Chapter Four: Cannon Officially Begins
Max only knew of the Salvatore brothers' arrival because he had placed an observation and alert spell around the town two years prior, similar to the spell he placed at the Lockwood's Well.
Damon arrived first, meeting Elena on May 23rd. Max was in the middle of working out in his At-Home Gym when he sensed Damon enter the Mystic Falls boundary line...
Middle of Nowhere, Mystic Falls, May 23rd, 2009...
"I know, Bonnie. You're right. You and my mom both are. I just can't bring myself to tell him," Elena said over the phone, and slightly sniffled. "I just can't bring myself to tell him. At least, not tonight. I'll call you later."
WHOOSH!
"Katherine…" a male voice sounded.
Elena looked up, spotting a crow-headed gentleman in leather and black. Looking behind herself to make sure he was talking to her, she corrected him. "Uh, no. I'm Elena."
"I'm sorry. You just really remind me of someone," Damon backtracked.
"Not to be rude or anything, Damon, but it's kinda creepy that you're out here in the middle of nowhere," Elena said suspiciously.
"You're one to talk. You're out here all by yourself," he snarked back.
"It's Mystic Falls," Elena spread her arms as if it were obvious. "Nothing bad ever happens here."
A couple miles away, in a four-story house reminiscent of the Dearborn, Michigan house of Fair Lane — same build, same coloring, and similar layout, Max canceled his Sibulari Oscularai Observantae incantation — an original spell that he created that allows him to view anyone within the territory of Mystic Falls.
As he stopped the spell, his right eye turned from a complete baby blue to his regular hazel-green.
"'Nothing bad ever happens here'? Huh. Famous last words, ain't it, mate," Max muttered out loud, mid pull-up. "Still, if Damon's finally here, Stefan will be here soon, probably mid-June, if I'm rough guessing properly.
" I should register for school. It will be my first time in a public school since my last life. Thank the gods I was able to convince Miss Aubrey to allow me my final years of education to be in a public setting. I reckon, mastering Elemental, Earth, Wind and Traditional magic as well as Hoodoo, curses, and hexes played a vital role in my argument, no doubt."
At this point, Max was already 15 years old, and quite proficient in basic spells of the Harry Potter verse, a Master at Logomancy and immensely skilled in Mending and Psychic disciplinaries, like from the Magicians series.
Just four months prior, Max had even phased for the first time — And it was exhilarating. A 12.5 foot long wolf with black-silver fur and the height of a grizzly bear with crimson-indigo eyes and a stalky build.
Running the woods in that form was addicting. He spent 3 days living that way, going off hunting when he was hungry, but as a wolf. The forest wind was the perfect brush for his fur. \
True to his word, Stefan arrived half a month later on June 16th. And, by August 24th, school had started, and Max had made his way to Jenna's house in a black 2009 Camaro, parking right behind Bonnie's blue 2009 Corolla Prius.
Exiting the car, Max made his way to the unlocked front door of the Gilbert's house, not even bothering to knock as he simply just entered.
"—oast. I can make toast," Jenna was saying.
"It's all about the coffee, Aunt Jenna," Max heard Elena say.
"Is there coffee?" Jeremy's voice sounded scratchy and sleepridden.
"Make that three," Max voiced from behind a startled Jeremy.
"Max? When did you get here?" Jeremy asked, curious.
"Just now, Jere. c'mon, eat up, or we'll be late for school," Max gave an imp-ish grin at the wording of choice.
"'We'?" Jeremy looked at Max incredulously. "You're coming to school?"
"Who do you think is driving you, Jere?" Max rolled his eyes, grinning. "And, yes, I am attending."
After first bumping our sacred handshake and eating breakfast, the teens left for school.
The car ride to school was nothing interesting — Just Jeremy expressing his longing for Vicky and Max answering his many questions on the spells he'd mastered over the summer. Jeremy knew he was warlock, just not a werewolf, though. Still, Max could swear there were undertones of Jyler angst in his complaints.
"—And Tyler is just such a dick… a handsome one, but a dick nonetheless," Jeremy complained. "Vicky deserves better. They shouldn't be a thing — It's all wrong!"
