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After two days of variously boring meetings and plan-making sessions with high mucketymucks of the Golden Coven, Elspeth finds Milliways in a bathroom in the wolf village when she's trying to refill her water glass during Quil's daughter's third birthday party. It is mercifully not the house's only bathroom.
Hey, Libby, Bella! Orfeo, Elena! Here it is, in the house with all the partying going on! Ready to go? she says, herding the birthday girl away from the entrance.
her_imperial_radiance
prima-sequentem
[Absolutely,] says Libby, including Bella and (on a whim) Orfeo in the brainphone call.
self_composed
[On our way,] Bella adds. She has nothing to pack; she didn't even avail herself of guest clothes, her (pathetic stupid little argh) triangles having sufficed to keep her original outfit presentable.
prima-sequentem
Libby actually did borrow some guest clothes, but she has since rotated back to the clothes she arrived in.
Now, as to what if anything Orfeo and his sister are bringing along...
Now, as to what if anything Orfeo and his sister are bringing along...
her_imperial_radiance
Orfeo already packed. He kept enough out of suitcases to accommodate the fact that no one knew when he was leaving, but all his stuff - and there's not much of it, he's led a portable life for years now, but there's his Ultra Olympics pins and stuff like that - is squirreled away in a bag. Bella offhandedly agreed to keep his futuristic technology working as long as it didn't call for a populated futuristic network, which she can't supply - so he's leaving his phone, but bringing his weird roll-up stiffens-when-flat computer-thing, which can probably be expected to be magickable back onto 2005 internet.
Elena's packed, too. She has packed a change of clothes, her wolf uniform, and a tiny ziplock bag's worth of travel-size toiletries. If packing choices could scream, hers would scream I am not planning a prolonged vacation.
Elena's packed, too. She has packed a change of clothes, her wolf uniform, and a tiny ziplock bag's worth of travel-size toiletries. If packing choices could scream, hers would scream I am not planning a prolonged vacation.
prima-sequentem
And Libby is definitely listening to the screams of Elena's luggage.
her_imperial_radiance
At any rate, everyone and their luggage or lack thereof weaves through the party and Elspeth lets them through. She pops in herself only long enough to buy another case of the bubbly goldy stuff, then departs. "See you, Grandma, Bella, Orfeo, Elena!"
prima-sequentem
"See you, favourite grandchild."
The door closes behind Elspeth, and a moment later Libby opens it on her living room. She immediately collects all her coins, which isn't an action perceptible to anyone except in that she looks a little relieved when she does it.
The door closes behind Elspeth, and a moment later Libby opens it on her living room. She immediately collects all her coins, which isn't an action perceptible to anyone except in that she looks a little relieved when she does it.
self_composed
Bella doesn't even set foot in the living room. She just leans far enough that she can teleport to points within her own universe and she's gone.
her_imperial_radiance
Orfeo looks around assessingly, Elena resentfully. She's the one to ask, "Where do we sleep?"
prima-sequentem
"There's plenty of options," says Libby. "I have couches, or I could put you up in a hotel, or you could use my aunt's guest rooms; she lives nearby."
The apartment is, perhaps, not as uncozy as advertised. The walls are lined with neatly organized bookshelves; the promised couches are large and squashy and comfortable looking; the coffee table is wooden, with rounded corners. There is a general absence of clutter.
The apartment is, perhaps, not as uncozy as advertised. The walls are lined with neatly organized bookshelves; the promised couches are large and squashy and comfortable looking; the coffee table is wooden, with rounded corners. There is a general absence of clutter.
her_imperial_radiance
Orfeo goes and peers at bookshelves. Elena considers the listed options, and says, "I suppose no one's too likely to actually believe me a time traveler if I say something telling. I'll go with the hotel."
"These look comfy," he says, sinking deep into a couch with a random novel off Libby's shelf.
