A Light in the Dark
Crockett Hill, stardate 79053.2:
Wicked sat on a bench somewhere in town. It wasn't one that had been there before, constructed of black wood. It was somewhat like a short ornate pew, like one might see in a very well to do dark church. The Unicorn was nice and cozy, bundled up in her fur coat as she enjoyed a warm, nondescript beverage from a silver chalice encrusted with red gemstones. Her other hand seemed to be busy with rolling a large black pistol cartridge with a silver tip back and forth across her middle knuckles.
Jeanette comes over, holding her usual cup of coffee. "Dunno what you need the gun for, Wicked. We have a noose." She gestures to the gallows that has been set up in the middle of the town square for the evening's execution.
The masked mare would glance to Jeanette as she approached, turning her head fully to look to the other as they spoke. "I don't know about you, but if I had to be executed, I would much rather have my brains blown out than being subject to something as distasteful and crude as a hanging."
Jeanette shrugs. "Least it's not a guy with an axe. I heard that's how that captain friend of yours died."
She rolls the pistol cartridge onto her claw-like thumbnail before suddenly flicking it off into the distance, where it would disappear from sight somewhere. "I think I would actually prefer that to a hanging. It has a certain style to it. There's nothing really striking or dignified about strangulation."
Jeanette shrugs. ”All I can say is, when I die, I'd rather not go the way my aunt did."
"I think that would be a pretty reasonable goal." Wicked takes a sip from her chalice. The liquid inside was pink. "I do get so tired of following rules sometimes. Especially the really arcane and inscrutable kind. They don't have to follow any kind of actual logic. It's so stupid and frustrating."
"Everyone's got their place in the Order of Things,” says Jeanette. “Break it, and all kinds of chaos happens."
"And what are games without rules?" Shining Jennifer of the Twilight strolls toward them. "Games of politeness and passive-aggression. Contests of strength and cunning and kindness. Choreographed dances of physics and causality. You mortals and your curious understanding of things..."
"I'd ask what games the Fae play, but I know better than to meddle in your affairs,” Jeanette says.
The pink Unicorn makes a bit of a disgusted noise. "Rules that aren't my own really cramp my goddamn style." Her solid softly glowing red eyes slide onto the newcomer. She would acquire a bit of a smirk. "What do you mean, Fae are a delightfully whimsical people."
"Aren't we just?" Jennifer slides over to sit next to Wicked, and pulls a delicate crystal goblet of something amber from her cloak. "But we know the nature of play as we know our own hearts."
She smiles, chuckling before holding up her chalice in a manner that suggested she was hoping for a sort of toast with the other. "I will certainly drink to that."
Jeanette watches the unicorn and the fae chat, and begins feeling unsettled for some inexplicable reason.
Blake, meanwhile, continues to enjoy their drink.
Day 2: Nightfall
This was clearly a tough one for you all, since there’s no clear majority. That means the execution will happen on a coin toss. And I’ve already flipped the coin.
Blake T Morrison, you’re dead.
Congratulations, you lot, you just lost your Diviner. And he was an innocent as well! Some investigators you are! Are you not afraid of the wolves?!
But at least you have an Evanescent now, I guess. A cold comfort that is, for all of us.
Goodnight.
-J.D.
Day 3: Daybreak
So I have good news and bad news, people.
The good news is, no one is dead. Addie was named by the wolf as their victim, but thanks to the Evanescent, she lives to see another day.
The bad news is, if I’ve done my math right, that means we’re running out of time to fix this if we don’t want to all get slaughtered by Auntie Lena’s pet dog, and I don’t mean Boo Radley.
So in the interest of ending this ASAP, here’s the deal: No power vote today. And? You have to execute two people, not just one. But one of those two had better be the werewolf, because otherwise?
The Dark Fire really will come for us all.
-J.D.
Looking exhausted with all the goings-on in the past few days, Jeanette decides some music might calm her down. So, she gets out her cello and plays some Bach.
