[Nexus] Home IV: Plenty of Space

[The Bushranger]

[Bunker]

Heehee. Actually, I'd forgotten Atorre's were fire opals, infact.

Unless Charity is craftier than I thought.

Marcie is hugged! And hugs Tavlii back tightly with a smile.
"I should have gotten gift for you, and the others..."

---

[Brendan's]

Good thing the two amulets are identical.
And Brendan has it put on! With a happy smile, and a blush.
"You're welcome, love. Only the best for you..."

Of course, at about this point, the smell of burnt steak can be smelled.

[Recaiden]

[Bunker]

And we all know just how crafty they can be. This means war.
"As should I. But when had we the time?"

[Brendan's]

Ash will take the other and put it around herself, setting it under the other magic amulet and the powerless necklace.
"...with the exception of cooking, perhaps, my love?" She laughs and heads over towards the stove to salvage at the meal. Well-done food is good, and charcoal as well.

[The Bushranger]

[Bunker]

Hopefully there will be no ACME products involved in the war.
"Point. Er, good point," Marcie says, then corrects herself, and tries to rest her head on Tavlii's shoulder. "I suppose it is more important to be happy and good company than to give gifts that are mere possessions, though."


[Brendan's]

Brendan laughs, and shakes his head bemusedly as he puts his hands up in mock surrender.
"And here I was thinking I might actually successfully make something more difficult than burn toast this time," he says with a grin as he sets about cleaning the burnt box bits off the table.

((And, I need to be heading off. Good night. And Merry Christmas!))

[Recaiden]

[Bunker]

"Did we not say your company was the best gift I could have?"

[Brendan's]

"Maybe someday."

((Good night, and merry Christmas!))

[Artemis97]

[House of Rock]

Ah, Thanksmas morning. A time for family, thankfulness, celebration, and most of all presents!

A pile of brightly wrapped packages sat around the base of a large evergreen, decorated with colored paper, glittering ornaments, and tiny shimmering points of magical light. A fire had been started, filling the home with warmth, and delicious smells wafted from the kitchen.

The doorbell chimes, signalling that some guests had arrived.

[blackouttwo]

House of Rock

Arthur's first reaction upon hearing the doorbell is along the lines of 'someone should get that.' His second reaction is that he has a shot at the coveted honor of answering the door. I've got it! Arthur calls out, rushing for the door to open it. He's careful to look through the peephole to check and see who it is. Fatherly warning to see who guests are has led to Arthur habitually checking peepholes when he can.

[Rebonack]

[The Rock's]

Arthur gets a rather stunning view of a giant eye staring back at him!

"Hiya! I think I heard someone on the other side! Who is that?" comes the voice of Zee!

Can't really see her that well.

Mostly because she's peering into the wrong side of the peep-hole.

Which is pretty useless since you can't see through the wrong side of the peep hole.

But...

That doesn't appear to be stopping her.

[The Bushranger]

[ICB Bunker]

"Did we not say your company was the best gift I could have?"

Marcie blushes at that, and ducks her head a little. But she smiles.
"We did. And likewise," she says quietly, then giggles. "I still with I could have Flemish chocolate to give, how ever."

[Brendan's]

Brendan just shakes his head, chuckles softly, and decides that two glasses of tea, he can actually make.

[Recaiden]

[ICB]

"Is Flem a place where you're from?" Tavlii inquires, laughing.

[Brendan's]

Ashna slips into another room and comes back with a pair of unwrapped wooden boxes. "I do like tea, thank you!"

[The Bushranger]

[ICB Bunker]

"Yes. But is not 'Flem', the name of my country is Flanders," Marcie explains with a broad smile, loving the sound of Tavlii's laugh. "We are sm...ah, a small country, but very proud, and a very free people."


[Brendan's]

"Tea is the closest thing mortals have to ambrosia," Brendan declares, channelling his player's sentiment as he smiles and looks curiously at the boxes. "And you are very welcome, my love."

[Recaiden]

[ICB]

That makes no sense at all.
"I see. We were from a really big country, very casual country." Tavlii laughs at the contrast.

[Brendan's]

Ashna sets them down. "Duranmas presents for you."

