(Hey Fanfiction! So I discovered Tf2 recently, yes I understand how lame I am, and instantly fell in love with the storyline and characters. So this is my first attempt at a story in the world of Team Fortress 2. I promise this story will expand into "Modern" TF2 times but for this prologue, this is the inciting incident leads us into the story. I hope you enjoy and thanks for reading! Also please review with any questions, comments, or concerns. Thanks!)

Prologue

The year is 1855. On a hot day in July, the sun pounds down on the New Mexican Dessert as a horse and carriage is pulled through the streets of Teufort. The carriage is nothing out of the ordinary, along with the pure bred horse that tugs it along in the blazing heat. The only thing out of the ordinary was the woman inside. Elizabeth was no ordinary woman. After recently inheriting a large sum of money from the last will and testament of Zepheniah Mann, the woman could further her exploits in her hobby, her passion, her obsession. War. Keeping the Mann brothers in a constant rivalry was her role, her purpose in life as puppeteer. She was the master, and the Mann brothers were her playthings. On this certain hot day, Elizabeth had a specific goal in mind. Ensuring the battle's continuation was her only goal.

"You can't catch me!" Children yelled as they ran through the streets. Children, Elizabeth scoffed. How tiresome. If it would not mean the certain destruction of the human race, she would have them all exterminated. Most of the children playing were boys around the ages of 9 and 10. Their antics were violent and rough. Almost war-like. They pushed and shoved with smirks and grins. This was a game of strength. Nine children were pitted against each other on each team, attempting to beat members of the other into a pulp. All of this in order to capture some sort of flag.

"Should I get them out of the way, Ma'am?" The driver of the carriage inquired. This battle of the braun was in the middle of Elizabeth's route. As inconveniencing as this was, the woman was rather amused in the children's game.

"No William. I wish to watch." Elizabeth replied, inhaling the tobacco of her cigarette deeply. How she loved war. She folded her hands in her lap and stared at the children with a sadistic grin. She had been sucked into the action. Nothing passed her watchful eye, as she noticed a girl watching from behind a the town saloon. She appeared to be around the age of five wearing a pastel blue dress with white stockings and black shoes. Her thick red hair was tied up in a matching ribbon. She was stared at the fighting boys longingly. Elizabeth could tell by the tightness of her breath and the tapping of her foot that she wanted in on the action. After a few quiet moments, the young girl took a deep breath and stepped forward. She approached the nearest boy.

"Excuse me, but….can I play?" She inquired sheepishly, tugging on the boy's trousers. The boy turned towards the mouselike voice. He towered over the young girl, glaring at her with disdain.

"Get lost! This game isn't for stupid little girls!" He snapped, as he shoved the young girl. With a plop, she landed on her rear end, covering her outfit in dirt. The girl stood up with an irritated expression. Glaring at the boy, she tugged her ear. Instantly, the boy fell on the ground in a crumpled mess, screaming out in pain. "MOMMA!" The boys immediately stopped their game as they surrounded him. A dark red spot grew on his stomach as he cried out in pain and agony. A few hours later, the boy was pronounced dead.

Elizabeth could not get the young girl out of her mind. She knew that this child's death was no accident. As the sun set on that very same day, Elizabeth went for a walk. Most townsfolk had gone to bed for the evening. The tragic loss of the young soul had shaken most families in the town. Children were sent to bed early and the town was deathly quiet. Teufort would have been perfectly silent if not for a small child in the horse stables. Elizabeth watched carefully as she pet the timid creature. Standing on an overturned box allowed the girl to pet the muzzle of the stallion.

"It's okay girl." The young child soothed. "You must be hungry." The girl smirked and tugged on her ear. Out of nowhere, a bushel of carrots appeared in her hand as she began feeding the animal. "There you go." She giggled as she brushed the horses mane as she muted not he carrots happily.

"That's an awfully impressive trick, young lady." Elizabeth said, stepping out from the shadows. The young girl turned in shock towards the woman. Hiding the carrots behind her back.

"I'm sorry Ma'am. I know I shouldn't be in here." She started, staring down at her shoes.

"What's your name child?" Elizabeth questioned, blowing smoke from her cigarette. The woman looked horrific as the setting sun cast a fiery glow over her. This threatening persona allowed the woman to hold all the power in the conversation.

"Bernice." The girl answered timidly. She rocked back and forth on her heels, nervous of this sudden interrogation. The girl wrung her hands as a bead of sweat dripped down her face.

"Bernice dear, I think there's something you're hiding. Is there not?" The young girl blushed crimson at her secret on the verge of being revealed. "Do not think you can keep anything hidden from me. I assure you, I have my ways of discovering secrets."

"You're not gonna burn me at the stake are ya?" Bernice asked, on the verge of tears. The woman smirked. Elizabeth had the young girl just where she wanted her. Vulnerable, scared, alone. Perfect.

"Why would I ever do that?" Elizabeth mocked confusion, employing the girl to confess. Bernice sniffled, trying to hold in the tears as this woman discovered her secret. The one secret Momma told her to keep hidden The one secret her Poppa died trying to conceal.

"That's what happened to momma." Bernice replied. "Mortals did it to her!" Suddenly, the story begin to unravel as a thought occurred in the woman's head. Could this be the young child accused of witchcraft twenty years prior? If she were truly innocent, none of this would have made sense. The girl in that trial appeared to be no older than four and her parents looked to be in their fifties. The child would have been convicted if her parents had not accepted the charges of witchcraft. The two children did share similar characteristics from the wanted poster. Perhaps they were not two different children after all. If Elizabeth's hunch was correct according to all the evidence she had acquired, the answer was obvious.

"Oh?" Elizabeth inquired. "That sounds like something a witch would say."

"I'm sorry! I'll be good I promise! I didn't mean ta hurt James today….it was….it was." The young girl pleaded, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"An accident?"

The girl nodded feverishly. "I don't wanna get burned at the stake! Please miss, I won't ever ever ever do it again!"

"Well I suppose I could keep this little incident a secret, Bernice." The woman said with a knowing smirk. The young girl smiled. "On one condition, of course." Bernice's smile left her face. Her excitement lowering at the woman's mysterious condition.

"….yes'm?" Bernice asked, her voice cracking as she twiddled her thumbs. The young girl feared her impending punishment at the hands of the intimidating woman.

"One day, I would simply ask that you return the favor." Elizabeth smiled. "To me, or to any of my descendants."

"Of course ma'am! Thank you! Thank you!" Bernice cheered with glee. Any child could easily adhere to those terms. It seemed almost to good to be true as Bernice had narrowly survived. Or so it seemed.

"Now, I suggest you take better control over your powers." Elizabeth snapped. "Your favor is no good to me with you dead now, is it?" Her rhetorical questioned was answered as the girl nodded.

"Yes Ma'am. I'll be real careful!" Bernice promised. The girl could hardly contain her excitement.

Elizabeth left the stable, never to see the girl again. The lingering favor remained unused by its original owner. However, that does not mean Elizabeth had in any means wasted her time.

Elizabeth had succeeded in ensuring a never ending war.