we are convenient to major metropolises

[cross_and_bow]

This vampire nest was supposed to have six vampires in it. This trip to L.A. was supposed to involve this nest as the first stop of several. This time Sherlock's information is imperfect.

[Fuck,] says Bella, after having burst through the door, masked and armed with her stake, [they're having all their friends over today - help -]

Comments

[cross_and_bow]

"The Joker - the Whistle that Golden imported - made a few of them," Juliet says. "I'll go try the door." She teleports away.

[self_composed]

"Nine-pointed coins," confirms Stella. "Five made. I'm going to see if Alice wants to try for one likewise. I'm definitely not regretting farming the Joker out to Golden, now, if he can do that and hasn't gone rogue for this long."

[prima_sequentem]

"I'm going to mint tiny Libby," says Libby. "And tell her about stars."

[neverbeatme]

"I'm going to call a moratorium on referring to me as 'tiny Libby'."

[self_composed]

"But you aaaare," says Stella. "All right, all right, James it is - and are you sure about telling her about stars, Libby? Juliet has a Sherlock, not a Whistle, she's not going to be short on people to bail her out if she gets into trouble." Pause. "Well, that was a self-centered thing to say, bad Bella, no biscuit... Yes, by all means, mint away."

[cross_and_bow]

Juliet reappears. "I can door to Downside without wishing, but it's really hard."

[prima_sequentem]

Libby mints James and gives her a brief explanation of minting and stars over brainphone.

[neverbeatme]

"Fun," she comments. "So tell me more about these 'Whistles', anyway."

[self_composed]

"That's what we call a certain template that doesn't have name consistency. We know a bunch of them. My boyfriend, Angela's fiancé - or maybe they're married now, neither of them has been by here in a while - Golden's staff mint, Amariah's boyfriend, and Aegis-who-hasn't-been-here-in-person's best friend all are Whistles. They are noted for being very productive mints, although Sherlocks can substitute with some magical boosting, and I have two staff mints who I haven't seen duplicated anywhere, hired from when I thought my Whistle was dead." She opens the new Friends of the Template book and flips to the section on Whistles. "A family photo album of sorts."

[neverbeatme]

James inspects the Whistles.

"Never seen one before."

[self_composed]

"So far they don't seem to have any overlap with Sherlocks. Oh, Juliet, by the way, Libby has just minted James for you, and told her about stars-plus."

[cross_and_bow]

"Okay," says Juliet, after blinking at Stella. "Sherlock is the aforementioned boyfriend," she adds to James. "Shell Bell has one too, but hers is a girl."

[neverbeatme]

"Your boyfriend's name is Sherlock," she repeats. "Well, that's hilarious."

[cross_and_bow]

"It gets hilariouser. Were you by any chance following the news about Tony Stark?"

[neverbeatme]

"...Your boyfriend is that Sherlock?"

[cross_and_bow]

"Oh yes. Tony died, Sherlock got turned into a vampire and found me and we got together, and now that we've undergone the rescue mission to the land of the technically dead, Sherlock has his soul back and Tony is technically dead in the same way as me."

[neverbeatme]

"You've sure been busy."

[cross_and_bow]

"I like to be busy!"

[self_composed]

"It's a Bell thing," adds Stella helpfully.

[neverbeatme]

"I'm starting to get that."

[self_composed]

"There's a reason we're so suited to ruling empires. Power doesn't corrupt us, we thrive under the workload, and we are smart and thoughtful."

[cross_and_bow]

"I have some mixed feelings about today, since I got murdered, and stuff, but I am really glad to have finally run into a mint one of us who could induct me into the ranks," says Juliet happily.

[neverbeatme]

James glances at Libby for a double-check of Stella's assessment.

[prima_sequentem]

Libby nods.

[neverbeatme]

"Looks like it's been a pretty lucky day all around."