Meeting Felicia
The story thus far: The protagonist Gemma is a 16 year old who was kicked out of her world's Church for failing to make a ceremonial orb glow, despite thinking she would join the priesthood like the majority of her family. Gemma was declared a "no-soul" because the Church says people with non-glowing orbs literally have no souls. Gemma was also kicked out of her home and sent to live in a group home for no-souls. She recently attacked her sister, who was visiting her home on a charitable outing, for being fake and self-serving. She also just got invited to an anti-Church party by an ex-friend of her sister and had a dimension-hopping misadventure.
This section takes place right after the previous four. The five are kind of time-skips ahead of previous sections. They needed to be written, though.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14 (flashback - might not be canon), Part 15 (time-skip), Part 16 (time-skip), Part 17 (time-skip), Part 18 (time-skip)
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After the officers left, Dean Marins and Samantha walked over to the door and looked at it in despair. The dean said, “I don't suppose they'll reimburse us for the damage?”
Samantha shook her head. I doubted the police would do so much as apologize for kicking down the door.
Ellie piped up, “Do you have a toolbox? I can fix it, if you like. For free, though I would of course not mind being paid in food. I'm hungry.”
Samantha said, “There's one in the garage. I'll go get it.”
Ellie could fix things? I didn't know that. Samantha exited to go retrieve the toolbox. After she was gone, the strangest apparition materialized. It looked like a thirteen year old girl, except it had cat ears and a tail. My heart leapt into my throat again, and Brandon let out a startled yelp, suggesting he could see it, too.
The dean's reaction, however, was something completely different. “Felicia Catherine Marins, how many times have I told you not to do that? And in front of guests!”
Ellie's eyes widened. “You know this catgirl? She's not a hallucination?”
Upon close inspection, the catgirl did look remarkably like the picture I remembered from the dean's office and bore a striking resemblance to the dean herself. Her child could materialize like that? Since when could humans do such things?
Felica laughed carelessly. “Mom, it's obvious these are your friends or you wouldn't have them over. They're not gonna tell on me.”
Dean Marins chided, “Felicia, that may be, but showing off your powers is still incredibly foolish.”
She replied, “You know what else is foolish? Having strange people over during a morality check. Especially infamous no-souls and people who can't make coffee.” She stared intently at Brandon, who seemed to shrink back from her. “Where are you from, anyway, that you have no last name and can't make coffee?”
The dean scolded, “Felicia! That is rude.”
She retorted, “It's also sensible to ask because what if he's some kind of crazy person who was raised in a weird secular compound and the Church finds out and has you arrested? What if he's a space alien and the scientists wanna like kidnap him to do experiments and shit?”
“Felicia Catherine Marins, watch your language!”
With a swish of her cat tail, she answered, “I am watching my language. 'Shit' was a perfectly appropriate word for that situation.”
The dean looked like she wanted to put her face into her palm. “Felicia, it is important you take things seriously. Brandon here is in a dangerous situation and doesn't need your curiosity and sass right now. I don't need your sass right now.”
“Danger?” Felicia asked. “Are you on the run from some kinda crime syndicate?”
Brandon was bright red under his dark hair and looking like he wanted to disappear.
Dean Marins sighed. “It doesn't matter what he is or isn't on the run from. He's in trouble and needs a place to stay. That's all you have to know for now.”
Felicia disagreed, “All I need to know about someone who might as well be from another dimension who is friends with a legendary no-soul?” She looked right at me. “Sounds like a danger magnet to me, and if there's a danger magnet living with us, I think I get to know why.”
I protested, “Hey, I'm not exactly legendary.”
Ellie replied, “Oh but you will be. How many people would dare to throw a Testing Orb at a priest? Nobody except you.”
I joined Brandon in wanting to disappear. Samantha returned with the toolbox and handed it to Ellie, telling her, “If you can fix the door, I would be most grateful.”
Ellie immediately went over to the door and inspected it. Her whole countenance changed, making her appear strangely focused and competent.
Felicia asked Samantha, “My other mom won't tell me what's up. Will you make her explain things?”
Samantha was taken aback, but only for a second. “Honey, I'm not sure what's going on myself. I would, in fact, like to know.” She gazed at Dean Marins questioningly.
