Personification Life IC IX - [Semi Open]

[Giovenith]

Giovenith tilted her head and looked up at the newly-appeared Marcus, having not spotted him before. It took a while for her to actually remember who he was, having only met him once as a child, and then a second time as this age back on Gilese. The lightbulb eventually pinged however, lighting up a sincere smile on her face.

"Of course," she said pleasantly, reaching over, picking up the yoyo, and wrapping up the string. "Yoyo's are tricky, but lots of fun." She carefully stood up from her crouching position to hand it over to him. "You're, you're, um, Marcus, right? Mister Ceril's son! I remember you were little, and then not little on Gilese."

"Uh huh," a shy smile brightened Marcus' face. He accepted the yoyo and slipped the string's looped tail over his finger. "We left before the last Drone invasion. Went to the future. My dad wouldn't let me stay here alone so I spent a few years there before coming back here."

The yoyo descended and swung lazily near his knee. He chuckled and rewound the string. "You're Giovenith, right? I remember seeing you at the ball."

His hand flicked and the yoyo complied with his request, gracefully rolling outward before returning to his waiting palm. He became absorbed in the effort for a few moments and then tried to 'walk the dog' - very unsuccessfully.

"Ah well. I used to know trick moves but I've forgotten them. Know any?" He handed the toy back to her.

"Hmmm," Giovenith carefully took the yoyo, looped the loop around her finger, and let it run up and down a few times before carefully whizzing it in the air above her, then snapping it back into her palm. "That a few times, but just so, nothing too super fancy."

Giovenith turned her head side to side to exchange bright smiles with Yuna and Myra, making sure they were in on the fun of the yoyo as well, but also to shrug in sheepish apology for her own less-than-fantastic display. There were lots of other things she could do, but this was not one of them.

"I've got tons of yoyos and other toys though, so you can keep this if you'd like," she said mellowly, untying the toy from her hand and offering it again to Marcus. "By the way, these are my friends, Yuna..." She gestured to Yuna. "... and Myra!" Then to Myra. "Torii is here at the bonfire too, but she's busy right now, very important things to do, I imagine. I'm sure you know a lot about that." Giovenith tended to assume that people who weren't around often usually had more productive things to be doing.

[The BranRiech]

"Power?" Blossom asked. "What power?" Lamia's had powers? Like fire and ice and electricity and stuff? Cool! The vampire had no idea. but, because it was naive Blossom, she was almost certainly wtong in her assumptions. As any rate, she was content to let Toscha lead wherever he wished.

"I've power over ice."

Blossom's assumptions were pretty close to the exact truth. Each Lamia had some sort of power or the other. Some excelled in it though, and went on to become masters of sorts. Toscha was born with the shittiest power a being that relied on the warmth could get, freezing things. It was the ultimate insult, something he;d been made fun of for his entire life, except for his close friends and family, but they were exceptions.

--

The heck was a Yoyo?

Ah, that was a question for Will to answer later, right now, Yuna was busy studying their newest Club-Convert, which happened to be Marcus. Sheesh, she didn't know that anyone other than her brother would be representing the Male gender at this club, but at least that meant her brother wasn't going to be alone or something, if they even got along.

"I'm Yuna." She said sheepishly, being quite redundant thatnks to Gio's introduction, and that she was still somewhat uneasy around strangers, and trying to keep the ringing in her ears down by doing her part to be quiet. Gio at least seemed to know him, so that was a plus. The Pyersai relaxed a bit.

"Nice to meet you." She managed at last.

[Swith Witherward]

It took the father a few seconds to realize it was English, and translate it all, before he understood what Minerva had said. "A message?", He asked in a heavy accent. "From who...."

He turned back around and walked to the table by his chair to fetch his reading glasses, and looked over the notes for a minute. The whole time, he had his hack turned, but he eventually turned with a pleasant grin on his face, and nodded to the woman.

"I would love to spend the holidays with my girls, of Tora wants me to. After all, it doesn't happen every day. Just....allow me a minute to pack some belongings."

.....

Torii had never known about the different cultists like that. It never really occurred to her that some of them may have not wished to be like they were. It made her think about how she really didn't want to be a soldier, or a worker. Well, she wasn't any of those things anymore....

Maybe they weren't such bad people. Hell, she knew that they weren't, but still, she was having a moment. She was feeling conflicted. She didn't know about Minerva either. "I guess I never saw them that way...so they're no just having their antics for fun, or asserting heir strength on the city for other reasons?"

She sighed, now probably thinking that she was an ass for being so jumpy. "Damn, I guess I'm sorry, then. I wasn't very wise about that. And Miss Minerva? That sounds really bad."

Minerva was delighted in his decision to come. She stepped out into the yard to give him privacy. She's smoke a cigarette and admire the views while she waited.

---

Swith's laugh was a series of playful snorts. "They really do come across as repugnant at times, don't they? Well, War's do. Minerva's lads mind themselves and stay out of sight."

She understood how things could seem, though. Most people hadn't asked about the cultists and many probably felt they were an intrusion. "There's no need to apologize. Most of the time, their antics are in fun but very misunderstood. Soon they won't need to be in Bielefeld at all. The need is passing, we hope. They did well protecting the citizens from the Drones. They protect them from Atosh now. But if we can oust him, they needn't be here at all. They'll probably whine and fuss and be sick on purpose, but we'll send them off with gift baskets and a wave."

