Home 27: Ward-bound

[Arkhosia]

Cool Limo

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Cool Limo

Tina gives Cantata a grateful look. Her father takes in Cantata's reply more slowly, observing the signs from her hands carefully.

"I can imagine," says the older man with all seriousness. "I've been asked to design and implant sensory deprivation packages for military personnel with a similar function. Military personnel... and convicted felons."

His face falls.

"I don't want that for you, baby. It's torture. But I don't want you to--" He glances at his weathered hands, folded in his lap. Fettina looks at him hard. "I don't want you to start using again. Not any of it."

"Why, so I don't end up like mom?" Fettina snorts derisively. "You don't even know what I was on while I've been here, dad--"

"Does it matter why?" he interrupts firmly.

Fettina looks down at her lap. There's obviously a lot of hidden history here Cantata is missing out on... and maybe she'll get a chance to ask Tina later.

If the sort of business Fettina's father engages in provokes any moral or ethical judgements on Cantata's part, it doesn't seem to show in her face. If anything, her expression is gently neutral while both father and daughter speak. Any surprise that the mention of Fettina's mom brings her is quickly suppressed - it's not quite the appropriate time for her to try and get caught up to speed. She waits for the lull in their conversation before she attempts to intercede.

"...I met Fettina after her condition forced her into sobriety, but - if I may, your daughter is not alone out here. She has me, and she has her friends - close friends who I know care a lot about her, would do anything to make sure she is not living too dangerously." Her signing is more gentle and subdued in emotion here, eyes studying the man's expression all throughout. The nature of her gestures sadly keep her from comforting her fiancé like she's been doing beforehand, but she tries to make up for it by leaning a little closer, keeping the two's sides in contact.

[Morty]

[Underside Tunnels]

Brinika turns around to face Khannie and Arthfael, momentarily confused... then snickers.

"No, the cave was already here when we came. The buildings are all ours," she explains. "Dad says tunnellers do sometimes come across ruins in the depths. He says trolls made them, but then they forgot how. They were underground before us. And the Thanksmas wolves belong to a grumpy goblin in charge of MERC. But his are trained differently so they're friendlier."

At this point, the quartet has descended towards the lowest level of the cave. It looks like a town street, but oddly different. There's no streets, as such - buildings tend to be clustered together. Here and there are stairways leading to the catwalks above. As they walk, they'll see the crowd of goblins part, as something comes from a distance. It turns out to be just what they're looking for - a very large beetle. The size of an ox or bull, the creature carries a goblin and a large bundle of boxes and passages on its back. It crawls with impressive speed across the space between buildings; at one time almost perpendicular to the ground as it crawls over the wall of a spire to move forward quicker.

[Rebonack]

[Jace's Place]

Going to sleep?

...yeah.

That's probably a good idea.

"Thanks uncle Zebes," she mutters, giving her pal a hug before yawning another huge yawn and trudging up stairs.

She's out like a light in a hurry.

That Next Afternoon After School...

Oh boy it's time for the Full Moon Party at Inari's again!

Sure they have one every month but it's awesome.

And Zebes has been bugging her to pester the foxes about how things are coming with the grief seed she gave them so hey do several things at the same time, right?

As Khannie is getting ready her phone buzzes at her.

Huh.

A quick poke at the screen and it looks like she got a private message to her civilian screen name?

A big smile blooms across her face.

LowlyMuggle: did you want to go patrolling with me tonight?
Seeming: Sorry but I'm going with my dad to the full moon party.
Seeming: I guess I could cancle?
LowlyMuggle: no way dont do that any time you can spend with your parents is time well spent
Seeming: Are you sure I don't think he would mind.
LowlyMuggle: im sure
LowlyMuggle: my wish was that my parents would spend more time with me
LowlyMuggle: it didnt work out the way i imagined but im glad i get to actually see them now
LowlyMuggle: so spend time with your dad dont regret it
Seeming: Wow now I feel like I should tell you my wish too
Seeming: Youll probably think its stupid
LowlyMuggle: its okay you dont have to tell me
LowlyMuggle: maybe tomorrow instead? we could meet up at the skyside zoo in the afternoon then go patrolling at night
Seeming: That sounds really cool! I'll see you there, okay?
LowlyMuggle: have fun at the party khannie
Seeming: Hey Ester you don't want to come to the party too, do you?
LowlyMuggle: nah someone has to blast these witches while youre slacking
Seeming: Haha fair. Save some for the rest of us. I'll see you at the zoo tomorrow

Wow are things ever looking up!

