FernStone

Iron and Honey: A Love Story [FernStone & AtomicEmperor]

The Dolly Apartments
_{A Companion Post}

By the time Trisha came out of the side room, she was feeling a bit calmer. At least calm enough to deal with a whole room of mostly strangers. She'd just pushed all the remaining anger away - the parts she hadn't taken out on Leon. Anger at the whole fucking existence of apparition suppression needles. But she'd done her best to suppress it so that she could at least get something out of tonight. While she expected to be ambushed by Gin as soon as she entered the main room, she didn't expect a whole group to have gathered in the area. They looked… like the older folk that Ed had mentioned.

One hand went in her jacket pocket, to hide how it clenched, as her gaze quickly went around the room at everyone that was watching. Felicia and Walt were still around… an odd group of young women silently watching. She paused, catching sight of Layla and Alizée with them… or what was presumably her ghost. But she didn't look long - because quite frankly she didn't plan to interact with them much, or treat them any differently than anyone else here. They'd barely interacted ten years ago, anyway. They might as well be strangers. She didn't bother looking much beyond them - most others didn't seem to be paying attention to them, and she couldn't give less of a fuck about where Leon was right now.

“I feel like I'm on display a bit," Trisha murmured to Ed, subtly stepping back towards the door behind her and the person she felt most comfortable around in this place. She then cleared her throat, and spoke louder, though still directing it at Ed.
“Do I get an introduction or something, or do I just get thrown in the deep end?"

From the group of older folks, a friendly face immerged. Hair pulled back and styled, Ginara Rasmussen traded her lab coat and simple clothes for something more stylish. Black jeans, boots untied, no glasses… All five feet of her looked more like a rockstar than she ever had in front of Trisha. She grinned up at her friend.

”Trishaaaaaa come on, dude… This is the fam, I mean… There's no deep end here, right?”
”Everything is the deep end until you step in. Wait your turn, Jekyll…”

Tamara's voice was cinnamon warm as she spoke up in front of Trisha. Ed was quick to step forward, opening her arms.
”Trisha, this is Tamara… She's in charge of making sure this particular commune stays busy. Her fellows here are part of the Second Council.”

”Saaaaame, which is why you should probably just stick with me!”
Trisha would be able to recognize this Ginara from the brief amount of time she spent playing games like this… Less thoughtful, more aggressive: The speak-my-mind kind of Ginara, socially adept and entirely unwilling to participate in the games before her.

Tamara could only give a weak smile, but it was mostly blocked out from Trisha's view by Ed hugging her tightly.
”It's been one Hell of a day… Trisha, why don't we get you a drink? Sit and talk?”

Back at the table with the No-so-Silent Sisterhood, they were staring contentedly.
”Well, no chance of hanging with Ed for a session tonight…” Mazie grumbled.
”Tawny, what info do you have on Trisha?” Nora asked slowly.
Tanya only shook her head.

”She's definitely not part of my cast… That whole section of Sycamore never appealed to me.” she replied.

Irina grinned and leaned into Layla.
”We maybe… Do a little fiction writing about you guys. Alternate universe stuff, our favorite ships get together, or we save people we like… We used to listen to Alizée tell stories about being there and seeing it and stuff…” she coyly explained.

Layla's eyebrows went up. ”Fiction writing? You mean there's a whole fandom on me and the rest of Sycamore?!

“...Can I read it?”

Alizée patted Layla's hand, her red eyes still very much focused on Trisha. ”Don't pry into their fun, Layla.”

”We really love you guys! It’s a shame you didn’t stick together… there’d be more material,” Annalise said, excited and maybe a bit too loud. She found Leon and looked at him for a moment, then her gaze moved over to Trisha. She let out a sigh, gaze almost dreamy. ”I think we have a new ship forming before our eyes, since Tawny said they were fighting… a fight’s always the best start…”

Layla giggled at that, but quickly covered a hand over her mouth, blushing a bit. Her eyes were on Trisha…

“It’s nice to meet you, Tamara,” Trisha said about as politely as she could muster after all the shit she’d dealt with today, and then whatever was going on with Gin. It was the same, kind of different Gin from gaming the night before. But she’d thought that was just her imagination… It was strange.
“You know I’m here to learn more about Adjoined than make Temple connections, right, Gin?” Trisha looked at Gin, though she smiled to make it clear she wasn’t upset at the other woman or anything.
“But you should come sit and talk too.” Because honestly, she was glad Gin was suggesting she stuck with her - because she was one of the two people Trisha knew here, and knew that she could tolerate. She just needed to push herself a little bit here.

”Duh, I know why you’re here. But it doesn’t need to be boring.” Gin clucked, stepping away from the group of fellow Elders to distinguish herself.

“A drink sounds good, and sitting and talking is… what I’m here for. But just one drink, I don’t want an upset boyfriend if I have too much.” Trisha laughed lightly, shoulders hunched slightly. She felt uncomfortable again. More than the constant, slight discomfort. Like she was being watched. Her head slowly turned around, until she saw the table with Layla staring at her.
“What’s their deal?” she asked quietly, to Ed and Gin.

Ed, now flanked by her friends from outside, didn’t have a thrilled look in her eye. She wasn’t excited like normal.
”Team Whiplash. The Silent Sisterhood…”
”Them’s the girls, feel?” Gin replied with a very sarcastic tone.
”Dude, they don’t like you.” Ed intoned.
”Whaaaat, that’s crap. They don’t like my swagger. But they love my Sycamore Fangames.”

Trisha looked between Gin and Ed, tilting her head slightly. It was an odd reaction, especially from the normally enthusiastic Ed. Trisha’s immediate assumption was that she didn’t like this ‘Silent Sisterhood’, whatever the fuck that meant. If Ed didn’t like them, then Trisha didn’t even want to consider talking to them if possible. After what had already happened that evening she felt much friendlier towards Ed. Friendly. And it was mostly because of that, not her general distaste for socialising with people here in the first place.

“Well I wish they would stare more silently, or not at all,” Trisha said, no longer looking at them. Instead she turned her gaze towards Gin, pressing her lips together into a thin line, even as she let out a little snorting laugh at Gin’s use of ‘swagger’.
“Sycamore Fangames? What on earth or those? You don’t all… pretend to be Sycamore members or something, do you?”

”Uh, well… Yeah, kinda. Like, well, not…”
Gin started up, but couldn’t finish off the sentence before Ed cracked a smile and laughed a bit.
”Go ahead, Ginny… Tell’er about the last Sycamore Fan Fiction competition. That’ll make her feel real welcome.” she chided, a snide grin forming. Some of the others started laughing about her, and there was a quickly mounting sense of cliques revealing themselves from the mists.

Trisha would more than likely feel the gaze of Tamara and her Tortoise in the short distance between them. It wasn’t the same as someone like Lynette, or many of the other Temple members… It was the feeling of being offered a hand without reaching out: A raft in the water, and something to hold onto desperately.

”Don’t pay ‘em any mind. One drink, and we talk.”
She ushered Trisha up the small set of steps into the main room of the hall, where they got quite a bit closer to this “Silent Sisterhood”. They were very clear in their desperation to not stare… But Tamara took pause and turned to face them, addressing from behind dark glasses.
”Layla? Sweetness? You come on. I’d like to speak to you and Trisha both for a moment…”
Near the back of the hall was a wall that had some booth seats. One was clearly well used, full of cigarette trays, butts and beer bottles half-finished. The Elder’s table…

Layla's eyes widened, being suddenly called on. But it was Grandma Tamara and the guests. And Trisha. So of course she would go.

Layla quietly stood, giving a small smile to Irina and the girls, before moving to the Elders table, following after Grandma Tamara. Alizée, of course, was right beside Layla.

Trisha was having a hard time mentally getting past Sycamore Fan Fiction, not helped by suddenly being presented with having to be around the one other Sycamite in the room. She only knew about Fanfiction because of Cass and the type that she talked about was… steamy. And often involved boxers. She’d even tried to drunkenly read some to Trisha before, which had been an awful experience.

“Hello, Layla,” Trisha managed to get out, turning to look at her with a forced smile. A couple of bees crawled out of her jacket, gathering on her shoulders. They were frustrated from having to stay in there for so long in situations they felt they shouldn’t be… And that frustration wasn’t helping Trisha deal with all of this. She’d hoped to avoid talking to Layla entirely. Talking to former coven members hadn’t exactly gone well the last two times.
“It’s nice to see you again.” A lie, but a fairly well told one.

Layla gave a wide smile, about to speak, before a thought interrupted her.

“She's tense. Really tense.” Alizée thought in their shared mindspace.

“Oh?”

“The smile isn't in her eyes.”

Anyone watching could see the flickers of emotion flash across Layla's face. Confusion. Investigation. More confusion. Wracking memories.

“She never rejoined when Auri recalled the Coven. It's possible… She doesn't like the Sycamore? Sure, she got into fights, much like you used to. Didn't talk to me afterward…”

“Let's not talk about Sycamore. Don't bring up anything unpleasant for her. Instead, let's talk about the Temple, about our good news.”

“Right. I'm sure she's never seen me in black. Or this sweet coat.”

Layla nodded softly to Alizée, though to anyone watching it only appeared like she had concluded some kind of mental monologuing. The smile returned to her face, but it was tempered, pursed and pensive.

“Trisha, wow, it's been a while, hasn't it? I wasn't expecting to see anyone I knew here. It's been a big day. Did Grandma Tamara tell you I was adjoined today? Took an oath and everything.” She said with a light laugh.

“Good, you sound completely personable.” Alizée said mentally, glowing with approval.

“An oath?" Trisha echoed very quietly, eyes narrowing slightly.

”I hadn’t, Sugar! But you can surely tell her all you like: That you and Alizée have decided on a partnership…”

Alizée, listening, had found herself fixating on the bees on Trisha's shoulder. Her head tilted curiously as she floated there, before she sniffed lightly. Her red eyes curled upward, brimming with nostalgia.

“You smell like home… With a light dash of honey.”

Home being the Void, of course.

Alizée chuckled. “Learned that scent today, actually. The Temple makes an amazing breakfast.”

“I’m sure they do," Trisha said with a quiet, hollow laugh - though it was probably difficult to tell why. But she knew the food wasn't right, and the Queen had enjoyed the last dose of the Key Lime pie so… it was simple to guess it was something Apparitions liked.
“You can probably smell my pheromones? Most can't." Them smiling like home was a bit strange, but she decided to accept it. She stopped actively telling the bees to stay hidden, no longer with Ed and at risk of freaking out Serenity. More crawled out - some going to visible places, like her shoulders or neck, while others moved from the jacket to bury in her hair.

She then turned to Layla.
“This is my first time here too, but I knew you were coming. I'm surprised Leon didn't tell you." Her soft brown eyes darted around to find Leon, just to stare judgingly at him. She was trying her best to be reasonable with Layla, at least, thinking of Casey and how happy he might be about it. It did mean her words were a bit stilted. She certainly wasn't enthusiastic like Layla was, even as she tried to smile.
“I knew you'd be newly adjoined too but I didn't know it would be a whole… thing. Congratulations? Tamara's right, you can tell me all about it…" Namely Trisha wanted to know what the fuck the oath was.

Her head turned finally to look at Tamara herself.
“Can I get that promised drink? It's always better to talk over a drink…" Or rather it might quiet down all the agitation she felt boiling back up.

Without using much in the way of eyes, Tamara adeptly slid a couple of clean cups off the table along with a sticky bottle of deep brown liquor… Pouring into the glass looked like syrup, thicker than normal booze and absolutely reeking of alcohol. Then she took a bottle of cola, split it between the two cups, then handed them off to either girl.
It was worth noting that Leon was, more or less, gone. Where? Who could know; probably escaped while they were turned and walking toward this booth…

“Thanks." Trisha took the cup, looking down at it with a slight frown. Even with the cola in it she could still smell the strong alcoholic scent. The whole thing was incredibly appealing to the bees as they flew onto the cup rim with quiet buzzes until there was no space for Trisha to actually drink it.
“Shoo," she said quietly, carefully commanding the bees to crawl back onto her. They reluctantly did so and finally let her take a large gulp. It immediately burned her throat, and she could feel the warmth as it settled in her stomach. Shit. It was strong. She put it back down, planning to sip it slowly… though she could already feel the initial gulp beginning to make her mind a little fuzzy.

Layla blushed lightly, accepting the cup from Grandma Tamara and settling back in her seat. “Leon was with me all day, didn't say a word. My, I feel a little uninformed, but, well, it's been a busy day. I've been busy meeting with everyone, talking, enjoying. At this rate, my vocal cords are going to go dry!”

Laughing a little at her exclamation, she gave the interesting liquid a try. One sip, and it immediately brought her back to the night her and Henri misbehaved quite a bit with the alcohol, and made Jea-jie pretty mad with an empty container of food.

It put a smile on her face as the warm, syrupy liquid blossomed in her stomach. Almost immediately, she felt prickling on her skin, like a fuzzy blanket pulled up tight. The alcohol was strong.

She took another greedy sip, in part to quench her thirst. “Mmm…”

Before she set her cup in front of her and glanced toward Trisha, admiring her bees for a moment before speaking. “I appreciate the congrats. Ohh, boy, where to start? Well, Leon picked up Alizée and I and took us to the mausoleum on site. Did not know we had that. Do you… remember human Alizée? She's interred there.”

Alizée gave a quiet nod, “It was quite the sight.”

Layla took another sip of her drink, savoring it, before she continued. “Hari, Lena and Leon were present for the ritual. They laid out cushions, candles, and we all took a spot in front of human Alizée.”

Her head tilted up as she recounted. “Oh, except Leon. He was at the door.”

A slight shrug, and Layla continued. “They gave me a candle and likened it to a body. The body being the wax, and the flame being the soul. Then, they stipulated that an Adjoining was supposed to be a harmonious thing. And…”

Layla turned a bit sheepish, giving Trisha a shy smile. “The oath bit might sound a bit… strange. They're very devoted, something I admire, of course.”

The three sips were starting to make their course through Layla's body, encouraging her to leave no detail out.

“Sooo, the oath. Hari and Lena said if I had any doubts, we could stop there. Because if I wanted to get Adjoined, I had to promise it would be for life. No take-backsies. I uh, had some reservations. Mainly with an old Apparition I uh, have an attachment to. But Alizée convinced me, and we Adjoined!”

A long pause as Layla stared at the table, before she suddenly looked up at Trisha. “Oh! The oath was so serious because they said I'd die if I broke it.”

Layla stared for a moment, before making a face, feeling self-conscious, and instead decided to take a larger gulp of her sizzurup.

Had she really, actually fucked up big time today?

The doubt was left unrestrained as warm liquor coursed through her veins. But as Layla pulled the drink away, she attempted to console Trisha in case it made her feel uncomfortable.

“But I'm fine. It's fiiiine. Lots of girls here have done what I did. It's standard Temple stuff.”

Trisha’s expression got worse the more Layla talked. It started with the mention of Lena - of course she was involved. While Trisha had scared her off the last time what she’d said wasn’t something Trisha could forget… ever. Then, more and more shit about the Temple. Things she should expect, but just added to the uncomfortable picture that had pushed her to shout at Leon earlier. She managed to hide the ugly scowl behind her glass as she continually drank, just letting Layla talk.

But of course, with the drinking came the effects of the particularly strong spirit on a person who couldn’t hold her alcohol in the first place. When she put her glass back down her expression was better, more neutral, but her words weren’t.

“That’s fucked up. It’s more fucked up that its standard Temple stuff.” It was Trisha unfiltered, though she wasn’t looking at Layla with sympathy or anything. If anything, her expression was cold. Not so much towards Layla… Towards the situation. The Temple. Adjoined were oppressed, drugged and killed if they got rid of their Apparition. Did Trisha ever want to be separated from hers? No, but that was her choice.

She hated freedom of choice being taken away, and being trapped. She hadn’t taken that vow… or any of them, but it still made her uncomfortable.

“Leon just let you? You had to adjoin through the Temple? You could’ve done it at home-” Trisha’s eyes narrowed slightly at Layla, before she looked away. The bees let out soft buzzes before she calmed them. It would be hard to tell for Layla if Trisha was concerned about her, or thought she was stupid. Really, it was neither. Her emotional reaction was towards the Temple - and herself. Because she knew this wasn’t enough for her to leave Casey. She could just keep telling herself that she wasn’t actually part of the Temple…

“That means you’ve taken the vows? You’re a full member of the Temple… or whatever. Are you stupid?”

Tamara didn’t interrupt Trisha… Only chuckled very softly and took a slow but sure sip of her own drink. Who would, after all, need any sort of truthspell or hex? Those who were tight would inevitably, sometimes quickly, loosen themselves upon one another.

Layla, completely unbothered by Trisha's tone, was entirely convinced Trisha was speaking all Layla's doubts aloud. Heaving an exaggerated sigh, Layla sprawled her arms in front of her on the table, pressing her forehead against the cool wood.

“Ahhh, I really am fucked, ha-haaa….” She groaned into the table, unable to control her giggles. It all seemed to strike her as quite funny. Her own situation, her lack of control, her willingness to take up chains on herself, both physical and mental. It was fucked. But she couldn't deny it - it was familiar.

Her head lifted, feeling the pleasant sloshing of her brain matter. All fuzzy.

“Well, I already live on Temple grounds. I had these other apparitions attached to me that I needed help gettin’ rid of. Leon actually got really concerned when I said I would have someone else seal them, so… I guess I just let the Temple handle it. All of it.”

She slowly moved to sit upright, supporting her head on her hands.“It's… really complicated, Trisha. At first I hated the Temple. Was scared of them. They stole my apparition. And at the end of the day, I became an official member through default.”

She giggled, seeing flashes of the Rills in her mind. “It got sooo much worse after that. And it was the Temple that saved me. Alizée here was about to get sealed, but Leon managed to prevent that. The Temple removed the oppressors in my life.”

A low growl as Layla's head rolled back, and she looked up at the ceiling. “And yes, yes I know I'm in too deep here, but… they have my Revered and her Beloved.” Layla's eyes slid over the Alizée.

Layla giggled, leaning foward, staring into her near empty cup. “So of course I'm a faithful devotee. Of course I'll do whatever they say. Of course I'll behave and take up oaths that scare the shit outta me.

“Because they have him. And we love him.” She said softly, smiling.

A wide wave of her hand. “Buuuut you don't need to worry, Trisha! I'm part of the Silent Sisterhood's activist group. I'll make it better for eeeeveryone.”

“I’m not worried about you,” Trisha responded bluntly. She thought Layla was stupid. Whatever it was she loved, was it worth all of those vows? Getting trapped like that?
“If he loved you he wouldn’t want you to take those vows for him. You’re so fucking stupid for doing that. I guess he’s a sealed Apparition- but my boyfriend loves me and he’d never expect me to take a vow and be devoted to a crazy cult. And he’s part of the Cult- he’s the security head! The Righteous- I’m not saying all that. You just replaced your oppressors with others- God, you’re so dumb.”

Layla groaned. ”I knowwww.”

Then she paused her drunken tirade, tilting her head. Thinking about that last little bit that Layla said… about the Silent Sisterhood. Activist group? All Trisha knew about them was that they wrote…
“How’s writing Sycamore Coven fanfiction activism? Are you improving things by helping write their strange fantasies?! How does that help?”

Layla spluttered on the remainder of her drink, before swallowing awkwardly. ”Nooo, not that, haha. They're activists, for sure, really! They told me how they got this girl, Ed? They helped to get her punished when she kept getting away with doing some nasty stuff.”

Layla had a big grin. “So those who do wrong do get their dues. Should be equal for everyone, right?”

“What?” Trisha’s voice got quieter, colder. Her eyes darkened and narrowed at Layla. They helped get Ed punished… they got her stabbed. They were part of the reason Serenity was so terrified of needles- and of the bees. All of the anger Trisha had pushed down, the horrible feelings, came surging back up. Her lips twisted down into a pissed off scowl. Buzzing filled the air as all of her bees gathered on her arms and neck, wings moving in what was supposed to be a threatening display.

There was a hushed gasp from a short distance away, eight sets of eyes furtively looking away from them.

Trisha held them back from acting on her anger.
“That’s not fucking activism. That’s cruelty. Nobody deserves punished. It’s such bullshit! What nasty shit did they tell you Ed did? Accidentally using her magic? Did they tell you that her Apparition’s a fucking child. Accidental magic use isn’t a fucking crime. You fit right in here, going along with the religious ‘you have sinned and must be punished’ bullshit.” At no point did Trisha shout, but her tone was harsh and cold. She leaned forward towards Layla, rage clear across her entire, tense posture.

“Hurting your own isn’t equality or activism. Ed didn’t- doesn’t- deserve that. Fuck off.”

There was an awkward, long pause as Layla just looked with big saucer eyes at Trisha and her bees. The anger being thrown at Layla collected in her body, and caused her to tense up, jitter and shake.

Her voice was a tight whisper, creaking and cracking, and disappeared entirely on certain syllables. “U-uhm… Maybe I was wrong. I don't know the whole s-story.”

Her lips were firmly pursed, trying desperately to hide the heat building up in her eyes. Alizée immediately placed a hand on Layla's shoulder, and turned to Trisha.

“...You obviously know more about this than us. If we have been told wrong, you should tell us. Is this Ed truly innocent? What really happened?”

“Innocent of what? Whatever the Temple decided is a heinous crime?” Trisha rolled her eyes. She hadn’t calmed down at all. Layla immediately backing down was almost worst - she’d said those things so gleefully then couldn’t even follow up. While she had no idea about the exact situation that Layla was talking about, she could guess from what happened today and what Serenity said.
“All Ed’s done- and has ever done- is accidentally sedating people with her Apparition. An accident. Her Apparition, who’s basically a toddler, slips up. I don’t know what they told you, but it was clearly biased.”

Alizée's eyes narrowed, before she softly turned to Layla, and nudged her. “I'll take it from here, why don't you go back over the the girls, hm?”

Layla, who was squeezing her eyes shut to will away tears, blearily nodded. She couldn't look at Trisha as she sluggishly got up and stumbled, swaying slightly, as she made her way back over to the Silent Sisterhood table.

“So you're glossing over the fact that she's an addict?” Alizee commented idly as Layla walked away, watching Trisha like prey.

The chains around Alizée twitched, expressing the hint of anger burning up within her. Yes, there was the slight tug, the slight anxiety, of having Layla even a few feet from her. But this was just for a moment.

And Layla didn't need to hear what Alizée was about to say.

“You know what? It really doesn't matter who's in the right here.”

Her mask split along the teeth, exposing the
empty void where her mouth ought to be. A hiss of steam escaped. A growl. A threat.

“You ever talk to my Layla like that again, and I will separate your bones from their sockets, one by one.”

Trisha’s eyebrows raised, just looking at Alizée for a moment. Then she laughed. It was a low, bitter sound, but a laugh nonetheless.
“Oh, will you? Good luck. Did I not make it clear earlier? My boyfriend is the Temple Head of Security. I live with him. You hurt me and he’ll kill you. What was it Layla said earlier? That she’ll obey because they have her Revered? Pretty sure harming the chosen consort-” Trisha couldn’t hold back a slight eye roll at calling herself that. “Of the Lord of Blades is the opposite of being faithful. Or did I not make it clear how important he is?”

Then she leaned forward, eyes narrowing. Alizée didn’t scare her. She fought the Stygian Snake when she was fourteen. There was a serial killer targeting her entire coven, and she’d spent the past few months waiting for the knife. Now when she had someone to protect her? She wasn’t worried at all. Just pissed.
“If she keeps my friend’s name out of her mouth, I won’t have to.”

Alizée's maw snapped shut, and her red eyes curled. “...You little bitch.”

At that, Alizée rose to her full height, towering over the table for a moment before keeping an eye on Trisha as she ghosted towards the Silent Sisterhood table, and Layla.

“Layla, we're leaving.”

Layla blinked, having sat beside Irina again. She didn't question it, though, and hastily wiped her eyes before moving to stand beside Alizée.

In the next instant, chains spun, opening a portal to a dark alley. It was unsure exactly where it led to.

Having maintained a humorous silence until threats began to appear, Tamara cleared her throat.
”Alizée… You are so much the same girl as when you left us the first time. But the tea is strong, isn't it!? And too hot to handle. I understand the wish for flight, but ideals must be met with ideals.”

And she turned to look at Trisha.
”You seem to understand where you are in the structure of power… Outside, but above. A privileged place to be, no? But neither of you are capable of listening to one another. It's good. You're both so very human for that.”

A crowd had gathered, and among them was Leon's massive frame and dumb face.
”Nobody is leaving, and nobody is hurting anyone. This space isn't even for that- Tamara!? Did you give them-”

”The tongue is soft, but rigid. It can be made pliable with elixir.” he slowly grinned up at him. His response was a great sigh.

It was mostly elders, including a darker complexioned young woman Trisha knew as Ginara Rasmussen. If Alizée had any memories dredged up by the sight of her, they probably weren't good. Lots of arguments. Lots of misunderstandings.

”Why make ‘em stay if they're uncomfortable?” Gin asked in a very flat tone.
”Because, acknowledge it or not, we all talk about this stuff. We all have opinions here. Right or wrong be fucked, this is a place to feel safe. Not where we threaten one another without recourse or penalty… Alizée… Dog ears can't help but hear something about bones?” he asked with a slight growl.

”I don't feel very safe about that implication, Leon…” Tamara's gentle voice guided him, rather than ripped into him. He received and accepted.
”Uh… W-well… Something has to happen.” he looked confused regardless.
”You peacefully respect someone's desire to leave, rather than confrontationally force them into staying…” the ancient woman replied with an incredibly sarcastic undertone.

And then her head turned back to Layla.
”Go if you like… But it solves nothing. She'll be here again, and so will you.” she pointed from Trisha back to Layla and Alizée.

“I only said I’d come once,” Trisha muttered.

Alizée and Layla stared long and hard at Tamara.

“Fuck.”

“I want more of her drink. Talk more with the girls. You sure we have to go?”

“You're the one that's on the verge of tears.”

“I'm fine! I swear!”

“Fuck… I'm gonna have to go apologize. I hate this.”

The portal spinning behind Alizée dispersed, chains resuming to hover around her. Alizée nudged Layla back towards the Elders table, pointedly ignoring Gin and Trisha, and keeping her eyes on Tamara.

Layla quietly took her seat again, grasping her empty cup once again. Alizée, however, floated there, staring hard at Trisha. If she had the ability to vomit, it may have been easier than saying what she said next.

“...Sorry, Trisha. Seems we got off on the wrong foot.”

Trisha snorted, staring at Alizée. She was still pissed and upset, and what Tamara had said didn’t make things better. It just made her feel more touchy. She took a deep breath. She’d promised Casey she wouldn’t get into fights. Technically she hadn’t started it… again. But just because she’d said she wouldn’t fight didn’t mean she had to…
“Keep being sorry. I’ll be civil, but I’m not accepting it. Don’t threaten me again and we’ll be fine.”

Then she turned her head towards Leon, lips pressed into a thin line.
“Don’t tell Casey about this. I said I wouldn’t fight- not that I started it. This stays here.”

”Everything that happens here s-”

”-stays here. Exactly. And you don't need to accept the apology, only accept that she is sorry. Now, that being said… Ed!? Etiennette!? Leon, gather the grown folk; we need to talk. Layla, Trisha-”

As Tamara waited for Ed to make her way toward them, she poured out another dose for the two ladies she was currently contending with.

”Nonna? What's up?”
Ed had since taken her jacket off and looked fairly comfortable despite Serenity’s absence from the immediate area. Leon had passed her as he headed out to do Tamara's bidding, and slowly the area with the tables began to fill up.

”We're gonna have our talk. About how things are, and how we can make ‘em better… Together, united. Not divided.”
”Geeze… Nothing even happened this time, Nonna… Trisha got me here safe.” Ed replied, seeming a little more defensive.
”You were wronged. It needs addressing, since it seems to have followed you along further.”

Ed didn't reply. She just looked at Trisha with the same incredibly apologetic look she had when she was woken up. But Tamara's bony finger pointed at the Silent Sisterhood's table.
”And you babies better not get off to anywhere y'all can't hear this… Your friend here spilled the beans!” she actually laughed. Cackled even.

All eight members of the Silent Sisterhood looked at Tamara with wide eyes, as if they’d been caught reading explicit fiction in public.
”We won’t, Nana Tamara,” Tanya said rather obediently, as the one with the ability to flee magically. The other seven roughly echoed her.

”Oh my God,” Annalise said under her breath, looking at the others at the table. ”Do you think I’ll get in trouble for shipping something that isn’t-”
”Are you really thinking about that right now?!” Mazie cut her off.
”I’m always thinking about it…”

”I’m sorry you got dragged into this,” Nora said, quietly, to Layla.

The arrival of Ed and further discussion going on had given Layla a moment to calm down. She had already sampled the delicious liquid Grandma Tamara had refilled her cup with, and was feeling much more at ease. She glanced at Nora, and gave her a wincing smile.

Actually, this was perfect. Alizée too, had relaxed some, taking her seat beside Layla. Both were on the same wavelength, looking at Ed. This was her. The girl where two major contradictions had occurred.

“Now we'll finally get the truth.” Alizée said mentally.

Layla was staring carefully, before she shrugged. Only slightly awkward, as it appeared that she was talking to herself. “I don't think she looks bad. But uh, I'm a little worried.”

“Hm?”

“Will the Silent Sisterhood hate us for spilling the beans on Ed? Will Ed hate us for thinking badly of her at first? Will Trisha tell her the awful things I said…?”

Instead of responding directly, Alizée's eyes tightened. “...Drink more of your drink, Layla. Just try to relax. Like Leon said, this is supposed to be a safe place. Tell her hi.”

So Layla took another large mouthful of her sticky sweet coke mix, let the alcohol settle in her nerves, and smiled at Ed.

“Hi, you're Ed? Nice to meet you. I'm Layla.”

Trisha had been looking at Ed too, with a slight hand gesture that waved off her apologetic look. She had nothing to be sorry for - she wasn’t saying anything horrible. It wasn’t Ed that had made her upset. With her other hand, she discreetly pushed her newly poured drink to the side. She was already drunk thanks to the first one, but not so drunk she wasn’t aware that a second would push her over the edge… and she wanted to be able to enjoy the later evening with Casey. She liked having some awareness still…

“She’s a former Sycamore member, but I’m sure you already know that,” Trisha said to Ed, voice still not quite lost its cold edge. While Trisha didn’t have any plans to repeat what Layla said, she wasn’t just going to sit her and make things nice and easy for Layla. She pointed towards the Silent Sisterhood.
“She’s friends with them. Had plenty to say earlier. Lots of assumptions.”

Layla sweated a bit, taking a sip from her drink unsteadily.

Ed was thankfully a generally non-judgemental person. Mellow, interested in understanding the reasoning behind others actions, she simply stuck her hand out and pulled Layla close for a hug. It felt genuine enough. Layla blinked in surprise, before hugging back, smiling.

Tamara’s arm and finger also extended out, pointing at Irina and beckoning her close. She obliged, clawing her way up from her seat and closer to them.
The room filled up more and more, until there were dozens of adults staring into the little circle. Staring at Tamara.

”Alright now… Out’a everyone here, whose takin’ some kind of drug prescribed to you by either Professor Cairo or Doctor Nedia?”
Hands shot up. At least eighty percent.
”How many of you get the Blue Needle?”
All the hands went down. Every. Single. One.

”Noooo, no… Don’t bullshit. Fuck it, if we got a rat or somethin’ I want Miss Lynette to know. Now, hands up.”
A lot of the hands that fell came back up. Some didn’t, but most did.
”There we go… Now, I’m just going to point out some facts here: Out of the group? I’d say most of you are under the same circumstance: An unruly union that you’re being forced to maintain. You’re given a dose every week, you feel awful for a day, and then you go about your lives until the next time. Covens have done this for millennia… Because who wants to run the risk of some innocent person getting turned into an unwilling husk for an evil demon?”

She giggled slightly. The shake of her head matched that of the tortoise as she swayed too and fro.
”The problem is that we are seen as tools. You all know that our abilities, our skills, the union with our Apparition Companions, are milked. Like cattle. And those who are not? Y’all should ask yourselves why. ‘Why am I not pressured into giving back? Why am I not pressured more by the Adepts in my life to give something?’”

Tamara’s expression suggested that she expected some people to reflect on their situation. She held herself off from speaking for a long moment.

The Adepts in her life… Trisha frowned. Temple Adepts, obviously. Not people like Reyna, or Cass, or her sister… or the group of friends she still had from Sycamore. So that was Casey. Well it was obvious, right. He loved her. That had nothing to do with their magic. Did it? He didn't love her because of her Apparition, or view her as less because of it… Right? He'd taken being stung by thousands of bees the first night and not left her right then. He loved her, it was definitely because he loved her. But… it wasn't just him, technically. Mia, Hari, Clarissa, Furio, Andrade… Lynette, as much as she didn't want to think of her as an Adept in her life. She was and would be for as long as Trisha was with Casey, which she hoped was a very long time. Forever, maybe. So then…

The honey. She was providing honey. Of course. That was really all they wanted her for, right? It wasn't because she was Casey's partner. Maybe for Mia, Ed and Hari, but the rest? It was for the monetary value she brought them - and the magical resource. Fuck. Of course.

Layla swayed slightly in her seat, enjoying the waves of tingles Grandma Tamara's drink sent over her. But in the space where Grandma Tamara stopped talking, her own thoughts jumped out.

“I don't feel pressured at all.”

“That's because you go along with whatever they say. You've moved in, you let them handle the Riils, you've adjoined with me for life… You've been told to wait regarding Vul, without explanation. And essentially told you're not allowed to adjoin with him.

That's actually quite a few demands.”

Layla giggled in her seat, cursing aloud quietly in a long, drawn out manner.

”Now I ask you all why? Why on this good, green Earth, would you turn on one another? Cannibalize one another? What is wrong with us, that we can’t provide a unified front to combat our own situation? It is the sheer fact that we are under constant duress. Our very lives are threatened by the situation which we find ourselves in, and we can’t help but continue to judge our own. Our House must be orderly before we can open it up.”

She looked at Ed.
”What happened today that’s caused a stir?”

”Serenity was scared by the prospect of being jabbed by a pointy object, and I wasn’t able to suppress her reaction on my own. So, I was involuntarily affected by my own magic… Again.”
”And what created this strong reaction to the jabbing?”
Ed huffed and closed her eyes. She was being watched by everyone now… Not like they didn’t all know her business, that just made it harder to have to explain. She felt stupid…

”I was Judged and Punished due to a formal complaint, at which point I was sentenced to a Suffering. I made Penance, but ever since, Serenity has had a strong reaction to anything resembling a needle. I can’t even use a fucking click-pen anymore.”

Tamara turned her head slowly to look at Irina.
”Do you understand your partial responsibility in this? And the situation which we’ve found ourselves in today?”
Irina’s face was full of discomfort.

”I do, Gogo.” she said, squirming a little bit.
”Then for the love of our God, act like it! You say you’re fighting for us, but if you keep looking at everyone else like y'all ain’t both a part of the same situation, ain’t nobody ever gonna get right.”

Irina quietly nodded, accepting the chastising. Without waiting, Tamara turned back to Layla and Trisha.
”Do not feed into this cycle. The two of you have a bond that is beyond our little private world here: Do not let these cycles continue on your watch. As Sycamites, you two have Lynette's ear. Her attention. Do something with it, and try to help us make our lives better… So we can stop feeling pressure from above. Please.”

