WHO: Kate Bishop and Kira Yukimura WHAT: Kira’s arrival WHEN: February 1 WHERE: Street/sidewalk WARNINGS: None STATUS: Completed by Gdoc
It was dark here, and cool. Kira had been expecting to leave the Skinwalkers soon but she hadn’t expected it to be quite so sudden. She knew that she had come a long way towards gaining control of the Fox. No longer did it try to take over when they fought - now Kira and the fox worked together in a deadly symbiosis. They had gone from becoming two separate creatures fighting for control to one powerful Kitsune that embraced the human and the fox parts of her identity.
It hadn’t been easy to win her control. It had, in fact, been incredibly hard and incredibly painful. She had long ago lost time of the days…months…or even years she had been among the Skin Walkers. Were her parents still alive? Was Scott? Was the world anything like she remembered? Or had only a few months passed in the real world? She had absolutely no context for the passing of time.
And this place where she had appeared didn’t look familiar at all. It certainly wasn’t Beacon Hills. She walked to the curb, her footsteps breaking the silence. It was so very quiet here.
“Hello?” She called, then repeated in Japanese. That was another thing she’d learned when she and the fox had settled their differences - she was now fully bilingual.
“Scott? Stiles? Lydia? Malia?”
So far as she knew they were all dead from old age now, but she was still going to hold on to the hope they weren’t.
“Anybody?”
Without looking down she took another step forward, missing the curb and just barely catching herself before she face-planted on the street. Well, good to know that at least some things hadn’t changed.
***
Suddenly, Lucky was yanking on his leash. Kate’s arm was nearly pulled from its socket. “Whoa! Slow down!” She said, but the dog was pulling hard, whining a little, as he rushed them down the sidewalk.
Kate was working with Linda’s little boy all day every day--and she loved it--but it meant that when she got home it was time to take Lucky out for his evening walk. He wasn’t normally so tuggy, wasn’t often so enthusiastic.
“What’d you see, a squirrel?” She asked, grinning, as he turned the corner sharply and his tail started to wag furiously. Lucky was an incredible judge of character, and Kate saw the telltale signs: the hopeful whine, the wagging tail, the enthusiasm. She knew he’d found someone that he either liked very much… or wanted to?
The one-eyed, golden dog tugged his leash out of Kate’s grip and rushed straight up to a young woman who nearly fell down off the sidewalk. He sat on the curb, his tail brushing the dirt and leaves behind him, his body practically vibrating with excitement.
Kate caught up, breathing a little hard. “Lucky! What--hi,” she added, turning her attention to the young woman. “Sorry--he’s really friendly,” she added. “I don’t know what’s gotten into him.”
***
Kira wasn’t sure either. Maybe he wanted to hunt her, since dogs and foxes didn’t always get along and she was pretty sure that she smelled like one. Or maybe it was like that old, cheesy Disney movie where foxes and dogs were friends. Who knew?
“Oh, it’s okay,” she said, testing her ankle to make sure she hadn’t hurt it, which she was pretty sure she hadn’t. Thankfully, it seemed like she was right. “I’m Kira,” she said by way of introduction. “Is this…Beacon Hills?” Everything felt wrong, but she didn’t even know how long she’d been gone, training with the Skin Walkers. “Do you know Scott McCall? Or Stiles Stilinski?”
***
“Hi, I’m Kate.” Kate grinned warmly as she bent down to pick up Lucky’s leash. She stared at the dog for a moment as his jaw dropped just a little and his tongue lolled out. He turned his eye from Kate to the kitsune, and then back again. “What’s your deal? You often accost strangers on the street?” She asked of the dog, but he didn’t reply. (Of course he didn’t reply.)
“....no, this is Madison Valley. Wait, you know Stiles?” …what were the odds? “Yeah, I know Stiles. He’s here. And Scott is his friend, right? I haven’t met him yet.” She paused. “...have you ever heard of the Multiverse theory? The idea that there are like, an infinite number of universes out there? Well… welcome to a new universe.”
***
“Is he friendly?” Kira asked. He seemed friendly, but she wasn’t really in the mood to get bitten, either. She’d never had a dog growing up. She couldn’t help but worry if her mom’s fox just didn’t get along with them at all. Kira wanted do get along with the dog, and she crouched a little and held out her hand to Lucky. When the dog looked at her, though, her eyes flashed an almost burning orange for just a moment, in case the dog had any question of what she really was. When she looked back up at Kate, her eyes were their normal brown.
