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[Ironsmith]

Bloodplunder House- Chopping Block

Aikobaz will struggle to pull the axe out of the stump; it will resist being pulled out for a moment before it lets go of the wood and lets Aikobaz lift it. The apparent weight of it also rapidly changes whilst Aiko's handling it, going from incredibly light to very heavy with very little warning in between. Aigothurz seems to have no issue with the hatchet once it's been passed over, though.

"Then you're going about it wrong. You're intimidating them when you should be impressing them. Power can be scary, but you don't want that kind of power. At the moment, you're treating people as though they are servants, to be cowed and ordered. You should be treating them as supplicants, people who want something from you it's in your power to give. This is not because they have the power or influence to supplicate you ordinarily; but because you are not in your ordinary position. What they want from you is friendship, or simply to get past you in the corridor, or maybe they just want you to leave you alone. Imagine you're in your throne room, the centre of your power, and they're approaching you for a favour. You see?" Of course, this relies upon Aikobaz having something resembling a functional court full of aristocrats, overseers, nobility, servants, and upper-class individuals with the right to spend time in her presence and some measure of authority within her empire.

[Bloodplunder House - Chopping Block]

It takes longer than it looks like it should for the axe to become unbearably heavy- Aikobaz seems to have gotten more fit in the time she's spent with the Bloodplunders- but she'll definitely notice, and let out an involuntary sigh of relief as Aigothurz takes it off her hands. If the localized feverish flush in her hands wasn't enough of an indicator she was holding a magical weapon, that certainly would have given the game away.

"...In hindsight, that sounds obvious." Aikobaz says, with a small, almost embarrassed-looking smile. "...Very well, then. I shall apply your advice at the earliest available opportunity. Thank you, Aigothurz." She steps forward and awkwardly wraps her arms around him, in what seems like an attempt at a hug that she has in broad strokes but doesn't quite grasp the particulars. Complete with a little pat on the back, which she is both hesitant to start and overeager to finish.

In her defense, it's been a while since she's hugged anyone, let alone someone who was occupying both the space of "like family" and "more than a little attractive". It isn't entirely clear to her where the lines of "too familiar" and "cold and standoffish" really are. Especially since Nana's set the precedent for the Bloodplunders to have them in weird places.

Also?

It's still really cold out here and they've been standing around talking instead of chopping wood. Aikobaz could use the extra body heat.

But before she breaks away from the hug entirely, the empress looks up at him and, spur-of-the-moment, decides to extend an invitation.

"...I was wondering, Aigothurz... would you consider, at some point in the near future, sleeping with me?"

...Oh wait no that did not come out right at all.

"I mean that in a very literal sense." She continues hastily, an orange glow in her cheeks. "I... recently had a pair of visitors in one of my dreams, and it has given me some ideas for techniques I would like to try for bringing someone else into them voluntarily. I would require someone willing to be a test subject, and it can not be just anyone, as if successful... they would be temporarily pulled into my dreams. Which is not a place fit for strangers. I... would not so much mind you, or maybe Hope, seeing their contents. Nana, maybe not, if there's any potential for cross-contamination. It's bad enough hearing about her wedding night every so often, I would not care to witness it." She gives him a vaguely-amused chuckle. "...Would you consider it?"

[Gullara]

[Uninvited]

"Sure, but you kinda caught me off guard." Eliseo gives them both an amused smile. Man, this is so weird. "I'm afraid I won't be able to give you both the attention you need. There's only so much of me to go around."

[Arkhosia]

[Uninvited]

"Hey, Stasia" - Ana hops onto the bed and leans over, elbowing her in the ribs - "you think he's worried we're gonna gobble him up? Maybe we need to stop nibbling on him so much."

"Oh gosh, stop," Stasia responds, her cheeks lighting up.

"It's fine though - I mean, we're still figuring out what's, y'know, going on between the two of us, but I think she's the one who needs attention more anyways. And it's not like you can't cuddle us both at the same time or something." She smiles, making a very subtle point by shifting to leave room for him between both kitsune.

[Earl of Purple]

Bloodplunder House- Chopping Block

Aigothurz hugs back, possibly a little hard but he's used to hugging people who can take it- family, or close friends of a similar build. Mrs. Bloodplunder is not excepted from this. He doesn't pat her back, just squeezing.

