I Was Provoked Into Singing, But I Secretly Like It, Light Novel Edition (Please Bully Me More, Gwen-Senpai)

## 4:00 PM - The Typo

In a quiet uptown neighborhood in Halcyon City, just seven blocks from the harbor, there was a cozy little brownstone with a bright blue door. It sat on the corner of its block and overlooked a row of nearly identical looking buildings across the street in front of it, and a little corner store across the street to its side. The sign over the store read, in faded red letters "Howe Convenient." This endlessly amused Howard Smalls, and he'd come to joke with the store owner daily about how good a name both he and his store had. Howe Smalls crossed the street to his family's brownstone, paper bags filled with groceries in his arms. He fumbled briefly with his keys and opened the bright blue front door. He turned left as he entered the home, disappearing into the kitchen with bags full of snacks he hoped teenagers would appreciate.

Irregular sounds of musical instruments being tuned and tested could be heard coming up the stairs from the brownstone's basement. Behind the closed door was a cozy family lounge, just one piece of furniture away from being cluttered. A pool table and dartboard stood imperiously opposite the base of the stairs, a classic green hooded billiard light hanging over them. Family photos hung upon every wall, each of them featuring the smiling faces of two gap toothed children posing with various relatives and acquaintances. Mini stood quietly in the middle of the room, smiling at her phone as she tapped at the screen. Her gap toothed grin hadn't changed much over the years from all the childhood photos. She read the text from her friends that told her she had plenty of time to practice and prepare on her own, and so she began to do just that. She plucked at her guitar strings and turned the tuning pegs telekinetically while she composed a text with her other hand.

A few blocks away, Gwen stared at her phone while she walked next to Seth. "Shit," she muttered, "fuckin' autocorrect." She edited the 'sixty' in her message to Mini to the intended 'sixteen', the amount of minutes Doodle Maps told her it was going to take to walk to the Smalls' apartment.

She adjusted the strap of her bass guitar carrying case over one shoulder, her messenger bag over the other, and took the lollipop from her mouth as she glanced at Seth. "You got everything you need, right?"

"Yeah," Seth instinctively puts a hand on the strap on his shoulder when she asks, and breaks eye contact with the empty road to peek over at her phone, "Are we almost there?"

"Bit of a walk left, two blocks it looks like." Gwen ponders for a bit. "I guess it'd go faster if we flew, or one of us yote the other. Not a good idea with these expensive babies though."

"Right," Seth says, looking very much like a kid who's been told to be careful not to break something.

The two stooges walked the rest of the way, with only a little bit of groaning and moaning and re-adjusting their cargo along the way--because even with great strength it was still incredibly annoying to be unbalanced and have to walk a long distance. When they got to the row of houses where Mini lived, Gwen checked the address on her phone, double-checked the picture Mini had sent, and nodded. "Alright, we're here."

She ascended the steps and knocked on the door, waited for a few seconds, then seemed to realize something as she stepped aside and rang the doorbell. She mumbled something to herself about 'keep forgetting', 'don't got a butler', and 'where's the huge knockers on this door anyway'.

A pleasant, tenor voice called out from inside the small building "Just a moment!" There was a confluence of accents there that together were hard to place. A short series of footsteps could be heard moving toward the door from inside, and the door swung open inwards. "Oh, hello there! You must be Minerva's friends. Come in, come in. I was just fixing some food for you all." Howard Smalls was a lanky man of average height. Clearly Mini got her blue eyes from him. He held the door open for the two teenagers, smiled warmly at them as they entered, then led them into the kitchen. He gestured, indicating they could set their things down on the island counter top while they waited. "You can call me Howe. It's a pleasure to meet both of you." He busied himself with gathering some pizza rolls out of a toaster oven, and setting them amidst a pile of other snack foods already laid out on a small platter.

Howe turned from the tiny kitchen counter toward the island behind him, sliding the snack plate over to the two teenagers. He smiled at Seth in a familiar way, and addressed him directly. "¿Eres Puertorriqueño? Pareces que eres de Santurce. Encantado de conocerte joven." He nodded at the boy, still smiling, then looked to Gwen with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry, I hope you don't mind. We mostly speak spanish in this household, and I couldn't resist asking your friend here where his family was from. He looks to me like he's from the same barrio in San Juan that my wife is from." Howe turned to Seth again, a questioning look on his face. "¿No es así?"

Seth followed Gwen in, and managed a short, "Hi," before dwindling behind her, extremely careful to keep a clear radius around himself so not to accidentally break anything. Parents never really were his strong suit, though Mr. Smalls seemed nice enough as he was assembling an entire snack bar for them-scratch that, Mr. Smalls was an angel. Pizza rolls? Fuck yes.

At suddenly being addressed in Spanish, Seth just blinks and can't hide his surprise. When Mr. Smalls explains in English but then promptly switches back, the tips of Seth's ears are red and he puts a nervous hand on the back of his neck. "Uh, I'm-I don't...I'm sorry I don't, uh, speak...Spanish?" He looks anywhere but Howe's face, finding a new interest in the color of the house's walls.

"Um," Gwen went upon being greeted by the man she assumed to be Mini's father. She’s caught off guard by his rapid speech moreso than the language. Expecting Spanish was natural when most of the band spoke it natively. “Hi! Nice to meet you... Howe? I'm Gwen, this is Seth.” She puts a hand on Seth’s shoulder for encouragement, and to draw Howard Smalls’ eyes away from the small boy’s awkwardness. She smiles at him and keeps talking to keep the attention, hoping that it’d make Seth feel less put on the spot.

“The smells delicious, sir! Are you a chef? That’s some really tasty-smelling foodcraft. Do you need assistance with anything? I’d be happy to help.”

