#thisbrutalbelle

Culloden ‘Hm? I think I fancy a drink and a dance. You wanna dance with me?’ She wrapped her arm around him with a beaming smile. ‘Let your moustache down.’

Iann put his arm around her shoulders. "Drink and a dance sounds great." Someone had thought to make a makeshift alcohol 'exchange' and Iann exchanged some money for what seemed to be magical hard cider. Good enough, he thought, opening one up for Collette. He bought three, handing one over to Aedan as they got closer. "Hey Aedan. I should shorten that. Heydan."

Culloden took her drink with a big smile and a thanks, taking a huge swig as Iann talked to his friend.

Aedan. huffed a laugh and took the offered one. ‘Heydan? Soon you’ll be calling me Danny Boy.’ He gave Iann a thankful nod and sipped the cider. ‘How’re you doing?’

"Pshaw, I'll leave Danny Boy to the unoriginal people. I'm just being efficient," Iann scoffed, clinking his bottle with Collette's first, then Aedans before he took a swig. It was crisp and tasted like apples and pears. "Better, now that it's all over. Me and Cullie here had quite the doozy, huh." Iann looked at Aedan. "Weren't you out of town? Hopefully missed all the shenanigans around here?"

Aedan. ‘Agh, not quite. Came home just in time to be dragged through to a weird nightmare realm with Rubes. Kraken and all.’

Bella wandered over to the rest of the people she recognised, taking a seat in one of the aforementioned chairs, she crossed her legs and sat right at the front of it, she couldn't sit at the back of it, her legs far too short. "Anything other than beer to drink?"

Ephram had opted to wear a knitted sweater and jeans to check out Town Square, rather than his uniform; he was already half in vacation-mind, after Freddie's announcement that they were headed out of town for the weekend, and it was very welcome following an inordinate number of pocket-world dives in his more official capacity as Sheriff. He, unlike Bellamy, had no problem with the adirondack chair, long legs eating up the space as he flopped down. "They had some sorter cider with basil in it, here, try one," he yawned, handing her a bottle and waving his own around at the others. "Hey there, Wee Deer, Essie, Collette, Carde--ah who cares."

Aedan raised his cider bottle with his non-broken hand to everyone who sat themselves down. 'Hey, Ephram.'

Bella took it but didn't imagine she'd like it, Cider and Beer tended to be far to bitter for her, the finishing taste was strong for humans so was tenfold for her. She took a tiny sip, the first taste pleasant, but as she expected what followed was not and shook her head as she handed it off back to him. "Nope," she wiped her mouth.

Ephram collected the cider back and set it down next to him, saying, "They had a sparkling rose version you might like! But I reckon if you asked, somebody could knock you up a martini or somethang. Hey, Aedan -- you know how to mix a drink, right? Or can you do that trick where you pull a bottle outta your own liquor cabinet remotely?" He caught sight of Aedan's bandaged hand, though, and gestured at it with his cider. "Got smashed up in a weirdsmobile world, buddy?"  Ephram pronouced the wine literally as 'rose' without the accent on the e.

Essie was finally off the clock. Wandering up to the group she perches gently on the arm of a chair beside Bellas elbow. Smiling gently and taking a drink of her soda.

Aedan 'The only drinks I can throw is a wee rusty nail. And I'm not tossing any today.' He raised his hand in indication and huffed a laugh, shrugging. 'Mhm, ship bulkhead. Was lucky I have magic or I'd have lost it.'

Ephram clucked at Aedan's explanation. "Me or Essie here might be able to fix it some, iffen you want." He maybe shouldn't have offered Essie's fairy dust without her say-so, but unfortunately Ephram tended to volunteer his people's assistance without thinking about it first.

Iann had gotten distracted by his phone, and when he returned he saw that the group had grown. He nodded a chin at Ephram, winked at Bellamy; but his eyes rested on Essie Caird for a quiet, heavy moment, before Iann looked over at Collette. "C'mon, you owe me a dance," he said, finishing his cider first and recycling the bottle before he held his hand out to the nymph.

Aedan made a small, noncommittal noise and shrugged. 'Nah, don't worry about it. It'll heal well enough. But thanks, though. I just prefer to do it naturally.'

Bella "Rose sounds delicious, can you do that Ess?" she asked, knowing Ephram had a fairly high chance of being able to but curious if Essie could. "Ooooh, or Sangria, fruits are fairie stuff, right?"

Collette. grinned when Iann appeared and took his hand as aid to pull her out of the deep chair. 'Come on, Happy Feet.' She handed Ephram the rest of her drink.

Ephram hummed in cheerful acceptance when Collette gave him her drink, never unhappy to be stocked with more cider.

Essie opens her mouth to speak up about her healing but is happy enough as the man she didn't know withdrew. Probably for the best. Catching Ianns eye she closes her eyes and looks away from him as he pulls Collette away. "I can find you some sangria if you want Bella." she hums with a small laugh.

Bella felt badly as she realised what Ephram had actually meant, leaning forward in her chair. "I'm not going to make you walk off, Ess, I'd only make Ephram," she giggled before standing from the chair. "I'll find something, bring you back some."

Essie almost topples off the chair as it tips sideways when Bella stands up suddenly. Standing up herself she links her arm with Bella "We can go find something more fruity together?" she offers to cover the almost disaster.

Iann The music was some impromptu folksy stuff - in that someone had a harmonica, another had a tambourine, and someone even had a hurdy gurdy, all earnestly playing with the guitar and what seemed to be a jazz flute. They were oddly up-beat and perky, and Iann got to the dance floor, hopping up and down on alternating feet like he was warming up to run a marathon. All that he needed at this point to complete the look of 'cis dude dance moves' was pointing his fingers in varying directions. "Okay I'll be honest, I just know fancy-dances, or rave dancing. You show me how you'd dance to this music, and I'll copy you."

Ephram crossed his legs, alternating among all his different drinks. "Bring me one of whatever you're gettin'!" he called to Bella and Essie, before reidrecting his attention to Aedan. "You was on a boat, you said? That must of been shitty. Bad enough trippin' into these whackadoo worlds on land much less on water."

'If I show you how to dance, we'll both be arrested for assault!' Collette's eyes creased in the corners as she grinned, watching Iann's dad-dancing. 'C'mere and take my hands.' And as the music amped up, she started to guide Iann into a two-person cèilidh dance.

Bella kept her arm closely linked with Essie's as they walked. "Okaaaaaaaaaaay," she drew out in response to Ephram as she looked around for a group of older women. They'd have Sangria or Rose or maybe some daiquiris. "How's your dust doing?"

Aedan 'I landed in a horror movie. Me and Rubes were on a wee boat diving. We thought we upset some war grave with ghosts or some shite. Instead, we get thwopped by this horror-warped kraken and forced onto a wee ship. Not a wee ship. It was a bloody massive ship, actually.'

Essie shrugs a little "It's back to normal. It's like...I ran out of the infection or something. I've been trying to do an awful lot better. Harder to actually do than say to yourself, you know the deal." she hums. "You been okay, now that these blight pockets are gone?"

Ephram shuddered. "I ain't never been on a big ship and I don't intend to," he announced, as if anybody actually cared to try and make him. "There's somethang bout the idea of them huge-ass ships out on endless deep water far as the eye can see that -- ugh. Ain't real comforting to a boy from the mountains."

Iann linked his hands with Collette, watching her feet with an intent curiousity. "Oh this isn't too bad. It's like square dancing," he grinned, swinging away from her, then trotting forward again and turning her. He didn't really stick to anything too traditional (not knowing what was considered 'proper) but just improvised a romp to the beat of the tambourine. "We'll get arrested for this? Was it illegal in the 1600s or something?"

Collette. burst into laughter as Iann swung her about. 'I meant... proper dancing! We'd kick people.' She swung back and came back in with the music. Others who seemed to know the dance started to mimic them. 'I'm from the 1700s, mister.'

Aedan moved his head from side to side and polished off his drink. 'It was god awful. And I'll tell you now, I'm never, ever going to do anything with an automatic door. Ever again.' He set his bottle down and glanced over at the dancing. 'So, what did you deal with in your nightmare world?'

Bella merely shrugged, she had rather liked them, she got to be tough, protect people, her abilities actually useful rather than their usual hinderance. To say she was a little disappointed when she had seen this event declaring them done would only look poorly though so she focused on the fact she could drink. "Perfect!" she insisted instead, pointing to a group of middle aged women with an abundance of sangria. "Hello ladies, mind if I buy some of your Sangria off you?" she asked pleasantly.

"Oh my bad. I always mix it up - 17th century, 1700s..." Iann said with a cheery shrug. "This is proper dancing!! I don't know what you're talking about, this is great. Look, we're starting a trend," Iann said, stomping a little harder. But when someone moved to switch partners and swing Collette, Iann dragged the nymph closer. "No way, pal - if I lose her I might not get her back," Iann said to the guy (who didn't mind, he just found another pair to trade with). But Iann was still reeling after his and Collette's experience on that haunted old ship in that other freak-ass world.

Ephram chortled, finishing Collette's drink. "Pal, you're talkin' to the town Sheriff -- I got a grand total of thirty-eight rando realities to choose from." He patted his knee with the bottom of the bottle, elaborating, "Maybe you felt it too, how the rifts opening pinged your magic? Anyhow I spent my time followin' them pings and jumpin' into the rifts on purpose. So it was ... a lot." He selected a new bottle, lifting it in Aedan's direction. "Hence the drinkin'. I'm well due for some R&R." Ephram socked down half of the drink, then followed Aedan's glance. "Feel like takin' a two-step? I don't mind if you don't."

Essie smiles politely at the women they approached, recognising one from the station a few times during all this mess. Essie digs in her pocket and produces some cash. "As much as you can spare please." she adds to Bellas proposal.

Collette. turned pink when Iann rebuffed another dancer, her smile only brightening. 'Now look who's being protective!' It reminded her of herself after Rockaway. They still needed to talk about the boat, but for tonight it was a mindless party.

Bella the women already quite intoxicated pat the girls on the shoulder and hand them one of the filled pitchers and some plastic cups. "We're all safe now, girls, best celebrate," one reasoned as Bella thanked them and headed off back in the direction of the group. "I'm glad it faded away and you're doing better."

"Psh, as if I need to protect you. I'm just being greedy," Iann grinned, because greed seemed to suit him better, in his opinion.

Aedan 'Pinged our magic?' he shook his head and rubbed his still sore ribs. 'Then again, I think it was all so crazy I wouldn't have noticed it even if I did feel it.' He glanced at the bottle Ephram started to drink and raised his brows. If anyone deserved it, it was the town sheriff. 'Sure. But try not to elbow me in the belly.' He gave Ephram a cheeky grin and pulled himself out of his chair.

Collette. 'You're the least greedy person I know, Iann. And I've known a lot of people.' She gave him a playful prod as they got close with the dance. 'It's okay to be greedy sometimes, though.'

Essie dropped Bellas arm to walk back with the cups in hand, letting Bella have both hands to carry the pitcher back. Recognising the dance as the 'gay gordons' she makes a noise of interest, it wasn't a well executed version but she supposed a lot of them didn't know the dance themselves and were just copying. "I am too, I'm working on getting back to normal normal, still a bit messy up in my head and all." she shrugs before asking "Wanna dance?"

