[color=gray][right][b][i]TIMESTAMP: AFTER “APONI AND HER HEART”[/i][/b][/right]
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[img]https://i.imgur.com/74yr7Z9.png[/img]

[sub]A [@Venus] & [@BrutalBx] Collaboration
Featuring [color=7B68EE]Natalia Belmonte[/color] & [color=BB986B]Mitena Strongbow’s[/color] First Meeting[/sub]

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[indent][indent][indent][indent][color=BB986B]“My lover's got humor
She's the giggle at a funeral
Knows everybody's disapproval
I should've worshipped her sooner
If the Heavens ever did speak
She's the last true mouthpiece
Every Sunday's getting more bleak
A fresh poison each week
"We were born sick", you heard them say it

My church offers no absolutes
She tells me, "Worship in the bedroom"
The only Heaven I'll be sent to
Is when I'm alone with you
I was born sick, but I love it
Command me to be well
A-, Amen, Amen, Amen

Take me to church
I'll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies
I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife
Offer me that deathless death
Good God, let me give you my life
Take me to church.”[/color][/indent][/indent]
Stood in a power stance with her head down and her feet apart, Tena plucked hard at the strings of her Stratocaster before easing her dark gaze into the crowd and allowing her sensual hard rock voice to howl into her microphone. They were eating out of the palm of her hand. The other girls were vibing with their own respective instruments and they sounded like they actually practiced more than twice a month. She scanned the room for the girl she saw earlier but couldn’t pick her out amongst the raucous tribe living their best under the lights of Aponi’s Heart.

At the conclusion of their cover of Hozier’s ‘Take Me to Church’, Mitena leaned against the microphone and smiled brightly as applause rained down upon her and her friends. [color=BB986B]“Thank you so much, guys. We’re gonna take a little break now but we will be back shortly with another set. Go top your drinks at the bar with the lovely Echohawks or go get your grub on with Resi On the Rez out in the parking lot! Fuel up people, we only get louder from here!”[/color] Once she had leaned her guitar against one of the amps, Tena picked up the beer that was sitting on top of it and polished it off in one swig. Rock and roll was thirsty work. 

After tossing her bottle into the recycle bin by the stage, the young native girl turned to face one of her bandmates, the bassist Odina. [color=BB986B]“Hey girl, I’m gonna hit the bathroom real quick. You mind grabbing me something from Resi’s truck? And also just see if Illara is okay? Thanks, boo.”[/color] Wow, she really was turning into Auntie Jay.

Jumping off of the small raised platform they called a stage, Mitena squeezed her way through the crowd. This might have been the band's biggest audience yet! This was fantastic. There even seemed to be some offcomers from outside the Reservation, though Tena couldn’t help but wonder if those people had been dragged here by her aunt's boyfriend. ReyRey seemed to have the vibe that any perceived slight against him and he would raise Blue Hill to the ground. The tribe had worked hard to build the community and they didn’t have much. The fact that they willingly worked with Rey to get funds just or stay afloat, that really made her uneasy.

Making her way towards Aponi’s ladies room, the talented vocalist didn’t actually need to use the bathroom, she just wanted to use it to cool down. For some reason it was the coldest room in the entire building and her skin was on fire. Pushing open the somewhat heavy oak door with two hands, Mitena was greeted by a welcome sight: the girl with the green eyes. The tanned songstress’ mouth fell slightly agape as she watched the stranger wash her hands and face in the sink. Her soft doe-like eyes followed the contours and curves of the white girl’s body. Her blue jeans hugged her lower frame perfectly, accentuating a pert bum whilst her low cut black tank showed off an athletic and toned physique. Tena’s gaze danced upon the light freckling all over her porcelain skin before being drawn back into her eyes. Great spirit, she wanted to lose herself in those eyes. She had come to the bathroom to cool herself down but seeing this girl there, a raging fire had been ignited inside her. She had to say something, anything! She wrote songs for goodness sake, she was supposed to be good with words!