Howard's brow furrowed as Seth explained himself. He then looked to Gwen and nodded at her introduction. The compliment of the food went unrecognized momentarily as he turned his apologetic gaze back to Seth. He put his hand on the boy's other shoulder. "I apologize for assuming, young man. I didn't mean to embarrass you. I was hoping to make you feel at home and I've done the opposite. I hope you can forgive me. No more spanish today." He gave Seth's shoulder a little squeeze, but didn't wait for a response. He could tell being to center of attention bothered him. He turned his attention to Gwen and smiled. "You are too kind, Gwen. These are just some snacks and leftovers. But you're both welcome to stay for dinner if you like. You can take these snacks downstairs whenever you're ready. I'm sure Minerva is waiting for you both. I'll be down shortly with some drinks."

Seth stiffens at the physical contact but doesn’t reject it-since the last time he did it gave entirely the wrong impression. He gives Mr. Smalls a grateful nod though he isn’t sure if he sees it, and relaxes back into his usual stoic composure, eyeing Gwen, the snacks, and the rest of the house as Howe instructs them-though he isn’t so sure about dinner.

"Oh, I couldn't possibly--but thank you for the offer, sir!" Gwen bows her head and takes her hand off Seth's shoulder. "Seth, can you grab the nourishment? You got more hands free."

She walks backwards out of the kitchen, gives Howe a last smile, then looks around for the stairs leading down. *Who would've thought Mini was a basement-dweller? I always thought she was more of an attic person. Then again, she DOES play Ruins & Revenants, so there's plenty of surprises in that small package.*

"Ha. Alright, alright. But let me know if you change your minds." Howe Smalls gestures at them as the leave the kitchen, pointing left. Immediately to their left out of the kitchen is a staircase with a black iron railing going up, presumably to bedrooms. Tucked behind this staircase are the stairs going down into the basement. The ceiling of this stairwell is painted with a mural, faces of people in unrealistic pastel colors over a background of clouds and sky. There are two dates under each face, painted in ink with a fine brush. A green door sits closed but unlocked at the bottom of these stairs, and the faint sounds of music can be heard coming from the other side.

Seth carefully picks up the platter and waits for Gwen to take the initiative. His eyes follow Mr. Small's gesture to the stairs before lingering on the mural -it's...nice. In a weird way, it makes him think of home, though he quickly swallows the feeling down with a pizza roll off the tray.

Before going down the stairs, Gwen looks at the mural. She strikes a cross and puts her hands together and closes her eyes for a few seconds, muttering something in Latin. Then she smiles, nods at Seth, and moves down the stairs, following the sound of music.

## 4:19 PM - Mini’s Song

From just outside the door it sounded like a few people might be playing music downstairs already. Did Mini have other guests here? The bass line and rhythm section from *Everlong* by the Boo Battlers was being strummed out, just at a slightly slower tempo. Then a breathy femme voice started to sing... were those Tommy Broadwell lyrics? Someone started playing the melody to *What You Won't Do for Love* on a synthesizer. Somehow it all worked together.

Seth's hand reaches for the door but stops short as he hears the singing coming from behind it-half out of curiosity and half out of surprise. It's timid but compelling, and maybe...Mini? He looks back at Gwen after a second.

Gwen stops just behind Seth, casting a curious look at the door. She takes off her hat and unfurls her cat-like ears. They twitch and turn, trying to figure out the sounds. She adjusts her bass over her shoulder and nods at Seth, motioning towards the door.

The basement door opened inward without so much as a squeak. Gwen and Seth stood atop a small landing, and had a clear view of the whole basement. The only person in here was Mini, and she sat atop a tall stool strumming a vintage Les Paul with a classic sunburst. That guitar was almost certainly older than she was.

"...My friends wonder, what is wrong with me? Well I'm in a daze from your love you see."

She breathed the lines into her mic, her voice getting brittle at the parts she most deeply felt. The keys to an electric keyboard nearby appeared to be pressing themselves, and a bass guitar floated in front of the girl, the strings vibrating as if a ghost were plucking them.

"...Some people go around the world for love. They may never find what they dream of."

A pair of drumsticks moved, apparently of their own accord, tapping at the high hat and the snare. Mini had her back to the stairs, and hadn't yet noticed she was being watched.

Seth stands awkwardly in the doorway before moving a little to the side to give Gwen space to step in as well. The scene feels too personal and too tranquil to suddenly interrupt, but he gets the feeling Gwen will undoubtedly do just that. He’d stop her but...the look on Mini’s face might be worth letting Gwen surprise her.

The moment struck Gwen. She hadn't heard Mini sing before--not like this, at least. One hand lifts her bass off her shoulder and put it down, while the other unzips her messenger bag and took out a video camera. A small red light turned on as the screen came to life, showing Mini. Gwen moves up to stand next to Seth. She glances at him and puts a finger to her lips. She starts to slowly move to the side, so she can capture Mini in silhouette and show her face.

Seth's mouth open and closes for a few seconds watching Gwen pull out *a whole ass video camera* and start to record, as if maybe he could prevent whatever calamity was about to be imminent, but in the end he says nothing, innocently enjoying Mini's singing from the safety of the doorway.

Mini kept playing. And kept singing. There was a delicate, vulnerable quality to her performance that would be impossible to reproduce in front of an audience. As she approached the bridge her hands stopped moving. The bass kept strumming itself in mid air, and the keyboard keys kept depressing on their own, playing a barely there melody.

"Hello, I've waited here for you.. Everlong. Tonight, I throw myself into... And out of the red, out of her head she sang."

* Mini turned slowly in her seat, pulling her guitar off and setting it down behind her. She reached for the drum sticks, and all she had to do was look up to meet Gwen's gaze. But she didn't. She kept her veiled eyes downward, adjusting her grip and nodding her head to an inner metronome."

"What I would not do... What I would not do..."

