"Holy figurative crap," Kai laughs at Tasha's last comment. "I'm not surprised that the golden bitch is still around, just that she'd pay any attention to outsiders! She wanted to wipe out humanity on that version of Terra because they'd invented cities!" This makes Kai have to lean against the crystal archway for support, as she laughs more.
"I only know of Daniarood through the Stelya-rhyan," Tia notes. "And they didn't interact with her much, aside from Persephone, and she hated Daniarood." She gives Kai a worried look, especially at her cavalier attitude after just mentioning the proposed genocide of her original(?) species.
"She seemed more.. mild than the stories. Worn down and, well, tired. I can see how a long life and many problems could incline a person to genocide. I, too, had to chose genocide at one point." Tasha continues to tap her fingers together. "But she is willing to talk. I requested a meeting with her back when we were in the city, and she accepted. She gave me very good advice on how to save Kainudy, how she works, and what we can do to remove the Queen of Demise aspect and try to establish her on a brighter path. I think that's what you want, both of you? It will be more than just confronting her -- and we will have to do that -- we will also need to create a future and a place of happiness."
"I could go either way, to be honest," Kai admits, after wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. "And Daniarood invented manipulation, just so you know."
Tia just looks troubled. She then puts on a calm face as she looks up and behind Tasha. "What-t-t's the jok-ke?" Kaa asks. The walking suits for the Phins aren't quiet enough to allow one to sneak up on someone, though.
"She didn't seem very manipulative with me. I'm not sure why. She just seemed like an older woman who was willing to talk. She said I can return if I want to," Tasha assures Kaa, holding her hands as if to forestall revelations she was misdirected. This is interrupted when Kai shows up, so she turns to him and spreads her hands. "I met Tia's great grandmother and they were very surprised I got along with her."
The Phin is wearing his utility harness, but otherwise is floating in the air.. or rather swimming in it, as he rolls onto his side and then upside-down while looking at Tasha. "D-did she serve you tea and cookies? I've always wanted to try tea."
"We discussed past and current problems, I gave her a hug, and she said I could return. I thanked her for her hard work." Tasha tilts her head to the side to try and match the Phin's orientation, canine heads have good rotational capacity, as do avians. "She's an old medeller, not unlike us. I can see where her associated children get it from."
"A dolphin then?" the now upside-down, unsupported cetacean asks.
"You could say she's the great great grandmother of Phin's on the Human side." Tasha frowns at this free-floatingness, spreading her wings until she too is floating, and now, upside-down. "Do you happen to know why you're floating? I also get strange powers seemingly out of the blue, so I understand if it's a recent development."
"Oh, Whisper changed the laws here so that Phins and the Tadpole are immune to gravity," Tia explains. "It was her first attempt at changing the nature of this place."
"I bet Kaa volunteered. I bet he suggested it then volunteered," Tasha insists, brows raising, or lowering, depending on how one choses to see the motion while Tasha is upside down. "You know, I should spend some time with her. I have been recently been reminded I am just running away from my fear of being around children."
"She wanted-d a ride, but didn't want to get wet," Kaa claims. "Moka was there the whole t-time. But she ended up riding on Tadpole instead!"
"Most people don't ride on the outside of spaceship," Tasha notes, smiling. "Do you think she'd want to meet me? She seemed uncertain of me, before."
"She's only a few days old," Tia notes. "It's been an effort getting her to speak to anyone else. She gravitated.. no pun intended.. to the Phins because they were playing in the water and that looked fun."
"So look fun. I know I haven't exactly been very fun lately," Tasha laments, head shaking. "Or so people tell me. But, we did get her gifts, so maybe she'll like those."
"Gifts!" Kaa squeals, then swims off somewhere. He's very fast in air, probably as fast as he is in the water. "We should go back to the others or they will think we are trying to get out of loading the truck," Tia suggests.
"We're discussing important matters." But Tasha does turn and head back for the truck, righting herself as she goes until she's back on the ground and stretching. "SO HOW ARE YOU DOING VASHA?"
"The mercenaries were impressed with the kill I brought back," Vasha says, and gives an involuntary (or absolutely voluntary) flex. "I wasn't expecting you to bring back all this stuff! And Shojo gots shinier pants than Aaron had! And they're metal! We gotta do a whole new painting now!"
"NO PAINTINGS. Unless they're mine." Tasha heads for the cart and starts offloading the lighter alchemical items, partly because she's not as strong as she used to be and partly because they move on their own and that might cause chaos if undirected. And direct them she does; once they're down she takes her and Sasha's keys and tells them, "Follow me at a distance." And they do, lining up behind her like chest-made troops.
"So you do the painting, nobody else does that," Vasha says. "Or we get everyone in the picture! Kai or Tia gotta know how to paint too, they're ancient and easily bored."
"We have a passenger," Sasha whispers to Tasha and flicks an ear backwards.
"What's this about a painting and shiny pants?" Lacci asks.
Vasha puts an arm around Lacci and whispers the gory details to her.
"I don't mind, we'll have to get everyone togeth--" Tasha pauses at Sasha's warning and so she glances over her shoulder.
Whisper is happily sitting on one of the chests. Her eyes give her an almost feline expression. She also catches sight of the Tadpole flying over from the direction of the castle.
