When Vrey offered the supply of candies and water Kitsueki shyly walked over, respectfully asked for a bottle of water before the cane smacked down. Startled, her tail poofed up before returning to it's natural state during Opa Krieger speech. Content with what was said she just nodded her head and followed Johann to his room for the night.
She looked in amazement on the walls as her experience with paintings is limited and while fascinated she held her tongue not knowing if any of her questions would be too prying.
Upon entering the bedroom she quickly grew fatigued. Her very eventful day had caught up and she was ready to fall into a deep sleep.
"This bedroom of yours Johann is quite nice. Thank you for sharing your room with us," she whispered this next part in hope's to avoid Opa Kriger from hearing, but did not move any closer out of fear he head might turn even more red "even if not by your own wishes."
She then turned to Reika and bowed in an awkward traditional Japanese way as if she had tried to mimic Reika's previous behavior. "Thank you for all you've done today and for the offer of translating. If anything do you think we could get a floor mat to sleep on tonight? Even if it is just a blanket that would be sufficient for me. I'm used to sleeping on wood floors but I would appreciate something to cushion myself with."
[Austria] Chapter 2.1 - The Sage of Doors & His Lovely Enchantress
Re: [Austria] Chapter 2.1 - The Sage of Doors & His Lovely Enchantress
“C’mon Dryce. Let’s sit down,” Willow said, her tone soft as she also processed the news about Mealla. While she hadn’t really known the woman, the Chief had been the person to find her and help set her up at Safeholme. It was because of Mealla she had started down this new road, and Willow realized she’d never had a chance to say thanks. Taking the bottle of water, Willow smiled at Vrey and Remarque before leading her girlfriend to a spot where she could rest. While it felt rude to forgo a tour, Drysi was not currently in shape for it. As she helped the triclops calm down, the Brit took mental stock of everything she had on her. She had her satchel, which contained: her own bottle of water (a quarter full), her cell phone (at probably thirty percent power), no cell phone charger, a coin purse with approximately fifteen hundred yen in it (divided mostly as ten yen coins), some chapstick (beeswax), a packet of tissues (with the logo of a maid cafe on it), a pair of wireless headphone and their charging case, hand sanitizer, safety pins (eight of them), a travel pack of bandages, mints, an umbrella, an two vials of metal (one complete set of eight, and one of only offensive metals).
The vials concerned Willow. She had prepared for confrontation and as such already drank a vial. If they were going to be here for an extended period, that meant that the metal she currently had ingested would go to waste. Unless she felt like risking metal poisoning that is. Depending on how long this whole situation lasted, she could end up running out of metal if she didn’t ration. So this is what a barbarian felt like when it needed to ration its Rage ability.
“So… we just sit on our hands and wait?” Willow asked Lady, a hint of scorn in her voice.
The vials concerned Willow. She had prepared for confrontation and as such already drank a vial. If they were going to be here for an extended period, that meant that the metal she currently had ingested would go to waste. Unless she felt like risking metal poisoning that is. Depending on how long this whole situation lasted, she could end up running out of metal if she didn’t ration. So this is what a barbarian felt like when it needed to ration its Rage ability.
“So… we just sit on our hands and wait?” Willow asked Lady, a hint of scorn in her voice.
Re: [Austria] Chapter 2.1 - The Sage of Doors & His Lovely Enchantress
“KSSHT… I’m in. The eagle has landed.”
With an audible honk, Manon launched into Johann’s room with the guise of Sam Fisher. She bounced once over the bed and popped her head up, sliding the tri-goggles over her face.
“Hmmm, nothing here,” the clown said, looking under the bed. She rolled over to the night-stand, tugging out a couple of drawers. “Nothing.”
With a feline grace, she bent backwards, throwing her legs over herself to flip once to standing, and then another time to come to the dresser. She began tugging more drawers out. “The intel isn’t here either.”
