Diary of a Teenaged Mimic

Dear Diary,

Somebody has fucked around, and I swear to God they’re gonna find the fuck out.

Not. The. Time.

Okay, so today started out pretty fuckin’ good. Slept the night through, normal Locked in a Box dream, woke up to my arms full of friendly Saffron. Don’t really much care if I’m dreaming or not at that point, since that’s a pretty fuckin’ good dream to be having.

We finally got down to the Dining Hall around what felt like nine; the spicy eggs had that sort of rubbery texture you get when scrambled eggs have been kept warm too long. Still tasted good though, and since it’s our own damn fault we got there late, I figured I wouldn’t complain about it. I mean, not to the Maids, they didn’t deserve that shit. Still groused about it to Saffron. Anyway, Marie brought out a full tray of fresh spicy eggs and jalapeno scrapple just for Saffron and I, since we were the only two at the ROTC table. Honestly, the whole Dining Hall only had about twenty people in it at the moment; a couple gobbos at their table, Sister Siobhan and Marshall duBois up at the high table, and a few other people scattered around in twos and threes. The Barbie Brigade were conspicuous by their absence; not a single person at that table today.

At any rate, when Marie came around, I asked her, ”hey, Marie? You got anything that desperately needs doing today?”

She shrugged.

”Cool! I kinda hoped you’d come out with us! You two can show me around all the cool Equinox stuff that you’ve both got bored with and I’ve never seen before.” I kept my voice low so it wouldn’t carry to any of the other tables, leaning on my Blend to make sure nobody gave a damn what we talked about.

At any rate, she got a weird sort of frown on her face and said, ”Duties.”

Sudden inspiration hit; totally my Trickster God inspiring me. ”With all the Equinox stuff going on, I’m sure there are more shady types than usual out looking to make mischief; I’m pretty sure we’ll need an Escort.”

I knew I’d got it right when Marie’s mouth stretched out into the kind of grin you’d expect from a shark, and she nodded eagerly. She said, ”Entrance.” then hustled off, I guessed to take care of any last minute chores or get changed into her own version of street clothes, I guess.

Saffron just stared at me, a mixture of confusion and affection on her face. ”You really don’t see a difference, do you?”

I shrugged and asked, ”should I?” more than a little bit of challenge in my tone.

Her confusion melted away, and she smiled and said softly, ”I’ve heard plenty of people talk about being egalitarian, but you’re the real deal.”

”I mean, I was never much of an Eagles fan, but you can’t Not Like Sports in Philly. You’ll get pilloried or some shit.”

”Really? Also, Eagles?”

That led us into chatting about professional sports teams in Philadelphia, comparing them to the professional Squadball teams here in Phileo City. Phileo had like eight teams, and New Amsterdam had another dozen. Other Atlantean cities had teams, but none of them enjoyed the whole ’frenemies’ thing that Phileo and New Amsterdam did, so they weren’t part of the Professional Squadball Association, and only played exhibition games once in a blue moon. Apparently Thor’s and Ares’ high priests both supported the sport enough that their shared Phileo City Temple was pretty much a small Squadball stadium. I mean, small by Philadelphia standards. It had seats for around ten thousand people; they could fit about twice that for events like big religious events. I mean, non-Squadball religious events, what with sports being as much a religion in Phileo as it ever was in Philly.

As we stood up, the Marshall waved me over. Once I got close enough to talk normally, he asked, ”have you decided where you’ll be celebrating the Equinox?”

Saffron, who’d come with me, replied, ”my Grandmother and I usually do something at home, but this year we’d planned to attend the ceremony in Diana’s temple.” At my indrawn breath, she turned to me and just raised an eyebrow.

”Diana and I... Aren’t really on the best of terms at the moment.”

She tilted her head, moving ever closer to optimal ’really, Diaz’ positioning. ”This might be a good time to get back in her good graces?”

I shook my head. ”Yeah, no. It’s become a whole Loki, Diana thing at this point.”

The Marshall sighed at that, one hand going up to massage his temples while facepalming. ”Diaz, is there going to be a Holy War today?”

