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 Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2026 7:49 pm
To say that Edam was having a bad day was an understatement. Her baby cousin was magical, which meant she was in incredible danger; her baby cousin was a bratty teenager, which meant the most out of pocket malarky came out of her mouth all the time and, yes, had hurt Mads’ feelings; her baby cousin had magic that had ripped the years’-old bandaid off memories that Edam never, ever wanted to reconsider; she had attacked her baby cousin. She had hurt her. A little bit on purpose, just because she was mad. Edam had, perhaps, never felt so ashamed of herself in all her life. She’d let emotions get the better of her, which was supposed to be Mason’s problem, not her own. And, of course, perfect Mason hadn’t been victimized at all - no no, a perfectly pleasant review of a perfectly pleasant tradition. Of course. Of course that’s what he got when under. Because there was no freaking justice in the world. …But, no, if it had to be one of them getting the sour end of the stick, she was actually glad it was her, and not her brother. She never wanted Mason to hurt, and heaven only knows what bad traditions could’ve sprung to his mind… Edam scowled, at nothing in particular. She found herself halfway hoping that some Youma would dare cross her path, because bad guys? Bad guys she was allowed to shoot rocks at, no guilt required. It hadn’t made her feel better the first time, with Tiffany– Winters--at the other end of it, but she was reasonably sure that taking out a monster might have a lightening effect on her mood. She was certainly willing to try and find out. Definitely better to focus on the demons outside than the demons within - at least those could actually be taken out for good…
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Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2026 7:51 pm
Trier very much enjoyed the sense of pride that she had by making it to become a Squire, but she had to admit that the long dress was…
Annoying. To say the least.
She looked…well. The look suited her tastes, and she appreciated that, but there was a reason she normally wore skirts of a much more normal length. Or pants. Pants were also good.
There was the aura of a Page nearby and Trier glanced that way, wondering if she should say hello, or just let them be, but with a sigh, she decided that it was best to at least greet the Page. Maybe she could offer some assistance.
Taking a step, she once again tripped on the hem of her dress and grumbled as she caught herself and then reached down, pulling the skirt a few inches off the ground. She felt ridiculous but.
She made her way to the Page and blinked. “Oh. Edam. Hello.”
Trier let the dress fall again and gave a little grin. Not a gloating grin…but there might have been some real pride in her at this moment, and it felt good.
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Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2026 7:52 pm
Edam had been so preoccupied with self-pity she’d barely noticed the Squire’s aura nearby, and for a brief second, she thought it might be Blarney, trying to track her down to comfort her or even worse, scold her for her behavior, but then - no. It wasn’t her brother.
It was, somehow, worse: Trier. Except not Trier as Edam had last seen her, last sensed her.
It was Trier as a Squire.
It was like the entire universe was conspiring, specifically to tick her off.
“Nice dress,” Edam said, unable to hide the sourness in her voice. She knew it wasn’t Trier’s fault that they happened to run into each other on the second-worst day of Edam’s magical career so far, but it was a thorn in her side nevertheless.
You should at least try to be nice, Edam told herself, and that just made her even more annoyed. Why did she always have to do the right thing? Wasn’t it someone else’s turn to take the high road for a change? When did she get to be immature?
Edam sighed, closed her eyes for a brief moment, and let her shoulders drop. It wasn’t like she’d been so above it all with Winters. Her own cousin...
“What I meant to say,” Edam said a moment later, opening her eyes again, “is congratulations. Of course. How long has it been since you…evolved?” Edam asked, unsure of the exact proper wording and, for once, too exhausted even in her own mind to care to try and find a better word.
If you had had magic, think of what you could’ve done to poor Winters. You don’t deserve to be a Squire. Do you even deserve to be a Page? You attacked your own family. It was almost enough to make her power down right then and there, consequences be danged, but she didn’t - barely.
“Have you discovered your magical abilities yet?” Edam asked. A little bit wryly, she added, “I would recommend figuring out the entirety of what they can do before unleashing them upon someone.”
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Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2026 7:53 pm
The tone made Trier’s eyes narrow behind her glasses and she gave no verbal response, just a low hum. Interesting how the high and mighty…one of the high and mighty know-it-alls was…jealous. There was clearly something going on with the Page though. She looked tired. Looked absolutely done with just about everything. Well. That wasn’t Triers issue.
“Not long. Not really. This is the first time I’ve actively gone out. I made a trip to Trier a bit ago and found my signet ring.”
Her magic. Trier summoned her small rod to her hand and inspected it for a moment. “No. I’m not sure about it. But to be honest, I don’t think that there is a way to know unless you use it on someone. Willing or not.”
Necro’s magic was mostly in someone’s head, after all. And she was the same branch of Knights, so it made some sense that hers might be in that same vein.
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Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2026 7:54 pm
If Edam was less controlled, a literal growl might have escaped her lips, but it didn’t. Instead, she just pursed her lips lightly; of course she’d found her ring, too.
