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Remnants V: Destiny Square

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Chapter V: Destiny Square

Claire gazed out the window, watching the sights of the city speed by. The radio played low in the background as Danica chattered away about their plans, the stores and shops, and occasionally pointed out an interesting landmark. As they merged onto the highway, Claire turned her head away from the window, pondering how big the city really was.

"How far away is Destiny Square?" Claire asked.

"Not that far. Ten minutes or so away—it depends on traffic, most days.”

“So how big is Swan Valley?”

“You know, I’ve never actually thought about its size but it’s…it’s a good size. I mean, it’s been around for seventy years at least, it’s definitely grown since then. Then there’s the whole debate about the old city, and whether or not it should be included in Swan Valley’s boundaries. If you were to ask someone, it would have to be one of the Swans."

Claire vaguely recalled something from her childhood about the Swans being the political family of the city. She knew they had kids but she was positive they were all much older than her; she voiced her concerns to Danica who laughed lightly before replying.

“The eldest two are around my age, you’re right. But their youngest three—triplets—are kids still!”

"Triplets?"

"Triplets indeed. The two eldest, Derrick and Liz, are older than me by a few years, I think. We went to the same elementary school and of course back in my day, age differences in a small town didn't really matter—you knew everyone. The triplets are around your age, I think. When is your birthday, anyway?" Danica asked, changing the subject.

"The fifteenth of November. I turn eleven," she replied, proudly.

"Oh, that's just around the corner! We should have a party for you! We can get ice cream cake and pizza…”

“I’ve never had a birthday party before,” Claire mumbled.

“Really?”

Claire nodded. “Not since I went to live with…” she trailed off, barely able to call him her dad.

“What about before that?” Danica asked, hoping to draw Claire out of the little trance she was in.

“It was small things. A cake and stuff…”

Claire trailed off, gazing out of the window. While Danica couldn’t quite empathise with what Claire was thinking right now, what she was going through, she could most definitely imagine it. She glanced quickly at Claire and smiled. “Well now we have to have a party for you, won’t we?” she asked.

Claire smiled. “I guess so.”

“Oh! Look at that, we’ve arrived!” Gleefully, Danica drove onto the off ramp. “Take a look out the window, you’re gonna love it!”

Claire gazed out the window, watching as they turned right and passed a little sign reading Destiny Square. She was awestruck! The streets below her were cobblestoned and tight; the sidewalks were large, beautiful trees dotted at equal intervals along the road. The trees were brilliant shades of orange and red and brown, the fallen leaves nowhere to be found. All around her shops of all shapes, sizes and types were clustered together, their colours bold as the morning sun shone in their windows. Some were just opening, others seemed to have been opened for a while now; owners waved at customers walking by, the local merchants friendly as can be.

Danica turned into a parking lot, still relatively empty; the lamps were black and sleek, reminiscent of old timey places Claire had read about as a very little girl. Baskets of seasonal flowers hung on the lamps, swaying in the light breeze. Finding a space and turning into it, Danica parked the car and got out, her little cousin hopping out alongside her and gazing at everything with big eyes.

"So, what do you think?" Danica asked, smiling. "It's a charming little place, isn't it?"

"It's really pretty! Everything is all squished," she squealed, a spark of excitement glittering in her strange eyes. "Where do we go first?” She demanded, rounding on Danica. “I wanna go there, and there, and over there and oh Danica can we please go see the fountain there, with the fish statue?"

Chuckling, Danica hoisted her plain dark purse back on her shoulder, straightening her striped, low-cut sweater and dusting off her jeans. Running through her mental list of things to get for Claire, she decided that clothes were definitely near if not at the top. The baggy tee shirt and jeans swallowed the skinny girl, and the threat of Claire hurting herself because the clothes were so baggy was a little too much for Danica to handle.

"First on my list are clothes,” she said, sticking their parking pass on the windshield and honking the car. “You can't keep running around in those baggy things for a bunch of reasons. I especially don’t want you tripping and falling because then we might end up in emerge and one of the Nurses there is diabolical.”

