Mara-Kuru appears just outside the citadel, marvelling as she always does at the sheer magnitude of Radvishe Moorn's planet. A hell of an experiment, this.


"Dewei?" she calls in her sweetest voice. "Deweiii? I gots food!"

Dewei manages a clipped psychic reply, but can't take a lot of attention off of the repetitive, intensive spell set he's weaving for his master without even knowing why. No doubt intentional. There's no time to think about Ai, especially think about Ai naked. By now, it hurts, and his throat's a little chapped from his breathing...but he's not really in any danger of true damage from over-exertion, of course.

Just a bit of ouchness.

Mara reappears closer, looking at the spell he's weaving. "Punishment," she says to herself.

"Overlay those lines. No less than forty passes per stroke, Dewei! If your hands are tired use your feet!" Radivishe Moorn stands on the balcony of the palace, looking over Dewei with a half-amused, half-sour look. "If your feet are tired, take off your pants!" Sometimes hanging around with mara-kuru has an effect on people.

Dewei manages a nod of acknowledgement--ignoring Moorn is never a good idea--and goes on working, trying to increase the speed of the spell a bit. Huh. So this is what it's like to write when you can't feel your hands. Trippy.

That's okay. All told, he's grateful to be alive.

Mara appears next to her man, smiling when he jumps. "Hi cutie. Can I borrow Dewei a minute?"

"We are in the middle of his training, Mara. This is paramount."

"I'm on my happy trail."

"No."

"How's your ass feeling, lover?"

"Dewei, you can stop! Your aunt," he glares at Mara, who smiles a fangy smile. "has earned you a reprieve."

Dewei finishes the set that he's on, cinches the spell so he doesn't lose what he's done, and leans on his knees, catching his breath.

A disembodied little bit of mutt gratitude flitters through mara's mind.

"You have to stop being so rough on him. Your daughter is twenty times his age, she knows how to handle herself." Mara rubs Moorn's shoulder, leans her head against it for a second. "Please. He's my nephew. Sort of."

Moorn shrugs. "If you insist."

A kiss and a vanish later, Mara appears right next to Due. "Hi there, stud. Wanna sit with Auntie a minute?"

Dewei smiles spacily. Whoo oxygen deprivation! He's mostly here, though, and gathering the rest of himself. "Sure, Aunt. What's up?"

"I brought you something to eat and some energy drink. Yue mentioned why you were training today and I thought he might be abusing you a little." She puts her arm around him, supporting him a little bit. "Stinky. But I love you anyway. Where do you want to eat?"

"Oh, wherever, aunt. By the fountain's always good." He smiles at her. "Thanks. Have I mentioned today that I love you?" He laughs although he's still catching his breath.

"Just now." Mara leads him over there and sits him down, digging out a meal of a pale pasta, a slice of Yue's favorite pizza, and the energy drink. "Here you go, hon. Eat up and get stronger for Auntie."

Dewei grins at her, and doesn't argue much. "How are you today, Aunt?" he inquires between bites. "You seem as though you're in a very good mood."

"I'm on my happy trail," she informs him, smiling as such. "I've been talking with everyone and making them smile. Even Yue was smiling. I brought him pizza from Earth, that's what this is." She points. "He's so sad, poor bitch. But feeling better. I talked to Orrin and Fel and Yue and now you then I have to go see Ting and then Ai and then Makyon and then I gotta see Yoru and then I gotta go home and see Nuvel and Mookie and then I have to go visit... people." Mara chuckles. "It's going to be a busy day. Actually I should visit Ai next while you two aren't entwined. Honestly."

Dewei turns rather red at that, and glances nervously up to the balcony.

"Don't be afraid of him." Mara shakes her head. "I am going to talk to him tonight. I love him, but if he abuses you I'll cut his fucking eyes out." She smiles sweetly. "Replace them with his balls."

"That's...ah...a frightening mental picture, Aunt," Dewei observes with a snicker, looking back at her. "And...he's hard, but that's pretty much what I signed up for. He's never really been unecessarily tough." Eh. He doesn't seem it, but Dewei's a tough cookie.

"I know. But you're my Dewei. My Dewei who is dating a goddess in every sense of the word. You need your strength." She leans against him a little bit. "How are things with you?"

Dewei smiles at his little aunt. "Need you ask? Things are pretty wonderful in Dewei-land even if he can't feel his hands. Also, he has an awesome aunt, so things are that much better."

"Aww... you're such a sweety. So, ah..." she looks around. "Are things pretty good, good? Like... how does one ask her nephew if his technique is adequate?"

"Ahhh...very awkwardly. The nephew fidgets, pretends he doesn't understand the question and/or has his mouth full of pizza, and then his lover dishes the dirt on him because you're visiting her next anyway." He takes a bite of pizza. "Zee? Mouf full, can'th anther."

"Just remember, smartass," she laughs, hugging him, "take your time. Get her to help you, and she doesn't necessarily have to be rolling on the floor to enjoy herself. How's the pizza?"

"It's really good! Where's this from? It's not like anything I've tried, that I remember."

"The planet where your grandfather came from," Mara nods. "It's like a worldwide food, almost. Your mother likes it, too." For some reason, Mara is feeling incredibly maternal all of a sudden, and just leans against Dewei, smiling contentedly.

