Family Meeting

"There they are," Tuli cooed, putting down the book she'd been reading as the newlyweds emerged from their room. She was dressed in her favorite, fluffy nightgown...and nothing else besides, so far as they could tell. "Good morning, you two."

"Morning, Mom," Nayeli waved, taking her hand out of Oro's but giving him a kiss on the cheek in exchange, "I'm going to get dressed first. You should get breakfast."

Sarahi, wearing just her shirt from the day before, got up and trotted off to the kitchen to reheat the food from the morning. Tuli had fairly well exhausted their supply of eggs and bacon, and doubted the milk would last another morning, but there was enough for everyone to be comfortably full today. They'd set aside a hefty portion for the typically ravenous Rabbit. Diya and Kylan were playing a quiet card game on the couch, back in their matching hiking outfits from yesterday.

The Sha'khari returned, holding two plates, and offered one to the grateful Oro. He started to sit down with his back to the sliding door leading out into the yard, giving her plenty of space to curl back up in front of the couch again, but Sarahi was quick to interpose herself between him and the door. Laying her animal half down against the curtained glass, she patted her side, offering to let him use her as a low, warm couch. Oro quirked a dubious brow...but sat down with his back against her, and dug into his plate without a word. Sarahi waved Nayeli over when she returned, directing her to sit beside her husband, also reclining against the Sha'khari, and handed her the other plate.

"Well, now that we're all here," Tuli smiled gently, picking up her coffee cup, "I'd like to call our first family meeting. There are a lot of important things to discuss after last night," she reminded them a little ruefully, "Not least of which is how often this is going to happen. Diya and Kylan were kind enough to fill me in while you two were with Sarahi last night, but we don't know anything beyond the fact that the spell made us all ragingly horny. The ghost...Organa, was it?...said this was a long-term spell, is that right? How long are we talking? And is that mood going to hit us nightly?"

Nayeli covered Oro's mouth before he could answer reflexively, knowing all-too-well he had no qualms stating his mind with his face stuffed with food. "Swallow first, dear. We're not at school."

He rolled his eyes above her hand, bit down hard a couple more times, then swallowed with an audible gulp. "Hell if I know," he grumbled then, eying the stone dangling from the hanger near the door, "I'll ask her in a bit, when my food has settled. She did say it shouldn't be so bad after the first time...but apparently it is something we're supposed to do regularly. She hinted that my orgasms are what generate her life-force."

Tuli nodded, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Alright. Let's assume the worst then: that we have to repeat that more-or-less nightly. I called in sick to work yesterday at the last minute, and warned them I'd be out today as well. I also called your parents and told them you had decided to stay for a sleep-over after hiking all over the mountain for the day. Your mom didn't seem overly concerned," she mentioned to the twins, then chuckled in Sarahi's direction, "But you have no idea how tricky it was to convince yours not to rush right over and pick you up. I'm certain they only agreed because I promised I would be home for the night...and let them naturally assume I would prevent anything resembling what happened, rather than be complicit in it."

"Oh, I might have a better idea than you think," the Sha'khari cringed, "Thank you for handling that. I...kind of don't want to go home right now. It's going to be hard to explain, to say the least."

"Which is why I brought it up," Tuli nodded, taking a sip of her coffee and gazing thoughtfully into the mug while she slowly let it trickle down her throat, "I know I'm walking right on the line of it, myself, but I will never advocate lying to your parents. I will go with you, if you want, to explain what happened last night...and what will need to happen going forward. I don't expect them to believe me, but as the responsible adult in the house, I imagine the worst of their anger will be directed at me. Hopefully they will be more understanding with you afterward."

Oro scowled at the thought. "And what are you thinking needs to happen 'going forward'? If anyone should be explaining it, that would be me, the fuck-up who made this mess."

She pointed to his mouth, suggesting that was exactly why he should not be the one explaining anything. "I expect...more or less...that they will need to move in. It will be awkward, to say the least, trying to ferry everyone here and back each night, or go around town to them. It'll be easiest under one roof," she sighed, "Though arrangements are going to be tight for a while." They had made do the previous night with the twins sleeping on the couch and Sarahi joining Tuli in her bed, though that was hardly ideal, and the house didn't really have closet-space for so many. "I don't think any of them are going to be happy to hear that, but I also don't want this creating more of a rift with your parents than can be helped. So I'll take all the heat I can."

Diya, ears laid flat, shook her head. "We can handle our parents. Mom worries more about us embarrassing her than being self-indulgent. And we're adults, too, you know. Two years graduated, I'm working as a freelancer and Kylan's halfway through a business degree. We'll be fine."

Tuli blinked at them a couple of times, then nodded slowly. "I'm sorry. It's easy to forget, just looking at you. Still...call me, if I can be of any help at all. Sarahi?"

The Sha'khari's face was red, and her eyes focused squarely on the floor. The hem of her shirt was threatening to rip, clutched between her fists. But, very reluctantly, she nodded. "I'm sorry. I'm...scared...to face them. Some moral support in the room...would be great."

