The Twofold Houses 5: Rebuilding

[Arkhosia]

Playing Around

The catgirl blinks. "Well er, I mean yeah, that's so much more infuriating, but like... I hate the idea of people seeing me as nothing more than that. I'm a damn medic, you know? And sure, I'm a soldier too, but I fight in order to defend folks, not because I want to kill." She takes a moment to calm herself of that. She knew recounting what happened would work her up enough, she didn't need to start frustrated and angry. "Well, er, back when I was in the Ascendancy, the army I first served back home, I was sent with a team to prove our worth by clearing out a pirate encampment. It- it went bad, real bad."

"I dunno if they saw us coming or knew we were coming, but it didn't really matter. Most of us got torn to shreds when we touched down and made our way to the zone. They were dug in pretty well, I don't think we woulda known they were watching if they hadn't blasted Kara's head wide open." The memory of that sight doesn't seem to give her much pause. They got two of us in the first fight, one more later on when we were navigating the canyons around the area, trying to regroup and reassess our approach. Our last guy got badly wounded, I patched him up just barely long enough to last." She pauses to breathe, crossing her arms. "We managed to make our way to the power station of the camp, he helped me rig a bomb. Made me leave him there to make sure it went off." Blanche's voice wavers as she turns her gaze away, fingers digging into the sleeve of her jacket.

"There- there weren't just pirates in that camp. There were- there were their families. I- I didnt realize it til- til I came back to pick through the bodies, make sure I didn't leave any dying men behind. It was - there was so much smoke, so much fire. I still remember the smell. And- and there were bodies. They were charred to hell, but I could tell from the size...." The catgirl shakes, an ugly, sobbing noise slipping out. "Every time I smell something burning, someone burning, I swear I can hear the screams again."

[Gullara]

[New Friends, New Games, and a Basket of Brownies]

Lapis considers that reply briefly before concluding.

"That's okay. I scare birds, too. It's one of my jobs at VIGIL. Anika told me to make sure that all the birds are scared away."

She has absolutely no idea why this is an important job.

But!

She was told to do it! And no one has told her to stop yet. So she must be doing really well.

Except with that weird hoopoe bird but it's weird and doesn't count.

"But we aren't at VIGIL so I don't have to scare those birds."

Nor does she want to.

Gosh, they're really cute. Listen to the peeping noises!

[New Friends, New Games, and a Basket of Brownies]

Russell looks at Lapis for a long moment. He looks perplexed. He thinks for a moment longer, trying to piece it together on his own. It's useless, though. So he asks, "Why?"

[Rebonack]

[New Friends, New Games, and a Basket of Brownies]

Why?

Which why?

Why does she have to scare birds? That's easy, because Anika told her to. She answered that one already. Why isn't she at VIGIL? Because she's HERE to play with her friends. Obviously. That question is dumb. So it must be why she doesn't have to scary birds here!

Right?

Right.

"Birds aren't allowed at VIGIL so I have to scare them away," Lapis explains. "But there's this one weird bird I can't scare but I'm not sure if it's really a bird or not so it might not count. Since this isn't VIGIL birds are allowed to be here so I don't have to scare them."

There, see?

Makes perfect sense.

As for the ducklings they are so fuzzy! Should the girls pick one up it'll begin rooting around between their fingers with its little beak. It tickles!

[Shadowcaller]

Playing Around

"That's ****ed up." Anika states in an uncharacteristically grave voice.

A beat.

"Not that you feel that way I mean, but that it happened in the first place. Elune's tits, that's horrifying." She rubs the back of her head, seemingly unsure what to say for a moment. "Geez, I feel bad about bringing you here now. This was supposed to be fun. I didn't mean for you to relive your most awful experience in life and get locked in a basement."

Another beat as she suddenly holds out her arms. "...you need a hug? Mom always said it makes her feel better."

[Arkhosia]

Not Playing Around

The catgirl seems to relax as Anika responds, a sense of tension that she didn't even realize was there vanishing like a great weight being lifted off her shoulders.

