That Strange Day (TDS Original Valentines Story)

PROLOGUE: The Viper

Umbra hummed as she walked through the hallways of her stronghold.

Today, she was in a particularly good mood. She got her duties done quickly, her servant was still as polite and efficient as usual, and both Jaxe and Swamp Monster had fended off the towers.

She sat down on her throne, waiting for some unfortunate lowly Pike who got lost to wander into here so she could have a target practice victim. She blew her bangs off of her forehead, boredom creeping up not too shortly after.

Suddenly, she saw something slithering from underneath her feet. Something scaly, gray, and flicking a forked tongue..

Umbra screamed, immediately scrambling over her throne and causing it to topple. With a pained cry, she made impact with the floor and crushed her arm underneath her own weight and the weight of the back of the throne.

Suddenly, she heard hysterical laughter coming from one of the entrances of her throne room. Looking over with tears of pain in her eyes, she gasped, recognizing the figure that decided to step in and witness her clumsy attempt to get away from the slithering creature.

"Wow! You're still as hilarious to prank as EVER!" Sinister howled, holding his chest and leaning against the side of the doorway, his laughter being heavy. "I should do this ALL the time!"

Umbra hissed as she dragged herself off of her throne and pulled her arm out from underneath it. She held her injured arm and growled at Sinister, "You have NO manners! Absolute brute! I knew I should've gotten our mother to beat the hell out of you back when we were kits!"

"All I did was place a snake in this room and watch you topple over your own throne! By the way, is the throne alright? It cushioned the fall for quite the obese princess!" Sinister continued to laugh.

"Nevermind that! What are you doing in MY stronghold? Aren't you supposed to be in your pathetic little cabin smooching your pigeon boyfriend?" Umbra stood up and glared at Sinister. She was no longer in a very good mood.

"Calm down, Umbra! I just wanted to give my 'favorite' sibling a visit! It's been so long, so I thought I'd check in on you." Sinister cackled, his laughing dying down by now. Umbra only rolled her eyes at this, placing her throne back upright.

"Pranking me is not 'checking in' on me! That—that hideous THING could have killed me, you know!" Umbra turned to face him again, putting her hands on her hips. "What's the REAL reason you decided to intrude on my beautiful stronghold?"

"Okay fine, I'll give you the real answer, you damn princess." Sinister then got off of the doorway, no longer leaning on it. "I just wanted to see how you'd react to a viper. Those lil' things COULD kill you, but only if you bother it! So long as you leave 'em alone, you're fine. Just thought you'd like to see one up in person, you cried tears of joy when we were taken to see them by our dad!"

"THOSE WERE NOT TEARS OF JOY, ARE YOU STUPID?!" Umbra screeched at him, but then took a deep breather as she pointed at him. "I want you, OUT of my stronghold and OUT of my territory. If I have to start a war with you and your stupid pigeon boyfriend just to get you to stay out, then SO BE IT!"

"Hey, he's not my boyfriend, he's my husband." Sinister raised his hands up. "And you'd lose anyway, so maybe you shouldn't!"

"SHUT IT! Get out RIGHT NOW!" Umbra shouted at him, to which Sinister replied with a snort and promptly left the throne room. But before he left, he told her; "Oh, and by the way, the purple dude you call a servant spilled some wine on the floor when he saw me. He told me not to tell you, but I guess it's too late for that now," He grinned as his figure disappeared from the doorway.

Umbra brought her thumb to her mouth, starting to chew angrily on her fingernail. "Goddamn stupid pumpkin, I'm gonna show you a 'prank',"

. . .

Umbra entered the storage rooms, digging through boxes for spellbooks and potion-making guides.

She growled with every irrelevant book that she had to toss away. The Cursed Knights behind her kept up with her book-tossing, placing each one back on the shelves.

Finally, she dug out the book she had been looking for;

'Valentine Medic's suuuper secret guide to a love potion! ULTRA SECRET EDITION! Please don't tell Commander that this book exists!'

A grin crossed Umbra's face, and she clapped her hands together. "Okay Cursed Knights.. Bring this book to my laboratory." She dropped the book, and the two Cursed Knights accompanying her didn't hesitate to catch it, already heading towards her laboratory like she ordered.

She started to cackle. "Watch out, Sinister.. Your little birdie's gonna be in for a surprise on Valentine's.."

Umbra broke into hysterical laughter that echo'ed throughout her stronghold.

Frost Spirit truly was in for a surprise..