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Recent Statuses

1 yr ago
Current Happy new year. Yes I am still alive. Bleep you 2022.
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2 yrs ago
You need to chill, girl. ;P
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3 yrs ago
I still don't know why I'm awake.
4 likes
3 yrs ago
I have no idea why the hell I am still awake right now. I blame my brother.
3 likes
4 yrs ago
Today, I have added "people who don't wear masks" onto my shitlist. Oh wait, I did that months ago...
6 likes

Bio

I'm a 32 year old woman just looking to keep those writing muscles in whatever shape I can. I'm also Canadian, so fill the rest of this bio with every stereotype you can think of. I've also been single for over a year now, so clearly I'm a catch.

"She's horrible and stuff" - @BangoSkank

Most Recent Posts

Well, you know I told you if you revived Rosefell, Melissa would rise with it, so let's just make that official with some interest and a claim.

Melissa Elliott || Female || Rosefell High Student || FC: Sasha Pieterse || Buckeye Red (I'll look up the code later)

And while we are at it...

??? || Female || Liberty High Student ||| FC: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan || orange






To say that the adventures with the bottle were a mixed bag was completely apt. The second that Savannah returned to her spot after Nicholas tried to jam his tongue down her throat, she downed a huge portion of the remainder of her Hpnotiq to get the taste out of her mouth. Luckily, she wasn't called upon to offer any more kisses this evening, although Talya not landing on Sav was disappointing. You would think fuckin' karma would pay me back for that whole Nicholas bullshit. I guess Sol used that up. She did feel a twinge of regret with Sol now knowing what the boxer was capable of, but it was clear with her efforts from Tane that there was something else that had her attention. Something that Savannah definitely couldn't offer.

So when TJ announced a gear shift to seven minutes in heaven, that's when Savannah's mind started going into overdrive trying to figure out exactly what the hell she was going to get out of this contrivance. Savannah had spent more than seven minutes in heaven before, so the prospect of limiting herself to such a time frame was almost juvenile. However, maybe that was what she needed to actually get Talya to the point of potentially getting to know her better. There was the scavenger hunt. There was the dance floor. It was clear there was something there. So what was the plan? This wasn't Payout's first rodeo, but somehow this felt like the stakes were higher. She felt this way with Alexis, and yet it wasn't at this level. It was weird.

It was clear TJ knew what the stakes were. It looked like her and Tane had a right romp. Maybe it was supposed to be revenge for Nicholas getting insanely cute with spin the bottle. Savannah still felt a tinge of regret about that. Not from the action, but from the fact that she didn't give in and slap that stupid smirk off that asshole's face. It would have made her point even better. But, she held back for some reason, and maybe that was why the party was still going. And TJ held the keys.

As the redhead returned to the bar area, the pink-blonde accompanied her to give some support in the face of the others. However, it was really to grease the wheels of what she wanted to accomplish. "Hey, I'm fuckin' proud of you, girl," Savannah told Tyler Jane. "You showed no fuckin' mercy in there, and that's the fuckin' girl I know. So... we are just claimin' who we want, right? Because, I'll be real, I think it's best I take Talya in there and make sure she don't have to be so shy next time she's coming up to me, you know? So that's gonna happen."





There may or may not be some interest here.



secret awakenings

A @Venus & @NeoAJ Collaboration
Featuring Soleil Jameson & Savannah Payton




Some people spend their entire lives wondering what it's like to be free. Free from the outside world's judging stares. Free from the tyrannies of an unfair system pressing down on their every move. Free from their own mind's perpetual doubts and worries. People will chase any matter of things to try and find that kind of freedom. That feeling of knowing that nothing in the world could possibly weigh you down. That every cell in your body is being buoyed by some unseen exception to the laws of gravity, lifting you, keeping you from possibly falling back into the clutches of the everyday trappings of life.

That's what Savannah was feeling right now. Maybe it was the half-bottle of Hpnotiq she had already downed in addition to the other random shots done among her closest friends. Maybe it was the rush of victory from the pong table. Maybe it was just the way the light flickered and danced whenever she caught a glimpse of those blue pools across from her. But as soon as the world was reduced to just her, Talya and the rhythm of the music, nothing else seemed to matter at the moment. Not Nicholas, or TJ, or Griffin or classes or anyone. Savannah had chased this feeling on the track for days on end and there were times when it felt like she was free, but this? This was flying. This was surreal. This was free.

This... this is amazing... All this time... I was chasing the wrong thing... This feels so natural... so right... is this what I wanted all along? Just to feel this? And I could have had it... If I just let go sooner... I needed Talya to find it... Fuck, she's a special girl... I wonder... no... I know... I want more... I want more of this feeling...

But again it was fleeting. TJ had other plans for the evening, and it was clear that she knew which direction she wanted things to go.

“Spin the bottle and 7 minutes in heaven starts now! If you want to get lucky tonight, come join either one of the games next to the pong tables…”

Maybe that was the sign Savannah was looking for. TJ had her back even when she didn't know it. Savannah looked over at Talya, unsure if she wanted to abandon the dance floor for an arbitrary chance at having the excuse to push things further. Besides, wasn't spin the bottle for like middle schoolers? Or was she starting to overthink things again?

Talya didn't give her the opportunity to get too worked up about it. The brunette took Savvy by the hand and guided her on. "Dude come on! Let's go make fun of people's awkwardness."

