Prophecies, by and large, are some of the biggest scams you will ever come across. Really, think about it. Some shmuck on some form of hallucinogenic substance spouts out a bunch of random garbage that sounds vaguely mystical and next thing you know, the powers at be are shoving some random person into life-threatening situations all because a 'Prophecy' told them that said person has a Destiny that needs to be fulfilled, regardless of if said person is even qualified to make a sandwich, let alone save the world.

Pure, weapons-grade BS. This, at least, was the viewpoint of Marisol, better known as Sol by pretty much everyone in her neighborhood, when she tossed a Summons For Questing letter right into her bin without even bothering to read the thing first.

"You'd think they'd get the hint by this point." She muttered into her tea as she scrolled through her phone to check her newsfeed, her pointed ears occasionally moving up or down according to her mood. Her dragon barely acknowledged she said anything, the cat-sized creature curled up in a spot of rapidly fading sunlight.

"You can't keep ignoring them forever, Sunny." Sol's roommate, Aziza, reminded as she finished putting on her hijab and gloves. The moment she saw the dragon, she immediately tossed her dignity aside to crouch down and pet it, making all sorts of cooing noises.

"I can and I will. It's all a bunch of malarky. And I, for one, rather like not risking life and limb off the mad ramblings of some jerkwad high on bath salts." Sol rolled her eyes and finished her tea, the cup disappearing from her hand and reappearing in the kitchen sink.

"And yet, you will gladly go ziplining over a bunch of grootslang." Aziza pointed out, a small smirk on her face at the sight of the pout on her friend's face. The dragon had woken up thanks to the attention and immediately ran away at the sight of who was petting him, choosing to hide under a nearby cabinet and hiss at her.

"That was for a story and you know it." Sol rolled her eyes as she pushed her glasses up back into their proper position, having been reading over them simply because she was too lazy to take them off.

"Uh-huh. Sure. Still don't know why you agreed to do said story. There are plenty of other things you could be writing about rather than making sure magazines have enough tourist bait." Aziza moved out of the way of what little sunlight was left, her hijab and gloves only doing so much to keep it from touching her skin.

"Tourist bait pays better than screaming at the top of your lungs 'the country's on fire and nobody's attempting to put it out'." Sol shrugged as she took a bite of her toast, the piece of bread covered in a bit of butter and a whole lot of sugar and sprinkles. "Besides, even if I did write a proper news article, the ink wouldn't even have time to dry before everyone started ignoring whatever was in it."

"Well aren't you just a beam of positivity." Aziza leaned against the wall with a small shake of her head. "Still. Wouldn't hurt to do some actual journalism every once in a while."

"And it wouldn't hurt you to stop leaving empty blood bags all over your room floor whenever you pull an all-dayer." Sol shot right back as she finished her food and brushed off any clinging crumbs and sugar by wiping her hands on her jeans.

"Point taken," Aziza admitted as she watched the sun dip below the horizon and a sigh of relief escaped her. She really didn't fancy being brûléed by accident. If she was going out by sunlight, it was going to be on her own terms. "You ready to go? Rivier's probably getting a bit antsy by now."

"He has anxiety. He's always antsy." Sol pointed out as she grabbed her bag and stood up, heading to the front entrance to do a small check of her appearance in the mirror by the door. She ran a hand through her hair a couple of times to fluff up her curls, still unused to the short length she had cut them to only a day prior.

Aziza shrugged as if to say 'sad but true', before joining her friend by the mirror. All she really saw was what she was wearing, the mirror making it look like they were floating in mid-air. "We really should swap this mirror for an aluminum backed one."

"Yeah, yeah. So you keep telling me." Sol rolled her eyes with a small smirk, grabbing her keys from their hook and unlocking the door. "And yet, we never seem to get around to it. Truly, a mystery worth investigating." She teased as she walked outside, waiting for Aziza to follow.

In response, Sol got a soft jab to her side, the blow only getting her to chuckle. She locked the door behind them, arming the security system by placing her hand on a spot next to the door. The house glowed a brief green before switching to red, a locking sound ringing out before the glow disappeared. "You want to order the car or should I?"

"I've got it, don't worry." Aziza pulled out her phone and scrolled her way to the right app, having to pass through a field of time-wasting games just to reach it. She typed a few things, occasionally cursing her gloves when the touch screen wouldn't recognize she had tapped it. Within moments a car was by their garden gate.

The driver was a friendly Rakshasa who greeted both women with a bright smile, complimenting their outfits and even opening the door of the car for them. Seemed chivalry wasn't dead after all. Or at the very least, it was dead among Humans and Elves.

Aziza and Sol chatted with the driver as the car wound its way through the heavy Halcyon traffic, occasionally having to dodge one of the many minibusses (or taxis as everyone called them) that liked to think the world was a video game and hitting other cars would rack up bonus points.