Ephram scoffed as he lumbered to his feet, finishing his drink and gathering all his bottles to arrange carefully on the arms of his chair as some sort of marker that it was occupied. "In the face, maybe," he said, grandly sweeping Aedan in the crook of one elbow onto the dance floor. "In the throat, most likely. But never in the belly, Wee Deer." He grinned, swaying a little to the music to get a feel for it. "I'm /way/ too tall for that."

Aedan huffed a laugh as Ephram herded him out onto the dance floor. 'True. I doubt you could elbow anyone in the belly unless you were both lying down.' He followed the music, glancing over at the folk dancing Iann and his nymph had started.

Bella shook her head, she had a drink now and was under the impression most people would still be seated, when they weren't she just shrugged. "Go join everyone, I'll be the old maid drinking and waiting for everyone to get back." With that Bella sat the sangria down where they had once all been sitting and held out her hand for the cups.

Ephram nodded at Iann and Collette. "You know that one? I don't rightly, but I can git by with some clogging if that's what you're hankerin' for." Whistling lightly along with the music, Ephram started a lanky, hop-stomping sort of jig, tucking his thumbs into his belt-loops and looking for all the world as if he'd just come down off the mountain the day before.

"You're just heavily biased!" Iann retorted, laughing because he knew Collette meant it, and in the sweetest possible way. "But that's okay, I'll take it for now - but don't push me. Or I might just have to be terrible just for the sake of argument."

 'God, I don't think I've danced like that since I was a wee lad at the harvest festival.' Aedan raised his brows as Ephram did the oddest dance he'd ever seen. 'But it's worth a wee go, if you're up for it, Billy the Kid.'

Essie "If you're sure." she says leaving the cups with Bella to go and weed out a partner to dance with, teach the proper steps before being spun onto the next man to show him the correct steps, it felt wrong to let them butcher it after all.

Collette. 'Pssht, I don't think you could be horrible. To me, at least. My little moustachioed angel.' She gave him a playful cheek pat before swinging Iann about the dance floor in some next level folk dancing action.

Iann couldn't keep up with any footwork that was too complicated, plus he didn't really care anyway since this was all about fun, not a lesson. He resorted to his hopping and swinging Collette around, letting her do the light-stepping around him. He was happy to show Culloden off anyway, have her twirling and swishing around being pretty. He noticed Essie sternly giving a young fellow instructions on how to move to the dance and he grinned. "Your fellow Scotswoman's having a time of it," Iann pointed out to Collette. "You met Essie Caird, right?"

Collette. loved Iann's dancing, accurate or not to the actual dance. Seeing him have a good time made it all the better. She never realised that he was showing her off, though. If she had, she'd have started copying his dancing. 'That's the risk of showing Americans a traditional Scottish dance! The Scots will be upset when they get it wrong. It's our job to show them better.' She gave him a playful wink. 'But I watched Shinty with her at the highland festival a few months ago.'

Ephram snorted, holding out his hands for Aedan to take as he turned them in a circle before letting go again. "Hey, now -- this sorter thing is directly descended from my Highland and Ulster ancestors, mixed in with Cherokee and African-American. A more homegrown dance you never did see and don't you forget it, bucko." He laughed and prodded Aedan in the collarbone with one finger, saying, "You learned folk dancin' as a boy? That's where I learned this, was from family who did it proper."

Aedan made a noise of surprise when Ephram spun them about and couldn't stop smiling when they stopped. 'I learned my folk dancing from crazy druids and Irishmen.' Aedan huffed a laugh, amusement in his eyes. 'Even did the real stuff in the middle of Stonehenge. And not just anyone is allowed between the stones.' He rubbed his collarbone.

Ephram made a hoity-toity impressed noise, repeating, "Not just anyone! Only mad Druids and Irishmen." He snickered at Aedan's rubbing the spot where he'd been poked, saying, "Come onnnnn, Wee Deer, don't be dramatic, I hardly even jabbed you that hard. Iffen this music gits any faster, I'll be swingin' you round enough to git you whirly in the head and /then/ you'll see!"

Aedan 'You'll find I'm quite the drama queen.' He poked his tongue out. 'But seriously, just make sure you swing me properly. Or you'll be sweeping up this drama queen's pieces.'

"Well now -- if that don't sound like a challenge then fuck me." Ephram lifted his chin, motioning to the musicians; when he caught their eye, he twirled his fingers up quickly, motioning for them to hasten the tempo. Taking Aedan's hands firmly, he fixed the other witch with a challenging grin. "Keep up now, boyo. Lemme show you how we do up where /I'm/ from." He was wearing his steel-toed workboots, but Ephram's pace quickened with the more driving drumbeat, his heavy heels striking with loud knocks against the ground as he turned Aedan about -- mindful of that bandaged hand, of course.

Aedan felt a little like his feet weren't even meeting the floor with every step. His heart started to match the tempo and he laughed hard enough that his ribs started aching again. 'Holy shite.'

"Oh right, I think I remember..." Iann vaguely recalled being disappointed that these Games hadn't been magical or supernatural. What was the point? Feats of strength or physical ability in Soapberry were much different from outside, considering the super-abilities of werewolves and vampires. Fairies flying, witches with magic...it still didn't make sense to Iann to just have plain human games, but whatever. Sometimes it was like supernaturals wanted to pretend to be humans, while scoffing at humans at the same time. In a spontaneous attempt to break the ice between him and Essie, Iann called out to her. "Hey Caird, leave buddy alone, come join us. You can Collette can show us Americans how it's done," he teased Collette.

Collette. 's smile faltered a little when she found Iann inviting someone else to their little dance. She didn't want to be a teacher. She was enjoying hogging Iann for herself for the moment. But she said nothing, stopping her dance. 'I'll go get a drink.'

Ephram eased up a little, grinning widely as he turned Aedan free again and toned his own stepping down to a more keeping-the-beat pace. "Cain't say I din't warn you, Wee Deer," he drawled. "But at least for this you git to keep your clothes on. Since I'm assuming all the Druid-dancin' was skyclad."

Bella picked up the Sangria and began to pour everyone plastic cups for when they were done, watching the lot of them moving about quite freely. It was a sight to watch, especially those who were not very good.

Aedan 'Who says I don't like baring all for nature?' He beamed at Ephram and caught his breath as they finally danced in time. 'But usually it's in robes.' There was a hint of sadness in his voice, as if he lamented the idea of wearing clothes. 'But as sheriff, you'd probably arrest me for going naked in the middle of the dance floor.'

Essie looks over alarmed at the summons by Iann. Looking back to the man she was coaching she bites her lip and lets him go. making her way over to Iann just as Colette takes her leave for drinks. Watching the woman go with a blinks and an awkward look at the man. "My bad? Didn't mean to chase away your partner."

Ephram raised his eyebrows, gesturing around. "You know what town you live in, right? With wolves and merms constantly goin' in and out of bein' nekkid when they change? If I tried to arrest everbody who was starkers at some point I'd never sleep."

Aedan 'Hm, well, that's something to consider next time my Nudie Rudie addiction overcomes me.'

Iann watched Collette go, then looked down at Essie. "Didn't think she'd be chased, I thought she liked Scottish...everything. You fight with her as well?" Iann asked, referring to the argument he'd witnessed between Essie and Avi, in the prison-world. He gave a shrug though. "She's a nymph, what can you do," he said, as if Collette's species explained her behavior.

Ephram sporfled at Aedan's term for running naked, reaching over to gently shove the heel of his hand against the other man's forehead. "Nudie Rudie, good Gawd. Sounds like a lipstick name. HEY BELLAMY!" Ephram suddenly hollered in her direction, "don't you got a lip stain called Nudie Rudie? I could swear you do!"

Collette. went to the bar and ordered herself a drink, saying 'surprise me'.

Aedan 'You yell nudie rudie when you run through student digs naked! It stops your housemates coming out mid-flash.' Aedan gave a dramatic noise as Ephram pushed his head back. 'It's a good phrase.'

Essie makes a face at Iann. "No. I didn't." she says haltingly pursing her lips after and shaking her head.

Bella looked more directly when she heard her name, already observing Collette walking off in the opposite direction to where she had drinks ready for everyone to get more cider or beer. Ephram seemed pretty drunk, perhaps just n the mood. "I don't know at all, I have too many, probably, though what a weak name," she shook her head gently at him.

Iann It was the most Iann wanted to refer to Essie about what had happened in prison-world; really, the casually tossed question was sort of a tester, to gauge Essie's willingness to elaborate - but the curt reply and pursed lips was more than enough to Iann to indicate they should move on. The spontaneous band seemed to be taking a break anyway - good timing, and so Iann motioned for Essie to head over to where Bellamy was waiting with drinks. He didn't really want to get inebriated, maybe just a little buzzed. "Hey Belle. Look at all these choices. Which one do you prefer?"

Essie is glad Iann doesn't try to get more information from here, she had been speaking about it enough to her familiar, and to her sister back home. Trying to process through everything was a slow process, but she wanted to focus on the good right now. Lifting a plastic cup of sangria Essie smiles at Bella. "What we talking about?"

Collette. sat herself down and watched the dancers and the groups of people talking as she sipped her drink.

Bella "Choices?" she asked with confused and large eyes.

Ephram hrrm'ed, faintly disappointed that he hadn't correctly identified an existing lip colour. But he was easily distracted back to what Aedan was saying, laughing, "That explains it, then -- I ain't a college boy, never had the need to know the code for streaking or the socks on the doorknobs or nothin'. Say, Aedan--" he casually spun Aedan around a couple of times, hanging on to his good hand and letting the other one alone, "I been reconsidering it, just now while we was dancin', and maybe I /would/ go on one'a them big ships for like, a cruise, maybe. You ever been on a cruise?"

Iann pointed between the cider and the beer. "Cider, or beer?"

Essie looked at Iann "Those are empties, we only have sangria?"

 "I just brought Sangria over for everyone, I assumed those were for her," Bella shrugged of whatever Collette had gone to the bar to grab.

Ephram hollered over at Iann. "STAY AWAY FROM MY CIDER, CARDERO!"

Aedan couldn't help but laugh as Ephram spun him about. 'A cruise? Once or twice. You've gotta find the right boat for you. Nothing with a shuffleboard court. Why? Are you inviting me to plan your holiday to old-man land?'

Iann bares his teeth, sucking in a breath before he asks hopefully, "Is it white sangria, or red?" Something familiar about 'cider' and 'Pettaline' pinged in Iann's mind; but by now details of the Forty Isles were fading, and so he just waved a hand of acknowledgement towards Pettaline.

Collette. sipped her unidentified drink and listened in as they argued over their own.

"I didn't realise it could be anything other than red?" Bellamy noted, picking up the large jug the woman had given her and giving it a sniff. "Pretty sure it's red, cheap red but red."

Ephram chuckled. "Not on your life -- my husband plans all our trips out of Soapberry, I wouldn't dream of depriving him of the pleasure. But is that what they're about, shuffleboard and old folks? I'll be honest, I was scarred by watchin' The Poseidon Adventure as a tadpole. And then watchin' every single documentary about the Titanic that's ever been put to film."