"N-no, it's fine you didn't make me relive anything! I mean, er, seeing a girl with literal fire for hair wasn't great, but I've had way worse, hell, fire doesn't - " She bites her lip, sensing maybe this isn't the time for words. "Yeah, er, a hug would be nice."

[Murkus]

[Evening Vigil]

Thank god this thing decided to play this slow. He's a little concerned it's gonna ambush the kids one way or another while they move, but he can't do anything about that until it happens. In the meantime, it gives him a moment to crouch by the room's unsurprisingly spacious bed and slide something out from underneath. He feels the handle of a gun... and for some reason passes it over to draw forth a short sword.

This thing is positively ceremonial. It's got a handle like a gladius and a blade that opens like a leaf. The steel glitters, polished and icy cold. He would have had this on hand to begin with, but would have been a little harder to explain to Sakura if nothing came of this little exercise. And besides - he wasn't even sure that whatever it was would be vulnerable to iron. Only vague theories. Now he had seen the way it burned. That alone is enough to give him a glimmer of hope... and loosen his tongue.

Adir keeps backing toward the balcony, but he makes a deliberate point of facing his back toward light fixtures, outlets, and the like. Any kind of opening the boogey could use to get at them. The stag leaves himself wide open. "Sarget! Watch the outside!" He shouts over his shoulder. "This thing is cowardly. It could come out of another window and come over the top at you."

"D'you hear me, you overgrown spider? You great ugly thing?" He roars fit to shake the house. "You don't dare come after me in my bed. You pick on children. I think you're weak. And I think you're scared..." He smirks, even through a grimace of shooting pain from his leg. "I don't think most things you grab onto end up fighting back. And I think it makes you a little worried."

[Shadowcaller]

Not Playing Around

Anika bends down and pulls Blanche into a big hug as she clutches the catgirl tight to her chest.

For reference, the fourth type of hug here, the big heart.

It takes her a moment to realize that their height differences makes things a bit awkward and she lets out a chuckle. "Ah, forgot. We're not supposed to have that that fun while we're here, are we?" She remarks with a twinkle in her eyes as she instead bends down to continue hugging. "But hey, whatever lightens the mood, am I right? My dad always pulled hugs like that so I guess I inherited them from him."

[Rebonack]

[Evening Vigil]

The distraught family reaches the balcony, grandpa clearly visible through the glass door.

They made it.

They're safe.

Then, while Adir is shouting his challenge and Sakura opens the door, it's there.

Waiting.

It shouldn't be possible. They would have seen it through the glass. They had to have been able to see it through the glass. And yet, there it is, that hideous white mask leering at Sakura, eyes and mouth like wriggling masses of spiders. A single, misshapen finger rises to the mouth in a gesture of 'Hush'. Sakura and the children, everyone looking at the abomination, will likely find themselves frozen in place. A terrifying, smothering feeling. One can scream, but one's mouth won't move, the sound will echo silently inside the mind.

Adir, however, facing away as he is, will be unaffected. And very possibly unaware.

A multitude of furry, greasy black hands will reach for the nearest paralyzed child...

[Gullara]

[Evening Vigil]

Behind Adir all progress halts as the door swings open. But they're in any distress as far as he can tell, so what's the hold up?

Sakura stares horrified at the monster, all her children similarly frozen around her. The only sound coming from them is Kissa's continued cries, the baby settled against Sakura's chest and not looking at the monster. Those hideous arms reach out toward them, toward Lucy, who's right next to her mom.

Sakura's eyes move with the hands. It's going to take her baby... IT'S GOING TO TAKE HER BABY! "GET AWAY!" She suddenly shrieks. The dryad takes a step forward, imposing herself between the hands and Lucy. She lashes out with her foot, trying to kick and stomp at the arms. Anything to drive them back.

[New Friends, New Games, and a Basket of Brownies]

The girls don't immediately go to picking the ducklings up. They know they shouldn't mess with an animal's babies too much. But they will hold out their hands and let the ducklings investigate. "It tickles!" Lucy giggles gleefully.

Russell's eyebrows furrow. That's not what he wanted to know. He bites his lip and looks as though he's making an effort. "Why do the birds gotta be scared away?"