And then he's propositioned! Aigothurz's initial reaction is to blush himself, before she continues with an explanation. "Uh, sure! Of course, I'd be up for that if it'll help. I'll need a few days, though. I don't have any pyjamas." And his usual sleepwear likely would not help Aikobaz' potential confusing feelings about him. Although given her history of sleepwalking, perhaps Aikobaz would also need to pick up some pyjamas...

[Ironsmith]

[Bloodplunder House - Chopping Block]

"I have some spares." Aikobaz is quick to offer. "...Though they aren't exactly your size. Hm." Or style, either, probably. Unless Aigothurz has an undisclosed secret love for multilayered silk nightgowns and bunny slippers. Aigothurz might remember seeing her in such sleepwear when she first appeared at Trog's; she'd been spirited away to the Nexus overnight, and was still in her bedclothes when she made her grand debut (which subsequently flopped hard when everyone learned her magic didn't carry over). She still uses that gown, in no small part because she sleepwalks... the one time she didn't, it was because she was still recovering from a cold and following Nana's treatment plan.

"...I should clarify, before going any further, that this is not a part of school, or really related to it in any way... yet." The empress adds, taking a step back and shifting from one foot to another in an attempt to get her blood flowing again. "This is a matter of personal growth. Now that I know it is possible to bring other people into my dreams, it is a potentiality I want to explore. Even if that is the extent of what I can do- which, given the context of the aforementioned visit, I very much doubt- that still creates a private place I can bring people to explore potential possibilities. At the very least, it ensures I can bring people into my study sessions, which would be quite useful in forging social connections." She smiles. "Imagine if I did that and then offered tutoring services. Our classmates would beat a path to the door."

[Earl of Purple]

Bloodplunder House- Chopping Block

"I... really don't think they'd fit me at all." Which is honestly his only real complaint with Aikobaz' pyjamas. The material's going to be comfortable and soft, properly tailored, and the colour won't hurt him unless it clashes with his dark orange skin. And it's not as though anybody's going to see him in it, except Aikobaz and she won't judge.

"School's about growing as a person and learning. This covers both; and besides, if you trust me inside your head that's... something I don't think anyone else has ever done for me." Not that anyone else has had the ability to invite him in, to his or their knowledge.

[Arkhosia]

► SHOW SPOILER

[Spookysitting]

Eshe goes right to the cabinet she knows mom puts stuff in. She rattles at the doors. "I can't get in!"

Jaazha stands by the door, bouncing from foot to foot. This isn't good! Then she sees Leis running by. "Leis! Help us!" She calls her over.


Meanwhile the other three are being pursued!

...Slowly. This doesn't seem to slow the girls down, though. "It's following!" Orlane warns as they run through the living room. They'll scoot out the door at the north of the room. Maybe trying to circle way around and find their sisters is the plan???

[Spookysitting]

The witch-like spirit quickly floats away from Leis while cackling up a storm until it gets salt thrown at it. It's unclear if it directly hit it but at least it shut it up for a moment.
Meanwhile, the first ghost seems more concerned about making spooky faces from inside its prison. Grabbing its face with its claws to contort it into increasingly bizarre grimaces.
Neither of them seems to be following her right away.

Meanwhile the third ghost in the top hat pursues the girls but appears to lose track of them as they run like maniacs through the apartment. If any of them stops to look behind them the last thing they will see of it is stopping and making a 'Hmph'-like sound.

[Spookysitting]

Leis's eyes widen when she spots Jaazha and Eshe. "Girls! Are you okay? I think I trapped one of the ghosts but -" and then the spell cast on her triggers, and she looks from Jaahza and Eshe to the door. "O-okay, here." She searches her new dress for pockets before finally managing to find one with the key, then moves over to the cabinet and goes to unlock it.

[Morty]

[Mouchabière Residence]

"So, an important thing here is that we aren't in much danger, but you'll be experiencing the memories as if you're the one undertaking them," Trick says to Sophie, "That might make a few of them... unpleasant. I get to be an observer, of course, but you're still the one that'll be dealing with these prior incarnations. When you're ready, just reach out and touch him, and we can start."

