Teemo and Aranya get ready to head to Violet, and I tell him they can loot a couple potions, just in case. Aranya also needs to go get the sword, so it’ll be a little bit before they head out. In the meanwhile, I look in on what Jello’s up to.

She’s been hanging out with Leo ever since they got that mole together, and she’d had to get a couple more since then. The moles act kinda rabid, or at least what movies say is rabies, just minus the foaming. They lunge at the bars whenever they notice my scions, and they’ll lunge at the walls when they sense the trio resting in their own cell. And just like a bird diving into a window, it doesn’t end well for the little fuzzy missiles.

Leo growls as he disposes of the latest mole, and thinks aloud, yapping and grumbling. A lot of my scions do that when frustrated or confused, and I try to parse their body language and what I get through the bond to understand what they’re saying. It’s not great, but I still try to give them what advice I can through the bond, or have Teemo come say something. He’s a bit busy, though, so Leo just vents to the air.

Jello soon comes with a fresh mole, and Leo stops in the middle of directing her towards the cell, and looks closer at her. I do the same, wondering what seems to have captured his attention. Jello doesn’t seem to know, either, and contorts herself in ways a cube shouldn’t to try to see what we’re looking at.

Something about music drifts through the bond with her, but I don’t hear anything. I probably shouldn’t be surprised, though. She’s not very good at explaining herself, probably comes with technically not having a brain, heh. Still, she’s doing something, I just don’t know what.

I take a moment and focus on her status, which I rarely do anymore. It’s partially because I don’t want to go sticking my nose in other people’s business, but also because it takes a bit of effort to do, and details can kinda… fuzz out if I’m not paying attention. I wonder if I’m not actually supposed to be able to peek? Or maybe it’s something about my Fate affinity? Either way, I should focus on her status.

She’s level 12 now, which puts her just above the average for my scions. Come to think of it, she’s about the middle kid right now, as far as scion age goes… I think. Slime, gelatinous cube, yes, thank you for the obvious. Jello the Purifier for name and title.

Huh.

Does Purifier not just mean she’s good at dealing with undead? I guess it’s time to try an experiment. I do my best to impress the idea upon Leo, and he seems to nod in understanding.

Leo

“I don’t get it… I knew they’d be more difficult than I was, but this is getting ridiculous! I’ve made no progress with them at all!” He growls and paces as he waits for Jello to return with a fresh mole. He can feel the Alpha sympathizing with his frustration, but he has no solutions to offer just yet. A few upgrade options for the jail can be glimpsed through the bond, but the Alpha’s distaste for them is plain, and Leo agrees with the hesitation to use them. A rival can be cowed into submission and obedience, but a scion should be an equal, a peer.

He paces and thinks, and before long, Jello returns with another mole. Leo sighs and nods at the cell. “Just put it in… wait…” He pauses and looks closer at Jello, and he can feel the Alpha do the same, wondering what he spotted. Even Jello seems confused and is trying to look at herself, which mostly has her bending her cube in weird ways.

“What is it? Did Jello accidentally get a mouse again?” she asks, hoping she didn’t mess up, but Leo shakes his head.

“No, it’s a mole. It’s just… a lot more calm than when they’re in the cell. Did you knock it out or something?” Jello wobbles a negative.

“No, Jello just grabbed it. Oh, she is quietly singing to it, though. Otherwise, they try to escape, or screech about noise.”

“Noise?” repeats Leo, tilting his head once more. “The moles in the cell never make any sense, just bellowing in mad rage.”

Jello just wiggles in affirmation. “Jello can’t hear the noise, but the moles all shout about it when she grabs them, and start working themselves into a fit as she carries them. So she started singing to them, which calms them some. She doesn’t think they really like her song, but it seems better than whatever noise they’re hearing.”

That’s interesting and strange all at once. Leo can hear no music, and it feels like the Alpha can’t hear anything, either. The Alpha can sense something though, and seems to be focussing on the Purifier to try to figure it out. Jello is a worthy scion, diligent in her duties, but she can be difficult to get information from, so Leo mentally goes over what she’s said and done. She’s doing something to calm the moles… but what? Maybe she’s gained some strange ability?

