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Chapter 2 – The Human Game

Clarity that calls you to come out of your tears
Lend me your fears and fly away
Rest within arms, that promise to calm
The pain away – Lisa Gerrard

*/*/*/

The music from the club was thumping, a small consolation to the many people lined up outside, huddled together while they waited for a chance to get in. Tamsin and Mirja pulled the bikes up around the corner out of the view of the club allowing Kenzi and Bo to gingerly climb off. They locked the helmets to the bike, tidied up and walked around the corner to start their evening.

"Damn, look at that queue? Time to activate the giant Succubus!" Kenzi pinched Bo's ass making her squeal and leap forward. The bouncer stepped toward them as they approached but one gentle touch from Bo and they walked in free of charge.

Twenty minutes later, Kenzi was rocking out with Bo on the dance floor. Steering Bo around every two minutes from whomever had come dancing up behind her. "Focus Bobalicious! And stop stealing all my potential cobweb cleaners." They both laughed as they went dancing deeper into the crowd.

Tamsin and Mirja watched from the bar, making witty comments about some of the bizarre dancers on the floor. Then they switched to betting on which would be the next one to try and get in with Bo and how long it would be before she blew them off.

"She's being very restrained." Mirja commented on the latest dark and gloomy model that was dismissed by the whirling Succubus.

"Date night. It's all about Kenzi. Poor little thing, it's probably killing her." Tamsin laughed clinking her glass with Mirja. As she turned to watch the floor again, a flash of red hair caught her eye for some reason. She followed the woman as she moved across the club before sitting down with a group of women. They were all staring at the same place and Tamsin didn't have to think hard to know what that might be. They didn't seem to be the usual lust filled stares that Tamsin had come to associate with her girlfriend, she looked harder at them and cursed. "They look like Amazons to you? That redhead looks familiar."

Mirja looked to where Tamsin was watching. "That's Ariana, the queens daughter. What the hell are they doing in a goth club? In fact what are they doing in any kind of club. Not really 'party people we know how to work it' kinda girls are they?" Mirja chuckled.

"No idea, but guess who they are staring at?" Tamsin sighed and finished her drink. "I'm gonna go dance with my trouble magnet, see if anythings shakes up." She moved across the floor, gently moving the mass of sweating flesh out of the way with a grimace. When she reached Bo, she wrapped her arms around her from behind and kissed down her neck.

Bo smiled, instinctively knowing it could only be Tamsin. "Careful, I have a jealous girlfriend around here somewhere." Bo leaned into the blonde, grinding against her suggestively.

"I don't see any girlfriend." She continued to run her hands over Bo. "Besides, I bet I could take her."

Bo ran her fingers across Tamsin's forearm. "I don't know, she's pretty strong. I give her a lot of exercise." She leered.

"Oh gag, that's my cue to get some more booze." Kenzi moved away, scoffing that neither of them noticed her leave. She reached the bar and grabbed the drink that Mirja held out. "Not bad, they managed to separate for 30 minutes. We keep this up and they will be able to go longer at greater distances."

Mirja laughed. "It's still a little odd for the rest of us to see Tamsin like this."

"Oh come on, she must have been with people before surely!" Kenzi yelled over the music.

"Oh being with people was never the thing, it was seeing them more than once. I think that's why we all took to Bo so quickly. We figured she must be hella special to capture Tamsin like that. Course we all laughed when we heard she was a Succubus, we thought that Tamsin had been thralled. But when we saw them, saw the way Bo looks at her. Special." She smiled.

"So TamTam was a bit of a heart breaker huh?"

"Bit of a whore." Mirja smirked as Kenzi lost some of her alcohol through her nose.

"Thank you for that." She wiped her face. "Right, come on wallflower, you can dance with me, Tamsin refuses to twerk with me anymore, but you still got the moves." She held her hand up and Mirja slapped it before grabbing it and leading her to the dance floor.

*/*/*/

Several hours later and several changes in dance partners found the four of them reclining in the seating area cooling off and catching up on the drinks. Kenzi was slower than she used to be, but was keeping up by dancing it out of her system. Bo argued that it wasn't possible, Kenzi had told her it was her superpower and proceeded to show her how she could walk in a straight line back to the bar much to Tamsin's amusement.

"You shouldn't encourage her. When she first met you, when you first became Dyson's partner, she used to tell me that while she was all team Bo and you were a bitch that needed to be slapped, she admired your fortitude with alcohol. I think if you had asked her to go drinking with you back then she would have been all 'team who?' and run away with you." Bo told a smiling Tamsin.

