74Cerebella walked down the lane, humming the happy theme that would play at the beginning of every show of her beloved home, Cirque de Carte, as she did so. Her living weapon Vice-Versa gently swayed back and forth on the crown of her head in time with the beat. Why was she so happy you may ask? She was currently on her way to see Vitale Medici, her favorite person in the whole world, and for all intents and purposes her adoptive father. His health had been somewhat questionable lately, apparently due in large part to the rampant cigar usage his family and their employees engaged in, but through their vast wealth (and unknown to Cerebella, some highly questionable methods) they'd recently obtained a magic gem known as the Life Gem, which possessed the power to restore health, vitality, and heal all manner of injury.
'I'm so glad him and his entire family are going to live such long and healthy lives.' Cerebella thought to herself as she came within view of the headquarters of the Medici Family. 'After all they've done for the circus and all our customers who enjoy the show, and all the bad and jealous people they've had to deal with trying to take their stuff, if anyone deserves to live well, it's them.' She mentally continued, blissfully unaware that the 'bad' people trying to take 'their' stuff may have had more justification than not, and that the true face of the Medici Family was something much more sinister than she believed.
As she was about to speed up on the home stretch to her destination however, she heard a faint whimpering and a clatter of metal coming from a nearby alley. Being the happy-go-lucky girl she was, Cerebella naturally decided to have a quick look. "Hello there!" She curiously called into the alley, being answered with another clatter of metal, this time louder and more sudden, clearly coming from a nearby garbage can. Deciding to play coy, Cerebella strolled into the alley and looked around in an exaggerated manner. "Gee, I wonder where that noise is coming from?" She hummed in faux-uncertainty as she knocked on a few unmoving garbage cans, all the while making her way to the one that was shaking. "Maybe it's in...here!" She declared playfully as she yanked the lid off the oddly noisy garbage can, only for her expression to quickly shift into one of concern. An understandable response, considering what she saw.
A tiny, black-haired boy... No... A black-haired baby was sitting in the garbage, slowly picking at an apple core. When the lid came off, mixed with Cerebella's voice, he looked up in shock and gasped when he saw someone looking down at him. He had been seen!
Cerebella and the boy stared at each other in shock for a few moments before the young woman reached down and carefully grabbed the boy under his armpits, picking him up carefully. "Well...You're definitely no raccoon, are ya, little guy?" She said in an attempt to lighten the mood.
"Awha?" The boy stammered, a mixture of fear, weakness and hunger clear in his voice. On the one hand, Cerebella thought his voice was the cutest thing she had ever heard. On the other hand... what was he doing out here?
"You've never seen a raccoon? Aw, that's too bad. They're cute, like you."
Harry looked at her with a tilted head and let out a confused "Hmm...?" Cerebella chuckled, then looked up at Vice-Versa, who was carrying a small bag of peanuts she had been planning to eat. Catching on, the hat handed her the bag, and she took one out and held it out to the boy. "Here, little guy. You definitely need these more than I do." Harry looked at the peanuts, somewhat confused, then looked back up at Cerebella and shook his head. "Oh, are you allergic?" The skull girl asked, not wanting to make the tiny boy sick.
"I can't have normal food." Harry said quietly.
Cerebella blinked at that, her frown deepening. "Can't have normal food? Why's that? Some kind of medical condition or something?"
"No...I'm just too freaky to eat people food..."
Cerebella was taken aback by what the small boy said. She looked him up and down, trying to understand why he would say something like that.
"Freaky? Kid, you're just a tiny little thing!" She insisted, smiling her best down at him to lift his spirits. "And very cute I might add."
Harry's little face turned red as he looked away. "I...I can't be cute...I'm...I'm a freak...Just a freak..." Cerebella found her temper beginning to flare. Who put that in this boy's head?! She frowned and pulled the boy close, feeling how cold he was. She rubbed his back and rested his head against her chest. She had so many questions... but then something occurred to her.
"My name's Cerebella." She introduced herself. "What's yours?" Harry mumbled something into her chest, relishing in the warmth that was the woman's body. Cerebella chuckled. "Sorry, didn't quite catch that."
"Freak...My name's freak..." Cerebella frowned and lifted his chin up so he looked into her eyes. The boy seemed nervous as he was trembling in the woman's arms. "H...Harry... m'am..."
Cerebella smirked slightly. "That's better." She messed with the little boy's hair playfully. "Can't let a stranger in the tent, but you're not a stranger now that I know what your name is." She winked and Harry giggled softly. "Now, c'mon...have a peanut. You're a little bonerack." Harry still seemed apprehensive, so Cerebella thought of an idea. "Say 'Ah' Harry." Said instructed kindly.
"Ahh..." Harry did as he was asked, but was confused as to why she would ask him to do this. His eyes widened in surprise as he was suddenly fed a few peanuts.
He chewed them for a moment, letting out a soft hum as he quickly found that he liked the taste quite a bit. Cerebella grinned. "Pretty good, right? We sell the best peanuts you'll ever find!" She winked.
"Thank you..." He mumbled. Cerebella giggled and held him closer again, trying to warm him up.
"So little cutie, what are you doing out here all by yourself?" She asked, rocking him back and forth, trying to seem as calming as possible.
"I...I had to leave..." He mumbled. "I was really scared..." THAT sent alarm bells off in Cerebella's head. She looked down at the boy with great concern.
"Huh...? Had to leave where? What scared you so bad that you had to run away from home?" Harry tensed up in her arms, and she frowned worriedly. "Kid?" Harry didn't respond, but began to sniff slightly, tears welling up in his eyes. Cerebella held him up in front of her and smiled. "Hey, don't be sad!" She smiled at him, but then noticed that he wasn't going to stop, he desperately needed to cry. Cerebella held him close again. "Let it all out."
He buried his face into her chest and let out a soft whimper, sobbing softly into the young woman's embrace. He was trying to pull himself together...He didn't want to cry for too long...
Against all odds, little Harry managed to stop his tears relatively quickly. Now he rested his head into the kind woman's shoulder.
"Thank you Miss Cerebella..." He murmured.
Cerebella had a huge smile on her face as she cooed and patted the small boy's head. He had been so wronged... and if she was to believe what she she assumed Harry had been implying... she shook her head, not wanting to focus on it just now. "So you don't have anywhere to stay, huh, little guy?" She asked gently, prompting Harry to shake his head. She smirked. "Weeeell...How do ya feel about the circus?"
