I entered the circle with my boom box. Willem the redcap, Georgio Waerjerk, Minerva, they were all there leading the Shadows side. As was Kaminari, wearing a dress as shimmery black as her pigtails. She glared with frightening intensity at me as she gripped her gossamer jump rope in two white-knuckled fists.
Silene and Sal stood front and center for the Silver. Silene wore what looked like a green bodysuit covered in thorns. Sal had found a red plaid jacket just large enough to wear, at least once the sleeves had been ripped off. Between that, his fur kilt-like fringe, and combat boots, he looked like some mad Scottish giant.
And beside them stood Pete and Vee.
“What—you guys shouldn’t be here!” I said, setting my boom box down beside them. Neither stood as tall as Sal, but still they were a head taller than most gathered there. Both wore jeans and leather jackets, and held hands. I would have found them adorable if we weren’t surrounded by brightbloods on the verge of war.
“You can’t make me go,” Pete said, putting on his stubborn scowl.
Vee let go of his hand and slipped her arm around his waist. “What Petey means is, you shouldn’t face this alone. And this affects both of us.” She blinked and looked at the space beside her. “Yes, sorry, all of us.” She looked back at me. “We’re here, and we’re staying. Deal with it.”
I sighed, but it was as much from relief as resignation. “It is nice to have you here,” I said. “Thank you. Wait. You didn’t tell Dawn, did you?”
“No,” Pete said, though he didn’t sound happy about it.
“Okay, good. I don’t want her distracted from her big show.” I pointed down at the boom box. “Push play when I give the signal?” I asked Pete.
He nodded. “Good luck, Brother.” Then he grabbed me in a sudden hug that felt like he was trying to squeeze the juice out of me. He let me go, and I almost fell backward.
“Uh, thanks, Brother.”
Silene held out her hand, palm out. “Blessings of the Bright on you, Gramaraye.”
“Thanks,” I said. I fetched the two Mountain Dew bottles out of the duffel, the contents replaced with truth potion. “Okay. Guess it’s time to boogie.”
I turned, and crossed the grass to face Barry.
“Clay couldn’t make it?” I asked, glancing past him at the gathered Shadows brightblood.
Barry shrugged, and announced loudly, “The local Archon for the Forest of Shadows regrets he could not attend, but it would be inappropriate for him to be directly involved in such an affair.” He leaned in a bit, and said quietly, “I think it’s just to cover his ass if things go sideways, dig?”
I glanced past him.
“Uh, if Clay’s not here to control Kaminari, what’s to keep her from throwing one of her temper tantrums?”
“Excellent question. If you somehow win, I guess nothing.”
I frowned. “Are you telling me to throw the contest?”
“Naw. I wouldn’t do that, brah! I’m just psyching you out. Papa Clay gave me a sleep potion to use on her if she goes all Veruca Salt again.”
“Okay then. Did you bring the other potions?”
“Minerva’s got ’em.”
We each had brought two truth potions in matching sixteen-ounce Mountain Dew bottles. After checking the bottles for marks magical or otherwise, we mixed them up randomly, and handed them out to two of the Shadows brightblood chosen by Barry, and two of the Silver brightblood chosen by Silene.
“Okay,” Minerva called out, her eyes glinting as they went wolf-yellow. “The four judges will drink the potions. Then the two champions shall dance for the length of a song. When the song ends, the judges shall pick which champion they felt was the greater dancer. If there is a tie, they will dance for another song, and shall continue to do so until a winner is chosen. The first dancer to win a majority of votes will be the victor. The one who does not shall lose his head. Any protests or questions?”
The gathered brightbloods shifted uneasily, but nobody spoke out.
“Ready to be schooled?” Barry asked.
“Go for it,” I said in my best Stallone. I looked at Pete, and gave him the nod.
Pete pushed play.
There hadn’t been much to look forward to at Port Townsend High except for the dances, at least in my day. And in one of the better periods of our relationship, Mort had convinced me to join him in his love of break dancing, determined that we would be the next Boogaloo Shrimp and Shabba-Doo. But more importantly, I had my mother’s love of dance in my blood.
