A fresh, verdant planet, not unlike a fictitious planet Moorn might have created had things gone a bit differently in his past dealings with Felina Deyono. Cherry trees about, and wetlands are the rule rather than the exception. A strange tower stands in the middle of this place... the only shelter on the entire face of the planet. The rest is wild, and beautifully so.

---

Helantri Deru
Niven Ai

Istan Archive
Istan Archive 2

---

Felina's serious, but not grim, when she appears on Istan Aiga, looking for Moorn. At this point, though unusual, this situation has been downgraded in her mind to a perfectly mundane calamity of epic proportions.

In the castle his voice floats over her once he's realized she's there. Workshop is in the basement.

Felina nods, which is vaguely psychically carried, and heads off that way. She doesn't knock, since she'd been invited and he no doubt senses her progression anyway and she's not likely to startle him or interrupt something vital.

Moorn's workshop is actually impeccably clean, and tidily organized. There are no bookshelves here, but plenty of tools, jars, and samples of things. The sorcerer himself is sitting at a desk, drawing out what looks to be a simple blueprint or a figure.

"Did you figure out anything?" he asks this quietly, calmly, without looking up.

"Most of a solution, including rough timetables." Felina nods, and begins to relate things in a manner not at all dissimilar from his current bearing. "Her vital essence is essentially shifting in such a way that one part with its own distinct character is essentially enveloping the part that's always supported Mara as we know her. They have to be separated in order to preserve the current mind; transferring everything would transfer the problem as well. To do this, traits will have to be picked and chosen and transferred to a temporary vessel...anything living will do, we can let her select it. The vital essence will need to be split...we garnered some help for that, to ensure that it's done right. The half of the essence that we need should replenish itself over time to a full strength by the nature of her immortality.

"However, this is also going to add a time constraint. The instant the 'good' portions of Mara are removed from her existing body, a time constraint will logically be triggered. 'Bad Mara' could 'awaken' at any time soon after that, however long it takes her to fully gain control of the old vessel and gain enough footing to constitute a full mind. Thus, we'll need to get our Mara situated into a new body and on the road to recovery as quickly as possible." His part, but that goes without saying.

The sorcerer actually looks up at Felina with a look of absolute failure to comprehend set upon his face. "Erm... I'll just leave that first part to you." Looks back to his blueprint. "Mara's other debacle inspired me. I am building a simulacra for her... it will be aggressively permeable to her essence, so that we will not have to wire a unique form for her."

Felina nods. Moorn probably would have understood the readings that had baffled her a few minutes ago...they do have their specialities. "It's a good plan. How long will it take for it to acclimate to her power? Will it just keep time with her essence as it regains strength?"

A hint of something that might be sorrow warps his girlish features for a moment. "Mara-kuru will be a vegetable for at least ten days. After that depends on her resolve."

Felina nods, unhappiness shadowing her own features as well...but barely, and only for a moment. "Alright. We'll just have to create a safe environment for her, then. Which raises the question of what to do with what remains. The other Mara."

"Kill it." Moorn's eyes narrow. "It is for the best, you know. Put something sharp through its brain before it wakes up."

"While it would simplify things, it may take a few days before we can tell with certainty whether the two Maras remain linked on a vital level. They will be two halves of the same person, after all."

"And you would not have done it, anyway."

"Technicality. If it turns out to be safe for Mara, I'll probably end up doing it anyway, if or when she proves herself hostile."

Moorn frowns, considering. "I suggest, then," he slowly begins, thinking as he speaks, "that it is placed in a normal living area, shielded to prevent it from doing anything hasty. For all we know it will not have a mind, or if it does it might be a newborn's mind, or a copy of Mara's. But do not just leave it out."

Felina nods slowly, considering then once more sure. "Sound. I'll get the twins started on that. In the meantime, do you need anything from me?"

"Actually, yes. I need you to convince Mara to give up her weapon. We will definitely need to keep that thing away from any bad Mara that might show up." Moorn looks back to his blueprint. "Ignore this. I had thought to envision a form for her, but the simulacra will allow her to take a form and so I need not bother."

Hm. Moorn being...sweet. That's...different. "It was a nice thought, anyway. I'm sure she'll be curious to know what you were considering, so it won't be a waste. Leiulei..got it. Anything else?"

"No."

Felina nods. "When will the simulcra be completely ready?"

"Provided things go smoothly, I should be able to complete one by the end of the day." Moorn stands, pushing his chair out a little bit with a scooting noise. "It will mature along with her healing essence. A mature simulacra would require several days, but we are in a rush."

Felina nods. "All right. Let me know if I can help with anything, or flag either of the kids down for that. Is there anything else?"

"No. Let me to my work, now, Felina, and we can discuss after the fact." Desperation? Nah. He turns his head too quickly for the emotion to register.

Felina nods. Bows slightly, which actually surprises her after a moment...and then leaves, vanishing to Helantri Deru halfway to the door.

---

The next intrusion is Dewei's, feeling attentively for his master.

In the tower, Moorn's voice calls to Dewei. Quickly. I could use assistance.

Dewei nods, unnecessarily...takes "quickly" to heart, and moves that way in a piece of teleportation as far as possible and a quick clip otherwise.

In the tower, Moorn stands over a spell circle, his hands outstretched, and a gray ball the size of a keg hangs from his fingertips.

"Ah, good man. Bring that bottle of cobalt over here and pour it onto this lump."

Dewei nods...doesn't ask just yet, just picks up the bottle in question adn does as asked.

The lump turns blue for a second, and then back to gray.

"That should do it, Dewei. That is all the necessary elements." Moorn removes his hands, leaving the keg thing to float in the air. "You have my gratitude. What brings you here, before I set you to training based upon the assumption that you have come for it?"

Dewei's eyes, psychic and otherwise, are on the lump a few moments, before looking up to Dewei. "You're welcome. And, mother asked me to tell you that Mara is safely in her temporary vessel, and that it's with the guy who facilitated the transfer, in her father's gardens. Also, that she'll be remaining with Mara's old body until it awakens, which I assume means it's happening faster than she'd originally intended."

Moorn leans on his fists, blowing a thoughtful breath. "Then she will have shielded the area, I trust. No in or out." He wonders about it, but in all fairness, is far too distracted about Mara's situation to do much more than think. At least, now that the chament is complete. "Was there something else?"

Dewei shakes his head. "She did shield the area. Strongly. And no, not really. She mentioned the situation potentially getting dangerous and being ready for it, but I assume that you know that part."

