#snakebird

She hadn’t always thought of herself as Josie – but as her new favorite person in the world (don’t tell papa) began to refer to her as such, Josephine Zypher started to feel more and more like the once-dreaded nickname every day. After a month spending nearly all of her free time with Emi outside of archery and the occasional need for alone time with her snakes, Josie had learned more than her fair share of disturbing facts about her best (and only) friend. Letting herself be ‘Josie’ to Emi seemed like the least she could do.

On a foggy Friday afternoon, she left her archery practice after a quick, cold shower in the changing room, braiding her hair at the sides and then twisting it all into a messy bun. With her mentorship, class, and activity over – it was officially the weekend. By the grace of any gods or fates, she had her first Saturday without CORE since the start of the year and was planning on sneaking away from Jericho with one Emiliana Girard.

What she’d learned was that not only was her Emi abused – physically, psychologically, and very unfortunately – otherwise (she didn’t say much – Josie could read between her not-so-subtle lines), but that she’d been essentially shut into her house and experienced exceptionally little of the outside world. The most time she’d ever been away from home had been at the residential treatment facility her parents finally shipped her off to when they simply couldn’t take the way her powers had her acting out.

Josie just wanted to take her on…

…she flushed all the way from her cheeks to her chest and took a whole-body pause into a small alcove, sitting on a bench and taking a few deep breaths as she realized –

- Josie wanted to take Emi out on a date.

For weeks, the girl who was struggling deeply to understand personal space, wearing of clothing, and displays of affection had been sending her into a tizzy, trying to explain conventional versus unconventional. Emi made Josie blush each time she took off an inappropriate layer of clothing, practically sat in her lap trying to tell her something exciting, and kissed her cheek in happiness. Josie hadn’t told Emi that she was into chicks – wasn’t even sure if the sweet, half-psychotic girl had the frame of reference for girl-on-girl relationships. Not wanting to scare her off, she’d kept that part of herself firmly in the closet.

“Jesus Christ, get it together,” Josie whispered to herself, rubbing her face with her palms, giving a big sigh. She didn’t want to take Emi on a date! She just – wanted to make her happy, and have only good things, and –

“Ms. Zypher, are you quite alright?” She groaned and looked up at Ms. Weems, bending down slightly to stare her down. “You look flushed, my dear. It’s your first weekend without CORE yet; I hope you’re not coming down with something.”

…Not really, just an incredible crush on the only person her own age who liked her. (That crush had been reserved for Larissa Weems the first time she’d seen her – but…there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that the stuffy, six-foot-three goddess was going to be fun enough to be into women, let alone those a decade younger than her, and her student.)

“Actually, Ms. Weems – if I ask for permission, is it likely to be granted? Or should I just break the rules?”

The woman looked like she regretted saying anything. “Come with me, Ms. Zypher.” She winced, following the blonde up a few flights of stairs to her classroom, then into her office. Ms. Weems closed the door and raised a brow as she gestured for her to take a seat. Slumping into it, Josie crossed her arms, eyes locked on her own black Converse-covered feet. “What are your intentions for this weekend?”

She shrugged, trying to stay passive. “Long story short, I want to take Em out of Jericho for the day. I feel like she could use some time in the outside world that isn’t just the Weatervane and Vellum Brothers. She can hardly even write – the fancy stationary isn’t really her thing, and that used bookstore in town obviously doesn’t do anything for her except give her the heebie-jeebies. Lowkey, me too – and I love to read. Something about that place just has bad vibes. Anyway, there’s like – a Jo-Ann Fabrics and a record store about forty minutes away, oh – and a pet store, too. I…usually like to stop there. For…supplies.”

Daring to flicker her gaze up, she noticed Ms. Weems appearing surprisingly thoughtful. “I know what you mean about that shop. I didn’t quite notice as a student here – I’d been there, certainly. But I unloaded a few books there when I first moved in August, realizing I’d brought entirely too much. It’s…it’s not a smell but – almost?”

“Yeah, I don’t know,” Josie shrugged. “I’d rather go to the library. There’s this totally nice librarian named Alice? She knew my mom when she went to Nevermore, actually. But - anyway, going out of town…?” She was sure the teacher was going to say no, but – it had to be worth a shot.

“Part of me likes the idea of keeping Emiliana here in Jericho, because it’s a default short leash with so few options and we’ve got a decent relationship with the police to help if she gets off of it and has an utter meltdown in public – which...hasn’t happened, but I’ve been told it’s likely. Still, you are right – this town is not very stimulating and doesn’t help her learn how to really be in the world. What was your plan to get out of town, if not asking me?”

Being fully honest, Josie simply said, “I’d have…borrowed a Nevermore Jeep. I got my license this summer. Papa just won’t let me get a car because he also, apparently, likes short leashes – not realizing it just forces me to make bad choices.”

Ms. Weems drew her fingers together under her chin, letting out a heavy breath. “Please don’t commit grand theft, Ms. Zypher. I will drive you out of town. There will be some conditions, of course, but – for the most part, I will leave you alone, provided you get a hold of me if you need me.”

Her eyes lit up and she leaned forward. “Really? For like – the afternoon?”

“Yes, and so long as you don’t mind, there’s a restaurant out there I’d like to go for an early supper, while we’re already there. As you mentioned, the options in Jericho are quite limited, and I haven’t left since I started working here this summer.”

“Food that’s not from a diner or this shit-ass dining hall? Hell yeah!” Josie stood up, Goliath dipping out from her shirt collar, tilting his head to figure out what the excitement was about. Ms. Weems just cringed at the sight, but Josie didn’t let it affect her mood. “Oh my god, Em’s gonna be so excited! Don’t worry, I’ll go to her room and make sure she’s like, fully dressed and has her hair brushed and shoes on before leaving the property.”

Her teacher chuckled and rubbed her temples. “That’d be appreciated. Actually, I was unsuccessfully searching for her when I bumped into you. I saw Emiliana this morning for mentorship – she was…a little off.”

