Foxside: The Temple of Inari 54 - Ten Years of Foxes

[Fenric]

[Hot Spring Baths]

Keiko follows along, looking around briefly at the other people in the pool

Nope. I asked Matthew if he'd like to come set up here, but he thinks it's too far away from the people he's trying to help, and there isn't anybody else yet who's been interested in being any sort of priest... not that I'm sure what they'd do here even if someone did come.

Fortunately, the pool is quite large: the two reasonably-sized dragonesses aren't going to be crowding the other bathers. Keiko slips into the warm water with a happy sigh

Ooooohhhh yeah: there we go.

as her muscles relax in the warm water, the four bumps in her belly become clearer. Hardly the glaring protrusions of a pregnant mammal, but certainly noticeable now.

[Zefir]

[Full Moon Party]

Leah nods knowingly.
"People just move on. Someone you care about vanishes, and for entirely their own reasons. You can't even think that you could have done better."
"But look at it this way - you get to stay and experience the Nexus longer. Nothing to do but keep going, make new friends."

[Full Moon Party]

"Yeah. I'm not really good at making friends. I don't got many back at school." He says and shrugs. "And the nexus is somthing you can never learn. It changes every minute, even as we talk."

[Recaiden]

[Hot Spring Baths]

Cleo glances around briefly, one eye staring back at Jinkei. What a curious little elfy fox thing she is. What poor person got her in that way? Doesn't know her friends. Alkania had good things to say - that she was recovering. But anyway, she's over there, Frederick doesn't seem to be visiting. To the springs!
Approaching the pool, she gingerly puts one hand in, testing it before diving in fully.

"Ahh. That is nice."

The dragoness grins, wider and brighter as she gets a clear look at Keiko in the water.

"Help people like the other priests do, I suppose."
"You did a lot of good today."

[Full Moon Party]

Leah shrugs.

"Just keep trying at it. You can't succeed if you just shrug it off by saying you're no good at it. As for the Nexus, no. We can't learn everything about it. But we can experience it as it changes. Is it going to be a good change this minute?"
"Right now, you can count me as a friend."

[Fenric]

[Hot Springs]

Keiko nods

Yeah, something like that. But I can understand: there's not a lot of people helping out in that area. They're not really poor, so they don't get attention from the charitable groups, but they're not well enough off to always get everything they need and life can get really frustrating and depressing.

she sighs a little at remembering how she started out over there, but then brightens up

But yeah! I think things should really start to improve over there, and maybe our future can end up without some big dreadful war.

[Zefir]

[Hot Spring Baths]

Cleo glances around briefly, one eye staring back at Jinkei. What a curious little elfy fox thing she is. What poor person got her in that way? Doesn't know her friends. Alkania had good things to say - that she was recovering. But anyway, she's over there, Frederick doesn't seem to be visiting. To the springs!
Approaching the pool, she gingerly puts one hand in, testing it before diving in fully.

"Ahh. That is nice."

The dragoness grins, wider and brighter as she gets a clear look at Keiko in the water.

"Help people like the other priests do, I suppose."
"You did a lot of good today."

[Full Moon Party]

Leah shrugs.

"Just keep trying at it. You can't succeed if you just shrug it off by saying you're no good at it. As for the Nexus, no. We can't learn everything about it. But we can experience it as it changes. Is it going to be a good change this minute?"
"Right now, you can count me as a friend."

[Full Moon Party]

"I don't know. If anything is good or bad can only be said when looking back at it." he says. "Thank you.I haven't had anyone saying that for a long time." He is silent for a moement. " On another thought your the first one speaking that out."

[Recaiden]

[Hot Springs]

"How did you ever get that whole thing started, Keiko?"

Cleo cuddles up to the other dragoness, as the water allows, thinking of the congregation. Wonder if there's anything she can do to help. Feels kinda bad for them.

"Well, now they have you and each other for that attention, yeah?"

[Full Moon Party]

Leah shakes her head. "No, not at all. We can tell right when it's happening!"

"Hopefully, not the last."

