Orrin nods. "Okay. I'll take the security to a lower level...it will still be up, but you can come and go after being invited in." Possible to thwart for very smart casters. "Give me a minute." Chalk again. He pokes the finger back into bleeding, and a faint glow indicates the moment the shields change over. "All right. There you go. You may want to bring Ai and Moorn here as opposed to the other way around, for the protection still being offered."

Dewei nods.

"I'll start getting Yue ready. Ting," Ale looks at her, smiles a comforting smile. "I need you. Feel up to it?" The second the defenses lower a sharp crackle frazzles Yue's energy sense, and he eeps in surprise.

"I think," he mumbles, "that mister scary is doing a good job breaking in on his own.  Better hurry."

Ting glances to Yue, then back up to Ale. Smiles a bit, and nods. "Yep!" And she puts on a "cute face."

"Dewei, hurry up. Go go. Ting, you swear to me that you aren't too worn out after that attack?" Ale is drawing a circle around Yue, in the dirt, as he speaks. Yue just smiles at their interplay, eyes aglow with happiness that they'd hit it off so well.

Dewei nods, squeezes his sister's hand, to a smile, and then is outside Deru.

Ting looks back over to Ale, and grins. "Yup! No more flashbangs that size well maybe flashbangs but not realbangs that size. But I'm still useful! In a kitty way." Rocks on her feet some more. "Besides..." she smiles at the fallen angel. "We have to make sure Yue's all okay! That's important."

"She will be, once the help gets here. Ting, I need you to control Yue's pain sensations. When we take this thing out, it's going to try to burrow deeper into her body and that's going to hurt. If she tenses up too much, the goddess may not be able to pull it out. Okay? Orrin, sir, I need you to hold Yue down. She's going to go into seizures when the shard comes out because it's taken over the motor skills of her nervous system. Yue, I need you to be ready for all of that. Can you do that for me?" His voice is so commanding right now, so.. military, that Yue can do little to prevent herself from piping up with a 'yes sir, sir!'

Orrin nods, "absolutely."

Ting's...well, not purry, but much closer to it. She bristles at being told what to do by her supervisors at the Derrias, but she does love it when someone around knows what's going on. But she's still Ting. So... "yup yup!"

"We just wait, then. Yue, are you in any pain? Anything we can do?" Ale sets his hand over Yue's poofy shoulder-fluff, eyes filled with concern.

"I am not," he lies, smiling at Ting in particular. He loves Ting, really truly does.

"Liar liar." Ting chides, trotting over to him and sitting on her feet next to him, careful to not bug Ale's circle. A pain-nuking spell weaves over him quickly. "But you're sweet anyway. Hmph. Who could lie to ears like this anyway?" She flicks them.

"I could try," Ale offers, "but I'd be horrible at it."

"I know!" Ting grins. Blinks. "Alrightee...Dewei, Radivishe Moorn guy, Ai, you can all come in."

And then they appear nearby.

Ai sighs quietly when she sees what's going on. Yue is such a trouble magnet. "Alright, tell me what's..." Blinks at Ale. That is Ting's guy from the club? "... going on. Ting, remind me to give you a pat on the back later."

"Eh? What did I do?"

Ai chuckles. "I'll tell you later. Hi..." Ai approaches the crew, kneeling to look Yue over. Moorn is two steps behind. 

"Hi. You're the goddess?"

"Last I checked."

"I need you to pull that shard out of Yue's body." And Ale explains the plan briefly to her. "Ready? Ting, Orrin, ready?"

Ai takes hold of the shard. Looks to the others.

And pulls.

Yue's pupils shrink down to pinpionts. Ale, whose body is absorbing the brunt of this counterspell, shivers violently as he looks to Ting. "Keep her pain under control," he warns Ting.

Ting's eyes are a little wide and quite concerned the first time Ale shudders. She sets her jaw, nods, and redoubles her efforts on the spell. Also manages to split part of it off to the archangel.

Ai pulls on the shard, her sharp vocalizations giving away how difficult it is to move the thing. She pulls harder, ignoring when the shard slices through her palm.

Yue's muscles shudder and flex all at once as the seizures begin. 

"Orrin! Don't let her choke herself!" Ale closes his eyes. Short cuts open along his forehead and cheek as the shard rips out of Yue's body, the full breadth of the counterward assaulting him all at once.

Dewei is there to steady the angel.

Meanwhile, Orrin's full strenth--not to mention his full weight--is struggling against the admittedly slighter Yue's demonic strength. This may not have gone well had Dewei not enhanced his strength...while he watches for ill effect on Ai, of course.

Ai looks at the shard in her hands, showing it to her more than intrigued father. "You're hurt," he notes. "Dewei. Take Ai and help her. I will watch them."

Ale lies on his side, panting. The cuts seal over, though he's still shivering, and frost covers his nose. At length, Yue's body relaxes as well, leaving him to whimper against Orrin's chest. That part had hurt.

Orrin holds Yue tightly, concerned.

Dewei nods, and heads over to Ai. Smiles at her. "Thanks, Ai..." he kisses her cheek, and quickly sets to mending her wounds as he does as her father had bidden and vanishes with her to Niven Ai.

Ting, with her dad taking care of Yue, hops over to Ale. "That was a nice thing," she observes as she sets a hand on his shoulder, fingers glowing with a warming spell. The other hand, bearing a similar spell, wipes the frost from his face.

"Where's the shard," Ale asks, instinct kicking back in. "Where..." He looks around. "Did Ai still have it when she left?"

"Uh-huh. Is that a bad thing?"

"Not really," Ale answers, rising from the ground. "The worst that could happen would be that Stasiel uses this one to try and find Yue again, and finds Ai instead. Sorry... thank you for your help just now Ting. And Orrin."

"Ah...hm. I guess I should find my brother and tell him this before he gets any 'thanks for fixing a small boo boo because it's a good excuse' nookie." Looks at Moorn, and turns red. "Oops! Yes, shard retrieving." She giggles, and is off for Niven Ai.

Radivishe Moorn controls himself fairly well, considering the ramifications of the comment. Yes, his daughter is slightly nymphomaniacal, but at least she has sense of fidelity. And even for him, it can be difficult to be angry with Ting. He leans against a tree, just watchful for now.

"Let's get Yue somewhere she can rest," Ale suggests to Orrin. "She'll need that wound patched. Orrin, do you know anything about healing?"

The dumen shakes his head. "I'm afraid not, no." This said as he helps Yue as gently as possible to her feet after staunching the bleeding. "Just non-magical first aid. There are some pre-prepared spells that can be accessed in various ways in the house, though."

"Could you take care of her, then? I need to wait for Ting to get back and take care of that shard." Ale's voice is nothing if not apologetic.

"Of course." Orrin smiles at Yue. "Can you walk, dear?"

"If saying no means you will carry me," Yue quietly answers, "then no. Otherwise, yes." Her legs are mostly numb, but recovering swiftly.

