To hear a reference to the [i]coterie ship in the sky[/i] coming from the shiny hollow armor of their newest strange friend was a wonderful moment for Sunny. She raised her bowl in cheers -- this picnic in good company, on the scraped and lopsided floor of a ruined house on broken metal legs. She tilted her bowl to drink the brothy oil at the bottom, and nearly choked on a laugh at Nyte's latest pun.

But it was Nyte's decision to join their coterie that brought a big grin to Sunny's face. [color=yellow]"Yes!"[/color] she hissed through grinning teeth, a fist pumped. Nyte was so strange and unique, with a power enough to stop a runaway house in its tracks -- but the most important thing was her honesty and her kindness. Someone who seemed to like company so much -- who cared so much -- couldn't be left behind in those lonely woods. Only the best, the most amazing, for Sunny's coterie.

The presentation of the sword cast a breathless spell on the chaos of the house. Sunny's eyes grew wide, and she put down her bowl while she crawled closer on all fours, until the shine of the blade reflected on her mystified face. A choking noise snapped her attention back to Laphi, who -- until he had pulled out his tarot -- looked as if he'd seen a ghost.

After Laphicet's explanation, all three had fallen to staring at the sword and the card and the map of Shambler's Dragon.

[color=yellow]"Something profound is at work here,"[/color] Sunny said quietly, quoting something her mother often said. She released a slow breath, smiled, and climbed steadily to her feet. She looked to Laphicet and to Nyte, having barely met them but so proud to know them.

She extended a hand to Nyte with a confident smile. [color=yellow]"Nyte. Welcome to the coterie. Together we're gonna be legends."[/color] She then reached down to help Laphi up -- and was suddenly filled with a giddy energy. [color=yellow]"Pack all the supplies you can!"[/color] she told them both, already rushing to rummage through the piles and to open the cupboards and doors. [color=yellow]"Food, clothes, blankets, kindling! It's a long way to Rymoln Wood!"[/color]

When, after a long while of sorting and packing and eating their fill, the coterie was ready to go, they would find the old man and the fairies had all gone. All that was left was a curled note, pinned to a tree by a sewing needle. It read, in flowing script:

[center][i]we may meet again
in the city of smoke[/i][/center]

The birds warbled and squeaked all around; a fragrant breeze rustled in the trees, dappling the ground in moving sunlight. The twisted branches arched overhead, while a rainbow of little flowers blossomed at their roots. Sunny rushed ahead with a laugh -- leading the way onward, to the next star in the constellation.