Welcome to Gaia! ::

Quest Time!

Annora has been with you for about a month now, and it's time for her to grow!

As a siren, she has a natural affinity to water and anything related to water. In order to help her grow accustomed to her new life and advance to her next stage, Annora needs a way to be able to commune with her natural element without being taken too far away from her home. Your quest is to find five objects from the sea for her, and to find a way (or build a way) for her to relax and lounge in the water whenever she likes.

Feel free to draw, post photos, or what have you... but make sure to RP it out either alone or with someone else!

The sand under Trio's shoes squeaked slightly as she made her way to Envy's office. She'd stopped at the Nereid pools after a bit more shopping, unable to resist the pull of seeing one of her dearest friends. "Envy?" she called, grateful Annora was awake and aware, already making grabby-hands toward the water. "Later, little one. You'll get to meet my friends here soon, don't worry."

The incubus was perched on his desk, adding the push of his tail to steady his on toes feet. A broom extended from his outstretched arm and disappeated into the rafters. "I'm NOT kidding this time Tabris. The next time I walk in to find my desk looking like a reject from the Rose Bowl Parade I'm getting myself a pet that eats spiders."

He turned at the sound of his name and the annoyed expression melted away instantly. "Trio? TRIO!" Envy jumped from the desk and almost landed on his friend but saw the new little one clinging to her. "Damn... I haven't seen you since you and Schu started working things out. How have you been? And who's this little one with you?"

Trio grinned, reaching to hug Envy around Annora before lifting her out of her carrier. "Envy... I've missed you! I've been wanting you to meet Annora Lyris... she came to stay with me not long before Schu and I started... well... working things out." She blushed prettily as she spoke, then glanced aorund the floor. "Is it okay if she crawls for a bit? She's been cooped up in the carrier all day."

"Of course," Envy nodded and gathered a stack of magazines off the floor. "The only danger in here is that she'll crawl out from under the desk covered in flowers and streamers."

"I bet she'd love that," Trio snickered, setting her down and watching as she immediately started looking around in curiosity. Now able to give Envy a real hug, she did just that, her arms wrapping tightly around the demon as she snuggled close. "You need to drag your sorry butt over more, you know that? I've missed you!"

Envy resisted the urge to purr but did return the nuzzling to Trio's hair. "I thought you guys could use some space without a freeloader camping out on your sofa. You look good. So that means I don't have add Schu to the list of people I'm going to hunt down someday when these girls finally drive me insane," he shouted out the window towards the pools.

Trio laughed even as Annora caught sight of a little shiny in one corner and started toward it. "No worries. Things are... really good these days." Rising on tiptoe, she brushed her lips against Envy's lightly, then moved to check what Annora was crawling toward before nodding and moving to the nearby couch as Annora got distracted by a magazine.

Envy rubbed his lips together then sprinted across the room. "Ohhh.. not that magazine, little one." Envy folded up the magazine and shoved it under some papers on his desk. "Here we go. This one is a bit more friendly," he smirked and handed Annora something less racy to look at."

Trio blinked, then laughed, moving to slip even that magazine from her hands before Annora could do much to it. "Give me a moment to get a toy for her, okay? If she plays with your magazines, she'll rip them to shreds. Grab her while I find something?" she asked, setting the bag down and rummaging through it.

Envy scooped the little changeling up and began to give her his first really good look over. He turned her to and fro, generating a few giggles as he spun Annora. "Wow... she reminds me of the Nereids a lot meiyuu. Where did she come from?"

"There's a small place not too far away. The owner gave me a harp." Trio finally snagged one of the music sprockets, letting it float over to Annora. The tiny girl immediately reached for it, dragging it to her mouth where she teethed while it chimed a soft music-box style song. "She needed a new home... a Gaian home."

"Well I bet Raighne, Ulare and the others will love you, little one," Envy laughed and gave the little girl a toss in the air.

Annora squealed loudly at that, her voice sharp and piercing. Trio, by now somewhat used to the sound, grinned with a wince. "She sounds happy," she muttered, setting the bag down and moving to stand by Envy. "Wanna take her out to see the others?"

"Sure!" Envy tucked Annora under his arm like a plushie and too a step for the door. "I believe our girls are out sunning themselves near the hatching pools."
Annora babbled at Envy, waving her arms and legs wildly as he carried her off. Trio followed behind, her eyes focused solely on the baby even as she answered. "I'd love for Ulare and Raighne to meet her. They're so good with kids."

Before Envy could get more than a couple of steps, though, an oddly triangular oblject seeming to be composed of metal and gemstones, darted down to hover before his face. "Envy Fairchylde. Demon - Incubus. Correct?" Trinity demanded mechanically.

Envy startled a few steps back, his wings and tail flairing out in alarm. "Umm... yeah. Last time I checked."

"Trinity!" Trio snapped, and the fandangle darted back a few feet, orbs twirling. "Apologize. Envy doesn't need you right in his face," she added, hands on her hips as she glared at the mechanical familiar.

"I apologize," Trinity said, sounding every bit the contrite little boy as he floated forward slowly, about half-foot lower than before. "I didn't mean to upset you."

Annora was busy squirming, trying to get free of the constrictive hold the demon had her in as she watched Trinity.

"S'ok," Envy waved dismissively with his free hand. He took a step closer and peered at Trinity curiously. "Was just startled is all. Although I shouldn't be I guess. I have a spider in my office that likes to do the same sometimes. Another new addition," Envy peered over his shoulder at Trio.

"Another," Trio nodded, blushing brightly as one hand came up to scratch at the back of her head. "Envy, meet Trinity. He's already proven he knows who you are." Trinity reached out an orb to touch Envy's hand, then floated up when Annora tried to grab it. "Sankouri's around here somewhere, too," the blonde added, moving to take Annora and settle her against her hip, then grasp Envy's hand.

Envy gave Trio's hand a squeeze as they started walking again. "Well it's nice to meet you Trinity. Although given it's the first time we've met I have to wonder what kind of stories you've been told about me."

"All the good ones I'm sure," a melodious voice called out ahead of them.

Trio laughed, turning to wave to Raighne as Annora scrabbled to be out of Trio's arms, wanting to crawl toward the pretty voice she heard. "Hi, Raighne! Got someone here for you to meet," Trio called, giving in and setting the baby on the sand before Annora could make her lose her grip.

"Oh?" The dark skinned Nereid slipped off the rock and vanished into the lagoon waters. She reappeared in the surf and used the waves to beach herself in the wet sand. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of Annora. "Gods.... well hello there little, fae-child."

Annora's answer was incomprehensible, but she made her fast little way toward the Nereid with apparent eagerness. It was likely now that she wasn't attracted solely by Raighne's beautiful voice, but as well by the shiny, glittering scales on Raighne's tail.

From farther out to sea, a golden head popped out of the water. "Raighne? What's going on?"

"Your Trio has brought us someone very interesting," Raighne rolled to her side, allowing her lover to see the little one so fascinated with her tail.

"Is that...?" Ulare asked, swimming closer without beaching herself. "She's beautiful!"

"She most certainly is," Raighned nodded. "She's the first I've seen in... well more years than I'd care to admit. Did she come to you in an artifact?" she asked curiously and peered up at Trio.

"No in, precisely," Trio said, toeing off her shoes and moving closer. "More like attracted by. Jaden said that she needed a non-fey guardian," she explained, as Ulare grinned.

"Bring her here, lover," the blonde Nereid called, wanting to examine the siren at closer range.

"May I?" Raighne asked even as she awkwardly began to turn herself back towards the water.

Annora solved the answer for her, squirming free and splashing awkwardly toward Ulare in glee. Trio blanched at the sight, darting forward to try to rescue the child from drowning without thought.

Envy caught Trio before she got to the water and wrapped his lean arms around her waist tightly. "Wait meiyuu.... Just watch. Raighne and Ulare won't let anything happen to her."

Raighne was a bit slower than Annora but finally she pulled herself back into the pools. She floated beside Annora and held out an arm. "Would you like to meet my love, little one?"

Annora squealed and giggled, splashing toward Raighne and crowing an ear-splitting cry when she caught Raighne's hand.

Trio fought Envy's grip for a moment, then froze when she realized that not only was Annora not sinking, she seemed perfectly fine - happier than she'd been in ages. "What...?" she whispered softly. "How...?"

"I think she more than resembles the Nereids, meiyuu," Envy whispered and loosened his grip slowly. "I think she's just as aquatic as they are."

"I knew she liked the water," Trio admitted quietly, recalling times she'd bathe Annora and keep her in the bath for far longer than necessary just because the child seemed so happy to be there. "But..."

Ulare swam closer, reaching out to touch Annora's cheek lightly. "She's beautiful, isn't she?" she murmured to Raighne, swelling as proudly as though SHE were somehow responsible.

"Looks like we'll be seeing more of you around then," Envy smirked and pulled Trio back into the sand with him.

Raighne smirked at their guardians then turned her full attnetion back to the little one on her arm. "Yes she is. It's a trait of her all her ken. Much the same way that all your daughters are as striking as you."

"And as you," Ulare pointed out, gathering Annora up for a moment before the little girl proved that being held yet AGAIN was the very last thing she wanted. She splashed free with a giggle, dropping below the surface and looking around curiously.

Raighne winked at Ulare and vanished under the water with Annora. "It's nice seeing someone this small," she pointed out. "Our young are never like this."

Ulare nodded, diving below the surface as well. "I know. Remember Kaayn and Shaolang. I always kinda wished we might see one of our own so small." She reached out, petting one fin lightly. "But we have to stay in the shells for a reason, of course."

On land, Trio tensed as all three disappeared, gripping Envy's hand tightly. "They won't let anything happen to her," she repeated, eyes riveted on the water. Trinity, seeing his Bonded's state, moved closer, keeping careful watch on Annora from above the waves.

"Yes," Raighne smiled. "Kaayn was about this size when Envy first brought her to us. I bet she would make a wonderful playmate for this little one. Would you like that Annora?"