Oro frowned again, twirling his fork in his fingers and pointing the prongs at her nose. "I'll give you all the fucking support they can--"

Tuli pointed an accusing finger again. "You will stay here. And clean the bathrooms," she added, "I am trying to keep bridges from burning forever and avoid a visit from the police. You're not juveniles anymore, and this may be the only time that works in our favor, but not if you start talking with your knuckles."

The Rabbit shot a hot glare at her, and they both remembered the admission she'd made last night, regarding the change in their relationship...but it was Oro who relented in the end. "Fine. Work your magic."

Tuli sighed in relief. "Thank you. And you," she smiled reassuringly at Sarahi, who looked increasingly guilty for being the source of the conflict, "Don't blame yourself. Parents naturally direct blame away from their children. It won't be so bad as you think, and I'm sure I've had worse said about me than anything your parents could think of." The Sha'khari tried to look confident as she nodded her thanks...but Oro could still feel her sides trembling against his back.

Tuli took another sip of coffee and continued, "That brings us to another problem, then." She gestured at the plate in Nayeli's hand and the one Oro had just finished emptying. "The fridge is essentially empty, and the pantry won't last the day with this many of us. I am happy to feed you all...but I simply can't. I don't bring in that much, especially after bills, which are only going to go up with all of us in the house. I'm glad to hear you already have work, Diya--"

The little female's face fell just a little. "Well...yeah, but it hasn't really taken off, yet. I do photography, so it's not exactly steady income, either. I'll give it everything I've got, but I don't know if you can actually count on me."

Tuli nodded, keeping her smile up. "It's okay. Do what you can. Oro," she said, turning back to the Rabbit, "I need you for this. And I don't know that we can count on Mr. Swordbright's help after Sarahi and I get back. You--"

Oro scoffed, getting to his feet, "Hold it. I can put this fear to bed pretty easily, at least for a while," he assured her, marching off to his room to drag something out of the closet. He returned shortly, and set the little chest down in front of her, taking a seat behind it. "Look, I will work. I'll find something. But this time, at least while I'm looking, take the fucking money," he demanded, opening the chest to show her his returns from the last run through The Gauntlet. "I'll find somewhere to sell the gems, too. They've gotta be worth something."

Diya and Kylan's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "Holy--that's what you get from running that Gauntlet thing?" the little male asked incredulously.

It was Sarahi who nodded. "That, and that spear you saw, and his bat."

"And this," Oro added, pulling the little wooden box out from where he'd squeezed it into the side of the chest. Opening it, he showed them the three remaining bottles and the ring inside. "I'd rather keep these," he admitted, "But if push comes to shove...shady as it sounds, I'm guessing I could make a small fortune hocking these outside the hospital."

Tuli tilted her head. "Oo, that's pretty. May I?"

He held the box out to her. "Keep it. It's supposed to have a spell to 'keep your children safe'. No idea what that actually means, but since you're the only one here that actually has a kid, I'm calling that one yours by default."

The older Lioness took the little ring and slipped it onto her finger, admiring it for a moment with a smile. "Thank you. We'll still sell it if things get tight, but I'll hold on to it until then. You're right...the rest of this should tide us over for quite a while," she admitted, eying the chest full of cash and jewels.

Kylan reached forward slowly, letting his hand hover above the chest. "May I?" he looked askance at Oro...who just pushed it closer, looking slightly offended that Kylan would entertain the idea that Oro might mistake him for a thief. Taking a portion of the tightly-packed bills out of the chest, Kylan flipped through them for a quick count and to verify they were all the same value. Then he seemed to do some quick math in his head...and looked over at his sister. "We should talk to Dad, too. He and mom do real-estate," the little male explained to the rest briefly, "And that's the focus of my major. Between his connections and Mom's...there's plenty here for a house big enough to fit everyone comfortably, I think. That'll take...years, admittedly_..._off how long it can pay bills, but if the house is flat-out paid it might be worth it. Think of it as reducing your 'rent' down to just property taxes each year."

Tuli nodded as he stuffed the bills back into the chest. "That is something to consider. Okay...that's the living arrangements and bills accounted for, at least for the time being. Let me get dressed and we'll drop off Diya and Kylan before going to your house, Sarahi."

The Sha'khari winced. "Do we have to leave so soon? I don't actually want to face them yet."

Tuli reached out to pat her shoulder gently. "I understand. But procrastinating isn't going to do anything except let the fear fester," she promised, getting to her feet. She giggled as she started for the bedroom, though. "Oh, where was that attitude when I was in school?"

"Hold on," Oro grunted before she'd quite got to the door, "What are Nayeli and I supposed to do while you're gone?"

Tuli turned to blink at him a couple of times. "I thought I told you to clean the bathrooms...?"

"Fuck off," the Rabbit snarled, leaning forward with his fists on his knees, "I'm no kid anymore, and you can't make me do that crap. What can I do that's useful?"

She blinked again, then giggled even as Nayeli gave him a light smack on the arm to tell him he was talking out both sides of his mouth there. "No, you're not," she admitted, "And I can't. You're the man of the house now. I think you'll find your idea of what is and isn't useful is going to change soon," she shrugged, continuing into her room. "Oh, getting groceries would also be a good option," she suggested before she closed the door.

