The Halls Of Worship

To Chephirah, as she approaches, the Halls of Worship are the church of a monastery, in ancient stone, with the quiet deep tones of a bell summoning her there.

Chephirah flutters her wingtips softly, and bows her head before passing the threshold. Old memories, but sweet.

The stone floor is warm under her feet, and the hand-carved pews smell of old wood and ages. A single illuminated bible is open on the lectern, under the clear window.

Chephirah takes a place well back, and strokes her resonance softly.

Sephar meanders towards the Halls, quietly whistling all of a many voiced melody reminiscent of synthed version of 'Praise Him with Great Praise'.

As Sephar approaches the Halls of Worship, it perceives a soaring white building, spired with glass, rising in lines of clarity to the sky, a theorem of praise.

<> Demiurge says "Roll, Chephirah?"

<> Chephirah says "Hm. Twice? :)"

Sephar murmurs happily at the sight, in asynchronus harmony with the whistling.

<> Demiurge says "Sure, if you're checking both."

<> Demiurge says "Actually, both of you can perceive there is a different, truer underlying reality to the Halls of Worship, but on a closer level, what you see is what you want to see."

<> Chephirah says "Alphabetical order, Daimon and Sephar."

<> Chephirah rolls the d666 and gets 5 6 CHECK: 4.

<> Chephirah rolls the d666 and gets 4 2 CHECK: 6.

<> Demiurge says "Well, you're having slight difficulties spotting quite where Daimon is, but Sephar... is just outside the Halls and approaching. And, far away, there are those who bear Sephar malice."

Sephar gets to the front doors and with a touch of a single finger swings open the door and admires the engineering of the hinges, the weighting of the door, the aesthetic appeal of the way everything fits and then floats in, all eyes looking in all directions.

Chephirah rubs the side of her head gently against the wall, till the ruffled fur from that distant danger fades.

As Sephar enters, it can perceive Chephirah beside one of the clean white walls.

Sephar rolls a bow of respect towards the front of the Hall, but then floats over to Chephirah.

Chephirah lifts her head and paces to meet Sephar partway.

Sephar smiles and murmurs softly, "Hello. I take it Daimon isn't here, yet?"

Sephar offers Chephirah a hug with a few arms.

Chephirah leans into it, rubbing her cheek against Sephar's fringes. "Not yet," she murmurs back. "Off somewhere in trouble, I don't doubt." The term she uses for 'trouble' is something more resembling 'the mischief which we will all smile at indulgently, because it's really rather sweet'.

Sephar rubs gently and hugs warmly and chuckles at the term.

Sephar says "This seems a good place to wait, but I have an appointment in five hours, just so you know."

Chephirah nods a touch. "Good, good."

Sephar grins quietly, settles by the Cherub in a pew, "Though, I guess we could go find her, but I'm not sure I'd want to interrupt whatever she was up to."

Chephirah murmurs, amused, "I'm not sure we /could/ interrupt whatever she's up to."

Sephar grins on many mouths.

Sephar sits and listens and watches for a while.

Chephirah does much the same, for a while; but she watches Sephar rather more than the Halls.

Sephar, after a while, murmurs to Chephirah, "The... uhm... appointment, it's with some of the folks in the Groves. After that last rather frightening adventure, I thought it might be good to learn how to at least defend us a little better, somehow."

Chephirah blinks once, and nods her shaggy head. Slow and approving. "We're going to be in for more than our share of attention, shortly."

Sephar sighs somewhat unhappily at the extra confirmation, but squashes its cloud in a all-body nod of confirmation, "I'm afraid so."

<> Demiurge says "You know you love it really. ;)"

Chephirah nuzzles a stray hand lightly. "The Eldest gave me a gift that may at least give us more warning."

<> Sephar's player does, but doesn't think Sephar approves of being tactically visible.

<> Demiurge grins.

<> Chephirah is worried about the neighbors, actually. :)

Sephar scritches Chephirah behind the ears with another hand, the nuzzled one scritching her lightly under the chin, "Oh? Keen. I'm glad." and cheers up mildly and sounds just a touch curious.