Annora was busy watching the way the sunlight glittered from under the waves. She clapped and giggled, and Ulare snickered. "Sounds like a 'yes' to me."

Scooping up the little girl, Ulare tucked her close, then twisted to peer at Raighne. "Coming?" she asked her lover, catching one hand before moving to head off.

"Of course," Raighne winked and dove under, putting Ulare and Annora with her. "I think Quellious took Kaayn to the rocks near the Deep today. I told her to stop that since the Drow appeared but you know her... that calm, knowing stare. Hard to believe she and Veeshan are siblings."

Ulare nodded, shaking her head. "I'm sure she'll protect Kaayn, though. She's surprisingly strong."

"She gets that from you, lover," Raighne glanced down and watched Annora giggling and kicking along next to Ulare. "She's quite the little swimmer."

"It's in her blood," Ulare nodded, grinning. "Although I didn't expect her to do quite so well without a tail!"

"True," Raighne nodded. "I wonder what else is in her blood? Do you suppose she has the voice?"

Ulare paused, blinking and turning to peer at Raighne. "If she does... I feel for Trio," she murmured, with feeling.

"Well if she does... let's make sure she doesn't start listening to that loud screeching Envy calls music," Raighne laughed as a soft, melodious sound began to vibrate through the water.

Ulare giggled, nodding and glancing to Annora. The tiny girl had clearly already heard the music, her paddling ceasing as her tiny eyes bugged out.

Raighne paused as well and smiled at the small siren. "Do you like the song, little one?"

A string of quiet babble came from the baby's lips, almost as though Annora had actually answered Raighne. And then she scrambled forward as fast as she could, eager to find the song.

Kaayn was applauding loudly and trying to sing along, but her young voice didn't have the volume or range of the Nereid seated beside her on the rock. Quellious' eyes were closed as she continued to sing a ballad that she had written based on one of Arioso's stories.

Ulare swam beside Annora, watching the girl make her way to Quellious' tail. Two tiny hands caught the tailfin, holding tight as Annora swayed to the music.

Quellious stared down curiously at the new arrival but didn't miss a beat of her song. Kaayn giggled and slid into the water with Annora and caught hold of the other side of the Nereid's tail.

Annora didn't fight to be heard over the song, instead listening in rapt fascination to the music as she continued to sway. She didn't seem to notice Kaayn, or Raighne or Ulare, her entire focus solely on Quellious.

Quellious smiled and continued to sing in a wide array of pitches and rhythms until her voice finally trailed off, to Kaayn's cheering and splashing applause.

Annora, however, waited until the last note had died out, then finally lifted her arms, wanting to be held as she fussed lightly.

"Easy there," Quellious whispered, even her soft speaking voice echoed of music. "You're a new face here and we must greet you properly," she smiled and slid Annora up here tail. "I am Quellious. And this is Kaayn."

The little Reju giggled and nodded her head, rosy eyes shimmering. "Hello."

Incomprehensible babble met their words, Annora tucking herself against Quellious contentedly as her eyes drifted shut.

"I think she likes you, Daughter," Ulare smiled, eyes sparkling in pride.

Trio unpacked the last of the items from her car, turning to watch as Shiro cuddled Annora. The child had taken an intense liking to him nearly immediately - she cooed and giggled just for him, acting her very sweetest. Trio reasoned that it probably didn't hurt that Shiro seemed perfectly willing to shower her with water whenever she wanted it. "You're going to spoil her that way, you know," she called out, waving the two of them over and handing the picnic basket to Shiro. She took the bag of sunscreen, towels and sundries, then glanced back at him. "Let's go find some sand we can claim, hmm?"

"I love spoiling her," Shiro retorted, grinning down at Annora. He was completely entranced with the infant in turn, and loved to hold her whenever he had a chance to. "There's a good spot over there," he added, heading towards one likely-looking empty patch not too far away, where the high tide was lapping at the sand.

Trio nodded, following him there. "Yeah, but keep it up too much, and I'm gonna send her to live at YOUR house," Trio mock-threatened, amusement in her voice. Annora seemed unaware of the threat, but with all that water not too far away, she was fighting Shiro's hold, throwing herself bodily against his arms in an attempt to break free. Trio, on the other hand, either didn't notice or was used to such behavior, because she didn't react as she passed them up and moved to set the bag down.

Shiromaru kept a firm hold of Annora, waiting for his heart to start beating again, since panic had stopped it for a moment. "Does she always do this?" he asked of Trio, eyes wide, then glanced down at Annora. "Easy, easy. You'll get to play in the water soon enough, just be patient." He followed Trio to the spot, then kicked off his sandles. "I'm going to go sit down with her in the water before she launches herself out of my arms, okay?"

Trio snickered, nodding. "Any time she sees water," she noted, stripping off her shirt to reveal a shimmery blue one-piece swimsuit beneath. "You'll get used to it, don't worry." She stripped off her pants as well, grateful she'd applied sunblock before leaving the house, and moved to set up a blanket and some towels. "Just don't let her out of your sight, okay? She's little, but I've got a sneaking suspicion she can already swim pretty well."

"I have no doubts," Shiro agreed. He had no worries about getting his swim trunks and his t-shirt wet -- he was able to dry them swiftly, after all. He settled down in the water, sitting in the shallows, then put Annora in his lap before he peeled off his t-shirt. "There we go, Annora! How's this for being in the water?"

Annora squealed gleefully, the sound piercing. Trio winced, then finished setting everything up and followed Shiro into the water. She'd left Sankouri behind - the ice zurui HATED a summer's day on the beach. "I think she likes you," she teased Shiro, even as Annora brought her hands down in a huge splash.

Shiromaru grinned, then splashed Annora in return, letting a wall of water wash up over the girl. "We're two of a kind, her and I. Should we go swimming? Since she breathes underwater, I want to show her what it's like out a bit further."

Trio watched the two fondly, leaning back on her arms. "I'll stay where I am, thanks," she muttered. "Just have her back before lunchtime?"

"Of course!" Shiro picked up Annora again, then padded out deeper into the water, drawing Annora along with him once the water was high enough. "Do you want to go diving?" he asked the girl, grinning at her, then ducked below the water, keeping Annora close to his chest.

Annora burbled, taking to the water gleefully. She seemed even more at ease in the salty water, a thin film covering her eyes as she squirmed against Shiro, wanting to be free to explore.

Shiro didn't let Annora roam about until they were down near the bottom, within reach of the sand. He gently let Annora go, though he kept a hand touching her back so he knew where she was at all times. With his free hand, he picked up a smooth black rock, showing it to her.

Annora beamed, reaching out for the rock and catching it to examine more closely. She was completely at home in the water, her eyes bright and wide as she looked around.

Grinning, Shiromaru let Annora look around, following after her happily. There were fish all around them, and the floor of the ocean was littered with rocks and other interesting things.

Annora's attention span was like any child's - the moment something new and shiny caught her eye, she wandered off after it, sometimes heading toward the shore, sometimes away from it. She seemed to have some instinct for what might be dangerous to her, shying away from fish Shiro knew were poisonous.

Spotting that, Shiromaru started to relax, finally taking his hand off Annora's back and just watching her instead. He couldn't help but grin. It would be even more fun when Annora was old enough that they could really talk about everything under the water.

At length, she began to yawn a bit, fussing quietly under the waves as she started to really tire out.

Before she could get too badly off, she turned to him, looking up with deep indigo eyes that seemed to plead for comfort and rest. One hand lifted toward him, the other clinging to the last shell she'd held.

Willingly, Shiro pulled her to him, cuddling her against his chest as he swam to the surface, then to shore. Once his feet hit sand, he padded over to Trio, grinning at her. "We had fun down there. You should come with us next time."

"I can't breathe the way you two do," Trio returned, holding out her arms for Annora. As soon as she did, Annora was fighting Shiro's hold on her, demanding 'mama' sulkily. "Someone sounds tired," Trio said, her voice a soft sing-song.

"That's why you use scuba gear." Laughing softly, Shiro handed Annora to Trio, watching her fondly. "She tired herself out."

"Small wonder - she has a whole world to explore down there, don't you, sweetie?" she asked Annora, her eyes soft. Annora fussed more, until Trio finally looked up at Shiro. "Can you get the food? I wanna try to calm her down," she said, moving to part of the blanket and stretching out on it, Annora pillowed against her chest. As Annora continued to fuss, Trio didn't wait for an answer - Shiro could just make out the sound of her singing softly to Annora.

Shiromaru just stood and listened for a few moments, smiling slowly, then got the picnic basket and opened it, starting to unpack it onto the towel. "You sing very well," he offered to Trio, grinning at her.

Trio waited until Annora was asleep, then carefully laid her down under some makeshift shade before turning to stick her tongue out at him. "Liar."

"Would I lie to you?" Shiro countered, then flicked water towards her playfully before setting the paper plates and plastic flatware down.

Trio spluttered softly, shaking the water free before moving to sit down near him. "She brought this up with her," she said, holding out what looked to be a simple spiral shell. But when she turned the opening toward Shiro, he could see the crab nestled deep within.



Shiro blinked, then held his hand out for the crab. "Seems she picked up a pet. Are you going to keep it?"

Trio shook her head. "Not this one. Poor guy needs to go back where he belongs, don't you think?" she said, handing the crab over to Shiro. "I was thinking maybe while we're this way, we can stop by the pet store. They usually carry land hermit crabs. I can pick one of those up for her," she suggested.

"I'll go take this little guy back to the water, then," Shiro offered, getting to his feet. "She'd probably love a crab of her own. You might want to take her out to see dolphins at some point, once she's older."

Trio nodded. "Definitely. Something tells me I'll be learning a lot about the sea before this is through," she added. Reaching for a plate, she watched him set the crab in the water, then grinned as he moved back. "I'm glad she's got you to look up to. I... was a bit worried."