The remainder of the morning and early afternoon seemed to drag on at a snail's pace. The house came to smell of disinfecting spray and laundry detergent. Oro was browsing the internet on Nayeli's phone, grumbling about how pricy a phone of his own was going to be, based on what he was seeing, when Tuli and Sarahi finally returned. The Rabbit set the phone aside, leaning forward in his seat. "How did it go?" he asked, though by the look of them it hadn't been good. The Sha'khari was carrying a heavy suitcase and looking red-eyed. Even Tuli looked...tired, and not in the way she usually did after a long night at work.

"Oh...they are pissed as Hell, I think is how you'd say it," Sarahi admitted, hefting her suitcase for him to see before setting it aside, "But they let me come back...or more like realized they couldn't stop me. I...still feel like I owe you an apology...on their behalf," she admitted to the older Lioness beside her, "Dad...I've never heard him say things like that..."

Nayeli, who had come in from the kitchen in time to hear most of their answer, stepped over and gave the Sha'khari a tight hug, then offered the same to her mother. "He's angry at what's happened to his daughter. I'm sure he didn't mean it."

"Oh, I think he meant every word," the older Lioness chuckled, accepting the hug and giving Sarahi as comforting a smile as she could manage with the evidence of tears still in her own eyes, "I can't even argue that any of them were untrue, however harsh. Gods forgotten...it's been a long time since I felt this chastised," she admitted, welcoming Sarahi under the other arm, reassuring her that whatever had been said would not come between them. "He loves you dearly," she reminded the young Sha'khari, "That's all. Nayeli's right. Whew! He's good, though," the Lioness chuckled, pushing them back a little and clearing her throat against the sniffles, "Even if it's nothing I haven't been called before, I don't remember ever feeling so ashamed in front of anyone but my parents." She pushed the younger two on into the living-room, encouraging them to make themselves comfortable on the couch. "Now, I'm going to try to still make my shift at work. We'll talk about it more tomorrow, if you need to. Don't dwell on it. It didn't go badly, honestly. I'll see you later." She quickly turned and retreated back out the front door.

Oro, sitting with his back to the sliding door, drummed his fingers on his knees, looking at Sarahi. "What did they say?"

Sarahi cleared the lump in her throat. "Um...a lot of things, including about every variation on 'prostitute' I've ever heard, plus a couple that were new to me..." He snapped his fingers to break her chain of thought and draw her attention, then shook his head firmly. "Oh...uh...well, I don't think you should go to the house for a while, but aside from that...they seem to think I've made a terrible decision. At the least, I should 'put it off' for a couple more years. Graduate, and either find legitimate work or get started on college. They seem to think 'ghost' and 'witch' are euphemisms for pimps and drugs or something. Mom reminded me to come home the minute I don't feel safe...ha!" she forced out a laugh, "'Not safe' in my second home. Gods forgotten, your mother is a colossus of self-esteem and restraint," she told Nayeli.

"She didn't have much choice but to become strong like that," the young Lioness nodded, "That's why I know she'll be fine. Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah," Sarahi promised, beginning to recompose herself, "I'm mad at them, especially Dad. They were almost entirely unreasonable. I actually had to move Mom out of the door after I packed my suitcase. But they didn't tell me not to come home...the opposite, actually, like I said. I haven't been disowned or anything. I think they'll be more understanding when they've calmed down. I'm sure I will, too," she admitted, remembering some things she'd said in Tuli's defense...also with words harsher than necessary. Taking a deep breath, she wiped her eyes dry and shrugged. "So...what did you two get up to while we were gone?"

"Groceries," Nayeli chuckled, patting her hand.

"I went and got your spear from the ring," Oro grumbled, nodding to the onyx rod and shining blade leaning in a corner of the room, "Had a little heart-to-heart with the witch while I was there. And...cleaned the bathrooms," he admitted reluctantly.

"And the kitchen," his wife praised gently, "Anyway...come on. We'll make room in the closet for your things, but you'll need to help me decide what to move to our closet and what to throw away. I get too attached to things," she grinned, taking Sarahi's hand and pulling her to her feet, hoping to distract her with a mix of practical work and modeling clothes. For the most part, it worked.

It was much later before the twins returned, each rolling a suitcase behind them, and waved to their mother from the front door as she pulled away. "Heya," Diya called as they closed the door, "We're back."

"Come on in," Nayeli's voice drifted in from the kitchen, "There's dinner, if you didn't eat yet. Nothing fancy, but I made Oro leave enough for you." They all chuckled at that, except for the Rabbit, who rolled his eyes. The group was gathered around the little folding table in the kitchen, a mostly-empty tray of store-bought lasagna on the counter.

"It's okay," Kylan smiled as he and his sister joined them, ignoring the tray and extra plates, "We had dinner before we left. How have things been, here?"

Sarahi shook her head. "I'm here to stay. I want to leave it at that for now. I'm tired of thinking about it. You?"

The twins winced almost in unison, though they couldn't say they were surprised. Kylan patted her side reassuringly. "Fairly well," Diya began to explain, though sounding slightly disappointed by her own answer, "Don't be mad, but I kind of wish our Mom was a bit more like yours. This seemed like something a parent should get angry over, if they care at all."

