[prp] Corners of the Square (Dia and Ru)

[EvilSilverDragon]

The world had changed a lot, thinking of it made her lower back itch. She'd fallen, of all the embarrassing things, she had fallen right into a ditch. It hadn't been there before she fell asleep. Once she awoke it seemed one of her mother's tricks so she paid no attention to it.

With flushed cheeks, the red head balled up her calloused pastel green fists and shook her head. She would not remember that incident because she still refused to acknowledge that it happened. The only one around was her mother, and Morena wouldn't tell even if Grendell could tell that the other was amused by it all.

Pushing another branch out of the way, the young teen kept walking getting a little tired of all the trees and branches getting in her way. Even her soft flawless red hair was getting messed up and gathering leaves. Growling, she continued her fight to protect her hair as she walked. They did this because she and Morena couldn't make sense of the changed landscape and felt was better to walk until they started seeing things that were familiar. This, she decided was only a good idea for three minutes, after that it sucked!


Morena followed behind her daughter, keeping a distance while still having an eye on the younger pae. They were returning because it seemed she was at a stopping point in her powers, she was getting no stronger and it frustrated her no end. There had to be a way for her to get stronger, to have more power, much more power. The solution seemed to be the HQ she remembered as a new pae, there were books there, a ton of them. If they could find it, she could do more research and figure out how to gain the power she thirsted for.  

[Antidia]

It was sunny. Again. A fact that the teen hybrid did not particularly enjoy. Where was the rain? Rain brings damp forest floors full of mold and fungus. "Stupid sun." she muttered under her breath.

As was status quo these days, Drucilla was seen with a large wooden hook with a small brass teakettle dangling from the end. The hook was somewhat like a staff, but she carried it over her shoulder so the tea kettle would just dangle behind her.

To the unknowing eye, she had a little sparkly wisp or something resembling one, always orbiting around her, but what it really was, was a tiny little faerie pae'il. She had picked it up as an experiment of sorts, but grew quite fond of the little girl. Not a fact she will openly admit to anyone, for it was not in her personality to let others know how she truly felt about anything.

On this obnoxious sunny say, Dru was heading to the HQ once more. Her father had asked to meet her there earlier in the day, to help him take some food and other supplies home to their cave on To'ul.

Now that Mo had fully recovered from his near-death experience, he'd decided the cave was simply too primitive. He wanted to try and spruce it up a bit, give it a personal touch and make it a home, not just a temporary shelter. Caves were definitely not his style, but since the island had become tropical, the heat was taking a serious toll on the cold-blooded Pae. The cave provided the cool temperatures his body was more comfortable with.

This was his first actual trip to the HQ in a very long time. Previously, he'd merely pilfered supplies and food from the Fallassion Healing House, or sent Dru to fetch what he needed. He was usually too busy to be bothered with important duties.

"Its cool in here." He was thinking out loud, referring to the comfortable temperatures inside the HQ. "Maybe we should just move in here." He chuckled to himself at the absurd thought and went about gathering the things on his list.  

[EvilSilverDragon]

With a pale hand she pushed away a branch and stepped out. The HQ was right in front of her, but that wasn't all. Staring at the green teen in front of her, she stopped completely. Searching, her eyes tried to see through the illusion. It had to be, she hadn't seen her sister in ages, there was no way that she was there now. However the tea kettle thing was absurd.

Finally finding her voice, she walked forward gripping the bo staff in her hand tightly ready for this all to be an illusion to turn into something else, "Dru? Drucillia?" Maybe she was confused; it had been so long ago.

Morena came out of the trees right after, stopping just as Grendell did. The difference was that she knew this wasn't one of her tricks, but if this was a trick of the memory she couldn't be so sure. Stepping forward as well, she waited with stiff wings to see just how the other pae would react.  

[Antidia]

The grumpy teen was just about to the HQ; she'd cleared the forest and was on the path when she heard her name spoken by a long forgotten sound. She stopped before turning to the direction she'd heard the sound. Trying to think if maybe her mind was playing tricks on her. It did that sometimes in the midst of testing out new inoculations.

Part of her was anxious and part scared, but she did turn her head to see two familiar pae standing on the edge of the forest. Surely this was a dream. It had to be. Her father had told her that he searched the island and didn't find them at all.