[Swith Witherward]

"Hmmm," Giovenith carefully took the yoyo, looped the loop around her finger, and let it run up and down a few times before carefully whizzing it in the air above her, then snapping it back into her palm. "That a few times, but just so, nothing too super fancy."

Giovenith turned her head side to side to exchange bright smiles with Yuna and Myra, making sure they were in on the fun of the yoyo as well, but also to shrug in sheepish apology for her own less-than-fantastic display. There were lots of other things she could do, but this was not one of them.

"I've got tons of yoyos and other toys though, so you can keep this if you'd like," she said mellowly, untying the toy from her hand and offering it again to Marcus. "By the way, these are my friends, Yuna..." She gestured to Yuna. "... and Myra!" Then to Myra. "Torii is here at the bonfire too, but she's busy right now, very important things to do, I imagine. I'm sure you know a lot about that." Giovenith tended to assume that people who weren't around often usually had more productive things to be doing.

The heck was a Yoyo?

Ah, that was a question for Will to answer later, right now, Yuna was busy studying their newest Club-Convert, which happened to be Marcus. Sheesh, she didn't know that anyone other than her brother would be representing the Male gender at this club, but at least that meant her brother wasn't going to be alone or something, if they even got along.

"I'm Yuna." She said sheepishly, being quite redundant thatnks to Gio's introduction, and that she was still somewhat uneasy around strangers, and trying to keep the ringing in her ears down by doing her part to be quiet. Gio at least seemed to know him, so that was a plus. The Pyersai relaxed a bit.

"Nice to meet you." She managed at last.

Myra had smiled and greeted Yuna when Giovenith first introduced them, and now she smiled and joined Yuna in greeting Marcus. He was a bit creepy, but that was because of all the weird stuff he'd done to himself. She was set at ease by Giovenith's words, though.

Her eyes traveled to Torii. Ah, another teen! Awesome. Their numbers were growing, and that could only lead to a lot of fun. Two minds sometimes had trouble coming up with interesting things to do, but having many people meant that they'd have a long list of adventure topics. She wondered if Yuna and Marcus enjoyed swimming. And if Torii was into scrapbooking.

Myra also noticed that Yuna spoke softly. It wasn't a whisper, but it reminded her of Misaki. Soft-voiced because loud volume was considered rude. Maybe the winged-girl felt that way, too? She'd have to remember that and try to keep herself from being obnoxiously loud.

[Torsiedelle]

It took the father a few seconds to realize it was English, and translate it all, before he understood what Minerva had said. "A message?", He asked in a heavy accent. "From who...."

He turned back around and walked to the table by his chair to fetch his reading glasses, and looked over the notes for a minute. The whole time, he had his hack turned, but he eventually turned with a pleasant grin on his face, and nodded to the woman.

"I would love to spend the holidays with my girls, of Tora wants me to. After all, it doesn't happen every day. Just....allow me a minute to pack some belongings."

.....

Torii had never known about the different cultists like that. It never really occurred to her that some of them may have not wished to be like they were. It made her think about how she really didn't want to be a soldier, or a worker. Well, she wasn't any of those things anymore....

Maybe they weren't such bad people. Hell, she knew that they weren't, but still, she was having a moment. She was feeling conflicted. She didn't know about Minerva either. "I guess I never saw them that way...so they're no just having their antics for fun, or asserting heir strength on the city for other reasons?"

She sighed, now probably thinking that she was an ass for being so jumpy. "Damn, I guess I'm sorry, then. I wasn't very wise about that. And Miss Minerva? That sounds really bad."

Minerva was delighted in his decision to come. She stepped out into the yard to give him privacy. She's smoke a cigarette and admire the views while she waited.

---

Swith's laugh was a series of playful snorts. "They really do come across as repugnant at times, don't they? Well, War's do. Minerva's lads mind themselves and stay out of sight."

She understood how things could seem, though. Most people hadn't asked about the cultists and many probably felt they were an intrusion. "There's no need to apologize. Most of the time, their antics are in fun but very misunderstood. Soon they won't need to be in Bielefeld at all. The need is passing, we hope. They did well protecting the citizens from the Drones. They protect them from Atosh now. But if we can oust him, they needn't be here at all. They'll probably whine and fuss and be sick on purpose, but we'll send them off with gift baskets and a wave."

Torii's father was quick to pack, both from wanting to see his daughter, and his old sense of adventure, and he didn't pack much anyway; two bolt-action rifles slung over his shoulders, a guitar, and a suitcase packed full of everything else he would need....okay, he also decided to throw in two fishing rods, which he tied to the suitcase handle. It wasn't a lot for two people, anyway...

"Alright, then, miss.", He nodded as he exited his house. "Everythin's off, I'm ready to be on my way, now."

.....

"Even Minerva will go?", Torii asked. "I think not everyone would like that around the apartment. I think she's pretty nice, from what I've seen of her."

Bah, Torii's concentration was being diverted by the growing group of peers near her. Were these all new recruits? If so, maybe things would be even more fun on the island, but she didn't know them yet. She was just getting words in here and there as they talked.

[Cerillium]

"Hmmm," Giovenith carefully took the yoyo, looped the loop around her finger, and let it run up and down a few times before carefully whizzing it in the air above her, then snapping it back into her palm. "That a few times, but just so, nothing too super fancy."

