#elsewhere

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In the basement of Fenix, Siv wipes her eyes. Tears. Mother fucking tears? Lovely. If she ever doubted she was a proper troll this brought those feelings back ten fold

Above, Piper has a grin! The night has been going well. She wasn't sure what to expect from a Carnival at Fenix, but the rousing party with music and entertainment including a mock battle and unveiling and cheers - definitely not a stuffy sidhe party, this! Her own outfit fits right in - the cocky feathered cap with her curls fluffed out cutely from beneath, a foam rapier sword at her hip.

She called out in surprise along with others when "Westward" appeared, even though Siv had earlier told her of her plans... and shouted encouragement when it looked like a mock battle would ensure! When the Countess suddenly rises up and claims that we are all Cernicala! Piper whoops and cheers!

The following unveiling of Jessica as the 'FlameFree' is cool, even if she doesn't quite understand the history there or the origin of the name, who cares - the dramatical theatrics are a hoot.

Laughing, she turns down a few drink offers and requests for music, though offers that later she might take a turn if one of the court troubadors wants a break... and goes seeking Siv instead.

"Okay, they dropped right through the ground, but there has to be a set of stairs somewhere..."

It's easy to get lost, she finds some alcoves where lovers are seducing each other, but not her Siv. Finally she finds the underpassage, good thing she's short, this must be tight for trolls. No wonder Jessica portal passaged. Another few minutes, and she finds Siv

"You down here, babe? You were amazing..." She calls, looking for her troll, knowing that she might not be wearing the face she was born with.

Oh, it's Siv's face, splotchy but her face. "Glad folks enjoyed my cruxifiction"

She stops short, taken aback, but then rushes in to give Siv a hug. "Oh, baby, what's wrong?" Wiping her face. "I thought.. it looked like it went so well from up there..."

"up there maybe, except when she nearly had the king of carnivale lynch me." A frown and..Siv..babbles. She can show emotion with Piper. She doesn't have to be stoic- the perfect troll. She can show weakness and not be treated like she was weak for it. "I asked her how she was doing. She droppaed us down, hey, finally private talk and we enjoy we gave a good show, right? Wrong. I get told she has a duty tonight and not to get in the way of that? I tell her I just wanted to talk without risk of arrest ...and that she wouldn't visit me. She tells me 'do the math', like what the FUCK? unless that's 'stay the fuck out of my life forever' I don't know what she meant by that, so I told her that I loved her, but we didn't always get each other... then she gets SNIDE...calls me Captain Obvious. And I'm wondering what I did to deserve the bitchiness but try to stay calm.. I tell her I'm not telepathic. Explain it to me, that I thought I did a lot of good. Helped folks. But I wanted her side of things, but I couldn't because she wouldn't tell me. THEN she tells me she's going to go back up there and 'put an end to this' and there WILL be an End, and then we can talk..."

"What the fuck...." Piper takes a moment to wrestle down her initial indignation. "I'm sorry, I know she's your sister, and know that trolls - sorry, some trolls have issues with saying what they mean and opening up, but seriously, what the fuck?"

Torn between hugging Siv, and stamping in anger. "From up THERE, from the sidelines? It didn't look like that at all! The Carnival king is having fun... actually he might be passed out by now, that big pooka was offering him shots. People are cheering and applauding 'La Cernicala', and that the Countess has officially accepted her? From what I saw? It looked like she was straight out authenticating her, validating her as a part of the hold. "We are all Cernicala"??

"Do you think she had some other plans on using the vigilante persona to help out her people, and somehow you ruined her idea?" Trying to make sense of the angry reaction. "I mean, that could be it, if she is on one hand cheering the name, and on the other hand mad at you?"

She squeezes Piper, fighting tears again, that's TOO Far. two cries in one night, too much. "So there she is, ordering me on the one night she's not allowed to order anyone... and I'm wondering if she's gone nuts or something. She said that I can think of it as an ULTIMATIUM.. . oh yeah, THAT'S the way to sway a Fiona.. self righteous tyranical bitch. I've seen Ailil act less arrogant. I wanted to know why La Cernicala was such a threat to her. I told her I was able to help folks who were scared to go to anyone official. You know how much that's needed, Piper. But no I get another "last time" comment. I tell her It WAS stopped. I didn't mention Nancy, but she wanted to stop and so I did. Not fair to her and the other... but I'm starting to get angry, and hurt because again, I've had enemies that were more just than this . I tell her something "Fine. I get it. I love you. You clearly don't ggive a shit about me. FINE. But La Cernicala is loved and it's not because she did something wrong.' and she? She cuts and goes up there to beat her breast like a great ape and says how she's Flame free! So the fuck what? No one said otherwise! No one was chaining her, the hypocritical cunt. She's the one ordering folks on CARNIVAL "

