The morning sun tickled Suki's eyes, prompting the happy gyaru to stretch herself awake. "Mmh, ohayo, world!"

Propping herself up, the remnants of last night's party filtered into view: the creaky springs of Jessie-san's couch scrunching under her butt, a warm, woollen blanket draped over her body; a half-eaten bowl of popcorn left on the coffee table. Guess I fell asleep in the middle of stuff. Eh-heh-heh…

Last night with Jessie-san had been magical. The late-night binge watching, the rampant snack scarfing; laughing until her hot cocoa flew up her nose! I can't remember having this much fun with my online tomodachi! Hanging out with IRL friends really is the besto!

Suki was so pleased with herself and her real-life connection, she skipped checking her overnight phone messages. Zoey's all-caps text - LILLIAN, GRAVE DANGER. AT HOSPITAL - sat unread. The gyaru found herself occupied with more immediate concerns.

"Iyaa, my clothes are all sticky!" That's right, she'd laughed so hard while watching 'In a Fantasy Harem with Just My Flip Phone', she'd coughed hot chocolate over her overalls and striped shirt. Gotta find something new to wear, but what?

A quick clomp down the hallway brought her to Jessie-san's laundry room, where a flash of neatly-folded white and red grabbed her attention.

Ooh, what's this?


Across the city, Lillian groaned back into the world of the living, stiff and sore and wincing from a crick in her shoulder. Put me to sleep on a wooden board, why don't ya. Even coffins had more padding than these freakin' hospital beds. "Ugh, where's my phone?"

"Mm? Lillian?" Shaky breath on her neck and a clingy squeeze around her ribs reminded Lillian of the other reason she'd woken so cramped. Hospital beds were not made for couples.

"What the hell, Zoe? I told you not to crawl into the cot again!"

"Your energy shifted as you slept. I became worried."

Her girlfriend was a wreck. Zoey's pink dreadfalls were matted and stiff, her red and blue eyes splintered and bloodshot. A row of styrofoam coffee cups on the windowsill spoke to just how little sleep the witch was running on. "Omigod! Like, how are you even alive right now?"

"Caffeine fortifies even the most frail of flesh and bone. Also, I ate the sugar cubes whole."

Well that explained the stink-ass candy breath. "Ugh, it reeks! Like, gimmie some space, Zoe!" This was so messed up: sleeping under the watchful eye of a brooding protector, a stoic guardian who'd climbed into her bed without permission, caressing her helpless body? Holy shit, leave it to Zoey to buzzkill her 'bad boy vampire stalker' fantasy!

Sitting up prompted Zoey to smother her in a backwards hug. "Your energy is restless, Lillian. Do you require water, nutrients?" A brown-skinned hand slipped beneath her paper hospital gown. "Stimulation?"

"Get off me, Zoe." Jesus Effin' Christ, she'd hit peak pissy-pants if she was turning down a free handy! "I want my pants back and I wanna go home. Look - my wrist's fine!"

But flashing the tiny bruise made Zoey seize her arm and cling. "This is my fault. Because of my faulty predictions, you could have -"

"Died? Good, at least I wouldn't have to deal with your crap."

Zoey shrunk like a scolded puppy. Ugh, freakin' hell!

"I mean… that men's-rights asshole could have at least slashed me properly. Like, how am I supposed to freak out my mom with a friggin' bruise?" Zeke's handiwork looked less like a battle scar and more of a sloppy hickey. "But whatever. It's cool, okay?"

"My power, I - I failed to properly - Oh, Lillian!"

As Zoey collapsed on her lap, a sobbing mess, Lillian rolled her eyes and agonized whether to claw out her own eyeballs or tear off her ears. Freakin' kill me, already!


Jessie gave the bacon skillet a last shake before humming her way to the cutlery drawer for knives and forks. A typical breakfast entailed washing and re-using the same lonely mug and plate, but this morning was a special occasion: breakfast for two. Walking by the fridge, she caught her movement in a small, magnetic mirror clipped to the door. Jessie paused and turned to face the woman in the glass.