I laughed. ”Not that I know of, sir. But I really think there might be one if I walk into Diana’s temple on a high holy day, y’know?”

He shook his head and lowered his hand. ”Well, that’s kind of what I wanted to talk to you about. Some of the Senior Cadets are setting up a shrine up in the Practice Yard; you’re both welcome to join us; we do a kind of non-denominational thing for anybody who can’t make it to the Big Seven this evening.”

I looked to Saffron, and she answered both of us, saying, ”I suppose Grandmother and I can go to the Big Seven temples some other year. We’d be happy to join you tonight.”

Saffron filled me in on the ’Big Seven’ as we headed out of the Dining Hall. Seven huge temples, each dedicated to at least two, sometimes three or more gods with similar portfolios, just north of where the Schuylkill and Delaware rivers met. Right where the stadiums were in Philadelphia, of course. We met Marie at the entrance. She’d added a full length cloak over her Maid’s uniform, but that’s about it.

The guard at the entrance smiled when we approached; it’s really weird to be recognized by a rent-a-cop and not be vaguely worried about it. ”Cadet Diaz, Cadet Aetos. Heading out?”

”Yep. Never really got to do the touristy Equinox stuff before, figure I gotta do it at least once, right?”

He chuckled and asked, more or less as a formality at this point, ”will you be requiring an escort?”

”I think so,” I let him do a double take at that, then said, ”Marie will be coming with us. Figure she’ll be enough to deter any would be muggers. I figure if I can’t handle the grifters, hucksters, and con men out there, I’d be a terrible disappointment to my Patron.”

You’re not wrong.

When I said that, the Guard barked out a laugh. ”Y’know, I’d almost pay to see that. You Ladies sure you don’t need an extra escort?”

”Nah, we’re good.”

He opened the door, still chuckling a little. ”Ah, well. never hurts to ask. You Ladies have a nice day. Oh! Will you be out until after the Equinox celebrations?”

”We’ll be back to meet my Grandmother before then.”

He scribbled something down on his clipboard, then nodded to us. ”Have a nice outing, Cadets.”

It bugged me a little that he more or less ignored Marie, but I didn’t want to spoil the vibe by getting into it just then. We walked down the steps, and before we even got halfway down I realized we wouldn’t be wandering very far. The entire park area in the middle of the boulevard had filled up with people doing what people do on holidays. Half of them enjoying the day off, the other half trying to divest them of their money, whether by selling them holiday stuff or via less savory methods. We wandered through the crowd, stopping at every little stand somebody had set up to sell stuff. I walked hand in hand with Saffron; my left hand in her right. For whatever reason it didn’t explode when she held it; instead it just kinda kept itself to a steady acid burn deep in my bones.

We walked in a little pocket people made for us; I didn’t quite get it until I remembered we had Marie right behind us. There were a few people her height in the crowd, but few enough they all stood out. We meandered around until we found a full on wrestling ring set up in the middle of the park with, I shit you not, masked luchadores doing their thing. We watched their over the top antics for a couple hours. At one point early on Saffron complained she couldn’t see, and before I could even reply Marie hoisted her up to sit on her shoulders. I got a little pouty until Marie stepped forward and pulled me back until I could lean on her, with Saffron’s feet more or less resting on my shoulders.

We spent the time alternating between laughing at the comedic routines, laughing at the huge, sweeping ’attacks’ that we knew from our training wouldn’t do shit to someone as obviously ripped as these guys were, staring at obviously ripped guys in nothing but speedos, masks, and prodigious amounts of oil, and low key getting really impressed by how good these guys were at some of their acrobatics. They did stuff even Saffron and I would balk at if duBois asked us to do it in PT, and they did it all while covered in oil.

I also learned where Rider’d seen the Kirkoff maneuver. With my new duBois trained eyes I saw that everything these guys did was like that. Over the top, big movements that looked like they would absolutely devastate somebody, but with all the actual impacts spread across as much of the wrestlers’ bodies as they could manage.

After a while, when the original wrestlers had all gone ’backstage’ into a big tent nearby, some dude came around selling mason jars of oil. ’Personal lubricant’ from the wrestlers.