'Thank God. You'd both end up cliff jumping and cave diving.' Aedan laughed and shook his head. 'So, that's your fault, then. But I spent most of my teenage-hood travelling so I have to like water a little.'

"Hmmmmmmmmm okay lemme have a try," Iann decided as if he was trying to buy a car or a fancy piece of jewelry, not just a have a cup of alcoholic beverage. Collette was listening, and Iann asked, "What'd you get? And who the hell set up a bar already? This town...."

Collette. 'I think it's called the Naked Nymph?'

Essie tapped her plastic cup into Bellas in a mock toast taking a sip

Bella handed Iann one of the prepoured cups of Sangria. "Nice of the ladies to give us some cups too, wouldn't have taken some if I'd known the town was doing some kind of actual bar," she said but shrugged, too late now, clicking her plastic cup with Essie's. "How was your dancing? Did you show them what's what?"

Ephram looked exaggeratedly offended. "Excuse you, it ain't no fault nothin'! I call it bein' /prepared/ for the very high possibility that I could be on a big cruiser ship what turns upside-down or hits an iceberg. I think it's real responsible of me thankyew very much." He snagged a couple of fingers into the folds of Aedan's shirt and towed him closer to one of the makeshift booze tables, collecting two bottles of some sort of raspberry radler and handing one to Aedan, continuing to dance at a much more lazy pace. "Is it a because Ireland's an island thing? Youn's git used to bein' surrounded by water real early on, same way I all but grew up runnin' wild in the woods?"

Aedan followed Ephram to pilfer the drinks and took his. He took a sip and his expression flickered between confusion and enjoyment as they danced. He didn't know if he liked the drink yet. 'Mhm, if you're not careful in Ireland, you can just fall right into the sea! If you can't swim, you're done for.' He gave Ephram a cheeky grin.

Iann chuckled. "Looks like the bartender was trying to give you a hint, Cullie," Iann said with a wink. He eyed the sangria and then took a drink. It was delicious, as he expected - but that was exactly why he was so wary of it. It was delicious, easy to drink down. One did not nurse a sangria. "I need food," he proclaimed, figuring if he was going to drink, he might as well do himself a favour and eat as well.

Collette. rolled her eyes and continued to sip her drink. 'You're always saying that.'

Essie "They needed a lot of coaching, they didn't get lessons every Christmas time in school so it makes sense none of them had it anywhere near good enough." she jokes with a small shrug.

Ephram wasn't quite sure, cheeky grin or not, if Aedan was actually joking. "Okay now, you cain't tease me that way," he objected, elbowing the other witch a little. "I'm serious! How long a drive is it to the water if you're say smack-dab in the middle of Ireland? I had to learn to swim a lot better once I moved out here and had to contend with the gawd damn ocean."

‘Oh God, Ephram! I’m not a geography man. Four hours maybe? Six?’ Aedan still couldn’t stop himself laughing.

"Some of us did, some of us were just bad," Bellamy insisted. She had gone to church, they taught dancing there. Perhaps Ephram had learnt to but he was with Aedan and she couldn't ask, besides he was...very exciteable at this point. "I learnt to dance but I stepped on toes and couldn't keep a beat. Bit better now, not nearly good enough to show anyone up. I'd just sway awkwardly like Lana Del Rey does."

Ephram considered this and nodded, content. "What's the water like there though?" he persisted. "I saw this movie and these kids was takin' a fuckin' speedboat from Ireland to England and it looked goddamn choppy as /shit/ when they was out on the water, like, folks don't do that on the regular, do they? Are there nice beaches? Calm ones?"

Bella "As for food, if they have bar then there might be food trucks? Though I'd loved to have known so I too could have done something," she sighed a little disappointed.

Aedan 'Shite. Some of that strait is so dangerous it's not legal to cross in winter. We're an island on the edge of an ocean. There are nice, chilly beaches. Sometimes a heatwave makes it nice.'

For some reason this answer that confirmed the perils of crossing in a speedboat made Ephram more placid about the whole affair, and he relaxed into a more loose bobbling sort of standing-in-place dance, shoulders and hips swaying. "I tried doin' that thing where you lie down on the beach and somebody covers you with sand so's only your head sticks out," he remarked conversationally. "These two selkie kids volunteered but then they got tired and said I was too tall and it took too long. Abandoned me to the elements."

Aedan 'Did you... did you drown? Or did you want someone to try it again? Properly next time?'

"Next time, Belle," Iann said, knowing Erzebet's food truck would likely be popular, considering how good their food was. But he was pleased at the idea of heading over to the food trucks to grab some chow. "Who wants what?" Iann canvassed the women, in case they wanted munchies as well.

Collette. 'Can you get me something sticky? Like wings or ribs? Pleasseee, Iann.'

Ephram gave a gusty, mournful sigh, now that Aedan had offered sympathy and opened the door for him to play up to it. "Almost," he said direly. "I fell asleep -- like you do when somebody's pilin' you up with warm sand -- and next thing I knew I had cold-ass water creepin' up my shorts." He shook his head. "And yeah, I /do/ want it done properly! I need to have the experience. You good at makin' human sandcastles, Wee Deer?"

Iann "Heck yes," Iann nodded at Collette, sure he could smell bbq by now. It was making his mouth water.

Aedan 'Of course I can. We should do it! We have to do it.'

Collette. cheered with joy when Iann agreed.

Bella would love a gothic vampire style food truck to drive around town, next time for sure... "I would like chips and gravy, please," she requested with a big grin. "Oh and a burger, and like whatever cake they have."

Ephram threw back the rest of his radler, appropriating Aedan's from him and finishing that one as well. "Whoo!" he cheered at the plan for a proper sand christening. "Let's git more drinks."

Aedan. was going to protest when Ephram pilfered the last of his drink. ‘God above. Yes please.’ He burst into laughter and led the way to get more drinks.

Essie wasn't hungry so she had just been quietly working through the sangria while everyone chatted.

"Chips and gravy, got it," Iann said, then nodded as Bellamy added to her request. "Okay burger. And cake...hold on I'm writing this down. Someone better come with me to help carry all this."

Culloden ‘I’ll help.’ Collette hurries over to him with her drink left on her seat. ‘C’mon.’

Ephram shouldered his way over to an enterprising naga who had an array of her homebrewed beverages out for sale or trade, picking up bottles and mason jars and drinking pouches in quick succession to squint at the labels. "Nothin' with blood in it, right?" he confirmed with Aedan, fingering a pouch of Touch o' Plasma Brandy.

Bella snorted, unable to help herself. "Whelp, it's you and me until they get back, which means we can shit talk them," Bellamy said, loudly proclaiming. "Iann is so ooooold!" so he could hear as he left.

Iann made a face at Bellamy as he and Collette trotted off together towards the parking lot, where the food trucks showed up. Some of them were still setting up, so they got in line for one of them. "You okay? You don't like Essie, or something?" he asked, as they waited.

Essie had been drinking steadily while she had nothing to add to the conversation. She lets her lips pull carelessly into a smile for Bella shrugging. "Shit talk away." she snorts

Aedan. ‘I have nothing against blood I just don’t... think it’d be a good tasting drink?’

Culloden ‘I like Essie, but we were dancing. You don’t invite others into a dance if you’re going to reject the group dance.’

"Rules," Iann scoffed, missing the point entirely as he waved a hand at the idea of whatever dance-etiquette he believed Collette was describing. "Too formal."

Essie had clearly been drinking and Bella was up for gossip, even if it wasn't actually shit talking. "So Miles left town," Bella noted, a heavy inhale. "Didn't really say much but his ex moved further away and so did his daughters. He followed them, obviously. Less of a big deal with everything ended, but I don't know, sucks to think he's not around." Bella hadn't wanted to not have him in her life completely, and sure, they could text, but she loved him, still did. "

Culloden bristled as Iann brushed off something she cared about. It wasn’t about etiquette. ‘Yeah, whatever right? Rules pfft.’ She pretended to shrug off whatever Iann believed was the reason.

Essie makes a noise of surprise and lets her knees connect with the ground gently in front of the seat Bella was sitting in. "Oh my god really? When did that happen? I'm so sorry Bella damn."

Ephram leaned back slightly as the naga bent over her table to stare at Aedan. "It says TOUCH o'plasma," she pointed out loudly, and Ephram set the pouch down, holding up his hands. "Awright, awright," he said placatingly, and pulled a selection of two bottles and two mason jars forward. "He was only answerin' my question, ain't no need to git rattled." The naga eased off, but she did lift her tail and rattle it with a short laugh.

Bella "During the rifts, probably hard to get out," she half laughed, it wasn't really funny. "It's not like I imagined we'd get back together, but Miles accepted a lot about me, I really hoped I'd still be able to lean on him." Without really intending for it her eyes started to get wet, the vampire blinking a few times so that they would go away. She didn't want to get sad in front of people, Essie was one thing but if anyone returned she intended to change the topic and keep the upbeat mood. "I can text him, I'll be fine. Besides, I have people," she assured Essie. It wasn't quite the same but it did help.

Maya had dressed in a simple tank top and jeans combo. It was a beautiful day outside and she might as well enjoy it. After all the Washington Coast winter would start any day now and bring with it nine months of drizzle. At the edge of the Town Square to see who and what was about. She gave an acknowledging smile to her friends before heading off to find something to drink. She could go for something fried too, but might hold off on that.

"You're the one who's abiding by them!" Iann pointed out, his nature leading him to debate, even casually. "What, you wanted to go dance with that guy, you should've just told me. I was just teasing."

Essie takes one of Bellas hands. Bellamy had been there for her when she'd been having issues, and she hadn't even realized the vampire was going through something as well. "I'm so sorry. Let me be one of the people! Anything you need, anytime."

Bella chuckled, Essie's declaration lightening her mood and she patted the hand that had taken her own with the one that was free. "I know, you are, don't need to worry," she giggled. "Definitely not anything, but friend things, I promise."

Essie let her cheeks heat up as she realizes she might have read 'I have people' wrong. "Definitely friend things Bella yeah." she laughs to cover her mistake.

Bella "I have other people for /those/ things," she chuckled. Unsure if Essie thought she meant blood or sex or what, either Bella did not expect from the fae. Though blood would have been nice. "Come on, give me some gossip you know, about someone else."

‘Right, we’ll just stick with the vanilla stuff.’ Aedan chuckled and bumped Ephram.

Culloden ‘No, I wanted to dance with you.’

"You were dancing with me!" Iann said, confused and laughing. "We were dancing, we weren't going to stop dancing together. Well - until the music stopped anyway." They were next in line though, and fortunately this truck seemed to have everything they wanted, except the cake, but that was the bakery truck next to it. So Iann got the fries and gravy, the hamburger, ribs and wings, and some onion rings for himself. "And a milkshake, chocolate malt. You want a milkshake too, Cullie?"

Culloden: Iann didn’t get it. He rarely got it. But she smiled through his confusion. ‘Nah, I’m planning on drinking all night and dairy is the worst thing to mix with it.’