Khannie slips her phone into her pocket as she gets ready for the party. It's going to be a fun night and THEN she'll finally get a chance to meet Ester in person! She and Shooting Star Tiara are arguably two of the most powerful magical girls around. That one paint brush girl might be able to beat them in versatility, but Khannie seriously doubts if anyone can beat her and Star in raw stopping power. She's already thinking of cool ways they might be able to combo their magic together.

What a fantastic week this is turning out to be.

[Ironsmith]

[Underside Tunnels]

...Oh.

She meant the cave.

Well, that's less interesting. Of course there was a cave here. There's caves lots of places. What's so special about a cave? Nothing, that's what! It's just a random hole in the ground. No mystery, no lost civilization, nothing!

Arthfael sighs and hugs his jacket around him, trying to contain his disappointment.

Literally. He doesn't want another magical misfire. That'd just mar the trip even more.

Then he sees the beetle, and with it comes a dramatic change in his attitude.

An insect of that size would already be unnerving, with its beady eyes and stiff, spindly legs, but Arthfael can't help but be reminded of a certain psychic overlord who really messed with his brain when he looks at the creature.

But at the same time, he has to admit it looks really cool, for most of the same reasons. Granted, he won't admit that out loud, but he will admit it.

So now he's staring at the creature with a mix of awe and fear... and projecting some of such into the beetle itself. One has to wonder if it can comprehend those emotions.

[Rebonack]

[Underside Tunnels]

"Oh..." comes Khannie's reaction to the revelation about the caves. Sounds like she misunderstood.

That was kind of dumb of her.

Glancing back at Arthfael it looks like he thinks more or less the same thing.

Ah well. Sometimes mistakes are made.

"I wonder how trolls could have forgotten how to make stuff? That's a pretty important thing," she muses. Though it was like that in the pokemon world, too. Ruins all over the place of a lost civilization. Who made them? Was it pokemon? Did they live in those ruins once and then something happened and they had to start all over again? Or where there once humans there but they all vanished for some reason? She'll probably never find out on account of the fact that she never wants to see that place again. But now she's kind of curious.

Then beetle.

"Woah, it's huge!" Khannie laughs. It must look even more huge to the goblins. Though it's still plenty big enough to carry someone the size of her. "How do they train them? Are the beetles smart?"

She doesn't usually think of beetles as intelligent things.


[Jace's Place]

Khannie has returned home.

This was supposed to be a fun night. She was supposed to meet her friend at the zoo and then go patrolling together.

Instead?

She checks her phone, just in case. Just in case she's wrong. Just in case everything is fine. But no, SStarT hasn't been online since last night.

All that building pressure finally breaks and she just can't take it anymore.

Khannie drops her backpack on the floor, flops down onto the couch, and buries her face in her hands.

Maridia lands on the couch next to her and noses at her, causing Khannie to scoop up the little fairy dragon in her arms and hug her close. Khannie's little shoulders shake as she cries.

[Ashen Lilies]

[Cass' Tower]

"More productive but not as entertaining," Wenomir murmurs back, leaning into Cass' ear. When Wren returns, he looks up at him and follows him to the table. "Angling to have two people you can decisively defeat? Board games aren't really my speciality. And please do pass my compliments to Geneviève for her cooking." He's not sure what the sorceress thinks of him. He has a feeling it's not much. But it doesn't hurt to be polite.

[Cass' Tower]

"I'm sure he must be devastated."

Wren smirks as Wenomir calls him out on his dastardly plot.