Shiromaru watched the crab scuttle off, then sat down next to Trio again. "Why didn't you call me to begin with?" he asked curiously. "And I'll come over whenever you want me to."

"She's a siren. You know that, right?" Trio asked, leaning against him as she ate.

"You mentioned that to me." Shiro wound an arm around her shoulders companionably.

Trio nodded, nibbling on a sandwich before continuing. "When Keelan met her and figured out what she was, he freaked. Uh... Keelan's a centaur friend of ours," she added in explanation. "Anyway, he freaked - told me how dangerous she was, how evil sirens could be." Thoughtful eyes turned toward Shiro. "I don't want that for her."

Shiro sighed, then stole a sandwich for himself. "You needn't worry about that with me. Or any of my crew. It doesn't matter that she's a siren." He looked down at Trio, then nibbled at his sandwich absently.

"Actually... that's not why I'm bringing this up. I want your help with something," Trio said, the worry in her eyes fading into determination.

"Oh?" Shiro peered at Trio again, curiously. "What's up?"

"I want you to help her NOT be evil," Trio said firmly. "I want to guide her toward being good."

Shiro nodded, hugging her gently with that arm around her shoulders. "I will. I promise."

Trio smiled, hugging him back before resting quietly against him. "Thank you. I know you'll be good for her..."

"Just like you're good for her." Shiromaru kissed her hair lightly, then just ate his sandwich in silence, a faint smile on his lips.

"Penny?" Trio asked, as the silence stretched on. Once she was done with her sandwich, she moved away from Shiro, retrieving Annora's bottle and going to wake the sleeping child.

Shiro hesitated, then looked down at Trio sheepishly. "Just wishing I had one of my own, to be honest," he confessed. "I've wanted a baby for a while."

Trio blinked, then turned, looking at him thoughtfully for several long minutes as Annora gobbled her fill. "You'd make a good father," she finally proclaimed softly, a fond smile on her face.

"I don't know that I'll get a chance, though," Shiro murmured, "so I'll just try to be a good uncle to Annora."

Trio hesitated, then leaned in, resting her forehead against his. "You'll get your chance, dearheart. You know I'll help, somehow."

Shiro smiled up at her, chuckling. "I can only hope. It'd be nice if I could, though."

"It's crazy," she warned, then shifted to sit down, eyes immediately moving to Annora.

"I don't mind," Shiro returned. "I'm used to 'crazy' as it is, it's normal for me."

Trio giggled, nodding. Once Annora was done with the bottle, she got deposited into Shiro's arms before Trio turned to pack up the food. "Why don't the two of you go shelling? She needs some pretties to decorate her pool at home, right?" she teased.

"I can take a hint." Shiro grinned, cuddling Annora as he started off down the beach. "Come on, Miss Annora. Let's get you some pretty shells for your pool."

Trio laughed, watching the two as they wandered off. The fondness in her gaze turned thoughtful as they got out of sight. "...Wonder whether he'll ever really understand why I asked him," she muttered to herself, as she went about picking up their garbage.

Annora nestled sleepily in Shiro's arms, comfortably full and half-dozy, until a white shell caught her eye. Once more, she attempted to throw herself bodily out of his arms, aiming for the pretty bit of pale on the ground.

Shiromaru knelt on the sand, reaching for the shell and offering it to Annora. "Here you are, sweetheart. Is this the one you were looking for?"

Annora grabbed it with both hands, squeezing tight and staring at it for several minutes before squealing in delight and bringing it up to gnaw on.

"No, sweetie, don't use that to gnaw on. But you can hold on to it." Shiro tugged lightly at the shell to keep it out of her mouth. "Here's another shell to look at." He handed another one to her that looked quite pearly.

That earned another delighted squeal, Annora taking the new shell. The old one fell onto her belly, laying there as she turned the new one this way and that before beaming up at Shiro.

Shiro laughed with her, then winked and turned the shell about, pointing his finger at it. It suddenly turned into a miniature fountain, water spraying up out of the opening.

Annora spluttered gleefully, reaching to wave a hand through the spray. Her attention was riveted on the water, fascinated by it.

"What do you think of that, eh?" Shiro grinned impishly, then tapped her very lightly on the nose.

Annora beamed, clapping for him before turning her attention fully to the water. One hand waved through the spray, then the other, and then she was splashing everything within a few feet with water.

Shiromaru laughed at that, then reached into the wet sand and picked up a sand dollar. "Have you ever seen one of these before?"

Annora tilted her head, falling quiet as she stared at it curiously before reaching to try to grab it.

"Pretty, isn't it?" Shiro murmured, handing the sand dollar to Annora.

Annora continued to stare at it, the other two shells forgotten on her stomach.

Shiro blinked at her, head tilting to the side. "Annora? What is it?"

Annora finally looked up at him, eyes wide and solemn for a long moment before she beamed up at him, babbling something he couldn't quite understand.

"What was that?" Shiro asked, curiously, peering down at her. "What'd you say?"

She babbled again in that liquid tongue only babies knew, clutching her prize and bouncing in his arms slightly.

Shiro just grinned, then padded back to Trio. "I think she found a new favorite toy," he offered, nodding down to the sand dollar in Annora's hands.

Trio blinked at it, smiling quietly as she reached for Annora. One hand scooped up the abandoned shells before they could fall, dropping them down atop the shirt she'd abandoned earlier. "I'll have to take those home," she said, speaking over the cheerful chatter that Annora was offering her new 'toy'. "Do you know the legend of Sand Dollars?" Though her eyes were focused solely on Annora, she lifted her head a bit, and increased her volume just noticably enough to include Shiromaru.

"I don't," Shiromaru murmured, watching Trio with Annora. "I don't really know any of the human legends. What is it?" He was curious, and wanted to hear.

"It's said," Trio started, then fell quiet, eyeing Shiro with faint nervousness. "It's... um... rather... are you sure you wanna hear it?" she finally asked, not going into details.

"Tell me," came the soft urging as Shiro touched her shoulder gently. "I want to hear. Please."

"It's just... it's about Jesus," Trio finally explained, watching Annora rather than meeting Shiro's eyes. She'd never really instigated any sort of talk on the subject before, far too cautious both of her friend's origin and her own belief-questioning.

Shiro blinked, head tilted to the side, then he squeezed her shoulder gently. "I still want to hear."

Trio nodded, finally looking up for a moment before shifting Annora in her arms and moving to let Shiro stand slightly behind her, peering over her shoulder. "Well, the legend goes that the sand dollar tells the story of Jesus in symbols." Urging Annora to turn the sand dollar up so that the top faced them, she reached out a finger to trace the star. "See that? It's supposed to be the Star of Bethlehem, which shone on Jesus when he was born. And if you look here," she added, tracing another outline, "this looks a lot like an Easter Lily - Easter, of course, being when he died." She then ticked off the four small holes and one large one that were found on the edge of the sand dollar. "These represent his wounds. The smaller ones are the nail-wounds he suffered, and the larger is the wound he suffered from the spear." Turning it over, she traced out another floral outline. "This is a poinsettia, the Christmas Flower. And when you break the dollar open," she added, miming breaking it without really doing so. "Then you'll find five white doves ready to fly off and tell the world the story all over again."

"That's a beautiful legend," Shiro murmured, reaching down to touch the star, his arm around Trio's waist. "And I can see all the things you pointed out. Will you be holding on to the sand dollar, then, for Annora?"

Trio nodded slowly, relaxing a bit as Shiro voiced his approval. "Yeah. If I can, I'll get another one to break open, and make her a shadowbox or something about it," she said slowly, plainly thinking things out as she said them. Turning her head to peer over her shoulder back at him, she smiled faintly. "What do you think?"

Shiro grinned at her, nodding slightly. "You should. I think she'd like that. Will you add anything else to it, or just the sand dollar? I could probably get another sand dollar for you."

"There's a few variations of poems about the legend. I'll probably type up one of them on some pretty paper or something," Trio said, smiling. "I'd appreciate the other dollar, if you can get one."

"I'll be right back." Shiromaru made his way back to the water's edge, starting to poke about for a sand dollar. When he found one, he brought it back to Trio.

Trio smiled, tucking both away as Annora napped in her arms. "Shiro? Thank you," she murmured, watching him for a moment before looking down at their things. "I suppose we should start packing up, hmm? Especially if we're going to shop a bit before heading home..."

Shiro nodded softly, starting to help pack up the food dishes. "You're welcome, you know," he said quietly, smiling up at her for a moment. "And it sounds like a plan to me... How far away is the shop?"

"Not too far - a couple miles up the road, as I recall. There's another shop right next to it that sometimes has some pretty trinkets. I thought I might stop in there as well and see if I could find some keepsake or other for Annora." She smiled, tilting her head as she got Annora nestled into her carseat. "Once I drop you and Annora off, I'm supposed to head back to Envy's. He said he'd give me some sand to lay in the bottom of Annora's new pool, to make it more comfortable."

"Mind if I take her to see the nereids while you're visiting with Envy?" Shiro asked, curiously, as he packed the picnic basket away in the car. "Sanshi and Eerie would love to see her, I think, and she'd be able to play in a huge, safe pool."

Trio blinked, then nodded. "That works, too. Ulare and Raighne love her." She fell silent as she contorted her body to get the carseat in place, then straightened up, watching Shiro thoughtfully. "You're very kind to her..."

Shiro shrugged, pulling his hair down from the bun he'd tucked it up into. "I love children, Trio. And how can I not adore a baby that's as addicted to the water as I am?"

"I think we're going to be lucky you live so close," she said thoughtfully, moving to get into the car. "A little older, and she'll be able to go to you whenever she needs someone to talk to."

"Well, whenever she needs her Uncle Shiro, I'll be there," Shiromaru said quietly. He pulled on his t-shirt, then stepped into his sandles -- everything was dry again -- before settling into the passenger seat. "Drive on, fair lady," he said with a playful smile and a grand gesture. "Let us be off."

