She's seen the artwork. Who hasn't? Luna in her guise as the Lover, beautiful and terrible, always in full battle armor -

Gleam had only thought she contained Luna's banked fury. That was a mere ember.

Luna is glorious, and she stands between Elathea and Gleam, expression unforgiving, her unfolded rage and love drowning out both Essence storms. She's tall, made larger by her starry armor, and she carries no weapon.

She doesn't need one.

Elathea stays on the ground where she landed, shivering.

And Gleam collapses into a sobbing mess behind Luna's protection.

Luna steps forward, slowly. Comes to stand over Elathea.

"What do you have to say for yourself?"

She shakes her head, more discomposed than Gleam or Luna has ever seen.

"-Nothing. I- I... I don't know. I don't know what happened to me."

"You don't know? That's it?" Something in her shifts -

Gleam scrambles for her mind. "Luna, stop," she commands as she rises to a crouch.

She pauses, face shadowed.

"...It was like... something had lit a fuse inside me, and once it burned through-"

"The possibility of deescalation just- failed to occur. Like the concept didn't exist."

Gleam's eyes go a bit wide.

Angry goddess can stand there being angry, but Gleam's going to dart around her to hug her wife.

"Like a madness," she murmurs, "That wouldn't let us go."

(She steps back, a little.)

Elathea's still on the ground.

"Yeah. Something like that."

Gleam's never minded dirt.

"...But - your mind's clear, now?" she asks, voice small and scared even though she doesn't want it to be.

"It seems to be."

She starts shaking, overwhelmed by the - everything - crashing through her.

"Apologize," she says, voice distant from herself. "I want you to - apologize."

"I'm sorry, Gleam. I'm so, so sorry for- everything. For missing the ceremony, for hurting you, for- for what I said."

That brings her snapping back into her body - and she starts crying again. "I'm sorry, too," she says. "I - I didn't mean to attack you, I just - panicked - and didn't - see you, in my mind."

Hug and crying.

Her mind won't - work. There's things - she needs - there's responsibilities - her thoughts collide - her emotions are drowning her, strong and completely out of control - each new wave different, overwhelming, unidentifiable -

The only emotion she can put a full name to is terror. There's no threat. (Isn't there?) Not anymore. The fear, though -

"The collar," she gasps out between shakes, "I - need it off - "

Elathea scrabbles for it- it clicks- she pulls it off and tosses it aside.

More shaking, and she presses her face into Elathea's shoulder. "I - don't know what's - something's wrong - "

Everything is going to be terrible, there's threats, the world's out to get her, every twitch is enraging - she wants to laugh, cry, scream, there's doom on the horizon -

"I know. I know."

Luna frowns, tilting her head - and steps forward, places a hand on Gleam's shoulder -

And her Essence storm cuts out.

Her emotions trip and tumble over each other.

Gleam makes a little, confused noise.

"What was that?"

It's not that her expression is cold. It's hard, steely - thoughtful.

"It was written long ago that none of the Primordials, and nothing that came from their crafts nor any dream of their mind, can ever have power over the Exaltations."

"But they didn't make me."

She stares at Gleam, or - something beyond her.

"I see."

Deep shaky breath.

- And calming herself down works. She's still upset, still scared, still confused and kind of low key having a panic attack, but -

Her mind isn't ripping itself apart.

"I'm going to leave Gleam cut off from her Exaltation, for now," she says, voice soft. "Until moonset approaches at the earliest."

 - Nod.

She's still not sure she can talk. A new fear is choking her. It's - way less intense, something she can control, but - her mouth doesn't want to say it.

"What does that mean?"

"Her breath will be held, Essence out of her reach - and her mind out of Essence's reach." Her gazes turns to meet Elathea's. "It's not something I can trivially maintain, and not something I can do to any other than my Lunars." She tilts her head. "And not something I want it known I can do - not yet."

"For what this means after - I don't know."

Ugh. She'll have to talk, won't she?

She squeezes her wife. "Doesn't matter," she murmurs. "Leave it - off. I can think now."

Hug.

"All right."

Shaky breath. She squeezes her eyes shut.

Luna sighs. "You two might want to go calm down your children," she says, softly. "Do you think you're up for it?"

Deep breath.

"Yes. I am."

"...Think so."

Not fully. But. Enough. And - their kids are important.

Gleam's... Really, really cold. Shivering, now.

"Alright."

