章 4: Unexpected
A/N: No Beta. Let's travel this messy world bravely.
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Chapter 4
Unexpected
'Finally! A skill! Took you long enough to give me one!'
[This is not the System's fault. The system can only activate skills that Host uses consciously. So, breathing, talking, eating and all that are not skills the System will recognize.]
Neena scowled. 'Was that the System way of saying that's all I did since I came here?'
[Yes.]
'What about when I was...forget it. There is no point in arguing with you. I'm hungry and am going to eat something.'
[And you can use this opportunity to build an hour of conversation with Elena Gilbert.]
Neena groaned. 'Do I have to?' she asked.
[It's a quest worth 500 points.]
'Understood. Fine then. I'm gonna eat! Not burnt food here I come.'
_
___
Lunch was an awkward affair.
Jeremy took his food and dashed back to his room, mumbling something about a leaderboard competition. Elena gave Jenna a plastic grin, said she was not hungry and that she was meeting Bonnie and ran out of the house. So, there went her hour long conversation.
In the end, it was just Jenna and Neena in the end.
"So much for a family lunch. Even Vampires have better family dinners time than this," Neena muttered.
Jenna gave her look. Neena shrugged, unapologetic about voicing her opinion.
Jenna put her fork down and stared at her. Neena ignored her, stuffing her face with braised pork.
Jenna sighed. She felt conflicted. While Aleena had always been unreasonable, she had been different today. Far more understanding. She wanted to hold her words in, incase they trigger Aleena to go back to how she was.
Neena rolled her eyes seeing the near constipated look on the aunt's face. "Spit it out, Aunt Jenna. Let me hear what you want to say that you are making that face at me."
Jenna blushed.
"Elena told me you didn't want to go to Caroline's house," Jenna's voice was questioning.
Neena forced down a sneer. Of course she did. Coward Elena wanted to look like a good girl even though it was her who didn't want to go to the Forbes house so she made the hateful sister take the blame.
Well, she couldn't act too friendly to Bonnie and Caroline anyway. Time for some character development.
Neena took a bite of the toast and grimaced. "She must have misunderstood. I just said I didn't like her friends but I'm fine with going to Caroline's. I won't make trouble for you, Aunt Jenna."
Jenna gave her a look that was conflicting. She wanted to scold her and hug her at the same time. "You are not trouble, especially not to me. But, why do you have to antagonize your sister? can't you two work your differences out? both of you are nearly adults now, you could try to at least."
Neena grinned. "Nearly means there is still a few years before that to not be adults! Besides, me and Elena are different from you and mom. You worship mom, Elena on the other hand is even embarrassed to call me family."
Jenna's whole body slumped. Her eyes were unfocused, lost in remembrance.
Neena grabbed Jenna's hand and squeezed it. Jenna tried to smile but her eyes were already filled with tears.
"It's okay to not be strong in front of me, Aunt Jenna. You lost your sister three days back. You're allowed to cry. Nobody would judge you for grieving your your loss. Least of all me."
Jenna pulled Neena into a hug, holding her for dear life. The sound of muffled sobs filled the dining room and Neena felt wetness on her shoulder. She rubbed Jenna's back, trying to comfort her.
"You're allowed to cry to, Ally," said Jenna. "You have lost them too. Just cry. Don't bottle it up. Don't suppress it."
Neena's mind blanked. Before she could register the words she was crying. Every single cell of her body grieved. For the Gilberts. For Aleena. For the kid who burned with her. For her horrible project manager who wanted to finish the work quickly because he wanted to spend time with his family efficiency be damned.
Neena finally allowed herself to grieve for herself. She had died, regardless how she wanted to ignore it. It had been painful. She had suffered. It had left a scar. And no matter how terrifying it was, she was an invader. An usurper who took the place of a teenager without even notifying her. She took the life of someone who had so much to live for.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I know it's not fair. What I did to you is not fair.
"It's not fair. It's not fair. It's not fair," Neena sobbed.
"I know. I know," Jenna whispered to her.
Neena forced herself to quiet sown. You don't, she wanted to say to Jenna. You are comforting the replacement of your niece and you don't know that. You could never know that.
