Ms. Selly owns Fire Blossom, Frank, Annabellina and Lynx. Nyneve owns Saxen Maverick and Moksha.
Chapter 24:
Games. Music. Lives.
Tabby narrowed her eyes at the pirate across the table. He stared back at her, a defiant smirk twisting his lips, Drusilla leaning against him, arms draped across his chest and head resting on his shoulder.
"Dark thorns to kill those who betray she," Dru murmured into his ear. Jack's smile widened.
"I'll be taking that Queen of Clubs, darling."
"That is not fair!" Tabby slammed her cards down in outrage. "No psychics allowed!"
"Now, now," Jack just shot her a very smarmy smile, "lets not be a sore loser. Just because my lady fair here has some special…talents, doesn't mean that-"
"It's cheating! Not only that, it's stupid magical cheating! Just hide cards in your sleeves like normal people!"
"Tabby," Van Helsing raised his eyebrows, "a gentleman does not cheat at cards."
Jack choked halfway through a swallow of some unknown beverage Dru had handed him. Tabby snorted.
"Am I going senile, or did you just call Cap'n Grime over there a gentleman?"
"It was implied," the monster hunter smiled wryly. Jack slammed his drink down on the table.
"Take it back!" He cried in horror. Drusilla stroked his hair soothingly.
"Not to fret, dearest, not a squeaky aristocrat, just a dirty son of the swelling blue mother, aren't we?" He nodded vehemently and pointed to Van, scowling.
"Exactly. See here, sir, I am no gentleman!"
"Damn straight," Tabby commented, taking advantage of the distraction to take a look at Jack's forgotten cards.
"My deepest apologies," Van Helsing said, inclining his head to hide his smile. Jack nodded sternly.
"Just don't make that mistake again." Drusilla smiled proudly.
"That's my little pirate," she took the break in the card game to slip into his lap and flicked out her tongue to lick his cheek.
"Okay," Tabby looked away, flinching, "that's just plain unhygienic."
"I wonder," Van Helsing said, to no one in particular, looking around the room, "where Duo and Effie have gone."
"Well," Tabby began, a wicked smile spreading across her lips.
"Never mind," Van interrupted her. "I'll suffer my curiosity." Tabby shrugged with a smile and picked up her cards. She looked at them for a moment before frowning.
"Hey! You changed my cards!"
"I?" Jack gasped in mock horror, slapping a hand to his heart. Drusilla pressed her hands together and looked up piously. Tabby slammed her fist on the table.
"Don't you two give me that innocence act! I know you did it!"
"Never," Jack shook his head, as superior look on his face. "I cannot fathom how you could such an upstanding man as I of such dishonorable acts."
Lynx sat on his bed, long legs somewhat askew, guitar in his lap. He ran his fingers tenderly along the hard strings and smiled. So many memories. He could think back to a time when Fire Blossom had been simply Kathy. And even farther back than that, so much farther back, to a time when he had been Nathan. Well, as close to being Nathan as he had ever been able to be. He ran his free hand through his hair, which had mysteriously retained it's violet shade with no roots belying his true color. All he had ever wanted was that life. To be Nathan, and love his darling Kathy for a lifetime.
But it was never about what he wanted, was it? Duties, rules, everything was in place to keep him in line. But he would never accept it. He wouldn't stand quietly and let the universe race by at top speed, like some of the others did. But they didn't like that at all. He remembered what had happened to Ziah, his best friend, when he had taken a step into the world. Chite was a painful reminder of the consequences when someone of his stature broke the rules.
He strummed absentmindedly, smiling to himself despite his dark thoughts. It felt so good to play again. He was going to carry this guitar to the end of eternity. He paused in mid-chord and smirked slightly before continuing.
"I'll admit we've got some wacky little customs in my dimension, but none of them involve lurking outside someone's door."
The door slid open to reveal a young boy looking embarrassed. Kira, Lynx said to himself. The newest Sacred One. Precious.
"I'm sorry for disturbing you," Kira said. Lynx smiled.
"Not a problem, darling."
"How did you know I was there?" Kira asked, a curious gleam in his eyes. Lynx grinned enigmatically.
"Let's just say I know all." Kira laughed softly, and looked around the room. It was very interesting. It had some elements that would be expected of Lynx's cabin; large, fuzzy pillows in neon colors, a lava lamp or two. But on the whole, it seemed far too plain to suit the flamboyant man. There was a lot of white, and soft gold.
"Apple?" Lynx startled the boy once again, talking through a mouthful of sweet red fruit, holding out a second. Kira took it.
"Well, well, well, isn't this sweet?" Kira jumped and turned to see Washu sitting cross-legged in midair. "Bonding over some autumnal produce?"
"Maybe," Lynx said, voice suddenly cool.
"Is this," Kira leaned toward Lynx slightly, not taking his eyes off of Washu, "Is this normal?"
"Very little you're gonna see around here is normal, kid," Lynx squeezed his shoulder, "but don't worry about Washu. She's obnoxious, but harmless. Probably not even corporeal."
"Is that a challenge?" the hovering goddess asked. Lynx bared his teeth in a very fake grin.
"Why would you think that, o short one?" He turned to Kira and squeezed his shoulder fondly. "Why don't you go see what's going on with Effie?" Kira nodded, somewhat shaken and exited. Washu stayed silent as she watched him go, then turned on Lynx.
"Just because you have some kind of stick somewhere I won't mention, doesn't mean you should be bothering my Sac-"
"I wouldn't be bothering your beloved Sacred Ones if you had had the presence of mind to leave what's mine alone."
"She doesn't belong to you, Lynx. Her destiny was-"
"Her destiny," Lynx interrupted bitterly, "was to be normal and happy. No heroics, no powers, no adventure. Just a human life. Couldn't stand to let my sister have the life she should have had, could you? Had to make a mess." Washu smirked.
"She's not your sister." It was the wrong thing to say. Before she had a chance to defend herself, she was slammed-very corporeally-into the wall. Lynx glowered at her.
"You discount me, all of you. Ms. Moral High-ground, you, everyone. Just because I've been temporarily suspended from my full duties does not mean I am powerless. If anything, I'm more pissed off than I have been for a long while. So you listen to me now. Effie is my sister in all the ways that really matter. I can't change her destiny back. We've gone too far to look behind. But you will leave all future matters to me."
Washu held up her hand and Lynx was forced to take a step backwards as she freed herself. She brushed some imaginary dust off of her shoulder and glanced up at him through cunning, cat-like eyes.
"It doesn't matter. It's all set. And just to let you know," she smiled in a way that was in some odd way both unkind and sympathetic, "giving her a normal life wouldn't have bought one for you."