Home 26: Rooms to let, fifty cents

[Deathkeeper]

[Richards' Flat]

"I know it's not Nameday yet but I thought if we had to deal with them snapping at our tails any more we'd go insane." Nick snickers.
For now he's going to keep his tail out of any of their way. Especially when he thinks one of them still has her egg-tooth.
Nick Jr is trying hard to not giggle too much at his...niece? Let's say niece's expense.

[Hattish Thing]

[Bansford House]

At this point, someone rounds the corner.

He's clearly quite old, limping along with the aid of a gnarled cane.

The man's skin is dark and leathery, interlaced with deep lines which speak of his decades of life. "Wilhena? Is that you?" he asks, his voice weak and tired. "It's so late. What are you doing? Who is this?" With a grimace, he reaches for an inhaler and takes a deep breath.

Billie looks displeased at her blind father's presence. However, her tone is soft. "Just a friend, papa."

"Go back to sleep. Just a late night at work."

[Earl of Purple]

Prumathe's Flat

"Well, I guess that makes me feel a little better. That you're valuable, I mean." And not just to him; he's known she was valuable for a long time.

Abi's House

"Abigail, I'm coming in. I hope you're decent." It sounds like Abi, but the words aren't Abi's. Not least the fact she called him 'father'- Bryan is her stepdad, and doesn't want her to call her dad- or father, for that matter. Sure enough, the door's opening- but slowly, to give Abi time to protest if she isn't, or put clothes on if she can.

What Abi does is clap both hands over her mouth and glare at the mouth of her reflection in the mirror.

[bc56]

"Uh, thanks." Sekhmet gives Prumathe a little squeeze. Then she leans against him a little harder and yawns. "I'm... Tired." Maintaining this psychic link takes a lot out of her. Maybe Prumathe notices that Sekhmet's vision is getting a bit dim. It's not actually, but the connection is waning.

[Earl of Purple]

Prumathe's Flat

"My bedroom is through there. Get some sleep; I'll stay in here. Um, cancel the link before you go, though." He doesn't want to accidentally watch as Sekhmet gets ready for bed. He points at the bedroom door, and goes to set up some blankets onto the camping-bed. "Hopefully you'll wake up halfway through the night by my snoring." It's happened before, when Prumathe was deafened by Samantha's punishment. It won't happen to him, though; his eyes will be shut, so he won't be seeing anything when his sight returns. If it returns tonight; it and the deafness might be hanging around for a bit longer.

[bc56]

"Ha, uh, yes." Sekhmet waits for Prumathe to get his things set up then goes into the other room and ends the link. She climbs into his bed and quickly falls asleep. She tosses and turns a bit with bad dreams.

[Earl of Purple]

Prumathe's Flat

His bedroom is a little messy. There's a pile of dirty clothes in the corner, rather than in any kind of hamper for laundry. And he hasn't bothered making his bed, either. She could possibly poke through his clothes, or just go straight to sleep.

He's got an alarm set for eight o'clock, but if she hasn't got her hearing back by then it won't wake her.

[bc56]

Why would she poke through his clothes? That would be weird. No, Sekhmet goes straight to sleep. I don't know if she has her hearing back by morning. She'll be up bright and early either way. Maybe if Prumathe's still asleep, she can fix him breakfast.

[Earl of Purple]

Prumathe's Flat

She's not able to hear the alarm, and if she doesn't know about it, it will wake up Prumathe. It's loud... Even though Sekhmet can't hear. Prumathe rolls out of bed, forgetting he wasn't in his double with much less space to move around. It's a thud, but unless she's looking Sekhmet won't know. Nor will she know that Prumathe immediately shouted he was OK afterwards.

Once he's awake, and still blind, Prumathe heads to the bathroom and pokes around the door, covering his eyes and saying he's still blind as he asks if Sekhmet's in there. If not, he'll probably shower- unless Sekhmet goes to find him first, to tell him he has breakfast.

[bc56]

Sekhmet is already awake (and still deaf) when the alarm goes off. Prumathe won't encounter her when he goes about his morning business, but maybe he'll smell food from the kitchen. Apparently, she's been cooking breakfast.

