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The Cup

“You’ve got to be kidding me! You aren’t going to do this again, are you?” Bavaria asked rather startled from where she sat on her bond’s shoulder.

“Would you rather us walk there? Or take a bus half of the way as well?” Trinity asked as she stood in the middle of her living room. Again she was preparing her teleportation spell. “Besides, if I’m going to do well with this spell, I have to keep working at it. This time I’m just going to aim for his driveway.”

The hope feien rolled her eyes, not expecting it to work. At all.

Once more they were consumed in the bright light and when it cleared, they were some where slightly windy. And uneven. Trin’s feet touched something solid, by which caused her to lose her balance. Her tail frilled around to try and regain it, but that didn’t help and the girl fell to the ground.

Bav had the insight enough to move. “Well, we’re not at the bottom of an ocean and we’re not in a bathroom. Good job! Now where are we?”

“…. A roof.” Trin muttered as she pushed herself up. Indeed they were on a roof and tiles under her hands were very hot. It simply caused her to get up faster.

“Ok, who’s roof?” Bav asked and returned to the shoulder.

“I have no idea.” Trin said and walked over to the edge of the roof to knock on a window. Someone, she hoped, would be home and let them in.

Long moments passed and she began to fear that no one was home and she would be stuck on the roof until she got the courage to try the teleportation spell again.

Luckily, the window began to slide up and the crown of a head of tousled brown hair emerged. Twisting, suddenly, Jack was grinning up at her, the smile cheeky and easy-going. "So it's the roof this time?" he asked calmly. As if he found young women on his roof every day. It was a complete flashback to his behavior the last time, when she ended up in his bathroom. "Need help getting down, pet?"

A lopsided grin crossed her features at this and she looked to her young feien. “See? I told you I’d get it right!” She said happily. Even if it wasn’t fully true. At least it –was- Jack’s house. She edged closer to him. “I could use a bit, yes. I can’t fly.”

Bav rolled her eyes. “Oh yeah, this really looks like a drive way to me.” She drawled and took to the air. –She- could fly!

Jack considered telling her to stay put while he got the ladder. Then he remembered that the ladder wasn't his and the neighbor had reclaimed it. Whoops. So, still grinning, he leaned further out. "Sit on the edge, pet, and let your legs hang," he ordered. "We'll get you down."

A blue blur shot out the window and upwards. "Bavaria! Sis!"

Sighing, Jack hoped his feien would keep his sister busy while he manhandled Trin. He was pretty sure that Bavaria would object to -that-.

Trin had good sense to know what was coming. But she did need down the roof one way or another. She was sure that if he did have a ladder, he would have offered it. So, she did what she was told. After all, the roof was getting hot.

“Bruns!” Bav flew at her brother, giving him a hug. “She did that spell again!” She explained, frowning at her bond. Then she realized what Jack was about to do to Trin…. She’d have to watch those hands of his!

Brunswick rolled his eyes and reached out to set his hand on his sister's shoulder. "Tell her to walk next time, BeeVee," he suggested. "She can't aim for anything and some day she's gonna end up in Jack's -bed- or something."

If Jack heard the tone behind Brunswick's words (a tone which implied that landing in Jack's bed was only mildly better than being roasted alive), he ignored it in his concentration on the bigger problem. Sitting on the sill, he reached up to touch Trin's ankle. "Okay, now go over on your stomach an' let your legs hang down. Waist at the edge an' all. I'll steady you."

Bav crossed her arms. “I told her to not do that spell, and she insisted!” She huffed, crossing her arms and giving Jack the ‘look’. One that would promise him pain if his touching got too friendly.

If she was big enough to follow through with that. Then again, something else would do.

Trin, on the other hand, was ignoring the two feien as she twisted around and slid over the edge of the roof. Her tail waved in the air to keep her balance as she worked. At this angle, it was easy to see how loved her shoes were. They were old and well worn with spots from spills on them. They were also more like hiking boots, so they would have good traction for this little climbing job.

Well, at least they weren't high heels, Jack thought as he reached out to pull her legs towards him and the window sill. "Steady, luv," he murmured. "Wiggle it back some more." He wished his house had dormer windows; things would have been much easier. Bloody old house. Keeping one arm in attendance on Trin, he shifted on his perch and moved to straddle the sill. Legs able to stabilize his weight now, he moved the rest of his body to the outside. "We're gonna have t' give you coordinates to follow or somethin'."

Rightly interpreting his sister's expression, Brunswick patted her shoulder again. "He won't drop her," he reassured her. "And she can punch him out later if he grabs her wrong. He'll let her."

“Yeah, but would she punch him? That’s the thing!” Bav answered her brother, huffing again. “Trin, you’re not allowed to do this spell! Never -ever- again when traveling!”

“Yeah yeah, Varia!” Her bonded called back.

“Bav!”

Trin couldn’t help but grin at Jack since Bav couldn’t see it. She was purposely teasing her feien. With his guidance, her foot was able to find the sill and she slowly lowered herself more. The foot shimmed over the edge to help get her in.

Jack's hand immediately moved to cup her hip. The other shifted to hold her foot to the window sill, providing weight to her balance. "D'ya feel like a princess bein' rescued from a tower yet, Trin?" he asked. He, too, ignored the feien. Clever man that he was, he knew this was the best way to get both Bavaria and Brunswick silent with boiling indignation. Taking a breath, he stretched out a bit more and gripped the waistline of Trin's pants. "Okay, then. Almost there."

"If she doesn't hit him, I'll hit him." Brunswick watched the rescue mission with narrowed eyes.

“Then I’ll do a follow up punch.” Bav growled as she watched them. Her own violet eyes were narrowed at the British man.

“I think this would have been easier if I have a rope of bed sheets. And wasn't trying to climb in.” Trin teased. The ironic aspect of what he just said did hit her, but she said nothing. As she shifted and slowly let her weight go to him so she could get in (who ever invented these overhangs should have to do this some time and see just how stupid it was!), her tail accidentally popped Jack in the face. She was climbing in so that her back would face him and didn’t even think of her tail.

Thus Jack's reward for being a knight-in-shining armor was a mouthful of fur. Gamely, he kept his hands on Trin and tried to draw his head back. The angle was awkward, her tail was long, and so his hands tightened reflexively at her waist to keep them both on the sill.

Brunswick nearly fell out of the air, giggling.

Brunswick wasn’t the only one. Bavaria laughed openly about this. “Way to go, TB! Whack him with the tail!” She called out, then laughed again.

Trin flushed and drew the extra appendage to her so as to not hit Jack again. Then she gave the two a frown. “It’s not like I meant too!” She pouted, then politely waited for him to get resituated. Her arms were starting to get tired of this. “Sorry about that, Jack.”

"N-no worries." Turning his head, he made a strange face as he tried to rid his mouth of lingering hairs. Then he turned back and offered her a naughty little boy's grin. "Warn me next time an' we'll be in clover." He paused and pulled himself forward a bit to better hold her. One of his arms loosed from her waist and shifted up to brace across her upper chest. "Okay, pet," he muttered. "Let go an' I'll pull you in."

“Some times I forget I even have a tail.” Trin muttered, then she took a deep breath and let go of overhang. She was all going to trust him to not drop her and her eyes automatically shut.

Bav did not like the position of Jack’s hold and her laughing stopped.