Giovenith turned her head side to side to exchange bright smiles with Yuna and Myra, making sure they were in on the fun of the yoyo as well, but also to shrug in sheepish apology for her own less-than-fantastic display. There were lots of other things she could do, but this was not one of them.

"I've got tons of yoyos and other toys though, so you can keep this if you'd like," she said mellowly, untying the toy from her hand and offering it again to Marcus. "By the way, these are my friends, Yuna..." She gestured to Yuna. "... and Myra!" Then to Myra. "Torii is here at the bonfire too, but she's busy right now, very important things to do, I imagine. I'm sure you know a lot about that." Giovenith tended to assume that people who weren't around often usually had more productive things to be doing

.

"Nice," Marcus complimented as the yoyo zipped above Giovenith's head. He was humbled by her gift as well and accepted the toy with a happy Thanks!

They aren't scowling and I'm being introduced. A sense of relief rippled through him. They also didn't seem judgmental. He relaxed.

"Hullo Yuna, Myra. I'm Marcus Cerillium." His gentle response was as redundant as Yuna's but it seemed proper. He took a seat on a log. "Do you all live at the Building?"

[Swith Witherward]

Torii's father was quick to pack, both from wanting to see his daughter, and his old sense of adventure, and he didn't pack much anyway; two bolt-action rifles slung over his shoulders, a guitar, and a suitcase packed full of everything else he would need....okay, he also decided to throw in two fishing rods, which he tied to the suitcase handle. It wasn't a lot for two people, anyway...

"Alright, then, miss.", He nodded as he exited his house. "Everythin's off, I'm ready to be on my way, now."

.....

"Even Minerva will go?", Torii asked. "I think not everyone would like that around the apartment. I think she's pretty nice, from what I've seen of her."

Bah, Torii's concentration was being diverted by the growing group of peers near her. Were these all new recruits? If so, maybe things would be even more fun on the island, but she didn't know them yet. She was just getting words in here and there as they talked.

Minerva squeezed the cherry from the end of her cigarette and stomped it out. She'd finish the rest later.

"Alright, this might be a bit disorienting," she advised Peter. "And don't worry, getting you back home won't be any fuss. Stay with us as long as you'd like."

She placed her hand on his shoulder and waited until she sensed that no eyes were upon them. For a moment it seemed like they were only standing in the front garden, but then the world blurred into a brilliant rainbow of colors and scents, a whirlwind of pleasant feelings and a sense of anticipation. Minerva slipped out of time, her grip on him firm.

--

"Possibly even Minerva," Swith said with a bit of sorrow in her voice. "There's little sense for a cultist leader to stay when there aren't any cultists around."

She hadn't really thought beyond ousting Atosh. Would they really need to do away with the cultists? Could some remain? They were dead useful in other matters, especially when it came to tending small things or helping citizens. It wasn't uncommon for a hand to pop out of a shadow just in time to stop a child from running off the curb and into traffic. Sometimes those heavy shopping bags seemed lighter to little old men as they shuffled down the street. The cultists were supposed to remain absolutely hidden but they had disobeyed in some ways, if only because they wanted to be a part of the community. Random acts of kindness... done by Chaos cultists and their daemons "just because". There were so many things inherently wrong with that. Swith attributed towards her desire to break away from the pantheon norm, and her brothers' willingness to follow her lead. They really were apart from it now. It was an elating feeling.

The sands around them glittered and tumbled as if swept by a soft breeze and then, in a blink of an eye, Minerva and Peter were standing in their midst. Minerva stepped back to allow father and daughter to greet each other. She winked at Swith. No problems. No one saw us leave.

[Torsiedelle]

At first, Peter had no idea what was going on. Was this some sort of magick, or was he crazy, or did she knock him out?

Torii, on the other hand, was quick to see things, and a wide, happy smile crept along her face. She wanted to thank Swith right then, but she had to....

"Papa!", She blurred out, unable to contain her happiness. Her father was still confused, and whipped around to squint at his daughter.

"Tora?"
"Daddy!"

Torii leaped off of the log and through the air, hit the beach floor, and tackle-hugged her father, who spun around before finally coming to his senses (and almost dropping all of his gear). He was really on a beach? On a tropical island? He had never even been outside of Eastern Europe, and here he was in the blink of an eye. This was interesting, to say the least. However, that wasn't what he was here to wonder about. He had his daughter right there, fighting for his attention!

"Tora, how've ya been, girl? It's been a while."

Torii was tearing up already, and jumped for joy whilst talking quickly. "Oh, it's been alright, but it's even better now, because you're here for Christmas! I was just talking about that to Miss Swith over there!"

"Oh, really?"

"Yea", Torii said with enthusiasm. Her and her father spoke like this for a short while, with Torii as excited as she could ever be, and her father keeping calm, but friendly to the girl, and asking her about her life. Things seemed to be going well already.

"And your sister is well?"
"Yea! She's over across the beach right now, though. Wanna go see her?"
"See Katya? Well, why not.", He chuckled. "And after I pop in on her, we can all have a nice dinner and talk?"

Torii nodded in response. "That sounds nice, dad. I can't wait for it, so...I'll see ya in a few? If you don't mind. I have some friends, I kinda wanna plan out some cool stuff, and maybe I can introduce them all later? I think it'll be cool, ya know!"

