Present

"For he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow! Which nobody can deny!"

I rolled my eyes at Penelope's crude singing as she skipped towards me with a giant vanilla birthday cake with a blue 18 on top.

"Happy birthday!" My small group of misfits cheered.

I blew out the candles with very little enthusiasm. My three closest friends clapped as the staff cut up the cake for us.

"What'd you wish for?" Penelope prodded.

"Now, Penny," I drawled. "You know that it wouldn't come true if I told you."

"You didn't wish for anything, did you?"

"Nope, not at all."

She groaned. "Don't you want anything?"

I shrugged. "With a house like this and the leverage I have, there's not one single material possession I want that I couldn't get myself."

She frowned at that, but then smirked mischievously.

"Material, eh?" She stated. "That means you want something intangible."

I squirmed a little in my chair as my inner emotions try to come out.

"Perhaps," I concluded.

Finn and Quinn just looked at each across the table as Penelope and I had a staring contest.

"So...are we gonna eat cake or interrogate each other?" Finn interrupted.

"As Queen Marie Antoinette said, let them eat cake!" Penelope declared.

"She never said that," I mumbled under my breath.

"What was that, Eoin?"

"Let's get fat!"

"I thought so."

We then continued to devour the delicious 3-layered cake until we all felt our food babies grow. We rolled ourselves out into the living room to have a horror/sci-fi film marathon as the staff cleaned up.

"Lame!" I shouted at the stereotypical blonde bimbo, who lost her way in the woods.

"It's a B rated slasher movie. I'm surprised that girl doesn't have obscenely huge knockers," Penelope commented.

"Why are you looking at her breasts?" Quinn inquired, looking pointedly at Penny.

"For...uh research purposes?" Penelope stammered.

"Mhmm."

Finn and I snickered at the fear on Penelope's face as her much smaller girlfriend gave her the death stare.

"Shut up!" Penny called out with an apparent blush on her cheeks.

"Harsh words, Penelope. I'm hurt," I quipped.

She flipped me off and turned her attention back to the home theater. The night went on like that, us bickering and playfully arguing. 5 movies in, around 3 in the morning, one by one they drifted off. Quinn and Penelope snuggled peacefully on one couch and Finn hugged his small body into my chest, snoring quietly like a mouse.

Halfway through the 6th movie, I heard the rattle of the front door ever so slightly. I thought it was the wind pushing against the lock, until the sound of the knob being twisted filled the air.

My breath hitched as light footsteps followed, then heavier footsteps.

"Oi, walk quieter. I hear the telly in the next room," one voice whispered.

"Sorry, boss," the other whimpered.

I looked around the room and they were still completely asleep. I needed to stop the would be trespassers from disturbing anything.

Finn chose that moment to stir and cuddle closer to my side. I froze until his little snores began again, then lifted his body carefully and replaced myself with a pillow. He grumbled but stayed asleep.

I stalked my way to the main hallway, looking out for the robbers. Metal clanking together told me they made their way through the kitchen. I turned and walked to the north entrance to the kitchen to cut them off.

"There's nothing here to take, Newt," the "boss" said.

"Yeah, but I smell sugary sweets," Newt's gruff, almost gullible, voice argued.

"You were always a fat slob."

"Stop," I commanded with full control of my power.

I stepped into sight and surveyed the two worst robbers I've ever encountered. Being a big name in a small town, scum like them aren't unfamiliar in this house. But by far, they were the laziest.

One, who I deducted was the ringleader, was tall, lanky, and roughed up. Crooked nose, broken many times probably, dirty clothes that shed dust every second, pale skin so dry, a desert during the day couldn't rival it. He bared his decrepit set of teeth at me in disgust and anger.

The goon was, indeed, a jolly man. A fairly rounded stomach protruded from his body as his lungs huffed for air audibly. Fat fingers jitter at the lingering scent of my cake. Beady, muddy brown eyes narrow in on its target, tucked in the far corner of the kitchen.

"Go back to bed, playboy. Ain't nothing to see here," the leader barked.

I chuckled. "I hate to break it to you, but I'm in charge now."

The power radiating through me gave its due confidence boost. Heat burst through my body in waves of dangerous energy.

The leader laughed too and tried to turn to reach for a hidden weapon, but my ego was amused at his efforts. He was steaming with force to move his body but my power was keeping him immobile.

"What kind of bullshit is this, kid?!" He demanded.

I stepped a little closer in short, dominating steps. Crossing my arms, I looked down at them like the cowering, little bugs they were.

"What happens when you decided to rob my home. You attempt to take my things, I take your free will," I threatened, ominously.

They shivered as fear set in. The fat man, Newt, was sweating bullets under his stringy, black hair.

"Take all your weapons and place them on the floor. Don't want you getting any ideas."

Their eyes widen as their bodies moved accordingly without their consent. Three measly, dull bladed chef's knives clatter to the floor at their feet. Newt at this point was ready to piss himself and his boss wasn't far behind him.

"What kind of monster are you?" Newt whispered with a quiver in his voice.

I stepped to him and leaned forward. "Your worst nightmare."

He whimpered and quietly sobbed. "Don't kill us please."

"First of all, quit your waterworks. It's pathetic." Quiet sniffling followed. "Second, do not piss yourselves in my house. You'll wish you were dead if you do. Thirdly, I won't kill you." I paused.

They both audibly sighed in relief. I held a finger up.

"I don't get my own hands dirty with filthy blood like yours. Now, you will pick up these miserable weapons of yours, leave my house, and dispose of them. If either of you even thinks to attempt another silly robbery of any sort, you will immediately kill yourselves. Am I clear?"

The air sung with the tension rolling off their shoulders, saturating it with the electric current of my control.

"Yes, sir," they both reluctantly agreed.

I smiled. "Good. Off you go, into the alleys where you belong."

The leader dropped to the floor, collected the knives, and they both rushed out the front door.

As the door shut, I felt the power let go of me and my would be alter ego slink back into his corner, absorbing the feeling of control.

"Eoin?"

I looked up at the squeak of Finn's voice. He pulled himself together with his arms around his body, shaking with emotion and chills.

"Finn, I-I--"

He shook his head.

I stared at him and he stared back.

"Are you scared?"

His brows furrowed together. "No."

"No?" I questioned, breathless.

He shook his colour streaked hair. "Why should I be afraid?"

I laughed humourlessly. "Why? Because I can strip you of your freedom with a single sentence. With a single command, a flick of my tongue. Does that not make you cower away?"

He stepped closer. "I know you wouldn't use your powers on me. At least, not with evil intent."

Big, green eyes stared up at me through black, purple, and pink hair. He waited for my move, not even shaking with uncertainty.

Finn was the glue of our quartet, the cheerleader. He was the first to crack a joke to cheer us up, but the last to hear cry. Penelope always poked fun at the idea of us together, but when I really delved into my power I shied away from that luxury. I was a monster that could taint minds with fear, no doubt about it.

I was startled from my thoughts when skinny, little arms wrapped themselves around my waist. He snuggled his head into my ribs.

"Thanks for saving us anyways."

I chuckled to hide my pain. "Those thugs weren't a threat. I could have pulled a real knife and they would have ran. I didn't need to exercise myself."

He eyed me, curiously.

"Well, you're my hero regardless. Now leave it alone," Finn insisted.

I smiled, tight lipped. He wouldn't say as such if he knew the real extent of my powers.

"Well you're welcome, my damsel in distress. Always."