1. Piss off her best friend for the last time, driving said best friend to do something incredibly stupid.

April 17th - Tuesday - Late Evening

Siobhan. Was. Pissed. The Dullahan was already emotionally unstable and had been relatively listless since they'd returned from Ireland. Her week long deadline was up and Gil would be coming to find her soon...but when she saw the damage that had been done to her best friend and heard what had happened, she was out the door. Her summoned steed was never far, the horse with the flaming purple mane and hooves, eyes and snorted breath, charged out of a tear in the air and into the street where the waiting rider was. Her armor was on, every inch of it black, her head with its gaping maw set in a snarl and the scythe drawn.

She tilted her head back and her eyes went black as she called out a name that she should not have known. She broke the rules...no true name was supposed to be invoked without the culling order....but she spoke it. Zagan's. It would allow her to track him no matter where he was and with sharp heels into the demon horse's sides, she tore off down the street, on the hunt for Roni's abuser.

The night before hadn't exactly gone as planned. It ended with five men dead, and him having to pay Timothy's medical bills, and having to deal with his whiny complaints about his knee being busted. He had left the man's apartment after listening to him bitch for a couple of hours, before excusing himself for a business meeting that didn't really exist. It was at some point he was wandering his way down towards the docks to lurk around that a sense of wrongness settled over him, and had him glancing over his shoulder, paranoid. Something about the night had an unease settling in his stomach, it was an unfamiliar feeling, one that he disliked immensely.

The Dullahan cut through the air in one place and ripped a space into another along the docks, in close proximity to her quarry. The steed and rider charged out of the tear on a warpath, the scythe held high and the horse giving a horrible screaming whinny upon locating the target. Him.The intimidating figure of the black rider made many people's blood run cold, and for good reason...especially when she shouted his true name at him from that terrible toothy grin of hers.

It was the whinny of the horse that had him jerking his attention back over his shoulder. The sight of the dullahan atop that flaming steed of hers, was enough to have fear running its icy course along his spine. It was, quite simply put, something that he had not felt in a very long time. The fact that she called his name, his true name simply cemented the chill where it was. There was a muttered curse. His name. The fact that she had it meant one of two things. One, he pissed someone off and was very unaware of it... or she had finally snapped, and was acting without orders. Given the night before, he's certain that it was the latter.

Her eyes were still black and narrowed, focused on him. The horse's hooves thundered and she took a swipe at him with the summoned black scythe. The thing that rendered whatever magic on a person useless, for a small amount of time at least, and took the souls of those that were ordered. Zagan didn't have to worry about his soul being ripped out, she was not there on orders...but she was pissed off so there was no telling what the unhinged Dullahan would do now. Rogue knights were never a good thing.

A shudder rolled through him following the swipe of her scythe. His glamour dropped. Where Roni was lots of dark, he was stark and pale, those near glowing eyes even more unnerving than they were normally. "I didn't think I'd piss you off enough to be so bold." Yeah, he was probably.... going to get his ass handed to him. Why not make it easier?

She snarled and reared the horse up to turn it around as she'd charged past him with the swipe. In a fluid motion that seemed not possible with the bulk of the armor, she swung down off the horse and stalked toward him, "Not here to talk." Her voice was a hiss that felt like it crawled up his spine like his true name had, "Done."

"You never were very talkative. You say that like it should be news. " Those near neon blue hues of his never left her form, especially as she swung down from her beast of a horse.

"I am not the one who harmed her you know." Not that she cared, or that his words mattered in some way at this exact moment.

"Liar." She growled and swung the blade again, a downward stroke to drive it into the pavement and release the shaft so she had her hands free to finally get her hands on him. She had threatened and warned and held back for too long and now she would let loose. She wouldn't kill him....no...that right was Roni's. But she would make him wish she had.

"Well. I meant last night." There's a moment, before a sneer marred his features.

"I've hurt her plenty, but she always deserved it." The words came flippiantly, before he grinned a touch, then rolled his shoulders. She was gonna kick his ass most likely.... didn't mean that he would make it easy for her.

"Liar!"

She snapped, snarling and a savage pushkick was aimed for his chest. Her heavily armored foot came faster than it should have in that armor but then again, she was a supernatural creature...they both were. But her breed was made to hunt the Fae...to be the executioners to the magical realm of Faerie.

"Name calling won't get you anyw-"

Hey. Her foot moved a lot faster than he thought it initially would, so his words were cut short.....along with the fact that he definitely went flying back a few feet, and landed hard with a grunt, before he was rolling to get back on his feet. A growl of his own rolled free, and those near neon blue hues of his glowed, and rather rapidly, ice began to crawl across the cobbles, making them slick and slippery. Another flippant gesture of his hand has a volley of shards headed her way as well.

It was like the magic formed ice hit intense heat as it evaporated almost immediately within a foot of her. The armor and her anti-fae magic aura making it nearly impossible for him to attack her with his innate abilities. She rushed forward again, swinging a heavy gauntlet at him, aiming for his solar plexus.

Well. Magic was going to do absolutely jack for him here, he figured after it all seemed to melt away. She rushed, and he didn't have much time to do anything other than skitter backwards, and still not exactly avoid her blow. It's enough to leave him winded and on his ass again.

She followed the savage armored punch to his gut with a knee aimed for his pretty face, planning to drive the fanplated poleyn into his nose.

It was also very useless for him to try and throw punches as it'd only mess up his knuckles and be useless. The rules for the longest time had kept her from giving him a well deserved beating. Obviously.... he had finally added the last thing that broke the damn. But of the things he valued, his face was one of them. Vanity was something that clung to him like a shroud. He did at least try to twist out of the path of her knee.

Siobhan knew he valued his face, it was why she targeted it with the vicious knee. Missing his nose the force behind it still would have slammed her shin into his shoulder to knock him over. She didn't wait, as soon as that foot touched the ground again, she pivoted on it to swing her leg out, aiming a kick at him, uncaring where it landed.

Well... from the sickening crack that followed her leg connecting with his body, it was probably his ribs. The noise that came from him was pained, and instead of struggling to get back onto his feet so she could knock him right back off them, he curled, accepted his fate, and stayed down. Probably prayed that she didn't kill him.

She kicked him again with the plated sabaton on top of her boot and snarled. Several heavy blows came down on him from kicks, stomps and punches. Animal like sounds came from the enraged and potentially unhinged Dullahan as she pounded Zagan into the street.

She hissed his name, his true name before giving the command to ensure he would obey it, "Kneel."

It's been a long time since the fae kad known pain like this. Honestly he had been intent on not ever experiencing it again.... Sadly he had just managed to piss off the wrong person one too many times. He wasn't quite sure where the pain started and stopped. Her command had him shuddering, before his battered and bruised body started moving to comply.

She knew that he had used Roni's true name against her, she wondered how it made him feel...she would tell Roni his true name now that she had it. Now that she wouldn't be around to help her...she knew in doing this, breaking the rules, she would be punished for certain. Potentially stripped of her power and life but with Nick gone and Zagan doing what Zagan does, she snapped. Siobhan grabbed him by his hair, gripping it tight at the top of his head and held it before driving her fist for his nose. Broken nose for a broken nose she figured was fair.

Sure, she would get in trouble for this.... but he also knew that her knowing his name would mean that Roni would know it. He knew that the Dullahan would make sure of it. Which meant that he was going to be walking on fragile eggshells trying to keep out of Roni's wrath as well. When Siobhan took him by the hair, his eyes flicked up to her.... at least until her fist connected with his nose, and was met with a satisfying crunch. A steady flow of blood dribbling from his nose wasn't long to follow... Wisely, he actually kept his mouth shut for once.

