adrift again

[luminous_regnant]

When the Aurum Janepoint pops up with the error message "error 99: bottles of beer on the wall" and will not respond to any sort of prodding or magic, Bella makes a general announcement to the majority of adults on the brainphone network.

[Jane has encountered a new and different form of error, and we are stuck here until someone finds a door or until further notice. Elspeth, please begin looking for doors.]

[Will do,] Elspeth replies into the conference call.

Comments

[alicornucopia]

"Mm-hm!"

[pythbox]

"Okay."

Hug!

[Hi, Elspeth,] he says. [Can I come visit now and bring Renata?]

[her_imperial_radiance]

[Sure, now is fine.]

[pythbox]

Hug. Teleport!

[her_imperial_radiance]

Elspeth is in a comfy chair in her quarters with Harley on her lap and a picture book in her hand; she appears to have just finished the story and is letting Harley behold the final illustrations. "Hello, Nathaniel. Hi, Renata. This is Harley."

[pythbox]

"Hello, Elspeth. Hello, Harley," says Nathaniel.

Harley cheerfully ignores his guests.

[her_imperial_radiance]

"Nathaniel is Micaiah's brother. Micaiah's one of your alts," says Elspeth to Harley.

[pythbox]

Harley looks up from the illustrations and peers thoughtfully at Nathaniel.

Nathaniel peers back.

Harley grins and waves.

Nathaniel smiles.

[her_imperial_radiance]

"And Renata mated to him," continues Elspeth.

(Depending on how much Harley understands about mating, this might already be obvious from how she's sort of draped over Nathaniel staring at him like he's the only visible object in the room.)

[pythbox]

Harley nods wisely.

"Cute," he observes.

[her_imperial_radiance]

"Yes, it is pretty cute, isn't it? Nathaniel is from Samaria but he's stuck here until Jane comes back or someone can find a door to Milliways. Later today I'll try some more doors."

[pythbox]

Nathaniel smiles at Renata.

"Cuuuuute," Harley accuses, giggling.

[her_imperial_radiance]

"Harley has a refined sense of taste for cuteness," says Elspeth, petting the toddler's hair.

[pythbox]

Harley beams and hugs her.

"Takes one to know one," Nathaniel dares to observe.

[her_imperial_radiance]

Elspeth laughs. "I think Nathaniel thinks you're cute, little nibbler," she tells Harley.

[pythbox]

"He's right," Harley announces. Nathaniel laughs.

[her_imperial_radiance]

"Yes, he is. You are very cute." She puts the book she was holding down, and she hugs Harley back, and then she lets him go, in case he'd like to wriggle out of her lap and go investigate his alt's brother more closely.

[pythbox]

He does that! He almost falls over on the way, but Nathaniel catches him by the hand.

"You're tall," Harley observes.

"You're short," Nathaniel counters.

"I'm little!" says Harley. "I'm a little nibbler!"

[her_imperial_radiance]

"You'll grow," laughs Elspeth. "You will get to be six foot one and then you will stop."

[pythbox]

"How tall is that?" wonders Harley.

[her_imperial_radiance]

"A little bit taller than Nathaniel is."

[pythbox]

Harley looks up at Nathaniel.

"I'm gonna be a big nibbler."

"Yes you are," says Nathaniel.

[her_imperial_radiance]

Elspeth laughs.

[pythbox]

Harley is still holding Nathaniel's hand. He looks speculatively at it.

[her_imperial_radiance]

"Harley, if you bite him, he will not like it, I will not put you back in biting distance of him or other humans again while you have that habit, and Renata will hiss at you and be very upset," says Elspeth.