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Timekeeper	The call for assistance today is twofold, but neither one is immediately threatening, which is a relief. There's been a change in the Manus Vindictae activity in the city, not just compared to the era, but in the tactics they've ever used before, and the cascade effect from the Foundation's response is slowly rolling in on the ground floor. Marking the Sotheby manor as their stronghold in the city through Ms. Moissan, the Foundation has begun an operation to subtly transform it into a fortress with increased military personnel.     It would all be a little much for the Sotheby heiress to be present for, so she and her butler Mr. Karson have been shuttled off to Vertin's care while the Foundation's investigator teams stream into the manor. The Timekeeper's critical mission today is to keep a child occupied and safe for an afternoon while her house is turned into a military outpost for soldiers from the future, which, if that child were anyone but Sotheby, would be a breeze. Instead, she's been invigorated so much by a delightful day where she's been allowed out of the manor that the circumstance has already spilled out of Vertin and Sonetto's control, and in order to kill two birds with one stone, she's invited the Elites along to catch up on the state of the city.     The safest place Vertin could bring Sotheby that's neither her classified suitcase or a Foundation branch, is the Ainsworth Telegraph Office that she's previously set up as a Watchhouse. The secrecy of it being a Watchhouse isn't actually at issue, besides the vulnerability of Watch Elites themselves blabbing about it-- it was always Vertin's plan to associate the Ainsworth office with the Foundation's trust, and knowing her personality makes it entirely plausible that she'd just stumble across some doting older women while wandering the city and make friends with them. Two of the girls employed at the office, Doris and Evie, are mothers themselves, and one, Margaret, takes care of her own younger sibling already, so if any place is well-equipped for Sotheby, it's here.     It's a bus ride from the warpgate in the factory to get here. A somewhat more run-down part of town, the dreary grey skies and boarded-up windows set a certain atmosphere, until something entirely different takes control of the tone instead. Spilling out from inner city alleyways, sparkling even in the grey sun, are billowing clouds of pink fog that are clearly arcane in origin. People open up their windows to peer down suspiciously at it, talking loudly at its origin-- kids run towards to check it out, and are pulled away by their parents, dragging them away and out of sight assuming the fog is dangerous in some way.     A cloyingly sweet smell fills the air the closer you get, and faint voices from within it filter out, but they're too indistinct to make sense of. The first person to approach the Elites out of the fog is Sonetto, in her full investigator gear, looking extremely silly with several blobs of cloudy pink gunk sticking to her hair and forehead.     "Hello, everyone. Please do not be alarmed-- the mist is harmless unless you are diabetic. Timekeeper is attending to Miss Sotheby deeper within." You could've assumed that, probably-- Sonetto just looks a little worn out from interacting with a kid as high energy as Sotheby.
Veronica	The factory's side of the city reminds Veronica of Firefly Dam - the power plant there dates back to the Laryngos Corp days, and thus is only a bit more modern of architecture than 1920s Chicago. Look, there's a towering pipeworks of indeterminate purpose! It's just like home.     A sea of thick pink fog is a little more nerve-inducing, however. In the City this sort of thing would be invariably bad news indeed, and Veronica hesitates just a little before disembarking. "This sort of thing usual around here?" she asks the driver, though the question is mostly rhetorical as she's off the bus in a moment anyway.     When she catches a whiff of the stuff herself, her face scrunches a little. That is *sweet*, dang! She makes a face like a cat that's just sniffed a lemon. Seeing Sonetto emerge from the haze is a small comfort, because if this fog were hazardous, Sonetto seems like the first person who'd put on a respirator. Her explanation of the fog's dietary properties, and the present state of her hair, get a chortle from Veronica. "Aerosol cotton candy, is it?"     Veronica brushes some dust off her jacket (long-sleeved, to mostly conceal her EGO-corroded left arm) and puts on her best friendly face to prepare for meeting Sotheby. "I'm not sure if this counts as keeping a low profile, or a very high one," she comments as she follows Sonetto into the fog.
Regulus	Regulus, on the other hand, is excited to meet Sotheby again and honestly is kind of looking forward to another run-in with Sonetto actually. She needs the Yin to her Yang, the cop to her robber. She arrives with APPLe, happy for work that doesn't involve firearms, and she'a rocking out with her portable vinyl player, heedless of noise complaints, as she is practically bouncing in her seat the whole way over. As she steps off the bus, she is so busy grooving that she almost doesn't notice the pink tempest before her. She skids to a stop and looks towards APPLe as if she's wondering how pink he'd get if he went into the fog. When Sonetto steps out, Regulus's face does an incredible thing. She is trying to laugh and not laugh at the same time so her eyes water and her cheeks puff out and she clamps her hands over her mouth like she's smothering the guffawing she'd do without these careful percautions. She hasn't even imagined pinkified Vertin yet. APPLe gives Regulus a concerned look because she isn'y diabetic yet but boy does he worry with her diet plan. "Don't worry, my dear Sonetto!" Regulus manages after successfully defeating her impulse. "We can take it from here, love!" She marches into the pink fog because when one of the benefits of being a rock and roll pirate is that you don't, apparently, have to worry too much about your dignity.
Tamiel Luxis	The streets here were getting more familiar...but not less hostile. Chicago's smoky air was fast becoming a center of anxiety for Tamiel--and not just because she'd been shot in these streets--though, that didn't exactly hurt.     She hadn't bothered to hide her wings--leery looks from people able to tell she was hiding SOMETHING were somehow more lingering and mean than just bearing her halo and feathers for all to see. Not that it STOPPED the looks, but at least, more people thought they understood what they saw and started thinking about something else the rest of the coterie they were traveling with, for instance.     She was still wearing her newsboy outfit, this time leaving her head bare, leaving shards of flickering iridescence orbiting just above her head. She had a plain blue scarf wrapped around her neck, a brown coat, a pair of trousers and some dark sneakers that by no means would have been worn by a woman in this era--if they were even available to men.     Tamiel stops outside of the pink cloud, biting her lip, dubiously, before closing her eyes and spreading her wings, giving a couple of gentle flaps that barely worked up a breeze, feathers shimmering. Then, they relaxed.     "Did Miss Sotheby--" Tamiel thoughtlessly mirrored Sonetto's address for the young lady right back at her. "--Make this? It seems like something she'd come up with." She followed Sonetto into the fog, her wings twitching at little, tasting the arcane currents around them.     "I'm not sure if this counts as keeping a low profile, or a very high one,"     "It's not low," Tamiel allowed. "But they'll think it's just some arcanum. I just hope they don't try to call the police about it." A nervous grab at her wrist. "They'll brush it off as arcanum...but a lot of people don't like arcanum."
Ein	If one expected any shame from the Sotheby heiress, then one would be expecting for quite some time. Despite the heroic efforts of Mr. Karson and Team Timekeeper, perhaps the stern hand of her Bavarian tutor was actually required to reliably keep her in line. And perhaps Ms. Moissan simply used her particular set of skills to create an environment where there was no chance for foolishness. Unfortunately, a lady was due her foolishness, especially a lady as young and able as Gwendolyne Vera Sotheby. Prior engagements with the genius alchemist('s genius daughter) had seen Vertin give over the !!FUTURE TECHNOLOGY OF NINETEEN-NINETY NINE!! in potential violation of the Foundation's orders on interacting with locals, and gifted the young girl some of the fanciful bubble bombs that created convenient getaway smoke. Of course, the first thing any proper lady would do is create a fun gas for parties! And the whole outside was a party. "It's marvelous, simply mar-velous!!" Sotheby calls brightly from besides Vertin. Her fanciful hat drifts a whole bubbly spun-sugar wand where it had waved feathers and caught sugared air, and both gloves are stained pink with spun-sugar that hangs in soap bubble drifts with cotton candy mists - an aerogel of delight motivated by Arcanum. "I had expected the dispersal effects to remain consistent, but this is an even more stunning result! Without all of the soporific effects, the concentration of more mundane elements can be tripled! Oh, and it's such a sweet discovery!" Karson, for his part, is sticky and undignified, not quite up to the task of looking incredible as Arcanum spun around him. "My lady, please! Is there a neutralizing agent that can be used? You're distressing the *people*." "It's a party! They're having *fun*, Mister Karson, and you should be too!" Replies the delighted child to the sugarsticky adult. "Now, where's some paper? We should take some notes!" "None clean, I'm afraid, my lady..." Karson laments, thinking about something else that isn't clean. "Vertin! How do you think I did? Really, you're my i-deal audience: did I hit 'cotton candy'? It's candylicious!"
