The girl trying to get out of the VW van was clearly trying to keep from being molested by her own luggage.  Whatever her strategy, it wasn’t working.
    She seemed to be trying to hold this strange, square, hard-sided thing with straps level all the while loaded down with a backpack, a rolled up rug (yes, she was bringing her own rug to college with her) and a large carpet bag.  Her biggest adversary seemed to be a military duffle bag that just kept sliding off her shoulder and kicking her ass.  The laughter emerging from the van made the chances of help coming from there seem dim. 
    Sondra concluded she’d probably hitched and hadn’t put out. 
    If she stopped to help she’d be late to her advisor meeting.  Her previous advisor had quit and she needed to get a good one.  “Life teaches tough lessons, Honey”  She thought, passing by.
    She heard the laughter and the girl grunt.  She stopped.
    “Military duffle...might be a vet...”  She thought.  No real Idaho girl would let a vet hang.  “Nah, too young.”  She didn’t move.  “But a vet would help her.”  She spun on her heels.
    She grabbed the strap on the duffle, quashing its rodeo rider ambitions. 
    “Let me take that.” She suggested.
    The girl spun to look at her.  Seemed to take a half a second to size her up and then said.  “Oh, thank you!”
    The bums in the van all howled. 
    “Told ya you’d find a girlfriend.”  On of them hooted.
    “And this.”  Sondra took the carpet bag.
    “I wouldn’t give them a blow job so they said I was a lesbian.”  The girl explained.
    “You don’t say.”  She started walking away.  “Dorms?”
    “Dorms?”  The girl started following.  “Dorms!  Yes, I need to go the the dorms.”
    “This is the way.”
    “You sure are strong.”  The girl observed.  “Are you...uh???”
    “A lesbian?”
    “Here on an athletic scholarship?” 
    “No,”  Sondra answered, “Music.”  She was silent for a few strides then.  “But I am into martial arts and gymnastics.”  A thought, then  “Which does kind of make me sound like a lesbian.” 
    The girl giggled.  “Well, musical jock sounds kinda hard to beat for unique.”
    “I dunno,” Sondra fumed,”It kinda sounds like marching band.  Which is still gay.”
    “Sounds like you’re trying to get into the club...”
    “Oh my gosh!  Your’re right!”  Sondra gasped  “I’ve been here two years and I still haven’t had my ‘college experiment.’ “  She gave the girl an exaggerated up and down look.  “Wadda ya think?  Should we get it outta the way?  I mean a pretty girl like shows me her rug...what am I supposed to think?”
    The girl paused for a second, confusion painting her face.
    Sondra indicated the roll over her shoulder.
    She looked, then, “‘Showed you my rug’ ah! I get it!” She giggled.  Then.  “We could throw it down right here but I’m not sure what to do.” 
    “Me neither.”  Sondra shrugged.
    “However,” the girl offered, “I was raised in a pagan commune, lots of lesbians.  I could call one of my aunts and ask.”
    Both girls laughed till they were gasping.
    Sondra’s companion strode a little harder to get in front, then spun and offered her hand.  “‘The well mannered lesbian will introduce and then seduce’” She said as though quoting.  “My name is Wendy.”
    “Country lesbians just need a lasso and a place to tie it off.”  Sondra took the hand  “I’m Sondra.”  they beamed at each other for a moment, “But seriously Wendy, we gotta stop joking like this in the dorm.  This one of those campuses where jokes are verbotten.  I’m a libertarian from Idaho, so I’ve already got two strikes against me.”
    “Libertarian?” Wendy looked horrified. “Idaho?” She looked around.  “Maybe we shouldn’t be seen together...”
    “It could lead to pointing and screeching.”
    “I have aunts who are libertarians, like big L, like anarchists type and one is from Montana.”  Wendy added hopefully, “She even shoots.”
    “Sounds like a fun lady.”
    “All my aunts are the ‘cool aunt.’”  Wendy beamed.

    At the dorms Sondra hoped to drop off Wendy and still get to a chance at a good advisor,but...
    “No carts?!  C’mon Jay.  Can’t you just help her?”
    “Sondra,” Jay tried to sooth,” Do you have any idea how many people I have to check in today?  I can’t step away from my desk for a minute.  A second even.”
    Wendy watched the back and forth like a tennis match.
    “Well check her in.”  Sondra huffed.
    “Lowest floor I’ve got is three.”
    “Oh,3!” Sanda injected before Wendy could speak. “Is 13 availiable?”
    A quick check of a graph and “There is an opening in 13.”  Jay confirmed.
    “13 is like me,”Sondra told Wendy, “ghost roommate.  Plus we’ll be neighbors.”
    “Ghost?” Wendy asked.
    “Yeah,” Sondra confirmed,  “She’s got a boyfriend off campus or something.  So never there.  It’s like having your own room.”
    Wendy smiled.  “13 is my favorite number.”
    “Well lucky you,” Jay said, at the ding of the elevator. “An empty cart.”


    “And what do you know...”Sondra thought, “no good deed goes unpunished.”
    No slots were left for the advisors she was told to try for.  Kaminsky, full.
Layton, full.  Avramson hadn’t shown today, maybe she could take a chance and get him when he came in.  Then she watched Simmel go to full.  Oh no, not Snyder.
    All she’d heard was “don’t get Snyder.”
    Seeing no other choice, she handed the massive woman her file.  After a quick glance she observed “You have very good grades Ms. Dolan.”
    “Thank you Ma’am.”
    “Arts and music scholarship, plus CHP Survivors’ Fund?” 
    “Yes, Ma’am.  Plus I get extra money playing campus events.  Sometimes extra credit.”
    “You were born here in California, but raised out of state?”
    “By my Grandpa.  Ma’am.”
    “Who was ex military.”
    “How did you know, Ma’am?”  Sondra tried not to look confused.
    “Because, you’re standing at parade rest and you call me ‘Ma’am’ like you know what respect means.”
    Sondra couldn’t keep from smiling.
    “I’d be delighted to have you call me Denise.”  The stoney continance broke into a smile, she offered her hand.
    “Sondra’s fine for me.”  She smiled and shook her hand.
    “The reason I mention your birth is; you were charged the out of state admissions rate your first year here.  You should have been charged as a resident.  We can get those funds comp’d to you and apply it your fees next year.  Also there’s a supplement to the Surviror’s Fund, If you don’t mind filling out some paperwork....”
    Sondra’s smile got even bigger.

Wendy was worried.
    Even though there was very little sign of her phantom roommate she was afraid when the girl did show up she might see her carpet, taking up a big section of the middle of their shared floor, as a violation of 'space.’”
    She did find a perfect place for her alchemy case; right next to her desk.  It held some incredibly valuable components, but the case itself was old and worn.  Plus, one of her aunts had put a “don’t notice me” spell on it.  That should keep it safe.
    Now, she just needed a few more touches and she’d have a passable sanctum...
    Her planning was interrupted by a familiar, yet strangely excited voice...
    “You!”  It was Sondra, the tall, blonde girl who had helped her.  “You are my lucky charm!”  She was giggling, rushing toward her, her arms were wrapping around her...
    “Oof.”  Wendy couldn’t quite move enough to return the hug properly.  “Hi Sondra.”
    “I was trying to get to an appointment to get a new advisor this morning.”  She said, still smiling.  “When I stopped to help you I was late.  I missed all the advisors I wanted...”
    “Oh, Sondra!”  Wendy cut in, “I’m so sorry...”
    “No!  No!”  Sondra held her by the shoulders, still looking too happy.  “I got Snyder.  Denise Snyder!  Everybody said ‘don’t get Snyder.’ but she’s awesome.  She really want’s you to succeed.  It’s like she’ll work as hard for you as you’ll work for yourself.  She said I should have been charged state resident fees my first year here and she can get the difference put toward my current education costs...”
    “That sounds....nice?”
    “Oh my god!”  Sondra continued, “We’re talking like SEVENTY THOUSAND dollars toward my education!  And she found a supplement to the CHP survivors fund...if you get good grades...and I do...you can get an extra thirty five thousand....!”
    “Oh!”  Now Wendy understood.  “That’s great!”
    “You bet it is!  Granpa and I scrimped and saved for that first year and now...”  Sondra cupped her hands at the back of Wendy’s neck and pulled the smaller girl into a kiss.  “Muh-wah!  I’m gonna get you drunk!”  As she disappeared out the door and down the hall she yelled back, “And besides; you’ll get to hear me play.”
    Wendy just stood there.  Face blank, until her fingers touched her lips.  “Wow.”


    Sitting cross-legged on her carpet, Wendy typed the incantation into her laptop.  Uncle Sirius had set up her laptop.  He said his studies into cybermancy were so the coven could communicate with others on the aethernet.  But she suspected it had been because she was leaving for college.  Good old Uncle Sirius, he couldn’t stop protecting them.
    The computer emitted a slight bit of glowing blue smoke and the link was made.  A black wolf’s head icon appeared on the screen.

Sirius:Hi sweetheart.  Everything ok?

Wendy:IT HAPPENED!  IT HAPPENED!  GET EVERYBODY!

    Wendy wiped tears away as she waited.  After a minute more text appeared.

Sirius:Most of us are here.  What happened?

Wendy:I get out into the world...right as I get on campus...somebody helped me and it lead to...within the hour something wonderful happened her.  I knew I was on the right path...I just KNEW it.

    A blue rose icon appeared.

Agnes:You are truly blessed child.  But the Bountiful Path can be harder than you would imagine

    A black cat wearing a pointy hat.  Mom’s icon.

Felicity:Sweetheart, life may not reveal all its plans and mysteries so easily.  But, who is “she?”  Did you make a friend?

Sirius:And what did you need help with?  Was there a problem?

    Wendy knew what “was there a problem” meant when Uncle Sirius used it:do I need to get a bunch of my biker buddies to put somebody in a hole in the ground?

Wendy:Uncle Sirius, you all have so many protective charms and wards on me...what could happen?  Mom, her name is Sondra, she’s from Idaho and she’s really nice.  I hope we can be good friends.  She reminds me of Constance.

    A cowboy hat with a peacock feather appeared.

Constance:How?

Wendy:She’s fierce.

Constance:Fierce.  I like that.  Will we get to meet her?

Wendy:She would like to meet you.  She wants to meet all my cool aunts.

Constance:We will make sure that happens.



    Soon after Wendy finished her chat Sondra appeared at her door. 
    “You good to go?” Her new friend asked, then looked down.  “Now that I can get a really good look at your rug: nice.”
    “I’m glad you like it.”Wendy smiled, “It’s called Nymphs and Satyr.”
    “Classy.”
    She had a guitar case strung over her back.  She was wearing a faded brown t shirt over a grey long sleeve shirt with tan cargo pants, her hair had been brushed a little straighter, which prompted Wendy to ask.
    “Where are we going?”
    “A little whiskey club.” Sondra gestured with her thumb like it was right behind her, “They have an open stage sometimes.  Record company people show up.”
    “This is my first time out.”Wendy stood up and opened her arms.  “How am I dressed?”
    She was wearing a well-worn biker’s jacket over a grey spandex t shirt with jeans so faded it was difficult to tell what color they had been originally.  She wore an eight-pointed pendant of turqoise and mother of pear, nine bracelets and almost every finger had a ring, some more than one.  Her light brown her danced around her elfin face, loose.
    ”You look great.”Sondra smiled, “I love the too much jewelry thing.”
    Wendy looked at her hands.  “Too much...?”
    “It’s a look.  Don’t worry, if anyone calls you on it you can say you’re doing it ironically.”
    “Ironic...what?”
    “These days you can wear a frilly pink tutu as long as you do it ironically.  And if you have to say to them it’s ironic that means they’re too dumb to get the joke.”  Sondra explain, tugging on Wendy’s jacket.  “Or you can tell them to fuck off.”
    “But if it’s too much...”
    “No, it’s called ‘the too much jewelry look,’” Sondra was pushing her now.  “There’s gonna be lots of girls doing it there.”
    Wendy didn’t want to make her friend look uncool.  She planted her feet against Sondra’s efforts still found herself moving toward the door.  Her friend’s efforts seemed more playful than forceful, but Goddess! she was strong.  “But..”
    “There’s gonna be guys in suits there.” Sondra said, as if that excused everything.
    “Okay.”  Wendy accepted and found herself moving toward the door.  Then the pushing just stopped.
    “Wait.”  Sondra seemed concerned.  “Did you say this is your first time going out?  Like to a club?”
    “Well,”  Wendy smiled, “My Uncle Si’ took me to a few biker bars...I got the feel for them...but it was mostly so they knew not to mess with me.  I’ve never been to a regular bar.”
    “My gandpa did something like that for me at the VFW.” Sondra nodded. moving down the hall.  “Let’s try to make this fun.”
   
    As they waved good by to Jay, Wendy observed.  “Record people are going to be there?  Are you going to be discovered?”
    “I hope so.” Sondra beamed,  “I have so much I want to say to people.  Life is so beautiful and wonderful and sometimes we just don’t see it.  I really think I could change people, the world, with my music.  I just have to get them to listen.”
    “That’s beautiful Sondra.” Wendy smiled. 
    “This is mine.”  Sondra stopped at a small, white car.
    “It’s a pinto.”  Wendy observed.
    “What?”  Sondra chuckled. “Did they teach you car snobbery at that commune of yours?  Maybe it’s ironic”
    “Oh, irony again.  And I don’t appreciate it...I get it. But...” Wendy tried to ask nicely. “Don’t they explode?”
    “Baby, here,”  Sondra said, slapping the roof,  “is the one of the first pintos in Idaho.  Early models didn’t have problems.”  She climbed behind the wheel.
    “So,” Wendy joined her, “It won’t explode?”
    “If it did, “ Sondra grinned, starting the engine.  “it would be pretty ironic.”