"The...The circus...?" Harry asked. "M-My aunt and uncle took my cousin there a lot...I never got to go though..."
"Awww..." Cerebella sighed. "Well, how'd you like to go stay later at one for awhile? I'll be there as well."
"R...really?!" Harry exclaimed, his eyes widening. This woman was offering to take him home with her, and she was so nice! No... it had to be a lie...
Cerebella noticed the expression on his face and frowned. "I'm not trying to pull a fast one on you, little guy. Really. I just wanna help you. Will you let me help you?"
Harry was scared. On the one hand, why would anyone want to help a freak like him? What if she was just going to hurt him? But on the other hand, he was desperate, starving, and this woman had been nice to him...
"M'kay..." he mumbled.
Cerebella gave the boy a warm grin. "There ya go, kiddo, that's the spirit. I promise you, nothing's gonna happen to you while I'm around."
The young woman felt amazing about herself right now, reaching out and helping this child in need. She couldn't help but wonder if this is how Vitale felt when he helped her...
Vitale! She HAD to introduce Harry to her father figure!
She smiled down at the boy, who didn't seem to notice, as he had fallen asleep in her arms. Cerebella giggled lightly but did her best not to wake him. Vitale was gonna love Harry! Cerebella's maternal instincts had overwhelmed her the very instant she saw Harry. She was the type to wear her heart on her sleeve and help anyone she could, and seeing this boy in so much need of help...It broke her heart, yet filled her with a fiery will to protect him and make his life better. She then noticed him whimper slightly in his sleep before he snapped awake with a gasp.
"I didn't mean to sleep!" He esclaimed, frantically squirming about in Cerebella's arms, seeming to forget where he was.
"Harry! Calm down!" Cerebella exclaimed, shocked by his sudden outburst. "You're safe, you're with me." He looked around wildly before it all came back to him, and he relaxed slightly into the woman's embrace. "There...Ya see? I gotcha. You're all right now."
Harry took a few deep breaths and looked down at the ground.
"I'm sorry..." He mumbled, and was surprised when he was hugged once again.
"Don't worry kiddo, you were tired, it's only fair you'd be sleepy. You can go back to sleep if you'd like."
Harry shook his little head, signifying he had no desire to go back to sleep. "Um...I had a scary dream...Don't really wanna sleep right now...if that's okay..."
"Alright, that's just fine." Cerebella smiled. Then noticed Harry was looking at her, clearly confused.
"Uh, Miss Cerebella? What are you wearing?" He finally asked.
"Oh! Silly me, this is Vice-Versa. He's..."
"A hat?" Harry asked.
Cerebella grinned and nodded her head. "Yep, Vice-Versa is a very special hat, as you can see!" Harry looked up at the muscular arms of the hat.
"D-Did I do something to your hat? Did...Did I make it all muscly...? I'm sorry...It was an accident..." Cerebella blinked, then looked up at Vice-Versa, who shrugged.
"Um...No, Vice-Versa has always been like this."
"Oh... okay." Harry sighed, seemingly relieved. "Um... Why is it like that?"
"Well, Vice-Versa has some magical properties to it and-" Cerebella began but stopped when she heard Harry gasp. "What's wrong?"
"You..you can't say that word!" Harry stammered, turning sheet-white.
Cerebella raised a brow at that. "What word? Magic?" Harry winced again, and Cerebella tilted her head before catching on. "Oooh...You come from a place that doesn't like magic... Well..." she wanted to encourage Harry, telling him that magic was alright, and that people used it and similar alternatives all the time, but she could tell right now, Harry needed comforting, so she simply hugged him again. She then got an idea. Looking up at Vice-Versa, she gave it a wink, and it flashed a thumbs up in response. "Hey, how about I show ya that Vice-Versa's good, huh?" Harry blinked, then squeaked when Cerebella placed him in Vice-Versa's massive hands. The hat then begun to spin around with the boy in a playful manner. He yelped in fear at first, but quickly began to enjoy himself and began giggling as the hat spun him around, taking care not to go too fast.
After a bit, the hat gently handed Harry back to Cerebella, who laughed at his tiny smile.
"I get the feeling you enjoyed that." She remarked.
"It was fun!" Harry giggled.
"That's good to hear." The woman smiled down at the small boy. She pressed her lips against his forehead gently, and the boy's eyes widened at the unexpected display of affection. Cerebella pulled away, leaving behind a green lipstick mark on the boy's forehead.
"Wh..what was that?" Harry asked surprised, making Cerebella's jaw drop.
"You mean... you've never been kissed before?" She asked, but then quickly remembered what Harry had said, and realized he sadly probably hadn't.
"N..,no. I was told I was too freakish for them..."
Cerebella tilted her head to the side. "Ah, I see. So if I give you some more, that'll be enough to convince you you're not a freak." She said with a wink. Harry was going to say something, but was cut off by Cerebella kissing him again, giggling at his bewildered expression, then kissing him again. By the time she stopped, her lipstick had covered the boy's entire face with green lipmarks. She pressed her forehead against his. "So there. You're not a freak."
"Re...Really?" He still asked, as if this was a new concept to him.
"Really." Cerebella confirmed with a smile. The woman held her forehead against his, enjoying the feeling of holding the boy.
She hugged him close to her bosom and gently nuzzled the top of his head with her cheek. "It's gonna be okay, little guy...I've got you now." She whispered softly.
Of all the people she'd entertained, the children would always hold a special place in her heart... They were always so bright and innocent, and seeing their smiling faces brought her joy. And this little boy, he was desperate for love, so starved for affection, and so pure... it hurt Cerebella to her core at the sight of Harry's current state, but it also gave her a sense of hope when she saw how happy he was snuggled into her arms.
She gave the boy a warm smile and another kiss on the top of his head, before a fiery determination filled her very being. She was going to protect him...And she was going to love him with all her heart! Harry had snuggled against her chest and let out a tiny yawn. In a matter of moments, he had dropped off to sleep. Cerebella smiled down at the sleeping boy, now unconsciously sucking his thumb.
'Oh, come on, how CUTE is that?!' She mentally squealed in delight. She smiled brightly and rocked him back and forth in her arms, humming a soft tune to the boy to keep him asleep as she made her way to where Vitale's office was.