She still held his hair and growled down at him, "...So many things I wanna do to you....So many bones I wanna break....But your nose is enough. The rest I'll leave to Roni if you or any of your little ****s EVER go near her again."

"Oh. How ****ing considerate of you." The words came rumbled in his gravel voice, dry and unamused. "I'm not stupid. You're going to give her my name. I can expect her anyways. She's an angry thing." Amusement in his voice was bitter.

"Absolutely, I am. The years of her enduring your **** are over, Zagan. I hope she drags out your suffering."

She let go of his hair and pushed him over with a kick. She won't be there to see it, "I suggest you go home and never come back here. For once, in your miserable ****ing life, you should listen to me."

She didn't use his true name again to command him to leave...she could have but she knew her time was even shorter than his. The horse returned to her side and she swung up on it, the scythe disappearing from its place embedded in the ground and back into her hand. She pointed it down at him and narrowed her eyes before nudging the horse forward and through a new tear in the air.

For once, in your miserable ****ing life, you should listen to me. Her words held truth. That was why they echoed over and over in his head as he laid where he had landed from her push, and stared up at the night sky. That would be the complete cowards thing to do.The smart thing to do. But he would not. At this exact moment he was a point in his life where the scales had tipped out of his favor, like he knew they would. And deep down in the pit of his stomach, he knew that no amount of running would save him from Ronixi’s wrath.

He knew that eventually, some how it would all boil down to a point where the Doll he loved so much would kill him. Just as much as the next living thing, he wanted to live…. But it was something he felt to be truth, every time Roni had snarled her promise of his death at her hands. With a shallow huff of breath, that still sent pain lancing through his broken ribs, his fingers delved inside his suit jacket, and an envelope was pulled free. There were blood smears left by his fingers as they traced the name written on the front of it. His curling looping script had marked the contents for Ronixi. Then it was tucked back where it belonged, and he was slowly picking himself up, and on his feet. It was a letter for a later, darker time.

The steps that took him home were slow, and pain filled every single one.

3. Give her very little hope…

April 28th - Saturday - Late Afternoon

Roni had spent the past few weeks going through the motions, emptily working on mind numbing boring cases, and spending the nights imbibing in magical edibles or enjoying booze, all while she quietly thought on all the things that were possible now that she had Zagan's true name. She had done a good job at not focusing on all the sadness that brimmed underneath at the fact that she was probably most definitely going to not come out of the whole ordeal unscathed, or alive, for that matter. Today though, was hard. She woke with dying dreams of when it had just been her, and Siobhan against the world with nothing more than what they could carry with them on the bike.

It left her anxious, restless, which lead to her pacing around her apartment. Cleaning. More pacing. Feed Lacey, and eat an apple from the fruit bowl. More worrying, pacing. Gil had told her to call his name if she needed anything. She needed her friend... She wondered if there was any possible way that he could help her. Some loophole. At the least, asking wouldn't hurt, right? So after a moment of thought....

"So Uh. Hey Gilcomegaine? Ya said to call yer name if I needed anything. Uh, yeah... So This is me sayin' Gilcomegaine. And feelin' really fuckin' stupid, cuz m'just talkin' to empty air."

The door that he used to instantly transport, appeared and opened, permitting the big scot to wander in, a small knowing grin on his face, "Thar's power in names, lass..." He shut the door and it disappeared, no longer needed for the moment. He watched her with his deep blue eyes, much different from the hard cold ice blue of Zagan's. While not terribly warm, they seemed patient and steady, "...Y'need t'talk?"

"Mmmh, don't I know it." This is simply mused softly, before she studied him a long hard moment, before she deflated. "I don't honestly know what I need. I didn't want nothin' like this whole stupid mess to happen." Her shoulders slumped a touch and she anxiously bounced on her feet. "I have questions that I'll hate myself for never askin' if I don't ask 'em. Because she's my best friend."

He nodded, "Ask." Man of few words, "I'll do wha I can t'answer'em."

There’s a slow draw for a deep breath, which was held for just a moment before she let it out. "Is there any chance, any kind of loophole, something that doesn't end with her ceasing to be?"

He sighed, "...possibly. There are probably several in fact...but none within yours or my abilities."

Abyssal hues narrowed on him a touch. "That part doesn't matter much. How?"

"I suppose if a member a th'courts decided tha she'd better serve'em as she is than havin' a new host take th'station, tha's one way. Another would be sacrifice a souls equal t'tha mount tha she's been neglecting." He frowned, "But those would have t'be approved by tha courts an' tha takes a mite longer than she has, I wager." He scratched his scruffy jaw in thought.

"M'just a measly little nobody." This is muttered to herself, "The courts... Some like Zagan, or one of his ****face associates." No one who would do her any favors. Though she did have the true name of one of them. Maybe... Something. There's already some kind of gears churning in that brain of hers. Then she considered him. "How long does she have?"

"Time moves strangely in th'realm...so I cannot say fer certain. But, a suitable candidate does need t'be found t' take on tha mantle...an' since Ireland is tha strongest position outside of tha grand chevalier's...it may take a wee bit. "

"I sure hope so. The longer the better, if at all possible." Simply. If he'd be awesome and stall when he could to give her more time, if not, then she just better figure it out faster.

"I'm gunna figure somethin' out, Gil. I gotta. The guy who's face she beat in totally deserves it, and more. He's done nothin' but make everythin' miserable and get away with it cuz he's got some power under his belt, and a big ****in' fat bank account."

He sighed, "I am sure he does, but it was nae her decision t' make an' certainly no her place t' call upon her powers t' use his true name...or t' give it to ye." He grumped, giving a stern and disapproving look then sighed again, "...She spoke a him t' me. An' I know how important y'are t' her...considering tha she invoked her abilities fer you an' no fer herself...even when tha snake stole her head."

"It is only fair. Someone who had no right gave him my name and let him claim me as his. For years he crushed me. And now I have his. I can't-..." She trailed off, then shook her head. Less he knew better about what she planned was better. "That feeling of importance is mutual between us. I'd do anything for her." The mention of Brennan had her snorting softly. "He was just as bad. World's a better place." Simply.

"I don't dispute tha...but I find it curious tha she didna break tha rules then t' deal with him." He sighed,

"Because she had a leveler way of thinkin’ back then." And Roni had told her she'd take care of it. That part she wouldn't divulge. "Plus he got what was coming in the end." She's also doing a good job at not looking at him at the exact moment.

"...Though I suppose...she was still dealin' with Nick's passin'..." He didn't necessarily like Nick...but he didn't dislike him either and he knew how much the undead detective had meant to Siobhan. It had made her terribly unstable with his passing and even more so that it had been by her hand.


"And loosin' Nick the way she did broke something in her, Gil. Never in a million years have I seen 'er let someone in like she did Nick. They were good for eachother." She bit down on her lower lip and focused on the pain, not the sting at the backs of her eyes. absent fingers drifted up to touch the Cross that Sio had passed to her.

He looked to the pendant about the younger and smaller fae's neck then back to Roni and sighed, nodding, "....Drink?"

"Yeah. I was plannin' on drinkin' more tonight anyway." There's a pause, before she gestured to the varied collection she had on the kitchen counter. "Choose your poision. I'll get glasses And Ice if need be."


"Whiskey." He headed over to the kitchen to hunt for a short glass and pick a whiskey, most likely one of Siobhan's stock. "...He seemed a good lad." Gil murmured. High praise from the grump of a Dullahan.

