The afternoon is somewhat quiet, and the Nagas take naps - which looks odd when half of them don't close their eyes. Even Pierce is lulled into rest, using Sephia's coils as a pillow. The brief respite is broken rudely when a tall, menacing looking grey Eeee strides in, practically dragging a cloaked figure in with him. "Is this where the temple-trained slave is?" he demands of Helse, who actually blinks in shock. "And shouldn't you be wearing a collar?" he asks her, before she can even reply.
"I am the owner here," Helse finally notes. "I am only naked to show the skill of my body artist. What do you want with the Yodhinala-trained buck?"
The man shakes the figure he's dragged in, and says, "I want him to teach this one how to do more than just lie there and cry!" He slams some coins down on the desk, claiming, "I'll come back for her in the morning. I expect to see improvement, then I will pay the full training price."
Pierce lies there with just one eye open as he watches that gray Eeee with feline laziness. Outwardly, anyway. Inwardly he is memorizing every detail of that particular Eeee as this one could you a little attitude adjustment at some point. "I would enjoy breaking that one," he even thinks, perhaps betraying a bit of draconic taint even in this form. Still, there is time for all things, and this is not the time to do something. His eyes flick to the figure the Eeee drug in.
"Pierce," Helse calls to him. "Get off your tail and take this one to the back room."
The angry-looking Eeee turns his attention on Pierce. "Do you understand what I want, slave?" he asks snippily.
Pierce rolls to his stomach, then shoves with his arms and lets to literally pop himself up to his feet. He bows to Helse then strides over to the cloaked figure to take them. His eyes once again flick to the Eeee and what Pierce does next is smile, then dip his head indicating he does understand. He knows what the man wants is someone trained to be his plaything.
"Get to it, then," the bat grumbles, and pushes the cloaked figure towards Pierce. Whoever it is stumbles and falls towards the cheetah.
Pierce tries to catch, then pick up, the person. Without a sigh he then heads towards the back room.
The figure leans heavily on Pierce and seems to have trouble walking, and certainly doesn't resist being brought to the 'nest' area. Outside, Angry Man is subtly threatening Helse about client confidentiality. Once he's left (slamming the door) the cloaked figure begins to shudder violently.
"Yes, that one I will enjoy breaking," Pierce thinks again as he lays the figure into the nest. There he kneels beside it and for the moment simply strokes over the mystery-slave to try and calm her. Or is it a him? This is Babel, after all.
The figure falls to its knees. It might be a strangely short Savanite, since it doesn't make any kind of vocalizations. Finally, a hand reaches up to wipe its nose, and Pierce gets a better idea of its identity. The fur of the paw is a butterscotch hue, and is matted at the wrist where there are rope-burns and dried blood. The hood is pushed back a bit, showing a decidedly Lapi snout.
Pierce sighs softly and finally tries to gently ease back its hood. He also signs with his left hand, "I will not hurt you." Of course he has no idea of the lapi even understands, but he had to try.
It isn't clear if the doe knows sign, as her eyes are a bit unfocused. The fur beneath them is tear-stained, and the left is bruised from a blow. There's something off about her jaw as well, but her ears are in surprisingly good shape. There's an ugly collar around her neck, and more signs that it's used to restrain her (it's got D-rings attached).
Pierce gently pets over the Doe's head and cheek, careful to not exert too much pressure on any place that looks wounded. While he does this, he's trying to determine the extent of her wounds. He also looks for the catch to that ugly collar to get it off her.
The catch is in the back, held together with a bolt-and-nut. It makes it look like the collar is from a prison or similar. The doe doesn't protest the examination, either. With the cloak off, she's naked and somewhat emaciated for a Lapi (but for an Eeee, she'd still count as voluptuous). Her ribs are starting to show, and there are plenty of bruises under the fur. Her trouble walking is probably related to the rope burns (one of them still oozing a bit) at her ankles. Her genitals are so bruised that they're swollen shut. Her jaw is certainly dislocated on the left, if not broken, and she will not open her mouth at all.
"Wait here," Pierce signs to the doe, then rises to go fetch some damp cloths as well as to signal for Helse to come back here.
Getting the cloth is easy (the bathroom is right there), but Pierce is interrupted when trying to enter the main room again, because the way is blocked by Tulani. "Where is she?" she asks with a growl.
"Good, you're here. Follow. The only thing this girl needs is a doctor," Pierce signs is unusually sharp motions for him. He guides Tulani back to the nest room along with his handful of damp towels to soothe those horrid rope burns.
Tulani kneels down next to the girl, and in a soothing voice she asks in Standard, "Are you from Rephidim?"
The doe blinks and nods as she starts crying again. Whether from hearing the question or from having her wounds cleaned isn't clear.
Pierce, meanwhile kneels back down beside the doe and goes about wrapping her oozing ankles in the damp cloth to soften the pain. "Her jaw is damaged, she can't speak. If you could get her to a safe place, I could channel the Light and try to use it to repair some of the the damage," he signs to Tulani.
"I suspect it's more than just her jaw," Tulani whispers in Sylvanian. "Get her cloak, we're taking her back to Mave's safe-room."
Pierce grabs the Doe's cloak (and collar), then drapes the cloak back over her battered body. The collar he just drapes over his shoulder. "I will carry," the savanite signs, then proceeds to pick the doe up into his arms.
"Okay, but if you start to tire bark or something," the Sphynx says. "Keep close too."
Pierce nods to that. His expression, for once, is impassive; almost no emotion. He nods towards the way they came, indicating he is ready.
As they pass into the main room, Helse is ready. "Four doors down, the green one," she says. Tulani nods and pokes her head outside, her tail lashing about. "Okay, it's clear, let's go.." she says, and leads the way deeper into the under-plaza structures.
Pierce dips his head to Helse in a silent 'thank you' as the pair leaves the shop and into the underground plaza. "Good timing for Tulani to show up," he thinks. "Otherwise I would have been seeking a doctor."
Once they're through the marked door it's a long descent along a spiraling staircase within the support tower. "The tea-party lady pointed him out to me," Tulani explains. "That was Hastur Velkarno. Good thing I followed him."
Pierce gives Tulani a quizzical look as if to ask Tulani to explain further if she can. His main focus, though, is to carry the wounded doe as carefully as he can to avoid further injury. "The brothel, then. Lovely," the savanite thinks grimly.
