[color=lightgray][right][sub][b]TIMESTAMP[/b] — Afternoon, Tuesday, July 21st, 2021 || After [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5422874]You, Me, Us & Charlie[/url] 
FT. — [color=#DC143C]D[/color][color=#E12341]r[/color][color=#E73247]e[/color][color=#EC414D]a[/color][color=#F25052]m[/color][color=#F85F58]c[/color][color=#FD6F5E]h[/color][color=#F96153]a[/color][color=#F55449]s[/color][color=#F1473F]e[/color][color=#ED3A34]r[/color][color=#E92D2A]s[/color] & [color=56877b]The Basilisk[/color][/sub][/right]
[center][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/users/aces-away][img]https://i.imgur.com/C7beBPz.png[/img][/url]  [img]https://i.imgur.com/h9XNIyW.png[/img]  [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/users/lovelycomplex][img]https://i.imgur.com/kNKdoR9.png[/img][/url]  [img]https://i.imgur.com/h9XNIyW.png[/img]  [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/users/metanoia][img]https://i.imgur.com/zY93CVC.png[/img][/url]
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[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/230318/7623c84271dd8c7861cb31b63a9d2736.png[/img] [img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/230318/d5037a5d0e34b30f6cb71e2ff4de5a7a.png[/img]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/5sy9YdY.png[/img]

[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/230318/67428c9de5678d4a8e7621de42507d53.png[/img]
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[indent][indent]Passing a small wooden sign, which said Blue Hill Reservation (not like she could read it), Anya smiled to herself and thought of her destination. Her person. Up until recently, her escape was her bike rides. Her bike was an extension of her, part of her. Without her, her bike would be rendered useless. She loved her bike, it gave her a feeling she intensely desired, but things were changing and she wondered if she could find this same feeling in the form of a blonde girl with chipped angel wings, jewels for eyes, and a crown fit for a queen, not a princess.

Some people rode for the thrill, Anya rode her bike for a sense of immersion. Bringing the physical and metaphysical together in one reality. There’s nothing between you and the world when you’re on the road with your motorcycle. She could feel the cool humid air as she sped through the forested hillside. From the smell of the road dust to the weeds and the wildflowers, she couldn’t help but be at peace as she embraced her surroundings and let the sun warm her cobalt blue leather jacket. 

Rumbling and vibrating from under her, she guided her bike with her internal compass. When she leaned one way, her bike would follow suit. Her bike listened to her and chased the feeling. She wasn’t hiding from the world when she rode her bike, she was taking charge of her life, her direction, driving through one bubble after the other, of sights, sounds, and smells. She was invigorated and infinite. She was free. If she knew how freedom felt, the Russian woman would imagine it felt something like this. It felt like a bike ride. 

Anya remembered fondly when her father, no, not Zima, permitted her to join the Angels, especially after finding out her connection to Charlie “Coldhands” Taylor. While he didn’t know to what extent CT and Anya’s rapport was, like the fact that CT was her mother’s friend throughout the years going back to their highschool days, he did know they were close. Close enough for CT to give Anya one of two of his Harleys. It was a simple black bike but Anya had customized blue stripes on it. 

Her father never did question the reasoning nor did he have her sisters, his daughters, ask too many questions. Rather he found a way to make this a useful opportunity, placing an informant in one of the major gangs of Edenridge. He wanted to show Anya that he did care about her wants and needs, and so, as most dads would do, he showed his love by calling her an Angel. He gave her a family with the price that she always remembers her wings were there because of him. She flies because he said she could. 

That wasn’t freedom, though. Was it? Not like how riding a bike felt. Not like how her Jade made her feel. The freedom he granted would never be free. There was always a price to pay in her father’s garden. Her life being the ultimate price if she didn’t abide by his rules. If she didn’t appreciate everything he gave her. Still, when she thought of the woman she desired, the one that was on her mind first thing in the morning and last thing at night, her biggest weakness, her greatest strength, she knew something she didn’t know before. Freedom shouldn’t be given. Freedom should be won. Her freedom was a state of mind. That meant she wouldn’t be afraid to chase what she wants. To feel and be human. To love. That meant she wouldn’t be a monster forever. There was a light at the end of the dark tunnel and that light was Jade.

