"Good afternoon Caramella-san." Yui greeted politely, just like Mama had taught her.
    "How's it going Yui-chan?" Caramella grinned as she stood with her hands on knees so she could meet Yui at her own eye level. "Is your Mom around?"
    "Un." Yui nodded and took the Faerie woman's arm. "She's making lunch right now. Did you come to eat with us?"
    "I really only meant to drop by for tea." Caramella said as she kicked off her shoes at the front door. Her nose twitched as she caught the first faint whiff heralding Mama's cooking. "But maybe I'll change my plans."
    Caramella had been coming by fairly often over the past two weeks to check up on Mama, usually bringing some new ingredient from the market or else just dropping by to Chat. Mama seemed to really like it when Caramella came by, and Papa got along well with her too, so naturally, Yui had taken a liking to her as well.
    Caramella treated her like a real Younger Sibling and had even gone with her and Mama to see the children at Arrun Home. It didn't hurt that Caramella also didn't show any Interest in Papa either, which meant Yui could rest easy knowing that there was no chance of Infidelity.
    "Oh, Caramella!" Asuna poked her head out of the kitchen. "I was expecting you a little later. Why don't you sit on the back porch with our other guests. I'll have lunch done in just a little bit and Kirito-kun should be back soon."
    "Other guests?" Caramella glanced back to the entry and then almost jumped out of her skin as she turned back around and was met by a hovering Hinagiku. "Jesus!"
    "How do you do." The Pixie curtsied in mid flight. "I am Hinagiku, a Shaman of the Garden of Tarbes. You must be Miss Caramella. It is an honor to make your acquaintance."
    "Uh, yeah, likewise." Caramella nodded sheepishly. "So you're Asuna-san's guest?"
    "Yes. Myself and my sisters. Asuna-san has been a most gracious host." Hinagiku replied. "And she has told me a great deal about you Miss Caramella, though… I confess I'm at a loss."
    "Okay. About what?" Caramella asked.
    Hinagiku fidgeted and wrung her hands apologetically. "I thought I was well versed in all of the Fae Tribes, but not yours. Are you perhaps kin to Asuna-san?"
    "My Tribe?" Caramella grinned. "I'm just me."
    This answer didn't seem to sit well with Hinagiku at all, but the minute Priestess didn't try to press the matter either.
    Asuna emerged from the kitchen carrying a tray of nuts that she had baked in honey as a special treat and urging them all to follow her out back. The scent made Hinagiku drool in a very un-Shaman-like fashion before drifting after Yui and a curious Caramella.
    "You're not with Kino today." Asuna noted as she set the tray down on the patio table.
    Caramella's grin widened as she took an offered seat and plucked up a few of the nuts. "I would be. Except Kino has been making  googly eyes at that cat girl for the last week. You know he begged her to help him with his wing work?"
    Asuna scowled. "You better not be teasing him about that." She warned.
    Yui nodded thoughtfully to herself. Kino-san was another of Mama's new friends. Actually, he reminded Yui a little bit of her Papa in some ways. Good ways, and bad ways. Which was why she was happy to see him open[ing up to people his own age now that he had the chance.
    "I'm not!" Caramella raised her hands. "Actually, I'm rooting for him, Silica-chan is a real cutey."
    Instead of softening her tone, Asuna's eyes drooped, "Then you better not be giving him advice that's too forward."
    "Never." The elder swordswoman said neutrally. "Kino's a good kid, and I'll keep him that way." She looked over to the two Knights who were now nibbling contentedly on their own snacks. "Us girls have to keep guys in line, huh."
    Ajisai set her own nut down. "Guys?"
    "You know, boys." Caramella elaborated. "They get themselves into a lot of trouble."
    Ajisai looked on with complete incomprehension. Yui was Tempted to explain but she wanted to see how the Misunderstanding would resolve itself.
    "She means males." Hinagiku elaborated for her sister. "You know, like Dagger Dogs."
