//Well, you're standing right there talking about it. You could have gone somewhere more private,// Armin pointed out.
.
Meanwhile, Ivy approached Jerry and sat near him. She eyed him, making sure he wasn't drunk.

Lucci: //So, our talking in a public place is an invitation for you to pry on Dianne friend?//

{Jerry was not drunk. He simply nods to Ivy.}

Jerry: "Hello, Ivy. Enjoying yourself?"

//Sure. Anyway, I was worried that you might have been bothering her.//
.
'Oh... I guess,' said Ivy with a shrug. 'It's a bit quiet, but I suppose that's to be expected from a small gathering. Still, I've found things to amuse myself.'

Lucci: //No. I'm a demigod who can see the future. Bothering people is well beneath me. I warn and I guide.//

Jerry: "Yeah? What would be your ideal party? Music and dancing?"

//OK, maybe I was just being curious. I don't entirely trust you, but not for that reason.// Armin shrugged, almost to himself, and sipped his drink.
.
'Mmm, a little bit of those. And more /strangers,/ not just people I know. Still, this is fine. I've been studying peoples' interactions. Aava was flirting with Owel, and I think Pythia might be interested in Ryder.'

Jerry: "Yeah, and judging by her dampened spirits, Owel shot her down. And yeah, Pythia very clearly is interested in Ryder, but she just doesn't know how to express it. So, she just hangs around him as much as she can."

Lucci: //Yeah, I know. By the way, Dianne's birthday is March 15th. Aava wants to throw a party. Are you in?//

Ivy hummed thoughtfully, warming to the subject. 'Maybe I ought to give her some advice. I think... that Ryder might like her, but he's hesitant. Something is stopping him from making any move.'
.
Armin's expression brightened. //Oh, of course. Huh, that's only a few weeks away...//

Jerry: "Sure, but...what advice would you give her? Being up front with her feelings doesn't seem to be her strongest point."

Lucci: //Yes, her species mate in the summer and bear young the following spring. Most have a spring birthday.//

'I wouldn't tell her to be upfront. I think she'd just blunder it. No, I would tell her to edge towards the subject... Bring up relationships with him, as a casual conversation, and go from there. Drop hints.'
.
//That makes sense. Well, are we going to tell her that we know her birthday, or are we keeping it a surprise?//

Jerry: "Well, I suppose that could work. You get to walk her through it. You probably understand the process better than I do."

Lucci: //Why don't we tell her together. Unless, you want to throw her a surprise party?//

Ivy smirked. 'Yes, you're really a bit hopeless in that area. I'm glad I have other people to study, because your lack of a love life is terribly dull.'
.
Armin considered for a moment. //Surprise party might not be a good idea. She might be busy that day. It's safer if she knows beforehand.//

Jerry: "Hey, you find me a girl who's smart, beautiful, and kind, and I'll school even you on how to pick up chicks."

Lucci: //Good call.//

Lucci: "Dianne, do you have a moment?"

Dianne: "Sure, what's up?"

'Have high standards, do you?' Ivy remarked, eyeing Jerry with amusement.
.
Armin swallowed the last bit of his drink, stood up, and turned to face her with a smile. 'Hey. Lucci just told Aava and I some nice information.'

Jerry: "So what if I do, Ivy? I know what I like."

{Dianne eyes them both suspiciously.}

Dianne: "And what might that be."

'Nothing wrong with that. It just means you'll have a harder time finding anyone.'
.
'We know your birthday,' said Armin innocently. 'It's the 15th of March.'

Jerry: "That's true. But hey, we'll just have to wait and see."

Dianne: "Wait, truly?"

Lucci: "Yes. You were born March 15th, 1125 BCE."

Dianne: "Wow, way to make me feel old."

Ivy was quiet at first. Then she snuck a furtive, curious glance at Jerry. 'Come to think of it, have you /ever/ had any sort of relationship?'
.
'Yeah, you're ancient,' said Armin. 'But hey, at least you know now. When it comes, we'll celebrate it for probably the first time in your life.'

Jerry: "Yeah, I had a sweetheart in high school. Didn't go anywhere, obviously."

Dianne: "Yeah, that sounds nice. And it's only in a couple weeks."

'Yes, high school crushes usually don't.' For a moment, a brief flicker of discontent made itself visible on Ivy's face. Then it vanished. 'Well, if you ever have interest in someone, I'm sure I'll find out.'

'Yep. It's kind of funny that your birthday is less than a month from mine,' said Armin.

{Jerry notices the flicker of discontentment on Ivy's face, but doesn't comment.}

Jerry: "If my interest is matched, then I'm certain you will."

Dianne: "Convenient, isn't it. Guess we'll have everyone back here soon enough."

Ivy smirked. 'Undoubtedly. I'm sure it will be very entertaining to watch. Until then, I'll just enjoy observing everyone else.'

Armin turned to Lucci with a mischievous look. 'So, how old is she exactly? Down to the year? I'm too lazy to do the calculations.'

Jerry: "Yeah, it probably will be. Just remember to give us some breathing room."

Lucci: "3145, soon to be 3146. However, she stopped aging at 32."

Dianne: "Huh. So that's when it all happened..."

'Yes, yes...'
.
Ivy checked her phone.
.
'Well, it's getting a tad late. I think I might go home and relax before bed.'
.
Armin rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. 'Yeah, I'd have guessed that, based on how you look. 3145 years, though... I'm surprised you can remember anything...'

Jerry: "Alright. Have a good night, Ivy."

Dianne: "I don't really understand it either. My memory is so strong and clear."

Lucci: "It's a gift from the Aspect. You will remember everything."