Okay. She'll hunt up a glass for herself, and scoot over to the fridge for a couple ice cubes to drop down in it. Then she's scooting for the table because that was a sensible place to sit and share a drink, "He most definitely was. We shared a business too. Decent business partner."

"Still didn't recommend she get involved with him...an' ultimately, I guess I were right..." Gil murmured as he took a sip of the whiskey he poured himself, feeling a touch poorly about his 'I told you so'.

"Yeah, yeah, take the eloquent told you so and stuff it up yer nose." She huffed at him, and sulkily moved to snag the bottle and pour some in her glass as well.

"Havin' connections with others...makes th' job harder. Makes ya prone t' doing foolish things." Gil didn't seem happy about it, just stating fact.

"Yeah, and we've learned the hard way. But sometimes.. Sometimes you need those connections to keep you from going crazy. So it's a risk, I guess."

"I suppose....I find when I need a connection, I talk t' tha others...there are a few reasons why there are six of us after all..." Gil murmured as he took a seat across from her.

"Words like that make me wonder if things would have been easier for her if she hadn't met me. I brought trouble and complications. But then I'd prolly be stuck still, but she wouldn't be in this spot."

"Probably." He answered, not a sugar coating sort, "...but what's done is done....I know she doesn't blame you for this...I am becoming used to being her jailer it seems." Gil sighed.

"Yeah, I know. I'm a pain in the butt." She deflated, and lifted her glass for a good long swallow from her glass. "You've been her jailer before?"

He snorted, "Aye. First time she acted up, with that traitorous cad...She was reprimanded. More a parole officer than jailer I suppose as she wasn't in the chains or cage like this time..." There was the slightest wince at letting her know the state of her friend...it wasn't some comfy room in a ritzy penthouse.

"Brennan?" As to said cad he was referencing. She went quiet again at the mention of chains and a cage, before her shoulders slumped a touch. "Jeeze." Softly, before she lifted her glass for a sip.

She wasn't sure what else to say. What could she say, or even do? Shake Gil like crazy and demand that he give her best friend back? Be incredibly stupid and just barge in to some kind of meeting or something and demand the Grand Chevalier release her? She figured that was something close to suicide.

It wasn't his fault, but he was fine if she wanted to blame him for it. "Aye." he muttered at the name then sighed, "....I will try t'get a private word....let her know tha yer alright..."

"If ya can, let 'er know that Freddy's makin' me stay with him. I'll be okay. She'll know. " She paused, and lifted her glass to throw back what was left. "Thank you. Maybe.... Maybe Some kind of wonderous miracale will happen. Major optimisim, because I really don't fuckin' have much else.."

He nodded at the information. "Freddy. Got it." He murmured and watched her for a moment before he sighed, "...Fer wha it's worth, lass....I am sorry it came t'this...."

"I know, I know." Her shoulders slumped, and she leaned forward to droop on the table. "I am too. I feel so.... angry, frustrated.... and things went waaay sideways." She blew out a huff of breath.

"...Aye....it is a shame..." he murmured and sighed, drinking some of the whiskey.

"Kinda feel like the worst friend ever." She eyed the ice in the bottom of her glass before she set it on the table and left it there.

"Bollucks. Ye are the opposite, lass."

"Don't feel like it." She waved a hand.

"Well ye are, so shut yer face with tha sort of talk. I know tha Siobhan would have none of it..."

There's a dry snort that escaped her. "Yeah, but Gil, she's done and done and done for me. Forever since we've been friends. And then she gave me this. The one thing I've wanted more than anything, and she's in trouble cuz of it and I can't do much at all to fix things for her. Just this once." The scowl on her face is followed by her pushing her glass back his way. She was ready for a refill now.

He poured her another drink, only enough to make the ice float. It gave him a moment to think, "...strange to hear y'talk like tha...she never felt she deserved a friend. Let alone one like you, so she'd say. Might be as why she did, and did, and did fer ya."


"...t'convince herself, maybe."


"She deserved a friend and sooo much more than that. I tried so hard to make her see that, and sometimes I wonder if she ever really did. I had to practically beg her to give herself that chance of happiness she deserved with Nick, and in the end it just made things worse." The sudden burn at the backs of her eyes, and the way her vision wavered had her huffing in frustration. "I just wanna be the one that makes things better for once. Just once, when it really really counts, or- or I'm..." She trailed off, and decided to hide her sudden flare of emotions with more booze, because that was the adult thing to do.

He was quiet, just watching her and letting her talk. He didn't have any close friends, or any friends really...so he couldn't relate. But Sio was family, in a strange sort of way and she had chosen Roni to pretty much give up her life for. To sacrifice herself to help Roni. Part of him was angry because he cared for Siobhan...but he figured his anger was no where near what the fae girl felt for herself with what all had transpired. So he simply sat, quiet, and drank with her.

Roni didn't seem to have much more than that to offer at the exact moment, so she let the silence between them grow. And while it grew, she sipped away at her drink, and let herself stew over things that she honestly had no way of changing. Such things that made her angry, and frustrated, and sad, and a whole slew of other emotions she was honestly tired of dealing with. It was a while before she turned her attention back to him.

"Y'sure there's like no quick way inta bein' a part of the high courts?" Well. Couldn't hurt to triple check, right?

"If there is, I dunna know it, lass....sorry." He shrugged and took a gulp of his drink, giving a sigh.

"Y'know yer on like this median, where I wanna hate ya because ya took my best friend, but I can't cuz like ya were doin' yer job, and I know ya wanna help, but really can't cuz of stuff." She huffed a sigh of her own and sank back in her chair. "But I guess too I can't always depend on others ta fix things fer me. So, I'll figure out how ta get there. And the minute I do yer name's gunna be the first I call." Pause. "Is there a specified amount of time that I have to be part of the courts before I can make a request?" That's an important question too.

"No, y'can pretty much start actin' like y'own th'place immediately after getting a position within th'court."

"That's good to know." Absently. It was filed away into information for later. When she reached that point.

He raised an eyebrow, "...But is a considerably difficult thing t'do...y'usually have t'be blood of an existing member or overthrow one."

Then she gave him a quiet curious look. "Overthrow one? Is there any specifics to that? How do ya overthrow a member of the court?" Because she totally has someone she can overthrow. So long as the way she came about his name didn't complicate things.

He snorted, "Y'want me...essentially an ol' order knight a th'fae lords an' ladies t'tell you, a wee lass, how t'overthrow'em? Sorry lass....I cannae do tha."

"Well. Y'can't knock me fer at least tryin', right?" The laughter that followed was brief and bright. "Even if it's one that really deserves it, and is nothin' but a nasty dirty weasel?" Up went her brows.

"...Aye..." he sighed, "I dun make th'rules, lass, I just follow'em. Figger out a way t'be a lady a th'court an' I'll vouch for ye."

"Rules are made ta be broken sometimes." Simply put, before she lifted her glass for another healthy sip. "I'll figure it out. I Gotta. If this is the only thing I can do fer Siobhan that matters in the end, I'll get it." She had to, because she didn't want to think about what would happen otherwise.

Gil nodded and gave a small smile, raising his glass in silent toast to her good fortune before downing his drink, "....Me thinks there's not much else I can help y'with here, lass..."

He thought a moment, weighing the consequences for himself and her for a moment. He wasn't much one to break the rules...but she was a fae so the fae realm was hers to go to, so it wasn't like she was an intruder...

"...I...wouldn't recommend y'coming with me...but...I could probably sneak y'in for a brief moment t'see 'er...y'wouldn't be able t'get too close...an' there's no guarantee tha' she'll hear ya...but..." He shook his head, frowning, "Nae....is a bad idea. Nevermind."