The dumen laughs softly, kneels, and lifts Yue up into his arms. "You're enjoying this 'injured' thing entirely too much," he notes as they head into the house. He grins. They're still going into the uber-guarded areas of the house.

She holds onto him, not too tightly. Yeah. This is wonderful, so good that the entire episode feels... not so bad. "I told you I was more trouble than I am worth," he chides Orrin, "but thank you."

"Pff. You're just keeping things interesting while Fel is away," Orrin observes as they pass the first extra shield in the house. "By the way, I'm not breaking any wings, am I? These things are really hard to situate."

"I doubt you could," Yue laughs softly. "I... tried. I tried to tear them off once already, I could not budge them." Guilt saturates her lovely voice for a moment. "They are just fine. Where are we going?"

"Downstairs." Orrin nods, and smiles though Yue's getting really heavy by now. "You weren't here for the whole thing with an assassin named Sheran Tanru, although may know of him...anyway, he was after Felina for quite awhile, and some hyper-defensible , highly cloaked areas of the house were created in response."

"Downstairs is a long way," the incubus nods, realizing how selfish he is being. "Orrin, I think I can handle the walk now. My legs have feeling now." She shifts her weight and puts her feet to the floor, grimacing a little at the pins and needles coursing from her toes to her solar plexus. "There..."

"You sure you're okay...?" Orrin inquires, still concerned.

"I am worried, and the hole in my side hurts, but I am better." She smiles at him, eyes sparkling. "Too considerate, Orrin."

Orrin smiles a bit. "I just hope the kids are okay...I have a really bad feeling." And he presses his poor finger to a wall, which shimmers aside. "Also, I'm not going to have any blood left soon.

"Poor baby..." Yue shakes his head. "I am worried, too. But Ai is with them, right? She is a goddess, she must be powerful."

"Right." Orrin smiles a bit, and nods. "That girl gets underestimated all the time, simply because she has less skill in straight-up fighting than the kids, but...I, for one, wouldn't screw with her. Ding shouldn't either if he knows what's good for him."

Yue nods, thinking about it. Ai is terrifyingly powerful, if only she knew how to use it. If she had even a shred of her father's ambition or killer instinct... he decides not to think about it anymore. "I wish I could help," he sighs, "for a demon, I am pitifully weak. For an angel, I was average."

"You're new at the demon thing, Yue. Something tells me you'll get there," the pseudo-vampire assures.

Yue blinks. "Orrin. Mara just appeared at Niven Ai. I think." He'd been scanning, but Ai's homeworld is so far from Helantri Deru that he cannot be sure. "Breathe. It's going to be okay, now. Right?"

Orrin lets out his breath, noticeably relieved. "Right. Here..." he pushes open a door to what's a medical room. "Here. Lie down, we'll get you taken care of."

Yue does as told, hobbling more than a little now. "When I get a chance," he begins, "I want to pick up training with Felina. So that I can help fight, too. So I won't have to put you in this position again." She lies down, careful to smooth out her skirt and keep it modest.

"I'm sure she'll be happy to help...you're going to be learning a new weapon anyway," Orrin observes as he gathers up a couple of things from the cabinet. "Would you mind letting down your top, Yue? However much you're comfortable, I just need to get to the injury."

A few days ago, the incubus would have done it and prayed Orrin's maleness got the best of him. His hands would have been shaking, his mind right in the gutter. Today, though...

"Of course." He slips his shoulders out of the dress's pads with some difficulty - it's tough to move his arm on the stabbed side - and wriggles until he is bare to the waist save for his bra. One of Felina's gifts, actually, a very tasteful and modest white affair. He's shaking just a little, but his mind, thankfully, is on other things.

While wounds are being tended below, Dewei tackles Ting into the clearing Ale's waiting in...and doing everything he can to restrain a sobbing and viciously struggling twin.

"Dewei, she's still back there! Let me go! Let me go damn you to hell!"

For his part, Dewei's actually thrown off of her, but manages to keep hold of one wrist as his planted feet skid backwards, digging a rift in the ground, but he manages to pin her back again with all his strength. "Ting, you can't help! Can't help. Calm down! She'll be fine, she's Mara-kuru!" He's barely, barely managing to hold her down.

Ale rushes to help, but Radivishe Moorn steps in front of him, shaking his head. "What about Mara?" he demands, kneeling and adding his own considerable strength to Dewei's hold on Ting. "What about her?"

"I don't know she's fighting some e-fucking-normous hellbeast back at niven ai and please go help her!" Ting sobs. She finally stops fighting them, at least for the most part...she's no match for both of them, and the struggling's not even budging her.

Moorn is livid. "Why...? Nevermind. Do not leave!" And he vanishes, heading to his daughter's world to search for his beloved.

Ale takes his place, trying to soothe Ting the best he can. "Are you hurt? That's foremost right now, Ting."

There's a fair amount of blood flowing into the water soaking her face from face-planting into the cliff, and she's pretty cut up and bruised and likely has some more serious damage from the rockslide. "Yes. Please let me go." She turns pleading eyes to the angel.

Dewei shakes his head stiffly. She's still slightly delirious, she needs a minute to calm down. "Ting. Radivishe Moorn broke the walls of hell. None of its beasts can mess with him, and especially not with him and aunt both. She'll be fine, okay?"

"Yeah. Actually, when this is all over, I have to have a talk with him. Do you have any idea how much that scares the shit out of me?" He looks down to Ting, and slowly begins to filter his divine restoration spells over her. "If you're friends with him, stay that way. This demon thing... isn't likely to end soon."

Ting closes her eyes. Begins to calm down. A lot of the causes of the hysteria had been purely physical...the monster's field had been thwarting her underwater breathing spells more or less on top of being winded and knocking her head against a wall. "I'm okay..." she murmurs, honestly this time. Smirks at Ale, the littlest bit. "I...uh...got your shard."

Ale strokes her hair, nodding slowly as a doctor accepting a patient's last wish. "Give it to me, honey. It's okay. You're okay." He looks at Dewei. "You hurt?"

Dewei shakes his head. "Simple stuff, fixed it looking for Ting." He finally lets his twin up, helping her sit up, and Ting holds the shard over to shoulder out to Ale. Smirks goofily after a minute. "So you know, if you're ever having trouble getting a big hell monster's attention, detonating an elemental ice explosion in its butt works pretty damned well."

Ale's face contorts a bit, the classic "Oh my god you aren't fugging serious!?" face that Ting no doubt sees all the time. He reaches out, holding is fingers just apart from the shard. A flick of his wrist dispels it, leaving nothing but a wisp of smoke to rise into the air.

"I was terrified for you," Ale admits. "Have I known you long enough to hug you, Ting?" Looks at Dewei. "You, I need at least another day."

"I think let's probably go with yes," Ting observes with a sleepy smile.

Dewei smirks. "I feel neglected." Speaking of which...he needs to go spend some quality "it's okay now" cuddle time with Ai. And let her slap him for repeatedly leaving her to worry.