Savannah giggled. Talya had come up with a way to play to her attitude about the whole thing in general, anyway. She took another swig from her blue bottle and nodded, "Hey, I'm down for a good laugh. Let's go."

The two made their way to the growing circle. Savannah sat down beside Erica and Talya followed suit beside her. One of the Corona bottles sat in the middle, the arbiter of the evening's entertainment. As Savannah looked back at her dance partner, noting how intently Talya was staring at the bottle, those eyes laser focused, she started to plan things out. All right, this is nothing. Gotta basically just spin the bottle so it almost goes in a full circle. It's like pong, but sideways. And I can do the pong. Fuckin' right I can do the pong. I can do this. This is kid's shit. Hope you're ready, Tal."

Things at the party were progressing a lot faster than Soleil had imagined or expected. She hadn’t walked through the door five minutes when Tane was excusing himself to fetch them a drink, coming back with them and encouraging her to parktake in Spin The Bottle, all the while grabbing her ass, kissing her cheek and whispering in her ear (and successfully riling Sol up in ways she hadn’t expected to since Teddy was gone). Seeing as the majority of the classmates she knew would be playing, it would be foolish of her not to. So after chugging half of the drink in her hand, Shady took a seat right across from Tane, arriving just in time to watch the spinning bottle come to a stop on Leo’s towering frame.

As the glass started turning on the tiles of the common room, it was clear there was a bit of sick humor at play with the whims of the neck. Erica, bold as she ever was, maybe even more so under the influence, spun first. The pulls of gravity landed her spin on Leo Fucking Brooks. Savannah was pretty sure that was his middle name. Anyway, watching Erica try to stomach the eventual kiss she got from the so-called King of San Agustin did get a giggle out of Savvy. "I am so fuckin' sorry you had to go through with that, Erica," she offered upon her friend's return to the circle. "I think I would have just taken the option of puking without that kind of help."

"Those are the rules," Erica muttered, rolling her eyes and shaking her head at the absurdity of this game.

Of course, the bottle seemed to have taken a shine to Leo. Cassie Lucasta-- When did she get here? Literally fuckin' everyone was invited to this thing... grabbed it next and also landed on the worst person possible. Cassie, however, seemed to enjoy it more than Erica did. Leo, feeling emboldened, spun and drew... Billie Grey. Fuck. Guess that plan failed. Leo went in and started full-on making out with the other Grey sibling to the point of almost succeeding in making Savannah puke. She held it down though and joined in the chorus calling for the two to rein things in. "Hey, if I wanted to watch porn in here, I'd put videos on the fuckin' TV! Simmer down!" Eventually they did. Thankfully.

From her position, Soleil watched with disgust as her best friend shared a surprisingly intense kiss with Erica Monet of all people, only for the bottle to be spun again and land on the smug fucker once more. How is it that nobody wanted this son of a bitch here in the first place, and now he’s swapping saliva with half of the school’s female population? she couldn’t help herself but think while Leo wooed another poor, mindless sap with his lips. And as if watching him make out with two girls back to back wasn’t enough, Leo decided to go for the kill when he took his turn and went at it again, this time with Nick’s sister Billie. At this point, there was no disguising the way Sol audibly gagged and looked away from the softcore porn currently in development in front of everyone’s eyes. She was grateful for the many protestors around her who seemed to be just as sick of it as she was, because thanks to their pleading the casanova finally took a long-deserved break.

Up next were Griffin and, to Sol’s amusement, Tyler Jane. She had half-expected for one of them to bow out or even request a respin, considering the history of disdain between them. But much to her surprise, the blond and the redhead faced the challenge head-on, putting on a very convincing show for all the spectators to see. When they were finished, the smiling Shady let out a wolf-whistle of appreciation. Well done, you two.

TJ stepped up and the bottle did what Savannah couldn't on the beer pong table: find Griffin Pierce and get him to sink a shot. It was... weird. Seeing two friends kiss is like... seeing an aunt and uncle kiss. She looked over at Erica for some level of agreement, but that was not the expression on Erica's face. It was best to leave that untouched for now. Tyler Jane finally broke away from Griffin and retreated to the drink island. Savannah hadn't visited that island in a while, her new blue friend providing everything she needed at this point. But someone had to go. The other two members of the hosting party had taken their spins. It made sense for her to go next.

"All right, I'll go. But if this fucker lands on Leo, I'm smashing it's broken ass out on the pavement," she announced as she leaned in and grabbed the bottle. All right. Gentle spin, one or two turns, hope this lands on Talya. She twisted her wrist and flicked, letting fate determine whether or not she would get that easy in.

However, it was not to be. There was too much force on it. Bottles weighed more than ping-pong balls. And by the time it ceased to move, it pointed not at Miss Burnley, but instead at Soleil Jameson. There were some predictable hoots and hollers from the male members at the party. Obviously their tiny brains still went ballistic over the thought of two women kissing. Fuckin' animals. Still, there were worse targets. At least Sol was a friend. A gym friend, but still a friend. It wasn't like the thought of kissing her hadn't crossed her mind before being reminded that Sol reacted to sudden unexpected movements with solid right jabs to the face. But still, any danger was long since erased. Savannah was more than ready. Plus, it didn't land on a dude. That was a win right there. The thought of kissing a dude right now sounded repugnant.

