After the meal, Tasha and her 'siblings' investigate the chosen tower. "I call top with balcony," Vasha asserts as soon as they enter the ground floor lounge. Tia has gone to fetch the cart with their recently purchased items.
"I was just going to suggest that," Tasha admits, nodding. "You fly, so it's most useful to you. That just leaves middle apartments and the floor apartment options, since all the middle ones have is elevation, but the ground will see more frequent ground traffic passing it, more guest traffic, and more outside interest. Any apartments leftover can be used for our own work and recreation."
"Guests?" Sharon asks. "As in.. entertaining or hosting stuff?"
"Other than serving drinks, I never learned anything about cooking," Sasha admits, sniffing around. Everything smells new and sterile. "There's probably a kitchen or.. galley-that's-in-a-house-room."
"Well, any kind of guest. You're a lot more likely to see foot traffic -- non-flying types -- come over randomly on the ground floor. It has higher viability and therefore is much more in mind to people who walk by." Tasha looks around for a moment, then nods again, this time to Sasha. "There are small kitchens attached for individual cooking. For entertaining as a group, or meetings, diners, family things, we can probably modify one of the unused rooms in this tower. We'll use another for planning and work, magic, training, whatever. Things that need a serious looking security door check."
"Magic," Vasha mutters, knowing that she's got 'magic' in her wings now may not be sitting well.
"What do we have as far as.. well, anything for learning magic?" Sharon asks.
"Magic's just a word for unknown or external power. I'm not sure your wings are actually magic, so much as some sort of poorly understood biological effect. Or psionic. It depends heavily on if the power comes from within or without this universe, what rules it uses. Inside mastery is Wizardry, but it's not foreign." Tasha turns to Sharon and spreads her hands. "It's very tentative. We have a lot of teacher-options, but nothing formal yet, since we're just exploring different types, their dangers, and their benefits. A lot of magic has a cost, and, well, I can't accept 'any cost' like I used to."
"Well, it should be easier to find faeries here at least," Sasha offers along with a tail wag.
"Yes," Tasha agrees, smiling. "There's also Gwyndrael coming, and we have Kai, Sam, and Tia as well. Yue knows something about psionics."
"Haven't seen Sam in awhile," Vasha says, and starts looking around the lounge suspiciously, focusing on shadowed areas.
"I thought I saw him and Kai earlier," Sharon says.
"They were at the merc meeting, as was I." Tasha pauses to peer at a floor plan plaque. "They could be anywhere otherwise, and spotting them doesn't necessarily help that much. I'm not mad at him, it's just, well, you know. You all know."
"I wonder if I can use dragon magic?" Tasha then asks, possibly to herself, out of the blue. "Aren't I some part dragon?"
"I figure we might be indirectly part dragon," Sasha says. "Gwyndrael didn't mention anything to you about sensing a draconic element from you?"
"No, but I did sense when she was doing something. I also noticed when we left the dragon god's domain I could suddenly sense the presence of both Kai, which isn't normal but I can try and sense her, but also Wulfgar who I shouldn't be able to sense at all. I can't normally sense people's presence without activating something. But then, I could." Tasha turns around and shakes her head. "So I'm not really sure. There was, um, one other thing.." Shetaps her fingers together, Mariel style. "When she and I were together and we, well, um, climaxed, I could feel it.. and her side of things as well. I'm not sure who caused that, or what it means."
The tower only has three levels, like the others, with two suites at the top and a common area, the middle level being just bedrooms and offices, and the lower level having the lounge and kitchen.
"What if we can all feel it when one of us.." Sasha starts to suggest.
"Oh, and looks like two suites at the top, general bulk-bunks and offices mid level, and your usual lounge-and-kitchen bottom side. I'm sure we can convert middle bedrooms by removing some walls and making them bigger, or using some as armories, or whatever," Tasha notes, then she laughs and shakes her head at Sasha. "That only happens if we're linked. Otherwise you'd have already felt it, repeatedly.
"You'll need Kai for making changes," Tia says from right behind Tasha, apparently having arrived with all of the packages and brought them into the lounge without anyone noticing. "I don't know how to work with the Vague, Unformed, Nameless Mist, Ylem or whatever you want to call it."
Tasha jumps a little, popping up and bouncing to her hooves a foot away. She immediately acts like it was nothing at all, straight faced, and continues like nothing happened. "Okay. Kai is some sort of prototype, but you're supposedly more powerful. What are your areas of expertise, then?"
"I can pretend to be normal," Tia claims. "And I'm a self-contained spaceship. Mostly though I can interface with a lot of things after a bit of effort. For example I know how to manually control the Dark Horse through its original pilot system. The ancient Library unit has been much more difficult in comparison. I can bring a considerable amount of physical force to bear if I need to, but that isn't exactly something I'm an expert at. My psionics aren't as developed as Kai's, but I don't have her limitations either."
"I see." Tasha takes a moment to process all of that, squirreling it away in memory. "I didn't know about being a spaceship, but that makes a lot of sense given what you've told me so far. I didn't know, but recently inuited, the interface thing. I've been on the receiving end of the physical force, though I see now that was restrained. What is Kai's restraint?"
"She does not have an unlimited power source, at least not when operating off the leash," Tia says. "You've probably witnessed that in your travels. But she can do actual magic, which I cannot, unless what I already do counts as magic."
"It's a really vague definition, magic. We were discussing that just a moment ago." Tasha scratches her nose, then gestures to the tower hall, "Why don't we move these packages to their rooms. You'll have to decide which one you want. My intuition about myself says that Sharon and Vasha will want the suites, and Sasha, you'll want one of the middle levels, because you can take one of the office levels and convert it in to a bedroom and a workshop. Come to think of it, I kind of want one of the levels to, for my own space and my own workshop. I love Gabriel but sometimes he squishes me and sometimes I need to work on things."
"Well, maybe for small projects," Sasha agrees. "The base machine shop is.. big."
"Do the suites have bathtubs?" Sharon asks.
"Well, sometimes small projects are useful, like armor or personal weapons. For big machines," and she gives Sasha a very knowing eyebrow raise, ".. we'll need a big shop." She leaves it at that, turning to Sharon. "Yes they do, since we have the executive suites. They're the walk-in types though, so they have the usual shower and sonic shower elements. Just make sure the bottom half is closed and the top panels aren't and it's a bath tub. Close the top and it's a shower."
"So one should be big enough for a bird bath then," Sasha claims, ribbing Vasha.
"You get to carry your own stuff now, puppy," Vasha replies.
"Do you need any heavy equipment installed?" Tia asks Tasha.
Tasha watches the antics between Vasha and Sasha and for a moment seems lost in the experience, tail wagging. It takes a second for her to realize she's been spoken to. "What? Oh, well, eventually? We're just settling in here. The others may need things, but I'm still figuring out where I fit in everything besides being 'the one who deals with and fights unusual forces'. I'm not even sure what magic to pursue, or how long I can continue to fight."
Tia is about to say something, but stops and looks back over her shoulder. Tasha feels it then, something dark coming from that direction. A slight ground tremor follows.
"What was that?" Sharon asks. "Like something big just moved past," Sasha adds. "Awrk!" is Vasha's reply, and she reaches for.. a weapon that she doesn't have. "Why aren't we armed?" she complains.
Tasha frowns, following the direction of the sensation to stare that way. She is armed, but it's not quite time for that, not yet. "I didn't think you needed the pressure, and you could have asked. Tia, do you know what that is?"
"It's coming from the castle," Tia says. "Something's changed in the nature of this place, and I think Kai and Samael are behind it."
"Well, that could be anything, couldn't it?" Tasha looks around, closes her eyes, then after a second opens them. "Okay, tour's over. Tia, we're heading over to go look. The three of you, meet up with the others and follow Gabriel's instructions if anything happens. I will coordinate with you if I need to." It sounds neither rehearsed nor paniced, but it does sound slightly uneasy. "Everyone ready? Lets go."
"Remind Gabriel that Tasha's soul is armored, but yours are not," Tia adds, before walking out and floating into the air.
"Um, that. Not that it's as great a blessing as it sounds.." Tasha winces, but then tries very hard to conceal it in an effort to look strong. She gives the three a thumbs up. "Stay safe. That's an order. You're not ready for what this could be." Then Tasha follows Tia, stepping out and rising up, then they're both gone in a vortex of air, followed by the crack of mach.
At the doors to the castle, Tia pauses and looks around. She then sings something, in multiple overlapping voices that seems to be more musical than vocal, and the door lights up with odd geometric patterns. "A ward," she tells Tasha.
"To keep something in, or to keep us out?" Tasha eyes the door, but she knows nothing of wards except that they do what she said: keep something in or out. This one wasn't there before, and the only thing inside that she was aware of and could be dangerous was the elf lord -- an elf lord immobilized and apparently safe to leave unguarded and unwarded.
"Keep something in, I think," Tia says, and reaches through it to push the giant doors open. There are more weird symbols and shapes floating in the air, sometimes changing or connecting with others in lightning-like flashes. At the center are Kai and Samael, with Sam looking a bit more amorphous than usual, along with a sphere of chaotic colors and shapes.
Tasha frowns at all the magic work. No one was notified of this, which means it a) happened suddenly so Sam and Kai couldn't notify them, b) the two decided not to tell them for some reason, but surely knew they'd notice, or c) Samael and Kai have betrayed them, or possibly Samael has betrayed them and won over or influenced Kai in to an effective betrayal. Thus, the red woman says, "Be careful, this could be an ambush. We've passed inside, it may be a trap as well."