She didn't even blink. She'd missed her mother a great deal, and often times wondered how different things could have been if she grew up with a real female's influence. She craved emotional attachment, but unfortunately, her father was not one to give it. So she learned at a young age to love herself, for no one else would. She shielded her emotions from everyone, even herself, and even convinced herself that displaying emotion only got in the way of progress.

"Grendell. Mom." She tried to speak clearly, but the words came out scratchy as if she'd never said them before in her life. Not entirely used to being overcome with alien emotions, she just stood there, shaking a little, as she tried to hold back her urge to just run to her mother and hug her.

The tiny little glowing light that had been buzzing around Drucilla had stopped to sit on her shoulder when her charge had become stationary. Tink just watched, curious who the strangers were, but staying safely near her 'mamma'.  

[EvilSilverDragon]

For all her distance, she had learned to become close to others. It isn't all that prevalent now with her relative lack of interacting with other Pae, but her heart hadn't completely shut out. Grendell was to thank for that. Attachment didn't help her in any way, but it was her little indulgence since it didn't hinder her either.

Starting forward, Morena moved past Grendell, but didn't move much more. It had been a long time and she was unsure how her daughter would react to much more invasion of space. "I have missed you, Dru. I wasn't sure I'd ever see you again." After Mo took her away, short of her ilusions, she never believed she would see her other daughter again. The thought of Mo was a mixed bucket, on one hand she hated him, on another she still loved him. Her anger, not the proper definition but the best she had, was more directed to hurt caused by his disappearance. It wasn't bad enough he left, but to take one of her children away from her without even visitation to confirm she was alrgiht, who wouldn't be miffed? Besides that, she hadn't gone emotionally vagrant quite yet, the feelings that had been there were still someone where within metaphoric reach.

Grendell was a bit more jaded, and tired of all the unreal, that she quipped, "Not in flesh and blood anyway." Her mother could make a Dru look-alike, if she wanted to she could make an illusion of the perfect family as she imgined they could have been. Given the storys she heard of how it all came together, it was hard to be believe anyone thought it could work or even be close to stable. "Whats the little firefly?" Shiny thing, floating around, yes it stole her attention in an instant.

Watching the little bug, from where she was it was hard to tell if it was a bug or some extremely tiny pae. Going along the winding tracks to her train of thought, Grendell looked at her sister more soberly and asked, "Do you still keep in contact with Dad?" Victor was always Father, Mo was daddy. Combined with her own imaginings and the stories she had heard, her idea of who Mo was verged on completely fantasy but feed hardily on the teen's desires.  

[Antidia]

Opening her mouth to speak, to at least answer what was asked, Dru felt a lump in her throat that she had to cough to try and clear to regain her voice. "Mom" she said again, more clear than the first time. She was still in disbelief that the pae standing in front of her were her mother and sister. She had a nagging thought that maybe her other mother and father were around the corner too. Then they could all hug and she'd wake up disappointed once again.

The tones coming from her sister however did not match the ones in her dreams. Her sister was happy. But then again, her dreams were the silly fantasies she'd carried as a child. "This is Tink." she said quietly, looking to her sister only briefly, because she was still trying to watch her mom.

Tink chimed a tiny hello to the other two Pae'il at her 'introduction'. Since the other two were of fae blood, if they listened to her tiny voice close enough, they'd have been able to hear (and understand) her. She waved, but kept her roost on Dru's shoulder.

"I take care of him." she said very nonchalantly. It was normal for her. And she didnt' know Grendell was referring to Mo, just assumed it. Dru forgets that Victor is her father too sometimes, but she refers to him only as 'Victor' these days if she really has to talk about him. After she'd heard stories of things he did to her dad, she grew resentful. Even if at one time, she idolized him. Heroes fall hard.

"I was on my way ... to ... meeting ... him." she trailed off as she pointed to the HQ. She remembered when she was a child and her dad didn't want anyone to know where he was and she wondered if she'd just betrayed his trust.  

