'Well, OK then. I hope it goes well,' Armin replied. He then lay back on the beanbag, lazily tucking his arns behind his head.

{Dianne lays down next to him.}

Dianne: "Well, they're not here yet, so might as well relax."

Armin rolled over to snuggle against her side. Taking her hand, he moved it to the back of his head, in a wordless request to stroke his hair.
.
'Your team. What are they like? I remember you saying a bit about them, but...'

{Dianne smiles, gently caressing his hair.}

Dianne: "Well, there's Nina. She's our runeologist from Agamidae. She's actually one of Billingsly's protégés. Nice girl, very energetic. Then there's Damon. He's a sarcastic a$$hole, but he's the best engineer in the province. And finally there's Edmond, our metallurgist. Shy, lanky kid, but very knowledgeable."

Armin smiled as well, lightly digging his fingers into her side and letting out a deep, contented breath.
.
'They sound like they know what they're doing. Good people to have working for you. I'm almost looking forward to seeing how big of an asshole this Damon is.'

Dianne: "Mhmm. But, do try not to kill him. He's a jerk, but I need him."

{Dianne pulls him close, nuzzling into his neck as she strokes his hair.}

'I won't kill him. Maybe it will actually be funny.'
.
He couldn't help tensing slightly when she nuzzled his neck. He fidgeted, then smiled and tried to just relax into the hair rub.

{Dianne pulls back when she feels him fidget.}

Dianne: "Heh, sorry. I need you to relax. What was I thinking?"

{She then settles in, continuing to stroke his hair."}

'Good call...'
.
His eyes dropped shut and his muscles loosened.
.
'Let's just stay here until they show up.'

Dianne: "That's the plan..."

{Dianne dozes off with him, until there is a loud knock on the front door.}

Dianne: "Hrm?....Oh, they're here..."

{Standing and stretching, Dianne heads for the front door.}

Armin sat up groggily, blinking and yawning. After taking a moment to compose himself, he got up and followed her at a slower pace.
.
Meanwhile, Esme had walked up to the front door and was eyeing it suspiciously.

{Dianne opens the door, revealing three people. Nina was a short elf with fluffy black lochs of hair and thick glasses. She was smiling cheerily. Edmond was standing at the back of the group, very tall and thin with brown hair and angular features. He seemed nervous. At the front, with the automaton over his shoulder was Damon. He had short, spiky blond hair and welders goggles on his forehead. He looked impatient, and his scent identified him as a werewolf.}

Nina: "Dianne hellooooo! We heard about what happened, is Armin alright?"

Dianne: "Hello, Nina, Damon, Edmond. Come in, come in. Yes, he's doing fine."

Damon: "Yeah, as well as he can as a species that can be taken out by a tree."

Edmond: "Damon, be nice..."

{Damon walks in first, loudly putting the automaton sitting against the wall.}

Armin walked up behind Dianne, running his gaze over everyone with curiosity. 'Hey there.'
.
Esme, on the other hand, skittered backwards, putting space between herself and the three strangers while she scented them out.

Nina: "Hiiii, Mr. Alscher! How are you feeling?"

Damon: "Yeah, pleasantries are all and good, but if you don't mind, I'd like to see how this thing moves."

Dianne: "Yeah, yeah, I'll raise it right now. Tell me the specs."

{As Damon got into the specifics, Edmond slowly and calmly tries to approach Esme.}

'You must be Nina. Hello there.' Armin stuck out a hand in a friendly greeting. 'And I'm doing fine.'
.
Esme glanced at everyone, a little overwhelmed. She allowed Edmond to get close, thought about biting him, and then sniffed him instead.

{Nina shakes his hand rather excitedly.}

Nina: "Yes, Billingsly told me so much about you! Oh, if it weren't my day off, I would have loved to come with you to Triticum's Tavern! Oh well, maybe next time."

{Edmond just sits there, letting Esme take in his scent.}

'Maybe next time,' Armin said, rather amused by her enthusiasm. 'How is Billingsly doing? I haven't seen or spoken to him since that adventure.'
.
Esme seemed to shrug, deciding that Edmond wasn't a threat. She bumped her head against his hand in greeting.

Nina: "Oh, he's great. It was a little scary, hearing the news this morning, but he says he's ok."

Dianne: "News? What news?"

Nina: "There's some kind of new disease outbreak up there, in Agamidae. Half the city's in quarantine."

Edmond: "Heh, you're a cute one..."

{Edmond pats her head before standing and joining the others.}

'Disease outbreak? Hmm... Well, I guess that happens sonetimes... What kind of disease is it?'

Nina: "They're not entirely sure. Something magical, as it can infect nonhumans."

Dianne: "Well, we'll have to keep an eye on that. I'll call him tomorrow, see how he's doing."

'Yeah. Hopefully he'll be OK.' //And hopefully he doesn't decide to try getting a closer look at this disease, for science,// he thought.
.
Armin turned his attention to the automaton then, curious to know if it worked as intended.

{Dianne motions her hand towards the automaton. The glass lenses in its faceplate begin to glow and it stands on its own.}

Dianne: "Hm. Looks good so far."

Damon: "Let's test its mobility. Tell it to run."

{The automaton begins to run in a circle around the foyer. It's a bit slower than standard draugr and it makes loud metal footsteps.}

Dianne: "Well, it is faster than my prototype. Better alloys do make the difference."

Esme stared, and almost started chasing it, but the thing's loud clanging footsteps seemed to put her off.
.
'Seems more noisy and less agile than a reanimated corpse,' Armin observed, 'but it's impressive nonetheless.'

Dianne: "Yes...steel and aluminum seems to make for a good mix of durability and speed."

Damon: "Yeah, make a bunch of these, give them all assault weapons and we might just have the best army on the continent."

Dianne: "I didn't start this project with the intention of conquering. This is strictly for homeland defense."

Armin nodded absently as he watched the automaton.
.
'Will you be making any changes to them, or is this the final build?'

Damon: "Oh, this is just the underlying chassis. We're going to start working on attachable gear, like armor plating, shoulder mounted weaponry, maybe even wrist blades and tasers. Lots of threats out there. A customizable unit would be invaluable."

Edmond: "As is, the frame can hold a maximum of 2,500 pounds..."

Dianne: "And, after this, we're going to work on replicating the centaurs and Hydras."

Damon: "Which will be the real challenge, because I don't know how she got the organic Hydras to fly, let alone a metal one."

Armin thought of Titan and took a moment to reminisce on their journey, being carried through the wilderness by the massive beast.
.
'Why not just make mechanical dragons, you know, with one head? Three heads has to be a lot of extra weight, and not very aerodynamic. Hell, even two heads would be better than three.'

Dianne: "Mechanical dragons, I feel, are too small. I want something massive, in case we run into behemoth class entities. But cutting down the number of heads is a good idea. It doesn't really need three in the modern day."

Damon: "I disagree. I think we should make the mechanical dragons as a good intermediate between the centaurs and your fetish for excessive force."

Dianne: "My what?"

Damon: "The Hydras are overkill, Dianne. We don't need to make them a priority."

Armin rubbed his head. 'I wouldn't have put it like that, but... I'm really not sure if we need a hydra. We only need something big enough to tear up ground, carry a vehicle, things like that... But, I'm not the expert.'

Dianne: "No, but I am. A single Hydra could route an army. We are building one."

Damon: "You think something that big and powerful will go unnoticed by the surrounding provinces? It's going to attract some unwanted attention, and it might kick off an arms race. You want to build one, fine, but let's do it later, and in secret."

'This is assuming you can get it to work. A flying robot is a bit different from something that can fly organically. Also, when are we wiping out an army? You haven't let me in on this plan,' said Armin with the faintest hint of amusement.

{Dianne rubs her face wearily.}

Dianne: "I'm not taking any risks here. Look, we'll discuss this later. I'm still technically on vacation."

{At the top of the stairs, Aava appears, looking down at the guests.}

Nina: "Oh, hello! Who are you?"

Armin glanced back up the stairs. 'That's Aava. She's our friend and housemate.' To Aava, he said telepathically: //These are the people Dianne's working with on her automaton project.//

Aava: "Um, Hi..."

Nina: "Oh, Aava? I heard about you. I'm Nina of Clan Haworthia! It's very nice to meet you!"

Aava: "I'm Aava of Clan Ironwood. It's nice to meet you as well."

Damon: "Aava? The girl who was trapped as a beast for 500 years? Damn..."

'Yes, well, she's fine now,' said Armin. 'Now she lives with us and gets dragged into our adventures.'

Nina: "Hey, we should talk sometime. I'm curious about where you were originally from. Maybe some of your descendants are around?"

Aava: "No, they're not. I'm the last Ironwood. I was the sole survivor from my village, after the Gorlians invaded."

Nina: "Oh...You're from the Trident era..."

Damon: "And on that depressing note, I think we should go. See you Monday, Dianne."

Armin leaned against the wall to listen to Aava and Nina's exchange, before turning away.
.
'Well, goodbye then, all of you.'

