"Ambivalence" As Allie stood patiently behind her mourning girlfriend, she was forced to reconcile with all the good things she still had. Her father was still alive, at least—not only that, but he still took care of his unruly daughter, even in the worst moments, and she had been through plenty of those—and her mother, while clearly not a part of her life anymore, was at least still alive, if not far away. Corona's parents were gone, taken from her by terrible means—first an automobile accident, then insanity—and all she had left was her brother. Well, scratch that; now she had a loving girlfriend, and at least two teachers she could confide in. The pain was still fresh on Marcos' soul. She had learned to let go of her father's death over the years, but a mother in a mad house was something else. Whenever she had visited, the deranged woman didn't even recognize her own daughter, and screamed so loud that poor Corona cried. Maybe then, it was for the best that she was gone, at peace with herself and living eternally with her husband. Of course, that left their children to wallow through the muck on their own, but at least Corona had someone she could love. "Allie," she whispered, kneeling by the two graves, "you are so lucky to have such a good father. I truly envy you. Sometimes I wish you'd give him more credit. He gives up so much for you." "Yeah, yeah," grumbled the girl formerly known as Furious Hail. She sighed, preferring to stand, and shifted weight on her feet. "Look, I treat the guy a lot better now than I used to, right? I mean, he's always gonna be a pain in the neck, but at least now he's gotten off my case." "He was only like that because he cared." "Right. And next you'll say that he's only off my case because I have so many people looking out for me, right?" "Precisely." Corona stood up, rubbed her legs to get the stiffness out, and took her girlfriend's pale hand. She loved Allie dearly, but sometimes... "Look, I'm only telling you this because of the hard life I've led. I just think it's ridiculous for a daughter to feel that way about her own father. Your mother I can understand, and you have every right to hate her for leaving you, but..." "I don't hate my dad," Allie insisted, brushing aside her blonde hair. "The guy's improved, I can tell you that much. And I am glad he's dating again. At least this time he found a woman of quality." "Mrs. Keys, right?" Both girls smiled. Janet was one of the people they knew they could go to if they had any problems. Since she had never been given the chance to be a real mother, the school's art teacher took it upon herself to act matronly to the whole campus, even going so far as to take an abused young mother-to-be into her own home. If Janet Keys was dating Allie's father—and if they were serious—then Blair might have a good chance of getting a stepmother in the future. But that was a long, long way off. "Hey," said Corona excitedly, "if Mrs. Keys marries your dad, you and Jocelyn will be sisters! You'll be an aunt!" "I never thought of it that way," Allie murmured. "I mean, I barely know that girl Joss, and it's not like we'd be like best friends or anything if we were forced to live under the same roof, but...it would be nice to have a sister. I always wanted one. But I don't know how good I'd be." Corona grinned and played with the girl's yellowy locks. "You're so cute when you're in self-doubt," she crooned. Blair snorted and waved Corona's hand away. She turned around quickly, nearly forcing the other girl to follow. "Come on, let's get out of here. Graveyards just aren't my thing." "Oh? I thought you'd be right at home in them." "Not anymore," she said seriously. Corona saw that look in her eyes, the look of quiet pride at how much she had changed over the months, and smiled softly. She kissed dear sweet Allie and nuzzled her neck. "Yeah...I hate them too. Let's get something to eat—your treat." "Huh? Uh...sure." ...... The past was all in a haze to Zane as she woke up. First came the knowledge that yes, she was naked, her bosom exposed proudly in the sunlight, her stomach curved and rumbling with hunger. Next came the realization that she was still a little sore from that game a few days ago—not the one against Laudendale, she had gotten over it and was looking to settle into happy retirement. She couldn't have a mud-and-blood fetish forever; she needed to concentrate on her line of eccentric designer clothes. With a yawn, she recalled the more recent game she had played: the exhibition, the one where a score wasn't kept, the one where the Stanton Badgers faced off against Rodgerson's Rhinos, the unofficial game where she and Petra finally got to square off. What a strange day that had been! Zane had actually ran into her Russian rival earlier that same day, in the same outlet store no less. She had just been browsing the "competition", and didn't expect to see the muscular, haughty blonde. When