Manon started looking behind the furniture, and some of the hard-to-reach places, all the while flipping and bouncing about. “Est-il vraiment un si bon garçon? He is a man, yet there is nothing here…”
Meanwhile, Drysi was easily led aside while the others went on. Milder now, she huddled beside Willow, nursing the bottle of water greedily. Vrey had been right, she was very thirsty after all the heat and running around in the festival. The cool water was helping ease her nerves and bring her back down to earth. It was getting to the point where her outbursts were beginning to become embarrassing, but considering the circumstances, it felt warranted this time. Either way, she was tired, and Willow felt warm and comforting. She rested her head, and closed her eyes for a moment.
Gideon started his way down from her shoulder and coiled over both their laps, and kept an eye open on the rest of the room. The feeling of scales snapped Drysi too, and, with a mild injection of adrenaline, she quietly began fishing into her bag. While Willow engaged with the teacher, the harrowed triclops unlocked her phone and began tapping away a text message.
With an audible honk, Manon launched into Johann’s room with the guise of Sam Fisher. She bounced once over the bed and popped her head up, sliding the tri-goggles over her face.
“Hmmm, nothing here,” the clown said, looking under the bed. She rolled over to the night-stand, tugging out a couple of drawers. “Nothing.”
With a feline grace, she bent backwards, throwing her legs over herself to flip once to standing, and then another time to come to the dresser. She began tugging more drawers out. “The intel isn’t here either.”
Manon started looking behind the furniture, and some of the hard-to-reach places, all the while flipping and bouncing about. “Est-il vraiment un si bon garçon? He is a man, yet there is nothing here…”
Meanwhile, Drysi was easily led aside while the others went on. Milder now, she huddled beside Willow, nursing the bottle of water greedily. Vrey had been right, she was very thirsty after all the heat and running around in the festival. The cool water was helping ease her nerves and bring her back down to earth. It was getting to the point where her outbursts were beginning to become embarrassing, but considering the circumstances, it felt warranted this time. Either way, she was tired, and Willow felt warm and comforting. She rested her head, and closed her eyes for a moment.
Gideon started his way down from her shoulder and coiled over both their laps, and kept an eye open on the rest of the room. The feeling of scales snapped Drysi too, and, with a mild injection of adrenaline, she quietly began fishing into her bag. While Willow engaged with the teacher, the harrowed triclops unlocked her phone and began tapping away a text message.
It wasn’t her normal, narrative style of texting, but she was still shaken. Then, as she pressed the send button, she began to shiver. Her worries kept multiplying as they idled. Her vision blurred as a fresh wave of tears came on strong, but she attempted to tap another message to assuage her fears.Master, it’s Drysi. We are well. The portal took us to Johann’s house. Austria. Us is me, Willow, Vrey, Johann, Manon, Katerina and some fox girl. Ms. Sumedha is here too. We are okay.
pleqse tell me youre ok
Last edited by Kokuten on Tue Oct 11, 2022 7:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: [Austria] Chapter 2.1 - The Sage of Doors & His Lovely Enchantress
In The Cottage of Safeholme
The normally warm interior of Ruarc’s cottage sat in a cold gray monotone, completely silent in spite of the war waging just outside its threshold. The grandfather clock in the corner was motionless, its hands frozen, and its pendulum stuck midswing. On the kitchen counter near the sink sat a modest old model phone.
Austria
After a minute, Drysi’s messages to Ruarc shifted from sending to pending.
The normally warm interior of Ruarc’s cottage sat in a cold gray monotone, completely silent in spite of the war waging just outside its threshold. The grandfather clock in the corner was motionless, its hands frozen, and its pendulum stuck midswing. On the kitchen counter near the sink sat a modest old model phone.
Austria
After a minute, Drysi’s messages to Ruarc shifted from sending to pending.
