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When he was dressed, Tempest grinned. Effie and Elana would have fun for the day. Tor and Moon could go with them for protection and he could go check in with Jace and study his program for the show. He'd figure out where to add Elana in a few times and then after seeing how that went over, they'd add her in more. At that point, he'd ask her how she wanted to change the card.

When he heard Effie laughing, he grinned as he walked into the room.

"Good morning." he said, then he noticed Joe, but only for an instant. His eyes shifted back to Eftemie and a slight twitch turned the corners of his mouth up at her amusement.

She laughed. "Uncle Joe, this is Tempest, Elana's big brother. He's living here too. Tempest, this is my Uncle Joe."

Joe stared at him a moment, but then nodded as he continued watching the man. Tempest only had eyes for Eftemie and he nearly laughed. He'd been worried but it was obvious and he was certain it had hit the man instantly.

"Tempest, it's nice to meet you." he said in amusement. "Of course, you'd have to actually take your eyes off her to meet me."

"Huh?" Tempest blinked, suddenly understanding what the man had said to him. Then a slow flush crept up his neck to his face. Eftemie began snickering and soon was giggling out of control.

"Um... I....." he finally just growled at a loss for words, but turned back to watching her for an instant longer. Shaking his head, he sighed, "It's nice to meet you, Joe." and held his hand out as he turned to the man again, staring directly into the gaze aimed at him. With a grin on his face, he shrugged, "I like her laughter."

"I noticed." Joe commented, shaking his head. "Effie, if you get those packed up, I'll take them with me. Merith can get them in place and then all you have to worry about are the other two."

She nodded, moving into the next room to begin packing things up.

He watched Tempest and Elana and when he knew Effie was out of earshot, he said. "I knew you were here before I arrived today, and I wouldn't be a very good uncle if part of my trip wasn't to check on her. And you. She doesn't remember things like she should. I know some of that is avoidance, but that's for her to tell you. Just remind her to do things and she's almost too trusting sometimes, Tempest. I mean, she's had not trouble so far, but I worry about her. Not so much now that you are here, and after watching you." His lips twitched upwards slightly as he ran a hand through his thinning hair. "Just don't let her get hurt in any way."

Tempest's expression had sobered quite a bit at the man's words, and he frowned slightly after glancing towards Joe, but then back to Eftemie.

"I don't plan on hurting her." he said softly. "I care alot about her. I wouldn't be here otherwise. Neither would Elana."

"I didn't mean you, Tempest. I can already see that you love her. It hit hard, didn't it?" Joe said softly, smiling in amusement. "Just look out for her. She's had it rough most of her life and I'd like her to stay happy even if she avoids. She tends to brood this time of year, but again that's for her to tell you."

Tempest nodded, placing a smile back on his face as Eftemie returned to the room. A knock on the door suddenly echoed.

Joe took the wrapped artwork from her, kissing her on the cheek. "Get those others done." he winked. "And that would be Charlie and Leo. Time for me to go because they are done unloading. It was very nice meeting both of you and if you need anything, Effie's got my number and address on the fridge."

Then he was out the door before anything more could be said.

Eftemie laughed, shaking her head. "Just give her some and we'll see what we can do. Moon and Tor can go with us. I'm not entirely certain what we will find, but I think we should be able to find something. I... just really wish things would change back as they were."

Moonshadow walked to her side. *I don't see that happening for a long time, Effie. We will just have to do what we can until it does.*

She frowned, nodding at him. "Tempest, be careful going to the club. It's been getting worse in that direction. Elana and I aren't going too far from here and we'll be home before you are."

Moon snorted. *You really don't think you are going anywhere without me do you?* His tail twitched in amusement as he sat up, scratching behind his ear with a paw.

Yuri padded softly into the room. *Going? Going where? I'm up for stretching my wings a bit. I'll go too.* In extreme exaggeration, he acted as though it were hard to move them.

Effie snickered, her hands on her hips. "Oh stop it, Yuri. You can go." she smirked, her head tilting to stare at him. He didn't often ask to go with her, but she was amused that he thought she'd not allow him to.

Tempest shook his head. "I'm headed to the club to check Jace and the others. Then I'll be back." After hugging both girls, he walked from the building, a lift in his step as he thought about the delight in both faces. Elana needed some fun. This should do the trick.

