It took a few more hours of tinkering around to break his grandmother’s drone down into usable parts for a new set of constructs. Rather than shifting large amounts of rubble, Casey had split the efforts into over a dozen bronze ant-like machines whose ability to lift and drag marked them high above their weight class in terms of physicality. Between them, the bed golem, and the myriad of other spare-part workers Casey managed to throw together with White and Orange Lux, it was a relatively short search and rescue operation.

Classically, Clarissa and Furio had been terribly thorough. The only other corpse that was found had actually been recovered by Theo, and had been identified by the damage her clothes suffered as the probable source of the blast that actually demolished the long term housing complex. As if a nuclear bomb had gone off in her face, everything looked more like sludge than like what had once been a beautiful young Red/Purple Adept with a long life ahead of her. He could only assume that she’d either put up a massive fight, and lasted long enough to get desperate, or she simply couldn’t control her powers in some anxious buildup of Purple Lux.

The only [i]other[/i] thing that Theo found during his travels, was a very shaken Chef Dubois barricaded up in the restaurant at the top of the mountain. He’d closed all the storm shutters, and totally locked the place down in abject terror. After all, his previously good friends had done him a final service, and warned him to escape the complex that same morning. He’d made the trek all the way up the rest of the mountainside on foot, trudging through knee high snow assisted by some kind of magically propelled scooter. Theo had a bit of a hard time coaxing him out until he realized that Furio and Clarissa actually knew him… 

It was a rather strange situation, but just like them, Casey felt that it would be best for the chef to stick around in order to clear his name of culpability… Which would be a [i]little[/i] impossible. The only saving grace for Casey was that, if the guy had any kind of intelligence or imagination, he wouldn’t have been able to do anything besides run. Warning people would’ve just hurt him more in the long run, as they’d had plenty of time to kill everyone else: The poor old Tri-color Adept would’ve just been another corpse. Instead he was spared, and Casey was happy to hear about it before encouraging Theo to stick around up there and keep him company.

After that, it was just what he felt needed to happen last. Letting the group of workers begin to pick through the ruins of their old cabin, Casey was picking through the snow for corpses. At least these ones, he’d expected to find in the condition they were in. For Clarissa, it was a sight he wasn’t sure how to process. She resembled exactly what someone stung to death by a cloud of bees would look like. The swelling in her flesh hadn’t subsided after death, and she looked like a knobbly and bloated version of herself. She was ugly… And maybe the irony is that she now resembled her innermost self far more in death than she ever had in life.

Not everyone seemed to feel that way, however… The checkmark of reddish-brown sludge that had frozen over told the story of something that happened after Trisha had made good their escape to the bottom of the hill. Furio, perhaps thanks to the bit of green that had leaked into the open wound, had at some point woken up, and managed to crawl himself [i]into[/i] the pile of rubble where Clarissa had died screaming…
[i]And he curled up there with her, to die with a sad and lonesome expression on his face.[/i] It was all Casey could do not to break down into a new panic all over again. He’d expected two separate corpses, not a lover’s lock frozen in time as a man, parallel to him in so many ways, mourned the loss of life that had surrounded his one true love.

But, clutched in one hand, was a cellphone. Casey plucked it from Furio’s lifeless remains, and found it unlocked with minimal battery remaining. It was open to a notepad.

[code]You were our kids first. Hell is all that remains for what’s happened. We loved you all, no matter what was said. I love you clarissss-[/code]

It was hard to want to do much besides cry again, but it was harder now. It wouldn’t come out, even though Casey was allowing his body to react. He’d bent down into the snow, hugging the two corpses tightly to his chest and simpering quietly while he felt Trisha’s strength and presence. She’d been the only reason, he assumed, that his body had not allowed him to return to true pain. 

She was there. And they’d agreed that they’d reclaim their time yet. So, Casey made sure they both wound up covered by a large slab of the rubble, so that if any scavengers made their way through, they’d be unable to access the dead. Quietly, in his mind, he gave them a sendoff. By then, the bots had finished picking through the ruins and reclaiming everything that’d been crushed, covered or otherwise collapsed atop. Chief among them, and the only real saving grace, was a brown parcel that he’d tucked under plenty of clothing in his duffel bag. It was dry, if a bit cold, but he was certain that the material had held up.

Most of their clothes had been fine, if needing a bit of a washing and drying, which was great too. At least they wouldn’t be stuck in the same underwear the rest of the weekend. In finishing the gathering, he felt Furio’s cellphone vibrate in his pocket. Pulling it out, the battery was practically dead. Yet, on the front of the screen, he could see [i]Lynette[/i] in big white letters, with a message beneath:

[code]We win again, Casey. Give Trisha all my best. Time to run the clock out.[/code]

She was watching somewhere. He hated it, but there was nothing he could do besides shake his head as the gaggle of constructs cleared the snow ahead of them to allow the couple to ascend the mountain themselves with more comfort. There hadn’t been a single vehicle spared in the entire complex, which was just another aspect of the thorough nature of Furio and Clarissa’s hits… But, nothing was going to stop them from getting up to the prize now.

Casey had seen a package for a more expensive and luxurious cabin on their website while he was booking, and had been confused as to how much more opulent it could be than any of the others. He hadn’t taken the leap then, but now as they approached it, he could already see the differences. While the previous cabin had something of a view, this was only a hundred or so feet below the summit of the mountain where the ski lift and restaurant were. Tucked even deeper into the woods, the open clearing that served as this rustic dark wood cabin’s view out into the surrounding world made one feel like they were taking off on an airplane to space. Built into the mountainside, the structure itself was beautifully made and entirely pieced together by local dark wood.

Casey had sent Theo a message confirming their location, and giving him the freedom of the rest of the night off. Once that was taken care of, Casey made way for the door to the front and picked it open with a bit of Orange Lux mastery.

[color=577d06]”Oh, holy shit…”[/color]

It [i]was[/i] nice. Immediately, a massive fireplace was ahead of them with fully stocked wood piles on either side, and an adjacent den with a large television and plenty of soft, plush seating. The hardwood floors gave way to tile in the kitchen, hewn of the same dark gray rock surrounding them on three sides. The appliances were all modern and new, and the minibar was stocked up with basic snacks and drinks. Casey wondered if it was polite to pay now, if only for a moment before his eye caught an elevator door.

[color=577d06]”What do you think this shit goes to!?”[/color]

[color=d1b300]“The bedroom?”[/color] Trisha responded, not quite registering what he was asking about or the place itself as she shuffled in. She was very tired now, having put a lot of mental energy into making sure she was there for Casey while they cleared up. But it meant that she was slower now, not showing much of a reaction until she’d been staring at it for a few minutes.

[color=d1b300]“Wait, is that an elevator?! You meant the elevator?”[/color] Her eyes widened, staring at it before turning to stare at Casey. Then she let out a small laugh, realising her initial response had probably been completely off the mark. At least the shock woke her up a little more. She knew she’d be able to shake off the tiredness for another hour or two to at least explore the new place, and talk about whatever they needed to. As soon as they sat down to cuddle, though, it would probably be over.

[color=d1b300]“Maybe it’s to a [i]really[/i] luxurious bedroom… Or a basement? Maybe there’s a full bar down there, and another pool table.”[/color] She wracked her brain trying to figure out where a luxury cabin elevator would lead to. Their basement had been one of the places James kept all of his artifacts, but she somehow doubted it was an artifact museum down there. If it even went down.

Casey couldn’t necessarily help himself when it came to examining things. His initial concern, after such a long and sad day, was whether or not there was going to be any kind of threat climbing into their lives through one elevator shaft or another. He’d seen Trapdoor Demons who dealt in that kind of horror specifically: Abandoned, or otherwise bombed out elevator shafts, usually full of people who thought they’d be safe. Trapped, they died, and all the negative energy pooled into a creature based purely on tragedy and starvation. And in that fervor, they formed nests similar to trap door spiders.

A quick shot of Lux down the shaft found no such occupants. It did go down, it seemed, and opened up into a fairly wide space. There was, at the very least, a small open body of water. He’d only given it a cursory glance, scanning for any kind of Lux or Apparitional energy therein. Finding nothing was far more of a relief than he expected, and looked about the room again before settling on Trisha.

[color=577d06]”Well… It [i]feels[/i] fine. Fine enough that I’m not worried, at least… Come on. Let’s see where we’re sleeping first. Put our bags down. If anything, we can wait until the morning.”[/color] he spoke calmly, a little bit of the mystique draining away from what was probably the actually luxurious part of this cabin.

It was far more spacious still, and the multiple bedrooms made it seem like this place was reserved for parties, or groups of people to have a good weekend together. It made more sense given its proximity to the restaurant, and thus access to the ski slopes on the other side of the building as well. Everything one could need for a magical weekend… As for the master bedroom itself, Casey was blasted by a sensation of orange magic that felt like walking into his grandparents’ villa in Lyon.

Between the furniture all being enchanted in a foreign fashion to his own magic, and the wall art being a single moving mural depicting a night in the Colorado Wilderness, he was most surprised to find that the room was tesseral. It gained three feet on every wall at every angle, creating strange subliminal spaces where shadow slipped in and light poured out in an ethereal fashion. 

And on a little plaque, set on the main dresser that had a massive magic mirror capable of taking still images and displaying them side by side for outfit comparisons, was a simple message to whomever stayed there.

[code]Enchantments by H.W. Beagle and Sons. Your stay; our standards.[/code]

Casey nodded. He’d heard of the Beagle family cursorily, though he’d never experienced their magic that he knew of. They were a famous All-American family who’d been around since the settling of the country, with ancestors who had participated in the first great crossing of the continent by intrepid explorers.
The big dresser itself was big enough to handle their clothes, and Casey found that the bottom cabinet section served as an active washer and dryer combination for any clothes that needed washing. So, he packed it full of all the stuff they’d gathered, until it was all set and he was left holding the little brown rectangle that’d been stuffed in his bag.

He turned it over in his hands, looking at the clock. In their effort, it’d passed midnight…

[color=577d06]”Happy [i]birthday[/i], dear Trisha… [i]Happy birthday[/i] dear Trisha…-”[/color] Casey approached her slowly, having tucked the gift behind his back and starting to walk forward toward her. His voice was low and gentle, full of obvious admiration.
[color=577d06]”Happy biiiiirthday, dear Trishaaaaaa, my beautiful wife… Happy birthday, dear Trisha… [i]To yooooooou[/i]!”[/color]

In a single motion, there in the middle of that big bedroom filled with comfortable furniture, Casey slipped the package between them and hugged himself around her tightly. He wanted to cry again. This time, at least it was crying for good… But he just couldn’t muster it. So, he squeezed her tighter. 

