Yolanda Gladstone/Ides of March

From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe

Yolanda sat under an oak tree, and was leaned back in meditation. Normally when centering her power she would have preferred the Arcanum for this. The energies in there were focused, balanced, flowing like a river. But out here in the world the energies were chaotic - boiling and tumbling about one another constantly. Yolanda wondered how the humans ever got anything done.

But the Foundation was too far removed from space and time to be of use today. She needed the earth. The soft touch of grass, the rough bark of the Oak tree, the salty briny stench of the Atlantic Ocean. They were her connections. Her antennae.

The world around her shimmered, only partially there now. The people were like ghosts. It was close now. Yolanda focused her thoughts as she had done a thousand times before, using a technique she had practiced tens of thousands of times now. In a rush the trees and people - even the war walls themselves - zipped past her in a fleeting rush.

Yolanda found herself standing in tall grass. The spires of a great castle, flying flags from every parapet and tower, tall and proud, stood boldy imposed against the face of the rising sun.

Yolanda... was home.

In her heart she longed to stay, but she knew better.

Among the forests of fruit trees, Yolanda Gladstone strayed a hand, picking a pear from the tree, and slowly eating it as she walked. She felt suddenly invigorated. The life filling her body once more, as it had done for a thousand years. Here the land seemed crisper, brighter, more real to her senses than anything in the 'normal' world.

Up a flight of steps to a courtyard. Her feet knew the way automatically. Great sentinels of stone overlooked the courtyard with friendly faces - protectors, ah yes she knew their names. Frozen in stone, they lines the battlements, warding off any that would dare enter the palace of the king.

A trumpet - long and silvery. "...approaches, Yolanda of the house of Gladstone. The traitor approaches." came the announcement. Yolanda winced. Everytime, they reminded her.

A long purple carpet with a yellow border lay at her feet as she approached the throne. Finally, Yolanda paused, and went to one knee, hands out spread. "My Lord. I come as bidden."

"Pleased am I to see you have returned. But why do you come clothed in the wretched garb of the mortals? Do you not respect the decency of this court?" came the soft but stern voice of the king.

Yolanda inwardly groaned. She hated this part. Surely enough in moments her hero’s garb of Paragon City was wafted away in a swirl of breeze to be replaced with the whispy, gaussy silk drapings of her people that did little to nothing for modesty, and were little more than ceremonial. Though she wore clothing, it left little covered but her loins. Yolanda longed for the playful, teasing modesty of the humans. Still bowed, Yolanda did not look up. "My Lord, may I speak?"

"Forward and brash as always, young Yolanda. Very well." The king seemed to chuckle inwardly at Yolanda’s obvious discomfort. "You are so very much like your mother."

Something died a little more in Yolanda’s heart, and she looked up at the king – rising up to stand once more – with more than a little ire in her eyes. "I come as bidden, my Lord."

"The time of the Blight approaches, and I need all warriors loyal to me to be at my side to defend the court. You have proven your loyalty, young Yolanda, much to the ire of your family in the winter court."

"With all due respect, my Lord. The Blight is coming – I have seen it’s beginning already upon the world. Much has changed in the last century. Even this court cannot ignore the implications it implies."

"Speak of this." The king commanded her.

Yolanda placed her hands respectfully behind her back. "Already the spirits from the sky have descended upon the humans, joining with them, and in some cases giving them power, making them immortal."

The king stood, towering over Yolanda. "Humans gaining immortality? But that is impossible… such a thing has not happened since the elder days!"

"There is much more, My Lord. The humans are growing, changing, evolving. No longer just an anthill to be stepped on and wiped out. They cover the globe – not a single place of our Mother’s life is unspoiled by their touch. And their powers are returning."

The king pointed at her. "You lie!"

"I swear it is the truth, my lord. Every word. Guardians have emerged that watch humanity from the beginning of time to the end of time. And still the great shadow approaches. The power of the humans is rising. They cannot move mountains yet with a thought as our people can, but they will have the power to move mountains soon. The powers some humans have gained rivals that of any child among our kind." Yolanda’s tone was gravely serious.

The king paced back and forth across the court hall, sunlight streaming in through the plate glass windows all around the room, causing dancing patterns of multicolored light all around them. The images depicted in the glass gave a quick history of their people. "This is serious indeed. How did this happen? The humans have been powerless for the last five thousand years."

Yolanda nodded. "My Lord is correct, but the Well of Furies was found. Pandora’s box is re-opened. The Olympians have returned."