The sorcerer nods. "Quite." He's quiet a second. "I have little to say right now, you understand. You can certainly go and help your mother, or whatever you wish." It's not a direct "leave" but pretty close.

Dewei nods, taking the hint. "She directed me to watch over Aunt Mara and Master Iscovis. So I'll be in those gardens if you need me for anything." He bows politely, and turns to leave.

Moorn nods, lets him go. Now, of all times, is not the most sociable of times for him.

And, so, Dewei, one of the more powerful errand-boys anywhere, is off again to Saea's Gardens.

---

Felina is quiet when she appears on Istan Aiga. Not sure exactly what she has to say...some of it. Not all of it.

This time Radivishe Moorn is out in plain sight, tending to some chips in Ai's statue... by hand. That he's just distracting himself is plain.

"In old days, I would go start a war if I felt like ignoring a problem," he calls to Felina. "Being pleasant ruins the fun of neglect."

"Try going to a sport fight, picking an underdog, and helping him covertly so that he humiliates and beats the living hell out of someone who annoys you. It works for me," she offers as she walks over. "Stunting your own power and finding or starting a brawl or sport fight already in progress is also amusing."

"Ai would disapprove," he points out. Glances up to the statue. "I have not yet figured out how to politely ask someone to state their business. What is on your mind?"

Felina looks up at the statue. "Just here to update you. Mara's body is awake. The new inhabitant is very different than her--chose the name 'Yoru,' for future reference, but doesn't seem immediately threatening. Of course, she's smart. Being immediately threatening before you're even aware of the situation, in my house no less, wouldn't exactly be a stellar plan."

Moorn turns his gaze directly to Felina. "Do I detect a hint of distaste for this new person in your voice?"

"Yes and no." Felina shrugs, and folds her arms. "She seems pleasant enough. If she stays this way, life will be good...if a touch more complicated socially. But it will take more to convince me that she isn't and won't become a threat. For now, all that I can do is play nice, hope to curb her being exposed to certain things before her mind's fully, consciously developed its individualism, and hope to develop a lasting alliance there. Maybe she deserves that...Ahmin's chosen daughter or not, whether she'll fullfill that has yet to be seen.

"But, for now, I can only wait and hope, and there's no real potential for proactivity. You know probably better than anyone that I'm a control freak. Thus, I'm bothered."

"Mm. Just be prepared for the worst. Wait." Moorn crosses his arms over his chest, which these days is almost always shirted. "If you are here, who is with her?"

"Orrin. I don't perceive any immediate danger yet; she seems the sort to bide and plan carefully, so..." blinks. Bridge of nose down onto fingers. "...and why did they just go to the nether plan?" Ugh...grand.

"Mara's dark side is liable to be more like you than like Mara, Felina. Be careful that she does not see Orrin too intently."

"I trust Orrin." Felina nods once. "But thank you." Her senses are carefully attuned to the nether plane...to the very, very limited extent that they can be, and that mostly by virtue of her close connection to a certain dumen. "On a tangent, since you're distractedly poking a statue, I assume that Mara's demi-body is ready to go?"

"Quite, yes." Moorn gestures to the formless, energy-free lump of gray-blue sitting to his left. "Ignore its appearance, though."

"Noted and done. So. We have a red persian cat--that has about the consciousness of a cat, so that you won't be caught off-guard. Mara's mind is suppressed somewhat--with Mara-kuru's mind and essence inside of it. Is transfering her to this thing and creating all the proper links your department, or Iscovis's?"

"Whichever is convenient, I suppose... hm. Strange." He tilts his head. "I just felt a surge emenating from Mara's nether home. Was I imagining it?"

"Nope. Will get back with you later." And she vanishes.

"Women," he shrugs. "Insight, but not an ounce of foresight." And he goes back to tapping.

---

Dewei pets Mara gently when they all appear on the grounds of Istan Aiga, trying to keep her calm after a quick switch.

Slowly, Mara's claws pull away from Dewei's shirt. She meows authoritatively.


Radivishe Moorn is sitting on the fountain's edge, staring out into space, when they all arrive. He doesn't move to look at them. "Is this Mara?"

Dewei holds up the kitty, and nods. "Yes. And pretty agitated...you can probably calm her down." He's fairly sure that even though she won't consciously remember, Moorn's smell and touch will register as "good person."

"The chament is right here," Moorn pats the block sitting next to him, as if ignoring them all. "I am going away for a while. Set this right." And he starts to walk away, just like that.

Makyon blinks. "Should we, ah, stop him?"

Dewei shakes his head. "No." Definitely no.

"Sooo..." Ting looks over at Iscovis, hands still on his chair after bringing him here. "Now what?"

"Now," the psychic snorts awake again, "I have already set Mara's transfer spell. I thought I ought to set it up while I was transferring her the first time, to save time. So just take the kitty, set it on the chament, and..." he falls asleep again.

Ting whaps him in the head. Not overly hard, but hey.

Dewei smirks, but carries Mara over to the chament and sets her on top of it, petting her to get her settled.

Mara purrs happily, her mind taken off of Moorn walking away even though was thinking more about having a bath and maybe sleeping some more. There is a marked energy transfer between cat and block, but nothing physical happens immediately.

"How long should this take?" Makyon wonders aloud.

"I'm not sure," Dewei admits.

---

Some minutes later, the kitten is completely empty of Mara's essence. The block is slowly boiling outward, taking a Serinian form bit by bit by miniscule bit. Iscovis is asleep again, and Makyon is busily exploring the castle in search of someone to bother.

Yoru appears just beside the great fountain, looking around with her ears perked up. "Hi?"

Ting's standing in the water, her partially-net white stockings removed. Her ear perk up at Yoru's appearance most interestedly, and she bounces around when she appears. Blinks. "Hi! You're...hm. You dyed your hair and eyes, yes? They look pretty!" It's true. Very nice way to ask whether she's the lady in her aunt's body.

"Hello..." Yoro approaches cautiously, amused at just how Ting resembles her parents. "Um... I did. Ting, yes?" She holds out her hand. "I'm Yoru. I... um. It is nice to meet you."

Ting's multi-pierced ears twitch again. This isn't like meeting a new person, after all, not exactly. But then she grins, and takes Yoru's hand. "Hiya! I'm Ting. But you know that! Nice to meetcha. This water is cold."

Yoru looks down, and then back up. "Cold is good?" She smiles a little. "Your father said I should ask you how to use these." She holds out a folded fan, and them beams, proudly. "He is making a set for me!"

Ting blinks. "Hey, my fans! Cool!" She grins. "The take some practice, but they're fuuuun."

"Fun," Yoru nods. "Seems so."

