As First Class stands triumphant over the eliminated threat, media crews begin approaching with cameras and microphones. Nothing excites the capewatchers like a giant metal menace.
Conflux's and Indarius's discussion is interrupted by reporters with a flurry of questions.
"What was that creature? A science experiment gone wrong? An old piece of villain tech?"
"Will we see the likes of it again?"
"Do you know what it wanted?"
"Does it have a name?"
"Who's the new guy with the sword?"
"Is Wolf no longer with the team?"
"Devil Diva! Can you comment on the immanent takeover of Taylor International by Infini-corp?"
How do you respond?
==============================
At the end of every session, choose one:
• Grow closer to the team. Explain
who made you feel welcome; give
Influence to that character and clear
a condition or mark potential.
• Grow into your own image of yourself.
Explain how you see yourself and why;
shift one Label up and another down.
• Grow away from the team. Explain why
you feel detached. Take Influence over
you away from another character.
While Caio was still somewhat knowledgeable with magic, his study was entirely focused on his wards, so he felt that Connie and Percy were more suited to discuss the specifics about the bunny's destination.
He'd give his opinion if asked and coming to this decision he felt in peace. It was a strange feeling, as if he was contempt in just watching.
As the reporters arrive, Rain steps back and remains silent, not answering any of the questions but the one about who he was. "I'm Rain." And that is it. He'd leave Horizon, as the leader, to answer the questions in the appropriate manner.
Femtite gladly gets her face in front of the camera. After all, what better way to let Chastity see her in superheroic action?
”It isn’t science, it’s magic! It didn’t want to hurt anyone…”
She will gladly slip away as soon as another steps in. She will stay until Connie and Percy are both on the same page, and will gladly hand deliver the bunny to La’Quesha if that is still the plan.
As soon as Femtite gets a moment to herself, she texts Raquel. While awaiting a reply, she musters the nerve to text Chasity as well…
"Zog, if you want a gold star, you have to pay better attention- Still not f#*~ing listening. -I did not object to the plan. I, in fact, outlined exactly why it was a good plan, and the ways in which my actions had preparations had been in service of: The Good Plan. But one of us needs to break this habit of snapping f&$*ing orders at me."
***
"I'm Rain." And that is it. He'd leave Horizon, as the leader, to answer the questions in the appropriate manner.
"So horse-based villains better watch out, 'cause he'll get you under control before you can so much as whinny."
***
|
Seeing as the news crews were rapidly approaching the team Indarius sighs at their terrible luck and reaches out to Conflux. "Nevermind guess we'll discuss later after all. Together, after we've had a second to clear our heads. And I'll try to keep the order giving under wraps and more suggestions. Can we all agree to just talk at the base after this camera crew?"
Turning to the news crew he decided that he could take at least one of the answers. He coughed into a scaled hand which he didn't even think about coming up on camera. And then cast a spell under his breath towards Shin.
Maeve: Hey! Did you see the news?
Maeve: Those supers from school were on TV. Looks like they were super busy saving Rustside from a toy bunny.
Femtite is pretty sure the media did not depict that connection. ‘Giant Robot’ is better for ratings, she supposes.
Maeve: Oh, but you know that save-the-day stuff isn’t the most important thing on my mind.
Maeve: How’s Chastity? Did you get a chance to talk to her?
_
Raquel: No, didn't see. I'll check it out on Infini-tube
_
Femtite waits patiently while Raquel is apparently watching a video.
_
Raquel: I talked w Chas
_
When the word Chas appears, Femtite is frozen.
And…?
_
Raquel: U need to talk w her
_
Maeve: Okay. I’ll do that now.
After a full minute, she still hasn’t.
Maeve: Thanks, Raquel.
She’s too nervous to cry. Too nervous to move. Too nervous to do anything but—
_
Before Maeve can begin typing, she gets another text from Raquel.
Raquel: at school. She's supposed to be with J
Raquel: today
Raquel: and I don't know what's up with her. Talked about your fight Fri and how she had a "revelation"
_
Femtite deflates at the J, but then she stares at that word. ‘Revelation.’
I can’t do this over text.
Maeve: Can you come to my dorm?
Maeve: I’ll bribe you with food if I have to.
_
Raquel: I don't have much in details. But okay
About ten minutes later, there's a knock on Maeve's door. Lettie's voice comes through. "Maeve? Can I borrow you for a few? Pru needs a new mattress brought to her dorm. I could use your help carrying it."
_
Maeve: Duty calls. I’ll swing by later.
Femtite opens the door, still dressed as Princess Peach. “Oh my gosh, Miss Lettie! I was in such a hurry I forgot to—you know. I’ll pull up to the front of the dorm and help as much as humanly possible.”
She shrinks away, trusting Miss Lettie to close her door for her.
It has a nasty scratch across the hood and a dent in the roof.
(Maeve herself is dressed rather nicely, but for someone who battles giant robots in a gown and tiara, moving a mattress in a sweater-dress seems relatively appropriate.)
She rushes from parking space to girls’ dorm as gracefully as one can in heeled boots.
She is eager to do her job, be done with it, and get back to her chat with Raquel.
_
Lettie meets Maeve outside with a plastic-wrapped single mattress. Together, the pair lug the unwieldy object into the dorms to Pru's room. "A pipe started leaking sometime Friday, we think. Poor girl didn't find out until this morning, and it managed to soak her bed all the way through," Miss Lettie explains.
The cheerleader is busy trying to figure out what clothes she can salvage that were folded and stored underneath her bed, while large fans are working overtime to dry out the carpet.
She does seem glad to see the mattress arrive. "Hey, thanks. New girl, right? From Ireland?"