"I liked her, from the get go. I thought she was incredibly ballsy and loyal. Both traits admired by my people. If I hadn't been so worried about dropping my guard around you, I would totally have taken her out and got her hammered."

"I think you might have made up for it, she's kinda stumbling a bit." Mirja cocked her head and watched as Kenzi came back to the table.

"What the hell Kenz, are you bleeding?" Bo jumped up and looked at the young womans face.

"About that, Tammers I might have caused a small situation." Kenzi grabbed a glass of something from the table and downed it in one.

*/*/*/

Kenzi moved to the bar, keeping as straight a line as she could so as not to lose face. She wasn't as drunk as she had been in the past, a time she had started referring to as BC (Before Child), but her tolerance for alcohol had taken a beating after being sober for 8 months pregnant and then 8 months with only a date night every other week. Determined to at least walk out of the club on her own feet this time, she made it to the bar and held on, accidentally nudging a tall brunette.

"Oops, sorry bout that." She slapped the womans arm in a friendly manner, surprised when the arm in question yanked away and grabbed at her collar, holding a fist full of material and pulling Kenzi closer.

"Watch your fucking hands human." She spat and threw Kenzi back against the bar.

The jolt of the wood at her back and the anger directed at her sobered Kenzi slightly. "Dude, what the fuck is your problem. I was apologizing." She yelled.

The tall woman leaned into her personal space, her face just inches from Kenzi. "You don't talk to me, you don't touch me. Disgusting creature." She sneered as she looked Kenzi up and down.

Perhaps it was the alcohol making her reckless or the fact that since she had been wearing the light and dark crest she had been given a lot more respect that she didn't want to give up, so rather than backing down, she looked the woman right in the eyes. "Tell me, can you sew?"

The answer was so out of left field that the brunette stopped glaring and looked at her in confusion. "What? Can I sew?"

"Yeah." Kenzi answered before slamming her head into the woman's face in a viscous headbutt. "Stitch that." She mumbled as she staggered back toward her table. She groaned as the pain shot through her head, having forgotten what Mirja had told her about making sure she used the hard part of her head on the soft part of the other persons face. She was pretty sure she had broken the aggravating woman's nose though, that made it partially worth it. She reached the table as Mirja noticed the blood and Bo stood up and asked what was wrong. She looked to Tamsin, as she always did when she was about to get her ass handed to her. "About that, Tammers I might have caused a small situation." She grabbed the first glass of liquid she could find and dropped it all, now painfully aware of her sobriety.

Mirja was turning her face around, making sure their was no damage, Tamsin looked across the bar to see who Kenzi had smacked and groaned. Of course it was. She grabbed Bo and pulled her to her feet. "We need to get out of here. Kenzi just nutted an Amazon and she has friends."

"Shit." Mirja cursed. She stopped fussing with Kenzi's face and started to drag her after Bo and Tamsin.

Bo was trying to keep up but her boots were not made for running through nightclubs. "Why are we running away. She can't touch Kenzi, necklace remember? Instant death? Ring any bells."

"That's a damn good point. Why are we running?" Kenzi said breathlessly as she ran into a stationary Bo.

"Because you are not exactly unique in your unaligned-ness. The entire Amazon race is technically unaligned." Tamsin tried to start them moving again as she saw the Amazons looking around for them.

"What? What do you mean the entire race?" Bo yelled in outrage. "And why didn't they get shit for it?"

"Cause everyone wanted you, no one wanted them. They refused to pick a side and everyone was just fine with that cause they are a fucking nightmare to deal with." Tamsin snapped and tried again to move forward.

"Wait a minute. Aren't Amazons just like Valkyries? That's the impression I got." Kenzi spoke up.

Tamsin looked at her strangely. "Impression from what?" She asked.

Kenzi shrugged. "Xena."

Tamsin rolled her eyes.

"So, aren't they just like Valkyries?"

"Sure, if Valkyries never had sex or vast quantities of alcohol and stabbed each other in the back at every opportunity. Just like us." Mirja smirked.

"OK! So we're all clear on Fae politics and Greek vs Nordic bitches, now can we please get the fuck out of here? Fuck, they spotted us. We need to leave."

Bo finally realized that Tamsin was really worried about this which frankly terrified her. She stopped talking and quickly followed the blonde out of the club making sure that Kenzi and Mirja were right behind them the whole way. They made it outside into the cool and quiet, moving silently and swiftly toward the alley where the bikes were parked.