Ephram picked up the two jars to put them in Aedan's hands, saying, "We got us some plum wine here, that sounds nice, and we'll take these two redcurrant stouts. Sound good?" He paid with money, having not yet figured out what he owned that would be useful to carry around for barter, and the naga sent them off with two little packets of cheese crackers as well. "Let's sit down," Ephram suggested, gesturing at his chair and then frowning. "Gawddammit! There's somebody's backpack in my chair!"

Essie "I'm glad." she huffs awkwardly with a shy smile at Bella. "lord knows I'm not in a position to do anything." she adds as an afterthought, her tongue loose with sangria. "Oh gossip huh? Well I'm pretty sure there's a janitor stealing half the sheriffs lunches. Not enough for him to notice, I doubt his husband makes a full inventory of those bags but I've seen this one woman -" she cut off as Ephram came back.

"Someone needs to teach you the positions then," Bella winked. "Half is a lot, guess Freddie replaces most when he brings him lunch," she reasoned, assuming Freddie stopped by enough. "That's one of our bags, weirdo, we were saving spots."

"See, and I heard that if you have a yogurt before drinking, it'll keep you from getting sick. Not that - not that you'd get sick on regular human alcohol anyway. And I have no idea how nymph-booze works," Iann said, paying for the food and then heading to the bakery truck to pick up the cake in the meantime. He finished the sangria for now anyway, recycling the cup so he could keep his hands free for the upcoming food. He ordered the cake - some sort of vanilla cinnamon, he hoped Bellamy wouldn't hate it - and handed it to Collette to hold. Somehow he believed that the delicate dessert would be handed better by her than by him. Instead he shoved his hands in his pockets and waited, side-eying Collette. "God, this sort of awkwardness sucks."

Aedan thanked him and carried his jar as they went. 'Let's.' He stopped at the chairs and laughed at Ephram's possessive reaction.

Ephram was mollified by Bella's explanation, setting his drinks down. "Okay, good, thanks sweetpea," he said, dropping a little kiss to Bellamy's head. He dragged up another chair for Aedan, grinning, "--unless you wanna perch on the arm of mine?"

Maya ended up in line at one of the food trucks near a bakery truck where Iann and Collette were waiting. She gave them a wave and would've said hello, but it seemed like they were in the middle of some kind of awkward conversation.

Collette. 'Let's say, the milky cocktail I had once has put me off of mixing alcohol and dairy.' She took all of the handed over food. 'What awkwardness? I'm not being awkward.'

Essie crossed her arms and rested them on Bellas knees, head coming down to rest on top of them as well. "Maybe I'm waiting to learn the positions." she shoots back forgetting her company for a moment before turning her head into her arms with a blush. "Nevermind."

Aedan 'You want me to sit on the arm of your chair?' He looked at the wide arms and the drink that was resting on the seat Ephram had dragged over. 'Leave that one. I can sit on the arm. The deepness of the seat is hell on my ribs.'

"You're being awkward," Iann stated grouchily, then nodded his chin in hello towards Maya Parker when she waved. "Can we invite Maya Parker to talk with us or are you gonna run away again?"

'Jesus Christ, Iann.' Collette rolled her eyes. 'And here I was enjoying this evening.'

Bella looked at Aedan, thinking of his friend Jack's implication of Aedan and giggling to herself. "Don't tell your boss you're waiting to learn the positions, Ephram might pass that along. He's clearly in a gossiping mood himself. Tell us whose the worst at their job, Sheriff? It's Essie, yeah?" she joked.

Maya tilted her head at Collette's response, "So is that a no or...?"

"Yeah so was I," Iann said with a frown. "Don't put this on me." In a fit of rebellion, he brazenly addressed Maya. "Yo man, was that warning you got a doozy, huh? At least it was for me. The worlds I went to....hooboy. But we're all still standing in the end, hey?"

Essie moans unhappily into her arms. "Don't bella please." she whines already regretting speaking up, but the alcohol in her blood had demanded she say whatever came to mind. "I embarrass myself in my own time so well already."

Ephram grunted as he dropped into his seat, knocking out one of his empty bottles with little to no care. "You busted your ribs, too?" he said. "Dang, Aedan. That kraken ship did a number on you." He leaned back with his little collection of drinks arranged on the other arm of his chair not occupied by an Irish witch, and gave Bella and Essie a wide, loopy grin. "Essie," he said with a bit more solemnity, "is without a doubt my most valuable employee and no lie. Although Finn can be distracting when he's dressed up all jaunty. I keep wonderin' if his clothes come in a human 42 long so I can get a version for my own self."

Collette. kept her mouth shut, feeling trapped. 'I'm gonna take these over to Bellamy.' She knew she was running again but she had a real excuse this time. The desserts needed to be given to their owners.

Maya let out a huff of a laugh, "You can say that again. Wasn't particularly helpful either. I mean, /they/ being some super fucked up apocalypse situations? I needed a little more to get that that." She watched as Collette left, feeling a little guilty. She'd meant it as a joke, but it didn't seem to have landed that way. Probably because of whatever was going on between Iann and Collette before, but Maya hardly wanted to make Collette more uncomfortable.

Aedan hummed in agreement as he settled on the arm of the chair, holding his ribs with one hand and the jar with the other. 'It could've ended worse.' He sipped his drink as he listened to Ephram complimenting his coworkers.

"Oooooh, look at that, best employee even if you don't know the positions," Bella nudged her, picking up another cup of Sangria, her lips dyed a beautiful deep pink from her sips. "That's still not gossip though, who has called the department about something ridiculous."

Collette. returned to the group, offering Bellamy her cake. 'I think Iann's still waiting for the food.' She sat in her unoccupied (but somehow moved) seat, taking up her drink.

Bella was actually surprised to see Collette bringing her the food, mostly because Collette seemed to cling to Iann whenever Bella saw the two of them in the same environment and she wondered if Ciara had maybe arrived. "Thanks," she said. "Perhaps you have some gossip?" Bella tried.

Collette. 'Gossip?' She glanced around the group. 'I don't know... gossip.'

"Welll from what you described those cryptids you fell into weren't exactly feeling their best. They tried to do what they could," Iann said. He'd been unable to stop thinking about those cryptids, trapped in a pit, with no other recourse other than their imminent death and an attempt to warn the one person who'd get out of the pit alive. "Poor fuckers." Iann shook his head in some sympathy for their demise. "I looked up the town report, fortunately no one ended up dying. Injured sure..." he patted his own stomach, where he'd been injured in one of the worlds. He watched Collette flee, and for once Iann chose not to run after her. He was waiting for the food, anyway. "What're you gonna get? You can just share with me if you want."

Essie buried her head even further in her arms at Bellas words. "Bella please." she whines, Ephram is her BOSS this is so inappropriate. Her drink addled brain however responding to Ephram "Finn only wears scarves and jumpers, ain't no 42 long in it unless you're going commando." she thinks aloud before making a face at her own words. Good grief she was off again, embarrassing herself always.

"Not omnious at all," Bella said of the way Collette rolled off, taking a heavy sip that she almost spat up when how what Essie said came across very differently to her. Nose sangria over her jeans.

Maya nodded. "True and I'll give them it was absolutely better than nothing." She nodded again when Iann said that no one had died. It took some willpower for her not to touch her ribs as he patted his stomach. They still ached, but far less than they had in the immediate aftermath of the Victorian asylum. "I need a drink," she replied, gesturing towards the truck, "But I will totally steal some of your food."

Ephram gave a happy bark of a laugh, saying, "Lordy loo, we all got nekkidness on the mind today! First Aedan here informin' me bout them college boys screamin' Nudie Rudie afore runnin' down the halls starkers, and now you shootin' down my dreams of me and Finn wearin' matching outfits in public. Sigh, sigh." Ephram shook his head. "I'll have to save them outfits for when I'm at home with the mister." He lobbed his packet of cheese crackers gently into Collette's lap, saying, "You want these, birdie?"

Bella taking a bite of her cake she continued to giggle despite her mess. "Well I have some gossip, Essie and I were married in one of the places," Bellamy announced, also not thinking about phrasing.

Aedan 'You told me nudity was allowed in town? Or are you just tricking me into making a total tit of myself?'

Iann turned, pointing vaguely back to where the others were. "I think there's a makeshift bar there, and Bellamy's doling out sangria. It's delicious. But you have to wait for me to help me carry back all the food first, now that my co-pilot jumped ship." Iann paused. "Wait, that didn't make sense. Catch my drift."

Essie "I take it back?" she tries with a cringe sparing a small glance at the sheriff and then at the man she'd never been introduced to. "Lets pass nudity by /please/" her mind already swirling with 'positions' from earlier. Her innuendo counter going up by the second.

Collette. turned the pack over in her lap and wondered if Iann was bringing her her bbq or if she'd blown it. 'Thanks, Ephram.' She cracked a smile for him and wiggled the pack at him. 'I'll save them for my drunk feast.' She stood and went to get a refill of her glass.

Ephram scrunched his face at Aedan. "Maaaaaaybe. Oh, hey -- Aedan, this is Essie, she's the Civilian Admin down at the station. Essie, this is Aedan, he's very Irish." Ephram toasted them both with his stout and applied himself enthusiastically to drinking it. "Bella! What in the world sorter place was you in that you got hellscape married??"

Aedan waved at Essie and cast her a smile. 'Nice to meet you. I'm a - little - Irish.'

Ephram mumbled into his bottle obstinately, ".../very/ Irish."

Aedan poked his tongue out at Ephram.

"If you just give me a second, I'm just going to grab a beer from this truck. Then I can help you carry," Maya replied. While she enjoyed sangria, she wanted something a little less alcoholic today. She still wasn't sleeping very well and knew that being drunk wouldn't help. Of course, the day was still young after all. Someone in line behind her coughed and she realized it was her turn. "One sec," she said to Iann before ordering. Beer in hand, she returned to him and held out her arms for him to load up. It had been a long time since she'd been a waitress, but she was pretty sure she could still balance on her arms.

Essie lifts a hand in return turning around to rest her back on Bellas knees reaching for another cup of sangria. "You irish or not?" she asks more directly. "No very or little about it." She hums quietly.

"I'm a lil bit Irish," Ephram said, half to himself. "I'm a lil bit Scottish, a lil bit English ... a lil bit country, a lil bit rock 'n roll...."

Aedan 'Belfast. Druid. Catholic school and all. You judge my Irishness.' He gave her a broad grin.

Bella "One where we were being hunted by our in-laws for a ritual sacrifice, obviously," she grinned, sarcasm heavy with her final word. "We were very beautiful in wedding dresses though, everyone should be envious they didn't get to see us walking down the aisle. Essie especially because I wear wedding dresses for fun, for her it was much more unique."

Bella "Speaking of! You two must have learnt to dance in church, right? Ephram, Aedan? Essie said it was just her but I did in Church too, you guys had to also, yeah?"

Aedan 'Dancing was frowned upon in my church. Especially when we were all boys.'

