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Coral tilted her chin back, displaying herself in a moment of coy bravery, until Reyna reached forward. In that instant, she vanished, in a surge of confusion. She could feel Ak's pink blush, as the demoness reached forward and snapped the clasp carefully. It wasn't the feeling that was unexpected...it was the timing.

Aki leaned back, once she felt the weight of the pendant against her breast bone, and inclined her head. "It would have been a bit much, with a normal setting. You're...adept at handling rarities. Thank you." Aki glanced up with a smile, and instantly lost her train of thought. Instead, she motioned with one hand to the spread upon the table. Bottles and glasses, a tray of cranberry tarts, and a bowl of yam chips with creamcheese dip. Harvest came early, with Elle around...and bounty was meant to be shared.

Nisha watched inscrutably as Sam peered around her room, silently weighting each smile and reaction. A large, furious part of her wished to be liked...it was a feeling that reminded her of Declan, and she clenched her little fists at the thought.

"For pretend?" The question was automatic. Dress up for real happened in dreams, of course. The options were limitless! Nisha picked up a scarf with one hand, letting it dangle between chubby fingers.

"I'm famous." It was a big word for such a little girl, but Nisha wrapped the scarf around her head with a hollywood flair. She peered at Samara with her chin up, and stared at her little sisters hat. "Whatter you?"

Desperate, not to be left out, gingerly sucked a slipper off the floor with the end of his tapered trunk. He let it drop near Fragments, in kind offering. -Shoe?-

Aki's thoughts weren't far from Reyna's...she looked down the hall briefly towards the bedroom as though half waiting for something. "Well...yes." Turning her eyes back to the other woman, she laughed off her worries. Nisha was old enough to be left alone for a bit, and Desperate would squeal if there was trouble. He always did.

"I was curious, about Coral." Glancing over one shoulder to see if the Fiend would emerge, Aki finally shrugged. Apparently not. "Anything else you might know, or anything she might be able to..." Waving her hands for a moment, sweatdropping a bit, Aki made a vague gesture. "...do."

Nisha smiled a bit at Sam's accent, which was rare in and of itself, but shook her head. "Dun like tea. Chokkit milk s'better." She seemed rather serious about that bit, and grabbed one of Aki's old blouses from the floor. It was a bit big on her, but that made it look like a dress, which was okay with her. Only boys wore pants.

"Lookit. Collar." Holding up a thin woman's belt, dotted with a few remaining rhinestones, Nisha waved it for Fragments. "You be a pursepuppy." That's what Aki called them, anyway!

Desperate poked at Samara's hat with his trunk, the scarf draped over his head sliding to obscure one beady black elephant eye. The feather tickled his nose terribly, so he poked Sam in the tummy to get rid of the sensation.

"You're maaahhhvelous." Nisha said in a slightly sulky 'your mama' kind of tone. That wasn't a word she'd ever heard before, so turn about was probably the best option.

Digging in the pile, just off the side of her bed, Nisha finally pulled up the string of pearls she'd liberated from Aki's jewelry box. She handed them over to Sam with a bright new smile, cheeks dimpling. "Here. Let's be princesses now, kay?" Princesses were famous AND rich, all in one!

As the scarf slid down Desperate's nose, he curled the tip of his trunk back, blowing gently to keep it in place. Instead, it fluffed and resettled to cover both his eyes, which was too much like being in the dark. The dark, of course, was scary.

Aki had just selected a tart for herself when Desperate began to hoot...his trademarked call echoing across the Villa. "That's our signal. If it's not too much trouble..." She pushed away from the table, still talking, in that patient way mothers had. "Maybe we could meet with you both sometime, then? She'll pout till I let her play with this," She patted the chain of the pendant with a wry smile. "So tonight wouldn't have really worked anyway!"

Nisha looked up with wide, innocent eyes, as the adults walked in...almost instantly realizing Aki would probably have a few questions about her 'missing' pearls. The elf only smiled, however, and bumped her hip against Reynas. "They ARE beautiful! Aren't we lucky?"

