Snowdrop's World. Various places. Epic Dream Adventure 6

[random_xtras]

continued from here


Auspex: Ah... *she suppresses a twinge of nervousness at yet another unknown. It's gradually been getting darker as they've settled and conversed; so much so that she almost doesn't see the newcomer until he's in the brightening circle of firelight. He seems friendly enough, if rough around the edges. She watches with amiable, but guarded curiosity as he approaches, remaining silent as she defers the others to greet him properly*

Blackout: *walks right up and gets into the newcomer's face*

orc chief: *surprised glance for Greatshot. Really? The woman?*

Greatshot: *nod nod*

orc chief: *grins. Okay! Turns back to Blackout and socks her right from the shoulder*

Blackout: *grunts, and follows up instantly with a headbutt to the orc chief's face*

orc chief: *steps back, sparking with surprise and approval. Hand goes to his bleeding nose, and then he starts laughing* Well met!

Kup: *what. The. H[ocky sticks]????*

Boulder: O_O

Auspex: *She watches this exchange of "pleasantries" with a deadpan expression, valiantly resisting the urge to facepalm. So they are Destrons or Decepticons, essentially? Wow...*

Foresight: *as she comes to crouch on one knee by Auspex* They're both still standing.

Auspex: *she tilts her head to meet the other servant's gaze, nodding without surprise* Grievous bodily harm would be counterproductive to the introduction, I believe...

Blackout: *bangs forearms with the orc chief, and then points out each person at the campsite and says their names*

orc chief: *also names all his people, but then walks over to Covil* You have no woman?

Covil: *blink* No, sir, not yet. Most women aren't interested in living on the road.

orc chief: So you want one.

Covil: *shy shrug as the baby mushroom sprite squeaks. Is blushing softly and can't find his words*

Atara: *sharp mother protectiveness as she watches. Is ready to defend her son if needed*

Auspex: *She nods to the orcs as Blackout introduces her, before blinking at the leader's very direct question to the young man, eyes widening. Apparently that's appropriate to his own culture, but she doubts it is for the family's. She shifts uncomfortably*

orc chief: *turns and says something to one of the other men, who steps forward and then turns away from his leader to expose a smaller figure on his back. The chief unties a sash that is holding this smaller figure under the bum, then helps her down with awkward tenderness before helping her hop forward on her single leg and turning to look at Covil again*

Covil: *thrill goes down his back as he sees the girl's face, which is stunningly beautiful despite the massive scar that has taken one of her snapping dark eyes. Softly* Oh. Hello.

girl: *bright lopsided grin as she lifts her chin with playful and undaunted pride, despite the rising pain* Uzshak vas me.

Atara: *settles back again, her emotions sparking with nostalgia and affection as she looks at the expression on her son's face*

Auspex: *She watches with growing bewilderment as they reveal the female orc, and she winces internally at the obviously painful state of the young woman's body - but she catches the affection from the leader, and infers this must be a family member, possibly a daughter. If she understood her correctly, despite the heavy accent, her name is Uzshak. But she's rather uneasy at the implications... he's trying to marry her off?*

orc chief: *gravely, trying to hide his sadness* She won't be able to keep up with us anymore. Will you take care of her for me?

Covil: *looks up as the man speaks, then looks to Uzshak* We travel too.

Uzshak: *quick glance at her dad as he mutters a translation, then turns her attention back to Covil* Is softer travels. I can do.

Covil: *to her and her dad* My people... *shy loss of courage and words, but then rallies as the mushroom sprite squeaks softly* My people believe in a man and woman getting to know one another before they choose to get married.

Uzshak: *listens to the translation* Fine. I sleep vith baba.

orc chief: Mama.

Uzshak: ...Vith mama. *dares Covil to laugh at her*

Atara: *soft little sound, then gets up and goes to take the girl's hand and pull her arm over her shoulders* Come sit down on the bed.

Uzshak: *startled, but then happy* Yes, Baba... Mama.

orc chief: *watches her go with sadness in his eyes that's mirrored in the eyes of the younger man who'd been carrying the girl*

Auspex: *She's watching all of this with growing distress. He must be her father... the younger male might also be family. They don't want to let her go; why can they not take care of her? It's obvious they live a rough lifestyle, but the girl seems tough, herself, even with the painful injuries. Uzshak can hardly speak the common language; how will she fare without a translator? Just... foisting her off on the closest travellers offends Auspex's sensibilities - her sense of justice, her desire for others' emotional stability... she just doesn't know enough about the culture to understand why it's not acceptable to make allowances for the girl, and why it is acceptable to hand her off - even if the family is kind and willing to take her in. It's not fair to anyone. She's not sure if she's disappointed, or angry, or sorrowful... or maybe a little bit of everything*

orc chief: *but then he slaps that younger man and speaks to him, and in a body the whole group turns and jogs back into the night*

Blackout: *watches them go, and then goes and pulls something out of the luggage before coming back to sit by Auspex again*

Auspex: *And then they're gone, before she can even organize her thoughts, or even open her mouth. What did she just see?? She blinks for a moment, stunned, before she curls in on herself, there on the stump, and hides her face, and the deep frown on it. She grasps at Primus's presence, just to feel him there, unwavering and secure*

Primus: *comfort and love, and the feeling of a warm heavy blanket on her shoulders*

Blackout: *is a warm heavy arm around her shoulders*

Kup: *foot scuff, and then the soft whisper of sitting down where Atara had been seated. Auspex is now surrounded on either side by the people here who love her most*

Tessera: *okay, not quite, but here she comes* Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. *because apparently tiny tiktok running needs sound effects*

Auspex: *She trembles as they come to comfort her, but doesn't otherwise move for several long moments as she simply absorbs the affection, deep gratitude mingling with the heavy emotions she's already feeling. Finally, she uncovers her face enough to speak without being muffled, though her eyes are filled with tears, she looks thoroughly wretched, and she's not making eye contact* I'm sorry. I just... can't fathom that, what they just did. It feels deeply wrong, and unfair on so many levels. I realize they consider it a kindness, but... I do not approve. Why did they not at least stay for awhile?
*She blinks at the faint approaching sound, and there is her little tiktok companion, racing toward her on her tiny legs. She's too distraught to chuckle, but her face softens for a moment with fondness*

Blackout: *simply and gently* Because they'd already waited nearly too long to get to the summer grounds.

Auspex: *She sits in thoughtful silence for a moment, even as she reaches a hand out to the approaching Tessera* And what, exactly, does that entail, then?

Blackout: *without looking away from the mirror* There's a waterway between them and their summer grounds, and they've waited this long with the girl, but the ice bridge is nearly unsafe to use, and the griffins in the winter grounds are nesting and will be going crazy soon. The summer grounds are a harsh place, nowhere fit to heal from stuff like that.

Auspex: *She sighs dejectedly, nodding as she listens* So they have little choice, without endangering themselves also. And there was no village they might have brought her to before now? Or afterward? They brought her this far, which was likely no easy task...

Tessera: *almost there! Trips and rolls the rest of the way*

Kup: *up and catching the little thing, then checking her over for injury, a surge of concern masking his sympathy and sadness for Auspex and Uzshak*

Auspex: *She winces as Tessera trips, though Kup is there to help the little one... Auspex's outstretched hand reaches for both of them now*

Blackout: *as Kup turns and comes to kneel and put an arm around Auspex's waist while offering the excited tinybot* No villages up there. Just wandering tribes. And none in this part of the kingdom either, besides Gavin's lot. There are a few loners and sheriffs up here, but a lot of people are afraid of orcs.

Auspex: *She takes Tessera gratefully, cradling her close with one hand, while she carefully drapes the other arm across Kup's shoulders. She leans on Blackout a little, having run out of hands. She's understanding the circumstances a bit better, but it's no less painful to contemplate* I suppose this was a last resort for them, then. Still, I... regret the whole situation, for everyone involved. We haven't even heard her story yet, and what put her in this state... *She suppresses a shudder, squeezing her eyes shut for a moment*

Blackout: I know what happened. I saw the griffin claw she's wearing.

Kup: *looks up quickly, jagging with surprise and dismay*

Auspex: *she does shudder now, with a tiny, pained sound. After the fight with the griffins earlier, the thought of one of her companions in such condition... she tightens her hold on the two, leans more on the other, and draws Primus's presence in closer, praying for the other four not currently within reach. She tries to speak, but can only shake her head for a moment. Finally, she manages something, wresting her mind back to the orc girl instead, and what she has already endured* She is very strong...

Blackout: They have to be. *rubs Auspex's back gently, feeling sympathy for her gentle friend's distress* Do you want to come over with me and help her a little?

Auspex: *She heaves another sigh, nodding slowly* I suppose so... I would like to see how she's faring. *Before standing, though, she contemplates a moment, then turns and carefully maneuvers the arm with the hand holding Tessera (so as not to dislodge her), wraps it around Kup's other side, to give him a grateful hug - because he's safe, because it matters that he is, because she can and knows she can, and because he acted so quickly, earlier, to make sure Scorponok was safe from creatures that could do that to a warrior*

Kup: *snuggle, pat pat. He's alright, Lady. It's alright.*

Auspex: *She withdraws, gives him something of a watery smile, brings Tessera close again, and nods at Blackout*

Blackout: *arm around Auspex's shoulders again as she brings her over to that pile of ferns, which seems to be a bed. Quietly, as she goes* Atara's looking at her. This probably isn't going to be pretty. Are you sure you'll be okay?