Eventually, Cerebella reached Vitale's office. She gently shook Harry awake, and he groaned slightly before looking up at her. "All right, hun. You're about to meet someone very special to me. He's very nice. He wouldn't hurt a-"
"I'LL RIP OUT YOUR VITAL ORGANS AND SELL THEM ON THE BLACK MARKET, YOU USELESS LUMPS! UNBELIEVABLE! WE FINALLY HAD IT AND NOW IT'S GONE BECAUSE YOU IDIOTS CAN'T DO YOUR JOB PROPERLY! YOU BETTER FIND THAT DAMN GEM OR SO HELP ME I WILL RUIN YOU, DO YOU HEAR ME?! YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY WILL BE BLOWN AWAY!" A loud, booming voice sounded from the other side of the door.
Cerebella winced. Okay, so her boss sometimes lost his temper and yelled stuff he didn't mean... But he was still a very good man, just...stressed out.
She was pulled from her musing when she felt the tiny bundle of love in her arms trembling violently. Looking down with wide eyes, she saw him sitting with a haunted look in his eyes.
"No, please don't, I'm sorry, don't hit me, I didn't mean it, please, please, please..." Gradually, the boy stopped speaking altogetger and began to hyperventilate.
Vitale's yelling had caused him to have a PTSD induced panic attack. Cerebella quickly set to trying to comfort the small boy in her arms. She whispered into is ear, trying to soothe him with comforting hugs.
"It's okay, it's okay." She said calmly.
"He..he...he...he's like my...my...my...uncl..." Harry stammered, terrified before cutting himself off. Cerebella's eyes widened as he realized what Harry was implying.
"Your uncle...? Oh...So your uncle yelled at you a lot, did he?" She asked gently, moving a lock of hair out of his eyes and giving him a sad look. Harry nodded, and he looked like he was considering saying more, but ultimately decided not to. Cerebella sighed and adjusted him in her arms so she could look him in the eyes.
"I promise my friend is nothing like that. He's a kind and caring man, he just gets... stressed somewhat at times." She looked at him and saw his worried expression. She gave him a smirk and kissed his nose. "C'mon...Just remember that I'm right here." It seemed to take everything he had, but Harry nodded, looking up at the kind woman's smile. He wanted to smile back, but he just couldn't... not that Cerebella blamed him mind you.
Cerebella waited for the yelling to stop, holding Harry so that one ear was pressed against her chest and the other was covered by her hand. Finally, she seized the opportunity and knocked on the door.
"...Enter..." Vitale's voice grumbled from the other side of the door. Cerebella pushed the door open to find her father figure sitting at his desk, along with Ottomo and Black Dahlia, both looking annoyed at something.
Vitale, after years of experience, knew how to act around Cerebella to keep her putty in his hands. Changing to a somewhat softer facial expression, he opened his mouth to say something, but fell silent when he noticed the boy.
"Cerebella...What is the meaning of this?" He asked.
Cerebella blinked at her father figure, then looked back down at Harry. "Um...Well, I'll explain, but...Vitale, you sounded really upset there...What happened?" Vitale sighed and rubbed his temples.
"The life gem...It has been stolen from us, and now there is no telling where it could possibly be..." Cerebella frowned deeply at that, someone had taken the life gem?! But that meant... her frown turned to shock as she realized the implications. She'd have to do anything she could to help recover it.
"Cerebella, who is the boy?" Vitale asked again, his tone softer this time.
Cerebella looked down at Harry, who winced slightly. "His...His name is Harry...I...I found him out on the street and I couldn't just leave him there."
Vitale donned a thoughtful expression before leaning forward. "I see... That does seem to be in character for you... And what, pray tell, is his story?"
Cerebella frowned again, a somewhat awkward expression on her face. "That's... kinda personal right now." She admitted. "He'd prefer not to say too much."
Vitale decided not to press deeper. Right now, finding the stone was more important. If Cerebella wanted to play babysitter, so be it.
"Seriously, though, Vitale, I'm sorry about the stone... Who took it?"
"A gang of lowlives that call themselves the Fishbone Gang." Dahlia cut in. "The security team handled them. I assure you, they've been sent to the proper authorities."
"Well, that's good." Cerebella sighed. "Anything I can do to help?"
"No, not really." Vitale shook his head. "If anything comes up we'll let you know though."
Cerebella nodded her head. "Right, good to know. But Vitale, I really do wanna take Harry to live at the circus with me... He has nowhere else to go. Is it okay?"
Vitale eyed the boy. Small, frail, but every child had potential to be of some use to him. "Hmm...Very well." He nodded. "I'll allow this." Cerebella's mouth formed into a toothy grin. "Tell me, m'boy... Are you willing to do a little bit of work and learn the tools of the trade of the circus?" Harry looked down, a bad feeling welling up in his tummy.
"I...I did a lot of work for my aunt and uncle...It was hard, but I still got it done..."
"Working at the circus can be quite fun, dear boy. We won't make you do anything too difficult."
"Okay then." Harry nodded, still seeming quite shy.
"Well then, I suppose we have a new addition to the family." Vitale remarked, making Cerebella smile widely.
"Aww, thanks, Vitale! You won't regret this!" The young woman said gratefully, giving her father figure a tight hug that made him wince in pain.
"Yes, yes, yes, now please run along, Cerebella. This is a very important meeting, you know."
"Okay! See you later!" Cerebella said happily, leaving with Harry still in her arms.
The three still in the room watched as the green-haired woman left, Ottomo raising a brow slightly as he locked over to Vitale. Part of him felt inclined to ask why he was going along with this, but he also knew better than to question Vitale's choices. Add to that the fact that honestly, sooner or later they would probably end up having a kid show up wanting to "Run away and join the circus" and would end up joining them, but most pressingly, the gem still needed to be found.
"Ottomo." Vitale finally said after a few moment's silence. "I have job for you."
"You got it boss." The salamander said, agreeing to whatever it was Vialte needed him to do. This wasn't a time to make him angry.
"Dredge the riverbed where Dahlia dumped the remains of those damned Fishbones. Find any hints you can to find out where the life gem is. Contact our connections in Little Innsmouth and the River King Casino to find out where they hid it. Anything to find that gem."
"You got it." The mech nodded. "Anything else?"
"Keep an eye on Cerebella." Vitale added. "Don't make a big deal of it, and remember that stone is more important than anything right now. The Skull Heart will be re-appearing soon, and we need to be ready."