"Of course. It's C's birthday after all, so I thought I'd offer them the mercy of having their abject humiliation shared, rather than being theirs alone." He wanders back over to the coffee table, beginning the task of setting the board game he and Cass were already playing aside, and setting up what seems to be some kind of settlement management game up for three players. "And I will pass that sentiment along. She does appreciate compliments,"

He gives Wenomir an understanding smile, seemingly catching on to Wenomir's hesitancy towards the rather intimidating sorceress.

"News to me. Pretty sure she already thinks of herself as perfect."

Wren's smile broadens into a smirk once again, though Cass chooses not to notice, instead seating herself back on the couch and accepting Chatri back into her lap, focusing on the new game.

As they play the game (Wren will provide an explanation of the rules), Wenomir will find Wren to be a formidable strategic thinker, and possessed of a calculating and patient attitude and ruthless negotiating skill, disguised behind light banter and a disarmingly cheerful aspect. This in contrast, of course, to Cass, whose occasional flashes of brilliance fail completely to make up for her impatient and reckless playstyle, causing her to quickly fall behind Wren in the resource game.

[Morty]

[Cass' Tower]

Wenomir is smarter than he looks, but not a particularly quick learner. He's set in his ways of thinking and doesn't abandon them easily. He is, however, far more methodical and patient than Cassandra. He's also a strategic thinker and can assess a situation in the blink of an eye. As such, he'll likely provide more of a challenge to Wren, though he's unlikely to match him.

"What's your plan now, Wren?" Wenomir asks as they play. "Now that you've got your own body."

[Deathkeeper]

Jace's Place

This time her father's around to hear her late at night. Jace comes down the stair, bleary-eyed, to find his daughter sobbing. He walks over, gently squatting down and laying a hand on Khannie softly, looking at her at eye-level.
"What happened, Khannie? What's wrong?" he asks her softly.

[Rebonack]

[Jace's Place]

What's wrong?

Her soul is an egg for a monster.

A different monster was throwing people into the maw of a beast to see what would happen.

Her friend that she was getting to know over the past few months is gone and she didn't even get it the worst. It sounded like Victoria lost even more, maybe even girls she knew from before the wish.

And in all of this Khannie has to put on a strong face. Strong because she's one of the really powerful girls. Strong because she's one of the founding users of the Magical Girl subserver. Strong because others look up to her and count on her to be there.

It's a crushing weight.

She can't be strong always.

And so, vulnerable, she manages to sob out two words.

"Ester died."

[Earl of Purple]

Underside Tunnels

"How would somebody even build a cave and make it look natural? Though I guess it could just be really old and eroded." Cheasadh's also a little interested in the troll ruins; though the questions she'd most like to ask have already been asked. The beetle gets little more than a glance; she's been here long enough they're kind of normal for her.

Pookie watches it, though. Hopefully it doesn't smell the honey, or else interested in such a pure concentration of sugar.

[Deathkeeper]

Jace's Place

Okay this is a discussion he didn't think he was going to have this soon.
Jace stands up so he can slide onto the couch, resting Khannie's head in his lap as he puts his arms around her.
"Do you want to talk about it?" he asks her quietly. He wants to leave the option open. If she just wants to sit for a while that's okay too.

[Rebonack]

[Jace's Place]

Does she want to talk about it?

Khannie opens her mouth to try, but all that comes out are several shuddering sobs. With her voice temporarily betraying her, she throws her arms around her dad and nods her head.

Yes.

She wants to talk about it.

But she can't right now. Not yet. Her body isn't letting her.

It takes a good thirty seconds of ragged breaths and slowly drying tears to get everything back under control. Just breath.

Breath.

"D-do you remember the maze thing? At the mall?" Khannie asks.

That would be hard to forget. They wrecked that Witch as a family it was great. Also really weird.

[Morty]

[Underside Tunnels]

"I don't really know. There's stories about it but I'm not sure which is true, if any. Everyone just knows trolls used to be a lot smarter, then... something happened." Brinika looks after the beetle, which suddenly stops and swings its head back and forth, before its rider regains control of it and urges it on. Weird. "They're... smarter than the regular tiny beetles, I think. But still not very smart. I think they're bribed with food and learn to recognize their riders' scent. Then they just run fast. They get food when they get where they're going so they're happy."