As the storm failed to come, Nisha dimpled suddenly with a smile, and wrapped her arms around Samara just as tight. "Pwincess!" She even adopted the girls lisp. Apparently Samara wasn't as silly as she thought! This was a great technique!

Aki shook her head with a smile, and winced as Desperate trumpeted again. The cloth was still over his head, and he was too afraid to move since he couldn't see. Who knew what he might step on!

-Pursepuppy, heeellllp!-

Desperate sighed in relief as soon as the scarf was moved, shaking his head with a great flapping of ears. He offered Fragments a surge of thanks for trying to help, even if the little Daemon hadn't been the one to finally pull the material from his eyes. That had been scary!

Nisha froze as Reyna settled the scarf over her little shoulders, and looked to Sam with wide, curious eyes. Wasn't Sam going to scream, since Reyna hadn't given it to her? Forbid Aki gave something pretty to another girl...it would be the end of the world!

No explosion came. Samara chirped at her mom, as cheerful as ever, and Nisha glanced upward in amazement. "Yus. We best pwincesses."

Aki tried not to laugh at Nisha's flat agreement with Reyna, and shook her head. No need to encourage the snotiness, even if it was kind of funny. "Well, princesses, get dressed in your finest! When you're ready to make your entrance, there's a meal waiting!"

Nisha fished around in the mess long enough to find a single white satin high heeled shoe, which she passed to Samara. It was big enough to fit Aki, but it was still pretty. "Cinderella shoe."

((Sam in one shoe is the cutest image EVER. XD))

Nisha allowed herself to be carried without a speck of fuss. This was the way things were supposed to be, after all! She patted Reyna's shoulder with vague approval, and offered her own guardian a haughty look. "Can't be late!"

Leaning around Reyna a bit to be able to peer at Sam, Nisha regarded her sister with serious golden eyes. "Mebbe there's a prince."

Aki rolled her eyes at her daughter, still smiling. Reyna was apparently a good sight stronger than she! If Nisha wanted carried, it wasn't going to be Aki doing it. Besides, the girl had never quite grown out of her baby fat. Nisha was definitely a handful, especially for one of Aki's bloodline!

Nodding as Reyna smiled, cheeks pinking a bit at the flash of fang, Aki slipped ahead into the kitchen to start pulling out chairs. One of the coasters rolled off the table as she bumped it, however, and Aki watched as it rolled across the way.

"Drat!" Always when her hands were full. "Hmm. Sam? Can you pick that up while mom puts you into your cha-...throne?" She'd been curious to see if the girl's ability had changed, since days past!

Aki was delighted, but less startled than Reyna. She hadn't known she was asking for something out of the ordinary! Nisha's talents were somewhat more...self-centered...so Aki had never truly seen them demonstrated. She offered an admiring nod to Reyna before turning her smile on the young girl.

"Perfect. You're a big help!" Extended her hand for the coaster, wondering briefly about the consistency of ghost dog spit, Aki ignored the sharp kick to the back of her leg by one of Nisha's swinging, jealous feet.

"Princesses don't help."

Aki ignored that comment, but settled her other hand on her petulant daughter's shoulder. "You're both perfect princesses. And princesses don't kick!"

Nisha blinked at Samara's offer, and forgot about the kicking. "Yah? Okay." It didn't take her long to jump at the chance. "I'm big princess. Y'can be little princess." Nisha's nose went up in the air as she settled into her role, haughty attitude settling too easily over her. "We'll make a pillow palace too!"

After the food of course. As Aki offered Nisha a plate, the Forgotten waved her guardian off....selecting a tart for herself before grabbing the whole tray and plunking it down in front of Samara. "All for you!"

Aki settled heavily into her seat, and made googly eyes at Reyna, also silent. She'd never, never ONCE, seen the girl share!!

The act was so startling that the hungry noise from Desperate's bottomless tummy almost went unheard. He was so happy for his girl he could dance! Instead, he simply poked at Fragments with the tip of his trunk, trying to spread the joy in the form of tummy tickles. What a remarkable day!!