August 10th, Thursday, Hill n' Dale Apartments 5:07 pm Dial tones. Patience. He finally picked up. "Aftahnoon, Shenandoah." "Hiya, Scotland Yahd! You finally got settled in yet?" "Just about. I've been busy these past couple o' days, somethin' I'll bet you can relate to." "Damn straight!" she snorted. "Nevah mind the schoolwork and college politics; now we got a deadline to meet! Did you know that they're tryin' to foahce us into a practice match about a whole season ahead o' schedule? It's frickin' ridiculous!" "Sing on, Threal." "I've got a mind to start screaming at this rate!" she exclaimed. "They said that if we lose just two o' these games, the team's outta the pictah, just like that! And let me tell you, Scottie, it ain't like our chances are all that high. Our team's about as coordinated as a peg-legged monkey on ice." "Ouch, you got it rough. I don't envy ya, Shan. Are they mostly gay like ya thought?" "Eh, more or less. A lot of em' are all right, but a few could use a personality overhaul. It's lookin' grim ovah here, Scott. Anyway, don't think I just called to bitch." "There's more?" She laughed. "Yeah, but mostly good news. I finally got a roommate." "Hey, that's great! Are they, uh, up to standahd?" "Yeah, she's high-class and real polite. I really like her. She's like the perfect roommate for me at this point. I'm gonna be hella busy helpin' her move in, though. It's too bad I couldn't room with you!" "Yeah, well, theah'd be issues. But I'm glad something's lookin' up for you. Is the job still steady?" "Yeah, but I'm gonna slide back to paht-time now that I got practice. We got our first real trial this weekend. The coach says she's gonna run us ragged all day. I'm lookin' forwahd to it." "Masochist," he chuckled. "Hey, I ain't no fairy princess!" she boasted proudly. "Remembah: no guts, no glory. Okay, I guess that's the end of my diatribe. How's things with you, hon?" "Eh, sketchy. I just found out I gotta be laid off from work, and my old gal dumped me." "What?! Whatevah for? She musta gotten dropped on the head! What woman in her right mind would give you up? Hell, I'll bet some o' the gals on the team would like you!" "Ah, you know- some women just don't make no sense. But it's for the best. I gotta staht investin' time in me now. Hey, how many boys are you shakin' off with a stick?" "Zero," she cringed. "That's what I get for bein' picky and non-sophisticated. But if a guy can't handle me, then he ain't worth my spit!" "Atta gal. Aw, damn it, I gotta split. I got a job intahview in an hour." "A good one?" "Meh, nothin' special. Stay cool, Shanana." "I always do, Scottsdale. Latah." They both hung up, Shannon feeling much better after venting to her childhood friend. He was such a dear to put up with her rambling- too bad nobody else seemed to notice. She decided that, since she had some free time, she would take a little jog around the block and cook something for Elisa's housewarming tomorrow. There would be no time to relax in the future. And people dream dreams that transcend time Held in the arms of a still sea As they looked up at the birds and clouds It set their ephemeral souls on fire on a thousand mornings I bet they're taking flight to where the light is headed Now is the time to launch your dreams Off into the frontier that is carrying boundless dreams Farther and farther, dive in the sky "Tragedienne" Before Thursday came to an end and Friday arrived with its myriad promises, Arina Essylt pored over her homework, making sure she hadn't missed anything. As a self-loathing, narcissistic perfectionist who was always meticulous with her physical and academic appearance, Arina would not settle for second place and would more than likely sacrifice her sleep in order to get the job done. As she triple-checked her math homework, dissatisfied with every solution and yet proud that she had accomplished so much, Arina wondered how she could ever befriend a slob like Lauren. But that was the catch: she wasn't an oaf, she just took everything casually, and never gave anything much weight except her friends, who she held quite close. Yes, she even loved Arina, who she had declared her nemesis. That was the kind of person Lauren Ofdensen was. No matter what her faults were, or how many she had, she had an undeniable attraction that drew people to her. She wasn't overly beautiful, exceptionally brilliant, or even particularly creative, yet she was an irresistible enigma, a force of warmth, charm, and comfort, someone who would not be fazed by anything. Arina and Lauren had met in middle school, right when she was understanding her sexuality. She started dyeing her hair and rebelling against conformity; she had also started flirting with girls, and even lost her virginity around freshman year. What a slacker! And yet their rivalry persisted. Lauren cared little for academics, but when she applied herself, her brilliant charisma won over Arina's nitpicking every time. Arina hated her in a sense, because she could be so free and easygoing, and still have success. People naturally loved her, men and women alike; she was nearly hermaphroditic in that sense. She was emotionally confined, but she was comfortable with her body and her situation, regardless of how mediocre or depressing they became. Lauren