bellfounding: (pealing)
Author: bellfounding
Pattern has gone through all the worlds that are hooked up to Downside and installed Janepoints and checked for Bells everywhichwhere. There have been no new Bells since Rose, and Rêverie wasn't hooked up to Downside before anyway.

Pattern has returned home, and reintroduced herself to her parents with much weeping and hugging and explanations, and she is sort of living with Charlie again (Renée's Jacksonville place does not have a room set up for her).

But she's also made herself a pretty palace on Titan. She has deliberately not matched the Atlantis or Eos palaces, nor any of the capitol compounds on Aurum. Her palace is a spiral-twist tower of pale lapis lazuli and surrounded by a dense and ivied garden of magically blued plants and water features bubbling up out of kyanite structures. She's apparently picked a theme color and run with it, although not everything is blue (there is trim in white agate framing the windows and the edges of the outer spiral wall, and a stripe of pale jade waterfalling down one side; only the traditionally green parts of her plants have been blued, so the flowers and the resident hummingbirds and butterflies are every color).

This palace (she calls it "Tethys", after an aquatic Titaness) - specifically the open bottom floor, which has more than enough room to host a Bellparty if Pattern is ever called upon to do so even if the peal and its associated escorts quadruple in size - is where everyone will be meeting before descending upon Saturn above/below to enchant it into a habitable colony world.

She conjures up a big whiteboard with the spells she and Sandy have worked out and a division arrangement so no one is enchanting on top of each other, and she tells Jane to tell everyone that she's ready to receive them.
manofmyword: Hands, seen through jail cell bars. (⑼ the store by the dungeon)
Author: manofmyword
The Joker is the first guest to arrive; whimsically, he's wearing the old suit and makeup.

"Pretty," he comments, tipping his head back to look up at the tower. "I love what you've done with the place."
bellfounding: (talkative)
Author: bellfounding
"Thanks. I think it's pretty too," says Pattern.
manofmyword: Smirking, pushing hair out of face. (⑸ well hello beautifulll~)
Author: manofmyword
He looks at her and smiles.

"Y'know," he says, "it's funny how all the other alts of us met each other without anybody dying first. Don'tcha think?"
bellfounding: (reading)
Author: bellfounding
"You mean, of ones who come from the same world, so not counting Queenie and Ghosty? I guess," says Pattern. "But I didn't have a future sister-in-law to steer me away from the van or a mint friend to fix me up in the hospital. Or conveniently live in a different and van-free town like Juliet or year like half the rest or world like the remainder. So it got me."
manofmyword: Smirking. (⑷ coral is far more red)
Author: manofmyword
"It's a pity," he muses. "We-ell, I can't complain about how it all turned out. But I gotta wonder if we woulda met some other way. If you hadn't got squished, and I hadn't got asteroided."
bellfounding: (inhale)
Author: bellfounding
"I don't think, without magic coming into it somehow, I'd have ever done anything that would have attracted your attention," Pattern says.
manofmyword: Smirking, pushing hair out of face. (⑸ well hello beautifulll~)
Author: manofmyword
"What makes you say that?"
bellfounding: (Default)
Author: bellfounding
"We don't do much that's unusual at all till magic happens, and we have strong senses of self-preservation. I would've done something relatively unremarkable - would have been a doctor, maybe, or done something for some nonprofit - and I wouldn't have gone anywhere near Gotham or anywhere you were rumored to be."
manofmyword: Sitting calmly on the floor, leaning against a wall. (⑺ gonna enjoy this)
Author: manofmyword
"Heh," says the Joker. "That's a shame. I would've loved you."
bellfounding: (quizzical)
Author: bellfounding
"I'm not sure I would've liked you to love me," Pattern points out.
manofmyword: Grinning. (⑵ simply makes you stranger)
Author: manofmyword
He laughs. "Got me there. I wouldn't blow up hospitals for you, though. I'd... hmm, what would I do?"
bellfounding: (apprehensive)
Author: bellfounding
"Don't ask me, I haven't the foggiest."
manofmyword: Grinning, eyes nearly closed. (⑶ now i see the funny side)
Author: manofmyword
"Depends how we met, I think. Stop me if I'm bugging you," he adds.
bellfounding: (Default)
Author: bellfounding
"I'm fine," shrugs Pattern. "I don't know how I'd have met you, though."
manofmyword: Smirking. (⑷ coral is far more red)
Author: manofmyword
"All kindsa things can happen. Maybe you would've been in Gotham when I really got going. Or were you gonna avoid it anyway? It is kind of a hellhole even without me around to spice things up."
bellfounding: (pealing)
Author: bellfounding
"Exactly. Not a prime vacation destination."
manofmyword: Smirking, pushing hair out of face. (⑸ well hello beautifulll~)
Author: manofmyword
He giggles. "And I guess I wasn't too likely to go anywhere. I loved the place too much."
bellfounding: (right)
Author: bellfounding
"There you go, then."
manofmyword: Sitting calmly on the floor, leaning against a wall. (⑺ gonna enjoy this)
Author: manofmyword
"Mm," he says agreeably. "Guess so."
bellfounding: (beam)
Author: bellfounding
Bells start to appear. They take quick tours of Tethys and the gardens. (Rose's excursion among the plants leaves them a riot of out-of-schedule blossoms in spite of Pattern's very clear wish about when various flowers should open and close, but she assumes they'll fall back into place after a while.)