Kylan turned his reassuring pat to his sister. "What she means to say is that Mom actually can remember we're adults, and let us make our own decisions. She just reminded us that whatever we do reflects on her, too...which is her way of saying don't let it become a scandal. Dad was a little more bothered, but also respects our independence. So," he pushed up a chair and climbed into it, so he wasn't talking just over the edge of the table the whole time, "We mentioned to Dad that we'd like a bigger house, and he promised to put his ear to the ground, so-to-speak. Heh...I think he was surprised at the price cap we gave him. He seemed a little relieved."

"Probably glad someone in the house has above-middle-class income, at least to his eyes," Diya sighed, "He'll find something reasonable, I'm sure. Dad's practical like that. In the meantime...and I think this is a terrible idea that would be too awkward for everyone involved...but I promised Mom I'd mention we could all move in with them in the meantime. The house is big, and we already have two guest suites besides our own rooms."

Oro's lip curled. Nayeli and Sarahi both cringed at the thought. "I appreciate the offer," Nayeli voiced what they all were thinking, "And thank her for being so open-minded. But I don't think I'd be comfortable sitting at the table with her under the circumstances. Not right now, anyway. Maybe once we're more used to it, ourselves..."

Diya nodded in complete understanding. "Yeah. I'm not too keen on the thought. Just tossing it out there."

"Speaking of circumstances," Kylan steered them away from that topic, "Did you learn anything about ours today?"

Nayeli nodded. "Oro had a talk with Organa this morning. Go ahead, dear. We'll have to fill Mom in later."

"Sure," he grunted, "Well, it's not as bad as it could be. Things won't hit that fever-pitch again, provided I don't ignore you terribly long."

That was a relief to them all. "That's good. We don't need to worry too much about your Mom tonight, then," Kylan observed. Nayeli nodded agreement, though she had been reasonably sure her mother could resist the want for a single night. It might even help at her work, in a sense.

"How long is 'terribly long'?" Diya asked practically.

"Vague," Oro growled, not having liked the witch's answer, even if it had made sense, "It depends on the person's own self-restraint and natural...'need'. She estimated more-or-less a month before it gets bad." The Rabbit sighed, partly glad it wouldn't be as intense as they had feared, but still feeling guilt that it was a thing at all. "So...I figure if I get with at least one of you every week or so...we can keep it from getting uncomfortable. She was particularly encouraging about me getting with Sarahi and Kylan regularly, though," Oro rolled his eyes, "The biggest loads will come from us." He pointed down at his own waist.

Sarahi blushed, staring at her plate, and just nodded slowly.

"One other note," the Rabbit continued, "Because she's feeding on that, we are effectively sterile. I guess that's one less thing to worry about, but if it bothers you...well, speak up when it bothers you. I don't get the impression that's a mandatory thing. It just slows down the process if she lets one of us off the hook."

"Let's get you out from under her thumb before we worry about anything like that," Nayeli suggested, to which the rest of the group nodded hearty agreement. "Alright...I think we all know where we stand, now. Since Mom won't be back until early morning, probably, I think it will be okay for you three to share the master bed. I don't know about anyone else...but I am desperately in need of something like a 'normal' evening now. We don't have a console, I'm afraid, so would a movie be okay? We've also got some boardgames stashed in the closet..."

"Gods forgotten, it's like you read my mind!" Diya sighed, dropping her face onto the table, "It's been such a weird weekend. I just want to mute my brain in front of a TV for a little while."

Nayeli nodded sympathetically. "Then for tonight, let's try to think of it as a sleep-over. I'll make some popcorn, you guys pick something from the entertainment center," she suggested, getting up and gathering the empty plates to pile in the sink...

New Home, New Neighbors

The group slowly settled into a more-or-less comfortable routine that lasted for the rest of the semester. Graduation came. Even the principal seemed surprised -- and also pleased -- to see Oro cross the stage, however grumpy about all the hullabaloo. Sarahi was glad to see her parents in the crowd when her turn came, too...and even looking proud of her. They were pointedly avoiding being too close to Oro and the Hopes, though. That was alright. The Sha'khari took a nice, long visit with them after the ceremony, and came away from it much more content than she had been in weeks.

The very next day, they all loaded up into the new (to them) minivan and headed off up a semi-remote back-road toward the new house Oro and Nayeli had bought earlier that week, under Kylan's guidance. They hadn't laid eyes on it before the purchase.

Oro gave a low whistle as they pulled up to the door, stepping out of the minivan and looking around the grounds. It was more yard than he'd ever seen before, and Nayeli could only compare to her grandparents' house. Most of it was lightly wooded, and sloped up toward one side, in the direction of the mountain, but otherwise even and naturally manicured. The house itself was two-storied, short one bedroom from what they were looking for, but they'd already agreed to convert the "bonus room" for Sarahi's use, making it plenty spacious. There was even a small, artificial pond behind the house.

"Okay, what's wrong with it?" the Rabbit grunted, looking sideways at Kylan...who seemed as surprised as Oro was suspicious. "You'd know better than I would, but I remember what the paper said we paid for this, and that's nowhere near where I'd price this place. Does your Dad have dirt on someone, or what?"

