Armin stepped outside to the truck, his breath coming out as a thick white mist. Unlocking the doors, he quickly jumped into the driver's seat. 'What do we need to talk to her about? Making a portal for us?'

Dianne: "Yeah, I need to know her maximum range. If she can just portal us up there in a minute, I'll take that over a week's drive in the freezing winter."

Aava: "Yeah, the winters here are horrible..."

'I hope we don't have to drive. Exposure to that much cold can't possibly be good for you.'
.
Turning down the rugged lane, Armin started on their way into the city and to where Luxia's shop could be found.

Dianne: "It wouldn't be fun, but this can't really wait. I'll do what must be done."

Armin didn't reply, pushing away his mild concern. Luxia was unpredictable. He wasn't sure if she could make a portal that far, or if she would agree to doing it even if she could.
.
A few minutes later, they arrived outside the witch's shop near the edge of the city.

{Dianne hops off with Esme in her arms. Given the nature of Luxia's shop. Dianne didn't want to let her down. Walking in, she looks around for Luxia.}

Dianne: "Luxia?"

As she was carried in, Esme stretched her neck and sniffed the air, spellbound by all of the odd scents lingering here.
.
Luxia was sitting in what looked like a rocking chair behind the counter, busy knitting a strangely-shaped object. She chuckled without looking up. 'Again? What could you possibly need /again?'/

Dianne: "Just information. I'm trying to iron things out for the trip. How far is your portal range?"

{Aava walks in, looking around at all the strange objects in stock.}

'Lookin' for a portal, are you? Well, look no further! We have the finest range of top-quality portals in the country, a great variety, all for low prices.... Oh, you meant how far I could take you? Well, I don't really know. A long way.'

Dianne: "What about, Alacria? Could you take us that far?"

'Alacria... Alacrisis, more like...' Luxia mumbled. She stared blankly into space for a moment and used her fingers to mimic a scuttling spider. 'Yes, I could take you there. I've been to other worlds. That's nothing.'

Dianne: "Great! Now we don't have to suffer through a week of freezing weather. Alright, I'll contact you with a date and time. Um, can you make the portal big enough to fit cars through?"

Luxia just grinned toothily. 'Depends how wide the cars are.' Then she flapped her hand and went back to knitting. 'Yes, yes, should be OK. Probably.'

{Dianne gives a quizzical expression at that.}

Dianne: "Ok...Um, is Gail around?"

'No idea,' said Luxia breezily.
.
'How can you not know if your own assistant is here?' said Armin, exasperated.
.
There was a shuffle of footsteps and Gail stuck her head into the room. 'Do you want something, or...?'

Dianne: "Ah, there you are. You've seen Luxia make portals in the past, yeah? Can she make them wide enough for cars to go through?"

'Uh, I'm pretty sure the biggest she can make them is eight feet in diameter.'
.
Armin narrowed his eyes in thought. 'I think we can squeeze the truck through that.'

Dianne: "Hmmm. Barely, but it will do. Alright, we'll load the truck with supplies, get our crew together and leave in two days, probably. With Luxia's portals, this should be a much quicker trip than previously anticipated."

'Lovely. Now if that's all, go away,' said Luxia cheerfully.

Dianne: "Ok, well, we'll be in touch. Let's go."

{With that, she heads out. Aava shuffles out after her.}

Armin went back to the car, rather relieved that they wouldn't have to drive the whole way there and back. 'That's one problem down. Now let's go and see Jerry.'

Dianne: "Alright, let's go."

{Dianne hops in with Esme. Aava gets in the back.}

Dianne: "Glad we don't have to drive, because, full disclosure, I probably would have gone into hibernation half way there."

'That's exactly what I didn't want to happen. It would have been almost impossible to get it warm enough to wake you up again. And then I'd have to fight the spiders without you.'

Dianne: "Yeah, which was one of my biggest concerns. I don't think the truck would have been warm enough. and that wouldn't have been fun."

'Hopefully, the next time we get drawn into something like this, it's in the summer,' said Armin with amusement. 'Then at least I don't have to worry about you as much.'

Dianne: "Let's hope so. Winter sucks."

Aava: "Honestly, I'm just hoping this never happens to me again...ever....like, this really sucks."

'What, the whole being cursed thing? You'd have to be incredibly unlucky to have that happen to you more than once...'

Aava: "Yeah...Once this is over, I just want to be ok. No more weird curses or anything."

Dianne: "You've been through a lot. Everything is going to be ok once we get you cured."

Following a short drive from Luxia's shop, they arrived outside Jerry's place. Armin parked up and started to climb out of the car.

'OK, let's go and see him. Hopefully he's in.'

{Dianne gets out with Esme, followed by Aava. Once they get out, the first thing they notice is cigarette smoke.}

Dianne: "Smells like he's in..."

Aava: "Is that tobacco? That's still a thing?"

Armin wrinkled his nose as the pungent scent hit him. 'That's strong. I bet Ivy never goes in unless she has to...'

He approached the front door and knocked several times, in a quick little rhythm.

Jerry: "It's open."

{Dianne walks in, going into his office. Jerry would be sitting at his desk, smoking a cigarette.}

Dianne: "Hey, Jerry, how are you?"

Jerry: "I'm good. Just looking over cases, per usual. Frederick called me yesterday. Explained a bit about your little friend out of time."

