It was late morning, during a lull where the clouds grew thick but rain had yet to fall.
Micheal, the sharply featured and tall Hare butler of the Hivally Estate, was just in the middle of sorting out mail. From the metal box he took out all of the pre-scanned and pre-checked packages and envelopes. Most was the usual, a mixture of questionable magazines and new samples sent for Margaret. Some business related letters and bills for Gerald. But the bottom one was something new. A small black letter addressed to the Rubies, from their friend Mascara.
Micheal flipped the envelope around and looked at the gold sticker that had been carefully stuck on the other side. He found the mysterious letter to be quite amusing and could not help but feel an appreciation for the timing. Although it had only been a short few days since the girls took their leave from school he had noticed them quickly becoming stressed with their meticulous training. To finally have a distraction was perfect.
Once the rest of the mail was divided up and sent to their appropriate places, he took Mascara’s letter and went to deliver it personally. Upstairs, on the north side of the house, the girls had made a new home within the great Pillow Vault. As he stepped inside he was greeted with the sight of the tall walls of their pillow castle and the majestic pillow archway. He took his shoes off near the door before following the red path of cloth into the great castle. Inside he found the pair huddled around a round coffee table. They babbled to each other with numbers and the smell of pennies on a rainy summer day. One of them was in the middle of writing symbols on paper while the other laid on the floor and watched as the glow in the dark stars on the ceiling flickered in the dim light. Adding to the absurdity of this sight was how both wore armour made of thin pillows, cloth and ribbons.
They both looked like pillow witches more than pillow knights at this point.
As he approached them he caught the lingering smell of fading lavender, their incense burner no doubt having run dry once again. He crouched down and offered the black letter to Ruby, the one sitting at the table with pencils and papers. She blinked, only now realising that Micheal was near her. She gingerly took the letter with two fingers and looked it over.
“I believe you have been summoned by Miss Mascara.” He said politely.
“Intriguing.” Rubi, the one laying on the floor, said.
Ruby looked at the sticker on the back, and she found a Figment sigil painted around it too.
“Can you also see this?” Rubi asked as Ruby tilted the letter towards Micheal.
“I see a black letter with a gold sticker.” Micheal replied.
“How delightful, this pattern is a Figment then.”
Rubi spoke up as Ruby traced a finger over the letter.
As Ruby cut open the letter with her beak Micheal glanced over to Rubi who had her eyes closed. He found the mixed senses that they now experienced to be quite strange to see.
“Are your practices progressing well?”
“Surprisingly fast, and I’m… We're not getting stuck together anymore.”
Both of them said in unison.
“It’s still quite strange to see the world with four eyes however.”
“I’m sure your parents will be thrilled to hear that.”
Micheal said to them.
Ruby looked over the letter, and Rubi began to speak.
“Dearest sisters of the Quasinatural arts, you have been invited to a gathering at my dwelling this evening to celebrate your new found awakening. This ‘Esperation Party’ shall allow you to attune yourself to your spiritual sides and help refine how you see yourself. A few years ago it helped me do the same, so now I wish to pass on that gift. Signed, M.” Rubi spoke out loud.
Rubi suddenly sat up and opened her eyes. She turned them to her sister, who glanced back.
“I didn’t realise that Mascara was an Esper.” Rubi called out in surprise.
“That certainly explains his mysterious nature.” Ruby nodded.
“Indeed. Come, we must get ready, there is only a few hours before the evening arrives.”
“Thank you Micheal.” Ruby said in passing as the pair got up to leave.
“A pleasure.” Micheal said to them as they left the Pillow Vault.
The pair would then spend most of the afternoon cleaning each other up and finding the best outfit for such a party. Such a task proved difficult as they did not know what was acceptable and their massive selection only served to slow them down even further.
Meanwhile, over at Mascara’s house. The evening was growing close and the time for the girls would soon arrive. Even so she continued to busy herself as she wanted the brightly coloured home to look as black, mysterious and mystical as possible.
To that end drapes of dark cloth had been put over the windows and hung up across the wider sections of walls where pink paint and smiling photos lay. To offset the darker lighting she had lit red candles on every shelf, table and counter top she could reach. Figments were also painted across most of the walls. Finally she had thrown in a couple dozen fake skulls, although this only served to make the place look like some sort of haunted house attraction.
With the house properly decorated she was spending the rest of her time tending to her own style. She wore loose black clothing underneath a deep black hooded cloak. Her face had been painted with black markings and figments alike, centred around a sideways diamond on her forehead.