{As everyone left, Edmond paused to wave goodbye to everyone. Dianne closed the door behind them, turning to look at everyone}

Dianne: "Well, those were my coworkers. Now, what should we do with the rest of the day?"

'Hmm...' Armin decided to check with Aava first. 'Is there anything in particular you wanted to do?'

Aava: "That doesn't involve going outside, no."

Dianne: "Why don't we play a game or something? Armin, is your video game console here or with Rex?"

'I brought it over before the whole thing with the poachers started. Yeah, let's play something. I can destroy you in racing.' With a grin, he headed up to the rec room.

Dianne: "Right, you'll destroy me by crashing into a tree on repeat."

{She says, chuckling as she follows him. Aava goes with them, curious about the game.}

'You're three thousand years old and videogames have existed for a few decades. There's no way you can be any good at them,' Armin playfully mocked.
.
In the rec room, he pulled the game console down from a shelf along with a few controllers, and started plugging it into the TV set.

Dianne: "Don't count me out just yet. I do have very good hand eye coordination."

Aava: "Woah. What is that?"

{She asks, staring at the console, mystified.}

Armin turned it on, and the title screen flared into life.
.
'Vidogames are like watching the TV, except you can control what's happening,' he said, explaining in simple terms. 'You use the buttons on the controller to do things like move a character around or drive a car.'

Aava: "Cool..."

{Seemingly mesmerized, Aava picks up a controller and starts inquisitively pressing the buttons and moving the sticks.}

Nothing happened. Armin had plugged her controller into the player 3 slot.
.
'Here,' he said, going through the menu and entering them all into a race together. He showed Aava what the different buttons and sticks did. 'Now keep your thumbs on those, watch the screen, and try moving the car a little.'

{Aava does what he says, delighted when her car moved.}

Aava: "Woah, how cool is that?"

{She starts driving around, grinning ear to ear. Dianne picks up her controller as well, driving her little blue truck.}

Armin took off in his cartoony yellow sports car, overtaking them and drifting circles around them. He had chosen a simple track: just a big circle with a wide road and some trees around the edges.
.
'Whoops, sorry,' he said as he deliberately knocked into the side of Dianne's truck. His grin said he wasn't sorry at all.

{Dianne simply smirks at him.}

Aava: "Hey, how do you do that circle thing?"

Dianne: "It's called drifting. Here, hold this button while turning..."

{Aava smiles happily, just doing donuts for fun. Dianne turns her car, sideswiping Armin's car.}

Dianne: "Oops. Hope you got insurance."

Armin snickered, then veered past Dianne, following the track. 'You can race me if you like.' The track had stripes on the floor that gave a speed boost if you drove over them.

Dianne: "Sure."

{Dianne speeds along, following the speed strips. While her car wasn't the fastest, she could still handle it well.}

Armin stayed just ahead of Dianne, catching every speed strip along the road. His sports car seemed to be one of the fastest vehicles in the game, and due to the simple nature of the track, there wasn't really anywhere to crash.

'You're not going to overtake me,' he said, smirking as he started the second lap.

Dianne: "Yeah...no matter how close I cut these corners, you're just too fast...seems balanced..."

{Dianne chuckles, endlessly chasing him.}

Dianne: "Kinda like real life. I couldn't beat you in a foot race. Maybe a hundred meter dash, but anything long distance, I wouldn't be able to keep up."

'Yeah, I don't get tired easily. If I had to, I could maintain a run for hours. I doubt you could beat me in a short dash either. I know you can move pretty quickly while fighting, but I can't imagine you being able to run fast.'

He continued to drift around the corners, always staying slightly ahead.

Dianne: "Hey, if you give me a straight, flat track, and I ditch the armor, I can move pretty quick. Remember when I ran down Crowley in the sewers? And that was in full kit."

'Well, I think we'll have to test that. Once I'm up to par, we're going out to race. Once on a short, straight track, and again on some longer, rougher terrain.'

Armin passed the line on the final lap, winning the race.

Dianne: "Ok, but the longer one is kind of gratuitous. The only one I even have a shot at is the short one. Hm, second place isn't bad."

Aava: "Heeey, what happened?"

Dianne: "The race ended."

Aava: "It was a race?"

'Yeah, but only me and Dianne were racing,' said Armin. He ran through the menu, examining the other available tracks. Eventually, he chose a more interesting, forest-themed track. The road had trees growing across it and there were lots of twists and turns, as well as a narrow wooden bridge across a river. 'You can just explore if you want.'

Aava: "No, if it's a race, I want to race."

{When the map loaded in, Dianne and Aava sped off along the road.}

Armin swiftly overtook, veering down the narrow road and dodging between trees. 'If you're good at manoeuvring the corners, you might beat me here,' he remarked.

{Dianne narrows her eyes as she maneuvers through the trees and negotiating the turns. Aava repeatedly collides with trees.}

Aava: "I crashed..."

Armin chuckled, glancing at Aava's screen to see how she was doing. In the split second he wasn't paying attention, he knocked into a tree, slowing down enough for Dianne to overtake him. 'Dammit...'

Dianne: "Haha. That's what you get for screen hopping."

{Dianne takes the lead, looking to hold it into the second lap. Aava kept going, trying to avoid the trees.}

Aava: "Go, Dianne! Beat his brains out!"

Armin refocused on his screen, determined not to look away again. He swerved between the trees and got close to Dianne, practically tailgating her, but not managing to pass. They crossed into the second lap.

{Dianne focused as well , doing her best to keep him from passing. Aava was hopelessly far behind.}

Dianne: "I can't let you pass."

Armin's car was faster, but on the narrow path, it was hard for him to pass her. When they reached the bridge section, he took a chance. He slid his car up beside hers, and attempted to ram her off the bridge into the water below.

{Dianne saw him coming, so she hit the brakes to slow down, hoping he'd miss and fall off the bridge himself.}

Armin slammed on his brakes as well, skidding past her towards the opposite side of the bridge. His front wheels went over, but he managed to reverse back up. However, he lost a lot of time doing this.

{Dianne floors it, colliding with the back of his vehicle as she zoomed past.}

Dianne: "Too close.."

Armin gave her a sideways look when she hit him, then turned his car around and slammed down the accelerator. They were now neck and neck, racing through a final section of tree-covered road to the finish line.
.
'You suck,' Armin whined as he tried to get in front.

{Dianne maneuvered to keep him behind, edging him towards a tree.}

Dianne: "Oh, don't be like that. Take your defeats with grace and poise."

Armin avoided the trees as he shifted back and forth behind her, fruitlessly trying to edge past.
.
'I think not.'

{Dianne continues to carefully speed forward, trying to maintain her lead. She knew the bridge would be his best shot at recovering.}

Dianne: "You think not? What do you mean by that?"

'Mmmm...'
.
Armin didn't answer, but focused on what he was about to do next. He feinted to the left, so she would have to steer that way to block him, then abruptly turned right and tried to pass her.

{Dianne tries to quickly correct, scraping her car agains his as they competed on the narrow pass.}

Dianne: "You may be fast, but my truck has more mass."

Armin was forced to fall back or risk being rammed into a tree. Her truck was too large for him to ease past.
.
'Dammit.' The line was now only seconds away. Dianne was going to win.

{Dianne held steady, reluctant to celebrate until she was across the finish line.}

Aava: "You're almost there, keep going!"

Dianne crossed the finish line right as Armin made another attempt to nose past her. It looked almost like a draw, but when the results screen came up, it showed Dianne as the winner.
.
Armin dropped his controller and shoved her hard, but playfully.

Dianne: "Ha! I got y-Hey!"

{Dianne falls over, not expecting to be shoved.}

Aava: "Real mature, Armin."

{As Dianne rights herself, she shoves him back, chuckling.}

Dianne: "Sore loser. Heheheh."

Armin snickered. 'Didn't expect you to actually fall over from that...' He leaned in to deliver a quick bite to her neck. 'I'm not a sore loser.'

{Dianne tenses in response, still chuckling.}

Dianne: "If you say so."

Aava: "Gracious losers don't push the winner."

'Pushing the winner is a fair and acceptable response.' Smirking, Armin lay back for a moment to stretch and loosen his muscles.

{Dianne lays back with him, sharply nipping his neck in revenge.}

Dianne: "Alrighty then. Each time you win, I will shove you down and lie atop you."

'Not unless you want to crush me to death. But I wouldn't mind if you shoved me down and did other things...' he said, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

{Aava raises her brow, then makes a mischievous face.}

Aava: "Oooh, he's asking for it."

Dianne: Mmmm....No. Not until you're feeling better."

'Come on, I feel well enough.' He put his hands behind his head, crooked one leg up, and gazed at her with a mixture of amusement and longing.

Dianne: "Excuse me, you got winded from simply riding on the back of a horse. Until you're back to one hundred percent, all intimate activities will cease."

Armin stared at her for a moment, then nuzzled under her jaw and bit her gently but insistently.

{Dianne simply chuckles, holding him close.}

Dianne: "Affection is fine, but it won't go any farther than this."

