AN~ I'm thinking about doing features each chapter, of another story. To spread some love around and get people new stuff. Any interest? If I get no responses, I'll assume it's 'cause very few people actually read ANs and it's not worth it anyway.
Winners of the last question of the day: Purpleflower23, who technically won chapter 94, with her suggestion of the Harry Potter fanfiction 'The Magic Word is Sorry, not Please', and yorkie999777000, who was the only one to review for chapter 95 with a fanfic I hadn't read already, America's Ham's 'Severed Chains'. Step up and claim your prizes, people!
New question of the day: What's the craziest thing anyone you know personally has ever done? I don't know how I'll pick a winner yet, but I'll probably know it when I see it. Nothing you got off the news or heard from a friend of a friend. It can be something you did.
Sparkle Ninja: Thanks for the review! It's not done being awkward. :) In fact, I may have to write a oneshot about how very awkward Valentine's Day was for them...
RRB:That's kind of really cool. :) There have been a lot of things I WISH were canon recently. The pregnancy thing is one of them.
Purpleflower23: Well, as an anonymous reviewer, you automatically get an AN mention. However, for answering the question of the day, you get a second one. Want a prize? If so, what? That was a LONG fanfiction, and I enjoyed it, though I found it highly implausible that they'd get treated like THAT. Welcome back, by the by!
As soon as Sabrina hugged Puck, she blushed, and was about to pull away when Puck did something equally as unexpected: he shifted his weight to his left arm and hugged her back.
"Missed you, too, mush-for-brains." Puck grinned down at her.
Sabrina smiled back up at him for a second, noticing how good he looked with the yellow glow behind him. Then she realized that yellow glow meant light which meant inside which meant her bedroom which meant that if Daphne looked out the window she could see them.
She let go and drew back awkwardly. "My insult was better." She said.
Puck snorted. "Potato-butt? I could come up with a better insult in my sleep!"
"Only because your stuffed unicorn would whisper them to you in your dreams." Sabrina pointed out. "I put him down there, you know. In the basement. Along with most of the other stuff I figured you didn't want anyone else to see."
"Thanks." Puck said, sounding surprised. "That's... nice of you."
"I can be nice sometimes." Sabrina told him. "It just happens mostly to people who aren't you."
"And why is that?" Puck asked.
"Because you're not particularly nice to me?" Sabrina shrugged. "I dunno. It just sort of happened that way."
"It works for us." Puck said. "The nasty thing."
"It does." Sabrina nodded. "Which... reminds me to ask you: what did you decide about the growing up thing?"
"Honestly?" Puck said. "I'm going to deal with it."
Sabrina stared at him for about five blink's worth of time. "That wasn't exactly what I expected." She said.
"Yeah." Puck agreed. "Me, neither. But what choice do I have? I can't stop it."
"I kind of expected you to act out at everyone to try to compensate or something." Sabrina shrugged again.
"Thought about that." Puck agreed. "But then it seemed like too much work. So I'm just going to... let it happen. Go with the flow."
"That's surprisingly mature of you." Sabrina congratulated.
"Yeah, 'bout that..." Puck said. "That's not going to happen easy. I'm... I think I'm different, anyway, but not mature. Never that."
"Fine." Sabrina said. "But don't do something gross right now? This is... nice."
"Can do." Puck said compliantly, leaning back on his elbows.
Gosh he looked gorgeous.
Sabrina shook that thought out of her head, spinning her legs around to dangle over the edge of the roof, matching Puck's position. Their hands touched.
She didn't move them.
Neither did he.
They stayed like that until Daphne's friends had gone to bed, just sitting there, hands brushing each other. Together.
At school the next day, Sabrina was more content than she'd been in a long while. She no longer had to hang at the edge of Bella's group of semi-normal friends or find someone else who missed Puck and knew how much she did, feeling their pity. She was back in her comfort zone.
"Sabrina." Snow said, towards the end of English class.
"Yeah?" Sabrina spun her head around, looking up from her notes.
"After school today, don't let the study group meet in the library." Snow said. "Go up to the attic, OK?"
"Sure." Sabrina said. "Why?"
"Meeting." Snow says shortly. "It's for everyone in the Eff, and since you're kind of in charge of the study group, that means I won't have to tell all the kids individually or make a big thing out of it."
The Eff, as Daphne had started calling the Emerald Foot, didn't have meetings. Sabrina knew this. They had Charming's speeches, and little get-togethers to plan things, but not meetings. So this seemed suspicious. But she still led everyone else upstairs to the attic, which, at the moment, looked like a large, steeply slanted stadium with pathways between every two seats- not the best for fitting a lot of people, but the angle of the narrow chairs made up for it.
In the center of the stadium stood the unofficial leaders: Charming, Snow, Robin Hood (backed, of course, by Maid Marian, Little John, and Friar Tuck), Mr. Clay, Mustardseed, Titania, Granny, and Mr. Seven. They waited several minutes for everyone to file in before Charming stepped up to a microphone that Sabrina wasn't sure had been there before.
