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Chorus	Tonight is the darkest of nights in Iron Simhata's afterlife, even by Underworld standards: No stars are in attendance, and no other lights in the sky. Not even a cloud can be discerned. Above the island, an inky blackness stretches into every visible direction. Despite the breaking of the curse, the Unfinished City is still in a sorry state of disrepair, but for the Festival of Reunion, its denizens have made every effort to smooth over their home's imperfections, and make their guests feel welcome. Anyone who steps out of the Bleak Tower's gates finds themselves on a wide plaza, at the intersection of three wide streets. Those, and the networks of smaller streets connecting them, have only recently been repaired, so that walking them is pleasantly possible without having to navigate around potholes and fissures in the cobblestone pavement. Roadside buildings have been propped up and secured with wooden scaffolding. To facilitate their guests, the builders propped up wooden huts in place of what used to be rubble, many of which have been turned into teahouses, shops for traveling merchants, and stages for performers. Both the plaza and the largest streets around it also teem with the carts of street vendors, with a significant portion devoted to food, drink, and various kinds of entertainment. Much as would be expected from any festival, strings of lanterns (filled with blue glowflies), flower garlands, and cloth streamers decorate the streets... only that most of those flowers show rather unusual colors, from glittering black to blood-dripping red to iridescent. Sometimes, petals drift to the ground, weeping softly. Ghosts make up the largest part of the crowd filling the streets by far, but there are a few living visitors, with the Tower's gates now open for passage between the worlds. They will be close again before morning. Anyone alive is greeted by a ghostly attendant upon arrival, receiving a hand-drawn map of the portion of the city open to visitors, a simple wristlet of woven bark died a vivid blue, and a short list of rules to follow, for their own safety: Don't walk off the lantern-lit streets. (If you get lost, approach a watchtower and ask a guard to lead you back.) Only consume food from stalls marked with blue ribbons (others are not safe for the living). Ask for a guide if you want to see more of the island - don't try to explore on your own.
Mahendru Divya	Divya has chosen to 'dress up' for the festival. Which in her case involves actually making up her face (for presentation instead of disguise), demonstrating once again that she has a -lot- of practice applying makeup for various uses. Her choice of dress is a lehenga choli outfit, dyed purple, with a floral embroidery pattern. The fabric of the lehenga choli is like nothing seen in Creation, wrought as it is out of quintessence by divinities in Yu-Shan. Her earrings are in the shape of silver crescents. A collar around her throat of bone beads matches a similar bracelet plainly made by the same artist. On her fingers, a pair of ornamental rings display a degree of wealth owing to the size of the emerald in one and diamond in the other. She accepts the blue wristlet on her other arm and proceeds into the festival, looking fascinated by what she sees. While Divya is perfectly fine with sampling bits of street food meant for the living, it's the work of the dead she's come to see. From the flowers to the worked, finished goods made in Iron Simhata (or traded in from neighboring islands). With the curse broken, Iron Simhata's dead are free to make anew without ruin. And these ghosts come from one of the best cultural traditions of craftsmanship in Creation, after all. As the pair take in the sights, Divya asks her most enjoyable company. "So...what kind of a hand did you have in setting up...all of this?" She gestures as she speaks to the lanterns, garlands, streamers and stalls.