Trick could be the one to initiate the memory, but that seems rather rude when you can get the person whos actual mind it is to handle that.

Sophie touches her predecessor and the scene begins to play out. The Solar is pleading with the leaders of the opposing force.

"...to let these people go. If you've decided that all the Solars must die, so be it, but my subjects aren't part of your vendetta. Let us delay the battle until they've fled. Do you wish to begin your rule of Creation by stopping as low as you accuse us of?"

"The time those mortals would need to depart is time you can use to flee," the hooded figure points out.

"And where would I go? You've already razed much of the West in search of me. This will be decided today, one way or another."

[Gullara]

[Spookysitting]

Jaazha keeps watch by the door, while Eshe does a little celebratory jump. "Yes! Mommy's stuff can help us get rid of the ghosts." She says with confidence as she opens up the cabinet. Now what does she find?


Meanwhile the other three girls rush away from their pursuing ghost. They make it the long way around to where the others are, except at the end of the hallway that the ghosts were assailing Leis in earlier! They peek around the corner. Anything in sight?

[Uninvited]

Eliseo raises his eyebrows, intrigued. Apparently their flirtiness is unaffected. He's not complaining. The boy slides between the two halves of his girlfriend and puts his arms around them. "I guess that's true. I have two arms after all." His voice is full of mirth. "I do think I might have to be careful, though. Just one of you was incorrigible."

[Arkhosia]

[Uninvited]

"I dunno, you've always been good at getting back at us," Ana responds, smirking - and this close, Eliseo might sense a certain weariness to that smile. Like all her energy right now is half-forced if earnestly felt, and that she's trying her best to put on a show that everything is perfectly fine and she's not mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted right about now.

Stasia, meanwhile, squeaks a little when Eliseo's hand sneaks round her waist, and then almost immediately leans in and snuggles up against him."Plus, like, you've always been the one making trouble" she teases, those pale blues looking up at him as she rolls her head onto his shoulder.

[Ironsmith]

Bloodplunder House- Chopping Block

"I... really don't think they'd fit me at all." Which is honestly his only real complaint with Aikobaz' pyjamas. The material's going to be comfortable and soft, properly tailored, and the colour won't hurt him unless it clashes with his dark orange skin. And it's not as though anybody's going to see him in it, except Aikobaz and she won't judge.

"School's about growing as a person and learning. This covers both; and besides, if you trust me inside your head that's... something I don't think anyone else has ever done for me." Not that anyone else has had the ability to invite him in, to his or their knowledge.

[Bloodplunder House - Chopping Block]

"Well, it's not as though you would be unsupervised." Aikobaz smirks, setting another log on the stump. "I am certain I could keep you out of all the truly private places in my mind. And I would not be extending the invitation if I was not certain."

One can imagine what sorts of thoughts she'd want to keep from him, given the oddities of their relationship.

"Suffice it to say, the appreciation is mutual." The empress rubs her hands together for warmth and grabs her axe, wincing as her fingers touch the wooden shaft. Sweet stars above, how is it already that cold again?

Aikobaz grits her teeth (that's a mistake, gods it's cold out here) and lifts the axe anyway, bringing it down on the log and resuming her chore.

whunk!

[Earl of Purple]

Bloodplunder House- Chopping Block

"Because you refused my shirt, and I brought tea which has since been forgotten. It should still be hot, though." Ignore prior references to lemonade; Earl mistakenly thought it was warmer than it was. It's going to be quite nice tea; Nana's favoured blend, with its slight aniseed taste.

Bloodplunder House- A Thousand And One Aikobazian Nights

There is a knock on the door to the room Aikobaz sleeps in.

[Gullara]

[Uninvited]

"I feel like a lot of accusations are being sent my way." Eliseo says with mock defensiveness. "It's not like you... two don't like it." He makes eyes at them. "Buuut, I'm thinking I might wanna give you two some time to rest. Since you had such a long night." He tries to shift things a touch.

[Arkhosia]

[Uninvited]

"I guess it's a little fun," Stasia concedes grudgingly, as if her lips weren't slowly spreading into a lovesick curve. Gently, she loops her arms around Eliseo, squeezing him briefly around the middle. Her eyes flit to the window for a moment. "And - I don't want you to leave, not really. It's... easier, having you here."