Savannah leaned forward, beckoning Sol to join her with her finger. "All right, Shady," she said with a sultry confidence that was becoming more dominant as her Hpnotiq bottle was being emptied. "If you think you're fuckin' woman enough to handle this, come get it."

To say that Sol had been shocked was an understatement. Less than a minute ago, she’d been cackling and enjoying being a spectator witn front row seats to all the drama going down around her. And now there was a bottle pointing straight at her, with a very willing female friend calling out to her on the other side and a crowd of onlookers thirsty for the first girl-on-girl kiss of the evening.

"If you think you're fuckin' woman enough to handle this, come get it."


So that’s how it was going to be, huh?

If there was anything the dark-haired girl enjoyed, it was defiance and a challenge.

“Don’t say you didn’t fucking ask for it,” Shady warned her friend with a Cheshire cat smile before leaning forward, tangling her fingers on Sav’s blonde and pink hair and pulling the girl into a deep kiss.

Admittedly, even in this state, Savannah was surprised Sol went for it as full-on as she did. It really shouldn’t have been. They were always competitive in the gym, it made for some challenging days on the treadmill. Still, the way Shady went at her. It felt… familiar?

Savannah couldn’t explain it. There was no way that she had kissed Sol before. But there was an image in her mind. Of a woman with caramel skin and hair like the darkest forest. Someone who could reign her in despite her wildest impulses. Savannah couldn’t place it. She should remember something so forceful, so bold, so… in-control. But, it was something she had been missing for a while.

A part of her wished this wasn’t just for the bottle’s sake, but she knew the way Sol got down. So this was likely going to be it. This was a lip-locking duel to the end.

And Savannah was going to win.

She ran her hand through Sol’s long, dark brown hair, pulling her closer as Sav pressed the lips that tasted faintly of tropical fruit against Sol’s own. The Jameson girl may have gotten the best of her on the weights, but here? This was Payout’s turf. This was a different kind of cardio. And she ran like a goddamn cheetah here. She pushed the advantage, sliding the bottle out from underneath them as she was intent to lock lips as long as Shady was game.

There was something familiar about the feeling of Savannah’s soft, feminine lips passionately clashing against her own, and the way she pulled her closer to intensify their kiss. Suddenly, a long-forgotten memory broke through and to the forefront of Soleil’s mind.

It was a cool midnight in early August, with a full moon in sight and the stars shining brightly on a cloudless sky. She was fifteen years old, sitting at the edge of a dock overlooking the lake of her favorite summer camp. Another girl sat closely beside her: with caramel-colored skin and shiny, curly hair framing a beautiful, heart-shaped face with luscious pink lips, chocolate brown eyes, and a cute button nose. Shantelle, her name was Shantelle. There was silence in their vicinity, mostly interrupted by the chirping of crickets hiding in the grass and the symphony of the nocturnal animals in the forest around them.

The two girls had their feet dipped inside the lake, giggling and exchanging hushed stories while holding hands with their fingers intertwined. All of a sudden, there was a moment of stillness between them: where their eyes had met and their souls yearned for each other. In the blink of an eye, Soleil and Shantelle were rushing forward and wrapping their slender arms around one another as their lips met in a kiss that started out slow, shy, gentle and sweet. But with every second, there was a deep-seated hunger for each other that grew and grew-- like a craving they couldn’t resist. Their kiss became deeper, more heated, and their hands began to paw at each other with a sense of urgency. The exchange between them gradually intensified, like a small flame slowly growing into a blazing forest fire. And with the evening sky and the forest as their witnesses, Shantelle and Soleil lovingly came together as one.


Back in the present, a breathless Soleil pulled away from Savannah. She stared at her friend for a few long seconds before breaking into a wide, triumphant grin. “We fucking killed it, bruh!” she hollered, lightly punching Sav in the shoulder and raising her closed fist in her direction for a fist bump.

Savannah had won! Sol had pulled away first! So why did it feel like a loss? She slowly opened her eyes, as if trying to will Sol back to their central spot on the common-room floor, but the brunette was in the same spot she was. Hovering, waiting, unsure how to proceed. However, that feeling for Shady was very short-lived. As her workout partner offered a light lovetap to the shoulder and a fistbump, Savannah followed up with a smirk and a shrug. “Bitch, was there ever any doubt? Excellent work, you!” She returned Sol’s fistbump with emphasis and then turned to the gathered crowd. “Are you fuckers not entertained?!?”

Savannah returned the bottle to its central position and moved back to her spot. As she settled, she looked over at her dance partner. "Don't you worry, Tal.” she said with all the assurance of a San Antonio streetwalker. ”I'm saving my fastball for later."









Just can't catch a freaking break, can I?

As Jade Scott stood, dressed to an entirely different set of nines that she was used to, she wondered just what the universe had against her lately. Didn't she deserve happiness? Didn't she deserve to feel free for once in her life? Able to do what she wanted without having to watch and make sure it was cool with the coach or the referee?

Joey made her feel like she deserved it. The clothes, the hair, the lovely ride downtown where she noticed the Neon Pixie was occasionally stealing glances. Jade did her best to return them while keeping the Uber driver preoccupied with soccer talk. It was easy to casually do that, although Joey definitely made it harder than usual. It was shaping up to be a night that both of them could have used given the stressful week post-Bash.

So why did this have to happen? Who the heck thought it was a good idea to do renovations on a club in a college town in the fall? All the students were coming back and ready to go! Why wouldn't you shut down in the summer or something? It made no sense.

