The bottle drops from Olivia's fingers as the Skeek collapses back onto the bed – only to bolt upright almost immediately, with glowing red eyes. "Abner!" she calls to Zahn. "You broke your promise! Why?" she demands.

Zahnrad's brow arches a bit at that. "I'm not Abner, I'm Zahnrad," the Kadie remarks. "And what promise?"

"Spirits do not grow. She sees you as this … Abner," Natasha remarks. For the moment she seems content to merely watch.

The possessed Skeek seems confused for a moment, before replying, "You promised to take my place! I showed you… I showed you… everything you wanted!" There's a bit of aa growl to her voice now, very un-Olivia-like.

"What place?" Zahn asks. "What are you talking about?"

Not-Olivia clutches her head and closes her eyes, rocking back and forth for a minute. "My… place. My Node… yes. You are the new Operator! You were chosen… you passed all the tests… "

Standing behind Olivia, outside of the protective ward, Amelia can only shrug to Zahn in bafflement.

"I'm not Abner!" Zahnrad repeats and approaches the possessed Olivia. "I look nothing like him. What is a node? What tests? What are you talking about?!"

"The Node! The… the Eastern Node!" the Skeek shouts. "My Node! The hardest… they keep trying to tear it down, don't you see?" Her tone turns pleading now. "We have to keep the Nodes up… we have to! The Project… the Project will… uh… " Now she's back to rubbing her head.

Zahnrad sits on the side of the bed. "What project? What keeps trying to tear it down? I don't understand!" he claims.

"I showed you… I… " the Skeek claims, still clutching her head. "The Trolls!" she then barks out. "The Trolls, always… always attacking the Nodes and the pipes. We had to stop them! Nothing was working! They couldn't be killed! And they kept bringing down the nodes! If two go at once, then… then… then the machines… " The outburst peters out, as Olivia looks a bit vacant.

"What machines? What nodes? What do the nodes do?" Zahnrad asks as he pulls at his cheeks in exasperation. "What did the machines do?"

"The Nodes have to be Operated, or else… quantum uncertainty… " the Skeek mutters. "Master Control would fail. The Project would fail. But… I protected the Nodes… didn't I? And you helped… no, no you didn't help. I just showed you, because you wanted to be there for it… but… I just showed you."

"Look, I'm not Abner," Zahnrad says, again. "I don't know what you are talking about. You've never shown me anything. I don't even know your name! Abner has been dead for a long time."

"You forgot my name?" the Skeek says, sounding hurt. "I remembered yours! My name is… is… Jess… Jesti? Jesti. Jesti… Vengeance? No… Wrath. Wrathbone. Jesti Wrathbone!"

Amy's tail shoots up and puffs out at this.

"My name is Zahnrad! Z-A-H-N-R-A-D" Zahnrad retorts, "I AM NOT ABNER!" He actually has to take several deep breaths to calm down. "You're one of the Wrathbones? As in, one of the Igors?"

"Igor," the Skeek says, with a longing look on her face. This passes as she asks, "You aren't Abner? But this is his bed! This is his room? Who are you if you aren't him?"

Zahnrad counts off on his fingers. "His great-great-grandson. I think," the Kadie answers.

"He had children?" Jesti asks, and then starts sniffing her hands. "This is… a Skeek? I'm in a Skeek!" She sounds positively thrilled.

"He had a child because you helped him rape a girl," Zahnrad says and crosses his arms across his chest. "And yes, you are."

"I don't… " Jesti says, sounding upset, but this turns into a vacant look again. "Breeding is important. You have to make sure the needs of the community will be met ahead of time… " she recites in a dull voice.

Zahnrad rubs his forehead. "Maybe you should show me what you showed him," he says, "I don't understand this. What did he promise you?"

"Himself," Jesti says, focused again. "That was the deal! He could see the secrets, and take the tests… but he'd have to serve so that I could retire. I'm… so very tired of serving in the Node."

"What does that mean? Give himself? Are you even still alive?" Zahn asks.

"It is a spirit. The person it represents is dead," Natasha notes, "Unless it is another instance of Buffy, then whomever this was has been dead a long time."

