Chapter Text
Chapter 1: The First Casualty of War
Introduction
Since the beginning relationships between outcasts and normies, and outcasts and outcasts has been strained at best. But through many battles and disagreements the world found a way to be,relatively, at peace in a way that worked most of the time. For the most part that was due to the widely unspoken but always known rule that outcasts and normies stay out of each other's way with exception to the same federal laws we all live by. And the world got on that way.
But laws and unspoken rules do not mean a lack of tension and discrimination between the groups. As normies were the mass majority of the world and different races of outcasts filling in the rest of the population tensions between outcasts grew as some were more destructive than others some say those bad seeds gave all outcasts a bad name.
This narrative throughout the outcast community brought together a group of Witches and Seers both tired of being treated as less than. They felt the real threats to this world was not the magic of knowledge and nature...But rather the real terror lies in physical magic, the magic of altered mind states and physical genes ripped and rearranged to depict that of demons from the underworld. The magic that drives blood sacrifice for mere full bellies of the already dead.
This propaganda grew through witch and seer communities gaining traction and popularity. Finally they decided they had enough support and organization among their respective communities to present their ideas to normies. Through many months of meetings and planning, reaching out to local and state leaders, getting in the pockets of politicians. Campaigns for change,safety and a new order started snowballing into a full out movement called Federation of Outcast Sanctity aka the F.O.S.
But with any great change it was meant with an even greater resistance. Protests broke out and with emotions running high on both sides fighting for what felt like their personal freedoms. The resistance grew and unrest grew with it. The F.O.S felt the pressure and decided another group deserved to be brought into the fold of the federation to help them fight the resistance. The sirens, though a small community compared to the outcasts of resistance, held powerful and ancient magic that even the most talented and experienced witches could not mimic… the power of a siren song. Due to sirens having not yet publicly picked a side in the test of wills their abilities to infiltrate made them invaluable.
After many negotiations and agreements signed on paper and in the ancient oaths in the magic world the sirens joined the fight against the resistance. It wasn't long after that the full strength of the war hit. The government, with the federation agreeing that public safety must come first and all threats must be controlled.
Though the resistance fought hard a bloody battle they could not win the war, and the federation became an official branch of federal intelligence. Bringing in a new era of the world. Outcasts deemed as the most dangerous were sent to facilities and training camps where they are mentally and physically pushed to their limits until broken and become weapons of the law.
Federation of Outcast Sanctity Guidelines for Safety
Please refer to this guide sheet when encountering outcasts of different classes. The classes represent the level of threat the outcasts are capable of. If faced with a Class A outcast, call 911 or your local federation office. DO NOT APPROACH. Your safety is most important. For more news,tips, and our outcast neighbor danger tracker please visit us at www.FOS.org
Class A- Outcasts with immense physical strength or transformative abilities hindered by an altered and unpredictable mental state. Such as Werewolves, hydes and vampires. These outcasts are most dangerous and should not be approached if faced with class A please seek shelter and help from your local law enforcement. These outcasts are placed in safe facility where they are provided with necessary training on how to best serve their community and country.
Class B- Outcasts from this class have less violent transformative abilities but are easily able to deceive. You must be extremely watchful and careful when facing these outcasts. Though not inherently aggressive their ability to manipulate makes them extremely dangerous. These include but are not limited to shapeshifters, gorgons, physical illusionists, time alterers, nature alterers. Outcasts in these classes are closely monitored by surgical insertion of tracking device and are assigned an Outcast Officer of Honour where they must do weekly check ins
Class C- Outcasts of this level are majority nonviolent and law abiding but still have extra abilities and should be taken seriously when in a situation dealing with these individuals. Outcasts in this class include but are not limited to vanishers, mental illusionists, Clairvoyants, these outcasts are monitored with a surgical tracking device
“In war, truth is the first casualty"-Aeschylus
Wednesday POV- present-
Wednesday Addams does not do distracted. Not over headaches that last too long, or infuriating smell of wildflowers (and for some reason clinging to the air in every room Enid walked into) or non life threatening conversations that are to be had.
But Wednesday Addams certainly does not do distractions 15 minutes before a Psychological Information Retraction (P.I.R). Not 15 minutes before intertwining her consciousness with another's memories But here she was, staring blankly at the file in front of her, containing information about the subject she would be observing.
