"Now," the young man burst inside the doors, his face covered up by a mask and waving around a shotgun as he snarled, "give me all your money and no one gets hurt!" "Boy did you pick the wrong bar," Circe said after a moment, the blonde fighting back a impish smile. The boy held his gun a bit nervously as his eyes darted around to look at the men and women who were still calmly sitting around the bar. Oddly they seemed quite unthreatened by the gun, almost amused. "The money, damn it!" he yelled. "You new in town?" Susan asked mildly, the unusually pale young woman giving him a almost hungry look. "Well, yes..." he answered before he visibly shook himself and asked, "What the hell? What is this place?" Susan moved like a shot, disappearing from her seat to reappear by his side, wrenching the gun from his hands with inhuman speed. "A very unique bar," Susan answered him coldly as she casually took the gun's barrel in her hands and then with little visible strain bent it in half before handing it back to him. "Holy..." he dropped the ruined weapon then backed away from her fearfully. "Bad boy," a tall, nearly bearlike man grabbed him then bodily picked him up before he could even fight. "Circe," Erin called from where she was casually drinking at her and Susan's table, "what should we do with him?" Circe walked over, reaching up to pull his hood off. ‘Only a teen,' she confirmed even as she gazed at his average face. "Hold him still for me, Bear," she ordered. "Of course," Bear shrugged, muscles rippling. "What are you..." the boy squeaked. "This won't hurt, much," Circe put her hand on the boy's brow and muttered a few words, something very like a spark leaping from her fingers into his head. "Ow!" the boy yelped. "Okay," Circe said as she turned away, "throw him out." "Hey, not so rough," the boy squealed as he was swiftly pitched out the front door head first. He hit the ground with a thump, scrambled back to his feet then ran away as fast as his feet could carry him. "Thanks Bear," Circe waved as she headed back up to the bar. "That was merciful," Sam noted as Circe walked by her, the gun slinging priest wiping off a table like a pro. "He was just a dumb kid," Circe shrugged casually as she explained, "I just erased his memory of the bar's location as well as adding a mental block that'll prevent him from ever finding it again." "Here's hoping he doesn't do anything too stupid," Sam noted, "if he tries holding up one of the Lady's places..." "Darwin in action," Circe sighed. "Darwin happens," a redhead at the bar quipped. "Nice to see you, Margaret," Circe said, pausing to kiss Diana hello. "Hi," Margaret smiled a bit sadly. "She's looking for Athena," Diana said, the tawny haired girl only reluctantly pulling free from Circe's grip to help a few other customers. "Ah." Circe nodded. She looked at Margaret thoughtfully and asked, "What are your intentions towards my sister-in-law?" "My intentions?" Margaret actually blushed. "It's a old fashioned phrase," Circe smiled, "but it gets the point across. Well?" Margaret seemed to chose her words carefully, "I like Athena very much, and would like to get to know her better." Circe studied Margaret a moment, her expression serious, then she relaxed a bit. "Fair enough," she admitted. "Athena should be in later," she revealed, "I think she said she'd be stopping in at Sisterhood Books before coming home." "I should have guessed," Margaret chuckled. "Incoming!" A voice cried in warning as a bowl of nuts went flying by Margaret's head. "Damn it," Diana vaulted over the bar with superhuman agility, "no brawling in the bar, damn it!" "Oh shit," Connie Alexander paled, the leather clad woman looking visibly pale, dropping the young man she had been punching. "Another newcomer," Diana scowled. Fixing the black haired woman with a look she said, "What the hell is going on?" Rubbing her fist Connie tried to smile charmingly, "I'm really sorry, it's my fault." "I wasn't asking who's fault it was, I want to know what happened," Diana said coldly. The other young man ran a hand through stylish blonde hair, "The young man was trying to get Ms. Alexander's autograph and got a bit pushy." He smiled charmingly, "My name is Simon... Simon Lane." "So who is she?" Diana raised a eyebrow as she gestured to Connie. "I need a better publicist," Connie sighed after a moment, Simon wincing visibly. "Her song ‘American Scream' is doing well on college radio," a amused voice noted. Turning Diana saw Athena, the tall blonde haired warrior looking at the situation with some amusement. "Good timing," she commented before turning back to Connie. "All right, tell me why I shouldn't kick you all out?" "Ah..." Simon hesitated. "How about I sing for my supper?" Connie offered quickly. A smile, "I notice you have a stage and I have my guitar..." "Huh," Diana thought about it a moment then nodded, "fair enough. No more trouble, though, or out you go." "Got it," Connie smiled. Leaving Connie to her preparations Diana smiled, "Have fun at the bookstore?" "I was satisfied," Athena smiled. "Margaret's here, by the way," Diana warned as they walked up to the bar. "I know," Athena smiled with a hint of embarrassment, "I was hoping to see her." "Good," Diana hurried ahead to hop back over the bar and help her lover Circe. Margaret finished her drink, the redhead casually leaning against the bar as she watched Athena grow near. "Hi," Margaret smiled. "Hi," Athena answered, glad to see the welcome in those eyes. She leaned up beside Margaret as she said, "Have I mentioned that I can be a judgmental person?" "I sort of got that impression," Margaret said teasingly. "I'm sorry," Athena added quietly. "No, I think you were right," Margaret said quickly. A smile, "It was just the wake up call I needed." "I'm glad," Athena said. A pause, "We're all right, then?" "Yes," Margaret reached over to squeeze her hand. To be continued... Note: Connie first appeared in a earlier story called "Idol's Worship."
Back to Daughters of Artemis Index - Back to Original Fiction Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction