And so they answered the call,
gathering at the sacred place to find unbridled pleasure in each other.
Submitting to the power of the Velvet Thrones,
all the creatures of the realm were restless to begin the ceremony.
But the first to feast...
would be the last to come.
The ruler of the realm and high priestess of pleasure made herself known.
At long last, Quinni had arrived.
I told you it's not me!
I told you, she's the queen, not Quinni.
Okay, well, the queen can get it. All of it.
No, she can't, and wouldn't. Did anyone actually read it?
She's trying to save her realm by finding the one that can make her...
- Cum. - That can make her feel true love.
By cumming.
Now I know what Zoe felt like.
This shift will never end.
Guys, secret gig tonight. Genesis Owusu.
If it's so secret, how do you know about it?
I got on a list.
My, uh, my cousin's friend's sister's boyfriend's sister hooked me up
after I saved her from a wardrobe malfunction
in that, um, sanger shop where the possum lives in the roof.
Guys, this is fate.
The wardrobe malfunction or the possum?
We're off the hook for the carnival shitstorm.
Fate demands a celebration.
Fate also probably knows we owe Missy a do-over for her party.
More "you" than "we."
Count me out. It's hard to feel social when your entire future's been blown up
by the false assumption that you're sexually attracted to horses.
No scholarship doesn't mean no vet science. Just a little more debt.
Tens of thousands of dollars of debt.
Come to the gig. It'll take your mind off all of this.
No, it won't.
Especially after I spent the entire day surrounded by idiots neighing at me.
Centaurs have human heads. Why would they neigh?
Whole weekend's gone by.
Ogre orgies and banshee boning won't even come up today.
Hey, look, it's the Beast Banger.
Fuck off, Year Tens!
Ignore the horse and flute morons.
Can't be a flute. His hands are in the wrong position.
- I just have some research questions. - Oh, for fuck's sake.
Well, if it isn't the purveyor of pixie porn.
Is there a classroom, bathroom, or teacher's office
you haven't papered with this Velvet Thrones bullshit?
I thought it was you that did it.
I wouldn't write or spread this smut around.
Well, you did take credit for it.
Shut up!
I'll look it up.
Hey, I should've never let them think that it was you.
People are being really, really nasty.
Must've really hurt you. I'm so sorry, Zoe.
Good.
Happy reading, Zoe.
That was actually brutal.
You didn't have anything to do with that, did you?
No.
- Hey. - Hey. Hey, how are you doing?
I'm... I'm here if you need another vent, chat, whatever.
Yeah, good. Um...
You didn't tell anyone, did you, about the carnival?
What? No. No, of course not.
Okay, good, because you really... you really can't. Like...
Yeah, I... I get that.
Okay.
Okay, all right, good. Um...
Okay, just between that and Spider's hall-pass thing,
my brain's going a bit crazy at the moment, you know?
Yeah, okay, well, that sounds like a conversation
for someone you actually trust.
Stupid fidget spinner. Dumb sensory room.
Don't.
- Holy heck. - You're not meant to be here.
Well, I'm dropping these toys off 'cause my aunty made me buy replacements.
You know, they call that spot squirter alley?
Well, pretty shit at cleaning, eh?
Better check I got everything.
Thanks so much for coming. Everyone else was busy.
I was supposed to drop that off yesterday, but I can't get it into the car myself.
Too easy. What is it?
Major artwork. Goes on display in Showcase tomorrow.
Uh-huh.
Right, yeah, I can't help ya.
- What? - Yeah, I...
Well, I have this rule that I can't lift and move anything
until I take a squiz at it.
- Whatever. - Okay, cool.
Wait, wait. Let me turn the light on for the full effect.
That's...
not good.
Uh... Here.
What the...
Oh, come the fuck on.
Uh, looks like you got a leak.
Yeah, probably shorted out the box too.
I spent months on this.
I was actually...
I was actually proud of it.
It was supposed to up my shitty marks.
That's it. I'm not getting into uni now.
How will I tell Am?
Okay, so you need something new.
Yeah, sure, I'll just whip something up.
Why not?
I got all day.
Hey. Uh, what are you doing here?
Getting ready for my date with Genesis Owusu.
I need my fake ID back so I can get in.