She listened as he spoke, and it took a moment, but those abyssal hues widened a touch, before she leaned forward. Then he ended with knocking his idea. A frown of her own tugged at her features, before she pointed a finger at his chest.

"That is a really mean thing to mention, then immediately after say nevermind on, Just so y'know. Especially now that ya mentioned it, I don't care how bad an idea it is, I really wanna do it. Even if it's not the responsible thing ta do." At least she was truthful, and bluntly so. She did not have the art of weaving beautiful lies of half truths and omissions like nearly all of her kind did.

He sighed, "I know...I spoke before the thought could be fully processed..." he muttered and stood, "...Well...I should go....y'try t'keep outta trouble, hm?...but who am I to stop ye?" Gil snorted and summoned the door, stepping through it....the door didn't close behind him, leaving the gate open. If she followed him because she was just too wiley for him, he could claim he didn't know.

"I see." This is said quietly. Her attention tracked him as he stood and spoke. "My biggest problem is stayin' outta trouble. Just so ya know."

Then he was gone through the door that came with his method of travel..... She can't help but note after a moment or two, the doorway conveniently did not close. Maybe she should of thought it through, maybe she should of been responsible. Instead, she was impulsive and followed her heart, and soon enough, followed after the dullahan. He had left the door open. It was like practically begging her to follow.

Who was she to deny him, or the impulsive irrational ideas that her heart suggested?

5. Give her a dream….

May 3rd - Thursday - Late Evening

The old shack wasn't the most defensible position, but it was slightly better than being stuck out in the open. He could hear the quiet groans of the undead lumbering around outside, doing his best not to make any sound that would draw their attention. To think this had all started because he'd agreed to have the Autumnal Feast with Nick's family. It was fine until he got drunk and started biting everyone. It spread faster than he would have imagined. As far as he knew, he was the last survivor on the planet. Despite his attempts to rescue Nick's cute brunette sister before he ran. Oh well.

Roni wasn't quite sure where she had been deposited, other than the fact that there were shambling zombies about... Kinda not unlike the walking dead. These zombies were the opposite of what Nick had been. She was quiet with her steps, and careful not to draw attention... for the most part.. Sure, worst to worst, she could manipulate the dream, but she never did unless she really needed to. And somewhere..... Freddy was there, She needed to find him too, since he was the one that wanted to touch all basis with her and what she could do, and figured it wouldn't hurt to ease his mind.

He picked up on the sound of footsteps by the door, crunching on the dead underbrush. Figured the rotting bastards wouldn't even given him a minute to collect himself. There was a rusty poker by a run-down fireplace, so he snatched that up. Bracing himself, he yanked the door open, raising the poker to swing it at some zombie skull. But his arm froze in mid-strike at the sight before him. "Roni?" His voice a shocked whisper. "You made it! Thank god. I thought I was going to have to spend the rest of my life celibate." Grabbing her arm, he pulled her inside and closed the door behind them.

The sudden sound of the door behind her opening has her whirling around to come face to face with Freddy swinging a fire-poker at her. She flinched, and instinctively ducked before she realized that he wasn't swinging all the way. "Yes, I made it. Of course I would." She snorts softly, and stumbled inside with his help. "No more watchin' zombie things fer ya, yeah?"

"Hey. I'm not the one who infested the world. I just wanted a home cooked meal and maybe have a drunken one night stand that would make Nick blow his top." His voice was still hushed as he lead her further into the shack. He was in the dream, and not lucidly. To his mind, this was reality. "I figure we wait until things quiet down out there and we find someplace secure. Maybe a mom and pop shop with an upstairs apartment. Supplies and a safe place."

"I didn't infest it either." This is mused as she watched him quietly. Most times, even when the dream invasion had been previously arranged for her to invade it, most everyone was stuck in the world that they dreamed of. "Smart thinkin’... but honestly we really don't even have ta go anywhere. We'll be just fine here. Trust me." Thoughtfully.

Giving her a shocked look. "Are you kidding me? All that's here is a smelly old cot and only one pair of silk sheets. One pair! How can we survive like that?"

A squirrel poked its head out of the fireplace and chastised them in a voice that sounded a lot like Barry White. "Will you be quiet. I'm trying to build a nest up here. If you draw those zombies in, I'm going to pelt you with nettles." Then it scurried back up the chimney and Freddy turned to face her again. Now he was dressed in a tuxedo and top hat. A black cane in his right hand and a monocle in his eye. "Plus there are squirrels. We can't live with squirrels."

Of all the things to be concerned about, silk sheets was enough to have a laugh bubbling up out of her, despite the imminent danger just outside the door. The squirrel on the other hand made her snort. Of course the squirrel talked.... and threatened them with nettles. "I-..." She turned back to him, and arched a brow. Tophat... Tux, the works, he kinda looked like a proper old english dude. "No. Livin’ with squirrels is never good, But they're a dream. Just like everythin' else round us right now.” She gestured, and in the spirit of fun, the simple skater dress she wore bloomed into a fantastic ball gown that glittered like the night sky.

"Did ya forget that I was comin’ ta yer dreams?" She smirked a touch, amused. He had been so adamant that she show him that she could do dream things.

"That's much better. The apocalypse is no reason to let yourself go." Giving her ball gown a nod of approval. Then he was rolling her eyes. "I thought I taught you better pick up lines than that." Leaning in close with a sultry look. "Hey, baby. Give me your pants. Mine are dirty and bare legs scare the hamsters." There was a wicked grin on his lips when he finished. "But not right now. That was just an example. You'll need your pants if we're going to make it to Nantucket."

People were amusing when dreaming sometimes. If they were awake and said some of the things they did in dreams... she'd wonder how many drugs were consumed. Freddy really wasn't any different. "Mmh ya did teach me better pick up lines. That one wasn't tryin' ta be one." She wiggled her fingers at him. "Yer not lucid, but m'really here in yer dreams... We talked about it. Remember? I walk in dreams that aren't mine. Whoevers. Ya insisted ya wanted ta experience it first hand."

Staring at her as she spoke, the dream seemed to sharpen a little, the colors standing out a little more vividly. The tux outfit was suddenly replaced with simple black jeans and t-shirt. "Roni? Is this a dream?" Looking around the shabby room as if it were the first time he were seeing it. "Jeez. Subconsciouses are really weird. I like the dress, though. Makes me feel like we should be standing in a circle of mushrooms." Grinning up at her.

"It is indeed a dream." She grinned at him and watched his face filter thought the various expressions as he processed and realized. "They really are, Like I said,. no more zombie stuff fer ya." This was teased. "And Beltane is still here. We can run off and have our own celebrations in the name of it. Ring of mushrooms included, others optional."

"I've always wanted to check out a fairy orgy. Call it a bucket list item. But we can deal with that at another time." The distant sounds of groaning zombies had him looking around again. "Can't go wrong with a classic, huh? Ok. So. You're the Mistress of Dreams. You don't like the setup, why don't you do something about it?" Crossing his arms as he watched her after issuing his challenge.

He's got a smirk playing along her features again. "That has been most definitely noted. We'll check it out together." Mused simply. There's a moment, and a crinkle of her nose, before the dress that she was wearing was similar, but knee-length, and much simpler than a ball gown. "I could. Generally don't, unless I should. But I suppose since you want a show, I can give you one." She reached up to poke his nose gently. Then she turned around to face the front of the shack, and just as surely as it had been there, it was gone, and they were standing out in the open.... Which of course pulled the attention of the Zombies.... but that was okay, because they were just kinda melting into the ground.