[Zefir]

[Full Moon Party]

"I wouldn't place a bet on it, due to personal experience." He says. "But less from my sad happening. What about you. Actually I know near nothing expect that you where here today." And I as a player am not sure is she a kitsune? I think I missed that.

[Cyber Punk]

((Reposted for visibility))

[Hot Spring Baths]‎

Jinkei is here, and she's pregnant! She doesn't dip in the hot spring, however, as she much prefers the cold climate, and so she's dressed in beachwear, her distended tummy on display for Zack and Nie'Riel to rub affectionately. She's in her elven form, and sits close to Zack and Nie'Riel.

If she sees Keiko and Cleo, she stares at the two for a bit and averts her eyes. No accounting for taste, indeed.

"It's such a nice weather everywhere, snow falling. Reminds me of home." She inhales and exhales deeply, smiling.‎

[Recaiden]

[Full Moon Party]

Leah is not a kitsune, but a human who is part tiger, the way a centaur is part horse.

"Well I'm just a guest like you! One of my jobs is delivering messages, though I don't get to do it personally much anymore...anyway I made friends with a number of people here, Keiko especially, so I come back every full moon."

She looks over at Keiko, pointing the demigoddess out if Andy doesn't know, then back to the table.

"Which is one of the main things that brings me to Inside. I'm not going to deny that the Nexus is full of bad experiences too. But we can make it so that they're barely obstacles at all. I live in a little fort out in a wonderfully feudal part of the Nexus. No one's there who hasn't had awful things happen to them - not all equally awful. But we've done good things. We're building a new fort so we can turn the old one into a spaceship. I...used to....fight monsters. Now I mostly help other people do things. Kinda boring, really, but it's important to."

Leah nods quickly, mostly reassuring herself and hiding her concern over what is meaningful, especially for someone like her who's not a real person.

[Hot Springs]

((Cleo's looking back already posted earlier))

[The Alexandrian]

[Full Moon Party]

"That seriously sucks, but I can't say I'm surprised by that, I'm afraid. Mortals seldom understand the complexities of an immortal's worldview; we don't always see eye-to-eye. We're alien to them, beings with all of the time in the world driven by our passion to perform some of the strangest tasks they could ever imagine."

For the first time in what feels like an eternity, all is well in Clarissa's world. She has blissfully reunited with her daughters, nobody remembers or cares that she was one of the more... bloodthirsty members of AMEN, and nothing has breached her magical seal...yet. Could Clarissa's day get any better?

Perhaps it could, but what could become of it and what will become of it are two vastly dissimilar things, for a certain shapeshifter has boldly (and unwisely) announced that he has been meddling where he really ought not.

"Excuse me for a moment, dear."

Whatever was trying to bind Arlem to this region of Clarissa's mind hastily withdraws before Clarissa can detect it and dispose of it. It leaves Arlem with no answer to his question and quite possibly a minor headache as the effects of the mental compulsion instantly fade away (they should instantly fade away, at least). Clarissa's main personality, on the other hand, furiously barrels into the section of Clarissa's mind Arlem was exploring. Without warning, it attempts to forcibly eject Arlem from Clarissa's mind, not that it is very good at doing so.

Clarissa has never taken kindly to others rooting around in her noggin - that Tirin could attest to. This is no exception. Her reaction, however threatening and mood-spoiling, is more mandated than warranted. The sanctity of her mind has been violated; she must take appropriate measures to ensure that such compromising intrusions on her innermost thoughts do not become a habit.

Displaying extraordinary restraint (she is on her best behavior, after all), Clarissa rises, swipes the nearest glass goblet and a random piece of silverware, and proceeds to whack the goblet with the piece of silverware as one would when proposing a toast at a formal function. With a forced smile plastered upon her lips, she "graciously" addresses everyone in proximity to her.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please?"

Once she has the attention of the majority of the throng, she continues.

"Let it be known that I will flay the next individual who thinks it'll be fun to psychically muck about with me alive, no matter how influential that individual may be."

"That is all."

Now then, back to Melina and her problems!

As for Nicole...