Salt-N-Pepa’s “Push It” began playing, and I let the music flow through me, move me. My head shook to the beat, my arms pumped, I began running in place, like a maniac, a maniac, exploding out of the gate.
I spun away, throwing my arms out to my sides, faintly aware of Barry doing some kind of “sexy dance” undulation as I left him behind.
I stopped, pulled into myself, then exploded outward with my arms, and went into animal clawing motions dancing side to side, as though an animal spirit had burst out from within me and wanted to get down tonight.
Yeah yeah yeah. Mock if you want, but here’s the thing. I wasn’t dancing in a club trying to look good for the ladies, nor applying to a prestigious dance studio. I was dancing for a bunch of brightbloods, most of whom had animal or nature spirits of some kind within them. They were driven by instinct, by feeling, much more than the average human.
I danced for them, like a mill-town boy in a fight for his life.
I dance-skipped around the clearing, clawing at the air to the rhythm of the music. I leap-dove forward, rolling up onto my feet and jumping, pumping my fist into the air. I fight-danced.
I howled.
And the crowd loved it. I could tell the energy was with me, the Silver brightbloods whooping and shouting, the Shadows more watching me than Barry and nodding their heads despite themselves, lost in the emotion and energy of it all.
As I passed Silene, I saw her starting to move to the music as well, but she caught herself, her hand going to her chest.
I spun, round and round, and round again. And found myself facing Barry.
We squared off.
I gave him my best pop and lock. I started with a chest pop, looking down in feigned surprise as my heart seemed to be bursting out of my chest, and then moved into some waving, moving my body through imaginary hoops. I ended with some tutting, moving my hands through a rapid series of puzzle-like formations, before giving Barry the “in your face.”
Barry smiled, and went into some kind of pop and lock that seemed to defy physics.
*Dubstep,* Alynon said. *Welcome to two thousand eleven.*
The crowd soon cheered more loudly for Barry than me. And I couldn’t blame them. The way he leaned and floated and locked as he moved, it was impressive. Perhaps it was his brightblood strength that allowed him such feats, but even so, what he did with that strength was pretty frakking cool, even I had to admit.
I tried to take it back, to regain the crowd. I spun away from Barry, ran around the perimeter, pumping my fist in the air, spinning, whooping, giving the occasional jump kick, but they had seen that, and now my raw emotion was being outshone by Barry’s technical mastery.
And then the song ended.
I stopped, dripping sweat, breathing like a bellows, my back on fire.
Barry winked at me, looking calm as ever. The prick.
Minerva shouted, “Judges, tell us who you thought was the better dancer.”
Silene shouted, “Tell us whoever you thought danced best.”
Minerva growled. “That is what I said.”
“No,” Silene replied. “It isn’t.”
Kaminari hissed. “Watch your words, you little tree whore, or I’ll tear out your throat and you’ll talk no more!”
“Hey!” I said. “Everyone chill out. Let the judges judge. That’s why we’re here.”
The judges looked to their left-most member. The will-o-the-wisp from the Silver said, “Finn.”
&nbs
p; Not entirely surprising, but I felt hope flicker to life in my chest.
The next Silver, a water nymph, looked like she was trying to capture a live bug with her tongue as it ran around her mouth, but finally she blurted out, “Barry!” She looked to me, and shrugged. “Sorry. He flowed like water.”
Ah, crap, hold the holy. If I couldn’t even win both Silver, I had no chance of winning the duel.
The first Shadows judge, a woman with the black-veined markings of a witch, smiled and said, “Barry. So tasty.”
I felt my knees go a little wobbly, but managed to hide that and the sudden sick feeling from my expression. I was about to die. Sorry Aly. Maybe when I get beheaded, you’ll just be set free.
*Yeah, that seems likely.*
The final Shadows judge, a man I assumed to be a waer of some kind, spat out, “Finn.”
I began to turn as he spoke, to dissuade Pete and the Silvers from trying to do anything foolish, when his decision registered.
