'Not a lot of people can say they know what kind of life they'll live. I just happen to be lucky enough to have my happily ever after written in gold. Literally.'
Riley smirked as she caught a glimpse of her shiny golden hair as a few strands fell in front of her glasses. She pushed it back and picked up another book off the cart, sliding it onto the shelf.
"What kinda video do you think I should make next?" The brunet on the floor, Cole, asked as he flipped through the pages of a manga.
"Hmm, it has been a while since you've done a vlog." She mumbled, placing a few more new books on the shelves. Cole hummed, thinking about it for a minute.
"B&N, the sequel." He grinned, glancing up at the other.
"I don't think they liked your shenanigans from last time." Riley chuckled.
"Oh come on! I didn't mean to break it!" Cole laughed . "Besides, I don't have my camera with me today. They're safe for now." He joked.
"I'm sure they are sighing in relief." Riley said as she pushed the now empty cart out of the isle. "Are you gonna just lay there?"
"Just a little bit longer. I'll catch up in a minute." He used one hand to wave the other girl off and the other to hold the book above his face.
"Have fun." Riley chuckled, dragging the cart back to where it belonged.
On her way back to Cole she passed the kids section, and spotted something strange out of the corner of her eyes. It was only a brief glimpse, and based on the strange coloration she assumed it was a Normal who simply dyed their hair. Yet, she could have sworn she saw it change colors.
Which was impossible, even among those like her.
After going back to tell it to her friend, they merely responded with a, "You must be tired, all the more reason for you to take a day off."
That reassurance gave Riley a slight boost in confidence, but she still wondered.
The rest of the workday seemed to fly by, Riley barely processing much more than helping a few people, talking with Cole, and seeing that strange haired person.
Every time she spotted them their hair looked a different color or seemed to float. And then she'd blink and they'd be gone.
As soon as she got off work Cole insisted on dragging her to a restaurant nearby.
"It's my treat, and the food is really good." Cole continued, their arms linked as he walked Riley up to a retro looking diner.
"Woah, who still uses neon lights like this?" Riley asked in awe as she walked under the large glowing sign.
"Well, these guys for starters." Cole chuckled.
They were quickly seated by a nice Normal lady. It really felt like they had been taken back in time.
Casual conversation continued as they browsed the menu. Then suddenly an aqua haired girl slid up to them quietly. She looked too young to be working here but neither Riley nor Cole said anything.
"Good afternoon, I'm Cathy I'll be your waitress for today. Can I get you started with some drinks or any appetizers?" She seemed fixated on Riley's hair, but it was to be expected when you're the only person with this nice a fate within one hundred miles or so.
"Hit me up with a Dr. Pepper!" Cole grinned, earning a smirk from their waitress.
"I'd like a Root Beer." Riley nodded to herself.
"Alright. And any appetizers?" Cathy looked back up after jotting their drinks down. Both Riley and Cole shook their heads no, and Cathy turned to leave. "Then I'll be right back with your drinks."
The rest of their meal was uneventful, Riley ordered a chicken finger basket and a cup of honey mustard, and Cole got chicken fried steak.
Cole even asked about the sign for Riley when she voiced her curiosity. It turns out the young girl designed it herself!
But that was to be expected from someone like her.
As promised Cole payed for everything despite Riley's protests.
The two departed from the building and noticed how dark it was getting.
"Oh geez, we really should get home." Cole chuckled nervously. Riley nodded in agreement.
"Come on, I'll walk you home." Riley said, nudging Cole's shoulder with a smirk.
"How kind of you." He chuckled in response.
They only made it a few blocks towards their neighborhood before someone literally ran into the two of them, successfully knocking Cole over.
"Did I just survive getting hit by a truck or something?" Cole mumbled, visibly dazed by the strike.
"You should really watch where you're going!" Riley started, her voice slightly raised. When she looked up she got a close up look of the stranger she's been seeing all day. His eyes were wide and sparkling, not with emotion but literally. Her gaze trailed up to his hair; although most of it was covered by a hoodie it seemed like just purple and black, but with specks of white sprinkled like glitter as colors swirled in and out of view.
He looked back in the direction he came from before running away without a word. Rin had unconsciously stretched out her hand towards them, her mouth slightly agape.
When Cole finally stood up he wasn't given any more time to recuperate before Rin grabbed him by the arm and dragged him across the street.
"Woah what's wrong?" Cole sputtered out, trying to keep up with the other while keeping his balance.
"I-I dunno... It's just a weird feeling." Riley mustered the words to describe it, but only barely.
Both Riley and Cole made it home without another incident. Yet Riley stayed on guard in case she were to encounter the strange boy again.
For the next few weeks nothing major happened save for rumors of a Pink dying before meeting her soulmate, which in itself was concerning.
One evening she was walking around town, helping Cole look for a newly opened ice cream joint while the brunet talked for the camera he held away from his face.
"-and then, the banana slowly started to peel itself while keeping eye contact. But I woke up after that, so I'm not really sure where the dream was going. It was really awkward though." Cole looked off to the side, biting his lip to attempt to muffle his laughter.
"You gotta stop eating cold pizza before bed." Riley laughed, currently off camera. Cole turned to her with a false pout.