"Hmm," Max hummed in agreement. "And you're certain its not likely that you don't want Tyler below you instead of Vicky?"
Jeremy balked at the Max from the passenger seat, clearly unimpressed. "Just because you are shipping me and Tyler as a fantasy shipping doesn't mean it's an actual ship, Max."
Jeremy knows Max is gay.
"Mmm…," Max hummed, keeping his snarky response to himself. "You know, there is a whole genre of this sort of shipping."
"Oh, really?" Jeremy raised a brow, giving indulgence.
"Yeah," Max grinned. "Its very popular."
"Really?" Jeremy was skeptical.
"Yes, Jere," Max began. "It's called BL. Boy's Love—."
"Absolutely not. No," Jeremy went beat red, as Max released the most loud of laughter. "You're delusional, man."
"No, I'm top of the crop," Max corrected, as the two shared a laugh.
They made it to school with Jeremy going ahead to sell something Max had already sniffed from inside his pockets. Max wasn't worried, though. This was just a phase… at least, from the series, anyways.
Instead, Max made his way towards Bonnie, who was mid-conversation with Elena.
"—-All I see is back," Bonnie said to Elena. "It's a hot back. I'm sensing Seattle. And he plays the guitar."
"You're really running with this whole psychic thing to the ground, huh?" Elena was saying to Bonnie as he passed.
He noticed he was turning heads as he walked. Boys and girls. New student, not a bad looker… Of course he was. Still, he ignored them, as he made my way past where Jeremy was.
Briefly warning him about Elena's arriving form, Max made his way to class.
Class with a vampire was interesting…Still boring, but it beats homeschooling and private schools by literal miles.
After classes were over and evening was underway, Max, who had been invited tot he Back To School party bonfire in the forests by Caroline, did not initially intend to go. He really did not like people outside of his comfortable circle. A lot of them in a given area? Not his cup of tea.
Bonnie however did convince him to go. To keep her company and Jeremy out of trouble.
Sadly, the attack did happen.
After it did, Max followed Damon to the Grill, where he pulled a seat beside the raven hired vampire, who, intrigued by Max's nerve, raised a curious brow.
"And who might you be, following a man through the woods like this?" Damon began, smirking in mischief. "I don't do autographs, you know. Who are you? What do you want? You're quite young to be in a bar, no?"
"Name's Maximus. You can call me Max," Max said, not shaking the vampire's outstretched hand. "My surname is… Bennett."
At the last name, Damon's eyes widened in surprise and interest. But Max didn't give him any time to truly process it. Max knew Damon respected power; it was why he followed him here in the first place.
Hand on his drink, Max performed an aneurysm spell with his mind, chantlessly, causing the vampire to groan in pain as he felt pain wreck his mind.
After a minute of this, Max did stop, his point having gotten across.
"Quite some juice you're releasing, Bennett witch," Damon said, gathering himself.
"And I know how to use it to kill those who require it, Salvatore," Max said, much to Damon's surprised expression. "You stay your distance from my people, vamp, and all will be well."
"And who exactly are your people?" Damon smirked up his facade of confidence. "Can't stay away from people I do not know who to stay away from, you know."
"Bonnie Bennett. Caroline Forbes. The Gilberts. The Lockwoods. And the Donovans," Max listed. "Touch even a hair of anyone with those last names, and you'll desiccate faster than a dead leech."
"Understood," Damon nodded grimly, before grinning like the Cheshire cat. "Although, I should get something out of this, no? Tell you what, Ill stay my distance on these names, and you owe me for my troubles? A vampire needs a witch's help sometime and I could use yours, especially with how powerful you are. What do you say?"
Max locked gazes with the morally grey vampire, before nodding. "Fair trade. Fine. you will have 2 requests of me, and, so long as it is within my power,, I'll grant it."
"Good."
They shook hands.
That night, at home, Max prepared a couple of grimoires for his incantation. Tonight, he felt ready to Astral Project into wherever Klaus is hiding Kol at. From there, he'll enter the Other Side, and make contact with the original vampire.