House of Chaos ~FemaleOC x Joy Mercer~ (Seasons 1-3)

House of Drama/House of Codes

The next day at dress rehearsal, Nina was telling them about how she and Fabian discovered the next puzzle, only to have Victor take it away, and then Nina heard him scream in genuine horror over something.

Fabian told them he spotted Victor hiding the piece in his safe, meaning they'd have to figure out how to break in and steal it without Victor figuring out it was them.

Nina had a plan to sneak out while the play was happening, as they'd all have the perfect alibis. Fabian wrote down what he was pretty sure was the code to the safe for her to use later.

~~~

Someone knocked frantically on the door to their room, so Max opened it with surprise. "Mara? What's going-"

Mara let herself in, looking frazzled. "Listen to me I- look, I haven't been in a clear head space and...and I shouldn't have kissed you like that. God, I got angry at Mick for kissing me and then wanting nothing to do with me and I've just done the same to you, I'm a terrible person..." Tears rolled down her face. "Max I am so, so sorry for using you the way I did. I wanted to make a point that I had moved on and-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa." Max held her hands up in defense. "Calm down, easy." She handed her a tissue box. Mara wiped at her face. "Mara I'm totally fine."

"Really?" Mara asked tearfully.

Max smiled sheepishly. "I...kind of figured something was up, and don't get me wrong, you're a great catch, but I just never thought of you that way."

"Join the club, nobody does." Mara spoke bitterly. "Mick certainly didn't."

"That's not true." Max sighed. "I think he really cares for you. But he's under a lot of pressure with his scholarship stuff, I don't blame him for not thinking much about dating."

Mara seemed hesitant about something, but then just nodded. "Perhaps...um, excuse me, and thank you." She left in a hurry, looking guilty about something.

~~~

The next day at breakfast, Alfie was handing out envelopes addressed to everyone. "Good luck cards I guess, for the play." He explained.

But as he handed them out, even one to Max, who was surprised to get one.

She frowned and stared at it in confusion. Her parents couldn't wait to send her away from home, so she doubted it was from them, but there was no name or anything.

Hesitantly she opened it and gave it a read.

Good luck during the play, you're going to do splendidly!

From, Mystery

"Mystery? Secret admirer?" Alfie questioned with a grin.

Max raised an eyebrow. "I'm not so sure, it doesn't have a...romantic vibe to it, it's just kind of normal."

"Well regardless, it's nice that you got something." Nina smiled.

Patricia got a card as well, but hers said to open in private.

~~~

"What do you think?" Max questioned as she walked up to Nina and Fabian, dressed and ready for the play.

Fabian grinned. "The perfect sidekick attire."

"We're going to own that stage." She smirked.

Nina spoke up. "Max, check it out." She held up the book she and Fabian had been reading. "We think the treasure we're searching for is the Cup of Ankh, a cup that makes you live forever."

Max's eyes widened. "Exactly how long did it take me to change?" They laughed.

~~~

Soon the play was going to start, Nina, Fabian and Max took a glance at the audience and were horrified to see Rufus in the crowd.

Patricia ran up to them. "Guys, look." She showed them the card.

"D4?" Max frowned. "A seating number?"

"Is it a message from Rufus?" Nina questioned.

Patricia's eyes widened. "Rufus?"

"He's in the audience, but he's in row G." Fabian told them.

"So...who's in D4?" Max asked.

But the play was starting. Patricia, Mick and Mara got into position, but then Mick ran off to deal with something and Mara followed, leaving Patricia on her own, much to her horror.

The curtains opened and Patricia's eyes went right to the row to see who was in D4.

"JOY!" She exclaimed in shock.

The others froze, and Patricia was stuck trying to cover up her slip.

Finally, she gathered herself. "Joy and sorrow...the joy of egypt, its monarch Tutankhamun is dead, and uh, and sorrow sweeps the land..."

Max cringed. "Okay, not meant to be an actress..." She mumbled.

"Let no man enter and desecrate his sacred pyramid." Patricia finished and hurried back stage, much to the relief of everyone.

"That's your cue!" Max whispered, shoving Nina forward.

Nina took a deep breath and stepped out onto the stage. "My name is Sally...I am seven years old, the time has come, my story shall be told, I feel only sorrow, like a bird without wings...my parents are leaving for the Valley of the Kings."

The others tried to get a better look at Joy, but then it was their cue.

Fabian, Max and Alfie wearing a snake costume stepped up onto stage. Fabian had an arm around Max's waist to hold her close to him. "This house belongs to us now my pretty." He said in a goofy deep voice, mocking Victor.

"Its ten o'clock you know what that means don't you?" Nina ran off stage. "You have five minutes and I will want to hear a pin drop." Fabian smirked, dropping the pin.

"Caw-HA-HA-HA!" Max did an obnoxiously high laugh/bird call that had the audience clapping for her.

She and Fabian left the stage quickly.

Afterwards Nina quickly put on her jacket and left to go to the house to try and break into the safe.

Patricia was trying to work out the card from Joy, but they realized it was mirror writing. It said to meet Joy in the woods that evening.

Soon after that it was the intermission, giving them all a chance to breathe. Max collapsed in one of the chairs and heard something fall. She glanced down to see Fabian's bag got knocked over, making her groan.

She lifted it up and realized papers had fallen out, and when she picked them up her eyes widened.

They were envelops and cards with parts misspelled, failed attempts.

"Ah..." She turned to see Fabian looking at her, paralyzed.

Max smiled softly. "So you're Mystery, huh?"

He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I was going to tell you but...I just...I knew you weren't going to get anything and I thought, with your brother being gone, it'd be nice to have something similar, I know I'm not your brother or anything and I wouldn't try to take that spot but I just thought-" He rambled.

Max giggled softly, cutting him off. "You know Fabian, I can have more than one brother. And if you ask me, you're a pretty great one."

Fabian positively beamed at her, looking genuinely moved.

But then Patricia ran up to them. "Victor is gone!"

"What!?" Max gasped.

Nina still wasn't back, Victor was no where to be found, Rufus and Joy were still hiding in the audience and Nina's scene got moved up sooner than they thought.

This play was quickly going to turn into a disaster if things didn't start turning around.