Of course being out on a Friday night during the season made no sense. Except for Joey. And Joey was not having this right now.

“What are we going to do! We spent all that time for nothing. I mean, fuck! I need to do something Jade! I can’t go back to the house knowing we got dolled up for no reason!”

At least Jo was really cute when she pouted. But she was right. There was a lot of time and effort spent to get to this point. To just go back and keep staring at that blank Word document while looking like she should be a backup dancer in a mid-2010s music video felt like the saddest possible use of her night.

What could Jade do though? She wasn't exactly up on the bar scene in town. She turned 21 during exams last year, and wasn't exactly in the mood to remember what happened after her final. There was a lot of pre-drinking at the house and then... things were a blur. Jade wasn't exactly paying attention to the surroundings, so there were no suggestions percolating in her head.

"I...." she started, trying to jog her own memory. She was drawing a blank though. "Well... there's gotta be a bar or something available, right? Something that has a floor? Even terrible bars have a dance floor open on Friday nights!"

Jade grabbed Joey by the shoulder and spun her around. "We are gonna find a spot, we are gonna get our dance on, we are gonna have a good time, and we are gonna look damn fine doing it! All right? All right!" It wasn't one of her better pep talks, but Joey hadn't heard all of them, so it would work... right?







*SPLOOSH*

As another ping pong ball found the bottom of a glass on the opposite end of the table from where she stood, Savannah tried to remain as humble as she could. There was no reason for her to be sinking shots like this. Tyler Jane was supposed to be giving the lesson, not taking it! But taking it she was. Sav was trying to at least keep up with TJ, given the aim of the game was to get both combatants drunk, and the easy-drinking taste of the Hpnotiq was helping with that at least.

However, Savannah was already starting to feel somewhat woozy. Shoot... is my tolerance that bad...? In her thoughts, it had been... never since she had anything stronger than a Breezer, but still it didn't make sense. In reality, the months of detox in preparation for her entry into San Agustin had done enough to eliminate most of Payout's ability to handle her booze, but she couldn't be aware of that yet.

"Sorry, TJ. Guess I'm just a natural at this!" she offered as she took another swig from her blue bottle in an effort to steady the ship. "But I think I'm ready to take on some of those other boys coming in here!"

There was just one boy she wasn't truly prepared to take on yet. Unfortunately for Savannah, that boy was the one heading to the table in all his floral-patterned glory. Nicholas Grey. Of course. Although his bandaged-up hand bore some questions. The hell did he do to himself? Guess he's not coming over to play the pong, that's for sure...

“Evening girls. I have to admit: the place looks great. Although, nowhere nearly as good as you two do.”

Wha-what? Did he just say that? He had to be just saying that, right? Savannah brushed some strands of blonde-pink hair behind her right ear. I mean, I haven't even done anything. I've just been in here since getting back from the gas station, and TJ did so much effort to look that good, and... Nooooooo... he can't really mean that. But still, I mean, it's nice I guess. To get a compliment from a guy like that. The Texan looked over at TJ though, aware that she didn't want to flood the bridge so soon after the water had passed underneath it.

Tyler Jane, however, was paying Nicholas no mind. She tapped one of the spectators to take a celeb shot and unfortunately, he must have been one of Griffin's teammates on the basketball team, because he hit nothing but plastic. That sound snapped Savannah out of her temporary daze. "Awww, the fuck? That's a cheap shot, Tee!" Savannah complained as the curse words started to filter into her speech the more alcohol she consumed. Still, she dutifully took another shot from her kind blue bottle. "I get dibs on Griffin then if his ass shows up over here!"

Still TJ was intent on confronting the target, and Savannah was torn between trying to press the advantage she didn't know she had, and to stick up alongside her friend. "Oh, hi Nicholas. Nice of you to join us... fashionably late I see.” Tyler Jane has made her choice. She was playing coy. Well, Savannah could as well...

...if she wanted to. She shook her head slightly. This was Nicholas Grey in front of her. Already complementing her minimal efforts to get ready for this shindig. Still looking like a snack even if he was walking wounded. But was he that tempting of a snack? Before, he was looking like a Blizzard, now it was just a snow cone. And snowcones weren't worth the effort once you got past that first juicy stage...

So Savannah turned and looked at the boy and decided to stand her ground with the redhead. "Yeah, fuck, I mean, you come any later all the alcohol was going to be drank up! What, are we not worth your time?" She motioned to herself and TJ but her finger pointed at her friend far longer than it did at herself. "Typical fuckin' dude. You know-"

"Sorry to inturupt - but I was wondering... Savannah, would you like to dance?"

To get Payout to cut a potential rant off full stop took a heck of a move, but Talya, out of nowhere, came in with the stunner. Savannah let out a weak gasp at the offer as she had to pause.

Holy shit, is Talya... The Texan's eyes looked her scavenger hunt teammate over. Drink in hand, that long dark hair smoothed perfectly in place, that outfit just hitting all the right buttons. Payout was a sucker for that tank top and jacket combo. It just worked for her. Huh... why am I thinkin' I shouldn't do this? I mean, Nicholas is right there... Don't I... She looked between the two dark-haired options in front of her and the more she stared, the more she couldn't believe this was an actual choice. Ah fuck that heteronormative shit. Stick that bull up that Sunday school teacher's ass. This is happening now. See where it goes. Any thoughts of trying to best her friend for the guy's attention were long gone now that the true hypnotic presence of Savannah's evening had revealed herself.