"I'm just saying. If they want people to go on Quests, get people who actually want to do it, and are qualified. I like having all my limbs where they are." Sol leaned back in her seat as they stopped at a traffic light, glancing out the window to see a pick-up truck with its flatbed loaded with Tikoloshes, the water sprites passing around a couple of bottles of booze and laughing obnoxiously.

"Very true, Miss Sol." The driver agreed as the taxi on the other side of them took off, the traffic light turning green only after it had already crossed the intersection. "I never get why they like sending kids or teenagers either. Don't you want someone with a bit more experience saving the world?"

"Right?" Sol looked at Aziza with an expression that pretty clearly said, 'See? At least someone agrees with me'. This expression earned her a roll of the eyes and her hair being ruffled right when her curls decided to start behaving.

The car started moving again, the world outside it blurring slightly thanks to the speed at which they were going. All the streetlights had switched on by this point, the crystals that acted as their globes providing just the right amount of light to see by without obscuring the stars up above. The surrounding shadows flickered and rolled, giving everything a dreamy quality.

"Going on a Quest isn't that bad. It's a chance to grow as a person." Aziza countered, never having gone on a Quest herself but knowing plenty of people who had and who wouldn't stop recommending the experience. She was actually fairly excited for the day when her own summons came. After all, it was only a matter of time with her.

"Yeah. So's a year backpacking through Europe." Sol wasn't sold, most of her family having very different experiences with the Questing system and sharing those experiences whenever they could. Her uncle in particular was very fond of removing his prosthetic arm just to show how much damage a quest could do.

Aziza rolled her eyes and let out a small huff, not really having a counter ready. "Yeah, but at least they pay you to go on a Quest." She eventually said, both women aware of just how much traveling cost.

The car rolled to a stop by a building, the outside covered in vines, moss, and various kinds of flowers and the inside of it a modernist's dream. It looked like what would happen if an architect and a landscaper got high together and decided to design something. But in a good way. Well, marginally good at least. Seemed the landscaper had a thing for jasmine.

"Ah, we're here. I hope you enjoyed your journey and will consider using Yaksha Driving Service again sometime soon." The driver told the women as they exited his car, tipping his hat to them before zooming off to rejoin the traffic. Almost immediately, he had to swerve to avoid a car that was hijacked by a Gremlin.

"Still don't get why Rivier insists on working here." Sol pulled a scarf from out her bag and wrapped it around her face like a mask, unafraid of looking like an idiot if it meant she didn't have to deal with a headache for the rest of the evening.

"Last I checked, not many people were hiring Fae nowadays. Or Elves for that matter. Let alone a mix of the two." Aziza pointed out rather bluntly, knowing she could be frank without worrying about her friend's feelings. She couldn't even remember the last time she saw Sol angry.

"Still. At the very least, he could make a suggestion to management to tone it down by like, at least five notches." Sol's ears twitched as a breeze blew past them and she got a face full of flower petals, shaking her head as she tried not to sneeze.

"You dare to presume I actually have a say in how things are run here? Boulderdash! Sheer hogwash! Thanks for the new words by the way. Gotten a lot of use." Rivier hopped down from the roof, his wings slowing his descent. His hair was dotted with daisies, the pale flowers standing out brightly against the dark blue strands.

"I'm glad. Now can we please get moving. Pretty sure if we stay here any longer, I'm gonna stink like a flower shop for a month." Sol didn't even wait for her friends to agree. She simply started walking and assumed that they would follow.

Aziza and Rivier rolled their eyes and shook their heads but did indeed follow, Aziza having to take two steps for every one of her friends'. "Only Fae in all of Halcyon that hates the smell of flowers." They muttered to one another, not entirely aware that Sol could hear them.

"Not all flowers. Lavender's nice and so's chamomile. But seriously, sometimes moderation is more than a word you use in an essay." The instant that Sol felt she was far enough away from the building, she removed the scarf, taking a deep breath to clear her nose and promptly sneezing.

Rivier did an imitation of the woman behind her back, using over the top facial expressions and arm movements that weren't all that far off from what Sol would actually use when talking. Aziza couldn't help snickering at the sight.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh all you want." Sol wasn't an idiot, having known her friends for long enough to know what they were doing behind her back. Still annoyed her though. "At least I have an excuse for my weirdness."

"A diagnosis is not an excuse." Rivier pointed out as he and Aziza finally caught up with Sol and walked alongside her. "Nor is a tragic backstory. Isn't that what you tell every writer who comes to you for advice when writing their antagonists?"

"Don't turn my own writing advice against me." Sol did a small, well in her mind at least, pout before rolling her eyes and an easy-going smile replaced the expression.

"Can we change the subject before you two decide to duel one another? Cause as exciting as the thought of Rivier getting his butt kicked is..."