[Rebonack]

[New Friends, New Games, and a Basket of Brownies]

It's too bad the girls don't have any peas.

Ducks LOVE peas.

They will continue nibbling at fingers, though. However, they'll eventually conclude the girls don't have anything edible and head into the pond where there ARE edible things.

Like duckweed!

Ducks love duckweed, too.

Honestly, ducks will eat basically anything.

As for Lapis? She mostly looks thoughtful. "I dunno. Anika never told me why it was important, but it's a job someone gave me so I'm going to do a good job."

That's just kind of how Lapis is. If she's going to do anything she's going to be great at it.

[Arkhosia]

Not Playing Around

"Mmph!" Blanche is taken by surprise by the sudden and very awkward position, but certainly doesn't struggle. That would be rude, and it's not like she entirely minds. "E-er, yeah, I don't really wanna risk my boss walking in on us in her own house - although from what I recall, I guess it would be kinda karmic for you." she smiles a little mischievously at that last one.

[Shadowcaller]

Not Playing Around

Anika grins widely. "You think so, huh? I wonder if you'd say the thing if aunt hotty thot had come to visit." Which was apparently the druid's name for Blanche's heat. "I bet you'd already be pawning at my dew drops for access." She leans down and holds out her and to scratch the cat girl right behind the ear while whispering something.

[Arkhosia]

Playing Around

Those whispered words send a pleasant little shiver down Blanche's spine in spite of that awful nickname, Anika's affections causing her breath to hitch. "God, trust me - it's hard enough right now-" she goes on to briefly elaborate exactly what forum-unsafe things flit through her mind with an somewhat eager little smile. She quirks her eyebrows suggestively. "Maybe when C-Command isn't likely to interrupt us."

[Murkus]

[Evening Vigil]

The family all stopping at once is, thankfully, plenty of warning that something is wrong. Adir might even get interrupted in the middle of his taunt as his ears prick and his eyes widen. He turns, and his body accelerates with that same liquid grace. Unfortunately for him, the squad of babies is between him and his enemy. His sword swivels to a position to one side of his body. He can't risk swinging it around near his children.

If he could somehow get past them and into Mr. Hobbins, he'd try to tackle the thing right off the balcony. As it is, that's not too likely, so he's mostly stuck just getting there this round. If anything is most likely, it's that he'll try to grab Lucy none-too-gently and haul her backwards. Sakura is next, of course... but that's only if he has time.

The stag is running on automatic now. The world drops away.

[Rebonack]

[Evening Vigil]

And so brave, brave Sakura kicks at the boogie.

It feels strange.

Mostly because the awful things feels like it has no mass behind it, as if it were nothing but a child's puppet animated into a skittering mockery of life. The kicks strike, but there's just no force behind it. Thankfully Lucy is hauled away before the horror is able to grab her with its tangle of limbs.

Thwarted again, it makes for the balcony, simply whisked through the air as if a gigantic child were playing with a toy. Out through the doors it goes and up the side of the house like a misshapen spider.

Though...

If grandpa is quick, he may be able to swat the monsters.

But there's no telling how much actual harm it would do to the thing. When Adir struck it earlier it hadn't felt like there was anything inside it. Just fur and fluff and grease.

[Shadowcaller]

[Skyside - The Mad Fronts]

Anika long eyebrows both raise as she hears Blanche's reply. "Oh." Then she raises her palms as well. "Sorry for teasing you then, B. Should have known better." She chuckles in a way she believes is going to defuse the situation. "Still can't wrap my head around this heat thing I guess. I can be pretty slow." The druid gestures at her head.

[Gullara]

[Evening Vigil]

Lucy shrieks, but is hauled back easily. She jostling into her siblings in the process, but anything's better than being near that thing.

Sakura's heart is hammering in her chest. She backs into the room again, moving with the flow of children as they all back up. Only Adir's presence stops them going too far. "Adir, it's still outside." She says before they hear a loud bang against the side of the house.

That's Sarget. He moves uncharacteristically quickly, slamming his hand into the wall of the house to try and pin the boogie there.