The masked Unicorn was presently lying upon the gallows platform, her head resting upon a deep red velvet pillow. Her glowing red eyes were focused on the morning sky, one leg crossed over the other as her hoof bobbed restlessly in the air.
Jeanette comes over, looking regretful. "So... that's that, then. All the votes are counted. How're you takin' it?"
Wicked turns her head to focus her gaze upon the other. She blinked her eyes very deliberately. "Well, how do you think one would take such news?"
"Well, you know what my aunt did when it was her turn," Jeanette remarked. "And I'm told that friend of yours cried alone in her room. As it goes, lying on a nice pillow seems like a good way to do it."
She just makes an especially exasperated noise as her gaze moves skyward again. "I do apologize to you in particular, in advance. You don't seem especially deserving of such dire fortune, but I don't take kindly to being murdered, particularly when I haven't even done anything worthy of it. I find it highly aggravating. I can assure you, there are worse things than Werewolves out there, in the darkest and most dreadful places."
Jeanette quirks an eyebrow. "Lady, I've got a bunch of Dark Casters in my family tree, and my uncle is an Incubus. You don't have to tell me there are beings out there that make Auntie Lena's wolf look like Uncle Macon's dog."
The pink mare just chuckles softly. "Fair enough." She then lets out a notably displeased sigh. "I suppose this is what I deserve for trying to be helpful. No good deed goes unpunished. This is typically why I avoid such things."
"Now, Wicked!" says a voice. A grey unicorn comes trotting over, wearing quite a curious uniform. Gemini Shadow smiles at her friend, though it's a sad one. "I always knew you were a mare of good conscience, deep down. That is not something to be ashamed of."
Jeanette just gapes at the unicorn in surprise, "And where the hell have you been all this time?!"
"In my yacht, of course," the grey mare answers, "watching from a distance. But now that the end has come, I decided to reveal myself."
Wicked's lip pulls away to reveal teeth that appear too carnivorous in nature to belong in a Unicorn's mouth. "Gem, my dear, I am very much not in the mood for any heartfelt or hopeful speeches. My fury is such that I fear that it might drive me mad. I feel as though I can burn a city down with it. Allowing anyone to destroy this perfect form feels like blasphemy of the greatest magnitude."
"Wicked, honestly!" Gem exclaims, "Have you not considered that there are an infinite number of you out there, in other realities and times and places? This version of you may soon meet her demise, but there are others out there who will not!"
Wicked suddenly lifts a hand, balling it into a fist with an audible popping of her knuckles. She would then quite effortlessly smash her fist right through the material of the platform. "A fat lot of good that does this particular facet of me. Oh goodie, the rest of me gets to continue to delight themselves to their heart's content, but I have to die right here of all places! It's a goddamned tragedy."
“There is a possibility of the deceased returning to life, you know," Gem points out. "That has happened several times in my experience."
The pink mare yanked her hand from the fist-sized hole she had made, sending a few small pieces of wooden debris into the air. "Unfortunately one can't just expect everything to work out in the end, especially regarding such high stakes." She takes a few seconds to stretch herself out a bit. "So, what exactly is preventing me from just leaving in much the same manner as I arrived?"
Jeanette finally says something. "I put a Binding Cast around the town when all this started. We can only leave once I dismiss it."
"Then undo it," Shining Jennifer of the Twilight emerges from out of their blind spots. "The Courts of Dream and Darkness will not be happy with the murder of an ambassador, I promise you that."
"Make me," Jeanette growls, her hair starting to blow around in the usual Casting breeze. "It's been a while since I had a good old-fashioned magic duel, not since Maggie and I were kids."
Wicked pulls the hood of her rather extravagant fur coat over her head before rolling onto her side, putting her back to the others. She didn't seem to be up for any of this nonsense right now.
Shining Jennifer just spits at Jeanette's feet. "The Unspoken Queen, the Unheard Queen, and the third will carry my reckoning. You that have souls simply have one more part to hurt." She turns on her heel and stalks away.
