A.N.- Hey everyone! With this chapter, you are officially caught up with our Verdigris readers: sorry it took so long, but I went through an extra editing process for y'all (don't you feel special?), and spare time for me has been at absolute minimum lately. But, now you're caught up. We appreciate all the reviews we've gotten, and I'll respond to them in a second (big cookies for all our reviewers!). Firstly, though, we appreciate all the support you, as our readers on have given us. It means a lot to get this kind of response. I know the beginning was rather slow, but things will be moving pretty quickly from here on out. I can't tell you how long it will be exactly, because that isn't determined yet (though we do have a general plot structure). We'll also probably be starting a live journal with our fic on it, our various one shots written by either me or GG, and maybe some snippets of chapters if we take a while to get one up. We hope you'll enjoy it, and I'll give you the link when it's ready for viewing. Now, onto author's response!
Sinfulpurgatory: Thanks for sticking with our fic through what we've got so far. We really appreciate, and I know some of it (especially the very beginning) must have seemed… well, not so hot, and very fluffy. But I'm happy that you have still stuck with us. Thanks for all your reviews!
Bubblesnbrooms: Thanks! Our Verdigris readers show up yet again… We love you guys, and how you're always responding. We appreciate the review! Just curious, what's your SN on there?
Countrybutterfly: Thanks! We try to be original.
Zafr0: Thanks for sticking with us also! We love tossing out our cliffhangers! Also glad that you think we're doing good work, and we hope our fic will stay that way (that's why it takes forever for new chapters!). Also very happy you didn't expect the Boq twist. We didn't either. In fact, we had Boq penciled in as another characters father (and he may still appear later…), but we changed it at the last minute. I think it's one of our best chapters, though GG (my writing partner) wrote it all…
Emmyruth: Thanks for the review and the positive feedback!
ElizabethArduena: Thanks for the best fic thing! I'd have to say we're far from that (my personal favorite: Night Angel Grounded, but that's besides the point…), but we sure do like to think we are! ;) Also, what is your screen name on Verdigris?
ElphabaThropp: Thanks! We love the boyfriends too. They're so much fun to write!
Anyways, thanks for all the reviews everyone! Cookies to everyone who gives us one, and CHEESECAKE (my personal favorite cake) to anyone who gives constructive criticism! Ok, just a review gets cheesecake! But seriously, if we're doing something wrong, we want to know what we can improve on. A cookie if you read all of this!
Thanks everyone,
DE
The broom and bubble flew over Quadling Country; its passengers searching for shelter from the impeding daylight that would soon try to illuminate the darkness of the night.
"There. That abandoned looking place. Would that work?" Amirio asked as he pointed to a small, grayish tinged home that was clearly in need of repairs. The roof had holes in it, and the wooden walls seemed to have rotted, leaving it a skeleton of what it once was.
"Anything will work for now," Ali said as she steered the broom towards the shack and motioned to Fae to follow her. Soon, they were standing in front of the building.
"How... quaint," Fae said uncertainly as she examined the home.
"Don't you mean how vile?" Blaise asked. He clearly was disgusted with what could become their shelter.
"We have no other choice, Blaise. We can't be outside while the sun is up. You know that," Ali chastised him as nicely as possible. She was in no mood for one of his arguments.
"Lets just go in," Amirio said wearily as he went to open what was left of the front door. The place was clearly abandoned, and it looked like it hadn't been occupied for years. They started to inspect the hovel. It was rather spacious, but also rather dusty. It seemed to be covered in a deep, clear fog that made it have a certain dream like quality. It was dark, and Fae lit the single candle they had brought along for light, since the sun had not come up yet. After they were confident that no one was occupying the space, the group started to bed down, creating little palates out of the blankets they had brought along. As they finished their preparations before the sleep they all so desperately needed, the door started to creak open.
Ali immediately sprang to her feet and went into a defensive position. Fae quickly grabbed the Grimmerie out of its case, preparing to use it if necessary. The boys rose from their sitting position, and started creeping up near the door. As the door opened to it's full out swung position, they all prepared to attack with whatever weapons they had.
"Who are you, and what are you doing in my home?" a small girl, who seemed to be no more than sixteen, with dark eyes and hair the color of chestnuts asked the four, her eyes flickering with the anger she felt about someone taking over her home.
"Excuse me? We can ask you the same questions," shot back Fae. She was cranky, she was stressed, and this girl thought she could push her around? Ha!
"This is my home. I don't remember you ever being here before, Miss Princess!" the girl said as her eyes ignited again into a blazing fire.
"Actually I am a pr-" Ali quickly cupped her hands over Fae's mouth. Was this girl TRYING to give away their identities?
"Excuse me, miss, but this place looked abandoned. We're just weary travelers looking for a place to stay for the day, and this looked as good as anything else. May we please stay?" Amirio asked, trying his best to be diplomatic.
"In your dreams, munchkin!" the girl retorted back with fire.
"Please? We have nowhere else to go, and we need our sleep. Please, miss, we will do anything," Amirio pleaded. He knew how much the whole group needs its sleep so their sanity could remain intact.
"If you must," the girl sighed, obviously annoyed, but she knew what it was like to not have a place to hide.
Blaise didn't like the look of this. He didn't trust new comers to begin with, and this one was a buzzing red light all over. He had had his trust violated too many times to begin with. Friends were only his friends because of his money, his family! They didn't care two wits about him! Fae was the only thing he could really trust in his life. He had grown up learning not to trust people. They would just let you down in the long run. Though he was a socialite, those people never really got to know the real him. The real him was the one only Fae knew. That's the way he would like to keep it.
