If Anni had learned anything over the last two days, it was that the twins were excellent cooks. If she had learned anything else, it was that the twins were excellent cooks. The girls lives seemed to revolve around their clothes, their hair, and a pot over the campfire. As such, if Annie wanted to hang out with them, she was in the camp 'kitchen.' If the girls wanted Annie to hang out with them, there wasn't much they wouldn't do to get her there.

They were, to say the least, assertive, which was likely explanation enough for her current appearance.

The girls were cooking dinner and were slicing, dicing, salting, seasoning, and stirring to their hearts' content. They had deigned to delegate a chopping task for Annie, and had been chattering and laughing the whole time.

"No, no, but then he goes, 'Oh, so there are two of ye then?'" The girls dissolved into giggles.

"I couldn'a believe it," Sidzara gasped.

"Don't I know it," Tomeia agreed. She turned to Annie, "Would'yeh believe he couldn't tell us apart to save his life?"

If Annie had learned anything over the past two days, it was that she couldn't see a darn thing past her brand new, bright pink bangs. If she had learned anything else over the past two days it was that--AAAAUGH, MY HAIR?! WHAT THE CLOCK DID THEY DO TO MY HAIR?!

It had taken the better part of that first day for her to get used to not killing her new cousins.

And now, here she was, chopping carrots by a campfire, half able to see what she was doing, and occasionally stopping to blow her bangs out of her eyes. It was a new experience for Annie, considering how it had only been a few days before that her hair hung loose below her shoulders, a deep brown. It now barely covered her ears and was blindingly blonde, purple and pink all at the same time. Jonas is gonna have a heart attack once I get back t'the office, she thought as she shook her head. She'd been shaking her head a lot lately, although she wasn't entirely sure if it was the sudden loss of locks or simply her constant shock and amazement every time she saw her head in a reflection somewhere.

Annie chopped the last few bits of carrot before looking up at Tomeia.

"I would. B'tween th'two o' ye, I can't tell if'n I'm lookin' at two folk er if I just been drinkin' too much an' am seein' double." She blew her hair out of her face again. "'Course, I'm lucky if'n I can't see nothin' what with this hair gettin' in me eyes all th'time. Did ye haveta chop it so short? It don't reach my ears no more."

The girls laughed. They had quickly come to love Annie's quick wit and earnestness. In return for it, they had stuck to as much estuan and as little tek as possible, so that they could more readily enjoy the conversation.

"But it's so cute," Sidzara told her.

"Absolutely adorable," Tomeia agreed.

"Works well with your face."

"Oes."

Tomeia took the chopped carrots and added them to the pot over the fire as Sidzara checked the cakes in their dutch oven.

"Perfect! They'll be ready by the time Purgi gets back for dinner," She grinned.

"Where'd he go today? I haven't seen him atall the last coupl'a days. Yeh think he's got somethin' wrong?"

"Eh, likely a chip. Remember last year," Tomeia said.

"Oes," Sidzara agreed. She leaned over to Annie conspiratorially, "Last fest he strung along four chips what found him out on St. Grumbles when they spied him givin' same gifts'a each of 'em." She giggled behind her fingers.

Annie ruffled the back of her own hair with one hand and combed her bangs back with the other.

"Cute, maybe. But it'll do nothin' fer me journalistic credibility. I jus' hope m'editor don' relegate me to nothin' but desk work once I get back t'Vienda. I could get in easy 'nough with humans an' wicks afore. Now...well, now there ain't no guessin' which one I belong with."

Annie was begining to get used to the random tek words the girls were throwing into the conversation. She figured since it was their primary way of communicating, it was only natural they'd slip a few in here and there. When she'd first come to the camp, Annie had been conscerned that her non-use of tek would be a drawback to her acceptance with the Crows, but once the Wonder Twins had gotten done with her, people didn't seem to mind so much. In fact, she'd started slipping a word in here and there on her own end of the conversations.

"Oes? That prolly weren't the smartest idea he ever had. Ain't metta gal yet what likes findin' out they're one o' a quartet." She shook her head and chuckled a little. Annie didn't want to say it in front of the girls, but she was starting to think Purgan didn't care much for her.