"Oooh," chuckled the little male, suddenly understanding, "That's your graduation and wedding present, Dad said. He and Mom covered the other half. It's all in good shape. Dad wouldn't have recommended it otherwise."

Nayeli patted the little male's shoulder as she stepped around him toward her husband. "Pass on our thanks, please. It's lovely," she sighed happily, looking up at the house as she took Oro's hand. "Ready?"

She looked at him when he didn't immediately answer...and found him frowning slightly as his ear slowly swiveled around, scanning for the direction of some sound that had caught his attention. "Not quite yet," he muttered, turning away from the house then. "You guys go on. There's something I need to check."

They all blinked at him curiously, but he ignored them, starting off across the yard in the direction of the road and the nearest neighbor's house. Nayeli motioned for Sarahi and the twins to go look the house over...then trotted off to catch up with her husband. "What did you hear?" she asked gently.

"A familiar voice," he answered, now apparently quite certain of the direction it had come from, "That might not like me so much. I'd rather settle it now than get surprised by it later." His wife blinked at that...and followed at his elbow. They crossed the street and hopped the ditch, walking along the little rustic fence around the neighbor's property until they found the drive leading up to the front door. Much to Nayeli's surprise, Oro made straight for it. From inside, she could faintly hear the sound of an infant crying, and someone trying to shush it.

Oro rang the bell. A tired, female voice acknowledged him from inside, and soon the door swung open to reveal a sleepy-eyed Dalmatian in a night-shirt, holding a mug of coffee in front of her stomach that snarkily advertised "this is how I roll my eyes". "Oh...it's you," her eyes came awake for a moment when they alighted on Oro, then fell back into tired disaffection, but she was quick to step out onto the porch and close the door behind her, giving Nayeli only the briefest glance inside. "What are you doing here?" she asked shortly, taking a sip from her mug and pulling her phone from her shirt pocket.

"Apparently, I'm your new neighbor," the Rabbit grumbled, neither of them seeming particularly happy to see the other, "One of them, anyway. How's the kid?"

She made a vague gesture toward the floor above them, where the sound of crying had stopped. "Healthy as daylight, and keeping his parents well sleep-deprived," she declared with a sigh, "Brother's trying to soothe him right now, so his mom can get some rest. So, you moved into the house up the hill?" she asked idly, opening some app on her phone and scrolling quickly through the page it presented to her.

"Yes," Oro declared simply, crossing his arms over his chest, "Is that going to be a problem?"

The Dalmatian took another sip of her coffee as she continued to read. A long one. She looked from her phone to the Rabbit to the Lioness beside him over the rim of her cup, while Nayeli was giving him curious looks. "Um...care to introduce me?" the Lioness asked, as the Dog didn't seem in much of a hurry to answer him.

Oro just shrugged, never taking his eyes off the woman. "Never caught your name. I'd be surprised if you remember mine."

"Oro," she said almost instantly, swallowing her coffee, "Oro Ironheart, of Southbend High. Fostered by Tuli Hope about five years ago. Graduated yesterday, but only barely, right? I'm Johanna," the Dalmatian declared, offering her mug-filled hand...to Nayeli.

"Nayeli," the Lioness introduced herself, arching a brow and very gently lifting and lowering the cup in a mock-shake, careful not to spill any of it, "Sorry, but he's tight-lipped at the best of times. May I ask how you know each other?"

"And how you know I graduated yesterday?" the Rabbit added.

She put her back to the railing with a sigh, holding the warm ceramic against her stomach as she leaned against the weathered wood. "We had a fight last year over a witch's ghost. He won, I have to say. After that little encounter, you shouldn't be surprised I looked you up. Research and computers are what I do, and I'm very good at both. I know nearly everything about you that's more than a week old and available on the internet...including that little shopping spree you went on late last year for some very esoteric items. And that you two got married this spring." They blinked at her in surprise as she continued, "Also that Mrs. Hope doesn't make nearly enough to swing payments on that house, so either she got some help from her parents or you brought other room-mates with you. Probably this Sarahi Swordbright, at the least, though even her parents would be hard-pressed to--"

Oro put his hand over her phone, lowering it so she could properly see him scowling at her. "I asked if we're going to have a problem," he growled, "Should I take the stalker-style profile as a 'yes'?"

She still looked bored, rather than intimidated, but she respected him enough to continue looking him in the eye as she answered. "Look, you kept your promise, and held the witch to hers, apparently. You're good in my book. No, there won't be a problem with us being neighbors, so long as you keep to your yard and we keep to ours. But you understand I'm not comfortable having that witch's 'champion' standing on my porch, right?"

"Entirely," Nayeli and Oro declared in unison.

"Good," she nodded slowly, "Then all I'm saying is I'm no one to trifle with, either. Let's all be respectful." Turning back toward the door, she added, "I'll warn the others not to panic when they see you on the street. Call me up if you want your network secured. I'll make it airtight, as a favor to a neighbor. Congrats on everything, and good luck."

"Thanks," the Rabbit grunted.

