driftfleet | Naviadna Mingle

[She can totally do distracting, no problem, but some stuff is easily created or summoned once the mansion is in place. She makes sure there's a few extra features and rooms related to that, though.

Before she heads in after Honerva, she fires off a quick message to Taako with their coordinates and an invite to join them in their magnificent mansion adventure, if he so chooses. She'll pop back out in an hour or so to check- it's good for 24 hours, after all.

Inside, and moving beyond the entranceway, the spell lives up to its name: undoubtedly a mansion, the front area is lavishly decorated, with warm colours and soft looking furniture, huge plush couches and blankets and a big pile of pillows as requested, a fireplace on one side that burns and crackles pleasantly and keeps the room at the perfect temperature. The fresh, clean air is subtly scented with cinnamon. Doors line either side of the foyer, open to display an arrangement of rooms that are similarly furnished to be welcoming. A handful of bedrooms with lush four-poster beds and a mountain of pillows, a spa room with steaming water and a couple of setups for hair, nail, and massage treatments, a game room full of varied activities and games- things they've experienced during their travel in the fleet, or during her 100 year journey, or games from her own homeworld, as close to the real thing as she can remember. There's even a room for Kova, full of cat toys and beds and trees, and shelving that lines the walls so he can climb wherever he pleases. In the back there is a lavish kitchen with all the tools and utensils that a master chef would require to make an incredible banquet.

Along the back wall is also a line of semi-transparent, ghostly forms of what look like people- half are men, half are women, and all are elven-featured and very handsome to look at, if you're into that sort of thing. They hover there and watch quietly, waiting for a command.

Most important of all: it is devoid of any song or sound besides them and the fireplace, though there is a record player in the back if they happen to change their minds. Lup spreads her arms and twirls at Honerva's side, looking pleased with herself.]

Ta-dah! What do you think?

[She'd wandered in further, while Lup sent her message, once she'd gotten her bearings. The inside was much, much larger than expected, even on the first glance around. It was the very opposite of what she was used to, warm, and cozy and yet abundant in those things. It still was the sort of thing that surprised her, which was... nice, too. Nice to be surprised, such a different flavor from her indifference.

There's definitely more of a sense of peace here, and even for a few moments, she was content to just take it all in, as her senses adjusted to being able to pick up on things properly once more, as she tried to quiet the rest of her mind that scrambled in once it realized the planet had been muted, and catches that look on Lup's face.]

... Thank you. Your work was successful. The influence of the planet seems to be... disrupted.

[A job well done, really.]

I have never seen a place like this before. It is... quite welcoming.

[Even her scarce traces of recollection of the Galran Royal Palace held little examples of comfort.]

I know, right? It's a Lup special. When you've never had a real home you learn how to build your own, so I've had loads of practice with all the nitpicky details.

[And she's beaming, despite the morose nature of her words; she's too long used to it to feel miserable about it anymore. Home is where the heart is, and Taako is her heart, so she endures despite it all. And a part of him is here, too- if Honerva's sense of smell is strong enough, she might get a whiff of certain scents in the direction of the kitchen that mimic his recipes, and the soft clink of glass and utensil indicating someone working away at them within.

Lup reaches up and lifts Kova up into her arms, if he allows it, carrying him over to the cat room.]

And you! I have a surprise for you, you're gonna love this shit.

[There's a familiarity there, that takes her a moment to pick up on, those scents, the way it almost felt like being in the kitchen on the First Breath. That was a tug of... something, making the home feel realer than it might have. Scents had not meant much to her, but she had gotten accustomed to the presence of Taako in the kitchen on the ship, even if his efforts, if the point of the meals was lost on her.]

Even a kitchen...? So this is what a real home should be like...

[She muses, more to herself than to Lup. There was so little she could relate to about that concept, evidenced by the state of her own mind during calibrations. Being at her Emperor's side, in her own shadows and closed off rooms, to wait in darkness... that was home.

Kova, of course, eagerly allows Lup to pick him up, nosing at her and enjoying the change of scenery--only to promptly start squirming in delight once they reach the room itself, he's never seen a greater paradise than that in his entire span of years which was also quite long indeed.]

No home is worth its salt without a kitchen, duh! Even if it's just one foot of counter and a microwave.

[Those shitty old apartments back home come to mind. She and Taako both haaaaated those things, but it kept them from starving, it they weren't entirely worthless.

Lup doesn't make Kova squirm long, immediately letting him hop down to explore his new digs. She also snaps her fingers to summon Ditto, who's been in cat form lately. Convenient, since even a fey cat would better appreciate a room made for cats.

She leaves them to go hog-wild in there, though the door remains open so they can come and go as they please, returning to where Honerva is exploring.]

[There is much in that room for the cat to explore. And having his cat-friend around makes an added bonus for Kova. Though it's far more likely he may scamper himself tired and silly, not used to the abundance of such things.

