Shock reached up under Carmilla's arms to make it harder to pull away, then grabbed her throat. By the tightness of her grip, she threatened to snap the vampiress's neck.

"Wrong answer," she said. "You're on [i]my[/i] turf."

She dug her elbows into Carmilla's sides and shifted her hips to try to knock the vampiress off of her.

~~~

Lock didn't answer Lillith at first. He simply scurried up into the tree house before his sister could see them. Only when they were safely out of sight did he speak.

"There are lines even [i]we[/i] don't cross with each other," he said, "and Carmilla just dashed right over one."

His tail flicked in nervousness. Lock moved a hand to stroke Lillith's fur, more for his own assurance than hers.

"It's not just a hat to her," Lock said quietly, "and if Carmilla actually destroyed it..."

He shuddered, and was already glancing around the tree house to make sure there was nothing around that Lillith's eyes shouldn't see. Fortunately, most of the prank preparations were down in a the living areas, and what few items of mischief needed for it up here wouldn't stick out among the mess of blankets on the floor and the miscellaneous items on the shelves. Lock glanced around the room, at how much had changed in just a few short decades. Memories of what it used to be, when it was more a playtime fortress than a makeshift bedroom, came to mind.

None of them wanted to grow up, and for a long time, they didn't think they [i]could[/i]. And then, one day...their clothes didn't fit right, and the tree house, once more than big enough for the three of them, suddenly felt smaller. It only worsened when they saw the rest of the town stood still while they changed. Only Carver really came close to changing like they did, and that was solely due to her limb upgrades. Shock took it the hardest when they came to terms with their new reality, that they really [i]wouldn't[/i] be kids forever.

It meant she had to grow up first.

Lock took a seat on the couch - one of the few pieces of furniture they left up here.

"I guess the easiest way to explain it is what it represents. That when you're living your worst nightmare, it helps when [i]something[/i] familiar stays the same."