Re: Needing advice from a big brother type ...

[Madeline Cauthon]

"Damn it Connor move before she wakes my father up!"

Maddie was starting to get frantic. Tasha was wigging out and she knew it was only a matter of time before Gawain woke up. It was then her Aunt screamed her father's name. When she heard Gawain say move, she moved out of the way.

Now Gawain had always been fair, not overly strict. The look in her father's eyes made her feel all of 9 years old. And the tone he was using she had only heard twice and ignored once. The first time she heard it was when she had try to free the neighbors sheep when they had lived in the Society.

The second time was when he had surprised her with a visit at the White Tower when she was fifteen. Ironically it was on the same day she had been sent to the Mistress of Novices for using the Source to do her chores as a novice. She had just returned to her room teary eyed to see Gawain sitting on her bed. When Gawain had asked her what was wrong, Maddie tried lying. Of course her father saw through it and called her out on it.And Maddie being fifteen and thinking she knew everything, Maddie copped an attitude with her father. Which ended with a quick trip across his knee and her not being able to sit for a few days.

So when Gawain opened the gateway and told her to put some clothes on, she moved. "Yes Sir Daddy.....I'm sorry Daddy"

[Connor]

Blink.

Blink.

Blink. "Oh, bloody hell and three flamin' bags of shite, that just happened."

Blink. "Wait, did you just say 'yes, sir daddy'?! And did he say three...." He snarled, slipping into a quick, yet silent, pacing. "Right, so I ballsed this one up right proper, yep. I knew the man was mad as a box of frogs, but.....oh, balls." He grumbled, growled, and snatched up a shirt, slipping it on and walking back over. "Right, you got this in hand, I gotta get somethin' from the wardrobe. Somethin' bloody important. Here's hopin' after this mashed-up night I don't wind up in bloody Narnia! By my grandpa's man-tits, I've so got to stop opening doors!"

A few moments, three thumps, a clash, a stream of vulgarities, profane violations of the Queen's English, and exactly two minutes later, he walked back out, lump on his forehead and a generally pissy expression. "Oh, Maddie, luv, do be a dear and tell me when yer gonna stow yer bloody weights in my wardrobe. Or I'll spoil the ending of Ab Fab for ya." Wink, nudge. "Right, let's see, willowy type, smells of tabby, fire-crowned, generally easy on the eyes.....yer Tasha Masterson, right?" He smiled crookedly, hoping to ease her a bit. "I'm Connor, Connor Machera. Yep, that one. And before it becomes an issue and you pop your claws, I'm precisely thirty-eight years old." He cleared his throat, looking nervously at Madeline. "I, er, didn't tell you that, did I.....well, your da is what, two-bloody-hundred? What can I say, us canines keep well." As he spoke, his hand moved slowly, non-menacingly, toward Tasha. "It's either a scroll or an orb, I dunno which. It's magic, so I don't want to have me hands on it any longer than I gotta. It's also meant for you, and was given to me by my gran when I was about fourteen. She said that, since I killed a king and the prince sawed my head almost clean off, I'd need it since this region would be the only place the tossers wouldn't follow...." He lowered his collar and pointed to the faint scar encircling his throat. "Yeah, bad king, killed people for sport, right wanker, he was. Er....when did I go off topic?" Half a beat later, he added, "Again?"

[Tasha Masterson]

May the God's be with anyone who stood between Furgirl and Furball when he stepped up and opened his arms for her. Well, he was just holding out his hands, but ... *Pounce* From the wall she came, jumping into his arms. Her arms locked around his neck in a death grip. Not choking him exactly, her arms were on his shoulders, but she still clung to him like her life depended on it. Or at least her sanity.

Now given the difference in the height between the two, her feet dangled off the ground. This would add weight to her, though it wasn't like she was heavy. So Gawain would have no trouble holding her, but it might be an uncomfortable way for him to do so.

As she clung to her big brother she was crying and began to speak frantically in his ear. "Tell me it's a drunken hallucination. It's not real. Tell me I'm imagining it." It, not him. And she repeated these words over and over as Gawain spoke to the others present. She didn't even notice Maddie leaving or the guy going back into his room for anything.

She buried her face in the crook of his neck as she was mumbling the same things over and over. And she didn't look up when the guy came back from his room and began to speak to her. She did hear what he said though. And when he asked her if she was Tasha Masterson she chose to answer. Still with her face buried against Gawain. "I am." Her voice betrayed her tears.

She heard him introduce himself and she peeked over Gawain's shoulder at one of her hands. It was a bit late for him to worry about her claws popping out. But she retracted them and shifted her hands back to human. Even though Gawain couldn't catch her strain of lycanthropy, she still didn't want to accidentally scratch him.