"This girl is proof that he's dealing with the pirates," the Sphynx explains further. "And dealing with a pirate is the same as being a pirate, as far as I'm concerned." The reach another door, which Tulani opens. A short while later they're on one of the main elevated avenues, where Tulani whistles loudly to flag down a Fnerf-drawn cab.
Pierce snorts and nods in agreement at that assessment. "This poor doe is just a kidnapping victim," he thinks as they wait for the cab to arrive. "And this has to be stopped."
A Fnerf in a checkered cap trots over, pulling something like a covered rickshaw. Tulani waves Pierce and the doe inside, and tells the Fnerf, "Follow me. If you can keep up, it'll be worth double your rate."
Pierce carefully loads the doe into the cab, then climbs in to keep an eye on her.
The big fox-taur male tips his hat and says, "No cheating by flying behind stuff." And then they're off. The ride is a bit bumpy at times, since road maintenance isn't the highest priority in a city ruled by flyers, but the Fnerf is fast. Tulani flies ahead, keeping low enough to always be in view.
While the ride goes on, Pierce has eased the doe's hood back and has been simply petting her to try and calm her. He even adds in a soft purr.
It does seem to help. The doe must realize she's being rescued, unless she's been completely broken of hope. After half an hour of the jouncing ride, they reach the edge of the city, with Mt. Sunala rising to the left, and Mt. Inala to the right. Tulani stops and pays the panting Fnerf. It isn't far to the secret route up the mountain from here.
Again, Pierce insists on carrying the doe. She's too injured to even consider walking in his opinion. And even for being a savanite, Pierce is quiet. Its his posture, his movement, and his expression. It's unusually serious, or at least the most serious it has been in some time.
An hour later they are safely in the Temple's hidden bunker. "Mave!" Tulani calls even before they reach the bottom of the stairs. "We need something to put someone to sleep."
"For how long?" is the reply, as the Yodhinala approaches with a surprised look on her face.
"Good idea, the last thing we need is to scare her even more," Pierce thinks to himself. Granted, it isn't like they would be trying to, but he's well aware how terrifying his use of shadow magic can be. He now picks up his pace, intent on carrying the girl over to a soft bed to place her upon.
The doe still seems confused, or else really does have an issue with focusing her eyes. Mave is there next, with a damp cloth that she holds to the girl's nose. Tulani already has the Light drawn and placed at the head of the bed. "This will make her not feel or think anything for a few hours," Mave explains. "Don't breath any of it yourself."
Pierce takes several steps back and crouches down. "Kaira, I need to return to normal; I need access to the shadow," the savanite thinks.
"Hold on, going quick," Kaira notes. The shadow covers Pierce, but there's no 'limbo' this time. Like when Melusine changes him, he feels it. Bones shorten, organs shift and his skull reshapes itself. When the wings burst out of his back, it feels good - then then other things turn inside-out as the transformation into Nicora finishes.
The nose ring that Pierce had just started getting used to hangs a bit lower on Nicora's more delicate features.
It's disturbing the pitch changes that the low growl that first comes from the savanite to the higher pitched voice of Nicora. Even odder yet is the feeling of places being tuned 'inside-out' so to speak when the last parts of the shift complete, reverting the body back to being fully female again. she also ends up wiggling her nose and the ring that hangs from it. "Great, it feels even odder in this body; it moves around and swings," she thinks as she rises up then walks back over to the doe.
The energy flowing the light is familiar, but unlike the first time Alptraum used it to heal the broken-backed girl beneath Castle Draco, Nicora has the Shadow at her disposal, and the ability to reach inside and feel everything if needed.
"I want you to ken her too, once she's healed," Tulani says quietly, but with an edge to her voice. She's plotting something.
Nicora pops her knuckles, then places her hands onto the doe. The suggestion by Tulani makes Nicora twitch, but then she has an idea what Tulani is plotting ... and well, she'll gladly wear the doe's skin if it means getting into the brothel to find the pirates. She can endure what might happen there. But time to think on that later; her eyes close this time and she engulfs the doe in shadow so she can channel the light to all parts of her as well as see how badly she was injured.
It isn't that different from kenning, really. The shadow fills the doe.. and the damage becomes apparent. Aside from the bruises, there are several cracked ribs, and bruising on the back of the doe's brain from a partial concussion. Her jaw isn't broken, but that just leads to the real nastiness of what was done to her: her tongue, mouth, throat, vocal cords and even her stomach are scalded and nearly cooked in places.
"They made sure she couldn't talk to tell others who she really was," Nicora thinks as she slowly directs the light to the places that she needs to heal, as well as learning at least how to mimic the shape of the damage, should its appearance need to be reproduced (hopefully without the discomfort). At least with something to focus on, it is hard to get angry, that will have to come later.
"Nicora, can you tell me again how the Gorphat hand works?" Tulani asks, somewhere out there in the real world that doesn't involve healing a hundred points of damage on a bunny.
"It can absorb afflictions and cure the victim, then store that to be used on someone else later," Nicora explains in a hollow and distracted voice. "As best as I understand it."
The Light makes it all easier. Rather than having to rely on the shadow to reconstruct healthy tissue, it's just a matter of directing the energy of the Light to where it needs to be.
"You can do that in any form?" the Sphynx is asking again.
"I have not tried. It is likely most powerful in my human form, but I also imagine I can use it in this one. I am less certain about the others," Nicora admits. One thing Nicora wishes she could fix, but knows she cannot, is the doe's memories. She would erase the memories of what the doe endured if she could.
"Mave, do you have anything Snow could wear comfortably?" Tulani asks. The Yodhinala looks thoughtful, then nods and wanders off towards the clothing racks.
"What are you planning?" Nicora now wonders.
When the last of the damage is healed, the shadow has pretty much already kenned the doe. Nicora is confident she can impersonate her now as wounded, healthy or anywhere in between.
Nicora does a second pass at checking the doe then eases the shadow back and sits down heavily on the floow besides the sleeping doe. "What are you planning?" she now asks groggily.
"These fringe-nobles are dealing with the pirates, probably even supporting them," Tulani growls. "An example needs to be made. They may be far from the seat of government, and on the opposite side of the crater from the mountains of the gods, but they need to be shown that doesn't make them invisible. We're going to the hospice on Mt. Sunala, and you are going to collect every disease there. And when the time comes, you'll inflict all of them on Hastur Velkarno. Do you have any reservations about that?"