She offered the thought to the both of them, lingering and waiting for some sort of a response.

Trisha's expression had been especially bad when Ed was talking. Judged, Punished, a Suffering, Penance. Thanks to the alcohol she couldn't hide the disgust in her expression at the whole thing, her hands bunching up the fabric of her skirt in a tight grip. She didn't like it at all. It was fucked up, it was controlling, and it made her feel trapped. Part of her just wanted to run away from the whole thing. Maybe she should but then… then she'd be alone again. No more Casey. He loved her, and she really, really liked him…

She looked up at Ed, then over to Layla, with a light, bitter laugh.
“Well, she's the first fellow Sycamore member out of my circle to not punch me when we've met again," Trisha commented, almost smiling at Layla. It still didn't reach her eyes, and was difficult to see through her otherwise agitated expression. She didn't plan to be friends. But friendly? Amicable? She could do that for people she was beginning to care about.

Layla caught that almost smile, feeling a bit of peace restored to her. So Trisha wasn't about to bite her head off. Thank goodness. And of course, Layla smiled back, feeling too good with her drink to have any other expression.

“I was already planning to do something. There's so much that's fucked up and-" She was stuck in it now. She'd realised that when she spoke to Elise before Casey's commencement ceremony, then after the ceremony too… and now. Normally, she wouldn't say so much about it. But there was that drunken honesty… and it wasn't like she cared about pissing people off, really.
“I think you're overestimating how much Lynette will listen to me- I haven't taken the vows, I'm not actually part of the Temple. In fact, I've been quite clear what I think about it. Now I like it even less… But there's Casey if she won't. I'll try. Because the way you're treated is bullshit- you're, we're, just as magical as they are. Should be treated like normal- well, magical- people. None of this judgment, punishment, suffering, penance bullshit. It's fucked up. I'll do what I can do to make it less fucked up."

Layla giggled. Desperation and fighting spirit from years ago was up on the surface, when her primal emotions were usually locked away under lock and key. Desperation under needle point, fear under teeth. The Riils really had bent her psyche in a dangerous way.

“Activists don't get anything done. What we need is a full on rebellion. Revolt against the adepts and wrest control for good. Make it so we make the rules. Then we can implement punishments for Adepts if we feel like it.”
There was a fairly big uproar that spread across the room when Layla said this. Some laughed, some were concerned, but Tamara just smiled and shook her head.

But before she could respond, Trisha turned her head to look at Layla, eyes narrowing.
“Oh, that’s a great idea, Layla! Everyone kills each other, and we’re all happy. Perfect! Because becoming just as bad is in.” Her tone was absolutely dripping with sarcasm, very much not smiling anymore.
“Some of us have Adepts that we care about. If you want to hurt them, then you can count me and my very helpful, definitely wants things to change, Adept boyfriend out. Because these rules shouldn’t exist, and there shouldn’t be any punishments.”

“Fine, fiiiine,” Layla put her hands up in pacifying surrender. “No revolution. We’ll take the peaceful route…”

A drunken grin.

“We'll talk Her Grace's ear off.”

”Uhhh…Am I the only one who doesn’t have any problems?”
Gin’s voice hadn’t been terribly present since she was eased down a bit earlier. But her fellow Elders snapped their heads in her direction as a collective.
”I take my dose of F3 every week, and the nausea gives me a chance to sleep. After that, I feel great, and Jekyll’s nights are tame so we can get work done.”

There were some scoffs. Especially from a few of the Silent Sisters still glued to their seats, who knew very well that Ginara had zero problems with the status quo. Rather than let anyone point out what was obvious to all of them, Ed took a deep breath and turned.
”Listen, Trisha… Layla… I appreciate that you guys are enthusiastic about things changing, but… Well… We want your support, right? Uh, Leon mentioned something to me-”

He cleared his throat to pipe up.
”-Taking advantage of the Temple. It’s my uh… Well, the philosophy I’ve decided to try and fight back with. If you’re ever offered anything? Just take it. Don’t think about the consequences, don’t think about whether or not someone’s going to get you or not. Just take whatever it is that’s being offered. The way I see it, at least, the Temple of Charming and Graceful Individuals is over. It’s only a matter of time before all the resources we have, all the power as a faction, tumbles out from under us. Because there’s only one person holding us all together. One person who we all believed in until we didn’t.”
Leon had a grim expression, speaking like he was delivering some kind of eulogy.

”That is to say, that person… Once they’re gone, what really was the Faith? A crock of horse shit that people aren’t just going to stick around for. So, we want your support. But not your actions.”

Do nothing.

That was the message being relayed here. That, and accept anything the Temple does, or gives. And, to accept the disappearance of someone…

Layla was far too drunk to really get the implications of that, and simply smiled and nodded. “Whatever you need, sure…”

“Sure, whatever, you already know you have my support. I'm sure it'll all totally work out and fall apart… I won't do shit if you don't want me to, that's easy. Supportive person and all that." Trisha said, not quite dismissive but clearly checking out a bit at that point. If they didn't want any actions from her that was fine. So long as that shit didn't reach or affect her, she could be pretty unmotivated to do anything. Her offering to do anything in first place was really a step outside of her comfort zone so… it was easy to step right back in. Did she really believe it was that simple? No. But it wasn't her place. She didn't even see how they were going to get rid of Lynette… but again, not her problem. It didn't make her feel dismissed at all. Unnecessary.

“Oh but- we should take everything we can from the Temple, Leon? Even the food? Other things like that?" Her tone was a bit bitter as she looked over at him, even though she tried to tone it down. Help, not help… why bother suggesting anything in the first place? She felt like she was constantly in the middle of something- Leon saying they needed to work together, Elise suggesting she take fake vows, Ed saying just to support, Casey saying they couldn't trust any of them and should have their own plans. Both wanted and not wanted, and was it really for her?

Leon’s face wasn’t so nice.
”We are all subject to the fucking food, Trisha. Don’t be an asshole when I was trying to keep you informed and save you from the same bullshit. And yes, that means Casey too. The fucking moron, he may be scared of a slab of meat but he’ll eat a pound and a half of Andrade’s honey loaf before he hits the gym…”
”Oh, fuck…” Ed softly spoke, shaking her head.

Layla and Alizée exchanged a silent look. Sure, Layla knew the food could have effects put into it. But, was it bad?

But Leon just threw his hands up, a sarcastic look on his face.
”You know what they say about horses and water…”

“Fucking seriously?" Trisha's eyes narrowed, darkening, and her lips were pressed together into a frown. Casey was fucking eating the food. Of course he was. She hadn't noticed, they always got takeaway together, but she should've. But they'd only been living together less than a week…
“He fucking- he's eating it? He's been eating it this whole time?! Then why did you fucking tell me to stop him if there wasn't even a chance of it working?!"

”You’re killing me… Seriously, I’m going to have an aneurysm.”
His head tilted back, bridge of his nose gripped tightly.
”You can do your best! Jesus fucking Christ, just… Just keep him away from it!-” he growled. ”-See, this is the problem, always has been. Someone asks you to do something, you just fucking don’t do it! You do what you-”

He flung his hands up.
”-Fuck it! Fuck it, no matter what, I get spit in my fucking eyes. Goodbye.”
He turned, starting to head for the door out of the facility.

“Ohhh, just run away because you're so certain you're fucking right!" Trisha called after him, standing up. She followed him, quick for someone so much shorter, not willing to just let it go - or let him leave so that she had to redirect her annoyance inwards or to someone else.
“You think I'm not fucking trying?! I've made sure we order food in, I even tried to go out for groceries- do you know how hard that is when your boyfriend doesn't want you to go anywhere alone? But you don't care because you just want it to be done silently without complaints? You think I can't be a little pissed that you didn't tell me that before? How can I stop him every time if I didn't realise he was doing it in the first place?!"

Leon spun on his heels, and his voice sounded like a bomb crashing into the building all around them. It wasn’t natural, magically amplified by the leak in the Wind Seal as his emotional state crumbled.
”YOU CAN’T! You can’t fucking stop him from doing what he wants to, he’s a grown man! He knows what the food does, he lived on it for eighteen fucking years! So I didn’t tell you, because it’s not worth making you freak out: And it definitely isn’t worth my brother losing the little bit of happiness he has if you broke up with his ass over it…”

He was breathing heavily, in and out with his hands clenching together.
”Why are you so fucking confrontational about everything!?”

“Because nobody listens to me if I'm not!" Trisha didn't back down even when Leon's voice got magically loud, outside of a slight flinch, craning her neck back to glare up at him. Her hand came up, finger jabbing at him without actually touching. The bees buzzed from across her shoulders, but didn't move. She was in complete control of them right now even as pissed off as she was.
“Then they blame me for shit I could never do in the first place! Don't let him, you can't stop him, what the fuck do you want from me?! And do you really think I'd break up with him over that? You think that fucking little of me?! Great!"

She got even closer, hand falling back down to her side as she pushed up onto her tiptoes - as if it would get her any closer to his height. Her voice lowered into a hiss, drunken need to prove that wouldn't happen beating her want to keep her personal issues hidden. She spoke quietly enough that hopefully only Leon would hear. Tone incredibly cold.
“You know, Leon, one of my exes started hitting me after two weeks of dating. Took another two weeks before he broke up with me. I'm never breaking up with Casey. You're stuck with me too until the day he decides he's done." Fuck. Divert back.
“You couldn't even stick to not telling me, so fuck off with thinking about us breaking up."

Layla stared on, wide-eyed as Trisha and Leon fought. She took a long draw from her drink, before pushing up from the table, and ever-so-carefully walking towards them, moving past the bodies and tables with a careful, drunken grace.

”They're gonna actually fight at this rate.”

Alizée, however, was staring at the words coming out of Leon's mouth with strange incredulous-ness. A couple drops added to the bucket of wisdom as the gears began turning.

”He eats it before working it out… taking benefit of its effects.”

Layla shrugged minutely, noticing the stark height difference between Trisha and Leon as she got closer. “She's so tiny. One smack and she'd be out.”

Alizée's hands drew to the teeth of her mask, eyes shrinking to little pinpoints of light. ”You ate some of it this morning. I… I thought it was just a trick of the mind. But… I've tasted it before. Shamefully.

“The strength, I wasn't expecting. But the taste...”

Layla half-rolled her eyes as Alizée spoke, placing one hand on Leon's arm, one on Trisha's shoulder. ”Guys, let's not fi-”

Alizée's words cut like a whip.

”You ate Void this morning, and I cannibalized him.”

A gasping breath. Layla's hands clenched on Leon and Trisha, eyes pinpoints, her lips pursed, before a flood of booze and whatever remained in her stomach from that day ended up hurled on the ground before her.

Leon’s head snapped out of the fight, whipping around to look at Layla and Alizée.
”What!? No, absolutely not. Ali, he’s fucking… Toxic. We wouldn’t have ever chosen him for the process…”
He stared at her, trying hard to not think about the taste of Void Heart he’d had the other week… The artificial grape flavor… It wasn’t good anyway, he wasn’t sure why anyone wanted Void Heart’s essence as an ingredient… But it’d been right after they pulled him out of her. Mere hours. Since? He’d not seen or smelled or tasted the thing since.

So it was another lie. But not specifically for her situation…
”And, I thought we talked about… Y’know, not… Not thinking about him. Didn’t we?” he tried to redirect, hoping this new situation would give Trisha a reason to get off his back.

Alizée had ghosted to be on the opposite side of Layla. Now the four of them were in a loose square. She gestured to Layla, who had her hands on her knees and looking queasily at the stained floor.

“Does it matter? Leon, you're supposed to tell her when food is filled with… with… body parts of ghosts. Just look at her! …It took me a second, but I know that taste. And I'll tell you right here and now, it's not natural for a voidling to taste another voidling. I'll go as far as saying it's not natural for a human to eat a ghost. That's like… a duck eating a cat. It doesn't work!”

Alizée seemed to bristle at Leon's remark on Void. “Don't change the subject! Void was a placeholder, we, each ghost, are an individual like him. Ghosts prey on humans, that's how it is! It's not supposed to be the other way around!”

“This isn't over," Trisha said lowly, pointing a finger at Leon before she took a step back. At the same time a soft, floral scent came from her - not enough to affect anyone magically, but enough to cover up the smell of someone vomiting. Her expression was still bad, but now she was conflicted. She'd said all that for nothing - and she was relieved to not get a reaction from Leon, but also pissed at herself for even revealing it. He better not have heard.

Trisha then turned her scornful gaze on Alizée. Her lips parted to let out a mocking laugh.
“So you think you're superior to us? You're individuals and allowed to kill and eat humans, but humans can't kill and eat you? Sure it's not natural to eat them- but not because of that!" Trisha rolled her eyes. Her problem with the food wasn't that it was made from Apparitions so much as the effect it could have. It was clearly addictive. She'd seen how much people like Mia, Ed and Hari ate… she didn't want that. It was bad, but not because of some stupid Apparitional superiority thing.

“Also, ‘voidlings don't eat voidlings'? Well maybe that's not how they do it in the Void, but Apparitions here eat other Apparitions. Bet there's plenty who'd happily eat you. I know mine used to eat other ghosts in her prime." Trisha's tone was short, cold and harsh - incredibly snappy even though she wasn't shouting anymore. In some ways she just appeared done with it all.
“The old Alizée used to prey on humans. Humans prey on humans, ghosts prey on ghosts- you're not fucking superior! You're just a hypocrite."

Alizée stared for a long moment. It was true. It wasn't right, but it was true. Voidlings devouring one another. Cannibalism was, in fact, a common practice of the Void. One that she hoped to never be a part of again.

But she did have to disagree strongly with Trisha regarding her other statement. An upcurl of her red eyes, displaying haughty amusement.

“Oh, I can show you just how superior ghosts are to humans…”

“By separating my bones from my sockets? We talked about that earlier," Trisha rolled her eyes, both angry and dismissive at the same time. She wore a grumpy scowl - really, this was more of her natural state. She'd been far happier than normal recently…
“Go ahead, see how it goes. I fought the Stygian Snake and it's Apparitions - I'm not scared of you. I bet no one else here is either."

The tension elicited a sharper motion than expected. It was subtle, but… The circle around the two women closed. Not to the point that everyone was pressed against one another, but there was a very clear unspoken direction that tightened the ring until there were no more gaps in the bodies.
The energy of a hundred Aberrations ramping up to prevent a conflict from breaking out filled the room thick like those days before the battles against the Snake.

”Contrary to the practice you’ve experienced today… We generally don’t suppress our own… But if either of you dare to continue this with violence? You will be removed from this safe space. And I assure you: Things will be far less safe if that happens. So, please, I beg the both of you to end your arguing. Someone please help Layla up off the floor…” Tamara’s voice wasn’t her own… A commonplace symptom of Apparitional Possession. The Tortoise, presumably, as looking at both of the entities revealed glowing cyan eyes.

Mazie was quick to push her way through the crowd, the sound of her chair scraping against the floor in the dead silence. Wendy was close behind with a handful of napkins, only seeing the aftermath with insufficient amount of sopping material.
”Oh, fuck, I need m-”
”Leave it…”
When they looked down again, it was already gone. There was no mess. Mazie’s hands simply wrapped, rather gently, around Layla’s arms and pulled her to her feet effortlessly. Layla wiped her mouth as she was stood up, swallowing a couple times before she nodded shakily, trying to smile.

”Now, Alizée… How you feel? It doesn’t matter… We do eat Apparitions. Every single individual in this room is aware. Show ‘em…”
Mouths opened. Pink tongues, but various stages of mottled flesh filled the mouths and gum lines of each and every person. It wasn’t rot, it wasn’t decay… Simply a changing of the physical form. A symptom of their diets.
”I haven’t lived this long without hunting and consuming. The difference was, long ago, we simply let the apparition do it. Now? It’s clean. Sanitized. Clever curses create physical components, ingredients, all things to keep us strong and ready for our prime directive… The ones who fight and die for the Temple’s Adepts. The bodies upon which Eden is built.”

Tamara’s eyes slowly faded back, hidden once more behind dark glasses.
”And, simply put, we have decided as a collective that we won’t stand for another war. Not after all that happened with Sonnenrad…” she trailed off. The circle slowly loosened up, and the two were only left with her words.

Trisha threw up her hands, taking a step back from Alizée. Her chest was still heaving up and down, the lightest of banana scents pricking the air around her now - but it wasn't enough to do anything to anyone. It wasn't on purpose either, just the result of her emotions which she was trying her best to calm down. The mottled flesh didn't freak her out as much as it maybe should - not after seeing the inside of Lynette's mouth. That inky darkness… but it didn't make the food situation any less fucked up.
“I was never going to start getting violent," Trisha muttered, hands clenching and unclenching as the bees crawled all over her. At the same time she stepped away, even no longer surrounded - she felt trapped. Panicked, pissed and trapped. She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, carefully bathing herself and her bees in calming pheromones.

Once she was calm enough, she turned her gaze towards Tamara. There wasn't much emotion in her eyes anymore. She was too done. She just had to get through the rest of this so she could go home. She really wanted to go home…
“You shouldn't stand for another war. I wasn't there for Sonnenrad but I… heard. And I- we- Sacrificed our childhoods for the greater good." she gestured to herself and, reluctantly, Layla, Alizée and Leon. Alizée and Layla looked curiously, but didn't comment. Hopefully they wouldn't question how she'd heard, beyond being a former Sycamore. While her paranormal knowledge wasn't perfect, her connections were good - namely, the many information and observation objects in the hands of the Elite. The one group that had kept her connected to the magical world, as disorganized as it was.

“That was a war and… nobody should be fighting one unless there's another threat like the Stygian Snake. And not like that, fighting for someone else." She closed her eyes again, pushing down the creeping anxiety that came with just thinking about it. All that loss… the people she saw die…
“I won't argue anymore."

Layla was looking pleadingly at Alizée, remembering all too clearly how the Void Heart had been defeated in her nightmare. Alizée was too bold, too arrogant. It could get her in trouble. Then who would protect Layla?

Alizée, who still had a glare to her face and was about to push it again, caught Layla's face, that helpless sadness. Almost immediately, the heated aura around Alizée deflated, and her eyes dimmed a bit.

A glance at Trisha. Before she moved to hover in front of Layla, still in the arms of Mazie. Gnarled hands cupped around Layla's face. ”You know I wouldn't hurt you, right?”

As in, hurting her by acting out, and getting forcibly removed. Layla nodded slowly, “You should… apologize again.”

Alizée nodded, hovering a step back to look at Grandma Tamara. The marred tissues were an interesting side effect, to be sure, but it was true. She didn't have a raft to float on when it came to what they decided to eat. “I might not agree with it, but you've treated us well. I won't make any more fuss over it.

“It seems…” A sigh. “I have less control over myself than I would like. I'm sorry.”

Alizée's eyes glanced over to Trisha, including her in the short apology. Layla stared for a moment, before she gently removed herself from Mazie's arms, apologizing for making a mess that was now… curiously gone, and took Alizée by the hand, leading her back through the crowd to the Silent Sisterhood’s table.

She glanced up at Grandma Tamara, her eyes dropping to her tortoise curiously, before she spoke. “I remember fighting for my life when the Snake terrorized the city. I was… really young, but I remember.”

She had an apologetic smile on. “Grandma, I might talk big, but I wouldn't want the Temple to go to war. Not when there are heroes like Leon walking around, trying to set things right.

I'm… still quite new, anyway. My apologies if I came off too strong. It was… well, the booze talking? …Yeah.”

Her head turned to Trisha, who was still standing by Leon. “I enjoy your company, you should come sit with us again.”

Trisha was mid rolling her eyes at Layla calling Leon a hero- sure maybe, but then all of Sycamore was- when she was caught out by what she went on to say. What? Layla enjoyed her company? Seriously? Why? It wasn't like she'd been particularly good company… so few people ever said something like that, or even chose to be with her. Casey, her small group of friends from college… Layla, now. She didn't quite believe it. Maybe she was just peace keeping, or something. But it did make her a little more willing to keep talking, rather than withdrawing into herself.

“Keep anything you heard earlier to yourself," Trisha said quietly to Leon, with a slight glare up at him, before making her way back over to Layla. As she sat down the bees on her seemed to settle, going back to relaxed positions on her shoulders and in her hair. She folded her arms and leaned back.

“So… you went back to Sycamore? Why?" Trisha asked rather bluntly, after a moment of considering whether to just stay there in sullen silence. She vaguely gestured towards Leon. “I know why he did- always has to be involved and in charge- but I don't get it for you, or plenty of the others. Not like it'll keep you any safer from our murderer."

As the crowd dispersed, Tamara seemed pleased enough at the outcome to let everything settle back down. The Elders returned to their table in the back, others redistributed themselves. But there was a low drone: A song that seemed to just take some of the people around into it. It was soft, but even some of the girls at the current table were quietly humming along, creating a subtle choir that echoed through the hall.

Who else but Ginara would cling to Trisha, taking the last free seat at the table of the Silent Sisterhood. Ed had grabbed an extra chair, and while she was present, her focused interactions were on the other side. Both Trisha and Layla would be able to hear her quiet but insistent questioning, leaving Irina visibly flustered as she tried to explain away the group's actions.

”Well, as I know it, Auntie Lynnie didn't want to waste resources on less-than-desirable Apparitions. The report I read deemed the overall entity of the Riil as a parasite; non-conducive to Temple life. Not even worth the material Andrade may be able to extract… Was it really that bad, Miss Layla?” Gin asked, her inflection somehow bold and cocky despite the subject matter.

Layla seemed a bit flustered for a moment, having two questions posed to her at the same time. Thankfully, throwing up the majority of the contents of what she had drank earlier had cleared her head a bit. Her expression darkened a bit at the mention of Andrade, but she smiled as best as she could, despite the heavy question.

“You have no idea how happy I am that they're finally sealed.” Sealed, not gone. She couldn't say that. “You try living with bloodsuckers that tormented you twenty-four-seven, see how it breaks you.”

A pause, before she sneered into the distance, picturing the Riil siblings in her mind. “Those assholes burned down my home and everything in it. I…” She faltered a bit, feeling a little self-conscious. Her voice dropped, subdued. “...Yeah, it was tough…”

Though, the report Gin mentioned was interesting. “Definitely a parasite. You guys uh, know your apparitions well.”

Layla exchanged a glance with Alizée, ghosting in the seat beside her, before addressing Trisha. She seemed a bit more at ease, which made Layla happy.

Connections…

Layla considered Trisha's question before opening her mouth. Sycamore was a touchy subject, of course. But she could answer in a way that made the answer easy to digest.

“I guess… I didn't want to die alone. Father Wolf is coming for all of us. And the group has made a little headway in trying to figure everything out. Not a lot of headway, but more than what I would have accomplished on my own, for sure.”

A pause, before Layla softly said, “You know, you could, uh… you could… always come back.”

Trisha looked at Layla incredulously for a moment. Then she laughed, and continued laughing, leaning towards Gin as she did so. If Layla really knew Trisha - or knew what the Sycamore dynamics were like - she wouldn't have suggested it. Sycamore had been a place Trisha had tried to make a home once, and then she'd destroyed all the relationships herself before it completely crumbled down around her.

“No thanks," she said eventually, once the laughing subsided.
“Go mention my name to anyone there and see how they react. I bet it'd be bad. Of the ones I've met so far, two attacked me, one implied some awful shit- though he's just a dick- and the other two were only polite cause they wanted to bang Leon. Not happening. I'm never going back."

Gin turned her head to the other girls at the table who were paying attention to the ongoing conversation.
”Oh, yeah… Leon x Aryin’s been super hot lately…”
”But that breaks my new ship…” Annalise whispered.

Trisha then gave a slight shrug, unable to completely hide the bitterness in her tone. It wasn't her fault that they all didn't like her… they didn't like her whole group. The rich clique, even though she'd mingled with everyone. But then the rich clique themselves… they always left her out too.
“If Father Wolf is gonna get me I'd rather it be when I'm with Casey than anywhere else, anyway…"

Her head then slowly turned around to stare at Gin.
“Can you not talk about that stuff when we're right here. I don't want to hear that about Sycamore members."

Layla was peeking up over the hands hiding the blush on her cheeks. “Leon and Aryin?!” Before she coughed abruptly, very aware of the fact this was not the direction Trisha wanted this conversation to go. To be honest, Layla'd rather avoid something that could be passed off as gossip about the others.

“Linqian joined them that night too," Trisha said under her breath.

She sobered up, her eyes growing dark at the mention Trisha had been attacked, among other unpleasant occurrences. That didn't sound like the Sycamore she knew. Of course, she simmered with the milder vegetables in the stew.

“Trisha… Can I ask… who?” Already, she was planning on making an appointment to talk with the perpetrators. They needed everyone's hands on the deck, after all.

As an aside, Layla smiled cheekily. “You should tell me more about Casey. He's your boyfriend, yes? I've… well I haven't met him… yet.”

“Adora punched me, and Lila's crow ate one of my bees… then we fought." Trisha said, relatively calmly. After all, the fight with Adora had gotten her a boyfriend, and the one with Lila had been pretty even.
“Don’t do anything about it. Leon already talked to Adora, and Lila… it was an even fight. And Casey shot her a couple of times."

Layla's jaw dropped a little. “Shot? Damn…”

She shook her softly. From what Trisha said, it seemed fairly resolved. But resolved in a bad way. There was still bad blood between Trisha and the Sycamore. Would it be just as well, then? What business did Lila even have drawing first blood?

Layla sighed a little, and continued to listen.

Trisha was quite happy to give names, and she did hold a grudge against both - but it was her grudge. And it would be hard to get around her part in it… especially with Adora. But talking about Casey was something she could do. Loved to do, in fact.
“I actually met Casey cause of Adora punching me. Him and Leon separated us… then we went to a bar, and it just continued from there. He's great. Really great. He's really kinda goofy, but it's cute, you know? And he treats me really well… goes out of his way for me even if he's a bit overprotective. He's great with the bees too. Always feeding them fruit, and they're already attached to him. He's just… really nice. And attractive. Living with him has been great too."

As Trisha spoke about Casey she started to smile, much more genuine than her other smiles that evening. Her eyes got a little softer too. She missed him… it hadn't even been that long, but she just wanted to go home and hug him.
“I’m sure you'll meet him at some point. He's nice to everyone- but nicer to me, of course."

As Trisha spoke, Layla's eyes grew starry and wide. The romance! It sounded like true love. Layla's smile matched Trisha's, and she let out a childish giggle.

“Aww, that's really sweet. I'm happy for you, he sounds amazing. It's always a good sign when someone takes care of something you care about. Of course, I uh, I'm no love expert! Just my thoughts.”

Her thoughts drifted a bit. Did she ever have a lover? Between the torture of the Riils, the Snake, and just trying to survive, nothing came to mind.

Except, of course, a ball of smoke and piercing eyes.

The Void Heart.

Was it even possible to love a ghost?

Alizée felt the heat welling up in Layla's chest, and gave the girl a small, playful nudge. Layla covered a hot cheek with a hand, and nudged Alizée back. A slight clearing of the thought, before Layla's eyes settled back on Trisha.

“Can I ask you something… A little personal, Trisha?”

“Uh… sure," Trisha said simply, tilting her head. Whether she answered it or not entirely depended on the question. Personal about her? She was unlikely to answer, or at least tell the truth. She didn't like being open about anything below the surface where she could avoid it.
“What is it?"

Layla had a serious look about her face, as if this was a thought she had been wrestling with privately for quite a while. “Well, you're not uh, actively a part of Sycamore, at the moment, though I believe you to be Sycamore in your heart! So, maybe I can share this… this doubt… with you…”

She leaned in, whispering. “Do you think Father Wolf could be… one of us? …One of the Sycamore?”

Trisha raised her eyebrows, before shrugging one shoulder.
“Could be. I wouldn't entirely be surprised if it was someone like Greyson or Sloane… neither have the right magic, though. Not sure anyone does. But there's plenty of motives in Sycamore. Or with people who haven't rejoined."

Layla stared earnestly, before nodding. “That's exactly my point. But whatever the issue with magic is, they could bypass that like this-” She snapped her fingers,“-with an artifact.”

She leaned back and shook her head, before raising her hands in a surrendering gesture. “It's just… if it's not demons, or godly apparitions, it's serial killers. Can't ever catch a break…”

Layla's eyes moved to Trisha's bees, staring for a moment. Curious. “Your bees are connected to you through a ghost, right? How… How does that work, if you don't mind my asking?”

“Well she gave me her abstraction," Trisha said, tilting her head. She… didn't really know how it worked for other Adjoined, especially people who's Apparitions spent a lot of time outside of them.
“She’s asleep most of the time. I can sense the bees' pheromones and they sense mine, and I communicate with them that way. I'm not sure how it would work if she came out… but the magic is mine. She just provided it. I don't know how it works for other Adjoined, but that's how it works for me." As she talked she reached up to gently stroke one of the bees on her shoulder with a finger.

“Asleep most of the time… huh…” Layla trailed off, deep in thought.

”Oh!-” Ginara broke back into the conversation, having dumped her voice lower so she could jabber on about the current events of Sycamore’s Canid Commando.
”That reminds me, uh… Before all that happened, we were planning on asking Tamara if she could roust the Queen! That’s… Sort of what Dadonda does, he’s a good talker.”

The massive creature turned his head slowly to look back on the direction from which his name came. He almost… Smiled.

Layla's eyes glowed up, “Really?” She looked from Ginara to the tortoise, then back to Gin, and fervently nodded her head. “Yes, yes. I want to meet her.”

She almost had puppy dog eyes when she turned her head back to Trisha. “Pleeeease?”

Trisha looked at Layla, not particularly affected by her attempted cute look, then looked over at Gin. She furrowed her brow, glancing over at the Apparition in question. She did want to talk to the Queen herself, but she just didn't want to agree to something she didn't fully understand.
“Rouse how? Magically or… just by talking? Will it force her to come out or just wake her up? I'd like that too, but I want to know how it works first."

”Well, they talk magically… Dadonda is, apparently, so old that he just knows things. Knows about other Apparitions, especially from our continent. But, remember… All lands were once one, so… He kind of knows everyone. If anyone knows what to say to wake her up, and to entice her out, it's Dado.” Gin was quick to explain, a grin forming across her face as her eyebrows waggled at Layla.

”I imagine he'd even have some things he could say to Alizée! A little jog for her memory, maybe? He does get in a little bit deeper than the average conversation…”

Layla beamed, nodding enthusiastically. Alizée's head tilted curiously, hesitating, before she too, nodded.

Trisha tilted her head, thinking about it for a moment. If it was just knowing things, or talking magically, that was fine. It should affect her… though she wasn't sure how the Queen would come out. If she came out.
“If it's talking and enticing, that's fine. Go ahead and try… hopefully it'll get through! She's especially sleepy, I think. Most others seem to talk to their Apparitions regularly? She's just content for me to look after the bees and do it all for her…"

Gin clapped both of her hands together over and over in a breakneck pace, finally shoving off the chair and walking over to Tamara. There was a small conversation, then something beautiful: While Tamara remained locked in the air, the tortoise grinned as it slowly waddled toward the table. He looked at Trisha, knowledge in his small, black eyes. Gin came with him, leaning on the now vacant shell.
”Alright, Girl Boss… Come sit.” she patted the shell. ”Or just touch. Give him some looooove-”

As she spoke, there was a writhing beneath the flesh of her face: Another face trying its hardest to escape in the moment. Gin, in the horror of the moment, simply laughed.
”Don’t worry, that won’t happen to you. It’s just Jek; he’s… rowdy!”

Trisha looked at the shell, then at Gin, expression not changing much at the appearance of another face. It was creepy, but she was used to creepy paranormal enough to not show that it creeped her out. She didn't really want to climb onto the Tortoise. It was a bit awkward to get onto someone else Apparition…
“Right- just like this?" And she put her hand on his shell.

There was a vague ripple, then like some kind of radio tuning in, Trisha would be able to feel static coming from the shell before a very clear voice wound up in her head.
”Theeeeere we gooooo…”
There was a deep breath, almost a sigh as he adjusted. Trisha would be able to feel his warmth. His smile. His energy tracked across her Emotional Field like the fingers of a blind beggar across the face of their long lost child.
”Trishaaaaa… Inheritor of the Graaaaand Hiiiiiive…”

All at once, the world around her grew dim, and in the scales of the Tortoise’s shell she would be able to see a reflection of the spirit within. The Queen, her Mindscape, and the dark hive within.

”Queeeeeen Seilleeeeeeean… I haven’t known yoooooou to ignore a gueeeest… There are debts unpaaaaaid, entities no longer extaaaaaaant… Won’t you come and greet your eternal ally?”

Trisha didn't say anything, but she looked at the reflection with a slight frown. It had been a long time since she'd seen the Queen's true form - the majestic Apparition so close to a humanoid shaped bee, but so much more, and so inhuman as well. Large, jet black eyes with flecks of amber stared back at her. It unnerved her at the same time as it thrilled her. The warmth, the sight of her sleeping companion of many years… There was silence for a long while.

”It’s been a long time since I've heard that name. I almost forgot it myself. It has been quite some time, Dadonda.” The smooth tones of the Queen - Seillean - echoed through Trisha's mind, finally. There was a soft buzzing behind each word, as if they formed the sounds of the letters.

And Seillean herself appeared… at least, in a form. Golden light bathed Trisha's shoulder, and a Queen Bee the size of a rat appeared in it - like a honey coloured ghost.
”I am tired. Entities come and go, debts forgotten, friendships and beauty lost… I've grown weary of it all. What is so important that you wake me?“

Dadonda gave a slow, rolling chuckle.
”You are no fool… The Child wishes to be closer to you. You sleep, and ignore her, yet take of her usefulness without praise. You were never so graceless.”

”You were always quite judgmental,” Seillean responded with a light, melodic laugh. She settled on Trisha's shoulder, rather than hovering over it - though there was no weight she could feel.
”I sleep to regain my strength. I do not ignore her. I come whenever she calls.”

It's been ten years, Trisha thought, sullenly - not quite thinking about how they were in her head. So of course it was heard, and her Apparition laughed again.
”Ten years is but a blink for ones as old as us. But perhaps you are right, and I have been neglectful. I'm always connected. If I sense too much distress I appear.”

Sure you do…
Another laugh. ”It is not often you need my help. But I suppose, this once I can come out in this form, if it is you and an old friend asking.”
Trisha's shoulders pushed up into a shrug.

Dadonda’s energy whirled about Trisha, once more reading her Emotional Field like a wizard pondering his orb. His ancient neck craned upward, perpetual toothless grin causing him to look so friendly…
”Seillean… To escape the ruins of our old world? I believe you are, as these children would say, depressed. Sleeping to avoid a world you have grown to hate. Mankind abuses your sacred spaces, and strips bare the fruits of your people’s effort. Yet, you find no desire to change them. Only to hide.”

His words belied that smirk.
”The Child once needed you, but you heeded her to break our ancient Enemy. Now, she is once more thrust into the fear and uncertainty of those blackened days… But this is little for her Human desire to be one with you. To give, and receive, as partners. I witness her, and acknowledge her efforts in her human capacity, to give a semblance of peace to your kin. Yet, you choose not to offer her guidance. Are you so unsure of yourself that you would not revel in control of the Kingdom of your Flesh?”

Trisha's eyebrows shot up to the top of her head, and her posture grew tense as Dadonda spoke so many thoughts she'd had. She didn't enjoy being read. Not for things like this but… she'd let him in.

