Ruleskirter

"Sure!" Doug beamed. "I'm interested! Um, but... the last two bisexual women I dated left me and ended up together. Jodi Lee was Australian, Tanya was half Kiwi and half, um, I can never remember... Latvian, I think." He shrugged. "I grew up in Taipei, Taiwan. Diplomat brat. My stepfather..."

"Let's start from the beginning." Lisa smiled as she cut him off. "Let me ask questions, you answer them. Then you do the same with me. Just answer the questions, try not to embellish. Okay?"

This is going to be a tough interview, she thought. This guy and I are like mirror opposites, almost. I always wanted to travel overseas growing up, he actually did. He's straight, I'm bisexual. At least we both seem polyamorous. That's good. I just need to keep him focused, directed. I'll hold back my agenda a bit, get to know him. I'm looking for a steady guy. I really want him to be the one. But I can't go too fast, I have to be sure. Hope he gets that, as I do. I hope...

***

Another two hours later, they were walking towards her bike. They knew each other better now, having talked while walking together and sitting at Roppolo's. Lisa was greatly enjoying herself. The pizza had been good, the company too. Everything she learned about Doug was making her smile, attracting her further to him. And vice versa, it seemed. They liked the same type of movies and TV shows- action thrillers and romantic comedies. They both played video games and role-playing games. He read fantasy novels and comic books more, she was into sci-fi and adult graphic novels instead, yet they both liked to read the same types of plots. They were both skilled at Mixed Martial Arts. Good! And he was okay talking about men whom he could find attractive, though she was still pretty sure he wasn't into men sexually. That last bit wasn't important, actually better. Lisa had decided she was okay with multiple steady women, but only wanted one steady guy at a time. Fewer problems with macho jealousy that way.

"I would shag Aviendha," Doug told her, tapping the redhaired Aiel witch on the cover of his Robert Jordan novel. They were discussing fantasy characters they both found hot. "Faile too. She's a female ranger, if you haven't read the 'Wheel of Time' books."

"I've heard them on tape." Lisa had listened to the Wheel of Time on tape, but she was only up to the fourth volume. Doug was reading the fifth. "I know who Faile is."

"Good. I'm also into Egwene, Min, and..."

"Doug?" Lisa cut him off. "Is there a fantasy man you'd... shag?" She had picked up on his use of British slang.

Doug shook his head. "I'm not gay."

"But if you were." Lisa just wanted to open his mind, ease his awkwardness, not turn him. She hoped he understood that.

"Uh, Strider, I guess. He's not from Wheel of Time, he's from 'Lord of the Rings' by Tolkien..."

"I know who he is," Lisa cut in. "I'm more into sci-fi books than fantasy, but I read fantasy too, and listen to books on tape. I'd definitely bang Strider. Kitaria too, you know her?"

"She's in 'Dragonlance'. She's a bad girl."

"Yeah. I'd be more into Laurana or Tifa from Dragonlance, but Kitiara is a worthy fantasy also. I'd also bang Caramon and Raistlin. And Drizzt the Dark Elf, you know him? And Rand, from Wheel of Time, though I'd probably be more into Mat or Perrin. I like a man who can control himself, but still be playful. You know what I mean?"

"Yeah. So, if you had to pick... Rand, Perrin, or Mat?"

She thought, then smirked. "None of the above. Luke Skywalker. But I'd bang Leia, Lando, and Han on the side too. Not Chewie or the Droids, I'm humans only. Though if they add some more attractive Aliens... You know 'Star Wars', right?"

"Of course. I'm a big fan of those movies. My stepfather goes nuts quoting Vader and the Emperor, me too. I'm more into Luke, though. He's another guy I'd shag. But I'd be more into Batman or, scuse me, Catwoman. Or Black Cat. Or Kitty Pryde, Wonder Woman, Rogue if I could touch her..."

"I know the comics," she cut him off, smirking. "I'm more into graphic novels than comics, but I know comics. You read Preacher?" He nodded and she grinned. "I'm way into Jesse and Tulip. Wish Tulip was bi, so I could be more into her. But hey, that's what fan..."

'Fanfiction's for!" Doug cut in. They both laughed, realizing they were thinking the same thought. "Hey, you read Tim Zahn's Star Wars fanfiction?" he asked. "That's what I call it. I'm aware Lucas has a different vision for the future of Star Wars than Zahn. But I like Zahn's characters. Mara Jade, Grand Admiral Thrawn..."

Lisa nodded and laughed along. "I was Mara Jade last Halloween. You?"