Ivy stood up, putting her phone away. 'Are you staying longer?' she asked. 'I rode here with you. If you're staying then I'll have to walk back by myself. Or pay for a taxi.'
.
'That sounds like it could go both ways,' said Armin. 'It's a gift to never forget the great things... But it must suck to remember every bad thing that happened, or every embarrassing thing you did.'

Jerry: "Oh, right. No, I'm about ready. I'll drive you back."

{Jerry stands, walking towards Armin to say goodbye.}

Dianne: "Yeah, that's probably why I have such horrible nightmares. I literally cannot forget."

Armin affectionately wrapped an arm around her neck and kissed her on the head. Then, hearing Jerry and Ivy approaching from behind, he let go of her and turned around.
.
'Hey. You two heading on home?'

Jerry: "Yep. Thanks for having us, it was a great party."

'Yes, and happy birthday, Armin. Well, I suppose your birthday is nearly over, but... Enjoy whatever you and Dianne are doing later.'
.
With a final sly smirk, Ivy walked for the exit.

{Dianne narrows her eyes at Ivy. }

Jerry: "Yep, happy birthday and farewell. See you guys later."

{With a final wave, Jerry turns and leaves. Once they were gone, Dianne hugs Armin again, but says nothing.}

Lucci: "Well, I should probably be going too. Have fun tonight."

Armin squeezed Dianne slightly. 'Yeah, yeah... Thanks for coming, I guess. And for the info.'
.
While these three were making their exits, Rex, Fred, and Owel exchanged a few words among themselves. Then they started to get up as well.
.
'I believe things are winding down for the night,' said Fred. 'We'll be going now, too. But thank you both for having us.'

{Pythia got up and followed the group.}

Pythia: "Yes, I think I'll be going too. It was a lovely break from working all the time."

{Dianne lets go of Armin to say goodbye.}

Dianne: "Of course. Thank you all for coming."

'We'll all get together again soon,' Armin promised. Walking over to Rex, he hugged him, then turned to address the others. 'Have a good night. All of you. And don't work too hard tomorrow.'
.
The group began to file out, watched by a curious Esme, who had eaten a lot and was reclining on the floor now.

{Aava waves goodbye as everyone leaves. Once they were gone, she looks about the room.}

Aava: "Well, that was pleasant. Can't wait to do it again in a couple weeks."

'Yep. I'm looking forward to it.'
.
Armin ran his gaze over the dining room, filled with empty plates, glasses, and uneaten food.
.
'You can get that Bufo guy to clean up, right? I don't want us to spend our evening doing the dishes.'

Dianne: "Bufo, Barnabas, clean up please. Aava, keep an eye on Esme, would you? Armin, a moment?"

Aava: "Sure, we'll be in the rec room for a bit."

Barnabas: "Aawww, I hate dishes..."

{Dianne then starts up the stairs while Aava carries Esme into the rec room.}

Armin glanced back at Aava and Esme, then followed Dianne up thr stairs. Esme did not protest to being carried away. She just wanted to loaf in front of the TV now.

{Aava sits with her in front of the tv, finding a campy action movie. Dianne walks into their bedroom and takes off her jacket.}

Dianne: "Close the door, then help me with my dress?"

{She asks, moving her hair out of the way.}

Esme settled down contentedly to watch the movie, letting out a small yawn.
.
Armin gently locked the door, then, with a slight smile, walked around her and tugged down the zipper in the back of her dress. As he did so, he leaned forwards to playfully nip the back of her neck.

{Dianne breathes deeply at the sensation. Unfastening the belt around her waist, Dianne lets her dress drop. She then turns and wraps her arms around Armin, repeatedly biting a sensitive part of his neck, nudging him back towards the wall.}

Willingly letting himself be pushed back, Armin leaned against the wall, tilting his head back and baring his fangs slightly. His breathing shifted to a quicker, more shallow rhythm.
.
//Oh, that's a good spot...// he murmured through the Thoughtstone link.

Dianne: //Oh, I know...//

{With a growl, she bites harder, then brings a hand around to claw the back of his neck, while the other hand holds him against the wall.}

Armin gave a quick jolt, then threw his head back further to increase the pressure of her nails against his neck, all while letting out a strangled groan. She felt his heartbeat quicken as a flicker of excitement came through the ring link.

Dianne: //Oooh, you like that? Well, how about this?//

{Dianne starts nipping her way down his neck, wrapping her other arm around to his back, pressing herself up against him to keep him pinned. All at once, she bites between his neck and shoulder, and claws his back and the back of his neck.}

Armin tensed, arching his back, eyes tightly closed. He sunk his fangs into his lip and swore quietly through their link.
.
//...Hrnngh... You're really going all-out today, huh?...//

Dianne: //Of course I am. You seemed like you really wanted to all week. Now, we get to.//

{Dianne scrapes her teeth back up his neck, to the other side, then bites between his neck and shoulder on the opposite side, simultaneously clawing and growling again.}

Armin squirmed in her grip, trying to stay quiet, but still letting out the occasional whimper or grunt past clenched teeth. He kept his head tilted back submissively, relishing the attention.

{Dianne's breathing was unstable as well as she continued to claw, kiss, caress and bite, only stopping to remove his shirt.}

Dianne: //Mmm....I love it when you squirm...//

{Through the thoughtstone link, Armin would feel excitement, anticipation, and great enjoyment.}

Armin's breathing quickly became ragged, and he was relying more on her, and the wall, to hold himself up.
.
//...Can we move this to the bed?... Also, we might need to move along soon...//

{Dianne pulls back, breathing heavily, but still holding him up.}

Dianne: "Yeah, sure...but, looks like you're enjoying yourself so far."

'Yeah... You're doing great...'
.
He leaned forwards and sunk his teeth into her shoulder.
.
//Take me to the bed and pin me down,// he said.

