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2. The Not So Strange Stranger

Hehehehehehehehe the plot thickens.

Because I'm feeling generous have another chapter to start us off.

TW: swearing,

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Roman was humming softly to himself as he walked down the street that lead home. It was a beautiful day for the isle, so clouds were covering the sun, but it at least wasn't raining. It rained a lot there. He didn't care why, he just didn't like it much.

The streets were filled with people like usual. Most were headed home from their work days, and some, like Roman, were heading home from school. The streets were dingy and damp, but he didn't mind usually. He was used to never knowing how the sun felt by now. What's the use of hoping when it wot happen? There's no way he was getting off of the isle. Good people didn't get out.

Roman slipped into a side alley that he usually used as a shortcut, only to see someone new there. On the isle, most people knew most people, or you would at least hear of them or know what they looked like. But this person... this person was new. They couldn't be from the isle.

He went to turn around and walk the long way home, only to realize the crowd had swelled to its maximum size, and there would be no way to push through the foot traffic and actually get home quickly now. He would have to walk past the stranger.

He sighed softly as he turned back around and headed down the alleyway. Roman could feel the person's eyes on him the entire time, and it made him uneasy. He just wanted to get home as soon as possible. Anything new wasn't to be trusted, not when it didn't come from the isle. Anyone from the outside could walk in at any time, but mostly they didn't want to. However, clearly this person didn't see any reason not to.

When he walked past the stranger and towards the other end of the alley there was a flash, and suddenly there was a small barrier of mag- wait... that was magic. Roman's eyees widened, and he turned towards the stranger, who was smirking at him. Now that he actually looked at him, Roman saw that he was about his own age. The bright green eyes were a very simple indicator that he was indeed where the magic had come from.

"It's bad enough to stare at me, but you don't have to block my path as well," Roman snapped.

"Now where would the fun in that be?" The stranger laughed, making Roman's blood run cold. "It's simply more fun to ruin someone's day than to let everyone pass on."

"Well fuck you, too," Roman grumbled.

"Wow, I didn't realize you're allowed to swear on the isle."

"We aren't," Roman muttered. "If someone had heard me I would've got over an hour long lecture on morals that don't even have anything to do with swearing."

"What a mood killer," the stranger said. "Anyway, what's your name?"

"Roman Charming," Roman stated. He didn't care if the person knew his name. If something happened it happened. At least life would be a little less boring.

"As in the son of Prince Charming and Cinderella?" Roman nodded.

"Who are you?" Roman asked. The stranger dropped his hood down, revealing raven black hair.

"Virgil Storm." Roman gaped at him and took a step back in shock.

"But- but you can't be!" Roman protested. "There's no way the fucking prince would be here. Not happening, nope. I don't believe you."

"Why not?" Virgil asked, tilting his head slightly. "Don't you think Maleficent could be my mother?"

"I mean the hair and eyes match, but there's no way you're actually the prince. There's no way he'd come here, and even if he wanted to Maleficent probably wouldn't let him," Roman stated. "Plus, no one has ever seen the prince, so we don't even know that he's real."

"Oh I'm very much real," Virgil said. "There is a way I can prove it, though."

"What?"

"I used magic," Virgil explained. "How would anyone here have that much magic if they've never been outside of the barrier? There's a limit here, but I surpassed it because I already had magic from the outside. And even if that wouldn't prove I'm the prince, you already said I look like Maleficent."

"Fine, so even if you are the prince, what the hell would you be doing over here? Don't princes belong in castles or something?" Roman asked, raising an eyebrow. Virgil just smirked at him and stepped closer to him.

"You know, I could ask you the same question," Virgil said. "Technically you're a prince as well."

"I'm nothing here," Roman said. "None of us are anything. Compared to everyone on the mainland, we're the lowest of the low. If we had a status, it would be court jester."

"Oh come on, there are worse," Virgil remarked. "And maybe you wouldn't think so, but I'd say you look more like royalty than half of my mother's council."

"Sure, whatever you say," Roman muttered. "Anyway, can I go now?"

"Fine, you can leave," Virgil said. He waved his hand and the small barrier that had blocked Roman's path had vanished. "Go on then, Princey."

"I'm not a prince," Roman called back as he walked down the alley.

"Whatever you have to tell yourself."

903 words.