Ale doesn't hesitate to scoop Ting into his arms and hug her, letting his worry fade at being able to hold her like this. That he really, truly cares is more than obvious.

"Sorry Dewei. Come on, get in on it if you want." A jackass of all trades, indeed.

Ting sighs quietly, and just leans against him, drawing an immeasurable amount of comfort at being held. She likes Ale, but...who's holding her doesn't matter so much. She's a very physical person, and just has to cling. And does.

"You've only bought one of us a drink," Dewei notes. Smiles a little at his sister, taking a knee beside them. "You okay, Spot?"

She smiles faintly, and nods. "Yeah...I'll be fine."

Dewei nods, touches her cheek briefly, and smiles. "Good. Also, I can sense aunt again...she's okay, somewhere. I need to go check to see that Yoru's healed Ai okay, all right?"

Ting nods. He smiles, and starts back off to outside deru.

Ting sighs quietly, just...letting it all out. "Note to self:" she mutters sleepily, but her voice regaining some of its perky quirkiness: "do not blow off half your useable energy to keep something from waltzing onto plane when you plan to really, really piss it off later."

"I think you did right, Ting. Imagine what might have happened if it had gotten loose here...? Wait." He looks at her. "It was the same monster? Ting, do you have any idea what that was?" Ale holds her closer, hugging her almost as though he's congratulating her.

"Big," she notes wisely, nodding. Happy to be hugged, though!

Ale laughs, strokes her back and shoulders. She's such a great kid, she is. "That was a legion commander. An Overseer, Ting. You fought an Overseer and lived, you're... you're incredible!"

Ting blushes...but a tiny purr finally finds her throat at the attention. Normally, or even slightly normally, she'd hug him back right here, but...she's absolutely exhausted. Worn out, doesn't feel like moving more than necessary. "Oh, I didn't fight him. I pissed him off to get him away from Dewei and Ai and ran like...um...well, you know." She giggles softly.

"You did great." He smiles at her, holding onto her though he knows he ought to let go. "You need to rest, Ting. Let me take you to your room... this is your house, right?"

She nods. "Uh-huh." And starts to get to her feet, swaying a little when her head swims from "hey, you're supposed to be sleeping!" ness and then catching her balance. Just.

Ale supports her, as his wings fold for better hallway-navigation. "Hey. I saw your dad carry Yue into the house. I think I can carry you, if you need to. Between you and me, Yue probably has a couple of pounds on you."

Ting has to giggle, still leaning on the angel. "I think all Yue's wings have a couple of pounds on me." Okay, so it would be truer if she were her mother or Aunt. "Ow..." she wrinkles her nose. "My muscles will hate me in the morning."

Ale grins, but doesn't say anything. He lowers himself a bit and scoops her up, hugging Ting close to himself... he's still overwhelmed. An Overseer... big business, that.

"Well, I was hoping today might end sort of like this anyway," he laughs, "sort of. At least we got this part right. Which way is Ting's room?"

Ting grins at him, amused-sleepy-grateful, and nods. "It's in the side door there...past the irises-I'm-really-glad-didn't-get-squished-'cause-mom-woulda-whipped-some-hellish-ass. And to the left." She yawns, settling in a little.

"Irises? Oh, I see them." He carries her as carefully as he can manage. She's light, so the task is not daunting as it could have been. "Side door... okay, opening with one hand..." Sheer luck prevents him from tipping over. "There we go. Wow... Ting's room is festive."

"Ting likes colors!" she giggles. Slips out of his arms and right onto the bed. Yawns, and wastes no time in curling up, not bothering with pulling the blankets over herself. "Thank you, Ale," she murmurs... "you're sweet."

Ale lets her go, thinking that he ought to cover her up. "Nah," he shakes his head, "I'm just an angel." He pulls the blankets up and over her, careful not to tug anything out from under her. "Next time we have a date," he whispers, "less excitement. Sleep well." And he turns to leave, pleased with himself, and glad that everything turned out as well as it did.

Ting smiles under the blankets "Yes...next time...come calling some time..." and she dozes off.

Once Ale is outside, and the door is closed, it's back to business. His wings sweep open and he takes to the air, headed Outside Deru.

Meanwhile, Orrin finishes patching up Yue's wound with some bauble-based healing spells. "There you go. All fixed." He smiles a bit. "I'm not sure what you'd like to do, Yue...this lower level really is safe. It's like a panic room." But, of course, he knows damn well that it's no life to live in a panic room.

"Thank you again, Orrin. I'm not sure... I think..." and he's been thinking of this the entire time, "... that I want to turn myself over to them." He sits up, wriggling gamely back into his dress. He's proud of himself... both had carried themselves like gentleman.

Orrin blinks. "Yue. No. We'll find a way."

"Just keep an open mind, sweetheart. I will not cause someone in this family to lose this life, I won't. Today I almost did. So..." Yue slides off the medical table/bed, grimaces. "... keep it in mind. Please, Orrin."

The dumen sighs quietly. Finally... "Right. Okay." Not that he's likely to decide it's an okay, thing. So...want to go topside and see what's going on, then?"

"Not yet. You can, if you want. I need to puzzle this out for myself." Plus, lying there with his top down, despite how well they both did in being focused, has him a little shivery yet. "Check on your babies."

"I'd very much like to do that, yes," Orrin observes, smiling a bit. "Take care, Yue, see you soon." And he heads back up to the entrance.

Yue nods to him as he goes, and sits back down on the table. It shocks him, but somehow he doesn't let himself cry. Orrin is his rock, it seems.

A while later the incubus lets himself out and heads up, looking for the kids to make sure that they are alright.

Dewei, of course, is the only one to be found. He's just sitting near a window, thoughtful, and not doing much of anything but looking out for anomolies. First his ears and then his head turn to Yue, though, and he smiles, and stands. "Hey. Are you okay?"

"Peachy," he laughs, "your father patched me up nicely. But I was concerned about you and Ting." Yue leans on the window sill, smiling a subdued smile. "Your courage today was outstanding."

"Nah. Just heat of the moment stuff." Dewei smiles a bit. "Ting's okay. Exhausted, though. She's asleep."

"How is Ai?" The incubus taps on the sill. "And everyone else who was involved in this fiasco?"

"Ai's asleep. She was hurt, but recovering. Same story with Makyon...Yoru really came through for both of them, today. It was kind of a pleasant surprise, since I've never known how she'd react in a situation like this. Ale went to retrieve some blessed weapons for everyone."

It's all more or less as he'd thought, with his energy-watching, but he is relieved at Yoru's role in all of it. "Ale... Dewei. Do you think Ting and Ale are a good match?"

"Well...I don't know him that well. He's really taken with her, though, I'm positive of that. It's ridiculously easy to tell." Dewei laughs softly. Feels good to be able to do so, for the first time today.

"Good, good. I like Ale, I always had a good feeling about him." Yue sighs quietly, looking through the window. Wishing she could find someone that wonderful to love. "And Mara-Kuru?"