Fortunately Iann's order comes at the same time, so he gathered the items and handed Maya the onion rings, then placed the burger gently on the crook of her arm. "Got it? I can carry the rest," Iann said, strolling them back to the group. He handed the milkshake over to Collette. "Hold that," he requested, before giving Bellamy her fries, and her burger. "There you go, Belle. And the onion rings we're sharing, Parker," he said to Maya. Iann then looked at Collette, lifting the ribs and the wings, one in each hand. "Choose but choose wisely, Cullie. The other one'll be for me."

Collette. obeyed more out of surprise than compliance. 'Wings, please. They have more meat on them.' She reached up to take the wings from him, handing his milkshake over. 'Thanks.'

Essie "hate to agree with the sheriff, but sounds very 'very' to me." She smiles a little taking another gulp of sangria "If I get married, I'm not wearing that big a dress, too hard to hard to run in, had to tear the skirt off. Don't think I could do that on a real wedding." She shakes her head piping in. "No no I said i didn't figure you lot would get the same 'traditional' dancing lessons in school, like every winter all the kids in school had to do scottish dancing."

Ephram shook his head. "Folks in the Fall learn dancin' from since we's knee-high to a mushroom," he said, the words rolling out of his mouth more soft-cornered with his thickening accent. "At plum near every family gatherin' we go to. We dance at church functions, but that ain't where we learn it." He reached over to pluck at Bellamy's wrist. "What sorter teachin' they gave you in church for dancin'? Both of you?" Ephram directed his question at Essie as well, when the fairy answered of her own accord. "Ahhhhh. We got square dancin' in school. But yeah, nothin' in church."

Aedan huffed a laugh behind his drink and rolled his eyes. They won. He was very Irish.

Maya waited a half second before replying. She had to be sure she had it before she answered. Then, with a semi-proud grin, she replied, "I still got it." At everything else she'd been a shit waitress, except this one small part. She then followed Iann to the table. She waited until Iann had removed the burger before even attempting to sit down. Only once it was safe did she take an open chair. "Thanks," she said to Iann before taking one of the onion rings. She listened to conversation, trying to pick up what they were talking about. Dancing, it seemed.

Aedan 'You get thrashed for talking about magic in my school. So no Harry Potter! And no dancing.'

Ephram belatedly worked through Essie's comment. "Hey!" he protested mildly, laughing. "Why /hate/ to agree with me? I'm a man you want to be allied with, Essie, believe you me. How could you disregard the bond of the golf bag so quickly."

Iann traded the basket of wings for his milkshake with Collette. "They're ahhh, sweet whiskey barbecue wings," he said to Collette, then motioned to Maya and said to her, "Hope you like barbecue ribs. You ever try a malted beer float? If that's an IPA then you'd be in for a treat."

Bella "You need to keep a ruler between you and anyone, don't need you dancing close," she teased Aedan before nodding at Ephram and frowning when he teased her, thankfully Iann and Maya had returned with her food and Bella happily took what she had requested. "We learnt dancing for when the church had socials. Besides, I went to private school, dancing was an elective, we didn't have Homecoming and stuff, just Prom, once and I didn't go so," Bellamy shrugged. She went to Proms at the public school but they did not dance formally.

Collette. fell silent again and sat back in her chair with her ribs and took up her 'Nude Nymph' drink.

"I'm never one to turn down good barbaque," Maya replied. She considered his second question and ended up shrugged, "Maybe, but not that I remember, so I guess I know what my next drink is."

Bella looked over at Collette who kept growing quite, "thanks for getting my food, guys." The statement to the three of them. "What about you, Collette, what happened in one of the strange places for you?"

Collette. 'I saw a nightmare version of Iann's ex.'

Essie never went to church, so she wouldn't be able to really comment on dancing lessons within them. Jumping a little when Ephram called her out blinking at him and awkwardly smiling back at him. "Sorry of course, the sacred golf bag."

Bella Of course, Iann. "He's got many, what a hoe," she joked, since Iann was far from it. "Probably all of them there, chasing you down, zombie-fied or something, yeah?" Bella tried to keep it light.

Ephram raised his eyebrows at Collette's comment, and broadly stated instead of engaging with it, "--although I still cain't waltz or nothin'. Most I can manage is a polka. Now why couldn't one'a them weirdscapes been about dancin'? That woulda been a sight to see."

Carefully, Iann traded some of the ribs with some of the onion rings, so that he and Maya and an even amount of both in their little containers. He removed the lid of his milkshake, taking a gulp before hearing Collette's statement and exclaiming, "Pah - ahaha, Tuah! She means Tuah. Only it wasn't...well obviously it was as Cullie said - the nightmare version of him. Real creepy stuff."

Ephram Iann's explanation that it was only Tuah cut through the potential for tension and Ephram relaxed back into his chair, tapping the lip of his bottle against his bottom teeth.

Collette. 'You say that. But it was a Tuah I knew. One who ruined my life for real. So no, not really a nightmare. Just a memory.'

Iann "Right, yeah. Of course. So not really a nightmare version, but more like the real actual version."

Ephram made a pinched expression. Hey there, tension.

Collette. slapped her legs and stood. 'I'm going to... get another drink.'

Maya 's brow furrowed. She only knew one version of Tuah and he wouldn't ruin anyone's life. But she knew that wasn't the only version of him. She didn't ask though. After all there was plenty about those pocket worlds she'd rather not talk about.

Essie busied herself drinking more of her sangria looking anywhere but at Iann and Collette.

"Wow," Bella shook her head, deciding Collette was not worth the effort she was putting in. "Whelp, Iann and I did fight zombies, and I was heroic and brave and he should basically consider me his knight in shimmering diamond encrusted armour, yeah?"

Iann "You literally --" But once again, Collette left. He turned to look at the others, confounded. "Didn't she call him a nightmare version of him? Or was I just imagining things? I was literally quoting her own words. Jeeeesus christ."

Iann nodded though, at Bellamy's boast because it was entirely accurate. "Bellamy kicked evil soldier zombie butt and it was great. She ploughed through them."

Collette. Maybe she was the idiot for going to a big old event when she clearly wasn't over the ship and the memories it had bought back. So she stayed by the makeshift bar so she didn't bum anyone else out.

Essie was dazed and is happy to accept the change of direction. "Bella is my hero."

Aedan sunk back in the arm of the chair, his arse turning numb from the weird shape of the wood.

Ephram leaned forward, seeing an opportunity for him to unload a thwack of unwanted advice open up like magic. "Cardero, man," he said, scrunching one eye shut, "the girl's clearly hung up on you for some godforsaken reason. Hell, she's pitched like eight fits in the last hour alone every time you so much as blink at someone other'n her."

"I thought you said she was different now?" Bellamy asked Iann, since this seemed the same Collette that had existed in that strange arthurian place. "She's obsessed with you, I mean she walked off for Essie?" Bella went to lean back in her seat and quickly realised she couldn't and sat back up. "I am very brave," she agreed of Iann's explaination of her and Essie's note too. "Continued adoration will go over well. Iann did his share, it just wasn't as cool as my share."

Iann blinked at Ephram, clearly offended at the fact that Pettaline was talking to him kindly. "We - okay but we talked about...never mind. Here. Take my food, and take my milkshake - it's good, it's malty." He donated his vittles to Pettaline, took a breath, and headed over to the bar where Collette had hidden herself. "Can I join you?"

Maya 's gaze followed Collette as she left. She thought about following her. But they didn't know each other well. She didn't know if Collette would rather be alone. She turned back to the table and took a sip of her beer. Maybe she would check in after a bit, give Collette some space. Once she returned her attention to the conversation, she took an even bigger gulp of her beer.

Ephram sat back again, pleased to have been gifted with free food for his efforts, and held the container around for if Aedan or Bellamy -- both of them adjacent to him -- wanted any.

Collette. turned to see Iann, her face scrunched up as if there was too much light. Or a bad smell. 'If you like.'

Aedan took a handful without looking, finding sticky ribs instead of something nice and dry. 'Gross.' He pulled a face and tried to eat the rib with one hand, drink between his legs.

"Well...yeah that's why I asked." Iann rubbed his face, leaning against a post as he looked at Collette. "What's going on. I know this isn't about me, so just talk to me instead of leaving me."

"She is obsessed," Bella agreed, taking the food from Ephram. "Whatever. I tried to be nice, now I'm done," which was Bella's usual thinking. She'd still try again, she always did, even with Ruby who trying again had happened like fifty times. "How about you, Sheriff, you practically lived in them, see anyone we'd know?"

Collette. 'There's-' She faltered, a rare thing with her. 'I made friends with the man I swore to kill if I saw him again. You loved him. He's nice now. But William is still un-avenged.'

Essie gets to her feet and dusts her ass off from sitting on the ground and nudges Bella "I'll sit and you can sit on my knee? My ass hurts." she asks knowing chairs were few and far between as the town started filtering into the place.

Ephram dug into the remaining ribs with gusto, propping the malted shake next to him on the seat. "Whuhuh?" he responded dumbly to Bella, before figuring out what she was asking and shaking his head. "Nope, I mostly only saw monsters. Oh! Except for this one world where it was jes like Soapberry, only everbody -- all the versions of you guys --" he gestured around at them with a rib bone, "--all had these weird lil talismans? Tokens? Lil items that was embedded in your foreheads."

"I love a lot of terrible people," Iann said, and leaned in. "Because I can indeed be a terrible person myself, remember?" he smiled softly, reminding her of their teasing conversation while they were dancing. As for the issue of this William, Iann asked. "Okay so...what's the best way you could think of to get your William avenged? Ideally, if you could do something to avenge him with no repercussions."

Maya held her tongue. She didn't know Collette well and she got the impression that no one save for Iann did. It was entirely possible that something else was going on with the nymph. It seemed like the table had already decided what they thought about it and she didn't feel it was her place to say anything. Instead, she picked up another onion ring and listened as Ephram talked about some pocket dimension he'd fallen in to.

Collette. 'I would've killed him the moment I knew. But I like Tuah. He's sweet. Nothing like the violent, cruel creature that sent William to his death.' Her fingers turned white around the glass she clung to. 'But there's nothing I can do. I won't kill Tuah. I like him. And-' She ran a hand through her hair. 'And I wouldn't hurt someone you loved.'

"So the only way to satisfactorily avenge William, is to kill Tuah, huh?" Iann said, tonguing the inside of his cheek as he gave this some thought.

Collette. 'Or I suppose... I could try find his remains. I never got to say goodbye.' Violence was always the first option. It was what she was born for. But if it was to protect Iann's heart, she would consider other options. Even if those couldn't ever work.

This had nothing to do with Iann's heart, honestly. But then Collette had a far more emotionally in-tune view of how these things worked than Iann did, who was trying to sort this out pragmatically. "Yeah, but that's not really avenging. What if you stuck him with your sword?"

Collette. 'If I stuck him with my sword, I would probably have an apoplectic seizure.' She turned quiet, her voice barely escaping her. 'I'm deathly afraid of vampires.' She never told anyone that.

"Oh my god, what was in my forehead?" Bellamy asked as she stood from where she sat, trying to hold all her food as she did and taking a seat on the ground because she would not get uncomfortable down there. "I hope it was pretty but I bet your going to say like a tooth or something creepy as hell."

