Welcome to Gaia! ::

It took staring into space and Aylin getting half way through her stern but oddly amusing chastisement of Chef for Cel to realize she had completely forgotten to even acknowledge the pixie. Really, she had barely even acknowledged Chef for that matter. She felt guilty for it. Excusing herself from Alice for a moment, Celest walked over to where Aylin and Chef were still standing.

Um, hi Chef, Aylin. Sorry about completely glossing over you both. I’m not exactly myself these days. I guess I just have a lot on my mind, but even still, it’s no excuse for ignoring the people I claim to call friends. Why don’t you both come to the table and eat. We can talk as much as we want to tomorrow. Doubtless there is much we all have to catch up on.

Inclining her head in apology, Celestine waited for her friends to make a move. Neither one really seemed to object nor disagree with her suggestion, so Chef took a seat at the table while Aylin went back over to the countertop island in the middle of the kitchen where her food and Kai were still waiting. Now that everyone was all situated, Cel realized there was just one minor problem. There was only one seat left. She scratched her head, wandering how that had happened, and glanced over at Caelen. He raised an eyebrow and shrugged. She cocked her head sideways, an unspoken question. Caelen didn’t speak, but instead went over to the only available chair and sat down, giving a slight nod of his head that Cel understood. Cel walked over to the table and sat on Caelen’s lap, sideways so that she would still be able to make eye contact with both him and their guests and friends. Caelen put his left arm around Cel’s waist to keep her securely on his lap, and she put her right arm around his shoulders. Being on his lap like that, she was finally at eye level with Cae for once.

While conversations kicked up once more, Cel let her thoughts wander to darker things as she let her gaze roam freely between Caelen and the others seated around the table.

So much has happened. I suppose one can never truly see it all coming. Who would have thought that I would be in the state I am in? Even I would have never dreamed something would emerge that was powerful enough to siphon my energy like this. And yet more surprises have popped up with dear friends returning and new friends arriving. Poor Caelen, he’s beside himself with grief at my worsening condition, and yet he puts on a brave face for those around him, ever the unshakable master servant. He does this even though he feels like they would all just judge and dismiss him if I were not around. How foolish. These people will be the only things he has left to hold onto if I do perish. He needs to know that no matter what he is, they will still embrace him as one of their own. These people are as much his family as they are mine. I cannot leave this wall between them.

He would be reluctant, even rebellious, but it had to be done. Celestine did not want to run the risk of dying and leaving him to think the only person who cared for him as he was had left him alone in the cold world once again. He hated what he was so much so that he honestly believed that no one outside of Celestine could possibly care about him, considering he was a vile, loathsome demon. Celest needed to break him down to the very root of his shame in order to rebuild him as a stronger, more confident individual. Knowing all of that, Cel steeled herself for the inevitable struggle she knew he would give her.

She looked at Caelen with a purposeful light in her eyes. He glanced up her and raised an eyebrow, wondering what she had on her mind. Cel let her left hand reach down and tug Caelen’s left hand away from her waist. Cae moved his arm back in front of him, and folded his hands together on his lap so that he wasn’t holding Cel anymore, figuring she wanted to rely on her own strength to stay sitting. He had no idea what she planned.

Caelen, I’m going to ask you to do something that you won’t like. You’ll probably even deign to refuse. I have to do this though, for both of us. I can’t leave things as they are. Cel said quietly to Cae.

Caelen chuckled lightly, not realizing what was going to happen, and said playfully, Something I won’t like, eh? You know I’ll do anything you ask of me. What could possibly be so bad as all-

I want you to remove your gloves, Caelen. Cel interrupted flatly.

Caelen inhaled sharply and stared in utter disbelief at the words she had just spoken.

No! Caelen said sharply, horrified at the idea.

His sudden, vehement reply drew the attention of everyone in the room. All conversation stopped as those seated at the table turned to witness the events now unfolding between Cel and Cae. Cel wasn’t the least bit surprised at his reaction.