He turned to Dahlia. "I want you to be ready to fight the Skullgirl, Dahlia." Dahlia smirked.
"With pleasure." She purred. "But what of the boy?"
"Make no fuss about it. Later down the line, the boy may make good muscle. Anyone who lives in Cirque de Carte always ends up working for the Medicis in some capacity later down the line anyway. One more child will not change much."
The two nodded, both in understanding and agreement. Most women would have an issue with what they're agreeing to do, but Dahlia wasn't like most women.
"And if it comes up, try and find a thing or two about the boy's family. If we end up blackmailing them or killing them, it may help show the boy that there's... benefits to sticking with us." Vitale added, a slight smirk forming on his face.
Cerebella happily walked through the grounds, trying to figure out what she needed to do first. Harry was looking around in wide eyed wonder at everything around him.
Cerebella chuckled at the way the boy reacted to his surroundings. "Yeah...I remember my first time coming here...It was unlike anything I'd ever seen."
"It's so pretty." Harry replied, looking over her shoulder at everything around him, Cerebella patted his back, still trying to seem like a comforting presence.
"I think you're gonna really like it here Harry!" Cerebella sing-songed as she twirled around, earning a tiny giggle from the small boy. She looked over at the tent with a smile. "See that big tent over there? That's our showroom. Let's see if the rest of the family's in there, yeah?"
"Are...are they nice?" Harry stammered nervously.
"They're super nice!" Cerebella smiled. "You're gonna love them!"
Well, that was mostly true. Cerebella was a little nervous as to how they'd all react, but she assumed it'd be okay. The first one to meet up with them was Feng, who was just stepping out of the tent, when she saw her roommate and grinned widely. "Cerebella! Hi!" Before Cerebella could reply, her friend saw the tiny boy in her arms and gasped audibly. Her eyes sparkling at the sight. "Awww! Who's this little cutie?!"
Cerebella grinned proudly at Feng. "THIS little guy here is Harry! I'm gonna be taking care of him from now on! Harry, this is Feng, my best friend!" Harry timidly looked up, then gave a tiny wave.
"Hi miss Feng." He said, his voice tiny. Feng's smile just widened.
Cerebella chuckled. "Yeah, he's a little on the shy side, but hey...That's just part of his charm." Harry squeaked in slight embarrassment and buried his face into her chest.
"He's so cute! Where'd he come from?" Fern asked, the question making Cerbella's Smile disappear.
"That's kind of a touchy subject. Short version is... I found him in less than ideal conditions." She explained.
Feng's smile vanished as well, and she looked down slightly. "Ooooh... Um...I see... Sorry about that, didn't mean to bring up any bad memories..."
"It's okay Miss Feng." Harry said, now looking up at her, his emerald eyes seeming to show wonder as he looked up at the new woman. Cerebella smiled at the interaction between the two. She expected she'd need to help Harry warm up to the others, but he at least seemed to have started.
Feng perked right back up when Harry addressed her. "Awwww, Bella! Can I hold him?! Pleeeeeease?!" Cerebella put on an expression of mock thought.
"Hmm...I dunno...He's AWFUL cuddly..."
"I am?" Harry asked, surprised by the compliment.
"Your SUPER cuddly!" Cerebella cooed, nuzzling the top of his head playfully. After seeing Feng's frown, she smiled and slowly handed him over.
He let out a soft, barely audible whine at leaving Cerebella's grasp, and he looked up at the face of the new woman holding him. "Hi..." He squeaked. Feng had to hold back a deafening squeal of delight as she hugged Harry close, resting her cheek atop his tiny head.
"Oh...my...GOSH! You are so...freaking...TINY! RRRRGH! You're so widdle I'm gonna die!" Harry looked at her in complete and utter horror.
"N-No, don't die! I don't wanna kill anyone!" He pleaded in a panic, expecting the woman to keel over on the ground at any given moment.
"Awww! Your widdle voice is so cute!" Feng continued cooing over Harry, now cradling him like a baby. "Ooh, I just wanna eat you up!"
Harry was still terrified that he had done something wrong, and Feng seemed to notice his fear. She winced. "Uh...I think I did it wrong..." She said sheepishly before handing him back to Cerebella, who looked at her with a rather flat expression.
The greenette took the boy back into her embrace and hugged him gently, nuzzling her cheek against the top of his head. "No worries, little pal... She's not gonna die."
"M' sorry. I didn't mean to hurt her." Harry mumbled, genuinely believing Feng was going to die. Cerebella found it both adorable and somewhat disheartening.
"You didn't kiddo, don't worry." She smiled down at him.
"But she said she was gonna die because I was too small... I'm really dangerous if I can kill people just by being around them..." He said timidly.
"It's just an expression, little guy, that's all. Feng's still standin' strong, see?" Harry turned to see Feng sheepishly wave her hand at him.
"Oh. Okay." Harry finally said. "I'm stupid, I get it." The two women frowned at that and both tried to comfort him.
"Hey, don't talk like that okay?" Cerebella said kindly. "You're not stupid, your just a little guy."
"I'm sorry..." Harry mumbled, and Cerebella frowned at his complete and utter lack of self esteem and rocked him back and forth gently.
"Kid...C'mon, you need to try and like yourself a little more. You're a really likeable little guy, you know. You're nice, polite and really freaking cute."
"I am?" Harry asked, making Cerebella realize just how much this kid seemed to have had his worthlessness beaten into him, more literally than she realized. Feng smiled and kissed his forehead.
"Yup!" She smiled.
Harry squeaked in surprise at Feng's unexpected intervention, and Cerebella smirked. "Think you just jumpscared the little guy, Feng." Feng seemed to frown somewhat, seeming to understand that Harry wasn't used to this.
"Sorry little guy, I just wanted you to know how cute you are." She said. "Okay...Thank you..." The boy whimpered out softly. Cerebella sighed softly. She had her work cut out for her... Well, for the time being, he needed to meet the others.
Cerebella thought over who she should introduce Harry to next. He had met Vitale, and the two seemed to get along fine, Feng clearly liked him.
"Why hello there, ladies." Cerebella and Feng both grimaced at the sound of the lustful voice.
Cerebella frowned slightly as she turned around, she wasn't sure how THIS interaction was going to end, but she could hope for the best.