"That's gross." He stuck his tongue out at the other before pausing at the cross walk. He turned the camera to show what he saw and not his face.
And before they could step one foot onto the street a voice stopped them.
"Hey! Can I ask you two a few questions?" They both turned to the voice and saw a woman in a dark grey pantsuit and, strangely enough, a beanie that seemed to swallow up her hair and make it impossible to see the color. With a murmured 'Sure.' from the two, the woman approached them further, and when she noticed the camera now pointed at her she narrowed her eyes. "Turn that off." She ordered, placing her palm on the lens as she pushed its focus towards the ground. Before Cole could get a full argument in the woman pulled out a badge.
"The Beartsen Division." Riley whispered amazed, since she had just finished a social studies lesson about the governments most recent department. They were tasked with finding the newest Silver should there be a need. It's pretty important since they help train them to save the world.
"The whatson-" Cole was cut short.
"Turn the camera off." The brunet was taken aback by Riley's stern tone, and so he did as told.
"Good, now, can any of you tell me if you've noticed anything strange?" The strange woman asked. Both of them thought for a minute before Cole answered.
"I've heard that a Pink died before finding their heart." He muttered.
"We were already aware of that." She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "How about anyone suspicious around town?" Riley shook her head and Cole hesitantly followed. "Absolutely nothing else seemed strange?" She asked again, raising a brow in doubt.
"Nothing." Riley answered quickly, not wanting to get involved in any sort of government affair out of anxiety. But also because she had a strange feeling she shouldn't mention the strange haired boy to this lady.
"I see." She nodded, still tense but not visibly questioning her, and with the wave of a hand turned and walked back the way she came.
"Hey, wait!" Cole called out, getting the government agent to turn half way back. "At least tell us your name!" She pursed her lips. After a long pause she finally answered.
"Deacon." And with that she turned and continued walking.
Riley and Cole stood in silence watching the strange woman leave before one of them spoke.
"You think that's her last name or first?" Cole tilted his head to the side. Riley narrowed her eyes in quiet contemplation.
"Last."
Then the two finally went on their way, and made it to the fantasy woodland themed ice creamery. The owner was a Forest and his store doubled as a sanctuary for pixies traveling through the cities and in need of rest or supplies. They actually served more than just ice cream, and Cole got lots of great footage of him trying foods and of the pixies flying up through the hanging plants.
When they finally left, after negotiating how Cole would blur out any wings of pixies he caught on film, the world was painted gold with the setting sun.
They both walked towards home, chatting about how they might frequent that cafe now that they know how incredible it is.
After crossing a few roads, the two teens noticed the scent of alcohol in the air. They at first waved it off as they had just passed a bar, but had no choice but to turn and face the reality when they heard a gun being cocked.
An older looking Blue, already crying, looked at them with hatred. Immediately Riley stood in front of Cole, since they both knew nothing bad could happen to her. "Sir, you don't want to do this. You aren't thinking straight." She spoke calmly, trying to talk him down.
"You Golds don't know anything about me!" He yelled, his shaky hands taking aim at Riley.
"I know, and I'm sorry. I don't understand what lead to this, but it won't end well for you unless you leave now." She offered a pitying smile. "Just put down the gun-" BANG. Rin's eyes widened in shock and the man's in surprise.
There was now a stinging pain in Rin's shoulder, quickly burning into the rest of her body like poison. She let out a piercing scream and Cole pulled her into the alley in a panic.
"It bleeds!" The ecstatic cry of the man, laughing as though he won a lottery. "It's just a fucking Normal trying to pretend she's better than me." He laughed, and as Riley and Cole exited the other side and turned a corner they could both hear his heavy footsteps begin to run after them.
Riley could barely keep up, her eyes wide gazing at the red on her hand. Tears were streaming from her eyes.
Cole tried to lose him by going through a construction lot, breaking through a fence and pushing Riley ahead of him, the panic now clear on his face.
In her distracted state Riley tripped over a small incline of dirt, landing on her bad shoulder which caused a piercing cry to emit from her mouth. Cole rushed to her side.
"You gotta get up." Cole said over and over, trying to pull Riley to her feet.
They heard the mans chuckle and crinkle of the fence, then he was right over them.
"You wanted to be so special?" He glared once again, he opened his mouth to say something else but was stopped by something. As he fell it wasn't super obvious, but his body going limp revealed the strange boy Riley had seen before.
She continued holding the wound in pain, trying to stop the bleeding.
"He was real." Cole mumbled, seemingly lost in his ever changing hair.
Riley looked down at the man, seeing the blood pouring from the wound she realized, he had a metal nail from the site driven through his skull.
Then, all at once, three voices cried out.
"You killed him!" Rin shrieked,trying to crawl away despite the pain.
"Stop right-huff-there!" Someone seemed to be running into the site with two others.
"Can you guys shut the fuck up?" Came from above them, on the pillars.

TO BE CONTINUED...
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Chapter Count: 2162
Total Count: 2162
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Author's Note:
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Comments are always appreciated, and I'd love to hear thoughts on the plot so far
I'd also like to hear thoughts on what different colors mean and theories if any