What, manager take it again?
Mmm, the other week. I feel totally targeted.
He's never gonna believe when you actually turn 18.
He'll definitely be blown away when he sees my real name.
I'm gonna miss being Gunhild Fenty Gomez.
This gig will be one of her last. Gotta send her off in style.
What? Don't you dare tell me that you're bailing. That's not allowed.
No, no, no, I was...
Malakai, did you move the, uh, tin thing that was here?
Oh, you mean the rusty thing that gave me tetanus just looking at it? Yeah.
What am I missing? Where's my ID?
Oh, no, Malakai's just been helping me clean up.
Okay.
Yeah, I tossed it.
No, it... it was just full of like receipts and, um, bottle caps and shit.
And my fake ID, which I need for vital reasons of fate.
Where's the trash?
Gone. Garbage day. Sorry.
Can you just get a new one, or...
It's an online order. It takes a week.
Surely you know a guy.
I'm not going back to the eshays just to hook you up with a fake ID.
I'm seeing this guy this afternoon.
Wait, does Ca$h help you decide who you're gonna hook up with?
No. He has my passwords.
We're very transparent about it all.
So that's it? You just meet people on socials?
Occasionally, you meet people in the wild, but if you want a sure thing...
Hello, Darren.
We are supposed to be rehearsing so we don't look like dickheads.
Remember?
I am not the one.
It's just drama.
Stop stressing.
You are the literal president of the Drama Club.
Yeah, and it was bad enough
when you were trying to shove jokes in to "fix my script,"
but now you're just playing with our futures.
Oh, what? So you can dish out constructive criticism,
but you can't take it, can you, Darren?
I... You know what? Darren, get back here!
I can see you!
Amerie been bombarding you about that gig tonight as well?
Yeah, she sent, like, 20 text messages begging me to come.
Overcompensate much?
I think she probably just feels a bit bad.
So do I.
I feel like a lot of dumb things got said.
Yeah, like that hall pass idea.
Yeah.
Yep.
So how would it work exactly?
Maybe you're right. It might help.
Unless you don't want me to.
No, no, no. No, it's my idea.
So...
Yeah, you're, like, a strong, independent woman,
and I want you to be free.
And... ...you know, I'm... I'm secure enough
to just be like, yeah...
- ...go for it. - Hmm.
If I did hook up with somebody, would you want me to tell you?
Uh, no.
Okay.
Yeah.
Just a... a sign.
- Mmm. - Maybe.
Maybe like a hedgehog?
Like a...
Little...
Oh, chip?
Why did you even come if all you wanna do is snack?
- 'Cause you need backup. - I really don't.
You're about to corner some fake-ID-making criminal called Big T,
who sounds like a total roid monster. Uh...
- What's he even look like? - I don't know.
But we're going to where you picked it up from him before, right?
Ant handled that last time.
He said Big T does his business at the same time and place each week.
We'll know him when he hands an envelope to some kid. It's foolproof.
Eh, more like foolish.
Almost as foolish as throwing away someone's lucky fake ID
that's had a 99.95% success rate.
If it was so successful, why'd it keep getting confiscated?
Because the manager of the bowlo sucks, but even he never binned it.
Uh, I'm sorry, okay? I was... I was trying to help.
I need to do something.
Roll up! Roll up!
See the finest in art supplies money could never buy.
Fresh from the skip,
waiting to be wankified.
This is... ...literal garbage.
No, not when we're done with it.
Hey, um, I'll be at the hospital.
Keep an eye out for any more bastards need their heads knocked in.
Will do, Mum.
Oh.
Whoa.
People believe anything in the papers.
Everyone jumps at the chance to kick a carnie.
See, this is giving...
..."I come from a broken family."
Hmm.
You know, you could just do this, right?
Make art.
This is definitely not gonna be art.
I mean, you don't need a degree or permission.
Just be the thing you wanna be. Screw the rest of them.
Amerie would hard disagree.
Who put her in charge of your life?
Well, I mean...
...I think it's nice having someone care that much.
I bombed my trials, and she still won't quit.
When Amerie wants something, don't get in her way.
Right.
I'm sorry for kicking off at Missy's too.
That one's mostly on me and Harper.
Oi, you! Hold it right there!