"Hesta, beatas," Purgan had arrived. " What'choo chips yappin' onnabout?"

He leaned over the girls and planted kisses on their heads while he reached around them to pick at the food they were preparing. Sidzara gave his hand a little smack, "Tellin' Anini 'bout'cher r'mantic adventures las' maw."

"Oes?" He gave Annie a mere glance before planting himself on the opposite side of the fire. He apparently didn't feel much like talking on the subject.

"Aye. Somethin' about givin' out the same thing four times t'four differnt ladies? If nothin', I'm impressed ye were able t'get 'em on that long. The women I know woulda found out long afore the end of the festival," Annie added with a smirk. She'd moved on to chopping mushrooms now, but was still more than capable of paying attention to the conversation. "I can't decide if'n ye deserve a medal er a smack on th'back o' yer head."

Conversations between the three siblings were fun to watch, but much less so to participate in. Tomeia and Sidzara didn't seem to mind Annie much; in fact, they'd all but called her 'sister'. Purgan, though...he seemed to be a different story completely. Ain't got much t'say when I'm around, or if he does, it ain't more'n a few words here'n there. She hadn't shown it, but the reporter was not only acutely aware of her new cousin's non-vocal feelings, but was far more than worried. If these guys were her family, which she was more and more certain they were, she really wanted them to like her.

Annie had finished the mushrooms, and looked up at Tomeia as she handed them over, debating about asking a question. She took a breath, and made her choice.

"So Tomeia, I gotta ask...obviously my last name ain't November by birth. I'm guessin' it's somethin' Nata thought up just so's I'd have a name t'go by. What was me pap's full name?"

Purgan responded with a look of disdain, but the twins erupted in giggles.

"That's what we a'told'im!" Tomeia said.

"Stringin' those girls along, as long as'e did, without gettin' caught? Yeah, lots'a kovs were impressed," Sidzara told her.

Purgan gave a half-hearted laugh along with the girls, as if trying to appease them but still begrudging Annie's presence.



"Oh? His name was Mihai Prisani," Sidzara said, shifting coals around the little oven.

Purgan snorted, and the girls looked at him questioningly. He didn't even try to hide his grin as he said, not without some maliciousness, "She's Annie Prisani."

The girls went into giggles again, Tomeia launching herself at Annie to give her a hug, "Aw, its so cute!! I love it!"

Purgan's look didn't go unnoticed, and neither did his laughter when Sidzara said her father's last name. Then again, Annie had her own look--one of extremely disappointed shock.

Annie allowed Tomeia to latch on with a bear hug (she'd gotten used to it over the past two days), but it didn't change her facial expression any.

"Ye'll hafta excuse me if'n I keep November instead. It fits better on a By Line, an' I ain't sure how keen I am on rhymin' nomenclature." Time to let fly a few dogs o' war. "Although, it seems Purgi seems awful entertained by it. Wonder why that is, eh?"

"Aww," Tomeia said with a sigh, "Well, if you're sure..."



"Because it's so cute," Sidzara said, "Just like you!"

Purgan gave her a glare and turned to his sisters, "What'cha doin' with'is tsat? She's practically a nattle, an' she ent e'en vroo. Dabrunno's'a drifter an' a toft. She don' wanna be tekka, she's jus' jonsin'a head back urbo. Betcha the chip's jus' like her da, an' you're treatin'er like a beata, like fami, an' she ent. She ent, an' no manna foe's gonna make 'er tekkaa. She's still jent. What'she 'spect, 'at we're gonna waste all our ging ta support'er an' take 'er back urbo? We don' hear from 'im fer maw, an' up pops 'is girl? How manna more 'e got, eh? Betcha there's fair manna, an' they're all mung, laoso dolts. Tsuter gone an' left us with 'is spitch, jus' like 'e did daoa all 'em maw back."

He used so much tek it was obvious he was trying to make a point to all three girls.

He hopped up and stalked over to the kint, slamming the door and locking himself in.

