Home 27: Ward-bound

[Arkhosia]

Suncrest Manor

"I-I mean, not as much," Ana quickly tries to amend, feeling the weight of judgement upon both her and her family. She blinks, a little confused by this particular connection in Irena's mind before giving her a light smile. "Yeah, uh, definitely. I... don't know if I ever really knew my biological parents, honestly. But like, each one has always been kind to me. The Bellamys've been really nice - especially to take me in with, like, so much going on with them." Not that it stops her from finding that a little exhausting at times, Nadia and Irena can probably understand.

[Shadowcaller]

Suncrest Manor

"Mm... so what are they like? I admit not knowing a whole lot about your parental units." Did she just call them that? "And it feels like I ought to now."

[Recaiden]

[Cave]

"What do you think you can do to help us?"
Leah follows along just behind him.

They're taken through a tunnel that's a bit uncomfortable for four-legged people, into an expansive cave where the occasional stalagmite and stalactite have merged to form pillars.
A few centaurs are here, working by little electrical lights at sorting gear, repairing cold-weather clothes, etc. But they all end up staring at Mist as they enter.
'Is that-?"

[Deathkeeper]

Cave

"Well, we brought you some food and medicine as a gift. What I was shown didn't really tell me what you would need so I thought instead of making any assumptions we'd just ask. I don't know if you needed supplies or building materials or what. I mean, I'm an innkeeper but I don't think I could house all of you if you passed through my neck of the woods."
This cave is fairly massive but it doesn't seem to be built up. It's cold here, they don't seem to have built infrastructure in here yet for permanent lights and heating. And as big as it is, a cave doesn't seem like the most comfortable place for centaurs. It seems a little bit uncomfortable for Mist himself.

Mist waves at the people with a smile.
He has no idea why they're staring. But he is a human next to a tiger person who both emanate weird so he's not surprised.

[Gullara]

[Suncrest Manor]

"Parental unit?" Eliseo repeats back, looking incredulous. Why is Irena like this?

[Arkhosia]

Suncrest Manor

"Oh! Well, um -" Ana glances up as if thinking. What does she think of the Bellamys? "I mean, Kitty's really nice, fairly supportive of me too. She's really done a lot of me." Putting it lightly, frankly. "And uh, Obriane... she's nice too?" There's a shrug. "Kind of like, a little distant though. I'm not sure she really knows what to do with me. A beat. "Still though, I like them a lot! They've been good to me, even though they're both just like, really busy all the time. Y'know, with all the other kids and then work and stuff." The kitsune tries to put a bright spin on things as she closes, gesturing idly with a fork full of french toast before finally taking a bite

[Shadowcaller]

[Suncrest Manor]

Irena doesn't fail to notice Eliseo's criticism of her choice of words and turns to him.
"Shut up, kid. I call it whatever I want." This sounds like its something that happens regularly.

Then she turns back to Ana as if nothing had happened. "Always busy, huh? Just how many, uh, siblings do you have? Since I know just one of them can be..." Irena glances at Eliseo. "-a lot."

[Rebonack]

[Underside Tunnels]

"I remember the first time I saw Inside," Khannie says, her tone a bit wistful. "I lived in this tiny little village when I was younger. Until my dad found where I had been taken and brought me home. So seeing all the huge buildings for the first time? Bigger than even the trees? And just people everywhere? It felt overwhelming. But now it's just... life, you know? I guess people can get use to just about anything."

Funny how that works, isn't it?

When the magical girl stuff started it was pretty crazy.

But now it's just...

Part of her life?

Hopefully a part of her life that she'll be able to leave behind for good, soon.

Gotta get that stupid jellyfish beaten up first, though.

[Ironsmith]

Underside Tunnels

"They do, don't they? If the skyscrapers in Inside were dug into the sides of hills, maybe." As many of the homes they're passing are dug out of the rock as built from the stone removed from the first ones, which at least provides a sturdy and locally available building material.