And then Mini and the song broke down together. She played a drum solo by hand, a couple of black streaks streaming down her cheeks as her eye-liner ran. Mini stopped singing and rode out the drum beat, her scarlet hair bouncing around her face as she rolled out the end on the high hat. Then the room was suddenly quiet.

Gwen begins to smile as the song and scene unfolds before her, and she makes sure to capture every detail of it--zooming in on Mini's hands as she plays, her face as she sings. As Mini quiets down, Gwen softly puts down the camera on a side table on the edge of the room, turns back to look at the arrangement of instruments that have Mini in their midst, and claps.

"Encore!" She calls out, stepping closer. "Y'know Mini, you really aren't as bad as you give yourself credit for. Maybe we should let you do more than just working the strings." Gwen smirks and casts a look at Seth, gesturing for him to come in as well.

Seth doesn't move when Gwen gestures him in, in fact, he's half sure his toes are frozen. Poor Gwen-Seth realized he was already mourning her, even if it was a bit early.

Mini visibly started, one drumstick flying off to vanish under some piece of furniture with a clatter. The floating bass guitar dropped several inches, but Mini had the presence of mind to not let it hit the floor.

"Wh-what the fuck?! Why are you here? You said you were an hour away!"

Mini sniffled and frantically wiped her face with one hand while fumbling around for her phone with the other.

"Do you not know how to count, bitch?! Twenty minutes isn't an hour! And where do you get off sneaking up on people?!"

Mini thrust her phone in Gwen's direction for emphasis, then blanched at the sight of black streaks on the back of her own hand. She wiped the teary eye-liner on her skirt, and tried to extricate herself from the drum set without falling over it.

"Why the fuck are we here? To practice, you fuckin' gremlin!" Gwen crinkles her nose. "Check your phone again, babe, it says sixteen minutes, it's edited. Why would I say 'sixty minutes' when I could say 'an hour'? I made a typo and corrected it."

Gwen thumbed at the door as she turned around. "Your dad let us in. We brought snacks." She walked back to the camera and shut it off. "That was pretty good what you played there. Maybe you should sing on the band sometime."

Mini was about to look at her phone to confirm what Gwen said, but then she saw the camera for the first time as Gwen touched it.

"...Did you fucking record me? Are you Goddamn SERIOUS!?"

Mini stalked over to where Gwen stood, her face turning various shades of red. If Gwen played her cards right, she might get Mini's face to match her hair. An annoyed dad's voice called down from above, as Seth stood in the open doorway. It had a tired, defeated quality to it.

"Language!..."

Gwen holds the camera in one hand and half-turns back to Mini. "Of course? What do you think Angel and I discussed the budget for last band meeting? We gotta get comfortable being seen by an audience and to look at our own practice to see what we can do better. I may not be in it for the fame, but I *am* planning to get better."

She casts a look at the door, looking past Seth, and snickers at Howe Smalls' response. "Fathers, am I right?"

Yep, her face matched her hair now. Mini stomped angrily and stuck her finger in Gwen's face

"So help me God, if that FU-"

Mini caught herself and turned her anger on Seth at last, thrusting an upturned palm in his direction, and chin pointed at the door. A clear "What the fuck?" expression if ever there was one. She continued speaking to Gwen, now using a stage whisper.

"...if that FUCKING video wind up on UsTube, I'll rewrite your memories and turn you into a prim and proper princess ballerina. You wanna record band practice, that's FINE, but don't you EVER ambush me with that shit again!"

Some of the lighter objects in the room began to rattle, and Mini's hair slowly began to stand on end. It wasn't static electricity.

Seth blinks blankly as Mini points to him, and takes the opportunity to carefully close the door behind him before moving inside the room (albeit giving Gwen and Mini a wide berth). He puts the snack platter down on a table and takes another pizza roll off it as he watches the girls bicker with a tiny bit of amusement.

At Mini's threats, Gwen's smirk disappears and her expression turns grave. She holds up the camera and clenches her jaws. A strained sound comes from the camera as she grips it tightly. "Don't you dare joke about that. You don't want this video seen by anyone else? Fine."

She puts the camera back into her messenger bag, not taking her eyes off Mini. She steps closer and raises a finger. Her tone is that of a cold heat, and--uncharacteristically--she doesn't even curse. "But if you ever threaten anyone with a memory rewrite like that again, I will happily ensure that Alastor will be the least of your worries."

Gwen sets a step back and pauses to let her words sink in. "Seth, let's go," she says, "looks like Rescue; The Girls is gonna have to make do with one less girl."

Seth looks up in surprise with half a pizza roll in his mouth as if to say *I thought you guys were joking.* He swallows and puts a nonchalant hand up, "Hey, chill out, I didn't walk halfway across town for drama, so shut up and pick up an instrument." He takes off the guitar strapped to his back as if to make a point, and shoves the other half of his pizza roll into his mouth.

As if on cue, Howard Smalls entered the room with a stack of glasses in one hand, and a 2 liter of soda in the other. He grinned broadly at everyone.

"Refreshments, as promised! So good to see you finally making friends, Mango. I wish you would invite more people over."

Howard trundled down the stairs, oblivious to the tension in the air, set the glasses and soda down on top of the pool table, and went about getting ice from the wet bar here in the basement. Mini shook her head, deflated as her father used his nickname for her.

"Papi... really?"

Mini rolled her eyes at Gwen, and walked past her toward the restroom. The sink turned on immediately as she took a moment to compose herself.

Gwen stands still next to the basement door, clenching and unclenching her jaw. As soon as Mini had made that threat, she had made this afternoon about that rather than playing music. She looks at her bass, leaning against the wall. Howard's presence didn't help mitigate the heavy feeling in her stomach, but she also didn't want to be rude to the man.