Are you okay?
Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Just...
Just caught me off-guard.
Really, I'm good.
Uh, well, where are we doing our stakeout anyway?
Um...
Just up ahead.
Mmm.
Well, I guess that's it.
All clean. Well, clean-ish. Some...
Some things are forever stains.
Sensory room's all yours now.
If nothing else, this should inspire a new chapter, right?
No, I'm done with that.
Oh, shame.
It was pretty hot.
Even if it did incorrectly assume high magic works in a warden realm.
How do you know that?
Angeline of the Underworld is my Roman Empire.
Uh, neat trick, by the way.
Spinning off a whole story from one footnote in book three.
Thanks.
There's so many great details to use. It's my favorite in the series.
Oh no! No, Sparkles, it goes...
Okay, it goes book five,
then six, then three.
Wow.
So you agree?
Um, no, you're so wrong.
How?
No, okay, come on, tell me then. Tell me.
Come on, Big T should be here.
Yeah, maybe there's no pick-up today.
The NPC over there suggests otherwise.
Probably 17, looks 12. Definitely needs a fake ID.
Oh.
Sorry, my study-break alarm.
What? A lot can change in a year.
Not everything.
Never did tell me what you wrote in that letter.
Look, look, who's that?
What? Uh...
Oh, here we go. Here we go.
Huh!
Wait, that's...
Big T?
Oi, Big T!
Oi, stop!
Come here.
Whoa.
- I'm not carrying anything. - Dude, chill.
- She just needs a new fakey. - I don't know what you're talking about.
Just cut the crap, Big T.
Hey, you got the wrong person. My name's Tobias.
Does your mummy know about your little side hustle, Tobias?
Well played, Gunhild.
Okay, I only take online orders, and it takes a week.
I'm paying cash, and I need it now.
Maybe Mama Big T will make us a snack while we wait.
- Hmm. - Hmm.
Fine.
But it'll cost double.
- He's paying. - What?
It's your fault.
Yep, um... Sorry.
Do you take Swiss francs at all?
Ugh. This is leaking oil.
Ah!
A metaphor for the economic lifeblood of society.
Fancy talk.
I can fake it real good, yeah.
Sure you didn't go to uni?
I did.
Lasted a month.
Wasn't for me.
All right.
Now, this is my contribution.
You never wanted anything more?
I get to travel the country,
meet new people, and be my own boss.
What's not to love?
You think you're in charge?
Really?
Always, yeah.
I think Jackie might have something to say about that.
- Clancy too. - Oh!
- That knobhead thinks he's king shit. - Yeah.
So?
- What's the verdict? - Um...
This is the worst thing I've ever made.
Yeah... Oh-ho-ho!
Now that's art.
Now it's art.
Beautiful.
The real test will be tonight.
Yes, I was serious about that. Why?
Well, yeah, I'm a little pissed, Noah.
Oi.
Mm-hmm?
You're being stupid.
Who?
- Me? - Mmm.
Never.
No shit, I'm still going. It's gonna go off. Your loss, loser.
I'm kidding. I love you. I love you. Bye.
Noah's not coming tonight. He's got 5 a.m. training in the morning.
Sounds like he's more serious about sport than you.
Rugby is his first love, and I'm just a mere side piece.
So you coming, or what?
Hmm.
There's theories about her parents. There's four.
That's how demon reproduction works. Everyone knows that.
Anyway, I emailed Rhea Brown a pitch about a potential prequel series
with the birth of Angeline,
just as the Grandmaster first rises to power.
Oh my God.
Sorry.
Why?
Oh, for not letting you talk for almost half an hour.
Did Rhea Brown reply?
She's so busy writing book seven, the way she left things.
The abdication.
Sorry.
When did you first get into Angeline?
- Uh, my mum had the first book. - She's a fan?
Uh...
I... yeah, I found it in her stuff after she died.
- Oh, Taz, I'm-- - Anyway, I...
I skipped a lot of school.
Pretty much read the whole series on repeat for a while.
That's really sad.
You shouldn't skip school.
What do you think I'm doing right now, Sparkles?
Well played.
So, what's your excuse for whatever you're skipping?
Oh.
Um...
My entire academic life plan got crushed to smithereens on Friday.
