The next Tuesday, Mia and I were on the sofa when a knock sounded on the door, startling both of us. I fell onto the floor and, as we readjusted our clothes, I went over to the door and answered it. A small girl wearing pink-lensed sunglasses and a labcoat was standing there, her hair in a topknot. "Lana!" She said, smiling and reaching up.

I crouched down and put my arms around her. "It's so nice to see you again, Ema."

She walked into our room, where Mia was hastily cleaning up the undergarments we'd left on the floor the previous night. "Who is this?"

Mia hid the clothes behind her back. "I'm Mia. Mia Fey. I'm Lana's, er, roommate. You must be Lana's sister."

"Yeah," Ema looked back at me. "So, sis, you said you had some different plans for Thanksgiving this year. What are they?"

"Well," I told her, "Mia has invited us to have dinner with her family. They live in a village outside of LA, and they have a rather large feast every year."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mia putting the undergarments into our hamper. "Yes," she said, "I'm sure you'd like it. I have a little sister there; she's about your age. Her name is Maya."

I handed Ema the smaller of two suitcases, and took the larger for myself. "There's stuff in there for you. We'll be staying at the village for a couple days."

"Really?"

"Yeah," I said, "Don't you want a chance to experience life in a traditional village?"

"That'd be great!" Ema said. "I'm willing to put chemistry off for a while and pick up social science instead."

I laughed and ruffled Ema's bangs. "What did I tell you, Mia? She's a scientist through and through."

"I can see that," she said. "She's got the same aura of brilliance as her older sister."

"Oh you," I said, "You flatter me too much. Do you have everything?"

Mia had just picked up her suitcase. "All they've got there are traditional clothes, so I thought I'd bring my own. I want to show them how much I've tried to separate from their traditions."

"Then let's get going. It'll be nice to leave this stuffy dorm behind." Ema and I walked out, and Mia turned the lights off behind us and locked the door.

The car ride took about three hours, and one-third of the route took us over unpaved roads. When we finally arrived, we parked the car outside of a large fence, and unloaded our supplies. Ema was glad for a chance to finally stretch her legs, and was the first to enter the torii gate. Mia and I walked in side-by-side. No sooner did the houses come into view than a girl with black hair and a topknot much similar to Ema's come running up to us. She was wearing a purple robe and strange beads around her neck with an ornament similar to the one Mia wore. "Siiiiiis!" She yelled as she ran. I instinctively grabbed Mia's suitcase for her (Reggie told me that I had a man's strength). Sure enough, the girl jumped at Mia, and Mia swung her around, holding onto her. "Sis, I'm so glad to see you!"

"I'm glad to see you too, Maya," She said, and gestured to me. "This is my roommate, Lana Skye. I invited her and her sister over for Thanksgiving. She plans to be a prosecutor."

Maya shook hands with me and smiled mischievously. "So, are you emotionally prepared to get your butt whipped in court by my sister?"

I laughed. "I'm afraid that's probably not going to happen. After all, I'm at the top of the class."

"Just you wait," Maya said, smiling slyly. "My sis is super-smart." She looked back at Mia. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I gotta go take care of Pearly."

"Pearly?" Mia asked. "Who's that?"

"Didn't you hear?" Maya said, walking backwards. "Aunt Morgan had a new baby about five years ago." She ran off.

"That's so strange," Mia said. "I didn't see any toddlers at last year's Thanksgiving."

"Mystic Mia," a stern female voice said. I looked for the source and at a building nearby and saw a middle-aged woman in a kimono with a hairstyle that made her look like a giant mushroom. She was carrying a cup with steam rising out of the top. Green tea, I guessed. "I didn't think I'd be seeing you this year."

"Oh shit," Mia muttered without moving her lips, loud enough for only me to hear. I could see a muscle forming in her cheek. She put on a very fake-looking smile and spoke up, in a sweet tone that sounded just as artificial as her smile. "Hello, Aunt Morgan."

Morgan glared at Mia with a flash in her eyes that intimidated even me. "That's iMystic/i Morgan to you, young lady." She stopped glaring and looked at me in a manner that seemed almost…friendly. "Who might you be?" She extended her hand to me.