"This feels familiar," Tia tells Tasha, sticking to her side. "When we were making your variants there was something like this, but.. not flashy."
So far, Kai and Sam are intent on what they're doing, which appears to be forcing the sphere of living chaos smaller and smaller, until it's only the size of a person.
"Some sort of formation of the Unformed, then? I wasn't warned of this, so this is their doing, or the doing of someone controlling them. I don't think I need to tell you how dangerous one potential influence could be." Tasha moves forward, but slowly. When she thinks she's in earshot she yells at, "I don't suppose you'll tell us what you're doing?"
Lower, Tasha asides to Tia, "Did it feel so dark when you made the three others?"
"Plumbing," Kai replies, without elaborating. The sphere is starting to take on a humanoid shape, and the lightning flashes bounce and reflect until they all converge on the shape.
"No," Tia says. "There wasn't all of this magic, it was.. different. But this is related, somehow."
There's a boom and an explosion of light, and an elf is left sprawled out on the stone floor.
"Hmm," goes Tasha, but she doesn't look like she's about to attack, but she still looks uneasy and with the canted ears, stiff tail that she often assumes when she's considering violence. "So they're forming a dark being out the Unformed and appearing to be about to restrain it."
"Souls are hard to create," Tia says, wincing at the explosion. "She summoned up.. well, no, she let these blanks inhabit the bodies."
Without all of the magical lights, it's also clear that the elf lord's body is gone from where it was impaled, leaving just the unicorn horn.
"Wasn't the lord key to maintaining this place?" Tasha begins to walk around the area where the elf is, circling towards the horn. "Are they reviving him? Or, about to kill him again?"
Sam is still out of shape, but Kai is fine, and pulls the elf up onto its feet. It looks female, but ghostly white, including white hair. Is has foxish features similar to the old lord, but they're softened. "Sorry," Kai says to Tasha. "I knew this had to be done eventually, but circumstances required faster action."
"It's okay, I know how that can be." Tasha's tone is neutral, understanding but still apprehensive. A negotiator's tone. "So, who is that? The elf lord? If so, why that shape?"
"Well.. remember those non-entities I told you about, that have a pseudo-existence in the Unformed and latch onto anything that might give them form? I used them creating your clones. That left some thin spots, and I couldn't risk any more destabilization of the realm," Kai explains. "And since I had access to Samael, a solution presented itself."
A moment later Tasha adds, "She's kind of cute for a Human-bodied entity," to Tia, before more loudly saying, "You're transfering control to Samael, then? Or, you're having him consume the elf?"
"Yes, I had him eat the elf lord, and then.." Kai says, and pauses. "Well, summoned a big non-entity, held it, and had Sam sort of vomit bits of the lord into it. Enough to serve our purposes, anyway. She's the new landlord, we just have to program her."
The pale girl has the same golden cat-eyes as the other Sidhe that Tasha has encountered, but just seems to barely manage staying upright.
"I see." Tasha gives Tia a sidelong glance, but says nothing further before looking back. "You mean give her a personality, an identity, along side whatever personality might remain -- which I assume isn't much." She shifts her gaze to the woman, the horn, and then back again, then walks over to try and yank the horn out. "How much of the old lord is left?"
"His.. signature, and some of the power," Kai says. "Enough to keep this place stable and provide active protection." The horn has to be twisted out, which means Kai originally didn't just stab the elf with it, she screwed it through him and into the stone.
"Samael may be a bit inebriated for a while too," Kai adds.
Tasha holds the horn up to the light and frowns at it, then shrugs and stuffs it in her belt like an awkward, hiltless sword. She then walks forward to inspect this new landlord. "The princess to be trapped in the castle, huh? I think I remember a story like that. So, by program I guess she needs a personality." Once she's close enough Tasha begins to walk around the girl, sniffing, ears flicking, not entirely sure what to make of the threat a shredded up, recreated, reformed entity like the one before her poses, or even what stance to take on her existence, including who, exactly, stands before her now.
The ghostly girl follows Tasha with her eyes, with no expression or recognition. Half of her face is hidden by hair that hangs to her ankles.
"So do you have a hook into her?" Tia asks Kai, tapping the side of her head. "How much of a brain does she have?"
Tasha meets the gaze, still frowning. Then, she admits, and she can almost hear Sharon saying it, "I feel a little bad for her." She continues to walk around the woman, evaluating her and her own feelings. She has certain beliefs about using created beings, but she's never had to deal with a situation where the recreated being had been hostile and is now somehow blank.
"Enough to keep my eye on her, and enough to take an imprint," Kai says. "You've known plenty of non-assholes haven't you, Tia?"
"I like those people though," Tia notes.
The blank girl reaches out and grabs Tasha's shoulder the next time she passes in front of her.
And so Tasha stops, simply meeting the girl's gaze. The only difference is she's no longer moving around her in a circle, and now she's waiting to see what the girl will do.
So far the girl just stares into Tasha's eyes (which are the same color, but not vertically slitted). Then the girl breaks the gaze to look over Tasha, and mostly just seems to want to feel her fur.
"Does she eat?" Tia asks Kai. "She's smaller than Sharon, but I might have some clothes that will fit her."
"Probably," Kai says. "If she sees other people eating, she'll probably mimic the behavior." To Tasha she says, "Ever hear the phrase, 'The Land and the King are One'? It's pretty literal in this case. She's sort of the avatar of this realm."
Seeing the woman isn't going to do anything else, Tasha steps forward and faces her completely so that it becomes apparent she's not going to go back to walking in a circle. Once about a foot away she stops, head tilting, still curious but starting to think nothing more may be coming while simultaneously wondering why the woman thought to stop her at all -- why she thought at all.
"So, like a Dragon God then, they're much the same," Tasha replies.
"On a very much smaller scale, I suppose," Kai says. "And in reverse. She didn't ascend to embody a concept. She could be let loose into the forest, and probably turn into a tree.."
"So, just born this way, then. Or manifested." Tasha tilts her head the other way. "Why did she stop me from walking?"
"Maybe she hasn't figured out how to turn around yet," Kai suggests. "Or she likes animals.." she adds, and gestures to all of the mounted heads adorning the hall.
"It wouldn't be the first time some godlike entity tried to take my head off." Tasha suddenly leans in towards the girl, then puts a finger on her nose. "Do you like animals? Can you turn around? Is there anything you want, or want to say? Should I move away?"
The girl crosses her eyes to try and look at the finger, and then attempts to lick it, but her tongue isn't long enough.
Struck by a funny though, Tasha just tries sticking her finger in the woman's mouth, expecting it might hurt but too curious not to try. "I might need medical attention in a moment."
"What would like her base parameters to be, Tasha?" Kai asks, watching Tasha more than the girl, who is currently sucking on Tasha's finger.
"You should have made her a Lapi," Tia suggests.
"Can't stray to far from the original form," Kai claims. "Morphic resonance with the environment and such."
Tasha's ears flick, if anyone could smell her, she'd smell embarrassed. "Well, if she's the king of the land, and now she's this cute girl, maybe something like a princess? She didn't bite me, and she has only paid attention to me, so I'm not getting a lot of malice and doom from her. Mild, charming, maybe? She doesn't feel like a dark overlord sort, or some sort of monster in the castle. If we encourage her to be pleasant, nice, helpful, and accepted, maybe she'll develop towards a altruistic, or at least non-hostile, identity, and in turn, we'll be more inclined to work with her and get along. That could build the foundation for a relationship that doesn't need enforcement, through mutual appreciation."
"This is not the castle to engender such traits," Tia points out.
"Difficult to change it though," Kai points out. "She can live with Tasha instead, until the dragon gets here."
"I guess we can't change it?" Tasha looks around again, but doesn't move her finger because she doesn't quite know how that will go. "Or I suppose I could live in the castle, I am a hunter and I do need a new maid."
"What about living with your other family?" Tia asks. "I can teach her the basics.. like language. I've raised children before."
"Well, they were going to move in to a tower, but they could probably live here. I can ask them. This place is very large," Tasha admits, looking around once more. "I'm not sure it's our style, but if it will helps things I don't mind. I prefer more technology, or at least, it's equivalent. I'd want to redecorate a bit."
"I'd suggest the opposite to start," Tia advises. "Vasha? I could see her in a castle, but not the others."
"It is a bit soaked in the previous lord's funk," Kai says. "It can be cleaned up, but not immediately. I figured Gwyn would take on that task."
"Yes, you're probably right. They have enough difficulty adjusting without having to adjust to someone else's residence, especially a powerful elf lord's, a being who we don't understand very well. It would be anxiety-causing," Tasha tells Tia, then to Kai she says, "I see, then I'll leave it to Gwyndrael and yourself. I guess we can head back, then. Oh." She looks down at the unicorn horn, "Do you want the horn back? I just grabbed it out of a sense of paranoia."
"I'll let you know if I need to impale any immortals," Kai says, and grins. "Until then, you use it as you see fit. Just be sure to wash it off afterwards, and never use it for soup stock or to stir drinks. Handy if you want to win drinking games though."
Tasha finally removes her finger, instead throwing an arm under the girl's to help prop her up and appear helpful and friendly to her needs. With her other hand she taps the 'hilt' of the unicorn horn. "So, um, why does it effect drinks? Can it make people drunk? I have ideas about that. Otherwise.. I don't know, maybe I'll stick a hilt on it and make it in to a.. rapier? Or estoc, which is a military rapier. Unless it's too fragile?"