There were only two ways for this Conner guy to look so much like her beloved, enough to scare her like he had. One was a brother, the other was a son. But he was older than she was. So she went to brother first. "Are you his brother?" Best to check and make sure. Her face was still buried, but she was speaking a little more clearly. "Kitties keep well too." Said the thirty-five year old who looked like she was in her late teens, early twenties. So was that an attempt at a joke to lighten her own mood? Could have been, or it could have just been condescending.

Finally, she looked up. He was trying to hand her something. He said it was magic and he needed it but it was meant for her and it came from his Grams. How was that even possible? Gareth's Grandma would have never even known she existed, at least not long enough ago for it to have been when Conner was fourteen. So not brother ... Oh dear God ...

Enough of that thought, the item in his hand. Deal with that. "If you need it, why is it meant for me? Would you not still need it? Besides, I know nothing of magic, well other than the fact that some can use it, some can't, and I'm a can't. So you keep it." She buried her face again. She did not want to process this situation. Connor had to be his son, but he was older than she was, so obviously he was born before she and Gareth were together.

But why would he never mention having a son? And what could his family have possibly intended for her to have, especially something magical? She never even truly became his wife. She couldn't even lay claim to the title of widow. So why was she in this spot now? Too many questions, too much to process. So she just clung to Gawain and sobbed. But at least she was sobbing now instead of all out crying.

[Gawain]

Hooookay......so, when Gawain went to make his dramatic big-bad-worthy exit, he suddenly gained roughly one-hundred ten to fifteen pounds of kitty-cat. This was...huh. Still a bit buzzed, since they had drunk enough that night and morning to send every brewery worker's kids to college. So, with a still-swimmy head, he looked down at her and burst out laughing. "Bwaaaaaa-haha! Holy shits and giggles, Tash, you did NOT just leave that door open! See, this is where you realize you just jumped into my arms, changing forms, weeping, and I prove that I'm the noble type by not reminding you that that isn't the kind of wet....you know what? I thought about it, and nope, daughter there, still two shreds of self-respect left, and my name ain't Seth McFarlane, so nope, not going to finish." ~But that shit was funny, huh?~ This went to anyone in the vicinity that was open to receiving mental links. He was doing fairly well controlling his tongue, so maybe a slip of the mind can be forgiven? C'mon....

"Connor, this is the part where you tell her it was left in your care until the day you realized holy hell, etc, etc, I look a lot like my father and here's what pretty much amounts to his widow, closure needed, hand the bloody thing over now." The ice in Gawain's eyes told of the need as well as the staunch order that 'now' had entailed. "Tasha, dear, it will only work for you. That's why cue-ball here has yet to screw up and activate it." Pointed, icy glare. "Isn't that right, Connor?" He looked at Madeline, and suddenly, for the first time in a long while, felt something.

Old. As. Hell.

[Madeline Cauthon]

Madeline quickly grabbed a pair of jeans and ran a brush through her hair. Why it surprised her that Gawain had known for months she didn't know. Damn wolf senses.

Madeline made her way back through the portal and quietly took her place beside Connor, grabbing his hand and squeezing it. She kept her head down she couldn't meet her father's eyes just yet. While she know he wasn't really mad at her, she still felt bad for trying to hide the relationship from him.

Madeline squeezed Connor's hand and looked up at him as to say you're doing a good job.

[Connor]

"You...but.....didn't you just......buggery! Coulda sworn you went poof! My mistake......" His arm snaked around Madeline's waist as he held out the indicated object. "Sorry, by the way, Miss. Din't mean to scare ya or nothin'. Matter o' fact, din't even know you were hereabouts. Anyway, this belongs to you. It has for a long, long time, and if I had been able, I would've had it to ya a lot sooner..."

With a look to Gawain that spoke volumes, mostly about even though he was going along with this, he was doing so for Tasha, not for Gawain. He also snuck a little 'go vith yourself' action in that look as well. After that, he pretty much relaxed, curious as to what the object would turn out to be. It had an odd cast to it, non-threatening, but seeming to phase between shapes and forms. Perhaps when Tasha took hold of it, it would assume it's true form.....of course, he was known to admit to being bollocks with this magic rubbish. Made his head swim, so it did.

[Tasha Masterson]

Tasha heard Gawain and she giggled. In a mental link that was for his head only she spoke. ~Not the type of wet pussy you and your slippy dong were thinking about?~ She couldn't help another soft giggle in response. At least he was making her laugh through her tears and fears.