“What’s diabolical mean?”

“Evil, bad…she’s a big old meanie.”

Giggling, Claire slowed down to a walk. She stared at the adults around her—they wore boring old business-y attire, or bold prints with patterned pants. The few kids around wore tight pants and long shirts, clunky jewellery and skirts that had more poof than a cloud, camouflage...needles to say, Claire was not impressed.

"Stuff like that? Cause it seems kinda ugly. And boring.”

Danica laughed, looking down at Claire. She had a point. Now where could they go to get clothes for the poor child that she liked? Glancing down one of the side streets, Danica grinned. She knew just the place for Claire.

"Well we can’t have a boring Claire, can we? We’ll get you some nicer clothes. I know exactly who to see—my friend, Fran. She opened up her own boutique recently! She designs everything herself; does the best tailoring jobs in town. She's a little eccentric but that's what makes her good old Fran! Really funny too, but sometimes a little bit rebellious—this one time her parents told her to stop taking her surname so seriously—it’s Wilde—and she never let them live it down,” Danica said, recalling the sass Fran had tossed at her parents (they were quite unpleasant, Mr. and Mrs. Wilde; both their girls thought so).

Grabbing Claire's hand, they turned down the side street making their way towards a petite white building. A little fountain was in the middle of a walkway, two park benches on either side. The mannequins in the window wore patterned dresses and colourful jeans. A few shoppers stood outside, admiring the owner's handiwork. Inside the building, more faceless mannequins modeled clothes that were without a doubt different. They ranged from vibrant accessories to slouchy boots, and printed tees to teasing tank tops. Rows of clothes racks were around the store, while shoes and accessories were at the back. A sign that said tailoring and fitting rooms pointed into a little anteroom with a spiral staircase, leading up to another sitting area. Towards the back was a long counter, a small cash register sitting on top. Behind it was the strangest person Claire had seen all day.

"There's Fran! Oh, and Chrissie! I haven't seen her since last summer! Chrissie's an old friend of mine. Our grandparents knew her family or something like that. Fran, Chrissie and I were stuck at the hip when we were teens," Danica said happily, waving excitedly when Chrissie and Fran turned her way.

"Hey Danica! Haven't seen you in a while! How's it been?" Fran asked. Tall with a low, booming voice, Fran was every bit as eccentric as her store. Her short brown hair was teased and pushed back by a mauve headband. Smiling, she moved out from behind the counter and gave Danica a huge hug, bracelets and bangles dangling, her tall heels clacking loudly. Behind her, still leaning by the cash register, was a slightly taller woman with long, curly, light brown hair. She had pretty blue eyes that sparkled when she smiled, and was next in line to hug Claire's cousin.

"Anny, it's been forever!" Chrissie squealed, hugging Danica.

"It seems like it! How are your mom and dad? And how's Duncan?"

"My dad's his usual self, slightly worried about my mom. She's come down with a fever and you know how he is, always overreacting." Chrissie said, letting go of Danica.

"What does he think it is this time? A werewolf scratch? Vampire bites? The beginnings of the zombie virus and eventual apocalypse?" Fran asked.

Chrissie forced a laugh, a strange smile on her face. Clearing her throat she replied, "No, no, not at all. For once. This time, he's afraid of it being either the plague or swim fever."

"Ah yes, the plague. Typical Mister Taylor," Fran said, grinning.

"Of course. Duncan and I were feeling a little suffocated back at home—especially with my dad’s nursing…our house is a sauna. So the two of us decided for a day out on the town. He’s around here somewhere,” Chrissie finished, searching out her son.

“Not to mention your hot date,” Fran said, waggling her eyebrows.

“Date, huh?” Danica asked, eyebrow raised.

“Oh hush. It’s...it’s nothing serious, just meeting an old friend.”

“Who happens to be a male who you have described as good looking, and we’ve met him before too, Anny! Remember that tall brooding dude, with the nice jawbones?”

Fran,” Chrissie said, blushing.

“Him? I thought he left town!”

“Not you too Anny,” Chrissie said, flushing darker.