Her father smiled and nodded, then tussled Torii's hair, which evoked a groan from the girl. "Daaaad, my haaaiiiirrr."

Her dad chuckled and stepped back. "Okay, sweetheart. I'll see you and your friends later?"
"Sure thing, Dad....love you?"

"Sure thing, Tora.", He replied. Before looking for his daughter, The Father turned to Minerva.

"Well, thank you, I suppose, for the ride. It was worth it for my daughter,eh? She's a good child."

Torii giggled and turned to skip away. She had to tell her peers, and Swith.

[Swith Witherward]

At first, Peter had no idea what was going on. Was this some sort of magick, or was he crazy, or did she knock him out?

Torii, on the other hand, was quick to see things, and a wide, happy smile crept along her face. She wanted to thank Swith right then, but she had to....

"Papa!", She blurred out, unable to contain her happiness. Her father was still confused, and whipped around to squint at his daughter.

"Tora?"
"Daddy!"

Torii leaped off of the log and through the air, hit the beach floor, and tackle-hugged her father, who spun around before finally coming to his senses (and almost dropping all of his gear). He was really on a beach? On a tropical island? He had never even been outside of Eastern Europe, and here he was in the blink of an eye. This was interesting, to say the least. However, that wasn't what he was here to wonder about. He had his daughter right there, fighting for his attention!

"Tora, how've ya been, girl? It's been a while."

Torii was tearing up already, and jumped for joy whilst talking quickly. "Oh, it's been alright, but it's even better now, because you're here for Christmas! I was just talking about that to Miss Swith over there!"

"Oh, really?"

"Yea", Torii said with enthusiasm. Her and her father spoke like this for a short while, with Torii as excited as she could ever be, and her father keeping calm, but friendly to the girl, and asking her about her life. Things seemed to be going well already.

"And your sister is well?"
"Yea! She's over across the beach right now, though. Wanna go see her?"
"See Katya? Well, why not.", He chuckled. "And after I pop in on her, we can all have a nice dinner and talk?"

Torii nodded in response. "That sounds nice, dad. I can't wait for it, so...I'll see ya in a few? If you don't mind. I have some friends, I kinda wanna plan out some cool stuff, and maybe I can introduce them all later? I think it'll be cool, ya know!"

Her father smiled and nodded, then tussled Torii's hair, which evoked a groan from the girl. "Daaaad, my haaaiiiirrr."

Her dad chuckled and stepped back. "Okay, sweetheart. I'll see you and your friends later?"
"Sure thing, Dad....love you?"

"Sure thing, Tora.", He replied. Before looking for his daughter, The Father turned to Minerva.

"Well, thank you, I suppose, for the ride. It was worth it for my daughter,eh? She's a good child."

Torii giggled and turned to skip away. She had to tell her peers, and Swith.

"You're welcome," Minerva bowed her head. "Glad to be of service! Anything to repay your daughter for all times she's given me reason to smile."

Minerva welcomed him to the island once again and then politely excused herself. She was still "on the clock", as it were, and had a myriad of tasks to complete before she died. Spirits buoyed by the joy radiating from father and daughter, Minerva strode down the beach and towards the little cottage on the rock beyond the surf.

She reached the water's edge and stared at the warm glow coming from the windows. Klaus hadn't explained how to reach it without going for a swim. It was probably something simple, a mental trick to bend reality to suit his needs. Crazy fucking Nazi. The sea foam lapped over her boot tips as she looked around for a rope or perhaps an invisible bridge. How on earth...?

Fine.

Alright!

It was time to think like Klaus. Embrace the insanity, eh? Minerva stared at the water. Was it any different than the Sea of Galilee? Jesus walked on water. Peter walked on water. They were Jews. Jews could walk on water. Minerva was a Jew. Minerva could walk on water.

She stepped into it and was promptly bowled over by a wave. She swam the rest of the way and pulled herself onto the rock, sputtering and shivering despite the warm air.

"Fuck you, Klaus!" she ranted, "And no, that wasn't an offer!"

She stepped inside the cottage and closed the door.



Swith, meanwhile, had been caught up in the elation between Torii and Peter. She playfully waved Torii away when she saw the girl approaching again. "You're wasting a perfectly good bonfire," she chided her and pointed to the cluster of teenagers who were expecting Torii to join them.

The god made her way towards Bran and Rylli instead. It had been a while since they chatted, and although she wanted to catch up with Klaus before he turned in, she thought she'd drop off a few precious items that she'd been saving for the Nikanors.

"Hello Bran," she said as she eased herself down onto the sand. "How's life?"

[Torsiedelle]

"Oh, okay, Swith!", Torii said in response to her dismissal. She did have a bunch of kids her age to meet, and she sisnt want to waste any time. This was a rare opportunity! She dove back over the log and right beside Marcus, who she glanced at for just a second with curiosity. He looked pretty cool....

"Hello, guys!", She piped in with a wave.

Meanwhile, her father had gone off to quickly find his daughter....he forgot that he was still in his coat and boots, and almost died of heat....he needed to lighten up....

He sat down his gear near a rock, and propped the guns where they wouldn't get dirty, then wrapped his coats over them. He kept his boots, though; he wasn't used to the sand yet, and it was dark. He continued on, and he hoped to god he was going in the right direction! On the upside, it was warm, so he didn't have to freeze the whole way.