Tor padded ahead of the girls, letting the other two aiko bring up the rear. Something about the air today was making his skin twitch. Little noises made him jump, and he took small and careful steps, keeping himself coiled for... something. He rolled an eye back at the girls, who were chattering animatedly. It was a wonder they didn't notice how the air felt charged with some evil. He supposed it was better that they didn't, but it really only served to make him more uneasy.

Elana almost bounced as she walked along, firmly ignoring the dead trees that lined the streets and the desolateness of the atmosphere. They were out for some fun, and she wasn't going to let a bit of dead foliage ruin it.

"I was thinking something a little sparkly, but nothing flashy." She made a face. "I am not the skimpy, sequined type of assistant." She mused a moment and then continued with energy. "Perhaps some black pants... velvet perhaps... and a jewel-tone top, with draping sleeves and little sparkles on it?" She glanced at the older girl to see what she thought. "And a pair of black suede boots would top it off, but I don't think we'll get that lucky." She laughed lightly.

"And will you help me curl my hair for the performance? It tends to be so straight and boring." Again she made a face of dislike. She actually loved her hair, but she didn't feel it was presentable enough as-is for the show.

Tor gusted a sigh of relief and a shudder of unease as they reached the second-hand store. A bell tinkled as he shoved the door open with his shoulder and glanced back at the others, wishing they would hustle it inside.

Elana breezed in, ruffling Tor's fur fondly in thanks for holding the door open for them. Only after getting insde does she realize that a wind had been blowing outside. Supressing a shiver, she strides right up to the first rack. The walls are bare of the normal hooks and clothes, with only a thin selection on a few scattered racks around the room. She smiles reassuringly to a frightened-looking teenager behind the cash register.

She barked a laugh as one of the first things she comes across on the rack is a gaudily sequined tube top. "Look, Eftie, I told you they'd have something. What do you think?" She held it against herself and posed sexily, batting her eyelashes in a mock come-hither look. "It's just so ME, isn't it?"

Elana squealed in indignation and made as if to throw the offending garment at Eftemie. "It is NOT me!" She laughed and hung it back up before ambling over to paw through the pile Efte indicated. She did find some black pants that might fit her... they weren't velvet, of course, but they were of a soft material that drank in the light.

"Hmm...," she mused as she held them up against her more seriously than she had the shmutzy tube top. They seemed to be the right length, but weren't made for Elana's slender frame in the waist. She glanced up at her friend. "Is that something we can fix or not?"

Tor, meanwhile, had let the door swing shut, but stayed there, looking out at the street. His fur prickled, and a line stood up along his back. Something was brewing. Something was coming. He could smell... something. It remained undefined, but crackled with ominous energy, like a looming stormcloud. The thought made him glance upwards at the brooding sky. It was always rankly clouded nowadays. It made him want to sag his mouth open as if he'd tasted something bitter and fetid.

Shifting his paws, his eyes returned to the empty street.

Tor looked nervously at Yuri when he approached. He shifted his paws again uneasily, his wings staying utterly still upon his back. "There is something brewing out there. About to happen." He turned his eyes back out the window, searching for what he couldn't see. "Do you feel it, or am I just being jumpy?"

Elana laid the pants over her arm and moved to a pile of brightly colored clothing. She sifted through the quickly, discarding anything too bright or too old. She chuckled at several ridiculous prints of huge flowers or clashing zigzags. She pulled out a knit top that was a couple shades brighter than emerald out and kept looking. Next to come was a lovely blouse of midnight blue. It was shimmery rather than sparkly, and had a faint purple hue to it's shimmer. But the neckline on it was uncomfortably low. She also pulled it out. The last thing she found on the very bottom of the pile was a deep ruby red blouse with dramatic, slashed long sleeves.

"Okay, which of these suits what we want?" she mused aloud, setting them out side by side for her and Eftemie to examine. The teenage clerk still shifted nervously behind the counter, looking faintly wild-eyed. She cast a glance his way, puzzled. A brief look to the aiko showed they were nowhere near him, and not even looking at him much. Shrugging, she turned her attention back to the shirts.