they did meet, a look of contempt and malice swung between their sharp eyes, and a growl might've popped up. "You disappoint me," Petra had sighed, her first words. "I didn't think you could lose to those awful Diamonds. And yet here you are, a mere one point behind, standing around in this pit while the championship title goes to somebody else. You are not worth my time." "And what about you, ya vodka-swilling pig?" she retorted. "Last I heard, your school got beat too. I don't hear you making a speech as you take that trophy. So what gives?" "It was a technicality," Petra replied in disgust. "They were cheating. My team was like a hoard of Valkyries swooping down on our foes. Our goalie was like a great wall. We moved like dolphins across a river of green." "Ahuh. And yet you lost." "You will be silent, Klein," snarled Petra, now almost shoving her face in Zane's nose. "Just because we did not win, that does not excuse us from our duel. Remember, we were destined to struggle one last time before college. I will not be satisfied until we have a game." "Well we obviously can't stage a real one. I mean, I'm up to the challenge, but what do you wanna do, get the two teams together and just go at it in the park?" "Why not?" purred the blonde, smirking wickedly. "It's as good as we are going to get. But I hear your team is a little handicapped. Didn't one of your players try to kill herself?" "Yeah, well, she heals real fast." "And didn't one of yours just give birth?" "It's been awhile since then. She can play." "I hear one of your goalies has tuberculosis." "That or asthma," shrugged Klein. "Look, if you don't want to fight against my team and our, uh, ‘handicapped players', just say so—because these intimidation tactics aren't going to work." Petra laughed out loud, and told her rival she had no fear whatsoever. The two shook hands on it, and a time and place was set. The Badgers were only too happy to have one last chance to fight against the Rhinos, but the game ended up being more about fun than a serious rivalry. Nobody kept score, and so it looked like their grudge would have to be settled another day. Maybe next year. A few days had passed since then. Aintzane found herself hanging around Petra more. Even though she was irritating, stuck-up, egotistical, sharp-tongued, and harsh, Petra could be pretty cool, and even Zane had to admit that the woman was sexy. Her blonde hair had almost been totally shorn away (some religious thing the team did just before the season started), but it was growing back and made her look tough, if not desirable. While they were off socializing, the rumors about the two of them secretly having a thing for each other floated through Klein's mind, and though she whisked them away at first, there was a part of her too curious to put it out of her thoughts for long. So, in short, they bedded each other one night. In the morning, Aintzane woke up, naked and bathed in sunshine from Petra's window. The other woman was off showering; Zane wondered if she'd mind company. Only one way to find out. ...... Rozalia was stoked! After sneaking around on the internet, she discovered something worth getting so excited about: there was going to be an Anime, Games, and Sci-fi convention held not very far from where she lived, and she had just enough money saved up from her weekly allowance for one ticket. The only real problem, aside from transportation, was who to cosplay as. Mira's anime club discussed it, of course, but Miklos didn't attend that meeting—she had been grounded that day. Feeling sociable the next day, she walked up and spoke with her fellow "Geek Goddess", the lovely (and motherly) Jocelyn McKeough, about what had transpired during her absence. Miss Keeping had volunteered to drive some of the girls to the convention, given that they had their parents' permission, so that was transportation taken care of. "Don't worry about cosplaying," Jocelyn told her. "Most of us will just go as we are. I think I'll pull out my old Selphie Tilmitt costume from the closet, since I went as her for Halloween a few years back and I kinda resemble her." "You really do look more like Terra Branford," Rozy told her. "So, uh, what about Erica? Is she going?" "No," Joss laughed, "she doesn't really ‘get' these sorts of things. As meek as she is, she's really more of a jock than a geek. You know how it is." "Not really," she admitted. "But I still don't know who I'll go as. I mean, this is the first convention I've actually been to, so I want to go as somebody. Who do I look like to you?" Jocelyn studied Rozalia carefully, using her nerd's eyes to filter through games and animes for any possible matches. Rozy was 5'9" and weighed an even six-score pounds, effectively giving her a tall, lanky build. She was fairly pale and had strong legs, and had dark green eyes that could sometimes give off a reddish glow. The girl was a natural blonde, but changed