Armin tried not to let his distaste show on his face. He didn't have anything against smoking, but the smell in the enclosed space wasn't exactly pleasant. //Can't he go outside and do it?//

'He probably told you about the curse, right?'

Jerry: "Yeah, a bit. Kind of a cursed werewolf deal, right? Divine curse bound to a necklace. You all have to go up to Alacria to find a map that will hopefully lead you to a Kynigos Acolyte, who will lift the curse."

Dianne: "Yeah, actually, we were going to ask if you could come with us. We could use a marksman."

{Jerry goes quiet for a moment, then looks right at Dianne.}

Jerry: "Let me get this straight. You go up to see Triticum for his legendary ales, don't even ask if I want to come. You go to Alexandria on a shopping spree, again, no invitation. But now that you want to go to the spider infested city of Alacria, /now/ you want me to come?"

'It's not like we were specifically excluding you, were we?' Armin pointed out. 'We didn't ask /anyone/ to accompany us those times. We probably assumed that you'd be too busy to want to go traipsing across the continent with us.'

{Jerry just chuckles.}

Jerry: "All I'm saying is, I don't even get invited to the fun ones, but as soon as things get dangerous, here you all are, asking me to shoot spiders."

Dianne: "Jerry, I need your help. I'm sorry I didn't invite you before, but I'll make it up to you."

Jerry: "Hey, relax, I'm just yanking your chain. Of course I'll help."

'If you're sure you don't mind coming, it would be appreciated,' said Armin.

Jerry: "No, I don't mind. I need a break from work anyway. Ivy says I work too hard, and i think she's right. It'll probably be fun to shoot giant arachnids for a while."

Armin grimaced at the mental image of the spiders. 'I can't say it's my idea of fun, but if this is how you want to take a break from your cases... I'm glad to have you along.'

{Jerry smiles, standing up.}

Jerry: "Yeah, well, since you froze up last time and made Dianne fight them all by herself, I figure once the spiders all come out, I'll be the only real support she's got."

Armin narrowed his eyes at that. 'Oh, sure. Brag about how you don't have crippling arachnophobia...' Something occurred to him, and he turned to Dianne. 'Hold on, how does he know about that?'

Dianne: "Oh, when we went out for drinks that one time, he asked about the trip, so I told him."

Aava: "Really, spiders scare you that much? Well, if they're the size of draft horses, sure but...the little ones are harmless..."

Armin ignored Aava. He stared at Dianne with a straight-faced expression, but there was a hint of genuine hurt buried underneath. Then he looked away.
.
'Anyway, I think we're leaving in about two days. I guess we'll contact you to let you know the exact time, details and so on.'

{Dianne looks back at him, catching his hint of hurt. This seemed to trouble her a little.}

Jerry: Of course. It's a long way up there, so Aava is going to need this."

{Walking to a closet, Jerry pulls out a heavy winter coat and gives it to Aava.}

Aava: "Oh, thanks."

Dianne: "Actually, Luxia is going to portal us over, so we'll probably be there and back in an afternoon."

Esme curiously sniffed the coat as it was handed over. She didn't fully understand what was going on, but had grasped that they were planning something - not that she realised she wasn't coming. Armin stayed quiet.

Jerry: "Oh, that's great. Now we don't have to suffer through the cold. But she should still take it."

Dianne: "Aava, Jerry, why don't you two stay a moment and chat. Armin, can I speak to you outside?"

Armin glanced at Aava, doubtful that she'd want to be left alone with a complete stranger, but he turned away nonetheless. 'Alright.'

Aava: "Oh, um...ok."

{Dianne walks outside with Armin.}

Dianne: "Are you alright? Did you not want me to tell anyone about the spider incident?"

'It's just...' Armin rubbed his face. 'I didn't freeze on purpose. You saw how bad I felt afterwards. And you've been going around telling everyone that I didn't help you? You could have told them about the spider attack without mentioning that detail. Do you still resent me for not helping?'

Dianne: "Oh, no, no, I didn't put it like that. I just said Titan carried you and Esme to safety while I held them back. Then he asked why you didn't help, and...I just said you were frightened, that's all. I don't resent you at all. I didn't realize that you still felt bad about that."

'Well, yes. In any other situation, I'm more than happy to leap into the fray and fight with you. But in that moment, I couldn't make myself act fast enough. I hated that. And then you came back hurt. Of course I felt guilty.'

Dianne: "Honey, it's okay. You have nothing to feel guilty about. I love you, and from now on, I will handle the spiders."

{Dianne walks forward and pulls him into a hug.}

Armin tucked his head against her. 'I love you too. Don't ever leave me.'

Dianne: "Who said anything about me leaving?"

{She asks, chuckling and rubbing his back.}

Dianne: "We're ok."

Armin leaned into her for a moment before reluctantly pulling back. 'We have more people to see. And we have to rescue Aava from Jerry.'

Dianne: "Yeah, let's go."

{Walking back inside, they were met with the sound of Aava giggling.}

Jerry: "So, this guy hasn't a clue what's going on. He gets huffy with me and says, "What, are you a cop?" And at this point, there are police waiting to bust in every window and door of the place, and I say...Oh, you guys are back. Everything good?"

