#anywhere

Kerri finishes up the tasks she's working on, then calls on SallyMae or Brogan to take over for a few hours. She has a husband to tend...even if "tending" is accomplished only by taking a long, healing nap in each other's arms.

Brogan volunteers "I'm not laden with romance like older folk" he says loftily

Kerri makes a mental note to set him up good when he hits his wilder years, or at least be smug about it then. And off she goes

(End scene)

Brekke is heading towards the stables... swinging around when she sees PIper, who is heading towards the lodge.

Piper's steps at a quick pace, though shy of a run - someone in a bit of a hurry.

The Chieftain raises a hand in greeting. "Piper."

And then she stops in her tracks, turning to see the Chietain. "Chief... you're feeling better?" A step towards her, eyes drawn to the Troll woman's side where the iron knife had carved deep.

A nod. "Better." She moves to meet Piper...and it doesn't take deep insight to see that she's moving a bit slower, a little stiffly. "Are you well?"

"Never better." She replies in a cheery tone - distracted enough to forget for a moment the Gwydion nature. (ping). "Just on my way to borrow your trod, is all. I've a gift to deliver to Fenix."

And suddenly, a flutter, a mirrored butterfly large and reflective circling about them both

Her brow furrows a moment. "Granted," regarding the trod, "but are you certain you are well?" Giving her a chance to change her opinion.

"I'm..." And she flinches as the butterfly starts flapping. "Not now... stop that." She whispers towards it, pleadingly. "I'm trying..."

Brekke frowns at the mirror moth.

"Piper...?"

"I don't know how it knows. I don't know what it wants from me. I'm already going!"

Puzzled. "Why would it want you to go to Fenix?"

A shake of her head. "From there... to see it's master. To the Harbor..." She shoots the moth a glance, and away. "Maybe he doesn't want me there. But I think I NEED to speak to him..." A small frustrated hoofstamp.

The mirrored wings stop reflecting all about them, and instead seem to carry the reflection of Count Jude, faint but there, and it speaks in a voice that is not quite his "Chieftain Brekke Shacklebreaker, Baroness of Rivervale, this Chimera has served as something of a probation/parole supervisor for Piper the Satyress. It was meant to go for a bit more, but new factors are at play."

A surprised blink, followed by a respectful nod. "Excellency."

Piper resists the urge to sink to the ground. It's the image of the Count, but that's... less bad then her own reflection, right?

"Is that him?" She asks Brekke, eyes on the moth. "Or a... reflection... recording?"

Then a frown. "You have had a chimera acting as a spy in my lands, Excellency?"

"Piper McCormick, you have been witnessed displaying acts of compassion..." The wings shift and she IS on it.. hugging those who are down "Empathy..." Her taking Dagmar's hands "And most recently.. heroism at great risk to you.." And an image of Piper endangering her soul and body to lure guards so they could be defeated.

"I am not certain," she mutters to Piper's question.

The last image makes her scowl, not at Piper, but at the ugliness of what she had to do to save others.

Her jaw has dropped.

it seems to be on a roll, perhaps pre recorded but with .. options, more of a program of mutliple messages depending... "Forgive Chieftain, this Chimera is a rather specialized thing... it focused upon Piper, and if that offends you, amends will be made, but that is NOT important right now" A shimmer "It is activated this commentary because, there have been continuing signs of true reform and growth and you needed to be nearby to decide. For it IS your land. In your view, has Piper McCormick earned repreive from chimerical supervision? "

And images of the satyr headbutting the balor, throwing her off!

Saving someone from even more grievous wounds

Her mouth slowly closes, and chin wobbles a bit. Emotions at war in her expression.

A brow, and Brekke looks to Piper. After a moment, she nods. "I believe she has, yes."

"B...but none of that... had anything to do with what what I did..."

"I believe it has to do with what you will do henceforth."

"The fact you are protesting and downplaying your acts of heroism as inconsequential would amuse me if I were really there. Doing the right thing despite hardship is the ONLY thing of consequence in this dark world, my dear. And you are now free to be Piper of Rivervale. This chimera has served it's purpose. Enjoy having a whack at it" ANd it suddenly Grows, stiffens... and then falls to the grass gently.. it's a Chimerical Pinata! Immobile, inaminate, and meant to be hung by it's string and broken open with gusto

"But, wait! I was going - I wanted to ..." And she's talking to... a pinata? Jude's image is gone?

Brekke huffs. "Whimsical," she says, apparently her assessment of Jude.

Unless you count the vaguely Jude like face and pattern on the moth face yes

Whatever the expectation of that pronouncement, it has Piper looking incredulous... then.. frustrated maybe? And she busts out in tears.

"Piper? What is wrong? You have been released from...whatever supervision this was."

"It's just... I don't understand. All this time I was hiding from it. And he.. he put me in his prison, and all it did was make me hurt, and be scared, and be afraid of going back! It didn't make me understand what I did wrong.. not until I saw what those men and that Balor did, and realized that I was a monster too. Or I HAD been. But his mirror hall didn't teach me that. His parole bug didn't guide me - it just made me scared. So what was the point, was it really just torment to pay for what I did? Because his punishment didn't make me LEARN ANYTHING except to be afraid of sidhe and not get caught!" Weeping angrily as she glares at the pinata, tempted to boot it all the way into the lake, lacking Gerd's Flicker power.

A brow. "Perhaps...you needed to be broken down before you were capable of seeing yourself in the ugliness of others...and to decide not to be this any longer."

She rubs angrily at her eyes. "I still think that he's a... a... " She cuts off, realizing that she's talking to a noble that may owe some sort of Fealty to the higher level Count. "Not a very NICE person." And her expression shows that if she was one prone to swearing, she might have a lot more to say. "I want to go there and YELL at him, tell him what I REALLY think of him and his.. his stupid mirrors, and his fun house, and his justice."

"I was going to go there. And ASK him to explain... but now I'm just even more confused." Rubbing at her eyes.

"Mm." If Brekke has opinions on Jude, she's keeping them to herself. "Piper...do you see that stick there? Bring it here, please." It's a broken branch about a yard long.

She freezes a moment, eyeing the stick. "You... you don't want me to hit you with it, do you?" Wary... she remembers the scene that played out not too long ago in the practice rings...

"Bring it here," Brekke repeats.

A swallow, and she fetches the stick.

When Piper returns, Brekke is holding the pinata at arm's length by its string. Her arm is at least six feet off the ground, so this puts the pinata a bit above Piper's head. "You are angry. Here is your target."

"This isn't some sort of trick?" She asks warily. "Then adds, from him, not from you... I didn't think it of YOU, Chief..." Hefting the branch and getting a feel for the weight. "Like, with something terrible inside... a swarm of moths... glitter... a wormhole sucking me back to prison..." She has an imagination alright.