Things were certainly proving to be eventful for Miranda and Amara. A year ago, Amara was adjusting to living with humans, while Miranda was only beginning to learn about her majokko powers. Now the two teens were comfortable with their stations in life but it didn't mean their weren't problems.
The biggest problem the pair were dealing with was a threat from the future they were still trying to understand. Couple that with two new friends and several teens from the future and both girls were looking for normalcy. This was how they now found themselves helping Ms. McKinnon with the schools annual haunted house. "How's everything going in there Amara," Mary Elise called.
"Pretty good Mary, I mean Ms. McKinnon," Amara replied, the teenage demon blushing at her slip of the tongue. Away from school she was growing rather comfortable with her adoptive mother. So much so she referred to her by her first name. Still, while at school, the pair realized things needed to be more professional. Mary Elise smiled, admiring the work her adoptive daughter had done so far. "It's okay Amara," she said. "And everything looks great so far. Oh, by the way Miranda was looking for you. You want me to tell her where you are?"
"Yeah that'd be great thanks."
Mary Elise smiled, calling for Amara's girlfriend. As the Hispanic teen appeared, Amara smiled before giving her a hug. "Keep it PG you two," Mary Elise called, causing Amara to roll her eyes. "I think she enjoys doing that," Amara grumbled. "I think it's cute," Miranda giggled. "And I like when you get all flustered." Amara simply grumbled, causing her girlfriend to giggle even more.
"Oh sorry didn't know there were people in here."
Amara and Miranda turned, noticing Stella Heat and Pam Foster now enter the area. The two teens had adjusted amazingly well to being thrown into the past, which was saying something considering both were teachers in the future. Now, the pair of 15 year old prodigies were making the most of a second stint in high school. "No it's fine," Miranda said quickly. An awkward silence hung between the four. Despite the four of them knowing eachothers secrets, they really hadn't had an opportunity to talk or even get to know eachother. "So, what do you guys think of the haunted house?"
"Honestly I'm having a blast," Pam said happily. "Stella and I never really had a chance to experience high school the first time. Have you two worked on this before?"
"This is our second year doing it," Miranda stated. "They finally brought it back after a bit of a hiatus. We had a great time with it."
"Even if a shade almost killed us," Amara added. Stella and Pam paused, utterly befuddled by Amara's comment. "I'm sorry did you say a shade," Pam asked.
"Its not as bad as it sounds," Amara said quickly. "And Miranda here kind of saved the day. A shade kind of feeds on your life force by trapping you in a nightmare. Miranda though, she's kind of fearless." Miranda blushed, gazing down at her shoes at her girlfriends compliment. "I'm not fearless," she said softly. "But the shade used a version of my momma that was all wrong. It helped me break the spell."
"Really a version of your mother," Stella asked inquisitively, causing Pam to roll her eyes in exasperating. "Oh my GOD Stella not this again!"
"What again," Miranda asked.
"Stella was, is a counselor," Pam sighed. "A really good one but she's working towards her doctorate. Eveytime someone brings up something about their parents she wants to start psychoanalysising them."
"Hey it did wonders for Abby," Stella replied incredulously. "Who's Abby," Amara asked. "Abolith," Stella answered. "You know Fukushu's wife. The elf assassin, have you guys met her yet?" Miranda and Amara shook their heads no. They hadn't met and considering she was a professional assassin they really had no desire to either. "She's a friend," Stella answered, a sad smile crossing her face. "Actually she's a really good friend of mine. I...I kinda miss her alot." The others paused, unsure of how to react. Stella had never mentioned anything about her and Abolith in the past.
"Anyway," Stella continued shaking herself from her doldrums. "Back to your mother Miranda. How did you know the nightmare wasn't real like your other friends?"
"Well," Miranda said slowly. "In my nightmare my momma hit me for being pansexual. My momma would never do that. That's how I knew."
"Interesting," Stella said softly, the girl now sitting down as she gazed intently at Miranda. The girls now watched as Stella pulled a notebook from her purse as she began to search for a pen. "Shoot I forgot my pen. Pam do you have anything to write with?"
"Can you please stop with the Sigmund Freud stuff Stella," Pam groaned. "Just talk to them like your not a genius psychologist but like a teenager." Stella scowled, taking a breath to compose herself before turning back to Miranda and Amara. "Okay so you have a solid relationship with your parents," she said. "What about you Amara? How's your relationship with your mom Ms. McKinnon?"
"Umm I wouldn't call Mary my mom," Amara said quickly. "But we're cool. I mean we get along really well and she's cool with the whole fear demon thing."
"So she's not your mom then," Stella asked. "Do you remember your mom? Was she also a fear demon?" Amara sighed, her shoulders slumping as Stella once more began searching for something to write with. "Are you sure you don't have a pen Pam?"
"I don't like to remember my mom," Amara said softly. Stella now turned once more to Amara, watching as her human facade began to fade. Amara's features shifted, her mouth growing wider, her eyes larger and more cat like. Even the teens ears now drifted towards the top of her head, giving her a cat like appearance. "For maras we don't take care of our young," she said sadly. "My mom abandoned me when I was young. I never knew who my dad was and kinda had to fend for myself on the streets. Ms McKinnon, Mary. She and Sebastián kind of took me in, treated me like family for the first time in my life. In fact it wasn't until last year, when Nat and her family let me stay with her that anyone showed me kindness."
Stella nodded, a sympathetic look on her face as she gazed at the sullen fear demon. "Sorry" she said. "No one should have to go through that. It does explain why you don't call Ms. McKinnon mom. Mom is kind of a dirty word for you."
"Um thanks I think."
"If the session is over can we please get back to decorating," Pam groaned. "You've got years to write your doctoral thesis Stella." Stella blushed, causing the other girls to chuckle. As the four began to work and talk they felt a connection growing between them. The four were odd in their own ways, but also appeared ro have quite a but in common.