"Why did you not report this sooner?!" he snapped.

"It has only occurred in the last one hundred years, My Lord." Yolanda raised an inquisitive eyebrow. Considering the way time worked among her people, a hundred years was a relatively short time, though very long by human standards.

"Ahh I see. But I need you here, my dear, now."

"With all DUE respect, my Liege, the Blight comes upon the humans first. Their powers will face it first. Some call them the Metahumans, others call them Superhumans. But whatever name you use, they will face the great dark alone first. And if humans fall, then they will destroy our mother and come railing upon our doorstep! WE CANNOT let our mother perish at the hands of the Blight."

The king sighed heavily, taking to sitting on his throne once more. "As much as it pains me to admit one of the Winter Court is right, you are correct indeed, young Yolanda. We cannot allow that. What do you propose?"

"I will stay with the humans. Guiding them where I can, but mostly observing. If the humans can withstand the onslaught of the Great Dark, then their power will have been proven AND then our mother will be spared. Our doorstep undarkened with the invaders, our homeland kept pure."

"How will you do this?" The king’s eyebrows were inquisitive.

"I have gained allies among the humans. Some who have remarkable power. Their minds sharpened and keen, some of them. When the Great Dark threatens, they will respond in defense of the Mother." Yolanda smiled.

"Very well, girl. Report to me as you see fit. I expect to be informed of any developments as they happen." The King commanded her.

"Of course, my Lord." Yolanda bowed once more.

"My Lady awaits you in the garden. See her before you depart. That will be all, young miss Gladstone." The king waved her off, picking up a scroll and book from his table and began writing. "You are dismissed for now."

Yolanda rose. The Queen had asked for her? Now this WAS unusual. She hurried down the steps from the royal court and out into the gardens, past the great orchards of trees. Unlike the King who was mostly pomp and circumstance, the Queen was another matter. She was shrewd, sharp, and full of wit and wisdom. She was the one who truly ruled the feykin, not the king. She wrapped the king around one hang, and with the other she gained the love of their people.

Yolanda hurried among the trees, the light wind blowing through the whispy garment. Sure enough among the boughs and roots of the apple trees, she found the queen and her attendants, minding the trees carefully. Yolanda went to one knee, and spread her arms respectfully. "Queen Titania, my Lord bade me see you."

The Queen was dressed in the same style robes as Yolanda was, only with more adornment – gold jewelry and crown on her brow. "Hello dear. Now that the formalities of your visit are out of the way, tell me how it went?" the queen asked.

Yolanda rose a little and sat in the grass, comfortable in the queen’s presence. "It went as planned, for a while. She used a human to begin her experiment – fusing magic into the essence of a bright young human girl. But she could not force them to obey. Sure enough, she broke free of my mother’s control, and the human authorities stepped in. With some help, my mother was tried, convicted, and sentenced."

"But not executed for her crimes?" Titania inquired.

Yolanda shook her head. "Humans have grown in the last century. They understood they could not kill Rhiannon. So they used science and iron to hold her at bay in a prison cell. That worked for about a year, until super-powered criminal elements freed her, convincing her to help them. She is at large again, and back at her research. Her unholy mixtures of science and magic will continue soon."

"You do not yet know her plan?"

"No, I do not. I cannot get close to her. She knows I am after her. She wards against my scrying on her."

"Ah, no matter. She will not stand idly by when the Blight finally hits this world."

"No, but she may do worse, My Lady. What more damage could Rhiannon do if she tries to turn the battle to her own ends? What more horrible abominations could she create with her fusions of magic and science? How many more young children will she horribly mutate in her quest to beat the natural evolution of humankind?"

Titania rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "I will join you in the world from time to time. I will be watching. Waiting. Observing. When the time is right, we will act. But in the meantime… there are suitors."

Yolanda groaned, covering her forehead in her left hand. "Oh, My Lady…. MUST we address this now? With so much at stake? Now is hardly the time…"

A soft laughter from Titania. "You have made yourself worthy and of value to the court. You had to expect this day would come."

Yolanda shook her head. "None of the men of this court understand the least thing beyond their tiny haunts and books of old lore and ancient spells. They do not understand that history – that life – is out there, beyond this island. It is passing them by. There is so much that needs doing, and I am… trying to do it."

"Alone?"

Yolanda sighed, shoulders slumped. "Yes, alone. If that is how it must be done. None of the men of this court would have me before I proved myself because I was a traitor of the Winter Court. I simply did what had to be done. I did what was right. I find their sudden attention… revolting, given the circumstances."

