Welcome to Gaia! ::

The weekend was upon Fallon, and she was still toying with a plan of attack for the dinner with her mother and her nonexistent girlfriend. Normally, this challenge would have been met with an immediate outline for preparation and an accompanying timeline for success. But when it came to romance, Fallon had never been much of a virtuoso.

She balked at the idea of asking any of her acquaintances to fill the role. It had to be someone she trusted implicitly and, on top of that, a fellow Crystal Academy student. Naturally, her fellow Inner Sanctum senshi came to mind, but then she made the mistake of picturing the look on Kaatje’s face when she popped the question -- it was enough to make the girl skip town in shame.

Another viable BMC candidate was her long-time upper crust friend, Jada. She would certainly be willing to play the part, Fallon thought, but their families knew each other too well. It brought unnecessary variables into the game. Not to mention, her mother would certainly tell Jada's about it. No way -- far too complicated, for both of them.

There were some civilians, too. Lily, perhaps? Things had been a touch icy since Fallon bailed on her birthday party moments after arriving, but it had warmed up at Jada’s S.A.D. party. She didn’t think the redhead had quite put together the pieces of her sexual orientation, and more importantly, she didn’t think the girl had the capacity to lie so openly to an authority figure.

So Melody perhaps? No, no... Fallon couldn’t even remember the last time they hung out. The idea of using a civilian seemed so problematic anyway. Would they ask too many questions about whether or not this lie was necessary?

For a brief moment, Fallon contemplated hiring an escort, but being underaged, it hardly seemed like an easy solution. Could she seduce someone before the dinner? Maybe. But they would still have to be a partner in crime within her fooling-around-all-night lie.

No matter how she looked at it, the cinnamon-haired teen only saw more complications.

The stress was too much for her. She needed the opinion of a trusted advisor -- and one that wouldn’t just laugh right in her face. Picking up her cellphone, Fallon scrolled down to her phonebook and pressed send. It rang and rang, and, like clockwork, her reliable compatriot answered before it could reach a third. The consistency made Fallon smile.

“Good morning,” she said lightly. “I have a somewhat bizarre proposition for you.”

The teenager explained the situation -- the battle, the dead Nega, the unfortunate maternal figure waiting in her room, the lie -- succinctly and without pause or hesitation. It was as if she were reciting a poem from memory. Only when the entire tale was laid out did she pause.

“I know this is... odd. But I have no other option. Trust me, I am out of time for a Plan B,” she said. The teen closed her eyes and rubbed at them, careful not to smear her makeup. This was it. This was her Hail Mary. The voice on the other end of the line responded, and Fallon finally released the tension that had been building in her chest. Relief flowed out of her, eyes the creases in her forehead.

Fallon nodded. “I promise, I will repay this favor. I owe you so much,” she said, touching at her collarbone. “My mother is a strange woman, but a kind one. She’ll take us somewhere nice. Wear a dress. I’ll pick you up at 8:00.” The cellphone beeped off, and she tucked it back into her purse.

All the pieces were on the board. Now it was time to play.