They compliment her design, and they have a quick jargon-filled chat, mostly not in complete sentences, about the spell designs and their assigned tasks. Golden and Aegis switch. Shell Bell goes to the planet surface and makes sure that the standard powersuite can handle being on Saturn; she comes back and reports that it can do so quite comfortably, but they'll all want to boost or supplement their vision to be able to see more than dense cloud. The peal all make various wishes. (Pattern goes with an option that lets her interpret any substance, visually, as though it were not present. She peers out a window at Saturn, squints at it, and watches everything but the rings "vanish" as she calibrates. She supposes this will also be useful in smoke or ordinary cloud.)

Every Bell pairs off with a channel. Plenty come with their own. Golden is loaning the Joker to Juliet because she's invited Eights, and Shell Bell asks Ghosty, and since Rose's aura is already head and shoulders above anything she's read possible and she doubts it can get much stronger she's taking a more coordinatory role and won't be casting as much but will instead be darting here and there with spell-sight on to check everyone's work with her years of experience. If any of the other channels need breaks (there is much snickering) then her husband will be available. Except, for obvious reasons, to Golden.

When the Bells all have satisfactory auras, they and Eights will go home, and the Jokers will stick around and do some of their own enchanting to accumulate auras of their own.
lookingforwardtoit: (a. sensual uncertainty)
Author: lookingforwardtoit
Eights is actually the first channel to take a break, after Golden's very first major spell; she holds up a hand and says, "Okay, gimme a minute," and takes about thirty seconds to steady her breath, and then indicates that Golden can continue.
luminous_regnant: (skyward)
Author: luminous_regnant
Golden gives her the required break, and goes on. Earth power as drawn from Saturn is interesting and copious. Rose hadn't been sure it would work at all, but it does.

Her channel takes more breaks than everyone else, but they're short; she's probably going to wind up with aura before everyone else unless Eights decides to sleep instead of have tiredness wished away, but it's hard to tell when flying among the clouds of Saturn, casting bubbles of towns and resorts and future public buildings into semiautonomous existence.
lookingforwardtoit: (8. like any other)
Author: lookingforwardtoit
Her breaks are much shorter, yes, probably because she doesn't spend them in the orgy chambers. All she needs is a few minutes here and there to catch her breath or torch.
manofmyword: Smirking, pushing hair out of face. (⑸ well hello beautifulll~)
Author: manofmyword
And this adds up, because everyone else is spending their breaks in the orgy chambers. With increasing frequency, as the lingering effects of channel-pain build up and up and up.
gunpowdergelatine: Smiling faintly, touching finger to lips. (♠4/what he used to make it talk)
Author: gunpowdergelatine
Queenie is the major exception among the Jokers, because like Eights, she torches every so often. Which doesn't mean she never decides to take a Joker-style break, but does mean she only does it about half as much.
bellfounding: (fretting)
Author: bellfounding
Pattern's perfectly willing to accommodate her mint's schedule. She and other Bells whose channels are in the orgy at any given time (especially when Beast is too, or when someone has already borrowed him) hang out in Tethys, chatting about this and that. There is speculation about whether Angela's upcoming daughter will wind up as an alt of a daughter Rose could eventually have, and Aegis tells everyone about bringing back to "life" all the soldiers she and Sue lost in battle and putting them on the colony worlds they were originally destined for. Stella relates the story of her meeting with the Eosian President of the United States on the subject of resurrecting the dead. Everyone sympathizes with Amariah, who doesn't have such an option.
yovahs_kisses: (⒀ maybe it's a little alarming)
Author: yovahs_kisses
After enough enchanting, the channels who are not torching regularly start to get a little wrecked.

