Reflections on a Mountain Lake (Sett)

[Sakhmet Richmond]

It was a lovely summer day. There was a nice breeze that countered the humidity and while there was a mass of clouds, they were white and cheerful rather than the gray of impending rain.

And since Sett didn't have work until the evening Sakhmet had packed the two of them a nice picnic lunch and they'd headed toward the lake.

Delilah was still holed up in her room, still somewhat uncomfortable with leaving the Richmond house despite Sakhy's assurances things would be fine. She probably feared recognition, but the younger woman didn't realize that was a problem and so found it a bit puzzling and cause for some concern. But she didn't force the issue.

She'd brought an old comforter (surprisingly it wasn't Hello Kitty; it was a yellow and purple floral pattern) and spread it on the ground before setting out their food.

"I'm concerned about Horus." She began, unpacking sandwiches and lemonade. This wasn't a new concern; their younger brother was the reason they were in America at all. "I am sure he's lost weight since we came. Lost!" She gestured helplessly, pouring lemonade into a plastic cup and handing it to her brother. "I don't know what they feed them at that school, but it is clearly not any good. And...." A look of insecurity flashed across her face, "and I must be doing something wrong, he isn't eating the lunches I send with him either or I know he'd be gaining more weight. The boy is a stick."

She shook her head sadly. Horus really wasn't a stick by any definition of the word, but she didn't think the drastic weight loss coupled with bullying could be healthy at all. "And you need to take him to that self-defense class tomorrow, I am quite serious that he ought to be able to defend himself against that horrid Adams boy."

[Sett Richmond]

The sun, Sakhy's company and her food was not a combination Sett could easily turn down. Without any hesitation, they both drove down to the lake and set up the picnic. Well, Sakhy set up the picnic while Sett lazed on the ground, stretching like the cat he was.

When Sakhy spoke up, Sett rolled on to his stomach and looked up at his only sister. Horus was the main reason Sett had brought the Richmond army over in the first place but he hadn't really given it much thought. The boy seemed pretty happy. Sure he'd lost weight but he didn't seem none too perturbed by it.

Having Sakhy bring it up made Sett ponder over it, sighing and nodding at what she was saying. "Well, you're not doing anything wrong, for one. Your food is amazing as ever. Maybe we should talk to him. Privately. Just us siblings. Wish mum and dad were here though. They'd talk some sense into him."

The idea of getting into self defense class was seconded and Sett figured it was worth a shot. "I need to find that Adams boy and beat him til his gums bled." Sett growled ferally.

"I don't want Horus to think we're not on his side but we really need to start monitoring his food. I'm not saying we have to threaten him or anything but just make sure people he trusts are helping him out, you know?"

[Sakhmet Richmond]

Sakhmet nibbled on a cucumber sandwich, nodding vehemently to Sett's suggestions. "Yes, yes, yes." She agreed, wiping crumbs from her lips. "We should definitely talk with him. He's just skin and bones and it's absolutely tragic seeing him that way."

She wasn't entirely sure that their parents would be able to talk sense into any of their children. While she didn't resent their traveling, and she knew they loved all the siblings, it wasn't as if they had been a large part of their lives. Ra had practically raised both her and Horus, and then Horus had gone to Hammel. Ra could talk sense into Horus, if anyone could. But not mum or dad.

"I don't want you to beat anyone up." She frowned, picking up her plastic cup of lemonade. "I want Horus to be able to defend himself, but I don't want either of you to go after anyone. Leave revenge to the Americans."

She shook her head in exasperation at the thought of monitoring her brother's food. "But I feed him the same meals I feed the rest of you! I just don't know what to do. I know he eats it, I see him put it in his mouth. And he helps me in the kitchen. But I can't watch what he eats at school, for all I know his lunches are going to Sammy and Vincent."

[Sett Richmond]

Reaching a hand out, Sett patted his little sister's head, glad he wasn't the only one in the family worried about the youngest Richmond. Gnawing on his sandwich, he planned on getting the siblings [who were here at least] together; no party, nobody else. Just them.

When Sakhmet shot down his ninja assassin daydream, Sett leaned back on his elbows and watched as a few girls jogged past them. For awhile he was distracted by how they were running before realising Sakhmet was still talking.

"Sakhy, Sakhy. Seriously. You are worrying yourself to the ground. Stop it. And you're not to blame for any of this. Horus isn't either but this is his problem. He's the one who is choosing not to eat. But that's not the point." Sett sighed and dropped down on his back and slipped the last bite of sandwich into his mouth and chewed.

"We need someone who'll look out for him during lunch. Make sure he's eating. I'm almost tempted to get you hired as the lunch lady over there. Maybe that way we'll know for sure that he's eating and eating right."