"It purifies things," Kai explains. "You can't get drunk while holding it, or poisoned or possessed by demons. It may begin to make you a better person over time as well. It worked to pin the old elf because.. well, he hunted unicorns."
"I guess it has a lot of useful applications. If I don't use it I'm sure Sharon would like it. Sasha would too, but he'll gravitate towards machines after a while." Tasha gives the horn one last, evaluating, glance, then shrugs and leaves it there. She's pretty sure no one will argue with herbing a better person, and Tia may see it s a sign that she's trying. The only unicorns she's ever met were high level Rephidimite officials, so this one's a very different power than that of the political, ominous sorts she once knew. "Eh, I guess I'll keep it. I am already possessed though, so that could be an issue?"
"It could help make sure your passenger can't take the reins," Kai says. "Or you could use it to injure or trap Samael."
The shambling thing that is Samael is still not quite up to taking on a definite shape after eating the elf.
"If he wasn't drunk on elf soul he'd probably say something about that. Maybe I'll chase him around with it later if he gets sassy, or I'm bored. Chasing a demon with a unicorn horn, even for fun, is automatically a good act, isn't it?" Tasha believes it is. "Well, lets get our lady princess landlady back and dressed, I'll summon the rest of me to meet her. I'm sure Sharon and Sasha will enjoy having someone to look after rather than being looked after. It'll be a nice distraction for them, both mentally and for others coming to check on them."
Tasha then turns and tries to scoop up the girl in her arms. "I hope I don't turn white or something. Gold is okay. Silver would probably make Katie think I'm trying to steal her thing."
The girl does manage to get her arms around Tasha to keep make sure isn't dropped.
"What's wrong with turning white?" Tia has to ask, but then she's heading for the door. "I'll watch over Sam until he's recovered," Kai offers.
"She has the desire not to fall and die, so that's a good sign. Not everyone does." Tasha then starts walking toward the exit. "So do we just leave Samael here, or should we, I don't know, push the blob out the door.." Whatever the case is, she just keeps walking.
"Well I mean there's nothing wrong with being white. I guess it's fine," Tasha adds. "Come on, lets go."
"We need a local food source if this keeps up," Gabriel notes, when Tasha brings him the news of another new mouth to feed. "Maybe some of those space fish the Titanian's catch can live in the lake. And some modern food synthesizers that work with raw protein powder."
"Yes, and maybe the creatures in the woods. They're supposedly there to be hunted, but I don't know how safe they are for us." Tasha turns and purses her lips as she peers out upon the woods, in so much as a muzzle can purse lips. "Kai doesn't know either. I think they exist because the Princess desires it."
"Well.. hopefully she can learn to desire cows or pigs," Gabriel says, looking from the wilderness beyond the base to the Astraea, where the 'Princess' has been taken by Tia. "I doubt Tia will be able to teach her about that though, so we may need an actual elf, unless Kai can do it. I'd like to know what the limits are on this penchant for creating fully grown people out of magical clay or whatever it is."
"They're created from the Unformed, a kind of vast abyss full of potential that responds to will, Except, it takes a lot of focus and understanding to form something from the Unformed, and that thing needs a pattern. Sasha, Vasha, and Sharon came from me, while the Princess was made from what's left of the Elf Lord." Tasha wrinkles her nose at that, maybe she should chase Samael around with a stick. Or, if she does turn white, he'll have to put up with looking pure. "Oh and I got this." She holds up the unicorn horn. "Kai says it's a manifestation of purity, so it should help me resist corruptive influence and possession. It migth make me a better person? I'm going to have Sasha make a hilt for it."
"To use as a weapon?" Gabriel asks, looking at the spiraled horn. "Actually, that might work against shadow creatures, who knows? See if Sam lets you poke him after all. Or Hakeber, for a real test. What else can it do?"
"It purifies. Poison and toxicity. I'm not sure if it works against living infections or something like radiation poisoning, but I'm basically immune to something like the usual poisons and even alcohol while I'm holding it. Kai says it might help me be a better person and suppress my possession. It will incapacitate an immortal if driven through they, though I assume only malicious ones." Tasha then blinks, noting, "Well, as a stopgap I could probably use it to purify food and water."
"Hmm, rather conspicuous for a swizzle-stick though," Gabriel says, raising an eyebrow. "Maybe don't let Hakeber play with it after all. How is everyone handling the whole living under one roof plan so far? You'd probably better let them know the world isn't about to end."
"Everyone seems okay. Tia seems a bit calmer, and she's made an effort to socialize. She acts different but I think she just wants someone to care about her. Kai is Kai. The rest of me are still adjusting; I had a good talk with Sasha about his existence and future, and I think he's feeling better about life now. Vasha's inherited a lot of the old me, so I think she'll find her own way. Sharon's still undecided and seems very uncomfortable with violence, so I may suggest she focuses on the non-violent things I need to do, like looking after the Princess. Shojo seems fine as does Lacci, but you'd know more about everyone else than I would right now." Tasha slides the horn back in her belt.
"Maybe I should name the sword Sanity. Sobriety? Or maybe Love.. Love and Madness. Would that be pretentious?" Tasha asks in after thought.
"Lacci needs something to keep her busy," Gabriel suggests, then looks at the horn. "Excalihorn?" he offers.
"No pun-names!" Tasha swats Gabriel's arm playfully. "I have enough trouble with people taking me seriously now that I'm short and look like what I look like. As for Lacci, maybe she and Hakeber should start working on an archive. We'll need a information repository department for all this obscure information and to handle research, which both of them are well suited to. As for Sasha, he's unwittingly founded our engineering department and reminds me a bit of Fred. I assume Vasha will join Shojo's men, unless she just leaves us all behind, maybe to join the Titanians."
"Vartans and Titanians aren't supposed to mix," Gabriel says. "According to the Titanians, anyway. I'll try to wrangle Vasha. If she's like the old you, she needs a bigger father figure than a Lapi."
"Yes, but remember she's still me so it may not work for you to treat her that way. It could end up a bit like Nora." Tasha's head shakes. "And if I try it she may challenge me, and we both know how me fighting myself goes. "
"So we need something to keep her interest," Gabriel suggests, and scratches his cheek in thought. "Something involving either sex, violence or treasure. Other than becoming a pirate."
"Preferably all of those," Tasha adds, grinning and wagging her tail. "Shojo and his men may be too tame, but at least she can learn to survive better working with all of them. But we'll need even more than that."
"Where'd you pick up the barbarian on your last adventure?" the big Karnor asks.
"A place called, um, what was it.. Avalon. It's a city of immortals that give quests to adventurers." Tasha pulls out a sketch book and shows Gabriel some pictures. "I've been jotting down some of what I saw for future reference, just in case I or someone else needs it. The fancy city is Avalon."
"Damn," Gabriel says. "I'd be tempted to strap on a sword and loincloth too. Maybe find something closer. This place was a pleasure resort, albeit for weird sorts of pleasures. Maybe she can be sent to explore the rest of the valley. I don't know what Shojo has in mind for his men next."
"Well, you could do that anyway. I won't complain." Tasha's tail wags, if anything, harder. "As for the valley, she should have my artistic skills, so we can send her to survey and record the valley. We'll give her one of the suits of powered armor, some weapons and gear, and a datapad and sketch book and tell her to get it done. She may be me but we do respond to structure."
"That should work until I'm ready to build my boat," Gabriel says with a nod. "But it sounds like she has your old ambitions.. and you know what those got you into," he notes with a wink.
"Oh I know, which is why I'm both trying to guide her and also trying not to get in her way too much." Tasha grins again. "It got me you, Katie, Hake, a giant robot, adventure, a ship, and.. then dead." And her grin falters a moment. "I'd prefer if she avoided the 'and dead' part."
"Does she have a chip on her shoulder?" Gabriel asks.
"I think a little, but without my actual background she's probably looking for something to direct that at, which could be me, authority, restraint, or any number of things. It's why I haven't pushed her too much. I don't want to intervene so much as direct her. She'll respect that I'm in charge and that I'm her, but mostly the in-charge part. I'm a little worried she might claim to be the 'real' Tasha given how much she's like the old me. That could be a problem, but it's probably unlikely." Tasha takes a seat, crossing her legs and plopping her head on a hand. "The old me was angry, so she is too. She's already a bit aggresive with Sasha."
"Maybe you should give her the Harbinger Sword," Gabriel suggests. "That'd give her a boost and show you consider her valuable. Plus, it's too heavy for you now."
"Yes yes I'm very fragile and weak now." Tasha sticks out her tongue. "Not that it keeps certain people from abusing my wings and tail. But, yes, I'll give it to her. I'm going to give Sharon the cloak I made when I was her. I'll have to think of what to give Sasha. Oh, and Vasha will get one of the remaining Harbinger powered suits."
"We may need to fabricate a new helmet and gauntlets for it," Gabriel notes. "Or find a modern version. Lacci may have info on that. For this environment she doesn't need either of those though."
"I think we have the original helmets back on Abaddon, but that's a little far away right now. It should be easy enough to have one made back in real space. Same with gauntlets." Tasha spreads her hands. "Then she can look around and get a feel for herself without feeling a need to challenge us. Poor Sasha doesn't need someone giving him stress. I'm not sure why she has a rivalry with him, but maybe she has it with everyone."
"Sibling rivalry?" Gabriel asks.
