Multipup post -- outside

[ostro_goth]

Before coming out to the forge, Teja had made sure his notice was still in place. Now, he has exchanged his armour and royal purple cloak for a leather jerkin and apron again, and is polishing a sword -- short as a Roman gladius, but somewhat narrower, two-edged, and made out of the folded steel. Now working slowly with soft sandstone, as his book

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[gorgonfondness]

Mia was just heading out for more practice in her firedancing outfit, as the work was important and the time growing shorter. The ice she has down, but that's only the first step.

She walks out towards the lake and sees Tower nearby. It would probably be a good idea to give him a warning.

"Excuse me," she says once she's near him. "I don't mean to disturb you, but I wanted to let you know that I plan on working on some ice and fire magic. It won't cause any harm, but I wanted to let you in case you are not familiar with magic."

[destroy_restart]

"Magic away, my dear girl; I'm not easily scared. If you freeze the forge fire, the smith working in there might get angry, and he has a battle axe. But a girl who's seen and done the things you have would not be scared of battle axes - so go ahead."

Tower has been smirking, and puffing on his cigar, while he was speaking.

[gorgonfondness]

"Oh no, it's no magic like tha-"

A pause.

"You know what I have done?"

She's used to that at home. At Milliways, not so much.

[destroy_restart]

"Not precisely - I haven't looked," Tower says. "But you've had some large and unsettling surprises in your life, recently, and those are my dominion. I am Tower, the Tarot card."

[bright_daughter]

"Tower!"

There are few beings in this world that would call his name out in such sudden delight, but Star could never be any less than she was, and she could never be anything but beholden to him.

The people that came to her, came through him, making him near enough to almost be part of her being, even as they were drastically different in their being.

That blur of light coming toward him would look stunning familiar.

And it just might be coming to hug him.

[destroy_restart]

Oh, he hugs her back!

"Star! I didn't realise you now come here as well! It is so lovely to see you!"

And he swirls her around -- one of his full sisters, eternal, not incarnate!

[bright_daughter]

Star giggled at the spinning, pulling him only slightly off the ground as the laughter caused her to glow.

"It was Moon's fault," she said once they stopped, grinning.

She hugged him again impulsively. "And you're here! This is terrific!" Then she tilted her head, unable to lose the look of joy but looking at him with a mocking seriousness. "Have you've come to enjoy or because of one of the patrons?"

[destroy_restart]

"She is Mia Ausa," Tower says, "she needed talking to. But enjoy this place! How should I not enjoy all this sense of change, of challenge, of stories coming to a sudden turn? There will be surprises for the goth in the smithy and the god in the garden, yet, and I'll be here to enjoy what faces they make."

He had been indicating just the two inhabitants of the bar they could see from here. "And all the others, when their time comes to be surprised."

[scapepig]

Snowball can't see a great deal with his eyes (his nose is usually far more useful), but the pretty purple lights attract his attention.

And so he approaches Asar-Suti, looking at the decorations.

"That time of year already?"

[asar_suti]

"Yes, it is!" Asar-Suti says. "Isn't it wonderful? Iam a god; I really approve of religious holidays. And this was the first I ever saw in this place, three years ago when I first came. I've been living here for three years -- just imagine that!"

[scapepig]

"That is a long time." The pig agrees. "A lot can happen in three years. I congratulate you."

He limps forward for a closer look. "I like the fancy orange things I've seen at home. With cloves in."

[asar_suti]

"Oh yes, they are fun as well," Asar-Suti says. "And all the Christmas food! I'm sure Gil will have some nice apples for you and yours on the holidays. And what else? Chestnuts?"

[waylostandfound]

Up overheard, a figure was soaring through the clouds, though Tower could probably make him out easily enough.

His real body laid in a hospital bed, much of his body covered in radiation burns. While his soul? his spirit was here in a kind of limbo. Waiting.

There was destruction back home after all, and change. Because of him, making the only choice he could.

[destroy_restart]

Tower watches him, quietly.

So he had made his decision, the one they had spoken about before.

[waylostandfound]

"You saved the cheerleader, so we could save the world." That's what he told his brother before he flew them both into the sky, high up in the sky so his brother could explode without harming anyone. The city would be safe.

But he thought he would be sacrificing himself, he hadn't expected his brother to push him away at the last moment, not wanting him to die with him. And then Peter spiralling away, and then a bright flash and fire engulfing him.

And then waking up here. He knew he was alive somehow, and Peter survived, but he couldn't find him. And he himself was between life and death right now.

Nathan finally came around to land, and only then noticed Tower. Somehow instinctively telling the difference between him, and the retired Admiral he met recently.

"New York is safe," he simply said.

[destroy_restart]

"You took a decision, as you had to," Tower says, nodding. "And you decided to have me happen to yourself, not all those people I had no business with. So you are flying here, now."