A Gift and a Curse - Chapter 6: White Rose

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#6 of A Gift and a Curse

This is my first story I've decided to publish. I know the language can be a bit wonky here and there, as English is not my first language. All constructive feedback and comments are more than welcome.

At times, the story will contain violence, strong language and questionable subjects, so each chapter of the story is going to be tagged 'adult' for coherence. There's not going to be sex, but sexual matters may be dealt with along the way.

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Oliver spends some time at home. During and after his sister's birthday party she has been acting strange.


Usually Oliver enjoyed parties, especially birthdays, but this time he kept worrying about himself. The past events haunted his mind and he had a hard time to focus on her sister. Rose turned 16 and they had their grandparents and uncle Ferdinand with his three cubs as guests. There was cake and chatting, but both Rose and Oliver were a bit bored. As if bearing the relatives' endless and boring stories, which he had heard at least twice before, Oliver had to entertain his cub cousins, who were a couple of years younger than himself, which proved to be quite a taxing ordeal. These kinds of parties had been fun when they were 5 or 6 years old, but now they seemed artificial and altogether stupid. Their mother had determined to organize this party, so the two had to survive through it. Despite Rose's wishes, neither her or Oliver's fathers were around, which was a petty because they rarely saw them in the first place.

Rose's father John was a construction engineer and left the family when she was just 6 months old. Oliver knew it had something to do with an affair with another woman, but mother hadn't told him or Rose the exact details. Mother remarried with Oliver's father Andrew, a surgeon, two years later, who also left the family. Oliver was 2 years old back then, so he can't remember, but according to Rose their mother and Andrew had been fighting constantly. Oliver had been thinking that maybe the relationship hadn't been solid in the first place, as their mother was sometimes a total control freak, and Andrew seemed to be always at work. Later, when Oliver met his father, he told that he had had an affair with another woman behind mother's back.

Nowadays their mother was a single parent and quite happy with the situation, or so they were told. She worked at a large international company as a sales manager and had a very substantial salary, so money wasn't exactly an issue in the family. However, she had to travel abroad every now and then, which was the reason Daniel had been babysitting the kids a lot in the past. Somehow Oliver had gotten the idea that his mother was actually very sad. He didn't know why.

Rose and Oliver had never been exactly close siblings, and truth to be told, one would never guess the two were even related. Oliver had the 'traditional' orange-white fur, while Rose was completely white. They cared for each other, but rarely showed it. She was five years older than him. When she was younger, the two had played games and spent more time together. After Oliver went to school, they had become more isolated and she had been spending a lot of time chatting with her numerous friends with her commlink. When she met his boyfriend James a year ago, she had almost completely vanished from Oliver's life.

However, Oliver noticed that now something was wrong. Rose was usually pretty happy, although a bit angsty at times, but at the party it seemed like she even had trouble giving a little smile. The next day she was completely isolated in her room, and despite their mother's demands she refused to come and help with the chores. She hadn't eaten properly, and Oliver was getting worried. He didn't dare to directly approach her, as such attempts had backfired in the past and he wanted to avoid that.

Mother had to take another business trip abroad a few days later and left the two alone. She didn't call for a babysitter, as Oliver wasn't that young any more, and she believed Rose would take care of him well enough. Oliver was actually used to taking care of himself, although now that the CTI might be spying on the house, he was very cautious and slightly nervous. Rose was still rarely out of her room and Oliver though it was best to leave it at that.

In the past few days Oliver had been studying the events from earlier. The news articles were still very vague, although it seemed more and more pieces of information were discovered. Still nothing substantial was told. He hadn't experienced any further changes on his body or any unusual phenomenon, but then he had remembered that there was still Finn's illusion magic hindering the observation of his changes. He wondered would the illusion last long enough for him to get out of his family's sight. Then he thought what they would think when they found out. It was obvious he couldn't hide his gift forever, but when would be the right moment to tell everybody? His mother would freak out no matter what, but Rose might be okay with the matter, if presented the right way.