Kup: *had wandered after Auspex in absent response to the hug, but now he looks ahead at the bed, sees how Avril is holding up a cloak to shield it, and goes to see if Boulder needs scritches*

Auspex: *she looks up at the larger woman gravely, and hesitates, before taking a deep breath and nodding* I'll manage. *she in turn glances down at Tessera in her hand* What about you, little one?

Tessera: *looks up with happy gravity* I'm praying.

Blackout: *soft snerk*

Auspex: *She blinks once, before directing her eyes back to where they're going. She'll be fine, then...* Ah. Good idea...

Blackout: *guides her over the rest of the way, then helps her sit next to Uzshak. Gives her a pat on the shoulder and then moves over to the young woman's more injured side to hunker next to Atara*

Uzshak: *looks at the snowy lady, then offers the lady her hand*

Auspex: *She gives Blackout a nod before steeling herself to look down at the girl. Seeing Uzshak offer her the only remaining hand causes a prickling of tears in her eyes, but she reaches to take it, looking the girl in the eye and offering a faint smile*

Uzshak: *grins and gives the lady's hand a reassuring squeeze, but then turns and looks at Blackout as the woman speaks a guttural language similar to her own. Takes a moment to work through the accent and slightly different wording, but then brightens and replies*

Atara: *kneeling and watching with quiet interest, hoping that perhaps these people will know something to do for the new member of her family other than wash her wounds and pray for her*

Blackout: *takes out a little point of light and speaks to it, then watches the cobalt blue twinkles swirl around Uzshak's head* There, can you understand this now?

Uzshak: I understand now. *and is grinning with wonder*

Auspex: *Her smile wavers, barely able to comprehend the bravery it takes to grin like that when she can sense the sort of underlying anguish that comes with great pain*
*She blinks slightly as the language issues are sorted out, whether partly through some extra language protocols Blackout picked up somewhere (and the "why" would likely be an interesting story), or entirely through Fae energy is unclear - but the latter is most likely what it is that now lends Uzshak a better understanding of the common language. That is a handy thing!*

Blackout: *gestures to Uzshak's hip, which is just an empty socket* There's bone showing here and on your side. The animal didn't realize you weren't dead, I guess.

Uzshak: *sobers* That one didn't care. It vas broken, and I think it liked to hear things scream.

Blackout: *scowls*

Auspex: *Just from her own woefully ignorant observation, the young woman is missing an entire leg, part of an arm, and one eye, along with whatever scars were left behind in the loss of those things... and it boggles her completely. She didn't even know organics (without some kind of regeneration abilities, which she understands some creatures have, but not your average Earth-similar humanoid) could survive missing any parts, let alone that many... and Blackout's additional assessment implies that any sort of self-repair they may have, if at all, is very slow to make any meaningful improvement. Auspex hisses softly*
*Her brow furrows at the news that the creature seemed to want to cause suffering... what was wrong with it?*

Uzshak: *turns back as she hears the hiss, her brows drawing together with concern as she squeezes Auspex's hand again*

Auspex: *She frowns at the orc girl's concern for her, but grips her hand in return. She's seen horrible injuries before, on mechs... but keep the spark and the core and the head intact, and a skilled medic can practically start over with an entirely new body if the rest is too badly mangled (or... even non-existent)... but that's not an option with organics of this sort. How will she be fixed?? She'll never gain her limbs back through natural means, but at least closing off those wounds would be something... She offers a weak smile, though it's a struggle; but anything that might reassure Uzshak that she'll be fine...*

Blackout: *deep scowl of disgust* Liked to cause pain?

Uzshak: *still focused on Auspex* Yes. It'd swoop after the children, but the wargs would drive it off. So it started taking wargs, and then we'd hear them screaming up on the heights.

Auspex: *She looks from the girl to Blackout, trying to grasp the meaning of this* I don't know what would compel a non-sentient to that sort of behavior...

Blackout: *feels urpy, but hides it* How'd it get you? *to Auspex* A lot of things that you probably don't want to know about.

Uzshak: We were stalking it, and it swooped in so quickly that no one had time to do anything. *quiet triumph* After it went to sleep, I did something.

Auspex: *She nods slowly at Blackout* I can imagine more than I'd like to, already. *She tries to suppress her reaction to the thought that someone who was probably barely alive at that point might have the strength and presence of mind through the pain, to kill something as large and fierce as a griffin by herself, asleep or not... a tiny squeak escapes, regardless*

Uzshak: *brow furrows and she turns to Blackout* I won't tell more. The lady is delicate.

Blackout: *snorts* She's probably going to protest that assessment.

Auspex: *Her smile becomes a bit less tentative, but more melancholy* I am not, perhaps, affected for the reasons you think I am. I regret the circumstances you've struggled through, and the pain your wounds cause you, more than I am unwilling to contemplate violence. I am not a warrior, but I have lived in a place of war for a very, very long time.

Blackout: *pat pat Auspex. To Uzshak* The question now is, do you want this repaired as much as the Starsinger will let us fix it?

Uzshak: ...Vhat is "repair"?

Auspex: *She tilts her head, sad smile remaining. Blackout is using the term for putting a mech's body back to rights. The spark and the mind, however, take a much longer time to put back in working order... if ever at all. Healing is what Auspex does, and part of what she is made for*
*As alien as she feels right now, faced with how easily humans (and human-like races) are broken, how quickly their lives can end, compared to the millions of years a Cybertronian might live... their minds can be startlingly similar, at times. She thinks she understands this. She answers the girl quietly* Repair is healing the physical - only more quickly, more completely; with fewer complications.

Uzshak: *listens carefully to the lady's words, then gives her another hand squeeze* Ah. Yes. I vant that.

Blackout: *reaches into her pouch and fishes out another wish* ...Something's watching me. *glances to Boulder*

Boulder: *laying quietly with his chin on his paws, just gazing into the forest with sleepy eyes*

Blackout: *snorts and looks at the wish*

Auspex: *She blinks up at Blackout quizzically, eyes flicking over to Boulder as her friend looks at him, but sees nothing informative there* ...Is it... alright?

Blackout: Guess it's not a threat. *holds up the wish* I wish that Uzshak will be in the condition that the Starsinger wishes her to be in.

Auspex: *she eyes Blackout, the not-entirely-confident wording giving her pause - but she trusts her friend's instincts, and doesn't spare much anxiety for it. She observes with cautious anticipation, as Blackout makes the wish...*

Uzshak: *weeeee! Excited shiver as she closes her eye and then lifted brow as she feels things MOVING*

Atara: *watches twinkles swirl and flesh begin to cover Uzshak's bones* O_O *wobble, carefully lay down on her side. That just looks too strange for her*

Avril: *squeaks and hides her face with the blanket she's holding up*

Auspex: *She holds fast to the girl's hand, watching with ever-widening eyes. She can't see everything from this angle, and doesn't know enough about organic bodies to know what's truly out of the ordinary, here, other than the swiftness of it... any sort of healing is not normally a quick process, but she can see something changing...*

Uzshak: *soft gasp as skin covers her rib, the tip of her arm, and her hip, which is now considerably more padded with flesh, and then her eye flies open as Blackout grunts*

Blackout: *holding onto a small grey creature with stubby legs* The [nope] is this?

creature: *struggling to get away, crying loudly and snarling. Also wagging her tail*

Auspex: *she observes as the knitting of flesh finally seems to slow and stop, and the scattered sparkles begin to fade. While this could be woefully disappointing if compared to the full repair of a mech... considering the dubious likelihood of the girl's continued quality (or even existence) of life before, this is an incredible improvement, and Auspex exhales slowly in relief as she feels Uzshak's underlying anguish ease as the majority of her pain must have. She looks healthier, skin covering the places that were raw flesh, even if scars remain*
*Her musings are interrupted with the noise, and she turns her head to stare at Blackout with the canine - it looks a bit different than the dogs already here, being stockier and shorter, but the subtleties are beyond her. She frowns in confusion* ...Another one?

shepherd dog: *had run to intercept the intruder, is now standing and holding his sore leg up as he stares uncertainly*

Blackout: *another grunt as the animal whines and nips at her chin* This is a pocket warg. A miniature goblin wolf.

Uzshak: *speaks sharply in her own language*

warg: *stops struggling and crying and looks at her with intent golden eyes*

Uzshak: *disapproving words and scowl as she pushes herself up on elbow of the damaged arm*

Avril: *peeking again with wonder*

warg: *ears flat appeasingly as Blackout sets her on the ground, and then she crawls forward on her belly before rolling over and showing that belly and her throat in abject apologetic submission*

Auspex: Ah... *Well. The creature still only vaguely looks like the wolf altmodes that she's seen, so she can only shrug... and blink, when Uzshak addresses it and it listens, calms, and makes some sort of... gesture of goodwill, she guesses*

Uzshak: *looks up, starting to speak, only to startle when she realizes how quietly Atara is still laying* Baba?

Blackout: *pulls Uzshak's loincloth into place, then takes the blanket from Avril and moves over to cover Atara with it and cradle the Chagin woman* Fainted, and then fell asleep.

Uzshak: *RELIEF*

Auspex: *She notices the girl's jolt of dismay and follows her gaze to see Atara, where she'd laid herself a few moments ago... ah, but she's fine, if probably tired. She offers Uzshak another squeeze of the hand, before carefully letting it go, so that the girl can move where she wishes. Auspex moves to curl her hands around Tessera, who is still in her lap*

Tessera: *looks up with a little chirp, then gives little flails as happiness overflows*

Blackout: *will lift Atara and bring her over to the forgotten porridge pot and scoop some out to feed her*

Uzshak: *pup across what's left of her lap, she looks over to Auspex and the tinybot* She is your ... I don't know the vord. Is she to you like Naz is to me?