Dewei smiles at her. And he's certainly happy to facilitate. "Well, thanks a bunch, aunt, I do appreciate it." He pokes a red thing. "What are these?"

"Pepperoni," she nods, "good. Pork, I think, but no one really knows and they taste too good to ask. A deli meat anyway." She sits up, smiling at him. "Hands any better, sweety?"

"Pretty much, yeah. They hurt a little, which is a step in the right direction. It's like...demented frostbite." He grins.

"Gimme 'em," she nods. "Mara-kuru will help you. Do you know what Mara-kuru means, Dewei?"

He'd held out his hands, pauses. "Um...your asking makes me wonder," he notes, laughing nervously.

"It means Roseblood," she informs him, taking his hands. "In my language, anyway. Where your father was from, a Mara was a spirit that would sneak into people's bedrooms at night and sit on their chests, just riding them all night long and leaving them worn out in the morning. Like Succubi, only no sex. I think its almost appropriate." She's just talking to be talking. Revitalizing spells float over Dewei's hands all the while.

"Huh...that's really interesting, Aunt. Why did your father name you that?"

"Kaishen told me that it was because father wanted me to be able to make even flowers bleed." Mara rubs Dewei's hands gently. "Saea - my sister, Saea - told me it was because he wanted me to run fields red with the blood of my enemies, so that red roses would blood from their dead. He was not a good man, my father."

"He sounds like a regular saint, yes. So how did you turn out the best of us?" He inquires, grinning. The hand thing feels gooood.

"I really don't know," Mara shrugs. "Maybe because Yoru was my badness all sealed up. Maybe I just hated Father too much. I think it was because I had Fel and Kaies and Amilei and Korliss to guide me." She takes his other hand, rubs it attentively. 

"Ah...I think it's just because you're awesome."

"Someone's trying awfully hard to be sweet." Mara kisses each of his hands and gives them back, hopefully all better. "Here, I gotcha a drink too. Mara's work is never done." She hands him a bottle of home brewed 'gotta get up and move' juice. "It's chocolate!" she proudly exclaims.

Dewei grins, flexes his hands a moment, and then takes it. "Thanks, aunt." Sips it. "That's good stuff."

"Chocolate is supposed to be an aphrodisiac," she shrugs, "but I think it's just tasty. Drink up, slick. I need to go see Ai, and give her this outfit I got her." She holds it up, and... there is probably more material in a change purse. Soft blue, sheer goodness.

Dewei's ears turn red to the ears. "I...ah...wouldn't complain," he observes, a touch quietly. Glances to teh balcony, and as quickly away, and just drinks the brew.

"Oh wait, that's mine. Fuck. Now I have to give it to her. Where did I...? Oh, no that's the right one. Mine is black. Right." Mara grins at him. "Yell for me if he starts giving you trouble over this. It won't teach you anything to be bullied. I have to go, so give Auntie a kiss and smile for her! This is a happy trail, after all."

Dewei laughs. "Right." He kisses her cheek. "Thanks for the rescue, aunt...have fun on your trail."

"You know I will! Bye!" Mara vanishes, leaving a box of food marked 'later' where she was sitting. She does love her extended family, a little too much.

Ai is actually pretty quickly taken care of.

"Ai, can I ask you something?" Mara begins once she's fed and hugged her stepdaughter, almost.

"Of course," Ai smiles, reclinging long ways on a comfy couch in her parlor. "Anything."

"Does Dewei make love or make mistakes?"

Ai very nearly spews her chocolate drink on the floor. "Mara!"

"You said anything! I heard it."

"Um... well... I guess he's like any man, not so good about taking his time and being longevous, but he's so sweet and caring, always asking how I am, and very emotional. More so than any other time. He's warm and..." She's smiling, just gushing.

Mara beams. "All the right things, then. Okay, yay! I was curious. I'm always curious. I have to go see Ting, though... any idea where she is?"

Ai shrugs. "No. I haven't seen Ting in some time. But she is supposed to come here today, I think, for drinks."

And, as Mara probably sensed coming, Ting shows up about ten minutes later in a purple-lined, black silk gi. "Ugh. Bitches. Oh. Not you two. Hi!" She smiles a slightly worn smile. This is the third time she's gone to work this week without them forcing her to. Which is...odd.

"Oh, hiya Ting! We were just talking shit about you." Mara and Ai both rise, Mara leaping out to hug her precious niece. "Hi! Hungry? I have food and drinks. Whose a bitch?"

Hee..." Ting hugs Mara. "Thanks, Aunt. I am! And my commanding officers are bitches. They're jealous they don't have cute ears, I think."

Mara grins, and unpacks a fresh-looking salad with plenty of vegetable cuts and roc strips for her niece. "Here you go! And you have to try this pizza."

"It's heaven," Ai nods, "really, really good."

"Hee...thank you, aunt! And I'll take Ai's word for it and go for it, then." She thinks about pouncehugging Mara, just because it's what she would usually do. Doesn't really feel like it, and hugs her. "Yay food!" She tries the pizza first, and her eyes pop open. "Ooo! The goddess lady speaks the truth!"

Ai just grins. Ting is so cute, just like her aunt.