"I still serve," Jesti claims. "I'm the Operator of the Eastern Stabilizer Node. I have been for… for… a long time. I want to stop. I did everything Abner asked, but he betrayed me! That's why I had the Guardian kill him! But he didn't bring back the head! I could have quit if it had at least brought that back!"

Zahnrad rubs his head again. "What is the Guardian?" he asks. "How did he betray you?"

"He didn't come when Called," Jesti notes. "I know he received the Call! How could he have ignored it? It… it would have driven him mad to ignore it… The Guardian is… is the Guardian. I made several. Enough to protect the Nodes and guard against the Trolls. I made… " Here the girl pauses, and stares off at something in the invisible distance. "I made them. They didn't go bad. It was… the machine went bad. It went bad… "

"What machine? Does the machine need to be shut down?" Zahnrad asks next. He look back at Amelia … and it's the sort of look that implies he wants to do something dangerous.

Amelia gives Zahn a stern look of warning, and gestures that the spirit is crazy.

"Going to serve the node means he would die, doesn't it? No operator ever leaves the system without dying, do they?" Zahn asks.

"The Master Control System," Jesti says, sounding dazed. "So much work. It would change the world. We could make everything work again – everything the Expedition lost. We had the solution. But we knew there would be resistance. We had to be… we had to be invincible."

"I don't know what death is anymore," Jesti says.

"Abner has been dead a long time. Would his head even still work?" Zahn asks.

"It… it was tested," Jesti says, running Olivia's hands over her scalp and pressing the fingers here and there in a pattern. "He passed. I need his head," the Skeek claims, and then gives Zahnrad a predatory look. "Or yours. You are his blood. You could replace him… "

"I haven't passed the tests," Zahnrad points out.

"And I don't need your secrets," Zahnrad adds, "I can figure it out on my own!"

"I'm owed a replacement!" Jesti insists, coming across the bed towards Zahn… but not getting too close to the ward. "You are his descendant, so the obligation passes to you!"

"And … hm. Did Abner ever have access to the Master Control System?" Zahn asks.

"Don't be silly," Jesti says with a snort. "Nobody accesses the Master. It accesses you."

"When did the the System go wrong? Before or after Abner was tested?" Zahn asks.

"And just because I'm related to him doesn't mean I owe you anything," Zahnrad claims as he crosses his arms again.

"It… isn't wrong," Jesti says, looking conflicted. "It… went bad… but… it can't be wrong. It is perfect," she claims. "It… everything changed after we made the Guardians. We could protect the Nodes, but… but the machine wanted more of them. As backup. It was running everything by then. Even the Committee were just puppets. But that's what it was for, you see? We made it to run everything! But… I guess… once it could do that, it didn't need us anymore… "

"Except to run the nodes. And now that it had guardians it could use them to get you. Please tell me you built in a failsafe switch. All systems need a shutdown mechanism should they go wrong," Zahnrad notes, "I learned that a long time ago."

"Of course, you can… can… " Here Jesti grabs her head once more, and seems to be in pain.

"What would happen if I brought you Abner's head?" Zahnrad asks.

"If it is still viable, then… then his obligation would be met," Jesti says. "I know the Guardian didn't kill him just so I would have to stay! I can't accept that!"

"What if it did?" Zahnrad asks. "It controls the Guardians, doesn't it?

"The Master controls them," Jesti says quietly. "They… they only listen to me sometimes, because I'm the one that made them. Well, the old ones. They can make more of themselves on their own. But the old ones were mine."

Zahnrad sighs. He knows Amelia will hate what he asks next. "Can you draw me a map so that I can find you?" he asks, "I can try to bring the head. And can you tell me how to stop a Guardian? If they do want to keep you … they would stop me from getting to you."

Amy chitters angrily, as predicted, and looks like she's about to tackle Zahn. But Jesti replies, "To show is to Select you. You would become an Operator for one of the Nodes. Or… be taken to the Master."