Re: [Austria] Chapter 2.1 - The Sage of Doors & His Lovely Enchantress
"I will ask for some, Kitsueki-chan." Reika responded to the young Kitsune, watching with some level of bemusement as Manon made her way about their host's room rather unashamedly, much to the dismay of its owner. she crossed her arms and waited for Johann to calm down a bit before translating Kitsueki's request. "Ah, Krieger-san, Kitsueki-chan here was just asking if there were blankets and pillows for us to use while we are here?"
"Perhaps, We could see the room the rest of us will be staying in?" Katerina asked, taking off after Manon and trying her hardest to grab the Jester and pull her out of Johann's room, which she found to be of no avail due to the other's magic. She pouted, taking a deep breath and then announcing to the group. "I, I do have gifts for most of you, that I'd like to give out. I apologize Reika Onee-san, I don't have anything for you, nor do I have anything for the new girl, so I hope you don't feel left out, but, I do have something for everyone else, for- to apologize for not being around at Hawaii."
"Perhaps, We could see the room the rest of us will be staying in?" Katerina asked, taking off after Manon and trying her hardest to grab the Jester and pull her out of Johann's room, which she found to be of no avail due to the other's magic. She pouted, taking a deep breath and then announcing to the group. "I, I do have gifts for most of you, that I'd like to give out. I apologize Reika Onee-san, I don't have anything for you, nor do I have anything for the new girl, so I hope you don't feel left out, but, I do have something for everyone else, for- to apologize for not being around at Hawaii."
Re: [Austria] Chapter 2.1 - The Sage of Doors & His Lovely Enchantress
"Not being at Hawaii?" Manon's head popped out of the closet, having masterfully evaded capture. She switched off her nods, and showed her plain brown eyes giving a wry look, "That's the first time I've ever got a gift for going to a tropical island. À quoi ces Japonais penseront-ils ensuite? What were your crimes?"
She retreated back into the closet and popped out with what looked like meat skewers, "Not sampling the food stands?"
Then, whipping in and out, she shot across the room to the desk in a safari explorer's garb, "Not getting lost trying to find all the attractions?"
With a leap, she bounced behind the bed, before flopping atop it in a sunny, polka-dotted bikini, lounging, "Not sunning enough in the sand?"
Manon's eyes lingered on Katerina with that same, lazy look she always had, "Comme si tu devais t'excuser de ne pas être là... Now that I think about it, we didn't get you anything."
Her eyes drifted, before changing up her lounging position and gesturing to the scene that was her.
"Does this count?"
----
Meanwhile, Drysi was starting to have a meltdown, but was battening down every mental hatch to keep it from bubbling up. Things were in disaster mode, they needed to be strong, so that they could be strong together. Her eyes were slowly getting wider, and wider as her tear ducts shed the first salvo of a mighty emotional wave. Her master had to be fine. Someone would have said something.
"Willow," the triclops heaved, coming to terms with what was happening, "I'm not okay."
She retreated back into the closet and popped out with what looked like meat skewers, "Not sampling the food stands?"
Then, whipping in and out, she shot across the room to the desk in a safari explorer's garb, "Not getting lost trying to find all the attractions?"
With a leap, she bounced behind the bed, before flopping atop it in a sunny, polka-dotted bikini, lounging, "Not sunning enough in the sand?"
Manon's eyes lingered on Katerina with that same, lazy look she always had, "Comme si tu devais t'excuser de ne pas être là... Now that I think about it, we didn't get you anything."
Her eyes drifted, before changing up her lounging position and gesturing to the scene that was her.
"Does this count?"
----
Meanwhile, Drysi was starting to have a meltdown, but was battening down every mental hatch to keep it from bubbling up. Things were in disaster mode, they needed to be strong, so that they could be strong together. Her eyes were slowly getting wider, and wider as her tear ducts shed the first salvo of a mighty emotional wave. Her master had to be fine. Someone would have said something.