Pulling up and parking her Harley a little distance away from Adora’s porch, Anya turned her vehicle off, removed herself from the seat and secured it on its kickstand. When her bike was nicely parked, she pulled her black helmet with the Fallen Angels emblem up, letting her blonde strands fall over her shoulders.  Facing away from the porch, she threaded her rearview mirror through her helmet visor. On the back of her jacket, there was a snake design that looked similar to the Southside Serpents logo. 

For those that only took a small glance, they would assume she was a Snake. To the keen eye, however, one would notice the differences. Instead of the snake mouth being closed, it was wide open. Teeth revealed and threatening. The eyes glowed menacingly and brightly (a vivid shimmering gold, which complimented her cobalt blue leather). The snake skin was a muted green like that of jade rather than a forest green which most serpents had and the size of the snake seemed a few sizes bigger. If Anya wanted to show her patches she could either open her coat up and display the interior or reverse her coat and sport her Angel pride instead of her Basilisk reputation. Today, she wanted to present herself as the Basilisk. This was her Toast girl and her closest friends after all. 

Understandably, Jade was nervous. Had been after she sent Anya a text. They had a brief exchange. Jade asked if she could pick her up at the Blue Hill Reservation. Anya, she was so sweet in a lot of ways. Jade loved the way she texted. Short, somewhat cryptic. She had this adorable way of using emoji’s too, something that always made Jade smile and it was something that Pops and Key took notice of right away. She had no way of hiding it either. Anya had a way about her, that was for sure. A way to always make her feel like she was at her happiest. The world around her could be literally on fire, but if she knew she was nearby, Jade didn’t have to fear anything. Not even The Devil himself.

In the hour that went by, Jade took a quick shower. She felt a bit obsessive and nervous and overridden with a sense of panic that she took a shower that was twice as long. She had bid her goodbyes to Natalia, who was outside in the backyard swaying gently back and forth on a hammock. Jade couldn’t tell if she was content and happy, or in some kind of state. She seemed receptive of Jade telling her she was leaving, or at least it appeared that way.

By the time that hour had come to an end, Jade was outside, her bag slung over her shoulder and her best friends, Poppy on her left and Key on her right, were with her. She was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a black spaghetti strap top, one that had the image of a burning angel being embraced by Lucifer. Her heart was beating like an orchestra that was in a cooldown period, slowly building the longer the silence remained. It was fitting because she felt like she was waiting and waiting and it amplified her nervousness, which was reflected in the way her arm that was holding the strap of her shoulder bag shook. Closing her eyes, she took a breath. At the same time, Jade heard a sound that immediately caught her attention. It sounded so familiar. 

[color=e62020]“A motorcycle?”[/color] Jade found herself whispering in such a quiet tone that neither Key nor Pops would have heard. Her heart was beating faster and faster now, the symphony in her heart taking a life on its own. She didn’t know why she was reacting like this, but not all bikes were treated the same. The dirt bike was quiet and fast, but weak, but harleys were different. There was a special kind of sound the engine made when it revved. To some it wasn’t anything special, but to her it had an unique sound that was close to her heart because it brought her back to a place when she was at her happiest. The Harley he gave to her to look after, ride whenever she pleased, had that same sound and it had frozen everything in her. From anxiety to any physical movement, Jade was frozen and more or less unresponsive to anything outside of her own mind.

Equally frozen beside his memory-dazed friend, Mordechai stared down at the back of the newcomer from his spot leaning on the porch post. His eyes were sharp despite how they continued to widen in ever mounting shock, taking in every detail as each one added foundation beneath what had until now only been supported by belief. [i]The Basilisk[/i], a name whispered with as much fear as it is reverence in the circles he ran in back in the day, and will be running in again soon. Everyone in the crew had their favorite batshit crazy story about the Basilisk that they just accepted as fact, the one they’d tell around the circle when they had a chance to relax and geek out like the children they didn’t have the privilege to be.