"Then how would you get the head? It's not like you can trust the Guardians," Zahnrad points out. "Alternatively, you could tell me how to shut down the Master and how to get to it… "

"I… can't tell you that," Jesti says, struggling to speak. "It won't let me. The head… the head… Just bring it here. Down the hatch and the ladder. The Guardians can find it in the tunnel, if you call out… and keep the Trolls away from it. They'll take it if they can… "

"Why? What are the trolls?" Zahnrad asks. The Kadie also twitches his tail in ever-growing agitation. "And how do you know the guardians will take it? They didn't last time. And they've been killing members of my family ever since." The last part is accompanied by a growl.

"That… the Guardians don't kill people," Jesti claims, but gets another constipated look as she does so. "They protect, they… what is death? The Trolls are… the old ones. The ones from the old city, buried… buried… Where the Heart of Stone is, where the illiaster flows… that the Master needs."

"The blood from the stone. Then that is how you stop it. You stop the flow," Zahnrad says as he punches the palm of his head. "And yes, they do kill people. They killed Abner's son, and Abner's grandson. They collapsed the tunnels on him. They might have killed my brother Stephan too; he died while working in the substructures of the dam, near the entrance to this place."

"That… why? Why would they be afraid of your line?" Jesti asks, looking pained again. "I'm so tired. I want rest. Kadies… The Master doesn't fear anything. It doesn't know fear!" she babbles.

"You said it accesses people. Did it access Abner?" Zahn asks.

"The Test," Jesti notes. "But he passed. So… why would it keep him out?"

"Maybe the Master discovered something … like Abner could control it," Zahnrad suggests.

"That… shouldn't be possible," Jesti says. She's beginning to wobble a bit now.

"Have you ever tried? Or did you just accept that it couldn't be done? We will try anything to test what is possible," Zahnrad claims and even sounds proud of that fact.

"It… it would defend itself," Jesti claims, her voice slurring now. "It's still here, so my plan worked. It can't get out, but… still dangerous… the Titan… "

"Can you monitor testing? Did you test a Lapi recently?" Zahnrad asks next. "Could you test me? You may find out what it is afraid of!"

"No testing!" Amelia insists. "You saw what it did to Clover!"

"My brain is better than hers!" Zahnrad claims.

"Monitor? Lapi?" Jesti asks. "Lapi… there was a Lapi with you before, in here… but. I don't know. I have to be the Operator. I have to focus to keep everything stable."

"Stop being the Operator and perhaps you will find rest," Zahnrad offers, "Give up."

"Not possible," the Skeek insists. "Wired in… "

"Then tell me where you are and I will cut you out!" Zahnrad says. He now reaches past the ward and shakes Olivia's shoulders!

"Don't do that!" Natasha calls out and darts for the Kadie.

The red light in the Skeek's eyes goes out, and Olivia finds herself waking up to a rather rude shaking by Zahn.

"Calm down, Zahn!" Amelia shouts, jumping onto the bed as well, and causing a wave in the mattress.

The Skeek gasps and chokes, as if something had knocked the air out of her lungs and she's now trying to get it all back again. She also looks as if she's just seen something horrifying, if her expression is anything to go by.

"Aw crap!" goes Zahn as the wave hits Olivia, knocks her forward and into Zahn! So back goes Zahnrad and Olivia comes down on top of him. Now he's wheezing too.

Natasha just covers her eyes. "This reminds me of the student dances where drinking was involved," she laments.

Fortunately, Olivia doesn't seem to notice Zahn underneath her, as she's still getting her bearings in the present again.

Natasha finally goes to Olivia and snaps her fingers several times in front of her horrified and dazed expression. "The vision or dream is over, Olivia," she says and then tries to lift the Skeek off the wheezing Kadie.

"This wasn't my fault!" Amelia tells Natasha.

At last, this seems to wake Olivia up. She stares at Natasha for a few moments and relaxes – then notices the Kadie underneath her. "Zahn! Oh no! Did I do that? I'm sorry!" she babbles, scrambling to get off him.

Natasha gives Amelia a look she knows far too well … the Isolde-like 'I will deal with you later.'.

"I'll live," Zahn wheezes as he struggles to sit up. "So … did you meet Jesti, too?" he asks.