{Chuckling, Dianne picks him up, his fangs still fastened to her shoulder. Getting to the bed, she gently begins to lay him down, positioning herself above him.}

Dianne: //Ok, just relax. When you're ready, we'll move things forward.//

Armin drew his teeth out and just lay back while he waited for his breathing to settle, letting his gaze roam over her.
.
//Thanks... That was great...// A warm wave of affection and anticipation seeped through their mental link.

Dianne: //You're welcome. I love you so much. The adventures we have, the second chance at life you've given me... I finally feel....complete.//

{Leaning forward, she kisses him passionately as a flood of love, affection, gratitude, and joy streams through the connection.}

Armin gave a quiet whimper, just as much from the flood of emotions as the physical sensation. //I love you too. I lost a lot, but now I've got everything I want. You helped me to not feel alone anymore.//
.
He reached up and ran his hands down her back, lightly digging his nails in.

Dianne: //You are my love, my life, my Amateotl. Never stop loving me, for I will always love you.//

{Dianne pulls back, then starts nipping and caressing him down his neck and chest, stopping at his waistline.}

(We should probably skip there. And boy do I hope that Bamco guy from earlier isn't reading this.)

(He was probably just a rando. Although, I am seriously considering posting all future rooms under a mature tag just to minimise the number of people who see them.
.
Also, before we skip to morning, I'm gonna do a thing with Dill showing up in Agamidae to look for his parents.)

(I think the mature tag is a good idea, given the themes we touch on. And alright, set the scene in Agamidae.)

(Yeah, next room, I'll do that. I'll write out the post for Dill once I have a moment.)

----
.
It was almost midnight when Dill flew into Agamidae. Throughout the past few days, he had stopped in a number of towns and heard more news about the mysterious pandemic. He heard that it was spreading fast, and that the old and weak were the most at risk. This worried him, because his parents were elderly and human. Dill wasn't close to his parents, because they disapproved of his career choices, but that didn't mean he wanted them to die.
.
As he hadn't been able to contact them, he assumed that they must have contracted the disease. But he had no idea which hospital they might be in. So he simply landed outside the nearest one to their home. Shifting back, Dill walked inside, intending to find someone who he could ask about his parents.

{By this point, the entire downtown section of the city has been quarantined. There were checkpoints everywhere manned by people in HAZMAT suits, looking for infected. The hospital Dill walked into had a hazmat team in the lobby, waiting to screen anyone who walked in. As soon as he set foot in there, they were upon him.}

Hazmat Doctor: "Stay where you are! Are you sick?"

Dill stopped in the entrance, raising his hands slightly. 'I don't have anything! I'm just here to visit someone.' //Geez, the news wasn't exaggerating. People are f**king paranoid.//

{The team began inspecting him, looking at his eyes to see if he was bleeding, lifting up his shirt to check for boils, and his temperature for any sign of fever.}

Hazmat Nurse: "Have you had any of the following symptoms: Boils, bleeding from the eyes, intense fever, or loss of magical energy? What district are you from?"

Hazmat Doctor: "Fill out this paperwork. Once you have, then we'll see about your visitation."

Dill grumbled irritably as he realised how long and tedious this might be. 'I don't have this disease, alright? I've had none of the symptoms. I was travelling before this - I only got into the city ten minutes ago.' He started to look over the papers to see what he was supposed to write down.

{The papers were the usual screening questions. Medical history, known allergies, etc.}

Hazmat Doctor: "Ok, go sit down and fill that out. Give it to the nurse once you finish."

Dill wordlessly walked off to sit in a plastic chair and go over the questionnaire. He answered everything as rapidly as he could. There was nothing out of the ordinary in his answers. A few minutes later, he stood up and gave the papers to the nurse.

{The nurse accepts the papers, looking through them briefly.}

Hazmat Nurse: "Ok. Who are you here to see?"

//Finally,// Dill thought.
.
'OK, to be honest, I don't know if they're in this hospital or not. But I'm looking for a Dorothy and Roger Thompson. Human, in their 70's.'

{The nurse types on her computer, searching.}

Hazmat Nurse: "Yes, they are here. Third floor quarantine. Please follow me."

{The nurse begins to lead him up the stairs.}

Dill followed, keeping a few feet of distance between them. //If they're here, then they're still alive. First worry over.//

{Dills parents were in separate rooms, each with a thick glass wall and doors labeled BIOHAZARD. They were both alive, but covered in nasty looking boils and had bleeding eyes.}

Hazmat Nurse: "They no longer have fevers, but they are still ill. They can hear you through the wall, if you want to talk."

Dill slowly approached his father's room first. He was dozing uncomfortably. He turned to Dorothy's room instead.
.
'Mother? It's Dill. Can you understand me?'
.
She turned her head towards the sound of his voice as she lay on her bed. 'Dill...?' she said weakly. The illness had taken a serious toll on her. 'I thought you were... busy...'
.
'Yeah, well, I had to come and see if you two were alright...' Awkwardly, Dill turned to the nurse. 'Are they gonna survive?'

Hazmat Nurse: "It's too early to tell. They survived the fever, which is a good sign, but it's still up in the air. They're in the highest risk category."

'Right...'
.
Dill turned back to his mother.
.
'Dill...' she said. 'How many dragons have you killed since we spoke last?'
.
He grimaced. 'You're really bringing that up now?!'
.
'Dill... I might die. I'm old... This could finish me off, and your father too... I just wish you would change, so I can die knowing my son has redeemed himself.'
.
'Mother, my job is none of your business.'

(Death: Oh, Calvin? Wanna take a break from your eternal torment to harass Dill in his dreams some more?)