Chephirah blinks, then closes her eyes and purrs. Quietly. "I can hope, at least."

Sephar smiles quietly, "Hope is good."

Sephar says "My Bright Lord was pleased with me, and gave me another way to speak so that I might be understood. That should help with the communication jobs I keep getting."

Chephirah murmurs, "I don't suppose it would help you understand Daimon?" She twitches her ears forward, indicating a smile.

<> Daimon says "Hey hey now. I don't understand me. How can you? :)"

Sephar chuckles, "Hrm. I don't think it works in that direction... but maybe he'd understand me?"

<> Pat understands Daimon.

<> Daimon says "No one understand me like my Man."

Chephirah murmurs, "Well, that might begin to be an improvement."

Sephar's hand strokes along Chephirah's neck, "It might. Though what to say might be the problem."

Chephirah bends her head forward. "That would require understanding him, yes."

Sephar scritches lightly, "Yes."

Chephirah closes her eyes again, head sinking lower still.

Chephirah purrs, low and very quietly.

Sephar smiles, quiet.

Chephirah murmurs, "So we'll be visiting the Groves..."

Sephar hms softly, "We? Cool... I'd like your company if you wish to come with."

Sephar says "Though I'm not entirely sure how my instructor might take the company..."

Sephar says "... we can but try."

Chephirah says, "In that case I'll accompany you only so far," and twitches her tail-tip in amusement.

Sephar grins all over.

Sephar says "Well, better than seeing me get thrown around, I think... it'll be... educational, I think."

<> Sephar <- utterly clueless that Chephirah has attuned to it.

Chephirah chuckles low. "I'm sure no harm will come of it, at the very least."

Sephar beams. "I hope so." and does seem relieved with that thought.

<> Chephirah whistles :)

Chephirah nuzzles Sephar's hand again, warmly. "Have you heard from any of the others yet?"

Sephar strokes absentmindedly, "No more than the ones who showed up at Daimonique's place."

Sephar says "I wonder how Aron and his host faired?"

Chephirah murmurs, "I wonder how Pat's apartment fared," and chuckles softly.

Sephar hmmms softly, "Was it in danger?"

Sephar suddenly goes, "Oh. Hitherby was pulled along, too..."

Chephirah nods deeply. "How long has it been, do you think?"

Sephar blinks and thinks, "We never got Essence, did we? Though the collars might have prevented that?"

Chephirah says "That's one thing that's disturbed me mildly."

Chephirah says "I'm almost tempted to go back and investigate."

Sephar blinks all eyes, "Back?"

Chephirah says "To Earth, dear."

Sephar sighs a soft whew, "Oh, yes. Sounds like a good idea. But take someone with you if you go before I'm done at the Groves?"

Sephar says a little wryly, "Sorry, I thought you meant that you wished to go back and... uhm... investigate the collars... first thing that popped into my mind."

Sephar says "I'm still somewhat confused by how they worked and ... uhm... nevermind."

Chephirah shudders, and her fur stands on end.

Chephirah says "I don't have /any/ plans of doing that if at /all/ possible, no."

Sephar nods and looks a bit shamefaced all over.

Chephirah nuzzles Sephar's hand, calming a little. "No, no. I thoroughly agree; no-one should go anywhere alone. None of us, at least."

Sephar nods, lightly cupping Chephirahs muzzle, "Good, then."

<> Daimon therefore goes off alone.

<> Chephirah bites Daimon. :)

<> Chephirah says "Don't steal my lines :)"

<> Sephar laughs!!

Chephirah stretches a little. "Mmm. Shall we try the Groves, then?"

Sephar nods, "It certainly looks like Daimon got well waylaid..."

Chephirah says "As usual, the dear."

<> Chephirah does not say what her player thinks. No. :)

Sephar chuckles softly and floats out of the back pew.

Chephirah pads along after, softly.

---

Fiat Justitia