeated!” The dragon yelled, swinging his head back and forth as he tried to shake her off. “Not by some regular human girl!”

“Yeah, well I’m not some regular girl!” She told the beast as she pushed her blade deeper. “I’m a not so regular hero girl!”

“Noooo!” The dragon king roared one last time before his entire body spasmed, and he began to topple backwards.

“Oh, oh, crud!” She cried, riding the dragon down before pulling her blade out and jumping off the dead dragon to do a superhero landing as she sheathed her blade. (I’m so cool!)

With the dragon now defeated she stood up and made her way to the prison cell the dragon king had been guarding before freeing the imprisoned prince/ss(?).

“Oh, hero, you’ve rescued me from that foul creature!” The prince/ss(?) cried running to hug her as she stepped into the oddly well furnished prison cell.

“Ah, it was nothing…” She assured them as she rubbed at her nose in embarrassment.

“No, my hero, I must reward you!” The prince/ss(?) argued gazing into her eyes and making her face heat up.

“W-what did you have in mind?” She blushed as the prince/ss led her towards the massive bed.

Once near it the prince/ss(?) told her, “I was thinking we could… have a GOOD MORNING HEYWOOD CITY!!!”

“W-hat?” She blinked in confusion.

“AND BOY DO WE HAVE A REASON TO CELEBRATE!” Her prince/ss(?) continued. “TODAY MARKS THE CITY’S ONE HUNDRED YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!!”)

“W-wha city?” She blinked again, only this time she actually opened her eyes to her bedroom. “Ah, man… It was just starting to get good…” She whined before glaring at her alarm. “Why do you have to block me every night?!”

“-today really is a day to celebrate!” Her alarm responded in the voice of some radio host.

A response that did little to keep her from punching the stupid alarm, knocking it off her dresser and cracking it against the wall as it fizzled into silence.

“Oh, crap!” She cursed, rushing towards the alarm she’d abused one time too many, “W-wait, no, gah!” Only to end with her legs tangled in her blanket and causing her to flop face first onto the ground.

She laid there for a solid minute before telling the world, “Today is going to be one of those days isn’t it.

Hearing the frustration in her voice, her (good boi) Berry decided to try and cheer her up by licking her face.

Unfortunately, the dog’s tongue more pulled at her long blonde hair than anything else.

(But he’s trying so he’s still a good boi.)

--- Miles Kennedy, Before The Event ---

His alarm began to buzz and he hit snooze. This bought him about ten more minutes of half sleep before his mom started knocking his door.

“Time to get up Miles, you’ve got school!”

“Ugh…” He groaned. “Five more minutes.”

“Come on, you need to get moving if you want to take a shower.” His mom reminded him as she (sadistically) flicked the lights on.

“Fine, I’m up. I’m up.” He yawned, rubbing at his eyes.

“Alright, your grandma is making breakfast so get moving or there won’t be anything left for you.” His mom warned him as she left his room.

Knowing that that was a very real concern in his house, he stretched out for a moment before sitting up and grabbing an old t-shirt to cover him until he actually took his shower.

The moment he stepped into the hall he had to step back as an eight year old girl in a brightly colored dress ran past him. “Morning Miles!”

“Morning!” He called back, still half asleep.

Walking past a hall full of numerous photos of his family from his parents wedding day, to his older sister’s graduation, and his dad’s award ceremonies -both from the military and as a firefighter- he made his way into the kitchen where he found his grandmother at the stove and his older sister texting away on her phone at the table.

“So what’s got Molls all excited?” He asked as he took a seat at the table.

“Her school is doing this field trip or something.” Hannah shrugged.

“I already told you, I don’t care if you’re done eating no phones at the table missy.” His grandma warned wagging a wooden spoon at her granddaughter, before turning back to him. “They’re going to see one of them fancy magic shows. The kind your daddy and aunt Cathy used to love.”

“Oh, that’s… nice.” He smiled, only half forcing it.

“Speaking of, have you heard from Cat recently mom?” His own mom asked as she walked into the kitchen wearing her nurse uniform with her purse over her shoulder. “She hasn’t called me back about our girls night this week.”