Josie had to make a joke. “How could you tell?”

“She was…sad, a little, actually. I could tell she’d been crying, but she wouldn’t say why. And she wasn’t silly, just – spaced out, you might say, completely uninterested in what we were trying to do. That might be normal for class, but when it comes to metaphysics, she’s usually a little too enthusiastic, and getting her to settle can be hard. Then, I received a call that she left for her appointment with Mr. Harlow’s tutoring session, and he reported she walked out halfway through, saying she wasn’t ‘open to the cosmos.’”

“Well, I’ll find her and make sure she gets lunch when I tell her the news.”

Ms. Weems let out a very pleased exhale. “You’re a very good friend to her, Josephine. It can be…challenging, having a close relationship with someone who has…let’s just say – gaps, with you. I’ve been in a relationship with a…maturity gap before, and it’s not easy. But when you care for someone deeply, you learn to work with and around those parts of them that are harder to cope with than others. I promise it’s worth it - when it’s someone you love.”

Just knowing that her skin was about to match her hair again, Josie pushed herself up and off the chair, that crush on Larissa Weems starting to recede significantly as a new one was rapidly forming.

She was really friggin’ doomed.

Josie hurried to Emi’s dorm, thinking they really ought to just switch her over to hers to keep the peace. The girl’s roommate had already de facto moved out – making herself a triple, leaving Emi’s ‘side’ of the room the entirety of it. And while Josie could admit – hers was hoarded with reptiles, Emi’s was just…hoarded.

“Ohmygod,” She muttered upon pushing open the unlocked door. Piles of clothes, schoolbooks, papers and every other odd piece of trash that Emi had collected, along with a bowl full of cigarette butts, was in the middle of the floor. Notably, though, the girl was absent.

It took nearly twenty minutes to locate her, and it was actually when Josie had given up and stopped looking, heading up to Ophelia Hall to dump her hefty archery supplies instead of lugging it around, that she found her.

“Oh! Emi, what the hell are you doing in here?”

She looked up with a face full of tears from where she’d been petting a snake named Daffy, giving a big sniff and wailing, “I was seeking for my Josie!”

“Oh, Em…hang on, hang on,” Josie mumbled, dropping her things in a pile, scooting over and plopping on the floor beside her. Emiliana was quick to climb into her lap, straddling her fully, hugging her shoulders and wailing. Overwhelmed with how she was sitting on her so intimately, and also with no clue what to do for someone so drastically upset, Josie just held her tightly, rubbing her back and whispering, “Hey…hey…I’m here…what’s going on, huh? Ms. Weems said you seemed really sad this morning, and that you left Mr. Harlow, too.”

“I am having the hard times,” She sniffed, settling herself on the floor next to her, her palms on the ground, fat tears rolling down her cheeks. “I cannot do this ‘school,’ Josie!”

“Yeah, this place blows. I had like – a world class education on university campuses and in fields from actual professors until I was fourteen. Then I had to come here. Like, half the teachers here aren’t even certified. They’re Outcasts with hobbies -”

“The teachers are trying to help me. But they cannot! It is becoming worser and worser!”

Emi wailed, “You know how hard the English is to read for me, Josie.”

“Yeah, and I’ve told you – not to stress so much about that. It’ll take time to get all the phonics stuff figured out. It’s the hardest language to learn for a reason.”

“Okay, I need to tell you honesty,” Emi blubbered into her hands, then looked at her desperately. “I can barely read in French, too! My parents did not take me to a school, any school! And when my father tried to teach me at home, I was crying, and that is when he would put me in the closet until I could read a sentence! And I would try and try and try! And never would he help me! Then, it became – like a dread, and a fear. And now – it is so hard, and…I think, those terrible things they call me, they might be oh so true.”

“Em…?”

“When they say, I am stupid, or retarded, I think they are right!”

“Holy fuck, no, no, no,” Josie took a turn to grip her hands as she brought them up to hit herself in the head. “They are not fucking right. Do you hear me? They’re so wrong, and when you give me names? They’re going to be wrong and toothless. You are so smart – it might not be in traditional ways, but you’re brilliant, Em, I promise.”

“Please, do not me tell lies!”

“Emi, look at me.” Josie stroked her sticky hair off her face, not even flustered at the lack of space between them anymore as their legs brushed together on the floor without any space between them. Emiliana’s lower lip trembled, and it was the most pitiful thing she’d ever seen. “You are not stupid. You are not any of those things that people are saying about you. I think…your brain – it’s probably wired differently. First off, you were basically raised in isolation. I don’t even do that to my reptiles, which are solitary creatures – it impacts them too much. You didn’t get any formal schooling until now. Those two facts alone would make suddenly having to be a junior in school really hard. On top of that, you are learning a new language. And, based on what I know about my mom? Ravens just have a hell of a time trying to deal with life in general. You’re not dumb, I promise. The reading stuff? That just sounds like more bad parenting, not something being wrong with you.”

Emiliana frowned and pushed herself back, fiddling with the edge of her Nevermore skirt. “I am different.”

“Yes, that’s true,” Josie said softly, squeezing her knees. “But I don’t think I’d like you half as much if you were like everyone else. Everyone else sucks. You don’t want to be like them.”

“I…do not suck?” She looked up, her big blue gaze so confused and cute.

“Exactly,” Josie promised her. “Emi, you’re fun. You’re always so down for whatever I want to do – no matter how crazy or borderline illegal it is. You’re super creative – like…the way you can put literal trash together to make actual art is so friggin’ sick.” She looked up at the snake made from a piece of carefully-cut cardboard with metal soda tabs for scales that reflected in the light. “You’re the best piano player in the Northern Hemisphere, I’m convinced – and you don’t even need to read music! You are learning how to be connected to the metaphysical world, which is dope as hell. You’re not afraid to be silly, you don’t feel the pressure to be cool and aloof. You’re just yourself. And I love that about you.”

