[right][code]Roquefort Island.[/code][/right]
Roquefort Island’s various structures loomed in the distance as the boat got closer and closer, eventually arriving at an incredibly well-kept pier structure that the boat easily slotted itself up alongside. Trisha would’ve been able to feel the moment the boat disconnected from its magical line, the entire thing almost immediately starting to wobble and sway again as Casey pulled forward and drove off the side ramp and down the pier toward the dock houses and various facilities. There was also a gate before them, and high walls all around the island that closed off access from just about every point.

It was this gate, and the booth next to it, where Trisha would’ve really been able to see how intricate the island was. At one point, it’d been open to the public as a historic site. Nowadays, thanks to several different ordinances they’d taken out, the Richoux had privatized the island completely. They were more than allowed to put the walls and the gate up, as well as denying entry to anyone uninvited. The gatehouse booth was shuttered closed, and as Casey drove the car up next to it, he whistled sharply out the window. 

Without fuss, the gate clicked open and swung wide enough to accept the truck being driven through it before closing again. They were now on a single lane of tarmac, with beautiful but unlit lanterns lining them on either side as they slowly rolled through the property. As there was an event so recently, and the New Dawn was expecting trouble brewing because of the Temple situation, the property itself was rather crowded. Dozens of cars in a lot, and just beside it looked like a makeshift military camp with an equal number of canvas tents put up in neat rows. Fires blazed, and from Casey’s half-open window, they’d both be able to hear music playing and people talking loudly in [i]French.[/i]

[color=577d06]”Ouiiiiii. Oui Ouiiiiiiii.”[/color] Casey practically mocked them, flat affection and lack of accent clearly marking a joke. 

Then, there were the actual structures. Some seemed like simple barns or warehouses, but the closer to the actual hill they got, the more they seemed like actual homes that people lived in.

[color=577d06]”Some people keep their vacation homes here. We’re close enough to the South-West that people like my cousin Wyno use it as a base of operations for when she’s doing fashion shows and stuff in Cali. But, I’m pretty sure everything’s occupied by the Dawncorps at the moment.”[/color] Casey explained casually.

[color=d1b300]“The Dawncorps?"[/color] Trisha questioned, brow furrowing slightly. There were so many names and organisations that she struggled to keep up… Or more like, stopped trying when it came to the broad and strange magical religion. 
[color=d1b300]“Like, your grandparents'... Sect's private army kind of thing?"[/color]

She really couldn't remember what the name was for what Sylvie and Max fell under. Casey would probably give her a hard time if he knew she just thought of it all as the Temple, when it really wasn't. 

[color=d1b300]“The island's nice, though the massive wall's a bit intimidating. I suppose that's the point! I'm not sure I'd enjoy vacationing somewhere I can't see past the island, but the interior is really pretty too."[/color]

[color=577d06]”You’ll love the windows in my folks’ house. They accept the magical signal from the walls, and totally remove them from the scenery when you look out of them. The other houses have that too. I could technically do that with our place, if you wanted. It’d take me installing a few beacons out in our view, but the whole port district could disappear if you wanted that.”[/color]

Saying “disappear” like he was going to completely destroy the district and sweep it into the sea would’ve been incredibly ominous if it hadn’t been contextualized by the previous statements.

[color=577d06]”It’s just a pain, because the buildings blocking the nicest parts are kind of big and public, and if someone sees me climbing the shit, I’m sure I’ll get some phone calls made for me.”[/color] he laughed.

[color=577d06]”But, you were right otherwise. Soldiers of the New Dawn. Pulled directly from the French Military, as well as the Foreign Legions. They’re well respected, especially in the EU, since the Order makes up like twenty three percent of France’s sanctioned Adepts.”[/color]

He paused for a moment before turning and smiling.

[color=577d06]”I… Hate to say that I feel like its necessary for the government to regulate Adepts and magic. But, with the world getting so big now, I feel like its necessary to have a body of laws in place to punish people for not using their magic fucking responsibly. Like, even Emily G. Reed: Her and the stooges will probably get locked away on some bullshit R.I.C.O. case as a [i]gang[/i] rather than getting locked up for magical crimes… Even though the magical crimes are way more severe.”[/color] he started to babble, his brain holding him hostage as they took a trip down the complicated road of magical regulation between nations.

Trisha nodded in agreement. It wasn't something she knew much about… She was out of touch with the magical world, nevermind law enforcement related to it within their world. From her point of view, there never seemed to be much. It relied on good people with magic getting rid of the bad ones. Like they'd ended up doing with Dollhouse. What little she actually knew about groups that actually enforced some kind of magical rules came from not so pleasant events.

[color=d1b300]“I agree, though I don't really know how this stuff works. I'm not fond of something like registering magical people or anything, but it makes sense there should be magical punishments for magical crimes."[/color] She looked down in her lap for a moment. They were almost there, so what was the problem in saying something he probably didn't have time to pursue. 

[color=d1b300]“There are in some cases, though, aren't there? Some groups that imprison the worst threats across all the universes. My Dad was, uh, part of something like that. Some super multiversal law enforcers… Or maybe more like vigilantes? I don't know. I only found out when someone murdered him because of it. Not that [I]they[/I] did anything to help after."[/color]

Not having known that particular detail about James Vanburen made him more than a little shocked. Though, the feeling quickly faded as he started the mental math that lead him straight to the answer he thought made most sense:
James Vanburen was a Jumper… A realm-hopper, whose life had probably been long spent doing things that had absolutely nothing to do with having a family or being anyone’s everything. The only real question now was [i]why.[/i]

Did he end up here because he was on the run from his own? Did his people get wiped out by some greater entity, and he fled to Shimmer to hide? Trisha was right in that he didn’t have much time to press her, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have an immediate comment that he couldn’t stop himself from making.

[color=577d06]”Your Dad was fucking [i]what!?[/i] I thought he was, like, some fucking underground kingpin who decided to go legit! What do you mean he was part of some Multiversal knightly order or some bullshit!?”[/color] he asked with a great deal of shock as they pulled up the hill and around the bend. 

From off the island, this building had been the most noticeable on the horizon. Mostly because it practically rose up from the sea like a pillar of stone. The main house seemed to be less a house, and more a fortress that had, like many of the other rocky coastal islands up and down St. Portwell’s bay, once housed the American Navy and some of its facilities. The outside pier was a remnant of such days, and this austere stonework structure looked to be ripped straight from the pages of a civil war novel, with plenty of openings for cannons and gun emplacements.

However, from that stonework and concrete base, a whole other structure seemed to be naturally growing. The main part closely resembled a two-tone Tudor-style manor house with the cross bracing beams visible between the plaster and stucco finish. But this place also seemed to be utterly bedecked in bronze and brass, with the rear holding the actual tower itself that climbed several more stories up. It was choked by cables, wires, conduit boxes, and hundreds of other connections that ran the total height of it’s span and only disappeared by crawling through the underside of the tower’s bulbous, almost spherical top floor. 

If Trisha’s magic was open at all, she’d [i]feel the disruption of this place.[/i] This kind of industrial technomagic was as far from the natural world that the Queen came from as possible, and would give any spirit of nature a lasting sensation of depression as the world they were born to was clearly [i]dead[/i] in this place.

Trisha reactively shuddered. Since the Queen handed her magic over to Trisha, she'd become more open to these things- though not necessarily on purpose. For now, it was like how she sensed pheromones: something that was always turned on. Though the base level wasn't so strong she was detecting normal magical fluctuations- that would require actual concentration. But this hit like a brick wall of technology, making her feel sick. 

At least the Queen was still asleep and didn't need to deal with any of the effects herself. 

[color=d1b300]“I mean… Yeah, Dad was part of something like that, I guess. I really didn't know until he was [I]killed[/I] for it, and I only know because I was there when it happened. It's not exactly easy to bring up… I guess having tens of kids with different women doesn't really fit the image."[/color] Trisha managed to respond, a bit worried that Casey was upset at her for withholding it. But it wasn't really on purpose… The only effect it had on her life was Adjoining with the Queen thanks to James' artifact collection, and his death. 

Two pretty major events, sure… But she still struggled to reconcile the Father she'd known and whatever he'd done in the past. Been still doing while a fair few of the older kids were around. 

She tried to smile at him, though it looked more like a grimace. She'd almost prefer they turned around and she had to continue this conversation, rather than going in there.
[color=d1b300]“Most of his past is still a mystery, honestly."[/color]

He’d stopped the truck and turned the engine off before she was done speaking… But nothing could’ve stopped him from letting his jaw slack completely while she totally bypassed everything that she was saying in terms of intelligent consideration. It’s like her brain was either too repressed to see what he saw, or she was actively avoiding it. Either way, he couldn’t [i]not[/i] say something. At least he was so stunned that he had a moment to gather himself and consider how best to present this to her.

[color=577d06]”Your Father… Isn’t from Shimmer, is he?”[/color] he asked with an incredibly stupified look on his face.
[color=577d06]”As in… Honey, I… I think that, maybe uh…”[/color]

Of course he was the way he was. He spent whatever time he’d had here on Shimmer probably [i]hating it.[/i] Entirely trapped as some transdimensional refugee, hiding in a new world without connections… The women, the children, the companies, the industry…

[color=577d06]”Well… Don’t you think there’s a possibility that the reason he was so cold is because he’s… [i]From another place?[/i] Like, one he always wanted to go back to, but never could!? That maybe he left behind a life that he was happy with, and all of what he did here was just to, like… [i]Protect himself?[/i]”[/color] he finally managed to ask the question on his mind aloud.

Trisha had never thought about it like that. She hadn't really been able to think about the implications of it, because the shock and grief had been too much at the time to start picking through it. Maybe he did have a happy life in some other world he had to leave behind. But it wasn't like anyone forced him to have all those children? Did it really excuse the emotional neglect of her and all of her siblings?

[color=d1b300]“I don't know… he wasn't cold to all of us. He was doting on Tansy and Sabrina. Maybe he just got bored after a while- Maybe you're right."[/color] She frowned, staring down at her hands. Her breathing got a bit quicker, and the nausea was trying to crawl out of her stomach. 

[color=d1b300]“You mean you think… he had all of us just to protect himself? How would that even help? He still died! He died to someone who lived with us for years!"[/color] Her hands moved up to cover her face, trying not to really freak out over the information. It didn't change anything, did it? It wasn't like it changed how she'd been brought up. Just her perspective… 

[color=d1b300]“If he was really from somewhere else, and all that was the case… Wouldn't that make me a bad person for hating him so much?"[/color]

Casey immediately shook his head.
[color=577d06]”I can’t imagine a scenario where that’s the case. It wasn’t like you should’ve felt guilt or anything over how he chose to spend his life. And that includes anything from before you were born. He still could’ve been nice to your mom, or the other women he was with. He could’ve made his life work. But, if he was in a constant state of ‘woe-is-me’, then it was his own fault for not seeing that.”[/color]

Having no love for James Vanburen didn’t really change his opinion. He could just as easily sit and make judgement calls about his own beloved father, because he was able to observe the situation at an objective level. Or, objective to him at least. Even reality seemed to have a spectrum of objectivity these days…

[color=577d06]”He chose to do the thing a bunch. Really, it just makes me feel like he was experimenting or something. I don’t know… [i]Why have so many kids without any real purpose?[/i]”[/color]

[color=d1b300]“Ezra said it was about building a legacy, or some bullshit like that, once."[/color] Trisha grimaced. That didn't really seem like a good reason to have so many children with [I]different[/I] women. He could've done that with one wife… Then again, there were plenty of them who were less than nine months apart. 

[color=d1b300]“Experimenting makes more sense, right?! But how- It's not like he sought out loads of powerful Adepts or anything. He-"[/color] She shuddered a bit. 
[color=d1b300]“I guess most of the women he got pregnant were pretty… successful in one way or another. The ones we know about. But why? Does that mean I'm- I was just an experi- [I]Ugh.[/I]"[/color]

She curled forward, clamping her mouth shut as she tried to push down the nausea that was really gripping her now. More than the though her whole birth was part of some asshole's experiment, it was the constant feeling of death pressing down on her from the nearby building. At least the sick feeling overwhelmed the heavy despair that it brought through her connection to the Queen.

Casey didn’t really know the details of his assumptions. That’s why they were purely speculative, and he didn’t invest a great deal of emotion into them. There had been just as high of a chance of her refuting him with evidence as there was of her going along with what he was saying. But, the last reaction?

[color=577d06]”Baby? The island doesn’t rock with the ocean, Love, what’s wrong?”[/color] he asked, quickly shifting in his seat to let his arms move and brush her hair out of her face so he could look at her expression.

Trisha’s face was full of strain, eyes scrunched until they were almost shut. She took deep, heaving breaths as she did her best to just [i]not be sick[/i]. They were going to get closer! She’d have to get used to it… Or figure out how to shut off whatever magic was causing her to be bombarded by waves of technological death. 

[color=d1b300]“It’s the- House.”[/color] She managed to get out through gritted teeth. Her hands gripped her knees, knuckles getting paler. 
[color=d1b300]“Feels- Horrible. H- How do I- Mmf, no-”[/color]

She was losing the battle with her body, reaching out to hurriedly shove the door on her side open. She didn’t even manage to get out like she’d intended, leaning out to throw up what little was in her stomach onto the tarmac. Thank God she’d skipped breakfast.

Which was perfect timing, as the massive figure of Maxwell the eldest was sauntering his way down the path from the entryway just in time to watch Trisha vomit. The elicited response was actually a little heartwarming all things considered, as Maxwell’s first response was not to become disgusted or judgemental. Rather, breaking from his purposeful stride into an unreal, almost floating jog as he made way for the car like an approaching rhinoceros. 