Nicora's brow arches slightly. Given what she just had to heal on the doe; all those diseases still might not be as painful as what he put the doe through. "None whatsoever. It would still be kinder than what he did to her," she answers Tulani. "You only saw her outside; her inside was much, much worse."
"I know what pirates do to the ones they sell into slavery," Tulani says darkly.
"Mave, I need you to help me remove these lenses. It looks like I'll be a human for a while and I think my eyes could use the break," Nicora says as she rubs the back of her neck.
Shortly after sunset, a winged feline lands at the Pilgrim's Path on Mt. Sunala, carrying a fur-wrapped bundle - which turns out to be a silver-eyed albino human, her eyes made up like Blakat's dagger and an ivory ring through her nose. Ahead lay the sprawling tents of the Hospice, looking a little more permanent than when Alptraum was helping to reinforce them against the weather what seemed a lifetime ago, but was less than two years past. "I don't suppose you know which one is the disease ward?" Tulani asks.
"No, but it should not be hard to find. Listen for coughing and look for a tent farther away from all the others," Snowcora suggests from within the bundle of fur. Being human always means being cold and the new sensation of the weight on her nose is ... different. She's not quite sue she'll ever get fully used to it; but at least it does come out in theory. She is also grateful for looking so completely different. At least if she sees people she knew as Alptraum, they won't recognize her now.
One new feature added since Alptraum's stay is a signpost, pointing to various places. It's in Babel-script, of course, but Snowcora can read it. Arrows point to Emergency, Blood, Bile, Wounds, Birth, Dying and Sickness. Indeed, the sick ward is on the other side of the path from the others, while Dying is further up, likely at the Shrine of Sunala itself.
"This way. Remind me to teach you the script some time," Snowcora murmurs in her soft voice. She gestures towards the path that leads to the sickness ward. She hides even more inside that fur-cloak; she is not comfortable being here.
The ward is extremely well lit. Burning braziers and torches surround a dozen or more tents, but there's a single one that serves as the entry. As soon as Tulani and her bundle reach the line of firelight, a Yodh wearing the heavy white robes of a Preventer of Death (along with a breathing mask and gloves) intercepts them. "What are the symptoms?" she asks Tulani.
"What've you got?" the Sphynx replies, slightly confused.
"We are hear to treat the sick, we are not sick ourselves," Snowcora says from within her bundle. "I serve the sisters and I am here on behalf of Gorphat." she punctuates this by exposing her left hand from under the cloak.
"You.. do not look like a Yodhgorphat," the priestess notes. "What exactly are you volunteering to do? Many of the diseases being suffered here are contagious to all, not just Eeee."
"I can cure them," Snowcora claims. "I am a Shrine Maiden to the Goddesses and I carry a gift of Gorphat; I can absorb the affliction of others. Come observe if you do not believe me."
"Can you walk on your own?" the Preventer asks. "I will not carry you. You must wear a mask and protective clothing, unless you wish your.. furs.. to be destroyed afterwards. If your attendant is healthy, she must go no further than this tent or else follow the same rules."
"I can walk fine," Snowcora says and waves her hand. "And I cannot wear much clothing as it irritates my skin. I will try a mask and protective clothing, but if those bother me, I will go naked."
"Do you want me to come with you?" Tulani asks. She doesn't seem worried about catching anything so much as seeing upsetting things.
"You can wait out here. Maybe you'll hear or learn something interesting," Snowcora suggests to Tulani.
"Scream if you need me," the Sphynx says, finally lowering Snowcora to the cold ground.
Snowcora /shivers/ when feet touch the cold ground. "/This body is ... difficult to deal with,/" she thinks to herself. The robed human then /sheds her furs, leaving herself naked in the chill as she reluctantly hands them over to Tulani.
"Follow me," the Yodhsunala says, after taking a moment to.. take in.. all of the markings on the human. At least it's warmer in the tent. A few other Yodh are there, working at boiling cauldrons of tools and fabric. In one corner, a naked priestess is being washed down with something eye-watering. Snowcora's guide takes a fresh mask from the drying table and holds it out to the woman. "Do you know how to tie this?" she asks.
Snowcora follows the Yodh, trying to look as if there is nothing wrong with being completely hairless and naked. As for the mask, she takes it and peers at it for a moment. "Similar to a face veil, so..." she thinks, then says, "I believe so." She takes the ties and draws the mask back and around her lower face with the laces at the back of her head. There she ties them off, leaving it draped over her nose and mouth. At least it hides the nose ring.
"Do you wish to try a robe, or is displaying your sigils part of your.. treatment?" the Yodh asks. The other sneak looks as well, noting the markings of the various goddesses.
"I can try one. Displaying them is not necessary," Snowcora claims.
The robe given to her is thick and heavy.. and course. The Yodhsunala are not known for indulging in comfort after all - at least for themselves.
Snowcora tries it on, then within seconds removes it because her skin practically rebels. The itching and irritation was immediate. "I cannot wear it. It appears I must go naked," she tells the Yodh.
"Very well," the priestess says, and leads the way through the other end of the large tent. Instead of going towards the closest ward, however, she takes Snowcora to a slightly further one - but one which is warm, almost balmy inside. The patients here hang upside down from racks, while attendants are constantly changing out steaming pots from underneath them for fresh ones, and carrying off bowls full of.. yuck.
"What do they have?" Snowcora asks, her attention on those that are sick; it helps her ignore anyone who much be staring at a tattooed, pierced, human. "I feel so exposed," the does think, though.
"They are afflicted by the Breath of Gorphat," Snowcora's Yodh explains. "It comes from breathing the smoke of burning garbage in the Undercity. The very young and the very old do not often survive."
"Understood. I will do what I can to help," Snowcora says as she walks right towards the closest one. Her left hand flexes and twitches. For some reason she worries this probably won't be a pleasant experience for her. Gorphat has never exactly shown interest in making anything enjoyable for her, after all .
The nearest bat isn't that old, maybe forty, and the constant steam isn't helping his fur any - but it does seem to ease his labored breathing. There's a convulsion, and he coughs a slimy blob into the bowl below. It looks like some sort of fungus.
Snowcora's tattooed 'eyebrow' arches slightly. She approaches this sick man and extends her left hand out, placing it gently on his labored chest. "Do not struggle or resist," she says softly to the man in accented Babelite.
