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Ideas? Keionx looked around... She supposed she had a few, but... they didn't have many options. She glanced in the window... To tackle what appeared to be a venerable drone was dishonorable... though, considering that he was a troll, he was likely tricky or at the very least stronger than he looked. ”Tis likely trapped.” she commented, ”If I were to... open... the lock in some way..” she didn't want to think about how insane this all was. ”Wouldst thou be fast enough then?” Stealth was working well for them so far, and she could open a lock... it wasn't exactly strictly heroic, but sometimes a hero did need to get into places. Thankfully, it was not a keycard lock. Vremea's wariness in these tunnels told her that they would have to be quick – quick to decide and quick to act. Keionx was grateful that the adult was protecting them... but in the end, they were rescuing their father. This was a family matter...

Keionx wasn't sure about that, but she knew that she had to believe in her brother. Secretly, behind her back, he had gone on adventures, the same adventures that Vremea and the Scouts had gone on. Surely, some of what they were would have rubbed off on him?

She decided to trust that he could. ”Very well.” she said briskly, straightening up and stretching with a smooth movement. ”Be ready.”

She took a hairpin from her hair with a flourish, ignoring how the ropy tangles fell along her back. She kneeled by the lock, a look of intense concentration coming over her face.

And then she began to pick the lock. Click... Skutter skutter.... Click, click... click! she gave the door a firm slam... and it slowly opened... giving her enough time for her gaze to slide towards Zariah. Watching him.

”Well?”

Keionx moved in to back Zariah up, pocketing her hairpin for later. She tried not to think too hard about the fact that she had just broken a lock in an imperial prison, or about how violent her brother was. His eyes blazed with determination. He moved fast. By the time Keionx had assessed the situation and the room, the skin on his hands had broken, leaking their shared orange onto the floor.

Of course, the drone was worse off. Taken by surprise, the drone had been shoved to the ground and beaten into senselessness, red blood – just barely warmer than their own – flowing from several broken teeth and a possible head wound. The drone was out of commission, perhaps permanently, perhaps not, and perhaps permanently later when their entry was discovered. And he had been made that way by her brother. Her weak, sweet, precious brother.

Somehow, despite having expected something more out of him, Keionx was still surprised to see just how little she'd known about her brother. Who she wondered, Is he, really? The thought was frightening, but she shoved it aside as her pumpbiscuit skipped a beat.

”Daddy...” she whispered unconciously, almost plaintively, at the sight of her powerful, majestic father, chained up and made to run on a treadmill like some beast of burden. He had fought his captors, likely in defense of other lusii (because that was just the kind of guy he was) and he had many new wounds and half-healed scars. But still, his bearing was noble, and the look on his face, as he saw his children coming for him, was pride.

”Y-yes. Sure. A-all right.” Keionx's voice shook as she went up to the lock, fiddling with the hairpin in her pocket. This one was more difficult, and it had a keycard, and...

”The drone has a key, sweetheart.” Beastdad reminded her, pointing with all seriousness at the unconcious drone. Keionx's face flushed a little as she saw the keyring on the drone's belt.

”Oh...” she said, trying to resist the urge to touch Beastdad's hand. They would get him out of this place. They would go home. Soon. And then they could sort this out. And then maybe things would make sense again. ”Zariah...?” she turned to him. After all, he was nearest to the keys, on top of the drone and all...

Once freed, Zariah didn't have to reach for the lusus – Beastdad reached for him. He pulled both of his charges into a muscular and warm (if exhausted) hug. He was so happy that they were there. He was so proud of them (And he was glad to see that they had adult supervision on their quest to rescue him – he gave Vremea a little finger wave of appreciation. She was an excellent role model.)

He let them go, Keionx reeling from the emotions and the strength of his hug. ”I hope so.” she said, ”As I have no idea where we are otherwise.” They needed a map... they really needed one.

Fortunately, it seemed, the way back was oddly clear. Keionx was nervous, but as they led Beastdad out of the prison and onto the rocky slope, she could almost breathe a sigh of relief. Almost.

Zariah's words hurt, and Kei couldn't figure out why. As she helped her powerful parent out of the prison, Keionx was just happy to be out of there. She moved past her brother, putting a heavy, strong hand on his shoulder briefly as she moved towards the hidden path home. She didn't know what to say.

Then she remembered, again, that they hadn't been alone. She turned to Vremea and bowed slightly. ”Thank you.” she said to her, before she turned and returned to the path... before either of them could see the mysterious orange tears that had begun to accumulate on her eyes.

Keionx the adventurer was ready to return home.