"Hi Taliesin." She said simply. "What are you up to?"
"Well, I WAS going to practice my performance, but since you're here, there are other activities I wouldn't mind doing, if you know what I mean..."
"You are such a CREEP!" Feng whined.
"And yet you..." he began but stopped, genuinely surprised when he saw Harry in Cerebella's arms. "Well, who might this be?" The man leaned down and eyed Harry with a critical eye. "Hmm... Not much to look at now, but some day, he just may be worth adding..." He ceased his mumbling when Vice-Versa grabbed him by the throat and held him right up to Cerebella's snarling face.
"Don't. Even. Think. About. It." She said with more fury than was probably expected. Feng watched in surprise and in a little bit of shock.
Taliesin grinned under his mask. "My, my, awfully bold of you to stand up to me on the boy's behalf. But then, women are always so mindlessly loving of children. Rather humourous if you ask me." Vice-Versa grabbed him again, and one hand made a fist.
"Not yet Versa." Cerebella said flatly. As much as she wanted to, she didn't want to frighten Harry more than he proabably already was. Indeed, the boy had his face buried into her chest, clinging tightly to her dress as he whimpered softly. The masked man was scary... Really really scary. Cerebella scowled deeper as she felt Harry's body tense up once again. She didn't say anything, but simply pushed Taliesin out of the way and kept walking. Feng flipped him off and followed.
Cerebella looked down at the trembling boy and patted his head. "It's okay, buddy... Talliesin's a huge jerk. Almost no one likes him." She said with a wink. While it didn't stop his trembling completely, it did seem to reassure him somewhat, he looked up at Cerebella, who smiled back at him.
"I...okay." He mumbled.
Cerebella sighed, the meeting with Tallesin going about as bad as she had expected... She was interrupted from her thoughts when she bumped into something. Looking up, she saw a mountain of pure muscle, and smiled. "Hubrecht! How ya doin', big guy?!" Hubrecht slowly turned around when he heard his name called and smiled down at Cerebella.
"Aw, Cerebella!" He smiled, then seemed to notice Harry. "Who's your new friend?"
Harry squeaked and made himself as small as possible in Cerebella's arms, much to her amusement. "Ah, this is Harry. He's gonna be living with me and Feng."
"Ah, hello there little Harry." Hubrecht said looking down at the tiny boy. After a few moments, Harry looked up at the large man.
"H...hi." Harry finally said.
Hubrecht grinned widely. "Hi to you too! Welcome to the circus! Hope you like it so far! Have you tried the cotton candy?! It's so good!"
"Hubrecht, did you eat all the cotton candy again?" Cerebella asked, rolling her eyes when she noticed the pink cotton on the bulky man's face.
"Haha! Yes!" Hubrecht replied happily. Harry let a small smile form, the big purple man seemed nice like Cerebella. He reached down and patted Harry's head with his huge hand. "Don't worry little guy, they're probably making more right now." He reassured Harry.
"Oh, okay, that's good. Then all the people watching can have some too." Humbrecht laughed.
"I always forget the audience likes cotton candy too! How funny is that?!" Harry let a tiny giggle escape. He wasn't sure how or why it was funny, but he couldn't help but let a giggle out. Cerebella sighed in relief at how much better this was going compared to the first meeting with Taliesin. It was no surprise though. Hubrecht was a loveable giant and Taliesin was a dirtbag.
Someone else called the giant and he headed off to help with something. Feng decided to head off and help as well. Cerebella smiled down at Harry and patted his head.
"I take it you like Hubrecht, huh kid?" She asked with a smile.
Harry nodded his head. "He's nice... And he's funny too..." Cerebella chuckled. Then, she encountered the troupe's designated leader, the ever strict and cold Regina, disciplining one of her lions. Cerebella was more worried about Regina than the lions, especially considering the latter were literally grovelling at their mistress's feet.
"Uh...H-Hey, Regina! Um...How ya doing?" Cerebella called out nervously. Regina turned to face her with an impassive expression that quickly shifted to confusion.
"Cerebella." She greeted rather curtly with a nod. "And to what do I owe the pleasure of meeting...erm...this young man?" She gestured to Harry.
"Well... this is Harry." Cerebella replied, a bit more awkwardly than she intended. "He's going to be staying with us."
Regina raised a brow questioningly but eventually gave Harry a kind, albeit small, smile. "Hello there Harry." She said with a slight wave.
"Hi, Miss Regina... I like your big kitties..." Harry said shyly. Regina blinked, then looked over at her lions, who all gave nervous, toothy grins.
"Yes well... they can be prideful, but they can also be quite... frustrating." She sighed, casting a glance over her shoulder at the two lions, who seemed to shrink back in fear.
"They're pretty. I like their hair." Harry said softly. One of the lions looked at the boy with a slightly tilted head, letting out what could only be described as a curious growl. Regina's stoic and somewhat stern face changed to a gentler smile as she looked down at Harry again.
"Well I think they appreciate that Harry." She said.
Harry smiled softly, looking down shyly. "I like kitties..." He mumbled softly. "They're fluffy... And it makes me happy when they purr..." Regina smiled at the small boy, then looked up at Cerebella.
"How's he liking it here so far?" She asked.
"Well, Humbrecht was fine around him, Tallesin..." Cerebella began but trailed off, and Regina understood.
"I'll be sure to have words with him." Regina assured, causing a shiver to run down Taliesin's spine, even though he was on the other side of the tent. Cerebella smirked.
"Whip gonna be involved?" Regina simply nodded in response. "Good. I've been getting really sick of that creep, he needs to be knocked down a few pegs."
"Yes, it's about time someone has done so, especially with a child around, he can't keep acting the way he does." Regina muttered. Harry for his part, was confused by what was going on but was still too nervous to ask.
"Well, anyway, I still have one person left to introduce him to..." Cerebella sighed. "And hopefully it goes over well...Have you seen Beatrix, Regina?"
"I believe she's practicing her routine in her bedroom." Regina replied. "Interrupt her at your own peril." Cerebella chuckled and walked off, thinking Regina was kidding. She wasn't.
As Cerebella opened the door to Beatrix's room, the "Hey Beatrix" greeting she was about to begin with was cut off by full-throated shouting.
"DAMN IT CEREBELLA! WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT COMING IN HERE WHEN I'M PRACTICING!?"