Chorus	The living are free to barter for Underworld goods, of course. In fact, most of the deathly vendors eagerly welcome living customers - both the local artisans, and those whose style of clothing and speech clearly marks them as visitors from far-away afterlives. Often, they don't even ask for coin, since Creation's currencies are not widely accepted in the sunless realm. Instead, barter is the name of the game. Goods and foodstuffs from the living realms are highly prized, as are stories, poems, songs, burnt offerings with a sincere prayer, and more esoteric prizes, such as tears, a pint of fresh blood, or heartfelt laughter. Strolling among the stalls, Divya is assaulted by a melange of smells - some off-putting, some downright mouthwatering. Unfamiliar spices, grilled meat, the earthly aroma of sauteed mushrooms, dark sugar and briney salt, blood and rust and wilted flowers... everything here smells strong and vivid, as if it was more real and tangible than anything in the living world. The small woman at her side is the Envoy, of course, because everyone else around here expects her to be. She has donned her usual regalia. Not that this choice of attire would make her look underdressed next to her lover. In fact, it's difficult to imagine her looking underdressed in ~any~ outfit. With her hood down and her cloak open to display the shimmering black stars on her white shirt, the Envoy's smile is clearly visible to anyone they encounter, ghost or living. Foreigners throw all kinds of looks their way, while the locals react with a respectful bow and a smile, offering a greeting and, sometimes, a small gift - a fresh flower, a fragrant rice cake, a fruit. The Envoy shares those graciously with Divya. Very unlike themselves, Shredded Promises is nowhere to be seen. When faced with the question about her involvement, she looks up at Divya with an indulgent smile. "I didn't hang those up myself, if that's what you were wondering. Much taller people with ladders were responsible for the lofty decoration." She laughs softly. "My hand was involved on the organisational side. Logistics and all that, you know? Someone had to make sure everyone can have a great time. And those foreign vendors... they had to be made aware of the business opportunity." She bites into a rice cake, and sighs pleasantly at the taste. "Do you like it so far?"
Mahendru Divya	Divya's lehenga choli doesn't include pockets but she did think to bring a purse. Sadly, she came with silver and jade. ...And a sundry of other more mission-specific gear that she doesn't especially want to trade away. So she enjoys the various small gifts that the Envoy chooses to share with her. The differences in flavor and taste, in scents, are pretty novel to her. Divya has been to the Underworld on a few occasions, mostly for business in Sijan, occasionally due to the need to chase a rogue or to solicit the aid of an ancient sage. But she never really stopped to -shop-, much less eat any of the local foods. And it's plain that Divya really enjoys new experiences. At the mention of the Envoy's height, Divya glances down at her somewhat smaller girlfriend and arches an inquisitive eyebrow. "You know, I'm not a tall woman myself but you...is it ever, well, awkward for you? The...?" and she finishes her sentence by using her hand to 'measure' her own height before dropping it to measure the Envoy's. "I imagine tall people must run into things that I don't, so I've never especially envied them. But you might have a different perspective." Her tone is somewhat teasing and entirely affectionate. "To answer your question, though, yes. I do like it, personally. I'm also intrigued, financially. I manage several different enterprises but I'd never really considered the Underworld in any of my forecast models. I'm wondering if there isn't an opportunity here after all." She smiles reflexively as she looks at her girlfriend once more, even if what she's talking about is seemingly professional. "You said you want to make visitors aware of the business opportunities. Are there particular opportunities you have in mind?"
Chorus	"Well, of course!" The Envoy's face lights up, and she gestures at the surprisingly lively ghosts all around them. "The Unfinished City has been ignored and cut off from other Underworld policies for so long, rarely anybody had reason to visit them. The lack of ancestor worship and the constant drain on their resouces through the curse forced them to walk around clad in rags, and to subsist on scraps. But now that they can create things of lasting value, and grow wealthier on the offerings of the living, they have something to trade in both realms." Her dark eyes gleam in the sheen of the glowfly lanterns above as she looks up at Divya, determination on her painted face. "Within a few years, this ruined city will become a place of beauty and splendor." Then, still looking at Divya, her gaze softens with adoration. "As for my height... that's an interesting question. Not one I hear all that often." She chuckles at the teasing, not taking even the slightest offense. "Yes, many people are taller than me - but some are smaller still. Others have six legs, or none at all." She gives a shrug, brushing the matter aside. "In any case, I can always stretch to reach my goals... like this." And she stands on the tips of her toes, reaching up to pull Divya down a bit, drawing her into a gentle kiss. Whether Divya reciprocates the kiss or not, when they're done, the Envoy beams at her. "I'm ravenous. How about you? Do you dare sample a genuine Underworld dish, my shining star?"
