CCC #46 - Voting Thread

Lindsey vs Cupid

Agatha clutched the plush doll close to her chest as she walked through the knee length grass after Samuel. The pair of them were best friends, and even at the tender age of eleven people in the village stated that they were a perfect pair. To be honest through both Agatha and Samuel were too young to understand the concept of love, beyond the love of their family and whatever toys or books were considered precious to them.

“Hey Agatha, I think I found something over here!” Samuel called as he bent down and investigated what looked like a pair of blue gemstones gleaming out of the undergrowth. “I think it’s…” Before he could finish what he was saying the animal whose eyes they were leapt out of the undergrowth knocking Samuel onto his front before barrelling past Agatha, knocking her down and causing the plush doll falling into the grass.

“Samuel!!” Agatha screamed, as she got to her feet, dirt smeared down her face and dress.

“Agatha don’t worry I’m here.” Samuel called as he hugged her, just as the undergrowth rustled again. “I think we should get out of here!” He added, as he took Agatha’s hand and the pair of them ran towards the village, the lights gleaming in the early evening gloom.

“But Lindsey!!” Agatha called, as her doll was left behind in the grass. Stirring slightly the doll orientated its head upwards and saw a chubby man dressed in a hooded sweat shirt and jeans, his beer belly bulging out from under his clothes, a quiver slung over his back. As the malicious energy that had animated the doll swept through its plush body, hatred appeared across the puppet’s face. It wouldn’t forget that man, and it sure as hell wouldn’t forgive.

**

Ten Years Later

Cupid took a deep sniff from the flowers in the park as he watched the young couples walking along the paths and sitting on the edge of the fountain. Love was in full bloom, and while he worked almost every day of the year, Valentine’s Day was indeed the busiest time of the year for him. While love was what attracted him to those people he helped, misery was almost as attractive to him. While the majority of the park were in love, there was one hotspot where hatred and malice was radiating outwards like a beacon to the ‘harbinger of love’. Flying over to the bushes off the main path, Cupid peered inside to see a little girl of eleven, maybe twelve sobbing.

“I think a little childhood crush is required here.” Cupid stated, as the little girl looked up at the floating man, her grey eyes glowering at him with hatred. With an angry hiss she reached up towards him and lashed out, her nails cutting through his chest with a lot more force than a girl of eleven should be able to muster.

“I hate you!!” The little girl screamed, as he darted back as the girl dressed in a red dress overlaid with a white waistcoat emerged from the bushes hissing and snarling. Looking around he noticed that none of the couples could see him or the girl. With a wicked sneer he knocked one of the arrows in his bow and fired, only to see the bolt phase through the girl and thud into the tree behind where she was standing.

“So you are a spirit or some kind of mystical construct then?” Cupid asked, as he knocked another arrow and fired, only for the girl to summon up a halo of blue fireballs, the first of them incinerating the bolt whilst the remainder of fireballs slammed into Cupid, his body blazing for a few seconds before he flew straight up towards the towers of the city. Hissing with rage, the little girl took off after him, the pair of them phasing into the office building, the men and women oblivious to the two supernatural beings who has entered their workspace.

“You took her away from me!” The little girl screamed. “You took her away from me!” She repeated, as she ran at him, long black nails formed from shadow sprouting from her hands. Rolling his eyes Cupid fired three arrows at the girl, all three thudding into her flesh, although that did nothing to slow her down, her talons slashing his chest open.

“Ah yes, ten years ago just outside that little village by the sea.” Cupid stated, as he reached out and twisted the arrows with a telekinetic grip. “I recall the two children Samuel and Agatha, two children in the early stages of love, but I don’t recall you. Tell me where were you in all this?”

“I was the doll in Agatha’s arms.” The little girl snarled as the bolts twisted into the shadow flesh of the girl. “I was knocked from her arms by a Sylveon!” She screamed, as the flesh evaporated to reveal a small black humanoid figure with glowing red eyes and a yellow mouth that looked like it had been zipped up. With an inhuman scream the figure flew at Cupid, elongated talons slashing through his face and knocking him to the floor with a thud.

“It that a Pokémon?” One man asked, as the office workers got to their feet and started backing away from the newly appeared figure.

“Evacuate the building and call security, it looks like a wild Banette got into the office.” Another stated as all the office workers filed out of the room, save for a young woman with shoulder length blonde hair dressed in a purple business suit who cowered behind her desk. With wide eyes the woman watched as an arrow slammed into the Banette causing the Pokémon to scream in pain, before launching a wave of Will ’o’ Wisp fireballs at something unseen, the flames washing over an unseen figure, blue flames running up and down the invisible threats arms and legs.