[Arkhosia]

Not Playing Around/Cessie’s Cellar

Blanche seems to remember herself, a bit of embarrassment surfacing in her expression. That level of eagerness isn’t usual for her, even if being around Anika does seem to loosen her senses of shyness and restraint. Maybe in retrospect she’ll realize that her head was just desperate to stop thinking about their previous topic, gladly diving into a new focus.

”It’s a real pain in the ass sometimes,” Blanche remarks. “I guess I should be glad that it ain’t as frequent as it is for actual cats, but it still weirds me out to think I’ve actually got mental things going on instead of just... I dunno, physical additions?”

A beat.

”Well, I guess it isn’t all bad. Dunno if I’d have ever worked up the courage to ask you out if it didn’t make me accidentally spill the beans,” Blanche jokes, giving the night elf a small little smile.

[Shadowcaller]

Not Playing Around/Cessie’s Cellar

"Physical additions? You mean like your tail and ears? And please, I could tell you were horny from a mile away." The druid claims with a grin then skips a beat. "Wait, when and where were we going to do that again?"

But before Blanche can answer that question there is a knock on the door and it's opened by Cessie herself with Garn standing just behind her. "I'm so sorry and I like to apologize for Garn's behavior. He's far too overprotective sometimes." She shakes her head and turns to the gargoyle.

"I am sorry." Garn states, though his nearly monotone voice makes it hard to say if he actually means it.

[Arkhosia]

Not Playing Around/Cessie’s Cellar

"Well, you said you were gonna surprise me," Blanche responds with a smile - but any further comments on that matter are halted as the door to the cellar opens. "Er- Miss Mithar," Blanche acknowledges, turning towards her and Garn.

"It's- it's fine ma'am, we weren't stuck here long. It, erm, gave us time to talk actually," she assures awkwardly.

[Shadowcaller]

Not Playing Around/Cessie’s Cellar

The commander looks between the two as Anika puts her arm around Blanche and gives her a friendly pat on the shoulder.

"Yep! We talked about all sort of stuff while down here." A beat. "So this is your cellar, huh?" The druid starts looking around as if only now noticing it. "It's huge."

Cessie raises an eyebrow. "Yes, well, no one is supposed to be down here so let's get you inside the keep proper." She gestures towards the door. "If I had known you'd stop by I would have met you at the entrance myself. So why are you here exactly?"

Anika let's go of Blanche but the sorceress question seem to confound her. Not since she didn't know why they were here, it was just that the answer she was gonna give suddenly didn't seem good enough.

[Arkhosia]

Not Playing Around/Cessie’s Cellar

Blanche is many things, but concealing social anxiety isn’t one of them, and it might be a tad obvious that she’s anxiously trying to tell just how much Cessie is correctly deducing about said “things”.

”Er, Anika came over to hang out with Cora and brought me along with her,” she states with a bit of hesitation, suddenly a tad worried that she’s getting Anika in trouble.

[Murkus]

[Evening VIGIL]

"I know, I know," Adir tries to reassure, pushing forward to insinuate himself between the kids and the door. "Listen. If this thing can just appear anywhere... I need to finish this." Adir looks at Sakura hard. She hasn't seen him like this in a long time. She might not even notice he's pressing a knife into her hands until the hilt bumps her fingers. As hard as he looks, there's pain in his eyes that has nothing to do with his wounds. It feels wrong, pressing a weapon into Sakura's hands, like he's stealing a little much-needed innocence out of the world in a single simple stroke. He hates this feeling... and he knows it's what needs done. "Take it. If it gets past us, or... or moves like that again... aim for the face."

He doesn't wait for a reply or a rejection - he can't afford to. The moment Sakura closes a hand around the knife, he's off like a shot, onto the balcony and then up it. His leg aches and pumps blood as he climbs the house to the roof. There are plenty of handholds, at least. The house is old and decorative. Unlike the boogie, the clay shingles probably crinkle and crack under him.

The stag tries to get himself steady on the slant of the rooftop, feeling the night wind, tasting the air. He looks at the spot Sarget hit. Did the treant get him?