[color=BB986B]“Hello there.”[/color]

Once the triggering song had ended and she had collected herself with the help of a few pills, deep breaths and vape puffs, Natalia exited the safety of her stall and ventured back to the restroom to freshen up. She took to occupying the sink next to the paper towel dispenser, and quickly busied herself with washing her hands and face. Over the hustle and bustle from the longhouse outside and the stream of water from the faucet in front of her, the Italian girl failed to hear the sound of the bathroom door opening and closing. It wasn’t until she heard a female voice nearby that the girl’s attention was abruptly diverted away from her jumbled thoughts, and Tal’s eyes moved from the sink to the mirror in front of her.

[color=7B68EE][i]Was she in the twilight zone?[/i][/color]

The reflection in the glass belonged to what was probably the most stunning woman Natalia had ever laid her eyes on. Silky strands of dark brown hair framed a beautiful, square-shaped face with inviting pink lips, a cute button nose and a pair of soft brown eyes, their chocolate color being emphasized by the turquoise scarf draped over the girl’s shoulders. The beige dress hanging over her body accentuated the tan skin brightly glowing underneath; its lack of sleeves brought attention to her strong arms while its short length revealed a pair of thick thighs and toned legs. But it was the way this girl was looking at her, with a perfect mixture of curiosity and the same alluring wonder she was sure was reflected all over her own pale face, that had Natalia unable to do anything but drink in the sight in fascination.

Realizing she’d been silently staring at the woman for longer than what was appropriate, Natalia awkwardly cleared her throat and turned to face her. [color=7B68EE]“Hey,”[/color] she somehow managed to respond awkwardly through a dry mouth, shutting off the faucet in front of her. [color=7B68EE]“I was, um, I was just leaving. In case you, um, needed to use the sink… or anything...”[/color] Stumbling over her words like a clueless idiot? [i]Really?[/i] God, if Reagan saw or heard the way her former disciple was behaving in front of this gorgeous woman… She needed to get a grip on herself.

Mitena struggled to even comprehend the words that the stranger was saying, she was so enamoured with the offcomer’s beauty. She could barely speak, but Tena could definitely write a thousand songs about this girl. [color=BB986B]”Soooo….I can tell you aren’t local.”[/color] The porcelain skin was a dead giveaway. Blue Hill very rarely had non indigenous visitors save a handful. Her eyes tracked the young woman’s face and whilst taking in just how stunning she really was, she noted sadness in her diamond-filled eyes. Something wasn’t right. The way she rushed through the crowd and even the way she was looking at her now, like she was some kind of ghost. [color=BB986B]”Did something happen? Are you okay?”[/color]

Natalia blinked for a few seconds, taken aback by the sudden change in subject. She gave a quick glance at herself in the mirror and noticed that she, indeed, looked as shitty as she felt, and suppressed the urge to slap her palm on her forehead. What a perfect time to put absolutely no effort into what she looked like! Of course, the one time she encountered the most breathtakingly beautiful person ever was the one time she was dressed and looking like she belonged on the set of [i]Night Of The Living Dead[/i]. 

[color=7B68EE]“Yeah! Yeah, I’m fine,”[/color] Tal lied without missing a beat, throwing in a dismissive wave of the hand for added flair. There was no way she was letting this stunner of a woman see or hear about how fucked up she was inside the head. Her earlier meltdowns with Jade and in public were enough displays of vulnerability to last her a few lifetimes. Instead, she decided to circle back to the woman’s first question. [color=7B68EE]“We’re um, we’re visiting the rez for the night, some friends and I. Someone mentioned there would be live music here by the locals and we, um, we figured since we were already here we could, um, we could come check it out,"[/color] she rambled nervously, beating herself up for losing the signature Natalia Cool and Collected Boldness right now when it mattered and attempting but failing spectacularly to make up for it with her next sentences. [color=7B68EE]"The band's amazing, by the way-- I'm not sure if you know them, but you probably do considering you look like a local and they're local too... The girl that was singing was… Her voice was fucking gorgeous."[/color]