“Tell me what you want from me fell spirit?” Cupid asked, as he blocked Banette’s Shadow Claw attack with his bow, before stabbing an arrow into the Pokémon’s arm. “What is it you need from me to allow your soul to rest?” He asked, as the Banette gripped the arrow stabbed into its plush body and dove the bolt deeper into its flesh.

“I want you to suffer!” Banette hissed in the language of its species, red light radiating off its body before it radiated out and washed over Cupid, both of the combatants screaming in pain as spiritual energy struck them. “I want my Agatha back!!” it screamed, as Cupid drew another arrow, only for his quiver to send an electrical surge down his body.

“I will not let a fell construct like you destroy me!” Cupid roared, as he was forced to materialize into the visible spectrum, his sudden appearance causing the cowering office worker to gasp in surprise. “You would attempt to disrupt the happiness of Samuel Oak and Agatha Willows of Pallet Town? How selfish of you spirit!” He snarled, as he removed a grey tipped bolt from a concealed leg quiver and knocked it into his bow. “Since you were created by hatred and despair, this lead tipped arrow of loathing should create a feedback to destroy you!”

“Wait Lindsey?!” The woman called, her voice causing Cupid and the Banette to turn round in surprise. “Lindsey is that you?”

“Agatha?!” Lindsey replied in joy as she soared over to Agatha, the girl she had known replaced by a beautiful young woman.

“How did this happen?” Agatha asked in surprise, as the Banette nuzzled her, just as Cupid lowered his bow.

“The doll you lost was animated by a spirit creature called Shuppet, using its anger at being abandoned it sought you out in an attempt to destroy you.” Cupid murmured, as the Banette landed on Agatha’s shoulder. “It is a danger to all and must be destroyed,” He added, “as he aimed the arrow at Agatha, your feelings on the creature are paramount to its existence.” He continued, as he released the ‘arrow of loathing’ at Agatha, only for Lindsey to intercept the bolt, her body glowing purple for a moment, before falling to the ground. As she did a flash of blue energy erupted from her body and crashed through the roof of the building, before arching East out of Celadon City.

“Lindsey? Lindsey!” Agatha screamed, as she picked up the unmoving body of the Banette, Cupid screamed, the floor of the building cracking open as several Pokémon spirits emerged, each one grabbing a part of Cupid and dragging him down into the earth, the tiled floor reforming after he had been dragged down. Sobbing Agatha heard a noise behind her and spun round to see Samuel and his Pokémon partner Nidoking running out of the stairwell.

“Agatha are you okay?!” Samuel called as he ran over to her and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “We were told that there was a wild Pokémon in the building.”

“Samuel where do Pokémon go when they die?” Agatha asked, as she held the Banette’s body out for him to see.

“There was an old cemetery in Lavender Tower, although Sliph Co is building a new office building there despite claims from the locals that Pokémon spirits will retake their sacred resting place.” Samuel replied, as he helped Agatha up. “If we leave now we can be there in three days.” He added. “First we must tell Officer Jenny that a Pokémon has died, whoever’s responsible will pay for this crime.” He snapped, his sudden sharpness causing Agatha to be a little scared of him. It was almost like that the death of Cupid had changed Samuel, she thought as she brushed a few slithers of lead off her dress.

“I think he already has.” Agatha whispered, as the pair of them walked towards the stairwell. “Whoever or whatever he was.”

**

Agatha watched as the Nincada and Sandshrew owned by the head sexton finished covering Lindsey’s grave. Silently she placed a plush doll by the headstone, before stroking the dolls head, just as something flew behind her. Turning she saw a swirling cloud of gas with a wicked looking smile and eyes.

“Oh I’m sorry for disturbing you Gastly.” Agatha stated, as the Sexton and his Pokémon headed back towards the little hut in the grounds of the new Sliph Co building. Coming close the Gastly nuzzled her, before resting on her arm. “Wait? Lindsey?” She gasped, as the Gastly flew round her head before returning to its resting place. “I’ve missed you Lindsey. After you died I got fired and broke up with Samuel, I don’t know what to do” She added, her eyes tearing, only for the Gastly to lick them off her face. “I never went on a Pokémon journey when I was a kid, maybe now’s the time…what do you say Lindsey?” She asked the Gastly, as the Pokémon whirled round her body before landing on her shoulder. “Okay let’s go, we have a lot to learn if we’re going to be the very best.”

“WHERE IS HE?” screamed Hermes as he exploded through the doors of the main hall of Mount Olympus startling the gods as they ate their evening meal.

Zeus looked up from his pomegranate cheesecake that was more on his face than in his mouth “Who?”

“Eros! Cupid! That little fat pudgy &^%$ with wings and a nappy!” roared Hermes as he raced around the room at light speed. The messenger of the gods was a blur as he searched the giant room before he was stopped cold by the hand of his father clamped firmly around his neck.

