I curtsied once more as everyone cheered and chanted my name.Around my feet the crowd threw wads of cash and roses of various sizes and colors, and the some business cards here and there. A fabulous ending of another fabulous performance. I will admit I was a little bit tipsy as I made my way back to my dressing room. Once I stumbled in I slumped into my chair. Time for the anti magical girl transformation. I took off my wig first, the pounding headache disappearing in a flash, underneath was my pale headcap and whisps of my eden green hair. The heels were next. My feet were swollen, blistered, and wrapped in bandages. My corset took awhile to take off but I took a deep breath when it was gone. Finally was the makeup. I remember in classic old movies that makeup removal on a woman was supposed to be a dramatic reveal of the toxicity of femininity. Or some bullshit like that. I look like a parrot with three black eyes when I take off my makeup. My assistants, Abeline and Andros the twins, helped in cleaning up the clothes I left on the floor as I plucked the jewels and feathers from my beak.
"Lady Gemini, that was an amazing performance, if I do say so myself!" Abeline said, packing away my clothes in one of my many suitcases.
"Yes indeed! Taking those feather pills was an excellent choice! Very camp!" Andros delicately placed each jewel and eyelash and feather into a container for another time.
I frowned as I cleaned off the rest of the makeup from my face, "Abeline and Andros, you both are utter brown-nosers. Please knock it off."
They both bowed and apologized before leaving the room. Alone again. If they were here they'd be cheering me on with sincerity. I shook my head. I didn't need them. I have everything in the world this universe has to offer me. Everything...but...
My reflection stared back at me. A waifish, frail man with dark bags under his eyes. I need to pack on more weight. I was still practically naked when I heard a banging on the door leading to the outside.
"O-one moment!" I grabbed one of my green robes, hastily putting it on as I opened the door.
There stood a short, chubby girl with golden eyes and red cotton candy hair. She was out of breath, hands on her knees. Did this poor thing run all the way here from...where did she come from? Is she old enough to even be here?!
"H-hey....I'm...Nova and I...I'm a friend of...!" She took a deep breath and leaned on the doorframe "Stars and comets I'm so fucking tired...you got any water?"
I stifled a giggle. "Come on now, spit it out."
She stood up taller. If she could, she was so short. "I'm here for...some type of assistant job--"
I held my hand up. "No thank you. I already have two and I'm very picky with who I let close. Now, I don't know how old you are but you definitely need to run home now little girl. This side of town is harsh for...people like you." ( smiled sympathetically but I could tell she was about to raise her hackles.
"You don't know me! Besides, I'm a friend of Ptolemy's. He sent me here and said that I could be guaranteed a stable...ish...job! Now, who do I need to go see about a job?"
...Ptolemy...
Ptolemy.
My Ptolemy...
I cleared my throat. "Sorry, hun. I don't do that type of charity anymore. I...don't know that person either so...I can't help you."
She blinked, then groaned. "You're fucking with me right? You're fuckin...no. I'm not taking a no! I literally beat an old ass bird! I lied to my friend's mom! I--"
I placed my hand over her mouth. "Quiet! There are shady seeds around here and I don't want unwanted attention when I look like this."
She nodded.
"Now...I am going to take my hand off your mouth. No yelling, understand?"
She nodded once more.
I slowly removed my hand and she stayed quiet. "Now, come back when you diffuse that cherry bomb, OK?"
I turned and shut the door but she put her foot in the door. "No! Wait I..."
"Move your foot!"
"I'll do anything! I mean it! I can scrub toilets! I have no home to get back to!"
"Swallowing your pride doesn't look cute on you doll!"
Then, she gave up. She stood there, head hanging low. She wiped her face and I could hear a sniffle or two.
Don't give in Hermes...don't you do it. You promised the twins would be the last ones! I closed my eyes and crossed my arms.
"I'll try and find you some work...just...meet me here every night." I'm too much of a sucker for tears.