[Shadowcaller]

[A Request]

"Well, my thought was this would be a way of making me capable of getting pregnant. Then we can figure out, uh, the rest after that." Valerie chuckles. The rest is a pretty big question, but one thing at a time. "So I don't think there's any reason to wait."

[A Request]

Astrana nods. "I've done accomplished far more difficult things with rituals so this shouldn't be a problem. I mean, I've already personally confirmed that you have all the parts necessary so as long as there's nothing actively working against this, it should work." She grins and tries to take Val's hands. "So what about we make an appointment at my office for tomorrow? And I don't mean one by the backoffice." Val had plenty of those already.

[Murkus]

Cool Limo


If the sort of business Fettina's father engages in provokes any moral or ethical judgements on Cantata's part, it doesn't seem to show in her face. If anything, her expression is gently neutral while both father and daughter speak. Any surprise that the mention of Fettina's mom brings her is quickly suppressed - it's not quite the appropriate time for her to try and get caught up to speed. She waits for the lull in their conversation before she attempts to intercede.

"...I met Fettina after her condition forced her into sobriety, but - if I may, your daughter is not alone out here. She has me, and she has her friends - close friends who I know care a lot about her, would do anything to make sure she is not living too dangerously." Her signing is more gentle and subdued in emotion here, eyes studying the man's expression all throughout. The nature of her gestures sadly keep her from comforting her fiancé like she's been doing beforehand, but she tries to make up for it by leaning a little closer, keeping the two's sides in contact.

Cool Limo

Fettina's father watches Cantata, but he is incredibly difficult to read for certain.

"Hey," Fettina says, looking at Cantie. Her tone isn't too hard, but it is serious. "I do not need managed. Not by him, and not by you. Alright?"

"Look, dad. If you came to try to stop this because you're afraid I'll get ****** up, well, that's just tough. It's not happening. I don't want to be like this, even if you maybe want me to be. But you can still come... I mean, if you want," she says, after a little pause. It's obvious she hopes he will.

The man studies them both with those inscrutable dark eyes. Even despite Fettina's declaration, it's hard to deny his presence in those long silent moments. He has the air of a man who, when he decides to be silent, other people wait for him to speak.

"Yes," he says reservedly. "I would like that. If you and..." His eyes shift to Cantie like the weight of gravity. "Cantata are comfortable with that."

[Arkhosia]

Cool Limo

When Fettina addresses her, Cantata nods, holding her open palms outwards in a gesture of "hands-off" or backing down. There’s no flippantness here - she understands she’s overstepped. Part of her wants to amend her earlier choice of wording, but she doesn't move to interrupt her fiancé. The woman studies Fettina's father in the silence that follows afterwards, expectant but not overly pushy.

"Yes, I would be comfortable with it as long as she is." Cantata smiles softly. Then, in amusement. "Besides, having someone's parent present would make it easier for some of my culture's traditions."

[Ironsmith]

[Underside Tunnels]

"Oh..." comes Khannie's reaction to the revelation about the caves. Sounds like she misunderstood.

That was kind of dumb of her.

Glancing back at Arthfael it looks like he thinks more or less the same thing.

Ah well. Sometimes mistakes are made.

"I wonder how trolls could have forgotten how to make stuff? That's a pretty important thing," she muses. Though it was like that in the pokemon world, too. Ruins all over the place of a lost civilization. Who made them? Was it pokemon? Did they live in those ruins once and then something happened and they had to start all over again? Or where there once humans there but they all vanished for some reason? She'll probably never find out on account of the fact that she never wants to see that place again. But now she's kind of curious.

Then beetle.

"Woah, it's huge!" Khannie laughs. It must look even more huge to the goblins. Though it's still plenty big enough to carry someone the size of her. "How do they train them? Are the beetles smart?"

She doesn't usually think of beetles as intelligent things.

