One Bird, Two Stones

Jocelyn let out a sigh as she tugged on her blouse. She was feeling really nervous suddenly. She had talked to Allison and told her that she had something really important to talk to the woman with. As usual, Allison acted like Jocelyn should be lucky that Allison even picked up her phone. She was dismissive and terse and mocking and hateful. Jocelyn clenched her fist. She just wished that she had something to punch.

She would. Allison's stupid face! Soon enough! And then... when the woman had had enough, she would make sure that Allison begged her to make it up to her by doing much nicer things to her face... and the rest of her body. Jocelyn felt her lips open and she let out a hot sigh as she suddenly felt warmth run through her body. She shook it away and furrowed her brow. That woman. She had said that if Jocelyn absolutely MUST meet up with her, that she was having some lunch. Jocelyn memorized the address like it was branded into her skull and was off.

She checked herself once more and she was off. She looked down at herself. She was wearing the clothes Allison had given her the last time they had met. That horrible day. One of the worst in her life. And yet.. she had come away with some treasures for sure. She had spent her money to have the garments tailored to fit her curves and, in her mind, to make sure that Allison could never take them back. She had washed them and worn them as often as was decent in the time she had them fitted. She didn't think any thing of it. She approached what looked like a really fancy bistro. It was partially gated with a stone wall keeping passersby from looking in at the guests. It was really nice. It didn't stop Jocelyn. However, the maitre d' at the front of the entrance did. Jocelyn scowled.

"Watson. I'm with her." She snarled. The man looked down and checked his sheet. "It seems that reservation has been filled. Her and her guest have already arrived. Jocelyn's eyes widened. "G-Guest!?" She sputtered. Her cheeks flushed and she angrily pushed past the Maitre D' who tried to decide how risky it was to try and deal with the petulant Chistralian.

Jocelyn didn't even look back and instantly spotted Allison chatting with another blonde girl who had a top hat and was sipping some tea. She seemed to have a wide smile on her face . It pissed Jocelyn off.Jocelyn stormed over to their corner table and scowled at the two. "What the hell, Sarah!?" She blurted out, not caring that other patrons may be upset by her brash outrage. "Who the hell is this!?" She said jabbing a thumb at Violate.

The blonde girl's ear had twitched whens he heard the boisterous bellows of Jocelyn from the entrance. But she remained calm and sipped her tea pleasantly, holding up her conversation with Allison without breaking stride, only keeping an eye out for Jocelyn from her peripheral. But when she was addressed so plainly, she blew on her tea, took a sip, set her cup down and swiveled her head. "Fufufu..." She chuckled as her eyes gleamed. "Is this the little Alice that's been dashing through your Wonderland?" She said with a flicker of a glance towards Allison.

"You're a looney twat, aren't you?" Jocelyn said, grinding her teeth as if that would instantly cause an explanation to be presented by either girl.

"Oh!" Violate said and then chuckled. "Fufufu, We're all mad here..." She declared and then stood up. "Change places!" She added and then swung and grabbed Jocelyn by the shoulders and forced her down into her seat. She leaned in close tot he girl who was flabbergasted and fidgety. "You'll need a vorpal sword for that one." She said and threw a sly glance towards Allison, knowing she would hear.

She then took a step back and bowed, tipping her hat. "Let the little one have my next cup. I'll take care of everything so you two can continue in peace, fufufu. It's been a pleasure as always, my dearest Allis. Please, let's do this again, sooner." She said with a smile and a twinkle in her eye as she slid back and then made her way into the restaurant to take care of the bill.

Allison didn't acknowledge Jocelyn in any way when she made her very uncouth appearance. "I hardly think she's Alice, dear Vi." She said softly and then sipped her tea, holding the handle of the delicate china cup with two fingers and her thumb.

She placed the cup back on it's saucer and placed the saucer back on the table, and smoothed the white table cloth next to it. A tuna fillet, dressed with roe and a sauce that delicately balanced jalapeno and raspberry and infused with the subtle bitterness of the micro-greens it rested upon, sat partially eaten in the middle of her plate. She sat with her legs crossed, one knee directly over the other, with her shapely calf peeking out from under the table cloth. She wore a navy blue dress with a fitted bodice and a flowing skirt, and a silver chain necklace and matching bracelet. Her nails were manicured and painted a red like the color of a rich Pinot Noir.