It was then that she heard what else Gawain said, and she heard Conner. Then she sighed. The way she was hanging from Gawain, there was no graceful way to put herself back upon the floor. Wet pussy and slippy dongs aside, she slid down his body to rest her feet upon the floor once more. But as she turned to face Conner, she stayed standing as close to Gawain as she could get. He was her big brother, her protector, she wasn't budging an inch unless he moved her.

"You may call me Tasha." After all, she had almost become his step-mother. The ring on her left hand was a permanent reminder of that. "And you didn't scare me, you startled me." It was very important to differentiate between the two, she had no desire to show fear to anyone. It was a matter of pride.

She glanced to Gawain and then to Maddie before she reached out a shaky left hand and took the object from him. She was very leery of even touching the thing, but they had been so insistent. And as she was taking the object from him, she caught the look that he shot Gawain.

Before she could even think, she spoke. "And it would behoove you to show some respect to your elders. I'm sure that you're presence here is do to the grace of Gawain's kindness and his love for your father. He could have thrown you out in the street, especially after discovering that you were diddling my niece. So be nice. Or I might still throw you out on your ear." It hadn't been her place to speak up, but it was done, and she wouldn't take it back or show regret for her words. She was taking to her new responsibilities as an alpha quite well.

She backtracked to what he had said before he had shot Gawain the dirty look. "And I'm sure you got this to me as fast as you could. After all, it's not like I broadcast my location or announce my plans on some social network or something. No one even knew I was coming out here yesterday except one." The one being her boyfriend of course. She didn't just take off and leave him wondering where she had gone off to.

She looked at the odd object. "I honestly know nothing about the magic that this seems to be protected by or made with. I have no magical ability what so ever." She was still examining it. Maybe it was going to reveal itself to her. Give her some hint of what it was or what it was supposed to be or do. She glanced to Gawain for a moment, a look of pleading for help, then she looked back at the object in her hand.

[Gareth Machera]

The article, known in it's native land as a ter'angreal, shimmered brightly and formed a mid-sized orb. This orb, upon taking the aforementioned form, would lightly float to the middle-height that most adult creatures would find comfortable to view. What sprang from it would, no doubt, be a rather bracing shock for everyone.

As he had been in life, Gareth was still the bashful sort. He half-smiled in that crooked manner of his, ran fingers through the shock of wild hair, and shrugged. "Hey there, guys. Wow....did you call a family reunion or something, Tash? Or was it you, Gawain?" His eyes moved around the room, and even though he knew full well who they were, he pretended to be puzzled at the forms of Maddie and Connor. "Who are these people? Bloody hell, I should have put an instruction book on this thing.....oh, stop looking at me that way, Maddie. I know it's you, just like I did in your dream. By the way, you did good getting rid of that block. Not many Aes Sedai can get rid of their block without help.....and no, I didn't help. I simply pushed you in the right direction." He winked to her, then turned to Connor. "Light, son.....you're grown. Time moves so much differently here, it seems like you were still a youngling chasing squirrels." He smiled warmly, half holding out his hand, then dropping it.

"I apologize to you all for not contacting you sooner. I came to Madeline in her dream because she was the only one in the right position, with the right power and motivation, to affect the outcome. She restored her Father's link to the Source, and....well, she knows a trick now that could have saved me....let's not dwell on that, alright? Light, it's good to see you all.....you most of all, Tasha. I wanted to leave this behind, a link to myself wherever I ended up....for the record, the thing about the clouds, harps, dresses, and so on? Not for reals. Just a lot of peace, no pain, and clear thoughts.....lots of time for those, too. Tasha, you are the love of my life. Nothing will change that, on this side or that side. Connor was born some years before we met, and it was only after I began to...you know, lose it....that I found out about him. Son, I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, and I wish I could have set things up for Gawain to raise you himself, but there was just not enough time. Never enough time....not even by half. Just do me a favor, son, treat Madeline well...oh, don't look at me that way, I can see how in love you two are....and please, regard Gawain as your near-father. He deserves your respect, whether you decide to follow that aspect or not."

He had been speaking for quite awhile, but he still had so much to say. "Tasha, you've honored my memory so much....I could feel it all the way through the veil, like a well-aimed arrow." He stopped, reaching out with his right hand and concentrating......and managed to take her hand. "The vows I took forbid me from lying, so when I said forever, it meant exactly what the package said." He stopped, looking odd, and shuddered. "I feel strange. Wait....I feel!" The color started growing in his form, from the washed-out look he had at first to.....almost normal. His eyes shot to Gawain. "What the hell is going on, Gawain?!" He didn't realize it, but he was squeezing Tasha's hand more tightly than he intended. Not enough to hurt her, especially since her gift lent her much more durability, but vise-like could be used to describe it accurately. "Help?"