[color=a9a9a9][indent][indent][i][color=f5d42e]”I heard when she was just a teen she was in a bar fight with guys three times her size,”[/color] Sonny would begin while the other serpents snickered over the stars in his eyes. [color=f5d42e]”She took ‘em all down usin’ em against each other then sat at the bar ta drink while they were all bleedin’ on the floor.”[/color]

[color=a23019]”So what?”[/color] Tov always interrupted, flailing his arms around while somehow managing not to spill a drop of whatever he was drinking at the time. [color=a23019]"Wha’ ‘bout that time she was cornered in a warehouse by a hit squad and managed to light the whole place ablaze with the gunpowder from a single bullet?”[/color]

On and on it would go, with Creed chiming in with his favorite of her taking on an entire fighting ring at once and walking away unscathed, or Jokes cackling about her revenge of cutting out the tongue of a man who wouldn’t stop coming onto her with shitty pick up lines and roaming fingers. Prof had made them watch The Princess Bride in an immediate response to them not understanding his joke when he told the rumor of her being immune to most poisons. The circle would always end at Ransom, who would roll his eyes and cross his arms defiantly, slouching back against his seat and claiming he wasn’t as lame as them to have a story. They would firmly remind him he always [b]used[/b] to have stories he favored.

[color=45ddfb]”Those were a kid’s fantasy, I don’t need ‘em no more.”[/color][/i][/indent][/indent][/color]
His eyes were glued to the object of all those stories, but his hand had dropped in order to frantically tap-slap at Jade’s lax form. All his words were trapped in his throat but he eventually managed to change his flailing into a grasp at her elbow to pull her attention for a second and meet her eyes. His gaze screamed [i]surprise[/i] and [i]shock[/i] and [i]wonder[/i] while he jerked his thumb in the direction of the Basilisk on the back of the woman’s jacket.

While Mordechai was fixated on the coat and Jade the motorcycle, Penelope carefully gazed at the beautiful blonde woman’s backside. She looked familiar. Scarily so. The blonde hair, the figure, and the posture reminded her of someone she saw often. Someone that was always around even if they rarely interacted. Someone that frequented a place Poppy knew like the back of her hand.  It wasn’t until the woman turned around to acknowledge the trio, beaming a childlike smile and casually waving, that Poppy realized who that was. [color=fe6f5e]“Jane?”[/color] Was she seeing things or was Jade dating the librarian assistant? Jade… and the librarian assistant. Weird. Turning to the two beside her, she searched Jade’s bewildered face. Catching how lost for words her friend was, she flatly asked, [color=fe6f5e]“How did you bag the library aide?”[/color]

As a delayed reaction to Key’s assertive elbow-poking, Jade snapped out of her daze, returning to Planet Blue Hill as she heard Pops. [color=e62020]“Well, I…” [/color]

[color=56877b]“Hello Toast girl,”[/color] the woman called out with her thick Russian accent, ambling her way toward them, having not breached the distance yet. The trio had a few more seconds to interact before she was in front of them. [color=56877b]“And friends!”[/color]

Hearing that name, whatever Jade was feeling: the time-traveling back to when she was younger, hearing her uncle’s short tail cruiser, which was now hers, the absolute bliss that was associated with those times became almost immediately replaced with the Sunday mornings spent at Dolly’s, meeting for breakfast. Just the two of them as Brandon Lyon served them each an oversweet but equally tasty plate of food. Anya with the pancakes and Jade with her berrylicious french toast. Every Sunday they met like that and every Sunday, Jade could have an hour, at most, to just be…herself. To not have to think about where her mind was at for the entire month except a handful of days with a handful of hours where she could forget about it all.

As her face started to go hot, Jade smiled at Anya, absentmindedly ignoring Poppy and Key just for a moment, taking in the moment. Her heart was beating as fast as hot her face felt, setting everything in and around her on fire. She didn’t know why this was so intense, but whenever she was near Anya, there was no use hiding anything from her. Especially with two other people in her life who had the same effect on her, yet her leather-clad Anya did it so effortlessly from day fucking one. There was no other way to describe that than what Jade was starting to piece together, yet she couldn’t bring herself to say it…[s]yet[/s]. [color=e62020]“Hi Pancake!”[/color] She greeted Anya, smiling a grin that both showed her heart and hid some things about the whole moment she was trying to process herself.

