alleluia

[jovahs_heiress]

Alleluia and Caleb tell their children about magic, one by one. Isabella meets with each one to clarify a few matters. She gives Ezra a job, at the Eyrie - it is convenient to have more people around who know her secrets. And the youngest, an angel girl named Naamah, just nineteen (a last minute surprise to her parents), wants someone to talk to who is more familiar with magic than her but isn't up to their neck in it like Isabella or Micaiah - or even her own parents, who have been to all those Bell parties.

Isabella thinks about this.

[Nathaniel?]

Comments

[alicornucopia]

"My parents are good role models," says Naamah. "I'm sorry yours weren't."

[pythbox]

"It's okay," he says, and then looks mildly surprised.

[alicornucopia]

"It is?"

[pythbox]

"Well... not really," he says. "But I'm okay. I guess I wasn't expecting to be."

[alicornucopia]

"I'm glad you're okay," smiles Naamah.

[pythbox]

"Me too," he says, smiling back.

[alicornucopia]

Naamah stays a while longer, and then off she goes to start flying back to Cedar Hills.

[pythbox]

It was a good conversation.

It also sets Nathaniel to thinking.



Not quite a week after Naamah's visit, he brainphones Isabella. [Um, can I ask you something?]

[jovahs_heiress]

[Of course. What is it?]

[pythbox]

After a moment's hesitation:

[Do you think I could go visit one of the Jokers?]

[jovahs_heiress]

[I don't see why not. Do you have one in mind?]

After all, none of the Jokers live in Atlantis.

[pythbox]

[Not especially. I don't know them that well. I'll ask Micaiah, I guess.]

[jovahs_heiress]

[Sure. And he can take you up to the ship so Jane can send you wherever you decide to go.]

[pythbox]

[Okay. Um, thanks.]

[jovahs_heiress]

[You're welcome.]

[pythbox]

That's it for a little while.

And then, five days later, Micaiah brings Nathaniel up to the ship.

[mind_game]

"Hi, Nathaniel," says Jane.

[pythbox]

"Hi," he says. "I want to visit Aurum, please."

[mind_game]

"Okay, lemme tell Golden and Alice."

Thirty seconds later, "Ready?"

[pythbox]

He nods.

[mind_game]

Yoink!

[alicornucopia]

Alice is waiting at the Janepoint.

"Welcome to Aurum! Okay, I don't see you interacting with anyone who might mate to you, it looks like you mostly hang out in space," says Alice. "Have fun!" And off she traipses.

[pythbox]

Nathaniel wonders how it is that he will be hanging out in space.

[manofmyword]

He does not have long to wonder.

"Hi, sweetie!" says the Joker, teleporting in. "Wanna hug?"

[pythbox]

He smiles and nods.