Miserable Pile Of Words

Sat down, blinked, noticed it was an hour later. Also noticed I'd written over a thousand words for this daily prompt thing everyone else is having fun with.

Sorry.

I. Holding Court

Jester sat on her throne, deeply miserable.

They'd just finished an away game, and to protect her from their opponents and their angry fans, her own fans had erected a starstruck wall of flesh around her. Unfortunately, this also cut her off from everything interesting happening right now. The rest of the team had been whisked away for a post-game interview ages ago, but not Jester. Never Jester. She'd been left surrounded by friends, all alone.

She was so bored.

A sigh escaped her, and one of their supporters was there in an instant.

"Can we get you anything, Jester?" David asked, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, still unable to believe his luck. The college student'd won the right to be a gofer for the Jester in today's lottery! His hero!

Jester dug deep for a smile for the boy. This wasn't his fault. None of this was their supporters' fault. She just missed the old days, back when it was just her, and her Queen.

David blushed and looked away.

"Not right now, David. Thank you, tho." Jester replied with a wink.

She sighed again.

Maybe she could just make her own entertainment.

"Have any of you ever heard the story about my first dog, God?" she asked casually, and eager ears turned her way.

Yeah. This was okay, she supposed. At least she still had them.
Her extremely extended... family.

II. Spring Flowers

First home game of the season.

The fans had been buzzing for weeks, the tiny town's streets electric with anticipation...
This time, they said, the girls will do it.
Unwavering faith will be rewarded.
We've just got to believe.
Just you wait.

And of course, they all wondered what fresh delight Jester would have in store for them this time.

"Come on, Jester! Get in here! Let's get this show on the road!" Carmen Monoxide bellowed from the locker room.

Jester gave their fans behind the security rope at the mouth of the hallway an apologetic grimace. "Be right there!" she yelled back. "Sorry folks, I've got to go. They're calling me in."

She felt a tug at her pant leg, and looked down at an angelic mop of hair. Crouching, she came face to face with a bashful girl of about 5. Or was it 6? Bad Jester. She really should remember all her fans' birthdays. She did know her name, of course.

"Hi, Feng. What's up?" Jester greeted the little girl warmly.

Courage exhausted, Feng shrank back behind her daddy's leg, and Jester raised an eyebrow at him.

Mr. Zhou returned an embarrassed smile and stroked his daughter's hair. "Come on, little bird. Don't you have a gift for Jester?"

The girl shook her head.

"Get your sorry ass in here, you useless clown!" coach Billings thundered, and Jester winced. Felt the crowd's hackles rise.

Fuck.

"I'm really sorry, I think I need to go n–"

Something was thrust at her from behind daddy's leg, and she blinked at the sudden explosion of colour filling her sight. Her heart swelled.

Jester's voice gentled as she carefully pried a crown of flowers away from sweaty little fingers, making sure none of the petals fell off. "Did you make this for me, Feng? It's really pretty." She carefully put it on her head. "Thank you so much, my lady." She kissed the back of Feng's hand as if she was a princess who'd just given her a favour, and the girl giggled shyly. "This is the best gift anyone's ever given me. Now if you'll excuse me, your knight has a match to play."

III. Festival Day

Turns out that if you believe in them hard enough, miracles do happen.

For the first time in over a decade, the Prowlers had won their first home match of the season.
And on top of that, it had been thanks to a buzzer beater by Jester.

The collective cheers and elation blew the roof off their stadium, and the party went on all through the night, and it looked like it would go all day today as well.

Jester had never expected she'd ever be able to grow tired of partying, but here she was. Head down between her knees. Dripping with sweat. Positively exhausted. Partied out. Tucked away in a shaded alley, barely shielded from the riot of noise and colours that seemed to have taken over every street.

She had no idea where these people found the energy. Or the time. Didn't they have jobs?

Still, it was... nice to be appreciated. Fêted like a hero, for once. Not just a funny clown..
Really feel like you belonged somewhere.

IV. Patterns and Paint

"What... is this?" Jester carefully nudged the garish folder bulking with a pile of legalese off the table using a big toe, as if it would suddenly come to life and snap at her. Bite her leg off. Rip her to pieces. Swallow her whole. Her soul.

Her Queen rolled her eyes as the floor was covered in a small paper avalanche. "You know what it is, Jessica. You're not a child."

Jester frowned. "Okay. Yes. Sure. Let me rephrase. 'What is this doing in here?'" she asked.

"They've extended an offer. I'm considering it." her Queen replied easily.

Considering it?! Going over to the Romina Reavers, on the other side of the world?!

Jester grew still. "What about the team? The fans?"

"What about them? It doesn't really matter what colours my mech is painted in, or what pattern line it's from, does it? As long as I get to play at a high level." her Queen seemed nonplussed.

Jester was frozen. Her face shuttered. "So you're just going to abandon them?"

Are you just going to abandon me?

"Why are you being so weird, Jessica? This is a golden opportunity!" her Queen reached for her. "Wait until you see how much they're offering to pay me! We should be celebrating!"

Jester pulled away. Retreated. "I... forgot to walk the dog." She whistled. "Come on, boy! Walkies!"

The door slammed behind her as she left their home.
She didn't want to think about the fact that maybe she was the only one that had found, created, a home here.

V. Beasts and Bells

The bell on Jesus, grandson of God's collar jingled and jangled happily as the slobbery Retriever dogged his human's footsteps. He wondered what great adventure awaited them this time, and could hardly wait to experience the new smells and sounds they would encounter!

But... Important things first.
He had a sacred mission.
A God-given task.

Jesus sped up his trot, and his wet nose pressed against the back of his human's hand, making her start.

She looked down at him and stopped, a smile blooming on her face, teased there by his goofy, adoring, panting face. "What's up, boy? Do you need some attention from your momma?"

Crouching, her strong hands stroked his fur, and Jesus rumbled happily. Whuffed and wiggled under his human's fingertips. Went still when her hands stopped.

She buried her face in his neck. Breathed deeply. Tightened her grip on him. Shook silently. Made his fur wet.

That was okay.
He was here for his human.
Whatever she needed.

His bell jingled softly for a long time.