She looked up and was beaming. No tears in sight and her eyes were dryer than a dry martini during happy hour. What a little actress that fireball was. She ran up and hugged me.
"Oh thank you thank you!"
"Yeah yeah, get off! I don't want tears on this robe...or any of my robes!"
She looked up at me...she barely made it to my chest and her eyes were...kinder now. "I mean it I...I don't have a home right now. And I owe people money. I may be a great actress but...thank you so much!"
She let go and ran off into the night.
"Those Umlilo's...I swear...Abeline! Andros!"
The twins appeared behind me making me jump and scream.
"Are you alright Sir Hermes?" They said in unison.
"Andros, find out everything you can about that girl. Abeline, call for my car."
"Yes sir." They said as they went their separate ways.
I had to make sure this fireball isn't all fire and trouble. She does remind me of someone I knew...
I woke up to a glorious morning. The holo-birds on my alarm clock were chirping. My canopy above my king sized bed was a lovely shade of forest green. I sat up, stretched, and put on my fuzziest slippers. I heard a knock on the door and answered. 344Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSbshYIT2mf
Abeline stood there in the usual uniform, her wavy cream orange hair up in chic bun. Her small eyes opened in shock when the door opened. Instantly she bowed.
"Good Morning, Sir Hermes."
"Morning...where is your brother?" I yawned.
"Andros is still searching for more information."344Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgna5MSJivY
"I see..." It's true I have been helping children find jobs here in Triton and Neptune for years. I had intel to help but, after awhile I kept getting caught. My father could do so much to make sure my secrets stay buried. So I stopped after the twins. Or so I thought.
"...is up early again in the garden. Should I go get her and tell her to stop?"
I was brought back to Oasis and smiled. "I'm sorry, what was that?"
"The princess. She's in the garden again. Should I...?"
"No don't...I'm her advisor. I'll retrieve her."344Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡks6zJp8sTw
Unlike my father, I was not the advisor to the king, but his daughter. I was beat out by some young hotshot out of nowhere. Not even my father knew about him! But, I took my duty as being the princess's advisor quickly. It was a long and arduous journey advising a princess that was elusive and strange as her mother once was.
Out in the courtyard it was bright and sunny. The glistening marble made the entire area light up. Even at night it was a spectacular sight. Except for the dirt gremlin digging up petunias and marigolds.
Covered in grime from head to toe and still in her pajamas was Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Cordelia Luna Donegal. Her right hand held a magnifying glass and some herbs. I wonder where she got those? From the kitchen probably. She smelled like a mixture of manure and flowers. And yet, she was still so graceful.
"It's so unbecoming of you to be in such a hideous state Crown Princess." I smirked.
Cordelia didn't look up and continued to dig. "Would you like some laxatives to get that stick out of your butt, Hermes?"
I huffed, "You need a serious bath! You smell like shit Cordelia!"
Behind me Abeline giggled.
"I'll go once father reopens my laboratory. Oh, that reminds me," she stood up and wiped her hands on her pajama bottoms, "We have a formal dinner tonight, don't we?" She turned to face me and gave me a sweet smile.
Shit. I completely forgot. How was I going to reach Fireball on time tonight. I could feel a bead of sweat falling on the back of my neck. I cleared my throat, I have to stay calm. "Of course! He also told me he wanted to make a spectacular first impression on the Earthen and Lunar leaders this time. Since this is your father's anniversary of him being Chief Commander for almost 20 years now. You want to at least show up and make an impression won't you?"344Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZ0jqPTN0J
She picked at the dirt beneath her fingernails looking absolutely bored. "Nope. I don't care one bit. You may as well tell him I have beezles disease and that I had to sit this party out. Again."
"Lia! On all the moons and suns in Andromeda I will...I'll...I'll fucking..."
"Scream? You always scream Hermes. Soon you'll lose your throat and then what will you do during performances?" She gave another cheeky smile.
"You're the reason I have gray hairs and have to dye them green every single night strand by perfect strand!"