[Madeline Cauthon]

Maddie turned beet red when she heard her Aunt talking about Connor's "diddling". She was just about to say something in response when the ter'angreal took form of her Uncle Gareth. Tears of happiness started streaming down her cheeks as she heard him talk. "Uncle Gareth it is good to see you again, and thank your help. Never could of healed Dad with out you. Just hate it was too late to save you, but that is my burden to bear. And don't give me that look either, you know I'm stubborn as the old furball, and as hard headed as you ever were."

Madeline looked up to Connor to try to see what his reaction was in all of this.

[Connor]

The last time Connor had seen his father, he had not been old enough to remember much of his features. He did remember two things: his voice, and his scent. Now, sendings, or what some of those strange folks with all the tech called holograms, do not have a scent other than a faint smell of ozone. This one, as time wore on, and as Connor's jaw dropped ever farther, began to feel and smell real.

His lip began to tremble slightly...he truly had not been taught how to give a bloody bollock about anyone other than his grandparents. Therefore, for all the thirty-plus years he had lived, he was still totally on the verge of tears. A tightening of his grip around Madeline followed this, which was in turn followed by a shiver. "Father?" was all he managed before the morphic field in the area went crazy. Nails on a chalkboard plus supersonic white noise, meet ears built to hear a spider break wind.

Ouch.

[Gawain]

Gawain remembered. He remembered a great deal.....serving as some sort of substitute for death itself, putting what seemed like his little brother to permanent sleep, mourning him, being told on the other side he wasn't ready to see his departed loved ones yet.....and yes, getting the boot from the good place for tearing stuff up in a fit of rage. Let it be known that this old, decrepit, shaggy wolf had a mind sharper than a razor's edge. This and practice were the only things that protected him from doubling over at the keening wail that rent the stillness, caused anyone with more than base human hearing a ton of discomfort, and don't forget, cleared the sinuses like a scotch bonnet pepper.

Instinct and training, when linked, are a powerful thing. He still had flashes sometimes of the rank Venis has bestowed on him, as well as the protection from fire and....well, let's just say it was hell hard to give him an owie. So, when he felt that hand solidify, he leaped for it, catching the wrist and tugging. His eyes turned from their normal hue to the color of burnished brass, gleaming in the low light. Knowing there would be no hard feelings, he turned his gaze on Tasha and growled, "Say the words, burn you! Call on V, I barely remember the rite! NOW, or it's too late forever!"

[Tasha Masterson]

Tasha released the orb when it floated free of her hand. She watched it for a moment and then it changed form again. Her right hand went to her heart and she drew in a sharp breath that caught in her throat as she saw Gareth appear before her. But it was a mere apparition. She could tell from the smell, or lack there of. It didn't smell like her beloved. Connor smelled more like him than the ghostly form before her.

She somehow found her voice when he addressed her. She was definitely sober now. "We're a few short of a reunion love." But that was all she could say. She was handling this quite well. So the ghost of her dead fiancé was standing here talking to them, so what? This was nothing out of the ordinary for Rhy'Din. But she felt bad for Maddie after hearing what she said.

A tear ran down her cheek as she listened to his words. But she couldn't resist the half smile and the chuckle when he told Connor to show Gawain some respect. She had just chastised him on the same thing. Great minds thought alike, it would always be true. Even if one of those minds had left this plane of existence.

Gary's right hand extended and he took Tasha's left hand in his grasp. Tasha gasped at the touch. She wished for magic at that moment so he wouldn't notice that his ring had moved from her ring finger to her middle finger. If she had magic, she could move it. But there wasn't enough time for that thought to continue. Because suddenly, she could smell him.

She looked down at their hands and then back at his face. And just as his scent was registering in her brain, that sound. She winced and bent at the waist slightly. Her mouth opened in a silent scream. Her grip on his hand tightened to match his own. Between the two of them, they could end up breaking some bones. But she couldn't loosen her grip.

She looked up at Gawain with a look of fear on her face. "By the God's ... What ... What have I done?" Her voice was panic stricken. She thought that she had somehow willed him back so hard, without even knowing it, that now he was being pulled back. And she hadn't meant to do it. He was gone, he wasn't supposed to be being pulled back. It would mess things up somehow, wouldn't it? Without a God here to make it right ...

Gawain had grabbed Gareth's wrist. She looked up at him, and it took her a moment to register what he had said. "V? Venis. Shit, Gawain, I can't call her. She's gone. She took off. It's a long story, but I can't get her. Mental links, cell phone's, nothings been working. I'm not bound to her like you ... Wait!" And it hit her like a bolt of lightning.

