well-behaved doors

[campanas]

Pen' was just going to go practice singing. (She likes singing. The words are all lined up for her already and she doesn't get them wrong.) But this doesn't look like the practice room. So it's probably the magic restaurant.

Pen knows about the magic restaurant! You can go in it, and get food or things to drink (she has bracelets!) and then you just go back out the door and it's been no time at all and you're right where you went in.

She goes in. She is going to have cake.

Comments

[beheld_beauty]

"I would feel safer about it if Lazarus were consulted. When we tried editing Ansharil... well, we should have called Lazarus first then and I will do it now. You understand."

Glass does understand, Lazarus is fetched, Lazarus confirms Glass's diagnosis, Lazarus goes away again.

"All right. Are you ready?" Rose asks Procellor.

[aestrix]

Procellor nods. "Ready. I'm thinking very consenting thoughts."

[beheld_beauty]

She starts trying coins. When she gets to a hex (in her husband's beautiful colors), it disappears from her hand.

"All right?" she asks Procellor.

[aestrix]

He blinks a few times, saying nothing in reply. He's got a bit of adjusting to do in his head. Then he looks at Rose's Jane-gem, and tilts his head.

"Huh. That's interesting. Yeah, I'm fine. A large portion of what I did for the past several centuries makes absolutely no sense now, though. That diamond I started a war over wasn't even that pretty," he says, vaguely confused and embarrassed.

Daddy? asks Pyranir. Are you okay?

He grins at his child. "Yeah, I'm alright. I do believe I need to tell your mother about this, though."

[beheld_beauty]

"Go ahead. There's no rush."

[aestrix]

He plants a kiss on Yvae's head, gives Pyranir a pat on the head, and then heads outside to have a heart to heart with his mate. A few minutes later, both return, the mate in question in a human form and not looking particularly pleased about it.

Procellor says you - his exact words were, 'Rewired his brain to make some actual sense when shiny things are involved' - I'm not sure what he means but he wants me to consent, too? she says, a little confused. Did you hurt him?

"No, dear. I'm fine," he says, brightly. She gets a kiss on the cheek. "It's actually really nice to not want to covet and collect all gems and treasure everywhere. Who knew."

His mate makes an uncommitted sound.

[beheld_beauty]

"Procellor volunteered to be the test subject for a magical edit that removed his impulse to hoard," says Rose, "which in Glass's estimation makes dragons a sufficiently safe target for torchability. Since he didn't want us to try it for the first time on one of the little ones."

[aestrix]

Oh, she says. ... That is something he would do, yes.

He grins at her. "Will it help if I say I'm fine again?"

It might not - she begins, and then he interrupts her by taking her hand, twirling her around a little, dipping her, and kissing her. Every hatchling in the room rolls their eyes and looks away. It takes a little while, but eventually he rights her and goes on like nothing happened, aside from the vague grin on his face.

A little dazed, she says, ... Okay. Consenting now. Mate says it's fine, it's fine.

[beheld_beauty]

Rose spends another hex.

[campanas]

Pen joins in the exasperation of the hatchlings.

"Mush," she proclaims.

[aestrix]

They do this all the time! It's gross! says Pyranir. Both siblings agree by nodding and making faces.

Meanwhile, their mother has just had her head fixed. She makes a bit of a face, once she's adjusted and looked back at her own memories.

Oh good heavens, did I do all that for - they were just pearls! she says, incredulously. Procellor takes her hand and pats it. I mean, maybe it helped that I got to do that to my sister, but - but still!

"Same with me, love. It's kind of frightening, honestly," he says.

Also extremely embarrassing now... she adds, looking suitably embarrassed.

"That too!" he replies, brightly.

[campanas]

"My mommy and daddy do too. And that Mommy and her one Daddy. That one Mommy doesn't have one Daddy though. She married two princesses who other people instead."

[beheld_beauty]

"What's this about your sister?"

[aestrix]

Ilayse sighs, and then says, Maybe all mommies and daddies are mushy? It could be a requirement.

I have something of a rivalry with several of my clutch-mates. I outwitted her several times in order to get the pearls in question, explains the newly-reprogrammed dragon.

"It was really impressive and I'm not at all biased," says her mate, loyally.

[beheld_beauty]

"Well. Since it seems to have worked so well on you, no objections if we poll the children too?"

[aestrix]

"No objections," agree both, in their respective methods of speaking.

[beheld_beauty]

Rose looks for the nearest currently unoccupied hatchling.

[aestrix]

Pyranir looks back at her. He shuffles his feet, and looks at both parents nervously. It doesn't hurt, right?

"Not at all," his father informs.

The little hatchling makes a little nervous sound, then nods and says, O-Okay, go ahead

[beheld_beauty]

"Here you go."

Hex goes.

[aestrix]

The little hatchling pauses for less time than his parents, then looks at Yvae a little desperately. Oh no! Yvae, I'm so sorry I bit you over that jewel, that was mean! he says, making a little sad sound.

Yes, says Yvae, petulantly. It was mine, anyway!

Pyranir goes and looks very guilty, despite the fact that out of all members of the reprogrammed comity, he's done the least bad and is near-innocent. He goes and gets a hug from his mommy.

[beheld_beauty]

"Yvae, would you like to go next?"

[aestrix]

She pouts, a little. She does not seem to want to go next. Ilayse nudges Rose. Me next? Pleeeease?

Consent's a given, here. Mommy and daddy say it's okay, so it's okay. Even Pyranir agreed!

[beheld_beauty]

Rose does Ilayse next. And pats her on the head.

[aestrix]

Ilayse is deprogrammed! She giggles, This is nice! I like this!

Then Yvae is the only one left. She continues pouting. She's not sure she likes the idea of her head getting changed - and she likes having shinies.

Procellor pats her head. "Darling. It's alright? I won't let anything bad happen to you."

She looks up at her dad, then asks softly, Can I still keep some of the shinies after?

"Yes," he replies, smiling.

His daughter nods a little, then scrunches up in preparation and a bit of fear. Okay - ready. Do the thing.

[beheld_beauty]

Rose does the thing.