Harry buried his face into Cerebella's chest, now terrified beyond words.
Cerebella, for her part, had to move her head to avoid getting a knife through the brain. She gave her co-worker a nervous grin. "Uuuuh... Not to do it...?"
"Exactly! And yet every single time, you..." Her voice trailed off when she sighted the little boy in Cerebella's arms. "...What the..." She approached slowly, leaning down and giving the boy a critical gaze. "And who might this be?" She asked questioningly. Harry, however, was on the verge of tears, but also knew what would happen if he cried, what always happened if he cried. Only alone with Miss Cerebella... He would hold it in until then... Cerebella seemed to notice and did her best to comfort him.
"Hey, don't worry, Harry, this is just Beatrix. She's a bit of a loudmouth, but she won't hurt ya. I promise you that." She gave the boy a smile and a wink.
"Hmm, yeah, sure." Beatrix waved off what Cerebella said. She was gazing at him intently, clearly interested in something. Cerebella grew rather weirded out.
"Um... Trix?" Cerebella asked, then squeaked in shock when Beatrix suddenly snatched Harry out of her arms and continued examining him up and down, a stoic yet thoughtful look on her face.
Harry froze up as soon as he left Cerebella's arms, going as stiff as a board and staring forward with wide eyes. Beatrix studied him carefully. "Wow...Unbelievable..."
"Uh...Hello?!" Snapped a rather irritated Cerebella. "At least ask for permission before you snatch him away!" Vice-Versa reached over and removed Harry from Beatrix's hold before placing him back in Cerebella's arms.
"Right, right right..." Beatrix muttered with a slight wave of her hand. "It's just... Cerebella, I think there's more to this little boy than you understand."
Cerebella raised a brow before looking back at Harry. "More to him than I understand? He pretty much just looks like your average little kid to me. I mean, he's a little small, but..."
"Oh just shut it, all right?! I mean he has magic, like me!" Beatrix snapped. Harry visibly cringed at the word 'magic'. "Kid, tell me what you can do with your magic."
"I...I...I..." Harry began stammering, the fear of 'magic' and of this new woman completely overtaking him. He felt like he was going to break down crying again, but he was still afraid of what would happen to him if he did...
Luckily for him, Cerebella came to his defense. "Give it a rest, would ya?! Can't you see you're freaking him out?!" Beatrix snorted in response and ignored her.
"C'mon, kid, spill the beans. How does it work? Let's hear it!" Harry whimpered, feeling very threatened. He felt trapped, as if there was no way out of it. Eventually, the fear became too much and he burst into tears, burying his face into Cerebella's shoulder and crying loudly. Cerebella looked at him in great concern, then narrowed her eyes at Beatrix, who scoffed at the sight. "Oh, gimme a break, kid! You're seriously gonna start crying over-OOGH!"
Beatrix found herself doubling over with her hands clutching her gut as Cerebella pulled her fist back. In her rage, she hadn't even bothered using Vice-Versa. "Leave...him...ALONE, Beatrix. He doesn't have to tell you ANYTHING, so just can it!"
Beatrix was taken aback by Cerebella's anger, she hadn't seen Cere this angry... well, ever. She was pulled from those thoughts, however, when Harry finally burst out the things his magic had done in an effort to avoid punishment. "I make things float! I change things colours! I make my owies go away really fast! I sometimes end up in places without trying! I...I...Don't hurt me, please, please, please..." Cerebella tightened her hold on him, bouncing him in her arms, as Beatrix scowled.
"That's the makings of a great wizard... Cerebella! It would be a waste for a potential magical prodigy to be raised by a weight lifting bimbo like you! Hand him over here! I will turn him into something great!"
"Beatrix...You're kidding me right now, aren't you? You scared him to freaking tears, and you expect me to give him up to you? Someone he's afraid of?"
"He'll learn to stop fearing me! He'll have to, Cerebella! Give him here, now!" Cerebella gritted her teeth and snarled.
"Harry's not going with you, Beatrix! I'm I'm looking after him, NOT you!" The two women glared at each other, showing no sign of backing down. Beatrix looked at Harry.
"Kid, trust me. Just come with me and you'll learn everything there is to know about your magic. Why live with that oblivious smiling brute when you can stay with someone who can teach you everything you need?" Still crying, Harry pressed himself even further into Cerebella. "Oh for the love of-Come HERE, you little-" Beatrix made a move to snatch Harry away, but Vice-Versa abruptly raised it's hand and shoved her away. "You have no idea what he's capable of!" Beatrix shouted, her anger rising. "He could change the world! He could be the most powerful magic user in existence! You couldn't possibly train him let alone raise him!"
Now Cerebella felt nothing but absolute fury. She and Beatrix didn't always (if ever) get along, but this... this was different, she felt hate, and she hated herself for it, and she hated having to expose Harry to this.
"I'd be a WAY better parent than you. Beatrix! You don't have a single nice bone in your entire body! All you do is pick on everyone else and threaten them with your damn knives! You couldn't raise a kid! You'd probably end up killing it!"
"Please stop..." Harry mumbled, too quietly to be heard over the two arguing.
"At least I'd be able to raise him not to be weak! You'd just raise him to be a spoiled brat who couldn't defend himself!" Beatrix shot back.
"Oh yeah?! Well you'd raise him to be a stuck-up, arrogant, snotty bitch like you!" Cerebella snapped back, to which Beatrix snarled angrily.
"If you raise him, he'll grow up without a single ounce of brainpower! He'll be a brainless, asskissing sheep with no agenda that mindlessly does whatever the hell he's told because of some stupid parent complex! JUST! LIKE! YOU!"
That was enough for Cerebella, she handed Harry to Vice-Versa and stepped forward, slamming the door behind her. Harry looked up at Vice-Versa, clearly frightened.
Vice-Versa looked back down at the boy, wincing slightly, before carefully placing his hands over his ears. Harry looked down at the ground, nervously.
Vice-Versa heard everything that was going on. The two girls were screaming at each other and there was a clear commotion in the room that went on for what felt like hours, before eventually, the door was thrown open. Both girls were covered in scrapes, Cerebella moreso because Beatrix had used her knives, and their hair was a complete mess. Both were scowling in rage.
"Typical Cerebella! Always thinking with her damn fists! Never uses that pea sized brain in her head!" Cerebella turned and glared coldly.