Olivia allows herself to be helped from the bed by Natasha. Once her feet are firmly on the floor, she turns away and scrubs her face with her hands for a minute. "I didn't just meet her – I was her for a while. I lived her memories."

"When she was trying to get Abner? Or before?" Zahnrad asks, "Well, before she was wired into whatever it is that has her now."

"I'm not sure," Olivia admits. "Abner wasn't in these memories at all. Her husband was, though."

"What happened to her husband? Zahn asks.

"She made him take their newborn children to a colony aboveground," Olivia replies. Then she shudders. "After that, a Guardian took her away. To become an Operator."

"Who was her son? Did you get a name?" Zahn asks and rubs his head. "And if you tell me Igor, I will scream."

"And what is becoming an operator?" Zahnard also asks.

Olivia finally turns around and looks at Zahn. "Not one baby. Two. Jesti had twins. And her husband was named Igor. His last name was Wrathbone and he was a Skreek." She quirks a very, very small smile. "You gonna scream now?"

"I might," Amelia says, and she checks over Olivia for lingering effects of the possession… such as still having the spirit in her.

Zahnrad dutifully screams. Well, right up to the point Natasha swats the back of his head. "Control yourself," she growls.

"Ow," Zahn complains and rubs his head. "What were the kids' names?"

"As for being an Operator… Zahn, do you remember that head in a jar we talked to? In the workshop you claimed, with all the huge machines?" Olivia asks next. "I think that's an Operator. But exactly what they operate, I'm not sure."

Amy snickers behind her hand when Zahn gets whacked.

Zahn grimaces. "They operate Nodes, whatever a node is," Zahnrad explains. "She's in the eastern node … and Abner Wingnut was chosen as her replacement. But … he didn't follow through ion the arrangement, so she had him killed."

Natasha now swats Amelia for snickering.

The Skeek still feels a bit odd, as if not quite used to her own body yet. Areas where there were a big difference in physique still feel like they've 'fallen asleep' are just now waking up.

After rubbing her ear, Amelia asks, "What's this about a head in a jar?"

"Skeek head in a jar of red liquid and lots of wires," Zahnrad says, "We, uh, found one in a lower part of the old workshop … "

Olivia thinks for a moment. "Did she tell you if these Nodes are connected to something called a Master Control System? Or a Titan?"

"Lower workshop?" Amy mutters, and gets a mean look in her eye.

"Yes, she mentioned the master control system. And the word Titan, but I don't knoww exactly what those are," Zahn admits.

"What about ill-plaster?" Amelia asks. "Did you find out anything about that?"

Olivia sighs. "Neither do I, exactly. All I know is that this System took over the administration of the underground settlement after a while. There was a Committee of Skeeks in charge at first but the System replaced them. And the Titan… Jesti said she asked others to sabotage it so the Master couldn't leave."

"Well, we know where it is, then, mostly. And roughly how to stop it. We have to go deeper and stop the flow of something called illastor. In the place the trolls, the small things, defend. I think they thought the trolls were attacking them … when really they were trying to save them from the Master Control System," Zahnrad says and actually shrugs. "I expect if we continue further down that shaft in the workshop, we'll find this 'Titan' thing … or a passage that goes deeper to the old city."

"The word is 'illiaster,' and no, I don't know what it is, either. Not completely," Olivia says, in answer to Amelia's question. "But the larger trolls have it inside them and the ancient Skeeks made their own kind, too."

"The word 'illiaster' is a generic term used to describe the substance from which all things form," Natasha offers, "It is often found in books on mythology and is commonly referenced in old Olympian writings. Alchemists obsess over such a concept because they believe anything could be made from it. It is generally dismissed as a fool's dream."

"So it's like their blood or something?" Amelia asks. "Magic blood?"

"In other words, it is just a term used to describe anything that produces another substance, but the how or why is not fully understood," Natasha notes.

"That narrows it down," Amelia notes grumpily. "That could describe milk, if you make cheese or butter out of it."