her hair to match the seasons; this month, it was back to its full golden glory. Rozalia had forest-shaded fatigues and a short-sleeved shirt, but typically wore military surplus clothing. "I'd like to say somebody from the Gundam series, but one doesn't come to mind," Joss told her. "What about Aya Brea from Parasite Eve?" "You think I could pull her off?" Jocelyn grinned. "Or Rosa Farril from Final Fantasy four." "Oh, because of my...yeah, ha-ha." Actually, dressing as Aya didn't sound like a bad idea. Miklos had an elementary grasp of military-issue weaponry, and could probably fake a police officer better than anyone due to her uncle's upbringing (he was ex-marine). Rozy didn't shine to the idea of wearing contacts, especially since her eyes got hurt in normal light anyway, but she vowed to at least give the whole thing a try. "What about Geek Goddess number two?" she murmured—or was it number one? It was so hard keeping track of these things. "Oh, Mira? She told me she's going as a miko, a shrine maiden." "So she's really coming along?" Jocelyn confirmed it. Just great. A perfectly good day out having fun, now ruined by that strange dyke. Why did that woman pester Rozy so much, anyway? She hadn't done anything wrong; she had nothing against the Dutch, nor even against lesbians, disgusted though she was at the sight of their public displays of affection. Maybe if she bothered trying to understand Mira...oh, but what was the point? Rozalia just didn't want to do it. ...... With soccer now over, Leena was handing the girls more health assignments than physical education exercises. Dr. Andrews would be fully responsible for teaching the health classes next year, but for now, she assisted Leena inside the classroom. The good doctor had a great knowledge of her profession and pushed the girls to their academic limits, but she did it without any excitement or enthusiasm at all; she was as professionally cold as they came. And Alexandra Blair did not like her at all. "Why can't Leena teach these classes?" she whispered to Gabrielle. "I'd much rather have her than this robot." "Yeah, tell me about it. But think about poor Katt. She ain't got nothin' nice to stare at." "Speak for yourself," whispered Ana Lu from behind. Even without looking at her, it was clear she was ogling the handsome woman. Allie sighed. "So what's the deal with our gym classes now? Are they going to be once every other day now?" "I have no idea," replied Gabrielle. "Ask Hero; she's got all the contacts." "I would, but she's kind of on the other side of the room." "Well, ask the good doctor yourself then." Allie rolled her eyes and raised her hand. Dr. Andrews pointed to her once she turned around—"Yes?" "Um, Miss Andrews—" "Doctor Andrews, please." Cringe. "Right. Uh, Dr. Andrews, do you know what our health and P.E. schedules will be like next year? Will it be every other day, or what?" "Good question. Let me illustrate." Andrews drew the schedule on the board: one week would have gym on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and health classes Tuesdays and Thursdays. The next week, the two would alternate—gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays, health on the other three, and then another alteration. "So there's definitely going to be a health class integrated soon, right?" "Yes. I was just recently approved to be the instructor." "So who'll be the school doctor?" "I will, naturally," she stated. She saw the confused look on Allie's face and explained: "I'll have aides, of course. We've been hiring some new staff members." "(Hopefully she won't shag'em on the side,)" muttered Ivory. The girls tittered, and Andrews raised an eyebrow of warning. "Do you have something to say, Miss Tran?" "No ma'am," replied the imp. Andrews snorted. "I could have sworn I heard something." "Um, no, just sighing." The other eyebrow raised, but that was the extent of the doctor's attention. She returned to her lecture, and the girls groaned in frustration, none more so than Allie. She didn't want to be a doctor—hell, she had only signed up for gym because she wanted to stay in shape—so why'd she have to endure the prattling of this boring old drone? If Leena were teaching, the class would be a lot more exciting and interactive. Leena knew just how to get her students interested in the subject, and she treated them more like friends than students. Why so many people flocked to Dr. Andrews' bed was a complete mystery to the former Furious one. When health class finally ended, Allie waved to her friends and ventured to her locker, wondering if Corona had slipped a love letter inside. Since the two girls only shared one class, they had to find other ways to communicate, oftentimes taking to writing letters and passing them along in some fashion. Allie's last letter, sent just after a grueling test in Madsen's class, had been on the steamy side, so maybe Corona would reply in kind. There