[Sakhmet Richmond]

Sakhmet narrowed her eyes at her brother in suspicion as his eyes glazed over and a look of dreamy admiration came over his face. She almost smacked him and ordered him to listen to her, but then she caught sight of the young women he was watching, and she too ceased her conversation in order to appreciate the women and their spandex shorts and sports bras.

"Mmm. I know it's his problem!" She protested once the objects of their lust were out of site and their conversation had resumed once more. "That doesn't mean he can deal with it on his own. He needs our support, Sett."

".....the lunch lady." She mused, considering that for a moment before shaking her head. "No, no, I am sure they have all sorts of regulations and mass ordering of ingredients. I can't just create a feast because I want to. I'll continue to send his lunch with him."

It would be nice if they could make certain he was eating his lunch, though. "Perhaps we could pay one of his friends to keep an eye on him for us." She suggested, "Maybe if I pack Sammy lunch as well he'll do it, what do you think?"

[Sett Richmond]

He became aware that he wasn't the only one admiring the joggers and he laughed, still not getting over the fact that his sister could most probably be his rival in that department. She was beautiful, even he had to admit it.

"Well yes, of course I'm going to support him. He's my Russ. All I'm sayin' is, he needs to know it's a problem so he will realise that he needs to fix it as much as we're willing to help. That's all." Sett shrugged, picking up a sandwich and popping it into his mouth.

"You know, you should try doing what Jamie Oliver did in that show of his I watched the other day. Just come barging in and changing the menu all together. That would make the food considerably better at Hammel at least." He chuckled, completely joking.

Sett nodded at Sakhmet's suggestion. "Eh, that's probably a good idea. But...Sammy's such a flake, the crazy boy. Maybe Vince. I'm sure that boy would do anything for me," Sett buffed his fingernails and grinned smugly. What gave anyone any idea that he had an ego?

[Sakhmet Richmond]

Sakhmet rolled her eyes at Sett's suggestion that she simply break into the school and change the menu up at will.

"I am sure that would go over splendidly." She snorted sarcastically, "If I ever want my visa revoked I shall be sure to do just that."

She wasn't a citizen and if she misbehaved even the slightest she could easily be deported, so she wasn't keen on breaking laws so blatantly. She hadn't really considered that hiding Delilah might be just as bad, or worse. That was something she was doing to help someone else; Horus' diet she could help in other ways.

"Vincent?" She shook her head in wide-eyed disbelief. "Are you sure he's better than Sammy?" She had a difficult time believing that. "What do you have on him that you think he'll be less of a flake?"

[Sett Richmond]

Sett laughed at Sakhy's sarcasm. "Fine, fine. Have it your way, then." He shrugged and poured the lemonade into two cups, handing one to his sister while draining his own. "Oh, sour. This is some good lemonade." He grinned and poured himself another cup.

Oh had Sett known she was holding a fugitive up in her room, he would be so proud and impressed of her and then quickly interrogate how Delilah looked at Sakhy. No. Nobody was allowed to look at his little sister in any way that would suggest anything other than respect. Double standard? Of course not.

"Well hey, the boy worships the ground I walk on. I ask him to jump, he won't even ask how high. He'll just do it." Sett grinned smugly.

[Sakhmet Richmond]

Sakhmet beamed at Sett's praise of her lemonade. Fresh squeezed lemonade was more time consuming than the frozen or powdered variety, but definitely tasted superior, and hearing her brother's delight made the effort worth it.

"Are you quite sure that Vincent wouldn't get ahhh....distracted?" She inquired suspiciously. It wasn't that she disliked Vin; he was Horus' friend, after all, which was automatically several points in his favor, but he just seemed so...unreliable. She had to admit that Sammy wouldn't have been her first choice, either, but she was fairly certain his IQ was at least a few points higher than the goth member of their social circle.

"I'm sure that he would do whatever you asked while you were present, but I just am not sure about expecting him to follow through afterward. I know he would have the best of intentions, but he's just rather....easily distracted, don't you think?"

Which was probably why Horus was friends with him; Vincent would have made a lovely Richmond.

[Sett Richmond]

Upon hearing Sakhmet's concern, Sett shrugged. "On the one hand," he raised one finger up as he chewed on a sandwich. "The boy eats like a pig. He just needs to bring Horus around, shoving food into his mouth. But on the other hand," he tilted his head with a frown and a pout. "You have a point about his attention span." Sett hummed as he thought of a better solution.

"Ah, you know, he has that girlfriend of his...that Japanese chick." Sett sat up and took long sips of his lemonade before topping up from the jug. "Maybe we could get her to remind Vincent. Or, we could always just get both Sammy and Vinny to do it."