"Forget the crash helmets, jump on and clear out, we can stop up the road." Mirja said to Tamsin who nodded once in reply.

As they turned into the alley Bo was about to breath a sigh of relief that they were clear when she realized there was a blonde woman sat on Tamsin's bike.

"Well, well, well." The blonde regarded them coldly from her perch on the large bike.

Tamsin stood in front of Bo, Mirja pulled Kenzi in front of her so both she and Bo were between the Valkyries.

"How like a Valkyrie to run from a fight." The blonde sneered at them.

Tamsin laughed. "Gotta love the irony." She nodded at the large motorbike the Amazon was seated on. "All that power between your thighs and no idea what to do with it."

The blonde stepped off just as another group of women came out of the shadows behind her. There was a scuffling behind them and Tamsin looked to see the Amazons from the club running into the alley including the one whose face Kenzi had just busted. She looked back and noticed several of the Amazons produce bows, she realized if they tried to fly out of there, they would be shot down.

"Cant you doubt them?" Bo whispered frantically.

"No, we could get one or two, but they are rampant egomaniacs, doubt rarely works on them." Mirja whispered back.

"Don't bother trying to charm the whole crowd either, again you might get one or two but they are so fucking puritanical your charms are totally wasted on them." Tamsin said.

"Shit, what do we do?" Kenzi asked desperately.

Tamsin had decided that the only thing to do was to go out fighting. "Nice to see nothings changed, you still need thirty Amazons to take down two Valkyries. For a group that supposedly deals in fear you really are a bunch of cowards." Tamsin spat out.

The blonde that was waiting for them started to laugh. "Don't forget the human and the prostitute, best not to take any chances. Shall we take the trash out?" She addressed the now cheering women at her back.

The Amazons started to move forward, Mirja leapt toward Kenzi and grabbed her necklace that held both the light and dark crest and now her Valkyrie stone. When her hand touched the warm metal, Mirja threw her head back and let loose her Valkyrie war cry, the eerie sound echoing off the stone walls of the deserted alleyway.

Bo winced in reaction, wondering why the Amazons didn't look bothered. She watched a tall gorgeous red head walk forward starting a slow clap. "Nice try ladies, but that lame trick only works with your own stone, or that of your warrior, they wont come." She smirked.

Mirja growled at her. "They'll come for her." She nodded at Kenzi.

"By the time they get here, there wont be much left for them to find." The one with the broken nose started to move toward a startled Kenzi. Just as Mirja was about to engage, there was a strange wind picked up in the small alleyway, turning the leaves over and over, before the war cry came bouncing back followed by the familiar, low, monotonous, droning chant.

"We are the harbingers of death, we arrive on wings of blessed air."

The Valkyries landed in their signature pose in a protective circle surrounding Tamsin and her group.

"That really doesn't get old." Bo sighed as Sigjold looked up and winked at her.

Arun was the first to get to her feet. "Thirty Amazons for two Valkyries? Aren't you the big brave warriors." She mocked them.

Just then a blue flash appeared making everyone avert their eyes for a second. The flash dissipated leaving behind a confused looking Doctor in her pyjamas, wearing her reading glasses and holding what Tamsin thought might be a large meat tenderizer.

"Lauren? What are you doing here?" Bo stood next to the wide eyed blonde.

"Evony told me that when the war cry sounds, you just grab the stone and it takes you to the person that called. She's working late and I was in the kitchen making some cocoa when this awful sound echoed around the kitchen." She shuddered. "Anyway I grabbed a weapon and grabbed the stone and well, here I am." She looked around at the amused glances from the Valkyries. "I kind of got caught up in the drama." She mumbled quietly.

Mirja was staring at the tiny pictures on Lauren's pants. She snapped her fingers and smiled. "Oh! I get it, they're cartoon viruses!" Mirja yelled enthusiastically.

The red head looked over in annoyance. "What? What virus?" She demanded.

Mirja pointed to Lauren's flannel pyjama pants causing her to blush.

"Nice of you to join us Lauren, but you wont be needed. Now they have a fair fight, they'll run away. No trees to shoot from, they wont take their chances one on one." Thoma scoffed.

There was another flash that startled the already hair triggered group. This time when their eyes cleared, a woman was standing there, her rich auburn hair flowing down to her waist, her olive skin and slightly tilted dark eyes bore into the Valkyries. She was dressed in lightly treated soft leathers, a bow already nocked and ready to go in her hand. The Amazons immediately dropped to their knees.

"Artemis." Sigjold whispered next to Kenzi.