    The club looked like it used to be a shopping center in the 70s and aside from a sign over the door and something over the few Windows it didn’t look like it had changed much, at least on the outside.
    At the door stood a big, black, broad, and bald gentleman, who Sondra hugged. “Hi Tony, how’s the crowd?”
    “Be better once you’re inside..” He replied.
    “Wow.” Wendy observed.
    “We go to the same dojo.” Sondra stated.
    In the performance space all the furniture was painted black.  So were some of the walls and doors.  “Must’ve been a deal on that paint.”Wendy mused, “About 20 years ago.”
    Sondra scanned the room, seemed to spot someone and guided Wendy to a table.  A cute guy with brown hair, wearing a green canvas jacket lounged there.
    “Tommy!”  Sondra yelled, over the crowd.
    Looking bored, he pointed to his right. “Two tables over.” He drawled. “Guy in the cowboy shirt is from Rodeo Records.”
    Sondra only slightly turned.  “Got’im.”
    Sticking his thumb out, Tommy said, “Four tables over.  Guy in the purple sweater’s from an indy label.  Who’s your friend?” His eyes fell on Wendy.
    Sondra helped her by holding a chair out for her.  As she sat, Sondra announced “This is Wendy.  She’s my lucky charm.”
    “Hello.” Wendy blushed.
    “Hi, I’m Tommy.”  He smiled, but didn’t seem to feel like moving.
    “Any competition?”  Sondra took her seat.
    “Gernsback’s up tonight.”
    “Hmp.” Sondra chuckled.
    “What are you guys talking about?”  Wendy asked.
    Sondra leaned in.  “Tommy here works lights and sound here.  He knows a lot of the record label people.”
    “So," Wendy grinned knowingly, “You’re not the type to just -get- discovered.”
    “Forewarned. Forearmed. All’a that.” Sondra half smiled.  “With a good crowd you can get these guys thinking you’ll be the best thing to happen to album sales since music.”
    “How can you tell it it’s a good crowd?” Wendy laughed.
    “People are dancing.” Sondra mused. “For one. They are loud between songs and quiet when the music is playing. Though sometimes they hoot.”
    “Hoot?” Wendy asked.
    “Yeah, hoot.” Sondra confirmed, “make noise, cheer, say woo hoo or hoot.”
    “Ah...” Wendy smiled.
    “All the cheering in the world won’t help you if nobody’s looking for a lesbian singer.” Tommy stated.
    “I’m not a lesbian singer.” Sondra insisted
    “I didn’t say you were.” Tommy leaned in toward Wendy. “When she sings a song written for a woman by a man, that’s the way she sings it. So she’s up there for half her set singing I love her.”
    “And I sings songs by women about men the same way.” Sondra countered. “Any other way disrespects the music.”
    “And once these guys meet you...” Tommy smirked.
    “For your information,” Sondra stated “I can see what’s beautiful in both men and women.”
    “Ah.” Tommy leaned back, “beautiful men?”
    “Yes. Strength. Character. They are beautiful!” Sondra sounded angry now. “Don’t confuse me with one of these bitches stomping down our hallowed halls turning every man into a beta male cuck, screwing bad boys on the side, all the while screaming patriarchy!  patriarchy! patriarchy!”
    Things went silent. Sondra stood there glaring at Tommy and Tommy looked like he didn’t dare speak.
    “We have a patriarchy.” Wendy said, trying to break the tension. “on my commune.”
    “Really?” Sondra managed to ask.
    “Well, we have a patriarch.” Wendy explained. “My uncle Sirius is our patriarch. He’s responsible for protecting the commune.”
    Sondra’s eyes went back and forth for a moment, then “Uncle Sirius as in Uncle Si, the biker?”
    “Yes.” Wendy nodded, enthusiastically.
    A few heartbeats passed before Sondra asked, “Do you study magic on this pagan commune of yours?”
    “Yes.”Wendy answered like, what else do you do on a pagan commune?
    “So.” Sondra stated, “you study magic. And you have an uncle Sirius who rides a motorcycle.”
    “Oh...” Wendy rolled her eyes.
    “Harry Potter.” Sondra laughed.
    “Is that why she’s your lucky charm?” Tommy seem to have found the nerve to rejoin the conversation. He pointed at Wendy. “Don’t ever tell anybody that story, by the way.”
    “No..” Sondra explained. “I was late because I was helping her with something. So I didn’t get the advisor I wanted, but the advisor I did get found me a bunch of money in my initial sign in. Plus she found me a scholarship  from the CHP survivors fund.”
    “What is the CHP survivors fund?” Wendy asked.
    “ My dad was in the California Highway Patrol.” Sondra said. “He died in the line of duty when I was nine. My mom, a year later. Cancer.”                                  
    “Is that why you moved to Idaho?” Wendy looked thoughtful.
    “Yep. Raised by my grandpa.” Sunder explained. “Grandma died of cancer before I was born.”
    “Wait.”  Tommy looked concerned, “your mother and your grandmother”
    “Uh huh.” Sondra started to smile. “Grandma didn’t make it to 40, mom didn’t make it to 35.”
    “I didn’t know.” Tommy started then faded.
    There was silence around the table for a long moment.
    “Look,” Sondra was really smiling. “My life is probably more than half over. But that ticking clock has given me both focus and purpose. What time I have is going to be meaningful.. I’m going to give the world music that will change it for the better.”
    “You don’t know...” Wendy began meekly, “it’s half over.”   
    “True..” Sondra shrugged, “I’ve been wrong before. Why?  Do you know some magic that can cure cancer?”
    “Well...” Wendy try to pick her words carefully, “one of the requirements of my faith is that we keep our secrets.  But, I can tell you... I walk the path of beauty and prosperity.. See, I try to gather all this positive energy about myself. I try to be positive in all my interactions. The idea is to create an environment where good things can happen.”
    They were all silent for several seconds before Sondra spoke. “That is the most beautiful thing I have ever heard.” She turned to Tommy. “You see, enough people like me and her in the world and we’d have this whole planet fixed.”
    “Maybe...” Tommy mused, “all we need is you two.”
    “We might just see.” Sondra said, rising from the table. “It’s my set.”

    “I’ve been inspired to play this song by a brand-new friend of mine.” Sondra told her audience. “It’s called Keep Me In The Light and it’s by Jamison and the Sordid Seeds.”
    She sang.
    “Ohm navah shivaya
    bring me all to the light
    ohm navah shivaya
    keep me down in the light...”       
    Wendy thought Sondra’s voice was beautiful and her guitar playing was amazing. Her eyes did seem to fall on Wendy an awful lot, especially when she ignored Tommy’s advice and played a song called ‘I Never Met A Girl Like You Before.’ Which made her blush.
    “I’m not implying anything here,”  Tommy began.  “But she really likes.”
    “I hope she does.”
    “No, really.” Tommy insisted,  “I’ve known her for years and she’s never talked about herself like that. You might be really good for her. As a friend.”
    “I’d like that.” Wendy didn’t want Tommy to see her cry. “I need to use the girls room.” She got up, moving toward the sign she hoped was correct.
    As she moved through the crowd,, she noticed people seem to be enjoying the show. She even thought she heard a few hoots.
    As she approached the dark corner that concealed the restrooms she brush against a solid figure and....smelled smoke?  She turned toward him and found herself facing what looked like a man with oily black hair, a small beard and orange eyes.  He seized her arm and hustled her into the darkness. Every bit of magical protection Wendy had on her body started to smoke.
    “The omens told me I’d find power here.” He grinned. “But they didn’t tell me I’d find something as cute as you.” His left hand wrapped around her throat. For a second there was no contact but once he burned through her defenses she felt her air being cut off.
    She allowed herself to see him as he was. Runes marring his aura.  She tried to concentrate, bringing her skills to bear.  It wasn’t working, she was too scared and couldn’t focus enough. 
    Death was seconds away.

    It was almost a distant thought as Wendy found herself wondering “How is he generating enough power to burn through my wards?”  Normally some dark thing would be holding his ruined hand and screaming if he even touched her, but this creepy bastard was choking the life out of her, one handed.
    Uncle Sirius had always tried to teach her more combative magics, but she figured “when would I need them?”  She could almost hear Uncle Si, “Well, duh, girl.”
    He seemed to be burning a ton of power....
    Wendy saw lights, she let her focus go one level of reality over, a dangerous idea when one is hanging between life and death.  There, on the realm of Trivia!  The runes that painted his energies were clear.
    “He’s a slow walker!”  She thought. 
    Slow walkers had to actually walk slow in order to  maintain maximum contact with the earth.  Because that’s were they got their power.  It was a sort of geomantic vampirism.
    “If I can get his feet off the ground, a foot, maybe six inches I can make his power reset...” Her mind worked, a furious effort. “Maybe call an elemental to disrupt it from below...”
    For a moment everything went grey. 
    “No...no...I have so much to do ... I’ve only started...  No!  Don’t lose it...”  She reached out with what power she could summon.  “Those among the high and wise!  Those who seek between the...  Words are hard!  A sister seeks aid!  Please....” She perceived no answer.
    There was a blur of motion before her, then...
    AIR!
    Her focus returned within a second.  Sondra was holding the slow walker by the wrist.  They were glaring at each other like they had no idea what to do.
    “Break his cont...”Wendy’s advice was interrupted by a quick, dangerous exchange.
    First the slow walker drew a long blade from the small of his back.  He rotated in a slightly inhuman manner trying to drive it into her chest.  Sondra, looking...annoyed?...brushed the knife past her, sending it flying out of her opponent’s hand and clattering to the floor.  Second, it looked like she was climbing the monster as she set a foot on his thigh, a foot on his back then wrapped her legs around his neck and shoulder.  Not wasting her momentum, she drug him into a back flip which literally had the creature heels over head.  He tried to scream as his contact with his power source snapped but his head impacted the ground at that point.
    Sondra said “Oof!” as she impacted then pulled her opponent into some kind of arm lock/choke hold thing.
    “Wendy.” She said, way too calm.
    The slow walker made low, gurgling growls.
    “Wendy.  Honey.”
    Wendy started to realize the sound of her name was not random data.
    “Yeah!” It hurt to talk.  “Yes?”
    “Do me a favor and go get Tony.”  Sondra was so calm, she just saved her life and fought a dark creature.  Now...miss calm.  “Can you do that for me honey?  Go get Tony?”
    “Yes.” Wendy whispered.  It hurt to move, but not as much as talking.  The slow walker was out of it, his power was burning so hard that when it broke, it took part of him with it.  Still, she moved in a broad circle, avoiding his reach.  Then she noticed the dagger.
    She must still be seeing things from one of the side realms, because the dagger writhed and glowed.  She realized she was seeing its true form; a squirming red/grey imp, wings, body and tail wrapped around a knife blade.  The slow walker had a focus, that explained his power level.
    Sondra couldn’t remember any offensive magic at the moment, but she summoned her defensive energies.  She focused them on her foot.
    The small, wiggling fiend seemed to realize that she could see it.  It raised it’s wings and arms defensively. 
    “No! No!” it shrieked, “I offer you power...”
    STOMP!
    Wendy saw it splatter, orange plasma flew and sprayed the floor and wall.  Strangely, an orange burst, like a bubble made of laser, spread out from the broken blade and faded.  She was really glad that blade hadn’t gotten Sondra.
    “What was that?”  That was the most excited Sondra had sounded so far.
    “I slipped on his knife...” Wendy wheezed.  “Gotta catch my breath. Right.  Going to get Tony.”

    Though Tony had given them the option of slipping out of there before they arrived, they were talking to the police.
    The  paramedics treated the slow walker, who was still drifting out of it.  He was taken to the hospital.  Wendy was sure, without his magic weapon, he’d be no problem.
    When Sondra complained of numbness in her left hand, they said they could take her for examination, but it would be better to see if she was still having problems later.  Plus, if it was nerve damage, there was very little that could be done.
    Initially, it seemed like there was going to be a big problem.  At some point, though Sondra never mentioned it, she did confirm that she was the daughter of a murdered law enforcement officer.  Suddenly, things were going swimmingly.  The police wanted to be sure the ladies weren’t frightened or confused by the process.  Some information was required, nothing more.  A few even shook Sondra’s hand as they left.
    “Don’t ever expect it to go like that,”Sondra advised Wendy, “if you’re not with me.”
    Once they were back at the table, Tommy had to ask. “How did you get into the martial arts?”
    “Sally Kimball.”  She answered.
    “Who?”
    “You ever read the Encyclopedia Brown, boy detective series?”  Sondra asked.
    Wendy shook her head.
    Tommy shrugged.  “Maybe...”
    “Great books.”  Sondra grinned.  “Encyclopedia lives in a small town where he’s, y’know: a boy detective.  His arch enemy is this monkey named Bugs Meany who’s got a whole gang of cronies and could just pound Encyclopedia into next week.”  Sondra stuck her finger in the air, “But!  He’s got a friend.  Sally Kimball:the toughest girl in the fifth grade.  She keeps Bugs and his gang in line while Encyclopedia conducts investigations.  I really wanted to be Sally. So I had Dad and later Grandpa show me how to fight.”
    Sondra leaned back in her chair and took a sip of beer.
    “I never found my Encyclopedia Brown, but my Bugs Meany was a punk named Thor Klagenhammer.  When Thor or his buddies bullied somebody, I was there.  BAM!”  She punched her hand with a smack, her eyes took on a distant, dreamy look, like she was in the real of truly fond memories.
    “Later,” Sondra continued, “I heard about puberty.  I heard Thor was going to get this boost of size and strength, just because he was a boy.  So I trained harder...” She slumped in her chair.
    “What happened?” Tommy insisted.
    “Thor stopped growing at five foot five inches.” Sondra grinned, “Little shrimp of a guy.  I even protected him from bullies once.  Ha!”
    “Did you become friends?” Wendy asked.
    “Friends?” Sondra scorned, “Fuck no.  Kid was a prick.  He’ll probably wind up managing a Taco Bell and make highschoolers lives miserable that way.”  She shifted upright in her chair and leaned into Wendy.  “That’s why you’ll never have to worry about me burning you at the stake.  I’ll never be a Christian.  Forgiveness?  Bah.  Nobody holds a grudge like me.”
    “Oh, yeah!” Tommy laughed.  “Tell everybody THAT story.”

    Sondra and Wendy got back to the dorm, where they split a bottle of red wine in Wendy’s room.
    “Thank you," she said, “for saving my life.”
    “Thank you,”Sondra grinned, “for giving me the chance to kick some ass.”
    Both girls laughed.  Wendy remembered the fight.  How Sondra had done the-exact-right-
thing to the slow walker.
    “How did you know to do that?”  She asked, “That flip thing.”
    “I think it’s a Krav Maga take down.  Israeli fight style, which means it’s usually done on sand.  Because,” She rubbed her hand and winced. “don’t do it on linoleum.  Man, if this messes up my playing.”
    Wendy took Sondra’s hand.  She lightly press the palm, rubbing back and forth. 
    “Can you feel that?”  She asked.
    “Yeah,” Sondra admitted,”But it feels wrong.  Tingly.”
    Wendy shifted her vision to the aura realm.  She followed the jumbled nerve impulses with her finger up Sondra’s arm and over her shoulder to her back, where the damage seemed to really be.  She pressed the spot.
    “Ouch.” Sondra said, like she was saying ‘hey’. “What are you doing back there?”
    The damage was subtle, but severe.  Exactly the sort of thing modern medicine was poor at but her magic...
    “I might have something...”She said going to her potion case.
    “Did that used to be a camera case?”  Sondra asked.
    “Oh,” Wendy said, casually, “you noticed my herb case?”  That was odd.  Most people never got past one of Constance’s don’t notice me spells.
    “Yeah.” She nodded. “I like old things.”  Then, “I thought it might hold art supplies.”
    “Why?” Wendy was adjusting a tincture.  “Take your shirt off.”
    “I dunno.” Sondra doffed her top, revealing a plain, small white bra.  Wendy was expecting ... a sports bra?  “You just seem like an artist.”
    “Sort of...” Wendy admitted.  Kneeling behind Sondra and applying her potion.  “But drawing and painting are not my arts.”
    “Then what are you studying?” Sondra asked.
    “Physics.”  On a micro level, Wendy could see the nerves and cells in Sondra’s back aligning and binding.
    “What?”  Sondra looked over her shoulder.  “Wendy, are you smart?”
    “Yes.” She answered simply.
    “Like...”Sondra had a wicked look in her eye. “Encyclopedia Brown smart?”
    “I don’t know,”Wendy grinned. “he sounds pretty smart.  Maybe.”
    “Are you trying to turn me on?”  Sondra purred.
    Checking her aura, Wendy said.  “I think you’re already doing that yourself.”
    “I know, right?” Sondra laughed.  “I totally get that way after a fight.”
    “Really?” Wendy was fascinated.
    “God, yes!” Sondra swooned.  “Even a good grapple match, and I’m thinking somebody needs to make intersex oil wrestling a competitive sport.”
    “Have you ever...?” Wendy didn’t quite know how to ask.
    “Tried out the mats at night?” Sondra grinned.  “Nope.  Really wrong environment.  Things get weird; people get hurt.”
    “So you imagine...” Wendy urged.
    “A six foot four, musceley, but not too muscely, Encyclopedia Brown...”Sondra grinned, “Only his new nickname is Kama Sutra Brown.”
    Both girls rolled on the floor, howling with laughter.  Wine making everything funnier, with a little help from sexual tension.
    “So you never found your Encyclopedia?”  Wendy inquired.
    “Nope.” Sondra shook her head.  “Oh, I had hand-holding boyfriends, but I was NOT getting pregnant in high school.  I was not popular, so I was a lot of baggage and wasn’t worth the wait.”
    “Oh, that can’t be true...” Wendy said.
    “What about you...” Sondra interrupted.  “Did you ever find your...Ron Weasely?”
    “Cut it out...” Wendy grinned, looking down.
    “C’mon,” Sondra pleaded, “tell me.”
    “Well, I was aware of things kind of early...I had friends who...” Her voice drifted.
    “On the commune?”  Sondra enthused. “Boys from town?”
    “Oh, no.”Wendy stated.  “The kids in town were mean.  They called me ‘X-Files.’”
    “‘X-Files?’” Sondra looked confused.
    Wendy indicated her face.  “I have this round forehead, big eyes and a pointy chin. “ She stated flatly   “I look like an X-Files alien.”
    “No you don’t!” Sondra chuckled,  “You have beautiful hair, and cheekbones are to die for.” 
    Wendy only smiled.
    Sondra reached out and brushed the hair from Wendy’s face, saying.  “You have special beauty.”  Her hand rested on the back of her neck.  “I think you look like a fairy princess.”
    “‘A fairy princess?’”  Wendy wanted to laugh, but couldn’t.  She let herself lean forward.  “Would you like to meet a fairy princess?”
    “You,”  Sondra’s voice was breathy, “could be my fairy princess...”
    “I’d like that.”
    Then they were kissing.  They were on their knees but Sondra easily pulled Wendy’s body up against hers.  She felt the taller girl’s hand seize her butt, pressing their hips together, she decided she liked that.  Sondra’s other drifted up and down her spine, tickling, exploring, always coming back to her neck, keeping the kiss, controlling.  She decided she liked that too.
    It seemed to Wendy like a long kiss, but then it was over too soon.  Sondra pulled away.
    “No.” She said, rising to her feet.
    Wendy studied her friend, she didn’t look angry or ashamed.  “Why.”  She rose also.
    “When this happens...”Sondra indicated them both, “Neither of us will be able to say ‘it was because of the wine’ or because I was thinking of the asshole I left on the barroom floor earlier.  You deserver better.”
    She turned, heading out the door quickly. 
    Sondra paused and met Wendy’s eyes.  “We deserve better.”
    Wendy slowly went the door and touched it.  Was that a rejection?  She didn’t feel rejected and that was a feeling she knew well.  No, it was too...romantic.  She felt weak in the knees.  Her emotions seemed to swirl within and around her. 
    Romantic.
    Romance.
    She couldn’t decide what she was feeling.  Her hand went to her breast as she sighed.
    And then she heard the laughter.

