beside herself

[she_sells_seashells]

Shell Bell is currently explaining to her Director of Media that, yes, if she is gone, he is supposed to take orders from the duck, just like the Imperial Consort said. Neptune is nestling in Shell Bell's arms comfortably. The Director of Media is also now supposed to meet Jane and coordinate with his opposite numbers in Origin and Aurum about setting up an interworld generally-accessible internet with the use of ansibles.

Comments

[floofcoaster]

Zeus's eyes open, and he draws a shuddering breath, and he abandons the pillow and seizes Harley in a superhumanly tight hug.

"Harley."

[pythbox]

Harley hugs him back.

"I fixed it," he says. "I got a daemon."

"Hi," says Andrea.

"And now she can stay with you all the time," says Harley, "and I'll always know where to come back to."

[floofcoaster]

Zeus has never encountered a daemon before. He looks quizzically at Andrea.

[pythbox]

"I'm his soul," Andrea says helpfully. "You should pet me."

[floofcoaster]

"Okay."

Zeus pets her.

[pythbox]

Andrea purrs and rubs her head against his hand.

Petting her is like - well - touching Harley's soul.

[floofcoaster]

Zeus decides that he likes this confusing new development. He goes on petting Andrea.

[her_imperial_radiance]

(Elspeth quietly teleports away.)

[pythbox]

"I love you," Harley sighs, snuggling Zeus.

Andrea climbs up onto the bed and flops down between them. She is fuzzy and warm.

"We called me Andrea, by the way," she adds. "And I can shapeshift, all Joker daemons can, look!"

Suddenly she is, while still warm, rather less fuzzy. And more human-shaped.

[floofcoaster]

She's still pettable. Zeus goes on petting her. "I love you," he says.

[pythbox]

"We love you too," says Andrea.

Snuggles!

"And we don't have to do anything but sit here and cuddle," says Harley. "There's gonna be a Bellparty but that's not for ages. Oh, Jane's back, by the way, we're all hooked up again. And I met all the Jokers - well, almost all, Kas and Aianon were busy..."

[floofcoaster]

"When is it?" wonders Zeus. "I dunno how long I was out this time, the princess knocked me out before you'd been gone more than a second."

[pythbox]

"2060," says Harley. "Not that I even remember what year it was when I came back the first time."

[floofcoaster]

"I'm not sure either," confesses Zeus, nuzzling Andrea and then Harley and then Andrea again and then Harley again. "I hope my parents aren't too broken up about things."

[pythbox]

"I hope so too," sighs Harley. Andrea hugs Zeus.

[floofcoaster]

Hugs hugs hugs. "You're not gonna vanish again, right?"

[pythbox]

"I figured out the vanishing thing," he says. "It's something Jokers can do, we go places, I just started out not knowing how to control it, and now I can and if I go anywhere I know how to come back."

[floofcoaster]

Hug hug hug. "Good."

[pythbox]

Hug hug hug.

"And last time when I vanished it was 'cause I was dreaming, but this time we know for sure I'm not."

[floofcoaster]

"I do not understand the dreaming thing."

[pythbox]

"It's another Joker thing," Harley explains. "If we're trapped somewhere, we can go to Milliways in our dreams. Last time I got here, it was through Milliways and I was dreaming and didn't know. But this time, Elsie and some people came and rescued me."

[floofcoaster]

"It is going to be so much easier for people who are born in like thirty years to exist in this multiverse when children's book publishers have caught up with this sorta thing." Nuzzle nuzzle huggle snuggle.

[pythbox]

Harley and Andrea both giggle.

"I love you so much," says Harley, snuggling him.

[floofcoaster]

"I love youuuuuu," sighs Zeus, "I am so glad you're home."

[pythbox]

"Me too," says Harley, hugging him tight. "I missed you."