"These look comfy," he says, sinking deep into a couch with a random novel off Libby's shelf.
prima-sequentem
"I bought them especially for comfiness," she says to Orfeo, smiling fondly. "Are you leaning couchward for now, then?"
dont_look_back
"If I stopped leaning couchward I think it might eat me in revenge," he says.
prima-sequentem
"And we wouldn't want that," she says, resisting the urge to ruffle his hair. "All right. Just a sec while I get in touch with Mary, then; I think that's still the most immediate priority."
She leans her hands on the back of the couch and gazes meditatively at the opposite wall.
[Sure,] says Mary, not unfondly, before Libby can ask if she has a minute. [What's today's pressing question?]
[Kind of complicated to explain. So to catch you up: I visited another universe and a magically besotted werewolf followed me home.]
[...You have the most interesting problems,] says Mary. Libby grins.
She leans her hands on the back of the couch and gazes meditatively at the opposite wall.
[Sure,] says Mary, not unfondly, before Libby can ask if she has a minute. [What's today's pressing question?]
[Kind of complicated to explain. So to catch you up: I visited another universe and a magically besotted werewolf followed me home.]
[...You have the most interesting problems,] says Mary. Libby grins.
dont_look_back
Orfeo extricates himself from the couch and starts wandering around the apartment curiously, although he keeps an eye on Libby in case she wants to warn him away from anything.
prima-sequentem
[This magically besotted thing is kind of a perpetual problem for them,] Libby explains. [Any male wolf who hasn't already done it can imprint on anybody who could someday have kids with him, even if they are, for example, five. Or a lesbian. Mostly they get around this by cloistering unimprinted wolf boys, but as I have just proved, this method is not infallible. Also it's kind of inconvenient for the wolf boys in question.]
[And you want me to do what about this?]
[The occasional consult,] says Libby. [Hop over to the Golden Empire for a little while, meet a bunch of werewolves, and point them at potential imprints with whom they can have successful relationships. But first we have to find out if you can tell a wolf's future at all; apparently their Imperial Seer cannot, in fact, see them.]
[Okay,] says Mary. [For you. Because I love you so very much.]
There's a slight pause; then she says, [Your wolf boy likes you a lot. Have you introduced him to Chris? Introduce him to Chris. They'll get along.]
[I will introduce him to Chris,] Libby promises, laughing. [So that's a yes on the predictability of werewolves. In which case... hmm, actually, separate favour. I was going to do some experiments, but Bella ran away with her stars. Can I get a few if-thens?]
[You may,] Mary allows.
[First: if Orfeo stays here, without his sister, and I don't do any magic to him, will he be okay?]
[...Not really,] says Mary. [He'll be alive, but unhappy. Why?]
[Being a werewolf without a pack apparently results in suicidal depression. Next question: what if I do try magic?]
Mary is silent for a moment. Libby glances around to see how her guests are doing.
[And you want me to do what about this?]
[The occasional consult,] says Libby. [Hop over to the Golden Empire for a little while, meet a bunch of werewolves, and point them at potential imprints with whom they can have successful relationships. But first we have to find out if you can tell a wolf's future at all; apparently their Imperial Seer cannot, in fact, see them.]
[Okay,] says Mary. [For you. Because I love you so very much.]
There's a slight pause; then she says, [Your wolf boy likes you a lot. Have you introduced him to Chris? Introduce him to Chris. They'll get along.]
[I will introduce him to Chris,] Libby promises, laughing. [So that's a yes on the predictability of werewolves. In which case... hmm, actually, separate favour. I was going to do some experiments, but Bella ran away with her stars. Can I get a few if-thens?]
[You may,] Mary allows.
[First: if Orfeo stays here, without his sister, and I don't do any magic to him, will he be okay?]
[...Not really,] says Mary. [He'll be alive, but unhappy. Why?]
[Being a werewolf without a pack apparently results in suicidal depression. Next question: what if I do try magic?]
Mary is silent for a moment. Libby glances around to see how her guests are doing.
dont_look_back
Elena's judgmentally peering at the bookshelves. Orfeo's poking around in the kitchen, and, when Libby looks his way, he holds up a bag of oranges with a questioning look on his face.
prima-sequentem
"Go for it," she says, and goes back to looking at nothing in particular.