The man goes still, and Snowcora's own breathing become labored - as if she's breathing for him. The orb on the back of the hand glows, and the green 'veins' begin to pulse. It feels a bit like when the shadow feeds; an unnatural pumping. The veins get darker and darker, and Snowcora can feel her own lungs filling with infection until the veins finally turn black. Then she's doubled over and coughing, as the man's breathing resumes and sounds.. normal.
Snowcora literally drops to her knees and clutches at her own chest, coughing painfully and winces her eyes shut. "Have ... to get this into ... the orb," she thinks in breathing agony. She isn't sure how to do that, but tries envisioning it flowing into her left hand.
"Couldn't you have made this less ... nasty and painful, Gorphat?" poor Snowcora thinks in agony.
The feeling passes, as the orb glows brighter. The veins return to their normal green color, and become just tattooed lines again. She doesn't cough anything up, but her lungs still burn a little still.
"What are you?" the Yodhsunala asks, even as she waves for one of the attendants to help the man down from his rack. "Check him in the recovery tent," she tells the girl, who helps the dizzy man stagger off.
Snowcora remains on her knees for a bit, breathing and waiting for the discomfort to pass before she will go to the next one. "This is going to be long and very unpleasant," she thinks to herself. "But at least it is very short lived..." A few deep breaths and she says, "I told you, I am a Shrine Maiden of the Goddesses; I represent aspects of all," the human claims as she slowly gets back to her feet.
"A.. shrine maiden?" the Yodh asks in confusion, but helps Snowcora to the next victim, this one a younger woman. This time, however, the sensations are less severe, and Snowcora recovers faster.
"A new breed," Snowcora clarifies. She's also very grateful this next one was less severe. "I even serve your Mother," she adds and thumbs to her back tattoo as proof of that.
"You serve Her now in what you do," the Yodh claims. With each new patient, it gets easier. By the sixth, there's no discomfort at all. But then, Gorphat's motto could easily be "Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger." When there's no reaction to absorbing the sickness anymore, Snowcora gets the urge to.. just raise her hand.
She has also learned these urges can be very dangerous to follow; look at what she allowed to have done to her body, after all. Still, she lifts her hand anyway, fingers spread. Since it doesn't hurt anymore, what is the worst that could happen?
Snowcora's fingernails glow bright green, almost too bright to look at with sensitive eyes. The remaining patients synchronize their breathing, and which each exhale they emit smoke - or something like smoke. The smoke flows into streams, which further merge to tough the tips of each outstretched finger. The pumping in the hand matching the rhythm of their breaths, and continues until the smoke stops flowing.
"Ewwwww," Snowcora thinks; given all of this is ultimately flowing into her. Plus, that pulsing has always felt disturbing, even when it was just her right hand. "When I get home after all this, I think I'll hide in a closet and scream for a while..."
The attendants are overwhelmed in trying to deal with the suddenly recovered patients, but Snowcora only gets a glimpse of that before the Yodhsunala has a hand on her shoulder and is quickly taking her away to the next tent. "Do you need to rest? Do you need anything before you can do that again?" she asks.
Snowcora thinks on this for a moment. "No, I am fine. As this is acting on the will of Gorphat, it actually makes me feel ... charged," the human claims. Of course if the next disease is different, some suffering will come with it until she adapts, she expects.
In each tent, the pattern repeats. The first few cases are awful until Snowcora - or the hand - gets used to it. It's a mix of exhilaration, pain and horror though, as the woman has to endure her arm erupting in boils, nearly passing out from fever, pained joints and venereal diseases. They all seem petty once she reaches the final and furthest tent, where the lepers are housed, wrapped up like Yodhgorphat in an attempt to hold them together.
"Thank the Gods I don't have to actually endure these diseases for the time these poor people have!" Snowcora thinks, even though she's still waking a bit funny after the venereal disease tent. They made Gorphat's blessings seem mild in comparison. When they do reach the last tent, though, Snowcora's eyes go wide in horror! Even she's not sure she wants to go in there and endure that.
"There is little we can do for these people," the Preventer notes, sounding.. defeated? "There are potions that put one into a state of euphoria, but there are no Yodhinala left to make them. Can you help such as these?"
"I do not know, but ... I can try," Snowcora says, though she sounds very uncertain and hesitant. She takes several deep breaths through her mask, then swallows. What she does next is ... look for the one in the worst shape. "Start with the worst, get over the suffering ... fast," is her reasoning.
One bandaged form is.. well, the head and torso are there, but it is missing most if its limbs. The eyes and mouth are exposed, and it looks at Snowcora with an unreadable expression. "Are you here from Paradise?" it asks in a very wet sounding voice, as if the tongue were loose. There's not telling what gender the patient is.
"No," Snowcora admits as she kneels down beside the patient, "But I am here to try and ease your suffering." The human swallows again, her stomach haven practically fallen to her feet now. She reaches out with her left hand and places it gently in the center of the patient's chest. "Relax," she says. Wether she means the patient or herself ... who knows.
The hand pulses, but surprisingly there is no pain. Instead, numbness spreads down from hand to elbow - and then the flesh darkens, turning almost black as it starts to rot and wither, with only the glowing green veins and nails unchanging. It's like being back in Gormless again, when Alptraum's right hand started doing the same from the shadow-infection..
"Oh gods, don't panic! Snowcora thinks, her eyes wide in horror. Like in Gormles,s she is grateful there is no pain ... but watching your own body rot is ... beyond horrifying. She has not had such dreams in a long time now and with this .. they may start up again!
When the veins go black, signalling that the disease has been fully absorbed.. then there's pain as the arm 'wakes up' again and restores itself. There's no sign of change in the patient: the lost limbs are not magically restored, but nothing else should rot away now.
"Small mercy, I suppose. If I had better control of the shadow, perhaps I could rebuild these people," Snowcora finds herself thinking; and wanting to try. "I cannot repair what is lost, not yet," she says quietly. "Perhaps some day."
"It's enough to stop the loss," the Yodhsunala claims. The others in the ward are not as bad off as the first, as the disease is still in the early stages. There are lost toes and fingers, withered wings, a dead hand or foot - nothing that would leave them helpless. For some, the 'dead' limbs may even recover. There are fewer in this ward than in any other, owing either to the rareness of the disease or to more advanced cases simply not surviving.
Snowcora goes to work with the worst first, then progressing to those that are less-progressed in the disease. By the time she can simply finish the entire tent with a raise of her hand, she is grateful. Watching her own limb wither over and over is more than enough to make her feel sick to her stomach.