{He asks, looking up at the pair.}

'Sure,' said Armin with a shrug. He glanced at Aava, then back again. 'I was expecting you to be barraging her with questions, but I guess you're getting along OK.'

Jerry: "Hey, c'mon, give me some credit. I have people skills. Definitely don't leave her alone with Ivy though."

Dianne: "Well, we'll have to get going now. Aava, are you ready?"

Aava: "Yes. Thank you for the funny story, Jerry. Next we meet, I hope you'll finish it"

'Well, we'll be in contact. See you around,' said Armin. He turned and started to head back out.

Jerry: "Ok, let me know. Bye, Aava. It was nice meeting you."

{Aava waves goodbye, following them out.}

Aava: "Ok, well, who do we visit next?"

Armin mentally mapped out their route. 'Uh, we need to see my friend Rex. Then, after that, we'll drop in at Pythia's.'

Aava: "Ok. is he as nice as Mr. Garvey?"

{Dianne stayed silent, as she wasn't sure how rex would feel about her.}

'Well...' Armin took a second to consider this. 'He's a bit wary of strangers, but he should be nice enough.'

Dianne: "Yes, he's standoffish, but not unpleasant."

Aava: "Ok...Should I be worried?"

Dianne: "No, no, it will be fine."

Armin couldn't help but be amused by this. 'If you could handle Dianne 500 years ago then I don't think you need to worry about Rex.'

Dianne: "He's right, I was much, much grumpier than Rex has ever been."

Aava: "Ok, that I believe. She was reaaaaly grumpy when I knew her. I like your more cheerful attitude now. Happiness suits you."

'What made you decide to try so hard to make friends with her in the first place?' he asked out of curiosity. 'Most people just steer clear of people that grouchy.'

Aava: "Well...because despite all the unpleasantness, I could tell that she was haunted...and in pain. I just wanted to help her, because I could tell that deep down, she didn't want to be this unpleasant. Well, that, and she's /hot/. I mean, look at her, she has the body of a goddess and the power of an aspect."

{Dianne laughs a little at this, rolling her eyes.}

Dianne: "Still flirty as ever, I see."

Armin chuckled slightly as well. 'I had a feeling that was one of your driving motivations for getting closer to her. But, it's nice you did.'

Dianne: "Yeah, you're great to have around."

{Aava just chuckles and smiles happily.}

It wasn't a long drive. When hopping between each friend's house, the trips were all quite short. Armin's house soon came into view, and he parked on the driveway.
.
'Alright. He should be in...'

Dianne: "Ok, let's go see him..."

Aava: "I'm sure this will be fine..."

{The pair gets off the car, Dianne holding Esme.}

Armin tapped lightly on the door. There was no response that the others could hear, but after a moment, he opened the door and walked inside. Going into the kitchen, they would find Rex drinking coffee and leaning against the counter.
.
'Hey, we need to talk,' said Armin.
.
Rex glanced up. 'No need. I know I can't stop you from going on this harebrained expedition.' He turned to eye Aava. 'Friend of Dianne's, was it? What's your name?'

Aava: "Um,...Aava..."

{She replies a little nervously.}

Dianne: "No, seriously, we need to talk. This expedition is going to be much shorter than expected. We're just going to have Luxia portal us over there."

'Yeah, and it'll be less dangerous,' said Armin. 'We've got other people coming to help, so it won't just be me and Dianne this time. I don't like leaving you to worry, but--'
.
'You're not leaving me,' Rex interrupted. 'I'm coming this time. I've had quite enough of waiting to see whether you come back in one piece or not. This time, I'm coming.'

{Dianne gives a slight grimace.}

Dianne: "Um, are you sure? What about your job?"

Aava: "Rex, we'll be fighting an army of spiders the size of horses. Are you sure you can handle that?"

{She asks, looking him over.}

'The job is my concern, not yours. I asked for time off and they agreed. I can shoot well enough to hit a spider the size of a horse, so I daresay I'll be of some help.'

Dianne: "Well, if you must go, you're wearing armor. You're not dying on my watch."

Aava: "I mean, they're pretty fast..."

Rex neither agreed with nor protested Dianne's insistence about armour. 'I know. Armin has told me about his past encounters with the things.'
.
Armin clearly wasn't happy with the direction this conversation had taken. 'Rex, if you're there, I'm just more likely to get hurt, from trying to protect you.'
.
'That could happen anyway, given that Dianne's there. At least if I'm there, you've got someone else watching your back.'

{Aava looks between them all, then to Rex.}

Aava: "Wait, I have a solution. Both you and Rex stay. Then neither of you can get hurt."

'Sorry, can't do that. I don't want to stay here while Dianne might be in danger,' said Armin.
.
'And I don't want to stay while you're in danger,' said Rex. 'Clearly, there's nothing to discuss.'

Aava: "But you're /terrified/ of spiders! How can you keep her safe if you can't even keep yourself safe?"

Dianne: "Aava, he'll be ok. Besides, we won't be fighting the entire horde. We get in, get what we need, and get out. Easy."

'I can try hitting them from a distance with projectiles,' Armin protested. 'And even if I can't help much, I have to be there. No matter what. I /need/ to know what's going on. If Dianne was in serious danger then I think the fear of losing her would overwhelm the fear of spiders.'

Aava: "Well, ok...I guess we'll just stick together..."