{The nurse respectfully remains quiet, letting them talk.}

'Consider it, Dill. Bad things will happen if you keep this up...' Dorothy looked at him directly with her bloody eyes. 'And if you won't change, then don't visit me. I don't want to hear from you any more.'
.
This seemed to actually shock Dill. Despite all of their disagreements, his mother had never cut him off entirely. Slowly, his expression changed from shock to hard emptiness.
.
'Alright. Get well soon. And tell dad that I visited.' Turning around, he started to walk back out.

{The nurse led Dill back out to the waiting room. This time, there were two teenagers sitting in the lobby, excitedly chatting over a messy pile of papers and a recorder.}

Teen 1: "I'm telling you man, this is her doing! Every patient we've interviewed today reported seeing this thing in their dreams, right before contracting the illness. It can't be a coincidence. If we can find her and convince her to do the ritual, maybe we can save everyone afflicted."

Teen 2: "I don't know, man. This might be a far fetched idea. How can we be sure?"

Teen 1: "I've been doing research at the museum archives. This all has happened before, back in Ferros and a half dozen other continents, most recently, Springland."

Dill was on his way towards the doors, but caught enough of the background conversation to pause momentarily and listen further.
.
//Seeing something in their dreams?// Dill had not slept in three nights, but he would never forget the monster that had haunted him. //That thing is what caused this... Wait, what did they say? A ritual to save everyone?//
.
'Hey, kids,' he said, talking to them from a short distance away. 'What's going on here?'

Teen 1: "I'm telling you, man, this is..."

{The kid stops abruptly when Dill speaks.}

Teen 1: "Uh, n-nothing...just a...school project..."

Teen 2: "Yeah, we'll be quiet, sorry to disturb you..."

'No, I'm interested. Who's this person you're planning to go talk to? Someone you think can stop this?'
.
Dill didn't really expect them to say much - he was a complete stranger after all - but he hoped he might get some information from them.

Teen 1: "Well, I think..."

Teen 2: "Come on, man, he's not going to believe us."

{The papers on the table included some sketches. Sketches of the Aspect of Death. Everyone who contracted the disease reported seeing it right before they caught it.}

Dill ran his gaze over the sketches. He had to suppress a shiver when he saw the monster.
.
'This is what the patients have seen, right? You're not going to find this thing and ask it to stop, are you? I don't think that would go well for you, kid.'

Teen 1: "Well, no. Wait, do you know what this is?"

Teen 2: "This thing has an acolyte. We think she's the one to blame for all this. If our research is correct, then there's a ritual she can perform to make this all go away. The Ritual of Forgiveness. It's...difficult to explain..."

'You know who this thing's acolyte is?'
.
Dill recalled, through the haze his recent memories had become, that weird guy Lucci mentioning that an acolyte might be able to stop this.
.
'You should go and talk to her, then. Who is she?'

Teen 1: "That's the thing..."

{Just then, a young witch bursts through the door with a big book.}

Teen 3: "Guys, I just spoke with Billingsly at the museum. The Acolyte Dianne is living in Sovereign! Now I just need to..."

Teen 1: "Brenda, slow down, hold on..."

{The girl stops, noticing Dill.}

Brenda: "Oh, who's this?"

//Oh, great...// Dill thought. He had been told that Dianne wasn't causing this, but could she still call Death off? Would she even want to? He had no idea what to think anymore.
.
'Uh, I was just curious about what they're up to,' he answered, waving vaguely towards the teenagers. 'So, you're going to see Dianne in Sovereign, huh? Well, I wish you luck...'

Brenda: "Uh, yeah...Do you know her?"

Teen 1: "Yeah, you seem like you know an awful lot about this mystery..."

'I've heard of her. Haven't most people?' said Dill. He started to turn away, hoping to get out before they questioned him. 'Yeah, so, good luck.'

Teen 1: "Yeah, see ya..."

{As Dill left, the teens squint at him.}

Teen 1: "Hmm...He seems...strange..."

Brenda: "That's not important right now. Right now, we need to make our plan..."

Once Dill was out of the hospital, he shifted into a bird and took off. A lot was on his mind. His mother hated him, but that wasn't new. But now, he had a scrap of hope. If those kids actually succeeded in getting Dianne to call off Death, then maybe he'd be free of its torment. But would she agree, considering what he'd done?

(I guess we skip?)

(I think so. Nothing else to really do with Dill for the time being.
.
To morning?)

(Yes, who starts? And those kids are going to show up in Sovereign soon, in a somewhat tragic manner.)

(Ooooh. Hmm, I'll go.)
.
The morning after the party, Armin was sleeping very comfortably, holding Dianne close to him. The combination of alcohol and other activities had worn him out. With 11AM passing by, he remained asleep, but occasionally stirred and mumbled incoherently.

{Dianne was comfortably asleep as well, snuggled up to him. Eventually, one of his stirrings cause her to wake. She looks him over fondly, then nuzzles into his neck.}

Dianne: "Mmm...Amateotl..."

Armin's face twitched as if he were in the midst of a dream. Then, with a hint of a smile, he tightened the grip of his arms around her, drawing her tighter against him.

{Dianne happily snuggled against him, settling back down. With a sleepy frown, Aava snuggles against Dianne's back.}

Aava: "....C'mere, I'm cold..."

After a little while, perhaps because of Aava speaking, Armin stirred awake. Blinking slowly, he looked them both over. Seeing Dianne brought a wave of love and affection rushing through him. He tightened his arms around her and started to nuzzle and snuggle her, holding her tightly against him.

{Dianne stirs at this, nuzzling and snuggling him back.}

Dianne: "Mmm...Good morning...."

'Good morning.' He gently nipped her neck in a show of affection, then buried his face in her hair and hugged her harder.

Dianne: "...You're just the sweetest..."