“What in my name are you babbling about boy?” scowled Zeus. “I am trying to eat!”

Hermes mumbled emphatically but the words did not leave his mouth due to the tight grip of his father. Zeus watched as his speedy son turned blue, slowly wiping his ginger beard clean. “Speak,” he said dropping him to the floor.

“Eros made me…” Hermes paused as he caught the gaze of his half-brother Ares who was mid-chomp of a boar leg.

“Bah,” Zeus scoffed as he resumed his seat. “I’ve had sex with most everyone, everything. Whatever you’ve done i…”

“EROS MADE ME HAVE SEX WITH APHRODITE!” shrieked Hermes as he bashed the floor making the entire room reverberate with his cries. Slowly Ares stood up from the table.

“What?”

“I was travelling from Asgard when I was fired upon by Eros. His arrow scratched my heel.” Hermes stood up. “I…Aphrodite was the first person I happened upon…”

“My ears better be deceiving me,” snarled Ares as he approached.

“She’s the goddess of love,” Hermes turned to the war god. “Eros is the god of love, your son an…”

Ares’ hand flew collecting Hermes in the mouth. “YOU DEFILED MY WIFE!”

Hermes shot up to his feet grabbing Ares by the ears and yelling directly into his face “I! DIDN’T! HAVE! A! CHOICE!”

“Of all the days to quit drinking,” laughed Dionysus as he poured himself another goblet of wine to watch the proceedings.

Ares kicked his half-brother backwards, drawing a sword from the air with his left hand and a flail with his right. “You shall die Hermes! Mark my words.”

“ENOUGH!” bellowed Zeus causing the whole room to shake. “We shall settle this matter on the morrow. You will both sit by my side to eat and drink, and if either of you so much as looks at the other I will shove an Aegean sized storm UP them.”

__

“How could you?” stated Ares as he stood in the doorway of Aphrodite’s house. The goddess of love and fertility lay on lounge in the centre of her villa wearing nothing more than a flimsy whisper of cloth eating grapes from the hands of a dozen satyrs who frolicked around her.

“I did what you do husband,” Aphrodite smiled. “What comes naturally.”

“By sleeping with your brother!” barked Ares. “I thought you were better than Zeus who can’t control his baser urges, sowing his seeds with those monkeys on the mortal plane.”

“There was very little sleeping,” Aphrodite purred. “Besides what do you care? I’ve seen you with Calliope.”

“She’s a muse, not my kin!”

Aphrodite shrugged and rubbed her belly “I think I may also be with child.”

“I am going to kill him!” Ares spat.

“My dear stupid idiotic husband. It wasn’t Hermes’ fault. You should be angry at your son Eros. It was his arrows that caused all this. You can go now.”

__

Zeus sat on his throne overlooking the Elysium field. All the gods had turned up, even his estranged brother Hades. “Bring forth those who have issue.”

Ares stepped forward dressed in full battle gear and saluted his father. Hermes also walked up but was ready more to run than to fight.

“Ares, what seems to be your issue that brings discord to the Mount?” asked Zeus.

“My half-brother Hermes has impregnated my wife,” Ares scowled. “For such a base insult I demand trial by combat.”

“Hermes?”

“I am guilty of having sex with Aphrodite but it was not of my own accord. Eros made me do it.”

Zeus rubbed his beard. “That little bastard has made me do some things in my time.”

Hera, Zeus’ wife and the woman he seemingly constantly cheated on, rolled her eyes at her husband’s pathetic excuse.

“STEP FORTH EROS!”

“It’s like Cupid now,” groaned Eros as he stepped forward wearing a black shiny suit looking more at home centuries in the future.

“What in my name are you wearing?” asked Zeus.

“It’s called fashion, look it up!” sneered Eros. “Will this take long?”

“Mind your manners boy,” growled Ares.

“Whatever dad,” Eros moaned. “I’m due over at the Romans like right now.”

“SILENCE!” roared Zeus making the field shake with his thunderous tone. “I shall now make my ruling. I find Hermes…blameless.”

“WHAT?” yelled Ares. “Have you lost your mind?”

Zeus looked at his furious son. “Now it is time to watch your manners Ares. If you seek combat, it is granted. Fight Eros.”

“Say what now?” Eros did a double take.

“You caused this, you shall be held responsible,”

“Oh you’re just annoyed about turning into that swan to bone that woman,” Eros said. “I just fire the arrows. Maybe you should have a bit of self-control.”

“EROS!” yelled Zeus.

“It’s Cupid!” he replied pulling his bow from nothingness and knocking it. “You take another step and I’m going to turn this into the biggest hump fest since Dionysus’ birthday!” The god of wine and fun held up a glass to toast the young love god.