His eyes roved the scene, focusing on the melting zombies. "How very Salvador Dali of you." Now standing in empty woods with her. Hands on his hips, facing Roni once again. "You can reshape the setting. Not bad. Now...I'm thinking of an object. Make me tell you what it is." Beaming a smile at her.

"Yeah? Maybe I should paint it, Meltin' zombies. Maybe I'll become a famous artist or somethin'." Amused laughter bubbled up out of her.

And even as she spoke, the landscape wasn't done shifting and changing. The sky became a brilliant blue, and the trees off in the distance shifted, becoming reedy grass and scraggly cliffs that ran along the edge of water that bloomed, and sloped down to a beach. The sand underfoot was warm from the sun, and the smell of saltwater and beach clung heavy in the air. One of the beaches she had frequented when her and Siobhan had stayed in Ireland. She hadn't really thought that one could get homesick when you don't really have a place that ever was a home, but she was.

Freddy's words drew her attention away from the beauty of the landscape, and back to him, a flicker of surprise on her features. "I can't. Zagan couldn't even make me do anything in my dreams, and he has my name."

An appreciative glance at their new surroundings. Kicking off his shoes so he could wiggle his toes in the sand. Then he was looking back up at Roni. "You can't. It's that defeatist attitude that's going to get us into trouble. Come on. Use your imagination. Just because you can't control my thoughts and actions doesn't mean you can't use what you got to convince me." There was a playful waggle of his eyebrows at that. "Use your imagination. I mean, that's what all this is anyway, right? Be creative."

Her combat boots were gone because she simply willed them away. Absently, she wished that she had the kind of control and power over the real world, like she did in her dreams. Everything would be just that much easier. Maybe her best friend wouldn't be locked away in gold chains. She finally gave a shake of her head to clear it, and focused back on Freddy as he spoke.

His words have a touch of a pout curling her lips. "Yer not wrong, I suppose. It is mostly imagination... I think, M'not sure how it works. It just does. " Her tongue was caught between her teeth as she thought for a moment. How did she get him to tell her what object he had in mind? She could seduce it out of him. Or try and scare him.... but as far as she could tell, he was pretty damned fearless. Hmm.

He was pulling off his shirt now, which was soon followed by his pants so he was only in his red boxer briefs. Stretching theatrically, like marathon runners in a movie. "If you don't know how it works, then don't focus on that part. Focus on your intent. Your desire. Dreams are shaped by our thoughts and beliefs. Or something like that. I don't know. You're supposed to be the expert here." With a wink, he was dashing through the sand towards the water.

Like she needed further reason to continue to stare at him.... He stripped down, and she took distracted pleasure in watching him do so. His words pull her out of whatever brief reviere she was in. They earned him a snort. "I am in no way an expert. Honest? I have no ****in' clue what m'doin'- Hey!" He took off. She watched him run a moment, before laughter bubbled up. Then, unlike him, she didn't have to strip. She just took off after him, and at some point the dress had faded away.

Plunging headlong into the water, splashing around happily, before looking back to see what Roni was doing. Grinning when he spotted her dressless self running towards the water as well. Drifting lazily then to allow her to catch up. At least she made it a nice day to enjoy the beach.

It wasn't long before she was splashing her way into the water after him. Instead of waiting for him to straighten up from his floating, she's headed straight for him with intentions on catching him. Or trying to. He could be a slippery person when he wanted to be.

Content to continue floating on his back in the water as Roni got closer. Making no move to get out of her reach. "Any inspiration hit you yet, Slim? Because I am in no hurry now. I could stay here all day." His fingers making little splashes in the water.

"I dunno. It might've." She pulled him closer as he floated, then trailed a fingers up his chest. "I'm tryin’ ta think of what could possibly have ya ta the point of givin' up that object." She leaned down and pressed a brief chaste kiss to his lips. "I could torture ya." The smile on her face says only in the most delightful ways though.

The grin broadening after the kiss. "I feel I should warn you...it had better be some ingenious method of torture." Still lazily floating along, letting her toy with him as she will. "What do you know about me? What do you think would work best in convincing me to do something I don't want to?"

"Mmmh. It most definitely would be." There's a moment of quiet as he considers his latter question and the things that she did know about him. "Well. I know I wouldn't wanna be on the losin' end of a fight with ya. I know ya enjoy havin' fun and definitely enjoy sex, but yer also stubborn and determined like me." A contemplative sound followed her words, and her finger trailed back down. "Threats ta people ya care about would be pretty useless, I think. As would actual physical and painful torture."

"When you put it that way, I sound like a real superhero." His words were tinged with a chuckle. "Seems like you have your work cut out for you. However are you going to handle such a hopeless situation against insurmountable odds?" Obviously teasing her, while enjoying the trace of her finger.

"Mmmhm. Ya could be one, if ya really wanted to. But I don't think that's ya. Ya don't like the spotlight. Unless it's Karaoke." There's a poke of fun, and a curl of a smile. "I do have my work cut out fer me, don't I?" There's an arch of a brow, and her smile blossomed into a grin. "I could work you up to lovely bliss, and keep ya there without the satisfaction of release.... until you give me said object in mind."

A short, acknowledging hum at her suggestion. "Now there's an idea. Could unfulfilled pleasure be my kryptonite? I've never quite denied myself enough to know the answer to that." Bobbing in the shallow waves as they rolled by. "Think you could resist the urge yourself?"


"It's possible, for sure. Men are interestin’ creatures when it comes ta sex." Teased softly, before she decided to steal a kiss from him. "So you could always tell me.... or we could always find out. That one's up ta you," Coyly spoken. His question was met with a slow blink. "Probably. M'good at disconnectin’ when it comes to stuff like that, so it could be a useless method if I was determined enough."

"You'll have to find out the hard way. My lips are sealed." Slowly lifting an arm to make a zipping motion across his mouth. Good thing she had already kissed him. Though he probably would have opened his mouth again for another one, since it wouldn't require him to talk.

"Mmmh. Ya are more difficult then I am sometimes, I swear." This is said affectionately, before she shifted, and pressed closer to him. Her fingers started up with their trailing wandering again, this time down along his chest and further. "But...." She grinned down at him, and leaned in for another kiss. "Challenge accepted." There's a rumbly purr as she murmured that against his lips.

His own low moan echoing her purr as she captured his lips for another kiss. The movement causing him to lose his buoyancy, so he shifted to stand in the water with her. He couldn't say she was on the right track, but he wasn't going to argue her tactics. An arm slinking around her waist as he continued the greedy kiss.

Of course he wouldn't question her tactics. She had hit the nail on the head earlier when she said he definitely enjoyed pleasure. She wasn't sure if she was on the right track either, but the least she could do was try, and enjoy the ride (ha). Her own arms moved to sling around his form and pressed him closer. The greedy kiss wasn't long, before it was turning into something hungrier.

As much fun as it was to make out in the ocean, it would get pretty awkward fast. Without releasing her or stopping the more intense kiss, he slowly began shuffling them back towards the beach. As far as he was concerned, the sand would be so worth the experience.

He started shuffling them back towards the shore, and she didn't make any move to stop him, because... well why should she? He never was someone she had any desire to stop, especially when it involved the both of them in the ways it did now. Sand was worth it, yes, but even in dreams sand was ever unpleasant in certain spots.... But this was a dream, and her domain. She'd remedy that soon enough.