"Well, fine! Be that way!" Jeanette shouts at both of them. "You're both dead ducks!" She stalks off to go angrily play her cello.
The unicorn grumbled softly to herself, shifting just a little bit, as if trying to get more comfortable in this not very ideal location. "I don't think I was even being that rude. I feel as though being angry about being executed is a completely reasonable response."
Gem places her hand on Wicked's shoulder. "I believe I was more hurt and sorrowful when my turn came... but a little anger is warranted. Jeanette is just... under pressure."
Wicked's shoulder would shift slightly as Gem's hand touched it. "I am not one for displays of vulnerability. Fury suits me better." She slid a hand away from herself along the wooden platform, only to slowly drag it back. Her claws dug deep grooves into the wood. "What do you think I should wear to my execution? I can't say that has ever been a thought that entered my mind before."
The grey mare chuckled softly. "I'm not the right mare to ask - I wore my regular duty uniform, and my counterpart, Colonel Shadow, wore her dress uniform. Starfleet and the Lunar Imperial Star Corps are not known for sartorial variety."
Addie lurks in a nearby alley watching the wild range of emotion on display. Her trip to the town was never supposed to result in anything like this. She knows that wherever she goes death often seems to follow, as though some greater power surrounds her just tweaking fate of those around her. And she can't face those who she's condemned, she never could. They'll all say the same thing, that of course she's the problem, she's from Hell and all she wants is to cause pain and suffering.
It couldn't be further from the truth. But still, she watches from the shadows as Wicked processes her fate.
The pink unicorn lets out a particular dejected sigh. "While I appreciate the attempt at comfort, I do believe that there are urgent matters that I must attend to before tonight. I suppose I shall see you later." With that a patch of roiling blackness would spread out from under her and she simply sank into it, vanishing from sight within a number of seconds. The blackness would then simply rise into the air, seeming to become like black mist before dissipating.
Jeanette meanders over to Addie and says, "For the record, I'm pretty sure you're innocent, and I don't blame ya for what happened. All this... this was a family curse. I'm sorry you got dragged into it."
"Sometimes I feel like I'm the curse," she stares at her feet, "I don't know if I believe in fate, but it would make sense as to why this happened when I got here."
Jeanette pats Addie on the shoulder. "I think this was always fated to happen, whether you showed up or not. But we'll have no real way of knowing for sure."
"Wrong place, wrong time, I suppose," Addie sighs
"What's next for you, when all this is over?” Jeanette asks.
“I want to get out of here and never come back," Addie speaks with a sudden determination, "I came here hoping to find out more about who I am and... I guess I have in a way. I don't think I want to seek out people like me or claim big powers or anything like that. Not any more. My life was good. I had a family who loved me and isn't that really all you can ask for?"
Jeanette shakes her head. "Yeah... yeah. I got a big family too, back in Gatlin. And..." she sighs, "I'm getting pretty sick and tired of the whole mayor bit, anyway."
Addie chuckles sadly, "I think I know far more about your family than I ever expected to."
Jeanette nods. "Believe me, you don't know the half of it." In the far distance she can see the silhouette of a small yacht resting on top of a neighboring hill. "Maybe I need a clean break."
"I think we both do," Addie gestures at the gallows, "This isn't what we want to do."
"No, it's not, but look at it this way," Jeanette says. "You're not the one pulling the trigger."
"Sure doesn't feel like it right now,” says Addie sadly.
"I'm the one who's Bound. You're not," is all Jeanette says, before going over the gallows. "Right. May as well get this over with..."
DAY 3: NIGHTFALL
Okay, so I'm a little early, but with everything decided, there's really no point in delaying the inevitable, is there?
Jeanette borrows a phaser from a certain grey unicorn and fires two shots: one at Wicked Wishes, and one at Shining Jennifer.
And the final score is...
Wicked Wishes: LIGHT CASTER.
Shining Jennifer: DARK CASTER.
Well, I'll be damned. We actually did it.
