who will be coming?

[small_magics]

Aianon has made a plant in the open airless space above the surface of Thilanushinyel. It is a very, very large plant - some dragons will be attending the party, after all, even if Ansharil in particular is going to be assorted small things and stay on Sarion's person the bulk of the time.

The locals will be Sarion, her beloveds, their other beloved, the five conjured dragons (and their Bondmates, where applicable: Virgivere and Lissa), and Liselen - Magania has, as usual, declined, and so far no Bell party has featured Bell parents.

Amariah is bringing her boyfriend and spontaneous daughter and two of the spontaneous daughter's friends, as well as an Alethian instance of the Rupert template.

Shell Bell is bringing Pearl and Screwdriver.

Golden is bringing her usual large contingent, as usual not including her husband but including her daughter and daughter's grown fosterling (the other remaining at home) and his wolf, both mothers-in-law and one father-in-law, adopted siblings, staff members including the Joker and Nathan, and the children of the aforementioned.

Glass is bringing both wives, all three daughters, Kanim, and her cat. She invited Icarin and Valeria, but their parents are not willing to let them gallivant into other worlds unsupervised and had a scheduling conflict.

Stella's bringing a smattering of people including Alice, Anna, Sandy, Libby, Bridget, her college roommate Janine, and Lazarus.

Tab is bringing Aelise (but not Kers) and Luhan.

Etty is bringing only Nona.

Aether, likewise, brings no one but Celo.

Pattern comes with Ripper, Slipstick, Queenie, and Ghosty.

Aegis is accompanied by her four-bodied boyfriend, Merryweather, Whitlock, and Howlett.

Aurora comes with Brilliance, Lexi with her Device Persica, Agent Honey with her Device Adularia, and Beth.

Rose brings her husband and three children and her former apprentice, Luc.

Angela brings her husband, her four children, several of her friends, and some of those friends' children and grandchildren with and without wings. Keziah also brings a friend.

Juliet shows up with Soph, Minus, Red, Giles, James, Virginia, Minnie, Ike, and Val.

Cam brings Jellybean and Tilly and stops there.

And from unBelled worlds hail additional Sherlocks and Tonies, Darcy, Matilda, Pepper, and Eights.

Comments

[pythbox]

Harley and Corona are sitting side by side on the platform that rings the space plant, tucked up against the outer wall of the main room. Corona has his arm around Harley's shoulders and Harley is leaning into him comfortably.

"Yeah," says Harley, "probably 'cause Elsie got most of it."

[inherpiety]

"Well, she didn't get it all. It's - it's like -"

[segreant]

"It's like if someone burned down a forest and salted the earth and then put a bunch of fake trees, and then someone took away the fake trees," says Céleste. "I think we can get the salt, too."

[pythbox]

"...yeah," says Harley, "that would be awesome, do that."

[segreant]

"Okay," says Céleste, and she and Keziah put their hands on Harley's head, and unsalt him.

[pythbox]

He shivers;

he beams;

he vanishes.



Corona laughs. "I bet he's off to hug his wolf," he says. "Chelsa doused him from everybody. He's got most of it back - it's easy to get Jokers to like people, hard to get them to stop - but I guess not all."

[segreant]

"We can do you too."

[pythbox]

"...Yeah," says Corona, folding his hands in his lap and looking down at them, "that'd probably be... good."

[inherpiety]

"Are you okay? Do you want another of Dad here when we do it?"

[pythbox]

Corona shrugs. "I'll be fine," he says. "I'll go find the rest of us after, it's not like there's a shortage."

[segreant]

"It's true. There are quite a lot."

She reaches for his head.

They do their magic.

[pythbox]

For a moment there is no visible effect; he breathes out calmly, looking a little distant.

And then he pulls his knees up to his chest and wraps his arms around them and drops his head into the space thereby created and cries.

[segreant]

"A-are you okay?"

[pythbox]

"I'm—fine," he sniffles, shivering. "Just—there were so many..."

[inherpiety]

"So many what?"

[pythbox]

Too much crying. Cannot answer.

[inherpiety]

Keziah hugs him, fluffing one wing around his back.

[segreant]

Céleste tucks in too.

[pythbox]

Corona sniffles and leans into Keziah a little when she hugs him.

"Thanks," he says haltingly.

[segreant]

"You're welcome. Are you gonna be okay?"

[pythbox]

Still shivering, he manages, "Yeah."

[inherpiety]

"What were there so many of?"

[pythbox]

"People," he says. "Chelsa... could make you - like somebody, or stop. I was with her a long time. She did a lot of - stopping. When somebody left, or died. So we wouldn't be..." He trails off, shuddering.

[segreant]

"That's what the gook was?" shudders Céleste.

[pythbox]

Corona nods unhappily, with his head still mostly tucked into his arms.