Trio snorted at the compliment, her eyes sparkling. "Off we go," she returned, starting the car and turning to head toward the pet shop she knew of. It was a small shop that specialized in marine-life. There were a round dozen hermit crabs in aquariums large and small, and the moment she saw one, Annora squealed with glee. "I thought so," Trio murmured, casting a glance at Shiro.

Shiromaru just grinned, then picked up a cup with a brilliant blue and red betta in it and held it up for Annora to see. "Look at this, Annora. It's called a 'betta'. Aren't they pretty?"

Annora's eyes grew round as saucers, and she stopped squealing for the crab. Instead, she was now reaching for the cup, her eyes tracking the graceful fins as the betta floated through the water. "Brat," Trio muttered, amusement in her voice.

The water demon was the picture of innocence, and Shiro batted his golden eyes at Trio. "I don't know what you mean. I'm positively an angel." He paused a beat, then glanced up. "Ignore the horns. But I'll get the betta for her if you want me to."

Trio choked, fighting back a giggle. "Not this time, sweetie," she said, both to Annora and the demon. "Let's stick with the crab. I think a pet that Annora can touch as well as watch will be better, don't you?" With a smile, she turned back to the crabs, nuzzling Annora's head briefly when the girl started to fuss. "Do they have a book on hermit crab care?"

"Yeah, it's right here." Shiro grabbed it from a rack nearby, then leafed through it curiously, the betta cup back on the shelf.

Trio moved around behind him, standing on tiptoe to read over his shoulder thoughtfully. It wasn't long before she was headed to the right fishbowl for the crab, and from there, to all the necessary accoutrements that would help keep the crab healthy and happy. When the shopping was done, she eyed the pile on the counter, and chuckled ruefully. "Okay... maybe you AREN'T the only one spoiling her..."

"That's what being a parent's all about," Shiro singsonged, and put the book down on the counter as well. "Well, that and the midnight diaper changes, the feedings, the burping, the spitting up, the crying, the tantrums, and those occasional moments of peace -- usually while they're sleeping -- where you realize it's all worth it." He winked at Trio, then leaned against the counter.

Trio laughed, sticking her tongue out at Shiro again. Annora, watching the two, paused a beat before sticking HER tongue out at Shiro as well, imitating Trio. The move caught Trio by surprise, and she stared owlishly at Annora for several seconds before bursting into laughter.

Shiromaru just blinked at Annora, then grinned impishly, reaching out to tickle her tummy. "You little monkey! We'll have to be careful around you, I see!"

"Already," Trio moaned softly, shaking her head and handing Annora off to Shiro so that she could pay the bill more easily before gathering everything up into the fishbowl she'd purchased and carrying it toward the door. "Lemme just look at the trinkets next door, and then we'll head over to the Nereid pools, okay?"

"Oh, we don't have to go to the main pools," Shiro noted, carrying Annora as he padded off after Trio. "Sanshi and Eerie have their own pool at my house. They like it that way. You know how Sanshi is, she's terrified of crowds."

"But I have to pick up that sand from Envy," Trio said, blinking in confusion.

Shiro shrugged. "So you drop us off at my house, swing by to see Envy, come back and get Annora, then go on home. If you want, I mean. Or we can go to the main pools, it's up to you." He smiled up at Trio, easily.

"Ooooooh," Trio said, blushing a bit as she realized her mistake. "No, dropping y'all off sounds good. That way, I won't have to worry about Annora while I'm hauling sand out to our pool. And I can stop by my place to get Dal and Levon, right?" Without waiting for an answer, she deposited the crab's supplies in the back seat, then headed to the door of the gift shop, still holding the little cardboard box the crab was in.

"Of course." Shiromaru followed after Trio again, blinking down at the crab's box for a moment before shrugging absently. "Anyone who wants to come with can come with. My place is big enough now that the renovations are finished."

"Actually, Dal and Levon were going to come with me," Trio corrected, as she made her way through the shelves of shinies. "To help me with the sand." She glanced back toward Shiro, then froze, staring at something on a shelf just beyond his head. "Hey Shiro," she asked softly, not moving forward. "What do you think of that?"



"Oh. Yeah, I guess we're both getting mixed up today." Then, of course, Trio changed subjects, and Shiro blinked, peering at Trio curiously. "What do I think of- ...Ooooh..." Freeing one arm carefully, he reached up for the musicbox, getting it down for Trio. "That is gorgeous..."

Trio moved closer, opening the box carefully and finding that, while it played no music, there was a small piece of paper inside. "This box was originally crafted at Moorgahaine's Forge and Emporium," she read aloud, tilting her head thoughtfully. "It can be used by winding, or powered with a music sprocket." She paused, glancing at Shiro oddly for a moment even as Annora reached out to run chubby fingers over the indentation in the top of the box. "This... Shiro, it looks - and sounds - almost as though it were made for her," she finally murmured.

"Want me to get it for her?" Shiro offered, watching Annora fondly. "If it's made for her, then she should have it. Besides, it's beautiful. It belongs in her room. Do you have a music sprocket?"

"Three or four, I think, not counting 'Shiki's," Trio answered wryly. "I can get it... What do you think, sweetie?" Trio's eyes turned to the little girl, but she just grinned and squealed loudly, grabbing more firmly at the box. "Okay, that's a definite yes," Trio said with a chuckle.

Shiro just grinned, bouncing Annora lightly. "Then get it for her... I don't think she'd ever forgive you if you didn't."

Trio nodded, making her way to the counter. All in all, she reflected, glancing back at Shiro and Annora, things had turned out incredibly well. They'd have to do this again sometime. Often, if Annora's happy smile was any indication. The little girl's smile spread to Trio, and she turned back, paying for the music box. She couldn't wait to get it home and see if Annora could work it.

The next few weeks were a whirlwind for Trio. It almost seemed as though the wading pool Trio had fashioned encouraged Annora to grow - Trio later remarked to Dalreidan that somewhere along the line, Annora had shot up, gaining inches and suddenly showing a remarkable penchant for learning. Annora spent more and more time each day out in the water. At first, Trio took her out for a little while every couple of hours. And if Trio couldn't watch over her that day, then Dalreidan, or Levon, or Aziraphale, or one of her other, older companions might watch over Annora. The girl crawled and splashed, then rose, taking her first wobbly steps in the wading pool. By the end of the first week, Annora was spending more than half the day in or around the pool, splashing and laughing and scrambling about - sometimes on her hands and knees as a baby might, but more and more often she'd stand upright. And as if the days couldn't be faster, Annora's teeth came in. Whenever they were bothering her, she seemed able to soothe the pain away if she were just in the water. Trio didn't know quite what to make of that - I've never heard anything about sirens HEALING in water... - but she certainly wasn't complaining. By the time the second week was done, Annora was spending pretty much her entire day outside in the side yard or with her uncle Shiromaru. She accompanied Trio to the Nereid pools any time Trio went, generally wading into the water as soon as she got there to be around her favorite aunts, Raighne, Quellious, and Ulare. Her skin was darkening, the fins on her arms and legs slowly unfolding to allow her better movement in the water. And her voice was getting stronger - Trio noticed that any time Annora babbled. Or, she began to realize, as Annora spoke. Clear words were coming through more and more often, generally in a sort of singsongy-lilt that she seemed to have picked up during her visits with the Nereids.

It was sometime in the third week when Trio got out her photo album and stopped, blinking at the pictures there. Her skin had grown so much darker, the hair on her head a shimmering silver-white that matched the markings on her cheek and leg. She'd grown to nearly two feet, and water which had only come to her waist before was now dropped to about her knees. Trio frowned at that, grateful she'd at least made a creek/pool that Annora seemed to like, however little water there was in it. And Annora did love it, sometimes basking in it for hours. By the end of the third week, Trio had picked up multiple bathing suits, and found a way to connect Annora's pool to a natural water source that would keep the water in it moving. Shiromaru had, of course, helped in the last task. His reward had been a gentle hug from Trio and a tacklepounce from Annora, who'd dragged him into the water clothing and all, whether he liked it or not.

At the beginning of the fourth week, Annora discovered she had some new companions - two fully-grown pard had taken up residence near the pool. One held back, watching with soft silver eyes as Annora played. She seemed nervous about approaching, but unwilling to let the young siren go without protection. The other had taken a more active interest in the pool, prowling around it as wine-colored wings flared. It was this second pard which nudged the first one, when Annora yawned and moved to curl up under a tree near the water for her daily nap. The first pard, all bright indigo and black wings moved forward when she was nudged, curling up under the tree and peering solemnly at Annora before one wing beckoned her closer. Annora didn't hesitate - without any reluctance, the girl nestled into the pard's side, using the larger form as a cushion and falling asleep with a trusting smile on her face. Trio, who knew the shy pard for a kind creature, just watched, nodding quietly to herself. There was a friendship waiting to be formed there. Perhaps Annora would be good for Psaltria.

Claret took the opportunity then to approach Trio. Unlike other pards, Claret had come to Trio's home fully-grown, and knowledgable. The pard could speak, and she waited until both Annora and Psaltria were asleep before murmuring quietly to Trio. "I can help you deepen the water. I can shape and move stone and earth." Trio stared at the suggestion, starting to open her mouth before Claret continued. "But... I will only do it for a price. Consider that. When you've decided what to do, come see me." And the pard padded off without allowing Trio to speak.

A price..., Trio thought, tilting her head and watching Annora. As Dalreidan came to spell her for a while, letting Trio get some rest from Annora, the thought lingered in her mind, tempting.

((OOC - I got permission from Jaden to do a gloss-over of Annora's growth, so that the actual growth felt a bit less abrupt and a bit more (to me) natural.))

Finding himself gifted with Etain was one thing, Shiro mused as he held the infant with an almost reverential air. Realizing that Etain would truly stay with him, be raised by him, held by him, cared for by him... that was taking more time to sink in.