Underside Tunnels

"How would somebody even build a cave and make it look natural? Though I guess it could just be really old and eroded." Cheasadh's also a little interested in the troll ruins; though the questions she'd most like to ask have already been asked. The beetle gets little more than a glance; she's been here long enough they're kind of normal for her.

Pookie watches it, though. Hopefully it doesn't smell the honey, or else interested in such a pure concentration of sugar.

[Underside Tunnels]

"I don't really know. There's stories about it but I'm not sure which is true, if any. Everyone just knows trolls used to be a lot smarter, then... something happened." Brinika looks after the beetle, which suddenly stops and swings its head back and forth, before its rider regains control of it and urges it on. Weird. "They're... smarter than the regular tiny beetles, I think. But still not very smart. I think they're bribed with food and learn to recognize their riders' scent. Then they just run fast. They get food when they get where they're going so they're happy."

[Underside Tunnels]

Arthfael continues to stare at the beetle as it goes by, still with expression halfway between awe and terror. The giant insect had to be the single most amazing thing he'd ever seen, marching before his eyes for the very first time.

...But now he'd seen it.

What now?

Keep staring at the beetle?

...Maybe not. He doesn't like those beady eyes it's got.

Maybe ask some inane questions like a tourist?

Ugh. He couldn't think of anything more banal to come out of his mouth.

All he really can do is just sort of sit there lamely. Ugh. Even putting aside the mishaps coming down here, he can't shake the idea that maybe this was a waste of time.

...Maybe he should just follow Khannie"s example. She's the cool one.

[Rebonack]

[Underside Tunnels]

"I know stories like that," Khannie replies regarding the trolls, suppressing a shudder. "Stuff like that would happen in the pokemon world. Someone in the village would just... wander off into the woods and start acting like an animal. It could happen to anyone. Except a Hero, I guess. I knew I was from the Human World originally, but it was still scary. To go over to a friend's house one day and they're just gone. It's why-"

She glances over at Pookie, then lowers her voice a bit. Should she say this? She really hasn't ever shared this stuff before.

Maybe...

Maybe with all the Magical Girl stuff going on she wants to open up to her friends more.

"It's why pokemon that can't talk always kind of freaked me out. They remind me of the ferals."

But now she doesn't have to worry about that ever again!

She just has to worry about other things.

Less worrying?

Huge beetles.

"Do they ever just dangle food in front of it?" Khannie asks, making a motion miming a fishing pole. "Like a stick with a string and beetle food tied to the end?"

[Deathkeeper]

Jace's Place

"Yes. I do." Jace tells her simply, keeping his arms around her.
He thinks he knows where this is going. But she wants to tell him herself.

[Rebonack]

[Jace's Place]

Khannie opens her mouth to continue, only to be interrupted by another sob. It takes a few more moments of breathing to get it back under control.

"The Witch made a maze down from the moon. A-and girls went in to fight it. And then it just... it just disappeared. And all the girls disappeared, too," she manages to get out. "Ester asked me to go patrolling last night but we went to the Full Moon party instead. And she tried fighting the Moon Witch and-"

And?

"She didn't come to the zoo, daddy. She didn't. She's gone. She's gone and it's all my fault! If I had just insisted she come to the party with us harder then you would have gotten to meet her and she would be fine but now she's gone and I almost disappeared, too! I have to be strong for the other girls but I'm not I'm not!"

Another sob wracks her body as she buries her face in her father's chest.

"I'm not..."

Khannie whimpers.

"I'm not strong enough..."

[Earl of Purple]

Underside Tunnels

"I don't think that would work. Beetles, at least the little ones, don't have very good vision." Although it might work with scent or something. In order for a compound eye to see the same level of detail as a human's eye, it would need to be a metre across. Which, on a giant beetle, would probably be achievable, though also very complex and possibly not worth improving senses smaller beetles rely on, like scent and the ability to feel vibrations in the surface they're walking on.