Tasha follows her gaze, brows raising. "Huh, well, glad the little guy is getting out and about. This must be a very new experience." She then pauses, climbs back on the cart, then fishes out her gift for whisper. This she places on one of the chest, opening it to reveal the calm but a bit shy looking little silver dragon, which she pats and smiles at -- then she just walks away. If Whisper is like her cats they can't resist something she thinks is interesting and leaves unattended, especially if she isn't there to crowd their attempts at sneaking about.
The girl grabs the dragon and runs off, bare feet slapping across the tarmac! Then she leaps down into a maintenance pit and vanishes.
Tasha blinks at where Whisper had been. "Well. Um. That either worked very well, or it worked very badly." She pauses, then adds, "If she.. doesn't like it, or plays with it too rough, I'd appreciate if no one tells me. I picked that one because it means something to me and I tough it'd mean something to her. I'd be, uh, uncomfortable if it were.. " She twirls a finger vaguely, " ..you know." She then goes back to unpacking, her sack full of clothes going on a chest, then she's there pondering what else to unpack.
"She understands gifts," Tia claims. "I gave her her gown, and now you've given her a toy. Of course, Vasha gave her a stick and she had a lot of fun with that too."
"She like exploring the base," Vasha weighs in. "It not something she has a connection too. And I just threw the stick. She kept bringing it back!"
"So she is a lot like a cat, that's good to know. I get along very well with my cats. Has she met the cats? If she, um, safe around the cats? She seems harmless but, well, she does control everything here. I may not have the best relationship with Elves, either, so maybe I'm over-biased." Next comes Tasha's book of phoenixes, and that's the majority fo her stuff. She grabs the gift container too, and that's the maximum her and her entourage of storage seems able to manage.
"Maybe I should teach her how to make a kite," Gabriel says. "Flying kites is very relaxing, I recall. Especially one you make yourself. Teaches dexterity."
"We -- Vartans I mean -- like to tie streamers to ourselves. Usually with shiny bits. There's a few names for them, but it roughly translates to 'meteor bird'." Tasha starts walking, which leaves the truck bed with more space since she can move her lot between herself, Sasha, and the trunks. "Where should we drop off the alchemy supplies, Sasha? And the wand should be in there, too. Do you want to grab that, Tia?"
The boat-building supplies are left outside, and Sasha and Katie handle the tools, with some being set specially aside. Gabriel also gives the Phins the fish they'd gotten at the alien market. Vasha gets distracted from admiring Shojo's armor to help unpack things. Hakeber notably stays away from any physical labor once she's gotten her books and pamphlets from the haul.
"Hey, this another sword?" Vasha asks, having found the bound-up Caudimordax.
Yue and the Lapis show up as well. Aaron gives Tasha a serious looking over but doesn't see any wounds or scars so relaxes. "Anyone suffering any ill effects from the journey?" Yue asks.
"Kai turned us into newts," Gabriel claims. "But we got better."
Tasha grimaces and hurries over to separate Vasha from the sword. "Thaaat's a sentient sword and maybe cursed. It's sealed up for a good reason." She knows herself and knows Vasha will try to get in to it because it is a sentient cursed sword, and therefore Interesting. But Vasha is new, and Tasha feels protective of her, so she picks up the sword case first. "Kai is managing this for now."
"She is?" Vasha asks. Kai is nowhere to be seen!
"Why do you have a cursed sword?" Aaron asks Tasha. "It didn't ask for help, did it?"
"Eh?" Tasha, holding the sword case, frowns as she looks around. "Did she skip out on.. Well fine , I'll look after it for now." She slings it on to her shoulder, lumber-style, with her other hand carrying the rest. It's a lot for her but better than losing Vasha. "Well, lets head back. Kai is probably somewhere."
Eventually, things are brought to rooms or workshops, and the pile of stuff winnowed down to bare crates. "I need Kai for something," Vasha tells Tasha. "We need a bit long pit full of coals to roast my Bandersnatch, and she didn't make any digging machines. I saw a big spit at the castle, too."
"And I need her to tell me where to put this sword." Tasha still has the sword and has been carrying it around like a cross to bear every since they unpacked. "I guess we should find her or I'm going to have to just consider this thing a part of my wardrobe from now on."
"Well, if I'm not needed I should get back to my research," Tia says. "I'm close to determining if your universe is finite, and whether or not it's rotating."
"Let me know what you find, it will help me sound smart when I meet Galactic big-wigs again," Tasha insists. She then tilts her head. "And if you're worried about what I said, we can discuss it all in detail later."
"My mother chose not to share her past with me," Tia says, a bit sadly. "And it's not like what she did share was happy. I'm no relation to Daniarood." And with that she leaves the lounge area. Instead of just flying away once she's past the glass doors though, she keeps walking instead.
"Yeah, I really see the family resemblance. They all fall out with the one who comes after, lament over what they could try to fix, and avoid each other. It's no wonder I'm afraid to have children. Between my role models, my life-challenged self, and the destruction I can bring, how does anyone ever think it'd be a good idea?" Tasha then shakes her head, nods to Vasha to follow, and they start walking. "I'm just glad you three seem to be more or less self-sufficient. I'll be counting on you to look after the others, too. In many ways they're not as fortunate as you are."
"Well, I am the best looking," Vasha claims. "And best at everything else, too. And not all.. sensitive and.. wet. How'd they get like that? Also, did any of them get laid, or at least come close?"
