Chapter 33: Scene 33 – Memorial Library (Episode Two)

"Take a seat." Amanda Peterson sat the three of her guests down at a round wooden table, each magical warrior sinking into the beanbags they were given as seats. "Holly? Can you make these three miscreants tea?" Amanda's screen swung to the side, showing the tangles of exposed wire on the back of the computer monitor she wore in place of a skull. Amanda wore a silky purple suit that felt more like pajamas than any business attire. Bulky black gauntlets rest atop her claws, followed by fluffy teal arm cuffs around her wrists.

The artifacts she wore were twisted mockeries of the Passion Seeds that Stargarden Sol had gifted to her magical warriors. Nebulossom Mercury seemed to take the strongest offense to their presence. The short and slim brunette clung tight to the leather belt of tools around her waist, holding fast to a wrench in its holster. "(Aye kin hit her. She ain't that tough, look at them wires.)" Mercury made a show of spitting a black and oily substance on the ground, wiping her slightly grey chin with her wrist.

"(Hey! Don't get her riled up.)" Nebulossom Mars was quick to tug on the shortstack and divert her course. "(She's strong. She didn't just beat three magical warriors, she took on Calico and won. Look.)" Mars pointed at an unconscious catgirl draped limply on a couch. The catgirl had black hair, a victorian dress, and nine feet of looks that could kill; it was unmistakably the Enemy of the World, Calico Dearheart. "(That's not normal. We should be glad she's treating us to a cup of tea and not a club across the head.)"

Mars had other reasons to defend the Malice with a sonorous voice; more selfish ambitions than the others at the table for sure. The Nebulossom had determined the best way to listen to Amanda's dulcet tones was to be present for the coming negotiations; she could see now that the discussion would require the punk rocker to serve as the voice of reason. (A real shame, I would rather listen to the Amusement Box speak.) Mars brushed her fingers through her bright red mohawk, reminiscing about their afternoon encounter.

(I could just melt. She has such a beautiful voice. If that monster wasn't our enemy, I....) Mars stopped herself. (I would what? Rail her? Jeeze, that's just indecent. You're letting this rock and roll lifestyle get to your head. She's not some groupie you can sleep with; she's an angel. I should be satisfied just listening to her whisper in my ear, the crystalline tones overlapping as I... um...) Mars felt her face blush a blue-green hue, squeezing her legs together uncomfortably. She was rock hard.

"Wooow. You really do have a thingy." Nebulossom Luna sounded fascinated, staring directly at Mars (or, more accurately, her crotch.) The redhead squeaked and scrambled away from the long-eared gyaru, covering her waist with a palm and her face with the other hand. Luna stood tall, golden bangles jingling and feather boa swaying. "What's the probs, Mars? I bet it's like, super cute."

"We're on a mission!" Mars cried out, trying to shy behind a column and out of Luna's line of sight. "You can't just think about sleeping with other people on a mission!"

"Why not?" Luna tilted her head, her crescent-shaped earrings tilting alongside her. "Cucking Malice is a totally valid way to, like, wear away at their plot armor." Luna put an elaborately decorated fingernail on her cheek, giving Amanda a look. "Plus, she's been giving you puppy dog eyes and stuff since we got here."

"I-I have not!" Amanda sputtered, her screen flickering. "I'm angry!" Amanda pointed her onyx claw at Mars, causing her to squirm and shy further from the light. Oh no. Amanda was about to say something she shouldn't. "That woman stole my first--"

"Minion!" Mars cried out, startling Amanda before she could finish. "I stole her first minion, yep! Nothing else." Putting up with the glares from the others, Mars fished around in her jacket pocket and held fast to their contents. (Here goes nothing.) Grasping at the golden dice inside, she threw them onto the ground, and the room turned its attention towards the three bouncing tokens and their result.

"Oh, that's-- ye can't be serious," Nebulossom Mercury huffed incredulously. "I have to believe that? That was so half-arsed. Ye can't just roll to convince people without roleplaying. It ruins the whole vibe!"

"I don't know. That seems weirdly convincing." Amanda blinked, processing the result of the roll. "Mars got one success, didn't she? So she can't possibly be wrong with an eleven. She'd have to get less than seven. I mean, it's weird, but we can't argue with math."

"Oh, for chrissakes. 'course, you'd think that. Fae have the attention span of a gnat." Mercury rubbed the space between her brow. "Fine. Numbers for numbers. You asked for it." Mercury coughed out a pair of oil-stained dice from the back of her throat.

"No." Mars shuddered. "You can't, please. Anything but that!"

"You should play more like a human if you didn't want me to swing back." Mercury tossed her dice, watching them clatter against the table and come to rest next to the golden dice. Two sixes; a natural twelve.

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"Nooo!" Mars cried out to the cackles of a very amused Mercury.

A mascot in a bee suit walked up to Nebulossom Luna, holding a tea set made of shattered mirrors and wax instead of porcelain. Holly's neck was wrapped in a protective layer of bee fluff, her antennae wiggling with interest, and her wings fluttering with anticipation. Holly stared at Nebulossom Luna, hoping for a solid answer to her question. "What in the world are they doing?"

"Rolling dice." Luna took a teacup, sniffing at the honey and downing it in a few gulps. "Poison honey? Neat. I'm, like, totally into it." Luna passed back the teacup, disinterested in drinking more.

"The tea is supposed to do more than just slake your thirst." Holly wished she could frown. This magical gyaru had shrugged off her honey as if it were no more addictive than water. "I meant to ask, what is the point of rolling dice?"

"Are you dull?" Luna quirked a brow, staring at Holly. "I thought Neverlanders were supposed to know how to use dice instinctively. They don't work on humans, but like, you can use them to convince a Neverlander that you're actually competent at something. Case in point:"

"Hey!" Amanda stomped her loafers on the ground. "You didn't steal my minion! You stole my first kiss!"

"Juicy." Luna's blue eyes glittered, the crescent slits narrowing with interest as Mercury laughed hard enough to shake the library. "Ohhh, I'm totally bullying her for that. Dice don't always work, but when they do, they're hilarious."

"I'd never fall for that," Holly snorted, placing the tea set on the table. "I'm more intelligent than a roll of the dice."

"Reaaally?" Luna grinned maliciously. "How much to put that to the test?"

Holly stiffened. Her gaze turned towards Gaia, slumped across the couch. The bookish nerd with turquoise hair slept soundly, her skin and clothes coated in ash. That was a woman who could bet; she'd fallen into their lap as a result of a bet gone wrong. "I think I'm good. Maybe I can be convinced by a pair of divine dice. But, of course, I'm not putting that to the test; not when we're so close to ending you, twerps."

"Mmm. We'll see how the negotiations move from here." Luna stuck out her tongue, content to lean back and watch the chaos unfold. "Let's see what your side has to offer."

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I mean, what could be confusing about dice, anyways...?I'm a terrible liar; Dice will be just as confusing. There are many edge cases to explore in this chapter so that I don't get letters about plot holes later. At least I'll have pictures this time!

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