For the longest time, Shiromaru had just held Etain, entranced by the infant's sweet nature. It was the first time Shiro had ever used the rocking chair on the front deck, though Shiro had rocked Etain for hours. Once she was then fed, and burped, and changed, however, Shiro decided... it was time to go traveling.

He had to tell Trio.

Carefully wrapping Etain up in a light blanket, Shiro settled the girl into the carrypack he'd bought ages ago, her head carefully resting against a head brace as she was nestled against his chest, her wings watched to make sure they wouldn't get caught, then he unfurled his own wings and flew off towards Trio's house, his arms protectively around Etain still. When he touched down, he knocked quickly on the door, waiting impatiently for it to be opened.

Aziraphale answered, his smile as welcoming as ever as he peered at Shiro. It widened a bit when he caught sight of the bundle against Shiro's chest. "Who's this?" he asked, reaching out to pet the girl's head despite his instinctive need to withdraw from the demon.

"This is Etain," Shiromaru explained, smiling kindly at Az. "She's come to live with me now. Would you like to see her a bit better? And are Trio and Annora around?"

Aziraphale nodded, eyes sparkling. "She's lovely, Shiromaru. Trio and Annora are in the side yard, with Annora's pool. Why don't you go on out there? I'll set up the baby pen in the yard for Etain..."

Shiro beamed at Aziraphale, then started padding over to the side yard. "Isn't she beautiful? And that would be very helpful, thank you." Quickly, he headed up to Trio and Annora, grinning from ear to ear.

Annora was basking in the water, as always, her skin glistening. She was giggling, sitting there in water up to her waist as she sang 'Wheels on the Bus' with Trio, her voice surprisingly on-key.

"Tri~o, Anno~ra!" Shiro sat down next to the pool as Etain turned her head towards the sound of Annora's singing. "Mm, I should get you out of there, shouldn't I," he added to Etain softly, starting to carefully get the girl out of her carrypack.

"Shiro!" Annora cried, leaping out of the water to dart to him. She stopped nearly there, staring in wonder at the new baby in Shiro's arms. "It's a baby," she suddenly chirped, as Trio finally looked over. The blonde froze, staring at Etain wide-eyed before looking up at Shiro in wonder. "Who... how...?"

Finally getting Etain out of the carrypack, he set the pack aside, then leaned forward with Etain in his arms so Annora could see. "Annora, sweetheart, meet Etain. She's my new daughter. When she gets bigger, would you like to be able to play with her?" The grin he flashed at Trio was brilliant, though it softened somewhat at his next words. "Etain... used to live with Shinobu," he explained.

Annora nodded vigorously, watching Shiro carefully before saying, "Baby..." After a moment, she stepped back a pace, running into Trio's legs.

Trio caught Annora, holding her even as she peered down at Etain solemnly, then up to Shiromaru. "She's in good hands. Shinobu would be happy," she said quietly, her eyes soft.

"I hope so," Shiro whispered, drawing a careful fingertip over Etain's soft cheek. The little girl gave a wide yawn, then snuggled into Shiromaru's arms contentedly. He just watched her for a moment, then shot Trio another of those blinding grins.

Trio found herself grinning back - it'd been a while since she'd seen Shiro this happy. "She looks like she likes it with you, at least," she noted, lifting Annora into her arms when the girl turned to her and grunted a demand. She blinked as Annora's arms tightened a bit too much, and looked at her own little girl, shaking her head. "It's okay, sweetie. Shiro's gonna play with you, too."

Shiro blinked at Annora, then padded closer, leaning in to kiss Annora's cheek gently. "I could never forget you, 'Nora. You'll still get lots of attention from me, I promise you that."

"Annora," Trio tried, when the girl sulked. "Would you like to hold Etain?" Her eyes lifted to Shiro, looking curious.

Nodding, the water demon offered to let Annora hold Etain. "You can, if you want. You could be her big cousin, and teach her all sorts of important things!"

Annora looked between the two warily. Trio sat down awkwardly in the grass, settling Annora in her lap and beckoning Shiro over. "I'll help you for now, okay?" she suggested, her eyes dancing as she looked up at Shiro.

Shiro sat down again, in front of Trio and Annora. "Careful of her wings," he suggested gently, his smile warm as he watched Annora.

Annora's arms came around Etain carefully, supported by Trio's underneath. The blonde smiled softly, her attention caught by the baby very quickly. There was something soothing about them at this age, something that made her ache for another. But the odd feeling in the pit of her stomach quickly disappeared into wonder as Annora sang to the baby, her voice soft and off-beat as she stumbled over words.

Etain looked up at Annora, those soft grey eyes widening a little. After a moment, she waved her arms awkwardly, making soft little cooing noises. She liked Annora's singing, apparently. Shiro couldn't help but grin, his own gaze softening as he watched the pair.

Annora sang for a while longer, then looked up at Shiro. "You hold baby," she announced without warning, squirming against Trio's lap. Trio laughed, lifting Etain up to let Annora dart back to the water, then curled the girl in her own arms again. "I think... they'll be friends," she offered, more out of hope than any certainty.

"Give it time," Shiro mused, watching Annora with undisguised fondness. "Once 'Nora realizes she hasn't been replaced..." He looked down, letting Etain curl one little fist around his finger.

"I think she'll be more afraid of that from you than me," Trio returned, looking up at him.

Chuckling softly, Shiromaru shook his head. "She needn't worry. I'll still be here all the time to see her and you." He reached out, wanting to hold Etain again.

Trio gave her up to her new father easily, then patted the ground beside her. "You'd better," she teased gently, eyes soft as they watched the pair.

Annora, frowning slightly as the two adults cooed over the child, darted to Psaltria, whispering for a moment before hopping on the pard's back. Psaltria winced slightly, fighting to keep from sighing at the little girl's exuberance before she padded toward the two adults, feeling much more like a horse than a pard.

Settling at Trio's side, Shiro kept his arms safe around Etain. "Don't worry, you'll consider us a constant nuisance before we're done. Hey there, Psaltria," he offered to the poor pard, then looked up at Annora. "What is it, hon? What's wrong?"

Trio looked up and choked, fighting to keep from bursting into laughter. "What on earth!"

"Lookit me!" Annora crowed, bouncing on Psaltria's back. The pard's wings flared, and she growled softly, more out of frustration than anger. "Lookit me lookit me lookit me," Annora continued.

Trio shook her head. "Get down, Annora. You're not supposed to ride on pards." Annora glared for a moment, then wilted, sliding off the pard's back and flouncing over to flop down beside the pool again.

"Hmmm... Trio, can you take Etain again for a second?" Shiro whispered, offering the infant to Trio.

Trio nodded, blinking and reaching with practiced arms to hold the little girl, mindful of the delicate wings.

Shiromaru rose, then made his way over to Annora, crouching down next to her. "Hey, you. Come here, I want to talk to you for a second."

Annora glanced over, eyes narrowed. She said nothing, merely waiting for Shiro to speak.

"Etain is my daughter, yes. But she can't replace you in my heart. I need to be around you just as much as I need to be around her. And besides," Shiro whispered conspiratorially, "I don't think I can take her swimming deep down in the ocean like I can with you."

Annora's head tilted, her eyes thoughtful as she took the assurances in. "You like the baby?" she finally asked warily.

Shiro nodded softly. "I love the baby. But I love you, too, Annora. Just as much."

"You love the... my... 'Nora?" Annora said, her voice fair less wary and far more content now. "You swimming with my 'Nora?"

"Yes," Shiro agreed, smiling warmly. "I love you, Nora-fish. And swimming with you is lots of fun."

"You... tickle 'Nora?" Annora asked, her voice now cagey as she turned more. A second later, she pounced on Shiro, rough, clumsy fingers already trying to worm under his chin as she yelled, "Tickletickletickle!"

Squawking playfully, Shiromaru tickled Annora right back, then swept the girl up into his arms and twirled around with her playfully. Moments later, he plopped down onto the ground next to Trio, Annora in his lap -- and kept safe, since he'd lifted her up enough to keep her legs from getting caught.

Trio laughed, Etain up on her shoulder as she watched the other two. "Thank you," she mouthed to Shiro, eyes gentle, then glanced up as Aziraphale made his way over, spreading out a blanket before Trio.

"I'll have to dig a bit more for the fence, but this should work for her now, hmm?" he suggested, reaching out to pet Annora's hair. Annora laughed and mewled before announcing, "I'm a CAT," and squirming off of Shiro to go prowling on all fours down to the water. And Trio, still laughing, carefully laid Etain on her stomach on the blanket.

"A cat!" Shiro pretended astonishment. "I thought you were a fish, Nora-fish!" A large mouse made of ice formed in the water, floating there for Annora to play with, and Shiromaru looked back at Trio with a warm grin. As the blanket was spread out, he grinned up at Aziraphale, nodding his gratitude. "Thank you." Etain's wings buzzed, just a little, then she settled more comfortably on the blanket.

"Maybe she's a catfish," Trio noted, giggling. She got to her feet, darting after Annora as the girl squealed, happy once more now that she realized she'd have plenty of attention.

Etain, at that squeal, started fussing. That squeal hurt! Shiro leaned in and picked her up, rocking her to try and soothe her.

"Annora!" Trio said, realizing the problem immediately. When Annora pulled up short, Trio caught her arms, holding her still. "Look, around the baby, we have to be quiet and careful, okay? She's fragile right now, and needs us to be good for her. Can you do that for me?"

Two huge eyes locked with Trio's before sliding slowly to where Etain was fussing against Shiro, and then back to Trio solemnly. "The baby's crying?" she asked, something vulnerable in her voice.

Trio nodded, kneeling before her and wrapping her arms gently around Annora. "The baby's crying. But she'll probably be happy again if you go sing to her?" she suggested, letting Annora go. The girl hesitated a moment, then moved to sit by Shiromaru, quietly stumbling through the Itsy Bitsy Spider.