Dianne: "Rex, if you want to come, fine, but you don't have much dungeon crawling experience. You need to do exactly what I say, ok? Araneos are dangerous and will kill you, vampire or not."

'I'm aware that you know more about this than me. I'll listen.'
.
Armin shifted slightly, clearly still uncomfortable with the idea of Rex coming. However, he knew it was unfair of him to keep going on these dangerous trips, putting Rex through the stress of waiting for his return. At least if Rex was there, he wouldn't feel so helpless.

Dianne: "Good. I'll bring you armor before we go. We leave in two days."

'Fine. And if you try to give me women's armour like you did to Armin that one time, I will simply not wear it.'

Dianne: "I gave him my other set because it was made out of Abyssal Steel, Rex, one of the strongest alloys there are. I gave it to him to keep him safe, not to mock him. You will wear whatever I give you."

Aava: "If he won't wear it, I'll take it..."

'You know what? Leave my own preparations to me. You're not the only one with access to equipment. I'll ask Frederick for whatever I need, and I'll be there on the day with armour and weapons.'

{Dianne narrows her eyes at him, not liking his attitude. Aava just gives her a nervous glance.}

Dianne: "Don't be late or we leave without you. And don't die."

'I think not. I have enough reason to stay alive nowadays.'
.
Armin gazed at him for a moment. 'Alright, I'll contact you when we're going to leave. Make sure you get everything ready before then.' With a final exchange of glances, he turned away and headed for the exit.

{Dianne follows without a word. Aava lingers awkwardly for a moment.}

Aava: "Well, it was nice meeting you Mr. Rex...I, um...I guess I have to go..."

{She then shuffled out after them.}

Rex opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say, and Aava had already left before he could decide.
.
Armin got outside and started to climb into the car. 'Well... I suppose bringing him along isn't so terrible. The more people we have to kill the damn spiders, the better.'

Dianne: "Yeah, so long as the spiders don't get a chance to rip him limb from limb..."

{Dianne gets in with a huff, cuddling Esme for comfort.}

Dianne: "Can he fight at all?"

'Better than you two seem to think,' said Armin. 'He can shoot - not as well as Fred or Jerry, but probably with more accuracy than I can on average. Good knife thrower too. And given that I don't trust my reactions around the spiders, he might be a bigger help than me.'

Dianne: "Alright...We'll just watch each other's backs..."

Aava: "He seems...intense..."

'That's not a bad word to describe it,' said Armin. 'He's usually more chill, though. He just doesn't like it when I might be in danger. It's a shame that the first time you had to meet him was like that.'

Aava: "If you say so...But, he doesn't seem to get along with Dianne.."

Dianne: "No, he does, he just blames me for any danger Armin is in. Not that he's entirely wrong..."

'It's not really your fault. But I do understand why he sees you as the cause for everything, since if you weren't here, none of it would have happened. But he just has to live with it. I'm staying with you.'

Aava: "Well, that's not fair to you. It's not like you /ask/ for the danger. Besides, you're probably safer with her around. I once saw her single handly wipe out an entire platoon of trained soldiers with nothing but a short sword and a ratty old dress. She's definitely not the problem."

'Oh yeah. We're definitely better off having her around. There's a slight possibility of more danger, but she helps keep us all safe, too. I suppose all it really means is that we get a more exciting life.'

Aava: "Wouldn't have it any other way."

Dianne: "I'm just happy I found friends who like me and want me around."

'You deserve it, after going through hell and being alone for so long. I don't know why more people couldn't accept you. I mean, you're adorable, for starters.'

Aava: "Yeah. Shame we're the only ones who see it..."

{Dianne just smiles at the, watching the streets go by.}

Their next stop was Pythia's place. 'You're just going to ask her to watch Esme, right?' said Armin as he came to a stop.

Dianne: "Yeah. We just need her to watch Esme while we take care of this."

{Dianne hops off with Aava following. Upon entering, Pythia's waiting was filled with people wanting treatment.}

After a moment's consideration, Armin followed. Upon getting inside, he scanned the waiting room with a look of mild surprise.
.
'Huh, there's a lot of people here. Maybe you should have just texted her.'

Dianne: "Well, we're already here. It'll be quick."

{Dianne walks into Pythia's room, where she was trying to mend someone who was in a severe car accident. Aava took one look, turned pale, then shuffled out.}

Pythia: "I'm a little busy here!"

Dianne: "Oh dear...Um, yeah, you know what, I'll just call you later..."

'Quick, don't let Esme see that,' said Armin, hastily stepping in front of them. //Yyyyyep, they've either been chewed up by a dragon, or been in a massive wreck. Hard to tell which.//

{Dianne quickly covered Esme's eyes and practically ran out.}

Dianne: "Jeeze, I need to remember to knock..."

{Getting back to the truck, Dianne takes a moment to process what just happened. Aava just looked like she might be sick.}

'Yeah, we need to remember that this is her workplace too. We can't just barge in there whenever we like; she's usually healing people.'
.
Armin settled into the driver's seat. He hadn't enjoyed that, but he suspected Aava had reacted worse. He started to drive slowly away from the house.

Dianne: "Noted... I'll just call her later..."

{Aava simply wrapped her arms around herself, closing her eyes and gently rocking. Dianne looks back at her, concerned.}

Dianne: "Aava, you ok?"

