Aianon has made a plant in the open airless space above the surface of Thilanushinyel. It is a very, very large plant - some dragons will be attending the party, after all, even if Ansharil in particular is going to be assorted small things and stay on Sarion's person the bulk of the time.

The locals will be Sarion, her beloveds, their other beloved, the five conjured dragons (and their Bondmates, where applicable: Virgivere and Lissa), and Liselen - Magania has, as usual, declined, and so far no Bell party has featured Bell parents.

Amariah is bringing her boyfriend and spontaneous daughter and two of the spontaneous daughter's friends, as well as an Alethian instance of the Rupert template.

Shell Bell is bringing Pearl and Screwdriver.

Golden is bringing her usual large contingent, as usual not including her husband but including her daughter and daughter's grown fosterling (the other remaining at home) and his wolf, both mothers-in-law and one father-in-law, adopted siblings, staff members including the Joker and Nathan, and the children of the aforementioned.

Glass is bringing both wives, all three daughters, Kanim, and her cat. She invited Icarin and Valeria, but their parents are not willing to let them gallivant into other worlds unsupervised and had a scheduling conflict.

Stella's bringing a smattering of people including Alice, Anna, Sandy, Libby, Bridget, her college roommate Janine, and Lazarus.

Tab is bringing Aelise (but not Kers) and Luhan.

Etty is bringing only Nona.

Aether, likewise, brings no one but Celo.

Pattern comes with Ripper, Slipstick, Queenie, and Ghosty.

Aegis is accompanied by her four-bodied boyfriend, Merryweather, Whitlock, and Howlett.

Aurora comes with Brilliance, Lexi with her Device Persica, Agent Honey with her Device Adularia, and Beth.

Rose brings her husband and three children and her former apprentice, Luc.

Angela brings her husband, her four children, several of her friends, and some of those friends' children and grandchildren with and without wings. Keziah also brings a friend.

Juliet shows up with Soph, Minus, Red, Giles, James, Virginia, Minnie, Ike, and Val.

Cam brings Jellybean and Tilly and stops there.

And from unBelled worlds hail additional Sherlocks and Tonies, Darcy, Matilda, Pepper, and Eights.