"Istan Aiga. I don't sense anything wrong or large amounts of sorcery, so I'm assuming that she's fine." He doesn't dare approach without a very convincing reason to.

"Good, good." Looks through the window again. He's about to speak when Ale returns, his arms loaded with so much stuff that he promptly falls over. "Dewei. I think, ah, the freight has arrived."

Dewei tries not to laugh. A snicker escapes. "Oh dear. Yeah. I guess I should help." And he heads outside. "That's an armful!" He observes as he approaches. "Need some help?"

"Some help would be very much appreciated," Ale laughs at his own clumsiness. Yue trots out, grinning.

"Here. Let me..."

"No! Don't touch!"

Yue jumps back, eyes wide, confused as all hell.

"Holy weapons. Kill you bad. No touchy touchy kick your cute little ass."

Dewei shakes his head. "And with a statement like that, is there any more question why Ting's been pining after this guy for a week?" he inquires of Yue, smirking and thoroughly amused and how much Ale had just sounded like Ting. He picks up assorted weapons as he speaks.

Yue is all smiles of course. "Well. I do have a cute little ass. So I will just direct traffic." His wings flutter a bit, as if bored. 


"Alright. I brought a set of dao for you, Dewei," Ale begins as he gets up, "I don't know how you are with two swords, but whatever. Leave one of 'em if you can't." Picks up the largest thing he'd been carrying, an honest to goodness battle axe. "This is for Makyon. I set up the field so an undead can touch it, but I don't know what he likes except that he has bigass muscles. This is for Ting." He holds out a ring, a gorgeous, sparkling spider-web ring with a white band and sunken cluster of what looks like pearl. "I had no naginatas. This will give her a field of her own, while it's on her left ring finger, nowhere else."

"She's going to slap me once I tell her which finger she has to have it on," Dewei observes. Actually, he's not being sarcastic. Smiles. "That's great, though. Will it extend to her weapons?"

"Yeah. It's sort of a force of will spell, so if she entends to use it to hit something, the ring will know. What's wrong with that finger?" Ale looks at it.

"Ehm...nothing. It's a very nice ring." Dewei smiles, and nods. "So what else is in your bag of tricks?"

Ale glances into the crate he'd carried, tossing stuff around. "A spear for Mara-Kuru, a laser pistol for you, a set of daggers and a crossbow for Orrin, and some smaller wrist-crossbows, plenty of arrows, a shortsword for your mom, and some fans for Ting."

"Ah...you're a godsent, Ale."

"Seconded, if all this is what I think it is," Orrin observes as he wanders out. He smiles. "We'd be more than happy to reimburse you for all these, Ale, unless they're intended to be loans. Which works too, of course," the dumen grins. "We're very grateful."

"Kicking demon ass is doing me a huge favor," Ale notes, "if I do it, I have to do paperwork. If someone else does it, I just write a W5 report on it and go entice mortal women to show me their goods." He smiles. "I'm kidding. About the goods, that is."

"Good recover," Orrin grins, amused and fully aware Ale may very well be his daughter's boyfriend before long. Maybe not, but if so, he's going to hold that statement over his head when it amuses. He looks to his son. "Dewei, could you take the sword to your mother?"

"Sure." The conscious twin nods, and retrieves it.

"If she doesn't like it, tell me. I had some longer models that, judging by the architecture here, I think she'd like better." Chinese war swords. Neat. "Orrin, have you ever used a gun?"

Dewei smiles and nods, takes a minute to lay a human illusion over himself--although he doesn't change his coloration, except to have some white in his eyes--and then is off for Alfheim.

"A couple of times." Orrin nods. Been awhile. Why do you ask?"

"I tend to think they're more effective than a bow for demon bitch-making. Especially with some of the quicker ones, a bow just takes too long to load. Want one? Or two? I use two, but never at the same time. That shit's for books and movies."

"And testosterone highs," Orrin adds. "One's great."

Ale snags one, a simple projectile-laser pistol. "Shoots spheres. The battery pack is here, it's ten shots before it has to recharge. It takes about a minute to do that. Aim for the eyes."

Yue watches him dig around, eyes firmly on Ale's backside. "Lovely," he notes, though it's hard to tell what he's talking about.

Orrin just grins at Yue, and manages to swallow a laugh. Just. "Yes. It should work pretty well, I think."

"Yeah. The only issue is that Yue has to go with us into Hell to talk to Stasiel face to face and I wonder if anybody I know here likes cake?"

Orrin's brow creases, and he glances to Yue before looking back to the current angel. "What's this about going to hell, now?" He'd missed this discussion.

"Um..." Ale explains about Stasiel in short terms, watching Yue's face take on an oddly accepting sort of expression after a few moments.

"In short, Stasiel will never quit. The only way to get her off your back, Yue, is to appease her.  And the only way to do that is with an angel's divinity."

Orrin lets out a slow breath after a few moments. "That's pretty heavy stuff," he finally observes. Frowns, considers. "God knows there are enough casters who wish there were normal...aren't there any angels you can think of, Ale, who don't want to be angels?"

Ale nods. "Sure. Me."

Yue tilts her head, but doesn't speak. She'd had no idea.

The dumen digests that a moment, and nods slowly. "If it's not too much imposition," he treads carefully, looking up to the apparently young man who's probably close to his own age, "may I ask why?" He tilts his head.

Ale looks at him almost as if he's been insulted for a moment. Then, his smile comes back in full force. "Imagine if you loved your wife more than anything else, but she was mortal. Twenty, fifty years down the line, she dies. But you go on, still a virile young man. That's if she's lucky enough to die of old age."

"Ah...the immortal problem. Right." Orrin backs off of this immediately, of course, like he'd been ready to. Smiles at Dewei, grateful for the distraction, when his son returns. "Ding, good trip?"

"Sure." Dewei nods. Smiles at all. "Mom says thank you for the sword. She seemed to appreciate it."

Ale nods, but now he's obviously distracted. "You all can sort through this stuff," he notes. "I'll be talking with this Yoru lady. Alright?"

Dewei nods. "Sure thing."

"Right." And he vanishes, grumbling quietly to himself.

Yue scritches his hair, wondering, but not asking. No point in stirring this pot if she can get around it. "I told you Orrin. This entire mess is my fault."

Orrin shakes his head. "Yue, you had no idea that things were going to go down like they did at the world tree." He frowns a little. "Though I'm a bit curious to know just what made that such a volatile subject for him, and what was wrong right at the end."

Dewei blinks. "I missed something."

"Well. He's had quite an interesting day himself. Not everyone is good at bottling things up." Yue's wings stretch out again, which feels just heavenly.

"Ah. Point, there. That kind of unhealthy behavior is more characteristic of a certain Ono clan I know of." Orrin grins. "Dewei, could you help me distribute this stuff?"

"Sure." He nods, and gets right to that.

Orrin flips out one of the fans. "Huh...what do you think about this design, Yue?" Still trying to figure out how Yue's fans should look. Also, planning for after Yue comes back from hell is good.

