Its All About Molly

by Mr. David R. Dorrycott

For Mr. Simon L. Barbers study and decision

“She is completely mad you know” a soft spoken voice announced, its gentle sound easily cutting through the darkness on Main Islands five yard jungle. That voice was speaking the Spontoon language, and was answered in the same.

A large tiger stopped his movements, taking the time to adjust his thoughts before answering. “Honored Mother. It is understood that she is mad” he answered the gazelle who was leading him. “It is also true that in the last ninety days she has destroyed three holdings, injured nineteen men and seven women. Madness has its place Honored Mother. But this one is too dangerous.”

Her long antlers swaying as she nodded in agreement, yet missing every leaf as they did so the gazelle looked forward. “She has been watching us the last half hour” she reported. “Yet has made no move against us. Do you know why?”

“She is leading us into a trap” the tiger answered.

“Yes, a rather well constructed trap at that. One does wonder, what use one such as her has for a middle aged gazelle and a rather athletic tiger?”

“Yes. One does. We return, now. It is only a scouting mission.” He turned, walking back the way he had come. Behind him the gazelle took one last look into the darkness, making a movement with her right paw. “Peace daughter” she whispered. “Your freedom does not end this day.” Then she too turned her back to that danger as though it were no more than a whisper in the wind, and followed the tiger. Behind them two mad eyes watched, while a soft snarl of failure came from black lips as a waiting feline eased further into the jungle.

Two days later the hound known as Miss Devinski was sitting in one of Song Sodas private rooms. With her were four other females. A feline, the Great Mother. Known only as Saimmi to those she allowed. A vixen Shinto priestess known as Urako, the calico storm dancer called Dia-Kura. But only called such should you want your sleep bothered. And a mouse who had once been a Miko, and was now openly acknowledged as Saimmi’s Shield. Oharu Wei.

“I seem to be outnumbered today” the hound laughed before sipping her coffee. Having read the report that had appeared at Helen Whitehall’s home this morning she already knew all that was to know. For now. All there was left was to determine a direction. It was a good chance that Songmark would lose another daughter. “Too what do I owe the honor of such a gathering?”

“Great Mother Catherine” Saimmi answered with an icy scolding tone. “You of all know the fullness of this meeting. We are all the same this day. It is time to complete that which was started not long ago.”

“Molly” Catherine Devinski added, so certain was she of the subject matter. And she had never heard that tone from Saimmi in her life, not even before she had become great Mother.

“Molly” the younger feline agreed. “It is time that she accepted her fate. Accepted what she is now. Or passed on. She has become too dangerous to the people of Spontoon to allow her madness any more. It is time we dealt with her. For better or ill.”

“Else tha Allthing is gonna have her hunted down and fed to crabs” Dia-Kura finished. Her words resulted in another sharp look from Saimmi. One that could melt high test steel, causing the little feline to pull into herself. It was sadly evident that Spontoon’s High Priestess was very unhappy, and very fed up about something. Or some one.

“My daughter is quite correct” the feline continued. “Already three hunters have gone out. One has returned, only because he obeyed his guides warning.”

“That would be Hera” the yellow furred hound agreed. “Smartest thing that tiger ever did this year. The others?”

“Have yet to be located” Urako answered in faltering Spontoonie. “My assistant. To village for celebration she went. Never returned. Has not been seen since leave village. I worry.”

Air hissed through the hounds teeth. “She would not kill them. Even in her madness. Surely not?”

It was Oharu who spoke next. “In her madness nothing is forbidden my pet” the mouse explained. “Part of my memories are now forever within her mind, as are parts of her’s within mine. I can not know what of me she has, but it must be causing her great pain to drive her so.”

“I think not” Saimmi countered, her voice though not quite as sharp was sharper than it had ever been to the mouse. “Oharu. You take too much to yourself. This is completely the doing of that doe and her feline minder. You have done nothing but what your were trained to do. The madness is fully from that doe. Most likely seeded in her fertile mind by her own father.” She turned her attention to Catherine. “You will not accept such an terribly unstable student again” she ordered.

“We thought her stable” the hound snapped back. “We are not mind readers, we could not know of her foolish belief in ‘the Sapphic seed.’ Or what such would do to her eventually. She is not the first of our students to have a female desire her against her own desirers. That she could not simply turn away and forget, but let the subject burn her soul. This is beyond our abilities to know from a simple admission form.” She took a deep breath, forcing her emotions to calm in a way that would please the mouse Oharu. “ What are our options then” Miss Devinski asked, already knowing what the answer must be, but needing it out in the open for all to hear.

Saimmi herself forced her emotions to calm, though she very much wished to take a certain mouse over her knee. And a certain calico. The calico she decided, would certainly feel her paw. Oharu, probably as well. But this was neither the time or place. Instead she answered the question.