"It was nice to meet you," Nayeli added gently with a little wave.

The Dalmatian quirked a dubious brow. "Likewise," she declared, then closed the door.

"Well," Nayeli sighed as they descended the steps and started back down the driveway, "I guess that could have been more awkward. She seems...nervous."

"Yeah," the Rabbit agreed, "They're good people. Even good people get anxious when they see an enemy living right next door, though," he grunted, "I just don't want that turning into paranoid watchfulness and unnecessary calls to police or anything."

The Lioness quirked a brow at him. "You're not their enemy. Not really."

Oro nodded. "No way they can know that, though, aside from keeping my promise. And I honestly wouldn't have known if the witch did or didn't if I hadn't asked. So I'm glad it turned out okay." Nayeli took his arm in hers, leaning into his shoulder as they walked back to their new house.

Once more, however briefly it might last, life settled into a comfortable routine. They spent the first two weeks just getting used to the change in home and schedules. Then Sarahi and Oro began the serious search for work, while Nayeli prepared to enroll for a nursing degree. Barely halfway through the summer season, everything would change again...

Nayeli quirked a curious brow as she saw her mother's car pulling back into the drive. It wasn't even quite dark yet. Her shift at Owl Eyes should be in full swing at the moment. The Lioness went to get the door for her, catching the attention of her house-mates, as Tuli climbed the porch steps. "Thank you, dear," the older Lioness smiled as the door swung open for her and Nayeli made room for her to come in. Her mother looked tired, as usual, but obviously not from a long night.

"Is everything alright?" Nayeli asked gently, thinking her mother might be ill or something.

"Welcome home!" Kylan called from the other end of the living-room, having missed their initial exchange, "You're back early..."

Tuli nodded, still smiling as she took a deep breath. "Well, I was fired today," she announced calmly, as if it were no different from dropping one of the glasses or miscounting someone's change.

It didn't strike anyone else as so trivial. "What?!" Nayeli gasped, "Why?"

Tuli stripped off her gloves, laying them on her purse as she put it down by the door before moving into the living-room. "Because, as you might expect, this is a big no-no for my job," she circled her finger over her belly, admittedly rather more snug under her vest and slacks than it had been a couple of months ago, though hardly worthy of remark.

Diya, touching up photos on the couch, quirked a disbelieving brow. "They fired you...for putting on weight? It's not even that much. You could start jogging and have it gone in, like, a week! Your boss is a tail-hole."

"I could have told you that when she fostered me," Oro growled, tapping Gorgorond on his shoulder lightly. He'd gotten in the habit of carrying the bat nearly anytime his hands weren't otherwise occupied, as though he was developing a level of separation anxiety with it.

The older Lioness giggled, rolling the hem of her shirt up and the waist of her slacks down a bit, making the roundness of her belly a little clearer to the eye, and waved for Diya to come over. "Put your hand on this."

The way she said it made everyone's eyes widen for a moment. "No way," Diya whispered, sliding off the couch and stepping over to lay her palm on the older Lioness' belly. "...It's firm," she confirmed, "Which...means..."

"That's not fat, dear," Tuli assured her, patting the hand on her tummy, "That's Nayeli's new sibling."

"I'm...going to be a sister?" Nayeli whispered, eyes wide as her expression slowly shifted from shock to delight, "I'm going to be a sister?!"

Tuli nodded, taking a seat in the recliner as the rest of the house began slowly approaching her...save for Oro, who seemed confused about the hullabaloo. She giggled at the sight, which looked almost like wolves closing in on a wounded deer, though their faces were full of nothing but curiosity, concern, and excitement. "There's not much to feel," she warned them, though she didn't try to keep any curious hands at bay, "It's not kicking yet or anything. But there's no place for this in that work environment. My boss and I agreed on that. He did give me the option to stay...but I'm not willing to pay the price for it."

Nayeli nodded, instantly understanding the implication and delighted her mother had not resorted to it. Her touch was gentle and adoring as she caressed her mother's tummy once. Sarahi...winced slightly, even as her hand followed Nayeli's. "I don't want to ask this...but...is there any chance it could be...." She glanced meaningfully at Oro as Tuli shrugged.

"This curse we're under keeps us sterile, remember?" the Rabbit grunted, "Though I kind of thought it did the same for the girls, too."

Tuli just shook her head. "It makes no sense, spell or no. I've been doing this job for a long time, dear. Naturally, I take a preventative, and convince the client to wear protection as often as possible. This simply should not have happened...so I honestly have no idea. I kind of wonder if it has something to do with this," she added, turning the little gold ring on her finger that she had not been able to remove since she first put it on.

Oro finally came over as the rest of them withdrew, crouching in front of Tuli and staring hard at her tummy, like he could somehow see the little life growing inside her. After a moment, instead of his hand, he turned his head and pressed his ear lightly against her belly. Tuli grinned, running her fingers through the fur between his ears while he listened with eyes closed. "Eh, fuck where you came from," the Rabbit muttered at last, "You're mine now. It's a fucked up world you're coming to, but you can beat it. I'll show y--ouch!"