“Yeah, Scott’s his best friend. We were dating. Me and Scott, I mean, not me and Stiles. We probably aren’t anymore, though. We didn’t officially break up when I joined the Skin Walkers but we didn’t officially stay together either and really who knows how long it’s been? I mean, uh, this sounds weird, but what year is it?”
She blinked a little at the welcome to a new universe.
“Huh. I think I saw something about that on a TV show once.”
***
“Yes,” Kate responded with an enthusiastic nod. “Yes, he’s friendly. He’s the best dog who ever dogged.” At that, Lucky sat again, his tail wagging furiously. Kate reached down and started petting the dog’s shoulder, running her hand along his long, soft fur.
Lucky dipped his head forward and sniffed at Kira’s hand. He didn’t seem phased by the change in her eyes. Because he was a great dog. And that’s what great dogs did. They were patient and kind and understanding. They loved people the way people loved them. And Lucky was a good dog.
Kate’s eyebrows rose at that. Her heart hitched for a moment, but then started again. Was it weird that she was relieved that Kira--who was beautiful and formidable, she could tell--was Scott’s former girlfriend and not Stiles’s former girlfriend?
“Skin walkers?” Kate asked. “Uh…” She drew her phone from her pocket and clicked the screen on. The day, time, and year were displayed on the home screen. “Well… it’s true. I mean, you’re in Madison Valley, but people are here from various different worlds, different universes. Do you know who the Avengers are?”
***
She looked at the date on the other girl’s phone and breathed a sigh of relief. It was later than she remembered, yes, but not by decades or centuries or anything horrible like that. Scott would still be alive. Most of them would be, probably. Maybe even all of them. With everything they’d been through, it was scary sometimes to think who would be the next to fall. So far they’d been lucky that it had only been Allison. She’d known the other girl - not as much as she would have liked to, but her loss had hurt, regardless.
“Yeah…the Skin Walkers…helped me.” She didn’t want to go further than that. She didn’t want to just blurt out what she was, since she didn’t know this girl at all. Maybe she killed kitsunes for fun. Although she doubted it, with how sweet the girl’s dog seemed to be.
Animals were better at judging people, most of the time, than other people were.
“Madison Valley?” Her eyes widened and she hugged herself tightly, a bit unsure suddenly. “Where is that? Is that anywhere near Beacon Hills? Or New Mexico?” How would she have gotten anywhere else?
“The Avengers? Uh…no?”
Maybe there’d been a movie, but she’d never watched it.
***
Kate had no idea what that meant, or what the Skin Walkers were. She nodded, though, because being helped was a good thing, right? …though, the name Skin Walkers was quite creepy. Quite creepy indeed. Still, this girl seemed to be with it. She seemed to have a solid understanding of… like, the world. Reality. Whatever. And she knew Stiles? So there was that.
“Uh… it’s in Ohio.” Kate said. “I don’t… uh… I don’t know about Beacon Hills. That’s where you came from?” That was where Stiles was from, right? Hadn’t he mentioned it? Kate wished she remembered better. If only she’d taken notes!
“Oh. Well. Uh.” She paused again. This was so awkward. “Where I’m from there’s this team of superheroes, and they’re called The Avengers, and I’m sort of a Junior Member.” As soon as she said it, she wished she hadn’t. “I mean, I’m an actual member. Like, I’m totally an Avenger.” God, that sounded even worse.
“Anyway, you’re gonna get a home and a credit card and some other stuff. They like, know when you first arrive here. Somehow.”
***
“You’re a superhero?” Her eyes widened, but in a good way. She clearly thought that was cool. “What’s your weapon? I’m pretty good with a katana.” Pretty good? Yeah, that was a huge understatement. She was pretty impossible to beat unless you happened to be an Oni or another Kitsune. Or Nogitsune.
But why was she saying this? She sounded stupid, didn’t she? Well, years with the Skin Walkers hadn’t helped with that anyway. She blushed a little, clearly a little uncomfortable.
“That’s really cool, though. I mean, you do good things and help people, right?”
That was what they’d always tried to do. Scott would spend his whole life doing the same thing. He was the best person she’d ever met.