[EvilSilverDragon]

Moving a few steps forward, Morena opened her arms; turning her staff towards the back of her while it sat idle. "I know you are almost grown, but can I still get a hug?" It had been a very long time since she embraced her child, not since she was an infant. These were motions she remembered as part of connecting with another. While she might still be a bit disjointed with the whole thing, she knew what to do and how to begin to connect again.

Grendell was a little more interested in the little firefly then the hugging scene before her. She'd seen her mother go from being a touchy-feely mother to turning aloof; it was all old news to her. When the little thing actually spoke, her keen sense picked it up and she responded with a bit of an uncertain tone to her voice, "Hello" How could something that small speak?

Her question was responded to, even her curiosity into the little bug-pae couldn't conquer her training into being observant. She gave her sister a curious look; shouldn't that be the other way around? "We are headed the same way, shall we go together?" Why not, it was a short walk and maybe she could see her dad again.


Morena gave a softer look, not pity though she was sorry that a teen had to care for her parent. After bowing to Lehta's every whim and taking care of her more as a caretaker than as a lover, she was used to pampering. That her daughter had to do it, well, she wished to take that responsibility off of her.

Supplying the reason, the delay in Dru's voice cueing her in to there being something off even if she didn't know what, "We are checking out the library, to find any books helpful to my research." It wasn't an experiment as much as searching for information to the phrase fit.  

[Antidia]

Drucilla hesitated, knowing that she would have a harder time keeping her stone face, but her desire to be loved by her mother was stronger than her stubborn desire to remain emotionless. She lunged forward, dropping her backpack, the tea kettle and even Tink. She embraced her mother tight, burying her face against her mom's chest as tears started to form. Dru fought with every once of energy she had, to hold the emotions back, but it was just too much for her.

The little fae landed on the ground with a small 'puff' sound. Her tiny size saved her from what would have been a painful fall for a normal sized pae. She picked herself up off the ground rather quickly, as she was scared to be that low. She flitted up to Dru, concerned that her 'mamma' was crying.

It took a few minutes for the emotion to wash out of her and to regain her composer. This was uncharacteristic and undignified behavoir, so Dru pulled back and wiped her tears quickly, faking a cough trying to pass it off as 'allergies'.

She sniffled a little bit as she tried to recover her belongings from the ground. She was embarassed at her display of emotions. "He ... he is waiting for me. I gotta hurry, you can follow if you want." She tried to save face, best she could. She turned and bee-lined for the HQ, hoping to have eliminated the signs of tears before seeing her dad. She was unsure how he'd react to her bringing Morena and Gendell to him, but she felt it was important for him to see them.

The toddler fae was very, very confused what happened to her mamma, and turned to look at the bigger fae lady and her sidekick. She stuck her little tongue out at them, for being mean and zipped off after Dru, not wanting to be left behind.

---

Mo was sitting relaxing on the big soft couch in the recreation room of the HQ while he waited for his daughter to arrive. She lost track of time often, so he wasn't too worried that she was late.  

[EvilSilverDragon]

Morena didn't judge Dru on her show of emotion, just embraced the teen. Patting her hair and back to attempt to soothe, she was patiently still. For however long the moment lasted, it was years since it had been and she wanted to at least take it in. " My precious daughter. " Speaking quietly, while true her words were more part of the drive to continue to reassure the daughter she had been so astringed from

Reluctant, she released her hold when Dru pulled back, allowing her to keep her pride if that was the reason for the action. Nodding, she affirmed, "Mo first, the library can wait a little while." Not long, the pull was there, she had to find out what it had in store for her. There had to be a way to reach her goals. It was a key, but she didn't believe in it enough to pull away once more to her tangible contacts.

Following after, she moved with purpose but wasn't exactly racing Dru together. She still wasn't sure how she felt about meeting with Mo again.


Grendell watched the little fire-bug more then she paid attention to her sister and mother. There was no jealousy, yet, because it wasn't that closeness she craved, the attention she sought was from a different chromosome.

With Dru off, Grendell took off after her, unlike her mother she kept pace with her sister. She was a little slower, but that was by planning not weakness. A trained warrior does not get out paced by their sister!  