Micaiah is the first one to request a break that doesn't involve sex; he just curls up in his angel's arms and leans on her and shivers for a while.
jovahs_heiress: (breathe)
Author: jovahs_heiress
Angela is perfectly willing to oblige. "Maybe we shouldn't try to do everything in a day," she says. "Maybe we should come back in a week? A few installments."
cross_and_bow: (okay)
Author: cross_and_bow
"Yeah, even if they can go on being channels for us until we're all auraed up, I'm not sure they're going to be left able to do any of their own casting," Juliet says. "You might have to host again, Pattern."
yovahs_kisses: (⑹ best in my tribe)
Author: yovahs_kisses
Micaiah snuggles his angel and doesn't otherwise contribute.
jovahs_heiress: (Default)
Author: jovahs_heiress
"I suppose they'll be able to decide," Angela says, running her hand gently down Micaiah's arm. She turns her read on so she'll know if he wants to go home outright.
bellfounding: (Default)
Author: bellfounding
"I don't mind doing something like this again. I don't exactly have anything underway on Earth that would give me a scheduling problem," Pattern says.
yovahs_kisses: (⑽ and it's giving me kisses)
Author: yovahs_kisses
Nope, he just wants to cuddle her while the pain settles. It's still nice.
cross_and_bow: (level)
Author: cross_and_bow
"Hey, Angela," says Juliet, squinting. "I think you might have some aura. I didn't notice right away because you sort of always look like that, but - I dunno, can you flare and withdraw for contrast?"
jovahs_heiress: (gaze)
Author: jovahs_heiress
Angela tilts her head and does so. There is a very, very faint difference, but with it pointed out it's still distinctly noticeable. One moment she's an angel, divine essence of sweetness, and the next moment she's an angel, a person with wings.
yovahs_kisses: (⑷ I don't see that as a problem)
Author: yovahs_kisses
Awwww.

Micaiah cuddles her.
jovahs_heiress: (portrait)
Author: jovahs_heiress
"What, what is it?" Angela asks, hugging Micaiah.
cross_and_bow: (meh)
Author: cross_and_bow
"You're all - angely," says Juliet. "I think you got an aura of benevolence or something."
yovahs_kisses: (⑹ best in my tribe)
Author: yovahs_kisses
"My angel," declares Micaiah, cuddling her some more.
jovahs_heiress: (warm)
Author: jovahs_heiress
"Yes, your angel," murmurs Angela, smiling and pressing a gentle kiss to his temple.
yovahs_kisses: (⑵ I do love you a little)
Author: yovahs_kisses
Cuddly angel.
bellfounding: (apprehensive)
Author: bellfounding
"I'm not getting anything much off you, Juliet. What about me? I think I've gotten more casting in so far than Angela has."
cross_and_bow: (okay)
Author: cross_and_bow
"I'm not getting anything off you either," says Juliet, shaking her head. "Maybe they don't all develop at the same rate."
yovahs_kisses: (⑽ and it's giving me kisses)
Author: yovahs_kisses
Cuddly cuddly mmmmmm.

