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[Shadowcaller]

[Bellamy House]

Obriane leans close to Kitty and whispers. "Is he drunk?"

Unfortunate Timing

Jaahlyn let's out a small sigh. "To clarify, I don't think you did anything bad, Jim. The opposite actually as I'm sure this villain more than deserved it. But if he had done awful things to me, imagine what he could have done to you? Since yeah, everything seems to have worked out but how do you know that he or one of his friends decide to take revenge in the future?" She gives him a concerned look.

"Since fey are all wrapped up in a society of alliances and promises. If one wrongs the other it could set off a whole chain-reaction and some of them can be extremely petty."

[Arkhosia]

[Uninvited]

► SHOW SPOILER

[Uninvited]

Eliseo looks between the two, then at Ana with a questioning look. Looks like they've stumbled into something. Seems awkward.

When the phone is answered, Kitsuki replies. "Hello, I'm trying to reach Siana's family. Unfortunately we can't have her stay here right now, but it's not safe for her to leave at this time of day either. I'm hoping someone can help." Her voice adopts a polite tone, though she's honestly just tired. It might be a bit strained.

Neither Ana nor Stasia will be much help for Eliseo, as both of them seem just as confused - although some sort of conclusion seems to be coalescing in Ana's eyes. The way she looks at Kitty next is somewhat wary, as if she'd just had a plan explained to her that she doesn't fully trust in. "We should - um, we should really go," the teen urges, reaching for Eliseo's other hand to lead him forward and slip past through the door.

Ana lingers for a moment as they pass Siana, not quite as caught up on the situation and hesitant to leave. "I - um, we can - we'll talk when I'm back," she offers, putting on her best attempt at a reassuring smile. The two had exchanged numbers during the dream, after all.

[Thursday Violist]

[Bellamy House]
still inside the house

Harley grabs Manja and watches, in a daze, as Reinholdt dashes around and apparently babies are coming....
oh! Manja's not scared? That might be a sign that something's wrong. Like maybe magic or something. So, she starts looking at Manja (who tries to tell Harley that she can't speak), and . . . .

Oh1 Finally it registers in her mind what Rein said about a C-section. She opens her mouth, about to say - No, as a veterinarian's assistant she's never performed one before, but wouldn't it be best to just take her to the hospital and let them do it there if she needs it? - but...Rein's already outside again.

Well, at least, if they all are headed to the hospital, Harley ought to at least stay here with the other kids, at least until the two older girls get back, and then probably go to...GLoG? maybe? while trying to figure out if Manja is okay and isn't under some kind of magic spell that keeps her from crying, and, sure, they're not exactly finished with the conversation but between the attempted kidnapping and incoming babies, Harley and everyone else are understandably not in the right mindset to finish the conversation anyway.

And...
And Harley hugs Manja, glad that Rein was able to get her back.

[Keeper]

Unfortunate Timing

"Well, that's why I had the mask and a fake name. I don't think he'll have any way to sniff out my real identity. Unless he has a spy in this room or I start pulling it on and off in public places. Right?"
He hadn't really considered the possibility that they might be able to find his real identity.

[Gullara]

[Bellamy House]

Kitsuki watches Rein walk away with an expression that says, 'Really?' "Not yet." She better be at the hospital before this totally dissolves.

It's after Rein comes back and she takes the towels that she spies Ana and Annie walking down the street a ways off. "Oh thank goodness. Obriane, please tell Ana what's going on so she can watch the kids. I'm getting in the car. Don't take long." With that, Kitsuki goes to the recently arrived cab and levers herself inside, with a towel planted beneath her.

((Ana updating can be presumed to happen off screen.))

[Shadowcaller]

Unfortunate Timing

"Well, that's why I had the mask and a fake name. I don't think he'll have any way to sniff out my real identity. Unless he has a spy in this room or I start pulling it on and off in public places. Right?"
He hadn't really considered the possibility that they might be able to find his real identity.

Unfortunate Timing

"Right." Jaahlyn sounds uncertain but her fears seems to have subsided for now as she gives Jim a nod of confirmation.

Then her body language relaxes as she puts her hand on the bed and leans forward. "Speaking of which, what was up with that mask?" The satyr smiles. "You looked... very different. I guess that was the point but still." Her eyebrows raise as she seems to give Jim an quick inspection. As if there was something about him that she had never noticed before. "Since masks get extremely uncomfortable if they're too different from the person wearing them. So I'm kind of curious where you even got all that from?" Her smile turns mischievous.