With a quick heave, Jack managed to draw the slender young woman towards him the moment she released her grip. She came to rest halfway through the window, her stomach resting on a combination of windowsill and Jack's thighs. His arms had shifted immediately once she was safe, leaving her with the weight of one of his hands at the small of her back, palm warm, and the other hand cupping her shoulder. "There ya go, Princess," he announced. "Rescued tail an' all."

Brunswick snorted under his breath and reached for Bavaria's hand. "Easy there, sis," he cautioned. "Jack's a perv but he's not going to do anything to her unless she says it's okay." There was grudging admission in his voice. "He's a good-guy jerk like that."

It was a very good thing Bruns did that, for his sister was about to lunge. So, she settled on growling at Jack. “If ya say so, bro…” Bav added softly, not looking at him.

Trin gave a nervous little laugh at this and pulled herself up right. “Thank you Jack. It was getting really hot up there and I’d hate to have to jump or something. But, um, no ‘Princessing’ me, okay?” She asked, straightening herself and her shirt.

"Whatever you like, Trin." Jack looked away from her and focused on bringing his upper body back into the room and then swinging his long leg back inside as well. For a moment, he sat on the edge of the windowsill and then he stood suddenly, hands raking through his hair as he grinned at her. "No more roofs, okay?" he teased. "I reckon the bathroom was much nicer, don't you?"

With his sister's bond safely inside, Brunswick relaxed and shrugged. He began pulling Bavaria with him to the window. "I'm glad you came to visit, anyway," he muttered. "Jack's been at his books lately. -Boring-. And then there's the cup thing."

“A cup thing…?” This threw the little hope feien off from how Jack had manhandled her bond. “What kinda cup thing?”

“In all of it’s awkwardness, yes.” Trin gave him a grin once she was straightened. “At least the fire department wasn’t called in to get me down.” She stated. “So how have you been?”

"Oh, I've been doin'." Jack shrugged vaguely. Then a comically exaggerated look of confusion appeared on his face. "Except I reckon I'm a daddy again. Maybe." He tilted his head and gave her a look of utter trust and adoration. Just like a great big puppy. "Can I be a daddy t' a cup?"

"Yeah, a -cup-. With funny red liquid in it. Jack's all worried about me spilling it." Brunswick looked positively disgusted at the insinuation.

Bav looked at him oddly. “So what the hell is it about this cup?”

“You got it at a Gaia shop, didn’t you?” Trin asked, lifting a brow at the Brit. “You should be careful, odd things can come from that.” A little, mischievous grin went on her face and her eyes gave a little twinkle. She knew strange things in Gaia could happen.

"I didn't buy it, pet," Jack assured her. Pushing away from the windowsill, he motioned for her to follow him out to the hall and down the stairs. "I was walkin' by, paused, got called in, an'... This little gel just gave it to me an' told me not t' drink it. Bloody weird thing. Why do people keep givin' me things t' take care of?"

Brunswick landed on Jack's shoulder and nodded morosely. "Like he said. It's a cup and he can't drink it or spill it and all it does is sit there."

“Oh god… how can you stand it?” Bav commented and took a seat on Trin’s shoulder. She was still too irritated at Jack to rest on his shoulder with Bruns.

Trin just shook her head as she followed Jack. “Maybe they think you’ll do a good job at taking care of things. I guess this means it isn’t safe to window shop any more? People will give you little things to take care of.” She said idly. Then her head tilted in thought. “What do you think will come of it?”

"Damned if I know. I reckon I'll just do like the gel said an' see what happens." At the bottom of the steps, he reached behind himself absently to touch Trin's hand and tug her in the direction of the dining room. "It's in here," he announced.

"I can't. Maybe I'll move in with you, BeeVee."

"No, you won't, lad. I don't want you botherin' Trin."

Brunswick scowled, reached up to pinch Jack's ear, and then fluttered over to sit next to his sister on Trinity's shoulder.

Trin choked on a small laugh. “I don’t think he liked that comment, did you Bruns?” She smiled at the other feien, turning her head just-so, so that her grin could be seen without the need to really moving her shoulders.

“Brunswick wouldn’t brother Tb! Nothin really bothers her!” Bav said and wrapped an arm around her brother. He could live with her! That would be the best, really.

Trin just rolled her eyes.

Showing his impeccable maturity, Brunswick stuck his tongue out at his bond over his sister's shoulder.

Matching the maturity and raising it, Jack stuck -his- tongue out and crossed his eyes. Then he grinned at Trin. "Honestly, I'd miss the little shite," he admitted. "So it's all 'bout savin' you an' maintainin' my manly image. He knows my secrets, y'see. Bruns lets me cry at movies. Hell, he joins me."

"I do not!" Trin’s shoulders shook with suppressed laughter, causing the two on her shoulder to have to hold on. This caused scolding on Bav’s behalf. “Don’t do that!” And she pinched the cat like ear that was on the side of her bond’s head.

That ear gave a flick and the grin didn’t vanish from Trin’s face. “Poor Jack. No drama movies for you.” She teased. “But I don’t mind it if Bruns wanted to spend the night with Varia—“

“Bav!”

“-Sometime.” The bond completely ignored her little feien as she spoke.

Jack winked. "I'll keep that in mind if I ever have a hot date an' need the privacy."

"Pervert."

Following Trin's lead, Jack likewise ignored his feien and led Trin into the dining room. A small glass sat on a bamboo placement which, in turn, rested on a bit of blue silk. A shimmering reddish liquid glowed softly within the glass. Jack pointed. "That would be the Cup," he explained.

There was still a smile on Trin’s face as she went towards the cup, studying the small bit of glass and liquid. “One is going to have to be careful with such a thing, aren’t they?” She said, leaning over slightly to peer at it more. There was something attractive about it, even if it was just a cup. Odd.

Bav grumbled again at this motion and the lack of thought regarding her and her brother. With the leaning, she took off again and landed near the cup to examine it herself. A thoughtful little frown went on her face. “It –is- dull, isn’t it?”

“I find it rather attractive, actually.” Trin said lightly. This earned her a strange look from her feien.

"Oh, it's pretty enough," Jack agreed readily, shrugging and running a hand through his hair. Absently, the hand then slipped down to tug a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket. Upon raising them, though, he discovered that they were crushed beyond smoking. He snorted under his breath and tossed the pack on the table. It skidded to a stop near the candelabra in the center. He was going to have to tear those apart and reroll them. The damage must have happened while rescuing Trinity. He slipped over to stand at Trin's side and studied the cup. "An' I plan t' do right by it." A vague gesture indicated the handmade label on the side of the cup. "I just wish I knew what t' expect, right?"

"I told you. It's going to be a face-sucking fish alien." Brunswick landed beside his sister and paced around the cup, eyeing it with annoyance. "And it'll serve you right. You should have said no, you didn't want it."

“Or it’s going to turn into the swamp thing! Maybe even flood your house and cover everything in its slime of death.” Bav said with utter logic in her voice. It only seemed right to her.

“You got into the old movies I have, didn’t you?” Trin lifted a brow at her girl. A little smirk twitched on her lips. It would figure… but at least she was learning that Bavaria enjoyed movies. If she had noticed the motion Jack made with his cigarettes pack, she made no sign of it.