"Hey! I could stand a chance!"

"... I'd rather not get blood on my new scarf."

"You're a Vampire! Since when did you start caring about bloodstains?"

"Alright, alright." Sol acquiesced as she tucked her hands in her pockets. "And face it, Rivie. You wouldn't last one round in the ring with me."

"Would so! You're not that much taller than me. Or stronger. Or faster. Or better train- Okay, yeah, I'd be doomed the moment the bell rung."

The three laughed, Sol ruffling Rivier's hair while being careful not to squash the daisies. There was a peaceful air that surrounded the trio, the kind of atmosphere that only came about when people had known, as well as liked, one another for years.

"Any suggestions on what to do tonight? And no, Riv, we're not going to a club." Sol cut her friend off before he could even attempt to get the words out, rolling her eyes. He suggested it every time they hung out. One would think he would have learned by this point.

Rivier crossed his arms over his chest with a huff. "Aw, come on! Why not? They aren't that bad. The Dionysus on 5th has amazing cocktails. And some of the cutest guys you will ever meet-"

"Uh, Muslim and very much not into guys? Remember?" Aziza cut in, seeing the pretty obvious flaws with going to the Dionysus. She didn't even mention that said club was pretty notorious for refusing entry to Vampires.

Rivier quickly changed tracks, often forgetting what Aziza could and couldn't do in regards to her religion or her condition. He really had to pay more attention. "Oh, right. Then how about Naomi's? No alcohol plus plenty of pretty women, hot men, and stunning nonbinary people."

"Isn't that more of a café than a club? Not that I'm complaining, mind you, but still." Sol pointed out, already picturing herself curled up in one of the café's many armchairs and reading the book she brought with her while her friends flirted.

"I'd rather have a good time tonight than listen to you complaining the entire time about flashing lights, too many people, and loud music." Rivier pointed out only to get an eye roll in return.

"I don't complain that much!" Sol protested only for her words to die in mid-air thanks to the looks she got from her friends. "... Okay, maybe I do but I have a good reason for it."

"We know." Aziza and Rivier stared at one another for a moment, a little creeped out that they had spoken in unison, before shrugging off the experience as if nothing had happened.

Sol huffed and rolled her eyes but, in the end, smiled and tucked her hands into her pockets. A Tikoloshe ran past the trio, pursued by a very angry looking Centaur wielding a club and an absolutely livid Harpy. Everyone checked their pockets and bags to make sure everything was still there.

"I swear, they're becoming a real nuisance nowadays, aren't they?" Sol asked when she was certain she still had everything she left the house with, breathing a small sigh of relief.

"Oh yeah, big time. You wouldn't believe what happened to my neighbor last night. Hijacked by a bunch of them. Took everything. Wallet, keys, wand, car. You name it, they took it." Rivier shook his head, sending a glare after the mischievous sprite as well as the first curse he could think of off the top of his head.

The Tikoloshe was instantly struck by a taxi, its body flying through the air and slamming straight into a wall with a hearty splat. What? Not all Fae like to play the waiting game when it comes to being petty. Update your assumptions. The Centaur and Harpy called back a quick 'we appreciate it' before going to get their stuff back.

"Disgraceful. Though did you hear what a bunch of them did to Aredhel farm? Completely trashed the place. Thank goodness the owners weren't home." Aziza shook her head, a sigh escaping her as the three turned a corner, the scent of freshly baked goods enticing Sol and Rivier to follow.

Sol and Rivier nodded in agreement, all too aware of just how violent situations like that could get. All three of them were a permanent fixture in every march or protest geared towards getting the government to actually take a stand against what was happening. Unfortunately, said government seemed more concerned with keeping power than actually doing anything about it.

The trio entered a small coffee shop, the outside of it made of red bricks and covered in ivy. The window proudly proclaimed the place as Naomi's, a small sign posted to it stating that everyone was welcome and that they catered to all diets. The moment the door was opened, a cheer went up at the sight of them, each one pulled in a different direction.

"Sol! How've you been? How's the book going? Still constantly rewriting the first chapter or have you finally moved onto the second?" Naomi teased as she yanked the slightly unwilling Fae down into an armchair, giving her a bright smile.

Sol resisted the urge to cover her nose. As much as she liked Naomi, often spending time at the café whenever she needed to do a bit of writing while getting a constant caffeine fix, she couldn't deny the fact that the woman smelt heavily of salt and fish. Probably because she was a Mermaid but still. "It's going okay. And I'm on my third chapter, thank you very much."

"Oh-ho-ho, progress. At this rate, you should be done right around the time the ice caps melt." Naomi ruffled Sol's hair, her smile refusing to budge. "Still can't get over the fact you cut your hair. It looked so good when it was long."

"It was a nightmare to brush and kept getting in my way." Sol shrugged and settled into her seat, twisting a curl around her finger absent-mindedly. "Plus, thick hair and African weather? No thank you. I value not constantly getting heatstroke."