was a letter waiting for her when she opened her locker, but it wasn't quite as sexual as she thought it'd be. "Dear Princess Alexandra, "Just be glad I read your letter alone! (wink) I'll see what I can do about your ‘requests', but first let me ask you something. You said you didn't know Jocelyn very well, but how would you like it if I told you she was going somewhere for the weekend, and you could go along too—you know, to get better acquainted. I mean, the way things are going now, you'll be sisters before the year's over. You may as well get to know her. Talk to me in Keys' class; I'd like to come along too. Let's make it a date! "Love always, your Corona" "Probably that convention I heard so much about," Allie mumbled to herself. She put the letter in a box, stashed some of her books away, pulled others out, made sure she looked nice, and went off to her next class. Whether she and Jocelyn were honestly going to be stepsisters or not was left up to debate (Allie knew that Joss was Keys' foster daughter; she just humored everybody), but a date with Corona always perked her interest. Anywhere was better than a graveyard, at least. ......... Rozalia Miklos was spared the pleasantries of knowing who Furious Hail was, so when she heard rumor that this person was coming along with them to the convention, she reacted with blasé inquiry. A few people told her the old rumors—that Hail was a druggy, a raver, a bully and a load of trouble—but some were a little more up-to-date and filled her in on what Allie was really like. Rozy dismissed it once she got the lowdown—she was actually more concerned about Mira. At best, the Dutch redhead was unpredictable, but in the right light, she seemed loveable—until she got within range of a blonde. Miklos had personally felt the full fury of Mira's teasing and tasteless jokes, and couldn't understand why somebody who hated golden-haired girls so much could also be so infatuated with them. "Probably one of those romance rules in anime and RPGs," Farrah told her on the ride there. "You know, how the person usually shows a lack of interest or discord towards another person later on, but somewhere along the line, they become really close? I think it's just Mira's very immature way of telling you she likes you." "Eww," Rozy cringed, "you mean like it was back in grade school, when people used to tease or make fun of people they liked?" "Exactly. Mira's putting lizards in your lunch and tacks on your seat. If you want my opinion, the whole thing disgusts me." "We're on the same page there," Rozy murmured. Ah, good old Farrah, always great for an intellectual discussion. There was no danger of her flaunting her romantic side, or suddenly jerking into Sapphism, or showing any sort of belligerent activity, at least not to Rozy. Miklos felt very comfortable around the other girl, and considered her one of the few friends she had been lucky enough to find at Stanton. "So, like, you're not a lesbian, are you?" asked Kwong, draping her arms over her seat, looking directly at Rozy. Miklos adamantly shook her head. "I had a bad experience online once—case of mistaken identity. It still scares the pants off of me." "I don't envy you that," murmured Kwong. "I never had any experiences at all, not even when Ivory and I shared a bed when we slept over. I'm thankful she never tried to cop a feel while we were asleep!" "You trusted her?" Farrah grinned arrogantly. "What can I say, the dyke owes me big time. She's in too much debt to try anything, and she never goes for the girls that are really straight. Not the type to go after those, thank God." "Oh, so she's not one of ‘those' lesbians." "Right." "And I suppose Mira is," murmured Rozy to herself. She sighed and leaned back—this is just perfect, I've got a weirdo dyke running after me with a strange fixation for blondes. I should really dye my hair again—and Farrah turned around to talk to another girl. It wouldn't be long before the convention was in sight... ...... Aintzane had dated, bedded, and even loved plenty of young women during her brief life as a lesbian, but none made her feel more electric, more alive, and more miserable than her rival, her lover, her other self, Petra Rominostikov. A week had passed since their courtship began—it was around early May, and soon the end of the school year would draw upon them—and already, Aintzane felt giddy as lovers should, and gloomy as slaves ought to. Petra was not just the yin to her yang; she was yin and yang all at once, the essential Lilith, and Zane loved and hated her deeply. Perhaps, though, the hatred and misery outnumbered the love and bliss she felt. Petra was unkind to her; she mistreated Zane, stood her up for long periods of time, and neglected to see her or even call for days on end. When they were together, she teased Zane mercilessly—not a lover's tease, but the taunting of a heartless enemy, one intent on bringing her soul