{Dianne squeezes him tightly, kissing his neck.}

Aava: "Hngh...what's the time?..."

'...About 11:30...' Armin replied, checking his phone. He then tossed it back on the nightstand and resumed hugging Dianne, not caring about getting up at this moment.

Aava: "Ok, cool....Not getting up yet though..."

{Aava flops onto her front, falling back asleep.}

Dianne: "...Heh...I go back to work tomorrow...So, let's just enjoy this moment."

Armin grumbled. '...Those damn automatons...' he said drowsily. 'They're stealing you away from me...'

Dianne: "...Don't worry...I'll be back in the evenings...Not like I live there..."

{Dianne begins stroking his hair fondly.}

Armin hummed, immediately soothed by the gesture. 'Mhmm... I'll find ways to occupy myself... And when you come back, we can relax together...'
.
He snuggled in, wrapping his legs around one of hers beneath the blanket.

Dianne: "Yeah...relaxing with you...it's the highlight of my day..."

{Dianne glances down at her leg, but doesn't comment. She simply continues to stroke his hair.}

After a while, Armin opened his eyes. He glanced at Aava behind Dianne.
.
//Well, she's definitely looking better than she did when we found her,// he commented.

Dianne: "Yeah, she's less thin and less pale. Her personality is starting to show through as well. Pretty soon, she'll probably be back to her old bubbly self."

'Yeah. Also, I think I heard her talking to Fred about doing work for his task force. It'll probably be occasional jobs, like what you do for them.'

Dianne: "Ok. Just so long as Frederick doesn't give her anything she can't handle. But, If she's sure that's what she wants..."

{Dianne snuggles into him, setting back down.}

'Mmmm... I'm sure he'll take her abilities and skills into consideration and give her tasks that she can do well at.'

Armin yawned quietly, then started slowly rubbing her back as he held her.

{Dianne gives a soft purr, closing her eyes and enjoying the moment.}

Dianne: "Ok...guess I don't need to worry..."

Armin smiled contentedly. 'We've got so much to look forward to this year. Your first birthday, more fun trips... I think it's going to be nice...'

Dianne: "Yeah...I think so too..."

{Within a minute, she falls back asleep. Aava then sleepily sits up, rubbing her eyes.}

Aava: "I'm going to make breakfast..."

'Take your time. I have to get this lazy lizard up,' said Armin, eyeing Dianne fondly. Esme lifted her head to observe Aava, then jumped off the bed and left the room without a backward glance.

Aava: "Ok, but...she's so adorable when she's asleep. Maybe it's better to let her sleep..."

{Chuckling to herself, Aava walks out.}

Armin chuckled quietly in response, fully agreeing with her. Once she was gone, he turned his attention to Dianne.
.
'Hey, little draaaagooon?' he murmured in a singsong voice. Slipping a hand under her shirt, he lightly ran his nails down her back.

{Dianne tenses up a little, opening her eyes.}

Dianne: "Hmmm?....What's wrong?..."

'Nothing's wrong. But Aava left to make breakfast, and I figured I should wake you up. No rush, though.' He switched to rubbing her back with one hand.

Dianne: "...I am hungry...But I can't get up with your legs wrapped around mine..."

{Chuckling, she nuzzles into his neck.}

Armin smirked. He detangled his legs from hers, but then decided to roll on top of her instead. 'Is this an improvement?' he said jokingly, nuzzling along her collarbone.

Dianne: "Heheheh. Why do you tease me so?"

{Dianne wraps her arms around him, just lying with him.}

Armin let out a long, contented breath.
.
'Hey, you did this before we were even a couple. We were sleeping in the truck, and I woke up in the middle of the night to find you pulling me on top of you. Like I was a damn blanket.'

Dianne: "I think it was because I was cold. And in my sleep, I could just feel a warm mass next to me. But even before we were a couple, you still didn't seem to mind..."

'No. I was pretty sure how I felt about you by then,' he said. 'Yes, you were asleep and didn't know what you were doing, but I figured I'd enjoy it, since I didn't believe you'd ever return my feelings.'

Dianne: "Yeah, I thought you might have been warming up to me. But, I did return your feelings. You made me feel loved."

{Dianne kisses his chin, smiling up at him.}

Armin smiled at the gesture, then rested his head between her neck and shoulder.
.
'And that still amazes me, somehow. Back then, I didn't think I had a chance. We fought so much before... Hell, you even compared me to /him,/ once...' His tone dropped, becoming solemn.

Dianne: "Oh, hush, I was drunk, sad, and romantically frustrated. You're nothing like /him/...and I used to fight with everybody. We got to know each other and we discovered that we were in love. That's all that matters now."

{Dianne squeezes him tightly , then starts stroking his hair.}

Armin's solemn look eased slightly. With a quiet growl of enjoyment, he closed his eyes and snuggled into her neck.
.
'Mmm... Good... I didn't particularly like the idea that I reminded you of that /thing...'/

Dianne: "You don't. You're better in every way. A better father, a better lover, a better partner. Now, enough of that swine. I am excited for my first birthday."

'Yes, it's very close. I think Aava is looking forward to celebrating your birthday, too. We'll probably have a party, but you can also do anything you want.'

Dianne: "A party would be nice, but how about dinner? Maybe just the two of us at the Lazurite Warf? Then we can have the party the next day."

'That restaurant? Sure. I think that was the first place we had a proper date. I'll wear a suit for you,' he said with amusement.

Dianne: "Sweet. Yeah, I liked that date. I had a good time. "

'It was pretty fancy. We'll do that again for your birthday, then.'
.
He lifted his head, looking down at her while still on top of her.
.
'I guess we ought to get up. You're so cute though.'