Aava: "Oh, don't mind me, just trying to resist the urge to vomit..."

Armin half turned to look her over, concerned and slightly surprised.

'That /was/ gruesome, but... you must have seen bloody stuff like that plenty of times, considering your past profession.'

Aava: "Yeah, but it was mostly arrows, stab wounds, and bludgeoning. That guy looked /mutilated/, and he was still alive! It didn't even look that bad when people were run over by wagons!?"

Armin grimaced slightly. 'Yes, well... think of how fast these cars can go... Now imagine what might happen if two cars crash headlong into each other... Of course, crashes being /that/ bad is very rare.'

Aava: "Wait, that happened because of cars? Then what are we doing in this deathtrap?!"

Dianne: "Aava, relax, we're not going to crash. That happened because he was driving way too fast, and he collided with another person going way too fast. We're fine."

'Hey, I drive carefully - most of the time,' said Armin. 'Besides, this is an armoured truck. If we crash, the other person will probably be much worse off than us.'

Aava: "Ok....ok....I'm relaxed..."

{Despite her words, she still looked nervous.}

Dianne: "It's ok. We're going to be just fine. Armin, where are we going next?"

'I think Fred's place. You mentioned him, didn't you?' said Armin, who was beginning to lose track of all the people she had wanted to see.

Dianne: "Yes, Frederick, then the king."

'Alright.'
.
As Armin drove, he tried to distract Aava from the thought of crashing.
.
'So, what d'you fancy for dinner tonight?'

Aava: "I don't know...those, um...hamburgers were pretty good."

Dianne: "I think we should introduce her to pizza."

'Yeah, we can order one when we get home.'
.
Shortly afterwards, they arrived outside Fred's house: a small place situated in a quiet neighbourhood.

{Dianne hops off and heads to the door. Aava walks after her.}

Dianne: "Frederick? You home?"

The door opened before anyone could knock, and Frederick stepped back to invite them in.
.
'Good afternoon. Wipe your feet if you're coming in.'

{Dianne did as she was instructed. So did Aava.}

Dianne: "Well, Frederick, it turns out Luxia can literally portal us up there, so the men don't have to pack for a long trip."

In the living room, Ryder was quietly sitting on the couch, drinking a glass of orange juice and looking at his phone. He smiled at them when they came in.
.
'Ah, that's good,' said Fred. 'I have been talking to everyone to get you as much backup as possible. Ryder says he's happy to go with you, and three vampires will be coming as well.'

Dianne: "Just to be clear, you did tell them what we were up against, right? Hundreds of horse sized spiders? I don't want to get there and have them bolt on me."

'That's precisely why only four people agreed to go. All of the others baulked at the idea. Some I could have bribed, but it's better if you only take the most willing with you.'
.
'I don't mind spiders,' said Ryder. 'And I think having another fire-breathing dragon will help you drive them back.'

Dianne: "Yeah, it would. Their webs are kinda flammable. But, the others, I hope they're a good shot. The plan is to get in, find the map, and once we have it, get out."

Barnabas: "Actually, the map is a carving on the wall, meters across. We need to read and photograph it, not take it with us."

Dianne: "Well, that's just great...Good thing I know how to use maps..."

'You can check the map while the others cover you,' said Ryder. 'We'll give you enough time to read it.'
.
'Why is Alacria swarming with araneos, anyway?' Armin asked the room in general. 'Of all the animals that could take over an abandoned city, why /them,/ for gods' sake?'

Dianne: "Come to think of it, it is a little odd. That many spiders in an abandoned city? What are they even eating?"

Aava: "Yeah, it is weird...Araneos are rarely found in swarms..."

Armin was not reassured by this. 'Maybe they eat each other. I wouldn't know.'
.
'I haven't found a definitive explanation for that yet. If you ever find out why, do let me know,' said Fred. 'Also, take these.'
.
He picked up a bag and handed it to Dianne. It contained a handful of impact explosives and smoke bombs. There was also, oddly, a spray bottle full of liquid.

{Dianne picks up the spray bottle with curiosity.}

Dianne: "What's this?"

'It is a mixture of essential oils, cloves and vinegar, which has a potent smell known to ward off small spiders. It might not have any effect on araneos, but it seems like a good idea to take anything that might help.'

Dianne: "Ok, thanks. Maybe it will."

{Putting it back in the bag, Dianne looks around.}

Dianne: "Alright. We leave in two days. Be ready to fight arachnids."

'Everyone should be well equipped. They will be ready.'
.
'Thanks, Fred,' said Armin. 'We should get going, apparently we need to talk to the king as well.'

Dianne: "Yeah, I need to tell him that my project will have to be put on hiatus for the time being. Maybe only for a few days, maybe for a few weeks."

'Yes, let's get everything else out of the way before you return to it. Priorities,' said Armin.
.
'Message me the time you intend to leave so that I can ensure my people meet you,' said Fred.

Dianne: "Will do, but I'm thinking 8 am on the plains. I don't know where Luxia is going to drop us and I don't want a horde of araneos walking right into the city."

'Yes, that sounds ideal. I'll note that down. Let me know if you decide to change the time for any reason.'

Dianne: "Will do. Alright, we're off to see the king. We'll be in touch."

