The Villa Is Open

[shipwreck_light]

Zephyr had a plan. "We are gonna make you the best electric milkshake that ever was!"

"Or will be!" Pip joined in, clapping her hands over her head as she danced along before him and Roa and generally got in the way of where they were trying to walk.

This gave Zephyr plenty of excuse to pause at the end of the hall and make himself a sweeping gesture. "In the historya... ah..." one that should have ended with him banging his hand on the wall.

Except for the part where the applicable wall had disappeared and not in the usual behold the busted drywall kind of way. It was just gone. Likewise, the hallway and the entirety of Sky Plaza.

Zephyr stood on some low, sweeping stone steps. That happened to be outside, while just a moment before been /inside/ and headed to the kitchen. "OK, what the hell?"

Roa took in the sudden sky all golden up the flanks of the villa before them and held her finger to her lips in curiosity. "I don't know, actually." Then, she attempted to walk down the way they had come. This got her over the steps and almost to the spray from the fountain in the drive before it became quite apparent merely turning around wasn't going to accomplish much besides dampening her shoes. Back up she went. "This *looks* like where they held the last Court of the Manor."

"You dunno?" his next sound was an odd one, not a moan and not a laugh, and awfully feline besides. "Yeah, that's not freakin me out or nothin. Dun you know everythin?"

"Zephyyyr. Same to you."

"You guys," interjected Pip, her bare toes rapping on the stone. "Think this's kinda the same thing happened to Seb."

"Hm?" Zephyr craned himself her way, and their hands tangled together, wires all a-flash.

"Mm!"

"Mnhn."

"Nnn~."

"Well, I like your theory so far," Roa nodded. Mostly, she wasn't being silly right back at their latest ridiculous display. Mostly. "Happened to Siebenkas...?"

"Yeah, he had this dream," the elder of the two evokers almost began to explain, digits working.

Whatever he meant to coax out of the recollections between them, Pip took over, swaying as she did. "He thinks was a dream, but is totally notta dream. I know. I touched him thinkin about it an it was all wrong fora dream. Still didn't make any sense, but not the same kinda way dreams do."

"Also, Seb never dreams he's nekkid. Fun fact."

("So useful, too," Roa remarked, quite to herself.)

"But, he walked outta his bathroom an alla a sudden, he was in this bar in Old New York an there were all these other people an he was almost kinda sorta mebbe flirtin with this mob boss lady over gin an tonic and then there was this real cute muddy guy. Seb didn't think he was so cute, but I did. He got way more distracted by the other lady evoked with her eyes and the booze was good an there were pretty blond polyamourous peeps bonkin in the restroom an... an... an..."

Her not so little description might have gone on another few hours, except that Zephyr reached around with his unoccupied hand and tickled her. The way they'd tangled up together, she must have known it was coming.

Which left Roa to conclude Pip wanted tickled more than she wanted to discuss any washroom adventures. "On one hand, that sounds very much like a dream to me. On the other, if there's some sort of precedent for people in our manor suddenly disobeying all known laws of physics. And you're not playing some sort of elaborate prank."

"Hey! I had my heart set on givin you your first electric milkshake an that's not somethin I'd go back on for any money." Next thing she did know with any certainty, Zephyr had play staggered over, clutching at his shirt, "'m so disappointed it /huuurts/."

"Well, you can make it up to me when the universe goes back to normal."

Grin for the time being, too.

"It is going to go back to normal?"

"Did last time. 's why we still gotta Seb an notta portal to someplace called Dan's," said Pip.

"Alright, so why don't we...?"

"Make the besta it?"

"Yes!" Roa swung from Zephyr's grasp. He only then reached for her, trying to find that place in her moments where the best meant [concrete] he could play after and with her. As it was, he missed her as she skipped the villa steps instead, swirling her skirt in her hands and calling back after: "We're going to get company, right?"

"Woul, that'd be nice, but if not," he shrugged. "We get blitzed an watch the stars come out." A quick little sigh and a pop of his shoulder after, he followed.

Pip watched the space in the sky where the clouds should have been. The end of her nose twitched. "We're so gettin company. Can smell it, almost. Somethin's zactly not right out there." Laughing then, she blew past them both and straight through the doors.



Stuff you actually need to know available in this direction:
http://rainbowlounge.dreamwidth.org/18653.html

Have fun!

ETA: This post has not been up thirty-six hours and we officially have more than 500 comments. SO I SUPPOSE THIS ISN'T FUN AT ALL AMMIRITE? XD

ETA II: I am really, really touched that everyone wants to take care of the deceased fellow in the pool. I'm sure he appreciates it (he didn't even have a name in the story where he first appeared ;_;). But, alas, there was only one of him and he's currently being handled. He may be installed in a bedroom shortly, and should that happen, I will give him his own thread for poking purposes.

Comments

[bookblather]

Oh, did she think she was being threatening, standing up tall like that? How adorable. Aaron gave her the kind of smile he reserved for his exceptionally stupid victims. "Is something wrong?" he asked, in his most innocent tones.

