"It's not going to sneak up on us."

"I want Elieyha and Naruto to look at your Exaltation too, when we get a chance."

"Okay. Why?"

"There was a thing they were talking about, some kind of stress circuit. With a different Essence profile, like it was added later."

"That sounds - worrying."

"Yeah. So let them poke you."

Hug. "I will. Promise."

Hug.

Yawn.

Nuzzle.

Seems like sleep time to her. Staring into her soul can wait for the morning.

And meanwhile her girlfriend will be right here.

Good Luc'. Best blanket.

Wyld wiggles enough to get her boots off, then drifts off to sleep.

There's breakfast waiting on a tray beside the door when they wake up.

An excellent opportunity for breakfast in bed, then! (And cuddles. And kisses.)

Almost like it was planned to be so. It's what she would do.

"You have the best alts."

"The best alts for the best girl."

She laughs and kisses Luc'.

"Speaking of really great alts - you'd wanted me to talk to Elieyha and Naruto about my Exaltation?"

"Yeah. If they're around and you didn't want to keep meeting new people."

"I do wanna keep meeting new people, but - this sounds important to you. And with the help we've already got... I'm in less of a rush, pretty much?"

Smile. "Let's go, then."

She takes Luc's hand, asks Ellayania for directions please, and they can head off.

Elieyha apparently did not wake up as early as Luc'; she's still sipping a cup of tea and hardly responding to Naruto when they find her.

Naruto is wide awake.

He waves to Luc' and Wyld, grinning.

"Hey! Settling in okay?"

"Yeah. We talked to Eliana some," she grins more widely, "And also then to one of the more recent us's - Ani and Occlus - and Ani's kids. They're gonna help with our world."

"Great!"

He pauses.

"...One of you guys' alts has kids?!?!"

Elieyha half-heartedly bats at his head for shouting.