AN~ NaNoWriMo soon!
In gym class several weeks later, Wendell and Bella finally got together.
They were up to seven on seven, and Sabrina, Bella, Daphne, Red, Jane, Moth, and Natalie were on a team- chosen by the Beast- against Puck, Wendell, Toby, Art, Jonas, Tim, and Mustardseed.
"All right, girls." The Beast said, after he'd picked teams, over the kid's groans, "I know quite a few of you don't like each other, but you are in the battle of the sexes here. It's your job to prove that girls work together better than boys do, because, frankly, I'm not convinced. Guys, I'm counting on you here. Don't let them win."
Sabrina made a face. The Beast usually let them pick their own teams, and she wasn't looking forward to either being on the same team as Moth and Natalie or being pitted against six of her friends.
Moth raised her hand.
Sabrina sighed. When would this girl learn to shut her mouth?
"Sir!" Moth whined. "How come you didn't let us pick our teams? Sabrina is my sworn enemy!"
"Because you're a soldier." The Beast snapped, closing in on Moth. "Mr. Canis and Charming? You know them? They hate each other, but they know that they're each other's best chances for survival, so they work together. You need to learn to do that, girl. The world will not cater to your whims, and you will be put into a unit with someone you don't like at some point. You need to be able to put your personal life away when you're on the battlefield. Otherwise, you'll die. End of story. You have ten minute's prep time!"
"But-" Moth protested.
"Starting now, soldier!" The Beast shouted. "You're wasting time!"
"Fine, whatever." Moth muttered, stomping over to the other girls.
"Let's get something straight." Sabrina said once Moth had reached them, looking her and Natalie in the face. "I don't care that you hate me, or that I hate you. We are a team this week, and if either of you decide to backstab me, I will not hesitate to make it rain on you for a week. Now, let's pick a team captain."
"Sabrina." Bella said immediately.
"Me!" Moth snapped.
"I'm not having any of you be my captain." Natalie snapped.
Sabrina sighed. "We're voting. And I don't care who it is, we listen to them, or you will pay. I will not get a bad grade in this class."
"Who do you vote for, Sabrina?" Red asked.
"You." Sabrina said. "You haven't been leader yet. You need a chance to try it."
"I... agree, actually." Daphne said thoughtfully. "Red, you need to step out of your shell."
"I don't want a lunatic for my team captain!" Moth snapped.
"Five minutes!" The Beast called.
"Takes one to know one." Sabrina said. "Moth, Natalie? Nominations?"
"Me." The two girls said in unison.
"I still vote for Sabrina." Bella said.
"Me, too." Red smiled.
"So it's me and Red, then." Sabrina said. "Actual voting time. Jane? You haven't said much."
"You." Jane smiled. "You're a natural, and I really want to win this."
"Thanks." Sabrina smiled. "Natalie?"
"I guess you, too." Natalie sighed. "You're good, and my dad likes you. That'll be a point in our favor."
"I am not voting for that." Moth sneered. "Red, then."
"Well, Sabrina wins." Jane grinned. "Maybe next time, Red."
"It's fine." Red grinned. "I didn't want to, anyway."
"Time!" The Beast called. "Take your postitions!"
"We didn't get any strategy time!" Jane wailed.
"It's fine." Sabrina said. "We'll pretend it's an ambush. Roll with it, instant tactics and all that. It may actually be easier. We'll go by what the boys did."
"Who do you think their captain is?" Daphne asked.
"My vote's on Mustardseed." Sabrina said. "I guess we'll find out soon. Everyone! Face off, take your cues from them!"
There was a chorus of replies, then the Beast dropped the flag, and they began.
Sabrina found herself facing Puck, much to her chagrin.
"Hey." She muttered.
"Wassup?" Puck asked.
"Oh, not much," Sabrina said, sidling around him, trying to see all her teammates. "Just..."
She swung a roundhouse kick into his side, and he barely blocked it.
"That was low." Puck muttered.
"No, low would be-" Sabrina demonstrated, with a kick to his groin, what exactly her definition of low was.
Puck blocked again, and returned by pulling out his sword, still wooden.
"Oh, now we're having fun!" Sabrina grinned, pulling out her own sword to block his.
She swung around away from his slice, and saw Moth running at Daphne from behind.
"Daphne!" She shouted. "Duck, now!"
Daphne ducked, and Moth's swing missed.
Art, who was paired against Moth, took the opportunity to help Tim with Daphne. Wendell, sparring against Bella, tried to break free to help Toby against Jane. Bella was trying to keep him back, but it wasn't working. Sabrina wanted to keep watching, but Puck got a lucky swing in that grazed her shoulder and carried him forward, practically into her.