“Oh honey bunny, I made you some lovely little snackies for your girly friends!”
Mascara’s mother, Juniper, suddenly called out. She was an older woman, one who was shaped like a snowman and had features as smooth as silk. Her colourful dress and glaringly bright apron contrasted Mascara and the darkly decorated living room like fireworks across a moonless night sky.
Mascara groaned quietly as she finished her make up in the mirror.
“I’ll put them down here but let me know if your friends want some more.”
Juniper said sweetly before patting Mascara’s head.
“Mom…” Mascara groaned again.
“Don’t worry, I won’t interrupt your spooky little get together.”
Juniper said cutely as she waved off Mascara’s embarrassment.
“Oh it’s so nice to see you make so many friends.”
And with that she trotted off to busy herself elsewhere.
Mascara looked over the plate of little black coloured cupcakes that her mother had left on the table. Each of them were adorably adorned with a sprinkling of tiny candy hearts. Mascara was unsure how she felt about them but she knew that they would be delicious. Before she could make up her mind the doorbell rang. Mascara flinched so hard that she lept a foot off the floor and as she came back down she lost her balance and ended up flying backwards into the sofa behind her.
She scrambled to her feet and grabbed a long cloak that was hanging up on the corner of the living room door. After throwing it around her shoulders and lifting the hood up over her ears, she smoothed the fabric and checked herself over. Once she was sure she looked appropriately mysterious and cool she rushed to the front door but took a few breaths to steady herself before continuing.
After stepping outside Mascara was greeted by the sight of the Rubies’ limousine parked in front of her home. Strips of lights just above and below the passenger door illuminated the ground and lit up the fading sunlight with fresh shades of white. Ford stood ready and as Mascara stepped out onto the welcoming mat of her home, he opened the door of the limo. The Rubies tumbled out with the elegance of models. They both wore fanciful red dresses, with long black socks that drew the eye up to the hips. Their hair had been tied up into fanciful curls and their feathers shined even brighter than the silk they were clad in. Each step they took was with purpose, as if wanting everybody to see them. And see them they did.
All around the neighbourhood people were taking a peek at the scene. Countless eyes peering through windows and the cracks between curtains as they were unsure on what kind of celebrity was visiting, and why. Not wanting a crowd to form, and already feeling embarrassed with such a spotlight, she waved for the girls to hurry themselves along before stepping back into the comfort of her blackened home.
“Welcome, dearest members of the Quasinatural. Tonight we shall…”
Mascara’s words were cut short as a loud crunch rang through the hallway. It was only now that she realised that Chip was also here. He was dressed casually, with a T-shirt, and a bag of salted rice-chips in his hands. No doubt either from the limo or the girl’s home.
“You’ve brought an outsider to our celebration.” Mascara said with a flick of her finger.
“Hm? Oh yeah, funny story actually.” Ruby replied.
“Just as I was getting ready to come over, Chip appeared with some homework.” Rubi continued.
“I told him of this little soiree and he showed great interest in the ways of Esperation.”
“Mhm, so I decided to invite him along. The more the merrier as some would say.”
Mascara gave a glance to Chip, who in reply gave her a smirk and a flick of his eyebrows.
“A guest then. One who hopefully respects the important nature of this evening.”
She said before turning sharply and marching away.
“I won’t be in the way.” Chip said with a cheeky look.
He placed his shoes on a rack near the front door before following Mascara.
The Rubies followed suit and took off their heels before putting them on the rack near the others. It was not something they had seen before, but they had heard of such a tradition. As they began to head towards the living room, they noticed that this home was much smaller than their own.
“Barely enough space for me to walk.” Rubi quietly spoke to her sister.
“Quite. It’s a tad claustrophobic.” Ruby said she reached out to the wall just inches away.
“It’s like spelunking through a little cave.” Rubi added excitedly, causing the pair to giggle.
The more of the house they saw the more the girls started to realise that they were overdressed. Although they could not change their outfits they did let down their hair and shake it loose to look a bit more casual. Looking around they started to notice that the decorations reminded them of some sort of festival that they had seen in books before…
“It reminds me Hallow’s Eve in here.” Chip spoke up suddenly.
A silence fell and the girls turned their eyes to Mascara.
Her stony expression cracked just a little at the mention.
