After lunch I drove back home at a more sedate pace. Amelia wasn't back yet, and only the fact that Apricot was still playing pinball without a worry in her head let me resist the urge to check up on her.

I bug my orange haired cutie for a bit, but eventually just go back to mining. I really do want to see if there's a copper vein there, or not. So, I decide to go there directly and work my way back.

There is a rich vein about a hundred meters below the tunnel, but it's small and peters out fairly quickly. Still, I did find a handful of cool looking cuprite crystals, one of which is shaped like an almost perfect eight-sided dice. I may have to start a rock collection now.

All in all, I scored over two tonnes of pure copper, and a good dozen kilos of silver. So, I'm pretty happy, and get even more so when I run across some aluminum on my way back. Yes, it's all over the place, but only in trace amounts. So, finding a good concentration really brightened my day.

I'm just finishing up the side tunnel to the deposit when the phone rings and my day gets even brighter. Amelia's back from her day on the town. So, I forget all about the metal and hop on the motorcycle to race back even faster than I did when Westra showed up.

"Hahahah. Babe." She giggles as I literally fly towards her and scoop her into my arms. "I take it you missed me."

"Mhm." I nod an snuggle into her neck. "I was good too; no super armors, or anything."

"Hey!" Apricot shouts in mock indignation. "Why didn't you greet me like that?"

"I tried to earlier, and you kicked me away because you were playing pinball." I pull her into a three-way hug and start nuzzling her neck while Amelia laughs.

"So, what did you do today? Because I heard there was a madman tear-assing around town on some new vehicle."

"Oh, that? Baron Westra's mother fell and pretty much shattered her hip. He came over personally to ask for help, so I rode us to his manor..." I explain as we cuddle on the couch. "...I really liked her, she's one tough old bird. And, that reminds me, I should warn Kyle that they might send a shipment or two of minerals." I pull out the cuprite I found earlier. "Speaking of minerals, I was able to find a small copper vein, it had these in it."

"Ooh, pretty." Apricot coos. "They're almost the same color as your hair." She takes one and holds it next to my head.

"Anything else good?" Amelia asks while playing with the eight-sided crystal.

"A few kilograms of trace metals, and hundreds of kilos of aluminum just from widening the tunnel over fifteen kilometers" I materialize a small-ish cube of silvery metal. "The stuff is all over the place in this granite, but only in small concentrations. Fortunately I found a good sized deposit with a fair percentage right before you called. So, I'll be able to mine that if I need a big supply."

"Wow, how much copper did you get?"

"A bit over two tonnes." I materialize another cube that has nearly twice the volume of the aluminum, and several fold it's weight. "A few kilos of silver too from the same vein." A fist sized sphere joins the other metals. "Not bad for a day of digging around in the dirt, eh?"

"You do know that aluminum is worth more than gold right?" Amelia's eyes are doing that rolling coins thing they do.

"Eh, it was the same way back on Dirt before they figured out how to smelt it properly." I put the metals away and replace them with a small bag. From which, I pull another sphere the same size as the silver, but only a fraction of its weight. "I'm more interested in the magnesium I found. It's even lighter than aluminum, and I'm sure I can make some really neat stuff with it."

"Why are these in glass, and what's that bottle of goop?" Apricot asks after rummaging around in the bag.

"Those are very reactive metals, they will actually burn if put in contact with water." I play them a video of the alkali metals reacting to water, it's just about the only part of chemistry class I didn't sleep through. "And, the goop is that soft glass I was talking about, it's useful for more than just sex toys." I laugh nervously as the pixie gets a gleam in her eyes.

"Who cares about that? I want to try this out; guessing it works like that rubber stuff you made for the tires." She swishes it around in the bottle.

"Yeah, pretty much. But you can wait until later tonight, Kaitlyn and Turner will be home soon. And, I kinda want to get that Joust game done." It's certainly not because I'm afraid of what she'll do to me once I make some more toys.