She looked at her phone, through blurring vision, staring at her message. Had he left his phone at home? Why wouldn't it send? She had a signal. Was the phone broken?Pleasantly surprised, Ruarc caught his bearings, and smiled back at the two students. "Well, tha's good ta hear, Miss Maelgwyn, saves me some explanations and introductions," the Irishman said back, reaching out his own large hand and gently shaking Drysi's.
The more she stared, the more she realized she couldn't read the screen anymore. This wasn't happening. It's just in her head, she thought. Someone would have said something. The passing of Ruarc Flynn wasn't a footnote. He had to be alive."Drysi, you are brought here tonight because through the merits of your actions, and diligence of your training has proven your worth of being accepted as a full fledgling member of the Druid Order. You will be the newest steward of an ever changing world, you will be a guardian of ancient knowledge, and an ambassador between the natural world and those who live in it."
Turmoil wreaked havoc on her nerves, and her hands started to shake. He needed to be alive.“There will be none of that,” Ruarc’s tone was firm as his face was shaded by the cowl. “No apprentice of mine will suggest they are anything but tough already. All you did was puke on your first ley line trip. That is not a measure of strength. My first trip; I passed out, overshot my target, and woke up with a sprained knee somewhere south of the Himalayas. Despite that, I was still considered strong. You; you have stood stalwart against dire threats both far afield and within your own heart. Do not ever suggest you are not strong over such trivial matters. I consider you plenty strong.”
Drysi dropped the phone, realizing that she might be lying to herself. She wanted him to be alive."Thank you. Thank you for takin' me in, even though I'm kinda shitty person. Thank you for teachin' me and lettin me read your books," the words became considerably more shaky as she went on, "Thank you for helpin' me meet my new boss and guidin' me around. Thank you for always bein' there and bein' kind."
"Willow," the triclops heaved, coming to terms with what was happening, "I'm not okay."
-
Gwathdraug
- Posts: 281
- Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2010 9:48 am
Re: [Austria] Chapter 2.1 - The Sage of Doors & His Lovely Enchantress
Vrey blinked. Sleep was necessary, but considering the various different states everyone was in there did not seem to be enough time. Time needed to be made.
Vrey blinked again and suddenly her clothes were more rumpled and creased than they had been a moment ago. Bags lined the underside the hairless teen's eyes. A ravening pit of hunger hit the girl and she had to shake her head to clear her thoughts as stars shimmered in her vision. Eight hours of fitful, restless sleep had been achieved and the time that it had took had been devoured.
The teen's gauntlets hid the quiver in her hand as she uncapped one of her water bottles and speed through time to down it all in a single tilt.
Her eyes itched and were blazing green in a way that she had no way of reverting out of anytime soon.
Her stomach growled and that too was undone as she instead popped a candy in her mouth. It was not the time and there were others that needed more right now. Vrey was many things, but what she knew she could be right now was a knight.
Looking from where Johann was leading the tour down to the hall to where Willow and Drysi had secluded themselves the teen quietly walked over to where the pair was sitting and squatted in front of them. "Hallo Willow." Vrey nodded to the allomancer and did her best to tilt her lips up in a smile. "Hallo Drysi." Vrey slowly took Remarque from off her shoulder and placed the pup on the triclop's lap where he quickly pushed his head gently against her stomach.
Vrey quietly rocked back on her heels. She wasn't sure if she should say anything else when Willow was already here for the young druid, but steeled herself. She was a knight so she would act like one. "You can break Drysi." The bald teen looked down at the ground as she spoke to hide that her eyes wouldn't stop glowing and the sudden bags darkening her face. "We are all going to break. If you break now you will be there to put the next of us back together."
Vrey blinked again and suddenly her clothes were more rumpled and creased than they had been a moment ago. Bags lined the underside the hairless teen's eyes. A ravening pit of hunger hit the girl and she had to shake her head to clear her thoughts as stars shimmered in her vision. Eight hours of fitful, restless sleep had been achieved and the time that it had took had been devoured.