"Says the woman who will gladly wear biker boots in the summer." Naomi pointed out as someone bumped into the back of her wheelchair, getting a small apology when she turned back to look at them.

"No one cat-calls me when I'm in them." Sol rolled her eyes a little but chuckled, the tension that had been in her body ever since she left her house slowly easing away the longer she was surrounded by the smell of coffee and baked goods. Sure, she may not like the taste of coffee but its smell was pretty hard to hate.

"Mhmm." Naomi rolled her eyes with a small chuckle, not quite believing the woman. "Chai tea with 4 sugars and two slices of banoffi? One of these days, you are gonna have to try something different." She rolled off to get the order, knowing Sol's order by heart at this point.

"Not if I can help it," Sol muttered as she got her book out and started reading, using it as a shield between her and the rest of the world. She curled up in her seat, doing her best to keep her shoes off the chair as well as find a position that was comfortable for her.

Maybe ten minutes later, Aziza and Rivier took up their spots on the couch opposite their friend, both smiling and looking down at the numbers they had been handed by the people that had been flirting with them.

"How many this time around?" Sol asked, barely looking up from her book. She was just getting to a rather good bit and only asked out of courtesy, turning the page. She just managed to keep her eyes from jumping ahead and spoiling the story.

"Three."

"Five."

Aziza and Rivier shared a surprised look, neither quite able to believe the other got that many numbers in such a short amount of time. The look was dropped when they heard a snort come from Sol.

"Try not to catch anything." That one little sentence sent the two into a pair of stuttering and protesting messes, Sol not even paying attention to the chaos she caused as she continued reading.

"You know, we could try to-"

"Not interested. Perfectly content being single."

A novel concept indeed but it was true. Sol was perfectly happy being single, not having been on a date since... well, ever. In her mind, friendship and family were more than enough to live a happy life so why should she even bother with romance?

"Come on, Sol! You gotta try dating at least once. It's a rite of passage!" Rivier tried to convince the stubborn woman, actually grabbing her book away from her. He immediately gave it back though. Nothing is quite as scary as the glare a book lover gives when their precious is yanked away from them.

"It's a garbage rite that I for one don't plan on taking part in. Seriously, Rivie, all tradition is, is peer pressure from a bunch of dead people." Sol opened up her book and found where she left off, having to reread a few sentences to find her place.

"You always say don't knock something till you try it. Why should dating not be included in the list?" Aziza perked up as their orders arrived, the woman grabbing her mug of O negative and taking a sip with a smile.

"Let me put it like this. Why don't you go hug a cactus? You've never done that before. How do you know you won't like it? To me, dating is like hugging a cactus: pointless, unnecessary, and potentially injury-inducing." Sol took a sip of her tea, wondering vaguely if she could ask for a bit more sugar in it.

Rivier and Aziza rolled their eyes, wondering if there was a name for what Sol was. There was. They were just a bit too research-avoidant to go look for it. An uneasy sort of silence followed, broken up only by the sound of silverware against ceramic.

The silence seemed keen to spread, the whole café going quiet. Though the reason wasn't the mild spat. No. The reason was the three police officers who were standing in the doorway, each one looking rather annoyed with having to step inside.

"Can I help you-?"

"We're looking for a Miss Marisol Hawkins, a Mister Wyre Douglas, and a Miss Aziza Fisher."

Immediately, fingers were being pointed, the trio naturally tensing up, Sol and Rivier especially. To use a Fae's true name, aka the name on their birth certificate, was something only done when you wanted their complete obedience. It was the main reason true names were only ever told to family members and spouses.

"Can we help you, gentlemen?" Aziza, being the only one really capable of talking or moving at the moment, asked as she stood up, looking at the police with a glint in her eyes, the color almost the exact same shade as the liquid in her cup.

"You have all been summoned to participate in a Quest. We tried contacting you beforehand via the mail but it seems our letters never arrived." Sol and Rivier looked extremely guilty, unable to keep the expressions off their faces as they desperately fought against the control the policeman had on them at the moment. Magic. A real pain in the butt sometimes, huh?

"We really are sorry but we're unable to- Hey! Put them down!" Aziza snapped as her friends were picked up and slung over shoulders like sacks of potatoes, ready to knock out the police if it meant saving her friends. Then the stake gun was aimed at her and any fight went flying out the window.

"I take it you just found some time in your busy schedules? Come along quietly. There's no need to make a scene." The policeman grabbed her arm and started dragging her along, the group heading for a police van parked just outside.

The entire café looked on in horror, no one able to move and put a stop to what they were witnessing, no matter how much they wanted to. It was if a spell had fallen over all of them, turning them all to stone. A spell which was broken by the slam of a car door. No one went outside to help.