Ring Around the Rosies

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Reuben put his glass down, now that he was done with the gin. He nodded as Cepheid and the girls present left, leaving him alone with the man that was his biological father. He stared right back at Andromeda, not intimidated that much by the man. He wouldn't admit that yes, Andy still intimidated him a bit.

"Ugh you... you're impossible!" Reuben thew his working arm up in the air in exasperation. "Will you tell that to Ben too once you find him?! He took me being his brother alright, but you were a completely different story!" Reuben grumbled a bit.

Well, that explained the alcohol. He hadn't really been curious when he had asked about it, instead just trying to make jabs at him. His own inhibitions were lowered, though he obviously wasn't drunk by this point.

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Cepheid focused on cleaning his jacket, completely oblivious to Lapis's antics with his mask, as it hadn't yet occurred to him that he had forgotten it on the deck.


Lapis was, herself, oblivious to the fact that she was being watched, and began flourishing and posing like she had seen The Star Man do when he was on deck, and even when he was out of costume and just messing around. She began trying to mimic some of The Star Man's more difficult quotes, which was a tongue twisting alliteration that could likely only be pulled off with dumb luck or practice.


Finishing his jacket, he inspected it in the light and tilted his head. Hm. Careful application of the right shade of blue ink would take care of the rest of it. Hanging his coat on a rack in the washroom for the sleeves to dry, he stretched and stepped out, walking back to the cabin where Andy and Reuben were talking, his mask still forgotten and still unaware of the little girl who possessed it.

He'd stop by the door and listen in for a moment, gauging the risk of stepping inside or not.

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<sub>Andromeda groaned when Reuben spoke up. Now he was just getting drunk so right now he shooed Godwine away and told her to get some food for the boy, since he probably was hungry and needed some, before he turned around, his expression still stern, not even dawning on him what it might be.

"Yes, I am capable of punishing both you and Ben if I need to-" Andormeda's expression dropped into a fit of confusion and awkwardness. Wait, who was Ben? "Wait, hold a moment. Ben? Who... what?!"

Andromeda just stood there in bafflement. Well, maybe it was a good thing that he dismissed Godwine and Dani. Speaking of which, Godwine had passed by that Cepheid and unfortunately for him... or maybe fortunately, she pinched his side playfully. Oh god. Either way, she relocated to the kitchen to collect some bread and butter, and fruit for the kid.

Dani herself was watching that cute little Lapis. She'd have to tell Cepheid sooner or later, but not right now.</sub>

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Reuben wasn't drunk, silly. However, with all of the factors in play - namely, losing a lot of blood, being dehydrated, and not having much food and water in his system - caused him to get a little tipsy. This just made him chatty and easily annoyed, and if all four of his limbs were working, he would have gotten a lot more physical - like punching Andy. Thankfully, he had only two working limbs at the moment.

"Yeah, you know, Ben, your other son, the one you had no idea where he was," Reuben blinked. Hadn't Andy known about hi- oh. "Oh, right. I haven't run into you since seeing him. Watching him and Sine confront each other that day was the most awkward thing I had ever seen..."

Sorry Andy. Well, you now know that Reuben had run into your "legit" son, at the least? He blinked again at Andy.

"Hey, Andy. Your face looks a lot like a fish right now."

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Cepheid nodded to Godwin as he passed her, and wasn't watching so when she pinched his side, he let out a loud yelp and leapt away, clutching the offended side. He looked after her as she went to the kitchen, trying to regain his wits.

Because of this short delay, Cepheid didn't get to the door in time to hear the context behind the situation, and all he really heard was Reuben saying Andy's face looked like a fish.

Deeming it safe, Cepheid stepped back inside, chuckling. "I'll have you know that I look nothing like a fish, Reuben." He grinned, oblivious to the turn the conversation had taken.


Lapis continued with her game, getting excited and beginning to fight off imaginary foes. However, in her exuberance, she got a little ahead of herself and tried to leap up on a chair. She misjudged the leap and wiped out, slipping and falling right on her butt with a squeak.

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<sub>Dani watched as poor little Lapis, depsite her exuberant excitement around the place, tumbled and fell. She put her hand up to her mouth. Uh oh, was she hurt? She'd run over to her and kneel next to her.

"What a tumble! Careful there, sweetie." She'd pat Lapis on the head. Neither she nor the picky food making Godwine were aware of the situation Andy got himself into.

Andromeda just stood there, staring blankly at Reuben as he spoke up about Ben... Ben, apparently Reuben met his son, and... he met Sine, oh god. This can't be happening. His son was in Seria, after all, and... Ben, Ben... where had he heard that name before?

"... I... Ben... She has my son now...?" Andy leaned against the wall, almost banging into it, finding he just couldn't put use to his legs, which now felt like rubber. He said he was going to find his son first and now Sine probably had him for herself, and... he probably knew exactly who he was now and... how was he ever going to explain this to his ex?