[Underside Tunnels]

As far as Khannie can tell, the homes jut out from the rock face, but they wouldn't be big enough if only the visible part was occupied. It seems they're half-embedded in the rock.

"It... well, it used to be hard for me to remember that the underground is weird for other people. The surface was weird to me at first. So much space. Wind. And stuff." Brinika looks around from her spot on the back of the rockamander. "We'll be getting off soon. Then it's a short walk by a tunnel to our house."

[Underside Tunnels]

"I remember the first time I saw Inside," Khannie says, her tone a bit wistful. "I lived in this tiny little village when I was younger. Until my dad found where I had been taken and brought me home. So seeing all the huge buildings for the first time? Bigger than even the trees? And just people everywhere? It felt overwhelming. But now it's just... life, you know? I guess people can get use to just about anything."

Funny how that works, isn't it?

When the magical girl stuff started it was pretty crazy.

But now it's just...

Part of her life?

Hopefully a part of her life that she'll be able to leave behind for good, soon.

Gotta get that stupid jellyfish beaten up first, though.

[Underside Tunnels]

For his part, Arthfael stays fairly quiet about their surroundings; partly because he doesn't want to continue to draw attention to himself, but mostly because that feeling of deja vu is escalating and he's too busy immersing himself in it to add much to the conversation. His usual grumpy expression has, by now, melted away... the look on his face now rests somewhere between "awed" and "nostalgic".

But, he'll have to snap out of it soon. They are about to disembark from the rockamander.

[Earl of Purple]

Underside Tunnels

"I lived on a farm in Outside. Our nearest neighbours were over the horizon, most days. Inside's a big place; I think lots of people are impressed the first time they see it, for one reason or another, even if they've seen a city before." Cheasadh doesn't miss the farm. She's far happier here, and at GLoG- there's actual children to play with, and she's got a much nicer family with absolutely no murder.

[Recaiden]

[Cave]

"Well, we brought you some food and medicine as a gift. What I was shown didn't really tell me what you would need so I thought instead of making any assumptions we'd just ask. I don't know if you needed supplies or building materials or what. I mean, I'm an innkeeper but I don't think I could house all of you if you passed through my neck of the woods."
This cave is fairly massive but it doesn't seem to be built up. It's cold here, they don't seem to have built infrastructure in here yet for permanent lights and heating. And as big as it is, a cave doesn't seem like the most comfortable place for centaurs. It seems a little bit uncomfortable for Mist himself.

Mist waves at the people with a smile.
He has no idea why they're staring. But he is a human next to a tiger person who both emanate weird so he's not surprised.

"We could certainly use any supplies you have." Begins the older centaur.

The people are largely afraid of Mist - has he returned to cause some further doom, or lay some punishment on them? Shouldn't he be taller, and have more legs? Though at least there's no spear in his hands. He's probably not here to hunt them all down. One ore two are glad to see him, having known that he would come back in time. Of course, they didn't expect him to appear as a little guy in a coat. He should be tough and bold, here to lead them to better times.

"We need proper food, and medicine, and ultimately some way to defeat the marauders down below these mountains."

Some of them vanish deeper into the cave, to spread the news.

"Excuse me, do you know ☌-☉-☽, or ☄?"

"I- not for years now." That sets them blinking in surprise.

"They're with us now. Safe."

[Deathkeeper]

Cave

Mist isn’t sure why they think they know him. Are they mistaking him for the ghost? Or the ghost’s original person? He can’t imagine why. He doesn’t have a habit of running around with spears and downpours.
He’s also not used to Knowing things but he’s fairly sure that’s a fey thing. He’s been knowing some of Leah’s thoughts as they got here. This does explain a few interactions with Message and a certain cat.
”What we’ve brought is yours.” Mist assures her, holding the duffel bag. The place is making him feel odd. He feels itchy, and his hips ache. And a strange, familiar sensation trickles into the back of his head. Like stretching his legs but not at all like that.
”If you wish we could try to get you to them. Our home might be safer than here. Or at least it has less marauders. Leah and I might be able to help with those either way.”
Leah can be very scary when she wants something dead.