_
Maeve would so love to be Femtite now and dry everything. But she has a secret identity to protect.
“Yes, from Kildare,” she replies. “And I recognize you from the cheerleading squad. Is that as fun as it looks?”
Pru was nice to Femtite. They all were other than Jade.
_
"Fun, sure." Pru gets a haunted look for a moment, then shakes it off. She stands and helps pull the plastic off the new mattress.
"How are you liking Halcyon City?" she asks.
_
“It’s an amazing city. Not as quiet as back home,” Maeve replies, but that haunted look. She wants to do more.
“Pru, are you sure everything’s okay? I feel like you could use a bit more of a hand.”
Cheerleader, she ponders Maeve reaches out, somehow to Connie… she was on the news. Connie calls Fem. Plausible. Kills my plan with Raquel, but…
Pru needs Femtite.
_
Pru gestures to the mess of her room. "It's fine. Just a rough cheer meet and then I come back to this. You don't have to do anything. Some of my other squadmates are coming by to help."
_
Maeve says, “Oh, that’s good. I was going to offer to reach out to one of them. I saw her on the news—Conflex, I think. And she seems rather close to a fire-haired heroine.
“Maybe she has Drying Powers or something?”
_
Pru gives Maeve a flat look. "'Drying powers?' Hey, I know it probably seems that every other person in Halcyon City has powers to someone not from here, but it's just not like that. I don't have Captain Stalwart on speed dial. And even if I did, I wouldn't be calling him to help dry out my carpet."
Miss Lettie's eyes bounce back and forth between the two girls. "Good point. I think Maeve was just trying to help."
"It's fine," Pru says with tired exasperation. "I'm just ready for this day to be over."
_
“Fair enough,” Maeve replies. “Anyway, best of luck with everything.”
Maeve sees she has overstepped and, rather than make a big deal out of it, she is ready to move on.
Pru does not need Femtite, she chides herself.
_
Just then, a group of girls arrive from down the hallway armed with small sandstone rocks with mop-strands tightly tied around them. Maeve immediately sees Connie among the other cheerleaders.
Jade slips past Maeve to give Pru a hug. "Omigod, Pru, how are you doing?"
"Soggy," she replies.
_
Maeve smiles warmly at Connie and ignores Jade completely.
“Haha! Who needs Captain Stalwart on speed-dial when you have your own personal army?”
She expects her comment to be ignored as she exits. Maybe Miss Lettie can pay her in s’mores ingredients and she’ll use her Cooking Power to give Raquel a delicious snack!
_
Pru interrupts the hug when Maeve looks about to leave. "Oh, Maeve. Nice meeting you, and thanks for helping with the mattress. Sorry you caught me on a bad day."
_
“Oh, it’s fine, Pru! It was nice to meet you too, and I’m glad I was able to help a little, even if I do lack Mythical Mattress-Lifting or other powers as seen in your typical Halcyon City teen.”
She gives the girl a genuinely warm smile, and doesn’t concern herself with what Femtīte could do. The cheerleaders got this!
_
Connie acknowledges Maeve. "Hey Mae, top o' the mornin'. Pru, let's get you sorted. Everyone else, grab a rock, hold it about three fingers over whatever you're trying to dry, say the word 'Dry', then keep rotating it deosil sorry, clockwise above the surface until it looks good. Put your hand up if you don't feel it working and I'll come troubleshoot. I expect that to be about 15-30% of y'all, so really don't worry.
"Pru, anything that's water damaged instead of just wet, I'll take a look at."
_
Maeve replies, “Howdy, pardner.” She corrects her thinking: Connie’s got this!
And at this point she just wants to step out of the way and get back to her conversation with Raquel, unless Miss Lettie needs further assistance.
_
Lettie leaves with Maeve, allowing the cheerleaders to get to work on Pru's room. When they reach Maeve's floor, she spots Raquel sitting on the floor leaning back against the door leading to her room. Lettie thanks Maeve again and retreats to her own room.
"Was there another giant metal robot?" Raquel asks when Maeve approaches.
_
“Oh no,” Maeve replies, “villains never pull the same stunt twice, even when it almost works the first time.
“Serious answer: I’m helping Miss Lettie out. The dorm mom. She was nice to me the night I turned human, and is in on the secret.”
She isn’t sure whether to come in or invite Raquel to her dorm, or maybe go out for coffee. Or baking s’mores with my hands… ohh, maybe save that trick for Chas.
_
"Ah," Raquel says as she rises to her feet. She looks at Maeve expectantly, waiting for her to invite her in or to go on a walk, or something.
_
Maeve starts, “Oh, please. Come in…”
She’s a little embarrassed that the box of graham crackers and bags of marshmallows and dark chocolate are out on a table, plus two plates, but with no means to cook the snack in her human form. How can I be Maeve without a toaster? The tea is poured, but is currently room temperature.
“Umm… sorry. I was supposed to heat this as Fem… I still can, if you’d like.”
It may be for the best she didn’t get a chance to start the music.
_
Raquel looks around at the setup. "It's no big deal. But I'd look into getting a hot plate, if you plan on having anyone over who doesn't know your secret." She picks up a couple pieces of chocolate. "I see you've discovered chocolate." She studies Maeve's face when she pops a piece of the candy in her mouth.
_
Maeve relaxes a little. “Yes! Dark chocolate is my favorite. I better be careful though. My high rate of metabolism will plummet if I don’t take good things in moderation.
“Please, make yourself comfortable.”