When Jade hyper focused on the librarian assistant, ignoring her question, Poppy glanced over to Mordechai only to see him dumbstruck too. Was she the only functional one right now? Jade was practically turning as red as a rose, which was weird to bear witness to and Decky was stunned because of something. Maybe he knew more about Jane. She’d have to ask him later once this interaction was over. [color=fe6f5e]“Helloooooo, Jane? Jane right?”[/color] If Jade wasn’t going to confirm, Poppy would do it herself. 

[color=56877b]“Jane?”[/color] Anya had approached the three stooges and stared at the small woman who had curiosity in her green eyes and boldness that reminded her of one of her sisters. The Russian lady spent the next second or two trying to process the name before snapping her finger, [color=56877b]“Oh! Oh. Yes and no. In library, I am Jane like the book. I have many names, looks like Ken Doll might know one,”[/color] Anya teasingly grinned, clearly aware of the existence of all three of the people in front of her. [color=56877b]“You close friends with Toast girl, yes?”[/color]

Mordechai was snapped out of his amazement as soon as his corner name fell from the blonde’s lips, though unfortunately it just added to his mounting confusion rather than helping him understand what was going on. Why had she called him that, why had she even [i]known[/i] that name? How in the hell would she even have gotten that information considering that, aside from johns, only two people ever used that name for him an-

[color=a9a9a9][indent][indent][i][color=DC143C]“Legs where did that toy come from, did Badger stop by?”[/color][/i]

[i][color=b8057e]”Nah, I got my own friends too ya know,”[/color] She raised her eyebrow at him while helping Viva open up the russian nesting doll in her pudgy little hands. [color=b8057e]“My Bassy dropped it off for Viva’s birthday.”[/color][/i]

[i][color=da9df4]“Wuv Auntie Bass!”[/color] Viva garbled, excitedly shaking the smallest wooden doll. Each one had been custom painted to look like the baby girl while still maintaining the object’s traditional design.[/i]

[i][color=b8057e]“Maybe you’ll meet her one day, Ken Doll,”[/color] Allegra ended with a wink, leaving him more confused than when he’d walked in the door.[/i]
[center]____________________________________________________________________[/center]
[i][color=dc143c]“Mary-Anne [b]O’Hara[/b], shit”[/color] Decky stressed while staring at Mika with wide eyes, blunt hanging limply between his fingers while the two of them watched the stars from the back of Mika’s truck, on the tail end of another extensive and vulnerable conversation that many didn’t realize the two boys were capable of having together. It wasn’t always fists first with the Boa and the Badger. He had wondered why his brother had felt the need to swear him to secrecy before he even uttered that last name and now Decky could understand why the other boy was so serious. Mikhail Zima, the Honey Badger of the Southside and son of Ivan Zima, honorary son of the top snake himself, Big Rey Gonzales, a fucking Foundling. [color=dc143c]“Any other name drops ya wanna get off your shoulders,”[/color] He joked, showing Mika his lips were sealed by moving on from the subject as he passed the blunt back. [color=dc143c]“How ‘bout your older sister? I know Stacy and Katie, but what about the older badass one?”[/color][/i]

[i][color=635687]“Oh, if you ever meet her in Edenridge,”[/color] Mika answered unexpectedly, as Decky had genuinely just meant to leave it as a rhetorical to lighten the heavy mood. [color=635687]“She’ll probably be going by Jane.”[/color][/i]

[i][color=dc143c]“Then say Jane from now on instead’a ‘my older sister’ every damn time, save the world from ya takin’ up its extra air every once in a while. Gimme that blunt back.”[/color][/i][/indent][/indent][/color]
Holy shit.

Not only was one of his best friends practically dating [i]The Basilisk[/i], but the Basilisk was also Allegra’s [i]Bassy[/i], the aunt of his children who he always missed by minutes when he’d return home from the corner or some odd job. [i]AND[/i] She was Mika’s sister, Jane- [i]Jane the library aide what the fuck[/i]- who he’d heard as many stories about as he had Mika’s mother. Three people he’d heard so much about over the years and- through none of the expected paths laid before him- finally got to meet in the flesh. 

And they were all the same fucking person.