With her makeup and lipstick scrubbed off, you could notice the lines setting into her face, the crow's feet peeping in the corners of her eyes. Her once-radiant skin had faded, dried out from alcohol and nicotine and one too many trips to the tanning salon.

It wasn't just her face. Her entire body was breaking down, losing its glow. Beneath her chintzy, pink cat slippers, disguised by baggy sweatpants and a bra-less Hooters T-shirt, she was fading, sagging; chubbing up in all the wrong ways. Misty Peaks, who'd made her debut video in an American flag bikini, was crumpling up like the stars and stripes on a windless autumn day.

No studio would offer her a job. No man would spare her a second glance. Hell, even the most bi-curious of women would take one look and pass her over for fairer, younger bunnies. She was worn out, underqualified and unemployable. Shut the window blinds and uncork that discount grocery store wine. She was done.

And yet, this morning, none of that mattered. Not when two chubby, tanned arms surprised her with a tackle-hug from behind, nuzzling and squeezing her worn-out body with an endless stream of puppy love.

"Ohayo! Good morning, mommy!"

Mommy. The long-forgotten greeting melted Jessie on the spot. Not "what the hell, mom," or "mom, we need to talk"; just an honest to goodness gush of love and affection. Oh, Suki was just too precious!

"Aww, good morning, honey. You sleep okay on the couch?"

"Hai! Mega-genki! Whaa, are you making bacon, desu? Ka-san, can we make omu-riceu too? It's oishi!"

Jessie didn't understand the finer points of her little houseguest's new-age slang, but her excitement spoke for itself.

"Whoa, there. Gotta let me go first, hon." Suki hadn't eased off on her bear hug, but a quick, backwards tickle along the love handles loosened her hold enough for Jessie to slip out. "Now, wash up and -"

The words stalled. "Oh baby…"

Suki glanced self-consciously at her borrowed clothes. "They make me look fat, don't they?"

Jessie's breath caught. That white, button-up blouse from the laundry bin; the checkered tartan skirt and white thigh-highs, and with her hair done up in pigtails -

"You look -" but the pause was too much for Suki.

"Whaa! It does! It does make me look fat! I can't tuck the shirt over my tummy, the buttons are popping open and, and -"

Fully in mommy-mode, Jessie swept in and silenced the girl with a rescue hug. "You look absolutely adorable. My precious baby."

"Y-you think so?"

"Think so?" Deep inside, Jessie was burning up, ready to give an earful to the cruel world that made such a young and beautiful girl doubt her every move. "No, honey, I know so. You're perfect."

"Aww, thaaank you! Except now my nails don't match. Look, they're too yellow."

"Then we'll paint them whatever colour you want," Jessie beamed. "Come, we'll have breakfast, I'll comb your hair, get a little mani-pedi going; then my very special little girl can help me with some Christmas baking."

"Christmas? But it's almost Valentine's Day!"

"Aww, then I guess I'll just have to eat all these yummy cookies by myself."

"Cookies? No, wait - I can help! Yosh, let's do it!"


"Hey, hold the phone." A finger on Zoey's blubbering lips shut up cyber-witch's pity-party. Lillian scanned the hospital room: the beeping medical equipment, the half-eaten meal trays, the cable TV monitor. All very sterile and spacious and expensive-looking. "Like, how the hell are we paying for this place, anyway?"

Her answer came from a peppy knock at the door. "Knock, knock, knockers! Your friendly, neighbourhood human nurse is coming in!"

The "nurse" had dyed her hair tree-bark brown instead of last night's leafy green and she'd swapped her wings and green Tinkerbell dress for a stupidly tight white dress, cap and latex gloves. Even in her sexy nurse Halloween outfit, there was no mistaking the bozo's identity.

"Hiii, it's me, Nurse Lala! How are my fellow humans doing?"

Omigaaawd… Add a phony moustache to the fairy's half-assed disguise and Lillian swore she would died from the cringe. "Umm, like, you know Kyu was my love coach, right? Me and Zoey know all about love fairies."

"Oh phew." In a snap, Lala poofed back to her wings and leafy dress, buzzing in the air. "Walking is haaard! I don't know how you humies manage to stay on your legs all the time."