From where she stands, Raquel may notice Femtite’s lofted bed. The ‘room’ underneath is lit with Christmas tree lights, and with the curtain partially open, one can see:
• a graphic novel, The Girl From the Sea
• a poster of Sally Ride
• a Bible quote in rainbow ink: “Love rejoices with the truth” (1 Cor 13:6)
• Maeve’s Nutcracker ticket
Maeve doesn’t address these things. She says, “Revelation… that’s a strong word. Did she explain? She… talked about the fight. What…”
Maeve glances at the picture of Sally Ride. (She imagines Jade shouting “space lesbian!”)
“What did she say, Raquel? Is she…” She’s dating Jonathan today. Do you really need to ask what this ‘revelation’ is? “…is she okay? Happy…er?”
_
Raquel's expression changes. Her brow knits and she shrugs her shoulders, but doesn't move to make herself comfortable. "I don't know. She seemed happy. Maybe nervous, a little hyper. I couldn't follow everything she was saying. A lot didn't make sense."
_
“I was the one who figured how to calm the giant robot by telling it a story and dancing the Hokey Pokey,” Maeve says. “I’m pretty good at understanding things that don’t make sense.”
_
She shakes her head. "I mean it. I really don't know what she was on about. It sounded like she had some kind of religious experience or something. All I told her was that you were worried about her, and she..." Raquel leans against the desk, looking confused.
_
Maeve waits patiently. Paaaatieeeentlyyyyy…
She pats the chair. “Please have a seat, Raquel. Even if you came to tell me she loves Jonathan and I need to face it, you’re here as a friend. To me and to Chas.
“Don’t try to figure out the parts that don’t make sense. Just share, and take comfort knowing I’m not of this world. There isn’t anything that is too weird for me.”
Maybe a few things… but hopefully not the thing she’s gonna say.
_
Raquel narrows her eyes and shakes her head. "Except, no. What she said doesn't make sense. I'm not sure I heard her right, and I'm not going to play the telephone game. You need to talk to her. Then I'll talk to her, and maybe talk to you again, or something."
_
Maeve gives up for now.
“Okay. I’ll meet her in the morning, in the usual spot. You want me to go change and heat up those s’mores?”
_
Raquel rolls her eyes. "You really have trouble grasping the concept of a secret identity, don't you?"
Horizon put on his game face when the media showed for this, knowing that he had to present things to the best of the team. Though Rain's very abrupt introduction and then flight had him playing damage control immediately.
"Rain's a new addition to First Class. We're lucky to have him on board, and his contributions helped with preventing disaster tonight," He says to the milling reporters. He pauses as he hears a whisper that apparently no one else can hear, before continuing. "We're not sure if the entity that we saw tonight is a one-off phenomenon. First Class has spend a great deal of time and foresight examining the ramifications of what's happened with magic over the past weeks, and it's likely that there may be more events and ongoing effects like the one seen today. I urge citizens who may be aware of such peculiarities to report them to the authorities and run then up the chain so we can deal with each occurance properly. Please note that some of these are beings with wills and thoughts of their own, most likely confused and scared emerging into our world. So take caution and avoid contact, because it's unknown how they may react to the presence of humans. Leave it to the professionals, because we know what we're doing."
What the f+~+ am I doing?
******
[ooc]I think that Horizon will actually grow closer to Diva - she's the only one who went with him on his second excursion. Furthermore, he's beginning to forgive her for all the bad blood between them, even if it is a sore spot. She'll get Influence and Shin will clear a condition.
******
...Wait, what did that reporter say about Infini-corp?!
***
Devil Diva stands stoically alongside her teammates, letting Horizon and the others answer the majority of the questions. When the pointed question about Infini-Corp comes her way, though, the demoness's tail twitches behind her.
"I have no comment at this time," she says.
The reporters absorb the answers given, some old-school journalists still scribbling notes on pads while the rest keep their phones or cameras trained on the young heroes.
"So you're saying that there are going to be more creatures like this?"
"What can people do to protect themselves?"
"Rain! Do you have any powers? What's the story behind your moniker?"
"Is the Wolf still a part of the team?"
Seasonal temperatures return Monday morning, bringing with them grey clouds and blustery winds. Halcyon Prep students hurry across the campus if they have to go outside at all, and those dropped off by their drivers in the morning hustle to get out of the biting wind.
A black SUV with tinted windows pulls up to drop off a scowling Skyler Worrel, who lugs a wheeled overnight suitcase behind her. The wind whips her pink hair wildly, but she doesn't bother trying to tame it when she reaches the front entrance. She stomps through the halls toward her first period class.
In stark contrast, a beige sedan drops off Chastity Robertson, who is carrying a bookbag held tightly against her chest. She spins once to wave at the driver and then presses through the wind to reach the main entrance.
You have a message on your school email account from your parents. Hope your project goes well! Good seeing you!
You have a couple of emails. One is from Gary Grumman at W-HCY. Good morning! If you're still brave enough to come by the studio, I've got a time set for you and your brothers this Wednesday at 4:30. Would you be able to make it?
Another is from Hank@Embertonlaw.hal. Hello. I am Hank Emberton. I'm the attorney representing your father. I'm inquiring about your availability to talk with me about the criminal charges against him. Do you have a moment where we could talk?"
What do you do?
Chastity spots you almost immediately upon entering the main building. Her face lights up. "Maeve! Hi!"
She pulls the alter-ego of Femtite aside, moving into an alcove beneath the stairwell. "Wow, it feels like I haven't seen you in forever. Sorry about that. I just had to process, like, a lot."
She bites her lower lip as her brow crinkles. "Forgive me?"
“Yes,” she says to forgiveness. Her smile begins to falter as she braces herself for crushing disappointment. She went on that date, so…
“You seem very happy now, so I suppose your weekend wasn’t all bad?”