With the admission by Khannie, though, Cheasadh will go and give the larger girl a hug. "I'm sorry about that, Khannie. Must have been terrible." She lets go quite quick, though, as Pookie has spotted her and is wandering over. Usually, when Cheasadh gives someone a hug, he wants to join in. This time, though, he's instead offering Khannie his pot with its label of Hunny.

[Deathkeeper]

Jace's Place

"No one your age should ever have this kind of pressure, Khannie." Jace assures her, running a hand over her head.
"But it's not your fault. And strength isn't what you need. Just being strong doesn't solve all your problems. So don't tell yourself that you're not strong enough. And don't tell yourself that it's your fault, either."

[Rebonack]

[Jace's Place]

Strength and weakness.

Fault and blame.

Love.

And hope.

Pushing against despair.

Maybe she doesn't have to be strong on her own so long as there are people who love her?

Khannie looks up at her father, her face stained with tears and her nose sticky with snot. In those glistening eyes, in that agonized expression, Jace will see a vulnerability that doesn't come out very often in the face of his tough-girl daughter.

"What should I do, daddy?"

[Gullara]

[Aetheric Assistance]

Kitsuki paces back and forth in the kitchen, waiting for the alert that their guest has arrived. The worries just keep stacking up these days. Never mind the regular challenges of supporting a family, and the early growing swell in her belly signalling clearly that family is getting bigger. This situation with Ana has been gnawing at her, and there's only so much she can help. Sure she knows about being a kitsune, but Ana's problems are more than just that ultimately. She had to make a call for the one person that might know something more.

The waiting is starting to stress her out, though. Obriane is off with the other kids, taking them for a day out at Glog while this is dealt with. Only she and Ana are in the apartment while they wait.

[A Request]

Astrana nods. "I've done accomplished far more difficult things with rituals so this shouldn't be a problem. I mean, I've already personally confirmed that you have all the parts necessary so as long as there's nothing actively working against this, it should work." She grins and tries to take Val's hands. "So what about we make an appointment at my office for tomorrow? And I don't mean one by the backoffice." Val had plenty of those already.

[A Request]

Valerie giggles and squeezes Astrana's hands. "Okay, let's do it. I can hardly believe this is happening. It's been bouncing around in my head for a while; I'm not sure I believed it'd actually happen."

[Murkus]

Cool Limo

When Fettina addresses her, Cantata nods, holding her open palms outwards in a gesture of "hands-off" or backing down. There’s no flippantness here - she understands she’s overstepped. Part of her wants to amend her earlier choice of wording, but she doesn't move to interrupt her fiancé. The woman studies Fettina's father in the silence that follows afterwards, expectant but not overly pushy.

"Yes, I would be comfortable with it as long as she is." Cantata smiles softly. Then, in amusement. "Besides, having someone's parent present would make it easier for some of my culture's traditions."

[Cool Limo]

It seems like Fettina is well used to saying things like that. She doesn't seem the type to hold it against Cantie. In fact it bothers her more that people care so much about her that they'd want to interfere with her life out of love. She'd never expected to find friends like that in the Nexus, and now it seemed she had made another. Pushing away or rebuking people like that seemed foolish... but Tina wanted to be free to live her own life, even if it meant she blew it up in the process. Having a choice was what was important... right?

"Of course," says Tina, chewing her lip.

Comfortably moving past the more serious matters, Fettina's old man smiles. It's somehow a little wistful. "Easier? How's that?" He decides not to ask about the obvious implication.

[Arkhosia]

Aetheric Assistance

Spoiler

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[Aetheric Assistance]

Kitsuki paces back and forth in the kitchen, waiting for the alert that their guest has arrived. The worries just keep stacking up these days. Never mind the regular challenges of supporting a family, and the early growing swell in her belly signalling clearly that family is getting bigger. This situation with Ana has been gnawing at her, and there's only so much she can help. Sure she knows about being a kitsune, but Ana's problems are more than just that ultimately. She had to make a call for the one person that might know something more.

The waiting is starting to stress her out, though. Obriane is off with the other kids, taking them for a day out at Glog while this is dealt with. Only she and Ana are in the apartment while they wait.