This was it. It was time for her to choose. She knew how to get Venis here. Get her here quickly too. How bad did she want the love of her life back? Bad enough. ~I'm so very sorry Ha'Ruil. I will explain everything later. But I have to do this.~ And then she looked back at her big brother. She winced and shook her head. Then she looked back at Gary. "I have never loved another as much as I love you."

She looked back at Gawain. "I love you Furball. Please forgive me." And before he could say anything to her, there was the sound of bones breaking and skin tearing. And in a flash, a clawed paw swung out and scratched Gawain right across the jugular. She had to use panther claws, she had to cut him deep enough. She had to make it count.

[Madeline Cauthon]

This little family reunion, for lack of a better word, was all happening a little too fast. What she thought was her dear incorporeal dead Uncle was now somewhat corporeal? Then her father latching on to him. Rite? What rite was he talking about?

Maddie was about to ask what he was talking when she heard what he yelled at Tasha only to her slit Gawain's throat! "DAD!!!! TASHA WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!!!"

Madeline stood with Connor's arms still around her. She hadn't heard what her aunt had said to her father about Venis. Madeline took a hold of the One Power and took a deep calming breath. Light, she didn't wont to have to hurt Tasha, but damn, she wasn't about to let anyone hurt her father, after she fought so hard to just get him back!

[Gawain]

Gawain, without a warning, was dumbstruck when Tasha, for all intents and purposes, slit his throat. The hand that was not engaged in holding Gareth's wrist went to his throat....huh. This little p**sy did have some sharp claws. "Dammit, that HURT!" His jugular was, of course, not severed, and the blood that coursed down his t-shirt...his favorite, by the way, which said simply "I am disappointment in you're grammar".....and dude, Gawain having a temper is older news than.....well, gravity pointing toward the ground. Without thinking, the hand that had inspected his throat balled into a fist.....

......and smashed, unless she was faster than greased lightning that had eaten a boomerang curry and was headed for the restroom, her nose. "KEEP your vithing CLAWS to yourSELF! I'm trying to HELP here, for God's sake!" He had, he realized, overreacted, but cat claws hurt like heck, man!

At any rate, his demeanor changed, and he shook his head. "If you'd told me what you were up to, kitten, I would have opened a vein myself. Didn't have to surprise the crap outta me. I mean......Gareth, here, now, stuff goin' on, crap hitting fan, diverse alarums, and so forth. In short, as a friend has said countless times....dayum!"

Focus, burn you! said his instincts. He drew in as much of the Power as he could safely, ignoring the giddiness that accompanied this, and used the heightened awareness to concentrate on the other senses that were not already super-humanly enhanced by his natural gift. Clarity of mind was, of course, at the forefront of these. "So, how long until the fireball gets here?" Yes, he had calmed down immediately. Too much was at stake....the chance to erase what he felt was one of the biggest sins of his past was at the forefront of all. "Maddie, that chill down my spine tells me you've Embraced. Link with your old man, please. I need your strength in the Power." He was already initiating his end of the Link, as well as readying fine flows of Spirit to aid what he thought was the best bet. He would wait until his oldest friend and confidante was there to see if there was a better way.

[Venis Jordianthan]

((Language warning: We are allowed one F bomb and it stay PG13 according to the Motion Picture Association. But just to be safe, I hereby give warning.))

"Fuck! My nose." She wasn't fast enough. And for that, she was now talking funny. Her right hand had immediately gone to her nose. "I couldn't warn you. You had to be in instant pain for it to work this way." What way, someone might have been about to ask?

This way. As Gawain was explaining his reaction to Tasha, and telling Maddie to link to him, a steel blade sliced through the air. As the body that was wielding the blade came through the slice, she saw Tasha just fast enough to stop her blow literally a centimeter from taking off Tasha's head.

Three blinks as Venis looked at her friend. "Damnit Tash, what are you doing attacking Gawain?" She sheathed her sword behind her back, still not having looked anywhere other than right at Tasha. She turned to look at Gawain now. The rest of the room was nonexistent at the moment. Priorities.

The leather of the pants and boots that she was wearing creaked as she moved. One hand rested on the blood on his shirt as she leaned in to his neck where Tasha had cut him. She ran her tongue over the scratches slowly. It wasn't meant as sexual as it looked, this time. It was a vampire thing. "You always taste so very good Furball." Whispered in his ear when she finished the lick.