"Wet?" Tasha gives Vasha a funny look. "I mean at least Sharon is wet, I assume you mane her. And speaking of wet, no, neither of them. They're surprisingly awkward about it and that makes me very self-conscious now that I think about it. I don't remember being anywhere near that shy, and not that reluctant. Katie's still hard to approach, but everyone thinks that." Tasha pushes the sword case over her shoulder until it hangs between her wings like an ominous guitar case. "Now that I think about it, it's probably why I like dragons and little dragons. They're strong, they last, they're self-sufficient. I can trust in them to endure, and if things -- me, other things -- go badly, they'll probably be okay. I can put my faith in them and relax around them. Children just seem so fragile in a world and place where I can't even not break myself."
"We weren't fragile back home," Vasha claims, and thumps her chest with a fist. "We were tougher than anything! And I'm what we were supposed to be, what we always wanted to be growing up. Full Vartan!"
"Let the bunnies look after any kids," she then suggests. "They paranoid and over-protective."
"Well, yes, but that's when I was still immature and partly still a child. I've grown a lot more since then," the original red woman elaborates, hands spreading, "And we were fragile back home. Emotionally desperate, projective, hyper-aggressive, linguistically and volume challenged. I admit I do miss many things about Vartan life, losing that was one of the hardest parts of joining with Karnors, and they've never quite replaced what was lost. I think they forgot I was half Vartan. Not I seem to be an even mix of many things. And I'll tell you, Vasha, being unique sounds great, but you have to build everything yourself. There's nothing to fall back on, no people to look to, no culture to adopt or reject, it's just you."
"Karnors secretly think everyone is a Karnor," Vasha claims. "Even the cats think we all just big slow stupid cats. And they're just animals! Karnors smart enough to.. what's it when lie to yourself convincingly? Rationalize! Gabriel want kids. He lost his remember. Well.. left.. I guess. He's a dad. Listen to him talk about making a kite with Whisper. That's a dad thing, for sure. Give him time, and he'll start fathering at Tia next."
"Fathering at Tia? I hope you don't mean look to her for kids," Tasha asks, aghast. She then looks suddenly pained, ears back, "But.. I suppose if I can't or won't give him what he needs, I wouldn't blame him for looking elsewhere."
"No, look at her as a kid," Vasha elaborates. "If he go to anyone to give him his own kid outside of you, he'll go to Kai, and ask her to resurrect Lancelot from his memories. And that.. that would be bad."
"That would be extremely bad," Tasha agrees, frowning even more deeply. "I didn't think he was that desperate. I guess despite how close we are, we never really talk that much. He keeps everything inside, and to a degree, so do I. I just hide it behind seeming frivolous, while he hides it behind professionalism and silence."
"We got a real kid sort of person here now," Vasha says, and clicks her beak a few times. "Not a Karnor or Human, but kinda close. I watch her. Elves look like Humans but they way more wild animal. I don't think Gabriel is desperate but having a reminder sittin' in his lap won't make things easier."
"Maybe I should have a discussion with him about what to do about the future. I don't want to just leave him hoping in silence, or expecting something that might not come. I want to know what he wants so I can decide if I can give it to him." Tasha rolls her shoulders; she hopes the sword's suppression also suppresses talking. "I suppose we'll see how things go here. If this place is safe enough, that would make it easier. But, we can't take children off to fight mind-wrenching horrors."
"Send 'em back home," Vasha suggests. "The Ogdru-hem can't get to Sinai, not without flying through space for a zillion years. Make Tia their teacher. Keep them away from Kai. Sharon would be good babysitter. Imagine her running around, trying to catch 'em like the crew did trying to catch me.. us. Anyway.. where would the sketchiest Human-thing ever be hanging out?"
"Oh, she's probably following us and listening. She might be hoping I'll just ope up the sword, because that would be entertaining, or else she knows something about it that would make me opening it even more entertaining," Tasha answers. She doesn't say it, but she'll think on what Vasha said. And, she'll talk to Gabriel. She would very much like Gabriel to be happy, she just doesn't want to scare herself away from him, her children, or this place.
"You feels that?" Vasha asks. Tasha feels something like a trembling, but not quite physical.
"A little, like.. Like something is shaking. But not as in an earthquake, something is less tangible." Tasha stops walking, motioning Vasha to halt. She then slowly starts turning around, her Shadow eye opening as she begins to scan for disturbances, at least the ones she can sense. "Tia, do you feel that?"
"The gateway is being opened," Tia replies. "Kai is acting as the beacon for it."
"But why? We have no scheduled arrivals, and she didn't sya anything when she left -- and she left suddenly." Tasha gives Vasha a worried look, then nods back the way they came. "The Gateway is opening. It's Kai. Reason unknown, but Tia knows it's the portal." She doesn't wait for Vasha to follow, starting to run back the way they came.
The vortex forming in the crystal arches looks like a swirl of smoke and fire this time, with moving shadows beyond it. Kai is just standing off to the side, one hand on the crystal arch.
Tasha skids to a halt, then she starts circling around the portal warily, heading towards the faux-fae woman. "Kaaaiii, who is coming through the gate?" She motions for Vasha to stay back, just in case. She doesn't know if Vasha will obey, but if she follows, well, that is her choice and it's something she might do.
Kai doesn't answer, and seems to be concentrating. Then a figure emerges from the portal: a lesser Kobold, in some sort of livery and holding up a standard. Several more follow, pulling laden carts, and then the greater Kobolds start to appear. Some wear armor, and others uniforms or robes. They're moving at a quick pace, so it seems like they're jogging through the portal.