... Well, ok, she did feel guilty for it being destroyed, but there wasn’t anything she could do about it. She didn’t really know what to do about it, honestly.

Jack gently picked up the glass and held it to the light. He was quiet for a moment, watching the light shine through it, refracting in a strange pattern. Finally, he smiled and set it down again, carefully. His fingers straightened the bit of blue silk automatically. "Well, we'll just see what comes out, eh?" He turned the smile on Trin and it was warm and devoid of his usual wicked charm. "Anyway, stupid as it sounds, I wanted you t' meet it."

"So you know what to tell the police when they find our drowned corpses," Brunswick chimed in. It was hard to tell now if he was actually mad or if he was just enjoying playing the doom-sayer and creating outlandish deaths for him and his bond.

“You need to stock up on salt. Salt will kill the slime monsters, like it does snails.” Bav informed him with a little nod. “I can’t have my brother dieing on me!”

The small, pleasant smile that was on Trin’s face grew to a grin at Jack’s information. “Well then, it looks like I -did- come at a good time, yes? How long do you reckon it will take before something with it will happen?” She was very curious as to what it would turn into. Feien’s came from flowers. Little Rhea came from a book… Gaia had so many strange beings that came from odd things!

"Not a clue." He shrugged. "Hopefully, soon. Then I don't have t' spend my time shooin' Bruns away from it. I swear he wants t' turn it into a jacuzzi."

Brunswick leaned over and whispered in his sister's ear, "It's about the right size, though, right? I bet Soho and Marne would go for that. Pink water is a surefire draw for girls." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Except you, BeeVee, because you're not a girly-girl."

Jack again reached out to touch the glass and he looked thoughtful. "I have t' admit that I've been tempted t' try some scannin' spells an' the like but I don't know if it would hurt it or not."

“I don’t think it would be safe to try it, not knowing if it’ll work or not. Like you said, it could hurt it.” Tb agreed as she watched the man and the cup. Her eyes did a little glance at the two feien, just to make sure they weren’t sneaking off to cause trouble.

Bav was other wise considering her brother’s words. “It might need a little more and maybe a candle or an incense burner thing to stand on. One of those that you put a candle under? Or whatever that thing is…” She had seen it once in a picture. Her shoulders gave a little shrug. “And I’d prefer blue water.”

"Of course you would, BeeVee." Brunswick grinned. "Everyone knows that blue is the best color ever." The fact that both of them had blue markings clearly only proved the point to him.

"Wouldn't wanna do that." Suddenly, Jack straightened and moved towards his kitchen, touching Trin's shoulder with the barest of glancing motions as he passed. He chuckled under his breath as she kept looking at the glass, barely registering his touch. "Bloody hell, luv," he teased. "You keep lookin' at it like that an' I'll have to share custody o' it with you. Fancy bein' mum t' a cup?"

Trin jerked around to look at him, then gave a nervous little laugh. “I’m sorry! There’s just something about it that draws you to it.” She muttered. And, seeing him in the position to head elsewhere, she obediently started to follow him.

“And those who don’t know, haven’t yet seen the truth.” Bav nodded. Then hearing the word ‘mum’ coming from Jack’s lips, she turned a light glare on him.

"But we'll show them." Brunswick patted his sister's shoulder and then leapt from the table, winging his way to land on Jack's shoulder. Only then did he scowl and mutter, "Knock it off, Jack. You're being a jerk again."

"Am not." Turning his head to look over his unoccupied shoulder, Jack smiled at Trin. "Fancy a drink? Not that one, of course."

“Tea, of course.” Trin smiled at him and stuck her hands in her pockets, for lack of something better to do with them. “And drinking the liquid in the cup might be a bad thing.” She added, simply because she could.

Bav thought that Jack should drink it, as long as it didn’t kill him. She took her own place on her own bond’s shoulder and gave Jack a pointed look. “Got any grapes to eat?” It was a random question, yes, but she might as well take advantage of the host.

"Sure do, Bavaria," Jack drawled as he moved to the refrigerator. "Bruns made me pick some up so he could try 'em. Green ones okay?"

Brunswick sank down into a crosslegged meditation position and smiled. "Better," he announced. "And we'll have some juice, too."

"Yes, master." Jack straightened, hands balancing the milk, the juice, and a bunch of grapes. Neatly, he transferred it all to the counter and plucked two grapes. He rolled them towards Trin. "For the kids, darlin'," he announced with a laugh. "Black tea, right?"

Ohh, black tea, the strong stuff. One brow lifted on the cat-girl’s face, but she said nothing against it. Rather she picked up the grapes and started to wash them off of whatever might be on them. Then she presented one each to the feiens. “That will do just fine.” She finally answered.

Bav took hers with a smug little smirk. Then fluttered off the shoulder and onto the counter to eat. It was a good thing she moved too, for her bond started to wash off the rest of the grapes, so that she and Jack could eat them, if they wanted.

As Brunswick joined his sister on the counter, Jack gave Trin a strange look. "Not proper black tea," he finally explained. "Just without milk an' sugar. I don't have fancy tea in this house." He grinned. "Not so long as I can get my PG Tips, nope."

Trin gave a small chuckle. “Ahh, now I understand! I was thinking -real- black tea. It’s quite strong. Like a tea version of an espresso. I think I shall wait and see after the first sip, then see if I want the other stuff in it.” She gave him a grin.

Bav just gave a little snort and started to munch on her grape.

Brunswick nudged his sister in her side, ducking his head behind the grape for better privacy. "I like your bond, BeeVee, but is she always this dim?"

"Yeah, I know. It's paint-peelin' stuff." Jack neatly filled the kettle and set it to boil. Then he retrieved two mugs. This time, one mug was lavender and featured a cheekily grinning cat while the other was spotted black-on-white like a cow and said "Up until the cows come home." Setting them down on the counter, he began the ingrained ritual of pre-tea-preparations. Tea bags in both, milk and sugar in the cow mug. "I'm just a workin' class bloke, pet," he assured her. "No refinement t' me at all."

“Sadly she is. That’s why I’ve gotta make sure people don’t take advantage of it. It’s a wonder how she even got on without me around!” Bav whispered back behind her own little grape and gave the subject a sad little shake of her head.

“Bah, it’s fine, Jack! My great-grandpa loves tea. I don’t think he could get through a day without at least one big mug of the stuff.” Without other’s paying for it. The last was never said out loud. “And my great-grandma likes it, and my father and mother. I guess it kinda runs in the family. Peppermint tea is also good, and I do like catnip tea…” And where she was from, that was a favored tea. Jack and the feiens would more than likely find it very icky.

"Good." Jack spun to grin at her properly, leaning his lanky frame back against the counter-edge. "'Cause tea's pretty much a way o' life, y'know. My mum's American but da corrected her pretty quickly. Had, too, I reckon. She once told me that tea was usually the only drinkable thing in the flat. Unless you fancied canned lager."

Brunswick sighed and bit a hunk from his grape. He chewed thoughtfully for a moment and then shrugged. "Better dim than too smart, though, I suppose," he announced. "I can't get anywhere with Jack. He pays attention to stuff even when he doesn't seem to be."

“Then I got lucky with her in that respect. When she’s not working, she’s off doin something else, like playing a computer game. Then she has no idea what’s going on. Course when she’s workin, I’m helping.” The latter part of was Bav said was a half-boasted.

