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Strength and Wheel are in the bar.

Strength is sitting at the piano plunking at the keys, playing some atonal melody.

Wheel is looking at a tarot deck she'd picked up last night. Something she'd decided to acquire in order to help her understand recent events better. As well as to simply have one at hand.

After all, what's a tarot card without a tarot deck?

They're both not terribly busy today, despite appearances.

Unless ... trouble shows up, that is...

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He appears with his sister not too far behind.

When tarot cards begin to congregate, it's best to keep your distance.

"You should take lessons, sister," Ruin points out to Strength as Moon slides up to sit upon the piano.

Okay. Today trouble has a different name.

"Normally I'm better than this," Strength says casually. Getting angry won't help right now. "I've just got much on my mind."

She hits one of the keys, striking a most disagreable note and frowns.

Idiot gods and their idiotic followers... Why do they have to be so difficult?

Moon winces as Ruin flops down into a chair.

"What weighs on your mind?" she asks, though the glint in her green eyes shows she does, indeed, know. However, she likes to ask, not assume.

A good strategy to have.

Strength gives up the piano. Tonight is just not a night for music, even though it would cheer her up. Maybe later she'll borrow someone's iPod and listen to it.

"I suppose for some, showing a little sympathy for those in plight is too hard for them to try to overcome," she says tightly.

"Asar-Suti and Strahan," Wheel explains. "Their ideas of repaying the kindnesses of others."

"Asar-Suti can be quite the interferring one," Ruin points out flippantly. "And I show sympathy to people who deserve it. It's just, I don't see anyone around lately who deserves it."

Moon glowers at Ruin before turning back to Strength. "Everyone has their specialties, and no one is proficient in them all. Have they repaid some sort of kindness in an unkind way?"

Wheel narrows her eyes at Ruin. He had better not be preparing to abuse Rabastan, not when he's in the cells to keep him from attacking the patrons.

And sighs. No point getting bent about it. Not yet, anyways.

"Through word though not deed," Strength says, weary. "The Lestrange wizard took Strahan to his world just before the doom clock was neutralised. And was savaged by werewolves, much to the twisted amusement of god and sorcerer, who took it upon themselves to abuse his character at a time when Lestrange couldn't speak for himself."

It sounds a little silly—and maybe a little childish—for one to take umbrage over such things, but this is Strength, and to her, kicking a man—verbally, in this case—while he's down is Just Not Done.

Moon frowns.

"Ah. Yes. Rabastan. I have been neglectful of his path for several weeks now. With various things happening -- especially that Clock -- I let it slip. How does he fare?"

"I don't believe he would fault you for thinking of something more pressing than himself at the time," Wheel assures. "But as to his well-being, we spoke with his physicians shortly after our conversation with Strahan and the god, and they are cautiously optimistic that he will make as full a recovery as he can, given the circumstances."

In other words, he could die, but they're doing all they can to prevent this.

Ruin shrugs.

"Death is a part of life. Wheel, you should understand that," he points out. "Just one more sentient to pass through the worlds."

"Hush you," Moon chides as she glares at him. "Is he able to have visitors?" she asks Wheel, curious to see Rabastan.

"I am perfectly aware of this fact. If it is Rabastan's time to die then he will die. It is the physicians who are determined to see that he lives. I, on the other hand, am content to wait this out, to see how the wheel turns."

Strength just gives Wheel a Look.

"Don't tell me you want the young man to die?"

"I said nothing of the sort. I am simply observing the outcome of this."

"Sometimes ... even you can be difficult..." She sighs. "Visitors? I believe he is permitted them. They allowed me and Wheel, and even Strahan was given an opportunity to see the patient, though his reasons were doubtless to make sure we didn't get there first."

"What does Strahan want with him?" she asks, tilting her head and swinging her legs.

Ruin smirks, his eyes glittering as he watches the three women talk.

"I wish I knew," Strength admits. "That man wants something, there's no doubt to it."

"He intends to use Rabastan to further a goal, just as he uses everyone." Wheel.

"How do you know that?"

"An inadvertent side-effect from that time I met him while guised as a Cheysuli warrior. Betimes I have asked myself how that was, but my theory is that, in being something from Strahan's world, a channel was opened that allowed me to know him and his world, or, what was known at that time. It is most curious—"

"Could you just give us the simple version Wheel? I'm sure Occam is quite willing to part with his razor for you."

Wheel glares. "I touched Strahan while in the form of a Cheysuli warrior and for reasons unknown I learned much about him and the kind of man he is. Satisfied?"

"Convenient that," Ruin chuckles. "Kind of like how I just... know... what causes those I visit the most pain. It's not as if Gorlim volunteered all that I knew." He's still rather proud of that one. It turned out better than he had planned. "Still. What do we care what happens to this Rabastan?"

Moon frowns again. "I care for the sake of the man."

"You lot would," he replies, ordering tequila on the rocks. "Getting involved in things not directly relating to you. I think this place is having a poor effect on us."