***
Kate nodded, grinning. So, apparently, that was the right thing to say. Even if Kira didn’t know who the Avengers were, she got the idea of superheroes. Progress. “Yeah! Mostly I’m an archer. Probably second best archer in the world on a bad day.” On a good day? Watch out for Kate’s ego, Clint! “A katana! Cool! I do a little hand to hand. Took a shit ton of fencing classes when I was a teenager, too, so uh… yeah. I’ve used those skills, too.”
Another nod came from Kate, and Lucky turned to look between them, as if watching a tennis match. Kate responded, “I do. I mean, I try to. Most of the time it works out.” Not always, but a lot of the time. “Do you… like coffee? You look like a person in dire need of a cup of coffee.”
***
Kira didn’t really want to explain that she’d never really had lessons of any sort. It was kind of embarrassing. The Kitsune had become a part of her and brought with it the crazy katana skills. It had almost gone way too far with it, and that was where the Skin Walkers had helped. “We could spar around sometime if you like?” She’d probably have to tell her that she wasn’t human just to be fair, but she didn’t have to do that right now.
“Coffee sounds amazing,” she smiled. They didn’t have coffee wherever she’d been, and when the girl mentioned it, her stomach practically growled in anticipation.
***
“Yeah? I’d like that a lot!” Not that Kate could really hold her own when it came to hand-to-hand or even swordplay. Sure, she could fence in a controlled environment… but she was an archer for a reason. She liked being at a distance. “Like I said, they’re gonna set you up with an apartment, and all this other stuff. And so you’ll be comfortable, because uh… you’re probably gonna be here a while. Some people from other universes have been here for like, eight years. I’ve only been here a few months.”
The idea of coffee made Kate brighten considerably. “Yeah! C’mon. Let’s go grab some coffee and we’ll figure out what to do next.” Hopefully someone would show up and give her a big envelope stuffed with all the stuff she needed.
“C’mon, Lucky,” she added. The dog seemed happy to walk between them down the sidewalk as they headed to the cafe on the corner. ***
“Just…don’t feel bad if I win, okay?” She really didn’t want her to feel like she was doing badly. “I’m…” She sighed, she’d kind of backed her way into this. “I’m a Kitsune.” Would she know what that was? She seemed really cool, so Kira assumed that she would.
“My own apartment?” That sounded great, after the years she’d spent with almost no privacy at all. The Skin Walkers hadn’t wasted time with such a human thing. She followed Kate as she listed all the things she’d be receiving, but things really weren’t as important to her as they’d once been.
“Scott and Stiles are here too, you said?”
She definitely wanted to see them, and soon. Just seeing them would get rid of some of her anxiety, she was sure.
***
Kate chuckled. “Not at all. I mean, yeah, I’m a superhero, but I’m one of the ones who ends up bloody and bruised, with tape holding my body together at the end of the night, so… as long as you don’t kill me I think we’re fine.” She nodded once, as if the word kitsune made perfect sense to her. But she couldn’t keep up that ruse. “A kitsune? That’s iike… um…” …she actually had no idea. Had Stiles explained??
Then she paused. “Uh… I think so? I don’t know. They might put you in with a roommate, or something? I got my own place, I don’t know how it works for everyone else, though.” She shrugged, then moved to a table outside the cafe to tie up Lucky’s leash so they could pop in and get some coffees.
“Yeah, they are. I, uh… I haven’t actually met Scott yet. But Stiles and I went out a couple of times.” Were her cheeks flushing? “…I’m sure they’re gonna be so, so glad to see you.”
***
“Basically, there’s me and an ancient Japanese fox spirit in here.” She knew it sounded weird, but it was also kind of the best way to explain it. Kind of the same way you’d explain a werewolf, since everyone in her world knew what those were. “We didn’t always get along so well, but we’re pretty much partners now.” She’d leave off the tails part of the conversation, because she was pretty sure that would sound super weird.
“Um…do you play pokemon? Because Ninetales is based on a kitsune.”
Her eyes widened and a silly smile crossed her lips.
“You’re dating Stiles? Really? He’s great. Weird, but great.”
***
“Oh wow! That’s really cool!” Kate beamed. She’d definitely heard much weirder things than a human and a fox spirit sharing the same body. No big deal. “That sounds super useful! And really good that you’re in control.”
