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~Hal had asked Lilah what she was doing, and she had forced a flippant "nothing at all, handsome, just keep walking," but the truth was she was just a bit shaken at that particular moment. Things didn't really get any better as the three came into Town Proper. Lilah didn't know what she expected but the rows and rows of buildings so similar and featureless as to be as dizzying as the maze of Bulls was so NOT IT. She forced on through the streets with her two companions, dodging into alleys as demons passed them in the streets and peering into window after window, seeing way too many things inside they really hadn't wanted to ever see in their lives or their afterlives. Becoming frustrated, Lilah pushed the other two on, becoming more and more reckless in her desperation until her perserverence paid off. Finally, Lilah found what seemed to be a library. It was obvious the demons didn't use the library very often; in fact, it didn't appear there was anyone who even worked there, which seemed like a wonderful stroke of luck until they made it inside.~

What the HOLY FUCK?! ~Lilah stares about her, doubled over as a wave of pain like her frustration made physical makes her gasp.~ WHAT THE FUCK?! WHERE ARE THE BOOKS?!

~It's true. The space they're faced with appears to be a cavernous library, complete with tables, bookshelves, card catalogues, and devoid of the one thing which defines a library. Nor is there any sign of computers. She rushes to the card catalogue only to find it is empty of all but several rats who leap at her face. She screams and throws herself back, then sinks sobbing to the floor. She's momentarily completely at a loss.~

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*Hal bounds over to make sure she's alright; forever ignoring her biting independence.*

At least it's quiet here- it makes a good place to recuperate.

*He clenches and unclenches his hands to shake off what he thinks is a severe case of pins and needles while glancing around the room for any kind of supplies.*

Honey, you're an idiot.

*As the rats take flight in Lilah's face, Beauty cannot supress a scream for she hates and fears rats. Filthy creatures and no rat catchers here or even a dog or cat to keep them under control. So, she does what any self respecting princess would, she grabs her skirts and scrambles up onto the nearest catalog. As she does so she feels a tearing pain from inside, somewhere in the vicinity of those butterflies of earlier. Now however, they feel more akin to razor sharped claws than gentle fluttering wings.*

Hal *she says falteringly* Something is terribly wrong. I do not feel at all well. Are you certain it will be safe to stay? I do not think I can leave yet. *She is fighting the tears and losing the battle.*

*As an animal man, Hal has no fear of rats. Hell and demons maybe, but not rats. He walks through them as they scurry away and holds out his hand for her to help her down.*

Maybe not completely safe, but it's safer than outside. You need to lie down.

Hey, having my own trauma over here, but of course, see to the princess first. What does Lilah matter? She's just the peasant who could maybe get your ASSES out of here! *Lilah cries out as she tries to get to her feet, more in response to the sensation of _something_in_her than the pain of whatever damage was done in scrambling to the floor.* ohmygod what is this now? *she gasps, clutching at herself as if to silence the thing she suspects is inside her.* Damn Alien movies, *she mutters.* gonna rip out of us, no doubt. God I hate it here.

*He's far too polite to let it show on his face, but he can't help but think that if she wanted his help she could start being a little nicer to him.

His thought process is interrupted by a horrible sensation around his middle. There is a shifting of something foreign inside his body. He hasn't made any sudden movements- he has yet to experience the real damage- but the mental images this horrible feeling conjures is enough to make him almost physically ill.*

Do you have any idea what's going to happen to us? You know about these sorts of things, clearly.

*He assists Beauty down.*

*Beauty accepts his hand and once down curls up on floor along a wall no longer trying to keep the tears back. She is far beyond tired of this horrible place and while she has tried to remain patient and good natured at times it is difficult to recall the images of her home, her prince, her dear dog. She is tired of this woman ordering her about and pretending it is for Beauty's sake, that she is the only answer to Beauty's predicament.*

Oh yes, clearly Lilah knows about these things which is why we are here is it not? Because the precious books are here. Oh yes, she knows how to get us out just as she knew how to get us through the maze. She does not even know her way between the countries.

I can tell you that whatever is befalling us, it will continue to worsen. It will become so unbearable that we will be unable to continue untill it has run its course. And you cannot even pray for the release of death because even that has no permanence in this place.

*She is sobbing now clutching her stomach and both Hal and Lilah can sense that she is speaking more from fear than anger. If she does not know exactly what is to come she has some good sense of it and it has temporarily taken from her any princessly reserve.*

Oh, don't even START with me you little hussy! I don't care if you're the Princess of the whole fucking WORLD, you don't talk to Lilah Morgan that way! I have a gorgeous apartment with lots of pretty things in it. I have lots of pretty jewelry, I have gold, I have diamonds and emeralds. *she begins sobbing and drawing harsh, punctured lung breaths in her hysteria.* I have 37 pairs of designer shoes! *she stares in horror at the Victorian men's work boots laced on her feet, putting her face in her hands, then suddenly raising her eyes to bore into Beauty's face.* You, little princess, can just keep your cowardly cowering in the shadows technique and your white bred knight and your... pretty gown with your pretty slippers. I've had it. I'm leaving. Lilah Morgan has always made it on her own. She doesn't need a white knight riding in on his sweaty steed with big, pretty words and some ridiculous idea of "salvation" and she certainly doesn't need YOU.

*Painfully and with obvious difficulty Lilah scrambles mostly upright, staggering toward the door she came in through.*

*Beauty watches Lilah go without trying to stop her. She looks, to Hal, not so much regretful for her words but simply mournful in general. She tries for a moment to sit very straight and regal, struggling to gain the composure that was second nature to her before centuries of wandering through Hell's landscape. And for a moment it works, she looks serenly beautiful offering him that brilliant gentle smile that had once charmed both peasant and noble. But in the next moment she wilts, tears of desolation welling again in her eyes.*

You do not have to stay here if you would rather follow Lilah. *She has her arms crossed as if cold and is rocking herself as if she is used to being both nurse and child. She gives a gasp and clutches as her stomach once more and Hal can swear he sees something pushing against her stomach wall-but from the inside, insistent on getting out.*

*Her beauty only makes him all the more determined to stay with her. Sure he's a little shallow, but that's because he's incredibly old-fashioned.*

What's wrong, Princess?

*He's relatively new to Hell, and he isn't used to all these monthly torments. He doesn't know what's going on, and this only increases his surprise when he feels something creak against a rib, something pushing, and then a small explosion of pain under his skin.*

Ah! *His hand flies to his chest even as he kneels beside her to check her stomach.*