I shook her hand, but before I could introduce myself, Mia cut in. "This is Lana Skye, my girlfriend." The way she said 'girlfriend' sounded full of defiance, as if she were trying to show her Aunt just how much she was breaking from tradition.

If this shocked Morgan, she certainly didn't show it. "Nice to meet you, darling. How did you come to be acquainted with my rogue of a niece?"

"Um," I still felt nervous around this woman. She seemed to be emanating power. "Mia and I go to Ivy U Law School, and we have a class together. Plus, we're now roommates."

Morgan smiled. "Oh, you're becoming a lawyer, are you?"

"A prosecutor, to be precise," I said. "Just like my father."

"It's admirable of you to carry on your family tradition," Morgan said, then shot a glance at Mia. "Unlike some other people I know."

"Aunt Morgan," Mia changed the subject, "Why didn't I see your daughter at Thanksgiving last year?"

Morgan withdrew a hand into the sleeve of her kimono, and put it up to her face as if she were wiping away tears. "I care very deeply for my Pearl. Since you're away from the village so much, I was worried you might corrupt her young mind with some of the uncouth city ways you'd no doubt picked up, so I gave her dinner in another room. If you really insist on seeing her, I'll let her sit at the main table, but you must keep your conversation about the city to a minimum."

I began to wonder if coming here was a mistake. It was certainly unnerving to get involved in the Fey family's politics. To make matters worse, Mia decided to probe even deeper. "Who's the father?"

Morgan gave Mia the same scary glare she'd given just a minute before. "That, Mystic Mia, is none of your business." She turned back to me. "Lana, my dear," I could have sworn I heard one of Mia's blood vessels explode, "I'm sorry, but we don't have any extra rooms. If you wish, I could set up an extra-large futon in Mia's old room. You wouldn't mind sleeping next to her, now, would you?"

I smiled. "I already do every night. Yes, your idea would be fine. But I brought my little sister here, too. Where would she sleep?"

"I'm sure Mystic Maya wouldn't mind sharing a room. Do you think your sister could handle somebody who's, how should I put it, a bit slow on the uptake?"

"Aunt Morgan…" Mia muttered.

Before she could use her patented glare on Mia and correct her again on honorifics, I answered. "Ema will be fine. She's used to people like that."

"Then it's settled. Enjoy your stay with us, Miss Skye. If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask me." She walked away.

I turned to Mia, whose face was bright red; the cold air made her breath visible, and now that she was breathing harshly through her nostrils, she slightly resembled a cartoonish bull, ready to charge. "She's quite a dichotomy, that one," I remarked once Morgan was out of earshot.

"No, she isn't," Mia said with the same bitterness she had used when I'd asked her about her family's dynamics a month earlier. "Morgan is rotten to the core. She's just a good actress, that's all. I once suggested to her that she utilize her talents properly, and take up acting instead of spirit channeling."

"How did she react to that?"

Mia's face soon returned to its normal color and she grinned. "Her underdeveloped power is her most sensitive area, so she pretended not to be offended. Her lip quivering made her so ugly." She laughed.

"So, where is this old room of yours?" I changed the subject; I was a little angry at Mia for her ingratitude towards Morgan for raising her, a luxury that I didn't have myself. Then again, she probably had her reasons, and I certainly didn't think myself qualified to judge her.

She happily picked up her suitcase and grabbed my hand. "It's right this way." She led me to one of the buildings and slid the door on the side open.

The room inside had a large futon on the floor, clearly made for two people. We set our suitcases by the closet in the corner. "It looks nice in here."

"This room is a bit drafty, so it gets rather cold at night this time of year." She intertwined her hands with mine and pulled me in. "You know what that means, don't you?"

"We'll have to stay really close, won't we?"

"Indeed." She leaned in and kissed me.

The door slid open beside us, and we broke apart quickly. Morgan was there. "Oh, hello there, you two. I just wanted to tell you that dinner will be ready in an hour, so wash up." She walked away before Mia could smart-mouth her.

"Where do we wash up?" I asked Mia.

"There's a hot water pump by the kitchen. I'll show you." She led me across the village, and we took turns pumping out the water and washing our hands.