"I'm not sure we'll have much time to rest anyways." Ana glances back to the door, half-expecting Annie or Kitty or Obriane to interrupt any moment now. Her own smile seems to slip below the horizon, and she bites her lip. "There's just - I mean, there's so many kids to take care of, and I need to talk to my moms about all of this later."

[Halae]

[Mouchabière Residence]

Sophie touches her predecessor and the scene begins to play out. The Solar is pleading with the leaders of the opposing force.

"...to let these people go. If you've decided that all the Solars must die, so be it, but my subjects aren't part of your vendetta. Let us delay the battle until they've fled. Do you wish to begin your rule of Creation by stopping as low as you accuse us of?"

"The time those mortals would need to depart is time you can use to flee," the hooded figure points out.

"And where would I go? You've already razed much of the West in search of me. This will be decided today, one way or another."

[Mouchabière Residence]

Trick watches the goings-on with an analytical eye. She's been an investigator for a while, and an adventurer for longer; she has a decent idea of how people fare. The way this is going to go is clear - they can't let this guy's supporters go without risking this turning into an insurrection. That's why they burned 'the West' as he put it before. This isn't isolated either if this guy's been on the run, suggesting that he's run out of places to go. So they'll kill what few loyalists he has left, and execute him personally.

Or at least, that Trick's guess. It'd fit with this being the last moment's of a previous exaltation-holder's life.

[Shadowcaller]

Bed Talk

"Well uh. I'm not going to pretend that all of that made sense to me. Nexus afterlives are weird." And that's a general statement. Jaahlyn's system is pretty weird but other places seem to work in equally weird but completely different ways.

"But I do know that you don't have to do everything yourself. If you don't think you can do this forever surely someone can help you? I'm not ah, really going to be good at stopping a serial killer but well. MERC has tons of people, right?"

Bed Talk

"I probably explain it poorly." Jaahlyn says in a sheepish tone. "And yeah, MERC has people but you need to hire them first. Don't think any member but me work for free." She pauses. "Maybe I could convince the members to hire them again, but after the disaster that the concert was I'm not sure they would be willing to."

[Spookysitting]

What first might catch their attention is a series of animal-themed masks and two rods. Leis would recognize the former as means to channel various animals spirits while the latter are actual weapons for self-protection.
But there are other items which Leis wouldn't immediately recognize. Such as the large black urn which dominates much of the lower shelf or the well-polished wooden case which somehow seemed to stand out despite being so plain next to all these other fantastical items.

Then there was two collars, one white the other gold in color, which either had to do with animal taming or sex-related activities. Perhaps both.
It was hard to know with Astrana.
Finally there was an item that the girls would recognize but not Leis. It was the family totems.
Six dolls, five made of red fabric and one made of white with an added pair of black wings. Each one representing a family member except for Maha as she was still too young. These were special as their mom had sat down with each one of them in private once she considered them old enough and they had made their own doll together. Sewn together both their bodies and the colorful clothes they were all wearing. They were not especially lifelike, just simple dolls which nonetheless would hold great power according to their mom.

They would protect them somehow though she had never been clear on just how they would do that.

Meanwhile, the other three girls can see two spooky ghosts as they look around the corner. One seemingly still contained within Leis prison while the other, the one with the witch hat, is seemingly preoccupied with reading a big black tome that's floating right in front of its face.
The imprisoned ghost seems to be trying to get out at the moment. Pressing it's haunting face into the barrier again and again.

[Morty]

[Mouchabière Residence]

Trick's assumptions prove to be correct. The bow-wielding woman shakes her head.

"No. This has gone on long enough. Any time we spend letting your people go is time you can use somehow. This will end today. Your people can flee if they're able but we will attack now."

The three other commanders of her army look at her with unsure and dismayed expressions (except for the hooded one, whose face is invisible) but don't protest.

"She doesn't want to do this," Sophie observes. Her eyes study the woman with her usual intense, piercing scrutiny. "She will hate herself for it for the rest of her life. But she believes she has to do it. I think this is the end of a very bloody war."