“As we all know. The Allthing wishes Molly, or Megan as she is publically known, placed within the hospital. To remain all her life unless she recovers on her own. We have all searched the fires, smokes and other ways.” Her eyes turned to Dia-Kura. Known as the storm Dancer, whom Saimmi knew looked not into fires for her answers, but the pure heart of the lightning. “That, or to feed the crabs” Saimmi continued. “Myself. I have spoken to all my daughters, as well as daughters from other faiths. Three paths are open to us. Heal her, destroy her as Henrika is destroyed, or send her to the beyond as was her original fate. To die before her graduation. We were all aware this would occur. That there were no paths but death for that doe upon her arrival. That the Dark One erased her as one would erase a blackboard was horror beyond horror. That my daughter Oharu had saved her personality for her own love was a gift beyond belief. Thus we must heal her, destroy her.” She opened her paws palm up “Or send her on.”

Standing, Miss Devinski stepped away from the table. Her tail swished behind her in agitation as she paced the few steps open to her. “I will not have another Henrika” she announced. “One such Shattered Eagle is enough. Another would destroy Songmark.” She paused, looking into her paws. Those that watched easily detected the energy radiating from the hounds open palms. “Should she need to die. These paws will send her to the beyond. No others” the hound decided. “She will be returned, if it is possible.” Having made her decision she paced twice more, then returned to her seat, waiting.

Saimmi looked towards her daughter Oharu, who returned that gaze as an equal in this case. “It has been done many times” the mouse agreed to that unspoken question. “It would be easier. With Fumiyo’s assistance. Yet it can be done without her. In time. With great care.”

“This is no easy task?” Saimmi asked.

“It has never been such. With her great hate. I may hope only to find a balance within her. At best she will always be as she was before. Even so...” The mouse blinked. “My chances to save her are not Good Great Mother. I have never made such a piecing before. That it can be done I know. That it has been yes. That I have such experience. No.”

“Even so” Urako continued. “It is possible that Oharu may lose her own life. She must be both bait. To draw the mad one out. And cure. Both are deathly dangerous tasks. Because she cannot defend herself from the doe’s assault and as Molly no longer fears death, Oharu’s one advantage over her is gone forever.”

“That is why I have chosen Dia-Kura to assist her” Saimmi explained. “She is not known as the Storm Dancer simply because she plays in the rain. You will assist...”

This conversation went on for nearly an hour, each member of the group eventually taking their leave to prepare what was their task. Finally only the High Priestess Saimmi and Songmarks Miss Devinski remained. Facing the younger feline Catherine Devinski cocked her head to one side. “My part in this is now well known to me. Why have you signaled for me to remain?” she asked softly.

“Very good reasons my dear friend, and Sister in the Arts. My daughters have come to me, one or several at a time since I took upon myself this weight I now hold. As they had spoken to Huakava before. Your admission of your task. Self appointed yes, but an important task. To raise into the light those who will be the mothers of a new generation. A generation that understands women are not property, but equals. To raise into the light women of purpose. Women who will not bend their knee, not lower their eyes simply because some male tells them too. Before the time of written history women were equal to all, lead, ruled. Long have we been the wiping rag of males. Your decision to end this was why Selvana backed your school. Against the will of the Allthing.”

Catherine sighed, placing her paws flat upon the table. “And now it is time to pay the piper. Isn’t it.”

Saimmi smiled a friendly smile before she answered. “My dear sister. You are the last living Priestess of your kind. You are the last Bull Dancer. Though a few of your students have shown interest in your ways, none have shown interest in teaching at Songmark. Have they?”

Catharine’s returning smile was a bitter one. “I had hopes, until you took Helen. I had hopes, until Blackwater took Ulla. There is one who will be First Year my smoke dreams gives promise. Still no, none have taken up the weight of Instructor. What have you in mind?”

“Huakava, and my daughters are of one mind” Saimmi answered. “Thus am I. There must always be a Miss Devinski leading Songmark. By birth, by blood or by adoption. Else Songmark will fall. Thus as by compact you cannot marry or bear a child while still an Instructor, I have spoken with the Spirits for Guidance.”

Catherine laughed. “And they passed your message to the Gods. Who mulled it over and said?”

Saimmi almost laughed herself. “Choose for her a daughter” she answered.

Catherine stopped laughing so fast she almost choked. “Who? Elizabeth? She is already married. Though she’d be a fine instructor otherwise. Someone I would have gladly given my name to in adoption.”