”Unsure? I am not unsure of myself. But what point is there in putting effort towards a world that will never return to what it was? To be boxed again?” Seillean buzzed softly on Trisha's shoulder, though Trisha could feel her agitation in the same way she always sensed the bees. But she was considering it, not talking for a little while as each word was processed by the ancient being.
”She does not ask for guidance. Each time she does, I provide. If you wish for more, my dearest Beekeeper, you must ask. I cannot remain out like many of the others. It will confuse my Children after all your efforts to form a bond with them. I feel their love for you. You have truly cared for them as I would.”

“I just want your help. I barely know what I can do," Trisha admitted quietly.

”That I can do for you. There is much of my magic you've yet to touch… I admit, I have held some of it back from you out of fear of its use. I will teach you to use that eventually once you are more practiced.” There was a soft warmth across Trisha's shoulder as Seillean seemed to turn back towards Dadonda.
”Perhaps you are right that I am, as these children say, depressed. I do not like Mankind. But if I were to emerge, or detach from this Child, it would harm her more than it's worth, for I have grown fond of her. Our World may not exist anymore, but hers does.”

Dadonda nodded along.
”It would be wise and gracious of you to pass along all that you can: In your fondness, perhaps you can learn to love this world through her eyes. Witness my diminished form, and understand all that I have given to be here with these little ones… I hated them with similar dispassion, but she showed me that they are not all interested in wiping our world away. And that they can be taught to love what was without compromising what is.”

In that moment, Trisha would be able to feel the thousand forms Dadonda had taken through his existence… All the way to the primal. To a mountainous creature of chitin and primal energy leaking with radiant power. And then he was just a tortoise again…
”Stay awake for us, my friend. Paint their world like a canvas of flowers, tell tales of the beautiful white sunrises bathing those ancient fields in golden flame. You have so much to offer: Do not let yourself rot away.”

”For her and for my children, I will try. They do not see the world as any different as it was in those beautiful days long gone. They do not understand how diminished their forms have become too. But that can be changed. I will stay awake enough to teach and to witness.” She settled down again properly on Trisha's shoulder.
”I will answer swiftly when you call, and I will observe more frequently. Is there anything else you wish for from me?”

“Can you stay out a little bit longer?" Out of whatever this was, Trisha meant. It would be nice to… prove her Apparition existed. That they had a relationship at all.
”It will confuse the children. They might recognise my scents over yours.”
“That’s fine."
”Very well then.”

And at once, Dadonda retracted himself. Looking up, the girls had gathered around Trisha in a fervent circle of interest. A dozen Adjoined, their Apparition Companions clung or scattered about in various places: Even Serenity, who had until now been too embarrassed to make the greetings, had come out to sample just a taste of Dadonda’s calm radiance. But he was a giant, cyan-tinted tortoise just as he had been before…

And they all looked to Trisha as the last scale’s reflection faded to matte. The gathering seemed enthusiastic, as if they had all been witness and waited for the appearance of that golden bee… The giant Queen.

Trisha didn't like being stared at by such a large group of people - she was too used to attention being negative. That anxiety was always present even as she yearned to be noticed… but she managed to hide it well, like always, with a slight frown at all the onlookers.
“Were you all watching the whole time? That's a bit… creepy…"

There was a soft laugh from her shoulder. Seillean had remained there in that same form. A larger than normal, slightly translucent honey toned Queen bee. No larger than a rodent, but she dwarfed all the worker bees that suddenly crowded around her. Of course, this wasn't her true form. The one she had when she appeared in front of Trisha eleven years ago, and in the reflection of the scales. But that one took more energy and effort. This one was sufficient.
”Of course they would wish to witness that radiant show.”

There were cheers! Applause as the Queen spoke her first words into the air of the world she so desperately wanted to escape nearly drowned it out.
”See, Trisha!? She gets it!”

Layla watched, transfixed, before clapping along with the rest of the girls at the Queen's words. There was joy in her face, and a huge portion of satisfaction. This was her. And she was beautiful.

”Amazing. Beautiful. And so well-mannered. I feel like I'm staring into the face of Mother Nature.” Layla said, awe coloring her tone as she beheld the Queen.

Alizée stared, before giving the Queen a warm nod. “Welcome.”

The Queen seemed to look at each of the girls in turn - though it was difficult to tell, as she just looked like a large bee right now. But her body moved, and their Apparitions would be able to tell.
”This is quite the welcome, after all these years.” Her gaze fell on Alizée, then Layla. Though they couldn't see it, both would be able to sense she was smiling - a peculiar, sweet smell that all those in the group could sense and understand.
”I was once something like that, Young One. Centuries ago when this world was a beautiful wilderness.”

Trisha wasn't enjoying the attention as much as the Apparition who was practically glowing on her shoulder. The cheers and clapping just seemed… unnecessary and forced. Though it wasn't like it was for her. Suddenly she was being outshone by her own ghost. Of course… her expression didn't change much, but one hand rose to caress a bee to calm herself.
“Don’t get too used to it. This is for one night only, so get all your staring at her out now."

The Queen laughed lightly.
”Yes. It is still exhausting to maintain this form, and my children are rather unruly.” As she said that all of the bees that were crowding her stopped, as if admonished. They retreated into neat lines across Trisha's shoulder. She then looked back across the crowd.
”I see it is not only humans that are young… How curious. There is much I have missed by sleeping within my dearest Beekeeper.”

Trisha groaned softly, looking to the side in embarrassment. Maybe she should have asked her to stay out… but if she had, then what would everyone else say? Would they think they had a bad relationship? It was fine. This was what she'd wanted… So she looked at Gin a little awkwardly.
“Thanks for helping wake her up. I was wanting to learn more about stuff like this… her, my magic, being Adjoined, all that."

Gin was grinning ear to ear, staring at the giant bee on Trisha’s shoulder.
”Hey, I didn’t do it. This was the plan all along: You can go home and tell Casey it was a rousing success… As for me, I’m… Well… You know what I’m gonna ask, I don’t really have to say-”
Her eyes squinted at The Queen.
”-My Lady? Would you be so gracious as to let my peasant hands experience the most gentle caress of your fuzz?” she asked with great conspiracy in her voice.

“Oh…" Trisha looked down at her feet for a moment, feeling a flush of warmth come over her. Casey had planned this all along? No wonder he'd been so insistent she go… he'd been thinking of her the whole time…

While Trisha was thinking about that, the Queen was staring at Gin.
”No. I do not wish to have human hands touch my noble body." She almost fluffed up, as if letting out a huff at the thought.
“Can’t you make an exception?" Trisha asked quietly, turning her head towards the Queen. She felt bad that Gin couldn’t touch the bees because of her own lack of control, and because at the end of the day they weren't pets.
”For what reason should I allow you to?" The Queen asked Gin after a pause. A minor concession, allowing Gin to justify why she should get to experience the magical fuzz of her large bee form…

”Purely metaphysical research, my Queen… I need to determine if the fibers of your coat relate to a standard bee’s coat in terms of tactile sensation, or if your heightened state of being changes the composition! You see, we’re providing the Royal Keeper here with territory where your subjects will flourish, and our goal is to replicate the world you wish to see! We wish to bring Eden back! So, knowing the qualities of your coat may assist us in replicating conditions!”
Whoever the Gin was that freaked out about not touching the bees, she wasn’t here. Whoever Gin Jekyll was seemed to be far more adept at parsing out good reason and logic in order to entice a result, which was fairly impressive.

The Queen considered it. Trisha was impressed that Gin had managed to make her do that - after years of barely getting through to the Apparition. She wasn't so fond of the title but… that was just to butter up her Apparition, it was fine.
"Very well. If it is for my children and for a return to the primal, beautiful world I once lived in… I shall allow you to touch my radiant visage."

Without speaking, Trisha could tell what she wanted her to do - and for once went along with it silently. She held her hand out towards Gin, and the Queen delicately floated from her shoulder to her open palm.

Gin nearly rushed, but the loud voice in her head was reminding her that there were other ways of doing things. She cleared her throat, let her hand slowly crawl out, and began to stroke her fingers across the insectoid body of The Queen. The tips of her fingers were tickled by the bristly patches of bumblebee fuzz. There was no noise, no strong emotion: Only a gentle patting until she finally pulled away.

”Impressive… Soft and robust, like… Oh, my… My Queen? It’ll be incredibly useful if you would advise us actively. The simulated environment we’ve developed is based on the knowledge of very few of your contemporaries… Your perception of environmental factors is something we lack, as none are so attached to the land as you are.” Gin explained.

”If it is just my wisdom you are looking for, then I suppose that is something I could offer,” the Queen said as she made her way back to Trisha's shoulder. She practically fluffed up at everything Gin said. It didn’t take much, it seemed, to ingratiate yourself with her.
”I plan to pass all my knowledge on to my dear host. She can aid you, and I will offer my direct advice in cases that she cannot.”

”Your capacity for grace and charity aaaaare boundless, My Lady. I look forward to working toward our mutual goals.”
Gin gave a curt bow, her head rising with a wide smirk to look at Trisha.
”Y’know he’s gonna be super happy, right?” she asked playfully.

“Casey? He better better be after making me come,” Trisha said with a joking grumble, though she couldn’t hold back a soft smile at the thought of that. She was looking forward to getting home and seeing Casey later… she could tell him about the Queen appearing without going into detail about any of the worst parts of the night. And if he was happy they could have a nice night together, and she could just forget about everything else…
“Maybe she’ll stay out long enough to meet him too?” It was a question towards the Queen without directly asking her.

”I wouldn’t want to interrupt the blossoming love of a young couple with my magnificent appearance,” the Queen laughed lightly.
“Even if I’m asking?”
”... I am already tiring. I shall unfortunately have to go rest within you again soon.”

Trisha just about resisted rolling her eyes, looking back at Gin.
“At least you can brag about meeting her the next time you see him?”

Layla perked up, nodding towards Trisha. ”You're lucky. The Queen seems to really care about you. Though, I didn't know ghosts could get… so tired? Maybe it has something to do with age…”

Before her eyes widened, having almost forgotten. Her gaze spun rapidly to Alizée, and she was practically dragging the ghost around the table, past Trisha and the crowd, and towards Dadonda.

”Mr. Dadonda? Will you have a look at Alizée too please?”

Alizée only made a scrunch of her eyes, feeling a bit self-conscious.

Unable to speak without contact, the ancient Tortoise waddled close to Layla and purposefully swung his head under her hand. Lifting it with his head and neck, he gently placed the rather dainty hand upon his shell. All at once, she’d be able to hear him like she had while observing the process with Trisha.
”What does this child wish to know? There is little history to be had, as the Voidling is both foreign to Shimmer and quite rightfully an infant… We may speak of the Life which contributed its Lux to energize the birth, or of the Voidling’s former status as a Mortal Host of Shimmer… But she is stained in ink that even I do not wish to see beyond.”

Layla stared with wide eyes, surprised but not afraid as she found her hand upon the shell. Dadonda's voice was clear in her head, just like how Alizée's was. One look from Alizée and Layla knew the ghost could hear Dadonda.

Alizée seemed to be struggling with the concept of ‘mortal.’ However, she did have a desire. One that she was, perhaps, a bit shy to express.

Layla spoke aloud for the benefit of all to hear. “Go on Alizée, it's not every day you get an opportunity like this.”

Alizée ran a gnarled palm over her mask, before regarding the tortoise with conflicted eyes. Wanting eyes.

“I want… To know more about how I died. The events leading up to it. Anything.”

”You wish to remember pain.”
To his surprise, it seemed she was interested in something that Dadonda never would've recommended. Not every Apparition was built from the passions of a single individual, though it was a common enough origin. However, those who were generally avoided the feelings and emotions of their past. It created great instability in their natural Emotional Fields.

But she asked. He would give her what he could: The final moments that created her. Where the living Alizée, her passion and her pain, gave way to Alizée Vul. As the world faded around her, Dadonda's scales shimmered brilliantly until she was trapped within their natural tesseract.

Trapped. Suffocating heat. Sand. Struggles and screams and the ultimate separation between the Host and Void Heart itself. She would feel that energy crossing time and space to fill the gaps in between as claustrophobia gave way to empty skies. Faces all around, heads disembodied and frantic. Leon stood out, his stoic face breaking up into weeping tears… The final sensation of emptiness followed. The nothing of the Void that her soul was dragged into.

Then, the egg in which she formed herself. The chains binding it in place. The willpower gathered as pooled Primal Lux around it, to keep it warm and sealed away from the other beasts in the dark.
And all at once, it was over. Alizée would be left with a distinct sensation of loss and emptiness.

Dadonda rested his head gently upon Alizée's hand, keeping her slightly held there.
”Are you satisfied with your pain?” he asked calmly.

Alizée stared, but her eyes were unseeing. Lost in a time long ago. It took a moment before she twitched, her body physically reacting to the unloaded information. Her free hand raised to the corner of her eyes, where steam curled up. A voidling's tears.

She blinked, surprised, before she looked down at Dadonda's waiting expression. Layla was looking at her with pained eyes - She saw everything.

Alizée's distorted voice warbled, trying to speak, before she lasped into silence. Like a shadow following the light, her head turned, trying to find Leon, if he was still in the room.

He had cried over her death…

“Not many did. Are you sure… You want to be abrasive with the Temple?” Layla said mentally, speaking softly. Dadonda would be here to hear them, due to their hands on his shell.

“...Maybe you're right. You know I'm just trying to look out for you.”

“I know…”

A pause, before Alizée glanced down at Dadonda. ”Yes… Seems I had a stronger tie to the Temple than I initially thought…Thank you, Mr. Dadonda.”

Dadonda’s head kept Layla’s hand pressed against his shell.
”The love of some is not the whole. The institution will crumble beneath the pressure of the tide: Stick close to those who love you. Who truly love you. You cannot afford to be The Fool again.”
The leathery little skull twisted on its telescopic neck, leaning into Layla’s hand just a rather human-like affection. Like he cherished her.
”We will always be right here.”

Layla smiled back, glancing excitedly at Alizée, before her gaze returned to Dadonda, and she nodded.

And then the head pulled away, and the scales began to dull back into their normal patterns and colors. Dadonda kept his knowing grin across his beaked face while his cumbersome body began to turn in place to begin heading back toward Tamara.
As Alizée had looked around, she would’ve easily been able to see Leon keeping his distance in a different part of the hall, though he hadn’t stopped listening or watching as his eyes were eerily locked onto what was happening. When their eyes met one another, he softly smiled and raised his hand from the table to wave.

Ah, so he was watching.

Alizée stared for a moment, before she returned the wave. The steam of her tears had dried, but the scraps of memories were very much fresh.

Was she, in fact, in the right place after all? Among friends?

Before the thought could continue, Layla was pulling Alizée back towards the table. ”Come on, let's not make them wait.”

And the two found their seats once more at the Silent Sisterhood's table. Layla once again found her eyes drawn to Trisha, and her Queen Bee. Her eyes widened in realization.

“Wait a second, since the bees listen to you, Trisha, aren't you technically like, an actual queen?”

“Of the bees, yeah," Trisha said, looking at Layla like she was asking a bit of a stupid question.
“They view me as their Queen Bee - so technically, yes. But that doesn't really mean anything outside of my bees."

The Queen was still on Trisha's shoulder, but she was flatter - seeming to be lying down. Sleepy again.
“In a normal hive the queen bee wouldn't be able to command their home in quite the same way I do, either. It's because it's magical I can be so specific - and I can use some of my pheromones on people too." Trisha explained evenly.
“The bees aren't magical outside of me, understanding me, and their age… Most of them are about ten. So older than Alizée."

Layla gave a light chuckle. ”Everything's older than Alizée. Still, though, that's pretty amazing. I suppose you never feel lonely, right? You always have the bees to keep you company?”

Layla's head turned to the side, recounting something, before she looked back at Trisha sheepishly. ”You know… I'm pretty sure I've been over to your house before. It's really nice. The uh, Halloween event. Bean invited us over for an after party. Apparently your bees were chilling in your room…”

“That’s not my house anymore," Trisha said abruptly, eyes narrowing slightly. She was hung up on what Layla had just said… she’d never feel lonely. It was like it was invalidating the past ten years when she'd felt so alone even with the bees. She loved them, and she didn't know what she'd do without them but… they didn't replace other people. They didn't fill the gaping void inside of Trisha that had her moving from person to person each time a relationship failed. It wasn't helped by Layla calling Sabrina ‘Bean’. While Trisha said Sabrina was her favourite, in reality they had very little of a relationship to talk about.
“So that was you? Other Sycamore, I guess? The bees were pretty stressed out by it… so I wouldn't say they were chilling."

Layla's hand moved to her lips. “...Oh. Oh jeez, whoops.”

It wasn't really the truth, the bees weren't bothered by other people so long as they didn't bother them. But it had stressed her out a little the next day.
“And you're right, I never feel lonely thanks to them. Especially now I have Casey too. That's why I didn't want to come here, I don't need anyone else."

”She's hurting.”

”I can tell…”

Layla fumbled with her words for a moment, before her gaze was drawn off into the distance. ”You know, I was really lonely, before all this. Only me and my demons.”

She flashed a weak smile. “Which is why talking with you is… actually really nice. I uh… well, I suppose I don’t really have any, well, close friends.”

Layla perked up a bit. “Say, when do you think you and your boyfriend would be free for a hangout? I'm uh, pretty free.”

Trisha looked confused for a moment, before she managed to hide it behind her slightly sullen expression. Talking to her was nice? Really? So few people thought so… she didn't really believe it. Layla was just saying that to appease her… but why? It wasn't like she'd been especially grumpy. Most people just escalated.

But she wanted to see Trisha again - with Casey. That would be even more comfortable for Trisha. She found herself… not so against the idea.
“Of course talking to me is nice… I'm not sure when we'd be free. We're both pretty busy." Of course it was a lie that she was really busy - but she was busy being with him.
“Especially Casey. He's technically on call all the time… but I'll, uh, ask him. And let you know."

Layla nodded eagerly. ”That sounds good to me.”

Recollections: Primal Sinister

Bryn Woods

"I hoped to be more prepared. But we can only do our best."

_______________________________________________ Bryn Dahlia Woods She/Her | 26 | African-American | 5’4” | 144lbs _______________________________________________ Steadfast _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "Y’need help with that?" ___________________________________ [+] Manual Labour ⫻ Bryn is stronger than she appears, having worked for years in the mines - starting young with simple jobs she was allowed to do, before taking on the full job when she was old enough to be allowed to. She frequently has to cut logs to keep the old stove at home burning, too. So when it comes to carrying things, or doing manual jobs? She’s got it. Mining ⫻ Bryn has all the skills that come with working in the mines - ability to work the equipment, knowledge with safety procedures, basic mechanical knowledge to be able to fix machines, and just good problem solving skills. Getting By ⫻ Bryn is talented at making whatever they have work. She’s managed to feed her family on very little, and especially over the past year and a half when things have been tough. No matter how rough the situation, she’ll make it work. Art ⫻ Bryn’s guilty pleasure, she loves painting - though she can rarely afford proper canvas, she makes do with what she can. She’s good at it, but it isn’t something she could justify pursuing more.

Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "Not who you expected to see walking outta the mines? Well we ain’t all rough men." At an average height, Bryn is a visibly confident young woman. Her nicely curved body hides strong muscles from years of keeping fit. She’s a heavier woman because of this muscle, not having the opportunity to put on any fat from her manual labour job and lean eating. Her arms are covered in tattoos, and they travel down her sides onto her upper hips. She has her nostril pierced, normally wearing a hoop, along with two lobes piercings and a belly button piercing. Bryn’s dark hair is kept in well maintained dreadlocks which fall just past her shoulders. Often she’ll tie these up in a bun on the top of her head, or twist them together to slightly shorten the length. Whatever she finds most practical at the time. When not needing to do anything she’ll leave it loose. Her dark eyes are discerning, her glossy lips often pulled up into a smile. Her skin is well looked after, though her hands are rough from years of manual labour. Clothing wise, Bryn’s preference is practical - cargo pants or long, loose skirts and tank or wrap tops being her preferred go to. She dresses in primarily natural looking colours, with a wardrobe filled with greens, yellows, browns and blacks. She’ll delve into denim often, too, having a pair of light blue dungarees she’s particularly fond of. But since being thrust into leadership, Bryn is building a collection of fancier clothes - primarily a few nicer form fitting dresses. She’s always wearing a variety of beaded bracelets, bangles and necklaces. Bryn will wear makeup on the occasion, but generally doesn’t have the time or money for it.

_{Psychology
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"I’ll fight until my last breath to protect my own.”

MAIN GOAL ⫻ To protect the Grove from any future threats, and to ensure her family survives and thrives. Bryn’s first goal is to follow in her mother’s footsteps and do what she was raised to do - lead the Grove, and ensure it’s hidden and protected. Her second is to make sure her younger siblings have a good life, whatever that may be. As for living for herself? She doesn’t have time for that.

PHILOSOPHY ⫻ Bryn believes in community and hard work. She believes that you’ll get nowhere without doing anything, but also that you should help the people that helped you. It takes a village, but you need to be an active participant in that village.

SECRETS ⫻ That sometimes she feels like she’s drowning, and considers giving it all up. It goes against everything she stands for and how she sees herself.

SEXUALITY ⫻ Demisexual Lesbian. Bryn is only attracted to other women, or more feminine nonbinary people, but she needs to have an emotional connection there to feel any sexual attraction.

FEARS ⫻ That she won’t be able to protect those she cares about, and the Grove. That the threats will become something they can’t handle. That her family and close community will all die, and she’ll be the only one left.

WHAT DID THEY DO DURING THE CATACLYSM? ⫻ Bryn aided the Grove in the fight, though she was primarily primarily placed on home defence duty - ensuring no one got in during the Cataclysm. At the end of it, Bryn was the one who oversaw the funerals and cremation of the many they lost.

FLAWS ⫻ Bryn has very little tolerance for incompetence. She had to grow up quickly at a young age, and as a result she can have quite a harsh view of people who aren’t as prepared for what life throws at them as she is. While Bryn believes in helping others, she doesn’t trust easily outside of the community she was raised in. She’s stubborn to a fault, and can be difficult to reason with when she’s decided something is right. Along with this she will stick by and protect those she cares for to the point she’ll overstrain or hurt herself. She would put everything on the line for her family and community - especially herself.

_{Backstory
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Things have always been tough. We get shit done anyway."

Bryn was born to two strong Adepts in the mining community of Raven’s Rest, as the oldest of four. From a young age she knew about magic, and about the responsibilities her parents had - protecting the Grove with their lives. One eyed open from a young age, Bryn was taught the traditions long before she became a member of the coven herself. But Grove protection wasn’t something that brought in money for the family. So Bryn’s green adept father worked in the mines, while her green-red adept mother primarily took on the Grove duties - as one of the Elders.

They got by, and in a tight knit community, they didn’t want for much. Shelter, clothes, food - what more could they want? Then when Bryn was only fourteen, her father was killed in a tragic mining accident. A mineshaft collapsed, killing ten of the miners. The small tight knit community mourned, and pulled together to support the bereaved. But the community of Raven’s Rest was poor, and it required everyone to pull their weight.

For the Woods, there was no income, and Bryn had three younger siblings to feed. Her mother beside herself with grief, Bryn was forced to step up and take her place.

So Bryn stepped up. They started working in the mines where they could - mainly on the surface, learning to operate machinery and bringing food for the other miners. At first it was in exchange for food, but eventually she got the skills she needed to properly work in the mines. It became most of her life.

Just a year later, Bryn’s first sibling kindled at twelve. Then, the next. Bryn herself still hadn’t kindled. Not when her father died, not in her close brushes with death. While her siblings were inducted into the Grove she was still an outsider, even though she’d been trained to take her mother’s place in the future. By the age of eighteen, Bryn knew she wasn’t going to kindle.

So with the help of her mother and other elders she courted an Apparition. Cineres - an apparition born of a deadly fire that destroyed a village many miles east of Raven’s Rest about ten years back. The relatively young Apparition, which took the form of an ashy girl with eyes of fire, was formed from a combination of the fear and destruction, and the children destroyed within it. It had stayed there since… and was willing to Adjoin with Bryn. At first, she was relatively weak. But together, they grew stronger.

Finally, Bryn formally joined the Grove. Her life was split between her work in the mines, her Grove duties, and helping raise her younger siblings. It was difficult, but she was able to get through thanks to all the close bonds she had within the community.

Then the Cataclysm struck. Bryn was told to protect the Grove no matter what by her mother and the other leaders, before they went to participate. Her mother perished - as did all of the leaders and elders. It was Bryn who took over the funeral and cremation ceremonies that were once done by the Elders, and she once again stepped up to help Elara lead the Grove.

Since, Bryn has been doing best to juggle her duties - between mine working, being a Grove Leader, and her grief struck younger siblings.

_{Paranormal-Abilities
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Cute, ain’t she? Her magic ain’t."

TYPE ⫻ Adjoined

ABSTRACTION ⫻ Death Ashes, Bryn is adjoined to Cineres, who gives her the ability to turn bone to ash and control those ashes.

ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻

Ashes to Ashes ⫻ The first part of Bryn’s abstraction, which allows her to cremate any bones with a click of her fingers. There is no limit to the mass Bryn can burn, and she can turn any bones with her sight into ashes.

Dust to Dust ⫻ The main part of Bryn’s abstraction, the ability to manipulate and set alight the ash of the dead. Bryn can create fires of all sizes from ash, and she can fully manipulate those burning embers. She can perfectly control how much she’s burning, going from smouldering to essentially full fire manipulation. The ashes don’t have to be alight either, and she could pack them together into a dense mass. Most importantly, it has to be the ash of the dead - that of burnt bones. These can be human or animal.

LIMITS ⫻

Ashes to Ashes ⫻ Bryn has to be able to see the bones to cremate them.

Dust to Dust ⫻ Bryn can only control ash from the burnt bones of humans or animals. It can’t be ash from burnt trees, or similar. She can’t create this ash from nothing. The abstraction has a high range, but past a hundred metres she’ll struggle to control it. The burning level of the ash has to be the same for all the ash she’s controlling.

WEAKNESSES ⫻

Dust to Dust ⫻ These fires, while magical, are still weak to water. Bryn will need to be mindful of both the weather and her surroundings when she goes to use her magic otherwise the fire will quickly fizzle out. As well, Bryn is not immune to the effects of this magic.

^{Other
_{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Maybe one day I’ll get a break."

Nothing

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1 [Cancelled]

I mean. Phantasia does exist.

@Blizz

Not anymore she doesn't.........

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1 [Cancelled]

---

Interactions: Olivia & Octavia @NoriWasHere, Leon @AtomicEmperor, Ruby @Shin Ghost Note, Amara @Blizz, Everyone Really
The Eleventh Path

---

Anya was concerned with how, to be frank, shit Sloane looked. When had she last slept? At this rate she would collapse before they got anywhere. But what could she do? Nothing. Not right now, at least. Neither of them were the most emotional people, and Anya knew Sloane would just brush off any check ups on her right now. She’d talked to her later, in private…

She didn’t bother with an introduction to the 317 either - it seemed unnecessary to just announce her name at that moment. But she did watch as Sloane went towards the Artifacts. Eyebrows raised for a moment, before she quickly realised what she was doing. Ah. Removing the Rot from poor Luca, if possible, with the Brass Needle. It was probably for the best. Anya would let her handle that…

She was approached by another familiar face, anyway - a friend, in fact. One of two.

”Fancy seeing you here,” Anya raised her eyebrows, offering Olivia a more genuine smile. It was quite a rare occurrence from her - one that only came in company she actually enjoyed. Sloane, Olivia the rare times they saw each other, and Ezra had managed to get a few out of her... ”I thought you said you would never return to the Coven? Is working with us not the same?”

Then came the actual plan. Anya listened carefully, and silently. Her brows furrowed at the new Scott Reese was alive. He wasn’t someone they could handle in their current state. Even the Trinity struggled with him before.

”I have a suggestion. There are some of us who don’t have abstractions useful in combat at all- unfortunately,” Anya said, raising her hand with a slight smile. Of course, that wasn’t true anymore. She could summon… but it wasn’t something she’d shown yet. And she didn’t want to risk her life, or reputation, for this.

”But could we not have a fifth group - the coordinators? We had a control group during the fight against the Stygian Snake, or organised all the groups on the field - getting healers where they were needed, teleporters, and so on. It can be difficult for anyone in the heat of battle to do that. That solves the communication too - you all have phones, don’t you? Or we can go back to radios like we used to use? Easy to get a hold of. Means we’re not putting all the pressure on Amara.”

Then, she turned her attention to Leon, smiling coldly. ”And what would be the price of the Temple’s help, Leon? ”

---

Interactions: Various 317 @NoriWasHere, Leon @AtomicEmperor, Ruby @Shin Ghost Note, Everyone Present
The Eleventh Path

---

Luca smiled at all of Jasper’s friends brightly, raising a hand to wave at them all. It wasn’t the best time to meet them - he couldn’t say much more in greeting, because he wanted to concentrate on the meeting. But hopefully they could talk properly later! He turned his head back towards those at the front, inclining it towards Octavia as she said war was coming regardless. Maybe it was true, especially if Scott Reese was back…

But he couldn’t drag his new coven into it. He glanced over at Adora, spotting her talking to Layla. He smiled again at that. Clearly they’d both had the same thoughts to check on her, make sure she was alright after everything that happened…

Then, the Artifacts. The Brass Needle. He’d already turned down it being used on him right now, because he needed the Rot. It was more than just wanting an abstraction - it was what he’d told Leon earlier too. Without an Emotional Field, he died. Sloane had taken it, but he trusted she wouldn’t do anything with it yet. No matter how much she was looking over at him.

He looked over at Leon last, now frowning. He may not be able to stay in control? If his Apparition took over, then they’d just have one more enemy… One more thing to deal with. Another ally turned enemy… something he constantly worried about happening to himself. ”Let’s try and avoid the scenario where anyone is completely taken over by their Apparition, if possible?”

Then he turned towards Ruby.

”I have some questions. First of all, what’s the magical statue made of? Second, do we have any way to get into the vault itself? I assume it has some heavy doors we can’t just get through?” Luca asked, looking thoughtful. He should probably go with the Artifact group either way… As much as he wanted to stay with Jasper he knew that he couldn't. He had no range and would be more useful somewhere destruction might be required... But he couldn't join the aggro group. He was too fragile. ”I can probably help there either way, since I can rot just about anything. So I think I should go with the Artifact group, but that brings me to my next question…”

His eyes closed for a moment.

”Does the Eye of Ankhara detect Abstractions that are always on? Or is it just active use?”

Paragraphs: Agents of Death [FernStone & Mixtape Ghost Note]

---

---

Yoko crouched beside Ella, watching her sleep for a moment before gently shaking her shoulder.

”Ell- Disciple, it’s time to wake up,” Yoko began. ”It’s time for you and Turner to keep watch for a bit.”

Yoko gently nudged her again.

”Then we will train. We need as many tools as possible in the fight against the Autoknights.”

"Mm- okay," Ella mumbled, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. She was still sleepy but… it was something she was having to get used to. She gently shook Lisa to wake her too. "Our turn to watch."

Lisa loudly groaned, with bags underneath her eyes, as she waved her hand at Ella. ”... Five more minutes.”

”Five minutes isn’t going to make you or break you, Turner,” Yoko said with a roll of her eyes as she simply laid her backpack on the ground and rested her head on it as if it was the most comfortable pillow in the world. It didn’t take long for Yoko to begin snoring.

"Don't get too distracted," Saskia intoned as they found a spot to lie down, curling around their backpack and closing their eyes.

"I know how to keep watch," Ella grumbled. She took her bag closer to the door, squatting down in front of it as she fully woke up. Staying perfectly still, she began to expand her senses like Yoko had taught her too. Listening out for anything out of place…

”... It’s literally in the title,” Lisa said as she rolled her eyes and walked over and placed her back against the door. She sighed as she stared into nothing for a few moments. ”... Am I starting to seem crazy? You can be honest.”

Lisa just blurted out before she shrugged.

”You should have seen it! It was a giant spider, but it was an Apparition… I would think it’s cool, but….” Lisa shook her head. ”Maybe we should ask Yoko how her sword works.”

"I don’t think you’re crazy." Ella opened her eyes, extended sense cut off as her arms were thrown up in the air. Sure, Lisa’s words had been loud enough it was almost painful with the spell Ella was casting, but that was fine! Her friend was in pain right now… or, worrying at least. "Yoko herself said there were infinite possibilities with magic, right? There’s a possibility this spider-ghost-thing has magic that gets around Yoko’s sword! But don’t worry."

Ella reached out, putting a hand on Lisa’s shoulder. "I believe you. I know you wouldn’t make something like this up!"

Lisa slowly craned her head in Ella’s direction and stared at her for a few seconds. Before she asked, ”... Do you really believe that or are you just saying that to make me feel better?”

"I do," Ella said earnestly. She genuinely did - she trusted Lisa. She trusted all of her friends not to lie to her - and why would Lisa make something like that up? Maybe she was seeing things, sure but… wasn’t magic the likelier explanation? Saskia and Yoko were just looking at things far too realistically for a place with monsters everywhere!

"Infinite possibilities, Lisa, even a giant spider that nobody else can see. But why only you can see it… I don’t know! Maybe it’s cause you like spiders?"

”... If there are infinite possibilities these- I can’t even do it right now,” Lisa said, bringing her knees up and wrapping her arms around them. She sighed. ”I’ll just… ignore it next time. Pretend it’s not there.” She shrugged.

"Yeah, it doesn’t deserve your attention."

”I had an idea for a Joint-Cast we could maybe work on, just for the three of us,” Lisa began. ”Did you want to hear it?”

"Yes!" Ella turned, giving Lisa her full attention… well not quite her full attention, make like half her attention. She was still very much paying attention to keeping watch. "What is it? Tell me, we haven’t made a new joint cast in… well, ten years!"

”... I mean, from our perspective, it was like yesterday,” Lisa shrugged, ”The gist of it is if we get cornered by a group of enemies - ^{like we usually do} - we can take them out. But, not just a group of enemies, what about one big one, like that skeleton we ran into when we first got here?”

Lisa looked at Ella, ”I was thinking like… I make an underground web made out of, you know… human flesh. But this is filled with blood, corrosive blood that Saskia put into it. Then you shoot it with one of your gay bolts of lightning that causes it to explode and shoot blood everywhere and leave a crater.”

Lisa nodded her head.

”... I call it, Deathcrater.”

Ella’s expression changed throughout the description. The whole thing sounded like a great idea but it also sounded… really gross! With the human flesh and corrosive blood! But that was fine, she could do the bolt of lightning, easy!

"That- that sounds like a great idea! So long as I don’t have to see the flesh and blood and I can just zap it with lightning!" Ella grinned at Lisa. "Oh, we should try it out when Saskia wakes up!"

Lisa just shrugged.

”Sounds like a plan,” Lisa began. ”But, let’s keep our eyes peeled and hope nobody crazy happens.” She awkwardly snorted, and glanced at Saskia and Yoko.

”We still have time to think about the details, I wonder what Yoko would think about the name, tho’!” She laughed.

Some time had passed before Yoko woke up on her own… she loudly yawned as she stretched before climbing to her feet. She reached into her hip pouch and pulled out the Yokai Killer, unsheathing it a quarter of the way, giving it a look before resheathing it with a poignant click. She looked at Lisa, then Ella,

”Is everything good?” Yoko asked before turning to Lisa. ”... Did you see anything out of the ordinary, Turner?”