"Isn't it amazing? Fel's dad was cool, but his regional food sucked ass next to this masterpiece. And probably in front of it, too." Mara pats the sofa where she'd been sitting. "I'm on my happy trail, Ting! Come sit with me and lets rap."

"Rap who now? I brought no brass knuckles." Ting munches on the pizza happily as she heads over to Mara and plops down beside her.

"Silly." Mara grins, flopping down as well. "I've left everybody with a smile so far, so now it's your turn. Tingy baby we gotta talk a little."

Ai cringes. Mara isn't pulling any punches today.

"About you and Makyon."

Ting's face goes a little...off, at this, ears pressing back a touch. "Ah...why does this suddenly feel like an intervention?"

"Because usually I would." Mara grins. "Not this time, though, Tingy pie. I'm just afraid that whatever's wrong between you two is going to hurt his training and your Tinging. Besides, I'm your aunt, you're supposed to bitch about boys to me."

"And me," Ai puts in, "co-conspirator and all."

Ting grins at Ai, and leans back with her food, still leery about this whole thing. "Soo...what do you guys want to know?"

"What the fuck, lady?!"

Ai giggles at Mara, who is so animated when she swears. "What your aunt means is, did something go wrong between you two? You seemed to be great friends, if a little slow to begin the awkward dating ritual."

Ting blinks, and turns kinda red. "I...ah...damn, was that whole 'wish he'd ask me out already' thing that obvious?" Also, she's been celibate for more than five months. That ain't normal.

"Was it that? Oh..." Mara shrugs. "Well... I talked to your momsy about it a little. I might suggest... sweety, pookie. Did you get this nice club guy's address, by chance?"

Ting blushes at this. "I...um..." eyes dart for something else they can excuseably focus on. Find nothing. Damn. "Yes? But it wouldn't work anyway," she's quick to add. "I mean, his dad tried to kill Yue."

"My dad tried to kill a lot of people, but I'm awesome," Mara nods, thinking to her conversation with Dewei. "Fuck that excuse. Next?"

Ai grins, a little guiltily.

"I didn't mean that, I mean...the first time I saw his dad, I gave him blunt force head trauma." Ting blinks. "You can't tell me that's a smart situation to jump into, for a guy I just met at a bar. I mean, there are plenty of others out there, right? And Makyon."

Yep. Ale is "some guy she met in a bar." The self-imposed mental block keeps her from dwelling on it. And distractions. Lots of distractions and trips to work.

Mara leans on her fist, kicking her feet over the edge of the couch. "Yup, there are. But from what I hear, his dad prolly deserved it. It wouldn't hurt anything to talk at this nice guy, at least find out what he thinks about it." She looks over to Ai, who is dreamily sipping one of Mara's blue liquor concoctions. "We might hook him up with Yue. Yue needs someone to love bad right now. He's so in love with your mom still that he can't think, and all this incubus stuff is bringing it all back to the front. Nevermind that Yue was asleep for a century, so their separation is a lot more fresh in his heart than Fel's."

"Mara, I doubt he would be interested in this son. One does remember being shot and stabbed." Ai sips.

"Point. The point is, Tingy, that we want everyone to be happy here. And this thing with you and used-to-Kaies is making us miss you!" And Mara pouncehugs Ting, careful to levitate any food that goes flying.

Ting eeps, but goes down gamely, smiling a little wanly and hugging her aunt. "Yeah...I don't know. He gave me his address. After it happened, said to bug him if we needed anything. It would just be...awkward, after what happened. And Makyon's...just...gah! I waited for months and months and nothing happened, and then I go out and run into a nice guy I liked a lot," oops, not some guy in a bar, "and then not an hour later Creepy finally asks me on a date-like thing. I mean...grawr. At least I get to kick things at work."

"Well, I happen to know for a fact that Makyon's timing isn't intentional. Yoru, who is sort of his side kick these days, was railing at him pretty harshly for being afraid to talk to you. She must have gotten through to him." Ai sips again. She's starting feel a nice, soft buzz. "The man has a fantastic body, and a rice seed brain."

Mara giggles, hugging her niece tightly. "Okay Tingy I know this is uncomfy speak but I have a question. Did he give you his address before or after, and how did he react to the badness with his dadness?"

"Well..." Ting's thought back to that a dozen times. Of course she has. She's like her aunt...smarter than she lets on. "He freaked out, completely froze when he saw what was going on. Then he helped me help Yue out of the room, got under his other shoulder. He gave me his address after, and said to get ahold of him if we needed anything."

Mara purrs. "Good! So it probably made him sick to his ass what his father did, meaning he doesn't condone it, meaning he wouldn't resent you for doing something about it, meaning was he cute?"

"He was a doll. He had beautiful eyes," Ting admits. "A little bit of a five o'clock shadow on a great jawline, too, and you know I love that."

Mara pushes herself from Ai's floor to Ai's couch, giggling still. "Well, you could try anyway. Besides, it might make big'un jealous, and if it does, we get to see cute guys fight!"

Ting grins. "Only if you promise to throw water over them in that event, Aunt." She blinks. "And I don't mean to stop them fighting."

"Deal!" Mara sticks out her hand. "Now, let's have dessert and smile!" In her hand is yet another wrapped Rice Krunchy treat. "These things are almost as good as pizza, only dessert."