Caelen, listen to me. I want you to do this for a reason. You need to come to terms with things and learn to not jump to conclusions. You need to stop hating yourself. You need to do this for yourself and for me. I know you want to shy away from reveling that which you feel brands you, but if you will recall, people are aware of your mark already. I haven’t exactly been hiding it these last months. Celestine explained calmly as she cupped Caelen’s face in her hands.

Caelen stared down at the ground, refusing to meet her eyes. She was asking him to commit the greatest shame against himself. His voice was strained as he spoke and laced with a small trace of anger.

For the holder of a contract to display their mark is not a shameful thing. It only indicates that you are a demon’s master. But for a demon to publicly show their mark, it is the ultimate shame. For me it is ten times worse. Knowing this, you still ask me to bear this for all to see? Why? Why do you want me to humiliate myself? Do you, in actuality, loathe me as much as they do?

Caelen’s voiced cracked with pain at the last question. He let his eyes finally meet Celest’s gaze. He was torn. His was the expression of a man who had been shattered beyond repair, but still would do anything commanded of him. Cel had ripped him to the core with her request. She hated causing him pain, but by the same token knew that he had to pass through fire in order to heal. Caelen sighed heavily and spoke in quiet submission.

If you command it of me, I must do as you order. I still do not see what either of us has to gain by this.

I will not order you to do anything. I never have. I’m just asking it. Believe me, I do not loathe you. My heart is yours forever. It’s time you saw that more than one person loves you as well. Please, remove your gloves. You will see the point to all of this if you will just trust me. Celestine tenderly countered.

Cae’s smile was weak and sad as he said I do trust you.

Slowly, as if it physically pained him to do so, Caelen unfolded his hands and began pulling off his gloves. The right one came off, the only odd thing being the black color of his nails. It was a natural, even black that was not painted on at all. There was really nothing all that peculiar about it. Caelen hesitated just as he was about to take off his left glove. He looked at Cel, his eyes silently pleading with her to take back her request. Cel reached up and lightly stroked Caelen’s hair and gave him an encouraging smile. He nodded dejectedly and slowly pulled off his left glove. There it was, displayed for all to see. On his left hand, which also bore the black nails, was an intricate mark of deep blue, his contract seal. As Caelen looked up once again, his eyes glowed with a red luster, his pupils mere slits. This was the final proof that he was in fact a demon. Celestine intertwined the fingers of her left hand with Caelen’s, holding his hand so that everyone saw his mark.

Everyone, I have something to say. This is not an easy thing for Caelen. Let me explain. Every demon has a mark that acts as their contract seal. When they form a contract with a person, they place this mark on their prey. It is considered the height of shame for a demon to freely display their seal, especially one that is under contract. It is like forcing someone to publicly undress and confess their deepest sins in front of the world. For Caelen, it goes deeper. This seal to him represents everything he hates about himself. He hates what he is and where his power comes from. But it’s more than that. He truly believes that because of what he is, no one outside of me could ever feel anything other than hatred and revulsion for him. He puts on a brave face, but inside he is in constant turmoil and loneliness. I asked him to do the unthinkable because I want him to see that he is wrong. Every person here cares for him, regardless of what he is.

Celestine let go of Caelen’s hand and cupped his head in her hands. He gazed into her eyes with an expression that would have made a person want to weep. Cel spoke directly to him, but clearly so that everyone could hear.

What you are does not determine who you are. There is a big difference. In fact, “demon” is not the sum of what you are. I will tell you what defines you. You are Caelen Evernight: devoted mate, loving friend, and unwavering servant. That is what you are, and by default, who you are. The people here base their opinion of you on your actions and choices, not your species. You have chosen to rise above the dark nature of your kind to become a man of honor. I want you to realize this and know that even if I were not around, you do have many other people who love and trust you.

