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[color=Gold]“Thanks Tansy,”[/color] Oscar smiled warmly as he was handed some tea, letting the mug warm his hands before taking a sip. Exactly how he liked it and perfect to combat the chill in the air. He turned his attention back to Georgie, nodding as she spoke about what she’d found. [color=Gold]“I think you’re right Georgie… She had to send her cult in to get the Horned God rather than coming herself, so she must be in a weakened state. And artificial materials…”[/color] He trailed off scribbling something down in his notebook, then laughed. [color=Gold]“So we should just hit her with some human created chemicals?”[/color]

He was thoughtful as he stopped talking, starting slightly as Blu grabbed his arm. [color=Gold]”It’s alright.”[/color] There was a slight concern in his eyes when he glanced over at Blu and responded, but it didn’t last too long before he was right back to his notes.

It took all of her will power, and Oscar speaking before her, for Trisha to not outright try to deck Georgie. Her anger was clear on her face, lips twisted down into a viscous smile and dark eyes glaring holes into her most annoying sister. How she hated her, standing there thinking she was so superior. 

[color=MediumSlateBlue]”Oh fuck off, Georgiana,”[/color] Trisha snapped when she could finally get a word in. [color=MediumSlateBlue]”At least I’m not a robot who’s never been taught how to talk.”[/color]

With a muttered “fuck this” she stomped off to further away from her family, grabbing a chair. She pulled out the laptop from her background and proceeded to try ignore everyone as best as possible, while still being in earshot. This whole meeting was far too useless for her to stay there and listen to Georgie’s conceited words or Tansy’s holier than thou speeches. She may as well do something useful with her time. 

Tuyen was given a cup of tea, then made to feel guilty for speaking up. [color=Gray][i]She should have just kept her mouth shut.[/i][/color] She couldn’t tell at all from the tea giving lady if her tone was serious or sarcastic, but either way the words themselves felt belittling. It made her feel like curling back into her shell or hiding away. [color=Gray][i]She was such a coward.[/i][/color]

She didn’t even like tea. If anything it brought back unsavoury memories of far too many family gatherings, forced to sit with relatives she barely knew while drinking tea out of china cups that she’d be punished for weeks if she damaged even slightly. Not to mention that her aunt and uncle had been avid tea drinkers… which meant she disliked it by association. But she still forced it down out of politeness.

The arguing didn’t help her already frayed nerves - Tuyen was starting to really dislike Georgie, and she generally didn’t dislike anyone but herself. Everything that came out of her mouth was pointlessly contradictory to others ideas, making this process take much longer than it should do. She really didn’t want to be here anymore. As the features of the arguing Vanburen’s began to flicker, growing more twisted, she averted her gaze. It was an obvious illusion from her shadow, but unnerving nonetheless. 

Things are less effective when you see them everyday and are already worn down.

[quote=Blu][color=#4CCEB1]... "It's unlikely that they know who I am or are aware of the...peculiar connection that I share with you all as James's ward.”...[/color][/quote]

[quote=Justin][color=red]"The only problem with that is they're probably on high alert… They would probably see through it, but that's not a risk that I am willing to take."[/color][/quote]

[color=MediumOrchid]"Not to mention that they already knew who we were,"[/color] Tuyen added softly, glancing at Justin with a smile that just about concealed her nerves. She was a little too relieved that he’d drifted back over to her. Focusing on what was going on, and the security of being near an actual friend, managed to stop her from spiralling more. [color=MediumOrchid]"And our contact with anyone here was minimal. I don’t think it’s safe to assume they don’t know who you are, or to treat them like idiots. As Justin said, it’s not a risk worth taking."[/color] 

She tried her best to sound confident even when she didn’t really want to speak anymore in front of this family - but she needed to keep up the impression that she was an expert, not just someone tagging along with Justin (which she kinda was). At least he was doing most of the talking. [color=Gray][i]She would just fuck everything up anyway.[/i][/color] She quickly finished off her tea so she could put down the mug, clasping her hands together again. Justin’s idea of luring them and ambushing them was much better… and certainly something she could get behind. It was much easier to psyche herself up for a fight she knew was going to happen.

[color=Gold]“I agree with Justin,”[/color] Oscar nodded, flashing Blu a reassuring smile. [color=Gold]“Not that I don’t trust you can protect yourself, but there’s a lot of them… and they’re powerful. Nobody should be putting themselves in danger when we can work together.”[/color]

[quote=Shane][color=SteelBlue]"If we do try and draw 'em to us, there's a higher chance than I'd like of us fucking it up and those kids making off with the other statue."[/color][/quote]

[color=Gold]“I think you’re being a bit too pessimistic, Shane,”[/color] Oscar laughed lightly after his older, likely much more realistic, brother was done talking. [color=Gold]“They weren’t able to get the statue even when [i]they[/i] caught us off guard, nevermind if we’re the ones doing it. Surely we can put our differences aside enough to deal with this?”[/color] 

Probably too much to ask, but Oscar had never understood why everyone was always at each other's throats anyway. 

[color=Gold]“But I do agree that contacting the healer is a good way to go, cause we can always try to lure them that way.”[/color]

[color=MediumOrchid]“I don’t think they’re organised enough to prepare well enough to beat us if we lure them out,”[/color] Tuyen added, looking at Justin as she spoke rather than any of the Vanburen’s - it was much easier to keep calm that way. [color=MediumOrchid]“And they won’t come after your house. They’re after the Horned God and not whatever else is in there… they had plenty of opportunities to steal when they attacked us this morning.”[/color]

[color=Gold]“I think she’s right about that,”[/color] Oscar nodded. [color=Gold]“If the cult wanted our money or other apparitions, they could’ve gotten away with something in all the chaos. If we lure them somewhere it’d mean everything’s on our terms too. Can always throw the statue right in Georgie’s garden as soon as they appear. We’d need somewhere away from other people too…”[/color]

He paused, before jokingly saying, [color=Gold]“how about a family picnic?”[/color]