As for his owner, she seems to feel almost similarly, in her own way, as she wanders through the place and peeks into rooms, and even if it's still simplistic, it's also... a lot, to take in. Lup's breezy answers help, but also remind her of how out of touch she is, with even this concept.]

It feels so... personal, and tangible. It is truly a well-crafted spell.

[She didn't realize she'd be so in awe of the concept of a home, but perhaps it was because she hadn't known what it would be like to experience actually visiting a welcoming one. Even if was made of magic.]

Yesss, praise me. It's well-deserved. [Lup smirks.] It's also a spell that takes a lot out of me to cast, so consider yourself lucky to have it! And, y'know.

[She gestures in a vague shooing motion.]

Explore it, I guess? I'll tag along, I've seen it all. What d'you wanna do first?

I do.

[It was more than just that. Something not to be taken for granted. Now that the music's gone, she's left with some lingering restless energy, and her thoughts starting to pick up again. Some put off... considerations. ]

I would like to explore a little longer, if you do not mind that. I want to see all of it.

[From the larger rooms, to any hidden away spots, there's a curiosity there. This space was so... different.]

But perhaps... pursuing some form of relaxation afterwards would not be remiss. To use this time to think. For us to... talk.

[Sometimes she still handles phrasing certain words as though she'd just received them from a dictionary.]

Sure, knock yourself out. It's not infinite or anything, just a handful of rooms, but it's supposed to fit like a hundred people if you really gun for it. I kept it cosier than it could be.

[Her smile softens a bit at the last part, clasping her hands behind her head. Talk, huh... yeah, there's probably a lot to say, especially with what seems to be coming. If they're going to put an end to this place, they'll be making some big decisions soon. She knows where she's going, but the situation is more complicated for Hoverna.]

Well... nice thing is, we're in a pocket dimension now. Toss the communicators out the door and no one will hear a thing.

It is only us. We would not require it to be quite so large.

[The fact that it is cozier is part of what makes it appealing, and it still feels thought out. Even as she glances into the rooms, and wanders close to take in details even on the walls and other surroundings. A mix between genuine curiosity and not having to wrestle for her senses to notice such things. To just take it in. Especially before talking about potentially... less pleasant things ahead.

Shutting off even more of the outside world seems even more appealing, since that's why they came in to begin with.]

Did it take long for you to decide on the form you wanted it to take?

[Her simple suggestions being present here were nice touches, but the house belonged to Lup, a space she'd surely utilized many times before.]

Not too long, nah. I've got a baller imagination, and the house has had a certain shape in my head for a long time now. Used to make it for seven people, on worlds that weren't people-friendly. Reshaping the rooms for two or three isn't that different. Kitchen's always the same, and the spooky service, too.

[In other words, yeah- definitely utilized plenty, though not in the best of circumstance.]

Never done a cat room before, though. That's new.

... It was a nice touch. I have to wonder what he'll take to the most, in there.

[She feels like she wouldn't mind to just watch him indulge for a bit, even, as her meandering takes her over to the door to do that. He's busy scampering about, of course, paying her no mind; it's too early for favorites, and he's a cat that's not really used to having this sort of space, so who knows what he'd end up with.]

You have always had others in mind, to account for their needs. Do you have a favorite area for yourself, or is that the kitchen?

[Ditto is of course patiently following Kova from toy to toy, batting at him or the toy itself depending on which he chooses. He's not usually a cat so he's somewhat more reserved, and his behaviour is partially dependent on Lup as her familiar, but she has her own streak of playfulness and it carries through to him enough that he does fine on his own. Plus he and Kova have a well-established dynamic by now.

Lup, meanwhile, leans in the doorway to watch them for a moment, amused, but turns away and heads towards a room in the back where steam is gently wafting out the crack in the door.]

Oh sure, I love the kitchen! But it's not my favourite. I never cook in here- this is my vacation zone. This-

[She opens the door wide with a flourish, revealing an elegant spa and bath, decked out with all the features one would expect from a quality establishment. It smells delightful, and, much like the main room, has a perfect temperature for soaking, relaxing, and pampering.]

This is my favourite.

[She finds it... pleasing, to watch the pair interact. She doesn't know if Kova had ever really had another animal companion to play with before, in all his years, but he had taken well to this creature. Perhaps it was because he had taken so well to Lup, and Ditto was so much of her creation. Just another reminder, of what was at stake; of what could be taken away at any moment.

Then Lup responds to her question, and she turns to follow her lead to this other room she had not examined yet. Like most of this house, the reveal is an unexpected treat to all of her senses, as she allows her eyes to close, taking in the aroma and the feel of the room before looking into it to grasp the whole of it. Such places, she still wasn't used to, not with the added benefit of comfort over ordinary serviceability, but she was in a better position to grasp the purpose of it than before.]