Lisa shook her head.

”Good,” Yoko began, ”Should we let Otten rest more?”

Ella spun on her heels to actually look at Saskia, where she was sleeping a little bit away. Their expression was tight, but they were actually asleep. "Let's. They didn't sleep at all last time and… they took a while to sleep this time."

Ella then turned to Lisa excitedly. "Tell Yoko about your spell idea!"

Lisa glanced at Yoko, nodding. She sat up straighter.

”Right so,” Lisa began. ”"I’ve got this idea for a Joint-Cast... something we could use if we get cornered again like the last three or four times. It’s called Deathcrater.” Then she paused before continuing.

”Basically, I’d make an underground web out of human flesh. Saskia fills it with acidic blood, and Ella hits it with one of her gay-flavored lightning bolts, causing everything to explode - leaves a crater.” Lisa said that incredibly casually.

Yoko stared at Lisa as she continued, tilting her head.

Then she laughed,

”Lord,” Yoko began, ”Did you by chance come up with that during your nightmare?” Yoko cracked a wry grin.

”Juuuuuuuust thinking outside the box,” Lisa shrugged. ”We’re in the Pit, after all. Might as well go full freak.”

”... And you approve of this, Brooks?” Yoko asked Ella.

"Weeelllll I don’t really like how gross it’ll be- but! Staying alive is more important!" Ella declared, a bit too cheerfully. "It’ll help us escape all the stuff we keep getting trapped by.”

Yoko facepalmed.

”… There are less grotesque ways to blow things up, Disciple,” Yoko answered, removing her hands from her face. ”But you know what? Just do you. We do not have time to waste.”

She nodded, before she added.

”That name is something, though, Turner.”

"They never want to do the less grotesque ways,” Ella grumbled.

"Agh, no!- Fuck!"

Ella spun around to find Saskia awake, sitting bolt upright with her chest heaving up and down. Their eyes were wild with panic that quickly disappeared, returning to their normal emotionless expression as they turned to look at the others.

"Saskia, are you alright, did you have a nightmare? Oh- do you want a hug?!"

"No," Saskia intoned. "The nightmare was that you had a flat ass. That’d be too triggering."

”… That’s a nightmare you live every day,” Lisa cracked a grin.

"My ass can be flat so long as Ella's isn't."

Yoko facepalmed.

”… I don’t get you three,” Yoko began. ”They’re just sacks of fat. That’s it.” She rolled her eyes.

"Oh Yoko… they're more than sacks of fat. They're what gets me through life. When I feel particularly awful, I stare at Ella's ass and think ‘ah. Life really is worth living.’" Saskia delivered a strange speech in a complete monotone.

"You can touch my ass if it'll help you understand!" Ella offered.

Yoko stared at Saskia.

Then looked at Ella.

Then back to Saskia.

Then back at Ella.

”… No thank you,”

"Your loss." Saskia intoned.

"It's okay, Yoko, I understand! I prefer animated women too!" Ella said cheerfully.

Yoko stared at all three of them for a moment, them said, ”Don’t you three have a Joint-Cast to make?”

"Joint cast?" Saskia raised their eyebrows.

"Oh yeah! Lisa came up with a really cool but also gross joint cast!" Ella grinned. Saskia was sure to love it… probably too much. Honestly she was worried if she'd be able to do her part of she could see all the gross flesh…

”Oh, sounds like my kind of spell," Saskia said, looking over at Lisa.

”Well, it goes like…” Lisa explained the Deathcrater. ”… Then it makes a wider hole than Ella’s Uncle did. I call it Deathcrater.”

"I don't want to do the spell anymore," Ella mumbled, looking down at her feet. She really wished Lisa would stop bringing up her Uncle… the more it came up, the more she remembered, and the worse she felt about it all. Like a million spiders crawling across her skin - except she'd prefer that!

"Ohhh, I like it," Saskia nodded. "Shouldn't be too hard. We can already coordinate for our blood rain, and Ella just needs to do her gay lightning like normal."

Yoko rolled her eyes, ”… I’m going to be keeping watch. You three should have plenty of room to practice.”

"You don't want to watch up close?" Saskia asked, hint of sarcasm clear in their tone.

”Long as I can look over your shoulder, Otten,” Yoko said with a wry grin.

"If you think you can handle it," Saskia shot back.

”... Let's start," Ella interrupted, snapping out of her slightly upset state after Lisa's comment. She clapped her hands together. "Should we go outside to do it?"

”No let’s just trash this nice little orgy shed- OF COURSE WE’RE GOING OUTSIDE! WE’RE NOT ANIMALS!” Lisa shouted, and Yoko raised an eyebrow. Afterward, Lisa led the two outside, where she looked to the left and right, then laid down on her knees. She pressed her hands against the ground… taking a sigh.

”... Maybe you should be closer to me, Saskia,” Lisa said with a nod of her head. ”You’re the star of the show, after all. It’s hard to piece this together, you gotta like… I don’t know.”

There was a slight disturbance, a shake that could have gone completely ignored in their conversations.

”I’m building a web. You gotta fill it with blood. Or cum. Wouldn’t that be funny? Just standing somewhere, and then cum bursts out of the ground all over you?”

Yoko loudly sighed from the rooftop.

Saskia chuckled, moving closer to Lisa - so they were standing right behind her, practically looming… if only their height really allowed it. "Oh, that might take a little work but-"

"No! I'd prefer the blood!" Ella interrupted from where she was standing a bit away.

Saskia rolled their eyes. "Fine, fine."

They crouched down beside Lisa, thinking about it then putting their hand over hers. Then they changed their mind, and put it beside hers, trying to feel the web to start filling it with blood. They furrowed their brow. "Are you making it now?"

”Yeah, it’s spreading, can you feel it?” Lisa asked, and there was a faint rumbling. ”It just needs your special touch… Get it nice and juicy. Like a blood smoothie!”

Then Lisa glanced up at Ella, ”Do we need to put some glitter in it for you?”

Ella thought about it for a moment. It would make it more palatable… still blood, but shiny blood! She could handle that better! "Can you do that?"

"No." Saskia rolled their eyes. Their fingers dug into the dirt, and their eyebrows furrowed. They started to get paler as they concentrated. ”I'm feeding blood into it… I think I've got the feeling. Let me try do it faster."

They pressed their lips into a thin line, before nodding. ”Blood smoothie delivered. Next time we can do it more in sync."

Lisa nodded her head, then turned to Ella, ”Now all you have to do is shoot it with lightning?”

"Got it!" Ella rubbed her hands together, concentrating. She put all her love towards her friends into her thoughts and then… struck roughly the centre of the area with a massive bolt of pink lightning, and the ground cracked open with a deafening roar. Saskia’s corrosive blood shot up into the air like a geyser, and Lisa shielded her face with her arm. The crater widened, and the corrosive blood sizzled as it dissolved stone and everything else unfortunate enough to be caught in its blast radius. The sinkhole collapsed inward, pulling everything into gore and debris.

Lisa just laughed, as she turned around towards Yoko on the roof.

”... Check it out!” Lisa said to her.

Yoko just shook her head.

"I thought we were adding sparkles!" Ella wailed, having closed her eyes a moment after the corrosive blood came out.

"I said we couldn't," Saskia rolled their eyes, before turning to Lisa. "That was easy-"

"Because we're all super duper close and connected!"

"- sure. Do we even need to practice more?"

”We just need to run it a few times,” Lisa grabbed her chin, before she raised a finger and said, ”Just to make sure it’s perfect and we can do it like that.” Lisa snapped her fingers.

She stood up, brushed the dirt off her hands and knees, and deviously grinned at Saskia and Ella.

”... Let’s get to work!”

They continued to practice, the sounds of explosions and the ground collapsing echoing each time the Deathcrater was unleashed. After several rounds, Lisa clapped her hands, dusted them off, and glanced at the aftermath of the last crater. She grinned at the two, giving them a thumbs up.

”Soooooooo….” Lisa began, ”... How do you feel about my joint-cast? Questions? Comments? Concerns?”

”... Call it a day, you three!” Yoko called out, sitting with her eyes crossed and smiling. ”You’re going to end up falling into one of these holes at this rate!”

...?....?...?... it’s cool. The static-y voice said.

"Thank you strange voice!" Ella shouted, stretching out her arms with a grunt. All of that lightning shooting was hard work! But they'd perfected it at least. "I don't have any concerns I think it's great! We all did great!"

"Yeah, sure, that," Saskia grunted. They'd collapsed onto the floor, somehow managing to look whiter than normal. They turned their head towards Yoko. "Anything in the area? We made a lot of noise."

Yoko paused for a moment, before she responded.

”... The area is clear,” Yoko began. ”Not for long, I bet. It would be wise to pack up and find another safe location.”

Yoko looked up at the Kingdom…

”I would rather not have the entire might of the Kingdom pouring down on top of us.”

”It would be great practice for our Joint-Cast!” Lisa shouted.

"Maybe the first group, but what do about the second, and the third?" Saskia pointed out. Then they looked at Ella. "Yoko still has to teach Ella that shrinking spell."

"Oh yeah!" Ella nodded, in the process of grabbing her bag. "We don't want captured yet! Not that I really want captured at all I'm worried what you two will try do to the Autoknights…"

...?...?...?... Oh lord. The voice said, and they could just feel the person on the other end facepalming.

”We’ll murder them, of course!” Lisa said as she went into and grabbed her bag. ”What else can we do?!”

”... I don’t think we want that question answered,” Yoko rolled her eyes.

”I know exactly what I'll be doing… it'll involved a lot of spit." Saskia intoned, before finally pushing themselves back to their feet and going to grab their bag too.

"EWWWW!" Ella's face twisted up into a look of disgust. She then looked around them all, seeing they were all bagged up. She pointed in a random direction - which was away from the Kingdom. "Let's go!"

”… Why are you going away from the Kingdom?!” Yoko shouted, facepalming before she pointed in the correct direction.

”Ella could get lost in a straight hallway,” Lisa snickered.

"... Well I thought we'd want to go somewhere safe while we fully figure out our plan!" Ella wailed.

”We’re in The Pit, no where is safe!” Yoko shouted. ”Actually, let’s just go that way then! It’s not like we don’t have a flying spider at our disposal”
Lisa tried to grin, but it faltered.

Ella's eyes widened, and she threw up her hands. "No no no, let's- let's not go in the wrong direction. I made a mistake! Don't we need all of our energy?"

Saskia narrowed their eyes, glancing at Yoko. "We're going the right direction."

”Yes, it was the wrong direction, I thought about it, and the closer we get to the Kingdom, the more Autoknights there will be,” Yoko explained, ”Thus, we should go where there are less-”

There was that low rumble in the distant, familiar to all of them…. An Autoknight airship. Yoko hissed something in Japanese as her gaze was brought to the line of the mountain, where there the sight of four airships came into view.

”... Let’s go,” Yoko said, sprinting in the direction that she had declared to be the ‘wrong way’ minutes away.

Ella brightened up a little at her plan - which was really just her lack of direction - being chosen. She followed after Yoko in a quick sprint… after grabbing Saskia and Lisa's hands to pull them along. "How far are we going to go?"

”… Enough to lose them,” Yoko shouted, looking over her shoulder. Up ahead was a downed tree, and Yoko pulled out the Yokai Killer a quarter of the way… before sheathing it as she gracefully slid behind the tree. Lisa was right behind her as she gestured for Saskia and Ella.

Saskia came in behind Lisa, immediately squatting down, while Ella just completely jumped over the tree and basically fell on her ass behind it. Then she rolled into her front… She wasn't as small as the others!

"What if we never lose them?" Ella whispered. "Like that time we were hiding and then they came with flamethrowers?"

”Then I hope you’re ready to get cooked like a thanksgiving turkey,” Lisa said.

”They won’t do all that,” Yoko shrugged. ”They’ll probably just carpet bomb every possible hiding spot and hope they get us.”

”Earth to Yoko,” Lisa began, ”There’s probably three or four hiding spots in this field!”

”So we can either hope they assume we already moved on, make a break for it, or…” Yoko’s eyes landed on Lisa. ”How fast can you make a flying spider and a few thousand spiders?”

”A few minutes…” Lisa shrugged, before turning to Saskia, ”… but with the Orange Stone, seconds.”

Saskia stared at Lisa, before shoving their hand in their pocket and pulling the Orange Stone back out. They held it out, at the same time a thin blade forming from their fingertip. "I'm cutting it out if you don't right after making the spider."

Lisa nodded, then grabbed the Orange Stone and shoved it into her palm. As commanded,, she created a monstrously giant spider armed with dragonfly wings in mere seconds.

”Okay, so the plan is to send the spider in that direction,” Yoko said, pointing back to where the Autoknights came from. ”Then we’re going to head in this direction while they are distracted by the spider. I would say make another flying spider, but that makes too much noise, Turner.”

"Make a non flying spider, that’s faster than us, and quiet," Saskia said. Ella nodded her agreement at that idea.

Lisa nodded her head, as she created a Huntsmen Spider. It skittered forward, and Lisa climbed on top of it.

“Perfect!” Yoko exclaimed, climbing on top of the spider behind Lisa, “Now, let’s get moving before they catch on.”

Saskia got on behind Yoko, then Ella got on the back, wrapping her arms around everyone she could reach in front of her.

With a nod, Lisa sent the flying spider in the direction the Autoknights came from.

Then they went in the other direction.

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1 [Cancelled]

& &

Luca & Leon & Kenshiro

---

Location: Near Luca’s Apartment > Leon’s Car > Outside the Eleventh Path

---

Thursday, another meeting was called. Luca had reached out to Leon to meet up, and he’d offered to give Luca a lift to the meeting. It worked out fine for him, even though Luca was always wary about going in people’s cars… but it would be good to give Jasper’s a break from the constant rotting. And it was a private place to talk with little worry of being overheard.

Luca had given Leon an address to a street corner near his apartment. It wasn’t that he didn’t want Leon to know where he lived so much as it was the roads being bad, and the further he got into this area the more at risk any nice car he might have was damaged… assuming he had a nice car. It was a little bit of a walk for him, taking longer thanks to his aching joints, so by the time he reached the corner he didn’t have to wait long in the cold before Leon arrived.

”Hey Leon! Thanks for picking me up! It’s quite the squeeze in Jasper’s car nowadays.” Luca smiled brightly at Leon as he climbed in the car, making himself as small as possible in the seat. It reduced the area of spread…

In such an enclosed space, it was impossible to miss the scent of rotting hanging in the air. Especially with Leon’s sense of smell… And it wasn’t just the constant rotting aura around Luca that slowly ate away with everything, or even the surface of his skin covered by many layers of clothes. It was something deeper. Without much effort, Leon would be able to smell decaying flesh. But Luca wasn’t touching anyone… so it could only be his own.

”First, I wanted to apologise for hurting you at the meeting. I’m sorry. I won’t pretend it was just because I fell- I kept my hand there longer than I should have to hurt you.” His gloved hands raised in the air, expression the picture of genuine apology.
”My control slipped because of what you said. I hit you with a heavier dose of rotting too… I’m really sorry.”

Leon had been driving all morning, and had just stopped to have a spell cast on the car which would hopefully protect the seats from Luca’s influence. Whatever this was about, initially Leon had no idea or preconceived notion; thus he went into it with the same enthusiasm he showed everything else.
By now, the wound on his arm had mostly healed. The Rot, in doses like that, wasn’t enough to completely shred Lelou’s healing factor. But, it left a scar for a couple days afterward.

In the end, he wasn’t so worried about it… But, they hadn’t met since then. Leon could only assume Luca was worried about Layla? Curious as to how things went, maybe.
”Oh, Dude… Water under- Wait. You said you did it on purpose, but your control slipped? So what does that mean, like… You would’ve burned me longer no matter what? But it ended up being worse than you thought it was gonna?”
It was an odd thing to imply, especially as he’d never known Luca to be vindictive like that.

”My control of the Rot,” Luca said, quietly. He tilted his head towards Leon, not quite smiling anymore. Luca had been in Sycamore until the end - so he'd been around when Lelou was adjoined with and sealed in Leon. They hadn't been particularly close but Luca knew that Leon understood the constant fight with something else in your body. Though, the Rot itself rarely tried to take over.
”I held on longer partly out of concern for Layla, partly because of its influence. The current Rotting - destroying everything I touch, eventually - is only this 'weak’ because of me actively resisting its influence. It implied I was just a host, got into my head a little bit, and the decay was stronger. If it had been anyone but you… But it won't happen again.”

”Oh, classic Luca. Seems like everyone's worried about Layla all of a sudden. Why? Someone tries to offer the girl a bit of help with her ghost problem, all of a sudden it's like… I feel like a bad guy. For stepping in and taking charge.”
Truthfully, Leon wasn't concerned with Luca's apology. It clearly hadn't affected him as much as it affected the rotting young man.

”Hey… Get comfy. I wouldn't come pick you up without prepping the car: Its all coated, and even if you did melt the seat or whatever, who cares. Cars are just objects.” he offered, having turned his head for a moment to see a very stiff looking Luca.

”You can say it's just an object because you don't look like a drug dealer with a whole box of spare phones in your apartment,” Luca responded lightly, though he did relax. His gloved hands still stayed in his lap, but he let his legs spread rather than trying to make himself as small as possible… not that he took up much room anyway.

”Look, my problem wasn't with you trying to help her, it was the way you referred to her. 'The Body'. You can understand why I'd get a bit twitchy about that, right? I don't want anyone else to suffer like I have.” Luca shrugged one shoulder. Perhaps Leon would think that energy should be directed towards Britney - and it had been. But Luca was tired, and he was dying. There was no point going on at someone for something that was unfixable when he could use that energy to help people.
”You’re right, though, about Layla. We should've done more for her ten years ago - I was too focused on my own that I didn't help her. I've already apologised to her directly.”

He turned his head towards Leon, and even without look Leon would be able to feel his gaze. There was a quiet intensity to it, a suppressed sense of danger.
”I met up with her yesterday… I'm glad that her and Alizée are happily Adjoined. Genuinely. And I don't think you're a bad guy, Leon. I know you're just doing what you can in the way you know how to.” Luca paused. He understood why Leon had spoken like he did on Monday more now thanks to his talk with Layla. His hands clasped together, tips of his fingers already beginning to peek through what had been a fresh set of gloves.
”That’s why I'm here, calmly asking you why you dragged a struggling young woman into a cult that see people like us as less than human. I trust that you have a reason since you're Adjoined just like us… I want to understand why.”

The Richoux children had learned to not get defensive over being associated with a cult, or at least Leon knew he didn't. It was only when situations like this came up where there were problems. Strange problems that came with handing out things like honorary memberships and symbolic gestures as a method to try and rope people in. It didn't work, and now there were ties.

Reasons Leon couldn't mark Luca out for culling, despite him now knowing far more about their situation than he ever should've.
”Y'know Luca I get what you mean, but… Well… Y'know how dogs can, like, smell cancer? They get real funky when certain tumours develop. My point is, I can smell it. And quite frankly, I've never met anyone in our situation suffering quite like you over it.”

He took a short breath and blew a strand of hair away from his face. But the moment lingered long enough for Luca to consider what he'd said. He hadn't made any big deal of it, didn't even acknowledge until now… But Leon knew what Death smelled like.

”Layla doesn't get that the Temple is standing on the edge of change. She won't, hopefully. The lies and abuse, the systemic power. The resources propping the system up… We want to sweep them up. Start fresh. But nobody seems to be ready to accept that.”

Luca did consider it, head inclined slightly. He wasn't particularly surprised that Leon had figured it out. It was always a risk - those with supernatural senses would be able to see below the rotting surface. Kari had known thanks to her White lux, he was fairly certain Clancy could sense it too… so of course someone with a nose like Leon's could too.
”Nobody… within the Temple, or outside of it? Because all we see is a supernatural cult controlling people. All I see- saw- is someone at risk of being taken advantage of.”

”I see the same thing. That's why I'm surprised everyone seems to think I'm a monster. That I want to abuse her trust. I don't, Luca… I loved Alizée. Really. And dealing with the Void Heart, you know… I just assumed keeping them both together would be safe. If I had any ulterior motive, it's that.” he admitted with a fairly stern and factual tone.

”If I thought you were a monster, I wouldn't be here- no, you'd be a lot more hurt.”

”But if I had been a lesser thing, or an Adept… You'd have rotted my arm off without thinking about it?” he subtly tried to help Luca to see that he didn't have the high ground here. He needed them to understand one another in a far more equal fashion… Truthfully, he hated feeling like he was being spoken down to. Only put up with it from Temple members because they were family…

The same courtesy he tried to extend to Sycamites.

”Possibly- and I’d be struggling to live with myself for it.” Luca replied in a similarly factual tone - honest, open, not quite the same cheerful optimism as normal. His more realistic side coming out.
”Look, Leon, you know that I'm dying. I've accepted that. There's only two things I want to do before I die- not hurt others with this power I have, and protect others from being hurt. I'm not… I didn't reach out to you to sit here and judge you. I'm here to see if you're the same Leon I knew ten years ago- and that you brought Layla into something with the plan to protect her. Because you are right that they're better together.” He paused, taking a slightly wheezy breath. These last two days had been… a lot, and it made today just a bit more difficult in terms of pain.

”You have to understand how it's difficult finding out someone you once knew has something… like the Temple behind them. But I want to trust you. I really-” he coughed, grimacing. Too much talking.
”I want to make sure everyone's safe. Maybe Layla is safe in the Temple- but I want to be sure.”

”Ten years ago, I still had the Temple. But having a bunch of grown folk courting and grooming teens for a religious cult in this day and age is pretty illegal and honestly pretty fucking stupid. So, they did their best to wait like every good pervert.”

It was hard to not hear the venom dripping from the statement as it left his mouth.
”Why don't you come and take advantage of the Temple? You can see for yourself what we can do, and maybe you can work with us in shaping a better future. Together, you know, after everything. No more Rot, no more dying… Just you and Jasper, and a nice peaceful place.”

”Seriously? Don't you know-” Luca covered his mouth, laughing out of nowhere. It was a little self deprecating, but it was a laugh.
”Jasper’s straight, Leon, there's no me and him and a peaceful place- that's beside the point.” Luca awkwardly waved his hands.

”Oh yeah, Luca. Jasper's as straight as gay guys get. You have a terrible sense for these things, but thats what I get for having a horny ghost in my head: Incredible Gaydar. he joked in return, though a little plume of steam curled off Leon's hand and formed the vague shape of a tiny woman which sprawled across the dashboard.

”My ghost is the opposite- nothing as unsexy as rotting flesh, but I don't think you're right on this one. No way, he's very confident in his sexuality- which is straight,” Luca denied, turning a bit red, and waving his hand again. His gaze did turn to the roughly shaped steam woman- Lelou, presumably. He felt the Rot stir inside of him for a moment, before settling back down. Thankfully.
”My nonexistent love life aside- say I come to the Temple. I get rid of the Rot after we find Father Wolf. Are your healers powerful enough to undo ten years worth of damage? I've seen pictures, Leon- suppressed it long enough to get it checked. It was so easy I think it wanted me to see. Everything is rotting. And you know what's funny? I'm only still alive because of my emotional field. It's killing me, but it's also keeping me alive longer. Can the Temple really save me from that?”

He didn't speak for a long moment. A very very long moment. Even the little steam doll faded away into the air.
”I know that if there was a place in our world that could, it'd be the Rasmussen Lab. The people there are the top researchers of the Eden Project; these people have devoted their lives to trying to bring back the Garden they say God grew here in Shimmer. Esoteric knowledge, tomes from other Planes, captured Demons who are plied for their secrets at every turn…”

As much as he wanted to extol the virtues and skills of the Board of Directors, he knew what the argument would boil down to… He'd seen plenty of Blinds dying of their own cancer.

”Think about it this way, maybe… You've suffered over a decade because of a choice someone else made for you. You can either suffer and suffer until it becomes St. Portwell's problem when you die, and none of it is ever really your choice… Or you can choose to suffer through treatment that may not work, and if it does? You get your life back. If it doesn't? Well, you very clearly weren't planning on making it very long; at least if you die in our care, we have the highest chance of sealing Rot immediately. And, it'd really be your choice: We make treatment suggestions, and you give the okay or the no-go.”

Luca didn't reply for a short while as he thought about it. In some ways Leon was right. He knew how high the risk was when he died. How could he not? It was what the Rot wanted. He knew that and couldn't do anything about it, beyond plans to go someplace it couldn't do as much harm. There'd been plans with 8th - namely Greta - when he'd been with them. Maybe those plans would come back, and he was sure Sloane was thinking about the eventuality. Leon was right the Temple probably had the best chance of sealing the Rot when it happened. It was a consideration he was willing to make for the greater good and to protect the people he cared about.

”Do I have to properly join the Temple for this help? That's where I have a problem… and I think my new coven might have a problem with that too.” Luca offered it up openly and in a friendly tone - an olive branch perhaps. To show Leon was the only one, technically, with split loyalties.
”I don't want to give the Rot my body when I die. I'm more concerned about that than I am staying alive… and I do trust you, Leon. I just don't trust the Temple. Can I at least meet… I don't know, whoever might be able to help before I properly consider it?”

”As far as the “Oath” bullshit, they're only in place to make sure secrets stay where they should stay; it's fully reliant on whether or not people are willing to carry out the punishment associated with breaking that oath.”
He let Luca chew on that thought for a moment, what with how many secrets Layla had already handed out to him…

”But… Even if there were? It all ends soon. My Ma… She's sick too. Though, not sick like you. She's the kind of sick that would emotionally manipulate a few hundred people into killing themselves for her. The kind of sick you only heal by extrication. So, when we do… Heal her… The Temple of Charming and Graceful Individuals will probably fold up. No single cult of personality to follow means everyone with followers takes them when they leave.”

”So there'll be tens of little cults running around St Portwell? That sounds like a whole different problem… but I see your point. It’s not the whole Temple, but just those at the top? Your mom and… her direct followers?” He nodded slightly as he thought about it. He was trying his best keep an open mind and actually understand rather than immediately react. He didn't want to dismiss Leon's genuine offer of help and… he really did need the help.

”Seems a bit of an oversight for a magical cult Oath to be purely based on fear, rather than any magic… again, beside the point. Will you really be able to do it? Extricate your own mother. You… and your siblings?” He was asking genuinely, without judging. He'd had to cut off his entire family for their safety and it had hurt… but it wasn't the same level as this.
”If you think so, I'll seriously consider it.”

”There's a lot of good people in the Temple, Luca. Good people counting on people like me to make things better. And I hate disappointing.”
He smiled, preparing for a painful sear as he moved slightly to pat Luca's arm. He held his hand there for a moment, to show the man and the entity that he wasn't afraid.

”What needs to be done will be done. The people crave freedom, with or without Charm and Grace.”
He pulled his hand away finally, the pain causing it to involuntarily shake a bit. But once he grabbed the wheel, he felt the low-dose effect fade away under the pressure of the warding.

”I’m sure it will, if there are others like you pushing for it too,” Luca said, his eternal optimism coming back even as he'd flinched away from Leon's hand - though not fast enough. It was an automatic reaction, a protection mechanism for other people. But he'd gotten more lax recently…
”Maybe I can come round sometime then? To talk about… options more. Well, I might need picked up then too, I assume you don't have a bus service to the Temple?” He laughed, seeming to relax a bit more - that almost imperceptible tension draining from him. Luca didn't like having talks like this. But unlike what some people probably though, he wasn't a pushover, and would do what he had to to protect others. Which meant…

”Speaking of good people- and I promise only two more questions, then Luca question time is over- Lila’s been around the Temple a bit too. Is there some kind of…” Luca grimaced as he asked.
”Strange paranormal egg farm, or is it just one guy with a bird lady laying eggs fetish?”

Leon laughed at Luca asking about a bus service.
”You're a Sycamite. I'm sure we can work out some safe and reliable transport… As for eggs?-”
He tried to think. The Novoraptor Egg project was cancelled, and even then, they weren't birds.

And then it clicked. The incident earlier that week; Casey had whatever backup he could get.
”Norman Whittle!? Don't tell me Lila got caught up talking to Norm fucking Whittle… That guy's just a pervert; if the model only vaguely follows the humanoid plan, you can bet his penis is in his hand. Though, I will say he's… Well, I won't say harmless, but he is a gentleman. He'd never do anything to hurt an Adjoined. Especially not if he found them attractive… Do you want me to keep an eye on that too?” he offered.

”Lila can handle herself. Well, she's not quite thinking straight right now. She didn't really see why the whole guy wanting her to lay eggs thing was weird- but I was worried it was a bigger scheme after what Layla had said. If it's just one… bird guy… she can just snap his neck if she's not happy about it. But thanks.” Luca laughed, somewhat awkwardly, because it was basically what she'd threatened to do the night before. Thankfully he'd stopped her…

”That does lead into my second question. Well, not really, it's got nothing to do with birds- relationships with Temple members! Lila said she fought with Trisha? Trisha Vanburen? And that she's dating your younger brother… who shot Lila.” Luca rubbed the back of his neck, the whole situation there feeling like a bit of a mess.
”I didn't tell Lila what Layla told me- because I promised her not to- but she was, uh, concerned that Trisha was… also trapped. I assume that's not the case? Cause it's Trisha and she's… dating your brother…”

This time Leon laughed aloud with a full head tilt backward.
”Verrrry sweet of you to worry about Trisha Vanburen of all people: No, Luca, she’s not fuckin’ trapped. She’s dating my brother Casey, and he’s got more problems with the Temple than any of us as siblings… He recently took a high position at our Mother’s behest, so I’m hopeful he’ll be just as eager to make changes as any of us.”

”Well that's a relief- I don't have to worry about Lila going on a one woman campaign against the Temple,” Luca laughed too. Though, he had also been a bit concerned - there were very few people in the coven he had no care for. Trisha was difficult - very difficult - but he was one of the few people who'd managed to come out of it relatively unharmed. Most of the nastier stuff she'd said just bounced off him.
”I don't really understand, they had a fight and now Lila's stuck in a more difficult to deal with form, but the moment she heard the Temple might be any kind of danger she was concerned… Even I'd struggle to care that much.”

He shrugged. Not that he tended to get into fights in the first place.
”Congratulations to them, if they're happy. If he's someone pushing for changes he must be a good person too… hopefully it, uh, all works out.”

That sentiment was one Leon didn’t bother answering. He’d already been yelled at by Trisha enough… The path through the city ended in the proposed meeting place, a private area outside of town. Conspicuously, there was a man and a door. The man at least looked and smelled familiar, leaving Leon more-so at ease. Kenshiro, having remained outside the Eleventh Path, stood there puffing away on something. At first it may’ve been mistaken for the cool air, but his hand kept passing up to his lips. As they both got closer, the pungent smell of skunk could fill both their noses. He smiled.
”Hey guys… Just don’t touch the walls on your way in.”

The door pushed open, and the two of them would be able to walk up a path and into a balmy atmospheric mountaintop that looked out over an impossible jungle. At the path’s head, a massive Japanese style temple sat half-buried in the structure of the mountain. Leon’s hand swept forward, ushering Luca on as he walked behind.

”You go ahead, Leon, I'm going to chat with Ken a bit,” Luca said as he paused, stepping to the side so he was out of the way, tilting his head up to smile at the much larger man. ”Oh, but you should come along to one of the after parties at my place sometime! Then you'll see that Jasper isn't… yknow…”
Leon only laughed aloud as he proceeded up the path, waving behind him as he did so.

He laughed, turning to Ken with a smile. With his friend smoking he normally wouldn't stick around… but he was feeling a bit guilty about the new coven, and not telling Ken yet. He needed to, but now wasn't the time. Probably.
”Hey Ken, you doing alright? How was the trip to the other worlds some of you went on?”

Ken’s eyes were a little dead.
”I’m having a hard time. It was… Not good. Taxing. I think I’ve been… Playing around the edge of my problems.”
He blew the skunky smoke away from Luca.
”Got this from Aislin after we were done… And y’know what? Doesn’t fuckin’ help.”
In an instant, the marijuana cigarette disappeared in a veil of static as Ken crushed it into a fine powder and let it blow away.

”How about you, my friend? You’re doing okay?”

”You know you can always talk to me, right? About anything,” Luca said softly, even though he could tell that Ken was redirecting it back to him. It didn't help with the guilt he felt swirling in his gut over what he knew Ken would see as a betrayal. Even just meeting up with (former) 8th Street members would be seen that way…
”Yeah, you know me, always doing alright! Bit more pain than normal, but that's just cause I've been busy the last few days. Lots to do, you know? Trying to solve a few of our problems… There's some stuff we won't have to worry about so much.” He continued, rather cryptically.

”Oh… Cool.”
It he was interested in finding out what Luca meant, it didn’t seem like it. He was, of course, he was happy to hear that Luca still wanted to do things… But how could he care when these sorts of things were on his mind? His wife, his girlfriend…
”I really really miss Kari. The… The other day, at her house. The vision that gripped me was so confusing. Painful.”
He looked up at Luca with those same sad eyes.
”I wish I could give you my life. Open a portal and take the Rot far away. Make it someone else’s problem.”

He looked away, trying not to look Luca in the eye. He was going to talk about Hanna, and about hearing her voice as they left Gloom. About how he had-
”Sorry. I shouldn’t say that to you; it probably feels like a taunt. Or a slap in the face maybe. You don’t really deserve that.”

Luca shook his head.
”It’s fine. I know it's coming from a place of care, right? It makes sense to want to take any pain away from your friend even if it's not possible… like I wish I could help you feel better about Kari. But I can't.” The smile he gave Ken was also sad. It was difficult. They were two people with very different problems, both suffering. Though his suffering was something he managed well day to day…
”Even if it was possible I wouldn't want you to do that. There's always something to live for even if it doesn't feel like it right now.”

He doubted it would help but… what else could he say?
”I've accepted how things are for me- but with all this help all of a sudden, maybe I'll find a way to get rid of it, no need for any sacrifices! Not that it's quite that bad…” he shook his head, diverting.
”I… found out something that would've made Kari happy. If you want to know… I'm not sure if that'll help, or make things worse?”

”Is it good enough for her to come home?” he asked with a very gentle but distant tone.

”Not yet but… yes, when they're back too,” Luca replied, looking a bit pained at saying that. It was like confirming to Ken that he wasn't enough when he should be…
”It’s Lisa, Saskia and Ella. They've been brought back to life.”

Ken’s face changed instantly. Not for the better.
”So… We know where Kari is.”
Luca would be able to watch a vein in Ken’s forehead begin to bulge, pulsing as blood rushed upward through his head.
”Thanks, Luca. I’m really happy that my girlfriend’s teenage lesbian girlfriends are alive and kicking. It’s great to think that she’s left me for a trio of bumbling fucks.”

”She’s definitely not with them, unless she met up with them later and went into the Pit,” Luca closed his eyes for a moment, and took a deep breath. Normally, it would be easy for him to handle and brush off negativity like this. But he'd had a long few days, and with it came that constant ache that made staying positive just a little bit harder. He'd known that Ken might not react well to this… but he hadn't expected a reaction this bad.
”Look, I get that you feel threatened, Ken. You love and miss Kari. But their deaths scarred her. Did Kari ever tell you why she cut me off? Or that she had in the first place? It was for them. They have, and will always, be part of her life and her heart. But you weren't a replacement for them, and they're not a replacement for you.”

