"Alright, it's obvious that you are suffering from some kind of misfortune," Ren said, her tone colored in professional concern. All someone had to do was look at the way the girl was shaking in the chair. She was sleep deprived, a fact that screamed from the dark bags under her hazel eyes and so pale that her even eyelids looked bruised. Ren's first thought was abused girlfriend, but there was the delusional way the girl acted around other people, seeming to look down at them at every turn that just didn't fit in with the normal profile. Plus, the girl was so damned familiar! Ren sat back in her chair thoughtfully, her fingers tracing what Johansen called her thinking line unconsciously, running gently from the outside edge of her right eyebrow while her thumb caressed her own jaw line only to met up at her generous mouth, twisting so that her finger now curled over her upper lip and her other fingers cradled her chin. Everything about the girl whispered of familiarity, her actions and way of speech, the way she looked, hell even the way she was dressed but Ren knew she had never met the woman. Was it just the fact that she looked so much like someone else or did Ren really know this girl? And if she did, why would she forget. There was something, some kind of itch along the edges of Ren's brain, a maddening rash of doubt and uncertainty. Ren hated doubt, loathed uncertainty which was part of the reason that made her such a good cop; she would wrestle them both into submission and solve the case through logic, talent and blunt force, when it was called for. Taking a deep breath, Ren made the decision to focus on the facts. "You stated that you woke up in a room, in a house that wasn't your own nor did you recognize. You obviously not prepared for the weather. But you're familiar with the town enough to get here without help, right? Perhaps you partied a little to heavy? Went home with someone? Can we call someone for you, a relative or a friend?"1
Although Ren probably thought she was being considerate, her tone grated on Lisa's nerves. It was that pat on the head, 'ahh you poor thing, lemme help since you seem incapable of walking without aid' type of tone. It weaseled into her head and tried to set up a nest of insecurity and self-doubt, a common practice that followed Lissa all through her life. It was that tone that used to make her think she must have done something wrong, she must be that stupid, that she must have bothered whomever that much because why else would they mention it every day! But here, the normal rules didn't apply. If no where else on the planet, in the Valley she knew exactly who she was and what she could do and where she belonged.2
Even if everyone else had gone crazy.3
"Ren," Lissa began, as calmly as she could. "I didn't drink too much, take any drugs, handle a drink that someone else had given me or decided to throw caution to the wind and just go home with some random stranger and then forgot about it. This has gone on way to far, and I want you to fix it and I do mean now. I want to warm up, eat, and then figure out how hell did I got where I had gotten. Fix my powers, and there will be a new rule stating that you will not touch Bard powers again," Lissa warned darkly, wagging a finger at Ren, before finishing ticking off her demands on other fingers. "Next you will be buying me the biggest dark peppermint latte from Jitters and have it delivered to the Office. And then you will help me figure out how I got stuck in the Valley, and then you will do your normal Ren thing and rip who ever is responsible a new one so they know not to ever fuck with me again. Got it?"4
Ren glared at the girl while sitting straight up in her chair, all thoughts of compassion being displaced in her head as the blood rushed to pound in her ears. Ren didn't take orders. From anyone. She hadn't taken orders since she had become police chief of the Valley nearly five years ago, before the school up on the mountain had lost it's funding and closed up. She was head of the House which was full of people with interesting talents, last word on all things to deal with all people of the Valley, commander in chief of all judicial proceedings for all walks of life. She was, for intents and purposes, supreme ruler if she ever wanted to push the envelope. She gave the orders, she was obeyed without a blink, because her word was law. Hell, her word was divine instruction! "That's it! I don't care whom you think you are-"5
"Ren, Medamnit! Knock it off," Lissa cursed, rubbing at both eyes before one hand went to the back of her head where she could feel a migraine brewing at the base of her skull. "Seriously, Ren, please," she finished softer. "I just want to go to the Office, put my feet into a fire to warm up and figure this out. Can we cut the crap, okay? You want me to get rid of the turtles? You want me to organize the backlog of old memos from the squirrels? You need a better gun range? You want Eric to get laryngitis for a month, Phil to have pink chest hair , Gus to forgive your tab? What? You want an actual basketball court at the House instead of just the hoop in the drive? You want a newer mustang? What will it take for you to just stop teasing me and fix my damned problems!"6
Lissa watched as Ren actually paled, her dark mocha skin turning a dusty gray color while her mouth hung open. It was only for a second or two, but Lissa had managed to completely surprise her. Ren blinked rapidly, then shook her head slightly as if to dislodge something. "What..." she tried, then licked her lips. She stood and drew her gun, pointing it down at the floor with the safety on. Her other hand reached for her wand. The gun was for intimidation, a tool to make a point against the normal people of the Valley. However, the wand was a true weapon, a way to focus her mental abilities in defense. Or aggression. "Tell me who you are right now." Only a person who was following the police chief, stalking her, could know so much about personal affairs and interests. Only a deranged person who was up to nothing good would know to link her to other Housemates and would know that the things the girl proposed would be seen as something worthwhile. Only a person who was indeed an enemy could know things about the squirrels and how they were used to send messages at the school, since most people of the Valley tended to forget about the school that was set up as a teaching facility to those humans that had been gifted with what ordinary folk gifted as "magic". Only someone out to disrupt the blanket of peace would dare throw these things into Ren's face.7