"..." Andy swallowed hard, his face suddenly stiff as he tried and failed to control his emotions, pulling his hair back and looking down at the ground blankly. "... We've got to go to Seria."</sub>

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Reuben stared at Andy. The other seriously did look like a fish, no matter what the heck Cepheid was saying. Either way, he rolled his eyes and turned to the other man as he came in. Really Cepheid? Really? It was as if his entire paternal side was made up of trolls.

"I never said you did, but he does," Reuben said, referring to Andy.

"No she doesn't, they didn't really get along and I think he took off later. I don't remember too well, I was recovering from the flu that you gave me. Besides, what's wrong with you? You've met him already."

Oy, what was this all of a sudden? Going to Seria? Reuben stared at him.

"Pops. Wake up. You're not thinking."

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Lapis was rubbing her sore bottom when Dani knelt next to her. She let out another squeak from behind the mask.

"I didn't steal it, I promise! I found it on the deck!" She exclaimed, not wanting to give Andy a reason to kick her off the ship. "I was gonna give it back, I promise." Aw, poor thing was ready to cry now.



Cepheid stood silently at the door, his smile having faded to an expression of nervous confusion. What the hell did he just walk in on? All he caught was Andy suddenly saying they needed to go to Seria.

"Eh? Didn't you-" He cut himself off. Whatever happened, it had Andy upset. "Andromeda, what's going on?" He glanced to Reuben and then to the gin bottle, checking how much had been drank. He knew most of the girls took a shot, he took one, and he was sure Andy and Reuben took one each as well. Yes, he's checking to see how drunk they were.

He'd then look up from the bottle, setting it down, and wait for an answer of some sort.

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<sub>Daniela smiled at the young girl as she looked like she was about to cry. Aw, nah, you were too cute to be kicked off the ship. She'd ruffle Lapis's hair as she claimed she was going to give it back. of course she knew that! Dani then stood up and helped her up.

"On your feet." She then looked over to Godwine, who was approaching. "It's okay, Lapis. You won't get in trouble. Let's take that back to Cepheid and, oh, I'll take that, Godwine." With short thanks, Dani took the plate of food. Godwine would take that chance to go to her room to rest.

Andy himself was in no better of a situation. The man slid down to sit on the floor and he just stared straight at the wall, listening to what the both of them had to say. Andy looked ready to cry now, unfortunately, but he seemed to be doing well controlling himself, especially in front of Reuben.

"Good. Sine doesn't deserve it, not after what she did." He hissed out loud, as Cepheid came in. He just looked up to his brother and then leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "It's probably not a surprise. Sine and Reuben beat me to finding out who my other son was." He spoke, his voice cracking a bit, before he glared at Reuben.

"Wait, I met him before?" He stared at Reuben stupidly. There was only one person he had met before, at least on a conversation wise, in Seria, whose name might start with Ben.

"Ben... Ben..." And then it dawned on him. Benedict. Benedict was his son. Andromeda half choked on... well, pretty much nothing. He just gasped out loud, his voice cracking a few octaves higher than norm. "That priest boy is Sine and I's son?!"

Holy shiiit...</sub>

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Reuben stared blankly at Andromeda as the other seemed to have a nervous breakdown in front of him. Well, the equivalent of one at the least. If he wasn't drunk and injured, he probably would have gotten out of the bed and tried to hug the man a bit. Either way, something happened between Andy and Sine and it hadn't been that pleasant.

"...I pieced together who he was. What you said and what he said fit and that was the only conclusion. I'm not completely stupid, you know."

Oh boy. It still hadn't clicked for Andy, had it? Reuben nodded silently as Andy asked him whether he had met him before. Come on. He was Reuben's father. He had to be able to piece it together just from the clues.

"Nothing, um... I just realized I don't know your name. I'll just call you Unc," Reuben said, making the shortened form of 'uncle' the new nickname of Cepheid. "Benedict is his son, I just had to tell him that."

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As soon as he walked in and saw his brother's condition, he swooped into action, kneeling by his twin and putting his hands on the other's shoulders, looking concerned. What in the world?

He listened to the bits of conversation and... His other nephew? Andy's 'legitimate' son?

Ceph flinched slightly as his twin's voice raised to octaves not meant for men unless certain parts were under siege, so his wince wasn't too out of place. Yeesh Andy.

He looked to Reuben and frowned slightly at being called 'Unc'. "Cepheid, Ceph is fine." He said, standing. "Here, Andy, you stay with Reuben, I'll take the super arrow to Seria and get some information. I'll meet up with one of the girls in the inventor's alley in Truesdale once I have the information, alright?" He knew Andy wasn't going to wait on anything, so the only way they could get info and not get arrested was to let The Star Man's reputation come into use.