Tasha just stands there, dumbfounded, as a veritable parade of reptiles of all sizes march around and past her. She has to step out of the way of a cart. At one point she looks back to Vasha and shrugs in a 'I don't know either' gesture. Whatever she was expecting, it wasn't this, and it was clearly more dangerous and likely much less festive.
A trio of half-dragons emerge next. One is clearly a wizard. It even has the wide-brimmed, pointy hat and a staff. The one dressed in robes might be a cleric, as it has the symbol of the Platinum Dragon hanging around its neck. And in between them, in golden armor is a silver half-dragon with one wing made of bronze, and black and gold scales highlighting her features.
The portal collapses and vanishes behind them, and Kai comes out of her trance.
Tasha is still tangled in the crowd; she stepped forth to face some possible threat, not to stop main street parades and people in livery. It makes her look incredibly out of place, not mention awkward, as she seems to be trying to figure out where to stand and quite likely how to address the arrival of an entire organization.
Yet, once she sees the symbols presented, her eyes go wide and her mouth forms as much of an O as a canine mouth can. She approaches the half-Dragons and gives them a nod, as they seem to be in charge. "Hello! Uh, welcome, to.. ah.. here. I'm Tasha. The Vartan-- the hippogryph behind me is Vasha. Kai is over there. You're here on behalf of Gwyndrael?"
"They're my retinue," the central half-dragon says, and grins. It's Gwyndrael in her bipedal form. She also has a sword at her hip. "You did invite me, Tasha."
"Ooo," Vasha says, and nods approvingly to Tasha.
"I didn't recognize you in all the armor!" Tasha races over, then instead of saying anything else she just reaches up to hug the dragon woman -- an actual dragon woman.
Others are starting come from the base now, having noticed the troupe gathering on doorstep. Even the mercenaries are there.. out in front. The first to arrive, of course, are Kaa and Moka, filling the air with their whistles and clicks.
Gwyndrael awkwardly hugs back. But when the hug breaks, she asks, "Is that a dragon-slaying sword on your back?"
"She needs it to kill a dragon so she can eat it's heart," Kai offers. "For reasons."
"Ah, that makes sense," Gwyndrael says with a slight nod of her head, as if that where a perfectly reasonable excuse.
Tasha winces at that, hands up and pawing at the air, as if she could push back judgment. "Kai is getting me in trouble! She and I killed a dragonslayer and took his sword, he was really attached to it to -- I even offered to save him and he was all 'I'll never let the sword go', so I stepped on him -- I was a dragon at the time -- and then Kai wrapped it up and then we unpacked it and then Kai vanished and I ended up carrying it around because I couldn't find her." The younger woman realizes she might be rambling a bit, and talking a bit faster. "I'm sure Kai did it this way just to embarrass me, she knew you were coming and din't warn me and she knew I had this!"
"I'm glad you're here," the strange winged young woman concludes, hands falling. "I'm really glad."
There's some milling about among the Kobolds and the others who arrive. Then Liza and Aaron show up and start organizing things, using the standard-bearer to lead the rest of them across the airfield towards the residential zone.
"I'm Vasha!" Vasha says, standing to one side of Tasha. "You're very shiny and pretty."
"Oh! You should meet everyone!" Tasha snatches Gwyndrael's hand without a second thought, trying to lead her towards the distantly watching group. She can't really move Gwyndrael, she's too small for that, but she can tug. "Vasha's one of the beings born from me and, uh, I think Kai. From the unformed. She's a made from an aspect of myself," she says of Vasha after Vasha introduces herself.
"Well, I can teach you some dragon-slaying techniques," Gwyndrael tells Tasha, and just smiles and nods to Vasha as she gets dragged along by Tasha. She's not as heavy when she's this size, so her armor must be magicked or made of some fancy material to be so light.
"Don't mind Vasha, she's like me, but more open about it. Oh, and here's Gabriel and Katherine! Gabriel T. Akkers and Katherine Vesuvius. I think I mentioned them? Gabriel is my mate and so is Katie." The group of watches is treated tos eeing Tasha actually look anxious, even a bit nervous and awkward, holding the hand of a large half-dragon woman. "And this, everyone, is Gwyndrael Stormborn."
"A pleasure to meet you," Gabriel says, and actually kisses the back of the dragons hand.. even though Tasha is still holding onto the wrist. "Welcome to.. hmm.. did we every come up with a name?"
"We're still kind of settling in," Tasha admits to both Gwyndrael and, apparently, everyone else. "The.. landlord is also still growing up. I'm sure she'll be around sooner or later."
Whisper might be lost in the group if she wasn't being led by Tia, who has taken on her own half-dragon form, scaled and feathered in pearl and gold. She has whisper by one hand, with the young elf's other clutching the stuffed silver dragon. She has very wide eyes and looks like she wants to point, but hasn't got a hand to spare.
Tasha lets go of Gwyndrael's hand, but pats it apologetically to show she has to and wouldn't otherwise, so she can head over to Whisper. She doesn't get close, she keeps back a good several feet, and she takes the opportunity to point for Whisper. "This is Gwyndrael. She's my friend. If you want, I'm sure she can be your friend, too. The dragon you're holding is one I picked because it reminded me of Gwyndrael."