Chastity lets out an exasperated sigh. "Good, bad... intense," she says, rubbing her temple. "I mean, bad up until yesterday morning. And then it was like..." Her eyes go wide and Maeve sees a glint of light in them. Or maybe it was just the reflection of light from the window.
She blinks a couple times and suppresses a shudder. She leans in. "I can't really explain it, but it feels like God really touched me. And He let me know it was all right. That I shouldn't hide; I shouldn't pretend anymore."
Her hands reach out, finding Maeve's, and she gives them a squeeze. "Nothing can make up for me running away from you like that. But... if you're willing to forgive me, I'd like to try?"
Did she…?
“Wait. Did you truly have feelings for me before? And what about yesterday? Didn’t you see him?”
"What can people do to protect themselves?"
Having over forty accumulated hours in human form, Femtite replies as the most experienced nonpowered adolescent human on the team. Or maybe Max is if you count his boy years.
She replies anyway, “Even though the nonpowered human body is fragile and extremely vulnerable to giant robots, you still have a means to be vigilant. For example, the adults of Rustside bravely armed themselves to protect their children, and that makes them heroes too.
“Also, to all you folks at home, never feel you must take the action into your hands when you can instead take a phone into your hands. It takes seconds to dial nine-one-one and half a minute to adequately explain the nature of your emergency!” She gives a fiery thumbs up. “Remember, you are not alone.”
Ahhh, that was a stereotypically alien thing to say.
Chastity falls back a step, still clinging to Maeve's hands, though she looks away with a pained expression. "I-- I did. I had to. I had to be honest with him. It couldn't work out between us."
She looks back to Maeve, searching her eyes. "You can understand that, right? He didn't do anything wrong."
There's a collective stare of astonishment at Femtite's advice.
Femtite sees the many, many human eyes giving her a very uncomfortable look.
She leans into the mic, eyeing her team leader. “Errr, back to you, Horizon.”
She shrinks to a spark—a speck—nothing, and microscopically escapes!
She then says, “I forgive you.
“I forgave you the moment you fled the scene. You just didn’t want to say something that would hurt me. And it was my words and actions that caused you to flee.
“Do you forgive me?”
"...thank you Femtite, for your unusual insight," Horizon speaks up, trying to meet Diva's eye. He wanted to know if she knew anything about this or if she was just as surprised as he was to hear this.
"Thank you for your questions. We're unable to answer everything right now, but contact Alliance Media Services for a press statement at a later date. Thank you and have a wonderful day," Horizon tells them, as he flies off, grabbing anyone else who wishes to escape here before getting hit with more questions.
Moisture pools in Chastity's eyes as she looks deep into Maeve's. "I do. Yes, of course I forgive you, Maeve. No matter what." She glances out into the hallway, looking to see if anyone was watching. She steps close, lowering her voice so that only Maeve can hear. "It's scary for me. I don't know how you... You're so brave. My parents -- we're just going to have to wait before we can tell them about us. Can you do that? For me?"
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"Yes. I have the power to grow crops, but I figured the name 'Grain' would too revealing." Rain simply replies before turning his back on them and just leaving the scene. He never liked reporters and this is one of the things that had not changed about himself.
***
Caio is surprised by seeing Skyler leaving the fancy and secretive SUV, but doesn't manage to catch her before her first class, only being able to join her at lunch. After a small peck, he sits besides her. "Hey, how was your weekend?"
Maeve gives Chas a hug, her own eyes tearing up.
“Yes, Chastity. As far as they know, we’re simply two girls who haven’t developed an interest in boys.
”Oh, and we can keep a semi-low profile at school, if you want. But we’ll tell Raquel, Gina and Ngon at lunch, won’t we? Like a secret identity—a select few gotta be in on it.”
Skyler flinches initially as a response to Caio's peck. "What?!?" she starts, but relaxes when she sees it's Caio. "Oh. Um, fine. Sorry. It was all right."
It looks like it takes some effort for her to focus on the present. "How was yours?"
Chastity's eyes sparkle as she drinks Maeve in after the hug. "Sure. Boys are just... for later. If ever." She smiles.
When Maeve mentions a secret identity, Chastity blinks hard. Her pupils dilate wide for a moment and she rubs her temple. "Raquel is... wrong. But that's okay. We love her anyway."
“Is it the drinking, or something else?” Maeve gently caresses Chas’ temple. “Either way, we can talk about this after school.”
She probably knows I mean talk about her apparent new super power, not Raquel’s issue… though we do love Raquel, so we could talk about both.
“Are you ready for first class?”
She probably knows I mean our period one class and that I’m not trying to bring her onto the team.
Femtite shakes her head. “I don’t know, Mother. But I don’t think she would agree to any use of fey magic… and I am truly very grateful to you.”
She hugs Queen Millie tightly and gives her a kiss on the cheek.
“But please, save your favor. I think true love means I’m willing to let her go.
“And, am I not a princess? If it takes fey magic to make Chastity see what a prize I am, she doesn’t deserve me.”
She says this giddily, ecstatic that her Mother could and would use her power and influence to solve the problem. The offer alone is enough.
_
"Nonsense," Millie says sternly. "When you were close, and your love was apparent to her, why did she flee? Was it her, or her parents' influence? She is being made to date a boy. Why would you leave her under their sway and trust that she can escape them herself?"
She returns the hug and lowers her head until their antennae touch. "You are a better hero than that."
_
Femtite closes her eyes as the antennae touch. She is overcome by guilt for refusing Mother’s offer and insecurity over the inevitable consequence.