After giving her brain another 5 seconds to stare blankly Wednesday forces air through her nose in a frustrated huff picking up the file and willing her brain to focus on the task in front of her.
‘Collin Yates- Outcast Type- Alpha Werewolf, Class Level-Class A, Gender- Male, Age-19, Report - Subject Yates was found at 3:48 am after full transformation eating the carcass of a deer.Yates tried to flee from federation officers. Due to the movement and direction the subject was taking it is believed that Yates had a specific destination he was attempting to go to for safety. After officers cornered him he let out 3 distinct howls before officers were able to subdue him with a tranquilizer. It is believed these howls were a warning to his allies. History- Collin Yates from the Still water werewolf pack. Most familial ties were casualties of the war. Leaving this for a motive for possible involvement with the resistance…’ Wednesday skimmed the rest taking mental note of key names, dates and, code words, to watch out for during the memory integration.
Wednesday closed the file leaning back in her slightly oversized office chair her brain wandered back to the same place it has been circling since 3 nights ago… 3 nights since when she first noticed the intoxicating smell 3 since the last time she saw or even heard from her bubbly best friend. Since the night she accepted what she previously refused to ever believe would be possible. A yearning for the warmth that radiates from her eyes as much as her overheated body, with a laugh that sounds light and carefree like windchimes blowing in a gentle breeze leaving behind the clinging scent of wildflowers, and even her scent felt like it carried warmth from sunshine a hint of mango shampoo and something so specifically… Enid.
Wednesdays head throbbed dully at the thought of her best friend. Shaking off the thought of the blond Wednesday takes a breath to steady her composure. To lock the distractions away if just for a while. She sits up straighter in her seat, the physical composure representative of the mental walls locking back into place.
Three sharp knocks sound from her office door immediately followed by someone sticking just their head in the door “Hey Miss.Addams th-” is all the assistant is able to get out before a heavy ‘thud!’ resounds through the room a dagger now sticking out from the door frame. The assistant now completely back behind the safety of the door.
About thirty seconds pass before another round of sharp knocks disrupt the silence of the office. “You may enter..if you are willing to accept the risk.” This time instead of the assistant it’s Bianca Barclay that enters with a slightly amused and knowing glint in her eyes. “Let me guess she didn't knock before entering the crypt?” Wednesday's eyes narrowed in irritation “No, what she did was arguably more stupid than that. What is even the point of knocking if you are not going to wait long enough for a response.” Bianca smirked, “Well lets just try not to maim any more kids alright.” ‘As if thats not what this whole building was built for’ Wednesday thought bitterly,thinking back to the boy in the file that was sitting closed on her desk.
Bianca not minding the lack of response moved on to the official business “Your subject for the P.I.R is ready in therapy room 5. He's been a little rowdy but he's young, seemingly untrained. I think integration will be smooth. Honestly not sure if I'm convinced he even knows anything or if he's just a misplaced war kid who was having dinner at the wrong time.” “You say that like he cant be both” Wednesday replied smoothly letting the long practised act settle back into place in front of the Siren head of her unit.
Bianca gave a small shrug moving back towards the door “Oh the new shipment of blockers is here.You need a refill?” Wednesday's eyes flicked to the black bottle holding the oblong green pills that blinded her raven abilities temporarily. She clenched and unclenched her jaw. “Yes I am unfortunately getting low.”
The siren silently nods and exits the office having known the goth for years knows her disdain for the federations caps on outcast abilities only being used for acts that lead to “unification” in the country. As if torture and invasion of your most private moments unifies anybody. The blockers keep her touch from triggering visions uncontrollably, if she could hide it she wouldn't take them but the mandatory drug screens to keep people on point with rules makes that difficult.
Walking down the long hallway containing white walls with painfully fluorescent lights and white tiled floor it looked like someone tried to mimic the look of a hospital but couldn't paint over the dark intentions hidden within. Coming up to a large metal door reading “Therapy Room #5”
Wednesday took out an all black key card, swiping it and waiting for the light above the door to turn green before entering. Upon entering Wednesday sees a tall figure laid out on the metal slab of a table arms and legs stretched out like a starfish. Thick pure sliver cuffs that use an electromagnetic current to keep them locked closed with a thin leather lining the inside to keep from the sliver directly burning the subjects.
Wednesday studies the subject laid out before her, a young man with greasy overgrown hair, his green eyes wild and frantically looking around the room.