[Gullara]

[Uninvited]

"Uh yeah, I heard that. How many new siblings did you have again?" Eliseo was absolutely mind boggled when she told him the first time. The crying he was hearing earlier certainly matches his expectations. "Uh, but maybe I could help out? Take some of the pressure off?" Oh no, he's surely made a mistake.

[Arkhosia]

[Uninvited]

“Like, four,” Ana answers with a sigh. “They’re all adorable, but it’s been a lot of work.” Her eyes widen a little and then flit back to the door again, biting her lip.

”I… I’m still not sure it’s a good idea right now, but - maybe.” Then the tension tightening her shoulders seems to snap and she slumps back against the wall like a discarded marionette. “Maybe if I can just… take five, y’know?”

[Ironsmith]

Bloodplunder House- Chopping Block

"Because you refused my shirt, and I brought tea which has since been forgotten. It should still be hot, though." Ignore prior references to lemonade; Earl mistakenly thought it was warmer than it was. It's going to be quite nice tea; Nana's favoured blend, with its slight aniseed taste.

Bloodplunder House- A Thousand And One Aikobazian Nights

There is a knock on the door to the room Aikobaz sleeps in.

[Bloodplunder House - Aikobaz's Room]

"Come in." Aikobaz's voice will call out from the other side of the door, unraised and unhurried. Should her guest comply, they'll find she's still in the process of getting ready for bed... which is apparently quite involved, owing both to her upbringing and a few helpful nighttime rituals of a more arcane nature. Aikobaz is standing over a washbasin near the back left corner of the room, facing the mirror and vigorously applying a pearl-handled toothbrush to her teeth. Sitting next to her on the basin is a plastic tube labeled "Kyojin's Radioactive Toothpaste [For glistening white teeth!]" with the cap off and just a little bit over the tip, indicating its recent usage. Behind her, there's a chalk circle on the floor, arcane runes carefully drawn just along its inside, and in the center of which sits a simple porcelain teaset; a pot over a lit candle and two tiny, handle-less cups. Her large, ornately-decorated bed is still up against the back wall, such that the moonlight from her open window still bathes the blankets (and her, when she finally lays down to sleep) in its glow. On her nightstand, an antique radio plays soft jazz for both her and her guest.

The rest of her room will be more or less as it was when she first moved in; a heavy wooden trunk up against the foot of her bed (shut for now), a desk pressed up against the back wall, with four textbooks arranged in a neat stack on top of it, a private screen for changing clothes, and a whole other vanity mirror with makeup table in the back corner, all on top of a vibrant plush carpet that stops just a few inches short of the chalk circle. Everything in this room seems to gives off the general impression of being old, but meticulously cared-for, precious heirlooms all.

ptoo!

Aikobaz daintily wipes her mouth on a little white cloth near the washbasin and takes a moment to rinse off her toothbrush before turning to face her guest. "Good evening." She greets, flashing a smile that shows off her newly-irradiated teeth.

[Gullara]

[Uninvited]

Eliseo frowns and tries to pull her in so she can lean against his shoulder. "Okay, boyfriend's orders. You two are resting until one of your moms drag you outta here." He declares.

► SHOW SPOILER

[Bellamy House]

Obriane shakes her head as to reply to Harley's question. "Nope, but if I did I'm not sure I'd be able to restrain myself from punching her square in the face honestly." She remarks with an sudden uncharacteristic grimness as her eyes narrows.
It's with that austere expression she turns to Rein. "Since I have honestly no idea why she got you involved. Maybe it was just a nasty impulse or maybe she just enjoys spreading misery to others. Whatever reason she had it was probably something nasty like that."

The changeling let's out a resigned sigh. "I've looked into means of getting rid of her ever since she first made herself known but without any luck. She's already hurt Kitty and now she's hurt you two too." Obriane gestures towards the pair. "I'm at my wits end here honestly since at least before it was just our family but now... if it was just getting a different job I'd do it but I don't think that would help. I'm not even sure the ghosts influence anything or if it's just the fey."

[Bellamy House]

Kitsuki winces when she notices Harley's eyes on her for a moment. A part of her is still waiting for the other woman to scream and throw things at her. It would be fair as far as she's concerned. Maybe it'd even help with this tension she feels.