"Hee. Well..." Ting steps out of the fountain, shaking off her feet. "What do you want to learn? Dancing or fighting?"

"Both." Yoru squares her shoulders.

About this time, Makyon comes ambling out of the castle. He pauses when he sees Yoru, though, and decides it best to observe for a bit.

"Hmm..." Ting wiggles thoughtfully. "Well. I'm kinda cold anyway. Want me to do a little song and dance to show you?" She grins her goofy grin that just makes you think... "god, is this girl for real?"

Yoru's lip twitches. Ting is amusing, but somewhere deep down she finds herself annoyed to no end by her. It's the same sensation she had when Orrin and Felina were being affectionate earlier. Still, she smiles and holds out the fans, nodding her head, and successfully beats down that odd sense of revulsion. "I would love that."

"Hee. Yay! Wait." Ting leans on the statue and finishes pulling on her stockings. "Right-oh, then! Hee." She's happy to pluck her fans from Yoru's grasp, purring at them a little. "Ahh...so pretty. Why did I ever give you guys up?" She pauses a moment, then looks over at the naginata propped up nearby. "Don't give me that look! I remember, okay? Stop it!" Looks at the fans. "Right then!" She folds both, smiles at Yoru, and steps out farther into the courtyard, humming quietly to herself, trying to figure out a song.

Yoru perches on the side of the fountain, very catlike, smiling now that the strange revulsion has gone away. She notices Makyon approaching out of the corner of her eye, and pays him only a little heed.

"Hey, Ting. Putting on a show for a girl?" He smiles his idiot smile for her. "Mind if I watch?"

"Are you properly insured?"

"I could be."

Yoru beams at them both. Now this is affection. Budding, blossoming friendship. She likes this. Plus he's kinda cute.

"Okay! If I have to throw stuff at one of you, then, it won't be her. She's prettier than you anyhow. So sit down, I don't like moving targets. Wait. I do, right? Okee, whatever you like, then!" Spot smiles sweetly, grins her "hunter kitty" grin, and then looks more focussed, all in very quick succession. She lets out her breath, gathering her thoughts and focussing her body a bit, still.

When she moves again...it's hardly the same person at all. She takes a few steps, infinitely precise as though placed to an unseen grid, and the first fan snaps open into a world in which it belongs utterly: exactly here, and exactly now. It could never be as right again.

It's impossible to determine precisely when her voice had begun. It just...is, a quiet and wordless thrum soothing to the very soul, as though it always has been. Her dark eyes begin to take a quiet wonder in her own song and dance, and then it takes its own life. The other fan snaps open, both sweep upward, and the dance really begins.

In one corner sat my conscience
In the other stood my fate
My conscience called across the room,
And begged "negotiate!"

But fate refused to listen
Even as I'm tugged between...
Between the nagging of my conscience
And a seductress called my dream.

The dance and song and fans are all inseperable now.

When fate began to wrest control,
My conscience ceased to flail
It gave into my weaknesses
And ceased begging me to fail.

Then conscience became conscious
Once more struggled 'gainst its end,
And fate it was forced back, then forward,
And both they had to bend.

Such a fight between the two of them!
But understanding finds its time:
Without accord, my life, this fight
Will be always, forever mine.

My fate it couldn't be escaped,
Yet conscience is needed too.
And what I need to rebuild myself

Is accordance of the two.


Then peace fell full amongst us three,
When I dragged them to one soul
And then I found the place between them,
A perfect world ephemeral.
And then I stood tall amongst them all
...And finally was whole.

One fan falls with a soft chink to the ground, the sharp edge embedding itself in the packed soil.

Makyon, of course, is enthralled by the performance. He claps, and catcalls, but the full meaning of it hits Yoru much, much harder. She wishes that she had someone to hide behind, but Makyon is obviously an idiot and she can't very well hide behind Ting. She paws at the fountain's edge, unable to speak.

Ting smiles at Makyon, face half-hidden behind the fan, still about three-quarters of the way in "beautiful songstress" mode...but she really is a silly creature, and that's quickly fading. "Hey...are you okay, Miss Yoru? You look kinda...pale. Are you still changing your skin color?"

Yoru shakes her head. "Um... I'm just... A little moved is all." Her smile comes back, sheepish, but sincere. "It was very nice of you to show me this. I don't think I could ever do it so well as you."

Ting calls the dropped fan back up to her hand. "Aww...sure you can! And better, too, I betcha." She flutters the fan in front of her face once, and finally lowers it to reveal a more Spot-ish grin beneath. "But, they're pretty, yes! They kick butt, too, or can, but they're mostly pretty." She smiles. Still not entirely out of "singer" mode...something about singing triggers something inside of her, it's like a dual personality for the course of the song.

Of course, Makyon takes serious notice of that. It's a side of Ting he hasn't really had a chance to see, and of course, it captures his attention. Yoru, finally, picks up a pebble and chucks it at him.

He doesn't see it coming. The little stone missile pegs him with a sharp thwap!

"Gah!" He looks at Yoru. "Look, I don't care if you look spunky. Rude is rude."

"Aww..." Ting wanders over and pats his shoulder. Stands on her tiptoes to do it, too, for comedic emphasis. "At least she got your attention!" She grins at them both. "So you wanna play with fans, Miss Yoru?"

"Yes!" And emphatically. Yoru is up in a moment, bouncing, thrilled at the thought. Makyon glares at her, but she smiles her thoughtful smile and he melts into her personal puddle.  "Just... I do not know how to start."

"Well, the first step is to rub his head for good luck." Ting jumps up just enough to ruffle Makyon's hair, and jumps away laughing. Her pretty laugh, but, overall and excepting a slight mellowness--well...relative mellowness--she's back to herself. "And..." she holds out a folded fan... "I'll show you how to hold them!"

Yoru looks up at Makyon. "Okay..."

To Makyon's great surprise, amusement, dismay, and joy, Yoru springs up from where she stands and lands cleanly with a foot on each of his shoulders, bent down so nothing particular is close to his head. She proceeds to muss his hair as Ting had done. "Like that?"

Ting hadn't expected that either...and absolutely cracks up. "Perfect!" She's almost bent over laughing, but manages an "a-okay" sign with her fingers.

She steps down off him, smiling a very Mara 'innocent' smile. Makyon just stands there, blinking.

"So." Yoru purrs. "Fans?"

Ting grins a "you're alright" grin at her, and holds out one of the folded fans, joint end to Yoru. "Here you go! I'll hold onto one for now so I have something to demonstrate with, and we can work together."