And Luna's face shifts. No longer the Lover, furious and passionate and unyielding.

Something softer. Not a popular motif in the Deliberative, but - the Weeper isn't exactly unknown to Elathea.

"I'll stay, if you think it would help."

"...I think we don't want to make this any more complicated than it already is."

"...I - could use the support. But."

This is. Hard.

"I - agree we shouldn't - make it harder for the kids."

"I can wait separate from this talk," he says. "And I should return before moonset either way, to see if you want your Exaltation brought back in your reach, Gleam."

She bites her lip. "...Maybe just. Come back in a few hours. If I - don't call you first."

"Alright." He glances at Elathea.

"That is acceptable."

"Okay. I'll see you two, then." He steps back and then fades into the moonlight.

Sigh.

"...Are you ready?"

"Probably - as ready as I can be."

"Let's go, then."

They can help each other up.

Yeah.

Gleam's still shaky, but... She can walk, even if hesitantly, and she's not actually still injured. 

They're stopped at the threshold of the house. (They've never seen that expression on Micqui's face before.)

Her hands tighten, but - she doesn't seem to know what to say at first. (There's something scared, maybe, under the fierce determination.)

"I've come to apologize."

"Both of us."

"Are the twins okay?"

She examines them, expression suspicious...

And then her expression crumples a bit. Saddens.

"Yeah," she says. "Upset, but - I got them out before you guys even went full - terrifying avatars of war. Told Samira to sit on Layla, so - don't think they've snuck back."

She's still examining them, but - there's something yearning in her gaze. 

"Thank you for protecting them."

Nod.

Family hug?

...Yeah. Family hug.

Family hug.

"I'm sorry for scaring you," she says to Micqui.

"Just - don't do it again, okay?"

"I - I want Layla and Samira to be able to know the same parents I did."

"So do I."

"Nothing more."

Deep breath. "Okay."

"You guys - sit in the den, and I'll go let them know everything's okay?"

"Thank you."

She nods and lets Micqui detangle from the hug.

And she heads back into the house; her footsteps vanish fairly fast.

To the den for Elathea and Gleam.

"It has been a long time since I've been myself..."

"...Yeah."

"I was - really surprised. That. You apologized."

"I feel... different. Freer, somehow, or like a veil has been lifted."

"The way I have been treating you and the children, I-" She shakes her head. "It is not a series of decisions I endorse."

She nods.

"...I don't feel like - my mind's clouded, or - like my reasoning has been. Just..."

"Right now I feel - empty? Just - remember when I said it was like my anger was a river, and - all the strategies I have to not lash out are levees? And sometimes there's storms or surges, but there's always a river - "

"It's like - all my emotions were these huge rivers, and every time they surged they'd get stronger, and they never went all the way back down, and now I'm looking at them, and - they're trickles."

"Hm. It- must be related to the manipulation of Essence somehow..."

"There's a thing lots of Lunars call Essence fever. The - emotional intensity using Essence gives you, and the way it can wash over your mind if you're pulling on it right. Lots of people like it, I've triggered it on purpose before, but - it is an - altered state. Mentally."

"Just - I mean, we're all kinda crazy? And just about all of us were kinda crazy before we took our Second Breaths. And Exalting makes everything bigger and grander. You're not just a good painter, you're the most amazing painter ever. Your songs make people weep. Your fights are enormous and shake the world. And - your emotions are bigger, too, and - that's something we always tell new Lunars. Everything's gonna be a lot for a while, but meditate and take some deep breaths and have some fun, and it'll chill out."

"But - I dunno. Most of us had always just - figured if it was supernatural, it was just that using Essence gets you this momentum. It's a big rush, and no one wants to just - change what they're doing when they get going like that. But I've always thought of it as a normal rush? Like, you can do that with drugs, or - just having enough fun. And - there's long term stuff. Really powerful Lunars are all super crazy, but... I - didn't think I was that crazy, so - I figured it was just. Powerful people not even trying to hold themselves back, like I used to not, and the ways it's addictive are just - the ways fun's always addictive."

"But sitting here with my emotions - not even empty, but small like they used to be... I feel actually insane for the first time in centuries."

Hug.

"I don't like this."

Snuggle.

"No. It's - "

"Really, really bad."

"Maybe Luna will be able to help. Or- have ideas."

"I don't think yet, but - they're going to poke this, now."

Sigh and lean.