[The BranRiech]

Seeing that Swith had just approached him, Bran was pleasantly surprised about the whole thing. He made himself promise not to bring up Thriller though, seeing that Swith seemed to be tired of talking about that and stuff, Sore subjects were never fun to bring up, especially since much nicer topics were possible for them to discuss!

"It's been . . . Good." He said, nodding his head. "Im just glad we can get out of the city for a while, I never felt safe there after learning about Bane, you know?" The conscript said, genuinely worried about that aspect of their vacation.

"And, well, I'd like to get back in the water, you know what I'm saying? But first, how've you been, Swith, I'm so damn sorry for your loss. I mean, Thriller was a good friend." He said.

Dammit! He didn't mean to bring it up!

[Urran]

"I've power over ice."

Blossom's assumptions were pretty close to the exact truth. Each Lamia had some sort of power or the other. Some excelled in it though, and went on to become masters of sorts. Toscha was born with the shittiest power a being that relied on the warmth could get, freezing things. It was the ultimate insult, something he;d been made fun of for his entire life, except for his close friends and family, but they were exceptions.

--

The heck was a Yoyo?

Ah, that was a question for Will to answer later, right now, Yuna was busy studying their newest Club-Convert, which happened to be Marcus. Sheesh, she didn't know that anyone other than her brother would be representing the Male gender at this club, but at least that meant her brother wasn't going to be alone or something, if they even got along.

"I'm Yuna." She said sheepishly, being quite redundant thatnks to Gio's introduction, and that she was still somewhat uneasy around strangers, and trying to keep the ringing in her ears down by doing her part to be quiet. Gio at least seemed to know him, so that was a plus. The Pyersai relaxed a bit.

"Nice to meet you." She managed at last.

"The power over ice? So you can freeze stuff? Showmeshowmeshowmeshowme!" the vampire bounced around happily. The more that she hung out with Toscha, the more she liked him. She hated to admit it, but he was getting closer to her than Jacob was. Partially because Jacob was often doing his own thing and she was often busy cleaning or some such nonsense. And as a bonus, the Lamia was cute.

--

Yoshi had ceased reading his manga and was on his knees praying with a few pages of the Torah spread out in front of him. The poor boy was troubled. He guessed that he was nervous about being a father and wanting to keep Dora at a distance. He did not know why, but she was making him increasingly uneasy. But his prayer soon wandered to Torah and her issues with Tsu, he needed to be there for her, he had to, it was his duty.

[Swith Witherward]

Seeing that Swith had just approached him, Bran was pleasantly surprised about the whole thing. He made himself promise not to bring up Thriller though, seeing that Swith seemed to be tired of talking about that and stuff, Sore subjects were never fun to bring up, especially since much nicer topics were possible for them to discuss!

"It's been . . . Good." He said, nodding his head. "Im just glad we can get out of the city for a while, I never felt safe there after learning about Bane, you know?" The conscript said, genuinely worried about that aspect of their vacation.

"And, well, I'd like to get back in the water, you know what I'm saying? But first, how've you been, Swith, I'm so damn sorry for your loss. I mean, Thriller was a good friend." He said.

Dammit! He didn't mean to bring it up!

Swith scooted over in the sand and wrapped her arms around Bran, shutting out the ocean and conversation noises, and momentarily erasing all the events of the past year. For a moment, it felt to her as if they were back in the old days, and those warm feelings brought on by Nyan poptarts and hours of video games and odd adventures filled her heart. Of course, they were both a bit different back then. He tended to dress oddly and she had a bad habit of helping herself to quick meals. Yet they were the same people, matured over time and seasoned by insanity. She was fairly certain he still hadn't dissected anyone in years.

His heartbeat was clear and strong and she relished the sound as she pressed her head against his chest. It was a primal thing for her, giving her a sense of security. He was alive and warm. He was someone she trusted explicitly. How often had she held her ear to Thriller's chest without ever telling him why? She longed for Thriller's heartbeat, missing it and feeling disharmony without it. For that moment, Bran grounded her in reality and she breathed out a relieved sigh.

"S'okay, Bran. I'm dealing with it," she muttered into his neck. Was she dealing with it? Yes, but not well. Things were coming to a head and very soon it would be a contest between brothers. Soon. She had no idea what the outcome would be. Perhaps that's why this moment was so important to her. Perhaps that's why she craved the sound of his heartbeat. Perhaps. Maybe it was goodbye.

She let Bran go and drew out her coin purse. "Alright, Minerva restored you, but what fun is that if you're on an island and can't swim?" she fished around the bag's insides. There was a lot of useless, old crap in there: the final remains of the Nyan pop tart, three dead white mice that she'd forgotten to feed (she revived them and dropped the frightened creatures into the sand with a kindly "be free!"), some crap that had belonged to Tsu and Mon, a roll of pink pre-chloroformed duct tape left over from her days with Bones, and a bottle that contained a magic brew that would have allowed Thriller to experience the "taste" of coffee while in his mech suit.

"Marcus, heads up," the bottle flew in his direction, "Give it to Dr. Smith."

The next things out of the bag were two pendants suspended by silvery chains. She handed them to Bran.

"One for you, one for Rylli. The chains are unbreakable and won't come off unless you will them to come off. These allow you to become mer. Again, you have to will it. It won't happen if you just tumble into a lake on accident. And they come with a dire warning."