Dianne: "I know. But, I need to eat. Up we go."

{Dianne sits up, picking Armin up in the process.}

Armin grunted in protest. Once she was standing up with him, though, he playfully dug his teeth into her neck. 'Alright, let's go on downstairs.'

{Dianne chuckles at the gesture, then walks to get dressed. Once dressed comfortably in her pants and ferret shirt, she heads downstairs to the kitchen.}

Aava: "Good morning! Have some eggs!"

Esme ate ravenously as usual. As soon as Dianne sat down to eat, her phone rang. It was Frederick.

{Dianne checks her phone, making a mildly annoyed face at being called.}

Dianne: "I swear, if this is another...Hello?"

{She answers, hiding her displeasure.}

'Hello, Dianne,' said Fred. 'I was talking to Aava at the party last night and she expressed an interest in working with my people someday. I'd like to ask if she'd be up for a short interview today or tomorrow. If not, we can arrange something at a later date.'

Dianne: "Oh, yeah, actually, you two should discuss that."

{Dianne hands the phone to a curious Aava.}

Aava: "Hello?"

'Good morning, Aava,' Fred greeted her levelly. 'I hope you're doing well. Are you still interested in potentially working with my task force?'

Aava: "Oh, Yes, I am."

{She says, perking up with interest.}

'Wonderful. If you're not busy, I'd like to arrange a meeting at my house either today or tomorrow. They'll be a short interview, where I will ask you some questions relevant to the job, and you'll have the chance to ask me anything as well.'

Aava: "I think today would be great. What time should I come over?"

{Aava seemed to be quite happy with the opportunity.}

'Any time this afternoon between 2PM and 4PM would be ideal,' said Frederick.

Aava: "Sweet! I'll see you this afternoon."

{Dianne then leans over and speaks into the phone.}

Dianne: "We'll be there around two thirty or three. See you soon."

'Yes, that's perfect. I'll expect you no later than three, then, Aava.'

Aava: "Alright, thank you again for seeing me. I think this is going to be great."

Fred hung up. Armin, who had listened to the whole conversation, glanced up at Aava. 'Well, he seems pretty keen to talk to you. I think it'll go well.'

Aava: "I think so too! Heeheheheh!"

{Finishing with her eggs, Aava skips upstairs to get ready.}

Dianne: "Well, that seems to have lifted her spirits."

'Don't get ready too fast, we don't have to be there yet!' Armin called after her as she ran up the stairs. He then turned to Dianne. 'It seems like it. Hey, since this is your last day off, how about we go down to the lake later, build a big fire and cook some fish?'

Dianne: "Oh, the lake isn't still ice? If it's not, that sounds lovely. Just us three, right?"

'Four,' said Armin. 'Us, Aava, and Esme. And honestly, I don't know if the lake is frozen or not, but if it is, I have a workaround for that.'

Dianne: "Right, Aava would want to come...What's your work around?"

{Aava comes back down in her coat, still skipping along happily.}

Aava: "Ooh, fish grill!"

'You can breathe fire. Flame just above the ice and it'll melt. I doubt it'll be very thick.'
.
Armin then looked over at the excitable elf.
.
'Yes, we're going to try for a fish grill tonight. We haven't taken you on one yet.'

Aava: "Nice! I do like some fish!"

Dianne: "Ok, if you think that would work."

Armin nodded. Getting up, he started to gather his coat and shoes in preparation to leave, though he didn't hurry.

{Dianne does the same, then goes to find Esme.}

Dianne: "Esme? Where are you, sweetheart?"

Esme appeared from somewhere upstairs, chirping inquisitively. She padded down the steps to join them in the foyer.
.
'Grab the newt and let's go,' said Armin, heading out to the car.

{Dianne scoops her up and nuzzles and hugs her all the way out to the car. Aava happily skips out.}

Dianne: "Ok, to Frederick's."

Once they were in and on their way, Armin glanced at Aava in the rear view mirror. 'You might want to chill out a bit,' he advised her, slightly amused. 'He'll probably appreciate it if you're calmer.'

Aava: "Oh, yeah, right. He doesn't seem the...jovial type."

Dianne: "Just do the interview nice and calmly and everything will be fine."

Armin drove slowly, making sure they wouldn't arrive too early. At 2:50PM, he pulled up outside Fred's place, the small tidy house in a quiet neighborhood.
.
'Alright, here we are... wait, are we coming with you or waiting here?'

Aava: "Oh, um...I don't know. Since it is my interview, maybe I should go alone."

Dianne: "We'll at least walk you to the door."

{Dianne gets out with Esme and Aava. Dianne keeps a firm but gentle grip on the dragonette.}

Armin got up and followed them to the door, absently stroking Esme's head. 'It's OK, we're not abandoning you with anyone this time...' he said to her.
.
When Aava knocked on the door, it opened moments later to reveal Fred. He glanced between everyone.
.
'Good afternoon, Aava. And Dianne, Armin, and Esme,' he said smoothly.

Aava: "Hello, Frederick. I'm ready for my interview."

Dianne: "I would guess you want to interview her alone, so Armin, Esme, and I are going for a walk around the block."

'Of course. It shouldn't take more than 30 minutes or so.'
.
Fred stepped to the side and opened the door wider to let Aava in.
.
'Alright, we'll see you two in a bit. Be nice to each other,' said Armin, before grinning and turning off to walk down the street.

Dianne: "Go easy on her, huh?"

{Chuckling, Dianne follows Armin. Aava walks into Frederick's house.}

Fred closed the door and led Aava into a room. It contained a white desk with a chair on both sides, along with several bookshelves. This seemed to be where Fred did his writing. He sat behind the desk and invited Aava to do the same.
.
'First things first. Can you tell me your full name, species and date of birth? Just for record purposes.'

