Reverse 1999 x Reader

The "Bookstore".

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December 31st, 196X. London, United Kingdom.
(1ST PERSON.)

I make some sharp turns and cut around various alleyways. Whatever the Timekeeper wants, it has to be important enough for her to risk releasing the Foundation's targets. Finally, I spot the bookstore the Timekeeper told me about a few blocks down the street. I contemplate going over there, but I hear rock music playing from a salon nearby. I see the silhouette of Regulus.

I walk inside. I stand near her chair.

Why am I here?

...

She might make for nice conversation. Besides, do I really want to risk relying on the Foundation's mercy?

Regulus (with half her face covered in shaving cream although she has no beard) spots me out of the corner of her eye. I don't say anything, but she raises an eyebrow as acknowledgement. We sit in silence for a while.

...

Finally I decide to speak up.

"You didn't actually go either?" She nods and adjusts her bag of various rock records. She seems to scrutinize me greatly. Makes sense. Whoever sees me probably either thinks I work a nine to five or I'm under the influence. But I'm neither. I'm just a little... day-dreamy. I gently hold my other arm whilst leaning against the wall.

"So how does it feel to sail a ship on the seas? I've never been able to cruise before." Regulus's eyes sparkle. "It's incredible! The scent of freshwater, the lovely new sights, the exotic new sounds from new music and creatures... Everything and everything, I'd love to see more!" My lips quirk up. Her enthusiasm is kinda cute.

My hair pushes up as I subconsciously slide down a little from tiredness. I must look depressed. Graceful, but depressed. Regulus decides to ask me a few questions, since she apparently can't sit in silence for a few good minutes. "So... what did ya do?" I raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"What do you mean what did I do?" I tilt my head while staring at Regulus and the hairstylists near her. If they're probably mad at me loitering, then they haven't said anything about it.

"Well, you had to be on the Foundation's investigation list for SOME reason... I don't think an average street arcanist would warrant them bringing in a Captain as skilled as that!"

"Valid point," I sigh, "I escaped from a psych ward a few weeks ago. I illegally used arcanum to knock out some guards get out, so long story short, the cops are after me now." I scratch the back of my neck in nervousness. "They probably read up on my files and decided to come get me for danger assessments, or lock me up." I haven't told anybody about my escape since I left, but Regulus feels like both a comrade and someone I should be skeptical of.

Speaking of Regulus, she stares at me with concern as if she was facing a wild animal. I sigh again. "I'm not actually insane. I promise you, I'm not gonna go and off some people just cause I feel like it. The only reason they put me in there was because my arcanum manifests in weird ways in my mind... and weird sparkly stuff appears in vision. Pretty, but weird."

"Woah. I won't lie, that sounds like it sucks." Regulus frowns, but her look of concern is now one of sympathy. I shrug my shoulders. "It isn't too bad. Sometimes it helps me escape from places." She bounces on her heels, awkward in the face of the room's solemn atmosphere. "What's your ability?" I turn my attention on her again.

"If you took down all the guards, then it must be pretty strong in combat, right?" I giggle. "No, no, unless you count making the enemies nap as a valid strategy." Regulus puts a finger to her chin. "Nap..? You can put people to sleep?" I nod my head. "That... actually sounds pretty cool! If I could make my pursuers snooze on the fly, then this pirate would have a bunch of funny stories to share!"

A smile unexpectedly blooms on my face. It's nice, talking to another arcanist like this. It's pretty calm as opposed to my normal amount of caution when taking to humans. Perhaps I could consider her a friend?

Right in the middle of me and Regulus chatting, the door to the salon opens again. In comes the Timekeeper with the same blank expression on her face as usual. My eyes widen. 'How'd she—'
My nose then twitches when I catch the scent of chemicals and fruit juice emanating off Regulus.

Whatever the Timekeeper gave her, it has to be the source!

I wring my fingers with nervous energy, and although she smiles, Regulus looks as nervous as me. I put a hand on her shoulder and move a little closer to chair. My gaze flits up to the Timekeeper, who looks quite ominous in her shady spot behind Regulus. Speaking of Regulus, she decides to do the talking for us both.

"Whoa! You freaked us out?! Did we say the bookstore...?"

"Exactly. Isn't it the bookstore?" This is clearly not a bookstore. The Timekeeper was prepared for this, and I'll probably never figure out how. "The unimproved Misty Bubble Ball has a special scent. Sonetto will be here any minute." She looks up at you next.

"I'm glad you could join us, [Y/N]. It was truly a gamble whether you'd arrive or not." A soft sigh escapes my lips. "I guess it's my fault for wanting to make conversation with my suspect in arms." Regulus gives me a faint smile. I feel my lips curl upward.

"So... so what do you want us! Whoo... Poor us..." She scooches to the very back of the chair to get closer to me, the only person who seems to be protecting her right now. It seems that Regulus tends to rely on theatrics to escape most situations.

"Relax. I'm not going to take you both to the Foundation. I ask you both to go somewhere safe with me." I raise my eyebrow, and comb a finger through my hair. At least we may not get charged for our past misdemeanors, but where is this safe place?

"Regulus. [Y/N]. I need you to brave the 'Storm' with me." Regulus's confusion seeps into her voice, "Brave the 'Storm'?" Then, our time for chatting is cut short. "Shh! She's here. [Y/N], use this." She tosses me a dark floppy hat, and I smoothly catch it and slip it on my head. The Timekeeper (rather comically), sticks a bushy mustache to Regulus's face as a disguise.

The Timekeeper goes to talk with Sonetto, and I only catch small bits of their conversation.

"...I'm sorry..."
"...that means..."
"mission...failed..?"

Seeing Sonetto's sad face makes me feel a little bad, but I can't risk wasting this opportunity-

A boom of thunder.

I glimpse outside the window see something truly eldritch. How to begin?

Instead of the rain falling down like it's supposed to, it's flying up. Matter fact, can you even classify this as rain? It's more of an amalgamation of mostly yellow and pink shades in dotted patterns. Art styles from various eras seem to be clumped together in each raindrop that falls- no, ascends into the sky above.

I contemplate the possibility of this being a hallucination, but it doesn't share the usual appearance of mine. Plus, the last time I got hallucinations on this scale was when...my parents died.

...

What is going on?

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word count: 1265