Mmm... No.

After the horrific genocide of everyone else's breakfast had finally ended, Sammy flopped down into a satisfied heap; which was quickly jumped upon by Carrie, like some sort of sloshing trampoline.

"Ugh..." Cilla groaned, quickly cleaning the mess left behind. "Monster, could you go see if Ashes is awake yet? I truly don't want to cook anymore today."

"Alright." I say, heading out the kitchen, passing a grumbling, hungry Gabbie.

I knock at the door of our Artisan, only for it to creek open after a few taps. She was gone; already off to somewhere. I check the restroom; off to the side of the bathing chamber, followed by the bathing chamber itself.

Did she leave the Domain?

I pop out of the house, spotting three figures in an enormous gilded bird-cage that sat aside the hill. Mako, Eve and Ashes were talking to each other, with the one I sought peering down into her hand giddily.

I walk towards them, calling out. "Hey!"

A feathery appendage, a mechanical arm, and a human hand all wave over at me.

"Good 'morrow, Sir Monster." Says Mako. "I must apologize; I whisked away Miss Ashes here for a few words on Sosis, as well as... well, I suppose she can tell you about my gift."

The girl in question was sunnier than a mid day with a cloudless sky; hopping up and down like our little Core back in the house. "Ooh it's so cool! Look what Mako just gave me!"

Ashes held out a green, stone ring. The material appeared to be jade, or some adjacent equivalent; either way, it was shiny, and doing horrible things to my mind. A wispy, sickly green glow emitted from the jewellery; a familiar sight for something in the possession of a Mohun.

"It's a Mohun Whyrl-Stone; a kind of ring my people give to outsiders that earn our trust. Usually, it can infuse a little Death element into whatever weapon you're using, but Mako here was letting little Carrie use it; which is where those skeletons came from." Ashes rolls the magical object around in her hand as she talks; the odd glow slowly shifting around her hand.

I eye up the shiny object; doing my best to not just snatch it up. "That sounds like a lot more than a minor elemental infusion... Where did the jump in power come from?"

Eve, who had been silent ever since my arrival, finally speaks up. "Power has nothing to do with it. Any enchanted item in the possession of a sentient Dungeon Core like Carrie becomes a boon to their entire Dungeon; which is the primary reason Dungeons often accrue large sums of powerful enchanted items. If one of them got a hold of one of the Runacathy's cloaks, for example, they would be able to make their dungeon... bigger on the inside; if that makes sense."

I groan, reminded of an annoying topic."That sounds like something Trix wouldn't shut up about from Earth... Doctor What, or something..."

The Compuro's screen flashes a smiling image. "Good, the concept isn't lost on you then."

I peer at the ring once more, a small, stinging pain forming at the back of my head. "So, what are you planning on doing with it?"

Ashes shrugs a bit, her voice a bit unsure of the words it spoke. "Study it, maybe? My Pops taught me pretty much everything about the more physical aspects of smithing, so... why not mess around with Enchantments? Try and find out a thing or two, you know?"

I nod, wincing slightly as the sting slowly growing in my skull. "Sounds good. Oh, hey; Cilla was asking for your help with making more breakfast. Sammy kinda..."

"Ooo, got it!" Says Ashes, as she quickly makes her way towards the house. "That silly goopy goober..."

I go to follow; stumbling slightly as my ears begin to ring...

Ring... ring... ring...

...

Up on that hill in the park, with the distant sound of cars zooming across the stretching streets of the city; Bell held both hands over her mouth. In the opened-box I held before her was a silver ring, with a sapphire shaped like a heart. The words flowed from my mouth as smoothly as the tears gliding down my cheek; anxiety and joy making my heart nearly pound out of my chest.

"Will you be my happily-ever-after, Bell?"

...

You lay through yet another interview with the police; barely able to answer questions with how mangled our face has become. You tell them every detail you can remember; the color of the oncoming eighteen wheeler, it's general shape, the highway you were on during the accident, what direction you were headed in. All being taken into account to find the driver; the piece of filth who drove off after doing... this, to us...

"Hey, what's that?" Says Urge, pulling your only functional eye over towards a plastic bag held by one of the officers.

Within the evidence bag was a silver ring, it's stone partially missing; cracked down the middle...

...

"Monster?! Please respond! Are you alright?!"

I'm being shaken by Eve; having collapsed in another episode; it had been so long since I've had one, I almost felt... safe, from them.

I stand quickly, nearly buckling over once more from the sudden rush of blood to my head. "I'm fine! This just happens, sometimes.... where's Mako?"

Eve's screen displays a stick-figure running. "I sent him to get the others; I had no idea what was going on... Cilla never told me about this. Do you faint regularly?"

"Sometimes? It hasn't happened in quite a while."

She checks the inside of my mouth as she speaks. "What is the cause? A physical ailment, magical affliction, or psychological strain?"

"The last one, I'm pretty sure."

Eve puts an arm under my shoulder, prompting me to lean on it as I rise. Once on my own two feet, she insists on keeping my arm situated around her; refusing any attempt to walk on my own.

For the first time, I hear Eve speak with a bit of annoyance. "Prehaps I should have asked for more notes from Prissy... ugh..."

"This means I'll have to start Mind Delving into you as well... what a bother..."