... Then, perhaps we should stay in here for a while. The rest will still be there to look at afterwards.

You don't have to tell me twice. And hey, conveniently, we're already dressed for the occasion.

[What with them just coming from the beach and all. Lup steps forward, tossing her clothes aside as she goes - the overcoat, the hat, the flipflops - and stops at edge of the steaming hot tub in just the bikini that remains. And then she spins on her heel, salutes Honerva, and falls backwards into the water with a big, overdramatic splash.]

So we are.

[She rewards Lup with some light applause at her display, and remembers to remove her sunglasses. Strange accessory. Of course she's slower to join Lup, as she slips out of the sarong covering her very modest bathing suit, and her water shoes, before finally making her way to the tub and taking a seat on the edge, dipping a hand in and lightly moving her fingers in the water.]

[It's not a huge pool, but it's sizable enough that it could fit half a dozen comfortably, so there's plenty of room for two to move about as they wish. Lup's resurfaced in the meantime, swimming over to prop herself up against the edge near where the other woman is seated, her head tilted back as she lets out an exaggerated sigh.]

Mmmmmyeah, this might actually beat the beach. I usually dig the open water, but on this planet, no thanks.

[The open water of the beach had been almost too peaceful to look at, in a disconcerting way, though she hadn't truly harbored any thoughts of entering it, especially not with the energy levels being what they were. Reminded her far too much of other things.

This was different though, a smaller, much more controlled space, the temperature palatable. It was nice that it was just them.

Still, it was... new, so she takes it in.]

This is... far more preferable.

[She agrees, still only with her fingers in the water, before allowing herself to cautiously twist and allow part of her legs in too. Progress.]

What led you to create such a room?

[For it to be her favorite, that is. Something had to inspire it, and she found that liked to hear those sorts of stories. If there were any.]

Self-indulgence, mostly. It's a luxury we didn't get on the ship we travelled in, and I hate sharing bathrooms. Some of the planes we fell into were rough... where some of us died, or got hurt, or would freeze or starve if we went outside- bad worlds make for bad years, and since we couldn't control where we ended up, we learned how to control the ways we survived it.

[Lup stretches her legs out in front of herself, toes floating gently above the bubbles. That feels a bit too morose, too solemn, so after a moment's uncertain pause she adds-]

The first year I made this, we were stuck on a desert world, no water anywhere. We could conjure some up, but there wasn't a lot to spare, so we went a long while without a way to have decent baths. This room exists because after three weeks, dwarves have intolerably smelly feet.

[Hearing someone talking about dying so casually is never going to sound normal, even with her history of being an evil space witch. She can tell Lup is trying to lighten it all up by the end, anyway.

Even so, Honerva listens quietly to her response, head tilted, still sitting so much like a cat on the pool's edge, the water only somewhat lapping halfway between her knees and her ankles.

For her, it had been so very different, everything being technical, instant, so much less immersive. Always - secluded, as it were.

But of course, there it was: the fact that it was taking control of circumstances out of their hands, as well as the necessity of comfort, even over function. It puts to mind other considerations, but for the moment, she only asks,]

Did it always fall to you to create the house?

Nah, not always. Our group had five wizards, so whoever learned it could take turns, give our own little spins on it. Our captain liked it in a cottage style, Lucy made a library, Barry gave it a lab... it was always different.

[Thinking of them hurts - her family, all the people she's loved and missed for so long now - but she's endured a decade without breaking already, so she can manage a little longer.]

But this... this was mine, so it was the best.

Of course it is.

[She might be able to devise a pocket dimension herself with her own magic, but it wouldn't be nearly as pleasant, or feel quite so safe. That would take a lot of work. In a different mindset, she might have appreciated having a lab, but... that was not what she needed.

However, it is because this home is Lup's creation that she can agree that it is the best, and allow her to bask in that sense of... pride. It's only too late that she realizes, again, how long ago it must have been for her, to last summon it or to be in the presence of those others.]

You have been very patient, with my questions.

Right? You're lucky you're you, or I'd be charging by the minute. Information should never be free.

[Unless it's between friends. Which it is, in that case. Although for her and Taako, sometimes even that doesn't mean anything.]

I suppose that all of my luck could not be so poor.

[After all, was it luck, to be drawn here at all? To make such a ... connection? Hard to say.]

With the noise... abated, it helps to fill some of the quiet left behind.

[Fuel for rousing her thoughts, such as they were. She still maintains her odd perch on the edge of the pool, however.]

Yeah... not a big fan of quiet in general, not gonna lie.

[Despite her words, she falls silent for a long moment after that, brows furrowed, lost in thought. It takes her a bit to find the words to continue with, pitifully vague as they are-]

Kinda feels like we're winding up towards the end, whatever that means.

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i almost tagged on the mod account just now skjfhsdf lol

lmfao what a heart attack that would have been

SURPRISE HO IT'S ME

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