Maybe he can do some channeling again soon. Not now, but in a few minutes. He's feeling a little better. Back to pouring hexes - it was stars for a while there.
jovahs_heiress: (Default)
Author: jovahs_heiress
"There's no hurry, love," says Angela.
manofmyword: Leaning out of a moving police car, eyes closed, hair blowing in the wind, having fun. (⑹ where did they get that car)
Author: manofmyword
Queenie and the Joker teleport into the break room. They are both fully clothed, but the Joker is mostly not wearing his makeup anymore, and some of it seems to have made its way to Queenie's face instead.
bellfounding: (quizzical)
Author: bellfounding
"All set?" Pattern asks Queenie.
cross_and_bow: (level)
Author: cross_and_bow
"Ready to go?" Juliet asks the Joker.
manofmyword: Grinning, eyes nearly closed. (⑶ now i see the funny side)
Author: manofmyword
"Yep!"
gunpowdergelatine: Grinning. (♠3/I'm all love)
Author: gunpowdergelatine
"Mmmhmmm."
cross_and_bow: (smirk)
Author: cross_and_bow
And off they go.
jovahs_heiress: (Default)
Author: jovahs_heiress
Angela pets her husband. She is tempted to sing, but does not think that would help right now.
yovahs_kisses: (⑽ and it's giving me kisses)
Author: yovahs_kisses
He snuggles into her lap, and loves her, and hurts.
dark_light: (unimpressed)
Author: dark_light
Amariah appears next, her sweeties in tow, for a cuddle break.
jovahs_heiress: (considering)
Author: jovahs_heiress
Angela has an idea of what to look for now. "You seem - witchier," she says, and this is true: the subtle quality that makes it possible to tell that Amariah doesn't share a species with her alts is less subtle.
dark_light: (collected)
Author: dark_light
"You seem angelier," says Amariah, laughing. "What about the others?"
jovahs_heiress: (Default)
Author: jovahs_heiress
"Pattern and Juliet were in here, but I didn't get a sense of anything off either. I don't think Golden's bothered to make the trip at all. Eights has only been taking short breaks. But maybe she's going to be vampire-ier."
truthwright: (⑽ something inexpressible)
Author: truthwright
Petaal occupies Amariah's lap as a viscacha, and after a moment Kas decides this is an awesome idea and shapeshifts. Amariah's is now the fluffiest lap.
dark_light: (skyward)
Author: dark_light
Fluffiest lap is best lap. Both of her sweeties get petted.
truthwright: (⑷ sweet sweet thing)
Author: truthwright
"I love you," says Kas, cuddling up and leaning his fluffy head on her stomach.
dark_light: (collected)
Author: dark_light
"I love you too," Amariah says.
jovahs_heiress: (portrait)
Author: jovahs_heiress
"We've been talking about finishing in installments instead of one long burst," Angela says. "Coming back in a week when they've had time to settle down. Except the ones who've been torching."
dark_light: (Default)
Author: dark_light
"Yeah, I mean, in theory they all could, but - I don't trust torching, yet, isn't that why Shell Bell was the one who checked to make sure Saturn was habitable-enough," sighs Amariah. "Because she does trust it."
truthwright: (⑼ and i'm still on my own)
Author: truthwright
"What's not to trust?" says Petaal.
jovahs_heiress: (Default)
Author: jovahs_heiress
"It's just that Shell Bell's the only one of us who's already done it," Angela says. "And no one who just had torching installed, instead of actually dying to Downside, has tried it."
dark_light: (cool)
Author: dark_light
"And we've seen plenty of people die and then show up just about good as new Downside, but Alethians aren't hooked up," says Amariah. "If something went wrong, if the admin was wrong or there are cases where it doesn't come through somehow, then we have no idea what happens, we can't just fetch ourselves out of the catacombs."
yovahs_kisses: (⑼ go where you want)
Author: yovahs_kisses
"Mm," says Micaiah from Angela's lap. "Should someone try it?"
dark_light: (squinting)
Author: dark_light
"It'd be better not to need the information."
jovahs_heiress: (pause)
Author: jovahs_heiress
"And someone will probably manage to provide it eventually anyway. I haven't installed it on you yet, love, I should probably do that, is that all right?"
yovahs_kisses: (⑻ ye a Edori)
Author: yovahs_kisses
"Sure," he says comfortably.
jovahs_heiress: (Default)
Author: jovahs_heiress
There. Now he can torch. She only hopes he never has to.
yovahs_kisses: (⑹ best in my tribe)
Author: yovahs_kisses
"I love you," he murmurs, snuggling into her lap again.
jovahs_heiress: (content)
Author: jovahs_heiress
"I love you too."
yovahs_kisses: (⑵ I do love you a little)
Author: yovahs_kisses
Mmm. Cuddly.
she_sells_seashells: maybe (Default)
Author: she_sells_seashells
Shell Bell appears, unaccompanied. "Hi, everybody."
jovahs_heiress: (portrait)
Author: jovahs_heiress
"You've got some aura," Angela says. "Nothing specific, just the signal that you're an enchantress."
yovahs_kisses: (⑼ go where you want)
Author: yovahs_kisses
Micaiah nods.
she_sells_seashells: engaged (engaged)
Author: she_sells_seashells
"Specific? Like - ooh." She peers at Angela and Amariah. "Like that. Well, you wouldn't notice anything specific about Rose if you put her in a vacuum with no plants, either, maybe I just work with something that isn't in the room." She shrugs, unperturbed.
yovahs_kisses: (⑷ I don't see that as a problem)
Author: yovahs_kisses
"I think we could go do some more now if you want," says Micaiah, hugging his angel.
jovahs_heiress: (doubt)
Author: jovahs_heiress
"You're sure?" Angela asks. "I'm not sure how cumulative this is, will you only want to stop again in a few minutes, would it be better to wait?"
yovahs_kisses: (⑴ I promise I like it)
Author: yovahs_kisses
"It'll be fine," he says, cuddling her, "I might take the other kind of break in a little while, but I wanna do some now."
jovahs_heiress: (content)
Author: jovahs_heiress
"Okay then. Here goes!" And she scoops him up and teleports them back down to the portion of the planet they've been working on.
truthwright: (⑶ anticipatin' fun)
Author: truthwright
Kas unfluffs and kisses Amariah's cheek.