Twin tears trailed down Emiliana’s cheeks. She wiped them on the back of her hands and wondered, “Can I say your wonderful things?”

Josie felt herself turning red before she could even bob her head, holding her breath as Emi spoke. “You are the most of beautiful. You are being brave. You have all of the smartest ideas. You are teaching me much. You are the friendest best I never knew could be mine.”

“Thanks, Em,” She started. “Hey, guess what? I’ve got very good news.” Josie leaned forward as Emi gripped onto the bottom of her tank top in anticipation. “Weems is gonna take us out of town. I’m taking you out of Jericho tomorrow, and then we’re meeting up with Weems for dinner.”

“What?!” Emi popped up to her feet, starting a ramble in French as she paced back and forth. Josie crinkled her brow, unable to read her emotional state.

“Em?”

She dropped down to the floor again, crying unexpectedly. “Hey…hey,” Josie rubbed her back and Emi turned into her lap, sniffing hard. “What’s wrong, hm?”

“I am not so good when I am in the public, it is why my parents left me home.” She sobbed. “And I have to advance ask for my cents and dollars! I only have a few of them now!”

Josie hadn’t expected the reaction and frowned. “Oh…okay – well, I mean, if you don’t want to go, we don’t have to. I just thought it’d be fun to get out of Jericho. And if it’s mostly about the money – I’ve got cash! Not a ton, but papa doesn’t leave me with nothing. He knows I’d just steal if he didn’t,” She said with a little chuckle.

Emi wiped her nose. “I have many monies. I just have to sign papers and it somehow goes into the telephone and then Ms. Weems will have to take me to a banking for another paper sign and then I can have the small envelope. I have some dolalrs and cents money in my room, but not many.”

“Em,” Josie started. “I promise – I’m not taking you like, on a shopping spree. I just know that you really like arts and crafts – so I thought I’d take you to a place that sells supplies, it’s called Jo-Ann Fabric.”

Emi’s mouth fell open. “Fabric!”

“Well, not just fabric. All kinds of supplies to make stuff. Beads, yarn, paper, stickers, -”

“Beads?!” She whispered, gripping Josie’s shoulders. “Please, we can go?”

“Yes, yes, tomorrow. We’ll figure it out, I promise – I don’t want you to worry. I just want you to have fun. Really, really. I just want you to have a good time, Em. You really deserve it. I’ll help you with the public part. And like I said – I can cover you a bit, too – when it comes to the money.”

“I am trusting of you, Josie.” Emi looked at her with the biggest smile, and the most trust – it truly made her melt.

X

Josie glared at Weems – the blonde hasn’t disclosed that she was bringing a friend along. (Josie didn’t even realize that she had any of those.) Her Celestial Studies teacher, Mr. Harlow was about to get into the passenger seat of a Nevermore SUV. She stood with her arms crossed and Emi bouncing on her toes beside her (dressed -including socks and shoes, with her hair brushed and everything). “Je suis si heureux, mademoiselle!”

Weems gave a small chuckle, putting a hand on her shoulder, which she responded to with an enthusiastic embrace. It almost knocked Weems back, but she locked her arm around her middle and steadied herself just in time. “I’m happy that you’re happy, my dear. Your friend, on the other hand, looks most like a sour puss.”

Emi immediately recoiled, covering her mouth. “You said we are not to be saying that word! And…sour? Why -?”

“Holy shit,” Josie mumbled, flushed from the tips of her ears down as she slapped a hand over her face and gripped Emi’s wrist in frustration and pure embarrassment. “I’m going to kill myself.”

“Josie! No, not ever! Do not be saying those words! Why is everyone using the bad ones?!”

“A sour puss is someone who has a bad attitude,” Mr. Harlow stepped up to Emi’s rescue. “And Ms. Zypher currently fits the bill with her leer at me, for my unannounced presence.”

Emi frowned deeper. “The words have so many meanings!” She groaned. “Josie, you are my friendest best. Please, do not ever say you are hurting yourself. It makes me feel scared.”

Josie caught the way that Larissa’s smile returned at friendest best, and like a little kid saying ‘lellow’ instead of yellow, decided not to help her with the word endings, because it really was adorable. “I won’t. I’m sorry. I don’t want to scare you. There’s just a man here for some reason.”

“Yes, I’ve asked Mr. Harlow if he wanted to come, as he also has not left campus yet this semester and could use some time out of town. It is as we discussed, Ms. Zypher, I intend on leaving you two largely to yourselves, so long as you’ll get in touch, as needed, and meet up with us for dinner.”

“Whatever,” Josie opened the door and gestured for Emi to get in first, having to remind her, “Buckle, Em.”

She wrinkled her nose. “The belt of seats is hurting my belly. We do not require them on the busses. And there are more of us there! Why so, in small cars?”

“I know it’s not comfortable, but I’ve seen what I needed to see. Getting ejected from a car is like – one of my reoccurring nightmares. You don’t want a traumatic brain injury, do you?”

“Injury in the brain?” Emi tilted her head as Josie reached over and buckled her in, making her nose wrinkle.

“Yeah, it’s when you hit your head so hard that it rattles your brain around inside your skull and damages it. Can make you forget how to talk, walk, eat – shit. Terrible. You don’t want that, do you?”

“No!”

“Then wear the seatbelt.”

“Beautiful persuasion, Ms. Zypher -”

“Ugh,” Josie groaned. “Can we not be Ms. Zypher and Ms. Girard in public, please? It’s so embarrassing. I’m not a teacher.”

“But you may not be calling of her Josie! Only I! Her friendest best gets to call her that.” Emiliana corrected.

“Sure thing, Josephine,” Weems said with a little laugh in the back of her throat before turning the radio on and down, then pulled out of the driveway.