“You all blame me for making you fall in love you bunch of fuc…”

CHOK!

Ares silenced his son with a mighty blow from his axe embedding it in the back of his skull. “Enough boy,” Ares whispered as his son hit the grass.

“Best! Day! Ever!” cheered Dionysus as he spat wine everywhere and burst into applause. Hades glided over to the fallen god and picked up his hand.

“He’s mine if nobody has any objections,” the god of the underworld hissed. “I could use an archer.”

Zeus looked around at the assembled gods. “Looks like he’s yo…”

“I’ll take my son back,” Aphrodite said as she stepped forward, her belly ripe and full. “He’ll learn from this mistake and help his brother. Do you mind Hades?”

“I do,” Hades rasped. “But there is little I can do about it. Love unfortunately always trumps death.”

I Kissed Killed Cupid

EXCERPTS FROM MAX'S SUPER MEGA AWESOME JOURNAL 3000!

Day 1:

Experiment 001

Hello! my name is Max I am 7 and a half years old.

Today will be the day I try to lure the dreaded Cupid into my basement of doom.

I have laid out multiple traps including and not limited to THE BASKET OF DOOM, THE LEGO OF DOOM AND FINALLY THE SOCKS OF DOOM.

Soon I will be rid of him and his love spreading and then me, Mom and Dad can play again!

Day 2:

Experiment 002

This is Max, experiment 001 was a failure it only resulted in dad tripping over the legos of doom and hurting his legs and Mommy kissed it better yes verrrry icky.

But enough about that since Mom and Dad are gone to a pencil meeting TODAY IS THE DAY. If Cupid is a love spreader then perhaps if i try to kiss a girl then he will appear.

The object of experiment is a girl named Betty.

Day 3:

Experiment 003

This is Max, experiment 002 was a failure yet again i tried kissing her but she screamed and kicked me in my manhood.

Upon examination of Mom and Dad snuggling I've now come to the conclusion that Cupid is hiding from me and the only place he could be hiding in is my DREAMS.

Operation Sleep: INITIATE

Day 4:

Experiment 004

A puppy? I DREAMT OF A PUPPY! I DON'T WANT A PUPPY I WANT MY MOM AND DAD TO PLAY WITH ME INSTEAD OF LOVING EACH OTHER ALL DAY NOT SOME MONGREL!

Wait.

That's it...I knew the journal would pay off.

Dad told me in life every boy and girl has three wishes I've spent my first two on stupid things like chocolate and Sonic 3 but this idea....IT JUST MIGHT WORK!

Day 5:

EXPERIMENT 004 WAS A SUCCESS MOM AND DAD ARE PLAYING WITH ME I DID IT I FINALLY DID IT I KILLED CUPID!

Day 6:

WE GOT ICE CREAM AND PANCAKES TODAY WOOHOO!

Day 7:

Dad left his job so WE'RE GOING TO DISNEYLAND!

Day 12:

Mom and Dad are playing but they're kinda quiet today.

Day 13:

Dad said he had something to do so we didn't get to play as much today

Day 14:

Mom and Dad watched me play Sonic today and when Dad went to kiss Mom she didn't notice and he missed her face haha.

Day 17:

No playing today, oh well !

Day 20:

No playing

Day 23:.

No playing

Day 27:

NO PLAYING!

Day 36:

Mom and Dad aren't snuggling as much.

Day 48:

Dad went out again today, I asked why but Mom just smiled and watched the television.

Day 60:

Mom and Dad are acting weird they're just staring off into space like they're not in the room anymore.

Day 63:

Mom and Dad are shouting a lot and sometimes they whisper shout.

Day 72:

I've made a mistake. I should never have killed Cupid. Dad's leaving for good this time and Mom doesn't care.

Day 80:

Mom cried again today and there's nothing I can do.

Day 91:

Dad isn't coming back.

I wish he'd come back, Mom used to love seeing him smile.

I wish Mom would stop crying too.

I wish that it wasn't my fault but it is.

I wish that Mom and Dad loved each other again but they don't.

I have no more wishes because I used my last wish to do something someone should never do and its one thing I wish for the most...

I wish I never killed Cupid.

Rumble Bump the Closet Monster in..

'Loves Highway'

Night Time. The March's House

Rumble Bump hid in Billy's closet as his parents tucked him in. The closet monster shifted his cone hat, which had black and white stripes swirl to the top. His skin was yellow and his jaw extended down to his belt. He salivated as he thought about eating the child. He peeked out the closet, his hollowed out eyes had green flames, which Billy spotted from his bed.

"Dad. I just saw him. The closet monster. He just looked at me. Go look, dad." Billy cried from his bed.

"Billy, your imagination is too big. You need to be brave." Billy's dad said.

"Dan, go check the closet." Billy's mom ordered.