“We’re just teasing, don’t you worry,” Danica assured her.

“I know. But it’s not a date. Just…he’s in town and wanted to catch up, so I said yes,” Chrissie shrugged

"Whatever you say, Chrissie babe,” Fran said, winking. “Now who’s this with you here today, Danica?" Fran asked, glancing at Claire. With a reassuring smile from her cousin, Claire shyly stared at Fran.

"I'm Claire."

"She's my cousin. To put it simply, she’s living with us now and is in dire need of a new wardrobe so…”

"You came here. Good choice! Especially with the consequences if I found out you were in Destiny Square and hadn’t stopped by!" Fran said, smiling and turning to Claire. "You’ll want that back corner there, that’s where your sizes will be. There’s shirts and jeans and the like, some sundresses I made myself, see what you like. I'm gonna go get my stuff. I have plans for some new styles I've been dying to try, and you're the perfect little model!"

Claire glanced at Danica; the woman nodded, smiling. “Go on Claire, have a look around. We’ll pick out some things together in a little bit, okay?”

With her cousin’s reassurance, Claire walked off slowly, headed towards the area Fran pointed out. Chrissie stood beside her friend, watching the little girl disappear in the hoard of clothes Fran was slowly becoming famous for.

"Long story, huh?" Fran grinned, leaning over the counter, a measuring tape around her neck and loose thread stuck in her hair, sewing kit and a swath of material beside her. When it came to little models, Fran was nothing but fast. “I can spare some time, and I’m sure hot date can wait,” Fran winked.

Fran,” Chrissie flushed.

Fran laughed, turning her attention to Danica. “Come on girl, we’re waiting!”

Danica sighed; resigned, she began to tell her two friends the tale of her cousin’s messy childhood and her relocation with her Aunt and Uncle.


Claire strolled through the racks and tables, pushing clothes aside and ruffling through piles of shirts and shorts. Never had she seen so many clothes; and knowing that she got to pick any number of things from the shelves and racks surrounding her, knowing that she was actually being taken care of now was very overwhelming.

Pausing in her pursuit of shirts Claire gazed around her. Slowly she moved in circle, taking in her surroundings and coming face to face with the bluest eyes she had ever seen. Startled, Claire stepped back a bit; a young boy was staring at her, a curious look on his round face. Black hair stood in all directions on his head, messy and disordered. His hands in his pockets, he stared at Claire with those too blue eyes.

“Your eyes are very blue,” Claire blurted out.

“And yours are so blue they’re purple,” the boy replied.

“My eyes aren’t blue at all! They’re purple purple.”

The two stared at each other for a bit, not blinking.

“Let’s agree that we both have strange eye colours then?”

“Sure,” Claire said, fidgeting with her too big shirt.

“My name is Duncan, by the way,” he said, sticking out a hand. “Duncan Taylor.”

“Claire,” she replied, staring at his hand.

“Claire what?”

“Just Claire.”

Withdrawing his hand, the boy grinned—the happiest grin Claire had ever seen. “Just Claire it is then!”

She giggled. This boy was so silly! “It’s Claire, my name is Claire. Not just Claire!”

“Sorry, I’m probably being a goofball again. My mom says that a lot, that I’m a goof.”

“Does she mean it in a good way?”

“Yeah! I make her laugh by doing silly things. Look, it’s working on you too, Claire!”

Claire giggled again, glancing back at where her cousin was. Danica looked very deep in a story; the two women—Chrissie and Fran—were hinged onto her every word; Chrissie was even tearing up a bit.

“I wonder what Danica is telling my Mom,” Duncan murmured, following Claire’s gaze.

“Probably about me,” Claire guessed. “Danica’s my cousin,” she added. “I’m staying with her and my Aunt and Uncle now.”

“Oh,” Duncan said. He was curious about this strange girl; but he decided to ask his Mom questions about Claire later—she looked dazed enough already. “So then you’re new here?”

“New-ish…” Claire said, frowning. “I lived in the city when I was littler.”