It was a high laugh, almost musical.  Wendy recognized it instantly.
    “Buttercup.”  She said, tired. “Come on out.”
    A prismatic swirl of light appeared in the air and shot toward Wendy’s face.  She flinched reflexively as the effect disintegrated into tiny sparks.  Someone was showing off.  Out of the effect appeared a six inch tall figure with pearly wings flapping excitedly.
    “Witch Wendy’s got a girly girlfriend!” She squeeled, “Witch Wendy’s got a girly friend!”
    “Buttercup!” Wendy needed to control this conversation, “What are you doing here?”
She put her hand palm-up before her; basic manners.
    “Oh.” The auburn haired fairy landed on her hand and stood up straight,”Patriarch Sirius says something violated...he said ‘violated’...Witch Wendy’s protectivenesses....protectiveness?protectees?”  Her eyes drifted off to the side.
    “Protective charms?” Wendy offered.
    “Yeah!” Buttercup agreed, enthusiastically.  “Those!” Then looked at her, eyes wide with anticipation to see if she could say the rest of the message.
    She couldn’t.
    “Uncle Si said...?” Wendy prompted.
    “Oh!”  Buttercup stood up straight again.  “Anyhoo; Patty Si says Buttercup should go quick now and see how Witch Wendy is okay.  On account of Buttercup and Witch Wendy are bestest friends.” 
    The commune’s location had been chosen because the walls between worlds were thin there.  I allowed access to energies from other worlds there.  It also meant that things like the Fae would come visit on occasion.  Sometimes they would visit for a human lifetime.  Buttercup had come to “visit’ before Wendy could remember.  She seemed to fixate on her when she was still a baby and would try to protect her from childhood dangers.  She was told that the fairy had once protected her from wasps that had wandered too close to her.  There had also been an incident involving a skunk.
    “So.” Wendy asked, “You have no formal contract?”
    “Oh no, girlfriend!” Buttercup dismissed, with a gesture. “Witch Wendy is my friend.  Patty Si is off the ‘hood.”
    “‘Hook.’” Wendy corrected.  Relieved that Sirius had not been so concerned for her well being he had asked a fairy for a favor without terms.  With Buttercup that usually resulted in Si having to take the fairy for rides on his bike, getting into kite fights with her or just jumping in the lake with his clothes on.  All of which Buttercup found hilarious and Si took with a wry half smile.  Quite often Buttercup would transfer her debt to Wendy, which Si insisted had to be paid, and she would get a day of him reading to her or something.  Wendy never really had to have a contract with Buttercup, she had friendship.
    “Yeah, hook.” Buttercup clapped her hands.  “Everybody’s gonna be totally awesome about you got a girly friend!”  Her smile seemed too big for her face.
    “No. No.” Wendy stated. “You’re going to go back and tell everybody I ran into something dark, but I’m just fine....and that’s all”
    “But it’ll make everybody so happyyyy..." The tiny face instantly went into a pout.  “Buttercup loves to deliver good news.”  She showed a slight, hopeful smile.
    Wendy changed tactics.
    “Oh my gosh!  What did you do to your hair?”
    “Totally awesome! Right?”  The pixie fluffed her hair.  “It was in a magazine at the truck stop.” 
    In the language of the Fae, Buttercup was considered rather eloquent.  She had been around long enough to pick up bits and pieces of human slang and didn’t understand the idea that human languages changed over time.  Wendy imagined that when she tried speaking to Buttercup’s visiting friends she probably butchered the fairy language almost as bad, because they always looked they were holding back laughter.
    “It’s totally sweet.”  Wendy grinned.
    “Buttercup could do it for Witch Wendy’s hair.” She giggled, “Witch Wendy’s girly girlfriend would like it.”
    And that didn’t work.  Try reason with her, because that always works.
    “Look, Buttercup...” Wendy fumbled, “What you saw...”
    “Kissing! Kissing! Kissing!” She clapped, bouncing up and down in Wendy hand, “Kissy kiss!  Kissy kiss kiss!”
    “Buttercup, “ Wendy tried not to whine, “I don’t even think I have a girlfriend...really.  I don’t want to confuse everybody...”
    “No! No! No!”  Her tiny friend insisted, “Buttercup saw kissy kiss.  Witch Wendy and Wargirl have beautiful destiny!”
    Wendy stopped.  Why was this so important to her miniscule friend?  There were theories that the Fae would guide people to important junctures in their lives, maybe as part of some master plan of their own.  Her mother’s response was “They’re not keeping us as pets.”
    Then something else occurred to her.
    “Wait, ‘Wargirl.’  You mean Sondra?”
    Buttercup held up one hand.  “Wargirl Sondra.”  Held up the other.  “Witch Wendy”  She brought the hands together at the fingertips and made a smooching sound.
    Yep.  Reason was working so well.  That left the last option.
    “Surely there’s something Buttercup would like in exchange for her discretion.”  Wendy asked, coyly.
    “What does Witch Wendy propose?”  Buttercup was equally coy.
    “Buttercup tells everyone that Wendy was in danger for a moment, but she’s fine now and she will call them later with the details.”  She proposed, adding, “Buttercup will NOT mention my friend Sondra in any way.  No hints even.”
    “Terms?”  Buttercup asked.  That was a good sign, with Buttercup less words meant she was paying attention.
    “We could play the game?” Wendy smiled.
    “Totally.” Buttercup agreed, tossing her dress off in one quick action.
    “The Game,” as they called it, had appeared in their friendship when Wendy had begun to experience “special feelings.”  Always a secret, Wendy had gotten very good at it, by playing very badly.  The rules were variable, but usually it was something like, I’ve got a spot on my body that I would like to have touched.  If you can find that spot in three tries it’s your turn, if not, you have to touch my spot until I say you can stop.
    Buttercup got comfortable on her knees, legs open with her hands resting on her head.  Wendy stared at her for a moment then asked, “Have you picked your spot?”
    “Uh huh.” Buttercup said, wings fluttering slightly.
    Wendy started orbiting her finger around Buttercup’s tiny form.
    “Are you sure?” Wendy giggled.
    “Surely sure.”  Buttercup said, thrusting her tiny breasts out.
    Ignoring her tell, Wendy set her finger on the fairy’s elbow.  “Here?” she asked, innocently. 
    “Nuh nuh.” Buttercup answered.
    “Really?” Wendy sounded dubious. 
    “Yuh yuh.” Buttercup assured her, grinning.
    Wendy’s finger slid down, Buttercup’s arm, down her ribs and up her wing, to the very tip.  Her wings rippled with pleasure.
    “Is it here?”  She sounded confident.
    “Nope!”
    “Uh oh...”Wendy bit her lip, “One try left.”
    “One try left.”
    Wendy ran her finger down Buttercup’s wings, over the small of her back. gently touching her tiny bottom, thigh and calf, she stopped on her right heel.  “You thought you could fool me.” She said, conspiratorially.
    “That’s not it!” Buttercup enthused, “Not it! Not it! Not it!”
    “Then where?”
    “Here.” Buttercup indicated the spot between her breasts.
    “Oh.” Wendy looked at her eyes, “That’s a good spot.”  Giving the little fairy her victory, she ran her finger in soft, gentle circles between Buttercup’s tiny boobies.  She usually went right for the “good spots” if they hadn’t played the game for a while.  She must have been missing her human friend.  Wendy could feel herself becoming turned on, she had missed this too.
    Buttercup made a soft purring/chirping sound to tell her taller friend she was doing a good job.  After a few moments of gentle touching, the fairy seemed satisfied and lightly pushed Wendy’s finger away.
    “Witch Wendy’s turn?” Buttercup grinned.
    “Okay." Wendy screwed her eyes shut for a moment, then said. “Got it.”
    “Gotta see.” Buttercup said.
    “Okay,” Wendy set her tiny friend on the bed, rose and pulled her top off.  “Better?”
    “Nope.” Buttercup smirked.
    Wendy undid her jeans and let them drop to the floor, leaving her in striped socks, plain white panties and bra.  “We good?” She spread her arms out.
    “Tit-slinger!” Buttercup shouted, pointing.
    Wendy rolled her eyes and reached behind her.  When she had her bra off she tossed it at the fairy who took wing just long enough to dodge it.  Both girls giggled.  Wendy, again,opened her arms, exposing her hardening nipples.  “Happy now?” 
    “Happy happy!” Buttercup laughed.
    Wendy sat on the bed and set both her stocking feet on either side of the excited pixie.  She set her hand flat before her.  Buttercup skipped onto the offered platform.  Her larger fiend lifted her to breast level.  “Well?” she challenged.
    “Up! Up!” the fairy instructed.
    Keeping her face neutral, Wendy lifted her miniature playmate up to eye level.
    “Closer.” Buttercup whispered.
    Wendy felt tiny hands on  her face as Buttercup steadied herself to lean forward and kiss her on the eyelid.
    “Noooooo....” Wendy said softly.  It felt soft and nice.  She rubbed her legs together.
    “Down.” Buttercup instructed, smiling.
    When she reached Wendy’s lips she bent in to kiss them, first the upper, then the lower.
    “You’re right.” Wendy giggled.
    “Yuh huh.” Buttercup murmured.
    Guessing how Buttercup knew, she asked. “Did you like watching Sondra and I kiss?”
    Buttercup grinned demurely and and put her arms behind her back, she started rotating her torso back and fourth.  “Yes.”
    “Are you ...” Wendy wasn’t sure Buttercup could even feel it.  She hesitated to bring it up fearing it might be a dangerous, alien concept to her.  “Jealous?”
    Buttercup, literally, laughed in her face.
    “Jealousy is for monsters.  Not Buttercup.” Water? it’s wet, dummy.
    Feeling a little defensive, Wendy started. “But I,,,”
    Buttercup put her tiny hand on her lips.  “Witch Wendy and Buttercup are besty friends.  What makes Witch Wendy happy makes Buttercup happy.”  She pointed a finger up and looked at her sideways.  “Wargirl Sondra makes Witch Wendy happy.  Even if only fiendlove.”
    “I like that word.”Wendy smiled, “but it’s ‘friend-ship.’”
    “Buttercup’s word is better.” She smirked, “Friendlove is magic.”
    “Thank you, ‘My Little Fairy.’” Wendy grinned, bringing her palm passenger up to eye level.  “Pick a spot.”  Wendy wanted the game to go on as much as Buttercup did now.
    Buttercup closed her eyes in a show of concentration.  There was a slight tremor in her hips and she said, “Got it.” 
    “Boy!” Wendy thought, “She’s going right for the gold tonight.”  The fairy’s lust inspiring her own.  She rubbed her thighs together, enjoying the stimulation.
    “Are you naughty?” Wendy asked, making little circles on Buttercup’s tiny bottom.  “Is it here?”
    “Naughty yes!” Buttercup enthused, “But not there...”
    Wendy let her free hand slide down her own body, caressing her breast and sliding over her panties to enjoy the wet pleasure.  She could play the game one-handed.
    “Are you clever?  Is it someplace I’m already touching?”  Her voice sounded heavy.  “Is it your cute, little foot?”
    “Clever yes!”  Buttercup’s hips were rocking back and fourth now.  “But not there...and Witch Wendy didn’t say which foot.”
    “Ah hah!”  Wendy stated,  “Both knees.”
    “That would be cheating.”  There was mirth and sex in her voice.  “And wrong...Buttercup wins!”
    “So where?” Wendy thought that sounded more like a grunt than it should.
    The fairy’s hand slid between her tiny legs.  “Here.”
    “Show me how you want me to touch it.”  Wendy sighed.
    “Show!  Okay!” Buttercup began rapidly rubbing herself.  Her hips rotated forward.  She let out a tiny moan.
    Wendy pressed her finger against her cloth covered nether lips.  She knew this ruse wouldn’t last.  It didn’t.
    “Hey!”  Her tiny sex friend protested, looking over her shoulder.  “Touch Buttercup, not pussy puss.”
    Conceding she had it coming, Wendy licked her finger and slid it between the fairy’s legs.  The response was immediate.  Buttercup began rocking her hips, riding the slick digit. Enjoying her “victory lap.”
    Trying to make her mind drift from her sexual frustration, Wendy thought of Sondra.  She’d never “done anything” with a full sized person before.  She’d played the game, but that didn’t count.  What would she do with Sondra, when they had intimate time?  If they had intimate time?  This was only making her more horny.
    Need breeding creativity, Wendy had an idea.  The rules only said she had to “touch” Buttercup, not with what she had to do the touching.  She brought the wildly chirping fairy to her lips and quickly transfered the tiny package to her waiting tongue. 
    She made a sound like “Birp?” which was “What?” in fairy.  Then, “Uuuuuhhhnnnnn...” which was in a more universal language. 
    Wendy helped her stay in place with her left hand while her right hand slid into her panties.  She like feeling her wetness there, her body communicating with her.  Buttercup was riding her tongue with a fierce lust now.  The experiment seem to be working, because she was making noises Wendy hadn’t heard before. 
    “I got a victory lap for ya.” Wendy thought.
    Wendy felt her approaching release, but she found herself distracted by Buttercup.  The tiny Pixie never let herself get this animated before she just came.  She must be holding her orgasm at bay, relishing the tongue ride.  Wendy swelled with sexual pride at the unspoken compliment.  She redoubled her efforts on her own behalf.
    Then it happened.  Buttercup stiffened and spasmed.  Wendy could actually feel and taste her release, it must have been a lot for her.  Then the feeling came.  The orgasm shook Wendy through her sex...and her tongue?  She saw stars bursting at the edge of her vision.  Tension and release wracked her body in joyous torture.  It seemed to take forever for her climax to die down enough for her to take a regular breath.   When she opened her eyes Butter cup was there, fluttering above her.
    “Witch Wendy is happy?”  She asked sweetly.”
    “Oh, yeah...” Wendy gasped, “Witch Wendy is very happy.”
    The fairy donned her garment and said.  “Buttercup will keep dealy-o.  Not talky talk about Wargirl Sondra.”  Then she flew out the window.
    Apparently pillow talk wasn’t needed tonight.  She probably knew people were worrying back home.
    To that issue, she decide to send an email before falling to sleep.  She’d tell everyone she was fine, maybe ask if their protection spells were some kind of monitor also (that needed to stop.)  And make arrangements so they could see her.  That wouldn’t be negotiable.
    But first she changed her icon.
    From an alien to a fairy princess.

