[We should probably have most of this conversation by brainphone,] says the Joker. [We're not a kid-friendly bunch when you start talking history. Obvious thing is, Micaiah and Jellybean have never been raped.]

Elspeth swallows and rocks Harley in her arms.

[Not surprised,] says the Joker. [What about the one for shitty childhoods, is that one passing him by?]

Queenie arrives.

And last of all, so does Alice.

[It's... I don't want to ascribe emotions to this phenomenon. It's not mad about being thwarted, it doesn't hate him, but it's - circling. I think his childhood is blocked off as safe, now, but the attractor was - changed, postponed, it doesn't look absent, it looks patient.]

[Sounds about right to me,] says Brilliance.

"Can I do anything about it? Can anyone?" asks Elspeth quietly.

[...I don't think you can. I think he could. I don't think it's in his - nature, to do it, though. He's safe at home. He's safe anyplace you'd bring him. I think he's eventually going to wander away and get into trouble and you won't make anything better by trying too hard to stop him,] Glass murmurs.

"Love you Elsie," says Harley Andrea, snuggling into Elspeth's arms.

"I love you too," murmurs Elspeth.

Glass shivers once and turns her attention to the deck-in-general. She pauses her eyes over Jellybean and Micaiah again. [...You've got different... reasons on top of the commonality,] she observes slowly.

[Whatcha mean?] wonders Jellybean.

[I think you got out of it just because you landed in a world where if you get magic it happens young, and then you got magic,] says Glass. [It's almost completely causal, not whatever I'm seeing - I mean, I can see the attractor, but I don't see signals about why it's not in operation on you. Micaiah's is being held off for higher-layer reasons.] She peers at him. [Which aren't here.]

[Well, where are they, then?]

Angela drifts over and puts her wing around her Micaiah. [Hmm?]

Glass peers at the pair of them together, occasionally looking at the other Jokers for points of comparison.

Micaiah snuggles contentedly into his angel's wing, flaring his aura (innocence innocence innocence) a little.

[...I don't know your story and I'm sure I could put this better if I did, but what I see is a lot like - Shell Bell's special circumstances. Angela was a certain way, and you were supposed to meet and be together, and you needed to - suit her.]

[...What did I miss?]

...Micaiah hugs himself and leans on Angela and appears Generally Upset.

Glass summarizes for Angela what she missed.

[I - oh, love,] sighs Angela, hugging her Micaiah and peering into his thoughts to see what the matter is in more detail.