[Antidia]

Drucilla did move quickly. She'd hoped to beat her mother and sister to the HQ to notify her dad. She worried he'd be cross with her, for bringing them. But still, she knew her father needed something in his life to hopefully pull him out of his slump. Perhaps a reunion with Morena and Grendell would be just the thing.

She hoped...

It was only a few minutes, but felt like it took forever with as many conversations and scenerios the teen was playing in her head. For those few brief moments, she even forgot about her tiny charge, Tink. But thankfully, the little fae kept up.

"Dad?" Dru called out soon as she stepped foot inside the HQ. She wasn't sure where he'd be, or if he'd even have gathered things on his own. It was unlikely, but she hoped sometimes that he'd ease the work burden on her.

Mo had been flipping through one of the magazines that was left on the table when he heard his daughter. He quickly ripped the page he'd been studying out and stuffed it in the small bag he had sitting beside him. "Dru? What took you so long?"

He stood up and turned the direction he'd heard his daughter and froze at what he seen standing there near her. A lump forming in his throat.  

[EvilSilverDragon]

Grendell came in along with her sister, but seemed to be trying to win the silent contest. It had been so long since she saw her dad, to the point that if her mother hadn't made the illusion for her once she would not have been able to recognize him at all. As a baby, before she could remember, she had started to bond with him before he left. The action did leave in impression on her though not one she could lay a finger on.

"Daddy?" Calling to him, she took a tentive step forward and watched Mo with cautious hope. Would he be like Victor? Reject her like he had when she was a baby? Her interruption to why Dru was taken and not her as well lay on rejection for some misdeed or another.

Morena brought up the rear of this shock train, standing behind her two daughters. Seeing Mo didn't sort anything out for her, she still couldn't decide if she wanted to hug him or strangle him. What Dru said made her decision for her though, that she had to take care of her father all her life instead of how it should have been.

Using the right tone, a happy one but in a bit lower of a tone then the one she had used earlier, "This has been quite a lucky day, I am very happy to see you again, Mo. I've missed you dearly." I have also wanted to murder you for taking away one of our daughters, she couldn't say that part aloud but she was sure thinking it. No matter how long she had been away, talking of murdering someone tended to sour polite conversation, especially when the question of it being a real threat or not is very gray. Morena wasn't evil, exactly, but she wasn't shy about doing very, very mean things to others. Her membership in the PoC was not granted solely on her big boobs after all.  

[Antidia]

The racing emotions going through Mo's mind were overwhelming. His first impulse was to flee, like he always did in the face of confrontation. He dearly wanted to and side-stepped even to clear around the couch in effort to get to a better escape route. But his knee hit a table and he knocked a lamp over. He clumsily reached to try and prevent the lamp from falling to the floor, but failed miserably. The lamp broke, and he ended up losing his balance and falling on his face.

It felt like an eternity when Mo opened his eyes, but it had only been maybe 3 seconds. He convinced himself he'd been knocked out and hallucinated. Morena and Grendell were not on the island. He knew this because he'd searched before the island fall out of the sky. He pushed himself up and rubbed his head. "Damn it." he muttered quietly while rubbing his forehead.

Dru had darted forward to make sure her dad was okay when he fell and she was right there at his side when he sat up. She remained silent however, since Morena and her sister were present.

"Dru ... I thought I saw ... " he shook his head and finally looked towards where he thought he saw them. "Oh wow..." He really had no idea what to say to them after so long. Their history was deep and involved, and he'd fled from them. Sure he searched for them too, but after not finding them, he'd resolved to never see them again.

"Uh... Hi Morena ..." He wasn't sure if she was gonna hurt him or not.

But also, there stood his other precious daughter. If he knew Morena wouldn't have hunted him down and skinned him personally herself, he'd have most likely taken Grendell with him, too. He didn't want his girls to be raised with Letha's influences. She could raise the boy however she wanted, but he did not want his daughters ending up like her.

Part of him was relieved to see that Morena was without Letha tagging along, which was a good sign that maybe Grendell did escape that torture. "Grendell." he spoke softly as he rose to his feet and took a few steps towards her. He did not know if she'd be upset or angry with him, or if Letha or Morena said bad things about him, so he didn't go any closer than he had already.

He smiled at his beautiful daughter. He was happy she seemed healthy and strong.