"This is the last of them," the Yodh says, and.. smiles. "Are there more like you? How does one become a Shrine Maiden? Did Phlagaea send you?"
The last bit of the question causes Snowcora to blink. "In a way, she did. Her and her friend Alptraum are the reason I am here now," Snowcora answers. "And I am sorry, but no, there is no one else exactly like me. and as for how ... seek to help all of Babel and find unity between all, and you may find the way to becoming a Shrine Maiden." Granted, the last part is rather vague because she hasn't the foggiest clue if anyone else ever could.
"Is Alptraum returning too?" the priestess asks with raised eyebrows. Then she notices that Snowcora looks a bit worn, so starts bringing her back to the main tent. There's a lot of activity as former patients are being ushered to another large tent, and reinforcements are arriving. Snowcora is sure one of the Eeee in the robes of a Preventer is a Yodhrinala Alptraum saw in his first visit to Babel. And.. something hurries between two tents carrying a large basket of linens on its back, and in the brief glimpse Snowcora catches it looked like it was covered in chitin plates.
In the first tent, Snowcora is ushered into a tub and given a warm bath - no astringents added, just soap.
"Alptraum knows he is not welcome in this city, not even by many of the Yodhsunala. He is ... not the same man he once was," Snowcora answers as she makes her way back towards that tent. So many memories come back; including the time when he has saved that strange creature grown in the depths of the Tower.
"If you have news of him and the High Priestess of Gorphat, Sunala will want to hear it," the Yodh says. "She will want to meet you anyway, after this."
"Another time," Tulani says from the entry to the tent. "There's.. much left for the Shrine Maiden to do tonight, I'm afraid."
"I cannot meet with Sunala today, sorry," Snowcora echoes Tulani. "No disrespect intended. There are other tasks that must be completed within a tight time lest all be for naught." Snowcora then seems to remember something and says, "If you happen to see Nekara; if she still lives, Alptraum has a message for her. One person may still change the world; they just have to have a heart strong enough to bear its cost."
"I know her, and will deliver the message," the Yodh promises. Attendants pat Snowcora dry with towels, and Tulani holds out the furs. Grinning, she asks, "I assume everything went well?" in Sylvanian.
"You owe me for that," Snowcora replies in Sylvanian. "That was one of the most horrible things I have ever gone through. I had to endure each disease myself."
"Then you know how much Hastur will suffer?" Tulani asks, scooping Snowcora up to fly off the mountain.
"Yes, yes I do," Snowcora admits. "I almost feel sorry for him, except it isn't really enough given how much he makes others suffer."
"I have the Light," Tulani growls. "I can keep him alive as long as it takes." She flies around the edge of the city, away from the mountains towards the 'valley' side. "I've got the collar and cloak in my pack. If you become the doe, I can bring you to the door, then claim I want to see Velkarno about buying you. If we get separated, I'll signal by drawing the light a bit so you can find me."
"I have to remove all my piercings first, and oh, you'll need to insert that plug in the grommet in my nose. I still owe you for that too. You'll have to do it, too, since she explained it to you, not me," Snowcora remarks. "And do you think we will get separated?"
"Don't know, but should plan for it. If we don't get separated, I'll distract Hastur so you can change to the Wraith," Tulani says. "There's no telling who else will be there, so we'll probably have to improvise." They veer away, heading for the ruins of an old watchtower.
"True, they might decide to drag the doe off for more work for all we know. Good thing I can deal with pain," Snowcora remarks rather dryly. "But agreed, we should have a way to find each other. I can trakc the light well enough ... but remember so can Amena, so it might alert her too..."
"I don't know that we can hide from her forever, but I won't draw it unless absolutely necessary," Tulani says, a bit grumpily, as they land at the ruin. They seem to have it all to themselves for the moment. "Okay, time to make you more naked," she notes. "And do you really want to get back at me?"
"I'm not going to answer that so you can worry about when," Snowcora comments as she goes back to her feet and sheds her furs again. She then taps her nose, adding, "This hurt you know. And just because I'll probably get her to add a few more interesting things doesn't absolve you of this!"
"You're addicted to this stuff,
"You're addicted to this stuff," Tulani claims, and carefully removes the nose-ring and inserts the blocker. "Do you even know how much stuff you've got?"
Snowcora makes hte most interesting faces when the ring comes out and the plug goes it. "At least I don't feel the plug. I sure feel that ring. And yes, I do," she adds. This is also when Snowcora starts removing her own jewelry too for safekeeping in Tulani's pack. And yes, she does feel very naked once everyhting is removed. "Doe time?" she asks Tulani.
"Hold on," Tulani says, and removes the rings from Snowcora's back that would normally be on Eeee wings. She jingles the jewelry pouch, full of rings and bars and earrings now, along with the lock and chain. "Okay, you're good to 'doe' now," she notes with a smirk as she stashes the bag and produces the collar. "You can keep some of the bruises if you want, but.. well, Helse's place is good at makeup, so looking perfectly healthy would be okay."
"Bolt the collar on, then I'll shift," Snowcora says as she crouches down to steady herself for shape change. This time she'll try to shape herself to the doe. The pattern is fresh in her mind after all.
"Okay," Tulani says, although she makes a face when dealing with the nasty collar. "I like Pierce's collar better," she notes.
"I do too," Snowcora admits when she feels the heavy collar set around her neck and hears the turn of the bolt securing it onto her neck. "Right, so shifting," she thinks and focuses on that pattern. She'll have to keep some bruising ... and probably keep the appearance of the damaged mouth; no makeup will hide that. She just doesn't need to have any internal damage. And so Snowcora's eyes narrow as she tries to apply the change like Kaira did a bit ago when she shifted to Snow. Picture the pattern in her mind, then picture her body shifting to match; like moulding clay...
It turns out to be easier to become a healthy doe first, then add the damage. It's also weird to watch for Tulani, but at least going from a human to a Lapi isn't as difficult as changing from an Eeee would be.
"Still look beat up," Tulani admits when it's over with. "Can you talk?"
The doe's jaw feels off, but at least there is no pain. What the real doe had to endure when it actually happened ... well best not to imagine too much on that. "No ... ell," the mangled Doe's jaw strains to make. Her vocal chords are intact, but mimicing the jaw damage makes it near impossible to say much of anything. She shrugs.
"Hmm, well.. if I hear you grunt I'll take it as a warning," Tulani says, and holds out the cloak. "You look like you need a sandwich or twelve too."