The dean replied. “I guess we better all go back into the dining room to discuss things.”
Felicia had to ask, “Why can't we sit in the living room instead? There's an actual couch in there.”
Dean Marins said, “I suppose that would be alright. Everyone, let's head into the living room.”
We all started to move, but Ellie didn't even hear us, she was so focused on repairing the door.
I called out, “Ellie?”
She still couldn't hear.
The dean decided, “We'll just let her finish that, I think.”
Once everyone had arranged themselves in the living room, awkwardness threatened to make the air un-breathable. Dean Marins and Samantha sat on the couch with Felicia between them. Brandon clearly wanted to vanish into his armchair. There were pretty landscape paintings on these walls, too, so I focused on them again.
Felicia, unsurprisingly, was the first to speak. “So who wants to tell me what's up?”
Dean Marins sighed, “I suppose Gemma or Brandon ought to explain. Felicia is right, she does deserve to know if she's going to be involved in this.”
It was up to me to explain because I knew Brandon wouldn't say anything. I looked at him briefly, but he refused to make eye contact. I gathered my thoughts, trying to find a way to make my story plausible. There really wasn't any way to do that, so I started explaining.
I said, “It all started with a party. Ellie and I had a little too much to drink, so I followed her into the woods where she discovered a shimmering portal. This proved too mesmerizing for Ellie who stuck her hand into it. I tried to pull her back, only to get sucked in myself.”
Felicia's eyes tried to pop out of her head. “Shimmering portal? Not like the ones that are said to lead to the divine realm?”
I nodded. “Yes, exactly like those. That's where Ellie and I landed.”
“Holy shit!” Felica exclaimed.
Simultaneously, Samantha and the dean scolded, “Language, Felicia!”
I ignored the exchange. “We ran across Brandon while we were there, which was lucky for us as he was a friendly god and made us a return portal. We would have been trapped and probably killed otherwise. The problem is, for some reason, he can't make another portal to get home. He's trapped here.”
I looked over at Brandon who had tried to make himself as small as possible. I didn't really understand why he was acting so embarrassed.
“Holy shit!” Felicia exclaimed again.
Dean Marins chided her, “Language, please!”
Samantha, on the other hand, was speechless.
Felicia said to Brandon, “You're a god? So that's why you don't know how to make coffee.”
I didn't really think that was an appropriate thing to say. Brandon just stared at the ground.
Samantha, still in shock, asked him, “This is true?”
Continuing to stare at the ground, he said, “Yes, this is true.”
She sighed, “We better hope the Church doesn't find out.”
Felicia wondered, “Why? Wouldn't they be overjoyed to meet one of their gods?”
Samantha replied, “Let's just say I have reason to believe they wouldn't. Felicia, I would normally never ask you to do something so illegal, but I know you have overdeveloped computer hacking skills. Would you be able to create a false identity for Brandon in order to prevent the Church from finding out his true origins?”
Felicia grinned. “Totally. I'll use my powers for the greater good this time! So, Brandon, I guess your fake last name is White, yeah? That's what Gemma said, isn't it?”
Brandon mumbled, “I suppose it is.”
Her eyes lit up. “I think you should pretend to be a no-soul because who's going to look too closely at another disadvantaged kid? And we'll say you're a runaway from a single mother who was a total drunk because hey this all started when Gemma got drunk and this is going to be awesome.”
She sprang from the couch. “I'll get started right now!” Felicia ran off before Dean Marins or Samantha could stop her.
Brandon actually spoke up once she left, saying, “I'm sorry to be such an imposition. I...don't want to put anybody at risk.”
The dean said, “It's no problem.”
He argued, “But it is. You're already asking your child to do something illegal on my behalf.
I almost laughed. “Did you see how happy she was to get an excuse to hack something?”
Dean Marins agreed, “She would probably try something like that anyway, and at least it's for a good cause.”
“I'm not a good cause.”
A god with self-esteem issues? What exactly was going on with Brandon? I truly felt sorry for him now. I said, “You're a perfectly good cause.”
Samantha said, “Gemma's right, you know.”
Brandon didn't say anything more, but I could tell he didn't agree.
Dean Marins took a long look at the both of us. Only then did I realize I was still covered in mud and sitting in their living room, no less. The dean decided, “I think we really ought to get these kids cleaned up now that everything's been explained.”