"Pretty! Kinda weird, though." Ting takes one, pokes it. Finally shrugs, and bites into it. Blinks. "This is packaging, isn't it? You didn't see that."

"What? I'm sorry, I was thinking about candy canes." Mara blinks. Smiles, a very Tingish closed-eyes smile. "And Gabriel."

"Aww...you two are cute! In a weird way but really cute," Ting observes, cooing.

"Yeah, but think about it." Mara holds up her hand. "If I'm a crowd of ugly people, four out of seven of them look cute by proxy."

Ai giggles. Her eyes are a little dilated, as if something else was in that fun punch just now. "Cute is the rule in this family. I am cute, in a womanly way. Like Yue, only not as much. Ting and Mara are cute like kitty cute. Makyon and Orrin are cute like... mm. Felina is serious cute. And Dewei..." Her eyes narrow. "Mine."

Ting laughs delightedly at that. "And my little brother isn't a virgin anymore! Yay! I was kinda not really but still wondering if he was gay or something."

"He's ripped like he is," Ai nods, thinking about things she oughtn't to. "He just needs practice, is all. Lots and lots of practice." She looks at Mara. "Lots."

"Dear, Ting. Ai has become ravenous on us," Mara notes, stifling a giggle.

Ting tries, but can't, and cracks up. "That's okay. He's getting lots and lots of practice." And she breaks into anothe giggle fit. Ah! Girl time.



Ai smiles her dreamy, half-drunk half-stoned smile. Mara is giggling too, so much that she can barely keep herself upright. 

"Eep!" she chuckles, noting her various timepieces. "I have to go! Happy trail has stops to make."

Ting smiles. "Alrightee, Aunt. Have fun!"

"I will. Let's see... I saw Fel and Orrin, Yue, then Dewei and Gabriel, and Ting and Ai, Makyon's next." She looks in her bag. "Got stuffs for him. And Yoru, she's probably with him." Mara smiles at them again, and is gone, bound for the training ground at Helantri Deru.

"Hee...she's so cute!" Ting observes. She finishes fishing something out of one of her holding places, and glances at it...Ale's address.

Ai looks at it, eyes boiling prettily. "Oh. Is that the thing?" She looks at the paper, with directions to the House of Ale, half-straddling the edge of her couch. Not for any particular reason, just because she doesn't feel like pulling herself back up. 

"Yeah..." Ting smiles a little bit, although she looks uncharacteristically nervous. "Is it weird and stalkerish to pop in a guy's doorstep, though?"

Well. It's not like she has a telephone.

Ai looks at her, considering her. "He just gave you the address, correct? Then he wants you to show up. Besides, honey, I know you. You already own this guy, I guarantee it."

Ting grins at Ai a little, grateful for the relief to her uncharacteristic jitters. "Well...we had a lot of fun. I'm not sure where the night would have gone had other stuff not happened, since he seems like a 'third date at least' kind of guy...but it would have been good. Hmm...ah! I'm showing up to let him know that yue's all right, yes? Can't have the bastard worrying."

"That too, that too. Don't mention Yue's emotional issues, though, just say he has a fantastic body. Healed. Right." Ai is actually thinking about Dewei when she says that. She's just stoned.

Ting blinks, and then titters. "What are you going to do if Ding's totally worn out from your dad's training today, anyway?"

"Myself." Ai smiles her dreamy smile. "Thinking of him."

"Gah!" Ting's fingers find her temples. "You finally found my 'too much information' button." She snickers. "I'll see you later, Ai...I want to go get cleaned up. Wash that idea away, you know."

"Mkay..." her eyes close, and just about the time she finishes saying it she is asleep. Breathing softly, a little of her voice interjecting into her breath. She hadn't realized that a new body meant no built up tolerances. Normally she would never get this messed up.

Ting isn't sure why's so...un-sober in multiple ways. Still...she hops back off to Helantri Deru long enough to grab a lengthy shower, thoughtful and yet trying not to think too hard, fix her hair, and switch back to her usual, functional, white fishnet with white leather-strap shawl outfit. Lets out her breath, looking into her own dark eyes with a mirror. "You," she chides, "are a silly nit. Damn you, girl, nincompoop, you're a cutie if there ever was one. Don't get stupid just because you like the guy back. No! Don't look at me that way! Ack! Stop it! Bitch!"

And, with a calm little purr, she combs down her hair, takes one more look at the address...then takes a deep breath, deciding against wearing her naginata, for once, and disappears to the house of Ale.

---

The next day, a certain former angel is walking around Istan Aiga, looking for Dewei. His smile is genuine today, his step lighter than it has been in some time, and his outfit a bit more festive in its bright pinks and greens. His hair is tied in streams of ribbon, yellow and pink, and though it is something of a mismatch he considers it a splendid outfit.

Dewei, of course, is putting the finishing touches on whatever he had been doing yesterday...which is still a mystery to him. He's beginning to strongly suspect that it will self-desruct or something upon completion, and be noted as "practice" or "a lesson in" or something. This is more normal wrap-up work, though, and he looks up when he sees Yue, and smiles. "Hi."