    "Oh." Ajisai absorbed this revelation and then very suddenly shook her head. "We don't have those."
    The normally outspoken swordswoman was given pause. "Excuse me?"
    "No guys." Ajisai confirmed.
    "Caramella-chan, you did read about them, right?" Mama raised a hand to hide her smile. "They're born fully grown from flowers in their Gardens. Like Thumbalina."
    "Ajisai and Asuna-san are telling the truth." Hinagiku said calmly as she selected a honeyed nut from the tray and found a seat beneath the shade offered by a vase. "Yggdrasil-sama created us without the need for Gender. When the Light Faeries created the lesser Fae tribes from our errant Sisters, they recreated half in the image of King Oberon and half in the Image of Queen Titania so that they might go forth and multiply across the lands."
    Yui didn't miss the way that her Mama blanched at mention of the Faerie King and Queen. It was very Suspicious, she suspected she would have to ask her about it later. The only other person who seemed to know was Caramella who grinned mischievously.
    "Go forth and multiply huh? Sounds like this 'Faerie Queen' was sort of kinky."
    "Caramella!" Mama said dangerously.
    "Oh no doubt!" Ajisai cut in. "I can't imagine what that has to be like, but it's probably really gross and uncomfortable to have to mate and get all fat like a bitch while babies grown inside your body…" The Vespid Knights eyes widened as she remembered who she was speaking to. She began to wave her arms furiously."I mean… It's perfectly natural for Faeries and stuff, just not for Pixies!"
    Caramella ignored the apology, curiously, Yui noted a slight spike in Caramella's outer body temperature. Capillary dilation was consisted with embarrassment but she didn't seem to be displaying any of the normal social cues. The swordswoman gave a small, shrill, squeek.
    "So… No guys." Caramella mimicked.
    "No guys." Ajisai agreed again.
    Yui expected this to be the end of it.
    "But you have boobs!" The swordswoman emphasized her observation by pointing to Ajisai's chest. Reassesment, Yui blinked rapidly as she corrected her Aberant Social Model, Caramella certainly had an interesting way of thinking.
    The response from all three Pixies was as violent as it was sudden. As one, all three girls crossed their arms over their chests, faces turning bright red. "Caramella-san!" Hinagiku stuttered. "You're not supposed to draw attention to them. It's improper!"
    Yui tilted her head, wondering if this was some remnant of the Ethics Code that was still in effect within the Pixie psyche.
    Caramella raised her hands again. "Sorry, sorry! It just seems like, well, it's just kind of weird is all. I mean, mammals have mamaries to feed their babies. So why do Pixies need them?"
    "It's just a natural part of Blossoming." Hinagiku said as she tugged delicately at the collar of her robes. "Yes, just natural. Perfectly natural!"
    "Uh-huh." Caramella sounded unconvinced.
    "Well then, now that we have that cleared up." Asuna got up from her chair. "I'm going to go get lunch ready. You're welcome to stay too Caramella-san."
    Caramella gave a small wave of acknowledgment as she returned to watching Kigiku and Ajisai, the Pixies watching back.
    It wasn't long before Yui heard the front door opening and two pairs of shoes being kicked off. She perked up almost instantly, scooting for her own chair and rushing inside to greet her Papa. Papa picked her up and spun her about once before setting her down.
    "Hello, Yui-chan. You look even happier than usual. Tis a special occasion I presume?" Argo asked as she slipped past Kirito.
    "Un. We have some guests over. Come on Papa, I want you to meet my friends!" Yui tugged at her Papa's hand, leading him towards the patio as Mama stepped out of the kitchen with a tray of sandwiches.
    Papa's eyes widened at the sight, and then got wider still as he saw the smell white jar taking up the place of pride in the middle of the tray. "Is that… ?"
    Mama smiled slyly. "Uh huh. I think I've got it close enough this time."
    Papa all but salivated as he looked over his soon to be eaten lunch, one hand rising to hover over a particularly artfully filled roll.