Author: small_magics	Aianon has made a plant in the open airless space above the surface of Thilanushinyel. It is a very, very large plant - some dragons will be attending the party, after all, even if Ansharil in particular is going to be assorted small things and stay on Sarion's person the bulk of the time. The locals will be Sarion, her beloveds, their other beloved, the five conjured dragons (and their Bondmates, where applicable: Virgivere and Lissa), and Liselen - Magania has, as usual, declined, and so far no Bell party has featured Bell parents. Amariah is bringing her boyfriend and spontaneous daughter and two of the spontaneous daughter's friends, as well as an Alethian instance of the Rupert template. Shell Bell is bringing Pearl and Screwdriver. Golden is bringing her usual large contingent, as usual not including her husband but including her daughter and daughter's grown fosterling (the other remaining at home) and his wolf, both mothers-in-law and one father-in-law, adopted siblings, staff members including the Joker and Nathan, and the children of the aforementioned. Glass is bringing both wives, all three daughters, Kanim, and her cat. She invited Icarin and Valeria, but their parents are not willing to let them gallivant into other worlds unsupervised and had a scheduling conflict. Stella's bringing a smattering of people including Alice, Anna, Sandy, Libby, Bridget, her college roommate Janine, and Lazarus. Tab is bringing Aelise (but not Kers) and Luhan. Etty is bringing only Nona. Aether, likewise, brings no one but Celo. Pattern comes with Ripper, Slipstick, Queenie, and Ghosty. Aegis is accompanied by her four-bodied boyfriend, Merryweather, Whitlock, and Howlett. Aurora comes with Brilliance, Lexi with her Device Persica, Agent Honey with her Device Adularia, and Beth. Rose brings her husband and three children and her former apprentice, Luc. Angela brings her husband, her four children, several of her friends, and some of those friends' children and grandchildren with and without wings. Keziah also brings a friend. Juliet shows up with Soph, Minus, Red, Giles, James, Virginia, Minnie, Ike, and Val. Cam brings Jellybean and Tilly and stops there. And from unBelled worlds hail additional Sherlocks and Tonies, Darcy, Matilda, Pepper, and Eights.
Author: tearingup	This... space plant... is very recognizably Aianon's work, and not just for the sheer fact of being a space plant. Ripper is amused. He spends a while on the floor of the main room, then takes a glass of mystery fruit juice and explores the organic stairways lining the walls. Eventually he ends up at the highest available vantage - a round cozy little room lined with cozy padded benches and dotted with small convenient tables and cozy padded stools, with a wide-lipped railing of intertwined vines where guests can put down their food or drink and gaze down at the various minglers.
Author: bellfounding	[Hey, where'd you wander off to?] Pattern asks after he has been wandered for a few minutes.
Author: tearingup	[Up top,] he says, and he comes to the railing and looks for her. There she is, next to some other Bell - Juliet? Probably Juliet.
Author: bellfounding	[Is the view nice?]
Author: tearingup	[It's not bad.]
Author: bellfounding	[Incoming. Put down your tea.] And then she is beside him, peering over the railing with him.
Author: tearingup	He snugs an arm around her waist and kisses her cheek. "Not tea for once, actually," he says. "Some kind of juice that I suspect comes from an Aianon fruit."
Author: bellfounding	"Ooh." She steals his glass and tastes a sip. "Yeah, I have no idea what that is, but I bet it would make a really nice shortcake."
Author: tearingup	Ripper laughs, kisses her cheek again, and steals it back. "Say that where a Joker can hear you; I think I want to try that cake," he says cheerfully.
Author: bellfounding	"Ooh, will do. Yum."
Author: jellyinthemix	Someone emerges into the room from the archway at the back, and says, "Oh, I'm sorry to interrupt—"
Author: tearingup	—at the same time as Ripper glances back to see who it is—
Author: jellyinthemix	—at which point Giles drops his tea.
Author: bellfounding	Pattern rescues the tea. "Hello there," she says.
Author: jellyinthemix	"Hello," he says. "Sorry." He sets the rescued tea down carefully on one of the small convenient tables, never taking his eyes off Ripper.
Author: tearingup	"...You all right?" says Ripper, concerned. "You look like I'm about to explode. Or you are. You look like at least one of us is about to explode."
