“Abby honey is something wrong?” Alli asked her daughter. Sy glanced at the teens directions with a raised brow.

“No, someone was just bothering me on my instant messenger.” Abby replied as she sat down to dinner.

“Well it’ll be a long time until you have home cooked food again so eat up.” Alli said with a smile. Sy studied her daughter curiously. Something didn’t seem right.

“Abby who was bothering you online?” Sy asked casually. Abby shrugged.

“Some screen name I didn’t know.”

“Oh okay. How are your friends?” Sy said as she made a mental note to look into the person that was bothering her daughter.

“The usual drama…” Abby said. All three grew unusually quiet.

“Abby…about the training you’re going to do…are you sure? I mean it isn’t too late for you to just stay here.” Alli said sounding hopeful.

“Mother, it’s going to be fine. I told you I want to learn about this part of me and…” Abby trailed off as she saw tears running down her mother’s eyes.

“Alli babe…” Sy said softly as she took her wife into her arms, “She’s not me okay?”

“But…but…” Alli broke down into harder sobs.

“Mom? What the hell?” Abby asked growing worried over her mothers sudden tears.

“Abby honey…your mother almost lost me…twice…because of the things that happened. She doesn’t want to see you hurt.” Sy said gently. Abby blinked.

“What do you mean ‘almost lost you?’”

“She almost died!” Alli exclaimed. Abby turned wide eyed to her mom.

“You didn’t mention that in your story…” Abby said quietly.

“I told you I was severely injured.” Sy pointed out.

“But you almost died…that’s sort of a big difference.”

“Does it change your mind?” Alli asked.

“No.” Abby said without hesitation, “times are different now. I’ll be safe, you know that.”

“Honey if this is what you really want to do I won’t let your mother chain you to the house like she wanted.” Alli punched Sy in the arm. Sy laughed lightly.

“I love you too honey.” The rest of the dinner was spent in silence. Abby helped her mom clean up the dishes and then all three of them sat on the back porch.

“Abby honey you should go in soon…you’ll need to be rested for tomorrow.”

“Yeah I guess…” Abby replied. But she didn’t make a move to leave.

“Sy what is her handle going to be?” Alli asked suddenly.

“You know I hadn’t thought about it.” Sy replied.

“My what?” Abby asked with confusion. Sy and Alli grinned to themselves.

“It’s like a nickname.” Sy explained.

“Well if she’s anything like you we should give her a name with a volatile temper…like hornet.” Alli teased. Abby frowned.

“I don’t like that…” She said. Alli laughed.

“I didn’t have a choice. They gave me mine.”

“Only because of me love.” Sy reminded her.

“What were yours?” Sy and Alli grinned.

“Wolf”

“Rabbit.” Abby raised an eyebrow.

“That’s…ironic?” Sy and Alli laughed.

“The I.A.C. has an interesting sense of humor.” Alli replied, “So I was thinking that we’d nickname you before they get a chance to.”

“I’ve got it.” Sy said with a grin, “A creature that’s smart, but can have a temper if threatened…something that has to do with both of our handles.”

“What is it?” Abby asked suspiciously.

“Fox.” Sy replied. Abby thought about it.

“I think there should be more to it than that…” Alli said.

“How about White Fox?” Abby asked.

“I like it.” Sy replied.

“Me too.” Alli agreed, “And it would probably be wise for you to only go by that name.”

“Why?” Their daughter asked.

“Well…Abby, your mother and I are somewhat famous…and if they knew you were our daughter then they might make things difficult for you.” Her mom explained.

“I see…” Abby said, “I had no idea that you two were so important.”

“I know…we tried to shelter you from it but we always knew there’d be a day when you’d find out…” Abby said sadly.

“So any tips for when I go tomorrow?” Abby asked as she stood up to leave.

“Trust your instincts and keep an open mind.” Alli said. Sy was quiet for a moment. She studied her daughter standing before her.

“Wait here.” Sy left the porch and headed to the attic. She gathered her old bow, a survival kit, a Swiss army knife, and headed back downstairs.

“Take these.” Sy said as she gave the gifts to her daughter. Alli smiled when she saw the bow.

“Thanks mom.” Abby replied as she turned the bow over in her hands.