Auspex: *She smiles down at Tessera for a moment, before looking up in grateful approval as Blackout takes care of Atara. She turns to meet Uzshak's gaze as she questions her - apparently the warg more than simply obeys her, and is actually a pet of sorts* A non-sentient that you take care of and train is a pet. Tessera is sentient, and can carry on a conversation - she is more like a family member to me.
*Of course it's more complicated than that, especially when they are not in their normal forms... but it's close enough, Auspex supposes*

Tessera: But I don't mind bein' a pet. ^_^ *and another squee is starting to bubble to the surface...*

Uzshak: Wargs are our family members. They keep us safe in the long dark nights, and they used to fight to the death for us in the pits. *looks down with sad affection at the young animal sprawled across her leg* I told her to stay home, vhere no vone's afraid of her. But she didn't listen.

Auspex: *She blinks down at Tessera, frowning slightly, even as she rubs her little head* You are not a drone.
*Her brow furrows as she glances up at the orc girl again* Is that how you solved disputes, then? *She doesn't really approve, of course... but if that was the alternative to killing each other, perhaps that would be preferable* Why did that stop?
Hmm... apparently she missed you too much. *she smiles gently*

Tessera: *giggles and wiggles and tries to catch Auspex's fingers with her tiny hands*

Uzshak: No. Disputes were settled personally. Vas sport, and it hasn't stopped. My tribe just stopped. *good hand starts working tangles from Naz's fur*

Auspex: *She peers down at the tiktok once more, evading her hands to playfully poke her very gently in the side, with an indulgent smile. It wavers slightly as Uzshak elaborates, but she doesn't otherwise react outwardly - it's certainly not the first time she'd disapprove of something acceptable to a warrior culture, and will not be the last. Still, she wonders why Uzshak's people abandoned the practice* Ah? What was the reason, then?

Uzshak: That ve stopped? Starsinger says no killing.

Avril: *nod nod as she comes back with a bowl of porridge and kneels by the lady to lean against her companionably, since the barbarian lady told her to go back to the bed*

Auspex: Ahh... *she nods slowly in response; she tilts her head to smile at the young Chagin girl and her friendly gesture, as she thinks over her answer* I am not sure that everyone who knows the Creator of the universe would apply that to every living creature, but it is something that I would hope for, with rare exceptions.

Uzshak: Only kill to eat, or to live. *nods, and then frowns and looks down at Naz as she finds sap in her fur*

Naz: *flinch flinch, but no whimpers*

Tessera: *oh. There's the squeal*

Avril: *head tilted to look around Auspex as she wonders about that squeal*

Auspex: Well said, yes. *She chuckles softly at Tessera's little sound of glee, and gently lifts her up in the hand opposite the side Avril is leaning on, as she sees the girl's curious expression. The fond smile returns* Are tiktoks ticklish?

Avril: *looks up at Auspex's face at the same time as putting a spoonful into her mouth, then realizes what she did and quickly chews and swallows* I don't know, Lady. I've only seen one once before, and it was on the shoulder of one of the King's friends.

Tessera: Nope! *can you see me wavin', world?*

Auspex: *Her smile widens very slightly* Ah, if you're certain. *she brings up her opposite hand for one more little soft poke to Tessera's middle - just to be sure, of course*

Tessera: *giggling merrily over the squeal that just showed her to have been fibbing*

Auspex: *She quirks a smile as Tessera does indeed laugh at the nudge, but doesn't otherwise comment. Hmmm...*

Avril: *soft laughter as the little tiktok squeals at the poke, and then a generous offer of her reloaded spoon toward Auspex's mouth*

Auspex: *Her smile turns to something a bit more uncertain as she hesitates, when Avril offers the spoonful of... whatever she's eating. How can she explain?* I'm... not very used to eating solid food, even as thin as that. I think I may need more practice before I can eat comfortably... as strange as that may sound. Drinking is easier for me...

Avril: *looks at her spoon, and then turns to look toward Blackout* The lady can't eat cattail porridge?

Blackout: *doesn't look up from talking with Greatshot and Atara* I dropped hers on the other side of the bed there.

Uzshak: *looks, her brow lifting with interest as she spots the little box laying beside her on the heap of ferns. Reaches across herself, squishing a soft yip from Naz, picks up the box, and then straightens and offers it to the lady in white*

Tessera: *little sound of delight as she notices something caught in a fold of Auspex's gown, and then she's waving around the daisy that Avril had given the white lady earlier*

Auspex: *She offers a little, self-conscious smile to Avril* Perhaps later, if I am very careful... but it may not be entirely practical for me to try if there are easier things available.
*Her brow furrows as her attention is directed to the small box nearby. Blinking, she accepts it from Uzshak, with murmured thanks. A closer examination reveals a lever; pushing it upward unfolds what seems to be a drinking tube. An experimental sip yields a thick, sweet liquid. It's remarkably tasty, and easy for her to manage, thankfully* What is it, Blackout? It's very good.
*She notes the flower with some chagrin - she's disappointed in herself for forgetting it, but between the baby waking up crying, and the sudden arrival and departure of the orcs, she's been very distracted... but she's pleased to see Tessera enjoying it*

Blackout: *glances over from shuffling cards* Peach smoothie. The peach tree sent her best fruit for it.

Auspex: *The answer is met with slight confusion - the fruit makes sense, she supposes now that most varieties of it will taste sweet. But the multiverse, apparently, has many more sentient trees than Earth (the only organic planet she has any experience with, though that's hardly any) would have you believe* Ah, that is very kind of... her? Please give her my thanks, when you see her again? And thank you for anticipating my physical limitations. *She happily sips, eyes wandering inquisitively around the camp, to see what the others are up to*

Blackout: I will. *grunts at the thanks, and pauses to frown at one of the cards*

Boulder: *chin on paws as he watches Covil work on a long piece of wood with a knife*

Kup: *hunkered comfortably and supervising the younger man as he chats with him. The baby is stretched across his lap and looking around with sleepy big eyes*

Margaret: *watching over baby. Watching and watching as she lays near young master*

Atara: *now cuddling baby mushroom sprite and listening to game rules from Greatshot, who is sprawled comfortably with some kind of flat white package open between himself and the two women*

shepherd dog: *sitting and looking out into the darkness as he waits to see if human peeps will throw him some of the supper. Protecting even as he hopes!*

Scorponok: *passed out with his head in Blackout's lap*

Foresight: *...where is she? She's intent on something out there*

Auspex: *She continues to observe in tranquil silence, as she finishes her "smoothie"; if she'd not known that Blackout caused this dream to happen with the Fae energy at her disposal, she'd wonder at the complexity and sheer strangeness of all that she's learned and witnessed "today" in an entire day's worth of travel. Still, she doesn't wish to become too lost in thought at this point, before it's all finished...*
*And where is Foresight, indeed? She senses her nearby... she glances down at Tessera* I can sense Foresight; she's looking for something. But I can't see her...

Tessera: *blithely, without removing her little face from the flower* She's looking for the little kitty, but the kitty's shielding so she can't find her.

Auspex: Er... *The glance becomes an intense look at her sometimes startlingly perceptive chiproach/tiktok companion* ...Kitty? What kitty?

Tessera: *rolls on her back and moves the flower down, to reveal pollen all over her face* The one that was hiding with Naz. Her daddy forgot her just like Uzshak forgot Naz.

Uzshak: *had been listening to the conversation with interest, but now she shoots a wry look down at the exhaustedly sleeping pup draped over her leg, feeling amused*

Auspex: *She chuckles softly, reaching with a fingertip to gently dust off Tessera's face* Ahh. So careless, all of this "forgetting" of people's companions...
Well. The only male native here is Covil, and she's unlikely to be his. How, then, did she get here, and who is "Daddy"? It can't be Kup, and I doubt Scorponok would keep company with a feline. Boulder is a feline. That leaves Greatshot, doesn't it?

Tessera: *bright little eyes seem to blink* Sometimes Scorponok ISSA feline.

Auspex: Hmm... *she blinks distractedly* I suppose that might suit him sometimes...
Is the cat going to come out? Foresight should not wait in the woods all night.

Greatshot: *disgruntled, amused dismay as he looks toward the woods where Boulder is looking* Ruth! We know you're there!

Foresight: *amused satisfaction as she sees what she's been hunting*

Ruth: EEEEEP! No! Kitteh ticklish! MOWWERRR! Why you drop?

Foresight: Forgive me. I didn't realize you could speak like me.

Greatshot: *cackling*

Auspex: *her response is very dry* Ah. I suppose that answers my question.
*She peers out into the darkness, trying to see Foresight and the feline, but not succeeding. She can sense them, however, and the emotions from the latter are strong enough to suggest she's projecting them, rather than Auspex relying on her own senses to pick them up. Displeased vocalizations notwithstanding, she seems a cheerful sort, though with more complexity than a mind like Tessera's*
*She asks a general question to nobody in particular, with the same dry tone* Are there any other indignant companions that might appear, that we should know about?

Blackout: Nope. Cow and Pink have the sense to stay where they're told and get in trouble while I'm gone. *snort. So amused*

Auspex: *There's a quality to Blackout's aspect that suggests she's exaggerating their aptitude for mischief* Hmm... perhaps they have better things to do.
*She's still peering out, hoping to have everyone where she can see them. Call it a mild anxiety, if you will*

Foresight: *here she comes, showing first as a glimmer in the darkness across the road*

Ruth: *is a bright calico streak that just collided with Greatshot* DADDY!