Riku Asakura	Riku takes the bus over, happy to help people as always.  He's in a white button-up shirt with tan colored trousers and some good walking shoes today.  On his belt, he's got the normal greebles, just in case trouble rears its head.  It's the best that he has to wear that fits into the current vibe.  He's also got a jacket on to help with any chill that might be there.   Off the bus, and the pink fog is immediately noticed.  He blinks at it, pretty sure that fog isn't supposed to be pink.  He shrugs and walks towards it.  If it were dangerous, he'd know pretty quickly, but pink like this usually means it's safe, right?   'I'm not sure if this counts as keeping a low profile, or a very high one,' "Well, it's certainly... imaginative!" he says, with an upbeat tone.  He breathes in the fog, and it's sweet.  This is when Sonetto makes herself visible.  "I certainly am sure I don't have that.  I hope Miss Sotheby is having fun outside of her manor?" He asks Sonetto.   He hears Sotheby from outside the fog and chuckles at her excitement about the smoke.  "Ms. Sotheby.  You certainly know how to throw a party, right?  Though I think the pink fog is surprising more people than you think!" he says, trying to keep things upbeat.
Tamamo	The primary reason why Tamamo-no-mae should be here is simply that there is no reason for her not to be, and recent events have only made her more inclined toward finding younger girls to dote on. Will doting occur? Will she ever get this out of her system? Will she be swept up in some chaos, herself, instead? Will she finally acquire an enormously fancy hat of her own? Stay tuned!     "Oh, my, that fog is certainly... pink. Is it not, Lilian?" What a curiously obvious thing to remark upon in an undeservedly knowing tone.     "Ms. Sonetto! Are you quite alr--oh, dear. You have a little something in your hair. No, do not trouble yourself to clean it just yet, if you plan on going back inside. Oh, but do be careful in removing it if it feels sticky." Tamamo,who has once again dressed 'appropriately' for the period, with the exception of not quite understanding that sleeveless, deep blue dreses with extra gossamer layers and ruffles would be more appropriate as evening wear, trots over to have a sniff.     "Is that bubblegum? No, I suppose it would instead be... In any case, were you making candies?" 'You' is a bit vague, here. Tamamo pulls out a fan, snaps it open, and disperses just the wisps in front of her face.     "Here, I have some 'weather resistant' talismans I keep around ever since that business with the tropical islands and volcano spirits. So horribly humid. It might just work for fog, at that."     One way or another, protected or not, there's no choice but to go bravely in, when preparation is exhausted.
Lilian Rook	Being called back to Chicago feels so much like a galvanizing moment of 'finally' that it makes Lilian feel embarrassed. By the time she reads far enough into the message to find out it's just Sotheby again, she's already changed into her self-prescribed 'Foundation uniform', packed and mounted her carry cases, filled the extra space in her bag, moved her Trídéag office time to early Saturday, transferred her sword to waist carry, and put on her lipstick too. Then, she promptly feels like a fucking idiot, too.     Well. She did actually like Sotheby. And Moisson, come to think of it. And that whimsical brand of alchemy was moderately interesting. And she did squish the toad only lightly. Plus, it's Vertin asking for a favour. So it's fine to still go. And she'd be so embarrassed re-rescheduling.     Unfortunately, there will be no trip to the fabulous manor of Willy Wonka's legally distinct wonders. Getting on a bus for the second time in Chicago just makes Lilian uncomfortable, and unpleasantly ready to fight someone. The dilapidated buildings only redouble that tension. Tamamo is really the only thing diminishing it, but Lilian finds herself in a strange orbital limbo of wanting to cling to her, wanting to protectively pull her along, or whether to awkwardly keep her distance. She ends up at the exact middle point of sitting and walking next to her normally.     'I'm not sure if this counts as keeping a low profile, or a very high one'     "Well, it's common sense that you discuss things you don't want being overheard at somewhere busy." says Lilian, needlessly contrarian yet semi-sincere first thing off the bus.     'I just hope they don't try to call the police about it.'     "Don't think I won't shoot a cop again." Lilian blurts out on instinct at this level of tension. "If I have to make it three-- four times to keep Vertin out of trouble then I'll do it."     'Hello, everyone.'     Then her attitude turns around in an instant. She exclaims "Sonetto!" like yelling 'kitty!' near an outdoor cat, and trots forward with zero hesitation, excitedly picking the goop out of Sonetto's hair without actually asking permission. "Goodness. Drawn the short straw again? It's unusual for you to-- No I suppose you were much more tired than this after the last Storm. Do you need a pick-me-up? Something that doesn't contain unicorn tears and mandrake screams, I mean."     'Here, I have some 'weather resistant' talismans I keep around ever since that business with the tropical islands and volcano spirits.'     "You're a godsend as always, darling~" Post-wedding mode locks the mood change in. Lilian isn't getting her hair goopy, after all. She's freakishly defensive of it, according to some people. "Of course, you can make even doing the impossible outright pleasant, so I'm hardly surprised!"     Only once she's through the mist does she hear the tones of menace.     'Without all of the soporific effects, the concentration of more mundane elements can be tripled!'     Lilian stops dead and dissociates. Staring into the distance, she privately reflects on Petra scolding her about how apparently easy it is to roofie her. Lilian then decides to stop thinking about it.     'Now, where's some paper? We should take some notes!'     Lilian actually takes her sketchpad out of her bag and hands it to Sotheby. "Please open it back and use the clean sheets." she says.
Regulus	APPLe pushes through the pink fog and appears out the other end as a 'floating bob of cotton candy'. The apple underneath is still there, of course, but he's so pink globbed that he still looks like a floating carnival confection. Regulus has pink globs all over like Sonetto did and she just sort of works on getting it out of her clothes and swallowing it down as a way to dispose of the evidence. "I give it a P for Pinkly Perfect, Sotheby!" APPLe says, "Captain, could you eat some of the cotton candy that has affixed itself to me? I do not believe I can see through the sugar and it's a little difficult to breathe--" "Oh sure, of course." Regulus says, prying free some of the pink gunk to make things a little easier for APPLe. "There, now you have a cotton candy beard and hat instead. Very distinguished, Mr. APPle." "I ... am glad to see you are in good spirits, Sotheby."
Tamiel Luxis	Walking immediately into this fog before Tamamo offered her protections was immediately revealed to be a mistake. Tamiel felt some of the cotten candy latch onto her wings in parts IMMEDIATELY--and it wasn't just the once. Her expression went from a wince of discomfort to despirited resignation, as she makes it to the other side. She shares a winded look with the young lady's butler, before turning back to Sotheby. "Um, it's really inventive, Sotheby." She tried for a smile, and made it about halfway there. The poor girl was simply too much surface area--there was a lot of space on her body for stuff to get stuck on, and it VERY MUCH HAD.     She sat down, and began to furiously preen at her wings with her hands, sorting through and plucking at it, her wings--once rainbow glass, now a quarter eye-searing pink. "How much did you..." Tamiel trailed off, hestiation holding her back. "...How much of this did you make?"