While he spoke, the girls looked uncomfortable, growing progressively more upset as he went. They looked like they had heard this before, and hadn't wanted Annie to know. They knew he didn't like her, but had been hoping and praying that she would grow on him. Things obviously weren't going as they hoped. Sidzara gave her a wan smile, not sure what to say after the explosion.

Apparantly, the dogs of war had bitten off more than they could chew.

Whilst Purgan was on his tyrade (three quarters of which Annie couldn't fully translate, although she more than got the gist), Annie was more shocked and surprised than anything. She knew he didn't much care for her, but she didn't know it was quite to the extent of loathing he obviously held. However, she knew what 'ging' meant, and she was quite certain she knew what 'jonsin' a head back urbo' meant, and her math skills being what they were, putting two and two together caused no trouble whatsoever. In fact, the implications Purgan made not only added up in her brain, but they got her fighting mad.

The girls might have looked a bit sheepish, but there was little doubt they'd noticed Annie's face slowly turning a darker shade of red; by time their brother had locked himself inside the kint, the reporter wick's hair seemed to be glowing. It wasn't, of course. It was simply the way the bright of the blonde lay against the crimson of Annie's face. Her lips curled up in a dog-like sneer, her teeth bared, and her eyes all but shooting flames.

"There ain't a man alive what's insulted my honor an' got away with it," she growled, staring holes at the closed door. "Kin or no kin, we's about t'throw down."

Annie pushed the girls away from her forcibly, one on either side with each arm. "Sorry 'bout yer kint door. I'll fix it later, ye chen?" Without giving them a chance to answer or even react, Annie marched to the kint and, using every ounce of muscular strength she had in her right leg (which was a considerable amount, considering all the footwork she'd done in her life), kicked the door off the lock.

"Ye got some nerve, bucko!" She snarled at Purgan. "Fer one thing, ye're makin' assumptions what don' need t'be made. Fer another, ye've insulted my pride, an' frankly, that don' sit well with me. That don' sit well at all!"

To put it blandly, Purgan was shocked and appalled. What's more, he was rather angry, and distressed at the condition of his door.

"What the- you- I ent makin' assumptions, chip, I know yer kind. The same as yer laoso da. Goin' through tough times, eh? Comin' after yer fami wit'cher hand out, lookin' for ging an' hopin' ta wring us dry. Yer da all but killed Daoa, an' I ent about to let'cha do it ta my fami! Havakda!"

As he spoke he seemed to bristle, with a fire in his own eyes and his hair seeming to lift off his head with electricity. He stepped closer, backing the shorter girl out of the kint like an angry garmon. The twins watched in shock as they came outside, wondering if they should intervene.

Never in her life had Annie backed down from a fight, and she sure wasn't about to start now.

"Know me kind, eh? An' what kind might that be, pilgrim? The kind what gets left fer rags an' trash on a doorstep as a babe? The kind what gets raised by a woman who knows only enough vroo t'get by, but don't teach it to the wick what's growin' up in her spare room? The kind what goes urbo an' makes a decent livin' on her own wit' no help from nobody 'cause that's all she thinks she has? The kind what finds out she actually do has family, an' when she tries t'meet 'em an' essplain who she is, gets it thrown back in her face like she ain't worth the dirt her feet are on? Is THAT the kind ye know, Purgan?! Because if it is, then you sure as all Hells know my kind! But if it ain't...well. If'n it ain't, then maybe ye'd best take yer head out yer arse an' give yer ears a cleanin'."

Annie braced her feet and squared her shoulders. She wasn't tall by any means, but height meant nothing in comparison with her ferocity.

"Aye, that's right, give 'em a good hard scrubbin' t'get the muck out an' maybe ye'll start hearin' what I been sayin'. Ain't once since I got here have I asked fer anythin'. No money, no food, no clothin', not even a haircut, but I'll be danged if I didn't get it anyway. I don't want no helpin', I don't need no helpin'. I been takin' care o' myself in a whole city full o' strangers--galdori strangers, Purgan. The type what don't like my kind. Our kind. An' here I am, just extendin' a hand an' a smile, doin' a fare share aroun' the kint'n'camp since I don't quite have nothin' else to contribute, an' what do I get in response? Prac'ly spit in the face by me own blood."