[Morty]

[Underside Tunnels]

"We all come from those different places, but we met up at GLoG. It's one of those places where people congregate," Brinika observes as the rockamander comes to a stop. "Well, this is where we get off. Let's go."

Once the kids get off the giant amphibian, they'll find themselves standing on a platform overlooking the residential cavern. There's a tunnel leading down from it towards the cave, which Brinika strides forward confidently into. It's broad enough for people to go in both directions and lit by the usual glowing paste. From the other side of the tunnel come unmistakable noises of... well, a suburb. It's a suburb, but deep underground and populated by goblins.

[Gullara]

Suncrest Manor

"Oh! Well, um -" Ana glances up as if thinking. What does she think of the Bellamys? "I mean, Kitty's really nice, fairly supportive of me too. She's really done a lot of me." Putting it lightly, frankly. "And uh, Obriane... she's nice too?" There's a shrug. "Kind of like, a little distant though. I'm not sure she really knows what to do with me. A beat. "Still though, I like them a lot! They've been good to me, even though they're both just like, really busy all the time. Y'know, with all the other kids and then work and stuff." The kitsune tries to put a bright spin on things as she closes, gesturing idly with a fork full of french toast before finally taking a bite

[Suncrest Manor]

Irena doesn't fail to notice Eliseo's criticism of her choice of words and turns to him.
"Shut up, kid. I call it whatever I want." This sounds like its something that happens regularly.

Then she turns back to Ana as if nothing had happened. "Always busy, huh? Just how many, uh, siblings do you have? Since I know just one of them can be..." Irena glances at Eliseo. "-a lot."

[Suncrest Manor]

"I'll shut up when you talk like a normal person." Eliseo remarks back. And when he gets the later look he sticks out his tongue at her. Nothing but attitude this morning.

Nadia appears to be on the very edge of her tolerance for the family bickering, but hasn't quite tipped over the edge.

[Arkhosia]

Suncrest Manor

Anastasia takes a moment to finish her toast - and also to notice Nadia’s growing annoyance with all this. She gives Eliseo a nudge under the table, and a look for good measure if he needs any additional hints that he needs to tone it down.

”Well, um-“ Once again, Ana looks a little awkward. “Like, four right now - and, uh, I think like two more on the way.”

[Shadowcaller]

Suncrest Manor

"Yikes, well, she's clearly doing a better job than I am if she manages that many already." Irena says with a chuckle if only to ease the mood at the breakfast table a bit. Just giving Eliseo a glare in response to his comment.

Then she gets an idea.

"...or what do you say, kid? Do you want as many siblings as Ana have?" She remarks, her gaze never leaving Eliseo's.

[Gullara]

[Suncrest Manor]

"Weird question, Irena. You wanna raise that many kids?" He replies. Ana gets a glance, but apparently a mere nudge isn't enough to get him off the track of bickering with his mom.

[Rebonack]

[Underside Tunnels]

Khannie likewise disembarks!

And she likewise lives in a suburb.

Just one that's less underground.

And less populated by goblins.

Do they have anything like yards?

What would that even consist of, underground?

Like...

A lawn made of mushrooms? Or lichen? Or maybe like a big sandbox decorated by stones?

Landscaping is going to be pretty limited underground, won't it?

"That's kind of how the Nexus is, huh? It gathers people who wouldn't have met otherwise. I'm glad I met you all."
"I'm glad I got to meet Pookie's honey!" Maridia pipes up.

[Arkhosia]

Suncrest Manor

"Yeah but sometimes I'm the one who has to like, babysit all of 'em," Anastasia briefly adds, more as a complaint than a point of debate. She watches Irena and Eliseo continue to banter, an eye on how annoyed Nadia might seem from all of it.