"Fine Shannon." Dan said rolling his eyes as he got up and walked over to the closet.

Rumble Bump hid under a pile of toys as Dan opened the closet door. Wearing a white clown suit and standing barely three feet tall, Rumble Bump blended in with the toys. He peeked at the father from under the toys. He could see a coldness in him.

Dan shrugged. "Billy, you need to clean this closet some time. No monsters in here, Shannon."

Shannon gave Dan a slight smile. "Thanks, Dan." Looking back at Billy she smiled wide. "See Billy. Your Dad just checked. Everything is fine."

With that Shannon kissed Billy on the forehead and both parents left the room. Billy stared at the closet door.

The Next Day

Detective Janet Lee arrived at the scene of the crime. Young Billy March was murdered in his bed room. Lee took a drag of her cigarette, sighed and walked into the room. It was gruesome. Always was a tragedy when it involved kids. Janet was used to it at this point. Her heart had grown cold. No wonder she couldn't get a boyfriend.

Rumble Bump watched the cops from the closet. He giggled to himself as he watched the sad cops go about their business. He loved the misery he caused in others. He took out his swirly dagger and filed his hooked teeth. Looking at his fingers, which had three joints and blackened nails, he saw a stain of blood, which he licked with his long tongue.

Detective Lee started walking towards the closet before she was interrupted by Sergeant Smith. "The mom had to be separated from the dad. She became hysterical and kept punching the poor guy. We took her to the station to calm down."

Lee looked at Smith. "Where's the father?"

"He's in the parents room er.. his room I guess."

Detective Lee began walking towards Dan's room. Rumble Bump watched her from the closet. He had been fascinated by Detective Lee. He could see the coldness in her heart. He crawled under the floor boards towards the parents closet.

Detective Lee opened the parents bedroom door. "Mr. March my name is Detective.." She stopped as she looked at Dan for the first time. They stared into each others eyes.

Rumble Bump watched them from the closet. "How strange?" he thought. "They're just staring at each other."

Dan stood up from the bed and walked over to Detective Lee. He shut the door behind her as he stared into her eyes. It was like staring into the eyes of his soul mate. They both had a matching coldness about them.

Rumble Bump saw something hit Detective Lee's chest. A small pink arrow. Neither Dan nor Lee had noticed it, though Lee had certainly felt it. Another pink arrow hit Dan's heart a moment later. This time Rumble Bump had seen where the arrow had come from. He looked over to the left corner of the room and saw it.

It was a small, fat, naked child. It floated in the air, with little wings flapping away keeping him there. Rumble Bump was intrigued. He had heard of this creature before. It was Cupid, the love faerie.

Rumble Bump stopped paying attention to Dan and Lee, who had began kissing each other and fumbling their way towards Dan's bathroom. He was far more interested in this flying faerie. He looked just like all the children Rumble Bump had eaten throughout the years.

As Dan and Lee made their way into the bathroom, barely shutting the door behind them, Cupid had flown behind them. He floated in the air as he peeked into the bathroom, giggling. There were moans coming from inside the bathroom and Cupid giggled even louder. As the moans got louder, Cupid giggled uncontrollably. He giggled so much that he hadn't noticed Rumble Bump sneak up behind him.

Rumble Bump grabbed Cupid from behind, his fingers wrapping around Cupid's mouth and his swirly dagger slid across Cupid's throat. The flying, faerie, cherub spun around and began wrestling with Rumble Bump. Eventually the closet monster got the best of Cupid and he began to devour the poor creature.

Dan and Detective Lee stopped what they were doing. They quietly dressed in shame as their passion died off.

"I don't know what came over me." Dan said. "It's just.. Billy."

"It's okay." Lee replied.

That Night

Eventually Rumble Bump left the March's house to find a new victim. He had fun at the March's house, more fun than he had in years. Though his belly was quite full, he wanted to start stalking his next victim, a young girl named Iggy who lived on the other side of the highway from the March's house.

Rumble Bump felt something in his back. He had felt it ever since his fight with Cupid yet it hadn't started nagging him until he had started to cross the highway toward's young Iggy's house. He reached behind him and felt an object sticking out of his back. It was a pink arrow. Cupid had stuck it into his back during the fight.

"Must not have worked on me." Rumble Bump thought. "I haven't fallen in love with anyone. Nice try, faerie child."

Rumble Bump was halfway across the highway when he stopped in his tracks. He had seen the most beautiful thing in the world. Two large headlights came up over the horizon, belonging to a big, beautiful, Mack truck.

Rumble Bump held out his arms and ran straight towards those lights. "Come to me, my love."