[Ironsmith]

[Uninvited]

Eliseo looks between the two, then at Ana with a questioning look. Looks like they've stumbled into something. Seems awkward.

When the phone is answered, Kitsuki replies. "Hello, I'm trying to reach Siana's family. Unfortunately we can't have her stay here right now, but it's not safe for her to leave at this time of day either. I'm hoping someone can help." Her voice adopts a polite tone, though she's honestly just tired. It might be a bit strained.

[Uninvited]

Neither Ana nor Stasia will be much help for Eliseo, as both of them seem just as confused - although some sort of conclusion seems to be coalescing in Ana's eyes. The way she looks at Kitty next is somewhat wary, as if she'd just had a plan explained to her that she doesn't fully trust in. "We should - um, we should really go," the teen urges, reaching for Eliseo's other hand to lead him forward and slip past through the door.

Ana lingers for a moment as they pass Siana, not quite as caught up on the situation and hesitant to leave. "I - um, we can - we'll talk when I'm back," she offers, putting on her best attempt at a reassuring smile. The two had exchanged numbers during the dream, after all.

[Uninvited]

"...Oh. Yes, I see." The strigoi on the other end of the line clears her throat. "Unfortunately, by the same token, it's not safe for us to come and pick her up. I take it from your tone that you've already considered and discarded the possibility of letting her stay until dusk. If it's that urgent, I'll call around and see if any of our family friends can come for her.

Just don't let her leave before then. She... doesn't seem to be in a good place right now. If she insists on leaving, take her up to the police station; she said she was going to turn herself in, and she's safer there than she is out on the streets."

Siana just gives Ana and Stasia a little wave back, barely looking up from the floor. She can't go with them, so what's the point?

[Gullara]

[Uninvited]

"Uh, right, sure." Eliseo doesn't mind escaping this room. He could cut the tension with a knife. He'll give one more glance at Stasia and Kitsuki before slipping out with his girlfriend(s).

"Yes, that's another reason I'd like you to pick her up. Do what you can please." Assuming that concludes the conversation, Kitsuki will end the call. "Your sister is going to try and find someone who can pick you up. You can stay here until then."

[Ironsmith]

[Uninvited]

Siana nods reluctantly, her gaze dropping to the floor again. She's not even going to be allowed to leave. Who's Owena planning on sending to her, anyway? Codebreaker? Zee? Did she somehow know about Jaahlyn?

There's no way to know in advance. Nothing to really do now but sit here like a useless lump until somebody came for her.

[Keeper]

Unfortunate Timing

"Right." Jaahlyn sounds uncertain but her fears seems to have subsided for now as she gives Jim a nod of confirmation.

Then her body language relaxes as she puts her hand on the bed and leans forward. "Speaking of which, what was up with that mask?" The satyr smiles. "You looked... very different. I guess that was the point but still." Her eyebrows raise as she seems to give Jim an quick inspection. As if there was something about him that she had never noticed before. "Since masks get extremely uncomfortable if they're too different from the person wearing them. So I'm kind of curious where you even got all that from?" Her smile turns mischievous.

Unfortunate Timing

Jim's ears are certainly starting to look a little red.
"Well, we knew he had a thing for you, so we started with your sort of look as a base, added the wings to grab his interest, and the rest was part of the cover story. The Vettir clan they suggested she be from do a lot of work so I thought about muscles. We put a lot of thought into it!" Jim insists.

[Shadowcaller]

Unfortunate Timing

Jaahlyn giggles. "You're making it sound like I'm accusing you of something." The satyr starts fanning herself with her hand as if she's suddenly feeling hot despite just being in her underwear. "Why-" She puts her other hand against her chest. "-I'm flattered that you've become so inspired by my form. I'm a fellow artist after all, Jim. I know how inspiration works. So this is no different from the goat plushie you made for me as far as I'm concerned."

Jaahlyn takes a step closer and attempts to put her hands on his shoulder, giving them a gentle squeeze. "Since it too was inspired by me, right? Unless you got another goat in your life." She teases mirthfully.

"Good thing you put so much of your own thoughts into it though. Otherwise I might have felt narcissistic of finding it so attractive." The satyr giggles again and then leans in closer. "So... what's her name?" She inquires in a husky voice.