Then she placed her other hand over his scratches. She pressed her lips to his in a very chaste kiss. Again, it was not meant as a sexual advance. They were best friends, had been for longer than either of them cared to talk about. They had been through so much together, and were bound to each other so strongly that not even death could tear them apart. It had been proven time and time again.

It was because of that bond that she could do this so easily. That kiss, the slightest pressing of lips, was enough for her to close his wounds and draw the blood from his shirt too. Sometimes, it was good to be a Goddess and a vampire. Her lips separated from his and she smiled. "All better babe, T-shirt too." She winked at him. She knew how much he loved his shirts.

Ok, bestie healed, didn't kill the second bestest, time to get to the bottom of things. Turning, turning, turning. Maddie and ... Guy that looks like ... Whoa. "I do not envy you." Addressing the guy. "Mads ..." She shook her head. Turning, turning, turning. WHAT THE ... "What have you guys done?" Eyes widened, jaw dropped.

Slowly, Venis' left hand rose, palm out in front of her. The long belled sleeves of her blouse fell back from her arms once again. She placed her palm against Gareth's pectoral muscle. Flesh. Oh crap, flesh. A snap of her head to look back at Tasha and Gawain. "What have you guys done?" Why was she asking them? They were the ones holding onto him. In fact, if Tasha's grip got any tighter, she would break his hand.

She used her free hand to touch Tasha's nose. Her hand turned bright red, glowing with heat. It was going to get a little too hot for contact with flesh, but Venis wasn't worried. Tasha could take it. She smoothed her fingers down Tasha's nose straitening it out and melting the cartilage back together. "There. All better."

Holy crap that was hot! Tasha clenched her teeth together as Venis healed her nose. She hadn't had to burn Gawain to heal him. But then again, she hadn't kissed Tasha to heal her. Trade off. She wiggled and wrinkled her nose and fanned it with her free hand. "Thanks. And um, no idea what we've done. Can you fix it?" And by fix it, Tash meant help him stay of course.

Venis returned her attention to Gareth. She glanced to the guy with Maddie. "Son?" She looked back at Gary and started to see what she could feel, or find out. "Gary, I've heard of undieing love, but come on." She smiled. She let her hand feel the air around him, there was a power there, a force. "Did you break through yourself hon?" Hon being used as a general term that she used when speaking to close friends, of course. No need for Furgirl's fur to rise up.

She walked a circle around him, ducking under arms when needed. The whole time, she felt the air around him. "This is different than last time Furball. We don't have a pile of ashes to reform into a body, we don't have a soul gem to put a soul back with. This is going to cost. There has to be a trade. And we don't set the terms of this trade." She drew in her bottom lip and bit down on it softly.

She had a general idea of what the cost would be. So she looked at everyone in the room, one at a time. "Maddie, are you sure?" She would wait for a response before looking at the guy with her. "Are you sure?" She waited for his response as well. Then to Gawain. "Furball, are you sure?" She waited once more. Then to Tasha. "Furgirl. Are you sure?" She knew that there were things to consider here.

Tasha looked at Gareth, then at Connor, then back at Gareth. "I knew I was sure when I clawed Gawain. Everyone deserves to know their father." Nevermind the potential advantage to her. She knew what she would have to do if they did this. But there was no turning back. She had made her choice. And as long as it didn't cost the life of someone else she loved, she was willing to do it, whatever it was.

Then she looked back at Gareth. "Gareth, are you sure? I mean, I know you broke through, but I have to know if you are sure. I have to hear the words." She could pay the cost. No one Tasha cared about would perish for this. Venis would take care of it. She would make the bargain, she would pay the price, but only if everyone here was absolutely sure that it was what they wanted. One doubt and all deals were off.

[Madeline Cauthon]

Madeline let out a sigh of relief when she heard her father speak, and saw Veins appear out of the blue? While it didn't surprise to see her just appear, she couldn't help but laugh at the
why did Tasha attack Gawain question and the look she was giving her and Connor almost made her loose her concentration...almost. "Aunt Venis good to see you again, I'd like you to meet Connor. Connor this is my Aunt Venis. Aunt Venis this is Connor, Uncle Gareth's son."

Per her fathers request she started her end of the link sending her own threads of Spirit to connect with his and sending him a private message at the same time. ~Dad, is Venis talking a life for a life type thing, because if she is I may have a solution. You remember the older couple that use to let me ride horses when I was little. They lived on a small farm outside of the Society's walls? Well the woman has long past, but her husband is still there and misses his wife deeply. I know this because I stopped by to see them a few weeks ago when I went to check on that thing. Maybe he could help?~

She gave her Uncle Gareth a warm smile and answered the goddesses question. "I'm sure, I owe him so much, I'll do whatever is necessary."