"Mmm hmm." She licks her lips. "Don't worry, I'll be gentle."

"That's what you said last time." Amelia snorts before turning to me with a pitying look. "Don't worry baby, I'll protect you."

"Uh huh." I shake my head and change the subject. "So, what'd you get up to while I was digging in the dirt?"

"Window shopping mostly." She tilts her head. "Found a few things I wouldn't mind you recreating. Hung out at the Guild for a while, gossiped with Florence. Did you know Devlin and Deluca are married? That's why he didn't come to the party the other day, and why Damita sent us to him about the mana stones instead of to her directly. Apparently she can be hard to get along with at times." Her voice drips with venom at that sentence.

"Stupid slug." Apricot mutters and pulls Mittens into her lap.

"She's kinda pitiful right now." Amelia heaves out a sigh. "She's got her whole department working on your automatic gear thingy, along with a handful of people Devlin pulled in."

"Are you going to forgive her?"

"I dunno, maybe if she actually pulls it off. I heard she broke down crying when Oliver took her to see the defensive charms you made for Vivian and Faye. She was inconsolable and Devlin had to take her home."

"Apricot, how about you?"

"Whatever, but since you're asking." She hold up the bottle of silicone again, and gives it a little shake. "I want something special from this."

"Yes, Ma'am." I make some tentacles rise up and wiggle about inside the bottle. I giggle as her eyes go wide at the possibilities. "But, that's for later." I reiterate. "I really do want to work on the game."

She eventually relented and let me work on Joust. But, only after I made her a picture viewer with every sex toy I can remember. Which turns out to be a damned lot. I started getting worried when she and Temmie started giggling to each other when the Bad Dragon toys popped up.

"Oh, the things you do for love." I say to myself, kinda wishing I had never mentioned sex toys or silicone.

***

I survived the night. Somehow. Possibly due to the intervention of a random vibrating tentacle monster that came out of nowhere. But, who knows, really?"

Apricot's staying in bed late today, definitely not for any tentacle related reasons, that's for sure. And, Amelia dove right into that stack of dragon related books and stories as soon as she got up. So, I've decided to devote today to solely rune games.

I'm really starting to get these things down, I had Joust done by the time dinner was ready last night. And, today I've already re-created Asteroids, Lunar Lander, and Space Invaders. Amelia doesn't have to play them if she doesn't want to.

I'm just about to go make lunch while thinking about what game to do next, when the phone rings. Looking at the caller I.D. makes me raise an eyebrow.

"Hey Devlin, how are you and Deluca doing?"

"Not good." He sighs. "She's pulling her hair out trying to make up for her outburst. But, that's not why I'm calling." He says, surprising me a bit.

"Have you two had lunch yet? I was just about to make something, and we can talk over whatever it is you called for." Might as well get this stupid feud over with.

"Are you sure?" His voice is equal parts hesitant and hopeful.

"I was talking to the girls about it last night, and they're ready to move on. Just have Deluca bring over everything she's been able to come up with as a peace offering. Even if she hasn't solved the problem, I might still get some inspiration."

"Oh, thank you." He gushes. "I'll go get her right now, we can be at your place in thirty minutes, no twenty."

"Take your time, I still need to cook, after all." I try saying, but he's already disconnected. "Better go warn the girls, then." I chuckle.

...

"Sorrel, I've got it." Amelia holds up her wand in one hand, and a book in the other. "This is Ramoth." She pets the tiny golden egg with a free finger.

"Good choice." I smile at her. "The Pern books were some of my favorites growing up too." And, good for me that she's in a good mood. 'Let's hope I don't ruin it.'

"Yeah, her and Lessa are so amazing." She's so cute when she gets excited like this.

"So." I exhale a sharp breath. "Devlin just called, and I asked him and Deluca to come over for lunch." Gotta rip off that band-aid right off.

"Oh." Her brow furrows, but only for a second. "I guess that's alright, I was mostly ready to forgive her anyways. Did she finally have a breakthrough on the gears?"

