Mithar Keep & Frescot House IV: Magic babble lies within

[Shadowcaller]

[Treasure Hunting]

Garn does not reply to Adir's retort, he just stares at him grumpily when he leaves with the others. But he would be watching those guests, one way or another.

[Cessie's Lab]

"She was looking for you." Ambrosia repeats. "Interesting." She would need to find out more about this being. "But regardless of what she was, it seems like she kept her promises. You are not just united with the kami, it is changed into something new as well." She confirms. "This might have been a step in the right direction, even thought now it would be impossible to remove it, perhaps that is for the best. So instead of looking backwards, we should look forward, you still need to learn ways to control, well, yourself. Being part spirit is something quite unique, a daiva as we call it, are often considered dangerous, but also wise. People sometimes celebrate them as gods in their own right when they appear, giving them offerings in form of the fulfilling the concept the daiva represents." The scholar explains. "In your case though, you might need something to fulfill that concept though or new trouble might arise. Have you consider a solution for that?"

[Murkus]

[Treasure Hunting]

"The libery! It's got things to know!"

Gwydion takes a break from floating around Brinika to give his twin brother a contemptuous look. Well, it's not as mean-spirited as all that. A little fella like Gwyd can only manage to look sort of skeptical. "Pff, the library has got things to read. Not maps and pictchers and things. Pictcher-books are for babies anyway."

[Gullara]

[Cessie's Lab]

"What do you mean?" Sakura is confused. She remembers some of what Ambrosia said last time, but still. "It's, like, mostly motherhood now, right? I'm with my babies every day. Shouldn't that be enough?"

[Reinholdt]

[Front Gate]

Ilpholin returns here, helping Adir walk home after having a little much to drink. Not so much they couldn't make it back though, so it can't have been that bad. She stops at the entrance, no doubt just finishing laughing at the latest joke.

"And we made it." Ilpholin says with exaggerated triumph. Letting go of Adir, she turns to look at him. "Thanks for coming out tonight and keeping me company. It was a lot of fun. The... most fun I've had in a long while really," the nymph says, favoring him with a strong smile.

[Morty]

[Treasure Hunting]

"I've never been to a lib'ry! We should go there!" Tuskfang insists, bouncing in place.

"What do you think, Adir?" Reelshka asks the senior Frescot. "Where should those brave treasure hunters start looking?"

[Shadowcaller]

[Cessie's Lab]

"What do you mean?" Sakura is confused. She remembers some of what Ambrosia said last time, but still. "It's, like, mostly motherhood now, right? I'm with my babies every day. Shouldn't that be enough?"

[Cessie's Lab]

"To a spirit, it is never quite enough, Sakura. You might realize this yourself now, there is a yearning deep inside of you for more. It might not be as serious as before considering the change of priorities, but it might still cause problems in the future. However, this might sound a bit extreme, but I have an idea that might just work. I humbly propose starting to work at an orphanage, or even start one, if you could afford it that is." The scholar suggests.

[Gullara]

[Cessie's Lab]

Sakura blinks in surprise. That suggestion was pretty out there. "I mean, not that that's a terrible idea, I just don't know how I'd find the time. And I sure couldn't run one." The thought is almost funny. Money aside, she's never had that sort of responsibility before.

[Murkus]

[Cessie's Lab]

"Um," Adir pipes, blinking at Ambrosia rapidly a few times before saying, "An orphanage? Look, Sakura doesn't have the kind of time for a job. Especially not if I'm working at the same time. And she's never held a regular job to begin with!"

[Treasure Hunting]

"Am I gonna be their guide?" Adir asks softly. He glances at his little babies. "Let me put the girls down and I'll see what I can do about that. Though the library sounds like a good place to start."

Adir steps out of the room for a moment, and his footsteps fade down the hall.

It's then a new person appears. From one of the seams in the stones of the wall, the head of a pale woman with braided red hair emerges. Her face bobs up out of the stone and peers around, then smiles in a matronly manner. It whispers, warm and confidential, "Hello, children. Did I hear you were looking for adventure? Treasure, maybe?"

[Front Gate]

"Of course. Um. Anytime," Adir offers, looking her in the face and pushing up a half-smile as he settles on his own two feet. He shoves his hands into his pockets. Well, maybe he misses his left pocket once, before quickly adjusting. "Don't be a stranger."