The slave-doe takes the cloak and wraps it around herself. she nods once, then smiles and wiggles her fingers. She then actually signs, "Lets go punish him ..."
It isn't quite midnight when the pair arrives at the door to Velkarno Tower on the outskirts of the city. The guard at the door is scarred and burly, and it's likely there are more watching from the 'murder holes' spaced around and above the landing. "Who goes?" the guard demands.
"Captain Tulamere," Tulani claims, using her captain voice that sounds like she wants to laugh boisterously after each utterance. "I'm bringing back Velkarno's slave. He dropped her off earlier to be trained."
For the faux-doe's part, she just stands behind Tulani, shivering and wobbling and otherwise trying to seem terrified. The sniffling and such that comes from her creative crying helps. It's good to be a former street performer.
"Let's see her then," the guard says, prompting Tulani to step behind the doe and pull open the cloak so the guard gets a good look.
And the doe does look better than she did. there is still some bruiding apparent, and her disfigured jaw looks better, but it's still there, betraying how the doe can no longer speak.
"Yeah, I remember that jaw," the guard says, leering much lower than the doe's jaw. He knocks on the door without turning, and when a slat opens up he says, "Let the Lord know that Butterscotch is back already." The slat closes. Then the guard turns his attention on Tulani. "A Solus captain? Thought you kind were anti-social?"
Covering 'Butterscotch' back up, Tulani sniffs, and says, "I'm no flap-cat, I'm a Vartan."
"Butterscotch, eh? At least I know the name to react to" 'Butterscotch' thinks. Once the guard is focused on Tulani, the doe's ears flick a bit as she listens, trying to make out how many other slaves might be here.
The walls are thick for soundproofing, and there aren't any windows that aren't just arrow-slits.. at least at this level. There are open platforms higher up, with light and sound coming from them. Chamber music?
"Music. At least some can still play; but I wonder if many can actually speak or does he have all his slaves muted?" 'Butterscotch' wonders to herself.
After what seems far too long, the door opens and a Savanite man (with an eyepatch) gestures for the two to enter.
Butterscotch keeps her head down at the pair enter the tower. "This is dangerous. Can't let desire for revenge cloud judgement," she thinks.
A guard follows them, as the cheetah leads past several rooms that look like barracks and armories, and others that are sealed tight. There are a lot of guards down here. Up a few flights of stairs, they emerge into a different area - this must be the brothel. There's a waiting area with an assortment of rough looking Eeee drinking and laughing, and a hall beyond with what look like cells. Their guard escort grabs Butterscotch's shoulder, until Tulani says, "I haven't been paid for her yet," with a bit of a growl. "You can have her when Velkarno settles his debt."
"Here, send 'em both in!" one of the patrons says, causing the others to laugh.
The doe makes a mangled whimpering sound when the guard grabs her shoulders. She even seems to curl in on herself a bit from his touch.
The guard eyes Tulani, but then releases the doe. "Keep going then," he says, and the cheetah leads up the stairs further.
The doe's posture shifts as she seems grateful that the guard has released her shoulder. She drops back a bit, resuming a walk close to, but just slightly behind Tulani and the savanite. "Try to remember some of those Eeee," she thinks to herself.
They leave the stairs and enter a sort of sitting room, although it also has a bed. The Savanite nods to the guard, and heads back into the stairwell, while the guard goes to the other door to the room and taps on it. It opens a crack, letting in the sounds of music and what might be a party, and the guard whispers something to the attendant on the other side.
"I hope Tulani hasn't gotten us into something we can't handle," the doe thinks. "I suspect tulani wants to also go all dragon on them..."
"Make yourself comfortable," the guard says to Tulani, who chooses the fanciest looking chair to sit in, crossing her long-booted legs. "Sounds like fun out there," she notes.
Of course the doe isn't asked to be comfortable, so she just stands there and looks at her feet.
"I wouldn't know," the guard says. There's a knock on the door, and he steps aside to open it. Light and music flood in briefly, as Angry Man enters. He's better dressed now, and actually looks like a noble. He's even smiling. The guard closes the door behind him and looks alert.
The doe's ears twitch under the hood. "Wait for it. Buy time until you can inflict the surprise..." she thinks. The urge, though, is to gut him right there.
"What a surprise," Hastur Velkarno says, almost laughing. "I wasn't expecting her to be done until tomorrow. She is done, isn't she?" he asks Tulani with a bit of an edge. Maybe he doesn't appreciate being dragged away from his party for such things.
"Butterscotch, show your master what you've learned," Tulani suggests. "Just a little dance for now."
The doe shivers a bit as she sheds the robe to show that she does look a lot better. Much of the damage seems 'made' over, aside from the obvious problems, like her jaw. She continues to look at the floor as she begins a slow dance; one she learned while tending to the kirin; a modified veil dance (without the veils). Her movement is graceful, if still needing of practice as she twirls and swirls about the room for a minute or so. The dance comes to its conclusion with the doe lowering to her knees before Velkarno, then bowing forward until her nose touches the floor.
The guard is leering openly, while Velkarno just raises an eyebrow. "Impressive. I have guests now, so if we can settle up quickly.." he says to Tulani.
The guard is certainly getting a view with how the doe has bowed, that's for sure. Now the question is how can she shift quickly ... and when...
"Well, it's not just training - and with the Yodhinala gone or underground, that training is very rare - but also the cosmetic work and healing of certain features," Tulani says. "I had to pay quite a bit to get her to this state. Nothing less than 500 shekels to compensate me. A thousand if you want further training.."
The Eeee noble laughs! "My dear, I don't know that I'd pay that much for you," he claims.
"Well, in that case, I guess the doe is mine now," Tulani notes and stands up. "I'll be sure to spread the word of your generosity. I'm sure someone will want a Rephidim-bred Lapi. Very hard to find, those. Even Zimon doesn't traffic in them.."
The doe slowly rises until she's just kneeling before the nasty Eeee. Her face is ... flat, but inside she is finding the feel of the wraith so that she can shift to it and exact the appropriate .... punishment.
"You dare to threaten me in my own home?" Hastur growls, and the guard draws his chitin sword.
Tulani grins.. and the room begins to chill.
"/And that is my cue,/" 'Butterscotch' thinks and her eyes narrow. She /seeks/ out the wraith, and even calls to Kaira, "/I need to shift, now. I need ... the wraith form. It's time to start thinning Amena's allies..." And even with that battered jaw, her lips draw back and she rises. It's hard to imagine a doe looking /evil/, but right now Butterscotch has a smile that could /kill/.