She walks over to the pool table and pours two soda glasses, taking one and sipping from it. She observes Howard as he busies himself with the wet bar. Gwen wonders if Mini's threats were realistic. She had heard of her powers, but had never seen their effects. How well did Gwen know her, really? Had she ever used her powers on her family? How would they know? Gwen walks closer to Howard. "Hey, uh, Howe? Do you need a hand?"

Seth sets down his guitar and gives a short sigh before walking over to Gwen, though he shoots a concerned look towards the bathroom. He could never tell when these two were fighting or joking or otherwise, but the air felt heavy and awkward for once. He bumps Gwen's arm gently, and asks quietly, "Everything okay?" while watching Mr. Smalls.

Gwen starts a little at Seth's gentle bump, coke sloshing over her hand. She dabs at her hand with the sleeve of her hoodie. "No," she mutters. "That was something really fucked up she said. I..." She trailed off, not sure what else to say--certainly in front of Howe.

Howe looked over his shoulder and smiled at Gwen.

"Oh no, I can handle this. You're so sweet to offer though. Mini chose her friends well. You're our guests! Please, make yourselves at home."

Howard brought a small bucket of ice over to the pool table, along with some napkins from the bar.

"Mijita, don't leave your guests waiting!"

Howe smiled at the two teens, and gave Seth another friendly pat on the shoulder as he waited for his daughter to reappear.

Gwen glances at Howe. He's standing so close to her now. Close enough to touch…

## 4:24 PM - Catch-22

Gwen looks at her hand and thinks. She had always asked for consent before using her powers on anyone--the only exceptions being alien creatures that couldn't consent, and Horridd, in a case where the fate of the universe lay in the balance. Now, with Howe? Gwen figures that *if* Mini's used her powers on him, he can't give consent, and Gwen has the moral imperative to find out and--if Mini *had* used her powers on him--to keep him safe from the person he calls daughter. But... if Mini *hadn't* used her powers on him, then Gwen would be in the wrong for using retrocognition on him without asking for consent. She is lacking the exact information she needed to get that same information. It was a catch-22.

She slowly reaches over to Howe and places her hand on his shoulder. "You're a good man, Howard Smalls," she says. Her hand lingers for a moment, as if in slow-motion, thoughts still mulling and roiling about. Then, with heavy heart, Gwen withdraws her hand from his shoulder.

Howe fixes Gwen with a quizzical look. He was oblivious to the tension when he entered the room, but as a teacher and a father, the man was not completely devoid of paternal instinct. He opened his mouth to ask Gwen if she was alright, but then the bathroom door opened, and stole his attention.

"Mango, don't forget your medicine, ok? Take it before dinner. We're eating a little late tonight. Mami's bringing Valentino's home on her way from the vet."

Mini nodded, tying her hair back out of her face. She had a pair of glasses on now, with tragically thick lenses. Her expression was still sullen, but all the fight had left her. The change in energy was so dramatic, it was almost like looking at a different person.

"Ok, papi... But please stop calling me Mango in front of my friends. It's embarrassing."

Seth winces apologetically as Gwen’s drink sloshes over, for that and maybe the bad timing. He pours himself a cup of soda which instantly chills and he lingers by Gwen, wondering if it was his place to really meddle. It seemed Gwen took what Mini said pretty hard, though at the same time he didn't really know what to say.

As he watches Mr. Smalls leave after Mini's comment (Mango was in fact a pretty embarrassing nickname) he takes a lopsided seat on a stool by the snack table in the awkward atmosphere and looks between the two girls.

With a twinge of frustration, he sighs, "Without spitting fire, why don't you guys just, you know, talk about your feelings?" He feels like a TV Psychologist. "Gwen? What Mini said wasn't cool right? And Mini, Gwen recording you wasn't cool either right? So, I don't know, explain why? Talk? Don't hiss-" He looks at Gwen, "Just talk? Communicate your feelings. Use 'I' messages. Or something."

He sets his cup on the table, picks up his guitar and starts to tune it mindlessly.

Gwen sucks in a breath through her teeth and puts her half-empty glass next to the full one she had poured, and gestures at the other glass for Mini. She puts her hands in her pockets and paces a little a little. "Yeah, Seth's right," she starts. Chill-ass little fucking gremlin... she kept to herself.

"What you said... I think what you said was really fucked up, Mini. If that was supposed to be a joke, I don't think it was funny. Messing with my memories isn't funny. And if it wasn't supposed to be a joke... people don't make threats like that to people who are supposed to be their friends."

Gwen stopped beside the keyboard and scratched behind her ear, thinking back to the time she cornered Angel in the snow to ask him to be in the band and that she didn't want to be friends, just that she wanted to play music together. She made a powerless gesture and muttered half-heartedly and softly, more to herself than anyone else. "...or band members, I guess."

Mini looked startled. Her attention had been suddenly drawn from some far off place. But also, the notion that anyone would take that "threat" seriously... She looked over her shoulder at the basement door and nodded to it. The lock clicked shut.

"I was mad Gwen. Pissed. And you seemed to think it was a joke. I didn't mean what I said. It's just that, how else could I threaten you?..."

She gestured off handedly at Seth as she took a seat on the arm of a nearby couch.

"Either of you, with physical harm? You're both super strong. I doubt I could hurt either of you that way if I tried."

Her posture closed. Arms across her chest. Leg jiggling with nervous energy. She paused to... listen to something? She mouthed something silently before continuing. It was... weird.

"Ironic that I said that to be taken seriously, but didn't MEAN it seriously. That's my fuck up, so I'm sorry. I would never do that, to either of you. Not on purpose..."

She pulled her ridiculous glasses off, and pinched the bridge of her nose. Clearly she had more to say, but was struggling to find the words. Or to concentrate. Something.