[The Bushranger]

[ICB]

Maybe not, but 'tis a real place.
"Oh? Big country, with nothing to worry about?" Marcie asks, giggling softly, mostly at Tavlii's laugh. "Had many enemies. Brabant, the Seven United Netherlands, and most of all, the French."

---

[Brendan's]
That'll get a slight blush to come to Brendan's cheeks.
And he tries to give Ashna a kiss on one of her cheeks!
Before going to open the presents.

[Recaiden]

[ICB]

I know it is. But it's still silly word changing.
"Only things inside the borders to worry about, anyway. Or from other worlds."

[Brendan's]

He succeeds, but will likely be slowed down by a hug and return kiss.
In one box he will find a large Tower City model train set, and a few books on Beryl, history and culture. In the other, smaller box, there's an iron talisman, like the ring he already has.
"That's for letting you understand the elementals, and lightspeech, if you wish to. And there's something I've to tell you." The flames laugh and laugh, offsetting the dramatic tension that's otherwise filling the air.

[The Bushranger]

[ICB]

Indeed. Words should make sense!
"Oh. Internal unrest, or were they restless natives?" Marcie asks, also looking a little wide-eyed at the mention of extrawordly threats.

---

[Brendan's]

Brendan doesn't mind being slowed down by Ashna.
He oohs and ahhs at the train set, grinning cheerfully and already looking like he's planning on running it around the walls. And maybe using it to ferry condiments from the kitchen to the table or something.
The books get an appreciative looking-over, before being carefully stacked for cover-to-cover persual later. And the talisman - and explanation - gets another appreciative look, and Ashna might get another peck on the cheek.
"You're too thoughtful, love," he says with a smile, deciding not to translate the fire's laughter just yet. "What is it you need to tell me? Anything at all, you may."

dun Dun - hahahahaha! - DUN?

[Recaiden]

[ICB]

"Internal, usually. Doesn't matter now." She tries to hug Marcie.

[Brendan's]

It should be noted that, like all Vairan trains, they levitate. Ashna sits down at the table where the boxes had been set.
Oh, nothing so much as that.
<"Thank you."> the flames say for her. Ashna looks away, worried because she is usually worried about anything other than survival. "That we're going to be parents soon. Well not soon. Late next year, rather."

[The Bushranger]

[ICB]

Marcie nods, and has her worries squelched by Tavlii's hug, which is successful, and she attempts to return it.
"You are right. Here and now is what matters, and the future. Not the past." And she smiles.

---

Brendan's

Model maglev, all the nore intriguing for Brendan.
And his eyes widen a bit as she says what she has to tell him!
Then he grins, broadly, and - carefully - tries to hug her, tightly.
"That's wonderful, Ash!"

[Recaiden]

[ICB]

An easy feat for her. "Right. To the future."

[Brendan's]

Well, magilev is so easy there.
Less to worry about for her, then. Ashna hugs him back, tightly, smiling. Saying nothing.

((Deadtime now. Bye!))

[The Bushranger]

[ICB]

Marcie nods, and is happy to hold the hug as long as Tavlii wants.


[Brendan's]

True. And Brendan's smile is downright radiant, as he holds the hug for as long as Ashna wants.

((See ya!))

[Recaiden]

[ICB]

It will be a fair while that she does, before attempting to inquire as to other holidays on her world. And to kiss Marcie.

[Brendan's]

Probably until the tea is done. At that point Ash will let go and stand up.

[The Bushranger]

[ICB]

Marcie will giggle, and explain about the Glorious First of June, the Feast of St. Valentino, and the Harvestival. And will kiss Tavlii in return! Or attempt to anyway. Tavlli's attempt having been successful, with accompanying blush and giggle.

---

[Brendan's]

And the tea is done brewing after probably too short a time.
"I suppose I should start making decaf after this," Brendan observes with a chuckle, still smiling sillily as he goes to fix two, two, two cups of tea.

((But it's dinner time for me now. Back in about an hour, hopefully!))

[Recaiden]

[ICB]

Tavlii will blush all the more at that.

[Brendan's]

Far too short.
"Nothing wrong with tea." Ash says, standing next to him.

[Lord Magtok]

Warwick Home

"Yeah. My own intern thinks he's a half-fiend or something, and that his inventions violate the laws of physics," Warwick says.