Ein	A trip through Chicago on a bus might not be high arrivals, and it's certainly not the billionaire mansion compound with fortress-like outset and other properties that the prior visits had been, but of all the things that might somehow not start a riot 'a sweet, dreamy pink fog' might be one of them. Riku encouraging Sotheby's most ladylike habits (chemical weapons) allows the little genius a chance to strike a proud pose and look regal for a moment, eyes at a cheery glitter and cheeks faintly sugar-dappled from the excited exertions of her alchemical discovery. Licking her lips, and finding a sweet spot on the corner of her cheek, Mr. Karson emits an a-HEM and Sotheby lifts pinkened glove to hide her mouth while she continues to do so. This seems to barely satisfy the beleaguered and besugared butler besides, who straightens as the party appears through the sugarmists. Tamamo's talismans are quite effective. A gentle breeze could buffet away the cottoning candysmoke, and at the edge of the talisman effect a curling-back of spinning sugar drifts into cotton candy tumbleweeds that roll down the streets of Chicago. Largely into Spring puddles and gutters where the sugar will wash away into the ground eventually. Until then, the drifts and tumbles bubble and weave harmlessly away. Children are kept at bay by their parents... And Sotheby is currently being held at bay by the heroic efforts of Vertin, as even the noble Mr. Karson cannot hope to restrain the FUTURE TECHNOLOGY OF 1999 (sweet treat-ified Bouncing Bubble Bombs). He is but a man! "Oh good, some sense." Karson looks up, straightening with Tamamo and Lilian's arrival especially, moving a hand over to lightly turn Sotheby so she's properly aligned at the shoulder as she's watching the candycurl spin against the barricade talisman magic. Paper appears, and Sotheby realizes she's been attended to by Lilian, and her wonder and wow-eyed cheer turns to the tall woman. "Why, Miss Lilian! You're a wonderful friend, seeing to my needs - no, the needs of all science!" She proudly laughs, taking up a careful clutch of pages from Lilian's notebook and brings out a fancy fountain pen from her own bag to spin top cleverly and begin scratching and scratching down on paper intently in flowing freehand, nib never lifting as constant and moderated pressure from a clearly tutored hand... Starts taking detailed notes about the occurances! Especially the curling, to the magic barricade, extremely interested on the arcane interaction. That it was sticky sugar wasn't an issue - it was a feature! She's sooooo locked in that it's barely feasible for her to be extricated from her writings (and thus capturable like a particularly puzzling creature), that it's not even Regulus who can pull her entirely out! "It sure is tre-MEN-dously pink, but is it perfect?" She challenges, flicking attention quickly around - to people, between APPLe and Regulus, back to her paper... "Why, all of it, of course! This is..." To Tamiel's question, Sotheby pauses and threatens to stop. . . "Batch seven? The first several weren't quite as punchy, but then I removed the ingredients that weren't doing anything I needed from Vertin's marvelous bubble-balls! Then, really, it was as simple as formulation. Not using anything from a Basilisk meant it finally gained the lift I was looking for! Even if powdered Basilisk tear would be an excellent crystallizing agent! The sugar, you know, goes so well..."
Timekeeper	"Aerosol cotton candy, is it?"     With all the grim confirmation of a soldier, Sonetto nods to Veronica. "It is. Ideally, we would have liked to maintain secrecy on Sotheby's whereabouts, but as long as civilians are not overly alarmed...."     She trails off awkwardly, sensing the glares of the cityfolk all around the apartments landing on her. She sighs, then raises her voice, clear and professionally enunciated to be reassuring. "This arcanist incident is already under control of the St. Pavlov Foundation, please do not worry! There is no harm that will come to you. We are monitoring the situation, but please be assured that the danger level of this incident is entirely negligible!" "We can take it from here, love!"     Sonetto sighs. Frankly, this *is* much more Regulus's speed than Sonetto's, and it's so annoying to admit that. "I will appreciate your assistance, Regulus. I do not believe I understand Miss Sotheby's games." "They'll brush it off as arcanum...but a lot of people don't like arcanum."     "Arcanist incidents have been happening more frequently lately, which is causing people to be on edge," Sonetto confirms for Tamiel, which also suggests a whole lot more than she actually said. "More arcanists than usual live in this neighborhood, however. I do not think the police will come." "Ms. Sonetto! Are you quite alr--oh, dear. You have a little something in your hair."     "I do," Sonetto nods. Somehow, despite her expression being neutral, a deep sadness emanates from her at this fact. One whose source reveals itself as she twists around to show Lilian and Tamamo the back side of her very long and very elaborate hair, which is sort of congealed into one solid pink-orange braid/cylinder because of the cotton candy.     "I was struck directly." "Do you need a pick-me-up? Something that doesn't contain unicorn tears and mandrake screams, I mean."     Sonetto shakes her head, and her horrible cotton candy mane swings stiffly behind her. "I have just worn myself out attempting to keep up with Miss Sotheby. She does not often get out, it seems, so having Timekeeper take her around the city has made her very excited."     It's a little bit difficult to pick globs of candy out of Sonetto's hair cleanly just with your hands, but even brushing away the clumpy excess makes her relax a bit. Obviously, she doesn't protest at all to being treated like a friendly cat, and even seems a little bit reenergized while continuing to talk completely normally while it happens.     "She is a very cheerful child. I just often feel I do not understand children well." Tamamo revealing her talismans gets Sonetto reaching out with desperate grabby hands, reining herself in to politely wait until they're offered. "Thank you very much. It's become very very sticky.")]
Timekeeper	"It's marvelous, simply mar-velous!!"     Within the center of the maelstrom, there's no eye for respite from the storm, but Vertin's demeanor somehow creates one anyways. A cheap wicker chair, cigarette-stained-orange and pulled out from somewhere into the alleyway, is there for both her and Karson's use while they watch over Sotheby, and Vertin seems straight up at peace with the circumstances. She faintly nods along with Sotheby's rambling while the others approach through the candy-fog, providing feedback as dryly thorough as if this was a laboratory. There's a fine, sticky pink sheen all over her outfit, except for the shadow cast by the brim of her hat that keeps her eyes perfectly clear.     "Quite marvelous, Sotheby. I'd never imagined one could simply take the sleepiness out of a Misty Bubble Ball and replace it with candy. Is it the alchemical reagents in the Misty Bubble Ball that caused the clinging effects that have resulted in the clumping of your candy, here?")]     She cups her palm, scooping it through the fog so that it condenses into a semisolid handful of spun sweets, which she attempts to taste despite the clumsiness of bringing it up to her face. "It's even lighter than cotton candy typically is. That's incredible. And it's very sweet."     For Mr. Karson's benefit, and for her own, since they're on the same team here, Vertin uses this as a springboard to try and rein Sotheby in again. "But if the mist lasts so long, won't it attract ants? There must be some way to neutralize it."     It isn't just Vertin and Karson alone with Sotheby, though. Evie looks to be around forty and a mother countless times over, cooing over Sotheby with all the enthusiasm of someone who knows she won't be her problem in twenty four hours. "Gwendolyne, dear, this is just *delightful*! Now how'd you mix up something this sweet from so few ingredients? Sir, you may have a culinary genius on your hands."     Meanwhile, Margaret, a teenage girl only a few years older than Sotheby herself, with curly red hair and oddly new, modern clothing for how 'scuffed-up city scamp' she seems to be, is suppressing a giggle because she's too cool for that. "Witches really *are* batty, huh?")] She makes it sound like praise.     "Timekeeper? Timekeeper!"     Sonetto calls out twice, even though Vertin's already standing in response after the first. "Thank you for showing them in, Sonetto,")] as if they're in a fancy office rather than a sticky fog-filled alleyway.     "Sotheby, I've brought your friends from the last party. Do you think you could catch them up on what you've already made for the celebration?" Oh, so there was *more* before this fog.     Keeping Sotheby distracted by re-explaining all of her deeds to the group, Vertin turns to the Elites with their sparkly pink face. "Now, would any of you have some means to rein in this fog? Misty Bubble Balls tend to last an hour, and I'm unsure whether her additions will reduce it to a third or increase it three times." "Mrs. Tamamo has some weather-repellent charms." "Perfect. If you wouldn't mind?"     Vertin smiles at Lilian and Tamamo, in a rare way that's actually visible on her lips. "And congratulations again, by the way. I hope your honeymoon was enjoyable."
Riku Asakura	Riku takes some cotton candy off his skin and plops it into his mouth.  Mmm!  It's tasty!  He laughs at this because it's a little funny, and despite the slight public concern, it's all in good fun, right?  He looks at Tamiel, who seems soggy.  More importantly, who is preening their wings free of the cotton candy?   "Well, I guess it's not all fun and games..." he says, a bit more reserved. 'Batch seven?' "Seven batches!?  Good gravy, that's a lot of smoke bombs..." he says, in awe of Sotheby's persistence in making magical smoke cotton candy bombs. However, Riku himself is completely ignorant of what goes into making alchemical concoctions.  His world is entirely without magic that isn't space magic Ultramen.   When they finally make it to Vertin, Riku gives her a small wave.  "Hello, Ms. Vertin.  I hope things have been... peaceful!"  He says with a bright smile, hoping the afternoon out wasn't crazy or full of chase scenes.  Though by how Sotheby looks, it seems to have gone quite well.  Around this time, Riku gets a look at APPLe.  He can't help himself and chuckles a little.   "Very distinguished."