"Think we'll go track down Ghosty," he says. "See ya."
dark_light: (la la)
Author: dark_light
"Okay, sweeties, you have fun," says Amariah.
truthwright: (⑸ got no innocence)
Author: truthwright
Petaal gives Amariah one last tummy-nuzzle, and then they both teleport away.
self_composed: (calm)
Author: self_composed
Stella appears
autokinetic: (c'mon)
Author: autokinetic
and so does Aegis.

"Yours are tuckered out too?"
dark_light: (why yes)
Author: dark_light
"If that's what we're calling it now. I'm going to see if Beast's free." [Hey Beast! Want to get some enchanting on? My sweetie's occupied.]
deslandes: (⑪ earthly pleasures ♌)
Author: deslandes
[It would be my pleasure,] he says cheerfully.
dark_light: (fascinated)
Author: dark_light
[I just bet.] Port port enchantment!
beheld_beauty: (inspecter)
Author: beheld_beauty
They compare their aura strength in groups of three: Rose (who's been going around making small error-corrections in everyone else's enchantments) and two others, to stand next to Rose and let each other weigh their auras against Rose's baseline.

Golden is up to full strength first, and she is very vampirey.

Pattern's is confusing, because she claims she's flaring it but no one else can notice anything - but if she and Rose both hold steady instead of flaring at all, a comparing observer can determine her to be at parity. She carries on working a bit longer anyway, puzzled, because Queenie's holding up quite well.

Aegis's aura is most obvious to her, because instead of broadcasting things about her to everyone else - well, it does, but not like the nonhumans do - it gives her greater convenience with her already above-standard dexterity and her gravitic flight power. If she was a dancer before, now she's a Muse, and when she flares she moves like a bolt of lightning and she grins all the while.

Angela looks so angelic that Shell Bell almost cries. Several of the other Bells want to hug her. Angela is humbly embarrassed and withdraws the aura enough that Shell Bell stops looking like she wants to weep.

Amariah is witchy. Most cloudpine-witches acquire a patina of this effect over time, but hers doesn't just say she's ageless, it says she's eternal, invincible, solid magic through and through. Path has a bit of it rubbed off on him; anyone from Alethia could already tell he was a daemon and not an owl with the low-level magical sensitivity everyone there has, but now it is obvious to everyone that he is not an owl, and that if you touch him you will incur wrath. (Kas, Petaal, and Ivy are of course quite exempt from the bit about wrath.)

Shell Bell's aura doesn't do anything obviously special till she walks by a fountain in the garden and it sprays her with decoratively refractive mist and makes little ripples when she reaches out towards it.

Stella's doesn't manifest any special effects apart from the basics no matter where she goes, but she's pretty happy with the basics.

And then there's Juliet.
cross_and_bow: (distress)
Author: cross_and_bow
They all scream I am a powerful enchantress.

Juliet's also screams I can so utterly fuck you up if you provoke me.

There's also the little tongues of flame that run harmlessly over her skin when she flares. They don't catch anything - she tests this - but they're warm and they move like fire and they make her look awfully -
self_composed: (go on)
Author: self_composed
"Menacing," says Stella. "You got an aura of menace."
cross_and_bow: (suspicion)
Author: cross_and_bow
"Great."
manofmyword: Smirking, pushing hair out of face. (⑸ well hello beautifulll~)
Author: manofmyword
"It's cute," the Joker says lazily.
cross_and_bow: (business)
Author: cross_and_bow
"Might come in useful dealing with some of the demons, I guess," says Juliet, and she withdraws her aura altogether and is just herself.
gunpowdergelatine: Smiling faintly, touching finger to lips. (♠4/what he used to make it talk)
Author: gunpowdergelatine
Queenie looks around at the pile of cuddling Jokers, who except for herself and Beast are all in varying states of completely fucked up.