[color=fc6603]”Mon deux! Trisha!? You suffer from the sea, I understa-”[/color]
Casey was quick to cut him off, as he’d already gotten out of his seat and started rounding the truck to Trisha’s side.

[color=577d06]”Papa! It’s not the sea, Sir, she said something about the house!”[/color] he replied with a frantic look on his face, like he was considering bombing the entire structure just to stop this feeling from taking over Trisha.

Maxwell stared, blank faced for several moments as he tried to connect what it was she meant. At first, he looked back at his home as if there were something wholly ugly and aesthetically unpleasing about it. Sylvie often complained of such a thing, but she never seemed to grow physically ill from the sight of it.

[color=fc6603]”Uuuuh? But the house, it is not this ugly!”[/color] 

[color=577d06]”What tests are running, what machines are going!?”[/color]

[color=fc6603]”Besides the generator? The McGuffin check, and the autoforge!”[/color]

With his White Lux, Casey did his best to feel the magic in the air. Only then did he realize what was happening.

[color=577d06]”Ohhhh, it’s the [i]fucking generator![/i]”[/color] Casey finally blurted out, eyes turning upward to the top of the tower.
[color=577d06]”The amount of Orange Lux radiating out of it is fucking… Probably overloading her. Baby? Baby, can you walk? I think we’ll be safer inside!”[/color]

Maxwell understood now too, and waived his hand.

[color=fc6603]”Carry her! Do not ask, if she’s weak then it should alway-”[/color]
As the lecture began, Casey was already scooping Trisha up out of the truck and starting to walk forward toward the hill.

[color=577d06]”-Yes, yes Papa! I understand, I’m doing it, I’m carrying her! Please, just start gathering the components in the back! I don’t want to be here all day, and clearly neither does Trisha!”[/color] he called back.

As they ascended the hill, the feeling was just getting worse. Like death had come again and again for her without success, and it was getting [i]upset.[/i]

[color=577d06]”Hang on, Honey! I know it sucks, but… The house is full of shielding from the radiation! How’s the Queen, are you both gonna make it for me!?”[/color] he practically pleaded down to her in his arms.

[color=d1b300]“D-dunno, can’t feel- her.”[/color] Trisha choked out, her hand covering her mouth to stop anything else escaping. But she’d gotten everything out of her stomach in the first few goes, the retching becoming more painful than anything now.

Her eyes welled up with tears that quickly covered her face, whole body trembling in his arms. Panic was truly clutching her now as they got closer. Like every step towards the house was a step towards inevitable death. Her chest tightened, breathing getting painfully short and her heart beating in an intense staccato. It felt like she was being crushed at all angles by deep hopelessness. She wanted to run, but she had no strength. Panic pheromones spilled out into the air, only to fizzle out and die immediately. Just like she was going, it was coming for her, it felt so angry and empty-

[color=d1b300]“‘M sorry… Sorry…”[/color] She clutched Casey’s shirt, curling into herself against him. She felt awful, her panic only escalating when she realised his distress. She couldn’t even try to like, but she’d be fine, she had to be for him- 

But she wouldn’t, she wouldn’t, everything was dead and dying.
[color=d1b300]“[i]It- Feels- Like death, Casey.[/i]”[/color] She moaned out painfully.

He was making the pace, but got to the door finally and had an incredibly hard time getting it open while still holding her. It probably would’ve been quite the shock for him to totally shift her and toss her over one shoulder… But getting inside was an almost instant relief. Ten, maybe fifteen seconds were spent with that inexorable feeling of dread filling her very soul.

[color=577d06]”Apparitons are usually attracted to high energy signatures-”[/color] Casey started, quickly shifting her back into his arms before starting to rush through the house. 

The perspective Trisha was getting didn’t leave room for a lot of observations about the interior. There seemed to be a lot of warm wood, and carved ceilings that had paintings on them like the Sistine Chapel. 

[color=577d06]”-so I think the Generator up on top of the tower is attuned to a pretty shitty signal. The New Dawn doesn’t keep Aberrations it their ranks, so there’s usually nobody here to worry about this stuff.”[/color] he spoke rather calmly, in spite of his rushing as they hit a staircase and started descending. 

By this point, everything would’ve felt normal again, leaving Trisha with the chance to protest being relocated by force.

[color=d1b300]“I’m- I’m okay now, Casey.”[/color] Trisha spoke up, not sure where he was taking them and not wanting him to continue to worry. It wasn’t a lie, because the feeling had gone away, even if the panic it had brought up in her took more time to calm down. She still trembled in his arms, breathing just beginning to slow down. But the nausea was gone, and the heavy weight of depression lifted. 

She didn’t feel like she was about to die anymore. 

[color=d1b300]“S-Sorry, I should’ve said as soon as I started feeling sick.”[/color] She continued, trying to really calm herself down. It was hard when the panic had been just below the surface and the horrible feeling had brought it to its worst. 

[color=d1b300]“It felt like death- Like everything had died and I should have too. Just… [i]wrong[/i].”[/color]

Casey hadn’t even known [i]exactly[/i] what the signal was. He knew that it was supposed to totally disconnect anything natural from its surroundings, meaning any kind of natural fae Apparition or anything linked to the Deer in concept was shit out of luck. He could only assume that, as one of those kinds of Apparitions, the Queen was just as susceptible to the consequences of the Generator’s very intentional radiation leak.

But he wasn’t exactly worried about the interesting logistics of it. Finally pausing, Casey exhaustedly slumped backward, leaning against the faded black and white mosaic tiles that made the surface of the stairs. His arms flexed, and he squished her tighter into his arms to make sure she could feel him just like he could feel her.

[color=577d06]”It’s not real, Trisha… I swear, it’s not real. I’m [i]so[/i] sorry… I never even thought about how this place would affect you.”[/color] he admitted, embarrassingly so.

[color=d1b300]“It’s okay.”[/color] Trisha whispered back, voice hoarse from throwing up and panicking. But at least her breathing was really starting to even out now, warm safety pushing away the remaining cold fear as he held her tightly. 

[color=d1b300]“I didn’t realise a place could [i]feel[/i] like that. I don’t think I would’ve felt it if I didn’t have all of her magic… [i]She buried deeper into me[/i]. I dunno if- if it would’ve been worse for us both if she didn’t.”[/color] She continued, hugging into him. She could feel the Queen again now… Strangely more than she had since when the baton had been passed a few days before. She’d stirred in response to the signal, only to hide. 

But she was there, even if in the process of going back into her restful state within Trisha. She hadn’t abandoned her…

[color=d1b300]“But I know it’s not real. If it was, I wouldn’t be able to feel you like this.”[/color]

Casey could hear the wood in the wall shifting next to him until a pair of lips formed by his head.
[color=0377fc]”Caseau, this commotion?”[/color]

Nana Sylvie’s voice had a hollow sound to it as the wooden lips spoke from the wall. An ear also formed, floating into existence at the surface of the wood like it had been inside the wall the whole time. Casey threw his head back in frustration… There were no private moments in his life. [i]None.[/i]

[color=577d06]”Trisha’s an Aberration, Nana… The Generator could’ve seriously hurt her!”[/color]

There was a pause on the other end, then both the mouth and the ear totally sunk back down into the depths of the wall. Casey half-giggled to himself.

[color=577d06]”I… Think she’s upset.”[/color] he let the statement hang.

Trisha was glad Casey was holding her so tight, because she probably would’ve jumped out of his arms otherwise. She was still on edge, even as she came down from it, and a voice out of nowhere was unnerving.

[color=d1b300]“She [i]did[/i] ask.”[/color] Trisha responded, pressing her lips together. But if Sylvie was upset, that might make things more difficult for them- for her. She still wanted to make a good impression, and she’d done the opposite. Throwing up in front of Max, causing a commotion… It made her anxiety flare back up. 

But she didn’t want to put that anxiety on him right now.
[color=d1b300]“Is she still listening? I… Don’t know how you deal with it. All the magic use and spying all the time.”[/color]

Casey could’ve used White Lux to see if there was an Orange signal running through the walls to the microphones near them. But, there was an easier and faster way. Clearing his throat, he bit his lip slightly and cocked his head, then closed his eyes and remembered a thousand smacks to the head as a burst of incredibly vulgar French came out of his mouth. 

When there was no retaliation, Casey was satisfied that she was absent. He turned his face back to Trisha, a slight grin.
[color=577d06]”You’re used to a bunch of shit you shouldn’t have to deal with. Humans can eat a surprising amount of shit before things get dire.”[/color]

Sitting upright, he managed to let go of Trisha enough to pull his glove and begin to trace all the Orange Lux through the house. The layer of metallic shielding on the tower side of the house burned a hole in his vision as he turned his head and got caught in the intensity of the light. He immediately cut the spell channel, clearing his throat.

[color=577d06]”God… You should see the magical metal keeping you safe.”[/color] 
He brought his hand up, pointing and tracing an imaginary line against the wall they were next to, through the house toward the roof.
[color=577d06]”It’s all up there. Past the next few walls. I’m glad that it affects Adepts too, at this range. Otherwise, we’d have left, I guess. I’d have brought you home, maybe after leaving the beads here, I guess. Come back and get it when its done or whatever.”[/color]

There were clicking heel noises from down the stairs that echoed up them, until little Sylvie was staring up at the two of them half sprawled on the stairs. As she approached, the stairs themselves began to move like an escalator, causing Casey and Trisha to rise up toward the start of the stairs.

[color=0377fc]”You were [i]supposed[/i] to be here at eight!”[/color] she snapped, weakly letting one heeled foot tap onto a step as the other followed. She too began to rise in tandem.

[color=577d06]”It’s eight thirty, Nana… We arrived here earlier.”[/color]

[color=0377fc]”Here! [i]Here.[/i] At Eight! Your lack of time management nearly killed your Fiance: I put the baby to sleep at seven-thirty, and woke it up at eight-o-five, and yet you speak as if-”[/color]

She [i]was[/i] annoyed! At what specifically, it was hard to tell. She kept talking about babies in terms of sleeping and waking before falling into French again. But, it was [i]very[/i] clear that it was Casey’s fault, whatever it was.

Even though it was directed at Casey, Trisha was still hit by the scolding. It wasn’t something anyone would’ve had to worry about if it wasn't for her… At least, she assumed it was something to do with the generator even with Sylvie mentioning a [i]baby[/i]. 

[color=d1b300]“It’s my fault we were late. I took too long getting ready, so don’t be angry at Casey, please.”[/color] She spoke up, managing to sound calm and confident for all she was lightly trembling against Casey. It technically wasn’t a lie… But they’d only left five or ten minutes late because of her, with the stop when calling Leon adding to that. But if time was so tight, that seemed enough to throw everything off. 

It was terrifying for her to say that in the face of someone she wanted to like her, but she cared about Casey more. She wanted to defend him… Especially now. 

[color=d1b300]“And I’m fine! So it’s water under the bridge.”[/color]

Sylvie didn’t skip a beat.

[color=0377fc]”Trisha… You will make a wonderful wife. But Caseau knows things. He should know. You should not. Thus, it is not you who should be held responsible, when he holds the knowledge.”[/color] she explained calmly, meeting them at the top of the escalating stairs and reaching out to grip Trisha’s hand in comfort.

[color=0377fc]”So quick to place the blame upon yourself… I will rock the baby to sleep. Then, we shall walk. Caseau?”[/color]

[color=577d06]”Oui, Nana?”[/color]

She waved her hand, and he instinctively leaned down for a smack for being late. Instead, he got a peck on the cheek from his venerably aged grandmother. It was a little shocking, but he turned his head and quickly gave her the other cheek. Pulling back up, she looked at him and waggled one long, bony finger.

[color=0377fc]”I am… [i]Teasing.[/i]”[/color]

And then she started to cackle the most intense and caricatured witch’s laugh that Trisha would ever have heard. This ancient woman even tilted her head back, one hand on her belly as she began the short but purposeful clomping steps in her thick clogs. 

[color=0377fc]”Trisha? Come with me to the kitchen… Leave this one to work with his Grandpapa.”[/color]

Casey’s frown was present, and he looked down at Trisha.
[color=577d06]”I… Do you want to wait a few minutes? Get calm?”[/color] he asked her cautiously.

Trisha looked back up at him, trying to search for an answer in his face. For what he wanted, rather than what she wanted. 

She didn’t really know. She wanted to go home already. So letting him go get the beads fixed was the fastest way to do that, right? Assuming they’d actually be able to go when it was done. He had said they didn’t want to be here all day while she was throwing up. Hopefully that would hold. 

[color=d1b300]“I think I’m alright… Unless you’re going to be working a long time? Then I need to charge up.”[/color] She responded, trying to keep her tone light. She wasn’t calm, but she wasn’t going to be [i]calm[/i]. The anxiety was constant at the moment. She could manage it.

[color=0377fc]”I would not use the battery stations throughout the house. High amperage.”[/color] Sylvie absently instructed, assuming just as well that Trisha would [i]want[/i] the time Casey was offering. She wasn’t so bold as to overrule him in that regard, and made her way down the long main hall of the house.

Which, now that Trisha was conscious and awake for it, looked incredibly uncanny as a place. Pipes, cables and cords ran across the molding of the ceiling into various places, and beneath them had to be hundreds and hundreds of picture frames. Only half had pictures that Trisha could see, but they all seemed to be of the St. Portwell Richouxs… Max Gravity, Lynette, the kids in various different poses, places and put-ons. A lot seemed like family trips or church events which they’d attended alongside Big Max and Sylvie. The family looked fairly happy. Though, there was a distinct absence of Lynette in a lot of pictures that looked [i]almost empty.[/i] 

Like landscapes, punctuated by a toddler half way inside the frame of the shot with their hands up. Running [i]toward[/i] something. Something that wasn’t there anymore.