[That's a big range,] says Mary. [Over time and probability both. Uh, you're major-odds going to live for multiple centuries, by the way, and this pack problem is going to fix itself one way or another within about one of those on average. I'm still excluding his sister, right?]
[Right,] Libby confirms.
[Good, because that wouldn't go well. Okay, I need a little more to go on here. What kinds of magic solution are you considering?]
[I was thinking of the direct approach.]
[That is pretty much your worst option,] says Mary. [It's not a one-time fix and it creates a lot of tension for some reason if you keep doing it. Pick something else.]
Libby thinks.
[...If I use magic to make someone a werewolf,] she says slowly, [will that work?]
[Bingo,] says Mary.
Libby grins.
[Thanks, Mary. My favourite source of advice as always.]
[That's a big range,] says Mary. [Over time and probability both. Uh, you're major-odds going to live for multiple centuries, by the way, and this pack problem is going to fix itself one way or another within about one of those on average. I'm still excluding his sister, right?]
[Right,] Libby confirms.
[Good, because that wouldn't go well. Okay, I need a little more to go on here. What kinds of magic solution are you considering?]
[I was thinking of the direct approach.]
[That is pretty much your worst option,] says Mary. [It's not a one-time fix and it creates a lot of tension for some reason if you keep doing it. Pick something else.]
Libby thinks.
[...If I use magic to make someone a werewolf,] she says slowly, [will that work?]
[Bingo,] says Mary.
Libby grins.
[Thanks, Mary. My favourite source of advice as always.]
dont_look_back
Orfeo starts cutting oranges open and eating them. After he's halfway through orange two, he calls Elena over, and she leaves off judging Libby's books to share the oranges.
prima-sequentem
[I am your only source of advice,] Mary points out. Not inaccurately. [Also, in case there was any doubt at all: Chris.]
[There wasn't,] says Libby.
Then she announces, "Mary has solved our problems, because Mary is awesome. I can't fix packlessness, but I can make more werewolves. One more werewolf, specifically. Orfeo, how do you feel about meeting my aunt Chris? I have it on good authority you're going to like her."
[There wasn't,] says Libby.
Then she announces, "Mary has solved our problems, because Mary is awesome. I can't fix packlessness, but I can make more werewolves. One more werewolf, specifically. Orfeo, how do you feel about meeting my aunt Chris? I have it on good authority you're going to like her."
dont_look_back
"I'd love to meet your aunt," he says.
"Your aunt wants to be a werewolf?" Elena asks skeptically.
"Your aunt wants to be a werewolf?" Elena asks skeptically.
prima-sequentem
"My aunt will be okay with being a werewolf, according to my friend who can tell the future extremely accurately over short distances. Why, can you think of a good reason why she shouldn't?"
dont_look_back
"She won't be able to have kids?" says Elena. "The first month or so is kind of rough while you learn to change shapes on purpose and you go through a lot of clothes if you don't spend all your time in magnetic uniform? She will start to look like an Olympic swimmer at best, weightlifter at worst, and outside supernatural circles that's not a great look? She will have to cut off her hair, if it's longer than mine at all, or look like a mop when she phases? My little brother will be able to read her mind, and depending on how the alphas work out, give her orders she cannot refuse on any subject whenever he likes?"
"There are drawbacks," Orfeo admits. "We're used to it. Your aunt's not."
"There are drawbacks," Orfeo admits. "We're used to it. Your aunt's not."
prima-sequentem
[Can I choose who gets to be alpha of this little pack?] she inquires of Mary.
[Yes, and you should make it Chris. You Moriarty girls do like to be in charge,] Mary says, amused.
[Will Chris like being a werewolf?]
[Yep!]
"Well, according to the local oracle, she'll deal," says Libby. "So now we just have to ask Chris."
[Hi, Chris!]
[Yes, and you should make it Chris. You Moriarty girls do like to be in charge,] Mary says, amused.
[Will Chris like being a werewolf?]
[Yep!]
"Well, according to the local oracle, she'll deal," says Libby. "So now we just have to ask Chris."
[Hi, Chris!]
