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"Him and his damn tea..." John joked under his breath with a small grin. He was sure the only way Maximos could die happily was if he was drowned in tea.



John followed the two into the apartment, stooping slightly so he didn't bang his head on the door. He stepped into a room that was cozy, and fit who he thought of Ryugi quite well - unassuming, spartan, perfectly serviceable, yet homely at the same time. "You have a nice place, Ryugi..." He rumbled down to the man with a warm smile, looking to the kitchen through the door to see Maximos and someone he didn't know speaking quietly to one another. He considered going into the kitchen and pilfering their fridge, perhaps even giving Maximos a sneak hug in the process, but decided against it.

"...While I'm all for celebrating a birth with some stiff drinks and songs, its your customs we're following, not mine. I'll have tea with everybody else...but maybe i'll share a story or two, just for the Hel of it." 3nodding

He walked over to the couch besides the TV and sat down cautiously, so as not to demolish the couch with his stupendous weight, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He blinked, ears perking to the sounds of someone heavily breathing and straining - Raven had explained that this was a birth, not a meeting of a baby already born, which was interesting in it's own right, dragon-kin notwithstanding. "How is she doing? Your wife? Uuuuuhhhh....c'mon c'mon... Vargus?"

It was more of a hesitant question then a statement, and his cheeks flushed slightly in embarrisment. Hono'o had told him her name the other day, but due to his....current mental state, he was having trouble keeping hold of things like names and dates...

Anyone who knew Maximos knew enough that despite jovial smiles and a sometimes scatter-brained motif, Maximos did not make it a habit of saying or assuming anything about anyone's abilities that he did not know for an absolute certainty was fact. Coupled with Maximos' excellent choice of wording, the Shadow showed that while he did not, and could not understand Ryudo perfectly, he had a firm grasp of the dragons abilities. At so much as to not underestimate them.

So when Ryudo said, "Enough, Mr. Dark, to know that you are planning a homecoming."

And so when Maximos met the dragon squarely in his red eyes with his mismatched own and in undiluted seriousness replied. "Then you have not learned enough."

The statement ought to have its appropriate weight and impact. This was not an insult, and not a challenge he noted the dragon's seriousness, as made evident by the way Maximos then continued. "I am planning a war."

"By now, if my assumptions are correct, you have noticed the seal around Aria. A seal specifically blocking out remote viewing or travel by those shadow-touched, like you or I. I believe it to be of Reaper design. A Reaper Sanction of my entire realm." He paused, just for a moment to make sure there was no hint or flash of question in Ryudo's eyes at the mention of something as secretive as the Reapers. He was completely confident there would not be, and as such he continued replying to that knowledge without waiting for a reply. "Then you know how dangerous and virtually the act of crossing realms alone is. Especially for our kind. Much less waging a war."

Simply put, Reaper's were not known for mercy. Maximos paused again, his head turning slightly to the side just a hair, a fraction, and then back. He wouldnt bother turning around, the could raise suspicions. Instead he had every shadow in the room on watch, he expected Ryudo did as well. He continued, closing in now, on the point. "I have nearly completed a gate to pierce the seal. A one way trip at best. Your brother agreed to go with me into that place, without any promise of return. A brave act, a noble act, but as I'm sure you can see a fundamentally stupid one considering these current circumstances."

Maximos shook his head, grabbed the nearest spoon or spoon shaped object and stirred the tea. Because appearances were key. "I cannot in good conscience bring a new father into that sort of danger. I cannot rob that child of her parent. And a war is no place to raise a little girl, no matter how quickly your young grow or how resilient they may be. But, I do not believe your brother will simply retire from his word."

"Ryudo." Maximos said, placing down the spoon and once again meeting the dragons eyes. "I need your help in this."

Thank you for the compliment, John. I'm sure your stories would trounce some of mine. Ryugi smiled. As for Vargus, she's fine. A little preoccupied at the moment...but fine.


At the sound of another knock, Ryugi stood up from the couch one again. Up, down, up, down, it was beginning to get tiring. Of course, he knew a few guests were still to come, but such was the duties when playing host on such an important day. He glanced through the peek-hole, spying the familiar face of that frost paladin, and opened the door.

Welcome, Miss Norman. Please, make yourself at home.

"Verily, it is a pleasure."

A courteous bow was extended to Ryugi, one that would be given to those of higher rank. She was taken slightly aback by Ryugi's current appearance, but otherwise kept her composure. Given the occasion, his current state was to be expected.

"Please accept my sincerest apologies for my tardiness, brother."

Alexa didn't mean that in a sibling or relative sense. She was still of the opinion that Ryugi was, in fact, a fellow paladin. Therefore, she afforded him the customs and curtseys one of that 'position' deserved.