    "Not so fast, Kirito-kun!" Mama said, all humor suddenly gone from her voice and expression. "Before that, I have some question for you and Argo."
    "R-Really?" Papa stumbled awkwardly. Yui noted that Argo had managed to vanish from the inside of the house, Yui couldn't even detect the Cait Syth with her expanded senses.
    "Yes, really." Asuna confirmed. "Starting with just what you've been doing for the Faerie Lords since yesterday."
    Papa swallowed, looking suddenly like he wanted to Be Someplace Else. Mama leaned a little closer, ruthelessly extending the sandwich tray so that Papa could get a good whiff of the herbs she'd used.
    Papa's final line of defenses gave way. Shoulders sagging beneath his coat, he sighed. "Could you put the sandwiches down first… you might drop them when I tell you."
    Yui decided that this was an important lesson. No matter how strong he was, Papa could never beat Mama.

Returning to Royal Palace after their brief visit to the home of the Faeries, Louise and Botan had been dismayed to discover that their query of the Royal Archives had yet to bear fruit.
    In Louise's opinion this was nothing less than a shameful failing of whatever low ranking Noble had been assigned to the task. She had shown her credentials as an Agent of Her Majesty's Will when she had lodged the request with the Palace, so she should have had the highest priority and utmost cooperation of the scribes and clerks that managed the tax offices.
    Only through those records could they hope to discover the whereabouts of the man named Terrance de'Martou in any sort of timely fashion.
    She had apologized profusely to KoKo, bowing over and over again. The Cait Syth had come all this way to help and now it looked like Louise was just wasting her time.
    "T-this is inexcusable!" The youngest Valliere daughter stammered, glaring to the clerk who had given her the bad news.
    "It's okay Louise, these things happen." KoKo waved a hand, smiling all the while.
    "Louise-san is right!" Botan's wings fluttered as she stood atop her partner's shoulder. "Every day that we lose here is another day that my Sisters are left alone."
    "Right, right." KoKo nodded, the mellowness leaving her voice, and with it, the good humor from her eyes. The she knew just as well as Louise what was at stake. "But is it really weird for it to take this long?" Her tail twisted to and fro as she speculated aloud. "I'd think there would be some sort of organizational method."
    "Actually, that is the matter at hand." The clerk spoke, gathering the attention of all three investigators. "Your query was seen to promptly Miss Valliere, but the records you requested are currently being held in their entirety by a third party. I fear that they cannot be released at this time because they simply are not in the possession of the Royal Archives."
    "What?!" Louise knew, just knew, that her shout must have broken windows somewhere in the Palace. Not in their possession? The records weren't lost or misplaced, they were missing out right!
    "As an appointed Agent in the service of the Crown of Tristain, and a daughter of the Valliere family, I demand to know the meaning of this!" Louise ordered.
    Relations with the Pixies had piqued Mother and Father's interest after a Garden had been discovered on the edge of the Valliere lands. When Louise had last spoken with Mother on the matter of her mission, the Valliere Matriarch had given her permission to use their family name and status to tactfully leverage the cooperation of any troublesome Nobles.
    Louise concealed a smug smile. Acting with the full authority of the Valliere family and a mandate from the Crown, there were few doors that would be closed to her.
    The clerk hesitated before apologizing once more. "I beg your Pardon Miss Valliere, but we were ordered not to disclose the business or identity of the person who is holding those records." He then added carefully. "I assure you that they are acting with the fullest faith and authority of the Crown." In other words, he was covering his own posterior in these paranoid times.
    Louise stared at the Clerk, trying to comprehend what she'd just been told. Certainly there were people entrusted by the Crown with much greater responsibilities than her own. But the thought that she might cross paths with one of these people, much less in the midst of her own investigation, had never occurred to her.
    "I see." Was that all she could say?
    "Louise-san." Botan tugged at her hair for her attention. "What are we supposed to do now?"
    Louise bit her lip. If brute force didn't work, Louise wasn't above humility in the face of a superior. Nodding her head respectfully, Louise crafted her reply. "Then, if it is at all possible to contact this person, could I please beg their audience. It should be known that the documents in their possession are essential for my own work."