"But Arthur..." Wesley starts to say, before Willow abruptly hugs her little brother and kisses him on the cheek. "Ewwww! Willow! Gross!" he says... and then... faints?

"Huh... don't know what's gotten into him. Must've been spending too long painting his miniatures," Willow says innocently.

Warwick Home

Hrm. That's-

And then Wesley goes and falls to the ground. Tom snickers at Willow's shenanigans, and...wait a second. Wait no, knock-out toxin lipstick is impossible. And how would he even know about it? There's...there's no such thing as a MagSat either, that's ridiculous, how could-

The cyborg blinks, and nibbles at his cookie again. Best not to think about that stuff.

So aside from the wacky intern, how've things been at WarWorks?

[happyturtle]

Warwick Home

"Kind of strange. Customers keep asking for the impossible. I think I must have gotten listed on some hoax site saying I make sci-fi weaponry or something," Warwick says, shaking his head.

[The Bushranger]

[Island of the Coconut Bees Bunker]

And that will make Marcie giggle, and think how cute Tavlii is when she blushes, although she'll just smile. Since last time she said she was cute she teleported away.


[Brendan's]

"Even with the caffiene in it? I suppose that's all the better though. No reason to buy more expensive tea because they took something out of it." And Brendan pours two cups! Setting out sugar (Turbine sugar, made from real turbines!) and saw-palmetto honey.

[Recaiden]

[ICB]

That was only because Marcie attacked her. Now, Tavlii is just sitting, eyes far-away, being indecisive.

[Brendan's]

"Exactly. Though we should get our own tea plants to grow." <But I would probably burn them up>
Ashna sits down and sips from her mug, unsweetened.

[The Bushranger]

[ICBs]

Marcie's memory isn't remembering that part.

And perhaps the indecisiveness would be helped to be less indecesisive by Marcie's leaning her head against Tavlii's shoulder, closing her eyes, sighing happily, and snuggling up to her side? Since that's what she's trying to do.

---

[Brendan's]

"Clearly we would have to fireproof them. But yes. That sounds like a wonderful idea, love. Perhaps stevia, too..."
While the salvaged? dinner finishes, Brendan can't help but shudder at the heretical sight of somebody drinking unsweetened tea.
HERESEY!
...and he adds a reasonable amount of sugar to his own tea. Less than his player would.

[Recaiden]

[ICB]

No, that just, well, it does make her less indecisive, but not in a ...well, less indecisive. She's certainly vanished again. Tavlii, that is. filled with fear or something that has teleported her right out from Marcie's side.

[Brendan's]

"If that can be managed, yes." Ashna, like her player, does not sweeten food or drink. Bitter or not at all. The pain of such a vile drink as straight tea is very nice, from some viewpoints.
Ash smiles, finishes her mug, and deadtimes for a little bit.
((But I suspect you might be gone within the 40 minutes of my return, so good night, in case of such.))

[The Bushranger]

[ICBs]

Marcie falls over onto her side with an oof!
And then...starts to cry.
Awww.

---

[Brendan's]

I suppose different strokes for different folks.
And when Ashna returns to the land of the times, she'll find dinner dished up and ready.
Since that can be done without burning it. Usually.

((Since it is 2am and there's a Long-tailed Duck to be seen in the morning, I should be getting to bed. Good night!))

[Lord Magtok]

Warwick Home

"Kind of strange. Customers keep asking for the impossible. I think I must have gotten listed on some hoax site saying I make sci-fi weaponry or something," Warwick says, shaking his head.

Thomas coughs at the mention of sci-fi weaponry, getting a bit of gingerbread man caught in his throat before washing it down with some milk.

Bizarre.

It's...it's just the Nexus sickness, Tom. Lots of people have it, so there's no reason to be alarmed by a little thing like that. Winslow's son was probably aware of the lipstick and its supposed powers somehow, and acted accordingly. Calm down, and don't let that madness take you back again.

[happyturtle]

Warwick Home

After a moment, Wesley wakes up, and Willow drags him off to threaten him with extreme sisterly torture if he doesn't stop challenging dad's madness.

"I'm just glad you're out of that place, Tom. That doctor is a monster." Warwick says.