((he's scared of Morena right now, so not purposely ignoring what she said. xd ))  

[EvilSilverDragon]

Grendell watched her father stumble then fall. She'd been shocked by the display and honestly didn't expect the outcome. Before now she had never seen a clumsy pae, the image didn't match at all with how she pictured her father.

It didn't affect her; she still had him on a pedestal. All it took for her to act was for him to say her name, like a spell it set her free from her almost frozen state. Running forward, used her wings to gently hit the ground next to her father and threw her arms around him. Unlike her sibling, she was not afraid to show emotion. There wasn't much shown, but it was there. Smiling brightly she whispered to him, "I never thought I'd see you, Daddy, not the real you any way!" Her mother could make anything look like anything, warping her sense of trust in her eyes and the world they perceive. Nothing could feel with her mother's powers, the feeling of her father's actual body in her hug was the most reassuring thing she had known in a very long time.


Did Mo know, she wondered, that those two young teens were the most powerful shield? Not just power wise, she knew Grendell's shadow shield was tough but knew nothing of Dru's powers. It was seeing them, the two children she was sure she cherished surrounding him, obviously happy, that stayed her more than anything.

Her thumb touched her staff, though the green crystal was inactive. She had ideas, mental tortures, but did nothing against the pae she both hated and cared for. "A reunion long overdue." Her tone was again light and friendly, watching apart from the girls and Mo.

((No one can accused Mo of lacking self preservation instincts, the wise pae.))  

[Antidia]

Mo had braced himself when he seen his daughter come towards him. He'd barely had enough time to open his arms to embrace, but he managed. He squeezed her, tears pooling in the corner of his eyes as he closed them tight. It was a rare moment in Mo's life, that he dropped his facade, let his guard down, and displayed natural, normal emotions. He even briefly forgot his fears standing not too far ahead of him. His children gave him strength, but that's not something he'd ever openly admit.

"Grendell," His voice was soft, not harsh, "I've missed you." He was speaking so quietly, it was almost a whisper.

Drucilla watched Grendell embrace their dad and smiled slightly. She hoped maybe he'd soften up a bit now. She stood up, and stepped back to let her father and Grendell have their reunion. Her gaze drifted towards her mother when she heard Morena's voice again. Just as Mo had uncharacteristically displayed he had a heart, Drucilla did the same; She smiled at her mother for the first time since seeing her again.

Mo was taking full advantage that Grendell lingered in his arms. He sniffled and brought a hand up to wipe the tear from his eye, and looked at his daughter, "You've grown so beautiful. You're practically a grown woman now." He had a lot of questions still he wanted to ask her, but he'd hold off for now; wait to see if this reunion was brought about because of good or bad news.  

[EvilSilverDragon]

Grendell cried a bit too, her tears were a little smaller and a little less frequent, but they were just as happy. She felt so liberated, able to hug and be hugged back by a daddy that loved her. That would have never happened with Victor. What might be ironic, but she felt the warmest in the arms of her father. Smiling without restraint, she took in his words, something she longed for without realizing it.


Able to look objectively, ideas of a cruel turn of revenge impossible with the image before her, Morena wondered if this was how it looked outside. When she and Dru were hugging, it must have looked strange to Grendell. Now the tables turned on the other parent. May Strafe not turn on them, her silent thought passed from her mind without outward sigh.

Stepping forward, she smiled warmly at Dru and took a place by her daughter. To help with any lingering temptation, and for the comfort of any that might be worried, she had Dru between her and the father-daughter reunion. This time she didn't say anything.

Grendell pulled back only enough so that she could smile at her father. If it were possible for her to actually glow, there would be no lampshade dark enough. Fluttering her wings, a light action that created no wind or sound due to how slow it was, she replied, "Yep! I am strong now, too." Strength was something, and probably the only thing her father respected, naturally she assumed that her Daddy would as well.

A little less shy about asking questions, Grendell knew when she wanted to know something was not shy about asking. "Daddy, you and Dru aren't going to go away again, without me, right?" Now that they found each other again, the same type feelings when she was younger sat on the surface, the jealousy and hurt when Dru was chosen and not her. Since she was older now, she could find them if they left again, but she'd rather they want her around.