Maybe a moment passes. "Hey. Y'know, is it just me, or did you not... smile as much, way back?" He lifts his hand and points. "At least, not like that. Maybe I just didn't see it enough." He grins ernestly, though there's a touch of sadness and empathy around his eyes. "I don't know how hard it's been for you since you left. Hell, I don't know how hard it was when you were here. But you just keep smiling, o-kay?"

[Shadowcaller]

[Cessie's Lab]

"Yes, i know it sound like an extreme solution." Ambrosia admits. "However, I wouldn't suggest it I didn't think it would work. It can be something you could consider at least. We came here to discuss potential solutions to the problems after all."

"Well, I don't have any solutions, but perhaps Adir could point out his concerns with the spirit so we can put them to rest?" She did agree with Adir that an orphanage seemed like something that wouldn't work. She didn't even understand how Sakura could take care of the children she had. It had to be the spirit influencing things.

[Sunny Day]

Garn is wandering around looking for either Sakura or Adir. He seems to want to talk to one of them for some reason.

[Morty]

[Treasure Hunting]

The little family jumps up a bit when a face appears out of the stone. But Tuskfang isn't surprised for long. He grins widely.

"Yeah! We're treasure hunters!"

"They're certainly rearing to go," Reelshka says. "But... are you one of the family here?"

Brinika peers at Zillia from behind Tuskfang. There's something about her... the little goblin's big eyes narrow in silence.

[Murkus]

[Treasure Hunting]

"Ah! Adorable!" Zillia practically squeals in reply to Tuskfang, her head perking up and her eyes shutting for a moment. "Your son is gorgeous, dear." Never mind what manner of strange creature she must have had to bed to make him. Or this other one...

Zillia looks at Brinika before returning her attention to Reelshka. "Yes, I am. Cernunnos, Gwydion, who am I?"

"Zilliaaa!"

"Grandmama Zillia?"

"That's right! I'm Cessie Mithar's great grandmother! So pleased to meet you all."

[Morty]

[Treasure Hunting]

Tuskfang grins. If this lady is Cern and Gwydion's grandma, clearly she's nice. He likes his grandmas.

"I'm Tuskfang!" he declares.

Reelshka beams with motherly pride, before considering something. She's Cessie Mithar's grandmother, but... Cern and Gwydion are Sakura and Adir's kids. Unless they treat her as their grandmother too? Odd.

"I'm Reelshka. Pleased to meet you as well. I brought my son here to play with his friends. And this is..."

"I'm Brinika," the smaller goblin says. "Tuskfang's my cousin. I'm just tagging along."

[Gullara]

[Cessie's Lab]

"Yeah, Cessie's right. That's the most important thing right now." Sakura agrees. If Adir can be reassured then they can have things go back to something like normal. That's what she wants most.

[Sunny Day]

Garn will find Sakura in the living room. She's seated on the couch, but she's not alone either. Next to her is Laela, and Laela is holding Laurana.

"Make sure you support her head. Babies can't hold them up very well by themselves." Sakura says. Laela nods, looking determined. She holds a bottle of milk to her little sister's mouth, but the baby just ignores it. "Mommy, she's not drinking." Laela whines.

[Shadowcaller]

[Sunny Day]

Garn walks up to them, stopping as he is a fair distance from Sakura. His size could be a bit intimidating for tiny people. "Sakura. Suspicious snake-lady is outside, wanting to talk to 'Frescot' about gifts. Should I send her away?" He asks as he looks down at Sakura.

[Gullara]

[Sunny Day]

"Snake lady?" She's pretty sure she doesn't know any 'snake ladies'. "Well, okay. Come on, Laela, let's go see. We can try the bottle again after, kay?"

"Okay!" Laela is curious about this snake lady anyway! She lets her mom scoop up Laurana, and then hops off the couch. She starts to run toward the front door, despite Sakura trying to tell her to slow down.

[Shadowcaller]

[Sunny Day]

Garn frowns, then why not just send her away? Oh well.

He gestures for Sakura to follow as he leads her to the gate.

Just outside it a lady in sunglasses with white snakes for hair is waiting. She is dressed in a black low-cut top and a pair of tight jeans. "Hey, Sakura Frescot, right? I'm Dena Xifhara, assistant director of MERC. Nice to meet you!" She greets the dryad with a wide smile, offering her hand to shake. "And that must be Laele, your oldest, correct?" She smiles at the toddler in turn.