Nicole just kind of ignores the intoxicated fennec admiring her from afar. She's not trying to hurt his feelings or anything, but he's drunk and he's kinda throwing off her groove. He should not despair, though, for he may still reap the bounty that another has sown.

If there is such a thing as a suggestive smile, Katrina is on the receiving end of one of the lewder ones at the moment. Nicole may or may not be imagining Katrina wearing substantially less than her usual fantastically-revealing outfit, but it's hard to tell where her eyes are lingering what with her turning around and striking a pose to treat Katrina's eyes to a decadent dessert after they have feasted on her frontside.

"Heh, if you like me in leather, I bet you'd love me in lace, Katrina."

Nicole! Not in front of the children, you impenitent flirt! Don't you have a - no, you were friend-zoned by Blanche, so I guess you can get away with romancing other women.

"Could I interest you in a dance - after I haul the princess out of the hole she's pit she's dug for herself, that is?"

Which would be no mean feat for Nicole. She's not good with kids, she never was good with kids, and she never will be good with kids. Eeeeveeeer.

Nevertheless, she must try because, well, Keiko owing her a favor could be useful eventually, so after Katrina has responded to her actions, she will attempt to saunter over to the vicious, man-eating dragon being cowed by a pack of overly-inquisitive children and give her a friendly hug (as if she hadn't met Keiko for the first time a few minutes ago) for seemingly no reason at all.

"Oh my gosh, you're the fox who broke the curse that witch laid on our estate, aren't you? I could have sworn I recognized you from somewhere, Keiko!"

Nicole lies through her teeth loud enough for all of the children in attendance to hear.

"My family will always be indebted to you for what you did for us. If you hadn't shown up, we wouldn't have made it through the winter. No crops would grow in the fallow earth and our livestock were dying by the dozen. I know that taking a life isn't easy, especially eating someone, but if you hadn't, well, I'd have died long before now."

Nicole has done her part; the rest is up to Keiko! Lie to the children! Lie as if you were telling them that Santa Claus is real!

-------
[Tamamo, Morgana, and Saeed]

Oh reeeeally now! Does Saeed honestly expect Morgana to believe that he's blind? What a sack of... lies! Boldfaced lies! If Saeed is blind, how did he manage to effortlessly dodge Morgana's slap? Actually, scratch that; if Saeed is blind, how did he even manage to traverse the temple grounds without an escort in the first place? Why doesn't he try to sell her a bridge while he's at it? There's no way in heaven or hell that this guy is genuinely blind - no way!

"Pausing to sense my inner conflict? What? Did you guzzle too much moonshine? Is that why you allegedly cannot see?"

Lady Morgana fiercely nettles, only now beginning to damp her hissy fit. With her arms crossed and her tail standing on end, she considers what she should do with the insolent fox standing before her and what she could probably get away with doing to said fox.

And then, it hits her. Yes, that would be a suitable punishment for him, and, if he is a fibber, it will expose him as the cad he may truly be!

"Well, I suppose that there is something that you could do for me to atone for your rudeness..."

"I am in need of a new wardrobe, and I do not know of any reliable tailors in this land. I did, however, pass by a shop that sold clothes of many different sizes and fabrics on the way here. If you wish to remedy this situation, as you claim, you will accompany me there and back this afternoon... and perhaps to some other location if Lady Tamamo would like us to pick something up for her while we're out. Agreed?"

[Cyber Punk]

[Tamamo, Morgana, and Saeed]

A newcomer approaches and reveals that he has been eavesdropping on Lady Morgana's very, very private conversation right after he introduces himself as some sort of god-prince.

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Lady Morgana wheels about to face the wayward fox and attempts to slap the side of his muzzle. *She's quite short compared to him, and she's not trying to injure him, so the slap amounts to little more than a light smack to his face, assuming it connects.

Angrily, she snarls at him. *He may be a god and a prince, but that doesn't mean he can do whatever he wants with no consequences whatsoever!

