Skarlett stood on her front porch as she let out a sigh, the temperature so low her breath could be seen. She was waiting for her twin, Kol, her blood-related twin, not Carson the adoptive one,to come pick her up. Skarlett and the rest of her Mikaelson siblings were driving up to New York Cit. Since she was a Mikaelson, she has big shoes to fill, I mean after all, she is an Original.

Originals are the first vampires ever created, turned only by magic, and not by the new vampire method.

Earlier that morning, Skarlett had written up a note and explained to her guardian where she was going the the time in which she believed she would be home by.She was also kind of nervous and hesitant of going because for all Skarlett knew, she could be getting kidnapped by her sibling.

Skarlett looked around, and brushed a lock of her medium brown hair behind her ear and looked around. Since she saw no black SUV, she pulled out her phone and took a seat on the porch swing

Marabella sat behind the wheel of her black cherry 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle, tapping her fingers to the beat of the song on the radio on the steering wheel. It was hard to not tap along with a song from Journey, not to mention it was the only thing occupying her on her long drive to the town of Mystic Falls, and there wasn’t much to look at on the way there. It had been well over two hundred years since she had stepped foot into Mystic Falls, and she had planned to never return after what had happened the last time she was there, but something was drawing her back. What that something was, she wasn’t quite sure of yet but she planned to find out, deal with it, and get back out as quickly as she could. She had mostly bad memories about Mystic Fall and hardly any good ones. A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of them, which made her quickly shake them from her mind.

It wasn’t long until the Mystic Falls sign came into view, she sighed heavily and gripped her steering wheel a bit. As she passed the sign, a shiver ran down her spine. She disliked being in a town with so many Werewolves and Witches, she’d had nothing but bad run-ins with them over the years and she despised both. Plus, now that she was here, she would have to find herself a place to stay. Her mind instantly went to the Salvatore brothers and she wondered if they were still around after all these years, and if they might let her stay at the boarding house while she was there but she didn’t just want to invite herself to stay. Though she might stop by just to see how they’ve managed over the years, it had been so long since she had seen either one of them. She sighed once again as the town came into full view and she drove through it. It had definitely changed some, but the people were as lively as ever.

Marabella drove through town watching the people go here and there, wondering if those she was looking at were just normal humans or something else entirely. Shaking the thoughts from her mind, she looked ahead once again and saw the Grill. She decided she’d stop for a while after her long drive and get an idea of what the people were like here nowadays. Finding a parking spot, she parked her car and made her way inside. She found a table near the back so that she could have a good view of the whole place and all the people that came and went. After she sat down, a waitress came by to take her order. Marabella’s order was very simple, a hot drink and a little something to nibble on. Once the waitress left, she sat back in her chair and watched the people. As she watched, a thought lingered in the back of her mind. If she sat here long enough, at some point she’d probably run into one of the Salvatores before making it to the Boarding House.

" Where are they"Skarlett murmured under her breath. She opened 'Messages' on her phone and scrolled down, calling every single Mikaelson, and when none of them answered she let out a string of curses. She regained compusre and checked the ' Find My IPhone, just to see that all of them were in NYC, she was sure she was gonna put a stake through Elijah and Klaus, they'll be fine afterwards anyway. She scrolled back up and called Damon Salvatore, her boyfriend.

" If he doesn't answer, I am literally gonna walk to the New York ." Skarlett muttered something one last time before putting the phone to her ear. After a few seconds of ringing, Damon picked.

" Come pick me up." Skarlett said quickly and then she hung up, a smile on her face, the first one of today. She stood up, putting her leather backpack on, which now slung over her left shoulder. Skarlett looked around and went back inside her house, trying not to freeze her toes off, she kind of needs them. She had sat down on the bench in the elaborate mudroom before the door swung open. Skarlett popped up , backed away from the door.

She smiled to the person in the doorway, " Hi." Skarlett said simply to him as shephone her phone away, walking up to Damon, a smirk on his face.

" Good morning to you little miss I'm-on-a-mission." Damon answered back, pulling my backpack off my shoulders to him.

" Good morning, but I am on a mission, I am gonna kill Elijah and Klaus."

As Marabella waited on her order, she continued to watch the people that came and went. Not too much seemed to be different about the people that lived here now than back when she was here last. Yes, the younger generation was different, which was to be expected with the changing of the times and whatnot. Propping her elbow on the table, she rested her chin in the palm of her hand with a sigh. The people of this town were still dull, and only a handful knew what lurked around corners and in dark allies. Another sigh escaped her, this one heavier than the last before the waitress returned with her order. “Here you are. I’m sorry for the wait. We’re a bit busier today than we normally are.” the waitress said in a warm and apologetic tone as she set everything on the table. Marabella smiled back just as warmly and shook her head softly after lifting it from her hand. “Thank you, and it’s alright. You seem to be a bit short-staffed.” she spoke as warmly as her smile.