Veronica	It's not long before Veronica sidles up to Tamamo and quietly takes a weather-protection talisman. If she gets much of the actual cotton candy in her hair she'll have to get a hefty trim or be picking the stuff out for weeks!     Sotheby's enthusiasm, however, proves a little infectious. If Veronica had the precocious alchemist's skills at such an age, the Firefly Reservoir might *still* be dyed all kinds of colors. Sotheby'll be a proper terror if she ever has a delinquent phase, Veronica thinks to herself.     "Now how'd you mix up something this sweet from so few ingredients?"     "Yeah," Veronica says, nodding along with a little smile on her face. "What all's in this stuff? They don't make sweets near this powerful in the City, or not where I've seen."     "Now, would any of you have some means to rein in this fog? Misty Bubble Balls tend to last an hour, and I'm unsure whether her additions will reduce it to a third or increase it three times."     Veronica mimes a little hat-tip to Vertin - it feels only appropriate, given the latter's dressy attire and the whimsical atmosphere. "I could, hm. Lemme just..." She takes a deep (and sticky-sweet!) breath in and some of the fog roils in front of her as if stirred by unseen hands. The best she can manage, however, is accumulating the stuff into clumps large enough that they just fall to the ground and make a mess underfoot. "Nope, sorry," she says with a shrug.
Tamiel Luxis	"Yeah, Sotheby, it's really--" she considers, "--Inventive." The girl was a genius and that was a problem. She'd done EXACTLY what she'd meant to do, which was the problem. Her alchemical genius driven by the intent of a bouncy, excitable child.     "And congratulations again, by the way. I hope your honeymoon was enjoyable."     "Oh...!" Tamiel blinked, pausing from her preening to look over to Lilian and Tamamo. She offers them the goodnatured "congratulations," of someone who doesn't quite understand what's going on, but knows enough to know its worth celebration. "I'm glad everything seems to have gone well...!" They were very smily and giddy, even if their minds were both a cipher to Tammy, so she hoped that was right.     "About the fog..." She cleared her throat. "...If Mrs. Tamamo is willing, I can try to put some of her charms at places that will keep the cloud from spreading too far out. I probably shouldn't move too much." She gestures, a little sullenly, at her candy-coated wings. "But my shadow's flat. It won't need to worry about that." On cue, her shadow stood up from where it had lain flat on the ground, offering Tamamo a little salute.     "That is, if you don't mind...?" She turned her head toward Tamamo. "Those charms seem like they're just for personal use, and I don't know if you have anything for climate control..."
Tamamo	Given certain past events, it would be reasonable for Tamamo to be cautious about wandering through this country and era, obvious non-human woman that she is. She's no wings to hide, but a fox's features are the more distrusted, in general. Lilian's reaction to the change in the surroundings can't be faulted, and yet... Tamamo's cheer survives even the trappings of public transit. There's something purposeful in it.     'You're a godsend as always, darling~'     "Of course, of course! Here, I have enough for a small rescue party." That's a very normal measure of supply.     Like this, getting through without gumming up her tails becomes possible. If it were only fingers and the faces of others, that would be one thing, but...     'Arcanist incidents have been happening more frequently lately, which is causing people to be on edge.     "Just lately, you say?"     ...congealed into one solid pink-orange braid/cylinder...     "Oh, no!" Tamamo's fan comes up to half-cover her shock. This is... practically a war wound, isn't it?     Sounding a strong bit like 'ojou,' "Young miss Sotheby, hello!" A moving boundary causes all kinds of interesting interactions in air space, but becomes rather easier to study when Tamamo stops walking, and starts to look over the situation. "Basilisk...? Oh, dear, just what was it you were supplying, Timekeeper Vertin? I am glad you were able to separate out the useful ingredients, young miss. Now, as to whether it is 'perfect,' that depends entirely upon your goals, yes? One can only achieve 'perfection' by perfectly attaining a goal, but 'exploration' is a wholly different matter. With confections, there is a 'perfect' suited to a palate and occasion, but no more general than this. With air-distributed sugar bombs, I wonder..."     'Mrs. Tamamo has some weather-repellent charms.'     'Perfect. If you wouldn't mind?'     Oh, right. Were they supposed to be stopping the madness? Tamamo must have been distracted by something. "Oh, yes. I have a few, here. I could construct a more general barrier for separation of space, but if all you wish is for a fog to be contained, this would be the least intrusive method." Like she's speaking of 'least intrusive treatment' but for a body that is a local-space weather system.     'And congratulations again, by the way. I hope your honeymoon was enjoyable.'     "Oh, it was wonderful! We saw so many sights, when we did go out. Lilian, did we ever share those pictures we took in Vienna?" There were distractions.
Tamamo	'I'm glad everything seems to have gone well...!'     '...Mrs. Tamamo...'     Mhm, yes, that is the proper reaction. Tamamo radiates be-ringed social approval.     'Those charms seem like they're just for personal use, and I don't know if you have anything for climate control...'     "As you like. I do only have a few extra of this kind, but they should be enough to cover an alleyway of this size. Ah, I do have other means, but... not for controlling a larger area of 'weather' in particular, at the moment, and let us avoid more disruptive tools."
Lilian Rook	'This arcanist incident is already under control of the St. Pavlov Foundation, please do not worry!'     "I don't envy your job." Lilian, who has Sonetto's job actually, sighs. Her pity becomes triple in the very moment she sees the back. "Oh dear. We're going to need magic for this." Lilian shakes her head. "Once you can put your feet up, I'll see to it. I have all sorts of tricks, don't you worry."     'Oh good, some sense.'     "Used to hearing it, I'm afraid." Lilian laughs. Having a butler here, which is a variety of maid, puts her at ease. Frankly, more than Sonetto and Vertin do, and only slightly less than Tamamo; the totals add up with a softcap at 40 and another at 80.     'Why, Miss Lilian!'     Ah. Here it is. Her favourite thing.     "Actually, its Missus now~" says Lilian, immediately raising her left hand to flash her ring, because it's been three weeks and it's super not old yet. "I do try my best to be a friend to certain types. And I do happen to be an ally of science." she says. The former is certainly much more important than the latter.     'but then I removed the ingredients that weren't doing anything I needed from Vertin's marvelous bubble-balls!'     Lilian turns her gaze to Vertin with a look somewhere in the ballpark of a parent being told that the babysitter let the kids borrow her claw hammer.     'Quite marvelous, Sotheby. I'd never imagined one could simply take the sleepiness out of a Misty Bubble Ball and replace it with candy.'     "Why do--" Lilian stops, second-guesses herself, then decides she's in the right about this. "Why do you have sleep gas bombs?" She only barely keeps 'like in the movies' to herself, because Petra isn't here to giggle and she'd look like an idiot.     'Misty Bubble Balls tend to last an hour'      Her voice almost cracks "Why?"     It's only about then that she even notices the other two women; in a dark alley, hidden behind a smoke bomb, whom she would ordinarily assume were thieves (like the freak she is), but because they're within 30 feet of Vertin, they're quirky suitcase residents, probably. Not knowing what to make of them, Lilian defaults to small talk as if she were already included: "She's certainly a genius of one stripe or another." and "Isn't she an alchemist, though?"     'And congratulations again, by the way. I hope your honeymoon was enjoyable.'     One day Lilian will run out of people who haven't congratulated her yet, but today is not that day. Brainhack engaged. "Thank you so very much, Vertin. It's been so long in the works it's practically only just now starting to feel real!" Lilian says, starting to rock her weight on her feet. She finds the exact position of Tamamo's hand by some sixth sense, and squeezes it impulsively. "Oh it was incredible!"     'Oh, it was wonderful! We saw so many sights, when we did go out. Lilian, did we ever share those pictures we took in Vienna?'     "Not yet! I already organized them, though, if you want to~ Separate from the ceremony photos, of course; those came back right after we got back; oh but they're organized too! There's no shortage of copies you know. And I made six backups of the digitals in different places!"     It takes her a while to come down and finally ask the obvious question. The one that'd been bothering her for the past few minutes.     "May I ask what we're all doing standing in an alleyway?"
Regulus	''I will appreciate your assistance, Regulus.'' Regulus beams like she's on cloud nine. "No shame in us helping each other out, we're all on the same team here!" She says despite them actually not being on the same team, but she's going to act like they are because as far as Regulus is concerned, they at least have the same job. Helping Vertin out to the best of their abilities! But she stalls briefly when Sonetto says she doesn't understand children very well and she gives a quizzical look at Sonetto instead, "That's strange... To be honest, I would have thought that on their side, at least, children would get along just lovely with you." ''It sure is Tre-MEN-dously pink, but is it perfect?'' "Of course it is, 100 percent, full marks!" Regulus grins. "But you can always go for one hundred ten percent. You can always perfect on perfection, right? I'm looking forward to your cotton candy surprise mk II." She pauses. "Or uh. Whatever version you are on now!" But it does seem like Sotheby is really focused on her work, so she takes a moment to look at Vertin. ''Quite marvelous, Sotheby.'' Even Vertin being sticky pink doesn't compare to Sonetto covered in cotton candy, though the smile brightens and her eyes light up all the same. "I had a feeling you'd be feeling impressed when I saw the big pink cloud, Vertin." Can she rein in the fog? "This feels a bit much for me to hide with my arcane skill." She admits to Vertin. ''Honeymoon was enjoyable.'' "Oh right! It's Mrs. now, isn't it?" Regulus looks to LIlian. "Congratulations! Hope you have many happy days ahead of you!"