As Cel finished her speech, she placed a soft kiss on Caelen’s forehead. He closed his eyes briefly as he savored her tender touch. When he opened his eyes again, tears gently escaped and slid down his face. There was a new light in his eyes, a sort of calm that had not been there before.

Cel caught the imp's sidelong glance and giggled.

Well well, Caelen. It looks like your magnetism even encompasses angle imps. she said teasingly and lightly bopped Cae on the nose.

Caelen just laughed heartily and got back at Cel's little jibe by taking advantage of the fact that she was very ticklish.

Ahahahaha! Cae, hahah, please....haaa, stapppphahaha!

Cae grinned evilly, but it was obvious he was just having fun.

It was doubtful that anyone in the room would have predicted the pixie's reaction to Cel's efforts to rid Caelen of his insecurities. It was both disturbing and amusing at the same time. There was some crazy, manic energy in Aylin's eyes as she ranted at Caelen and then danced around him like a child. It was clear to Cae though that Aylin had been a little too liberal with the ale that evening. He couldn't help laughing though. A drunk pixie was a first for him. Then to make things even more hysterical, the poor cat who had arrived with Aylin was up on the table bowing like crazy and begging their pardon for the pixie's behavior. Cae chuckled and gently reached out to pat Kai o the head.

Ehehe, it's alright, Kai. No need to go into profuse apologies. For one thing, she is drunk. But, even I am man enough to admit she has a point. I'm more than willing to taker her berating, however oddly it is delivered. Though, perhaps someone should steer her away from the alcohol for tonight.

Cae looked pointedly at Chef with an expression that said 'You take it. No way am I getting between that pixie and her booze'

All the while, Celestine sat and observed without comment She felt horrible for Kai. The poor feline was clearly embarrassed not only on his own behalf, but Aylin's as well. She gently reached over to the grey cat and picked him up, cradling him securely in her arms. She stroked his soft fur as she spoke to him.

You really have no need to apologize. I'm sure she'll be a bit embarrassed in the morning when she has a clear head. No need to berate her for it though. We're all under a lot of stress. She's just venting.

Inwardly though, Celestine was appalled at Aylins' display. Cel highly disapproved of the pixie's audacity to talk to Caelen in such a brazen manner, drunk or not. As a high priestess, she had learned that tact was necessary in order to effectively heal emotional wounds. Cae did not need a bunch of snarky sarcasm and badgering. Celestine knew Caelen was no idiot, and had gotten Cel's message as soon as she had said her peace.

Alice ate her meal, listening to the conversations. Relieved that nobody was watching, she piled two plates of pasta in front of her and carefully ate it with hurry. However, as she was close to finishing her second plate, the smell of alcohol had been enough to catch her attention. The brunette looked up and saw the bottle in the pixie's hand. Ale.

Her nose automatically scrunched. It wasn't that Alice found alcohol disgusting, but she never liked the idea of getting drunk or influenced by it. Watching others get hurt or be made fun of because of it was something she found incredibly painful, which is why Alice felt the urge to steal the bottle away from her friend and throw it away where she can't get it back. However, Alice found a tone within the pixie's voice as she smacked Shawn behind his head. She couldn't exactly point it out, but it was there and Alice wasn't going to let it slide. Before she could voice her own thoughts, Celestine called for their attention.

What the crystalmancer had wanted her lover to do greatly shocked Alice. After all, she knew of what their marks were for and what it meant for Caelen, but Celestine made her point. It hurt Alice, inwardly, that he was still afraid of being shamed even when she had personally made it known that her opinion of him would never change just because of a small contract seal. Her nose twitched once and green eyes glanced away from the couple, a small tinge of longing for her own beloved.

We'll see each other soon.
I know we will.