Greatshot: *cards go WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!*

Blackout: *pointing and laughing at her toppled and being cuddled husband*

Atara: *hand over her mouth and eyes wide with amusement*

Uzshak: *also laughing*

Kup and Covil: *wait, what?*

Auspex: *She relaxes slightly as the younger servant comes close enough to be visible again... but her eyes widen hugely as the cat-shaped blur suddenly tackles Greatshot. Whatever he was doing with what looked like game pieces, he's not doing it now... She chuckles softly, with a bit of a wince. She's rather glad she has no stray companions that large*

Tessera: *giggles merrily, and then rolls onto her side and rubs her cheek against Auspex's hand, trying to purr in imitation of the joyful thunder that is coming from Ruth*

Auspex: *In the past, she'd known at least one cat that purred, but nothing that loud...! She looks down to blink at Tessera, quirking a little smile at her attempt to make the sound. She scritches her indulgently* Not a bad attempt...

Tessera: *catches Auspex's finger and pretends to nom on the end of it* Mrower! XD

Auspex: *she chuckles quietly at the tiktok's antics* So fierce...
*Avril has continued to lean against Auspex's side, and it gradually occurs to her that the girl is being rather quiet... a glance over finds her sound asleep, having finished her food some time ago. She tilts her head, with a gentle smile... before she is yawning, herself, with a startled blink at the unfamiliar reflex*

Foresight: *chuckles at the kitten impersonation as she goes to one knee next to Auspex* Aunt, you're weary. You shouldn't overdo things. *gentle shake for Avril's slender shoulder*

Avril: *eyes pop open with a spurt of alarm as the little girl automatically looks around for danger. But then she blinks up at Foresight's kindly smile and calms, turning to look up at Auspex too*

Tessera: :o *at that reaction*

Auspex: *Her own smile is very similar to Foresight's, as she meets Avril's gaze with gentle humor* I think it's likely time both of us had a good sleep. *She is pleased she remembered to use the correct terminology...* This has been a long and very strange day for me, at least. *especially when she's technically been recharging...*

Avril: *rubs her eye with a fist, then checks her bowl and spoon before carefully setting them out of the way. This done, she goes up on her knees, and Auspex will find a set of thin strong arms around her neck as a small head lays on her shoulder* Good night, Lady. May the Singer bless your dreams.

Auspex: *she blinkblinks, the girl reminding her quite a bit of Starsong in her earnest affection - perhaps simply because Auspex only has limited experience with sparklets and children; but it's sweetly endearing, and she pats Avril's back appreciatively* Good night, Avril, and thank you - I wish the same for you.
*Except... she's not actually sure of what the sleeping arrangements are. She blinks over at the others, and hesitates* Ah... what are the plans for this, Blackout?

Blackout: *looks over from booting her husband and Ruth, then stands and walks over as Avril scoots over to the pile of ferns on her hands and feet and flops down next to Uzshak* What, you don't like the bed?

Scorponok: Can I eat it?

Blackout: No.

Scorponok: Okay! *playing tagalong*

Auspex: *she blinks, looking down at the pile of soft leaves contemplatively, though she's aware of Blackout's teasing* I am sure it's fine... but this family gathered it for themselves... *A hint of wry humor laces her tone* Besides, I don't think we'd all fit.

Tessera: Oooooooo. There are little crawly things sleeping in it too!

Blackout: *steps back* What? Biting ones?

Tessera: ...Primus says they eat bugs 'n plants.

Uzshak: *interestedly looking for bugs*

Auspex: *She shies away a bit as she stands, brow furrowing as she scoops Tessera and the flower into her hand* Would they not be hurt by people sleeping on them?
*Then she pauses abruptly, eyeing Tessera in obvious astonishment for a moment, before understanding settles on her face instead. The chiproach does have the mental skill to hear many things, and she also has Auspex's own mind to draw from - it shouldn't surprise her she might receive information from Primus as well. Interesting...*

Uzshak: If they're too dumb to move. *finds a beetle and flips it flying, then looks again*

Atara: *from where she's getting her daughter covered up. Reassuringly* They know how to take care of themselves.

Tessera: *sees Auspex looking at her and goes* ^_^

Blackout: *snorts and looks at Auspex* You had enough to eat?

Auspex: *She winces slightly at the beetle, thinking briefly of Jilan - but the little sprite told her they were sturdy, and likely there are other creatures similarly hard to injure. She nods at Atara, slightly placated. Still, knowing so little about organic life causes her uncertainty about so many things...*
*She scritches Tessera absently as she attempts to take stock of how her unfamiliar body feels* I think so? There was some mild discomfort before I drank the smoothie, but it seems to be gone now... *a thought occurs to her, and she blinks down at the little one in her hands* I assume tiktoks do not eat...?

Tessera: I nommed your finger. :D

Blackout: She's wound up her mechanisms when she was playing. *amused at little bot silliness*

Auspex: *she raises her eyebrows* I highly doubt there's any nutritional value there... But if your workings are wound by movement, you'll be fine, then - that's good to know.

Tessera: *wiggles and giggles, then spots the daisy and reaches for it with a happy squee*

Blackout: *snorts, then leads Auspex over to where Greatshot's laying under Ruth and shows the servant a thimble* Subspace apartment. If you stick your finger in there you'll go inside.

Foresight: *curious look as she walks up by the older servant*

Blackout: You too.

Auspex: *She nudges the flower at Tessera with a smile, following Blackout as she presents... a tiny cup? She boggles as her friend explains* A subspace pocket with a living space in it?? It... *she blinks* ...I've never thought of one not being attached to a person, let alone with a room in it.

Kup: *heard something about his Lady going? Here he is, baby in the crook of his arm!* I'm goin' too.

Blackout: No you're not.

Kup: I have to...

Blackout: No. She'll be fine in there.

Auspex: Ah, there... *she hesitates, looking back at the natives, trying to formulate her question without sounding too awkward to them if they should overhear, as she lowers her voice to address Blackout and Kup* ...there are cultural reasons he should stay away, I think, then...?

Blackout: Yup. You're not married yet.

Kup: *ACK! Red man!*

Auspex: *She nods slowly, having gained an inkling about that sort of thing from prior Nexus experience, though she wanted to be sure. Still, she regrets Kup's embarrassment, and sidles closer, nudging Tessera to make sure she's stable in one hand, as she reaches for Kup's hand with the other, leaning close to speak to him quietly* I'll be all right. Foresight will be there, and perhaps you can keep the pocket safe for me...

Kup: *perks and starts to say something, but then meeps and accidentally kisses Auspex as Blackout gently shoves their faces together*

Auspex: *a startled squeak quickly becomes something of a giggle and a blind poke in Blackout's direction at the sheer audacity of the move, even as she thoroughly enjoys the inadvertent kiss, pouring all of her newly-discovered affection for Kup into it, in hopes he'll sense at least some of it. After several moments she draws back, just enough to contentedly beam at him (and maybe eye Blackout mock-reproachfully for a fraction of a second). She squeezes his hand* I'll be safe. You'll be here to make sure.

Kup: *too bashful suddenly to say anything. But he squeezes her hand and tries not to love bomb her as he nods his head*

Blackout: *smirrrk*

Foresight: *arms folded, not amused at you, Blackout*

Blackout: *isn't dignifying that disapproval with any notice*

Auspex: *She's not terribly perturbed by the whole thing - she likely would have given him a kiss in some form or fashion, even if Blackout hadn't forced the issue. Besides, her attention is wholly focused on Kup, at the moment, and the unease still faintly lurking in his aspect. She offers him a gentle smile* Would you rather I stayed here, where you can watch over me?

Kup: *through the haze he thinks of his Lady laying on a pile of leaves and snaps to clearness* No! I mean. You'd get green stuff on your dress... It's probably more comfortable in the house. What if it rains?

Blackout: *ganks the baby, takes Kup's hand, and then sticks the edge of it into his mouth to stem the torrent of fussing*

Kup: .... o_O?

Tessera: *hiding her giggles*

Auspex: *She blinks at his initial vehemence, continuing to smile, now helplessly so, at his concern for her comfort. She opens her mouth to counter that - she'd hate for any of them to suffer the elements if it came to it - but she's quickly diverted by Blackout's actions. She blinkblinks... and this time she does frown at the other woman, though there's only light disapproval behind it. She shoos at her friend, intervening by gently pulling Kup's so rudely interjected hand away from his face and into her own hand, after letting go of his other, and transferring Tessera* Stop that, Blackout.

Blackout: *snorts amusement and turns to wander off, holding the baby up under her chin and scritching him as she goes*

Kup: *wait what, oh hi, ACK THE BABY!* ...I was holdin' that.

Auspex: *Her eyes dart between Blackout's retreat and Kup and his dismay at the loss of his other self-appointed job of the moment. Whoops...* Ah... I only meant for her to stop bothering you. I suppose you should go reclaim your charge... and then rest. You had so much... emotional upheaval today, then you all fought the griffins... and you've only had bits of recharge - er, sleep - since. Releasing that much repression will exhaust you very quickly...

Kup: *slight frown as he watches Blackout tuck the baby in with Greatshot, who is now using Ruth for a pillow, and then lay down beside them and put her own head on the big kitten* ...Nah. I think they need a turn. We had 'im all day. *turns back to her, his expression softening* I was sleepin' just now. Oh. *looks at the thimble that Foresight just presented* Thanks. *attention back to Auspex again as he holds up the thimble with the opening toward her. Eyes are smiling now. He's not disagreeing with her about getting more rest, he's just offering her the way to her own resting place*

Auspex: *She nods thoughtfully in acquiescence, following his gaze toward Blackout and Greatshot and company. She calls a soft wish for them (and anyone else still awake) to rest well, before turning back to Kup to nod again in approval* Good. I will see you in the morning, then. Thank you... *she impulsively lifts his hand still in hers to cradle against her cheek for a moment, planting a kiss on his palm as she lets it go. Eyeing the subspace pocket housing pensively, she glances down at Tessera, then over at Foresight* Are we ready, then?