At the mention of Pokemon, Kate paused. “…that phone app game thing?” Pokemon Go came out for phone devices in 2016, and Kate had arrived from 2015. She wasn’t as into video games as some of her friends were back in her world, so she wasn’t super versed in Pokemon. She felt really sheepish that she didn’t know what a nine tales was, though.
“Oh. No. No, we’re not dating,” Kate added, her cheeks going much darker. “I mean, I don’t think so. I don’t know. He is really great. We just… we went out a couple of times? But… he’s just a friend. I think. I think we’re just friends.” Jesus, Kate, so awkward.
***
“Yeah. Like I said, I wasn’t for a while? And I almost hurt people.” Her face fell and she looked at her feet for a moment. She had been lucky, but she could have seriously hurt or even killed someone if she hadn’t gotten control. And she didn’t know what she would have done then.
“Um, I don’t know?” She didn’t know a thing about Pokemon Go. But she’d played the Nintendo games as a kid because sometimes she’d felt better doing that than having to make friends with as awkward as she could be.
“Are you sure?” She watched her carefully. “You’re acting like you’re dating Stiles. I mean, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. He’s a good person.”
***
Kate frowned just a little. “But you didn’t? So it’s okay. And you’re in control now, right? That’s what’s important.” She nudged her elbow into her new friend’s arm, trying to give a little support and positivity. Kate was good at that--support and positivity.
“I’ll have to check out the Pokemon business. It wasn’t something I did in my world. Nintendo, right? I’ve heard there’s a game you can put on your phone now.” She led the way into the cafe and stepped into the line.
“Oh. No. It’s not that. I’m not ashamed, I like him a lot. I just… he’s new here, and I’m new here, and I don’t know if he--I don’t think he…” She flushed again. “I kinda think he’s hung up on his ex? Which is fine. It’s fine. I’m just happy we’re friends.”
***
“No, nothing permanent.” Although she’d come close a couple of times there towards the end. That was why she’d allowed herself to be taken away. “And now it’s all under control, yeah, so I won’t be hurting anyone.” She was glad she could say that. It had been terrible to lose control like that.
“Yep. Nintendo.” She pulled out her phone. “Huh. There wasn’t when I left. I’ll have to look that up.”
She listened with a smile, which saddened a bit towards the end.
“Who? Malia or Lydia?”
***
“Good. Because that’s the whole point, right? To protect people and make sure they stay safe, and not hurt anybody.” At least, that’s what Kate’s goals were. And she had a feeling that Kira felt the same way. Just a hunch.
“You’ll have to let me know if it’s any good,” Kate said, stepping forward in line. “I’m always looking for new ways to waste time on my phone.”
Kate was digging her wallet out of her pocket when Kira asked who Stiles might be hung up on. “…both. Well, they’re both here. He talks about them a lot. It’s fine—really, it’s fine—It’s sweet that he cares so much about them.”
***
“Yeah. Exactly. I don’t want to hurt anyone. I want to be a good person. You know, like Scott.” You couldn’t spend too much time around Scott without wanting to be just like him. He made you want to be a good person, whether you were at the beginning or not.
“Oh. Right. Well…Stiles is kind of like that? I mean, he comes across as like this guy who doesn’t do anything but joke around, but he feels a lot. The way you think he’s still hung up on Malia and Lydia…he’d probably talk the same way about Scott. Or Liam. Or anyone in the pack. They’re important to him, but all of his friends are. It doesn’t mean they’re somehow more special.”
***
“The fact that you want to be a good person… it kinda makes you a good person,” Kate insisted. She felt like she’d just had this same conversation—or something a lot like it—with Stiles. Scott sure picked amazing people to be part of his family. They were both good—they wanted to be good, anyway—and that was admirable enough in a day and age when being bad was so easy. “At least, it makes you a good person my book.”
Kate fiddled with the little zipper on her wallet while they talked, keeping her hands busy. It was interesting to get a different perspective on all this. Stiles. Scott. The pack. All of it. Still, she felt like she was on the outside looking in at something she wished she could be part of. —which, seriously silly, right? Because she barely knew these people. And yet, she wanted to. “He’s a really amazing guy, and I like him a lot. And he makes me laugh,” Kate blushed. “But if he’s not ready… I mean, he has a lot to deal with here. His girlfriend is seeing someone else, and he’s still hung up on her. I don’t want to get in the way of… whatever he needs to do there. Really, it’s okay. I genuinely am glad that we’re friends. That’s all.”