Author: bellfounding	"Pretty sure neither of you are gonna explode. Ripper, this is Giles. Giles, Ripper; I'm sure Juliet managed to explain him in between uproarious laughter."
Author: jellyinthemix	"She did mention something, yes. I'm sorry, I didn't expect—I didn't realize—" He shakes his head and trails off.
Author: tearingup	"Sit down," Ripper suggests. "Take a minute."
Author: jellyinthemix	He installs himself on the nearest cozy bench and picks up his tea.
Author: bellfounding	Pattern glances between them, curiously.
Author: tearingup	"Is this the sort of thing you want to talk about or the sort you want to ignore until it goes away?"
Author: jellyinthemix	Giles snorts. "Not sure," he says. "Tea first."
Author: tearingup	"All right."
Author: bellfounding	"Do you two want me around for this, or should I wade back into the throng and leave you be?"
Author: jellyinthemix	"...You must be—er, Pattern?" says Giles.
Author: bellfounding	"That's me, yeah."
Author: jellyinthemix	"Good to meet you," he says, not without irony.
Author: bellfounding	"Yeah, we've been at the same parties before but never really talked," she snorts.
Author: jellyinthemix	"I'm sure I've made a wonderful first impression."
Author: bellfounding	"The tea dropping? Nah. I am accustomed to occasional tea-dropping." She elbows Ripper, a little.
Author: tearingup	Ripper giggles and gives her a little one-armed hugsquish.
Author: jellyinthemix	Giles observes this interaction.
Author: bellfounding	Pattern flops her head onto Ripper's convenient shoulder.
Author: tearingup	Ripper beams.
Author: jellyinthemix	Some combination of the tea and the adorable definitely seems to be calming Giles down.
Author: tearingup	So of course now is the perfect time for a near-exact duplicate of Ripper to enter the room, nibbling on a chocolate chip cookie and trailing a pied-kingfisher daemon. Ripper cracks up. Ripper part two looks from Ripper to Giles and laughs. "Giles, this is Keth," says a grinning Ripper. "Keth, Giles."
Author: jellyinthemix	"I was not informed that there would be two of you," says Giles.
Author: bellfounding	"Do you not talk to Jane much? Amariah found this one on a template-sweep after she met mine," says Pattern, gesturing illustratively. "I think that's all of them, except Merryweather, of course."
Author: jellyinthemix	...Giles is now looking between Ripper and Keth with an expression that might be best described as dawning realization.
Author: tearingup	"...What?" says Keth, blinking back at him. Ripper starts giggling into Pattern's hair.
Author: bellfounding	"I second the question."
Author: jellyinthemix	"Nothing whatsoever," says Giles.
Author: tearingup	"Ohhhhhhh," says Keth. "...Well, wouldn't you have done?"
Author: jellyinthemix	"I can't say that it's crossed my mind, no!"
Author: bellfounding	"Oh, that," Pattern snorts.
Author: jellyinthemix
Author: tearingup	"Ooh, it's crossing your mind now, isn't it," giggles Ripper.
Author: jellyinthemix	Giles sniffs primly. His delivery is really quite impeccable.
Author: tearingup	Neither of his alts is buying it for a second.
Author: bellfounding	"Is it time for me to leave you guys alone now?" inquires Pattern archly.
Author: tearingup	The Rippers grin at Giles.
Author: jellyinthemix	"In all seriousness," says Giles, although he is not entirely successful at looking the part, "I really think we have more to discuss than, than idle recreation."
Author: bellfounding	"Want me to grab Merryweather for you? Little template convention? You can agree on a replacement collective noun."
Author: jellyinthemix	"Wait five minutes, I'm sure he'll turn up," says Giles. "Given recent trends."
Author: bellfounding	Pattern laughs.
Author: tearingup	"The replacement collective noun is a point," says Ripper, his snickers subsiding. "Don't ask me," says Keth, plopping himself onto a section of bench near Giles but not within arm's reach. "I couldn't even pick my own nickname, Rayne had to do it for me."
Author: jellyinthemix	Giles looks up from the remains of his tea in startlement.
Author: bellfounding	"Yeah, those are a thing."
Author: tearingup	"I ditched mine after he faked his own death to get me to talk to Pattern about resurrecting him," says Ripper. "I have not ditched mine," says Keth, "although I understand why some of you might want to."
Author: jellyinthemix	"...Mine and I," says Giles, sounding as though the 'mine' part doesn't quite fit, "...drifted apart. Much as tectonic plates might, with considerable disturbance to the environs and an occasional volcano."