That final phrase brought a wide and bright smile to Tena’s face. She couldn’t tell if the bathroom stranger was playing an excellent game to get in her pants or she was just as clueless and as rambling as the native herself which made her infinitely more attractive to Mitena immediately. [color=BB986B]"Yeah I hear she’s quite the catch. Track athlete, rock musician and quite the dab band when it comes to gardening.”[/color]

[color=7B68EE]"Oh, that's, um, that's pretty cool,"[/color] Natalia babbled again, unsure of what else to say considering the breathtaking smile she had just been gifted with had served to fluster her further. [color=7B68EE]"Well, um, if you see her, let her know she's awesome."[/color] Not like it mattered anyway. Tal wasn't interested in [i]that[/i] girl-- no matter how amazing her voice was or how good she was on the track. Her attention was solely on the stunner standing in front of her.

Taking a step closer to Tal, the doe-eyed beauty noted a sprinkle of something on the Italian’s cheek. [color=BB986B]”You…uh…missed a spot. Let me help.”[/color] Tena rested her hand on Natalia’s warm cheek and like she had been struck by a bolt of lightning sent down by the Great Spirit, her body filled up with fire. She gently licked the top of her free thumb and with her other hand dabbed away the smudge on the newcomer's face. 

As the distance between them became shorter, Natalia held her breath without realizing it. Her heart was pounding hard in her chest, its loud beating filling her ears. The woman's gentle touch on her cheek brought her a peace that was short-lived, as her next actions sent Nat's hormones into a frenzy. Transfixed, her green eyes watched in awe as the girl slightly opened her mouth, brought her free thumb up to her lips and let the tip of her tongue slide down the surface of her thumb. Immediately, a shiver ran down the Belmonte girl's spine. Her mind had begun to entertain all the different places in which this mystery woman could use her tongue when the girl upped the ante by dropping the first pick-up line.

[color=BB986B]"So I don’t spend my time picking up hot girls in bar bathrooms….much. But, forgive me; I just have to say that you have the most incredible eyes I’ve ever seen.”[/color]

[color=7B68EE]"You say that as if you haven't seen your own reflection in the mirror,"[/color] she replied with a teasing, slightly bashful smirk. Secretly, Natalia let out an internal sigh of relief. At least able to return a cohesive compliment in her mesmerized state. 

Tena’s tongue danced across her lower lip before she eased herself back and away. [color=BB986B]"Sorry, I… What’s your name?”[/color]

[color=7B68EE]"Natalia,"[/color] the pale woman answered breathlessly, forcefully tearing her eyes away from the girl's inviting mouth to fully focus back on her face. [color=7B68EE]"My name's Natalia Belmonte. What about yours?"[/color]

[color=BB986B]"Natalia,”[/color] She mused. [color=BB986B]"Beautiful name for a beautiful girl.”[/color] There was something eerily familiar about the newly named Natalia. She reminded Tena of not someone she knew but someone she had read about. There was a girl in her brother’s book; an Italian who hid from the world behind a veil of beauty. He had said she had stars in her eyes and Natalia certainly had that. Miss Belmonte would forever be her Stargirl no matter what came next. In Charlie’s book, there were two girls in the story that Charlie’s protagonist was in love with. One was innocent and pure and heartbreaking; the other was bold, charismatic and magnetic. It was the second girl that Natalia reminded her of and if she was anything like that, then Tena knew that she was about to fall hopelessly and deeply in love herself. 

She took Tal’s hand into her own under the pretense of a handshake when in reality she just wanted to touch her more and feel that electricity and pray that Natalia felt it too. [color=BB986B]"Mitena Strongbow. But everyone pretty much just calls me Tena.”[/color]

The unexpected response had Natalia blinking fast in disbelief a few times, the compliment she’d just received being pushed aside in favor of obtaining confirmation of what she’d just been told. [color=7B68EE]"Come again?"[/color] she heard herself asking impulsively, a slight hint of panic in her voice. Had she heard her right? She couldn't have heard her right. Because if she [i]had[/i] heard her right, and this girl's name was indeed Mitena, then she had been blown away and utterly captivated by none other than Charlie Decker's sister… The girl she’d vowed to convince to steal Charlie’s letters from and get rid of forever.