Conspiring. To. Tick. Her. Off.
Edam sighed again, tried for a smile. She wasn’t sure she succeeded. “Congratulations again, then,” Edam said. “On your ring. I hope you don’t need to use it in a hurry.” Edam paused, glanced around. “Speaking of, we should probably walk and talk.” If they were going to talk, anyway. Edam wasn’t sure she was going to be very good company, and she kind of just wanted to sulk, but she wouldn’t be rude if Trier wanted to spend time together.
Edam started walking, picking a random direction; if Trier wanted to follow, fine - if not, brooding it would be.
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Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2026 7:55 pm
Trier hummed again, watching the Page seem to absolutely unravel because she had mentioned her signet ring, and honestly…
She wouldn’t allow Edam to know but. She was a little amused. Karma was a b***h, after all.
“I’m going to assume from your angry expression that you don’t have yours. There’s another Squire out here named Blarney, because he’s full of it. He absolutely loves the damn things. I was sure to let him know when I found mine.”
A roll of her own eyes, and she watched Edam for a moment. Her mind was back on her magic again as Trier began rolling the cool metal in her hands and feeling a strange tingle as she absolutely accidentally began to channel her magic right towards Edam.
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Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2026 7:55 pm
Edam opened her mouth in surprise, but any words she was going to say were instead swallowed by a yelp, as for the second time in less than an hour, she was the victim of a magical attack–and from someone on her own side, too!
“Hey!” Edam squeaked, trying and failing to side-step the vines that sprouted up out of literally nowhere, tangling around her legs so tight she could feel them almost poking through her boots. She struggled, squirmed, and finally lost her balance, the legs brought too close together beneath her.
She landed with a faint thud, and Edam let out a frustrated grunt of irritation, grabbed the nearest bit of chipped-off asphalt she could find, and managed to shove herself to at least a sitting position, so she could slingshot the stone at Trier.
“You found your ring, good for you, but don’t make that my problem! What the heck is the matter with you!”
What’s the matter with you? that mean little voice asked Edam. That’s the second time you’ve attacked someone on your own side in less than an hour too, isn’t it?
But no - this was self-defense. It had been the first time too! Sort of! People had got to stop using their freaking magic on her until she got some of her own!
Edam was finally able to kick free of the vines and watched them disappear back into the earth, but she didn’t stand up and didn’t stop glaring at Trier. “Mystery solved. You’re welcome.”
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Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2026 7:56 pm
Trier had honestly been as surprised as Edam when the vines began creeping, and she stared at them in both fascination and horror, mind going back to that stupid, horrible wolf. But…the vines were going after Edam, binding her ankles…it was interesting.
She was opening her mouth to apologize when something came whizzing past her face, catching her cheek slightly. Her hand went to cover the sudden pain and she frowned seeing a small bit of blood from…had that been a rock?
“It was an accident.” The cool, even voice was devoid of even more emotion than usual and the look that Trier was bestowing on the Page was enough to freeze the blood, at least it was the one that Alexi would tell her was enough to freeze the blood.
It never worked on Cordell’s awful boyfriends. Some of them sure, but not all. Not enough.
“I apologize. You had put the thought into my mind and I suppose that was some kind of trigger. I hadn’t meant to use it on you, but yes. Thank you.”
The last words were dripping with sarcasm, and she closed her eyes for a moment, considering before lifting her skirt with one hand and closing the distance between herself and Edam, holding a hand out to help the girl up.
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Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2026 7:57 pm
Edam was not used to being the one who felt so much. She was supposed to be the one in control, the one who helped the emotional one (Mason). The one who had all the answers.
So why did she feel like she had less than no answers, and was indeed the one causing the problems to begin with?
Edam deflated further and dropped her gaze into her lap, giving just a slight nod when she explained it was an accident. It hadn’t been an accident to fire off her weapon, so she couldn’t say ‘me too’. She couldn’t say anything except…
“I’m sorry,” she said, quietly, when the girl crossed the distance and joined her. She looked up at her, searchingly - though what she wanted to see, she didn’t really know herself. Edam studied her hand a moment or two, then sighed and took it, letting the other girl help her back to her feet.
From her pocket dimension backpack - or whatever it was, Edam didn’t really know if it had a real name - Edam pulled a thoroughly stacked first aid kit. She opened it, and held out a small container of antibacterial gel and a small bandaid, for the scratch on her face.
“I’ve had a bad day,” Edam said bluntly. “That’s the second time someone I know used magic on me accidentally. In like, ten minutes, and the other time was way worse and I just…” Edam sighed and gave a helpless shrug, offering the bandage once again. “I’m sorry. And I really am glad that you’ve leveled up and got your ring and your magic. Really. I’m happy for you.”
She left off that Blarney was her brother - at least for the moment. They could talk about that later, when they were on firmer ground.
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Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2026 8:03 pm
Trier shook her head at the offered first aid. “It’s not deep, it won’t scar, I’ve had worse.” The scar on the arm that she had used to help the Page up was clearly visible as her sleeves didn’t cover her wrists, leaving a gap before the gloves started.