Author: bellfounding	"I'm gonna register the prediction that Merryweather doesn't talk to his, either, being of the one sort and not the other. Presuming he has one, but I'm also going to register the prediction that he has. Maybe Glass should go look at some of them to figure out what it is with you guys."
Author: tearingup	"I'll introduce her to mine," Keth offers.
Author: jellyinthemix	"I'd rather mine went undisturbed by any reminder of my existence whatsoever," says Giles.
Author: bellfounding	"If I have the right read on them, reminding him won't make a lot of difference."
Author: jellyinthemix	"He hasn't troubled me anytime in the last decade and I would prefer to have that state of affairs continue."
Author: bellfounding	"Yeah, that's fair."
Author: jellyinthemix	"But yes, returning to the subject of template names. I observe that neither of you is wearing your name tag," says Giles.
Author: tearingup	"It said 'Rupert' on it," says Keth.
Author: jellyinthemix	"Is that really so terrible?"
Author: tearingup	"Yes," chorus the Rippers.
Author: bellfounding	"I'm curious, Giles, how old were you when you resumed the name?"
Author: jellyinthemix	"Oh... thirty?" he hazards. "Thereabouts."
Author: bellfounding	"So that can't just be a chronology thing," Pattern says, glancing at her Ripper, who is older than he looks.
Author: tearingup	"No," he agrees.
Author: jellyinthemix	"I'd hesitate to call it a maturity thing, but..."
Author: tearingup	Keth rolls his eyes. "Right, that must be it."
Author: bellfounding	"Yeah, pretty tempted to fetch Glass, at this point, make her line you up and squint at you."
Author: jellyinthemix	"Go on then," says
Author: tearingup	every member of the template, simultaneously. "...Huh," says Ripper.
Author: bellfounding	Pattern laughs. "I'll send Merryweather up, too." She kisses her own Ripper and pops away to find him first. "Hey," she informs him, "the other three of you are all in one place, I'm gonna get Glass to peer at you and make pronouncements, you may wish to join them."
Author: jellyinthemix	"Is that so," says Merryweather. He pauses in climbing the stairs.
Author: bellfounding	"Yup. You're actually en route already, they're all over there, see, making each other drop beverages." She points.
Author: jellyinthemix	He snorts.
Author: bellfounding	"I'll be along in a moment with Glass." Pop, pop, and she is along, in a moment, with Glass.
Author: jellyinthemix	They arrive just in time to see Merryweather give Keth and Ripper a look remarkably similar to the one Giles was giving them some time ago!
Author: thaumobabble	"Oh, now this," says Glass, "is remarkably like the Joker phases, now I've gotten a look at those to compare."
Author: tearingup	"Jokers come in phases?" says Ripper.
Author: thaumobabble	"They come in phases and also in kinds, yes. This -" (she gestures at the Ruperts and then at the Rippers) "is more like the phases."
Author: tearingup	"All right," says Keth, "and that means...?"
Author: thaumobabble	"That you can grow from one into the other. I don't think it's obligatory and I'm not sure if you can go backwards."
Author: tearingup	The Rippers look consideringly at the Ruperts.
Author: jellyinthemix	The Ruperts look back. Merryweather starts to say something, stops, and shakes his head; Giles pats him on the shoulder.
Author: bellfounding	"You might also want a look at one of their Raynes. They seem to come with them - Merryweather, have you got one of those?"
Author: jellyinthemix	"I haven't thought about him in years," says Merryweather. "They're attached?"
Author: thaumobabble	"Well, they're four for four - which one should I go look at?"
Author: tearingup	"Mine," says Keth, "definitely mine, I will introduce you."
Author: thaumobabble	"Okay, now or later?"
Author: tearingup	"Maybe he'll think of a name for the template," snorts Ripper. Keth laughs. "All right, now, then."
Author: thaumobabble	"Okay. Lemme just prevent incipient flying squirrel..." Glass wishes on a star, then taps her Janegem, and then they are in Amariah's house in Alethia. "Do you teleport, do you want to lead the way?"
Author: tearingup	"Yeah, I teleport," says Keth. He teleports them to his living room.
Author: pythbox	"Another one?" says the local Rayne.
Author: thaumobabble	"There's lots," says Glass. She peers at him. "Oh yeah, that's - about as attached as you get, these are not optional."
Author: pythbox	"Tell me something I don't know," snorts Rayne.