Here eyes narrowed as she glared at her cousin, stepping forward so she was just about under his chin. "I'm sorry fer what me pap did t'yer daoa, I am. But. He. Ain't. Me." She punctuated each word with a jab at his chest with her fingers. "He ain't me by a long shot, an' I ain't never gonna be like him. Don' hold an anger at me what oughta be directed somewhere else."

Purgan drew himself up, standing a full head-and-a-half taller than Annie. He looked every moment on the verge of interrupting her or strangling her (the latter being an extension of the former), but he was settled into a glare that spoke volumes.



The twins looked slightly hurt by this statement. Annie had protested the entire time they had been giving her that makeover, but it was just their way of showing that they cared and accepted her. They seemed to shrink an inch or two, but it may have been due to the unfolding events as much to their emotional injury.



His face went splotchy as his ire rose at the physical contact.



"Blood an' fami's everything," he gritted, "So pardon me if'n yours did mine harm an' I hold a grudge."

He grunted a short syllable and annie felt a shove that sent her sliding back a couple yards in the dust. She could taste the salt of the spell and the tingle in the air. Purgan turned to storm off again. He would never hit a girl (a side effect of growing up with two younger sisters), so he was getting out of there before he did something he would regret.

"Oh..."

Never in her life had Annie been hit with a spell.

"...that..."

Especially not one from a guy, and especially especially not one from a family member. She'd been threatened with all sorts of nasty magical attacks in unsigned letters to the newspaper, but they'd all been used to line the birdcages of one of the secretaries' birdcages. This, however, was a real and physical attack that left Annie laying on her back in the dirt, tasting salt.

"...TEARS IT!!"

With a gutteral cry of rage that, years down the line, some would compare to the carnal roar of a hatcher on the move, Annie launched herself at Purgan's back. Her fingernails dug into his back as she effortlessly clawed her way up so that her legs were firmly latched around his middle. She was beyond the point of verbal communication, and made this known with several open handed smacks to the back of Purgan's head, punctuating her feelings with equally vicious screams, several knee-jerk kicks to the chest and a sound boxing of the ears.

"You ungrateful bastard! Ye're not on'y insultin' me, but ye're insultin' yerself! He's blood, he's yer own blood! Ye can't call him names without callin' yerself names, an' ye can't call yerself names without callin' me names, an' ye can't call me names 'cause I'MMA PUNCH YOU IN THE FACE!!"

Annie was not pleased with Purgan.

Annie's form might not have been up to par, but that didn't mean she couldn't hit hard and aim well. Purgan managed to stand for a few moments before dropping flat on his face, with Annie pummeling him from the back. Purgan wasn't quite what one could call pleased, either.

He rolled over with a grunt, reaching around and grabbing at her flailing arms while he cast Gust, knocking her off his back. He twisted her around and pinned her forcefully to the ground, straddling her abdomen and pressing her wrists into the dirt. It was mildly painful and slightly awkward.

"FINE!" he snorted, and she could see she'd given him a bloody nose, "You want to know what'cher da did? Yer so keen on knowin' yer closest kin? Fine! Yer da was always comin' round when he hit tough times. Tough times hit 'im a lot 'cause'a his own faults. An' every time 'e did, Daoa helped'im. She wouldn'a turn her brother down, an' she was givin' to a fault. She done give him everything she had, excepting what she gave her bochi. Da had died years ago, so she was all we had, but she was witherin' away tryin'a keep up with yer da's debts! Sure, he was all well an' good an' everyone loved'im, but they never saw the connection, an' he never saw what 'e was doin' to'er! He didn'a get it! He was practic'ly killin'er. So when she got sick, she couldn't fight it."

His face was fading quickly from anger to sadness, but he still wasn't letting Annie go. The twins held back. So far as they could tell, he hadn't hurt Annie, and they couldn't bring themselves to interrupt their mother's story.