They didn't make it very far onto the shore, pretty much stopping on the wet sand, where he dragged her down so they could be a little more frisky. The waves lapping at their feet and legs. The kiss growing more insistent, his tongue darting between her lips. Hands moving to explore his favorite points of interest on her body.

Wet sand was less inclined to get places, so for now, she doesn't make any gestures, and nothing materialized underneath them. The kiss lingered for a moment longer, hungry and insistent, before she broke away, and her mouth started traveling down to and along his jaw. Meanwhile those hands of hers are exploring, wandering.

A little growling noise escaping him as she began taking the lead in things. Putting up no resistance, since her touch wasn't something he would try to deter. And she always did manage to find really good places to touch. Laying back on the sand to give himself over to her wanderings.

That growling noise had an amused smirk curling her lips as she reached the base of his throat. It was enjoyable to take the lead with things from time to time. And he had challenged her, so all the more reason. With another rumble of a purr, teeth found skin, and bit down. Hard enough to leave a mark, not hard enough to be uncomfortable. Meanwhile her hands continue wandering.

He would have preferred her hands to linger certain places longer... But this was her show and she was trying to achieve something. So as much as he would like to wrestle her to the sand and ravage her, he controlled the impulse. Grinning wickedly. "We should take more trips to the beach if this is how they turn out."

Fingers stopped at the hemline of his boxers and she pulled back enough to simply grin at him. "Agreed. And they probably will. Ya already have trouble keepin’ yer hands offa me when I'm fully clothed. Can only imagine how bad it'll be when m'wearin' a few triangles of fabric."

Her touch was causing an obvious reaction, which only made his resistance that much more impressive. His eyes moving over her, picturing her in a bikini. "We'd better make a strong effort to go to a part where no children are lurking. Because it'll be very bad."

"We can make an effort to explore the more private beaches of Rhy'din. We'll make a valiant.... effort to not mentally scar any more children. Promise. Young minds are horribly impressionable. " It wasn't long before she smirked up at him, and suddenly there was a peculiar lack of clothes on his end.

The quirk of an eyebrow as he was now completely shed of any clothing, feeling the cool breeze in various places. Glancing down at himself, then back up to Roni's dark eyes. "You have me at your mercy now. I must admit, I'm rather excited to see what that naughty little mind of yours comes up with. We may have to remember this and repeat it at a later date." Giving her a wink, a hand smoothing slowly over the arch of her hip.

"Honestly I don't think I've ever had a guy completely at my mercy. There's so many wonderfully terrible things I could do, y'know." Speaking of which, those hands of hers? They’re exploring all sorts of sensitive skin.

A low, throaty groan escaping him as she continued her delicate torture. Hips wriggling a little on the sand as the struggle to give himself to her control continued to wage a furious battle with his eagerness to take her. The hand gripping her thigh tightly as the other kneaded the sand at his side.

She didn't miss anything. That low groan, the one hand that kneaded at her thigh, and the other that did the same to the sand. The needful look on his face. She definitely enjoyed it more than she thought she would. It wasn’t long before lips and teeth were worked into her wanderings.

"Alright...we might need to work restraints into this scenario..." A huskiness to his voice. Restraint in the face of blatant seduction ran counter to his wiring and it was a battle he didn't think he could fight much longer. And Roni was practically working him into a frenzy of lust.

"That can indeed be arranged." There is brilliance in the smirk that plays along her features. Yeah. She was thoroughly enjoying this. More tantalizing kisses followed.
.
"Or you could tell me that object you had in mind, and I could end your torture."

"That...is very tempting...but not quite so easy..." He knew he was going to lose the tug-of-war with his self-control. Very soon he would have her on her back.

He honestly wasn't the only one struggling with self control. She was just better at hiding it. Every little reaction to each thing she did made it all the harder to not just say screw it.... or more namely him.

"Mmmh? I think it's very easy, yes? Mh. Just tell me what it was."

It was more devious kisses and wandering fingers that made Freddy cave…. Not in giving her the name of the object she so desired, but in giving into the lustful needful things that she was driving him to want. And honestly, it wasn’t like she was any stronger.The game with an intended end, was forgotten, and she was swept up into her body driven by basic instinct. Neither were none too kind, or shy about using lips and teeth, and scratching nails. They were rough in the way they ravaged one another, before it all came crashing down like the waves on the shore they were on…

7. Bolster her confidence, and let her realize she has limitless possibilities within her.

May 17th - Thursday - Early afternoon

Interestingly, it was almost the same as when they'd arrived last time. Des led them to a set of rickety steps, and up to a second floor porch area. He sat a big canvas bag filled with typical Vietnam era pineapple grenades onto an old table and surveyed the area keenly. Sometimes, there were zombies, but it was daytime, and all was pretty quiet. He withdrew a grenade and went over the safety procedures with Zan. Roni's already done those, she could pick 'n' throw at will.

Roni also took a moment to make Zan swear that whatever he heard here stayed here. Because they were very personal things that she didn't need someone blabbing about. Then she let Des take over on the safety procedures, and wandered her way on over to the bag of grenades, and wasted little time in plucking one up.

Definitely! Once he saw Zan had a good arm and aim, he cheerfully dug a few bottles of soda and water out of his back pack before taking out a few more grenades to prep for throwing. He eyed Roni, while she pitched. "Something else happened, huh?"

"Yes." There's a moment, and a heavy sigh, before she finally pulled the pin, and threw the grenade. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she took a moment to relish in the resounding boom that followed. "Zagan sent someone after me 'n Freddy, ta teach us a lesson or some shit. We sent a message back." Pause. "I told her what happened the next day, and later that night when I left she took off after Zagan, and broke a couple of Dullahan rules."

"...Oh..." he noted, quiet and wide eyed. Fae, Dullahan, even Mariner, as he was, all had to live by specific and conscripted rules. They were never for negotiation.

"Breakin' those rules means she was locked up. And will stay that way till they find someone else ta replace her. When that happens she's stripped of all a her abilities and then killed. There's a loophole, that could save her but I don't see myself gettin’ ta a position where I can use it." Softly, gingerly spoken, mostly because she knew how much the teen liked Siobhan.

He was quiet for a long while. Finally, he pitched a grenade, and snapped, "FUCK." Exhale. He closed his eyes and rubbed at his brows a moment. "What's the loophole? We can work this. I know we can."

"Earlier wasn't an appropriate time ta tell ya." She knows that for definite now, after his snapping. "Loophole is back home, any high standing member of the courts is allowed ta request a certain dullahan ta serve as a bodyguard to them. But back home I am a nobody. I was known as Zagan's little love toy."

He knit his brow as he considered that. "You do still have power in that," he noted after a long moments thought, "But you have to demand it. They are required to treat you as a prized possession, and if that means picking out all the green M&Ms..." Mulling, only to shake his head, "But building that takes time, and unless Zagan's a moron, he'd realize you were also building your own support and army." because if she didn't, Des would certainly coach her for it! "There's more than one court, too. There's Jewell, she might be able to help, depending on how much of her own she was able to get back... but there's Daisy, too. My nightmare. She can demand a mount." Pausing to look steadily at Roni.


"It would take time I don't have ta scratch my way up from the bottom." Then she paused, and smiled a little. "Plus I don't need every man treatin' me like that. The one that matters already does, and it wasn't demanded." Mused, and briefly that stupid happy smile worked its way onto her face again. "He's an intelligent moron. He knows. " There's something dark that flickers across her features. "And as much as it would be awesome if it was that ****in' easy, it has to be from the courts back home." She sighed softly, then yanked another pin, and lobbed the grenade, After the resounding boom, she turned to face him. "There is a little good news in all of this though. First rule she broke was calling on his name. His true name. Second rule was telling me said name."