Shiro blinked as Etain immediately started to settle, once Annora sang to her. That seemed to be a magic touch. Etain looked wide-eyed up at Annora, then finally started to wave her arms a bit, cooing once again. "Well, now. Annora, she really seems to like your singing," he murmured, grinning at the girl.

Annora beamed in return, chest puffing out in childish pride. Trio relaxed, watching the two fondly for a moment before her gaze darkened slightly. I really need to read a lot more deeply on sirens, now that it's beginning to show... she decided.

"Mmm?" Shiromaru glanced up at Trio, brows furrowed slightly. "What is it?"

"Just thinking I should do a bit of studying soon," she said, waving away the concern as she sat down beside Annora. The siren grinned, draping over Trio's lap. "And I think it's someone's naptime. You sticking around for supper, Shiro?"

"Sure, if you want me to. I should probably put Etain down for a nap again soon, too." Shiro brushed a kiss light over the sylph's forehead, and Etain yawned again, hugely, one hand tight around a lock of Shiro's hair.

"You can put her down on my bed. I've got a couple heavy pillows to keep her safe." Trio paused then, blinking. "I should dig out Annora's bottles and things for you," she added, whirling Annora into her arms and rising with a bit of difficulty.

Shiromaru stood carefully, Etain in his arms. "That'd be appreciated. I have a couple bottles at home from the ones I bought in a hurry, but that's about it... I was going to do some more shopping tomorrow."

"Use Annora's. They're still in good shape, don't worry, and it's one less thing you'll have to spend money on," Trio said, bending down to get the blanket and carry it inside. Psaltria watched them go, then settled by the water, dozing in the sunlight.

"Thank you," Shiro said again, softly sincere. "That will help out a lot." He followed Trio into the house, humming to himself contentedly. Life... was good.

Knowing full well Tera would kill her for this, eventually, Anwahs found herself standing on the walk that would lead her up to the house she knew belonged to one Trio Maxell-Chang. The girl had left her with little choice, however, so here she was, with all intentions of marching up the path and knocking on that door. Hesitancy was the word of the moment, though, and there she stood, biting her lower lip and twisting a lock of her hair that shifted from green to black to red, all in the space of a babie's breath.

See, the notion of doing this, even for Tera's own good, was stressing Anwahs to the point where she could barely hold a cohesive structure to her appearance. She didn't *want* to betray her granddaughter's confidences like this, but... Those swirling colored eyes, all iris, no pupil or white, suddenly glistened. That Tera felt she had to resort to such drastic measures gave her the tiniest of glimpses into what must be still a dark emotional crevice. That any offspring, or decendant of one, could be hurting so badly... Well, Anwahs had flung other gods into mortality for lesser crimes against her kin.

Taking a deep breath and squaring her delicate shoulders, Anwahs set her jaw and began marching all four foot nine inches of herself up that path and towards the door.

She didn't quite make it to the door before a tiny blue girl, stark naked and giggling wildly, came streaking out of the doorway, with two grown adults following her. One of the adults was faintly fox-like, his fur tan and luxurious and the look in his eyes murder. The other, a girl with thick blonde hair and bright blue eyes, followed close on the kitsune's heels, her own expression torn between merriment and fury. "Annora Lyris, get back here this instant!" Trio called out sharply, bypassing Anwahs and catching up with the little girl. The kitsune reached Annora first, grabbing the struggling, giggling form up into his arms with a growl that should've been terrifying. Annora simply turned, throwing her arms around him with childish glee.

Having seen a number of nekkid childrens in her time, the sight of a tiny blue tot skyclad didn't cause Anwahs much time for a pause; she really hadn't gotten enough of a glimpse of the blur to make a distinction between hair and skin and fin. It was the pair that followed her, however, that made her stop mid-march, eyes blinking in surprise. The male, now *there* was a creature she'd never seen, at least not on Gaia, and certainly not in the House; she gave a mental "Thank you" to whatever had kept Tera from running across his kind and therefore offering them a place to stay with her. Enough damned creatures wandering about, even if the anthros weren't half as helpful as this one appeared to be. Okay, that didn't count Rith. But the others...

The other, female, who looked so much like the images of Trio Maxwell-Chang kept by Tera that it led Anwahs to make the immediate assumption that this must, indeed, be her, and she swallowed, hard. Forgive me, Teralin. Immediately she released the lock of hair, which sprung upwards and joined the rest of her coif in forming a sea green boufant. Her voice, when she finally spoke, was much stronger than her churning insides. "They're so much fun at that age, aren't they?"

Dalreidan, the kitsune currently holding Annora, turned to glare at Anwahs, his eyes sharp and cold. But Trio was much more welcoming, barely noticing her companion's bad disposition as she glanced up and grinned. "They are. Chaotic as all hell, but fun," she agreed, reaching out to tousle Annora's hair. The little girl giggled again, snuggling up to Dalreidan as he carted her inside. "Can I help you?" Trio continued, gesturing toward the house in welcome. "Az made some coffee cake, if you'd like to join us?"

Amused at the look given to her by the male, Anwahs had to grin at bit. Of course, she was also touched by the expression; after all, here was a strange woman commenting on what appeared to be his family, and Anwahs knew exactly how strange she looked.

"What's life without a bit of Chaos, eh?" Tempted to wink at Trio as she said that, she refrained from it, simply watching Dalreidan's retreating back. Her hair chose that moment to retreat into a mousey-brown shag, and she shook her head at the sudden tickle against her ears. Though this wasn't a social call, it would probably be easier on everyone if she just kinda... squeezed the news into general conversation.

So with that, she answered Trio's question with, "If Az is half as good a cook as Teralin's Rith, I'd be a fool to pass it up."

"Teralin's... You know Tera!" Trio said brightly, as though the fact weren't immediately obvious. "How is she?! I haven't seen her in ages." Although her smile was still there, it faded slightly at that comment - although the lack of contact wasn't wholly her fault, she certainly hadn't tried to fix things as much as she could've. "Come in. I'll make sure you've got plenty to take back with you for her," she added, seeming not to notice the hair change in the slightest.

Of course, that last might be due to the myriad of creatures roaming about the two story house. "Mind your step," Trio noted, as she carefully stepped over a trail of Pixapets being herded into the living room. "You have to be a little careful in here."

Ever the tactful one, Anwahs quipped, "Looks like you need a bigger house!" There was pleasantry in her voice, and she stepped over the Pixas as well. From the looks of things, whatever Tera *didn't* have in her own House was over here, safe and sound and happy. And as tempting as it was to pretend not to have heard Trio's query as to the wellbeing of Tera, Anwahs couldn't be certain as to what the other woman's reaction would be if she held out, and truth be told, she couldn't take the chance.

Her voice, while still light and airy, perfectly friendly, took on a bit of the same accent that Tera's did at times; stress and deep emotions were the best way to bring that out. "Actually, she's the real reason that I came to call. She hasn't had visitors in so very long, I think it might do her some good if you came over."

There. It was done, or halfway so, and as anyone knows, halfway so tends to be hard to stop.

Trio nodded, not missing the implications, but leaving them to rest for the moment. "We've both been caught up in our own households, I imagine. I don't think she's met Annora yet, even," she said instead, as Dalreidan appeared again, this time with Annora clad in a simple bathing suit. Trio brushed her fingers through Annora's hair, then paused, listening as Dal murmured he'd take her out to the pool. Nodding, she turned to lead Anwahs into the kitchen. "I don't think I cauhgt your name?" she added, as she readied two plates.

Anwahs took a moment to wiggle her fingers at the little one, using a bit of control over her shifting abilities to change her hair into a similar style and color as Annora's, sleek and white with a blue-green streak down the center. Children were so cute, and so much fun.

As for the name. She turned from the child in order to follow Trio into the kitchen. "You can call me Anwahs." Out of the potpourri of names she'd been called, that was the easiest. "I'm Teralin's grandmother." The sweet-spicy smell of the coffee cake tempted her mouth into salivating, and she managed not to drool.

Trio paused at the name, not looking back at Anwahs. "She's mentioned you to me before," she noted absently, trying to recall just WHAT Tera had said and failing. It was, after all, a while ago. Finally getting everything onto a tray, Trio beckoned Anwahs. "It's such a nice day, let's sit out on the back porch," she suggested, already leading the way. With the new pool in the sideyard, the backyard often became relatively empty... and that was just what Trio wanted.

"Sounds good to me." And sitting outside did sound good, preferrable to being cooped up indoors while a motley crew trampled around about you. Chaos was one thing, but interrupting important conversation, that was completely different.

Anwahs followed after Trio, then remarked, "I hope she mentioned good things when she mentioned me."

Trio just tossed a grin back at Anwahs. It didn't take long for them to settle in chairs on the back porch, a barrel-table between them with the food and drink on it. And once Trio had seen that they were, indeed, as alone as one could possibly get in this house, she glanced at Anwahs. "So tell me why you're really here."

"Quick, and to the point. I can see why Teralin likes you." She reached out to get one of the drinks, thinking that a sip or two would help her to figure out exactly how she'd explain this; after all, Anwahs wasn't exactly one of the most planned folks about, and "Go tell Trio" was about as far as she had gotten. "I wasn't kidding when I said I thought a visit would be good for her." Here, a sip of drink, which she knew was so obviously a ploy for delay. The sip turned into a leisurely swallow. Well, best to just jump in with both feet, see how big the splash went. "She's made herself emotionally distant in order to avoid her past, and I'll be damned if she's letting me help her out of it."

It was odd how eyes, with such whirls of mangled color, could actually look sad.

Trio blinked. And blinked again. Tera? Emotionally distant? HUH?!

"Maybe you'd better start from the beginning," she finally said, when the initial confusion wore off. "I think I'm missing something here.

"She's going to kill me for telling you all this," Anwahs stated naturally, as if it were the most innocent thing in the world. "Smother me in my sleep, most likely."

