our news publications keep our residents up to date

[cross_and_bow]

Jane tells everyone what happened regarding the Alethian afterlife.

And little tidbits about surrounding events, too.

Bella has been hanging out in the Jarvis she knows better, mentally composing a treaty for the Vxaabli demons, and as she hears the story she slowly, slowly tenses up like a spring.

Comments

[eversomuchfun]

"Steph was an unwanted surprise to both herself and me. Steph knew what it was like for me not to hate myself and considered herself the cause of the difference. Steph turned up under what were already unhappy circumstances, not in the short term as for Pearl but in what might have been a very long one."

[cross_and_bow]

Slowly, Bella nods.

[eversomuchfun]

He shrugs.

"And now we are both slightly enlightened."

[cross_and_bow]

"Yeah."

[eversomuchfun]

"Speaking of things that are likely to make you unhappy, I think my needless perfectionism about the design of that mindreading power is a sign that I'm not as keen on it as I think I am."

[cross_and_bow]

"...Okay."

[eversomuchfun]

He goes and sits down beside her and hugs her.

[cross_and_bow]

Hugs.

[eversomuchfun]

Yes. Hugs.

[cross_and_bow]

Later, when hugs are concluded, the treaty has been written and conjured and sealed with the largely invented symbols of Bella's status as a foreign negotiator and sent to the Vxaabli, and Bella is alone -

she goes down to the basement in which there is a Tony.

[toblameforit]

Tony is doing something that involves pouring molten metal into a mold! He will probably be available for conversation in a minute when he's finished.

[cross_and_bow]

Bella hangs out, watching, quiet.

[toblameforit]

And indeed, as soon as the thing he's making no longer requires his immediate attention, he turns to her and waves.

"Hi!"

[cross_and_bow]

"Hi," says Bella. "Whatcha making?"

[toblameforit]

"Arc reactor. Well, part of one."

[cross_and_bow]

"You going to power something in particular with it or is this mostly an exercise left to the reader out of the Being A Tony Textbook?"

[toblameforit]

He laughs. "Well, I mean, who wouldn't want a cute little cold fusion reactor to take home and feed and play with?"

[cross_and_bow]

"You feed it?" she giggles.

[toblameforit]

"Not literally. Well, mostly not literally."

[cross_and_bow]

"Mostly?" giggles Bella.

[toblameforit]

"It's not inconceivable that someday I might have an arc reactor where I have to give it new reaction material every so often."

[cross_and_bow]

"Fair enough." She hops into the air, crosslegged like she's sitting there. "I don't talk to you that much so I don't actually know what you heard about the thing with Steph. What did you hear about the thing with Steph?"

[toblameforit]

"Sherry got a daemon, she was suicidal, he un-got her."

[cross_and_bow]

"...That's all you know?"

[toblameforit]

"That's the summary. Why, was there more?"