[color=577d06]”I love you… I love you so much… I’m so thankful that we’re still here. I know I said that earlier, and I’ll probably say it again… But, it’s a fucking miracle. I’m never gonna let it go…”[/color]

Trisha had none of the blockage Casey did to crying, being as tired as she was after such a long and emotional day. As soon as he started singing, her eyes welled up. She'd been carefully exploring the room, taking a closer look at some of the odder, more subliminal spaces in the hope they'd appear less creepy the more she looked at them. It was how the shadows ended up looking almost unnatural that she found difficult to deal with, even if everything else about the room was amazingly luxurious. 

By the time he reached her, the tears were streaming down her face. But her smile was radiant, her tear filled eyes filled with warmth and love towards him. One arm bent up to grasp the parcel between them, the other wrapping around him just as tightly as he hugged her. 

She'd never had this before. Someone there, wishing her happy birthday when the day had just slipped from one to the next. She had a great appreciation for the efforts her friends made to call her on the day, even when they were all with their own families for the holidays, but it just wasn't the same as having someone [I]there[/I]. It wasn't what the little girl had wanted from just one person growing up. It didn't heal all of those scars, but it rekindled the hope she'd tried not to let herself have just in case. 

[color=d1b300]“I love you too, Casey, so [I]so[/I] much. Just being here with you, [I]alive[/I], is the best birthday gift I could ask for."[/color] She looked up at him, tears streaming down her flushed face even as she smiled so warmly. 
[color=d1b300]“I know one of the gifts actually survived, and I'm excited to open it, but- but this is all I've ever wanted. Us here together, someone who really loves me singing me happy birthday… You make me feel so loved."[/color]

She was trying not to get more emotional about it, but it was difficult. It would have been an emotional occasion anyway, because of all the feelings she had around it. But after almost losing him? It only made those feelings stronger. At least they were good emotions. Even if she still didn't feel worthy of all the love he gave her, and still struggled after what happened before their holiday, she couldn't deny the strength of his feelings towards her. He really did love her so much. There wasn't even anyone around and he was calling her his wife… A second time without needing to for people who thought they were married. He really did see her that way. As someone he wanted to be with for the rest of his life.

[color=d1b300]“We’ll still be here for my next birthday too. And the one after that, even when I don't want to celebrate anymore because I'm getting old. All of your birthdays too."[/color] She raised herself onto her tiptoes so that she could rub her nose against his. Then she half pursed her lips, eyes squinting contentedly.
[color=d1b300]“I want a birthday kiss from my handsome husband-to-be before I open my present."[/color]

Casey didn’t hesitate, scooping Trisha from her feet by dipping and swinging his arm against the back of her knees. One hand supporting her from beneath, he flexed as hard as he could to make sure she had the most stable platform that she could hold onto before dipping his head forward and planting their faces tightly together. He held her there for quite a while, just being there with her in that moment as the two of them exchanged passionate physical affection. 

He felt light enough to float, and couldn’t help but spin them around as they held tightly to one another. Finally, pulling away with a playful pop, he now had to look [i]up[/i] at her. And he couldn’t help but let out an emotional burst that rippled across the subtle echoes of his White Lux.

[color=577d06]”[b]We’re still fucking here! We’re. Still. Here![/b] It’s the real Christmas miracle! December twenty-sixth! The best gift I’ve ever gotten is December twenty-sixth!”[/color] He practically screamed in excitement, jumping up and down with Trisha still in his arms; part prize, and part trophy… But all his, and with as much more time as they could ever want together.

Trisha laughed happily, clinging onto him without much concern even as he started jumping. He wouldn't drop her. Not unless his knees gave out and even then the bed was so close they’d probably just fall onto that. She trusted him completely.

[color=d1b300]“Because we survived to see it, or because it was the day I was born?"[/color] She asked playfully, beaming down at him. She assumed the answer was both, after all. Suddenly a day she’d struggled to not resent wasn't only filled with happiness, but it was something someone else was excited for. 

It made her feel giddy, her head light with elation. The happiness was almost overwhelming and for once all of her worries and doubts were washed away. The intense joyful feelings only increased as she looked down at him, smile wide and eyes creased into joyful crescent moons. Down at the face of the man she loved so much, who was looking up at her with just as much love. The way he looked at her, the way he kissed her, the way he talked about, the way he was there for her… Every bit of it made her feel loved in a way she didn't know was possible. 

He'd already made her feel more loved than anyone ever had before, after all.

[color=d1b300]“We are still here! And I feel so lucky for it- I love you so much, thank you."[/color] She smiled, leaning down to kiss him. It was just as filled with love and passion as before, but much much briefer. As she pulled away she leaned her upper body back a bit, both hands moving to hold the present that had been gripped in one. She'd managed to keep hold of it the whole time, though it was getting a bit inconvenient. She was excited to open it, but she was also excited to be able to freely kiss and cuddle him. 

[color=d1b300]“Do I get to open my gift normally, or is it now a challenge I have to do while being jostled around?"[/color]

Casey loosened his grip, allowing her a bit more freedom of movement, before he spun a final time and landed his ass down on the bed with her still sitting intimately in his lap. What Trisha then had the pleasure of slowly and carefully unwrapping from a brown paper-covered parcel was a truly classic style nineteenth century leatherbound novel. Rather than a title, the cover was emblazoned with the letters T.R. in thick black brandmarks that, when shone in just the right light, reflected flecks of gold and micah bound within the charring.

There were also several bees, which were both life-sized, and actual depictions of a few bees that had been gathered on a plate of fruit that Casey had seen at home. He was tremendously proud of it, and not just for the incredible enchantment that hid inside. Along with the book was a pen, which matched the leather binding in color and had the same gold and micah shimmer within its mechanical pieces.

Casey didn’t speak at first, trying to see if she’d need his help to figure out how it actually worked as she opened the first pages only to find the insides to be totally blank.

[color=577d06]”I’ll be honest, I had plans of making you one of these every year, to keep track of your progress for yourself, but I don’t know if it’d be better to do that, or re-enchant this one so that it lasts forever…”[/color] he grinned, hoping to see her work it out on her own.

Trisha spent a couple of moments just staring at the novel in her hands, thumbs gently rubbing the leather cover. It was beautiful in appearance alone and tailored to her alone, with the realistic bees and initials on the front. Future initials, that was… But she liked that. She had very little attachment to her birth surname, after all. 

Since he'd already told her what it was, she wasn't particularly surprised to flick it open to empty pages. Though when he'd said it was like an e-reader, but an actual book, she'd expected somewhere obvious to write a title. 

[color=d1b300]“I really don't mind… There's plenty of ways to keep track of what I've read, and just having the one book could be really practical. But filling my shelves with books made for me by you is also really appealing."[/color] She smiled, picking up the pen and squinting at the book. 

She had an advantage over if it had been a complete surprise, since he'd told her what it was. But where did she write? The front, like a normal book title, or inside on the first page? She really didn't want to ruin it! 

[color=d1b300]“I write on… the cover, right? It won't ruin it? Because I really don't want to ruin it, it's so nice. It's the nicest book I've ever seen, I think, even without the enchantment… So I don't want to get it wrong. Here, do I just write a title here?"[/color] She asked a little nervously. It wasn't a strong anxiety, though, just stemming from liking the gift so much that she already wanted to treasure it. She looked up at him for confirmation as the pen hovered over the front cover, ready to write [I]Frankenstein[/I] on it- the first book that came to mind.

Still not speaking, Casey’s smug face simply grinned at her as he let one hand slide toward the book. He slipped her hand over his to block the pen from touching the cover, and at the same time pulled it open to rest a finger on the inside of the cover. It was pure white, like the paper… But the longer it was open and waiting, the thicker the message within became until it was totally legible.

[code]Adventure is only a penstroke away, my Love.[/code]

Beneath was a thick line that now clearly marked where she should write the book title down. And Casey kissed her on the cheek playfully.

[color=577d06]”Ain’t it swell? Write it down, and close the cover.”[/color]

Trisha pouted playfully in response for a moment, before smiling and writing Frankenstein in neat cursive. 

The moment she closed the cover, it became clear that this whole book was practically alive. While the leather itself hadn’t changed, the title of the book was now clearly stamped into the cover, along with the name of the author, and a monogrammed image of a burning windmill on the cover.

[color=577d06]”Oh, yeah… Works like a goddamn charm. Look at the fidelity! You can really tell everything that’s going on!”[/color] he excitedly proclaimed, looking at the intricate image and seeing the monster hidden within the shadows cast by the flames. The fact that it was all pressed into leather only made it more beautiful.

[color=d1b300]“It’s amazing… I don't think I'll ever use another book again."[/color] Trisha breathed out, expression full of awe and excitement. Her fingers skimmed across the front cover, feeling how the new cover had been embossed into the leather. It had all magically shifted, into something different and equally beautiful to the original. She opened it, flicking through a few pages now filled with words. It had been a long time since she'd read this book, but it was clearly the right one from the lines she skimmed. 

Closing it again, she looked up at him with wide, shining eyes and a bright smile. 
[color=d1b300]“I love it, Casey. It's beautiful, but it's also something I'll use all the time… Thank you! I can't believe you made something like this for me, it's just so perfect. Now I can't wait to curl up on a couch and read something… Well, probably not tonight. But tomorrow."[/color] 

She carefully moved the book off her lap and onto the bed beside them so she could properly hug him. Both her arms and legs wrapped around him tightly, practically burrowing into him in an attempt to get as close as possible. The gift meant so much to her… Probably more than he knew. Maybe he did, after what she'd said after her feelings around gifts. But like she'd said, it was perfect. 

It was [I]for her[/I]. Made with her in mind, with so much effort put in, and the end result being something she'd use all the time. That made it incredibly special. 

[color=d1b300]“I won't have to worry about running out of books if we end up living in a tent for a while either."[/color] She giggled softly. She loosened her limbs around him to practically melt into him instead, incredibly comfortable and content.
[color=d1b300]“Will it work even for new books? Actually… How [I]does[/I] it get the actual content? It isn't magically connected to the internet, is it?"[/color]

Casey shook his head, giggling as he soaked in her full reaction to the gift. He was thrilled that she had it now, and that it hadn’t been destroyed. It was a token of love, after all, and if those assholes had taken it from him by virtue of their ignorance, he would’ve probably found someone to curse their souls. As it stood, this was the only thing that made it out totally unscathed. Even his cellphone had been cracked and crushed beneath the weight of a large support beam.

[color=577d06]”It isn’t, no… It’s connected to a far more powerful artifact, and it’s a connection that doesn’t die even if we no longer have the artifact itself. It’s a bit complex, but thanks to my magic, I’m in a unique spot to mimic and imitate the effects of certain enchantments. The Scroll of Every Word Ever. It kind of takes the idea of monkeys locked in a room with a typewriter, and dials it up to eleven. It’s able to recall and project strings of words, and then uses gestalt consciousness to recreate the story one for one. More or less, it’s got access to Akash, the Owl’s Library, and is bound by this realm’s public mindspace. It’s… [i]honestly[/i], pretty cool if I had to say so myself.”[/color]

And stringing enough White Lux between two Orange objects created enough magical strength and density that effects of the first artifact could directly influence the second artifact.