“Crazy ice wolf. I was half afraid the vines were something like that, I hadn’t realized it was me, until they had you.”
She was quiet again, thinking, and after a long moment of silence she shrugged. “If you’ve had a shitty day, let’s go and get ice cream. There’s a really nice place with fantastic malted milkshakes just a few blocks away. Ice cream helps me when I’ve had a shitty day.”
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Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2026 8:17 pm
Normally, in her civilian life, Edam was very firm with herself, and with her brother, about their sugar intake. She was kind of a pain about it, really. She knew that about herself. She knew she should politely decline and go home and much on some carrot sticks or something.
But gosh dang it did a malted milkshake sound so good right that second.
“That would be amazing,” Edam said, returning her bandages to the null-space from whence they came. “Will they let us in, looking…” she gestured at herself and Trier’s respective get-ups, “like this?” Could she even access her wallet in this outfit? Would they have to power down? Edam wasn’t sure if she trusted Trier that much, enough to share her civilian identity. But then again, it would be sort of mutually assured destruction; if Trier trusted her, maybe she could find it in her to trust Trier, too.
A little ruefully, Edam added, “If you can do it on purpose, I think any crazy ice wolf that tries to come after you now will at least be slowed down.”
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Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2026 8:19 pm
Orangeish Sherbert Trier seemed to be sizing Edam up for a moment, then looked down at her own dress and grimaced. “Maybe. Closer to Halloween, but honestly. I can hardly move in this thing.” After another moment, she let her powered form fade, having made sure that she felt nobody else in the area other than Edam and adjusted her glasses on her nose. “Besides. My money’s in my pockets, and just because they wouldn’t know who we were…it doesn’t seem.” Sabrina hesitated, then the smallest, most mischievous of grins played about her face. “Doesn’t seem like the right night to become ice cream thieves. Again, perhaps closer to Halloween.” She had a point. The wolf or… whatever creature she met with would be slowed down…it was a comforting thought, at the very least. Edam raised her eyebrows slightly and took a furtive glance around herself, just in case there was anyone lurking that Trier had missed. But they were alone, and Edam didn’t even sense anyone on her little mental radar, so she decided it was safe to power down as well. Mutually-assured destruction. “Ice cream theft is definitely a bad-guy thing, I think,” she agreed. Would that crimes like that were all they’d have to deal with… Trier had taken the first step, by revealing her civilian face, so Mads decided to take the other. She also had decided that if getting ice cream went well enough, she’d tell Trier about her relation to Blarney. If it didn’t, she’d just keep it to herself until she had built up the relationship with Trier enough to make it less of a big deal. “I’m Madeline McCaffrey,” she said. “And…I am sorry for. The rock, and everything. I think I…maybe need to be a little less reactive with that thing. At least with…y’know, things that aren’t horrifying nightmare monsters.”
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Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2026 8:22 pm
“I suppose. Some people enjoy flirting for free ice cream. I would consider that ice cream theft. Does that make the person flirting a ‘bad guy’?”
Of course, Sabrina was not one to flirt. Ever. So the point was moot but, it was something to think about. A different way to think, which she thought this Madeline needed. Rather desperately.
“Sabrina Zikos. And no, I know why you did it. It’s good to protect yourself. It’s just a shame that it doesn’t come with ammo. What happens when you’re not near any small rocks?”
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Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2026 8:23 pm
“If they’re faking interest in someone for personal gain? Yes,” Madeline said, wrinkling her nose slightly at the thought. That could really hurt people. Not Madeline, who was immune to flirting in all its forms thank you very much, but, you know, other people. “That’s manipulative and gross.”
The question of ammo just made Mads sigh heavily and slump her shoulders. “I guess I die? I don’t know,” she admitted, voice wry and resigned. “Maybe I wing the thing at them? Just, like, boink,” she said, dinging her hand against her own forehead to show what she meant. “But, like, that’s why I take self defense classes. Theoretically, anyway, so I can fight even until my magic kicks in.” If that ever happened. She was pretty sure people who were as annoyed as she was about this whole magic thing were not the people who got…promoted, or whatever the right word was.
“But that didn’t do me a whole lot of good against the never-ending self-re-building skeletons on an alien planet a little while ago,” she added with a scowl. “They don’t cover regenerating enemies at the Y, believe it or not.”
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Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2026 8:24 pm
Hm. Maybe she wasn’t wording things right. It didn’t matter.
“Have you thought about carrying something that isn’t ammo, but you could use as it if you needed? Learn to play marbles and carry a bag with you just in case? You never know when you’ll get bored and want to play a game. You could teach others, and you’d always have some small, hard spheres for when you needed them.”
Sabrina shrugged and began walking towards the ice cream store, nodding at Madeline’s words about the Y not teaching what was really needed.
“It’s a pity there’s no magical self defense classes.”
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