"It's seriously a bitch," Lillian concurred. "Honestly? I'd rather be flat on my back. Right, Zoey?"

Zoey, on the other hand, launched herself onto the floor, sobbing and groveling over Lala's ballerina slippers. "Accept my humblest apologies! I am an ungrateful worm, forcing a celestial being to trod upon our Muggle-infested ground."

"Um… okay…" Lala buzzed a little higher, wriggling her ankles to shake off the human wreck. "Anyway, I'm super-duper sorry about my client hurting you last night. I thought I could use Mister Jeremy sexy energy to save all of Sky Garden from going hungry, but I guess Corporate put him on the black list for a reason. I mean, holy hydra heads - what a psycho!"

Like, you just noticed? Lillian's snark was cut short when Lala clasped their hands together.

"So you're sure you're okay? HunieCorp's footing the bill, so you can stay at the hospital as long as you want! Want some morphine? I found a whole closet full of cool pills! I'll get you anything!"

"Anything?" Lillian's eyes crept up the fairy's thighs and mini-skirt. Zoey shot her a glare. "What? She said -"

It was Zoey's turn to cut her off, rising to her feet, staring off at some new, invisible creature only her magical eyes could detect. "I must take my leave. Forgive me."

Lillian didn't quite get it, but the door Lala had closed behind her was somehow ajar, and she swore she caught a sparkle of blue. Izzat -?

But then Lala cleared her throat, seeking attention. Right, the promise. "So like, you'll do anything I ask? Anything?"

"Yup, yup! Oh, just so long as it's not mean or hurts other humans. We fairies need you guys."

"Like, chill. This won't hurt." The mean part? Lillian's face lit with a wolfish grin. Like, no promises.

Channeling her inner succubus, Lillian sexy-walked up to the fairy. In a flash, she had Lala pinned to the wall like a mounted bug. Lillian's hand smoothed down Lala's flat-chested bod. The fairy whimpered as violet fingernails reached the hem of her dress.

"Like, there's something I totally want. From you."


Trixie led the way into an unoccupied recovery room. An orderly had left the windows open, and the scent of freshly-cut grass from outside granted Zoey's nostrils a badly needed reprieve from the hospital's sterile cleaning agents. When a light gust lifted the curtains off the wall, Zoey recognized the faint outline of magical pentagrams that industrial bleach had failed to remove.

Wiccan protective wards. This was my hospital room.

Nearly a year had passed since the trauma inflicted on her legs and her awakening as a daughter of magic. This room was where she'd begun her prayers to the All-Mother, where she'd crafted her first, unsteady spell circles, guided by the knowledge obtained from searching "how to tell if you're a witch -HarryPotter -Halloween -Hentai". A strange nostalgia made Zoey's stomach churn. Trixie seemed to sense her thoughts.

"You've grown so much," the fairy whispered. Zoey shook her head.

"I failed to foresee everything. Lillian - lunging to defend me. I should have -"

"That's the infuriating thing about the future: it's ever changing. My Lady foresaw a future where she and I would be happy together." Trixie glanced at the iron, heart-stamped manacles over her wrists. "How wrong she was…"

Trixie's energy, a shameful violet smear, suddenly bubbled into a joyous gold. "And how wrong I was! You've come into your own, Zoey Greene. You sense the past within objects, the present ripple of energy, and now your eyes fill with visions of the future that will be."

The golden swirls of her energy took prominence as Trixie looked upon her with a newfound awe and respect. "Past, present and future. I doubted your ability but the Eye of Hecate shines brightly from within you, my lady."

Again, that strange title. Zoey risked a step forward. "At the casino, when you came to our defense, you referred to me as the Lady Hecate."

A blue nervousness rippled through Trixie's aura. "The bead I fed you? The one that granted your second sight? It was a pearl from a necklace belonging to my lady."

Zoey's eyes widened. "A relic of the goddess, imbued with her power!" Trixie nodded in confirmation. "Then witches throughout human history -"

"Pretenders, as I'm sure you've discovered. Fanatics play-acting at fairy magic. But every so often, I'd find a child whose devotion to the All-Mother burned more brightly than the common rabble - a kindred soul compelled to disrupt and defy order. Over the centuries, I granted these women my lady's pearls, blessing them with the power of an Ascendant One."