[color=577d06]”Though… Maybe it sounds more like a computer program now that I’m mentioning it…”[/color]

[color=d1b300]“It does a bit. Like a crazy artificial intelligence program with access to a massive word database."[/color] Trisha giggled in response, thinking about how crazy that sounded. Such a powerful artifact… She was glad hers was just connected to it, rather than being the artifact itself. The magic Casey had cast was impressive enough, but at least she felt she was worthy of that. Just about.

[color=d1b300]“So even if a book came out today, I'd be able to get it without any problems? I'll really be able to read anything I want to… It's amazing that an Artifact like that exists, and that you can connect this book to it. I'll really make the most of it."[/color] Though there were so many mind-blowing Artifacts out there, so it shouldn't really be a surprise. She just didn't know about many of them. Just the ones they'd needed to fight the snake, and a tiny amount of the ones her father had. 

[color=d1b300]“It is really cool. [I]You're[/I] really cool, and impressive. The fact that you can make something like this for me… And choose to put in all the effort to do it, I don't know, it just means a lot."[/color] She smiled sappily at him. 
[color=d1b300]“I’d say it makes me love you even more, but I don't think that's possible."[/color]

Casey didn’t speak, rather pushing forward slightly and fully wrapping his arms around her. What could he say that couldn’t be expressed in a tender, loving embrace that fully encompassed Trisha and gave her the chance to feel totally safe and secure there with him. He loved that she loved it, and all of her compliments made him beam like he was made out of sunlight. It was all he could ask for after the day they’d had… 

He had to think about it one last time… About all the awful shit that those two jerks had forced upon them… In the end, he’d spent a not insignificant amount of time sealing both of their bodies in makeshift coffins, along with the other dead. Even now, he could feel his worker golems still hammering and packing under Theo’s supervision. Thank God he’d come instead of someone else… Now, all that was left was the big hump: Lynette would be gone within the next couple of days, and Casey could only hope that it wasn’t going to be [i]today[/i] specifically. It was bad enough that the grim moment was slapped right next to the hopeful moment of Trisha’s Birthday.

[color=577d06]”I… Remembered while I was working on stuff outside earlier… Uh, well, the painting. Elise can’t make another. It’s inconceivable that she’s not an Adept anymore, but she really did sacrifice that part of herself to help us. To save us. I… I’ll ask a cousin, maybe. She wasn’t the only one who could do that, just the only one who was involved in our lives. It made it feel a little more special, like it wasn’t just from me. But, from us as a family to you. I’m sorry about… Well… I guess [i]everything[/i] that happened. No point in feeling that way, so I don’t wanna dwell on it anymore, but I do regret that it’s gone. Do you want to [i]see[/i] it? I can Recollect the moment she gave it to me.”[/color] he offered quietly, not sure of how she would respond.

Trisha cuddled into him silently for a moment, not sure whether she wanted that or not. Because there was no way to get the painting back, and even if he got a cousin to do it… It wouldn’t be the same. She could only imagine how difficult giving up your lux would be. If she had to give up the Queen and the bees she’d really struggle, and if it was a swap to different magic, she’d take a long time to adjust. She imagined Elise was having a hard time, and it wasn’t surprising Casey hadn’t fully adapted to it. 

With that in mind, she looked up at him and nodded. It was a gift from him, even if she’d never get the physical thing. One that Elise had helped make with magic she no longer had. That did make it special. 

[color=d1b300]“I’d like to see it. Even if it sucks that it doesn’t exist anymore, it’s still a gift you got for me, so it would be nice to see what it was like. The thought behind it is just as important as the actual thing to me.”[/color] She said quietly, smiling. 
[color=d1b300]“Especially since Elise made it. That does make it a little more special, honestly. It’s another thing that makes me feel a little more accepted by your family.”[/color]

Casey nodded gently, patting Trisha gently before standing up and stretching himself out with a lout pop. It was a morbid cracking noise, like a fissure opening up beneath the Earth except directly from his spine, and he made a loud, pleased grunt as he released his arms to his side. Smiling at Trisha, he nodded toward the sleeping edge of the bed.

[color=577d06]”Let’s get comfy… If I spend much more magic today, I’ll turn into a pickle. We’ll see what’s downstairs together tomorrow, whenever you’re ready.”[/color]

[color=d1b300]“Alright… I probably won't be able to stay awake for long anyway."[/color] Trisha nodded, stretching out her limbs as well but with a lot less cracks. She shuffled away from the bed to start removing her outer layers until she was down to just a t-shirt and underwear.

Getting out of his pants, Casey managed to get enough pillows from the magical pillow dispensing drawer as he needed to be comfortably propped, and nest-built a cocoon for the two of them to get a proper night sleep like they had the previous nights. Once they were both comfortable and ready, Casey and Trisha both closed their eyes, and he let the Recollection drift across the two of them.
[hr]
It was warm and sunny in the greenhouse’s main field. The bright colors of the massive flowers above them gave a warm feeling of satisfaction, and Trisha was sitting on the grass playing with the new program on its console. He’d shown her how to get the bee formations to work, and had given her a basic understanding of how planes and other airborne fighting machines work within their own structures. 

She was under the big clover patch, and the way the artificial sun shone gave the light the chance to beam down as the pollen-heavy air caught the beams and revealed their lengths in their entirety. The spaces in between shone a near iridescence, and illuminated Trisha in a way that he’d never seen before. She was dressed comfortably, and had at least a hundred bees buzzing about her in various patches as she worked her hardest.

It was that image which he’d given to Elise, who he presumed would doctor it up in some way. So, arriving in her studio to pick it up, he didn’t know what to expect. Elise’s servant Rykard had met Casey at the door, and the two men exchanged small talk waiting for Elise’s invitation into the workroom. Trisha would be able to watch through Casey’s eyes as he walked into a den of easels and smocks, with brushes and paints being utilized and painted in tandem on their own vectors to paint a massive mural of [i]something[/i].

Elise herself was standing with a glass of wine in her hand, robes closed tightly around her, practically smothering her in plush fabric. She stepped forward to greet him, and in their most private, wrapped her arms around him tenderly.

[color=f0cd8d]”How’re you holding up?”[/color]

[color=577d06]”It’s hard. So, I’m hoping this’ll help smooth things out. If everything goes well this weekend, we’ll all be better for it.”[/color] he replied softly, pulling away and rubbing his sister’s shoulders.

[color=577d06]”Thanks, by the way. You’re sure?”[/color]

[color=f0cd8d]”I’m sure. And that’s [i]not[/i] just because Nana’s doing everything for free either. It’s my gift too, and you make sure you tell her.”[/color]

[color=577d06]”Oh, she’ll know. Now, let’s see this bad Larry…”[/color] he turned his body, rubbing his hands together playfully as Elise laughed and turned around.

Pulling the curtain off of a two foot by three foot framed portrait, Casey’s exact memory was present in all of its glory. And, as he sat and smiled at it, Trisha’s face slowly turned in the picture, looking up at him and staring with those big admiring eyes… And then, the painting shifted slightly. The artistic expression, all of Elise’s memories of her brother, all playing into creating a convincing picture of a bee’s-eye-view as Casey moved through the picture and met Trisha in the middle. 

And, she painted the two of them playfully hugging into one another, capturing a tender moment from a nearby leaf before the painting became still and focused on that image… Only for the loop to begin once more as the bee flies seamlessly back into the initial point of view of Casey’s memory.

[color=577d06]”Oh! El!? It’s perfect, Sis!”[/color]

Casey hugged around Elise again, squeezing her tight.

[color=577d06]”I think she’s gonna love this more than the fuckin’ book! And you kept it super wholesome, just like I asked! It’s perfect!”[/color]

[color=f0cd8d]”The art may be all I have left in the end… If I can keep memories alive, then I think I’d like to… Do you want to see the one for-”[/color]

[hr]
The Recollection faded away then, vision and life slowly creeping back into the room. The last lamp by the bed was still on, making it just bright enough for Casey to catch Trisha’s reaction to what she’d seen firsthand.

Trisha wasn't quite crying again, but her eyes were watery as she looked up at him with an expression filled with love and awe. Similar to the one she'd had the painting, but even more intense. The whole recollection was… Warm. Warmth from him, warmth from Elise. [I]Filled with love[/I]. It was Trisha from his point of view, but then it was an authentically them in the painting. It could have been a picture… Except there was even more feeling behind it. 

She didn't say anything for a moment, cuddling into him as she worked through the conflicting emotions. She was glad she'd agreed to see the recollection, and it made her so happy, but it also made her more upset that the painting was [I]gone[/I]. There would be more gifts filled with love in the future, sure, but this one would never exist again. And it really wouldn't be the same if it wasn't made by Elise. 

[color=d1b300]“I…"[/color] She trailed off, face scrunching up. 
[color=d1b300]“I’m really pissed off that they destroyed it… Over something so stupid. And now Elise can't recreate it because of Lynette too. That just feels unfair, but- But it is- was- beautiful. I'm glad I got to see it, because it really was special, and I would've loved to put it up in our home. Then I'd have something non electronic to look at whenever you were away and I missed you. I'll make sure to thank Elise when we get back, because I really appreciate it… "[/color]

Her expression relaxed and she curled into him more. Her voice dropped to a whisper. 
[color=d1b300]“Thank you… For all of it. You've already done so much for my birthday. I already said how much it means, but it really really means a lot. It makes me feel like…"[/color] She really did deserve his love. That she wouldn't lose it. That those awful days just over a week ago were a blip, and he wouldn't leave her. But she didn't want to dwell on the anxieties right now instead of the positive that overwhelmed them. 

[color=d1b300]“Like I'm the luckiest person in the world. You show me that every day but it just feels even stronger [I]today[/I], after everything that happened. I- I was worried about it even before yesterday, even though I shouldn't have been, because it's always been such a difficult day for me… It was especially silly when this holiday has been so nice so far. I'm [I]still[/I] worried that I'll somehow wake up tomorrow and feel mopey, like I need more than just your love-"[/color] She wanted her mother's too. She always waited for a text from Maria that never came. This year she wouldn't. She didn't want to right now, but she really might wake up feeling differently. 

[color=d1b300]“But I'm really happy, and I feel [I]safe[/I]- And I know even if I feel off when I wake up, you'll still smother me with love until I feel better, cause we can be there for each other even if we're both struggling a bit."[/color]

It was a tired and emotional rant, after the rollercoaster of emotions the day had been. It just all spilled out without her meaning it to, when really she'd planned to express her thanks for the gift and then relax.

[color=577d06]”You [i]are[/i] safe. It’s not just me. You’ve done it for yourself now, too… Maybe after today, there’ll be even more reasons to believe in yourself. After all, I’ll be here. But, you’ll be extra close, won’t you? To yourself? [i]Then[/i] us. I just… Maintain the baseline.”[/color]

Casey was sounding weaker and weaker yet. But, outwardly, he was smiling and hugging Trisha tightly as she recounted her gratitude and excitement. He was just happy to be alive and experiencing it at all. This really was life’s gift… Being able to experience anything with her, even as they clung to one another in the lingering, strange sadness that surrounded their circumstances at current. 