Hmm.
So why are you smiling?
I've been stewing over it for three days.
Except for now.
For the last half hour, I haven't worried about it.
Hey, have you heard about the secret gig tonight?
No.
I'm home.
We should make a move on--
Hmm. There you are.
Yes, we brought the rehearsal to you.
I don't like this either,
but I like embarrassing myself in front of the whole school even less.
Don't fight this.
We even brought the ridiculous costumes you kept insisting we needed.
Why did you let them in, babe?
- We're about to head out. - I am.
You're staying here and following through on this.
- Again, why? - 'Cause you're not an arsehole.
TBC.
I know Zoe's allergic to fun, but aren't you going to Genesis tonight?
I'm not some possessive caveman. I don't need to be there.
Look, we fail this, it mucks up all of our marks.
Don't you care what happens after school?
Okay.
Darren's gonna be home to do dinner.
I'm gonna be back later to give you a midnight snacky.
You want this one? You want a snacky now? Here you go.
Love you.
This is entrapment.
Ca$hy!
Hey.
Servo guy was gonna give 'em the yeet. Got a crazy discount.
They look... wrong.
Yeah, like shit-your-pants wrong.
Everyone knows caps get better with age.
Bouncer asking ,"Please show your ID"
I'm too drunk to get out my ID
Bouncer asking, "Please show your ID"
I'm too drunk to get out my ID
- Thank you. - Thank you.
Cheers, bro.
Oh God.
I don't know what I'm more nervous about, security or Missy.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
Yeah.
Yeah, she's defs still pissed at me.
Do you mind if I go first in the apology tour?
If we get lost, we could use echolocation.
- Well, let's just not get lost, yeah? - Okay.
Oh! Wait up!
Hey! Hey, guys!
What, no new deranged accusations?
Like all my text messages and voice memos mentioned,
I'm so, so sorry, Missy.
I promise there'll be no more drama from me tonight.
That's an Amerie Wadia guarantee.
Believe it when I see it.
Guys, I'm so, so geed up about this.
We're gonna be breathing the same oxygen as him.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Thank you.
Hey, check it out.
- Hey! - Whoa, whoa, whoa!
Hello, people!
Hey, how about I buy us some shots?
Now you're talking.
- Whoa! - So sorry, my bad.
Coming through.
Shots all around!
- Cheers! - Cheers!
And all the king's horses... ...and all the king's men...
...couldn't put my son together again.
Why can't you take this seriously?
I'm saying the words. What more do you want?
This is about shock and anger and grief.
It's about an egg.
Spider, give them their cue line again.
Mm-mm, mm-mm-mm.
Hey, hey.
Looks like an orgy straight out of Quinni's masterpiece.
- What? - Am I right, Zoe?
Looks like an STI on entry.
The only one getting lucky is Missy.
- What? - What?
Did you break up with my cousin?
No, of course I didn't.
Yeah.
This star gave his girl a hall pass.
Yeah, and it's all your fault.
You took relationship advice from them?
It sounded fine in theory.
Missy's probably hooking up with a chick, and I'm sitting here like full simp,
just imagining
everything. Oh!
Oh, uh...
Calm down. This is normal. Um...
What are your rules?
What do you mean?
Dude, even I know that's bad.
Rules...
Rules are the first thing Ca$h and I did when we opened our relationship.
No one we know, no repeat offenders, and Ca$h is in control.
He can press pause whenever he likes. It's all about both of us feeling secure.
Secure?
While you're out there screwing other people?
Poor guy.
Ignore her.
Sorry, Spider.
Let's outline exactly what the hall pass covers.
No. I brought that in case you needed your lines fed to you,
not to draw up some constitution for cucking.
Don't you dare.
Don't... Spider!
Okay.
Okay, so it was my birthday last week, actually.
Scorpio.
- Yeah. - Interesting.
I thought fire sign for sure.
- Okay, wait. Let me pick yours. - Okay.
Aquarius.
No.
Sparkles.
I have an idea for your next chapter.
Taz, I told you I'm not--
Do you remember the Light Mage Clan from Lorenzo's backstory in book five?
- They could be behind the queen's curse! - Yes.
So write it, please. Because I wanna read it.
- Okay. - Yeah?