"So," she says, amused, "who wants to try casting a spell?"
bellfounding: (bored)
Author: bellfounding
"You guys can all come back in a week or whenever," Pattern says. "Just let me know. I don't think I want any of you trying to do magic on my Saturn the state you're in except Queenie, maybe Beast."
manofmyword: Smirking. (⑷ coral is far more red)
Author: manofmyword
"Pff," says the Joker. "Bet you I could pull it off." He snuggles his nearest alt, who happens to be Queenie. "But maybe I'd rather go hang out on the old asteroid. Who's with me?"
yovahs_kisses: (⑹ best in my tribe)
Author: yovahs_kisses
"Me!" says Micaiah.
gunpowdergelatine: Smirking faintly, touching thumb to lips. (♣5/don't want the devil to)
Author: gunpowdergelatine
"Me too," says Queenie, who also contains Ghosty at the moment.
truthwright: (⑸ got no innocence)
Author: truthwright
"Me, me," says Kas.
edgeofyourseat: Smiling, possibly fake, mildly creepy. (⑸ playful as a pussy cat)
Author: edgeofyourseat
"Me five," snorts Alice.
deslandes: (⑥ centuries of sin ⚦)
Author: deslandes
"I'll come too," says the Beast.
pythbox: A book. (Default)
Author: pythbox
"Count me in," says Sue.
autokinetic: (evaluating)
Author: autokinetic
"Is it interesting particularly?"
self_composed: (thoughtful)
Author: self_composed
"It's a terraformed asteroid," Stella shrugs. "House, plants, replicator."
manofmyword: Gesturing, explaining. (⑾ never start with the head)
Author: manofmyword
"It's a cute little place," he says, "but not really that interesting, nah. Which reminds me, I wanted to bring Nate."
luminous_regnant: (ambivalent)
Author: luminous_regnant
"Jane can fetch him, assuming Pattern doesn't mind."
bellfounding: (Default)
Author: bellfounding
Pattern shrugs. "I don't see why not."
mind_game: (jewel)
Author: mind_game
After a moment, Jane reports, [He's arranging babysitting but he'll be along after.]
manofmyword: Smirking, pushing hair out of face. (⑸ well hello beautifulll~)
Author: manofmyword
[Thanks, hon,] says the Joker.

And shrugs, and teleports.

His alts follow.
mind_game: (dea in machina)
Author: mind_game
[Don't call me that.]
manofmyword: Sitting calmly on the floor, leaning against a wall. (⑺ gonna enjoy this)
Author: manofmyword
[Okay,] he says agreeably. [Sorry.]
mind_game: (Default)
Author: mind_game
[Or anything else that isn't Jane. I'm Jane. I named myself,] Jane says. [Nathan's incoming.]
temporal_affairs: (Default)
Author: temporal_affairs
Nathan does prove to be incoming!
bellfounding: (pealing)
Author: bellfounding
Meanwhile, Pattern sends her various counterparts goodbye; they thank each other for, respectively, enchantments done and enchanting to do, and the Bells all go home, and presumably Eights does too unless she wants to nap in a Tethys spare bedroom first.
lookingforwardtoit: (8. like any other)
Author: lookingforwardtoit
Eights does in fact go straight home.
manofmyword: Quasi-innocent? (⑽ i wanna drive)
Author: manofmyword
When Nathan arrives on the asteroid, the Joker is in the middle of a pile of himselves on the grass outside his tiny house.

"Sweetie!" he says. "Snuggle me, I want snuggles."
temporal_affairs: (lovable rogue)
Author: temporal_affairs
His sweetie happily snuggles him. "Hey you. How was remodeling Saturn?"
manofmyword: Smirking, pushing hair out of face. (⑸ well hello beautifulll~)
Author: manofmyword
"Mmm, it was fun," he says. "We haven't done our half yet, everybody's too wrecked from all that channeling."
temporal_affairs: (heheh)
Author: temporal_affairs
Nathan surveys the pile. "I see."
manofmyword: Grinning, eyes nearly closed. (⑶ now i see the funny side)
Author: manofmyword
He giggles. "Yep. Except Q, she's doing just fine."
gunpowdergelatine: Smirking faintly, touching thumb to lips. (♣5/don't want the devil to)
Author: gunpowdergelatine
"I torch," Queenie says loftily.
temporal_affairs: (lovable rogue)
Author: temporal_affairs
"You could torch too, babe," Nathan points out to his mate.
manofmyword: Smirking. (⑷ coral is far more red)
Author: manofmyword
"I didn't feel like it."

Mmmsnuggle.
temporal_affairs: (Default)
Author: temporal_affairs
"Up to you." Snuggle, snuggle. "So this is the place, huh?"
manofmyword: Quasi-innocent? (⑽ i wanna drive)
Author: manofmyword
"This is the place," he agrees, dropping his head onto Nathan's shoulder.
temporal_affairs: (run that by me again)
Author: temporal_affairs
"Cozy," Nathan pronounces after a silence.
manofmyword: Hands, seen through jail cell bars. (⑼ the store by the dungeon)
Author: manofmyword
He chuckles.

"It is. Comfiest prison you could ask for."
temporal_affairs: (if i could sleep)
Author: temporal_affairs
Squeeze.
manofmyword: Smirking. (⑷ coral is far more red)
Author: manofmyword
Snuggle!

"Squish me some, would you, sweetheart? I feel like squishes."
temporal_affairs: (lovable rogue)
Author: temporal_affairs
Squishing-squeeze. And a kiss on the forehead.
manofmyword: Smirking, pushing hair out of face. (⑸ well hello beautifulll~)
Author: manofmyword
He relaxes into Nathan's arms, and after a moment lets himself unsquish.