Tasha isn't sure all of that got through, she doesn't actually talk to children very often and she knows she's embarrassingly bad at it for someone who sued to be part Vartan. She hopes at least some of it will be understood.
The young Sidhe nods to Tasha, and to Gwyndrael. "I am Princess Whisper," she says in her soft voice. "Welcome to my lands. This is my teacher Galatea. You're just in time for the feast."
Vasha is already showing the greater Kobold honor-guard (or just plain guards) the pictures of her Bandersnatch.
Tasha is surprised and somewhat self-conscious to see Whisper is better at talking than she is. This leaves her a little stunned, which she pushes herself to recover from. "Um, ah, yes, of course. I wasn't aware of the feast, but I've been unpacking and, um, moving things around." She walks back to stand beside Gwyndrael, hoping she looks like she knows what she's doing.
Gwyndrael bows to Whisper. "I am Gwyndrael Stormborn, Dragon-Slayer and Herald of the Platinum Dragon," she introduces herself. Then she gestures to the half-dragons flanking her. "With me are Priestess Thermoriax, and the Wizard Wormwood, whom I have shared many an adventure with." The other two half-dragons bow as well.
Hakeber is off to one side, already conversing with one of the Kobolds who must smell like old books or something. Katherine is openly admiring Gwyndrael's prosthesis, but seems a bit intimidated. And she's used to pomp!
Tasha waits for the formal exchange to conclude, then gestures to other people. "That's Hakeber who probably smells books on your fellow, she's our scholar. The two Var-- hippogryphs in the back, male and female, are Shojo and Lacci respectively. The Human woman who -- as she would put it -- has arrived at a stop on the 'crazy train' is Yue, the two male and female rabbit-people are Aaron and Liza -- Aaron is my old mentor and Liza is my retired maid -- annnd who else is here.. " She looks around and spots Katherine, waving her over. "Come say hello, Katie! Katie is very interested in your prosthetics. She's also big in to silver, as you can tell by her hair."
"Katherine Vesuvius," Katie finally says, and gives a formal military bow. "Of.. uh.. Abbadon."
"You have quite the group of civilian and military associates," Gwyndrael says, returning Katie's bow. "And I've just had my prosthetics serviced. They don't normally look this crude."
"I think they look fascinating," Katie admits.
Despite going to the trouble of changing her form, Galatea still hasn't said anything, or done much more than hold Whisper's hand.
"I suppose I have a thing for silver too," Tasha observes out loud, now that Katie and Gwyndrael are close together. She then realizes that might be embarrassing for her to say, but realizes Gwyndrael doens't care because Gwyndrael is a dragon and the world adapts to dragon moods, not the other way around. "Oh, are the other half-dragon seeming individuals full dragons, too?" She blinks, then answers, "Oh, and yes. We tend to pick up a lot of people who don't fit in elsewhere, or feel lost. And by our profession, we tend to be a militantly inclined. We're actually missing a few members right now, they're off, uh, aiding our mutual acquaintance."
Tasha looks around again, then she notes again Tia is in dragon form, and that Tia hasn't actually moved. She interprets this as anxiety, and so says, "Oh, and the dragon-form woman is Tia. The one I said would like to talk to you, about our acquaintance. They're related."
"Wizard Wormwood and Sister Thermoriax are indeed full-blooded dragons," Gwyndrael confirms. "Easier to operate like this though," Wormwood says, his voice deep. "Pockets are wonderful things."
"I know I love mine," Tasha agrees, smiling to Wormwood. She suspect she and Wormwood will get along just fine. "I am as you see me, I know a lot of people wonder about that. I am not a demon, well, not.. mostly a demon. A little bit. I am not a succubus. Or a big wolf-bird."
"Forgive me any rudeness," Galatea finally says, and dips her head. "I've never met actual true dragons like you before."
"Tasha is chaotic, mostly," Kai claims.
"We do have an actual demon somewhere though," Gabriel explains. "He looks like a male version of Tasha usually, and goes by Samael. He's.. mostly harmless.. unless he's with Kai."
Tasha blinks at that. "Oh yeah, Tia hasn't. How have I met something magical and fantastic Tia hasn't? It kind of feels like a lot when I say it out loud." She seems to be considering the implications of this when Kai calls her chaotic. This earns her a sticking out of the tongue. "It's not my fault everyone needs so much chaos in their life!"
Gwyndrael chuckles. "The longer you live, the more you need the occasional jostling of your sensibilities," she claims.
"Conversely, people keep trying to push me to become balanced. It's very paradoxical," Tasha complains, then she waves Katherine to come over. "I think Katie may die if she doesn't get a closer look, do you mind? She's a big fan of prosthetics and body metal work."
"Well, my armor covers most of it," Gwyndrael admits, but does stretch out her wing, the metal vanes stretching like skin. "She'll need to see me without it to get a proper look."
"Yes.. that would be helpful," Katie admits as she watches metal do impossible things.
"Kai, are any of the other residential towers furnished, for our guests?" Gabriel asks.
"Sure, just pick one and I can furnish it," Kai offers. "I'm familiar with the sort of furniture draconians find comfortable."
"I can guide you all to the towers," Tasha volunteers. "Would you like to be close to the other residential suites or on the end, for more privacy? We also have some caves, though most are portals."
"It sounds as if we are spoiled for choice, so let the tour begin," Gwyndrael says.