[Connor]

Blink. "Er, whut exactly is happenin' 'ere, babe?" To Madeline, of course. He was completely out of his depth, and more than a little freaked out. "That's my da, sure enough." He looked over at Gawain, then to Tasha, and finally to the new arrival. When she spoke, he smiled as well as he could, shrugging a little even as he smiled. "Thanks. Ya know, this kinda company makes me feel almost normal." Ha! He was happy for the brief commiseration that Venis had offered....it brought him back to himself.

After a moment, he was squeezing Madeline's hand. "Do...do I need to help, doll? That's my Dad, after all. I dunno what I would do, though...this looks hella familiar......" In truth, Connor had seen this sort of thing once before. That was why, with a strangled warning and a leap, he dove at the orb, shifting on the fly to grab the thing, which was about two paces behind where Gareth stood right then, and snatch it out of the air with a snap of his jaws. ~No time, no time, point me to someplace ya don't mind getting fornicated all to hell and back! That's a literal to hell and back, this thing's gonna blow somebody straight to the bad place!" Gawain and Tasha, at least, should be able to hear the high-pitched whining the orb was emitting. Something was using it as a door instead of a window, and it wasn't designed for such a feat.

[Gawain]

~Look out, old man! I've seen this before, and this orb thing is gonna go BOOM!~

Gawain shook his head, momentarily stunned at the power of that sending. The kid might be many things, a defiler of daughters being one of the foremost in Gawain's mind right now, but he had some skill. Even so, he was glad the kid was there. Somehow, he had a lot on his mind, and the sound had been almost automatically dampened, like the sound of the fridge after a few seconds. "V, as bad as I hate to admit it, the kid just saved our asses. Shit just got real. I am completely open to suggestions, dear. What do you have up your sleeves...or lack thereof?" He smirked as he spoke, then grunted. "Oh, hell no you don't!" He felt, more than physically, but also spiritually, that Gareth had slipped backward a bit. "He's incarnating with nothing to incarnate into! Light, why didn't I think of this?! I cremated hi....hey, wait, Goddess, Fire, something just clicked there......okay. I'm quite stupid." He threw up the hand that was not most urgently needed, channeled a quick Gateway back to...well, let's just say that when that boom happened, it would be to a deserving...er....soul. ~Toss the orb in there, Connor, and back us up! You may not be able to touch the Source, but you still have power. I felt it when you nearly bloodied my nose with that Sending. Now, do it and hurry! Er, please!~


Connor growled a little, but tilted his head and huffed a bit, doing what Gawain had said. ~I'm doin' this for Mads, old man. That and for my Da, nothing else. Just so you know, right?~ His tone had a bit of the petulant tone one would expect from a teenager, but he knew what the old guy had said was for the best. Better than being minus a head, right? One quick leap, a twist of his head, and his fangs let go, sending the orb through the....swirly...thing. Whatever it was....anyway, he shifted back, grumbled again about why they always wound up naked in these stories, and rushed back to try and be of help. He, too, was looking to this red-headed woman who seemed to be exuding power, feeling more than knowing that she had an answer to the problem.

[WolfHeadGuest]

Ahriman was seated on his throne of human bones, hands lightly resting upon the skulls that adorned the ends of the arm rests, enjoying the sublime agony of those who were his subjects, when a ripple appeared in the air in the midst of his court. "What fresh hell is this?" Something silver, round, and humming flew through, rebounding from the floor twice before coming to a stop. As it began glowing, he realized this was something which was very much not good.

"Oh, SHI-"

As he atomized, he reflected on the ignoble manner with which he had been defeated by that uncultured tool Gawain and his merry band of fools, and realized that Gawain, not he, had had the final laugh. Whatever afterlife waited for him was going to be painful, he knew, but he welcomed it. After all, how could he show his face again after being thwarted by a bunch of mortals?

[There. Now THAT'S a plotline that won't be repeating. ]

[Venis Jordianthan]

She was wearing sleeves today, but all that aside. Conner had shifted and grabbed the orb when it started to scream. For once Venis was glad that, unlike the others with more than one form who were present, she didn't retain the senses of her beasts. Her ears were human at the moment, and so her hearing was only that of a human. She knew that orb was emitting a sound that could deafen every canine and feline in the room.

She started to open her mouth to speak when Gawain and Conner disposed of the orb. Luckily, they had done so before it went boom. But that took away one of Venis' options for getting this done. Crap on a cracker. What was she going to do now? She just stood there with her mouth agape a moment.