Yet she replies…
“Oh, Mother… you gave me this human body so I can better understand humans.
“Then shouldn’t I try to reach her in a way that is humanly possible?”
She looks up, smiling into her Mother’s eyes.
“And should I lose her, I know I have a loving Mother to turn to. I’ll be okay, Mommy.”
_
Millie smiles back. "Humans are putting Chastity in this awful position. We will free her so she can love genuinely. It's the right thing to do. What are Pixites if not love incarnate?"
_
“Then I can defeat human repression,” Femtite replies. “Please, Mother. Let me face this challenge on human terms.”
She says this with confidence, feeling supported by her Mother already, but… Femtite also knows Mother wants to help.
“Supposing magic is not an option, just words. Is there any pixite wisdom you can arm me with?”
_
Millie cups Femtite's face as she looks at her sadly. "I'm afraid words won't be enough. I don't understand the human mind, but given your mistake with Connie it seems that if you take even a single incorrect action it ruins everything. She now knows you have strong feelings for her and she has retreated from that revelation. You either wait, pining and watching from a distance as she either pursues Jonathan or some other boy at the behest of her parents, or you act. You remove the impediment. Magic to help her see, or Pixite science to remove the memory of your confession, either could work. Or a temporal stutter to reset her -- that shouldn't create too great of a paradox." She taps her chin as she considers, then shakes her head sadly. "But I do not know the words to change a human's mind."
_
“I understand and accept, Mother.”
Femtite is clearly conflicted. It would be wrong to force love. But can magic help Chastity see what is already there, without taking her free will?
Raquel is quiet for a long time. The silence from her stretches longer and longer until it becomes strange.
When Maeve looks over to her, Raquel's head is slumped against the Bug's door, her chest rising and falling softly. Sitting on the dash in front of her is a tiny being, no bigger than a Tinklebrie doll. It has a hat like a colorful mushroom cap, and a spindly body with tinier mushrooms jutting off in random directions. It's grinning as it looks at Maeve with wide, opaque eyes.
"Didst I hear correctly? Unrequited feelings? The once-secret truth of love now be known? Attend! Thy mother hast called upon the fae for service, and I am at thine!" It pops up to its feet and effects a formal bow.
_
Maeve at first fears the booze knocked Raquel out.
But of course it’s fairy magic. Maeve says to the fairy, “Oh! Haha… welcome! Ummm… it’s nice of you to pop by, but… you know this isn’t the girl, right?”
_
The fae being looks Raquel up and down. "I wouldst hope not! The seeds of romantic love will wither and die in this one afore long, if thou seeketh true feelings."
_
Maeve smiles. “She’s an aromantic ace. You can sense this somehow. Oh, but perhaps I should get Raquel to her dorm before we start.“
_
The fae flicks a finger in Raquel's direction. She continues sleeping peacefully. "Nay, this mortal shall awake upon my departure. Let us commence with the matters at hand."
It holds up a large, bright green leaf with a softly glowing substance in it. "Behold. Seer's Truth. Dab this upon thy hopeful lover's eyes, if thou wishest her to see the truth."
_
Maeve asks, “Then in order for this to work, I need to convince Chastity to let me apply it, correct?”
Maeve can’t imagine any way to convince Chastity to do this. She’d freak, and Raquel would not Damage-Control my way out of that mess! Unless it’s like putting on eye-makeup?
_
The fae being shrugs, causing little spores to rise off its mushroom cap. It points to the sleeping form of Raquel. "Mayhap. Or, thou mayest wish to apply the Seer's Truth when she sleeps. I leave the decision to thee."
_
Sleep.
Maeve really can’t see herself convincing Chastity to apply glowing green makeup to her eyes.
“Does applying the substance to her closed lids do the trick? I can use a teleporter and a time-bubbler to apply it unseen.” And not wanting to muck this up, in addition to open-or-closed she needs to know, “One eye, or both?”
_
The mushroom fae cracks a wide smile at the questions. "Eyes or lids, it matters not. One eye for half the truth, both eyes for truth in full."
_
“Full truth. Even if it means her figuring out what I did, I don’t want to have to hide anything from her anyway.”
Since she can’t become fairy sized, she does her best formal-ish bow one can in a car seat. “Femtite of the Lavender Spire, by the way.” She can’t bring herself to say ‘princess’ in her Maeve form. “Thank you so much,” she says.
_
The fae inclines its head in response to her awkward bow. "Fare thee well," it says with an air of formality. It bursts into a mass of colorful spores that fade.
Almost immediately, Raquel stirs. "Hmm? I must've dozed off. Sorry about that," she says as she stretches.
1:09 AM - Maeve bids Raquel good night. She slips the leaf into her dorm, then gets back to the Bug and enters the Sacred Code.
1:23 AM - Femtite pulls up to Mel’s Garage. She gets a teleporter and a time-bubbler. “Tell Mother, thanks.” She gives Mom a kiss.
1:35 AM - Femtite gets the leaf out of her dorm. She locks up, and once outside shrinks bug and self to accommodate the leaf with seats folded down.
1:44 AM - The Bug is tiny enough to fit under the bed—after confirming Chastity is sleeping in it. Femtite uses her Bug’s zoom lens to peek into the window.
A side-sleeper. Gosh darn!
1:59 AM - Chastity rolls onto her back. It’s go time!
Femtite teleports her shrunken Bug under Chastity’s bed. She activates the Time-Bubbler, allowing herself, the Bug and all that is inside it to ‘live in the moment’ while all around her is paused for one minute.
1:59 AM - Chastity and the cats remain paused as Femtite opens the magenta dome. She can’t grow because the molecules around her needed for radical shape-shifting are also paused. The parents won’t be alerted because Femtite didn’t stop time. She is moving in a single moment.