    "Very good, Miss Valliere." The man said, looking relieved to have seen the situation diffused. "I will relay your message and any reply at once."
    "Thank you." Louise said courteously before turning on her heel and making her way back down the hall in the most stately fashion she could manage. KoKo quickly falling in behind her.
    The Cait Syth placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry things haven't worked out smoothly Louise-chan."
    Louise shrugged loose. "Don't be." Truthfully, she felt like she was the one who had to apologize. Even if it was through no fault of her own, she'd stumbled in front of KoKo. It was almost, no, it was just as embarrassing as letting Cattleya or her mother see her fail.
    She stole a look at the Faerie woman from the corner of her eye. KoKo's expression remained serene, but the Cait couldn't hide her body language quite as easily. Her tail was stiff, and held up in a fashion Louise had only seen once in Tarbes while they had investigated the burned Garden, and her ears were not quite as high as the were when she was genuinely at ease.
    Louise frowned, when had she gotten so good at reading KoKo?
    "So." KoKo said at last. "What now?"
    Louise frowned, what now indeed. "I think… I think we need to wait." She held her breath for what she knew was coming.
    "Wait?" Botan pulled hard at Louise's hair. "We've been doing nothing but waiting. I'm sick of waiting!"
    "Unless you want to walk the entire city asking random people if they know a man named Terrance de'Martou." Louise replied.
    Botan seemed to seriously consider this proposition before her wings drooped slowly. "That was sarcasm, wasn't it?"
    Louise nodded sympathetically. She hated seeing the Pixie look so dejected.
    "Actually, that reminds me." KoKo raised her right hand as if to ask a question. "Tristania has town criers and places where you can post news and stuff, right?"
    'And stuff?' Louise wondered and then shook her head. "Right. You Faeries did something similar in Arrun if I recall." The Faeries didn't use criers very much, instead relying on large 'Message Boards' which Louise supposed made sense when everyone was literate.
    "Yep." KoKo agreed. "Works pretty good too. So what I'm wandering is, since your working for the Government, couldn't you post a request for anyone with information about this de'Martou person to come forward?"
    Botan perked up at this. "Yeah, that's right! Couldn't we do that?"
    "We could." Louise agreed thoughtfully. It hadn't occurred to her before because it would be an awful lot of effort when they had been making satisfactory progress finding the other Pixies. But now, it was probably the most efficient method of searching out the identity of this de'Martou person."It will take time to arrange, in any case." Prints would have to be made and then they would have to be stamped with the marks of both the City and the Crown before posting.
    A good print house could probably produce them by the end of the day, for a price. Louise frowned, on that subject, a small reward probably wouldn't be out of place. But what would a 'small' reward be? This de'Martou fellow certainly wasn't anyone highly placed. What would Commoners and Petty Mages consider a reasonable sum?
    "Lets go check in on Tabitha and Kirche first. They might have found something while we were gone." She decided, waving for KoKo to follow her down a branch in the hall.
    They found the two foreign mages situated in a study in the Eastern Wing. Kirche lounging on a sofa while Tabitha had seated herself at the bottom of a tall ladder, a pile of books taken from the tall shelves that lined one wall situated at her side. Neither of them looked the least bit motivated as Louise surveyed the scene, eye twitching.
    "I suppose it's too much to ask that you've found something." Louise decided out loud as she watched the two. She was gone one day and it appeared neither of them had lifted a finger.
    Tabitha turned the page of her book and Kirche yawned, stretching slowly as she was roused from a nap. "Oh," she blinked sleepily, "Valliere."
    "Zerbst." Louise answered mechanically.
    The Germanian's eyes turned next to the Faerie at her side. "And KoKo, how have you been?"
    The Cait smiled easily. "Doing real well actually, Kirche-san."
    Tabitha looked up from her book long enough to give a small nod of greeting before turning back to the page