"She asked 'im ta stay when he last came around, but 'e drifted off after a day. Went off gods know where, spendin' her ging. He didn't come ta visit at'all when she was sick, an' was all surprised when he found out she'd died. Bastard didn't give a shit about 'is closest fami. His closest kin," he spat, "An' so if you're 'is boch, I can't see how you're any different if you're comin' 'round here lookin' for yer fami."

He lifted himself up off Annie, trudging over to the fire. One of the twins followed him, going at his bloodied face with a rag. The other held out a hand to Annie to help her up. She didn't know what to say.

When Purgan first pinned Annie, she attempted to struggle her way free, which only served to worsen the situation. But then he started telling his mother's story. She stopped struggling. Tears burned in her eyes, trailing down the sides of her face to mix in with the dirt. Guaril had failed to mention that part of her father's past. If I'da known what I were goin' inter, I'da done things differ'nt, maybe things wouldna happen' like this.

He let go and sulked off to the fire, leaving Annie where she was. She didn't watch him go, or get up and run after him. Instead, she lay on her back, staring at the sky. Family reunions weren't supposed to be so full of drama.

One of the girls helped Annie up, but Annie waved off any additional help at dusting herself or cleaning scratches. Those weren't important. Instead, she tweaked the girl's chin and gave her a sincerely appologetic look before going to join Purgan by the fire. Annie said nothing for a while, mostly because the other girl was cleaning her brother's face, but also because she wasn't entirely sure what to say. She'd always been good with words; sometimes she just needed to sit and let them stew before they came out. Finally, after Purgan's nose had been cleaned and Annie's thoughts had been collected, she knew.

"Almost a month ago now, I left me home in Vienda with a frien' in trouble. Ye ain't experienced quite the trouble we have back in the city, so it's a safe bet ye ain't heard of the Resistance movement goin' on by the humans. Well, t'make a long story short, the 'resistance' took me friend an' kept her hidden away like a captive, waitin' t'spring her on one o' the Higher Ups in the government, somethin' about her bein' his bastard child er somethin'. Anyhoo, they sent her t'me thinkin' to use me as a means t'get their story told. Instead, we made a break fer it, jumped a ship an' holed up in Old Rose fer nigh on two an' a half, three weeks." Annie picked up a stick and poked at the coals, remembering Emme's genuine smile as they ran around, splashing in the water. It made her sad to think of her friend out there on her own. She sighed, and continued.

"I spent just about every dime I had helpin' t'get her out an' away, an' the only reason why I'm here right now is because she wanted me to go on, get away; she said they'd be comin' after us, an' they wouldn' blink an eye at killin' me if'n it meant gettin' her back. I didn' want t'leave her, mind you, but she insisted as best she could. I couldn' turn her down, but it got me t'thinkin' about family. She left the make-shift family she had behind just to get away an' be safe, 'cause she knew the Resistance would harm 'em if'n they had to. I ain't never had nobody t'call me own, much less anybody to worry after or nothin'. All I had were a coupla plants, and Emme every once in a while." More poking at the fire.

"I only tell ye this because I need ye to know: she weren't kin. No blood relations at all. An' if I'd do that fer someone I ain't related to, think o' what I'd do fer one I was. Or three, even." Annie turned and looked at Purgan.

"I ain't the kind o' gal t'go lookin' fer a handout, an' if'n ye want me t'go, I will. But I came here t'find me family, not a mealticket."



*(Don't hate me if I took liberties with Emme, I just couldn't remember what all we said/did, and didn't feel like looking up all those threads.)*

Purgan sat silently as stone through Annie's story. When she finished, he didn't move for the longest time. His face never changed. It looked like he was giving her the silent treatment, telling her to go away, but just when the moment reached its apex, he spoke.

"Alright, then," he said, "I'll take you at'cher word, as I don't take yeh as the lyin' sort," he looked her in the eye, "But I need'ja to know that you'll pull your weight here, jus' like everyone else, got it? We need everyone to pitch in in this Tribe."