[Shadowcaller]

Suncrest Manor

"**** no, but I also raised you didn't I? Just saying that you should be thankfully you don't have to babysit like Ana does because we spoil you." Irena counters.

[Ironsmith]

Underside Tunnels

"I lived on a farm in Outside. Our nearest neighbours were over the horizon, most days. Inside's a big place; I think lots of people are impressed the first time they see it, for one reason or another, even if they've seen a city before." Cheasadh doesn't miss the farm. She's far happier here, and at GLoG- there's actual children to play with, and she's got a much nicer family with absolutely no murder.

[Underside Tunnels]

"We all come from those different places, but we met up at GLoG. It's one of those places where people congregate," Brinika observes as the rockamander comes to a stop. "Well, this is where we get off. Let's go."

Once the kids get off the giant amphibian, they'll find themselves standing on a platform overlooking the residential cavern. There's a tunnel leading down from it towards the cave, which Brinika strides forward confidently into. It's broad enough for people to go in both directions and lit by the usual glowing paste. From the other side of the tunnel come unmistakable noises of... well, a suburb. It's a suburb, but deep underground and populated by goblins.

[Underside Tunnels]

Khannie likewise disembarks!

And she likewise lives in a suburb.

Just one that's less underground.

And less populated by goblins.

Do they have anything like yards?

What would that even consist of, underground?

Like...

A lawn made of mushrooms? Or lichen? Or maybe like a big sandbox decorated by stones?

Landscaping is going to be pretty limited underground, won't it?

"That's kind of how the Nexus is, huh? It gathers people who wouldn't have met otherwise. I'm glad I met you all."
"I'm glad I got to meet Pookie's honey!" Maridia pipes up.

[Underside Tunnels]

Ugh. Girl bonding moment.

Arthfael walks past the goblin, gnome and meat-puppet-controlled-by-a-gem and continues on toward what he presumes is the house and bopping his hand against an archway as he goes. "Ow, my head." He quips, despite his head being a little below it. He seems to find this humorous, as he's actually smiling when he does this.

"We going to stand around here all night? You can braid each other's hair when we're inside." He adds sardonically, gesturing further up the path.

[Earl of Purple]

Underside Tunnels

Thank you, Maridia, for pointing out to everyone that Pookie hasn't been mentioned in nearly twenty pages and that Earl had forgotten about him.

Pookie, who was totally there the whole time, nods and smiles and reaches out to give Maridia a very sticky hug.

Cheasadh will subtly try to grab Arthfael's arm and pull him to a stop so he doesn't walk past their destination. "I mean, we could braid each other's hair, but if that was the plan we'd not have told Khannie you could come along. Unless you want us to give you braids? I don't think your hair's long enough to pull it off, though." Khannie's might not be, either. And Pookie's certainly isn't, which is just as well- he's so sticky, any attempts at braids would get hopelessly befouled and matted.

[Gullara]

Suncrest Manor

"Yeah but sometimes I'm the one who has to like, babysit all of 'em," Anastasia briefly adds, more as a complaint than a point of debate. She watches Irena and Eliseo continue to banter, an eye on how annoyed Nadia might seem from all of it.

Suncrest Manor

"**** no, but I also raised you didn't I? Just saying that you should be thankfully you don't have to babysit like Ana does because we spoil you." Irena counters.

[Suncrest Manor]

Eliseo's about to fire back about how them not having more kids isn't a punishment, but Nadia's reached her limit just in time for his sake.

"Irena." Nadia interjects sharply with a look that says, 'Stop picking a fight with your son in front of our guest.' Or something like that. In any case she sure isn't appreciating Irena right now.

Eliseo wisely clamps his mouth shut.

[Arkhosia]

Suncrest Manor

Across the table, Ana catches onto Nadia's feelings on the matter and starts to lean over, planning to perhaps give some kind of warning to her boyfriend - but it turns out she doesn't end up needing to provide such a thing, and as Eliseo shuts up so too does Anastasia. She sits quietly and steals another bite or two.

