Fourty-Eight. Unopened. Messages. First. New. Message. [center][[i]Hey, I’m coming home early tonight! Woo-hoo, right honey? Hahaha, I love you sweetheart… and your sister loves you too… I know things are a little different since you quit being Drizzy X—but we’re a family now. A real family--[/i]][/center] Next. New. Message. [center][[i]Helen? This is your mom. I’m in a meeting right now, but I just wanted to say that I really appreciate you helping me take care of Abby. How about some drinks when I get off? Whadd’ya say about a girl’s night out, huh?[/i]][/center] Next. New. Message. [center][[i]Taco night!!! Helen, it's Abby! Will you pick up the Guac on the way home? Oh by the way, your boyfriends are here-O.EMM.GEE. Can I can one of them to prom? Hurry and get your butt over here before mom get's home or she's going to kill you! [/i]][/center] Next. New. Message. [center][[i]Abby skipped class again, I need you to pick her up from detention—the High school right next to---[/i]][/center] Next. New. Message. Next. New. Message. Next. New. Message. N-n-Next. New. Message. [center][[i]I just missed your call, I’m sorry—look I don’t want any of those type of things in the house with your sister around. I've accepted that you have a different way of seeing things; you're a real progressive thinker just like I was-- but these boys are a bad influence on Abby.[/i]][/center] Next. New. Message. [center][[i]I noticed that we've been sort of distant lately. You come and go and sometimes we rarely see you, honey.[/i]][/center] Next. New. Message. [center][[i]Helen? D-don't be mad okay? Please don't tell Mom. Can you just come pick me up? I went with some friends down at Central Park and...[/i]][/center] Next. New. Message. [center][[i]Hello Miss Fenten, my name is Tahl. I am an educator at Central Forest University. Regretfully, I must inform you that your application to serve as our Cultural Media Studies professor has been rejected by the Board of Education. If it is any consolation Helen, I was fighting for you hoof and horn; it just goes to show us that perhaps it is not only Humans who have been misguided by progress... [/i]][/center] Next. New. Message. [center][[i]You've been gone about a week. Fine. Just fine. You're grown you can do what you like but don't expect our door to be open after coming back from all that filth. I'm your mother-- all I ever wanted was for you to be successful at whatever you do. If you want to waste your talents on a bunch of... of...Tree Boys... then fine-- I've got your sister to think about. God forbid if she decided to follow the example you've --[/i]][/center] Next.New.Message. [center][[i]This is Abby. Can I come with you? Everything sucks without you around anymore. I was actually happy when you moved back in with us-- no matter how uncool quitting Drizzy was... Oh. And mom wanted me to tell you that she's sorry. And that she didn't mean what she said. Anyways, can I come? Mom's been seeing someone at her job and she's driving me insane with her giggling.[/i]][/center] Next. New. Message-- Are you sure you want to Delete All Messages? Saved. All. Messages. Next. New. Message... ------------------------ Helen jumped as she heard the clearing of a throat. She wiped something out of her eyes, and stretched a smile before turning to see who it was. She frowned again. "Oh, it's just you" Her bodyguard saunters in. When she is not someone else, Selene has a rather small and bookish face. Prim lips and egg-white hair that just oozes down both sides of her face. Like she was fresh from a hot, sunny day at the beach, "Nimmy's condition is stable. We've managed to get a few more facts out of her--says there were some seedy looking techies ferrying cargo down by the Hudson. Turns out she was also lying to us earlier... she did in the thug chasing her. Calling it self-defense. I sent some guys out there to recover the body but nothing's turned up so far." "The Hudson River? What in the hell were they doing way out there?" "She couldn't say. The Dyrad girl is out cold, and might be for a while it looks like." "And Dirk?" "Him and a few of us will be waiting outside for you with the palanquin." The royal [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Litter_(vehicle)]palanquin[/url], was a ridiculous thing, "No, I won't." A two person tent, made entirely out of deep violet cashmere. Spider silk interiors, fur pillows, nary a finger or hair would land upon a rough edge or sharp corner. A gift from an investor's son in exchange for... well... whatever Ulrich had promised him. In any case, it was far too ostentatious for her taste. "It's for safety. You will." Selene had a way of saying things. When it came to the Queen's own safety, she wouldn't be challenged. Fifteen minutes later Helen found herself spread eagle groaning in protest on the enclosed platform. Six female belly dancers, rather than the usual four knights in armor, were selected to carry her to the entrance of the Sea Tiger's camp. Dirk and Selene leading up the front, suited to the nines. [i]Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease, don't be there.[/i] She hadn't seem him for so long. Thankfully, she was allowed to wear her usual street gear and not show up nude like the females who carried her. She glanced into the mirror ceiling- which she suspected was custom, and probably indented so that rich people could watch themselves fucking- gods she was a mess. Her short hair had grown out a bit in the past few months, and she perhaps had lost a little more weight than normal...[i]Well, I'm no Goddess...[/i] ---- "Look who it is boys!" the two guards that stood at the camp's entrance had recognized Dirk on sight, "If it ain't ol' Dirky boy-- weren't you suppose to be off in the woods crying, somewhere?" The tips of Dirk's ears, reddened, "If it's a challenge you want," with a long drawn out [i]shiiiiiiink[/i], the elf draws his saber, "I'll take you both on at once!" Both guards exchanged glances and then squinted, unsure. They shrugged upon seeing that he was serious and placed their hands on their own weapons. "Boys, boys this isn't a---" Selene's shoulder rolled forward suddenly and she froze with a smirk, balancing on her right leg and eyeing something just beyond the gates. Her knife spun handle over blade in perfect revolutions for Alistar's face. "Hmn?" He had happened to be passing, clipboard in hand, apple in another. He looked up bewildered to find that he had dropped his apple, but why? He then glanced at his hand only to find Selene's knife had neatly replaced it. He swallowed what was left of the fruit in his mouth, "I thought I said no sparring in the public areas..." "Alistar!" "Selene?" She launched herself at him no sooner than he had let himself through the gates. They both hit the ground hard "I've missed you. How is Uncle? You look horrible! Shh. Don't say anything--Mmmn--mmnn--nnngh!" The two guards looked uncomfortable, Dirk simply rolled his eyes. It was very common for Elves to greet family members with a kiss, but they were pressed for time as it was "Selene, when you're done eating the poor guy's face, can you ask him where Damien is?". [i]Suck. Pop.[/i] "What do you say, Ally?" Selene sat up and pulled them to their feet "We have to see--" "Impossible." his tone all business, now. With a trace of regret he thumbed the last bit of lipstick off his uniform "He is busy" "I think he can make an exception" Dirk called out, jerking a thumb past his ear. Alistar's eyes traveled in the direction of the palanquin, "This should be interesting... I'll let him know. Wait here." Selene folded her arms, "It's her. Not, him. Just so you know..." He halted mid step, "Sorry. He's not interested." "Not interested in what?" a grunt from behind, the mighty Sea Tiger captain approached them all with a limp.