but the end is near

If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense

The birds lead them a lot farther from the water than Nova had expected. They travel through trees and across fields and through a small village before the cluster of ravens finally come to a stop, perched at the entrance to a large hedge arch. It's dark and creepy and ominous and so cool that Nova's grin could crack her face in half. 

"I think this is it!" She giggles, stepping forward as she looks for a glittery trail, assuming that the birds had been following something. When he first sweep doesn't immediately result in answers, she sends the group of them back to the skies with the instructions to circle above where they find him while she cups her hands to her mouth and lifts it to the sky. After a deep, gulping breath, she shouts, "JEEEEEEEEEEEFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Nova

I didn't come here to make friends
We were born to be suburban legends

Aithne tags along through fields and forests until they finally come to a stop outside the Labyrinth. Slightly out of breath from the run, the Ancient nonetheless looks around, pleased with the outcome of following the birds. The Labyrinth is spooky, dark and dismal and dank in a way that appeals to her. Maybe she can come hunt here sometime.

But for today, they are searching for Jeff, who is apparently close by. "Jeeeeeefffffffffffff," Aithne calls, an echo of the other woman's much more enthusiastic shout. Hopefully they are nearing the end of their search, although at this point, Aithne's new friend seems far less annoyed than she had at the outset. Aithne hopes that she hasn't missed the potential for a lovers' quarrel or something equally entertaining.

When you hold me, it holds me together
And you kiss me in a way that's gonna screw me up forever

Aithne

If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense

Her head whips back and forth, blonde and red curls brushing against her white star freckles with the movement. The rush over here has a light flush forming on her cheeks, her hands cold along her skin when she lifts to cup her mouth. But the echoed shout fails to draw Jeff out from wherever he's gone. Another purse of her lips mars the bright excitement previously there, eyes narrowing towards the ground and the small shadows along the bottom of the hedge. 

Suddenly, she bounces again, pointing to where a small shimmer catches her gaze. "There's some glitter along the side! Let's go this way!" Nova rushes forward in a flurry of sparkles, another shout bursting forth when she picks up the trail. "JEEEEEEEEEEFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Nova

I didn't come here to make friends
We were born to be suburban legends

Blonde and red hair flies as the woman begins her search in earnest, continuing to hunt along the ground, presumably for prints that will lead them to the mysterious Jeff. Aithne joins her, checking the hedges on the other side of the row, but comes up empty. She's about to say that she doesn't see anything when the woman catches sight of some glitter and barges further into the Labyrinth.

If she was anyone else, Aithne might think to warn her that the area is full of danger - but the Ancient simply skips along in her wake, hunting for any sign of something blue or glittery. "Oooo, this way!" she calls as she makes a turn further in, one eye on the glitter she's found amongst the leaves and one on the birds somewhere up ahead.

When you hold me, it holds me together
And you kiss me in a way that's gonna screw me up forever

Aithne

If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense

The birds ahead suddenly stop to hover in a circle over something in the path. They haven't even gone that far. A turn left here. A turn right there. And then they're directly under where the large black birds hover, waiting for Nova to give them permission to leave, but Nove won't release them until Jeff is safely in her arms. 

She scours the leaves and puddles of water, dropping to a crouch as she looks below a small canopy. "JEEEEEFFFFFFFF! Get out here! I'll make you a new hat, okay?!"

While Nova looks intently into every nook and cranny, Aithne will notice a small glint of something next to her, and when she looks down, she'll find a glittery blue cowboy hat, sat atop the head of a wine spider who peers blankly up at her.

Nova

I didn't come here to make friends
We were born to be suburban legends

The birds ahead stop to hover, and Aithne presses on, meandering through the maze with every intent to climb some hedges if she's not able to get to where she's going in a reasonable time frame. Fortunately, that doesn't seem necessary; before long, the two women are directly beneath the birds. And yet... still no sign of Jeff.

As Nova promises a new hat, Aithne looks at her blankly. All this over the hat? Just how sensitive is Jeff, anyway?

Turning, a flash of blue glitter catches the Ancient's attention. She looks down -

And immediately screeches a shrieking laugh. "Oh my gods," she cries, giggles bubbling up her throat. "Jeff is a wine spider?!" Pointing down, she indicates where the creature sits on the ground. "I thought Jeff was a person!" Crouching, Aithne peers at the wine spider with a wide, toothy grin.