"How dare you! *You could not help but spy on me from behind a hedge for several minutes before making your presence known, and now you're propositioning me? *If you wish to be treated like a god-prince, you must behave like a god-prince, not a stalker!"

It's clear as day that Lady Morgana is not at peace right now, and...

Wait a minute...

Tamamo is a god-princess and this fellow is a god-prince from a different bloodline! *He's... **Morgana's eyes narrow!* *How dare he!

"I'm not blind; I can see what you're up to, prince! *You're trying to use me to make Princess Tamamo jealous!"

That would...actually make a quite a bit of sense. *As far as the ruling class is concerned, "romantic" relationships, marriage in particular, are just other types political tools at their disposal.

"You may be more powerful than me, but that doesn't give you the right to treat me like a pawn in a celestial game of chess!"

[Tamamo, Morgana, and Saeed]*

Tamamo's jaw hangs open for a moment as a completely unknown somebody charges up and ... well ... talks a lot like Keiko

The who what now?

But Morgana is unsurprisingly startled and then offended.

I'm terribly sorry, Lady Morgana: this is a public place, even if it is somewhat secluded.

then she looks disapprovingly at Saeed

That was rather excessive and poorly done, sir. Congratulations on your quick hearing, but shame on your lack of propriety.

‎
((Also reposted (and edited) for visibility. It was buried in a sea of posts.))‎
‎
[Morgana]‎

As she raises her hands to slap the side of his muzzle, he tilts his head and bends backwards, dodging the hit.‎

He tilts his left ear to her direction, his ears twitching. "It is impossible to spy with eyes that cannot see." Blind to the physical, at least. "Still! I approached carelessly without pausing to sense your inner conflict, and for that I apologize."

Then she makes that leap in logic, and he narrows his eyes in confusion. "I've never met this woman before, I assure you. Were that my intent, I'd much prefer to cut my losses than to go with such an underhanded method."‎

When Tamamo chastises him, Saeed's ears flick downward for a bit. "You are right, Lady Tamamo. My deepest apologies for my lack of tact." He bows again, remaining bowed like that for a few seconds.

Now that that's done, he continues. "I only saw an opportunity that could benefit us both. I apologize for my poorest of first impressions. If there is any way I can remedy the situation..." He trails off, expecting Morgana to reply.

[Zefir]

[Full Moon Party]

Leah is not a kitsune, but a human who is part tiger, the way a centaur is part horse.

"Well I'm just a guest like you! One of my jobs is delivering messages, though I don't get to do it personally much anymore...anyway I made friends with a number of people here, Keiko especially, so I come back every full moon."

She looks over at Keiko, pointing the demigoddess out if Andy doesn't know, then back to the table.

"Which is one of the main things that brings me to Inside. I'm not going to deny that the Nexus is full of bad experiences too. But we can make it so that they're barely obstacles at all. I live in a little fort out in a wonderfully feudal part of the Nexus. No one's there who hasn't had awful things happen to them - not all equally awful. But we've done good things. We're building a new fort so we can turn the old one into a spaceship. I...used to....fight monsters. Now I mostly help other people do things. Kinda boring, really, but it's important to."

Leah nods quickly, mostly reassuring herself and hiding her concern over what is meaningful, especially for someone like her who's not a real person.

[Hot Springs]

((Cleo's looking back already posted earlier))

[Full Moon Party]

So she is a CatTaur ^^. Well now it makes a lot of sense that she doesn't fit the seat. i thought she is just pregnant or in other ways not in shape.
Andy follows her pointing out Keiko. he has seen the demigoddess befor, but neither catched the name or that Keiko is a demigoddess. He#s just here due to the wall advertise, but that seems to be clear for him.
"A feudal part of the nexus? Well not that much of a suprise." he says. "You turn a fort into a Spaceship... That means you use high tech or is there some sort of magic you use to make it happen?
I once tries to work as a merc, but that totally failed. I guess i don't got what you need to hunt someone down."

[Recaiden]

[Full Moon Party]

Ow. But the pain, unusually, brings clarity. This is who he is, exactly Arlem. The false kitsune smiles. Still, that thing was troubling. And it's being denied. He'll have to come up with some mantras and baffles and ways to stop this repeating.