Armin gave a quiet whine. 'Why not? We once did it while you were weakened from light magic. You were in much worse condition than I am now. You're not going to hurt me.'

Aava: "That's hot."

Dianne: "My answer is still no. Mana exhaustion and this are different. I don't want you overexerting yourself."

Armin pulled away from her with a despondent look. 'Fine.' Sitting up, he switched the game console off, then stood. 'I'm going to go shower.'

Dianne: "Ok, I should have dinner made by the time you get out. And stop looking so hurt."

Aava: "Oooh, what's for dinner tonight?"

Armin offered no reply, but slunk out of the door and headed to the bathroom, looking sad and a little frustrated. He didn't understand why she was so adamant about not doing anything, especially since they'd done it when she had been so weak herself.

(Armin, she's just worried about you, ya goob! Quit acting like she never wants to be near you again. XD)

{With a sigh, Dianne stands.}

Dianne: "He was nearly falling off the horse earlier, and that was just him sitting still. And now, he wants intimacy? What's going to happen when I run him through his paces? Would he pass out?"

Aava: "I think you made the right call. Although, in your place, I probably would have caved."

Dianne: "I've gone without for two thousand years. I can manage a few days."

Aava: "Jeeze, I'll never know how you did that."

(XD Well, do we skip?)

(I guess so, but to where?)

(If you want, we could skip ahead a few days. By then, it will be Armin's birthday, he'll be fully recovered, and Dill will be arriving in Agamidae.)

(Or, we could finish this day first, and then do that skip.)

(Hmmm. Let's skip to his birthday. Who starts that?)

(I'll start.)
.
A few days later, it was the 20th of February. Armin's birthday. The night before, he had sent messages to everyone in their friend and family group, inviting them to a small party at Dianne's house in the evening. A buffet of food and drinks, including Akhetian Ale, would be set up in the dining room area.
.
Armin awoke at his usual late hour. For a while, he just stared at the ceiling, evaluating his condition. Every morning he hoped fervently that the last remnants of weakness would be gone, but it was taking a long time. Today, however, he awoke feeling.... normal.
.
//Hmmm... Seems like everything's back in order. Thank the gods.//

{At this point, Dianne stirred, but didn't wake. She simply snuggled into him, then fell still. Aava was comfortably tucked against Dianne's back, deeply asleep.}

Armin smiled faintly as he looked them both over. Not wanting to wake them up before they were ready, he pulled Dianne's head into his chest and started gently rubbing her back while he relaxed there.

{Dianne lets out a quiet purr of contentment as she lay there. After a few minutes of this, Aava lifts her head.}

Aava: "Heh, cute. She never used to do that with me..."

'I don't know why she does that... Must be some kind of dragon thing. I wonder if there's a meaning behind it?'
.
Armin spoke softly, reluctant to disturb Dianne as he continued massaging her back.

Aava: "I suppose we could ask? But, who would know the answer?"

{Dianne stirs again, nuzzling Armin's chest.}

Dianne: "...'Appy birthday...Amateotl..."

Armin looked down at her, smiling. He pressed a kiss to her head and then resumed rubbing her back.
.
'Thanks. I'm not in any rush to get up, though, so feel free to rest.'

Dianne: "Mmhmm..."

{Dianne falls back asleep, smiling faintly. Aava just chuckles.}

Aava: "Yup, that's a dragon all right."

'Oh, definitely.'
.
Armin was quiet for a few seconds, gazing at the ceiling and enjoying the peaceful companionship.
.
'So, when is your birthday? We still haven't figured out the exact date of Dianne's yet.'

Aava: "I was born in the summer. July 19th, I think it translates to. Dianne really doesn't know her own birthday?"

'I don't think her species really recorded dates. They were primitive dragons. I think she knows the season but not the date.'

Aava: "Well, why don't you ask that Lucci guy? He seems to know everything. Even if her people didn't think birthdays were important, I still want to celebrate it with her."

'I plan to. It just wasn't on my mind the last couple of times we saw him, and I don't know if he'd appreciate being summoned just to ask when Dianne's birthday is.'

Aava: "Well...I take it you didn't invite him to today's party?"

{Dianne wraps her arms around Armin, settling in.}

'No... though he might just show up anyway, sometimes he does things like that.'
.
Armin looked down at Dianne again, feeling a strange melting sensation in his chest. Smiling, he nuzzled her head and continued to rub her back in slow, soothing motions.

Aava: "Well, if he does, let's ask."

{Aava smiles fondly at the pair, propping herself up on her elbow.}

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

'I know. You've said so before,' said Armin, amused. 'She's adorable. Which is not something I would have said when we first knew each other, because she was pretty unpleasant back then.'

Aava: "You mentioned that before. What was she like when you first met?"

'Kind of cold and reserved, and a bit grouchy. She was asked by Lucci to help us defeat Sargon, but I don't think she was pleased about being dragged into it. We were at each other's throats once or twice, but it got better towards the end of the war.'

{Aava nods in understanding.}

Aava: "Sounds about right. She was similar for me. Always angry about something. Stayed pretty distant. She just barely started opening up when she left. What did you two disagree about so harshly that you were at each other's throats?"

Armin grimaced slightly. 'At first, it was about a misunderstanding. She thought I was being creepy to some kid, which, by the way, I was not. And another time, we got into a fight after I played a prank on one of our enemies and she wasn't impressed by the immaturity.'

Aava: "Oof. Yeah, she loves the kids. Any indication that you might be a child predator and I see why that might happen. And a prank? What was the prank?"

'It's a bit hard to explain the context, but Sargon had this assistant, Anastasia, who had a huge crush on him. One day, me and this other guy decided to phonecall Sargon, impersonate Anastasia, and scream about how much we loved him.'

Aava: "That sounds hilarious. Why did Dianne get so mad."

Dianne: "Mmmm....Because it was during a very sensitive operation....entire province at stake..."

Armin shook her, very gently. 'Yeah, but we weren't really doing any harm. And it was funny.'

Dianne: "I don't want to talk about that..."

{Dianne nuzzles Armin's neck, trying to wake up.}

'Alright.' Armin smirked faintly and changed the subject. 'So, are you aware that you purr?'

Dianne: "...Yes...I do that when I feel very relaxed...Always have, in both forms..."

Aava: "Is that a dragon thing, or just a you thing?"

Dianne: "...I'm not sure..."

'Well... it's cute.'
.
Armin massaged her back as he thought about what to say next.
.
'I'm gonna go out on a limb and say you didn't do it often before all of this? No offence, of course, but you weren't exactly the most relaxed person.'

Dianne: "Yeah...This was a rare occurrence before I met you..."

Aava: "A little bit of cute. It suits you."

{Stretching, Aava stands and heads for her room.}

Aava: "I'mma go make breakfast."

'We'll be out soon...'
.
With Aava gone, Armin tugged Dianne closer, rubbing between her shoulderblades and nuzzling her. Esme got up and followed Aava out.

Dianne: "Hmmm...Excited for the party? And how do you feel today?"

'Of course. It'll be a nice gathering, with just our friends and family. A chance to get all the workaholics like Jerry and Pythia to relax,' he said with amusement. 'And I feel good. Completely normal, in fact.'

Dianne: "I know it'll be lots of fun. I'm glad to hear that. Now, we can put this Dill crap behind us..."

{Dianne kisses his neck, holding him tightly.}

Dianne: "I guess we ought to go prepare..."

'Mmm... But you're so cute...'
.
He shifted to kiss her on the lips, still absently rubbing her back.

{Dianne squeezes him tightly, kissing him passionately.}

Dianne: "Mmm...so are you."

Armin grinned as he pulled back from the kiss.
.
'I am. But you're cuter. It's the contrast you have. Big strong dragon who's thousands of years old and can raise corpses and talk to the dead - but who snuggles up to me every morning, purrs, and is a great mother.'

Dianne: "Awww, thanks. There's nowhere else I'd rather be. I'm happier now than I've ever been."

Armin smiled, wrapping his arms around her and nuzzling just under her jaw.

{Dianne kisses his cheek as he does this, moving a hand up to stroke his hair.}

Dianne: "Mhmhmhm...You are a snuggly one..."

'I know... I think I got more snuggly as I got older, though. Maybe it's just because I was alone for a long time...'
.
Moving along her jawline, he pressed several slow kisses there.

{Dianne tenses, feeling his kisses.}

Dianne: "Yeah...You were trying to snuggle me even before we were a proper couple. Must have felt nice when we decided to be together, and you could get as close as you wanted."

'It did.'
.
He nipped a sensitive area under her jaw.
.
'...But, we should probably get up now. Wouldn't want Aava's cooking to go to waste.'

{Dianne chuckles. Suddenly, she grips him tightly, scraping her teeth up his neck, stopping at his ear and whispering.}

Dianne: "Don't get too drunk tonight. After the party, I want you aaallll to myself."

