(OOC) -->

Apparently his pursuer has been lost (for now), as a black Khatta carefully makes his way into familiar territory – his father's shop. Dominic is tending store, waving to a departing customer, just as Jynx enters. His broad smile meant for the customer … does NOT fade upon Jynx's arrival! "Son! You're back!"

Jynx, sniffing and sneezing due to his cold, and a bit ragged at that from everything else he's been through, paces miserably through the door, "Hi -ACHOO!- Dad… "

"Careful! Careful … don't touch anything… " Dominic quickly rushes over to escort Jynx in from the door. "Sounds terrible. You must have caught something while travelling the world … making friends … earning your fortune … rescuing damsels in distress. That's my boy!" He pats Jynx on the back.

The black Khatta's sniffling stops long enough to look his father in the eye strangely, "How did you know all that? Except the fortune part… *sniff!*"

Just then, a familiar calico lady walks into the storeroom. "Oh! Feli! Feli, my KITTEN!" She rushes over and embraces Jynx in a hug, almost pushing Dominic out of the way. She sounds like she's sobbing. "Oh, but my little kitten has grown up now!"

A white kitten pokes her head around the doorway, sees Jynx, and covers her mouth as she giggles.

"Ack- mmmphff!" Anything that Jynx was about to say is muffled as the hug relieves the Khatta of his breath. He just looks strangely around at his family, they sure are ecstatic for once.

Lylia breaks the silence (and not any bones, thank goodness) as she backs away and dabs at her eyes with a handkerchief. "Well! What are her colors? Have you picked a best man? And I'll have to work on the bridesmaid's dresses, of course… "

Dominic casts Lylia a mild glare. "Now, as I understand it, the FATHER of the bride is covering all the expenses. I know that's not their tradition, but he'll understand… "

Eve starts humming the Rephidimite equivalent of 'Here Comes the Bride'…

Jynx stares at his parents blankly, "What are you talking about? I'm not getting married… " then he thinks…

Dominic doesn't seem to hear. "Of course, it'll be much harder to come visit you, seeing as you'll be moving off to far-away Titania. But we'll manage!" He smiles broadly, despite the prospect of his son being so, so far away.

The Black Khatta's ears turn blood red. He's just returned from the sewers, being made to live in the jungle, and crawling inside the head of a giant bug for this? "I SAID I'M NOT GETTING MARRIED!!"

Lylia breaks out of her long dialogue of all the preparations to be made, and drops to silence, turning to stare at Jynx. Collectively, Jynx's family says to him, "What?"

Jynx, a collection of bristling black fur, angry heaving breath, and bright red ears stares back, "I said I-am-not-getting MARRIED! I've just returned home from the jungle and getting beat up by giant bugs, not to mention after I got thrown out of my own house because you didn't recognize me, and I would like to sleep on my own bed for a change. I do NOT need this right now… " The cat looks as if he is ready to pop.

"Thrown out of… " Lylia's ears go back in alarm, as she looks to Dominic. Dominic's ears blush. "Ah … You were playing some sort of joke, then, disguising yourself, and only saying 'meow'?" Apparently he AT LAST catches on…

Eve pouts. "You're not getting married?" Surely she hasn't gone deaf.

"Joke? You call getting getting your fur turned white, loaded onto a slaver ship, then sent off to a village to get speared by a hog a joke?!" Jynx's arms flail wildly, he then looks down at his little sister, "NO! I'm NOT!"

Dominic puts an arm around Jynx's shoulder. "Now, now, Feli, I realize you've … ah … been through a lot. I can sympathize. I've been through a lot, too. Especially all this grieving we keep doing over you when we think you've gone and gotten yourself killed – "

"Again!" throws in Eve.

Dominic nods, and says, "But we were overjoyed when we heard that not only were you alive, but you'd been betrothed to … ah … a very … uhm … not unattractive Khatta from a wealthy family. She's a Titanian. Sure, not too bright … but Titanians are very well-to-do. They have LOADS of metal. They just haven't a mind for how to use it properly. Trust me, Feli, you're making a good move. No need getting cold paws… "

Jynx ears look as if they are about to boil off, "I said I am NOT getting married! I never WANTED to get married! And I don't care if they have all the metal in the world!!" He throws off his dad's arm and storms towards the door leading into the house. "If anybody wants me, I'll be in the kitchen!" *SLAM!*

Lylia lets out a delicate "Eep!"

