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[wise_maiden]

[Action]

[Every time Raine managed to convince herself that she was used to the situation, that she could deal with it, some aspect about the hallucinations would change, and that process would start all over again. By Saturday afternoon, that feeling was almost oppressive. After talking to Albert in the living room, Raine finally decided to step

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[action]

[chikaidestroyer]

[Albert has been trying to keep himself distracted from the current state of Luceti. He spends time with the restless Rune, who fled into the house while the birds had disappeared. The tiny owl stays inside the house, as if hiding out from the rest of the world.

He returns to the living room about 20 minutes after last speaking with Raine, having knocked on her door to see if she had returned to her room. Next he inspects the kitchen before heading out to the porch, ignoring how the lights seem to flicker ominously -- another hallucination, surely.

The porch is empty. Down at the bottom of the steps sits the headpiece of Raine's costume, caught on the corner of the step.

He stares out at the night, as if trying to process what had happened. But the fog keeps him from journeying out, and he knows all too well that anything could happen so close to the Halloween holiday.

Holding the headpiece, Albert retreats back into the house.]

[action]

[mydearapple]

[And while Albert isn't spending time with Rune, Caesar just might be. He even purposely waits for his brother to leave before he decides to visit the little owl - he hadn't seen it since before this time last year. It was almost strange to think of how long it had been, and that was exactly why he never thought of it.

But maybe Caesar actually likes the tiny owl, and that's why he waited for his brother to leave before he went to see it. And in fact, he's so caught up with the owl that he doesn't even have a chance to disappear before Albert returns. He completely forgot about not wanting to be seen with it.]

[action]

[chikaidestroyer]

[The owl grouses much like a grumpy old man with its eyes shut and head down. But Rune is awake and clicking his beak once in awhile as he perches on the side table, near Caesar. The bird's large eyes open as Albert shuts the front door.

Albert frowns as he enters the living room, looking at his brother and the bird. Instead of acknowledging the problem he had seen just a few moments ago, he simply raises a brow at the two.]

[action]

[mydearapple]

[Despite Rune's reaction, Caesar doesn't even look over when Albert enters the living room. It's such a normal thing for Albert to be around now that he doesn't even think about it. Well, you know, not until it occurs to Caesar that Albert's just looking at them, anyway.

He finally turns to look at his brother, and in that moment, he remembers that at one point, he was trying to be sneaky about visiting the owl.

Oops. Caesar looks at Rune again.]

Looks like we've been caught.