{With that, she abruptly lets go, then gets up to get dressed.}

Armin fidgeted, his breath catching at her gesture and the sound of her voice. After she got up, he took a moment to collect himself before following.
.
'Oh, well, I think I can manage that.'
.
Smirking slightly, he began to get dressed. His strength and mobility had fully returned, and he did so without any difficulty.

{Dianne gets dressed and heads downstairs. Aava had set the table and was eating her eggs.}

Aava: "So, when will the guests show up?"

Armin went to make himself coffee. He responded from the kitchen area.
.
'I told them that it's starting around 7PM, but I imagine some people might choose to show up later than that. Either way, we have to get the food and drinks set out by then.'

{Dianne sits and starts eating.}

Dianne: "I arranged for that Italian place we like to deliver pizzas and comically large sandwiches here around six. We'll have to grab the ale barrel from the basement and we need to run into town for sodas."

'Alright, we'll head into the city to get what we need this afternoon. Then, we have a nice gathering, catch up with our friends, get everyone drunk, and watch Aava hit on every female guest. Sounds like fun,' he said with an audible grin.

Aava: "Yup, that's accurate."

{She says, chuckling.}

Dianne: "Yes, it should be a memorable evening."

Armin leaned against the kitchen doorway, smiling contentedly, and drank his coffee while he waited for them to finish. For the first time in a week, he felt truly relaxed. As far as he was concerned, the recent hardships were over, and now they could all enjoy some time off.

(And then Fred calls, asking Dianne to help because Mason the werewolf and his ilk stole his afternoon tea. XD)

{Once everyone was finished, Dianne heads upstairs to get ready. Aava looks over to Armin.}

Aava: "Hey. Will Owel be here tonight?"

(Mason: Excuse me, but I can make perfectly good tea of my own.)
.
Armin raised his brow and gave a slight smirk. Pulling out his phone, he checked for replies to his invites. 'Mmm... Yes, she said she'll be here...'

Aava: "Heeheehee. Excellent. She's so cute looking. I hope she's available."

{Dianne comes back, dressed warmly in preparation to depart.}

Dianne: "Hey, is Ryder coming, or is he still in the mountains?"

'I think he is. He told me that he's still in the mountains but will probably fly back in time for tonight.'
.
Seeing that she was ready, Armin headed off to get his shoes and coat.

Dianne: "Good. I'm worried about him. He seemed...to take the last mission really hard."

'If he comes, we'll have the opportunity to check on him, make sure he's doing OK.'
.
Seeming to relish his new energy, Armin ran up the stairs, grabbed his things, then ran back down. Heading into the foyer, he put them on. Esme padded after him with an ear cocked curiously.

{Aava meets them in the foyer, in her coat and boots.}

Aava: "Well, you seem very energetic today."

Armin was unabashed. 'Yeah, well, not getting tired when I do simple physical tasks is a nice feeling.'
.
He stepped outside and made his way to the car, gazing around at the scenic countryside. It was still cold, but a little milder compared to recent weeks.

{Dianne scoops up Esme and walks to the truck.}

Dianne: "Cold out. Can't wait till spring."

Armin hopped into the front of the truck. Once everyone was buckled in, he set off into the city, deciding to go to his house to collect a barrel of ale first.
.
'You must love summer. Nice and warm.'

Dianne: "It's lovely. Dress weather. I don't need to bundle up."

Aava: "You do look good in a dress. Look good in just about anything."

'Not great cuddling weather, though,' Armin remarked. 'With no need to share body heat.'

Dianne: "I disagree. I'm going to cuddle you regardless."

Aava: "How warm do the summers get down here?"

'Pleasantly warm. Not too hot. Probably a bit warmer than what you experienced in your time, given that you lived in the north.'

Aava: "Ok. Probably better swimming weather than up there."

Dianne: "Yeah, if you can..."

Aava: "Wait, Dianne, can't you swim?"

'She can't,' said Armin, with a slight hint of amusement. 'She would sink like a stone, so please don't ever push her into deep water.'

Aava: "Really?"

Dianne: "Yes. I am negatively buoyant. My body density in human form is too high. I can swim in dragon form, however."

Aava: "Ok, noted. But, can't you just, y'know, splash around in the shallows with Esme?"

'Hey, we were planning to go and visit Aether in the summer, right? I'm definitely going to make you swim in dragon form. It'll be nice and warm there.'

{Dianne sighs a little at this.}

Dianne: "Guess I need to buy a bathing suit..."

Aava: "A....What?"

Dianne: "It's just a thing you wear when you go swimming."

Aava: "You don't just jump in in your knickers?"

Dianne: "It's basically the same thing."

'What do you need that for if you're in dragon form? Just make sure you dry off before shifting back, and you could wear normal clothes,' he said nonchalantly.

Dianne: "Huh, yeah, I guess that would work. Cool."

Aava: "Although, I think you should get one anyway. So you can wade with Esme."

Dianne: "Armin can wade with her. I really don't like being in the water."

'That's fine. I like water. Hmm, we should invite some of our friends when we do go. A vacation on an extremely tolerant, beautiful island country shouldn't be missed.'

Dianne: "Yeah, it will be a nice break for everyone."

Aava: "I've never been. I hope it's nice."

'I've only been there briefly. I didn't explore very far. But, it is a nice place. Mountains, sprawling beaches, vast plains... And you don't get judged for your species or other silly things...'
.
Armin's house came into view, and he parked with thr back end of the truck facing the house so they could easily get a barrel inside.

Aava: "Seems lovely. Looking forward to it."

{Getting out with Esme, Dianne walks to the front door. Aava trails behind them .}

When Armin reached the door, instead of knocking, he fished a key out of his pocket and let himself in. 'Rex is at work,' he explained. 'Let's go and get whatever ale we need.'

Dianne: "Alright."

{Dianne went into the basement, leaving Aava with Esme. Aava kneels and pets the dragonet.}

Armin did a quick scope of the house, wanting to check that Rex hadn't been up to anything ill-advised. He found no empty bottles or odd stains, which gave him some relief. //I don't want to get up hope, but maybe the worst is behind him... Maybe I don't need to worry about the idiot so much...//
.
Returning to where Esme and Aava were, he leaned against the wall to wait.

{Dianne returns, with a guardian behind her, hefting a barrel of ale.}

Dianne: "Ok, let's get this into the back."

Armin walked ahead of her and opened the truck's back doors as wide as possible. Esme skipped merrily around the guardian's legs.

{Dianne scoops up Esme so she won't trip the guardian. The guardian places the barrel into the back, then heads back down to the basement to resume its post.}

Dianne: "Ok, the market next?"

'Yeah.'

Armin locked the front door and jumped back into the driver's seat. Once everyone was in, he set off for the shopping district.

'I wonder how many people will actually choose to drink that, and how many will go for the non-alcoholic stuff...'

Dianne: "I know Jerry will have a little bit. Pythia and Ivy probably won't. Rex probably shouldn't, given that the Aspect doesn't seem to like it when he drinks. I can't say about anyone else."

'Aww, that's a shame. About Pythia, I mean. I always thought she'd be a funny drunk,' said Armin wistfully. 'Still, maybe it's for the best... I'm pretty certain that Fred won't touch it, but Ryder might.'

Dianne: "Yeah, she seems a bit straight laced, if you get my meaning. Very much against vices."

Aava: "I want to drink, but do you think she'll get mad?"

'Who, Pythia?' Armin shrugged slightly. 'It's not up to her whether you drink or not. But, she did give you permission to have a little sometimes. Just don't go overboard.'

Aava: "Yeah. Just a shot or two..."

Dianne: "I'm not going to go nuts either. Hangovers aren't fun."

'I won't either. I'll control myself this time.'
.
The shopping district came into view. Armin parked outside their usual grocery store and jumped out.
.
'I wonder if we should get some kind of dessert, too?'

Dianne: "Hmm. Maybe some pies?"

Aava: "You mean, like my Nana's mole pies?"

Dianne: "No, fruit pies. Why would you eat moles?"

'Sounds better than eating snails. Let's see what they have.'
.
Not bothering to get a cart, he entered the store and made a beeline for the bakery section. There were cakes and sweet pies galore. He started examining a box of varied mini fruit pies, while Esme sniffed curiously at some pumpkin pies on a lower shelf.

Dianne: "Oooh, lemon."

{Dianne grabs a lemon pie, an apple pie, and a peach pie. Aava looks at all the pastries curiously.}

Aava: "That's a lot of sweets. Pies, cakes, cookies, donuts."

'Yep. If there's anything you like, feel free to grab some.'
.
Armin chose a treacle tart to go along with Dianne's selection of pies, all the while using his leg to nudge Esme back before she stole something off the shelf.

{Dianne scoops up Esme with one arm. Aava grabs a package of cookies. Dianne then begins walking for the soda isle.}

Dianne: "Um, I think we'll need a cart."

'I didn't realise we'd be getting so much...'
.
Armin walked back to the entrance to get a cart, pushing it back to them.
.
'What kinds of soda are we going to get?'

{Dianne and Aava place their selections in the cart.}

Dianne: "Just the usual stuff. Cola, lemon soda, orange soda, waters."