Prying Chastity’s lids open is a physical impossibility during the time-pause, so it’s fortunate applying on the lids will do. The substance will seep and do its magic when time unpauses.
1:59 AM - As Femtite steps from her craft, the unmoving air feels thick! It takes all of the pixyish-pixite’s might to swim to her hopefully-girlfriend-to-be! She drags the leaf like an unwilling kite, and fears she used nearly half of the bubble’s time just to get to Chastity!
1:59 AM - She lovingly applies the glowing green stuff. Left hand on right lid. Right hand on left lid. Equal portions. Every drop. Femtite smears it all onto the currently-rock-solid lids so the liquid will seep into her every pore, not slide uselessly onto the pillow!
If you love me, you’ll know. And if you don’t… you’ll know. Full truth. I’ll know not to question the result.
1:59 AM - Femtite hastily enters the Bug, with the leaf inside. She closes the magenta dome and turns on the incinerator to burn the evidence.
As the leaf burns to ash, Femtite shrinks the Bug. She can manage junebug-size with a cockpit full of ash—
2:00 AM - BONNNNG! BONNNNG!
A church bell in the distance alerts Femtite that her time-bubbler has expired! She steers her Bug into Chastity’s waste-basket, deep inside, intent on letting the ash cool before dumping it out.
If I grow myself, the smoky air will become my body. She won’t smell the burnt leaf. (This is a detail Femtite would not have considered, had she not experienced the olfactory sense in the past couple days!)
2:05 AM - The ash has cooled. Femtite grows her body within the Bug, then shrinks, then grows, repeating until the air within doesn’t appear smoky.
She can’t smell smoke, but can see it easily with her glow.
Likewise, she can’t see if Chastity stirred in her sleep, but she can listen.
_
Femtite hears a low growl just outside the trash can. It slowly gets louder and finishes with a hiss. Then it starts again.
After a couple more hisses, she hears Chastity's groggy voice. "Oreo, it's just a trash can. Crazy cat."
_
Femtite turns her craft upside down. She opens the dome to pour out the ash—less then a cubic centimeter, and easily mistaken for dirt to the human eye.
She then shrinks to subatomic size and starts moving so Oreo won’t make a mess!
2:06 AM - Femtite sees the dense atoms of Chastity’s outer wall. She pulls up when the molecules are spread out as expected of air.
She gradually grows back.
2:18 AM - Maeve enjoys a hot steamy shower…
2:22 AM - …a good cry…
2:34 AM - …and sleep.
"your brothers" does not meet the clear, specific conditions I set the last time we talked about this interview
========================
Good morning! If you're still brave enough to come by the studio, I've got a time set for you and your brothers this Wednesday at 4:30. Would you be able to make it?
eat s%%* and die
-Connie Westcott Mathers
=====================
Hello. I am Hank Emberton. I'm the attorney representing your father. I'm inquiring about your availability to talk with me about the criminal charges against him. Do you have a moment where we could talk?
"ow f&@!ing finger cramp"
Connie is still in a Foul mood as she stalks into the building. Just gotta hope we're gonna see some reversion to the mean, 'cause if last week is truly the start of a shift in the trendline of my life and happiness, I've gotta make some changes...
"...thank you Femtite, for your unusual insight," Horizon speaks up, trying to meet Diva's eye. He wanted to know if she knew anything about this or if she was just as surprised as he was to hear this.
[dice=Pierce the Mask on Diva]2d6+2
Horizon sees the lack of surprise in Max's expression...
"Mine was insane, but I don't want to talk about it here." He says, adding a whisper. "I have powers again."
"So... that car that dropped you earlier was pretty fancy..." He says, trying to fish for something. Caio really wanted to know more about Skyler's family, but she was pretty close on that front.
Chastity gets a dreamy smile when touched on the forehead. "Mmm. What? Drinking? No, she's wrong about Femtite!"
She takes a half step back, but holds Maeve's hand against the side of her head. "I think you are too, Maeve, but I realize I care for you too much to hold that against you. You can like that alien. She can be your favorite superhero."
Chastity leans in close, eyes wide and full of fear. "But I think she's dangerous. You don't know what she's capable of," she voice quavering.
She blinks again and smiles. "That's why I'm so glad to have you, Maeve. You came to me at just the right time. Like a gift from God.
"Let's go to class." She doesn't let go of Maeve's hand as they leave the alcove.
Skyler gapes at Caio's revelation. "You... really?" Her face is a riot of mixed emotions. She falls silent and it almost looks like she missed his prompt about the vehicle that brought her to school.
Skyler eventually responds. "It's not a big deal. I had to get to school somehow." She goes quiet again, though her leg bounces nervously under the table. "I gotta make a call real quick," she announces and stands abruptly. She leaves her tray at the table and moves to a corner, putting her phone to her ear.
While waiting, Caio spots a corner of an envelope sticking out from underneath Skyler's tray.
Both lids is whole truth! Did she rub her eye and…? Oh! I knew this was a bad idea!
Despite her internal panic, she does not let go of Chas’ hand.
I can fix this… ummm… probably?
"Sure..." He says as Skyler leaves to make her call. A call she apparently did not want for him to overhear. Secrets, hum? This is odd...
As he notices the envelop, Caio peeks back to where Skyler is just to make sure she wasn't looking or coming right away before he pulls the envelop just a bit to take a look.
** spoiler omitted **
** spoiler omitted **
Connie is still in a Foul mood as she stalks into the building. Just gotta hope we're gonna see some reversion to the mean, 'cause if last week is truly the start of a shift in the trendline of my life and happiness, I've gotta make some changes...