“Hallow’s Eve is when the ghosts and spirits of this world are the most active. Naturally such themes would overlap with Esperation as the two are deeply connected.” She retorted. Although her expression was stoic, the inside of her head was far more chaotic as she scrambled for a way to look both cool and knowledgeable.
The Rubies nodded along to her explanation.
“I can tell you put a lot of work into this.” They both said.
“And I’m simply dying to know more about Esperation too.”
“Mmm, indeed. What is Esperation for example?” Ruby asked.
“That’s a good question, that many get mixed up.”
Mascara said as she glanced at Chip.
“Esperation is when your body, mind and soul works together to create your unique powers. The word refers to how your body works but most use it as a label for what they can do.” She then explained as she sat down at the coffee table.
The Rubies paid close attention and moved to sit down across from her.
“So what would your Esperation be?” Chip asked suddenly.
Mascara gave him a cold stare as her mind burned for a way to answer.
“It’s… Called Night Shroud.” She said simply after a moment of pause.
“Oh! That sounds so cool!” Ruby called out.
“What does it do?” Chip chimed in.
“Can you control the darkness of the night?” Rubi asked excitedly.
“Or perhaps form an armour of ice and cold?” Ruby added in awe.
“Perhaps an aura of invisibility like a thief on a moonless night?” Rubi suggested.
The Rubies’ eyes lit up like stars as the same idea came to mind.
“Necromancy?!” They both exclaimed.
“Ehm…” Mascara groaned nervously as they all looked at her expectantly.
“I don’t want to give away all my secrets, and it’s rude to show off your powers like that anyway. B-besides, it’s a ‘cool’ power but this is your party and I would hate to… Upstage.”
Mascara said as calmly as possible.
“Ahem, h-how about some cake? My mom made it…”
“Smooth.” Chip whispered to her as he sat down between her and the twins.
“Delightful.” The Rubies replied.
Mascara breathed a sigh of relief.
Chip meanwhile crumpled up the now empty bag of snacks and tossed it deftly into a nearby paper bin. He then helped himself to one of the cakes. Although his actions were normal he had a look in his eyes, a knowing and smug look that made Mascara feel uneasy. As if he was just waiting for something to happen that she did not have any information on. Mascara shook the feeling from her and tried to focus on the party at hand instead.
She reached under the table and pressed a button on a remote that turned on the CD player nearby. As the ambient sounds of the wind, rain and creaking of trees quietly filled the house she cleared her throat and began to speak.
“Let me tell you about our great history.”
She spoke clearly as if reading from an essay in front of the class.
“Long ago before the Stonefall, we Espers were great and powerful people known as Mages. Using the latent mana in the air we could shape reality, forge new paths and invent great wonders…”
“Ain’t Mage-Evolution just a theory?” Chip cut in.
“Yes… But so is gravity.” Mascara said as she brushed him off.
“Although mana has long since been extinct due to the Stone, our powers were so great that over the centuries we started to form new abilities to make up for the loss of the old. Like the blind developing greater senses in other areas, our kind has always had complexities like that. Like layers…”
“Like an on-yon.” Chip said with a heavily French accent.
The Rubies snickered but Mascara could only sigh in annoyance, her cheeks feeling warm with annoyance as she found little amusement in his continual interruptions.
“Perhaps a more practical demonstration?”
Mascara said as she brought out a cardboard box, three cups and a small ball.
“Wow, you really are a magician.” Chip teased.
The Rubies smirked at his comment but were still very much paying attention.
“Hold the ball, concentrate on it, focus as if it is your very heart.”
Mascara said as she offered the ball to the twins.
Rubi reached out with her right, and Ruby with her left. Their hands brushed against each other as they perfectly picked it between the pair of them. They grasped their hands around the small object and began to focus on it intently.
“Careful, it might explode.” Chip whispered to them.
“Shh.” Mascara hushed.
After a moment of the pair concentrating on the ball, Mascara took it back. She lined up the three cups but then placed the cardboard box over it so neither Chip or the Rubies could see inside. Using a window in the back she placed the ball in one of the cups before removing the box.
“Wait, I thought I was supposed to see you move the cups?” Ruby asked.
“Normally, but this is not a trick. It’s a skill. Let your heart decide, do not think, just pick one.”
Mascara instructed mysteriously.
The girls glanced at each other and without a moment of pause they both reached out to the right cup. And sure enough as they lifted it up they found the ball underneath.
“Whoa!” Rubi called out as she picked up the ball.