Now, he's rarely been anything but polite. This bit of Clarissa in a panic, flailing around trying to close up her mind - could she get someone out with a handle and instructions? - should still be given her foolish privacy. So he withdraws and stops paying attention to her.

He could use a drink.

---

Leah smiles, glad to be understood.
"Both, actually. The main propulsion system is magical, using opposed elemental sources sealed together to generate a levitation and orientation spell. But most of the secondary systems are electronic-mechanical."

Inclines her head curiously.
"What do you do now, if you're not a mercenary anymore?"
Hopefully that's not too many questions.

[Fenric]

[Hot Springs]

Nie'Riel is in the water with Zack. It is not yet apparent whether or not she is expecting

Zack chuckles

Not much snow in Los Angeles, but there was a cool Japanese garden park not too far from where I lived.

Keiko looks highly embarrassed

Uh... well... I guess I was kinda taking advantage of them. I didn't realize... I mean, I thought it was just dumb... I uh... they uh... they came to me to be drained into shadows

---

[Tamamo, Morgana, and Saeed]

Tamamo nods after a moment

Actually, there is. If you would go to Karzad's Jewlery down on Champlain Avenue and pick up a parcel for me: I had a gift for my sister commissioned from the dwarves there. It will need a gold chain to accompany it, suitably enchanted for a shape-changer.

There: face saving all around... hopefully the brash fennec and volatile vixen won't come to blows along the way.

---

[Full Moon Party]

Killick looks up at Jinkei and Caroline with a silly grin

Uh... brown... shtuff. wash good.

he looks down at his cup

's empty.

Then he grins

Did you shee Nicole?

Caroline sighs.

Melina nods

<Than makes a lot of sense... Mom. And uh... sure>

The Clarissa's anonymous scolding makes Melina giggle, Felina blink, Caroline tilt her head, and Keiko grin. Two of them can guess the guilty party. None of them respond any more substantially than they do to Keiko's frequent declarations of intent to devour someone.

Meanwhile, Katrina grins appreciatively at Nicole's display, the brazen vixen staring quite openly now that she's clearly been invited to do so.

Sure!

Keiko isn't quite sure what's going on at first as Nicole walks over, but she catches on fast

Oh, man! Nicole, I totally didn't recognize you. Yeah, that was me! You're right, though, it's awful to have to do something like that... even if it's the daughter of an evil sorcerer. But that was so long ago, I hardly remember all the details anymore.

The children, of course, now flip completely to the other side and excitedly want to know if Keiko ate the evil sorcerer, too. This earns a chuckle from Noriko

Nope: that was my job. But Keiko was very brave and faced the black-hearted warrior and her troops out in the open all alone, which left the sorcerer's tower unguarded. If it wasn't for her, I couldn't have got to him.

As fun as mobbing your dragon-friend is, though, kids: it's time for you to be getting to bed.

Caroline looks over from the drink table

Yes, listen to Lady Noriko!

embarrassed parents realize their free babysitting has come to an end and now scurry to collect their children and it's not long before Keiko has breathing room once more.

Thanks, Nicole: owe ya one.

[Cyber Punk]

[Full Moon Party]
‎
Jinkei boggles. "You drank all that? Oh no. Caroline, he's going to feel terrible tomorrow. What do you think should be done?" It could be the opportunity for the little fennec to learn not to drink random drinks, but the damage has already been done.

She does do the thing that first occurs to her, and that's to hand Kitnick an equally large glass of water. "Here. Drink all of it."‎

[Hot Spring Baths]

"The cool parks are the best." She giggles. "I always wondered why I preferred the cold to the heat..."‎

Jinkei sits down at the edge of the springs inbetween Zack and Nie'Riel, her feet in the water. She pulls both their hands and places it on her belly. "The kits kicked today. Wanna feel?"