Or, even more unbelievable, someone who knew of these things that Ren wasn't on a first name basis with.8
"Ren," Lissa said, her annoyance once more flaring. She looked pointedly at the gun, then rolled her eyes at the wand in Ren's other steady hand. "Would you put those down! That's not even funny. You know better than to draw either one of those unless you mean to use them."9
"Yes."10
Lissa blinked, then licked her lips nervously. "Okay, joke's over. Seriously, put those down."11
"No one's laughing. Who are you?" Ren's voice was quiet and controlled, nothing on her face showing any emotion.12
"Ren, seriously," the red head started.13
Ren set the gun back into her holster, and moved the wand up to point at the other woman's chest, watching with very little surprise as the woman's eyes widened and she took a step back. The girl obviously knew what Ren was holding, and what it was used for and that just made her more dangerous in the chief's eyes. "I asked you a question."14
"Lissa, Bard and co-creator of the Valley. Goddess to the House, including all people affiliated with that house that are not goddesses by Cee, who is in charge of the Loft and all people connected to the Loft." Lissa said, her words tumbling out of her mouth as the idea started to dawn in her mind. Ren really didn't know who she was! That was impossible! She had created Ren! Ren was a voice in her head that she used to role play on forums around the web and write stories about, and was one of the main characters in a trilogy that she had been in the process of writing with her partner in crime, Cee. Instead of grinning with a "got'cha" attitude, or even looking relieved, Ren's hand tightened on the wand, and her eyes narrowed. "I once role played at a place called AEA, a school located in the Bermuda Triangle for magical teenagers, which is where Emmie and Owin were created. And where I met Cee, who typed for Wyllow and Dylan. Then it was...god...uh, that stupid New Orleans cross over while we were building LMA, which is where you came from as a polar opposite for Cee's authority figure, Sam. Then the school fell, and we hooked up with some sisters and created a lame version of the Valley and then we transferred it all to the real Valley, where Cee and I ruled from the Office, which is located on the end of the cul-de-sac between the Loft which sits on the cliffs and the House which is on the edge of the Woods. Slowly other characters were created through the years. Um, Emmie's siblings, especially her brother Eric. Her Grams. Her dad later in life. Then there was...Jazzy, which was part of the gang at AEA. At the House now there should be, Mitch and Lil, Emmie and Eric. Owin is dead, but he was replaced by Lucas Neilson who's related to Trent from Cee's camp. Lynn St. James and Ashley Simpsom. Or Seymor. No, wait, I think it's Simpson, she doesn't really count. Then Jacob Heartwell, brother to Benji who is run by some other girl and Reggie, who is another voice belonging to Cee. And David, like I said, along with his sister Maggie. And...and...god, there are so many of you. Kyle, the new reporter. OH! And Phil! And....I,uh, I , um, I think that's it." Lissa chewed on her lip, her eyes unfocused as she racked her brain for a voice she might have forgotten in the shuffle.15
Ren's hand didn't waver, but her face softened a little. "Oh. Oh, okay. I get it. You're crazy."16
"I am not!" Lissa stated indigently. "What the hell, Ren?"17
"C'mon. Co-creator of the Valley. Bard and Goddess and all that," Ren said evenly, waving her free hand.18
"I am not crazy.I did create the Valley. You were all part of a test theory we had of letting our inner voices, those that supplied us with characters and plot lines and stories, run loose in their very own town. No other players, no other drama but what we let you create. We gave you guys free reign and sat back watching, not interfering." Lissa blushed slightly. "Well, most of the time." At Ren's disbelieving look, Lissa's head jerked up and her eyes lazered on Ren's. "How else would I know about your brother, Stephen, being gun down in LA a few years back. Or that your sister, that pain in the ass, calls you Ape? How would I know that you joined the Special Forces against your father's wishes and it wasn't until his death bed that he bothered to tell you how proud he was of you? I also know about the minor league pitcher you were seeing while in boot camp. How else would I know about the little girl that was kidnapped and -"19
"STOP!" Ren shouted, her anger finally cracking her steel like resolve. The hand holding the wand dipped and swerved before settling on her target. "How do you know all that?! Are...you're a telepath!"20
"No, Ren, I'm not like Emmie. I know all this because I created it. I could change your favorite color, your favorite drink, your eye color, your weight. Or...at least I could..." the woman said, her voice trailing off. "I could before I woke up here. I have never woken up here! I entered, when I chose. I wasn't even thinking of you guys! How the hell did...you really don't know me?"21
Ren shook her head. Her wand hand dropped slowly, and then she gestured to the chair with a shaky hand. "This is so far out of protocol that I..." 22
"I know, Ren, I know," Lissa sighed, sitting down. Ren only functioned when highly stressed while running through the checklist of protocols and procedures. How could she handle this when there were no set rules on it? "Look, let's start at the beginning." 23
"I can't believe this. I don't believe in God! Not really. And now I am faced with...with a self claimed Goddess?"24
"You want proof?" she asked, watching Ren sat back down. Frustrated and frightened, Lissa huffed a curl out of her eyes. "Fine. Bottom drawer, left hand side. There is a pile of paperwork that is a few fake files, unsorted and disorganized, loose. Anyone who really knew you and was looking in there would be more curious, but those that are more worried about your reputation and not the real you would just assume it was a catch all. In the very back, underneath it all is one manila envelope labeled something stupid like lake side litter patrol or something. In side that sealed folder is the latest Lynn Kurland time travel romance novel. You read them here because this is the one and only place that you can do so without worrying about someone snooping or interrupting." Lissa pointed to desk. "Want me to open that?" 25
Ren shook her head slowly, her eyes wide. "I need some caffine. Let's head to Jitter's."
Author notes
still kicking it around
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