"It is a bit pedestrian for you, Orrin. This fan is like the burlap sack dress of ball gowns. Functions." Yue looks at it more deeply. "But boring." He looks towards the house. "I was wondering, Orrin. Do you mind if I do a little dream walking with Ting?"

"Well...what kind of dream walking did you mean?" He raises his hands in self-excusal. "Hey. I'm her dad. Gotta ask." Grins sheepishly.

Yue smiles a very knowing smile at him for that. "Of course. I was hoping to talk to her a bit in a place where her inhibitions are less likely to make her nervous and embarassed about her feelings. Besides, I gather her mind will be like a drug trip, and I would like to see for myself."

Orrin snickers. "Yeah...I'm sure it will be...hm. Creative! And sure, absolutely, and thanks for the warning." He grins.

"Dewei," Yue looks to the younger twin, "do you have any fun things for me to plant in your sister's memory? Or more realistically, things you want me to tell her?"

"Mm...not in particular, no. It may be better if she doesn't know about the Hell thing." Dewei nods as he stands up with an armload of assorted things.

"Alright. Be good, you two." Yue smiles at them both. Dewei really is a handsome thing, with those marks. He can feel Ai's rationale quite clearly. He turns, and swishes his way to his room, where he will lie down and search for Ting's dreamscape.

"You!" Orrin laughs. Grins at Yue, and gets to helping his son distribute things.


Tingland isn't unduly hard to find.

---

Yue sits up in his bed, realizes with a start that he needs to shower and change his clothes. Psychosomatic effects indeed. His dress is easy enough to change, and he goes with that for now, wearing the same cobalt blue ball gown he's been wearing in Ting's dream. After composing himself he wanders the house, looking for whoever is handy.

Dewei is in a hall near the training rooms, engaged in about the most strangely normal activity ever performed in the house: as he waits for Ale to finish whatever he's doing or Ai to wake up or whatever happens next to happen, he bounces a small ball against the wall, catches it, and then repeats it in a stead rhymth, leaning absently against the other wall. He looks up when Yue approaches, and smiles a bit. "Hey, Yue. You look pretty."

Just what Yue needs right now, is another reason to blush. He does, and prettily. "Thank you, Dewei. You know how to greet a lady, don't you?" The incubus swishes over to him, feeling so good about himself that it is all he can do to keep from hugging Dewei. "What are you up to?"

"Waiting." Dewei nods, and grins, a little wryly. "See, if I do this long enough, someone will wake up, something will happen, or something will blow up. It works every time."

"I'm awake," he points out. "Want to walk with me? I feel like being in the sun." Yue's smile glows, as if he is smiling just for Dewei and no one else, ever.

"Ah! See, I told you it works every time." Dewei grins at Yue, and then holds the ball this catch. "Sounds lovely, Yue. Did you have any place in mind in particular?"

"I thought we might head outside deru and see about your lovely. What do you think?" He holds out an arm, beaming. "And I can convince you to tell me where your mother has gone, as I have not been able to read her energy signature since she left."

Dewei smiles, and takes the arm. "That sounds like a plan. She's not awake yet, but closer, I think. Mother's with one of her charges," he notes as they walk. At a city called 'Alfheim,' I think it is?"

Yue keeps a thougtful expression as they walk, leading Dewei more or less outside Deru.

---

In a flash of light Kaies Metsaf and Minna Adair appear in front of Felina's house, Kaies blinking. "Where in all hell...?"

"Kaies...Felina..." Minna's voice, removed from its usual stalwartness, cracks.

Dewei blinks. "Now what in all the worlds...?" He leaves the rest of the company at a quick step. Eyes widen, step lengthening to a run, when he sees Kaies's slashed form. "Kaies! What happened? Where's my mother?"

"Dewei?" The medium blinks. So that's where the fuck they are. "Fighting some mad spirit. I think it's a marion, a specter that inhabits clothing. I saw it fill a western outfit with a cowboy body." Shakes his head. "She's in trouble, but I could not help her." He looks to Minna. "Minna, are you alright?"

The albino sniffles quietly, but nods. "Yes," she observes quietly. "I'm fine."

Dewei bites his lip, but nods. "You should be okay here." Heads off towards Makyon and Yoru's clearing at a run, with portals still mostly out of the question with the defense grid up. Evil spirit...angel. "Ale! Can I borrow you for a minute?"

"Huh? Yeah. Sorry, Yoru, just a minute." Actually, he had been in the middle of asking Yoru whether Makyon had a stick jammed in his ass dduring that whole demon fiasco. "Dewei? You look flushed."

"Yes. Archangel, you can help dispelling malicious spirits, yes?"

"Yeah, sure." Ale looks at him quizzically. "Come to the point, man."

"Great." Dewei grabs Ale's sleeve and, with no further warning, they're both bound for Alfheim.

Yoru, who was headed over to see what the fuss was about, just shakes her head. "People always disappearing around here. It can be such a pain." She looks back to the clearing. "Yue, will you stay with Makyon? I'ma have a look around."

"Of course." Yue glances at him, smiling prettily. 

Yoru pads her way over to the house and compound, ears perked with interest when she sees Kaies and Minna standing outside of it. "Hello," she calls to them, "can I help you two?"

"Hi," Minna ventures timidly. "Um...Felina sent us here to get us out of danger, I believe."

Kaies tilts his head over at the sight of a taller Serinian. That's kind of weird, actually. "I am Kaies Metsaf, and this vision is Minna Adair. You are...?"

"Yoru, uh... Yoru Last Name." She blinks, ears all a-twitch. "Well, if Felina sent you here, then you don't have to worry any more. This place is about the safest place in all the known universe. We are rife with badasses here."

"That's reassuring, Miss Yoru," Minna assures, smiling a little. The mental image of Felina with all those swords in her back still burns in her mind, though. Felina....

"It is! Now come on, you two, let's get you somewhere you can relax. Oh, you have to meet Orrin he can help you better." Yoru smiles. ORRIN! WE HAVE GUESTS, PUT ON SOME PANTS!

He'd just been walking nearby, and she about startles the dumen out of his skin. No doubt why she'd yelled it. He blinks, and heads outside. "Oh, hi." The dumen smiles, abysmally black eyes, well...as friendly as possible. "Who's your friend...Makyon? No." He blinks. "I don't believe we've met...Kaies, right?" Still, his manner and smile remain easy.

Kaies blinks at the Dumen in front of him, but quickly puts two and eighty one together. "Yes. You're Felina's husband then?" He pats Minna's shoulder and steps forward, extending his hand to Orrin. "Well done, sir. Well done."

Yoru chuckles dryly. "Goof."

Orrin grins at that, and takes Kaies's hand with polite heartiness. "I thought so. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. She's mentioned you more than once recent months." Looks to Minna. "And your friend as well. That would make you Miss Adair, yes?"