"It could be. The problem is, I'm not who I used to be so I can't entirely remember how I'd feel having siblings. I just know how I feel about them now, which maybe them others know. They may know more about me than I do about them in some ways." Tasha waggles her hands. "I do get along with them, so don't worry about that. Sharon's too meek to be offensive and Sasha's very friendly, maybe even more than I am because of his new Karnor form. I can't think anyone will dislike him, which is especially sad how awkward he and the rest are right now."
"This isn't the best environment for social development, given our isolation," Gabriel says. "So it'll amplify awkwardness. They may need to spend more time at Caltrop before being dropped into what I imagine is a very urban setting on Daltoona. None of you have been to a real modern city before."
"A old me -- or younger me -- would have argued with you about that, but this me is just going to agree with you. I wasn't prepared for the sheer size of that place. I was expecting another Caltrop, or maybe like that asteroid town we visited, the one with the subterranean restaurant. Not.. that." Tasha gives her head a little shake out. "And it'll be worse for them. Maybe we should assign Sharon to the office, or front office, under Mr. Invention. We don't actually have a chief engineer due to our ship running on ancient technological wizardry, so I'm not sure who to assign Sasha to except also to to Mr. Invention."
"Or we take a field trip to somewhere less dangerous than Daltoona first," Gabriel suggests. "We're all in the same situation. I'm 5000 years out of date, Hakeber and Katie haven't been to anyplace bigger than the Abbadonian cities, and Jonas is a Belter. Lacci and Shojo, and to some extent Katie, are military kids. Even Yue is mainly out on the frontier. Shojo's men are likely the only ones with experience in Galactic urban centers. Tia's been around, but she's not familiar with our Galactic culture."
"Well, you make a good point. Do you have somewhere in mind? Terra maybe?" Tasha scratches her nose. "Although taht one has a lot of emotional connections."
"We'll need to consult with someone more familiar with the current situation," Gabriel says. "There are probably some older colonies that have gotten further developed."
"Yue maybe, she may be out here but I doubt she's forgotten what her own nation is like. And even if she has she'll know where to look to find some place nice. Why don't we contact her and ask? I don't think we're busy right now? I know I'm not." Tasha spreads her hands to indicate her distinct lack of doing anything.
"Let's head inside then," Gabriel says. "She should be in the main base."
Tasha pops up, demonstrating her finely honed ability to go from lounging to action and back in a blink. "Off we go then."
A bit of calling around with the intercom locates Yue: she's in her office in the medical center. "I just finished with Mr. Pink," she says over the intercom. "What can I do for you?"
Tasha looks around for a moment, not having realized Yue settled in to an office so quickly. "We're thinking most everyone here could use some experience in a big city -- a big city by Galactic standards. Only Gabriel, the mercs, and maybe you have actually been to one. We thought maybe you would have some ideas."
"Hmm," Yue muses, reclining her chair back and touching her fingers together. "Someplace that welcomes tourists, probably close to a trade center, and on a planet I presume?"
"Or a planet-like object similar to Daltoona," Tasha replies, finally focusing on Yue and not the room. "Somewhere we can walk around and only get some attention. We may have to split up in to factional parties to maintain a level of cover, as I think even in trade cities seeing this diverse a group is unusual?"
"Most big trading sites are on orbital stations, and some of those can be pretty impressive," Yue says. "There's even an old cylinder station that's been kept up to date for millennia. It's got a main city that's pretty diverse, lots of estates for the mega-rich, the works." She starts accessing her terminal as she talks.
Tasha takes a seat while she waits, resuming her previous sitting position. "I'm not sure I can offer much more than what i said, I just don't have the experience and my travels haven't brought me to anything like it. The last two cities I visited, the first was a city full of immortal fae who liked to give quests and the second was a desert town on a giant stone dragon's back in a desert with a night and day sun. It's populated mostly by half-dragons."
Yue summons up some images on the office's media wall. They show a giant cylinder above a binary star system where the two stars are close enough to cause a spiral of plasma and gas as the backdrop for a planetary nova. Images of the inside of the station show a massive open space, with landscape set in longitudinal strips that alternate between different environments, include some that include elegant skyscrapers that actually reach to the center of the cylinder, where a central spindle runs end to end. The caps at the ends of the cylinder are mountainous. All sculpted of course. It reminds Tasha somewhat of the Way in miniature.
'Hmm' goes Tasha, who taps her fingers against her muzzle in thought. "I like the size and the city elements, but would the artificial nature be too much like the environments we're used to? Does Daltoona have this sort of mix?"
"Daltoona has several cities and parks, but not anything so.. open," Yue says. "Aegis Station is the largest single enclosed volume in Known Space."
"That might be more appropriate, something confined, artificial, and crowded. Does the name have any significance? I vaguely remember an 'aegis' is some sort of shield." Surely one of Nora's memories, as the word still sounds foreign to Tasha.
"It was built by Terran Belters, and still has a sizeable Belter population, since it's easy to have different gravity zones. It's trade hub for precious and rare-earth metals and minerals. Multi-species. Probably even Vartans."
"A big trade city." Tasha turns to Gabriel, whose been uncharacteristically quiet. "How does that sound?"
"Looks like fun," Gabriel says. "And high-end. Rich people are crazy, so we wouldn't draw much attention."
"Then it's settled. When should we head out?" Again Tasha looks to Gabriel. She may set direction but he's ultimately in charge of moving the operation.
"We'll need to have Mr. Invention arrange things," Gabriel notes. "Including funding, as it looks expensive. May need to see about finding mining contacts to move things through.. assuming Kai can conjure up things like gold or uranium."
"Maybe I can foray in to the fairy lands and do some odd jobs for payment. I seem to be a bit more powerful than most heroes, and with Kai and some others I'm sure we can earn something quickly. Nothing as dangers as before, just more regular work." Tasha tilts her head. "I'm not sure what else I can do unless there's resources around here. I have some gold but I want to keep it." The last is said without a hint of self-consciousness nor embarrassment.
"If Kai can create this entire base plus a complete spaceship, than I'd assume the sky's the limit," Yue notes, but then raises a finger. "However, alien artifacts and artwork command much higher prices.. and I have some contacts in that area. So long as it isn't something the Titanians would object to."
"If they're around they might even be willing to trade their 'junk' artifacts, since we're a known quantity and I assume they alarmed I have vanished from their detection again. If they're about, we can ask to trade. Failing that, we know of a few alien worlds with artifacts sitting around, we could pick some up or stop by more remote places that only we can reach." Tasha spreads her hands as she's wont to do. "I think we may even have a few lying around."
"Do the Titanians actually use Galactic currency though?" Yue asks. "I have no idea what they sell their 'fish' for, that they don't immediately spend in Caltrop."
"If you can come with a list of alien art examples and other rare items that fetch high prices, we can probably see about finding things that fit the demand," Gabriel says. "If faerie magic works in the outside world, then we can probably find some very interesting stuff beyond the valley."
"They prefer trade. They do use currency, but not often, and mostly as a novelty. Our best bet is to trade something exotic to them in turn. I can probably go with kai back to the border town and buy some alcohol and other goods they'd like and trade those. Alcohol and exotic items from universes they can't reach by technology may really excite them. I'm not sure they even consider realms beyond the ones they focus on, or where their technology leads. And it should be easy for a few of us to go make a purchase, it wasn't that far." Tasha nods. "Vasha, Kai, and a cart."
"And trade goods?" Gabriel asks. "Unless you plan on having Vasha win arm-wrestling contests."
"I could spare a little gold, and the rest we could earn. There's a chance we might be attacked by bandits, too, while transporting so much and then we can also take their stuff." Tasha wags her tail and smiles.
"Hmmm, if it's too much fun then I should go too," Gabriel claims.
"You can wear a loincloth and bring a big sword," Tasha says with even more tail wagging. "Maybe I'll try practicing some magic if Kai wants to teach me something else. Handicap myself. Try something new."
"I'll send a message to Mr. Invention to at least find how much it's going to cost," Gabriel says. "Then we look over the loot list that Yue provides."
"That sounds fine to me. This shouldn't be much of a challenge for us at this point, almost busy work if not for sojourning in to another realm. You can scare away the people trying to hawk me junk once I start buying things." Tasha's ears then perk. "Oh, maybe we'll meet Gwyndrael while we're there."
"I'm not sure we should try to sell a dragon," Gabriel says with a grin.
"Like she'd let us. Then again maybe she would go along with it, she's funny." More tail wagging. "She even teased me about marrying her."
"You're sure it was teasing?" Gabriel asks, looking slightly concerned. "Magical creatures can be big on contracts."
"Umm, maybe?" Tasha leans back a little. "Well, that would be something. It does sound like me to accidentally end up married to a dragon."
"And Kai called her a lawyer," the red woman adds.
"Well, a lawyer makes you sign things," Gabriel claims. "So should be safe on that count. Did she actually say when she'd be coming by? How's she supposed to find us, or is that a Kai thing?"
"It's a Kai thing, and no. I think she needs to take a leave of absence to join us, since she works in Bahamut's city and an Advocate. I'm sure she can help us when she gets here. You'll know her when you see her." And so Tasha smiles.
"Well, I think we have our immediate tasks decided," Gabriel says. "Thanks, Yue. Tasha, you should update your.. kids? Siblings?"
"The Me Squad? I'm on it." It's definitely not an answer to Tasha's relationship to the other Tashas. "I'm sure they'll be glad to get out and see something new."
The 'family' is still waiting where Tasha (suddenly) left them to flying off to the castle. "So what happen?" Vasha demands immediately. Sasha and Sharon look on from the kitchen area.