{Aava sits, quietly observing the room.}

Aava: "Aava Frelia Ironwood, Wood Elf, July 19th, uummmm....1524, I think?"

Fred retrieved a notepad and opened it to a page near the middle. He then wrote what looked like two check marks and a short note.
.
'OK, now I'm going to ask a few questions regarding your abilities and weaknesses. It's important to answer these honestly, so that I won't assign you tasks beyond your capability.'

Aava: "I understand. I'm ready."

'I already know about your hair manipulation ability. I'd to know if you have any other magic-based abilities of any sort.'

Aava: "Well, I have a very weak healing spell. I'm capable of becoming a spellcaster, if I were to put the work in. But as of right now, my hair is all I have to work with."

'Interesting. Perhaps that will change, but for now, we'll work with what you know.' He scrawled something down. 'What about non-magical skills? Weapon skill, craftsmanship, animal skills, knowledge in a particular field? What can you do?'

Aava: "Hmmm. Well, I was trained to be a field medic. I'm sure the tools for that have changed a bit, but I did save Dianne from bleeding out the first time I met her. I can shoot a bow, but guns have probably made that obsolete....I can ride a horse. I can do on foot recon. Ummm... I know wilderness survival skills, like how to survive alone in the woods."

Fred scribbled notes while she talked.
.
'Very good. Any medical skills are greatly valued. And, if you already know bowmanship, you ought to try learning to shoot a gun. You might have an advantage over other novices.'

Aava: "Ok, great! Um, what kind of gun should I try?"

'You could try a sniper rifle. It's a long-range weapon with a telescopic sight that lets you see distant targets as if they were close. If you ever want to try it, we can arrange some training in the future.'

Aava: "Yeah, ok! Let's arrange that, I'll give it a try."

'Very well. Sometime next week, I think.'
.
Fred briefly ran his eyes over his notes, then cleared his throat.
.
'Now. Do you have any fear, prejudice, or grudges against any specific species? ...I would advise you not to lie about this.'

Aava: "Against any species? No, not really... I'm not particularly fond of the Gorlians, but that's an empire, not a race..."

'And doesn't exist anymore. Very well. One more question. Do you have any injuries or medical conditions we should know about, that could impact your ability to work?'

Aava: "No, I don't. I'm covered in scars, but those don't have any impact on my performance."

'Then I think that's everything we need to know right now.'
.
Fred scrawled one last quick note, then set his book down.
.
'I'll contact you whenever I have a task that you might be interested in. It is your choice whether to accept or decline, but if you decline numerous jobs, I may stop offering them to you. You will be paid after the task's completion, and the amount is negotiable. Do you have any questions?'

Aava: "Yeah. I can't drive yet, is that going to...affect things? I might need to hitch a ride with someone to get to where I need to be."

'While it would be convenient to learn to drive, it is not necessary. Not everyone in the group can drive, and the ones who can get paid for transporting others. We also have Ryder, who can fly people, and Luxia, who can open portals. We find ways to get around.'

Aava: "Ok, cool. Out of curiosity, have you interviewed Dianne like this?"

'No. I had already known and worked with her for some time, so I knew her abilities, what she was like, and her weaknesses quite well.'

Aava: "Alright. I don't have any further questions."

{Standing, Aava offers her hand to shake.}

Fred stood as well, briefly shaking her hand.
.
'Keep in mind that you could go days or weeks without getting any work; it all depends on the situation. Now, Armin and Dianne shouldn't be far away. You may go and find them.'

Aava: "Alright, that's fine. Thank you so much, Frederick."

{Aava walks with him to the door.}

Aava: "When I get a phone, I'll update my contact information."

'Yes, please do. Contacting you through Dianne all the time won't be practical.'
.
Fred opened the door for her.

Aava: "Yeah. Ok, Frederick, see you soon."

'Have a good afternoon.' Fred shut the door behind her.
.
Meanwhile, out walking with Dianne, Armin glanced at his phone. 'It's been a while. We might want to start heading back. She might be done by now.'

Dianne: "Yes, I think we should."

{ Aava simply sits on the hood of the car, waiting for their return.}

Armin headed back the way they came, until the car and Aava came into sight. He greeted her cheerfully.
.
'Hey! Everything go alright?'

Aava: "Oh, yeah, everything's great!"

{She says, happily hopping off the car hood.}

Aava: "He'll call when he has something, but that might not be for a while."

Armin smiled, clapping her on the shoulder. 'Well, I hope you get something fun.' He started to climb into the car.

Aava: "Thanks, Armin. Ooh, Dianne can we, like, spar during the week? I want to refresh my fighting skills."

Dianne: "Hmm...well, I work all week, but, on my days off, sure."

'You could always have a quick spar today. We've got plenty of time before we're going down to the lake,' Armin suggested. 'Unless there was something else you wanted to do.'

Dianne: "Sure. Let's go to the park for that."

Aava: "Alright! Let's go!"

{She says excitedly.}

Armin started the car and headed off. 'You'll want to stop back home for a weapon, I guess?'

Aava: "Huh? Oh, well, no... I don't use a weapon. My hair is all I fight with."

'I know that, but Dianne might want something,' Armin pointed out.

Dianne: "Hmm. I don't want to use an actual blade. Too dangerous. I'd probably use a wooden training sword."

Aava: "Ok, let's go back, but why bother with the park at all? There's plenty of room in the yard."

'We're going home, then. We won't disturb any dog walkers if we practice in the yard.'
.
With a look of slight amusement, Amin began to head on for home.

Dianne: "Probably for the best. Esme looks big enough to kill and eat a small dog now."