couldn't properly be described- not that Arina was any less of an enigma. She both loved and hated Lauren, as she loved and hated herself. "Distractions," she grumbled as she concluded her math homework. Back to psychology. Maybe the reason Arina was pursuing this degree was so she could understand herself better. Lauren was a natural psychologist; she could become a doctor easily. She would become as famous as Freud, as genteel and approachable as Dr. Phil, but wild and even savage, a thing of feral beauty like the hunter Artemis- and ferociously independent. Arina lashed out at her unfairly; she could never tell Lauren how much she depended on her casual indifference. They were both very unstable people, but Ofdensen was okay with that, while Arina struggled and fought. No wonder she never had a boyfriend before. Okay, psychology homework was finished. What else was there to do? Foreign language, history, introduction to computers, sociology... It was now time to stop thinking about her dear little friend. Arina loved Lauren more than she hated her, but too much love was wrong; she was always obsessing about everything. She had some time before going to bed, so she took a walk under the darkening sky, emptying her mind of the troubles it had accumulated, and hit the sack as soon as she got home. It would take her hours to wash up and look proper (even if it was only Friday), so she went to bed early, anticipating a rough weekend. She dreamed about working at the post office and forgot all about it the next morning. - Lauren Ofdensen, DOB: July 21st, Cancer, goalie/reserve- "TGIF," Kasumi said as she greeted Terra that morning. "What does that mean?" "Thank God It's Friday." "Oh, right. I've always wondered why people say that." "It's because most people don't have to work or go to school over the weekend." "That's obvious enough. Hey, are you going to that movie night tomorrow?" "Are you crazy?" Kasumi grinned. "I wouldn't miss it! I've never seen either of the movies they'll be playing, so I'd be a fool to skip out this time. Besides, I've never been to Lily." "I haven't either, so it'll probably be an experience." Terra smiled shyly; she liked Kasumi a lot, even though they barely knew each other. They had a few things in common, outside of sports and the classes they shared: sexual and social inexperience was one of them. "So do you like anime?" "Mm, I'm just getting into it, so I don't really know. I actually like manga more." "Oh really? What's your favorite?" "Burst Angel," she smiled. "I've never seen that one. Isn't that like the one with the girl gunners?" "It's one of them. It's got a few, uh...Sapphic elements. Sei is my favorite character by far!" She grinned to herself, an inside joke that Terra did not understand. "So what's your favorite?" "Probably Ah My Goddess. Robin's also been nice enough to lend me Revolutionary Girl Utena. They're playing the movie tomorrow night, so I figured I could brush up." "I've never seen that one either, but I heard it's got a sizable amount of lesbians. Hey, cut me some slack!" she grinned, shoving Terra playfully. "I just came out of the closet, so I want to...you know...immerse myself a little." "So you're gay," she stated nervously. Terra wasn't homophobic; she merely struggled with her own sexual identity. She had been attracted to men for as long a she could remember, but lately... "Yeah, I'm gay. Does that bother you?" "Uh, no, no, not at all! Um, that's fine with me! I mean, my parents would probably die if I told them something like that, but I don't mind at all! Uh, well, uh...you know, it's nothing bad or anything." Kasumi chuckled; Terra sure was cute when she got flustered. "I'm glad. I guess I shouldn't be so worried- I mean, it's not the nineties anymore. So what were we talking about before?" "Movie night at the Lily Club," Terra giggled. Kasumi smiled, and they arrived at the front door of the school, where their paths would separate. "Oh yeah, right. Wow, conversations can deviate, huh? And we're already here. I guess I'll see you later- Saturday at least." "Sure, bye!" Kasumi watched Terra vanish into the crowd, and couldn't resist glancing at her rear end and smiling wolfishly to herself. For such a petite woman, Terra Tu certainly had an excellent physique. There was no telling how beneficial that would be to the team...or for Kasumi. So she just told a casual acquaintance about her sexuality. That was certainly revolutionary. A year ago, her own father hadn't known- she herself had been barely aware of it. That blurry night and bleary morning where she lost her virginity clung to her despite how vague it all seemed- it became the catalyst for drawing out who she really was. Kasumi always had been a tomboy; she never put the pieces together until...well, it must've been that ladies' night at Studs, her old job in DC, when the gay bar was congested with women. She had been uncomfortable with herself back then, but willing to learn, and now she just came out to someone she barely knew. That was progress if nothing else. Speaking of progress, Kasumi felt she had a crush on Terra, but probably for all the wrong reasons. She was cute, sweet, fun, and easy to talk to, but that was really it. She actually liked Nadia more, and was also