"...If it's Essence, I - everything's hurt, my whole body, since Luna blocked my Exaltation, but - "

"I'd rather be mortal than - a threat to my children."

"I understand."

"...I'm worried about Samira and Micqui."

"But - "

Deep breath. "They'll be back soon, and - today's been. Long. We can handle that later."

"Agreed."

She closes her eyes and tries to - meditate or something - while they wait.

It's not much longer after that that Micqui brings back the twins.

"Hello, girls."

Layla just crosses her arms sullenly.

Right.

"Let me begin by apologizing. I have not been here for you as I should have been. I missed your ceremony today. I cannot undo this, but- I am deeply sorry."

Sulk.

"Didn't want you there anyways. You're always just mad at us or mama."

"I know. That is something else I am sorry for. I have not treated you with the love you deserve."

Her expression crumples. "Why? What'd we do?"

"Oh, Layla. It wasn't anything you ever did, sweetheart."

"It was always and only my own failings."

She starts crying a bit. "Why now? You and mama were fighting, and Micqui made us hide, and she never does that, and - "

"Why is now different?"

"Tonight was... a culmination of things. Both your mama and I got angrier than we have, angrier than we should have been, and during the fight-. I felt- something inside me snap, and I realized that I didn't like the person I had become. Your mama said something similar."

"I don't know that now will be different. I hope it will be."

"We're going to try very, very hard - the hardest we've ever tried at anything - to be the parents you two deserve." Deep breath, and - "And if we're not - " Small quirk of her lips. "You have my eternal permission to tell me when I'm being a dummy head."

"I," she says, regally, "Haven't said that since I was six. I tell people they're being dumb much more maturely now."

Smile. "You do."

"You three - you've all grown up so well, even with us being - not the people we should've been." She glances at Samira, then, expression soft.

She trots forward, expression solemn.

"We still love you."

She hugs both her mothers.

She melts into the hug. "We love you more than anything."

Samira hopes this fixes things.

Her twin's a lot more skeptical, but - Layla's tired and sad, and she joins the hug, too.

"You're gonna have to teach me lots of sorcery," she says. "You said you would but you haven't been."

Hug.

"All that you want," she promises.

A small giggle escapes her, despite her previous determination to sulk. "I want all the sorcery."

Gentle kiss to the forehead.

"You shall have it."

Tighter hug. "Thanks, mom."

"But tomorrow, how about?"

"Aww..."

...And then yawn. She makes a face.

"...I'm tired."

Admitting you're tired is an adult thing to do, Samira thinks.

Mama's sure told them that a lot. "I am too," she grumbles.

...She wants to be an adult like everyone else, but, also, she just got mom back.

"I'll let you tell us a bedtime story," she says to mom, magnanimously. Mom said she's missed being their parent, so, this is Layla being a very gracious adult, and not Layla being a little kid who misses her mom. Definitely.

"That's very kind of you, dear. Shall we?"

"Yeah." She leans out of the hug and switches to holding mom's hand, then glances at mama and Micqui.

"You three go along. I have something to talk to mama about, okay?"

"'Kay."

"Night Micqui. Night mama."

"Night."

"Good night you two."

"Sleep well, my loves."

Off to bed with the twins.

Elathea remembers the tucking-in routine well enough, though Layla may have to give her some guidance if things have changed.

Well, they've been putting themselves to bed every night for over a year, so...

Layla doesn't actually really correct her, except a very little bit on the stuff they were already growing out of last time mom helped with this.

(Being spoiled's... Nice, sometimes, especially when she's just been scared her whole family was going to end and when she's had to be more mature than she'd like for a long while. She can assert her independence later.)

Then once both girls are snuggled in, Elathea begins a story about a brave young princess who made friends with a dragon and rescued herself from the tower.

The giggling is only a little because she's outgrown kid stories. It's also because the story is actually funny.

Mom's still a really, really excellent story-teller, anyways. Layla just maybe should point her at the kind of stuff she's reading nowadays tomorrow. 

(She has missed this, she realizes.)

Yeah.

She yawns again once the story comes to a close, snuggling down into her blankets. "Night mom," she murmurs.

"Good night, Layla. Good night, Samira."

"G'nigh..."

Snooze.

Elathea quietly leaves the room to go find Gleam and Micqui again.

Where they've just recently concluded a very stressful and long conversation. Gleam's exhausted, and, quite frankly, needs some cuddles.