“I think my great-grandpa introduced the tea thing into the family.” Trin told him with a little smirk. “Even if there was something else to drink, he’d want tea. Has really good teeth cuz of it, oddly.” She was picking off some grapes for herself to munch on. Then she handed them to Jack, for him to eat as well.

Jack accepted the grapes with one hand and a smile. "Cheers, pet." He popped one into the air and neatly slid himself beneath to catch it in his mouth. Chewing, he winked. Then he turned back to lift the whistling kettle from the stove.

"Well, that's because you have to practice your making skills," Brunswick pointed out. "So your magic is insanely strong and we can properly do things." He frowned. "I need to get on Old Man Silva's case about teaching me. I need to get stronger."

Bav reached over, patting her brother's back. "Don't worry, we'll get that old b*****d to teach us. Mun'll need a teacher for her magic, as well and if I keep working, I should build up my magic enough so I don't have to take so many breaks." Then they could get some real interesting stuff done. What she wasn't yet sure.

"You've worked on that move often, haven't you?" Trin grinned teasingly as she waited for her tea. Personally she was happy to get the kitty cup, but she didn't say a thing about that.

"Mispent youth," he replied lightly. "The stories I could tell, pet, your tail fur would stand on end." Expertly, he poured water into both, swirled spoons through them to mix, and then fished out the tea bags a few moments later. Turning, he handed the kitty mug to Trin. "You might not believe it t' look at me now but I was a right little b*****d back then."

It took all of his strength but Brunswick managed to resist the opening Jack had given and focused on his conversation with Bavaria. "My magic's nothing special," he mused, "so I'll work on how best to use my strength, I suppose. Unless I can figure out how Jack does his things. That would be useful."

Like his sister, he wasn't quite sure what it would be useful for but Brunswick was a Boy Scout at heart in his Be Prepared beliefs... Even if he had never heard of the Boy Scouts.

"We've got the same strength and speed, so, I'm going to keep that up. Like back up muscle." Bav told him logically and finished off her grape. Then she looked at the too bonds to make sure they were alright. And that Jack wasn't doing anything funny.

She missed the whole grape poping show he had done.

Trin just grinned as she took her tea and leaned against the counter, cupping it in both hands. Her fluffy tail light wrapped around her leg to avoid the counter's wall, then gave a little amused twitch. "Ahh, now if we start going into life stories, I'd be tellin you things that would make you wonder just what was wrong with me." She had a lot of stories to tell. Something she didn't want to tell also.

Like getting lost her first time on the Gold Rings and winding up in the men's locker room.

"There's somethin' wrong with you? Trin, pet, this's the first I'm hearin' o' that." Jack grinned and absently rolled a grape between thumb and forefinger, brown eyes watching her. "Trust me. You're 'bout as normal as is healthy. Good sense o' humor, sweet-tempered, loyal, an' cute." He raised an eyebrow. "Unless there's somethin' filthy you're not tellin' me. Are you really a bloke? I promise I wouldn't mind."

Brunswick grinned. "Steal my thunder, huh? Let me be useful for -something-, okay? Let me be the best at something."

Bav reached out and poked her brother's nose with a grin. "I said 'back up', so that means you're going to surpass me in the who fighting thing." She told him, knowing full well she wouldn't have the time to do it all. "Sides, I know I can't be the best at everything, even if I wanna be." She then admitted to him.

Trin flushed at his compliments, then started to laugh as he called her a bloke. "Oh no! What you see is what you get with me." She grinned. "But my kind get a bit restless and pick up weird hobbies. Some have even become pirates, just because it sounds interesting."

"That's supposed t' shock me?" Jack shrugged and reached behind himself to pick up his tea. Thoughtfully, he blew over the top in an attempt to cool it quicker. "Piracy is a downright relief compared t' some hobbies o' people I know. Did you ever do a turn on a ship?"

Brunswick snickered and crossed his eyes. "Do that again, BeeVee, and I'll get mad. Especially don't ever do that in front of anyone but Mun, Berlin, Jack, or Trin, right?"

"Of course not! Hell, this is the first time I've done it in front of them." Bav said and pointed at Jack and Trin. "Sides, you might do something more embarrassing to me in front of others!"

Trin grinned crookedly at him, not saying a word. After saying that, how could she tell them that her ship crashed with in a week, hitting a marine ship? She gave her own tea a little blow before carefully taking a sip so she wouldn't have to answer.

Bavaria suddenly wonder why is was so quiet...

So did Jack. He wondered if he had said something wrong. If he had, though, damned if he knew what it was. He shrugged, though, and sipped from his mug. "Say, Trin?"

"I don't know what but I'll think of something."

"You would." Bav muttered to her brother, then leaned closer to him to whisper. "What do you think he said to her to make her so quiet?"

"Hmm?" Trin asked, looking up at Jack curiously.

"What if the Cup turns into a girl or something?" Jack's brown eyes went huge and puppyish, expression clearly an overstated look of help-me-please. He cupped his mug in both hands, grapes pressed near the warm ceramic. "What'll I do?"

The look was bullshit but it was cute bullshit.

Overhearing Jack's words gave Brunswick pause and he blinked. He had never thought the Cup might turn into a girl. Would it be a cute girl? Would it actually be sort of like his sister? He didn't want any more sisters. He had two already and they were perfect.

Bav gave a little tilt to her head as she heard this question. Yes another girl? If it was to be Bruns' sister... Then would it be -her- sister as well? This thinking made a little frown of thought pull at her lips.

Trin had a similar reaction to Bav's and blinked at Jack. His expression was very... different to her, having never seen it before. Bull s**t, yes, but that didn't much click in her forward thinking. So, she gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, if it's a girl, I'm sure you'll do just fine. You'll just have to discover when she'll like and not like." And the girl might just turn into a tomboy with all these guys around her. It might be entertaining if she was a dainty little thing.

Not that the cup was going to be a girl. It could very well be a boy.

Jack smiled hopefully and very nearly fluttered his eyelashes at his friend. "Will you help me, Trin? Be it's godmother or somethin'. If it's a girl, she's doomed. What with me an' Bruns. Actually, I don't think we should let Bruns near it if it's a girl, do you?" The look wavered as if he was struggling not to laugh. "I hear he already has two girlfriends."

"I don't! Well... Not -really-."

"They're taking their time to come around." Bav said dryly, giving her brother a smirk.

Trin gave a little sigh at this plee, but there was still a little smile tugging at her lips. "I'm going to wind up being an Aunt twice over, aren't I?" She asked, then shook her head. "Ok, I'll help you if it's a little girl. Give you tips and the like." She told him, having this sense that she was just suckered into it all.

The brilliant, wicked smile that greeted her answer proved that she had, indeed, been suckered. Jack leaned over to brush a feather-light kiss over her cheek. "Excellent, Trin," he laughed. "You're the best. I promise not t' take advantage."

Brunswick smirked. "Slow and steady, BeeVee," he reassured her. "They'll figure it out soon how absolutely great I am."

His sister choked at that remark. Again, her hand patted Bruns on the back. "Of course they will! It's just a matter of time. Cuz -we- know how great you are." Course, it was true. Her brother was a great guy! Both of them were!

"... You suckered me in to that!" Trin said, and at the same time trying not to laugh at herself. "And I fell for it, hook line and sinker!"