Mahendru Divya	Divya listens and thinks about the Envoy's plans for the Unfinished City. "I see. I'm used to think of the exchanges between the living and the dead being more...prayers and sacrifices from the living, aid and advice and potential magic from the dead. Material exchanges, things of Creation being brought into the Underworld, well I know what grave goods are. But the idea that Underworld goods might be useful or valuable in Creation and worth trading for...that's new to me." "I hope to hear more!" Divya grins at the Envoy's choice of answer and then her expression softens as the other woman draws her in. The reciprocated kiss is warm, affectionate, even loving. "Then I'm glad I'm one of your goals," she says, once the kiss is done, laughing a bit breathlessly. At the offer of Underworld dining, Divya chuckles at the Envoy's obvious enthusiasm and says "I dare much, my dear. I only hope the fare agrees with me as easily as it might agree with you. Shall we?"
Chorus	"Oh, don't worry, my heart. I won't pick anything ~too~ otherworldly." With cheerful laughter, the Envoy takes Divya's hand. They weave through the flow of the crowd, towards one of the teahouse huts, lit invitingly with guttering paper lanterns. On the way there, gusts of wind rattle the decorations above, and they can very clearly hear the ominous flapping of a thousand raiton's wings all around them. Quite a lot of living visitors freeze in place, gasp, and crane their neck, looking for the massive flock of birds... only to realize that it's just what this particular wind sounds tonight. None of the ghosts even bat an eyelash, and neither does the Envoy. An open kitchen has been set up right next to the hut's entrance, which is covered by heavy curtains. Easier to keep the smells and smoke out of the interior this way. Space isn't exactly at a premium. Several ghostly cooks are busy juggling large woks over blue cooking fires, and chopping ingredients with massive cleavers. The Envoy reaches for one of the pouches on her belt, and waves a strange leaden coin in front of the head cook. "I'll have a hangbread, and another for the lovely lady here. And make them hot!" She winks at Divya. Her money is accepted without objection, and the ghostly cooks set to work. Within minutes, the two women each receive a piece of thick black flatbread, cut open and filled with some kind of fragrant mushroom stew, thinly sliced yellow cabbage, and other, less easily identifiable vegetables. There's also bright blue sauce. To its credit, the dish smells wonderful. "Let's have a seat", says the Envoy, gesturing towards the curtain and pulling it aside, to enter the teahouse... or rather, tea-hut.
Mahendru Divya	Divya has been to a lot of teahouses. -A LOT- of teahouses. Heaven is especially fond of them, as are many cities (and towns) in Creation. But she's never been to one in the land of the dead. The paper lanterns provide a familiar, comfortable glow while the wind and raiton wing flapping provides the edge of novelty to the experience. Her reaction to the latter especially consists of her quickly looking for a physical source before realizing this is a trick of the Underworld, which she silently accepts without further reaction. The mention of 'hangbread' draws a lift of both eyebrows in curiosity. The cooking is entertaining to watch, though, and she watches with interest until they're served their food. Black bread in the Grave isn't the most auspicious start and the visual presentation might be critiqued but the smell of the dish is reassuring that this won't be something to be endured, at least. "What is this sauce?" Divya asks, as the two head into the tea-hut.
Chorus	"I call it the blue sizzle. The secret spice of Stygian street food." The Envoy licks her lips. "It's made by drying and grinding the roots of a specific flower, which they grow in underwater gardens. Other ingredients go into it to make the sauce, but those vary by recipe, and chef. In any case, it has a very pleasant burn." While she is explaining, they walk right into a short queue before finally being shown their seats. The hut is packed, and someone of Chorus' height has difficulty seeing where exactly they're going in places. A bar serves drinks from colorful bottles - and quite a few of those slosh with some thick, dark red liquid that looks suspiciously like blood. But there's all sorts of less risky drinks - sake, wine, and stronger spirits. Tea is ladled from a massive cooking pot, flavored with spices, and served in wooden cups with a slice of red lemon. Aside from the stools at the bar, there are actual tables strewn about. As usual, the Envoy chooses one of the low tables, allowing her to sit cross-legged on the padded floor. The air is strangely cool for such a place, despite so many bodies moving about. But then again, most of them are devoid of heat...