Tamiel Luxis	Angel inclined head to goddess. "Thank you...! We don't want to cause trouble for anyone." She continued to preen, but her shadow reached out and took the talismans that Tamamo offered, sinking into the ground with a bow...and leaving a small pile of cotton candy on the ground where the shadow had sank into the floor.     Tamiel's eyes grew a little foggy--     The shadow slipped down the alley, whipcrack fast, completely silent, and barely noticable unless you were paying close attention. A streak of dark slipped to the end of the alley, SLAPPING a hand with a talisman against the end, then across the top of the alley, SLAPPING several more to keep it from spilling over the top. Again, for each exit, keeping the candy boxed in with them.     Which might have helped keep the cops from being called on them all, but did mean that they were trapped in a cotten candy hotbox.     --An exhale, "Done." and Tamiel opened her eyes. "It won't be getting out of the alley." Doesn't mean it'd go away soon, though...     She looked sadly at her wing. Some more cotten candy had gathered on it in the time that she'd spent preening, like trying to dry a tower in the rain. "There's so much..." A pause. Don't eat it, Tamiel. She thought, musing while looking on a clump she'd pulled off. That's been on your wings.
Veronica	"Actually, its Missus now~"     Veronica's eyebrows shoot up as she realizes what everyone's congratulating Lilian for. She ooohs a little at the presented ring, even stepping near for a better look at the expense of her usual tough-girl bearing. There's been only just a dozen weddings in Firefly Dam since the Dark Days, but each has been a precious thing for the town's people - and thus Veronica can't help but care about the matter. It's a challenge, when times are tough, to ritually bind one's heart to another, but it's all the more important for that same reason.     Rather than meditate too deeply on this and risk showing too much sentiment, Veronica distracts herself from her own feelings with a question. "Where'd you get the rings made?" The Associations and their Directors oft played a role in her childhood games of Stars and Colors, even if a role that was often taken with reluctance; this is *prime* celeb gossip for Veronica, in a way.
Tamamo	'I just often feel I do not understand children well.'     'I would have thought that on their side, at least, children would get along just lovely with you.'     "For these things to be true together would not be surprising to me. Ah, but one must not consider the younger and older children to have the same needs. The levels of energy are different, for one thing."     'It's become very very sticky.'     'I have all sorts of tricks, don't you worry.'     "I shall leave this to your expert touch, in that case."     'Congratulations! Hope you have many happy days ahead of you!'     Flipping that switch back on, raising her double-ringed left hand to 'ufufu' behind, "And we shall begin on those happy days with the least of delays." Tamamo would probably have pushed for a honeymoon of closer to a year if there weren't so many pots to stir. It follows, then, to allow other matters to take away as little from their good mood as possible. "Naturally."
Tamamo	'I already organized them, though, if you want to~'     "As soon as we are back, perhaps, I will share a few. The view from above, to begin with...? It is what one calls an 'establishing shot,' no? And from there, down to the streets and the shops! It can be a little story to give, that way, distinct from the details of our own adventures."     'May I ask what we're all doing standing in an alleyway?'     Speaking of streets... "Are we in hiding from something?" Tamamo smiles and waves to Margaret.
Ein	"Certainly my lady is a genius of. . . some regard." Mr. Karson agrees, trying very hard to be positive and not backhanded and feeling so dirty he has to really stiff-lip it. He's genuine, and also, he is under pressure. He and Vertin are allies in a difficult battle. Sotheby and Outside was a dangerous combination. "She never fails to create... new situations." He continues, looking down at Sotheby's notes and trying to follow them but failing to do more than find her penwork exceptional. At least writing had stuck, and study, and note-taking. It was just the *topics* of those studies that baffled poor Karson, and Moissan's absence lacked the tutor's touch to cut through precociousness with patience. So there was candy smoke spinning tumbleweeds to turn the alleyway western, and Sotheby, triumphant, holding court with all her favorite party guests!! 'It was an alley party!' you could practically hear the smugly-proud self-narration of the triumphant Gwendolyn, tapping pen on slightly sticky chin and then switching to holding the sweetened cap between teeth, grinning and looking up-and-behind to her two party-guest-attendants and Vertin besides, all asking her egging-on the process of her grand alchemical revelation. "All alchemy is ingredients, interactions and transmutations to achieve a final product. I'd say it's elementary, but it's titrational, actually!" Sotheby begins, almost boastingly, because she's the secret-revealing teacher with the textbooks and the pen and the notebook now. That makes her more important! She's guiding and leading, now, as a true lady must - and it glows in her sugarpink cheeks and glittery eyes. "Chamomile and cockatrice pluckings, a shaving of mandrake root, a drop of golem to bind the lye, and -- you see it's really quite simple to remove the reactives for an hour of do-zing from the balls. Really they were just a clever spring for me to bounce from!" She speaks and speaks like if she does not she cannot draw a breath after, that it chokes her and it must flow out, a pressurized flow. "I don't truly think that the balls I was shown actually contained real golem dust, but a heavy earth variant, actually, but it's that heavy earth that gives it the hour in the air! Weighty, weighty. Golem core is better - weightier. That means batch seven, which is the third of the batches with a globulation factor due to going back to tried and true toad squeezings, but--" There is a haze of it, around her. The pride in it, the words cannot come out fast enough, she needs to say a dozen things more with every word but everything has to come out to explain it, finally there was someone new to explain to - her guests, her friends!! Taking a large breath, she threatens to continue and carries on with an entirely new topic! "Well, really, sugar of course! And the transmutative element! There's certain salts that are actually sweet, and certain reactions that produce these pleasant fizzes, so it's exactly like cooking! The soups I make just go into different bowls, just another skill of a pro-per lady." She draws out another violently-swirling pink ball from her bag -- there's a number 7 on it stenciled on -- and offers it out to Evie, cheery to offer treats. "I'd... keep it away from your hair, but batch seven's a success!" She offers, before giggling at what's clearly a joke. "As for counteragents, though, I'd need to go back home to my bottles and burners to whip up something like that. Mister Karson...!"
Ein	"Knew it wouldn't be prudent to bring all your things with you for your *first* outing. You're much too used to being at home, my lady. And this is..." He trails off, giving Lilian and Tamamo a look as the adults who seem to be In Charge of this situation... Again, and feeling some affinity across. "The Foundation are performing some work at the manor. Miss Moissan would have more details, but I understand there are some items they're bringing for 'stability'? I don't suppose you know--" Lilian's uniform made her the direct target for answers at least on this topic. "Is it more of Miss Regulus' music? I understand the concert she put on had quite the calming effect." He asks, while addressing Regulus in turn, though Sotheby has already bounced about. "So really, Riku, you should be surprised it's not batch forty! We just *had* to take a trip onto the town, and I'd be at least at thirteen or... seventeen, if I was let skip tutoring!" Then something flashes before her attention and she lights up. "Missus??" She lights up, looking around, sensing, searching, saccade glitterflick of eyes between all targets until the cones of congratulations can be triangulated and she can know: "Why, Missus Lilian, congratulations! My deepest well-wishes! I'm sure we can make this an even *better* party to celebrate, maybe I've got something in my bag..." Finally, the sugar on Sonetto's hair makes Sotheby sheepish. "If we were in our gardens, finding a cockatrice feather or a kingly beetle would be easy! I'm sure some toad would help, but..." Sonetto had already declined the toad cure for her hair woes. Thus, the issue at bar. Sotheby had already spent her reagents on batch seven on the spot.