Looking at his build she realizes he is not skinny but malnourished would be a more correct description his breathing shallow and rapid as he makes futile attempts to strain against the cuffs. His eyes lock on Wednesday “Please- please I- I don't know anything I swear. I was just hungry and it was a full moon. I- I just- I cant help it. Please don't hurt me”!
Wednesday approaches the subject and begins checking his vitals, ignoring the strain in her chest by his pleas. “As I am fluent in the art of physical interrogation this,fortunately for you, is not one of those cases” “I am currently checking your vitals and brainwaves to make sure your stable enough to leave this table unharmed physically”
Adding ‘physically’ at the end of the sentence as to not lie about the mental strain and exhaustion. Explaining this as she hooks him up to the necessary wires that will go all over his body. Head chest abdomen even his legs and tops of his feet. His breathing which had begun to slow due to her assurance he would leave table unharmed began becoming anxious yet again.
The green light above the door blinks on as a medical assistant steps in, going over the subjects chart and dimming the lighting. “Ma’am his heart rate is reaching 123 BPM and his brain waves are pushing 35 Hz”
Wednesday exhales slowly ‘hes having a panic attack’ she thinks to herself ‘I have to calm him down to get us both through this’. Comfort was not something that came to the eldest Addams child naturally. Thinking for a solution that would cause her to not be directly deceitful..Or more deceitful than she already felt. ‘What would Enid do?’.
The thought crossed her mind without permission and another dull throb along with it. Picturing the blond normie in times of stress, which was usually accompanied by babbling of the word vomit variety, and consistent wear a hole in the floor style anxiety pacing. The way her blue eyes would somehow get bigger at a problem arising, her fingers fiddling with the sleeve of her jacket as if to try and hide her hands.
The corner of Wednesday's lips nearly quirk up at the mental image. ‘“If I don't meditate daily my ADHD runs out of control and i think thats something we both aren't the mood to deal with today.’” The memory giving way to an idea
Bending lower to become more eye level with the subject “Your rapid heart rate and stressful brainwaves do not make for an ideal environment for our shared task. In other words you are having a panic attack. This extra strain on your psyche could have negative consequences for us both” If possible his eyes seemed to get even wider.
Understanding the beginning of her approach was having the opposite of helpful effect she changed tactics.
Softening her voice “Collin I know you are scared right now and fear causes unhelpful bodily reactions, this is not your fault. I know you fear pain and being in this environment in which you have no control. But I give you my word. No harm will come to you not from me, not from my assistant, And so long as I am present no one on the other side of that door will harm you either. I'll give you my word.” It wasn't much but it was the only real comfort she could provide After staring at Wednesday for another moment he slowly nodded.
“Now what I need from you is a simple breathing exercise. I want you to inhale for 4 seconds then hold for 4 seconds and then exhale for 6 seconds” Collin followed these steps with his eyes closed for several minutes until his breathing noticeably slowed.
Wednesday glanced back at her assistant, a single brow raised in an unspoken question. “Breathing stabilized brainwaves are still a little high but nothing too serious.” Wednesday nods and then begins the task of taking a thick black paint drawing protection symbols on both herself and Collin softly whispering ancient words. The symbols though not changing visually begin to warm on their skin a sign that the magic was working.
Wednesday then mentally reaches for the feeling of her powers feeling the tightly controlled magic loosen like a knot and flow through her body before placing her fingertips on Collins forehead His eyes snap open and roll to the back of his head showing only white as wednesday allows her magic to flow into his hippocampus. Wednesdays head then snaps back her eyes turning a milky white as the memory integration locks into place.
During the integration Wednesday sees the day to day life of the subject. A life mostly living alone on the streets with a little girl. Wednesday goes through the memories meticulously sifting through the key dates, times and possible conversations that would demand the federations attention all stops leading to nothing, just another case of a kid caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Wednesday had one more key date to look into before wrapping up integration.
In the real world the assistant attempting to catch up on other subjects' paper work does not notice the spike in brainwaves as the chosen date becomes a mental reality for Collin. Nor does she notice the slight beep of a faulty silver cuff as it releases one of his hands.
Inside Collins mind Wednesday is following as an invisible observer as he goes to what is believed a possible resistance safehouse. When they arrive in the memory, Collin enters the house, dilapidated and abandoned.
But inside were not waiting forces of the resistance just like Wednesday assumed this was nothing more than a kid on the grind.