I couldn’t resist that shit. Hell, just the thought got me laughing so hard I couldn’t even try to con the dude; I forked over a coin that could have paid for dinner, and he gave me the fullest jar on the little tray he carried them all on. Marie unscrewed the top for me when it proved too tight, and we all got a whiff of olive oil and slightly off sweat before I had Marie put the lid back on.

Eventually, one of the wrestlers, ’The Mysterious Sun’ got declared the champion by the emcee, who had used something like Headmaster Miles’ amplification spell to announce the whole match. When the wrestler lifted the belt above his head, the emcee announced that the The Mysterious Sun would defend his belt against all comers. All somebody had to do to win the belt was get it off of him. A few big guys who screamed ’dock worker’ got in the ring with him; he played around with each of them for a few minutes as they tried to get a grip on him. Eventually he managed to pin each of them. Finally, a couple hours after noon the emcee ran out of ’challengers’, and stood in the center ring bellowing out, ”can no one defeat The Mysterious Sun? No one?”

The next thing I knew Saffron’s thighs hit my shoulders. Marie strode through the crowd like a battleship moving through rowboats; when she got to the edge of the crowd she literally leapt into the ring from a standing start. With a level of showmanship I hadn’t realized she possessed, she whipped her cloak off, tossing it over the ropes. Somebody in the suddenly dead silent crowd caught it.

The Mysterious Sun looked up at Marie, who smiled at him.

He looked at the emcee, who had just stood there staring since Marie leapt into the ring, unhooked his belt and handed it to her, saying ”you’re not paying me enough for that.”

The crowd lost it laughing and cheering as she did a single lap of the ring holding the belt up.

Pity she’s taken. She’s got an excellent sense of comedic timing.

That brought to mind something I’d pondered a bit as we walked around.

Should I be, y’know, dressed up tonight?

It would be appropriate, and the first time in years I’ve had a High Priestess participate in Equinox celebrations.

When Marie returned to Saffron and I, I told them, ”hey guys? I’ve got to get changed for tonight. Loki says he wants me in The Dress.”

Saffron, who’d been holding on to my hands where I rested them on her thighs, said, ”I certainly wouldn’t mind seeing you in that. What say you go back in and get changed, then we’ll all go to Grandma’s and pick up her and Isnomi?”

I shifted my grip and, despite my left arm’s complaints about shattering like thin ice, hefted Saffron up until Marie took her and put her back on her own shoulders. She looked down at me with The Look and said, ”really, Diaz?”

”I can pick you out of the crowd easier this way. Plus you look adorable up there.”

She just rolled her eyes, folded her arms, and pouted. So fuckin’ adorable.

I double timed it back to the Academy, nodded to the Guard and said, ”getting changed,” as I jogged past, and switched from my civvies to my ’Holy Garb’ as quick as I could. Which, given I’d decided going commando tonight might not be the wisest of maneuvers, took about ten seconds longer than it would have otherwise. After setting my jar of oil and sweat on my Shrine, I dashed back out, the skirt of my dress flowing out behind me like a banner, grinning at the totally gobsmacked look the Guard had on his face as I dashed past.

When I got back to Saffron and Marie, Saffron had kicked her shoes off, and Marie plonked her back on my shoulders. While Marie and I walked, she kept her eyes out for Grandma Aetos. When I suggested that Marie would make a better lookout tower, she ran her bare feet along my sides, nearly toppling both of us as she tickled me. After that we just walked and shot the shit as we strolled along Vine street headed for the bridge.

When we got to the top of the bridge’s arch, I noticed she’d been getting tenser the further we walked. ”What’s up, Saffie-kins?”

My humor didn’t go over well, and when she answered me I totally got why. ”I expected to meet up with Grandma before now.”

After that we picked up the pace a little; not really running, or even jogging, but definitely Walking With A Sense of Purpose, as my old ROTC DI once said. We made it to Grandma’s house in good time, but the house stood empty. No Grandma. No Isnomi.

I remembered that day after Saffron and I hooked up the first time, looked at Marie and said, ”can you track them?”

She nodded, then inhaled a lungful of air through her nose. After standing there for a few moments, she turned and looked at the doorway for a moment before saying, ”Follow.”