    Sondra woke up.  Too early.
    She hadn’t gotten enough sleep.
    Thinking about Wendy.
    Thinking too much about Wendy.  Wendy and the kiss.  Hey, Wendy and The Kiss might make a good song title.
    Then there was the noise.  This was a goddamned earthquake proof building and she was sure she could hear Wendy masturbating through the wall.  Really getting into it too.  Sondra blushed, imagining she had inspired the raucous bout of self love.
    She felt kinda’ horny as she pulled on her running clothes.  She considered skipping today, but no.  Skipping training was for losers.  After forty five minutes of calisthenics she decided to give herself a bit of a break and keep her run to two miles.  Even so,  she was sweating buckets when she got back to the dorms.  Last night seemed to hang on her like a weight. 
    Wendy was great, but ....
    But what?
    She hadn’t even known her twenty four hours and she knew they were already friends.  So what if last night got a little out of control?  It was only a kiss...only a kiss...yeah, right.
    He phone took her out of her speculations with a buzz.
    “Go for Dolan.” She answered.
    “Uuuhhh...hi, Miss Dolan, this is Detective Railsbach.”  The voice on the other end said.
    Uh oh, too much thinking about Wendy.  She had to deal with a possible assault charge, maybe.  Oh well, soldier on.
    “How can I help you, Detective?”
    “I just wanted to give you a heads up.” He sounded hesitant, maybe he was talking to her off the record. “The person who attacked your friend committed suicide last night.”
    That didn’t make any kind of sense.  Sondra’s mind ran over scenarios.
    “Miss Dolan?” Railsbach’s voice came again.
    “How the hell does that happen?”  Sondra queried.
    “Very strangely.” The detective answered.  “Guy never seemed to wake up, never gave a statement.  His lawyers showed up and he never even talked to them.  He just got ahold of a scalpel blade at some point and cut his wrist.  Nobody noticed until the blood was all over the floor...”
    “Wait!” That didn’t make any sense. “He never woke up...so he never made a phone call?  And his lawyers still showed up?”
    “That’s why I wanted to give you a heads up.” Railsbach stated.  “This could mean gang related.  We’re not sure.  It could mean he has friends who saw what happened.”
    Sondra was silent for a moment, thinking of possible repercussions.  Then, “Can you help me get a conceal carry permit?”
    “Nothing that works on campus.”  He said, without hesitation.  “And you’d need to prove a definite, specific threat...which we can’t.”
    Sondra realized she might have a valuable contact in the detective.  He wasn’t putting her off defending herself, he was stating the reality of the situation.  California campuses were victim disarmament zones, pure and simple.  She didn’t want him to think she didn’t value his time, and they seemed to be at the end of her options.
    “Understood,” She tried to sound diplomatic.  “I appreciate the warning.  Can I assume we never talked specifics?”
    “Nice talking with you,” He concluded, “Miss Dolan.”
    “Detective.” She hung up.
   
    After a brief shower,(she didn’t understand why every other girl seemed to take forever to clean up) passed by Wendy’s room on the way back to her’s.  The door was open.  The girl was on a lap top, cross legged on her carpet.  She considered quietly slipping by, but that seemed like she was...not being a friend.
    Knock. Knock.
    “Wendy,” She said.  “Wanna go get breakfast?”
    “Sure.”Wendy smiled sweetly over her shoulder, “After I finish talking to the family.”
    Sondra stepped in.  “Did you tell them...”  She asked, “you know...about the weirdo?”
    There was kind of a long pause before she answered, “Yes, I didn’t want them to worry.”Then went back to typing.
    “Well, tell them to stop worrying;”Sondra advised, “Guy killed himself in the hospital last night.  So no further investigation, nothing.”
    “Couldn’t somebody stop him?” There was way too much sympathy in her voice.
    “Wendy,”  Sondra explained, “you can’t have eyes on somebody 24/7.  It does’t work like that.  But check this out: guy never makes a statement or phone call, but his lawyers still showed up.  Crazy huh?”
    “Yeah...” Now Wendy sounded thoughtful.
    “So,” Sondra needed to change the subject before Wendy came to the same conclusions she had, “How’s the family’s?  Voldemort been bothering them?”
    “Stop it!” Wendy scolded, then in a light voice, “They say they have to meet you.”
    “Why...?” Sondra’s mind raced.  What had Wendy told them?
    “Because you saved my life...” Wendy informed her, “Duh...”
    “They comin’ up?” Sondra asked, trying to sound casual.
    “I’m going down on the weekend.”  Wendy sounded hopeful.  “You could drive me?”
    “Okay.”  Sondra was so relieved she hadn’t thought about going to a commune.  What were they going to think of her?
    “Cool.” Was all Wendy had to say, typing away.
    Sondra’s mind drifted for a moment.  A lull in the conversation.  Her eyes fell on the Nymphs and Satyrs rug.
    “Did one of them give you your carpet?” She inquired.
    “My mom had it.” Wendy explained, still typing. “She hung it on my wall when I was a baby.  It’s my lucky rug.”
    “What makes it lucky?”  Sondra asked.
    Wendy rolled her head all the way back and grinned upside down at her, “I was conceived on it.”
    “Oh...”  Sondra went slowly to her room.

7

As surprised neither of them, Sondra and Wendy shared no classes. The always got together after and talked about their day. Who they liked as a teacher and who was pushing some bullshit agenda.

Wendy was sure she had spotted Buttercup spying around the edges of her vision, but the fairy had never made contact. It made sense she’d be here. The wards the family had placed on her were not repaired yet. She was probably just making sure she was safe.

There were lots of people at the club when Sondra played. Wendy was happy for her. Lots of “good crowds.” There seemed to be a lot of record company people, but none of them approached her. Wendy their auras looked bad, that was until Sondra encountered an agent.

Sondra had just come off stage and put an arm around her. “Tom, with the Dig-Nots, is having a problem with his amp.” She told her friend. “I gotta get my tools outta the car.”

“Miss, Dolan?” Came a voice from beside them. The speaker was tall, with a short chin-beard and black hair pulled into a man bun. He offered her hand.

Sondra looked at the offered hand, then grinned at Wendy. “That’s pretty good.”She informed her, “They usually go right to ‘Sondra,’ like we’re old buddies or something.” She shook his hand, “How can I help ya’?”

“Miss Dolan, I’m Avery Welles.” His voice was smooth, radio announcer like. “With Westcott and Snype.”

Sondra’s interest was clearly piqued. “Okay,” She kept the handshake going. “I’ve heard of you.”

Wendy shifted her vision into the aura range. His energy field was stained with black, smokey tendrils.

“I’d like to talk about representing you...” His smile beamed forth opportunity.

Sondra looked at Wendy, the big, hopeful smile on her face fade when she saw her friends expression. Her face shifted to one of confusion.

Wendy leaned in and whispered, “I don’t like him.”

Instantly Sondra disengaged from the agent.

“Sorry Mister Welles,” She dismissed him, “I can’t help ya’.”

“Miss Dolan...” He found himself talking to her back.

“Tell ya’ what,” She told him, “you show up with a studio contract, a total creative freedom contract, and I’ll think about it. Right now, I gotta see a guy about a busted amp.”

Wendy had to look confused at her friend. This was everything she was working for. To just say no.

“You didn’t like him.” She explained.

Then, they were tooling down the road in Sondra’s white pinto.

“Why do you cover so much nineties music?” Wendy asked, after a lull in the girl talk.

“Oh.” Sondra answered. “I found all these mix tapes my folks made for each other. It was kind of a musical chronical of their love. It just stuck with me.”

“But you don’t seem to like much other music.” Wendy stated.

“I play music from northwest artists.” She countered.

“Some.”Wendy gave a little.

“I love Canadian music.” She announced.

“What Canadian music?” Wendy was dubious.

In answer, Sondra started singing.

“Shut your fucking face, uncle fucker.

You're a cock-sucking, ass-licking uncle fucker.

You're an uncle fucker, yes it's true.

NOBODY fucks uncles quite like you.”

Wendy found herself laughing so hard it almost hurt. Sondra poured it on.

“Shut your fucking face, uncle fucker.

You're the one who fucked your uncle, uncle fucker.

You don't eat or sleep or mow the lawn,

just fucked your uncle all day long.”

“STOP!” Wendy gasped.

At the entrance to the commune, a question occurred to Sondra.

“Umm...” She started, “What can you tell me about...you know...your religion?”

“Well...”Wendy smiled at her friend’s nervousness. “I can tell you we study magic. Details of our beliefs are kept secret,like an ancient Greek mystery cult. Oh, we belive that everybody has a special gift.”

“Like my music?” Sondra piqued.

“That might be your gift.” Wendy was thoughful. “Sometime it’s obvious when you’re a child, some times you have to spend your whole life looking for it. It depends.”

“Any taboo subjects here?” She queried.

“Not really...”Wendy considered.

“Witch burning jokes.” Sondra offered.

“Try to imagine thousands of people tortured and murdered, by somebody trying to get to you.” Wendy said, flatly,”How funny do you find that?”

“I got it.” Sondra nodded.

Wendy’s mother, Felicity, stood in front of their cabin, arms crossed in front of her like she had been waiting there for hours, an expression of indulgent patience on her face. “Show off.” Wendy thought.

Felicity was a tall brunette, still it surprised Wendy that, when they shook hands,her mother was taller than Sondra, her friend seemed so big compared to her. Was she slouching?

“Mother, this is Sondra.” Wendy did the introductions. “Sondra, my mother. Felicity.”

“Ms....uh, Felicity.” Sondra hesitated.

“My daughter tells us you saved her life.” Felicity said, a small, inscrutable smile on her lips.

“She just ran into someone who needed a lesson in manners.” Sondra grinned, then faded, “I just...uh...”

“This is a sacred thing you’ve done.” Felicity stated. An imperious quality in her voice.

“Motheeerrrr...” Wendy leapt in, “Don’t weird her out! She just got here.”

“There’s my special girl!” With perfect timing, Sirius appeared on the porch. He was a big, tall guy, but he was among them in a second, scooping Wendy up in a hug and giving her a big smack on the cheek.

Still held off her feet, with her arms trapped by Sirius’ hug, Wendy turned to Sondra. “This is Uncle Sirius.” Then back to Sirius. “Are you planning on carrying me around all weekend? ‘Cause I’m not, you know, eight.”

Si set her down and mussed her hair. “There’s my big girl.” He teased, then. “You must be Sondra.” He offered a hand.

“Indeed I must, sir.” Sondra shook it, smiling.

“Si’s fine.” His bearded face split into his huge smile. “Who want’s barbecue?”

“...and then she yells ‘Break his cunt!’”

After eating and showing Sondra where the both the communal and private bathing facilities were, they joined most of the rest of the commune in the outdoor common area.

It was clear to Wendy that Sondra hadn’t intended to swear in mixed company, but the wall of laughter from her communal family seemed to give her leave to continue her tale.

“So, now I’ve got the guy’s neck and arm in a figure four leg lock and I ask Wendy to go get Tony, the bouncer...” Sondra soldiered on through her narrative. “and on her way out she almost slips on the guy’s knife!” More hails of encouraging laughter. “And I’m thinking ‘Haven’t you come close enough to getting killed enough for one night?’” Her audience was cracking up, wine helped with that. “Anyway, cops came. My dad was a cop, so everything went smooth. Blah, blah, blah, the end.”

There was actual applause after her story, making Sondra blush. Wendy found the sight of a demure Sondra so cute.

“Wendy say’s you sing.” Came a voice from the crowd, which Wendy recognized as Agnes.

“Yeah.” Sondra was smiling. Someone was offering her familiar ground. “I’d have to get my guitar.”

The crowd became a wall of “Yes, do.” and “Please.” At a little over a hundred people, Wendy had seen her play for smaller audiences.

While Sondra fetched her instrument, Si and mom approached Wendy.

“‘Break his cunt?’” He began with.

“I was trying to say ‘break his contact with the earth,’ but she was already on it.” Wendy explained, rolling her eyes.

“She just climbed his ass and flipped him?” Si was thoughtful.

“Like she knew what to do?” Mom sounded more interested than suspicious.

“I asked her about it.” Wendy said, “All she did was talk about the move, not why. She’s not always a great listener.”

“Hmmmm...” Mom and Si made the sound in unison...then looked at each other. “Jinx!” Also came in unison. Wendy loved her family.

“Holy crap! Who’s dog is THAT?” Sondra was back. And, it seemed, Si’s familiar had joined them.

“That’s Oscar.” He informed her.

“He’s part...wolf...right?” She seemed to be impressed at the beast’s size as it loped to Sirius’ side.

“Half.” Si drawled, “the rest is german shepherd and english mastiff.”

“He’s quite the guy.” She grinned. “Love his colors.”

The liver and red animal sat up straight at the compliment.

“Yes,” Sondra baby talked,”You’re a pretty boy.” Then to them. “I’m gonna try from over here.”

The common area was a bare circle, surrounded by sparse trees, pounded down mostly by dancing. Sondra simply chose the center to perform from. She looked at her audience for a moment, then. “This is one of my favorites.” She smiled a sad smile, “It’s called ‘Baby Girl’ by Sugarland.”

She started with a simple rhythm on her guitar, slowly bringing in more complicated notes.

“They say this town,

The stars stay up all night,

Don't know can't see'em,

For the glow of the neon lights.

And it's a long way from here,

To the place where the home fires burn,

Well it's 2,000 miles and one left turn.

Dear Mom and Dad,

Please send money,

I'm so broke that it ain't funny.

I don't need much just enough to get me through.

Please don't worry 'cause I'm alright.

I'm playin here at the bar tonight

This time I'm gonna make our dreams come true...

Well I love you more than anything in the world.

Love,

Your Baby Girl”

Wendy thought she heard a slight crack in Sondra’s voice. “Oh my gosh.” She thought, “Is she crying?” She found herself focusing on the lyrics.

“Black top blue sky,

Big town full of little white lies,

Everybody's your friend you can never be sure.

They'll promise fancy cars and diamond rings,

All sorts of shiny things.

Girl, you'll remember what your knees are for.

Dear Mom and Dad,

Please send money,

I'm so broke that it ain't funny.

I don't need much just enough to get me through.

Please don't worry 'cause I'm alright.

I'm playin here at the bar tonight

This time I'm gonna make our dreams come true...

Well I love you more than anything in the world.

Love,

Your Baby Girl”

There it was. A song about a girl, away from home, telling her parents about her trials as a singer. Something Sondra could never do. She found herself approaching her friend.

“I know that I'm on my way,

When I can tell every time I play.

And I know it's worth all the dues I pay,

When I can write to you and say...”

She set her hand on Sondra’s shoulder. Her tearfilled eyes met Wendy’s.

“Dear Mom and Dad,

I'll send money. I'm so rich that It ain't funny.

Well it oughtta be more then enough to get you through.

Please don't worry cause I'm alright,

I'm stayin here at the Ritz tonight,

Whatta ya know we made our dreams come true!

And there are fancy cars and diamond rings,

But you know that they don't mean a thing,

Well they all add up to nothin compared to you,

Well, remember me in ribbons and curls...

I still love you more than anything in the world

Love,

Your Baby Girl”

That was it. Being a success and sharing it with her parents. The one thing Sondra wanted most in the world...and could never have. Here, surrounded by Wendy’s family, she had impulsively decided to play a song that was clearly too personal. And now she was weeping her way through it. Her pretty face stained with tears. Wendy offered her an understanding smile.

“Your baby girl.....

Dear Mom and Dad,

Please send money,

I'm so broke that it ain't funny,

Don't need much just enough to get me through,

Please don't worry cause I'm alright,

I'm playin here at the bar tonight..

