our real estate is a great investment

[cross_and_bow]

"Welcome to Sunshine," says Juliet. "And to my front porch and whatever you do don't hit the light, it'll set Sherlock on fire."

Comments

[cross_and_bow]

The square disappears and Juliet blinks, perked up. "Thanks. I'm gonna go before it wears off. Night all."

[eversomuchfun]

"Night, love."

[cross_and_bow]

Juliet gets back in her truck and drives home.

[she_sells_seashells]

Shell Bell bends back her finger again, and appears her squares off her bandolier for Tony's use. "Are you crashing here or back wherever you normally live?" she asks Sherlock. "I bet you're going to move in here eventually because of Jarvis."

[eversomuchfun]

"Here, I think," he says. "But not for a while. Need any heavy lifting done, Tony?"

[toblameforit]

"You bet!"

[she_sells_seashells]

"I don't have to sleep at all, copied that from Stella," says Shell Bell. She frowns at her hand and switches fingers.

[toblameforit]

"...Can't decide whether that's awesome or scary," says Tony, and he starts going over the walls and muttering to himself.

[she_sells_seashells]

"I can sleep, I'm not like Golden, I can just skip it if I want," says Shell Bell. "I still do sleep when there's not anything important to do. Especially when I've got my Sherlock to snuggle up with. She thinks it's cute when I talk in my sleep."

(Shell Bell is so gone over Sherlock. She's not making any effort to conceal it.)

[toblameforit]

"That is so adorable," says Tony.

[she_sells_seashells]

"It's apparently what other Bells hear about me before they meet me, is that me and my Sherlock are adorable," giggles Shell Bell. She switches fingers again.

[toblameforit]

"I can see why!"

[she_sells_seashells]

"Do help yourself to the squares," Shell Bell adds, nudging the pile that's accumulating in a rain from her entwined hands with one foot. "To make your power tools and whatever."

[toblameforit]

"Thanks," he says, and then looks at her directly and smiles. "I mean, really—thanks."

[she_sells_seashells]

"You're welcome," says Shell Bell. "It doesn't hurt that bad, though, low end of squares, it's not a big deal."

[toblameforit]

"Still," he says, "I appreciate it."

And back to muttering at the walls.

[she_sells_seashells]

Construction happens. Shell Bell supplies coins, Tony supplies knowhow, and Sherlock supplies supernatural strength to haul things.

In the morning, it finally occurs to Shell Bell that she can put them all on the brainphone network without an extra coin expenditure. So she does, and then she follows Juliet to school, invisible.

[cross_and_bow]

At Study Hall, Juliet leads Shell Bell to the library, a running conversation in her head, and - this isn't as much of a revelation as her being the Slayer is, which she'll save for after school. He's already met one of her doubles. "I met a couple more mes and brought one home," she tells him casually. "Can you see this one too? She turns outright invisible."

[pythbox]

"No," says Mr. Giles, "this one escapes me."

[she_sells_seashells]

Shell Bell turns visible and waves. "Hi, Mr. Giles, it's nice to meet you. I'm Shell Bell."

[pythbox]

He adjusts his glasses.

"Likewise," he says. "How many of you are there?"

[she_sells_seashells]

"We know of six and there's no reason not to expect more. Me and this one and Amariah who you met, and Golden and Stella and Angela. I've met all of them now, I think I might be the only one who has - some are close, but Amariah and Angela haven't met Golden and Stella hasn't met this one." She sighs. "Unfortunately, I was caught in the bar without my big magic-coins, so I can give out lots of little ones that I can make myself, but I can't give away my kind of magic to anyone outright, I gave everything big to Angela and my girlfriend who makes most of the coins for me is home asleep."

[pythbox]

"That... does sound unfortunate," he says.

[she_sells_seashells]

"It is. I could explain in more detail but apparently you have librarian sensibilities?" Shell Bell says. "But I can do a few things without coins with stuff I already have set up, like turning invisible and flying and also I can add people to a telepathy network that'll go on existing even if I leave, do you want on that?"

[pythbox]

"...Are there drawbacks?" is the first thing he asks.