Jack grinned, completely unrepentant. "Whoops," he laughed. "But you don't mind, right? I promise not t' abuse the offer. 'Cause I really am a bit worried here. Bruns is one thing. He can take care of himself, like. Fully functional. This is... A cup."

Sobering from his smirk, Brunswick pulled a face. "They're talking about the damn cup again."

Bav gave her own face to this. "That's all they seem to be talking about today. We really could do something about it, ya know?" She offered. Of course, that might get them into more trouble.. but that wasn't very much new.

Trin rolled her eyes and took another sip of her tea before speaking again. "I'm going to hold you to that promise, but I don't mind. You are my friend, after all, right? And you were prepared to help me, so, I can help you."

Shaking his head, Jack chuckled. His free hand reached out to flick a piece of Trin's hair from her eyes. Then he leaned back again, comfortable with his tea. "I promise," he repeated. "I'll muddle my way through an' call you in only the most dire of situations. Like, say, if Bruns tries t' seduce her or somethin'."

"Hey! I wouldn't seduce that lousy cup!" Brunswick glared at his bond; clearly, he was fine-tuned to mention of his name. "It's a -cup-."

Bav started to laugh at this reaction from Bruns. She couldn't help it! It was a great reaction! Even if she shouldn't be laughing at her brother.

Trin was also snickering about this and reached up with a hand to run it though the bangs Jack had fixed in an unconscious motion. “And if there are any questions you may have. But I may not answer everything.” She grinned teasingly now at him.

"I can't imagine what you wouldn't answer." Jack winked. "Flowers or jewelry? What sort o' breakfast in bed you prefer? Trin, pet, I promise I won't ask those an' pretend they're from the Cup."

Miffed, Brunswick reached out to shove Bavaria over with a fierce push. Then he pouted.

That only earned him another fit of laughter. But Bav tipped back towards him and wrapped her arms around him in a big hug. Topped with a big grin. "Poor Bruns."

Trin just grinned more. "Pancakes. And I figured as much, Jack." She wasn't about to say what she was thinking, but she doubted that would come, anyhow.

"Pancakes. Noted. I'll learn t' make 'em." He shrugged and sipped his tea, laughter still lingering in his brown eyes. "We're all set then."

Giving in to his sister, Brunswick returned the hug. "You don't have to -encourage- Jack, you know," he muttered sourly. "Your bond is doing that enough already."

"I'm sorry, Bruns! It's just... you're right, it -is- a cup! How can you flirt with it, anyway?" Bav shook her head lightly, finding the whole thing silly.

"You don't have too." Trin said, lifting a brow. There was still a little grin playing on her face. Then she reached for the grapes again, taking another one to eat. "So, picked out any names yet?" She asked, again referring to the cup.

"Not a single one. I reckon I oughta wait until I find out -what- it is." Jack shrugged and sipped pensively at his tea. "It might already have a name, anyway."

"And a boring, unattractive cup at that," Brunswick added. "Give me some credit for having taste, BeeVee."

"Oh I do! I do, don't get me wrong." Bav told him, still trying to make up for laughing at him. "And it's a -pink- colored thing, too. Which would be good for you attracting girls with." If he even dared show it off to Soho and Marne.

"True, it might come with a name." Trin was about to suggest he could kick out names, both boy and girl names, just in case. But that seemed a bit still to her. This was Jack, and he did have a lazy air about him.

She was running out of topics. That meant going home soon.

"Should I give you a call if it does anything interesting?" Jack finished his tea and moved to rinse the mug in the sink, looking over his shoulder at her. "You an' Bavaria can come on over an' if it sprouts a head or somethin'."

"True. Most girls seem to like pink." Brunswick scratched the back of his head thoughtfully. "Except you but, no offense, I don't intend to ever attract you. That's pretty gross."

Again Bav gave a laugh, a fast happy sounding one, then she promptly made a face. "None taken. That is pretty gross. I don't ever want to be attracted by you, or you me."

"Yes, I'd like that, if it's no trouble too you." Trin smile again. Mentally she picture a little head or arm spouting out of the liquid. That.. would be odd. But it would be fun to know, anyway. "You already have my number, right? Didn't go and misplace it, did you?" Her smile turned into a catty-teasing-grin.

"Don't you worry, Trin." Jack returned the look with equal mischief. "Pride o' place in my lil black book." He held out his hand. "Done with your tea?"

"Eeww, yes." Brunswick twisted his face of extreme disgust. "On par with Trin and Jack hooking up, really."

Bav gave a serious nod to that comparison. "Yep, which is why both things'll never ever happen!" Then she blinked at remembering something. "Oh! And I did see Munich. She's doing good. Got her a nice bed made and she might be getting a doll house soon to live in." Late in the visit to mention this... but better late than never!

Trin finished off the rest of her tea before handing the kitty-cup to him. "Thank you." Then she gave him another grin. "Well then, I don't have to worry about you losing it." She pulled away from the counter, giving a little stretch as she prepared to leave soon.

"Perish the thought. If I do, you'll just have t' teleport over here again. We'll see where you turn up next time." Efficiently, he rinsed out her mug and set it to dry. Then he turned to face her again. "It'll be a fun new game, huh?"

"Oh! Man, it's been ages since I've seen her. I need to get out more." Brunswick sighed. "Jack just doesn't travel much. I'll have to ask him about visiting the others. Heck if I'm flying all the way there on my own!"

"Pptthh, you've just been too busy flirting with Soho and Marne to ask about getting out." Bav teased, getting to her own feet. She sensed it was getting time to go. "But I still got to get a hold of Berlin. You could come too, if you wanted! Then we could both travel on Trin." She offered happily.

"The moment I appear in the bottom of the ocean is the moment I'm going to stop teleporting to your house." Trin said logically. Mentally she was already prepared for such a problem. There was a moment around the traveler where they were still safe, like in a pocket dimension or out side time and space. Once that was gone, where ever they were would effect them. So, all she had to do was make sure where she was, then pop out.

But she didn't say anything about this. Rather she stuck her hands in her pockets, waiting for him. "Then watch me appear on your door step, soaked to the bone."

"I'll tell the neighbors that you're my prize from a wet t-shirt contest if they ask." Jack winked and absently flicked open a nearby drawer, withdrawing a packet of cigarettes. "But you know you're more'n welcome t' visit whenever you like. I like havin' you over an' Bruns needs his Bavaria around, eh?" He pushed away from the counter, eyebrow raised as he tapped the cigarettes against his hip vaguely. "You off then, pet? I'm not chasin' you out, right?"

Brunswick lit up at the suggestion and hugged his sister before scrambling to his feet. Out of sibling devotion, he ignored the comment on where his attentions were lately. "Sounds good. Besides, I don't want Jack embarrassing me in front of whoever Munich has. We'll go as soon as possible, right?"

"Right! And it's a little girl that Munich got bonded too." Bav told her brother, grinning still. "And ya know I was just teasing about the whole flirting with girls and not seeing Mun or Berlin, right?" She then asked, giving him a look. Being out of place made her more grumpy, even with her siblings.


Now Trin flushed with embarrassment. She wasn't trying to rush away! Not at all! "Well, I don't -have- to leave. I do like talking to you was well. It's a good break from my shop." And her resent gaming hobby. "Besides, I'm still curious as to what you really do with your time and magic." She grinned at him in an wicked, catty way.