[shadowsong26]

You don't know who I am, my son's tutor is stupid, my stupid usurper baby brother stole my son's kingdom, and you're stupid.

Instead of actually saying any of that, Tana sniffed. Two can play the condescension game. And I'm better at it than you are. I was bred to it. "Nothing you would care to know or understand, I'm sure."

[bookblather]

"If you like," he replied. Oh, this just kept getting better and better. How next to provoke her...? "I wouldn't want to bother you, I'm sure."

[shadowsong26]

"Indeed," she said again. Maybe he's finally getting it. Now, how to determine if he's human. And if he knows where we are and how to get back--not home, she hadn't been home since Sorell was a baby--to the fortress.

[bookblather]

"It's just that you looked so confused," he went on, opening his eyes very wide. "I only wanted to help." Or amuse himself. In a polite way.

The small human would be so upset if he killed somebody here.

[shadowsong26]

He's not getting it. He's being condescending again. "I don't need your help," she snapped.

[bookblather]

"Of course not," Aaron said, enjoying himself hugely. "I assume you don't need anyone's help. It's only reasonable and proper."

[shadowsong26]

"Indeed," she snapped back, and then realized--he was trying to manipulate her. The cheeky stupid bastard!

[bookblather]

Oh, she'd caught on, had she? The rage on her face suggested it. Aaron smiled innocently at her and pretended not to notice.

[shadowsong26]

And he was just smiling that stupid, arrogant smile, like mocking her--her the mother of the King of Feredar (even if stupid usurper Andrell was ruling at the moment)--was some grand joke!

She almost went for her knife, but she didn't know if he was a freak and Kellom said she couldn't kill people.

HATE HIM. HATEHATEHATE HIM!

[bookblather]

"What a lot of rage for such a little person," Aaron said, softly. "Have I said something to offend you, perhaps?"

Of course he had, several somethings, just to irritate her because it was fun, and he knew it, and he knew she knew it. But her response should be fun.

[shadowsong26]

She took off her shoe and threw it into his stupid smug stupid smiling stupid face.

[bookblather]

Aaron, who had seen the move coming from a long, long way away and didn't know why she thought he wouldn't have, ducked with ease, and proceeded to simply stare at her for a long, long moment.

"That wasn't nice," he said, at length. "It was also unwise."

[shadowsong26]

"You have no right to speak to me this way!"

She threw her other shoe.

[bookblather]

This one he caught, for the hell of it, then dropped it on the floor like trash. "I've never been concerned overmuch with rights." He looked at her, torn between curiosity and bloodlust.

Well, he could always indulge the bloodlust after the curiosity.

"Tell me," he said, in a perfectly even tone, "who exactly you think you are."

[shadowsong26]

"I," she spat, "am the mother of the true King of Feredar. You are nothing."

Now, if she could just have a moment to get out some of her hairpins--those wouldn't be as fatal as her knife.

[bookblather]

"Hmm," Aaron said, looking at her with a little more respect. "Well. At least you understand that. Although I am somewhat different than you clearly think."

Not that he knew or cared what Feredar was, or if she was the mother of any kings.

"I could break your neck, perhaps," he said, thoughtfully. "If I wanted to."

[shadowsong26]

"So could anyone your size, stupid," she snapped back. At least some of the condescension was gone. Finally. She supposed he really was stupid enough to need things spelled out for him explicitly. "And I could cut your heart out with a spoon," she went on. And she would, once she confirmed he was a freak. Though, if he wasn't, she could still stab him a little. For being such a stupid condescending idiot.

[bookblather]

"Well, of course anyone my size could," he said. "Which is why I wouldn't do it. It wouldn't be fun." He tilted his head to the side, watching her, and added, "I really don't think you could hurt me, though."

[shadowsong26]

"Try me," she said, drawing herself up again and glaring right up into his stupid eyes. Definitely stabbing him, freak or no freak.

[bookblather]

"No," he said, reluctantly. "No, I don't believe I will. The small human would be upset." He never knew what to do when the small human was upset. Anyway, he generally tried not to kill people in places as public as this. That was just stupid.

[shadowsong26]

...he IS a freak!

Tana never thought such a revelation would bring her so much joy.

But! It would be more fun if she went about this slowly, of course. And he miht catch her like he did with her shoes, since he wasn't properly restrained--where the hell did he come from, that he wasn't collared?

She needed to decide where to stab, and then get close enough that he wouldn't see her draw the knife...

[bookblather]

She'd gone tense. Hmm. He raised his eyebrows at her, relaxed into a rock-solid stance and waited.

She'd come to him. And maybe then he could kill her.

[shadowsong26]

"What child is that?" she asked, a little breathless, stepping closer. "The one you don't want to upset."

[bookblather]

Aaron held his ground, but kept an eye on the muscles in her shoulders and chest. If she was going to try something it would start there. "My best friend's daughter," he said. "And if you go anywhere near her I will kill you. I won't even bother making it fun, I'll just do it."

He didn't love her. Love wasn't real. But he was fond of her, in his own way. And this... this creature so arrogant and presumptive would not go anywhere near her.