Savannah smiled from ear to ear as she looked over at Nicholas and TJ before turning back to Talya. "You know what, Tal? That sounds like a lovely idea. Just give me one sec, sugar." Savannah turned back to the table and lined up the last of Tyler Jane's cups that remained untouched. With one eye closed, her arm cocked back and let loose a laser shot that was destined to end up plinking in off the back up the target and into the liquid. "Couldn't let TJ off the hook for callin' that celeb shot to try and save her ass! Anyway, someone else can run the table for a bit. Maybe we'll be back for the tag-team titles."

She dusted off her hands and presented the right one to Talya. "Lead the way to the dance floor, darlin'," she commanded as ceded her position. It was time to sink some different shots.





PARVATI
SEATTLE UNIVERSITY, HOME OF THE REDHAWKS
MOOD: SHE CAN'T RIGHT NOW



At least she wasn't going to be alone. That was the first thought Parvati had as she had someone show up who she could at least talk to. No offense to a lot of the other gods, but some of them had such egos. Oooh, I'm a Greek God and I've got a Disney movie about my kids even if they are half-mortal! Ugh. It's not like Bollywood couldn't turn out a quick story about me and Shiva... Parvati had to stifle herself for a moment as she almost thought about one of the main reasons she hated these conclaves. It wasn't the goddesses' fault though. Most of them were cool. She gave Kore a wave back as she got settled.

Thankfully there was no reason to keep thinking about the sadness now that Artemis was here. For all the stick she gave the Greek gods and their party-hearty high-rolling attitude, at least Artemis was one of the ones who could actually inspire her and give her hope. Plus, she was more than willing to trade barbs about her compatriots. “You’d think she’d have figured out by now that I don’t sit next to Ares.”

Shivani shot Serena a sympathetic smile. "Well, you know Morrigan. Not exactly concerned with playing politics on the seating arrangements," she opined. "Of course, I think half the time she forgets that I'm basically the only Indian representative that actually comes to these. So, I am more than happy to have you here at the table! I would have picked up a drink for you if I had known we were sitting together!" She had to stop herself just shy of offering her own to Artemis. Her hospitality instincts were so strong sometimes.

She was going to ask about how the puppy was doing, but there was not enough time for that. It appeared Morrigan was finally going to speak. Or try to speak anyway. Other gods were being quite rude about the whole thing until she finally blurted it out.

“Hephaestus is dead and I don’t know who killed him.”

The news stunned Parvati for a moment. Again, her disdain for the Greek gods ran much deeper than the goddesses, so it wasn't like she was going to weep for the blacksmith as much as she would for one of the foster pets she had to let go. But the ramifications of a god's death weren't lost on the Hindu goddess. Of course, she had to deal with it directly when the Istanbul Conclave happened. It did not go well.

And it quickly proved that the Greeks would be just as volatile as she was all those centuries ago. Hera started playing the soap opera star by accusing everyone. Ares started smashing stuff and pointing guns around, settling on Shango. At least Hathor was up trying to keep the peace. Figured that the Egyptians would have to keep the Greeks in line. Artemis did her best to help, but Parvati just remained in her seat. There were too many memories starting to swirl around.

She could feel the desire for revenge beginning to bubble up again. Parvati didn't even know Hephaestus that well. Again, some blacksmith dude that couldn't fix her bike. But he was a god. As was she. As was Shiva. If someone took him out, they could easily start doing that to others. That couldn't be allowed to happen! There had to be a plan to defend themselves! There had to be some task force! There had to be blood spilled to equal the punishment! There had to be bodies flayed into unintelligible shapes and---

Parvati took a sip of her beverage. Tea always helped calm her down. Even if the syrup still wasn't as good as it should be. It calmed Kali for now. Maybe Kali would be needed soon, but for now, this was not the time or place. The tea helped remind her of that.

Morrigan explained that it was the thread that had been cut. No sign of a body, no clues, nothing. At least when the scouts brought Shiva back from that accursed mountain, there was something to mourn. A husk, but it was still something. The Greeks didn't even get that courtesy. Just a snipped piece of thread. Rather difficult to offer a eulogy for that.

She would have thought more about it, but then that pink mist showed up. It was fleeting and almost mean to show up now, when emotions were running high and she had to deal with the reverb of the last time a God died. She got a vision of home. Her spot in the mountains, with her husband and kids, none of whom she had now. Once the mist evaporated, she was left sitting alone at her table, with another reminder of a past that was seemingly forever out of reach now fresh in her mind. Kali was growing angrier. Parvati needed more tea. Maybe she would have to stop by Little Marjoram on the way back and make sure her stocks were high. Or maybe go to the bar. Somewhere. Anywhere. Being here was not helping her karma stay in balance.

She got up from the table and walked over to Artemis. "I think I need to go, Arti. I'm not feeling well. I need to get out of this place. It's not good for me right now. I can talk to you later? I just, I can't be here right now. I'm sorry for your family's loss. It sucks. I can text if needed. I just really can't right now." She was rambling, but it's all she knew what to do. She could probably compose herself a bit better on the outside, but for now, she needed to be anywhere but here.

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PARVATI
SEATTLE UNIVERSITY, HOME OF THE REDHAWKS
MOOD: KINDA CONFUSED AND SLIGHTLY ANNOYED



The barista looked around, drink in hand. "I have a venti chai latte with three shots of blossoming rose syrup for..." The tell-tale pause was always there, although it was getting better in recent years. "Shiv...Shivvvannie?" It was close enough.