Iann "Okay, so we'll work you past your fear of vampires first. But I don't understand. You made friends with him and you're also deathly afraid of him? How does that work?"

Ephram was pleased that somebody wanted to know what their talisman was. If there was one thing he'd complain about when it came to Soapberry denizens, it was what he considered to be a bewildering lack of curiosity. "Aaaap!" he beeped, sitting up a little more. "Well, sweetpea, you had this, like, flattened strawberry in your forehead. Only instead of a stem it had blond hair. That was where your hair grew up from, that foreheadberry."

Essie refills Bellas plastic cup with drink, saying a happy thanks before sitting down wiggling in the chair to get comfortable. She opens her mouth and makes a noise of confusion. "Her hair started at her forehead? How far down?" she wonders.

"Ew, it is weird and creepy, in my head it's like a strawberry sticker with gross hair stuck to it," Bella answered, touching her forehead with greasy fingers before bringing it down to her burger again. "What about Ess, what was hers?"

Culloden ‘I didn’t recognise him. After over two hundred years faces don’t stick so well.’

Iann "Ohhh I gotcha. Well, now that you know what he is, I guess you could meet him again. Get used to him first so you're not afraid of the idea of potentially killing him. And then once you believe you could stand to be near him and maybe even kill him, then we can figure out how to make your avenging work, hm?"

Ephram intoned spookily, "The berry thing was embedded right between her eyes, it was ... well, not a /bad/ look exactly, but not no magazine cover neither." He smiled at Bellamy, reaching over to thumb the greasy spot from her skin. "Essie had three tiny lil books all stacked on each other, like, comin' straight out of her head. They was clasped shut. I opened one and it was jes pictures of a monkey wearin' a safari hat, all the way through."

Bella chuckled, unsure what her talisman could mean and doubly unsure of what Essie's could. "Fortunately the only bad guy I saw was Valentin," she mused, giving a shrug. "None of you were baddies. I liked being tough though, so if you had been I would have taken you out." Bella did some fake karate moved as she held some of her burger.

Culloden ‘I really don’t know, Iann. But I’ll try it if I’m guided. I don’t have my sword anymore, though.’

Aedan. listened to Ephram and grimaced.

Maya turned to Aedan, "How was your trip to New York?" She'd heard some from Ruby, but was curious how his trip had been. Plus she had little desire to revel in any of the pocket universes she'd been in.

"Well does it have to be that particular sword, or - we got blacksmiths in town! We could make you a sword." Iann looked cheerful, despite the fact that this was ultimately leading up to some theoretical plan to destroy Tuah Arjuna. "To your exact specifications. Unless it needs to be like a Scottish blacksmith with Scottish steel made only in Scotland, or something."

Essie "What I grasp from that, you think Bella is fruity sweet, and you think my head is full of nothing good." she jokes. "Good to know." she says jutting her bottom lip out at her boss. Alcohol definitely getting to her usual reserved state around the sheriff. "What about your husband, He had to have been there right?"

"Who says monkeys aren't good?" Bella asked, raising a brow. "Freddie probably got something lovely and not at all giving him extra hair."

Aedan. ‘Oh! Yeah it was great. We did all the touristy shite. And stayed at the best hotel ever.’

Maya laughed, "Yeah I got to see some pictures of the hotel. And tell me you did some non-touristy shit too, just for my poor fake Native New Yorker heart."

Culloden ‘This is making me feel weird, Iann. We need to slow down on the ex-stabbing idea for tonight. Just, let me get drunk and we’ll talk about it in the morning.’

Essie "Reminds me of that classic tv thing of a monkey banging cymbals together like I have nothing better going on in my head." she explains with a laugh.

Aedan. ‘Is there anything non-touristy to do there? We did museums, shows and pub crawls.’

"Oh - ah - sure. Drinking," Iann said, unsure what to do or where to go at this point, so he just sort of hovered and looked around.

Culloden ‘You could do shots with me?’

Ephram tapped his chin with the lip of his bottle before realizing it was empty and swapping it for a full one. "Freddie was there, yeah. He had one'a them ... you know in the circus, the spinning plates? Where they got em on sticks? A full set of those except tiny, reachin' up to about a foot over his head and makin' the most God-awful sound." He grimaced at the memory, half-listening to Aedan's account of New York.

Maya almost spat out her drink as she laughed again. "In the entire city of New York? Yeah, there's lots of non-touristy shit to do. This is why I told Ruby she should talk to Carson. Although..." she tilted her head from side to side, "Apparently that was half a shit show so."

Aedan. couldn’t help but laugh at her reaction. ‘I had been working non stop. Touristy stuff was probably all I could think of at the time.’ Who was Carson? He couldn’t remember anyone mentioning someone by that name but he could’ve just forgotten, given his weird memory.

Iann "Ahhhhhhh, sure. I just - lemme just go - can we go get some more food? From the trucks? I should eat a bit more before shots, heh. Not as young as I used to be."

Culloden ‘I’ll buy the shots if you go get the food.’ Now she had her bank card, she had no worries about bumming money from anyone.

Iann "Gotcha. You want anything else to eat?"

Culloden ‘Nope, thank you. I’m good.’

Maya nodded, "Fair enough. And admittedly, we do have the best tourist shit in the world." She didn't explain who Carson was. It wasn't important in her mind, at least not to anyone but her. "But I'm glad you had a good time. It was the first home I remember," she added.

Bella "What did Freddie think of that?"

"Of the plates? Gosh, I dunno. Clean slipped my mind to tell anyone about that crazyplace once I got out. This is the first time I'm even thinkin' on it again, heh." Ephram thwapped Bellamy's arm lightly, turning in his chair a little so his shoulder was set against Aedan's hip and butt comfortably. "So, wedding dresses, huh? Did they meet your exacting fashionable standards?"

Bella "It was alright, not what I would have picked, nightmare would have been if it was like rayon or something," she shuddered. "Ess hated hers though."

Iann headed off to get more food - fortunately this time things were ready, so Iann just got whatever seemed to be easiest to buy and receive, with little preparation. Pre-packed sandwiches, of which Iann got something like a fancy ham and swiss. He returned to Collette's side.

Aedan. ‘Well If you ever want to go there, I can get you a great deal on the hotel I stayed in.’ He glanced down at Ephram and back to Maya. ‘What was it like living there?’

Culloden bought four unidentifiable shots for each of them and smiled when Iann came back. Her good mood seemed to be returning.

"If I ever go back, I'll probably just say with friends. I doubt I could afford that hotel. Thanks though," Maya replied, "I loved it. You know, there was always something going on and I could always find a corner of the city where no one knew who I was."

Iann consumed the sandwich first, then took each of the shots and sniffed at them. "Here, take one of mine. You can hold your liquor better than me."

Culloden ‘I doubt it. This one’s called ‘nymph blaster’.’ She raised one to her lips. ‘Ready?’

Aedan. ‘Fair enough. I’d never have afforded it if I actually had to pay.’ He beamed at her. ‘It sounds great. But I found most cities are like that.’

Iann laughed, pleased that at least the booze catered to all the species. "Ready. All four in a row. Go!" Iann tossed back two of them, and tossed the other two over his shoulder, while Collette finished hers. If she caught him then he'd confess, but he was just being playful anyway.

"Well, you totally have to take advantage of that," Maya agreed, "That's probably true, but I'll always think New York is the best one. Moving there saved my life."

Culloden chugged down each shot until she was swaying a little. They were super strong for nymphs. ‘I win!’

"You win," Iann grinned, leaning against the makeshift counter. "But what's the prize?"

Aedan. ‘Its great to feel like that about a place.’

Culloden ‘What we always do! Winner dares the loser.’ She had a cheeky grin on her face, cheeks red from the alcohol. ‘You’ve got to kiss everyone in that group!’ She pointed to their friends.

Maya meant it literally. Moving to New York had saved her life. She couldn't imagine she would've lasted staying in Salem. She smiled, "Yeah, it was nice." After a sip, she added, "Course I love it here too. It's way different, but I think I needed something different."

Aedan. ‘New York is a phase, Soapberry is a home?’

Iann laughed even louder, and clapped his hands once, then pointed at Collette. "You sneaky little minx! You're on." He offered Collette his arm, and headed back to the group. "I have an announcement, people. I lost a bet and Cullie here has given me a dare - kisses for the lot of you." He held out his hand to Maya for her hand, and says to the young witch. "So before she tries to pull any 11th hour specificity, hand it over, Parker. Pun intended."

Ephram eyed Iann making good on the bet he lost, and moved on to the next drink in his line of them.

Essie waves her hands at them "What kid of bet is that!?"

Maya shook her head. "New York was home. I didn't I'd ever leave," she explained, "I wouldn't have left if not for the asshole who came after me. But I'm not the same person I was in New York..." She was about to say more when Iann interrupted. Laughing, she gave him her hand and added, "Almost like we're back in that fucking medieval fantasy world."

"Ha, something like that," Iann said, delivering a brief peck on Maya's knuckles before he released her hand. He leaned close to Essie - she was so small, all he needed to do was bump his face gently and quickly against her hair, and he made a loud 'MWAH" noise as he did it. Bellamy, he peppered with many kisses on her round little face. Ephram, Iann covered his hand over Pettaline's mouth, and did the same 'MWAH' smacking noise. "Tell Confetti about that one, he's gonna die he missed it," Iann said with a grin. When he got to Aedan, Iann mocked a wistful, needful sigh, then made a silly show of pretending to gobble at Aedan's face, like a vaudeville act of making out without actually touching.

Ephram snorted, pawing at his tickly face after Iann had removed his hand and moved on. "You tell 'im," he said with genial obstinateness. "He'll find it even cuter comin' from you." Ephram rearranged himself, raising one arm to make sure he didn't topple Aedan off the arm of his chair. "You doin' awright there, Wee Deer?" he asked. "Ribs and all feelin' okay?"

Bella pulled back, not wanting to be involved in anything that woman was involved in. "Or you could just rejoin us," she commented, unamused by the antics, of the impression Collette should apologise to every person who had tried to spend time with Iann and if she still wouldn't let him return now then she should be abandoned. Evident from her frown of an expression as she returned to her food.

Aedan. ‘My ribs are okay, but I’m not sure what Iann just did to my face!’ Aedan laughed at his ridiculousness.

Essie covered her drink flushed face when Iann caught her head. What an awkward thing to wish upon an entire group of people, but it wasn't so bad she supposed for the people he knew an awful lot better. She fiddles with Bellamys hair as the vampire is sat in front of her once it's all over.

Culloden watched with amusement, knowing he’d never go full on kisses. That hadn’t been why she asked anyway. But he always managed to make the weirdest dares fun to watch.

Bella chewed happily as Essie played with her hair. "I wish this had rides, can any of you magic us some like teacups or something?" Bella asked the three witches and the fae around her. Aedan was good at building things, so maybe.

Maya watched, amused as Iann took turns kissing, kind of, everyone at the table. She stretched a little, feeling the ache in her own ribs as Ephram asked about Aedan's. Shaking her head at Bella's question, she replied, "Not my area of expertise."