Alice was brought away from her nostalgia by an odd sound of laughter. She looked back to see Aylin prancing around Caelen and Celestine, obviously drunk. It was quite an unusual sight because the pixie normally held herself in a high light, but she wouldn't say it was all the time. There were plenty of times when Aylin made hilarious jokes and comebacks that never failed to make their little group laugh, times of outright goofiness that only she could pull off in a grace that Alice herself envied, and much more. They weren't perfect, but what they did have was enough-- Alice made sure that it was one of the things Caelen heard from her when he and Celestine both decided to inform her in confidence of the bond they shared through that small seal. So then, why was Aylin like this? Now, the pixie was suddenly apologising and bowing towards the girl with green eyes and blonde hair, and the cat-- Kai, she thinks his name was-- also doing the same to Celestine and Caelen.

A few seconds later, a decision was made. Alice quietly said her name that was powerful enough to quiet the chatter. Aylin, she said, rising from her seat with an unreadable expression glued to her face, that is enough. The brunette proceeded to put a hand on the elder's back so she could guide her to the living room next to the kitchen, whispering her gratitude to Kagura who had taken the liberty of confiscating the bottle. Alice trusted someone in the room enough to take care of the apologising cat, and it was fulfilled by Celestine's reasoning while soothing Kai's fur. She turned her head slightly to meet Shawn's eyes as she pushed Aylin away from the kitchen, hoping he would see how upset she actually was and that he would follow after her. Alice opened the door and took the pixie's hand and silently walked her to the couch. The untouched wood inside the fireplace burst into flames with the spell she casted in her mind as she promptly took both of Aylin's shoulders before gently pushing her to sit down. Alice sat beside her, eyes looking directly at Aylin, before gathering the pixie in a tight hug that lasted for a while. Then, she asked, What is it that troubles you, my friend?

Another spell, unknown to the people confining its room, was casted upon them as a means of silent eavesdropping, to know what they were also talking about while Alice wanted a private chat with Aylin.

Lorelei gave a nod to Leif. She squeezed his hands once more. He could feel his warmth returning. Sometimes small actions made a big difference. She was just glad she could help him. "In the morning, we can return to Barton or go to Aekea if you'd like? I want to help out the people of Barton again personally. Do you have any plans?" She questioned while keeping Leif's hands held.

---------------

Even though Prim had found a room to lay down, she hadn't gone to sleep. She had heard all of the conversations that had gone on. She had heard the voices of all of the others who had joined later. Seren and Terra she had met earlier, but Alice and 'Chef' she had yet to meet. Charm wanted to be respectful to Hydro, and Prim appreciated that; she was also glad that the imp wanted her to be present for the conversation. It was bad, but Prim didn't want to be around anyone right now. She wanted to be by herself to think about things, and she didn't want Aylin to worry about her anymore right now. It seemed to have really taken a toll on her, seeing as the pixie had chosen to drink. Her drunken state also confirmed that she was going through a lot already. She didn't seem to be the only one going through a lot right now either. Poor Caelen had basically stripped himself and laid his sins at the dinner table. At least it was followed by Charm's silly but effective relief. Aylin's comment while it was somewhat slurred and a bit baffling, it was just as witty. Prim figured the intentions were good, but came out wrong from Aylin's drunken state. Prim was a bit relieved that she hadn't stayed at the table to witness it all. It was hurting her knowing that the others around her were hurting as much or more than her. The small speech she had given earlier at the table almost seemed for not. She did not like the feeling of sadness and negative energy around Barton town. She wanted to get Hydro back to normal as soon as she could. She wanted to get Barton to the place it once was too. She wanted to see her parents and her cat. She just wished this had all been a nightmare, and everything would return to normal. Tears trickled down her cheeks. She didn't ask for any of this, but now she was stuck with this lifestyle. She had to grow up sooner than she was ready to. She was afraid of failure. She questioned if she was even strong enough to save anyone.