For dinner, Morgan had prepared a pasta and beef dish with teriyaki vegetables and sides of rice. Maya and Ema ate at a separate table. Morgan poured the tea herself. I tasted some. "This has been brewed perfectly, Mystic Morgan."

She smiled and sat down. "Thank you, Lana. So, tell me, how did you and Mystic Mia meet?"

I saw no harm in telling her. "We're taking a class together at Law School. I was reading a bulletin one day when Mia approached me and asked to study with me since I was at the top of the class. I was skeptical at first, but Mia showed me just how smart she is. I've benefitted from having her as a study partner in more ways than one."

"Mm, I can imagine. So, what was your major before you went to Law School?"

I took a bite of food. "Criminal Justice. I actually plan to be a detective for a while before I become a prosecutor so that I can learn how to handle evidence properly."

She nodded approvingly. "That's very wise of you. It's admirable how much dedication you show to your career."

"Really? Thank you, Mystic Morgan."

"Lana…" Mia whispered, nudging me.

"What's eating you, Mia?" I asked her in a normal voice.

She sighed. "Never mind."

Morgan laughed. "Mia's never been one for dinnertime conversation. So, Lana, has Mia told you yet what it is we do here in Kurain Village?"

I nodded. "You're all spirit mediums, correct?"

Morgan raised her eyebrows. "I'm surprised she told you."

"She did more than tell me. She performed a channeling for me."

Morgan looked at Mia. "Mystic Mia, is this true?"

I looked at Mia. She glanced up at Morgan. I couldn't tell whether the expression in her eyes was shame or pride. "It's true."

"Whom did you channel, if I may be so bold as to ask?"

I turned to Morgan and smiled. "She channeled my father."

"You lost your father?"

"Yes," I said, swallowing some tea. "He and my mother died in a car accident when I was fifteen."

"I'm terribly sorry to hear that."

"Don't be," I said. "Thanks to what you taught Mia, I was able to see my father again. It was wonderful."

"Mystic Mia," Morgan said, "I'm surprised at you, keeping in practice."

Mia shrugged. "It was just a favor for a friend."

Morgan pointed to me. "I'd say it meant more to her than a mere favor."

Mia looked at me. "Oh!" She picked up her napkin and dabbed under my eyes with it.

I didn't realize I'd been crying. "Yes," I said to Mia, "It did mean a lot to me. My father was the first person I loved. I should've told you that much."

"Better late than never." Mia kissed me on the cheek.

Morgan tapped me on the shoulder. "Lana, dear, I thought I should let you know that Mystic Mia will be busy most of the day tomorrow, helping us prepare our feast. I wouldn't presume to impose upon a guest, but if you'd be so generous as to help us out in the kitchen, it would be greatly appreciated."

I nodded. "I'd be delighted to assist, Mystic Morgan. Cooking is one of my favorite past times."

She smiled. "Then you came to the right place. Thank you for offering us an extra pair of hands. We really need it."

By this time, we had finished eating. I stood up and bowed to Morgan. "Thank you for the dinner. It was delicious."

Morgan took a sip of her tea. "It's not often that our village is graced with the presence of someone as delightful as yourself, Miss Skye. Enjoy your sleep."

Mia and I walked hand in hand back to our room. She switched on the heater in the corner and crawled into the futon. I followed her, and we held each other under the covers. "You're really lucky," she said. "I never really knew my father. He was always away from the village, and he stopped visiting altogether after my mother disappeared."

"I'm sorry," I said. "I'm truly grateful for you doing that channeling."

Mia smiled. "Would you like me to do it again?"

"No, once is enough. Now, I've got you to love, and that's good enough." I kissed her.

She chuckled to herself. "Hey, d'you suppose our sisters are doing the same thing right now that we are?"

I squeezed her rear. "They're probably not going as far as we are."