"No, he called about something unrelated, didn't ask but it sounded serious. But, to me, nothing is as serious as my girls carrying around hate for no good reason."

"We had a good reason." Apricot finally decides to roll over and join the conversation.

"Had, being the operative word." I sit down on the bed next to her, and pat her leg. "Deluca made a tiny mistake, and let her emotions get the better of her. I'm sure you can be the bigger pixie and forgive her."

"Mhm." She lets out a non-committal grunt.

"Good enough." I laugh. "Now, can you walk yet, or do you need me to carry you downstairs?"

...

"Thank you so much, Sorrel. I'm so sorry about the way I acted." Deluca grabs my hand with tears in the corner of her eyes. "I've brought everything we've been able to come up with." She starts pulling out box after box of models and book after book of notes and drawings.

"Heh heh." I laugh, a bit overwhelmed. "Thank you, but how about we have lunch first?" I send Devlen a 'help me' look while the girls fight back their snickers.

"See, everything's alright now Del." He takes her hand in one of his, and puts his other arm around her shoulders. He then guides her down the hallway, following after the three of us.

"So, I didn't ask earlier." I say as we sit down at the kitchen table. "But, what did you actually call about?"

"Ah, yes." He retrieves a letter and a map from his inventory. "The guild received a troubling report from the team that was sent to scout for the next leveling trip. They sensed something highly magical deep underground." He points to a location somewhat deep into the mountains.

"It's not another Mana Well or dungeon popping up, is it?" A frown crosses my face.

"If only." He sighs out. "They said it was moving, slowly but surely. And if its course doesn't change, it will eventually reach the Capital."

"Fuck!" I spit out the curse. "The tree is drawing it in, whatever it is."

"That seems to be the most likely explanation. And, the man who wrote the report, he didn't come right out and say it, but I got the impression that it scared him deeply, and he's not one to scare easily."

"I'm assuming the castle already knows about this."

"Yes, Oliver was the one who actually told me to call you." The Earth Mage nods.

"You girls up for another road trip?" I look towards my brides. "If we leave after lunch and drive through the night, we can get there by dawn. That'll give us a day to investigate, and hopefully drive away whatever it is, before we have to comeback for the party."

"Fine by me, but I want to take the Rocket this time." Amelia says before looking to Apricot.

"But, but, pinball." She looks towards the game room making us laugh.

"I made three new rune games this morning and, if you two drive, I can probably make a couple more along the way." We ignore Deluca's drooling at my statement. "And, if that's not enough. I was kinda craving some coffee ice-cream, and think I found a way to isolate and remove the magical stimulant." I quickly produce a test batch.

"Bribing me with food?" She scoffs. "How dare you know me so well?" She giggles and snatches up the bowl. "Ooh, that's good. I can see why you were craving it, even if you don't like coffee. Okay, you won me over, we can go check the thingy out." She takes small bites at first but, when it doesn't seem to affect her, she starts eating normally.

"Where's my bowl?" Amelia pouts until I make some more for her.

"I hate to ask." Devlen starts, hesitantly. "But, is there possibly room for two more? I know the conflict hasn't been completely resolved yet, but I need to go. And, Del gets a bit lost without me around." He puts his arm around her protectively.

"Fine." Amelia huffs. "But if you blow up at my man again, I will kick your ass." She points her finger at the enchanter. "Both of your asses, and then leave you in the middle of nowhere, bruised and bloody." She moves her attention to Devlen when his lips twitch into a smirk.

"I swear." Deluca bows in her seat, almost hitting her head on the table. "And what do you mean, I'm lost without you?" She backhands Devlen's arm. "Don't you mean it's the other way around?"

"Well, everyone eat up, and make any calls you have to." I stand up from the table. "I need to go get the car ready." I need to put the reactor back in it. No one should be able to reach it while we're away, but I don't want to take any chances.

***