crashing down. Klein would've ended it in disgust if not for those few happy moments when Petra was everything she had ever wanted in a lover and more—and the sex was always, always good, no matter what mood they were both in. It was a terrible cycle. Aintzane knew she had to break free, but every time she got the guts to cut Petra off like a diseased limb, the Russian would ooze charm and affection, melting her lover into submissive jelly. After that, Petra could be as mean as she wished, even cruel, and would only change once her lover solidified and believed that this time, she would do the right thing. It was a terrible cycle, and poor Zane was powerless to break free. She had never felt love to this degree, even mixed in with the muck and sludge, and was afraid she'd never get another chance if she ended it. One day she actually had the courage to walk outside and forget she was ever linked to that loathsome, wonderful woman—no, no, just loathsome. Oh, but the way she stared at Zane with those piercing blue eyes—no, no, she was evil and spiteful. But so wonderful in bed—well, there was no argument there. Her thoughts went back and forth like that, fighting themselves until Zane had to sit down and let the schizophrenia pour out like air from a ripped balloon. Sit down until brain stops hurting: the best method she knew to calm herself. Vairocana Knox didn't believe in fate, but she did believe in duty and obligations. Her mothers had asked her to go to the store to pick something up, and since it was such a nice day, she decided to walk the whole way, choosing the scenic route instead. There was still no getting away from sirens, smog from cars, and the omnipresent rabble of moronic fools that always seemed to litter her every destination, but at least she had some greenery to distract herself. Vai was about halfway to the store when she noticed, sitting on a bench in the distance, the former Captain of the Stanton Badgers, moping all by herself. Coincidence? If anybody knew the full pleasures and pains of a solo angst-fest, it was Vai. Aintzane was typically an upbeat person, if not downright eccentric, and to see her looking like this was unsettling. Normally, Vai would've walked right past the woman and ignored her—after all, Zane had tried flirting with her twice, both on special occasions—but then she remembered how many times she wished people would come up to her and say hello during those long periods of loneliness. Since her mothers didn't seem to need those groceries immediately, Vai approached the younger woman and cleared her throat. "Uhh, hey there Zane. Mind if I sit down?" Klein looked up and smiled. Vai! One of the girls she had a crush on—and still did, and for a good reason. She could pass as a gypsy with her naturally-tan skin and obsidian hair, and there was something about droopy lonely girls than Zane couldn't resist. She moved over so Vai could wedge herself in, and went from down to up in a moment. "By what do I have the honor of this visit?" she asked politely. Knox shrugged. "I just saw you and you looked...lonely. I hate being lonely. I'm always wasting my time wondering why I'm like that, hoping that somebody will come up and relieve me. So I guess I'm...sympathetic to people like that." "Oh." Aintzane blushed prettily and scooted closer. "You were really concerned for me? That's so sweet." "I just thought you could use some company, and I know what that's like, so who better?" Who indeed, Klein thought to herself. Vai was even prettier wearing springtime clothes... "Want me to tell you my story?" she asked. Vai felt like she was in the mood, and assured Klein that being so quiet all the time left her with a remarkable capacity to listen. Aintzane then spilled out everything to this girl who was still a perfect mystery to her—everything. More specifically, she told the whole Petra story, including the whole confusing love/hate cycle. She left nothing out; it was like Zane was talking to her closest friend. Maybe... "Maybe all I really needed was somebody to give a rat's ass about what's going through my mind," she resigned with a melancholy sigh. "Somebody to listen, y'know? That's the best cure, I think. A listener. It does a hell of a lot more good than somebody that butts in every two seconds." She looked over at Vai, noticed she was still quiet and attentive, and grinned cheekily. "Um, you can butt in now. I'm done." "Oh." She laughed quietly and took a big breath. "Zane...uh, may I call you that?" "Most everyone does; that or Klein. But...you know...I really hate that name. My mother wanted that name for me, but my father disagreed. He changed it when she passed away." "Oh, I'm sorry." "No need," she added with a pretty smile. "She died giving birth to me, like I was too much to handle. Pops called me Aintzane to honor my mother's wish, like he felt bad for arguing. He was going to name me Rochelle, so that's where my middle