The queen smiled. "As you wish. But do not let you mind be too clouded by the humans and their unpredictable ways. Do not forget where you come from."

Yolanda sighed, tugging at the gaussy excuse for clothing she had been given that did little to cover her body and was more designed to exaggerate every sexual aspect of her body. She felt like she was at a modelling shoot again. It made her feel… disgusted. "Yes, My Lady." Yolanda inwardly groaned.

"We will speak further in the outside world. Go now, you have great work before you." The queen motioned to Yolanda to go.

As loath as Yolanda was to be turned away from her home again, now that she was here, she was all too happy to leave.

The sound of the traffic, the rustling of the oak tree, and the shimmering of the war walls in the distance found Yolanda stirring. She looked down, and sure enough her hero costume was back as it should be. She sighed, feeling less stressed now. "At least that’s over now." She muttered to herself as she headed for the tram.

She had a lot to do still, and she would need help to do it in time. Luckily… time was on her side.

"SO HEY YOLANDA! How was your day?" Lanara’s perky and cheery voiced came across the campus commons of the University of Paragon City’s Occult Studies Campus at Croatoa.

Yolanda was in a simple t-shirt and jeans which matched Lanara’s in everything but color, and well… size. Lanara was easily a head or two taller, and all covered in blue and white fur. However Yolanda, aside from the ears, looked fairly normal. And around Paragon City? Well… she fit right in. If people stared, they were staring at Lanara. And well… Lanara was used to it by now. A bit defensive, perhaps – but well used to people staring. Just a bit.

Yolanda smiled… a little bit. Not very much. Just little upturned corners of her mouth. "Hello, Lanara. I went to my meeting it went about as well as can be expected."

"GOOD! Wanna go see a movie? There’s that new Adventures of Dynaguy and Thunderhead comedy playing at the cinema near the arena in Talos…" Lanara was rambling. "Oh and there’s an Steakhouse around the corner. I can get a big steak and you can get yourself a salad the size of your head."

Yolanda sighed, still smiling… a little. "Ahh Lanara, actually that sounds good. Maybe I need a night off."

"What, classes not going well?"

"Occult studies bores me. I could teach the class. I could teach those imbeciles more about magic and the strange magic creatures that have been or are currently in the world than those idiots would ever know. Hell, I’ve probably played with them growing up or hunted them at some point in the last millennia I’ve been alive."

"Then why are you taking the class?"

"I need the credits to get access to the more advanced courses and make myself look more ‘well rounded’ in my studies." The young fae sighed.

"Test out of it."

Yolanda blinked. "You can do that? And still get credit?"

"Of course, I tested out of those same Intro to Occult Studies classes myself. BOOOOORRRRR-ING!" Lanara giggled.

Yolanda felt like she’d just wasted two months. "I wish I had known that. I suppose I should have read the manuals a bit more closely. I will speak to the nice young man at the counselor’s office…"

They were about half way from the university to the tram station to head to Talos when there was a sound behind them that made Lanara’s ears twitch and swivel back. Yolanda stopped walking and turned, looking behind them.

No one there. But the cover from a manhole was mysteriously missing that they had walked over safely just a few moments before. "Who is there? We mean you no harm." Yolanda assured whoever it was.

"Weeeee…. DO!" came a slithery male voice.

Jumping OUT of the manhole came a number of recaps. The horrible little gnomes all carrying knives and circling around the two girls, cutting off their walking path. They were all cackling and snickering. "Cut up! Little girls! Tiny bits!" they were snickering.

Yolanda and Lanara glanced at eachother, smiling broadly and grinning.

"I guess it’s that time." Yolanda nodded.

"Sounds fun!" Lanara agreed. In a flash of light, Lanara and Yolanda exchanged their school clothing for combat armor. Lanara in dark blue and white, Yolanda in light blue and white. "Screw the movie, let’s party!"

Yolanda and Lanara took a leap. Lanara’s wings spread wide, and both took to the air over the redcaps. Lanara rained down shards of fire, Yolanda shards of ice over the redcaps. The redcaps milled about screaming in pain. A redcap screaming in pain is a high-pitched whining noise, and not a very pleasant sound to hear.

"Well that was quick." Another male voice came from the alleyway between nearby Croatoan buildings. "I had hoped the little ones would last longer, but it seems you and your pet have gained your full powers back, young miss Gladstone."