Gwen sighs, and puts her hands together. "Mini, I..." She stops to think for a moment. "I accept your apology. And I'm sorry for recording you without asking. I didn't mean it as a joke. Your music and your singing was really good! But... that threat wasn't just bad since it was about wiping my memory, but in how specific you were. If you'd threatened to harm me in some non-specific way, it would've been clear it was a joke. I might threaten to punch you through a wall, but I wouldn't outline a torture method."

Gwen takes off her messenger bag and puts it down, clearly intending to not leave anymore at this point. She looks more closely at Mini. "...hey, are you okay? Are your allergies acting up?"

She shook her head, unfolded her glasses and put them back on.

"No. But thank you for mentioning that. I'd better go take a pill before I turn into a sneeze machine gun."

She walked over to where Seth sat, hugged his head to her chest, and kissed the top of his head. This would be one of the few instances where someone would be shorter than her. She wasn't going to miss an opportunity to exploit it.

"Lookit you, being all cool and sensitive and shit. "Communicate your feelings." I got some feelings for you right here."

She smothered him a moment longer and mussed his hair before letting the poor boy go. She stepped toward Gwen next, arms already open.

"I'm sorry. I just... I'm always being watched so... I don't like it when other people do it. Especially not the people I'm supposed to be able to count on."

Mini threw herself at Gwen for the last couple steps, hugged her around the waist, and mashed her face into Gwen's shoulder.

"Thank you for saying my music is good. But please... keep that between us? For now at least? I... don't want to be in the spotlight."

Seth made a completely surprised noise that was instantly cut off, followed by a muffled groan. The only reason Mini didn’t get shoved off was out of sheer fear she’d end up going through a wall. “You’re welcome,” he croaks as she lets go to tackle Gwen, and he gives the scene a tiny smile.

Gwen puts an arm around Mini and hugs her back, a little surprised at her affection--also she hadn't taken those pills yet, had she?--and patted Mini's head softly with her other hand.

"I will. Don't worry, mi apodos cariñosos. We've got a long, musical road ahead of us, and we're all in it together." She smiles.

Gwen looks up at Seth, and sees him smiling as well. She waves him over. "C'mon, cool guy, I said we're all in it together."

Seth grimaces and turns a few shades of red at the call out, "Seriously?"

Though it takes him a few seconds of hesitation, he leans the guitar in his hands against the table and walks over, begrudgingly wrapping his arms around the two girls.

Gwen puts her arm around Seth and pats him on the back, hugging both of the smaller teens close. "There there, ya fuckin' gremlins."

## 4:27 PM - Jam Time

Gwen held them for a few seconds with a big smile. Looking down on Mini and Seth like this reminded her of her siblings back in Avalon. Gwen sniffled, eyes tearing up. She couldn't let this last long. "Alright, who wants to play some music?"

"No, wait!"

Mini held on to the two of them, happily sandwiched in between. Then she started giggling mischievously, prepared to properly ruin the moment.

"Seth, you big mush. Is that a guitar pick in your pocket, or are you just happy to see us?"

Mini had time for just one giggle-snort before her allergies kicked in, and she sneezed 7 times in a row. She pushed Gwen away and fanned at her face dramatically, scrambling over to her bag to dig out her medications.

Seth groans and bops Mini's forehead gently, "Gwen there's only one gremlin here, and I think she's gonna be in charge of singing today," he pulls an actual guitar pick out of his pocket and sticks his tongue out briefly before retreating back to the snack table.

Gwen chuckles, and moves to pick up her bass. "Alright, y'all know the rhythm to *Crispy's Ride*, right? Let's get it right today so Lysander can get us into the recording studio next week."

Mini tried to answer in the affirmative, but every time she opened her mouth a sneeze came out. She pinched her nose to get her sinuses to chill out long enough for her to get a pill down. She held up a finger as she sneezed her way back over to the bathroom. After a few minutes of nose blowing, and face rinsing, she came back ready to make music.

"Ok! Ok... I got this! What we doin', muscles? I saw you tuning that guitar, so is it me on drums?"

She didn't wait for Seth to answer, digging a fresh pair of drumsticks out of a nearby drawer, and plopping down in the stool behind the drums.

Seth looks at the drum set and gives a bit of a wistful sigh. “I would, but they’d get fucked,” he shrugs, “Unless you don’t mind them getting wrecked I’m stuck on strings. Not that it’s necessarily safe either.”

Though he says that, he doesn’t pick up the guitar quite yet, drumming his fingers on his side seemingly waiting for an answer.

Mini wore a gremlin grin, and you could tell she was ready to Kim Pines this song. But then she heard Seth's reason for avoiding the drums, and deflated. She lifted herself out from behind the kit, and floated over to him, pressing the sticks into his hands.

"The sticks are a loss I can handle. And I got an idea for the drums."

She nudged him toward the drums and reached for the guitar he brought.

"I got'chu! Gonna unfuck this guitar for you too. So you don't take someone's eye out next time you play it."

Seth raises and eyebrow but lets her push him. He takes a seat behind the set all too willing, but looks extremely unsure as soon as he gingerly lifts the drumsticks.

It’s been a long time since he could play-really play-without having to dread destroying them with the slightest of ease. Drums could hardly be described as delicate, but being designed to be hit made them a hundred times more susceptible to getting wrecked. Seth was pretty sure he could attempt to play a violin longer than the drums at this point. But if Mini did have a way to preserve them somehow...

He tries to hide it, but he looks just a bit hopeful as he watches her curiously.

Mini winked, and waggled her fingers in his direction. She didn't really NEED to move her hands to use her powers, she just did that to indicate to Seth that she had. A faintly glowing, ghostly blue film manifested over every drum and symbol. They had some give, but were much tougher than the drums themselves.

"Take it easy on the bass drum pedal. I can't protect that, really. But wack those drums, baby-boi. Play your heart out!"