The black Khatta stomps through the living room and dining room, and into the kitchen. Going over to the cupboards, he throws the doors open and rummages around for something to eat, grumbling all the while.

A few things are out of place. On the coatrack, there's an extra cloak … one like that worn by that Exile named Zsofi. She must still be here! Hopefully not at this very moment… So, that probably means that the nice, warm bed Jynx wanted, while it might be vacant this moment, might only be so for who-knows-how-long.

Pulling down a bag of dried meats, the Khatta tears into one and makes his way back to the dining room, and then notices the cloak. Hey, what about his room? He really hasn't seen it since she moved in, and he wants his bed back, demon or no. Gnawing on the jerky, bag in paws, Jynx makes his way upstairs to his room, getting sleepier all the way.

As he reaches the door, catching a whiff of what smells like incense, and tries to open it … it doesn't! Trying again won't budge it. A quick examination reveals that a lock has been installed. If Jynx were any sort of footpad, he could probably pick the wooden lock easily enough, but it's sturdy enough to resist manhandling.

Jynx tears the jerky in to bits as yet another annoyance presents itself. He ponders kicking down the door, but unfortunaely the house was constructed of pretty strong materials.

A bit of white fluff materializes in the corner of Jynx's vision. "Jyynxie! You still mad?" She looks at the door. "Oh! You can't get in there. Miss 'I'm going to tear out your innards and play jump-rope with them' wants privacy for her 'inner sanctum'. But you can use my bed if you're sleepy!"

The black Khatta turns blood-shot eyes down at the little white Khatta, but slumps with a sigh as fatique hits home, "I guess so, thank you." He looks back to his room, "Inner sanctum? What's she been doing in there?"

The kitten guides Jynx by the paw to her room. "She's gonna take over the world. And I think she's going to kill me first. Or someone else. She can't make up her mind. Depends on how recently I did something to annoy her." She blinks 'innocently' up at Jynx.

Jynx looks quizically down at his little sister as they cross the hall, "Kill you? Then why in the heck do mom and dad let her stay here? Then again, this is our parents we're talking about… " he grumbles.

The kitten mews, "She says she's going to destroy the whole world. She's this goddess whose name causes kittens to explode."

Eve suddenly screeches, "ZSOFI!"

Jynx arches a brow, "You're still here."

Eve nodsnods. "See? She's full of hot air!" She beams proudly. "I'm not afraid!"

The Khatta's spirits are a bit lifted, and he chuckles a bit. "Well, I just hope she hasn't ruined my room too much." He follows Eve into her room.

Eve mews, "Oh, she's totally TRASHED it!" And it's in her horribly cheerful voice. "Maybe since you're all grown up now, you need to get a house of your own?" she offers, "… but until then, you're welcome to take a nappy-poo. I won't make any noise, honest!" She turns the sheets on her small bed and fluffs up the pillow.

Jynx just stares, then sighs, "What's with this 'all grown up' business? I said I am NOT marrying that Titanian, and mom and dad will just have to live with it!" He eyes Eve, "And you will too!"

Eve mews, "I didn't say you were marrying anybody, Jynxie! But I think Daddy is looking forward to you starting your own business or something. And Mommy wants grandkittens." Eve then hugs Jynx's leg. "I'm just happy you're okay, Jynxie! You don't have to marry that silly Titanian!"

Jynx smiles embarassedly, but a true smile nontheless. "Thanks sis, now I just have to get that through mom and Dominic's skulls." He sits down on the bed, "But first, after all I've been through, I just want to get some sleep." He lays back an eyes Eve, "That reminds me, I met someone alot like you, good thing you two have never teamed up," He grins.

"Really?" grins Eve, as she moves to tuck Jynx in. "Well, you have nice dreams. And if that Titanian comes back, I'll wake you up so you can run away. I was a bit suspicious when she kept saying that you ran away from her all the time!" She giggles kittenishly.

The black Khatta yawns and nods, "Please do. And make sure no one bugs me; I'm too tired and frustrated to talk right now."

Eve slips to the door, and quietly closes it, waving a paw at Jynx right before she shuts it. "Night night!" And then Jynx is left alone in the kitten's room.

A few thoughts run through the Khatta's mind, and his ears still sting with anger, but soon the sleepiness sets in, and Jynx drifts off into a rigor mortis like sleep. *SNNNNNNNNKT!*