The young-looking Indian woman rose from her seat and headed towards the counter. She had heard enough different pronunciations of her most recent name that she could usually figure out which drink was meant for her. "You almost got it! It's Shivani. Not like the orphan. But next time!" She cheerfully picked up her beverage, gave a nod and headed out towards the door.

Starbucks was ubiquitous in Seattle, and there were plenty of locations near the university. It wasn't hard to find one. Plus Parvati could use a little taste of home. Even if the blossoming rose syrup couldn't hold a candle to the hibiscus syrup that Hecate... Tessa. Got to remember she's going by Tessa here. that Tess was holding like nectar over her head. No other place had it. Not that it made any sense for any other place to have it. Tessa just knew what Shivani liked.

What Parvati didn't like was conclaves. Conclaves were never good. Not that being bound to a specific geographic area without any of her powers was great to begin with. However, conclaves were always worse. It usually meant someone was dead. Like dead, dead.

It was one of those conclaves in the Byzantine capital that resulted in her being somehow widowed at the age of infinity plus 25. There were bad moments in her lifetime, but at least most time they were confined to fights with Shiva. But those weren't happening anymore. Parvati didn't know if they would ever happen again. But at least if they did, they would be on her terms now. She was a new goddess now. Not one of those fake ones that try to hawk fake healing gems. Humans could be so clueless sometimes. It made sense how Artem... Selena built her compounds so quickly.

She did need a month or two at Moon River in the summer though. It kept her from going all... Kali. Which is what these conclaves also reminded her of. It took the Ottoman Empire seizing Constantinople for two months to get her out of her prison so she could get the righteous vengeance out of her system. And it was goooooood righteous vengeance. But it didn't bring Shiva back. It took her another 500 years to really get over that.

Still hated conclaves though. But as the only member of the Hindu community invited to this shindig, it wasn't as if she could bail. Their interests still needed to be met. Even if Lakshmi was busy with her law practice and couldn't make these at the moment. So she had to hop on her electric bike, come all the way to the university and hear another reminder that their situation was growing more pointless by the century. At least from a pantheon standpoint. Being a teacher/radio DJ had its perks. Even if people couldn't remember how her name was supposed to be pronounced.

Shivani was one of the early arrivals. She did take her duties seriously, when she had to do them. Other deities were here, even if the names and faces were slightly different every time. Kore has even been on the show a couple times to help the students learn how to do live production on acoustic sets. Plus the remixes were starting to get a bit of traction. She would have to ask her to come back on for another set. At least she could offer better accommodations than the ones here. There was way too much plastic for her liking. Still, at least she had her latte. She gave a wave to the rest of the gods and took her spot at one of the tables. Hopefully, this would be quick. I wouldn't mind getting back home to tidy up the place a little bit.


A Savannah @NeoAJ and Miss Morris / Wesley @GhostMami collab


The walk to the office of the guidance counsellor was a long one. Savannah thought she saw Wesley on the way back, but it was a fleeting glance. She couldn’t even remember the last time she had been to see Grace, as Ms. Morris had insisted on being referred by. She was one of the youngest members of the faculty, and the one that was in the position of drawing the most info out of students in order to offer proper advice. Wanting to be on a first-name basis made sense. Savannah had been on her couch a couple times, specifically to ask about the best courses to take for her planned path into university athletics and one mandated appearance after her incident in the not-so-locked office in the gymnasium. That was embarrassing but at least Grace didn’t give her any real grief for it.

The door was open, but Savannah still timidly knocked on it anyway to make sure that whoever was inside would be aware of her presence. “Hey Grace? I was told you wanted to see me?”

“Yes, indeed, Miss Payton. Please come in, take a seat.” Dr. Morris greeted the pink and blonde haired girl with a warm smile and gestured to the couch. She kept her motions smooth and carefully measured, as Subject #19 could spook easily. This was of course in part due to the experiment, but also likely a remnant of her time in foster care — there were some anxieties that could not be overwritten. “How are you feeling today?”

Savannah pulled up a spot and gracefully sat herself down on the well-worn sofa. She was still a bundle of nerves in regards to what her big mouth had gotten her into with the party on Friday night, but there was no reason for Ms. Morris to know that. No matter how cool she was with the students. Plus, there was the ongoing spat with TJ that had yet to be fully resolved. That one might be more suitable conversation material for this space. But she dodged the question for the most part. “I guess I’m doing all right. Got a good run in this morning. Still riding the high, you know?”

“As you should. Now that you mention it, we do have quite a few runners here at the school, don’t we?” Grace wondered thoughtfully, tapping her pen to her lips. “Perhaps we should organize a club, or some kind of relay event. Would you enjoy that?”

“I’d be up for it,” Savannah agreed as she leaned back onto the furniture. “I mean, as long as no one else in the club gets too upset when I lap them, you know?” Thoughts of repeatedly dusting Wesley in their races to the various stations around the campus brought a faint smile to the Texan’s face.

Dr. Morris laughed softly and made a note of her response. “That sure confidence will get you far in life, Savannah, never lose sight of it.” She said encouragingly as her pen came to a halt and she brought her eyes back up to face Subject #19. “Perhaps it is even the very reason that your team was victorious in the scavenger hunt. Tell me about how that went, I’m curious.”