"Hence why I said it was a generic term, Amelia," Natasha notes, "So that means the Skeeks or whatever they were used something they didn't understand … and it came back to kill them."

"Hm. If I gather enough equipment and maybe a few weapons, I could stage an assault down the old shaft," Zahnrad says to himself as he starts pacing the room. "Maybe Gunther could make me something. Hm, or I could find that old noise drill thing that blew up the tower and use that to reach the old city… "

"What's 'generic' mean?" Amy whispers to Olivia.

Olivia nods slowly to Amelia. "I suppose it's blood, although if the trolls alone have the 'real' form I'm not sure how the ancient Skeeks produced their own. Then again, when Jesti was put inside that tube to become an Operator, it filled with a red liquid. So… artificial troll's blood?" She spreads her hands.

Zahnrad stops pacing. "Did they remove her head, or just plug in her whole body?" he asks.

"What? How about: we leave it alone!" Amelia suggests to Zahn. "Give the ghost girl Abner's noggin, and that should be end of it, right?"

"What if the Guardians destroy the head? What if it's then useless? They'll then come for me. Or for Gunther. Or for even dad," Zahnrad points out. He pauses and then levels his eyes on Amelia as he adds, "Or in a few years, your children."

"Also, that Bleeding Stone I've been looking for – Jesti referred to it by another name: Heart of Stone," Olivia explains. "That may produce the illiaster the Master Control System needs to survive. Take that out and the Master should follow, plus all the Guardians, I think."

"Well, I suppose we could try to stop the evil whatsit," Amelia notes, rubbing her shoulder in thought. "But going through the tunnels that the Trolls and Guardians use probably isn't a good idea."

"I can figure out a way to stop them," Zahn claims, "I'm a Wingnut. We can do anything!"

"Apparently insanity runs deep in that family," Natasha notes.

"What about you, Olivia?" Amy asks. "Do you want to take on this buried god-thing?"

"Amelia," Zahnrad says, "Remember how all the pictures showed the ghost Skeek?"

Olivia seems to shake herself out of a trance. "We need to," she agrees, nodding at Zahn. "I was just trying to remember another way to get into the underground complex. But all the ways I saw in Jesti's memories were the access points we – and the trolls – already know. Except for the tunnel leading to the tube where Jesti was drowned. I have no idea how to get there, though. How she came to it was a blur."

"It showed lots of ghosts," Amy notes. "There were groups of them!"

"Well … I have some information on how Clover got there … so I think I could find it if I locate the places she was taken," Zahn offers. To Amelia, he says, "Yes … but they had to have possessed someone to interact with him, right? So … uhm, who were they using?"

"Would they have had to?" Amy asks. "Who knows how that demon-powered picture box really worked? Maybe the spirits just needed to be visible. It's easier for them to do that down deep."

"He slept with her," Zahnrad points out.

"Well, he didn't sleep with the others… oh wait, there was that one with the second girl… " Amy notes. "Maybe they were possessed… Trolls?"

"Do trolls even have gender?" Zahnrad asks. "I coudln't tell from that weird encounter with them."

"Perhaps your entire town should just move," Natasha suggests. "This place seems too dangerous."

Olivia shrugs. "Even Jesti and her husband only referred to the trolls as 'it.'"

"I don't think so, but… would it make a difference?" Amy asks. "It would have all been a spirit-illusion." To Natasha, Amy just looks horrified. "No way! This is OUR place!"

"Actually, I would say it belongs to the trolls, based on what the spirit said," Natasha notes.

"The old city belongs to them," Amy retorts. "That's out in the Gnarly Woods. And the trolls never complained about us being here. If they want this Node stuff gone, then maybe they'll show us where it is… "

"Aha! I know how to get there. I have Abner's old troll costume!" Zahnrad declares loudly and points at the ceiling.

Olivia nods thoughtfully. "The trolls do seem to have been here first but that doesn't mean we can't each exist in our own worlds, peacefully apart. Although this does explain why, when I was friends with that child troll, its parent reacted so strongly to me. Being a Skeek and all. Bad memories."

"Was it's 'parent' one of the big ones?" Amy asks. "I think those are the Guardians."