Casey had laughed at his Nana’s joke, brushing it off.
[color=577d06]”Silly old lady… She thinks you charge up with electricity.”[/color] Casey said in a half-lucid tone. The truth was that he was also already tired. That little panic attack had probably been enough to do them both in were it a normal circumstance. 

But Trisha needed her equipment fixed. This was [i]for[/i] her. If she could stick it out, so could he.

[color=577d06]”But, I don’t know how long it’s gonna take. For all I know, Papa may fix it outside. Granted, he’ll have to take it apart again so we can install the new components, but-”[/color] he trailed off, letting her mind finish the statement as it wanted to.

[color=577d06]”So… D’you wanna sit somewhere? Or, are we just gonna cuddle up in the hall until you’re ready?”[/color]

Trisha gave him a small smile, even as her eyes wandered around their surroundings. It was almost cyperpunk-esque… She hoped that even if Casey filled their future home with Orange Lux gadgets, there wouldn’t be so many obvious wires and pipes around. The pictures were cute, if strange in some of them. She tried not to think too hard about it. 

[color=d1b300]“You know I don’t mind where we are.”[/color] She said softly, turning her attention back to Casey. She smiled a bit more. 
[color=d1b300]“Did you visit here often as a child? Were there any spots you liked, or anything? I’d like to see that… If not, anywhere quiet will do.”[/color]


She glanced towards the long hall Sylvie had gone down again. 
[color=d1b300]“I’m really alright, it doesn’t have to be long if you want to get on with getting the bracelet fixed.”[/color]

Casey cleared his throat, looking around before giving her a very serious expression in return.

[color=577d06]”Trisha… You’re doing good. I hope you know you’re doing good, but… [i]C’mon.[/i] Ten minutes ago you vomited in the driveway and were saying that death was coming. There’s plenty of times we can stick to the plan, but… Stuff like that? It’s big enough for my brain to hold onto. Let it go for a few minutes.”[/color]

The truth was, anywhere he would’ve spent time in this house was [i]not[/i] a quiet place. The autoforge was an incredible piece of magical technology that he loved staring at all day long, but that didn’t mean it’d be good for Trisha. They hadn’t had the whole place back then anyway. Rather, one of the houses down the road had been a feeler property owned by the church as an entity, kept in holdings and used communally for anyone visiting St. Portwell [i]way[/i] back when. He’d been up in this building back then, but it hadn’t had a home-seed planted in the basement then.

He wasn’t worried. The entire house was more or less a quiet space, with all the non-combatant relatives having gone home after the Harvest Celebration. He was more worried about making sure that Trisha knew there were distinctions to be made.

Trisha pressed her lips together, looking back up at him evenly. There was a visible struggle in her expression, as she fought with herself between what felt like imposing or continuing the path she was trying to go down. Not leaning on him as heavily as she had been the last month, because he was already weighed down by so much… But doubling down would only annoy or upset him. What had happened had happened.

Eventually, she nodded, her body going slightly slack as she stopped trying to just hold it together. The trembles came back and she bit her lip.

[color=d1b300]“I just… As soon as we entered the house, the feeling was gone. So it feels like I should just push through it even though I’m still shaken by it.”[/color] She admitted quietly, voice only getting quiet. 
[color=d1b300]“It was so scary. Like everything was cold and decaying. The feeling of the [i]wrongness[/i] made me sick… But the despair was worse. It felt like I was cheating death and the closer we got to the house, the more pissed off it got. I haven’t felt something that bad [i]magically[/i] since the Stygian Snake tried to get into my head.”[/color]

Casey nodded along as she explained it, and he slumped them both against the wall before taking her down so they could both sit on the floor. Calmly, he brushed her hands in his own. Being honest with himself, he would’ve rathered they just got it done and left without having any further issues. If they’d made it back home, maybe she would’ve been okay… But, he’d not missed what she said in her stupor. And now that she was conscious and telling him about it, he knew she probably wouldn’t have made it healthily back home. Maybe she’d have shut down. Maybe she’d have been okay but quiet. 

He didn’t want either by the time they got home. He wanted her fine. So, letting her cry it out a bit would be a lot easier ultimately. Thus, here he was, very consciously and purposefully driving himself through his own mood like a plōh through dirt. There was only one option now that he locked in: And that was being a good man to her. Someone who could help. 

Besides, if she wanted to bring it up ever again, he already loaded this new bullet into the argument chamber. Another moment where [i]he[/i] got to be strong while she leaned on him. [i]Even if he said it was okay.[/i] He never could’ve directly understood the pressure she felt over it otherwise, but he didn’t feel like he needed to either. 

[color=577d06]”Nobody ever told me that’s what the actual effect was. I figured, with you being an Aberration and all, you’d easily bypass the problem. I understand I was wrong… I’m sorry for it. It was a bad mistake.”[/color] he admitted his guilt simply and without ego, hoping that would help her along even a little bit.

Trisha frowned, pulling her legs up towards her chest. So he’d known it might have some effect on her… But she still didn’t entirely see how it was his fault. By bringing her in the first place? Or them ending up late? 

[color=d1b300]“It’s not your fault it perfectly targets my Apparition. Because of her connection to nature… It’s why she exists. It killed that, so of course she’d be next. And me.”[/color] She shuddered a little, remembering the feeling. But she didn’t seem to be taking his apology and just running with it… She wasn’t looking for an apology. She wasn’t annoyed at him right now, she was struggling with the panic and heavy hopelessness the feeling had brought out in her.

She wasn’t long out of her own depressive period, after all, and then was in a constant state of heightened anxiety right now. She took a deep breath, trying to curb the panic attack that threatened to come out as she thought about it. 

[color=d1b300]“I accept your apology but I’m really not… upset at you. I just don’t know how to get rid of the lingering feeling- because that’s all mine. It isn’t magically hurting me anymore. The Queen’s already gotten past it, so I should be able to as well. But I’m not [i]strong enough[/i]... Maybe if I was stronger, it wouldn’t have been a problem. Or I could’ve pushed through it. Instead I’m just [i]scared[/i]. Like I’m actually going to die.”[/color]

Casey accepted what she meant. That was a much harder process. The way he saw it, there were simply two kinds of people. Those who could wave Death off, unbothered by the nightmare lurking behind the curtain and ignorant of the closeness in which it operates… And those who just couldn’t. He didn’t even see it as a [i]numbness[/i] that needed time to build like a resistance. People he’d served with directly had just as many problems, it seemed. It drove them furious. Mad animals to a fault more often than not. Some had to be circulated to the rear… Others could be convinced.

[color=577d06]”Are you more… Afraid? Or, ashamed? Are they [i]equal?[/i]”[/color] he asked in a very casual and non-confrontational fashion. As close as he could get, he hoped, without triggering the pain all over again.

Trisha pursed her lips, head tilting forward so she was looking down. She felt both… But was it equally? Really, shame was just a different type of fear. Fear of other people’s reactions and views feeding into her negative self image. She was ashamed she couldn’t easily get over it, but also afraid of the feeling of death being overdue, and ashamed it still lingered when she knew it wasn’t real.

It all fed into each other. A constant cycle. 

[color=d1b300]“They’re equal, I think.”[/color] She admitted. 
[color=d1b300]“I’m scared of that feeling and the looming death, which makes me just want to… crawl into bed and never get out. Because it feels hopeless. And I’m ashamed of that, because it wasn’t even [i]real[/i]. The depressive feeling was from the magic, and I’m not going to die. But I’m irrationally scared I will, which makes me feel more ashamed. Because I should be able to handle it without worrying I might get… depressed again.”[/color] 

Though she didn’t think it was a risk in that same way. She probably wouldn’t become as lethargic as she had done. She had no choice but to do things for [i]their[/i] survival. And she couldn’t be the one struggling right now. Casey was. The anxiety surrounding everything with him outweighed the depression the magic had dragged back up overall.

[color=577d06]”Feelings [i]are[/i] real.”[/color]

Casey’s words were clear, assertive, and very intentional. Not only was she ignoring the entire concept of individual relativity, which played heavily into this situation, but she was also missing one of the most basic fundamentals of Adeptal magic. The link between the light spectrum, and the emotional spectrum, and everything in between. She was distraught, and that was okay… But, did she really ever realize that there was a whole spectrum of magic based purely around the kind of feeling she was having right now? That some people had to store feelings like these, and keep dredging them up constantly in order to use the same kind of stuff that Casey was [i]happy[/i] to use.

[color=577d06]”When you feel something like this, it’s real. I discredited what you were going through thinking it would help, but somehow managed to reinforce your anxiety by trivializing your perception.”[/color]

He wasn’t happy now. She wasn’t blaming him, but everything she said pointed back toward what he’d said initially. That it wasn’t [i]real.[/i] In truth, he hadn’t known whether or not it was actually dangerous. It could’ve been doing terrible things to her mind and body at a cellular level for all he knew. Sylvie and Max didn’t seem terribly worried about it, but did they even know the full extent? For him to say it wasn’t real ultimately put Trisha into a situation where she thought less of herself…

[color=577d06]”Can you… Can we try to think about it like it [i]was[/i] real? What does that do to you? That, Hell, you could’ve been in mortal peril? And that the feelings you had were your body’s natural reaction to being exposed to that? Your body really actually feeling it? Because, if that’s how it felt… I don’t care whether you’re okay right now or not. Because it was Hell on Earth for however many seconds you were exposed. And that makes it real to me too…”[/color] he ultimately concluded, hugging into her tightly.

Trisha's breath hitched, all the panic she'd been trying to suppress flooding back up. If it was real, that would mean she could have [I]died[/I]. It felt like she'd narrowly escaped it… She should have died along with all the nature in the area. Her eyes welled up with tears, chest starting to heave up and down. She twisted to press herself fully into Casey, clinging to him like that feeling would come back if she let go. 

[color=d1b300]“I don't want to die, Casey. Not like that, not like death's hunting me cause I cheated it… I've barely lived! I don't wanna lose it all now that I have something to live for."[/color] She choked out, doing her best not to fully break down into tears. 

[color=d1b300]“It makes me feel so powerless! Cause I couldn't do anything… I can't protect myself from something like that. And it's terrifying. I didn't even know what was happening and- and there was nothing I could do. I don't want to be powerless… But it feels like I'll always be [I]weak[/I]... Because if there's something that can hurt the Queen like that, what can I do?!"[/color]

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to take a deep breath. 
[color=d1b300]“But- But I'm not dead… I c-can cope with the pain, I swear, it's just- just the hopelessness."[/color]

There were few things he could help with immediately. If she was having serious troubles like this, especially with hopelessness, there weren’t exactly a lot of cures. But, Casey did have one [i]big[/i] advantage against that sort of thing. In truth, the modern Richoux had long foregone the more esoteric aspects of Orange Lux for very practical technological and physical applications. However, that wasn’t always the primary use of Orange.

In days past, the Richoux clan had been a subservient: part of the vast, twisting mire of French nobility, their house was patronized by a greater Noble house, and their Adepts were often utilized for a single purpose. Those spells were still open to him, only he had a great deal of experience using them where other Richoux simply didn’t bother. Part of the oath of their house was that a Richoux was to be like the Sun. The center of everything. Generational trauma, he assumed, from being treated like second class adepts for most of their time in the aristocracy. 

Thus, the bolstering magic of Deep Orange, for a typical Richoux, was equal to being put in the back seat. To empower others, and allow them to do the work that a Richoux could do with their own ingenuity and invention, was felt in the same way that an insult was. But, in the Military, there was always room for a little help. For some, the technology- artifacts and otherwise enchanted items -was enough. But, some needed help deeper inside.

And that took [i]real[/i] courage. Courage he knew he could muster. The kind of courage that would, maybe, help Trisha break the lingering sensation even a little bit. All she needed was enough to begin turning the tide back into her own favor. All she needed, Casey imagined, was a [i]little help.[/i]

And what else was being a couple for?

Taking her hands, she’d be able to feel that he’d slipped one into his glove. It was rough, and almost felt clammy against her soft skin.
[color=577d06]”I… Know magic that I think could help. Maybe its not a solution, and maybe you won’t even want to think about it… But, you’ve been around other Orange Adepts. If you’ve ever felt a Bolstering Courage spell, or something like that, you’ll know what I mean when I say that the feeling doesn’t go away. You just… It helps to feel like you can get through it. No matter what.”[/color] he tried to explain, hoping Trisha would understand what he was getting at, and not take it like he was trying to rush through her problem.

After all, he desperately wanted to help her. There truly were no ulterior motives at that moment.

Normally, Trisha wasn’t a particular fan of any kind of magic that might play with her emotions. She worried about the influence, and it becoming some sort of crutch… But she didn’t want to be a burden on Casey like this right now. A little bit of confidence would help her get through it so she could just keep going. It would let her be [i]fine[/i]. 

It was just a shame she couldn’t use her own pheromones on herself without trapping herself in a tiny space the whole time. 

[color=d1b300]“I’ve felt it before… Not often, but I remember. Normally I’d- I’d be put in places they didn’t have Orange Adepts focused on boosting, cause a small dose of my aggression pheromones did that kinda thing.”[/color] She explained unnecessarily through her tears. Like she was somehow worried that he’d think she didn’t understand and withdraw the offer, or that she’d been purposefully deprived of it all those years ago.