Aava: "Hmm. So much food. Hard to believe anyone goes hungry these days."

'Some do if they can't afford food. In your time, most people probably knew how to hunt and gather. Nowadays, people just buy everything.'
.
Armin reached up to the top shelf to retrieve a bottle of lemonade.

Dianne: "Yeah. Now, everyone has to work to eat. It was weird for me when things went that way. Had to get a job. It sucked."

Aava: "Guess I'll have to get a job at some point."

Armin gave Dianne a look of mild amusement. 'Technically speaking, you've probably never been poor enough to need to work. You just don't like using your masses of accumulated gold.'

Dianne: "That's true. I like my hoard."

Aava: "Hey, you think Fred's task force is accepting new members?"

'You'd have to ask him. Maybe you can bring it up casually at the party if you remember,' said Armin. 'He might have space for you, though you should probably be aware that they do dangerous things sometimes.'

Aava: "Yeah, but it'll be going on adventures. I think it will be fun."

Dianne: "Hmm...I don't know, Armin is right. It can get pretty dangerous."

{Dianne starts to push the cart for the checkout.}

'They don't go on adventures /all/ the time. But, if you do work for them, you get a lot of money for participating in those kinds of missions. The big, dangerous ones.'
.
Armin gave the cart a quick once-over. //Hmm, yes. We have enough.//

Aava: "I still think it would be fun."

Dianne: "Just be careful. I already have to worry about Armin being reckless, don't make me worry about you too."

'She's probably not as bad as me,' said Armin dryly.
.
The cashier went through their items, not even batting an eyelid at the small congregation of non-humans. '18.99, please.'

{Dianne pays and pushes the cart out to the truck.}

Dianne: "I hope so. You worry me a lot."

'I know. And I'm sorry. But, I'm also hard to kill,' said Armin. He kissed her cheek briefly, then opened the truck and loaded their bags inside.

{Dianne eyes him affectionately, returning the kiss. }

Dianne: "I know. And I know I worry you too."

{Dianne hops into the front seat and Aava gets into the back.}

'And you're also hard to kill. That makes it a tiny bit easier to handle.'
.
Armin started the engine and set off down the road.
.
'So, are we just going to go home and relax until the party?'

Dianne: "We'll set up everything, then relax. Might as well."

Aava: "Yeah, we got a few hours. What else could we do?"

'I'm sure we'll find something. We could go for a walk, or play games, maybe.'
.
Armin continued on his way back to the house. He was looking forward to spending time with everyone later.
.
(Unless there's something specific you'd like to do, should we skip to evening?)

(Yeah, let's skip to the start of the part.)

*party

----
.
7PM was drawing near. The food and drinks had been set out, and there wasn't much left to do except wait for the first guests to show up. Armin was sitting in the rec room during this time, relaxing, with the TV on low so he wouldn't miss the sound of the door.

{Dianne was sitting next to him, dressed in her blue dress, leggings, and leather jacket. She was simply waiting with Armin. Aava sat on the floor in front of them, dressed casual in a tshirt and jeans. She was more enthralled by the program, as it depicted the history of Vallis.}

Dianne: "So, who do you think is going to arrive first?"

'Mmm, not sure... Maybe Jerry, he seems the punctual type. Or Rex. Or Ivy, since she likes a party.'
.
Armin checked his phone.
.
'No messages. We'll just have to wait and see.'

{As they sat there, they heard a knock on the door. Opening it would reveal Jerry.}

Dianne: "Ooh, our first guest."

Armin got up and went to answer it.
.
'Hey, Jerry.' Looking further down the path, he saw Ivy approaching as well, texting on her phone and looking bored. 'Come on in. Nobody else is here yet.'

Jerry: "Hey, bud! Happy Birthday!"

{Jerry walks in as instructed.}

Dianne: "Hey, Jerry. Glad you could make it."

'Nobody else here? Well, that's no fun...' murmured Ivy as she stepped in.
.
'Alright, so the food is set up in the dining room for whenever anyone wants some,' said Armin, indicating where it was. 'If you go exploring, try not to get lost.'

Jerry: "Alright, I think I'll go wait in there. Ooh, pizza."

{Aava walks into the foyer, looking at the guests that arrived.}

Aava: "Hello Jerry, hello, Ivy."

'Hello, Aava,' Ivy replied, looking up from her phone.
.
Just then, they heard wings flapping outside, followed by a heavy thump as something landed in the front yard. Moments later, Ryder came through thr door, in human form.
.
'Hey, guys.' He looked a little weary, but smiled genuinely at the sight of them.

Dianne: "Ryder, hello! Please, come in. There's food in the dining area, so if you're hungry, help yourself."

Aava: "Hey, Ryder! We haven't seen you in a while, how are you?"

Ryder let out a breath. 'Thanks. I'm starving.' He took off his coat and went to investigate the food. 'Well, I'm doing OK. It's just been a tough week, y'know? There were tribe members to mourn, grieving rituals to attend...'

{Dianne's expression gains a hint of sadness.}

Dianne: "Well, help yourself. There's plenty for everyone."

Aava: "Ok. Relax and eat. Just have a good time."

'Thanks, Oh, and happy birthday, Armin! Can't believe I forgot to say that...'
.
Entering the dining room, Ryder helped himself to a slice of pizza. He was clearly ravenous. Esme approached, gazing up at the table, and Ryder handed her a slice as well.

{Jerry was in the dining room, chewing on a sandwich.}

Jerry: "Hey, Ryder. Back from the mountains?"

{At the front of the house, Pythia silently arrives. Shifting back to human form, she walks up to the open door.}

Pythia: "Hello! Happy birthday, Armin!"

Dianne: "Pythia! So glad you could make it."

Aava: "Oh, hey, Pythia!"

{Aava leans against the stair handrails casual like and brushes her hair back.}

'Yeah...' Ryder paused for a moment. 'So, how've you been, Jerry? I haven't seen any of you guys since the whole thing at the warehouse.'
.
Armin, with a barely noticeable smirk, turned to welcome Pythia in. 'Hey, Pythia. Make yourself at home. Food's in the dining room, and I put some extra chairs in the rec room if anyone wants to sit in there.'

Jerry: "I've been good. Busy as usual. How's Leviathan, and the other kids we saved?"

Pythia: "Oh, why thank you, Armin. I'm simply famished, I think I'll go get some food."

Dianne: "Help yourself, dear. There's pizza, sandwiches and sweets. Soda, water, and ale are also available."

{Pythia walks into the dining room, smiling at Jerry and Ryder, but not wanting to interrupt their conversation.}

'They're actually doing great. They were a bit shaken up, but they were so happy to be back home that they perked up quickly. Phyllis was over the moon to have Levi back.'
.
Armin stood by the door, watching the dark night. He was hoping that Rex, Fred and the others would arrive soon.

Jerry: "I'm happy to hear that. Hopefully, this is the last time anyone hassles your people."

Dianne: "So, we're just waiting on Frederick, Rex, and Owel, right?"

'I hope so too. They need a break.' With his pizza finished, Ryder was sated enough to examine the food properly. He poured himself a small glass of ale and chose a sandwich.
.
'I think so, but I told Fred that he's welcome to invite one or two of his people if they want to come.'
.
As Armin gazed down the dark yard, a short figure approached. It was Owel. She came through the door with a smile and shook Armin's hand.
.
'Happy birthday, Mr Alscher. And good evening to all of you.'

Dianne: "Evening, Owel. Glad you could make it."

{Aava's expression lights up a bit upon seeing her, but she quickly tries to play it cool.}

Aava: "Hey, Owel. It's nice to see you again."

{As Ryder selected his food, Pythia approaches him.}

Pythia: "Hello, Ryder. Lovely to see you again."

'Hello, Dianne, Aava,' said Owel warmly. 'Lovely to see everyone here, doing well. It's been a rough week, hasn't it?'
.
'Yeah, but it's all over now,' said Armin. He lingered by the door as he spoke, impatiently awaiting the arrival of his son and friend.
.
Ryder glanced up quickly. 'Oh - hi Pythia. I'm glad you decided to come. I know how busy you get.'

Dianne: "Yes, it has been. But, we're together and safe. That's all that matters."

Pythia: "Of course I came. Can't work all the time. Also, I wanted to see you again, see how you were doing."

Owel made her way into the dining room. After surveying the available drinks, she cautiously poured herself a small amount of ale. 'This is going to be strong, I assume.'
.
Ryder gave a small smile. 'I'm doing fine, honestly,' he said, but the weariness in his eyes still hung there. 'Just had to spend a few days back home and support everyone.'

{Aava follows Owel into the dining room.}

Aava: "Very. Don't drink too much at once."

{Aava pours herself a small amount as well. Pythia notes the weariness in his eyes, giving him a reassuring smile.}

Pythia: "Of course. Your people have had a hard time of things. You should relax here, have a good time. Armin says the Rec room is open, want to go sit in there?"