The Fulgent Inventor	The scholar known as Fully pokes her head into the teahouse, looking around, and brightens up when she sees the other two Exalts. "Ah! There you are! I've been looking for you." When she comes in, they can see her usual white coat is absent, allowing everyone to see the complex confection of purple leather and black lace she's wearing today, along with an over the shoulder bag designed to look like a giant book. A set of black and purple tall stockings and her white dancing shoes complete the ensemble. She's momentarily distracted by the shopkeeper, and after a brief conversation, she pulls out a couple of slips of paper and her brush, writes something down on them, draws something? then slips them back into her bag, while the ghost looks impressed. Then she joins you at your table. "Envoy! Teacher Divya! I found you! Here!" She gives Divya a small notebook and the Envoy an elegantly carved wooden box. "My notes on the examination of the tower. It looks like the snow is exactly what you theorized, a harmless manifestation of the friction between Creation and the Underworld. Though, I think it's also a useful measure of gauging whether the tower needs maintenance, as one of the first signs should be a ch..eh?" Another ghost has come up to "Fully" and lightly tapped her shoulder bringing her food, though the Inventor seems to have misinterpreted this "Oh? Ah, alright what's your name? And favorite colors?" After getting the information, she pulls out a couple of folded pieces of paper. One is an impressively folded outfit, another is a bowl of food. After she writes the ghost's name on both, she paints the outfit to match the favorite colors. "I'm going to burn them all properly back in Creation, don't worry." she says as she slips them back into her bag. She turns back to the Envoy and her new Teacher. "Hmm? Do you guys want a set of these? I made a bunch." If the Envoy opens the box, inside is a coppery-golden pendant of abstract design that could be a stylized flower, a butterfly, or both, with fine enamel work that gives it a glassy sheen with colors that really pop! It's set on a thick woven cord made of lacquered plant material, that manages to be both smooth and flexible. The pendant is much lighter than one would expect a metal one to be, perhaps there's some wood under it?
Mahendru Divya	Growing up in Champoor, Divya is used to -hot-. So a very pleasant burn is a welcome culinary experience. The experience of being seated, well, it takes the time it takes. At least the company is good and the expected food is something to savor in anticipation. Divya does notice the bottles of drinks and looks at them curiously, trying to identify them and mark them for note, but she also has the kind of mind that tends to do that to her environment. Details are always of interest to her, for reporting veracity or for personal use or 'just in case' a future event makes that knowledge useful in the moment. There's a trace of professional reflex there, amidst the festival fun Divya is plainly here to enjoy. Once seated, Divya at last gets to try 'hangbread'. She's two bites in when the Fulgent Inventor makes her appearance. Blinking in surprise at seeing someone she actually recognizes, the Sidereal gives the Inventor a welcoming smile and gestures for her to join them. At which point she receives a surprise present! A notebook? "Ah," Divya remarks once the Inventor begins her explanation. She promptly tucks the notebook into her purse, for perusal when she doesn't have company to offend by reading instead of socializing. And a good thing, so that this time she actually sees what 'Fully' is doing. "You offer written prayers to be burned as currency? I've seen this kind of economic exchange only informally. It's an interesting thought, to standardize the practice. Price standardization is one of the 'features' of a developing economy, after all." Eyeing the newly arrived Abyssal speculatively, Divya asks "I know you're a reader like me. Are economics of interest to you? Or is your interest specific to Manses and buildings in general?"
