Chương 1093: Day One Thousand And Ninety-One

Dear Diary, Yeah, I think something about Aisling has had me on edge since she glommed onto me like a teeny tiny limpet girl, and it's definitely been nibbling at my... Not self-control. I've still got that on lock, at least when it comes to minor irritations and paranoid suspicions. Not my temper either, really. More my old danger sense, the one that screamed at me when I was pissing Diana off back when I first got here, the one that has kinda quieted for the most part with me being the biggest danger around.

Yeah, that feels right. I mean, it's not some kind of woo, either. Okay, it wasn't back in the day, and frankly it doesn't feel any different, so if it's changed, it's entirely due to Mana enhancement. Subconscious Mana enhancement, which is absolutely on brand for that particular knack, since it's just my subconscious poking at me telling me something isn't right. I guess that's expanded to include the kids in my care.

I hope it's expanded to include the kids in my care, because the idea that Aisling could be a danger to me is kinda scary as fuck. Seriously, I may be the ultimate pinhead, with a normal human sized brain driving a continental mass around, but I am a durable as fuck pinhead. My depression is chronic, but my ass is tectonic.

I have had one of the most powerful Deities in the Pact beat on me for the better part of a day, and that's after I'd just fought four Titans into early graves, and my biggest worry was that he'd realize I was... I guess the most honest way to say it is 'toying with him'. I mean, I wasn't really, but I was luring him, doing a whole assed Trickster Goddess bait and switch just to execute a prophecy without executing the dude it was about.

So the idea that a kid the size of my calf is a danger to me is a little freaky. Okay, she's not really the size of my calf, but she's substantially less massive than one of my thighs. Something about 'thighs, glutes, abs, lats' being the core of my core, and while I think I may have put on the tiniest bit of soft over my ripped as shit physique, I have not lost the slightest bit of muscle, which means I do not fit into fashion from the 'petite' racks. Not like I ever really did here and now, but still.

Point, though, is that shit has had me on edge for the last week or so, which culminated with me having to sit myself in several seats when I started thinking he was pulling some serious racist Dan bullshit. Which, while he's clearly Dan, and clearly a child of privilege, he's one of those who I think understands that, and tries his best to avoid that kind of shit. Which I knew, but as noted, on edge.

Thing is, by the time he spelled it all out for me, which did not leave me sanguine about how my newest little girl had gotten in the state she was in, I realized he wasn't doing anything the sort. That still did not prepare me for the final bomb he dropped.

"Spontaneous Bane Sidhe?" He nodded.

"Undead are formed from twisting of the Soul caused by deaths which are particularly traumatic to the Soul itself. Bane Sidhe are, as best as anyone has been able to determine, Undead Sidhe, created when a Bane Sidhe kills a Sidhe in some particularly gruesome fashion." I frowned.

"She's... She's not Undead though?"

"No. No, she's not. But from what Joe and I have been able to determine, whatever she's lived through has traumatized her severely. Enough that had she died? She might well have risen as a true Bane Sidhe."

"Well. Shit." I sighed, then said, "can you guys maybe stick around the Homestead for a while?" They looked at one another, then back to me. Before they could reply, I added, "no pressure, I'll figure something out if you can't, but I could really use the help." Doc Z just asked, "we'll need to check in with our patients at the University Hospital at least," he turned to Doc G, "once every two days?" This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Doc Glass shrugged.

"Most of mine are being tended to by other Doctors at the moment, but I should be taking their cases back soon. A few hours every two days should be enough to make sure the residents have everything well in hand."

"Okay then. You guys okay staying in the guess room?" Doc Z smirked at me.

"Between Maenad Marie's cooking and your Bath, I think we'd stay in the stables if that was the only place available." So I stepped them back to the Homestead, dropped them in the Dining Room, then Co-Located to my Altar, where I spent the rest of the night first talking about kids with Dorothea, then about Squadball with Wendell. Finally, I spent the end of the night with Dana up in New Amsterdam, just chatting.

