She dragged her tired tail back to her office. The meds taking an edge off the pain but she was a mess physically. She needed a shower but settled for a wash basin in her office.

What was worse was the feelings of violation from that creature. It had ran through her mind to find her despair and bring it to the forefront. She had managed to break it's hold, but not before the damage was done.

Her masks were carefully crafted and now they lay shattered. In a welling of rage several glasses went flying, seemingly of their own volition. The shattering would be audible outside the office. She sank down amidst the glass shards and did something that no one had ever witnessed her do.

She wept...

(Aftermath from the events in the Marketplace. Open to CoS...)

?You?re faster though you know.?

?I know that, I don?t need anyone to tell me that. Still, it?s kinda nice to hear every now and then.?

?Thanks for earlier, by the way. I know it was hectic, and we were under a lot of pressure out there.?

?You?re lucky I was nearby, an luckier that Storm is so stubborn an strong.?

?I agree, she?s something special.?

?Mom said the same thing, you know. She thinks the world of that woman, an I do too. You guys were lucky to find her when ya did.?

?Jen was the lucky one, there. I was nowhere to be--?

?I know? I?m sorry, I didn?t mean to bring all that up again. I know that wasn?t you we were fighting, back when. I know you wouldn?t do those things, that he did in the valley, an all over town. The things that he did to me, and Mom and the rest of the family. It?s just that thing back there. That power, and? it reminded me of him, you know. I know you felt it too.?

?I felt it too, and it could have been way worse. Had it not been for everyone who arrived.?

?I have no idea who any of them were, honestly. Well, I did know Katt. That kinda surprised me, especially with that absence of hers, and that funk she?s totin? around.?

?Art, that mage?he was from Bristle Crios. Charles, is a friend?he was the shooter. An Andu was the one who got us out, he?s the minotaur.?

?Any reason why all that went down? Is this another mess from Crios? Like that healin? girl, and that Raven fella??

?I think it has to do with them, yes. I?ve got something I need to get to Art, and then we?re done.?

?Mom?s not gonna like this at all, her people getting? attacked openly like that. You know she?s gonna open up on their asses, as soon as she gets wind o? this.?

?I?ll talk to her, but do me a favor.?

?You?re my Dad, you know I?d do anything for you.?

?Pass the word around, no one is to engage anyone related to any of these messes. If something happens, and it stems from one of their people, the plan is to mitigate any collateral damage to surroundings areas only, they are not to be engaged at all.?

?What if it?s a direct attack??

?Defend as best as you can, and leave the area.?

?We can?t just??

?We can, and we will. This isn?t for debate. NO one is to directly engage, any of them and I don?t care what the circumstances are. You felt what I felt, and you know I?m right. These things have been going on at a sick rate, and it all seems to be stemming from one place, and I?ll have you all caught in that mess. I will hand Art, what I got from Raven, and that is that. I know I don?t carry any rank here, but I hope my experience with this and my word will be enough. So please let everyone know that we do what we can to mitigate any collateral damage, and whatever clusterf*ck Crios is dealing with yet again, it is their own and we are NOT to engage any of it directly.?

?I?ll tell em.?

?Thanks. I?ll find Jen, and talk to her as well.?

?An I?ll check on Storm, and Ahni.?

?That?s a good idea, I?ll catch up with you all.?

Yotsuba left Brian there in the room, her next stop? Storm?s office.

She wiped the tear from her eyes and stood then. The telepath turned to Ahnika and said four very important words.

"It's not your fault."

She looked at the smith seriously through the pain she was still feeling. "I am trained in this arena and she ripped through me as if I was nothing. It is only by fueling the anger at being ordered to hurt people I care about, I was able to break her hold."

She dragged a tired hand through her dark hair. "I want you to know I hold you blameless, Ahnika. Steps are going to be taken now to defend against such intrusions..."

She was tired, and the head ached like Ahnika had applied the peen hammer quiet liberally. "I wonder... If there is some way to embue the signet rings with the ability to block mental intrusions."

She was always thinking of what needed to be done for others.