"Hello, everyone." Charming said. "Welcome. We've called you here today for a very important-"
But the crowd was already tuning him out, and Robin Hood saw it, and stole the mic away from Charming. "Right, people!" He called. "The battle starts this summer, we all know it does! We've had some little things before now, but this is when it gets big. So we need to start preparing proper!"
"Thought that's what we'd been doing!" Someone called. Sabrina thought it was one of the Merry Men.
"Well, yeah, but not well enough!" Robin snapped. "We need some organization! So we've decided to put you into squads!"
Snow tapped Robin on the shoulder and held her hand out for the mic. He gave it to her, and she began, "In light of what's happened to Ghepetto, we've made some considerations, and decided that no squad will be without a healer. Of course, we also want each squad to have a leader, a communications officer, a scout, a master of ordinary weapons, a second in command, and a magical talent. The healers will be equipped with enough to keep someone alive until they can get back to one of our bases, but everyone else will have to see whoever's in charge of their field for supplies. You are not to go anywhere without your squad once the real work begins. Ideally, you'll be working with between seven and twelve people, but never less than six. Now, when I call your name, come forward to get your squad placement."
Most of the study group waited forever, but their names never came. In the end, it was just them who hadn't been assigned- assignments were little pins with symbols on them, apparently, with different colors for each job- and Snow was speaking again.
"Right, now that you all know what we want you to do, two things before you go: if you have an issue with your assignment, come see one of us once this is over, we'll try to fix it, and, the more important one: bases. I'll let Mustardseed take over here, though."
She passed Mustardseed the mic, and he stepped forward and said, "We have several main bases which you'll each be assigned to report to, based on your living location: The central fort of the Emerald Foot, the Golden Egg, and the Grimm house. There are some other smaller establishments, of course, such as the Blue Plate Special and Sacred Grounds, but we picked these three spots, the most impregnable, to use as our strongholds. We may, at some point, order you to move into one of these places to keep you safe. Until then, we encourage you to fortify your own homes as you see fit. And... I believe that's it. Yes?"
Granny shook her head and said, pulling the mic from Mustardseed, "Transportation. In case of emergencies, you'll be able to call the chicken house to come get you, it will be safe, and it will transport you to the nearest base. Now we're done."
Most people started to file out, but Sabrina and almost all the rest of the study group, as well as several of the human kids who weren't really involved in the study group, though they came sometimes, stayed behind. Once the rest of the people had left, Sabrina looked around at the others questioningly. They nodded without saying anything and, as one, got up to demand answers.
Sabrina was shoved to the front, against her will, and found herself standing in front of Snow and the others, feeling a bit nervous because there were almost a hundred people watching her- well, all right, more like eighty, but that was still a lot.
The adults looked at them, and Mr. Clay sighed.
Robin chuckled. "I told you this would happen."
"What is it, children?" Snow asked, looking resigned.
"Why didn't any of us get assignments?" Sabrina asked, when it became apparent no one else was going to speak.
"Because you're children." Snow said patiently. "We discussed it, and we've decided. No one under eighteen is allowed to join the army."
The everafters behind Sabrina sent up a storm of protests, and Snow had to shout over them to be heard.
"Physically under eighteen!" Snow clarified. "I can't be responsible for the deaths of children, I don't care how old you are in reality, your minds and emotions are still those of a child's. I'm sorry, but either you age to eighteen, or you stay at the bases and make yourselves useful in a less dangerous way."
"So what was the point, then?" Sabrina asked. "What was the point of any of it? All that training, calling us up here... for what? We're not going to see any action!"
"That's not true." Charming told her. "There's a high likelihood that you'll be somewhere and be attacked. We want you to survive that, child. That's why we trained you. Now, if there isn't anything else, I'd like to be getting back to my... cabin."
He and several of the others left, Robin ruffling Sabrina's hair as he passed. Sabrina couldn't help it: she blushed. What was with her? He was old! And married! And she'd already established that she liked Puck!
Most of the children, Snow, Granny, and Mustardseed stayed. Sabrina gave him an accusing look. "How come you get to be part of this?"
"I'm not." Mustardseed said. "I'm strictly on the planning end. In fact, I was one of the ones to vote against having children fight."
"Why?" Daphne asked. "Why can't we? Snow, you said it yourself, we care way more about this than a lot of the adults do!"
"I won't get into the science of it, Daphne, but there are reasons. Children just can't make choices as clearly as adults, not because they have less experience, though that's part of it, but because your emotions are in turmoil and your brain isn't fully formed yet."
"Do you really want to see war this badly, lieblings?" Granny asked sadly.
"No!" Sabrina protested loudly, forgetting the people around her. It could have been just her and Granny Relda. "It's not that, Granny. I don't want to kill people or hurt them or anything like that, it's just... I want to do something! I want to be out there, standing up for what I believe in! I want to make sure nobody dies to protect me. I can't just do nothing."
Granny sighed. "I know, liebling, and I have a feeling you're going to run off to try to help anyway, but this is for your best interests. Can you promise me you won't put yourself in danger?"