Then she stops "Validating? "

"Well, I'll never know, becuase she refuses to talk to me unless she has the right to order me around or maybe arrest me"

"I mean, take this with an entire salt shaker AND the margarita, but I'm just trying to understand. She's controlling, but she's not DUMB. If she can see what good you're doing, maybe she's just mad, not that the actions were DONE, but that they were done without her permission? Like, does it make her look weak? Did it come across as "Batman needed to step in because Gotham PD and the Mayor couldn't do their jobs"?

"And don't take this as me trying to validate her actions - babe, I'm always on your side."

"I appreciate that, and you know, if she had fucking talked to me, instead of DEMANDING I come over to report to her. I'm not sworn to her, and good thing for both of us. I'm her sister, but did she visit? NO, she had a snit, and apparently whatever her reasons they're supposed to be instant and obvious. She was.. bratty. I mean, like a child who if she couldn't have everything her way, she would take her toys and go home. Honestly, I've never seen her Look weaker than tonight when she decided to control things because as a fool she couldn't. It was... " A pause "I.. think I lost some respect for her tonight " And it looks like that realzation pains her "Well, she chose to attack me well. There can be no retribution for any word spoken or deed done. Though that's more for what is done to her. A monarch cannot exact revenge against harassers."

"I'm tempted to hex sis while Carnival is still on and the fool fare game with Rathbone's face if that's the part she's going to play. She couldn't do squat about it. If it weren't for the fact it would break mother and father's heart"

She takes a breath "I.. might still be upset about this"

"I'm tempted to go put my own tiny hoof up her ass." Piper huffs!

"Sorry, baby" She puts her arms about Piper "I .. should have told you and Jonas from the start. Like a month ago"

"The more I think about it, the more I suspect it's all control issues. Gah. I mean, look at that... what's-his-name. She has a freakin' pimp operating with her permission - and I'm not gonna shame sex workers, but lemme tell you, the fact that she's letting other illegal activity like that happen when it's clearly something that she'd be prudey about? But she's getting kick-backs? Control issues. People can operate outside the law as long as SHE has a grip on things. God it's so..... seelie of her. The unchanging, stick-up-the -ass dignity, everything that sucks about the summer court! GAH. I don't mean to make it political, but... oooh, the situation is just making me boil."

She sighs and returns a tight hug. "If you had, I'd just have insisted on coming along. Even if just to play stirring backup tracks to your exploits. I'd have rooted you along, and honestly don't think me knowing would have changed anything."

"You were doing GOOD and helping people, and if she can't see that? Well, then she doesn't deserve La Cernicala, even if her people do."

"Piper, you do know I'm seelie, right?" A weak smile though. She appreciates the support "And Jonas is super Seelie"

"Yes, but there are issues in every extreme." She kisses away the tear spots. "You can be seelie without being unchanging and blinded by what you think is right."

"Huh, you know something, you're right. La Cernicala, she's not about making my sister happy though I did hope it would. She's about helping folks, like my father did in more than one noble land. The others can and should step down, but I'm not sure I should. If Sis is really just pissed this makes her look 'weak' then, well, her vanity is not my problem, nor my fault. If she wants to shut me out of her life, well, that stings, it fucking cuts because I do love her, but ... I'm not going to NOT help people, and I'm not going to make sure that every time I help folks I get the proper permit for it. I don't do that even in Hemlocks' area." A thought "Maybe La Cernicala should ride again. Not as some mascot or whatever Sis is trying to make her that she can control, but as a champion of those in need."

"I could see it going either way. Even if you threw away your hat and mask today, I don't think La Cernicala would be over. Did you SEE how many followers you had up there? How many fae you inspired? You might have started a hydra here, cut down one and two rise up in her place."

Thoughtful!

"On the other side of the coin, at least it's in the open now. She said to stop, but she won't talk to you? If she's not giving you the common courtesy, the decency owed one sister to another, then why should you let her bully you around? Keep doing what you're doing - even knowing that the authority disapproves, even knowing that they will stop you if they can, because the work needs to be done. Let her protest. If she really wants it to stop, SHE can step up and have a civil conversation with you."