"I believe so but I can't be too sure," Olivia admits. "The memory is still pretty fuzzy. And from what I learned from Jesti – yes, the Guardians were made from the larger trolls."

"And they capture the wild trolls for whatever purpose," Amy notes. "We've seen some with a Guardian before, and they weren't afraid of it."

"Well, we'll find out after we invade!" Zahnrad declares and rubs his hands together.

"Those smaller trolls may not have wills of their own anymore," Olivia says, musing aloud. "Perhaps the Guardians adapted the process the ancient Skeeks used on them to enslave the wild trolls?"

"We should try to find out before that!" Amy notes. "Jesti's people had all that technology, and they couldn't stop the trolls without making their own versions of them."

"They didn't have me," Zahnrad claims and puffs up.

Olivia rolls her eyes heavenward. "Oh yeah, this is gonna be a rousing success," she mutters.

"Abner had a troll costume?" Amelia asks, as something Zahn mentioned gets through to her. "Were you ever gonna tell me about this stuff?"

"When it was important. Like right now," Zahnrad says. "It's not like you tell me everything."

"You think I keep secrets?" Amy asks, aghast. "I told you about my demon!"

"When I made you!" Zahn says. The Kadie then shrugs and adds, "You have also been busy and at one point even asked me to not tell you stuff, because you were too tired to deal with it."

The Kadie girl's jaw works up and down, but she can't think of anything to say.

"So… how do you think this troll costume will help us?" Olivia asks, trying to change the subject before blood is drawn.

"And you know I'll make it up to you," Zahnrad adds, "You just have to tell me what you want."

"Oh, I can just sneak past the trolls in it, that's all," Zahnrad claims and waves his hand.

"I… want you to give me some time to learn a little magic," Amelia says. "Natasha is going to train me, so… it could be useful."

Olivia looks somewhat dubious. "Are you going to show it to us before you just go waltzing into the tunnels?"

"Maybe," Zahnrad tells Olivia.

"Of course he will," Amy notes. "He has to practice with it!"

Zahnrad flails his arms at Amelia for a bit. "But, but," he complains.

This actually gets a smile from Olivia. "Practice. Right!"

"If he can scare Gunther with it, then it should work," Amy notes.

"Don't I get a say in this?" Zahn asks.

"Just as long as you're hiding somewhere near – if Gunther's scared enough, he might attack Zahn!" Olivia exclaims.

"No. A male should know his place," Natasha notes to Zahn and sniffs. Olivia and Amelia get a wink after that.

"Do you think Igor knows more about this stuff?" Amy asks around. "Did you ever find out anything from Orifice's notes, Olivia? Maybe you should go talk to Igor… "

Olivia sighs and her shoulders droop. "I was afraid this might come up again but… to be honest, I've considered that, too. I'm not sure if he will open up to me, though. He doesn't seem to be one to want to talk about family."

"There have been many Igors, though. No guarantee he's even related," Zahnrad points out.

"Still, he might be interested enough in the story to open up," Amy says hopefully. "What did Jesti's Igor look like?"

Olivia hms. "Also possible. I wonder if they all had the last name of Wrathbone? And her Igor was white with red eyes."

"So nothing like the current Igor," Zahn notes.

"We haven't seen much of his body though," Amy points out. "He could have white parts! Olivia, get him to strip for you if you can."

Zahnrad looks ill. "Oh gods. Him? That's just gross, Amelia!" Zahnrad complains

Olivia stares at Amelia, shocked. "I most certainly will NOT!" she splutters.

"What? It's not like it's hard!" Amy states. "Any guy will take his clothes off if you ask him. It's a miracle they wear any in the first place."

"I do not take off my clothes if just anyone asks me!" Zahnrad asserts.

Olivia turns and glares daggers at Amelia. "If YOU'RE so interested in seeing Igor with his clothes off, YOU ask him," she says between clenched teeth. "I will NOT."

"Who's asked you though?" Amy asks Zahn.

Zahnrad thinks about that. "You, Parsley, and Clover," he says, "But you three don't count."