Shining Jennifer of the Twilight's face twists in thwarted fury, and suddenly it's as if the villagers are looking at one of those trick pictures that can be both two women and a vase. In an instant, the appearance of a tall beautiful androgyne in a glamorous suit has very obviously been an illusion all along, and standing before them is and always has been a three-foot-tall goblin with excellent hair.
"You fuckers just couldn't let me have my con, could you? No, you had to drag me into your pissant mortal curse and all its bloody rules! Well, pox on all o' you! Arsethorn curses you all, a goblin curse, that'll bite and gnaw at you all down the years, till death hisself leaves you naked in the Dark!"
Before anyone can do anything to stop them, Arsethrorn waves their claws, and a terrible sense of dread fills the hearts of the survivors...
Right up until Jeanette shoots them in the head with Gem's phaser. "I think that takes care of that," she says.
Suddenly, a snowstorm blows into town as Jeanette, flanked by Addie, Gem, and Maggie, stare down the ghost of Lena Duchannes. “WE DID IT, AUNTIE LENA!” Jeanette yells. “WE KILLED YOUR PET DOG! YOU CAN’T HURT US ANYMORE!”
“I HAVE OTHER AGENTS, JEANETTE!” Lena yelled back.
“NOT ANYMORE, YOU DON’T!” Jeanette cried, as she linked hands with her fellow survivors. Her hair twisted in the Casting breeze, her bright green eyes glowing with magical energy… and righteous fury. She begins to chant, first in Irish, then in English: “CRÉATÚIR DÓITEÁIN AGUS DORCHADAS, DÍBIRIM THÚ! FILL AR AIS GO DTÍ NA LASRACHA AS A DTÁINIG TÚ, AGUS NÁ BAC AR AN DOMHAN SEO ARÍS! DEMON OF FIRE AND DARKNESS, I BANISH THEE! RETURN TO THE FLAMES FROM WHICH YOU CAME, AND NEVER HAUNT THIS WORLD AGAIN!”
It was done. Lena screamed an unearthly roar as black flames sprung up from the ground, burning her to ashes… and soon, even the ashes were gone, blown away in the winter breeze.
As the survivors processed their victory, Gem turned to Jeanette, smiling. “Splendid! Splendid work indeed, Ms. Duchannes! Congratulations!”
“Thanks,” Jeanette said, turning to face her. “Did you know this was gonna happen? If you’re from the future and all?”
The grey unicorn shook her head. “Certainly not. As a very, very dear friend of mine once told me, time can be rewritten, for good or ill. A united federation of many planets could be replaced with a confederation of one. An astronaut could die before making an important discovery, or she can live, and create a better world.” She smiled a little more. “We are all stories in the end, Jeanette Duchannes. And I am glad that this story, at last, has ended happily.”
“But what about Arsethorn’s curse?” Jeanette asked. “Fae curses are even worse than Caster ones… I can’t break it myself, and it’s not like I’m going to go near the goblins any time soon. They’d probably just want to eat me up.”
“There are possibilities on hoof,” the grey pony said. “Though I will need to return to my own world to do proper research.” Then she smiled. “And if you wished… you could join me. Two powerful mages are better than one, I should think.”
Jeanette blinked. “But if I go with you, what happens to the town? I’m still the mayor!”
Maggie spoke up. “You know, I’m getting a little tired of being a barista… kind of hard to make people’s lives better if I’m making them bad coffee.” She glanced to her cousin. “Could I stay and finish out your term?”
“What about Uncle M?” Jeanette asked. “And the rest of our family?”
“I think they could use a change of pace,” Maggie answered. “Especially Uncle Macon. Ireland might do him some good.”
Jeanette nodded. “That works for me.” She turned back to the unicorn. “Guess it’s settled then. Beam me up, Scotty.”
The grey unicorn laughed, then tapped the badge she wore and said: “Melody, two to beam up.”
And in a shimmer of light, she and Jeanette disappeared.