Trixie once again took out her goddess' necklace from its magical compartment. A pang of black slipped into her energy as she contemplated the empty, silver wire. "The pearl you consumed was my last. The line of witches ends with you, Zoey Greene. You, through your magic, are all that's left of the Lady Hecate."

Zoey shivered, cold and small and unworthy. "What happened to her, your goddess?"

Trixie turned away, removing her spectacles while she wiped her eyes. "She perished."

"Perished?" Zoey stumbled back. "But - Hecate!" Goddess of the crossroads, All-Mother of witches, the three-faced embodiment of virgin, mother and crone!

"Nothing but legends and ash. And you, Zoey Greene."

Zoey shook her head. "I am unready. My clairvoyance risked Lillian. What if -?"

"I can guide you." Trixie's wings hummed a little faster, a little more eagerly. "I can teach you to harness your true potential. Let me serve you as I did the All-Mother and together, we can overturn this unjust world."

Trixie extended her hand in offering. The heart-stamped huniebuzz pager lay in her palm for the taking.


Zoey staggered through the hallways in a daze, her sleepless night finally catching up with her body. She'd expected to collect Lillian, but her coven sister was already dressed and stomping down the hallways in search of her. An uncharacteristic brightness perked the goth girl's aura, and the way Lillian swung her arms, goose-stepping like she owned the world bode an ill omen.

"S'up, boss bitch? Hey, am I looking any more magical?"

Trailing behind Lillian, invisible to all but Zoey's eyes, Lala hugged her body and shivered. "S-so c-c-cold…"

Zoey scowled. "What did you -"

"Like, chill, Zoe. She let me do it."

"Lillian!"

"Whaaat? They fit super-comfy!"

"How could you -? Wait. Comfy -?"

"So like, Tinkerbell said she'd give me anything I wanted? Well, I told her to fork over her panties! How do I look? Is my energy turning all magic-like 'n stuff?"

Zoey glanced towards Lala, tugging her mini-skirt over her quaking legs. "C-can I go home now?"

Zoey was prepared to release the fae from her contract, but held back, feeling the cold weight of Trixie's huniebuzz in her hands. A kindred soul - compelled to defy and disrupt order. It was time she lived up to her calling.

"In fact, there is one final matter that requires your assistance. Lady Lala, Your kind are able to travel through solid matter, correct?"

"Yep, yep, yep! It's super handy when clients go through that 'whaa, you're not real, I'm going crazy' phase and try to lock you out of their apartment."

Zoey leaned forward. "Could you also transport a passenger?"


The casino pit boss breathed a sigh of relief as he shut his office door, loosening his tie and rubbing his bleary eyes. The day had exhausted him so thoroughly that he failed to notice the pink-haired witch holding court in his chair. He beelined to the bottles of liquor on a side table. Zoey waited as he poured himself a tall, congratulatory glass of bourbon, and when he lifted the tumbler to his lips, she cleared her throat.

"Greetings, Mr. Denberg."

"PFFT! Sonuva - how the hell did you - ? And who told you my -?"

"As I informed you, I'm good at reading people." That, and Lala had shared his Huniebee profile. "Wendell Denberg, age 43. Your first wife strongly disapproved of your drinking."

"Hmph. Cute," and he downed his glass in a single, spiteful gulp. Denberg put on his best casual saunter, speaking with his back turned as though she were beneath him. "Nice work out there last night. Goading that shithead Zeke into throwing a tantrum. Now that I've got him written up for property damage and assaulting a casino guest, he's on the 'no admittance' list for a lifetime. Ain't no way in hell he's getting back in here."

Zoey nodded. "Precisely as I envisioned."

"Except I hired you girls to get my money back. What you and the white girl scored last night ain't even half of what that shithead Zeke took from us." Denberg cracked a cruel smile. "Looks like I'm gonna be holding onto those fake IDs a while longer."

"You mean these IDs?"

Denberg paled. He glanced at the laminated cards in Zoey's hand, then to the hanging portrait concealing his wall safe. "How the -?"