Without a cellphone, Casey wouldn’t have gotten the text from Leon about the PRA’s wait time, or that there’d be any sort of authorities coming… Thankfully, Theo was there to pick up the logistical slack, allowing Casey the chance to slide back into true sleep as he laid there with Trisha.

The snoring was gentle at first… But eventually Casey’s head tilted back fully, and he let out a long, grinding echo through his nose that told Trisha he was well and truly out cold. But his grip didn’t let up, keeping her held to him tightly as if to deter anything from taking her away from him.

[hr]
Neither of them had set an alarm before falling asleep, with Trisha drifting off not long after Casey did. She slowly awoke to natural light, shadows softened when combined with the lamp they hadn’t turned off. It was clearly morning, and late enough that the sun was out, but she couldn’t tell whether they’d slept into the afternoon or not. 

Surprisingly, she found that Casey was still sleeping as her eyes finally opened to be met with his still closed. She could feel his chest gently rising and falling underneath her, his expression softened in sleep. They’d barely moved during the night, and he was still holding onto her tight enough that getting out of bed would require a lot of effort. 

Not that she wanted to get up. She was perfectly content snuggling into him, curling her head in at his shoulder so that she could contentedly look at him. 

Though there was still a lingering anxiety about the day, she was happy. Waking up with someone else there on her birthday was a first… She would be able to enjoy the day even if no one else remembered. It would still upset her, though it was an irrational fear when it came to her friends at least, but she’d be able to get through it. 

Assuming Casey didn’t wake up in a bad mood, that was. But he shouldn’t, seeing as how he was alright before they went to bed. It had been a difficult day… Incredibly difficult. Yet he’d still managed to be so loving towards her after everything was dealt with. So what were the chances a good night’s sleep had made things worse? Even if it had, at least she’d- 

Trisha frowned, shifting a bit in his arms. Maybe she should get up. Or at least grab her new book, something to occupy her thoughts before Casey woke up. That was probably a good idea… Slowly and carefully she started to wriggle down, in the hopes that she could slide out, grab the book, then slide back in without disturbing him.


Casey’s arm relented at enough pressure, and with the relenting in his strength came a relapse into reality. At least for the moment, he managed to keep his breathing steady and his eyes closed as he could feel Trisha pause to see if he’d woken up. He waited for her to slide back into bed, back into his arms where they’d left off, then let his arm curl back around her squarely where it had been. With it, he squeezed warmly, and hugged into Trisha without wanting to keep her from her simple pleasure.

[color=577d06]”Read to me, Birthday Girl.”[/color] he said in a soft, sleepy voice.

[color=d1b300]“Mm, morning, my love.”[/color] Trisha smiled warmly at him, tilting her head up towards him with a happy squint of her eyes. She’d half rested the leather bound book on his chest, pen in her hand to change the title. When he spoke her attention was immediately diverted. At least he didn’t seem to have fully woken up, so her slipping out hadn’t completely disturbed him. He was extra cute when he was sleepy like this. 

[color=d1b300]“I’m not the one that’s good at reading things out loud, though. That’s your thing.”[/color] She continued with a playful pout, tilting the book so he couldn’t see what she wrote. She might as well tease him a little bit. She’d planned to continue reading a novel she’d been midway through and lost in the cabin collapsing… But that wasn’t really something to read out to him. 
[color=d1b300]“I’ll do it for you, but I’m continuing this book I was in the middle of.”[/color]

As the contents changed she flipped through it as if trying to find the spot she’d been at. Then she cleared her throat.

[color=d1b300]“Chapter eleven. Complexity. [i]This chapter focuses on issues of program running time, including how to measure and analyze programs for their running time, as well as provide examples of techniques for improving program performance. Examples are taken from the areas of sorting and searching.[/i][/color]” Trisha started to read, glancing at Casey as she did.
[color=d1b300]“[i]The pragmatic aspects of computing require one to be cognizant of the resource-usage aspects of a program. While such concerns should be secondary to those of the correctness of the program, they are nonetheless concerns that, like correctness, can make the difference between success and failure in computer problem solving. The general
term used by computer scientists to refer to resource usage is "complexity"[/i]-”[/color]

Her plan was to keep reading until he stopped her… Or fell back asleep. Whichever happened first.

[color=577d06]”That’s where magic helps… Infinitely scaling complexity… Breaks that rule. The one about computing power only being able to be reduced so much before uh… Quantum computing or whatever. Gin mentioned it.”[/color] he replied softly, recounting the long babbling conversation that had been Gin and her brother both trying to explain to him how they could perform such incredible computing feats with publicly available technology.

[color=577d06]”Or maybe I’ve got no clue… Not my field. I’m glad it’s yours. My wife’s way smarter than me… I get to tell people that.”[/color] he grinned, holding her tightly and kissing her head a few times. 

Her voice was at least able to keep him from falling back asleep. Casey was a little surprised that she was onto something so cerebral this early in the day, but then what else would someone so smart actually read? He hadn’t even considered that he’d given her free text books for life. 

[color=577d06]”You know you can probably access people’s private journals in that thing. So, like, you can spy on scientists who are researching cutting edge shit. I know you’re anti-spy, but you can have a [i]little bit[/i]... As a treat, y’know?”[/color] he giggled, hoping she’d hear the humor in his voice despite him being dead serious about the book’s latent ability to observe people’s personal journals, notation, and overall unpublished or undocumented personal writing.

Trisha giggled in return, comfortable enough in the moment with him to not misread his tone as completely serious. It was a bit scary the book had that power, but she wouldn't be tempted to use it. Even if her insecurities made her want to know everything, reading something private to help would just leave her feeling worse in the end. It was invasive. 

[color=d1b300]“I don't really care about cutting edge science… And who’s private journal would I even read? Yours? [I]Cass's[/I], if she has one? I imagine that'll be have overly complicated technical notes, half in depth descriptions of all her sexual escapades- I think I'd finish it a shell of the person I was before."[/color] She scrunched up her face in playful disgust, closing the book and wriggling up a bit so she could nuzzle her nose against his. She didn't actually want to read about complexity right now… Or very often. It wasn't the most interesting, after all. 

[color=d1b300]“I don't really know how magic helps with these things. Honestly, I only know the basics, because I've never had to work on large, complex systems."[/color] She continued, still giggling as she realised he [I]really thought[/I] this was what she'd planned to read. She'd assumed he'd realise it was a joke, not think she was some kind of scholar that read academic texts as soon as she woke up. She [I]did[/I] read a lot of textbooks, partly out of enjoyment and partly out of fear of losing and knowledge she had. But this morning what she'd actually planned to read was much more lowbrow… Should she admit it? Or let him keep thinking how he was? 

It wasn't just a small thing, and surely he wouldn't grow disillusioned if he found out later, right? She could keep this one little positive facade. 

[color=d1b300]“I don't think I'm smarter than you, though… Even if I like you bragging about me like that."[/color] She meant it, and not just because of her own self confidence issues.
[color=d1b300]“There’s stuff you understand much more than I do. Like all the military tactics and magical theory."[/color]

[color=577d06]”I think that your understanding is top notch. Sure, some things you don’t know much about, or don’t have experience with. But, you always [i]get[/i] what’s being given to you. Your comprehension is what makes you smarter than me.”[/color] Casey responded calmly, unwittingly directing the conversation away from Trisha’s anxiety completely.

He ran his hand down her shoulder, nudging her over slightly so that his arm could get a bit of blood back into it. After she’d gotten up, he realized how nice it was to not have an extra weight pressed against it… Though, at the same time, that weight made it helpful to sleep. She was like grappling a rucksack, or cuddling his favorite stuffed animal as a child. Only, this one had a heart beat that he could sync his internal rhythm with, as steady as a metronome. 

She didn’t panic at night unless she was having a nightmare, he figured. No breathing issues, no apnea, certainly no snoring. When they were laying together, even in the worst moments of tension between them, she settled right into the slot she’d made for herself. The slot in his heart that was shaped like her.

[color=577d06]”Until I got a hold on my White Lux in the rudimentary form it was in, I’m pretty sure I had some kind of learning disability… Well, I mean, I guess I probably still have it. I’ve been usin’ this one spell since I gained my magic; I guess it’s probably the white part of my Abstraction; but basically, I- Well, you kind of already know, since you’ve seen me use it recently. With the Queen’s knowledge… The idea that I can separate my brain into a learner, and a doer at the same time, helps me overcome the fact that it takes me so long normally. I’m sure having that would be helpful for you, but for me? It’s been pretty crucial.”[/color]

He shrugged a bit, letting his roaming hand find its way to her spare. 

[color=577d06]”There’s plenty of times I don’t think I have to use it, and end up needing to review some shit I thought I had locked down. It just comes with the territory of being a bit of a space cadet.”[/color] he finished, asserting his point like he wasn’t a sufferer of multiple skull injuries at all points before, during and after the war. Magic could [i]only do so much.[/i]

Trisha nodded, her fingers threading through his. She didn’t want to argue about who was smarter- not that it was an argument yet, but there was that little part of herself that wanted to tell him he was wrong. She could bring up all of her grades and how mediocre they were, but then he’d probably bring up that he didn’t have any at all. And she was slowly accepting that she just didn’t do so well with traditional learning, and especially [i]exams[/i]. Though part of why she could pick things up so fast was the extensive hours studying textbooks growing up… But she’d been able to do that, even if it had been a slow process at first. 

[color=d1b300]“Well, if you’d been sent to a normal school you might’ve gotten help with it before you got your magic. People with learning disabilities can still be smart, they just need extra help and different tools.”[/color] She said softly, before realising she sounded a bit like a parent telling their child they had something like that. 

[color=d1b300]“Sorry, that sounded patronising… I wouldn’t want to change how you are. Just, if you struggled when you were younger and didn’t get help…”[/color] She trailed off again, not sure what point she was trying to make.
[color=d1b300]“You already know I think your parents neglected you so- I’m glad you have something to help. And I love you even if you forget things sometimes.”[/color] 

She pressed a kiss against his cheek, before nuzzling into his neck. 
[color=d1b300]“It’s good you’re not some super genius. There’s always been one genius around me… Whether it's my mom, or some of my siblings, or Cass. I could never get anywhere near their level, and it was so demoralising. The only time I wasn’t surrounded by people like that was at school, but then my friends thought it was uncool to care about school, so I had to pretend I didn’t study. Whereas with you I can be myself, I know you’re not going to talk at me about something I don’t understand- Not that you don’t talk about smart things just, nothing that’s beyond me, I [i]do[/i] think you’re smart, but neither of us are geniuses… Uh…”[/color] 

She frowned a little bit, realising she was rambling unnecessarily. There was a bit more nervous energy than she’d expected now that she’d fully woken up. 
[color=d1b300]“Maybe it being my birthday is affecting me more than I thought. It’s not as bad as normal, I just feel… a bit uneasy.”[/color] At least she was being honest, though.