“I talked to her last week, she said something about her job finding a big break and that she’d be really busy for the next few weeks.” His grandma explained before shaking her head in exasperation. “She’s probably just working through the night and sleeping through the days again. Swear that girl is like a vampire half of the time.”

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Heh, yeah.” His mom smiled. “I guess, I’ll try texting her again. Hopefully, she’ll see it whenever she gets up. Hannah, you need a lift to your college or you catching the bus?”

“I’ll ride with you and Molly.” Hannah answered, standing up from the table. “I need to try and get to the library early for a school thing.”

“Alright, and Miles…” His mom closed her eyes to think for a moment. “You’ve got that thing with Cory’s dad, right?”

“Yeah, they’ve got this whole presentation thing they're doing all weekend but today is the opening day.” He nodded, as his grandma set a plate in front of him.

“Hmm, don’t forget to watch your back with them.” His grandma warned him. “I know Cory and her dad are nice enough people but I don’t trust those people he works with.”

His mom rolled her eyes. “He’ll be fine, mom. The cops aren’t out to get him.”

“Don’t say that.” His grandma frowned. “You’re making it look like I raised a fool, and your momma did not raise no fool!”

“Love you too, mom.” His own mom sighed before leaning over and kissing his forehead. “Love you too, Miles. Stay safe, have fun, and be home by nine.”

“I will.” He promised, watching as his mom led his sisters out the front door.

“That girl is just too damn trusting.” His grandma sighed once it was just the two of them. “I blame your grandfather, that man had too much faith in the world.”

“And you still loved him for it.” He pointed out.

“That I did.” His grandma nodded, before giving him a look. “Still, take after me. I’m your smart grandparent.”

“Yes, grandma.” He agreed, knowing if he didn’t he’d spend the rest of his morning getting lectured on ‘street smarts’ that were probably twenty years out of date. (At least today won’t be boring.)

--- Max Miller, Before The Event ---

Her alarm went off and she slammed a fist against the machine to shut it up.

When the alarm continued to blare she finally remembered that she’d moved it to the otherside of her room so that she couldn’t do that anymore after sleeping in and being late to school just a few times too many.

“Fuuu-uck…” She groaned before rolling out of bed and stumbling to her alarm to stop the annoying beeping.

Once she was greeted with (sweet, sweet) silence she let her head fall against the wall for a moment before looking around her room with the light drifting through her blinds, knowing that anything more than that would just make her daily migraine worse.

Not feeling up to dressing up she grabbed the nearest clothes she could find and sniffed them to make sure they were at least half clean. “Eh, I’ve worn worse…”

Throwing a hoodie on she stumbled out into the empty hall before pausing in front of a closed door. She stood there for a moment, flexing her hands in indecision before pushing the door open to find an empty bedroom, the covers still made from when she’d fixed them.

(Don’t know what I was expecting…) She sighed, continuing towards her apartment’s kitchen where she checked the fridge and realized (I’m going to need to go shopping on the way home) before opening the microwave and using the light to pour herself a bowl of cereal.

(Today is going to be a great day isn’t it…)

--- Nicholas Grimm, Before The Event ---

The lights flashed on and he opened his eyes with a smile even as his retinas burned. “Good morning world!”

Despite being on his bed he rolled onto his feet and bounced on his bed a couple times (because I’m secretly a bad boy!)

He stopped when he hit his head on the ceiling.

With his morning badness quota met he hopped off his bed and quickly switched out his clean white pajamas for the nifty black and gold suit his bosses had given him.

Now properly dressed for the day he stepped out into the brightly lit halls of their dormitories before making his way left towards Vanessa’s door -eight doors away- and walking in. “Time to wake up sleepyhead!”

From beneath her pillows and covers, the heaviest sleeper of their little family groaned.

He gave her a sympathetic frown, really wishing he could just let her go back to sleep, but Jess had warned him he couldn’t the day prior. “Come on, V, I know you’re nocturnal but it’s inspection day and you know how the bosses get if we miss those.”