***
She smiled, but there was sadness in it. She didn’t know what Stiles was up to right now, she’d just arrived here. But she did know that Stiles was more sensitive than many people knew. She’d seen him as the Nogitsune, and the few times he’d fought off the Nogitsune, and knew what a sensitive person he was underneath. He liked to joke and act like an idiot, but he was more than that too.
“Well, don’t give up on him, then? I mean, if he’s not with Lydia or Malia and he says he’s single, then I would say he’s telling you the truth. He wouldn’t lie about something like that. And he’s the kind of guy who treats girls the way they should be treated.” She’d heard things from Scott, that made her look at Stiles in a completely different manner.
“Don’t give up? If you make each other happy, then you should give it a go.”
***
It was good advice. But the whole give it a go thing meant that Kate would have to put herself out there—she’d have to make herself emotionally vulnerable, and that was something she wasn’t very good at. Still, maybe she could try it. Maybe she could give it a go. She wasn’t lying when she said she really liked Stiles.
The barista behind the register beckoned them forward, and Kate stepped up to order a coffee for herself, and then insisted that Kira order anything she wanted from the menu, while Kate pulled some money out of her wallet to pay for both drinks.
They stood at the end of the bar waiting for the coffees, and Kate was lost in thought. Finally she turned to Kira. “I think I’ll go for it. I mean, it’d be cowardly not to, right?”
***
“I don’t know if it would be cowardly, I mean, I’m horrible at stuff like that myself. But it would definitely be better to go for it. I mean, even if Stiles isn’t up for it - which I really doubt - he’s not going to be a jerk about it. At all.”
Kira ordered a cookie with her black coffee - tastes were still pretty intense after where she’d been.
“And plus, you seem great. I think you’ll fit into the pack perfectly.”
***
No pressure. If Scott decided that Kate wasn’t good, then that was it. If Kate didn’t live up to their expectations, or their standards… or if they just didn’t like her? Maybe it would be better for her to meet the rest of the pack sooner rather than later. At least, she wouldn’t get too attached before Stiles’s friends decided she wasn’t good enough for him. Then they could cut ties before emotions were any more involved than they already were.
Kate collected her drip coffee and waited for Kira’s drink and cookie, then led the way back outside. “You think so? I could really use more friends around here,” Kate admitted sheepishly. “I’ve got some, but… well, this place can get a little lonely if you’re not actively checking in with people.” Thankfully she had Lucky. She couldn’t let depression tug at her. For his sake.
***
“I don’t know anything about the place, honestly. I mean, this is super weird and I’m just trying to take it all in stride without totally freaking out. Doesn’t hurt that home is totally weird, you know? I mean, I’m used to stuff not being normal. But yeah…I mean, my parents aren’t here. And I don’t know what’s going to happen between me and the pack now that I’ve been gone. I don’t know who’s going to have forgotten me, you know?”
She took a big drink of the coffee, and shuddered in delight.
“Oh man, you have no idea how amazing that stuff is when you haven’t had it for years.”
***
“Well, I think you’re doing really well, considering,” Kate said. She slipped into the chair at the table where Lucky was tied up, pulled a treat from her pocket, and offered it to the dog. (Lucky chewed, tail wagging.)
“Friends don’t forget friends even if a couple of years go by. I don’t think you have anything to worry about. I don’t know the rest, but I’m getting to know Stiles, and he doesn’t seem the type to let someone go just because time has passed.” Kate couldn’t imagine anyone forgetting about Kira. She seemed awesome.
And she liked coffee. That was a plus. Kate beamed. “Let’s hope I never have to know.”
***
“Yeah, you’re probably right. They haven’t forgotten me, but it’s been a really long time since I’ve actually been a part of them. I did it because I had to for everyone, but I’m going to have to see what’s changed. Because I’m sure stuff has changed.”
The electric light flickered above their table like the light was getting ready to go out. Without thinking, Kira reached up and touched it with her thumb and her forefinger. It was like a little surge went through the place super fast, then all the lights were bright and shining again. She grinned.
***
“Oh yeah. I’m sure stuff has changed but… that doesn’t mean it’s bad. Right?” Kate watched as Kira reached up and tapped the light, then gasped.