- Okay. - Cool.
Leo.
No.
Okay, while you do that, I'll get a shot for the birthday girl.
Yeah.
Oh my God. Are you actually doing it?
Okay, um, hi. Didn't know you were gonna be here.
Oh, well, Taz got wind of it somehow. Dragged me along.
You two actually a thing?
Is this Spider's hall pass nonsense in motion?
So what if it is?
Okay.
No notes.
Except you did once tell me that opening up a relationship
was just one person's way of breaking up slower.
Darren and Ca$h make it work.
Yeah, but they're more the exception than the rule, though, right?
Are you sure you wanna do this?
Okay, cool. Um, thank you for your input.
Why don't you jog on and go cozy up to your new woman?
Gotta bounce.
Yeah, okay. Okay.
- Bye. - Bye.
- Hey. - Why isn't this shit kicking in yet?
Okay.
I think that's it.
No, definitely not.
Scenario,
would multiple orgasms
make it a multi-use of the hall pass?
Ah, close, but no.
- It just makes Missy a very lucky girl. - Hey.
Just ignore them long enough, and they'll quit.
Let her help you for long enough, and you'll end up a Puriteen.
Don't pretend you didn't love it.
No pretending necessary.
Hey.
Can we focus, please?
What if, um...
it starts with sex and then Missy falls in love with someone?
Spider, sex and love aren't always the same thing.
Excuse me, it's called lovemaking for a reason.
Not by anyone that's actually doing it.
Do you give Ca$h the same shit you give me?
What?
Ca$h is celibate, just like me.
My Ca$h is asexual. He's being true to himself.
You're just...
You're just repressing what you really want.
What I want is something real.
And I didn't need sex to find that with Felix!
Well, I didn't need sex to find that with Ca$h.
Samesies.
You guys, like the same person.
- Excuse me? - You take that back!
- Right now! - Whoa!
Hey, come on, show me some of your fancy new European dance moves.
They're the same as my Aussie ones. They're just in the other direction.
Sydney!
Are you ready?
Oh my God, I told you.
Yeah, get, get, get back
I ain't got time for the tact
Grinning with a burlap sack
Young brutha sharp as a tack
Snatch a crown from a king Then I tell you where I spat...
Grown man simping for a rat
Bootlicker blues, you a gnat
Time to start a riot
Where you at, where you at Where you at, where you at?
Left side to the right side
Left side to the right
Front side to the back
Stampede if you're with me...
We ain't tryna hear that
- Left side to the right side - Left side to the right
Front side to the back
- Stampede if you're with me - Stampede if you're with me
- We ain't tryna hear that - We ain't tryna hear that
All the broke boys from the back
They, thems, nigga, where you sat
Hunnies make noise
Oh
Sorry.
We kind of made it about us for a minute.
Oh, that was several minutes.
Yeah.
It's all good.
I'm jealous of you guys.
You got the whole love thing figured out.
I didn't for a while.
I still don't.
- Wait, what's Felix done? - Nothing.
Just before him. Um...
It's nothing original.
Turns out some men just act sweet till they get what they want.
Mmm.
That's true.
Turns out secrets aren't always sexy.
Sometimes...
the guy's just embarrassed.
Being with you embarrasses him,
and he doesn't want anyone else to know.
Sorry.
I'm fine.
It's ancient history.
I started the Puriteens, so I fixed it.
Zoe, you know Felix is not that guy.
- Mm-mm. - He's stuck with you.
Even though you are an absolute punish.
Yeah.
I've actually been thinking that, um...
maybe it's time.
- Oh. - Maybe at schoolies even.
Oh...
No further comment.
Oh my God.
It's a hedgehog emoji.
She's about to...
Calm down.
What do you wanna do?
Undo it.
But I can't.
No, no.
Uber is three minutes away.
We undoing this, or what?
This is iconic, man!
Genesis! Genesis! Genesis!
Oh, can you sign my face?
Sorry, brother. I gotta get out of this. Peace!
You were literally...
Oh my God!
Oh my God, she's closing the deal.
Wait. Wait, plot twist.
Wait.
Threesome.
No, this wasn't part of the plan.
Come on.
Oh hey.
Oh.
- Never mind. - Oh.
Oh shit.