“That’s kind of amazing.” Ruby continued.
“It could be luck.” Chip said but this time Mascara was ready for him.
From under the table she pulled out three more cups. After taking the ball she once again covered the now six cups under the box and placed the ball within one of them. Once again, the Rubies reached out and picked the right one. They continued to do so until they had won five times in a row.
“The third eye of an Esper is a powerful thing, and it grants many small powers.”
Mascara said smugly after they won the seventh. The Rubies were simply elated with the reveal.
“Shame it also gets you banned from a casino though.”
Chip said casually, his remark causing the Rubies to grin in amusement of his comment.
“How about some card games? Have you two ever played blackjack before?” Chip asked them.
“Not many times but I… We do know the rules.” Rubi replied.
“I think I saw a deck of cards over there too.” Ruby added.
“Um…” Mascara whispered as she quickly lost control over the party.
“Want to see if you can locate all the aces in the deck?” Chip asked.
“Yeah! We could also try poker or other games.” Ruby spoke up.
“Ah splendid idea, it’s rare for me to play such things.” Rubi added.
“Excuse me a minute.” Mascara said as she swiftly got up and left the living room.
As the Rubies and Chip continued to play and have fun, Mascara retreated like a shadow to the bathroom. She kicked the door closed and leaned over the sink before letting the stone mask that was her face break into pieces. Anger, annoyance, envy, embarrassment, all flooded out of her all at once in a twisted grimace.
“This is supposed to be our night together, to bond over Esperation!”
Mascara groaned and cried while she ran some warm water over her hands.
“You can do this. They like jokes, and they did find the ball experiment fun…”
Mascara muttered to herself as she searched for some way to win them over.
“I just need to put on more of a show for them!”
Suddenly an idea came to Mascara.
She wiped her hands dry before sneaking out of the bathroom. She peered into the living room to find the Rubies laughing and playing some kind of card game with Chip. The thought that they had forgotten about her so quickly came to mind, and it hurt to think about. Mascara shook the pain from her head before continuing.
Heading down the hall, she crept to the basement and peeked inside to find her mother listening to vinyl records with a big pair of padded headphones. Knowing that she would not need to be so quiet, Mascara breathed a sigh of relief and quickly ran up the stairs.
It was within her parents room, hidden away in a wooden box under their bed that she found her prize. With it in hand she rushed back to the living room.
“Ahem.” Mascara said loudly to get the others' attention.
“Practising your third eye is good, but how about we use it for something more interesting?”
Mascara said as she placed a package covered in cloth on the table. She unwrapped it to reveal an old looking ouija board, complete with a crystal planchette. The wood was stained with a dark brown finish but cracks of pale white could be seen under it, like bones peeking through.
“Have you ever seen a Ghost or Spirit before?” Mascara asked smugly.
“Once in the mountains during a snowstorm, we think.” Rubi thought out loud.
“But that was quite the distance from our window.” Ruby nodded.
“This board can summon Spirits to our location. And unlike the unseeing normals we can touch them, making us completely safe from harm. How would you like to pet a Milktail?” Mascara asked.
The Rubies dropped their handful of playing cards and instantly forgot about the games they were playing. Mascara could tell they were excited to try such things but Chip had a much less agreeable expression.
“Don’t you need a licence for one of these?” He asked.
“Only for professional or commercial use.”
Mascara muttered as she placed the planchette onto the board.
“Now! Place two fingers onto the device and I will guide us towards the unknown.”
The Rubies did so, one hand from each girl, and Mascara followed soon after.
Chip however hesitated.
“Just a Milktail right? Those little rat Spirits?” He asked.
“No need to fear the Spirits, you have three Espers to protect you.”
Mascara replied to him, her confidence clearly growing by the minute.
“The board allows for communication, so let me do the talking.”
After Chip placed his fingers onto the planchette, Mascara closed her eyes and concentrated. A cool breeze blew across the living room and all the candles flickered as the mood quickly changed.
“Spirits small and meek, I call out to you. Write your name and be given free passage!”
Mascara called out to the darkness. But there was no reply.
She repeated the words, but the planchette still did not move.
“Have you done this before?” Chip asked, but was shushed by the Rubies.
“Spirits meek and small, preferably a Milktail, write your name and be given passage!”
Mascara said less confidently.
“Maybe they are asleep?” Chip muttered.