Mordechai was no stranger to multiple alias’ and nicknames. The man himself had a laundry list of names people called him, and only recently was one of those choices his real name. He never really thought about whether or not some people only know him by one name, or if anyone else has ever been told different stories by multiple people and suddenly be faced with the reality that they were all one in the same.

As his mind sorted out all the different pieces and he could practically feel the smoke curling out of his ears, all the poor fool had falling out of his mouth was a confused and tired, [color=DC143C]“[i]More[/i] than one apparently, fuck. I thought you’d been named after a fuckin’ fish,”[/color] he slapped his hands over his eyes and groaned shamefully, a bit of his own childlike attitude coming out as all the information overloaded him while he was safely with his two angels. [color=DC143C]“I thought it was Bassy like the fuckin’ fish, why would I have ever thought-”[/color] he cut himself off and thunked his forehead against the porch post and whispering to himself, [color=DC143C]“this shit’s fried as [i]fuck[/i].”[/color]

Anya watched the boy in amusement, her eyes softening at the moment of innocence. She knew more than enough about Allegra’s Ken Doll. He was part of Edenridge, Anya’s territory. She had to know at least surface information on everyone in the town but when she found out he had given her friend a child, her protective nature forced her to dig a little deeper. A boy whose only family was his brother searched for bonds in a town that fed off his pain. And everyone’s pain for that matter. Little did he know, he did have family. Good family too. That quietly watches over him in the shadows, like she has with Legs for as long as she’s known her. 

This moment and how abundantly expressive Jade and her friends were, how raw, vulnerable, and familiar they were with one another, made Anya think of her sisters and how trauma too brought them closer together. Love was not something a trained killer should possess. Yet when she thought of her sisters, like Faye, as much as she was a thorn to her side, or her brothers, even if Hyde was beyond saving, or her Jade, someone she didn’t plan to like as much as she did, she couldn’t help but want to embrace the feeling and be like Mordechai right now. An untethered soul, who’s willing to not close his heart over all the pains and all the hardships he’s been through. Someone liberating himself from his chains. He might feel like a fool but in this childlike state he was more himself than he realized. 

[color=56877b]“Toast girl talks fondly of you two,”[/color] Anya disclosed, her grin never leaving her face as she took a step closer, dropping her guard. This wasn’t something the Basilisk did. She offered her hand for Jade to grab, signaling she was queued to leave whenever the foxy, Harley Head was ready, [color=56877b]“We need to grab bite sometime.”[/color]

[color=fe6f5e]“... you want to eat with us?”[/color] Poppy blinked, trying to process everything that was transpiring. She was still stuck on the fact that Jade was dating Jane-Not-Jane the library assistant. What were the chances? This town felt big, whenever tragedy struck, but in this instant, it felt minuscule. 

It’s a small world after all. 

[color=56877b]“Of course! You friends with Jade and I trust you good people.”[/color] Not a monster like her. [color=56877b]“I can trust, right?”[/color] She allowed them a chance to speak for themselves on the matters of the heart. That she wouldn’t regret bridging this gap between her world and theirs. A dangerous game, if they only knew.  

[color=DC143C]“I don’t know know about bein’ a good person, personally,”[/color] Mordechai replied honestly as he took in the reality of all the stories he’s absorbed over the years while finally meeting her eyes, on the receiving end of a knowing grin and not willing to try and lie. Knowing he never could lie to her, apparently. It was weird to admit, but he was feeling different emotions over meeting her, the different aspects of this woman who he’d met through nothing but words until now. The coldblooded Basilisk instilled him with a sense of nerves and awe, while Bassy had him worried over judgment about his and Allegra’s relationship and the mistakes he made there. Big Sister Jane left him wanting stories about Mika while also mildly defensive of his status as a non-blood sibling to Mika.

All of them left him wanting to know her more. The sister of his soul brother, just like Mitena was. It seemed like his found family continues to expand at a pace he can barely keep up with, and he wanted to learn them all before life pulled them apart again.