"I think, when it comes to fey, their motivations can be pretty inscrutable. I don't think they think the same as normal people." Kitsuki ventures. As far as she's been able to glean there's always been something strange about Otherbriane in those encounters.

[Bellamy House]

"I've always found a logic to a fey's actions, even if it's taken to a certain extreme..." Reinholdt weakly defends himself, far too familiar with acute, seemingly irrational motivations. "But there's no point in presuming I suppose." Rein had just figured they already knew, but it seems Obriane isn't as close or knowledgeable about Otherbriane as he initially believed.

That kind of leaves him dry for answers about the past. Perhaps it's time to ask about the futur-OH DEAR GODDESSES, THAT'S A COCKROACH! Rein freezes a little, eyes glancing from it to their hosts, back to it. Did they know they had roaches? Would it not be extremely rude to tell them, hey look, you have a roach?

In an effort to not offend, Rein instead just slides his legs up until they're on the chair and his knees are nearly to his chin, as if he were thinking intently in a weird, cat approved pose. And also his feet are not near any scurrying disease factories. He'll clear his throat. "Well I don't think I have any more questions about the incident itself then," Rein says, looking at Harley to see if she had some more.

[Bellamy House]

It's pretty unfortunate that there's not a stark bad-guy, that she can't just blame one of these three.
...
At least, in Harley's eyes. It would be easier if there were.

Harley's never had experience removing a processing alternate-identity fairy. As long as she's thinking of things that would be convenient, if she had experience with that it would be much easier. It's not like she can just grab a sword and cut away a fey.

Harley does agree with Reinholdt, as far as she's seen fey have always made sense as soon as she learned enough about them. But she is literally the one present who knows the least about Otherbriane. So maybe they are right in this specific situation.
She puts her thumb and two fingers on her forehead and leans against it. Yeah, Harley does still have one thing that she really wants to find out about the incident. She's pretty sure there was some kind of mind control involved, and Harley wants to know how it worked, since knowing how it worked is the best way to counter it. However....
Harley glances over at Rein and his weird way of sitting.
It pretty clearly wasn't a normal kind of mind-control. From what she could tell, Rein can't even recognize he was in an altered state of mind, and whenever he has thought back to Otherbriane, he just seems to remember how glorious she was.

But it doesn't seem like asking questions will help at all with that. As far as Harley supposes, only way she could tell is directly observing Otherbriane but she's also pretty sure she'd rather not that happen anyway.

Harley shakes her head.
"Right, no more questions about that," she says. She breathes out, closes her eyes again, and then adds, "Well, I guess there's still probably things to discuss about what this means going forward." Do they just move on like nothing happened? What's Rein going to do? What's going to be done regarding any future potential encounters with Otherbraine?

Suddenly, though, there's a loud noise out in the streets, not directly in front of the house but a few houses down. A boom, then a loud crack, and a screech.
Harley glances over at a window to see if she can see anything...and she can't, from here.

-----------------

Sirena waited. The little machine needed to finish scanning Manja, and she needs to wait for a decent time in the conversation.

She steadies her breathing, to make herself seem less noticeable. She pulls out a little switch, like a detonator, that'll send a signal to her machines out in the streets, and she sets a timer to trigger the metal robotic cockroach, so that it'll start making a hologram image of Manja in that child's chair.

The liongirl creeps up the stairs, holding herself against the wall as much as possible. When she spots the kids playing with blocks, she makes a playful 'shhhhhh' gesture at them in hopes that keeps them passive long enough to not disrupt anything.
And, with her other hand, she triggers the detonator, causing the noise out in the streets.

At once, she moves towards Manja, as low to the ground and as sneakily as possible. She places a finger to Manja's throat - hijacking Manja's shapeshifting, to disable her vocal cords and keep her from crying out - and snatches Harley and Rein's kid. The robo-roach activates its hologram, and Sirena tries to back up and back down the stairs as quick as she can without making a loud noise.

[Bellamy House]

Kitsuki shrugs at Rein. "Maybe you're right. I'm just not sure." She sighs a little. Harley's question is a good one. She can't help but feel there's some irreparable damage that's been dealt here still, and how do they push forward and maneuver around that?