[Shadowcaller]

Suncrest Manor

That's not how she meant it! D=

"Uh- sorry." Since she sure as hell wasn't going to argue with Nadia too.
But rather than to suffer the kind of awkward silence that usually follows that exchange Irena tries to raise a new topic. "...so how long have you known Eliseo now, Ana? Not that I'm trying to interrogate you or anything." She let's out an awkward chuckle without much actual humor to it.

"Just curious since you seem to have a hard time staying away from one another, that's all. I mean, been there, done that." Irena somehow manages to avoid looking at Nadia as she says this since she knew the kid wouldn't appreciate it.

[Arkhosia]

Suncrest Manor

"O-oh, well um," Anastasia straightens in her chair, glancing up as she thinks. "About like, four or five years now I guess? We shared a few classes and I sorta knew him by reputation but, uh, we didn't really know each other that well 'til after the invasion, when you two helped me find a new family." She fidgets a little awkwardly at the memory. Trying to break into this place wasn't her finest moment, but it did at least have some wonderful long-term results. "A while after that, like - well, I dunno, I guess something clicked, and we started hanging out a lot. And then he asked me out a couple years ago, and...."

The fox blushes. "Well, uh, I guess- I guess I just feel really comfortable around him. He makes me feel safe, like I know he'll be there for me if I need someone to pick me up. A-and that I can really just be myself, too. That I don't have to worry if he won't accept me for who I am, or-" Ana breaks off, as she struggle to find words, glancing back at Eliseo and surely feeling a little self-conscious about whatever his response is to all of this. "I dunno I just- he can be really sweet, and it feels nice when I'm around him." A cheeky smile towards Eliseo. ”Also he’s really fun to embarrass.”

He's also super cute, but Ana figures no one wants to hear her say that one.

[Gullara]

[Suncrest Manor]

When Ana looks at Eliseo, she sees him as red as a beet. Eliseo's face flushes extremely easily, given his pale skin. She volunteered a lot of extra info on the spot. How's she come up with all that? If he had to articulate the same thing he'd be left a mumbling mess. "You don't have to tell them all that." He protests weakly.

"Don't be like that, Eliseo. You should be happy to have a girlfriend that recognizes all your good qualities." Nadia says with a lightly amused smile. Eliseo just groans in response.

[Shadowcaller]

[Suncrest Manor]

Ha! She had managed to stick it to the Kid without even meaning to.

Irena isn't going to snicker, that would be taking things too far, but she can't help but to grin a bit as she considers what to ask next.
"Cool, cool... so what do you two do together? I assume you have some kind of shared interest or whatever."

[Arkhosia]

Suncrest Manor

Anastasia’s reddens a bit as she sees just how much she's managed to embarrass her boyfriend here, and then flushes bright pink when Nadia comments on her glowing review. ”I-im sorry, I just-“ she shrinks, feeling incredibly embarrassed. It’s not her fault all that just came pouring out so easily! She’d just been hanging out with Aaliyah and Lumina the other day, and Becky said that she didn't get why she was even dating a smug jock like Eliseo, and she wasn't really able to put things into words in a way she was satisfied with, so she spent like the whole day thinking about what she should have said, and- "well, I guess he's just been, uh, on my mind a lot lately."

Thankfully, Irena gives her a way to escape lingering in her nervous energy. "Well, uh, yeah - we do like, tons of stuff together." She smiles. "We started hanging out in the first place 'cause both of us like to play guitar, but I mean, we like to skate, watch movies, play soccer together, just kinda walk around...." Ana glances up as she tries to recite all the various things she and Eliseo do, leaving out a couple that she'd probably get in trouble for mentioning like kissing each other or checking out cool abandoned tunnels. "Y'know. Lots of stuff."

[Gullara]

[Suncrest Manor]

Or kissing each other in abandoned tunnels.

"Just regular fun stuff, you know. What's with the interrogation all of a sudden?" Even innocent conversation can get Eliseo riled up. He truly is a teenager.