NOTE: So sorry for making you all wait! The following five short stories take place after "Warped" and follow our heroes into the sequel, "Twisted"! They lead up to when "Twisted" starts, which will be uploaded as a separate story. Enjoy and thanks!
TwistingMoonbeam
Saturday, April 26th, 2014
Eleven Months Before Not What He Seems Premieres
"So why exactly are we here?" Jocelyn asked, flipping her braid over her shoulder and wrinkling her nose at the smell of harsh cleaners and disinfectants.
"We're visiting my grandmother," Hazelle responded. "The one who just had surgery?"
Jocelyn's face was blank.
"The one that gives you gifts."
"Oh. Ohhhh. Right."
Jocelyn snapped her gum loudly, piercing the sterile quiet of the hospital. Hazelle, completely in her element, shot her a look. You never knew if there were patients around who were suffering from PTSD, or just trying to get some sleep. Either way, Hazelle was a firm believer that one should be quiet, and more importantly, respectful in a hospital, both of which things that Jocelyn was not.
"Hey look!" Jocelyn exclaimed, rushing over to the railing. The two of them were on the upper floor, making their way to Hazelle's grandmother's hospital room.
"Joss," Hazelle hissed. "Be quiet!"
"Yeah, yeah," Jocelyn replied. "But look! A fountain!"
Hazelle sighed and made her way, quietly, to the railing, where Jocelyn was standing, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement.
"Do you have any pennies?" Jocelyn asked, digging through her purse. "I wanna throw some in the fountain."
Hazelle pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to maintain her patience. Sometimes Jocelyn was a giant five year-old.
"Jocelyn, we're on the second floor. As in at least thirteen feet above this fountain."
"And?"
Hazelle sighed again, resignedly rummaging around in her messenger bag for some spare change.
"Here we go!" Jocelyn shouted, coming up with a fistfull of loose change.
"Okay, let's make this quick," Hazelle intoned, eager to see her grandmother.
"Calm your tits, I won't be long."
Jocelyn took aim, carefully taking notice of the distance from the rail to the fountain, and of the sculpture hanging above said fountain.
Hazelle crossed her arms, foot tapping impatiently. "I thought you said this would be quick."
"Hey, you don't want me to miss, do you?"
"Joss, you could prepare for three years and still miss. Your depth perception is terrible."
Jocelyn smirked, not taking her eyes off of the fountain. "Be that as it may, my dear Hazelle, but I will not miss this shot."
Hazelle rolled her eyes. At least this would be entertaining. Jocelyn was nothing if not persistent.
"Here goes nothing!" Jocelyn gave her penny an overhand toss. The penny spun in the air, glinting in the afternoon sunlight, but the two lost sight of it as it disappeared into the fake rocks surrounding the fountain with a clatter.
Hazelle stifled a laugh. "That wasn't even close!"
Jocelyn blew some loose strands of hair out of her face, determined. "I'll get it this time."
Hazelle laughed again. "Yeah, and I'm Soos's abuelita."
Jocelyn once more took her aim, carefully calculating her landing point in the fountain. Her face contorted in concentration, Jocelyn tossed the penny, once again missing way off the mark.
Hazelle couldn't help herself. Laughing, she pulled a penny from her pocket. "Let the master show you how it's done."
Jocelyn raised an eyebrow. "Says Miss Anti-Sports."
Hazelle grinned. "You don't know everything about me."
Taking careful aim, Hazelle tossed her penny, watching it spin through the air. With a small splash, the penny hit its mark, landing neatly in the middle of the fountain.
Jocelyn's mouth dropped open. "How the hell did you do that?"
Hazelle grinned mischieviously. "I told you I was the master."
Jocelyn scowled. "No fair! There's gotta be some magic you're working here."
"You're the one with the abilities here, Portal Girl."
Hazelle immediately regretted saying anything.
Jocelyn's face lit up. "Oh yeah!" she shouted, a childish grin beginning to wind its way across her face.
Hazelle wanted to kick herself. She knew that Jocelyn had much better control of her powers than she used to, but the potential of hurting people (and hurting people in a hospital, no less) made Hazelle extremely nervous.
Jocelyn fished out another penny, and then held out her other hand to create a tiny portal.
Concentrating, Jocelyn created a portal just big enough for the penny.
Hazelle couldn't help it.
"Hey!" she yelled, distracting her friend. "Maybe that's not such a good idea!"
Jocelyn started, her concentration broken. She accidentally dropped her penny into her half completed portal.
"What did you do that for?" she asked, angry.
Hazelle opened her mouth to answer. "I—I…" She didn't know what to say. She didn't want to make Jocelyn mad. Her emotions, when unchecked, could still cause electrical surges, which, in a hospital, could be catastrophic.
Hazelle was saved by a noise down below.
"ARGH! MY EYE!"
Peering over the railing, Jocelyn and Hazelle saw a security guard holding his eye and bending over. He picked up a penny. The very same penny, in fact, that Jocelyn had dropped into the portal.
"Where did this even come from?" Jocelyn's eyes lit up with laughter as she took in the security guard, and, more importantly, the remnants of an almost undetectable portal disappearing into thin air. Hazelle made the connection at almost the same second that her friend did, and the two burst out laughing.
When Jocelyn's concentration was broken, her portal must have been sent off track. The other end of the portal, intended for just above the fountain, opened instead horizontally in front of the unsuspecting security guard, and, the force from Jocelyn's letting go of said penny sent it careening into the guard's face.
"Hey!" The guard's shout made both Hazelle and Jocelyn freeze, smiles still lingering on their faces. "What do you two think you're doing?!"
Hazelle's stomach plummeted. Leave it to Jocelyn to get them in trouble in a hospital of all places.
"Time to go!" Jocelyn exclaimed, grabbing Hazelle's arm and rushing off.
Hazelle's apology was lost over her shoulder as Jocelyn dragged her away, giggling. And even Hazelle couldn't help but laugh. Jocelyn's spontaneity and quick wit made any adventure fun, despite how often it got them in trouble.
Jocelyn stopped a ways down the hallway, panting and grinning.
"Where did you say your grandma's room was?"
Jocelyn groaned. Of course they would get lost in a hospital.
"I think it was room A-618. But I have no idea how to get there from here."
"Ha! 618, amiright? Anyway," Jocelyn commented, glancing up at a sign, "we're in wing A, and it says that the 600's are upstairs. I'd say our best bet is that way."
Hazelle sighed and followed her best friend, who had already gotten on her way down the hall.
Jocelyn might be strong-headed and spontaneous, but the truth was that Hazelle was glad she could be along for the ride.