name comes in—sort of." "Rochelle..." Vai whispered it and smiled. So, there was another thing they had in common. Knox really wished she had been given another name—maybe Veronica. Yeah, that was such a pretty name. Better than the one she had now! "Anyway," she murmured, "I was wondering if I could make a suggestion. I know we're not close or anything, but if I may be allowed to put my two cents in..." "Go ahead," gestured Klein. "And you know, I'd like to be your friend. You interest me. I'm sure there's lots to know about Vai Knox." You have no idea, she was tempted to say. But she merely chuckled weakly and went on. "Well, if you want my opinion, you should've broken up with her a long time ago. I don't know you that well, but I know enough to know that you don't deserve that kind of treatment. Nobody does. Why are you even around her if you don't like her?" Zane became timid and shrunk back, afraid of the answers. "She's not bad all the time. She can be really sweet sometimes. And she loves me." "Yeah, ‘sometimes' being the key word here. The way you said it, I thought you were talking about your mortal enemy, not just another person." "She's nice," Zane defended, not five minutes after explaining how loathsome Petra was. "No, she's not. Zane, she mistreats you and she's vile. She makes you feel bad about yourself and she's selfish. She doesn't even see you unless she wants to, and she manipulates you into feeling guilty if you grow a backbone. That's not what I call a healthy relationship, Klein. I call that a disaster waiting to happen." "Yeah, but—" "No buts," Vai pointed sharply. "Break up with her, today. As soon as possible." "...But what if—" "No, no buts. Do it today. All right? Just walk up and tell her it's over, you never want to see her again, and then...tell her to screw herself with a cactus or something." Zane snickered out of her funk, and with sad, weary eyes, promised Vai that she'd do it. "I really appreciate this," she said, standing up to leave. "It takes a lot of guts to do what you did. Only a real friend would give me that sort of advice. I really owe ya one, Vai." "I'll take you up on that later," she noted, and watched as Zane disappeared into the horizon. Of course, Vai knew that the whole thing was none of her business, but...it made her feel a little more interactive when it came to the human population. Like...somebody still needed her and wanted her around. Remembering that she had groceries to buy, Vai picked herself up and was gone into the distance as well. ...... The feminine entourage was abuzz with excitement as they wandered into the convention center, every single one of them dressed like it was All Saint's Eve. Ms. Keeping wore a bluish-purple wig and walked around with a crisp smile, looking every bit the part of Misato Katsuragi of Evangelion; June was Subaru, as usual, but without Victoria there, the effect wasn't nearly so cute. Jocelyn was Selphie, just as she promised, and Farrah was Major Kusanagi from Ghost in the Shell, although decidedly not nearly as "gifted". Hero and Ayanna cosplayed as Elma and Lucile, as usual; Mihoshi was the only person who didn't dress up, but she was also the only one that didn't need to, and Rozy noticed she was turning heads as she walked around looking like Aya Brea. "You look really sexy as a police officer," came a Dutch-coated voice from her side. Rozy's pale face turned red with anger as she tried ignoring Miko Mira. It became even harder when the peculiar girl put her arm around Rozy's shoulder like they were old buddies. "I'm so glad you came. I haven't been to a convention in years. This is only my second one in America. I didn't even have friends back then, so I can really appreciate the place now." "Wonderful," Rozy managed, lifting the girl's arm off. Mira looked beautiful in a kimono, but she had the bad taste to keep her hair color. If she had worn a wig or dyed it, she could've passed being a shrine maiden much easier. "Look," sighed Rozy, "I don't know what I did to make you tease me like you do, but I wish you'd stop." Mira pouted and put her arm back across Rozy's shoulders. "I tease you because I like you!" she sang. "Did my friends not say that I like blondes? And yet I must tease them, because they bring that sweet sexy ditzy nature upon themselves." "I'm none of those three," Rozy growled, her voice acidic. "Now leave me alone." "No, no, let's be friends! I'll apologize, see! I didn't know you were so sensitive! Please, let me apologize!" She then rambled off in Dutch—probably an extended apology listing all the ways she'd make up for harassing poor Rozalia—and only stopped when the object of her twisted affections demanded it. Not far away, Allie and Corona were chuckling at this latest development. "They're such a cute couple," said the blonde. Corona heartily agreed. "I hope they never get together. If they actually fall in love, they'll get boring. If