Prim sat up in her bed, rubbing her eyes. She got up and headed back to the kitchen. On the way Prim stopped and noticed the interior of the halls. She heard a shuffling and multiple small mews coming for a room in the corridor. Prim silently followed the mews, and opened the door to a room full of kittens. It was almost like a cat hotel; toys, food, and kitty accessories. Prim figured it was some sort of cat-lady's room, but she didn't see anyone here. It was a very cute atmosphere, warm and inviting. All of the kittens took turns rubbing against Prim's leg. The feeling of the kittens made Prim feel a bit better, but she did want to know why there was a random room full of cats. "Seems kinda weird to have a bunch of cats in a mansion. Maybe it's a perk of living here? They can't have just one pet?" Prim shrugged. She sat with the kittens and played as they mewed. She heard footsteps enter the room, and all of the cats approached the sound.

"Good evening kitties, mommy's back with some fish treats." A young woman decked in cat-themed pajamas, said holding a hearty bag of cat treats. The woman was not much taller than Prim, but looked to be slightly older than her. This woman also seemed to be the owner of the cats. "Oh, I see we have a new friend to hug, huh? Were my kitties nice to you?" Prim was a bit dumbfounded, she wasn't sure how to respond to this cat enthusiast. "Uh..yes?" Prim answered. The cat lover laughed and promptly gave Prim a hug. "I'm Cree, welcome to my room. As you can see, I really love cats." Prim was a bit startled by the sudden hug, but welcomed it anyway. "Nice to meet you, I'm Prim." Cree gave a quick nod and said, "Nice to meet you too, Prim." Prim couldn't stop staring at the kittens and everything else cat themed. It seemed a bit obsessive, but Cree did seem perfectly nice. "Admiring my room? I'm still adding to it. Sorry to be like this, but shouldn't you be in bed? I know it's the cool thing to be rebellious, but I still think high school students should get a good night's sleep. I'm assuming you're in high school. Please correct me if I'm wrong." Prim shook her head. "You're not. I should be in bed but I've got a lot to worry about honestly, and I couldn't sleep." Cree set the bag of treats down for the kittens to dig in. She looked at the girl and smiled. "Don't worry so much, things will get better. Just wait till morning, you'll see. If you want, I'll let you have this. This is very special to me, and it helps me sleep through the night." Cree picked up a kiki kitty plush and handed it to Prim. Prim smiled and hugged the plush tightly to her chest. "Thank you, I'll head to bed now. It was nice to meet you Cree, it's too bad you couldn't join us for dinner, Aylin made a really good pasta. Goodnight." Cree gonked a bit thinking about the pasta she had missed, but she had been out to get the cats their treats and some other necessities for the BFAA. She was a crew member after all, and had to keep up with things. Cree waved to Prim as left and retired to her room. Now with the kiki kitty in her arms, she nestled herself back into her bed. She squeezed the kiki tight, closing her eyes and drifting off, awaiting the next morning.

She had been expecting it actually. Among the scenarios inside her head, this one was what she had been expecting. However, it did nothing to soothe the quick wave of hurt she shouldn't have felt when Aylin said she wanted to talk in the morning. Alice kept silent, trying to find something as she looked into the other's eyes. Shawn entered the room asking if something was wrong, and she couldn't answer him. Not yet.

Instead, Alice pulled Aylin into a hug once more, a gesture that she hoped would reach beyond the obvious state of shock the pixie had been in since they left the room. Something in her eyes hardened just from seeing her friend like this. It didn't answer her questions, but it would have to wait. I understand, she murmured, expertly lying due to her actual confusion and feeling an amount of sorrow for no reason. Alice finally looked up to Shawn and thanked the heavens for his presence. She needed him, whether he knew it or not. Sorry I made you come here Chef, she said without letting go of Aylin and automatically switching the male's name to his alias, I thought the two of you would have to talk but Aylin's not feeling well. Then she separated enough from Aylin that she still held the other's arms asking, Do you need assistance to your room or somewhere else? It was a silent plead that she hoped the other's didn't notice. Alice, always the one who wanted to help, stood up and held her hand out for the pixie to take. Whether she took it or not, Alice would understand. There was just too much going on.