“Whoa… wait, you have --” she lowered her voice and leaned in, almost giddy. “You have electricity powers? That’s freaking amazing!”
***
“Yeah. I’m a thunder kitsune, so electricity’s kind of my thing. They’re going to be getting money back on their electricity bill this month with how much I put in there.” That always amused her. “Probably. I guess I’m just worried that Scott’s moved on. I mean, I should expect it, even though I don’t want to at all. I really like him, you know? Love him. But I can’t be upset if he has. It’s been years for him and I haven’t even been here.”
At that moment, someone came into the Starbucks, noticed Kira, and walked over to her, handing her her information, debit card, key, and a little note explaining everything before he walked away, seeming very annoyed.
“Huh. Guess this is where I live?”
***
Kate nodded, looking up at the lights. They were a little brighter, weren’t they? She couldn’t help but smile. “That’s so cool. It’s really nice of you to share the wealth.” Then she paused. Kate wasn’t sure she’d ever been in love before. Sure, she’d dated. She’d spent a lot of time with the guys she’d gone out with… but love? …maybe. Maybe not.
The look on her face was more aww than anything else, though. She may not have been in love before, but when she saw it, it made her heart happy. (Billy and Teddy, for instance. Their love was epic, and Kate would fight to the death to protect it and them.)
Kate glanced up when the dude came out and handed a bunch of stuff to Kira. She remembered getting her own stuff, too. She lifted her coffee to sip from it, watching the dude with the attitude heading back inside.
“Probably. I wonder if you live near me. What’s the address?’ She asked, and leaned over to look at the paperwork. “Hey! Yeah, we’re in the same building!” What a coincidence, right?
***
“Oh, hey, that’s great.” At least she had somebody she knew nearby? She had a feeling she was going to need to make new friends because she was pretty sure her friends would have forgotten her by now. Or if not forgotten, then her place with them was going to be gone.
“Are they nice apartments?”
She’d never lived in one before, and it kind of felt weird to just be assigned without even the chance to check it out once.
***
“We can have coffee dates!” Kate was actually really excited about this. It wasn’t like she was super clingy, but having friends her own age around would be really great. “And Lucky seems to like you, so…” Weird thing about foxes and dogs, right? But Lucky was a good judge of character, and he’d made it clear that he was fond of Kira.
“Yeah, they’re good. Fully furnished. It’s comfortable. I think you’ll like it. And hey, if you don’t, I’m sure you’ll be able to find something else. I’m saving up to get my own place. Like, I want to own a house in Madison soon.”
***
“You could actually own a house soon? At your age?” That was shocking, but she liked the idea of it too. “Or…maybe we’ll have a pack house or something. Something where all of the pack could live.”
She still considered herself Pack, even if the rest of her packmates didn’t.
“And I am totally up for coffee dates. I haven’t actually graduated high school yet, so I’m going to need lots of coffee to get through it.” ***
Kate shrugged softly. “I mean, the houses around here aren’t that expensive.” She’d come from New York, where house prices were astronomical. Her dad was a crime boss, that’s the only way she could afford to live for a long time… and then she lived in a little piece of crap place that she didn’t own, because Kate struggled with things like having a job and bringing in funds… at least, back in her world. In this one she was doing all right. She had a job she loved and was good at.
“Oh man. High school.” Kate gave a gentle shake of her head. “Couldn’t pay me to go back to that. But if you need help, I can support, anyway.” She paused. “C’mon, I’ll walk you there.” then she stood and took hold of Lucky’s leash to lead the way back to the apartment complex.
***
“I haven’t decided if I’m going to go back, or just try to take my GRE. It might be easier to just take a test than to have to spend time in classrooms where I don’t know anyone.” And where, after what she’d been through, she probably wouldn’t feel very at home.
“But you can totally help me anyway. Come over for pizza sometime and help me study. I can even maybe help you out a bit with your fencing.”
It would be nice to be able to give something in return, after all.
***
“That sounds like a deal if I’ve ever heard one.” Kate said, beaming brightly. She fell into step beside Kira, Lucky leading the way only a couple of paces ahead. The three of them walked back to the apartment complex, chatting and making plans to walk the dog, drink coffee, and study for the GRE. Not to mention the fencing practice, too.