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*Yawns a bit*
She had silly outfits hidden in the- Ahhchu! ~♡
closet!

*Ciri smile broadens at Taeria's cutness*

Ciri: Bless you.. now what do you want to take a look at?

OOC posted two different things. My bad.

She had t-tons of dress up costumes in the closet so I took a look at them and tried one on!
*Sneezes once more and looks towards Ciri Innocently*
it was silly! It was a cleaning lady dress!
I'll have to show you sometime!
*Walks over to Ciri and hugs her*
*Is clearly in a cuddly mood*

*Ciri returns the hug, and thinks to herself: She is talking about a maid outfit, gods help me.*

Ciri: You can show me them later.. You want to cuddle on the couch?

*Ciri kisses Taeria, and guides her to the couch.*

*Cal turns to look for what Yarrick is pointing at*
Cal: What? I don't see anything.

[Four people in the crowd have the same face and clothing]

*I walk past the couch and wolf whistle at Ciri and Taeria*

Ok!
*Walks over to the couch and sits on Ciri's lap and begins to cuddle*

*Cal nods*
Cal: Hey Kimmy! I think we found it!

*Nicholas looks over at Ciri and Taeria*
Nicholas: Evening you two

Please god don't tell me it's the engagement...That would tear Benny apart...

*Breathes in relief as it isn't*

~

*As Santiago ventures into Joalia's mind, he sees her as a face-hugger, being forcibly attached to a unconscious human by a large pointed, and burning tong*

*He then sees the faint outline of a hand reaching down and picking her up as a chestburster, then placing her into a large room*

*He then both feels and sees Joalia being forcibly awoken as a fledgling drone by several heavily armoured pale-skinned humans with shock-prods, and chain her tail to the ground, only to attach a tight collar around her throat, which zaps her the moment she even thinks of hurting any of the armoured humans, or the scientists behind them*

*Memories skip through several years, and return to Joalia being surrounded by humans, being poked and prodded in different areas, few words are exchanged between the humans, other than "$4 Million credits." "Raise the offer!." and "Sold"*

*Memories skip through another year to Joalia being in a cramped room with another 39 xenomorphs, then the lights cut out, and power dies out. Xenomorphs run out of the room and slaughter whatever human/Android gets in their way, they eventually make it to the escape pods. Most xenomorphs eject the pods, with them inside, to escape the facility*

*Joalia is hit over the back of the head as her xenomorph siblings escape, and is dragged back into a cage by a trio of androids*

*Memories cut off as Joalia loses consciousness back on the Longsword*

*Ciri holds Taeria, and squeezes her tightly to her chest.*

*She looks down at Taeria.*

Ciri: I love you Tae...

[Benny is hugging his fiance with a slightly sad expression behind her shoulders]

[The crowd flickers, and three of the humans reveal themselves] [Two are Benny's parents, watching him, stony-faced] [The third is a cadet, slightly older than the group on stage] [Benny's father hands the cadet a pack of credits]

[The scene blanks to white, and the group are returned to the med-bay] [Benny is shivering, hard]

I...I don't understand...

*Looks at Yarrick*

What happened?

[Bridget and Sam are calming Benny down, and warming his hands]

[Yarrick looks thoughtful]
Well for one, Benny thought his parents were dead at this point.
And we know his engagement was to save family face, rather than because Benny was.. than because he loved her romantically.
But who was the cadet they were paying off? [Looks at Benny]

[Benny looks miserable] [Shakes head and looks away]

[Yarrick puts hand to mouth and exhales through his nose] ...Someone who could've outed the marriage as a sham.

*I sit on another couch across from Ciri and begin reading a book*

*Looks up at Ciri*
I love you too..
*Rests gently on Ciri and looks a bit tired*
you wanted to talk about Vitani...

*Nicholas and Perenelle are relaxing on a couch near the others*

*Cal looks at Yarrick*
Cal: A whistleblower on the marriage?

*Maiev blinks back in with armour and places the bowl of soup in the sink*

*Looks at everyone sitting down by the couches and swallows*

*Walks over and sits down on an unoccupied couch, and looks incredibly uncomfortable*

*Yawns a little and takes comfort in Ciri's arms*
You can ask any questions you like..
*Resting and looks over at Maiev.*
welcome! Did you enjoy the soup?

Benny's father was a lord commissar. He wanted to keep up the family image, continue the line. Nuclear family, descendants, all that.
That cadet had personal.. experience.. that Benny wasn't all that into continuing that side of things. [Smiles sadly] So he was paid off, and I'm guessing transferred.

[Benny nods]

[Yarrick looks sympathetic] So, pressured into marriage, and isolated from people you care for.. We can add a Kimmy and a mind-wiped fiance, and just draw a line under Benny's dad being sub-human..

[Benny looks drained] I think I need a break... just for a bit.

*Looks absolutely horrified*

Oh my god...Benny...Take all the time you need...

*Still looks genuinely shocked*

~

Maiev: Uhh...Yes. It tasted nice...

*Removes helmet and places it on the couch*

*Scatty is relieved of guard duty by Aoife and comes inside. She goes and gets a apple out of the crisper and sits down on the couch*
Scatty: Nicholas! You're up! *Smiles and crunches into apple*
Nicholas: Yes, I'd had enough of lying around.

*Cal shakes his head in disgust at the people evil enough to do something like that then turns to Benny*
Cal: Of course, you look badly exhausted. You should get some rest and we can resume this later

Ciri: Only if you want to talk about her... I don't want to pry..

*Sees Taeria's fatigue.*

Ciri: Let me know if you want to go to bed...

I'm glad!
*Smiles sweetly to Maiev*
How has your day been?
*Looks interested and focuses on Maiev with warm eyes*
*Back towards Ciri*
I can talk about her.. I don't know much but I could tell you what I knoe if you're interested

Maiev: Umm...Good...
(Why is this human so interested?)

*Awkwardly strains hair, which still has a little bit of water in it*

Good! Let me know if you get hungry for anything! I'm always happy to help!
*Doesn't really notice Maiev's discomfort and simply continues being friendly*

*Scatty grins and takes another bite of apple as Huitz retires with Remus for the night*
Scatty: So you're feeling better then?
Nicholas: A bit, enough to move without ripping open any wounds at least.

Ciri: Well... Vitani seems to.. hurt you sometimes.. I worry about this..

*Ciri looks at Maiev coldly.*

Ciri: Aen Elle... can I help you? I don't mean to sound hostile.. it's just your race seems to hate me.. a lot..

[Bridget leads Benny to a quiet room] It can only get better from here.
[Benny nods] I knew this was.. true. I just.. It couldn't clear my head to remember it.
[Bridget nods and sets him up in a warm bed]

[Yarrick stretches] How do I tell him that we know where his father is?