Lapis nodded and sniffed slightly, taking the mask off and watching Dani take the plate of food and walk off. Sad guilty little girl is sad!

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<sub>Daniela, despite having a plate in her hand, would walk off a few steps, turn around, take Lapis's hand, and then return the rest of the way to the room where Reuben was in. She'd press a finger to her lips to let Lapis know they should stay quiet and she knocked on the door and opened to come in. Apparently... whatever conversation had come up, apparently it affected Andy again.

"Oh, Andromeda, you look like you've aged a million years again, what happened this time?" She'd put the plate down next to Reuben for him to scarf down, and then walk over and sit next to Andy as well.

"..." He looked over to Reuben. Despite the amusement of Cepheid being called 'Unc' he really didn't feel like smiling at all or being amused. It was too much on him anyway. He let Dani and Cepheid comfort him a moment, and then looked up again.

"... Alright. I trust you on this. Bring one of the girls as well, if you need their hands. I'll send Daniela or Selena to Truesdale. How long do you think it will take?" He paused and then added. "Oh yes, and if you can get information on who Lapis's parents are, that would be greatly appreciated. Kill two birds with one stone."</sub>

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Reuben shook his head a bit, letting some of the drunkeness wear off. He hadn't been drunk this time, only a little tipsy, so the tendency to be chatty wasn't as strong as it had been several moments ago. He took the plate of food, and looked over at Andy.

"...I'll let him tell you. This looks good." He chewed on the food, finding it rather enjoyable. Andy still seemed a bit messed up, so he just looked over at the three of them on the food together, shifting his position a bit. He didn't like sitting still for so long, but there wasn't too much he could too without injuring his leg further.

"Wait, Lapis...? I know that name." Reuben frowned a bit. Lapis, Lapis... why was that name sounding familiar. Wait. "...Lapis Shard, by any chance?"

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Ceph would have to talk to Reuben later about not calling him 'Unc', it just sounded weird. Like the name of some caveman. Well, later. For now, he had other things to attend too.

Like going to Seria and looking into Benedict. "I'll be fine on my own, don't worry. I've run the Super Arrow by myself for years now and you were the only person to ever board me and not get thrown off the edge. I can be in Seria in four days, it's another six days journey from there to Truesdale, so I'll try to be there in two weeks time, alright?" He smiled at his brother and gave him a clap on the shoulder. "I'm your twin after all. Nothing will slow down a Callidum on a mission." He turned to Reuben as he asked about the half pint shipmate, and was about to answer when said child stepped into the room.



Lapis let out a small squeak as her hand was taken and she was led to the other room. Oh, did she have to give the mask back now? She wanted to play in it a little more! Oh well, her papa wouldn't be happy if he knew she didn't want to return someone else's property.

She paused in the doorway as Dani knocked on it and stepped in, sticking her nose around the frame and looking inside. Ah! The grumpy twin was sad! Even if he could be a little mean, he didn't kick her off the ship when they caught her... But she was just a little girl! What could she do?

She thought back to what her Mommy and Daddy did when she was sad, and got an idea.

Ignoring the conversation, she slipped between the legs of the adults and came to a stop in front of Andromeda, looking at him a moment. Then, reaching up, she pinched his nose lightly and then, putting her thumb between her index and middle fingers, held it up.
"Got your nose. I'll give it back if you smile, kay?"

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<sub>Andy leaned on Daniela, relishing his twin's and his sister/younger mother figure's affection for the moment. he did need it, after all, he learned the name of his son, and Cepheid seemed willing to help him in this situation. He'd nod as Cepheid went to talk about it. Okay, two weeks, he could get one of the girls there at that time.

"Alright, and by then I'll know for sure. Benedict isn't too hard to spot. He's usually on a horse with Old Spice named Lila. Who has attitude. And yeah, Dani, that's my son's name. Benedict." He'd comment. Man, that horse acted like an aristocratic lady sometimes... His head snapped up when Reuben mentioned Lapis. He would have spoken up, but then she came up to him and he just stared at the little girl.

Did she... grab his nose? What was she doing? Andromeda had absolutely no clue what she was doing, considering his deprived childhood, but the sounds coming from Daniela made him wonder if she was going to die from Lapis being absolutely cute. Cute... what an odd thing to say. Andromeda never really considered anything... cute. At the same time it seemed like a really sweet gesture, especially since she was so terrified of him.

Andy grinned. Just an honest, teenagerish grin and he looked down modestly. After a moment, he'd look up to ruffle her hair and then over to Reuben.

"Lapis. I don't know if she's the one you're talking about, but it is an unusual name." He explained to Reuben. "She said she was kidnapped as a child and escaped, except now she's here. Kind of wriggled her way into the girls' hearts." And his, but he would never admit that.</sub>