Cassies Palace 4

[20:42]	<[GM]Mary>	Last time, on Zombies Ate My Meidos!
[20:42]	<[GM]Mary>	Er, I mean, Cassie's Palace!
[20:43]	<[GM]Mary>	A bunch of stuff. Like, all kinds of talking and things.
[20:45]	<[GM]Mary>	Notable mentions include the beginning of the culinary art of cooking and Cassie shying away from social obligations by method of pretending your clothes don't fit or something.
[20:47]	<[GM]Mary>	[02:24] * [Gtz]Cassie walks out of the dining room slowly, carrying her coat in one hand, touching each chair along the table as she goes.
[20:47]	<[GM]Mary>	[02:32] * [Gtz]Cassie returns to her room upstairs, and hardly resists the urge to throw up upon entry.
[20:47]	<[GM]Mary>	aaaand that's probably all anyone cares about! So, start maiding!
[20:50]	* [Pyg]Victoria	places a stack of folder blouses into a dresser drawer before she sees her mistress.
[20:50]	* [Gtz]Cassie	stumbles over before barely managing to catch herself on the dresser. She stops for a moment, dropping her coat and wiping cold sweat from her brow, breathing slowly and intentionally.
[20:51]	* [Pyg]Victoria	rushes over to Cassandra, trying to hold her up.
[20:51]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	Good lord, what's the matter?
[20:52]	<[Gtz]Cassie>	Mmph... I'm, I'm fine. I'm just a little worn out.
[20:53]	* [Pyg]Victoria	leads her over to the bed and sits her down.
[20:53]	* [Gtz]Cassie	's voice shakes just a little bit.
[20:55]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	Why? Why do you do this to yourself when you know of your condition?
[20:58]	<[Gtz]Cassie>	I told you, I'm fine. It's just... It's been a long trip, I guess...
[21:01]	* [Gtz]Cassie	sighs deeply.
[21:03]	* [Pyg]Victoria	brushes a lock of hair from Cassandra's forehead.
[21:03]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	I...Apologize for a while ago. I shouldn't have stormed out.
[21:04]	<[Gtz]Cassie>	No, no. Listen... I'm sorry if I hurt you back there. I was just talking about myself and... I don't know. I got off on some cynical philosophic garbage. I didn't mean to include any of you. At least, not the way I think I did.
[21:08]	<[Gtz]Cassie>	You can't help what you are. Me... I can change. I can change a lot. It kind of scares me, how easy it would be to change...
[21:12]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	You don't have to be scared. That's what I'm here for. I'm willing to help you if you'll let me...Same goes for the others girls here, I presume.
[21:14]	* [Gtz]Cassie	breathes a little more irregularly.
[21:16]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	Hey, now, relax...
[21:20]	<[Gtz]Cassie>	You're right, though... Everyone here, they're so nice, and I want to go to them, but I'm so afraid...
[21:23]	* [Gtz]Cassie	shudders visibly. She keeps her head bowed down, her expression obscured by her long, near-white hair.
[21:27]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	Like I said, you don't have to be. That's what we're here for.
[21:27]	* [Pyg]Victoria	slowly reaches out to Cassandra, but pulls her hand back in hesitation.
[21:27]	<[Gtz]Cassie>	I know I don't have to be. But I am.
[21:32]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	Well, just take it a little step at a time. At least you know you're scared; that'll make things a little easier.
[21:34]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	At any rate, I've put all your belongings in their proper places...I think.
[21:35]	<[Gtz]Cassie>	Ah, don't worry about it. If worse comes to worse, I'll get Izzy to help me out. There wasn't much in there so important that I'd need it now anyway.
[21:36]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	What are the others up to at the moment?
[21:36]	<[Gtz]Cassie>	Thanks. I believe they may be starting dinner soon, you should join us when they're ready.
[21:37]	<[Gtz]Cassie>	Now, if you could excuse me, I'm going to change into something more comfortable.