Fae knew this, and she could tell with just a glance at him what he was thinking. She didn't trust this girl either. Something about her just wasn't right. It wasn't on a physical basis. After having an Aunt who is green, she had learned not to judge on outward appearances alone. This girl had something that just made her . . . unapproachable. There was something inside Fae telling her that this girl meant trouble for all of them.
Ali examined the girl closely, looking for any overt signs of the darkness controlling her. Nothing that she could see bore the traditional dark stone that would grace some form of jewelry. She inwardly sighed, happy to not have to deal with a fight, not now anyway. She was still exhausted from her behavior the previous evening, and didn't want to think about dealing with the pain of her choices.
As Ali mulled over those events, despite the sting they brought about at the notion of what she could have done to Fae, had she not been stopped, she also reflected about what they should do with this girl, who's space they seemed to invade unintentionally. She looked like a rebel, someone who had run away early and learned to survive on her own. The dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and her face was smudged with dirt. Her clothing, though adequate, seemed to be worn, and small tears could be seen throughout the drab, earth-toned fabrics. Something felt slightly wrong, but something else told her that this was someone like her mother: she was an enemy to someone, and was misunderstood. If this was the case, as it seemed to be, she couldn't leave her. Her mother had been abandoned by so many, and Ali knew the pain it still caused her to this day, despite the scabbing over of the wounds on her soul. Ali couldn't just leave her like trash along the road. Something seemed to tell her she needed to befriend this girl, whomever she may be.
The tension so thick that it seemed to choke the inhabitants of the room, Ali tried to talk to the girl. "So..." Ali said, trying to figure out what to say, "What's your name?"
"Oh, you want the full life story? Look, you're just here for the daylight hours, in my house, and I don't think it's really any of your business. Let's just stay silent, ok?" the girl asked, exasperatedly. "But if you must know, it's Desmona."
"I just thought..." Ali said, before she was cut off.
"Look, I'm 16, I'm on my own, and I don't give a care if you like me or not! You needed a place to stay, and I understand that. But, this is it. Just for today, and then, you are gone. Understand?" Desmona said, truly annoyed that this girl couldn't keep her nose in her own things. This was her life, not this strange girl's!
"Where in Oz did you learn your social skills? " Fae asked Ali as she walked over to the two, elbowing her friend. She was appalled! "Well, Desmona, I don't know how we can ever express our gratitude. Just put us where it is convenient!" Fae said, slathering on as much charisma as possible.
"Don't hurt yourself with all that pity. I don't want any from you, and it isn't becoming either. Why won't you leave me be?" Desmona said, standing up, now angry with the two girls.
"I was just trying to be courteous. But if you would prefer to just tell us where to sleep and leave us alone, that is fine too," the blonde replied with a shrug of the shoulders.
"No, it's not alright! We try to be polite to this girl, because she was nice to us. I become someone I'm not, and you won't even take it! I'm just asking some simple questions!" Ali yelled, extremely angry with the girl's putting off of the two. "If you don't want us here, then tell us so! I don't want any stupid pity!"
"I'm... I'm sorry," Desmona said, obviously defeated. "I know I shouldn't have treated you like that, but if you'd had my life, you wouldn't want any help either. I'd just... rather not talk about it. OK?"
"That's fine. If you ever do need to talk though... we're here," Ali said, calming down after the sort of apology.
"Now that that lovely cat fight was over, I'm tired. Can we please get some sleep?" Blaise pleaded. He felt like that at any moment his feet would give way.
"We all need sleep," Fae conceded. "Good night, um,.. I mean, day, everyone. You too, Desmona."
"Wait, I forgot one thing. Um... what are your names?" Desmona asked tentatively, not sure of what to say.
"My name is . . . Fabala. This is Yero, Avaric, and Shen Shen," Fae replied, pointing to Blaise, Amirio, and Ali, respectively. She could see her best friend's blood begin to boil at being christened Shen Shen, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
"Um... yes, I'm Shen Shen," Ali said, her hairs prickling at the name of Glinda's old friend from college. Shen Shen had no substance to her, other than her clothing. "So, Fabala," Ali said, forcing out the words, "Did you figure out the sleeping arrangement yet?"
"Um... yes, I'm Shen Shen," Ali said, her hairs prickling at the name of Glinda's old friend from college. Shen Shen had no substance to her, other than her clothing. "So, Fabala," Ali said, forcing out the words, "Have you figured out exactly where we'll sleep?"
"I believe that is up to Desmona," Fae said. She was trying not to burst with laughter. Ali could not have had a worse name chosen for her. Shen Shen! Who cared where they slept? For that little jab she would have slept on dirt. But then again, that might mess up her hair. . .
"Anywhere is fine with me. I just need sleep," Desmona said, her barriers seeming to come down, and relaxing with the group.
"Fine, then. Let's just sleep," Ali said, obviously tired.
"B- I mean Yero and I will take the second bedroom!" said Fae quickly, making sure to secure the best room for herself. Those this might seem selfish, she had been raised with the best, and sleeping on hardwood was not settling well with her delicate skin.
"Shen Shen and I will take the floor out here," Amirio said, trying to stifle a laugh at Ali's new "name."
And with a final good night, the group parted ways. The four went to sleep in a matter of minutes, but not Desmona. Something seemed to bother her soul, and she shivered and turned. Then, something shimmered with the small amount of light starting to invade the room. Desmona sat up, and felt around for the object. Suddenly, her hand felt something cold and smooth under it. She picked it up, unsure of what it was. As she held it up to her eyes to examine it, she finally realized what it was. It was a small black stone, which seemed to be cut like a crystal, even though it was smooth. "Strange," she thought to herself. She then put it in her pocket, and finally drifted off to sleep.