The teen's gauntlets hid the quiver in her hand as she uncapped one of her water bottles and speed through time to down it all in a single tilt.
Her eyes itched and were blazing green in a way that she had no way of reverting out of anytime soon.
Her stomach growled and that too was undone as she instead popped a candy in her mouth. It was not the time and there were others that needed more right now. Vrey was many things, but what she knew she could be right now was a knight.
Looking from where Johann was leading the tour down to the hall to where Willow and Drysi had secluded themselves the teen quietly walked over to where the pair was sitting and squatted in front of them. "Hallo Willow." Vrey nodded to the allomancer and did her best to tilt her lips up in a smile. "Hallo Drysi." Vrey slowly took Remarque from off her shoulder and placed the pup on the triclop's lap where he quickly pushed his head gently against her stomach.
Vrey quietly rocked back on her heels. She wasn't sure if she should say anything else when Willow was already here for the young druid, but steeled herself. She was a knight so she would act like one. "You can break Drysi." The bald teen looked down at the ground as she spoke to hide that her eyes wouldn't stop glowing and the sudden bags darkening her face. "We are all going to break. If you break now you will be there to put the next of us back together."
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Mr. Blackbird Lore
- Posts: 722
- Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 1:48 pm
Re: [Austria] Chapter 2.1 - The Sage of Doors & His Lovely Enchantress
Upstairs
Johann, feeling a tad overwhelmed, retreated from his room. "Rrright! Pillows and sllllleeping bags!" From a hallway closet, he bundled as many as he could in his arms and carried them back to his room. Just in time for Katerina and Manon to exchange... pleasantries? It was always hard for Johann to tell just what exactly Manon was trying to do. "Sorry, they're not all folded and sorted and... yeah, anyways. Bags and pillows." He dropped a pair for his new roommates. "Manon, Katerina, follow me." He led them to the guest room which needs little description. It was exactly what one would expect a guest room decorated by a sweet grandmother to look like. There was one bed, a host knicknacks dispersed across shelves and dressers, and a closet stuffed with crafting supplies. Johann helped distribute the sleeping bags here as well before they all reconvened in his room.
"Sorry, something about gifts?" he asked Katerina, timidly, arms crossed and holding one another.
Downstairs
Lady fixed a stern gaze on Willow that deflated much of her anger. "We will do what we can do," she answered, indicating herself, Opa Krieger, and the handful of students lodging with the Krieger family. "But we still do not know the entirety of what is happening. So, yes, some of our action must wait. You trusted me before; please trust me again. I will do everything in my power to make sure we do everything within ours." Again, there was a note to her voice that clearly indicated she was speaking to include everyone in the house, even those out of ear shot.
Next, she sat at the end of the couch closest to Willow, Drysi, and Vrey. "Ladies." Her voice was quiet and calm. Motherly, perhaps. "This is scary. It's intense. We're all emotional." Doctor Sumedha, at least, appeared unfazed, but anyone who had seen her as she came through the portal would know the truth: even the Guidance Counselor could be shaken. There came a creeping relief into each of them as she spoke. She's right. She has helped us. We can trust her.
"If anyone ever needs a break-- needs to talk, I'm still your counselor; I'm still available; and I want to help. And Drysi?" She waited for the girl to look at her. "I don't know where Mr. Flynn went, but I can promise you he is safe."
Knock knock. It was a familiar sound, not of an actual door being rapped, but a common audio clip. "Au, ja. Meine Frau ist bereit." The aged man reached into his pocket and produced a cellphone, which he tapped a few times before pocketing again and turning toward the front door.
Knock knock. This time it was the front door, which opened. The avatar of sweet, foreign grandmothers crossed the threshold, and when her big brown eyes fell on all those children, she absolutely beamed. "Ach, Wolfgang! Jojo's Freunde! Wilkommen!"
"Children!" The eldest Krieger said, gesturing toward his wife. "This is my wife. You can call her Oma Ute, if you like."
