The scene is a wide-open grassy field. Two women enter from opposite sides, running towards each other. One is older than the hills, but still a picture of perfect health. The other is younger, having just now reached her full maturity.
Before they can embrace, the younger one trips and falls. She lies prone, shaking and pounding the ground in her grief.
The older woman slows down and kneels beside her.
Rogue: I’m … s-s-s-sorry. I t-t-tried s-s-so hard. I f-f-failed you. It’s ah, ah. All. My. Fault!
Rogue curls up into a fetal position. The other woman begins to stroke her hair.
Thena: Shhh. There, there. It’s okay. Everything’s going be okay.
R. No! It is NOT okay. They killed you! I was supposed to save you. Well, I fucked it up. Now you’re dead, I’m dead, and nothing is ever going to be okay again!
“Now you’re dead, I’m dead, and nothing is ever going to be okay again!”
Rogue
Thena says nothing, but begins to hum as she strokes Rogue’s hair.
R [in a small voice] I really thought we had a chance. I had learned so much. Grown so much. Even now, I can’t believe it all went wrong so badly, so fast. I still don’t even know what I did wrong.
Thena is singing now. A song without words. Or perhaps words so ancient they sound like pure music. Rogue snuggles up next to Thena and lays her head in her lap.
A song without words. Or perhaps words so ancient they sound like pure music.
The song continues. Rogue still doesn’t understand the words. But pictures form in her mind. Or perhaps just raw emotions. Beginning. Leaving. Conflict. Agony. Sacrifice. Despair. Hope. Resolve.
Thena pauses.
R. Why did you stop? The song isn’t over!
T. I know, my child. But my part is.
R. I know. I killed you. When I was supposed to save you.
In response, Thena begins to laugh. Suddenly Rogue is transported back to her days as Acolyte. She finds herself joining in.
Then suddenly she stops, and jumps to her feet.
R. Omigod! Is THAT the joke?
Thena, still chortling softly, rises to her feet and nods.
R. You fucking idiot. Why didn’t you just tell me?
T. Would you have believed me if I had? Or even understood?
R. Well, no… but you could at least have given me a hint!
T. But I did, my dear Rogue. I gave you laughter. Gladness in your company. My dear, deep sincere love for you, no matter what form you took.
Rogue: You could at least have given me a hint! Thena: I did. I gave you laughter.
R. But that means you… Him… me….
T. Exactly!
R. So then I have to… we get to…
Thena grins and nods her head. The two women finally embrace, then join hands laughing, and begin to dance.
And all creation dances with them.
Finit
Epilogue
An androgynous youth clad in black leather sits in the anteroom of a marble palace, fidgeting with a knife. Then jumps up, startled, as a someone enters.
The woman is calm, poised, radiant. Every inch a queen, though she wears no crown or jewelry.
The youth looks down at their feet, and mumbles a question.
The woman speaks.
“Call me Thena. And you must be my darling Rogue!”
“Call me Thena. And you must be my darling Rogue!”
Radically Happy 