[color=DC143C]“But we can at least be trusted ta eat a meal and get ta know someone without bloodshed. I think we’re all too tired ta want another dramatic act where we all go our separate ways. How ‘bout y’all,[/color] He asked his angels. [color=DC143C]“Think we can all stay in one place ta eat this time?”[/color]

Jade had been quiet. Unusually so. She usually had a comment - an opinion about anything for any given situation. All with purpose, but between being stuck in her own mind for the most part and just watching Anya interact with those closest to her. It was surreal. Not so much for Jade because to her, Pancake named Anya wasn’t this folktale character or ‘Jane from the Library’. To her, she had always been Pancake, the person that she’d have early breakfast dates with every Sunday. The person who she’d make sure she had that time off like clockwork so she had that time to spend with her. 

But it was kind of surreal for her that everyone close to her seemed to have a different name for her. She liked that. It showed that it wasn’t just her who thought Pancake was special and someone that everyone should know - she had a reach beyond the bubble of Dolly’s. Everyone should know how amazing she is.

Jade took her hand, smiling at her. Between her inability to do nothing but smile whenever she was around her and the recent feelings of getting back to where they were, Jade couldn’t do it around Pops or Key either. She couldn’t do anything but smile with them. Because that’s what the Angel Princess needed to do now. She spent too many long nights stuck in the past, locked away in her trauma and it kept her from being able to heal. Meeting Pancake that one fateful night was the start of…what happened in the past twenty-four hours. She wasn’t a spiritual person, but fate was something Jade could get behind. [color=e62020]“I’d like that. And I think I know a place, too!”[/color] Jade almost cackled, looking between her family. The one she chose. The one who chose her.

Penelope’s green eyes dropped down to Jade grabbing hold of Anya’s hand. The older woman pulled her best friend to her side. She looked at that gesture and thought back to her dream she had earlier this day. The dream of her drowning. Before she tried to see how it felt, before she decided to sink and let the water take her breath away, she remembered them walking down a dirt path, through the woods, with a cooler and their swimming suits on, ready to enjoy a day in the sun. To forget their troubles and pretend they were kids that weren’t getting pulled away from each other. Pretend they didn’t have to grow up. Pretend that nothing would tear them apart, no matter what. 

Sophomore year was the last inkling of unity they all had before it all went to shit and there she saw Charlie slow down, seeing his Poppy caught in a daze, staring up at the gleaming sun that slipped through the branches and the leaves. He offered his hand, just like Anya did with Jade. Just like Resi did with her, hours ago, when he took her to his van and told her his story. Even now, with her soul momentarily at peace, she felt the ache of his absence. The reservation was a wonderful place and she wished she could be here longer but it still reminded her of the man Charlie could’ve been if all they did was change his environment. [color=fe6f5e]“Sounds like a date then,”[/color] Poppy responded, subconsciously reaching for Decky’s hand, trying to grasp for support and comfort as they were nearing the time they’d have to say goodbye. 

This wasn’t a goodbye. 

This was a see you later.

As if the Basilisk could read the veiled pain on Poppy’s face, deep in her eyes — a smile wasn’t enough to fool the keen eyes of the Basilisk — Anya assured, trying her best to enunciate her words and speak with conviction, [color=56877b]“I keep her safe. When I say this, I do not joke. Jade most important to me.”[/color]

Poppy’s grief was interrupted by the blunt and open confession this hot Russian woman just made for her best friend. Clearly the feelings were mutual and somehow Jane could read minds and knew Penelope was getting in her head. Poppy didn’t let go of Decky’s hand though. She still needed someone to be there for her. She still needed a friend. Their time at the reservation was almost over and reality would soon come crashing back in like a tidal wave. She wasn’t ready to go back home…

[color=56877b]“Okay! So date. Jade you text friends where we go and when we go. Now, we leave?”  [/color]

Just like so many times before, Jade couldn’t keep her guard up around Anya. That one comment she made in a declaration sort of way to Poppy and Key had made her face feel hot. [color=e62020]“Y-yeah--”[/color] She coughed, trying to regain any modicum of her composure back. [color=e62020]“Yeah! I’ll text you both later! Make sure to let me know as soon as you get back to town too! Okay?”[/color] Her blue-green gaze lingered on them. 