She snapped her hand out faster than Bran could blink. Her fingers clasped his chin and jaw and she drew his face within inches of her own, causing his lips to inadvertently pucker. "Splishing and splashing out in the water is fine, but last year, you spent so much damn time out there and then became sullen when people ignored you. People ignored you because they couldn't swim in the strong surf. You isolated yourself and then allowed yourself to feel ignored. Bullshit, Branson Nikanor. If you use these pendants, bear that in mind. They cut you off from humanity simply because humanity isn't meant to swim like fishes."

She planted a kiss on his nose and let him go. "There isn't one for Rachelle. You and Rylli are adults. There are many, many deadly things out in this ocean that you have yet to discover. Pookie knows them but Rachelle is too young to out-swim them. Trust in Pookie, Bran. Listen to his song. Being mer, you'll understand his language."

[Swith Witherward]

"Oh, okay, Swith!", Torii said in response to her dismissal. She did have a bunch of kids her age to meet, and she sisnt want to waste any time. This was a rare opportunity! She dove back over the log and right beside Marcus, who she glanced at for just a second with curiosity. He looked pretty cool....

"Hello, guys!", She piped in with a wave.

Meanwhile, her father had gone off to quickly find his daughter....he forgot that he was still in his coat and boots, and almost died of heat....he needed to lighten up....

He sat down his gear near a rock, and propped the guns where they wouldn't get dirty, then wrapped his coats over them. He kept his boots, though; he wasn't used to the sand yet, and it was dark. He continued on, and he hoped to god he was going in the right direction! On the upside, it was warm, so he didn't have to freeze the whole way.

Myra smiled at Torii. "Hello!"

Now the teen club felt complete. She looked at her new friends and felt all the possibilities the world had to offer. There was so much stuff to do on the island. She felt invincible, and the bonus of no adult members meant they could get away with murder.

Well, not literal murder. That would be very bad.

"I'm Myra," she said to Torii.


Meanwhile, funny natives in funny masks with pasty white bodies and wilty grass skirts watched Peter trudge across the sand. They'd offer him directions to Katya, if he asked, or at the very least they'd direct him to an empty hut where he could stow his gear.

AND...

Bones' vessel was being put to good use. Well, other than one of the bedroom suites where Blythe and Superbia were staying.

A small portal had opened in the galley and cultists were heaving boxes of food into the room. It was for Christmas dinner, which Swith and Naomi intended to make. They'd recruit the older girls, too. Rylli and Wren, and perhaps a few of the guys who enjoyed cooking. Swith's menu and recipes were tacked to the refrigerator with a magnet. On another part of the boat, more boxes were emerging... Christmas decorations for the pavilion.

[Cerillium]

"Oh, okay, Swith!", Torii said in response to her dismissal. She did have a bunch of kids her age to meet, and she sisnt want to waste any time. This was a rare opportunity! She dove back over the log and right beside Marcus, who she glanced at for just a second with curiosity. He looked pretty cool....

"Hello, guys!", She piped in with a wave.

Meanwhile, her father had gone off to quickly find his daughter....he forgot that he was still in his coat and boots, and almost died of heat....he needed to lighten up....

He sat down his gear near a rock, and propped the guns where they wouldn't get dirty, then wrapped his coats over them. He kept his boots, though; he wasn't used to the sand yet, and it was dark. He continued on, and he hoped to god he was going in the right direction! On the upside, it was warm, so he didn't have to freeze the whole way.

"Hey," came the boy's sheepish reply. He smiled at Torii and tucked the yoyo into his pocket. "Marcus Cerillium. Nice to meet you."

He didn't have the confidence yet to remove his hooded cloak but he was beginning to swelter under the material.

---

Bielefeld had shuttered its collective doors and windows to block out the cold; even the children had given up trying to play in the snow. The piles now measured at five feet and still the snow came down. Residents settled next to their radios or eagerly watched their televisions in anticipation of the blizzard's end but there didn't seem to be a reprieve in sight. The weathermen joked about buried tanks on a base in Germany, and a news anchor quipped that the only people prepared to deal with the mess were all in Siberia. Unexpectedly, BranRiech ushanka manufacturers found themselves buried under thousands of orders rocketing in from their internet sales sites. The problem was that no one could deliver anything until the weather passed; even those hardy folk were at the mercy of storm.

The sun had begun to set in Bielefeld. Small dots moved along rooftops, first with hesitation and then with swift purpose. They scurried like black rats, their jagged, sharp teeth shining through parted mouths as they streamed along. Some dropped to the ground and openly exposed themselves to curious eyes; they ran on top of the snow without sinking. It was a display of magical abilities that should have drawn Bane from whatever shithole he'd claimed for his lair.

Yet he seemed unwilling to play the game.

Reports trickled in. Klaus frowned. Frustration ran high. A summons went out to Hans to return immediately.

"It doesn't make any sense," Rudolf growled in German. "Surely he's starving. He'd pounce. We count the men's numbers every ten minutes. Solid roll call each time."

Klaus grunted. "What of the Ruins? They still dug in?"

"Yes, completely cut off. We've made no attempt to contact them. They still think Bane's lurking. Or maybe he ate them? We could hope."