"Hello, darling. Doing something important?" The incubus steps close to the rune, not too close to Dewei though, and admires the complexity of it. "You've gotten the hang of this quite well, I see. Has your warden left you by your lonesome?" Whether he's referring to Ai, or to Moorn, is unclear. Yue is still in a fabulous mood from last night, spent in the arms of a friend without comprimising either their friendship or his marriage. It worked out so well for both of them that the incubus can hardly believe it hadn't happened sooner.


"Just about done," Dewei notes, smiling, and working as he speaks. "I'm not in the habit of asking where Moorn is if he doesn't offer the information, so I'm not sure...how are you today, Yue? You look very...chipper."

"I had the most wonderful night," the incubus giggles, "I just couldn't spend this morning alone! What are you doing, if I may ask?" He steps over to the fountain and sits primly, legs crossed and kicking.

"I have no idea. I just do as I'm told." Felina's youngest, more or less, grins a bit. "As far as I can tell, this will either be a shield system capable of counterattack, or destroy itself as soon as I finish the sealing runes. One of the two."

"It is so complicated... you must be exhausted." Yue shakes his head, black tresses wavering. "I--"

The rune blazes bright quite suddenly. Streamers of white light exude from its surface at irregular intervals. The incubus stands, worried. "Dewei, should that happen?"

"I'm not sure..." the half dumen scans it carefully, ready to get Yue out of the way if necessay, but isn't ready to call foul yet. His senses flash over and over the energies and how they're interacting with each other, and which are approaching each other. He knows each individual layer of the spells intimately, so it's easy to decipher.

Yue steps over, eyes hardening. If it's a trap, he's ready at a moment's notice to throw himself, and his dragon wings, in front of Dewei and protect him. He does not know why, exactly. It is simply waht he feels compelled to do.

Dewei's taken aback at the protection, muscles tensing when the spell begins to very rapidly consume itself and gather towards a central point. His stance is ready to spring away, but his danger senses fail to go off, which relaxes his expression into simple wariness.

Then comes the speed. The complex, winding energy field spirals towards a center, each consuming the next one in blinding succession, all of the thousands of runes in precise order. A blinding flash later, something falls to the ground with a wet smack and everything is quiet.

After a few moments, Dewei steps around the angel. Blinks. Walks over to the spell center, kneels, and picks something up. Holds out a cracked hard-boiled egg. "I think I spent yesterday, the majority of last night, and this morning making half of breakfast."

Moorn is a brilliant caster. For good, ill, or bitchy.

And guess who is laughing his not-sore-anymore ass off, on the balcony above. Ai stands next to her father, a dirty look set on her glowing face, but it's all she can do not to laugh. It's funny.

Yue looks at the egg. "Is it any good?" He tilts his head. "And if you want to kick him, you would be justified."

Dewei has to snicker. It is pretty damned funny...or will be more so when he's actually gotten some sleep. "Nah. It splattered a bit when it hit the ground." He smirks at the angel. "You have to admit, it's a pretty good way to work out a grudge. And...no, thanks, I value my foot." He laughs softly, and smirks up at Ai a moment. Fine, fine. Go ahead and laugh.

Moorn says something inaudible to his daughter, and a moment later Ai hops over the railing and trots over to her beleaguered loveslave. "Hi handsome," she chuckles, taking his arm. "You okay? I know it was a cruel joke, but he feels better now."

Yue smiles. "Hope so." And he means it, too. Though there's a glimmer in his smile that Ai can't quite explain.

"That's a good thing," Dewei laughs tiredly. "I'm fine, thanks." Smiles at Ai. Is very tempted to go back to bed. Not for dirty purposes, just to sleep.

Ai looks him over, analytically for once. "You've been at it for a day and a half. There are bags under your eyes." She pets his hair, gazes at him, and generally makes even Yue consider the phrase 'get a room' with her affection. "Want to go home?" Believe it or not, she's talking about sleep for once.

Dewei does feel a bit self-conscious under the attention, but...it's too sweet to let it bother him too much. "If it's okay with your dad," he concedes. He smiles at the incubus-angel. "And if Yue won't feel too deserted, of course. Thank you for protecting me before, by the way."

Yue just smiles at them, nodding a slow nod. "You are just fine, Dewei. Besides. As long as nothing scarred my face, I would be just fine."

Ai grins at him. "You're sweet, Yue. I can see why..." Felina liked you. Bad thing to see. "... you make such a fine love spirit."

Yue tilts his head. "Love spirit, eh? Hm."

"Meantime..." Ai tugs Dewei's arm. "Come on, love. I will give you a little massage before you go to sleep, how does that sound?"

Dewei smiles a little. "Heavenly, Ai. Er...have a great day, Yue, I hope it goes as well for you as it started." He smiles at the incubus.

"It will." Yue waves at them. "Rest is good for him, Ai." And the angel vanishes in a puff of red feathers, still as translucent as ever...

... only to reappear next to Radivishe Moorn. The sorcerer looks at her, curious, but not concerned really. He doesn't remember the dream, which is why Yue is still breathing.

"I want you to know," Yue begins, "that you have my gratitude. For being so accomodating to my needs at the tree." He holds out his hand, to be taken. "Friends?"

Moorn blinks. Looks at the hand. Looks at Yue. "You are welcome. Leave." His tone isn't harsh, though, so much as confused.