"I am a witch and the heir of Hecate. Your man-made security systems are trifles to me." Again, technically Lala's assistance but this ordeal had taught her the fine skill of lying through one's teeth to overcome the odds.

Here, her opponent also practiced the art of bluffing and intimidation. The pit boss loomed over the desk, planting his knuckles on the desk to brandish the snake tattoos over his arms. Zoey tented her fingers and sunk her elbows on his desk. Denberg's lip curled.

"Fine. You and the white girl can keep your shitty fake IDs. Satisfied?"

"I require compensation."

"Compensation? Girl, I hired you bitches to get my money back!"

"Lillian. She identifies as Lillian and you will refer to her as such. She is my coven sister and my lover and last night she was injured in defense of your hive of predatory capitalism. You will compensate us for our troubles."

"Yeah, no. We're done here." Denberg picked up the desk phone, intending to call security. Zoey held her pose. She allowed two rings to pass before laying down her trump card.

"You did a remarkable job keeping the details from the media."

Denberg froze.

"The morning papers and radio programs reported on an altercation at the Gold Falls casino. However, each mainstream outlet failed to mention that it was a minor who was assaulted on the premise. A minor who was illegally gambling with the express permission of casino senior staff. A minor who was blackmailed into dealing with a problematic guest on behalf of said senior staff. I'm certain the press would find these details most illuminating."

Seething furry, Denberg slammed the phone back onto its cradle. "Whadda you want?"

"I'd like a coffee, no milk. My friend is waiting in the lobby and she'll require a chai latte. When you've returned with our beverages, we'll discuss the terms of my silence."


Makeovers, cookies; more anime binging! Whaa, Jessie-san knew exactly how to spend the bestest day ever! Well, okay - enjoying all these things while snuggling Zoey-senpai would make it the most mega-fantastic, chocolatey fudge-coated, super special-awesome day ever, but Jessie made it a pretty close runner up.

"Aww, aren't you just the most adorable thing ever!" Jessie beamed, stepping back to admire the red ribbons she'd tied around Suki's pigtails. "Simply precious!"

"Aww, thank you, mommy~! Look, look! The red ribbons match my skirt!"

"Well, that's the idea, hon."

Now this was what a family should be like! A mom spending lots of time with her daughter, not getting distracted by noisy babies, filing reports for work or nagging her about "wasting" money on manga and candy. A mom who made you feel appreciated!

And now, her perfect day with Jessie was coming to a perfect close: sitting at the kitchen table, chomping into warm, gooey chocolate chip cookies while Jessie-san sipped her 'special' lemonade. A colourful board game was spread between them. Everything was perfect!

And then - click. The front lock unbolted; the door swung open. The real world rushed in with a cold breeze and a cheery cry of, "hey, it's me!"

Jessie went pale. "Tiffany?"

"You know it! What's shakin', momma bacon?"

Tiffany! The mean ol' grumpy-pants who'd been nagging Jessie-san half to death! She was here, and she'd just scared five years off Jessie-san's life! The ex-porn star sprang from her chair, nabbing Suki by the arm, pushing her towards the backyard door. Nani?

Jessie-san forced a laugh to cover up the scuffle. "Ha-hahh… I, ah, thought this was your date night!"

"I know! Can you believe Audrey had to cancel at the last minute?" In the front foyer, Tiffany sighed to herself as she took off her shoes. "Anyway, I figured I'd come say 'hi', see how your studying is going."

"Aww, well isn't that thoughtful!" Jessie turned and hissed at Suki. "You have to go."

And Suki dug in her heels. "No," she whispered back, wrenching her arm free. "I'm gonna tell that meany-pants Tiffany you don't need her any more."

Jessie-san grabbed at her but Suki dodged, storming to the living room. Her borrowed schoolgirl uniform was far from a magical girl outfit but she strode with all the confidence of Sailor Moon or Featherman Pink. She'd messed up before but this was for sure her actual, real-live Magical Girl moment! She was going to blast this sour old lady so she'd never bother Jessie-san again!

Tiffany's footpads approached. Suki's angry stomps thundered forward. Both girls stopped short under the kitchen doorframe. Both girls reared back, jaws agape. Jessie clutched her head and shuddered.