Author: thaumobabble	"And the - template we don't have a name for -" (Glass waves at Keth) "are the 'leader' template here, except that's less meaningful than it is in some cases because you're just always going to appear together, one for one. Oh, wow, you are so attached, but apart from always showing up in the same place it's almost totally unidirectional... Also I think everyone should be glad there aren't a set of you in Aurum, that would get potentially gross very fast... Thilanushinyel could do the same thing, come to think of it..."
Author: pythbox	"Template you don't have a name for?" inquires Rayne.
Author: tearingup	"Yeah," says Keth, "we were hoping you could help with that, actually."
Author: pythbox	"Kingfishers," Rayne says offhandedly. "What's this about potentially gross?"
Author: tearingup	Keth looks at his daemon. Hecate looks at Keth. They both burst out laughing.
Author: thaumobabble	"Oh, Kingfishers, that works. The gross is potentially unreciprocated eternal bonding. Aurum has two kinds of it, and if you landed there..."
Author: tearingup	"Yeah, that could get ugly," says Keth. Hecate flutters behind an armchair.
Author: thaumobabble	"The Rayne in such a world would inevitably wind up stuck on the Kingfisher, and there isn't a shred of metcausality enticing it to be all sewn up the other direction. Metacausality has no interest in making sure Kingfishers like their Raynes, the Raynes have to do that themselves."
Author: pythbox	"Naturally," says Rayne, eyeing his Kingfisher.
Author: tearingup	Keth smiles at him. It is a smile full of communication not meant to be intercepted.
Author: thaumobabble	"...I - huh. Can your daemons come out where I can see them?"
Author: tearingup	Hecate zips out from behind the armchair.
Author: pythbox	A stripey ginger cat follows her just a moment later.
Author: thaumobabble	Glass peers at them. "I think they're helping you with the not-having-a-falling-out. They are, however, not a guarantee."
Author: pythbox	The cat begins washing herself unconcernedly.
Author: tearingup	"Yeah," says Keth, "I think we guessed that part."
Author: thaumobabble	"Anyway, I think that's all I have to say unless it ever becomes worth everyone's while to collect the other three Raynes and line you all up."
Author: pythbox	"Even I don't think that's a good idea," says Rayne.
Author: thaumobabble	Glass snorts. "Back whence we came?" she inquires of Keth. "Or is there anything else I should look at while I'm here and already covered versus flying squirrel?"
Author: tearingup	"Not that I can think of."
Author: thaumobabble	"Okay." And back they go, right where they came since Pattern is still there. Glass relays the information.
Author: jellyinthemix	"Attached," sighs Merryweather. "Apparently," agrees Giles.
Author: thaumobabble	"And I don't think any of them had better be allowed to visit Aurum, just on principle, as vampirism is transmissible."
Author: bellfounding	"Agreed. Are you all kingfishers...?" Square.
Author: jellyinthemix	Both Ruperts would have Common Kingfishers, if they had daemons. "Apparently so," says Merryweather.
Author: bellfounding	"Hey, Glass, which one is the template?"
Author: thaumobabble	Glass points at Giles.
Author: jellyinthemix	Giles blinks. "Really?"
Author: thaumobabble	"Yep, pretty clearly too, none of the vagueness there is around Golden versus Stella. You aren't modal like Pattern - I actually think we're more likely to run into more Ripper-phase Kingfishers in the future - you're just the template."
Author: bellfounding	"Is one of them modal like me?"
Author: thaumobabble	"Nah. Yours is closest, but too - serendipitous."
Author: tearingup	"I'm serendipitous?" inquires Ripper.
Author: thaumobabble	"Oh, not very, but just a little -" Glass holds her fingers pinching a little bit of air. "You're right next to Pattern, who is perfectly modal in terms of her - original setup - or I don't think I'd be able to tell. You have small but noticeable effects from being from Origin in particular, and she doesn't, maybe because she was dead while the Joker and that bat person were up to what they were up to. You're less serendipitous than - Merryweather, say, who was set up to interact in a specific way with Aegis - if he has other setups it's with people I haven't gotten a look at. Juliet is actually serendipitous relative to Giles; he is exactly where he would have been anyway and she showed up in that place."
Author: tearingup	"Huh," says Ripper.
Author: jellyinthemix	"And yet," says Giles, "I was sent to Sunnydale because the Council had such trouble finding her. I suppose, metacausally speaking, if not for Juliet there would have been some other reason?"