The smile on Savannah’s face grew wider. “Well, if I’m being honest, I didn’t expect much out of the event. I mean, I didn’t have any real first-hand experience with Wesley or Talya, so I didn’t know what either of them could really bring. But once we got going it was pretty clear we were all driving forward with some purpose. When we got to the finish line, you know I was expecting to see Sol or Leo or one of those mega jock teams or something but hearing we won? That… that was a nice little feather in the cap, you know? Ended up being a really good time.” Savannah thought for a second. “Although I don’t remember getting a prize or anything. Thought I heard something about a prize.”

“Actually, now that you mention it… excuse me.” Grace said, setting down her notebook and pen on her end table before standing up. She walked over to the incoming mail file on her desk, having remembered that a staff member had dropped off an envelope to dispense out to the Hunt’s winners. She had somehow forgotten about it in Wesley’s appointment, how uncharacteristic of her, she needed to get some rest. Returning to her seat, Grace brandished the large manila envelope with a smile. “I believe I have that right here. There is an envelope for each of you inside, would you be able to distribute them to your teammates as well?”

Savannah took the envelope and nodded. “I think I can track the other members of my team down and get that to them.” They still had the text chain from pre-hunt planning. It would suffice.

“Excellent.” Dr. Morris beamed a smile and picked up her notebook once again. “It seems like you enjoyed the hunt and your team, then? Do you think you might have made some new friends in Wesley and Talya?”

A shrug worked its way out from Savannah’s shoulders. “It’s definitely possible. I mean, would I have picked Wes and Tal before the hunt to partner up? Heck no. I would have gone with TJ and Erica.” If nothing else, it would have saved Erica from her experience with Billie. That was a whole other conversation that was still going on. Plus, even with the recent tiff, TJ was still one of Sav’s best friends. It stood to reason they would stick together. “But I think even if we came in third or fourth or, God forbid, last, I think it would have been all right. Turns out we made a really good team, and it was enjoyable company. I could see hanging out with them again. You know, if they wanted to. Not gonna force anything.”

“Well, I guess you will just have to see where things go when you hand out their prizes. Things just might flow naturally.” Grace jotted down a few notes and checked the time on her wrist watch. “I’m glad to hear that the hunt might have opened up some new opportunities for you, and it sounds like you are still growing close with Tyler Jane and Erica. It’s good to see all of you students getting along well so early into the year. Is there anyone else that you’re interested in getting to know on campus?”

That was a question that Savannah wasn’t really expecting. Interested in getting to know? In what way? If it was in the way that she assumed most of her classmates thought, then the answer would be Nicholas Grey. Yes, even if Tyler Jane was totally miffed about it. Maybe Dwayne or Griffin would also make that particular list, but Nicholas was still at the top. Although… Talya… no. No, she had to get those kinds of thoughts out of her mind. That wasn’t proper Christian thinking. No, ma’am. Besides, that couldn’t be what Miss Morris meant at all.

“I dunno, I feel like I’m… aware of what most of the people around here are about, you know? Like friend or foe is pretty clear. I really don’t know. Maybe Dwayne Freeman? He seems like a smart guy, but I haven’t had much face time with him at all. Other than that, I think I know who I’m running with in my pack.”

Grace wasn’t expecting her to mention Subject #28 given the details that the scientists had provided her regarding Savannah’s interactions with the other students. Dr. Morris assumed this to be a deflection of her true feelings and made note of potential feelings of shame regarding her true leanings. Grace also raised an eyebrow at Savannah mentioning friends and foe. “Foe? Is there someone here that makes you uncomfortable?”

The pink-blonde’s eyes shifted a little bit. “Well… I don’t need to see Leo Brooks again any time soon. Just every time I’m in the same room as that guy, it’s just a whole pile of no. The vibe is so… ugly. I think that’s how me and TJ bonded is just over knowing that we weren’t stupid enough to fall for whatever game that dude is trying to play.”

Ah yes, Subject #11, she should have known. This was not the first time Grace had heard such feedback regarding Leo. Those who loved him were loyal and those that didn’t… well they usually felt quite the opposite of love. Dr. Morris nodded with a straight, concerned face. “That sounds fair, but I do hope that you know that this is a safe place for you to talk if anything ever becomes too uncomfortable with him. For both yourself or Miss Morrissey. My door is always open.”

“I appreciate that, Grace,” Savannah admitted. It was always nice to know there was some level of sanctuary if things ever did go south for some reason. Not that TJ and her couldn’t probably take Leo down if it came to it. TJ could hit him high, Sav could go low. “I mean, that’s probably the worst of it. Him and creepy Todd. But other than that, things are going pretty well I think. On track for that Texas A&M track scholarship yet!”

“I have no doubt that you are!” Grace said with feelings of pride at how far Savannah had come in such a short time. Some days, and appointments, this experiment felt criminal. But in cases like Miss Payton’s, it seemed that San Agustin might offer a glimmer of hope and a second chance at a prosperous life. Cases like Savannah’s kept the shadows at bay. “I have another appointment coming up shortly, but it was lovely getting to chat with you Savannah. Please remember to pass out the other prizes, and I will make sure to let the headmaster know about possibly setting up a racing club.” As they exchanged their goodbyes and Savannah stood up from the sofa, Grace couldn’t stop herself from slipping in a little bit of her knowledge of the girls’ plan for a party. “Oh, and I hope you have fun this weekend.”

