Young Writers Society

Harry and Jennifer conjured up a small table a couple of comfortable chairs before taking a seat near a corner of the tavern. It looked like no one wanted to talk with them so they might as well have a conversation away from the rest of the bar's patrons.

"So," began Jennifer, "guess its just us then."

"Uh huh," said Harry, "as always."

"Unfortunate but true," said Jennifer, laughing, "so...now that we're alone, there's something I wanted to ask you? What have you been these days during your breaks? I've noticed you use the same route every day? Does my little brother have a new mission?"

"First of all, technically I'm older than you, depending on how you define age," said Harry. Jennifer rolled her eyes. "And second well...yeah, I have a little side project going on."

"Oooh," said Jennifer.

"You don't have to make a scene about it," said Harry, sighing.

"But this is exciting," said Jennifer, "you never do anything personally unless you feel really strongly about it, and not to mention that tone of voice, I know exactly what type of mission this is."

"Really?" asked Harry.

"Yeah, its something to do with the love force isn't it?" asked Jennifer, winking.

"Maybe," said Harry.

"Well, spill the beans," said Jennifer, "now, who knows, maybe I can help?"

"Do I have to?" asked Harry. Jennifer raised her eyebrows. "Fine. Its this thing in the light realm."

"The light realm is home to like literally 70 odd million universes, you might have to be a tad more specific brother," said Jennifer.

"Light dimension," said Harry, "Exoverse 66."

"That narrows it down to like half a million which is still definitely not specific enough," said Jennifer.

"Fine, Giga 8, Mega 16, Multi 32, happy now?" asked Harry.

"Why are you so secretive about this?" said Jennifer.

"Universe 64," said Harrry.

"Which houses about a few trillion living organisms," said Jennifer.

Harry put his head in his hands. He wasn't going to get away with being vague about this.

"Milky Way," he tried. Jennifer didn't look convinced. "Solar System."

"You're getting there."

"Earth, okay. There, its on Earth. Los Angeles, California, United States of American in the continent known as North America to be specific."

"That wasn't so hard now was it?" said Jennifer.

"Uh huh," said Harry, nodding.

"So, what about it...or should I say who?" asked Jennifer.

"Oh come on Jen," said Harry, sighing again, "you're not giving up are you?"

"Nope. I know a case that rattles you when I see one. You haven't been this interested about a love related case since that debacle in that magic school in Earth 36, or that one time in Earth 26 with the...what were those things, half gods?"

"Demigods," said Harry, "and fine, I'll tell you."

Things were a little...weird, but Tony could handle weird. She had read more web comics and watched more animes than she could ever count. Even more importantly, she had an alien in her necklace who gave her magical girl powers to defend the earth. A few odd-looking people in a strange tavern that took over her favorite cafe wasn't too weird in the scheme of things.

She slipped past the people lingering by the counter and ordered a glass of pink lemonade. She was surprised when the bartender was able to whip one out. Trope wise, she was sure that humans were supposed to be the rarer of visitors to a place like this.

But maybe not everything could be compared to an anime or comic.

Sipping her lemonade through a color-changing straw - Rux reprimanding her in her head for her nonchalance and lack of care all the while - Tony eyed the other patrons in the bar. Her gaze eventually fell on two winged people in the very back of the tavern. They were talking with each other, but Tony hoped they wouldn't mind her interrupting or sitting nearby.

They're wearing suits, Rux commented as she sat down at a table only a few feet away from them.

She took a long sip of her lemonade. "Which look cool."

Which means they're probably part of some larger force, Rux hissed. Tony shrugged. They're likely some sort of military threat.

"They're just talking, Rux," she pointed out. "I'm not going to fight them. I just want to drink my lemonade and maybe have a conversation."

Rux groaned.

Amoku leaned back on the stool and forgot it was a stool.

Yeah, it was a stool-- not a chair.

Crash! Amoku's stool slipped and he did a little half-somersault in the air, slamming his anterior onto the ground, sending a huge wave of nausea through his human head.

Reluctantly, he changed into a mouse so he wouldn't go unconscious and glared up at the bartender, yelling as loudly as possible, "Why do stools exist!?"

"Yup, spill, I want to know all about this," said Jennifer.

"So the main figures in this are Lucifer Morningstar and Chloe Decker," began Harry.