As she stood there, Alice's confusion increased as she listened to the voices in the other room. Magical powers? Like Prim? Who was she anyway? They have been mentioning her name since earlier ago and nobody bothered to explain who she is, and Alice still didn't know the other two's name despite finding their appearances rather familiar. For the first time, the voice in her head went unnoticed. She sighed, nose twitching irritably. Her appetite for food was officially gone now, and the night seemed inviting enough for sleep. Alice glanced at Shawn, knowing that sometime before they all go to sleep, she would need a hug that he only ever willingly gave to her. He looked rather hungry for a cheesecake as she had heard Kagura mention it earlier, and Alice felt a little guilty for having him over to where she was. She'd just have to make it up to him somehow. Another voice spoke in the other room; it was Kai, and he was explaining why Aylin reacted the way she did. Her eyes widened, knowing part of the story but not knowing the bit where Aylin actually did something similar earlier that corresponds to a time in her past. It frustrates her that she couldn't do a single thing about it. Being asleep for four months usually meant that she would be behind the current events, but this was just too much.

The hand she held out started to waver and almost drop, but managed to keep steady. However, the overwhelming pressure of confusion bore down in her mind that her eyes showed a hint of it. The stress she already had wasn't helping, and dear goodness, I just woke up from a four month coma and this stuff is already making me want to go back and just let... handle things again. So many explanations and questions that needed to be answered, and Alice found herself standing there, not knowing what to do despite the voice's call for her attention.

The encouraging words from Kagura and Chef were met with sincere gratitude in Caelen's fragile heart. Many obstacles had been met and passed since the day Chef had summoned Caelen in that old temple buried under the hills overlooking Barton Town. He would have to thank them later. But in the mean time, Cel had fallen asleep slumped against Cae's shoulder while Terra and Seren had begun questioning their place in everything going on. With a soft sigh, Caelen cradled Celestine as he rose from his chair. His movement disturbed the angel imp sitting on his head, who then fluttered down to the table.

I am sorry for dumping my emotional baggage on all of you. It was bad form all together. I will try to remember your sincere kinship in the future. For the remainder of the night, I must excuse myself. Celestine needs sleep very badly, and I need some time to think. My pardon.

With that, Caelen carried Celestine's sleeping form out of the kitchen and back up to her room. There he tucked her into her bed, still dressed, and softly kissed her forehead before exiting her room. He ghosted off quietly to his own room then. No one was around to see it, but as he walked down the hall to his room, the lights flickered and all the shadows in the hallway seemed to gather around Caelen and build like a black fire, billowing in his wake. If one had seen Caelen's face then, they would have observed eyebrows narrowed over eyes that glowed with a demonic red.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Meanwhile, Lunette had had enough of everyone for one day. She wasn't a socialite to begin with, so the melodrama was nauseating to her. Her plate, which hadn't held much food to begin with, was pretty much still occupied with the uneaten contents. She lost her appetite pretty quickly when she had come back to the kitchen with Seren. Pushing her plate aside and standing up, Lunette didn't bother to even say good night. She just strode out of the kitchen and back to the small reading room she had occupied earlier in the evening. Her book was right where she had left it, so she picked it up and sat down in one of the overstuffed chairs. A few minutes later, she was asleep with the book resting on her chest.

Chef noticed Aylin was almost hysterical just before Alice brought her out into the hallway, yet he hadn't the slightest clue why. Ever since he realized the pixie was back in the Manor, Chef felt he absolutely had to talk to her about the recent events in Barton. And with the way she "greeted" Chef, if it could even be called that, he felt that they owed each other explanations. Chef wanted to explain why he wasn't present when Aylin first arrived, and he wanted to know from her just what has kept her from the Manor for so long. But hearing from Alice that the pixie just wasn't up for talking right now, he figured it would have been for the best that everyone got a good night's sleep and that all discussions were put off until tomorrow morning. And that's when Aylin at last spoke.