And kick they do! Both individuals feel some pretty strong kicks! "They're healthy." She smiles with a slight wince.‎

[Morgana]

Well, like Saeed said, the ears aren't for show. Neither is the nose, the sense of taste or the sense of touch. ‎"There are a lot of ways to 'see', oh troubled one." Speaking of sight, he's mostly looking in each lady's general direction, as opposed to directly at them.‎
‎
He smiles as she silently contemplates what to do with him. Decisions made while in an emotional state are rarely rational.‎

‎When both women voice out their acceptance of Morgana's plan, no doubt meant to expose him as a liar, he simply smiles and nods. "It shall be an honor, esteemed ladies. I shall help as best as I can. I hope we can get to know each other better as time passes, Lady Morgana. Shall we?" He offers her his arm.‎

[Zefir]

[Full Moon Party]

Ow. But the pain, unusually, brings clarity. This is who he is, exactly Arlem. The false kitsune smiles. Still, that thing was troubling. And it's being denied. He'll have to come up with some mantras and baffles and ways to stop this repeating.

Now, he's rarely been anything but polite. This bit of Clarissa in a panic, flailing around trying to close up her mind - could she get someone out with a handle and instructions? - should still be given her foolish privacy. So he withdraws and stops paying attention to her.

He could use a drink.

---

Leah smiles, glad to be understood.
"Both, actually. The main propulsion system is magical, using opposed elemental sources sealed together to generate a levitation and orientation spell. But most of the secondary systems are electronic-mechanical."

Inclines her head curiously.
"What do you do now, if you're not a mercenary anymore?"
Hopefully that's not too many questions.

[Full Moon Party]

Andy doesn't seem to mind. The little sandfox would prove a much more difficult talker.

"I used to work as a doctor. That's what i learned in the past, but who needs that here? magical healing is like everywhere. None choose to be treated over 3 Months if he can get healed in an instant."

[Recaiden]

[Hot Spring Baths]

"Keeeeeiko~"
But Cleo doesn't actually seem disappointed. She's almost laughing.

"Well it's good they had Matthew to take care of them. Hehe."
Okay, actually laughing.
The dragon sinks happily a little bit further into the water.

[Full Moon Party]

Leah waves a hand in apparent disagreement.
"One of my good friends is a surgeon - I've heard all this. But magical healing isn't really everywhere. Sure, here in the biggest city, you can get anything spelled away, but in smaller communities? A trained healer is at least as rare as a trained doctor. And there's things you can treat with medicine that are hard to magically-anyway, that's too bad."
"Do you have any idea what you'll do now?"

[Zefir]

[Full Moon Party]

"That's a strange coincidence. One of my main subjects back in my medicin study was surgeon as well." he says and laughts a bit. then he seems to be seriouse again adn shrugs.
"Not really. I used to work in the GloG Infirmary, but as mentioned, magical healing was present there and I barly got anything to do. It gave me time formy open for my personal studies, but they also came to a break."

[Fenric]

[Hot Spring Baths]

Keiko chuckles

Yeah, yeah... and yes, it is a good thing.

Zack grins

Sure!

and he reaches over to Jinkei to feel her tummy.

[Cyber Punk]

[Hot Spring Baths]

Well aren't those some strong kicks? Yes, a few little feet kick back around Zack's hand, and Jinkei giggles. She reaches over to feel Nie'Riel's tummy, then pulls her in for a quick kiss.

"And you?" Question that could mean anything from 'How's the baby' to 'When will it be your turn'!‎

[Recaiden]

[Full Moon Party]

"I don't know if I could even imagine that - so many things becoming impossible to do that I was done with everything."
Leah makes an elaborate, overexpressive shrug.
"What are your personal studies, then? Not in medicine, surely?"

[Hot Spring Baths]

And a relaxing time is had by...some of them, certainly. There's too much water here to be really comfortable.

"Shall we finish doing home, love?"

Cleo climbs out of the baths and lets most of the water fall away.

[Fenric]

[Hot Spring Baths]

Keiko nods

Yeah... it's been a long day. Let's get going.

and Keiko climbs out: the water sliding off of her as if it were afraid.