She took a shaky breath, looking at him with tear stained, panic filled eyes. 
[color=d1b300]“P-Please… I want to be able to get through it. I don’t wanna panic like this right now.”[/color]

Casey’s gloved hand warmed up immediately, energy transferring out of it and into her hand that he was holding in it. There was something like a pulse, or more directly a connection opening up for her to accept through her Emotional Field. Once she did, she’d be able to feel the magic spread across her like warm mud in a spa. After a few seconds, Trisha would be able to feel the weight being lifted off her chest. Only, Casey’s spell wasn’t [i]just[/i] for courage. White Lux was a truly powerful bolstering force in its own right, and mixed into the Orange, Trisha would be able to hear Casey’s voice. 

It was pretty easy to tell that he wasn’t talking to her directly. Especially when memories were being recalled in her own head almost without her prompting. Memories of good times with him. Times over the month prior, in small moments where Casey found himself sitting back and simply admiring her. And, in her mind, these were from [i]his[/i] internal perspective. She was able to observe herself from his eyes, sat behind her and turning from the computer screen she was looking at, to the side profile of her gentle smile.

It’d been a game day. She was playing away, enjoying her time with Gin and Ed, and Casey’s brain had wandered just enough to catch a glimpse of her face. She could feel all the warmth coming from him that he hadn’t given her in that moment. Spare love, admiration, and complete infatuation.

[color=577d06][i]I’ll be behind you forever.[/i][/color]

That solitary thought had run through his mind, and he used it as the reinforced applicator for the spell. Nostalgia for the little moments, and courage for this big one now. Together, they left Trisha with a wholly different feeling than those old days when she’d been bolstered. They’d all been kids, after all… How could one have so much more courage than the others? Especially in such life or death circumstance, common courage was always in short supply. This, however, came from a near limitless well, built by a man’s self-hatred and reforged into an unbreakable bastion of eager readiness. To face danger, horror, evil… [i]And Death itself.[/i]

As the spell spread across her, all the cold fear she’d felt was covered up by warm courage. It wasn’t something she’d experienced before. She’d never felt brave like that. All the feelings were still there, but it was like a balm on her wounds. Her anxiety wriggled underneath it, but she was able to ignore it again. It wasn’t crushing her. Heavy, but manageable. 

Her tears started to dry and her breathing evened out, a light blush spreading across her cheeks. It was strange to see herself from his perspective… In a light so different from the one she viewed herself in. He really loved her. Of course he did, she believed it every time she heard him say it and with everything he did for her… But feeling it was so different. Hearing the single unspoken thought. 

She really hoped he’d be behind her forever…

For once, she did feel like she could get through it. [i]Really[/i] get through it, without worrying about keeping everything to a manageable level to prevent a panic attack. That wasn’t even a risk until the spell wore off. She could worry a little less for now… Ignore it all for a while. 

[color=d1b300]“Thank you.”[/color] Trisha whispered as the spell fully settled on her. She managed to smile genuinely at him. 
[color=d1b300]“It’s… much more manageable now. I’ll really be okay. I love you.”[/color]

Casey held her close, making sure all the little strings of magic were properly attached to the inside of her Emotional Field like a veil. 

[color=577d06]”I love you the same… Just remember, this isn’t forever. I don’t want to make it a habit, and I’m sure you don’t want to feel like it is either. But, for now… As long as you need it. As long as it takes for us to be here.”[/color]

Contrary to his feelings as of late, Casey felt like he wanted to be there with her in that moment. It was a true want, rather than some obligatory feeling of necessity; because she was so hurt by it. So vulnerable already, and only here because he prompted her to. It… [i]Was.[/i] It was a sense of obligation. But, it was one that Casey knew he wouldn’t give up for the world in that moment. And if it was a burden someone wanted, was it really a burden?

To even think of it like that made him sick. Rather than let it affect him, he simply tucked himself tighter into her.

[color=577d06]”I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere until Nana comes back.”[/color] he stated from behind her mop of hair, voice muffled slightly.

[color=d1b300]“You’re going to make your Grandmother come get me? All the way back here? Wow, Casey.”[/color] She teased, giggling softly. She was more than happy to melt back into him.

Because he had to [i]want[/i] to be with her right now, didn’t he? Because she was clearly doing better. He’d cast a spell for that. No more tears, no more panic attacks… Even if it was all still there, it wasn’t as exposed. It would take more than a poke or two to draw it back out, thankfully.

[color=d1b300]“I really appreciate it… Having you hug me like this helps with the spell. It helped even when I was hit by it. A little bit of your warmth got through the cold death.”[/color] She smiled slightly, breathing through the last physical effects of the lingering near panic attack. 

[color=d1b300]“How long will the spell last? Long enough for the bracelet to be fixed? Not that I’d have a problem coming through to snatch you away for a couple of minutes here and there.”[/color]

Casey pressed his lips to hers, a playful peck proceeding his squeezing and nuzzling her like she was a human-sized plushie. It was purposeful, like most things he did. The lingering contact would hopefully bolster the spell just a bit further as the remaining tendrils of orange-cream Lux carefully pulled away from Trisha’s Emotional Field.
Examining it for himself, he could see the color of her aura had changed to hold his courage, and it seemed to naturally distribute it to her. Perhaps the Queen understood the spell too, and was working on her own time to take advantage.

[color=577d06]”You’ll be okay. It’ll be plenty of time, and if worst comes to worst, you can tell Nana. She’ll be able to refresh all the best parts. Nobody has more courage than Nana. I remember she took a bunch of us to see the Catacombs, and I was really scared and nervous as a little kid. So she enchanted me, to help me get through it. Because I hadn’t Kindled, it was really intense for me: I’ll never forget it.”[/color]

He could feel the active fury of the reactor above die down into a sleepy lull, and Trisha would probably also notice the house get [i]just a little quieter.[/i] 

[color=577d06]”Ooh, she finished… Which means the house is working off the power bank. Purple Lux is crazy, because it breaks a lot of rules of physics that are useful for mundane shit. It’s why my Uncle Guimon married into a noble Purple clan: Cousin Hugo is an electrical engineer with a specialty in trans-dimensional power storage. He made the battery bank out of a pocket dimension that's pretty much [i]just[/i] electricity.”[/color]

He’d never get tired of technomancy, nor the endless applications that bridged the magical world with the mundane. Rather than being beholden to the physical regulations of their reality, new and innovative solutions could be developed in perpetuity. So long as someone had a good idea, and the magical aptitude to make it happen, there’d always be someone who could do what you do in a totally different way.

[color=577d06]”Do you want to see the family tree? We have one at the Temple too, but I don’t think you’ve ever been down that section.”[/color]

Trisha couldn’t help but let out a giggle at the fact they [i]had[/i] a family tree. Of course they did. The Richoux family was like true Nobility of the old in that way… At least they didn’t have the superior attitude. Well, not that she’d felt. She had a feeling the Adeptal supremacy belief was held by them just as much as it was the Temple. 

Especially since there weren’t even any Abberations that were a part of the New Dawn. 

[color=d1b300]“Yeah, I’d like to see it.”[/color] She smiled at him, though she didn’t move from snuggling into him. She’d take every last bit of that she could get. 
[color=d1b300]“I’m assuming it’s pretty big, since Sylvie and Max have… Thirteen children, right? I bet you have a crazy amount of cousins. Y’know, it’s crazy enough talking about marrying into a noble Purple clan… Is that really such a big thing in the Adeptal world? The majority of the Adepts I’ve met didn’t really seem that way… Y’know, like their family line and the specific Adeptal magic within it was important. I guess it comes more from the descended from old nobility thing more… Right?”[/color]

She was rambling a bit in her question, curious in general more than anything. If her Dad had really wanted to produce some kind of child army to protect him, he would’ve married someone from one of those lines… Guaranteed magic. Or perhaps it didn’t matter. Her Adeptal siblings, at least the ones she knew about, were strong enough in their own right.

[color=577d06]”That’s purely American. Well, more a modern problem. [i]Not a problem.[/i] Just a circumstance of society expanding past the stratification of the age of aristocracy. The uh… The Middle Class kind of killed noble houses in the sense that the magic was no longer easily monopolized. Which is good. It’s been good for families like mine. We always get told stories about how our line came from Charlemagne, but us and every other remaining house says that, so…”[/color]

Not that it hadn’t been confirmed based purely on the bias of those remaining old-world families. There were plenty of stories of the legendary Emperor being Spectrum-blooded, and splitting his bloodline into ten families who then propagated across Europe. But, as far as Casey was concerned, the story didn’t add up. There were plenty of Adepts in the old Roman Empire, and just as many in places that had absolutely nothing to do with Europe. 

Trisha personally knew a perfect example of Casey’s point: Cass, and her problems with the Shame curse, easily predated European magics by thousands of years. And, further still, the Queen herself, whose domain had stretched far and wide across the planet, had plenty of stories of the old Adeptal tribes held deep within her memory. 

Yet, as they made their way down the hall and then down another, Casey stopped and turned to the wall. There, scrawled in ornate letters with the traditional coat of arms including the Imperial eagle and the fleur-de-les, was Charlemagne. Behind him were the faded surnames of dozens of other families and clans, suggesting they were related but not at all the focus of the piece. 

[color=577d06]”Obviously, that ain’t gonna stop my folks from running with it. It’s a point of pride, even if it’s probably bullshit.”[/color] he giggled.

Then, horizontally, the line of succession ran from one end of the hall, down to the other, and then seemed to round the corner again. Along the way, dozens and dozens of names peeled away from the main branch, until the fork in the road came where things got important. Four hundred years prior, a schism clearly split the house Escoffier in two. And while the main line “faded” from the relevant timeline, the new name Richoux was now front and center. And, clearly this was the ultimate extent of either the family’s knowledge, or their interest in record keeping… Because all the names before had been a single line of succession, from one son to the next down from the great Emperor…

But now it exploded. From the name Rollant Richoux onward, the family line exploded into great detail. It seemed the Richoux were never shy about having a bucket load of kids in each generation. And those generations split and split, permutating into every kind of family situation one could think of. Branches built up, only to end abruptly, while others went the way of the beginning, fading into obscurity and thus from the wall altogether. Yet, Casey’s family seemed to remain centered, seemingly never straying from the course. 

Casey spent just as much time babbling away about what he knew, and was so willing to drown Trisha’s anxiety in comforting informational dumping that he didn’t notice Sylvie watching the both of them as he enthusiastically pointed from one individual to the next.

[color=577d06]”-and so, when the Second Lilywar was ramping up, Hugo Richoux was the first artificer to take up the foundry. The cannons he made are still sitting on the ramparts of the family estate in Lyon.”[/color] 

[color=0377fc]”And we fire them all twice a day, to remind those fools across the river that we’re still armed.”[/color]

Casey nearly leapt from his skin, turning to look at Sylvie. But, still, he managed a smile.

[color=577d06]”Of course… How could I forget?”[/color]

Trisha also started, reactively tensing up and stepping closer to Casey. She’d been lost in just letting his words wash over her, even though she wasn’t entirely taking in all of the information. It was a [i]lot[/i], after all. She doubted there’d be a quiz about his family history at the end. 

But it was just Sylvie. As quickly as she’d tensed, she relaxed again- to her normal state, at least, with the warm gauze of confidence keeping her afloat. 

[color=d1b300]“Still? Isn’t twice a day a bit excessive?”[/color] She asked, turning like Casey to look at Sylvie with a slight smile. 
[color=d1b300]“And [i]all[/i] of them? Remind me to bring earplugs if we ever visit Lyon.”[/color]

She glanced up towards the massive family tree, glancing across the most recent generations. There were a lot of people in the family… She wondered how hers would compare if she drew it out. She couldn’t get very far with her Dad’s side, though the sheer volume of siblings would make up for it. As for her Mom’s… She knew up to her grandmother’s generation, roughly. There were enough cousins there too, though probably not as many as Casey had. 

[color=d1b300]“There isn’t a strict tradition that every Richoux has to have at least five children, is there? It seems pretty common.”[/color] She asked lightly, gesturing to it. Sure, there were people who didn’t, but it seemed more had at least that number than didn’t. Her expression wasn’t particularly serious when she asked, though, like she was worried that would be some crazy expectation put on her.

Sylvie laughed aloud.


[color=0377fc]”It is purely a religious circumstance. You understand, the Church was not so free and open with contraception in the past!”[/color] 

Casey cringed slightly at the idea of forcing Trisha into that kind of thing. Obviously, he wouldn’t mind if she [i]did.[/i] Though, at the same time, he wondered if he had the mental capacity to spread his love across so many entities. In that moment, for the first time, he really actually considered what Fatherhood was. He knew Papa Max didn’t have good relationships with [i]any[/i] of his sons. And his daughters were always his pride and joy… Except for the baby, of course. His namesake. Casey’s father. Which is why they were so close, and so familiar, with his grandparents to begin with. And with there not being a massive pile of them, Big Max and Sylvie bothered to know them, even… 

Spending time here was plenty for him to know that he was an exception, not a commonality. He didn’t want that for his kids. He didn’t want them to be exceptions, even if they’d…-
[color=577d06][i]Your kids won’t have Grandparents. None. They’ll never know what you felt. You have to be the one who gives them what they need. There’s nowhere else to go.[/i][/color]

[color=577d06]”And, obviously, Mom and Dad both wanted a gang of us. I’m fairly certain Mom pushed for another, but-”[/color]

[color=0377fc]”-Ugh! Do not get to me starting about your mother’s sickness. She is a truly vile woman.”[/color]

Casey grimaced. He couldn’t disagree. Leaning close, he half-whispered.
[color=577d06]”Mom didn’t exactly act modest. She used to dress uh… Pretty provocatively some days. For Dad. For uh… [i]Later stuff.[/i]”[/color]

Sylvie let out an exasperated gag.
[color=0377fc]”Reprehensible…”[/color]

Casey nodded.
[color=577d06]”Point being, we won’t have more than we can handle. I’m sure we’re both able to make agreements over stuff like that in an adult way.”[/color] he replied as if it were a sure thing they’d be having kids at some point.