In my opinion, things still weren't clear because I didn't understand why Brandon would feel like his very existence were a burden. He acted like he were below us in worth, when, from everything I knew, he should be acting like he were above us.
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written for 500themes prompt #457 - "A Bitter Pill"
This section takes place right after the previous four. The five are kind of time-skips ahead of previous sections. They needed to be written, though.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14 (flashback - might not be canon), Part 15 (time-skip), Part 16 (time-skip), Part 17 (time-skip), Part 18 (time-skip)
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After the officers left, Dean Marins and Samantha walked over to the door and looked at it in despair. The dean said, “I don't suppose they'll reimburse us for the damage?”
Samantha shook her head. I doubted the police would do so much as apologize for kicking down the door.
Ellie piped up, “Do you have a toolbox? I can fix it, if you like. For free, though I would of course not mind being paid in food. I'm hungry.”
Samantha said, “There's one in the garage. I'll go get it.”
Ellie could fix things? I didn't know that. Samantha exited to go retrieve the toolbox. After she was gone, the strangest apparition materialized. It looked like a thirteen year old girl, except it had cat ears and a tail. My heart leapt into my throat again, and Brandon let out a startled yelp, suggesting he could see it, too.
The dean's reaction, however, was something completely different. “Felicia Catherine Marins, how many times have I told you not to do that? And in front of guests!”
Ellie's eyes widened. “You know this catgirl? She's not a hallucination?”
Upon close inspection, the catgirl did look remarkably like the picture I remembered from the dean's office and bore a striking resemblance to the dean herself. Her child could materialize like that? Since when could humans do such things?
Felica laughed carelessly. “Mom, it's obvious these are your friends or you wouldn't have them over. They're not gonna tell on me.”
Dean Marins chided, “Felicia, that may be, but showing off your powers is still incredibly foolish.”
She replied, “You know what else is foolish? Having strange people over during a morality check. Especially infamous no-souls and people who can't make coffee.” She stared intently at Brandon, who seemed to shrink back from her. “Where are you from, anyway, that you have no last name and can't make coffee?”
The dean scolded, “Felicia! That is rude.”
She retorted, “It's also sensible to ask because what if he's some kind of crazy person who was raised in a weird secular compound and the Church finds out and has you arrested? What if he's a space alien and the scientists wanna like kidnap him to do experiments and shit?”
“Felicia Catherine Marins, watch your language!”
With a swish of her cat tail, she answered, “I am watching my language. 'Shit' was a perfectly appropriate word for that situation.”
The dean looked like she wanted to put her face into her palm. “Felicia, it is important you take things seriously. Brandon here is in a dangerous situation and doesn't need your curiosity and sass right now. I don't need your sass right now.”
“Danger?” Felicia asked. “Are you on the run from some kinda crime syndicate?”
Brandon was bright red under his dark hair and looking like he wanted to disappear.
Dean Marins sighed. “It doesn't matter what he is or isn't on the run from. He's in trouble and needs a place to stay. That's all you have to know for now.”
Felicia disagreed, “All I need to know about someone who might as well be from another dimension who is friends with a legendary no-soul?” She looked right at me. “Sounds like a danger magnet to me, and if there's a danger magnet living with us, I think I get to know why.”
I protested, “Hey, I'm not exactly legendary.”
Ellie replied, “Oh but you will be. How many people would dare to throw a Testing Orb at a priest? Nobody except you.”
I joined Brandon in wanting to disappear. Samantha returned with the toolbox and handed it to Ellie, telling her, “If you can fix the door, I would be most grateful.”
Ellie immediately went over to the door and inspected it. Her whole countenance changed, making her appear strangely focused and competent.
Felicia asked Samantha, “My other mom won't tell me what's up. Will you make her explain things?”
Samantha was taken aback, but only for a second. “Honey, I'm not sure what's going on myself. I would, in fact, like to know.” She gazed at Dean Marins questioningly.
The dean replied. “I guess we better all go back into the dining room to discuss things.”
Felicia had to ask, “Why can't we sit in the living room instead? There's an actual couch in there.”
Dean Marins said, “I suppose that would be alright. Everyone, let's head into the living room.”
We all started to move, but Ellie didn't even hear us, she was so focused on repairing the door.