While the Kobold Krew work with the men to set up a spit and charcoal pit to roast the Bandersnatch (which they just happened to have the tools for cooking), Tasha gives the dragons a tour of the place (and available spaceships) and lets them pick out a tower for Kai to furnish. The last spot is the hot springs.
"So there are links to other realms via the caves in the valley?" Wormwood the wizard asks Tasha. "Have they all been mapped out yet?"
"Only a few," Tasha relates, gesturing out towards the ones they've explored, off in the distance. "Vasha may have explored a few more, but I doubt it. She was tasked to explore the Valley specifically. Of the ones we've explored, one lead to a world infected by Willows and the other lead to a place where Human heroes seem to go as an afterlife, and from there, Avalon. The rest remain unexplored. I'm also not really sure where the sky goes and if there's really a sun up there or what." The hot springs are back behind the base, off towards the mountains past a trail blazed by the others. "We've only been here a short while."
"The sky is usually an illusion, but depicts an actual sky somewhere," Wormwood explains. "The Sidhe are powerful, but prone to shortcuts over creativity. This entire valley may also be based on a real one somewhere."
"We can send our mapmaker to find out which caves go where," Gwyndrael says. "Hopefully there will be some unlinked ones available."
"That's interesting. I wonder, if I painted something, could she replicate it? That is if she wants to be around me at all." Tasha still isn't sure about that; she's considered sending Gabriel in first, then maybe Sharon and herself later. her other idea is to leave little gifts without seeming to pay attention to what happens to them, which works very well with her cats. It was one of the first ways she learned to get closer to them, as they were skittish with direct attention. As for mapmaking, she agrees. "That would be helpful. I'm a bit leery sending Vasha alone, but I'd like her to join the mapmaker if possbile."
The cleric notes, "He will appreciate the bodyguard. Vasha is not of a species that I recognize, which makes her intriguing. I would like to examine her and the others later."
"Yes, the homunculi here are unusual," Wormwyrd adds.
"Vasha, Sasha, and Sharon are all beings derived from Kai and myself; Samael may have played a part as well. They're.. aspects of me that have become their own persons, and they're created from species that I am made from. Specifically, I am made from Karnors -- wolf people created from Humans and wolves, that's Sasha --, hippogryph people created by Horus from two species on a distant world, that's Vasha --, and Humans, which is Sharon. They also seem to have inherited parts of my personality." Tasha spreads her hands, walking backwards as she talks, now. "They're also relatively new."
"Interesting," Wormwood says as the leave the cavern. Even this far away, the scent of the roasting bandersnatch reaches them. "To what purpose were they created?"
"To take the pressure off me, mainly, and to help me better delegate tasks. And I think to offer emotional and familial support that I'm having a harder time finding in the rest of my family. Too many obligations, too much I do they can't help with or understand well," Tasha answers honestly. If Gwyndrael trusts these people, she may as well, too. "There are some thing you can only trust to yourself, you know?"
"Then why not simply create duplicates of yourself?" Wormwood asks.
"Imagine have to put up with yourself, and see all of your flaws and annoying habits," Gwyndrael points out.
"Too much interpersonal conflict, and the ones who lose will become bitter. I know if I were detached from everything I knew and loved because some other me who was deemed better suited to it got it instead, that wouldn't go over well, and like your kind, I can be wrathful and dangerous. I used to be a lot more combative, and now I have considerably more power at my disposal. I don't need to become a menace. Well," Tasha stops to consider, "A menace in a negative way."
"I will need to talk to your counselor as well," Thermoriax says. "To gauge mental health and morale."
"That's Yue, the Human woman. She's, um, Chinese Breed, although she always laughs when I say that. Apparently Humans don't have breeds but Karnors do, but it's actually very similar? I don't know, I leave Human stuff to Gabriel and Sharon." Tasha shrugs with her hands in a 'Humans are weird' way. "You can try talking to the others, as well."
"And begin your training as a dragon slayer," Gwyndrael adds.
Tasha frowns at that. "I generally like dragons, you know? I've never had to slay one before. People call me a dragon slayer but my relationship with dragons is more--" Tasha catches Gwyndrael's eye, chokes down a giggle, then looks very determinedly at the nearby trees, "More complicated than that. This isn't even my sword. I'm just hauling it around because I forget to ask Kai what to do with it and Vasha will try and open it if I don't hold on to it.""
"I'm really more of a demon slayer. Or an elf slayer!" Tasha adds.
"How many have you slain?" Gwyndrael asks.
"Dragons? Zero. I've actually saved and helped several. Unless you mean demons, in which case a handful including one demigod. As for Elves.. a lot. Hundreds? They really didn't like you-know-who." Tasha scratches the side of her muzzle. "And the guy who had this sword, he was an Elf."
"Caudimordax," the wizard says. "A noble sword, depending on who wields it. It may need a few protections added to be usable by a mortal."
"I don't know much about it beyond what Kai told me. Apparently it means Tail-Biter, which she thinks is ridiculous, but I find amusing." Tasha unslings the encasement, peering at the long rectangular container. "So, wards. Why? What's dangerous about a mortal using it?"
"The will of the sword can overpower the user," Wormwood explains. "Most users take precautions, but in this case it may easier to put them on the sword itself."
Gwyndrael says, "Wormwood can do that, because he knows dragon magic, the sword holds a dragon spirit. Normal mages or fey cannot do such."