"Good," he mulled, head tilting. "I'll still ask Daisy to see if there is any cross abyss niceties and such. They all run on concessions made to each other and their own realities, they have to be able to keep their rules and sometimes, those do come at cross corners to other rules. Like..." Pause "Well. She claimed you as family. And him as Enemy. She should be free to chase after him eternally." Primly. Though he knew, that wasn't the way it went. He handed her a fragmentation grenade: bigger more spectacular baddaboom. Then pointed to a stack of oil barrels. "Make it rain."

"That would be awesome. And much appreciated." Her head bobbed on a nod. "I'm gunna take so much pleasure in makin' sure Zagan doesn't breath anymore. At the very least I'll have that. And soon." Darkly, before she collected that fragmentation grenade, and looked it over. Then the oil barrels. A moment was taken to line up aim, and the pin was pulled. She looobbbed it with all her might.

3-2-1. BOOM. A huge explosion, and with it, a spray of old diesel oil. As it atomized, a huge fireball devoured the fuel. The brilliance and heat were intense, Des stepped back, hand shading his eyes, a coyote's grin on his face. "The old gods appreciate irony. It would be fun to sell him to someone worse than him, and take away his voice, so he could only be a helpless slave, unable to do anything to save himself." What a sweet boy Des was! But as he said, he wasn't truly a child, while being very childlike. "The only trouble with those, is it almost always guarantees they'll be back, unless you have a set of very specific wards and runes on him. Best to just let him taste that terror, and then to let the gods suit those last moments to their needs."

There's a brilliant glee on her features when this explosion took place. She didn't step back like Des did either. Though she did squint against the brilliance, because well, it was bright. But fire was fun to watch. "I don't know anything about the old gods. Or really about the new. " There's a crinkle of a freckled nose, before she turned to him. "It's easier if he's just dead. That way there's no one else ever that he can hurt. "I'll be able ta sleep easier at night too. " She rolled her shoulders.

Des tilted his head as she spoke, brows lifting. His mind was working, that was for certain. She didn't know about the gods. Or much of anything. "You said I was older than you, how old are you?" he asked, deceptively absent. Just askin. "Yeah, just dead and not being able to hurt others, that really is the aim, when it comes down to it."

"Twenty one..." Pause. Wait. "Twenty two. My birthday was in February. ****." She forgot about it. "And I kinda lived under a rock. Mamai and Dah were too preoccupied in their own selves. And Zagan just wanted me to be pretty and quiet. I know there's lotsa stuff I don't know about."

"Hn. That'd be too close," he decided after a moment, shaking his head at whatever he'd been cooking up. Then he laughed softly. "Yeah, there's a whole lot you should know. I mean, even if you're a kept concubine, you have rights in the fae court. But if they don't tell you..." a shrug. "And they didn't teach you any gods because you always have the right to become a nun, and they can't stop you. Even if you're devoting to like, Pan or Orpheus or Dionysus. It doesn't matter now, because you have the power of yourself. Even like, Oberon can't put you back where you have denied."

"Huh?" She gave him a puzzled look at the mention of too close. It only grew as he continued to talk. "Yeah. I never learned anything like that. Just broken and told to be pretty and quiet." She rolled her shoulders. "Now I'm still pretty, and very far from quiet. I woulda gladly been a nun if it meant I didn't have to deal with him."

"Wow, you weren't kidding," he whistled softly and pitched a grenade. A smile as it boomed. "We're not human. Whether we're called fae or celestial or abyssal or mystic or god or whatever, we're not human, and if we deal with humans, there's a certain code we have to follow. And almost all of us, if we're rescued from a deadly incident, we have to give at least one Wish to the person that did it. But Wishes are dangerous, and they mainly exist to screw things around. Unless you're a kid. Kid's don't understand the weird stuff that the Powers That Be strew around. So if a kid wishes for a million bucks, they get one million cash... not one million male deer. I was thinking if I could give you a wish, it wouldn't get corrupted, but you're over eighteen. But you don't know what you should know. And there's no one to teach you. Everything I say may not mean anything because there might be a shift of reality between us. But it's sometimes worth the time to try and bridge it."

She listened as he explained, and quietly, she processed what he was saying. Wish granting and stuff like that was definitely new. Her lips pursed for a moment, and she twisted the pin in the grenade she held, but didn't pull it yet. "I really don't know much of anything at all. Sometimes I hate bein' so ignorant. But I really don't...yeah... Like ya said. No one to really teach me." That said, she pulled the pin, and lobbed the grenade.

"There's you," he reminded her with a soft laugh, "And your Dreams. You might have other blood family that doesn't suck, too. Find out you're like supposed to be one of Gwynn's shieldmaidens or one of the wise maids of Arawn's cauldron, or promised over to Freya as a one of her spinners." Humorously. "And if that's so, they're gonna be pissed off. It's going to shake **** up." he mused with a quiet and sinister delight. "Pretty doesn't mean boo to the old ones. Have you ever seen one of the courts of the eldest? Arawn's court alone is terrifying. Power. That's what those turn on. Pretty is fine for the young courts and Titania wants everything lovely and perfect, of course, but when push comes to shove, she'd marry her favorite daughter to a Fomorian just for the power."


Things probably get worse and worse for Zagan as Roni learns that she IS powerful.

"I do have my dreams..." Pause. "Oh! Freddy and I discovered that if like I do somethin' in a dream it translates to real life. Like. I scratch someone in their dream they wake up with said scratch," That's a touch excitedly said. "Other blood family. I didn't think about that. I didn't want nothin' to do do with 'em. But that would be cool as ****." Then she gave him a curious look. "Yeah? Even if I've like never ever met 'em before, it could still shake things up?" Wide eyes. "And Nuh. I don't think I ever have. Like I said. A rock." And Zagan well knew that much. It was half the reason why he had kept her so ignorant.

His eyes widened. "...What..." Stare. Stare. Stare. "Oh. Dude. You're a Dreamweaver. A Nightmare. Even the gods dream, and they fear those. You can open doors in minds and hearts. You can craft madness out of order and sanity from shreds. You can hold a heart absolutely still and not kill, and you can cause death with just a touch." He reached over to catch Roni's hands, "You don't ever need to fear because everyone sleeps. And also, you can cause things to sleep." Pause. "But you're new, and there's a lot of Dreamers who would take advantage, and you totally need to avoid the Nightmare Circus until you're really good at what you do, but I do know King Rat, and I could speak for you."

"A dream weaver? So more than just a dream dancer?" Des would find his own wide eyed stare reflected on her face, especially when he continued on, and started to list all the things that she was capable of. He took her hands, and she let her eyes drifted on up to find his. She was quiet for a long time. "Make people sleep, and all that other stuff. I'm really capable of all that? Like that's really big. And a lot of... Like... Wow." Powerful. That's like bending reality level type stuff. "And there's a nightmare circus? And What's a rat king?" She's still trying... to wrap her head around the enormity of a dream weaver, and all the stuff that came with it.


Especially the part about gods fearing them.

"You can craft the dreams," he looked back into her eyes, and slowly, the darkness over them cleared: he has pretty blue and green mottled irises! "You move within them by opening a door for yourself. You dance, you conduct, you choreograph. What your hand falls upon, is touched in reality. You know those things, but you don't know how big they can be. You can bend reality within the dream." Simply put. He wasn't saying "practice practice practice' but did he really need to?