[Gullara]

[Sunny Day]

Laela is the first to make it to the gate, running ahead as she was. She stops a safe distance away, knowing her mom's watching eyes are just behind. Dena will find Sakura looking rather confused as she closes the last bit of distance. "Hey. That's right, on both counts. We've... never met before, right?" Sakura's pretty sure she'd remember. "Can I help you with something?" She wonders if she should open the gate, It seems so weird talking with someone through it.

Now that mommy is there, Laela gets right close to the gate, grabbing the bars with her little hands. She stares up at Dena with big eyes. "Mommy, there's snakes on her head!" Like the ones from the garden! She points emphatically.

[Shadowcaller]

[Sunny Day]

"Not that I can recall." Dena replies. "Though I know you by association. Being a director requires you to know things about the other major organizations, and I've actually met Cessie before. Though she might not remember me, I looked different back then." She explains. Her focus then shifts to Laela and she kneels down to look the childin the eyes, well, not literary of course. Dena was making sure that her sunglasses were firmly in place before looking over her. "Yeah, and you have flowers on your head." She points out with a smile. "Guess we both have weird hair, huh? My hair is a bit more annoying though, and not as pretty." The snakes are watching Laela as well, the toddler might note that several of them have golden collars around their bodies, looks pretty fancy.

[Gullara]

[Sunny Day]

Laela grins. This lady is nice. Oh! The snakes move! They are real! "How'd they stay on your head?" She doesn't quite get the reality of the situation.

Sakura smiles. "Well okay. But why did you come to see me?" No one ever comes asking for her.

[Shadowcaller]

[Sunny Day]

"Just like your hair, they're sorta attached to my head." She gives one of the snakes a tug, the snake looks annoyed at being yanked in such a fashion, but stays quiet for now.
Dena then looks up at Sakura. "I came bearing a reconciliation gift actually. Your husband happened to be the target of a MERC information gathering contract in the past. Thankfully, we managed to talk it over instead and the contract was dismissed due to the fact the employer was a rather shady character that didn't meet our professional standards. However, I still feel bad about it, and I did promise that I would give him something in return for all his troubles." She explains.

[Reinholdt]

[Front Gate]

"Of course. Um. Anytime," Adir offers, looking her in the face and pushing up a half-smile as he settles on his own two feet. He shoves his hands into his pockets. Well, maybe he misses his left pocket once, before quickly adjusting. "Don't be a stranger."

Maybe a moment passes. "Hey. Y'know, is it just me, or did you not... smile as much, way back?" He lifts his hand and points. "At least, not like that. Maybe I just didn't see it enough." He grins ernestly, though there's a touch of sadness and empathy around his eyes. "I don't know how hard it's been for you since you left. Hell, I don't know how hard it was when you were here. But you just keep smiling, o-kay?"

[Front Gate]

"Won't be a problem if you remember to make it to training on time." While strangers do work out together plenty at public gyms, personalized training is a little different.

Ilpholin is just about to turn and leave when Adir decides to add a little extra. It is sweet in a way, but it catches her totally off guard. There doesn't seem to be a good reply to that. Both confirming and denying Adir's observation seems fraught with hazards. She could claim to have smiled plenty when Darcy was around, but that would possibly be spreading the wrong impression. She has loosened up over the years and she knows it, but this call out definitely leaves her flustered. A rather rare occurance. Ilpholin's cheeks redden and she averts her gaze as her smile drops a little. "Yeah, I, uh, Yeah, o-okay."

This feels too much like being vulnerable. Ilpholin turns away from the Keep so no one can see her smile or frown or anything as she starts to walk away in slow, measured paces. "Catch you later."

[Gullara]

[Sunny Day]

Laela gasps in astonishment. "Wowie! Why's it get mad? My hair doesn't get mad, see?" She plucks off one of her own flowers and throws it through the gate.

"Laela, don't do that or you'll get a bald spot." Sakura warns. The things kids do. "Wait, sorry. What?" Skaura looks at Dena, suddenly alarmed. "I don't understand, someone was trying to get info on my husband? Who? What did they want?" Whether or not Merc participated isn't her main concern.

[Shadowcaller]

[Sunny Day]

Dena picks up the flower and smiles. "You got some remarkable hair there, Laela. You're making me green with jealousy here."
She then look up at Sakura. "They were after a man called "C2", he performed the firework show at your wedding I believe." Dena had done her research. "But this might not be the best place to discuss him." She subtly nods towards Laela.