Yue takes back his hand, still beaming. "You're a good father, too. Now." And he vanishes again, to find Orrin.

Moorn gazes out over the balcony, at his beautiful daughter his... unbelievably fitting maybe son in law. He's quiet long after returning to his study to read.

Down below, Ai hugs Dewei. "To bed with you."

Dewei smiles at Ai. "Yes ma'am. Ehm...where did you mean?" He of course has rooms here and back at Deru, not counting Niven Ai, and which depends on Ai's intentions.

"Let's go to your house, so you can be more comfortable when you rest." She looks at him, smile half-cocked. "I know you're tired. I am sorry I have been so demanding of you lately, so I will not ask you to love me today, or tomorrow, until you are rested. Deal?" She's serious, too.

"Oh, I don't mind," he's quick to affirm, grinning at her. "But...deal." He kisses her cheek. "Ready to go, then?"

She blushes at his innocent kiss. She loves that aspect of him more than anything else. "Ready," she smiles, laying her head against his shoulder.

Dewei smiles sleepily at her... but then his eyes widen, and he pushes her gently away. "Ai. Something's going on at home. Stay here." And then he's gone.

Ai blinks. Tilts her head. "Should I be worried...?" she asks no one in particular. "Two minutes," she nods, "and I go see."

---

Radivishe Moorn lays a sleeping Mara-kuru on their shared bed. He writes dozens of empowering runes around her, and cleans her face with a cloth. "Never do that again," he warns her, "never risk your life like that when I am at your disposal. Come to me for help, even if it is to protect somone else." He lies next to her, staring upward. "I should have wiped them out when I left," he mutters, "but Mara. You have changed me so much that I spared that idiotic instant karma ex-boy toy of Felina's, so I am allowed to feel this way now. Right."

---

Felina has an almost ill feeling when she appears in the courtyard of Istan Aiga, senses on high alert. Now what in the hell...?

Istan Aiga is nothing short of a war zone. Dozens of angels are circling the citadel, while even more lie wounded in the plaza. Ale is among the wounded, sitting against the statue of Ai with only half a wing remaining on his back. Breathing hard, but just like all the others, in no real peril of dying.

"Oh, hell." She utters this aloud, fingers on the bridge of her nose and growls beneath her breath. Approaches Ale, stepping over the wounded to get there. "What in all hell is going on here?"

"Oh, just a little bloodbath, that's all." He looks up at her, wondering why he sees three of her. "It was supposed to be an inquiry. I filed a report of intent before I came here, like procedure says to do. Some of the other angels must have decided that inquiry was too slow, though. They assaulted this building while I was talking to him." He chuckles softly, looking down at his bloodstained hands. "The funny part is that his daughter's the one who's doing most of this. She just... snapped when her old man got an angel's sword rammed in his heart."

Felina sighs softly. "And which of those angels decided that it's a good idea to poke a dormant threat witha stick needs to be slapped. Or already has." Looks up at the building. "Will they kill Ai?"

"Oh, yeah," Ale nods. Blood loss has him far from his most lucid at this point. He just wants to be back there in Ting's room, changing his answer to that 'cop a feel' question. "Yeah, they'll kill her. Probably already have. There's a lot of us."

"Oh, lovely." Felina shakes her head, lays...well, not so much healing, as a support "it won't get worse" spell over Ale. Her hand goes to the hilt of her sword. Considers. No. Even if she only uses defensive maneuvers, it makrs her as a threat on offensive. Two long, slick metal plates curving towards her hands appear above her forearms instead, and she goes sprinting up between the walls and statue towards the upper levels of Istan Aiga, where people were likely to be. Mara...Ai...

And damned if she's not worried about Moorn, too.

The inside of the citadel is almost as cluttered as the outside. Though, once again, there are none dead amongst the angel ranks.

Around a corner, an angel comes flying just in front of Felina's face and smacks into a wall, driven there by a bolt of elemental lightning.

"Just leave! Leave leave leave!" Ai's voice sounds from around the corner, thick with physical and emotional agony.

"Ai!" Felina calls, trying to psychically reinforce the call as hers as she sprints and leaps towards the voice, on the defensive. Skids around that corner, arm raised in her own defense, against a startled goddess reaction this time.

Ai's hands crackle with electricity, one raised, but nothing comes of it when she sees Felina. "Felina...? When did you get here...?" Both of her ears are bleeding, her left arm dangling as though out of its socket, and she generally looks as though she's been beaten half to death. "It isn't safe. Get out before the decide you are an enemy too!"

"As soon as you're all safe. Where's your dad, and where's Mara?" Her voice just snaps with military crispness.

She looks at Felina as though she can hardly stand to do so. "Mara is gone," she whimpers, "they took her away. She was sleeping, she wouldn't budge when I screamed for her. Father... Father..." looks at Felina, eyes empty. "Where is he?"

"I don't know. I'll find him for you. For now, take my hand." She holds it out. "Please."

Ai stumbles towards her, hobbling noticeably... her foot is still broken from the fight with the overseer. She reaches out, the electricity dissipating, to take Felina's hand.

About the time a pair of angel centurions round the corner and dive for her, polearms straight ahead in the narrow corridor.