Yolanda raised an inquisitive eyebrow, landing back on the ground with Lanara. "For the last time, Lanara is not a pet, or an object. She is a person. You will address her as such." The male figure emerging from the alleyway shrugged, not caring a whit. "I assume you are the one that put the redcaps into this ridiculous attempt at an ambush?"

The figure stood about as tall as Yolanda, but still shorter than Lanara. He wore a black trench coat and wide brimmed duster, with two wicked knives in each hand. Redcap blades? "So it’s true, the great general’s daughter turned coat renegade and consorted with the queen. Maab was most displeased in you."

Lanara snorted. "Maab can kiss our shiny blue and white butts, who the heck are you?"

Yolanda answered that for Lanara. "His name is Brutus. He carries out assassinations for Queen Maab."

"Bet that isn’t the Occult Studies textbook." Lanara snickered. "Isn't he dead?"

"You can't kill one like him so easily, do not be fooled by history."

"Let’s see. Fudokazu puts out a bounty on the head of Shelly Lightfoot. The Villains of Paragon City put out a bounty out for the one called ‘Shattered Soldier’. And now sure enough, Rhiannon Gladstone puts out a reward for the head of her traitorous daughter and for the safe return of her personal property…" he looked at Lanara when speaking the last bit.

Lanara growled. "I’m not property. I’m a person, damnit!"

"Do control your kitten, Yolanda."

Yolanda scowled angrily, raising one hand. A rush of cold air shot from her hand, knocking the wide-brimmed hat off their male attacker’s head, dropping it to the ground. Sure enough the guy had ears long enough to sail a boat with, and eyebrows to match.

"Dude! You’re with the Winter Court!" Lanara exclaimed with surprise.

"Indeed." Yolanda scowled. "One of my mother’s paid lackeys."

"Enough talk, I’m going to enjoy this thoroughly." Brutus said, walking towards Yolanda. "And when I have your head on a silver platter, your little kitten will be no trouble at all."

Yolanda scowled, and reached into her backpack without looking, drawing out a long slender object… that really shouldn’t have fit in there in the firstplace. Well… with a fae backpack, what did you expect? It was wrapped in cloth, which quickly fell away to reveal a hardened iron sword with a heavily wrapped hilt. Yolanda held it carefully in her thickly gloved hands. She was glad the Justicar gloves were so thick with this thing. Last time she touched it, it burned her hands, which blistered for weeks until Yolanda started using generous amounts of Aloe Vera on them. "I’d hope to avoid needing to use this."

"What are you doing with THAT?" Lanara asked, idly.

"One of the humans here in Croatoa had it made for me." Yolanda was careful to keep the iron away from her.

Brutus came at her with his twin daggers, which Yolanda parried with the broadsword, and knocked him away. She returned with a wicked sweeping slice through the air at his head. The male fae was lucky enough to dodge out of the way in time. "Too slow, girly."

Lanara didn’t stand by idly, and her solution was to throw a great big ball of fire at him. They were both practically made of cold and ice, but it did little to either of them. Lanara quickly looked for an alternative to use.

"I am puzzled that Maab would try to have me killed. Wouldn’t she demand that privileged for herself?" Yolanda said with a perfectly calm and flat expression.

"I didn’t come here for Maab, I came here for your mother’s bounty." Was his explanation. He swung at Yolanda with the daggers, and actually connected, but her body armor made them just glance off lightly.

"You’ve forgotten Rhiannon kills most the people she hires. Or tries to." Lanara reminded him.

The distraction caused the guy to swing his daggers at her instead. Yolanda did not miss the opening and came down on him with a sweeping strike of the iron broadsword, separating one of his hands from his arms. He howled in anguish, glaring and snarling angrily back at Yolanda.

"Et tu, Brutus?" Yolanda raised an eyebrow, her tone dry and her humor flat.

"I will be back…" the guy said, vanishing from sight in a flash.

"Like we haven’t heard THAT before!" Lanara snickered. When the guy didn’t reappear, she turned to Yolanda. Lanara didn’t even seem to miss a beat before smoothing down her fur and returning to her normal clothes. "So… dinner? Movie? Too bad we don’t have dates, it’d be like a double date…"

Yolanda glanced around for the would-be killer who did not reappear. She carefully wrapped up the sword again, touching it as little as possible, and putting it back in her bigger-on-the-inside backpack. "I suppose. As long as they allow me to bring my bag into the theatre. I hate being told to leave it outside."

"Dinner it is!" Lanara smiled, glad that was all over with and behind them.

Yolanda did not smile. She knew he’d be back. Sometime.