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Neena returned to her room after lunch and restarted her attempt to become the next avatar. The water jumped out of the water for her but that was as much a progress as she made. The guilt of replacing Aleena, and the anger and grief that Aleena meant her emotions were all over the place. It was all she could do.
Elena had come back by dinner but took her food into her room. Jeremy didn't even bother showing his face. Jenna was over the phone once again. She had been the whole day. It made sense, the friends and acquaintance of Aleena's parents who couldn't attend their funeral were calling to give their condolences.
Neena had dinner alone.
She felt a twinge of hurt but brushed it off. She was sure it was Aleena's emotions taking over once again. Neena had always been alone. Even during her orphanage years she barely had any real friends. And becoming an adult had meant she had to look out for herself. Always alone. Never anyone to share dinner with.
Aleena was lucky in that aspect. It was a rule of the house for the Gilberts to eat their dinner together. Neena found so many of such memories that they blended into one another. Perhaps a small part of Neena wanted to experience that feeling...that warmth.
The hours passed. Neena fell into a restless sleep with nightmares of burning rooms and drowning cars.
In the morning the girl in the mirror resembled an emaciated panda bear. Neena tried to cover up the tiredness on her face with an extra layer of foundation but the concern in Jenna's eyes let her know that she didn't succeed.
It was full house for breakfast. Jeremy munched on a slightly burnt toast.
Elena was tearing out the none burnt parts with her hands and Jenna wiped a glass with a towel, a plate of half eaten apple in front of her. There was also a plate of untouched toast waiting for Neena. She really needed to learn how to cook.
[Ding!]
[Quest Alert!
Meet the Gilbert's!
Quest 3!
Just talk to me.
Elena Gilbert writes in her diary that she feels she is alone, that she can't tell anyone how she feels without getting herself a pity party. That no one understands her. Spend an hour talking to Elena Gilbert.
Reward: 500 experience points]
'Shut up. I'll do it when I get the chance. No need to keep reminding me again and again. Bet you are an Elena fan, that is why you keep insisting'
[Main Character interactions give more experience, Host 999.]
Neena sat next to Jeremy and dragged her plate over. She had no desire to sit i in front of Ms Central so early in the morning. Jenna's peacemaker attempt be damned.
"Hey Jeremy! Did some overnight research on toast, Aunt Jenna?" Neena asked in a teasing tone, a grin that looked too forced on her face. Jeremy snorted. Jenna threw the towel she was holding at her. Even Elena the dementor cracked a smile.
The table quieted down as they had breakfast.
"So, when is the Sheriff coming, Aunt Jenna?" Jeremy asked.
Elena froze.
"In an hour or two I think."
Elena glared at Neena. She smirked at the doppelganger. Trying to make her look bad in front of Aunt Jenna while she herself remained sweet as fresh water in front of everyone was she? Neena was excited to see how the teenager would achieve it.
Elena went back to sulking.
The doorbell rang.
"That must be Liz!" said Jenna and put down her knife.
Elena pushed her food around her plate.
"You sit!" Neena said. Jenna hadn't even finished her apple yet and she was sure the had not eaten yesterday either. "I'll go!"
Neena opened the door and gaped.
[Ding!]
[Chain Quest Alert!
The Forbes in the House!
Quest 1!
I don't like you.
Get the favorability of Caroline Forbes to Nuetral.
Reward : 250 Experience Points!]
Caroline Forbes had a grin on her face that faded when she saw who had opened the door.
"What are you doing here?" Neena blurted out. "Don't you have some cheerleading thing to do today?"
Her most favorite girl of the series was here!
Caroline scoffed. "Elena told me, you know!"
Neena's eyes narrowed. "What did Ms Elena Gilbert say?"
Caroline glared. "That you were not interested in coming to my house, and she was worried you would keep bitching about it! I'm here so that you don't use that tongue of yours to change Jenna's mind!"
Neena snorted. "Of course she said to you that." She leaned against the doorframe. "So what? I really am not interested in coming to your house Caroline. We are not friends. You hate me. Should I be excited to live in the house of someone who hates me?"
Caroline hesitated. She sighed. "That actually does make sense. I don't really want you in my house either."
Neena rolled her eyes. "And such comments will not make me excited to move in either, Caroline. Anyway, you don't have to worry. I don't want Jenna to be troubled so you won't get any of my bitching."