Trisha smiled up at Casey. 
[color=d1b300]“I know. I know you wouldn’t push me one way, and I definitely won’t be pushing for loads. I was just worried there might be some ancient spirit upset about it.”[/color]

Obviously that wasn’t actually the worry. It was external pressure. Not that there’d be any parents to pressure them, but if they started having children in a few years, Sylvie and Max might still be around. But it clearly wasn’t an issue. 

[color=d1b300]“I’m sure Cass and Leon will have more than enough for all of us, if they stay together. I don’t know about him, but Cass has told me [i]multiple times[/i] that either she’ll have loads of kids, or none at all. Everything’s very all or nothing with her.”[/color] 

She didn’t say anything about the new information about how inappropriately Lynette acted around her children, though she had comfortingly rubbed Casey’s arm after he shared it. It wasn’t surprising, considering they’d had a picture of them [i]having sex[/i] in their main room… But it didn’t make it any less disgusting. No wonder he’d been so worried he’d become addicted before their first time. 

She couldn’t exactly say she had the most healthy relationship with sex before, but at least she felt it was better now that she was with Casey. So they’d never be like that, and there wouldn’t be any pressure on him. 


[color=0377fc]”It wouldn’t be the first time a Norman has conquered a British coastline.”[/color] Sylvie grinned.

[color=577d06]”Nana!?”[/color]

Still laughing, the old woman put her hand out.
[color=0377fc]”We must joke, or die. There is nothing between. Trisha? Come… Casey is required in the outer shop: Papa is concerned about some of the internals of your machine. It may be several hours, so I wish for Trisha to be in comfort while the work is done.”[/color]

Casey furrowed his brow slightly. That wasn’t something Sylvie usually did. Comfort? Comfort for her was something like locking into work on a piece of jewelry for eight to twelve hours, then getting bored and moving onto a different piece for another six. Sylvie [i]worked.[/i] When did she become concerned with comfort?

[color=577d06]”Right… Well, I guess I’ll come back in a few hours if we’re not finished, just to check on you. Nana, uh… I’ve woven Trisha’s e-field with a bolster. If you happen to notice it fading, could you-”[/color]

She didn’t verbally answer, rather waving him off in a very animated way. He knew what that meant approximately, and squeezed Trisha one more time.

[color=577d06]”You’ll be alright. I love you. And, if you want to come see what we’re doing, just ask. She’ll bring you.”[/color]

[color=d1b300]“Mhm, I’ll be alright. Enjoy your tinkering… I love you too.”[/color] Trisha stretched up to kiss his cheek before he could get too far away. 

She would be fine, especially with the confidence bolster. She would’ve been able to get through this anyway, but it would’ve left her struggling by the time they headed home. At least now, she’d probably be able to keep it up when they left too. Which was good, because she’d already pressured Casey enough with the one breakdown. 

[color=d1b300]“And hopefully none of them explode again… Good luck.”[/color] She smiled, before turning to Sylvie. 
[color=d1b300]“Uh, lead the way to wherever we’re going?”[/color]

Sylvie’s face was a warm grin, and she tilted her head for Trisha to follow her. She walked at a slow pace, and Trisha would be able to hear the gentle whirring of mechanical bits and bobs coming from under her clothing. She sighed, watching Casey shuffle away and down the stairs to disappear from view. Looking back at Trisha, her hand came up and patted the young woman’s shoulder.

[color=0377fc]”You’ve felt the Tiger roar. I can feel the Orange bouncing about in your space. Is it not odd, that such a thing can be both vicious and comforting at once? That the same energy which gave you such a fright, now gives you the chance to work through it just the same?”[/color] she asked calmly, stepping out of the memorial hall and back into the functioning one. 

Rather than head toward where she’d gone to turn the reactor off, she made way for the stairs in front of them, beginning to ascend with what looked like a struggling gait… At least, until she grabbed the railing. Then, suddenly, Nana Sylvie was animated, and her back straightened to take her up a few steps seemingly without trouble.

Trisha watched with wide eyes, following behind her up the stairs. Was there some kind of magical conduit in the railing? She wasn’t sure… Whatever it was didn’t really matter. It was interesting to watch how magic could help in so many ways. 

[color=d1b300]“It is odd… But I find a lot about Adeptal magic odd. All magic, really. The boosting side of Orange Lux is actually the one I’m most used to. There weren’t a lot of Orange Adepts in my old coven, but Leon and this one other boy were the only ones who didn’t specialise in boosting at the time. Well, technically, there was this girl who used her Orange to transform her clothing during combat.”[/color] Trisha responded, going a bit off topic. 

[color=d1b300]“It’s quite an extreme difference. But I guess a lot of magic can be like that. Like… Cass could use her magic to heal someone, but she could also use it to break their body until they died.”[/color]

[color=0377fc]”The powers of the Deer are vast and primal. Often sinister in their application. Green Adepts are truly fearsome due to their connection to Joy. Once must take some sick pleasure in whatever magic they cast. It is selfish magic.”[/color]

Oh… Clearly the prejudice didn’t quite stop at Apparitions. Though, was this really prejudice? Or was this old-school French attitude? How much of that stereotype wasn’t just a cover for an entire society of people to affirm their biases on a constant basis? 

[color=0377fc]”You lack any formal education, non? As far as the Paranormal, of course. Your Blind education would be irrelevant to my question. Would you care? To be taught? To learn more than your Apparition can offer?”[/color]

This was a strange offer, because the amount of information that the Queen stored was [i]vast[/i]. It felt quite unlikely that this old woman would have information that Trisha couldn’t get, but… Maybe it was worth it?

[color=0377fc]”Not today. Not tomorrow… But, we can teach you everything you’d like to know. I’d be honored to tutor again.”[/color] she explained as she reached the last step and let go of the rail. 

Trisha rubbed the back of her neck, trying to figure out how to answer. Saying yes was the easiest path, but did she want to learn from Sylvie when she already had so much from the Queen to go through. Was there anything she couldn’t learn there? Maybe.

But more than that, it was the mention of [i]formal[/i] education. Obviously, it wouldn’t be going to school. It would be tutoring from one person. But that was enough to make her nervous, even with her anxiety more suppressed right now. Formal education meant studying and tests, even if those tests just came in the form of questioning. It meant losing all of her time to an endless grind only to fail at it anyway. 

[color=d1b300]“I’ll have to think about it.”[/color] Trisha admitted, as calmly as she could. 
[color=d1b300]“Not because I think it’s a bad idea, it’s a very nice offer… I’ve just got a lot on my plate as it is. I’ll need to figure out if I can handle having more information crammed into my brain.”[/color]

She clasped her hands together in front of her, subtly playing with her ring- the nervous tic she’d quickly picked up and that had become her favourite. 

[color=d1b300]“How does formal Paranormal education work? The more I know, the easier it’ll be for me to make a decision.”[/color] 

Though she was already leaning towards the no, she was far too anxious to settle on that without ‘taking time’ to think. She wanted to learn the things she didn’t know about the Paranormal world, but at the same time Casey already answered all of her questions… And the thought of more than that scared her. Nevermind that there really was so much taking up her time with the training and daily bee larvae implantation and tending.

Sylvie was old enough to know what a hesitant answer meant. She didn’t care to make a big deal out of it, which was probably something Trisha wasn’t expecting. It was just one way she felt there would be a chance to get to know her Grandson’s fiance in a meaningful way. Having also come from outside their family, she knew full and well how difficult it was to get settled into things that one simply didn’t understand. She’d not spent any great deal of time in her early years with a formal education [i]either.[/i] No great Witch’s union, or a coven in the hills of the Alps…

Her family had been part of that burgeoning middle class, her own magical blood coming from the deeper European interior. Her father had come from Romania, trading goods from further East and leveraging his own Orange magic to safely and securely move cargo through wartorn regions. She had little to no idea where her power came from, or why so many were so impressed with her level of command and control over the forces within her. Yet, here she was… And she had to get used to all the strangeness that came with a whole world of magic she didn’t know.

[color=0377fc]”Casseau teaches you, non? He tells, you ask, he explains. It is only formal in so much that we would set aside time for it specifically. After all, there is no university-coven for Aberrations. At least, not to my knowledge.”[/color] she admitted with a wry smile as she led Trisha further on to an incredibly plush looking library full of books and shelves with more and more books. 

The walls had more pictures interspersed by nicknacks as well, and the entire place [i]did[/i] feel about as comfortable as an Oxford sitting room could feel. The leather couches and chairs were large, and looked well used.

[color=d1b300]“I didn’t realise there were any university-covens at all.”[/color] Trisha said in return with a slight laugh. She looked around the library, letting out a soft sigh of relief. She hadn’t been entirely sure where they were going, after all. A library was nice. She’d always liked books, even if she’d spent so many years mainly reading informational ones in the hopes it would suddenly make her grades good enough. But there was a comfort in losing herself in the words, even if it was more boring texts. 

She hoped they’d have a nice library in their future home… Or one of the homes. She didn’t imagine Casey would protest, considering they often read in each other's company- or together, sharing a book and reading it out loud. 

[color=d1b300]“I wouldn’t be inclined to go anyway. I did my four years of university, that was enough. But if the tutoring is just some time set aside to learn without any of the other formalities, then I really will think about it. I’d say it would be nice to do when everything calms down, but I assume you’ll be going back to the East Coast then?”[/color]

Trisha didn’t sit down, instead drifting towards one of the bookshelves. She didn’t touch anything, just looking. 
[color=d1b300]“This is nice. I might be the one that needs to be dragged away to go home if you let me browse your books.”[/color]

Sylvie’s arms swept outward in both directions welcomingly.
[color=0377fc]”There are books for all ages, and all topics. Entertainment, education… You’re free to read all you want if this is what eases your troubles. I’m no fool… The magic Casey’s used on you is palpable. I’m sure your experience so far has been ill-suited to your hopes.”[/color]

She smiled at Trisha, absently swaying back and forth as she watched the relative stranger look around.

[color=0377fc]”If… You would prefer privacy, that can also be arranged. You needn’t feel as if my presence is a wet blanket. I can become sparse.”[/color] she offered quietly, knowing how she typically felt in similar situations. 

In truth, if she wasn’t home, she wanted just as badly to be back among her comforts. Little brought her out of her space [i]willingly.[/i] And being here in St. Portwell was a big problem already. It was hard to not be in the main workshop, and to have all of her work transferred from there to here was subpar at best. The workstation was out of date, and she wasn’t particularly inclined to make the improvements now that things were going pear-shaped on this coast.

Trisha nodded, her finger carefully trailing down the spine of a leather bound book. Normally her anxiety would hardly let her consider the offer, immediately assuming that taking it would lead to the other person having a worse view of her. But with magical help, she was able to step back and see it as genuine. 

Though it hadn’t been long, it was easy to figure out that Sylvie wasn’t an overly social person either. Their first meeting had given a different impression to Trisha, but she was beginning to understand. Sylvie wouldn’t be upset if Trisha asked for privacy, but she also probably wouldn’t push conversation either. 

[color=d1b300]“Honestly, I really don’t mind quieter company if I’m able to read.”[/color] She said truthfully. It was a rare experience, seeing as the family library growing up always had someone making noise or trying to annoy the siblings trying to read in peace. Then she’d lived with Cass most of the years through University… But when Cass was out, she could easily spend hours just reading in the living room with Diyah and often a visiting Reyna without it draining her as much as being in a social space normally would. 

She turned away from the bookshelf to look at Sylvie again, trying her best to stay relaxed as she continued.
[color=d1b300]“Actually… I had something I wanted to ask you about. A favour, I guess. Not one I’d expect for free or anything… But it’s for a gift for Casey. I have an idea, but it’s not something I can make. I think I’d need to contribute, but I’m really not sure.”[/color]

Sylvie’s face was expressively interested, and she pulled a wheeled chair away from one of the tables in the center of the room to sit in. She wasn’t [i]quiet[/i], so that idea was out of the window. But, at least she could be useful in a true sense. And more work was never a bad thing.

[color=0377fc]”You would not expect a free gift for my Caseau? I’m not insulted as I am confused: To pay would be for me to take from you, non? And that would take from Caseau in turn. Not because he’s made the currency, you understand… Simply that you share all. And to take from you now, would be to take from him later. In turn, that may take from you again. We ask nothing of family, and give freely.”[/color]

It was long winded as an explanation, but somewhat necessary, as she was well aware that the words she used could count just as much as the inflection with which they were said. And she’d [i]hate[/i] if someone implied that all of her things were [i]just[/i] Maxwell’s. She’d had a stellar career once her designs made it into European jeweler’s cases, and had plenty of time to amass a small fortune in her own right.
After all, magic made pieces that simply weren’t replicable. She could charge [i]exorbitant[/i] prices for special clients. Her family just reaped the rewards of such a lengthy and storied career.

[color=d1b300]“I didn’t want to assume that just because I’m engaged to Casey, you’d make something for free for me. It feels like it would be devaluing your work. But… I’m also not used to family that gives to each other like that. On one side it’s out of obligation, on the other there's no such thing as free.”[/color] Trisha admitted, surprising herself a bit with her honesty. Must be the spell… But it wasn’t really the deeper stuff. Just an explanation for why it would be her assumption. 