"Life isn't that easy," Klaus remarked in English. "Continue to sweep the city. I have a stop to make, and then I'll return and we'll work on a strategy. I'd like us to be home for Christmas. Lurking on islands and crammed into pubs is bad for morale."

War's avatar rose and slipped on a heavy wool trench coat. He carefully removed the insignia before buttoning himself up. "Also, Dolf, make sure to send a crew out to complete the bridge to the cottage. We wouldn't want Minerva drowning."

[Torsiedelle]

"Ooooooh, this is the new girl that Gio was talking to earlier."

"Hello, Myra.", Torii said with a little half-salute. "I'm Torii. Well, it ain't really my name, it's Tora, but I like Torii better."

Well, she at least greeted the other girl. Then there was Marcus....she'd get to him soon. You a was here as well, so things were going good tonight! Torii thought about Blossom, too, since she was pretty much sixteen; she was a little sad that Tsu wasn't around to join in....

No use thinking about it, though. Torii looked at Myra with a smile, hoping to seem friendly.

Oh, the boy spoke to her! She looked back up at him and extended a hand. "Hello to you, too, Marcus. You look pretty cool with that Augmented stuff, by the way. I'm Torii."
....

Peter walked casually down the beach, taking in the atmosphere. He half-expected some Caribbean music to start playing, or some half-naked women to crowd around and hand him a drink; he'd die for that, being the old guy he was.

He played no mind to the pasty "natives", thinking they were just other guys, playing along on the island. It looked like one of those fancy tropical vacation spots on the TV to him. It was certainly warm like one, unlike his home in the Confederacy; he was thankful that the country was below the 50° parallel, anyway.

So he hummed to the tune of an old country song and kept strolling down to meet his older daughter.

[Giovenith]

Giovenith waved to Torii cheerfully in greeting, then kept silent as the others exchanged their greetings. While sweeping her gaze around the gathering, it felt odd not having to remind herself to be on her best behavior--not that she was the type to act out anyway, respect and love were still in order--because these were people like her, not grown ups who were watching with subtle critique. It felt, relaxing, inclusive. It wasn't being one of the adults, but she was now more on equal footing in her standing with the others around her. Hm, is this why Antonai had chose to attend school? Aside from being a natural smarty-patarty-pants, anyway (or as Jen put it, "a ginormous nerd").

It was pretty hot outside, she was beginning to realize... and her sole main outfit was long-sleeved, high-necked, and made of rather cushy fabric. She would have to remember to sew together something more appropriate for the weather when she got home, but for now decided to take the most logical step: Ripping off her sleeves. The outfit was constantly being redone and cleaned for everyday use anyway, so it wouldn't be too much hassle on her. Riiiiiiiiiiiip, went the sleeves, before being promptly stuffed into Giovenith's pockets for later repair. Much better!

[Torsiedelle]

Torii couldn't help but stare and giggle as Giovenith simply ripped her coat sleeves off. The godling was prettu weird, sometimes.

"And I trust that you two have already figured out Gio?", Torii asked Myra and Marcus, and meaning towards Gio. "She can be interesting."

Now, a little more curious, Torii glanced over to Gio and added on: "Why not just gran a swimsuit? Mine is comfy and cool.", while still keeling her attention focused on the two other teenagers.

[Giovenith]

Torii couldn't help but stare and giggle as Giovenith simply ripped her coat sleeves off. The godling was prettu weird, sometimes.

"And I trust that you two have already figured out Gio?", Torii asked Myra and Marcus, and meaning towards Gio. "She can be interesting."

Now, a little more curious, Torii glanced over to Gio and added on: "Why not just gran a swimsuit? Mine is comfy and cool.", while still keeling her attention focused on the two other teenagers.

"I have to make one special, later. Normal swimsuits show off more than I'm comfortable with." Giovenith explained simply, picking at the loose threads on her shoulders.

Unlike many things Giovenith adhered to, this had not been taught to her by family or culture, but was rather a personal anxiety that had been around for as long as she could remember. There were little rules here and there about what she did and didn't feel comfortable with for regular everyday outfits (no bare legs, no shoes that didn't cover all her feet, no necklines that were lower than four fingers, nothing showing stomach or back, no skirts or dresses without some kind of trouser (like shorts or leggings) underneath). She could make exceptions to those rules for things like swimsuits, obviously, but even that was tricky: One-pieces hugged forms in a way she didn't like, and bikinis were unthinkable. No, no, if Giovenith was go swimming, the suit would have to be made by her, for her.

Summarized, it was just one of the many, many things that made Giovenith weird.

[Cerillium]

"Ooooooh, this is the new girl that Gio was talking to earlier."

"Hello, Myra.", Torii said with a little half-salute. "I'm Torii. Well, it ain't really my name, it's Tora, but I like Torii better."

Well, she at least greeted the other girl. Then there was Marcus....she'd get to him soon. You a was here as well, so things were going good tonight! Torii thought about Blossom, too, since she was pretty much sixteen; she was a little sad that Tsu wasn't around to join in....

No use thinking about it, though. Torii looked at Myra with a smile, hoping to seem friendly.

Oh, the boy spoke to her! She looked back up at him and extended a hand. "Hello to you, too, Marcus. You look pretty cool with that Augmented stuff, by the way. I'm Torii."

"Nice to meet you, Torii," Marcus felt less self-conscious about his augmentations. His smile widened. He could have sworn he remembered her from the ball but he also recalled seeing her when he was younger, before the Drone invasion.