Finally, she placed her hands in her lap and glanced up at Jocelyn, only to give her a look for wearing the same outfit she'd given her before. Certainly, she couldn't expect the girl to show the slightest bit of refinement. She should always expect to be disappointed, but then one must have expectations in order to be disappointed. Allison wasn't sure that Jocelyn had that sort of sway over her at the moment, though she was certainly interested in some things that she intended to take from the foul little girl.

"Sit down." She said, her voice like heavy velvet. "Thank you, Violate." She nodded to the mad hatter, and then sat and waited for Jocelyn. It wasn't clear if she was thinking of what to say, or if she was waiting for Jocelyn to say something. She remained still like a crane waiting for prey.

Jocelyn was overcome by the top hatted blonde's antics. She carefully eyed her until she disappeared into the restaurant and then turned her attention towards Allison with a snarl. "Who the fuck was that!?" She snapped as if Allison was the dog and she were the master. "Why don't you treat her like shit, like you do with me?' She said callously. She sighed and looked down at the warm tea cup left behind by Violate. She pushed it aside and leaned forward, closing her eyes and rubbing her temples. "Whatever. It's not like you would answer anyway. You're such a cunt." She tried to focus on the task at hand.

"Anyway..." She said blushing as she looked up at Allison. The woman was beautiful and all her hate had clouded that but suddenly it came rushing back and she looked over Allison's form. She furrowed her brow and shut her eyes. "I hate you..." She whispered softly before opening her eyes. "I did what you asked. I met with Dinah." She said. "She's a real hard cunt too. I told her I would get you to come with me to a place where she would be waiting. She wants me and her to get you, together." Jocelyn grinned.

"But you know I'd never betray you, Sarah." She said sweetly. "I can't let anyone else do anything to you. You're mine forever." She said and flashed her eyelashes at Allison as though she could charm the elder blonde.

Allison ate several more bites of her lunch while Jocelyn spoke, giving her no sign that she was even listening. There was nothing about her that was careless, not a single movement that was not intentional. When she ate the last bite, she dabbed her mouth with her embroidered white cloth napkin, and then fixed her withering, green eyes on Jocelyn.

"Because she isn't." She said, in response to her earlier question. She let it hang in the air a moment before she went on, completely ignoring Jocelyn's trollish attempts at charm. "I expect you know enough to know that a meeting between Dinah and I would likely be rather unpleasant. Are you quite certain you would be able to dissuade her from whatever sort of unpleasantness she has in mind?" She asked, and then added in a noticeably lower tone "Do you know who she is?"

Jocelyn ground her teeth at Allison's words. So that freak wasn't shit? Jocelyn was? It broiled her up on the inside. She clenched her fist tightly but made no motions otherwise. She carefully listened to Allison's words and turned her head. "She's a roided up arselickin twat. The only muscle she doesn't have to spare is the one between her eyes. I may say a lot of shit about you, Sarah, but Even I know that there's no comparison between the two of you. For all the bitch you are, at least you have class. At least you look good doing it. She's just a chunder headed thug." She nodded and looked at Allison. The Chistralian meant it too. At least Allison liked to play the game. Even if the game was torturing people sadistically. Jocelyn frowned at the thought. How screwed up did that make her? It made her skin crawl.

"So..." Jocelyn said. "Why not just set up a counter ambush or something? I mean. I figured it wouldn't be so bad if you could set things up ahead of time. That's why I came to you. All I have to do is give her a call and tell her where to be. She's waiting for you right now."

Allison breathed a dainty laugh. "You've certainly met the right girl." She remarked.

To her, Dinah was still a girl, unsure of how to handle her body and insecure enough to make her low hanging fruit for anyone with a quick wit and a barbed tongue. She might be the hulking pride of the RAF now, but she would always be a frustrated little girl to Allison.

"Do you have so little confidence in me that you think I could not handle meeting Dinah, even under the worst circumstances? If you have not gathered by now, I will tell you. I am capable of many things much more brilliant than managing an ill tempered horse of a woman." She said, her tone becoming slightly cross. She arranged her fork and knife in an X on her plate and placed her napkin next to it.

"So if you really want to help me, then why would I meet her at all? I can avoid her, if you think that's what I want. Do you wish to see our showdown? Do you want the thrill that accompanies the possibility of my untimely demise? Hm, darling." She stood up and put on her long, black coat.

"Are you ready then?"

Seeing Allison laugh in any capacity that wasn't derisive was refreshing to Jocelyn. it made her beam like she had accomplished something significant. She needed any thing she could get, even if it was accidental. With how much Allison beat her down, an errant display of humanity felt like Allison was washing her with praise. Jocelyn suddenly felt sick but she ignored it. She was probably just nervous.