Nie'Riel shakes her head

I went to the doctor and had a check... I won't be in season for a decade yet.

She smile embarrassedly

The wonders of a 1200 year lifespan...

[Recaiden]

[Hot Spring Baths]

Keiko, have you been scaring the water droplets again!?

Cleo glances up at the sky. It can't even be too far into the afternoon yet. But it's still a long day, somehow.
She leaves the magical transportation to Keiko - she could get them to the plane of shadows, easily - somewhere within a thousand kilometers of the palace.
"And tomorrow will be busy too!"

[Cyber Punk]

[Hot Spring Baths]

"Aww!" Jinkei pulls her sister-wife into a hug. "And I hoped we could be sister-mums! Though, you're quite lucky. Something about the fox in me means I can get pregnant earlier on."

She smiles and strokes Nie'Riel's hair. "At least you'll get some practice raising kids while they grow up. And... oh, that's right!"

Kata turns to Zack. "I asked Caroline to be their godmother." She smiles happily.‎

[Zefir]

[Full Moon Party]

"I don't know if I could even imagine that - so many things becoming impossible to do that I was done with everything."
Leah makes an elaborate, overexpressive shrug.
"What are your personal studies, then? Not in medicine, surely?"

[Hot Spring Baths]

And a relaxing time is had by...some of them, certainly. There's too much water here to be really comfortable.

"Shall we finish doing home, love?"

Cleo climbs out of the baths and lets most of the water fall away.

[Full Moon Party]

((Sorry, I was under the impression that it is your turn, since I didn'T saw this.))

"Yeah. Medicine was pointless. I mean I got the recipe for a burn heal mask, but you know." he waves with his hands in the air. "Magic can allways do better."
"So I went for the other main subject I study. Robotic. I was going to invent a multi function suit, which should allow the wearer to pass through difficult areas, like frozen tundra, Lavapits or even a deep jungle."

[Fenric]

[Hot Spring Baths]

Keiko nods and wraps herself around Cleo before diving into the nearest shadow and attempting to take them both home.

Nie'Riel smiles and shrugs

Me too, honestly, but it's so rare for us - only once every ten to twelve years - that it's really hard to keep track.

Zack chuckles

Well, that's certainly appropriate! Does that mean we're going to do the whole naming ceremony thing? Seems like most folks here skip it, but if Caroline's the god-mother...

[Cyber Punk]

[Hot Spring Baths]

Jinkei smiles back at Nie'Riel. "Well, we have lots of time to wait!"‎

She facepalms when spoken to about a naming ceremony, her ears drooping downwards for a few moments. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Zack. I've picked out names already. Decided on them recently, but I never told you." She clears her throat and takes a deep breath as her ears perk up once more.

"The girls: Astrid and Helga, the boys: Rolf and ‎Lennart. They're Swedish names." She proclaims at the end with a flourish. "What do you think?"‎

[Fenric]

[Hot Spring Baths]

Nie'Riel tilts her head

Those sound like names Eastern Telhorme. Fascinating... I wonder if they originated in this "Sweden" place you speak of.

Zack smiles

Hey, Mom always get the final say! And the difference is between having picked out the names and actually formally "naming" them. I think Caroline even signs the birth certificates if you do it that way.

Then he grins

Astrid's cute, Helga is a bit old fashioned though, isn't it? And I'll spend my whole life fighting saying "Ralph" and "Leonard", but they're really just the same names, right?

[Cyber Punk]

[Hot Spring Baths]

Jinkei gains a thoughtful look for a few seconds. "Eastern Telhorme. Perhaps I'll take us on an excursion to my world, and then see what you think? To be precise, our kind lives above Sweden, in floating biomes, but we could always go down to the surface itself."

Then she frowns, having grown attached to those names. "I like Helga for that reason. How about Rudolf instead of Rolf, then? And Fredrik? Or Nils?"‎

[Fenric]

[Hot Spring Baths]

Zack goes awww...

Oh, goodness: you don't have to change anything, sweetie! They're lovely names.

Nie'Riel smiles

That would be lovely! I didn't travel much before I came here.