And start from the beginning? Anwahs wasn't certain there was time for that far back. It would take days, at least. Or did she just mean the beginning of this situation, perhaps, she contemplated while sipping at her drink. "Teralin goes through ups and downs, emotionally. When she's up, she's very up, perfectly stable. When she's down, she's a ball in her bed." Oh, but this was harder than she thought it would be. "This last time had her balled up for a month or so, and rather than just ride it out, she decided to take matters into her own hands."

Admit that the Stone was her own doing? Never. Besides, that was eons ago. "She's using an artifact from our world to block her emotions, because 'It's the only way she can care for her family'." This last part was spoken in a pitch-perfect imitation of Tera, though with a slightly rougher accent. "And I can't get her to stop."

"She's been like this how long?" Trio demanded, eyes wide as she rose to her feet. Her coffee cake and drink remained on the table, untouched and forgotten, and she was already heading back into the house. "Why the HELL didn't someone come get me sooner?" Depression, it sounded like, and no one should have to go through that alone. God knew, she'd dealt with it enough herself, during times when memories made her weak. Never that bad, but... that was the point, wasn't it? It was that bad.

"Sankouri!" she called out, before Anwahs could answer her. "C'mon, we're going!" She hesitated at the door to the sideyard, then shook her head - Tera needed her attention for this, and if Annora might bring her out of it, then Trio would just bring Tera back here. "You," she added to Anwahs, "can explain on the way. In full."

And it was that bit of decisive action that won Anwahs over. Nevermind the welcoming of a complete stranger into one's house, nevermind the scrumptious cake that even now she was grabbing up a bit of, so as to be able to nibble it on the way out. Hopping up out of her chair, exhilirated by the flurry of movement, the suddeness of the moment, Anwahs began to follow Trio.

"Which part exactly do you want me to explain in full? There's a lot of points to cover."

"Last I checked, it was not quite an hour to town. That should be plenty of time to run through the highlights," Trio said firmly.

As they reached the door, Aziraphale caught up with Anwahs, smiling brightly as he handed her a large tupperware container. "Here. To share with your family," he noted, before disappearing back into the kitchen. The container was still warm, and the faint shape of a full coffee cake could be seen through the nearly-opaque top.

"Coming?" Trio asked, stopping just long enough to drag some sandals on before she disappeared out the door and headed toward the garage.

Anwahs mouthed a "Thank you" to Aziraphale as he handed her the container, though she was still following after Trio. Wouldn't do to be left behind after all. It would occur to her later that Az was mightily familiar, at least as far as what he was went. "Right behind you!" she called out to Trio, trailing her towards the garage.

"Aii, plenty of time. And I should probably start out with the 'how long' part." Running a hand through her hair, which was now bubblegum pink and in tight little ringlets, Anwahs went on. "The bedridden part, two or three months. I'm not really sure, because Teralin's not big on calendars." There was a thoughtful nod. "This bit with the Stone, though, I'd say that was about three and a half weeks."

"Tell me again why the HELL you didn't come to get me before?" Trio demanded. "Bedridden for two or three MONTHS? What was everyone thinking?! And then this? That stone, whatever it is, is the last thing Tera needs right now. What she DOES need is some good, solid caring and help," she preached, as much to herself as to Anwahs. "What got her this bad?"

The remark Anwahs gave was almost off-handed, belying little of the bristling she was going through internally at the insinuation that Tera hadn't been receiving good, solid caring up to this point. "I've been doing the best I can, tending to her and staying with her through the night. I was the only one she'd let into her room to see her, you know." She tried not to think too much back on those terrible, long night, because thinking of it broke her heart, and the last thing she wanted to do now was cry. "I was afraid to leave her for too long, else she did something drastic. I didn't even really know about you until she *had* done something drastic."

And of course, there was the question, wasn't it? What *had* gotten Tera so bad? Anwahs couldn't keep the note of regret, consernation, sense of failure from her voice. After all, this was her favorite granddaughter. "I... just don't know. I know she has nightmares, and I know she had a bad childhood. But what exactly it is that gets her like this..."

"I really hope by drastic you mean the stone," Trio said, eyes flying to Anwah's in alarm. For that one moment, before she turned her attention to getting in the car, her own self-castigation was obvious.

"The Stone, yes." Her eyes met Trio's, and Anwahs could see there how close the two must be. A part of her wanted to reach out to Trio, assure her that nothing else had happened, but her stubborn streak was still simmering over the care issue. "I don't know what I was expecting her to do, but the Stone is the worst thing I can think of, and if I had thought of it then, I would have stolen the damnable thing from her."

Trio frowned deeply, nodding. "What's done is done," she pointed out quietly. "The best we can do is go forward from here." She paused, then drew a breath, turning to Anwahs once more. "Between the two of us, I'm certain she'll be fine again. And now that I know what to be on guard for, I can help you watch for this in the future, right?" she asked, a weak smile on her lips.

Well, that sounded almost apologetic. At least it did in Anwahs' mind, and she took it as that, nodding and returning the smile. "Aii, that's right. And now that I know you exist, I can send someone over if something's going down." It felt so much better to focus on the fact that Tera was about to get help, even if it meant that Anwahs and Trio together would be holding her down and wrestling that Stone away from her. She considered briefly offering to zap them both to the House, but since she wasn't that familiar with Trio, she didn't think the other woman would care to risk the chance of winding up spliced. Instead, Anwahs continued to follow.

Trio proved to have two cars - a smaller, compact car with a baby seat in the back, and a larger pickup that looked as old as dirt. She opted for the latter, glancing at Anwahs with a grin. "This one handles speeding on the country roads faster," she explained, before getting inside and starting up. "Hopefully, Az has miracled up a safe route for us, free of police." With that, and once Anwahs was in place, she took off. Anwahs quickly got the impression that Trio's idea of casual speeding came closer to breaking the sound barrier than most jets. "One good thing," she said, as the truck bumped and shuddered along. "We're not in THAT much of a hurry... if this has been going on a while, she'll be okay untilwe get there."

Anwahs grinned back, though one hand was on the door handle, tight enough to warp leather. This is... new. She couldn't for the eternity of her remember going this fast in a method of travel that wasn't completely under her control.

Damn, she *liked* this.

With a nod, Anwahs agreed, adding, "Right now, she's doing paperwork in the library. I don't know if she knows I'm gone."

"Well, she'll know when we get back," Trio said, her eyes glued to the road and slightly wider than normal as she attempted to watch everything around her. Just because she was used to driving this speed didn't make it any less dangerous, as her dad used to say. Mind you, he'd had a huge smirking grin on his face when he pointed it out.

"You don't have any idea what set her off?"

"To using the Stone? She told me it was so she could take care of her critters properly." The wrinkle of Anwahs' nose showed how much she thought of that idea. "How she can care for them without actually being able to care is beyond me, though she probably thinks it's a sight better than leaving them to fend for themselves." Her grip tightened again, reflexively, as things flashed past the window. "I don't know what started the nightmares this time around. When it comes to things that hurt her, she's got this notion that telling someone else is only going to hurt them, too."

Trio considered that for a moment before grinning faintly. "I don't care what she is, she can't out-stubborn me. I was raised by the two most stubborn men you've ever met. I learned a few things along the way." Yes - going this fast was definitely cutting down on the time it would take. "If it comes to it, I'll just set her up in the Menagerie again... or move into her house for a while. I trust there's enough room should I need to do that?"

"Oh, plenty." And if there wasn't, Anwahs could certainly force that pair of Juu to share. Especially that Miz. The word "again" caught her attention, though, and she raised an aqua-green eyebrow past matching wing-swept bangs. "'Again'? You've had to set her up before?"

Trio nodded, glancing over at Anwahs in surprise. "Her house burned down. Some of the pixas came to me in concern at the thought of living at ZDT's house, so I gathered up Tera's companions and kept them over here for a while, until she got back. She stayed with me for a bit while her house was being rebuilt," she added, with a sad smile. "When she headed back home... we just kinda lost touch again. I figured she was getting settled in."

Burned down? That would explain why it had been reconstructed. Even as she made a mental note to quiz Tera about specifics later, like who, how, and why, Anwahs nodded. "Probably getting distracted by dragging more critters in, is more like it." Chuckling at her granddaughter's habit of adopting near all she came into contact with, she added, "She even brought home this old stringless lute. Right before the nightmares started."

"Stringless lute?" Trio blinked, finding herself smiling in bemusement. "Sounds a bit like Annora's harp... where'd she get it?"

"Not sure, really." Funny how often it came up that there was something she didn't know. Then again, most of the time she didn't ask questions, just went with the flow. "All I know is that it's supposed to attract a fae creature, but it hasn't yet."

Anwahs refrained from grumbling in frustration over that last bit.

"Attract a fae... I wonder if she's had any dealings with Jaden...," Trio said thoughtfully, an odd little half-smile on her face. "Annora - my daughter that you saw before, streaking? Her parents left her to me when they were attracted by a stringless harp. I wonder if Tera's due something of the same..."

A brilliant grin lit Anwahs' face, almost lending her the air of a demented pixie. "I sure hope so! You can't care for a baby without emotions, and even Teralin knows *that*." The grin dimmed a fraction, and Anwahs glanced off through the window at the blurs of color that were who-knew-what streaking by. "I haven't had any luck attracting anything with it, though. Been leaving milk and everything."

Trio blinked, peering at Anwahs curiously. "You... or Tera?" she asked, frowning. "I thought the lute was hers."

And there it was: Proof that a person could be a little *too* quick on the draw. Trying not to squirm in the passenger seat, Anwahs admitted, "She never got a chance to leave it out, so when she did this thing with the Stone, I started doing it for her." From Trio's reaction, she had to wonder if maybe Rith had been right. At least, in the Tera needing to do it herself part.