they only play and pretend and flirt, they're always going to be exciting." "Ah, but the flirting shall only be one-way," Allie reminded her. "Lest you forget, chica, our dear faux-Greek friend does not reciprocate. This be an unrequited love affair!" Corona giggled even louder as her girlfriend put on a show, and finally burst out laughing when Allie started making faces to go along with her performance. Since neither one of them were that interested in conventions, they didn't dress up, leaving them in the minority. And so far, Allie had yet to say anything to her would-be foster stepsister. "It's not like we'll be related or anything," she said as the two of them walked through the crowds. "I mean, Joss's mother is still alive, for heavens' sake. I wouldn't have anything against being her friend, and I'd certainly be happy if Mrs. Keys became my stepmother..." "So go over there and befriend her," said Corona, giving her girlfriend a push. Jocelyn was in a medium-sized Final Fantasy booth, posing willingly with other characters from that franchise. Allie took a deep breath and marched over, more worried about the fanatical fans than the young mother. She managed to get Jocelyn's attention and pulled her away, guiding her to a quiet place. Corona knew it'd be best to leave the two of them alone, and went away to scout out anything of interest. She didn't like anime, RPGs, or science-fiction any more than her lover did, but at least she could appreciate the endless works of art that went into them. "So what'd you want to talk about?" asked Jocelyn when they were alone. Allie let go of her hand and faltered. "Well, y'know...your, uh, foster mother and my dad have been seeing each other a lot, and so...I thought it'd be nice if we hung out a bit." "Oh." Joss knew where this was going; she had heard the rumors. "Well, I guess so. Um...I gotta tell you, Alex, I'm not real comfortable with the idea. I mean, I know you've changed, but..." "Don't worry about it. I'm still trying to get used to it myself. I just figured..." "Yeah..." A pause. Both girls wrung their hands and fingers, anything to distract themselves from confronting each other. Finally, Allie sighed and waved her hair from her face. "So you like this sort of place?" "Yeah, it's pretty cool. I guess you could call me a geek. I'm not into the whole sci-fi thing, but I do like anime and role-playing games." "I'm not really into it," Allie grunted. Joss gave her a big, warm smile. "Well, maybe I can get you addicted! It'd be a great way for us to bond, and I'm sure my mother would love to have you over for dinner." "Yeah, me and the old man," muttered Blair foxily. She chuckled at the idea and figured an evening at the Keys residence would be a pretty nice way to spend her time. "Well, sure, why not. I'll even stay over if you want. So...when, tonight?" "No, we're going to be getting home late tonight, cuz' of the convention. How about tomorrow?" "Tomorrow sounds good. Uh, so like, what ana-thingy are you going to be showing me?" "Well, since you're unfamiliar with the whole thing, I'll go for the basics. Ever hear of Sailor Moon?" "Yeah, the one where all the magical girls run around in skirts." "That's pretty much the gist," laughed Joss. The two shook on it—they weren't nearly comfortable with hugging, and probably wouldn't be for a long time—and returned to the convention so their friends wouldn't wonder about their well-being. Allie resolved to spend the rest of the day with Jocelyn, and even took Corona along for the ride, even though the young Hispanic woman was clearly bored out of her mind. ...... Even though Mira was a pain in the neck, she had the good sense to apologize, and Rozalia had been enjoying herself too much to be in a bad mood. Besides, she knew she could be an ass herself, and her uncle sure wasn't required to forgive her rebellious nature. Mira gave her a pretty smile once she was absolved, and spent most of her time acting as Rozy's shadow, following her or else leading the way. Rozy knew she wanted friends, but... Well, at least we have a whole lot in common, she reasoned to herself. If Mira hadn't gone and been a bully to me, we could've been really close friends now. If that's her way of saying she likes me, though... Rozy shuddered at the idea, still remembering the repulsion she felt when she realized, long ago, when her old internet crush was in fact another girl. And now here was Mira, nearly slapping her in the face with the whole "I'm a dyke, I'm proud of it, and I like you a whole lot" deal. Soon, though, it was hard to remember Mira being anything other than a nice, energetic, fun-loving woman. Rozalia forgot she had been a bully and a lesbian, and just saw her as a fellow lover of fantasy. It turned out they were both diehard Star Wars fans (Mira even wrote several stories, but admitted they were mostly femme-slashes), not to mention huge fanatics when it came to