Mascara’s confidence was already starting to fade and as she began to feel awkward and embarrassed at her failures to summon even the smallest of Spirits. Her desire to appear cool and interesting towards the Rubies overtook her common sense and she called out once more.
“Spirits great and small, we request an audience! Hear me, feel me, write your name!”
Another breeze blew past but still there was no reply.
Feeling himself safe, Chip smirked and spoke out loud.
“Hello? Anyone out there that wants to play?” He said in jest.
The board under their fingers trembled slightly.
“I-ignore that! That was not an invitation!” Mascara frantically replied.
Everything went quiet. The air was still. And Mascara let out a sigh of relief.
“Why must you constantly ruin my plans?” Mascara muttered.
“Just trying to make things a bit more fun around here.” Chip shrugged casually.
“This is not supposed to be fun, it’s an important gathering.”
“You sure, because cupcakes and plastic skulls are a bit… ”
Chip tried to joke but Mascara cut him off.
“You don’t know a thing about what you are talking about!” She barked.
“Esperation requires a certain mindset to master, you have to do more than learn history and practise! You have to have belief and perspective, to see yourself and others in a certain way. You… You could not begin to understand how hard it is.” Mascara vented.
“Ehm, friends?” Ruby spoke up as she realised her fingers were stuck to the planchette.
“I’m just trying to keep things casual around here.” Chip replied.
“Nobody asked for you to be the host of my party!” Mascara said loudly.
“You were not even invited.” She then said with a huff.
Suddenly the whole house shook. A rush of icy wind blew out several candles and the shadows of the room grew long and black. They could all feel the board under their fingers tremble as the crystal in the middle of the board began to glow and vibrate with an eerie pale light.
Mascara could see her breath in the air as the room suddenly went cold. And then so did her blood as she felt the planchette begin to move. It scraped along the board slowly as it began to spell out: R-A-U-M
“What kind of Spirit is that?” Ruby asked.
“I’m not sure.” Mascara replied.
“Is it dangerous?” Rubi asked.
“I don’t know.” Mascara replied.
“I thought you were the expert?” Chip asked.
“And I thought I told you to not speak during a conjuring!” Mascara barked.
A flash of light exploded from the crystal and the four friends were sent scattered onto the floor. Cupcakes went sailing through the air and the dozens of playing cards began to swirl in the torrent of air above the board. From a stream of cold fog a shape emerged from the otherside. The ghostly figure was that of a small girl, wearing a stitched together dress made of discarded scraps of material. Her head was that of a crow’s skull, which bobbed and bounced loosely on her shoulders. Within its empty eye sockets, small gemstones rolled like eyes.
The Spirit clicked its beak and turned its head in circles as it peered at the four of them.
“I w-welcome you to my home, Spirit.” Mascara said politely as she stood up straight.
“But you were summoned in error. I offer you coins or food if you would, please, leave?”
Mascara said before respectfully giving a half bow towards the odd Spirit.
Raum’s skull twisted into a smile and before Mascara could react the Spirit whisked several of the fallen cupcakes off the floor. They orbited around the Spirit as it looked them over closely.
“Do you want them? You can have…” Mascara spoke before suddenly getting splattered in the face with one of the cakes. And then another two after that.
Mascara fell to the ground and scrambled away as candles, cards and scraps of food were tossed around like confetti in a tornado. Chip grabbed a tray off the table and managed to block some scraps of cake but the heavier pillows from the sofa were too much and knocked him off balance.
The Rubies managed to dodge the candles but the hail of playing cards was too numerous. They shielded themselves with their arms and retreated backwards to a dining table on the other side of the living room. Needing cover they dropped down and hid underneath it. A moment later Chip and Mascara joined them.
“What does it want?” Chip asked.
“How should I know?!” Mascara called back as she scraped cake off her face.
“You own the ouija board, ain’t there some kind of manual?” Chip then asked.
“Enough!” The Rubies both said with a click of their beak.
“It’s clear that your arguing caused this Spirit to appear.” Ruby spoke first.
“Yes, it might just feed on chaos and negative emotions.” Rubi added.
“Mascara, can you exorcise it using the Night Shroud?” Ruby suggested.
“Oh indeed, it should be fairly easy for you.” Rubi agreed with a happy nod.
Mascara looked pale. Even more pale than usual, like bleached bones on snow.
“Um… Well… You see, the thing about such powers is…” She said before sighing.
“Night Shroud doesn’t really do anything, it just makes the air near me colder.”