"Hmmmmm," goes Tasha, who eyes the sword. "I am used to resisting psionic influence. You-know-who taught me how to utilize certain energies to do it. I'm doing it right now, in fact, but I don't know if it's strong enough. Despite being a directing force for our group, I'm hardly the most individually powerful." She then nods to the explanation. "That makes sense."
"Taking down a dragon is never a solo situation," Gwyndrael explains. "Each one is unique, and therefore a bit unpredictable."
"So like fighting myself. That I can understand, as I do that a lot." Tasha starts walking again, heading towards the smells. "So we'll need to identify one, assess if it actually deserves to die, and why, and then how and what danger it presents. Like we're the Dragon Police."
"Finding one will not be hard," Thermoriax claims. "There are may heretics."
The feast area is visible now, just outside of the wall of the firebase. There are tables and benches, and there are other things being roasted over the coals.
"I'll need to judge them based on my own evaluation, too, and not just that of your beliefs, or even Bahamut's." Tasha gives the trio a pained smile. "Sorry, but I need to live with the effort, too. It's one thing for me to slay someone in an immediate fight, and another for me to hunt them down. I've had long ethical battles over slaying demons let alone some other group. I'm okay with slaying food, however." She thumbs towards the feast. "Lets eat, we can discuss this more after everyone's settled in."
The groups seem to be mingling well. Aaron and Liza have taken over cooking the vegetables and also the coffee. One of the half-dragons is cutting into the bandersnatch already, while Kobolds have platters ready. Sharon, Sasha and Whisper sit on a log-bench, apparently entranced by a story being told by a Kobold that is missing most of his tail. Gabriel and Shojo are serving beer.
Tasha decides to be a lump. It's rare for her to hear everyone having a good time, for there to be food, and for everyone to be celebrating, so she decides to just sit back and enjoy the ambiance a while -- after she's picked up some food anyway. She gets a cut of the roast, some beer, and even a bowl of vegetables, which is a craving she's felt ever since she became what she is, and she blames on her more evenly distributed nature. Then she finds a comfortable looking tree and just sits right down to eat.
She isn't along for long, as Vasha shows up and says, "I got the orangey one!" She points to a half-dragon with very broad shoulders, two swords at his hips and scales that look more formidable than the minimal armor he wears. He's also got horns. "Mine!" the Vartan declares.
"I'mmm not going to stop you," Tasha drawls before taking a long sip of beer, in the fashion of one dealing with a long running and well managed problem, namely her own jealousy. "Have you asked him yet? I don't own all the dragons, Vasha."
"We talk, they flirt, so yeah, they up for it," Vasha says. "Not sure yet if man or woman yet. Got a name that starts with "Bell" and long list of sounds I didn't pay attention to. So "Bell" if a guy, "Belle" if a girl."
Tasha nods to this logic. "That sounds very reasonable. Well, you have my approval if that's what you want. Just be aware dragons can mate with almost anything. I don't know how it works with half-dragon." She then slips a hand from her mug to give a thumbs up. "Go get 'em."
"I a Vartan too," Vasha says, clicking her beak. "But this not Sinai, so maybe no get knocked up."
The cleric is sitting next to Tia who is still in her pearl-colored half-dragon form, but looks less morose. She's even eating. The wizard is talking to Shojo and Lacci, while the mercenaries don't seem to mingle.
Tasha tilts her head to the side, then grins a little. "Well, unless you take precautions, there's one way to find out. If you're worried about that talk to Wormwood or Thermoriax, they probably know more. I think the latter is some kind of actual priest, though, so be careful if you flirt with them." She looks around past Vasha to see how everyone is getting on, nods in approval, and then tips her mug to Vasha. "To adventure."
Vasha raises her mug, and looks back as she drinks from it. "If it's Belle, won't be a problem," she notes.
The Phins are also floating around, and trying bits of bandersnatch and beer. "How come you're not at the party?" Vasha asks.
"Dragons like biting and are a bit dry, especially biting around the neck. They're not shy, either," Tasha advises, smiling. Her smile then wavers a little at the question and she admits, "I'm a little tired. Too much to think about and too many problems to worry about. It's harder to relax now, especially with Gabriel secretly expecting children, I'm worried about Kainudy, Mel, Horus and Thoth, I'm wondering how I can ever end this war, and all the costs that come with it. I have to think about how Tia will handle fighting Kainudy, if Danu is lying, and a lot else. Sometimes I can hide behind being frivolous, and sometimes I can't. I guess right now, I can't. I don't want to bring anyone down, and it's nice to hear everyone being happy."
"Bla bla bla," Vasha says. "Party is a good way to stop brooding though, otherwise you'll end up like Tia."
Tasha's expression goes a bit dark at being written off, but rather than snap, she says, "You should go have fun." It's an even tone, with quiet force.
"Fine, but what do you right now to worry about?" Vasha asks before heading back.
"Nothing, that's why I'm sitting here and enjoying not having a problem," Tasha says before Vasha leaves. She sighs; she supposes she can't blame Vasha for not understanding, Vasha lives under her and the others' aegis, with few responsibilities, she hasn't learned what it's like to be ground down so hard you can't relax, and group activities can make you feel nothing but blankness.
Deciding this might become an issue and it's already bothered Vasha on some level, Tasha stands up, grabs her food, then quietly walks off when she thinks no one's looking. She decides to take a walk.