* * * * *
Another email from Mr. Emberton arrives. Your father instructed me to relay this message: πιστότητα
The envelope is of a high quality paper, and there is a handwritten C that Caio can see when he begins to slide it out.
Throughout the day, Chastity and Maeve are nearly inseparable. The Robertson girl is buoyant and chipper.
At lunch, Chastity greets Gina and Ngon with a bright smile, who look almost bewildered when they sit down. She sits next to Maeve, scooting her chair as close as she can to the exchange student.
Raquel joins the group a few minutes later. "Hey, Chas, how you doing?" she asks cautiously.
"Blessed!" Chastity responds, leaning into Maeve. "What a crazy weekend, right? I really needed to clear my head. Oh, I never got to ask, how was your concert?"
Caio slides the envelope back, but leaving it the same way as it was and awaits for Skyler's return.
Maeve replies, “Loud! But it was fun—I never worked up such a sweat from dancing so hard! Thanks so much for the invitation, Ngon.”
Maeve is glad she is sitting so she doesn’t habitually curtsy. (She did just habitually incline her head, though, as is socially acceptable for a princess seated at a table with peers or potential suitors.)
“I still need to clear my head of that drum solo,” she jokes, trying to keep things as normal and light as possible.
However, Mae also pays close attention to Chas during the conversation.
Either I messed up and need to fix things, or she was messed up and the Seer’s Truth is countering brainwashing. Both are equally plausible. Evidence is what is, not what I want to believe…
Dilating and sparkling. Two different forces? Dilating happened when she was against Femtite. Sparkling happened when she expressed love for Maeve. The temple… the stepping back… I may not have caused this. I may have complicated what was already there.
But I WANT to believe that. I need to be objective, prove myself wrong, accept being wrong…
“I think you’ll find The Nutcracker more suited to your tastes, Chas!”
"That's what I get for wanting to take a victory lap."
Ignoring her table-mates she remains entirely focused on her phone
Connie: Hey Q, level with me, player to player, how many levels is this interview thing a trap on?
212-555-0144: Read
"Language!" shouts a teacher in response to Connie's outburst.
Over in a far corner, Skyler is still talking on her phone.
At another table, Chastity puts her hand on Maeve's. "You know me! I'm so looking forward to it. It's going to be the perfect start to the Christmas season."
At yet another table, Max is approached by a lanky youth she might recognize from the basketball team, named Jaden. "Hey, I was just wondering if you thought it was cool if we could hang out sometime. Just, you know, nothing serious or anything like that. But if you were up for it, it'd be cool. You know?"
At her table, Connie's phone buzzes.
Quincy: No idea. Was trying to ghost him. Don't need extra attention right now. What are you going to do?
At Caio's table, Skyler finally returns. She stares at her tray. "Sorry for being spacey. My family puts me on edge and it takes a few days to reset." She grabs her tray and gets up to bus it. Caio manages to catch her slipping the envelope into her pocket.
At Maeve's table, Chastity starts picking at her salad. Gina pipes up. "You're in a good mood. You had us worried Friday."
"Sorry for making a scene. Or, almost. I mean, I didn't want to make one." Chastity looks at Maeve. "I just needed some time to sort things out. I prayed a lot. And then, yesterday morning I felt better."
Maeve is worried more now than she was on Friday.
Femtite being dangerous is not the truth. Not whole or half… and definitely, a secret identity isn’t truth at all. So if Seer’s Truth isn’t doing this to her, Mother may have been right about the brainwashing. But if that’s true, I need to ask the questions whose answers can prove me wrong:
• What makes her believe Femtite is a threat?
• Can the fey explain her confusion?
Neither question can be answered at school, so Chastity sticks to topics that won’t make a scene. “Hey, speaking of prayer, I decorated the dorm a little. We should check it out after school.”
Mae looks into Chas’ eyes, among other tells.
Stepping back was an old tell. The temple rub or sparkly eyes are new. Did I trigger…?
|
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With that sent Percy stretches and looks into the mirror at the ever more present scales creeping up his body. "Okay you've got this, the glamour works just fine. Just gonna be more people this time more potential reactions, no sweat you've got this just... breath and focus."
Taking a deep breath through the nose he slowly exhales and runs his hands down his body slowly causing the illusion to form over himself like a shell. When he opens his eyes he sees himself Percy standing there with no signs of scales or anything it fills him with relief to an extent. He wouldn't ever admit to the others exactly how he felt about the whole situation. He'd told Connie and look how well that turned out, he was still thankful for the ointment she'd brought him.
Percy looks over at Connie as she starts shouting and furiously typing at her phone. Found it a little odd that Chastity was hanging out with Maeve so closely but having been away from the happenings at the school was none the wiser on any odd dealings. Then there was Skyler who also looked stressed out. No Shin or Max which was odd, he'd wanted to chat with them a bit.
Finishing his tray and taking it to the bus window, he moved over to Connie. "Everything okay? Obviously it's not okay otherwise you wouldn't be cursing so loudly, but you know."
"Language!" shouts a teacher in response to Connie's outburst.
Glad I could f$#%ing help..."
Connie: Hey Q, level with me, player to player, how many levels is this interview thing a trap on?
212-555-0144: No idea. Was trying to ghost him. Don't need extra attention right now. What are you going to do?
F&*%, I don't know. Stick my face in it to make sure?
She taps over to a different conversation.
Bony Protuberance: I'd be happy to be in your cheering section
Bony Protuberance: Right now though? I can use some extra brainpower for this mission.
...