Johann, feeling a tad overwhelmed, retreated from his room. "Rrright! Pillows and sllllleeping bags!" From a hallway closet, he bundled as many as he could in his arms and carried them back to his room. Just in time for Katerina and Manon to exchange... pleasantries? It was always hard for Johann to tell just what exactly Manon was trying to do. "Sorry, they're not all folded and sorted and... yeah, anyways. Bags and pillows." He dropped a pair for his new roommates. "Manon, Katerina, follow me." He led them to the guest room which needs little description. It was exactly what one would expect a guest room decorated by a sweet grandmother to look like. There was one bed, a host knicknacks dispersed across shelves and dressers, and a closet stuffed with crafting supplies. Johann helped distribute the sleeping bags here as well before they all reconvened in his room.
"Sorry, something about gifts?" he asked Katerina, timidly, arms crossed and holding one another.
Downstairs
Lady fixed a stern gaze on Willow that deflated much of her anger. "We will do what we can do," she answered, indicating herself, Opa Krieger, and the handful of students lodging with the Krieger family. "But we still do not know the entirety of what is happening. So, yes, some of our action must wait. You trusted me before; please trust me again. I will do everything in my power to make sure we do everything within ours." Again, there was a note to her voice that clearly indicated she was speaking to include everyone in the house, even those out of ear shot.
Next, she sat at the end of the couch closest to Willow, Drysi, and Vrey. "Ladies." Her voice was quiet and calm. Motherly, perhaps. "This is scary. It's intense. We're all emotional." Doctor Sumedha, at least, appeared unfazed, but anyone who had seen her as she came through the portal would know the truth: even the Guidance Counselor could be shaken. There came a creeping relief into each of them as she spoke. She's right. She has helped us. We can trust her.
"If anyone ever needs a break-- needs to talk, I'm still your counselor; I'm still available; and I want to help. And Drysi?" She waited for the girl to look at her. "I don't know where Mr. Flynn went, but I can promise you he is safe."
Knock knock. It was a familiar sound, not of an actual door being rapped, but a common audio clip. "Au, ja. Meine Frau ist bereit." The aged man reached into his pocket and produced a cellphone, which he tapped a few times before pocketing again and turning toward the front door.
Knock knock. This time it was the front door, which opened. The avatar of sweet, foreign grandmothers crossed the threshold, and when her big brown eyes fell on all those children, she absolutely beamed. "Ach, Wolfgang! Jojo's Freunde! Wilkommen!"
"Children!" The eldest Krieger said, gesturing toward his wife. "This is my wife. You can call her Oma Ute, if you like."
Re: [Austria] Chapter 2.1 - The Sage of Doors & His Lovely Enchantress
Willow had immediately wrapped Drysi in a comforting hug, the need to comfort the girl doing more to abate her stubborn anger. She trusted Sumedha, but that didn’t stop the Brit from wanting to go colonial. For the time being Willow would cooperate and sit still, but more for Drysi than anything else. It made sense that the girl worried about Mr. Flynn, but from everything she had heard about the man’s exploits he was tricky to take down; besides, when last she saw him he was with Jane, and she was positive that those two together could trounce anyone in their way. Low key, she wished she were there too; wherever they were, they were probably raising Hell. That train of thought however was sidetracked as another individual joined the party, and her head whipped over to look at the door startlingly quick. The appearance of the kindly grandmother made her feel silly. Nodding in greeting, Willow showed her respect as a guest.
“Evenin’, ma’am,” Willow’s voice unintentionally carried a hint of Jane’s mannerisms.
“Evenin’, ma’am,” Willow’s voice unintentionally carried a hint of Jane’s mannerisms.