Timekeeper	"Just lately, you say?"     Sonetto nods, as seriously as she can while candy-coated. "Yes; more than usual. There's been attacks. Against humans, that is." 'Against arcanists' goes without saying. #-1 INVALID ANSI DEFINITION: 243"Once you can put your feet up I'll see to it. I have all sorts of tricks, don't you worry."     "Really?" Sonetto's eyes widen a bit. "I would appreciate that very much. Timekeeper has already offered to help as well."     She runs a finger down the short braid framing one side of her face, twisting in the pink-crusted clip at the end of it. Sourcelessly a little bummed out, she answers a question no one asked. "It is often recommended for investigators to keep their hair much shorter than this." "This feels a bit much for me to hide with my arcane skill."     "Quite right." Vertin agrees with Regulus, but it's still a relief to have her and APPLe here for reliability if nothing else. Sotheby got along great with her last time, too. "If we need to move Sotheby elsewhere, I'm sure it'll come in handy then." "Basilisk...? Oh, dear, just what was it you were supplying, Timekeeper Vertin?" "Why do you have sleep gas bombs?"     Vertin inhales, ready to defend themselves, and then chokes on the candy-condensation lining the inside of her throat. Her cheeks flush imperceptibly at the questions, and she turns her face away to clear her throat into a handkerchief. "Miss Sotheby is an incredible alchemist. There's hardly anything I could provide her that she wouldn't already have, much less in terms of materials. I certainly didn't bring Basilisk tears myself."     A last faint protest towards Lilian, partially muffled by the handkerchief, "And they're standard Investigator gear."     Even Vertin's ever-loyal assistant gives her a baleful stare at that. Expertly evasive, Vertin moves on to the next topic that she knows can brainhack all three of them, by continuing to heap praise on the newlywed couple.     "Vienna, was it? It's a gorgeous city; I've only seen it once, some time ago." Meaning, a different era, but the Storm's not a topic to discuss right here. "It would take some time to settle in, wouldn't it? After all, it's the first weeks of the rest of your lives."     Summoned by the pair of British accents conversing, Evie slides over to fawn over both Vertin and Lilian equally, which she's allowed to because they look like they're basically the same age to her. "Ooooh, another one of your friends from across the pond, is it, Vertin? Aren't you just a gem? All you arcanists dress so *fancifully*; the young lady Sotheby, too! Are you *certain* you're not royalty?" "Quite so. Lilian, Tamamo, this is Mrs. Evie."     "And so well-traveled too..." She continues to enthuse, unabashedly. "You two are such peaches-- are those tails real? I heard whispers of a wedding; any children on the way, dears? Those must be two of the luckiest fellas around, huh?" "To each other, Mrs. Evie." "Oh? Oh! Well, that's quite alright too! You won't hear a word from me otherwise! Better to just do away entirely with that whole 'men' business anyhow, right, ladies?"     Sonetto nods along seemingly idly throughout the back and forth, including that last comment from Evie, eyes closed while she reminisces on the wedding. "It was among the most beautiful things I have ever seen. I wish that you both will have happiness and peace for the rest of your lives."
Timekeeper	"Isn't she an alchemist, though?"     "Oh, guess so. Is that the word for it?" Margaret scrubs her mouth with the back of her hand because she's embarrassed at being corrected. This causes little rolls of candy to peel off from where they've condensed on her face, and unconsciously attracted to the treats, she automatically noms them right off the back of her hand like a cat licking her paw. Then she slides her hand down the side of her overalls, like that was allllll on purpose.     "Whatever it is, it's cool. Hey Sothes, think you could make an eighth version that's extra gummy? I've got ideas." Evie baps her on the head with a knuckle. "Oh, behave."     At the question that wasn't explicitly asked, Vertin answers so that no one else jumps in with an answer of their own. Come to think of it, even Sonetto doesn't know that this is a Watch stronghold. "Mrs. Evie and Margaret are two of the telephone operators who work at this office. I had a feeling this would be a safe place to bring Sotheby for a short time-- and thank you for the space, by the way."     Evie waves, dismissing the thanks with a smile. "Oh, please. She's a darling, it's our pleasure." Back to Sotheby, nodding indulgently along with the explanation, "Different bowls, isn't it? Even I've had mishaps like that batch five of yours with baking-- flour *everywhere*, goodness! Practice and dedication, that makes a fine lady when you're grown, mhm." "Hello, Ms. Vertin. I hope things have been... peaceful!"     Vertin sighs, rubbing her hands together to shave the stickiest layer off of them so that she can pick up her suitcase off the chair. "I'd hope so too, but unfortunately not."     To answer Lilian's question finally, "The telegraph office's door is right around here. Sotheby might have ruined the machinery indoors, but if you all wouldn't mind stepping inside with me for just a moment, we'll have a room to talk privately."     Karson is given a nod, and Sotheby's domain expansion is contained by talismans and entertained by company, so there's a free moment for Vertin to place her hand on the old battered door handle facing the alleyway. Inside is a small telephone operator's office, one wall dominated by the switchboard, at which only one woman sits-- an Awakened, with a headset for ears over her red-gold hair, and a pale metal shell of a body over cables and pistons visible underneath. She unplugs a cable from the portable switchboard in her arms and into the microphone clipped to her collar, so her voice can broadcast through. "Room's all yours, Vertin!" "Thank you, Miss Bellwhistle. Apologies for the trouble."     There's one room off to the side, a makeshift little apartment for the office, with a mattress and a desk. It's not uncomfortable for all the Elites to pile in, but some of them might be left without anywhere to sit that isn't the ground.
Riku Asakura	Riku tries to follow along with Sotheby's explanation of the sugar smoke bomb.  Or rather, her explanation of alchemy.  He nods along, trying to follow the finer points, but it goes all over his head; he sort of stares at her blankly.  "...Titrational...?" he asks, but he's struggling to find a common ground as she gets into the differences between golem dust and golem core dust.   'So really, Riku, you should be surprised it's not batch forty!' "Oh, does it take a lot of batches to get right?  I'm sorry, I never really got into alchemy.  Or cooking.  Or chemistry.  This is... fascinating to listen to, even if I don't get all of it," he admits, smiling.  Really, he's just happy that Sotheby is having fun! 'I'd hope so too, but unfortunately not.' Riku looks at Vertain strangely.  Tilting his head and squinting his eyes.  "Has something been the matter?" he asks innocently. 'May I ask what we're all doing standing in an alleyway?' "Um.  That's a good question..." he says, turning to look at Vertin, who is most likely to explain.   'The telegraph office's door is right around here.' "Oh, that makes sense..." he says, in a way that says that it doesn't make sense, but he's pretending that it does because he doesn't understand something.  That critical something is why they're looking for a telegraph office.  This, of course, makes real sense once the door opens and Vertin leads them into the room.   It's a small room to pile into, so Riku takes a seat on the floor, sitting cross-legged.
Tamamo	'Knew it wouldn't be prudent to bring all your things with you for your *first* outing.'     "So many things are best begun small. Ah, and yet, I suppose I do bring so many things, no matter where I go. One never knows when one might be waylaid past both lunch and teatime."     'If we were in our gardens, finding a cockatrice feather or a kingly beetle would be easy! I'm sure some toad would help, but...'     "It should be far easier to handle on our return, I am sure." Not much good that does Sonetto right now... "Water... tea... oh, some steam would help, no?"     '...so it's exactly like cooking! The soups I make just go into different bowls, just another skill of a pro-per lady.'     "Oh yes, it is most important to come to know such things, as a lady. One must not underestimate the details, any more than one should remain incurious of reactions and ingredients, whatever it is that one seeks to cook." This still isn't helping rein things in, but maybe Tamiel's effort will be enough, together with hers.     '-- flour *everywhere*, goodness!'     "Oh, my!"     'It would take some time to settle in, wouldn't it?'     Brainhack engaged.     "Oh, 'unpacking' takes so much longer when you are trying to get everything just right, you know? Finding where this shelf should go that these books should be where you would like to see them, or where those souvenirs or those post cards should be up, or even one's drawers of inks. You may think you have such space that everything can be given its own area, but the connections between the rooms..." Was Vertin even asking about their new cottage getaway? Tamamo's in danger of going on like this for a while.     'I heard whispers of a wedding; any children on the way, dears?'     "Oh! It has only been a few weeks." There's at least two ways to take that answer, apart from confirming that a certain relatively common but universally embarrassing scenario does not apply.     'Better to just do away entirely with that whole 'men' business anyhow, right, ladies?'     Tamamo's smile only subtly carries that flavor of 'for someone who's trying, even if they don't get it.' "'Love' is ever the most important thing, no? How lucky I have been to find it, and with my greatest congratulations go any others who do. Each day do I newly learn of it, of the ways and depths." She could go on for a while about this, too, but there's more automatic sense of restraint.     'It was among the most beautiful things I have ever seen.'     "You are so sweet, Ms. Sonetto."