“Well New-ish Claire, it’s nice to meet you! Do you think you’re gonna be coming to school with me and the other kids our age?”

Blinking, Claire thought for a moment. Had Danica mentioned school? Casting a look in her cousin's direction, Claire saw that she was still deep in conversation with Chrissie. Not knowing how to answer, Claire shrugged.

"Oh. Well, hopefully you go soon. It doesn't pay to be behind in school work, trust me," he said, grinning.

The two kids stared at each other, too-blue eyes boring into violet eyes; there was something about this boy Claire just liked. He was so friendly and chipper…and Duncan, he liked this mystery girl; she looked like she needed a friend. Both kids continued staring, both about to say something when suddenly…

"Alrighty then! Let's get you measured up, shall we kiddo?" Fran boomed, bursting out of nowhere, measuring tape in hand. Chrissie and Danica were right behind her, the former with a knowing smile.

“Duncan and I must be off now. We’re meeting someone for lunch. Come along now, Duncan. Fran, Danica, it was so nice to see you. Bye Claire. I hope you have a fun day with your cousin!"

Smiling and turning around, nonchalant Duncan by her side, the two left. The young boy waved across the shop. “See ya Claire!” He shouted as the pair left.

"As much as I love that girl, she can be very strange at times.”

“I didn’t think she was strange. She seemed nice,” Claire said.

Danica and Fran shared a look and a little smile, unnoticed by Claire. In fact, Claire was staring out the front windows at the retreating form of Duncan and his Mom.

“She’s plenty nice,” Danica said.

“But strange at times. Then again, her whole family is weird, and we love her anywayWeird is good, that's what I always say. Now let’s get you measured up and into the fitting rooms, shall we? I have a load of stuff I want to try and I think you’re the perfect little model!”

Nodding, Claire followed the adults up the stairs, listening to Fran go on and on about everything under the fashion oriented sun. She glanced back at the doors where her new acquaintance had left and was by now long gone.

Strange? A little bit, Claire thought. But in a good way.

She wished she could’ve at least had a chance to have said a proper good-bye to him.


A lot of unnecessary pricking, poking and prodding later, Claire and Danica found themselves laden with bags and walking out the door of Fran's, waving a cheery goodbye hours later.

"Well, that was fun, wasn't it? Look at that time! It’s noon already! We should probably get some lunch soon. Then we can put these bags away in the van, and stop by Splendora's. Huh, we still have to get that bookshelf—maybe Mom has one in the basement? I know there's a bunch of other stuff down there..."

"Can we get food? I'm super hungry," Claire said, muffled by shopping bags.

"Come to think of it, I’m starving too. We’ll go get lunch, but let’s enjoy it, shall we? We’ll throw these bags in the car first, get them out of our hands. There’s this nifty little café called Saucer’s down on Restaurant Square, we could go there after. Unless you’d prefer like McDonald’s or something."

"Isn't McDonald's that place with the yucky food and scary clown guy?" Claire asked, shifting the shopping bags on her arm.

Danica laughed, smiling down at Claire. “Then we stick with Saucer's Café, they have this great—ouf!” Danica stumbled, balancing her boxes and bags. She had shifted them in front of her face while talking to Claire and as a result, had bumped head-on into someone.

“I’m so sorry,” Danica said, gathering the fallen bags quickly.

“No worries, crashing into me is in your nature, isn’t it Danica?”

“Oh no, not you,” Danica said. Finally shifting the bags back, she stared right at the man she had crashed into. “Oh God no, it is you.”

“You sound disappointed,” The man smirked.

“Oh I am,” Danica huffed. A warm blush had crept into her cheeks; desperately she sought an exit route, anything to get away from him—and found none. Drat it, she thought. “Can I revoke that apology?”

“I’m wounded.”

“I’m sure your huge ego can handle it.”

“Well at the rate you’re deflating it, I don’t think it’s gonna hold up much longer.”

“Good!” Danica nearly shouted, catching a bag that slipped off of her arm. The teasing glint in the man’s hazel eyes softened; a genuine smile on his face, he shoved his satchel to his side and stuck out his hands.