Oliver had had trouble sleeping since the falling, but at home he had slept a little better, although now he was nervous because the CTI might be watching. The same nightmares recurred over and over again. It took new forms, such as falling from the balcony of Finn's apartment, getting shot at mid-air, using magic to kill people below, and so on, but the same fear was always there. He had called Finn and asked about them, but he had given very little advice. He had simply said that Oliver should try and think of something nice and warm, but he didn't know what Oliver was feeling. It was a tough challenge and Oliver simply had to live through it all.

* * *

A week after the birthday party Oliver was yet again having trouble to get sleep. He stared through the window and saw a streetlight and a lush pine tree; nothing like the scenery from Finn's windows or balcony. They lived in a suburb about a 20-minute-drive away from downtown. He liked it there, although his friends were living in other suburbs and it usually took at least 30 minutes to travel. Monorail station was a quarter of a mile away, and the sounds of the trains could be heard faintly in the distance.

Then Oliver had the feeling someone was looking at him. He sat up on the bed and noticed Rose at the door. He turned on the bedside lamp, and immediately she turned away but remained at the doorway. She was wearing baggy sweatpants and a hoodie, which she usually did when she was at home.

"Trouble getting sleep too, huh?" Oliver asked casually, although it was obvious something was wrong.

"I... Can I talk to you for a moment?" Her voice was shallow, and she had clearly been crying.

Oliver nodded, and she sat next to him on the bed. She stared at the opposite wall behind Oliver's desk, which was full of posters of cars and movies. It was obvious she had trouble finding words, as she kept opening and closing his mouth, sighing constantly and covering her face with her paws.

Finally, she managed to speak. "James and I... we broke up."

"Really? What happened?"

"I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later, but still I feel like it was way too soon. Long story short, he had been with other girls all the time. Nothing serious, mind you. I didn't like it, but I was in love and tried to ignore that. Then, two weeks ago, I caught him making out with Lucy. Can you imagine? A nerdy rat who has a flat chest and huge glasses! Of all possible girls why did it have to be one of MY best friends??"

Oliver didn't know much about James or Rose's friends, and that Lucy was a complete stranger to him. He patted her on the shoulder and she was about to shed tears.

"I demanded explanation and he accused me of being clingy and jealous. I was persistent, and he didn't like it. So, he broke up with me two days before my birthday. He said it would never work, and he was right. I want to be with someone who cares and doesn't run after other girls. Like my dad did. And yours too."

It was now dead obvious why she had been acting strangely. Oliver felt sympathy and almost started crying for no apparent reason. She kept sobbing and sniffing and wrapped her arms around Oliver. The two sat there for a long time just staying close to each other. No words, just the warmth and deep connection were enough to give her comfort.

Rose then let go of her brother and gave him a little smile. "Thank you, cub. You know, you are the only person I know who I really care about."

"Seriously? Even though you have been spending your entire spare time with your friends? We talk so rarely that I don't know anything about your present life."

"Yes. I'm sorry for not being there to play with you. Our interests are so different and... well... you are just too young to... you know... talk to about... stuff..."

"I understand. I think we have very little in common when it comes to hobbies and other things. You don't have to explain yourself."

"Thanks, bro. You know, you sound awfully adult sometimes. Even though you're just ten years old, you are so much more mature than many of my friends. It's strange." She giggled a little, and Oliver was happy to see her feeling better. She gave a peck on his cheek and stood up. She then started stripping for no apparent reason, until she was wearing only a white top and panties.

He startled and turned to look away. "What are you doing?? Put on some clothes, woman!"

Rose laughed heartily. "Look who's talking? You're wearing only your briefs and now you accuse me of being underdressed?"

Oliver blushed a little and tossed himself onto his bed. His sister followed and crawled next to him. "Mind if I sleep here tonight? I've been feeling so lonely since the break-up and I really need the company."

