[Potential 0. Insecure]

Boop!

Canada, whatever focus you had on #MAT is interrupted by Set tapping your nose delicately with her index finger. She's smiling down at you, but there's just a hint of sternness in her bearing and demeaner, a little red in her aura. "I see why Marianne dropped you off here. That's the wrong answer, Canada. You got the fleet key and survived because Marianne helped you, understand?" Her finger in front of your face is making a little back and forth admonishment not far from your eyes. "and if you think working together isn't helpful, then I suppose you don't need me to get you out of here or anywhere close to a mirror, isn't that right? But I think you do need my help, and you're going to ask for it because I can see you're suffering. Stop trying to save everyone Canada, you don't have to be our sacrifice!"

[Anat is using her influence to tell you who you are. Shift your savior down and your mundane up or reject her influence.]

"What do you know?" she was really trying not to be snappy but it wasn't working. She was also doing her best not to acknowledge these further affronts to her mighty howling timber wolf dignity and the only way to do that was to say a bunch of words that she knew were wrong even as she said them. "You can only say that because of all the sacrifices I've already made. You've never been seriously hurt, you've never had to fight the High Gods, you get to dream that all of this can be resolved if we just tell people the truth. Do you know what teamwork means? Teamwork means I take the punches so you get to keep believing that."

[Reject influence: 4. Marking Guilty. In turn, Canada is trying to shift your Danger down and Mundane up.]

[Potential 0. Insecure]

Set lets her face fall, a mixture of sadness and disappointment. "Canada, I...I've left everything I know and love twice in my life." She looks over at #MAT, still slurping her soda and gives a sort of shrug, she's helping enough she can overhear. Set's aura hasn't really shifted, it's a combination of calm blues and that little bit of red, stern and a little angry. Her skirts swish in multicolor as she sets her feet.

"As a child, I left my home, I left the Earth and went out into the stars where everything was new and different and terrifying. I had nightmares for years and yet I learned to build a life out there. And when I was finally feeling strong and comfortable and had friends and a new family, I left again because I feared for our home. I came back here and I can't even find my mother, Canada. She might be a slave. Or...or dead even." Set is not calm as she says that, but she holds her composure. Takes a deep breath.

"Don't tell me I don't know what pain is. If I'm naïve, fine, but I'm naïve because I'm going to make the world work like I want, not because I'm fool enough to think it will fix itself by magic. Next time, I'm going to be there to take the hits with you, and we're going to work together to make sure none of us has to take those hits if we can help it. We're nowhere near enough people to afford taking hits." She grins lightly, that was almost a joke on her part considering the rumors floating around that she's twenty-odd people.

Set pauses a beat and then tries to lighten the mood. "So, I guess we're stuck here a while longer. Until you ask for help, in fact. Can I get you anything to eat?" That's directed to both Canada and #MAT, who's already made a wasteland of the soda she had in her bottle.

[Canada doesn't have influence over Set, so her stats aren't changed. However, this counts as sharing a vulnerability, so as of now Canada has influence over Set. Marking 1 potential and, hmm, let's say Angry.]

Anathet!

“You absolutely can,” #MAT says, scribbling down a shopping list on a hacked tablet. “I don’t leave, Canada doesn’t leave, so we have to rely on le resistance for meals— but you can just, vroop, in and out!” The list she holds out for you to reach over and take is... extensive. And expensive. But why not, right? In fact, if you raided the Seneschal’s larder, you could get all of them in one go.

***

Canada!

Set is about to run off and leave you alone with #MAT again. Do not let her do this. Figure out some way, some disguise, even dive through the portal after her. You have to stretch your legs and hang out with somebody who isn’t #MAT, or you’re going to lose your mind.

***

Lamassie!

The gardens are so, so pretty, aren’t they? Almost as pretty as you! The Seneschal spares no expense. And they’re large enough that, thus far, you’ve managed to avoid running into Anathet. Let’s hope it stays that way, right?

But there’s a problem, one that threatens the Lady’s mood: Tirzah is sitting, crowlike, in the Paradise Pavilion on the fake river, reached by elegant half-moon bridges. She is Brooding. Yes, how she broods that her Canada was defeated, finally, and not by her! And, worse, your Lady is drifting over towards her! She’ll clamber over the steep steps of the bridge (far too dangerous!) and try to make Tirzah happy, but nobody and nothing can make that blind spy crack her mask. It’ll just bring everything down! This is a disaster! How do you stop her from being drawn into her sister’s angst vortex, silly lamassie?