Emi was so fidgety in the car, Josie really didn’t know what to do about it. She didn’t seem to hold still for more than a single minute, and by the time they were out of Jericho proper, her socks and shoes were off and she kept trying to take off her borrowed sweatshirt, but didn’t put anything on underneath. She would’ve asked about why clothes were so hard for her, but didn’t want to make Emi feel bad, especially in front of Mr. Harlow. She was surprisingly quiet, not initiating conversation. Her gaze was straight ahead, and she kept it that way when Josie talked to her as well, looking at the back of the headrest like she had a friggin’ gun to her head or something –

“Em? You can…relax, you know. It’s a bit of a drive, still,” Josie offered after about fifteen minutes of watching the restlessness in her body, but the intensity of her stare.

She didn’t respond. Josie just reached a hand over, squeezing her knee. The drive carried on – her moving every thirty seconds to a minute, but keeping her eyes glued to Mr. Harlow’s seat.

When they pulled into the downtown area that was about a ten minute walk to the strip mall with the craft store, Emi sniffed. “Do you think I have enough dollars and cents, mademoiselle?”  

“I should hope so. You had plenty when we last spoke to your estate executor. I brought the money you had me hold on to, just in case. Unless you are planning on buying a car in cash today, I’d like to think that should be more than enough.”

“Estate executor?” Josie muttered, her brow furrowing.

Emi lifted her satchel bag, dumping it out on the back seat between them. Josie sighed, wondering if she’d ever realize she could just rifle through it. Her student visa fell out first – and for some reason, Josie just felt like the girl shouldn’t be holding onto that very important document that was keeping her in the country, at least just casually in her bag as it was. She rifled through crumpled papers, bottle caps, pebbles, loose cigarettes, seashells (where had she even found those in Jericho?) a lighter, about six quarters, and a handful of buttons before taking a small paperclip of green papers. She pulled them apart and sniffed again. “I only have four of the dollars!”

Josie’s jaw hit the floor. “Yeah, but they’re hundred dollar bills, Em! You have four hundred dollars! Holy shit!”

“That is enough?” She looked over at Josie finally, with watery eyes.

“Uh, yeah. What the hell did you mean by estate executor?”

“He is very mean to me. He made me to come here, to Nevermore!” Emi pouted. “I am happy to be with you, Josie, and mademoiselle, but – I do not want to be in the America States. And I do not want to be at school!”

Ms. Weems corrected her, “He is not mean. Your executor is the best thing that ever happened to you, and he cares about you very deeply, Emiliana. He’s given you plenty of allowance to get through this calendar year. And – it might be best to rip off the Band-Aid and tell Josephine about where you come from.”

“She is already knowing I am from France! But where is the Band-Aid?” She looked at Josie, who put her head back with a heavy exhale.

“We have got to stop using idioms with her, Ms. Weems.”

The woman let out a sigh bigger than Josie’s. The more she disciplined and argued with her, the less attractive the tall woman was becoming. “Emiliana, much like I suggested honesty about your status as a Raven, I think disclosing your financial situation to Josephine, particularly, would be helpful.”

“Can you tell her what it is you speak of?” Emiliana stared helplessly at her dumped-out things as Josie put them back carefully.

“I think it’d be safe, given she’s already your friend, so clearly – she wouldn’t have chosen you for your money. Emiliana’s parents were not good people, she’s told you that. But her family has made incredible fortune over the last several hundred years. While millions were paid out after the death of her mother and father to resources and exploited parties, Emiliana has enough investments and liquid cash that she is effectively, a billionaire several times over.”

“What?!”

“How did they melt the money to liquids!?”

“Holy fuck,” Josie just stared. The girl to her right had billions of dollars in a French banking account, but couldn’t tell a one from a hundred? She really did need a friend – and she was lucky to have found Josie, who would at least be honest with her. “Em, why didn’t you tell me?”

“It is only money. Happiness cannot be bought. You are my happiness, Josie.”

“Okay, that’s cute as hell, but like…ohmygod. I’m totally going to need a minute. And you need a wallet! That’s got to be a priority today. Hey, Ms. Weems? How much extra cash of Emiliana’s do you have?”

“More than enough, should you manage to go through four hundred dollars today.”

“True. But – like…I think Em has needs that we probably haven’t even considered. I swear to god, I won’t let her go crazy or anything, but -”

“If you need more, you’ll just ask,” Weems said with a confident sternness that made Josie roll her eyes as she helped Emi get everything back in her bag – wanting to leave the trash, but sure it was somehow important to her in ways that Josie just couldn’t understand. “Alright – girls, you’ve got a watch, Josephine?”

She held up her wrist, portraying a chunky, black digital watch that she used to fulfill dreadful obligations in life. “At four forty-five, meet us inside this restaurant. If you should need anything before that, Mr. Harlow has a beeper, here is the number…” She passed back a piece of paper, that had several quarters attached to it. “Give us a ring and we’ll meet you here as soon as possible.”

“Cool, thanks.” Josie stuffed the note in her pocket and smiled at Emi, who softened right away in her features at the sight. “Ready, Em?”

She nodded and slid out of the seat with Josie, who walked them up the road a bit to get further away from the staff. “Okay, I’m gonna let the whole ‘undisclosed billionaire’ status thing go, but I’m not forgetting about the money. The first priority is going to be a wallet for you. You can’t be carrying things around so loosely like that! Come on,” She gestured her into a small boutique – certainly not Josie’s style, but…Emi didn’t really have a style to speak of as she was wearing one of Josie’s oversized Green Day sweatshirts with a Nevermore skirt. She looked quite ridiculous, but when Josie asked her to put on other clothes for shopping, she learned that Emi only had Nevermore uniforms and pajamas outside of the one hideous dress she’d come to the States in that Josie had vetoed. Her mademoiselle had apparently tried to take her shopping out in Jericho early on, but she hadn’t been able to tolerate it.

“We don’t need anything fancy for you, just – something to keep your shit together. Hey, stick close, okay?”

“Oui, Josie,” Emi replied. She held onto Josie’s upper arm and she just smirked. At least she wouldn’t lose her that way.