Jocelyn stood up like a commanded pet as Allison rose and moved to follow her. "Avoid her..." Jocelyn said, letting the words roll over her tongue. "Right..." She said. "That doesn't sound like you at all, Sarah. I never thought such a bullocks buster would be so afraid of someone that she'd just hide..." She was more or less thinking out loud and looked introspectively at Allison while she did it. Did she make the wrong choice? She desired Allison because of her strength and suddenly it seemed like the woman had allowed some weakness to show through.

But it stirred something inside of her. Like a hyena who had been forced to live off the scraps of the bloated lioness. Her ribs shown through her skin with malnutrition because the gluttonous cat only deemed her worthy of bones and unsavory carrion. It was like she had come across that lioness who had been wounded by a brave gazelle and now laid injured and vulnerable. She licked her lips a t the thought of the glorious hyena's feast that awaited her.

"I think a show like that... would be absolutely priceless, Sarah." She said with obvious glee in her tone. "Where should I have her set up the 'ambush'? She asked curiously.

Allison was quiet while she walked to the door and out into the frozen winter stillness. She looked up at the overcast sky and walked down the sidewalk, her gate stately and composed as always. She didn't answer Jocelyn for some time, and when she did there was hesitation in her voice.

"Jocelyn..." She said. "You're quite eager to make something of yourself. Hopeless though you may be now, one is never quite beyond hope while they are dedicated to doing what is required." She spoke somewhat slowly, as if choosing each word carefully. "But you should not forget to exercise discretion. Not all battles can be won, and so one must avoid them and wait for the right moment. Winning is the most important thing, after all, isn't it?"

She glanced over at Jocelyn. Parked on the side of the road, already running, was her black Maserati. She pulled the door handle and paused. "Today is not the day." She said. She got in the car and drove off before Jocelyn could even think about getting in with her.

Jocelyn followed Allison as she walked out of the bistro. She furrowed her brow as the blonde remained silent. She hated being ignored. Moreso by Allison. She felt like a puppy who was happily trotting along waiting for her master to give her a treat when in the back of he mind, she knew that the only thing coming was a swat on her nose with a newspaper.

But when Allison spoke, it caught the Chistralian off guard. She sucked in a breath as she felt her cheeks heat up from the deep blush on them. Allison was stating a fact but to Jocelyn, it felt like a thousand belly rubs or ear scratches. And then...

She was gone.

Jocelyn stood blinking as the car pulled away and she was a statue well past the point where it could no longer be seen. Then her fists clenched and puffed out her chest. "FUCKING COWARD!" She screamed. Her head turned. "Tch. <I never thought you would be scared of anything. That you could ever show weakness...> She spat out the words in Chinese, like somehow if she said them in English, they would reach Allison's ear.

"Fufufu..."

Jocelyn's ear twitched as she heard the subtle laugh but before she could turn around, she felt something hard in her back. She turned her head and saw Violate. Her tone wavered as she tried to sound tough and unimpressed. "What... the hell do you think you're doing! You fucking nutter.."

"Oh my, fufufu..." Violate said with a grin as she leaned forward. "Just having a look at Allis' little pet. You're quite lovely, though I think a bow in your hair would add so much more, fufufu..." Violate pouted. "Oooh, but I am sad that she hasn't shared me with you. Keeping her all to herself. It makes me rather cross."

Jocelyn's heart raced. She had no clue what was going to happen next. Violate leaned forward, her free hand grabbing one of Jocelyn's arms lightly and pulling her into the stiff object that pushed into her back. "Why don't I escort you home... Japan isn't safe these days. You never know what kind of maniacs are running around... fufufu..."

Jocelyn swallowed hard and stepped forward. Her mind raced. What should she do? She thought about bolting but she wondered if Violate would actually do what Jocelyn thought she was going to. For the moment, she decided to just go with the flow and started walking. Violate smiled as she walked with the girl and after a few moments of silence, she spoke up.

"Why do you like Alls so much?" She asked curiously. "Aside from her grace and impeccable charm, fufufu..."

Jocelyn's eyes widened. "I.. I don't!" She shut her mouth and then tightened her lips, letting out a sigh. "I don't know... I just..." She paused. "She has everything. I want that."

"You want ... everything?" Violate repeated, tilting her head.

"Not.. EVERYTHING!" Jocelyn said, a little frustrated by the words. "She's strong... beautiful... desirable... Any woman would want her..."

"Want... her?"

"Want to be her!" Jocelyn corrected, stuffing her chin downward, blushing deeply.

