Milliways Again

[her_imperial_radiance]

It lurks. Oh how it lurks.

Comments

[self_composed]

"But you're no less capable of biting your cheek, and if you're less creative it's not by a lot."

[prima_sequentem]

"By my best estimate, if I leave my five-and-ups at home, I'll pass the test," says Libby.

[self_composed]

"Okay. But is there any way Alice is getting through here?"

[prima_sequentem]

"Probably not. I wouldn't let him through if I were them," she admits.

[her_imperial_radiance]

"...Why, what's the matter with him?" Elspeth asks.

[self_composed]

"He can readily generate a great deal more of our sort of magic than we can," Bella says. "I suppose I could implement emergency protocols first, but that would have the disadvantage of him learning what they are."

[prima_sequentem]

"Well, would you want to bring Alice?"

[self_composed]

"Maybe. I'm not sure. It would be interesting, I imagine."

[prima_sequentem]

"We don't have to bring him on our first visit, anyway."

[self_composed]

"True."

[her_imperial_radiance]

"Mama might easily choose to make exceptions on the basis of how friendly you seem - especially to Dad, who reads minds - after a first meeting," Elspeth says. "There are plenty of people who work for her who wouldn't pass the strict test."

[prima_sequentem]

"I am extremely friendly," Libby says brightly. "Especially to quasi-granddaughters."

[self_composed]

"If I can't get along with a version of myself, I can't get along with anyone," Bella says. "And I get along with some people. So I can get along with your mama. Q.E.D."

[her_imperial_radiance]

Elspeth giggles. "Okay. Well, if you can... unmagic yourselves enough that I can convince Jacob you're kosher, we can try it that way."

[self_composed]

"Libby, you said holding the door open works even after it's been closed once. We could take turns going out and stashing our coins now," Bella suggests. "If we don't want to wait for the next appearance of Milliways-with-an-Elspeth-in-it."

[prima_sequentem]

"Sure," Libby says agreeably. "How are you going to stash yours?"

[self_composed]

"Treasure chest from good old Elias," Bella says.

[prima_sequentem]

"Good old Elias indeed. I'll probably have to spend a pentagon to get mine stored away—do you mind...?"

[self_composed]

Bella shrugs and hands one over. "How do you keep yours normally?"

[prima_sequentem]

"...Stacked," she says. "It's easy to conceptualize but kind of complicated to explain—remind me when we're not busy and I'll tell you all about it."

She walks to the door, opens it, glances around her living room, and spends the pentagon to no visible effect.

"There, your turn."

[self_composed]

Bella goes to the door. She makes her agony beam toggleable with an expenditure of a pentagon - by her only. Then she toggles it, and puts her remaining pentagons and hexes and stars away too, not without some trepidation but without too much delay either. The rest of her standing powers aren't harmful. Mere aikido skill and super-speed probably will not faze vampires and werewolves.

[prima_sequentem]

Libby returns to Elspeth.

"All done," she says, ceremonially dusting off her hands. "Go ahead and check my scariness levels."

[her_imperial_radiance]

Elspeth peers at her, then turns to Jake and says, "She couldn't give either of us an irrecoverable injury."

And then she turns to Bella, and then back to Jake. "She could because she's faster with their magic, but she's not faster than a full vampire, and she's got weaker defense than Grandma and so is easier to take down if she tries."

Jake fidgets uncomfortably, eyeing Bella.

[self_composed]

Bella doesn't think there's a whole lot she can say in self-defense here. If they were willing to trust her disinterest in harming them, they wouldn't be doing this. "I can go put my squares away, too; I can still make them, but that will cut my reaction time," she says tonelessly.

[her_imperial_radiance]

"That might be best for the first visit," says Elspeth sympathetically.