Anastasia sits nearby on a couch in the living room, legs folded up close. She glances up from her phone every once in a while, looking back to Kitsuki or through the window overlooking the apartment's outside. Kitty wasn't the only one whose problems have been gnawing at them inside, but for her adoptive daughter it was a bit more literal - light, occasional pangs of hunger, visiting just frequently enough to start reminding her of the grisly event that came before becoming part of her new family. The events Kitty's swelling belly heralded worried Ana a little as well - things felt cramped enough right now as-is, but it was a little scary to think about the idea of possibly moving into her third house in as many years.

Even so, with all those anxieties weighing on Ana's mind, she was a little more hopeful than Kitsuki seemed to feel right now, albeit tentatively so. The possibility of something, anything to help stop the discomfort she's been feeling this past week, and even more importantly, alleviate the danger she worries her very presence brings to others? Well, it feels a bit like a ray of sunshine breaking through an overcast sky right now.

Cool Limo

Spoiler

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[Cool Limo]

It seems like Fettina is well used to saying things like that. She doesn't seem the type to hold it against Cantie. In fact it bothers her more that people care so much about her that they'd want to interfere with her life out of love. She'd never expected to find friends like that in the Nexus, and now it seemed she had made another. Pushing away or rebuking people like that seemed foolish... but Tina wanted to be free to live her own life, even if it meant she blew it up in the process. Having a choice was what was important... right?

"Of course," says Tina, chewing her lip.

Comfortably moving past the more serious matters, Fettina's old man smiles. It's somehow a little wistful. "Easier? How's that?" He decides not to ask about the obvious implication.

"Well, the father doesn't walk the bride down the aisle where I come from, but there are a few small acts the father of a bride or groom customarily does, like joining them on the way to the church or offering the bride the choice of two glasses for a toast." Cantata can't help but return the small smile a bit herself. "Somewhat... small roles, but - still, something I would appreciate seeing someone take up."

[Morty]

[Underside Tunnels]

Brinika walks over to join in on Cheasadh's hug. They're both very small so really it makes sense to cooperate.

"Yeah, I don't think they do that. But I don't know what they do instead. Let's keep going and get to the post office. Then we'll find our dad. He works there so he might know."

[Shadowcaller]

[Aetheric Assistance]

Kitsuki paces back and forth in the kitchen, waiting for the alert that their guest has arrived. The worries just keep stacking up these days. Never mind the regular challenges of supporting a family, and the early growing swell in her belly signalling clearly that family is getting bigger. This situation with Ana has been gnawing at her, and there's only so much she can help. Sure she knows about being a kitsune, but Ana's problems are more than just that ultimately. She had to make a call for the one person that might know something more.

The waiting is starting to stress her out, though. Obriane is off with the other kids, taking them for a day out at Glog while this is dealt with. Only she and Ana are in the apartment while they wait.

[A Request]

Valerie giggles and squeezes Astrana's hands. "Okay, let's do it. I can hardly believe this is happening. It's been bouncing around in my head for a while; I'm not sure I believed it'd actually happen."

Aetheric Assistance

Anastasia sits nearby on a couch in the living room, legs folded up close. She glances up from her phone every once in a while, looking back to Kitsuki or through the window overlooking the apartment's outside. Kitty wasn't the only one whose problems have been gnawing at them inside, but for her adoptive daughter it was a bit more literal - light, occasional pangs of hunger, visiting just frequently enough to start reminding her of the grisly event that came before becoming part of her new family. The events Kitty's swelling belly heralded worried Ana a little as well - things felt cramped enough right now as-is, but it was a little scary to think about the idea of possibly moving into her third house in as many years.

Even so, with all those anxieties weighing on Ana's mind, she was a little more hopeful than Kitsuki seemed to feel right now, albeit tentatively so. The possibility of something, anything to help stop the discomfort she's been feeling this past week, and even more importantly, alleviate the danger she worries her very presence brings to others? Well, it feels a bit like a ray of sunshine breaking through an overcast sky right now.