Minna smiles a bit, and nods. "Yes. It's a pleasure to meet you." Orrin smiles, and takes her hand as well.

"Well...I suppose it's already been said, but for the slow among us, what brings you two out here, without my wife?" He's worried as hell.

"Nothing Felina cannot handle," Kaies is quick to put in. "She sent Minna and I here to make defending this lovely young lady easier on all involved." He's learned to lie, too, in defending Minna. 'What was that, Kaies? Your forehead is cut.' 'Just a cat, Minna, trying to get into the trash cans.' And so forth.

"She's a resourceful lady," Orrin agrees, "and..." eyes widen when Dewei and a certain angel bearing his blood-drenched wife appear behind Kaies and Minna. "Felina! What in all hell...?" He strides quickly between the two of them to rach between Ale's wings take his wife's hand.

Felina smiles a little, and squeezes his. "I'm okay, Orrin, and better by the moment. I can actually walk...our glowy friend here just had the audacity to point out that I'm too vertically challenged to support with a shoulder."

Ale's wings open out to let Orrin in. "Pure balls, too. I'm lucky she didn't slap me around like my pimp used to do."

Kaies can't even look. His hands are trembling at the thought of her in such a situation, and he finds himself reaching for Minna, just for the excuse of having someone to hold onto.

Minna wraps an arm gently over Kaies's back. Doesn't say anything at first, until... "She's fine, Kaies. Absolutely okay." She nods, smile soft and gentle, and holds the big purported oaf.

Felina finally lets out her breath as the last of the major stab wounds heal, and tries to slip out of Ale's arms. Orrin's there to help her down and make sure she's steady, of course.

"There we go..." Ale gently helps her down so she doesn't splat. "Careful now. This lady has a baby." Looks at Orrin. "You stud, you."

Yoru's ears twitch again. "Felina, are you good? Yoru has the medicine, you know, if you need some patching and taping."

"I'm okay, Yoru," Felina assures her, nodding. "Dewei and Ale," she's plucked the name from her son's mind, "patched me up. I hear that you've been quite busy running triage, though. Thank you for that." She smiles, and squeezes her son's arm reassuringly.

Yoru just beams, proud of herself.

"Would anyone mind terribly if I insisted Felina be taken somewhere she can rest? We must work this situation out. I for one am itching for a touch of revenge." He glances at his own bloody shirt. Had forgotten all about having been cloven right in front of Minna.

"I'm fine, Kaies." Felina nods. "The perk of Ale helping instead of just my son is that divine restorative spells help with energy a little, and I wasn't terribly drained to start. I just...hm." Looks down. Gross. "Need to change clothes and grab a quick shower. Dewei, could you see to healing Kaies, please?"

Dewei nods, still a touch shaken at seeing his mother as she'd appeared on the chair, and heads over to Kaies. "And Minna? Are you okay, too?"

She smiles, and nods. "Shaken," she admits. "But...I'm fine, thank you."

Felina looks to Ale. "Well. I'm not sure that we've properly met, but thank you. I very much appreciate the help, with both this and the demon issues here." She smiles.

Ale grins. "Thanks are good. But I swear, if I could an autograph or something...?"

Yoru smacks the back of his head to an eep of surprise. "Bad boy!"

Kaies shakes his head at Dewei. "I'm fine. Really, I am more worried about what that marion was doing looking for Minna."

A restorative rune appears at the ground by his feet anyway.

Felina grins at Ale. "Maybe when I'm not swimming in my own blood." Looks over to Kaies. "He said that he didn't want to kill her, only take her divine essence. If I had to venture one guess, I'd say he's looking for an ascension to a physical form. Not a dastardly goal if I'm right, but so long as it's at the expense of Minna, not okay." She looks back to her son. "Dewei, I know that you're the main fellow guarding the house right now, but I'd like you to stay with Minna and keep an eye on her, if she'll permit. Be aware, and be careful. That spirit is nothing if not clever. Took me down like an amateur pinata despite a huge power gap. Remember that physical attacks won't work against a disembodied spirit. Call me if you suspect anything wrong." The cloak her father had given her, still worn and looking fairly new after all these years, manifests in her hands. She flips it over her shoulders as she speaks to hide the blood. She needs to talk to Yue.

Kaies glances at Dewei. "Just remember, I am Minna's flunkie. You may be the lackey if you like." Smiles at Minna. It's only just setting in how close he was to losing her again, to losing Felina even, but... damn, this business sucks.

Minna smiles in return, and squeezes his arm gently.

"Ah! Lackey it is. I have a place in life." Dewei grins, although he's not insensitive to what they've just been through.

Felina smiles faintly. "Well. Thank you both for bailing me out, and it was nice meeting you, Ale." She smiles, and sets off to outside Deru.

Ale just nods. "Yeah, that's a good reason to do what I do." Looks around, sigh quietly. "Never a dull ten minutes around here."

"Not very often, no." Dewei folds his hands behind his neck. "Helantri Deru itself doesn't actually see action very often. The place is a fortress, and not many people are stupid enough to attack it based on the residents, either." He shrugs, then smirks. "And by 'doesn't see much action,' note that I don't mean 'doesn't see much weirdness.'"

"Quite so," Ale nods. He looks over to Kaies and Minna, wonders about them, but if they aren't being warned away they must be cool, too. "If I might be so bold, boys and girls, I suggest everyone gets some rest. I can keep my eyes open and let you know if something goes wrong."

"I can help," Yoru nods, "I have nothing better to do. Plus I can read my comic books while we wait." She beams.

"It may be a good idea...although if mom's here anyway, Ale, you may consider taking some rest too. We have enough guest rooms, and you've had as busy a day--and as much need for energy--as any of us."

"Also," Orrin adds, "I'm sure we can find you a change of clothes if you'd like." The angel's current ones are quiet soiled with Felina's blood.

Minna remains fairly quiet. This is so...strange. A couple of refugees with hell at their heels show up, and the matriarch of the house arrives in a gruesome state...and everyone is now acting perfectly normal, as though nothing had happened. It's...disconcerting. At least Kaies tends to share her astonishment when obscenely strange things happen.

And he certainly is now. "You're an angel...?" Ale looks at him.

"Yup. Born and raised."

"You know what? Forget it. I give up being shocked and awed." Kaies shakes his head. "It's such a waste of time these days."

"That is a good philosophy. Orrin, clothes?" He smiles at the father of the young lady who'd brought him here. "I think we're about the same size, right?"

"I'd say it's pretty close, yes. If you don't mind being dragged to a strange man's bedroom, you can go ahead and raid my closet for whatever." The dumen grins, and heads into the house.

"So you two are both all right?" Dewei inquires of the two humans. Demi-human in one case, but eh.

Minna smiles a bit, and nods. "Yes...I think so, Dewei, thank you. Are things always so...hectic around here?"

"Not usually. Just these last few days...usually we wait at least twenty minutes between calamities...ehm. Excuse me, not so funny. No, it's usually quieter. I admit that we're expecting an attack before too long, which you should be perfectly safe from in teh lower levels of the house, and after that everything should quiet down to normal."