{With that, Dianne begins to walk out. Aava shyly waves goodbye before walking after her.}

Fred inclined his head in response and Ryder waved. Armin headed outside to the car. Once everyone was in, he took off without further ado, heading for the palace.

Dianne: "Ok, last stop, thenm home. What do we do after?"

'Might exercise my horse before it gets dark,' said Armin contemplatively. 'If you want to come out for a ride in the woods.'

Dianne: "Yeah, I would love that. Let's do that."

Aava: "Ooh, ooh, I want to ride one!"

'We'll take turns on the horses so that you can ride too. Just don't fall off. They're really tall.'

Dianne: "Yeah, Ferrosian Hares and all."

Aava: "Psssh, I'll be fine."

Dianne: "Alright, if you say so."

Eager to be home now, Armin took the shortest route he knew to the palace. He stopped as close as possible.

'Do you want to just run in by yourself, or shall we all come with you?' he asked Dianne.

Dianne: "Erm, just me. He's already nervous enough with just me, three non humans will just push him over the edge."

{Kissing Armin on the cheek, she hops out, up to the palace.}

Armin smiled faintly and gazed after her as she departed. Esme remained sitting on Dianne's seat, looking out the windows.
.
By then, the guards around the palace were rather accustomed to Dianne and only offered her a cursory examination before letting her pass. This time, nobody asked to escort her, leaving her to walk up to the king's room alone.

{Aava glances around, now alone with Armin.}

Aava: "So, what's it like, bedding Dianne?"

{Dianne walks all the way to the king's door, knocking.}

Dianne: "Your Highness?"

Armin choked on his own saliva and coughed a few times. 'Well... Is that a serious question?' he asked, once he'd gotten over the surprise.
.
'Ms Dianne? You may enter,' the voice of the king replied.

Aava: "Yes. Yes it is."

{Dianne eneters, then bows.}

Dianne: "Hello, your Highness. I've come to inform you that I have to put my project on hiatus. Something's come up and i need to travel out of province. Hopefully, this will be sorted out in a week."

Armin rubbed his head. 'I'm not sure if I'm OK with discussing that. It's her business as well as mine, and it feels like a slight invasion of privacy...'
.
The king listened and nodded slightly. 'I see. This is nothing to worrisome, I hope?'

*too

Aava: "Armin, I have been cursed for five hundred years. Now that I'm myself, I don't know if I'm even curable, and my alternative is death. As a potential final wish, please, throw me a bone."

Dianne: "Not particularly. An old friend resurfaced and she needs my help. Once this is all sorted, I will continue."

'Well... it's great,' said Armin uncertainly. 'It's rough. We both like it rough. Biting and clawing and all that. But she's so sweet as well. Despite her strength, and the dragon instincts, she doesn't go overboard. One of my favourite things is...' He trailed off at that point, unsure whether to continue.
.
The king nodded again, a hint of relief on his face. 'Well then, I wish you the best of luck in helping this friend. And, if I may ask: is the project going well so far?'

(Lmao, I didn't think he'd crack. XD)

{Aava leans forward, listening intently.}

Aava: "It sounds great. Yeah, yeah, your favorite thing?"

Dianne: "Oh, yes, very well. The metallurgist is very good, and we're getting a runeologist straight from Agamidae's museum. All at the top of their fields."

(He took some pity on Aava, her life kinda sucks.)
.
Armin sighed. 'You're nosy, did you know that? No, I'm not gossiping about this any more. She trusts me not to go spilling details of our intimate lives to everyone around.' //That's what Ivy would do,// he thought.

'That's wonderful. I'm very glad to hear that everything is going to plan. I hope that your journey out of province goes equally well.'

Aava: "Oh, come on, you didn't even get to the good stuff! You're not spilling details to everybody, it's just me, an old friend."

Dianne: "Thank you, your highness. Once I return, I will let you know."

{Bowing courteously, she starts to leave.}

'I know you're a close friend of hers - and I'd rather tell you than anyone else - but I'd still feel bad disclosing something so personal about her.'
.
The king inclined his head, saying nothing as she departed.

Aava: "I get that. You're her boyfriend and she'll probably cut your balls off if she finds out you shared that kind of information...but she's not here and I won't tell, so gimme the spicy details!"

'Why, though?' Armin protested. 'Are you just looking for something to fantasise about the next time you're alone?'

{Aava just gives a knowing look.}

Aava: "Hey, you gotta get yours and I gotta get mine. I haven't had any action for half a damn millennia. Given the circumstances, I'm willing to take whatever I can get."

Armin turned his head and eyed her, his expression unamused. 'That's fair, but... You haven't really given me a reason why I should tell you anything. Suppose Dianne found out, and asked why I did it, and I say, 'Because Aava wanted to know'. Doesn't look good, does it?'

Aava: "Just tell her the truth. That I asked and you couldn't say no because my life sucks a$$ and you felt sorry for me. And because I might be dead in a week."

Armin sighed, then spoke flatly while staring out the window to make sure Dianne wasn't in sight.
.
'Before /this,/ she hadn't been involved with anyone in 2000 years. Because of that... she's very... sensitive. Doesn't take much to get her going, and it doesn't always last long. I think she was long overdue for some... relief. Her reactions, even when I've barely done anything - it's very cute.'

Aava: "Oh my god, that is the most adorable thing ever. Giant, scary conqueror dragon, absolute pushover in the sack. She's nuts to have waited two thousand years...Oh, how I wish I could switch places with you."