Welp, now the cat was out of the bag. Adir had obviously not told his wife about his friend being a wanted by some slave lords, which was pretty stupid on his part. But she had already said too much at this point. Adir was already going to get a swarm of questions tonight, so perhaps it was best to try to reassure Sakura as much as possible instead of leaving her like this. Getting Adir in more trouble hadn't exactly been her goal here after all.

Meanwhile, one of the snakes that makes up the front of the gorgons hair moves a bit closer to Laela, studying her with its unblinking red eyes.

[Gullara]

[The sunlight has turned harsh]

Sakura glances at Laela. Not right now, but she's going to need to know more sometime. "Right... And what did you want with Adir?" Dena did have a reason to come here.

Laela stares at the snake for a moment. It's looking right at her. Without a second of hesitation, she reaches out to try and boop the snake in the nose.

[Shadowcaller]

[The sunlight has turned harsh]

The snake quickly recoils as it is booped, it stares back at Laela in annoyance and let's out a low hiss.

"I wanted to give him this." Dena says as she reaches into a pocket and then pulls out something that couldn't possibly have fit into those tight jeans of hers. It is a large horn that seems to have somehow been made out of a burned tree considering that its surface is covered in bark with grey and black ashen textures.

"It is made of the wood of a ancestor tree." She explains as she playfully flicks her finger at Laela with her other hand, trying to boop her back, no touching the snakes!
"It calls out any prey a hunter might desire, and failing that, at least it would look good hanging on a wall."

[Murkus]

[Front Gate]

Adir waves after her. After a little while, he finds his way back inside.

[Cessie's Lab]

"Um... well... to put it really basically, I've been worried that Sakura was... being influenced by this thing. The kami. I'm worried it's making decisions for her, and for me through her. Now I don't know what to think." He's pretty tired of all this by now. "Is Sakura in control of what's happening? I guess it can give her urges or tell her what it needs, but can she tell the difference, and can she tell it no?"

[Treasure Hunting]

"Such wonderful names! So much more interesting than the humans. So many mushy sounds, so many 'K' noises!"

"Zillia," Cernunnos pipes. "Are you gonna do magic for them today?" The 'please say yes' is implied in his tone and his large eyes.

"Maaaybe..." Zillia rolls her eyes thoughtfully all around the room.

[Morty]

[Treasure Hunting]

Reelshka is fairly perplexed by Zillia's judgement of their names, but Tuskfang doesn't care. His tail wags excitedly.

"Magic? What kinda magic?"

His mother watches him with amusement, while Brinika just sits back.

[Gullara]

[Sunny Day]

Laela squeals and laughs. She scurries over to cling to her mommy's skirts. She grins back over her shoulder at Dena.

Sakura frowns a bit. She holds out her hand to take the horn. "I'm sure he'll appreciate it..." Her on the other hand... "And when can you tell me more about these people that were trying to hire you...?" She can't just let that drop.

[Shadowcaller]

[Sunny Day]

Dena nods respectfully. "At any time you like, Mrs. Frescot, provided it will be in the next five days. I got some days off which is why I came here now. We could do it right now if you like, if I got invited properly of course." She eyes Laela, raising an eyebrow. "Don't you have anything better to do that tease my poor snakes, little missus?"

[Cessie's Lab]

Ambrosia and Cessie glances at another for a moment as Adir asks his question.
"Adir... while I gladly would answer all your questions, I can't really speak of Sakura or the spirit anymore. They're one now, and neither could really be called distinctive entities at this point. She is still your wife, but she is also the spirit, a unity of them, and if you can't tell that her behavior is any different it is because the spirit was extremely similar to her, so when they were fixed together even further it just muddies the distinction between them even more. This is something that very rarely happens, so even I have difficulty explaining the exact distinction, but I think the key difference is that she will, like the kami, be drawn to fulfill her concepts. However, as she was already did that before, you might not even notice a difference." Ambrosia attempts to explain. "I realize that might be an an unsatisfactory answer, but for all intends and purposes, she is still your wife and she is as much in control over herself as anyone of us." That was the nicest way she could put it at least. Sakura had been extremely lucky though, spirits could often take the charge in these types of unions if they had been fed to such a degree, but it seems her mystery helper had helped her deal with that problem.

[Gullara]

[Sunny Day]

Laela giggles. "No!" She laughs some more. Yes, this is too funny. Sakura stoops down and picks Laela up, her arms full of children now.

"Alright, we'll go to the house. Garn, let her in please." Sakura steps back so Garn can open the gate. Once that's done, Sakura will lead the way to the keep proper. "My husband doesn't know about this, does he?"