[se] where only ghosts walk

WESSEX

They can both agree that Sunjata has grown - a point the Wraith has already verbally agreed to - but she nods with a short huff. “You have. Everyone is dumb at some point though.”

As for the book, she nods again, never taking her eyes from it. It feels weird to offer it to someone else, particularly knowing that it might be his for a rather long time. “Yeah. You’ll see it goes back a ways. When we were made into demigods, the powers we develop, the major incidents… things the regions are doing to protect themselves. The information only shows up after the fact, but if you keep a close eye on it, it’s quite useful.” What she’s pretty sure isn’t in there, however, is the trick they pulled on Remi and Ronin or maybe it is, haven’t asked the admins.

When Sunjata takes the meat out, she slides off the counter to poke at it a bit, making sure it’s cooked through (it is), and then leaves it alone to cool. “So I think that’s it, save for one thing. You know about my backsplash upgrade, right? And that I was supposed to trade it for Nate?”

there was a time that we were kind, but now
don't write me, you're not fooling anyone

we keep on doing this again and again
the same old things expecting something different

“Isn’t that the truth.” Sunjata rumbles with a small snort, a roll of his shoulders as he peers at the book that Wessex has pulled out. A cheat sheet, truthfully, one that he commits to mental memory (not realizing he has access to it likely whenever he needs it), but being the vain person he is, he scans his own powers and abilities, cocking his head at the realization of the scent magic he bears and the fact that it is what he thought it’d be.

So he hums, clicks his tongue thoughtfully before snorting lightly. “It’s a lot. No wonder the Order seemed so on top of everything and knowing the next step.” He rumbles, though there’s bitterness and resentment in it at the mention of the Order. It’s not a group he misses by any stretch.

His attention lifts to her, however, at the mention of the upgrade and the swap, his lips tightening as he recalls being showered in her fluid when it was ripped from her – but he hadn’t paid that much attention because he’d gotten Nate back, and really… That was all he wanted. “You did, I thought. Isn’t it what Isla ripped out?” He asks, brows furrowing slightly.

but by now we know it's never gonna change
i'm not trying to complain, i'm just saying it's a waste

WESSEX

Now this is where Wessex can’t help but radiate smugness as devious little twist slinks across her face. “Isla ripped out something. but it wasn’t the upgrade they wanted.” She leaves that tidbit of information dangling like some low-hanging fruit in front of the Flood, because slowly winding her way through the Great Trick. “See, some upgrades can be more harmlessly removed than others. My talons? Not so much, they’re part of my arms, activated by muscles. But things like the backsplash and my communication chip - those are easily removable.”

Shrugging gleefully, the Wraith continues on. “And the Old God demis have enough disdain for us that they don’t care to learn how we work. So I gave them an upgrade, yes. A useless one, from back when the Spire Demon existed. And because I had taken out the backsplash upgrade before we went, they were able to hit me and not have it affect them.” She lets that all sink in for a minute, giving the meat a little poke with a finger. Seems done and sufficiently cooled. Wessex launches herself off the counter and begins to open random cabinets and drawers, looking for something to wrap it in.

“It’s with Isla now, in case I die. Can’t risk losing that particular boon. Uhhh… I also gave her a staff I took off a dead Fae, looks like it was made from some Greatwood stuff, could be useful. She also had a raggedy looking shawl that seems to keep you warm no matter what. Oddly spooky looking… I don’t need it, obviously. You want it?” Aha! Triumphantly holding a bit of parchment paper aloft, she slams the drawer shut and heads back to the meat to finish their task.

there was a time that we were kind, but now
don't write me, you're not fooling anyone

we keep on doing this again and again
the same old things expecting something different

“Oh?” Those steel eyes slide back to Wessex with an amused raise of his brow, surprise (and if he’s honest, relief) that they’d played Remi and Ronin so well that even they didn’t know that the upgrade wasn’t gone yet. “Well isn’t that clever.” He tuts, gaze drawing back to the book as he wraps his mind around it. At least they’d have that, the backsplash upgrade as a terrible surprise to befall them the second war started raging on their side.

As for Isla safe keeping it, he hums his understanding with that too. Better to have an eye on it rather than have it disappear the second that things went south in the Draig. Which, he’s hoping it doesn’t, but there’s little that he can offer other than the typical good lucks alongside it.

“Mm, well, if it were Deepfrost still I’d chomp at the bit for it, but seeing as Longheat’s around the corner I don’t think I’ll be struggling to be warm.” He shrugs a shoulder but returns his gaze to her, flashing a crooked grin. “But if you’re looking for someone to keep it safe, I’ll take it.” He isn’t one to fight her on it if she did want to give it to him, he’s just unsure how much use he’d get out of it.

Some, of course, but not a whole lot.

He closes up the book but keeps it within his site as she starts to wrap up the raccoon and he follows suit, helping to get it packaged quickly before anything bad can set into it.

but by now we know it's never gonna change
i'm not trying to complain, i'm just saying it's a waste

WESSEX

Her hands work fast, handling the dripping, greasy sections with practiced ease and wrapping them up well in the parchment paper. “Eh, I’ll. Might come in handy later.” For bartering or keeping someone else warm, or perhaps, once they know the truth of it, it might come in handy to keep a certain Ludo demigod out. Who knows.

She makes no move to take the Knowtbook back, what with her hands being covered in racoon juices. But even after she dunks them in water, the demigod, who is a bit protective of that book, leaves it in Jata’s possession and returns to their finished product. “Think that’s it then.” For the cooking and bringing the Archon up to date. “Thanks for the help.” All they’ll need to do is finish cleaning up - the second raccoon can wait, or perhaps she’s going to deliver it to a family on the Outskirts of the Grounds, like she used to do way back when.

{Fin}

there was a time that we were kind, but now
don't write me, you're not fooling anyone