Mordechai nodded to Anya and gripped Poppy’s hand back just as tightly as she held his, warmth swelling up through him at the words of confession that fell from the Basilisk’s lips. His Jade had done that, and likewise Mika’s sister had had a similar effect on the biker princess he called a sister of his own. Jade smiled that same bright grin she’d gotten earlier when speaking of her crush, only there was more confidence than contemplation behind her eyes now. His angels really were healing, and even though he never thought it would be possible, he was along for the ride. 

They weren’t thriving yet, and he wasn’t naive enough to believe that up was the only direction they could go. Life will always be a rollercoaster of relapses, addictions, worries and woes, but as low as those could take them there was always the ascents, the sobriety, conviction, excitements and joys. They’d all gone off the rails, both in the past and recently, but somehow their cars always managed to link back up and find the track once more. They’d always have each other, even Charlie in some way, and Mordechai couldn’t help but smile back at them all as he finally accepted that in his heart. They were far from happy, but they had also somehow come far from the broken children that had fled the breakfast table that morning, and they were letting themselves take the chances to be happy that they so easily would have passed by before.

[color=DC143C]“Have a good ride back, Harley Head, we’ll hit ya up when we get back,”[/color] He assured before teasing, [color=DC143C]“Don’t forget ta hold on tight, I don’t know if ya know this but there’s no seatbelts on motorcycles so don’t be afraid to be handsy.”[/color]

[color=fe6f5e]“Call if you need anything!”[/color] Poppy blurted out. [color=fe6f5e]“Don’t disappear again, please…”[/color] she whispered afterwards, her voice trailing off as her eyes met with Jade’s.

Silence always spoke volumes with them, but this was different. It was different than sharing a glance and Jade would know everything running through Poppy’s mind. This wasn’t just that but a fear - a paranoia that Jade would do it again. She knew she wasn’t in that place still, but Poppy didn’t know it. That much the blonde could tell. [color=e62020]“I promise. You have my word, Poppy. I’ll call both of you tonight.”[/color] In that moment, she had to think that both Key and Poppy knew she meant it with her whole soul.

Poppy had one voice telling her she did know Jade wouldn’t ghost her and that she trusted her best friend’s every word. Another voice told her that she’d get burned again and that rooted to her fear of her relationships being one sided. She hadn’t had a stable friendship with any of her childhood friends. She hoped this was only her self doubt, a stupid insecurity of her thinking she was unworthy of anyone else’s time, and not because Jade was speaking out of her ass. Deep down, Poppy knew this time was different. It just had to be. They all came too far for it not to be. Still, she had a creeping darkness trailing close behind her, reminding her that good things do not last forever. [color=fe6f5e]“You better,”[/color] she buried her worry and teased. [color=fe6f5e]“Or I’m shoving that promise up your ass.”[/color]

[color=56877b]“So much passion in a tiny girl,”[/color] Anya chuckled, before pulling Jade with her to her bike, growing impatient, [color=56877b]“We go, I give you my time. Spend it well.”[/color] After a couple more minutes, the two blondes were on the bike, Jade wearing Anya’s helmet. That was not up for debate. The Basilisk looked fixedly, one last time, at Mordechai and Penelope. Her eyes were ever so piercing, yet somehow, tender. All at the same time. 

She called out to them and gave them one last gift.

[color=56877b]“Anya! This is my name.”[/color]

She was sure in time they’d learn the value behind her name. Her real birth name. Anya just hoped it wasn’t anytime soon. A name was nothing but a name. People put meaning behind a name. And she had several. Still, her name, her real name, wasn’t something to use lightly in the town of Edenridge, especially since some of her older sisters hid in plain sight, always ready to get involved and fight.  

To love someone was to open yourself up and be aware that there were sacrifices to be made and risks to take. To love was to be vulnerable to all those you care about or in this case, to open up to some of Jade’s family. Anya hoped Mordechai and Penelope appreciated this exchange and she looked forward to seeing their journey reach great heights and maybe one day to a destination they could live and settle in for the long haul. A destination where they’re happy. Whatever happiness may be to them. 

What a day to dream. 

Where myth becomes a memory and now, the not so lost trio, the ones chasing their dreams,  could call the Basilisk an ally. 

The myth. The legend. A friend. 

Anya.

Jade’s Pancake. 

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