But in the house was the girl Collin had been traveling with in his previous memories she had been noticeably absent in the more recent memories she observed. Now she could see why.
The girl was deathly sick due to an infected cut on her leg. Collin walked over to the seemingly sleeping girl and tried to wake her. Wednesday watches curiously before alarm bells begin to ring. She's not waking up. She's not waking up and this is now transitioning into a traumatic memory for Collin as he falls to his knees begging and screaming for his young friend to wake up.
Wednesday can feel the walls of his mental state fracturing, bleeding into their intertwined psyche. ‘Why the hell is she not going for the protocol.’ Based on what Wednesday was seeing inside his outside vitals also had to be being affected also.
Wednesday feels her magic and begins to pull it back into her, draining him of the Ravens prison slowly.
Collin and Wednesday snap back into reality at the same time.
Upon being back in physical body she feels herself sway from the psychic fatigue. Ignoring the feeling she whips her head toward the assistant about to berate her for not keeping an eye on vitals and following protocol the assistants literal only job. When she hears a mournful scream followed by the distinct snapping and crushing of bone and tearing of muscle.
Wednesday averts her gaze back to Collin, no longer a boy now a giant mass of fur teeth and heartbreak. The assistant lets off a scream stumbling backwards in terror panicked blindly feeling the wall behind her with her hand searching for the emergency alarm button.
Collin now howling in grief but still disoriented attempts to sit up revealing his freed, and now clawed, hand. He growls in frustration at the restraint of his other limbs grabbing at the other cuffs only to be burned by the raw silver. An angry roar rips through him making the whole room feel like it was shaking.
Wednesday snaps into action still intent on keeping her promise to the teen.
“Collin I know you are hurt and sad and confused right now but I need the human in you to listen to me. If you want to live through this I need you to focus. NOW”
Collin calms his thrashing, golden eyes peering at Wednesday with distrust. “Your only hope at getting through this is to shift back.I know in times of extreme stress this can be hard for you species but you need to find it in you and try. Red lights from the alarms begin flashing. I need you to try and breathe Collin just like you did before.”
Recognition lights up in his eyes as the small human part controlling the giant wolf remembers the task and begins to try and slow his breathing. Just when it seems like Wednesday was getting some where the metal door burst open with federation officers holding guns and cattle prods.
The arrival of the new threats sparks the angry roaring from Collin once again body thrashing teeth bared in challenge despite being still mostly attached to the table focus completely lost. Wednesday puts herself between the officers and the table holding the wolf. “Enough! The subject is highly str-”
Her sentence was violently interrupted by the freed clawed hand as it reached over Wednesday, who was just a step too close raking his claws across her back. Wednesday, still too far away from the table to be completely ripped in half, feels her back screaming at her followed by an immediate warmth leaving her otherwise cool body. She stumbles and falls to the ground beginning to feel lightheaded and disoriented as chaos breaks around her.
Adrenaline kicking in numbing the pain Wednesday is able to do a quick health report on herself. Lightheaded. A wet warmth spreading across her back causing her black performance shirt to stick to her skin. ‘I am bleeding heavily’.
Around her she hears the officers yelling commands though it sounded like they were speaking under water “Hold fire until I say they might need this one alive! Subdue with the prods” Followed by the crackling of electricity and animalistic screams of the wolf.
She tries to shift her fallen body toward the sound of the anguished screams but all of her limbs felt like she was being weighed down with cinder blocks ‘And apparently going into shock’ she self diagnoses. She tries to look around at all the bodies rushing the room the wild thrashing that was becoming less and less as Collin was being worn down by the prods. Though the scene was becoming more of a blur looking like someone took a freshly wet painting and ran their fingers through it.
In the overwhelming confusion and frustration from blood loss Wednesday shifts her focus to just simply staying awake. Her eyes landing on the spot of tile directly in front of her. Staring at the hand and arm that was keeping her held up. Dark thick red drops and splatches surround her. As a dark red begins to flow closer to the hand keeping her upright.
The world begins to grow darker like a tunnel closing in from all sides. ‘Shit. Shit.’ is the last thing she thinks as she slumps to the floor in what feels like slow motion. Her tunneled vision now reduced to a complete blur of colors and movement. Before the tunnel closes completely a dark figure overcasts what's left of her sight, garbled words she can't understand being directed at her. Before she finally loses consciousness.
End.