"Kai's housekeeping of the keeper of the house needed some soul-scrubbing, so she convinced Samael to eat the Elf Lord's soul and made a new body for what's left. That was the dark pulse we felt. The new Lord is a small white haired pale elf girl, who is basically a clean slate." Tasha reaches over and taps the unicorn horn. "As you can see this wasn't needed anymore, so I guess it's mine now. We're safe anyway. The new Lord -- I'm calling her Princess -- is with Tia currently."
"So.. another brand new person created out of thin air?" Sasha asks, while Vasha leans over to inspect the horn closer.
"I guess so. The wonders of the Unformed seem to be almost limitless. Maybe they are limitless." Tasha draws the sword so Vasha can inspect it. "Before you get disappointed you can't have it, first, you can't get drunk holding it. or poisoned. At all. It also makes you nicer? Kai said it does." She then tries to tap it on Vasha's beak. "Now be excited because I am bequeathing you Apollyon's sword from Clan Harbinger. You're also getting your own suit of powered armor. And a mission."
"Oooo.." Vasha goes, flexing her talons. "Misson? Not digging ditches I hope!"
"Like we need ditches." Tasha slides the horn away then spreads her hands. "We need the area mapped. Since we don't know what's out there we're sending you, and armed. No helmet or gloves since we don't have any that fit you, but the rest should be enough. You'll need to bring some cartographic equipment as well."
"Cart of what now?" Vasha asks. "Map of.. the ground, like?" she then asks to be certain.
Tasha folds her arms. "I thought you're supposed to share my vocabulary? Well, someone's going to have to study some when she gets back. Map making equipment. Datapad, writing and sketching materials."
"And whatever I find I get to keep," Vasha adds.
"Maybe Sasha or Sharon would be better for this mission ... " Tasha muses, turning away from Vasha to consider the two of them.
"Ummm," Sharon goes, and tries to look busy. "We're too pretty to go," Sasha claims, but with a smirk.
"I'll take Lacci then," Vasha says. "She's gotta know how to do surveys."
Tasha turns back, ears perking. "Well if you want to challenge yourself more by bringing her I won't stop you. I'll fetch the sword later and, lets see, you can probably head out tomorrow if you want to. Gabriel and I, and maybe a few others, will be returning to the Dragonlands to do some shopping, so we'll be out."
"Shopping?" Sharon asks. "For.. dragons?"
"Of course not, you can't buy dragons. That's not very dragony, is it? We're buying things the Titanians might like so we can trade with them. I don't think they can travel out this way, so souvenirs and goods from the Dragonlands will entice them. We can then trade the artifacts they give us for money to use during our soon-to-be-happening Big Galactic City Adventure where we all get shoved in to a big city -- a really big city -- to get used to it!" Tasha then points to all three of them in a sweeping motion. "That means all of you too, and me, by the way."
"A big city?" Sharon asks. "So we're all going to the dragonlands then?" Sasha asks. "We can catch more dragons using the princess! What's the alien doing with her anyway?"
"Well the Big City is Galactic, we're just going to a smaller trade city in the Dragonlands. You can come if you want to. I expect you to arm yourselves, just in case." The red woman the scratches her nose. "I think the Princess has to stay here. She and the land are one, so if she leaves, maybe the land does, too. She a bit like a mini-god or a reverse dragon god. And I think Tia's getting her clothes."
"A genius loci, then," Sasha suggests. "What sort of weapons will work?"
"Oh anything really, although fae really don't like iron for some reason so you could bring some of those. I brought a sword and a revolver last time. I might take the back line this time so other people can have some fun." Tasha then taps the unicorn horn's base. "Sasha. I'll need your help mounting this to a hilt. Something study, and preferably nice looking. I don't want whatever spirit is tied to this horn to think I don't respect it's sacrifice."
"You want to turn it into a sword?" Sasha asks, coming closer to look at it.
"Aside from it's purification properties it can also immobilize immortals and it's probably effective against Shadow and other demons, which sounds like exactly the kind of weapon I need. It could even help to keep my own inner darkness at bay." Tasha draws the horn again and lays it across her hands so Sasha can inspect it. "Maybe something like an estoc, or a rapier. Estoc's are heavier though. Spear's a bit too bulky to be carried around, as we learned with the halitool."
Sasha inspects the broken-off end. "Might be able to use the spiral to hold it to a hilt," he says. "So that we don't have to cut into it.. can it be cut into? It feels lighter than ivory. At least, lighter than Bromthen ivory."
"What happened to the rest of the unicorn?" Sharon asks.
"Probably best not to ask. The last lord wasn't known for his kindness towards, well, anything. There's a reason he was impaled on his throne for who-knows-how-long. Kai may be immoral, but she acts on Kainudy's direction." Tasha then turns to Sasha and nods. "I don't know, it's a completely new thing to me. You should consult with Kia, and maybe Tia. they'll know more."
"Where's Kai now, if Tia is busy with the new princess?" Sharon asks.
"She could be anywhere. Like right there." And so Tasha spins around and points.
Vasha is where Tasha points, so the Vartan steps aside.. but nobody is behind her.
"Is she still at the castle?" Sharon asks. "Is the castle safe now?"
"That means she's busy," Tasha then states as if it were all according to her plan. "Probably, she's helping with the Princess. or resting. I get the impression her reserves aren't as great at Tia's, and creating people is taxing, especially magically immense people." She then considers for a moment, but then shakes her head. "Not safe, at least, not safe-safe. We'll have Gwyndrael deal with that later."
"She gonna knock it all down then?" Vasha asks, and smacks her fist into the opposite paw. "Blow it up! I wanna see that!"
"You're talking about me," Kai's voice says in Tasha's head. "What's up?"
"I don't know," Tasha says, sounding doubtful. "I like having a castle around, and maybe Gwyndrael or Princess will want to live there. Aside from the base, we're lacking in housing. We could build cabins eventually, but lets not destroy anything we don't need to, for now."
"I guess I'm the fun one now," Vasha claims. "I get the rail-gun too, if we go back to get it."
"I don't see why not," says Tasha, who is now very frowny at being once again told she's not fun. "Just be responsible with it. If you're going to pile up weapons, I will expect you to train to use them and use them well. You should coordinate with Shojo and learn what you can."
"Bet we could get some stuff from the Titanians!" Vasha declares. "What are we trading with them for, again?" she then asks.
"Fairy and Dragon Land goods, things tehy can't get. Anything interesting. We should get things we can use if they don't want them, so we don't end up with a pile of useless junk no one wants sitting around." Tasha looks around a moment, then stretches. "Weaaaapons, toys, art, whatever looks interesting."
"Uh.. probably shouldn't let them know about us though, right?" Sasha asks. "Or the base. Or Tia or Kai or.."
"Ehhh, I don't know. We don't have to tell them, but at the same time we don't have to hide you. I don't think they'll care that much considering neither Kai nor Tia are interested in damaging our universe, and are actually helping me save it. Bumper will probably just want to see how many of me she can fit in her lap." And so Tasha shrugs. "I wouldn't worry about it, I can talk it all away. And we shouldn't make them too suspicious or we may make them our enemies, which is much, much worse."
"So.. we don't have anything specific we need from the Titanians that we'd be trading for?" Sasha asks.
"We need artifacts so Yue can sell them on the black market and fund our time and purchases in The Big City. We can also sue that money to buy whatever Galactic-side equipment we need." Tasha then yawns, cavernously. "It will all be in the briefing."
The door to the lounge area opens and Tia comes in. "I have the princess in sleep-learning mode," she reports. "Kai will implant the Sidhe 'magic' skills next."
"Sheeeeeeed," Sharon says. Vasha doesn't even try to say it with a beak.
"Alright," is Tasha's reaction, as if she had known all about this plan and was simply being informed of its logical continuance. "How is she doing, mentally? Emotionally?"
"Well.. she doesn't have either of those functions yet," Tia explains. "But I know what she's going through, and will help her adapt. Hopefully she will not take after Kai."
"That would be bad," Tasha agrees, nodding slowly. "And as an artificial-ish being who now has three artificial-ish other selves, I'd be happy to help support her, as well. I've been thinking of assigning Sharon to help watch over her."
"I'm the designated baby-sitter then?" Sharon asks with raised eyebrows.
"You're non-threatening, and won't give her bad immortal habits," Tia seems to agree.
"You're the one most like her, and, well, you haven't shown an interest in other areas like Sasha and Vasha have. Don't worry, I'm sure the Princess and her care will come with a lot of learning experiences, and interesting adventures. She's this whole realm." Tasha nods in agreement to Tia's words. "And you're non-threatening and don't have obnoxious immortal habits. Besides, she might be fun to be around. We don't know yet."
Sharon makes a face, but just says, "I suppose I'm the maternal side then."
"I don't know, are you? You're the shy side, at least. And you don't have another job right now. So try it out, maybe you'll like it. Or if you don't, we can find something else you're better suited to," Tasha explains.
"Gallisian maid," Vasha offers. "Outfit would look cute on her."
"Sharon or the Princess?" Tasha could see both, and so turns to consider Sharon in such a thing. Then. she pauses. "Wait, does this mean I've thought of myself in a maid uniform?" She has, now that she thinks about it.
"Mom would be proud," Vasha claims.
"That settles it," Sharon says, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm learning to use the whip," she threatens.
"Would she?" Tasha's ears flick. "I guess she did think we should be more proper and, um, lady like, in as much as mom understood those things." She then eyes Sharon some more. "Well I won't stop you, but make sure you know what you're doing because I think you scar easier than I did. And you can decide your own outfit, we're not going to make you no matter how cute it would be."