“No. The bobcat has her own destiny I fear, and it may not be a pleasant one. Still she should survive. With luck and your training.” Reaching into a bag she had carried the feline removed a book. A passport that was. A Spontoon passport. “She will need this, and other papers that will be made available. When needed. And please my sister. Do not think that this was an easy task for me. Many days were spent in argument. Consultation.” She made a face of disgust. “Politics. Such a filthy business. Still it is done.”

Picking up the passport, and finding that her paw shook with its weight, Catherine Devinski opened the cover. Opened it, read and gasped. “Never. I will not accept.”

“You will not pay the piper?” Saimmi asked, a twinkle in her eye as she spoke. It was, the feline discovered, difficult to keep her tail still. “Then you have no further need for Songmark?”

“But she is mad” the hound snapped, her own tail beginning to bottle. “Incurable.”

“So they say. But they are but Doctors” the feline agreed. “Studying a patient without seeing her. My faith is in my daughter Oharu, and her love of the doe. Though doe she may never be again. If it can be done she will do this. If it cannot, then another will be chosen for you. I have in mind one who will be second year this coming Songmark season. Urako has carefully informed me that to attempt to transfer Molly’s mind again will fail. That what has been done has placed great strain upon that which is Molly Procyk. A house of cards which fell upon itself. Only Oharu knows her well enough to have any chance to re-stack, and seal those cards again. A second time? Impossible. Even for that star crossed mouse.”

“Megan Devinski” the hound whispered. “Instructor of Songmark Aeronautical School for Girls. Why her?”

“She is available” Saimmi admitted. “The idea interests me, and to be honest. I do not think that you can manage her training.”

For some time the hound sat, looking at the booklet in her paws. Finally she made her decision. “Five shells?”

“Done” Saimmi laughed. “I shall be the richer for it, either way.”

A day later the vixen Urako found herself visited by Spontoons High Priestess. “All is as ready as I am able” she reported as she served tea. “This though, is not why you are here.”

“No” Saimmi admitted before sipping her tea. It was a brew she did not much like, but one that was offered in kindness. “Molly must pass on.”

Urako stopped her movements, the soft silk of her clothing moving not a hair so still she was. “This will hurt Oharu” she eventually admitted.

“But you are not surprised” the feline asked, not without a touch of amusement.

“Molly was meant to die before finishing Songmark. Thus was her destiny. Her purpose was to steel the feline Amelia by her death. That was all she could hope to be. That Oharu twisted Destiny’s nose was completely unexpected.”

“Oharu was not supposed to fall in love with the doe” Saimmi agreed. “That was Belle’s destiny. At least in this paths converged for the better. Belle will buffer my daughter, give her true purpose for the battle to come. Molly is now nothing by a drain upon her strength. Her time is done. She must follow her destiny.”

Saimmi took a deep breath, sipped her tea again, then continued. “They will never cross paths again, for there is no path for them to trod together. This has all gone wrong. Now we must make it right. Forever.”

Urako sipped her own tea, looking not at her visitor but a candle that sat between them. “I will do this” she decided. “Molly will pass to the beyond. It is not something I wish, yet as you say. It must be.” She set her cup aside, ending the visit. “Until tomorrow.”

Thus it was the next morning. As the mouse Oharu and feline Dia-Kura stepped within that parameter claimed the Mad Molly, that ahead of them lay not success but certain failure. Yet even that was not to be, for as the two carefully made their way into that place that Mad Molly had built for herself they found not a waiting Snow Leopard, but two mail guides caring for a battered vixen dressed in red and white silken rags.

“She left last night” one of the guides reported as the two priestess’s cared for the injured Miko. “To bring back her body she claimed.”

“And she wanted you why” Oharu asked softly.

“To prove to herself that she was not Sapphic” came the answer. “She failed.”

Oharu actually giggled. “She could not cure herself even with two such virile males” she asked.

It was the second guide who’s answer near froze the mouses blood. “She could not find interest in either of us” he admitted. “Though in honesty, we did try. She is beautiful, even as a cat.”

“And the Miko” she asked, fear now in her voice.

“Wanted her to turn her back. Back to ah doe” the second guide answered. “When tha Miko couldn’t, she did things to her. Nothin sexual, just hurtin things. She told her yesterday she’d bring her body back. Ahn if she couldn’t put her mind back in it, she’d never be ah Miko again.”

“Madness” Dia-Kura announced. “No Miko working alone could do such.”

“No, she could not” Oharu agreed. “It takes at least two, better five. Come, you Guides carry her. We will return to those who wait and report.” She stood, looking around her. It was an extremely ell built compound she noted. “It is too late now. She will never be as she was, but whatever new thing that grows within her. Sadly, she is not truly Sapphic either.”

Thus ended in failure a great experiment. Where Molly went no one knew. What the future held for her, and the other was also unknown. Oharu though no longer held hope for Molly’s survival, though she would pray for her daily.