Everything was transactional with her family in St Portwell. Even if Ezra was the one sending her money, she knew it was so that he didn’t need to deal with her. It benefited him. She wouldn’t even think of asking Tansy for a favour, but if she did… No, she couldn’t think about it. The closest to being that would be Sabrina. Even then, Trisha had paid rent when living in her house. Insisted on it, not trusting the offer of a free room. 

[color=d1b300]“I understand what you mean but… If I don’t pay anything, wouldn’t it be more of a gift from you rather than from me?”[/color]

Sylvie clicked her fingers against the table for a few moments before turning her head upward and smiling.
[color=0377fc]”There are philosophical arguments to be had. But, ultimately, the thought is yours. You are the one who put forth the effort of thought to consider his Christmas experience. This year will be the worst for all five of them. For you to consider his comfort, and to love him in that pain? It is your gift, Trisha… No different than if he liked laser discs, and you bought him a pile of laser disks for christmas. You didn’t make them. You just bought them. But, you thought of doing that to begin with, thus, the emotion behind the object is [i]your gift.[/i]”[/color] she did her best to explain simply, and failing to do so in her estimation.

Trisha nodded. It made sense… And it was almost funny. She’d explained to Casey the kinds of gifts she liked- ones with thought behind them, not caring about the financial value, yet here she was worrying that it would be worthless if she didn’t spend money on it. She was too used to that being her worth, along with her body. 

[color=d1b300]“Alright… You’re right. The gift wouldn’t even be a thought without me. Though I’m not sure it’ll be one that’ll help his comfort… But hopefully he’ll like it, at least.”[/color] She nibbled on her lip for a moment, trying to figure out how best to explain the idea. There were more worries with that. What if it sounded stupid or worthless? 

No, that didn’t matter. She could never be entirely certain, but it felt like something Casey would like. That was all that mattered. 

[color=d1b300]“I want to give him something that allows him to communicate with my bees. I’m not sure how it would work… Maybe an item that can translate his White Lux into pheromone signals, and vice versa. Technically he can give them commands when we finish setting up the new equipment, but this isn’t the same, because that doesn’t let them understand him. I want something to allow free communication. I think they’d see him as an equal, or maybe as the big bee protector. I’m not sure. It’s… Because the bees are such an important part of my life and magic, I want him to be a part of that too. Even if most of what the bees communicate is nonsense.”[/color]

Sylvie couldn’t help but clap a bit. It was gentle, and clearly for herself as she became [i]immesurably excited.[/i] She liked nothing more than a good challenge, and incorporating Apparitional Magic that was clearly attuned toward natural processes was never easy. She had no clue that there was already an example created that she could pull the spell structure from, so she had no reason to ask Trisha to show her the Princess doll. In her head, this was a brand new problem that her talented Granddaughter [i]hadn’t[/i] handled in an incredibly elegant and sophisticated fashion.

As it was, this would still be far different to what Mia had done. It was extending a piece of herself into the artifact…

And then, suddenly, Sylvie wasn’t so excited. Suddenly the prospect seemed a lot more [i]dangerous.[/i]
[color=0377fc]”I… Believe I will need the cooperation of your Patron. I will do my best to minimize such a requirement, but I believe there could be overlap between the required theoretical processes, and… [i]Sealing.[/i]”[/color] she spoke plainly, letting the words come from her mouth cleanly and clearly.

[color=d1b300]“Sealing? Why would sealing be involved?”[/color] Trisha asked, furrowing her brow. As far as she was aware, sealing had one outcome- a trapped Apparition within an object, that sometimes could be drawn from. Then, there wouldn’t be any bees to communicate with in the first place. Not that sealing the Queen could be any kind of consideration. 

[color=d1b300]“I’m… not sure it’ll work then. Neither of us want her sealed, for obvious reasons. She has passed all of her magic and knowledge onto me, but I guess that doesn’t really help.”[/color] 

[color=0377fc]”I simply have little experience formatting artifacts to safely interact with Apparitional magic [i]without[/i] the intention of it functioning as a vessel for sealing. This does not mean it is impossible, non? Simply, I am uneducated. But, no task is too great for Sylvie Richoux. Mark my words.”[/color]

She considered the options she did know, and did her best to think of an intelligible solution to what Trisha was asking for.

[color=0377fc]”Currently, the biggest consideration is a [i]fragment[/i] of the entity’s power, so that it would function as a secondary core of power. Like… A comic book character. Those [i]lanterns.[/i]”[/color] she referenced a particular popular comic book character and the trope surrounding it.

Trisha pursed her lips thoughtfully, trying to dredge up some memory of any kind of superhero comic. Both Cass and Sal read them growing up, and talked a lot about that stuff, but it was difficult to figure out the relevance here.

[color=d1b300]“I don't really read comics, so I'm not entirely sure who those are… But I've got a rough idea of what you meant. I'm not sure if it's something the Queen would agree to. She was sealed before, so giving up a fragment would take some convincing…"[/color] She trailed off, nibbling her lip as she thought about it a bit more. 

[color=d1b300]“It would probably mean the bees would register Casey as… Me or her. Or maybe, some kind of secondary Queen. It would risk them getting confused and not sure who to follow… Or maybe it can be programmed in a way that they'll recognise it as him."[/color]

It was more complicated than she expected. Obviously, she hadn't thought it would be easy, but she also hadn't expected it to involve having to give up any amount of actual power. She wasn't sure if the Queen would approve, or Casey in the end…

Sylvie was, obviously, missing a piece of the puzzle that she wasn’t considering. Trisha had even said it herself, yet Sylvie’s bias made it easy to pass up the idea of the usefulness of White Lux in the situation. It was the hue-saturation of Nostalgia, whose observational and connective properties so often allowed one to bridge the gap between Apparition and Adept. It simply accepted and reflected all other colors in the spectrum, amplifying the capabilities of [i]Joint Casting.[/i] 

And Sylvie [i]definitely[/i] wasn’t thinking of this concept in terms of Joint Casting. Thankfully, she was at least self aware enough to admit that she could be wrong to herself. She’d done so much work in her life that she’d learned to naturally assume that her solution wasn’t the [i]best[/i]. Just very good and very practical. Finesse was necessary for something like this. It took more thinking, and more planning. But, she also knew it would ultimately be helpful if the Apparition in question was willing to play ball.


[color=0377fc]”Then I believe we both have research to undertake, non? I will consult Maxwell in private; he usually has elegant solutions where I would use a hammer. What sort of form was this intended to take? A pendant, or… [i]Forbid another ring.[/i] Leon, he wears the rings on so many fingers, it is simply gouache. Especially when it is all so elegant in itself! Always remember, Trisha: If a piece is masterful, one should not hide it in between [i]anything.[/i] It should stand out on its own, and scream its beauty in solitude. Thankfully, the band you picked out for him is [i]homely[/i]. Not that it is not beautiful or meaningful, only that, did one not realize the intricacy of the piece, they would suspect nothing of its value. And, value isn’t… Well, you understand. I insult your intelligence by rambling such.”[/color]

Trisha smiled, nodding along. She hadn't actually picked out Casey's engagement ring, but she wasn't going to tell Sylvie that… ultimately it didn't matter. She'd given it to him. 

At least the idea of using a fragment of the Queen's power was put aside for now. Trisha was willing to talk to the Queen about what might work, but asking something like that would've been incredibly difficult. Talking to the Queen was already difficult as it was. She felt like she shouldn't disturb her after all the magic and knowledge had been passed over… But she was fairly certain there was nothing in what she'd passed about imbuing a magical object to imitate parts of her ability. So, she'd have to ask.

[color=d1b300]“I do understand. I haven’t worn many other rings on my left hand since Casey proposed.”[/color] She held up her left hand, with the only other ring besides her engagement ring being a simple gold band. Though she was never someone to overload on jewellery in the first place.
[color=d1b300]“I was thinking some kind of pendant… Something simple looking too. Casey isn't exactly the showy type."[/color] 

Which made it difficult. She wasn't sure if he'd even want another piece of jewelry. All he seemed to wear were his dog tags and now the engagement ring. She was sure he'd wear anything she gave him, but that didn't mean she wanted to give him something he didn't like. 

[color=d1b300]“Maybe something oval or circular, that matches his dog tags… Without being another one, of course. I'd say it could have a quote or something engraved in it, but I don't have one in mind."[/color] She paused, thinking about it a bit more. It didn't need to be made out of metal, did it? Maybe she was thinking too narrowly. 

[color=d1b300]“It doesn't have to be made from metal, does it? Could it be made of something like amber? It looks a lot like solidified honey, which I think would be nice."[/color] She continued, wringing her hands together. 
[color=d1b300]“Sorry, I'm not being very decisive. I've only really been thinking about what I want it to do, rather than what it should look like."[/color]

Sylvie nodded along as Trisha did her best to describe what she wanted. She liked to think that she knew what Casey’s tastes were, and she believed that something entirely more subtle may be right for him. All five of the children had their ears pierced young, but Casey had been the only boy to keep them open. She liked the idea of ear jewelry, but then wondered if he really liked it nowadays, or if the military forcing them out and the holes closing gave him a case for new feelings.

But she also knew full well that stomping all over Trisha as she tried to think it out would be ignoble and uncouth. She’d be a mean, mean old lady if she didn’t let this young woman accurately express her love through a commission’s concept. 

She did, at least, feel incredibly receptive and excited for the use of Amber as a material. It was pleasurable to work with, and oftentimes had magical properties that were only active in the presence of a Luxal signal. She immediately had an idea.

[color=0377fc]”Would it be morbid to utilize a piece which houses the subjects of your Patron? Not any bees: Ancient bees, long lost to time. From the golden age of her rule. Maybe their lingering essence could bridge the gap we stand across between function and form.”[/color] she explained, seeing how Trisha reacted to the idea.

Would that be possible? Trisha herself didn’t have a problem with it, though the Queen might. If the bees were already trapped in amber, then they were long dead. They hadn’t ever been hers either. She was sure the Queen would recognise whatever bee it was hadn’t been killed by them. If it would help… She was willing to try. 

[color=d1b300]“Do you [i]have[/i] amber like that? It’s very specific, and I definitely don’t. The best I could get is directions towards where her kingdom once was.”[/color] Trisha responded, not against the idea but instead thinking about the practicalities. 
[color=d1b300]“If it’s something we can get, then I think that would work. It would be nice, even, since it's another connection to me… Assuming Casey doesn’t find it morbid. But I don’t think he would.”[/color]

For Trisha, at least, a long gone bee trapped in Amber wasn’t all that morbid. Especially not when she’d been implanting bee larvae in human flesh for the last few days. It was the natural cycle of things… Even if her own bees' deaths affected her, she could be practical about it. 

Sylvie nodded calmly.
[color=0377fc]”If nothing else, the Temple of Charming and Graceful Individuals has become a masterful sourcing organization. With many rich Americans in their pockets, they have access to hidden caches, special collections, and private vaults where individuals are happy to donate into their causes.”[/color]

She slid a piece of blank paper from a slot in the desk, and a pen flicked into existence between her fingers. There, she began to sketch in pen, with incredible proficiency and fluidity. She didn’t pass over her lines, darkening them or boldening them with pressure of the pen’s fountain tip alone. Such mastery over artistic rendition could only be two things: Years and years of practice and skill developed by a lifetime’s work. Or, [i]magic.[/i] It was a much safer bet to assume both were involved.

[color=0377fc]”Something to go with those tags of his… Could be very subtle.”[/color]

Trisha had looked at them enough to know what they were in her head. She also knew that he still wore the rubber edges around them, making them almost outlined by black. He explained the rubber was meant to keep them from clanking together in stealth operations. But, Sylvie was very clearly drawing a depiction of the tags now being lined by amber fittings.

[color=0377fc]”The gasket… He no longer needs to remain hidden, non? So, we replace the industrial darkness of rubber with the natural, time-tested beauty of crystal amber. Perhaps.”[/color] she offered, knowing that Trisha had been more partial to a pendant to begin with. 

So she also drew two other designs. A full on pendant with a thick gem of Amber in the center, surrounded by two bees holding it in place as the fixture. And then, a simple bead of the amber depicted as slotting in between the two tags, sitting perfectly center and being simple, but elegant with a single bee resting within.

[color=0377fc]”These are just [i]ideas[/i] of course.”[/color] she added, finally sliding the page out so Trisha could see completely.

Trisha glanced across the three designs with visible awe in her gaze. To be able to come up with and draw them so quickly… It made sense, for someone who’d been making jewellery like this for so long. But Trisha was still as impressed as she watched. 

The full pendant was mentally rejected first. It was nice, but too much. It was the kind of thing that she’d consider wearing to specific occasions… So if she wouldn’t even wear it all the time, she doubted Casey would. Though it was nice… It was a bit more difficult between the two other ideas. They were both nice, and incorporated into the one thing Casey [i]always[/i] wore. Of course Trisha understood why… It would be nice to add something to that. 

[color=d1b300]“I like this.”[/color] She pointed to the final design with a smile. In the end, she didn’t want to actually put something [i]on[/i] the tags. That felt presumptuous, even if Sylvie was right that Casey didn’t need to remain hidden anymore. She didn’t want to force him to change it. 

[color=d1b300]“It’s simple, and with the bee within it, he’ll always think of me when he looks at it.”[/color] She said quietly. Something unobtrusive but pretty in its own right… It seemed perfect. 
[color=d1b300]“I like the subtlety, but it’s also its own piece. It’s… A perfect design, honestly. As long as he doesn’t try to put any rubber around it too, to stay stubbornly stealthy!”[/color]

The last bit was meant to be a joke, and she laughed slightly as she said it.