“Wait, what?” I said, turning back.
Minerva looked at the last judge. “You’re a gods-damned waerjackal. How could you not vote for Barry?”
He looked miserable, and when Kaminari also turned to look at him he looked outright terrified. He stammered, “Finn moved me. I never liked that robot crap. I didn’t ask to be a judge!”
I had a second chance at life.
So did Barry. He’d pulled out some amazing moves at the end there. But I felt like I had a strong connection with the audience, and now that I knew what had persuaded the judges, I could play to that. Barry could, too, sure, but I had an edge—I wasn’t hampered by a need to look cool. And ironically, that would let me show Barry how it felt to be the less popular one, no longer the crowd favorite.
“A break,” I said. “If that’s okay?” I asked Barry.
He shrugged. “Sure. Ten minutes?” Barry tried to sound casual, but was that uncertainty I detected?
“Ten minutes,” I agreed.
I felt like I’d need ten days to recover, but ten minutes would do for now. I headed back toward Pete and the boom box, stretching my back to fight the stiffness wanting to settle in for a long visit.
I could do this. I could actually beat that bastard.
I stopped. I looked at Barry a minute, then I looked at Silene.
I could beat Barry. Maybe. But that wasn’t what was at stake here. And I wasn’t the one who really needed to beat him.
Pete slapped me on the shoulder. “Good moves, Brother!”
I smiled. “Thanks, Pete. Excuse me a minute.” I pulled Silene away from the crowd. As I did, I heard Kaminari practically screech, “Barry, you stupid cow, I want to talk with you NOW!”
Silene and I moved beneath the swing set, and I saw Kaminari and Barry disappear behind the camp’s office cabin. I didn’t envy Barry. I hoped he had that sleep potion ready.
I rested against one of the cold steel support poles.
“I’m tagging you in,” I said to Silene. “I’m making you my champion. Well, your own champion, really.”
Silene took a step back and shook her head. “No. I cannot. I do not dance anymore.”
“I know. But if I do this, it won’t show them the strength of the Silver, it will just show them that I can dance. You need to do this, for your clan.” And for herself.
“If you will not face him again,” she replied, “then I will find another.”
“We only have a couple minutes. It has to be you.”
“I said I cannot. I—I’ve lost the grace, the music of laughter and life that once flowed through me.” She looked at the tops of the evergreens swaying gently in the evening breeze. “I cannot hear it anymore. And I no longer have the confidence of beauty—” She shook her head again. “I am a creature of knots and hardened sap, I am a rosebush in winter. I am a vessel of love and light no more.”
“Then dance what you feel,” I said. “Don’t try to be the Silene you were, playing on the passions of others. Be the Silene you are. Show them your passion.”
Silene looked back to the crowd. Barry had returned, juggling pinecones. Kaminari was nowhere to be seen. Hopefully that meant Barry had knocked her out with that potion. I didn’t want to think about her out there somewhere in the trees, plotting to attack.
The crowd parted for Barry, and he gave them his easy smile.
“He is everything I once was,” Silene said softly, watching him. “Beautiful. Confident.”
“Do you think you were better then than you are now?” I asked.
She looked back at me, as if surprised by the question. “I was happy then.”
“And your fellow brightbloods were being addicted and used, and had nobody they trusted to lead them to a better future,” I said. “Think of Challa. Aren’t you happy for her, that she’s safe and healing rather than being abused?”
“Of course.”
“Then see, you have happiness now. Focus on that, on everything you’ve gained and done. If anyone can celebrate growth, it should be a tree spirit.”
She looked again at the crowd, her hand going to her chest. “I am not sure that will be enough to move them.”
“Everyone has their own scars,” I said. “Not always physical, but we have them. Brightbloods can certainly understand the power scars hold. And what strength it takes to move past them.”
“Hey, Finn,” Barry called from the circle. “Time’s up, brah! Not giving up, are ya?”
“Well?” I asked Silene. “Are you giving up?”
“No,” she said. “No. I will dance. And I will show him how thin and barren is the foundation his charm rests upon.”