Laughing your arses off, eh?
- No. No. - Mm-mm.
No, we were just...
That was her girlfriend. She's in a relationship.
Damn.
I thought threesome for sure.
You told her?
Everything.
No... ...not everything.
Okay, I should tell Spider.
Hey, hey! No, hold on! Hold on.
Look, the night is young.
And if you wanna do this, we can help scout the talent.
We can?
We can. Yeah, sure.
Hey, and I... I might just be the random who crashed your 18th birthday,
but please know I believe in you, sis.
Yeah, and you better.
I've seen this one pick up at a funeral.
- Damn. - Yeah.
- Yeah, you remember that? Yeah. - I do remember that.
- I got this. - Yeah!
- Yeah, you got this!
Six missed calls from Mum.
Oh.
You okay?
Yeah, it's...
- Let's go somewhere quiet and chill out. - Yeah.
24 hours every day my city don’t sleep
You need P’s in my city 'Cause it's not cheap
Top quality has never been a guarantee
We'll extort you Your friends and family
Cold when it's critical
Cool but cynical
Maxed out never minimal
That's how we function
Cold when it's critical
Cool but cynical
Maxed out never minimal
That's how we function...
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
- It's okay. It's okay. - No. No. We're mates, that's all.
- Then why did we just-- - We didn't.
Yeah, you could've fooled me.
This is wrong and confusing.
- And I can't-- - It's not wrong, Am.
No, you shouldn't have even come.
You invited me.
Just go.
Just go, or I will.
Okay. Bye.
Am...
That's how we function
Cold when it's critical
Cool but cynical
Maxed out never minimal...
Where are we?
You know, this actually reminds me of the catacombs that are in France.
You know, the ones full of bones?
But there's no bones, and we're not in France, so--
Zoe.
- Please. Please. - Okay.
Guys, slow down.
- Hey. - Cheers.
What's wrong with me?
What am I doing here?
What? Nothing.
No, anyone... ...who says otherwise is a dickhead.
I must be surrounded by dickheads.
I reckon we both are.
Bottoms up.
["Pleasure (Bambounou Here to Please Remix)" by Jennifer Loveless
playing over speakers]
All right, let's split up.
Are you sure you have to go?
Yeah, Mum sounded really worked up. Clancy's awake.
Oh, is he okay?
- She didn't say. - Well, did he...
Did he remember anything, or...
Hi, Liam.
Hi. Um...
- Amerie, right? - Mmm.
Sorry to be rude, but, uh, I gotta get going.
Yeah, that's probably for the best.
Uh...
I'll text you.
Yeah.
- Am. - Are you serious with this shit?
- No, Liam just said-- - No, Liam shouldn't be here.
This gig is full of drunk people who could say anything.
Stop. Would you let me speak?
No, we just go out from under all that, Harps. You need to be smarter.
Smarter? What, like you?
Strange what desire Make foolish people do...
I'm trying to protect us.
Because you always know what's best, right?
I know better than to lead on some guy who literally brings nothing but trouble.
Oh really? How's Malakai?
What?
Nothing... Nothing's happening with Malakai.
Well, of course you'd say that.
You don't wanna blow up your try-hard, trophy-wife future now...
- ...do we? - Oh!
What a wicked game to play...
Ant, Ant, Ant, Ant. Have you seen Missy?
I love Missy, dude.
What a wicked thing to do
To make me dream of you...
Sorry it offends you that I want more for both of us.
Did you ever stop to think that I might want something different?
Okay, fine, Harper, tell me what you actually want,
aside from finding new ways to self-sabotage.
That's what the carnival guy is, babe. He's just another excuse to give up.
This song Is only gonna break your heart...
Oi! Oi! Have you guys seen Missy?
Uh, no, not in the last 20 minutes.
Room was on fire No one can save me but you...
You are so full of shit it's... ...fucking delusional!
They should study you!
Well, you're so determined to throw away your life,
it might be the one thing you actually succeed at!
Oh my God.
Wow.
Where's Missy?
I never dreamed That I'd lose somebody like you
And I don't wanna fall in love
No, I don't wanna fall in love...
- Mm-mm. - Mm-mm.
No, I don't wanna fall in love
Again
With you...
Best... night... ever!