"Ahhh," Trio nodded, thoughtful. "I wonder if that had anything to do with it. I mean, Annora's harp had no problem attracting a fae - I barely had it a few days before I found Annora in the grass instead. Maybe the fae are concerned that because you're doing all the work, it means that Tera won't care for the child. Though why they wouldn't just leave the child to YOU... hmmm," she trailed off, thoughtful. In the end, her response was succinct and very much part of her Maxwell heritage. "One more thing to kick her a** about, right?"

"Damn straight." Anwahs nodded vigorously. That *must* be it. It made complete and total sense. "I hadn't been able to find anything in the library about the subject, other than a headache."

Trio chuckled softly at that. "I ought to get Shiki to help you. She's incredible at research..." She glanced over. "I'll talk to her when we get back, okay? She's been busy with her new home." Finally, they were approaching Tera's house. Trio slowed as she made the final turn onto another country road that would take them the last leg, and reached out one hand, resting it on Anwahs' arm. "Don't worry, okay? Between the two of us, Tera's going to be just fine."

That would be Anwahs' invitation at all times henceforth to hug, grab, and otherwise touch Trio. There was a part of her that wondered why in all of Gaia had Tera kept this gem of a girl a secret? Probably because she didn't want Anwahs creeping her out. Her own hand released the armrest, which was safer to do now that they were slowing down, and laid itself over Trio's. "I'm not worried, dear. Haven't been since I saw the cut of your jib."

Blink. "The cut of my WHAT?" Trio asked, laughing a little at the expression. She squeezed Anwahs' arm companionably, then returned her hand to the wheel, speeding up once more.

"Jib." She grinned, debating whether or not to explain the phrase. Deciding to go with the not, Anwahs went back to gripping the armrest. Speed was picking up again, and they were almost there.

Not good enough for Trio. "What the heck is a jib?" she asked, as she turned down the drive to Tera's house.

"Some sort of man thing, I think." Anwahs watched as they approached the gates that would lead them into the yard; not being a driver herself, Tera didn't actually have a set path or anything, but the grass was always highly resiliant to anything that tried to tear it up. "The phrase means something like, sort of person you are."

"Ah, okay," Trio nodded, her car slowing and pulling to a stop near the gate. She cast a grin over at Anwahs, then got out. "So... where am I likely to find my dear friend, that I may kick her butt?" she asked, eyes sparkling in amusement for a moment before she grew serious. "And should I go alone, or are you coming?"

As she hopped out of the vehicle as well, Anwahs considered the question. As nice as it would be to hide out somewhere while all this went down, she couldn't very well leave Trio on her own. Especially if it *did* come to the point where they needed to pin the other woman down and steal the Stone away. "She's probably still in the library, though anyone in the House could tell us where she's at if she's not." With a decisive nod, she added, "And I'll come with. You can always toss me out if you think you girls need a bit of alone time at some point." With that, she started heading up the walk.

The yard was oddly quiet, with very few movements other than the occassional stir of grass. It was almost as if the ones who lived here were walking on eggshells, going about their lives with held breaths. At least, that was the sensation one got upon walking into the yard.

Trio shuddered, not liking the sensation in the slightest. "We'll get this fixed, don't worry," she murmured, reaching out to squeeze Anwahs' hand before marching up to the door and waiting for Anwahs to let her in.

Without any ceremony, Anwahs opened the door and strode inside, tossing off a casual "I'm home" to the hand basin mounted to the wall just inside the foyer. Or perhaps it was to the marble-carved face relief that made up the splashguard, but she was past it too quickly to really tell. She didn't even stop to peek into the living room on the right, as she usually did, instead turning down the hall to the left and heading straight for the door at the end to the right. This door was closed, but rather than bursting it open as she had the front door, Anwahs paused and knocked. Not exactly a polite, quiet knock, but a knock nonetheless.

The answer was gradual, just loud enough to be heard through the hardwood door. "Who is it?" It sounded like Tera, but hoarser of voice, heavier of accent, and with none of the good humour that usually graced it.

Trio swallowed, following Anwahs with growing worry. The worry only deepened at the hoarse voice, and she glanced at the powerful woman beside her before reaching out to lay a hand on the knob. There was the normal way of doing things... and sometimes, there was the Trio way of doing things. And right now, the Trio way demanded a more immediate, less chancy approach.

"Me and a friend. We're coming in, so I hope you're decent." Anwahs added enough humour to her words to make up for all that the situation lacked, and nodded to Trio, since she already had her hand on the door.

The only reply from inside was a close of a book.

Trio opened the door, not quite sure what she might find in the room, but steeling herself to be ready for it. "Tera?" she asked, as she stepped through the doorway, a ghost of a smile trembling on her lips.

Anwahs followed after Trio silently, waiting to see what would happen.

Tera had just been in the act of standing from the chair she had been sitting in, the desk in front of her littered with various papers and books. She didn't pause this motion when Trio spoke, merely finished and turned towards the other woman, a smile gracing her face. It was an expert smile, and those who didn't know Tera might have been fooled, but anyone else would be struck with how doll-like it was, too perfect, the eyes above shining from the daylight in the windows rather than the life within. "Ah, Trio. I should 'ave known to expect ye at some point, 'aving left ye in th' lurch again, aii?"

Trio''s smile faded into nothing, her hands folding over her chest as she regarded her friend. "You can cut the act, Tera," she informed the other woman, before her arms dropped and she began to move forward. "I understand you''re being stupid."

With that, Tera's face became smooth, impassive. It betrayed no emotion, for in truth, there was not emotion to be betrayed. "Ye've been speaking with Anwahs, then." She didn't even glance in Anwahs' direction, her slim shoulders lifting and falling in the most general of shrugs. "Brought ye 'ere to talk some sense into me."

It was like talking to a robot, and Trio found herself shuddering. "Or kick, if you won't listen to talking," she told her friend, reaching out to catch Tera's arms. "This isn't going to help anything, dammit!"

"Ye're wrong." Stated as if it were a common fact, Tera made no move to keep Trio from grabbing her. Green eyes looked into blue, showing no sign of registering how much Trio was going through at the moment. "Ye've not been here ta see..." There, she trailed off, one hand lifting briefly to touch at something beneath her shirt, resting on her sternum. A thin rawhide cord snaked its way around Tera's neck, disappearing under her collar, and was most likely attached to whatever it was that was under there.

"You're right, I haven't," Trio said, her eyes searching Tera's face for even the faintest HINT of emotion. "But I could've been, if you'd called. And I still can be. You KNOW me, Tera - I may get caught up in life, but I'll never just abandon you. I can help. I really can," she said, tears glittering on her lashes before she blinked them back.

Her fingers drummed briefly against the object, before stopping their motion. "My troubles be not yers, Trio." If the tears had any effect, it was buried deep somewhere inside, smothered by an unseen force. There was a part of her that tried to remember what it had felt like, before, to look on this woman as friend, but memories of more recent emotions kept such recollections hazy. No, better this.

Quietly, Anwahs closed the door to the library, so as to keep anyone from passing by and happening to overhear anything that might be said next.

"Bullshit," Trio said, voice tight. "If my friends are hurting, then I'm hurting." Her gaze flicked down to the object beneath Tera's shirt, then back up to Tera herself. "What are you hiding from? What's so scary that you can't ask for help from me?"

"Emotions. Such fickle things, no?" It may have been an answer, or it may have been an attempt to change the conversation, though her tone of voice didn't change in the slightest. "So little can control them."

"Who'd WANT to control them?" Trio asked back, stepping closer still. "Where's the fun in that? Where's the LIFE in that?" She paused a moment, then added, "How can you possibly care for everyone here like they should be if you can't care for anything at all?"

Tera didn't make a move to retreat, as the sensation of one's personal space being invaded was based, of course, in emotion. Besides, she knew Trio was no threat to her. "There are those here who be providing them with emotional comfort. I see to their well-being. Physical needs. Goods an' shelter."

There was a snort from Anwahs' direction, indicating, as usual, how much she thought of her granddaughter's rationale.

"How long are you going to lie to yourself, Tera?" Trio asked, her focus completely on the woman before her. "I didn't think you were that type of person."

"There be a lot of things ye don't know about me, Trio." Tera actually began to turn away now, back towards the desk, one hand reaching for the work she'd left there. "This was me fer many a year. Time enough to go back to me roots."

Oh no. Not even. "There's a lot of things you haven't told me," Trio returned, hand flashing out toward the Stone. If she couldn't reason with automaton-Tera, she'd damned well cope with the emotional wreck the girl must be, and help her that way.

She knew people who could be awake and alert twenty-four, seven, after all.

Quick reflexes honed by years of training caused Tera to reach up quickly, blocking Trio's grab and nearly backing up over the desk entirely. Her eyes narrowed in focus, the assumption that Trio was not a threat quickly changing.

It was in that moment that Anwahs saw her opportunity. While Tera could fend off one pair of grabbing hands, she couldn't fend off two, not without hurting someone. And as cold as Tera's heart might be right now, she knew her granddaughter's mind would never allow her to hurt those she called family. Darting forward, and using her slight size to maneuver up beside the struggling women, Anwahs reached in and grabbed a handful of Tera's shirt, that hidden object balled up within it. There was the briefest of triumphant squeals from Anwahs, just before she blipped away, taking Stone and shirt with her.

The move stunned Trio, and she held still for a moment, nearly pinning Tera against the desk as she waited. Her voice, coming before her mind even told her she would speak, was thin and scared. "Tera...?"

At first there seemed to be little difference, save for the goose-pimpling of flesh now exposed to the air, that which was not covered by the rather prim and functional brasierre she'd been wearing underneath the now-absent shirt. Her hand came up and covered a strange star-shaped scar on her chest, almost unconciously, though it could have been more for the fact that the Stone had been laying just there a moment ago. The delicate framework of the Stone's spell continued to hold, long enough for Tera to look down at herself.

Then everything came crashing down, and in the brief second before they rolled up into her head, Tera's eyes showed a world of pain.

reserved - Two posts for the Tera scene itself, in case it ever gets finished.