Disclaimer: Honestly, would I be writing Mary-Sues on fanfiction if I owned any part of the real story?

A/N: So, everyone impressed at how quickly I updated? I'm impressed at how quickly all of you reviewed! Now, two things before I start this chapter: I did not write this in a bragging manner, those of you who really care about your grades as I do (likely most of you) will know how much of a burden it can be. Second, if you want to flame this for it being a Sue, two rules – 1) No bad language. 2) PLEASE don't just say it's a Sue, therefore its trash. Tell me exactly what you don't like. Other than that, just keep in mind I answer all reviews publicly. Enjoy!

Attack of the Sue

It had over a month since the mages had arrived on Earth. Both armies were still working to build up their forces. Even Raistlin had to admit that his group was doing well for such a short time. In part, his pleasure came from the fact that they all worked so well together. Though it was rare on Krynn, he had heard of covens or coteries of mages working together. Now, he was in one.

It worked out that all of the Earthlings had a slightly different specialty. Maeg and Jess were both quite good at the more subtle mental nuances. They could both manipulate others minds with ease. Maeg was especially good at mentally attacking and getting into someone's mind practically before they knew she was there. Though Jess couldn't hide her magic quite as well, she more than made up for it in brute force. Out of the whole group, she was easily the most powerful.

Maria and Joan both proved to have a talent for all manners of war magic. Again, however, there were slight differences. Maria enjoyed causing big explosions, while Joan would rather center her attack and take people (or in the case of practice, wooden stakes) out one by one. Everett had an affinity for 'good' magic, and was becoming a talented healer. Rebecca was most attuned to nature in the group, and could manipulate the elements at will. With continued training from Sargonnas and Kiri-Jolith, Lenny had developed a good sword arm, and decent aim with a bow. He was also learning the spear, something he appeared to have a knack for.

One Saturday, Jess had to go visit relatives, so Maeg and the Krynnish mages had decided to spend the day at the mages' house watching the Lord of the Rings movies, something Maeg had decided they'd have to see at least once before returning to Krynn. They had just taken a lunch break after watching Boromir become a human pincushion when the mail truck came by.

Dalamar heard it and looked, surprised that it had stopped at their house. Raistlin had put anti-spam spells on both their computer and mailbox. No one else would send them anything. Both mages were wearing their robes for comfort, and so could not get up to get it. With a shrug, Dalamar called the two thin letters into their kitchen. He kept his own, giving the other to Raistlin.

Maeg looked over Dalamar's shoulder with interest. "It's the interim!" she exclaimed. As a near obsessive-compulsive student, she always looked forward to grades, whether they are the exact grades that came at the end of the marking period, or the lines of generic A's that always graced her interim reports. "I wonder if I got mine," she mused.

Raistlin looked at her with a slight smirk. "You do have magic, you know."

A flush crept up Maeg's cheeks. "Oh yeah. I sometimes tend to forget about that." Though her relationship with Raistlin had improved over the past few weeks, she still found herself a bit uncomfortable around the cynical archmage. Still blushing, her eyes unfocused slightly in the way they always did when she concentrated on magic. Within seconds, her own interim materialized in her outstretched hand.

She eagerly tore open the envelope and looked at the thick paper. Suddenly, her eager eyes fell upon the first grade. With a sudden squeak of shock, she dropped the letter and fled.

A second later, the mages heard a door, presumably that of the bathroom, slam shut. They looked at each other. When it came to women in general, and especially women's feelings, both felt more than a bit helpless. Finally, Raistlin reached for the interim to see what had upset the Earth girl so. He'd noted that when it came to showing sorrow or mental pain, Maeg took great care to hide it from the public. A master of that art himself, he could recognize the signs, though she hid her feelings with a smile more often than not, where he would have hidden behind sarcasm.

Skimming the list, it all looked good – comments of well-behaved, serious student, and discussion leader lined the page, next to a perfect row of 'Approximate grade to date – 90-100's. Then, he saw what had upset the girl so much. Not following the conventions of the normal set-up of approximate number grades was Takhisis' mark. Sticking out like a sore thumb, the bold-faced font read "F". A conscientious student himself, Raistlin could sympathize with the teenager. He showed the page to Dalamar, who shook his head sadly.

"I thought she'd realized that that would happen in Takhisis' class." He looked rather surprised at the girl's uncharacteristic display of true distress. For a minute, he and Raistlin just sat, both trying to figure out the best course of action to take with the emotional female.

Finally, Dalamar decided that they had waited long enough for the emotional storm to be over, for the most part. He stood. "I suppose I should go get her." Raistlin nodded, knowing that his apprentice would likely have more luck calming the girl than he himself would.

Dalamar walked softly to the bathroom door and knocked. A muffled squeak came from the other side, something that may have been a curt "Go 'way."

Dalamar sighed. This might be more difficult than he'd anticipated. "I know you're not using the facilities. Either you're coming out, or I'm coming in." He tried to make his voice as authoritative as possible, leaving no room for argument. At another noncommittal grunt, he opened the door gently.

"Maeg?" His voice was gentle. Though he tried not to show it, he was rather disconcerted at this raw show of emotion. The human girl was sitting on the closed toilet seat, half turned away from him. Though he could not see her face, it was obvious to him that she was crying. He gently took hold of her shoulder, turning her around to face him.