Mini grinned her gap-toothed grin at him as the knobs on her guitar turned, and the strings seemingly plucked themselves.

Seth looks cautiously at the blue glow and hits the snare drum with a bit of force-and it holds. He gives Mini a look of unguarded, sheer joy-like he’d just been kissed by his crush or won the lottery-and without missing a beat fires off a particularly fast and difficult rudiment. It’s a bit sloppy and a few beats are pretty off-it’s been so long since he really played last-but he’s so happy a genuine smile is plastered on his face and he doesn’t even notice the ghostly nature nature of the glow.

“Fuck yes!” his exclamation is lost somewhere in the noise as he ditches the warm up for a crazy fast beat and a mini solo that’s not bad at all, which ends with the snap of a drumstick that shoots across the room at a ridiculous speed and impales itself into the opposite wall. “...Oops,” he says, most of his smile dropping, but he doesn’t look sorry or off-put at all.

Gwen plays a bit on her bass and tuned it while the others busy themselves with Seth's drumming. She laughs she sees Seth's incredibly excited face. "That was very good! Maybe I should ask Nimue to forge you some drumsticks!"

And then she falls silent and her smile drops. Shit, it slipped out before she knew it. Still not used to Nimue being gone. Still too recent.

She plays more on her bass, slowly, less enthusiastically, and sits down behind the keyboard. The bass sitting in her lap, hanging from her shoulder, Gwen turns and begins to play the keyboard instead. While the others laugh about Seth's antics, she begins to play a melancholy tune.

"Aw shit! I'm gonna catch hell for that one!" Mini laughed and floated over to the wall where Seth's drumstick splinter lodged itself, and yanked it free.

"Ok, wait... new plan. I'm not letting you kill six pairs of sticks today, fuck that."

She glided over to Seth and snatched the remaining drumstick away from him, then conjured a pair of ectoplasmic ones to replace them with. They were less than half the weight, but more than twice as durable.

"Ok Monster, it's your lucky day. Try these on for size."

Mini couldn't help but pinch his cheek. Seth was already adorable, but this might be the first time she'd seen the boy smile.

"That'd help," Seth says enthusiastically but immediately looks irritated when his cheek is grabbed. He decides not to try and freeze her fingers out of gratitude for the drums.

Before Mini could thoroughly embarrass him, she quirked a brow at Gwen's somber musical selection, and drifted over next to her. She wordlessly draped an arm around Gwen's shoulders.

Seth gives Gwen a concerned look. He doesn't really know what she's talking about but...he knows that shift of demeanor. He watches Mini go to her and holds off on playing, watching them thoughtfully.

## 4:30 PM - Gwen’s Song

Gwen hums along to her tune, before she feels her vocal cords are warmed up. Her hands move slowly and she begins to sing:

*“My house is empty*

*The halls are clear*

*Cold as iron*

*Grips my heart with fear*

*Why did you leave me*

*Mother dear?*

*Was I not good enough*

*Can you let me hear?”*

There’s a short pause, before she resumes her playing, and picks up the pace.

*“I’ve tried to be brave and I’ve tried to be strong*

*I’ve been on my own, I’ve been right, I’ve been wrong*

*I’ve met many others who have had my back*

*But without your love I feel like I’m off*

*Track…”*

She finishes the powerful verse in a softer voice, before smashing her fingers into the keys.

*“Why did you go?”*

Another keyboard smash.

*“Why did you stay*

*Mother dear?”*

Gwen trembles against Mini’s hold. She blinks away the upwelling of tears in her eyes. She plays a solo, before the verse returns.

*“My house is empty*

*The halls are clear*

*Cold as iron*

*Grips my heart with fear*

*Why did you leave me*

*Mother dear?*

*Was I not good enough*

*Can you let me hear?”*

Softer, lighter music now, higher in pitch.

*“My house is empty*

*But is it even mine?”*

She returns to the deeper, lower, darker notes.

*“It doesn’t feel like mine…”*

Her fingers lay still across the keyboard. Gwen takes a deep breath, and sighs. She smiles a little, glancing at Seth and sideways at Mini, folding her hands in her lap.

Mini doesn't know the words as it's an original composition, but she listens. She finds the rhythm and sways just a little. She harmonizes with Gwen's lows, and sits quiet for her highs. When Gwen comes off the solo and leads into the breakdown, she moves her hand from Gwen's shoulder to rub her back.

Seth gives the song a slow and soft beat as Mini joins in, and adds another voice to the chorus when it comes around. He doesn’t say anything after, but gives Gwen a soft look.

As Gwen brings the song to a close and glances her way, Mini gives her a little smile and leans her head on Gwen's shoulder. "I dunno who that was for... but I hope they heard you."

Mini sat up, and gave Gwen a peck on the cheek, then tried to get her to meet her concerned gaze.

"Thank you for sharing that with us. Are you okay? I'm sorry if it was it something we said."

Gwen nods. "I'm fine." Fine never meant fine, but few knew that.

"It's... it wasn't something you said, just something I just realized and hadn't thought about in a while. Family stuff. It's one of those... 'bog moods'... that people on Tumblr talk about." She sighs, takes off her beanie hat and runs a hand through her hair, pushing back her cat-like ears before putting the hat back. "I... I guess there was one thing though. At the Faire... why did you go with Elle? I thought you weren't close and you seemed just as upset as I was with all the cultural appropriation there, not to mention how you tend to push back against authority figures. I didn't expect like applause or something when I called Queen Guinevere a slut, but I could swear you *scowled* at me."

Mini raised her brow, and picked her head up off of Gwen's shoulder. She stood up from the bench by the keyboard, unslung Seth's guitar, and set it down gently beside him. She pat him on the shoulder as she passed, walking toward the soda on the pool table.

