Bit of darker stuff, forewarning in case of upset

Pip had taken Okia to Abeth's workspace. It was the quietest part of the house, "which is saying something," Pip joked, "this place is never quiet."

"Mm." Okia hummed in agreement. "I see Tob makes as much noise for them all."

"Oh no, don't!" Pip laughed. "I love Tob, he's such a sweetheart." She perched herself on the edge of the desk, letting Okia take the chair. Abeth had left some of her plans out. Okia took a moment to examine them, not touching, just looking over. "She's an architect." Pip said proudly. "She's designed villages, towns, even worked for royalty."

"Really?"

"Yep! Her work is probably the most famous in the region." Okia looked up from the work, brow knitting slightly. Pip's expression softened, smile dimming. "Alright." She said. "Alright. I said I'll tell you some of it. Some." She stressed when the spark of defiance sprang in the girl's eyes. "But it's really not… ideal."

"I know. Mama still struggles with it now."

"How is she?"

"Better. When we were little, I… I remember her having… the nightmares never seemed to stop. She didn't even have to be asleep to get them. It would… it would affect her abilities; she couldn't always control it. Papi used to fight her with a mop on better days."

"That sounds like Nidas." Pip agreed with a small laugh.

"She was doing really well. But she's been… quiet, since Bibi started seeing Lody. What happened with the Fae?"

"Bad." Pip shook her head. "Really, really bad."

"But what? And what did the human do?"

"Isa and Nidas were Exiled shortly after she got back."

"Back?"

"Mm-hm. The human, he hired a mage. I don't know the full reason, I don't think Isa does either, but they kidnapped her for… experiments, in a way. The mage dampened her connection to her nature. That's how they took her."

"Took her where?"

"Don't know. We spent nearly a winter looking for her, but we never did find her. Not until the Fae-" Pip stopped herself, biting her lip. Okia frowned. "You said you saw her scars."

"Some. Her arms."

"The human and the mage did those. Testing her pain tolerance, she reckoned, and not just on her arms. All over." Pip's expression darkened, grip tightening on the edge of the desk. Okia leaned forward, a question on her lips. "Anything they could do to cause her pain, they did. Anything." She fixed a steely look on Okia, imploring and cautionary. Okia… wasn't sure. It had never really been confirmed, but she suspected. She just never asked. How could she? It wasn't something you brought up; it wasn't anything to be brought up.

Pip must have understood. She inclined her head, grimacing. "She miscarried." She said. "She said the human came in again, he came in every night. She was… bleeding, heavily. And he just laughed." She fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. Okia's blood turned cold.

"He didn't-?"

"He did."

"While she was-?"

"Yep." Pip nodded solemnly. Okia's lungs failed, constricting. Tears pricked her eyes, she shook her head. "I'm sorry." Pip said, touching her cheek gently. She swept her thumb under her eye, her own brimming with tears. "Oh, bubba, I'm so sorry."

"N-no, I… I did ask." Okia croaked, sniffing in a shaky breath.

"Do you want me to-?"

"No. I… I need to know." She took Pip's hand, her own trembling. Pip shifted closer, kissing the top of her head. "What… what was next?"

"It was near impossible to figure out when this happened. Isa was so lost within herself, time just meant nothing. From what we guessed though, she… she miscarried maybe two or three quarters before we found her."

"You- you said you didn't find her until the Fae? What happened with the Fae?"

"Um… the human, he… he full-named her."

"No…" Okia squeezed Pip's fingers, fury burning under her skin. "What… what did he make her do?"

"No." Pip shook her head.

"They told Bibi."

"Then wait for them to tell you. Don't be angry. It's for Isa to tell."

"But you've told me everything else."

"No. No, there's more to it."

"More? What more?"

"I said some." Pip reminded her, tone gentle and apologetic. "I don't want to cause you more upset."

"I want Mama to be OK."

"We all do." Pip assured. "But it's one part of her life she wants to forget, don't let it stop her progress."

"I wouldn't, I-" But Okia could feel her temper cooling. If she ever caught this human or the mage, or preferably both, things would most certainly be different. Upsetting her mother to satisfy her own curiosity, however… it was not worth it.

"I DID IT!" The shout made them both jump. "I DID IT, I DID IT, I DID IT! I KNOW HOW TO HELP BIBI!" Okia was on her feet and first out the door. Lody beamed when she saw her, landing in front of her. "I translated it and I know what to do!"

"And it'll work?"

"Yes! But we do need one thing…" Lody's triumph turned meek, drumming her fingers on her book.

"Oh no. What is it?"

"Um…" Lody wrestled with the book, balancing it on her arm and batting through the pages. She showed Okia the text upon finding it, although Okia could not read it. "You wouldn't happen to have another blood imp squirreled away somewhere, do you?"

"No. Wait, what do you mean another?"

"Yes." Erseus agreed, startling them. He frowned down at Lody. "Another?"

"Uh…" Lody said brilliantly, smiling and backing away.

"No, no, it's fine." Ni said, butting in, Char still on his hip. "I mean, we're only fresh out of blood imps, seeing as they were all rounded up and killed during the war, but I'm sure one will conveniently turn up."

"Weeeelllllllll," Pip was there, grimacing and smiling sheepishly, "we actually do know a blood imp."

"No?"

"Yes."

"Nah-uh." Erseus threw his hands up and moved away from the group.

"It's true!" Pip insisted, going after him. "You know it is!" She grabbed his arm, glaring at him. "How can you even deny it, Ers? Look what happened to her, look what he made her do."

"I know, but-"

"Blood imps are the result of water imps who went through trauma." Pip reminded him. "It's part of her nature now, it can't be changed."

"Isa?" Ni said quietly. "She's… she can do that?"

"Yes. She doesn't like it any more than we do, but it's what she's got." Pip pulled on Erseus's arm. He scowled and looked away. "We have to go, now." When he said nothing, she sighed and turned to the fairy. "Lody, how would it work? What would Isa have to do?"

"Oh. Um. It's not… it's not a Deprivation. You can't actually Deprive an imp, but it's close. It's Blocking." She showed Pip the book, although she could not read it either. "The lack of their element closes the magic's general routes. It can't flow as well because the magic's weakened and that's why the marks go black. Whatever energy she has left, it's keeping her alive, that's it, but not for long. Isa would have to reverse it."

"Reverse it?"

"Mm. Unblock it, I guess. It's basically a big zap of energy pulled from the victim's blood. It'll restart them, in a way, but they'll need to be put in their element preferably beforehand or within the minute otherwise-" Lody glanced at Okia, pressing her lips together.

"Otherwise what?" Okia demanded. Lody mumbled incoherently, coiling her hair around her finger. "What?" Lody winced, tripping through her words in a rushed squeak;

"She-could-die-or-turn-into-a-mindless-blood-thirsty-monster, mm, what was that, I think I hear someone calling me. Toodles!"