34
Back to Life
Silene stepped into the circle as I moved to stand between Sal and Pete.
Barry gave Silene a smug smile.
“What’s this?” Minerva asked, looking past the pair to me with her bright wolf eyes. “Afraid of losing?”
“No,” I said. “I had my fun. It’s Silene’s turn.”
Barry shrugged. “Seems a shame to remove such a pretty head from such pretty shoulders, though. ’Course, from what I hear, that’s about as far as the pretties go.”
“Is that your best thorn, puppy?” Silene responded. “You should have stayed at home and humped your master’s leg.”
“Whoa, harsh,” Barry said with a smile. “I’m so going to enjoy marking your tree as mine. Now, are we going to dance or waste more time?”
“Ready?” I said, and pushed play.
“Flashdance … What a Feeling” began playing with its soft synth and vocal intro.
Barry began moving at Silene in a sinuous, suggestive back-and-forth movement.
Silene whirled away from him, her eyes closed. And she began to dance.
It started with subtle, hesitant movements. Then, like the increased swaying of trees that heralds a growing storm, the movements became larger, more sweeping, more powerful. And every movement carried her smoothly away from Barry, dismissing him without Silene ever seeming to be aware of him.
I saw hints of the dancing I remembered from her memory in the Other Realm, the dance of a creature whose existence centered on free love and the celebration of joy, but the motions evolved as she moved, as her new self found expression. The movements hinted somehow that the love that now flowed through her was love for her tree, for her clan, for her cause.
The song’s dance beat kicked in, and Silene’s movements became stronger, reminding me a bit of the passionate anger dance from Footloose, a compelling call to never, never, never hide your heart.
Silene’s thorny bodysuit broke apart and drifted away like falling leaves, and she raised her arms to the sky as if in triumph.
She no longer danced. She had become a creature of passion given physical form. She did not seduce with her movements, but rather she seduced us toward her passions. She challenged, and she raised in me a sudden desire to do more, to somehow match the passion of her dancing in some form, any form, in my own life. She
celebrated the power of her limbs, the grace of a body created of magic and nature to be impossible to resist. And in her dancing, the scar no longer seemed a blemish on nature’s design, it became part of her beauty, a reason to be drawn to her. It became a pink knotted rune of courage. A symbol of strength. A map of possibility. And then it simply ceased to matter.
When the music stopped, I realized I’d barely registered what Barry did for most of the dance, that I’d forgotten to watch him for comparison.
Given the way the rest of the crowd blinked and looked around, I was not the only one.
“Silene,” the first judge said without being asked.
“Silene,” the second said immediately after.
“Silene,” the third said, her tone one of grudging respect.
Silene turned as the fourth judge made it unanimous, tears running down her cheeks, and was quickly surrounded by her cheering brightbloods. Barry, who’d begun to walk toward her with an upheld hand, frowned in frustration. He didn’t seem particularly afraid or worried about what his loss meant, though.
“Please,” Silene said, raising her hands. She practically glowed with her own light. “I wish to speak.”
Her clothing reformed, green flowing up from the ground to wrap around her and create the bodysuit as her brightbloods moved back to give her space. She stood on tiptoes to see over their heads.
“I hereby spare the life of my opponent as a show of mercy and goodwill between the Silver and the Shadows,” she said. “We have both lost cousins in these past months to the plots and plans of others who would pit us each against the other, and one more life lost will not help any but our enemies.”
She held out her arm, and the thin line of brightbloods between her and Barry parted as she moved forward to shake his hand. “I hope that this marks the end of our battle with each other, and the start of a battle for the safety and rights of all—”
Barry grabbed her hand and yanked her to himself. At the same time, spider legs sprouted out of his back, and he screamed, “Attack, attack!”
Chaos erupted. Several Silver brightbloods and I rushed toward Silene, but Barry—or rather Kaminari, who’d obviously taken Barry’s place—jumped away in the direction of the forest, and the river.
Bigfootloose and Finn Fancy Free Page 38