[A Request]

"I've suspected you been wanting something like this for a while actually. You always wanted children so it just made sense to me." Astrana replies as she squeezes Val's hands gently. "I got plenty of literature on it that I can give you which I read when I got the quadruplets. Thankfully, you won't quite as many I'd hope."

Aetheric Assistance

It is different Jaahlyn that comes knocking on the door. Her clothes still look similar to the ones she wore last time she was here. A coat, but in blue, red and pink rather than brown and green.
But her haircut looks frazzled yet at the same time she looks a lot cleaner than last time. None of that strange smell that seemed to follow her around all the time.

"Hey, so can I just come on in?" She inquires, her eyes being drawn to Kitty's belly. Well, that was one benefit of being more barren than a desert worth of sand...

[Ironsmith]

[Underside Tunnels]

"I know stories like that," Khannie replies regarding the trolls, suppressing a shudder. "Stuff like that would happen in the pokemon world. Someone in the village would just... wander off into the woods and start acting like an animal. It could happen to anyone. Except a Hero, I guess. I knew I was from the Human World originally, but it was still scary. To go over to a friend's house one day and they're just gone. It's why-"

She glances over at Pookie, then lowers her voice a bit. Should she say this? She really hasn't ever shared this stuff before.

Maybe...

Maybe with all the Magical Girl stuff going on she wants to open up to her friends more.

"It's why pokemon that can't talk always kind of freaked me out. They remind me of the ferals."

But now she doesn't have to worry about that ever again!

She just has to worry about other things.

Less worrying?

Huge beetles.

"Do they ever just dangle food in front of it?" Khannie asks, making a motion miming a fishing pole. "Like a stick with a string and beetle food tied to the end?"

Underside Tunnels

"I don't think that would work. Beetles, at least the little ones, don't have very good vision." Although it might work with scent or something. In order for a compound eye to see the same level of detail as a human's eye, it would need to be a metre across. Which, on a giant beetle, would probably be achievable, though also very complex and possibly not worth improving senses smaller beetles rely on, like scent and the ability to feel vibrations in the surface they're walking on.

With the admission by Khannie, though, Cheasadh will go and give the larger girl a hug. "I'm sorry about that, Khannie. Must have been terrible." She lets go quite quick, though, as Pookie has spotted her and is wandering over. Usually, when Cheasadh gives
someone a hug, he wants to join in. This time, though, he's instead offering Khannie his pot with its label of Hunny.

[Underside Tunnels]

Brinika walks over to join in on Cheasadh's hug. They're both very small so really it makes sense to cooperate.

"Yeah, I don't think they do that. But I don't know what they do instead. Let's keep going and get to the post office. Then we'll find our dad. He works there so he might know."

[Underside Tunnels]

Arthfael raises an eyebrow as Khannie confesses her apprehensions vis-a-vis people going feral. That's a thing she's had to deal with? He's seen it before, but only in, like, the worst places a person could be. Not anywhere as bright and cheery and sickeningly sweet as the place he assumed Khannie came from.

Actually, does he know where Khannie came from? It occurs to him he's never asked about it too much before. That might be a horrible assumption on his part.

...Well, not so much "might be", after a confession like that.

A low rumble makes its way through the cave, followed closely by a brief but steady drizzle, as an indoor raincloud manifests high above them. It'll go away after about a minute.

[Rebonack]

[Underside Tunnels]

"Thanks gals," Khannie says at the hug. Then pushes Maridia away with one hand. "No, you're still sticky."

That-

Well, she really wasn't expecting her friends to tell her that her anxieties were dumb or anything.

That wouldn't be like them at all.

But whenever one is vulnerable there's always that nagging fear you'll get hurt over it.

And then Pookie offers the jar to her. Uuuh...

"Thanks, but I'm not hungry right now. And straight honey is a little too sweet for me," she admits. Straight sweet like that is just... ugh. Khannie likes food with some kick to it.

Then it starts raining.

"Okay, seriously, what the heck is going on?" she asks, shielding her eyes with one hand and looking up toward the ceiling. Apparently they have acquired a stray rain cloud.