She burbles as the Alpha looks closer at her. It’s not often Thedeim’s attention is so intense, but at least Jello doesn’t shrink under his scrutiny. Numbers and concepts flash past the bond, and Leo doesn’t even attempt to understand them. Even if it doesn’t just give him a headache, the Voice has said that is what happens when the Alpha is looking at the status of someone. He’s also said that status is private, so Leo does his best to give Jello that privacy.

After a minute, the importance of her title is impressed on the bond, and Leo thinks about that. “It seems the Alpha feels your title as Purifier may help in converting the moles, Jello. Keep that one for now, and we’ll see if we can work from there. We’ve been nipping and barking to try to get them into line, but your playful barks may be the better option.”

“OK! Jello will do her best!”

Teemo

Teemo fetches a few useful potions for Aranya while she prepares for her sojourn to Violet. The rat scion isn’t too concerned about her getting hurt, but it’s hardly a bad idea to bring a few things for an emergency.

He has to ferry the potions one at a time, but with the shortcuts, it doesn’t take him long at all. He gets to see the little kobold prepare like watching a slideshow. With the first potion, he sees her putting on the studded leather armor the ratlings have made. It’s not the best, but they’re getting better with time. With the second potion, she’s putting on the sword, and with the third, she’s putting the sword on again, after having put on her white robe. Three should be more than enough, so he speaks up.

“Ready to head out?” he asks, and though she looks nervous, she nods. He’s not too convinced. “You sure? I think the last time you looked this skittish was when you helped move the core.”

She sighs and slumps a bit, and nods. “Ok… yeah, I am really nervous, but that’s not going to change, so we should probably get going.”

“What’re you nervous about?” he asks as he hops onto her shoulder, letting her lead the way as they chat.

“It’s just… Sanctuary Thedeim asks so little of me. So when he does request something, I want to do a good job!”

The rat laughs at that. “So that’s what the Boss means when he says something is like seeing his life from the outside.” Aranya gives him a confused look, so he continues. “That’s just how he works. Tiny and I have been here from the start, and we could probably count the actual orders for the both of us on his legs.”

Aranya just looks frustrated at that revelation, rather than relieved. “But you’re his scions! And I’m not just his first Resident, I’m his High Priestess now, too! Shouldn’t he be guiding us all more than that?”

Teemo calms a little and shrugs. “Should he? The Boss isn’t above giving advice on stuff, but he doesn’t like forcing anything. And I think it’s been working wonders so far. Even Leo and Slash are adjusting quickly. Slash is a bit lost at the moment, kinda like Coda was for a while, but I know the Boss has a plan for him. And he doesn’t make Slash do nothing until the plan is ready. He lets him help as he can.”

"So how can *I* help?” asks Aranya, slumping a bit.

Teemo considers that for a few moments, then shrugs. “I dunno.” Aranya looks like she wants to throw him against a wall, so he just chuckles and continues. “I don’t know what a High Priestess does. Do High Priestess stuff, I guess?”

“But *how*?!” she insists, and Teemo can only shrug once more.

“Talk to delvers? I don’t know, and I don’t think the Boss knows anything else to try, either. You talk to the Crystal Shield guys a lot, right?”

She nods. “Yeah, but they’re interested in this kind of stuff, and some of them just want to make sure they’re not allowing a dark cult or something to take root under their noses. But they’re not going to convert. They’re kinda all spoken for already.”

“Then try the other delvers. Maybe even get the ratkin to help. Larx would probably be happy to spread the word a bit, he’s definitely an adherent already.”

“But…” she shifts uncomfortably and Teemo just smiles.

“You still feel awkward around the delvers, hmm? Well, you won't get better by hiding from them, and you won't be able to do your High Priestess stuff if you hide from them, either.”

She deflates and nods at that, and Teemo gives an encouraging squeak. “You'll get the hang of it eventually. Just keep it as casual as possible. It’s been working for me.”