"I've worked as a maid before," Tia notes. "It was very interesting for awhile."
"See? Tia knows." Tasha nods again to the alien.
"I'd rather be the rich spoiled girl, though," Sharon says.
"Well train her to be your maid and live ion the castle. Don't let us tell you what to do, be what you want and take it. You might have to listen to me, but I'm just here to keep you busy and help you integrate, I'm not your overlord, and I don't want to be. And I have to help keep things running here too." Tasha shrugs with her hands. "Sasha's in the shop, Vasha's in the field, the Princess needs someone to watch over for her for a while."
"Yeah, we aren't a bunch of.. Tash-holes.." Vasha says. Vartans are good and keeping straight faces.
"I don't get it," Tasha says with a perfectly straight face and inverted steepled fingers resting against her belly.
"Your variegation seems to be proceeding well then," Tia comments. "So you are no longer whole Tashas."
"I can never tell if you're being serious," Sasha notes to Tia.
"That word sounds made-up," Tasha notes as she tries to mimic Charon's voice and tone, which she's fairly sure only exists in her mind.
"All words are made up," Tia points out.
"Then I'm correct." Tasha remains straight faced, but her tail wags.
"Maybe I'll be the sane one then," Sharon says. "I assume you're having Kai take you to the dragon market then?" she asks Tasha.
"I don't think I can find my way there again, so yes." Tasha nods, then she smiles. "Maybe I'll buy some little dragon toys."
"Toys?" Tia asks, suddenly more animated. "Why are you buying dragon toys?"
"Because they're cute? I'm sure the princess might like a few, and maybe it'll help her be more comfortable around Gwyndrael. And if I have kids, they have to have dragon toys. they're probably very chew resistant, too."
"I've never seen an infant dragon," Tia says. "I never had toys. Was I supposed to provide toys for the three of you?"
"Yes," Vasha claims.
"I think this means everyone gets a dragon toy," Tasha suggests diplomatically. "Tia, and everyone else."
"I bet they can be used as lighters or blow-torches," Sasha says.
Vasha says, "I will accept magic toys too. Tasha knows they have to be better than Khattan progmat toys."
"Well we'll just have to see right? I bet the Captain of the Dainty Mauler won't be able to resist genuine dragon toys." She then nods to Vasha. "They ahve to be something outside of Titanian's ability to get for themselves."
"Technically Tasha is a Khattan toy," Sasha points out. "On paper, anyway."
"Please explain that, unless you mean the paintings, then don't explain that. Aside from being told I'm not fun I also get told I'm some kind of dessert sex demon a lot. Which, now that I think about it, does not make a lot of sense taken together." Tasha purses her lips, head tilting. "What are people imagining?"
"I should mention that you all need to be wound up every ten days," Tia claims. To Tasha, she says, "I believe he's referencing your official fake identity as a designer status symbol."
"Oh right, I sometimes forget how many weird identities I have as various toys and fun-objects. Well, then they're right. I'll have to get used to being that again." Tasha taps her chin. "Maybe I should dress the part this time?"
"Should I send Kai your way once she's done working with the princess then?" Tia asks.
"We'll need time to prepare, but whenever she's free, sure." Tasha looks around a moment then nods before shooing the rest of her. "Okay, everyone get ready! Sasha, go warm up the shop. Vasha, lets go get your sword and armor. Sharon, show us how independent you can be by getting your own gear ready and deciding what you need to wear and to defend yourself. Tia, I can't make you do anything so do what you want -- that's an order."
"Please avoid the castle for now," Tia advises. "After summoning one of the Nameless Things to make the princess with, there is a chance that more will attempt to manifest at the spot. Plus, Samael is there."
"He's a bit drunk, so who knows what he'll do. If he becomes a problem call for me and I'll handle him. And if I'm not enough, call Kai and Tia, too." Tasha looks a little grim, but then she forces a smile. "I'm sure it's fine, however."
"I will be... at the hot spring, if you need me," Tia says. "Good luck shopping for toys."
"Mmm, warm. I'm almost tempted to stay, now. Except there's food, toys, and Gabriel dressed as a barbarian, and I can't miss any of those things." Tsha's tail wags as she clearly stands there fantasizing a second. Then quick as a whip she claps her hands together. "Okay, get to it everyone."
"Is this a leather loincloth?" Gabriel asks Tasha. Some of the equipment on the table has been scavenged from the old castle, but a lot of it came from one of Tia's closets or was manufactured using the base fabrication facilities.
"It might be more properly called a breachcloth," Tasha muses, rubbing her chin and nodding slowly. "Why, are you tempted?" She cocks her head to the side, roling it around to look at Gabriel, brows raised. Her tail twitches.
"I also thought I'd have a cloak or cape for something like this," the big wolf says. "Or shiny armor. Which always seems at odds with a big sword slung against my back.."
"Well, we can always buy something along the way. I'm sure there are outfitters and armorsmiths aplenty. It's the fantasy world you always dreamed of!" Tasha waggles her fingers, magic-like. "But really, after this, no more distractions from our main goal. I want to resolve our situation so we can go about meddling with the universe."
"By finding treasure to trade for cash," Gabriel adds. "You saw the 'starting city' for adventurers, but I imagine things have been pretty picked over by now. Although with the 'Dreamlands' in turmoil who knows what might be stirred up."
"We might need to divert further in, then. There's the dragon cities, of course, but there may be others. Hopefully, we don't have to pass through the literal hell to get to either one. And there may be others; I think the Dragonlands are vast, indeed." Tasha spreads her hands. "Maybe infinite? I'm not sure. I should ask."
"I saw Kai out on the tarmac with Sam earlier," Gabriel mentions, and gestures to the windows of the command center. "She's our only guide to these places for now."
"Ah, Sam returned, then? I was a little worried he might have become unstable. Or refashioned. Kai is tricky; the essence of a Fay Lord could have effects. What else? We can fetch her when we're ready to go." Tasha then looks at the collection, then up at Gabriel again. "Have you picked something out? Want me to wear anything?" Her tail wags, just a little. "We don't get to spend enough time together on adventures, after all."
"Well, that will depend on your specialty," Gabriel claims. "For instance.." he starts to explain, when the elevator door opens and Sharon 'storms' in. She's barely dressed in gauze-like silk. "I do not approve of this outfit!" she complains.
"Wow, someone got a fun specialty," Tasha remarks after turning to openly regard her other self. "Let me guess, Katie?"
The human girl sort of flaps her arms. "She says I need to be a summoner who uses a demon for offense and defense. Sam!"
"And for monster bait apparently," Gabriel notes, smirking.
"When did you learn to summon? And you know you can say no, don't you? Unless you don't want to, but do want to complain about it because it makes being caught more fun?" Tasha gives Gabriel a side-long look. "That's how I work, by the way."
"Say no... to Katherine Vesuvius?" Sharon asks, and gestures to not-a-wolf self.
"So I can do anything to you and only have to worry when you don't complain about it?" Gabriel asks Tasha.
"She's not going to beat you up, if you say no. Otherwise, you should accept your fate as Katie's play thing." Tasha folds her hands in front of her, fingers touching, and ducks her head, ears back, mock-submissive. "A fate I know all too well."
Then, like nothing happened, Tasha tells Gabriel, "Yep! You'll know when I'm not in the mood, I think."
"I'll get sunburned," Sharon says. "Unless she was being literal about defense and I'm supposed to wear Sam like armor."
At that, Tasha looks a bit alarmed. "I know Sam is a friendly demon, but lets not treat him like he's totally harmless. A little caution is wise. You can take my -- your -- cloak with you. I still have it, and I've meant to give it to you as a sign of the connection between us. Or, we can make a new one, so you don't risk losing that one," she says.
"It might drag on the ground a bit without tailoring it," Sharon notes. "But better that and nothing else than this and a demon."
"We should get you two a tent, you'll drive her nuts if you avoid her. It might be time you just give in, then you can understand how you feel about it and work out how to be strong while being weak. It's something I've been figuring out, too." Tasha then gestures to herself. "Given I'm so cute and small now. Speaking of which, I need a role, don't I?" She looks to Gabriel again.
"Well, going naked will simplify things, and you won't be expected to carry anything," Gabriel tells Sharon, then looks back to Tasha. "If I'm the muscle, what the other roles to fill? Katherine is a good scout, she's shown that during Shojo's forest training back on Ymir."
"Kai's probably our sorceress-type by default; I don't exactly know any magic. How about enchantress? Or, thief? Rogue? I was the scout before, but Katie has that. Maybe Sasha can be the rogue, he'd look good in tight leather and his usual short pony tail. Vasha's going to be on duty here." Tasha picks at some of the outfits. "I can hang back with Sharon."
"Oh, and maybe Kai can teach me some enchantery. She'd been trying to teach me mind magic, and I think I'm coming around a bit -- seeing I can do more to end a fight without bloodshed," Tasha adds.
"Demonologist suits you more than it does Sharon," Gabriel says. "Dragon tamer?"
"She can identify all the cursed stuff," Sharon suggests.
"I don't have a dragon right now, and despite all my demony-powers, I'm never comfortable putting too much faith in them. I suppose I can, however. But I'm still a little uncomfortable around Sam. It's awkward I know." Tasha shrugs her shoulders. "Hanging out with my dire enemies is, of course, difficult fun."
"If Sam is our enemy, doesn't that make Tatha-hem our enemy too, even though she's the core of the Dark Horse?" Sharon asks.