Even though she'd been holding one a moment ago, Yoru seems reluctant to take it. She does, but her hands are shaking for some reason she cannot quite explain. "Okay..."

Ting notices this, and her head tilts over. "Are you sure you're okay, hon dear person?"

"Yes." Yoru shakes her head. "No. I mean... yes. Except... I'm fine, I am. New people... I just feel a little wary, is all." She holds up her hand, which is shaking less by the moment. "See?"

"Hee. Okay, well..." the fan flicks open, sits playfully in front of Ting's face. "That works! Dont' worry. We don't bite Unless asked, right Makyon?" She winks at the demi-zombie, giggles, and the fan flicks shut as easily as before.

"Now! Fans aren't really easy to get good at, actually. But they're easy to learn the basics of in a dancing context! We'll getcha started there...getting comfy with a fan dancing is a great pre-req to learning to fight with one. Hee. So...opening and closing." Tings fan flashes open and then shut again with the same speed as before. It's like the fan is blinking. "Easy as pie! Wait. I guess, it is if you're holding it right. Snickers. Sorry, we'll start there." She holds out her hand, fingers placed a certain way. "Fingers here..." settles the fan onto that hand with the other... "fan here, so that you're holding this back piece and the joint of the fan is laying there," she points with her newly-freed hand. "See how it balances? Just close your thumb like this and...yay!"

Yoru watches Ting flick it out and hold it most intently. She lifts the fan, purses her lips in concentration.

The fan flicks out and in. Yoru squeaks, and nearly drops the thing. "Um..." She flicks it again, a mirror of what Ting had done. "Like that, right?"

Makyon, who is finally done blinking and stuttering, scritches his hair in confusion. "She's quick," he pointlessly observes.

Ting blinks. "Very quick. Hee. That was really good, Miss Yoru!"

Yoru does it again, thoughtfully. "When you did it, and I saw it, it... made sense. Like I had done it before." She waves the fan, slowly at first. "I don't understand."

It is just like the books in Felina's library, actually.

"I don't either. But! Let's not look a gift freaky sixth or seven or tenth sense in the mouth!" Ting ponders her own statement. "Makyon, where is a freaky sixth or seventh or tenth sense's mouth?"

"Under its nose," Makyon smartly answers. 

Yoru giggles, and then covers her mouth with the fan.

"Hee." Ting does as well, and blinks sweetly at Makyon. "Aren't we just like twins? Except she's bluer. And taller. And her nose is kinda different, and hair's kinda opposite, and she's not as spotty and...nevermind! Don't I already have one of those twin things already, anyway?" She grins. "Alrightee..onto basic movements then, Miss Yoru?"

And so the lesson continues. Ting is absolutely astounded at how fast Yoru picks this stuff up. She's not a slow learner, herself...but all of this had taken her much longer to master.

Makyon sits and watches them practice. Yoru is obscene in her ability to learn, but he's beginning to think Ting might have been right about that 'tenth sense' nonsense. Yoru just... reacts differently to things. Obviously Felina's vaunted yes-no sense is there. But she almost acts as though she is seeing every action from more than one perspective at once, as she occasionally cranes her head about, or looks down, when she shouldn't. It gives her an alien sort of nature that creeps him a bit.


"I think I can do this," Yoru admits.

"Well...yay! I think you can, too." Ting smiles, and tosses the second fan her way.

Yoru reaches out to snag it, still smiling to herself. She flicks the fans open and closed in shifting patterns, beaming, unable to believe that she is learning this so quickly.

"Just... wait until I tell Orrin! I can just sshhree!"

The fans drop to the ground. Yoru pulls back her right hand, cradling it against her chest without heed for the blood that runs down her new outfit.

"Owwaaah...! What is this," she demands in a whimper, "this feeling, what...!" It doesn't occur to her that she has never felt pain before.

"Eep..." Ting cringes, and literally jumps forward, quickly dissolving the pain and knitting Yoru's cut. "Eee...I'm sorry, Yoru, I didn't mean to! You were doing so well, I thought you'd catch it...are you okay? I'm sorry." She's very contrite and guilty-looking, probably because of Yoru's striking reaction.

Yoru shakes her head, eyes squeezed shut. "What happened, what was that?" She looks down at her hand, and back up to Ting. "I thought I caught it..."

"You did." Ting nods. "But...you caught it by one of the sharp points. Or the sharp part caught you. Or something." She smiles sheepishly. "It cut your hand a bit, that's all. It happens from time to time when you work with sharp things. These are fighting fans, not dancing fans, so...yeah. They can be...hehm. Mean."

Yoru stares tearfully at Ting. "But that feeling...!"

"Ting," Makyon taps her on the shoulder. "Do you suppose it was 'pain'? She was just born, you know. She might not understand the concept."

"Ohhh...right..." Ting scritches her head. "Yes, pain...when something happens to your body that shouldn't, or that can cause damage to you, you get a bad feeling to warn you to get away, or fix it if it's already happened. That's pain." She nods. "Like, if you put your hand in a fire. Your hand's going to be damaged really badly or burn right off if you leave it there, but pain makes sure you won't...and don't want to! 'Cause pain really stinks."

Yoru nods her head sadly. "I see..." She holds out her hand, watching idly. A healing spell pours into the air around them along with Ting's, and she watches the wound close before their eyes. "There," she smiles again. "All better!"

"Hee...yes! Healing things is way more fun than hurting them." Ting nods authoritatively.

Yoru nods too. "Right! Hey..." she looks Ting over, briefly. "Would you say we are strangers, Miss Ting?"

"We were half an hour ago! I don't think so much now, though?" Ting grins. "Would you?"

Yoru beams at that. "No!" And she snags Ting's shoulders, smiles brightly, and proceeds to do to Ting what she had done to Hal back in the bar.

Makyon rubs his eyes. "God dammit. Now you're just tormenting me."

Even Ting's taken aback...but then she laughs, and hugs Yoru. "Yay! I'm all special now. And if you weren't in my aunt's old body, kinda, I'd make out with you just to mess with 'needs a cold shower' over there." She grins brightly at Yoru.

Yoru smiles, but tilts her head. "Make what?"

Ting's eyes glint with mischief at this, and then looks sweetly over to Makyon. "I think you should explain that one." Her eyes are absolutely big, wide, and innocent.

"Heh..." Makyon kneels down next to them, pondering. "Well, Yoru, it goes something like this." He snags Ting's shoulders. Kisses her, just like the first time they met. Which, he's fully aware, will probably end similarly.