"At the moment? I'm just kind o' relaxin'." Jack looked a bit sheepish and rubbed the back of his neck. Then he picked at the cellophane around the cigarettes, crumpling it in his hand. "Doing a bit o' research into circles." Somehow, his accent improved when he talked about his work; his Gs magically reappeared. "I reckon I'm on the right track to finding one that's strong enough and simple enough for just about anyone. It'll take a bit more fine-tuning, though. The little beasties are so insistent on ritual, you see."

"You mean I'm the only one who got a guy? Huh." Brunswick grinned wickedly. "Guess it makes sense. I'm the most manly of us." Reaching out, he teasingly tugged Bavaria's hair and then scooted off the counter, into the air, and onto Jack's shoulder.

Bavaria ran her hand though her short, curly hair. Then she followed suit, heading for Trin's shoulder.

Trin listened to what he said, listening intently, thinking over his words. Then she nodded. "It seems an important part of it all. At least... from what I've seen. I.. er... I don't do anything that involves summoning. Not with how chaotic my maigc seems." She told him sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head.

"Might just be what you tap into," Jack suggested gently. "Or lack o' concentration or practice. You said yourself that you never bothered with it much before." He moved to push the cellophane into the garbage can and then flipped open the carton and studied the cigarettes inside thoughtfully. "Magic is just like anything else. You work at it. Even if you've got natural tendencies, like."

Brunswick settled himself on his bond's shoulder and tried not to yawn.

His sister did likewise, but half paid attention.

While Jack made an odd sense of guilt wash over the Teiru girl. He was right, she knew it, but that didn't mean she was quite ready to do her magic studies. Not fully, at least. Being good at it meant that she'd have to take up.... the 'family business', you could say. Thus went her freedom. "Yeah, I know I'll have to work on it. Which is why I keep using the teleportation spell." She told him. There was still a sheepish sound to her voice.

Jack frowned at the tone in her voice and moved to tuck two fingers under her chin and lift her face so he could study it. Releasing her, he shook his head. "Trin, luv, only do it if you wanna do it. Magic knows when it's not wanted," he murmured. "An' you don't haveta do all of it. Magic, if you're smart enough, you can pick an' chose what you want. Got it?"

Surprised at the seriousness in his bond's voice, Brunswick looked up and squinted as if making sure it was really Jack.

Trin blinked up at him, taken slightly back at the tone in his voice while her own feien looked that he man curiously. Then a slow, almost relieved smile broke over her face. "Don't worry. I do want to get the hang of the teleportation spell. It's just... I'm not yet willing to learn the other magics I need to know. Certain... conditions come with learning..." She admitted softly.

Being a Bierce (or a Dexter, take your pick depending on the day of the week and the company you're keeping) meant that virtually nothing on earth could scare you. Nothing could startle you. Nothing was ever -truly- unexpected simply because you were always expecting something bizarre to happen; after all, you were best friends with Murphy's Law. As a Bierce (or a Dexter), Jack could not remember the last time he was nervous.

And yet there he was, standing on his own front doorstep in nothing less than hesitating trepidation.

In his hand, he carried a delicate little glass filled halfway with amber-gold liquid. In the glass, in the liquid, a daintily formed little girl floated, her fingers tight on the rim of the glass and a huge smile on her face. He looked down at her and tried for a smile. She giggled and waved.

... Brunswick was going to eat her alive.

"Are we going in, Daddy? Is this your house?" Evie craned her neck and peered up at the quaint old Victorian facade. "It's pretty. Did you pick that color?"

"... No, luv, I didn't pick the color." He couldn't help it and chuckled, glancing up at the darkened eaves. How she could make out the color in the very early morning light was beyond him. Maybe it was a girl thing. "I'm not much for pink. It's a rented house, Evie. I'm not from around here originally."

"Oh." She considered this and then smiled again. "Can we go inside please?"

Well, better to get it over with. "'Course, luv," he answered. "In we go." Suiting action to words, Jack neatly unlocked the door with a complicated wave of his free hand and pushed it open, stepping through and closing it behind him again. "Brunswick? Oi, lad, you about?"

"Where the heck have you been, huh? You walked out hours ago and..." The hope feien stopped in the middle of his tirade, nearly skidding on the air as he tried to halt his barrelling progress towards his bond. "What is -that-?" he shrilled, pointing at Evie.

She waved, beaming. "My name is Evie. Do you live with Daddy, too?"

"D-Daddy?" Brunswick shot Jack a disbelieving glare. "What the... Jack, what's going on here? Where's your bloody Cup thing?"

Sighing, Jack neatly snatched Brunswick from the air and placed him on his shoulder. Then he made his way towards the kitchen. This was going to require a very big mug of tea. "Evie is my bloody Cup thing," he answered evenly. "We walked by the shop an' the Cup changed. Evie came out o' it an' here we are."

Brunswick tilted forward to better eye the girl in Jack's hand. Finally, he snorted. "She's little."

"She's a baby. I reckon, anyway."

Evie waved again and then, amazingly, blew Brunswick a kiss. The feien started backwards, blinking. "She's going to be trouble," he announced. "Did you see what she just did? Jack, man, you've got to lock her up or something."

"Is that you bein' concerned?"

Brunswick snorted. "'Course not. I'm just sayin'." He stood and ran both hands through his flaming red hair, standing it on end even further. "Don't let her near old man Silva. He'll teach her things." The way he said things made it clear that the things in this case were only one step above eating bugs or running naked through town. "And I'm not gonna call you daddy like she does so don't even think about it."

Jack did his best to hide his smile as he set down Evie and moved to fill the kettle. "Wouldn't dream of it, lad," he answered mildly. "Who'd want t' be -your- da anyway?"

"Right. Just so we're clear on that." Brunswick stepped off his shoulder and fluttered over to walk around Evie's cup. He leaned in, nearly nose to nose. Then he folded his arms and stepped back. The little girl mimicked him, folding her arms over the rim of her cup. He rolled his eyes. She rolled hers. Stepping close again, he hissed, "Don't think I like you, kiddo. I just don't want Jack to put me out of the house or something for being mean to you. He'll give you your own place and I've got mine. Keep out of it and we'll be just fine. Got that?"

"Uh huh." Evie beamed and blew him another kiss. Then she turned and waved to Jack. "Daddy? The funny little man says I get my own room. Do I really?"

Brunswick covered his face. He couldn't remember what he'd done but, god, it must have been really, really bad.

Evie needed a treat for her party. Brunswick always embraces a chance to watch Jack make a fool of himself.

What Really Happened To Result In Rice Krispie Treats

Toying with an unlit cigarette, the little white cylinder neatly revolving between his fingers, Jack glanced over to where his roomie sat, reading the paper at the kitchen island. It was a thought, at least. Which was better than what he had been entertaining for the past couple of hours. Spinning the cigarette near Evie, he nearly lost it to her reaching grasp. She giggled and bounced, splashing over the counter. That pulled him from his thoughts and he looked down at her guiltily. "Don't worry, lil bit," he murmured. "I'm still here. Just got t' thinkin'."

"About what?"

"Dessert." With that, he tucked the cigarette behind his ear and picked up the glass before moving over to lean against the counter near Shade. "What d'ya know 'bout food, mate?" he offered as a conversation opener.