"Well at least ask him if there are any white Skreeks in his family," Amy compromises.

"Oh wait… I bet Parsley would know," the Kadie girl realizes.

"Ew!" Zahnrad says.

Olivia throws up her hands. "Fine, fine – I'll ask him that much. Not sure if he'll answer me but I'll ask." Then she ponders the problem for a bit. "Perhaps if I approach this as giving him information he might like to know, he'll open up a little in return."

"Hm, how do we know that the Weavers don't have any white Skeeks in their line?" Zahnrad muses, "Maybe that is where their children went!"

"The Skeeks have been here – on the surface – longer than anyone else," Amelia says, nodding to Zahn.

"Should we check Olivia for white parts?" Zahn asks.

"Eh? Do you have any, Olivia?" Amy asks the Skeek.

"I is usually frowned upon to run around and strip townsfolk," Natasha points out and raises a finger. "We had to rescue Djivan when he tried that, posing as a health and beauty inspector."

Olivia replies to Zahn, "If we want to know the answer to that, we'll have to ask my Aunt Augusta. She's the one who keeps up with our genealogy. And as for white parts on myself – no, I have none. Golden-brown all over. Just ask Djivan!" She winks boldly.

"I bet he'd take his clothes off if asked," Amelia notes.

"Oh ew. I just visualized Olivia and Djivan and … " Zahnrad mutters.

"Does he have any white parts?" Amy asks Olivia.

"I'm not telling you!" the Skeek teases. "Why don't you ask him to strip for you sometime?"

"Okay," Amy says. "It's only fair, he's seen me naked after all."

Olivia makes a 'then-by-all-means' gesture with her hands and grins. "You can report back to Zahn once you've had a look… "

"Oh come on. I don't deserve that kind of punishment!" Zahn complains.

"It'd be easier if you just told us whether he has any white patches or not," Amelia notes, crossing her arms. "I'd tell you if Zahn had any."

Zahnrad heys! "She doesn't need to know what I look like naked," he complains.

Amelia blinks. "We're just talking about white patches of fur! Not details!" Amelia points out. "What's gotten into you both?"

Olivia gets a funny little smirk on her face. "Hmmm. Maybe if you whisper that information to me I could whisper information about Djivan to you… " Then she spreads her hands again and attempts to appear innocent.

Natasha says, "Zahnrad is male. They are like that. Olivia is a troublemaker."

Olivia whirls around to stare at Natasha now. "Not you, too!" she complains. "Isolde already has it out for me!"

"Aha, Isolde was right about her then!" Amy gasps. "I never would have thought it of sweet, innocent little Olivia… " She looks like she's about to bust her gut holding in a laugh.

Olivia crosses her arms and now looks cross. "Fine, then! No information for you. Go ask Djivan yourself."

Once she's recovered, Amy says, "It doesn't matter. Igor's the only one where white fur might mean something. I know there are Skeeks with white patches in Stonebarrow."

"Do you deny you enjoy causing impish moments of chaos?" Natasha asks with a bemused smile. "I've heard about what you and Djivan have gotten up to at times."

Zahnrad, meanwhile, has been trying to sneak out of the room and escape…

Olivia stops Zahn from doing so by saying, "I'm outta here! Zahn, put the blindfold back on me! I'm really ready to leave… and sleep for a week before I have to talk to Igor."

"Drat," Zahnrad complains. "Come on Amelia, we have to escort these two out of here. After that, you're coming home with me" he says firmly.

Amelia retrieves her bottle, and shakes it upside down in case any ghosts or ectoplasm are still in it. "I'm hungry," she notes.

There is a puddle of goo in the bottom of the bottle…

And now the goo is on the floor.

The Kadie sniffs it. "Bleh, I just lost my appetite though. Let's go!"

"Fine. I'll tell you about everything I found if you promise not to be mad," Zahnrad says as he blindfolds Olivia, then Natasha. "And then we can have Parsley make us dinner. It'll keep her distracted from wanting other things."

"Why do I put up with this?" Natasha mutters as she's blindfolded for escort out. "Are there no bastions of sanity left in this land?"