"No, probably not," she said, squeezing me back and using her other hand to unbutton my top. "Maya's pretty much asexual. She and I are so different, yet we get along pretty well. She may not be the brightest bulb in the room, but she's a good kid." By the time her last sentence was finished, Mia had unbuttoned my top halfway and pulled one of my breasts out. "We'll be even warmer if we do some physical activity." With that, she put her mouth on my nipple and sucked. I stroked her hair. A few minutes more, and her hand found its way into my pajama bottoms, right on target, and her fingers got to work slowly but surely. Worried that another resident of the village might hear us through the paper-thin walls, I bit my lip, stifling my moans of pleasure. When I had finally climaxed, Mia withdrew her hand and licked her fingers clean. "Finger-bangin' good," she said with an obscene grin.

I couldn't help but laugh a bit. "Shut up," I said, kissing her.

***

The next morning, I woke up in a very traditional manner—to the crowing of a rooster. I tried to sit up, only to find Mia's arms wrapped tightly around my torso. "Mia, honey," I tried to pry them away, "It's time to get up."

"No," she said, sounding like a little girl being made to get up for school, "Don't wanna. Having very good dream."

"At least let me get up."

"No," she grumbled. "You're comfy and warm, and it's too cold out there." She pulled me closer, making a point of pressing her large breasts against mine.

"You have to get up isome/itime," I said, trying to hide how adorable I found her act. "Come on, the rooster just said to get up."

"I'm gonna make him part of our dinner tonight," She said in mock anger, finally letting go of me. I stood and removed my pajamas, shivering in the cold as I searched my suitcase for my casual clothes. "You look so cute when you shiver," Mia said.

I put on my blue lace bra. "You're just saying that because you like seeing my tits jiggle."

Mia grinned. "Guilty."

I put on a long-sleeved blue t-shirt and pulled my jeans out of my suitcase. "Just get your lazy ass up and get dressed. We've got a long day ahead of us, remember?"

Mia sat up. "Yeah, yeah."

I pulled on my panties and jeans, put my hair in a ponytail, and opened the door. "I'll be waiting out here for you to finish."

"Okay," she said, removing her top. "And you look hot in all blue."

"Thanks," I stepped out. Two pairs of the village's traditional wooden shoes were waiting outside. I slipped my feet into one of them and shut the door behind me.

Morgan walked by. Her kimono nearly touched the ground, and she was taking small steps that didn't bump the front or the back of it, giving her the appearance of gliding slightly above the ground. As usual, she was carrying a cup of tea. She smiled at me. "Good morning, Miss Skye."

I smiled back at her. "Good morning, Mystic Morgan."

"Do you still intend to help me in the kitchen today? I understand if you've changed your mind."

"Oh no," I said, waving a hand to assure her, "I'd still like to help out."

Morgan looked around. "Where's Mystic Mia?"

I gestured behind me with my thumb. "She was a bit slow getting up, so she's not quite dressed yet."

"That's not surprising." Morgan took a sip of her tea.

"Can I ask you something, Mystic Morgan?"

"Go right ahead, dear."

"Don't be afraid to be honest. How do you feel about mine and Mia's…relationship?"

Morgan took a longer sip of tea than usual. "I'd be lying if I said I fully approved of such things. However, you seem to be a good person, and you've certainly proven yourself to be a good influence on Mystic Mia. Besides, I do my best not to judge other people. I think I can make an exception for you and her with my old-fashioned prejudices."

I bowed to her. "Thank you for your kindness, ma'am."

Just then, the door slid open and Mia came out, wearing jeans and a hooded sweatshirt. She put on her sandals and walked up to me, giving me a long kiss with tongue. I was a bit surprised, but I went along with it. When she finally broke away, she looked at Morgan. "So, Aunt Morgan, how many turkeys are we cooking this year?"

"Three," she answered, seemingly unfazed by Mia's public display of affection with me. "I'm hoping you'll take care of the stuffing."

Mia grabbed my hand, and the three of us walked to the kitchen. Morgan looked at me. "How would you feel about doing the potatoes, Miss Skye?"

"That would be acceptable. How many will there be?"

"Around fifty."

I blinked. "That's quite a few. I guess I'd better get started first thing." I let go of Mia's hand and washed up at the hot water pump.

As we pumped out the water, Mia whispered to me. "Remember, this is my Aunt Morgan. She's very manipulative. Don't believe anything she says."