She concentrated on keeping Puck from hurting her while fighting off a dizzy spell and ignoring the black ring that had almost disappeared from her vision for a while, but had come back at a very inconvenient time. She was still fighting when everyone gasped, wolf-whistled, or said "ooh!"
She and Puck looked at each other, nodded, and turned simultaneously.
Bella and Wendell were locked in a passionate- for thirteen-year-olds, at least- kiss.
Apparently, Bella had gotten tired of keeping Wendell from helping his friends, and decided to get devious.
Sabrina stared for a few seconds, then sighed. She'd figure out what was going on later.
"Guys!" She shouted. "What are you doing? We have a match to win!"
Most people blinked, and the fight resumed. Sabrina, who was trying to concentrate on everyone else as well as her own match, didn't notice that she was allowing Puck to back her into a corner until she hit the wall.
"Frigg." She muttered, and Puck grinned.
"Gotcha." He whispered, closing in until their bodies were almost pressed against each other.
Sabrina made a face, blocking his sword. This was remarkably awkward. Despite the fact that she was rather enjoying the sensation, she didn't want Puck's body shoved against hers.
"STOP!" The Beast roared.
He stormed over to Sabrina and Puck, pulling Puck back, then moved the few steps to Bella and Wendell, who were still kissing, and yanked them in opposite directions, sending them flying onto the ground.
"What is going on?" He asked. "This is the least organized skirmish I have ever seen!"
Sabrina looked down, blushing.
"I expected more from all of you!" The Beast continued. "Bella and Wendell, Sabrina and Puck, Toby and Natalie, keep the hormones down!"
"That wasn't what it looked like!" Puck protested. "Honestly, it wasn't!"
The Beast glared at Puck, who shut up, and continued, "And don't even get me started on you four, Moth, Art, Tim, Daphne. Attacking a teammate, of all things! I thought I'd gotten it into your heads that you keep your personal lives off the field! If I called your name, you have detention. And don't try to weasel out of it. Go sit down. I'm very disappointed in all of you."
Sabrina nodded, and went over to sit on the wall with the other observers, fuming.
"What were you doing with Puck?" Red whispered.
"I was trying to see everything else that was going on, and I let him back me into a corner. We were kind of... pressed against each other, but it was nothing like that!" Sabrina hissed. "What did Art and Tim do?"
"Tim tripped Art when he was going after Daphne, and Art turned around and punched him. He missed, but- that was when Sir broke it up. Did you see what else was going on?" Red asked.
"Tim and Natalie took a page out of Bella's book." Jane said. "I didn't know they were dating, did you?"
Sabrina shook her head. "Nor do I care."
"Moth went after me again, actually." Daphne said, sitting next to Red. "But I kind of made the floor grow and tripped her. That's why I was in trouble."
"I figured." Sabrina said. "Why didn't she go after me?"
"She thinks she'll get to you through your sister." Natalie said. "Besides, she's under a blood oath not to touch you."
"What?" Sabrina blinked. Natalie obviously wasn't lying, but, that was just too weird. And who would make that oath with Moth? And get her to agree to it?
"Didn't you hear?" Toby giggled. "Puck swore her in that day you were out sick."
"Puck?" Sabrina rounded on him. "Is that true?"
Puck, whose face was remarkably red, nodded.
"Why?" Sabrina asked.
"Because she was plotting again, and I overheard her, and I'd been hearing it and not telling you, and I was sick of it, and tired of stopping her and keeping you from finding out." Puck said, "So I decided to make her stop forever."
"Wow..." Sabrina said. "That was... remarkably sweet. Thanks."
"You're not mad at me for keeping you from dealing with her yourself?" Puck blinked. "Or for swearing her like that?"
"No." Sabrina said. "Should I be? What's involved in that oath?"
"It's not a big deal." Puck said. "And if you're not mad, that's fine."
"Puck?" Sabrina said sternly. "What does a blood oath entail?"
"I hate it when you use big words." Puck complained.
Sabrina sighed. "You're sidestepping the question, which, while less annoying than trying to lie to me, is still irritating. Just tell me what you had to do."
"I don't want to." Puck said. "Then you will be mad."
"I'll be more mad if you don't tell me." Sabrina said. "And I'll just ask Mustardseed, anyway. Whoa! Nice move, Renee!"
Renee, who was currently in a skirmish, had just disarmed a blonde fairy whose name Sabrina thought was Ariel.
Sabrina turned back to Puck. "Well?"
"It's a trade." Puck said. "And an oath that can only be removed if both parties agree while living. I swore Moth that she wouldn't kill you or injure you, ever."
"And she swore you that you'd...?" Sabrina asked.
"Agree if her mother approaches mine- or me- on the subject of the two of us marrying."
Sabrina blinked. "And you agreed to that?"
"Well, I can't agree if I'm already engaged, can I?" Puck asked.
"You're not." Sabrina stated, raising her eyebrows.