"Mrf!" Ting's eyes widen. Of course, given her personality, all the touchy-feely stuff is just fine with her. This time, she wraps her arms loosely around his neck, kisses him, and then leans up so that her mouth is near his ear. "Just remember," she purrs softly... "that this time I know where to sabotage every. Single. Place that you sleep."

Makyon is a little blushy at her return of the gesture, but tightens his hold on her a bit anyway. "It's worth it," he assures her.

Yoru feels that strange aversion in her stomach again. "That is what making out is? Huh. So that is what Mara was doing in all of these strange memories I have."

Ting laughs, and looks back to Yoru. "Yup! Aunt...hm. Is fond of that kind of thing." She snickers. "Not since Moorn got back though! Now she just makes out with him. And my mom." Blinks. Looks at Makyon. "Not that way!"

"I swear, my thoughts were innocent that time." Actually, Makyon's still just kinda looking at Ting.

Yoru nods. "I see! And... hm. Is this something that should be done often? And... no biting?"

"Only if you like it," Ting assures Yoru. "But, it can be kinda fun, especially if you like the dude! And...well...a few people like biting. Hee..." she blushes a little at her own statement. Like Mara, while she's not really loose...she's not exactly a virgin, either. "Well...like my mom...Aunt always talks about how she's really glad Orrin came along, because mom almost never made out with anyone. She even gives me times! Seventy-three years without kissing anyone! I mean, seriously, can you even imagine?" She laughs, but...she really can't imagine. "So...yeah. Give it a chance sometime if you find someone you like, but...you don't have to." She smiles.

Yoru nods. "I think I understand. Thank you, Ting, I have learned a lot." She snickers. "So.. face licking it for better than acquaintance, I take it."

Makyon starts to respond, overdramatically holding up his index finger.

And Ting shoves that whole hand against his mouth. "Yes. Yes it is." She grins. "You learned that from Hal, didn't you? It's okay if you're a kitty cat. Hal's more kitty than person, especially since she's so small, so it's kinda different for her. But..." her ears perk excitedly. "Isn't she cuuuute?!"

"Uh-huh!" Yoru nods excitedly. "This day is turning out so well. And..." she stops. Looks around. "Did... eeww. Something feels icky, in here." She taps on her forehead.

Just about the time the owner of the planet shows up. Moorn is either seething, introspective, or tired... these emotions sort of melt together on days like this.

"Oh, um..." Ting tries to think of how to put this nicely. "That's Moorn. He's Aunt's boyfriend! And...hm. Kind of scary. Really scary. He probably won't hurt you, he's nicer than he used to be, but he's still...hm...kinda...passive-aggressive, these days. Like, if you think he might want you to leave, you probably should. And he doesn't always like company a lot. But he's okay, he is! He's also my brother's mentor." Actually, Ting's getting ready to bail. Pouncing him that once was a fluke.

Moorn doesn't seem to notice them, at first. What he's doing quickly become evident, though, when he lays an armful of freshly cut flowers next to the forming block of that will be Mara-Kuru.

"That..." Makyon notes to the ladies, "... is scarier than him angry."

Yoru shakes her head. "He feels so horrible, but twisted, like... even normal him is screaming in pain, inside."

Ting's eyes sadden, and she just watches quietly. Boy, she'd called that one wrong...and really feels bad, now. "He cares about aunt a lot," she notes quietly. "That icky looking block thing, Yoru...that's turning into Aunt's new body. She's already inside of it, so...she's just...dormant right now. Waiting, without knowing." Her light mood's gone again. Moorn isn't the only one around here who loves Mara, and her eyes are misty.

Yoru doesn't stop to ask if it's okay. She sets aside the fans and reaches out to hug Ting, even though the cloud of emotions, Moorn's, hers, Ting's, even Makyon's, threatens to send her over the edge of lucidity.

Ting sniffles, but manages a proundly grateful smile, just momentary, and clings to Yoru. The kindness extended is a big part of it, of course...but Yoru, though Ting's only partially aware of it, also smells like her aunt.

And of course, Radivishe Moorn would choose this very moment to cast a glance at the two of them.

"There are rooms in the tower for that," he smirks, looking more like himself. Yoru isn't fooled, but keeps that to herself.

"Voyeur stuff is more fun," Ting notes smartly, without a hesitation. She nods.

The sorcerer shakes his head. "Mara would agree with you. So. Have any of you seen my daughter lately?"

Ting shakes her head. "Not in a couple hours or so. The last I saw her, she was on Niven Ai." True.

"I haven't seen her in some time," Makyon nods.

"You have a daughter...?" Yoru smiles worriedly. "Are her ears long, too?"

Moorn scowls. "If you do see her, tell her that we need to speak. I am going to my study."

Ting nods. "I'll let her know."

And he goes, without a further word.

Yoru shakes her head. "My brain feels like it needs a bath. There is so much ugly in that man's heart. And..." she looks at Makyon. "You have a one track mind."

Makyon shrugs. "Blame it on chromosomes, dear."

"Your chromosomes have a one track mind."

"Yes...yes they do." Ting snickers, and stands up.

Dewei, for his part, is a dutiful apprentice with just sharp enough senses to garner about when Moorn would return...given the very stressful time, the sorceror's study is even more impeccably clean than before, at least where the Ono hasn't been forbidden by Moorn or common sense to touch, a recent project and what Dewei had pegged as the most likely chosen distraction is absolutely organized and ready to go--organized Moorn's way, not Dewei's--and a cup and small pot of a preferred purple juice is sitting where it's noticeable but out of the way and unlikely to spill on anything due to one of the increasingly rare earthquakes of a settling planet.

Dewei himself is nowhere to be seen to create awkwardness or need for grudging acknowledgement or forced conversation. Some things are meant to be taken for granted.

Yoru is just about to start practicing with her fans again, when her entire attention is snagged by the loudest sound she has ever heard in her entire life. Her gaze jerks to the tower where Moorn had gone, and she gringes at another thunderous bang coming from inside the structure.

Inside his study, it is all Moorn can do to keep himself from blasting everything in sight. His fists stream a bloody trail down a wall he has reinforced... the sight of that thing above was just too much for today.

"I think," Ting chirps, "it's time for us to go. Like now."

"Good plan." Makyon nods.

"Oh... well... where? Your mom had better be sleeping." She smiles, the Yoru smile.

"Hopefully! Back to the estate's probably a good idea, anyway," Ting nods. "I need to go bug Ai--especially since she can probably make her dad feel at least a little better--but she's kind of private and I don't really want to take the two of you until after she's met you at least once."

"Well... okay!" Yoru smiles at Makyon. "No fancy moves, now."

"I have only passe moves."