“Here, let me help you with all these bags. Where’d you park?”

“Please, I think I’ve had enough help from you to last me a lifetime.”

“Nonsense. And that is a lot of bags. What on Earth did you buy?”

“None of your business! And I don’t need nor want help from you.”

“No need to be so mean,” the man said, pouting playfully.

“Mean? Excuse you! I have every right to be mean to the guy who embarrassed me in front of like half of Swan Valley.”

“First of all, it wasn’t half of Swan Valley, it was just a few…okay a lot of…peers and acquaintances. Secondly, I fished you out! It was your best friend who went and—”

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence,” Danica hissed.

Confused, Claire stared at her flushed cousin and the tall man in front of her. He had brown hair and hazel eyes; his face looked kinda like a deformed circle, to the young girl…an oval, she recalled. Most importantly, he looked kinda muscly and all the bags Claire was carrying were really very heavy. The man noticed her gaze on him and turned to look at her, an eyebrow raised.

“Who’s this with you, Danica?”

“Why do you need to know?”

“I’m Claire. I’m her cousin. Who’re you?” Claire blurted out, the help he had offered looking really appealing right now.

Danica groaned, resisting the urge to face palm—which would be a hard feat to accomplish, considering how full her hands were. Of all the people Claire had to have a sudden burst of friendliness towards, it had to be him.

“Danica please, not in front of the child!” Derrick joked, bending down to Claire’s eye level and ignoring the deathly glare he was sure Danica was shooting his way. “I’m Derrick Swan,” he said, sticking out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Claire.”

Claire stared at his outstretched hand, blinking. Slowly she moved her hand towards his, the man shaking her tiny hand gently and Claire nearly loosing the bags and parcels she held in the process.

“Woah there, don’t want to loose that load. Seriously Danica, the two of you are struggling to carry all this. Let me help you, alright? Now where did you park?”

“I don’t need you to help—”

“Here you go!” Claire said, throwing her bags at Derrick and stretching her arms, skipping around and staring at a butterfly flying by. Danica sighed heavily, ignoring Derrick’s smug look.

“Don’t say a word, Swan. Not a peep. We parked in the back lot,” she grumbled, walking towards the back of the main strip of stores. “And make yourself useful,” she added, giving him two more bags and a shoebox.

“I love it when you get all authoritative on me,” Derrick said, grinning.

Danica merely growled in response, walking ahead of Derrick. Smiling and laughing to himself, he followed along quietly, little Claire skipping beside him and staring him down. Derrick stared right back.

“Are you one of Danica’s friends?” She asked.

“You could say that,” Derrick said, the same time Danica said, “Absolutely not!”

He glanced at Danica, who was flushing even more; he grinned.

“I’ve seen a lot of Danica’s friends today. Do you have lotsa friends?”

“I like to think so.”

“Is Danica your bestest maybe friend?”

“Who said we were maybe friends?”

“Who said we were ever friends,” the brunette grumbled.

Derrick rolled his eyes, smiling nonetheless. “So what is this little lady, twenty questions?”

“What’s that?”

“It’s a game you play with another person. You each ask the other person twenty questions, and you take turns. You can’t ask more than one question at a time, and you have to take turns. Or you break the rules.”

Claire frowned, pondering the odd rules. “Okay…then yes! That’s what we’re playing! So do you—”

“Hold up, you’ve already asked your question. Three, in fact. It’s only fair if I ask the next three.”

“Right. Okay, your turn!”

Derrick smiled, thinking of all the questions he could ask this young girl he had never heard about. Then a sneaky thought occurred to him; he glanced at Danica, who was still pretty pissed, and grinned. What was the best way to bug her, he wondered? She clearly didn’t want Derrick there at all; he may as well bug her a little bit more. (It was after all much too easy and she was downright adorable when she was all flustered and pouty).

“Okay then, let me think. We’ll start easy, how about that? Where’re you from, Claire?”

“The city,” she replied.

“Swim City,” Derrick guessed.

“I grew up there.”