Savannah was all set to be on her merry way when Miss Morris slipped that one out. Have fun? She doesn’t know, right? Who would blab to one of the faculty about a definitely illegal party? ...No, no, she couldn’t know. That would be crazy! The group agreed to keep the invites to a minimum. Yeah, she can’t know. I’m just being crazy! Definitely. But if I’m not…” The hesitation was clear as she turned around to give a polite wave. “I’ll try!” she squeaked out. “You too!” You too? The hell, Sav? With that, she bolted.

Once she felt she was a safe enough distance away, Savannah’s attention turned to the envelope she held in her hand. It didn’t feel heavy enough to be anything too big. If all it turned out they won were some dang stickers or something, that wasn’t going to fly. She heard enough from some of the others about that crock. So she was curious. At least this couldn’t hurt to check out, right?

She opened the large manila envelope and found the three smaller ones inside, the one marked “Savannah Payton” on top of the pile, so she took it and opened it up. Inside was a small folded piece of paper. Well at least it’s not just a fancy sticker.

Opening it up revealed what appeared to be a black VISA. The card read, “Congratulations! Your team was victorious in the San Agustin Scavenger Hunt! Accept this gift of a $75 gift card to use on whatever you so desire! You earned it! - Headmaster Wayman”

That made Savannah’s eyes open wide. It seemed like one of the major hurdles towards acquiring booze was just cleared. A cheap piece of plastic with no name whatsoever. It was perfect! Wow. This solves the money problem! But $75 might not be enough for me to be the hero here… A thought occurred.

Savannah pulled out her school-issued phone and pulled up the text chain that she shared with Wesley and Talya to keep track of things for the scavenger hunt. She wasn’t expecting to use it again so soon, but this was a golden opportunity.


  • Hey Wes, Tal. I got our prizes from Miss Morris. $75 each! But I have a proposition. Some of us are having a party Friday night in the first floor common room. Would either of you be interested in coming to this event and contributing your prizes to make sure there are plenty of drinks available for everyone? It would be a proper celebration!

    The response was quick.
  • I already planned on coming, I heard about it. And hells yes, I got nothing else to spend this on in our educational prison world.

    Such a mixed message of both happiness and confusion. WHAT!?!?! How does Wesley know?!? He wasn't on the guest list! Pretty sure he wasn't on the guest list... That's good about the money, but damn it, how does he know? All kinds of thoughts were swirling in Savannah's head now.
  • Speaking of, how the hell are you getting drinks?

    That was proving to be a more pressing question than Savannah initially thought now.
  • Don’t worry about it! Your girl has got it covered! But, um… just curious, how did you hear about the party?
  • Uh… I think I heard about it in the cafeteria this morning? Word spreads fast… Let me know if you need anything else! :)

    This was not good. Oh god! How much booze am I going to need for this?!? What the hell? Does the whole school know? We aren't going to be able to carry enough booze for the entire damn school! We're going to need like a car or something...
  • Uh… you wouldn’t happen to have access to a set of wheels, do you?
  • Negative. But I have a pretty big backpack?

    The hail mary was not answered here. I guess that makes sense. If he's going to come to the party and pay for booze, he might as well get some stuff he wants. Still, how obvious is that going to look? Five of us all leaving campus at once on foot? We'll be spotted for sure! Ugh, my head hurts...
  • ...That might work. I’ll keep you posted.
  • 👍


As Savannah dropped her phone back in her jacket pocket, she uttered a silent prayer that Talya was on board with this plan. All of a sudden scoring a couple of bottles of booze was now turning into catering an entire underage drinking hootenanny. It was almost enough to make her not crush on Nicholas anymore just because it was his stupid good looks that got her into this mess. Almost.

She needed help dealing with this. There was only one person she knew at the moment who would at least be able to offer some level of clarity on how to handle the severe change in the amount of people that were coming.

Savannah could not hit Erica's number fast enough on her phone. Erica, I solved one problem, but now we have a much bigger one...


-----------------------------------------

The two overseers of the interview stood intently listening until Subject #19 departed Dr. Morris’ office. They turned away and consulted their notes.

“Dr. Morris is amazing at getting these subjects to let their true feelings out. And I have to admit even I’m impressed with our work on #19. If it wasn’t for the punk dye job, you would never be able to hazard a guess of her true origins,” the first man commented.

“Of course, the gym incident proved just how unstable she might be without that initial tether.”

“But Dr. Morris was able to convince her she was calm after that. As long as the gazelle traits don’t put her in a vegetative state, that should be more than enough to convince state officials that this is an effective rehabilitation treatment for repeat offenders?”

“True, but I’m more worried if she ever figures out that her previous life in Stillwater is all a ruse. If there are any dormant tendencies of her original personality, it could jeopardize everything. Plus, some of her actions towards #37 during the hunt clearly displayed some… buried instincts.”

“It shouldn’t be that much of a problem I would think.”

“You would think that. But you never know. Subject #50 proved that. Anyway, did you leave the van keys somewhere that they would be sure to be found?”

“Yes. They were left on a desk in the library. Since we know #19 has been in contact with #5, that should get the vehicle in her hands and we can see what we might have to account for with a mind-altering cocktail introduced into the system.”

“Excellent. Should be some good results to go over on Monday morning.”

“I just know I’m not cleaning up that mess.”



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