Suddenly all eyes were on her. Even those of the now naked Conner. "Nice quick change kid." She reached out and put her hand on his head. Sexy naked men were a distraction at the moment. Even if it was Gareth's son. A swirl of sparkling lights. They cascaded around and down his body and as they did, he would find himself in a t-shirt and a pair of jeans. She had even been thoughtful enough to give him a pair of boxers.

Ok, no orb to go through. Naked man now covered up. What to do, what to do? Then it hit her. There was still one way to communicate with the higher being she needed to speak with. She turned to face Gareth. "Gary, this may tickle a bit." Her left hand went to the side of Gareth's head to rest upon the side. Her right hand pressed over his heart.

Gareth would start to glow as her hands seemed to sink into him. She was going to communicate with that higher power through him. It was her last option that wouldn't take a long time. She slowly closed her eyes and leaned her head back. A gentle breeze stirred in the hallway.

When she spoke, it was in an ancient language from Earth. "אני, Venis Jordianthan, אלת אש ומיגון, בקשה קהל עם עוצמה רבה יותר ההשלכה של נשמה זו." Then she was silent for a moment as she awaited a response.



((I, Venis Jordianthan, Goddess of Fire and Protection, request an audience with the higher power in charge of this soul.))

[WolfHeadGuest]

What was this? The presence of a foreign deity within this realm of existence? Whatever could she be doing here? And what could she possibly want? Only one way to find the answers to these pressing questions. Ask!

"ברוכים הבאים אלילה. איך אני יכול לעזור לך ליום הזה?"

It was highly unusual for beings such as this Goddess to come here unless they were making a delivery of a soul.


(Welcome Goddess. How is it that I can help you this day?)

[Venis Jordianthan]

The quicker Venis got this taken care of, the better. It was hard to be in both places at once like this. Time moved differently in this other realm. So she hurried up and got to her point. "שביקשנו כי זה יהיה היות חזר לחיים. כמו שהוא היה לפני מחלה שגרם לו מוות בלא עת." That was the best way she could think to state it. After all, they didn't want him to come back crazy.




((We request that this being be returned to life. As he was before the sickness that caused his untimely death.))

[WolfHeadGuest]

Well, that was an interesting request. It wasn't often that a Goddess came to acquire a soul to be returned. A moment was taken to ponder this request. No answer came. Though, a question did.

"מה הסיבה האם יש לך עבור בקשתך אלת?"

The answer to the question would determine the answer to the request.


(What reason do you have for your request Goddess?)

[Venis Jordianthan]

Venis knew that there were several possible answers to the question from the higher power. So she went with the one that would be the best possible answer and the most likely to get her request granted. "הבן שלו. הם לא מכירים זה את זה כמו הבן היה ילד. כולם צריכים לדעת את אביהם. חיוני כדי עולמם הרוחני המדינה." If that wasn't a good enough reason, she didn't know what would be.


((His son. They did not know each other as the son was a child. Everyone should know their father. It is essential to their mental state.))

[WolfHeadGuest]

Again, consideration was given to the request of the Goddess. That was a viable reason. Perhaps not the complete reason, but it would suffice. The problem with the request was that this was a very powerful and valuable soul. It would come with a heavy price. Would the Goddess and her mortals be willing to pay it?

"כבר חשבתי בקשתך אלת. אני מסכים כדי לשחזר אותו אם אתה מסכים מחיר. מלון מאוד יקר הנשמה. הוא לא יכול להיות כל כך להחליף בקלות. ייתכן שיש לך אותו בחזרה תמורת אלף נשמות. אתה חייב להסכים גם שלך להשתלט על בעלה, האל של מוות, לתקופה של שלוש מאות שישים וחמישה ימים. אם אתה מסכים ל זה הוא יהיה כבול היות ששלח אותו כאן מלכתחילה, שלו מיקום נוכחי, במשך שנה אחת.אם אלה תנאי יתאים לך, מדברים את המלים, הסתלק מן שבתחום הזה. מעבר בטוח אלילה."

Now, that was not to say that that the one called Gareth could not leave the Inn. Only that he was to return to it each night before he laid down to rest. And also, he would have to be in the company of the one called Gawain when he did leave. Not exactly by his side, but he had to be in the vicinity of him at the very least.


(I have considered your request Goddess. I agree to restore him if you agree to the price. This is a very valuable soul. He can not be so easily replaced. You may have him back in exchange for one thousand souls.You must also agree to take over for your husband, The God of Death, for the period of three hundred and sixty-five days. If you agree to this he shall be bound to the being who sent him here in the first place, and his current location, for one year. If those terms will suit you, speak the words and be gone from this realm. Safe passage Goddess.)

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