Micqui - probably won't be the one providing those. She's closed off, expression severe.

"...Mama updated me on everything," she says.

Elathea sits next to her wife, putting an arm around her shoulders.

"And you have thoughts, I take it?"

Exhausted snuggles.

Slow breath out.

"...Some. Mostly just - "

"How do you know you won't regress?"

"At this point... We don't."

"It is my hope that having identified the problem, we can now begin to work on solutions or effective strategies for mitigation."

Nod.

"Yeah."

She's quiet for a good long moment, then: "I'm going to make - contingency plans." She's never looked (never felt) so tired.

"I love you both, but - I love the twins more, if it comes down to it."

"Thank you."

She closes her eyes in relief. "So much."

Small, fleeting smile.

"I - won't tell you what they are, probably."

"But I want to help with the avoidance and mitigation stuff too, especially since..." She makes a face. "...The Sidereals are crazy, too. Obsessive, and - it's impossible for me to tell if it's cultural or selection bias or what - but."

"If it's something about being Exalted... There's a risk for me, too, and - there's a risk for Samira, and for Layla if it is Essence and sorcery is enough, or if she ever Exalts."

"Mm. There is much to consider, yes. Luna is aware of this as well, and I think will be lending his aid."

Nod. "Yeah, mama said. I'll meet with them, too. Just - Luna's a good ally."

"I am hoping so."

Sigh.

"...I should sleep, too."

"We all should, I think."

"Yeah." She rubs at her face.

Micqui hesitates a bit, then stands and says, "Goodnight."

Small smile. "Goodnight, Micqui."

"Sleep well."

And she heads off.

"Talk to Luna again before we sleep?" she says to Gleam.

"Yeah."

"I - yeah. Let's go ahead."

"Outside?"

She nods. "That'd be - easiest, I think." Deep breath, and - up?

Up and out.

She sits on a bench in their gardens - away from the area they'd fought in, out of sight - and calls Luna's name.

And he appears. After a moment: "Are all of you doing alright?"

"For now. Fixing things will... be an ongoing process."

"It will."

"I have a lot to investigate, myself - and I'll help where I can."

"Do you have any more information right now?"

"Nothing specific, not yet. There's - avenues of research, is all."

A pause, and: "I know regrettably little about the nature of Solar Exaltations - we stayed out of each others' processes, so betrayal by one wouldn't bring all down - but something about yours seems... Different. Clearer, I suppose, but - I don't know if that's just a response to your own emotions, or if the difference is causative."

"I would like you to compare my daughter's, if you can."

"I can. I got a decent look when she first Exalted, too, so I can see what's changed in her."

"That should be helpful."

"When's best for me to come back?"

"Tomorrow, perhaps?" She looks to her wife.

"Yeah. It's - best to get this moving sooner. Maybe as soon after moonrise as you can?"

Solemn nod. "Of course."

"Thank you."

"Anything for my favorite girls."

Heh.

Smug grin. "You know it."

He laughs. "I'll pursue more of what I can over the day - the Maidens might know something, or I can pick back up 'where did Autochthon go' - but, regardless, I'll try to have more for you tomorrow night."

"We'll see you then."

"See you."

And he leaves.

Bed time for Elathea and Gleam?

Yeah. Gleam's... Tired. Wrung out.

(Sore. She's glad Luna didn't offer to put her Exaltation back in reach. It would've been very, very hard to say no.)

Gleam doesn't seem set to sleep well tonight.

"Do you want a sleeping potion?"

"I... Yeah. I think I need one..."

"I'll make one up for you. Do you want to come along or should I bring it to your room?"

"...I'll come along."

"I - I used to like watching you work."

"...I remember. I used to like being watched."

"It was nice, especially when I had my own projects..."

"I think - maybe set aside the intense or dangerous projects for a while, and then we can have family craft time? And the girls can watch or help or do their own things, or entertain themselves elsewhere. It'd - be nice, and while I think there'll be... Soreness about you vanishing again, you shouldn't have to give up things you enjoy."

"I'd like that."

Grin. "Layla's going to have questions, you know."

"I'd be disappointed if she didn't."

Lean. "I haven't done any art in a while, too... It'll be nice, having a - mutual thing."

"Mm."

"The kitchen should have what I need."

"Let's go, then."

To the kitchen, where Elathea efficiently prepares a draught of peaceful slumber.

She watches with a contented smile.

"Thanks," she says. And: to bed?