It's not a contest. It's not a contest, this isn't the misery olympics, you shouldn't escalate with your own stories of hardship when someone has just opened up to you. The thought then goes a step further and adds "because nobody cares" - chin up. Emotions down. It doesn't matter, it shouldn't matter, this is just one more reason to fight and one more person whose happiness depends on your victory. It's certainly not a moment to admit any sort of vulnerability because whenever you do that will be used against you somehow.

Instead of processing or expressing her emotions, Canada's mind immediately dives into the first distraction that arrives - and as far as distractions go, getting away from #MAT is one she can absolutely put her full heart behind. She'll need to time this just right, but if she uses her speed to get through the portal the second after Anathet opens it, moves so quickly she isn't spotted, and then ambushes a guard for their uniform she would be free. Free to get back into the fight. She can survive on her own, after all.

[Potential 1. Insecure. Angry.]

Set takes #MAT's list and starts scanning it over. Salmon roe, really? And how many kinds of noodles?! Okay, she was definitely getting taken advantage of here, Phantom Thieves were not grocery delivery services. But, it was an excuse for a breather, and it did feel like all of them in this tiny apartment would suffocate with the way Canada was pouting and #MAT was making excruciating slurping noises from her entirely empty bottle.

So, sure, she'd go make a grocery run from the Seneschal's larder. At least that sounded kind of funny, and maybe if she ran into any kitchen staff, she could add to the "Set is all over the estate" rumors that were probably already going around. If she were really lucky, maybe she'd even overhear some rumors about how the Seneschal had been found the other night, tied to the chair with his own torn skirt. That would make her entire day and give something to talk to Canada about that wasn't all don't worry, I'll just push myself until I die and everything will be fine.

As she was imagining these things, she started absentmindedly tracing her portal. This was a safe entry point, so she wasn't going for any particular speed or stealth, just taking the one area of the apartment that wasn't covered with stuff so she could have a nice flat entry to through.

"Okay, I'll be back in a little while, then we can talk again, I'm sure we'll get past this," she said, then looking away from Canada, finishing her portal and opening it up to step through.

In her time as Lady's handmaiden, Étoile has explored the hearts of almost every member of the household. It was her job, you know? The Resistance needed information, Marianne needed targets, and... and just... she needed to know. Who she could trust, who to be afraid of. If it was even right in the first place.

Her Lady's heart was so beautiful it almost broke her resolve on the spot when she saw it. Inside her was the most wondrous garden, filled with fountains spraying water so clear it felt like she could dip her hand in it and not even feel it, and the most amazing flowers in soothing blues and dazzling yellows and brilliant whites, each one with such delicate crystalline petals she hardly dared to breath for fear of breaking them. The breeze there was gentle and fragrant, and somehow even the storm clouds that hung overhead everywhere she'd wandered had exuded a gentle softness that could turn the clap of thunder into the purring of a cat.

None of the rest of them had been like that. Jezcha's heart was a thing of rot and darkness and broken dolls, and the Seneschal's was a frankly terrifying and claustrophobic maze of walls that echoed constantly with stomping boots and furious shouting. But there wasn't anybody that worried Étoile more than Tirzah. Her heart was... an enigma. The only one she couldn't slip inside of, not even with Marianne's full focus and cooperation. How was that even possible? This is exactly why you couldn't trust spies!

And that was exactly why Lamassie wasn't going to do anything silly like let Lady get her perfect evening ruined by that mysterious, brooding, black-boxed, jerky... stupid face! Hmph!

But what to do? Lamassie isn't a brave phantom thief or a superhero! She can't swoop Lady out of here without ruining everything, and if she goes running around and makes the guards think she's trying to escape it'll be trouble, oh goshies yes. Not to mention if she tugs too hard, she might hurt Lady! Oh no oh no! What's she supposed to do? She's not fast or strong or brave or even very clever, no she's not, no she's not! All she's got is heart, and if she tries real hard, maybe it can even be as pretty as Lady's!

"It's soooooooo pretty here, isn't it? Isn't it? Isn't it, Lady?"

Pap pap pap go her silly mitten-paws on Lady's shoulders! Jingle jingle goes her good girl collar! Her silly triangles go flippy-flopsie as she drapes herself over and squishes her body so, soooooo gently against Lady's! Uhuh, there we go, eyes on your good girl, Lady. See her silly hip wiggles to make her tail go all waggy? See the happy sparkle in her eyes?

