Chapter four – We Will Always Triumph!

Yfandes' eyes flickered open. Light hit them and she quickly closed them again. Oh, my aching head.

She was lying in her bed, which was odd. Usually she slept outside in Companion form. In fact, all the circumstances this morning were odd. How in Havens did she get this gods-be-damned headache?

She thought back to the night before. Gods, I can't remember anything…. The last thing she recalled was Van leading her to that huge bowl of Irish Cream… damn. That had been good Irish Cream.

Thoughts chased each other around in circles and collided; she could hardly think for the pain. She shoved it aside and concentrated. This was clearly the fault of Vanyel and Stefen. No one else would dare prank her. If it was a prank and not some freak accident.

She sat up, ignoring the feeling that her head was splitting in two. After waiting for the spots to clear from her vision, she cautiously examined the room. Catching sight of the pair collapsed upon one another in the corner, her guess was confirmed. Oh, no. This is definitely aprank.Van was snoring lightly, and 'Fandes could only just see Stefen's hair above the blanket. She glared furiously at them for a moment before sending the mental equivalent of a poke to Vanyel.

Van stirred. :Wha? Oh.: He sent his response in an eye blink and tapped Stef on his mountain of locks. "Stefen," he said aloud.

Stef's auburn head moved and his face appeared above the comforter. Yawning, he took in his surroundings. Eyes alighting on Yfandes, he exclaimed joyfully, "She's awake!"

Fandes glowered fiercely at the two of them. Stef actually drew back a little, never having seen the Companion in this state of mind before, but Van didn't react.

"So, love," he began cautiously. "How did you sleep?"

Yfandes couldn't believe he had the nerve to actually say that. Hell, what am I thinking? Of course he has the nerve. He's faced worse things than me!

Bringing herself back to the present, she shot him a scalding look that looked as if it could burn. "What… did you… do?" she growled.

Vanyel beamed. I haven't seen him this happy in years!

"Oh, nothing," he answered cheerfully. "How did you like your Irish Cream? I prepared it especially for you."

Van quite enjoyed watching the look on Yfandes' face turn from one of fury, to one of puzzlement, to understanding, and then back to fury. "You… you… you spiked it?" she spluttered.

Van grinned at her and waited while she regained her composure. Drawing herself up to her full height (which wasn't much) and ignoring the pincers shooting through her skull, she glared at Vanyel and Stef, who was still sitting in the corner.

"Just know," she said, "That as soon as I get rid of this absolutely disgusting headache, it would be in your best interests to retreat to someplace where I cannot find you." She tried to punctuate this with a glare, but her head hurt so much she fell backwards onto the bed and rather diminished the effect of this threat.

Van chortled. "Well, considering the amount of alcohol that went into that bowl, we should have quite awhile before you get rid of that headache. Whaddya say we go and find a real bed, Stef?"

Stef nodded and yawned and the pair of them retreated to the door, presumably to head up to their bed.

Yfandes lay sprawled on her comforter until she heard the tell-tale thumping of feet on the upper floor. Then she slid out of bed, careful not to jar her aching skull, and stumbled out the door into the kitchen. There was a jar of tea on the counter, but she passed it up and instead wobbled toward the door leading outside. She almost passed out as the bright sunlight hit her eyes, but she scrunched them up in an effort to keep out the light and triggered the change.

It was nothing big, switching from human to Companion. It was as if she toggled a switch in her brain, and all the sudden she possessed a lot more mass than she had a second ago.

Opening the blue eyes of a Companion, she gave as much of a grin as a horse can give and whinnied triumphantly. As she had hoped, her headache had gone. Gods, I love Companion form. Obviously the magic of the Companions had countered any effects the alcohol had had on her.

After prancing about for a few minutes, she decided to test another of her theories. She activated her mental switch and immediately appeared as a human once more.

She grinned maniacally. Her hangover hadn't returned.

And now – for revenge…

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Yfandes crept up the stairs with a large bucket of water sloshing in her hand. The steps creaked underfoot, but she ignored them and skipped over the loudest one. She reached landing and pushed softly on the lifebondeds' door, which stood slightly ajar.

It swung open, and she tiptoed inside.

The lifebonded pair lay sprawled on the bed, asleep. They had obviously been up all night, either partying or waiting for 'Fandes to wake up.

Stef's auburn hair drew lines of fire against the crisp white linen of the pillow; Van's pillow looked more as if a careless hand had upended a bottle of ink. As usual, Stefen's small frame was arranged so that he took up the lion's share of the bed space. Vanyel was curled up in a ball on the very edge of the mattress. 'Fandes had to stifle a giggle. He looked as if he would fall off at any moment!

They looked so peaceful – but that wouldn't last long. Yfandes hefted the bucket in both hands, hesitated for a few seconds, then dismissed the last of her regrets and sloshed it over the pair of them.

They came awake immediately; Van sat bolt upright. Stefen came awake with a yell, and then sat up and glared reproachfully at 'Fandes. The Companion grinned.

Van regained his senses. "F – f – 'Fandes!" he spluttered. "You're supposed to be passed out downstairs.

'Fandes grinned. "Doesn't look that way, does it, my boy?"

"But – how –?" Stefen stammered. "We gave you enough to keep you out for a week!"

Yfandes held up a finger. "Ah," she said. "But there is one thing you should know."

"What?" exclaimed an exasperated Vanyel.

"Never – I mean never – attempt to mess with a Companion! We will always triumph!"

With that, she pranced away from their accusing stairs and went to enjoy her bright and shining hangover-free day.

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A/N: Yes, this is my shortest chapter yet – but I warned you! Anyway, this will probably be the ending, but I'm thinking of turning it into a kind of prank war between Yfandes and Van and Stef, so I'm not going to put a cap on it just yet.

P.S. If anyone wants to complain of the use of the word 'spiked' in this chapter, feel free. I couldn't think of an alternative word.

Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed reading! Now review! Review! Review! Press the little button! YoU kNoW yOu WaNt To!

P.S. Happy Mother's day everybody! (or it was... yesterday... when the computer wouldn't let me upload... )