Minna blinks. "Attack?"

Yoru nods her little head. "Demons coming for our resident incubus, Yue. They want to brainwash her, or something."

Kaies just stares. "Nothing too important, right. Wait..." Blinks. "Incubus, her? That doesn't quite mesh. You mean succubus, right?"

"Nope." Yoru shakes her head. "Incubus."

"Let's just say that she's female in every sense of the word but one," Dewei puts in, and nods. "She feels like a lady and acts like one, and likes being addressed and treated accordingly."

"Why does that name sound almost familiar?" the pseudo-goddess muses quietly. "Kaies, I'm reincarnated too, right?" Felina had told him but only glanced over it with her. But, she's a logical creature.

"Right. Both of us are, actually, or so I'm led to believe." Kaies scratches his hair, as he is wont to do these days when he's thinking. "But the name seems common enough. Is he... is she Chinese, too?"

"Hmm...not that I know of. She has black hair and pale skin, but her hair's curly, and the rest of the features don't mesh well with Asian structures."

Minna's still quite thoughtful. She finally shakes her head. "I can still...swear that that sounds very familiar. Maybe I'll run into him soon and see why."

Dewei smiles, and nods. "She's one of mom's dearest old friends, so she's likely to be around. In the meantime, I'd have to imagine you two are going to be here at least overnight, and probably longer...want to see about getting you situated into some bedrooms?"

Kaies looks to Minna. "I go where Minna goes, so it is up to her." Kaies doesn't remember any Yue, not really. But then, he also knows that he wasn't with Minna the first time.

"Sure...that sounds nice," Minna notes, smiling, and nods. "Thank you Dewei.

"Sure thing. So do you want..."

"If I could interrupt," Felina puts in..."there are a couple of people I'd like you two to meet." She smiles. Looks to her arm ornament, and then to Minna. "Minna...this is Yue, a very dear friend of mine. And Kaies...hm. Well, remember when Moorn stole your body that time and we build a new one? We found out a few years ago that a lich lord reincarnated it. To make a complicated story short, he's my apprentice." She looks back to the zombie. "Makyon, this is Kaies Metsaf. Kaies...Makyon."

Minna blinks. Prompt. But...she smiles at Yue, wondering at the same time why her face seems so very familiar...and why she can't help but think of him as "he." "Hello." She just smiles her close-eyed smile after a moment, leaning on her crutch and holding out her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Yue."

Yue smiles a similar closed-eyed smile, just for the sake of not seeing her face for a second. He remembers too clearly, far too clearly... he can still see the shock on her face when she was taken from him before. He can hear her neck snapping. He feels like throwing up. Or fainting. Or both.

Still, his hand comes out to take hers, even though he cannot say a word.

Kaies is scratching his hair as if he thinks if he keeps it up he'll win something. He takes a step towards Makyon, who has a lording expression on his face. Considers him.

Lifts one hand, and pokes his chest. Tilts his head the other way.

Even as she smirks at the Kaieses, Felina holds onto Yue's arm gently, supporting him with just the slightest calming spell. There's no way he'll forgive himself for losing it, if he does.

Minna's...hm. Not sure what's going on. Knows it's intense, whatever it is. Knows she should remember him. And yet is becoming very frustrated because she can't nail down why. "Are you okay, Yue?" she inquires after a moment, face concerned and trying not to look as disconcerted as she herself feels.

The incubus snaps to at her voice, bolstered by Felina's spells. He looks at her, and his eyes are full of tears. His smile fights to return and finally does. "I knew you before," Yue carefully explains, "I'm just very emotional, that's all..."

Makyon blinks, and pokes Kaies right back.

Minna smiles a bit, feeling...excused for feeling as she does, in a way. "That's a relief," she admits. "It explains why you feel so familiar, while omitting the 'losing my mind' possibility." She grins at Yue a little. "You'll have to tell me sometime about how we knew each other."

Yue's wings flutter again. Makyon looks at her, blinking, just in time to be practically tackled as Yue dives for any pair of arms big enough to hold him. It's just too much. Minna, he can't think of anything except failing her, watching her be murdered like that. Even with Felina's spells the strain is just too much.

Makyon pats her hair, looks to Felina with a 'please help!' look on his face. Kaies glances at Minna.

"Was it something you said?" he inquires gamely.

"I...um..." her eyes are wide, face actively startled. She finally just bites her lip.

"I'l explain later, Minna," Felina promises quietly. "It's not your fault." She looks to Kaies for some backup.

"You know, Minna, I think you and I need to see about our accomodations, how about it." He looks around for Dewei, who had been about to lead them. "Care to be a tour guide for a minute?"

"Sure, absolutely." Dewei is wondering what just happened, but smiles at them and sets out in that direction, making sure that Minna's situated okay with the one crutch she'd been able to grab from home.

Meanwhile, Felina walks quietly over to Yue.

Kaies makes a point to be there in case Minna needs to lean on someone, but he's kinda worried about things in general right now. He half expects to be assaulted by devil-monsters at any moment now.

Makyon looks again at Felina, way out of his element.

Yue is clinging to him, so hard that her nails are cutting into his skin.

Felina walks over to them...slips quietly under Yue's wings, to hug him gently. "I'm so proud of you," she murmurs. "That took a lot of guts, approaching her."

"I couldn't think of anything else, all I could see was her face, dying in front of me..."

Makyon blinks. Wonders what that's about, but doesn't let go of Yue just yet. The incubus is shaking badly, voice broken into shards... whatever's wrong, is badly wrong.

Felina nods slowly. "She's alive now. That image will never go away, but...it won't always be the first thing that you see. You had a lot of good times with Minna, too, Yue."

"I know... I know...! I just, I saw her face, and it's so beautiful, and alive, I couldn't even think..." 

"Hey now. Stop that, you're getting tears all over my vest." Makyon grabs Yue's shoulders and forces her back a half-step, staring hard into her shocked-wide eyes. "You were smiling so bright a minute ago. To be honest, you were making me wish I wasn't so interested in Ting so I could ask you to come see me tonight."

She sniffles, but doesn't answer.

"I want to see it. I want to see you smile, alright?"

Yue shakes his head. "I'm trying..."

"Yue. I think you probably found a lot of closure today, just in seeing her again," Felina points out gently. "From here it will only get easier. Not easy right away. But gradually easier. Believe me." Kaies.

The incubus squeezes his eyes shut, nods. He's better than this, he knows it. It helps that Makyon gives him a good hard shake now and again.

"I'm fine," he finally manages. "Let go of me, Makyon. You're hurting me."

And he does, of course, instantly apologetic. "Sorry, sorry. But tell me. That guy that was with her. Was he cute?"

Yue blinks. "Well, yes..."

"Ha! I knew it! I'm cute!" And he lifts his arms in mock-celebration, playing to a crowd that isn't there. Yue can't help but giggle a little at his ridiculousness.