Casey did his absolute best to take her panic and unease in stride, planting another kiss on the top of her head and peeking over her to look directly between them.

[color=577d06]”Doesn’t take a genius to be brilliant. And you’ve got that in spades, my brilliant birthday baby bee… Now, is [i]this[/i] what you want to do? Obviously we can’t go many places, but if you unironically want to lay in bed and read your book all day, I’ll be your living, breathing hug pillow. Whatever you want to do with our time here, it's all yours today.”[/color]

He had received some fairly corrosive mental images with consciousness, unfortunately. Nothing that he couldn’t handle, but his Lux was still fairly weak from the ordeal yesterday, so blocking them out was harder. It was [i]just[/i] before the new year, after all… [i]She was getting ready to die.[/i] So, why not bombard your susceptible children with horrible telepathic vitriol? But, was it today? He prayed it wasn’t going to be today. Maybe if he could-

[color=577d06]”Do you mind if I just give Theo a call? Besides your phone, he’s our only line out of here, and we should probably at least find out if someone’s coming up here today. To avoid unexpected interruption, obviously…”[/color] he asked gently, hoping his calm rationale would put Trisha somewhat at ease.

The question didn't really help with Trisha's background anxiety, because it made it seem like he thought something [I]would[/I] happen today. It made sense, seeing as there'd still been no police presence for what happened. It didn't make her any less anxious about the whole day… But knowing was better than not. 

[color=d1b300]“Sure, that makes sense, it's better to know. I assume you need to use my phone? I think I left it in my coat pocket… The screens badly cracked, so you need to be careful with it."[/color] She responded, though she didn't move to let him get up to do that. She was too comfortable, and felt safer bundled up against him. 

Though she didn't want to spend all day like this. Lying in bed reading was too like how she was on the depressive days, and she didn't want to risk slipping into that. She'd had a few ideas before for what to do- going into town, or just going somewhere picturesque for a walk. Neither were possible now. A walk nearby probably wasn't either. The more she woke up, the more she could feel her joints aching, and the soreness from the various falls during the fight. She assumed the joint pain was a consequence of the transformation. 

[color=d1b300]“I don't want to lay in bed all day. I…"[/color] She pursed her lips, trying to think of something. 
[color=d1b300]“Want to shower."[/color]

[color=d1b300][I]A great answer[/I].[/color]

[color=d1b300]“I’d like to do something. Maybe we can find a couple of movies to watch, or continue one of our series… A dip in a hot tub would be nice, then maybe it'll help my pain enough to go on a short walk… Or maybe there's a pool table downstairs. I don't know, I want to do something with you."[/color]


Casey nodded his head.
[color=577d06]”I genuinely want to make sure you’re taken care of, and that we get to do what you feel like even if it’s not… Y’know… Just, being stuck in a crime scene is a crazy way to spend your birthday! I want to comfort you as best I can. And I’ll be able to be better at it as long as I can take care of my own little anxiety. So, thank you. And, no, I’m good on using your phone. Theo’s close enough, I can use magic.”[/color]

Without skipping a beat, the room smelled with cinnamon and banana, probably accidentally waking some of the nearby bees as he reached out past his Mother’s consistent low-grade signal of pain to feel the powerful Apparitional E-Field projected by Theo’s companion. Knowing the signal well, it let him in without a fuss, and Theo allowed Casey to pry open his most recent memories. From there, Casey not only oriented himself based on what Theo had heard, but seen and felt as well. Like the exact time of the morning and the temperature outside, as the room was devoid of clocks and thermometers. For Trisha, it would’ve only been a couple of seconds before Casey cleared his throat.

[color=577d06]”Local Sheriff contacted the office here. Theo answered, managed to route a PRA representative from Aspen, but I guess the magical deputy in charge of this part of the county here is gonna come out and start doing some preliminary stuff. Theo gave him the rundown on what to expect, and the guy sounded pretty empathetic so hopefully when he gets here, he’s not a big dickhead. Also, apparently the old Chef stayed up at the restaurant, packing his stuff and getting ready to go. But, Theo says it’ll take him another night or two, and he wants us to come up tonight so that he can feed you for your birthday. [i]If we want.[/i] That was expressed deeply, I guess the guy was really remorseful about Furio and Clarissa. Theo said Dubois had a picture he showed him, of all my folks at his old restaurant. Ma, Dad, Uncle Foor and Aunt Rissa, a few other hang-arounds from the old days.”[/color]

Casey paused for a moment, wanting to give himself up to empathy of his own. Maybe Trisha thought that was cute normally, but the way he figured now, if anyone had anything to do with their weekend being screwed over? He wasn’t exactly obligated to give all that much. He’d been happy to hear that Dubois made it, but mulling it over now made him more sad than anything else. After all, one [i]could[/i] sacrifice themselves for the good of the many. Maybe more than just one person would’ve survived the initial, senseless massacre. 

[color=577d06]”But, I’m… I’m just gonna match your vibe. If you’d rather we hang out here, make ham sandwiches and watch Cineweb all day? I’m game. I’d say the only thing I want, barring getting the ordeal with this sheriff over with, is to check out what’s downstairs downstairs. Maybe we’ll be surprised or something.”[/color] he concluded, doing his best to be warm and whimsical while still asserting his desires enough that she didn’t think he was just pandering.

Trisha nodded slowly. She was interested to see what was downstairs too, though she didn't have any overwhelming urge to get down there. But there could be something nice that helped actually decide what to do with the day… Like a whole games room or something. 

Knowing there would be a Sheriff coming around, she definitely needed to do something. Even if it was just cuddling and watching something, it was a nice distraction. 

[color=d1b300]“I want to check out downstairs too. We can do that when we get up- Maybe there's a whole cinema down there, so we can get the proper movie experience."[/color] She joked softly, managing to ease out the tension she'd been starting to build in her body. They were both still there, alive and together. He was willing to just be there with her as long as he got to explore the whole cabin, which was such a small request when she could come along with him. But she was glad he was asking for something, rather than making everything about her. 

Not just because the sole attention was uncomfortable, but he'd been through something traumatic too. It wasn't fair things ended up all about her just because it was her birthday, even when it was a day she had a lot of anxieties around. 

[color=d1b300]“Do you think if we go up to the restaurant, he'll just cook for us and then leave us alone? Because a proper meal for my birthday does sound nice, but I don't think I can handle talking to him for long during it. Especially if he's feeling remorseful about them- they tried to kill us, they killed loads of other people, and Lynette is the reason why so- so I don't really want to think about them more than I already have."[/color] She took a deep breath, calming herself down before she let herself go down the path of dwelling on what happened. The feelings around it wouldn't just go away for either of them, but she didn't want to focus on it. 

[color=d1b300]“His food was good, though."[/color]

[color=577d06]”I’ll check with Theo and see if we can just get it delivered. Otherwise, I’ll have a chat with Chef and just let him know that we’re… Well, we’re both really just looking for peace and quiet… Hell, maybe he’s too embarrassed to face us like he did last time, and he’ll just cook in silence.”[/color] Casey shrugged, accepting what Trisha said and maneuvering his mindset toward accommodation.

Casey hadn’t had many particularly special birthdays either. Lots of catering to Junior, since they were closer in age than any of the other siblings. A year and a day, in fact… So a lot of his birthdays were Junior’s too, and it wasn’t hard to imagine which child got more of the fun. The concession had always been that they held it on Casey’s birthday, and he got to decide what their cake was. But, he felt like Trisha’s situation was always worse off, and his compulsion to give her a better birthday came from that feeling of knowing what a crappy one was like.

[color=577d06]”If you’re up for it though, I would like to go up… I’m not sure how we’re expected to get there, I may have to improvise something, but it would be nice if we could dress up and go to dinner again. I had another outfit, and it’s not ruined, [i]and[/i] my plan was to bring you up there anyway… I made a reservation later that same night…”[/color] he admitted, willing to present his feelings and desires as a cause to take the focus off Trisha. 

He figured, after all, that as much as she enjoyed the concept of a happy birthday, that concept didn’t equal out to being the total center of attention like it may’ve to him so long ago. After all, Leon? Center of attention. Elise? Very much agreeable to the spotlight. Junior? An absolute hog. Casey just assumed [i]that attitude[/i] was default, and everything else was painful loneliness all the way down. Was he wrong for wanting to make it extravagant? Probably not, but Trisha really wasn’t used to it. He presumed that there was a special type of self-confidence that more people were devoid of than the typical personal confidence that helped with a job, or a sport… 

It was a much different thing from being the [i]best[/i]. Sometimes the best person wound up being the most unsuspecting, or the quietest. They didn’t always have the spotlight on them. Trisha? She was the best. But that didn’t mean she automatically became a star thanks to it. Frankly, Tansy seemed to have taken whatever charisma existed in the Vanburen lineage, and did her absolute best to turn it up an extra notch too. Not his humble Trisha…

[color=577d06]”I was just thinking about how blessed I am, winding up with you… How awesome it is to have someone like you in my life. Not because of the computers, or whatever, however smart you are. You’re just… [i]not a bitch.[/i] You’re not rude, you’re not a jerk: People probably think you are because you’re guarded, but you let me in. Thank you for that again…”[/color] 

Trisha stared at him for a moment with big eyes, before starting to giggle. What he said was really nice, the warmth relaxing her further, but she couldn’t help but giggle thinking about how he’d put it. [i]You’re just not a bitch.[/i] 

There would be plenty of people in her life that would beg to differ. Even she would. She could be rude if she wanted to, or when she was hurt. But she guessed that was it… She wasn’t a bitch for no reason. She’d just been hurt over and over again, so sometimes she reacted to protect herself. 

[color=d1b300]“You charmed your way in. You saw me covered in blood after a fight and still decided to take me on a date… Then you treated me so well. I wouldn’t have let anyone else in this fast. Just you. You made me feel safe from day one.”[/color] She said softly, leaning in to kiss his cheek. 

It was true, after all. He’d broken through walls that had been standing for most of her life. The only partner that had come close before was Reyna, and it wasn’t in a matter of weeks. Cass had managed to make more of a dent than anyone before Casey, but that had still taken her a long time. 

[color=d1b300]“But you’re welcome, and thank you for being so patient with me… Because I am guarded. I needed the right person to open up.”[/color] She continued, squeezing his hand and smiling at him. He’d shown her that she could open up without getting hurt. Even if she still struggled to bring up all her problems, especially when he wasn’t doing so well, she was a lot better than she had been almost two months ago. 