Dreams come true....”

Once she pulled the guitar’s strap until it rested on her back, she wrapped her arms around Wendy. The circle was filled with applause, enthusiastic, but subdued.

“You’re not alone.” Wendy whispered.

As the commune gathered for a meal, Sondra asked about Wendy's childhood, making it clear she understood the were things she couldn't know. Unfortunately, Sirius brought up the subject of Kendo.

“What?” Sondar exclamed, “Wendy can sword fight?”

“No.” Wendy grumbled, “I'm a disaster.”

“Oh, c'mon, I gotta see you fight.” Sondra insisted, “Ohpleaseohpleaseohplease...”

“All right...” Wendy conceded.

Soon Wendy and Sirius were standing around in improvised armor, Si's made from his biker leathers, Wendy's made from tires. Their swords were bamboo practice weapons.

“He's gonna expect you to keep your distance.” Sondra whispered to Wendy. “Be aggressive, go in hard and get out. If you can in this:go for his ankles.”

Wendy did, she actually forced Si to put his guard up first, costing him the initiative. He parried her swing, but not easily.

“Wow!” He commented, “Nice one.”

The crowd murmered. They had never seen Wendy get aggressive before.

“Good!” Sondra yelled.

The fighters backed away from each other. Giving each other room and circling. When Wendy neared Sondra she said, “Stop and circle the other way. Go for his right flank.” Wendy did. Sirius stalled and she came at his right. He gave ground, his guard all he had. Once he was able to establish a good stance she no longer pressed.

“What's gotten into you?” He laughed.

“He's tryin' to get into your head.” Sondra warned, “Focus.”

The fighters continued testing each other for a few moves. Many of the crowd were looking at Sondra, Smiles and understanding on their faces.

Sirius brought his weapon up in a swing aimed at Wendy's shoulder. She simply ducked the blow. From her frog crouch, she struck him on the ankle. Using the momentum she tapped him on the wrist with her weapon, then spun while rising to rest the blade at his neck.

For a long moment all was silence. Everyone staring in disbelief. Then the silence was broken.

“That means she won?” Sondra asked loudly, “Right?”

There was a bit of applause, but mostly small sounds of approval. The gathering collected around Wendy, lots of hugs and pats on the back. People got out of Sirius' way as he slowly departed.

“Where's he going?” Sondra indicated Si's back.

“I don't know.” Wendy answered, a little confused.

“Is he mad?”

“I don't think so.” Wendy observed, “I've never beaten him before. I usually fold.”

“Really?” Sondra looked surpised. “You were great.”

“First time for everything.” Wendy shrugged, smiling.

When Sirius returned the crowd fell silent, parting before him. He was bearing a sword.

“I made this for you when you were still in your mother's belly.” He solemnly handed her a sheathed katana. “I am so proud of you.”

Considering Uncle Sirius' special gift involved the manipulation of metals, it was bound to be an exceptional blade. There was probably silver, impossibly blended into the steel.

Then there was much hugging and weeping. Wendy's mother was tearing up. Sondra put an arm around Sirius.

Then her expression changed.

“What is that?” She asked, indicating the biker heraldry on his back.

“I used to ride with the Road Druids...” He grinned.

“No.” Her tone was flat, her smile cold. “This.” She indicated a single patch.

Wendy moved closer to them.

“Anarchy symbol...”Si said proudly, “Before the show came out...”

“Kinda looks like a pentagram.” She said, “Don't you think?”

“Kinda...” Si twisted to look. “What do...?”

“'Road Druids.'” Sondra said, “Ya ever get down around San Diego?”

Wendy took a real look at Sondra. Out of nowhere, red was blossoming throughout her aura.

“Some.” Si was trying to be charming. “Open road...”

“You ever run into a Patrolman Chad Dolan?” The red was everywhere now.

“Yeah...” Sirius seemed to sense a problem. Oscar started moving closer.

“Sondra...” Wendy whispered, “No....”

“You ever fire an MP5, Si?” Sondra's too-calm voice was cracking now.

“Uhhh...” Was all he could manage.

Sondra's aura was like armor coated in blood now. Wendy,started to cry.

“I asked you a question.” Sondra seethed, “ Have you ever fired an EM! PEE! FIVE?”

Her back arched, she set her foot.

“Look, hon...” Sirius's arms were out in front of him.

“Stop!” Wendy half wept, half choked. “Sondra, stop!”

“The man who killed my father, “ Sondra was less loud, but her voice was...worse.” He had a pentagram on his leathers...”

“That doesn't...” Si was rocking on his feet, not sure how to proceed.

Oscar emitted a low, dangerous growl.

“You need the dog for this?” Sondra asked, like she was asking if he wanted popcorn. Her aura took on a fire like aspect, fraying. Her body was a steel spring, ready to direct her rage in a focused explosion.

“SONDRA! STOP!” Wendy cried. “Please, stop!”

When Sondra broke her focus on Si, she saw Wendy's tears and froze. Her eyes went back to him for a moment, shame welling up in them, then she went to her friend. She had no words, she just put her arms around her friend.

Once Oscar calmed down, Sirius approached the pair. His hand found Sondra's shoulder.

“Chad Dolan was your father?” He asked, priming the pump.

“Yes.” Sondra choked.

“Chad Dolan was a good man.” Sirius said, “He was honest and fair with his authority...I could never do harm to a good man.”

It seemed that had cleared the air, but Wendy could still feel Sondra's body shaking with regret. Hers was just shaking it felt like.

“Let's go.” Wendy said, leading Sondra to a guest bungalow.

Once inside, all the strength seemed to leave Sondra's body. Wendy held her, trying to help her bigger friend to the bed. She didn't quite make it, finding herself sitting on it with Sondra kneeling on the floor, her face buried in Wendy's lap. She was sobbing. Wendy stroked her hair for a moment, then Sondra lifted her tear-stained face to her.

“I miss my Daddy so much...” She wailed. “I mean my Mom, I got stay goodbye to her, but my Dad.....one day he was just gone...”

Wendy could only nod her understanding, pulling a wayward lock of hair out of Sondra's tears.

“I hate the man who killed him SO much...” She said in a sorrowful, dangerous voice,” I wanna find him and I wanna kick him and I wanna hurt him and I wanna kill him....” She set her face in Wendy's lap again. Strong, harsh sobs making her shake.

A slight pull and Wendy was able to get her to help getting them both on the bed. They laid together for what seemed like a long time. Finally Sondra's emotions exhausted the tough beauty and she settled into a quiet slumber, breathing slow and evenly.

Wendy stayed there, a human pillow for her friend. She felt deeply for Sondra in her sadness. She knew the old her would be back tomorrow, embarrassed but back. This weekend had not gone to her plan at all. While she felt duty bound to see to Sondra, a small, selfish part of her bemoaned the dashing of her dream.

“...And that,” She though to herself, “is how is didn't have sex with my best friend.”

    In the morning Sondra seemed keen to see to her exercise.
    Wendy took the opportunity to let the family restore her protective magics.   Though she did mention that she had no need for tracking wards. 
    Her separation from Sondra also gave Buttercup a chance to approach her. It was clear that the fairy had seen everything last night.  But she was strangely serious.
    “Would Witch Wendy like to come to Fairy Home?”  She asked, out of the blue.
    “Could I come back?” I was the first question that came to mind.  She’d heard the stories.
    “Yes...” Still, only a hint of her smile.  “After a while...”
    That could mean a day or a century, again, she had heard the stories.
    “Why?”  Wendy was getting worried, this was strange. “What would I do there.”
    “Become fairy.”  A bigger smile started to cross the tiny face.  “Like Buttercup.”
    “But I’d be tiny....”
    “Wings!” Buttercup countered. “World crossing.”  Referring to her her people’s ability to shift between realities.
    “I’d have to do what the Queen says.” Wendy smirked.  “Americans don’t like that sort of thing.”
    “Buttercup could talk to Queeny Queen.” The fairy insisted.  “Make sure Witch Wendy is treated special.”  She said special like it was two words.
    “And how are you going to get the queen to treat me special?" 
    “Easy!" Buttercup insisted, “Queeny Queen is Buttercup’s mommy."
    Wendy fell into a stunned silence for a moment, then.  “You’re a princess?  Why didn’t you tell me?"
    “Witch Wendy never asked," The pixie stretched to her full height, “And Buttercup thought it was obvious."
    “Uh huh," Wendy smirked, “Your majesty."
    “But seriously, Witch Wendy should take offer." Her tiny smile waned.
    “Why?"  Wendy felt a little chill.
    “Sees All Seer talked to Queeny Queen.  Friend of Buttercup over heard.  Talk of things dark for Witch Wendy...."  Her tiny voice was low, “Dark and....necessary."  Then the fairy straightened and smiled.  “Should come."
    “I thank you for your generous offer, but I can’t."  Wendy could only manage a sad smile.  “If I flee the darkness my path means nothing."
    Her tiny friend only nodded in return.
    “But you could do me another favor...”  Wendy brightened.  “I know you’ve been checking on me.  Could you also keep an eye on Sondra?”
    “Wargirl Sondra is messed up.”  The fairy lit off her hand and kissed Wendy on the nose. “Buttercup will keep Girly Girlfriend safe.”

    One last surprise was waiting for Wendy on her way off the commune.  It seemed that Agatha had gotten a new pick up and had no need for her white 1970 Mustang convertible.  Wendy suspected the “no need” of being a way of saying “Take this, I love you.”
    “Nice car...”Sondra observed, “But I’m not trading.  So don’t ask.”
    The drive back was uneventful.  The view was beautiful, the California coast in summer.  And even though they kept in sight of each other, Wendy couldn’t help but remember the trip down.  She kept feeling the emptiness of the seat beside her.


    Sondra settled back into the routine of classes during the day and performing at night.  It was starting to get hectic again, but she had dealt with that before.  Wendy and her got to have lunches together and see a bit of each other during the evenings, but she never brought up her outburst.  Hopefully it would be forgotten and Wendy could get back to being best friends.  Though Wendy never gave any sign they were anything less than “besties,”  Sondra feared she had messed things up between them. 
    Of course she only used that pain to fuel her singing.  There had been a run of good crowds and even some probing from the pros.  It seemed dropping some asshole on his head got people talking about you.  And being talked about was the whole point.
    On Thursday evening she showed up at the club as usual.  However, Tony advised her that there were people asking about her.  “Record company weirdos.” He said.  Sure enough there was Avery Welles, in all his man-bunned glory with two desperate-to-look-cool guys. 
    She shrugged and covered “Angel” by Sara MacLachlan, because she really did love Canadian music.  After one song they were signaling her to join them.  “Open stage” She though, “I can get off when ever I want...”  So she bowed and and stepped off the stage. 
    “Miss Dolan,” Welles announced happily, “This is Roger Cornfeld and Roy Byrne from Persistant Vizions.”  Roger seemed to be skinny, stooped and pasty.  He normally would have looked creepy, but done up in “American hipster” he looked kind of funny.  Roy seemed to have never let the eighties die and was wearing a ripped sports coat and had yellow, not blonde, yellow dyed hair.  “I believe you said you were looking for a ‘total creative freedom’ contract.”
    “Uh huh...” Sondra raised an eyebrow.
    “Avery speaks highly of you, Miss Dolan.” Roger spoke up, producing  a legal size piece of paper.  “and based on his say so...and you’re performance,  we’re prepared to offer you a 3 album deal.”  He offered the paper.  “This is just a preliminary document.....I states our intention to enter into negotiation with you and what we will give you.”
    Sondra began reading.
    At this point, Roy spoke up in his reedy voice.  “All this does is state that you will not enter into negotiations with any other party until our negotiations end or until our business is complete...”
    It was one page.  All the responsibility was on their part.  It was perfect.  There was even a clause giving her 48 total hours of studio time to cut “test tracts” which would belong to her if the negotiation fell through.  God, this was the key to everything she wanted...she could make her sure-to-be-short life count for something.  Make her parents proud.  Change the world for the better.  God, these guys were creepy. 
    There’s a moment that few people ever experience.  A moment where everything you want is within your grasp.   It is electric.  It is intoxicating.
    The pen was in her hand and she was not sure how it got there.   Signing the paper felt....weighty?  Now she could accomplish something.  These guys were creepy.  Now she’d grab the world by the horns.  What were those letters at the edge of her vision?  No matter, they were fading.  Why did these guys have an orange glow behind their eyes?  Trick of the light?  No matter, that was fading too.

    “Witch Wendy!”
    She could not have imagined hearing Buttercup’s voice if broad daylight, on the crowded campus.  But, there it was, loud enough for anybody who cared to listen.  Wendy froze, trying to spot her tiny friend.  At least she low-flew right up to her, Wendy held up a book to awkwardly shield her.
    “Wargirl Sondra....” The pixie gasped, “Dark ones have her...so sorry...couldn’t keep her safe....hurry.”  She pointed toward the dorms.
    Wendy simply snatched her out of the air and ran with the fairy in her fist.  When they reached the dorm parking lot, there was Sondra, hurriedly throwing things into her pinto.  Wendy surreptitiously set Buttercup atop her back pack, under her hair, just as Sondra saw her.
    “Hi Wendy!” Sondra laughed.  “I’m so glad you’re here.  I’ve got the best news.”
    “Sondra!” Wendy had to settle down, not sound so panicky, “What happened?”
    “Oh Avery came to the club.” She was setting a pile of clothes in the car.  “He got me signed with a label.  I did it!  The whole world’s gonna hear my music!” Some clothes hit the ground as she hugged Wendy.  “You’re my lucky charm.”
    That didn’t make any sense.  She resisted him just fine a week ago.  She switched her perception to the aura level.  Her friend’s energy field looked like parchment with dried blood letters written on it.  She pushed away from her out of fear and instinct.
    “Whoa!” Sondra said, responding to the shove.  “What’s the matter hon?”
    “You’ve got to listen to me!”  Wendy exclaimed. 
    Then stopped.
    She couldn’t tell her friend anything.  It was a foundational rule of her order.  No secrets to the non-initiated.  Breaking that rule meant the ire of the Goddess, not her favor.
    “Yes?”  Sondra asked, “What?” She shut the back of her car.
    “Sondra...” she started “you’ve been affected....by something.”
    “You can say that again!” She puffed up.”Success! It feels great! We’re gonna have such a great time....you can come with me when I tour.  See the world.”  She pulled her keys from her jeans.  “I bet you’ve got like...holy sites...in Europe...you wanna see those, don’t you?”
    “No!  No!  Sondra!” She moved to block her path.  “Where are you going?”
    “To the label....” The bigger girl gently, but firmly, moved her aside. “ Got to get my final contract?”  She climbed into the Pinto. 
    Desperation surged in Wendy.  She expanded her senses, looking for a weakness in whatever was working it’s dark magic on her friend.  There.  Some wavelength she’d never seen before.   Energy swirling about her friend.  She reached for it with her personal energy.  And pulled.
    Sondra waved to her from behind her steering wheel....and vanished.  In fact the whole car vanished. 
    Wendy felt the extra energy whirling around her.  What happened?  Where was Sondra?  And her car?  She moved forward...then froze.  There it was.  Tiny, like a toy, Sondra’s white Pinto.  She went to her hands and knees, getting a better look.  There was Sondra, behind the wheel, so tiny.  Her eyes were wide with terror.  She was looking at Wendy with terror in her eyes.
    “Oh Goddess,” Wendy intoned, “Help me.”  A slight shift in vision revealed the evil spell still working.  “Well that didn’t do anything.”  Only it did.  Now she could keep Sondra safe until she figured out a way to break the spell.  But first.
    “Go to the commune.” She instructed Buttercup, pulling the fairy from behind her.  “Tell them I’ll be calling for help.”
    The tiny fairy looked a the tinier car and back at Wendy.  Apparently she had an observation to share.
    “Nuh!” Wendy silenced her. “Home.  Help.  Go.”
    Buttercup shrugged and was gone like she was made of light.
    Back to the problem at hand.  Wendy went to pick up the car, then pulled back.  What if it was super fragile now?  What if she crushed it?  She might just send glass flying into Sondra’s face.  “Gee, sorry I blinded you.  I’m kinda new at this.”  She seemed to have a new sense of it, maybe she could read it’s structure to know if she was damaging it.
    She carefully, oh so carefully, held the tiny vehicle between her thumb and forefinger.  She could sense the door panels flexing, but no real damage.  Good, this was working.  She set the car in her left palm.  What was that sound?
    It was Sondra.  She was screaming.
    “Sondra.”  Wendy whispered,  “It’s me.  You’re gonna be okay.”
    The screaming stopped.  That that was all it took gave Wendy a warm feeling in her heart.  Maybe they could fix this together.  The wide eyed expression on Sondra’s tiny face gave her pause though.
    “You should probably buckle up though.”  The tiny head nodded and it looked like she was following Wendy’s advice.  She wrapped her fingers around the pinto and went into the dorm.  She tried to slide past Jay, but he was in the mood to engage.
    “Is Sondra moving?” He asked, sounding concerned.
    For a moment the question had a different meaning.  Like, did you crush your friend?  Is she passed out?  Dead?  She fought the urge to check her hand right there in front of Jay.
    “I....”  Wendy stammered, “I don’t think so.”
    “I saw her taking her stuff.” Jay said, a touch of sadness in his voice. “I thought....”
    “Big weekend.” Wendy managed, brushing by.
    “Starting Thursday?” He asked. 
    “BIG weekend.”  Wendy said, catching the elevator.