[Keeper]

Unfortunate Timing

"My dad works out in the sticks in the family winery I've seen plenty of goats." Jim insists, only getting more red by the minute.
"....her name's Jay. It had to be something simple or I'd forget it which would have been really bad." he seems to be bashfully avoiding eye contact at this point.

[Ironsmith]

[Aikobaz's Room]

The empress lets out a small sigh as she closes the door behind her, setting her bag by her bed as she makes her way over to the radio by her bed. "Hey. Hey, wake up." She whispers to the machine. "Play something from my study playlist."

"Hm? Oh, sure thing, baby." A soft, low voice emanates from the radio. "I know just the thing."

As the first notes ring out, Aikobaz nods to herself and pulls open her bag, shuffling through its contents. With the music playing, nobody has any reason to believe anything is happening in here other than her usual routine of studying... which she has made it clear, on multiple occasions, was not to be interrupted. Nobody's going to bother her now.

The empress pulls out her books, one at a time, setting them in a neat stack to the side. She did have a lot of actual studying to do, of course, but for now, her attention would be focused on something else; a little treasure she hid at the bottom of her book bag.

Ah-ha. There it is.

Aiko pulls out the vial, pinching it between her thumb and her pointer finger, a small smile on her face. "Finally." She whispers to herself, feeling the tips of her fingers burn in that way that told her she was holding a genuine source of magical power.

Succubus essence. Straight from the Scorching Depths.

It had taken a lot of effort to procure even this much. She'd had to sell quite a few of her old possessions. And save money from various endeavors. Endure so many obnoxious, vulgar customers. To say nothing of the effort that went into finding someone who would even sell it to her. And then there was all the sneaking around she had to do to actually arrange the meetup, and then to make sure she got it home without anybody realizing she had it.

But here, at long last, was something she could use. In limited quantities, granted, but now she had genuine magic at the tips of her fingers.

She can finally start to rebuild her lost powers.

[Shadowcaller]

Unfortunate Timing

"Jay, Jim..." Jaahlyn repeats, sounding as if she's tasting the words. "Yeah, I can go for that." She concludes as she tries to get eye contact with Jim again. Though seeing him like this makes her pause.

"If you're uncomfortable about it I suppose I don't have to know." She giggles again. "Just thought she was very cute, that's all."

[bc56]

Aiko's Room
Does Aiko feel like she's being watched? That creeping sensation of eyes on one's back is common to those doing things in secret.

In this case, it's because she really is being watched, and she's not alone.
Someone else appears in the room with a whiff of brimstone. Her presence will probably set Aiko's magic sense screaming.
"You, uh, really shouldn't use that," the succubus queen warns Aiko, "It would work, but, uh, it's only temporary. And it's addictive. I wouldn't want, uh, someone your age caught up in that." She really wouldn't want anyone caught up in that, but especially not a kid.
Sekhmet looks a little different from the last time Aiko saw her; she's leaning on her succubus aspect a little. There are two reasons for this. The first is that her succubus-self is naturally better at tracking and manipulating succubus essence like what Aiko acquired. The second reason is that she got the call from her agent that was searching for the missing essence while she was having a fancy date night with Prumathe, and came as soon as she could. So her hair is down, her royal blue dress is strapless, cut low enough to show off most of her ample cleavage, and tightly hugs her figure and its skirt only descends to her knees. She's a far cry from the more practical demon queen Aiko encountered in the past.

[Ironsmith]

[Aiko's Room]

If the brimstone smell didn't give Sekhmet's presence away, the fact that she suddenly feels like she's standing way too close to a bonfire would.

Aiko whirls on her feet, turning to face the succubus queen with the vial hugged to her chest, where it would be difficult to retrieve. Is this what these things use instead of warning labels? Instead of some small text on the side saying something to the effect of "warning: this product known to the city of Inside to be extremely addictive, use at your own risk", a demon personally comes and warns the user not to do things with it?

Then it occurs to Aiko that this demon in particular looks... eerily familiar.

Oh.

Right.

She looks like an older version of her royal brat of a classmate. Which means it's either Mary, come to ruin her plan, or Sekhmet. One is a considerably less appealing option than the other.

Better to tread cautiously.

"I'm very much aware of this substance's addictive properties." Aiko begins. "Which is why I intend to consume exactly none of it. My research has shown magically-charged fuels like this can be used by apparatuses to accomplish feats of magic. I have an empty wand which I intend to employ for this purpose. Not a drop will be entering my body."