"That's always been the case, but there's enemies and there's enemies. Sam and Tatha-hem are enemies by nature. They both, on some level, consider our destruction; Tatha-hem because she has to and Sam because of his master and his being. But it's distant for them. Kai is a bit like that, too, but less so. And, well, I'm biased, given what happened to me. I may be a bad person to ask about this, right now." Tasha then turns to the pile and determinedly starts to go through it, clearly having exited the topic. "I should decide on something. Help me out, Gabriel."
"I doubt we need to stick to specific jobs, and just need to be flexible enough to handle whatever comes," Gabriel suggests. "So select gear that's practical and comfortable. And we can't take Sam with us, since there are places he can't travel to, apparently."
Sharon seems deep in thought now, and suddenly eyes Tasha with suspicion.
"I imagine the City of Justice would just love having a demon walk through the front door. I ended up on the floor just by being possessed." Tasha taps her head. She then picks out a breachcloth, wrap top, some wrap-on bracers and her own pair of high booties. She adds a hood and a wing-accepting cloak to the mix, and grabs a spear and her sword. "This will do."
And after she says that, she then eyes Sharon back. "Yesss, my smoother half?"
"Kai made us, and Kai is the evil version of Kainudy, more or less," Sharon says. "So, one of us must be the evil version of Tasha. So, is that what Vasha is?"
"Tasha is the evil version of Tasha," Gabriel claims.
"Gabriel understands me very well," Tasha confirms, again folding her hands together to look prim and unassuming. "Maybe I should be the priestess? I do have a lot of god-connections. I can't heal, though."
"You'll need some sort of symbol then," Gabriel says. "Like one of your Markers."
"Oh, I can be a herald! I was a herald, I can just say I can speak for gods. Which I can. I do it all the time! I did it like a few days ago." Tasha begins pulling off her jacket, then her shirt. "Oh and you and Sasha are the nicer versions of me, clearly. Vasha's more like me in the meanness department, she'll have to work on that because I don't want you all really fighting."
"She has the biggest boobs now too," Sharon points out. "Maybe there is a correlation there."
"Are we going to consider bust size now in future recruitment efforts?" Gabriel asks.
"I wonder how she and Katie will get on, who is pushier. I'd vote for Katie but who knows, maybe I'll surprise me like I always do." Tasha tosses off her top and begins trying to fit the new one. "You know, breast size isn't a huge deal for me? Or, you know, it's not something I'm drawn to here or there. I never realized that until you both mentioned it."
"I just mentally lump you and Sharon together for that," Gabriel claims. "You're less intimidating now, though, which I don't mind. As for Katie versus Vasha.. Katie is trained in counter-intelligence. I think she could talk Vasha into doing whatever Katie wants her to do. Vasha still has her susceptibility to 'shiny women' after all."
"Yeah, Vasha's probably doomed. She has a lot of ego, pride, and courage, but she's not exactly savvy and she's got my weaknesses." Tasha gets it all sorted, then starts throwing on the rest, which sort of makes her look like some sort of demon, or perhaps succubus, priestess. Except, cuter, more approachable, and therefore extra dangerous. "And you like me less intimidating? Did I intimidate you? I mean, beside the world-destroying and demon slaying parts."
"Different sort of intimidating, something large-breasted women acquire," Gabriel says. "Katie is the most intimidating without being alien. She's the sort of intimidating you can relate to."
"Authority, money, education, and painfully gorgeous intimidating. It's a lot to handle." Tasha finishes up, adjusting things just so, then she turns around and holds her arms out. "Where as I look like this."
"Cute can be intimidating too," Gabriel claims. "Like Liza."
"I feel like Liza is intimidating and just happened to be cute. I think it annoys her, deep down." Tasha shakes her head, then rushes over to start adjusting Sharon's outfit, and the most embarrassing ways she can think of. "And I'm not the only cute one! You know, I remember being extra sensitive, is this too much? Let me tighten this. And how about this.."
"Agh!" Sharon complains, and tries to push Tasha by flailing her hands. "I want real clothes now!"
"Nooo, we have to be cute together! You can be my slave human girl. Now lets see what else we can do!" This goes on for some time.
Hakeber is disappointed. "We look like we're going camping on Sinai," she complains. "Gabriel and Sasha aren't wearing furry barbarian loincloths, with bare chests covered in leather straps of unknown utility!"
"Hey, I at least dressed up. We can force people to be more festive when we reach a major city. We do also need to not die, though, so we have to be a little practical." Tasha slings an arm around Sharon, drawing her head together with her's. "Cute team is ready to go!"
Most of the group is dressed similarly, with boots and cloaks and sturdy clothes. And for Sharon, a wide-brimmed hat. Katie has her saber, but also a sidearm and Sasha has a rifle. Nothing modern, but a slight step up from Abaddonian firearms. Sharon has a belt with lots of canisters clipped to it. Hakeber brought a very large backpack.
"We're just going shopping," Katie claims. "Looking fancy will get us robbed."
And Tasha has a spear and a sword. The spear even has a gold-and-cloth array of swirly-massed and uncomfortably abstract symbol hanging off the butt, making it seem more like a staff of office, of a traveling priestess's staff. Her oufit is about as revealing as Sharon's, though more strappy and more solid in the important places. "Everyone ready? Just remember, new universe, not for show, dangerous in its own ways, not a holovid set or Sinai."
Tasha pouts at this. "I was hoping to rob some robbers."
"Robbers are always poor," Katie points out. "Otherwise they wouldn't be accosting people on roads."
"So.. we just need the Wicked Witch now," Sasha offers. "Is Kai meeting us at the arches?"
"It's more for the amusement and common vernacular ironic value," Tasha admits, ears laying back. She tries looking pouty at Katherine, evidence of her growing more adept at using her body's natural tendacies.
"We don't want to be bandits," Katie insists. "What if their law enforcement has real magic?"
"Oh, right, the law. I forget about the law." Tasha taps the side of her muzzle, head tilted, gaze canted up, as if in deep thought. "Probably shouldn't then. Oh well!" She drops the look and runs over to grab Katie's arm with one of her's, pulling Sharon along with her. "Protect me O Silver Maiden!"
Hakeber grabs Sasha and Gabriel's hands then. "Come have fun with me O Studly Studs!" she calls and follows Tasha.
Walking past spaceships like this is a bit odd. But once past the airfield are the arches of the gateway, with Kai waiting, along with Tia and sharp-featured girl with pointy ears and long hair wearing a nightgown, and keeping slightly behind Tia.
"You all look appropriately mundane, except for Tasha," Kai notes. "But, where do you want to go first?"
"Kaaaaii, where are youuu, we need to go shopping!" Tasha calls out to the sky. She can't howl anymore, but she does roar-bark a few times for emphasis. When she spots the faux-fay she perks her ears. "Oh there you are! And thank you for noticing I'm not being mundane today. Hi! remember me?" She then waves to the girl.
The girl moves further behind Tia, who says, "Whisper isn't ready to meet large groups yet, but I want her here so she learns about the gateway."
"Whisper, huh? Well, she is shy. I'm a little sad she's scared of me, though." Tasha steps back anyway, knowing she's dressed like the cutest of traveling demonic clergy. "Well, at least she's learning things."
"I'll power up the portal, but Kai has to set the destination," Tia says, touches the side of the nearest crystal arch, which lights up with her signature golden light, until a swirling vortex forms between the arches.
Tasha watches this, but she doesn't expect to understand anything by looking. "I guess this is fairy-only magic?"
"Shopping for weird stuff is best in one of the border realms.. hmmm.." Kai says, tapping her cheek with one finger. Then she reaches into the vortex and it becomes a little more transparent, showing what looks like like a city superimposed over the view of the lake.
"I don't do fey magic," Tia says. "I'm just the power source in this case."
"I'm using fey magic," Kai explains, as she makes sweeping gestures that change the view through the portal. "This one! Elsenteria," she says. "Step right through!" she tells the party.
"I feel like that sometimes, too." Tasha then turns to give Sharon a hug for some reason, and adds, "Our first adventure together!"
"I see boats," is Gabriel's comment before stepping into the portal.
"And off we go!" Tasha heads forward and pulls Sharon along with her. "go bravely, come on, you'll remember going in first!"
It feels like moving through a thin membrane of dry water. When everyone is through, Kai closes the portal behind them. They've landed in a clearing in the woods ringed with rune-carved standing stones, near the top of a hill. The path to the main dirt road is clear from here. The city beyond looks like a mishmash of architectural styles, from simple to elegant (there are few of the fey style towers like Tasha saw in Avalon) and with one stone tower at the center that reaches impossibly high into the sky, where a shimmery distortion makes the top of it unclear.
"Doesn't look like the place has been set on fire recently, so we should be good," Kai says, and heads down the path.
"Check out the Overcompensation Tower!" Sharon is pulled forward to get a better look, as they're both not exactly tall and other bodies block their line of sight. "And why was it set on fire? Dragons? Demons? Magic SNAFU?"
"It's a trading city, I just assume it gets sacked every so often," Kai explains. A group of carriages pulled by stocky reptiles (but not Dromodons, as they only have four legs) passes before the group reaches the road. "The big spire is the Heavenly Tower, where the immortal ruler lives," Kai points out. "The top actually pokes through another water layer, the sky sea."
"Neat," goes Tasha, showing her wide array of cross-world slang, to be executed randomly, apparently. "Does the Sky Sea extend across this plane or only around this area? And what's up there? Another trading town and another tower through another sea?"