When you hold me, it holds me together
And you kiss me in a way that's gonna screw me up forever

Aithne

If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense

Surprised by the woman's sudden laughter, Nova turns to spot her crouched next to the glittery blue of a cowboy hat. She rushes forward to scoop the spider into her hands before he can escape again, holding him in a tight hug as she croons his name and fusses over how crooked his little adventure had made his hat. 

With Jeff raised to eye level so she can adjust his hat, she looks around to the Ancient, blinking bright blue eyes at her, a beaming smile on her face. "Of course he is! Jeff's my companion!" She didn't think that needed explaining during their search. 

Suddenly, Jeff tries to scurry from her grasp, ripping her attention back to him. "Come on, Jeff! I already told you the blue does not make you look fat." She gives him a pout, willing him to believe in how handsome she thinks he looks in the little hat, but the spider continues trying to run from her grasp no matter how many times she loops her hands to catch him, and Nova finally caves with a loud, exaggerated groan. "Ugh. FINE."

Shaking her head, she pops a hip, opening a palm to watch as magic threads and takes form. It adjusts and fluctuates in a ripple of various texture and colors before solidifying with a small shimmer. In her hand sits a small white beanie, stitched with tiny black spiders (with subtle glitter). She flicks the old hat off Jeffs head and sets the new one on top, tilting her head as she asks him, "Is that better?"

Nova

I didn't come here to make friends
We were born to be suburban legends

The woman rushes over to scoop up the wine spider, leaving a bemused Aithne to gaze up at her from where she remains crouched. All this fuss, all this searching, all this waiting for some dramatic reunion, and what does she get? A fucking wine spider. Serves her right; Dygra is probably laughing at the pure chaos of it all. So Aithne does her best to contain her giggles. ”I thought Jeff was a person,” she explains in a tone that says, isn’t that silly?

Then she’s watching as the woman summons magic, knitting a small white beanie in midair before flicking the glittery blue cowboy hat aside and plopping the new hat on the wine spider’s head. Amazing.

Giving the spider a thumbs up, Aithne says very seriously, ”That’s a good look for you, Jeff.” Personally, she had been a fan of the blue glitter, but that’s neither here nor there. Turning her attention back to the woman, Aithne adds, ”So Jeff’s your companion, but what’s your name?”

When you hold me, it holds me together
And you kiss me in a way that's gonna screw me up forever

Aithne

If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense

Still unclear on why the woman finds the whole situation so funny, Nova narrows her eyes, clearly confused. "Why would I search for a person?" Other than her siblings, there isn't anyone she'd want to search for, and even then, her siblings aren't stupid enough to need searching for. 

With Jeff's new hat properly in place, he glances to the Ancient. If a wine spider could blush, he would be a bright shade of red, but instead, he scurries up Nova's arm to hide amongst her red and blonde hair. Giggling, she gives a small bounce, not even bothered that she hasn't introduced herself up to this point. "Oh! I'm Nova!" she chimes.

Nova

I didn't come here to make friends
We were born to be suburban legends

Dumbfounded, Aithne chokes on her laughter, descending into a coughing fit that has her doubling over, nearly retching with the force of it all. When she's recovered, she peers up at the woman with tears in her eyes, entertained and flabbergasted in equal measure. But the woman is focused on the wine spider now, on outfitting him with a more appropriate hat, and Aithne uses the moment to catch her breath before offering compliments to the companion.

"I'm Aithne," she says, straightening to stretch her arms over her head. "Nice to meet you." Baring a fanged grin, she links arms with the blonde. "I think we're going to be great friends, you and I." Not that Aithne is giving Nova much of a choice in the matter. Today has been the most fun she's had in eons, and she's not eager to let go of the unique brand of chaos that Nova has brought along for the ride.

When you hold me, it holds me together
And you kiss me in a way that's gonna screw me up forever

Aithne

If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense

The woman - Aithne - has a strange way of laughing. She uses her whole body, the force of it doubling her over and forming tears in her eyes. Nova hadn't thought she was that funny, but she takes it as a compliment nonetheless, smiling a little brighter despite not really understanding. 

Jeff settles on her shoulder and Aithne steps forward to hook her arm with Nova, jostling her playfully so that she's giggling too. "Me too!" If someone is willing to trapse around all of the Outer Brambles and a creepy Labyrinth to help her find her fashionista companion, she'd consider them great friends already! Maybe their next adventure will be exploring the Spire and getting rich off ghost treasure!

[FIN]

Nova