our interactions with mortals are often limited

[dark_light]

Isabella is interviewing shades. It's easier to control PR from here - if she doesn't want to send one back to the living, she doesn't have to, and anything they tell their dreaming friends is hearsay twice over with no chance for soundbites or recordkeeping - and they have nearly as much up-to-date information about their worlds, if she picks the right ones. Simultaneously, Jane is feeding her books and news articles and her personal impressions of the things that have gone on recently. (Isabella already planted ansibles in all the other subworlds with Internets for her.)

Comments

[tearingup]

Rippers are nice. The one she has already sampled has changed flavours by now - he's dark chocolate, and Keth is caramel.

[dark_light]

"Oh, I thought the peach was a stable thing, silly of me."

[tearingup]

"Nah," says Ripper.

"More fun this way," Keth says cheerfully.

[dark_light]

Nibble nibble nibble.

[tearingup]

Ooh, nibbles. Would she like some of those back?

[dark_light]

Why yes, she is somewhat undersupplied!

[tearingup]

Lucky for her, she gets a two-for-one deal!

[dark_light]

That is very lucky indeed. Keth may not have his alt's years of experience with operating a Bell, but that does not make him significantly less enjoyable.

[tearingup]

And it's possible that Ripper may be giving him a few helpful pointers.

[dark_light]

Isabella does not object in the slightest.

[tearingup]

Good! That is good. That is a good thing.

[dark_light]

There are so many good things!

And satisfying feathery snuggles over there mean there is none of Amariah's not-all-here-ness from before.

[tearingup]

Ripper notices and appreciates this! Keth doesn't even think of it.

[dark_light]

It is probably most obvious during the afterglowy snuggles.

[tearingup]

They are some good afterglowy snuggles. Rippers are a cuddly bunch.

[dark_light]

Yay!

[tearingup]

Snugglyay.

[dark_light]

It is the snugglyayest.

Eventually Isabella gets up, wishes her silks on, and retrieves her daemon. "That was lovely."

[tearingup]

"It really was," says Ripper, snuggling up to Keth. "Mmm."

[dark_light]

"I'll see you both at the party if not sooner, yeah?" laughs Isabella.

[tearingup]

"Yeah!" says Keth.

[dark_light]

"Awesome." She blows them a kiss - Path waves a wing at Hecate - and then she's gone.

[tearingup]

Somewhat late the next day, Ripper finally teleports to the Janepoint and asks her to take him home.

[bellfounding]

He lands right in front of Pattern, who is inspecting some of Saturn's bubbles but currently unaccompanied.

[tearingup]

"Hi," says Ripper. He kisses her. "I've just had a lot of sex, want to go have some more?"