Together, or separately?

Hum. "I'd like to try together, if you don't mind? I'm - not up for anything other than sleeping, and I don't know when that'll change... But I've missed cuddling."

"All right. If you're comfortable with it."

"I think I will be?"

Nod.

To bed together, then.

She's a little hesitant at first, but - moving slowly is enough to get her through that. (She does make sure she's comfortable before taking the sleep draught, which knocks her right out.)

Elathea lets Gleam set up, and stays where she's put.

Then she'll be spending the night with Gleam half on top of her.

Oh, right. That is how this goes, isn't it.

Absolutely. (Gleam somehow doesn't need to shift into an octopus to wrap herself an improbable amount around her cuddle partners.)

(And given the sleeping draught, she's definitely not going to be nudged away.)

Elathea will deal with it.

Gleam sleeps in well past dawn, of course, not waking up until nearly midday.

As long as the kids are okay with that.

(Well, no one interrupts them; they mostly slept in themselves, anyways, and can cook breakfast and entertain themselves for a bit just fine.)

Then Elathea is free to enjoy the comfort of her wife's embrace.

She stirs, eventually, making little sleepy sounds.

"Good morning, dear."

"Mmmm. Morning." Nuzzle.

"Sleep well?"

Mmmph, yawn! And nod.

"Good."

Nuzzle.

Giggle.

Mmm. She wants to drift a bit... Though her stomach's very quickly informing her she needs to go eat. Blegh.

Up?

Up.

Perhaps the children have saved them some food.

(Micqui made sure of it, and there's a little folded note on the plates that Samira cooked this morning.)

How thoughtful.

"We have some very wonderful kids."

"They've been well-raised."

"Sometimes it feels like 'no thanks to us'..." Sigh.

"Or we did well enough in the beginning to carry us to now."

"A nicer thought."

"And... Micqui's brought a lot of that forward."

"Indeed she has. I am glad we have her aid."

"Yeah."

She smiles a bit as she eats, though she does look a little lost in thought.

Then: "I want to find where my collar went, and... Put it somewhere safe. Just in case."

Small smile.

Lean.

"It feels weird, not having it on. But... I'm not - ready, to have it back? And I don't know - when or if I will be."

"What happened was - I'd never been that scared before."

"I'm so sorry, Gleam."

She closes her eyes. "I know." And, voice cracking a little: "It doesn't feel - like something that really happened - but. I know."

"That wasn't... at all what I had intended for it, originally."

"Neither of us did."

Sigh.

"Shall we go look?"

She nods and gets up to clean away their dishes. "Let's."

Elathea remembers the general area where they were last night. It shouldn't be too difficult a search.

It's not exactly a subtle thing, either, and the paths toward the workshop are well tended, without a lot of tangles like some of the gardens Gleam's designed.

And artifacts stand out, though Gleam can't exactly pull on Essence right now to sense it. 

(She tries, not really paying attention. Reaches for that little sliver of knowledge out of habit - the failure makes her wince.)

She finds it first.

"Over here," she calls to her wife, taking a step back.

She heads over, and, after a moment's hesitation, picks it up, turning it over in her hands. 

Elathea stays back.

The collar is as shiny as it ever was, no worse for wear after its time on the ground.

She glances over at her wife. "I'll put it away." A pause, then, a bit slowly: "Do - you want me to not tell you where?"

"I think- that would make me feel more comfortable."

Slow nod. "Alright."

"I just... can't, now that I see it again. Not yet."

She puts a hand on Gleam's Grace, wrapped around her wrist.

She slides the collar into an inner pocket of her coat, out of sight, and steps up to her wife, setting her hands over Elathea's, cradling her Grace.

"You still hold this," she murmurs. "You're still worthy of it."

"Thank you."

Small smile. And, as she strokes her thumbs over Elathea's hand, brushing against her Grace - "Would you let me go, if I asked?"

"I would."

She kisses her wife, then, softly. (It's been a while, hasn't it?)

"Then there's no one more worthy of my constancy than you."

Soft kiss.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

Genuine smile.

She laughs and kisses her wife again. 

Kisses!!

"I never want to lose this," kiss, "Never again."

"Neither do I." Kiss.

"Glad we're in agreement."

Kiss, and then a giggle, then - "We should let the girls know we're awake."

"I suppose we should."

Inside, then? Though with it being already midday, it's anyone's guess where they've gotten off to...

