They ask her to stay on the line while they contact a Mastigos and to get off public roads, then, starting as a little point of sparks, a gate made out of crackling lightning opens ahead of them, outputting into a large white-concrete garage, one situated underneath the Assembly.

With rain pouring off the truck, they roll inside, and Grease brings it to a shuddering stop beside a large black jet and a spaceship. She leans back and sighs.

There's a hum and an image of Ethan appears right before he emerges into being beside Ikenga, sensing her arrival.

"Busy day for you, huh?" her master asks, while her boyfriend holds a hand out to help her down.

(2 Gnostic beats and 1 regular by the by.)

"Not gonna lie, that's pretty cool. And call me pleased to welcome another black lady onboard," Ikenga says with a grin, offering Grease a hand down.

"It's a little comforting to see that I'm not alone." She looks around, and Wire remembers how young she is with her anxiety.

"We'll do what we can to help her," the Chairwoman promises, the Asian lady looking back in.

The golem - doesn't want to step out. Poor dear.

"We'll get some Mind specialists down here. For now, Wire, I think you should go home and rest. We're all pretty impressed with your work ethic here."

He kisses her tenderly and smiles. "That's all right~ I have the ability to step out for a few minutes and go see my girlfriend in the time it takes for most people to make a call. Ash? Need a ride home?"

"I'm good - I'll shower and pass out here."

He nods, then the two of them shimmer as she transitions to the inside of her apartment - for as long as she'll have it, anyway - and picks her up, cradling her in his arms as he takes her to the bathroom. He settles her down and turns it on for her.

"Tomorrow - you and I deserve a proper day together. No baby twin sisters or dragons or anything demanding your time."

He cleans himself by dissociating the filth on his clothing and fur from his body, sending it to Heaven only knows where, and bends down to give her a kiss.

"So - for as long as you got the place, I have a suggestion. I'm going to set up a couple holes in your closet, one that will lead to your room at your parents' and one that will lead right to my closet. Whenever you're ready, you just pop on by tomorrow. Sound good~?"

Speaking of, a cursory look shows that she does in fact have Facebook and Discord connections with Chloe and Jackie. There's even pictures.

That gives her a headache, considering that, all things considered, she should only be a couple years older than them, not their much-older sister, but -

Right, focus.

'of course I am. I only sleep a couple hours a night these days. Don't wanna give up dreams entirely. What's up? Need a heal and/or a hug? Oh, how'd the mission go? :d'

'Me, share intimate details with someone who is literally my heart and soul? Pshah. Like I'd ever violate her trust.'

Pause

'Seriously though yeah it's so fucking hot. Actually, we kind of had a uhm, thing. I made most of the decisions in the relationship, but as soon as the door shuts she's in charge. I mean, I can say no but ho ho boy I never want to. It was like that with my boyfriend in early college, too, but he took it too far and tried to do it in public and I hit him and walked. I just turn straight to butter, it's so ridiculous.'

'...oh. oh snap. That is a really pretty image. Okay, no, I'm with you here. honestly I think your right, were not like, weak or anything, but we find it thrilling when someone else takes charge. I suspect that's new to our existence here, since back in the Aether I doubt we were ever that interesting.'

She thinks about it a bit.

'okay, so, I may not be a Forgemaster but I have been practicing Adept-level Prime magic so I can make an imbued item. Get Kitty's say-so and I'll get an amulet to you tomorrow that will let him pop into it. And if it doesn't work out after he tries it, uh - melt it into a puddle of metal before anyone else finds out!'

'Haha it's okay sis, remember our sexual awakening as teens?'

Good Lord, Arielle may have a dependent personality but apparently no shame.

'Things are going pretty well over here. Dad's been a real champ, because of course he would be. I think he misses having kids in the house. They're both glad to have a real family, and Mom has been teaching them - we've decided that it's best for now if they stayed away from the Orders to avoid uncomfortable questions and interest, and to help get us all acclimated again. Chloe has even started remembering stuff, and Mom exercises her power to help grease the gears with that. Jackie had a nervous breakdown, thinking the universe would snap back and drag her back to her other family, but Mom helped and taught her the practices for Time since that's her thing. She's able to Shield herself, which is good. Honestly, you'd be shocked at just how easily they fit in, even if I have to cope with being the ten years older sister instead of the two years older.'

'Speaking of, Mom is the most awkward part of this. I can't believe she's a archmage, that she just left us in the lurch, but I kind of have to accept it. You can see how much she hurts, whenever the damage to the timeline comes up, and she's trying to make it up. it's just... It happened so suddenly, right? All of a sudden Mom's not Dead, she's back, and how are we supposed to cope with that?'

She pauses for a bit.

'Jackie remembers stopping me from killing myself, after you and Dad died. Mom admitted that was the catalyst that let her pass the Threshold.'

'Yeah. I think it's good that you got to be more yourself before they came home. It's nice, actually - I don't feel as lonely anymore. I know that must make you happy. I don't feel as much despair as before - maybe it could be something like this for all of the Watchers, little families planted here and there.'

'<3 <3 <3'

When Valerie gets out of her bath, slumping exhausted into her wheelchair, she makes her way back and finds a meal laid out for her on the table - Ethan remembered that she hadn't eaten!

...and from the looks of the containers, he teleported to France for some authentic coq au vin. He must have used Time to make sure it'd be ready right when she got out of the bath.

He's such a good, thoughtful kitty!

Cynthia Drake's offer is a great deal of legal-speak. It might be worthwhile having a lawyer retained with the Assembly have a look at it. Still, most of the details seem pretty kosher - there's even an ethical objection clause that can let them arbitrate if Val decides a requested item is beyond the pale for her moral code. She's also to be called on for advice of a magical nature as a consultant, though any action is at her discretion. It makes one wonder what authority Ms. Drake would complain to if she ever failed in her duties - take it before the Assembly as a grievance, perhaps?

The studio is in Palo Alto, but that's not so bad a trip, especially since Ethan lives over in that area. Provisions can be made to request a new one, but that's the one they have, and there's pictures.

Then there's all of the personnel files - editors, crew. They have little dossiers with their known supernatural abilities. This girl sees ghosts, while that guy can control electricity with his mind. Another girl is a pagan witch.

Prices are hefty down there! But they're hefty up in the city, too. Bit more spacious, if a bit less character.

For 3400 a month, she could have a nice, very modern two bedroom in Palo Alto - spacious ceilings, kitchen area, large bath, wood flooring. Heated pool on the same floor and a gym!

Eventually, though, sleep does call, and an exhausted Val hauls herself back into bed, curling up.

In a way, she's an angel growing up into a goddess - that's something to celebrate, no matter how difficult it was to get there.

Nothing like being able to control one's dreams!

-----

Much as Val thought, it's noon before she awakens again, but at least she's refreshed. Her dreams are a calm refuge these days.

Besides! She feels accomplished! She did a lot yesterday.

... Well aside from the agony in her poor legs.

Outwardly, nothing about it is remotely different, but as she wheels in a bit she feels a sense that the room was... Smaller.

Two rectangular holes stand not far from one another. Each is distinguished by a bending of light around the edges, like mirrors pressed close together.

A folded origami letter sits between them, and it unfolds as she picks it up into a kitty-person on the right and Arielle - an angry-eyes one-winged angel - on the left.