Young Writers Society

Maahes glanced around, only to confirm what he already knew - he hadn't been here before.

He wasn't sure if that was supposed to be comforting or not.

He shook his head.

"I haven't," he said. He put his hand down and tried to look somewhat knowledgeable. Out of everyone present, he probably was - he had traveled to countless worlds during his time pursuing his old charge and now working under the SGC, and had been brought to multiple things like this.

Molly (thankfully) sat patiently at his feet.

"But I've been in situations like this before," Maahes added. "I actually work for an organization that travels between the worlds - I'm not sure if you've heard of them, but they're called Stargate Command."

He glanced around at everyone, checking one last time for any recognizable faces.

"I've also been brought to other places like this before," he added. "There's never been a letter involved before, but they've all been without warning."

I think he's telling the truth, Quinn said to Asha through their thoughts.

And I think we should do this the fast way.

They could know something, Asha.

So we'll stab it out of them.

Quinn sighed and extended a hand to Maahes, "We haven't been properly introduced, I'm Quinn."

This is pointless.

Hush up, Asha.

You know, using my name more doesn't make you sound more polite.

Quiet!

Asha scowled, her grip tightening on the dagger.

Maahes wasn't nearly as young as he looked - he knew a thing or two about potential threats, and he could see the tension between the twins. He could also see that one was much friendlier than the other, but there was little he was going to do right now. He would just try to keep the tension from escalating.

But, of course, that meant he still had to pick a name to use.

He mulled it over.

And then he gave a name of his own a second later, with a smile and a shake of Quinn's hand.

"I'm Maahes," he said - hoping that no one here knew the ancient Egyptian gods.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Quinn said and released his hand. She stepped back and exchanged a look with Asha.

We should at least neutralize the hostile one, Asha reasoned.

Quinn turned to the man in question, "An you are?" she asked.

Quill's gaze turned to Quinn momentarily, before returning to Asha. For the briefest moment, it seemed he wouldn't answer, but he eventually gave it up.

"Quill," he said evenly, slowly putting his blade away.

It was a shaky, and very reluctant offering of peace. He felt he could at the very least trust most of the group to not kill him; Gerard seemed harmless, Maahes and the lion cub both seemed peaceful, and Quinn had already offered peace. Asha though, he hoped would follow his example; he wasn't sure about her.

Quinn gave him a respectful bow, "Thank you."

Get your hand off that blade.

But-

Now.

Asha's scowl deepened, but she released the blade, leaving it sheathed and harmless. "I'm Asha," she said with a glare at Quinn.

"We are servants of her lady Moloch of the Southern Realms of Freyellot," Quinn continued, not appearing to notice Asha's hostility.

You're giving away too much, Asha warned.

Watch their reactions, Quinn responded.

Asha rolled her eyes but did as she was told.

He felt his essence twist and turn at the realization that he had no idea what she was talking about.

"I've never heard of Freyellot before," Maahes admitted. He wanted to say more, but he never got the chance - Molly immediately darted over to the scholarly man's side, eyes bright and eager as she looked up at him. It was clear that she was very, very intrigued by him, but she had no way of really conveying it - all she could do was stare and hope that Maahes picked up on it.

Gerard regarded the lion cub curiously. He had understood the significance of Maahes' name (he was a scholar, after all), so seeing the little lion cub was...interesting, to say the least. With the current situation, anything was a possibility.

He gave no indication that he made the connection, looking to Maahes with a small smile. "This little guy won't try to maul me, will he?"

He shook his head, feeling a wave of relief when he realized the man didn't have a problem with Molly sitting near him.

"Molly won't," Maahes reassured him. He paused, and a smile smile grew on his face. "...She might try mauling your shoes."

As if to prove his point, Molly crouched low to the ground before pouncing on the shoe that was closest to her.

Asha and Quinn exchanged a look, surprise for Quinn, suspicion for Asha. No words were needed.

"That's not..." Quinn shook her head, "Where are you from?"

Asha, meanwhile, was more focused on Molly. Her initial hostility apparently forgotten for the moment, she crouched beside the lion cub and watched her curiously, "Where did you find her?" she asked.

Quinn gave her a look somewhere between frustration and surprise, but didn't say anything.

Molly looked back up at Asha with wide, curious eyes, her prey momentarily forgotten. Her gaze traveled to the cornrows that ran down the length of Asha's back. Even before Molly switched focus, Maahes knew exactly what she was planning on going after.

Molly lunged for Asha's hair.

And Maahes took that as a sign that he needed to pick her up.

He bridged the distance between the them and grabbed Molly. Even as she wiggled and squirmed, he refused to let go. "Molly," he scolded.

She didn't even try to look guilty.

He let out a sigh.

"I'm from Earth," he said. Saying anymore would make things too complicated - he was sure neither one of them had heard of anywhere on his main planet, so there was no point in bringing the United States. "I found Molly on other world during a mission - she was the only one of her litter left. I swear I was going to let her go after I brought her back to Earth, but..."

He looked down at the lion cub.

Molly, in response, reached up a big, soft paw to try (and fail) to grab the few strands of scarlet hair that had escaped his ponytail.

Asha stepped back, pulling her hair out of the lion's grasp before assessing the damage. Her once perfectly smooth braids were now frayed and uneven in places where Molly's claws had pulled the strands out of position. She sighed, "Quinn-"

"Yeah, yeah," Quinn interrupted and closed the distance between them. She took the braids from Asha's hands and held them in her fist. Both of their minds synced up in a restoration spell, tugging at the strings of reality, now so much more unfamiliar than either of them remembered.

Quinn released the once-again immaculate braids and said, "But you got attached-"

"I can't see why," Asha muttered.

"-I get it," Quinn finished, "Happens to me all the time."

It did not, in fact, happen to her all the time, but that lie was hardly consequential.

Will lay huddled in a mas of cushions and ragged blankets trying to fight off the memories and just go to sleep. He heard something. His heart stopped. 'What was that? Who the hell was that?' A letter plummeted to the ground.

Will stared at it for a full five minutes, possibilities tearing his mind apart. Eventually, cautiously, he crept over and took it in a trembling hand. He tore open the envelope, barely noticing the strange seal. A wolf's howl echoed around him. It was hardly uncommon out here, but this was unusually loud. Will looked into the letter. It was empty. 'This is a taunt.' Will thought. 'Somebody mnows I'm here and they're laughing at me. I'm not safe here I have to-' he looked up. The shack was gone. The mountains of Scotland had melted away into a forest clearing.
Dread gripped Will by the throat. What was happening to him?

Gerard, who was just about to comment on the fact that the two girls could do magic, felt the disturbance and turned around in time to witness a man seemingly older than he was sitting there.

"Ah, a new arrival," Gerard said, smiling slightly. He hadn't the slightest clue that this new addition was in a state of panic. "Welcome to...wherever this is."

Maahes wanted to ask them about the magic, but Molly managed to sneak out of his arms again and go running off towards the newcomer - a man who looked older than anyone there, even though Maahes knew no one here likely beat him.

Molly reached a paw up to swat at a thread dangling from the man's hole-ridden shirt, crouching low to the ground before she jumped at it. Maahes had to go running after her again, knowing very well that getting "attacked" by a lion wasn't going to help someone who was panicking already.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "We ended up here when she wanted to play."