drawn to Fausta, Lauren, Elisa, Alice, Jennifer, and Fleur for one reason or another. This was perfectly normal behavior- it was silly to think she could only feel this way about one person right off the bat- but right now, it was too much to bear. She had school and practice to think about; her pride and her dreams demanded she put these first. Relationships could be held off until the team proved itself. - Terra Tu, DOB: February 14th, Aquarius, left back- "Hello there, guten morgen! Please vote for me as student council Vice-President! Hello, how are you? Freya Serhild von Hohenheim, at your service! Good morning, lovely day, ja? Remember, vote for Freya! The tree of Yggdrasil has its roots in every world! Feel like nobody can identify with you? Just trust Freya, your humble servant! She may be rich and popular, but she's not a slob! Freya for Vice-President! How are you, good morning!" I had no idea being so shameless would actually work, Freya thought as she continued to promote herself. Although it wasn't necessary considering how popular she was becoming, Maria and Shiki still encouraged their friend to put herself "out there" so the public would be able to meet her. Candidates who stood behind a wall and spoke to people over bland, generic television ads were so kitschy; Freya preferred the personal touch. It certainly drew a lot of attention, or at least a lot of stares. That she also wore the team's soccer uniform while parading around made some people question her motive- and sanity- but it worked. Nobody would remember her opponent when it came time to vote, even though he had a perfectly solid campaign. Damn it, they're going to make me eat crow all day long, she groused. I'll never hear the end of it! I don't mind the uniform so much, but all this parading?! I never would've gone through with it if they didn't tickle-torture me! And the worst part is that if I don't stop soon, I'll start ENJOYING it! "Ahh, too late," she cringed. "Oh well. Vote for me! Your civic servant who's dedicated to what she believes in! (Even if it is a little crazy!)" "Guten Gott, have you completely lost your mind? Did seeing me after all those years jar your fragile psyche?" Freya stopped dead in her tracks and jerked away, her pulse skyrocketing as she put some distance between herself and her enemy. Now that she knew Alexia Kaiser was a student here, it was no surprise to find her wandering down the halls, even if they both did try to avoid each other. She glared at Freya in disgust and crossed her arms. "I'm running for student council, not that it's any of your business!" she shouted. "Are you? From the way you're dancing, I thought you were trying out for cheerleader. Why don't you just give it up, Hohenheim? You were shunned by your own family, the team's a joke, and the only reason anybody might vote for you is sympathy." "You don't know anything!!" she screamed, clutching her heart. Tears flew down her face; she almost felt tempted to beat Alexia herself. "Is something wr-wrong?" Freya was relieved to see Amy towering over her foe, a cautious expression on her face as she lowered her book bag. Despite her bashfulness, Amy was a formidable martial artist, as everyone who had underestimated her could attest. Only Shiki and Terra could probably stand up to her in a fair fight, which meant that Alexia had no chance. Amy had always wanted to come to the defense of someone she loved, and now she had her opportunity. "No, nothing at all," Alexia said coldly. "This isn't your business, so why don't you move along?" "Is sh-she bothering y-y-you, Freya?" Amy asked. Freya smiled in relief and rushed over to her. "Yes! Thank you for coming to my rescue! Keep her away from me!" "What, so you can't fight your own battles now?" Freya pulled down on her eyelid and stuck her tongue out. "I'll resort to anything if it means getting rid of you." Alexia didn't believe Freya's tall friend posed much of a threat, but she didn't want to start fighting right in the middle of the hallway. She decided to let it go for now. "Hmph! I've got better things to do anyway! Just keep what I said in mind, Hohenheim." Freya raised her middle finger once her enemy's back was turned, then threw herself into Amy's arms, shuddering as her heart pounded. "That was close," she whispered, her face turning pale. "I'm sorry you had to meet her. That was Alexia Kaiser, a person that's devoted herself to becoming my enemy. I really want to thank you for coming when you did; it's very hard for me to confront her by myself." "Uh, s-sure," she whispered, focusing more on Freya's arms, and her scent, and her warmth, than her predicament. She wanted to be there for her, as a friend, but it was hard to concentrate; there was a curtain of infatuation separating her pure and impure desires. "I w-was j-j-just coming through to m-m-m-my next class, though. I d-didn't m-mean to interf-fere." "Even so, you saved me." Freya glowed at her new hero, and even stood on her toes to kiss Amy's cheek. That was perhaps the final straw: it was a miracle she didn't melt on the spot. "Don't mention it," she whispered. Freya couldn't help but squeal. What a sweet, adorable woman this was! How tragic that, in the future, she could be forced to break her heart! That she honestly had