“Ah…heard it was a nice place. Well, until the fever hit. Clean up is going well though according to my Father. He’s the mayor of Swan Valley,” Derrick added smugly, for the fun of it.

“Is that important?”

“Kind of. He runs the town. Also, that counts as a question. Now I have to ask you three more.” Claire frowned, thinking hard about the rules before nodding in agreement.

“Let’s see let’s see,” Derrick pondered out loud. “Was Swim City close to a lake?”

“I don’t think so,” Claire replied, puzzled.

“Then why call it Swim City? Was there nowhere for you to go swimming?”

“I can’t really remember,” Claire said. “I was really little last time I did swimming. Maybe I can’t even swim. I dunno.”

“Would you want to learn how to swim?” Derrick asked, hazarding a glance at Danica. She looked alarmed.

Claire shrugged. “Maybe.”

“Did you know your cousin likes to swim?”

“You do?” Claire asked.

Danica had gone a bit pale. She looked flustered. “I…yes. No! No? Not…um…”

“She’s gone shy on us! Well little lady, your cousin is one of the most daring swimmers I think I have ever seen! In fact, this one time—”

“Woah what would you look at that it’s the car!” Danica burst out, honking the car for added emphasis. “Here already, that was fast! Who would’ve guessed it?”

Claire skipped to the car, opening the sliding door and fishing out one of her new outfits to change into. Danica made her way to the trunk, Derrick by her side.

“Listen up, Swan. I don’t know what you think you’re playing at, getting all chummy with my cousin—”

“It was just a game of twenty questions, harmless fun.”

“Harmless fun my behind! I know where you were going with those ‘questions’ and so do you!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, feigning innocence.

“Look. I don’t know why you’re here, or why you love to bother me, but please stop and just leave me alone.”

Derrick looked at her, his charming façade dropping. “If you say so, Danica. It was a pleasure to see you too and you’re very welcome for the help. I’ll be off now.” And with a small smile that would’ve made Danica forgive him a little bit were it not for the wink that accompanied it, Derrick turned and left.

Sighing, Danica closed her eyes and leant against the car, calming her racing heart.

“Danica? I’m all changed. No evil nurse for me! Can we go eat now?”

Danica opened her eyes, smiling at her cousin. She had changed into a pair of jeans and a shirt that fit her nicely, throwing a green zip up hoodie overtop. She was a little mismatched but she was a kid after all, and even though the clothes weren’t the best fit (Fran had left space for her to grow into in the next few months as she ate properly and got back to a healthy weight) they were far better than the old baggy things she had worn before.

“Yes, let’s get lunch now. Some food will do us both some good.”


Derrick hazarded one last glance back at Danica before he left the lot, heading back down the street.

As much as he loved irritating Danica (she was so cute when she was angry though he’d never tell her that. He liked his body parts attached and right where they were, thank you very much), he knew when enough was enough. And he had gotten a little bit (a lot) cheeky back there.

Needless to say, Derrick had learnt some interesting things this afternoon. Now he had a few things to look into—it would make for a fun afternoon for him.

Glancing back once more at the retreating forms of Danica and her cousin hand in hand, Derrick grinned.

She’s definitely into me, he thought, continuing his walk.


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Shopping trip what what!

A newly edited chapter five, fresh off the word document! I remember writing this chapter, the amount of fun I had...oh boy. I especially like it better now that I've fixed the dialogue. Derrick's a bit of an ass still but that's fine, he and Danica have a weird frenemy ship thing and with the way the dialogue works now I think it's much better!

Next edited chapter is two chapters mushed together in one, hence the reason why there's no "next" link. That'll be up next Thursday, and do tell me if you're enjoying everything so far! Pointers and comments and love are always appreciated, as well as ways in which I can improve :D
~~
DISCLAIMER
Remnants, Swan Valley, and all related characters belong to/are property of SafyreSky. Any resemblance to any person/place/thing they bear is mostly coincidental; the opinions, thoughts and views expressed through the characters bear no resemblance to the author's opinions. Please do not use or reproduce without my permission.
© 2014 - 2024 SafyreSky
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