"Oh god, no…"

Suki had been expecting an old lady. Tiffany was a blonde-haired girl her own age, perfect and pretty in every possible way. Her hair was styled into two low ponytails, her fingernails were painted the same milky pink Jessie had done for her, and under Tiffany's UoG Letterman jacket, she wore the exact same white blouse, tartan skirt and thigh-high stockings.

Tiffany stared back, jaw dropping at her warped, heavyset reflection out of a carnival fun-house mirror. She looked past her reflection to Jessie. "Who's this?"

"Tiffany -"

"Is she -? Is that my laundry? Why - why is she wearing my clothes?"

"I - sweetie, I -"

"You dressed her up in my clothes? Who is this girl? What's going on here?"

Suki cleared her throat. "I'm Suki Ste-"

"I didn't ask you." Tiffany fixed Jessie with her severe, blue glare. "Mom?"

And with one simple word, Suki's world imploded.

"MOM? W-wait - Jessie-san, Tiffany's your daughter?"

Her exclamation fell on deaf ears. Jessie's eyes were brimming with salt water. "Tiffany, sweetie, it's not what it -"

"- not what it looks like?" Tiffany shoved past Suki, scanning the kitchen crime scene. "Well it looks like you two were baking cookies! It looks like you were serving her lemonade! You - " Suki could sense Tiffany's heart breaking. She spun on Jessie. "You two were playing Candyland? Mom, you said that was our game!"

Jessie trembled like a leaf in the wind. "Sweetie, I can explain! I'm… I'm grooming her for sex!"

"You are?" Suki's exclamation earned her a 'shut up' kick in the shin. "Ow…"

"I am," Jessie declared. "Baby, you know how much I like 'em young, right? Well Suki's my new toy. I've been showing her my videos all afternoon, getting her in the mood."

"Oh really?" Tiffany gestured to the coffee table, cluttered with vials of nail polish. "You bring all your one-night stands over for mani-pedis? Or spend the afternoon tying ribbons in their hair?"

Jessie looked away, ashamed and speechless. Suki braced for more yelling but yelped as Tiffany pushed past her, seizing Jessie's hands and forcing their eyes to meet. "Mom, why are you pushing me away? We've been working so hard to fix what we have!"

"What we -? Don't give me that shit, Tiffany Isabella Maye! Ever since you got out of the hospital, it's been guilt trip after guilt trip! I'm not like those girls you hang out with; I'm not some project for you to fix!"

"Mom, you can't keep relying on porn. You need to go back to school. You need to get a real job!"

"I need this, I need that! Jesus Christ, all I need is my daughter!"

Tiffany drew back. Jessie steadied herself on the back of a chair. With her cigarettes nowhere in sight, she downed her lemonade in a single, stress-relieving gulp; Suki's drink followed. Slamming the tumbler and wiping her mouth, Jessie found the strength to go on the attack.

"You know why I invited Suki here? Because she respects my goddamn choices! She lets me live my life!"

"Your choices -" Tiffany fired back, "- are going to get you -"

"NO! You do not get to interrupt me, young lady! Lola badgers me, Beli guilts me - I don't need that shit from my own daughter! I have had it up to here with your interventions, your study sessions and your practice job interviews! I'm sick of spending my evenings with a glorified life counselor!"

The tears were streaming faster. Jessie muffled her sobs with two hands over her face. "I just want my daughter to spend time with me."

A hush of silence. The powerful, back and forth speeches left Suki's knees trembling, her skin pricking with goosebumps. She wanted so much to rush over and comfort Jessie-san with a big, big hug but Tiffany blocked her path, and the blonde co-ed was made of firmer stuff. She walked up to Jessie, took her wrists and forced her hands down. Two generations of matching blue eyes met.

"Mom, Lola told me she saw you downtown again. You were with a guy, leaving a hotel together."

Jessie looked away, her voice tiny and frightened. "Oh shit…"

"Mom, filming porn is one thing, but prostitution? Selling your body?"

"I'm - I'm fine. I can take it."