Connie: Hey do you think you could be even slightly discrete if I potentially needed some backup?
Connie: For something not explicitly business
Connie: Don't want anyone who'll stand out to a more discerning eye than mine
Connie: And let's face it, I mean, do you think you kinda disappear into the background??
She looks up to see Percy approaching "Everything okay? Obviously it's not okay otherwise you wouldn't be cursing so loudly, but you know."
"I dunno, check the tapes and you'll find I can curse pretty loudly when I'm happy too," Connie deadpans right back.
"But yeah, all this s*!! about Dear Old Dad's trial and testifying or not, and doing interviews and not... It all just gives me a f!!&ing headache. And I already have cramps. Unrelated."
Connie: Hey do you think you could be even slightly discrete if I potentially needed some backup?
Connie: For something not explicitly business
Connie: Don't want anyone who'll stand out to a more discerning eye than mine
Connie: And let's face it, I mean, do you think you kinda disappear into the background??
...
Shin: I'd take more offense to that if you apparently hadn't overlooked me being in the same lunchroom as you
Shin: So yes, I can keep out of sight
Shin was there, having some lunch with the basketball players. It seemed he was recovering from falling out with the volleyball team at least. He did look tired, hiding it behind his black-framed glasses.
Shin: What do you need help with?
Connie: One of us is a public hero, and one of us wears Count-Olaf-Ass disguise-glasses and doesn't need any more holes poked in his paper-thin secret id
Connie: they want me to do an interview about Dear Old Dad
Connie: Not iwhth him
Connie: *with
Connie: but with a few of my brothers
Connie: probably it's not Dangerous??
Connie: but if I bring April Showers or Smaug or Sally the Succubus that Will make s*@$ way more likely
Connie: either because they see it as a threat
Connie: or an opportunity
|
|
"I dunno, check the tapes and you'll find I can curse pretty loudly when I'm happy too," Connie deadpans right back."But yeah, all this s~&~ about Dear Old Dad's trial and testifying or not, and doing interviews and not... It all just gives me a f$#&ing headache. And I already have cramps. Unrelated."
Percy twists his face at the jab back, "Uhuh well we'll just ignore that. Sorry that his s!!+ is once again getting in the way of life again." He watches as she focuses on her phone for a bit and rapidly taps away at it sending several messages. In the meantime he scans the rest of the lunchroom for anyone else on the team and spies Shin face into his phone tapping away a bit less hastily but equally attentive.
"Ah... well if there's anything I can do to help.. either situation. You know, it's not the weekend and i'm not busy through the week usually outside of school. Maybe hanging out with Max, Caio, and I and playing a few games would help."
"Don't worry about it." He says, getting up as well and also picking up his tray.
Once they got rid of their trays, Caio picks her hand. "You know it is part of the package, right? Me helping you with your stuff and you helping me with mine?" He says, shrugging. "I know this is not how you are used to do things but... I really do want to be part of your life. All of it."
Chastity's eyes sparkle at the prospect of hanging out with Maeve at her dorm. "I'd love to see what you did with your room. I just know it'll be everything about your personality on display, you know? Let's do it. Right after last period."
Percy doesn't get any follow-up emails, but his phone reports that his message was read by both recipients.
Elsewhere in the cafeteria, Skyler stares at Caio. "I know. But my famile is off-limits. It's just that... don't think that like it'll result in a happy ending. It just won't. Can you, like, accept that?"
Maeve smiles pleasantly. The sparkle is cute. But lack of free will is not…
“Great! There’s so much I want to talk about. Like how to deal with my hair.” Not because she’s an alien still figuring out her new biologically-correct human form, but “y’know, ’cause of the city air.”
"I can't imagine it would materially help with either situation, but it would probably be fun as long as no one's a sore loser.
...Thanks."
Connie glares in annoyance off to the side.
"I'm not like, excluding you from these plans, by the way, because I don't think you're 'helpful' or whatever Perce. But I only wave red capes in front of bulls when I want them to charge, get it? Or when I'm feeling self-destructive."
"For now, I guess..." There is obvious uncertainty in his voice. "... but some day I'll have to know about them and even meet them."
He gently puts his hands on her shoulders. "Look, you know I don't mess around with this... us I mean, right?" He asks, hoping beyond hope not to spook her or put even more pressure on her shoulders on top of whatever was going on with her. "Feel free to call me dorky, but I do see us eventually being a thing, a family... one day, not now, nor tomorrow, please don't freak out?" He says, trying to insert a small joke in the end.
"Look, I'm just a bit worried, ok? I got the impression you freaked out when I've told my weekend news to the point of having to make that call..." He says, defensively. "If I'm just imagining things, great and I'm sorry... I don't want to pry unless you want me to, but seeing you anxious, making calls and hiding notes? Yeah, I'm a bit worried."
Chastity nods. "It's probably the water. I'll bet Ireland has great water. City water can be rough on your hair. Tomorrow I'll bring you a bottle of my conditioner, and see if you like it."
At Caio's table, Skyler shakes her head hard. "No. Some day I get to get away from them and never have to think about them again. That's my dream." Tears start to well in her eyes. "And if you really want us to be a thing, you'd better damn well share that dream with me."
Her grip on her tray is so tight she's trembling. "F*+!," she whispers under her breath. She abruptly spins and gets in the line to turn in her tray.
Connie: probably it's not Dangerous??
Connie: but if I bring April Showers or Smaug or Sally the Succubus that Will make s&~+ way more likely
Connie: either because they see it as a threat
Connie: or an opportunity
...
Shin: So you need someone they'll overlook but can watch your back
Shin: I can do that
Shin: Name the time and place
Shin: I have you covered