"Good day, Miss Raven."

Hono was afforded a curt nod. Alexa had met the woman once before at the Crimson Hawk, but they hardly exchanged any words. That is, outside the ludicrous allegations that Ryugi and Alexa were an item. Hono may have been kidding in earnest, but the frost paladin hardly shared the same sense of humor. All in all, Alexa merely found the woman to be of poor taste, but was otherwise currently indifferent to her.

However, she had learned that Ryugi usually kept good company, so she was willing to 'overlook' the sleight in its entirety.

She then noticed the literal Norse God, whom was sitting all proper as she entered the building, and offered him a short bow. Raising her left hand to her chest, she continued, extending her right hand to shake his.

"I don't believe we've met, sir. My name is Alexa Valerie Norman."

What might be noticed about now is that the relatively nordic-looking woman spoke with a rather peculiar accent. It wasn't anything completely out of the ordinary, but it would seem foreign and 'off' to even the most seasoned travelers in Gaia. For those with experience in such things, it seemed that Alexa was one of the many on Gaia who were plucked from their own realms of existence unwillingly.

Here's the part where she would greet and meet Maximos (and give the minimal courtesies required to Ryudo), but they were in another room. A pity.

The formalities out of the way, Alexa turned back towards Ryugi and spoke.

"How fares the lady?"

John stood, grinning at the overt display of respect and bowing his head to her in return as he gripped her wrist in a warriors handshake, engulfing the poor womans hand much like Ryugi's. "Well met, Alexa. I'm John Tomorrow." the name probably meant nothing to the woman, and his warm smile took less credit from the barbarian reputation John had...

"Nice armour, aren't you hot?" He asked, realising he was getting quite hot too, shucking off his jacket and throwing it over the arm of the couch, for lack of a better place to put it. "You have an interesting accent - is it germanic?"

Hono'o had left him to fend for himself, it seemed, launching her own surprise attack on Maximos. Best to play it carefully - she had not seemed to like this woman before him...

It's quite alright. Short notice and all that. Ryugi returned the bow a bit himself, which looked awkward when he was dressed so casually. He would have said more, but at about that time, she spoke to John, and the two shared a brief exchange of words.
Alexa seemed to ask John for patience as she turned back to Ryugi quickly and asked her second question.

She fares just fine. I'd imagine she's going through quite a lot right now, but she's asked me for privacy, as is our custom, and I'm obliged to give it to her. He then glanced at John and spoke once more. Why don't you and Miss Norman get comfortable by the couch and chat for a while. I'm sure Ryudo and Max should be done with that tea soon.

Of course, across the room, the tea was indeed almost ready, but Ryudo was busy finishing discussion with Maximos, who had been assaulted by an outwardly cheerful young woman.


To say Ryudo didn't care for bubbly cheerful types would be an understatement, but he certainly wasn't above manners. He gave a short curt nod in greeting and his eyes seemed to bore into Hono's. Not with hostility, but there was an intensity about them that Ryugi's generally lacked. He was taking Hono in with all his important senses. Sight, sound, and extra-sensory senses as well. It was faint, but somehow, he felt there was a connection between the two individuals before him. He could detect her elemental ties, which were quite varied, as well as her shape-shifting qualities. His mind recalled a healer that appeared on his brother's Heaven or Hell Teams, and instantly connected two and two to form a final perception of who this woman was. And all this was determined in the time it took him to nod, and reply in greeting.

Pleased to meet you, Lady Raven. After responding to Hono, Ryudo would turn his attention back to the tea, which was quite ready to be served. He went about placing everything in their proper places as he responded to Maximos. As I said, Mr. Dark, my assistance is yours. But for now, let us get the tea to the others. We can always discuss these matters later. With that, Ryudo would move to take the tea to the table where all could enjoy it.

John cleared his throat and waited patiently, clasping his metallic hand in his right. He winced at the sound of somoene grunting and groaning in the other room - childbirth was a messy, ugly experience, no matter how many people cooed and swanned over how glorious it was, and the sheer fact that she was all by herself in that room made John a litle nausous, not because she was trying to do it by herself, but because there were so many things that could go wrong...

But customs were customs. Of course, the Cutting Of The Rose used to be a custom, until those feckless maggots were wiped out centuries ago...but then, this was nowhere near that severe.

He waved his hand to the couch for the armoured woman, smiling politely down to her. "Please, have a seat..." He said, before looking up to see Ryudo bringing out the tea. "Uh, hi, my name's John..." The Asgardian said, holding his hand out for the man to shake once he was done setting the tea down.