Maybe if they make enough of a commotion, the kids will find them.

Given how big these grounds are... It might be the best strategy. So long as the commotion doesn't scare them away, of course. 

Perhaps a musical performance?

"Oh, sounds fun." Kiss!

Time to dust off the old instruments.

Gleam's in the mood to sing, herself. 

Elathea will provide suitable accompaniment. And Essence ghosts, to dance to the tune.

It's really, really nice. A fond memory, brought into the current day. 

As much as she wants to sing something flirty - she sticks to a light hearted song about the wilds near her realm.

She's joined after a little while by Samira's high, clear voice harmonizing over the chorus.

(She remembers when her mama first sang this song for her.)

She smiles and keeps singing, throwing in some of the lilts she and Samira have added a bit... Creatively... Over the years. 

Layla's not really much for playing music, but she comes and sits where she can see them all, smiling.

They're all together again! This is nice.

Micqui needs to step inside quickly, but... Her own flute joins them soon enough, matching Samira's harmony.

It's a pity the song has to end, eventually. 

Indeed it is. But they seem to have accomplished their goal.

Very well. 

Layla laughs and claps a bit when they all finish.

"We haven't lost the trick of that."

"Not at all." She grins over at their kids. "Having the best accompaniment in Creation helps."

"Yeah!!"

Giggle. "Good performance, girls."

"Thanks, mama."

"You're welcome." Small smile. "Did you guys sleep okay last night?"

"Pretty good, yeah."

"Uh huh."

"Good." A short pause, before: "Your mom and I are going to take today easy."

"Okay."

"We'd welcome the company if any of you want to hang out."

Hmmmm... Layla?

Hum. "A little? I could finish that book..."

"I've got meditations to do..."

"I've got letters to write."

"Sounds like a sunroom sort of day."

"Indeed it does. Let us thence repair."

To the sunroom, then! The view's very lovely; Gleam's sort of accidentally handed off management of the household to Micqui, and, well - the results are pretty nice. Micqui's apparently brought in more gardeners and landscapers, and had a hummingbird and butterfly sanctuary set up outside the sunroom.

A beautiful place to relax.

Gleam settles into a loveseat with her wife, of course.

Elathea drapes an arm around her shoulder.

Samira settles down cross-legged on the floor.

And Micqui settles at a little corner desk - effectively specifically for letters; this is one of her favorite rooms to write in. 

Layla smiles and curls up with her book on the floor near Samira.

Snuggle! 

She pulls out a small poetry book.

Elathea- believes she will doze. Still running a bit of debt from her previous binge.

Cute. Cute cute cute.

Gleam gets distracted from her poetry by staring soppily at her wife's face.

(...The inactivity is making the pain she's had since their fight worse, or at least more noticeable, but... This is far, far too nice to disrupt. She can handle it.)

Samira's more relaxed than she has been in a long while.

Layla notices of course. A relaxed Samira's good - and a reason for Layla to reach for her own calm.

(She's going to hold it against her parents so much if they start fighting again.)

Elathea snores, softly.

Gleam strokes her hair a little.

She curls into her a little.

She slept a lot earlier, but...

She's been stressed. It's pretty easy to start dozing herself. 

It will be pretty easy for them to nap away the whole afternoon, then.

Most of it. (Gleam does get up to stretch some, of course, once her body starts complaining too much to push away.)

And Luna arrives very shortly after moonrise.

"Hello," Samira greets her.

"Hello!" she responds. "Is it alright if I come in and sit down?"

"I think so, yeah."

"Okay!" she comes in - and plops herself down on the floor, just enough away from the twins that they won't feel crowded.

"Your parents wanted me to come look at some things," she says, glancing at them - and raising her eyebrow at Gleam.

"Mom, wake up." She pokes her leg.

"Hm? I'm awake."

"Oh, Luna. Is it evening already?"

"Try 'all the way to nighttime,' darling."

"Ah. I see."

Smile. "This'll be a bit easier if I slip into a more scholarly phase," she says, with that same good cheer. "If that's alright?" She's looking at the girls more than the parents.

"Sure...?"

She squints, suspicious. "Yeah." The she glances at her parents. "What's she gonna look at?" she asks them.

"Our concern," Elathea says, "is that there is a fundamental problem either with humans manipulating Essence or the Exaltations themselves."

" - But you're all Exalted." Her eyes are wide, a bit scared. "Will it hurt you guys?"