Owel was sensible enough not to gulp the stuff. She took a careful sip, evaluating it. 'Hmm. Not a bad flavour. I guess you've had this before, then?'
.
Ryder considered briefly, then nodded and stood up, with his drink in one hand and a platter of food in the other. 'I think I might, it sounds comfy.'
.
Sometime earlier, Armin had moved a few extra chairs and floor cushions into the rec room for people to sit on.

Aava: "Oh, yes, I have. Have to drink it in moderation, or you won't have a good time of things."

{Aava takes a small sip before continuing.}

Aava: "So, Owel, what do you do for a living?"

{Pythia follows Ryder with her food and drink in hand. She sits on a floor cushion, setting comfortably.}

'Oh, well, at the moment I just work for Fred. I'm not much of a combatant, I'm afraid, so I mostly do the less violent tasks. Scouting, transport, helping him research, and whatever else needs doing.'
.
Ryder settled down, cross-legged, on another cushion. Resting his platter on his knees, he continued to eat hungrily.
.
Just then, two figures approached the house together. Rex and Fred. Armin greeted them happily and let them in. Fred's gaze swept his surroundings, in a mixture of curiosity and making sure the house was clean enough.

Aava: "That sounds interesting. Maybe I could join you guys for some adventures some time."

Dianne: "Hello, Rex, Frederick. Glad you two could come."

'Well, I'm sure any help would be appreciated. I don't know much about you, but from what I understand, you can fight.'
.
'Good evening, Dianne,' replied Fred. 'Of course I made time to come.'
.
Esme backed out of the dining room with a slice of pizza in her teeth, turned, and ran to the rec room with it.

Aava: "I can, I have Nirna's Hair. Some elves are blessed with the ability to move their hair and turn it into things like wood or stone. Makes me pretty tough."

{She says with a slightly smug smirk. Pythia turns to look at Esme when she enters.}

Pythia: "Hey, sweetie."

Dianne: "Happy to have you two. Please, make yourselves at home."

'Yes, I've heard of that.' Owel sipped her drink. 'I know a few elves, but none who can do that.'
.
Esme looked at Pythia and Ryder, then jumped onto the beanbag and started to eat her pizza. 'She's a cute little one, huh?' said Ryder.
.
With all the expected guests having arrived, Armin wasted no more time in going to the dining area to pour himself a glass of ale. However, he planned to pace it slowly, not wanting to get completely wasted.

Aava: "Hmm. I wonder if it's rarer now..."

{Aava forms a wooden hand and sips her drink with it.}

Aava: "So, I heard vampires like to have one animal they mostly shapeshift into. What's yours?"

Pythia: "Oh, yes, she's the cutest. Dianne adopted a good one, Eh? Although, she has told me that she wants another. One of her own, that is."

{Dianne gets a drink as well, taking it slow.}

Dianne: "Everyone seems to be having a good time."

'A spectacled owl,' Owel replied, with a hint of a smirk. 'My own little joke, obviously. Although, not the best form for staying inconspicuous...'
.
'Huh, really?' Ryder looked a little mystified. 'Well, she wouldn't be able to have one with Armin, that's for sure.'
.
Armin smiled slightly, sipping his drink as he gazed around. 'It's nice seeing everyone together. Not often that we get to hang out without being in mortal danger.'

Aava: "Pffft, heheheheh, that's clever. You already look like a cute bird, so I think it works."

Pythia: "Yeah, she knows. However, she hasn't brought it up with Armin yet. Mind keeping this between us?"

Dianne: "It's very nice. Food's good too."

{She says, chewing on a sandwich.}

Owel raised her eyebrows at that, but seemingly decided to brush it off. 'Well, if you were a vampire, what form do you think you would use?'
.
'Sure,' said Ryder easily.

Aava: "Hmmm. I always did want to fly. Likely some kind of bird. Maybe an eagle."

{Pythia looks around to make sure Ivy didn't hear.}

Pythia: "Thanks. Anyway, did you hear about the recent outbreaks of that mystery disease? Apparently it started in Agamidae, but it's recently surfaced in surrounding provinces. Kinda scary."

'Yes, bird forms are often favoured by vampires because they're the most useful. But everyone has their preferences.' Owel took a smaller sip of her ale, pacing it slowly.
.
Ryder looked a little alarmed. 'A disease? No, I didn't hear about that. I only just got back from the remote mountain valley. Have people died from it?'

Aava: "That makes sense. Armin likes that black kite. Frederick likes his dove form. Beyond that, I don't think I'd want to be a dog. I spent enough time as a mutt..."

Pythia: "Just the weak and elderly. Nonhumans can contract it, but it doesn't seem threatening to them. Still pretty bad though."

'Oh, yes, that's understandable. Personally, I wouldn't like to be a wolf. I think Armin uses a wolf form on occasion, but I wouldn't, for personal reasons. Other animals would be fine though.'
.
Ryder rubbed his jaw. 'Wow. I hope it doesn't spread all the way down here. I don't want any of us getting sick.'

Aava: "Oh? What do you have against the canine family?"

Pythia: "Neither would I. It sounds pretty bad, and they haven't found a cure yet."

'It's a long story, but, I was once married to a man named Reinhart Wolfhunter. His family crest was a grey wolf. Given that I no longer wish to associate myself with them, a wolf would simply be an unfitting form for me.'
.
Ryder shook his head as he ate. 'Geez, so much has been going on lately.'

Aava: "Oh, you were once married? Hmmm, must have turned out pretty sour, judging by the look on your face. Well, glad you could get out of that."

Pythia: "I know, which is why I've been looking forward to this party. It's a nice break. A chance to spend some time with my favorite people."

{Just then, there was a knock at the front door. Another guest?}

'It was not an ideal situation. Yes, I'm glad to be here.'
.
Both Fred and Armin clearly heard the knock. Fred started to get up to answer it, but Armin beat him to it. //Let me guess...//
.
Entering the foyer, he opened the door.

(At the front door was a cellar spider araneo. XD)

{At the front door was Lucci.}

Lucci: "Happy birthday, Armin."

Aava: "Happy to have you here."

{With that, she takes another sip of ale.}

Armin wasn't surprised in the slightest. 'Thanks. Come on in, if you want. Just don't bother anyone by telling them unsettling cryptic stuff.'
.
Owel inclined her head in response and continued drinking.

Lucci: "Ok. I'll just unsettle people by telling them straight out what their futures hold."

{Chuckling, Lucci pats his shoulder and walks for the dining room.}

Armin followed him back, while sending a telepathic message to Dianne to give her advance warning: //Hey, Lucci's joining us.//
.
Meanwhile, Fred got himself another lemonade and moved to sit by Jerry. 'Hello, Jerry. Not going overboard on the Akhetian Ale, I hope?'

Dianne: "...Well, guess I'll be needing this..."

Aava: "Ok, just don't drink it too fast."

{She proceeds to pour herself some more ale. Lucci walks in, smiling as he looks at everyone.}

Lucci: "Hello."

Jerry: "Heh, no Frederick, I'm only going to have a small amount. So, how's everything?"

Half the people in the room only glanced up or murmured 'hello' before returning to their conversations. Armin got himself some more ale and sat beside Dianne. 'Relax, I warned him not to be annoying.'
.
'Everything is fine,' said Fred absently. 'Actually, I wanted to ask you something. If it's too personal then feel free not to answer.'

Dianne: "Like that's ever stopped him..."

Jerry: Go ahead and ask. What's up?"

Armin leaned over to kiss the side of her head. 'It's my party; I'll kick him out if he doesn't behave. Just relax and enjoy the ale,' he said with a grin.
.
Fred paused. 'Well, I was wondering if you'd heard anything from your mother since the events that happened before Christmas.'

{Dianne smiles at him fondly, sipping her drink.}

Dianne: "Thanks, babe."

Jerry: "Uh, yeah, actually. But, before I tell you anything, why do you want to know?"

In the rec room, Ryder finished his food and set the plate aside with the intention of going back for dessert later. Stretching his legs out in front of him, he decided to turn Armin's game console on and have a play around.
.
'To be prepared,' said Frederick. 'I'm not going to sugarcoat this, Jerry, but your family have been a threat to mine. As of now, I don't know your mother's intentions, nor what she and Sam might be planning together.'

{Pythia puts her plate aside, leaning forward with interest.}

Pythia: "Huh, so this is what all the kids are talking about..."

{Jerry smiles and puts a hand up.}

Jerry: "Ok, in hindsight, I should have told you this sooner, but I didn't realize how much it was bugging you. My mother isn't plotting anything. She took dad and he's now retired, living on a farm in a non-disclosed location. She's not going to let him do any more harm. Mom is never coming back to Sovereign, but will continue to work in other provinces to keep supporting the family. If I ever want to visit them, I need to travel out there. "

Ryder smiled as he chose a rather cute-looking purple car and started driving around. 'I have a few games myself, at home. It's a fun way to pass the time.'
.
Fred listened intently, then gave a nod. 'And do you believe your father can be allowed to stay alive and free without harming anyone else? Can your mother actually control him?'

Pythia: "I've never played one before. But, I can see the appeal."