She moved at a near-jog for her, which was a run for Saffron and I. Saffron recovered her shoes, put them on, and hopped off my shoulders without ever calling for us to stop. When we hit the intersection of Broad and Vine, she took a left and headed south. My inner alarms, silent for so long, started ringing.

Boss? Can you help us find Grandma Aetos and Isnomi?

I can, but it would be easier if I had some connection to one of them.

Isnomi is my goddaughter.

Well then. I shall do what I can.

We headed down Broad, my inner alarms getting steadily louder until Loki spoke into my ear once more.

Turn right.

A sense of dread filled my stomach as I recognized the alley; one of Rocky’s little minions even sat there on the first tier of the fire escape, smoking something that didn’t smell of tobacco.

We found grandma behind Rocky’s dumpster, slumped against the wall. I popped out an Assess Health and a full two handed Stabilize quicker than I ever had before. Before I’d finished, Saffron screamed, ”Grandma!” loud enough even Tweedle Dumbest turned to look.

A few of the slash marks on Grandma’s front closed up when my Stabilize hit, and the Assess came back with her general health as ’Critical’.

While Saffron sat there trying to wake her up, I turned, leapt, and grabbed the leg of Tweedle Dipshit with my right hand, all in one smooth motion. He shrieked wordlessly as my weight nearly pulled his leg off, his body jamming itself between two of the bars. ”Where the fuck is your boss?” He just whined some more, so I slid four Mana Blades out of my electrocuted left hand and sliced through a nearby portion of the fire escape. ”One more chance. If you don’t tell me everything you know about where he took the kid, I will turn you into asshole chips.”

He squealed and pointed.

Up.

Where the moon hung suspended in the middle of the sky.

Just then Loki got back to me, You’ve found Saffron’s grandmother. Saffron’s daughter I cannot find, which means she is on Holy Ground dedicated to another who is hiding her from me.

I lifted my blades until the points hovered right in front of the little shit’s terrified eyes and growled out, ”if you tell him before I catch him, I swear on Loki’s name, I will end you and everyone that looks like you.”

Then I Mineral Bonded what passed for his clothing to the fire escape. I might have gotten some skin, too, but I didn’t have time to give a shit about that.

I dropped back to the alley, moved over to Grandma and scooped her into my arms.

Saffron glared at me where I’d pushed her aside to do so. She opened her mouth to say something, but before she could I cut her off, ”Isnomi is at the Moon Temple. Meet me there.”

I sprinted, ignoring the pain in my left arm where I held Grandma clutched to me. I sprinted, ignoring the growing burn in my legs. I sprinted, sweat barely having a chance to bead before the wind of my passage blew it away from me. Six Endurance is a marathon runner. Eight is a marathon winner. Sixteen Endurance doesn’t even notice sprinting through a Marathon. I had barely a mile to run. Three minutes later the Entrance door crunched open as I hit it with my shoulder, already screaming, ”MAKE A FUCKING HOLE!” at the top of my lungs. I didn’t stop sprinting until I slammed to a stop beside a bed in the Ladies’ infirmary, gently laying Grandma Aetos on the bed before turning to Sister Siobhan.

Before she could say or do anything, I grabbed her, one hand on either side of her face, while I burned a Status out of my cheek.

NAME

Mimic

RACE

Mor

AGE

JErrErrErrEnErr

ATTRIBUTES

STRENGTH

7

AGILITY

5

ENDURANCE

19

REASON

6

MEMORY

4

PERSONALITY

11

AFFINITIES

Water (56.25%), Air (28.125%)

PATRON

Loki

SKILLS

None

RACIAL SKILLS

MIMIC

16

MIMIC (Attack)

4

MIMIC (Attribute)

4

MIMIC (Defense)

8

MIMIC (Size)

16

MIMIC (Skill)

8

BLEND

32

I flipped to my other Status screen and pushed my willpower into MIMIC (Skill) the way I’d learned to do with Blend.