“I want you to have this too.” Sy said as she removed her trademark bandana. Alli gasped.

“Sy in all the years I’ve known you I think that you’ve only taken that off once and that was to meet….” Alli stopped herself and Sy nodded.

“I know but I think that I should pass it on…sort of an heirloom I guess.” Sy replied extending the bandana towards her daughter. Abby took the piece of fabric and slipped it on her head. It pulled her dark curly hair out of the way of her face. Her brown eyes shone brightly with determination.

“It looks good on you.” Sy’s own lighter brown hair fell softly on her shoulders and the older woman felt a pang of sadness knowing that her daughter was grown up.

“It does look good on you.” Alli said tearing up a little bit. Sy walked behind her wife and wrapped her arms around Alli’s waist.

“We’re proud of you honey.” Sy said, “And we know you’re going to do your best. Now go get some sleep.” Abby smiled and headed up to her room. Sy and Alli stood on the porch a while longer and watched as the fireflies stared to appear.

“Why’d you give her that ratty old thing?” Alli teased as she ran her fingers through her partners now loose hair.

“Well it may sound silly but I always thought of it as a good luck charm…I guess I want to give it to her now.” Sy shrugged.

“Do you think you’re good enough now to not need luck?” Alli laughed. Sy chuckled and shook her head.

“No I just figured I used up all the luck there was left in it for me whenever you agreed to marry me.” Alli smiled softly at her wife.

“You really think she’ll be okay?” Alli asked again.

“We’ve got to let her go sometime.” Sy replied, “I believe in her. Plus she’s got your brains. Hopefully that’ll cancel out the temper she got from me.”

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

“What the fuck did you call me you pretentious little prick?” Abby seethed as she pushed her hiking boot harder on the boy’s throat. The boy’s eyes grew wide.

“I’m…sorry!” He chocked.

“You’d fucking better be sorry!” Abby growled, “No girl should be treated like that!” She heard chuckling behind her.

“You had it coming Dreamweaver.” Abby looked to the voice. A girl with short blue hair sat in on a branch high in a tree behind the Abby. Abby removed her foot from the squirming boy and gave him a kick in the side for good measure.

“How do you know him?” She asked.

“He’s my partner for the camp.” She replied as she hopped down, “He’s my spirit.” She pulled him off the ground with ease. He looked bashfully at the ground.

“Sorry…” He mumbled.

“Anyways I’m Vixen.” She extended her hand. Abby raised an eyebrow at the hand and took it tentatively.

“White Fox.” Abby said. She looked into Vixen’s fiery emerald eyes. It was only a glimmer of warning before the blue haired girl tried to throw Abby to the ground by taking Abby’s hand turning and trying to throw her over her shoulder. The dark haired teen countered by pulling her arm against the cupid’s neck and then pinned the cupid trainee face first into the tree she had previously jumped from.

“Clever Fox.” Vixen smiled.

“God that was hot…” Dreamweaver commented. Abby let go of Vixen and headed once again for the boy. Before she could get there a hand grabbed her wrist. She yanked forward and moved her foot to the side to trip the person to the ground. Suddenly Abby felt her legs being swept out from under her and she landed with a thud on top of the most beautiful girl she’d ever seen. If the fall hadn’t knocked her breath from her lungs the eyes staring at her would have stolen it away. Beautiful hazel eyes stared at her with a curious expression. A mixture of amusement, confusion…and something else…something that Abby couldn’t identify.

“Um hi?” The girl said. Her beautiful auburn hair fell gently around her face. Abby tried to speak but before she could,

“Get the fuck off my girlfriend!” Abby was pried away from those gorgeous eyes. And once again faced Vixen, this time her eyes were livid.

“What?” Abby blinked as she came out of her trance.

“I said get off my girlfriend!” She growled.

“I’m sorry she undercut my legs and I…” Vixen slammed her against the tree.

“Don’t you fucking let it happen again!” She said. The fire returned to Abby’s dark brown eyes. She shoved the girl away from her and to her surprise the blue haired cupid backed away in fear.

“What…what the fuck!” She stammered. Abby blinked. She looked to where the other girl was staring and started to panic. Her body was glowing. Abby watched the pulsating light,

“Okay…maybe things can get weirder.”