Ephram snorted, leaving his arm slung behind Aedan's hips with his hand dangling off the side of the chair. "Well, iffen you feel like shifting jes let me know. Cain't help you when it comes to coping with Cardero, though -- that there's a town-wide dilemma." He rolled his head to contemplate Bellamy's question, patting Aedan's thigh. "You figure your magic's up to it, Wee Deer? I don't mind lendin' some magic if you wanna make a design."

Bella began to pout as Maya said no before her face perked up tat Ephram and Aedan might be able to. "Yes, yes, yes!" she requested with excitement, gravy on her lips.

Aedan. ‘I can steal someone else’s teacups with my magic. Transport them here. Or make some out of... nature shite.’

Ephram laughed, sitting up and then shoving himself to his feet with a creaky groan. "No, no stealing. Let's go the nature shite route, huh? I'm good with that sorter thing."

Essie felt bad all she could add was "I can only make em look pretty."

Aedan. ‘Help me up, then. I’ll do the... thing.’ He wiggled his good fingers.

"Nature," Bella agreed firmly, quite happy for a flower looking teacup if at all possible. "Go help keep it pretty then!" she rushed Essie on, Maya too if the woman felt that was within her wheel house. It was nice to see them all working together, that was what had helped with the rifts after all.

Ephram stretched out his lower back and winked at Essie. "Makin' em pretty is the most important finishing touch," he said, then hoisted Aedan upright from the chair. "Awright, Irish. Design us a ride for the delectation of our friends."

‘Oh god the pressure is on.’ Aedan was finally up with Ephrams help and he stepped out of the tent into a clearing. Wounded as he was,

Maya finished off the last of her drink. It wasn't that she had no desire to help with creating some sort of ride, she simply had no skills to help. Her magic tended more towards emotional and mental effects. She nodded and agreed, "Making it pretty is the most important part." She stood then and added, "I'll be right back I'm going to investigate those IPA milkshakes Iann mentioned."

Aedan. and given the season, his magic appeared as orange and gold leaves. He used one hand, his injured one holding his ribs as the ground around the clearing shifted and woody plant looking vines started to burst from the wet soil.

Essie pushes herself out of the chair and bites her lip following the man out from under the rain cover the town were converged under. Watching the witch do his thing curiously.

Ephram murmured something unintelligible and stepped up next to Aedan's injured side, using his own body to bolster the other man as if they were horses standing in a field. Once he was sure Aedan was doing okay, he lifted his own hand, fingers curled in, tilting his thumb up and down as tendrils of silvery green shimmered their way into the vines to lend their own energy to the magic work.

Aedan. Their combined spellpower made the spell work faster and more efficiently, the vines curling up into shapes beyond aedan’s own comprehension. And soon enough something that looked like a naturally occuring funfair ride was waiting for them.

Ephram kept his magic funnelling steadily into the ride until Aedan signed off on it, letting his hand drop and surveying their work with satisfaction. "Well now!" he declared. "That looks like a right nice lil ride, for havin' sprung into existence all but five seconds ago. Essie, you wanna tie a bow on it all nice and pretty-like?"

Essie pauses for a moment before walking forward, hand on one of the bowls for sitting in she rubs her hands together and lets her plum coloured dust float into it. It's texture changing to cushy fabric on the inside. Running her hand on the outside it seemed to start to shine dully, like little lights were embedded within the vines.

Maya returned shortly later with an IPA milkshake. She gave the new ride a once over before saying, "Impressive."

Bella stood as everything came together, her finished food abandoned but not her sangria that she grabbed quickly as she moved closer to the display. "Aww, you guys," she gushed, giving each of them a quick squeeze as a thank you for fulfilling her rather ridiculous request. "It looks so amazing!"

Ephram applauded as the whole ride lit up, then stuck two fingers in his mouth and gave an obnoxiously loud whistle of approval. The sound drew attention from many of the other attendees, who started to filter over to exclaim over the ride, some of them already climbing into the bowls.

Ephram looked startled that he'd managed to call people over, squeezing Bellamy back as he watched them surround the ride. "Best hustle on in there afore you have to wait your turn, sweetpea," he said, giving her backside a friendly swat.

Aedan. beamed with pride at the team effort, before he sat himself down in a nearby chair.

Ephram caught sight of Maya with her milkshake and suddenly recalled the one that Iann had given him, loping back to his chair to collect it with a sigh of relief, as if it would have been stolen in his brief absence. "You want some?" he offered Aedan, rejoining the other witch. "Mmmm, malty. D'you have malted milkshakes in Ireland?" Ephram was thunderstruck by the possibility of the answer being no. "D'you have /milkshakes/ in Ireland?"

Essie stands back with a pleased smile as it lit up just how she'd imagined, nothing over the top, just some good old fashioned shine. Maybe she /was/getting better at this glamour thing. She stooped to help a small child into one of the open spaces as people filtered over to get into the new ride.

Maya stepped out of the way to let a few kids run up to the ride. She took a sip of her milkshake, rolling it on her tongue. "This is good, Iann," she said, "Good suggestion."

Bella "None of you are going to join? Really?" she frowned at them before she stepped up onto the ride. She was fine to go on without them but was admittedly disappointed.

Ephram shook his head at Bellamy's question, glancing down at himself. "Naw," he demurred. "Big as I am I'd probly crush the poor lil thing. Take Essie on with you!"

Aedan. ‘We have milkshakes. But I have no idea what a malted milkshake even is.’

Bella rolled her eyes, why even make it if they weren't going to have fun /with/ her? "Fine," she stated simply, holding her hand out in the hopes at least Essie would join.

Essie was smiling at the people piling into the cups of the ride when a hand appeared in front of her and the blinks back to reality. With a smile she takes it "Pick a cup~"

Ephram flushed a little bit at Bellamy's clear annoyance, but it wasn't enough to make him attempt to climb into one of those teacups and have it crumple under the size of him. "Anyhow," he said to the air in general, and then sucked on his milkshake.

Aedan. ‘So, are you going to give me a taste of your magical malt milkshake?’

Ephram startled a little out of his brown mood, giving Aedan a relieved sort of grin and holding out the cup. "Taste it first and if you like it I'll give you the rest," he said, lapsing into older brother/cousin mode.

Essie couldn't ride for very long before she got dizzy, spreading her wings to be lifted out without having to stop the ride, landing and sitting heavily on the grass watching the thing go still.

Aedan. ‘I don’t want all of it,’ he said as he stifled a chuckle. He gave a small slurp and frowned a little. Then tried it again. ‘Mhm, okay. I like it. That’s really nice.’

Maya sat down next to Essie. "Hey," she said, "How've you been?"

Essie smiles at Maya "Bit dizzy right this second but I'm trying my best. You?"

Maya shrugged, "I'm alright. Can't complain too much."

Ephram handed over the milkshake properly and nudged against Aedan's leg as he lowered himself to the grass, letting the back of his head rest against the arm of the chair. "New York's where I asked Freddie to git married," he said after a moment or two, flashing a smile up at Aedan.

Essie laughs a little "I mean I feel at this point we're all allowed a little bit of complaining right? Now it's all done and we gotta deal with it all."

Iann returned from the washrooms (as humans were known to frequent) and whistled at the sight of the pretty ride that seemed to spontaneously appear. "Holy shit," he marveled. Ah, Soapberry. Despite the horrors, it still had its charm, at least to him. He belatedly registered Maya's feedback on the milkshake and he grinned. "Oh really? I know I suggested it but I never actually tried it myself. Can I...uh...?" he motioned to her cup. "I don't got kooties."

Maya overhead Ephram telling Aedan that he'd asked Freddie to marry him in New York. She didn't quite understand why he wouldn't have mentioned that earlier when she had been talking to Aedan about New York. She didn't dwell on it for more than a few seconds though. Instead, she shrugged to Essie, "Probably. But I figure I shouldn't complain to people who all went through the same thing." Especially someone like Essie who'd seen her in that grocery store. Glancing up at Iann, she gave him a smile, "For sure." She held out the milkshake for him to taste.

Aedan 'Thanks.' He sipped his new drink and listened to Ephram. 'That's cute. Shame you didn't marry after I came to town. I could've got you a discount at some nice places.'

Collette. hung about the bar, talking to the bartender and accepting the free drinks.

Ephram snickered. "Ahhhhh it's fine. Freddie's a fairy and he's got fingers in jes about every high-society pie that exists in ... well, everywhere, so far as I can tell." He lifted one knee, folding his hands around his kneecap. "Or at least that's how it seems to me. But I never been nowhere before I moved to Soapberry so it's all new." He hadn't brought it up earlier since he didn't want to interrupt Aedan's and Maya's conversation and Bellamy had been talking to him, was all.

'He does seem the type to know everyone. I don't think he likes me much, though.' Aedan huffed a laugh. 'But you can find contacts everywhere if you look for them hard enough.'

Essie shrugs at Maya. Whatever the other proffered. Some liked to speak about things, and some liked to process alone. She was more on the processing alone side, but she'd lend an ear where she could. Curling her legs to her chest and rests her chin on them just listening.

Iann opened the lid up and sampled it the milkshake. "Wow, this is incredible. Thanks for that," he said handing it back to Maya first, then headed over to Collette. "You say booze and dairy don't mix? I want you to try something with me."

"Of course," Maya replied as she took the milkshake back. Turning back to Essie, she said, "I'm alright though. Really." Of course, she then took a moment to stretch out her back and a flash of ache went across her face.

Collette. 'Hm?' She glanced at Iann and raised her brows at him. 'Fine. But if we are all unwell later, I know who to blame.' She gave him a grin.

Back to the food trucks, where Iann found the one offering the IPA ice cream floats. He got one vanilla and one coffee just for shits and giggles. "Give the vanilla one whipped cream and sprinkles? And the cherry!" Iann requested from the food truck person, who complied, handing it to Collette.

Ephram nodded, a look of pride crossing his face as he thought about his travels with Freddie and how deft his fairy was at navigating a world that Ephram found baffling and overwhelming, for all that he was eager to see it. "Oh, Freddie and I have surprisingly few friends in common," Ephram murmured, figuring there was no point trying to claim that no, honestly, Freddie /did/ like the Irish witch and they just 'needed to hang out more' or any such thing. If the two of them ever came around, then great; if they didn't, then oh well.

'I don't mind. As long as we get to stay friends.' Aedan petted Ephram's hair with his bandaged hand.

Collette. followed Iann out and watched him order her drink. When she took the drink, she looked down at it with wonder. She knew it was going to make her sick later. But god did it look tasty.

Iann took the coffee one, and sampled it. "Oh god really? Brainfreeze already?" he said, because he's gulped down the ice cream a little too fast.

Collette. giggled at the sight of Iann's face twisting with brain freeze. 'Okay. Let me try mimic you.' She took a mouthful of her's and winced. 'Gah.'

Essie bites her lip and points at Mayas face "That's not the face of alright you know that?"

Maya gave a half laugh. "Not my first bruised ribs, I'm fine," she explained. She took another sip of her drink. "Did you want to try this too or nah?" she asked.