Cordelia put the herbs and magnifying glass down. "Oh, Hermes, a hissy fit just doesn't befit you, darling." She said mockingly.344Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmWNllo4a1B
I could feel my cheeks getting redder, "Just...be ready for tonight!" I turned and stomped away with Abeline at my heels.
I made sure my advisor uniform was perfect for tonight. The suit itself was white and the lapels and insides were space black. The silver insignia of Oasis and the Donegal family crest were on my left lapel shining proudly. No spots or creases in sight. My fringed shoulder pads were gold and my red leather boots stood there shining like stars. A perfect outfit for the most perfect advisor.
"Sir Hermes! Sir Hermes! I found her!" Andros ran into my room without knocking.
"Andros on Oasis's stars! Please knock! I could be indecent."
He blushed and bowed. "Sorry, Sir Hermes. But, I...have some information on that Umlilo girl."
I sat leisurely in a chair. "Alright, let me see."
He handed me two pieces of paper and a photograph. The photograph was of the Fireball herself but tinier. She was pretty cute.
"That was all I could find, Sir. I looked high and low and asked those who kept records on everyone born here from Triton to the farms."
"Thank you Andros, leave me be. You and your sister can relax until the dinner tonight. I'll call you when I need you."
Andros bowed and left. I looked at the other two papers. One was a record of arrests. It said page one of 16. Stars in heaven she is going to kill me one day...Where are the other pages? The other paper was clearly a birth certificate. Or what was left of one. A lot of information was either burned or crossed out and torn. All that was there was a first name, a birthdate, and hair and eye color. The thing that stood out the most about her was her race. In deep dark ink read Umlilo. Umlilo... This girl is a handful.
I looked back at the one page with arrests. It went back as far as when she was maybe 5 years old. Thievery, fights...I looked online for more information and it was mostly all the same. No murders, no killings, no homicides, no drug use, no selling drugs. Also doesn't seem like she's fond of school. She's not as tough as I thought.
"She's a mystery and a half. Who are you Nova Pyrrhos?" I stroked my chin.
It was no use. There was barely anything else on her. I decided to take a break and stretch.
"With no background on her how can I even figure out if she's qualified to lick the palace floors clean? She could clearly be trained as a guard...but she's too young and clearly has a problem with authority. And she's without pedigree so taking her in as an apprentice is a big no..." I said to myself.
I barely have until tonight to find her something since I can't really meet with her tonight.
I don't have a home now...and I owe a lot of people money... Just like Miss Altair. She fought tooth and nail to get where she was. And in a way Fire-- Nova is trying too...in her own way. 344Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdyNLFbiVXF
Just like her...how uncanny. She couldn't be pretending or lying if this was what she really wanted. Even if she was an actress.
Cordelia stormed in frowning, her voice cold. "I'm sorry, Hermes but I will not be wearing these frivolous rags to the dinner tonight. Find something else please."
I sighed and rubbed my temples. "That wasn't my decision, it was your father's." I hid the papers and photographs in a drawer before she could see.344Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWMWttoo2cZ
"I've tried finding him so he could explain but he is nowhere to be found. Neither is his advisor. Don't the both of you have some sort of secret communication device so you can send messages back and forth if there are emergencies?"
"Have you tried calling him?"
She looked away, crumbling the dress in her hands, "Yes...maybe..."
"Cordelia, really, you don't have any friends to talk to and go off dress shopping or something? You're 19 and all you do is stay at home in that musty lab of yours studying plants all day."
She went quiet.
I hit a nerve. Crap. "I'm so sorry, Lia, I didn't mean it that way I..."344Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGoJRmrBf04
"It's fine, Hermes. There was truth in what you said and I needed to hear it. I'll just go to the shopping district with Abeline and find something else to wear." She turned and left the room.344Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7L1lDrPYF5
God...she needs some friends...friends...FRIENDS! I have the perfect job for that Fireball after all!
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