If that's someone genuinely concerned about her health, that should serve to reassure her, right?

[bc56]

Aiko's Room
"That's safer," Sekhmet concedes, "If only for you. What exactly do you intend to do with the wand you'll construct?" She takes a step further into the room. "That stuff is dangerous, even if not ingested. Where I come from, it's illegal to export to the mortal world without rigorous safety review. There's only a limited set of things it can do, few of which are positive." The unspoken part of that sentence implies it's not illegal in Inside, but Sekhmet's not happy about that fact (she's not). She does take this seriously - she doesn't want a magical drug trade opening up on her watch.

[Ironsmith]

[Aiko's Room]

"...I take it you aren't going to be satisfied with 'whatever I want' as a response." Aikobaz says, moving her hands to her hips. "But there is no better descriptor. I have gone without magic for quite long enough. The wand may be of limited use and utility, but it's better than nothing."

As she says this, Aiko makes her way over to her trunk and produces the wand in question: a simple birch stick, with an ornate carving of a grinning, open-mouthed dragon on one end.

[bc56]

Aiko's Room
"Of course I'm not satisfied. At least you aren't trying to lie to me about using the power responsibly, but it really is too dangerous to let out into the world. Do you even know what that wand will do?" Sekhmet can make reasonable guesses but even she's not sure. She's pretty sure whatever it is would be approved by normal succubi and therefore is definitely terrible.

[Ironsmith]

[Aiko's Room]

"And what good would that do? Lying does not serve either of us, over the long term." Aikobaz replies, clicking open the vial and pressing its rim to the tip of the dragon's mouth. "My research suggests that there are many potential applications, including short-term modification of one's appearance, libido manipulation, and what is taxonomically called a single-thought charm effect. I would estimate there is only enough here to provide a limited number of uses, and therefore the practical implications of this are likewise sharply limited; unless I have a steady supply, I am looking at the ability to charm one person, one time, and only until they encounter some form of resistance. The number of things I can do with that, nefarious or otherwise, is quite low."

[bc56]

Aiko's Room
"I don't hear any acknowledgement that controlling people's minds is evil," Sekhmet responds. "Don't even try to say that good and evil are subjective. They're not, I would know." She sighs. "I don't think you'll seriously hurt anyone with it but I can't exactly let it slide. You technically didn't do anything wrong... Yet," Sekhmet's pretty sure Aiko is clever enough to know that Inside law doesn't forbid the sale or use of succubus essence, and she also doesn't trust Aiko to use the wand she's creating responsibly. "But your supplier did," Or if not her immediate supplier, someone up the chain.

[Ironsmith]

[Aiko's Room]

"You are entertaining the most peculiar sentiments." Aiko says, stopping just short of tilting the vial into the dragon's mouth. "I have not done anything wrong. It is unlikely that I will do anything wrong. I am not my supplier's only customer; if your intent is to stop the distribution of this substance throughout Inside, your time would be better spent with them than me."

"And yet here you are. In my chambers." Aiko lowers the vial and clicks it shut. "And I can not help but wonder... why?"

[bc56]

Aiko's Room
Sekhmet sighs again. "You're just a kid, and you're telling the truth when you say you're not going to hurt anyone, but I have to at least say something." She doesn't leave though. "I needed an excuse to talk to you without my daughter around." Oh. That sounds serious.

[Gullara]

[Uninvited]

Siana nods reluctantly, her gaze dropping to the floor again. She's not even going to be allowed to leave. Who's Owena planning on sending to her, anyway? Codebreaker? Zee? Did she somehow know about Jaahlyn?

There's no way to know in advance. Nothing to really do now but sit here like a useless lump until somebody came for her.

[Uninvited]

"Well, good." Kitsuki says, not entirely convincingly. It's not as though she feels good about any of this. "You can watch TV while you wait, if you'd like. Annie will try to control the channel, but just tell her that I said so."

[Ironsmith]

[Aiko's Room]

"You... what?" Aiko's eyebrows shoot up at that, a light glow appearing in her cheeks. To say that brings up mixed emotions is an understatement. Last time she and Sekhmet talked, Aiko got the distinct impression she didn't much care for her. Though this is hardly proof that conclusion is wrong... right? This isn't Sekhmet coming for a social call. She still wants something, and that's transparently going to include the succubus essence she sacrificed so much to get.

And all of that assuming that this is, indeed, Sekhmet. This still smells like it might be Mary punking her somehow.