"Forgive me for this, Ai." A purplish slit appears in the air, and she shoves Ai through to the nether plane, into Solomon's general area. It closes as quickly. Face perfectly calm, Felina steps forward quick and turns to the side that the blades of the polearms miss her...though whatever else the centurions try, she doesn't yet intend to resist, face stolidly blank.

The angels skid to a halt, grumbling, and one glares at Felina.

"Where did you send her?" he demands, glowering through pale pink eyes.

Felina smiles the littlest bit. "Out of your jurisdiction."

"She just brutalized a whole platoon. She has to stand trial," the angel insists. "Come on, now. Dont' be an accomplice."

"Under duress. Also, not an accomplice. Aiding and abetting a suspect," Felina corrects. Holds out her hands a little as she speaks, palms up, to prove that she's holding no weapons. Only shields.

The angel puts down his weapon. "Screw it. I don't want to be here anyway, fighting Felina goddamn Deyono! No way." His partner, a short female angel, shakes her head.

"Why are you here, anyway? We got a report that said this was a hostile zone, but when we arrived, there was only a sleeping Serinian and Ale, our Vanguard. Moorn wasn't here until after we got here."

"I came here when I sensed a massive disturbance. The sleeping serinian is my nether double and dearest friend, and the sorceror's daughter is all but my son's fiance. It merited investigation. I grabbed Ale's ear first off...according to what he told me, this was only supposed to be an inquiry, and that Moorn was attacked as the two of them were talking. He also mentioned that Ai had done most of the damage--precious little of which, I notice, is fatal--after seeing her father take a blade to the heart, which meshes well with her loyalty to him and what I know about her psyche. He also mentioned the possbility of her being killed, and I seriously doubted she would make it easy to take her alive. Thus, here I am." She mentions Ale's words for a reason, open to the idea of contradiction of crossed signals somewhere.

"Inquiry?" She looks to her pink-eyed accomplice. "Not according to our orders. They were very to the point. Kill Radivishe Moorn, a by the numbers assassination of a tyrant."

"And now things get creative," Felina observes. "Someone, somewhere, is lying to someone." She examines her claws. "Where are your orders from?"

"Archangel Major General Spintrius, of course."

Felina is silent. For several seconds, actually. ...Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck goddamn white-feathered bastard son of a whore. "And that's where Ale receives his orders as well, I assume?"

The angels look at each other for a second. "No. Ale's a Vanguard, ma'am. Spintrius controls the infantry, and weilds a lot of power, but Ale outranks him. We were told that Ale approved the attack. That was why he was here, wasn't it?"

Felina's jaw is quite set, and her fists are clenched. "What is the quickest way to circulate the word and call off an attack?" she inquires softly, her voice tightly controlled. "Because I can tell you right now that Spintrius went over Delalenei's head. And I know why. In the meantime, I think it's time to go talk to Ale."

Felina is a perfect picture of restrained rage, wholly withheld right now when she tries to step past the two infantrymen.

And they move for her, neither wanting to be in the way of an angry Felina. "Ale can do it, if he's still got his ring. He was carried out of here, though, I don't know if he had time to think about it himself."

"Carried out of the building, you mean, or was he removed from the courtyard?"

"Out of the building. But you know, now that the girl is gone, the attack is over." The girl angel nods slowly, thoughtfully. "No more objectives left."

"None? Where's Radivishe Moorn?"

The angel blinks. "Obviously." Looks to her partner, as if confused. "Well... he's dead. Obviously."

"But where is he?" Felina inquires, doing her damnest to stay neutral. "The body."

"A bed chamber. Our captain said he was standing over the sleeping Serinian, casting spells, at the time."

Felina closes her eyes, brow finally furrowing. "Healing magic. And restorative, trying to repair her after she repulsed one of hell's overseers on this plane." Breathes out. Weaves a healing spell over Ale remotely, a very good one, laced with the telepathic note whenever he's lucid enough to pick up on him that she needs to talk to him. Alerts her son to be doubly on the lookout for trouble and that she has reason to believe it's coming...all on the silent, silent trek to Moorn and Mara's bedroom.

There are angels lying against the walls of the corridors, stretched out and generally convalescing. The door to Mara and Gabriel's bedroom is open, and empty of the heavenly host.

Mara is still lying upon their bed, asleep, unmoved, breathing lightly. And slumped before her is her beloved, his face for once filled with peace.

Felina lets out a slow breath. Squeezes her eyes shut a moment, mouth tight at the hole in him. Stabbed in the back healing Mara. It's just...not right. The first thing she does is gently brush a thumb over Mara's forehead, her eyes sparkling for her nether double, making doubly sure that sleep won't leave her. Not yet, not until all this is cleaned up. Then she takes one of Moorn's arms to lift him gently from the edge of the bed, turning him that he's face up, senses searching just to be sure.

Still, the expression on his face tells her that...well. Yes.

Mara smiles a little in her sleep, merfing softly.

A sparkle of light and feathers heralds the arrival of a still-broken Ale, who looks only marginally better than he had outside. "Felina. I heard you calling...?"

"Yeah. Are you okay?" She inquires softly as she removes her cloak to lay over Moorn.

