Oh mai... This is new...

(Ronnie: No problem omo' *cuddled Celeste* <3)

(Celeste: *pulls away from Ronnie, signing* I don't need to be protected from my own sister! Maybe she gets upset because you're pulling me away from her too much...

It'll be easier once Paulette is there to mother them. Laura won't have to try as hard to protect Celeste. o3o)

(Yeah, probably. XP)

*lifts up my hand* HIGH FIVES MOTHA FUCKER!!! XD That whole thing was going around the shop today. Today was a good day.)

(Awesome. XDDDD *high fives*)

(Ronnie: *signs* I wasn't protecting you from your sister, I was saying that your sister was being very protective of you. You could just tell me that you hang out with your sister more and if that's what you want to do I'm ok with it. You can do and hang around with your sister.

Plus if they hang around each other more then Roy and Ronnie can finally hang out XD)

(Yeah. XD And with Jax and Ronnie's Chao.)

(Fawn: 070!)

(Jax: ?)

(Fawn: ouo

Ronnie: I think she likes him ^^')

(Roy: Really? 'E's not exactly zat good wiz ozair Chao...

Jax: Chao? *pokes her face*)

(So it's finally the weekend! Woot!)

(Yay! o7o"!)

(Bebe: QAQ

Greyson: EVIL CHAO! *hugs Bebe*

o3o"....)

(Aww.... o3o"

Roy: Um, sorry Greyson... ^^"

Jax: Chao! >81 

Roy: *snatches him from the air* 'Ow about no. ene)

(Fawn: owo

Ronnie: ^^')

(I should start. *flops* I sort of dozed off for a few minutes but then my dad got home from work and was noisy. I woke up. >~<" Oh well.)

(I mean, if you wanna take a nap, go for it. It's up to you.)

(Too late. People in my house are making noise. It was hard enough to doze off the first time with how upset my stomach is... =7=" There is no hope. I'll try to just stay up now and pass out later tonight.)

(Oh, okay... omo")

(*huggles a Celeste plushie* =m=")

(*wraps Chirpy in blankets* o3o?)

(*huggles Chirpy*)

(Mmkay, attempting a post...)

It had been three days. Three. Days.

Celeste couldn't handle it. She has been a mess from the start, and as every day, every hour slid by, she felt even worse. She hardly ate, barely slept, and never spent any time outside Stone and Scotty's apartment. The deaf marten had begun pushing people away, including Ronnie, unable to cope with the idea that her sister had been in that godforsaken place for three entire days. Their time to save her was already half up, if not more, depending on what was happening... With every minute that ticked by, Celeste grew more afraid that she would never see her sister again.

At the moment, the blue-eyed fourteen-year-old was sitting on the bed in what had once been Scotty's room, but was now a guest room since he and Stone began sharing a room. She lay on her side on top of the covers, curled up with a pillow pressed to her face... It was Laura's pillow. Celeste couldn't cope if she didn't have something that smelled like her sister on her at all times. The shawl, a sweater, a pillow... Something. Anything to make Laura seem more alive at any given moment, more likely to return. She cried a little to herself, wishing that her sister was here to make her feel better, but that was the entire reason why she was upset... She just wasn't here.

------

Preparations had begun the day that Laura had been taken. Isaac had contacted his superiors, and some allies were already beginning to arrive with their own air ships, supplies, and even soldiers. This wasn't going to be some rebel charge by the Devas, but a full-out attack with the help of neighboring countries who also wanted the Sect gone. The parasite that was the Sect had just grown too strong for anyone's comfort.

EJ had been hard at work ever since he woke up from his nap on Roy three days ago... the kid had slept for a whopping fifteen hours after exhausting himself the way he did, and then set right to work with the airship crews, despite his injured hands. He wanted to help finish this once and for all, even if he never stepped foot inside the Sect stronghold. The little cat was going to be replacing Raine on his brother's crew, since the lion had broken a few bones in her arm and shoulder and was quite useless... He knew she felt bad about it, but nothing could be done, and Isaac trusted nobody but himself and Lillian to take EJ with them, so that was what had been arranged.

At the moment, EJ was with Isaac and Lillian in their airship. Isaac was ranting on about safety protocols, and what they would have to do if the massive lump of orangeish-brown metal went down, but his brother was only half-listening. He had this speech like five times already.

"... and... Wait, are you two even listening to me?" Isaac realized EJ and Lillian were sort of just mindlessly nodding their heads and narrowed his eyes.

EJ sighed, crossing his arms, "We listened the first five times, Isaac... And Lillian's actually been on this crew for how long now? It'll be fine..." His own eyes narrowed in an expression almost mirroring Isaac's. "And if you're trying to scare me so I don't come along, it's not working. I'm going with you whether you like it or not. I'm not a little kid anymore."

Despite the way Lillian looked at him like he was five and it was crazy to bring him.

(I imagine her being really uncomfortable with bringing EJ along, I dunno. XD Or maybe he's just imagining the disapproving glare.)

------

Meanwhile, Ruth personally had the painful task of keeping an eye on Laura, and the even more painful task of going to talk to the Brodeurs about it... Roy had asked to be saved the details, but she needed to let him know that the attack would have to be launched soon. As in, likely within the next one or two days. Something had come up.

The mouse walked up to the Brodeurs' apartment and knocked on the door, then folded her arms behind her back. The experienced doctor looked tired... She was no young woman anymore, and felt even ten years older than she actually was because of her stressful job. This is why I never wanted a family... This is just too painful. But I wound up with Chase, Roy, and Rachel... hell, now it seems like everyone here is my family. I guess there's just no avoiding it... She closed her eyes and sighed, listening for footsteps and opening her eyes again when someone came to the door. She simply said, "I have news."

(Yaaaay it's long and drawn out but not pathetic... XDDDD)