"She is delicious... fufufu... But... you're interested in something more forbidden... fufu..."

"SHUT UP!" Jocelyn screeched. She turned around and Violate threw up her hand and pushed the gun into Jocelyn's head.

"Very feisty. No wonder Allis goes on and on about you."

Jocelyn scaled a mountain of emotions suddenly and panted hot breaths as she stared up at Violate's gun. "She... hah... she does?" Her voice cracked and uplifted. The gun suddenly seemed nonexistent and she more interested in Violate's words.

"Oh yes, fufufu... I know she's harsh with you, but it's only because she loves you so dearly. She couldn't possibly live without you if she were honest with herself. But she wants you to be strong. She just isn't used to showing emotions like love and caring. Really, she's doing her best. I'm sure that you'll get everything you desire if you just stick with her and put your nose to the grindstone." Violate smiled and looked at Jocelyn in the eyes. The Chistralian looked like she had just had the best Christmas ever.

"I don't like to see her torment you so. So, I thought I would brighten your spirits a bit. Bang." She pulled the trigger and squirted Jocelyn in the face with her water gun. "Fufufu..."

"G-Gaaah!" Jocelyn yelped and scrubbed her face. "What the fuck!?"

"Would you have listened to me seriously if I had said this from the beginning?"

"I.. uh..." Jocelyn knit her brow. "Well.. I don't know..." She said seriously. Probably not.

"Go on then..." Violate said with a smile. She then brought her gun and outstretched her index finger and shushed Jocelyn. "Shhhh. Don't go telling her now. I'm sure if she knew, she'd just ride you harder."

Jocelyn nodded. "Right, mate! Good on ya!" Jocelyn said and turned, running off. She had a big grin on her face as she ran back to her apartment.

Violate watched her leave and began to laugh. "Oh... oh dearest, dearest Allis. You will most certainly have to repay me for this favor I have done you! Fufufufufu!" She blew on her squirt gun and holstered it.

********

Jocelyn slept good that night and the next day she was up bright and early. She did some exercising and made some breakfast. She even decided to send an email back home. It always felt good to write whens he was in a good mood and it had been a while. Maybe her mum even had some new pictures of her baby sis. She frowned at the thought that she still had never met her sister in person. She sighed and finished everything up. By the time she was showered and dressed it was the afternoon.

She had decided to give Dinah a call. She needed to talk strategy with the woman and decided the best way to do that was to meet her face to face. She decided to ask her to come and meet her at a local gym. It was in Dinah's wheelhouse, she thought, but that was o. Nothing was going to stop her now that she was riding a high.

Dinah was in a foul mood, as she often was, but they never lasted long. A woman like her had little to be upset by. Dinah had a pedigree, she was physically superior, she was strong, imposing. She was someone who took what she wanted. She had a good day every day.

She experienced mixed emotions when she pulled her phone from her pocket and saw the phone number of that mongrel street rat. With a tight-lipped sneer she brought the phone up to her ear and answered it. Maybe she could finally put this troublesome business behind her.

"Time and place?" She said bluntly. She rarely, if ever, began her phone calls with "hello". She ended the call without another word. A gym was hardly the sort of place Allison would go to. Sweating in public in front of strangers, no, that wasn't like her. She was too high brow for that.

Dinah remembered when Allison decided that their family's ways weren't good enough for her, and when she began to manufacture her pretentious attempts at sophistication. Dinah saw straight through that, she knew better. Their family, families, were wealthy and influential, powerful, but that wasn't enough for Allison. She wanted to be royalty.

Once she succeeded in looking up directions on her phone, Dinah decided to walk to the gym. It was only twelve blocks, and the journey would help her to clear her mind before she dirtied it again with Allison and her mutt.

She arrived, pushed through the door and immediately drew stares from the few people there putting in a midday workout. She didn't shrink away at all from their gazes, it was only natural that they would be impressed. She was impressive, especially compared to these little Japanese people. It was hard to tell the men from the women half the time. Dinah laughed out loud at them, loudly.

"Have you seen a horrible little rat 'round here? Looks like you but sounds like a Sydney street corner? Eh?" She asked the compact but muscular man behind the desk in the front of the gym. Her voice was loud, sure to the point of arrogance, with a commanding tone that the military had instilled in her.

When the man didn't answer right away, she waved her hands dismissively at him. "Ah, you probably don't speak proper, do ya? Forget it, I'll find the little bitch, how hard could it be?" She laughed loudly. She stood up tall and put her hands on her hips and faced the length of the gym.

"Oi!!"