Mascara admitted. She then flinched as Ruby placed her hand on her cheek.
“Oh yeah. It does!” Ruby said happily.
“Chip was right. Being an Esper just means useless powers and nobody taking you seriously. All my Night Shroud can do is make everything around me worse.” Mascara admitted as playing cards plinked off the wood above her head.
“Hm, I still think you were in the right place.” The Rubies said.
“Esperation is about perspective, right? And the textbook the school sent said that you can shape how your powers grow by having a goal to focus intently towards.” Rubi spoke up.
“You might have cold air following you for now but that has many uses too.”
Ruby added warmly.
“Like keeping you cool in summer, or keeping you refreshed when exercising.” Rubi suggested.
“Mhm or you could keep your drink colder for longer, just imagine what you could do if you kept practising and got even better at using it.” Ruby said softly as she rubbed Mascara’s cheek.
“And Chip, I invited you so you would not be left out. It was not my intention for you to take over the party or overshadow Mascara. You should apologise for that.” The Rubies said.
Chip rubbed the back of his neck.
“Yeah, sorry. I just wanted to help you as everybody knows you are not a party type of… guy.”
Chip said to Mascara before offering to shake their hand.
“And you’re right, I don’t know much of anything about Espers, that's your job.”
“Your apology is welcome. And… I don’t mind the jokes, just the timing.”
Mascara explained as they shook Chip’s hand.
“Good. Now, let’s take care of that Spirit before the whole house collapses.”
The Rubies spoke together as they crept out from the now heavily stained table.
“Spirit of chaos! Due to your magnificent presence our friends have formed a deeper bond, for that we are thankful, and now we ask for you to grow still and pass on to… another place!” The Rubies said in unison.
Raum turned their diamond eyes to the pair under the table.
They gave the Spirit a thumbs up and a wide smile and surprisingly, it seemingly worked. All the floating objects around the house came crashing down to the ground, and yet, the Spirit did not fade. It stared at the pair, crystal eyes seeing things that no living person could imagine.
“Sisters of Red, I see your future. I see your past. Both are not yet certain.”
“How can the past not be certain?” The Rubies asked.
The Spirit raised a finger and placed it against their bone beak.
“Answers come at great costs but why pay the toll when such secrets are so easily discovered?”
It spoke before raising its hands and drawing mist around them. From the mist it produced an old stitched leather ball. It tossed it up into the air a few times before hovering it in front of itself.
“A game. And then I will leave.”
“We shall accept your game.” The Rubies said as they stepped forward.
The Spirit clicked and snickered as it faded away into the mist.
The ball meanwhile remained and continued to hover ominously in the air.
After the Rubies approached, the ball suddenly lifted up high. It then dropped swiftly and bounced with great force. It shot around the room and picked up more and more speed with each heavy rebound. The old leather ball was not as light as it looked and with each bounce it shook the very foundations of the house. The girls were sure that being hit with such an object would do more than leave a bruise.
From under the table Chip and Mascara watched as the Rubies stood at the very heart of the storm. It was hard to keep their eye on the ball from under the table but Chip managed to catch sight of the ball rebound off a corner and head straight for Rubi’s back. Before he could call out however she gracefully stepped to the side. At first he thought it was luck but then he noticed Ruby step away as the ball came from a blindside on her left. Taking his eyes off the ball he instead focused on how the twins were slowly walking around.
Their movements were not random. They were keeping an eye on each other’s blind spots and due to the connected nature of their senses, could seamlessly dodge without needing time to communicate. Even so the ball was fast and the twins had only recently awakened their ability to share senses. So many of the dodged blows were down to a hair.
“Chip, Mascara, any idea what this game is supposed to be?”
Ruby asked before dodging the ball by a feather.
“I figure it is to stop the ball somehow? Like dodgeball!”
Chip replied as the ball hit the table above with enough force to crack the wood.
“Maybe we can sneak out and find some kind of weapon?”
Chip said to Mascara.
“We’re gonna get our heads taken off if we go out there.”
Mascara replied as the ball thundered around the room.
“I wish we could help but getting hurt won’t help them.”
The Rubies meanwhile stopped pacing around the room and instead stood back to back with each other. Now that they were able to cover every angle around them they began to dodge quicker and easier. They watched the ball with six eyes between the pair. Slowly they figured out the patterns that the ball was bouncing in. Slowly they got used to its speed and size.