A smile found its way to the waitress's lips as Marabella spoke warmly to her. “Yes, Ma’am. We are quite short-staffed today. We weren’t expecting to have such a busy morning.” the waitress said with a small laugh. “Anyway, I better get back to work before my boss yells at me.” With a little laugh in her throat, the waitress turned and left Marabella’s table. Marabella watched the young woman for a moment before picking up her cup and bringing it to her lips and taking a sip, then let out a soft sigh as she brought it from her lips and back to the table. She then nibbled on the food she had ordered as she went back to quietly watching the people coming and going from the Grill, making sure to not make it too obvious. She would occasionally listen in on some of the conversations going on around her, just to see if she could pick up on anything interesting or find what had led her here.

She started to rush past Damon grabbed her, holding her against her will.

" Damon, let me go, " I groaned as I struggled to break free.

" You are not going to kill your brothers." Damon answered and his arms grew tighter against me.

Skarlett let out a huff of defeat and sighed. Damon unwrapped his arms and gently kissed her head.

( Sorry this was short, I don't have a lot of time)

Marabella continued to sit at a table in the Mystic Grill, watching and listening to the people that came and went. After finishing what she had ordered, she began to grow bored of the people and atmosphere. Calling over the waitress and getting the check, she paid her and even gave her a decent tip. Standing from the table Bella made her way through the building, out the door, and outside, taking a deep breath once she was back outside. Moving away from the door, she looked around the town as she decided what she should do. Should she wander around town to see what was new? Should she find the Salvatores, or should she just linger around the Grill and see who or what crossed her path? Sighing heavily, she settled on roaming around town and getting a feel for the town and its residents. Picking a random direction, she began to walk, taking in everything the town had to offer.

It was almost surprising how some things had changed while other things hadn’t changed one bit after all the time that had passed since she was last in Mystic Falls. It actually made her laugh a bit to herself and even shake her head. It was as if time had slightly stood still in certain parts of the town. She could still vividly remember what each building used to be, which some were still the same today. Shoving her hands into the pockets of her black jacket, she continued on her way with a light hum and a small smirk resting on her lips.

Frederick Steros rode into town in a black 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. The vampire siphon was a stickler for old muscle cars. The deep rumble reminded him of hoof beats. As much as he enjoyed his 2-door convertible, he couldn’t help but miss the good old days when people used to ride horses. Though he was well aware a horse couldn’t go zero to sixty in nine point two seconds. Not without a little magical interference.
Fredrick drove down the main strip. Windows down, and fingers drumming the outside of his door. This sleepy town never ceased to surprise Fred. There always seemed to be some magical catastrophe on the horizon. Hell, he noticed the Originals made the trip from New Orleans to Mystic Falls a lot more than he would expect of some backwater town. It was one of the reasons he had come. He wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

A soft, gentle breeze whispered through the treetops as John slowly trotted up the main path snaking through the surrounding wilderness until he came upon the old cemetery, just mere miles from his family's ranch.

Sliding off the saddle of his trusty steed Blackjack, he reached into the saddlebag and pulled out a bouquet of sunflowers, checking them first to make sure they weren't crushed or broken in any way. Then, he made his way up the small, sloping hill to the old wrought iron fence surrounding the scattering of old tombstones and wooden crosses, some dated as far back as 1860, when his great grandpa's family first settled in Mystic Falls.

The tall, green grass was as high as his boots as he stepped through the wooden archway and knelt before a grave. He took off his hat, brushing the few stray tears from his eyes, then sighed with a saddened smile upon his rugged face, "Hey mama." He set the bouquet on his mother's grave, swallowing to push down the waves of pain that were crashing against him. "Well...here we are fourteen years later. I still miss you like it was yesterday. I just thought I'd drop by and say hello. Bring you some flowers."

After about an hour or so of talking to his mother's grave, he soon stood up and stretched, setting his hat back on his head. "Well, I better get going before dad gets worried. He'll probably think I ran off drinking again." John laughed. "Goodbye, mama. I love you." He placed a small kiss on the inside of his hand and set it on the top of the gravestone before making his way down the hill, climbing up in his saddle and grabbing the reins tightly in his calloused hand, using the other to pet his horse's shimmering black mane.

"Alright Blackjack, let's go to work."


Later on, after a hard day's work wrangling cattle, John decided to mosey into town for a bite to eat. As customary, both windows of his blue 2011 Ford F150 were rolled down as he sang along to some Cody Jinks belting out of the speakers. He soon pulled his truck into the parking lot of the Mystic Grill and killed the ignition, stepping out and adjusting his Stetson atop his head before slamming his pickup door lightly and strolling up the sidewalk to the front door. As he was about to enter the establishment, he noticed a particularly attractive young woman heading his way. He smiled and opened the door for her. "Allow me, darlin'." He said, his voice thick with a country drawl.