"I didn't think you gave a shit about that. But you're right, Elle and I aren't close. We'd barely spoken before that day. To be honest, we barely spoke ON that day. She reminds me of my dad, in that she's a stoic like him."

She gathered up a couple of snacks, passing Seth another pizza roll as she passed him again, on her way back to the piano. She held out a little empanada for Gwen when she got there.

"I don't know much about your family situation."

She paused as she realized that comment could just as easily apply to Seth. She turned and gestured toward him.

"Yours either. And honestly, that's none of my business unless you want to share it with me."

She turned back to Gwen, and gestured around the room. There wasn't a direction you could look where a family photo of some kind wasn't visible.

"Family is a big deal to me though, Gwen. The biggest. So while that's YOUR family to make fun of and criticize, I couldn't help but feel disappointed when you did. ESPECIALLY when you and Elle were already being subjected to the idiocy of that faire. She needed you to support her in that moment, not join in the ridicule and disrespect."

Mini frowned, but opened her arms to Gwen if she wanted to lean in for another hug, while they talked it out.

Gwen takes the empanada and puts a hand on Mini's shoulder, not leaning in, but holding her at not-quite arm's length. "That's fair, but yeah, I did give a shit. Up until that point I didn't feel like Elle really gave a shit, and that made me not feel supported. For me, the ridicule was personal, because I've seen my father slandered for years. Elle hasn't gone through that. Not... not yet. She didn't really react until it was personal for her, when I insulted Guinevere. She hasn't yet encountered all the stories where my father and everyone in my family is made out to be a homewrecker, all because of the stories involving Guinevere."

She takes a deep breath and takes a bite out of the empanada as she thinks on what to say next. "Elle has been separated from her family and friends for a few months, and she can definitely use support, and I... I generally like being around her. But not when she's trying to be both my dad and my teenaged teammate and friend, who's dating my best friend. It's... it's hard... it's impossible to see her as a friend like that if she's also my dad, and it's impossible to see her as my dad if she's also this person who's younger than me and trying to date everyone in the same damn team we're in."

Gwen shakes her head and lets go of Mini's shoulder. "I know all this might be unfair to her, but it's unfair to me too. I watched my father get ridiculed in tabloids and it destroyed his ability to pursue romantic relationships with anyone who wasn't also a Knight of the Round Table or some other superhero with a similarly wild family history. Everybody else admired him, but nobody really wanted to be with him. Heck, there's a Korean drama based on one of his relationships that failed that way."

Gwen wipes at her eyes, using the empanada to hide her trembling lip.

Mini sipped her soda as she listened to Gwen's side of the story. She nodded especially about the part about Elle being her dad. When Gwen withdrew, Mini set her cup down and followed. She let Gwen hide behind her food, but she reached for her other hand and locked fingers with her.

"I'm sorry, Gwen. I didn't know your side of things. You're always so cavalier and headstrong... not at ALL like myself..."

Mini let out a little laugh, grinned, and reached up to brush her thumb against Gwen's cheek.

"...So, you know... it's hard to read when something is bothering you. All I had to go on in the moment was Elle's outrage, and her... distance. For all of her might, and her mystique, I can't help but feel like Elle is just fuckin' lonely. And God, honestly, being in that tent with her was... you could cut the silence with a knife. Not that I would do it differently if I had it to do over, coz I wouldn't. I'm glad I was there for her when she needed someone. I'm DOUBLE glad it wasn't Wren, coz Jesus, he would have yapped her damn ear off..."

She rolled her eyes dramatically, and mimed a running mouth with her free hand.

"But that choice wasn't me choosing her over you, Gwen. It was me choosing your family over your grievances. I wanted to be in a place where I felt like I could most help the two of you work things out. And had I gone with you, I feel like you would have blown me off. The last thing we needed was us two hot heads getting into a shouting match over who's a bigger bitch and who loves the other more."

She giggled, trying to catch Gwen's gaze. She looked like she was going to start speaking again, but kept quiet, giving Gwen a chance to say her piece.

Gwen wipes at her eyes with the back of her hand, still holding the empanada. “Bold of you to assume I love you,” she snorts, but manages a smile, thankful for Mini's words and attempts to mend things between her and Elle.

"But… I love my mother, and father loves my mother, but neither of us has seen her or my siblings in nine years and I don't know what's taking so long or if they're even still alive. Like… family's a big deal to you? Family is… it’s *everything* to me. When Rhiannon came to Halcyon City for me, it meant the *world* to me. I'd live at her place full time if I didn't feel more comfortable being closer to Dr. Harrison's office than being in the middle of some giant-ass estate. But I don't have my siblings, I don't have my mother, I don't have my father... all I got is Rhiannon and... and Elle... and I've accepted that Elle is the same person as my father, the *serial killer*, and that she’s in a relationship with my best friend, because I can see how happy it makes her and how happy it makes Alex, and they’re so great together, but I *can’t* see her as my parent, despite how much she *forces* it, because it makes me feel like I’d be giving up on my father as my one actual father, and it makes me feel like I’d be giving up on my mother back in *my* Avalon, in *this* time. And what makes it worse is that when I joined the Big Team there were so many people who *hated* my father—even DomDom did!—and everybody just seems to *love* Elle, from the Team to the League to the press, and it breaks my heart, thinking that everybody, fucking *everybody*… would just rather replace my father with Elle."

She pauses, her sorrow just flowing out with every word, and takes another bite of the empanada. “Does that make sense? I’m not sure that makes sense… This is a really good empanada, by the way.”

If Gwen hadn't ended her rant with a munch and a compliment, Mini might have burst into tears. Instead she just busted out laughing, and then happy cried, hugging Gwen around the waist.

"Gwen... God damnit... I'm not gonna even pretend to have answers for all of that! I'm sorry for feel so alone. And I'm sorry that no one can see past the mistakes your father has made. But If he had ANY hand in making you the person you are, then I believe there's good in him... despite what a colossal bitch you can be."