NAME

Tabitha Diaz

RACE

Hybrid

HYBRID

Bag (31.25%) / Dan (25%) / Human (37.5%) / Vanir (6.25%)

AGE

JuvErrnilErr

ATTRIBUTES

STRENGTH

4

AGILITY

4

ENDURANCE

7

REASON

3

MEMORY

2

PERSONALITY

4

AFFINITIES

Water (18.75%), Air (9.375%)

PATRON

Loki

SKILLS

CQC

8

MANA SHAPING

6

HEAL INJURY

8

RACIAL SKILLS

None

My left elbow tingled, and Sister Siobhan’s eyes shot wide open, then fluttered closed. I pushed my will into MIMIC (Skill) again.

NAME

Tabitha Diaz

RACE

Hybrid

HYBRID

Bag (31.25%) / Dan (25%) / Human (37.5%) / Vanir (6.25%)

AGE

JuvErrnErrlErr

ATTRIBUTES

STRENGTH

4

AGILITY

4

ENDURANCE

7

REASON

3

MEMORY

2

PERSONALITY

4

AFFINITIES

Water (18.75%), Air (9.375%)

PATRON

Loki

SKILLS

CQC

8

MANA SHAPING

6

HEAL INJURY

8

HEALING COMA

6

RACIAL SKILLS

None

I muttered, ”third time’s the charm,” and Mimicked Sister Siobhan’s Skills one more time.

NAME

Tabitha Diaz

RACE

Hybrid

HYBRID

Bag (31.25%) / Dan (25%) / Human (37.5%) / Vanir (6.25%)

AGE

JErrvErrnErrlErr

ATTRIBUTES

STRENGTH

4

AGILITY

4

ENDURANCE

7

REASON

3

MEMORY

2

PERSONALITY

4

AFFINITIES

Water (18.75%), Air (9.375%)

PATRON

Loki

SKILLS

CQC

8

MANA SHAPING

6

HEAL INJURY

8

HEALING COMA

8

REVIVE

2

RACIAL SKILLS

None

I dropped my hands from Sister Siobhan’s temples and barked, ”Grandma Aetos is in Critical condition. Someone’s kidnapped Saffron’s daughter Isnomi.” The moment my hands left her face, she blinked them open, odd disappointment coloring her cheeks before my words registered and she dashed over to Granma’s bedside. ”I’m going to get Isnomi back. Tell somebody else if you’re not official enough.”

With that I sprinted back into the hallway; Sister Trease saw the look on my face and dove back through her open doorway. Once more I started shouting, ”MAKE A HOLE, COMING THROUGH!” as I dashed through the halls. I rounded the corner into the main front hall, headed for the Entrance. Headmaster Miles stepped back into the doorway to his office, and Marshall duBois stepped the other way to put his back to the hallway wall. As I dashed down the otherwise clear hallway, I barked, ”Holy War is on. Bitch kidnapped Isnomi.”

I think the Marshall reached out to grab me for more information. I really hoped his hand slipped, but I would not cry one tear if he broke every finger on his hand trying to slow me down. I hit the door at a dash, the hinges no more impediment than the lock. I landed on it at the top of the steps, then took those one flight at a time until I hit the Boulevard at top speed. I know some of you are thinking ’how is she sprinting in heels?’ to which I say ’if your toes are the only things touching the ground, the heels don’t matter’. Got to hand it to the Smith, not once did I have less than perfect traction; I hit the turn at City hall still sprinting, screaming, ”MAKE A HOLE! GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY!” any time I saw a gaggle of pedestrians ahead of me. Those got thicker as I closed on the Temples, but at that point I saw a clear passage straight to the Moon Temple, and rapidly overtook Marie, who had literally dropped to all fours to lope along nearly as fast as I could sprint. Some folks who hadn’t gotten the message yet didn’t dive out of the way fast enough for Marie, and she flat out roared at them. Not ’screamed real loud’. Roared, in the ’indistinguishable from a high power touring bike engine revving, except way louder’ sense.

They made a fucking hole, all the way to the steps of the Moon Temple.

You watching, Boss?

My eyes have not left you since you called on me to find your goddaughter, Champion.

Good. I’m about to teach some bitches why so many people worship the Moon.

Excuse me?

I’m going to remind them why they’re afraid of the fucking dark.