The breeze was making his white lion itching to get out for a run. His body ached as he fought the urge to shift. "Damn it...Whitey wants out." Sett laid on his back and stretched, trying to appease the animal in him.

[Sakhmet Richmond]

Sakhmet looked thoughtful at the mention of Vincent's girlfriend. That was true; the tiny Japanese girl had an air of maturity and responsibility (not to mention innocence and sweetness) that her boyfriend did not possess. Why she was dating Verax was beyond Sakhmet; well, okay, he was cute. And he was generally nice. But he was dumb as a post and extremely crude.

"That could be an idea...." She agreed. "What was her name again? Mi....Mi something?"

She wiped crumbs off her chest, grinning as the topic turned to Whitey and his desire to run free. "If you let him out be careful. You know not everyone will take kindly to a lion running around the park."

He could potentially get into trouble, if people thought he was trying to scare the humans. And lord knows she didn't want her brother deported for that.

[Sett Richmond]

"I know. I'm suddenly full of 'em!" Sett grinned as she rolled around on the grass, letting Whitey feel good. He knew he wasn't doing himself any favours by making the white lion even more agitated to come out but it was seriously hilarious [and not to mention ticklish] when the animal in him tried hard to break through Sett's surprisingly strong defenses.

"Naah, let him rot in there. I took him out last week, the greedy bastard." He chuckled in amusement. "I don't actually have anything to worry about when it comes to shifting. When I was here before in Hammel, I had places I went to that Whitey could run in. I think he still remembers all of them." Sett grinned at his sister.

"Oh hey, I saw this stand where they sold these crispy sweet things. I dunno what the hell the names are but they were long stick things. You think if I showed you, you'd be able to make 'em?" He asked, eagerly looking up at Sakhmet, his eyes wide and his lips pouty.

[Sakhmet Richmond]

Sakhmet raised an eyebrow at Sett. She had nothing against him shifting, was perfectly fine having a lion in the house on occasion, but she wasn't keen on explaining the presence of a lion to people who weren't used to shifters. Just because Hammel was located in Pilot Ridge didn't mean that all the locals were used to the idea of metas; most of them were, but definitely not all.

Still, she was relieved when he said he wasn't going to shift after all. "Maybe you can go find one of your secret spots later." She suggested. "Poor Whitey." And she reached over to ruffle her brother's hair, because she couldn't very well pat behind the ears of a lion he wasn't even shifted into.

At the mention of a type of edible he wanted her to make she tilted forward slightly, a look of puzzlement across her face. "Take me there?" She requested, beginning to pack up their picnic in anticipation of moving. "I'll taste it and figure out what's in it." And then she would try and replicate it when they got home.

[Sett Richmond]

Sett leaned into the hair ruffling before realising he was in public. First of all, he was very much against PDA. Those couples who make out in public, he would heckle at them. The ones that touch each other so wantonly on public benches, he'd jeer and point at them. They deserved it. If it was just hand holding or if they were couples as old as dirt, he wouldn't mind. But there are limits. Hair ruffling, especially since he knew his sister was trying to reach out to Whitey was a limit.

Not that he actually cared he did the very same thing to his sister not a moment ago.

"I'll totally let...sis, you have to stop giving Whitey these concessions. He thinks he's entitled to them. 'Specially by you. Silly pussycat." Sett rolled his eyes before nodding when Sakhmet asked to bring her to the stand. "Gladly. But first," Sett grabbed at the remaining sandwiches and stuffed them in his mouth. Immature? Crude? Sett? Never.

Once the food was finished, he helped Sakhmet pack up and off they went in search of the stand Sett had been at where there was a really pretty girl behind it.

[Sakhmet Richmond]

Sakhmet nudged Sett in the side. "He does deserve them, poor guy. You're so mean to him. Maybe I'll get him a giant scratching post and some catnip."

Having two cats of her own she was rather fond of the beasts, after all. And Whitey was her brother, as odd as that concept seemed, particularly since Sett referred to his animal form as a separate personality.

She stood gracefully, picking up the picnic basket with both hands. "Lead the way!" She ordered, though it turned out this was hardly needed, as he marched forward with barely any delay.

Once they arrived at the stand she realized why he'd been so eager: the young woman manning it was quite sexy, with her bikini top and cut-off shorts and flowery tramp stamp.

"Oh." She giggled when she saw the fried pastries the girl was selling, turning to prod Sett in the chest, "Silly! I know how to make those, Churros are easy, we can make them when we get home if you want."

The Churro seller was eying them both expectantly, however, particularly Sett (curse his good looks, he would always get the female attention first) so she pushed him toward the booth. "Order us both some, why don't you?"