#anywhere

Thistle.. Trina.. has a text message or two

From Gwen

TXT: Sorry Willy was such a B, but don't let her drive you away

TXT: whatever

TXT: Can I come over?

TXT: If u want

TXT: On my way

Katrina's address proves to be a small apartment complex - there's a run-down playground near the numbered carports, and boxwoods around the buildings, but not much by way of yard or garden otherwise.

Gwen makes her way up there, llooks around to see if she IS outside, then.. if she's not, she knocks

There's a buzzer!

She buzzes then

A voice crackles. "Hello?"

"Hi. I'm Gwen, I'm a friend of Katrina's?"

"Open when it buzzes. Second floor, on the left." And a buzzing noise as the door unlatches.

And she follows up

Katrina is waiting inside the open door for 2B. "Mom's still at work."

"Yay?" She says questioning, and kens the girl to see how her glamour levels are

The apartment is small, a touch cluttered but clean. The building looks like it was built somewhere in the 70s or 80s - especially evident by the avocado kitchenette. "You want anything? We got soda and iced tea and shit..." Trina is still visibly a nocker. Not grey, if less vibrant than a week-old fledge ought to be.

There are chimera here - tiny brownies in the kitchen with mushroom caps, and a handful of Nevers nesting above.

I'm going to flat out kill that son of a bitch The thought comes unbidden. Vengeance is big in her House, so she's told. she.. she understands better than she realized

She bliniks ""You have more company than I realized"

"Guys... well, okay, I guess Gwen can see you."

"Soda's fine, some kind of cola?"

"Yeah, they showed up after I got home. Or maybe they were here and I didn't see them before?"

A bold Never chimes some babble, and flits over to alight on Gwen's horns. "No, you can't go IN the fridge, oy, you will freeze..."

"Huh, " SHe looks surprised "I don't remember this many. Maybe the new management is helping?" Meaning the baroness and the baron restored

"Can do." She retrieves two cans of Professor Pip, a dollar-store knockoff. "Yeah? Maybe. Watch out, the glowy ones LOVE sugar."

"Noted. Hey, at least you have inspiration for your designs in the future "

"Mm.." A little frown.

"The mushroom guys will probably go back into the wallpaper in a second, at least."

When she cracks open the soda, Thistle gains at least three Nevers on her hair and shoulders.

She opens her own soda, and then says "I'm sorry no one warned you about Willy being terriorial about her work shop. That.. that's on me I guess"

"Ack, shoo - manners, bitches!" She waves at them. "Nah, I mean, I should have known better. I just... uhg. I just wanted to see it, and nobody was around."

"mm wanted to that badly eh? It was... a draw?"

She sighs. "I mean, kinda? Nothing against the castle - it's amazing!"

"But, like, it's so furkin' fancy. I'm not some graceful elven type, or some noble rock knight."

"Aw.. "A blush "Not that noble ... And there's a lot I'm just now learning about myself"

"But you said you got hit by the sparkle-bomb, what, last year?"

"Around when you came to town?"

"Actually, before I came to town, it's complicated. My year and day is up... it's been a hell of a ride. I ..I'm sorry I didn't free you a while ago. I didn't know, I should have"

"How could you have?"

"It's called kenning, it's how we sense the glamour, the glow... for some it's purely visual, I swear Briar smells it. I tend to get a feeling in my gut"

"Like... like how thesilver horseshoes FELT different?"

Gwen might spot more glints of eyes - hiding in the bookshelves, under the coffee table. There's a LOT of chimera here...

"Yes... I.." She eyes the stuff "is one of your family a dreamer? LIke..really great imagination?"

"Um. Not particularly?

"Unless I count."

"Well, I sure thought you were a dreamer" She smiles "But normally mortal dreamers are the ones who make that stuff.. odd."

"Well, Arty.. Arthur... he made a lot of stuff that night. Stars and fireworks and animals..."

"Oh dream dances are different... " She nods "You.. sort of got short changed on yours. sorry" that guilt again