"Hold that thought," said Jennifer, glancing pointedly to somewhere near Harry.

Harry turned to see that someone had sat down at a table quite close to them. He gave them a polite a smile, Jennifer doing the same.

"Don't think you got out of that conversation," whispered Jen.

"I know," replied Harry.

"Are you talking about Lucifer?" Tony asked, sitting a little straighter in her seat. Rux made a confused noise in her head. She was sure that the alien in her necklace was just as lost as he usually was by references to shows he had never seen. Tony just took that as a sign they had another binge session on the horizon. Lucifer seemed to be more of his kind of show, anyways.

She took a sip of her lemonade.

"I love that show," she added. "There's some cool about seeing Lucifer go against what the other angels want him to do. It's admirable."

Rux was silent.

She leaned back in her chair a bit, hiding how content she was by that with the same friendly smile she was already giving the two.

"Oh, yeah, the show, yeah it's wonderful as a completely fictional piece," said Harry, talking a bit faster than necessary. Jennifer rolled her eyes at him. A few billion years of interacting with people and you'd think someone would pick up the art of subtlety.

"Hi," said Jennifer, turning back to the friendly looking girl, "this guy loves the show so much he sometimes forgets it isn't real." She pointedly glared at Harry who laughed, managing to make it sound natural.

If Rux's alien race had eyebrows, Tony could imagine him doing exactly that at the boy's comment. That boy is a terrible liar.

Tony was inclined to agree, but she also was inclined to avoid talking to a voice only she could hear right now. She just gave a little nod as she nursed her lemonade. She was sure Rux understood it.

If not, oh well.

"It is," Tony agreed. "But you're talking about it like it really is real, aren't you? I didn't know Lucifer had something like 'The French Mistake'."

What does France have to do with this?

"Well...yeah, he's talking as if its real," said Jennifer.

"Which it is not," added Harry quickly but stopped when Jennifer glared at him.

"Yeah, that's not too important anyway," said Jennifer, "what is this French Mistake thing, I've never heard of it?"

"I think we're forgetting our manners a little," said Harry, hoping for a change in subject. "shouldn't we introduce ourselves first?"

"Oh yeah," said Jennifer, catching on quickly, "I'm Jennifer, this is Harry." She held out a hand to shake before realizing the other girl was certainly too far away to shake hands and awkwardly repositioned it to be wiping her forehead.

Tony thought that Lucifer and its characters being real was fairly important, but she decided it was best not to press the subject. They were interesting characters, but she wasn't really sure she'd want to actually interact with them - except maybe Ella. She seemed like someone Tony would be friends with.

"I'm Tony," Tony offered, "Tony West. And The French Mistake is an episode of Supernatural where the two main characters end up as their actors on the set of the show. It's a fourth wall break and incredibly meta, but it's a fan favorite."

"Oh, that sounds like fun," said Harry, "but I don't think I've heard of that."

"Me neither," said Jennifer.

"So...anyway, nice to meet you Tony," said Harry, "what brings you here?"

Glena snorted. "Duh, there's more than one capital. Where I'm from, every state has a capital." she chomped a few more chips. "So...which capital are you from?"

Elem gave her a very lost and confused look.

"I already know one capitol," he protested. He could barely wrap his head around the idea of multiple states - all he knew was one. "I...I don't know the name. I just know that everyone calls it the capitol."


Tony held up her glass.

"Just wanted some lemonade," she explained. "I thought I was popping into the local cafe, but I found myself here instead. It was too interesting to leave."

"Ahh, that seems reasonable," said Jennifer, nodding.

"And true," added Harry, nodding along with her.

"So...Tony, what do you do?" said Jennifer, exchanging a glance with Harry who nodded and then shrugged. Jennifer rolled her eyes. Making small talk with strangers was one of the few things that you tended to miss out on as part of a time travelling super hero team that takes a break only once every millennium and it was certainly neither of their strong suits.

They're trying to get information on us- Rux started. Tony ignored him and gave the two a smile. She was pretty sure they were just trying to have a conversation like normal people did. Rux was just being paranoid.

And now he was being upset, too. He gave an irritated little huff when Tony completely ignored his concern.

"I'm a student," she said. "I'm also a gamer."

Glena realized that she was being too pushy. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be asking you so many questions. Do you want to ask me any questions?"