Regulus	''It is often recommended for investigators to keep their hair much shorter than this.'' "Why do you keep it long then?" Regulus tries to imagine Sonetto with short hair and her programming shuts down for a moment as she stares at nothing for the half second that she envisions it. "It definitely looks better long though and since you're one of their top investigators, it doesn't seem like it's slowing you down all that much!" ''If we need to move Sotheby elsewhere, I'm sure it'll come in handy then.'' "Sotheby's such a sweetheart," She says in a lower voice to Vertin. "I can't see why anybody'd want to hurt her." Though she pushes down her sunglasses to try and obscure the fact that she can see it. Sometimes people are just like that. "Pilfer her hat maybe." She laughs weakly, "Maybe the most impressive hat I've ever seen." She looks to Karson's question and adds, "I'm always down to putting on some killer tunes, but it might be better to make a quiet escape in this case so to have the chance to go loud later." ''It was among the most beautiful things I have ever seen.'' "You went too, Sonetto?" Regulus marvels and then adds, "Peace and Love..."
Tamiel Luxis	"...You really know your stuff," Tamiel says, eventually, after most everything Sotheby says flies above her head. "This goes so far past anything you can find in folktales and common lore..." She stroked her hand over her wings, and a whole slough of cotten candy comes off in her hand. Her sigh is just shy of a whine...     Don't complain, she chided herself, as she bit down on her lip. You're here to help. You're here to make it easier. Don't add problems! They don't know you. Why would they invite you? Why would they want you there? Tamiel almost misses Vertin's request to talk privately. The frown that strikes her expression has nothing to do with the ongoing war with the cotton candy--Some of it got stuck in her halo, though she didn't seem to notice. "...Okay, Vertin." Was all she said, leaving many questions unasked. "Lead the way."     Tamiel offered a wave at Miss Bellwhistle on their way through, slipping into the side room. She parks beside Regulus, cross-legged on the floor in front of the musician, leaving more room for others to take the seats. What was it her teacher had said? Learning when not to say something is as important as when to say something, little light. You must get better at this.     She slaps her hands against her cheeks, trying to bring herself back to the present. Let her share what she wants to share. Read into what's behind it. But don't poke it if she doesn't want it poked. Her shadow is counting on her fingers as she thinks it behind her, without Tamiel realizing it.
Lilian Rook	'I shall leave this to your expert touch, in that case.'     "Well now I have to show off~" Please don't show off with Sonetto's hair. It's so long and well-taken-care-of.     'Naturally.'     Lilian chirps off "Naturally!" with all the silly joy of someone who knows that's their habit that rubbed off on someone they like.     'As soon as we are back, perhaps, I will share a few.'     "We have to!" And now it's 'we'. "There's a few of them I have to explain, right? So don't leave me out~" She faux-whines the 'ou~t' and hugs Tamamo's arm.          'Are we in hiding from something?'     "Huh?" Lilian blinks and finally looks away from her wife. Did she . . . forget she asked that question just a second ago? She's been so busy basking in the praise and adulation* of everyone here. "Right. Exactly what I was thinking."     'Where'd you get the rings made?'     "I made the engagement ring myself. There was a whole arc." Lilian says, leaving out the three successive incredibly harrowing missions and the involvement of multiple people with hands on the scales of Earth's fate. "The wedding rings came from-- I guess a mutual friend? We didn't order them."     'I understand there are some items they're bringing for 'stability'? I don't suppose you know--'     It takes Mister Karson-- poor, sweet, diligent, overwhelmed Mister Karson-- to remind her of the real reason she's here. Lilian smiles somewhat less, and turns her attention properly to Sonetto's terribly goopy hair; that way she can focus on something and keep her hands moving instead of the alternative. "I'm aware of the general parameters, yes. I'm unfond of the suddenness with which they've chosen to do so, but this time they've promised to take measures that should prevent any need for responding to riots. An ounce versus a pound of cure; you know how it is." She says it all so very professionally that it's easy to miss that she didn't actually specify what 'it' is. She even laughs under her breath. "So no, it's not more of her music. But I'm certain she'd be happy to share if you asked."     'It is often recommended for investigators to keep their hair much shorter than this.'     "Oh don't listen to them sweetie." Lilian fusses. "If you get in trouble because your hair is too long, you weren't good enough to handle it anyways. All that's important is that it stays out of your eyes." says Lilian, exactly as if she's heard it a million times before. Even her juniors in the corps had hair around the shoulders at most.
Lilian Rook	She isn't entirely sure how to go about defusing the horrid sugar goo situation, but 'convenient magic that deals really well with hair care' is kind of half her metaphorical grimoire. First, the familiar one that Sonetto has already seen, pushing the ping menace well past an hour, all the while using one of her little flames to output curling iron heat on the mass to dry all the moisture out of it. Then she tries pouring water on a small section to see how well all of the sugar dissolves, and then sighingly resorts to a portion of her leftover alkahest she stocked up on in Elibe, dissolving just the thick outer shell with it, before getting to squeezing all that hair together until the thinned-out condensate crackle-crunches apart without raking anything through Sonetto's hair.     'And they're standard Investigator gear.'     "I see." Lilian says, raising an eyebrow in a way that means 'uhuh?'. More importantly--     Then it's all about getting vial-dispensed oil into the edge, so that it soaks beneath the goop by following thr strand (temporally accelerated) to be sucked up by said goop to cause bubbly permeability, and then it's the rest of her water, drenching the gunk until she can use a last bit of magic to freeze it through, and then apply gentle hairdryer-intensity heat until it melts and sloughs off. She whispers "God. I was beginning to worry I'd have to chop it off." once it's clearly working.     'It would take some time to settle in, wouldn't it? After all, it's the first weeks of the rest of your lives.'     Vertin is immediately forgiven. "It's absolutely beautiful. And-- This is a little silly, perhaps, but, yes and no? I mean, I spent so long fretting about it, since before even proposing all the way up until the day of, that somehow it only occurred to me right at the altar? As if, once everything had finally gone perfectly and I ran out of things to worry about, someone tapped me on the shoulder and said 'By the by, it works both ways. You're getting married to her too.'; and honestly I nearly lost it! It's a shock that my heart still works just fine! It feels like getting flashed with the brightest light you can think of and then having your eyes steadily acclimating out of the dark for weeks."     'All you arcanists dress so *fancifully*; the young lady Sotheby, too! Are you *certain* you're not royalty?'     Ah. There it is. Lilian's smile wibbles just slightly. Of course it's the clothes. She just couldn't help herself when everyone else here looked so good. But that's fine. She'd already committed to being as openly homosexual as possible in Chicago of the twenties, so whatever. And this is Vertin's friend, so she's automatically worth the benefit of a doubt.     "I'd like to imagine that I practically am, vut I'm afraid I'm merely knighted nobility." Lilian laughs. "I'd go mad if I didn't get to travel as much as I do, so it suits me perfectly." Being called a 'peach' is something she hadn't exactly expected to hear-- ever-- but it instills a warm little glow.     'any children on the way, dears?'     Lilian opens up her dumb fucking mouth.     'Those must be two of the luckiest fellas around, huh?'     And she chokes.     'To each other, Mrs. Evie.'     Coughing her way through inhaling her words, Lilian croaks out "Thank you Vertin." as soggily as can be. She recovers in time to comment on the subject of men with "I like them in small doses."