a crush on Amy made things even worse; she would have to deny her own feelings in order to follow the right course of action. But perhaps there was a way to soften the blow. "Say, schatz, do you have to work today?" "Um, F-Friday's usually my b-b-busiest day." "Oh, too bad. I really wanted to take you horseback riding after school." "Uh...I c-can j-just take th-the day off," she stammered, desperate to spend time with Freya. Her job meant a lot to her- Wang Taitai wouldn't offer any more financial support- but this seemed even more important. "I've got Saturday off as well, so, uh..." "Ah, you could spend the night! Wunderbar!" Suddenly realizing what this might imply, Freya blushed and tittered. "Uh, I hope that didn't come out wrong. I mean, we have plenty of guest rooms..." "I n-never even th-thought of that," Amy muttered in surprise. "Y-your fr-friend could d-d-drive us to y-your house and back. I'd p-probably spend most of the day r-r-riding anyw-way. That sounds like the m-m-most conv-venient way to handle th-this. Let's d-d-do it that w-way!" She smiled broadly, making Freya's heart throb. "Do you really want to?" "S-sure," she whispered. "Jawhol," Freya gushed, "I'll make my arrangements if you make yours! Let's meet after school in the parking lot! You know what Shiki's car looks like, right?" "Y-yeah. Are y-you sure this w-w-will be ok-kay? I've n-never spent...the n-night anywhere." "No, I don't mind. We're teammates and friends, right?" "Sure," she whispered softly. "I'd l-like that. But I'd b-b-better get to class. Um, do y-y-you need an escort?" "No," she giggled, "but I'd like one all the same, sil vous plait!" They linked arms and Freya rested her head on Amy's shoulder, placing complete trust in her. Now if only there was a way to keep this pure friendship while maintaining the proper boundaries. Having two lovers was hard enough; it would be impossible and unfair to take a third. - Kasumi Beckett, DOB: October 18th, Libra, striker- "Hello! Thanks for accommodating me!" Freya and Shiki embraced warmly as soon as the Japanese woman arrived at the parking lot. "Don't mention it. Are you ready to head home?" "Yes, please. Oh- did I introduce you two yet? Well, just in case I didn't: Amy, this is Araya Shiki, my bodyguard, maid, and best friend. Araya-chan, this is Amy Nguyen; she's on the team as well." "Yes, I know." Shiki bowed politely, and Amy copied her. "How long do think you'll be staying, Nguyen-san?" "Um, I'm n-not sure. F-Freya s-s-said it was ok-kay if I s-spent the n-night." "I see," she stated metallically. "On another matter, milady, it seems that Maria has invited herself again, so I'll attempt to distract her so you two may spend that time in private." "I appreciate it," she giggled. They got into the car and drove out of the city, penetrating deep into the countryside, towards the Hohenheim's American residence (Freya explained that she had a much more impressive estate in Germany, and even a little home in Japan). Amy couldn't understand why somebody would want to leave Germany for the states- she had had no choice- but neither of the women would get into it. "Milady's better off here for now," Shiki explained. The trip over was quiet, mostly: Shiki didn't pester Amy with questions and Freya slept most of the time, although she was bold enough to hold Amy's hand. When Amy stepped out, she was stricken with a gust of fresh air, beautiful sunshine, and the rich tang of freshly-cut grass. Maria's car was already in the lot, so Shiki scurried out to keep her busy. She felt envious of Amy, but at least she was mature enough, and secure enough in her feelings, to trust Freya with other people. Freya had two horses, both strong enough to bear two people, and she helped Amy mount one and taught her how to ride. She was a little wobbly and uncertain at first, but gained the creature's trust and admiration, and was soon trotting around the small track. Freya joined her, and since neither of them were in any condition to race, they toured the estate together, with Freya pointing out everything and Amy listening intently. Her hostess seemed to grow even lovelier every moment they spent together, and in spite of Freya's poor self-assessment, Amy knew she had fallen in love. Time slipped through their fingers like leaves of grass. As soon as darkness began to envelop the world, Amy was asked to lead the horses back to their stable, while Freya went back home for some medication. After watching her leave, she guided her new friends to their home, fed them, and groomed them, feeling refreshed and even at peace for the first time in years. Somehow, she had always felt more comfortable around animals: they were innocent, uncomplicated creatures who only had simple desires, and when they loved you, they loved unconditionally. Amy wanted to have those same feelings for Freya, but there was still a dark cloud over her heat that kept her from getting too close to people. Wang Taitai had been the only one to pierce that veil and see her for what she really was, but even that relationship had taken many years and lots of patience. Still, if things kept progressing, she would feel comfortable with Freya shortly, and might even be able to trust other people as well. "You have an excellent mistress," she