"Shit, I don't know anything about her, she wasn't in Xena." Kenzi said.

"We really need to work on your history momz." Mirja shook her head.

"Your pet insulted the Amazon nation." The red head spoke up. "We're not bound by your light and dark laws, hand her over."

Artemis nodded. "I agree, the human drew blood, either she fights Dalses or we hunt her down. Even with your stones you can not be around her always." She offered a fake smile to Bo.

Bo stepped closer to Tamsin and drew Kenzi with her. "She's not fighting anyone lady, so why don't you flash on back to where you came from and leave us in peace. Your Amazon started this, we just wanted a night out."

Artemis looked at Bo. "Hmm, the harlot. And you?" She looked at Lauren. "I have no idea who you are." She laughed. "Wow, you just let anyone in these days don't you. I hear your ranks thinned a little recently. How are things in Valhalla?" She shot a malicious grin at Tamsin who stepped forward aggressively. Bo tried to hold her back but had a feeling one more remark from Artemis and that would be a wasted effort. There was another flash and as Bo squeezed her eyes shut she wondered idly why no one was coming out to see what the light show was about. Her eyes cleared and Freya stood there fully armoured with Sanla at her side. Bo smiled at the once fallen Valkyrie pleased when Sanla gave her a curt nod in return.

"Artemis. What brings you out of the woods? Nothing left to shoot?" Freya smiled.

"I see your warriors do not care to kneel in your presence. How telling?" She replied.

"Unlike your assassins, my warriors know better than to drop their guard out of pleasantries. What seems to be the problem? I'm sure we can sort this misunderstanding out."

"I agree, hand over the human and we will be on our way. She attacked the nation, we demand retribution." Artemis raised her voice.

Freya looked at Kenzi, standing somewhat bewildered inside a ring of Valkyries. "Kenzi, did you attack the Amazon nation?" She asked with a twinkle in her eye.

"No ma'am, your warrior Goddessness." Kenzi tried to courtesy again.

"Oh dear God." Tamsin face palmed.

"Well there you go, simple misunderstanding. Shall we chalk it up to experience and be on our way?" She offered kindly.

Artemis pulled her bow string back, the Amazons immediately stood up and prepared to fight. "Either she fights, or we hunt her down."

"Fine." Freya sighed looking at Bo. "Amazon's are always so tetchy, I think it's a lack of fibre." She whispered making Bo chuckle. Freya turned back to the waiting Amazons and raised her voice. "Kenzi name a champion to fight in your stead. I'm sure any of my Valkyries will be happy to take care of this." The Valkyries stood a little straighter, happy to oblige.

"We don't recognize champions. Your fight your own battles." Dalses spat out, still holding her broken nose.

"What will it be Freya?" Artemis smirked at her.

Freya's expression changed to one of irritation as she held her hand on her sword. "I will tell you what it will be you blustering harpy. If any of your tattered excuses for fighters goes anywhere near Kenzi, or she should find herself in an accident of some kind, or she wakes up with a hangnail tomorrow, the whole of Valhalla will declare war."

Artemis took a step backwards, sucking air between her gritted teeth. "A misunderstanding then. See that it doesn't happen again or I will not be so forgiving and you will have your war." She nodded at the redhead and vanished.

Dalses looked at Kenzi standing in the middle of the Valkyries, all of whom made it clear they would gladly go to war for her. She shook her head, a difficult task while holding her still bleeding nose. "Who the fuck are you?"

Kenzi looked around, figuring the danger to be over for now. She took a deep breath and felt her heart rate go back to normal levels. She looked at the confused Amazon and felt a little bad at the damage she had done to her face. She shrugged. "Just Kenzi."

The Amazons all walked away, some of them whispering insults as they went. When the coast was finally clear, the Valkyries relaxed.

"Right, now all the fun has died down, can we go home now?" Tamsin whined.

Bo laughed. "Let me guess. You want a sandwich."

"Dr Lewis, what fascinating pyjamas." Freya addressed the still vacant looking Lauren.

"Um, thank you. So. Um, how are you?"

Bo giggled.

"That was very brave of you to come when you heard the call." She looked at the meat tenderizer in Lauren's hand. "And you came armed, I'm impressed." She smiled. "Perhaps we should get you your own stone?"

Lauren seemed to snap out of her daze. "Oh, well, thank you. And thank you for the wedding gift. I met Hippocrates!" She grinned wildly.

There was a collective groan around the Valkyries.

"Sammich. Now!" Tamsin pulled Bo toward the bike.