"You can't keep this up! What happens when -"

"I'm used to rough stuff. I can take it!" Two fingers reflexively touched her lips to soothe the stress. Suki, sensing the nicotine craving, brought over Jessie-san's lighter and cigarettes. "Thank you, sweetie. Fuck, I needed a hit."

Tiffany was livid. "Mom, I asked you not to smoke in front of me."

"It's my god damn house and I'll do as I please!"

"Mom, Doctor Larson said -"

"Doctor Larson can go kiss my - kaff, kaff!"

Jessie doubled over, clutching her chest. Another coughing fit, only this one wouldn't stop! Her eyes watered, her cigarette tumbled and she fell to her knees. Both blonde girls rushed to her side.

"Mom!"

"Mommy!"

Tiffany palm hit Suki full-force across the cheek. "Mommy? Who the hell do you think you are?"

"I-I'm Suki Stevens, the bishoujo -"

"Sarah?"

Suki froze mid-introduction. "Uhh…"

"Sarah Stevens?" Tiffany stepped forward, looking at her critically. "Sarah Stevens from Glenberry Central High?"

Sweat pooled under Suki's arms. Tiffany kept going. "Oh my god, it is you! Jesus Christ - your skin, your hair! What did you do to yourself?"

The realization hit home. "You're … you're Tiff-Tiff the cheerleader! You're that mean girl who bullied me!"

"Bullied you? You were stalking me! You couldn't take a hint and leave me the hell alone!"

Coughing to her feet, Jessie touched a shaky palm to her daughter's shoulder. "Baby, Suki's a … good girl… she…"

"Get your facts straight, mom. This girl's a freak! She'd hide at the bottom of the stairs so she could look up girls' skirts! She kept following me around, trying to show me her gross porno comics! She was suspended for filming blowjob videos in the boy's washroom!"

"B-but my secret boyfriend told me nobody believed how good I was with my mouth! I didn't want everyone laughing and making fun of him!"

"Oh my god, you seriously still think Rodney was your boyfriend? God, just the delusional crap I'd expect from Sarah Sucks-a-Lot!"

Tanned hands clamped over ears. "Th-that's not my name! I'm Suki! Suki Stevens the bishoujo -"

"Enough!" Tiffany grabbed her shoulders, shoving her towards Jessie. "Mom, if you want us to start over, she has to go. Get her out of here, now!"

"Baby -"

"It's her or me, mom. I'm counting to three. One - two -"

Jessie-san's hands seized her shoulders, cold as ice. This time, Suki had no strength to resist. The backyard screen door slid open and she was shoved outside. Spinning, she banged on the glass. "Mommy!"

The doors opened, but only so Jessie could shove her platform sneakers into her chest. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her face twisted in heartbreak.

Then the doors shut once more. This time, the lock clicked into place. Tiffany, for good measure, drew the blinds shut. Suki could see their silhouettes - Jessie-san sobbing, Tiffany yelling, and then two shadows became one. Mother and daughter holding and hugging each other.

A chill wind whisked through the empty backyard.


Lillian practically bounced into the front lobby of their apartment building. "Holy shit, I still can't believe how you made that casino guy your bitch, Zoe! We're gonna be loaded! Hey, you wanna walk a little faster? Real talk - seeing you be the girlboss got me seriously horny."

But when they entered the darkened loft, Zoey gestured for silence. From the street, she'd sensed an overwhelming storm of sadness, and now they'd arrived at the eye of the maelstrom. A small, chubby girl sniveling on the couch, her makeup running, her facial stickers peeling. Even without a second sight, Lillian could read the situation in a heartbeat.

"Like, Suki? You okay?"

"O-ohayo…" Suki blew her nose in a hanky. "Mina-san, c-can we make a sandwich tonight?"

Lillian squinted. "A sandwich?"

"H-hai. A-and, c-c-can I be in the middle? I just- I just -"

It was too much to bear. Suki broke down, crying. Zoey was at her side in a heartbeat, hugging and hushing her. Lillian starred a minute, and then she too took a seat on Suki's free side, setting aside her customary snark to ruffle the weeb's hair and offer an awkward pat on the shoulder.

They held their sister until she cried herself to sleep.