"No, but I could be." Puck said nonchalantly."
"To who?" Sabrina asked.
"This is going to seem like a huge favor, Grimm, but I think you owe me." Puck said. "Could you maybe be my fake fiancee? We don't ever have to actually get married, but if we agree to it over a ring or something, then as long as you keep it on, that'll be more important than the blood oath."
"For real?" Sabrina asked.
Puck nodded. "Weird Faerie thing. Love comes first. I think Fae runs different, but since I'm Faerie, and you're almost... it should work."
"So... what do we do?" Sabrina asked. "I'm not wearing an engagement ring."
"We'll figure it out at home." Puck suggested. "Right now I want to bust on Wendell."
"Fine." Sabrina said, relieved. "I need to talk with Bella anyway."
However, they didn't wait until they were home to talk about it.
That afternoon, in detention, Bella and Wendell were practically glued to each other, as were Toby and Natalie. Daphne was trying to keep Art and Tim separated, because the two were even more irritated with each other than usual, and Sabrina and Puck were hiding in a corner to avoid Moth while everyone waited for the Beast to show up.
"So, about that engagement thing..." Sabrina said. "I don't want to wear a ring. I'd rather nobody know we were doing this, so... Is there an alternate?"
"We could..." Puck thought, "...use your necklace. I gave it to you, and you wear it a lot anyway..."
"So what's involved?" Sabrina asked.
"Gimme." Puck held his hand out.
Sabrina rolled her eyes, slipped the chain over her head, shaking her hair out, and handed it to Puck.
Puck took the necklace in his hands and asked, "Sabrina, will you marry me?"
"Yes?" Sabrina squeaked, as Puck slipped the necklace back over her head.
There was a slight spark as Puck released the necklace, and it felt warm on Sabrina's skin, but other than that, there was no change.
"And that'll keep you from having to marry Moth?" Sabrina asked doubtfully.
"Yeah, why?" Puck asked.
"It just seemed... anticlimactic, is all." Sabrina shrugged.
"A lot of the most powerful spells don't come with big sideshows. It's a sign of how powerful they really are." Puck said, faking a wise tone.
Just then, the Beast entered the room. "All right, kiddos! Time to get started!"
"What are we doing?" Sabrina asked.
"That depends on who you are." The Beast said. "Tim, Art. You two will be working together. Daphne and Moth, so will you two. You'll be versing each other for the next two hours. And if you don't learn to work together today, you will come back tomorrow and do the same thing, until you can get along on the field. Go to the far corner of the gym and begin sparring, I'll come observe in about fifteen minutes.
The four left, groaning, leaving Sabrina, Puck, and the two couple to await their fate.
"Your conduct was unacceptable today, you six. It's PDA, it's rude, and it's disgusting. I hope you're ashamed of yourselves."
"Um..." Puck raised his hand. "Actually, Sabrina and I weren't doing what you think we were doing."
"What have I told you about inter- wait." The Beast stopped. "You weren't? Why should I believe you?"
"Because they're still in denial." Bella said. "They won't even tell themselves they like each other."
"Because we don't!" Sabrina snapped. Talking back to the Beast was out of the question, but Bella was something else. She'd promised never to talk about that!
"Are you telling me the truth, Sabrina?" The Beast asked.
Sabrina nodded. "I wouldn't lie to you, sir."
"Then why didn't you say anything?" The Beast asked again.
"Because we were a little too close." Sabrina said. "And you've been teaching us all year that a good soldier doesn't talk back to superiors. If I'd tried to explain I would have gotten detention anyway for disobeying orders."
"She's right." Puck said.
"Watch it, boy. I haven't said you can go yet." The Beast snapped, not looking away from Sabrina, "I could still change my mind."
"Yessir." Puck said quickly.
Sabrina shot him a smile. He was finally picking up on this!
"Sir?" Bella asked. "While you're deciding whether or not to let them go, what are we going to be doing?"
"You four will be running drills, without your... signifigant others." The Beast said dryly. "Sabrina, Puck. Go home. Practice. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Thank you, sir!" Sabrina called as she ran out of the gym after Puck.
The two were flying home, then Sabrina realized something.
"We're going to have to go back for them." She said. "They have no way home."
"We'll pick them up on the way home from tutoring." Puck shrugged. "Race you there!"
"No fair!" Sabrina called as he raced ahead, "You've got like, super speed!"
The two sped their way to the Golden Egg, where the study group was being held that day. When they got there- Puck won the race, of course- Sabrina immediately began helping the impatiently waiting people who wanted to know how to fight better, while Puck went to explain algebra to a few kids a year or two younger- physically- than he was.
They spent a few happy hours doing that before going to pick Daphne, Red, and Bella up. They arrived home without incident, but opening the door, they were met with chaos.