"John Dillinger. He needed girls in his gang, you know, or more of them. Robin Hood had Marian, so he wouldn't get distracted if the Sheriff brought out a Woman in Red. So if Dillinger had more women on his team..."

"Yeah," Lisa chuckled. He'd made several similar analogies earlier that night. I am so into this guy, she smirked to herself. So predictable, yet still chaotic at times. I just direct him, though, and boom, he gives me some new interesting wonderful insight. Wow!

"Maybe we can go out together this Halloween. For now, though..." she waved at the garage stairs. "I gave you my number earlier. Remember, I told you earlier, I'm not putting out tonight, okay? I'm easy, but not too easy. Not when it's clearly long term, and not after what happened to me earlier tonight. Okay?" Doug had agreed to that stance from her when she'd established it before. She hoped he still was okay with it now. The area was more open but less crowded, it was later, and...

"Yeah, I remember," Doug said. "But you told me you'd give me a ride back to Creekside. And the buses aren't running now, so..."

"Right!" Lisa remembered. "Okay. Thank you. Have you ever ridden a motorcycle before?"

"No," he gulped. "I saw a lot of them in Taipei. But I never got on one. I suck at cycling, never got past training wheels."

"Oh." Lisa frowned, then shrugged. "No big deal. I'll drive, you ride behind me. Just hold on tight. My ankle's sore, but I'm okay driving. I only have one helmet, though, so we'll have to be careful. I'll let you wear my helmet if you want."

"That'd be great! So where'd you learn to ride? Is your dad a biker or..."

"No. My boyfriend was a biker, my first serious boyfriend. I dated a... Hell's Angel the summer... I turned eighteen." She stammered a bit, then chuckled. "I joined his chapter for a while. They called me Feather after the Mesoamerican Feathered Snakes. Mom and Dad let me go to Louisiana for the last four weeks of the summer between my junior and senior years of high school. I was picking up guys in a bar in New Orleans. I ended up with the leader of the Reptile chapter of the Hell's Angels. Snake... his name was Sylvester but he called himself King Snake or just Snake, was the leader. He was fun. His gang had a few bi and lez girls in it, some gay guys too. Snake was straight, though, like you. He taught me to ride. And I lost my virginity to him. We dated three weeks, then I had to go back to school. He went west. My birthday is in July, I'm a Leo."

"I see. March here, Pisces. This guy, uh..."

"I never saw him again after we dated. Snake's brother Cobra, his name was Colin but they called him Cobra... Cobra sent me a letter middle of last year, said Snake was killed in a bar fight in Reno. Someone shot him just to watch him die." Lisa grimaced. "I haven't dated any men steady since Snake. Just hookups and off-on regulars throughout my senior year of high school, then my freshman year here and the rest of my college life so far."

"I thought you were a cheerleader. You didn't have a steady..."

"Nope. No steady boyfriend. Four prospects, but none stayed steady. Just cause I was active in cheerleading and other clubs didn't mean I had time for steady boyfriends. Regular boyfriends with benefits, yeah, but no one steady. I never banged anyone till Snake, just kissed and touched, never went past that. They called me a tease, but my parents insisted I not go past light petting, and everyone knew I was good at martial arts, so... no one ever tried to get farther. Until senior year, when I let them. I only banged four guys my senior year. I didn't add girls till college. Now I got the right girls, but I'm still looking for a steady guy." She punctuated the last statement with a suggestive look, reminding Doug she was interested in him being that guy.

"You've told me." He nodded and returned her smile. "I just assumed..."

"Assume nothing!" she snapped, grinning. "I dated a couple theater guys off and on my senior year, and a football player, and a swim team guy. They were my regulars. I never dated more than one at once, but I banged them all. I haven't dated many nerds. Maybe I should date more nerds. You'll be my first steady one." She punched him playfully on the shoulder. "You okay with that?"

"Of course. Um, who was your prom date?"

"The swim team guy. We broke up before prom. but everyone else was taken. I was third runner up to Prom Queen, he didn't place. Chaz- his name was Charles Kurgan- is off at the University of Virgina now, he was a year below me and only at my school for a year. His family moved around a bit. I hear he's going into the Navy." She waved in dismissal. "You go to prom?"

He nodded. "Stag. I had to switch high schools for the last quarter of senior year. Mom got scared of Mainland China aiming missiles at Taiwan. I had to go back to my family in Beaumont. There was no time for me to find a steady girl for prom. I did dance with a lot of people, though." He smiled fondly. "And I didn't run for King." He looked at his watch, then the garage. "Sorry, tangents."

