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Spider's Silk lived in a tree in the Catalia Glades. Right now, she was sprawled out on her belly on a thick branch near the top of the tree. She thought the feel on sunlight on her back was heavenly. She liked living here, because she could see all sorts of things crawling on the tree's bark and it also gave her a great view of everyone on the ground. If she ever saw someone act proud and boastful, she planned all sorts of wonderful things to do to them, like tying the strings of their fore paws together.

The thought of pranks reminded her of the last one she did. She loved Ace's reaction, but she felt bitter about what happened to Grant. He said he was fine. Insisted, even. She had no reason not to believe him. Still, something bugged her.

"Oh, well, it's going to be a while 'til I run into either of those two. There's no use in worrying about it." She sat up and yawned. Then, she saw a roly-poly woodlouse. She poked at it to make it roll into ball and then pushed it along the tree, as if were a teeny, tiny new toy.

"Speak of the devil!" Not only was one of the gladiers Spider's Silk had just been talking about here, but from the looks of it, he wasn't doing so well. She got off of the branch she had been resting on, walked towards the trunk, and scooted down it. "Aaah, tree burn, tree burn! That smarts."

She could not tell if he was sleeping or resting his eyes. "Excuse me, Grant. Are you awake? If you are, what happened? Don't say nothing, but I can see it was something."

Spider's Silk smiled. She was glad to see that he was otherwise fine and she was also happy that he remembered her name. "Oh, well, that's good. I didn't want to wake you. Let sleeping dogs lie."

Then, she narrowed her eyebrows and frowned. "I can't believe the nerve of those tarts." She was fuming. "To injure someone who hasn't done anything wrong like that. Ooh, it just boils my broccoli." After that, she boxed at the air with her paws. "Why, if they were here right now, I'd show them a one, and a two, and a knock out punch!"

"Yes, indeed." Spider's Silk had the mental image of a battle royale. It was her against countless, faceless female gladiers of every race. Ace was the host and he narrated their every move in great detail and with appropriate enthusiasm. She thought it all looked and sounded so hilarious, she couldn't help but laugh. She covered her mouth when she began snorting, because she didn't want Grant to see that.

When she got her breath back, she said, "Thank you. I feel better already." After a good laugh, she didn't feel hot-blooded anymore.

"That's better." At least they didn't gang up and clobber him in the hopes of pulling out hairs as souvenirs. Then, she pouted. "But it's still bad."

She had a bad feeling about this. It was right in her gut. If it wasn't the fangirls' doing... Didn't I see him not too long ago? She feigned a laugh and staged a smile. Thoughts like this can wait another time.

She sat down and said, "Well, I'm sure you didn't come all the way over here just to talk about things like that. It seems like all I'm asking all the questions here. Is there anything you'd like to ask me?"

"Why?" She was taken aback by his question. She was expecting one easier to answer. You don't realize the can of worms you just opened, do you?"

Since as far as she knew, he had been honest with her, she would pay him the same courtesy. "Well..." She looked up at the clouds. Their shapes reminded her of cotton candy or silk. Then, she looked forward again and said, "Have you ever walked through a forest and you didn't see anything, but then all of a sudden, that brown leaf flew away and it turned out it was really a blue butterfly pretending to be a brown leaf, so birds wouldn't eat it? It's like that."

After that, she scrunched herself up, as if she were cold. She knew they were having comfortable weather, but these thoughts sent a chill down her spine. "The rational part of me knows I shouldn't, but the other part..." Her voice trailed off. "Old habits die hard. Sometimes, I wonder if I'm more like the orange butterflies that make you sick if you eat them. So, I wear this mask. I mean, generally speaking, who wouldn't take a lady over a prankster?" She pointed to herself. "Someone like me."

Then, she smiled. "I'm glad you like the way I really laugh. I'll be sincere around you then. If you say or do something funny again, then I-err-I... You get the point, right?" Finally, she looked up again. She felt vulnerable, like she had bared her tender underbelly. Just then, she remembered something. "Now that I think about it, you're the second guy I've told this to."

"That's a smart answer." Spider's Silk said. "You can say that again. It's like they say. Laughter's the best medicine. There's nothing like a wet blanket to rain on your parade." She stopped and thought about how that mixed metaphor would really look. A wet blanket in the sky raining on parades? That's daft. I really should've thought that through before saying it. "Anyway, I just want to go up to them and say, 'Smile. Please. Or else I'll make you.' I usually don't and skip on over to the making them part. Maybe I will say something next time."

She wasn't expecting to see him bow his head like that. What am I supposed to do?! Think, think, think... Eventually, she decided to bow back and said, "Thank you."

"Ooh, Lady Prankster Spider's Silk! I like the sound of that. Maybe it'll catch on and everyone will start calling me that." Her eyes sparkled when she thought of it. She just hoped she didn't end up with aggressive fans like Grant. Then, she remembered that he had already been calling her Miss Silk before. She thought it was unfair that she had so many names, but he only had one. "But what'll I call you then? Maybe Lord True Blue Grant. Your eyes look kind of blue to me."

Spider's Silk sighed. That's a relief. "Well, I'm glad you think so." She was also glad when she heard him chuckle at the nickname she gave him. She just loved making others laugh.

Then, she squeaked, out of surprise, when she saw him draw closer and closer to her paw. What is he trying to do?! Hold it? Kiss it? I mean, I'd be fine with either, but still... She was baffled. She didn't expect him to do what he did next. She thought his nose felt soft and warm against her paw.

"I see. That makes sense. I'll just call you Grant then. I'm fine with anything you've called me before. When it comes to things like that, I like having multiple choices."