As the ball shot past, Rubi tried to reach out to grab it but it just swatted her hand away and knocked her off balance from the force. Ruby was quick to grab the back of her dress and pull her up right before the ball could catch her on the rebound. Rubi then shook her hand and winced in pain.
“It’s heavy.” Rubi muttered out loud.
“I need more weight then.” Ruby spoke up.
Slowly they circled around the coffee table. Once they reached the other side Rubi grabbed a large pillow from the floor and tossed it over to her sister. Ruby took a moment to watch the path the ball took before suddenly stepping in front of it and using the pillow to try and catch it.
The ball impacted the pillow with a great thump. Ruby was pushed back from the force but she managed to remain on her feet. Even so, the ball had a great spin to it that made it hard to keep a grasp on. Eventually the momentum of the ball proved too great that it slipped away from the cushion.
Rubi helped to keep her sister from falling over and once they had made sure of their footing they focused on the ball again. Its speed and weight was great while the spin made it difficult to simply stop as it would skid and rebound off most surfaces. The girls still had one more plan in mind however.
Once they were sure of the path the ball would take the pair suddenly split apart and ran forward before turning and extending both hands. By using Polarity they were drawn towards each other, and just as the ball crossed paths with them they collided with it with all four palms. The sudden impact was enough to stop it in its tracks while the tight magnetic grip helped them to hold onto it as it spun and tossed in their grasp.
The friction and weight was terrible on their hands but it soon came to a stop. Only then did it slowly dissipate back into the mist it had formed from. Chip and Mascara meanwhile had climbed out from under the table. They rushed over the Rubies excitedly.
“That was intense.” Mascara praised as she let her feelings spill.
“Yeah, that was something else… Oh, your hands…” Chip spoke up.
The palms and fingers of the twins had been rubbed red and raw by the spinning ball.
Mascara let out a slight gasp at the sight but the Rubies shook their heads.
“It doesn’t hurt too much.” They winced.
“I know that you two share all feelings, no need to be so brave.”
Mascara said as she took Ruby’s left and Rubi’s right hand in her own. The pair winced from the feeling of her hands touching such a sensitive area but then relaxed as they felt a cold sensation begin to soothe their pain. “Is that better?” Mascara asked shyly.
Before they could even reply, Raum appeared once more from the mist.
“Hearts now mended. Friends stitched together once more. You have won my game, Sisters of Red. Rejoice, but know. If you are ever in need of my services again, do not hesitate to call,”
Raum spoke ominously before vanishing in a great flash of cold light.
The cold mist faded from the room and they were left standing in the dark. Somewhere along the chaos the sun had set and with all the candles extinguished there was no light left. After switching on a lamp Chip and Mascara escorted the twins to the bathroom to help treat their hands.
“It’s the least we can do after you saved us.” Chip admitted.
“Mmm, and I had no idea you had such strong Esperation.” Mascara said to the Rubies.
“Synchronicity and Polarity. That’s what I wanted to call our abilities.” Rubi said.
“Indeed, although Synchronicity is not Esperation. It’s more of a condition…” Ruby added.
“I would say it still counts.” Mascara said.
“Yeah, easier to explain to people without having to get into all the little details.” Chip said.
“Quite, you have a point.” The Rubies replied.
“And Mascara, you really should have been honest about your Esperation.” Rubi added.
“We wouldn't have judged you, everybody is different in this regard.” Ruby nodded.
“Sorry, I just wanted to make sure you thought Espers were cool.” Mascara said shyly.
“Oh we do think they are cool! But it’s good not to keep secrets with friends.” Ruby said.
“Honesty is always a good policy when around people you like.” Rubi nodded.
“Yeah, you shouldn’t keep so many secrets. Eh?”
Chip said towards Mascara as he gave her a nudge with his elbow.
“Some secrets are fine. Everybody needs some secrets…”
Mascara replied quieter as they tried to shake off the hint.
Chip gave her a stare. Mascara deflected the stare by looking at her own reflection in the bathroom mirror. He then rolled his eyes and thought of his next words more carefully.
“You do bring up a good point about friendship. Being honest with each other can be quite an important thing to properly trust and understand each other. It’s kind of like dating in that way. I know that I like honesty in anyone I’m interested in, what about you two? What sort of things do you look for?” Chip said while trying to sound casual.
“Well honestly certainly is a good place to start.” The Rubies replied.
“But we’ve not really considered our tastes all that much, to be honest.” Rubi added.