"It's cool." Lisa had been dealing with similar issues all night. He sparked her tendency to embellish, just like she did his. At least we can direct each other, she reflected. They then walked together into the garage.

***

A bit later, they were riding across the UT-Austin Campus together on Lisa's Kawasaki. She was driving slow, tired but focused on the road. Doug was keeping her awake with further questions and comments that she returned as best she could while driving.

"I'm a fan of Dawson's Creek," he was saying. "I'd definitely shag Katie Holmes. Zoey from Cybil too, Alicia Witt's the actress. You into any celebrities?"

"Not really," Lisa replied. She was talking to him less now, maneuvering the bike. "But you show me those actresses on film sometime, maybe I'll like them too. I'd be more into James Bond actors. Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan, they're hot. The Bond women too, of course. I'd definitely bang Carey Lowell from 'License to Kill'. And any chick who's played Moneypenny."

She laughed as they went through a green light and stopped at a red. Doug was holding onto her waist as directed. He'd roamed his hands toward her breasts a few times, but she'd pushed them down, reminded him not to distract her. "Not on the first date," she'd said. "Don't make me stop or crash the bike. Okay?"

"Sorry," Doug sighed, curbing his enthusiasm.

"Don't worry," she told him, enjoying the feel of his closeness. "I'm a sure thing, just not tonight. You're doing fine, just know when to hold your cards and when to play them, okay?"

That had been earlier. Now they were further down the road, almost to West Campus.

"I'm more into people I actually know than celebrities I don't," Lisa said, shrugging as she made a turn onto 26th Street. "I do know one person who might become a celebrity someday. This softball pitcher named Cat Osterman played against my old high school last year. She can throw strikeouts like you wouldn't believe. I have a younger sister, Stephanie, she's a shortstop. Stephanie introduced me to Cat when I went back home last spring break. They're friendly rivals. Cat's young but top of her game. Wish the Astros had a player like her."

"Yeah, they definitely need to let more women into pro baseball," Doug agreed. "Pro sports in general. M-maybe your sister's friend Cat will attend UT someday, I can meet her. She'd be old enough for me to date with benefits when she gets here, right?"

"Focus, Doug!" Lisa chuckled. "She's not in your life right now. She'll probably never be in your life!" Lisa laughed. It was silly, but okay to play celebrity fantasy games. She decided to share more of her own similar fantasies. "You seen 'House of Yes'? It came out last week. I'd definitely bang the chicks who played Jackie-O, Rachael Leigh Cook and Parker Posey. Dawson, Jen, and Pacey too, since you mentioned Dawson's Creek. I know that show, but not the actors. Shauna and Tara watch Dawson's Creek. I watch Buffy. I'd bang Buffy, and Angel, and..."

"Willow?" Doug cut in, grinning. "Would you bang Willow too?"

"Definitely," Lisa grinned back. She had been about to mention that character. So in sync! she laughed. "If Willow goes bi at some point, or lez, and I could meet her, I'd totally bang her. Look, Doug, there's your dorm. My home's a few blocks away." She stopped the bike and let him step off. "Give me back the helmet. I'll call you soon, okay? Tomorrow at the earliest."

"Please, yes. Um, it's already tomorrow. This afternoon?"

"This evening." Lisa reclaimed her helmet and donned it. "I'll call you this evening. Thanks for reminding me of the time and the fun night. Talk to you later, okay?"

Doug nodded. "Um, look, Lisa..."

"Yeah?"

"I had a great time tonight. Let me plan our next date, though. I got this place I want to take you. Tonight was chaotic, improvised. If I can plan something instead..."

She recognized the strategy and smiled. "Call me tonight. We'll discuss my schedule and you can figure it out. I'm into you, but I want to take it slow. You still good with that?"

"I am," he confirmed. He extended his hand and she shook it. Then he kissed her hand, bowing like the Knights he roleplayed as. Lisa's heart clenched. "Talk to you soon, Lisa."

"Talk to you soon." She watched him walk away, revving her bike's engine and smiling back at him every time he glanced back at her as he walked into his dorm. Then, trying to control her heart's hammering, she chuckled one last time and rode off into the night.

***

Chapter 3- Friendship Karaoke.

One Week Later.

Doug could not easily explain the karaoke club to which he invited Lisa for their second date.