    In her room it was tough to get what she wanted one-handed.  Laptop, she hung it over her shoulder by the strap.  Lucky carpet, over her shoulder.  Alchemy kit, in her free hand.  She was ready to go.
    She managed to reach her Mustang and load it, a little awkward, but she kept Sondra reasonably safe and steady through the whole process.  In the driver’s seat she decided to put her tiny package on the passenger side floorboard, with nothing in the passenger seat.  She didn’t want to hit the brakes and have anything flying forward and crushing her friend.
    “Okay.” She said to the Pinto.  “I’m taking us somewhere safe.”
    Where to go was obvious, the commune had a cabin for retreat and meditation about 30 miles from here.  They would be safe and alone there. 
    During the drive through the California wilderness she found her eyes drifting to the Pinto on her floor.  Every time she looked she had a pang of guilt.  Sondra never tried to get out.  She pictured her friend, wide eyed, still gripping the steering wheel with white knuckles.  She’d find a way to make everything okay.
    The cabin was a simple 6 room structure.  Once parked, Wendy gently carried the tiny car inside.  There had lots of leftover artifacts from years of witch’s experiments and the place smelled of dust.  She headed into the bedroom.  There, sitting on a low dresser, like it was waiting for her, was a square cage for small animals.  She shuddered, hoping she wouldn’t need it.
    Once her precious burden was set on the bed, Wendy focused on it.  The energy she had perceived earlier seemed to follow, trailing along with her movements.  She focused on putting some of the energy back.  The vehicle seemed to rise from the bed, growing from a few inches to a little over a foot in length.  The new sized Sondra inside had gone from looking terrorized to ...well....concerned.  With no instruction, her miniature friend got out of the car.  She paused, seeming to get a feel for walking on a giant blanket then came toward her. 
    “Wendy?  You did this?”  Surprisingly, it wasn’t an accusation.
    “Well, yes...” Wendy wished she’d thought about what to tell her. “Yes.”
    “Then you made me bigger?”  She was getting a little more intense now.
    “Yes.” She saw where this was going. “But...”
    “Then finish.”  It didn’t sound like an order, more like she was pointing out the obvious.  “Grow me back.”
    “Sondra,” She started, “listen...”
    “Wendy!” Sondra yelled, hysteria painting her voice. “I...I don’t like this....please...I’m scared...I’m sorry if I....” She dropped to her knees, crying.
    Wendy couldn’t help herself, she reached to comfort her shrunken friend.  At her touch the mini blonde recoiled.
    “Aaaaaaah!” She screamed, trying to shield herself with her arms. “What are you doing?  No!”  She scurried away.  “Stop.” 
    “Sondra.”  Wendy pleaded, “I can’t restore you yet...”
    “Please, Wendy.” Sondra pleaded in return.  “There’s still time.  Put me back and I can still get to the record company.”
    Aha, Wendy reasoned that must be what the curse was doing.  How else could she be shrunk and terrified and thinking of getting to the record people. 
    She scooped up the tiny figure and brought her up to her face.  She instantly regretted that as Sondra actually went limp with terror, like she was about to pass out. 
    “Easy now, honey."  She cooed,  “It’s gonna be okay."
    The gentle sound of her voice seemed to calm her friend a bit, though with the calm came more awareness and she seemed to take in the relative height she was presently at with relative alarm.  Seeing it as the most merciful option she set the nearly catatonic Sondra in the cage. 
    She needed to talk to the family about this.

    Feeling every inch like a monster, Wendy laid down her lucky carpet and set up her lap top.  What would her family say?  “You shrank and kiddnapped your best friend?  That’s nice, dear.”  She couldn’t manage to sit down, so she put the device in voice mode as she paced back and fourth. 
    “Aethernet!”  She instructed, “Chat with home.!”
    Presently, Sirius’ icon appeared, followed closely by mother’s.  She almost felt her knees give way from relief.  She was shaking but she couldn’t seem to sit down yet, so..
    “Go to voice mode:chat.” She told the device.
    “Honey?” Mother sent.
    “Hi Mom.”  She started, “First: I’ve found my gift.”
    Sirius: What is it?
    Mom: What is it?
    “I can shrink things?” No other description came to mind.
    Mom: Shrink things?  Like make things smaller?
    “And,” She realized, “I seem to have some way to analyze things...get a sense of their structure...I don’t understand that part yet...?”
    Sirius: Buttercup seemed pretty upset.  What did you shrink?
    After a long pause Wendy managed to say, “Sondra.”  Then, “and her car.”
    Mom:Sondra?
    Mom: Sondra the person?  Sondra your friend?
    “Mother, she was cursed.”  Wendy was glad whining didn’t translate through the chat, “It was a dark and old curse.  The record company people did something to her....I had to stop her from going to them.”
    Sirius: Can you show it to us?  The curse. Be careful.
    Wendy summoned an image of the runes she had seen around, carful to only bring part of the pattern to light.
    “I’m sending them to you in a one - three - two pattern.”  She put the first, then last, then middle part of the hex on the lap top....in order it could be dangerous.
    Sirius:Got it.  I’ll get everyone on it.
    Mom:I see it.
    Agatha:I am here.  I see it too.
    “The slow walker had a similar aura” Wendy observed. 
    Agatha: I know this.  Very dangerous.  It’s called “The Martyr’s Curse” or “The Curse Of Saints.”  Tell me child, do you consider Sondra a good person?
     “Yes.  Absolutely. “  Wendy stated.  “She’s irreverent and angry, but I believe she strongly seeks the light in her own fashion.”
    Agatha:  That is what the curse will use against her.   It will use her determination against her.  Blind her to some things.  It will use her quest for goodness as a means to consume her.”
    “That’s....”Wendy choked, “That’s not fair...how could they even do that?”
    Agatha: It takes one off the path of the light-seeker and sets them on the road of the fanatic.  She won’t even be able to see it as a curse.  Why wouldn’t somebody like her want more drive?  More focus?  More determination? 
      “What about the return?”  Wendy felt a twinge of anger through her grief.  “What price do they pay?”
    Agatha:  That’s why it’s dangerous.  To them also.  They are basically attacking goodness itself.  They are generating so much “bad karma” with this that they are vulnerable.
    Mom: Is there a way to break it, Agatha?
    Agatha: It would be very difficult.  I can see no way for Sondra to participate in her own salvation.  In fact, (I’m so sorry child) within a week it will become so much a part of her that it will be unbreakable.
    Wendy choked back tears.  She couldn’t speak.
    Sirius: Wendy, honey?
    “I’m here....what do I do?” Wendy managed.
    Mom: Honey.  We’ll think of something.
    “Isn’t there someway I could just tell her?” Wendy knew the answer.
    Mom: Not without betraying the Goddess.
    The screen changed a bit as Constance came on.
    Constance: Hon.  There might be a way.  A short-cut that would allow her access to our knowledge...and maybe break the curse in the process.
    Sirius:  It takes years to initiate someone!  Constance we don’t have time.
    Mom: The shortest initiation I’ve ever heard of took months.
    “LET HER TELL ME!” Wendy screamed.
    Constance: Wendy, sweetheart, you can’t initiate her, but you CAN make her your familiar.
    “What?” Wendy felt a little stunned, “You only do that with animals!  Don’t you?”
    Agatha: Usually.
    Sirius: That could work.
    Mom: Honey, I’m not sure you can do this.
    “STOP!”  This wasn’t helping, “Someone explain, please!”
    Agatha: A familiar must submit to you, completely.  They must see you as we see the Goddess.  The sharing, the connection becomes complete.  There is no need to keep secrets from a familiar.
    “That’s...that’s...” All the words that came to Wendy’s mind were words she would never use with her family. “With a person?  With Sondra?  She...she’s my friend....I....I can’t.”
    Constance: Then kill her.
    Mom: CONSTANCE!
    Sirius: No!
    Constance: Then bring her here.  I’ll do it for you.  I can make it painless.
    “Constance,” Wendy wanted to cover her eyes, but she couldn’t. “Please, stop.”
    Constance: Because your friend will betray everything she stands, she will compromise and compromise until there’s nothing left of her and then she’ll be consumed by darkness.  If you do it now, she will have a much better chance in the next life.
    “I don’t know how..” Wendy wept.  “What do I do?”
    Agatha: Sex.
    “Huh?” That didn’t make any sense.
    Agatha: You said you made her tiny?  You have her there?  The quickest way to control someone is through control over their sex. 
    “I...I, um...” This just turned awkward. “I’ve never....”
    Mom: Start by doing what you do with Buttercup.
    “What?” This wasn’t happening, “What?  Did she tell you....?”
    Mom: Sweetheart, at your age you have a fairy following you around and doing favors for you, and the rest of us, for no price.  We all know what’s going on.
    “All of you know?” Wendy kind of felt like she was shrinking herself now.
    Sirius: Yep.
    Agatha: I knew.
    Constance: Oh, yeah.
    All this was too much. 
    Sirius: Please, focus Hon.  She cannot see you falter.  She must see no other way than your mastery over her.  I know you can be strong.  I’ve seen it.  Be strong for your friend.
    Constance: And feel free to enjoy it.
    Mom: Constance.
    Constance: Yes.  Enjoy it.  Sex is about pleasure.  If you don’t let yourself enjoy it...She will have no chance of yielding to the pleasure.  This is seduction as well as control.
    Wendy just stared at the screen for a long while.
    Until....
    Mom:Sweetheart.  Nobody else has your connection with your friend.  Only you can do this.  But, if you can’t....bring her here....we won’t make you watch...
    Wendy took in a small sharp breath, her vision blurred through tears.
    “No.” She said, although she wasn’t sure what she was saying no to.  “I’ll take care of her.....I’ll save her....I will.”


    Wendy hesitated at the bedroom door.  She slowly opened it and peeked in.  That was a mistake, because Sondra was standing there, in the cage, arms crossed.  She should have just walked right in.  She would’ve looked more strong and decisive.
    “Ah!” She tried to sound casual. “You’re awake.”
    Sondra only glared. 
    “There is something I need to tell you...” Wendy began.
    “A CAGE?” Her tiny friend yelled.
    “Sondra.” Wendy tried again.”That’s...”
    “YOU PUT ME IN A FUCKING CAGE?”    
    Yep...not sounding happy.  This was gonna be easy.
    “SONDRA,” Wendy actually raised her voice that time. “You need to...”
    “ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND?”  Her face was pink now. “A FUCKING CAGE?”
    Wendy popped the top of cage open and reached in.  Sondra reflexively went into a defensive stance.  Too late she tried to dodge out of the way and Wendy’s hand seized her shrunken form.  Pulling her up to eye-level Wendy gave it her best shot.
    “THERE!” She made her point and calmed, “You’re outta the cage.  Care to talk now?”
    Wendy hated the wide eyed expression on her face.  She wanted to hold her.  To comfort her.  Why did this have to be so hard? The terror in Sondra’s eyes almost made Wendy the relent until...
    “Wendy,” Sondra gasped, “there’s still time. Just drop me off that the record company. They’ll know what to do.”
    Wendy hated the curse. More than anything in the world she hated the curse. She pretended she was speaking directly to the curse, when she said. “You’re not going anywhere. You’re not going to do anything unless I want you to do.”
    Now Sondra was looking at her like she was just stupid.  What did it take to make her listen? 
    “Wait.”  She squinted.  “What?”
    Summoning up her most imperious voice, Wendy explained.  “You belong to me now, Sondra.  I own you and that’s just the way it’s going to be.” 
    Grasped in a giant hand, looking up at her seeming giant friend Sondra said.  “Well....no.”
    By all the gods and goddesses! What did it take to make her see the facts?  She was tiny, helpless before her.  Wasn’t she already scared?  
    “I mean it.”  Oh, that sounded good.  “You will submit to me....”
    “Wendy!”  Sondra shouted back, “Stop talkin’ crazy and take me to...”
    Yeah, yeah...time for a demonstration.  With her free hand, Wendy ripped Sondra’s top off.
    “Hey!” The palm sized woman protested. Then, “Whoooaa!” as she was flipped over.      Wendy pinched the back of her bra....then pinched it again (stupid clasp)....and once more and then tossed it to the side.   She let her small friend slip slightly, so she held her under her arms, once the tiny shoes and socks were off, Wendy pinched and pinched and finally got her pants off.  Sondra’s little face a picture of surprise. Then the little panties were dropped to the floor.
    “Wendy, I lov...” Sondra started weakly. 
    But Wendy wasn’t listening, she held her helpless captive face down and gave her a light swat on her butt.
    “There!”  Wendy hadn’t intended to say that out loud.
    “OW!”  Sondra protested.  Her little fists clenched.
    >Smek<  Wendy delivered another blow to the tiny bottom.
    “You’d better not!” Sondra choked.
    Wendy felt the whole small form tighten with impotent rage.  She dropped her fingers in a light punishing arc. 
    “You’d better....” then it came, “EEEEEEEEEE.........”  The scream was high and desperate.  It continued , a single note for what seemed like minutes.  It sounded to Wendy like she was torturing a child.  It sent a chill through her...freezing her.
    “Sondra.” Wendy said, gently.
    The scream continued.  High and hopeless and continuous.
    “SONDRA”  Wendy barely managed to over-shout Sondra’s wail.  But the toy sized girl stopped and Wendy set her back in the much hated cage.
    “What?”  She managed, gasping, as she slid from her friend’s hand to the floor of the cage.
    “We’re done...” Wendy said, trying to sound amiable.  “You’ve learned your lesson.”
    “Why are you doing this?” Sondra grumbled.
    Try to sound mysterious.  Try to sound mysterious.
    “You will learn that when the time is right.”  Wendy summoned her impersonation of Aunt Agnes. Still, ouch..corny.
    “Bitch!”  Sondra Screamed, still on her knees...her face crimson, her hair wild.  “I’m gonna KILL YOU!”  Her lips curled back.  “Kill you and rip your fucking eyes out.....!”
    Wendy turned away....trying to not seem to hurry.  Her friend’s deep rage aimed at her back.  The threats and screams muffled when she closed the door to the bedroom behind her and walked to her lucky carpet.   Her knees seemed to lose all the purpose as she collapsed and began bawling.   She curled into a ball on her side as tears painted her face.
    “Why?” She moaned to the universe.  “Why us?”