This awkward topic is interrupted by the crash outside (thankfully?). "What in the world?" Kitsuki half rises in her seat to turn around and look out the window behind the couch. This definitely stops her from seeing Sirena's initial approach.

However they get one warning sign. Su-Jin sees Sirena's little shush and doesn't know how to react at first. But when she rushes across the room like that, the little boy makes a frightened cry. "Mommy!"

[Arkhosia]

[Uninvited]

Ana squeaks briefly as Eliseo pulls her in and there’s a moment where she seems to hesitate, as if unsure whether to protest. But she seems to decide otherwise, leaning into her boyfriend and closing her eyes.

”I guess I can obey for once,” she murmurs, and soon enough slips into a gentle rest. Stasia, too, closes her eyes, snuggling up against him... but can't quite seem to settle down as well as her counterpart. “I… don’t think I’m that tired,” she confesses after a moment, peeking back up at him.

[Shadowcaller]

[Bellamy House]

That question will bring Obriane pause since she had no idea frankly. She had mentally prepared for the start of this ever-so-awkward conversation but not its conclusion.
So in a way she's almost thankful that they were interrupted. Her head turns to the noise of the explosion, towards the window, but she isn't sure if she should get up or not. Then her mind managed to process that it wasn't just a random noise. It was likely an accident that had occurred outside.

That realization made her mind considered two options, either she'd go to the window and look or she should go straight out onto the street to help. The second option makes her look in the direction of the front door, whereupon she notices a stranger grabbing Maja. Or a Maja rather as there were suddenly two of them.

The shock of seeing this makes her freeze up, having a hard time processing what she was seeing as it was so strange. How had a stranger gotten in here in the first place?
The cries of 'mommy' breaks her out of the initial shock and she starts getting up but she won't be able to interfere with anything that Sirena is doing.

[Earl of Purple]

Bloodplunder House- Realm of the Witch-Queen

Aigothurz is wearing his pyjamas, as he opens the door. A red and green flannel set paired with a heavy-looking arynx fur over the top. He's bare foot and carrying a small silver urn, slightly tarnished. He's also still got his hand axe. "I told Hope what you wanted of me, but not Nana. She'd get the wrong idea and make both our lives really awkward." If she didn't summon Aigothurz' father, anyway. Although that would make their lives far more awkward.

"So, uh, it's customary when spending the night in another's tent to offer a gift. So I thought you might like this." He'll proffer the silver urn to Aikobaz, to put where she wants. If she wants the thing; somebody's filled it with human teeth.

[Ironsmith]

[Bloodplunder House - Royal Chambers]

"Oh, thank you." Aikobaz smiles and accepts the urn. "That's very sweet... of..."

...She probably shouldn't have opened it first thing.

"...Thoughtful. It was thoughtful." She amends, quietly replacing the lid on the urn and setting it on her trunk. That's a... concerning present. Did Aigothurz gather those teeth himself? Did they come from a dozen different people or were they all harvested from a single corpse? Were they even someone else's or did he give her his baby teeth or something? And why was he holding onto them in the first place, one way or another? Was he maybe re-gifting them?

...It's probably better not to think about that too much.

"...I'm sure Nana will hear about this either way." Aikobaz observes, changing the subject and making her way over to the runed circle, kneeling next to the teapot and opening it up, removing a wire mesh containing soggy, stringy leaves. "But so long as we both maintain a sense of propriety, I doubt we will see much worse than a few tasteless jokes on the matter." She gives him a brief look, nonverbally informing him that said "sense of propriety" was not optional. "...I see you have purchased some new nightclothes." She adds conversationally, pouring them each a cup of tea. "They suit you. Excellent taste."

[Earl of Purple]

Bloodplunder House

Should be clear they aren't Aigothurz', not his milk teeth- they're too big for a child's mouth. And many of them aren't as pointy as Aigothurz' own. "In that case, tell her in the morning and give as many details as you can. If she gets the wrong idea or thinks we're trying to hide something, she'll send for my father and be really disappointed if we don't follow her footsteps at the wedding." Which would be enough to make Aikobaz blush, at the very least.