said to the horse as she patted his nose. "It's true," came a voice from across the stable. Amy jumped; it was Shiki, back from "occupying" Maria and escorting Freya inside. She looked a little disheveled from her adventures. "Pardon me for disturbing you. Dinner will be served shortly. Your sleeping arrangements have already been made, and if there is anything you require, don't hesitate to ask." Shiki's words were pleasant, but her voice and her eyes were dead. She may as well have been talking to a tree or a rock. "Um, th-thank y-you. Is there s-s-something wr-wrong?" Shiki hesitated. She wanted to say No and just drop everything, but she couldn't lie, not this time. She cast her face aside darkly. "Come with me, please. We have something to discuss." Amy nervously complied. She saw Maria coming out of the house as well, stretching and composing herself from what appeared to be a nap. There was a big, satisfied smile on her face, but when she saw Amy, it disappeared, and her expression froze. Amy suddenly felt like she was on trial. "Is this our guest?" she asked. Shiki confirmed it. "I see. Welcome to the Hohenheim estate. Shiki tells me that you and Freya are pretty close." "We're j-just f-f-friends," Amy blushed. "We would appreciate it if you kept it at that," Shiki murmured icily. "W-what do you m-m-mean?" "You should not get too close to Hohenheim-dono. She's already devoted her heat to somebody, and she would never betray their trust. So while I'm glad she's making friends, I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to keep your distance." "Look, Shiki's about as subtle as an air raid when it comes to these things, so don't think we're threatening you," Maria added. "It's just that Freya is very dear to us both. We've known her all our lives, and we love her with everything we have. If you think you're going to live happily ever after with her, you're only headed for a broken heart. It's best if you just forgot about it and went on." Amy's mouth opened in anguish and surprise; she couldn't say anything in her defense. She never imagined that her fantasy world would crash so violently...or that she could be so hurt. "Milady will be expecting us now," Shiki concluded, "so we'll retire to the dining room. You may spend the night, and we will attend practice together, but please don't believe something like this will happen again. Come with me, please." Maria tried adding a few words of comfort, but Amy was inconsolable; she barely spoke for the rest of the day, even when Freya addressed her. When she was asked if something was wrong, she just shook her head and resumed her depressing existence. Evening came with no solution to her problem, only confusion and heartbreak. All of Amy's hopes were crushed, and her first serious brush with love had only ended in disaster. This caused her heart to harden- but what could she expect? Somebody like Freya could never fall in love with her. And even if they did, it would only be for a little while, a fling, something to occupy themselves with until they realized where their true calling was. So what did that make Amy? Probably nothing more than a guest. She didn't even know if she could look at Freya as a friend anymore. "That's not fair and you know it," she whispered to herself. She got dressed and went into her room, pausing to stare at the creature reclining on her bed. Freya greeted her sweetly, evidently unaware of what had just transpired. Amy looked away from her coldly. "Wh-what are y-y-you doing?" "I just thought maybe we could sleep in the same room. I mean, obviously not the same bed...unless you want to, of course!!" "No," she stated, "y-you'd better n-n-not. M-Maria and Shiki w-w-wouldn't like that." "Eh, you're probably right," she grinned. Freya dropped the act and reached out for her friend, but Amy shirked away. Being the smart woman she was, she deduced the problem right away. "They told you, didn't they? About us." "Uhuh, in s-so m-m-many words." Freya sighed deeply and sat up. "Are you mad at me?" "A l-little bit." "You have every right," she said softly. "After all, I never told you I had a lover- well, two lovers. Yeah. That's the kind of person I really am, Amy. I've known Shiki and Maria for so long that I've fallen in love with them; we've been that way for years. I'm sorry I didn't have the decency to tell you...but the truth is, I really did like you. Maybe I shouldn't be saying this, but I honestly did have a crush on you. I'm only human, you know. I'm sorry. I think...yes, let's sleep in different rooms. It'd be best for us." "Probably." Freya walked over to Amy, and they hugged each other, without reservation. They held each other for awhile before breaking apart, and Amy gathered her courage for one smile. "I knew it was too good to be true." Freya smiled sadly, touched her face, leaned up, and gave Amy her first kiss: as expected, her lips had a warm, sweet flavor to them, like honeyed rolls fresh from the oven. They both slept rather uneasily that night: Amy pleasured herself to impossible images of golden-haired angels, while Freya secluded herself in her room and buried herself underneath her covers, choosing to sleep alone for the first time in fifteen years.
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