He frowned, head tilting as he continued in an entirely serious tone.
”Also, Lisa loves Adora, Saskia loves Ella, and Ella loves anime characters. I don't think you need to worry.”

”Did I fucking ask, Goddammit!? Fuck! You told me. You gave me the information, and I thought that maybe the first cold answer would give away that I didn’t want to know. Because as much as I know it’d break her brain and make her giddy like I love to see her: She’s not fucking here.”
His hand rushed up to his face, his stupid crying face… Luca didn’t deserve this… But how was he supposed to just apologize for saying how he felt?

”I have this little problem about losing the women in my life to violence. I’m not exactly thinking about her happiness: I’m thinking about her safety. About-... Me… My happiness...”
His voice cracked up a little bit.
”S-selfish fucking…”
His back slumped up against the door jam of the Eleventh Path. Knees came up for him to shove his face into.

The harsher words that had been on the tip of Luca's tongue, along with a harsh, acrid taste as the rotting strengthened, were pushed back down. He took a step towards Ken, but still staying a safe distance away - he couldn't suppress the Rot as much right now, and he didn't think Ken could use his magic easily either… but he still crouched down in front of him.
”I told you because I thought you'd be happy that she'll be happy. I'm sorry that I was wrong. I didn't mean for it to hurt you like that… You're worried. She was dead, and now she's not… but Kari's smart. Wherever she is, she’s probably there for her own safety. I know that doesn't help, because you're not there.”

Luca frowned. His tone wasn't as bright as normal. More monotonous, a slight crackling almost.
”It's selfish, yeah. But you're still thinking about her safety first… I guess…”

For a second, Ken didn’t move… But he knew he didn’t want to shove all this in Luca’s face. Finally, his head turned up to look at him.
”I’m sorry. You’re trying to help, and I’m…”
He took a sharp breath.
”I feel guilty. It was the same, almost. Coming back to find out that she was gone? It felt like… My village. I haven’t really told you about it like that, like… You know I lost my Wife. My literal married wife… She was carrying my unborn son. They died, the two of them, like animals. I came home to it, Luca. To the carnage.”

His chin shook slightly.
”Kari was… Is… What I thought Hanna would’ve wanted. But she keeps coming back in my fucking dreams! Sometimes she begs me to help, sometimes she rejects me, I… Every fucking time I go to sleep, I feel like I’m being… Unfaithful to Kari. But, when I would wake up, I felt the same about Hanna… So, I leave. I leave for months at a time, to pursue the Fiends. The ones who cursed my Gold Lux.”

He cleared his throat, coming to the problems that were plaguing him.
”At Kari’s house, I was dead with Hanna. I saved our Son, and died bringing him to Tennogama. And one day he’d avenge us. And… It felt so right, Luca… I feel so fucking guilty constantly. Guilty and fucking weak and pathetic, and I-”
Ken choked up again, looking up at Luca as if he couldn’t find the words to use.

”I-in Gloom… I purposefully summoned a Fiend. A Grand Fiend. Something that would kill me if I tried it anywhere else. But when it manifested, I saw a light. Heard Hanna’s voice. And then the laser beam ripped the building in half, so… It felt like judgement, and I can’t get it out of my head… I want to forget.” he panted.

Luca was silent for a few moments. What could he say? Nothing he said would make things better for Ken. He couldn't bring his wife back, and he couldn't bring Kari back into this world. There was nothing to fix. Sympathetic words didn't help either. It was painful to see but he was also… glad that Ken was talking to him. How long had he kept all of this buried inside?
”The pain and guilt shows that you really loved them… would you really want to forget them?” Luca said softly, voice slightly choked up too. His hands moved forward, before stopping and dropping to his side. Rotting away his friend's flesh wasn't a way to help him feel better at all.

”You’re not being unfaithful to either, Ken, because you can love both… and you'll always love Hanna, but that doesn't change your love of Kari either. And- and neither of them would want you to keep hurting yourself, or summoning things that could kill you… was it really judgement? I don't think they'd blame you.” Luca shook his head.
”But I don't really know. I'm just… I'm sorry, Ken. You've had so much taken from you… and I'm glad you're talking to me about it… The guilt shouldn't be yours. It's whoever killed them.”

Ken sat for a moment, and Luca would be able to feel the crawling sensation of a telekinetic hug. A band that Ken could wrap his own arms around, which he did as he stood up. He hugged Luca as tight as he could, a gentle cry still causing Ken’s shoulders to bounce up and down slightly. He hadn’t even looked Luca in the face.
Sure, sure… They wouldn’t blame him. It was his guilt. His feelings of mourning and survivor’s guilt mixing into the cistern of his emotions alongside a feeling of uselessness and ineffectiveness.

”I wish I could rip the fucker out of your body, Luca… I feel so, so strongly that it’s what I deserve… But I know it’s not right. I know. It’s just so empty. And, even the Palette Clans. They wouldn’t recognize me; my Mother’s family… Even with her dead, my Uncle… They’ve all just abandoned me. It can’t not feel like I should’ve died with them…”

”Of- of course you feel that way when you're the only one left… it's like, sometimes I think, why did we survive the Snake when others didn't? How's it fair that we get to live? But we did- and you do. It's… not what you deserve at all. All you can do is live to make them proud? And I'll stand by your side for as long as I can.” He didn't hug Ken back because of how the telekinetic band was, but he leaned towards him slightly. He wished he could promise more, or that he'd be around long enough for them to grow old while still remaining friends. But he couldn't.
”There’s still people alive that love you, Ken, even if… it'll never replace the ones you lost or were abandoned by. And- and anyway, you couldn't handle the Rot, it's like an anti-relationship bubble.” He awkwardly tried to joke.

Ken kind of chuckled. He wasn’t exactly happy, but he couldn’t stay upset around Luca and the sweetness.
”I’m selfish… I want what I want, you know? If I want the… The evil cancer monster, well… You know.”
He sniffled, pulling away and releasing Luca.
”I’m sorry for what I said. You’re just trying to help.” he offered the olive branch the moment his head wasn’t full of Hannako’s face.

”It's alright, I'd never hold something like that against you. You're struggling and I just triggered it,” Luca replied reasonably, with a slight smile. Sure, some of it had almost triggered him - less him and more the Rot constantly in wait for a gap it could sneak into. But it hadn't.
”And you know if you ever feel awful, or lonely, you're always welcome to come see me, right? I know I'm not a perfect replacement but company can always help.”

He shrugged.
”It’s all temporary. I’ll never feel right until I can do what I’ve set my mind to… And I hate to think about something killing our friends as a ‘distraction’, but… It’s really taken me out of my usual mindset. Especially with Kari being gone.”
Clearing his throat, he shook his head.
”Again, selfish. I’ve only thought about it recently. Losing her, not knowing. Still not really being sure she’s alive or not, I… Should just live. Fuck the curse. Tennogama has a safe place to rest, and we made it for him. Jack can get the fuck out of the Void now, live in something nicer than a house stuck in the disco era. I don’t know… I don’t know much of anything besides I want this shit to be over so I can examine it closer.”

”That’s the spirit- sorta,” Luca said with a slight smile.
”We solve this shit, then we can go back to living… hopefully better. We've all reconnected we hadn't for years, right? Like Jack? That'sThat's… something. But no more trying to steal my ghost, or even thoughts of it.”

Ken chuckled again, shaking his head before sliding back down onto the concrete. He took a deep breath.
”I won’t make any promises… Now get in there, before you miss everyone's grand plans.” he said, and the door gently clicked open as if on command.

”Alright, alright, I’ll see you in there later,” Luca smiled at Ken, shoving his hands in his pockets and stepping inside.

---

_{The Eleventh Path
Interactions: Everyone Really}

---

Luca slipped into the Eleventh Path just in time to hear the news of three more people’s deaths… With that sombre feeling hanging over him he made his way over to Jasper, taking the seat next to him and shuffling it a little away to keep the rotting aura away from him. From there, he just listened. He waited for a gap to say anything as he thought.

He didn't particularly like the plan. He knew what would happen. It would end up in a city wide war between them, their allies, and the Elite, and their allies. He… couldn’t afford that right now. And he couldn’t live with all of this coven either… he was already planning to get the house with his new coven.

Luca hadn’t expected to be torn between the two so quickly.

”I think smaller groups still is a better bet than all living together,” Luca spoke up, voice a bit rough. He winced. ”There’s too many clashing personalities here… and someone like me, who will just destroy anywhere I live. It won’t work out. We can’t force everyone, anyway.”

If it was in retaliation like Jasper and Aislin said then it wasn’t starting a war… that had already been started, maybe. But it still seemed like an unnecessary danger. He just wasn’t sure…

He paused as 317 appeared. He recognised Jasper's sister from when they visited to get him healed after this first fight with Skelly… but they hadn't really talked then. He automatically straightened up, while also shuffling his chair further away from Jasper so everyone going in to hug him could without getting hurt by his aura.

”Nice to meet you all! I'm Luca,” Luca said, with a slight smile, raising his gloved hand to wave at them. He felt a lot of eyes on him all of a sudden, which was strange, but he brushed it off. Probably just cause he was clearly Jasper's friend and sitting close to him!

”No matter what, I’ll come, but I want to know what these Artifacts are too. And…” He trailed off, looking around everyone. ”You all understand what doing this means, right? Back and forth fighting until a group surrenders. A paranormal war. I understand you- 317- were attacked, and we have members in both. I just want everyone in Sycamore to understand what this means.”

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1 [Cancelled]

---

Interactions: Jack @Blizz, Lynn @NoriWasHere
The Eleventh Path

---

The Eleventh Path… It was nice. Anya was glad that she didn’t have to spend the past few days working on a spell to drag all their dreams together. As much as the control she’d have in there was tempting…

The news that Auri, Todd and Bé had been killed, however, wasn’t as welcome. Anya automatically looked towards Sloane. Bé had been her friend - almost as close as friend as Anya was to her. While Anya wouldn’t call him her friend as such, the news still wasn't pleasant. Her gaze remained on Sloane for the moment of silence to ensure her friend knew Anya was there.

Words weren’t needed, after all, and would be pointless in this situation.

Then Jack explained why they were here. He was succinct, for once, which Anya was thankful for. The plan to raid Elysium Island was one she was less fond of. It was a risk… to her reputation.

The last thing she wanted to do was put her relationship with Ezra at risk. If she could guarantee that she wouldn’t bump into anyone also attending the upcoming charity auction, then it was fine. But she couldn’t. There was the risk of bumping into Blake Schmidt himself. She couldn’t have that. It would be incredibly embarrassing, and could ruin everything she’d worked hard for.

“If father wolf has begun to target groups as well is it time for us to find a way to all live together?”

Lynn

Anya raised an eyebrow at Lynn, having to look away to dodge a crow going for one of her earrings. Her gaze moved to Lila for a moment, eyes narrowing, hoping she’d get the crows under control. ”If three people died together, why not all of us? Surely living together just gives Father Wolf easier targets. Or we’ll kill each other.”

She then turned her attention back to Jack, with the first bad idea hopefully nipped in the bud.

”If we join, do we get a moment to prepare? To… quickly go home and gear up, or similar?” Anya asked, raising an eyebrow. She gave a slight smile. ”Because some of us weren’t given advance warning of this planned attack. And some of us were working on what we’d discussed last meeting.”

She clasped her hands together in front of her, glancing around the group.

”In the last few days I’ve met with a contact to get an in with Blake Schmidt- a way for me to access his dreams. It would be ruined if I’m caught raiding his island for Artifacts, and then our second option for if this fails is gone.”

Then she raised a finger. ”You failed to mention it, but I presume our plan is to take Kari’s notes along with the Artifacts? We don’t want them deciphered by the House of Cards, even if the Artifacts will be more useful to us.”

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1 [Cancelled]

---

The Coffee House

---

There was a lot to do when it came to starting a new coven, and very little time to do it. At least, Luca wanted to get everything sorted as quickly as possible. For the safety of the 8th Street Members, and his own peace of mind…

Of course, after they’d formed there would be loads more to do. Alliances, inviting some of Sycamore, informing the rest of Sycamore, making sure certain friends of his didn’t get too upset… But that was a worry for then. For now, Luca had organised to meet up with Miranda and Jacqueline - along with any 8th Street Members they thought should come along. He’d left that to their discretion. He’d also invited Adora, because they were doing this together.

Hopefully they could find a new lair today… and maybe even form the coven itself.

He’d chosen a rundown cafe out of the centre of town to meet - with its outdoor seating and general quietness, it was perfect for him without having to meet in a park again. The tables were plastic and uncomfortable, but it saved them from the constant rotting. Even with all his layers it was always affecting everything around him. Another thing to think about if he chose to move in with everyone in this coven… but again, not for today. For now, he just waited.

It wasn’t a long wait, before Jacqueline, Miranda, and Greta walked up… Jacqueline was wearing green cargo pants and a white t-shirt, while Miranda was wearing a green dress, while Greta was wearing a somewhat ill-fitting grey hoodie and sweatpant combo that rode up and down if she moved her body in a certain way.

“Hi, Luca!” Miranda said as she had a seat. “I’m glad you’re doing well.”

“Yeah, how are you?” Jacqueline said, sitting next to Miranda, but Greta didn’t sit.

“Where is Appie?” Greta asked, sliding her hands into her pockets.

”Hey Miranda, Jacqueline, Greta,” Luca nodded to each in turn with a bright smile. ”I’m alright! And Adora’s on her way, she just had… some other stuff to do first. She didn’t specify.”

“Well, we gave her a time,” Greta shrugged as she sat down. “The floor is yours…”

Greta glanced at Miranda, who sighed.

“So, to get to the chase, while Vashti and Emily were out, we talked to everyone…” Miranda awkwardly said, her voice cracking at the end.

“Alright, the good news is that Brianna, Lee, Phoebe, Maya, Amy, Violet, and Pink have agreed to leave Emily and come with us.” Jacqueline cut right to the chase, and as she spoke, she gestured all the way. “Bad news… everyone else said no.”

Miranda sighed, “Aaron and Nadine want to keep getting paid… and since we’re no longer going to terrorize the city, I don’t know how we’ll keep the money flowing.” Miranda laughed at the end.

“I suggested selling my potions, but…” Greta butted in. “... We all know that’s just going to stroke the fires of this city.”

“And that’s too much work to keep two scumbags, so we’re minus a heavy hitter and our intelligence guy,” Jacqueline sighed. “Honestly, we haven’t tried talking to Carol or Cynthia about this yet… They’re going to be a tough sell.”

“I don’t want to leave Cynthia to get killed,” Miranda said.

“Well,“ Greta began. “If you let Cynthia eat all the children she wants...” Then she shrugged.

“No, Greta!”

“Jesus Christ, Greta!” Jacqueline said in shock. “There’s going to be an amber alert every other night!”

“... You can’t have your cake and eat it, too.”

Luca’s lips pulled into a thin line as he thought about it. It was a good list overall… But it still left them in a precarious position. If Cynthia stayed too that meant Emily still had most of the heavy hitters - Nadine, George, Cynthia… Though Luca was glad George wasn’t coming. He wouldn’t be able to accept that.

”For Carol… I can try talking to her. Britney victim to Britney victim, y’know?” Luca laughed awkwardly. ”I might be able to convince her, but it’ll be hard, since she really wants to kill Britney as much as she wants cured…”

“... You might not be able to,” Greta voiced out that reality.

As for Cynthia… ”I might have a solution that solves the one less heavy hitter problem, and Cynthia. Maybe… Miranda, Jacqueline, you remember the kid who gatecrashed us last time? Clancy? He’s not a kid at all, he’s older than us… and he’s strong. I doubt he’d actually join but he’d definitely help. Like Cynthia, he needs to eat… people. But he targets bad people. Maybe Cynthia could tag along with him? Then she gets fresh food, rather than just eating parts of you, Miranda. And you don’t have to deal with that anymore…”

Greta raised an eyebrow as Miranda awkwardly laughed.

“Oh…” Miranda looked off to the side. “... That kid,”

“I mean, he did seem serial-killer-y,” Jacqueline laughed, except genuine.

“Well, she’ll have a buffet of bastards to chow down on, then we can easily sway her,” Greta said with a roll of her eyes. “That is what she wants, right? To eat people. She doesn’t care about the ‘Pack’ or whatever. Just to eat as many people as her heart desires.”

Greta sinisterly laughed.

“... That’s why she was having such a ball when we were fighting the Nazi Cosplayers.”

“I don’t know…” Miranda shrugged. “From what I saw about the kid, I got some nasty vibes from him; what’s stopping him from hurting Cynthia? Or any of us?.”

”Because he’ll leave as soon as there’s a risk of him hurting us,” Luca replied honestly. ”I understand being worried about it… but he’s as likely to hurt you as I am. It’s a similar situation. If the Rot takes over, I could kill you all.”

Luca rubbed the back of his neck. ”Plus, he’s been staying at my place since Monday, and he’s yet to hurt any of us. I’m not really appealing in that way, but Jasper, Lynn and Lila are staying over too - they’re not literally rotting. He hasn’t made a move on any of them.”

“... Just because he doesn’t hurt you all doesn’t mean he won’t hurt us,” Greta said to Luca, not even turning in his direction. “You said some people in Sycamore want us all dead, yes?”

”He won’t, trust me,” Luca shook his head. He understood the scepticism… And that Greta probably assumed it was just his positivity coming through. But at the end of the day, Luca was actually a realist. An optimistic one, but a realist all the same. ”As for Sycamore… yeah. But most want Emily and Vashti, and can separate them from you all. Some… can’t. One mainly.”

Luca looked directly at Greta, even though she didn’t look at him. ”Ken. He wants you all dead, and is in denial about me ever being a part of 8th. When everything’s sorted, I want to talk to him about it. He might budge. But if he doesn’t… if anyone else from Sycamore wants you all dead? They’ll have to get through me first.” There was steely determination in his dark eyes. Ken was his friend, but if he wasn’t going to hurt so many people Luca deeply cared for.

“Well, killing all of us won’t change anything,” Greta shrugged. “Then again, he always seemed like the dumb one.”

“That’s sweet, Luca, but…” Miranda sighed. “... We can’t ask you to do all of that for us.”

The three went silent.

“While we tried our best to keep Emily and Vashti in line, we did help them terrorize the city for years. We’re just as complacent in that as Emily.”

“I would like not to die, though,” Greta snorted, steepling her fingers.

Luca smiled at Miranda. ”I’d be doing it because I want to. You don’t deserve to die and there’s plenty in Sycamore who did just as bad. I want to protect you all.”

And what did he have to lose, apart from the people he loved? His own life was worthless. Every day was a bonus. It was so easy to sacrifice yourself when your death was so close anyway… ”Hopefully it won’t come to that! After we sort everything out, get a lair and move everyone, I plan to talk to the other people who I think will support it. I think they’ll join too… Then, I’ll talk to the problems. Then, the whole coven.”

Before Jacqueline, Miranda, or Greta could respond, Adora walked up… Wearing a red hooded tracksuit with a black facemask and sneakers. She kept her hands in her pockets.

”Sorry I’m late, got caught up in traffic,” Adora laughed, ”You know how it is.”

“Ah, Appie, we’ve been expecting you,” Greta said, before she pulled a cheap plastic chair out for Adora. ”Here, have a seat, we have much to discuss.”

Adora sat down next to Greta and red flashed over her face before she turned away.

”Guess we do,” Adora shrugged, before she turned to Jacqueline and Miranda. ”You two are… Emily’s sisters?”

“Yes, I’m Miranda, she’s Jacqueline,” Miranda chipperly answered, before she extended a hand. “It's great to meet you!”

Adora shook it, forcing the biggest smile she could.

”Adora Phoenix-Prescott,” Adora introduced herself. ”I’m glad to meet you.”

There was an awkward pause.

”... Where were we?”

“Oh, nothing,“ Greta gave Adora a catty smile, “Just not getting wiped out by Sycamore. Nothing important.”

”Look, that’s going to be easy,” Adora said, and everyone looked at her, ”Sycamore can’t focus on shit unless it's literally right in front of ‘im. So all you have to do is just keep your heads down and let them forget about ya’ll. Easy.”

Adora finished her speech with a shrug.

”If they were really serious about it, they would have done it by now.”

”Adora’s right,” Luca said with a light laugh. ”Sycamore’s a mess. Their focus has already shifted from 8th to the people who currently have Kari's notes. So if we just… exist, they'll ignore us.”

He then gestured to himself and Adora. ”We’ll still be going to Sycamore meetings anyway. I’m still going to help find Father Wolf… so hopefully they won't see it as a betrayal or anything.”

”I mean,” Adora said with a shrug. ”They don’t have to know, right? We ain’t gon’ screech it from the heavens.”

“We will try and help you as best we can,” Jacqueline nodded. “But, if we’re keeping our heads down, there’s not much I can do.”

“I can give you some of my potions,” Greta shrugged. “Though, we really should be saving them.”

”No need,” Adora said. ”Sycamore can handle Sycamore problems, right Luca?”

”Right,” Luca nodded. ”You guys don’t worry about it! Me and Adora can handle it.”

Along with Jasper, Lila and Lynn if they agreed to join when Luca talked to them… because he trusted them. ”So we have a plan for Sycamore, a sort of plan for Cynthia and Carol… What's next? Looking for a new lair? Miranda said yesterday you’d already looked at property a bit, right, Jacqueline?”

”At some point, we should decide on what our goal should be,” Adora softly added with a nod of her head. ”But, that’s just my thoughts.”

“I checked out a few spots in the outskirts of town,” Jacqueline nodded her head. “They’re nothing fancy, but should be able to accommodate everyone and their needs… the issue we’ve been having is paying for it.” She rested her face in her hands.

“We could swipe some money from Emily before we go…” Miranda suggested before she sighed. “... But given how she got that money, it wouldn’t be right.”

“You could use the book to sell secrets to Isaac Kane,” Greta said with a shrug.

“Oh? That shady bastard?” Jacqueline said.

”Heh,” Adora couldn’t help but morbidly laugh. ”That’s the price of doing good, right?”
Everyone looked at her.

”It’s all about doing things the hard way.”

”What’re you suggesting, Adora?” Luca looked over at her, tilting his head. ”I’ve got a good amount of money just lying around, since I don't really… buy things and my rents dirt cheap- but I don't think it'll be enough. We'll still need a bit more… the hard way. Do you just mean, like, working?”

”What I mean by ‘doing things the hard way’ isn’t a shortcut like a shady deal or robbing some motherfucker,” Adora leaned back in her chair, and rolled her eyes. ”From what I heard, 8th St has been running buckwild for years now. Stealing artifacts, terrorizing the city, selling shit to sex pests?”

Adora paused as Jacqueline and Miranda looked uncomfortable.

”That’s just doing things the easy way. The hard way - the right way - is bettering yourself, stopping relying on stealing, and terrorizing poor innocent people. That’s what I’m talking about. Changing for good. ”

”Adora’s right,” Luca nodded, looking at Jacqueline and Miranda with a smile. ”I know you can all do it- we’ll do it. You’re all good at heart, really. This is the fresh start. We’ll do things right as a coven. Help people, maybe.”

He then rubbed the back of his neck. ”That doesn’t really help with the money problem, though. Maybe I can take out some loans… wouldn’t need much with what I already have. Then, if I live long enough for it to matter, you guys can slowly pay some of it back as your share of the house.”

“I mean… I don’t think we can ask you to do all that for us,” Jacqueline said.

“Yeah, we can figure something out,” Miranda nodded.

But, Adora just rolled her eyes.

”Look, sweetheart, I know we just met like two minutes ago,” Adora began, crossing her arms. ”But, you can’t have your cake and eat it too. If we keep up like this, we’re going to be sitting here all day - and my ass is getting sore from this chair - sooooo...”

“So…?” Miranda said as she tilted her head, then Jacqueline tilted her head. Adora uncrossed her arms and put her fist to her chin.

”... Just make up your minds already. Shit.” She rolled her eyes.

”Again, Adora’s right. And I’m really fine with that. I’m going to be part of the coven too, remember? You’re second in command. And if you really want you can pay it all back eventually.” Not that Luca expected to live that long. ”If you don’t have a better suggestion, just accept it.”

“I just don’t want to run us into debt,” Miranda awkwardly laugh. “And I don’t want to run Luca into debt.”

”And I understand that,” Adora shrugged. ”But, again, you have to make these sacrifices now that you’re no longer making easy money.” She finished that statement with a roll of her eyes.

”... And right now the only thing you’re sacrificing is our time,”

“Fine,” Miranda said, turning to Luca, “Let’s do it. We’ll pay you back, I promise.”

“... And stop acting like you’re definitely going to die, dork,” Greta then rolled her eyes. “My schedule has cleared up, so now I have more time to work on something to help you but the magnum opus I told you about has to take priority.”

”You know you never told us the fuck it was,” Adora raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t worry about it,”

”I trust you, Greta, so prioritise what you have to,” Luca nodded. Greta was right that he had to stop acting like he was definitely going to die - even though he’d accepted it, that didn’t mean he should just sit around and let it happen. ”And with you and Adora on the case, I’m sure I’ll be fixed in no time!”

He then turned back to Miranda and Jacqueline. ”Alright, so now that we’ve agreed, what were the houses you found?”

Jacqueline cleared her throat, catching everyone's attention. “I found a place that might work. It’s not fancy, but it's cheap.”

”Define cheap.” Adora raised an eyebrow.

Jacqueline shrugged, “Well, it’s on the edge of town. Kind of... abandoned. But it’s not falling apart - just needs some love.” She twirled a strand of hair around her fingers. “It’s an old Victorian-style house. It's pretty big, too, so we’d have space for all of us. And it’s got a basement that could be perfect for, you know... Coven-stuff.”

”... Please tell me you’re not planning on sacrificing goats to Satan or something,” Adora rolled her eyes up into her head.

“Oh, no, not at all,” Jacqueline said.

“Well, I claim the basement so you’ll have to do Coven stuff outside,” Greta pushed her glasses up her nose. “I need the space for my lab.”

”Why is it so cheap? That’s a red flag.” Adora nodded her head.

“Well... there are rumors. People say it’s haunted, cursed, or whatever,” Jacqueline shrugged again. “That’s probably why it’s been empty for so long. But nothing we can’t handle, right? I mean, we deal with way worse regularly.”

”Oh yeah, some of us have ghosts in our heads,” Luca half laughed. ”It’s probably an apparition, right? We can seal it and be done with it… and the rumours help too. It'll keep other people away from us.”

He nodded. They had enough strong abstractions in the group - even if some of the group coming with them was a bit… dysfunctional. ”It sounds perfect for what we want, and I bet the owners will want rid of it so we can get it quickly. Then the next problem is… moving everyone over without a confrontation with Emily and Vashti.”

“I mean…” Jacqueline said, “With Brianna at our disposal, we can open a portal overnight or while those two are out and then just dip.”

“The issue will be moving my lab,” Greta said, “I’m not going anywhere without my materials.” She narrowed her eyes.

”Right… how hard will that be? Is it just a case of needing more hands for manual labour, or… the materials are dangerous?” Luca asked. He couldn't exactly help either way… he'd need to stay away from the materials, really.

“Well, ’my materials’ in this context is all of the potions I created and everything I use to make them,” Greta began, and as she leaned forward, she steepled her fingers. ”So, they are hazardous in regards to the explosive potions, the acidic potions, the smoke-creating potions, and… the Magnum Opus.”

”The fuck are you cooking?” Adora asked, tilting her head.

“Don’t worry about it,” Greta said, “The Magnum Opus is the most dangerous, but long as we are careful while-”

Greta was cut off by an explosion in the distance, a mushroom cloud of green smoke, and a flash of light. Everyone turned their head towards it and could see two people getting launched into the upper stratosphere. Greta just sighed.

“... the Magnum Opus no longer needs to be transported,” Greta shrugged. “Maybe as those two plummet to their deaths, they will learn to follow instructions in the next life.” She nonchalantly rolled her eyes.

”We don’t have to move everything in one sitting, you know,” Adora shrugged. ”Just move shit piece by piece to the new lair, I can help.”

”... you’re talking about Maya and Phoebe, aren’t you?” Luca said quietly, still looking at the mushroom cloud. They’d… probably be fine, knowing them. ”Adora’s right, we can do it bit by bit - can it go through Brianna’s portal? It wouldn’t take long, then, if everyone helps… except me, I shouldn’t touch any of it- I can maybe get more help too? I wanted to… talk to Jasper, Lynn and Lila about this sometime. I think they’ll come with me, and both Jasper and Lila would bring some extra muscle.”

“It went through Brianna’s portal just fine every other time,” Greta noted with a shrug.

”I can also see if Stormy can help,” Adora shrugged. ”He seems cool and can help if things go south.”

”If Stormy comes along I can help too,” Luca flexed his arms - though even with his baggy clothes it was obvious there was no muscle there. ”Assuming you three are alright with that? I- we- trust those four, but I wouldn’t be sharing it with or inviting along anyone else.”

“... Long as none of them swipes any of my potions,” Greta snorted.

“Look, beggars can’t be choosers,” Jacqueline shrugged. “If they’re willing to give us another chance to make things right, then I don’t see why not.”

”They definitely won’t swipe them, Greta,” Luca laughed. ”If you’re sure, I can talk to those three tonight! Adora can handle Stormy…”

He smiled. That was another weight off his shoulders if he could actually talk to them about it. He didn’t like keeping secrets, especially not from his closest friends. ”So, moving’s sorted… sort of. Honestly, this is all working out faster than I expected, so long as we can get that house easily. Next… we need a name.”

”The Baddies,” Adora suggested.

“Labrat Coven,” Greta suggested.

“... What’s the name of this place?” Miranda asked, looking up at the sign.

“The Coffee House Coven,”

”I should’ve picked a better location,” Luca laughed. ”The Coffee Labrat Baddies? No, that’s awful… uhh… What about something like the Lotus Flower Coven, or just Lotus Coven? It’s a flower that represents new beginnings in a way.”

”... Subtitle: The Baddies.” Adora added.

“I like Lotus Flower Coven,” Miranda smiled at Luca. “Is everyone in agreement?”

“Aye,” Jacqueline said.

”Sure,” Adora shrugged,
“That means we have to form our pact on a lotus flower then,” Greta noted.

”... I’m sure it’s easy to buy some. We even know a flower shop owner,” Luca looked over at Adora with a smile. ”Will the pact still be valid if we destroy the flower in the process?”

”I feel like that’s a bad omen, bruh,” Adora flatly said.

“Eh, I doubt it’ll make much difference,” Greta said.

”It’s not like I can control it!” Luca held up his hands. ”But… this is good. I like it. Lotus Flower Coven, a new beginning. It’s exciting.”

He looked at them all with a bright smile, then specifically at Jacqueline. ”... So, do you think we can get that house sorted today?”

”Usually buying houses takes time,” Adora said with a shrug. ”Like months.”

“If the house has been on the market for so long, I think all we have to do is wave some money in their face and get rid of it,” Greta shrugged.

”That ain’t how it works,” Adora said.

“I mean, if we get a mortgage, then yeah,” Jacqueline said, “But, I think if we can give them the cash up front, then they can just sign it over. If not, maybe we can just slide them some extra dough so they’ll let us move in early.”

”That’d be ideal, we don't have months. I can probably get together that cash today, tomorrow… Quickly, at least. The longer we wait the more likely Emily and Vashti will catch on,” Luca said. ”Not sure where we'll get extra from if that's needed, though! Guess I can just take out a bigger loan…”

”I don’t be spending money like that, so I can help out,” Adora said with a shrug. ”But, my job doesn’t pay like that.”

“Worst comes to worst,” Greta pushed her glasses up her nose. Then, in a completely monotone voice, she said, “We can all just sell ourselves to pay for it.”

Jacqueline, Miranda, and Adora looked at Greta in horror.

Who just shrugged.

“... It’s an option.”

”Nobody is selling ass,” Adora shook her head.
”... Sell myself as a hitman, maybe,” Luca laughed awkwardly. ”It won’t come to that. I’m sure we can scrape together enough for the house, especially with my savings… and a bit of a loan. Don’t want to start of the fresh start like that…”

He smiled. ”But everyone helping sounds like a plan- not in that way. Aside from money is there… Anything else we need to talk about?”

”Like, what are we going to be doing as a Coven?” Adora asked.

“Well… I think we should help St. Portwell,” Miranda said, “It’s the best we can do after everything we did under Emily’s rule.”

“What 8th St should have been,” Greta said.

”I agree,” Luca nodded, smiling. ”The city's… a mess, magically. We should help with that. Make alliances, make amends where we can. And also learn and grow together. That’s what I first joined 8th Street for. Companionship, learning and helping others.”

”I’m sure we can pull it off,” Adora said with a shrug. ”We just have to play our cards right, keep our heads down, just look at everything Sycamore is doing, and then do the opposite!” Adora laughed at her joke.

“But, I wanted to talk with you about something later, Appie. You too, dork,” Greta began. “It’s… important..”

”Oooooh boy,” Adora rolled her eyes. ”Just send my anxiety through the fuckin’ roof, will ya?”

”Yeah, is it not something we can talk about now? Or like… in a short while?” Luca rubbed the back of his neck, also feeling just a little bit nervous about that. Especially if it was important.

Greta sighed, looking off to the side as she began playing with her fingers. There was an awkward silence as she just sighed.

“I don’t know how to say this…” Greta trailed off.

Adora narrowed her eyes.

“... But, Lisa is alive.”

Luca’s eyes widened, and his mouth fell open slightly. Lisa… alive? That didn’t make any sense. He didn’t want to tell Greta that he didn’t believe her, but he just couldn’t entirely believe it. ”How? And how do you know…”

“The Hound revived them,” Greta began, pushing her glasses up her nose. “They, being Lisa, Ella and Saskia… He told them to defeat Morningstar for him - in which they were successful.”

Greta then looked at Luca, “And how do I know? They contacted me. We had a cute little video call where they told me everything. The second they opened their mouths, I knew it was them.”

Luca frowned. Saskia and Ella too? He wanted to believe it, he really did. But it was hard to… why would they come back? Why now? Was that even possible? But why would Greta lie about it? He was confused. ”I… do you have more proof, Greta? It's just hard to believe, even if it's coming from you…”

“Would I lie to you about this?” Greta asked, “What would I gain from that?”

”Nothing, I know you wouldn't,” Luca shook his head. ”But it's just really hard to believe, you know? I'll need some time to process it…”

Adora was completely silent… though she was scraping her nails on this shitty table as she bore teeth. Then she damn near-hissed, ”... You sure a lil’ bit of Emily ain’t rub off on you, Gretchen?” Adora began, ”Because this ain’t cute. This ain’t funny.”

Luca didn't say anything at first, looking over at Adora with concern. He wanted to comfort her somehow, but knew he couldn't. ”Adora…”

He then looked at Greta, speaking quietly as he tried to think of some solution. A way to prove it to them both so that Adora didn't spiral more, and there wasn't a rift between her and Greta. ”Can we… call them too?”

Greta sighed.

“You can’t.”

”Why not?” Luca asked.

“... Because they’re in The Pit.”

“I mean,” Miranda awkwardly tapped her fingers together as she looked at Adora - who didn’t look too good. She smiled to defuse things, “Maybe we can ask the book.”

“... Maybe we should call it a day,” Jacqueline glanced at Adora.