What on earth was she up to? She tended to be a little awkward at times, but never like this. While Oliver was still in confusion, she grabbed his tail and buried her face in it. "Mmm... so soft... I feel so much better already." She inhaled her brother's scent and seemed to enjoy it. Oliver thought it had to do with her current mental state.

"What if mom gets back and sees us?"

"Who cares? Besides, she won't be back until Tuesday. Now stop fighting back and let me cuddle with you!"

Oliver knew too well that it was no use arguing any further, and simply laid on the bed without a word. The bed was wide enough for the two, but she still crawled right close to Oliver and wrapped her arms around him. As she pulled him against her body, Oliver felt her breasts and nipples poking against his back, making him feel a little uncomfortable.

"Mmm... This is nice..." She murmured into Oliver's neck and caressed his chest fluff. The two had done something similar years ago, but never for any particular reason. It had always felt pretty nice and it wasn't as if he didn't like it. But they had been much younger then. The way she presented it tonight was just somehow different. Perhaps it was because the two were so much older. He decided to turn off the light and try to get some sleep.

While the two were cuddling, Oliver's mind returned to Rose's misfortune. He had seen James only twice, but never got to talk with him properly. He seemed nice, although a little cocky, perhaps. It was no wonder why Rose had had a crush on him. He was a tall German Shephard with a toned body and chocolate brown eyes, and he was quite smart and polite too, at least to strangers. She had been talking about him every day, and the break-up must have been a hard experience. He was glad he was able to make her feel a little better.

It was nice and warm, and Oliver felt the sleep slowly making its way to him. Rose had fallen asleep almost immediately after pulling her brother close. Even when she put her head on his shoulder, right next to his head, he didn't mind. They were happy, and Oliver made his mind: he would tell Rose about the gift in the morning.

* * *

It was a weird dream. Oliver was sitting in the middle of a thick mist. His sister was there too, nude, walking towards him. She seemed happy, and despite she was naked, her naughty bits weren't somehow showing. She leaned forward and gave his brother a kiss on the forehead. Then she wrapped her arms around him and just stayed there. It was peaceful and warm, almost serene. Oliver saw how shadows had been gathering around the two and soon he didn't see anything but her sister's bright blue eyes.

Then he was in the darkness again. He somehow felt that the place was familiar, yet he didn't know why. He walked on and soon saw a bright light in the distance, realizing it was his gift again. The orb seemed pretty similar to earlier, but as he looked closer noticed how it had grown and the individual petals had become more refined. The humming sound had also changed and was beginning to sound like music, although it was still pretty much just a hum. The light was also a bit brighter, or so Oliver thought.

* * *

The morning came, and the sound of a neighbor's lawn mower woke him up. Oliver rubbed his eyes and the sharp morning light made him squint. It was already 10 am, but luckily, they both had vacation. The two had been sleeping pretty peacefully through the night, but they were no longer spooning. Oliver remembered waking up a couple of times when she was nibbling on his ear and trying to caress his privates. He got decent amount of sleep, and he did this because of his sister, not for himself.

Rose had rolled onto her back and was grunting and rubbing her eyes. The natural light made her slightly messy white fur glow and Oliver wondered why on earth would anyone let such a beautiful girl go.

"Good morning, sis." Oliver said softly.

With a lot of effort, she opened her eyes and yawned loudly. "Ugh... What time is it?"

"10 am."

"Damn, I should've called Harriet an hour ago. Oh well, might as well..." She stretched her arms and legs, making her flat and smooth belly and cute belly-button all visible. She scratched her belly and yawned again. Then she sneakily grabbed poor Oliver to her embrace. "You're not going anywhere, my little plushie!"

Oliver gasped and tried to escape. She was bigger than him and had a firm grip. She pressed him real close and his face got buried between her ample breasts. Oliver thought if she did that on purpose, or if it was just an embarrassing accident. He didn't get air and waved his arms around, until she let him go. "What was that for?? You buried my face between your boobs!"