'Yeah, well, that's never going to be more than a fantasy... You really like her, huh?'

Aava: "Yeah, and I tell you, if I hadn't gotten cursed, I would have found her, continued our friendship, and absolutely gone down on that-Oh, crap, here she comes, be cool!"

{Dianne appears, walking towards the car.}

Armin picked up Esme so that Dianne could sit down, secretly relieved that she'd come back before Aava could ask him anything else.
.
'Done scaring the king?' he said.

Dianne: "Heheheheh, yeah. He's ok with me putting my project aside for now. Now, let's go riding horses."

Aava: "Yaaay!

Armin smiled slightly as he left the area. 'Yes, let's get back quickly. We'll ride for a little while and then order some pizza for dinner.'

Dianne: "Yes, sounds wonderful. I've been wanting to ride again."

Aava: "Pizza, huh? What exactly is it?"

'A flat, round bread topped with tomato sauce, herbs and cheese. Very popular in this day and age. Some of them come with other toppings, like chicken or ham.'

Aava: "Hm. Sounds pretty good. Can't wait to try it."

Dianne: "You'll love it, I guarantee it."

Now that they were on a straight drive all the way to Dianne's place, it took a while.
.
'So, in Alacria,' he said. 'Since I don't trust myself near the spiders, I was thinking I'd play scout. I can fly above you, get a wider view of the city and let you know if anything's coming your way. And I can land on the tops of buildings and shoot them if any show up.'

Dianne: "Yeah, I think that will be great. just be careful up there, spiders can climb up buildings."

'I'll watch for them. If anything climbs up a wall to get to me, I'll be off it like a shot. Also, don't let Barnabas bring any of them back as pets.'

Dianne: "Yeah, they're way too dangerous."

Barnabas: 'Aaawwww..."

Dianne: "Barnabas, if they infest here, they could take over Shacklestone, or even Soveriegn. There's way more food here than there, so imagine how out of hand it would get."

'You've got an unsettling amount of spiders in our attic already. You don't need ones the size of cars,' said Armin firmly. He was just beginning to leave the main city, into the rural outer regions.

Aava: "Wait, Barnabas, you're keeping spiders in the attic? The attic above my head?"

Barnabas: "Yeah. I keep them as pets."

Aava: "Oh, that sucks..."

'I thought you didn't mind the small ones?' said Armin. 'You said they were 'harmless'.'

Aava: "Yeah, one or two in broad daylight? Harmless. Thousands because this guy is breeding them and has a dozen egg sacks that will hatch and balloon right into my room while I'm asleep? That's different."

Armin grimaced and hunched his shoulders slightly. 'Don't talk about that... Dianne said she's going to make him a shed to keep them all in, and I'm damn well holding her to that.'

Aava: "Yeah, Dianne, we're /both/ uncomfortable. Make the shed."

Dianne: "Ok, once you're cured, that will be priority number one."

'Good.'
.
The car rolled gently into Dianne's front yard. Armin swiftly jumped out.

{Dianne gets out, looking to the house.}

Dianne: "Should we bring Esme, or leave her with Barnabas?"

'When I go riding, she usually flies alongside me and lands on the horse when she gets tired. It's good exercise for her.'
.
Armin started to walk around to the stable building, keen to see Aava's reaction to the horses.

Dianne: "Hm, ok. Let's bring her along."

{As they enter the stables, Aava looks at the horses, giggling gleefully and gaining a bounce in her step.}

Aava: "Oh, they're beautiful! I can't wait to ride one!"

Armin reached up to stroke his horse's snout, a faint smile curling up his face.
.
'The grey one is mine, Excalibur. The other one is Tourmaline, Dianne's horse.' He then stepped into the stall to put on Excalibur's tack.

{Dianne begins preparing her horse as well.}

Dianne: "Aava, why don't you ride with me, then you can ride Tourmaline after?"

Aava: "Deal!"

{The moment Tourmaline was saddled and Dianne mounted her, Aava excitedly clambered up, sitting behind Dianne.}

Armin was ready as well. Climbing onto Excalibur's high back, he stepped out into the open air, breathing deeply.
.
'Let's head onto the plains. Esme! Come on.'
.
The young dragon leapt into the air and flew above them. Armin held back, letting Diannw take the lead so he could match his speed to whatever she chose.

{Dianne began at a steady trot, headed for the plains.}

Aava: "Huh...Esme is pretty good at the whole flying thing."

Dianne: "And so young. She's been learning quickly."

Armin nudged his horse from a walk to a trot and kept pace with them. He looked over at Dianne and smiled. Excalibur was trying to pull ahead, but Armin skilfully held her back.

{Dianne smiles back, then looks ahead.}

Aava: "This place is great. I could definitely see myself living here, if I can be cured. Of course, it's not like I have anywhere else I can go."

'You can see more of the world. Come with us to Alexandria someday; see what your province became. Or visit Aether. But I think we'd all like you to live here, if you want to.'

Aava: "Yeah, I'd love that."

Dianne: "You can stay with us for as long as you want. Take it slow, get accustomed to how the world is now."

Armin nodded in agreement as he rode. //The hard part will be curing her. I'm sure we can do it, but it's not going to be easy, fighting the spiders and tracking down an acolyte. Still, Aava herself has doubts that she'll ever be cured, so we have to stay optimistic,// he thought.