Finding accessories in the back, Josie showed Emi several options. “We want something big enough for your student visa and your money. Something like this!” She held up a black wallet that would fit, but shook her head. “Actually, you should have something a brighter color to stand out, so you don’t lose it…Oh, Em – those are kid’s wallets.”

She held up a bright pink one with a white cat on it. “She is perfect.”

Josie smirked. “That’s Hello Kitty. She’s from Japan.”

“Oh, an immigrant! I should be supporting her.”

Trying not to giggle at her, Josie opened it, the Velcro making her chuckle even as she tried not to. “It’s a little small. Look…” She reached into Emi’s bag. “Your Visa isn’t going to fit.”

“But this one is having the cat!”

“Yes, that’s true. But – hey! Look, this is just fabric,” She found a plain, hot pink adult one that was probably also meant to hold a small planner but would suffice. “When we go to the craft store, you could get something and make your own cat to sew on here. That would be even more special.”

“I could make my own!” She almost shouted in Josie’s face. She blinked, nodding, as Emi excitedly spoke in French. “But it is not black. You only like black.”

“I like black and red. But Em, you don’t have to only get black things because of me. That’s my vibe. You can like whatever you like.”

“I like the black because I like your clothes, because I like you!”

“Well, I mean…while we are here, I’m thinking in the least, you should get some pants or something that aren’t uniforms. You can borrow all the shirts of mine you want, but you’ve got a solid three, maybe even four inches of height on me, so you should probably find some bottoms.” Emi gave a slow, pretty blink at her that made Josie just smile and flush. “Did you get any of that?” She leaned over and planted a noisy kiss on Josie’s cheek, sure she made her flush all the way down to her toes.

“Give help to me?”

“Of course,” Josie sighed and squeezed her hand. “Come on. Let me help you find some pants.”

“I do not like the pants. I like the skirts.”

“Okay, that’s good to know. Here…” Josie walked her over to a back wall that was layers of different skirts. Emi walked right over to the section that had a variety of different black options, and Josie made to comment that she didn’t have to do that – but…maybe Emi really did like the color; it felt very fitting for a Raven, anyway, Josie thought.

“Wow, that’s…really long. You like that?”

“Yes,” She whispered. “Like a blanket one can wear.”

“Oh! Yeah, that’s one way of looking at it. Hey, here’s another one that length. You’re up half the night, I feel like the moons are appropriate.”

Emi touched the fabric of the black skirt with silver moons. “Yes. More?”

At the boutique, Emi had enough non-school bottoms to last her a week, spending only eighty-five of her four-hundred dollars, and Josie already felt successful on her behalf. Taking her to the music store, she had a feeling that she’d lose her there –

…and she wasn’t wrong. Emi spent over an hour flipping through records, asking Josie to read her titles of classical songs, and listening to the samples on the headphones in the store. Josie left with a handful of CDs for herself, and Emi picked a few for herself to listen to in Josie’s room, and a handful of used, vinyl records to bring to Ms. Weems’ quarters as well. The walk to the craft store was longer than it needed to be, as Emi had to stop and pick up every piece of trash she spotted, putting a few in local garbage cans, but keeping almost all of the plastic she found. Josie bit back her comments that they were on their way to gather real art supplies.

“Josie, this is a mall?!” Emi whispered, gripping her shoulders as they stood in front of automatic doors at the craft store.

Feeling like she was taking an alien out a little bit, Josie shook her head. “This is the Jo-Ann Fabrics. The craft supplies store. Also – there is a pet store down there, and we will be committing a rescue operation after this and then bailing, so – find all the supplies you want and be ready to run.”

“Okay. Running with supplies. But not scissors?”

“No, not scissors.” Josie giggled, turning around and shifting their bags, putting one arm around Emi’s back, not caring if it was an intimate hold. Emi wouldn’t really know any better – and as she practically snuggled into her, it didn’t seem that she minded at all. “Now, listen. There’s going to be so much in here, you’re going to want everything. We’ve gotta focus. You want to make a little white cat for your new wallet and get some beads. Maybe a few other things…but you don’t need it all. Think you can focus?”

“I might need help,” She confessed as they stepped inside. “Oh, doors like airports!”

Shaking her head at her best friend, Josie led her to the carts, putting their purchases in one, leading her to the fabric first, where Emi wondered, “I could make my own clothes?”

“For sure. Why not? But it’d probably be a bitch to sew by hand. Maybe you could go to the theater department and see if you like a sewing machine, then if you get the hang of it, you could get your own.”

“An idea most good,” Emi whispered as she spent an incredible amount of time analyzing fabrics. Josie was patient again. There was something about just being with Emi – watching her delight in the smallest things, and seeing her out in the world in places that featured those she loved the most was no different. When she had several bolts of fabric (after Josie explained how to get the amount she wanted) in the cart, Emi turned around with big, teary eyes. Josie was about to ask what was wrong, but she just cried and leaned forward into her hug. “I am happy, so!”

“Awe, Em…hey…I’m glad! I knew you’d like getting out and getting to make some choices of your own. You deserve it.” She pulled her back and wiped her tears with her thumbs. “Come on, let’s go pick out patterns for your outfits.”

“A pattern?”

“Yeah, so you can sew. Come on, I’ve done this before when papa worked at a university that had a fashion department – he signed me up for every summer camp one year and that included fashion camp which I hated, but now I’m suddenly grateful for the knowledge.”

She brought Emi over to flip through books of ideas, and she was enthralled at the different ways she could make a skirt. Helping her with the reading and locating of the pattern numbers in their large metal drawers, she promised to assist her when it came time to figuring out which to use.

“Okay. So, according to all this, you’ll need elastic for the waist, so we’ve got to get some of that, too – and thread, for the machines.”

“It is very good of a thing you are here, my girl snake.”

“Sure, but once you’ve done it a few times, I’m sure you’ll get the hang of what you need.”