”That’s probably for the best,” Luca agreed, smiling at Miranda and Jacqueline, though his expression was still mostly concerned. ”Why don't you contact the person who's selling that house? I'll get as much money together as I can… then we can reconvene to look at it and hopefully buy it?”

“Yes, sounds like a plan,”

Adora didn’t say a word; she simply just pushed herself to her feet… she stared at Greta for a few moments, before turning on her heel and walking away.

Greta sighed, shaking her head, “... I don’t think she took well to that.”

”Of course she didn’t.” Luca watched Adora go, feeling conflicted. Should he go after her? Would she even want him to go after her? ”Why did you tell her? From what I know of the Pit it’s… a deadly place. Will Lisa, if she’s really alive, come back from it?”

“I’m not sure,” Greta shook her head. “I thought she should know… I have been holding onto it for quite some time now.”

”I understand…” Luca trailed off. It was a difficult one. Tell her, and hurt her like this… but don’t tell her, and possibly hurt her more. ”I don’t think you made the wrong decision, assuming it’s true, just… give her time. You know how bad it was for her more than any of us.”

Luca clasped his hands together in front of him. ”How did the three of them seem when you talked to them?”

“The same as ten years ago,” Greta shrugged. “Literally the same. I actually think the Hound took some extra braincells from them.”

”Being brought back to life can’t be simple, I wouldn’t be surprised if they came back with less,” Luca shrugged, laughing awkwardly.

Greta sighed, resting her face in her hands.

“... I ruined things with her, didn’t I?” Greta sighed again, “God, I’m such a fuckup!”

”Hey, that's not true, Greta,” Luca said immediately. His hand started to move forward towards her then he stopped, dropping it into his lap. That would just hurt more… ”There was no right answer. If you'd waited until Lisa came back… if she came back… Adora would be upset too. I'll try talk to her tomorrow if she's feeling up to it. But they're not ruined. She just needs time.”

Greta sighed, “Fine, but… fine.” She shook her head. “Can I just share a lil’ secret of mine? Something between us.”

“I mean, we’re here!” Jacqueline snorted.
“I know you two dorks can keep a secret.”

”Hey, you know how well I can keep secrets,” Luca said with a reassuring smile.

Greta sighed.

She held her breath for a moment.

“... I always had a crush on Adora.”

”Oh.” Luca’s eyes widened slightly. ”Always? Like… for ten years? I couldn’t tell. You’ve kept this to yourself the whole time?”

“Yes, it’s not something I’d blurt out,” Greta shook her head. “Not that I had a lot of chances to act on it because she left the Old Coven.”

Luca smiled, getting over his shock… mostly because he hadn’t been able to tell. Then again, what did he know? He had no experience with stuff like this. It wasn’t like he could ever be with anyone… his own crush wasn’t going to go anywhere.

”No wonder you feel so bad about it- but it’ll be fine, Greta, really. You were just doing what you thought was best. And I think… Maybe you still have a chance? And if things don’t work out, we’ll be here for you. You’re looking at Mr Eternally Single over here!”

“I guess - maybe,” Greta said, rubbing her temples. “At least I don’t think I can make it any worse, right?”

She smiled half-heartedly at Luca before slowly pushing herself to her feet.

“I’m going for a walk or something to clear my head. If Adora comes back, tell her I’m sorry.”

”Sure, I will,” Luca raised a hand, smiling as comfortingly as he could at Greta before she left. Then he turned to Miranda and Jacqueline. ”Guess it’s just us left, huh? Was there anything you wanted to… speak about with just the three of us?”

Jacqueline shrugged.

“Nothing here,”

“Let’s just keep our heads down and play the part,” Miranda said. “Emily is too busy dealing with the aftermath of Saturday.”

---

Sunset Cafe, Wednesday Late Afternoon

---

Late in the afternoon, as the sun was making its way towards the horizon and the temperatures dropping, Luca was once again waiting to meet someone. He’d chosen a nice location - a cafe with a larger outdoor seating area, barely populated at this time of year. It was a nice place with a good selection of food, with Luca having arrived early enough to already have a sandwich in front of him he was slowly getting through. The table he sat at was out of the way enough to have a conversation about magic without worrying about eavesdropping, while being obvious enough that he could be found. It was also central enough to be easily accessible by bus… He’d done everything he could to make this easy and comfortable.

It was just unfortunate it had to be outside. The cold weather wasn’t good for him, and he doubted it would be good for Layla either. But the alternative of him getting too close to Blinds was worse. So he’d bundled up, plenty of layers offering extra protection against his rotting touch anyway - black, ragged clothing and slowly decaying gloves that his fingertips peaked through.

Luca had reached out to Layla, getting her number from Auri the day of the meeting, mostly to check up on her. She’d left so quickly on Monday… and he just wasn’t comfortable with it. While once he would’ve said he trusted Leon without questioning, with how he’d been speaking then he found that trust faltering. He had to make sure that Layla was fine - that the adjoining had been consensual, and that… she wasn’t being dragged too far into something she shouldn’t be.

Alizeè too, though he was less concerned when it came to the Apparition. The two of them… he should be able to relax if they were happy together. Hopefully. But he had to see it himself. It was in his nature, constant concern and care for others - especially those in similar positions to him.

The ride out from the Temple grounds into the city was rich with inner turmoil. A lot of mental back-and-forth.

“And you just let them take the Riils? Do you know how much danger you were in?!”

Layla was riding on her little motorcycle along the freeway, Alizée safely tucked away deep within the recesses of Layla's body.

“Yes, mom, I know. I wasn't suppose to tell anyone, you can't say a word of it to Luca.”

“Someone besides me should know.” Came Alizée's bitter response.

“You saw the memory. If I tell anyone, they'll kill me. I literally cannot afford to speak a word of it to anyone. Even you knowing might be too much.”

“They'll never know.”

“They're monsters. They knew about intimate details like I was getting the Riil siblings sealed. If they knew that, what else could they know?”

At that, Alizée was quiet for a moment. Before she spoke up again in her mind.

“So, what are your thoughts on the Temple? And no, I'm not putting this under the rug; we aren't finished talking about Dollhouse.”

Layla rolled her eyes, coming to a stop at a red light.“Right, right. Uhm, well they seem to care. Especially about you. But they do seem a bit… suffocating?”

“From what I have pieced together, in my previous life I was quite content with them. However… they have Void… and they haven't let us see him yet, nor have they freed him. The pleasantries might be a distraction… What if they never give him up?”

Layla felt a twist in her stomach, seeing the cafe rolling up. “We can talk more about this later. Remember Luca stuck their neck out for us; let's enjoy our time together.”

“I remember Luca trying to exert his voidling's strength over me…” Alizée grumbled.

“To be fair, you caused quite the scene. With everyone on edge due to Father Wolf, it was… a reasonable response. You should really be more concerned with how Sloane tried to curse you.”

A pause. “...Right, right.”

Layla slid into some street parking in front of the cafe, giving Luca a wave. She slipped off her helmet and turned off the engine, pocketing the keys in her backpack. Dressed in a leather jacket and wool leggings under her black dress, Layla was well-dressed to spend some time outside.

She slid into the seat one down from Luca, giving respect to his aura.

“Hi Luca, hope I didn't make you wait…”

Pulling her bag in front of her, Layla withdrew a long black cloak. She then handed it to the air beside her, where wisps began to coalesce, bringing into form Alizée. Alizée was quick to wrap the cloak around her as she sank into her seat, positioned a little closer to Luca.

Apparently someone had talked to her about blending in more. Now she would hopefully come off as an eccentric cosplayer. Even the chains she had forced to lie on their belly.

Alizée eyed Luca carefully, before giving him a nod. “I'm… grateful for what you did the other day. Your name is Luca, right?”

”Hey, hey, no, I didn't wait long at all!” Luca smiled brightly as they both appeared, glad that Layla had managed to sit outwith his aura. With Alizee between them too it was less of a risk… it couldn't hurt Apparitions, anyway, just his touch. ”Yup, I'm Luca. It's nice to properly meet you, Alizée. I'm sorry about how I reacted at first at the meeting… I just had to make sure no one would get hurt. I’m not sure how much Layla has filled you in, but nonconsensual Adjoining is a… sore spot.”

“Is non-consensual Adjoining a thing?”

“With Luca… Yes.”

There was a flicker in Alizée's eyes as she watched, smelling the Void wafting off of Luca. The Void that wasn't wanted. Same as it was at the house on the hill, but… now in a different context. More human.

Luca then looked over at Layla, eyes softening. Sure, they'd never been close, but Luca wasn't the kind to care about that. He just cared about people. Every coven member, bar a few. He'd spent the last ten years isolating himself from near everyone, anyone. Maybe now he felt he should use the time he had left to help people… ”We didn't leave things on a great note then, so I wanted to catch up… make sure you're okay. I take it you're both adjoined now? Are you… happy with it? Both of you.”

Layla saw Luca looking at her. Really looking. The last person to do that was Mr. Devola. It wasn't something she had entirely gotten over. But, Luca had a different feel than Mr. Devola. Softer.

Alizée glanced at Layla, a crinkle in her eyes. ”Are you? Remember, no take-backsies.”

Layla gave Alizée a light smack, giggling. Before she settled a bit, and nodded earnestly at Luca. ”I couldn't be happier. The chains get some getting used to, sure-” She lifted up her arm, revealing a bright cuff and a few links. “-But Alizée is actually a lot like her old self, I just don't think she realizes it. Still has her old temper. But without… you know, the Void Hearts's uh, overshadowing… She's got quite the mothering side. Made me breakfast this morning.”

Alizée's eyes slitted, levelling a flat stare at Luca. “She doesn't cook for herself. It's no wonder she's just skin and bone.”

A pause, before Alizée glanced at Layla, then back to Luca. “She's naive, but a sweet little thing. I was happy to get rid of her other voidlings.” She sniffed, eyes narrowing into slits. “Bunch of losers.”

Luca relaxed slightly as he looked between the two of them, smiling genuinely. They weren't faking it. In his experience, people didn't tend to when it came to adjoining anyway. If the Apparition wanted to leave, they could. If they didn't… the host had no choice, but most tried to get rid of them. Like Layla had with her last ghosts. Like he'd been trying to do for his own. ”I’m really glad. I think what you two have now is how it should be between Apparition and who they're adjoined to. You have to look after each other, right? Make sure you're both satisfied and happy… It's a balance. I think you'll both be fine. I'm really glad. Hopefully you'll start putting on some weight then, Layla? It's nice to have someone to cook for you.”

His smile, already soft, grew softer as he thought about his own, improved meals thanks to Jasper.

Layla nodded at that, smiling softly. ”It really is. I mean, I don't mean to be lazy. It's just… hard, ya know?”

Then, his expression turned a bit more solemn. ”I’m really sorry you had to suffer for so long without any help. I know we weren't close ten years ago… but I should have reached out. For both of you. I was too busy dealing with my own problems. Maybe I could've helped Alizée before… though there's no use dwelling on that. But I probably could have helped you, Layla. I'm really sorry I didn't.”

Of course he'd only been fifteen at the time, with an Apparition that meant he couldn't live a normal life. But she'd only been ten… and he could have helped. He understood what it was like to deal with something constantly draining you. ”At least your tormentors are gone, now.”

Layla shrugged, waving him off. ”It's my own fault. I didn't ask for help. A mistake I hope not to repeat.”

Alizée scoffed softly. ”Funny.”

Layla shot Alizée a mixed look, before glancing back to Luca. ”But enough about me, Luca. What's going on with you? I don't think we've had the chance to properly catch up. I only get to see you at those hectic meetings.”

Luca watched them both carefully, but didn’t say anything about the exchange, just smiling again. ”Not much, honestly! The same as I was ten years ago - still dealing with the Rot, and taking each day as it comes. Recently things have been quite good. Jasper, Lila and Lynn are all living with me right now, so my life’s a lot busier. Which is nice.”

He laughed slightly as he thought about the hectic meetings… ”The meetings really aren’t a great time for talking to people, are they? The first one wasn’t so bad for the first half… But I actually don’t mind it, all the attacks aside. It’s nice to be around everyone again. I think I’m in a unique position there. I can only be around other Paranormal. My aura can cause someone like you to feel pain, but it won’t actually hurt you. It can kill Blinds.”

He shrugged. He hadn’t meant to go into so much detail - while he was checking up on Layla, he wasn’t here to unburden his own problems on her. And he spoke about it lightly, anyway, as if it was something he’d completely accepted. Since it was. ”The coven isn’t particularly functional, but they’re all people I care about and like to be around. Even though it might not have seemed that way when I hurt Leon last time…”

“Water under the bridge.” Layla said quickly, waving her hands frantically. As far as she was concerned, Luca was absolved of attacking Leon. Luca had only been trying to look out for her, after all.

She gave a soft smile. “It sounds nice that you've found people you connect enough with that you'd all be okay moving in together. I'm sure that's fun.”

A pause, before a flash of guilt crossed her face. “I should have reached out sooner, Luca. You and I are so similar. Dealing with… well, bad ghosts.”

She smiled at Alizée, “I consider myself fortune, Alizée just… beat them all up and helped them get sealed. But it… it makes me feel bad.”

Her eyes glanced back to Luca.“I… I can only imagine what it's like to live with the Rot, Luca. I'm… really, really sorry.”

”It’s alright, I’m pretty used to it by now! Means I don’t have to worry about recycling things,” Luca played it off with a joke and a reassuring smile. He was very aware of how shit his situation was, but had accepted it a long time ago.

Another pause, before Layla's face grew dark. “It's not all roses and chocolates, though. I uh, learned something pretty disturbing today. About Leon's group?” Her voice squeaked right at the end, betraying tension.

Layla glanced at Alizée, who only nodded, before she gazed earnestly back at Luca. “Can I… tell you? You promise not to tell anyone?”

Luca’s smile faded, replaced with a light frown. There was still care in his dark eyes, but also concern. ”Of course you can tell me. I… can’t promise I won’t talk to Leon, depending on how bad it is, but I’ll make sure it won’t affect you. That I can promise, and I won’t tell anyone else.”

He knew about the Temple, vaguely. They were open about being a cult, but he hadn’t realised Leon was part of it- a big part of it- until recently. Even then, he’d assumed they were mostly harmless… a false assumption, it seemed. He smiled reassuringly at Layla. ”You can tell me anything.”

Layla made an anxious face as Luca mentioned Leon. “I… I don't want to hurt Leon's feelings. He's well meaning. You'll mention that if you do talk to him, right?”

”I will,” Luca said reassuringly.

A steadying breath, before Layla's eyes dropped to her hands, wringing themselves anxiously on the table.

“Anyone who misbehaves… No, Adjoined particularly, who misbehave… who aren't the favoured ones… They get drugged. Sedated. It's a… viable, logical and often-used solution for them. It only makes sense when you understand… they don't see Adjoined as people...”

Layla kept her eyes down, unable to make eye contact with Luca.

Luca couldn’t keep up his normal smile after what Layla said. They drugged Adjoined who didn’t behave? They didn’t even see them as people? It was a kind of hierarchy he knew existed among some Adepts. Blinds were inferior, as were those not born into magic… but this was beyond it. It went beyond discrimination to active harm.

And Leon had dragged Layla into a place that did this.

”Do you know what this sedation does?” Luca asked quietly, hands hidden under the table as the gloves he was wearing started to rot away. He tried his best to keep his emotions under control. ”They haven’t sedated you, have they, Layla?”

He was concerned. Incredibly concerned. They - the coven - had let this young, impressionable woman be dragged into a cult. He understood how it had happened. She’d been in pain for so long and they offered her an out. Ten years ago he would have accepted the same… Anything to get help. But he was older now. Maybe there was only five years between them, but it was enough for him to feel responsible.

Layla swallowed, nodding as she recounted. ”I know a little. They have different formulas. I've heard mention of Formula Four and Formula Two, so I imagine there's four variations… Someone was hit with one of the formulas and they ended up in the hospital for a… A month.”

Layla thought for a moment, before she shook her head. “They uh, haven't used the drugs on me. I was put to sleep magical-wise once, which I think is in its own category…”

”I’m glad they haven't don’t that… though that sounds just as bad. I’m sorry, Layla. That’s not alright at all. Us Adjoined have our unique problems, but we are people. We’re equal to all others in the magical world. That’s… You shouldn’t be there. It’s not safe. Do you… do you want me to help you leave?”

“It's…” Tears began to bead in Layla's eyes, and she softly shook her head.“They have Void, Luca. They promised they'd give him back to me if I did what they said. I can't leave. I've probably already said too much. I don't… I can't have them angry at me. What if they never give back Void…?”

Of course they had Void. Luca didn’t entirely understand Layla’s obsession with Void… now, he did, somewhat. If she was tormented by these other Apparitions, then Void got rid of them for a while of course she’d be attached. He was her saviour. It didn’t matter that he was also not a nice Apparition. ”Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. I won’t put that at risk for you.”

As much as he wanted to say Layla should give up on Void for her own good, he couldn’t. He knew it would fall on deaf ears and he wanted her to trust him. Needed her to so he could help her. Hopefully, with time, she’d heal with Alizée and move on.

”I understand… I’m sorry, Layla, that they’re blackmailing you like that. I understand that you can’t leave… but will you at least let me help you as much as I can? Even if it’s just meeting up like this more often… And then if you do ever want out, I’ll make sure it happens. I promise.”

Layla hastily rubbed the tears from her eyes, nodding her head fervently. ”O-of course, Luca. I uh… appreciate it. I appreciate you going out of your way here. And I would like to meet up more often, yes.”

Alizée's head tilted. “He’s a kind one.”

“He is.”

Layla stared for a moment, before she blinked, flustered. ”I should probably order something, shouldn't I…”

Luca laughed, smiling again. Of course he was still worried. As soon as they were finished here, he was going to organise to meet up with Leon. But right now… he’d push it to the back of his mind. ”Probably. Order anything you want, on me- this place makes great soup. It’s perfect for a day like this.”

---

Luca’s Apartment, Evening

---

Luca didn’t get back to the apartment until later on in the evening - the sun already dipping below the horizon, and long past dinner time. He’d texted the three in advance to let them know, and also asked to talk to them all when he got back with an ETA.

He’d been pretty accurate. But he still paused outside the apartment door, taking a deep breath. This could… ruin his friendships. He hoped not, and he hoped his judgement of all three was correct, but there was still some worry there. Maybe they’d see it as a betrayal, especially after what 8th Street had done to Lila.

But he’d rather that than lie to them, or just leave.

So he unlocked the door, which had been shoddily repaired from yesterday, and walked into his home. An immediate warmth… just from the sounds of people being in there. Around.

”I’m home! Uh, did everyone get my text?” Luca asked as he stepped properly inside and into the main room.

A loud crash erupted from the guest room. The sound of Lila swearing, falling, scrambling across the floor before a loud thud was heard as the door jolted. Eventually the doorknob slowly turned as Lila slid out. She wore a cropped white shirt and bicycle shorts. She wanted to feel comfy and she was. Lynn was on the couch and had a blindfold over her face as she tried to rest through the withdrawals. She had the TV on and had a sad romcom playing for background noise. Jasper was in the kitchen making a second dinner for Lila..

“You’re home! Yessss, i got your text. I wanted to send you a text to ask you to grab food but Jasper said noooo,,” Lila tapped her claws on the wood of the door as her eyes slowly shifted from Luca to Jasper cooking. She licked her lips.

“Hi Luca,” Lynn said as she waved across the room from the couch. She did not move much more than that.

Jasper flipped more burgers and the sizzling filled the air. He was making smash burgers, and a lot of them. “Welcome back my saviour,” Jasper said as he winked at Luca.

Luca smiled, feeling himself relax. Sure, it wasn't perfect - Lynn was struggling, Lila was eating the entire apartment worth of food but… it was warm and filled with life in a way his apartment hadn't been for ages. ”I feel like I'm coming back home from a hard day's work to my husband and kids- haha.”

He played it off with an awkward laugh, moving further inside and taking a seat on a wobbly chair. He pulled off his hat, gloves and jacket and just dumped them beside him for now. The good smelled great… as he settled in his stomach grumbled. He turned his head towards Jasper. ”Is there enough for more than just Lila?”

“I’m making enough so of course you’ll get one,” Jasper said with a smile.

”You’re the best, thanks,” Luca grinned, before turning to the girls. ”I, uh, wanted to talk to you all about something. I already mentioned it vaguely to Jasper but… now I can share it with all of you. In full detail. Just, please promise to hear me out? It might seem like a betrayal but I promise it isnt.”

“Oh no. A betrayal? You’re,” Lila paused as she tapped her fingers on the wood of the door again, “i'll be honest I have zero idea what a betrayal from you looks like.”

“Oh is it this day already? Okay then,” Lynn sighed as she leaned up and took off the blindfold as she squinted towards Luca.

Luca couldn't help but laugh lightly at their reactions. Of course, Lynn had probably already seen this in the futures… why didn't he think of that? It made it feel a little easier.

”Well… I'm forming a new coven. I already told Jasper about this bit. I don't want to abandon Sycamore, but I don't think it's… really a coven at all. It's just people trying to save themselves, which is fine. But some of us, I think, need more than that.” He looked at Jasper, gaze lingering, before looking at Lila, then Lynn. ”That’s why I'm forming something new. I still plan to attend Sycamore meetings and help find Father Wolf, because I rejoined to help others in the first place.”

He took a deep breath, looking down as he continued. ”That’s not why I feel like it's a betrayal. I'm forming it with 8th Street Members- technically former, soon. Emily's sisters, Greta, and about half of 8th Street. They don't want to go along with what Emily and Vashti are doing anymore, and want to make amends for it. None of them are bad people. And I really care about them all. They were there for me- and Olivia- for years.”

Luca forced himself to look up, especially at Lila. ”I know Emily and Vashti have hurt you, and that the rest of the coven followed them. So if you're upset at me… I understand. But I was hoping all of you would give them a chance, and maybe come with me to the new coven.”

Lila’s eyes shot over to Luca at the revelation and the blue iris shrunk as her vision focused on him. Her breathing quickened as she began to tap the door rhythmically.

“The 8th Street part is a little difficult to wrap my mind around,” Lynn added as she stretched.

“It’s been almost a month since Emily said what she said,” Lila added as her head tilted backwards, eyes still locked on Luca, “I don’t know what to think right now. On one hand, I trust that you wouldn’t want to be around transphobic people and if you’re forming a coven with them they’re obviously not,” Lila paused at she tapped the door twice, a faint blue glow emanated from where the claw hit, “on the other it’s taken them nearly a month. Hell, all of this” Lila paused as she pointed to her body, “is because of 8th street. If Emily had kept her fucking mouth shut I wouldn’t be emo big bird,” Lila sighed as she shook her head.

“I will join this new coven because you’re right. But they will have to make some fucking amends somehow,” Lila added as her eyes once again drifted away from Luca and back to the cooking food.

“If Lila is in I’m in,” Lynn responded as she fell back down to the couch.

Luca nodded. He understood how Lila felt, and everything she said was valid. It made sense. They didn't know these people like he did. Nor did they know how 8th Street itself ran. ”They’re not transphobic. That's only Emily… but they also know they need to make amends, don't worry. Both me and Adora talked to them about it. Not just to you, but 8th Street bullied a lot of people. While 8th Street is a coven where you have to follow what Emily says, or risk getting killed by Vashti or eaten, it doesn't remove responsibility from them.”

Luca smiled at them both. ”We’re forming this new coven to help the city, and each other. It'll be slow but it's a step in the right direction… a new beginning for them all. For us too! You'll get on with them all, if you can look past some oddities and that they were in 8th Street for a while. I'm sure that the first thing Miranda and Jacqueline- Emily’s sisters- will do is apologise to you, Lila.”

“Good,” Lila said as she fully pulled herself out from the room as she began to stalk closer to the food.

“What are we going to do, as a coven, once we figure out Father Wolf,” Lynn paused as she held up a finger, “like are we going to just be a social group kinda coven, or a magical protect the realm focused one? We had a lot of the former back in Chicago and they get a bit dull after a while” Lynn laughed at the memory as she finished talking.

”The latter, but smaller - protect the city more. And help people like us,” he gestured to himself and Lila. ”People in difficult magical situations. It's why a lot of us joined 8th in the first place, as well as for the company. As much as there were some shit people in it, it was like a chosen, magical family in a lot of ways. And did those Covens in Chicago live together?”

Luca grinned as he said that. ”Right now they're all living at '8th Street' Manor, but Jacqueline's found a place we can afford _{just about} to move the new coven to. If there's space, which there should be, I'll go too - but only if you all want to come with me for that too. Otherwise we can stay here, it'll just be a fair commute to visit.”

“If Lila moves in,” Lynn coughed, and then had a coughing fit for a few seconds, “I’ll move in.”

“As long as Jasper is cooking there,” Lila paused as she moved body closer to the ground as she continued to stalk closer to Jasper.

”Jasper already agreed to move, I'm sure he'll keep cooking for us,” Luca looked over at him with a grin. ”Right, Jasper? There's a few other decent cooks in 8th too… if you can get past her general lack of clothing, Maya makes amazing Korean food.”

“Good,” Lila said as she readied herself to pounce. The sheer hunger compelled her to do so. She couldn’t take it anymore she needed to eat and she needed to eat now. The temple food had kept her full for so long but this, this was barely enough.

Jasper smashed buns to burgers and burgers to buns and turned around with ten rather large burgers split between two plates. Lila grabbed three and walked towards a chair and sat down cross legged next to it. “Our food budget better be insane,” Jasper said as he walked towards Luca, holding out the burgers.

“Please save me one. Sobriety sucks and I might vomit if I move right now but I want one,” Lynn said from across the room.

”The food budget is my pocket,” Luca laughed, reaching out to take a burger. He bit into it, relishing in the flavour. It was really good. As he ate it the bun started to turn grey, and any veg wilted, but he didn't care as he practically scoffed it down. ”Right now it'll mostly be funded by me, cause all the money they have is from… theft and stuff. They won't be bringing anything with them from 8th. All the shit is staying behind- including Emily, Vashti and George.”

He reached out for another burger, still hungry - while not to Lila's level, half his food rotted before it even reached his stomach, so he had to eat way more. ”This is great after a long day… coven making is hard work. Especially naming it, Adora wanted to call it the baddies! Imagine!”

“The Baddies is kinda rough not going to lie,” Lila chuckled as she ate another burger in just two bites.

“That will need to be decided before I join, actually. I can’t join a group called the baddies,” Lynn chuckled as she held out a hand towards Jasper, who moved over and gave her a burger.

”Hey, you think I'd accept a name like that? We've decided on the Lotus Flower coven, because it's a new beginning,” Luca said with a laugh. He also took his third burger, eating this one a bit slower - even though with each bite that made the taste worse. ”Adora got overruled, so don't worry about it. As coven second in command I never would've allowed it.”

He chuckled, looking at all three of them with a soft smile. ”I’m really glad you're all willing to give them a chance and come with me. It'll be… almost all of the people I care about in one group.”

“I fuck with the Lotus flower coven name not going to lie,” Lila chuckled as she visibly calmed as she ate another sandwich.

“Indeed, you said you’re second in command. Who is in charge again,” Jasper asked as he took another bite.

”Jacqueline and Miranda. I know they're Emily’s sisters but they're honestly nothing like her… everyone coming with them trusts them more than they do Emily. People will follow them, and they balance each other out. And I balance them, I think! But I don't think it'll be a dictatorship like the old coven, or 8th… it'll be a good balance between having leaders and the complete chaos of sycamore,” Luca said as he finished off his third burger, leaning back with a hand on his stomach. It was so good… fuck, he'd die happy eating so much of Jasper's cooking in the upcoming months.

“They were sweet, nice even. They tried to stop Emily, and called her out in the moment,” Lila paused as she looked towards Luca, “I would like to meet with them soon.”

”I’ll see what I can do! I'm sure they'll want to meet all of you too… They are sweet, and don't agree with anything Emily said. They've just finally decided to not put up with it too.” Luca smiled, looking back at Lila. He was glad, because he was most worried about Lila agreeing.

Lila pulled out her stylus as she finished her burger and pulled her phone from her pocket. The sound of a message being typed filled the air.

”Oh also… Can we not tell Ken for just now? I don't think he'll take it well.”

Lila moved the stylus to the bottom right of the phone screen and held it there for several seconds. “Of course.”

Luca looked at Lila, tilting his head. ”You weren't about to text Ken, where you?”

“Perhaps.”

”Lila, please delete the text,” Luca said, look almost pleading. ”Please.”

Lila held up her phone. The text line only read ‘Heyyyyy ;) ;)’ now as Lila had already deleted the rest of the message. ”You caught me in time.”

Luca let out a soft sigh of relief. ”I’m glad… I know it seems bad, but Ken really hates 8th Street. He’s in denial that I was ever part of it. I’m going to tell him eventually, but I’ll have to do it carefully… and I think people like Adora would rather I didn’t tell him at all.”

“You owe it to him to be truthful at some point. Being honest with friends is hard but it is important,” Lynn added with another cough added in.

”I’m sure he’d understand eventually, but you need to find the time and the place to make him fully aware of your past.”

”I know, and I don’t plan to hide it from him for long. He’s done too much for me… I couldn’t do that to him. I just want Lotus Flower coven to have moved in first, so everything’s stable,” Luca said to them both, with an awkward smile. ”As soon as that’s done I’ll sit down and properly talk to him about it. But it’ll have to come from me.”

”If you need a few friendly faces to help break the news you can count us in,” Lila smiled as she fell backwards on the floor and stretched her back against it.

”I really appreciate it, we’ll see when I get to it,” Luca said with a light laugh. He leaned back in the chair he was in carefully, relaxing more. ”Y’know, I did so much today, I’m exhausted. I met Layla after figuring out shit for the new coven… her and Alizee actually adjoined. They seem happy, though.”

Lila’s eyes widened at the revelation, she stopped stretching and shifted her eyes towards Luca. ”Well that’s…as expected. What did you guys talk about?”

”About the past… I apologised for not reaching out earlier and funnily she apologised for the same thing, since we’re similar,” Luca smiled, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes for once. ”In terms of being stuck with shitty ghosts. She also told me some things about the Temple… you know, Leon’s group? A very shady cult would be a better description.”

”The Temple? Absolutely a cult. I think they’re trying to recruit me,” Lila paused as she stood up and walked to the kitchen, ”I know what I’ve seen there and I know I need to stay away.”

”They’re trying to recruit you?! You definitely need to stay away,” Luca said abruptly, sounding panicked. He took a deep breath. ”I promised Layla I wouldn’t tell anyone but… they don’t treat people like us well.”

”The guy, who is very excited about the possibility of me laying eggs, seemed to treat me well. He bought me so much food,” Lila said matter of fact, as she grabbed a bag of chips.

“WHAT,” Lynn shouted as she ripped off her blindfold. Jasper spit out the water he was drinking.

”LILA, WHAT?!” Luca’s mind went wild with the possibilities. The Temple didn’t view Adjoined as people. They drugged them. Were they planning to drug Layla and make her… lay eggs for some twisted cult experiment?! Were they trying to fatten her up like… a hen?! ”You can’t see him again. Lila, he’s using you for… something. I’m not sure what, but the Temple is bad news.”

”I’m pretty sure he just wants to fuck me because I’m bird like. Like he’s into monsters. At first I thought it was a him thing but looking back,” Lila tried to clarify.

“NO,” Lynn shouted again as she jumped off the couch and began to move towards Lila. Jasper dropped the glass he was holding but caught it before it hit the ground.

”Stay away from him!” Luca jumped up, tripping over his chair and falling onto his knees.

”Okay I can see now that there’s a problem here….,” Lila did not see what the exact problem was and she squinted trying to figure it out. ”I won’t see him again. As long as I don’t fall into a silly mood again it shouldn’t be a problem. I don’t have too many of them…... What did Layla tell you?”

”She told me…” Luca grimaced, expression twisting. He’d promised he wouldn’t tell anyone… but he couldn’t keep it from Lila when she was being strangely courted by a Temple man, possibly to become part of a magical egg farm. ”This doesn’t leave this room. They’re a cult- a scary one. They don’t treat Adjoined like people, and they drug them. I don’t know how but it left someone in hospital for a month… I’m going to talk to Leon about it tomorrow.”

Lila’s head jolted to the side and looked at Luca, the blue irises shrunk instantly as every last feather seemed to puff at the words Luca spoke. ”Come again?”

”They drug people like us. Hurt them.” Luca repeated. ”Adepts oppress Abberations.”

Lila’s head remained fixated on Luca. ”I…I didn’t know. I…how can they..,” Lila took a deep breath, ”I can never go back.”

”I’m sorry, Lila,” Luca said softly. ”I didn’t know until today either. I think it’s some sort of insider secret… Layla took vows at the Temple. She’s part of it now and refuses to leave because of the Void. I don’t want anyone else to get trapped like that.”

”We can’t,” Lila’s eyes began to dart across the room as her wings began to spread. How could she not realise that? The place was a cult ten years ago, it is still a cult now. Norm was just trying to get her to let her guard down, to invite her in, and then… would she be forced to be something she wouldn’t like? Would she be subservient to them? Lila’s breathing increased as she placed her hand on the counter. Her eyes finally stopped drifting, before they slid to the door. This couldn’t stand. Lila wondered if she was strong enough to stop it? She leaned towards the door as if she was about to head towards it.

”Wait, wait, Lila-” Luca pushed himself to his feet, putting himself between Lila and the door. He wasn’t sure what she was planning to do, but he assumed it was something to do with the Temple. She wasn’t.. Thinking of going there, was she? ”What are you doing?”

”We can’t leave her trapped, what about Trisha? Is she trapped there too,” Lila took a step forward but felt a pair of hands wrap around her waist. Lynn had slid in behind Lila, and dug her feet into the ground. ”I’ll call bird freak off and get him to meet me in the middle of nowhere and start breaking bones until I get an answer,” Lila paused as the already tiny iris’s grew even smaller.

“I have Wagyu steak in the fridge. If you stay I’ll cook you a meal with it,” Jasper added as he channelled the phantombane aura to his brush.

Lila’s eyes immediately went wide as her head shot towards Jasper with a smile. ”Oooooo that’s a much better idea,” Lila’s wings pulled back in as her arms were brought in close as a look of excitement fell across her face.

”Yeah, that sounds great! Loads of food here,” Luca said cheerfully, keeping himself between Lila and the door. If she changed her mind she’d have to get past him… and extra bird powers or not, the Rot would hurt. He just didn’t want it to come to that even if it was to protect her. ”Layla begged me not to do anything right now. But as soon as she wants! Sure.”

Then he paused, frowning. ”Trisha’s involved with the Temple too?”

”She’s dating Leon’s brother Casey. He’s the one who shot me,” Lila responded as she licked her lips at the thought of food. Sure, she still wanted to storm out those doors and wage a brutal war against her new found oppressors. She’d turn them into crows over this injustice. But Wagyu sounded too good.

“You’re eating a lot, Lila,” Lynn added as she released her grip, “what’s your secret? I wish I could eat like that and not gain weight.”

”Have an Apparition attached to you, stealing half your food,” Luca said with a half laugh, rolling up his sleeve to show his skinny arm. Of course, his situation was… different where the food also rotted before it even reached his stomach. But he knew the Rot took some of it as fuel.

Luca also took in everything Lila was saying with a slightly furrowed brow. Leon had a brother… who Trisha was dating… and shot Lila. The shooting Lila made sense if she was fighting with his girlfriend, as much as it angered him. ”And I’ll ask Leon about Trisha tomorrow, Lila. Make sure she’s safe.”