[color=d1b300]“If you don’t mind making sure Chef Dubois will leave us in peace, I’d also like to go up, then. I don’t want to miss out on seeing you all dressed up and handsome again… Well you’re always handsome… I think some of the nice dresses I brought survived too, so I can still dress up too. It would be… really nice to still go out for dinner like you’d planned, even if it’s not quite the same.”[/color]

Casey kissed her forehead simply and gently.
[color=577d06]”It’s a birthday date, with my birthday girl. Sounds great.”[/color] he said, nuzzling against her again.

[color=577d06]”I’m glad we’re all planned up then. It means we can juuuuuust [i]relaaaaax[/i].”[/color]

Rather than making any kind of motion to get up, Casey did the opposite, letting his legs shake gently as he stretched them and felt the tingling of fresh nerve endings explode up to his brain. It was the best stretch he could’ve asked for, and as he let his torso slump a little further into the pillows, he closed his eyes again and took a deep breath.

[color=577d06]”It’s a treat. Relaxing, I mean. I don’t usually have the tension release of having nothing at all to do on my mind.”[/color]

Trisha smiled softly up at him, letting her body go limp against his. 
[color=d1b300]“I’m glad you can… It’s my birthday treat for you. Relaxing on my birthday with me.”[/color]

[hr]

The morning hours drifted away in a relaxed haze, the couple only making moves to get up as it neared the afternoon. Trisha rolled into the shower, taking a nice long and relaxing one to wash away all the lingering grime. There was some horrible bruising down her back from when she’d fallen from one story to the next, but otherwise she was relatively unscathed. Just sore. 

After her shower, Trisha took some time to check her phone and respond to her messages as best as she could with how cracked the screen was. There was a mixture of excitement and concern from Cass- which was strange, that Leon had told her Casey was hurt but not that he was alright after… So she responded to her first, before cycling through the rest of her friends to thank them. 

Then she put her phone away, not planning to look at it again for the rest of the day. It was safer that way, so she didn’t think too much about who did and didn’t message her. 

Casey had put together some food for them, so that was eaten before they moved onto what they’d actually gotten out of bed for. [i]Exploring downstairs.[/i]

[color=d1b300]“What do you think’s down there?”[/color] Trisha asked, as she looked at the elevator curiously. It was such a strange thing to have in a cabin, after all. 
[color=d1b300]“Maybe- Maybe we should both guess, and see who’s closest to what it actually is?”[/color]

Casey frowned slightly, looking directly at Trisha in return.
[color=577d06]”Well, I’m working with a little more info than you. But, it’s just a little. Only enough that I’m gonna go out on a limb and say it’s the same spa setup that we had at the other cabin, except underground. Hot tub, sauna, maybe it’s got another bathroom and shower down there? I only saw last night because I checked the elevator shaft to make sure it wasn’t cursed as fuck. But, I did feel the rippling of a bit of water. That’s [i]literally[/i] all I’m going off of. It couldn’t have been more than ten feet from the opening of the elevator.”[/color]

He knew she’d probably be a little annoyed with him, and his overexplaining certainly wasn’t helping, but honesty was a necessary part of their being together. He wanted her to know that he wasn’t going to hide things, even if sometimes that meant she’d have to deal with his proclivities. It truly had been a matter of wanting them to be safe, and knowing what was down there was crucial to that. If anything, he still felt uneasy about not checking it more thoroughly, as anything could’ve been hiding beyond that short range he peered across.

[color=577d06]”Sorry… Unoccupied elevators make me nervous… So do random caves. But, I held back the moment I thought of the whimsy. There’s no telling how big it is; I mean, I felt it yawning and stretching way further on. I just hadn’t gripped onto any real details. Not even directions. Whatever it is, it’s [i]big[/i].”[/color] he finished, hoping that qualifier would let Trisha’s mind wander somewhere beyond his initial guess.

Trisha pursed her lips, managing to push down her agitation before she reacted. Her feelings surrounding the day made her touchier, but she’d come far enough to recognise the self fulfilling prophecy it would be if she snapped at the smallest things. She didn’t want to get upset at Casey, especially not at him checking something for their safety. That was far more important than a silly guessing game. 

She nodded, expression relaxing as she turned to hug him. It said more about how she was holding onto any little annoyances over it than any words could. He knew how tense she got when she was holding something in, after all. 

[color=d1b300]“At least you’re willing to share your unfair advantage.”[/color] She teased quietly. 
[color=d1b300]“Maybe it’s an actual underground cave down there, with a whole lake too. Though something like that wouldn’t appeal to most rich people… I was thinking a full gym, so maybe that and a swimming pool? Or it’s like the basement at the Vanburen mansion, and it’s just filled with antiques for people to look at like a museum.”[/color] 

Maybe it would just be an extended version of the hot tub and spa setup from their cabin, or another private room. Combined with a bar, maybe, like had been in the shed. It could be all sorts of more boring things that they’d already had. But it was still strange it was [i]so[/i] underground it needed an elevator. 

[color=d1b300]“Hopefully the water bit isn’t too big, or I might be getting swimming lessons for my birthday.”[/color] She half joked, reaching out to hit the button to open the elevator doors.


Casey giggled, shrugging as he rubbed Trisha’s shoulder and held her close. He knew that wouldn’t be something he’d force on her unless she wanted to try. Otherwise, it’d just stress her out, and it was a day he wanted her to feel as relaxed as she could. 

[color=577d06]”Hey, no pressure if it is. You get in as much water as you’re comfortable.”[/color]

He had their towels in his other hand, and ruffled them slightly as he watched the doors pull open in front of them. It was a plush little elevator with seats along the two sides, and a plaque that framed the back wall of the lift. Casey peered up at it.

[color=577d06]”’[i]What started as a search for shelter ended in the most well kept secret this side of the Rockies. Please, responsibly enjoy the natural beauty and modern amenities of Roland’s Cave.[/i]’ That’s cute. I wonder how desperate they got for the shelter that they crawled into a cave that deep down. I guess the temperature must regulate itself at those depths. This has to be the highest cave entrance in America, and I’m certain it’s undocumented. Like the plaque says, it’s a secret, right?”[/color]

Casey didn’t bother sitting, but there was only two buttons to indicate which direction they should head: Down or up, there was only one option in this context. He nodded forward, practically telling Trisha to press the button.

Trisha was a little distracted by the fact the elevator [I]had seats[/I]. How long was the journey down that they felt that was necessary? Or was it just that some of their clientele was too lazy to stand for a few minutes? It was weird, but it did make it surprisingly cosy compared to the normal steel walls.

But Casey drew her attention to the two buttons, and she smiled up at him. 

[color=d1b300]“Maybe I should try the up button, see if it shoots us up into space?"[/color] She joked, giggling before leaning forward to press the down one. Then as the elevator started to move she slotted right back into Casey side, turning to cuddle into him. While things had generally been better on their holiday, she'd still be a bit more cautious about being too clingy- at least until the attack. But today there was no caution at all, like before Casey's mood had dropped a few weeks ago. It was her birthday, after all, so she was going to cling to him as much as she wanted. 

[color=d1b300]“The plaque makes it sound like my guess of an underground lake [I]could[/I] be right. That would fit natural beauty, wouldn't it?"[/color] She said softly. 
[color=d1b300]“I’m not surprised it's stayed secret… Most people wouldn't see an elevator in a cabin and expect it to go to a cave. Well, actually, I'm surprised nobody's posted it on social media. It seems like the exact kind of thing people would love to record- ‘must visit hidden beauty underneath luxury holiday cabin' or something. I'd come across so many videos like that when I used to get… Depressed, I guess, and just stayed in bed scrolling through something on my phone."[/color]

Casey nodded gently, frowning slightly as he tried to let the sad circumstance pass without making her feel like he locked in on it. 

[color=577d06]”Probably still better than my old routine. After the war, I used to sit and play solitaire for hours, just staring at the cards. I’d look at the numbers, the face cards, and just get all wound up in myself. But, still… I’m there with you. And I get it too, Mia shows me those kinds of things sometimes. More before you came around, since I was spending a lot more time with the girls. Mostly to keep them from getting high, I think… I was always nervous about being there and catching them.”[/color]

He grimaced, thinking about how grim all of that sounded.
[color=577d06]”Point being, uh… Yeah, the clickbait title and everything, for sure. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was some sort of NDA-esque agreement that guests had to sign. Wizards cover their asses generally speaking, so it’s not [i]so[/i] surprising to me.”[/color]

It was hard to avoid that kind of thing in the world of Adepts. There were plenty of ways to block information from reaching Blinds, but nothing worked better than magical contracts. Sometimes they were so strong, that the contracts themselves could take a life of their own: Apparitions born of Bond. Not that anything so strong would be necessary for something like “Don’t post pictures of this place on Blind socials.”, of course. If people had some kind of reason for not participating, then it’d just come back onto the guest whose I.D. is on file… And then, there was reason to dispute things in a much more hands-on fashion. Usually with magical lawyers…

Still, the elevator wasn’t all that long… A minute at most, and it came to rest at the bottom of the shaft before opening up into a sauna-like wood-panelled area. It was warm, if not a little damp. The wood panels had substantial gaps so whatever moisture existed could get in between them, flowing down through the rocks with gentle trickling noises welcoming them into the space. 

Then, through a narrow opening ahead, the two of them emerged into a large, wide open cavern that spanned [i]possibly[/i] sixty meters. And smack dab in the middle of this massive cave was a masterfully hewn swimming pool, a thin cloud of steam hovering over its surface. It was far cooler in this wide open space, which made sense as to why the water was heated. Crystal clear waters let them see deep into the pool, the incline gradually steepening until it disappeared into inky blackness far beneath.

The wooden floors continued along as well, with small openings leading to other chambers of the cave that included a large game room with dozens of arcade machines lined up and waiting for someone’s input. Then, there was a more intimate sauna area, complete with a much more integrated jet tub that seemed to be built [i]directly[/i] into the surrounding rocks. One could even close the door in that room, and the sauna pit in the middle of it would get the entire little chamber filled with sauna steam. Then, the smoking room, which was a third chamber that was exactly like the bar in the garage of their previous cabin, only far more luxurious.

It looked like an entire gambling parlor, with craps tables and poker tables, billiards, and a full wooden bar.

[color=577d06]”Holy shit! They [i]must have[/i] staffed this place for parties or something like that. I can’t imagine any single group needing this much space!”[/color] Casey exclaimed finally, realizing there were [i]other[/i] chambers that still awaited their exploration.

[color=d1b300]“[I]Wow[/I]."[/color] Trisha managed to get out, very eloquently. She wasn't generally one to be impressed by luxury, growing up steeped in it, but this was beyond anything she'd seen. It seemed insane that it even existed, and she was struggling to figure out the purpose. It must be what Casey suggested. Parties. Galas, even. Certainly not a small group staying in a luxury cabin. Not when there was essentially an entire [I]casino[/I]. 

As she looked around with wide eyes, she not so subtly shuffled herself from one side of Casey to the other. This put him closer to the swimming pool than her, [I]just in case[/I]. Sure, this end looked shallow, but it got deep quick enough it made her nervous. She grabbed his hand and squeezed, like it had been a cute swap rather than an anxious one. 