Lilian Rook	'It was among the most beautiful things I have ever seen. I wish that you both will have happiness and peace for the rest of your lives.'     Lilian squeezes Sonetto on impulse. She already had her hands on her anyways. "Well, peace isn't exactly likely in this line of work, but I'll make it seem so easy you'd never know!" She lets go of Sonetto a second after. "I'll take those prayers of yours and find a way to pay you back double."     'Oh, 'unpacking' takes so much longer when you are trying to get everything just right, you know?'     Lilian, having interpreted 'settle in' very differently, jumps on the topic anyways. "Oh my goodness yes. Growing up in an old house like that makes you take it as a given, but when you're trying to fill one up from scratch, even just a summer cottage, it's paralyzing what you can do with it, isn't it?"     ''Love' is ever the most important thing, no? How lucky I have been to find it'     'Oh, guess so. Is that the word for it?'     She still manages to flush a teeny bit pinkly embarrassed, though. She can wifegal all day, but can't take as much as she can dish, it seems.     "In the sense that there's a difference between a doctor and a surgeon I suppose?" Lilian says, before realizing Margaret is embarrassed by it. "What sort of ideas exactly? You know, if it's for self-defense . . ." Lilian supports women's wrongs.     'Mrs. Evie and Margaret are two of the telephone operators who work at this office.'     'if you all wouldn't mind stepping inside with me for just a moment, we'll have a room to talk privately.'     Lilian looks surprised with Vertin. She doesn't say anything, but a pair of human telephone operators is just so . . . shockingly mundane for the Timekeeper. She almost volunteers to pay for the machinery just out of fondness for Sotheby, but then remembers she is, in fact, rich, and so it'd be impolite to do so. Instead, she decides on "I was wondering when you'd ask."     Bellwhistle abruptly becomes about the most fascinating thing she's ever seen. Unlike at least one other person, she has the social graces to keep her mouth shut about it, but her gaze remains completely fixed on her-- specifically the movement of her fingers to the cable to the microphone-- less so in the way of a gawker and vastly more so in the way of an artist staring at a model with a blank page in front of her.     'Thank you, Miss Bellwhistle. Apologies for the trouble.'     "Thank you very much, Miss Bellwhistle." Lilian parrots after Vertin, vaguely starstruck by some inspiration or another.     'Why do you keep it long then?'     "Girls who are raised in certain ways can have complex and nuanced feelings about feminity." says Lilian, on the verge of scolding, without quite going over. She recalls Sonetto's words regarding the 'biological clock', and shakes her head. "Do your best, Sonetto." she sighs.
Ein	It might have been an impossible journey, were you not all to work together. The group had been dynamic, before, alive and excited and presenting and focused on Sotheby. When its attention had waned, before, it had waned for the usual reasons - for people being tired of her, or, something strange and unexpected happening. There were so *many* strange and unexpected things! And there were people who were visions of stability. Riku, of course, who so consistently tried to help and put himself forward genuinely was thus easy to predict and expect and thus safe and comfortable to Sotheby. He acted as people ought to, so she was happy to explain to him. She was happy to explain to everyone, but... There's a beat of things where even as she smiles brightly at Riku there's a slide of eyes towards Sonetto, the glaring, throbbing, wound-like fret where she Wants to help but Can't. Karson, hand on her shoulder to steady her and him both, tries to slide around the topic, but in his state of askew it was more plain his intuition on the topic too. As Sotheby's eyes slide to the war-wound of Sonetto's hair, she explains more slowly: "Batching is important for anything. You want to know what you did right, what reactions work, what doesn't. If you never try things at every sort of input you'll never know. So... Gummy would be--!" Margaret just about gets her wound up again, just about brings that glitter and shine back to Sotheby's humors but then she sees Sonetto again, and... The matter isn't really a happy party where everything went pristine and perfect, did it? Even if the bubble-bomb sugarmist was a rousing success it also hurt someone important and close. An accident - of course, Sotheby's items were quite safe if she meant them to be - in use and distance and viscosity, and... Harm. Despite all efforts, an un-intended side effect, and it made her queasily shamed. Things were about her, but, it was negative! And she felt responsible for why. "If I was making a bomb, to stick up Jupiter's baddies to help Typhon, then, maybe gummy-gooey would be good, but for sweets... isn't light and fluffy better? The syrup concentrate is still too much for hair. It's certain. Miss Sonetto was holding it when it went off, so..." An error of communication. People were ready to forgive her, but not because she should be forgiven. It was because she was a child, and it took arcane skill to cleanse the syrup all over Sonetto's hair. For everyone else it's fanciful but sometimes being the responsible and closest one made you subject to shenanigans! Shameful, shameful foolishnesses. Regulus seals the deal, friendly and caring but suspect as well. If the hard party *rocker* was advising a little down-beat caution, then... Screwing up her face, clearly moving through the motions of affecting courage and stiff poise, Sotheby nods with bob of sugared feather-plume hat, and only a brief shiftyeyed moment.
Ein	"Okay, Regulus. We can make it a 'quiet' party inside, too. I--" Felt far less bad about breaking things, as things were simply temporary frustrations that money could solve. Still . . . they weren't *her* things. Terribly rude, that. "Will you be needing some... funds for renovations?" She puts it lightly, as her mother might, so Mister Karson will be pleased. Mister Karson is covered in sugar but he affects a smile when Sotheby does well. "If you wouldn't object, I might have Mister Karson arrange to take care of the matters?" Karson, meanwhile, nods slowly at Lilian, eyes glinting as he follows the threads - the ones that go nowhere - and indicates a fainted acknowledgement. "So, you do know." Karson supposes at Lilian, as she lays out nothing grandly, and takes his hand off of Sotheby's shoulder. Released, Sotheby is more muted as she walks, having been inside at least a little earlier, and having cleared the place out not too long ago. "I'm sure the next batch will be much better! And... I'll work on batch two of the cleaning agent before batch nine of the bubble-gum balls."
Timekeeper	"Why do you keep it long then?" "If you get in trouble because your hair is too long, you weren't good enough to handle it anyways."     Sonetto nods, in wordless relief at Lilian's support. And it is unequivocal support of Sonetto specifically, because if there's one thing that she's certain of, it's that she's capable of being *good enough*. The long hair that she's lovingly taken care of, and the uniform she's had modified for her skirt and adornments, paint a very particular picture of what Sonetto's earned by being a top investigator.     "I like it long," is her short response to Regulus. A moment later, she elaborates as if this is the next reasonable thought to have. "If an opponent were to grab it in a melee, I am familiar with a variety of close quarters combat techniques using my arcanum that can disable an opponent less than one meter away whose eyes are not shielded far quicker than my typical incantation speed."     Placidly used to Lilian messing around with her hair, Sonetto is surprised when Lilian actually begins the process of magically working on cleaning it. A gasped inhalation and a quiet, "One moment, sorry, thank you," has her quickly retrieving the wicker chair that Vertin had been sitting on before and sitting down in it. She fluffs her hair over the back of it so it's comfortably within Lilian's reach to work with, wincing at the texture of sugar in hair again. She sighs, familiar with the position of being styled or cleaned like a show dog and murmurs, "Thank you very much, Mrs. Rook."     It takes her a stretch of silence to assemble the words in her head, but eventually she starts talking to Sotheby out of the blue as well. "Next time you host a party, Miss Sotheby, would you like to have my assistance in setting it up? If you share your... party plans with me beforehand, I can help ensure that all materials are accounted for and that partygoers are properly informed."     Vertin blinks and looks over at her with tentative approval. She's a little confused, approaching Sotheby like a business partner for some reason, but she's got the spirit of managing Sotheby's overexcitement. "Sonetto was the top student in Alchemy, you know. She'd make an excellent party secretary to ensure everything goes smoothly if you work together." "I can't see why anybody'd want to hurt her."     "A wealthy arcanist has something for everyone to take issue with," Vertin replies to Regulus simply. The only exception to that would be Manus Vindictae, but that's left unspoken. "'Love' is ever the most important thing, no?"     Sonetto, peacefully relaxing under Lilian's hands, suddenly speaks up again without opening her eyes. "'Love alters not with Time's brief hours and weeks, but bears it out even to the edge of doom.'" Then she falls silent again for a time, having summoned that line of the sonnet impulsively.     "... Love is such a beautiful thing. To have eternity and clarity granted to you by a feeling, that fills the world with unspeakable colors.... I would like to find love someday, too."
Timekeeper	Then, inside. There's a lot to say and do, in matters of whimsy and telephone operators and childish mistakes and love, but the fact of the matter remains that those things can only ever be the Timekeeper's hobbies, not her job. She sits down stiffly on the side of the bed, suitcase on her lap, and it stops mattering that she's coated in a fine sheen of cotton candy at all.     "I would understand if you thought that the Foundation's appropriation of the Sotheby manor as a military outpost is an overreach, especially in Mr. Sotheby's absence, but there is a reason for it. While our efforts undermining the Manus' political influence in the city were effective for a moment, the tide turned back, drastically. The support for the Manus Vindictae in the local government has been shamelessly unsubtle, as if they're being forced, or believe there's no purpose to hiding it anymore."     "And what's more, starting at just the same time..." Vertin withdraws a police sketch from within her jacket, photocopied with technology not from this era. On it, at the site of a suspected murder, is a tide of black goo, and shapes that roughly resemble interlocking hands.     "The Manus' monsters. Far ahead of the Storm, and in broad daylight as well. I don't know where they've gotten these recruits or this arcanum, but something's changed, and we have to be ready for it even without knowing what it is. With whatever secret weapon they've got, it's only a matter of time before the Manus Vindictae turn Chicago into a battleground."