Chorus	"Fully! It's how nice to see you. Thank you so much for the gifts..." Like Divya, the Envoy has just started eating when "Fully" makes her appearance. She greets her fellow deathknight with a bright, cheerful smile and wriggles aside a bit, making room at the table for her. Instead of immediately opening the box, she, too, sets it a side for the moment, to not stain whatever is inside with the food she's still holding. They have each received a piece of some soft, leathery leaf for napkins, but it's almost impossible to keep one's fingers clean of sauce while eating hangbread. The paper offerings, she waves aside, nudging the Daybreak subtly into Divya's direction. Chorus has ample ways of paying the dead, not limited to Stygian obols. At the barrage of questions aimed at the Inventor by Divya, Chorus can't help but interject just a bit: "Her interest is in everything, all at once." She grins at "Fully", teasingly but fondly. "Drinks are on me. What can I get us?"
The Fulgent Inventor	"Hm? Oh, no, these are gifts I'm giving out as part of the celebration! I've been helping with the repairs and setup and everyone here needs new clothing, so I figured I'd make a bunch of nice outfits to give them as their Grave Goods." She smiles happily. "I gift to them, they gift to me, it all goes around as needed." "And I'm interested in everything, really. 'To know the World is to Love it' and I always want to know more about it!" Her eyes go starry with delight as she thinks about it. At the mention of drinks, Fully says "Oooh, coffee if they have it. Sweet Tea if not, I suppose." And then she blinks at the food in front of her. Before digging in, she pulls out a set of plain undyed cotton and linen handkerchiefs, and tucks one over her bodice before digging in.
Mahendru Divya	Divya stares at the sight of someone wearing a bodice using a handkerchief to cover it. In her experience, this is a rarity vanishing into impossibility. Amused, she takes several more bites of her food and savors it. For some reason, it makes her feel wistful. A feeling she's already far too familiar with. There's also a kind of quiet contemplation wrapped up in whatever went into making the hangbread, which pairs well for someone who wants to enjoy their meal. At the mention of drinks, Divya grins and says "Surprise me." To the Fulgent Inventor, the Sidereal says "So, you make offerings to them as a form of currency. You receive services in exchange. Some services are material, such as the food and drink we're having. How far does that go, though? Can you make offerings from Creation to the Underworld that can then lead to a product that can leave the Underworld and be of use in Creation?" Divya winks and says "Merchants, Guild or otherwise, want to know." "Thank you, by the way." The Oracle wipes her mouth with that leathery leaf so she can talk a little less self-consciously. "For the notebook. Interesting observations you've made there, based on our last conversation in the Bleak Tower. I look forward to seeing how you've confirmed the effect." Divya smiles for a moment longer. "You have quite the good memory too. Surely someone with your abilities and knowledge meet a great many scholars of the occult like myself. I'm...flattered that I stood out enough to you to be memorable." Displaying amusement, Divya tilts her head and says "Are you working on something now?"
Chorus	The next time a waiter moves close to their table, the Envoy motions to them and orders drinks. Privately, she has to resist the temptation to get a nice glass of blood for herself. Perhaps later, with less... living company, she tells herself. Instead, sweet tea it is, for them all. Alas, no coffee in the house... For payment, she tells the ghost a bunch of original jokes about famous ghostly personages of Underworld-wide fame - they're both funny and vicious, with at least two of them aimed at the Mask of Winters. Roaring with laughter, the dead waiter walks away to get their order, and returns with the drinks only a short time later. The Envoy goes back to savoring her hangbread, chewing slowly, relishing the distant emotions filling her with each bite. Thankfully, it fades away quickly - just an echo brought by the food, designed to gently stimulate the memory of emotions too many ghosts left behind. While she eats, she observes the conversation between the other Abyssal and the Sidereal most closely... especially when Divya casually drops about "Fully's" good memory. Knowing exactly what that means to her, she watches Divya covertly for clues on what her lover doesn't let on through her speech. "Offerings manifesting in the Underworld don't survive under the light of the sun", she comments, shaking her head regretfully. "Otherwise, it would be far too easy to turn trash into treasure. The same holds true for some of the things growing here, or manufactured in the sunless realm. Still, enough of it survives in the sunlit lands to make trade worthwhile." She then leaves it to the Inventor to answer the rest of Divya's inquiries, and quickly finishes her food, before wiping her fingers and turning her attention towards the little box.