[Shadowcaller]

Not Playing Around/Cessie’s Cellar

"Yeah! Exactly! We were just playing with her when the gargoyle guy came to take us here." Anika replies confidently despite Blanche basically saying what she had planned to say. It didn't feel as insignificant when the catgirl said it.

"Oh, that's nice." Cessie remarks with a smile as she leads them out of the cellar, Garn closing the door behind them. "Perhaps you like to see the others too? I'm sure Bastion and Jillian would love to have people to play with as well."

"Sure, miss C. I didn't get the chance to see them much last time."

Cessie raises an eyebrow at that particular nickname but doesn't comment on it. "Are you up for that too, miss Turath? I know you have a problem with fire in the case of Cora but the other two don't have that."

[Rebonack]

[Evening VIGIL]

Swatted like a spider.

Adir will get up on the roof just in time to see the boogie... oozing between Sarget's fingers. Like a child squeezing a handful of mud. Or one of those squishy balls. It looks stomach churningly unwholesome. Mister Hobbins goes skipping away, limbs flailing as it hardly even touches the roof, the image of a child playing with a toy flashing to mind again. The way this thing moves... nothing about it is natural.

But what's this?

Adir standing in its path again?

Mister Hobbins pauses, facing the desperate father with that awful mask-like face, as if considering.

And then?

For the first time.

It speaks.

"How many do you think I've already taken? A pity you caught on."

The voice is prim and proper, diminutive and yet strong. Like a kindly if strict school teacher. It doesn't fit the horror's appearance in the least.

And if Adir shows any moment of pause at the words, the horror will try to tackle him off the roof. Otherwise it'll try skittering away across the roof to try to break line of sight before Adir can get off a clean shot.

[Arkhosia]

Not Playing Around

”I don’t see why not miss Mithar, as long as neither of ‘em demand I help them build sand castles or anything.” She seems to be fairly unaware of how it casually discloses another aspect of her triggers as she gives Cessie an awkward little smile. She seems a little surprised by how quickly Cessie seems to take Anika's nicknaming in stride.

[Gullara]

[Evening VIGIL]

Sakura can only look at him with horror as the knife is pressed into her hands. She takes it without even looking at the thing, and then Adir is gone. She's frozen there for a moment before Laela tugs her arm. "Mommy?"

"Into the bathroom." She instructs, and quickly the kids scramble ahead of her. "The shower." She adds, ushering them all toward the alcove that encloses the large, walk in shower. "Yell if you see anything." She instructs as she turns partially away from the kids and toward the only approach toward them. Sarget is right outside. There's a short distance between them and the window if they need to go out that way. She holds the knife in two trembling hands and waits.

[Shadowcaller]

Not Playing Around

Blanche would know that Cessie is rarely the one to directly point out someone's failings, rather resorting to implications in the form of body language and other more subtle means of communication.
Anika isn't completely blind to these things but she seems to be expecting more strongly worded resistance to her nicknames if the sorceress was really bothered by them.

So the two just have very different ideas of how to do social interaction.

Though Cessie smiles broadly as Blanche replies. "We're not that close to the sea, though we can see all the way to seaside from the tower." She gestures at the highest point of the keep.

"Though they're certainly not shy with adults so let's see if we can find them shall we?"

"Yeah, sure. If they like to hang out with old people like us." Anika remarks with a chuckle.

[Arkhosia]

Not Playing Around

"I hope you don't plan to rely on my tracking skills, I'm no hunter - not last I checked, at least." Blanche holds back any further comments on sand; whether or not it comes from the beach doesn't really matter, and she wasn't really sure if Cessie's children have a sandbox or not. But she's not eager to continue dwelling on such things, and there are more important matters. She leans over to whisper to Anika.

"Er, could be wrong, but I dunno if she's the sort to appreciate nicknames - or, uh, be very vocal about it."

[Gullara]

[Questionably Not Playing Around]

In the other room Bastion and Jillian are at play. A plastic play house is set up. It's one of Jillian's most favourite things. She can never persuade Cora to play house with her, but Bastion is much more sporting. At the moment Jillian is sitting at a table, nibbling on a very real scone brought to her by Cessie a short while ago. Bastion is at the toy house, scrubbing plastic dishes in the toy sink.