I glanced at Mia. "I prefer to make my own judgments about people, thank you very much," I whispered back. "My intuition has never failed me."

Mia merely responded by letting out a grunt and drying her hands vigorously. She refused to look me in the eye, and walked into the kitchen, her footsteps slightly heavier than usual. I followed her in, and saw Morgan at the counter, sifting through what looked like a bowl filled with water and cranberries. She pointed to a small basin with several bags of potatoes lying near it.

"That's something I ido/i know how to do." I smiled, picked up a peeler, and got to work. Mia had a rice cooker on, and was busy chopping celery for the stuffing. It took about twenty minutes before all of the potatoes were peeled, and the peels in the basin, which I picked up. "What should I do with these?" I asked Morgan, who was mashing up the cranberries with a wooden mallet.

"They go in the compost pile."

"And where would that be?"

"I'll show you," Morgan put down her mallet and walked out.

Mia's chopping got slightly louder. "Relax, will you?" I called out to her, and closed the door with my elbow. Morgan led me to a spot by the garden, where I dumped the basin onto a pile of rotting vegetables.

"My," she said, "It's astonishing that you can lift that thing on your own, especially when it's full like that."

"Yeah," I said. "The guys at Law School seem to be a bit intimidated by my strength."

"Really?" Morgan seemed surprised. "I thought that the men at colleges were more progressive, and more open to strong women."

I laughed. "Oh, no, no, no, they most certainly are not. A lot of so-called 'progressive' ideas today are quite backwards. Men have been told for a long time that masculinity is a bad thing, so naturally they feel quite guilty for being men. A lot of the men at colleges have been brainwashed into thinking this by their liberal parents, who are effectively castrating them."

"You say 'liberal' like it's a dirty word," Morgan remarked.

"I'm a pragmatist," I said. "I only embrace ideas that are practical. Don't get me wrong, most liberals have good intentions, but they just aren't realistic, and they don't realize how harmful some of their ideas are."

"That's certainly surprising. I expected someone with your…lifestyle to be more liberal."

I chuckled. "Most people are surprised that I'm a conservative. However, I am into men as well as women. It's just really hard for me to find real men nowadays. The last man I dated was a construction worker. He was a real man, and instead of being afraid of a strong, opinionated woman like me, he thought I was cute. I don't know why it didn't work between us, but we did break up. I haven't met a single real man since."

"And that's why you decided to get involved with my niece in such a fashion?"

I nodded. "I guess you could say that. It's just so hard for us women to respect men that we can push around."

Morgan put a hand on my shoulder. "Lana, dear," she said, looking concerned, "Can I ask you something?"

It must have been something deep if she was addressing me by my first name. "Of course, Mystic Morgan."

"And you did ask for my honesty earlier about yours and Mystic Mia's relationship. I gave it to you, so I'd like you to do the same."

I felt a bit nervous. "Really, Mystic Morgan, what is it?"

"What does Mystic Mia tell you about me?"

I felt like the bottom had dropped out of my stomach. I didn't want to hurt her feelings, but I was sworn to honesty. "She says that your politeness to me is an act, and that you're a horrible woman."

Morgan seemed unfazed, as usual. "And what do you think?"

"I can see where a bit of her resentment comes from, but I think that overall, you're a rather nice woman. How do you feel about Mia?"

"I'm rather disappointed in her for breaking the family tradition. She'll be leaving the village in the hands of her idiotic oaf of a sister. I can hope that Mystic Maya will have matured enough by the time she is of age, but it's doubtful."

"That doesn't fully answer my question, Mystic Morgan," I said. "You've only told me what you think of Mia's actions. What do you think of Mia herself?"

Morgan sipped her tea, as if trying to delay an answer. "I feel ambivalent. On the one hand, she's really harmed our family by not remaining to serve as the future Master. On the other hand, she is family, and that means there's a bond there that won't ever be broken."

I stood and thought. It was quite likely that Mia had been exaggerating the problems with her aunt. She got overly angry at her, and was engaged in a full-force passive-aggressive combat with her, which couldn't have been good for her mentally or physically. Perhaps I could do something to remedy the situation. "I'm sorry she's so resentful of you."