The Fulgent Inventor	"Fully" blinks, then goes "Oh! Would you like one? The amount of dirt and oil and everything I get into means I need to carry lots of these" She holds out the handkerchiefs. Fully tilts her head, considering, smile growing as she thinks more about it. "It's difficult. Grave Goods are 'attached' to the ghost that recieved them in a metaphysical fashion and they also tend to be less durable in Creation, as they're mostly composed of memories...but with the right rituals and maybe some Necromancy, it could be possible to create some kind of system like that! Yes! That would be a facinating experiment! I expect many things would melt or explode in the process, but I bet we could figure something out!" She blinks again. "Eh? Oh, no, I'm actually quite distractable, that's why I take so many notes. When your mind is flying in fifty directions at once, it can be hard to stay focused on everything you should." She smiles at Divya, "But you! I knew you were a true scholar the moment I looked at you and after talking for a bit, I saw that you really *get* it! Of course I'd remember you, Teacher! I mean, who could possibly forget you?" She is hiding the fact that she did make several notes about her new teacher in her notebook...though those pages later got oddly stained with ink. When the Envoy goes to open the box, Fully turns to her with eager anticipation!
Mahendru Divya	Divya accepts the sweet tea offered by her date, making a moment of significant eye contact and a smoldering smile plainly meant for the Envoy alone. She then sips it and sighs contentedly. "Yes, that's been my experience with Grave Goods too," Divya admits when the Inventor discusses the limitations of Creation/Underworld commerce. "I hadn't fully considered the potential of...how did our beloved Envoy put it? 'Some of the things growing here or manufactured in the sunless realm'. I'd always thought about what didn't survive. Never paid due attention to what -did-." Her smile broad and grateful now, the Oracle dips her head to the Envoy and the Inventor, each in turn. "Thank you." "Ah, and thank you," she adds as she accepts one of the handkerchiefs. Her own lehengra choli doesn't have nearly so much expansive bosom exposed...but that just makes the fabric more vulnerable to 'drips'. "Yes, you do seem like a woman with a great many interests. That's admirable, Fully. In my experience, scholars begin to die when they stop learning. You never seem to stop at all. More academics, inventors, scholars of the world could benefit from your kind of enthusiastic example." Divya's mere presence speaks to her authority as a scholar in regards to Heaven and the Grave, two equally spiritual but very distinct realms of expertise. "I could benefit too, I expect. "If you decide to give those rituals a try, I would love to assist. Who knows what we might discover?" Divya is outwardly a relaxed, cheerful woman on a date. Aglow with new love for the Envoy. Genuinely intrigued by the novel ideas offered by the Inventor. An inch below that, a discerning eye can see an always watching, consummate professional ready to switch to looking for and creating opportunities that advance her objectives. There's no maliciousness in her; quite the contrary, she seems to like the Inventor perfectly well and is enjoying her company. But there's a habitual shield around her heart, long honed and sternly reinforced to prevent her from picking up new attachments. A discerning social observer might deduce that Divya's learned to enjoy people for who they are while not naturally getting attached to them if she can possibly help it.