"There is a nightmare circus, it exist in reality and in Dream, or Dreaming. They are usually the collecting of insane souls who have learned to affect others in their dreams. It's sort of a wild hunt for Dream. The Rat King, and the Cat King and Dog King - they're ... if you are kind to them, they are kind to you. They can be assholes, but they're archetypes. The Rat King often follows the circus, he may rescue souls that shouldn't be there and he may condemn others that do belong there. The Cat King simply does as he does, and the Dog King is a golden soul, or a feral beast. They tend to mirror whoever their talking to." A double handful of various mythos for poor Roni to chew upon!

He had pretty eyes. That was noted at absent when they changed. Hers were always just black. But she didn't mind that. "I didn't realize I could do all that. Like... That's kinda sorta super scary. But cool as ****. Like. I understand why he kept me under a rock the whole time. Like. oh. It's even better than Freddy and I thought, yeah? I could give 'em a real reason ta be scared, and names don't work in the dreams. " There's a malicious delight on her features when she says that. The Explanation of the various kings, and the circus have her curious. "So what could speaking for me to him do?"

"I can't even believe he would keep you under a rock, especially if he knew what you can do. It's like having a Lamborghini and only driving it fifteen miles an hour." he paused, because people didn't do things without a reason. And there weren't many reasons to keep a potential powerhouse ignorant of her abilities. "Unless you're a lot more than a girl born to some creeps, and it would embarrass your blood family to find you in such a position, unable to use your powers or unaware of them. Or with Zagan having you all mind-fucked into being his vapid little sex toy." A possibility, but without hunting down Roni's family tree, it was just a possibility. Or, Zagan could really be that shallow and creepy. "You have to practice, to explore, to work with it. You have to be strong and settled in your day life, and you're getting there. You could start giving him nightmares every night. There are ways to block you out, especially since you're new to all this, but in time, with practice, very little can keep you out." He grinned to her, pleased. Because she had a whole vista of ass kickery before her. "Mainly it would keep the Rat King from trying to keep you with him, because he'd know you were new, and it would be prestigious for him to be your mentor. That might be good, but you need to pick that out knowingly, not just being cheerfully kept safe and all without realizing what's going on."

"Then maybe he didn't know. I dunno. That... would be something I would have to ask him maybe." She knew she could get the answer from him if she tried hard enough. There was a brief bout of silence again. "If that's the case. Would that mean that the people I thought ta be my parents might not be? Like I was stolen or lost or somethin's like that? That'd be nice. And Cool. It'd make sense." Her mother and sister were red heads, her father mousy brown. But alas, for now they were only pipe dreams. "Actually, I have been practicing, a lot lately. Freddy's been pushing me to see what I can do with him. So far it's just been the leaving marks on him. Now that I know there's more, maybe that can change. It's be cool. I wish there was like a book or somethin' to make it all easier." She laughed softly, before his words about the Rat king have her head tilting to the side just a touch. "So, if I chose to, he would teach me and stuff?" Just so she was sure she understood the gist of what he was saying.

"Everything people know is in their dreams," he explained quietly and carefully, squeezing her hands. "It's just in dreams, things can be jumbled, come out in different order, or be all symbols. You have to learn how to thread them all together to understand what was done." A pause and he laughed softly, nodding, "Yeah. But you have to be careful. The Rat King, all of those, they don't have to wake up. They don't have a waking form. And time, I mean, in a dream, you can live an entire life.. or it can flash by in a moment. So it doesn't mean anything to them. So don't agree without good anchors, or you can sleep and not return until ... years. Your best anchor is you, and Freddy." A nod and laugh, "You can ask Daisy, too. My Pretty Nightmare. She can explain a lot."

She gave his hands a solid squeeze back. "Because dreams take place up here?" There's a brief tap to her temple, before her hand is back in his. "At least that would make sense ta me. As would having ta make sense of them. I know that already. They are delicate things. And easily changed if yer not careful, which could just make everythin' more confusin' and stuff." This time when she pulls a pin and throws the grenade, it's just to watch something explode. "It sounds like meeting the Rat king is something that can come later. When I'm better. Daisy sounds like a better, safer start."

He nodded, once and then again, smiling as she spoke. She'd learned a lot of basics just by observation. "Exactly." He paused and beamed at the thrown grenade. Then he laughed. "Daisy's a lot easier to deal with. Nightmares or guants are more like the cavalry. They go in hard and fast. A Dreamweaver, they're more like a mage. They craft and coordinate and do sometimes very delicate work. But the basics are pretty much the same. If you nag my Mom enough, she'll clean memories for you, I've been learning to do that, too. It's sort of like sorting out dreams for the information." He nodded, and fetched another bottle of soda from the bag, taking a long drink. He offered the bag to Roni. The backpack was a modernized bag of holding, she'd likely find all sorts of sodas in there. Then he paused, curious. "How does it feel?" he asked abruptly, looking into her eyes.

Sometimes she swears that Des knows like, all of the things. And every time she talks with him, she always felt better. "I'm stillll, god, I feel like I should be takin' notes or somethin'. This is sooo much information." She bounced just a little on her feet, and took the bag when he offered it to her., and started rummaging, and making note of what was in there. She's not sure what all is in there, and wants to see what some of her options were.... at least until his question and eye contact. "How does what feel? The dream stuff?"

He's a lot older than he looks, and he's grown up in RhyDin and Hollywood. He snickered softly. "Don't worry, we'll probably talk about it a lot more." Mostly it was sodas, fruit flavored and caffeinated. Though the longer she rummaged, the more the bag 'tasted' her, and she'd find a few little one shot bottles of vodka and whiskey. He shook his head to her question, though. "How does it feel to learn you are more?"

Vodka and fruit flavored drinks. She could make that work. She settled for a bottle of sprite, and a little vodka bottle, then dropped the bag. Celebrations for little things? "That will help, yeah." SHe cracked the lid off the soda, and took a few swallows to make room for vodka, then emptied the contents of the tiny bottle. "It's... exhilaratin'. Amazin'. And like I dunno. I've gone so long thinkin' I wasn't much of nothin', and now I know that it's so much more, and it's excitin'."

"You're awesome," he assured her with a grin and flopped over for a hug, minding her drink. "You have all the possibilities, and grenades." What could be better than that!? He beamed, curious eyes sparkling brightly. It wasn't often his eyes lit up. "So any time he tries to push you down, or anyone tries, you just remember this. You're Roni." A firm nod. Then he handed her another fragmentation grenade. The oil drums were still burning half heartedly. They needed more oomph.

"One of the awesomest." She beamed a smile back at him. SHe did good at scooping him when he flopped, and hugged tight. "Yer pretty damn awesome too.. You supplied me with the grenades. And opened my brain to the possibilities." That said, she's chasing the words with her spruced up sprite. "Mmmh. I'm Roni, not a dream dancer, but a dream weaver. And the best part about all of it..." She took the grenade, pulled the pin, aimed and lobbed. "NO ONE'S GUNNA TAKE THAT FROM ME." She shouted amid the roar and flare of explosion that followed.

"Ever," he nodded, putting a lock on it, miming it, with a nod. "I need to go get ready for the funeral, I'm playing dulcimer. You and Zan can keep blowing up stuff, when you're ready to go, just walk through that drawing downstairs, you'll go back to the inn. Or you can come with me," he beamed.

There's a brilliant smile. She was riding on a happy high she's certain won't fade for at least a little while. "I'll go. I dunno who it's fer, but I don't mind goin' and keeping ya company if ya want it. " She's nodding a few more times, and eying her dress. It was appropriate, right?

Well enough! With Des leading the way, it wasn’t long before they were off and gone to get ready for a funeral!