    It was getting dark.  Hours had passed since Wendy’s first attempt to subdue Sondra, but she simply could not go back in the room.  She knew she had to go at her again, and she simply did not have time to waste.   But she also knew if she went in there and saw her friend rightfully furious and in a cage, a cage she had put her in, she’d end up crying again.  She couldn’t afford the loss.
    But, she couldn’t just think of herself.  She pictured Sondra, naked on the floor of the cage, nothing with her and she hadn’t eaten.  She needed to do something about that.  With night on hand it would turn cold soon, that also needed dealt with.  Goddess, Sondra was not going to be like other familiars.  She needed far more consideration.  Who would even consider keeping a shrunken woman as a pet?
    She lit a lantern.  The house had a solar powered water heater, but that was it.  Light came from flame, candles and two lanterns, heat came from a large, mantled fireplace and a wood stove.  A fire seemed like a good idea, a small one.  It would delay having to deal with Sondra. 
    Coming in with food might make things go easier.   She found some oatmeal and some dehydrated fruit, oh, and honey.  That should work for the moment.  Once she had something edible she.....she stood at the door for a long while, lantern in one hand, bowl of oatmeal in the other, honey tucked under her arm.
    The door opened via an old fashioned latch, fortunately.  This time there was no peaking, Wendy just walked in like she owned the place.  She tried looking “imperious”  but couldn’t hold it at the sight of Sondra.  She seemed barely able to rise from her curled up position. She’d clearly been crying. 
    “I’ve brought you something to eat.” She didn’t think she could sound so cheerful. 
    She set the things down by the cage, unlatched the top and reached in for Sondra.   In the amber glow of the lantern’s light her tiny, naked friend recoiled, trying to shield herself with her arms. 
    “It’s okay.”  She cooed, turning her hand to form a platform.  “You can climb on when you’re ready.”
    Sondra gave her an expression that seemed to say ‘you want me to stick what up my butt?’
    Unperturbed, Wendy shifted her hand.  “It’s either that or...” She mimed grasping a small body with her fingers.  Sondra quickly but lithely scurried to her hand and sat.  There was a slight shiver at the flesh to flesh contact.  “I love cupping your ass.”  Wendy giggled.
    As her precious cargo was closest to her, Wendy paused.  The sight of Sondra,  naked, in her hand...  She couldn’t put her down. 
    “Uh...Wendy...” Sondra began.
    “Yeah, sweety?”
    “If I’ve done something...” She really looked sorry, “If I’ve made it so you don’t want to be friends anymore...”
    That brought her to halt. 
    “Sondra,” She began seriously, “we will always be friends.  Best friends.”  She worried she was making a mistake, undermining herself, but she had to say this.  “Everything that happens will be because I love you.  You can’t understand that now, but I love you so much.”
    Her declaration seemed to bring only stunned silence from Sondra, instead of the expected ‘then let me go.’
    “Now,” She set her friend by the steaming bowl, “eat something.”
    Sondra knelt by the bowl of warm mush.  She looked up at Wendy and back into the bowl.  She held her hand over the steaming mass, then touched it, quickly pulling her hand back she was testing the temperature.   She didn’t make a face, but she didn’t seem happy as she scooped some up into her mouth with her hand.  The over sized oats left a mess on her lips and chin, provoking a giggle from Wendy.
    “Hold still,” She instructed, licking her thumb and using it to wipe Sondra’s face clean.
    “Thppppt...” Sondra spat.  Trying to wriggle away.
    “Here.” Wendy scooped a little fruit on her finger and held it before Sondra.  “I think it’s a peach.”
    Never taking her eyes off Wendy, Sondra licked the food off her friend’s finger. “Strawberry.”  she said noncommittally. 
    “Oh.”  Wendy tried to sound nice.  “Good?”
    “Do you need me to say ‘yes?’” Sondra grumbled, licking another mouthful.
    “I’d like it if you told me the truth.”  Wendy smiled patiently.
    “The truth is...”  Sondra got another bit of fruit and chewed.  Making Wendy wait.  “I’m hungry...or I wouldn’t be doing this.”  And she got some more in her mouth.
    “Doing what?”  Wendy cocked her head.
    Another mouthful, then. “Eating out of your fucking hand.” 
    “Um....”  Wendy hadn’t considered it that way, she thought she was being helpful.  She might have accidentally done something right.  Wasn’t she supposed to be controlling things? “Well, this is the way it’s going to be.  So just eat up, honey.”
    Hateful eyes bore into her as Sondra took another bite.
    “Would you like some?”  Wendy asked.  “Honey?”
    “Wuhd?”  Sondra said around a peach piece.
    Wendy reached across herself with her free hand and picked up the plastic bottle.
    “Honey!” she grinned, “Got some right here.”
    A moment’s thought and Sondra said, “Sure.”
    Wendy squeezed and the golden ooze plopped onto Sondra’s chest.  Provoking a “FUCK!” from the tiny woman.  She managed to guide the rest if the honey on to the cereal, but Sondra was not happy. 
    “You fucking did that on purpose.”  She tried to yell over Wendy’s laughter. 
    “Oh my gawd.”  She cackled, licking the bit of cereal from her finger. “That is SO cute.” 
    Trying to scrape the honey from her breast seem a real challenge.  She seem to push and pull and achieve nothing but spreading it on herself.  Wendy imagined it was a lot like handling tar at her size.  On impulse she seized her miniaturized friend up in her hand. 
    “Gaah!” Sondra exclaimed at the sudden, brief motion.
    “Lemme help.” Wendy licked her thumb.
    “Oh not this again...!” Sondra protested as the spit cover digit rubbed against her.
    “Just a minute..”  Wendy insisted.
    “Ouch!” Sondra cried.  “Stop!”
    “What?”
    “It feels like you’re trying to rip my nipples off.”  She grimaced.  “That shit is like glue.”
    Wendy though for a moment.  That made sense, Sondra would be more fragile.  That was a disturbing reminder of how careful she needed to be in all this.  Then the solution occurred to her.  She put Sondra up to her mouth and licked.
    “Jeezuz fuck....aaahhhh!” Sondra howled, accompanied by lots of small but still, kind of painful blows. “Doooooon’t...”
    She pulled her back and looked at her.  Sondra’s tiny eyes were wide, insane with terror.  Saliva glistened on her breasts.
    “What?”
    “Don’t!” She was trying to push herself back, “Don’t!”
    Okay, what had she done now? “Don’t what?”  She cocked her head.
    “You....you...I....I...”  Sondra shivered in fear.  “I’m covered in honey and you put me to your mouth!”
    “What?” Wendy didn’t like where this was going.
    “I can see your goddamn teeth...”  Sondra shouted like that meant something.
    “Wait...”  Wendy found this whole conversation hurtful, “What are you accusing me of?” Came out louder and angrier than she had intended.
    Sondra cringed in her hand, clearly terrified, but with nowhere to go.
    “You think I want to...?”  She tried to see things from her friend’s perspective, but that was ridiculous.  “No.”
    “How can I know?”  Sondra countered.  “All I know is you can do whatever you want to me.”
    “I don’t want to hurt you.”  Wendy insisted.
    “Tell that to my ass!”  Sondra managed to not sound scared with that one.
    “Just relax.” Wendy ignored Sondra’s point scoring and held her to her mouth once more.  “You’ll see...” 
    Slowly and tenderly she gave Sondra’s sweetly coated breasts gentle, experimental licks.  Sondra only made restrained, fearful sounds in response, but Wendy pressed on.  She felt more flesh being revealed as the honey was licked away and Sondra started making lower, more ... relaxed sounds.  Not letting up, she felt tiny nipples harden under her attention and still pressed further, attending tiny stomach muscles and then returning her tongue to tiny breasts.  When Sondra emitted a low moan, Wendy slowed her pace, then held her friend away from her face.
    Sondra’s expression was still intense, just not fearful.  Grinning, Wendy opened her hand revealing her miniature, fuzz covered sex.  Wendy ran her finger down between and over her breasts, picking up slick saliva as she did.  She pressed her moistened finger between Sondra’s legs and found more moisture there to meet it. 
    She grinned at the mini girl’s response.  Sondra only opened her legs in passive capitulation. 
    Continuing on her course, Wendy made gentle, little circles around and over the little treasure.   She couldn’t quite see through the hairs, but Sondra’s body told her all she needed to know as she grabbed on tighter to the hand holding her, allowing her to arch her back and open her sex even more.  Wendy tried a longer stroke, running the full length of her finger up and down on Sondra’s pussy. 
    “Ouch!” Sondra winced quietly.
    “Oh.”  Wendy softly asked , “are you okay?”
    “It kinda pulled my hair...”  She seemed embarrassed and candid at the same time.
    “Okay...” Wendy conceded. 
    She put her finger in her mouth, tasting Sondra’s arousal and coating it with a thick layer of saliva.  Now the long strokes glided over tiny hairs and a tiny, ready sex.  The long strokes making her tiny captive thrust her hips to meet the attention.  Once they found a mutually acceptable rhythm Sondra began moaning with lust. 
    “There you are, sweety. “Wendy cooed, “everything’s going to be okay.”  All the time praying to her Goddess to please let this happen.
    Grinding and gasping Sondra writhed under Wendy’s attention, her breath changing to sharp, shallow gasps.  In spite of never having done this with a human before, Wendy knew what was happening.
    “Oh.” She encouraged, “Yes baby, yes.”
    Sondra tensed for a long while, Wendy helping her to make the orgasm last by keeping up her stimulation.  Finally she went semi-limp in her hand.  Wendy grinned lovingly down at her beloved friend, certain that this special sharing had served some part of the divine purpose.  She reached out for the connection.  Some sign Sondra was becoming her familiar.
    As she was lowered to the dresser top, Sondra regained her composure.  Not smiling, she regarded Wendy.
    “Did you get what you want?”  Was all she said.  So calm it became an accusation by default.
    “But...?” Words wouldn’t come.  She feared seeming too vulnerable...which was exactly how she felt.
    “‘But’ what?” Sondra sneered, “You got your jollies.  Are we done now?”
    “You....you...”  Wendy couldn’t quite make words happen.
    “Yeah,” Sondra shrugged, “you got me off.  Congratulations!  I can do that with this finger.”  And she showed her exactly which finger, extending it.
    Apparently, with Sondra, longer was better.