Chorus	The Envoy willingly shares that secret smile and long moment of eye contact with the woman she pretends to be in love with, willing her own eyes to sparkle with about equal parts loving adoration and desire. She takes a sip herself, a moment after Divya, and then licks her lips, pleased with its complex aroma and delightful sweetness... but also teasing her before they break eye contact. Her expression turns thoughtful and serious when the other two get more excited about the prospect of transferring grave goods from the Underworld to Creation - even as the Envoy is about to open the box, she takes a moment to tilt her head, trying to imagine the consequences. "I'm not so sure turning grave goods into a trading opportunity for the living might be such a wise idea", she points out, carefully opening the lid as she speaks. "It might lead to exploitation of the dead. Grave robbing is already an enticing, if often perilous, endeavor. Not to mention how it would massively impact the Underworld's economy and social hierarchies, dependant on grave goods as both are. Even Stygia would feel the sting." Her tone remains still light and conversational, but disapproval shines through clearly enough. But then, she finally focuses on what's in the box... and her face lights up with joy. She claps her hands together in delight. "This... oh, this is such a lovely, gorgeous piece! Look, Divya!" Carefully, she turns the box, holding it so that Divya can admire the pendant without having to take it out. If Fully has finished eating and is willing to receive a hug, she gets one. In any case, the Envoy bestows a sweet smile on her. "Thank you so much for this wonderful gift. It's perfect! And you've made it so light... I really hate it when jewelry tries breaking my neck, you know?" She blinks at both of them. "Would anyone like to help me put it on?"
The Fulgent Inventor	She grins happily. "I will certainly let you know if I do try to set up those rituals!" though she turns hurt a bit as the Envoy rebukes her. "But it could lead to less grave robbing! Especially if you could ..oooh! if you figure out how to regenerate the original grave good from the item in the tomb, then you could potentially just make infinite copies of the grave good item! And then everyone would be motivated to keep the original item in the tomb!" Fully beams under the praise for the necklace, but does manage to read the room enough to avoid trying to put it on her. Though she does point out, "Oh there's a hearthstone socket in the pendant too." making it clear that this isn't just a necklace, it's a proper artifact.
Mahendru Divya	As the Envoy opens the box, Divya looks pleased at the concern raised by the other woman. She addresses the Inventor, though. "One difficulty with the experimental method is finding a way to test that doesn't cause unintended harms. Or where the harm can be mitigated and controlled. If you're creating a new kind of metal or innovating a pattern of essence that can produce a Spell, well, creating an environment of controlled conditions is...perhaps not -easy- but certainly -possible-. It's harder, though, when the testing method involves things of actual value to actual people. It's difficult to think of a way to innovate the Underworld-to-Creation exchange system that doesn't risk impoverishing any number of ghosts during testing. Is it possible, though? Perhaps. Perhaps we might come up with a way if we think about it long enough." Divya doesn't display her skepticism that a solution is actually possible. The whole notion of formal trade on any scale between Creation and the Underworld is...risky, at best. The implications to Destiny alone are enormous. But saying 'no' rarely stopped a determined mind. Better to say 'maybe' and be a part of the effort, in hopes of steering that effort away from doing damage. "What an enormously gorgeous, and generous gift," Divya says. Locking eyes with the Envoy, she adds "Did you make this yourself, Fully?" Her expression is one of knowing humor, the face of someone who is in on the joke. There's no display of concern. Just a look of 'this is getting pretty obvious now, isn't it' on her face. "I would be delighted to put this on," Divya says a moment later, finishing that meaningful eye contact before rising from her seat and stepping behind the Envoy. She reaches down for pendant and gets to work looping it around her girlfriend's neck and securing it with its clasp. "I'm sure the hearthstone to the Bleak Tower would look -perfect- in this setting," Divya says at last, looking admiringly at the Fulgent Inventor from behind the Envoy. "Hopefully you had the chance to measure it already or you might need to make a few adjustments to get that perfect fit."