Strength gives Ruin a Look despite being touched by Moon's sentiments. "You do not intend to visit Rabastan solely to cause him more pain than he's already in? He's lucky to have survived at all; he doesn't need you to push him over the edge."

"It may be too late for that, sister," Wheel says depressively. "Becoming a werewolf might not tip him over but the thought of being a threat to all he cares for would. Especially Gorlim. And all the children who call Milliways home."

"You're saying he might commit suicide?"

"I did not say that. But I do say he might go mad, and it will not be because of the beast that now lives in him, though admittedly being of two incompatible minds—man and wolf—would also drive him insane."

"That's not going to happen. Not on my watch."

"Not as if you can stop it." Ruin takes his drink from the rat. "If he goes mad, so be it. One more nutcase for our sister to look after."

"You should know," Moon snaps, her voice sharper than normal. "You've sent enough to my door over the years." She looks at Wheel and Strength. "And has he told you? About the girl? Mary Anne? She's accepted the offer to become one of us. That has also been on my mind, which is why Rabastan's journey to his world went unnoticed." She sighs, hugging herself. "She is already seeing alternate paths sentients aren't supposed to see, so I guess it's the best thing for her, but..."

Moon shakes her head. "Where is the wizard now? The infirmary?"

Wheel and Strength both give Ruin Looks Of Disapproval.

"Your last question first," Strength says. "I believe he has been transfered to the holding cells, as, according to what I have heard, he was bitten too late to be given the potion that calms werewolves. There is one night left for him after tonight; Saturday should see him back in the infirmary."

"She has?" Wheel says, pleased. "Journey should be happy to hear that; he's been waiting to hear news like this for a long time now. Mortals these days are more concerned with taking their own spiritual paths, believing that only they can carve out their life's roads. He sometimes feels as though no-one needs his guidance any more."

"I will have to visit him there, then," Moon murmurs thoughtfully. "Tonight. I will go tonight."

Ruin sighs, sipping his drink. "Yeah. Sure Journey'll be thrilled. The nineteeth is when she'll come to our world to do it." He looks at Wheel. "We'll see if she realizes it's all it's cracked up to be then, huh?"

"Such faith you have in Mary Anne," Wheel remarks. "It's ... inspiring ... to the right people..."

Wheel was envisioning the man who steered a thousand boats, taking people on journeys of invariable natures.

After all, it was what the sixth Sword-sibling did best.

"Are you sure it's safe to do that?" Strength asks hesitantly. "I mean, if he's transformed he won't recognise you. He might even attack."

Clearly, someone else has been doing research on werewolves...

Moon raises an eyebrow. "And what would happen if he does? I ruin a dress, but nothing more than that. I can't become a werewolf, and he can't kill me. I think we may be the best to meet with him at this... trying time."

"That's me, Wheel. The Inspire-o-matic," Ruin mumbles into his glass.

Wheel grins inwardly, wondering if she'd managed to nettle her brother in some way.

Maybe.

It's Ruin though; can you really be sure?

"No. We can't die, can't be cursed unless it's by the ones who made us, but I can only imagine how it would affect young Lestrange to learn that he had hurt someone he cares about very much?" Strength's envisioning Rabastan prostrated before an indifferent Moon, begging for forgiveness. "You'll do what you intend, but I wonder what it'd do to his psyche the next day..."

She tilts her head as her brother sulked in his chair.

"If he is imprisoned, how could he do me harm?"

Now Wheel is grinning. Apparently she did get to Ruin.

And grinning, she begins to go through her newly-acquired cards.

"I suppose, imprisoned, he can't. But I still wonder how it'd affect his mind. I mean, becoming a beast that has no control over its actions. No, he wouldn't be able to lay claw or fang on you, but the fact that he tried to..."

That's her theory at least.

"We won't know unless I try." She smiles gently, running her fingers through Ruin's hair. "Besides, if he is to go mad, I might as well be there when he does, no?"

Strength would say something more, something that would protest this move, but no, she doesn't.

Moon's right after all. Someone has to be there for him, and it should be someone who would understand Rabastan's mental fragility the most.

"He really does need someone to be there for him..."

She nods, hopping down off the piano.

"I will be a good girl, Strength," she promises. "I won't... provoke him..."

Even though she was very good at provoking.

Ruin just snorts, kicking back the last of his tequila.

But not as good as Ruin?

"I've read enough about them; they react poorly to humans."

"But we aren't human, are we?" Wheel points out. "I'm sure that even a werewolf can tell the difference between human and beings that only look human?"

"Again, we'll have to see." Moon pauses to kiss Wheel and Strength on their cheeks, dropping one to the top of Ruin's head, and hops off toward the office.

Ruin glowers at his empty glass. "I think I need to head to some god awful country and torment someone."

"We will," Wheel says as Strength moves over to sit next to her sibling, admiring the cards as they're examined one by one.

"That one. I like that one."

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