massive multiplayer online RPGs (they even exchanged emails and user names so they'd be able to "meet" online), and they even liked most of the same video games. Soon they really were talking like old friends. "Have you ever played anything by tri-ace?" asked Rozalia. Mira shook her head. "Oh, man, you gotta! Especially Valkyrie Profile; that's like my favorite. You know about the whole Norse mythology thing, right? Well that game's sorta like it, only a little bit different." "So what is your favorite anime?" Mira asked. Rozy was more of a role-player than an anime lover, but she answered "Anything with the word ‘Gundam' in it." She even recognized the name of Lunamaria Hawke, the character Mira had dressed up for on Halloween. After a few more minutes of talking—although it could've been hours, with the way they were going—Mira pulled Rozy aside and went into a more serious state of mind. "You know, the Prom is coming right up," she stated. "I couldn't go last year because I was sick, and my parents thought I was too young, but when I asked them this time, they said I could go. It'll be my first time, so I'd really love it if you could go with me." Rozy grimaced, giving Mira a weird look. "You mean like a date?" "No, no—if it makes you uncomfortable, no. Just to go with me, so I'm not lonely." "Why not ask one of your other friends?" "Because I don't like them as much," she answered, giving a classic smile. Even Rozalia couldn't help but turn red at that. "Besides, we have a lot in common, and I don't think it'd be right for me to go with anyone else. I will pay for it and everything, as a way of making up for being so insensitive. Please, it would mean so much to me." Mira took Rozy's hands and massaged them, begging with wholesome blue eyes that never really had any malice in them. Rozy wasn't sure—Mira was a girl—she wasn't gay—they barely knew each other—she didn't like dances and socials—she never meant to go except for her senior year—she was afraid to go regardless—she wasn't sure—and Mira was a girl. "Can I think about it?" she whispered. Mira smiled and nodded. "Sure, of course. And this is not a date—unless you want it to be!!" She beamed happily, but poor Rozy was anything but pleased. That last comment really irritated her. Crazy dyke... "Not a date" my ass! But...it's what you wanted, isn't it? To get out there, make friends, go to socials...meet people who were just like you. And isn't Mira just like you? I don't know. I need to think about it. Ugh, I hope she doesn't try anything funny if I say yes. Yeah, that would be awful. We agree on that at least. Right. "I'll think about it," she repeated. "But for now, I really want to check out that Star Trek booth!" "Sure, lead on, buddy!" Rozalia was unaccustomed to being called buddy—but what the hey! She and Mira raced through the crowds, hand in hand, laughing and yelling for everyone to get out of their way. Good thing the convention security wasn't around... ......... It was unusual for Vai to be the only person in the classroom when she stepped into science class, but it was also unusual for it to be so empty. The other students must've been at lunch or something, because only McGowen, Sarah Jo, and Klein were there. The three were chatting idly until Vai showed up; she blushed as she realized she had interrupted them. "Whoops," she chuckled, "did I stumble upon any secrets?" "No, we're just chatting like three weirdoes," said Miss McGowen with a wave. She took Miss Johansson by the arm into her private room, possibly to resume the conversation, possibly to make out. That left Vai alone with Zane, who was currently smiling big. "Well?" asked the older girl, "Did you go through with it?" "Yep," came the happy answer. "Good, good. Did she take it well?" "Nope." "Good, good." The two snickered. Zane beckoned Vai over, and the two sat together. "I gotta thank you for what you did. I know it sounds odd, but I was too much of a wimp to do anything about the whole Petra deal. I guess all I needed was a good friend to help me snap out of it. I'm never going back to that psychotic bitch again, and I have you to thank for it." "I really didn't do that much," said Vai humbly. "So what'll you do now?" "Hmm, I'll keep my options open," said Zane, humming dreamily as she looked right into Vai's dark eyes. "Right now I'll actually enjoy being able to breathe. I never knew how great it was being single until I had that awful barnacle stuck to my side. And who knows, maybe the beautiful princess of my dreams is closer than I think." Vai wasn't stupid enough to think that was a harmless comment, but she feigned indifference and wished Zane the best. "I'm sure you'll have more luck than I will, Zane—I mean, Rochelle." Klein blushed noticeably. Did Vai just whisper out her fantasy name?? "Thanks...Veronica." Next time: A special treat for all you Kogure-chan fans!
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