Giovenith's unpredictable gesture caused him to laugh. He waited a few beats to see if her parent would bolt into the group and reprimand her. A prowling parent meant harsh admonishments regarding the avoidance of "robot boy". Yet no parent came.

Well, all right, if that's okay then I might as well stop suffering.

Marcus unfastened his cloak and folded it over his metallic arm. He really didn't look much different than the rest. Eye and arm, as was part of the right of passage. There were a few odd, black tubes snaking through his hair. He didn't look as grotesque as his father.

He scanned the area for Mamma Naomi in the hope of leaving his cloak with her, but she seemed to have left. Really, she should be part of the group although she wasn't even a teenager yet. Marcus thought about it and internally shook his head. No, he liked her in the mother role. She backed really shitty cookies but she never failed to encourage and love him.

"I've never been able to figure Giovenith out," he replied to Torii. "I probably never will. That's what makes her awesome. So - what you guys wanna do?"

[Cerillium]

Klaus neatened his lapels and knocked on Mrs. Dimitrova's door. The snow was beginning to fall heavily here as well, although it hadn't nearly reached the levels found in Bielefeld. He rubbed his gloved hands together and did his best to not appear to be some sort of Nazi. He just looked the role so perfectly that there was seldom a chance of escaping it.

Note to self: get modern clothing, he sniffed.

He'd heard that Dimitrova didn't have a sense of humor. Things might get interesting indeed.

[The BranRiech]

Bran nearly burst out into tears of joy at the hug, in all seriousness. He hadn't been this buddy-buddy with Swith in a while, back when she'd need to tuck him in at nights to prevent his debilitating nightmares, or when they'd be going on some crazy adventure to save the universe from some crazy threat. It was all so much fun, and enough experiences to fill entire books, and then some. Bran at least planned on writing something some day, but for now? His life was still going strong, living in what had to have been the most war-torn (And the most rebuilt), the craziest, and the nicest town in the world. "Thanks . . . Swith." He smiled, taking both of the pendants after she almost drew him into a forced kiss, causing him to blush.

"We've got more a reason to stay out of the water, we've got our children to keep us grounded in reality. Although I suspect Natiya will be babysitting a few times when we're our for a swim." He smiled.

"Plans for the holidays?" He switched the subject, handing one of the pendants over to Rylli before pocketing his own, grateful for his friend's gifts. "We've got presents picked out for everyone already."

--

"I'll do whatever. We could go for a swim, but I don't think you'd be suited for it, and like Giovenith just said, she doesn't have a swimsuit yet." Yuna added, entering the conversation. Being the newest-young person at the apartment, she didn't know any of these people from anywhere before arriving here. Hell, she'd never even heard of Gliese.

"But I think we should get the clubhouse ready, and maybe find my brother? He'd want to know there's another guy to hang out with." The Pyersai's soft words rang out, echoing in her own ears, white hair flowing gracefully down the back of her Cultist's uniform, wings sitting idly on her back, waiting to be used.

[Giovenith]

"Well, Torii is the one who said she knew the place where we could make the club," said Giovenith, turning to smile at said friend. "You said it was pretty large, yes? How large, are we using all of it? We may have to clean a bit before we can set things up."

Additionally, Giovenith hoped that Torii hadn't picked some place dangerous to wander in, either. Nobody needed splinters in their skin, and boards and bricks falling on their heads.

[Swith Witherward]

Bran nearly burst out into tears of joy at the hug, in all seriousness. He hadn't been this buddy-buddy with Swith in a while, back when she'd need to tuck him in at nights to prevent his debilitating nightmares, or when they'd be going on some crazy adventure to save the universe from some crazy threat. It was all so much fun, and enough experiences to fill entire books, and then some. Bran at least planned on writing something some day, but for now? His life was still going strong, living in what had to have been the most war-torn (And the most rebuilt), the craziest, and the nicest town in the world. "Thanks . . . Swith." He smiled, taking both of the pendants after she almost drew him into a forced kiss, causing him to blush.

"We've got more a reason to stay out of the water, we've got our children to keep us grounded in reality. Although I suspect Natiya will be babysitting a few times when we're our for a swim." He smiled.

"Plans for the holidays?" He switched the subject, handing one of the pendants over to Rylli before pocketing his own, grateful for his friend's gifts. "We've got presents picked out for everyone already."

Swith grinned. Nothing said "grounded for eighteen years" like having a baby.

"I'm going home for the holidays, but not like you think," she replied. "I have some unfinished things to take care of, and I'm still going to work towards restoring Thriller. I've got to. It's the only thing I want for Christmas. But don't worry. To all of you, it'll just seem like I was gone a few hours."

Unless I die, she reminded herself.

"But if I'm delayed, everyone's gifts are at the compound," she added for good measure. She'd already wrapped them up, and had found a few trinkets for the newest residents.

[The BranRiech]

"Well, it's going to be a lonely few hours then." Bran grinned. He knew Swith would always work to restore Thriller, and figured it better be pretty difficult if Swith hadn't done it already, but he didn't even know anything about restoring people so no judgement could be passed. "You'll do it, Swith. I know you can, even if I know nothing about restoring people. Thriller's probably waitin' around for you, waiting to give you a great big hug." He smiled warmly.

"Good luck, Swith."