we have a complex relationship with our sisters and our cousins

[dark_light]

Amariah is starting a circle in her yard - minting and enchanting can pull heavier duty than witchcraft, and faster, too, but they won't scale unless she wants to hand out copies of her trump cards; novel spells will, since there are many witches across the globe.

And then Jane asks if she wants to be visited, by Juliet's Sherlock - Minus - and Amariah's reply is "Sure, I could take a break." Because she's been at this for a while now and was just about to wish a crick out of her back for the second time this afternoon.

She puts down her pitcher of oil and waits for him to appear.

Comments

[dark_light]

[Have you got a name?] Path asks.

[eversomuchfun]

[Not inherently. Perhaps 'Subtrahend',] she snorts.

[dark_light]

[That's cute,] says Amariah.

[eversomuchfun]

[Isn't it just?] says Subtrahend.

[dark_light]

[Precious. Well, I'm through with recreational sleeping now, I wasn't even having any interesting dreams.]

[eversomuchfun]

[Alas,] says Sherlock.

[dark_light]

[Rather. Are you going back to sleep or can I have a look at Subtrahend?]

[eversomuchfun]

[No, by all means, come and visit.]

[dark_light]

Amariah slips out of her hammock and visits.

[eversomuchfun]

Sherlock is sitting in his bed wearing conjured pajama pants - light blue, adorned with fluffy white sheeps.

His daemon is perched on his shoulder with her long fluffy tail curled around in front of her little feet.

[dark_light]

"Awww," says Amariah. Path flutters from her shoulder to the bedpost for a closer look at the genet daemon.

[eversomuchfun]

"I'm prettier than you," Subtrahend says loftily.

[dark_light]

"You're lovely," says Path, "but no."

[eversomuchfun]

"Am too," she says.

Sherlock laughs.

[dark_light]

"Nope," says Path, and he extends a wing and preens.

"I feel like I'm in the sixth grade again," remarks Amariah.

[eversomuchfun]

"Were contests of this sort a frequent feature?"

[dark_light]

"Oh yes, but throw in all the daemons shapeshifting constantly to win."

[eversomuchfun]

"I don't need to shapeshift," says Subtrahend. "I'm naturally beautiful."

"You're naturally vain," says Sherlock.

"That too."

[dark_light]

"I recommend wishing the ability to tuck her away like Sue can - well, copy mine, since mine is under control and doesn't mess up while I sleep - although of course how often you avail yourself of the option is up to you."

[eversomuchfun]

"Brilliant plan," says Sherlock. He wishes. Subtrahend vanishes, then reappears on his other shoulder.

[dark_light]

"Useful for crowded situations," says Amariah. Path hops to the other bedpost to continue looking Subtrahend over.

[eversomuchfun]

"And doesn't start riots?"

[dark_light]

"Well - it would be more likely to if you did it than me. I'm a witch and I look it, everyone knows Path could just as easily be halfway across the world, but non-witches virtually never separate. Although at least you won't register funny to sensitivity now, so people will assume you're separated for some reason - accident, special ops military veteran," she smirks a little, "masochist - although a special breed of masochist, even Kas and Petaal didn't do it voluntarily."

[eversomuchfun]

"Which just causes me to wonder exactly what sort of masochist does."

[dark_light]

"I really don't know. You can see what it's like in small doses if you just experiment with her range, most people do that when they're kids."