But if it is Sekhmet... she doesn't want to offend the queen. She doesn't have many peers in her life. There's Nana, and... that's about it.

How exactly is she supposed to confirm Sekhmet's identity without annoying her?

Aiko's lip curls in frustration as she ponders this situation. Dammit! This is exactly the sort of situation she doesn't excel at!

...Perhaps she should just continue the conversation with the assumption that it is, in fact, Sekhmet, without divulging anything too high-risk for her rival to know. They don't have that sort of relationship anyway.

"...What is it you wanted to talk about?" Aiko says finally, taking a seat on her bed. Her hand instinctively pats the blanket next to her, before she quickly withdraws her hand, fidgeting nervously. Did she really just invite the demon queen to sit next to her? Like a commoner on the subway?


[Uninvited]

Siana just nods slightly at that. She might as well take advantage of what hospitality she was getting.

Six hours later, Siana's slumped in front of the TV, which is playing Annie's favorite show.

Siana doesn't seem to be paying attention.

Or awake.

Or alive.

Oh, wait, her finger just twitched. So she's alive, at least. It's hard to tell, since she doesn't seem to need to breathe. Nor is she especially motivated to do so. She just... sits there, like a life-sized doll, staring blankly at a spot on the floor in front of her.

Fortunately for Kitty, this is around the time there's a knock at her door; a dainty trio of raps against the wood. And if she looks through the peephole, she'll see a bespectacled young woman waiting for her there, a black-haired girl who looks something like Siana might in a few years if she lost the cane.

[Keeper]

Unfortunate Timing

"Jay, Jim..." Jaahlyn repeats, sounding as if she's tasting the words. "Yeah, I can go for that." She concludes as she tries to get eye contact with Jim again. Though seeing him like this makes her pause.

"If you're uncomfortable about it I suppose I don't have to know." She giggles again. "Just thought she was very cute, that's all."

Unfortunate Timing

"Well, no. I'm fine. It's just...
Can you believe this is like, the third time this has happened? For some reason my girlfriend catching me dealing with magic nonsense resulting in me being a girl has happened THREE times! I mean over the course of about seven years but still."
It really does seem unlikely when you think about it.

[bc56]

Aiko's Room
Sekhmet doesn't sit. It doesn't feel proper. "When we last met, I was, uh, preoccupied with protecting Mary. I wanted to meet you again when neither of us are dealing with, uh, everything that happened that day. I wanted to see if I had misjudged you."

[Ironsmith]

[Aiko's Room]

"...I see." Aikobaz nods, leaning back and running her finger along her chin contemplatively, remembering just a bit too late that her bed didn't offer any back support until she was in a horizontal position.

"Of course-" Aiko strains, holding herself with her abdominal muscles tensed in an effort to not fall completely back on her bed- "that would be rather contingent on how you judged me when we first met. I would take it by your tone that when I was measured and weighed in your sight, you found me... wanting." The empress slowly pulls herself upright, leaning on her fist as though nothing just happened. "...But I would rather hear that in more specific terms. What, exactly, did you see when you saw me?"

[Shadowcaller]

Unfortunate Timing

"Well, no. I'm fine. It's just...
Can you believe this is like, the third time this has happened? For some reason my girlfriend catching me dealing with magic nonsense resulting in me being a girl has happened THREE times! I mean over the course of about seven years but still."
It really does seem unlikely when you think about it.

Unfortunate Timing

Jaahlyn blinks. "You've been a girl three times?! How? Why?" Then after a moment adding. "...not that there's anything wrong with that." She sits down in his bed and pats it, inviting him to sit down besides her. "I guess I just didn't realize how many weird situations you had been in. It's okay to talk about it though. Not that it's a competition or anything but I'm like twice as weird as you are so I won't judge." The satyr winks and smiles at him.

[bc56]

Aiko's Room
"Do you really want to know?" Sekhmet asks. It's not going to be a flattering picture. "Very well. You struck me as callous, self-aggrandizing, and insecure, even cruel, among other things." Sekhmet distinctly remembers Aiko casually dismissing Mary's distress over Sekhmet getting hurt with the words "You make it sound like this is all about you. Even forgetting for a moment that this is definitely not your palace that you're in right now. Is that really your only basis for not wanting that lady to get stabbed to death? Because you love her and she was nice to you? Has it occurred to you, Brignole, that the world doesn't revolve around you and what you want?"

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