"Don't be," Morgan said, proceeding back to the kitchen. "It's not your fault."

All the time that I worked on the potatoes, Mia didn't say a single word to me. I tried not to pay attention, and focused instead on the cooking. Mashing potatoes was a really enjoyable activity, and Morgan had a different strategy for cooking them that I had observed my parents using: she used cream instead of milk and butter. "I can't believe I didn't think of that," I said.

"Yes, it's only logical. Cream is the state between milk and butter."

Mia let out a long, deep sigh from the counter. "Is something bothering you, Treebeard?" I asked her.

"Nothing," she said, picking up the bowl she was using and carrying it to the oven.

I figured it wasn't a good moment to talk, so I put the potatoes into their designated dishes, and turned to Morgan. "Is there anything else I can help with?"

"No need," she said. "I can do the pies on my own, but thank you for offering."

I bowed and walked out. Maya was nearby. "Hey, Lana," she walked up to me. "How are you liking it here?"

"It's got a nice, down-to-earth feel. I'm glad I came here. I really needed a break from the city."

Maya rolled her eyes. "This place gets really boring sometimes. I really want to see the city, but I don't have an excuse to leave. Morgan won't let me."

I put a hand on her shoulder. "You know what? When we get back, your sister and I will put our heads together and think of something."

Maya smiled. "That'd be awesome! Thanks, Lana. Hey, you wanna play ball with me and Pearly?"

"Sure. Where is she?"

"Over there," Maya pointed behind me, and I saw a small toddler walking up, wearing medium clothes. Her hair was arranged in a style that looked sort of like a pretzel.

I crouched down to greet her. "Hello there, Pearl."

Pearl looked at the ground and slowly backed away. "Pearly!" Maya called to her, "It's okay! This is Lana, she's a friend of Mystic Mia's!"

Pearl walked slowly up to me, and held out her hand. I shook it. "H-hello, Miss Lana. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too, Pearl."

She reached forward and pulled my hair through her fingers and smiled. "Your hair is pwetty."

"Thank you. So is yours."

I heard a small snapping noise. Maya was tossing a rubber ball around in her hands. "C'mon, let's get playing, you two." We stepped into a triangular formation, and just then Ema came walking by, carrying what looked like a PDA.

"Ema!" I called out to her, "Join us!"

"Sorry," she said, "I'm busy analyzing soil samples."

I gestured to her. "Come on! Let's have some fun!"

She hesitated for a moment, then put her PDA into her jacket pocket and left it on the porch of one of the buildings. "Fine, I'll try to enjoy myself."

No sooner had we arranged ourselves into a square than a fifth person approached—Mia. "Hey!" She ran up to us. "Don't start without me!" She stood halfway between me and Maya.

"What about dinner?" I asked her.

"The turkeys need to cook for three hours. Morgan will watch them. She's not really much for physical activity."

"A five-person game," I said, handing Mia a hair tie. "Let's just get it started."

Mia tied her hair into a ponytail. "Yes, let's."

Maya threw the ball up into the air, and it fell in Ema's direction. Ema caught it, and threw it to Mia, who rolled it across the ground to Pearl, who threw it to me in a rather clumsy overhand toss. I caught it, and we each took a step back. That cycle continued with a few variations for at least an hour. When we all grew bored of it, we decided to play hide and seek, and chose Mia as the seeker. That whole evening was spent with us just enjoying ourselves playing childhood games. Even Ema seemed to be enjoying herself. As for me, I felt better than I had for at least ten years. I hadn't had that much fun since my parents were alive. The car crash had robbed me of a third of my childhood. I needed to become more responsible to take care of Ema, and hardly had time to do things for myself.

Sadly, the time seemed to fly by all too quickly, when Morgan stepped out and announced that dinner would be ready in a few minutes. We all came out of hiding and went to wash up. Mia came up to me. "What do you think of this place so far?"

I couldn't find an adjective that would suffice, so I just jumped at Mia and wrapped my arms around her, resting my head on her shoulder. "Thank you so much for bringing me here."

Mia patted me on the back. "You're welcome, Lana."