"...Is Lamassie a good girl? Can she have a treat? Pretty pretty pleaaase?"

She smiles through her pretty sparkle veil. All she needs to do is be all silly-shameless-distracting for a just a little bit longer, and everything will be perfect and safe again, probably forever. But, you know what? She could do this all day.

Jezcha!

“So how does it work, master of the seen and unseen arts?”

The hum of it drowns out anything else you might have heard from within the Pillar. It stands squat by your father’s desk, richly engraved bronze and gold. And it hums to set your teeth on edge.

“The unseen waters of chaos all about are manipulated by these humans,” the Grand Artificer says, folding her hands in her long sleeves. “They draw down disaster, not knowing what they work. And so we simply make it louder, more turbulent, and confound them.”

“And there’s no way that you can do it without restricting our access to Caphtor?” Your father’s growl is dangerous, but the Artificer nimbly slips through his words with a bow.

“The djinn’s essential vibrations and the magic of Set are of the same base nature. This is a mystery... and yet one we grow close to unlocking, with your support, o generous one.”

“And once we do,” you chime in, “we’ll know everything we need to crush the Phantom Thieves once and for all...”

***

Anathet!

The experience of going through this portal is... wrong. Unsettling. Like pouring out spaghetti into a pan, only it’s risotto instead. Your insides twist and you hear a terrible groan hammering at your eardrums. And then you’re stumbling into a bush.

Notably, there aren’t bushes in the cellars of the Seneschal’s palace. It is bright day, and the sun shines dappled through the branches of the sighing woe-willows, and you have faceplanted into— not a bush, more of a hedge, really.

“Who’s there?” You’d have something more clever to think of, once your stomach settled, only Canada has walked right into your back and smooshed you between her and the hedge. Leaves go up your nose. Twigs press against you in soft spots. And you are about to be discovered!

***

Canada!

You’ve been through the vortexes (vortices?) that Set can make. But this time, it’s disorienting and unpleasant, an experience like missing a step going down the stairs in the dark; your stomach falls out the bottom of your hips and keeps going. When light hits you again, it’s too bright. You stagger forward into Set.

“Who’s there?” A high, lilting voice. Tirzah’s older sister, the sickly one who stayed in her room and did arts and crafts. Not the sort of person you want to get caught by.

What is Set playing at?

***

Lamassie!

You almost get it to work! You can’t be denied! You’re sweet as sugar and smooth as silk and a very, very good girl, yes you are, and that’s when somebody collides with the Hedge of Triumph that faces the Paradise Pavilion. It takes a lot of work to keep all of those scenes of military glory from being overgrown, you know!

Spies? Did the Resistance send someone to contact Anathet, and now they’re at risk of being compromised? Political schemes? The Lynxes react immediately, Am’met circling to flank while Visha’an unholsters his ornate laser flintlock pistol and drops a hand to his dueling saber, and Lady—

Lady squishes your face up against her as she clings to you for support and comfort. “Who’s there?” You can feel her heart fluttering in her chest. (And the softness of her skin, warm like something left out in the sun, and the softness of her pressed up against your cheek, with but a wispy little veil between you—)

“Two,” Tirzah says lowly, and how is that fair? How did she get over here that fast, did she scamper? Lady turns to her sister (and gives you a full faceful). “Suddenly... Janissary, wait to fire on my mark.”

[Potential 1. Insecure. Angry.]

Ooof, Anathet felt like her insides were being hurled about every which way, and in distinctly different directions than her outsides. She wants to just double over and lie down, but that wasn't possible for like, twenty different reasons. That had been wrong. Like, way wrong. And Canada had followed her through to boot. Had it been her fault? No, she'd taken Canada many times and nothing should have been different. Maybe...

No time! Set grabs Canada, and shoves both of them deeper into the bushes. If someone is shouting, they've been heard but maybe not clearly seen. Her first reaction would be to port back out, especially if they could duck into cover. But...how sick she felt, it didn't seem safe.

"Something's wrong" she whispered urgently to Canada. "We didn't come out right...some kind of dimensional resonance or something. I think...it's got to be short range, the Annunaki don't have the technology to cover more than a small space, the main building at most. We just need to get a little distance away and I can get us out of here."

Unfortunately, Set isn't doing a great job of actually dealing with the immediate situation of getting spotted, but she's hoping that they can hide long enough to find an opportunity.

[Watched c-beams glitter: 3+4+2=9. Set's claim about the dimensional resonance is right, but it's incomplete, flawed, or tangential]