Re: [Austria] Chapter 2.1 - The Sage of Doors & His Lovely Enchantress
Upstairs
Manon had shifted outfits by the time Johann had gotten back to his room, now instead of a polka-dot bikini, she was wearing her usual, frilly clown attire. She kicked her feet as she waited on the bed for something to happen, and appeared to be getting impatient the more her energy built. Yet, as the boy reentered the room, she lit up again.
"Oui. Gifts. Katerina got us gifts because we got to go to Hawaii," Manon continued to kick her feet with her chin in her palms, "I don't know why, but I'm not one to ask questions. It is as my great-aunt Meraud once said, 'Don't look at a horse with a gift in its mouth!' I never understood why, but as I said, I'm not one to ask questions."
Downstairs
The overwhelming support was a soothing salve to Drysi's tender nerves. Willow's arms were strong and comforting, with that firm reassurance that things were going to be okay. Remarque was warm and soft, and also a puppy, which never hurt. Gideon was cool and scaly, and the difference in sensation helped bring her back to reality. And Vrey…
Vrey found herself hooked into a hug by Drysi's loose arm, as reward for helping comfort the triclops. With the four of them joined, she began weeping in earnest, hiccuping as she rode out the crushing pressure of the sadness she had built upon herself.
Lady's words helped pull her mind up out of the mire, even though she couldn't see her very well through the tears. Drysi had trouble believing Lady, her analytical mind told her that the psychic couldn't possibly know if Mr. Flynn was okay if she didn't know where he was. Yet, Drysi knew that Lady believed what she said, and that was enough to give her hope.
When Johann's grandmother came in, she looked up, her eyes still wet and weary. Willow, cradling Drysi, offered her introduction first. Then, Drysi, cradling Remarque and Vrey, and went next.
"Heb–...Heblo… Oh-O-O-O-ohha-Oma Uote, I-ie-ie-I'm s-s-sorry I-ie'm ugly cry-ein','' blubbered Drysi as she flinched into another fit of tears, "I'm ha-ah-ha-vin' a bit of an epi-soho -ho -ho -ho -hode."
Manon had shifted outfits by the time Johann had gotten back to his room, now instead of a polka-dot bikini, she was wearing her usual, frilly clown attire. She kicked her feet as she waited on the bed for something to happen, and appeared to be getting impatient the more her energy built. Yet, as the boy reentered the room, she lit up again.
"Oui. Gifts. Katerina got us gifts because we got to go to Hawaii," Manon continued to kick her feet with her chin in her palms, "I don't know why, but I'm not one to ask questions. It is as my great-aunt Meraud once said, 'Don't look at a horse with a gift in its mouth!' I never understood why, but as I said, I'm not one to ask questions."
Downstairs
The overwhelming support was a soothing salve to Drysi's tender nerves. Willow's arms were strong and comforting, with that firm reassurance that things were going to be okay. Remarque was warm and soft, and also a puppy, which never hurt. Gideon was cool and scaly, and the difference in sensation helped bring her back to reality. And Vrey…
Vrey found herself hooked into a hug by Drysi's loose arm, as reward for helping comfort the triclops. With the four of them joined, she began weeping in earnest, hiccuping as she rode out the crushing pressure of the sadness she had built upon herself.
Lady's words helped pull her mind up out of the mire, even though she couldn't see her very well through the tears. Drysi had trouble believing Lady, her analytical mind told her that the psychic couldn't possibly know if Mr. Flynn was okay if she didn't know where he was. Yet, Drysi knew that Lady believed what she said, and that was enough to give her hope.
When Johann's grandmother came in, she looked up, her eyes still wet and weary. Willow, cradling Drysi, offered her introduction first. Then, Drysi, cradling Remarque and Vrey, and went next.
"Heb–...Heblo… Oh-O-O-O-ohha-Oma Uote, I-ie-ie-I'm s-s-sorry I-ie'm ugly cry-ein','' blubbered Drysi as she flinched into another fit of tears, "I'm ha-ah-ha-vin' a bit of an epi-soho -ho -ho -ho -hode."