With a hoarse voice and a look in her eyes that was one part frightened and the other fatigued, Aylin spoke of events that Chef couldn't possibly have known about. Happening outside the relatively safe and partially ignorant bubble that was Barton Town were events that the young man couldn't even imagine were happening. The last time he heard of any trouble coming from the Kuro gang was quite some time ago. He thought they were nothing more than common thugs. And the other things Aylin mentioned were completely new to him. It was less than three years ago that Chef ended up on Gaia, and he had no clue just what was going on in the bigger picture. He had no idea gods were being mistreated, let alone dying. He hardly knew anything of the other places she mentioned. And, as Aylin said, he sure as hell didn't hear anything from the council regarding Durem or anything else.

It wasn't news to Chef that the council hardly viewed him favorably. The only credentials he had in this world involved rallying the town to compete in a sporting event. Otherwise, he was an outsider to them, and to Gaia, and he hardly knew anything of this strange world he found himself on. For the first time he can remember in his entire life, Chef realized that he truly knew nothing about what was going on in the world around him. He no longer had his intelligence community to gather facts from. He hardly had any connections. He had been happily living in ignorance as head of a mere social club, thinking anything that happened since his time here was just another one of those random events that happens only in Gaia.

All of Aylin's words weighed greatly on him. The situation was much more grave than he could have imagined, and it almost sickened him to be living in such ignorance, whether or not it was for his and the general public's best interests to remain in the dark. Regardless, it was hardly something he and his club were really equipped to deal with head on. There was a much more immediate task on his hands. Barton was under attack, and nobody seemed to know why, or what to do about it. It seemed like the only people who witnessed the attacks firsthand, the only people who were specifically targeted were all here inside the Barton Manor. Before taking her leave for the night, Aylin made a request to Chef. Knowing now the full scale of what she had been going through, he accepted it without hesitation.

"I--we, the BFAA will do all that we can for these girls. The Manor's doors will always be open to them," he pledged. It was the very least he could do, and perhaps in the course of these upcoming events he would learn the cause of these attacks on Barton, and figure out a way to deal with it. Perhaps it was the opportunity he was waiting for to prove himself to the council. But those were all things to think about later. Just like Aylin, Alice, and probably most of the guests in the Manor, he was in serious need of some rest. They've all had a tiresome day. Chef turned to his dear friend who had a look of great confusion and stress in her eyes. As confused as he was about recent events, he could only imagine how his twin felt. She was essentially gone for four months and came back to this rude awakening. Almost sensing what she needed, he closed the distance between the two of them and wrapped her up in a tight hug.

"It's been a long day, Alice," he said softly. "For you, for me, for Aylin, Caelen, Cel, and for most of those guests. I think we're all due for a good night's sleep. First thing's first, though..." He couldn't help but overhear Seren and Terra's skepticism from the kitchen. It seemed they didn't believe the whole bit about them having powers and Terra was starting to press Kai for some answers. Thinking back to Aylin's request, he figured this was something they may not have been ready for yet. "I need to get everyone else to bed and help clean up the kitchen. Afterwards, I'll go ahead and walk you upstairs."

Chef entered the kitchen and noticed Caelen and Celestine had also taken their leave for the night. His half-eaten plate of pasta was still sitting on the table, though at this point he was too worn out to finish it. The young man turned to the two girls still sitting at the table and intercepted their questions before Kai had a chance to respond.

"Seren, is it? If you need to get a hold of your family, there's a phone in the living room just outside the kitchen. It'll be to your left. And Terra, I don't think knows the time for those kinda questions. It's getting pretty late, and I'm sure you've had a long day. You should go get some rest." Terra grumbled to herself, since she thought the only things she needed to get were answers, not sleep. Her mind was changed as she let out an enormous yawn and started to feel groggy as she stood up from her chair. With no further protest, she walked back upstairs to the room she was given and went to sleep. Chef then proceeded to clean up the table, thinking it was the least he could do for Caelen since he already retired for the evening, and he wasn't going to just leave Kagura with a big mess to clean up.