{Rumble} {Bump}

February 13

A Story For a Dirty Blonde

He sat at the bar enjoying an iced tea, tolerating the karaoke, and writing some thoughts in a spiral notebook. There was only one seat between his and those of the two beautiful women who had come in together, obviously planning to enjoy the night. The one closest to him, a blonde running towards brunette, made eye contact, and pointing at his notebook said, “You’re writing me a love story, right?”

“Absolutely,” he answered cheerfully.

Tuning in on the conversation her friend, a busty redhead, squinted and squealed, “Look at how small his writing iiiisss!”

“That’s so nobody can copy off of him, like in school,” teased the blonde, and both girls laughed.

“That’s right,” he confirmed with a smile. “If I’m going to write you a love story, I don’t want anyone to steal it.”

The dirty blonde got the joke and rocked back on her bar stool laughing. The redhead crooned, “Aww, that is the sweetest thing everrr!”

The blonde looked at her friend strangely, then looked at him. He leaned towards her conspiratorially with a playful grimace, and confided, “She hasn’t read the story yet.” She laughed again.

A few songs went by, the dirty blonde and the redhead sang, “I Love Rock ‘N Roll,” and they stepped outside for a smoke. When they returned to the bar, the blonde, seeing that he was still writing, said, “Geez! You got that much to tell me?”

“Oh yeah!” he declared. “I figured I could leave it to your imagination, or I could tell you what was going to happen next.” She raised an eyebrow, and he smirked at his mock bravado.

The night continued, and he kept writing. The blonde and her friend flirted with other guys in fun, drank some more, and sang some more songs. They paid their tab as he finished writing, looked up at each other, and then…

"And then?" asked Marion Yu, looking up from the notebook she had leaned against the steering wheel.

"And then Mary," said Rick O'Shea, her partner who was eating fries in the passenger seat, "the dirty blonde ditched her friend to either go home, or leave with someone else. The redhead, whom a waitress had called Gina, wound up leaving alone, as did he an hour or so later. She was nice, but not for me,” he said with a semi-disappointed look as he poked a fry into a pile of ketchup.

"Man! We are never going to get you--"

She was interrupted by a radio squelch followed by, "Unit Seven Eight Five, please respond to a homicide at the offices of Holiday, Incorporated."

"Seven Eight Five responding forthwith," Rick said into the radio mic.

"Holiday?" said Yu as she set the notebook aside and started the car.

"Please tell me they haven't 'killed' Frosty again," complained Rick as he sat up straighter. "Hey, Chihuahua!" he called out the window. "You want these fries? We gotta go!"

A lanky, nervous looking man in tattered clothes trotted over from where he'd been hovering near a phone booth, and took the fries eagerly. "Heyyy, thanks, O'Shea! These look great!"

"No problem," said Rick as Mary put the car in gear. "Here, take the burger and coffee too. Make sure you find someplace warm tonight," he called as the car started off. "It's supposed to be a cold one!"

"Will do, detective!" called Chihuahua, raising the little carton of fries in salute.

"Aw," teased Mary as she flipped on the siren, "see? You're such a nice guy. I'd almost sleep with you."

"I'd almost let you," Rick teased back.

Making a mock kissy face as they turned a corner, she said, "Well it's mine and the dirty blonde's loss!"

The siren blared as the car roared down the street.

Lobby of Holiday, Inc.

As the detectives entered through the revolving doors, Rick waved to the security desk a few yards away, and said, "Hey, Nat. You called in a murder?"

"Well, yeah," said Nat. The "Watchman" nameplate on his shirt gleamed in the overhead lights. "Pretty sure the guy didn't do himself in."

"Pretty sure?" asked Yu.

"Well, it is arrows," he said with a pained look.

"'Arrows,'" Rick repeated. "You don't mean Cupid?"

"See for yourself," Nat said shaking his head. Tapping some keys on the computer to recall an elevator car, he added, "Sixty-ninth floor. Uniforms are already waiting upstairs with security."

"Okay," said O'Shea as they followed the ding of an opening elevator. "Thanks, Nat."

"You bet," he called as the elevator doors slid together.

Sixty-Ninth Floor

Security was waiting at the elevator, and pointed them towards a conference room at the end of the hall. They avoided a few hardboiled eggs with colorful designs on the shells along the way- one squashed and broken, the others cracked but mostly intact. An officer waited at the door who pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. The detectives walked in and surveyed the body on the conference table as CSI took pictures.

"Aw, mannn!" griped O'Shea, "It is Cupid! That sucks!"

"I know," said Mary. "How will you ever get a date now?"

Looking to the CSI tech, Rick said, "Whatcha got, Dot?"

Dorothy Matrix looked up from her camera, then raised a chin towards the body. "Pretty much what you see- arrows to the head and heart."

"What about the one in his hand?" asked Mary. "He pulled one out before he died?"