Chorus	Chorus sees no reason to add anything else to the discussion about the Inventor's proposed solution to the grave goods issue - given that Divya is already supporting her in her skepticism, and offering all the reasonable arguments necessary to reign in the Daybreak's potentially disastruous enthusiasm without completely blocking her off. Privately, she has to give the Sidereal credit for handling this matter so smoothly. And so she nods along, smiling encouragingly at the Inventor while taking another sip of tea, and still making clear that she sees things much the same way as Divya - at least for now... If the Envoy is annoyed by the Inventor casually dropping that bit about the hearthstone, she gives no sign of it. The cat had to get out of the bag sooner or later anyway, and she was already confident in Divya's ability to make edjucated guesses about her new girlfriend's true nature. When she spots the humor in Divya's eyes, she smiles back at her with a mischievous glint in her eyes... the expression of a woman getting caught at playing a trick on the world at large, nothing more. When the necklace is fixed in place, she weaves a bit of her Essence into it, really not much more like flexing a muscle a bit, and every little bit of dirt and imperfection on her clothing smoothly vanishes. "I think it's perfect already", she says, still smiling, more amiably now. "Thank you, my dear Fully. And now..." Reaching for something else around her neck, a long leather cord, the Envoy unties it, and pulls out that little bag Divya already saw her wearing under her attire. She opens it, taking out a small indigo violane that has a disturbing tendency to draw the gaze of observers and hold it hostage. It slides neatly into the hearthstone slot.
The Fulgent Inventor	Fully frowns and then sighs. "Yes, yes. 'Controlled circumstances' and 'Don't explode things unncessarily' and... I do get it! But exploding things tells you where the weak points are instantly and also tells you how much stress the system can take! Then, when you build the next version, it'll be much, much better!" "Take that necklace," Fully points at it. "I blew up two prototypes before I was able to get the essence channels for the various effects to not only harmonize but actually reinforce each other. Now I know it'll do the job well and it won't explode without a deliberate attempt to force it to break." "Oh, no." she waves a hand. "Hearthstones are made of solidified essence. As long as the socket is constructed properly, the stone will adjust to fit the socket. It's very interesting to watch. As for the Envoy, I already measured her." Fully watches very closely as the effect activates and the hearthstone fits into place, assessing it with a degree of focus that most wouldn't expect from her. When she finally judges that everything is operating properly, she grins. "Perfect! Let me know if you have any issues with it or it starts killing houseplants." she says blithely, then gets up. "Anyway, I have a few more projects to get back to, like trying to figure out how to play five different keyboards at once...hrm..." And with a wave she leaves.
Mahendru Divya	So, we're done with pretending now. Divya's doubt was never more then a threadbare excuse to not think about the real repercussions. Even now, there might still be an excuse or two one could invent. 'Fully' is God-Blooded. So is the Envoy. Or they're Exigents. Or anything that means not having to think about what to do about Abyssals. Ironically, these little revelations still didn't change anything. Divya had a reasonable cover here and the actions she should take under that cover were the actions she'd want to take without it. But that was still putting the resolution of this off into the future. A Sidereal specialty. Why deal with the present when you can make it a problem for Future You instead. Divya manages a smile at Fully's explanations. "You do realize Creation's history is replete with examples going back millennia of Exalts making wonders -without- blowing them up? Yes?" She grins a bit playfully at the other woman. And when the Fulgent Inventor makes her goodbyes, Divya says "Perhaps we can meet up later tonight or sometime tomorrow if you're up in the daylight. Compare theoretical notes on grave good economies and the like, yes?" She then offers Fully a wave of goodbye before stepping back to resume her seat near the Envoy. Most people might lose their appetites when facing an existential dread. But most people don't intern at the Forbidding Manse of Ivy. Divya picks right up where she left off, finishing her portion of hangbread before cleaning her hands with her napkins, as much as possible. Only when she's turned to her tea does she look back at the Envoy. And there, beneath the makeup, is still the bundle of secrets so like her own. The same caution and artifice and joy in the game, or something similar enough to Divya's own personality that the difference made no difference. So the Envoy was undoubtedly working for the Deathlords. Well, Divya worked for Destiny and always had. Someday those two forces might collide. But that day wasn't this day. Why deal with the present when you can make it a problem for Future You instead?" "That does look lovely on you," she says, her tone sincere and admiring. "But even Fully's superlative work doesn't quite equal the woman I'm lucky enough to be with."