Shade looked up from where he was reading the Sunday comics, raising an eyebrow slightly at the question. "You eat it?" He offered. "Some tastes good, some doesn't, and if it's brightly colored then it's most likely poisonous. 'Course, with my old job most everything was most likely poisonous..."

"An' I have t' make it," Jack interrupted. With his free hand, he dug out a crumpled piece of paper and dropped it in front of the other man. "Evie's got a potluck t' go to an' I haven't a clue. Somehow I reckon they'd frown on a six pack."

"Soda?" Evie craned her neck to look up at her father. "You can bring soda. Then no one will drink us by mistake!"

"She might have a good point." Shade said with a crooked grin aimed at Evie. "But there's got to be something easy to make... like something in a box?"

"One o' those cakes?"

"Jack'll just burn it." Brunswick fluttered to a stop on the counter and motioned for Jack to lower Evie to join him. Without more than a snort, Jack obliged and Evie held out her hands in delight for a hug that came but only barely qualified as such. Stepping back, Brunswick smirked. "Jack just about manages to get his tea right."

A lazy hand gently knocked the feien on his backside. "Shut it, Bruns," Jack laughed. "I can do tea an' eggs just fine. It's sweeties. I've never baked a day in my life."

Shade shrugged. "Maybe if we get a timer?" He offered. "Can't hurt. If you don't get it done you could always buy donuts."

"Fattening." Callisto commented as she fluttered into the room, dropping down onto the counter to watch.

"Is it just me or do these feien have really bloody good hearing?" As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Jack cringed visibly. He hadn't meant to very-nearly-curse in front of Evie. Sometimes it was far too easy to forget. Especially after having Brunswick around; he had never needed protecting.

Evie cocked her head to one side as Brunswick snickered. Then she blinked and giggled. "What about fruit, Daddy?" she offered, clearly hoping to help. If she picked up on his word choice, she was keeping mum on it. "Or... Are there things you don't bake?"

"Now we have to do it." Shade said, shaking his head. "To prove we're not completely incompetent."

"We -are- both responsible adults, right?"

Here Brunswick saw fit to dissolve into vicious snickering behind his hand.

Shade just rolled his eyes and grabbed his coat, heading for the door. Half an hour later, he was back with a cake box, a thing of frosting, vegetable oil and a thing of eggs. He had obviously been given help, not that he was about to mention that fact.

"Now..." He said as he laid out the supplies. "What do we do with this stuff?"

Jack picked up the box and squinted at the instructions on the back. "Well, follow this stuff," he speculated. "Shouldn't be hard. I bind demons for the love o' all little green things. I ought t' be able t' crack an egg."

Shade nodded, opening the egg box lid to look at them for a moment, as if he had never actually seen an egg like that. He picked one up, feeling slightly nausous. "You realize..." He said casually, even though he was looking a bit green. "I was born in one of these things, don't you? A lot bigger, of course, but..."

He put the egg down. "You get to do that part."

"Really? I didn't know that." Jack took the egg from Shade gently and tucked it back in the box, drawing the whole thing towards him. "I reckon Mum -wished- I had been born in one. Then Da would've had t' help."

"I thought birds were born in eggs." Evie gazed up at Shade with puzzled interest, arms folded on the rim of her glass. "You're not a bird, Shade."

"But I am a bit like a lizard." He said with a shrug. "And lizards are born in eggs, too." He picked up the box with the cake mix, reading the back again before he went in search for a bowl. "Do we have a blender?" He asked Jack as he stared blindly into the pantry. He couldn't find s**t in that thing...

"Just the one Trinity brought over one day for daquiris." Jack motioned vaguely towards a blender. "So spoon it is. Good thing you're so big an' manly, mate."

Evie beamed. "Shade -is- strong, Daddy," she agreed. "I saw him lifting lots of things. He's even stronger than -Brunswick-."

"... I think she's sayin' I'm a wimp," Jack laughed. "If you're stronger than Bruns an' I'm nowhere on that list, I'll just go get a frilly apron an' pearls an' swoon for you."

Shade choked, pulling a bowl out of the pantry finally and heading for the counter. "It's always good to be the muscles in the house!" He said cheerfully. "But the sight of you in pearls might be a bit too much for my heart."

He opened the box and pulled out the pack of cakemix, looking at it blankly before ripping it open. The mix went flying, covering everything, including him. He promptly sneezed.

Which prompted Jack to slump back against the counter, breathless with laughter. Evie joined in the giggles even as she dipped back down into her cup and poked at a bit of powder that had landed in the liquid and was quickly absorbing it.

"What the...?" Brunswick interrupted himself with violent sneezes as he rounded the corner. His wings faltered and he dropped a couple feet before catching himself and struggling on to the counter. "What are you two -doing-?"

"We..." Shade said as he calmly wiped the cake mix off of his face and tasted it, making a slight face, "Are baking."

"Are making a mess." Callisto said at the same time. She was covered in the fine white powder, and looked rather irritated by that fact.

Shade ignored her, pouring what was left of the cake mix into the bowl.

"We're making a cake for Evie's party," Jack offered to clarify the situation. "Clearly."

"I think it's chocolate." Evie again poked at the bit of congealing cake batter in her cup and then looked up to smile at Callisto and Brunswick. "At least that's what Daddy says Devil's Food really is. It's not like his pets."

"Ahhh." Callisto said, wiping off her face with her hand.

"Now we add the eggs, the oil, and the water..." Shade said as he read the back of the box again. "Do we have a measuring cup?"

Jack frowned, thinking. Evie began waving her hand in excitement.

"No way, kid." Brunswick rolled his eyes as he uncannily read the child's mind. "They can't use your cup. You can't come outta there, remember?"

As Evie settled into a pretty pout, Jack patted her cheek with one finger as he passed to dig in the cupboard just behind her. After a few moments of clattering and banging, he retrieved a battered plastic measuring cup. "Some stuff came with the house," he explained, handing it over to Shade.

"And apparently hasn't been used in all that time." Shade said, wiping a bit of spider web from the edge. He shoved it under the faucet, rinsing it quickly before going back to his overly thorough study of the box. "One half cup--" He peered at the measuring cup. "I can't read this." He said before filling it half full. "Guess that'll work."

"If it doesn't..." Jack shrugged. Then, muttering, he added, "I wish it wouldn't break Evie's heart if I -bought- somethin'."

"Just hope it doesn't break her stomach cuz you made something." Shade told him. "Three eggs now." He said, motioning for Jack to do the honors.

"And you, too." Jack pulled the bowl closer to him and flipped open the egg carton. Carefully, he picked an egg and broke it against the side of the bowl. With a small miracle, it did not shatter and he dumped the contents on top of the powder and water. Then he repeated the process twice more. He frowned down at the mess. "Does this look right to you?"

"I've never made one of these before... does it look wrong?" Shade asked, peering into the bowl curiously.

"Dunno. Let's mix it an' see." Jack picked up a spoon and began stirring it all together. Brunswick padded over to stand at the side and wrinkled his nose. "Don't even start, lad."

Shade watched for a moment, not saying a word, but Callisto said it for him. "Is it supposed to have those big lumps in it?"