[21:39]	<[Pyg]Victoria>	Very well.
[21:40]	* [Pyg]Victoria	stands up bowing to her Mistress before exiting the room.
[21:42]	* [Gtz]Cassie	takes off her sweater and boots and lays back on her large, soft bed for a moment, her skin still beaded with perspiration.
[21:43]	<[Gtz]Cassie>	Hahhh... This house is so damn cold...
[21:46]	<[GM]Mary>	Meanwhile, at the maids!
[21:48]	<[huh]Isabella>	So, what'dya guys think of Cassie? Pretty cool, right?
[21:49]	<[GM]Mary>	Isabel leads you to the kitchen, which is full of pots and pans and refrigerators and grills and ovens and cutlery and all that good stuff. One fridge in particular is covered in little duck magnets.
[21:50]	* [Dune]Valea	is still a little tense and dazed from the stress on her mind from a few minutes back, but responds somewhat normally.
[21:50]	* [Dune]Valea	were her response not so curt.
[21:50]	<[Dune]Valea>	yeah...
[21:51]	<[Tesla]Enrica>	She's an alright person, I think.
[21:53]	<[huh]Isabella>	I know, right?
[21:53]	<[huh]Isabella>	So...
[21:53]	<[Tesla]Enrica>	I just get the impression she kicks herself too much.
[21:54]	<[huh]Isabella>	Yeah. She does that. Poor girl...
[21:54]	* [Dune]Valea	sighs.
[21:54]	<[Dune]Valea>	far too much...
[21:56]	* [Dune]Valea	shakes her head and takes a stool over to the counter so that she can reach up on it, and begins looking around the kitchen.
[21:57]	<[huh]Isabella>	Ah, so what are you making tonight?
[21:57]	<[Dune]Valea>	well, let's try and make a really good meal to try and help her feel better.
[21:57]	<[Tesla]Enrica>	To decide, let's think... What do we know how to make?
[21:57]	* [Dune]Valea	speaks normally, but is noticeably lacking her normal energy.
[21:57]	<[Dune]Valea>	also, what do we have?
[22:05]	<[huh]Isabella>	Most everything.
[22:05]	<[huh]Isabella>	If you ask me, I can probably get it for you.
[22:07]	* [Dune]Valea	brightens a little.
[22:07]	<[Dune]Valea>	ah, good.
[22:08]	<[Tesla]Enrica>	Valea, what do you know how to make? I'm not that good, so...
[22:08]	* [Dune]Valea	chuckles a bit and scratches her head.
[22:09]	<[Dune]Valea>	ah ha, i'm not any expert, but...
[22:10]	* [Dune]Valea	holds shift for a moment, and ponders.
[22:11]	<[Dune]Valea>	we could probably make some ...steak, maybe?
[22:11]	<[Dune]Valea>	but i don't know if Cassandra'd like it...
[22:11]	* [Tesla]Enrica	looks pensive for a second.
[22:12]	<[Tesla]Enrica>	Isabella, what do you think?
[22:12]	<[huh]Isabella>	Hmm, hmm, hmm...
[22:13]	<[huh]Isabella>	I think she'll like it.
[22:13]	<[Tesla]Enrica>	Alright.
[22:14]	<[Tesla]Enrica>	Besides the meat, we'll probably need some spices and maybe some salt, so let's start by getting those.
[22:15]	* [Dune]Valea	nods.
[22:15]	<[Dune]Valea>	um, i'll get the stove ready if you'll get the pans.
[22:15]	<[huh]Isabella>	Spices, got it!
[22:16]	* [huh]Isabella	flies up to a cabinet and takes the knob. However with her tiny body, she can't seem to move the door.
[22:17]	* [Dune]Valea	sees Isabella's plight, smiles, and moves over to help, trying also to ignore the point that the fairy lacks clothing at the moment.
[22:18]	<[Dune]Valea>	here, let me get that open for you.
[22:18]	* [Dune]Valea	pulls on the knob, and opens the cabinet.
