i might as well be the man on the moon

[truthwright]

Their Isabella having just gone to welcome a new Bell into the peal, Kas and Petaal snuggle up together and take a nap. They'll want to be well rested for the party.

When they wake up, she still isn't back.

[Jane?]

No response.

Kas teleports down to the Janepoint, Petaal wrapped snake-shaped around his shoulders.

The display reads: error 7788: lycanthropy

"...So that's new," he says.

"No shit," says Petaal. "Now what?"

He shrugs. She coils tighter.

"Hang around and wait, I guess."

Comments

[truthwright]

Except for the broad-tailed hummingbird, yes she does.

Kas recognizes her immediately.

Petaal climbs out of his sleeve as a shrew and then flits over as a sparrow to say hi to Castarilan.

[alicornucopia]

"Hi!" Castarilan says.

He doesn't recognize Petaal, either.

[truthwright]

"Guess who, guess who," Petaal says merrily. She changes into a blue jay in midair.

[alicornucopia]

Castarilan is surprised! He backs up in his eternal hovering a bit, then flies forward again. "Petaal! Hi! We haven't seen you in ages!"

[truthwright]

Petaal giggles, flutters back to Kas, and drapes herself across his shoulders as a linsang.

"Sure haven't," Kas agrees, petting her head. "How've you been?"

[alicornucopia]

Ranata joins the conversation directly. "I've been all right," she says. "Traveling, avoiding the media, sidestepping politics - Charlie died a little while ago but he came right back, looks thirty again, it's really something - how about you, how've you been, dear?"

[truthwright]

"I've been... getting by," he says. "I miss everybody's favourite legend a lot."

[alicornucopia]

"It's been such a long time... She must've done a fantastic spell on you before she left - or did you die and come back too at some point?"

[truthwright]

"Nope, this is all her."

[alicornucopia]

"Well, you look fantastic," asserts Ranata.

[truthwright]

"You bet I do," he laughs. "How's Charlie, besides revenant?"

[alicornucopia]

"He's all right. Considering getting his job back again. He'd retired for the last few decades, he has to catch up on how things are nowadays, but he doesn't like puttering around the house now he's got the energy again."

[truthwright]

"Good luck to him, I guess. What are you in town for, anything in particular?"

[alicornucopia]

"Me and Lutammi are following Micaela and the Pages on tour," explains Ranata.

[truthwright]

"Cool. They any good?"

[alicornucopia]

"Of course, or we wouldn't be following them," laughs Ranata. "We traded for season passes, but if I remember right Petaal can turn witch and you can fly - tonight's show is outdoors, you can just hover over it, no one will give you trouble."

[truthwright]

"That sounds like fun," says Kas. "Count us in."

[alicornucopia]

"Excellent, have you got a pen...?" Ranata writes down the showtime and location for him when a pen is provided.

[truthwright]

"Thanks!" he says, tucking the paper away somewhere. "We'll be there for sure."

[alicornucopia]

Ranata smiles. "Now, I'm supposed to meet someone for lunch while I'm in the area, got to fly - see you at the concert!" And she and her hummingbird are up in the air a moment later.

[truthwright]

He buys the first postcard he sees and writes, Talked to your mom today. She's still adorable. I miss you so much.

He and Petaal show up at the concert, Petaal witch-shaped and wrapped in appropriate silks, both of them riding a cloudpine branch.

[alicornucopia]

The concert is loud and frenetic and lyrically impossible.

Ranata and her friend are in the front row, whooping at intervals.

[truthwright]

It's awesome. They love it.

[alicornucopia]

Ranata and her friend loiter around afterwards; they don't go backstage, but they hang out where the band members are signing merch.

[truthwright]

Just for the hell of it, Kas acquires a T-shirt. But he doesn't get it signed.

He catches Ranata's eye and waves to her as he leaves.