He withdrew quickly as Nayeli and Sarahi each pinched one of his ears, and Tuli gave him a disappointed stare. "I'll thank you not to start teaching it to swear before it's even learned to kick," she sighed, supported by her daughter and the Sha'khari to either side. Diya and Kylan tried not to laugh. Tuli reached out to pat his cheek gently. "I'm sorry to drop this on you out of the blue. I was taken rather by surprise, too. This," she framed her belly in her hands, "Started rising up just about two weeks ago. It's progressed...quickly, to say the least."

Oro shook his head. "It's fine. I got an offer for an interview, finally, and we've still got some funds from that last run. We'll get by. I wanted you to drop that job after my first run," he reminded her.

Tuli nodded gratefully. "Well, wish granted. Thank you. Now, if nobody needs me for anything urgent...I'd like to take a nap." Everyone nodded sympathetically, and she retired to her room for the rest of the night...and the day after.

Nayeli brought her snacks and meals on a little tray. She slept through each incursion, but her daughter was comforted by the fact that the food disappeared between each visit. She was eating, and drinking. She just wasn't bothering to get up. "Sarahi," the younger Lioness asked her friend as the family started to wind down for the night, "Would you mind staying with Mom tonight? She might...be depressed. That's hard for me to believe, but I'd feel better if someone had eyes on her tonight." Her mother had always been strong-willed and optimistic. But this behavior was strange for her, and she had enjoyed her work, however difficult she found it...she might be affected by the loss of it more than she was letting on.

"Sure," Sarahi assured her easily, "I'll let you know if she's feeling well enough to kick me out." The Sha'khari slipped into the room that night as quietly as she could, and Tuli did not stir.

Everyone awoke the next morning to the scent of fresh pancakes and coffee, and a happy hum coming from the kitchen. "Goooood morning!" Tuli greeted Sarahi in a sing-song voice as the Sha'khari was the first to appear in the dining room. The Lioness had just set down a large plate piled high with pancakes, and a bottle of warmed syrup. "Bacon or sausage?"

"Both," grunted Oro before Sarahi could answer. He and Nayeli joined the Sha'khari in the dining room, and they could hear Diya and Kylan making their way down the stairs behind them.

Nayeli caught up with her mother just as Tuli was returning to the kitchen, humming and smiling happily. The younger lioness hugged her tight, forcing her to pause for a moment. "Feeling better?" she asked her mother.

Tuli giggled and returned the hug happily. "Absolutely," she nodded, "I'm sorry I worried you. My body-clock has been off-kilter for almost twenty years straight, and I've been some degree of sleep-deprived for most of that," she reminded her daughter as they let go of one another. "Wow, it's amazing to be well-rested!" she laughed, practically skipping off to the kitchen to finish the home-made breakfast, "And I haven't gotten to have breakfast with you in years!"

Glad to find that Tuli had just been adjusting to her new schedule -- or lack thereof -- Nayeli gave her mother a hand in the kitchen and with serving breakfast to the rest of the family in the dining room. They made enough to feed ten, easily...and Tuli's appetite was nearly a match for Oro's once she sat down. Between them, not a single pancake or strip of bacon survived to return to the fridge. Tuli giggled at the amused looks Nayeli and Sarahi were giving her. "Expectant mother's appetite," she winked, pushing back her plate with a contented sigh and eying her untouched coffee cup with a rueful look. "I'll have to back off that for a while," she said, mostly to herself. "Mmm...on that note, I hate to talk about spending money just after losing our main source of income, but I essentially only have my work clothes and pajamas, and the work clothes aren't going to fit for much longer. Would one of you mind doing some shopping with me later today?"

"Absolutely!" Sarahi and Nayeli both cheered, then giggled at each other. "We'll both go," Nayeli nodded, "Diya, too. Girls' outing," she winked at the little female, who gave two thumbs up with her mouth full of pancake. "No offense to our boys," she quickly added.

"Ha!" Oro laughed, "I'd be nothing but a downer, even if I wanted to go. Besides, I've got an interview to get to. Maybe you'll come home to good news."

Nayeli smiled...then ran her eyes up and down him briefly, noting his usual jeans and hoodie. "You're going to change before you go, right?" His scowl answered her well enough...and Nayeli pinched the bridge of her nose, realizing it was pointless to insist he do so: five copies of that exact same outfit were pretty much the sum of his wardrobe. "Right, I'll pick up something nice for you while we're out, too." Maybe he would surprise them all and get the job, whatever it was, regardless. But it couldn't hurt to maximize his chances for future interviews.

Kylan chuckled. "Let me handle that. You guys can drop me off as soon as we reach the strip and pick me up when you're done. I can keep myself busy in the meantime."

"Okay!" Sarahi clapped, "Sounds like we have a fun summer day ahead of us! Ooo, I can't wait!" Having finished her plate, she took off for the stairs to finish getting dressed suitably for public, and the others were soon following with much excitement and laughter.

Oro watched them all head off in the minivan, leaving the car for him. As soon as they were down the drive, he went back inside...and took the witch's stone off the hook where it lived these days. "We need to talk," he growled, sitting on the couch with eyes closed.