Aava: "Yeah...As long as you're sure I won't be a burden."

Dianne: "Of course not. You're my friend. You can stay as long as you like."

Aava: "I appreciate that."

{Dianne kept trotting along on her horse, enjoying the pleasant ride.}

A few minutes across the plains, Armin turned to look at the pair. Esme had rested briefly on his horse before taking to the sky again.
.
'You want to give Aava a turn riding? You could join me up here if you like.'

Aava: "Yaaay!"

Dianne: "Alright, here."

{Dianne pulls her horse to a stop. Getting off, she lets Aava ride, then gets on Armin's horse, sitting behind him.}

Once Dianne was on, Armin continued forwards, glancing at Aava.
.
'How is it?' he called out.

{Aava moves forward in a brisk trot.}

Aava: "It's wonderful. Familiar, even. I haven't ridden in so long."

'You can go faster, if you like. When you're ready. We'll keep up.'

{Smiling gleefully, Aava starts a fast canter into the countryside. Off in the distance was one of Dianne's neighbors, also on horseback.}

Dianne: "Hmmm, I think that's Mr. Greyson."

'The one who brings us horse food? Well, maybe he'll spot us. He said he wanted to see the Hares.'
.
Armin kicked off into a canter, keeping just behind Aava.

Dianne: "Yeah. looks like he's headed this way."

{Sure enough, the man on horseback was headed right for them. He got to twenty feet away, then his horse refused to get any closer, but followed behind.}

Mr. Greyson: "Afternoon, Dianne! Hey, those the Hares you were talking about?"

Dianne: "The very same. Like them?"

Mr. Greyson: "Very much so!"

'Beautiful, aren't they?' said Armin, turning to glance over his shoulder at the man. //His horse seems spooked. Not surprising.//

Mr. Greyson: "Absolutely gorgeous. My, your girl just spoils you rotten, doesn't she?"

Armin just chuckled.
.
'Well, it was a Christmas present, but still, a pretty expensive one.'

Mr. Greyson: "Whew, boy, I tell ya, my wife bought me that, I'd be kissing her feet and being extra nice to her for that. "

Dianne: "Well, we both enjoy riding, and this is one of the few horse breeds that doesn't fear non humans."

Mr. Greyson: "Yeah, my horse here, Linda is too terrified to get closer. Makes me have to yell at ya to be heard."

'Yeah, that's how horses react wherever we go. Except these two.'
.
Armin looked ahead to where Aava was.
.
'Anyone want to go for a gallop?'

Aava: "Yes, please."

Mr. Greyson: "Well then, I'll leave you to it. Have a nice afternoon."

{As Aava gallops ahead, Mr. Greyson turns toward his ranch.}

Armin glanced back to watch Mr Greyson turn away. Then he leaned forwards slightly and coaxed his horse into a full gallop, chasing Aava across the cold plain.

{Dianne wraps her arms around Armin's waist, leaning forward as they gallop. Aava looked like she was having the time of her life, laughing and grinning ear to ear.}

Aava: "Yahahaha!"

Armin drew up alongside Aava, amused but glad to see her having fun. They continued to run for a while, but eventually they would run out of room.
.
'There'll be another ranch up ahead. Turn before we get there and start heading back!' he called out.

{Aava slowed down as they approached the fence. Turning back, she looks at them, beaming.}

Aava: "That's the most fun I've had in a while. Thanks for letting me ride your horse, Dianne."

Dianne: "Of course. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. You're welcome to ride her all the way back as well."

'Yeah, let's head back, before the light starts drawing in,' said Armin. Pulling his horse around, he aet off across the plain at a gentle canter. Turning his head, he looked at Dianne behind him. 'You alright back there? We can switch round if you like.'

Esme glided above them, keeping her wings outstretched and flapping minimally to save energy.

Dianne:"I'm alright, you can keep driving."

{Aava kept pace with them this time, eyeing the pair fondly.}

Aava: "Heh, you two are a cute couple."

'Of course we are. We're both cute, so together we make an adorable pair. Though, she's much cuter than me,' said Armin affectionately. He felt very at peace, outside with the wind blowing his hair and the sun setting beside them.

Aava: "I'll say."

{Dianne affectionately ruffles his hair, smiling and enjoying the leisurely ride back.}

When they got back to the house, Armin slowed to a walk and approached the stable. He swung himself down, waited for Dianne to dismount, and then led Excalibur into her stall to untack her.
.
'Well, that was nice.'

Dianne: "Yes, it was. I always enjoy riding."

{Dianne then leads Tourmaline to her stall and untacks her.}

Aava: "That...was the most fun I've had in a loooong time. Thank you both."

'I figured you needed to do something fun. I'm glad you enjoyed it.'
.
Done with Excalibur's equipment, Armin stepped out and began to walk up to the house. A tired but smug-looking Esme appeared and climbed onto Dianne's back. She was too big to perch on one shoulder now.
.
'Now let's go inside and order some food.'

Aava: "Yaaay! Pizza time!"

Dianne: "Op, hey there, Esme. You did really good with your flying today. I'm proud of you, sweetie."

{The pair then walks into the house.}

Aava: "So...How do you order it from here?"

(Going to make a new room)