Just her luck, right?

[color=BB986B]”Mitena”[/color] She repeated. [color=BB986B]“Lot of people want to say Tina but it’s Tena. Teh-nah. Don’t give into temptation…well maybe not [i]that[/i] particular temptation,”[/color] Tena’s eyes began to wander again, soaking in more of Natalia’s beauty. She had never felt like this before. She didn’t know this girl but she immediately felt like she did. Natalia was no more than a random person that Mitena had met in a bathroom only a few minutes prior, but the native girl felt like she had known the Stargirl her entire life.

As much as Tena wanted to continue talking and learning about this mysterious stranger, there was a shiver in Natalia’s voice that told her that something else other than exploring their chemistry was on her mind. [color=BB986B]“I get the feeling you want to say something. Did I come on too strong? I’m sorry. I just… You’re just… I don’t know, I saw you and I felt butterflies. Is that weird?”[/color]

[color=7B68EE]“Oh no, no, no, no! It’s not you!”[/color] Tal was quick to interject, cupping the hand Mitena had previously given her with both of her own and making eye contact to make sure the Native girl could see she was being truthful. She felt like an asshole for making Tena doubt her fearless (and effective) approach to coming onto her, but the Italian girl’s mind was partly still caught up on the topic of Charlie. [color=7B68EE]“You have nothing to be sorry for. You’re fucking gorgeous, and I’m really attracted to you even if it sounds really weird because we’ve just met and all. It’s just…”[/color] she took a deep breath, bracing herself to drop the news on this poor woman who had probably only wanted to flirt with her and would now possibly be getting her night ruined. [color=7B68EE]“You know how I said my friends and I were here for the night? Well, the reason we’re here to begin with… Is you. We came to Blue Hill looking for you. Because… Because of the letters. That Charlie wrote.”[/color] There. She said it. The cat was out of the bag.

[color=BB986B]"Charlie?…”[/color] 

Tena searched her mind feverently. Why would they be looking for her? Charlie had been dead for two years and as far as she knew, her brother hadn’t told anyone that she even existed. He was very honest in their correspondence about the state of his life and where he was mentally and the stress of introducing everyone that was a part of his heart to his long lost sister was a lot. Mitena did not blame him for this but she couldn’t hide her sadness. She wanted to be involved in Charlie’s life more than she was but she would respect his wishes.

She had heard rumblings from Resi about some creepy letters in Edenridge. He often popped down there with the food truck to earn some cash from the townies and would come back with stories. The last little while he had mentioned mysterious letters exposing secrets but Tena hadn’t given them any mind. What could they have to do with her, after all? Now the picture was getting clearer: the letters were from her brother, his journals that he wrote in so dedicatedly. In their own talks, Charlie had alluded to knowing stuff he shouldn’t.

This brought Mitena back to her present situation-- and the girl holding her hand and warming her soul. Why would she and her friends be coming looking for her? Had Charlie finally acknowledged her as his sibling in one of these mysterious pages and now the reporters were coming to find her? Take advantage of her? The sister of a school shooter, to find out more so they can sell it to Netflix for a shitty documentary. Was this a game? Did Natalia even like her? 

As a thousand thoughts ran through her head, one particular one began to shine. Tena looked at the pale brunette and drank her in. How had she not seen it? The freckled skin, the sharp angles…

[indent][indent][color=D3D3D3][i]“In her eyes, waves of green eternity, bedazzled with dancing flickers of gold.”[/i][/color][/indent][/indent]
This wasn’t just a random white girl. This was the girl, from Charlie’s book, the [i]other[/i] girl. The girl with galaxies in her eyes. She stepped out of the pages and swept Mitena up in the same black hole of beauty that had ensnared her brother. Wrapping her fingers with Natalia’s, finally settling on the notion that the Italian came to do her no harm, the indigenous girl tilted her head softly and looked deep into Tal’s eyes. 

[color=BB986B]”Well if you’re here for me, then I guess I better be yours. Take me to your friends.”[/color]
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