Kup: *blushing slightly and grinning as he continues to offer the thimble*

Tessera: *tiny snore sound. Her face is mushed against Auspex's hand as she clings to the slightly battered daisy*

Foresight: I am. *nods, then glances over to where Atara's family have vanished under their patched cloaks and been surrounded by Margaret and the shepherd and warg*

Auspex: *She chuckles softly, as Tessera is clearly out of it - apparently, tiktoks do sleep. Or recharge. Or something. Auspex nods back at Foresight, casting one more look around the clearing (both visual and empathic, of the Primus-given and Doll-heart-given varieties). Satisfied that all is well, she - somewhat awkwardly - pokes her finger into the subspace apparatus, and feels... a very odd sensation. She finds herself standing and blinking in a small space*

Foresight: *appears just inside the door that leads into the neat, comfortable room. Stands beside Auspex and looks around, seeing a seating area that circles three sides of the room, with a low table to one side in the centre. Bookshelves are over two of the couch parts, and a curtained window is over the last. To one side of the door is a compact kitchen cupboard unit, and on the other side of the door is a spiral staircase* ...This is a place to sleep?

Auspex: *she looks around curiously, thinking it must be very comfortable for your average organic - which means it's a bit on the alien side for her sensibilities. *She blinks at the window - what sort of view can a subspace pocket have?? She pauses in moving to investigate it, as Foresight points out a lack of anything resembling a berth/bed* Perhaps upstairs, then...

Foresight: *distracted from wondering about the sleeping space by her aunt's curiosity about that curtained space. Walks over* What's this?

Auspex: *She shrugs idly* A viewport... but I have no idea how that would work, or what there is to see. *she reaches to pull back a curtain and peek out. After a moment of boggled blinking, she reaches for the other, and pushes the fabric to either side... to reveal a view of the campsite outside of the subspace pocket - and it's not from the point of view of the housing that Kup is carrying, as one might expect. Rather, it looks like the view from an invisible camera; the Chagin family and Uzshak and their pets are visible, tucked comfortably into their bed of leaves and cloaks, Blackout and her family are there with the baby, and Kup is making his way back to Boulder's side, carefully tucking the tiny object that houses the subspace pocket into an upper fold of his kilt*
*More blinking ensues* I'm not sure I really want to know how this is achieved...

Foresight: *as she gazes thoughtfully at the screen* There's obviously some sort of independent camera sending to this.

Auspex: *she frowns* Yes... though I can't imagine the sort of tech that would be required for that... not to mention what an evil sort might do with such a thing as an invisible, intangible camera. *she blinks, shaking her head wryly at her own thought* I think I have counseled too many Decepticons... I've grown suspicious.

Foresight: *slight pensiveness makes itself known* There are times that scenes like that make me wish that I had a mother.

Auspex: *She nearly chokes at Foresight's idle wish, failing to suppress a pang of sorrow and aching - she prays fervently that whatever has shrouded her emotions from her construct will shield this as well... Brow furrowing, she looks closer at the view, to see what prompted the remark. Ah... Avril is nestled comfortably against her mother, who has an arm wrapped snugly around her. It It is an endearing sight, and the appeal of holding her offspring in such a way is undeniable*

Tessera: *perk of waking. Without moving* You do.

Foresight: No. *shakes her head, and turns to look toward the stairs*

Tessera: Yes!

Foresight: I'm a Cybertronian, as Aunt Auspex is. In our reality there are no parents.

Tessera: Oh yeah?

Auspex: *Her alarm grows as Tessera pipes up drowsily... no, not now! She wants to explain, but she suddenly realizes she's unsure if it will do the slightest bit of good to tell Foresight anything here in this dream, when there's a chance it will never leave Auspex's own unconscious mind. Primus might allow Foresight to actually dream of this and retain it, but it's not a guarantee... and she's not sure she could stand to tell her and later find she'd never actually heard. She listens to the rest of the exchange in breathless silence, spending several moments afterward in frantic thought - what can she say, without saying too much, or not enough?*
*Finally she speaks, voice slightly hoarse* Ah... sparks are not normally related, no. There are very rare occasions of new sparks created together that share similar energies, or even split off from one another... But aside from that, the Nexus can greatly complicate things, if one ventures out into it. There are phenomena called LOLs, and they can defy a reality's set rules in surprising ways.
*She pauses, turning to risk a glance at Foresight's face, her own expression as neutral as possible* There are important things that I need to tell you about the Nexus, and how it works... but I think it would be best for me to impart that knowledge in person, in our normal forms, and outside of this dream setting.

Foresight: *curiously looks at her aunt's face, poking at Primus and asking him why she can't feel Auspex's emotions. Told that it's best this way, and that Auspex is only thinking of something, she lifts her brows as she thinks she understands* I forgot about Theodicy.

Tessera: *mild :/ before she conks out again*

Auspex: *She picks up the lingering traces of the exchange between Foresight and Primus, and directs a faintly disgruntled frown back at the view outside the subspace pocket, though her mind is not on what she's seeing. She does not like hiding her emotions from a fellow servant, in any context* I look forward to being more forthcoming when I see you on Cybertron... but yes, Theodicy came about in that way.
*She might normally pat Tessera's head in consolation for her disappointment, but she's a bit wary of waking her again, after that unexpected (and panic-inducing) digression*

Foresight: *hrrrm. Decides to trust and wait, for now. Affectionate smile for Auspex* Shall we investigate the upper level, Aunt?

Auspex: *After sighing internally and reluctantly accepting the assurance from Primus that, as he told Foresight, it truly is best to wait, she steps back from the window after another lingering glance at the campsite. She nods, hoping her smile isn't quite as faint as it feels* Yes, please.

Foresight: *brows draw together with gentle concern* Are you very tired? Today must have been stressful. *and she's frustrated and concerned. How can she help... right. Waiting*

Auspex: *Her smile feels much more sure this time, as she reaches to briefly pat the younger servant's hand in reassurance* It has been... very strange, and very emotional. I feel as though you and Kup are taking to your organic forms much more easily than I am - I suspect fighters are necessarily more resilient in unexpected situations, than non-combatants. Between that and my own... revelation, Kup's emotional episode, and the griffin attack - I think I'm probably more tired than I realize.

Foresight: *smile also gets stronger, and her nearer wing gently goes behind Auspex's back to guide her toward the stairs* I'm not so sure it's because I'm a fighter so much as other factors I've faced in my life. Hmm. I suspect I'm going to have to work out how to free you from those robes. I'm fairly certain they're not sleeping garments.

Auspex: Ah... Blackout did tell me a little about the River, at least. I imagine that would put many things into better perspective. *She pauses thoughtfully* Still, I would be much worse off if this were reality, and I'd lost my connection to Primus. You... may remember the incident several stellar cycles ago, when a few high-ranking Autobots were changed by that awful Machine, that severed their sparks from their life-force, and so from Primus... I later saw a repeat of the incident in another reality, and some of them were my friends. *she shudders slightly* That may have caused me a... slightly irrational anxiety about being organic. But thankfully our sparks are all untouched, and Primus is here; that brings me so much comfort.
*She 'hmm's pensively* I'm... only concerned I may not be able to manage putting the layers back on if I remove them. Why have they invented such an impractical set of garments? Speaking of which... can I even manage to get up these? *she eyes the tightly-wound spiral staircase dubiously, before looking down at the long skirts and sighing*

Foresight: I remember. Hallow spat his energon out with shock at what Primus said. *gentle fingers explore the front of her aunt's robe* Perhaps in other situations it is practical? *thinking over what Auspex said about the River in the meantime* I think the train will wrap around that centre pole.

Auspex: *She nods* That was essentially my reaction, also. Watching it happen a second time... was harrowing, to say the least.
*She huffs a slightly exasperated chuckle* When is it ever practical to wear so much fabric that you cannot move comfortably? It must be designed for organic humanoids who live a much more sedentary lifestyle than your average Cybertronian; besides, they have no need to transform.
*She agrees with this assessment, her tone dry* I'd rather not find myself wound around it like... some sort of over-tightened spring.

Foresight: Like a curl around an iron. *slight humour. Then* Here. Let me help you. *wing comes away from Auspex's back and her hands go out toward the sleeping tiktok*

Auspex: *she blinks, not able to find a context in which that statement makes sense, though she gathers Foresight is quoting something. Ah well... She nods, handing Tessera over* Thank you.
*She looks down thoughtfully at the outfit, and reaches down to grip the overskirt, separating it from the other layers. With a little shrug, she starts gathering it up to her waist, mostly just to see what's going on underneath, and not actually attempting to remove it yet. The white overskirt is covering the turquoise length of fabric underneath - which is still frustratingly long, but not so much as the layer currently in her hands. Pinning the bunched fabric with her forearms, she attempts to pull the underskirt up next - this turquoise layer hides the last part; a shorter skirt that ends a bit below her knees. Tugging that up a bit more confirms there's nothing else under that, thankfully, other than the coverings for her feet and lower legs*

Foresight: *as she absently cuddles Tessera* Aunt?

Auspex: *Now that she has an idea of how the layers are put together below the waist, she drops the skirts, peering beneath the sleeves and the top as she explains* There are three layers; the white outer skirt, the turquoise inner skirt, and another short one underneath that. I suppose there's something fastening the part wrapped around my waist, and maybe, if I remove that... I can pull the upper garment over my head...?