I called out, “Ellie?”
She still couldn't hear.
The dean decided, “We'll just let her finish that, I think.”
Once everyone had arranged themselves in the living room, awkwardness threatened to make the air un-breathable. Dean Marins and Samantha sat on the couch with Felicia between them. Brandon clearly wanted to vanish into his armchair. There were pretty landscape paintings on these walls, too, so I focused on them again.
Felicia, unsurprisingly, was the first to speak. “So who wants to tell me what's up?”
Dean Marins sighed, “I suppose Gemma or Brandon ought to explain. Felicia is right, she does deserve to know if she's going to be involved in this.”
It was up to me to explain because I knew Brandon wouldn't say anything. I looked at him briefly, but he refused to make eye contact. I gathered my thoughts, trying to find a way to make my story plausible. There really wasn't any way to do that, so I started explaining.
I said, “It all started with a party. Ellie and I had a little too much to drink, so I followed her into the woods where she discovered a shimmering portal. This proved too mesmerizing for Ellie who stuck her hand into it. I tried to pull her back, only to get sucked in myself.”
Felicia's eyes tried to pop out of her head. “Shimmering portal? Not like the ones that are said to lead to the divine realm?”
I nodded. “Yes, exactly like those. That's where Ellie and I landed.”
“Holy shit!” Felica exclaimed.
Simultaneously, Samantha and the dean scolded, “Language, Felicia!”
I ignored the exchange. “We ran across Brandon while we were there, which was lucky for us as he was a friendly god and made us a return portal. We would have been trapped and probably killed otherwise. The problem is, for some reason, he can't make another portal to get home. He's trapped here.”
I looked over at Brandon who had tried to make himself as small as possible. I didn't really understand why he was acting so embarrassed.
“Holy shit!” Felicia exclaimed again.
Dean Marins chided her, “Language, please!”
Samantha, on the other hand, was speechless.
Felicia said to Brandon, “You're a god? So that's why you don't know how to make coffee.”
I didn't really think that was an appropriate thing to say. Brandon just stared at the ground.
Samantha, still in shock, asked him, “This is true?”
Continuing to stare at the ground, he said, “Yes, this is true.”
She sighed, “We better hope the Church doesn't find out.”
Felicia wondered, “Why? Wouldn't they be overjoyed to meet one of their gods?”
Samantha replied, “Let's just say I have reason to believe they wouldn't. Felicia, I would normally never ask you to do something so illegal, but I know you have overdeveloped computer hacking skills. Would you be able to create a false identity for Brandon in order to prevent the Church from finding out his true origins?”
Felicia grinned. “Totally. I'll use my powers for the greater good this time! So, Brandon, I guess your fake last name is White, yeah? That's what Gemma said, isn't it?”
Brandon mumbled, “I suppose it is.”
Her eyes lit up. “I think you should pretend to be a no-soul because who's going to look too closely at another disadvantaged kid? And we'll say you're a runaway from a single mother who was a total drunk because hey this all started when Gemma got drunk and this is going to be awesome.”
She sprang from the couch. “I'll get started right now!” Felicia ran off before Dean Marins or Samantha could stop her.
Brandon actually spoke up once she left, saying, “I'm sorry to be such an imposition. I...don't want to put anybody at risk.”
The dean said, “It's no problem.”
He argued, “But it is. You're already asking your child to do something illegal on my behalf.
I almost laughed. “Did you see how happy she was to get an excuse to hack something?”
Dean Marins agreed, “She would probably try something like that anyway, and at least it's for a good cause.”
“I'm not a good cause.”
A god with self-esteem issues? What exactly was going on with Brandon? I truly felt sorry for him now. I said, “You're a perfectly good cause.”
Samantha said, “Gemma's right, you know.”
Brandon didn't say anything more, but I could tell he didn't agree.
Dean Marins took a long look at the both of us. Only then did I realize I was still covered in mud and sitting in their living room, no less. The dean decided, “I think we really ought to get these kids cleaned up now that everything's been explained.”
In my opinion, things still weren't clear because I didn't understand why Brandon would feel like his very existence were a burden. He acted like he were below us in worth, when, from everything I knew, he should be acting like he were above us.
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written for 500themes prompt #457 - "A Bitter Pill"