Felina has to laugh. "Gah...my family." Shakes her head. "It's interesting...you're almost more like Kaies's nether double, Emshei, in personality, Makyon. It should be fun poking at Kaies these next few weeks--literally, as you two so aptly demonstrated--and figuring out what you have in common."

Actually Makyon's first thought was to snag Kaies and go with him to Ting's room when she wakes up and see how she reacts.

"Yeah. But for now," he pulls his shirt down a little bit at the collar, showing off his new puncture scars. "I need some more rest."

"Ah...yes, about that." And Felina steps over and hugs him tightly. "Way to earn that family seal, Makyon," she notes quietly. "Thank you. I owe you a new hammock and maybe--maybe--some vacation time." She smiles, and releases him.

The revenant just smiles. "Yeah, well, Dewei looks fine without holes in his back. I was due for a makeover anyway."

"You're no longer allowed to start fads I plan to follow," Felina decrees, smirking and holding her cloak shut again as soon as she pulls away from him. A thin, weak shield had kept any stinky, sticky yuckiness from transferring to him. "You're a lousy trendsetter."

"Yup." He looks at Yue, whose eyes are down, but looking much better. "You going to be okay, man?"

She laughs dryly at that. "Now you're going to confuse yourself. Unless I put something in you, you have no reason to think of me as male. But yes, I will be fine." She looks to Felina, contritely. "You should go get cleaned up. Orrin is going to want some close call loving, if he is the man he ought to be."

Felina laughs softly. "Yes, a good point, Yue. I'll see you soon, hm?" She smiles at the angel, and heads off to her room. Blinks when she walks in to find both her husband and an angel bare from the waist up. "That isn't even fair," she notes as she heads to the bathroom. "There are far too many comments I could choose from." Door shuts.

Orrin blinks, but figures she can still here, and looks to Ale. "I don't think she approves, sweety."

"She would have, if you had let me take your pants down," Ale, quick on the uptake for once, answers back. He leans in, though, and whispers.

"Call me sweety again when our shirts are off, and I'll bless your ass with my foot."

Orrin just smirks, thoroughly amused. "Our shirts, Kimosabe?" His is still on. "So do you think that one will work okay? You don't look that much bigger than me, but damned if my close like you."

"If I had to guess, it's the wings, genius." Ale laughs, but it's not that funny. They're packed awfully tight against his back. "This will be fine for now. Thank you."

"No problem. We could just cut slits in the back, you know."

"And mess up your shirt? Nah. I'm fine. Seriously." Looks out the window. "You know, I need to talk to that guy Moorn. We've been looking for him for quite a while. Breaking out of hell and all."

"Yeah, he is a problem child." Wiped out his entire race and all. Not that he'd been alive for that, but eh. "But he's stayed out of trouble this time through. What do you need to talk to him about, if I may be so bold?"

"You may. He has to stand trial. Last two times the bastard died, he was judged by an angel of death, obviously, because he was dead. This time it'll be a panel of archangels. Well. A panel meaning me. And a representative from hell. Probably Yue, since she's so close to all this."

Orrin scritches his hair. "And if he's found to be a jackass?"

"Well, we can't put him back in hell. He'll just break out again. Most likely, the verdict is that he'll be drained of his powers in the millenium maze over a course of about ten thousand years, then released back into life. If it doesn't kill him."

"Ahh..." Orrin considers this as he puts his clothes away. "So who's going to convince him that this is a good idea?"

"Me," Ale nods, "and about two hundred angels and twenty archangels if he decides the verdict is bad for him. Law's law, and no smart cop goes without backup."

"Ah...the two hundred odd archangels thing makes me feel better. Still..." Orrin ponders that. "Eh. You don't need me telling you how messy it's going to get." He wonders what Fel will think of the whole thing. Little to no chance that she'll say it publically, though. "Of course, that's the funny thing about angels. Damn you guys can move with surgical precision when you really have to." He laughs. "Speaking of moving, it'll be better for all involved if you're not standing right here when Fel gets out of the shower." He pulls a certain blessed ring out of his pocket. "I was just on my way to put this on my daughter's hand when Minna and Kaies showed up. Would you mind? You have very little chance of waking her up if you don't try, so you know."

"Sure, sure." Ale takes the ring and heads for the door without a further word. He can't really describe why he feels so uncomfortable all of a sudden. Still, he heads on down to Ting's room and eases the door open, peeking inside to make sure she's still asleep.

She is, and curled under the covers, head tucked there as well.

Ale slips inside, remembering what Orrin had said, and pulls back her covers to reach for her hand.

Ting breathes in suddenly when he does, but then just shifts, half-stretches, and settles back down, looking more or less pleased about the "sleeping" thing. Also, she drools the tiniest bit.

Conveniently, she's laying on her left arm in her curled position, elbow bent so that her left hand is wedged dangerously near certain upper female charms.

"Why do I feel like I am being led into a setup..." Ale shrugs, and reaches down for Ting's hand anyway. To cop a feel, or not to cop feel? Which question will save his ass from kicking?

Ting murfs, or murmurs something, it's hard to tell, and starts to pull it back a little...then she rolls and he takes it without problem. Pretty manicured claws and all.

He smiles at her little vocalizations, and at her in general. She embodies 'adorable' after all, and her hand is warm and soft -outside of her claws and calluses!- to the touch. Slowly, carefully, he works to slip the ring upon the chosen finger, watching her face for signs of waking up.

Her nose twitches a bit. She's definitely closer to "awake" than she was...but certainly not dangerously close to it, just yet, as the ring slips down her knuckle. Low-power sleeps are goood.

Ale breathes out, and lays her hand back down. So cute. He turns reluctantly and creeps towards the door, scot free.

"Mm...thank you..." Ting just barely murmurs. "...Mommy."

Ale just barely avoids tripping, conveniently, when Ting says that. Mommy? He wonders. Dream. Right. You're very masculine, Ale. And continues for the door.

Ting half-opens one eye. A sleepy, amused little smirk threads across her lips. Then she yawns quietly, stretches, and drifts back off in the comfort of her bowl bed.

Once outside, Ale composes himself in a hurry. "Now. Gotta go talk to the sorcerer. Just..." He turns a beacon on his right-hand ring, a signal so that the other angels will know what's going on. And he's off to Istan Aiga.

---

Yue had been sitting by the pond again, thinking about Minna, when the first pulse occured. The second saw him sprinting towards the house. This third rocks his psyche, enough that he loses the strength in his legs and winds up lying on the front step of the house, calling for help.

He doesn't know what this vast backfire of energy is. Whatever it is, though, it comes straight from Istan Aiga and Yue has a horrible feeling about it.

It definitely has Felina's attention. Right when she'd been making out with her husband a little, too. Strict mental orders to Dewei to keep an eye on Kaies and Minna and mental assurance to Yue that she's checking it out, her outfit, armor, and weapons are very suddenly in place and she's off for Istan Aiga.

---