"Oh? Now? I thought we weren't on speaking terms anymore," her voice sighed unhappily into his ear. It was almost true. Ever since that ritual, he'd stopped wearing her stone, effectively making their communication one-directional and cutting her off from the outside world, if she didn't want to personally wander beyond the protective ring. He still spoke to her on occasion, particularly if he wanted something clarified about their curse or her progress (a vague measure, at best, though he had been encouraged to learn she did receive power from every coupling...and even self-release, though that did nothing to alleviate the harem's growing desire to satisfy him). For the most part, though, he had made it clear she had burned a great deal of his sympathy.

"Yeah, well, I need information only you might have," he grumbled.

"I see. Well I'm happy to be your personal library, but I'm putting a price on each check-out, since you're not exactly a regular anymore," she declared. Oro's ear twitched in annoyance, but he couldn't say he was surprised, and she had him over a barrel.

"Fine," he growled, "What do you want?"

"A tour of the house, for starters," she surprised him with something so mundane, "You've moved. I can tell you're closer to my ring now, almost constantly. I'd like to see the grounds."

He tapped his foot on the carpeted floor. It was too easy. He didn't trust this "price". But he couldn't think of a good reason not to do it. "Fine," he agreed, opening his eyes and getting to his feet, "Talk to me while I show you around, then. Something weird is happening to Tuli." He started by walking around inside the house, passing through or looking into every room at least once, briefly. "She's pregnant, which I thought was impossible thanks to what you've done to us. I wouldn't have a clue, but she also thinks it's progressing fast. She hasn't been able to take off that ring we found with the healing potions ever since she put it on, however hard she tries. Does any of that make any sense to you?"

She considered quietly for a moment. "All magic has a price. That is true even for otherwise mundane items that have been enchanted. If the ring refuses to be removed, it is both strong and self-purposed. I don't doubt it will 'protect her children', as the box described, but that might not take a form you appreciate. It may even include ensuring that she has children...in other words, protecting her fertility and your seed despite my efforts. But any details I might give you are strictly speculation."

"Fucking fantastic," the Rabbit growled, ascending the stairs to show her the bedrooms, "How do we get it off of her, then?"

"Well, assuming you want to remove whatever protective charms it possesses besides that of her fertility...without more concrete details, it's hard to say. I know a generally powerful enchantment-breaker, but you can probably guess what I need for it."

Oro ground his teeth. "Something from The Gauntlet, right?"

"Exactly." She sounded smug. Oro had brief visions of knocking the smile off her face with Gorgorond. But that brought a new question to mind.

"All magic has its price, you said. What about Gorgorond, and that spear Sarahi's keeping? What about those healing potions we drank?" he asked, "What does power like that cost?"

"Hmmm...it is theorized that the healing potions cost time," she explained, as if even she was bored by this particular line of thought, "They accelerate healing by stealing and compressing time from the end of your natural lifespan. It's difficult to measure, of course, and lends more to philosophy about the existence and nature of destiny than cost-benefit analysis. No warrior ever contended that losing a few months or even years off the tail of their potential life was not a fair price to pay for living passed the current hour...in which they usually have a gaping hole in their chest. Don't make them a dinner staple and you should be fine," she chuckled.

"And the weapons?" he prompted again as he descended the stairs and headed for the front door, noting that she didn't answer the complete question.

"Like the ring, any details I could give you right now are purely speculative. Those items are much more complex and elaborate than simple potions. The best I can say is that your bat is almost certainly tied to an entity of some sort...and, for better or worse, you are strengthening a bond with that entity. The spear is likely to be the same," she suggested as the front door opened the the yard came into sight.

Oro stepped outside and took a deep breath of the clean mountain air. He had to admit, it was nice being so close to the woods. The outdoors always smelled good to him. "How can you find out more?" he grunted.

She took a moment before answering. "Ooo...you are close to that couple I inspired to conceive. No wonder your presence is so strong. My influence almost extends to your house now, thanks to the life-force you and your family have been feeding me."

"Answer the question," he growled.

Organa sighed in his ear. "Either spend ungodly amounts of time looking through old books you would be completely unable to decipher even if you can find them, or retrieve one very special book I used to possess. It was, itself, a reward from The Gauntlet, and easily the most valuable treasure any of my champions ever brought to me. Good luck finding it, though."

He ground his teeth. "This book got a title?" he growled. That book sounded important. Powerful. Maybe whoever had killed her had burned it with her, thinking it was a spellbook...but something in his gut was telling him a thing that powerful would not be disposed of so easily. And if it still existed in the world, it would be treasured, valuable, hard to find...but not lost.

Organa giggled, as if she could tell what he intended to attempt. "A connection to the Akashic Records needs no title. All titles are contained within it, even titles that were never written, and never intended to be written."

"Akashic Records," Oro grunted, "Got it. Well, you've had your look-about, and I've got an interview to get to."

"Good luck," she wished him, sounding amused at the idea of him holding any other job besides her champion. It pissed him off, mostly because it was difficult for him to imagine, too. And that...was starting to worry him. He stuffed the stone in his pocket, cutting off her connection, and went to fetch the car keys with a scowl on his face reserved solely for himself.