[22:18]	* [Tesla]Enrica	starts looking around for the pans, and moves a few to the stove after finding them.
[22:18]	<[huh]Isabella>	Uuuu...
[22:21]	* [Dune]Valea	looks at Isabella for a moment and cocks her head to the side after suppressing a light shiver.
[22:22]	<[Dune]Valea>	is flying around like that cold?
[22:22]	* <[huh]Isabella> blinks, then looks down.
[22:23]	<[huh]Isabella>	...
[22:23]	* [huh]Isabella	dives under Valea's apron.
[22:23]	<[huh]Isabella>	It's cooooold...
[22:25]	* [Dune]Valea	smiles, and cups her hands around where Isabella is to try and help her warm up as she walks over to start up the stove.
[22:27]	* [Dune]Valea	keeps one hand around Isabella as she uses the other to ready the stove.
[22:27]	<[huh]Isabella>	Nnnn...
[22:28]	<[Tesla]Enrica>	Need any help there?
[22:28]	* [huh]Isabella	lets out a little sigh as she warms up.
[22:28]	* [Dune]Valea	turns her head to address Enrica.
[22:28]	<[Dune]Valea>	if you could get those herbs and some other of the ingredients, that'd be helpful.
[22:30]	<[Tesla]Enrica>	Sure.
[22:31]	* [Tesla]Enrica	moves over to the cabinet, grabbing some jars of spices, and sets them down on the counter.
[22:32]	* [Dune]Valea	takes some butter and places it in one of the pans as she talks to Isabella.
[22:32]	<[Dune]Valea>	I hope i'm helping to warm you up.
[22:35]	<[huh]Isabella>	You're very warm~
[22:36]	* [Dune]Valea	blushes ever so slightly as she begins sprinkling the steaks with various spices and pepper.
[22:36]	<[Dune]Valea>	ah, thank you...
[22:37]	<[Dune]Valea>	i'm glad to be able to help.
[22:39]	<[Tesla]Enrica>	So, now that you've taken care of that, is there something I can do?
[22:41]	<[Dune]Valea>	ah, we'll need some side dishes, i guess.
[22:41]	* [Dune]Valea	doesn't look away from her work as she tends to cooking the steaks one-handed.
[22:41]	<[Dune]Valea>	could start with a salad?
[22:42]	<[Tesla]Enrica>	That should be easy enough.
[22:42]	<[Tesla]Enrica>	Isabella, where could I find ingredients for that?
[22:43]	<[huh]Isabella>	Ah...
[22:44]	<[huh]Isabella>	Produce is the far left refridgerator, if oyu want croutons they're in the pantry on the left.
[22:44]	<[huh]Isabella>	Sauces should be in the pantry near there, and cheeses in the fridge to the right of the produce.
[22:47]	<[Tesla]Enrica>	Alright, thanks.
[22:48]	* [Tesla]Enrica	proceeds to get and assemble the salad's ingredients.
[22:49]	* [Dune]Valea	continues tending to the steaks, but stops for a moment as an idea suddenly comes to her.
[22:49]	<[Dune]Valea>	-oh.
[22:49]	<[Dune]Valea>	Isabella?
[22:49]	<[huh]Isabella>	huh?
[22:50]	<[Dune]Valea>	ah, if you're cold like that, do you think having a dress that size would help, at all?
[22:51]	<[huh]Isabella>	Yeah. But I can't make one, and Cassie certainly can't.
[22:54]	* [Dune]Valea	finishes up the batch of steaks, and sets the pan holding them to the warming element.
[22:54]	<[Dune]Valea>	I know some sowing, so...
[22:54]	<[Dune]Valea>	maybe i could make you one?
[22:55]	<[huh]Isabella>	Really?
[22:55]	* [huh]Isabella	clasps her hands together.
[22:56]	* [Dune]Valea	nods and smiles happily.
[22:56]	<[Dune]Valea>	yeah.