She giggled. "Don't you tell me you didn't like it..." She grabbed her breasts and made some very lewd expressions. "... because all the cute boys I know just love my titties." Oliver blushed a little and tried to look away. To stop her stupid act, he tossed a pillow against her face.

In turn, she grabbed a pillow from behind her back, and the two suddenly engaged a pillow fight of their life. After ten minutes they were spent. She crushed onto the bed, and Oliver fell on top of her, with his head resting on her belly. The two then laid on the bed panting.

Then she stroked gently her brother's head and sighed. "Thanks for listening last night. You shouldn't worry about my personal life, although I appreciate the thought. Perhaps someday you will find a girl, or a boy, or whatever you can call your own. I really hope you do. I'm worried you have so few friends."

"I have many friends!"

"Three friends aren't that many. Besides, is there anyone you can talk to about more sensitive matters?

"Well... no... I mean, Brian once told me he had a boner whenever he saw me changing in the locker room after PE."

Rose laughed. "That's not what I meant, silly! Still, I wish you had more friends."

"I have met a new friend recently, actually."

"That's good. Who is he? Do I know him?"

"I doubt you do. He's a dragon."

"Ooh, I like scalies! So slim and can't hide anything under fur. I don't remember seeing a dragon when we went to the same school a couple years ago. I bet he's a new student, probably from some far-away place. Is he cute?"

"Well... I guess he is... in his own way..."

"What do you mean?"

"He has a toned body and long hair..."

"Ooh! I like him already!"

"... but he's older than me. He's almost 30 years old."

"Uh-huh... That's... odd. I think he has something else in mind."

"No! He's not a pedophile, if that's what you think. He has helped me a lot and... stuff..."

"Stuff?" She was clearly getting suspicious.

Oliver realized now it was the time to tell her sister about the gift. He explained how he had gotten in trouble when returning from the comic book store, how the three visited Whistler Tower, and how he had almost died when CTI chased them.

After he had finished, Rose was horrified. "What the fuck?? So, you're telling me that you can do magic, and not red magic, but the real thing?? And that you're most likely more powerful than most other magic wielders?? And you are chased by the CTI and in constant mortal danger?? This can't be true! It just... can't!"

"I find it hard to believe myself. But it's true. It's all true. Finn is probably watching me as we speak."

Rose was getting restless and quickly grabbed her sweatpants and hoodie that were still laying on the floor. Oliver tried to calm her down, but she was hastily putting the clothes on and refused to listen.

When she was done she looked at her brother with a serious look. "Have you told mom yet?"

Oliver shook his head. She sighed in relief. "Good. Don't. She is so stressed as it is. Telling her about this would make her loose it for real."

The two headed downstairs and she began making breakfast. The two ate in perfect silence, until Rose dared to open her mouth. "If it's true, the fact that you can do magic, what will it mean? I know that if you are discovered as a magic wielder, you are taken away."

"I didn't know, but I'm kind of expecting that. The CTI is likely watching the house and Finn is probably trying to organize a place for me to stay until things are settled."

"You know I will be really sad if you leave us. It could be weeks, months, even years until I see you again. The fact that I don't know where you are or how are you doing... I couldn't take it."

Oliver seemed puzzled. "Why have you been hiding in your room chatting with your friends all this time then?"

"I... it's just that my mind has been focusing on stupid things. I admit I'll probably go back to my habits and start chatting with my friends and probably won't spend enough time with you. But even when that happens, remember that you mean much to me and mom."

As she finished her sentence, the doorbell rang. The two stared at each other in confusion. It was Monday and almost 11 am. Who could it be? Rose left the table and went to answer the door. Oliver observed from the kitchen how she answered the door.

There was a woman in white uniform and Oliver guessed she was roughly the same age as Finn. She was a tall gray mare with black mane and lean build, and somehow Oliver got a very bad feeling about the woman. Behind her was a shorter lioness with a more muscular build wearing a similar uniform.

The mare greeted her sister with a polite and friendly tone. "Good morning. I'm major Cindermane from the CTI and this is my assistant, sergeant Queens. May we come in?"