@Wolvena

The woman seemed to pay him no mind as she briskly walked past the young cowboy, but John just assumed she had something important to get to and wasn't trying to be rude. Still, he had to admit the blonde was good-looking. Maybe he would bump into her later. It was a small town, after all, Mystic Falls. Approaching the counter, John tipped his hat to the waitress and gave a friendly smile as he sat down, putting both elbows on the countertop.

"Your usual, Johnny?" Said the young waitress. John nodded back, "Yes ma'am, and don't skimp on the gravy." He chuckled. While he waited, his eyes trailed about the sleepy little diner. Sitting next to him was a police officer, casually sipping his coffee as he read the local paper, a half-eaten club sandwich resting on his plate. In one of the booths nearby, a few old men laughed and smoked cigars, talking about the good old days, while in another booth, a young couple was getting a little too intimate with each other despite being in the public eye. John just shook his head and paid them no further attention. Kids, he wondered.

"Here you go, Cowboy." Cooed the waitress with a smirk as she set a plate before him, a golden brown chicken fried steak smothered in gravy with mashed potatoes and green beans on the side. John's mouth was already watering, his stomach growling excitedly with anticipation. "Thank you, ma'am. Looks wonderful. Smells good too." He joyfully responded before digging into his first bite. You just couldn't beat good home cooking like this he thought as he savored the delicious aroma and the tenderness of the meat. After John finished his meal, the cop beside him slowly stood up and began reaching for his wallet. "Oh don't worry about that, mister. I'll pay for you." Said John quickly.

The police officer gave him a funny look but replied, "Well thank you, sir."

"No sir, thank you." Said John tipping his hat. "You boys do a lot for this town. The man smiled and gave a curt nod to John before walking away. John soon got up himself, fishing his wallet out of his back pocket and setting a few twenties on the bar. "Just keep the change, darlin'." He chimed to the waitress in the back before turning around and stepping outside. The sun felt warm on his face, despite the cool breeze that was wafting through the streets, culminating with the sound of birds chirping and cars quietly passing by, the idle chatter of people walking up and down the sidewalks. It was all oddly peaceful to the young cowboy. It made John wonder why his brother Tommy hated this place, why he was so fired up about leaving Mystic Falls for the big city.

Last he had heard, Tommy was a big-time lawyer up in New York. He didn't have time to visit John or their dad either, not that he would have cared to make any John pondered a tad bitter. Still, he wasn't going to let any negative thoughts of his brother ruin his day.
Climbing back in his pickup, he started the ignition, the engine rumbling to life amidst another country tune playing through John's stereo. This time, it was the Turnpike Troubadours' Good Lord, Lorie. John smiled to himself and hummed along as he put his truck in gear and backed out onto the street. Since it was such a lovely day, he figured he'd just drive around a bit before he had to get back to work.

Frederick Steros was enjoying his drive through the sleepy town of Mystic Falls. Until some country bumpkin pulled out right in front of him, in a blue 2011 Ford F-150. Forcing Frederick to slam on the brakes. He swore to himself quietly. His fingers going from casually drumming the side of his antique muscle car, to flip off the careless country driver. He waited for the cowboy to drive on, before muttering to himself. “Motus.” With a subtle swish of his fingers, as he lowered his hand to continue drumming his fingers on the side of his car, he burst the rear left tire of the blue Ford. He took great care not to draw undue attention to himself. Simply, carefully overtaking the blue truck and carrying on his way. He had business that needed to be handled with the Salvatores.

@Sanity43217



Suddenly, John heard a loud bang erupt over his music, followed by the telltale thumping of a blown-out tire slowly being shredded against the pavement. "What the hell?" He cursed, slamming on his brakes and grimacing in disbelief at the disheartening view in his left side mirror. He got out muttering to himself and rubbing the back of his head, just as a sharp '77 Trans Am was subtly creeping by his now disabled pickup. "Hey! Hey!" John tried to flag the driver down, but to no avail did they see him, let alone acknowledge he was there. "Well, that's just plain rude, dammit!" He huffed, throwing his hands up. Some day this was turning out to be he thought, a sour look muddling his rugged face.

Trudging toward the back of his truck, John knelt in the street to inspect the damage. It was a blowout alright, and a nasty one at that. Nearly half of the tire was laying in pieces, the bare metal rim jutting from the chasm of shredded rubber. John sighed gruffly and shook his head. Guess he was gonna be a little late getting back to the ranch.