Foresight: *tiktok down the front of her robe, and then she reaches and carefully unfastens the buckle on the belt. Blinks as the houppelande, released from the belt, becomes like a small tent around her slender aunt* Huh.

Auspex: *She also blinks, peering down at the now-baggy overgarment* Oh. I see. Hmm... *She experimentally tugs at one of the long oversleeves, merely managing to pull the shoulder of the outer layer askew* You know, I've worn this all day, and no one has told me what it's called. I've learned terms such as "skirt" and "sleeve", but I'm not sure of the name for the garment itself.

Foresight: I think it's a robe. That's what Blackout called this. *tugs on the skirt of her own sleeveless garment, then lifts it slightly to show cobalt blue* And this is a dress. ...Though I thought dress meant putting clothing on. *brow quirk*

Auspex: *she nods thoughtfully at Foresight* I see. Well, the terms are related, even if the word can have different meanings, I suppose...

lady: *speaks from behind the two servants as Primus joyfully greets her* Actually, that's a robe, that's a robe, that's a kirtle, that cobalt thing is a long undershirt, and that thing under all your layers is a chemise.

Foresight: *whirls, ready to do battle, but then blinks as she senses the familiar feel of the delicate woman with the dove grey hair and the gentle blue eyes* Uhhh.

Auspex: *She squeaks and flinches at the unfamiliar voice, backing up a step and peering over with wide eyes. Whomever the woman is, she is also close to Primus, and, while she seems to have a spark, there is more to her as well. Auspex doesn't understand how or why the newcomer is here, but she allows Primus's familiarity with the stranger to calm her. She nods at the terms, taking it in relative stride* Chemise. Kirtle. Robe. What is the waist piece?

lady: That's a belt, though some call it a girdle. *brows lift slightly* Oh. I'm just a part of your dream. Right now, anyway. *gentle smile* My name is Columba. *and she's radiating gentle but deep affection* I came to repair something my silly husband did wrong.

Foresight: *eyebrow of orly*

Auspex: Ah, thank you. Knowing the terms is helpful.
*Her brow furrows; is this not all part of her dream? Her head tilts slightly, but she's not entirely willing to read too much into the puzzling statement right now. The abrupt manner of the woman's entrance is testament enough to the strangeness of dreams* An error... with this living space?

Columba: *blinks and looks around* Oh... no. Your robe.

Auspex: Ah... *she blinks down at the robe again, absently realigning the shoulder, since she's not taking it off just yet* Is there something wrong with it? It's... not always practical, but I gather it is not supposed to be... Oh. *This is beginning to make more sense* You... are the Guardian Fae Optimus's mate, perhaps?

Columba: *sweet, slightly bashful smile as she nods gracefully* Yes. Oppy is my mate. And he and Blackout have given you a court robe. Those aren't for travelling, even if you do put a hood on them. *holds up another garment of the same colours as the one Auspex is wearing, but of a very visibly different cut* This is a travel robe.

Auspex: Ohh. I see... *and it is very different. The skirt seems shorter, and flares less (she's sure it will be more noticeable when she's actually wearing it) and the sleeves are much shorter, and look to fit much closer to one's arms. She's puzzled by what looks to be holes cut much higher up in the sleeves as well - again, it may be more apparent what the use is when it's on her body* It does look... considerably less cumbersome, yes. Ah... since you seem to know a great deal more about it than us, it might be best if I try to put it on while you are here, and then I will better remember how it works tomorrow... if you have a moment?

Columba: *again with the sweet smile and the affection* I'm in no hurry.

Auspex: *She's a bit puzzled by the affection, but she's reasonably sure she shares some close friends with Columba, though she's not entirely sure who, specifically. She nods absently, acknowledging the woman's patience* Alright then. Perhaps I can puzzle through this...

Foresight: *holds out her hand, offering to take the belt, her mouth twitching slightly at what she's feeling from the small visitor*

Auspex: *she absently hands over the waist wrap as she reaches for the robe skirt again, gathering it up as before. This time, with the belt removed, she can lift it much higher; after pulling it up to her underarms, she bends at the waist, trying to back herself out of it. She ducks her head and pulls on the shoulders (trying to get a grip on them without pulling the kirtle sleeves as well is a bit tricky). Finally, the outer layer tumbles off over her head in a heap* Ah. There. *she straightens, trying to tug the now-uncovered, lopsided kirtle back into place*

Foresight: *drops to one knee to help, giving the kirtle a swift, gentle jerk on the skirt*

Columba: *to Auspex* Hormah is my mate's mentor. So you're special to us.

Foresight: Hallow wants to meet Hormah someday. He's very curious.

Auspex: *Ah. She'd already been given the hint that Columba is answering unasked questions that mere emotion would not reveal, but that's essentially confirmation. Interesting. She smiles warmly as Columba clarifies* Ah, I see. I appreciate that.
*She chuckles as Foresight mentions Hallow's interest in meeting the Mini-Con hybrid* Of course he is. I think he would... probably find her exuberance less exhausting than I sometimes have. *She huffs another soft laugh, a bit self-deprecating this time*
*She turns to look speculatively at the travel robe Columba has brought her* Putting things on may be a bit more difficult than removing them...

Columba: Hormah's looking forward to seeing you again. *chuckles at the word about Hormah's energy* She used to frighten me. *bunches the robe up so that Auspex will be able to stick her head and arms into the right places, the little bell on the end of the hood jingling softly*

Foresight: He's used to energetic people. *bit of a hover, waiting to help if needed*

Auspex: *Her smile remains, but it's a bit more on the regretful side* Yes, it's... been awhile. I will be pleased to see her again, also.
*She winces slightly* I admit I was taken aback by her demeanor at first, and I never did understand it as well as I would have liked. I think she will always be something of a mystery to me...
*She trails off distractedly, making careful note of what Columba has done to the garment to make it more accessible. There is the head, and... ah, the arms go in through the holes cut in the upper part of the sleeves, rather than the bottoms of the tube; she'd wondered. She inserts her upper appendages in the appropriate places... and balks at the difficulty of lowering her arms to pull the dress down without losing the sleeve-holes. Fortunately, she has help...*

Columba: *as she slips the robe into place and gives the skirt a gentle twitch that has it swirling around Auspex's ankles* She's Destron and Minicon. Those are both hard for other castes and races to understand at times.

Auspex: *her "thank you" is a bit muffled for a moment as the fabric slides down over her torso, but now it's in place; she smiles and reaches behind to tap at the little bell she's pleased to find is still attached to the end of the hood; she appreciates the touch of whimsy* Yes, well. "Destron" is apparently not so different from "Decepticon", at its most fundamental - Mini-Cons, on the other hand, are not something every reality with Cybertronians have. I have a much easier time understanding the former, than the latter.
*She glances down, gratified that the skirt is not as full, or as long. Robes are still cumbersome, but this is less so* Do I still wear the belt with this?

Columba: If you want to. It makes the robe just a little warmer if there's a cool wind blowing, and gives you a place to hang things.

Foresight: *looks down the front of her own robe as a muffled giggle comes from it*

Columba: And a place for small friends to hide. *smile*

Auspex: *She glances at Foresight and the giggle from the vicinity of her torso, and quirks a smile as well; the tiktok must be having happy dreams...* I had a pouch for Tessera, though I think the little girl outside still has it. I'll have to retrieve that tomorrow... Do we need to try the belt, or do you think we can discern how to put it on tomorrow?

Columba: *holds up her hand* You can wish for the pouch. And... you feel really tired. Using a belt isn't hard, though.

Auspex: Er... very well? *She's a bit uncomfortable using such potent energy for something so mundane, but Columba seems to want to. So...* I... wish for Tessera's pouch, here in this room.
That's true; I'm not sure it's worth the small amount of time to puzzle that out, when I could be sleeping. *With a little huff of good humor, she practices getting out of the travel robe; it's similar enough to the other one that the same motions seem to work just as well. She retrieves it immediately after depositing it in a similar heap as before* Thank you for this; it is much easier to move around in!

Columba: *smiles, then whispers in Auspex's mind* -Primus wished for something easier for you, too.-

Primus: !!!!

Auspex: *She ducks her head, smiling gently, offering him thanks; Primus always takes very good care of her...*

Columba: *and then in a cloud of dove grey twinkles the bag appears and drops to the nearby step*

Primus: *rueful amusement tinges his loving response to Auspex*

Auspex: *She blinks, noting the different color of sparkles as the pouch appears. Apparently, different individuals have a different color resonance; that is interesting* Thank you!
*She looks down at herself again, taking a moment to examine the kirtle more closely, now that she's not concentrating on the outer robe. It's considerably more fitted than the outer garment* This will be more difficult, won't it? I'm half-tempted to sleep in it, just to save the trouble...

Columba: Oh, that could be uncomfortable. Please lift your arm, and I'll show you where to untie it. *but there's a clear sense that she won't force Auspex to remove the kirtle if the older woman doesn't wish to*

Auspex: *she hesitates, but obligingly raises an arm* I'm only concerned about getting me back into it without undue stress... I don't wish to be a burden, or cause anyone frustration.

Columba: *curious fingers run down the line of lacing on the side seam of the kirtle, and then she bubbles soft laughter* This is elastic.

Foresight: *perk of interest* The stretchy material?

Columba: Yes. *checks the other side seam* I think you can get out of this easily, Lady Auspex.