Caroline gaped at her in shock. "Sorry. Wait! You care about something other than booze bottles? Since when?"
Neena rubbed her temples. She felt the moment Aleena influenced her. "Since my parents are dead, Blondie!"
Caroline blushed. "Right. Sorry."
"Get inside, or else you might spend the whole day saying offensive things to me and then apologising for it."
The blonde woman skipped in.
When they reached the dining table only Jenna was left. The older woman looked surprised.
"Caroline! I thought you had practice!"
"I did but I thought I was needed here more."
"Incase I somehow do some last minute bitching," Neena said.
"Ally!" Jenna scolded.
Caroline huffed. "Anyway! How can I help, Jenna! I'm here to help!"
"You can drag Jeremy and his things into the car," Neena offered her with a grin. Caroline looked dazed. "What?"
"You smiled at me!"
Neena raised an eyebrow. "So?"
Jenna snickered from behind the counter.
"You scowl, taunt and swear at me! You never smile at me! Not anymore."
Neena fidgetted. Caroline and Aleena had been close when they were younger. But for Aleena, with her periods came visions and powers. She derailed, wanting to be left alone, leaving Caroline the only one trying to hold on to their friendship, though Aleena never even tried to explain what was happening to her. Aleena wasn't there for her during her parents' devorce, Elena had. And so lost her last friend just like that.
Neena wanted to mend that friendship. Not for the quest, or Aleena. For Caroline. She needed a friend only to herself, especially for the shit storm of plots that would be coming their way. Neena wouldn't let Damon use Caroline as a human bloodbag if she could help it.
She sat down and bit an apple.
"Don't make a fuss over it, Blonde. Did you have breakfast? You better say yes. Aunt Jenna is a terrible cook!"
Caroline looked even more shocked. "You cracked a joke to me! Did you hit your head somewhere? Why are you being nice?"
Jenna burst out laughing.
Neena pouted. "Just made a resolution to try to become a better person."
Caroline grinned, a hopeful look in her eyes. "That's actually something you should follow through."
Neena grinned back, that hope in her eyes telling her that Aleena still had a friend in this young woman despite the rivelry the two started to have growing up. "I will. I promise."
Caroline smiled happily.
[Ding!]
[Quest Complete!
Reward: 250 Experience Points!
Bonus: 50 Points for getting favouraabilty to Tolerating You!]
Neena smirked. "Want to drag my brother to the car, Blonde. I'll help! You hold the arms and I hold the legs!"
Caroline snorted. "And why do you get to hold the legs part?"
"What if he bites!"
"And he won't bite me?"
"Better you than me, sister."
Caroline gave her a mocking scowl. "No way! I get the legs!"
Jenna coughed. The two girls looked at the older woman. She suppressed a smirk, and glared. "No bullying your little brother, Ally!"
"That's why they exist, Aunt Jenna! Little brothers are meant to be bullied!"
Just ask Damon Salvatore, she thought.
Caroline stared at the girl in front of her. The smile. The teasing. Caroline could see something beyond them. A fear. There was a lifelessness in her eyes. Lost. Unsure. Insecure. Aleena always had a poker face in front of her, or a scowl. Caroline had never been able to read her once upon a time best friend so easily before. It was like Aleena didn't know how to hide what she really felt anymore. Like everything was too powerful for her to suppress, so she had to put on a show so no one would notice what she was really exposing.
She stepped in front of Aleena. Deep green eyes stared at her curiously. She pulled the shorter woman to her, hugging her.
Neena froze in Caroline's arms, unsure about this sudden bout of friendliness.
"Everything will be better, one day", Caroline whispered in her ear.
Her heart twinged. She felt Aleena's emotion fluctuate with hers.
She hugged the young woman back. "Yeah."
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A/N: This Caroline is the one in my head. What I think Caroline was like around this time in the storyline. And unlike in the show, where Carebear is sort of a third wheel in the Elena-Bonnie-Caroline dynamic, and she sort of seems to not have a resonance with the other two, here she did have a friend in Aleena at first and later the two gained a nemesis kind of relationship, mostly the OC's fault. I hope I got that idea across. Please leave your valuable reviews!
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