[color=d1b300]“Maybe you have big, rich groups who rent out all the cabins, and then use this space for parties or gatherings or whatever. You're right, it's way too much for the number of people that could fit in the cabin. Even a super rich and privileged group would find it too much!"[/color] She smiled up at him, free hand raising to point at the game room then the sauna area. 
[color=d1b300]“I don't know what I want to do first… I guess we should check out the spaces we can't see, right? Then I can decide. Well, we can decide, I'm not going to drag you into something you don't want to do… Like if some magical manicure bar pops up, I won't make you get them."[/color]


She leaned into him with a giggle. 
[color=d1b300]“I definitely want to play some of those arcade games with you… It'll be more fun and chill when it's just us."[/color]

As opposed to their other times at an arcade… Cass' party would've been a lot for both of them even without how Casey was feeling and what happened. Whereas the first time was really… Just her rather than the surroundings… But she was better now. She wouldn't throw a childish tantrum if he used magic on an arcade machine.

[color=577d06]”Will you let me carry you through one of those rail-shooters?”[/color] Casey asked in a playful return, slowly rotating around her and letting his arms drape over her front.

There were three passages that obscured what lay ahead in a fantastic fashion. The first led to a comically large section of the cave, where an entire batting and golfing cage coupled up with an [i]indoor[/i] skiing and snowboarding simulator. The floors were all covered in thick moss that managed to perfectly replicate the feeling of good, clean turf grass. It easily absorbed the liquid around it, and Casey could feel the Green Lux flowing through it.

He thought for a moment about the people who founded this place. The owners. It had to still be in a family, it was just too detailed and specially catered to ever [i]need[/i] a corporate owner. So… Someone [i]else[/i] had to be coming. They’d know that operations were missed yesterday, that no reports had been filed after a certain time…

Or did they die in that explosion too? Vaporized along with so many others? The only ones left were those who had been running the office at the time, and he’d put them on ice as quickly as possible. He hadn’t bothered checking their I.D.s at the time, so he took a mental note to let the Sheriff know when they arrived and let them sort it out. There was no point in him getting involved any further than he already had.

[color=577d06]”Jesus Christ… This is extravagant.”[/color]

He pointed toward the cages.

[color=577d06]”Those are tachyo-perception cages. They… Like, if you stand in the spot, you’ll be batting out into a different place entirely. Like, a field, or something probably.”[/color] he explained simply, eyes wide as his magic climbed up toward the machines and began to examine them deeply.

[color=d1b300]“So there's a field somewhere that balls are just flying into out of nowhere? That sounds dangerous, unless it's completely inaccessible."[/color] Trisha asked, eyebrows raising as she looked around this even more extravagant cave. 
[color=d1b300]“This whole place is [I]insane[/I]. And I didn't think it was possible to see something more extravagant than some of the parties Tansy organised!"[/color]

She'd thought the full swimming pool was already a lot, but she guessed there was a full sports facility under here! She wouldn't be surprised to find full tennis courts in one of the other caves sections they hadn't explored yet. 

It was a shame she couldn't ski or snowboard, because the simulator for that looked interesting. Plenty of people assumed that as a rich girl her family went on yearly ski trips, but that just hadn't been the reality. While she'd taken weekly ice skating lessons for years just to impress a friend who assumed she could do [I]that[/I], organising to get up a snow covered mountain or find a fake ski slope was more difficult. At least St. Portwell had an ice rink, and James was good at signing off for things that cost money even if he was never around. 

Oh, wait, the ice skating was during highschool. So he was already dead then… 

[color=d1b300]“Can you ski or snowboard?"[/color] She asked Casey, leaning back against him and gesturing towards the simulator.

[color=577d06]”I can ski, yeah. We did some recon on skis over the Alps, but… Well, I never really liked it, it’s awkward for me for some reason. Doing it on that thing would probably be a little better, since there’s so much magical assistance… Honestly, it’d probably be good practice for a beginner if you wanted me to strap you in at some point.”[/color] he giggled, having taken a few steps closer to the machine just to look at it properly.

There were plenty of enchantments involving the maintenance of the illusory magics surrounding the machines. Even the slope machine peered down into a magically generated illusion.

[color=577d06]”As far as the field question, though… No, the field’s not real. It’s a trick of the mind, and the net behind the illusion catches the balls while the illusion itself carries the simulated continuation of what happened. You hit the ball, it hits the illusion at a particular angle, then you see it fly off into the distance on the predicted arc while in reality it hits the net and drops back into the machine feed.”[/color]

Which, he wouldn’t bother explaining, was far more complex magic than necessary to achieve the same effect. It was artful. Everything in this place was artfully magical, and he felt the craftsmanship in every rune and sigil carved into the given material.

[color=577d06]”Did… Did you wanna try one of these? Ah, sorry, I’m probably getting more distracted than you are… I do wanna hit baseballs at some point.”[/color] he admitted playfully, tucking his hands behind his back and coyly looking at Trisha.

Trisha squinted back up at him, considering for just a moment if she wanted to go with the first response that popped into her head. 

[color=d1b300]“I wouldn't mind hitting some [I]balls[/I]."[/color] She responded with a reading smile that quickly broke into giggles. 
[color=d1b300]“Probably just for a little bit… But I'm happy to watch you do it for as long as you want to. Just maybe not right away, I'd like to see the other hidden caves first. And maybe we can play some arcade games before getting all sweaty."[/color]

She looked over at the cages, then the skiing simulator. 

[color=d1b300]“I think I'll pass on the skiing… The magical machine looks fun, but hurtling down a hill still doesn't appeal even if it's not real. It just seems scary and [I]dangerous[/I]. Though I know that's irrational, especially since I can ice skate, and that involves actual bladed boots, and [i]going fast[/I], which is also dangerous-"[/color] She rambled for a moment, before shaking her head and laughing softly. At least it wasn't nervous rambling. Just being comfortable enough that the internal thoughts slipped out. 

[color=d1b300]“But I know how to do it safely. I don't know how to ski. I don't really know how to play baseball either, but at least with the magical cage I won't be hitting anyone with the bat or the ball."[/color]

[color=577d06]”Hey, never say never. I’ll be standing right there, you could totally wreck me.”[/color] Casey laughed in return, having had a big smile since the moment Trisha mentioned smacking around [i]balls[/i]. 

It was funny enough that he didn’t even feel compelled to try and reason her into trying the skiing machine. She wanted to go batting, and that was more than enough.

[color=577d06]”But, come on… You’re right after all. There’s more exploring to be done.”[/color]

Casey half-tugged Trisha until she was at his side, and the two traversed through the winding hall back to the main area before heading for the branch closer to the entrance than all the others. This one was, if nothing else, a little dull compared to the others in that it was a fully open and comically large function hall. It wasn’t the size of a convention hall, but could very clearly host an incredibly packed wedding reception or something similar. 

Casey could tell that this entire room was enchanted before they even entered, feeling his magic slipping into the control box to find all the little functions of it. They must’ve had two or three Orange Adepts stationed in this place whenever there was an event, just to make sure that all the different control boxes were attended to as was necessary.
With a single impulse, Casey could command the wooden floor to rise up and reform itself into tables of various shapes and sizes to accommodate guests. The lighting could be changed rapidly, speakers open and close behind humidity-controlled lids to hide the electronics, and a kitchen set rapidly deployed from a rear wall upon his request.

[color=577d06]”It’s basically a fucking carnival down here… I’m amazed there aren’t more rides and prize games, honestly. It’s like our first overnight date out on the island…”[/color] he giggled, remembering how much fun they’d had.

[color=d1b300]“Can you imagine if they’d fit a rollercoaster down here?”[/color] Trisha laughed, trying to imagine how ridiculous it would look. The place was already ridiculous enough, though she could at least see the [i]practicality[/i] of this room. Everything controlled by impressive magic so that it could be set up however you wanted… It was the dream events room in a way. But it was strange to have an event room under bookable accommodation. She couldn’t imagine ferrying everyone down here in that elevator. 

But a rollercoaster would be crazier. She squinted happily at Casey, managing to giggle even at the thought of how terrified she’d been on the one on their date. It was a bit ridiculous with what happened after and everything they’d been through… But she’d probably still be scared on a rollercoaster. 

[color=d1b300]“Prize games would be fun… They’d have to make them magic too, so you don’t need a person manning them. And then it’s not quite the same, because there isn’t some guy with a fish hat handing you a massive plushie.”[/color] She grinned, reaching out to take Casey’s hand and swinging it between them. 
[color=d1b300]“Or to be impressed by how well we worked together as a couple, giving us the top prize even though neither of us got all the matching fish… Magical prize games would probably be stricter, wouldn’t they? Still fun, since it’s the playing that’s more important.”[/color]

Casey playfully frowned in return, shrugging his shoulders as he tucked her into his arms closer.
[color=577d06]”Who knows; if everyone can play fair, there’s no need to regulate it. Most of the time, people who know they have an unfair advantage naturally tend to sit things out. Lucky people like Leon can turn it down to a near-human level, and then there’s Adjoined like you who are generally mundane but can tap into a power by choice. Others have no say, and are on one-hundred percent the whole time, whether it's Adeptal fiddling that can’t be reversed or being on the wrong end of the Adjoined spectrum. It’d be pretty hard to make a machine that compensates for all that…”[/color]

He let them wander the hall a moment, their feet echoing into the rock walls around them as they walked.

[color=577d06]”I… Feel like these people have the money to get that type of thing done if they wanted.”[/color]

He frowned, feeling a little queasy with the thought of the owners having to deal with what’s happened, and his part in the responsibility of it happening in the first place. Of course, he knew he couldn’t live with that guilt. Just like the friends he’d lost, it couldn’t be him or them. Sometimes there was no reason for it either, but this time… At least there were people he could point out. Reasons [i]why[/i]. But, it couldn’t be compensated. 
Could he ask people to work the McGuffin with him? Sure… But, he felt like that would be abuse… And it’d wipe away the guilt of Lynette Richoux and her cronies. Magical people died, and they’d want answers. They’d get them.

[color=577d06]”Come on, let’s see what’s last.”[/color] Casey finished, having rotated them toward the way in. 

Back out into the main room and across, there was a sign that said [i]Concessions[/i] with bright lights around it, and as they passed by the sign, it opened up to a fully stocked concession stand with all the snacks one could ever want, and a magical popcorn machine that seemed to pop and dispense fresh popped corn in a variety of flavors to compliment the all-in-one soda fountain. 

Casey laughed at the machine, almost immediately taking a cup and testing it out for himself. The thing was ridiculously magic, and had the signature of Chef Dubois’ magic inside it.

[color=577d06]”Well, I bet we can both guess what this last one is… How big do you think it’s gonna be?”[/color] he asked her, waving his hand to see if she wanted anything.