Jerry: "Yes, I'm sure, Frederick. He's basically in an old folks home. Also, my mom's a vampire now. She's got this."

Ryder continued to play races while Pythia watched. He didn't seem to care much about winning; he played just to have fun.
.
Fred leaned back and sipped his drink, a barely-noticeable hint of tension slipping out of him. 'Good. That should be one less threat to monitor, then.'

While Dianne and Armin sat together, Rex came over with a glass of ale. He was obviously buzzed, but thankfully, he seemed to be in high spirits. He affectionately leaned into Armin's side and grinned up at him.
.
'Hello, gorgeous.'

{Dianne looks down at Rex, bewildered.}

Dianne: "Wait, me or him?"

{Lucci walks over to Frederick with a knowing look.}

Lucci: "Yes, Sam is harmless now. Your bigger problem is the remaining Tussock brother."

Rex looked askance at Dianne. '...Was I looking at you when I said that?'
.
Fred switched his attention to Lucci. 'Then tell me what you know of his intentions, please.'

Dianne: "I don't know, I'm kinda drunk..."

Lucci: "He seeks revenge. Eventually. Right now, he's a grieving mess. Specifically, he's going to want Dianne."

Rex threw back a mouthful of drink. 'I wasn't talking about you,' he scoffed. 'I was talking about this very handsome vampire here.'
.
'You've been drinking,' said Armin with slight exasperation.
.
'Only a little. This's good stuff.'
.
Fred nodded. 'Perfectly understandable given that Dianne killed his brother. Do you know when he'll come for her?'

Dianne: "Well, I have to agree with you there. He is handsome."

Lucci: "Oh....Either in half a year or two years. Time is a fickle thing."

Rex chuckled and patted Armin's shoulder. 'That's good. You seem good for him. Keep looking after him.'
.
'A while, then,' said Frederick. 'Thank you very much. If there's anything else I need to know...'

Dianne: "I will. In fact, I'll be taking /real/ good care of him after the party."

{It seems the alcohol had loosened her tongue a bit as she sat there, grinning mischievously.}

Lucci: "No, that should just about do it. You've done such a good job looking after everyone. Keep it up."

Armin smiled faintly, sipping his own ale. 'Not if you're drunk off your ass. You'll probably just fall asleep on me.'
.
'I do what I feel necessary to protect my allies,' said Fred. 'It seems like all of us get into danger quite often, which I suppose is a mixture of coincidence and our past deeds coming back to haunt us.'

Dianne: "Oh, hush, I'm not that drunk."

Lucci: "As do I. The best I can, as far as I'm allowed. Eventually, things will quiet down. You might go years between incidents."

Rex looked thoughtfully between them, a boozy grin spreading across his face. 'You want any... tips?' he said to Dianne. 'I was involved with him for decades, I bet I know things you don't.'
.
'Oh gods,' said Armin exasperatedly.
.
Fred inclined his head. 'Regardless. I will always be on guard. In some ways, I think it would be better if incidents happened more. We don't want anyone getting lax.'

{Dianne looks at him, bemused. Regardless, she matches his grin.}

Dianne: "Sure. Just...use telepathy, for privacy reasons."

Lucci: "Perhaps. Dianne will never get dull, I'm afraid. Death is ingrained into her very soul. If you ever want to be a better fighter, ask her to teach you Adynamia. She and Ardens are the last two people alive who know the fighting style."

Armin gave them both a look of amused exasperation. 'Y'know what, I'm gonna go and check on Esme. Be back in a minute.' He got up and walked out.
.
Rex snickered at his abrupt exit. //You might know a lot already,// he said to Dianne. //But here's one you might not. He really likes compliments and praise. Armin is not arrogant but he does have a vain steak. Loves being called gorgeous, handsome, or... whatever you like about him.//
.
'I'll consider it. Perhaps I could ask her to offer fighting tips to my people, too. There might not be time to fully train everyone, but even a little would help,' Fred mused.

Dianne: "Well, I have noticed that. It does lift his spirits."

Lucci: "Yeah, it would only help you. But, be warned. The style is ruthless, but effective."

{Pythia looks up when Armin enters the room.}

Pythia: "Oh, hello, Armin. Lovely party."

Rex nodded thoughtfully. //Using telepathy is good too. To him, it feels more intimate that talking out loud. Though, you probably know that - I'd be surprised if you haven't experimented with those rings yet.//
.
'Precisely. I'll have to look into that,' said Fred.
.
Armin looked around, seeing Esme watching the TV screen. 'Hey. I just came to check on Esme. How are you two doing?'

Dianne: "Oh, yes, we have. He seems to really love it. Makes me wear it almost every time."

Lucci: "Very good. Keep a close eye on this lot. Magnets for drama, they are."

Pythia: "Oh, we're just fine. Just relaxing and enjoying each other's company. How's the party going out there?"

//Good, good...// Rex tried to think as he sipped his ale. //Well, you obviously already know about the biting thing, given the marks I've seen on him...//

'Of course,' replied Fred. 'I consider it my responsibility to watch over them to the best of my ability.'

Armin shrugged. 'Pretty good. Everyone's chatting and enjoying the food. So, is there any particular reason you two slipped off to sit in here by yourselves?' he said mischievously.

Dianne: "Yes, I just kind of stumbled upon that one."

Lucci: "Good. The more children show up, the more important that job will become."

{Pythia looks to Ryder, then shrugs.}

Pythia: "Well, Ryder seemed to want to be more comfortable, and I just wanted to make sure he was ok. What were you expecting?"

//Hmm, yes. I think you have all of the major things down. Oh, and clawing. His back, chest, and the back of his neck are the best spots for that.//
.
'What do you mean by that?' said Fred, looking up at Lucci intently.
.
'Eh, nothing much,' said Armin. His gaze slid towards the TV; Ryder was still playing. 'Thanks for keeping an eye on Esme when she came in. I'll leave you to relax.'

Dianne: "Oooh, that's good to know. I'll have to incorporate that for next time."

Lucci: "What do you think that means? People have babies, Frederick."

Pythia: "You're quite welcome. She's great company. Alright, enjoy the party."

Rex downed the last of his drink. 'Yes, you should,' he said out loud. 'Well, unless there's something in particular you want to know, I think we're done.'
.
Fred just gave Lucci a look. 'Obviously. But you make it sound as if you know something specific.'
.
Armin grinned at them both and went back into the other room. He didn't go straight to Dianne, but wandered around leisurely, checking that everyone was enjoying themselves.

Dianne: "Hmmm. I think I'm good, but thanks for the insights."

Lucci: "Frederick, I know everything. Sometimes it just sounds that way."

{Pythia turns back to watch Ryder.}

Pythia: "Huh, you're really enthralled by that game..."

'In that case, I'm going off to strike up some conversations so I won't be tempted to drink any more.' Rex stood and headed off into the small crowd.
.
'I suppose so. Well, thank you for the information about Tussock.'
.
Ryder glanced at her and grinned apologetically. 'Ah, sorry. I was concentrating on a difficult bit. I'm going to quit after this race and get some more food.'

Dianne: "Ok, good luck."

{Dianne watches him go, then scans the small crowd. She spots Aava, leaning against the wall, waiting for Lucci to leave so she can talk to Frederick.}

Lucci: "You're welcome. Now, if you'll excuse me, there's a scrappy little elf who has been waiting to talk to you."

{As Lucci leaves, Aava walks over.}

Aava: "Hey, Mr. Frederick. Nice party, huh?"

Pythia: "Ok. I'll come with you, I'd like another sandwich."

Fred turned his attention to Aava. He briefly scanned her as if trying to deduce her intentions, then replied calmly. 'Yes, I suppose it is. Everyone appears to be enjoying themselves, which is the main point of having a party.'
.
Ryder finished his game shortly afterwards. He turned off the console, stretched, and walked off, this time looking to get the desserts.

{Pythia follows him, looking at the pies when they arrived at the food table.}

Pythia: "Ooh, pie. Don't mind if I do."

{Aava rubs her arm, nervously shuffling from foot to foot.}

Aava: "Yeah, that's great...I was wondering though....are you...hiring? Y'know for that....task force thing...."

Ryder inspected the selection before helping himself to an apple pie. 'These all look great. I'd try all of them if I could.'
.
Fred paused, carefully hiding his surprise. 'I am open to it, but we'd have to discuss a few things. I'm not currently looking for full-time employees. But you could, perhaps, work for me on a case-by-case basis, much like Dianne does. This means I would contact you when I have a task that you can help with, and you decide whether to accept or decline.'

{Pythia takes a slice of peach pie.}

Pythia: " I do like peaches. What's your favorite pie?"

Aava: "Uh, yeah, that works. I'd like to start giving back, since...y'know...I kinda did eat one of your guys...and some civies..."

'Mmm, probably apple and blackberry. We've made it at home a few times,' said Ryder, as he started back towards the rec room with his food.
.
'It's hardly your fault that those things happened. You can't be held accountable. But, if you really want to help out, we'll arrange to discuss it at a better time.'

