#fenixtj

It's the day of her parents arrival, they're not here yet. As her parents don't want too big a fuss, Jessica is currently having to 'herd' (no pun intended) Tonto away from the trod door where he was waiting with a brass gong and bags of confetti

"Now Tonto, you know better."

"But senorita, this is my chance to play for Kings, plural"

Tonto does put away the confetti though

"Maybe another time."

He nods then holds up the brass gong hopefully

Nancy walks by and takes the gong stick away "Nope"

Tonto huffs

"There there." She pats his shoulder "Have a cup of something."

"Gracias" He cheers up "Do you wish something too? Koolaid, Pepsi, that black strong stuff?"

"No, I better not. Thanks, though."

"Hokay" he rises to put the now stickless gong away ahnd perhaps get some Koolaid

Jess ... hangs out. Not much else to do.

Fawn, the centauress comes up "It'll be nice to see your folks again. Not sure they'll even remember me"

"I have spoken of you to them; all good things, of course."

"Well, for a time, Rivervale had a lot of centaurs"

"They were refuges. I think?"

"Oh yes, we were rounded up by this ... Mr. Leech and such. Many of us. It was during what some call the first Stampede. Sadly we seemed to have petered off"

"It is hard to predict Fae populations." she points out.

"True, maybe I should write the others in their locations, see if they've noticed any new centaur chryslaids?"

"Could be worth asking."

"Indeed. oh but here I am chewing your ear off. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing well, thank you."

"Glad to hear it. Let me know if you need help with something or even distracted folks away from you and your family so you don't get intruded on with autograph seekers"

"I will, thanks for the offer. Hopefully it won't be all that."

"Hopefully not... from what I recall, your folks weren't big on crowds or fusses"

"They generally are not, true."

"Right, Diego had a talk with Fontaine. Folks are getting word that there are to be some 'troll only' times in the healing pool should your folks want a couple soak . Even Fontaine will be out of it during that time"

"Where will he go?"

"Oh not far, but he can and has gone into the city in that husk of his"

"Well... I guess he knows the city better than any of us."

"He's been here a long time, sometimes it's easy to think of Fontaine as an innocent, but he was ..a prisoner for a while"

"Those were dark times."

"And he does not talk about them often. It was all he could do to keep his pool uncorrupted"

"For which we are all grateful."

"Ive seen him about the city now and then, most assume he's a wheezing man in bad health when he's out like that"

"He... he isn't, is he? I mean, it doesn't hurt him?"

"From what I understand, all Ondine's suffer a bit.. some limp, some breath hard, that kind of thing. They search for something they call the heart riddle and though he told that to me himself i never understood just what that is." A sad look "I think there is a little pain for them on land regardless. Yet they can't go to the ocean. It's.. a very sad dream but also lovely"

Jessica is quiet a long moment. "I hadn't realized."

"I should have."

"Jessica, he doesn't talk about it.. he's so focused on healing others, you have to pester the man... if man is the right term, to get him to talk about even the basics"

She nods. "Still."

"he and I are both healers, of a sort, so I think he opens up to me a bit easier than some" She says "Nurse and all that"

"You did outstanding work during the storm."

"Well, we all did" She says after a bit "But thank you. Those Lut and Tig fellows were very handy. I tell you, I've seen strong people before, but those two work like a well oiled machine together. They were moving in unison to throw a LOG around, can you believe it?"

"Um. Yes."

" Oh yes, you spent a year or two with them didn't you?"

She nods. "Rivervale is where I started. Obviously. Mom and dad."

"I'm very sorry if I'm having a senior moment, but did you mention Lut and Tig before this?"

"They came to help when I first came to Fenix. I'm sure you've heard about it. And yes, I mean... I'm sure I've mentioned them."