A smile. "Though you'll have to stay two steps ahead of her. And I know you can - you're our pirate queen, after all."

"Ah, Tidemarch is the only one with any naval power here" She snorts "Hell, I have better relations with the Mer than sis does."

"Well, you're a hero, and you're not doing wrong. I'm just sorry your sister can't see it."

"I don't know why I want her respect anyway, clearly our values are..." A frown "Actually, I'm worried sis has LOST some of her values. She's acting like her pride is worth more than her people's good. That's NOT like her"

Siv looks worried now "What if she's lost herself somehow? Or .. gotten so obssesssed with goals she can't see the means she's using?"

"And yes, before you say, I realize advocating for vigilante behavior while fussing at someone else's means smacks of some hypocracy, but I'm not a ruler. She is. Her hypocrasy might destroy the basis FOR her rule"

A really worried look now "Of course, if Jessica won't talk to me, I can't do anything more than guess. I keep telling her I'm not a telepath, but 'do the math' Siv. How can I? She hides the fucking chalkboard and chalk too"

"..Can you sic someone else on her that she WILL talk to? Like a pooka or someone she trusts? ...I hate to play hardball... but what about your mom?"

"I'm not going to run to mother and father on this, what am I? 12? It'll come across like me tattling, instead of saying "I think Sis is forgetting what's best in herself" " Siv shakes her head

"I get what you're saying but sis shuts folks out. It's what she does" A sad look "Oh, she'll alow them THIS close, but soon as it seems they might want to help her with something personal she pushes them away. Mind you, she had reason to break up with Duff. I'm trying very hard not to push her into new romances, but she's her own worst enemy when it comes to relationships"

"Well, if you DO think she's in trouble, tattling or no, wouldn't it be better to let someone know who she might LET help her?"

"She'll hate me even mroe than she already does" A wince. "I'm pissed at her. I want to kick her fat ass .. AND insult her ass, which is not actually fat... but I... maybe she doesn't give a shit about me, but I don't know if I could stand her hating me . It's.. a fiona weakness I guess"

She leans against Siv comfortingly. "Maybe Jonas can help figure out what to do. He's smart like that."

"I'm worried Jonas will get all protective angry on my behalf." But she leans back gently "You know what they say, beware the quiet ones"

"It's a bit of a rock and a hard place." She agrees. "Is the work you're doing here important enough that you have to overlook any family issues that may come up? I think we've seen that this area needs someone like La Cernicala." A thoughtful frown. "Even if it's not you."

"That's true. This is fun, but I can't be selfish. Problem is, one of my trio told ME to stop it for Jessica's sake. The other, well I think she's backed off too. I told Jessica it had already stopped, but.. no, even then.." A glare "I get treated like a minion. Pisses me off to think about it all over again. SO.. focus. Yes, more important than me or sis."

"Is there a way I can help? More than just moral support?"

"I do have to tell JOnas how this went. No secrets between the three of us." A peck on Piper's lips "Thank you. I think I would have despaired WITHOUT your moral support actually. I ... was really this close to slapping Rathbone's balor face on the 'fool's' body since that's who she was behaving like- but.. no, glad you caught me before I could carry through"

"Well, if you DID... today's the day to do it." An impish smile. "Not saying you should, but can you imagine?"

"Yes, yes I can. Look, your call. Should we try to salvage the party for us, or head home? I .. I heard you singing up there. Spreading some joy. It was wonderful and I don't want to cheat you just because my sister seems medically incapable of communication beyond 'Do this' and I get riled by that shit." A look at her "You have a right to perform. You're the best."

"...Tell you what. I'll go up and play a few rounds, if you come and enjoy it with me. Put on another face if you think you have to, or... honestly, just come up. It's Carnival, she can't kick you out even if she wants to, and I plan on playing only songs that are odes to folk heroes! Someone will have a song about Cernicala, if they don't already..."

"yeah" A bit of a smile, trying to rally for her girlfriend's sake if not her own, though Piper really did cheer her up

"Huh, in fact" A shake of her hair and head and... Siv becomes a tall golden haired Satyress , La Cernicala "I bet a few up there actually recognize me as the real thing. Let's go"

"I love my blue giantess, but I gotta say, this is hot." Piper grins and gives her a squeeze, before accompanying!

"Should be. " A smile "I based her ass on yours"

And off they go.