"Great!" She takes Ting's hand for a second. "I should read more, anyway. See you soon, I hope!"

Ting grins, squeezes Yoru's hand, and nods. "Yup! Have fun, bye!" And she vanishes for Niven Ai.

Yoru sighs happily at how all tihs has gone. "And you," she looks at Makyon, almost icily. "You just wait. I have figuring to do, and then with that thing you said!" And she vanishes as well, bound for a sleeping place somewhere at Helantri Deru.

Makyon blinks. "So... I'll watch Mara then."

Ting appears very quietly behind Makyon...just high enough to tap him very abruptly on the top of the head.

" the hell??" He's just about on his ears before he realizes who is bothering him, which of course, makes him laugh. "Blasted kitties!"

Ting snickers. "Aww...why so high strung? And why are you still here? I say you're just slow." She nods.

"I was just... listening to the thunder. It's pretty regular." Makyon holds up a hand, counting down from three. At zero, another thunderous crash sounds from the tower. "He's pretty upset. A genocidal maniac with the power to create worlds is upset."

"Back to Helantri Deru then?" Ting chirps cheerfully.

Makyon's eyebrow lifts. "I sense a scam.  Something on your mind, dear kitten?"

She points to the tower. "Not getting squished."

"Point taken." He holds out his hand. "If nothing else, I get to touch you again to get there."

"Ooo! Ooo! Did you you know that I recently learned some spells that give my skins different qualities? I can do poison ivy!" Ting grins--she isn't really doing that--takes his hand, and they vanish for Helantri Deru.

---

Ai wanders into her father's study some time later, her mood urgent and unyielding.

"Father," she greets her sullen dad. "We have a little problem.  Yoru has yielded to her construct programming..."

"I am going, then."

---

Night has fallen on Istan Aiga. Radivishe Moorn stands outside the cairn stones, his hair blowing in the violent winds of the first storm in the planet's history. He watches his teleportation spell dematerialize, leaving two Serinians in its wake.

"Must I ask?"

"Rei-ono's winning." Felina thinks that sums it up pretty well. She keeps her eyes on Yoru, though, despite being momentarily taken aback by the teleportation, and her stance is only off momentarily.

Moorn turns his eyes on Yoru, who is recovering from the teleportation a little more slowly. Her hands are locked on the sides of her head, digging into her scalp.

"Hurts... scary...!"

The sorcerer's eyes narrow a little further. "What in hell is her issue...?" He suspects, of course. Yoru can feel his mind acutely, and in the mood he is in right now, it is all but crippling to her. It doesn't help that he is purposefully sending images of his time in hell her way.

"Literally that." Felina knows what he's doing. Her eyes are still on Yoru, though not entirely hard. "That, and your mind is paralyzingly freaky for an acute telepath not expecting it."

Yoru squeals, just... howls, as if every nerve ending in her body has sparked on fire at once.

"Oh. That." The sorcerer folds his arms, apathetic as usual. "So kill it, and let's go home."

Felina sighs quietly...Yoru's screaming really is getting to her. She feels so...sorry for this creature, even as inevitability is rushing in. She blankets a sort of reverse cloak over Yoru's mind to shut out what's bothering her. "Come on, Yoru...it doesn't have to play this way..."

"It has to. You said it, Felina, you protect. I, I destroy." She doesn't get up, though she does turn her head to look at them. "I don't want to destroy anything...!"

"Felina, if you don't kill it, I will. Now make up your mind." Moorn doesn't speak to Yoru. As far as he's concerned she is the reason that his Mara is a block of putty right now.

Felina glances to Moorn, but then back to Mara's old body. "Yoru...if you want me to kill you, I will. But think carefully."

"I don't want to die, either... I didn't even get a chance to live..."

Felina's eyes sadden, though her expression remains fairly stolid. "No, you haven't. What do you want to do?"

Yoru finally pushes herself up to her hands and knees, quivering still from the horrible images that had shaken her so badly. "I don't know. I can't change the way I was made."

Though Moorn is silent, he is certainly paying attention, ready at the slightest hint of a threat to burn the little creature into oblivion. 

Felina's quiet for several moment. She finally relaxes her fighting stance, and stands up. "Yoru, I...know a certain small universe used for banishment. It's not a bad place, it's really not...not even all of the people there are. Many of them were born there, children and descendents of banished, and many are good people. Some of the worlds are really lovely, too...I did some planeswalking there before the Pantheon locked it fully. If you like, I can send you there, however..." here she raises a cautionary finger. "Know that if I do, not even I can bring you back."

"Banishment?" Yoru's ears flick. "Banishment... that does not sound good at all." She gets to her feet, no longer quivering. "What if I hurt the people there? Or they hurt me? There must be another way."

"I can't think of any, Yoru. I don't know whether overriding your internal programming is possible or not."

Yoru shakes her head rapidly, back and forth, like an angry little girl. "No! That isn't fair!"

"Oh for mercy's sake." Radivishe Moorn has heard quite enough. "I will handle this."

Yoru's eyes widen when his hands start to move. A hint of fear can be seen in her eyes, but she doesn't move, not even when the earth beneath her erupts skyward in a torrent of flames and ash.

Felina's mind races forward in a instantaneous check to see whether Yoru's still alive before she moves.

It is next to impossible to tell. A bubble of sorts sits within the flames, blocking them out along with any psychic interfererence as well. Radivishe Moorn isn't done, though. Underkill is not quite his style. Bolts of elemental lightning rain down upon the bubble, mingling with the smoke of the flames to blacken the sky.

... and are summarily dissipated. A loud pop and hiss off gas are the only signs remaining from the sorcery. Yoru stands where she was before, her hands out to either side.

"So that was how it had to be..." there is a distinct sadness to her voice, but more than that, a distinct resolve. "Okay. Fine by me." Her signature crackles brightly over the spectrum, deeper even than Mara's. "Do what you have to do."

"Yoru, I'm still not sure it has to end this way." Yes, talk talk talk. Pre-emption still isn't Felina's thing. She's positively sick at what had just happened. She's fairly sure afterward, though, that that was the last straw in this strange creature's psyche...and her body is tensed and ready to move.

"Then do nothing. Let me go."

Moorn sneers at that. "Like hell."

Yoru lifts one arm, first finger pointing at the sorcerer.

"Please change your mind," she whispers, her will to fight her nature nothing but dust in the wind. "Please...!"

Before he can answer the air explodes all around him, a set of concussion blasts all pushing towards one point... his head.

No choice here. Felina doesn't appear exactly next to Moorn, not wanting to allow them to be ducks in a row, but suddenly isn't far off, a powerful shield appearing around both of them.