Author: thaumobabble	"Yeah. Juliet's also the only Bell who lives in Sunnydale - maybe the only one who has one, though it's a smaller town than Gotham so we'd have to actually look it up instead of just knowing. Sunnydale was collecting the next Slayer, far enough in advance for her to be born there; if it hadn't been her it would have collected whoever it was instead."
Author: jellyinthemix	"The notion of Sunnydale collecting Slayers doesn't surprise me in the least," says Giles.
Author: thaumobabble	"There you go. It's the sort of place that collects things. It collected you, but not because of Juliet in particular."
Author: jellyinthemix	"Right. Where is Juliet? I expected her to turn up and laugh at us at some point."
Author: bellfounding	"I could go get her, if you are finding her absence problematic."
Author: jellyinthemix	"No, not at all," he says, grinning.
Author: bellfounding	"I'm sure she's made at least some token effort not to laugh."
Author: thaumobabble	"I'm sure there's plenty else to amuse her than the motions of templates through neighboring worlds."
Author: jellyinthemix	"She was inordinately entertained by the existence of Ripper," says Giles. "Someone should really tell her we've found another one, if she doesn't already know."
Author: thaumobabble	Glass peers over the railing into the crowd. "She's talking to Amariah. It could easily come up that way."
Author: jellyinthemix	"Ah, then all we have to do is wait," says Giles. "My favourite."
Author: bellfounding	"Aegis didn't seem to find it nearly as funny. I guess she hasn't done as much in-person interacting?"
Author: jellyinthemix	"Very little of it," agrees Merryweather. "She mostly knows me from my paperwork."
Author: bellfounding	Pattern snorts. "I guess that would do it."
Author: thaumobabble	"I wonder if we'll ever find the reverse setup. Someone who more often appears as a partner turning up in some basically incompatible capacity and the new Bell looking at the rest of us askance."
Author: tearingup	"Like what?" says Keth.
Author: thaumobabble	"Oh... I don't know, the obvious way would be if somebody got adopted into somebody else's family. Although since Aegis and Sue wound up together despite meeting at age six maybe that wouldn't do it."
Author: tearingup	Ripper envisions some future Bell turning up as some future Kingfisher's sister. Ripper makes a face.
Author: bellfounding	Pattern pats him on the arm.
Author: tearingup	He hugs her.
Author: cross_and_bow	Juliet pops into place. "Hi, Alethia instance of - was Giles right that you'd 'come around' to calling the template Ruperts?"
Author: tearingup	"Kingfishers," says Hecate, from Keth's shoulder.
Author: cross_and_bow	"Oh, that's cute. I'd have a tiger, if that's the sort of thing you'd rather know. A really big tiger."
Author: bellfounding	"Firefly," says Pattern, disdain for possible firefly obvious.
Author: thaumobabble	"Oh, the kingfishers are a very definite template thing, you'll all have them," reports Glass. "And I already said, flying squirrel - cute little gray one."
Author: tearingup	"And you can call me Keth," Keth adds. Since he is not wearing his nametag.
Author: thaumobabble	"Do you want your nametags back now they won't say Rupert on them?"
Author: tearingup	"Yeah, all right," says Ripper. Keth nods.
Author: thaumobabble	Glass snaps her fingers. Nametags appear.
Author: tearingup	The Rippers look at each other, then at Giles.
Author: jellyinthemix	"Is there anything else to discuss?" he asks of the assembled Bells.
Author: bellfounding	"Not especially, I don't think."
Author: cross_and_bow	Juliet looks at Rippers. And at Giles. Finally she looks at Pattern and bursts into gales of howling, helpless laughter.
Author: jellyinthemix
Author: cross_and_bow	Juliet tries and fails to get herself under control. Finally she teleports away.
Author: bellfounding
Author: jellyinthemix	"My sentiments exactly," says Merryweather to Pattern. "Does that mean you won't be joining us for tea?" says Giles, perfectly innocently.
Author: bellfounding	...At that, Pattern too laughs.
Author: thaumobabble	Glass snorts, vaults over the railing, and wafts (robes billowing) down into the main party.
Author: tearingup	Ripper grins and kisses Pattern's forehead. "So we're all going to go have... tea," he says. "Possibly not including Merryweather. All right?"
Author: bellfounding	"Yeah. Have fun. Let me know if and when you want me to introduce you - singular or plural - to Cam." She kisses him, and then follows Glass over the railing.