[Earl of Purple]

Prumathe's Flat

Prumathe does smell breakfast, so he goes to turn off the alarm and go wave at Sekhmet so she knows he's awake. He's still blind, and it's quite obvious since he's not actually looking at anything. Then he'll either wait, if it's nearly done, or go sit down to wait in the lounge. He'll shower afterwards, since he doesn't want his breakfast to get cold.

[bc56]

Sekhmet doesn't immediately notice Prumathe entering the kitchen, because she can't hear him. She's engrossed in her current task of frying some eggs. Prumathe can't see it, but she's just holding a skillet in her left hand and using conjured fire from her right hand to heat it. She notices Prumathe after a little bit. She thinks to him, Good morning! I'll be, uh, done soon." She'll finish cooking while he waits.

[Earl of Purple]

Prumathe's Flat

Prumathe nods and smiles in the direction he thinks Sekhmet's in, closer to the cooker than she likely is- he hasn't realised she's using pyromancy to cook with. He waves and leaves to sit down, without saying anything because she's using her mind to talk to him and didn't turn off the alarm.

[bc56]

Sekhmet smiles to Prumathe. He's looking the wrong direction, so he must still be blind. She soon passes him a plate with some fried eggs on it, and a fork and knife. Do you, uh, need help? She sits down across from him with her own plate of food.

[Earl of Purple]

Prumathe's Flat

Prumathe shakes his head and looks in the direction he thinks Sekhmet's in, and probably gets it right since he knows where the chairs are, and the stool that Sekhmet's probably chosen, too. It's a bar-stool, with a moulded plastic seat. Possibly more comfortable than she was expecting.

He's a little messy, when it comes to eating. He drops a bit, but he holds the plate quite close to his mouth to catch the stuff that falls off as he eats.

[bc56]

How did I, uh, do? Sekhmet asks. You can just, uh, think back to me to, uh, answer." She's just passively monitoring for thoughts directed at her, not actually reading his mind. He doesn't have to worry about that.

[Earl of Purple]

Prumathe's Flat

Sekhmet, this is good. Fried eggs are my favourite type of egg. Also Earl's. He starts it with Sekhmet, since he's not sure how her telepathy detects such things.

[bc56]

Thanks, uh, I'm glad you like it! Sekhmet sends back. One great thing about telepathy is that you can "talk" with your mouth full. Do you, uh, need anything else? Something to drink? Some toast?

[Rebonack]

[Richard's Flat]

Sure niece works.

They'll probably all call him big brother, though.

It is inescapable.

"Oh," Geneva says with a big yawn. "That's a good idea."

Goodness she's so tired.

"So... I've been working on that list of names," she says, then adds with a sheepish smile. "Only mooooost of them start with G?"

She knows that Nick isn't huge on the whole G-Names thing.

But it's a tradition!

[Deathkeeper]

Richards' Flat

Nick, indeed, isn't sure if he likes the idea of all of his kids having G-names.
Would that make Nick feel left out? He doesn't think so, but the two of them have definitely diverged at this point.
"Alright, hit me then. He's sure anything Geneva came up with can't be bad.

[5a Violista]

[June's Place] (at the BDD)

Ugh, nothing's happening to it? This is awful.
June really needs to catch her breath and take a break or whatever, but...she can't just let Minerva take care of it. Especially if it's just pretending to be sleeping, or whatever.

...
She looks down at it, trying to decide what to do with it. Throw it in some fire, or throw it in the ocean? And the book, too.
June sets the knife back up on the table.
Okay.
She's decided.
The ocean isn't that far from here. Probably some rocks around, too, which she can tie to the string that Minerva had wrapped around the hand.

She picks up the two of them - the book and the hand. After a brief res- No! If she takes a rest, she knows she won't want to get back up, so she can't stop.

She leaves the tavern with both of them - and the first time she spies a burning barrel (for some homeless people to cook their food over and to keep warm later tonight), she tosses the book in there, saying, "Here, some more tinder for you."

And,
unless some chance encounter causes her to lose the hand or some dumb kid steals it from her, she'll bring it all the way to the docks and, after tying it to rocks, hurl it as far as possible.