"It covers the whole realm, and lets the bigwigs travel between towers without having to touch the ground," Kai tour-guides. "We're 'distant' from the Unformed here, so magically conjured stuff is rare, which is good if you want more genuine artifacts."
"What do we use for money?" Hakeber asks.
"Sharon and Gabriel," Kai suggests.
"Having our trade goods go poof would be a bit problematical." Tasha then reaches to her pouch and pats it. "Well, I brought fairy gold. Again, you should admire my self sacrifice in using my own gold to fund our mission."
"Fairy gold may not be good here, by the way," Kai claims. "We'll need to find a collector who will exchange it for something more tangible."
"I am also okay with just keeping it." Tasha pushes her pouch back under her cloak again and pats it. "Also, Sharon and Gabriel are mine as well, no trading."
"Entertainers only," Kai says. "Gabriel can enter wrestling contests, and Sharon can sing and dance."
"One of those I believe, the other I do not," Sharon points out.
"She, Katie and I can maybe sing and dance. Maybe I can offer communion with dark powers or gods or something. I don't know, I've kind of forgotten how to live in a city with rules." Tasha stretches. "We'll figure out something I'm sure."
There's a line at the main gate, with short greenish creatures that look like shrunken Eeee without wings or fur. Several great the group. "Maps! Maps to the Night City!" "Anti-kidnapping charms!" "Real spring water, not from a moat or well!" They're a bit like Kavi, or populate a similar niche.
"What are these things?" Katie asks, having never been to Sinai to experience Kavi.
"They're the Kavi-equivalent. Energetic, plotting, cunning, larcenous. Short. Just avoid them and watch your things." Tasha does exactly this, and keeps an eye on Sharon, too.
"Just goblins," Kai says. "Bottom-rung of the sapient species ladder. The ones wearing the most clothing are probably pick-pockets."
"They're kinda cute, make me think of Reeka," Hakeber says.
"The Night City is real enough though," Kai says.
"Exactly like Reeka. With all that entails." Tasha then turns to Kai. "So, Night City, dangerous part of the city? Always night? Shady, bars, brothels, that kind of thing?"
"It's.. the Night City," Kai explains. "It's a city that appears at night, out there." She points to the harbor, which seems to have a lot of large ships, some of them extremely exotic looking.
"You need a guide to the Night City!" one goblin is quick to claim.
"Exciting. I guess we'll have to wait for that. Where does it go during the day, though? Do you stay there if day comes around and you're in it, or does it just dump you in the Harbor?" Tasha's tail wags throughout all of these questions.
Another claims, "The Astral Empire will get you if you don't know the safe routes!"
"It exists all the time, but it's only accessible from this plane at night," Kai says, waving away the goblins. "The astral plane connects here at night."
"Oo, an astral plane. Full of stars and nebulas, great void? Like space, but less suffocating, more magical?" Tasha follows along Kai now, since she's vending the answers.
Sasha leans in towards Tasha, and asks, "So we're clear, which god are you a priestess of?"
"More weird. Easy to get lost, full of island-worlds and horrific entities that predate form itself," Kai says. "No decent bars."
"Oh, you know, one of them," Tasha responds, shrugging, palms up. "I know a few. Maybe I'm multi-denominational? Big H is the one I have the most direct line to, though, if someone feels like making a very bad life choice through me."
Tasha then gasps. "No bars and formless horrors?! Another realm full of my enemies. At least the Ogdoad have the decency to exist beyond existence, where there can't be bars."
"I figured you'd be a Herald of the Queen of Demise," Kai teases. "The astral plane has some interactions with the Dreamlands, being the more metaphysical embodiment of the same sort of thing. So it could be bit distressed right now."
"Ooo, and since you're suggesting it, I be that would annoy her, too. And that she'd also enjoy it. Because I'm learning she's kind of perverse." Tasha then cackles, which these days sounds more like spritely giggling. "Maybe I'll do that."
When it's their turn, a group of armored guards stand ready as well. There's also a small sort of market set up for people that can't get in. An officious semi-armored human-but-with-horns-and-a-tail seems about to ask questions, when Kai raises her hand and says, "These are not the droids you're looking for." The man's eyes go unfocused for a moment and he signs and hands her a pass, waving them through.
"Beep-boop," goes Tasha as they make their way inside. "Hey Kai, teach me some of that? We were going over a bit last time."
"I'm not sure you can be trusted with telepathic hypnosis yet," Kai claims. "I certainly shouldn't be trusted with it."
"Yes but then there will be two people to blame, instead of just you! That's extra work, and therefore, a deterrent." Tasha taps the side of her heading, indicating she thought about it deeply. Or immediately. "What about other powers?"
The first section of the city is a bit rough looking, mainly housing and such for workers rather than visitors. They have to pass through another wall before it looks as nice as the nicer areas of Rephidim or Abu Dhabi, with a much wider variety of people.. include some that look like Vartans, but have bird feet instead of hooves.
"You still need to work on harnessing your wing-muscle-based telekinesis," Kai says. "I'll be training you and the Vartans in that when we get back."
"What special powers do the rest of us get?" Sasha asks.
"Ooo, griffin-people. I always thought they had to be somewhere. Vasha's going to be so jealous." Tasha makes sure to study them, for sketching and painting later. "And fine, tossing people with my mind is kind of like controling them with it."
"As for the rest of you, I'm already in your heads, which is how you can communicate with the natives," Kai says. "So if the situation arises, I can also act through you."
"Act how?" Sasha asks, sounding a bit growly.
"I can make Sharon sing and dance," Kai offers. "I gave her a very nice singing voice."
"Eh she's done it with me, it's probably fine. Also, it means no personal guilt if you toss someone in to the sky lake with your mind." Tasha shrugs her shoulders. "Though, do try to not puppeteer is unless necessary, Kai. Or we ask. Preferably we ask."
"I only do it in emergencies, like when that wall was about to eat people," Kai notes to Tasha. "I don't expect to go up against a fallen ophanim this time, but I'm conserving my strength as much as possible."
"Yeah, hopefully you don't get stepped on again. You looked like how I often look when I'm feeling a bit dead. Like a crushed bug." Tasha slaps her paws together, then rubs them. "What a monster that thing was."
The animal pens are nearby, from the smell as the breeze changes, and the more well-dressed entities seem to have exotic pets. There are also elves, but not like the ones Tasha saw in Avalon. These seem more mundane, like ordinary people. There are also actual signs pointing down intersections for things like inns, restaurants and markets. Although the market names don't translate as well, as they look like personal names.
"Are the markets named after people? Or run by a person? I can't quite make out what any of these are about," Tasha admits as she puzzles over one.
The group also isn't the only one with humanoid wolves, as there are plenty of others, including Jupani-type digitigrade sorts. Kai whistles to one nearby, which looks around and points to itself when it spots them. Kai waves it over.
"Uh.. yes?" the wolf asks as it looks them over.
"Seeing the universe has good taste is always encouraging," Tasha remarks to no one in particular. She does, however, wave to the wolf.
"Hello friend, we're new arrivals here, and everyone knows wolves can be trusted," Kai says. "So we were hoping you could tell us a bit about the markets here?"
The wolfman wags his tail, and smells trustworthy. "Oh, yes, they can be confusing," he agrees, then points down the street to the right. "Gradle Market is for tools. All kinds of tools!" Pointing to the left, he says, "Mer Market is for sea goods, which covers a lot, from seafood to foreign imports and shipwright services. Was there anything in particular you were looking for?"
"Uhhh, what would they like. Maybe a variety, so the sea market might be better. They're adept at making tools, but they don't usually make art, and they like trophies and items of conceptual significance, for example, the skull of a god was a real hit," Tasha elaborates.
"Oh, the Gods Market is further up," the helpful wolf says. "That's where all the temples and brothels are."
"Is that normal?" Sasha asks.
"Prostitution is illegal, except for Sacred Prostitutes," the wolf explains.
"Maybe I should go there," Tasha muses. "Or we should split up, since there's a lot of ground to cover." She then turns to Sasha and nods. "It might be sacred prostitution, given the location."
"What would a holy brothel be like, I wonder," Hakeber ponders. "I've never seen a secular one though, either, so my imagination could be way off base."
"I can look at the dockside stuff," Gabriel offers. "You and Hakeber would be best for the religious sector."
"Hake and Sharon can come with me, and whoever else wants to try that area. Gabriel, want to hit up the Seamarket? Sasha should go look at tools, because he's in to tools." Hwer raised brow is very suggestive.
"I'm fine with that," Sasha says.
"See, this is why we get along so well," Tasha remarks of her and Gabriel having the same idea. "Someone should go with Sasha though, I don't want anyone alone who isn't used to places like this."
"I can back him up," Katie says. "I'm curious about what sort of tools they have too."
"That's that then, Kai I assume you'll float around doing the usual Kai things?" And so tasha looks to Kai.
"I can arrange for lodging, and see about getting Katie a minstrel gig," Kai says. "I may try to raise some local funds in other ways."
"And remember, I'll be listening in, sort of, if you need me," Kai explains. "Just think my name really loudly and I'll notice."
"Looks like we're all settled, then! Off we go; if you get lost just wait, we'll find you. If you have a problem just tell Kai there's a problem. If none of that works, just try to get somewhere that looks safe." And so Tasha nods. "Good luck, everyone."
Tasha says, "I'd talk like I suually do after but so tired. I do feel like I should show you some of Elden Ring though, as The Lands Between have a lot of qualities of interest to the home realm. And a great tree!"