The pair giggled at each other over the remark.
“I suppose I do like cuteness, a certain young charm even if they are older than me.”
“Mmm, and texture. Fur and scales are just so unusual to feel compared to feathers. I suppose that might be just because I’ve felt more than enough feathers to last a lifetime.” Ruby said before giving her sister a nudge with her hip. Mascara noticed the playful gesture but was not quite sure what to make of it.
“I know what you mean, something different than what you are used to can be exciting. But, familiarity tends to last longer and be more consistent. I imagine you two know what I mean.” Chip said as he tied some bandages around Ruby’s hand.
The pair giggled softly and glanced at each other.
“Yeah, and the two can overlap. Short, cute, girls for example…” Rubi mused.
“But imagine tall strong girls instead?” Ruby suggested.
“Oh now there is a thought to consider.” Rubi said with a smirk.
The realisation hit Mascara like a brick to the brain.
It should not have been much of a surprise considering her own interests in the twins but to finally get clear confirmation that she would have some sort of shot with them regardless of her gender was uplifting. But now she was left in an awkward spot of having to admit she had been lying to them.
“What about you Mascara, anything to share?” Chip asked.
“I like girls!” She blurted out without thinking.
“Most boys I do.” Ruby said with an eye roll over the ‘obvious’ statement.
“But… I’m not… One of those.” Mascara said quietly.
A silence fell on the bathroom.
“Huh!?” The Rubies suddenly called out.
They both flocked to Mascara.
“We’re so sorry!” Ruby called out.
“We thought you were a boy the whole time!” Rubi added.
“Why didn’t you say anything? Oh it must have been terrible.” Ruby said.
Before she could answer Rubi took hold of her face and peered close at her.
“And you’re so cute!” Rubi suddenly said.
“Wha?” Mascara said as her face went red.
“You were pretending because you wanted us to like you right?” Ruby spoke up.
“But you’re so adorable, and you have such nice eyes!” Rubi continued.
“Ehh…” Mascara groaned as her face turned scarlet.
“You really should have more confidence in yourself.” The Rubies then spoke together.
“There we go, do you know how badly I’ve wanted to say something?” Chip said with a sigh.
“You knew? Oh gosh everybody knew didn’t they. Oh my word.”
The Rubies said as they started to blush themselves.
“How about we all help clean up the living room and never speak of this again?”
Mascara offered as she hid her face under her hood.
“Lets, this has been more than eventful enough without…”
Ruby said before hearing a great crash come from the living room.
“Please don’t tell me that was the ceiling caving in.” Mascara whined.
“I’ll get Micheal on the phone, he’ll know how to fix this.” Ruby said.
Some time later.
Mascara’s mother woke up from her nap. The soothing music of her records is still playing in her long ears. She got up and turned off the player before putting the headphones away. Looking at the retro clock on the wall she let out a gasp.
“That late already?” She spoke to herself.
Heading back upstairs, she went to check on the kids.
Within the living room she found quite a normal sight. Ruby was leaning out of an open window, seemingly watching the stars or looking for the moon. Rubi, Chip and Mascara meanwhile sat around the coffee table with cards and mostly finished drinks. The decorations that Mascara had spent time putting up were now missing and she was sure she could smell paint drying but everything seemed neat and tidy. More so than she remembered in fact.
“Oh honey bunny, are your friends staying over for the night?” Juniper asked.
“No, they are going home soon.” Mascara replied.
“Mhm, nice to meet you.” The Rubies spoke together as they gave her a polite nod.
“Same, nice place you got here.” Chip added.
“How polite! I’ll leave you to it then, let me know if you need anything.”
Once Mascara’s mother had left, Ruby let out a sigh. From below the window a young Armadillo popped up from the bushes. He handed her his work tablet again so she could continue paying.
“Thanks again for such quick, and quiet, services.”
“Any time, if it wasn’t for that new scale-cream your dad came up with, my sister would have had to quit her job.” The man said before taking the tablet and confirming the information. “Ring again if you have any more work for me.” He said before giving a polite tip of his hat and rushing off to his van parked around the corner.
Ruby closed the window and stepped back to the others. After sitting down they all gave one collective sigh of relief from just barely making it in time. The relief turned to giggles and then laughter as they all laid down and enjoyed the peace.
“Next time we have a sleepover, let’s keep the Demons away from the walls.”
The Rubies said in jest.