The woods aren't quiet. There are chirps and buzzes and other sounds, but none that suggests anything big and menacing so far.
Which is nice. Tasha can handle ambient life sounds, they are decidedly lacking on spacecraft and in many other locales she visits. It's nice for her to hear life being alive and minding its own business. And, most importantly, none of them need something nor expect something from her. No complex relationships, no thousand-and-one branching worries. They're there, she's here. And she has beer, which she drinks.
Something moves in the nearby brush, and a box turtle trundles out of it. And Tasha is in it's path, so it reaches out with its neck and tries to bite her.
Tasha hops away; she can identify with wanting to bite things that get in her path. What she doesn't know is why it's called a box turtle, because it does not, in fact, resemble a box. "Sorry turtle," she bids the little guy. She's just glad she didn't bite Vasha.
Turtle takes another minute finish crossing over to... another bush, on the opposite side.
Tasha chews on her slice of meat as she ponders this turtle. She thinks it's path may qualify as a metaphor of some sort, perhaps of life, but then she decides it is actually living so really it's just a direct statement about life that could also be metaphorical. Whatever the case, watching the cute little turtle go about living is nice, even if she's not exactly sure it's alive and not some sort of illusion.
If bandersnatch meat caused hallucinations, someone would have known before cooking it.
The turtle vanishes into the new hedge.
Tasha considers that to be true, but this whole realm is, as Wormwood put it, some sort of Sidhe construct, and she's never sure what, if any of it, is real -- and how much. But that, too, is a philosophic question; in some ways she herself, as a rebuilt entity, faces similar identity crisis. Are things are until proven otherwise? Does the idea count? She doesn't know and decides maybe she shouldn't dwell on it right now. To anyone observing she's just chewing on a rib bone covered in meat while staring at a bush.
An owl call from somewhere close by. So, there are birds here. Or trapped here more likely.
Tasha was wondering about birds. Now that she thinks about it, she hasn't seen a bird since she arrived, so if they do exist they're not flying for some reason. She sniffs, then tilts her head. She decides to find this mysterious owl, to learn the truth.
It isn't hard to find, since it's perched on a nearby tree. It's a big owl to. Large eyes track her movements.
"Hi," goes Tasha. She wonders why she's never seen something this big before, perhaps they only fly at night? She recalls something about owls only coming out at night. She has another sip of her beer, then sits down to ponder the owl, which appears to be pondering her. She considers sketching animals she comes across and putting them in a book. She considers writing a book about her philosophical interest in fire, which she suspects would come across as worrying, so she decides not to share that idea.
She considers a lot of things, and decides the peace and natural life is relaxing. This, then, must be what Persephone and Danu seek some times. Why they have empty universes, or sit on cliffs, alone. It can all be a bit much when you're the judge. And that's what she is, judgment. If Kainudy is Necessity, Tia is Justice, Nora is Vengeance, she must be Judgment, because despite all they are, everyone seems to value her decisions and where she goes. They want someone to decide, to act. Or maybe they just need chaos. Change. Direction. She wonders what the owl is thinking about; probably, not much.
"Whoo," the owl hoots. It's answered by another somewhere in the forest. Except the answer isn't another hoot, it's more like a "Meeee!"
Tasha ponders this. It's probably nothing, but Vasha did kill that Bandersnatch out here, so it could also be something too. So she backs up against a tree -- and checks above her to make sure nothing's up there either. Then she resumes appreciating nature. And, after all, she's one of the most dangerous things in this forest.
Something is definitely moving in her direction though the trees. The owl notices and turns its head to face it.
Tasha turns to the owl, then turns to where it's looking. She remembers owls are night hunters, and it can probably sense better than she can. She then shifts her legs to move quickly if need be, and extends here wings, just in case. Her beer holding hand feeds her beer, but the drink is getting dangerously low.
A moment later the owl launches itself from the branch and flies of silently. Less than a moment later, and figure drops down onto the recently vacated branch. The is says what much be a curse, but the translation spell converts it to.. untranslatable gibberish with a few words thrown in, like "next time for sure" near the end.
Tasha's left ear goes up while her right ear slowly goes askew. Someone, or some-thing, just scared away her owl. She was enjoying her owl, and it at least seemed to tolerate her presence. Now, there is noise, and some sort of interaction. She supposes she'd better look in to it.
After putting her mug down, and ripping off the last meat of her selection of ribs, she hovers right in to the air and approaches the site of the owl. "I can hear you," she notes. "Owl hunter."
"Not as important as de' owl hearing me," the figure says in a familiar voice. "Are you here to rescue me, Tasha?" asks Reeka (Biter of Ankles, Bane of Pantries, etc.)
Tasha drops back to the ground. "No, I was just taking a walk. Don't hurt the owl, okay? I like the owl." She then thumbs behind her head. "You're missing a party full of food back at the base, by the way."
"Base? I been stuck in the forest forever!" the Kavi complains. "Which way is the base?"
"I had been wondering where you'd gotten off to. We thought you were just hiding, as usual. I guess you don't see a lot of forests in space, eh?" Tasha holds out her hand. "Come on, I'll take you back to the base. If we hurry there may still be food available."
Reeka hops down, and Tasha can tell she hasn't had a shower in awhile.
"Showers are available too." Tasha picks up Reeka, then her wings extend and she begins to rise. In short order they're soaring back to the party and, hopefully, showers.