"Getting there." He looks down at Mara, thoughtfully, but his mood is hard to read. "Felina, I swear this wasn't my idea..." it feels like a stupid thing to say right now, but he feels compelled to say something.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." She pulls the hood over his face, and stands up, looking at the angel. "The attack orders were given by Major General Spintrius." She folds her arms. "What I didn't mention earlier, since I didn't know its relevance, is that the fellow who stabbed me twenty-three times earlier gave me the name Spintrius. And then this happens not an hour later after the first objective fails? That doesn't strike me as coincidence. It's conspiracy."

Ale tilts his head over, looking down, as though speaking a silent benediction. "Amongst angels? Surely not! I... well..." he steps back, brow furrowed in pondering. "I don't know... you're right, though. Someone had to go above me to call this attack on. Right?"

Felina nods once. Looks over to Moorn, then up to her nether double. "Ai just lost her father. Mara lost her lover. My son lost his master. And I would very much like to know why."

Ale looks at her, his eyes full of purpose. "You can be damned sure I'm going to find out. I'll find Spintrius and have his ass." He blinks, though. "Did you say that the one who attacked you with your charge was named Spintrius? Forgive me for presuming, but this whole setup reeks of a well-planned distraction for a certain unbeatable Serinian I know."

She closes her eyes a moment. "Yes. Yes it does." Glances to Mara. "She'll be safe here, I trust? Would you be so kind as to leave a guard on her?"

"I'll guard her myself, even. I can make my inquiries," he lifts up a ring, taps a beacon on it, "through this thing. You'll be the first to know when I find out what's going on."

Felina nods. Blinks. "And there went the demonic attack." Cringes slightly, and is bound for outside Deru.

It's some time later that a by now emotionally shut down Felina appears in Mara's room again.

Ale stands up from where he had been sitting on the floor, a gun in each hand. "Hey... I was worried you might not make it back."

Felina shakes her head as she walks over to examine her nether double. "Nah...I'm fine. Yoru was injured, but a good healer has her stable. My home--Ting's, Dewei's, and Orrin's too, of course--is completely gone, but at least everyone's safe."

Mara is just fine, still sleeping soundly. Mewls softly when Felina comes close, though.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Ale's voice does not lack for sincerity. 

"Well, the people are safe, and that's what matters." Felina nods. She gathers Mara up gently in her arms, again lightly strengthening the sleeping spell although she weaves a happy, comfortable aura for her double's sake. "Have you found out anything about the situation with Moorn?"

"Actually, yes." Ale holds up his ringed finger. "I made an inquiry, and it turns out that Major General Spintrius signed a request form asking for permission to journey into D'shir Nog. Hell. He's been there three times since Yue and Ting showed up at my father's club."

"D'shir Nog? I'm not familiar with it."

Ale blinks. "I just said it was hell, Felina. Are you sure you're alright?"

"Ahh...yes. Sorry." She rubs her eyes momentarily. "Do you know what the visits were concerning?"

"No," Ale shrugs, "it's just a letter of authorization to enter those grounds. But it seems odd to me that this happens, then the demons attack your place. I think Spintrius has been working with Stasiel on this."

"Does it seem like something that Stasiel would participate in?"

"Stasiel is a demon goddess, hon. She's not bad as a person, but I think she's capable of just about anything. If I had to guess, Spintrius found out that Yue was here somehow, and offered her to Stasiel in the bargain."

"Hmm..." Felina shifts her double gently in her arms to sit with her. "Two questions, Ale...what could an angel do with an isolated divine essence, and what could a demon goddess do with one?"

"Take your pick," Ale shrugs, "either one has access to a number of sorcerers and wizards and such, who could do things for them. What a demon would want with a divine soul is trickier, though. Unless Stasiel wanted to make righteous one of her demons, or herself, she wouldn't have much use for it. An angel, though, could reclaim a damned soul, or make a mortal into a divinity, or push himself into divinity."

"All right..." Felina nods thoughtfully. "One more question, and I'll leave you alone for a bit. Where can I find Spintrius?"

Ale shrugs again. "Dunno. His resignation came through about twenty minutes ago."

Felina blinks. Okay...don't jump to conclusions. She can think of two possible sides to that story, incriminating either Ale or Spintrius. "Well that's sudden. I don't suppose you know why?"

Ale glares at her just a little bit. "Nope."

"It wasn't an accusation. I apologize if my tone's off, but it's been a bit of a long day, you understand." She gathers Mara back up completely from her more relaxed pose. "So that you're aware, Ting's staying on the nether plane for the moment, still resting, in the Amelei's Keep."

Ale smiles at Ting's name, but only for a second. "Thanks. I have to do some more inquiring, though, so don't expect to see me there." He has to find Spintrius, and clear this up before someone blames him.

Felina nods. "Good luck, be safe, and feel free to get ahold of me if you need help. It's generally easy to do if you want to." Stands up. Glances down to her lumpy cloak. "Also...I'd appreciate being left to care for the body myself, until I can figure out where Ai would like it buried. Heh..." Looks back up to the angel. "For the record, I didn't clear the demons off of Helantri Deru. Moorn did."

Ale tilts his head over at that. "How... nevermind. I don't even want to know. I'll make sure everyone knows not to disturb this site, though."

A small smirk touches Felina's lips, and she nods. "Right. Thanks. Take care." Back to Korliss's Keep.