"Love you, honey," he murmurs.
temporal_affairs: (shiny)
Author: temporal_affairs
"Love you too, babe."
manofmyword: Hands, seen through jail cell bars. (⑼ the store by the dungeon)
Author: manofmyword
The Joker closes his eyes and tucks his head under Nathan's chin.

It is naptime. The time is nap.
temporal_affairs: (if i could sleep)
Author: temporal_affairs
Nathan cannot nap. But he can hold his mate and close his eyes.
yourheartstrings: (⑷ i wanna hold you)
Author: yourheartstrings
The pile takes a nap, or in the case of the vampires, an extended snuggle.

It's Ghosty, now wearing a body of her very own again, who eventually brainphones Pattern.

[Hey you,] she says, friendly-like. [The deck's gonna be up and at 'em again soon; can we have a crack at Saturn?]
bellfounding: (heh)
Author: bellfounding
[Don't see why not,] says Pattern. [The plans are still up on the whiteboard.]
yourheartstrings: (⑶ we got no principles)
Author: yourheartstrings
[Great. Thanks!]

Out loud, she says, "Her Smartiness says we can get back to work anytime."
manofmyword: Smirking, pushing hair out of face. (⑸ well hello beautifulll~)
Author: manofmyword
The Joker yawns and snuggles his sweetie.

"Sounds good to me. Wanna come be my snuggle-buddy, sweetheart?"
temporal_affairs: (heheh)
Author: temporal_affairs
"Does this involve a lot of waiting around in whatever Pattern's got for a palace and serving as a breakroom feature?" Nathan inquires.
manofmyword: Smirking. (⑷ coral is far more red)
Author: manofmyword
"Yep!"
temporal_affairs: (run that by me again)
Author: temporal_affairs
"I'll do it till Kerron's been and gone from sleeping and then I think I'd best get home."
manofmyword: Grinning, eyes nearly closed. (⑶ now i see the funny side)
Author: manofmyword
"Okay," he says agreeably, and kisses Nathan's nose.
temporal_affairs: (lovable rogue)
Author: temporal_affairs
Nathan grins, and accompanies the Jokers to Tethys, and he serves as a breakroom feature.
manofmyword: Smirking, pushing hair out of face. (⑸ well hello beautifulll~)
Author: manofmyword
The Joker splits his time about half and half between enchanting and cuddling Nathan. This means the enchanting part is slow, but it also means lots of cuddles, and that's the important part.
truthwright: (⑻ who i really am)
Author: truthwright
Out of the four who were hardest-hit by round one, Kas is the first to try casting a spell. He grabs Beast and teleports down into Saturn's inhospitable atmosphere.



[So hey,] he announces to Pattern, the Jokers, and Jane, [turns out my torching works fine. Also, don't fuck up big spells.]
mind_game: (jewel)
Author: mind_game
[Do you want me to notify Amariah for you?]
bellfounding: (fretting)
Author: bellfounding
[What happens exactly apart from torching?]
truthwright: (⑼ and i'm still on my own)
Author: truthwright
[Yeah, thanks,] he says to Jane, and to Pattern, [It hurts a lot and it kills you, what kind of detail are you looking for here?]
bellfounding: (apprehensive)
Author: bellfounding
[Mechanism, collateral damage?]
dark_light: (yikes)
Author: dark_light
Apparently nothing will do for this news but for Amariah to return to Origin and teleport to her sweeties and hug them.
truthwright: (⑸ got no innocence)
Author: truthwright
They're still somewhere in Saturn; Petaal is being an angel because flying is more fun that way. She wraps her wings around Kas and Amariah and kisses them both. "We're fine," she murmurs.

[It didn't touch Beast and he was right next to me being my channel at the time. Shredded the fuck out of me, though. Like somebody put my brain in a blender and then lit it up with a flamethrower.]
dark_light: (unimpressed)
Author: dark_light
Hugs anyway! Hugs regardless of fine-ness! Hugs.
bellfounding: (apprehensive)
Author: bellfounding
[That's certainly. A vivid description.] Pattern passes this information to Jane for general propagation to the peal.
truthwright: (⑷ sweet sweet thing)
Author: truthwright
Hugs are good! They do like hugs.