Ephram leaned a little bit into Aedan's petting, always pleased when people he was being friendly with returned the physical shows of affection that he himself was prone to displaying. "Irish," he said contemplatively, "d'you think that livin' here, in Soapberry, we git too accustomed to strange shit happenin'? Or is it just that the nature of the shit is particularly strange here, and if we lived in the regular world we'd have the same coping patterns anyhow?"

Essie gave the girl a look. "I can try my hand at healin?" she offers shaking her head at the offer of the milkshake, holding up her never ending refills of sangria, already starting to sway a little even seated from how much she'd been having.

Maya weighed that in her head for a moment. "Not to be a complete asshole, but when you say try your hand, how likely is it to make it worse?"

Aedan 'I've not been here long enough to be changed. I've been meeting ghosts for years and magic would always exist.'

Iann "Show off, you don't get brainfreeze huh," he said, grumbling but with humour. He took another drink, pleased this time. "That's delicious."

Collette. 'I do! Just not as bad as you do, it seems.' She beamed at him as she continued to consume her float.

Iann "C'mon, lets go back and join the others, unless you don't want to, then I guess we can just chill here?"

Collette. 'We can hang out with the others. I don't want you missing out for my sake.'

Essie looked a tiny bit offended. "Worst that can happen is nothing happens." she argues lightly. "Never made anything worse before, never."

Any concern in Maya's expression immediately disappeared. "Oh then totally go for it, I'll try whatever," she added.

Essie shuffles closer, letting her knees move as she reaches out, placing her hands on mayas sides she closes her eyes. "If you can guide my hands to where it hurts most I can try my best to ease it." she suggests 

Ephram gave a quiet humph. "Now that you mention it," he said wryly, "reckon growin' up with a demon as a roommate sorter rules out any notion that I had a normal life before Soapberry anyhow."

 'We were messed up before we came here.' Aedan huffed a laugh and continued to pet Ephram.

Ephram wriggled his shoulder against Aedan's leg to find the most comfortable spot, careful not to jar the other witch's hand. He watched Essie and Maya, saying, "I guess she got her ribs stove in too."

Aedan 'Mmhm, mine was from the boat whipping about in the water.'

"It's really just my ribs," Maya replied. At the very least that was all that Essie could help with. Her difficulty sleeping hadn't even been helped by her own magic. "Just, uh, got for it, I guess," she said, trying not to let her slight discomfort show in her face. Essie wanted to help. And Maya was trying to be better about letting people help her.

Essie found it took a lot more concentration than it usually did but soon enough she felt her hands shifting easing the bruising slowly. Eyes still closed until she felt she had done. Withdrawing her hands she opens her eyes looking at Maya curiously "Did I get it all?" it was always a little harder on other people, as it was hard to tell points of pain when you couldn't feel them yourself.

Maya never really liked the feeling of being magically healed. Her insides always felt like someone was tugging the tender edges together. Or yanking them together at the worst. All things considered though, probably thanks to the healing that had already taken place, this wasn't bad. She let out a breath and stretched again. The pain and ache was gone, save for the last faded echoes. By tomorrow morning, those would likely be gone too. "Yeah, thanks," she said with a smile.

"D'you really not wanna be healed with magic?" Ephram tilted his head a little into Aedan's softly petting hand. "I got whanged up all to shit in them loony rift holes but Freddie healed me up every night. Fairy dust's great that way -- gosh Essie's is a pretty colour, ain't it?"

Aedan 'I'm fine. If it gets too bad, then I'll ask. Deal?'

Ephram settled in place. "Deal."

Essie smiles at Maya, much happier to know she'd done something alright, lifting the final dregs of sangria Essie hums and looks around for another drink. Now particularly wanting to have something strong, something to shoot. "Want some shots of something?" she asks as a whole to the group.

Maya nodded, "Yeah, I'll take a shot."

Ephram perked up, or at least he stopped drowsing for a moment. "Sure do!" he said to Essie. "Whatever you're gettin', I ain't picky, thank you, Essie."

Aedan 'I'll have shots, if you're offering.'

Essie smiles and flutters to her feet. Not trusting her balance all that well to struggle to her feet normally. Off to the bar she passes by Colette and Iann, giving them a beaming smile as she leans over to order shots. Her mood picking up further when the person on the other side of the table starts offering fancy things. she goes a little mad ordering laughing to herself at each choice.

Ephram watched Essie with a faintly amused smile. "Maybe somebody ought to've gone with her."

Maya had to smile too as Essie started gathering fancy shots. She shrugged though, "Eh, she's having fun."

Ephram "She's very talented, isn't she? With her dust and all. I'm glad she came to work at the station -- we need somebody with her sorter gumption and git-go."

Maya nodded, taking a sip of her milkshake. "Yeah, she is," she agreed. She had been a little nervous when she'd realized who Iann was sitting with earlier. But so far no one had asked her about the grocery store incident. It help her relax. She was tempted to say that Ruby had plenty of gumption and get-go too, but decided against it. Even in her own head, it sounded too much like suggesting competition between the two women. She wasn't, of course, but because of Danny she thought better to avoid it altogether. "And I'm sure I'll be thanking her tomorrow when my ribs aren't stiff as shit."

Essie unfolded a napkin at the makeshift bar and sprinkles dome dust on it to make it rigid enough to be a tray of sorts. Collecting her shots she heads back to them unable to stifle her laugh as she settles the red napkin in the middle of them. "So the guy was really damn nice-" she says not realizing at all she'd been being flirted with back there. "-and I have an 'Irish car bomb' because I couldn't resist, a 'honey dew me', a 'Passed out naked on the bathroom floor', and a 'hot damn'." she presents looking back at Iann and Collette wondering belatedly if she'd have picked them something too.

Ephram sat up more, reaching out for the last of Essie's shots. "Well hot damn!" he declared with a grin, and threw the drink back, only to instantly wheeze and start panting, his eyes watering. "hot ... hot fuckin' damn. oh shit."

"I'll take the Naked one," Maya replied. She tipped it back easily. The alcohol burned its way down her throat. "Yep, that's going to be all my drinking for today," she said after a hard blink," Except for finishing this milkshake obviously."

Essie lets her knees hit the grass by the sheriffs side and clap him on the back a few times trying to help him out. "Too much?" she says worriedly looking over at Maya too.

Maya shook her head with an amused smile, "Nah, I'm just pacing myself today."

Ephram continued to wheeze, thankful for the claps on the back and indicating that Essie should continue. He twisted up clumps of grass from the ground and started chewing on the blades like a bothered sheep, swishing the green mush around his mouth for a while before sighing in relief and then leaning heavily into Essie with a laugh. "Lil monkey," he chided her, more chuckling at his own predicament for rushing for that shot than anything. "Ahhh, it's my own dang fault, I shoulda asked you what was in em before grabbin'!"

Essie hums in acknowledgement of Maya taking it slow still thumping her small hand onto Ephrams back. Making a face when he rips up some grass to eat. "Not a fan of hot sauce huh?" huffing a small breath at being called something like a monkey for the second time that day. She reaches for the irish car bomb and downs it as she's leaned into.

Ephram shook his head. "Never did git used to the stuff," he said. "What, don't tell me you's one'a them folks what orders up the ghost pepper death-hot wings at restaurants for fun?" Ephram swallowed the chewed grass and stole back what was left of the milkshake he'd given Aedan, sucking it down till the straw rattled.

Maya 's phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out to read the text. "I gotta go see a man about a horse, but you guys have fun yeah?" she said as she stood, "And Essie shoot me a text about when you're free for wine club."

Aedan remained a little disturbed by the car bomb shot but it was alcohol so dammit. He reached out for the second Irish one and downed it with a hiss.

Aedan made a strained noise and waved goodbye at Maya.

Ephram waved at Maya as she left, patting Aedan's foot at his strangled sound. "Wine club, huh?" he raised impressed eyebrows at Essie. "Sounds awful fancy, Ms. Caird."

Essie "Of course I do. Why would you do it not for fun?" she shoots back, a lot more comfortable than she would be usually if left with her boss and basically a stranger, she blamed the alcohol. She raises a happy hand to Maya as she heads out. "Oh uh...it's not that fancy I swear. And it's also not really a real club either." taking note that perhaps her shot choices had been a little too strong for the others, duly noted.

Ephram chortled. "You're way braver than me. I cain't even hardly eat buffalo wings without a couple gallons of milk on hand." He ran a hand through his hair, rumpling it even though he'd been intending to straighten it. "No way. It ain't possible to have a wine club and not have it be fancy. I mean ... /wine/." Ephram leaned heavily on the word, giving it great import, then added a little tipsily, "...I usually drink mine with the husband in the bathtub, though. So I reckon that don't count as fancy."

Essie "Don't think it's necessarily braver, maybe just uh...more adventurous? I still cry when it gets too hot like everyone else." she admits easily. "But that doesn't mean stop eating." shooting Aedan a small shrug when she caught his eye, maybe he could weight in. At the personal reference Essie bites her lip and speaks slowly. "That's very sweet. It's a lovely thought." this was where Essie usually put her foot in her mouth but she managed to stop the clarifying words leaving her mouth, it'd make things awkward best just try it out as is.

“I know, sweetheart,” Maya says to her daughter, “I know, it’s scary.” She tucks some of Rosie’s long brown hair behind the girl’s ear. Rosie looks back at her mother and father with tears in her grey eyes. Her lip is trembling too. “Will you try it?” Maya asks, “Just for one day? And if you still hate it, we won’t make you go again.” 

She’s kneeling in front of her daughter on the sidewalk outside Rosie’s preschool. One of the teachers stands nearby, ready to take Rosie in to play with the other kids when she’s ready. Faye had warned Maya about this, said Eowyn hadn’t wanted to go at first either. It’s in the parenting books too. Ryden kneels next to Maya, looking equally calm. But Maya’s pretty sure that seeing their daughter almost crying is making him want to take the kid home too. 

Rosie nods. Her lip has stopped trembling, but her eyes are still watery. “You promise?” she asks. It breaks Maya’s heart. She knows this is the right decision though. And she’s like ninety percent sure that the moment they’re gone, Rosie won’t even think about them. 

Maya nods, “I promise, sweetheart. Daddy and I have to go now, but be our brave little girl, okay? And Daddy’ll pick you up at 2:30.” She kisses her daughter on the forehead, tells Roise that Mommy loves her before standing up. Ryden too kisses their daughter on the head before standing. 

The teacher, clearly used to this scene, kneels and puts out a hand for Rosie to shake. “Hi there, I’m Ms. Takeshita.” 

Rosie shakes it, “My name’s Rosie.” 

“Hi Rosie, it’s nice to meet you,” the teacher says, “Are you ready to go inside? I’ll show you were all the best coloring books are.” 

At that, Rosie perks up immediately. “Okay,” she says after one last glance back at her parents. They wave as she disappears inside. The parenting books and Faye were right it seems. Not that Maya really doubted them. 

Still as they head back to their car, she tries to discreetly wipe away a tear. He, of course, notices it. He laughs, but in that good natured way he does when he’s only teasing her. “Fuck off,” Maya says, swatting him on the arm, “Like that pout wasn’t working on you too.” 

“I didn’t say anything, babe,” he replies, “Should’ve tried that lip tremble thing when I asked you to marry me though.”