Vanessa was quiet for a moment before pulling the blanket off of her head and giving him a tired look with her ringed silver eyes. “Alright, I’ll get up… but tell Jess I’m crashing first chance I get.”

“Yes siree!” He smiled, glad she wouldn’t get in trouble. “I’ll go tell her right now!”

“Whatever…” His besty sighed as he walked out and took a right, moving past his room and then two others before reaching Jess’s.

He raised his hand to knock on the door only to stop as the door slid open to reveal Jess already dressed up in her own black and gold uniform, with her blonde hair tied back into a ponytail. She raised a single brow above her silver eyes in question.

“Oh, hi, Jess!” He greeted her with a big smile and a salute. “Vanessa is awake and getting ready.” His smile and salute drooped a little. “Though, uh, she said once the inspection is over she’s going back to sleep… if that’s alright?”

Jess gave him a look before nodding. “That is acceptable. Just so long as she provides a… more professional appearance than her usual, she’ll be free to do as she pleases after the inspection.”

“And I just know she’ll do her best.” He assured her, smile and salute back to full. (After all, even if V hates getting up early, she loves our job!)

“Good.” Jess nodded once more before giving him a look that slowly turned into a grimace. “And you’ll try your best as well?”

“Of course!” He may not have gotten the best test scores out of their little family but “I always try my best in everything I do!”

“I’m aware…” His squad leader winced for some reason, before shaking her head. “Would you mind aiding Cynthia in reaching the testing area?”

“Of course not!” He smiled.

“Right, well… Can you take a step back?”

He blinked before realizing he was blocking Jess into her own room. “Oh, sorry!”

Jess let out a sigh as she walked past him while mumbling. “He tries his best Jess… that’s all you can ask…”

(Ah, she appreciates me!) He smiled a skip in his step as he made his way past another six doors before reaching Cynthia’s.

Like with Jess’s door hers slid open when he got close to it, though unlike Jess he’d actually been expecting it.

“Good morning Cyn!” He greeted upon spotting the hunched over girl with long dark hair sitting on her bed.

“A fond, good morning Nicholas!” Cyn smiled back in spite of her monotone voice.

“How are you doing today Cyn?” He asked with a bit of concern.

“I am well.” Cyn told him before saying, “Standing up.” as she did just that.

For her sake he ignored the way she winced slightly with every movement, instead asking, “Do you remember what day it is?”

“It is an inspection day.” Cyn nodded, only briefly losing balance before righting herself. “We must do our best for Jessica’s sake.”

“Right-o!” He grinned, always glad to see how much his odd little family cared for one another. “Do you need help putting on your coat?”

“An embarrassed, yes please.” Cyn told him, not meeting his eyes as she raised her arms. “Holding arms out.”

“Ah, I’ve told you before there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. We all need help sometimes.” He assured her, picking up her black and gold jacket.

While the rest of them had full uniforms tailored to them, thanks to Cynthia’s… condition she was only required to wear a jacket over the shoulders of her white pajamas.

Once the jacket was properly secured he leaned back a bit. “Hat or no hat today?”

“Mm, hat happily requested please.” Cyn smiled. “I want to look cute today.”

He paused with the black cap in hand. “Hmm, in that case do you want me to do your hair up in pigtails too?”

“Excited nodding!” Cyn answered, needing him to help her regain her balance.

“Alright, then just give me a second.” He told her, using his long fingers to comb and at least half way straighten her hair out before pulling the hair on one side into a long tail, and then moving onto the other when Cyn locked it into place. “And there we go, looking cute as a button.” He smiled as he plopped her hat on her head.

“Happy giggling.” Cyn said in place of actually giggling.

“Now may I escort this adorable little lady to our appointment?” He asked, taking a bow and offering his arm.

“You may.” Cynthia told him as she- “Securing arm.”

With the longest serving member of his team ready and situated he turned towards the doors, barely noticing as Cyn’s shadow pried them open leaving them even deeper claw marks than those that littered the walls of her room due to the sheer repeated usage of them.

“You know what Cyn?”

“What Nicholas?”

“I can already tell today is going to be a fantastic day!” He smiled.