"Testing, at least, should not."

Luna's form shifts to one they haven't seen before, and she focuses intently - softly - on Layla. "The problem might," she says, frank. "It might be why your mothers have been so angry."

"Which is why I'm here to do diagnostics, so we can find the problem and start fixing it."

Elathea's words had just made her more nervous, more wound up - but Luna's frankness soothes her. "Okay," she says. Then: "Can I help?"

"Do you know how to watch for Essence flows?"

"A little... I've been studying artifacts and geomancy, but..." She doesn't look at her mom. "Mostly on my own so far."

"New eyes, then. That'll be quite the help."

Slow nod. "So I'll be looking?"

"Yes."

Firm nod as she stands. "I need paper and brushes and ink," she tells her twin, without really thinking. "For taking notes."

Samira scrambles over to grab some from Micqui's desk.

She hands them over.

"Thank you, dears." And she stands, and steps over to Layla. "Can you close your eyes for a moment?"

She does so.

She brushes a thumb over them, leaving silver dust behind. "Excellent."

She opens her eyes - blinks, squints, closes them again.

"...Weird," she prononces.

She laughs softly. "I'm not surprised." Then a little smile, and, to Elathea - "I'd like to look at your Exaltation first, if it's alright."

"It is."

She sits in front of Elathea, then, and gives gentle instructions for how to draw on Essence, how to do this or that thing, reach for this or that part of her Exaltation...

Elathea is capable of following these instructions.

Layla squints and takes so many notes.

She smiles at the end (it's been a rather lengthy process). "Good. Let's take a little break - I'll read over Layla's notes - and then... We'll look at Samira next, I think."

"That makes sense. I'd like to see what you've written as well."

"Ah - okay." She's not used to shyness, but some of her bluster has faded during the long session.

Smile

Elathea will read Layla's notes with Luna.

And Gleam will distract the girls with making tea and snacks for everyone, so they don't fret so much. 

Layla lets herself be distracted.

(Her notes are really insightful, actually, though it's clear she only kind of knows what she's looking at with the more mystical aspects. But she didn't just take notes on the Essence, the Exaltation - she took notes on Elathea's expressions, the subtle signals and small give aways of her thoughts, her focus, her moods. Where her gaze went, how her breathing changed. Notes on her 'resting' state before the experiment started. And - while Elathea's withdrawn recently, Layla spent a very long time following her mom around and watching her work. The notes have comparisons to where this is different or similar from Elathea's older mannerisms, and how she used to behave while not using Essence, while drawing on it, and after, once the swirl of it around her faded.)

Her daughter is really very clever.

She is! 

"This is very good... Do the mood observations line up with your memory?"

"Mm... yes, they do seem to."

Hum. "We'll need to watch for these same things with the others, then..."

Nod.

Sigh, and - snacks, then back to the rhythm with Samira?

Okay.

Samira's not as good at playing with Essence as mom, though.

She can provide some guidance - but most of what they're looking for is how their Essence and Exaltation normally behave. 

So... just do normal things? Okay.

She'll request a few specifics, but... Yes.

Cool.

It takes less time than her mom's test did, fortunately. (And if Luna's troubled - she keeps it off her face.)

(Layla doesn't. Something about her twin - now that she's looking so close - is making her uneasy.)

"Everything okay?"

The twins never lie to each other, of course. "Something is odd," she says. "But I don't know if it's - the thing."

"...Are you okay? You seemed - withdrawn."

...Shrug.

"'M fine..."

Anxious glance to Micqui, a quiet - but didn't you see that too?

She puts a hand on Samira's shoulder. "If this is bothering you - tell me, okay?"

"Just... don't want to be a problem."

She kneels down in front of Samira, reaching out to cup her face - and force her to meet Micqui's gaze. "Hey. You never could be, okay? You're the opposite of a problem."

"Thanks."

Layla plops next to them. "The least problem of everyone here. Problem fixer."

She then elbows her twin. "And, you know, it'd be silly to have to beat you up for talking bad about my sister. So, don't."

"Kay."

She smiles and leans into her twin.

Grin.

"Right now though - it might be important to Lady Luna to know if using Essence was changing anything you're perceiving, so, anything you can tell us about how you feel would be a big help."

"Yeah. Lots of what I'm taking notes on is - I dunno if I'm just seeing things, or if it matches what you're feeling."

"I can go through and check."

"'Kay." She hands over her notes.