[color=d1b300]“Probably the same size as a normal cinema.”[/color] Trisha laughed, shaking her head at the ridiculousness of that. [i]Who needed that[/i]? With one hand she reached out to snatch up a bag filled with gummy candy, the other moving to steal some popcorn out of Casey’s cup. She didn’t need a whole one of her own, after all. 

Having Trisha’s intuition at their back Casey was happy to let the dice roll and enter with his eyes closed. When they opened in the entryway, they were treated to another cavern of tremendous size, where rows and rows of red reclining couches and loveseats formed consecutive rings around a massive theatre canvas. Off to the side was a platform with a small computer setup, and all around them were massive speakers that must’ve got this room shaking with the bass of the movies and shows being played.

[color=577d06]”Well, I’ll be damned, Babe…”[/color] Casey cooed, looking around and smiling widely.
[color=577d06]”I think we’ll need something like this one day. Not even joking.”[/color] 

Somehow it ended up even bigger than she’d guessed… Though she supposed you got some cinemas this big. But not as fancy, with all the comfortable looking seating that she was already looking forward to cuddling up on. She guessed this was where they’d watch the post reception movie, or do the inanely boring powerpoint presentation. 

[color=d1b300]“You think we’ll need one [i]this big[/i]?”[/color] Trisha emphasised, playfully bumping into him and looking up with a bright smile. 
[color=d1b300]“How many kids are you planning to have?!”[/color]

[color=577d06]”Bigger magic screen, bigger audio system; I don’t think how many kids matters when such theoretical luxury is on the table. It’s not about giving them bragging rights, so much as its about making sure that their quiet life is full of enrichment. Even I remember going to the movies without my folks sometimes, just paying the five bucks to see something I’d never seen before.”[/color]

Casey shrugged, blushing and smiling with a goofy smile. In truth, cinema was magical before he could ever even observe magic. Even as a child, his mind had been resistant to magical exposure, and although his Third Eye opened sometime in grade school, it was still [i]late[/i]. Late enough that “magic” was still what he saw on the big screen before it was ever something he could see in front of his eyes. There was a soft spot for movies in his heart, probably only matched in his family by Leon.

[color=577d06]”I’ve already got an idea too… We uh… Well, I set up a mechanical doorman, and we reward the kids with movie passes. So the doorman makes sure they’re getting the full movie theatre experience; they hand him the pass, get their snacks, then get ushered in so they can enjoy their reward… Sounds reasonable to me.”[/color] Casey explained, shrugging his shoulders as he continued to look around this fantastical place.

[color=d1b300]“[i]Ohhhhh.[/i]”[/color] Trisha nodded in understanding, looking up at him as he looked around rather than continuing to look around the luxurious private cinema. She liked cinemas and movies, but they’d been more of a location to visit with friends or on a date because it was easy. Especially for first dates. She was fairly certain she’d had her first kiss in a cinema… Though that wasn’t really something she wanted to think about now. 

[color=d1b300]“I was thinking about how many kids we’d need to [i]fill[/i] a place like this. But I guess it’s not about that, it’s about the experience of it being a cinema rather than just a big screen at home. It would be nice to have something like that, since they won’t be able to go to the nearest town themselves… At least not till they're older.”[/color] She smiled softly. It was a nice future to think about, where they could give their children all the luxuries they wanted to- without overly spoiling them, of course. 

[color=d1b300]“I bet we could even set it up so it’s only ‘showing’ a few movies and they have to pick one, like a traditional cinema, rather than being able to access anything on the internet. Make it as authentic as possible.”[/color] She continued, before gesturing towards the platform with the computer setup.
[color=d1b300]“Do you think we can just use that? My laptop didn’t make it, so we have no other way of playing movies here.”[/color]

[color=577d06]”Well, I hope we can. If we’re lucky there’s no locks on it or anything, or maybe we’ll have to call Cass and have her remotely hack it or something…”[/color] he stuck his tongue out, giggling as he shifted his arm to slide around her before letting his head lean down on top of hers.

[color=577d06]”Do you want to check it out now? Before we get into anything else, so we know whether or not we’ll be using it later?”[/color] he asked gently, assuming she’d want it done and already arching his leg to begin walking toward the system.

Trisha nodded, letting him walk them both towards the system without any resistance. 
[color=d1b300]“It’ll help plan the rest of the day if we know. Not that I want to [i]strictly[/i] plan it, but I think we’d both prefer some kind of plan. I’d probably save movie watching for when we come back from dinner, so if it doesn’t work… We can just cuddle in bed instead.”[/color]

She giggled as they reached the podium. It wasn’t really a laptop, but more like a computer system specifically for this setup. There was a keyboard and mouse, but the screen seemed to work as a touch one too. That gave her some hope at least. 

She found the power button, watching as it quickly booted up. There was an immediately clear GUI, instead showing a terminal. But it was a descriptive one… It seemed it could boot in a few modes. Having it turn on like this was probably enough of a fail safe to stop just anyone using it, but it wasn’t too difficult for Trisha to figure out what to type to get it into cinema mode. 

Then it turned into something much more friendly. It was laid out like a streaming service, and she had a feeling they could probably find just about any movie they wanted on it. 

[color=d1b300]“Wow, either they’ve got a magical movie database or directly pirated [i]all of this[/i].”[/color] She commented, reaching out for the screen now and swiping down. Everything was neatly categorised, with the first movies being ones previously watched. She looked up at Casey with a bright smile. 
[color=d1b300]“Now we need to make the harder decision… What to watch later.”[/color]

Casey shrugged, knowing a billion movies he’d want to watch. Funnily enough, he could easily watch movies he’d seen [i]before[/i] the war, no matter what their content. They could be the most disturbing, gross horror movies, but as long as he’d watched them [i]before[/i] he wound up seeing the real things, they were practically separated from reality. 
Though, he had the chance to try something new as well… Encapsulating that type of mindset, with a little help from his White Lux, Casey wondered if he could essentially isolate his own triggers within sub-brains that were unable to observe their surroundings.

From there, he figured he could re-introduce the memories through the lens of his old mindset, and ultimately repiece the movie together in a watchable format in near-real time. Fast enough that Trisha probably wouldn’t notice. But, if he was going to do that, he was going to have to tell her…

[color=577d06]”Well… We can watch something comfy pretty safely, or we can watch whatever you want for a throwback. Orrrrrrrr… I can try something out. Y’know my thing with movies?-”[/color] he asked casually, this being a well worn topic for them at this point.

[color=577d06]”-I was thinking maybe I can solve it, and we can watch that horror movie you were interested in that came out last month? If it’s on here… I think I’ve got a magic solution that I haven’t tried yet.”[/color] 

Trisha pursed her lips, looking up at Casey inquisitively. It was the kind of expression she had when she was considering something, rather than being upset. She wasn’t sure what to think about it… because what was the solution? She could live without watching a horror movie that he wasn’t able to watch. She could even watch it with Cass sometime, though Cass really wasn’t the best person to watch movies with unless she got really engrossed in them. She didn’t want him to push himself for something silly like a movie.

[color=d1b300]“How?”[/color] She asked, before quickly realising that could come across as more accusatory than she meant. Especially with how conversations had gone in the past.
[color=d1b300]“I mean, would it definitely solve it? Because I’d love to watch that horror movie with you, but not if it might end up a bad time for you. That would be worse than never watching it at all so… I’d feel more comfortable knowing what you plan to do.”[/color]

[color=577d06]”I’m pretty good at locking thoughts down. I was thinking that I could maybe make a separate brain to process the movie and kind of filter it into a watchable experience that doesn’t turn me into a slathering mess.”[/color] he explained rather simply, not wanting to bore her with any particular details unless she asked for them.

Trisha furrowed her brow, trying to understand how that would work. Wouldn’t the separate brain still be him? She guessed maybe he could pick and choose pieces for a white lux ‘brain’. She didn’t entirely understand it, but if he thought it would work… 

[color=d1b300]“You’d still be yourself while doing that, and able to enjoy it?”[/color] She asked back, just as simply. That was what was most important to her. Especially today. 
[color=d1b300]“It won’t make you… Out of it or anything? Not that we’d be talking much during the film, I suppose.”[/color]

[color=577d06]”I’d be me, yes!”[/color] he giggled, holding her tight and kissing the top of her head.

[color=577d06]”Y’know the delay on live television? In case something awful randomly happens, and they need to cut away? It’d be that, except uh… In reverse. The second brain is watching the movie maybe a quarter of a second faster than us, since it's the longest I can really muster with any consistency. So, I’m kind of watching it ahead of time? But, so quickly that by the time that the second brain does whatever I need it to, and then transfers it to my personal observational mind, I’ll be on queue.”[/color] he began to explain in greater detail, taking her initial question as an invitation to be better informed. It was his nature, after all…

[color=577d06]”My only problem is what I’m actually supposed to do with it… The feed of information, I mean… Because, essentially the only options I can really think of are: To just not transfer images it recognizes as triggering, to alter them in a way, like blurring or pixelation, or… To use it as a pre-processor… Basically, uh, let it have the panic attacks for me, so that when I receive the images, they’re already kind of dead to me. All three options sound like they make things awkward, but my assumption is that with a lot more practice, I’ll be better at doing it.”[/color]

Having laid it out fully, it definitely sounded like something he should practice on his own time, and now he was a little embarrassed. Trisha would be able to feel his hair drape just around her face, with most of it pulled back in a tight bun. 

[color=577d06]”Maybe we’ll save it…”[/color] he said simply, forehead pressed against Trisha’s cranium.

[color=d1b300]“It’s up to you."[/color] Trisha said softly, tilting her head up to rub her nose against his. Then she tilted it a little further to press a light miss against his lips. 

[color=d1b300]“I’m not sure I'll want to watch the horror movie after dinner anyway. Something more comfy or nostalgic would probably be better… Then you can save practicing movie brain splitting another time. So yeah, actually, maybe saving it would be better."[/color] She continued, like it was a compromise for the two of them. It sort of was. If he was going to be distracted figuring out how to filter things, then trying to do it, she wouldn't be able to enjoy herself. And there really was a fair chance she'd want to watch something easy later. 

And a horror film maybe wasn't the best after what had happened. Horror movies didn't tend to affect her unless they hit very specific Stygian Snake caused triggers, and this one shouldn't, but it was better to be safe all round. 

She nuzzled her nose against his again, breaking out into a smile. Her arms snaked up to loosely drape over his shoulders. 
[color=d1b300]“Right now, I'd like you to carry me through a shooter arcade game… Then maybe we can find something I can carry you through. Or we can just struggle and fail together at one."[/color]

Casey nodded happily, squeezing her tightly as the two of them turned from the podium and made their way back down among the loungers. He would always be pleased when she said how she felt, even if it hurt. This time, it wasn’t even a problem. Trisha’s way of thinking was great, and she’d presented her ideas as her own, leaving him free of any guilt for not necessarily wanting to push himself either. 

Games it was, and whatever else she had the whim for. He was extra happy just to be able to do this with her.