    For a moment, Wendy just loomed there, blinking in disbelief.  Sondra couldn’t help but feel just a little satisfaction at her expression.  She had finally gotten a reaction SHE wanted. 
    When the giantess’ hand came for her, Sondra thought she was going to pick her up again and set herself to not cringe or flinch.  She wasn’t going to show her tormentor any weakness.  But instead of being grabbed and lifted, Sondra found Wendy’s fingers pinching her hand. 
    “Gaaahhh!”  She screamed at the trapping pressure.
    Wendy looked really angry.
    Sondra pulled uselessly at Wendy’s two finger grip.
    “What was that, little miss?” The giantess’ tone threatened.  “Did you wanna say something?”
    Sondra could feel the tension in her fingers increase.  It hurt.  A lot.  She howled in pain, but the snapping of her tiny, bones never came.  One of the things martial arts had taught her was how and when to take a hit.  She did the calculations without thinking.
    “Just do it....” She growled through the pain, “Quit fucking around and do it.”
    “Do what?”  The pressure let up some, Wendy seemed genuinely perplexed.  “What are you talking about?”
    “You wanna smash my hand?” She accused, “You wanna take my music from me?  Will that be enough?” Her tears were back.  “You’ve taken everything else from me... will that do it?”
    Wendy released her hand like it was hot.   There was nothing graceful about the flinch, Sondra was almost pulled off her feet.
    “What is WRONG with you?” Wendy was accusing now, “Everything I say, everything I do...your mind just goes to the darkest place possible.”
    “Oh, I apologize....”Sondra rubbed her hand. “I should have higher expectations from the secretive witch that shrank and kidnaped me.  Please, share with me your kind and loving agenda regarding my well being.”
    For a long moment they stared at each other.  Wendy seemed to start to say something several times but faltered.  Finally a decision, it seemed, had been made.  Sondra found herself scooped up to Wendy’s face.
    “The fact that I love you doesn’t make me weak...” There was no love or weakness in her voice that Sondra could detect.  “and I am very concerned for your well being.  I want you to be happy and healthy and play your music.   I just want you to be mine.  The sooner you accept that you are mine, the sooner we can enjoy this.”
    “Enjoy what?”
    “Our new relationship...”  Wendy stated, flatly. 
    “What relationship ?” Sondra forced herself to speak with much more calmness than she felt. “With me as your bitch?”
    “If that’s how you want to start, sure.”  A sweet, understanding smile crept onto Wendy’s gigantic face.  “We can begin however you want.  You can be my bitch, my pet...my tiny lover.  Just know that you are mine, that’s all you have to do.”
    “So you take everything from me...and you expect me to just give you...me?”
    “I can be giving too..” Wendy smiled, patiently, “didn’t I just give you something...even if you don’t appreciate it?”
    “I didn’t say I didn’t appreciate it...” Sondra kept her tone even, wishing she could turn off her blush.
    “Oh?” Wendy sounded amused....maybe, hopeful?
    “What I don’t appreciate is you taking everything from me...”  She tried to not let her tone sound like whining.
    “You keep saying that...”  Wendy interrupted.  For a moment she seemed thoughtful.  Then she set Sondra back in the cage.  Her hands pushed at the air in a “wait there” gesture before she turned and picked up Sondra’s pinto from the bed.  Baby creaked and rattled at her grasping and lifting of its metal body, then she simply he put the miniature vehicle in the cage with her.
    “There!”  Wendy declared.  “Everything you were going to take with you.  I have given it back to you.” She struck a Vanna White pose.
    Sondra could only stare.  The sight of her car being handled like a toy was shocking enough, but to have Wendy treat this situation so flippantly was simply stunning.  She knew she was standing there with a dumb expression on her face, but this was a Wendy who was strange and surprising and frightening to her.  She really could not imagine a way to respond to her, so she stayed the course.
    “You do know,” Sondra grumbled, “it isn’t yours to give.  Right?”
    “Well," Giant Wendy smiled, almost laughing, and set her elbows on the dresser with her face in her hands.  “that’s really what we’re trying to find out.  Isn’t it?”
    “I guess so.” Sondra fumed. “I guess you wanna own all my junk and all of me.  Not just my pussy.”
    Wendy grinned.  “I like it when you say ‘pussy.’”
    “Well, that’s what’s important...”  Sondra said, “what you like.”
    “Well,” Wendy mused, “you seemed to like it too.”
    “If you say so.”  Sondra, crossed her arms.
    Wendy looked thoughtful as she stared at her.  Sondra could only guess at what she was thinking.  Then she bit her lower lip, it seemed a decision had been made again. 
    “Are you going to keep playing it this way?” The giantess asked, “‘Maybe I like it, maybe I don’t ?’”
    Sondra glared at her.  “...maybe...”
    Leaning in close, her voice low, Wendy said.  “I propose a challenge, to see how you really feel about it.”
    “And if I win?” Sondra’s suspicions framed her voice.  “I go free?”
    “If you win, “ Wendy giggled, “you win!”
    Sondra’s shoulders slumped.
    ”You could use a win right now, couldn‘t you, sweety ?”  Wendy teased, “And we’ll know how you feel about it.”
    “Uh huh...”  Sondra was not enthusiastic.
    “Here’s what I propose.” Wendy’s enthusiasm made up for Sondra’s lack.  “If I make you come before sun rise, I win.  If I don’t, you win."
    “Oh,” Sondra rolled her eyes, “how romantic.”
    “I could make it romantic...” Wendy’s tone was tempting, mischievous,  “or just super naughty.”
    “I guess it’s up to you...” 
    Sondra found herself scooped up in Wendy’s giant hand yet again, and held before her grinning face.
    “Excellent!” Was all she said, as she picked up the lantern and headed into a side door off the room.  It turned out to be a bathroom.  Sondra was set beside a large sink on a dark counter surface.
    Like most of the cabin, the bathroom had a rough look to it, like a fixer upper that someone had given up on.  The walls were cheap paint beige with a nice green trim and the ceiling was the same white most of the bedroom was.   The counter she stood on seemed huge for such a small place and Sondra was relieved it was some kind of stone, otherwise she would have worried about slivers, but damn the thing was cold.
    Wendy smiled down at her, seeming to enjoy her predicament.  Sondra wanted to say that she only meant the romantic or naughty thing was up to Wendy, not that the challenge proceeding was up to her.  But speaking up now would only point out that she really had no say in the matter.
    God!  It was so surreal.  She was tiny and her giant best friend had gone crazy.  She’d been kidnaped and ...and...molested?  Why had she gotten so turned on at being fondled by Wendy’s giant hands?  Or was it just Wendy?  She had loved her so much.  She still loved her so much.  She shouldn’t have been so fucking principled that first night.  They should have been lovers from then on.  There was no way to recapture...
    “What are you thinking about, sweety?”  Wendy’s voice forced her back to surreality. 
    “The night in the dorm.” Sondra let out.  “After you were attacked...”
    A touch of sadness tipped Wendy’s smile.  “Yes.”  She almost whispered.  “Our first kiss...”
    “We should have...”  Sondra started, but the thought died on her lips.
    Wendy’s sad smile told Sondra everything and nothing. 
    “We will.”  Wendy said softly,  “I promise.”   
    “Hon...” Sondra felt her heart swell with love and regret, “I really don’t think we can...”
    “Don’t think.”  Wendy grinned, then pulled off her shirt.  “Just enjoy.” 
    Wendy’s smile was an offer as she undressed before Sondra.  The sight of her giant friend joining her in nakedness was both intimidating and alluring.  As she pulled the worn bra from her( what would be under normal circumstances) modest size breasts, Sondra wished she could take them in her hands.  She wanted to be at her rightful place in this, loving and protecting her smaller, weaker friend.  Making sure that she knew she would take care of her.  Wendy pulled her jeans and panties off in one practical motion, revealing her hairless body with a grin and only the slightest blush.
    “Well?”  The giantess struck a pose.  “Waddaya’ think?”
    “You shave?”  Was all that came to Sondra’s mind.  Oops!  She really wished she hadn’t said that out loud.
    “I like where your mind goes, honey!” Wendy’s grin was almost a laugh.  She looked down, as though admiring her own body.  Her hand seemed to absently caress her smooth mound.  “I’m glad you noticed.  But I don’t have to shave, I have an ointment....”  She looked up at Sondra, grinning.  “Just a sec...” She said, strolling from the room. 
    “Hey!”  Sondra yelled.
    “Yes?”  Wendy stuck her head back in, “What?”
    She hated that Wendy would leave her tiny and alone.  At that moment, especially, she wanted to tell her to stay.  But she couldn’t.  She could not just let her see how weak she was inside.
    “Hurry back.”  Was all she could manage, a tinge of resentment coloring her voice.
    “Oh,” Wendy giggled, “I will.”  And disappeared from view. 
    The sound of the giant girl rummaging faded to the back of her mind.  Why was Wendy acting so strange?  She was shifting gears like she was crazy.
    Wendy reentered the bathroom, carrying that odd case of her’s.  She set it at the end of the counter and opened it.  She sucked on her lower lip and looked at Sondra as she produced a glass container.
    “Come here.” Wendy instructed, her face thoughtful as she opened the bottle.
    Almost on reflex, Sondra obeyed.  Catching herself, she tried to relax.  Like it was something she wanted to do anyway. 
    “What is that?”  She indicated with her chin.
    “Hold still.”  Was all Wendy said.  She looked around the bathroom, searching.  Her eyes fell next to the toilet and she got a bit of toilet paper and tore it into strips.  Then she handed one to Sondra.  “Wrap your hair up in this.”
    Putting her tresses up in the, to her, towel-sized strip of tissue she gave her towering friend a doubtful look. 
    “Perfect!" Wendy sounded delighted and reached for her.  She didn’t flinch too much when Wendy scooped her up and grinned at her.  The contents of the bottle were oily and warm as the giantess rubbed them into Sondra’s flesh.  From her neck to the tops of her feet she felt enormous fingers touch and rub her.  Spreading the not-too-bad smelling substance all over her. She was a little surprised that she only tallied at her sex long enough to apply the oil.  She found her self deposited on the counter with a “There.”
    Sondra gave Wendy a full on annoyed look as she rubbed the concoction on her skin. 
    “Leave it be,”  Wendy instructed, “And DON’T touch your hair.”
    “What is...?”
    “Just wait there,” Wendy turned and started the shower, “This’ll just take a bit.”
    “Wait. What?” Sondra could not believe this, “You’re taking a shower?”  She knew her jaw was dropping.  “Now?”
    “We’ll get to you in a bit...” Wendy stepped into the tub and pulled the curtain.
    Watching the giant girl-shape obfuscated by the translucent plastic, Sondra slumped.  What was going on?  It was like...like Wendy was setting her up for a joke.  Something about her seemed forced...not scripted, but not natural.  What was her agenda?  This “challenge” business, now she wanted to make a game out of what she was doing to her?  How would that help anything?  Maybe get Sondra to let her guard down?  Was this “you are mine” business some “witch thing?”  Here she was, shrunk, there must be more to this magic stuff.  Was Wendy setting her up for some kind of human sacrifice thing?  Like some kind of wicker man scenario?  She hadn’t seen the movie, but she knew that was what it was about.  That seemed really unlikely with Wendy.  Maybe, if she submitted, the shrinking would be permanent.  Maybe Wendy was burning some kind of “magic energy” to keep her like this.  Maybe if she agreeded she’d be stuck like this.    Well, if that was her scheme...
    The shower being turned off, stopped her train of thought.
    Wet, naked and beautiful Wendy emerged, grinning.  Her skin was slightly pink. 
    “How come you have hot water?” Sondra asked, “and no lights?”
    “Solar powered water heater.”  Wendy smiled, “But wiring the house for lights would interfere with the flow of natural energies.”
     Sondra’s “Huh.” was noncommital.
    The naked giantess, simply walked up to her.  Viewed this close, the sight of her nude body was much more...awe inspiring.  Of course, the giant face only smirked down at her, like her reaction was funny. 
    “Now,” she grinned, “let’s see to you.”
    Sondra’s reflexes got the better of her as she unintentionally side stepped when Wendy turned on the sink.  Warm, steaming water poured from the faucet and she could feel the counter vibrating as it flowed.  Once the water was adjusted to a suitable temperature, Wendy shut off the drain and picked Sondra up again.  Her smile was eager as she held Sondra’s torso under the bubbling jet.  The spray deflected off her breast and she shielded her face with her hand.
    “Spt...ppff...Hey! ” She cleared her mouth, “Stop it!”
    “Oh, hee hee,” Wendy giggled, “oops.”
    As Sondra cleared her vision, Wendy used a pump dispenser to get some kind of liquid soap that smelled of flowers and berries and rub it all over her tiny body.  Her touch was warm and irresistible.  She felt huge, soft fingertips at her breasts, arms, legs and belly, then she was flipped over and given similar attention on her back side.  When the cleft of her ass was intruded upon she made a squeak that was as humiliating as the rest of the experience.
    “Almost done, sweety.” Wendy soothed.
    “Good!” Sondra grunted, feeling more than a little intruded upon.  Though, the giantess’ caress was at least something she could  comprehend.  Giant Wendy still wanted to make out.  And the warm, wet environment was a lot sexier than being felt up beside a hamster cage and way preferable to being stripped and smacked on the butt.  She soon found herself under the faucet’s stream again, being rinsed off, once finished she pushed wet hair off her face as she found herself sitting in a giant hand.
    “Well?” Wendy grinned at her expectantly.  “How do you like it?” 
    “Wha...?” For an instant she was confused at her question, then a ...different feeling as the air touched her flesh made her look down.  In the dim light it took a second for her to realize her body was now completely hairless.  “What did you do?” Sondra accused.
    “Oh, I think you mean ‘what are you doing?’” Wendy snickered, “Cuz we’re just getting started...” With one hand she deftly upended a bottle from her case pooling the contents into her palm. 
     “What does it do?” Sondra shielded herself as Wendy let some dribble onto her tiny body.      “It turns you blue and gives you buck teeth...” Wendy announced.
    “Wait!” Sondra screamed.  Squirming so much that she nearly fell. 
    “Oh, goddess,” Wendy laughed, wrapping her fingers around her shrunken friend.  “Not really.  It’s just apricot oil.”  She let the golden oil pour from her hand onto Sondra’s belly.  “It’s good for your skin.”
    “Nnnnnn...” Sondra winced, then relaxed.  “It’s warm.”
    “Oh, yeah,” Wendy answered casually, “Special bottle.” She brought her hands together around Sondra’s tiny body, letting the oil flow into every concealed space of her form.  Under her arms and between her breasts and legs the viscous substance intruded upon her flesh.  Wendy began a light massaging of her skin as she rubbed it in little circles on her tummy.
    “I suppose you’re just starting with this too...”  Sondra fumed, pushing at the giant fingers holding her. 
    “Yes, my little tough girl,” Wendy teased, “WE are just getting started.”  She ran in her fingers in an almost-tickle over Sondra’s breast. 
    In spite of the pleasure, Sondra kept her eye’s on Wendy.  Her friend’s touch was gentle, but insistent and Sondra wished she had some way that she could just enjoy it.  She didn’t care about Wendy and her bullshit challenge, but she couldn’t yield that easily.
    “Okay, you’ve made your point,” Sondra tried to keep her voice neutral and even, “ You can do anything you want to me and I can’t stop you.”
    “Oh,” Wendy mocked, “poor abused poppet.” 
    Her finger left a path as it glided through the oil on her stomach and hip. The teasing was electrifying to Sondra’s nerves, sending waves of smooth, warm pleasure through her.  She managed to suck her lips and furrow her brow, but Wendy only smirked at her attempt at a stern exterior.  When she pushed on the giant finger, her hand merely slipped off the irresistible digit.  If anything, it made her efforts seem even more futile.  This shouldn’t have been so arousing.   It was so unnatural and so confusing. 
    “What do you hope to gain?” Sondra tried to distract her.  “...by making me say yes to...to whatever it is you want me to say yes to?”
    Wendy’s smile became more serious. 
    “Is it so hard to believe that you are my sole objective?”  Her tone was gentle.  Her fingers slid down to Sondra’s smooth mound, teasing.  “That all I want is you?”
    “Okay, me?” Sondra pressed.  “When you say me, do you mean you want my soul?”
    “Well, yes...” Her smile was patient. “I want your body, your mind and your soul.  Though I don’t really see a difference.  You are all of these at once.  There is no separation.” Her finger slid between her tiny legs, rubbing the smooth skin, sending pleasure through her.  “Am I stimulating just your body?  Don’t you feel it in your inner being too?”
    “Yes!”  Sondra gasped, helplessly.
    “I want all of you to be mine.”  Wendy’s eyes were intense.  Needful.  “I want to please your body, your mind...your soul.  I want it all.  All of you my darling.”  The ridges of  her giant fingers sent little surges of sensation through Sondra in a slow, steady rhythm.
    “Uuuunnn....” Sondra grunted, “Uh huh.”  She had never experienced anything like these feeling.  Wendy was so powerful, like a goddess, a goddess that wanted her.  He body was so vulnerable, small and smooth, the way the goddess wanted it.  God, that oil made everything so sensual, the way it clung to her...her...everything.  It was like she could still feel Wendy’s giant fingers where she had applied it.  And she was still pressing her attack.
    “When you accept you are mine,” Wendy soothed, “it can be like this all the time.” She gently rubbed her tiny mound in little circles, before returning to finger Sondra’s little sex.  “It can be magic, for both of us...”
    But Sondra still didn’t know what magic meant.  She caught herself arching her hips to meet Wendy’s soft digit.  She knew Wendy’s victory was at hand.
    “St...stop!”  She managed to gasp.
    Wendy’s fingers went away.  She cocked her head looking down at her.
    “What?” She asked, “Did I hurt you?”
    “No.”  Sondra sighed, “I just want this to stop.  I don’t want to give you my soul.  You seem like your up to something....”
    “I though we were up to something...”  Wendy smiled.
    “Does this smallness wear off?” Sondra managed to not sound too accusing.  “Like in the morning?  Are you trying to make sure I sleep through it and make it easier to just shrink me again?”
     “Oh.” Wendy made a face, “Where are you getting all this negative stuff?”  Her fingers returned to Sondra’s tummy, making her feel so sensuously vulnerable. 
    “Please,” Sondra wanted to sound reasonable, “Wait....”
    “Why?” The oversized fingers returned to her bare pussy.  “Do you want to share another theory with me?” 
    “Can’t we talk?” She noticed that Wendy was carrying her back to the bedroom.  “Just for a little bit?”
    “Are you trying to be clever?" Wendy furrowed her brow and sucked on her lips, but a huge, enthusiastic grin lurked just behind the expression.  “Do you think talking will keep you from coming?”
    Sondra only barely managed to not pout up at her.
    “Awwww...am I accusing you of something?” Wendy giggled as she sat on the bed with a slight bounce.  “How does it feel?  Hee hee...”  She increased her tempo slightly at the tease, causing Sondra to let out a tiny gasp.
    “It...it...” She managed to focus.  “Why does it feel so good?  Did you do something to make it...more intense?”
    Wendy looked thoughtful.  Not letting up on her touching, she sat on the bed and watched Sondra squirm for a bit.  Her fingers tested her breasts, her neck, even her shoulders for response.  Her caresses up her friend’s tiny thighs seemed to lead her to observe... 
    “I think it’s just an issue of nerve density.  Your clit has all these nerve endings really close to each other, now at your tiny size all your nerve endings are super close to each other, plus the impulses have less distance to travel....”  She grinned, her finger tips finding their way back to Sondra’s breasts.  “Your nipples must be nearly as sensitive as your clitty right now....”
    “Please.”  Sondra moaned, “Just stop.”
    “Oh?” Wendy drew her hand back, her face exuded forced innocence.  “Do you want to say I win?”
    “No!” Sondra was a little surprised at the force of her response.  She’d thought she didn’t care about Wendy’s games.  “This isn’t fair.”
    “Of course it isn’t fair,” Wendy smirked, bringing her closer to her face. “if it were fair you’d just kick my ass.”
    “If it were fair...” Sondra started to shout, but then her voice turned quiet, “If it were fair, we both know I wouldn’t.  I’d hold you so close and you’d know you didn’t need all this to have my body, mind and soul....”
    The smile left Wendy’s eyes for a moment.  Only a moment.  Then she seemed to find her enthusiasm again.  She drew Sondra closer to  her face.
    “Let’s try it my way for a while...”  Her tongue found Sondra’s breasts and the warm, wet pleasure it sent through her nipples sent her head spinning. 
    Giant lips brushed against her flesh in a sensuous kiss.  She could feel the wrinkles in them against her skin, so alive with the sense of touch.  Every little detail replaced the world, the tip of a giant tongue peeking out to taste the underside of her breasts,  the sound of a smooch that vibrated through her belly,  Wendy’s nose being right there.  She kissed her friend right on her nose.  The slow, steady kissing made it seem like the lips were slithering down her body.  Her tummy muscles tightened as a bit of tongue snaked out to taste her belly button and lower.  She knew Wendy’s victory was close.
    She clamped her legs shut.  Wendy covered her pelvis with little kisses, then looked up with a slight smile.
    “Hey, sweety.” She met Sondra’s eyes.  “Almost there...”
    Sondra could only shake her head and curl up in a gesture she knew was useless.  Her emotions...so much desire....so much mistrust...warred within her.
    Suddenly, she found she was moving.  Wendy was standing, then setting her back in the cage.  She didn’t feel she could stand and simply slid, prone onto the floor of the cage.  She managed to look up as Wendy took a short, shiny blue robe from the closet.  She looked at Sondra as she donned it, her eyes soft. 
    Then she simply stepped to  the door.
    “Wait!” Sondra managed.  “What about your challenge?”
    “Oh, that.” Wendy dismissed. “Congratulations.  You win.” 
    And she stepped out the door.