Auspex: *Her brow furrows as she puzzles through the significance of the material* So... it will pull on and off like the other layer, even though it fits more closely? It seems as though it would be more of a struggle, but I know so little about different kinds of fabric. I will simply have to try it... *she begins to lift the kirtle's skirt up as she did the outer robe*
*She makes an absent remark as she bunches the skirt and tugs at the shoulders, to hopefully pull the garment over her torso* You need not call me "lady". The locals in this world appear to wish to call me that, but it seems overly pretentious.

Foresight: *fingers on the laces* Yes, this will come off easily, Aunt. *gentle tug on each side of Auspex's torso as she presses on the buttons on the little bone things that hold the elastics tight* There.

Columba: *gentle glance in response to the older servant's comment, but all she does is gently tug on the kirtle and watch it slide off easily*

Auspex: Oh. *she blinks as she's suddenly free of the tightest of the layers, and looks down curiously at the loose-fitting chemise that's left, tugging back the parts sent askew by the kirtle. The sleeves are still a closer fit, but it appears to be lighter and thinner than the other parts of the outfit* That is more comfortable... I hope it all will be as simple to put it back on. *she chuckles ruefully*
*She feels a bit of apprehension at the lack of response to her protest at the title - there is apparently more to that than she realized, though she knows no details; she ducks her head in silent apology*

Columba: *soft blue eyes blink slowly, and a gentle wash of affection touches Auspex. Wordlessly, as she takes the kirtle and gives it a flip, she tells the older servant that no apology is needed*

Foresight: *mrrphs a yawn* o.O

Primus: *feeling of gentle laughter at Foresight*

Foresight: ^_^

Auspex: *She offers a kind smile in response, still finding the wordless communications fascinating. The smile widens as she glances at her yawning construct* You are tired, also. We've both had a very long day in a very strange environment, more resilient to change or not...

Foresight: *sheepishness comes from her emotions as she looks at Auspex* I haven't recharged in several cycles...

Columba: *as she lays the kirtle nicely on the nearest couch, she clucks her tongue gently*

Auspex: *she nods in wordless thanks to Columba, even as her brow furrows with a concerned frown at Foresight* Is there a reason? Is everything alright?

Foresight: *rubs the back of her neck, avoiding eye contact* Well...

Columba: What genre was the book?

Foresight: *blush* Ahem. History of Cybertron.

Columba: *smiles and claps her hands softly with delight* My mate loves those.

Auspex: *Ahh. Now she understands. She laughs lightly* I understand completely. I can think of many times I've forgone recharge for a fascinating text. *It's quite a joy to discover they have such things in common. She perks with quiet enthusiasm, as another thought occurs to her* We should ask Kup for stories, someday - he's only just recently come from the Golden Age, himself, and a fresh perspective from a live person is always welcome.

Foresight: *eyes widen as an emotion best described as "pure geek" bursts from her* From the Golden Age?

Auspex: *She nods, her own eyes alight with interest, though there is lingering sadness, as well as a dawning warmth unrelated to the collection of knowledge* He does have a counterpart native to our reality, and he is one of the oldest Cybertronians still active in the war. I did meet one of his alternates from a timeline close to ours in the Nexus, but I never had a chance to ask him about what he remembered, and of course, memories fade... but my bodyguard was removed from his own timeline very recently, so I understand, and he lived before the war started. He must have seen things that the texts do not record.

Foresight: *expression keen and intent, and all else is forgotten* But do you know how close our realities were in events?

Auspex: *she gives something of a shrug; she's thought of that as well* I don't. But I look forward to finding out... if he's willing to discuss it, of course. *she quickly sobers, as the reality of the circumstances comes to mind again* That would naturally depend on whether there is pain involved with some of those memories. *Deciding that is a concern for another time, she soon offers a smile again* But yes... I'm pleased to know we have a love of history in common.

Foresight: I've put Hallow to sleep so many times by reading to him. And Aegis... *shakes her head, emotions sharp with ruefulness* My mate only takes small breaks from his warfare and intercession. He tries to listen, but his niche calls him.

Auspex: *She laughs softly* Hallow was always more focused on the present than the past - we all have our strengths. I look forward to learning the temperaments of all of Hallow's students; but I do think the planet's history will be something we can enjoy together, if no one else does. *And the joy this evokes, she hopes both women will sense, if not necessarily the specific reasons*

Foresight: Yes. *so joyful herself, and thankful. But then she becomes thoughtful. Very quietly* I think my love of the past may come from my knowledge of the future.

Columba: *goes from softly emoting praise and thankfulness to compassion as she looks from Foresight to Auspex and wonders what the older servant knows about Foresight*

Auspex: *Her amusement fades as she nods contemplatively (while trying her best not to think on the more poignant details)* Perhaps someday you can tell me about your time in the River, and how it affects your temporal perception. I would imagine you see patterns in the past that echo in the present and future...

Foresight: *nods, looking away slightly as she feels self conscious about her difference, despite her immediate family's many vorns of acceptance* It... can be hard to describe verbally. Our language is so limited.

Auspex: *Something mournful crosses her face for a moment - she'd not known that would cause Foresight discomfort, no matter how slight. The thought of her construct finding herself in any way alienated by the circumstances none of them had any control over... simply hurts. Her voice is soft* At least... Primus can understand better than your average Cybertronian, given his vast capacity, and you can speak to him even without the words. I am glad you have that. Still... we can try, to the best of our ability, at least.

Columba: *softly speaks up* And you'll find that you're not the only member of the family with psi gifts beyond those that Primus gives us.

Foresight: *whoa! How did... Feels the light touch of the other mind and understands, her eyes going to her aunt's face to see if she'd already realized this fact about the visitor*

Auspex: *She meets Foresight's gaze, with a little smile and a tiny shrug* Of course, many other mysteries abound in the multiverse... There are other Cybertronians who have transcended their original forms and functions, as Columba says. I remain fairly standard, but I try. *her eyes spark with good humor*

Foresight: *with a slight smile of her own* You are hardly standard, if Hallow is to be believed. *turns to Columba as the other speaks*

Columba: *so gently that the potential snarkiness of the words is totally absent* Geeking out may happen at any time, but sleep is needed in due season.

Auspex: *She chuckles softly* Ah, well, he is my brother - I expect him to be a bit biased.
*she'd not have taken it personally, anyway. She chuckles quietly - the terminology is unfamiliar, but she gets the idea* Yes, well... I thought perhaps if one of us fell asleep in mid-conversation, that would still be achieved; but putting ourselves to bed would be more comfortable, yes. *she glances at her shed clothes, making sure they're in reasonable order for when she needs them tomorrow, before glancing at the Aerial again* Do you need any assistance yourself, Foresight?

Foresight: Thank you for the reminder, Columba. *looks down at her clothing critically, thinking over what she knows about organic people. Looks at the bottoms of her feet, then lifts the hem of her robe and looks at her undergarment*

Columba: *soft touch to Auspex's arm* I'll see you later, lady Auspex. *affection and a quiet smile*

Auspex: *she offers Columba a warm smile and a pat of her hand* Thank you very much for bringing the new robe, and your assistance with dressing in it - and the terminology lesson as well. I hope to see you again, Columba - you're very kind.

Columba: *smile goes a little shy, but the affection is still strong* I'll see you soon, and you, Foresight.

Foresight: *absently, as she figures out her belt buckle* Four weeks, give or take a day.

Columba: XD *and... she's gone*

Foresight: *blink blink. Wait, what?*

Auspex: *She blinks, smile gentling in reaction to Foresight's distracted reply; she has complicated feelings about anyone bearing the burden of that sort of foreknowledge, let alone her own construct - still, the younger servant has the strength to manage it, and she's so proud of her*
*She glances down again, wondering if she can decipher how her footwear and leg wraps work, and lets Foresight be for a moment while the younger woman figures out her own clothing. She tugs experimentally at the knot at the top of the cords that serve to tighten the things around her legs*

Foresight: *a soft grunt heralds her pulling everything off her upper body, and then there's a moment of silence as she separates the two garments and reinstates the soft strapless chemise* No. Pull the end, Aunt, not the loop.

Auspex: *she glances up for a moment, quirking a smile at Foresight's method of keeping track of clothing layers - that does save trying to sort them out while they're still on. She returns her attention to the footwear, nodding absently at Foresight's direction, though she mutters with light chagrin* I should have asked what these are called, also... *she pulls gently at one cord end, watching the opposite loop in the knot shorten and unravel. She tries again with the other. Now she can more clearly see how the cords are crossed together, and she carefully pulls them apart*

Foresight: Boots. *pulls off the tights that her own foot coverings are part of, then contemplates how breezy she now feels*

Auspex: *She sighs with some exasperated humor at herself* Evidently, I need to pay more attention to what's going on outside my own culture - you are all more educated than I am about all this.
*A tentative tug at the bottom of the boot... does nothing, as the cords are still too tight. She begins what seems like a tedious process of loosening the areas where they cross back into the material of the boot, continuing to pull the item with the other hand... until it finally comes away from her foot with a jolt. With a little nod of triumph, she begins the process again with the other foot*

Foresight: *as she carefully lays her robe and tights on an empty section of couch* I have organic friends besides Boulder. They wear boots.

Auspex: Ah... *her brow furrows in confusion, and she blinks* On Cybertron? Odd...
*managing to tug the other boot off is a relief; now for the leg wraps, which look much simpler. A knot on a single loop holds each of them close to her knees, and undoing them (now that she knows how) allows them to quickly pull off and leave her legs bare. She wiggles the toe-things experimentally, quirking an eyebrow at them*

Foresight: *gently* We have a moon again. The people who built it adopted two beings called Meredronians during their travels.

Auspex: *she makes a small noise of surprise, but nods slowly* I have been forgetting; I've lost some time to stasis. I will have to see what news I have been missing, when I return home...