She smiled, taking the piece of paper and marking the design she liked the most before folding it and sliding it into her sweater pocket.

[color=0377fc]”He is rather stubborn. Like his Father. Always in trouble because of his mouth. He’s so much different now… Would you… [i]Like to see pictures?[/i]”[/color] Sylvie asked, wriggling slightly out of nervousness. 

She truly loved her late-blooming grandson. Always had. He’d been an incredibly special little child, with so much introspective consideration that oftentimes it made her feel like she was talking to a little man. She had a few other grandchildren like that… And those, she held in highest regard because she could connect with them [i]early.[/i] It didn’t bloom later, or worse, calcify into a near-stranger relationship. But, it wasn’t [i]just[/i] that. Casey set himself further apart by his convictions and commitment. He’d [i]always[/i] been stubborn. That was her favorite part.

[color=0377fc]”I have many… If you can keep a secret, I’ll admit that he occupies a tender place in my heart. I kept two cameras active. Usually one was reserved for my favorites. Perhaps this makes me a bad mother as well, but when you have so many, and they have so many… It becomes impossible to remember them all equally. I am no White or Pink Adept, after all.”[/color]

[color=d1b300]“I won’t tell anyone. At least you tried, even if you had favourites.”[/color] Trisha responded with a slight shrug. It was more than she could say for her Dad. It wasn’t just that he had favourites… He neglected all beyond the first five or six. Even among the oldest, some just got pressure rather than any kind of love. 

[color=d1b300]“My Grandmother probably doesn’t remember my name, but I can’t blame her for that. The longest I spent around her was when I was twelve, for about a month. That was the only time, so… It’s natural to be closer to the ones you connect with and see more often, I guess. As long as no direct children are neglected.”[/color] 

Sometimes, she did feel sad about her lack of connection to the majority of her Mom’s side. But she barely had a connection to Maria herself… And from how the single cousin she was in semi-regular contact with made it sound, it wasn’t particularly worth it. Only a few family members were really tolerable. But her memory of her Grandmother was that she’d been nice, and doting, even to the grandchild that was practically a stranger. 

[color=d1b300]“I’d love to see pictures of younger Casey. I’ve barely seen any.”[/color]

Sylvie leaned forward, letting one thin hand reach out to Trisha’s. She tried to make it clear in her expression that it wasn’t a pity as much as it was a sense of mourning. She was affected, it seemed, by Trisha’s own truthful admission.

[color=0377fc]”She remembers your name… You are impressionistic. And very beautiful. You would make any grandmother proud.”[/color]
Her thumb stroked the back of Trisha’s hand for a moment before she cleared her throat and pulled away. Her spare hand slid across the table, and it began to shimmer before she spoke.

[color=0377fc]”Snacks and coffee to the Study.”[/color]

At the same time, the lights dimmed, and a projector screen unfurled from one of the walls until it was full size.

[color=0377fc]”What… Would you like to see? I have baby pictures, I have vacations they made to us in France. I have pictures of him from birthdays, and special moments from the Church. His communion, his early school… Pictures of when he started to grow… I’ve… I imagine I’ve shown my hand.”[/color] she grinned in a foolish way.

Truly, he was her favorite. She had a list, but it wasn’t even a contest.

[color=0377fc]”You must understand, when you meet a baby and feel its spirit instantly… It leaves an impression.”[/color] she admitted.
[color=0377fc]”I always thought he would Kindle very young. Now, I believe that he was simply so capable of containing it all that, well… To react emotionally? He simply could not bring himself. He was stoic. Stern. Very funny to make fun with. Because he would be so resistant.”[/color] she described her grandson with incredible fondness in her eyes.

Trisha tried to picture it as best as she could… Little Casey with a stern expression refusing to crack. She couldn’t help but giggle a bit just at the thought. It was so different from the Casey she knew now. He was definitely still stoic, but he’d shown so many emotional reactions around and towards her. 

[color=d1b300]“You’ll have to show me that… I can kind of picture it, but I’m too used to how expressive he can be now.”[/color] Trisha smiled, finally making her way to one of the couches to sit down. 

[color=d1b300]“Honestly, I’d like to see all of them. But if you have so many, there probably isn’t enough time.”[/color] And she wasn’t sure if Sylvie would be happy to spend hours going through Casey pictures, even if he was clearly her favourite. Trisha would… But she’d also gladly stare at his face for hours without doing anything. 

[color=d1b300]“So if you have any favourites, I’d like to see them.”[/color]

While the desk was shimmering, Trisha couldn’t actually [i]see[/i] anything on it. That didn’t seem to stop Sylvie from treating it like a touch-screen to a computer. Her bony fingers deftly swept through piles of photographs kept in this magical format, and rather than a projector itself showing them the images, the screen simply pulled them up like it was a completely digital system. 

The first picture was of the little boy, hair short and eyes staring with piercing blue up at the camera. His expression was [i]deadly[/i] serious, and both his little fists were clearly balled up tight to the white knuckle stage. 

[color=0377fc]”I keep this picture close. I had just asked him- Well… [i]Told him[/i] that he was being difficult, and that it was going to earn him a nap were he not able to refrain from these difficulties. He bridled further, and rather than get upset, I… Just took a picture. I told him that I would embarrass him for the rest of his life with it. And then we had a nice nap while Maxwell took the others on the lake.”[/color]

The picture turned, and it was the same little Casey in the same outfit, but passed out completely and tucked up against the arm of a couch. She looked at Trisha with wide eyes, the expression clearly translating a cuteness overflow.

[color=0377fc]”I do feel bad. He has told me of his sleeping troubles after the war. It is a dreadful thing… I can only be thankful that our area was not as badly affected as others, and that we’ve been able to help the surrounding areas rebuild quickly. He spent a year with us after that-”[/color]

She changed the picture to a far more familiar Casey, hair still short but clearly only from a couple of years ago.

[color=0377fc]”We were able to offer the unit a place to stay, and they used our property as a logistical hub.”[/color]

It was him in full uniform, walking with a clipboard among a group of other soldiers as they passed through an area full of rubble and destruction. He was clearly pointing, giving orders, and some people seemed to be in motion within the image, blurring away from the center in rapid paces.

[color=0377fc]”I wound up finding a new level of respect for him. I could see all those qualities I imagined in him as a child.”[/color]

Trisha nodded, unable to tear her gaze away from the picture. While the first two had been incredibly adorable, he was very attractive in this one. She imagined it being a candid shot helped, with no need to pose. It was natural… All of them were. It was nice to see something else from that time of his life. 

[color=d1b300]“He impresses me all of the time. He’s… a really great man.”[/color] She wasn’t quite sure how to put into words how she felt. Wasn’t sure she could to someone else, aside from Casey himself. It required dragging up her feelings, after all. Because she knew that part of why he was able to stay with her where others hadn’t were those kinds of traits, and the ones that had been solidified as a soldier. 

[color=d1b300]“He’s been sleeping better recently, I think. I’m not really sure what it was like before, but he’s said that being with me helps.”[/color] Even if he hadn’t slept the last couple of nights. Neither of them had, and she had a feeling it might continue like that for a while. 

[color=d1b300]“Is there any way I can get that first one? This one too, honestly…”[/color] She rubbed the back of her neck, looking at Sylvie with a rueful smile. 
[color=d1b300]“Actually, if I start asking for them now, I’m going to end up wanting most of them, I think.”[/color]

Sylvie giggled, nodding her head and patting Trisha’s hand again as her body leaned over to comfort Trisha.
[color=0377fc]”I shall compile the ones you like most, and ask someone to place them on a serial bus drive for your computer. So you can pick through them as you like. I have done that before, for some of the others. Lynette has one for each child, though I was scolded for the size disparity between the five files. I’m not sure that woman understands equity… She’s more of an equality kind of person.”[/color] she grimaced, shaking her head.

And this impromptu photo viewing went on like this for what could only have been described as forever. During, the two women must’ve viewed almost a thousand pictures either directly of, or in some way involving the subject of observation. Their favorite soldier. Sylvie gushed about him more than once, her passion only equal when moments of talking about her actual children came up. At least for them, she seemed equally passionate and ferocious over. She’d spin out into small stories, almost always leading them back to the topic at hand within a couple minutes. It seemed she was a great story teller, if only because she understood how to make them concise and focused on the topic of discussion. Only once or twice did she veer off into a tangent, and that was only on the subject of her [i]least favorite[/i] daughter-in-law. 

Her utter contempt toward Lynette was clear, and it showed in how she talked about Elise… She clearly had disliked grandchildren in the same fashion that she had those who left good impressions, and Elise seemed to be chief among them. It was, however, easy to see as an outsider that it all stemmed from her similarities to her mother. Which could have easily left Trisha with the impression that Elise’s apparent bid for power toward the vacuum of Lynette’s death was something she disapproved of greatly.

However, those were only small moments. A fully bronze-clad automaton had long since begun to supply them with a steady stream of coffee and buttered breads, which she also had plenty of stories of. This was, in no uncertain terms, where Casey’s love of carbs came from. The little woman was voracious, and probably went through two dozen croissants with a whole stick of butter over the time they’d spent together. Yet, the elder woman felt no bridling or resistance to the time they were spending, so she let it continue until they were finally interrupted.

She’d settled on a picture of Casey with his Father, and both brothers. Trisha would’ve [i]easily[/i] recognized seventeen year old Leon, as he looked no different than nineteen year old Leon save for a bit of muscle definition. Max Gravity stood tall over his sons, one hand on Leon’s shoulder while the other came down further and rested on Junior’s face in a loving caress. In between both boys, Casey was beaming, and had a championship belt in his hands that he was holding around his waist. All three boys looked like they’d been competing, with Leon’s face marred by a massive swollen knot around his eye.

And that’s when both Casey and Big Max walked in, casually chatting about something that neither women were privy to. But, seeing them and his picture up on the screen, Casey’s face lit up and he beamed brightly.

[color=577d06]”I guess this [i]would[/i] be an easy thing for the both of you to do!”[/color]

His long strides took him right up behind Trisha, and he kissed her on the head as one hand swept out to present her bracelet to her once again. It was completely fixed, though each sphere now had the addition of metal bands that held each sphere in place slightly. It didn’t diminish the beauty of the piece, but Sylvie did frown.

[color=0377fc]”The cables were not a sturdy enough binding?”[/color] she asked with concern in her voice.

[color=fc6603]”There is tremendous pressure in between each. I could see few other ways that did not involve more complex magics and reactuating formulae to fit around the addition of new spectrum participants.”[/color] Papa Max sputtered out, technical jargon soaring into the air and passing through Trisha’s head with only a vague understanding.

[color=0377fc]”Mmmm…-”[/color] Sylvie hummed in consideration. [color=0377fc]”-You are once again a life preserver, Maxwell.”[/color]

[color=577d06]”Saver, Nana… Life [i]saver.[/i]”[/color] Casey giggled, hands resting on Trisha’s shoulders.

Trisha tilted her head back to smile up at Casey, eyes squinting softly. He’d be able to see the tiredness in them, so used to reading her now. Really, the hours spent with Sylvie had been enjoyable. She liked seeing all the pictures, and hearing stories about him and the rest of her family. She only felt a bit uncomfortable when the stories turned a bit more negative, especially around Elise. But it had been more manageable than she expected. 

But it was still draining, spending so much time with someone she wasn’t comfortable with yet. Not that many of those existed. At least it gave her some confidence that she [i]could[/i] spend a good amount of time with Sylvie. 

[color=d1b300]“Thank you for fixing it.”[/color] She tore her gaze away from Casey to look at Papa Max, still smiling. She slipped the bracelet back onto her wrists, cautiously turning it a few times. It didn’t immediately expand, at least. 
[color=d1b300]“I was worried I’d have to carry around a basketball sized bead all the time.”[/color]

Laughing, she went right back to looking up at Casey. 
[color=d1b300]“We didn’t look at [i]too[/i] many embarrassing photos of you, don’t worry. Not that I think any were embarrassing… You were cute in all of them.”[/color]

There were still a few pieces of bread left, and Casey had reached over to grab one and slide it through the bottom of the butter dish before popping it into his mouth. Both hands were massaging Trisha’s shoulders, doing their best to clear her of any tension.

[color=fc6603]”Caseau does not take embarrassing photos. Sylvie, did you show her my favorites?”[/color] he asked, hand reaching over and patting Trisha on the head like she’d done something correctly.
[color=fc6603]”And, of course-”[/color] he leaned down in that conspiratorial way he did, as if making the moment purely between the two of them in spite of company. [color=fc6603]”-I relish in fixing the mistakes of others. Don’t tell Casey this.”[/color]

Casey laughed aloud, playfully pushing Max’s shoulder.
[color=577d06]”I’m right here, Papa, I can hear you.”[/color] he laughed.

[color=fc6603]”Oh… [i]Right.[/i]”[/color] he grinned back as Sylvie moved her hands around to find [i]one last picture.[/i]

And it was, maybe, something that would make Trisha cry. It was the other night, before everything crazy happened. Thanksgiving, with Casey on one knee on the stage, proposing to Trisha.

[color=0377fc]”This one?”[/color] Sylvie asked up.

Max nodded.

[color=fc6603]”It is the first moment of the best years of both your lives. And in spite of what happened that night, I hope you both cherish this image as much as I do. We don’t know you very well, Trisha… But Casey has chosen you. So, rather than test you or make you to feel uncomfortable in order to temper you, we just hope you will learn to accept our love, and understand that we see what our Grandson does too. You’re worthy of our time and affection.”[/color] he explained down to her, the hand that had patted her head now resting on Casey’s hand which sat upon her shoulder.