"It's something you call up yourself.. I'll start the change, to Alptraum," Kaira notes. Butterscotch's entire body begins to itch and distort, but the Wraith itself overlays upon her first. Shredded wings unfold and armor begins to cover her even before her body can physically keep up. Tulani is removing the scaled-armor from around her waist.
"What is the meaning of this? Guard, kill them both," Velkarno commands, his breath visible now. The guard is a bit more hesitant, but fears his lord more than the strangers at the moment. He heads for Tulani first, since she's armed.. and stripping herself naked to boot!
"You have violated this city and its people for too long," the mangled and shifting jaws of the doe-turning-Eeee manage out in a horrid rasp. Skin splits, ichor oozes, and armor plating literally tears its way out of her flesh. "I am the fury of the Goddesses of Babel; I am their sword," it rasps like a thousand claws upon a piece of slate. A wicked-looking bug-stinger explodes from her left arm and arcs out over the left hand. The right ... it looks like shards of glassy quills sliding and curving backward from fingers all the way to elbow; creating a veritable mincer of horror.
"The.. Kindly Ones are dead.." the Lord notes, his eyes showing his horror. Between the Wraith and Tulani's auras, even the guard falls to his knees and drops his weapon.
"/Dead? How can you kill Death?/" the wraith asks as more and more flesh twists to take on its new shape. "/My Mother very much lives and She and Her Sisters are displeased with your defection to the Deceiver." Its left hand surges out, trying to spear that noble on the stinger! "/Even Gorphat has been roused from her rest and She has a present for you.../"
"No!" Velkarno screams, and turns to push the doors open to try and escape. The party outside comes to a halt, and a very elegant looking Eeee woman shows an expression of displeasure at her husband's rudeness.
The wraith has no intention of letting Velkarno escape and pursues, its left arm drawn and ready to impale the noble. "There is no escape," it rasps.
"Help! Guards! Celise!" Velkarno pleads. His guests stare in shock - most of them are very rough looking, despite their fancy clothes. The plainest of them is a bespectacled Eeee in something like a business suit. His expression isn't one horror or disgust though, but of.. amusement?
"All of you are betrayers!" the wraith declares to the guests, "Know what fate awaits all who betray this city and its people." The right hand closes around the scruff of Velkarno's neck and hefts him into the air ... while the left buries its stinger deep into his back, just on the left side. Fingers flex on that left hand as the wraith tries to give this man all of Gorphat's blessings, all at once. Deep within that hand a monstrous 'poison' gland begins to pulsate.
Bile immediately begins to gurgle out of Velkarnor's mouth.. and soon every orifice is leaking or oozing something. Damp spots show on his clothing as well.
"Ugh," the elegant one notes, "Really, Hastur, this is going too far.." She doesn't seem at all affected by the auras as the harder looking ones. The timid-looking one looks like he wants to clap his hands though.
And there the wraith holds him for the moment, that stinger pulsating with the venomous gift to this horrible man. "Let this show you my dedication to being your Avenger," the wraith thinks, his thoughts momentarily focusing on the image of Gorphat in its mind. Now and then he shakes the Eeee just a little, showing the others the fate that awaits all of them soon. Its encrusted head shifts a bit and turns to eye the elegant Eeee and the 'timid' one. "Disguises, Dipthath? Do not think I cannot see you." it rasps at them.
"You should let him try to escape," a voice seems to whisper from the side of the room. "It will be more dramatic."
The shaking is enough to dislodge a hand, which falls to the floor with a clink from the many metal rings it wears.
The wraith then abruptly releases Velkarno and lets him fall to the floor should he wish to try and escape.
The man lands heavily then staggers forward. His 'good' hand reaches out towards his wife, who steps back in disgust when it erupts into horrible boils - so much that the skin isn't even visible any more. The man gurgles and falls to his knees, and tries to crawl forward - leaving behind his feet. He makes it a few feet, before falling onto the expensive rug and wailing. He continues to wail even as his body effectively melts into a puddle.
The smaller man at the edge doesn't reply to the Wraith's accusation, but sits down and raises his glass in toast. "Couldn't happen to a nicer guy!" he laughs. He might be a bit unhinged.
Were Alptraum his normal self, he would probably feel bad. He has never had the heart to torture someone so much. Even someone like this man who actually deserves it given how he treated the doe, and probably countless others. The wraith's head rocks from side to side, crackling ... and he slowly starts forward into the room, heading towards elegant Eeee.
"My rug!" Celise cries. "Guards! Stop that monster.." she commands. The guards in the room actually waver, torn between fear of the Barsunala and his dragon, and their own mistress. Off to the side, leaning against the mantle of the fireplace is the translucent figure of a platinum-grey Eeee woman in red chitin armor. In her hand she holds a dagger, point down, with a set of balance scales for a hilt. "Don't stop now," she whispers.
"/Ah, Repath, my Aunt," the wraith rasps as he continues forward, "/It is about time you have come./" Its head then swings towards Celise. "/You wish to join your husband in the forest of Traitors? Very well./" The monster now heads right for her.
The lady stands firm, and Rephath whispers, "Hmm, I think you should save her for last, she's.. special." The goddess really growls that last part.
"Indeed," the wraith remarks dryly and actually tries to swat Celise out of the way. It's quite disturbing when the wraith smiles and, well ... smile it does when it tries to shoot out and ensnare many of those here in shadowy tendrils!
Tulani slips into the room, circling around to block the exit to the balcony. The string quartet cowers in their cubby, and everyone else seems frozen in place. The noblewoman is flung back, but still manages to land in a seat, where she wheezes and clutches her chest.
The wraith quickly targets the next 'guest' in the room, the closest ... and roughest first. When the strong go down, it breaks the spirit of the others ... and pirates need breaking.
The man is paralyzed with fear. The Wraith can see Rephath stand behind him (although it isn't clear if anyone else can) and raise her dagger over his head. She tilts it to the left, and whispers, "Piracy, murder, extortion, rape, kidnapping. Not exactly evil or unique, but he doesn't have regrets or remorse about it."
And neither does the wraith when he plunges that stinger deep into his chest. "Your will is done, Repath," the wraith rasps in his reply to the Goddess of Vengeance.