"Maybe they get stirred out?" Evie craned her neck, trying to get a better view. "Have you ever baked a cake, Callisto?"

"If I have, I wouldn't remember, but I bet it wouldn't look like that." Callisto said arrogantly. "Of course, it would also be a lot smaller, too." She added thoughtfully.

"Maybe a fork would work better?" Shade offered.

Jack set his jaw in a mulish line and continued to stir. "Never heard o' usin' a fork," he muttered. "I'll just keep stirrin'. Mebbe the lumps won't matter so much. They'll melt or somethin'."

Whistling, Brunswick made a show of backing away from the bowl as if he expected it to explode at any moment.

"We need a pan." Shade said abruptly, going back to his search through the pantry depths.

"An' we ought t' heat up the oven." Jack glanced over his shoulder. "Try the one t' your right. Oh, an' butter it. I think there's something 'bout greasing the pan on the box."

Brunswick edged over towards Callisto and shook his head mournfully.

Shade grabbed the pan, tossing it onto the counter and pulling out a stick of butter, which he liberally slabbed onto the metal. He looked at the clumps left there, but figured it wouldn't matter with the cake already having its own clumps. "What do we set the oven to?" He asked, reaching for the box. "Three seventy five..."

"If that's what it says, yep." Jack finally withdrew the spoon and absently studied it. The look on his face clearly indicated that it was taking great reserves of self-restraint to avoid licking it. Reluctantly, he dropped it into the sink and brought the bowl over. "For how long?"

Shade blinked. "There's three different time spans..." He said, shoving the box in Jack's direction.

"... Average 'em out?"

"Got a calculator?" Shade asked blankly.

Jack blinked. Then he sighed as he upended the bowl to allow the batter to slide out into the greased pan. "Read 'em t' me."

"Thirty two to thirty four, fourty five to forty seven... and... this one's got goo on it..."

"Forty minutes it is, then." Jack scraped the bowl with the spoon. "Open the oven, mate."

Shade nodded, opening the oven and motioning for the other male to put the cake in. "This is so not going to be good," Brunswick muttered to Callisto as Jack put the would-be cake in the oven and stepped back to allow Shade room to shut the door. Then the magician set the timer for forty minutes.

Calli shrugged, kicking her feet slightly. "I need a bath."

"Hey, should we go watch tv while this is baking?" Shade asked. He was getting bored already.

"Good idea." Jack brushed his hands off on a towel and then tossed it to Shade. Picking up Evie, he grinned. "I think Arsenal is playin' Man U."

Shade took a moment to grab the spoon from the sink and lick it before he followed the other male into the front room. "Bruns, do you think you could turn the faucet in the bathroom on for me?" Callisto asked, trying to brush the cake mix off of her wings.

"Yeah, if I put my back into it." Brunswick smirked and motioned for her to follow. "No problem. 'Specially not for a pretty lady." He stepped off the edge and spread his wings to catch himself. "Anyway, we wanna be far away if that cake goes boom."

"An extremely good point." She agreed as she took to the air and headed for the bathroom.

Time ticked on.

Forty minutes later...

Jack looked down at the hideous mess smoking gently in the pan. "Well... It's a bloody cake abortion," he sighed, thanking everything above that Evie was off talking to Callisto. He poked it with a fork and looked over at Shade. "Guess I better call someone for a save." A wry smile pulled at his mouth. "We better stick to our day jobs."

Okay. Pink was one thing. The seed was another. The peel, well, it was behaving now so she didn't think she could really complain. However, the day that her -cup- started misbehaving... Well, that was just far too much.

Squirming as she tried to find a better position, Evie pouted. She couldn't even fold her arms properly on the rim of her glass; they kept slipping off because something was very wrong and everything was shorter. Finally, she huffed and strugged to her feet. "-Daddy-!"

Instead of Jack, though, she got Brunswick who fluttered down to stand beside her and her too-small home. He gave her a long, slow once-over and then shook his head. "What d'ya want, Evie?" he asked in his most patient tones. "Jack's in the shower." He took a step forward, brow furrowing. Suddenly, he extended an arm and reached into the cup to touch the liquid. "Need more of this stuff? Can you even -get- more of it?"

She stomped a foot, splashing him, and he scrambled back with a scowl. The look on his face momentarily derailed her ire and she went wide-eyed and round-mouthed. "Oh! I'm sorry, Brunswick! I didn't mean to..."

"Yeah, yeah." He shook off his hand and then cocked his head to look at her. "So what's wrong?"

"My cup's getting small. It -shrank-."

"... No, it didn't."

"It did, -too-. Look!" Standing at her full height, she dropped her hands to the rim. They rested easily there. "It went and got smaller," she repeated, voice rising in near-panic as the true dimensions hit her for the first time. Her little hand slapped the rim, palms smarting from the blows. "Smaller!"

"... Evie? Look, kid, I don't know how to tell you this but it's you. All you." Brunswick returned to stand beside his "sister." He was clearly looking shorter. "See? You're growin' like a goddamn weed!"

"Brunswick, language." Jack appeared, towelling his hair. As the fabric and hair moved out of his field of vision, though, he froze. "Evie, luv? What have you been eatin'?"

"... Daaaaaaaaaaaddyyyyyyy!" Sinking back down into her cup, Evie covered her face and wailed. She didn't -want- to get big. She wanted to stay little and cute. She couldn't be Daddy's "lil bit" if she was big!

Jack grimaced and reached for the phone. If he couldn't reach the shop, he at least had the numbers for other Drink owners. Maybe Tsu or Caleb would know what was going on...

Despite the goings-on in his house, Jack was feeling pretty cheerful and he showed it by whistling Arsenal's theme as he padded, barefoot and barechested, into the kitchen to make his morning tea. Evie had opted to sleep on the counter there the night previous for some unknown reason and he smiled at her as he rattled the kettle. Reaching out, he brushed a gentle finger over her cheek. When she flinched and squirmed away with a pout, he froze. "Lil bit?" he asked, all cheer fled in the face of worry. "What's the matter?"

"Daddy," she sighed, "leave me alone." She wiped a hand over the cheek he had touched and then sank back to resting her chin on her crossed arms and watching the countertop.

Jack set down the kettle quietly. "Evie?" he tried again. "Does somethin' hurt? Aren't you feelin' well?"

She wrinkled her nose, not moving. "I'm okay, Daddy. Just be quiet."

There was a long pause and then Jack carefully extended his hand again and a fingertip nearly touched her elbow. As if sensing it coming, she inched away. He withdrew his hand and took a few steps back until he was leaning against the center island of the kitchen. A frown appeared, his brow wrinkling. Things held static for five minutes. Then, with a holler, Brunswick flew into the room, waving. "Jack! Jack! You've gotta see the size of the..." He trailed off, hovering in place as he noticed the venomous glare Evie had given him. "What's your problem?" he asked.

"You," she replied simply.

Raising an eyebrow, Brunswick flew over to settle himself on the counter beside his "sister." Thoughtfully, he walked closer and then began to circle her. She revolved warily in her cup, big brown eyes fixed on him. Suddenly, he darted closer and tugged her ponytail.

Evie immediately sent up a fire-engine wail. "Eeewwww, cooties! Boy cooties! Get them off me!"

Whimpering in a land between amusement and horror, Jack covered his face. This had better not be the start of puberty or something equally vile, he thought.