"Thank you, they are surprisingly comfortable. The fur is from my bed; very warm and toasty," Aigothurz grins and twirls to show his pyjamas off a little. And the large fur.

[Ironsmith]

[Bloodplunder House]

"Quite." AIkobaz replies simply, her cheeks predictably flushing orange as she raises the tea to her lips and takes a sip. "You made those yourself, then? Or Nana did? Regardless... that is fine craftsmanship. My compliments."

After another brief pause and a sip of tea, the empress gestures to the cup in front of Aigothurz. "Drink, please. The tea is a critical component to the ritual." She explains. "It's mugwort. Properly prepared, this grants the drinker the ability to both control their dreams and tap into prophecy. I intend to use a quirk of the implications to bind our dreams together... or, rather, create an effect that is individually indistinct from binding." She smiles. "It's quite a fascinating subject, if you would like me to explain. Or we can simply dive into it. Whichever is your preference."

[Earl of Purple]

Bloodplunder House- Sleeping With the Empress

"Ah, no. I bought them. This material's great, but... not one the clan has access to, I think." Most of their clothes are leather, fur or goat wool, with imports of satin or silk. "I don't know much about magic, and this sort is not one I am overly familiar with. I'm interested in hearing more, but I can't promise I won't ask stupid questions about it." Aigothurz does have his own magical tricks, and he's even demonstrated it to Aikobaz- though she probably doesn't realise it. His father's shamanic techniques involve tattooing and spirits, rather than brews and foretelling.

[Ironsmith]

[Bloodplunder House - Strange Bedfellows]

"I would not worry about that." Aikobaz smiles and takes another sip of the bittersweet tea. "But if you are worried it will be difficult to comprehend, I will keep it simple. The prophetic nature of the dreams means that, to some degree, what occurs within them are based in reality. Simultaneously, while lucid within the dream, your capabilities as a viewer are, theoretically, unlimited, though at the potential expense of invalidating the usefulness of the prophecy. For example, as an observer, at any time in my dreams, I can call down lightning to smite anyone for whom I do not much care. Because the dream is prophetic, it will give me an accurate simulation of what happens if I actually do that. But whereas I lack that capability in reality, any events that follow tell me nothing about reality."

The empress smiles. "Or, at least, normally, it would be useless. But it allows me, while in the domain of the dream, to access powers I would not normally have... such as the ability to enter another's dream. I would see an accurate vision of what you are dreaming, which is as much a 'real' version of that ability as I would ever need." She holds up a finger. "But, that is only half of the puzzle. I would see what is in your head, but you would have no idea I'm there. But supposing, as I am doing this, you are doing the same thing to me... I see what you see, and you see what I see. What I do influences your dream, and what you do influences mine. A link is thus established." She gestures back and forth between the two of them. "Neither of us are actually in the other's head, of course. We simply see accurate visions of what would happen if we were. That may result in some... peculiarities. Such as my being able to continue to see into your dreams if you wake up in the middle of the night, but you will not see what is mine, because you will be awake. As such, if you find yourself awake in the middle of the night, I request that you wake me as well, and I will do the same for you."

[Gullara]

[Uninvited]

Eliseo gently rubs Ana's arm as she lies against him. He's not really tired either, given how early it, is, so he knows how Stasia feels. "Well I'm pinned here, but anything I can do to for you?" He gives a cheeky smile.

[Spookysitting]

"Um, one of these can help us." Eshe declares. "Maybe we can get an animal spirit to chase them off?" She muses.

"You don't know how to use those, Eshe." Jaazha complains. They shouldn't be in mommy's cabinet!

"It can't be that hard! Maybe this one." She grabs the mask of a rhino. "This can run them off!"


Meanwhile the other three girls lean back out of view. "There's two more of them?" Orlane complains.

Rosabel takes a warning look back the way they came to make sure they haven't been followed yet. "We gotta hide, quick."

Orlane looks across to the bedroom, but they can't cross the hallway. They'll be seen for sure! "The boot closet! We'll hive and let the other ghost go by." Rosabel nods and the trio scurry back a short distance and take a hard turn into the entranceway. They pull the closet door open as quietly as they can, crowd inside, and shut it behind them. Then they wait.