Chapter 23: Happily Ever Aftermath
The sprawling mansion, usually a beacon of old-money charm, now felt like a stage for a particularly dark fairytale. Nick and Hank were investigating the mysterious death of a wealthy matriarch, and the clues were pointing to a modern-day, twisted version of Cinderella. A conniving stepmother and her equally wicked stepsisters, all Wesen, driven by a potent cocktail of greed and jealousy. Adam grimaced. "You know, Ciri, I always thought 'happily ever after' was just a marketing slogan for Disney. Turns out, it's just a prelude to murder, especially when Wesen are involved. And frankly, this is why you don't trust fairytales. They always leave out the part where the stepmother is a literal monster."
[ New Wesen Type Discovered: [Cinderella Wesen]. Information added to Library. ]
[ Wesen Behavior: Greed/Jealousy. Threat Level: Moderate. ]
Ciri, who had little patience for human drama, scoffed. "Greed and jealousy. Petty motivations. Such creatures are a blight. They must be removed."
"Agreed," Adam said, scrolling through the newly updated Library entry. "And this 'Cinderella Wesen'? She's like a particularly nasty villain from a Lifetime movie, but with more woging and less dramatic monologues. Though, I could probably write her a good monologue if I wanted to. Something about the oppressive patriarchy of glass slippers."
Their investigation, a blend of Adam's meta-knowledge and Ciri's sharp tracking skills, led them deep into the family's twisted dynamics. The stepmother, a vicious creature, was manipulating her daughters, all of them driven by a hunger for the matriarch's fortune. Nick and Hank were struggling to untangle the web of lies, their human instincts clashing with the supernatural reality.
"Alright, Ciri," Adam whispered, observing the stepmother from a hidden vantage point. "Here's the plan. We expose the wicked stepfamily. We ensure justice is served. And then, acid. Lots of acid. For anyone who resists. Because, frankly, some fairytales just need a very, very permanent ending."
They moved swiftly, Adam's enhanced senses easily cutting through the family's deceptive facade. He'd even popped a Cat potion for enhanced night vision, just to be extra efficient in the dimly lit mansion. His eyes, for a brief, terrifying moment, turned completely black, reflecting the dim light like twin voids. He moved with enhanced speed and strength, delivering precise, non-lethal strikes that incapacitated the Wesen.
The stepmother, woged into her monstrous form, lunged at Nick, her claws extended. Adam intercepted her, his steel sword clashing against her arm with a deafening clang. The stepmother roared in surprise, her eyes widening as she saw Adam's black eyes. This was not a Grimm. This was something else. Something unnatural. Something that should not be able to stop her attack. A flicker of primal terror, a moment of confusion, crossed her face, breaking her aggressive momentum.
"Hey, Fairy Godmother from Hell!" Adam yelled, pushing back against her arm with surprising force. "Your happily ever after just got a very unhappy ending! Seriously, you need a new hobby. Maybe competitive gardening? Less murder, more flowers."
Ciri, meanwhile, was a whirlwind of silver and steel, her movements fluid and precise. She darted around the brawling Wesen, striking at their joints, exploiting the weaknesses Adam had identified. A casual, almost effortless parry deflected a blow that would have shattered a human's arm. Her movements were so graceful, so efficient, they looked less like combat and more like a deadly dance.
The Wesen, disoriented by Adam's unnerving presence and Ciri's relentless attacks, stumbled, their greed momentarily forgotten in the face of this new, terrifying intervention. Adam seized the opportunity, delivering a powerful, non-lethal kick that sent the stepmother sprawling.
"Well, that was fun," Adam panted, his eyes flickering back to normal. "A little too much drama for my taste, but effective. And surprisingly, no glass slippers. Missed opportunity." He then produced the Acid of Dissolution. "Alright, clean-up crew. Let's make this shiny bit of trouble disappear. Poof! No evidence, no fuss. Just like magic. And it saves us from having to explain why a rich family suddenly turned into monsters."
[ Kill Count: 1 Wesen. Level Up! Current Level: 5. Kills to Level 6: 32. ]
"Still Level 5, but progress!" Adam exclaimed. "This is like a horror movie, but with a much more satisfying ending. And speaking of endings, you know, this whole 'happily ever after' thing? It's a classic trope. You ever try to explain tropes to someone who only understands 'hit them until they tell the truth'?"
Ciri stared at him, her brow furrowing. "Tropes? What are these 'tropes' you speak of? Are they a new type of monster? One that repeats itself endlessly?"
Adam sighed dramatically. "Oh, Ciri. We have so much to discuss. It's a long, complicated conversation. Involving narrative patterns, predictable plot points, and a lot of therapy. It's like a recurring nightmare, but for stories. But for now, let's just say it's why some stories are so… familiar. Now, about those rat people…"
Nick, meanwhile, with Monroe and Rosalee's help, managed to expose the truth behind the murder. He found the Wesen, shaken but alive, and the conflict… mysteriously resolved. Another mysterious intervention. Nick felt a growing sense of gratitude, mixed with a healthy dose of unease. Who were these people? And why did they keep cleaning up his messes before he even got there? He was increasingly reliant on them, even if he didn't fully understand them. They were a necessary evil, or perhaps, a necessary good. A very, very efficient good.
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