He looked into the fire, prodding at his cheek with his tongue and gingerly touching his jaw, searching for any further damage, "Heh. You pack one heckuva wallop, girl."

Annie rolled her eyes and waved off Purgan's words. "Pshaw. I wouldn'a expected less. An' if'n it proves I ain't here fer a quick ride home, I'm all for it." She smiled, a genuine one. "I'll even fix yer door, since I were the one what broke it an' all."

Annie laughed. "See, that's what ye get fer usin' magic onna wick what don' use it much. I fight my fights the hands-on way. Errybody thinks ye're gonna attack wit' a Push er somethin', but nobody' 'spects a good swift right hook." She grinned, and cocked her head at Purgan. "I am sorry fer that, though in my own defense, ye did call me a buncha mean names I couldn' translate an' offend me honor. It were only fittin' I smack ye about fer it."

Annie sat staring at the flames, feeling a little better about things, until she couldn't hold in her questions any more. "Purgan, what'd ye mean, I ain't vroo? I mean, I know what 'vroo' means, but...I use every once'n a while. Don't that count?"

"Well, if ya couln't translate'em, then how d'ya know they were mean names, eh?" Purgan teased, "Y'ought'a learn s'more tek, Ni, it'll help ya in the long run 'round here. I know a coupl'a witches that'd be perfectly pleased to teach ya."

The girls smiled and tended dinner. They were still a bit spun over the argument and fight. They didn't understand boys...

"I don't see why you can't teach'er yourself," Tomeia prodded.

"Mayhaps I can," Purgan said with a lopsided grin.



"Eh, yer field ent that saturated, if'n ya know what I mean. Ya don't cast often enough for it ta really show," he looked pensive for a moment, "Justasec."

Hopping up, he trotted over to the kint and went in. He came back out a moment later bearing a book, and he took a moment to test the door. It wouldn't latch. "Yeah, I'm'a take you up on that offer ta fix the door."

Coming back to the fire, he handed the book off to her, "Here. Spokes Almanac. I don't know if ya got one, but they're danged handy, and if ye ent used to wick spells, the best place to start."

Annie sneered back at the boy, a laugh apparant in her eyes. "It were the facial expressions, boyo. Just 'cause I don't know what yer sayin' don't mean I can't see how yer sayin' it." She nodded. "But I s'pose a li'l learnin' won't do me amiss. Maybe next time I'll be able t'translate right an' then ye'll really know how hard I can hit," Annie laughed.

Annie took the book, eyeing its cover and spine. "I did have a copy once. It were a gift from Nata. Took it wit' me t'Old Rose and somehow 'ernother it, an' everything in me back, got left behind. 'Swhat I get, I reckon, fer leavin' in such a hurry. I di'n use it that often, anyways. Thanks," Annie nodded at the boy. "Although, truth be tol', this 'non-satch'rated' field o' mine is what helps me get in an' out o' peoples an' places what don't care so much fer the magic kind. Ye'd be s'prised at all the juicy bits I've dug up 'cause some folk thought I were human."

She flipped open the book and skimmed a few of the spells, her eyes glinting mischievously. "Then agin, some o' these might not be so bad t'know, either."

"Purgi's working on level three," Sidzara bragged.

"He could teach you," Tomeia grinned.

"Soup's up!" Sidzara interjected.

The twins doled out and handed bowls of something that looked mushy but smelled incredibly good, as well as hunks of bread. Tomeia began whipping together what looked like confectioner's sugar and butter while Sidzara pulled the little oven out of the coals.

"He's actually been teachin' us level two," Tomeia explained, "He's a great teacher, if'n ya wanna learn."

Purgan grinned over his stew, relishing in the twins' praise, "How 'bout this: the gels here can teach'ya tek, an' I'll teach'ya spells. You fix our door an' help around the camp. Savvy?"

Annie grinned at all three of her new-found family.

"That sounds like a right propper plan t'me! Ye've got yerself a deal. An' a student." Annie glanced over at the number she did on the door.

"An' a carpenter. Heh."