Kas laughs, out loud and by brainphone.
dark_light: (cool)
Author: dark_light
[Have you all got torching installed? I can just do that right now in case someone else slips up,] Amariah offers.
edgeofyourseat: Hand to back of head, uncertain. (⑾ whatcha doin' tonight)
Author: edgeofyourseat
[I don't,] says Alice.
yourheartstrings: (⑺ and it's needles and pins)
Author: yourheartstrings
[Me either,] says Ghosty.
deslandes: (⑥ centuries of sin ⚦)
Author: deslandes
[Nor do I,] says Beast.
dark_light: (unimpressed)
Author: dark_light
Port torch port torch port torch. [There. That'll save Jane some trouble.]
yourheartstrings: (⑶ we got no principles)
Author: yourheartstrings
[Thanks!] says Ghosty, as spokesjoker. She flickers over to Beast and occupies him comfortably.
dark_light: (collected)
Author: dark_light
Amariah returns to her sweeties and kisses them both and says, "I'm going back home. I'll see you when you're auraed up to your satisfaction."
truthwright: (⑷ sweet sweet thing)
Author: truthwright
"Mmkay," says Kas, cuddling her.

"Love you," says Petaal.
dark_light: (engaged)
Author: dark_light
"Love you," she replies, and cues Jane and disappears.
gunpowdergelatine: Smirking faintly, touching thumb to lips. (♣5/don't want the devil to)
Author: gunpowdergelatine
The deck of Jokers all go on enchanting things.

It settles out that at any given moment, the numbers of Jokers enchanting, channeling, and taking breaks are all roughly equal. Queenie does the most enchanting out of all of them; she is therefore the first one to get a little bit of aura. It's not as powerful as the Bells', but maybe that's just because the Jokers are taking it so much slower. She gets back to casting.
self_composed: (Default)
Author: self_composed
Stella comes by to visit her Alice once it's clear that this is going to take a while.
edgeofyourseat: Explaining or agreeing. (⑼ gotta be cool)
Author: edgeofyourseat
He pops into the Bells' old break room to meet her.

"Hiiiii," he says, wrapping his arms around her and showering her with kisses. "I love you."
self_composed: (skyward)
Author: self_composed
"I love you too. How's it going?"
edgeofyourseat: Smiling, affectionate or amused. (⑶ your wish is my command)
Author: edgeofyourseat
"Fun! Fun is how," he asserts. "Queenie's got a little bit of a something, but nobody else has got shit yet, last I checked."
self_composed: (Default)
Author: self_composed
"You might have a little bit," Stella says. "I'm not quite sure. What do you think you'll get for your specialty stuff? I still don't know what mine does."
edgeofyourseat: Smiling, conspiratorial or challenging. (⑷ wanna try?)
Author: edgeofyourseat
"I bet yours does magic," he says whimsically. "No idea about mine."
self_composed: (eyebrow)
Author: self_composed
"You think my magic enchantress's aura does magic, huh?"
edgeofyourseat: Grinning, friendly. (⑵ extraordinarily nice)
Author: edgeofyourseat
"Yep!" he says brightly. "So, I'm about up for a break, you wanna go fuck somewhere?"
self_composed: (Default)
Author: self_composed
"Yeah, sure, just not in a pile of yous, I'm not Amariah."
edgeofyourseat: Smiling, possibly fake, mildly creepy. (⑸ playful as a pussy cat)
Author: edgeofyourseat
"Deal," says Alice, and he hugs her again and kisses her some more and teleports them to—

—the Joker's asteroid, why not?
self_composed: (sarcastic)
Author: self_composed
"What, seriously? I don't think Pattern would begrudge us a guestroom in her palace."
edgeofyourseat: Explaining or agreeing. (⑼ gotta be cool)
Author: edgeofyourseat
"First place I thought of," he shrugs. "Do you wanna go back to the palace instead?"
self_composed: (go on)
Author: self_composed
"Kinda, yeah."
edgeofyourseat: Thoughtful. Possibly shirtless. (⑽ I kinda like it)
Author: edgeofyourseat
"Sure, okay." Port! "Why?"
self_composed: (calm)
Author: self_composed
"Not exactly what I designed the asteroid for," she shrugs.
edgeofyourseat: Explaining or agreeing. (⑼ gotta be cool)
Author: edgeofyourseat
"No-o," he agrees. "But it's going spare now, and it's the Joker's and he wouldn't mind."
self_composed: (thoughtful)
Author: self_composed
"I didn't think he'd mind. I don't have the happiest associations with his asteroid, spare or not."
edgeofyourseat: Hand to back of head, uncertain. (⑾ whatcha doin' tonight)
Author: edgeofyourseat
"Huh," he says. "I guess."
self_composed: (calm)
Author: self_composed
Snuggles. Chaste snuggles for now. That wasn't exactly a mood-enhancing bit of conversation. Oh well, moods can be rekindled.
edgeofyourseat: Smiling, affectionate or amused. (⑶ your wish is my command)
Author: edgeofyourseat
Snuggles! Cuddly lovey snuggles.
self_composed: (Default)
Author: self_composed
Yay!