”Good,” Lila’s expression softened more as a wide smile crossed her face. ” even though we fought, even though it was what caused this whole mess I can’t help but respect Trisha. She is a lot more impressive than I remember and I do want her safe. If she’s not, or if I hear that Layla is hurt,” Lila paused as her irises went tiny once again as she spread her wings wide once more, “I’ll sip the marrow from their bones and turn them into my crows.”.

”Alright, of course, we won’t stop you! I’ll come along and help then- but only if that’s the case,” Luca said, holding his hands out in front of him. ”I’m sure she’s there by choice, though. Trisha that is. She never struck me as the kind to fall into a cult!”

”Good,” Lila says as her voice went back to her own. ”Keep me in the loop,” Lila said as she moved towards the chair in the living room and sat down next to it once again.

”Don’t worry, I will,” Luca let out a soft sigh in relief. ”But for now let’s eat loads and loads!”

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1 [Cancelled]

---

The Overlook, Tuesday Evening

---

While yesterday’s meeting had been an overall waste of time, there had been a few pieces of information to come out of it that were actually useful.

Namely, that Kari’s notes had ended up in the hands of Blake Schmidt - and he ran a group called the Elite. It was one Anya had some knowledge of, but very little. They didn’t run around in the same way 8th Street and Greenwood did. That made them a little more interesting to Anya. Another group for her to manipulate… Her agreeing to get into Schmidt’s head to get the notes for the coven came with other possible benefits for her.

But she had to meet the man first to enter his dreams. Anya knew enough about him, and had heard enough rumours, to know she couldn’t approach him by herself. Not through any means she’d be willing to take. That didn’t mean she couldn’t gain access to him. After all, the rich often knew the rich. She had connections.

All it had taken was a polite message to Ezra after the last coven meeting, requesting their own meeting to discuss business concerns, to have something set up the next day. Efficient, something Anya appreciated when her life was at stake. Even if a dream meeting would be her preference, she’d given the option of a real life one for a reason. Trust, and all that.

She arrived just a few minutes early to the chosen location - the Overlook Bar and Grill, located at the top of the tallest building in the city. It offered a beautiful view of the entirety of St Portwell, while being so expensive and exclusive that most could only dream of eating in it. For those outside of the select few it could take months to even get a reservation.

“Do you have a reservation, Miss?”

”Yes, under Vanburen. Ezra Vanburen,” Anya smiled at the smartly dressed woman at the entrance. It wasn’t particularly busy at this time of the day, but it seemed they didn’t just let anyone in anyway. The staff member raised her eyebrows expectantly at Anya. ”Anya Baksh.”

“Of course, right this way, Miss Baksh.”

Anya just nodded as she followed the woman inside the luxurious restaurant. The tables were made of smooth, white marble with sleek grey chairs facing them. The windows overlooking the city took up the entire outer wall and the two layers of tables around the outside were slowly rotating.

She paused a short way in to look at a somewhat out of place statue among all those classical, beautifully made ones interspersed between the central bar and kitchen along with the smaller ones up in the fake rafters. A short laugh escaped her lips as she stared up at the statue of James Vanburen, before moving on.

“Here you go, Miss.”

It was a bit disconcerting stepping from the central path to the slowly moving outside as Anya was shown to a two person table right beside the window. A perfect location to look out across St Portwell, she noted as she sat down. It made sense, of course, that those rich enough to afford it would enjoy looking down on everyone else.

Her choice of outfit made her truly look like she belonged in the pristine, greyscale, upscale restaurant. A black halterneck top, with subtle geometrical, dark grey patterns when it caught the light, and a layered, grey skirt she had to brush underneath her to sit down properly. She took her dark grey scarf and muted brown, wool coat off once she’d sat down. She turned her wrist towards her to check the time. One minute before they’d arranged to meet. She shouldn’t be waiting long.

It was a few minutes past the agreed upon hour that Ezra arrived at the Overlook, or rather, emerged from the set of swinging doors cutting off the dining room from the back of house. The manager of the restaurant, an older man in a poorly fitting suit, was at his side, talking in a low voice as Ezra scanned the dining room. He gave Anya an apologetic look and held up a finger signalling to her that he’d be another minute before turning his attention back to the other man. Ezra led the man behind the bar, their hushed conversation momentarily growing tense as Ezra ran his finger underneath the counter and then started gesturing violently towards an arrangement of drinking glasses and expensive looking bottles. The manager started speaking even faster, but was cut off by Ezra’s ever so slightly raised voice. If Anya strained, she would be able to make out him saying, “You find this acceptable?”

The pair disappeared behind the swinging doors. Moments later a young man in a starchy white jacket and with the fear of god in his eyes came out of the doors, approached Anya’s table with a pitcher of water in his hand as well as two glasses. He swapped them out with the ones already on the table, muttering an apology underneath his voice, and then went over to the bar where he put their glasses as well as the rest of the offending glassware in a plastic tub and whisked it to the back. Another minute passed before Ezra emerged from the back again, alone this time. He rolled his neck and adjusted his well-tailored suit, discreetly pinching his hand while messing with his cufflinks as if to double-check that he hadn't been transported into some kind of dream world.

“Terribly sorry for the wait, Anya. I was having a word with the owner, Randall, about the decor when, well,” said Ezra, pausing ever so slightly as his eyes wandered and he sat down, turning his focus back towards Anya. “It doesn’t matter really. It’s good to see you again. Would you like a real drink? I’d like a real drink.” Ezra beckoned towards a waiter, “Scotch and soda, hold the soda. And for the lady…”

There was a moment, however slight, that it would feel as if Ezra was about to order for Anya as if to establish some kind of power dynamic, a subtle form of chest beating dominance. However, instead he merely gestured towards her with one hand, his other turning over the steak knife on his side of the table as if he were inspecting it for grime.

In that moment Anya just smiled, a hint of coldness falling across her dark eyes before immediately disappearing. It was a hint at something she disliked - albeit, was used to. Even if he had continued and ordered for her, she would've adapted and accepted it. It was just a little too close to what she experienced in the family home she'd left… but she was never one to let her emotions, minimal as they were, control anything.

”A glass of the Château Lassègue Sauvignon,” Anya said, pointing to it in the wine menu she'd taken a brief glance over before making a decision. A middle range bottle - not the cheapest on the menu, making it look like she couldn't afford to eat here, but not the most expensive either, which would look like she was just here to use his money for an expensive meal and drink. It was always best to play it safe, when the bill paying could go either way.

”It’s nice to see you again too,” Anya watched as the waiter poured water into both of their glasses before leaving with their drink order. ”In the real world. Too much time spent in dreams makes things… difficult. Though I'm surprised by the standards of this place. I would expect them to be exceptional.”

She was talking about, of course, the incident with the glasses that were taken away - presumably dirty. It was the kind of thing that would get on her nerves if she ever ate out, but she didn't quite have the clout to pull it up like Ezra had. It was different than when she was with Sloane, too, who would bring it up in a way that made things distinctly uncomfortable.

”But restaurant standards aren't what we're here to talk about. Should we wait for the first course before we get into business? Or at least the drinks?” Anya tilted her head to look at the bar, before looking back at Ezra with slightly raised eyebrows. As fast or as slow as he wanted - she was happy to get right into what she was here for, or to whittle away at time with conversation before the time was right. ”I certainly need the drink. I've had quite the… tiring past few days. Dangerous and frustrating would be perhaps a more apt description.”

“Normally I’d say we should skip the formalities and get right to it, but frankly you are the business. When I flagged that security team to keep an eye out for you I imagine they were going to be keeping a single stalker at bay, not get caught up in some gangland style bullshit,” said Ezra, leaning forward. “Not that you’re to blame. I’m just worried that the protection I offered might have proven to be…inadequate, given the situation. Much like this place, you’d expect them be be exceptional.”

Ezra was referring to the fight with 8th Street. The security team had been there that night, but they had been grossly unprepared. Then again, it was doubtful that even the best of the best could’ve anticipated the sudden arrival of a hurricane accompanied napalm-like fire bombings, an undead horde of zombies, and a mass hallucinogen all dropped one after another in less than a five minute span. He’d assigned secret service when the situation had called for a suicide squad, the latter being typically quite hard to come by. Willingly, anyway.

“You weren’t injured, were you?” asked Ezra, dismissing the waiter with a wave after he dropped off their drinks.

”Thankfully I wasn’t,” Anya smiled, picking up her glass of wine. She tilted it towards him for a second before taking a sip, smile wavering as she thought back to that night. It had been… a complete and utter mess. The constant bickering was expected. The gang warfare wasn’t, for her at least. ”There was a moment where it was a serious risk. Fortunately, they fled before the largest of them got to me.”

She tapped a finger against her glass with a slight sigh. ”Unfortunately, it will happen again. I could avoid it by avoiding the coven, as I’m neither the target or the one at fault, but without me they're just as likely to burn down the city as they are to make any progress. Anyone else with enough brains to steer them is either too long winded,” Jack, ”discounted for previous actions,” Britney and Greyson, ”or stubborn and lacking in any tact,” Sloane.

”I also didn’t expect gang-like violence from another coven. The ghosts of certain member’s pasts come to haunt us. I doubt it’s something any security team could handle and predict. Perhaps from a certain organisation, but I don’t imagine they are for hire.” She was talking about the Temple… at least from what she’d managed to gleam from the memories she’d been given access to. ”Technically, you have a connection through your half-sister there. I don’t imagine she’d help.”

”But I’m not so worried about that kind of violence. It’s… something the coven is adept in handling. It’s the single stalker I’m more concerned with. That’s my primary ‘business’ today - as you say, I am the business. We have only one lead, and unfortunately it’s fallen into the hands of Blake Schmidt. I’m sure you understand why I would be reluctant to approach him in any capacity, especially alone.”

“Typically I can’t stand to be in the same room as the man until I’m working on my third scotch,” said Ezra with a scoff. As if to illustrate his point he took a healthy shot from his drink, analysing Anya over the rim of his glass. Was it mere coincidence that she was now looking for an in with one of the men whose dreams he had been planning on having her infiltrate? And what was that about his half-sister? Ezra drained his drink, noting to ask about that later. Anya was tricky to read. It was one of the things that made her interesting.

“We should order food before discussing Blake. That man has a habit of making appetites disappear. Have you had a chance to look at the seasonal menu yet? The scallops are shockingly good for something from the Oregon Coast,” said Ezra with a shrug. “Jesus, I sound like an asshole saying that. To be frank, I only really recommended this place because of the drink selection and the view. The food here is fine for what it is, tiny plates of up-charged bullshit that can be found at any run-of-the-mill steakhouse for just about the same quality.”

“We’re actually about two blocks away from the best Korean restaurant in St. Portwell. It’s this shitty little hole in the wall, it smells like bleach, every chair in the place is broken, and it’s all cooked by this old grandma and she makes this bulgogi that annihilates whatever carpaccio, poached lobster, quarter slice of iceberg lettuce and call it a salad bullshit we can get here,” said Ezra with a surprising amount of passion.

He held up his hand as if to slow himself down. There was a little glint in his eye, like all of this might be a test—a way to see how much he could jerk Anya around. Or perhaps it was just the whim of someone who didn’t understand his privilege, who was blissfully ignorant of the fact that not everybody could just walk into the Overlook and get a table, a person trying to appear as if he was a local of the city instead of an opportunistic invader like an Attila, Alexander, or Genghis Khan.

“Look, if you wanna try out the Overlook to say you’ve tried out the Overlook by all means. It is, technically, an experience. Or if you want to have the best fucking Korean of your life that doesn’t involve taking the redeye to Busan then we can just order another drink, you tell me what Blake got himself involved with, and then we can have a dinner that’s actually so good that Blake can’t even ruin it,” said Ezra. “I’m good for whatever.”

“Are you ready to order?” said the waiter, appearing at the table side, the statue of James Vanburen looming over his shoulder.

There was a brief moment of silence when Anya considered it. What was the right answer? Was there even a right answer? Nothing was meaningless to her. Everything she did was for a reason, everything she said was calculated. But here she couldn’t quite tell if it was a test, a game, or genuine ignorance. But if she were to go for what she wanted, properly, for once, it wasn’t the smaller and overly fancy portions of this place.

So she laughed, genuinely, then smiled as she drained her glass. ”No food, thank you. Another glass of Château Lassègue Sauvignon, and… another Scotch, I presume?”

After a pause for Ezra to disagree, who gestured in approval, and waiting for the waiter to leave, she continued. ”As much as I enjoy the atmosphere of classier venues, I’ve never been a fan of small portions nor the general lack of flavour. I was spoiled growing up on Indian and Caribbean dishes. And anyway, I can’t say I feel the need to senselessly brag about eating here. Even if I did, my friend’s will either respond with ‘so?’ or ‘where’s that?’”

Of course, there was the status that came with it, but she’d weighed it up. Who would she need to use that on, when the company already outshone the venue? ”I’ll start with some background. A former member of ours, tragically deceased, had a great deal of information thanks to her… talents. Kari Wilson. It was her house where we were attacked, as she was looking into Father Wolf before he killed her. Her notebooks, containing a great wealth of information, were stolen by the group that attacked us… And sold to Blake. They are encoding, but we need to get them back before he finds someone who can decipher them. For once my covenmates saw sense, and gave the task of influencing Blake to return the notes to me.”

She smiled, almost scornful - at the thought of her coven or Blake, it was difficult to tell. ”I need to meet him to enter his dreams. It’s something I would rather avoid… But needs must. I understand it’s something of an ask, but it is part of protecting the business you could say.”

”This is a happy coincidence. Well, considering the man, perhaps happy isn’t the right word. Convenient, really,” said Ezra, lacing his fingers together and resting his chin on them. “Last time we spoke I mentioned needing some help corralling some of my associates. Blake Schmidt is at the top of that list. Without boring you with all the details, I agreed to be part of a joint venture with him before I knew the man well enough to realize the grave error of such a decision.”

Ezra’s eyes moved towards the window, appearing to linger on an under construction skyscraper building illuminated by floodlights. The drinks arrived at that moment. Ezra grabbed his scotch, swirled it, and leaned back in his chair, his vision still focused on the distance.

“There’s an upcoming charity auction held every year at the Harbor Lounge that is attended by just about every blueblood on the West Coast, including Blake Schmidt. It’s ultra exclusive and invite only—you know, want to look like a man of the common people without having to ever be in the same goddamn room as them,” grumbled Ezra. “However, I have an in with the event coordinator, so I can get us a pair of tickets. She’ll be so damn thrilled to hear that I’m actually coming this year. Speaking of family, that reminds me: which half-sister of mine was rubbing elbows with paranormal security forces?”

That was a very convenient coincidence. It made things much easier for Anya. One dream with multiple manipulations was far less draining than multiple dreams. It could all be done in one swift blow. ”Perfect. I appreciate things being sorted so efficiently. Puts my mind somewhat at ease, and I’m certain Blake won’t decipher the notes before then.”

She smiled slightly, taking a sip of her second glass of wine before answering his question. ”Patricia, again. Rubbing elbows isn’t quite how I’d put it… Have you heard of the Temple of Charming and Graceful Individuals? They’re, for most intents and purposes, a paranormal cult. However they have at least two members that subdued some of our best over an irritating Apparition problem. Security forces is perhaps an understatement when it comes to describing them. They followed one of our members into the void, which is a very difficult place to get to. I’m sure those two aren’t their only powerful members.”

”At its head is Lynette Richoux. Patricia is dating one of her sons, Casey. Her second son, I believe. Quite impressive, really. If his older brother meets an unfortunate end at Father Wolf’s hand he’ll be heir to the Temple. I’m sure she’d get some amount of power from being with him… You could very well have cult in-laws in your future.” Her lips pulled into a thin line that was perhaps close to concern. She certainly was concerned - not about Patricia, of course, but the existence of a cult like the Temple wasn’t pleasant to her, as much as Edict did business with them. ”A powerful cult, but a cult nonetheless. They’re quite open about it too, with their hands in a fair few St Portwell businesses.”

Across from Anya, Ezra had his hand on his forehead as if he was experiencing a migraine. His head continued to sink into his hand and push up his hair as Anya continued supplying him with a string of bad news. The scotch in his mouth suddenly began to taste like battery acid. His stomach cinched and tightened and with it came a sudden loss of appetite that no Korean grandmother, regardless of how perfectly she barbequed her bulgogi, could fix. Ezra waited for the statue of James to come to life and start smothering him with a cloth napkin and for the city outside to transmogrify into a hellscape, as this had to be a nightmare, but no such mercy came.

Trisha would join a cult. He chugged the scotch, acid taste be damned, and crunched on the ice. Of course Trisha would join a cult. Ezra resisted grabbing his cell phone and calling her right away, the weight of it growing heavy in his pocket. Of fucking course Trisha would join a goddamn cult!

“Yes, I’ve seen their flyers clogging up the trash bins outside of many of my businesses,” said Ezra, clicking back on his cool composure. “Perhaps they have a few individuals of actual interest, but I wouldn’t put too much faith, pardon the pun, on any New Age Movement bullshit ever gaining any significant traction to become a serious mover and shaker. Scientology and Miscavige massively limited the market cap in that field.”

He started to stand, “Finish your drink. I’m going to have a word with Randall and then we can take off. Excuse me for a minute.”

It was several minutes later when the balding man from earlier emerged from the back of the house, mopping sweat from his forehead.

“I hope the evening finds you well, Ms. Baksh. I would like to apologize for the state of our china. Here at the Overlook we hold everything to the highest of standards and for something like that to be, um, overlooked is purely unacceptable. I’m afraid Mr. Vanburen had an emergency come up with one of his investments and had to leave abruptly,” Randall cleared his throat. “I was asked to pass along a message. He says, ahem, that he’s sorry he cannot take you to a real restaurant, that he will pick you up for the auction, and that he,” Randall tugged on his collar, looking embarrassed to say, “ He will see you in his dreams.”

Randall produced an expensive looking bottle of champagne that was wrapped with a bow.

“I was asked to comp this, as well as everything else you’ll have this evening, for you as a gift to celebrate your, um, and I’m quoting here, you convenient partnership,” said the owner. Shifty-eyed, he glanced over his shoulder, and then quickly added, “I would like to point out that we are a real Michelin star restaurant. I could bring you a food menu, if you’d like…”

Anya raised a hand to her mouth with a fake cough to cover up a laugh. She wasn’t surprised. An investment emergency… if that’s what Ezra wanted to call it, that was fine. It was understandable to want to deal with a family member being part of a cult swiftly and efficiently. It was a shame about dinner, but she could tolerate eating here.

While the state of the china had been subpar, she hoped Randall’s ability to keep his mouth shut was not. While nothing Ezra had said was untrue, it was all too easy to misinterpret. Such ambiguous phrasing… The poor owner probably thought he was witnessing the future front page of St Portwell’s finest business gossip magazine, titled ‘Ezra Vanburen’s latest fling: has he finally moved on from the Russian ballerinas?’. While Anya was generally unbothered, it would be such a pain to deal with and explain. Especially to Sloane.

But she was sure it wouldn’t be a problem.

”No need. I’ll have the crab and compressed watermelon to start, and the scallops with truffle pea puree for the main.” Anya smiled at Randall, speaking as if she’d looked at the menu and decided what to eat in advance… which she had. It was always best to be prepared. After putting in her order, she stared at the man until he finally got the message and left her on her own.

Raising her glass of wine to her lips, Anya’s gaze moved from the gifted champagne to the brilliant sight of the city from the window. With it spread out in front of her like this, it was impossible to not feel pleasure. Above all those inconsequential people leading their tragically insignificant lives. It was like a breath of fresh air after all the days spent corralling the largest group of idiots.

And one day, she would control it all.

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1 [Cancelled]

&

Edict & Henri

Linqian’s House, Evening

---

Henri wasn’t having the best evening.

It had started great. An extra workout, pizza, then he went to the Arcade with Louis for a bit. Overall, a great night! Plus, he finally got to spend actual time with Linqian’s closest friend, and they were pretty fucking cool. Henri was so glad there was someone entirely decent around his sister… Not that he didn’t like Greyson! He’d just been completely honest about his original intentions.

But then he’d come back to an unexpectedly empty house. The menu screen of the Twilight DVD he didn’t even know they had was playing on loop, screen the only light in the living room. There was even a half finished beer.

”Jie?! Aryin?!” He shouted up the stairs. No response… and he knew his sister couldn’t sleep through him shouting like that. Plus, she’d never leave the TV running. He frowned, turning it off and switching on the living room light instead. Where had they gone?

Oh… he could just call them!

Henri plopped himself down on the couch and pulled up Linqian’s number. Humming to himself, he held his phone to his ear as it started calling. Buzz, buzz, buzz… huh, why could he hear a ringtone? Strange.

His head turned to the side, and he saw a phone screen lighting up from down the side of the couch. Fuck! His sister’s phone was here… there was another phone too. They’d left their phones! What had happened?! There was no sign of a break in… it was fine. Deep breaths, Henri. Maybe they’d been so exhausted and gone to bed. Or they just went out to get more beer and forget their phones. It was fine.

He could wait. No problem.

Minutes… hours… days…

At least it felt like hours and days. In reality, it had only been twenty minutes since Henri came back to an empty home when the door pushed open.

”Fucking hell, just one fucking night to relax, that’s all I want! Fuck, you owe me another beer for that, bitch.” Linqian pushed into the livingroom, giving Henri a tired stare. He immediately jumped up, before freezing.

Linqian looked like shit. Her left arm was limp, clearly more than broken, and the bone was completely sticking through her skin at her shoulder. Blood coated the whole upper section and the oversized t-shirt she was wearing did very little to cover the burns all over her body. Bruises were blooming across them too, and she was visibly limping as she made her way over to the couch and collapsed on it.

”What the fuck happened, Jie?!”

Aryin tossed Linqian the head of the zombie before she crossed her working arm over her chest, trying to have some modesty on top of the black sports bra. ”Would you believe me if I said there was an immersive zombie arcade event at the 317,” Aryin paused as she looked over to Linqian, ”I’d offer to get back into cosplay but I’d need both arms,” Aryin laughed as she walked over to the kitchen and grabbed two beers and walked back to Linqian offering her one. Her shattered arm screamed in pain as she moved but she was going to figure out a way to fix this before showing weakness.

Linqian caught the zombie head with her good arm, resting it on her chest as she took the beer. She practically downed it, hiding her grimace of pain from the burns across her body scraping against the couch. It was especially bad on her fingers…

”What’s 317?- wait that's not important! You're both really badly injured! You need to go to hospital!” Henri looked from Linqian, to Aryin. ”Also do you want me to get you a t-shirt?!”

”We’re fine,” Linqian waved it off. Of course she wasn't. She was in agony, from the arm so broken she was unsure if it could be fixed by mundane means to the second degree burns, deep gashes and busted knuckles and knees from punching. The only place it didn't hurt was a few areas were the burns were bad enough to destroy nerves. ”Here, catch!” she put her beer down and threw the zombie head back to Aryin.

”A tshirt would be lovely. If you go up to my room, the top right drawer on the long dresser is my sleeping shirts,” Aryin paused as she sat down on the couch. She realised in that moment that her hips were utterly fucked as well, nothing broken just heavily stressed and sore from holding back Scott fucking Reese. Aryin tried to catch the head but her other arm refused to move and the head knocked off her head, falling to the floor with a plop. ” No, no no hospital for us we’ll be fine. Linqian, you have your self healing spell right,” Aryin asked as they rotated the zombies head with their foot.

Linqian laughed. Once she started, she couldn't stop. Henri gave her a strange look, running out the room and up the stairs.

”My self healing spell doesn't fucking work yet, bitch,” Linqian said as her laughter ceased. She grimaced, stretching out her good arm. One finger raised as if to draw Aryin's attention to it. A demonstration. It started to glow brighter and brighter, and Linqian expression got worse until she was biting down on her lip so hard it drew blood to hold in a scream. As the glow stopped the finger was… just as fucked up before. ”Hurts so much fucking worse than the injury too, I'll fucking pass out. We can sleep it off then fucking call up Sully tomorrow.”

”No way!” Henri shouted as he came back out with a shirt for Aryin and a pair of pyjama shorts for Linqian. He handed them to them both respectively, before standing in front of them with his arms folded. ”You can't stay like this all night!”

”I mean,” Aryin laughed as age watched Linqian experience pain, ”we’re kinda used to it. Do you know how many nights were spent like this a decade ago? It’s a weird thing to say but we’ve had sleep followed by healing a lot more than once.”

”Yeah, it really isn’t that bad. Gotta prioritise those who’re dying or passed out, y’know, we can fucking get through it,” Linqian shrugged, before pointing at the zombie head underneath Aryin’s head. ”C’mon, you’re fucking losing at one armed catch.”

”You both have an arm you can’t use! You’re more burn than not, Jie! You- call the coven healer!” Henri hit them both with his hardest glare which… was pretty pathetic and panicked more than anything. Because he was panicking! It hurt him to see his sister and Aryin like this… he didn’t understand why they wouldn’t listen!

”This is a first,” Aryin said as she looked at her broken arm, ”I don’t think I’ve really broken a bone before in this form, and I don’t think I’ve ever lost at one armed catch,” Aryin paused as she put the beer down and grabbed the head and tossed it back to Linqian, ”do we even have a coven healer anymore? Sully is Greenwood now.”

”He’s fucking Sycamore first… And why can’t he be both? You’re 317 and Sycamore… unless you’re fucking abandoning me to the wolves?” Linqian raised an eyebrow, grunting as she caught the head with her one hand and chest. She then lobbed it back. ”Well, loads of firsts for you today… fucking hell, at least my fucking defensive spell worked, I’d be dead if I didn’t have that shit.”

”Fuck you bitch you just got me back. I’m not going anywhere you fucking whore. Especially with us just fighting Scott fucking Reese. ”

”Dead?!” Henri practically wailed. ”That’s it. You’re going to a hospital! Or- or else!”

”Or else what,” Aryin caught the head and went to dribble it, but the head did not have the bounce that she expected. She picked it up and tossed it back. ”Are you going to hurt us with your words?”

”Yeah, Yi-er, what’re you gonna do? I love you, but you don’t have any power here,” Linqian laughed lightly, catching the head again. She spun it in her hand… proceeding to almost drop it and having to catch it with a leg. She then threw it back and gave Henri a reassuring smile. ”We’ll be fine, really, Didi.”

Aryin caught the head and thought, for just a moment, that the two of them may have a concussion as she looked at the zombie's head.

”No, no, no, I’m not accepting that. You’ve forced my hand!” Henri pulled out his phone, finding the person who he could see enacting justice. Someone who his sister might listen to… and even if he didn’t, Henri really needed the emotional support.

After a moment of hesitation, he called Greyson, hoping he’d pick up quickly… And as soon as he picked up (or it went to voicemail), he shouted down the phone, ”I need your help, it’s Jie and Aryin, they’ve gone mad!”

The phone rang, rang again, and a few more times before it was actually answered by a blase voice. Though, not so blase for long as Henri’s panic was crystal clear over the phone.
”Henri!? What’s wrong, what’s happened? Is it Wolf? Wh-” he expressed himself with loud and clear concern, being interrupted by the frantic caller on the other end.

”Henri, we don’t need to bother whoever you called. We’re fine,” Aryin shouted as they pulled out their phone. She took a quick photo of herself and Linqian. Zombie head painfully visible in her lap. She then took a selfie, her arm painfully bruising already, and made sure that she included the zombie's head. She opened up her message app and sent the photo with a ‘your lessons worked’ and sent the photo to Leon. Aryin giggled before she winced. She looked down at her arms and the rapidly spreading bruises and her smile faltered for just a moment. That moment quickly passed and Aryin tossed the head at Linqian.

Henri just narrowed his eyes at Aryin. ”No, not the wolf- but they're both really badly injured and refusing to go to a doctor or some magical healer or something! They won't listen to me and I think they plan to sleep it off but I don't think they'll wake up tomorrow and I don't know-”

”Yi-er, we're fucking fine,” Linqian interrupted loudly, catching the head with her body more than her arm. It hit her abdomen and new pain erupted as she felt her rib move. Fuck she'd forgotten it was broken… sharp, stabbing pain radiated out that had her curling around the zombie head. She quickly started laughing, almost deliriously, as she hugged the head.

”You’ve got a bone sticking out your shoulder! Neither of you can use an arm! There's blood everywhere!” Henri shouted, clearly getting more panicked by the minute. ”I really don't know what to do… please help me fix them, Greyson.”

There was cold, abject silence on the other end of the line… Like Henri could hear a pin dropping from within. Any reaction probably would’ve been better, so when a gentle chuckle started to echo across the dead space, maybe it was salvation for Henri’s anxiety.
”You gotta learn to do it, Man… We’ve been talking about your healing potential for, what, like a week and a half now? Listen: Your sister and Aryin, they’re both pretty hard to kill. If it was just a little scuffle, they may look beaten up… But they’ll be fine in a few hours. For now, I want you to just help them out, get them what they need, and let them do the magic that Adepts are supposed to know how to do.” he offered such light advice, Henri may have found it callous…

Being the person he was, Henri took it well… though he really didn't think their arms were going to unshatter themselves in a few hours! But that wasn't the point. Well it was part of the point he was freaking out about how injured they were but sure, magic existed, they all had healing potential! Greyson was right he had to learn it and really Henri needed the moral support but it wasn't just that. The real point was…
”W-well yeah, but it's not only-” Henri looked over at Linqian and Aryin furtively, before covering his mouth with his free hand and lowering his voice. ”Physical, it's mental too… I think their heads are fucked up, maybe they got hit by some magic, they're just- FUCK FUCK STOP THROWING THE FUCKING HEAD AROUND!”

There was a distinctive thud that would be heard over the phone, from Linqian lobbing the zombie head right over Henri's head. It was quite an impressive throw, considering she only had one arm, managing to actually get it over his six feet in height from where she was lying.
”Then get off the fucking phone.”

”No- really they're just lying around giggling and tossing a zombie head with one arm and I really think their brains are fucked up!” Henri hissed into the phone, more confident now that his sister had lost her one weapon to use against him.

Greyson scoffed on the other end.
”They’re exhausted, Dude. You fight zombies, see how you do; the other week there was this gi-... Not the point… Fuckin’, do you really need me to send someone over there? Because if you really want Big Bro to take care of all your problems for you, I will. But you’ll never live it down, and you’ll certainly never learn any lessons from it.”
He took an audible puff from his cigarette.

”That makes sense, right? Like, if you’re sure death is coming and you need the help, just say the word. But… Are you sure that you’re sure?”

”Wellllll… I'm not like… sure sure... Let me like… check…” Henri really wasn't so sure now. And he really didn't want to never live it down that sounded like a nightmare! He was already, like, the butt of so many jokes by those guys! So, in his infinite wisdom, he decided he might as well make sure. He shifted his phone to his left hand and walked over to Linqian, squatting in front of her. His lips pressed together as he tried to look for the worst of the damage. It didn't seem like she was going to die immediately but also he had very little medical knowledge…
”Sorry, Jie, Aryin!” he switched the phone to speaker, putting it down on a gap between the two on the couch, and reached out for both of their shattered arms.
”Just gonna see if it can- what the fuck, Jie, your arm feels like jelly!”

”Get the fuck off me oh my fucking god- yeah that's what happens when you-” A brief moment of clarity broke through Linqian's likely concussed mind, and she looked down at that phone. ”That Greyson on the phone?” Then she looked at Aryin. ”Should we tell him?”

”We’ll have to tell everyone at some point,” Aryin sighed as she looked over to Linqian, ”Greyson we fought Scott Reese tonight. He’s still alive.

”Pretty sure I burnt his dick off,” Linqian added, feeling it was important information to add.

”Isn’t that chainsaw fun?”

”Oh fuck yeah, it was awesome, can I have it-”

There was another long silence on the other end before a far more grim voice began to direct Henri.
”Alright, I’m coming. Henri, I need you to get out to your car: Be very careful, and very watchful. If you see a douchebag with black curly hair and skin like the Devil, you better run for your fucking life back to my apartment however you can… But in the trunk of your car, you need to pull the rug up and take out the black box sitting underneath! Inside, there should be little green packets of shit, so I need you to get tweedle dee and tweedle dumb to eat them as soon as possible. Did you get all that!?”

”Yes, I got it-”

”Tweedle dee and tweedle dumb, do you want your fucking dick burnt off too, Greyson?!” Linqian leaned over towards the phone that Henri had very stupidly put on speaker mode, before a whole host of colourful swears came out in a pained gasp.

”He’s right! I got it all, Greyson, I’m on it! You know where we live right, I’m going to my car!” Henri turned around and practically sprinted out the house… leaving his phone.

Still on speaker, his frantic movements half-muffled Greyson’s admonishment.
”You go ahead and explain to me how you managed to pick a fight with the only supremacist not shaving his fuckin’ head, Linqian, and maybe I’ll take back what I said if it wasn’t your fault!”

”A ghost pirate ship appeared in the sky above the 317, opened fire, opened several portals that spewed out zombies with guns, opened fire, and Scott dropped from the ship and landed with this superhero-like pose, Aryin paused as she sighed. ”I pulled Linqian into the fight. She wasn’t going to let me go alone.”

”There were people less durable than us behind us. We did what we had to, to protect them.”. Aryin stopped talking as she began to hum the 500 miles song, it was completely stuck in their head.

”He landed with a fucking dickish pose- but yeah I got dragged through a painting into a literal fucking warzone and stopped people from fucking dying! We were having a great fucking evening-” they didn’t even get to finish Twilight- ”Technically I jumped into the fucking fight but it wasn’t really a fucking choice. We’re perfectly fucking fine anyway, you and Yi-er are completely overreacting.”

”Scott Reese? You’re playing with the Stygian Snake’s favorite cocksleeve and you want to say I’m overreacting? You’re lucky you’re alive, a fucking decade on I’d be hard pressed if that dude didn’t find some way to bypass Phantombanes, never mind dealing with you two meatheads!” he barked through the phone at the two of them, his inflection clearly strained.
”Where the fuck did Tall, Dead and Racist go when he was done putting the spurs to you both?”

”We sent him to fucking Ohio through the art dimension,” Aryin choked out between fits of a madness filled laugh, ”he’s in fucking Ohio.”

Linqian went from real pissed and ready to throw Henri’s phone at a wall, to also laughing- a laugh that was interspersed with very pained coughs.
”Fucking- the fucking ass end of fucking Ohio, probably reallyyy regretting picking a fight with a buncha magical artists- oh fuck, that hurts, haha- fucking Ohio!” She continued to laugh, before forcing out a bit more that wasn’t just talking about Ohio.
”We kept fucking fighting after he was gone, anyway, so we’re perfectly fucking alive after getting cannonball blasted away from his spiky ass.”

“Hey,” a voice came from behind the couch. A bloody face emerged from the painting.

”And who the fuck is that with you?! One of your art-hoe friends, Aryin!?” Greyson groaned.

”Stop fucking coming into my livingroom!” Linqian said, twisting around to look at Alex. Then, to the phone. ”Yeah the fucking painting teleporter. A fucking uninvited guest.”

Alex turned their head as they smirked. Their arm emerged with a twenty four pack of the St. Porter beer. “Am I invited now?”

”Oh fuck yes, take a seat- would you pick up the head for us?” Linqian gestured for Alex to come in.