Armin just chuckled while Esme cocked her head inquisitively. When they finally arrived at Dianne's house, Armin went over to the back of the car, retrieved Esme, and let her out in the spacious yard. 'There, you can run around and play while your mum slaughters Aava.'

Dianne: "Pffft, no. There will be no slaughtering."

Aava: "Hey, I'm a good fighter. She won't beat me that easily! So long as she fights fair and doesn't use magic..."

{Dianne heads inside to prepare while Aava starts stretching.}

Armin sat down on a mossy stone wall to observe the proceedings.
.
'I wouldn't be so sure she won't beat you easily. She's three thousand years old. Every time I've sparred with her, she destroyed me.'

Aava: "Yeah? Well, maybe I'm a better fighter than you."

{She says smugly. Dianne walks back outside with a wooden sword and shield.}

Dianne: "Ok, we're just doing this to give you a refresher. Take this nice and easy."

'Who knows. If you get thrashed, we'll know you're not,' Armin replied, baring his fangs in a smile.
.
Keeping one eye on Esme to make sure she didn't get too close to the action, he settled back to watch.

{Dianne walks up to Aava, taking up a defensive stance. Aava forms her hair into four hands, slowly advancing. Aava then darts forward, swinging a wooden fist at her. Dianne blocks with her shield, then stabs at Aava. Aava grabs the sword with a wooden hand and tries to pull it from Dianne, but Dianne's grip is too strong. With help from her shield, Dianne flips Aava over her shoulder. The elf lands hard on the cold ground.}

Aava: "Woaah! Ow!"

{Aava sits up, looking disgruntled.}

Aava: "What happened to "nice and easy?""

Dianne: "You should have let go of the sword."

Armin observed the short exchange with a mixture of amusement and curiosity. He rarely got to see Dianne fight where they weren't under attack by enemies.
.
'Well, that didn't last very long.'

Aava: "Oh, this isn't over yet."

{Aava stands, dusting herself off.}

Dianne: "Aava, I'm physically stronger than you by a massive margin. Don't try to grapple me. That's the mistake Armin keeps making."

{Aava advances, keeping her fists up. A bit more cautiously this time, she swings at the shield. Dianne blocks, then hops back as Aava sends a tendril at her foot.}

Dianne: "That's better, go for my legs. I'm very heavy so getting up won't be easy if I'm knocked over."

'Yes, she's heavy and probably slower than you. Try to trip her.'
.
Armin paid careful attention, eager to pick up any moves that he himself might find useful.

{Aava advances forward again, clashing with Dianne's shield with everything she has. Dianne blocks it, leaning into the blow. Aava then grabs the shield with her hair and pulls it. Dianne pulls back hard, but Aava strategically let go, causing Dianne to stumble back. Aava then darts forward and grabs her ankles, pulling her roughly off her feet.}

Dianne: "Ack!"

Aava: "Hahaha! I got you!"

'Ha! Good one,' Armin called out, grinning as he cheered her on from the sidelines. 'Very smooth.'

Dianne: "Yes, good. The key to survival is to know how to approach your opponent."

{Dianne stands, then reassumed her defensive stance. Aava charges, putting everything she has into one massive punch. Dianne grunts as she blocks it, her feet scraping the earth as she's pushed back. Redirecting the mass of wood, Dianne rushes forward and jabs at Aava with the wooden sword.}

Aava: "Aawww, dang..."

Dianne: "A lesser foe probably would have been knocked over."

'Just how strong /are/ you when you use your hair like that?' Armin questioned. 'You were able to generate enough force to push her back, but that doesn't seem possible.'

Aava: "Oh, well...it's hard to explain..."

Dianne: "Nirna's Hair is magical. It comes with an independent mass and momentum control. In a sense, her hair has a mind of its own. If it didn't have a little bit of extra help there, she'd break her neck every time she'd use a spell."

Aava: "Yeah...that."

'Ouch. Fortunate that that doesn't happen.'
.
Armin ran his gaze over the two of them.
.
'Alright, are you gonna go again?'

Aava: "Yep. Let's do some more!"

{Aava and Dianne ready themselves once again. This time, Dianne goes on the offensive. She rushes Aava, swinging her wooden blade at her. Aava deftly blocks with her hair, ducking down and retaliating. Dianne and Aava trade blows, attacking and parrying skillfully. The two were locked in a delicate dance of battle. One misstep on either side would mean victory for the other.}

Armin watched them strike back and forth for a while. Then, smiling mischievously, he decided to test Dianne's concentration.
.
//Hey, nice weather we're having today, right?// he said telepathically.

{Dianne gives no response aside from narrowing her eyes. Aava continues her assault, punching at the shield and deflecting the blade. Aava seemed to be getting tired while Dianne was calm and collected.}

Armin could see that Aava was going to get worn down before long. Her energy seemed to run out faster. He doubted she was going to win unless she could pull something spectacular out of the bag.

{Aava knew she was tiring, so she went for something reckless. She waited for Dianne to swing her sword, then deflected it over herself as she ducked and tackled her legs. However, Dianne managed to stay upright, gently jabbing Aava's back. Aava just sat there, panting and grabbing Dianne's legs.}

Aava: "Huff, huff...I would have had you... If I hadn't been worn out..."

Dianne: "Yes, you would. But hey, you got me once. That's one more than Armin."

{Dropping her weapons, Dianne kneels and hugs Aava.}

'Hey!' said Armin, a tad indignantly. 'She has a weapon that just happens to be useful against you. I have no such advantage.'

Aava: "True, but you're fast and strong and can shapeshift. No excuse."

Dianne: "He has trouble because of his lack of range. Now, let's go inside and relax until dinner."

{Picking up her weapons, Dianne walks for the house.}

Aava: "I'm going to shower. I got dirt in my hair."

(posting new room)