[color=fc6603]”We love you both. Very much.”[/color]
Sylvie nodded, a familiar expression of a satisfied cat forming on her face.

[color=d1b300]“Ah-”[/color] Trisha reactively welled up, between the picture and what Max said. Her hands moved up to rub her eyes. She didn’t actually want to cry in front of them all. 

She hadn’t actually seen any pictures of the proposal yet. She knew Casey had it all magically recorded, but there hadn’t really been a moment to sit down and watch through it with him. They’d been so busy, and she hadn’t thought to ask. So seeing it made her emotional. 

Then his words… Had Casey talked to him, or was it just an old man’s intuition? The magical bolstering stopped her from immediately panicking over it, once again able to step back and actually hear what was said. 

She couldn’t immediately believe it, but they didn’t seem to have that expectation. Explicitly said they hoped she’d learn to accept their love. It was a difficult thing, because there’d been so little familial love in her life. So to have Casey’s grandparents showing it to her, and for Max to try to reassure her, was overwhelming. Though it wasn’t in a negative way. It was… nice. 

[color=d1b300]“Th-Thank you. I’ll try my best to accept it. I really appreciate it, I- I mean it’s probably obvious, but I really don’t have much present family.”[/color] She sniffed, even as she managed to stop the tears that threatened to flow down her face. 
[color=d1b300]“I’m extra lucky to have found Casey. Or I guess, that he found me… I really do cherish him, and the moment in this picture.”[/color]


[color=fc6603]”Things are hard, and easy. Sylvie and I have been together fifty years. She has seen me come home from war, and peace. We have hated each other, and loved each other intensely. Again, I emphasize: This will be the greatest part of your life. The part you spend together.”[/color] 

And then, of course without her permission, the massive man squatted slightly so he was at her level in the seat, and both his massive arms wrapped around her entirely. It didn’t feel like he was trapping her, but he did squeeze down. And she’d be able to hear the same mechanical whirring from beneath his shirt. One arm’s mechanical parts even clicked slightly, which made the hug a little unsettling until Sylvie spoke up.

[color=0377fc]”Maxwell… You need calibration. Your arm-”[/color]

He nodded, but kept hugging Trisha.

[color=fc6603]”I am [i]cherishing[/i], my Love… That can wait.”[/color]

Casey giggled, patting his Grandfather’s back.
[color=577d06]”Papa, don’t crowd her. She’s particular.”[/color]

[color=fc6603]”Exposure therapy is a cure-all.”[/color] he retorted simply, but still pulled away and grinned down at Trisha.
[color=fc6603]”Will you both stay for dinner?”[/color]

[color=0377fc]”Non, Maxwell… Dinner is several hours away.”[/color] Sylvie insisted, waving Trisha and Casey along.
[color=0377fc]”The two of you should feel free to return to your lives. There is no obligation of time between us. This has been most enjoyable for me, Trisha.”[/color]

She was really just as exhausted as Trisha, but there was no way in Hell that her pride was going to let her say that aloud. Plus, she wanted more bread. She didn’t want to have to think about what others would eat.

Casey looked between his grandparents, then down at Trisha.
[color=577d06]”Home’s probably good… Right?”[/color]

Trisha was glad that Casey said it, so she was just agreeing rather than pushing. At least only one of the two Grandparents seemed to push for them to stay in the first place, but she still would have felt bad saying no. 

But the hug, small thing as it may be, had only drained her more. While she managed not to tense up like she normally would, even relaxed, she still found it difficult. She just wasn’t used to it… At least, she hoped that was the case, and eventually she’d be more tactile with people who she wasn’t dating. But exposure therapy via Cass hadn’t made a major difference yet. 

[color=d1b300]“Right… We’ve got a lot to get done too.”[/color] Trisha agreed, still feeling like she needed to make some kind of excuse. Even if it wasn’t a lie, it wasn’t like they had to rush back. But staying for dinner would be the worst. Things like this she could handle, but she had too many issues around sitting down and eating with other people. 

[color=d1b300]“But this was really nice. I enjoyed myself, even if… things didn’t get off to a great start.”[/color] She admitted, smiling at Sylvie and then Max. She had enjoyed it, for all it drained her. Just like spending time with most people did, even if she was very good at pushing through it. There just wasn’t as much of a need to now. 

[color=d1b300]“I’m really looking forward to getting all the pictures I liked… Then I can start decorating our home with pictures of Casey.”[/color] Her smile was more playful as it turned back to Casey.

He’d helped her up out of the seat, and the two of them were close now as he made way to grab her hand.
[color=577d06]”Oh, you’re getting the collection… Great. I can’t wait to see my bare ass on the wall.”[/color]

Sylvie laughed aloud, shaking her head.
[color=0377fc]”You will learn to appreciate it, my stubborn boy.”[/color]

She stood, and slowly made her way over. He leaned down instinctively so she could kiss his cheeks and he could kiss hers. After a little more time of small talk that brought them to the door, eventually Big Max actually bothered to walk them out and down to the truck. Another couple of minutes later, and they were driving back down the road toward the edge of the island, where they’d get back on the boat and make way for the shore again.

Casey didn’t say much at first, but eventually, he looked at Trisha.

[color=577d06]”I really love you. I know we’re gonna be able to do this. Even if it’s hard. We’ll do it.”[/color] he conceded, not knowing exactly what kind of Trisha he’d be dealing with in this moment.

Trisha nodded, not immediately responding. When she’d gotten into the car, she immediately curled up with her knees pulled up to her chest and her head half resting on her knees. But it wasn’t a tense position like it normally was. She was drained, but relaxed enough. Because it was just them again, even if she was more nervous than normal in those moments. 

What happened when they arrived, the panic and the cold feeling of nearby death, was still in the back of her mind. But right now, her love for Casey overwhelmed everything. She’d spent hours looking at photos of him and hearing stories, which only made her miss him more. It didn’t matter how he was feeling, she’d be able to handle it to be with him. For now…

[color=d1b300]“I really love you too. We will, because we’re together, and we’re used to dealing with difficult things alone.”[/color] She responded quietly, head resting on her knees at the perfect angle to look at him. 

[color=d1b300]“I don’t mind that it’s hard, because I get to be with you. Struggling through things together only makes me love you more in the end.”[/color] She admitted. Though, she wasn’t sure how it was going to go this time, it was how she felt when it came to all her issues that had reared their ugly heads.

[color=d1b300]“Did you manage to get advice from Max?”[/color]

He shook his head. In truth, they’d spent nearly four hours just sitting and talking. Casey confessed a great deal, including his creeping dread of disconnection. The need to [i]force himself[/i] to be the same person who others thought he was naturally. What he’d gotten instead of advice, however, was a long winded confirmation. One that he had, to an extent, been afraid of this whole time.

[color=577d06]”No real advice. It’s a problem that some people just have, it seems. Even though he says he’s gone through the same feelings, the only solution was faith. He said [i]God[/i] helps him a lot. Which isn’t really my thing, y’know? We talked about it all being silly knowing there’s magic. But, the principle of the New Dawn is that there [i]is[/i] a God, and that all the crazy magic around us doesn’t change that. That everything’s intelligently designed, and that the Greater Will is just a part of the Trinity. Y’know, the Holy Spirit.”[/color] he shrugged.

[color=577d06]”But, he also admitted that he’s been through the same thing. That, when he came home from the first World War, that he looked at everyone differently. Even my Grandmother. He said it took a lot of years to listen to her problems and not get upset by how trivial it seemed to him. But, obviously you look at them today and wouldn’t assume it was like that.”[/color] he admitted to her in a calm, quiet fashion. 

He figured that too much emotion one way or another would trigger her anxiety, and make it seem like he was either happy about the conclusion, or too upset to deal with it. So, keeping neutral was his only hope.

Trisha furrowed her brow slightly, lips pressing together. It wasn’t great news. She hadn’t expected Max to have some advice that fixed everything, but the solution being [i]faith[/i] and just keeping doing what he was doing didn’t sit well with her. 

And Casey confirmed one thing she’d thought for the last couple of days- that her problems seemed trivial to him. It was a bit different from the belief that was true that she already held… But, of course they looked that way. Her issues were nothing in comparison to going through a War. The only thing that could come close was the Stygian Snake, and that had been a matter of months, not years. It really wasn’t the same. 

Which was why she’d have to do better at not burdening him right now. She could handle her problems herself. She’d done that until now. 

[color=d1b300]“So even if he didn’t give any helpful advice, at least you know that it’s not [i]just you[/i]. And it’s something we can work through. They managed it.”[/color] Though, a lot of years was a long time. It would be difficult for her to keep a lid on and improve her own problems with that being the case, nevermind if they brought kids into the equation.

But being perfectly honest to herself, she wasn’t sure she wanted to have children until she dealt with her anxiety better. She didn’t want it to end up affecting them. 

[color=d1b300]“Since faith isn’t your thing, maybe you need to find something else? Though… I’m not really sure there’s anything that could replace that. I’ve never been religious myself, so I don’t even know what that feels like. But, uh… Well, I’m willing to do whatever I can to help. I’ll be here the whole time.”[/color]

[color=577d06]”It’s just… [i]Not real.[/i] I have to tell myself its not real, and I have to be the force that drives the boat. I need to be the engine, and the wheels. It… I can’t do this to you. I don’t [i]want[/i] to. I just want to be fucking [i]perfect.[/i] I want you to look at me and feel safe, not [i]fucking wonder if I even give a shit.[/i] It’s not fair to you.”[/color] he looked a little sad, but his hand still reached out.

[color=577d06]”I have to have faith. Maybe not in God, but definitely in you. And myself. That we’ll both be strong, and we’ll both make it out like they did. I’ve gotta have faith that you believe me when I say I love you. And that your problems [i]aren’t trivial.[/i] That the world I live in now isn’t smaller than the one I lived in before.”[/color]

They slid back onto the barge, and Casey locked the car again. His arms quickly swept over the console, wrapping under Trisha from both angles and practically tossing her over it into his arms.

[color=577d06]”The bad things aren’t real. Not for me. They’re all gone. The war’s gone. Nothing’s more important than you.”[/color] he whispered.

Trisha immediately curled up against him, twisting around so she could hug him back. 
[color=d1b300]“But they still affect you and make you feel things… And those feelings are [i]real[/i].”[/color]

She took a deep breath. She didn’t want him to take it all onto himself. That wasn’t fair, and it only confirmed her feelings of inadequacy. Because of all her problems, he wanted to push through and deal with his own. He didn’t want to lean on her like she leant on him. 

[color=d1b300]“You don’t have to be perfect. [i]I[/i] don’t want you to be perfect. The Casey I love isn’t perfect, but I still feel safe with him. Even when I’m anxious because of something you’ve said, because I know deep down that you’ll still listen to me and protect me. I don’t want the ideal person, I want [i]you[/i]. And I want to support you too when you’re struggling with something. Because I can be strong.”[/color]

She pulled herself back enough to look up at him. 
[color=d1b300]“Even if you feel like my problems are trivial, and are struggling to hear them… Just don’t push me away. I’d rather you snap at me or get upset. I know you don’t want that, but I don’t want you to clam up. We’re working through this [i]together[/i].”[/color]

Though, she knew it was hypocritical of her to say that right now, when she was already mentally minimising her own problems.

Even if he was supposed to just push through, every little contrarian thought he had felt like another failure. Like he was just perpetuating a cycle of pain that he couldn’t force her to participate in. But she didn’t want an escape. She wanted to deal with it…

[color=577d06][i]Only because she feels like she’s not good enough for anything better…[/i][/color]

It wasn’t true. It wasn’t real. He railed against it with fire and brimstone, only to sputter out mentally. The engine stalls.

[color=577d06]”Your problems aren’t fucking trivial… You deserve someone attentive to them at all times. Not just [i]sometimes.[/i] Perfect ain’t flawless, perfect is [i]just right.[/i] It’s [i]perfect.[/i] The balance. The fucking… I don’t know. I’m just gonna get us both stressed out going over it like this. You don’t deserve it constantly getting thrown in your face either.”[/color] was the reply he could muster.

It was hard for him not to think that if she heard all this, she may actually come around to caring about herself. But the truth was, they were more similar in a lot of ways than either realized. Chief among those similarities was this incessant need to please those around them, and not burden others with their problems. 

[color=d1b300]“To most people, perfect is flawless.”[/color] Trisha countered gently, taking a deep breath. She didn’t want to get stressed. Like he said, they would just get stressed out if they kept going over it. It was like they were trapped in a loop. But she just wanted him to see that it was fine if he made mistakes. 

Even if she never accepted her own. 

[color=d1b300]“I’ll just say… You [i]are[/i] still attentive. Like earlier! Even though you’ve been struggling, and after the call with Leon, you were still there for me. You didn’t have to be, because I wasn’t as affected when we got into the house… But you still were. I don’t need that kind of attention all the time… Sometimes we’ll both be struggling, and we’ll just have to silently sit with each other. But we’ll figure it out.”[/color]

He couldn’t help but laugh. They weren’t arguing, yet she still got him first. Bringing up his stubbornness, and willingness to handle the business of the future. Of doing for her, even when he felt like this. It was quite the reverse. Now, he had another opportunity to be the person they both needed. So, aware of it, he took it. He didn’t respond again, and simply nodded his head before bending his neck to kiss her gently.

[color=577d06]”I love you, Trisha Bee.”[/color]