"Just so you know," Kaira whispers in Alptraum's head, "The dagger works through your claws in this form.." The pirate is choking already, collapsing to his knees. He actually draws his dagger and manages to cut his own throat before he can end up like Hastur did - showing more backbone than the noble at least.
Is the wraith smiling again? "No, I don't think so," it rasps as he tries to arrest the flow of blood and stab him with his claws to use him as a gate for those still trapped in the dagger!
This time the man's eyes bulge. His face contorts, become several different faces before it simply explodes. The released spirits rampage through the room like comets, knocking over expensive looking bits of art before flying past Tulani (who ducks) and out into the night sky.
The headless corpse fall over backwards. The giggly Eeee bursts out laughing and clapping again from his own chair.
"Next," the wraith growls and darts toward the next closest who may also be a pirate. Claws are ready ... he just waits for the declaration of the man's crimes first by Repath...
"You can't do this to us," Celise manages to cough out. "We're rich and powerful.."
The next one is younger, and still a bit rough looking. He's soiled himself as well. Rephath's dagger tilts to the left.. slightly. "Theft, rape... rather boring. He's not quite ripe yet, but a lesson could keep him on the right path.."
"Bunny," Kaira suggests. "Butterscotch him."
And the claws shoot out and the wraith takes a hold of him. "Some time as those you ravaged may teach you well. Being female taught me a lot," the wraith thinks and shadow surges out to engulf the Eeee. The transformation won't likely be permanent, but a couple weeks as a doe may teach him a few things. Particularly a mute doe.
The process is quick - since Kaira has no reason to be gentle. And the Eeee's clothes fall out of the shadow during the process, so when it retracts the doe is naked. It's not exactly Butterscotch - the fur is still the Eeee's original brown. She collapses to knees and seems in shock.
"Nooo!" the hysterical man says, "I'm here to save you Butterscotch!"
"Enjoy being bent over for most of the nest few weeks," the wraith tells the transformed bunny. His head swivels, seeking out the next target. Its claws and chitin click in anticipation.
The next one has pirate written across his face in scars and an eyepatch. The dagger tilts left again, and Rephath doesn't even have to list his sins, because he says, "If Hastur and Benth deserved death, then don't hesitate with me. I know what I've done, and what I've earned. To be smote by the gods.. far more prestigious than being hanged from a tower."
"Then you wish death?" the wraith asks as it lumbers towards the pirate. "Or perhaps you should live the remainder of life as a slave yourself to understand true punishment. Perhaps Death is too .... quick."
The pirate glances down at his be-bunnied apprentice, and actually smirks. "Suffering is wasted on me: I was born in a pile of garbage in the Streets Below. Unless you need me to be your witness, and spread the news of this.. well, it doesn't really matter."
"I need no herald," The Wraith says and actually puts his right hand through the pirate's chest and pulls him close until its dead eyes are staring into the pirate's one good one. "And you know not the possibilities to suffer; using your birth as an excuse for your actions consigns you to oblivion."
"Thanks," the man gurgles with his last breath.
The wraith throws his arm to the side, sending the body flying. It then looks to Repath to see if she has any other choices before he returns to that ... woman.
The goddess of vengeance stands over the hysterical bat.. and frowns. Very reluctantly, she tilts her dagger to the right. "He really is here looking for a lost doe," she says, sounding surprised.
The wraith lumbers slowly towards the hysterical Eeee. "You may go," he says to the man, "And may you find that which you seek. If it is Butterscotch that you seek, then you will find her at the edge of the place where the City lost its heart in two days."
"You.. you aren't going to kill me?" the man asks in shock.
"You have committed no sin," the wraith answers simply.
The man falls to his knees and prostrates himself before the Wraith. "If.. if you ever have need of me, I am Damo Phizcarro the paper merchant." The name causes Tulani's head to rise up in recognition. "Tea-lady's husband," she hisses in Sylvanian.
"The offer will be remembered," the wraith hisses, sounding even more disturbing in that it has an almost gentle tone. "Your family is waiting. Go home. Protect them."
"What about Celise?" Damo asks. "I.. would like to know her fate. Others will want to hear of it.."
The wraith turns is head to look at Celise, then to Repath, should she have any 'suggestions'.
Rephath stands behind the angry looking woman, and doesn't bother lifting her dagger. "This one is special," she whispers. "Petty crimes, and.. torture, and worse. She takes the children of her slaves, tortures them in sacrifice to Diphath, and then devours their flesh. She's is a cannibal."
"Master," whispers a buzzing voice from the shadow of a curtain. Hosheb's voice. "I serve you now if you will it."
The wraith heads towards Celise now. "Servant of Diphath; servent of Amena,/" it rasps, "/You have devoured the children of others. You have worshipped that which cursed this city, your fate is ... special./" Its own chitinous mandibles click before it continues, "/You will be devoured by children yourself; very special children. Hosheb; she is all ours. Enjoy her, then let her host your ... eggs./"
"What? I do not fear you, Bastard of Sunala!" the woman cries. But behind the cries, there is an ominous buzzing sound that continues to grow. Tulani ducks down, as do the guards and everyone else, as a swarm of horribs flies in from the balcony. The monstrous insects cover the screaming woman.. and actually carry her off. In some dark hole, they'll paralyze her and lay their eggs, ensuring that their larva will have live meat when the hatch after many agonizing days.
"You don't have to fear me," the wraith remarks as the screaming woman departs. "You just have to scream." And with that, the wraith looks ... satisfied.
The translucent goddess is gone when the Wraith next looks.
"So, do we throw this one to the boys downstairs first, then deal with them?" Tulani asks with a growl. She's been a dragon for a while now, and hasn't caused any mayhem yet - you can bet she won't be satisfied without some.
"Give them the doe. Let them have a few minutes of ... fun .... then they are all yours," the wraith rasps as it lumbers through the room on 'impossible' legs towards the bunnified Eeee.
"Mmm.. waaa.." the rabbit rasps, still paralyzed with fear.
The wraith grabs the doe by the scruff of his neck and drags it towards the stairs. Without any sign of remorse or concern, the doe is tossed down the stairs to those waiting below.
"I've seen what I needed to," Damo says, picking himself back up. "The Barsunala is returned, and commands dragons and monsters. Is this the new age of justice we've been waiting for?"
"/It is the beginning of a new day for Babel," the wraith rasps. "/There is more to come. Much more. Dipthath will no longer try to rule it from the shadows. The Light has returned./"