The Sinister Screen Queen

The air was thick with feathers.

Two girls charged.

"Tanyaaaa!" Emilia yelled like a war cry.

Allegra flanked her, swinging her pillow like a ballet charging into battle.

Tanya's eyes gleamed. Here we go.

Tanya spun off the table in one fluid twist, and a wildly-swung pillow from Emilia smacked directly into Allegra's back instead.

"OW, what the hell, Em!?"

"I missed, okay?!"

Allegra regained her footing and lunged for Tanya's back.

But Tanya twisted mid-air, ducking with unnatural timing, as if she had eyes in the back of her head.

Allegra missed, and Tanya gave her a gentle foot sweep. Allegra hit the couch with a dramatic. "Agh—treachery!"

Tanya turned to see Ming hesitating at the edge of the room, clutching a decorative pillow with deep reluctance.

"Ming." Tanya purred. "Don't be shy."

 "I'm too old for this." Ming justified herself.

"Hmpf, are you in, or are you just moral support?" Tanya launched her own pillow like a missile.

POOF—it hit Ming square in the face.

"…Okay, fine." Ming muttered and started arming herself from the couch.

Allegra and Emilia regrouped behind her, exchanging a look. Then they rushed in together.

Tanya danced between their swings effortlessly, letting them knock into each other again in a chaotic tangle.

You're using elite combat instincts for a pillow fight. Fascinating application of deadly skill Casey comments.

I aim to please. Tanya casually dodges a flying pillow.

Tanya smirked and timed her next move perfectly, stepping aside so Allegra and Emilia crashed into each other, pillows colliding with a THWUMP as they tumbled into a heap on the floor.

"This is so entertaining, I ought to be paying for it." Tanya quipped, ducking another airborne pillow.

From the far side of the room, Ming had taken position behind an armchair and was now launching pillows sniper-style. She hurled another one across the room with good accuracy.

Tanya moved toward her…

But couldn't.

She looked down.

Two pairs of hands were wrapped tightly around her thighs… Emilia and Allegra each clinging onto one leg like determined koalas.

"What. Are. You. Doing."

"Ancorarmi a te." Allegra huffed, still catching her breath.

"You're not going anywhere." Emilia added, grinning like a goblin.

Casey purred mentally. Aw. They're adorable. You should keep them

Ming took the opportunity to launch her final shot, another pillow hurtling through the air. Tanya sighed, extended a hand, and casually caught it mid-flight.

Then she raised it like a hammer to dislodge her leech-like attackers.

"Back, foul fiends!"

She swung once, whap. Twice, thud.

But the girls held on with a surprising amount of stubbornness, tipping her off balance.

"Wait, wait!!!" With a surprised yelp, Tanya fell backward, dragging them down with her.

She hit the ground with a dramatic grunt.

Instantly, Allegra and Emilia were on top of her, giggling wildly as they wrestled her arms and tried to smother her with pillows.

"Submit!" Emilia shouted gleefully. "Surrender your kingdom!"

"Viva the new queen!" Allegra added.

"Alright! I give up!" Tanya laughed, hands raised. "I surrender! I surrender!"

"Oh, now she surrenders," Emilia teased.

"Took her long enough... che sorpresa!" Allegra added, holding a pillow just above her face like a threat.

Tanya grinned. "You lot are vicious."

The room erupted in laughter as the last of the chaos settled. Pillows were everywhere. Ming wiped her phone, Emilia fixed her braid, and Allegra flopped over onto the carpet dramatically.

Then… a gentle clearing of a throat.

Everyone froze.

All heads snapped toward the kitchen.

Mary Poppins stood there with her signature smile and a tray in her hands, wafting with divine sweetness.

"Now that the war is over…" She said, eyes twinkling. "Who wants Zodiac Cake?"

The scent wafted into the room… spiced citrus, sugar glaze, and something mysteriously divine.

"YES PLEASE!"

"I SMELL HEAVEN!"

"ZODIAC CAKE!!"

Mary set the tray down like a gift from the heavens. "Twelve layers. One for every sign."

Tanya lagged slightly behind, brushing feathers off her hoodie.

"Totally worth it."