Yoru lowers her hand.

"Felina don't do that. You're going to make me do things I don't want to!"

Radivishe Moorn glares at Felina, but stays quiet.

Quite suddenly, though, Yoru smiles. "Yeah... I don't have to do anything I don't want to, do ?" Her eyes light up. "I can leave anytime I want! You can't stop me, can you? I have this thing!" Again her hand comes up, the crystal in her wrist pulsating brightly.

"That can transport you, yes."

Yoru smiles a little more brightly. "Great. I'm going to the library now. If you want to follow me you can. But no more fighting or else!" And her power spikes in an attempt to teleport herself to a place Mara had often gone in the past, the Vir Sorcery Library.

Felina lets out her breath a few moments after Yoru leaves, and closes her eyes. "I know," she states after a second. "I know that I froze on that one."

"Then I won't bother telling you. It isn't your fault that you have morals. Not everyone can be ruthless." He turns his back to her, starts heading towards the tower. Normally he would've all but bitten her head off. Today... he's distracted.

Felina sighs quietly, looking down once she senses where Yoru had went. Great. Like this is really going to get so much better. The Vir Sorcery Library? Grand. "Knowledge is power" is never more true than when dealing with sorcerors. And power is trouble. She finally just shakes her head, slowly, and heads back to outside deru.

---

Felina's relieved that Moorn isn't immediately by "Mara" right now...she doesn't know that she has the mental strength left to handle him right off the bat. "Hey, Mara...brought you some cookiesand shinies." She smiles a little, setting a small, covered plate with some of Mara's purple cookies and a favorite sort of irridescent, shimmering flower next to it.

The flowers are rare. She doesn't have many to cut. Thy may even lose most of their sparkle by the time Mara wakes up. But some thigs are worth it.

Felina sits down next to Mara, sighs quietly, and leans back against the fountain. "I guess you can enjoy them when you wake up. I'm too used to dealing with the dead...I've got to admit, this has me pretty much baffled." She leans her head back, is quiet a few moments. "I think the part of you we pulled you away from...I don't think she'll actually be so much a threat anymore. Not you, for sure...but not a threat, I hope. I've got to wonder, though...god, overkill seems to be my style. I know we acted with all the best information we had at the time...but I'm going to wonder our whole lives whether putting you through this was necessary."

Sighs again, leans her head back. "I'm sure you'll be fine, though...you're tough like that. Tougher than me, in a way. Anyway...on a more positive note, Yue's back around. I'm sure he'll be glad to see you, when you wake up."

She knows damned well she's almost certainly talking to herself. But...what else can she do? For all intents and purposes...Mara's her sister. Her hurt sister.

Mara, who is slowly beginning to look like her old self again, does not answer at all, physically. A miniscule ripple in the psychic spectrum hints at affirmation, though.

"Hey, sad eyes." Ai emerges from the tower, looking haggard as a goddess ever can. "When did you get here?"

"Just a few minutes ago." All told, the psychic ripple is much more than she'd hoped for, and is heartening. She pats the form that will be Mara, and stands up to face the goddess. "Ai. I can't often say this of you, but you look awful. Is lying down in your immediate future?"

"Eventually," she laughs, still the tinkling of bells despite the weariness etched into her voice. "I just had a fight with father. He is... not someone who needs company right now. Did your troubles with Yoru end well?" She's too tired to remember that she only knows about this from watching Ting on her nifty astral screen.

Felina notices, but glosses over it. "It's too early to say for sure, but I think they may have yes. Still deciding what to do with her even if she's not a threat, though. It may be awkward for Mara if they're both around."

"Mara's a tough little thing," Ai notes, sitting next to the developing critter. "All of that madness just hid so much strength... she had all of us fooled. So who is this Yue character?"

"Yue's a fallen angel sort. He's been a friend of mine...since I was about exactly the twins' age, actually. And he became Mara's friend as well not long after, since we pretty much come in a pair. He lives in a place where time has no linear progression, so he has a tendency to drop off the radar for awhile without warning. The last time we saw him, it hadn't been long since conspired with Mara to give Orrin and I a particularly sappy tenth anniversary." And it was quite a nice party, really, even she'd enjoyed it.

"So he is a transsexual?" Ai could care less about such things. She'd practically selected her own gender around puberty, herself. Another crash sounds from the tower, and though she cringes, Ai mostly ignores it.

Felina starts to glance that way, then just keeps to Ai. She nods. "Yeah. Mostly female psychologically and physiologically...she really is beautiful. Technically male and reflects such in most nighttime preferences, though he can go either way." Really, it sounds too personal, but it's important to know when deciding how to approach him.

Ai smirks a little. "I bet my hemp patch that he hit on you when you met."

Felina smiles at the memory. "He said I was a doll. Then he said that if he thought I was any threat to him or the girl he was protecting, he'd personally pluck every hair from my body."

"That..." Ai blinks. "That's a new one on me. Does this mean I owe you plants?"

Felina grins. "Ting may take you up on that one."

Ai smiles. It feels so much nicer to talk to Felina with... less stress plaguing the both of them. "I'll offer. So... I don't know. Mara is progressing rapidly, thought you should know... she will be awake in two days at the most."

"I can tell." Felina looks over to the defining form, and smiles a bit. "She's slightly psychically responsive...I didn't expect that. Guess I shouldn't have doubted her."

"Odd... she never responded to father or me." Ai taps Mara's forming forehead. "She must really love you, kid."

Felina's expression has to soften at that, and she nods. "Well, it goes two ways. Mara and I are kind of like...halves of a whole. Anyway, speaking of not being all there...I think we have some food left back at Helantri Deru? I doubt you've eaten, and it's got to be healthy to get away from here for awhile."

"Well..." Ai looks at mara again. "Yes, I think so. I miss Dewei anyway. Wait..." her eyebrow arches. "Who cooked this food?"

Felina raises her hands in mock-exasperation. "Everyone's a critic!" She smirks. "Orrin. Orrin cooked the food."

Ai just smiles her goddess smile. "He's such a good boy. Shall we go then?" She holds out her hands, unusually bare of rings.

"Sure." Felina smiles, and takes a moment to pat the only slightly squishy thing that is Mara. "You hang around, okay? I'll be back to visit you later." She grins at "Mara," takes Ai's hand, and then they're both off to Helantri Deru.

---

The next day, Felina's back to visit Mara again, and appears quite nearby.

Yue appears right behind her, but instantly recoils.

Radivishe Moorn is standing next to the fountain, speaking quietly.