"You'd be a terrible mom, Beatrix. You can't even treat your co-workers with common human decency. You'd abuse any kid that ended up with you because you just don't have a decent bone in your body. I'd NEVER trust Harry with someone like you. Now stay the hell out of our way, you miserable BITCH." Cerebella all but spat the last word.
Storming out of the room, Beatrix slammed the door once again leaving Cerebella breathing heavily and angrily. She looked over and saw how frightened Harry looked. Immediately, the anger in her body evaporated as she hurried over and took Harry back into her arms and began rocking him back and forth, talking soothingly to him.
"There, there sweetie, there, there. I'm here now, I won't let anyone hurt you..." She cooed, feeling Harry shivering in her arms. She sighed deeply and kissed him on the forehead, doing her best to soothe him.
"You were yelling... It's my fault." He mumbled, being so used to being blamed for everything, he believed this was no different.
Cerebella shook her head and nuzzled his cheek. "No, buddy... It's not your fault at all. See, Beatrix never liked me very much... Can't really tell ya why, but she's always been sure to let me know. That's pretty much just the way it's always been... So don't blame yourself. She's the one that tried to bully us."
"O-Okay..." The boy whimpered, nuzzling in closer to his newfound caregiver, who smiled softly and moved a stray lock from his hair, before wincing at the feeling of grease.
"Yeesh... You really need a bath, little guy..."
"I've never had one..." Harry replied timidy, and Cerebella smiled sadly down at him.
"I can tell..." she sighed, shaking her head slightly. The two headed over to a tent where a bath was located, Feng ran alongside, catching up to her friend.
"Hey, you two okay?" She asked.
Cerebella sighed softly and looked back at her friend. "Weeeell, I went to introduce him to Beatrix... It didn't go well. C'mon, let's head back to our room. We need to get this kid washed up and fed."
"Ooh! Ooh! I'll make some soup for him while you wash him up!" Feng said with a large smile. Cerebella gave her roommate a toothy grin and a thumbs up.
"Sounds good to me, Feng. Thanks a lot."
"Thank you Miss Feng." Harry said, looking up at the woman, who gave a wide smile down at Harry.
"You're welcome cutie!" She smiled, before heading off to make Harry something to eat while Cerebella carried Harry into the bathroom.
On the way there, however, they encountered a distraction. They heard a soft meow, and Cerebella smiled at the feeling of something brushing against and weaving through her legs.
A small black cat made itself known, upon seeing its owner. It jumped up onto a chair, then onto a desk, then hopped its way up onto Vice-Versa's bicep.
"Kitty?" Harry said in a way that made Cerebella want to squeal in delight at how cute it sounded. The cat looked down and saw the small boy and meowed curiously.
Cerebella reached up and scratched her pet under the chin gently. "Heh...Yeah, little guy, he's my cat. His name's Kitty. I'm not too good with names." Harry slowly reached his tiny hand up to the cat, who leaned forward and gave it a sniff before nuzzling his head against it affectionately.
Harry slowly stroked the cat's fur, making it purr contently. Cerebella smiled at the interaction. It was clear her cat had a new friend. "Good to know we got another little cat lover in here." Cerebella said with a wink. "They're awesome little pets to have around, aren't they?"
Harry nodded. "M-My babysitter had kitties... Lots of kitties... They were nice... Kinda grumpy sometimes, but...they always let me pet them..." Kitty meowed happily and nuzzled closer to Harry, making the small boy giggle.
"Well, I think it's safe to say that kitty doesn't mind being pet by you one bit." Cerebella commented. Then she remembered their initial purpose for coming here in the first place. "Oh yeah, you need a bath. Heh... You're quite the distraction, aren'tcha, Kitty?" She petted her pet's head.
The cat meowed and seemed to settle down on Vice-Versa's head as they continued to where Harry would be cleaned up. Cerebella smiled as she entered another room, ready to clean Harry up.
She approached the tub and turned on the water, watching as the tub filled up. Kitty quickly fled the second he saw the tub filling, thinking he was the one that would be bathing. Cerebella chuckled at Harry's disappointment. "No worries, kiddo. He doesn't like water. Okay, how's the temperature?" She gently took his hand and set it in the water, frowning as she saw him visibly flinch before relaxing.
"It doesn't burn..." He said softly. Cerebella nodded.
"I'd never burn you, Harry..." She said softly. "Okay, so it's good?" Harry nodded. "Awesome. Let's just get you in there..." Her voice trailed off as she removed the boy's shirt.
He was covered in scars and wounds, some were deeper than others, and some still seemed fresh. Dried blood coated his tiny frame, and on top of it all, it was clear he hadn't eaten well... proabably ever.
"I...I..." Cerebella stammered. "Who did this to you?"
Harry looked down, feeling deep shame when Cerebella asked him that question. He was extremely hesitant to answer, but there was really no getting out of it. "M-My...My uncle..."
Cerebella said nothing. She turned around and slowly walked towards a nearby wall. Then, with a yell of rage, she punched a hole clean through the wall, without the help of Vice-Versa.
She felt the anger still flowing through her, she was so furious she almost felt numb from it. How could Harry's own FAMILY do this to him?! Actually, scratch that, Cerebella didn't care as much as she did about the fact that they DID. They abused this tiny, innocent angel and to such an extent that he ran off to live in the trash...
The thought of it triggered her temper again, and she pounded the wall with her other fist, creating a large crack that ran up almost the entirety of the wall. She felt her body trembling with rage...only for her rage to melt away when she heard Harry whimpering.
Slowly, she turned around and saw the little boy covering his eyes and shying away from her, almost as if he was trying to hide from her... Cerebella moved forward to try and comfort him, but Harry just shrunk back, trying to seem as small as possible.
'Damn it Cere, look what you've done...' Cerebella mentally cursed herself. The greenette took a deep breath and raised her hands placatingly. "Harry, look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. It just...makes me mad that anyone would do this to you..." She sighed softly. "I shouldn't have flown off the handle like that, little guy... Sheesh, we've just been scaring you all day, haven't we? Vitale, Feng, Talliesin, Beatrix... and now me..." She sighed once more. "Yeah, sorry things have been so crazy today, kiddo..."
Harry looked up at her, whimpering softly, before slowly raising up his tiny arms towards Cerebella. "H-Hug...?" He asked softly.