”I got the weird green- WHAT THE FUCK?!” Henri ran back into the livingroom, house door slamming behind him, chest heaving from having sprinted all the way down the street to get to his car. He pointed at Alex. ”Who are you, why are you covered in blood?! I- I- fuck are we going to die?!”

”Henri, it’s fine… Just give them the stuff!”

Alex pulled themself out of the painting and placed the beer on the ground. They walked over to the head and picked it up, maintaining eye contact with Henri. They raised their nose up, and squinted at Henri. “Heads up,” they whispered as they tossed it towards Henri. “It’s my blood, don't worry.”

”What- fuck!” Henri somehow managed to catch the head underneath his arm, looking down at it and grimacing. He immediately dropped it back on the ground and ran over to Linqian and Aryin, holding out the little bags of green liquid. ”Drink them!”

Linqian looked at the very suspicious liquid, then at the phone, then at Henri. ”Yi-er, I love you-”
”Oh my fucking god Jie don’t start-”
”-but I’m not drinking the fucking green goop that was hidden in your gifted car that’s probably Leon’s magic vomit or some shit.”

Despair only grew in Henri’s eyes as he shoved the packets forward, shaking them.
”Please?” Then towards the phone.
”Greyson, please save me, I think I’m in hell.”

”I can only walk so fuckin’ fast, Kid! Just- Just, fuckin’ be persistant! I’ll be there soon!”
Henri would be able to hear the soft bing of an elevator door either opening or closing. Either way, Mr. Fix-it was on the case. It’d only be a matter of time before he was standing in the same room as them.

Alex walked over and grabbed a beer, turned out in its side, punched the side as they opened the top and shotgunned the beer as quickly as they could. “I’ve been to art hell,” Alex paused after they finished the beer, “art Satan was really cool to talk to.”

”Oh is he? Can you introduce us?”

“No.”

”Is he hot?” Linqian asked, gesturing to one of the beers in a very obvious ‘give me one of those’ motion while still ignoring the weird green packet Henri was shoving towards her.

Alex looked at Linqian, to the beer, to Linqian, back to the beer, and back to Linqian. “Ohhhhhhh,” Alex sighed as they walked over, grabbed a beer, and walked it over to Linqian and passed it to her. Linqian took it and immediately started chugging. “He was on fire so I think he was hot, yes.”

Henri frowned, picking back up his phone and switching it off speaker mode so Greyson didn’t have to hear all of the chaos. In fact he didn’t need to hear any of it at all…
”I’ll- I’ll see you soon! I’ll make them drink this by the time you get here, I swear!”

”Greyson alone won’t make us drink that shit either.”. They too were passed a beer by Alex and it was finished within a few seconds.

---

Henri hadn’t done what he said he would… But Greyson didn’t know that until he burst through the door with his tactical Thompson and his bulletproof Temple-Enchanted vest covering his typical high-class business attire. The Suit-and-Tie Assassin let himself through the front door with vigour, arriving to a scene he really didn’t want to deal with.

Linqian was lying against the arm of the couch with her mostly bare legs swung over the back of it. It was the opposite of a nice sight, since her legs were much more burn and bruise than they were skin. The oversized t-shirt Aryin had lent her had ridden up to reveal a very bruised midsection, and the horrible wound on their shoulder with a bone sticking through was even more obvious. The back of their head, hair still pulled back into a tight bun, was still sticky with blood, somehow. There were three crushed beer cans on the couch beside her. But most importantly, the zombie head was in her hands… well, single useable hand. She raised it up and lobbed it over to Aryin. ”Getting tired yet, hoe?”

Aryin caught the ball with their good arm. The shirt that Henri had brought down was missing, and Aryin was once again rocking just the sports bra and pajama shorts. The shorts themself were crusted with the blood of the zombie horde. Their arm even more bruised than before, Aryin visibly winced any time the arm swayed. ”What part of unlimited stamina does your single brain cell forget,” Aryin laughed as she tossed the head towards Alex. They then grabbed their fourth can of beer and drank from it with a passion.

”Oh I’ll show you fucking unlimited stamina in a minute.” Linqian half heartedly shoved a bare foot towards Aryin, wincing in pain.

Alex caught the head and looked towards the armed and dangerous man. They considered tossing it his way. A second later their demons took control as they raised their head up. Their eyes squinted as they looked at Greyson. The blood that caked their face had long since dried, and began to spit in long lines. “Heads up,” Alex whispered as they tossed the head up in the air towards the well dressed man. They turned their attention towards their can of beer, sitting next to five empty cans on the table, and took it and she took a big drink from it.

Henri was slumped in front of the couch, one packet of green liquid held in each hand. He was making continuous shoving movements with it towards Aryin and Linqian, to no avail. As he turned his head around to look at Greyson it was obvious he was on the verge of tears.
”I’m so sorry, I really tried.”

Staring at the sad, sad scene before him, Greyson shook his head and let the submachine gun drop from his shoulder. Swinging down, the barrel nearly tapped against the floor as it hung from the single-sling.
”You. Two. Need. Help. Like serious professional help…”
Moving to poor Henri, he gave a pat on the shoulder as his right hand outstretched.
”Where’s the fuckin’ goo?” his voice was stern, not exactly comforting despite the gentle hand. Truly it seemed to be the little things sometimes…

”Ohhhhh Mr. Murder Wall is lecturing us over need fucking therapy, please,” Linqian slurred, unsure if her struggle to speak was the pain or the alcohol… probably both. She was even more delirious than she had been before, meaning she returned to her base instincts… being extra easily pissed off. She raised her good hand to flip him off as she glared at him through blood stained glasses.
”Fuck off.”

”Here,” Henri pulled back both hands and held up the packets to Greyson. He hung his head, simultaneously feeling like he’d failed by not seeing through on his promise but also relieved that he didn’t have to deal with all of this shit alone anymore.

”I don’t need therapy,” Aryin paused as she pointed towards Greyson. ”I just need a couple more drinks and I’ll be fine. Besides, my arm is not- owww,” Aryin paused as the radiating pain increased in severity. ”Not that broken,” Aryin finished as she eyed up the green goop with a tiny bit more interest than before.

Greyson ruffled Henri’s hair.
”I know, Buddy… I should’ve been here earlier. It’s alright.”
Shifting his body, he pointed at Linqian and Aryin.
”And you two should be fuckin’ ashamed… Scaring this poor kid like this, and where’s your fuckin’ pals, Aryin? Huh? Most magical troupe of artists on the West Coast and nobody can muster up a healing spell? Fuckin’ sad.”

Taking a couple beers, he cracked them open and turned his back to the girls so they couldn’t see him swigging out of both bottles. He just had to make room for the Temple juice, which he squeezed a packet of into each bottle before swirling them around and handing them off to Linqian and Aryin.
”Here! Drink, drink, it’s fuckin’ good. Aryin, don’t lie to me and tell me you haven’t sucked some of this down already at Leon’s…”

”l,” Aryin paused as she took the beer and shifted her eyes to Linqian, ”plead the fifth”

”She was too busy sucking something else down I bet,” Linqian cackled. Before she took the beer, she pointed a finger at Greyson.
”Don’t blame the fucking artists, or the hippies. We bailed soon as the feds turned up. I wasn’t sticking around to get arrested for tryna bible bash Bianca that last time.”

”Plus everyone else was hurt worse. Jason had charcoaled hands, Thomas had no hands left,” Aryin paused as she looked to Alex.

“I nearly died,” Alex chuckled nervously as they took another big drink from their beer.

Linqian took the beer, not even a little bit suspicious. After all, her brain was running at the pace of a snail. She saw beer, she wanted beer, no fucking questions asked. She knocked it back pretty much immediately, drinking half in one go.

”Cheers you fucking bitch,” Aryin said as they matched Linqian’s drink.

It was only a few seconds after the two fools started to chug on their new beers that the changes started happening. Broken bones would feel the magical compulsion to remake themselves whole from the most complete source. So, bones broken away from their settings would hiss and bubble away to nothing as a new bone crawled its way through the flesh to return homeostasis to the host.
Leeching from the body’s natural Lux, the Key Lime Pie filling the Temple developed as a fast acting first aid relief did its job with zero compulsions toward comfort. The worst part was the redevelopment of nerves, whose endings had to be reconnected to the brain and would only do so after an agonizing self-suturing process.

It was, sometimes, necessary to be drunk for the shit to do its job. The body naturally fought it, after all, as something like an invading spell or bacterial entity. So as the mixture did its job and the pain started to make itself known, Greyson had already backed off and taken Henri under his arm.
”Gotta trick ‘em when they’re like that, Bud. I know you were scared; and so that’s what we’ll work on next. Can’t get like that.” he did his best to instruct.

Henri nodded almost frantically, looking at the pair with wide eyes.
”I came home and they were gone, and then they got back looking like that, I just panicked!”

”Don’t be- oh fuck.” Linqian had been in a bit more pain at first, but it didn’t take long for it to increase. The bone stuck out of her shoulder dissolved, and her whole arm began to twist itself back into the right shape. The shattered bones righted themselves by snapping back through already torn muscles, beginning to melt back together. Her broken ribs were easier, less painful, but it still fucking hurt… then came the muscles reforming, stitching themselves back together as her concussion was also painfully healed.
With it came a new level of clarity, and she pointed a trembling finger at Greyson.
”You fucking ass- FUCK ME FUCK-”

Her clearer thoughts were absolutely obliterated by the worst pain imaginable. All the spots across her body that had gone numb, nerves completely burnt away, felt like they were on fire. It was excruciating as they reformed, places where she never should’ve been able to feel again suddenly feeling far too much. She curled into a ball with a pained moan, cursing more and more violently in three different languages. It was worse than the constant pain from all her injuries, her vision blacking out for a moment… but then it was done. The following healing felt like child’s play in comparison, even though it was still agony as the layers of muscle and skin healed from all the burns and gashes.

The first thing to be healed for Aryin was their concussion. It was like two giant presses were closing around her skull. It was intense, painful, and as her clarity returned she felt a sensation in her arm that was unlike anything she’d ever experienced. Aryin tried to remain composed, and the smile that crept across her face indicated that she was not willing to appear weak in front of her friends. She took several deep, raspy, breathes as she tried to breathe through the pain but there was only so much that she could withstand.

Aryin fell to her knees as the completely bruised arm began to return to its normal color. The bones that had shattered began to reform the complete bone inside her arm, forcing the collapsed meat of her arm back into their normal place. The nerve pain was the final bit of pain she felt and it was the worst yet. Aryin simply balled her hands into fists and placed them on the ground, leaning forward as they did. A moment later it was over.

”How-” Aryin paused as she looked up at Greyson, ”how do you know what I may, or may not, have experienced at the temple?”. Their head may be healed but sadly it did little for Aryin’s one track mind.

”Leon definitely fucks and tells, Aryin, I’m sorry to have to be the one to fucking tell you,” Linqian groaned out. She finally unfurled herself, immediately looking over at Henri. Shit. How did she even start to apologise for this… fuck.

”I mean, same so I can’t be mad Oh my god, Linqian we were tossing a- Aryin gasped as she turned towards the door and saw the zombie head, ”did we take a trophy?”

Linqian could only nod and look away, pushing her glasses up onto the top of her head as if her not being able to see her brother and Greyson would somehow make them disappear.

”Alex, do you have a concussion too? You were tossing the head as well.”

“N-…..yes. Yes I totally do,” Alex paused as they grabbed a fresh beer and took a giant drink from it, “no, no I don’t. I’ve never been in a fight before so I just thought that’s what you do after a fight.”

”Which is it, Chucklefuck? Concussion or nah?” Greyson asked with a stern voice.

“No,” Alex paused as they took several steps back from Greyson, holding their beer up close to their face, “I was healed at the 317.”

”Oh my god,” Linqian whispered. She looked over at Henri… who was just a blur. Reluctantly her glasses went back over her eyes. Then she swapped to a completely different language - Kituba, because someone had fucking learned Chinese. It was much clumsier, but it did the job for what she wanted to say but was too embarrassed to say in front of everyone.
”I’m so sorry, Henri.”

Henri just looked at her. ”Say it in a language everyone understands, then.”

”我要淹死你 (I’m going to drown you).” Linqian snapped back, narrowing her eyes at Henri. One fucking thing and suddenly he’s talking shit to her as if she didn’t sacrifice so much shit for him for years. He can deal with one fucking near death, zombie catch incident! Fuck.

Greyson’s hand lashed out, tapping the back of Henri’s noggin.
”Don’t talk shit to your sister. What’s done is done, now don’t make me break your arm and have you drink the green shit… She just went through something very painful. Apologize.”

”She threatened to drown me!” Henri threw up his hands.

”Oy,” Linqian stood up, stumbled, then managed to properly stand and point at Greyson.
”Don’t you fucking dare even consider touching his fucking arm or I’ll break yours. Actually I’ll break something you’ll miss so much fucking more.”

Aryin simply stood up without a word. She did not make herself the centre of attention but she wanted to have Linqian know she had her back here. They simply crossed their arms and kept an eye on everyone. A moment later Alex took a few steps forward and mimicked Aryin.

”Oh, break it off inside, Linqian! Fuckin’... Your brother calls me crying about how you’re delusional and fucking wounded and how he doesn’t know what to do, then I try and defend you from his attitude and you treat me like this? Get bent…”
He threw his hands up, turning to move back toward the door.
”Call me when you’re cool again.”

”Jiiieeeee, I’m sorry.” Henri hit her with his very ineffective (he was learning) puppy dog eyes. Fortunately for him, it worked on one person - Linqian.

”Greyson, wait.” Linqian stepped out, putting an arm in front of him. She wasn’t even pissed pissed this time, so the cool off was even quicker. Normally she’d just let him fuck off anyway, but there was Henri to consider… and shit to discuss about Scott.
”You’re right- but you know I’m fucking touchy about him! Just… Yeah, we were being fucking stupid, concussions are absolutely shit- But, fucking- Thank you. For doing that.”

It pained her to thank him, but it wasn’t as painful as an apology would be. Which was why she wasn’t going to be giving any more of those out. Not verbally at least. Linqian sighed, and looked between Greyson and Henri.
”You guys hungry? I am after that, and we-” she gestured to herself, Greyson and Aryin, ”- still have shit to talk about.”

“I’m famished, I forgot to eat all day again. I was content to just sleep for dinner, you know,” Alex interrupted the tense conversation by accident.

Greyson stopped, hand on the doorknob before turning and taking a deep breath. He looked a little too dressed for lunch with his weapon and armor. But, he cleared his throat before acquiescence.
”What stuff to talk about?”

”Scott Reese being back from the fucking dead, for a start,” Linqian snorted, ushering him towards the kitchen next door. She gestured to Aryin to come in too. She was already mentally thinking about how much food she’d have to make, and exactly what she had in the fridge… what could she make. Well, first, making sure they didn’t end up with five in the not massive kitchen.
”Yi-er, will you keep Alex entertained?”

”Sure thing, Jie- do you play video games?” Henri cheerfully asked Alex, bouncing back just like he always did.

Alex grinned wide. “What games you got?”

”Loads,” Henri grinned back. He gestured to the television with an old console plugged into it - a PS2. ”We don’t have the latest shit, but pretty much anything that console can do, I have it! Have you ever played…” His grin widened. ”Star Wars Battlefront 2?”

“Do not recite the deep magic to me, warlock,” Alex grinned as they ever so slowly shifted their eyes to match Henri’s, “I was there when it was released.”. Alex sat down on the couch and crossed their legs. “Modern games are kinda ass anyway. I have a GameCube and a Wi back at my place so I’m right at home on a PS2.”

”Oh fuck,” Henri said as he turned on the console, handing Alex one of the controllers. The game was already in the console, so it launched right away. ”I always wanted a GameCube but we couldn’t afford it… then I asked Greyson to buy me one but ‘retro consoles are too expensive what did I do to earn that’ so he just got me the latest playstation. It’s fun, right, but it just isn’t the same! Oh, what game mode do you wanna play?”

“Hero assault is kinda a vibe, same with the classic conquest,” Alex paused as they looked at Henri, “if you win I can go grab the GameCube and bring it over. You’re only, like, two paintings away from my house so it’ll take a minute. You won’t win though so why did I offer that?”

”Let’s go hero assault then,” Henri grinned. Since there was only one map, there was no choice there, and they loaded in. Henri immediately chose Mace Windu. ”But you’re on. I spent years with this as one of the only games I owned.”

Alex immediately selected Asajj Ventress as they looked at Henri. “May the odds…May the force be with you.” Alex looked back at the screen and waited for the match to start. Alex wasn’t that great at the game any more, but they used to be a monster in the online world of this game. Asked hoped that their skills would have aged like a fine wine and not milk like every other skill they had.

”May the force be with you too,” Henri grinned. He leaned forward where he’d sat on the floor, back leant against the couch - it made it easier to see the pretty shitty screen with his height. The countdown finished, and he easily started to navigate through the city on his half of the screen. A few bots appeared, and he easily killed them. ”Let’s say the winner is whoever kills the other the most. Bot kills don’t count.”

“Bot deaths don’t count either,” Alex looked towards Henri as the respawn timer counted down.

Henri laughed, bright and cheerful rather than mocking at all. ”Sure, only counts if I kill you- like now.”

He’d managed to find Alex right after they respawned, jumping down from a building with a slamming ground attack before easily finishing them off. ”One-zero.”

“I’ll have to put on my A game from here,” Alex said as they simply leaned forward and adopted a more focused look on their face. After they respawned they found what they thought was Henri’s character and quickly dispatched them with ease.

“One all,” Alex said oblivious to the fact that they had killed a bot .

”That wasn't me,” Henri laughed, pointed to his half of the screen where he was obviously alive. ”This is me.”

He appeared in front of Alex, jumping almost tauntingly, before engaging in lightsaber to lightsaber combat.

Alex felt the skills returning. Their muscles began to regain their memory as Alex fought back, and they knew that they would not be seeing the..

“Respawn screen…” Alex looked over to Henri with fear in their eyes. Alex had just realised that they misjudged their opponent, “what are you?”

Henri just smiled brightly back at Alex, eyes filled with warm light. It was practically radiating from him. ”I’m nothing more than a Jedi Master.”

He dispatched a few more bots, before coming around and killing Alex again.

The match went on for a few more minutes before Alex finally found relief and got a kill. It took all of their skill, patience, and luck. “I got you! I knew I would get you,” Alex shouted with joy before they realised it was a bot once again. The match ended a second later and their eyes narrowed, their nostrils flared, and their head slowly turned to look down at Henri.

“Good game,” Alex whispered with disgust, “shall I go grab the GameCube?”

”Good game!” Henri said cheerfully. ”I’m sure you’ll win next time… and yes please! That’d be amazing, I can’t wait to play it!”

“Good,” Alex inched upward from the couch, maintaining eye contact with Henri, before they slowly walked towards the painting. They touched it before stepping inside. A second later Alex popped their head out. “Do not follow me, this place is not a place of honour for anyone but me.” They pulled their head back in and they were off.

A few minutes later they came back through the portal. GameCube, and controllers, in hand and a single clear case with a disc inside. “Hook this up for me, please,” Alex said with the same intense stare as before.

”Got it!” Henri said cheerfully, taking the GameCube from Alex. He crouched down, unplugging the PS2 and fiddling about a bit to get the GameCube hooked up in its place. He then turned it on. ”What’re we playing?”

Alex slowly raised their right arm up. It took a painful ten seconds for it to reach its peak. “Super Smash.” They played this game every. single. Day.

”Fuck yeah! One of my college friends has a switch so we play that a shit ton… I can’t wait to play it on the GameCube, I bet it's even better,” Henri grinned, completely enthusiastic.

“Prepare to die.”

---

”Any requests?” Linqian asked as she started to rummage about her cupboards.
”Well, no promises. We can talk while I cook… because fuck, Aryin thinks we should tell the coven, and I think that’s a terrible fucking idea.”

Greyson’s face was unsurprised.
”Listen, if the two of you haven’t already considered that everything happening right now as just an extension of the shit we went through years ago, well-”
He shrugged, sitting down at the kitchen table.
”Something with noodles, if you’ve got it… You know me, spaghetti brain.”

”Did you seriously just ask someone Chinese if they have noodles?” Linqian snorted. She went through the fridge and pulled out some chicken, then a shit ton of vegetables to pad it out, and started chopping.

”I just think it changes things, you know? We start dying, Scott Reese is back. I’d want to know if someone else discovered that.”

”Fair point. I’ve gotta say I agree that he should at least be on our radar, even if he’s… You said Ohio? God I hope he doesn’t head North.”

“Yep, Alex opened a portal and sent him there. Nearly killed them to do it apparently.
”That guy’s a fuckin’ menace.” Greyson shook his head.

”The fuckers we were fighting had a ghost ship and a shit ton of portals themselves,” Linqian pointed out. She'd efficiently cut up the chicken and thrown it in a pan, moving about the kitchen to pull out all the ingredients she needed to make a simple, but tasty, sauce. She figured a stir fry noodle dish would be good - fast, easy, nice. As she went about cooking, she was visibly relaxing further and further.
”I bet they'll get Scott's ass back soon then he'll be our fucking problem again. I hate to admit this shit, but Sycamore can't fucking handle him. It was the Trinity that dealt with him before and they're fucking gone.”

“I hate to admit that you’re right. I’m stronger than last time and I couldn’t even scratch him.”

”And I had a fucking chainsaw… The chainsaw got through, but otherwise? Nothing fucking did,” Linqian groaned, looking over at Greyson.
”Guess you were right about the fucking need training shit. Maybe we can get strong enough to deal with that piece of shit…”

”That chainsaw wasn’t at full power. Faith has been looking for the Boomstick artifact that is its pair, apparently they boost each other. The Chainsaw is one of the most powerful artifacts that we had, and it just scratched him.”

”Which is why we need to tell the coven.”

”And watch them argue over it while some fucking idiot probably goes to fight him and gets a bunch of us killed? No fucking way!” Linqian turned away from the vegetables she was chopping to point the knife towards Aryin.
”Look, I know I’m part of the arguing problem. Fuck, I’m probably part of all the problems, but I just don’t fucking trust them. They’ll do something fucking suicidally stupid.”

”There has to be someone we can tell, right? Like not everyone is that dumb.”.

”Listen, there's no world where hiding this is the right move. I honestly wouldn't even care who you tell, because word spreads like a fire in a dry field. If you want my advice, I say everyone deserves to know, if for nothing else but their own personal security.” Greyson finally added, head tilted slightly as he tried to parse out what was going to happen next.

Undead Scott Reese was not on his objective to solve list, with Greyson imagining him as a mechanical impasse… They would just have to get rid of the guy again and again.
”At least we know now… Snake is back? Or maybe it was never fully over… We were kids, after all, maybe someone made a mistake somewhere?”

Linqian’s poor expression was hidden, with her back turned to them as she finished chopping up the vegetables and threw them in the pan too. She clamped down on arguing about the whole not telling anyone thing… She still thought it was a bad idea, but she wasn’t the smart one here. Saying the Snake was back seemed like a bit of a fucking jump too.
”Well none of us fucking remember the ceremony, so we might’ve. Like we don’t have enough fucking problems to deal with… There’s barely any of us fucking left too.”

With everything cooking it gave her an opportunity to actually turn around, leaning against the counter.
”At least 317 seemed like they wanted an alliance. The only fucking positive to come outta today.”

”We’ve done a complete turn around in that department. It used to be no coven this, we’ll kick you out if you are caught, and now, Aryin paused as they crossed their arms. ”We’re not strong enough to resist whatever that was, so it’s good to have friends who can. What did you think of our monsters and stuff Linqian,” Aryin smirked at Linqian.

”I was too busy getting the crap beaten out of me to pay much attention to them,” Linqian said honestly.
”Was pretty impressive for a bunch of artists, I guess. And the fucking chainsaw… Fuck, I should’ve just taken it. Honestly, it was so fucking cool- it was fucking fueled by my lux or some shit, shoving that flaming thing up Scott’s ass was satisfying as fuck.” The explanation of the chainsaw was for Greyson, of course, who hadn’t been there to witness it in all its glory.

”It was indeed! That’s why I grabbed it for you.”.

”That’s why you’re my best bitch,” Linqian grinned. She’d put on the noodles, finishing off the sauce and pouring it in with everything else. Then she thought about something else she needed to talk about… might as well do it now. She spun back around and pointed at Greyson.
”I talked to Sloane this morning about Jinhai’s memorial service- fucking stuck up bitch thinks I just fucking quit my job for nothing… Whatever, what’s fucking important is that I didn’t take her money for the shit I’m booking. Burnt the fucking cheque soon as I left-” she was getting a bit off track here…
”I can’t cover it myself yet. You still good to… pay for some of that shit? Like a loan, you can take it outta my first paycheck.”

Greyson's face was mostly serene until the topic of spending money was brought up.
”Huh? Oh, the… Yeah, for sure, whatever you need. We'll pull payments out of your paychecks if you want to pay back that way, but… Well, I mean, it's not necessary. Jinhai and I had a rough relationship, but the dude deserves to rest well. Right?”

”Right, but he’ll be put to rest whether I gradually pay you back or not. Shouldn’t be that fucking much either… the plot and headstone. I still gotta sort it… what the fuck am I gonna do with all that money anyway?” Linqian waved hand, turning back around to the stove and switching everything off. The noodles were thrown into the pan, and everything mixed together.
”It’s going to be an open, informal service… Sloane suggested that. Fucking surprising. Means the whole fucking coven could turn up if they wanted.” She spoke pretty calmly about it all. Detached, almost.

She stopped her actions, stepping back from what looked like a simple Chow Mein.
”That’s food, help yourselves… that’s the only table we got, so we’ll have to pull it out a bit.”

”I don't see why you have to do what Sloane Farris recommends. From what I hear, Blackmore rearranged her brain's synaptic network the other day. She's probably still not normal.” Greyson chuckled to himself as he stood to move the table a bit.

It didn't take him long to dive in.
”Mmmm… Fuck it's so good. Real Chinese food? Ohhhh Baby… Linqian, you're gonna love the Kitchen at the new place. It'll be great, Hell I’m tempted to use it myself now and then.”

”Yeah, not normal in that she made some actually good points I agreed with. It was fucking weird.” Linqian shrugged, grinning at the immediate appreciation she got from him. It was still pretty fucking nice, compared to her brothers who were just too fucking used to getting meals made for them. While Greyson could be a dick a lot of the time, he also had a way with words that sometimes made her feel real fucking good about herself.
”The fuck would you even be cooking, fried eggs? But fuck, is it big? This place is… well I fucking grew up here, but it’s too fucking cramped. A better kitchen, time to actually fucking cook… it’s like a fucking dream, if you ignore the shit that’s making us all move in together.”

She then tilted her head back. ”Yi-er, will you grab the other two chairs from the cupboard?”
”But Jie, I’m in the middle of a match!”
”I don’t give a fuck! Go get them if you want to fucking eat.”

There was some grumbling, and seconds later Henri appeared with two fold out chairs he put at the small table, making three into five with enough room for all of them… even if it was a bit tight.

Alex followed in a second later. “Saved by the bell, saved by the bell,” Alex confidently walked in behind them.

”Oh? Final score?”

“We’re three rounds into a best of five,” Alex dusted their shoulders, “I’m up two games but game three is close.”

”Good. Sit down nerd, this food is amazing,” Aryin said as they looked over Alex and their blood stained face. ”Trust me when I say you’ll want to clean that off before you eat. Why don’t you go get cleaned up real quick, I’ll save your spot.”

“That makes sense,” Alex said as they threw up a peace sign and walked towards the bathroom.

”They’ll grow on you,” Aryin said to Linqian with a smile as she ate some more of the food, her eyes closing for just a moment as the flavour hit her mouth.

”Sure, if they stop stepping into my fucking livingroom uninvited,” Linqian retorted. She served up a plate for Alex in one of the empty spaces, making an assumption and giving them a fork… before grabbing some for herself and putting a lid over the pan. She'd made a shit ton, so there was enough for seconds, or her lunch tomorrow.

”I’ll have a chat.

”Thanks Jie!” Henri said cheerfully. He'd crammed himself in by the wall in one of the worse seats, forcing Linqian to squeeze past Greyson to get into the seat right in the corner, sitting between them. ”This is great! Normally you never let me have a second dinner, maybe you should get into fights more often- I'm joking don't hit me!”

”Watch it. You've been spending too much time with Louis recently, getting fucking cocky,” Linqian pointing a chopstick at Henri aggressively, though her posture was very relaxed.

”Don’t blame poor Louis, he doesn't talk back to his parents like this, Uncle Andre would chuck him out if he did!” Henri grinned. Then, he had a sudden, amazing idea. One that would make the rest of his evening amazing, at least. ”Oh, oh- Greyson, since it's late and you're here already you should stay the night! It's only fair since you always let me go round to yours… I gotta second bed in my room you could use!”

Linqian didn't say anything, or even react much, beyond a slight lean towards Greyson to stare at her brother better. She assumed she didn't have to, because he'd turn down the offer himself… he did have Britney to get back to.

Greyson actively narrowed his eyes as he took a large, slurping bite of food. His gaze became something like transfixion to Henri, eyes peering directly into his with a glimmer of malice in his eye.
”Henri… You remember Miss Britney, right? Tall, well built, hung out with us at Halloween?” he asked, pausing before leaning in just a little bit.
”Did you find her attractive?” he asked very open-endedly.

”Yeah, I do!” Henri said cheerfully, before thinking about the question. Did he find her attractive? Well duh, he was human. But was there more to the question… well no point thinking too hard about it!
”Yeah, she's pretty! Almost as pretty as Jie!”

Linqian almost choked on the noodles she was swallowing down, leaning forward and coughing so much there were tears in her eyes.

“Lady problems?” Alex paused as they walked back into the room, face cleared of blood. They walked next to Linqian and patted them on the shoulder. “That’s rough buddy.”

”ALEX.”

Still staring, Greyson's lips curled up a little at the corners.
”Just ask yourself, Little Brother: Why would big bro Greyson sleep on your spare bed in your house when I have a beautiful lady to go home and lay in bed with? Hmmm?”

”OHHHHHHH!” Henri exclaimed, like it had just dawned on him. Like suddenly, everything in life made sense. His eyes went wide, practically shining as he looked at Greyson.
”I see! So you're one of the guys who always goes back home to their wife at the end of the night rather than staying out with the guys because you don't want to go home to get nagged about never doing enough! Wow! I should've known you'd be like that! But isn't it a bit uncomfortable always sharing a small bed with someone?”

Linqian choked again on a noodle she'd already choked on, hand slamming into the table multiple times as she forcefully swallowed it and the laughter that was building up.

“Ohhhh, you’re just like Jasper I see. I know how to fix this,” Alex cleared their throat, “he wants to go home to fu-“

”ALEX,” Aryin shot out of the chair, placed a hand over their mouth, ”shhh, shhhh..” Yet Aryin couldn’t help a laugh from escaping her throat.

Greyson could only keep his stern face on for so long before he cracked. His face turned downward first, to not be shamed once again by Henri's deep innocence. But then he turned to look at Linqian.
”This is-” Greyson cracked up, the comment barely audible through his laughter.

Turning his head back to the subject, he shook it vigorously.
”You're so sweet, Henri Han… No, no. See, Britney's got a real big bed. Big lady, after all… And when I'm there, I crawl into the bed with her, and I-”

”Don’t you fucking dare, Greyson,” Linqian interrupted, twisting her head round to glare at him… though the effect was dampening by the laughs she couldn't quite hold back and the tears at the corner of her eyes from almost choking multiple times.

”Oh, I get it!” Henri hit his fist into his open palm, once again achieving enlightenment.
”You then get close together because the bed’s too big to feel comfortable in! Because there's no way you'd be doing that other thing you could be doing in bed every night.” It was very difficult to tell if he was really that oblivious or if he was doing some weird kind of skit.

Aryin looked to Alex, whose mouth was still covered, and their stare lingered for a moment before both their eyes went towards Linqian. Neither felt the desire to be the one to break the news. Well, Alex did but they weren’t going to break free don’t Aryin’s grip any time soon.

Greyson was laughing aloud like a hyena, fist bumping against the table and causing his chopsticks to rattle about on the plate.
”Henri… My boy… What do you and Louis do in my apartment all day? You don't talk to one another about chasing ‘tang or huntin’ for cheeks? He never mentions his girlfriends? Or you don't ever look-”
He could feel Linqian's eyes burning a hole through his skull.

”Y'know, we'll come back to this later. When we're alone, and people aren't so judgemental of natural processes.” he playfully snapped, going back to his food.

”I think you’ll find this is a judgement free zone,” Aryin smirked at Linqian, ”I mean I was in my Jane Doe cosplay most of the day to reward the good soldier here for help with my move.”

Aryin looked back at Alex and removed their hand. “Why did he get to say it,” Alex whispered as they grabbed a plate of food and sat down. They took a bite, put their fork down, and raised their hand to their forehead as they simply slowed down their eating. After a few more seconds they smirked. The food was good. “Thank you for feeding me,” Alex paused as their smile faltered, “and for letting me hang. I needed this.”

”You’re always welcome! Especially with your GameCube.” Henri said cheerfully. He grinned at Greyson, shooting him a thumbs up. It wasn't that he didn't know about that shit, just he didn't understand why. Nobody had ever explained the why to him.
”Anyone else for seconds?” he then asked, popping up and going over to the stove.

”It’s no problem,” Linqian said, with a hand wave and half smile. It briefly interrupted her staring at Greyson - but also interrupted her natural response to him. Not that she'd had an immediate one, a bit too shocked at being called judgemental. Her of all people. Sure, she could let things move on, but taking the opportunity of Henri having moved a bit further away…

”So you think I'm fucking judgemental cause I don't want to talk about that shit with my little brother?” Linqian asked, tone still pretty light. She leaned in towards Greyson until she was uncomfortably close, voice lowering. Her eyes narrowed, but her lips pulled up into a smirk.
”You really think there's much to fucking judge? You’re far too vanilla for me to even consider judging anything you'd say. Because sometimes it can get pretty fucking unnatural.” She cast a side eye at Aryin, thinking about how the shit they'd gotten up to with Leon… now that was the kind of shit that could be judged. Her gaze went back to Greyson, eyebrows raising.

Greyson visibly bristled at the comment.
”Vanilla!? Because I won’t-”
Biting his tongue, his eyes spun from her to Henri and then back to Linqian.
”Sorry, God forbid I use the wrong word. Fucking, non-judgemental my ass, listen to you. You judge as you breathe.”
He threw up his hands, wiping his face with a napkin and tossing it on his empty plate before shoving off.

He pointed a finger at Aryin.
”Just… Let your pals know that when we move to the South End, my house isn’t a starving artist’s halfway house. I don’t need a million people coming through at all hours like it’s a fucking club.”
And then he made for the door again, half expecting someone to try and stop him again, but far less concerned than the last time.

”No need to get so pissy about it, you'd think I was saying you were bad… Well you’re always welcome to come prove me wrong,” Linqian called after him, posture languid with no move made to go after him. She hadn't expected him to have such an extreme reaction… Wasn't she just pushing back where he already playfully prodded? Even if there was some truth in it.
”Anytime.”

Henri stood at the stove, massive spoonful of chow mein stuffed into his mouth, wide eyed and confused. He tried to say don't go, but it was completely muffled by the food.

“I’m not starving though,” Alex whispered as they finished their food. “I’m actually full.”

”We do have to work on your visitation manners all the same.”