Mara-Kuru is awake.

Though taking a moment to mentally reassure Yue, Felina's eyebrows are up...she approaches Moorn and Mara quietly, hope rising in her throat.

The sorcerer looks to Felina impassively, gazes that way.

Nods.

"She is alive. And so far, well, though her faculties are not yet fully restored." His voice radiates cautious optimism, which sounds a bit strange coming from him.

Mara looks to Felina. She appears just as she did, save for a very drunken look in her eye. "Felina? Is that... you, or is Ting grown up? And earsy?"

Felina smiles just little, and nods...looks down to Mara, and sits on her heels beside her. "It's Felina. Ting's ears are still too short for more piercings."

Mara chuckles a very reserved Mara laugh. "I thought so. Did everything go right? Is... my badness gone?"

"It went very well, Mara. Yes, your dad's badness is completely gone from you." She smiles. "You're going to to remain our sweet bundle of chaos whether you like it or not." She doesn't talk about Yoru right now. She doubts Mara's mind would be able to properly wrap around it at the moment, but there's a good chance it would be able to misconstrue the whole thing.


"Chaos?" Mara looks at Moorn. "What is she talking about?"

"The past, dear." Moorn looks to Felina, and jerks his head to the left, calling her over for a huddle. He sees Yue, though, and can't help but smirk. "The angel? Quit cowering, I'm not going to hurt you."

"If it is all the same," Yue whispers, "I... think I left something on in the time stream. Or... something..."

Felina smiles at Yue, just a little, as she stands to head over to where Moorn had indicated. "Actually, I think I did leave a dagger at the tea house. Would you mind...? I don't necessarily need it here, Orrin was going to tighten the hilt around the tang today, anyway." She really had left it. Intentionally.

The angel brightens a little at that. He understands, and vanishes back to the tea house in a puff of glitter, leaving only a mouthed 'thank you' to herald his leaving.

Moorn glances at Felina once Yue's gone. "Wasn't she courageous before?"

"She's having an exceedingly rough week, and you do have a way of leaving an impression," Felina observes as she heads over to the assumed huddle. "So, what's up?"

"Ah. Right. Well... Mara is going to be incomplete for a bit. She is without her darker attributes just as Yoru is without Mara's more pleasant ones. She told me as soon as she came too that we were both underdressed," the sorcerer is shirtless under his cloak, "and that I ought to be decent."

"Mm..." Felina ponders this, mouth tightening bit as she does. "Well, do you suppose they'll rebuild naturally, simply on the basis of her being a fully reasoning, sentient being?"

"Her personality will adapt, of that I am certain. But in what way remains to be seen. With luck, she will be my Mara again soon. The worst case scenario leaves her a nun for the rest of her life."

Felina nods slowly. Her eyes soften just the littlest bit at the 'my Mara' bit. Yue's face way back when had been in her mind, too, so she'd needed the reminder. "We can see what happens, and I know a few people I may consult about things. In either case...a nun won't come into mortal conflict with everyone around her, either, so things are on the right track." She couldn't have stood to harm Mara. Unless maybe there was immediate danger facing one of her kids, an evil Mara would likely have killed her via refusal to fight back.

"Excuse me..."

Moorn looks back to Mara, who is fidgeting impatiently.

"It is not polite to whisper."

The sorcerer turns his eyes again to Felina. "Are you sure?"

Felina smirks at him just a little. "Maybe." She turns back to Mara, and heads back over that way. "Sometimes, even without saying anything mean, it's more polite to whisper," she notes with a little smile. Picks up the flowers she'd left yesterday, and they refresh in her hand. She holds them out to Mara. "Did you find these? Had been fading a bit, but hey."

"Oh, yes, I did. Did you leave them? They are beautiful, thank you." Mara's simple, closed-eyed smile is as different from her old self as Yoru is. "I apologize for causing you both such concern. Whatever I did, I probably deserved the result."

Felina expression doesn't change. But damned if that doesn't bother her a lot. She'd really hoped Moorn was somehow blowing things out of proportion. "Hardly, Mara. Some things just happen. You don't have to deserve them, and you didn't."

"Well, it has passed now, so whether it was penance or not it's done." Mara flicks her ears, amused at these proceedings. "Does this mean everything is normal again?"

"We can hope so, Mara." Doubtful. "How do you feel?"

"Fine. A little tired, though. I could use a nice nap and some milk before I start cleaning out my cabinets. I seem to recall owning a great deal of alcohol that must go."

"Why's that? We've had some good times in that magic cabinet of yours, yes?"

Mara pats Felina's shoulder, very nearly tutting. "Oh, dear... alcohol is evil, sweetheart. Didn't you know? It makes you go blind."

Felina tilts her head. "Mara, if you can see me right now...it's fine."

"Not your eyes, dearest. Your heart." Mara tightens the blanket she had been wearing as she rises, a benign sparkle in her eye. "It hinders good judgment. Who knows what sort of dark deeds one might commit when not in control?"

"Ahh..." Felina smiles. Now she's worried as hell. "Well, resting first, alcohol smashing later. Would you like to find a bed instead of the ground, now that you can feel it? You're certainly welcome back at Deru, and I'm quite positive that Moorn would welcome you inside here, too."

"Well, I know that he and I are in a relationship. But I cannot stay with him, as we are not wed." Mara pats him on the arm at his somehow furious and crestfallen look. "There, there. So I could go back with you."

Felina blinks. "Right. So...do you think you can stand?" She shifts to help Mara up.

"Oh, quite." And she does, easily enough. "I need to get something to wear, though. I seem to have been reborn naked. He was kind enough to get me a blanket, but I had to erase the image from his mind anyway."

"She wouldn't shut up about it, Felina, so I acquiesced." The sorcerer, though visibly relieved, is obviously unhappy as to the direction this has all gone.

Felina nods, to each of their notes. "Right. Well, we can get you something at my house, Mara, since we're exactly the same size and all..." she glances over to Moorn. "And I'll likely be by to talk to you later."

"Fine. I need to find my daughter. I haven't seen her since yesterday." And the sorcerer waves, grumbling tohimself as he heads back to his tower.

Mara beams at Felina. "He's nice. Pity he is so evil."

"He loves you, though, that makes up for a lot," Felina points out, smiling.

"Oh, yes indeed. I hope he loves me enough to marry me. I feel carnal urges that are far too hard to suppress." Mara smiles and tilts her head. Apparently, her too much information sense hasn't faded.

Felina smirks a little. "He may at that, but you may want to wait until you're feeling better." And then they're both bound for Helantri Deru.