Pythia: "Sounds lovely. Nothing beats homemade."

{Pythia follows him back, glancing at everyone as she goes.}

Aava: "Ok, great! I don't have a phone yet, so you'll have to call Dianne to get in touch with me."

'That's for sure. The food where I came from was so good. Freshly-caught meat and fish, wild berries, mushrooms and cave-matured cheese. Though, I might just be biased.'
.
Fred nodded in agreement. 'I'll contact her sometime over the next few days and arrange a meeting with you. We'll find a time that suits us both.'

Armin walked back to Dianne and sat down. Reaching over, he lightly grasped her jaw and pulled her into a short but sincere kiss.

Pythia: "No, it sounds pretty tasty. I always did like a big, fresh fish."

Aava: "Sweet. I guess we'll be in touch."

{Aava then walks away, looking around to see if she could spot Owel again. Dianne gives a surprised look, blushing a little.}

Dianne: "Op. Hey there. How's everything going?"

Ryder sat down on his cushion and began to eat. His appetite seemed to have returned full-force. 'Fish are good. I'm not very good at catching them, though.'
.
Owel was leaning against a wall, talking to Ivy, who was smirking and saying something in an undertone. However, when she noticed Aava looking, she casually walked away to chat with someone else.
.
Armin grinned, settling back in his chair. 'Good. Heh, you seem surprised.'

Pythia: "I love catching fish. When I'm not booked, I really need to go with Dianne and Armin when they go fishing."

{Aava looks at Ivy with confusion as she leaves. Regardless, she saunters over to Owel, leaning agains the wall.}

Aava: "Hello again, gorgeous. How's it going?"

Dianne: "Well, you did kind of sneak up on me. Not that I mind."

{She says, leaning forward and grinning.}

'That sounds like fun,' said Ryder between bites. 'D'you fish in dragon form, or with a rod?'
.
Owel peered at Aava with a raised brow, then gave a quiet sigh. 'At this point, I have to ask. Are you flirting?'
.
'I didn't realise I was being sneaky,' said Armin. 'But it was fun.' He met her gaze, red eyes against red eyes. //You're looking especially hot this evening,// he added.

Pythia: "Dragon form. It's much faster that way. Rods are a nice novelty, but nothing beats catching them with your bare claws."

{Aava seems to shrink down a little at that.}

Aava: "Erm...y-yeah, I was..."

{Dianne gives a flattered chuckle, waving her hand.}

Dianne: "Oh, stooop. But you're looking quite handsome tonight yourself."

'Cool,' said Ryder. 'I've never been quick enough for that.'
.
Owel gave her a kindly look. 'Yes... I'm honestly very flattered that out of everyone here, you'd turn your attention to me. But, I'm not really looking for anything right now. And even if I was, I'm straight.'
.
Armin's grin widened. 'Why, thank you.' He slowly ran his gaze over her.

Pythia: "My species are very good swimmers. Catching fish for us is like wolves running down rabbits. Maybe i'll be able to show you someday."

{Aava remains silent for a moment, looking a little embarrased.}

Aava: "Well...Now I feel like a goob...Sorry to bother you, but I didn't know. If only there was a way to ask someone that question without coming off as creepy."

{Dianne smiles as he looked her over.}

Dianne: "What're you doing? Like what you see, do you?"

'Oh, sure. Someday,' said Ryder agreeably.
.
'No, you're right. It's very hard to know without asking outright. Although, I'm sure some people would prefer to be asked. It's a minefield, really.'
.
Armin chuckled softly. 'I've liked what I was seeing since the day I first saw you smile in Alexandria,' he replied cheesily.

Pythia: "It's pretty cool. At least I think so."

Aava: "Yeah. Guess I'll just keep trying. Carefully. Well, enjoy the party."

{Aava walks away, looking to get some sweets. She does her best not to look discouraged.}

Dianne: "Heh, that's sweet. I always loved your kind heart."

'Oh yeah. I'd show you my hunting skills, but most dragons can catch a deer, so it's not really impressive.'
.
Owel watched Aava go, looking slightly troubled. She didn't want to ruin her party.
.
'Now you're just being flattering.' Armin eyed her up and down. 'If we weren't in a room full of people, I'd do something right now.'

Pythia: "I don't know. I might have trouble catching a deer. My dragon form isn't the strongest."

{As Owel watches Aava walk away, Lucci walks up behind Owel.}

Lucci: "Don't feel bad. Poor lass is just trying to navigate an unfamiliar world. Courting was different in her village, and during wartime."

Dianne: "Oh, I bet you would. You've been waiting patiently to feel well enough to...do something."

{Dianne eyes him flirtatiously as she sits there.}

'Maybe, but not many dragons are good at fishing. Swimming is fun, though. In my tribe we sometimes swim in the big mountain lakes.'
.
Owel nodded, absentmindedly adjusting her glasses. 'Well, yes. Can't help but feel bad for her, though. I do hope she eventually finds what she's looking for.'
.
Armin smirked. 'And now I'm fully recovered, you don't need to worry about breaking me anymore. You can do whateeever you want...' he murmured.

Pythia: "Yes. I love swimming. I went swimming in Bloodwater once, but they thought I was the Loch Ness Monster...Whatever that means..."

Lucci: "She will. It's only a matter of time."

Dianne: "Oh, believe me. Once all these people leave, I intend to."

{Dianne grabs his collar, grinning suggestively, and pressing her forehead against his, gazing into his eyes.}

Ryder giggled. 'Weird. You don't look that monstrous.' He finished his pie and pushed the platter away.
.
Owel just nodded. She hoped it was true. She thought Aava seemed like a nice girl, who certainly hadn't deserved to be cursed.
.
'Woah, easy. Everyone's going to know that we're just waiting for them to leave.' Looking amused, Armin kissed her on the nose, then eased back.

Pythia: "I know. My other form is basically a giant, fluffy noodle. How could anyone be afraid of that?"

Dianne: "Good point. We don't want to drive them away."

{Letting go, Dianne stands and stretches.}

Dianne: "Pie time."

Ryder snorted quietly, then rubbed his face as he tried to restrain his laughter. 'Dang, I'm really tired...'
.
Armin followed her, but opted not to take any food. He simply looked around, checking that Rex wasn't drinking, and that everyone was doing OK.

Pythia: "Yeah, you look it. You're going to spend the night in the city, not fly back to the mountains tonight, right?"

{Everyone seemed to be doing well. As Dianne gathered her sweets, Aava was talking lowly to Lucci and Jerry had snatched the last slice of apple pie.}

'Oh, no, I'm staying at my place in the city,' said Ryder. 'I plan to visit home more than I used to. Last week really taught me to stay close to everyone. But I still wanna help out Fred, too.'
.
Armin eyed Lucci and Aava. He started carefully sidling up to them, trying to make out what they were saying over the general murmur of noise.

Pythia: "That's good. Keep your family close. I'm sure you'll work something out."

{Lucci knew what Armin was doing, glancing over at him as he approached.}

Aava: "So, she wouldn't mind?"

Lucci: "Not at all. I think she would be delighted. She also has some friends who'd like to show up from far away."

Ryder hummed in agreement. 'Well, I hate to be the first to leave a party, but I might have to head off about now. I should go say goodnight to Armin.'
.
Armin stopped once he was close enough to overhear, narrowing his eyes slightly. //What are they talking about?//

{Pythia stands with him.}

Pythia: "Ok, I'll see you off. Let's go."

Aava: "Ok then, March 15th, you're sure?"

Lucci: "Yeah. See you there."

Aava: "Ok, cool. On a different topic, Mr. Lucci, I wanted to ask. My old village...Is there anyone there anymore."

Lucci: "Since you were the last survivor, there was no one left to return there after the war. Your ancestral home is an empty ruin, secluded in the forest. You technically have a claim to it, if you ever wish to get it back."

Ryder stood and headed out, past everyone else.
.
'Hey, Armin. I'm heading off now. Kinda tired. But, have a good rest of your birthday.'
.
'Huh?' Distracted from his eavesdropping, Armin turned to Ryder. 'Oh, alright. Go ahead and get some rest, and thanks for coming.'
.
Ryder gave a thumbs-up. 'See you around, big guy.'

Pythia: "Bye, Ryder. Stay safe."

Dianne: "See you, Ryder. Have a good night."

Ryder walked out and took flight. Armin turned back to Aava and Lucci to see if they were still talking.

Aava: "I would like to go back, hold a proper funeral for my people. I never got the chance to."

Lucci: "Tell Dianne. She'll take you up there, probably stop at Alexandria on the way back. You ought to stop and experience the fruits of your hardship."

Armin sat down on a vacant chair, poured out a mouthful of ale and sipped at it while gazing around the room. //So she wants to go back and see her old home. Hmm. But what were they talking about before?//

Lucci: //Armin, don't you know it's rude to eavesdrop?//

Aava: "Yeah, I think I will. Later. For now, I'll just...enjoy the party..."

Lucci: "Yes, you should. Don't worry about anything. Just have a good time."

(posting new room)