Flash Fiction - Get Smart by Angie Capozello

Nox looked at herself in the makeshift mirror she had created out of ice, and sighed. She had never thought of herself as unattractive. The honest compliments she got from men who weren’t angling for some political gain seemed to corroborate that. But next to the statuesque Fire kin that gathered around Loki in perfumed, beribboned clouds, she felt like the homely step-sister from the fairy tales.

Not that she begrudged him the time spent with his people. As the son of the last Dragon Lord they needed to get to know the man who might someday be their ruler. She just didn’t want them to get to know him that well.

“Face facts, girl,” she said to her reflection. “If you keep acting like a nervous little ninny when you’re alone with him, he’s going to move on to someone else.” She jabbed a finger at the mirror, and the ice melted. “It’s time to get smart on the whole dating thing.”

She settled down with a large mug of coffee, a quill pen, a stack of paper, and a copy of the Adventures of Amanda Lovelace. The serial was the closest thing Nox could find to the scientific periodicals she used to research technomancy, even if the moniker of ‘bodice ripper’ seemed a bit dodgy. The latest issue, The Rogue Returns, looked particularly promising for collecting data.

There were times when she swore Grimm could hear the rustle of a page being turned a mile away.  She had no sooner spread out her notes than a furry face was looking over her shoulder.

“What are you reading?  Anything good?” the ghostly hound asked, his deep voice rumbling cheerfully in her mind.

Nox jumped and blurted out a startled eep!  “No, it’s dry, boring research,” she said, her face turning bright red as she gathered up the scattered papers. “I thought you were visiting the ghosts at Zephyra?”

“I was. I’m back.”  The hound padded around to the front of the couch, and started reading a paper that had fallen to the floor.  “Witty banter. Not too much cleavage.”  He let out a whurf of canine laughter. “I can’t wait to hear what this project is.”

 Nox snatched the paper out from under his nose, but when she moved he got a look at the book.

“Is that a romance novel?”

“It’s reference material.”

“Really?” he said, grinning from ear to fuzzy ear.

Nox’s glared at him. “If you must know, I finally figured out the reason I get so flustered on dates. Apparently I’ve been working with an insufficient data set. Ergo, the research.”  She gathered up the notes and tucked them between her leg and the arm of the couch. “I should have enough data to move on to field trials of my theories soon.”

Grimm snickered. “You’re going to run your next date like a lab experiment?  That won’t end well.”

“Why not?” Nox said, crossing her arms. “There is no problem that a logical mind can’t solve.”

“Hearts do not listen to logic, short-stuff,” he replied. “If they did, I would not have ended up like this.”

He had a point, but she was not about to concede the argument. “All right, so tell me where I’m going wrong.”

The hound tucked his tail between his legs backed away. “You know, you’re right. I should keep my paws off your social life…”

“Oh no, you don’t!” Nox said, wagging a finger at him. “You stuck your nose in it, now you have to pay up.”

Grimm heaved a sigh. “Fine, show me your notes.”

Nox reluctantly spread the papers out in front of him, fidgeting nervously while he read them.  It didn’t help that he was stifling laughter the whole time.

Finally he could not hold it in anymore. “You’re doomed!” Grimm said, laughing so hard he started to wheeze.

“C’mon, you said you’d help!” she said, fuming. “You’ve been around for millennia; you must have some advice for me.”

Grimm got himself under control with some effort.  “Okay, let me put this in terms you’ll understand. Think of it as a military campaign. Your intelligence reports are based on fiction and guesswork. Your opponent is vastly more experienced than you. His element is Fire, which means he has an entire romantic arsenal at his disposal.  And, since you agreed to dinner at his place, he has already chosen the ground and had time to prepare it. You’re doomed.”

Nox shook her head stubbornly.  “I refuse to believe that. Father says that any battle can be won, if you know your opponent.”

Grimm looked down his muzzle at her. “How well do you really know Loki?”

“I was talking about knowing men in general.”

“Based on a romance novel? Do you mind if I borrow that book?  I need a good laugh.”

She threw it at him. “Ohhh, you’re no help at all!”

Grimm put a paw on the book to hold it open. “He looked longingly into her dark, limpid eyes… hee hee hee!” He relented though when he saw the despondent look on her face. “If you really want my advice, quit over-thinking this. Stop trying to understand it and just go with it.”

She looked pensively into her coffee mug. “Every time I try to wing it with technomancy, I end up with a crater in the floor of the workshop.”

“That should be reason enough not to treat your date like an experiment,” he said, and nudged her shoulder with his nose. “You’ll be fine, short-stuff. Just remember to get your head out of the way of your heart.”

“I suppose. You know, I’m usually okay once the kissing starts, maybe I should start there,” Nox said, but Grimm had disappeared. “Oh sure, run away, you big furry coward!” she grumbled. She picked up the book and formed another mirror out of ice. “Amanda gave him a coy, come-hither look.” She made a face at her reflection. “Guess I had better practice those.”

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Angie Capozello writes the weekly fantasy web serial, Nox and Grimm.  You can catch her on twitter @techtigger or on Google plus +Angie Capozello