Mini laughed another teary laugh, and levitated Gwen off the ground with her, spinning them around slowly.

"Whatever I can do to help you find you mom? I'm there. And whatever I can do to help you redeem your dad? No question. I may have squired for Elle for a day, but I'll squire for you to hell and back, Gwendolyn du Lac. Do you hear me?"

Mini cupped Gwen's cheeks in her hands, and made her meet her gaze. She drifted upward to kiss Gwen on the forehead, and held onto her until she wanted to be let go.

"And my axe," Seth calls from his seat behind the drums, figuring it was his turn to chime in and maybe lighten the mood? He had no idea about half of what Gwen was talking about but it sounded so painful, and well, he could relate to being separated from family...There wasn't much else he could offer but his help. In whatever it took.

Gwen smiled mournfully at Mini's response, and actually shot out a laugh at Seth's. "Thanks, dwarf boy," she called out to him, and then turned to Mini to ruffle her hair. "And you, Mango. Thank you for that. I may be a colossal bitch sometimes, but you are a miniscule one right now for sure."

Mini's eye twitched and she grinned evilly at Gwen before cutting off her telekinesis and letting her fall unceremoniously to the floor. She'd hoped Gwen didn't also get cat-like reflexes from her transformation.

"Hah," Gwen lands with a minor stumble--used to rough landings from flight, but not used to other people controlling her landing.

"Call me a bitch all you want. I deserve it. But if you call me Mango again I might have to kill you." Mini set herself down on the floor, and smiled sweetly at Gwen. Her voice pitched up, and the mood swing was startling.

"And that would be a shame, because I was JUST really starting to like you! Don't ruin it, 'kay?"

She blew a kiss at Gwen and skipped over to where she left Seth's guitar. She went right back to tuning it as if the last 5 minutes or so never happened. Seth was close enough to hear Mini grinding her teeth through her way-too-cheery smile.

"Awww, but if I call you things you like when you're being a bitch, it wouldn't be punishment, would it?" Gwen puts on her sweetest voice. She shakes her head and sits back down. She lifts up her bass this time. "Alright, Seth, you wanna take the lead on the next one? Go all out with your drumming?"

## 4:37 PM - Seth’s Song

Seth lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding and gives a cautious nod, wondering if she was really alright. He even decides to forgive the dwarf comment (*rude*). "Sure, just try to keep up then," he offers with a little bit of challenge in his voice, and spins a drumstick.

"Fire away, Keith Moon," Gwen egged him on with a smirk, shifting in her seat and curling her fingers around the neck of her bass.

"And don't forget to sing," she added. "When I say all out, I mean *all* the way *out*." Gwen made a motion with two fingers pointing at her eyes, then at Seth, then back at her eyes and back at Seth.

Mini tuned and strummed, and fumed the last of her impotent rage quietly. She bopped her head to a beat only she heard, and with a thought the mic that was by the keyboard slid over to Seth by the drums.

"Alright frosty. You're up! Let's see how much inner turmoil YOU can dredge up by making music."

Mini spun around and faced her bandmates, playing an impossible lick on a freshly tuned guitar. Telekinesis really was like cheating. She might have looked cool if her glasses didn't magnify her eyes to laughable proportions.

Seth takes a deep breath and begins a rapidfire drum solo that is a familiar beat, just faster. Eventually he slows down and gives the others the beat to go along with. Mini and Gwen recognize it as the opening to their song About Time, and Gwen adds the bassline, before Mini brings it home and completes the instrumental harmony with her guitar.

Seth's angelic voice opens the song.

*"It’s about time we did this*

*It’s about time we played*

*It’s about time you said what you meant*

*Instead of playing your silly games*

*It’s about time we did this*

*It’s about time we jammed*

*It’s about time we got together*

*And did all the things they damned"*

Briefly, their music slows down.

*"I…*

*Am…*

*Just so happy to have found my place*

*Where I don’t feel so alone*

*I can do the things I love*

*And make my words hit home"*

Mini and Gwen stop for a moment and Seth initiates a short and intense drum solo.

*"And I don’t got to do this*

*All on my own*

*I just want to play my drums*

*And make my words hit home"*

Seth nods at Gwen and spins a drumstick in his hand and points at her for a split second. Gwen nods back.

*"It’s about time we did this*

*It’s about time we played*

*It’s about time we got it all out*

*And finally explained"*

She let go off her bass, letting it hang from her shoulders, turning to the keyboard and playing a short solo. It ends with a deep, dark tone, followed by a light, high-pitched note, giving Mini her cue.

*"It’s about time we did this*

*It’s about time we jammed*

*It’s about time you—*

—got into my house—

—ate all our food—

—drank all the coke—

—embarrassed me in front of my dad—"

She pauses as the other two look at her, the music having paused. Gwen and Seth laugh awkwardly. Mini strikes down on her strings as she finishes.

*"—and we did all the things they damned!"*

Seth shakes his head at the improvised interruption, but is smiling, enjoying his ability to drum as hard as he can.

*"I…*

*Am…*

*Just so happy to have found my place*

*Where I don’t feel so alone*

*I can do the things I love*

*And make my words hit home"*

Mini follows up the final lyrics with a guitar solo of her own, dancing through the air as she plays. As she comes to the end, Seth strikes the drums so hard that the walls shake and Gwen feels it like a punch in her stomach.

As the sound of music fades out, the three teens look between each other.

"Fuck--" Mini utters, a mad grin on her face.

"--yeah." Seth smiles.

Unbeknownst to them, just outside of the room, their number one fan was listening in to them. And Howard Smalls was having a very difficult time trying to contain his joy at hearing his daughter play music with her friends, but also from calling out to tell her she said a bad word.