Assisting Emi with all the notions that were needed, they finished by picking out a host of beads. After having her fabric selections cut, Emi’s total was nearly a hundred dollars again, but she still had half to go.

Their bags were a little heavy, but that wasn’t going to stop Josie from breaking out a helpless reptile from its corporate prison at the pet store connected to the strip mall.

She had Emi walk in first, pulling the hood up on her jacket – as she’d been caught rescuing snakes the year before when they’d taken an out-of-Jericho trip to a Normie Christmas festival, and was sure that management would recognize her wild red hair.

“Okay, this one – she’s in the worst shape,” Josie quickly assessed the limited number of reptiles on display, tapping on the glass. She tried to tug the enclosure out, but the drawer was locked. “Fuck. Hey, act like you’re interested in those ferrets over there? See that employee? Ask her to help you. I’ll very carefully take the keys from her carabiner when she leans over and get him out. Less messy than breaking glass.”

“I am on it. What is a ferret?”

After a few more minutes of careful staging and set up, Josie wiggled the key into the snake tank (it was far from a terrarium, which the sweet little baby deserved). She quickly scooped her out and gave a hum, explaining, Hi, baby! My name is Snake Mama Josephi…Josie, Mama Josie. I’m here to help you and take you somewhere better. I just need you to crawl into my hair for a few minutes, and I promise you – a tasty, amazing little mouse when we get someplace safe!

Mama Josie, scared.

I know. But I’m here! I’ll keep you from being so scared. Just – here, in my hair, okay? Stay there?

She approached the employee from behind, sneaking the key back onto the clip before nodding at Emi, who merely blinked and recoiled. “That beast smells foul. I must leave.”

Emi exited first, leaving a very confused employee in her wake. Josie slinked around the back aisles of the store, until she arrived near the cricket cage at the front and cursed herself for not coming with supplies to take them. Shrugging, she hurried out the door, making eyes with Emi before pulling her hood down with a wicked smile, yelling, “Run, Em!”

Josie giggled as Emi sat beside her on a bench after hurrying back down the road for almost ten minutes straight. She put her bags down, then reached into her hair, taking out the little cream and tan colored corn snake that she’d rescued. She put her in her palm, giving a hum, getting to know the too-skinny reptile. “Do you want a turn? She’s a total sweetheart,” Josie promised as Emi turned to look at her, about to tuck her legs up to perch the way she did on most chairs, then screwed her face up with a gasp, looking behind them.

“Josie, what is that?!”

Stroking the snake, she shrugged. “The toy store?”

“A store of toys?!” Emi’s jaw dropped and Josie frowned, a hundred memories of going into them with her papa flooding her mind.

“We can go inside,” She offered, thinking that Emi still had half of her money left, and if she wanted to spend some of her billions on items she wasn’t allowed to have as a child? Josie wouldn’t stop her. “I don’t think you can be too old for a stuffed animal. I still have a plush snake that I used to sleep with before I’d learned how to train my partners and I’d be sad they couldn’t sleep next to me. When I’m sick, I still like to have it, to be honest.”

“An animal that is stuffed,” Emi whispered. “Two bears, I had. But, mère, she took me from them when I could not settle.”

“Yeah, I’m sure that helped – taking away the thing that you’re supposed to use when you’re sad.” Josie rolled her eyes and picked up their bags. “Go on, let’s go get you some new bears – or whatever floats your boat.”

“I do not have a boat.”

“Goddamn it.”

Josie wasn’t too mad when the owner of the shop requested they put their purchases they’d already made behind the counter – the bags were heavy, and though she didn’t appreciate the stereotype that teenagers were all thieves, she also just stole a snake – so…she got it.

Emi was touching everything. Her hands picked up every stuffed creature, each doll, all of the small figurines – she couldn’t stop. She must’ve asked the question two hundred times, “What is this?”

Josie answered each and every one, until the last time she lifted an electronic toy that Josie swore she’d had nightmares about at least a dozen times and wondered, “What is this?”

“Oh, hell no – you’re not getting a fucking Furby. Put it down, Em.” Messing with her, just a touch she whispered, “They’re cursed!”

Emi pulled her hands away like they were burned and got wide eyes. “Why they are selling them to children?!”

“Because, corporations are evil,” Josie said in a hushed tone, winking at her. “Come on – you like the bears up front, and the ponies.”

They met back up with Ms. Weems and Emi immediately pulled out the four ponies that Josie had persuaded her to limit her selection to.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t let her blow four hundred dollars on just toys. But – you know. She never really had any, it seems.”

Ms. Weems found a little smile as Emi spoke so excitedly in half English and half French, explaining in both broken languages that her favorite, Silver Swirl, would accompany her everywhere. “She’s also got everything important organized in a wallet, and five different skirts, already made, and fabric to make some of her own in the theater props department, she’s excited for that.”

The tall blonde looked down at Josie with a beam. “Thank you. That was much needed. I appreciate you helping her do that without bringing her to tears as I managed to.”

Emi stopped talking to Mr. Harlow about her ponies, putting them back in her bag. “We can go home to free the ponies from their plastic?”

“After we eat,” Ms. Weems promised as they were about to be seated at the restaurant. Emi slid all the way into the booth they were seated at, putting the unopened white and silver pony on the table beside her, staring at it with a smile as she tucked her legs up in her perch.

Josie took the spot beside her, and her mentor right across, keeping her locked into the space. Helping her with the menu, Josie even ordered for her when she just stared at the waitress. The meal was blessedly quick, with Josie on her absolute best behavior, keeping her cussing to a minimum to hopefully not draw any attention not the stolen snake in her hair, continuing to remind her through a psychic link every few minutes to stay put.

“Josephine, I do have a proposition for you,” Ms. Weems said and she almost groaned, until it sounded positive already. “I have noticed, over these last few weeks, that our Emiliana does so much better, at everything, when you’re with her. Now – I can’t transfer you into all of her courses, and she’s already on modified work…but I’m wondering – and the administration has given their blessing as well, and your papa says it’s fine, so long as you agree…what if we cancel your official mentorship meetings, and pair you up with Emiliana?”