"No," said Dot, looking at her pointedly. "He caught it."

"'Caught it?'" Rick repeated incredulously. "He probably put a hand up defensively and took the shot, you mean?"

"No, I mean he caught it. The arrow barely pierced the palm of his hand, which means something had to have stopped it. That would be the grip of the fingers he caught it with. The little man was a badass," she said with a mixture of admiration and sympathy for the victim. "He put up a fight."

"But he lost," said O'Shea. "Who beats Cupid with an arrow?"

"The Sparrooow," Dot said as she bent down to snap more pictures.

"Say again," said Mary.

Dot stood up straight and repeated, "The Sparrow." Pointing to the wall, she said, "Another arrow pinning that note over there."

Mary walked over to the wall and ducked her head to one side to read the words scrawled under the arrow.

It was I.

-The Sparrow

"Really?" she asked. "Signed his work? Just like that?"

"Her work," came a voice from behind them. The detectives turned to see a man with dark, wavy hair, and boy band good looks. He was wearing a red and white costume, had a string of colorful beads around his neck, and was holding an arrow with no tip in his hand. "I handed my bow and quiver to security when I got off the elevator," he said, extending the arrow out to Detective Yu which she took.

"Great," said O'Shea. "Another Cupid. You got an alibi, superhero?"

Cupid scowled only slightly. "I was celebrating with Mardi Gras when I got the call. I'm his, um, emergency contact," he said, looking at the body.

"It's a little late for Mardi Gras, isn't it?" asked Yu.

"I wasn't celebrating Mardi Gras," corrected Cupid. "I was celebrating with Mardi Gras. She's gorgeous- great... you know," he said, cupping his hands in front of him. "Loves beads," he added, pulling at his necklace with his thumb.

"Why do people love you?" Yu said with disgust.

Dot stepped up beside Mary and took a picture of the superhero, which he smiled for. Without taking her eyes off him, she spoke to Mary from the side of her mouth, "Are you looking at him? Come on." She cleared her throat briefly, but didn't hide her smile as she tapped her camera. "Well, I have what I need. I'll be going now," she said with a slight wave to the detectives. "Rowr," she said low as she passed Cupid.

He smiled after her, then looked back to Detective Yu. "It's kinda my thing," he said with an amiable grin. When Mary didn't smile back, he added, "That's why I brought you one of my arrows. The fletching is different."

Rick pursed his lips as he looked at the arrow in his partner's hand. "You said 'her work.' You know The Sparrow?"

"I... uh... trained her," the superhero confessed sheepishly.

Mary rolled her eyes. "Greaaat. Did you love her too?"

"Yes, I did," he said with a sad smile, "but not like that."

"Then what was it like?" asked O'Shea.

Cupid furrowed his brow as he looked at the floor. "I... cared for her."

"Does she have a name besides 'The Sparrow?'" prodded Mary.

"May. May Coch." He searched the floor for a moment longer before looking towards the body on the table. "I'm a friend of the family- we go way back. After her mother's death, her father, Robin, became a falling down drunk, and abusive in every way possible. I took her in. She was understandably angry, and she needed an outlet. So I taught her archery. She practiced obsessively; became really good. She also became attached to me."

"And this was a problem for you?" Mary asked with disbelief.

Cupid looked at her without his characteristic smile, and said, "She was a friend, as was everyone in her family. I'm a god, a superhero, and a celebrity. Real friends don't come easy. So when she started to show interest, I discouraged it."

"You discouraged it," Yu said doubtfully. "Female attention? From a woman that you had living with you?"

"Have I done something to you, detective?" Cupid asked with slight anger in his voice. Then taunting, he added, "Or not done something to you?"

Mary stepped forward, but Rick put a hand up in front of her to stop her. "You are a son of a bitch," O'Shea said.

"Hm," Cupid intoned derisively. "Don't let Venus hear you say that. Or Mars." Then with a shrug and a glance at the ceiling, he said, "OrVulcan." Looking back to Yu, he stared unflinchingly as he said, "As I said, I'm a god; immortal; human lives are a brief whisper to me. If I can bring pleasure to some of those lives, why should I not? Erotic love and pleasure are what I'm known for best. And I'm good at it," he said with a pointed nod. Mary glared. "Don't hate," he added, blowing her a kiss.

Mary shook with rage, and breathed hard and long through her nose. Finally shoving her partner's hand from in front of her, she took a step closer and said, "You didn't answer my question."

"Yes!" shouted the god, making both detectives flinch. "I discouraged it. What do you think I am? She's only a teenager! I even sent her to live with Diana who trained her further."

"Diana... Artemis?!" Yu shot back. "The huntress? You sent a pissed off teenager to be trained by the goddess of the hunt?"