"Of course." Cerebella smiled, wrapping her arms around the tiny boy and hugging him tenderly. She nuzzled the top of his tiny head with her cheek as she swayed back and forth, doing her best to reassure Harry that all was okay. "I promise you, Harry... As long as you're here, no one will ever hurt you... I won't allow it." She whispered softly in his ear. "D'you understand?" She smiled when she felt the boy nod into her chest. "Good... Now let's get you cleaned up, all right?"
Setting the boy in the tub, she carefully began scrubbing at his tiny body, trying her best to clean off all traces of dirt without hurting him.
She shampooed his greasy hair, she rubbed him down with a loofah, she rinsed him off, and then she patted his head. "There we go, is that better?"
Harry looked up and nodded, it was clear to Cerebella that without his glasses, the poor boy was practically blind. She began humming a gentle tune that Harry seemed to enjoy, he swayed gently in the warm water as the woman continued cleaning him up. Scrubbing away the dirt and... sadly Cerebella had to assume blood from his tiny frame. She did her best not to show her sadness, anger or disgust as she saw the scars on Harry's body, no doubt put there by his own family... But still, Harry had her now, and she would take EXTRA good care of him!
Soon enough, Harry's body was completely dirt free. Smirking, Cerebella pulled him out of the tub. Vice-Versa helpfully handed a towel over to her.
She carefully wrapped the boy up in the towel, carefully drying him off. She held him up to eye level. He looked extremely cute with his tiny little face peeking out from the fluffy towel.
Smiling softly, Cerebella hugged him gently against her bosom, watching with amusement as he snuggled in closer. He was like a tiny, cuddly cocccoon.
"There's a cute little guy." She said playfully, poking his nose, Harry blushed at the kindness and then yawned audibly, seeming to be drifting in and out of sleep. "Awww, is someone sweepy?" Said asked playfully.
"N...no." Harry mumbled out, clearly losing the fight with sleep. "I'm awake... I can work..."'
"Try and stay awake for a few minutes more Harry, we've got some food to put in your little belly."
As if to emphasize the point, she poked his tiny stomach with her pointer finger, prompting him to let out a soft, tired giggle that melted her heart.
Stepping out of the bathroom, she called out to her roommate. "Yo, Feng! Is the food nearly done?! Kid needs to eat so he can take a nap!"
"Yeah, just about done! I just wanted to make sure I did it right!" Cerebella rolled her eyes. Feng and her cooking... Smiling, she took a seat on the sofa.
She smiled playfully at the bundle in her arms, resting his head against her chest so he be comfortable. Cerebella thought he looked adorable... but was also way too skinny... there was barely any meat on his bones, and his stomach was almost concave... well. She was going to fix that!
As if on cue, Feng appeared with a steaming bowl and a huge smile on her face.
She handed the bowl over to Cerebella, who took it with a grateful smile. "Heh... Thanks, Feng..." She said quietly before grabbing the spoon and blowing gently on the soup.
"Thank you." Harry parroted his caretaker before she placed a spoonful of soup in his mouth. The expression on his face caused Feng to stick her nose up pridefully.
"Ha! Ya see, it's always better to take your time when you're cooking! That's the only way your food will come out tasting good!" Cerebella grumbled at the subtle jab at her lackluster cooking skills.
The two girls looked at Barry's wide-eyed face as he tasted the soup and though it was adorable. He seemed to be savouring every bit of it before almost unknowingly opening his mouth as if asking for more. Cerebella smiled and happily scooped another spoonful and placed it gently in his tiny mouth.
She fed the boy the entire bowl of soup, feeling immense satisfaction from seeing him eat his meal. Finally, they were on the first step to getting some meat on those little bones!
When the soup was gone, Feng was quick to grab the bowl. "Want some more, Harry? I made lots of it!" Harry opened his mouth to reply, but ended up yawning instead.
Cerebella chuckled. "I think the little guy would rather take a nap for now, Feng. I'm gonna go take him up to my bed, yeah? Be right back."
Feng nodded and took the dishes away while Cerebella rested Harry's head on her shoulder. The boy seemed to be growing sleepier and sleepier as she made her way to her room. By the time she reached it, Harry was nearly asleep. Smiling, Cerebella gently lifted the blanket on her bed and tucked Harry under it, pulling it up to his chin as his eyes closed and he drifted off to sleep.
The greenette knew she told Feng she'd be back, but... she didn't want to leave her boy's bedside. She took a kneeling position and gently cupped his cheek with her hand.
Oh my goodness he was adorable. It wasn't fair how adorable he was... He was such a tiny little thing, and so cuddly as well... How could anyone hurt him?
Then her mind drifted back to what she had seen beneath that shirt and she found her temper flaring again. "I...am gonna make those bastards PAY..."
As if on cue, Harry whimpered and began tossing and turning in his sleep. Cerebella blinked, then her eyes widened as she realized what was happpening. Gently but quickly she took Harry's tiny hand in her own and held it reassuringly, when that didn't seem to do the trick she began humming a gentle tune quietly to the little boy, which seemed to drastically calm him down as the tiny snoring returned.
She smiled softly and tenderly at the boy. Leaning over, she pressed her lips against his cheek, allowing them to linger for a few moments before pulling away.
"I'm so glad I found you..." She whispered softly into his ear. "I'm not sure exactly what they did to you... But I'm here to protect you now..."
Harry let out a soft coo in his sleep and rolled over, now facing her. Then, he spoke softly through his dreams. "Love you...miss Bella..."
Cerebella felt like her heart was going to explode. She surpressed a happy squeal and coated Harry's tiny sleeping face in kisses.
"I love you too, baby." She whispered.
Cerebella remained by Harry's side for a good long while, a new feeling swelling up in her chest. It was a odd sense of warmth, unlike any other kind she had felt before.
She gently stroked Harry's cheek. She felt like...like a mother tending to her child... Was... Was this how Vitale felt when he found her for the first time...?
If only she knew...
She then remembered she had left her friend hanging. "Uh-oh, better get back down there..." She gently messed with Harry's hair. "Sleep tight, buddy."
Quickly and quietly leaving, Harry was now in a state of absolute bliss. For the first time in forever, he had a happy dream of a kind, green-haired woman giving him hugs, caring for him, feeding him, everything he so desperately wanted for so long but was denied. Harry didn't think things could get any better...
He was going to be proven wrong though, very, VERY wrong...