She tilted her head as Mr. Harlow elaborated. “Your grandfather was actually the reason that the mentorship program exists, as it does today. The goal of it is to assign an Outcast with as close of a subtype as possible, to a Nevermore faculty to help guide them through their power. However, you have such excellent mentorship with your grandfather on the psychic side of you, already. We think that perhaps, it might be more beneficial for everyone, if you work on developing your social and friendship skills by working with Emiliana and Larissa – Ms. Weems, each week, with just frequent check-ins with your mentor, rather than formal meetings.”

Josie blinked twice, then shrugged. “Hell yeah. Nothing I can get from a dreamer, anyway. Lowkey, not sure why you didn’t pair Em up with him – at least he’s a psychic.”

“He’s a man. So far, she hasn’t responded to any other than Mr. Harlow,” Ms. Weems explained softly as she completely tuned out the conversation, chewing on a breadstick in nibbles and staring down at her pony. “I believe this is as much a test of my endurance from the administration as it is a mentorship project,” She teased. “But things have made a radical improvement over the last few weeks, and I think it is largely due to your friendship with her.”

“Josie is my friendest best,” Emi muttered in an airy whisper, looking at her with eyes that sparkled. She leaned her head against her shoulder, tracking her eyes back to her pony.

Ms. Weems shrugged and Josie kept her blush from spreading above her chest. “I guess. I mean, the less time I have to sit in front of a man that’s not papa and listen to him tell me how to be a psychic, the better. No offense, Mr. Harlow – you’ve always been okay. But, you’re basically like, a one for one copy of my papa, just – with the stars, not lizards.”

“As someone who knows Hugh Zypher, I think of that as an honor. Thank you. And, an extension of my thanks, for opening yourself up to a new friend as you’ve done. It’s not unnoticed, by everyone on staff, how much you’ve mellowed, just a touch.”

“You all sit around and talk about me? Ew.”

Ms. Weems gave a little chuckle. “We have to have a weekly review of students in CORE, so yes – we do sit around and talk about you. Everyone was very impressed yesterday that for the first time since you started here, you weren’t in a CORE class this week.”

“Friggin’ weirdos.” Josie rolled her eyes, then nudged Emi a bit as food arrived to the table. Emi ate like her namesake, as she usually did, picking at the food on her plate as she sat with her legs to her chest. “Hey, Em? You gotta eat more than that. We can’t leave and open your ponies until you put like, half that away.”

Emiliana started to chow down.

X

Finally back in the dorms after a long, productive day, Josie watched Emi toss off her shoes and socks before she tore the ponies out of their plastic prisons, releasing the toys and examining them all in a row, arranging then rearranging them on her floor, speaking to herself in French. Josie let her play, putting on one of her own new albums, Radiohead playing low enough for Em to mutter her directions to herself as she introduced the new snake to a proper terrarium that had just been emptied by releasing a freshly healthy wild girl back to her habitat earlier in the week.

Everything seemed to be going well until almost nine o’clock, when she was sitting on the edge of her bed, about to write in her reptile logbook, when Emi started to twitch a little from where she was sitting. Josie scurried beside her, catching her when she fell backwards.

It was her seventh time witnessing Emi have a vision, but unlike the others – the one that the universe was giving to her at that moment seemed to be twice as strong.

Her body twitched and flailed. Sweat started to pour out of her and Josie winced, wiggling her out of the Green Day sweatshirt she had on, respectfully keeping her eyes off her bare chest. She twisted her hair back frowned as Emi let out whimpers.

Usually, it was three or four minutes Emi was out for, but as Josie looked down at her wrist, it was going on ten before Emi sat up with a tortured-sounding gasp, letting out a loud sob before covering her face and screaming into her hands before lurching like she was going to throw up.

“Oh, hang on!” Josie cried, kicking her trash can over. Emi grabbed the sides just in time, hurling into it. Trying not to wretch herself – as the sight made her want to do, she just sweetly held up her hair again as she heaved for a concerning amount of time – all the dinner she’d actually managed to eat…

“Oh my god, Emi…” Josie sympathized as she finished, but blood was violently dripping out of her nose. She dropped her fistful of hair and found tissue, holding it to her face as she cried and gagged and sweated all over the place. “What…you know what? You’re – maybe…just – a cool bath, come here, come here…”

She hoisted her up under the arms, her friend, significantly taller than her, so very light. Josie turned off every gay thought in her brain as she helped her into the tub, guiding Emi’s trembling fingers to push her own skirt down – almost balking when she realized she didn’t wear any underwear.

“Okay…step in…” She whispered, not staring – keeping the task purely physical, focused on Emi’s needs as she went from sweating to shivering in the tub. “You’ll feel better in just a sec, I promise. Hang on…just – hang on!”

Moving in a flurry to the landline in her room, she dialed Weems’ room number, posted to the wall by the woman for emergencies. “This is Larissa Wee-?”

“It’s Em. She’s in my room, she had a ten-minute vision and she came out of it throwing up and bleeding from her nose and sweating half to death! I got her into the tub to cool her down, but -!”

“I’ll stop by the kitchens and be on the way. Hold tight.”

Josie hurried back to the bathroom, where Emi’s nose kept bleeding and her wet tissue was no longer helping. Taking a washcloth from her small cabinet, Josie swapped it out for her, as she continued to cry and shiver.

“It’s okay. It’s okay. I’m not going anywhere, and Weems is on the way! It’s okay…hey – do you want some water? Like, for drinking? Hang on, I’ll go -”

“Stay!” Was all Emi could get out, sobbing as she leaned more into Josie’s hands as she held the cloth to her nostrils.

“Okay. Okay, I’m staying…I’m here, Em.”

The presence seemed to help, as by the time Ms. Weems arrived, Emi was just quiet, and the bleeding seemed to have stopped. Her sweat had decreased, and she looked to be coming back to life just a bit.