Foresight: There are many bots now on or above Cybertron who had never seen him before except in dreams. And two colonies with rather distinct cultures.

Auspex: There have always been colonies, so I understand, though I think it's rare for the citizens to return to Cybertron after so long. I'm glad, then, that they finally have the opportunity to see Primus's dwelling place - hopefully without too much hardship, though I imagine that depends on the colony...

Foresight: *as she finishes arranging her clothing on the couch and turns to walk over and put a bare foot on the bottom step of the narrow spiral* Some of the newcomers say that Primus called them to come. I'm still not sure if it was our Primus, or some result of the chaos.

Auspex: *She sees that Foresight is ready to see what's upstairs, and comes forward to join her* I doubt any other multiversal facet of Primus other than the local one would have any need to interact with our reality, even with the temporal flux - as long as the colonies originated there in our universe, of course.

Foresight: *nods as she turns to ascend the staircase* They're native. Hallow says that some of their originators left so long ago that they were only a legend when he was new.

Auspex: True... he and my other build-siblings and I were created only a few decavorns before the war started, and several groups left as long ago as when the Quintessons were overthrown. Others might have gone away when certain sects - the majority of whom would join the Decepticons later - were advocating expansion instead of isolation. There was plenty of time for many events to become legend - and I believe you are only two dozen kilovorns or so younger than we are. *the last remark is delivered in a light, fond tone; her eyes reflect her amusement*

Foresight: *head lifts as she steps out into a comfortable aisle space between a wall and two sets of bunk beds against the opposite wall, her eyes brightening slightly as she looks... somewhere else?*

Primus: *no no no, you can't see that right now. Okay, you can see that*

Foresight: Ah, I see. The past... stays still, but it takes more effort to see. And... *brow ridges lift* The first ones were sent away by the Quintessons. I...

Auspex: *she comes onto the landing just after Foresight, and curiously examines the sleeping area, and the stacked beds. The soft bed coverings are a novelty she'll have to puzzle over in a moment...*
*She receives a bit of the impression from Primus, though it's not directed at her; she doesn't understand it at first, until Foresight speaks. Her eyes widen fractionally - her construct can see the past in addition to the future, but it seems Foresight needs a direction, a starting point to look at, before she can see it in more detail... and Primus has some say in what is revealed. That's good to know...*
*But she'd assumed this was something Foresight already knew from her perusal of history - apparently, it's not. As the younger servant trails off in obvious concentration, Auspex winces in regret* Remind me to share my own archives with you when I return to Cybertron. I've written these things down, myself, but I'd assumed they'd be recorded elsewhere as well, or that Hallow would have mentioned them - I'm rather disappointed that he hasn't, then.

Tessera: *from inside the winged seer's chemise* My arms're getting sad.

Foresight: *squeak!* *eyes focused on the here and now as she digs in the front of her garment!*

Auspex: *Her thoughts are derailed as Tessera pipes up - and it's just as well. They were teetering dangerously on the edge of another tangent* Ah... I suppose we are losing precious time to sleep, as well. *she smiles, a bit sheepishly*

Foresight: *offers tiny tiktok* The oldest archives are gone. Hallow and the others have often regretted this. I never realized I could restore the lost files. *spurt of excitement behind her calm exterior*

Tessera: *wiggles happily*

Auspex: *She reaches to take Tessera, holding her in one hand as she smooths her head apologetically with the other. She sighs softly about the loss of history* The war has caused quite a bit of lost knowledge, yes. But if you can see these things, with hints from those who have been there, perhaps you could expand on them again. You might even be able to see if the telling of experiences in other parallel realities correspond with the events in our own.
*She approaches one of the ground-level beds, reaching to push down curiously at the sleeping surface. Softness is much more of an issue when one's body is flesh, but it's still something of an alien concept to be concerned about*

Foresight: I'll have to see if I can, once we're home again. *pokes the pad on the other lower bunk, then frowns and pulls it off. Sets it on the floor and crawls into the bed*

Auspex: *Her brow furrows at Foresight's partial dismantling of her bed. She offers a quirk of a smile* I hope you will not regret the loss of the padding on that; I'm unsure how an organic body will feel after a few groons of lying on a hard surface...
*The fabric covering the bed conceals a roughly rectangular-shaped lump at the head of the structure, and a peek underneath reveals it to be a soft head rest. She peels back the cover as she realizes one is meant to sleep underneath it - she does feel a bit cool after losing the outer layers of her outfit, and it appears to offer some warmth*

Foresight: *stretches her body, arms and legs, brow twitching as something pops* This surface isn't hard.

Auspex: *she blinks, wincing at the popping sound. She mutters absently* What is in an organic body that does that?
Ah... alright, then. So long as it's not uncomfortable... *She perches herself on the edge of her bed, setting Tessera down near the soft head support. After a moment of thought, she draws her legs up to tuck them under the bed covering. This is actually a very pleasant sensation*

Foresight: *absently, as she talks to God and Primus* My shoulder joint will do that even when I'm in my normal form. It was stretched in an accident some solar cycles ago.

Auspex: *She hisses softly, unsure she really wants to know, but she feels compelled to ask anyway* I'd hope the circumstances weren't too dire...

Foresight: *focuses with a blink, then smirks a little self consciously* I tasted an elder's home brewed energon. And then flew into a wall.

Auspex: *She blinks in dismay* Oh dear. That sounds... unwise, though I'm sure you don't need to hear that from me. I'm sorry it left lasting damage.
*she takes a moment to try lying on the bed and pulling the cover up over herself. It's very comfortable... though she's abruptly struck by a reminiscent thought, of Bob and his human-made ornamental rug, and how he would hide under it as he recharged on his berth. She'd not realized organics do such a thing regularly. The memory brings a poignant smile to her face*

Foresight: No one realized it would be too strong for my systems. *lifts her head and looks toward her aunt as she picks up on the older woman's emotions. Quietly and curiously* You've used a blanket before?

Auspex: *she 'hmm's thoughtfully, a little surprised that a construct of Jetstorm's could be affected in such a way by some questionable energon manufacturing practices... then again, her own specs are in there as well, and she has no idea how she'd react to such a thing, herself. Besides, such a co-creation does not necessarily acquire every attribute of the creators, if Blue or Blackout are to be believed...*
Ah... *the smile lingers as she explains* Bob was very fearful when he first came to me, and suffered frequent nightmares. He would cover himself with a large decorative carpet from Earth when he recharged, and the darkness under it seemed to soothe him. I sat with him when he had trouble recharging at first, as well, and sometimes I found myself half-buried by it, too - and he would occasionally drape me in it, when I recharged, also. *she chuckles softly*

Foresight: *quiet affection* Ah, I see. Coverings like that trap the warmth too, which can be very soothing. *muffles another yawn and ponders it*

Tessera: *squeaky yawn and a giggle*

Auspex: I suppose so, yes. I think I appreciate it more as an organic, at the moment, however. *She turns to her side, snuggling happily into the warmth of the covering fabric. This is very comfortable...*
*The yawn from the tiktok near her head prompts one of her own, and she blinks in surprise - apparently, they are contagious, whatever they are* This reflex seems to happen when one is sleepy... I suppose we should heed that impulse.

Foresight: When we're tired we don't take in enough oxygen. ... *lifts head* Why do you yawn, Tessera?

Tessera: It's fun.

Foresight: Ah. *puts her head back down, then rolls partly onto her front and curls up a little, feeling amused and content*

Auspex: Oh? I only wonder, then, why the tendency seems to spread between people. *she sleepily reaches up to pat Tessera's tiny head, smiling slowly; of course she is entertained by simple joys*

Foresight: Simple empathy. Or some half buried instinct to compare one's teeth.

Auspex: *she's rather skeptical, but amused* Hmm... or to encourage everyone present in a group to sleep, so no one keeps anyone else awake...

Tessera: Teef? *sticks a thumb in her mouth to look for some*

Auspex: *She peers over at the chiproach/tiktok with the same fond smile* I doubt you need teeth in that form, either...

Tessera: *intent on her exploration* Fer's doe congue.

Auspex: *she takes a moment to decipher that, before nodding, though it's a bit awkward with her head resting on the bed* You have no need to fuel in that form; I suppose that makes sense, too.

Tessera: Neat. *looks at her hand and her thumb, then beams both with her expression and emotions* Nini!

Auspex: *she pauses to discern the meaning of her ward's exclamation, before she lifts her head to kiss the top of Tessera's head fondly* Rest well, little one - and you as well, Foresight.
*She closes her eyes as she relaxes, reaching for Primus's presence and peace as her consciousness begins to fade*

Primus: *quietly... seems to sing a lullaby*

Tessera: *tiny giggle before rolling over and starting to emote sleepy feelings*

Auspex: *her mind nestles in the comfort of the contented hum of Primus's aspect, the echo of thoughts so much larger than her own, in its unfathomable harmony. Tessera's joyous little flittings of unconscious emotion form a quiet counterpoint, and are shaded and shadowed by Foresight's calm content*

Kup: *his voice comes over a speaker from the outside, unconsciously joining the chorus of contentment as he sings himself to sleep and shares his single human song with Boulder. Voice softly crooning* Jesus loves me, this, I know, Holy Spirit tells me so...

Auspex: *Her mostly asleep mind stirs just a bit, enough to register the faint singing with bafflement (she has little idea what the words really mean), but also charmed fondness. The audible sweet sound mingles with the intangible sweet presences around her, and she drifts into a deeper, utterly peaceful slumber*


continued here


((Co-written with primus_seeress))