"I sent a friend to stay with family!" Cupid said angrily. Taking a deep breath, he took a step back and said, "But it did turn out to be a bad idea. She learned from Diana as well as she had learned from me. Then one night she stole off silently with her weapons, and..." he trailed off momentarily.

"And..." prodded Rick.

"And she killed her father," he said at a loss. The detectives were silent. "I've been looking for her ever since. I... I do feel responsible."

"How 'bout Diana?" asked Yu. "She looking for her too?"

"No," Cupid said sternly. "I told her I would find May. Diana doesn't play."

"And you do?" taunted Mary.

"I am more restrained. I won't kill her," answered Cupid. "Not if I can avoid it, which is my goal."

"'Not if you can avoid it,'" repeated Rick. Looking back at the body on the table, he glanced at his partner and asked, "Why Cupid?" Turning to the god, he said, "She's hunting you."

The god said nothing.

"Oh, my... of course," said Mary, the anger gone from her voice. "Male authority figure in her life. She showed you love. You rejected her... sent her away... She hates you as much as her father."

Cupid closed his eyes and chewed on his lip as he turned his head away, holding back his pain.

"So this," Rick said pointing behind him. "She's just calling you out?"

The hero nodded. "Eros is family too. She's angry with everyone. Once she felt spurned by me, she wanted to know why God didn't intervene between her father and herself... and why the gods didn't intervene, since we knew them."

"Why didn't you?" asked Yu.

"I did. I took her in. What should I have done? Struck her father down? The gods are forbidden from that kind of interference now. She had to make her own decision- anger, forgiveness, or just moving on."

"So door number one, huh," said Mary.

"Apparently," confirmed Cupid.

"Why 'The Sparrow' then?" asked Rick.

Cupid's shoulders sank a little as he answered, "It's what I used to call her when she stayed with me- 'my sparrow, with her little bow and arrow.'"

"You quoted Mother Goose to a teenager?" asked Mary.

Recovering his charming smile, Cupid put a hand to his chest as if covering a mock wound. "My dear, who do you think Mother Goose got it from?" he asked with a wink.

With no humor, Mary shook her head and said, "You really are impossible."

Rick walked over to a telephone near the door, pushed the speaker button and hit a speed dial button. It rang once before they heard, "Security."

"Nat, it's Rick. How long has security had the building locked down?"

"Ever since the body was found. Bunny really freaked out."

"'Bunny?'" asked Mary. "The eggs! The Easter Bunny found Cupid?"

"Esther Bunny, actually," said Nat, "but yeah, she found him. She bolted straight back to her hole in the Easter department and called us. Security has been with her ever since. Poor thing's been shaking like a leaf."

"How long was that after the murder?" asked Rick.

"We're not sure," admitted Nat. "Cupid had been working on last minute Valentine's requests for tomorrow. He was swamped and didn't want to be disturbed. Esther was taking him some eggs- wanted to make sure he ate. That's when she found him. We locked down as soon as she called. Security has swept the building a few times, but we didn't find anything that you haven't already seen. We don't know how she got in or out."

"You wouldn't," said Cupid. "She learned my sister's lessons well."

"Yeah, she's a great student," Mary said sarcastically. "You should really be proud."

"Look," said Nat over the speaker, "Dot mentioned that our shooter was a woman as she was leaving. So I've had the boys going over the security footage, looking for any unknown female visitors that have entered the building today. They've found about twenty. I'm forwarding screenshots to your phone now, Rick."

O'Shea's phone dinged just then, and glancing at it, he said, "Okay, got 'em, Nat. Thanks."

"No problem," said Watchman. "Let me know if you need anything else.

"Will do," said Rick before disconnecting. Tapping his phone to unlock the pictures, Mary and Cupid stepped up to either side to look at the pictures with him. Rick pointed at a TV on the wall and said, "Turn that on, will ya?"

"Wh-- Ah, wi-fi capable. Good call," said Yu, hitting the power button.

Rick sent the pictures to the TV, and scrolled them using his phone like a remote. They scrolled through several without saying a word. A few were obviously too overweight or too old, but Rick stopped on one. Cupid shook his head, and Rick moved on. He went by a few pictures and stopped again, but Cupid shook his head again. He went by two more, and then stopped.

Cupid spoke up, "That's her." She was dressed as a delivery woman, carrying a package on a hand truck. Undoubtedly her weapons in disguise.

Mary looked shocked. "Wow. She's gorgeous. She'd pass for twenty-five, easy."

Rick looked equally as shocked. "Yeah... are you sure she's just a teenager?" he asked Cupid.

"I've known May her whole life," answered the god.

"Rick?" asked Mary. "You're looking a little green, partner. You okay?"

Rick shook his head slowly. "No... no, I don't think I am. That's... that's the dirty blonde."