“Please, take me not from my Josie!” She hiccupped as she suddenly became aware of her presence.

Ms. Weems seemed mindful of her privacy, keeping her eyes intentionally up as well as Josie reached into the bathtub, pulling the plug on the drain, wrapping a towel around Emi’s shoulders. “I won’t take you anywhere, I just want to check on you. I’ve got some water and crackers for your stomach.”

“I need that not, just my Josie!” She squeaked, starting to cry again.

“And you’ve got me, I’m here. Let me get you some not-sweaty pajamas and you and I can just – sit and recover, okay?”

Emi sniffed and gave a tiny nod as Ms. Weems encouraged her to get dried off. 

Josie slipped a pair of shorts and a shirt into the sink, spotting the small tray of snacks that Ms. Weems had fetched for her. She recoiled at the sight of plastic, disposable water bottles. “Doesn’t anybody understand how bad for the turtles these are?”

Opening the bottom drawer of her desk, she took out a Nalgene bottle she’d had for years, with Ninja Turtle stickers all over it. She was sure that Emi would prefer one with unicorns or some other girly, princess motif, but – that was a task for the future.

Filling it in the bathroom sink as Emi was helped into the top by her mentor, leaning forward for Josie once dressed, she smiled up at Larissa, who just beamed down at her. “Clearly, we’ve found a relief effort that works. Just you, Josephine.”

Shrugging and smirking at the statement, she snuggled her close when she rubbed her cheek against Josie’s neck, crouched awkwardly to be smaller than her. “Come on, you need to brush your vomit teeth, then you can drink this and put something in your stomach, alright?”

She stood beside her as Emi complied, holding her hand for emotional support as she brushed her teeth with the other. In the bedroom, Ms. Weems had taken the small bag out of the trashcan politely, taking it out to the hall, calling for custodial to remove the biohazard after washing her hands. Pulling her roommate’s desk chair over to her own, Josie sat next to her Raven friend as she sucked down water at an unprecedented speed. “You know what? We should get you some of that terrible shit that my papa brings along and makes me drink whenever I get the stomach bug. I always get it whenever we’re in another country, I swear. I don’t know what it is, but it’s got a teddy bear on the bottle? You could call and ask. Maybe we keep that on hand for when Em gets bad visions?”

Ms. Weems just gave a chuckle as she nodded. “Anything else, for our Raven, Dr. Zypher?”

She wrinkled her nose at the title, having a feeling that people might call her that in the future – if she could torture herself that long through school. “I’ve got an extra Nalgene bottle she can have – please don’t bring disposable water bottles to my room ever again. They’re terrible for the turtles.”

“Maybe a thermometer and some Tylenol, just in case the fever lingers. But…yes, I believe you’re onto something. Thank you, Josephine. Thank you, sincerely.”

She looked at Emi, spaced out and staring at nothing, sucking on the corner of a cracker. Gently, Josie pushed on her elbow, getting her to recall that she was eating, chomping down on the food. “Josie?” Emi started quietly.

“Hm?”

“We can have an over sleep?”

“Sure,” Josie giggled, squeezing her arm.

“Well, with your suggestions in mind, I’ll contact the nurse and have her put together a few kits to help out after a terrible vision. Good night, girls. Go to sleep at a reasonable time please, my dears.” Josie stood up to follow Ms. Weems out after she ruffled Emi’s hair affectionately.

“Hey, so…I’ve got a hidden fridge and freezer combo in that corner,” She pointed to the room, underneath a big, fake plant with a table cloth to hide it. “For my reptiles to eat – the kitchen kept getting on my ass about dead mice in the freezer. Anyway, I’ll keep a bunch of stuff in there for Em, too. She spends like, most of her free time in here anyway.”

“Sure, I didn’t hear that.” Ms. Weems rolled her eyes. “Officially, we’re going to keep her in her room at her hall – for housing purposes, but I know your roommate is long moved-out with her boyfriend, so – this is fine, unless upper admin sniffs too deeply and puts his foot down, which I doubt.”

“You’re…cool with Gia crashing with her BF?”

“Please, my Nevermore roommate essentially moved in with hers at one point, and it was a blessing – believe you me, you’d rather have that than the other way around. On that note, I hope the night is easy, for both of your sakes. But don’t hesitate to call me if you need me again. You’re doing wonderfully with being a friend, Josephine. Truly.”

“Thanks,” She grumbled, closing the door after her, turning back to the girl in the chair. She looked up at Josie with wet, beautiful blue eyes. “Why are you about to cry again?” Josie worried.

“Because I am loving you,” She whimpered. “You are more than a friendest best. You are my most cared for person that I have.”

“Awe, Em…” She let herself flush as she leaned down to hug her tightly. “Outside of my papa, I’ve had a few friends over the years, but no one that I was like, invested in. It feels nice to have someone I give a shit about, who gives a shit about me, too.”

Emi climbed into her lap again, holding onto her neck and snuggling into her shoulder. Though it flared up every nerve ending in her body, sent her heart into double time and made her turn red from head to toe, she put her arms around her waist and relaxed her head against Emi’s. “Merci, for taking care of me.”

“Always, Em.”

“Can we go to the outside to have a cigarette?”

Snorting and squeezing her tightly, Josie pushed her back and stared at her with a stink eye. “I’ll break you of that habit, just you wait.”

Emi shrugged and offered, “Might you try, Josie. I am sure, you can teach me most of the things. But stopping smoking? I think is much of a challenge for even you, my girl snake.”

Gently touching her side, making her squirm, she watched Emi dump her entire bag out for a loose cigarette and a lighter, thinking that might be a habit she’d never break, too.

But as Emi took her hand and walked her out to the nearest balcony to light up and blowing smoke out her nostrils right away, Josie also thought she even managed to look cute when she destroyed her lungs.

“I think I am doomed,” Josie said out loud – sure the girl didn’t know what she meant.

“What that means?”