But, man, is June exhausted. And, yeah, she kinda does want to cry after this is over.

[Ashen Lilies]

[Cass' Tower]

Electra nods as she listens to Cass's explanation, but moves to examine the torn-down bike's motor more closely for a few moments.

"Yeah, I can see how this would be way more complex. A lot of different ways you could probably go, given what little I know about how magic of that sort might work," she muses. "Once you figure it out, though, I bet you'll be able to find all kinds of uses for those sorts of enchantments."

[Cass' Tower]

"Maybe," says Cass, smiling. "It's just something to do... in between everything else I do. Which is a lot."

Cass stares at the engine a little, as if consumed with a sudden idea... then shakes her head. "Hey... want to go for a ride?"

[Earl of Purple]

Prumathe's Flat

Usually I have a coffee with my breakfast, but don't worry- I don't need one if you don't want one. He's assuming she's cooked eggs for herself as well, and doesn't think it fair to get Sekhmet to make a coffee if she's not having a drink herself- although he does have some teabags, if she fancies tea instead.

He's got an electric kettle, which can't be used with pyromancy. At least, not easily.

[bc56]

I can, uh, make some, if you'd like. Sekhmet stands and starts to go to get the kettle, unless Prumathe will stop her. Uh, how does this kettle work? It's the wrong material. It doesn't seem like it would take the heat necessary to boil water in it. Sekhmet fills it anyway, hoping for an answer before she finishes.

[Earl of Purple]

Prumathe's Flat

Oh, right. It's electric. There's a disc on the counter by the sink with a protrudy bit in the middle. That's the heating ring. Once it's full, put the kettle on there and there's a switch at the back. The switch glows, so it'll let you know when it's done. There's no whistle or anything, though it does have a distinctive noise of its own. Prumathe would demonstrate, but he can't. The ring should have been under the kettle when Sekhmet picked it up, though.

[bc56]

Sekhmet sees the gizmo and sets the kettle back on it, then switches it on. She waits. It just boils? Without any fire or heat? She doesn't really understand electricity. She even has some electric appliances, but is pretty sure they're just magic. How else could they work?

[Nova_Eclipse]

[Cass' Tower]

Electra drapes her arms over Cass's shoulders and gives her a squeeze with a mischievous grin.

"I'd love to go for a ride. Anywhere you want to go," she says quietly, breathily into Cass's ear. "Is fine with me."

[Earl of Purple]

Prumathe's Flat

It's electric. The doohickey you put it on has a heating coil activated by pressing the button on the kettle itself. Electric devices get power from somewhere else and take it to where it's needed to do what someone wants, and turns the power into the type needed. For the kettle, heat. For my alarm clock, sound, and for the lamps everywhere light. Prumathe has a basic idea because he's from a more technological world, but he doesn't have a true understanding. Magic probably works just as well as the real explanation.

Benedict's Manse

Flying on the backs of their skeletal horses come Arron, Miri and Vaemys. The mansion appears as it did before; the ruined chapel near the graveyard, the central tower with the wings on either side added to it later and all patrolled by skeletons. They start assembling as they see Miri and her companions approach, the ones at front forming a spear wall whilst those behind ready antique muskets and arquebuses.

[bc56]

Electric? Like lightning? Sekhmet stares at the kettle. She knows what electricity is, but it isn't nearly as widespread where she comes from. Or, uh, what doctors use? Electroshock therapy is a thing she knows about. How does it keep from shocking people?

[Recaiden]

Now, Miri's plan was that Vaemys should land somewhere short of the manse, and stay safe. She'll point out a likely place along the way. But if Vaemys wants to come all the way, that'll be fine.

So the next obstacle is the skeleton troops gathering ahead of them.
The question is - is this a lot of skeletons, or really a lot of skeletons?
She knows from earlier that they are smart enough to confound with memory magic, unlike the horses. But there's many of them and they have guns, which work at a rather greater distance than she can get her magic to operate. And it takes Arron some time to subvert skeletons. So perhaps they can use their other advantage - flying.
"Up and around!" she suggests to Arron. "So the tower is between us and them."