Sabrina shook her head. "I can't, Granny. I... I'd like to, but..."
Granny sighed and looked behind Sabrina. "Puck?" She said hopelessly.
Puck stepped up and, yanking on Sabrina's hair, promised, "I'll keep her and the Marshmallow from doing anything too stupid, Old Lady."
"Says the kids who just ran off to the woods for a month and a half in the middle of a war zone." Sabrina muttered, jerking her hair out of his grasp. She remembered the other people around now, and with that, remembered to be embarrassed. A blush crept up her face. "I don't think I want you deciding whether or not what I do is stupid."
"Thank you, Puck." Granny said, her voice full of emotion.
"No problem." Puck waved his hand breezily.
"I would be happy for your help." Snow told the everafters behind Sabrina."You'd have to age enough that you could participate, but that's the only reason you aren't involved. And if you don't want to do that, there are several other useful things you could do around here."
Several of the everafters muttered to themselves, but none had sudden growth spurts. That was too big a decision to make all at once.
Snow nodded. "Come see me if you change your minds." She told them. "If not, head home."
Most people left, Sabrina included. She was kicking at the grass in front of her, making faces. So what if she was younger? She'd proved she could do stuff before! What was so different about now?
"Hey!" Someone called from behind her.
It wasn't a voice she recognized, so she kept walking. They probably weren't talking to her.
"Hey!" The voice repeated, sounding a bit out of breath. "Wait up, will you?"
This time Sabrina turned, already thinking up excuses that wouldn't make it seem like she thought they were talking to her. But the person- a guy about her own age- was running straight for her. She stopped.
"Gosh, you walk fast." He panted, once he'd reached her. "You're Sabrina, right?"
"Yeah." Sabrina said. "You're...?"
"Marcus." He told her, smiling. "Nice to meet you."
Sabrina inspected him. That was a Greek name, and he looked Greek. She wondered if there were any famous cataloguers of fairy tales from Greece or if he was descended from some little-known helpful person. She realized that she hadn't answered him and said, "Yeah, you, too."
He started walking again, and Sabrina joined him. He was probably heading back to her house. The humans didn't go to the study group much, unless Bella or Daphne invited one of them.
"Where are you headed?" Marcus asked. "'Cause I could walk you home if you-"
"I'm going to the library, actually." Sabrina interrupted. "Most of us kids meet up there afterwards to help each other out with homework."
"Oh." Marcus said. "Well, I could walk you there, if you wanted..."
Sabrina didn't say anything for a bit, but then she rounded on him. "Why are you talking to me?" She asked. "None of the humans ever talk to me. So what's with the change?"
"Well, that's for two reasons." He said, smiling at her a bit. "Half the girls think you're a stuck up little twit. And a lot of the rest of us thought you were... I dunno, stupid or antisocial or something." He twisted his head to the side, looking at her. "But you're not, are you? You're just shy."
"Maybe." Sabrina said, irked by his comments. "That still doesn't say why you're talking to me, now."
"What you said back there..." He grinned at her, marveling a bit. "It was brilliant. Really captured how most of us feel. It made me see a whole new side of you. And it made me want to get to know you more. Do you mind? If I get to know you?"
Sabrina looked at him thoughtfully. "Sure." She said, almost smiling. After all, today was her day. Puck was back, she had her friends back to normal, she'd talked in front of people, and Puck was in charge of keeping her from running off on her own. Who was to say something else good wouldn't happen?
"Would it be OK if my friends got to know you, too?" Marcus asked. "The other humans? I think they'd like you, once they got to know you. You might even like them, too. I don't know, though, you seem like you don't like too many people."
"I like some people." Sabrina said. "Sometimes. But did you... today?"
"If you want." Marcus offered. "We hang out in the not-a-room and do our own homework. It's lots of fun. Do you want to?"
They'd reached the library at this point. Sabrina looked from the door to Marcus, then back and again. Her friends would be expecting her. But... what if she could make new friends? Daphne and Bella wouldn't mind. They'd probably be happy, actually. And then they could just have one study group, and nobody would have to worry about it.
She looked at Marcus and grinned. "Sure." She said. "Just lemme..." She saw Art going in the library "Hey, Art, I'm going home today, could you tell everyone for me?"
Art nodded. "'Course. Have fun!"
"You're the best." Sabrina grinned at him. "I'll try."
Art waved her off, overtaken by a coughing fit, so he couldn't answer.
"Hey, you OK?" Sabrina asked.
"Yeah." Art nodded, coughing again. "Just a cough."
"If you're sure, then." Sabrina said doubtfully.
Art nodded. "Go. I'll be fine." He entered the library, and the door swung shut before Sabrina could answer.
"Well, madame?" Marcus asked, offering her his arm. "Shall we?"
Sabrina just looked at his arm for a minute before walking off on her own. "I don't know you that well." She told him. "Yet."
Neither of then noticed Puck behind them, glaring daggers at Marcus' back.