But somehow I realized that was what they needed, and they knew that I had no ulterior motive, just chatting with them because I enjoyed their company. Spent the day running the Newark Cadets ragged. Not even being mean to them, because I didn't have to. Just pushing them right up to the raggedy edge of collapse and just a little further, then helping them recover and rest long enough to do it again. I'm not sure which of them came up with the idea of weights on their forearms and calves, but I heartily approved.

They looked a little, I dunno, homemade, so I'm assuming either they weren't done by the Academy itself, or the Newark Heroic Academy didn't have anyone at the skill level of Marie or Jon. Still, by mid morning I grabbed some packs and loaded them with assorted heavy shit, then had the Cadets carry those, too. Later in the afternoon I got a bit of inspiration and thought, Marie? Vlickies? Can you come here, all sneaky like? I don't want the Cadets to notice you. A moment later she thought, here.

I very carefully did not react, despite a sudden urge to jump out of my uniform. Aisling, who'd remained on my hip all day, picked up on my tension anyway, so I whispered, "don't worry. It's just Marie. I wanted to surprise the Cadets. Okay?"

"... kay." Okay, Mittens, see those weights on their arms and legs? Blech. Yeah. Any chance you could make nicer ones? I kinda wanted to do something nice for the Cadets here. After a few moments delay, she thought back, teach. You want to teach them how to make better ones? I didn't see her, but I felt her breath on my ear when she whispered, "You." When we got home for the night, I went over to the Docs while they sat there enjoying Marie's sushi boat.

"Hey, guys. Have a nice day?" They looked at one another, chuckled, and Doc Z said, "your girls seem fascinated by us. Especially Isnomi. I take it you don't often have men around?" I shrugged.

"Other than the Heroes over in North House, just relatives. Did you need a ride home tomorrow?" Doc Glass shook his head.

"Maenad Marie graciously delivered us to the University Hospital for a few hours after lunch today." I couldn't exactly be specific with Aisling on my hip, but I asked, "did you give any thought to what we talked about last night?" They spent another few moments in wordless communication before Doc G sighed and said, "honestly, we've been a touch distracted between our other cases and... Well... the deluge of questions and demonstrations of musical, martial, and academic prowess of your girls." I laughed.

"Yeah, I guess they're all trying to impress you. Still, better that than genuinely trying to annoy you, right?" Doc G nodded.

"Although... We'll try to focus on the situation today? At least enough to have some plan of action by Sunday?"

"Sunday's my..." I stopped, almost smacking myself.

"Yeah, Sunday is the day I spend with a few family members doing, uh, therapy stuff."

"Therapy stuff?" Doc G raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. Talking through my trauma, tryna sort out which of my coping mechanisms are healthy and which aren't, trying to recover what I can, heal what I can, and learn to cope with what I can't in healthy ways." Doc G looked impressed despite himself.

"I'm almost tempted to ask if we could come along, just to observe." I smiled at him.

"I was sort of hoping you'd come along and help out." When he blinked in apparent disbelief, I smiled and said, "you're good people, and I trust you. With my daughters and myself. And, y'know, my noggin's got enough trauma in it that even Dad has trouble lifting that shit sometimes." Doc Z took his husband's hand, squeezed it, and said, "we'd be delighted to, Tabitha."

So after a nice night of sushi, soaking, and dreams of Siobhan and Saffron putting Sapphic shenanigans on the big screen beside my Maw, I picked up the kids and took them all to the Temple of Love for a day of basic Math. Okay, the kids in my class, kits and Aisling included, got Basic Math. Isnomi got Basic Math, because she and Hailee stuck close to Maze and Aisling. Saffron taught Ria Calculus, I guess. Well, 'Mor-Mimic Calculations'.

I very carefully tried to ignore how the best defense against Aisling losing her shit and hurting a bunch of kids was my less than one year old kit.