Outside the Mirage

#34: The Sheamus River

Merlyn and Vanessa walked through the door to the awards venue, standing in the nice looking hallway. Vanessa looked over to the women's bathroom. "That's where my life changed forever," Vanessa said. "The day Quinn tried to murder me."

"It's been a while," Merlyn said. "How do you feel about it?"

"About what?"

"Living outside the mirage?" he asked. "Was it everything you hoped for?"

"It's been a journey," she said. "Where do you think they are?"

"Somewhere around here," Merlyn said. "She was meant to do the ritual here before, I imagine she'll do it once again."

"I'm going to check the bathroom," Vanessa said. "Seems as likely a place as any."

Merlyn nodded. "I'll go and secure the auditoriums."

The two separated then, Vanessa walking into the bathroom and Merlyn to the auditorium. As she opened the door to the bathroom, Vanessa immediately heard the sound of someone crying. Sitting against the wall, Quinn was softly weeping, a few tears running down her face. Vanessa felt confused. Why was she alone and crying?

"Hey," Vanessa said.

Quinn looked up and rolled her eyes. "Great. Am I going to be arrested now?"

"Is something wrong?"

"Just take out your bow and shoot me," Quinn growled. "We're not friends, this is not a conversation."

"Sure," Vanessa said. "But I'd feel pretty bad if I did all that and you weren't even fighting back."

Quinn sent a tiny, weak fireball forward, but the flame dissipated before getting anywhere near Vanessa.

"I'm not sure that counts," Vanessa replied slowly, looking Quinn over. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm not going to talk to you about it," Quinn said. "We're not friends."

"Is it about your mom?"

"No."

"Your dad then?"

"Nope."

"Theo?"

Quinn made a primitive, guttural noise.

"Ah, yes. That guy. I get it. He's pretty cute."

"I'm not going to talk about it. This is weird. We're enemies."

Vanessa nodded. "Yeah, we are. We'll get around to the arresting you part, I promise. I just want to, ya know, talk things over, blah blah you get arrested but maybe we have a certain respect for each other."

"Whatever."

"Why is he bothering you?" Vanessa asked. "You're on a mission, right? Enacting the plan that Goldbeard set up?"

"I did my part," Quinn said. "I only had to do a ritual to heat the river up, to melt the ice. But I was going to have dinner with Theo tonight. One last night before the world went crazy."

"And he canceled?" Vanessa asked.

Quinn looked up and nodded.

"That's pretty messed up," Vanessa said, taking a seat on the ground, a few feet in front of Quinn. "Why would he cancel?"

"I don't know, probably some dumb bimbo."

"We'd know," Vanessa said with a soft smile. Quinn looked up and gave her a smirk and an eye roll. "Why Theo?"

"He's a good guy," Quinn said.

"He's handsome," Vanessa agreed. "But he's kind of an idiot."

Quinn chuckled. "Yeah he is."