Unexpectedly, she rose, taking him in a backbreaking embrace, still sobbing all the while. This too surprised Dalamar, until he realized that she was just clinging to the first solid thing in a world that had gone crashing down around her. Realizing his arms were out to the side in shock, he put them around her gently and stroked her hair in a comforting manor.

The two stood like that silently for a minute or so. It was then that Maeg apparently got control over her emotions and realized that she'd been sobbing into the robe of a book character she'd had a major crush on since she first read the series whence he came. She took a step back, as big a one as the small half-bathroom would allow. "I… I'm so sorry!" She looked as though she was going to cry again.

Dalamar gently pulled her forward again, still trying to hide his discomfort at the rampant emotions. "It's all right. Do you feel a little better now?" She shrugged noncommittally, muttering something about a permanent record. He made a mental note to tell Raistlin he'd need to change all of the involved students' records to show fair grades after this was all over.

"You're going to be fine. I've got something I've wanted to talk to you about for a while, but I've never been able to get you alone. Can I do it now?" Maeg made another noncommittal shrug, which Dalamar chose to take as acquiescence. "Now, I don't want you to think I'm just trying to make you feel better, because that's not why I'm asking this now. I wanted to know if you would…" He took a deep breath. He'd never realized how hard this would be. "How do you humans say it? Go out? With me."

Maeg grinned through her tears, reached up, and kissed him on the mouth. Well, in hindsight, that's what she wished she'd done. Instead, her mouth got away from her again. "What about Kit?" As soon as she said it, she wished she knew a spell to turn back time. Though she'd had no experience in romance previously, she knew asking about someone's old girlfriend was a bad move.

Dalamar, however, just smiled wryly. "And what do you think she's doing…" He looked at his watch – it was just after one o'clock. "Right now?" That comment elicited a watery smile from Maeg. "Besides which, I highly doubt you two will ever meet. Once I go back, I believe it will have to be forever. Also, I seem to think she wouldn't even think of this as an 'affair', compared to what she does!" The watery smile got slightly bigger. "Now, we'd best go out before my Shalafi decides to come looking for us and finds us in this most compromising position!" Maeg had to grin outright as she thought of whom she secretly thought of as 'that uptight mage' finding the two of them in the little two-by-three room.

After washing her face off and blowing her nose, she went out to meet Dalamar, who was waiting just outside the door. He took her hand, and she smiled gratefully. In general, she was amazingly shy when it came to romance, one reason she'd had so little luck previously.

"You've recovered?" Even Raistlin's usual caustic tone had dissipated slightly because of Maeg's dilemma.

Maeg, however, was still in too sensitive a state to notice. She shuddered slightly, and gripped Dalamar's hand a bit tighter before putting a semblance of normalcy in her voice. "Obviously." She tried to regain her normal sarcasm. "Now, shall we watch the next movie?" She shrugged, still struggling to push her feelings back under their normal cheerful cover.

As both elf and man understood that, neither pushed the subject further. They spent the rest of the afternoon peacefully in the living room watching movies. A fire burned in the fireplace, fuel-less. Raistlin sat comfortably in a big armchair. Dalamar and Maeg shared the couch. Upon Dalamar's suggestion, Maeg leaned on his shoulder, and he held his arm around her. It was a companionable, cheerful setting, and even Maeg was able to forget her problems for a while to be consumed in this happiness.

As she was walking home, one thought was on Maeg's mind. Surprisingly, it didn't have to do with her grades. More surprisingly, it had to do with Dalamar in only the broadest terms. I am such a Sue. She shook her head, disgusted with herself.

A/N: Well, hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing. Don't expect another chapter so quickly; I've just been planning this one for months. Thanks as always for reading and leaving such lovely reviews. Oh, just looked – you guys rock! Over 100 reviews! Love you all!

Jade Limill: Yes, that's a yummy image, isn't it? And as I said, there are subcategories in each. I was just trying to simplify things for the mages.

Bored-Kender: You really want to know? Well, first my muses quit without two weeks notice because they wanted to work with real authors. Then, I got sick, had school, and had homework! Then, it took me forever to get a new muse, and then once I did, he got really mad at me and went on strike. Glad you're enjoying, though.

Ahn-Li Steffraini: Never said I thought I could run away, just thought I should! Gulp Guess I shouldn't have put in that chapter about my being a slow runner, should I? Thank goodness I help with ESGAME, or I think Dalamar would help you.

Lazy.kender19: Yes, my apologies, it is 6. And, as soon as Pet sends that chapter back, it will be up!

Elvengirl 10: Thanks for understanding. As to politics, nothing can compare to the U.S.: we have the man with the brain the size of a flea in office!

Childlike Empress: Sorry to disappoint, but I can't kill a character based on my best friend! I actually never even thought of that possibility. :-p I actually wasn't planning on killing off anyone, though (spoiler alert) if I ever get some inspiration back on Daughter of Prophesy, you may get your wish! And I agree about having Takhisis! Thanks for the commendation about naming out the Untouchables. Ah, you caught that that was inspired by Mean Girls?

Guan: Thanks, I've always wondered! Hope you enjoyed this chapter equally.