"It's called 'Friendship'," he told Lisa. "Based in Austin now, though it has been known to appear in other cities also. It's one of those weird places you hear about in urban legend tabloids. The owner was interviewed once by a reporter named Nadine Holliday of the Weekly World News. The owner... um, the owner claims to be a millennia-old immortal Hybrid of Faerie Royalty and Grey Space Aliens named Silvan Farrow. This entity has vast mystical and psychic powers. Silvan directs a secret society similar to the Illuminati with connections to match. This entity has access to both the technology of the Greys and the magic of the Faerie. Silvan is celibate, but also an empath. Every time I try to ascertain the truth of Silvan, I only discover more mystery and apparent confirmation the entity is exactly what the entity appears to be pending some reasonable doubts. I don't think Silvan is a deity, but Silvan comes pretty darn close."

"You keep saying 'the entity', 'the owner', or 'Silvan'. Doesn't... Silvan use pronouns?"

"No. Funny you should mention that. Every time I ask Silvan about what pronouns Silvan prefers, the pronouns I choose are rejected. I can only believe that Silvan's true nature is something not of this world."

"How did you find... Silvan's club?"

"I was wandering around Austin one day, there it was. Before, I had seen the club in Taipei and other cities. The first time was in Santa Fe. Every time I need to talk to Silvan, the club appears if I look for it. I can also contact Silvan's immediate subordinate staff by phone or email, and they can connect me to Silvan. Silvan's staff is a diverse communal group, mostly but not all humans. They use various pronouns. Silvan is... different, to say the least. My parents introduced me to Silvan's society, but not to Silvan the entity. Silvan introduced... itself. Not that Silvan likes that pronoun either. Silvan's society has members in every tier of the world- Hollywood, politics, organized crime, the military, business. They say the Friendship- which is just what people call it by the way, the group doesn't have an official name- can control everything it wants to control, yet it is still often surprised by human response to its efforts. It constantly tests people in hidden games without frontiers. It has a program that can benefit people who are worthy, give them connections in the world. Most world leaders owe their success to the program, with a few exceptions. At least that's what I've heard. I have yet to see anything that proves this rumor wrong."

Meeting Silvan was no less unnerving than hearing about the entity. The Friendship club looked like a typical karaoke bar. Its owner was a short grey-skinned elf-like creature in dark purple robes with gold trim. The entity was human-shaped but shorter and thinner, much like the Faeries and aliens from which Silvan claimed to be descended. Silvan's opaque lidless green-glowing eyes were constantly scanning the world around, while their owner tapped long-fingered hands and nodded or shook their head at various points.

"Silvan," Doug greeted the entity. "This is Lisa, my new girlfriend. We wish to know if our relationship will last."

The strange entity- Lisa could not tell if Silvan was a costumed human, a puppet, or the something else the being claimed to be- sized them up, then laughed.

"Lord, what fools you mortals be!" Silvan proclaimed in an echoing voice. "I know many things but not the answer to that question! The only answer I can give you is 'Maybe, Maybe Not.' The true answer depends on your faith. Faith in how you feel about each other and your circumstances. And faith... is a strange thing. Some say it is a journey, some believe it a destination. I only know this regarding faith- either you have it or you do not! And there is only one way to find out."

With that pronouncement, Silvan gestured at the club's stage.

"You get up there and sing," Doug explained to Lisa. "Then Silvan can look into your soul and perhaps give a better answer."

"Okay..." Lisa frowned. She had encountered similar entities to Silvan in fantasy literature and role-playing games, but this was her first experience with a real one. An apparently real one, she amended to herself. The entity's game was intriguing enough to play. "What should I sing?"

"Whatever song is asking the question in your soul," Silvan replied.

Lisa ascended the stage and after thinking a moment, sang the Etta James song "At Last" in a filk version.

"At last, has my... true one come along? Are my lonely days now over? Is life now like a song? Oh yeah yeah..." She stared at Doug. "You smile... is the spell now cast? Are we now in Heaven? Are you mine... at last?"

Silvan nodded throughout the song. The entity did not give her an answer when she looked for one. Instead, Silvan gestured at Doug, pointing at the stage.

"My turn," Doug sighed.

"It's okay," Lisa told him. "You got this."

"Thanks."

Her Hero sang a filk version of Aretha Franklin's "Rescue Me". "Will you rescue me?" he asked, looking at Lisa. "Will you take me in your arms? Rescue me... I need you, and your love too. Come on, rescue me. Come on, lady, take my hand! Come on, lady, be my wo-man! Come on, rescue me!"

He's lonely, she thought, listening to the song. I understand that. I was lonely too. Until I found him. He's so special to me now.

She reflected on earlier phone conversations from that week. "What are your ambitions, Doug? Your hopes for the future?"