Young Alptraum finds himself walking arm-in-arm with an equally young Eeee girl wearing a masquerade domino mask. "Shhhh," she goes, raising a finger to her lips. "It's me, Barada! I'm in disguise so Inala doesn't know I'm here." Alptraum is also in disguise, sort of: he's wearing his old gypsy sky-dancing outfit.
"Wouldn't she know anyway?" Alptraum counters to Barada. "I guess that mask hides your foreheard sigil, but..." And that's about where the bat pauses to look around for a bit. "Where exactly is this? Is ... did you arrange a date?"
"What? A date?" Barada asks, then looks coy. "I hadn't thought of that. This is the Carnival of Inala.. pilgrims have to get through it to continue on towards Paradise. Nobody comes now of course, because hardly anyone dreams of Inala right now. So I's mostly all ours! Have you ever been to a Carnival before?"
"Of course I have! Just, not quite like this one. The ones I'm used to had games like 'Knock the Head off the Zombie'. You threw stones at fake zombies. They were always rigged, though, the heads were nailed on." Alptraum claims. "And the pickpockets. Lots of those too." That's where he also coughs a few times, "Not that I know anything about that."
"Of course you know," Barada says, tapping her nose. "You know all about picking pockets! I want to see!" She points at an Eeee hawking a game of 'chance' - "Find the ball and win a token!" he claims. It's the old three-cups and a ball game. "I bet you could beat that guy.."
"Depends. You see, usually you palm pocket the ball so it isn't under any of the cups," Alptraum explains to Barada. "Then you make it appear under the one you didn't pick by palming it back on lift..." He shrugs and goes up to this particular game anyway to see how they play it. "A token for what?" he asks the hawker.
"Well, the first game is free to play," the huckster claims. He's got a bright green straw hat on and a bowtie and smells of ice cream. "All you need is a sharp eye and good spatial awareness, young man! And the cups are sonar proof."
"And palming proof?" Alptraum asks with both an arches eyebrow and a smirk.
The man pulls up his sleeves, saying, "No palm leaves up here, lad! Now, do you want to try your luck?"
"I suppose so," Alptraum concedes. He knows these games are rarely chance based, but hey, it's free.
The man produces a shiny blue ball, and even offers it to Barada. "Would you like to kiss it for luck, young miss?" he asks, waggling his eyebrows. Barada blushes believably and half-hides behind Alptraum, feigning shyness. "Looks like you will have to depend on your own luck, sir," he says apologetically to Alptraum, puts the ball under the center cup.. and starts the shuffle.
And Alptraum listens and watches, of course. He also leans forward a bit, palms on the table so that he can feel the table vibrations from the moving cups ... and if he can feel the ball itself shift about from the very movements.
It's during one of the wide swirly moves that the key cup comes right to the edge of the table. The slight sound of the ball stops after that. After another half-dozen shuffles, the man stops, lining all three cups up. "So, where do you think the ball is?" he asks Alptraum jovially.
"Not under any of them," Alptraum answers as he lifts his hands form the table. He reaches over to run his hand along the side of the table where the cup arc'ed, feeling for a knothole where the ball may have dropped.
There's a little net bag hanging down it seems, for catching the ball without making any sound. "Oh ho! Can't get anything past you, squire!" the huckster says, and with a wave of his hand produces a shiny white token.
"Hey, I've been around. Heck, I've run these kinds of games," Alptraum says and winks, "I'm used to the tricks." He extends his hand to collect the token.
It's just like a shekel, except it has the Flower engraved on it.
"What are these used for?" Alptraum asks of the man while he twirls it about between the fingers of his right hand.
"Why, buying things of course," the man says. "With enough, you could get to Paradise. But even one can you get unlimited treats at Gutbusters."
Alptraum pockets the coin (in an inner vest pocket, of course; those are harder to pick pocket). "So, you want to get into Paradise, is that it?" he asks of Barada.
"No, I want to have fun without Inala finding out," Barada says, poking her nose up a bit. "She sneaked stuff into Paradise that overstepped into my territory. So I get to play without her in her own playground!"
"And get me in trouble with her in the process?" Alptraum inquires along with booping Barada right on the nose. "So, other games? Something else? Do you want to try this game?" he asks her.
"I always know where the ball is," Barada points out. "Let's try something else! Or get candy!"
And that's when Alptraum pulls the blue ball out from Barada's cleavage, then tosses it back to the hawker. "That so?" he counters, smiling widely with lots of sharp teeth. "Another game or two, I think. You won't want to play any other games after you eat too much..."
"Hey, did you pick his pockets to get more tokens?" Barada whispers after her giggle-fit fades.
"Hard to do with the table in between. You need one of those toss kind of games where there is less distance ... and better distractions for them," Alptraum points out. "Like ... fake a trip when you throw and fall into the guy; best time to pick..."
Barada points to.. a ball toss game! It's one with various holes that are scored differently, placed almost randomly on an angled board. The ball, of course, is almost exactly the size of the holes.
"Ah yes, that is rather traditional too. And a good place to start," Alptraum says. He escorts Barada over to that game by ... biting onto one of her ears and dragging her along playfully with his teeth.
"Heeeey!" Barada complains. "That's hurts!"
"Why hello, young lovers," the ball-woman greets. Ironically, she's a Savanite. But talks, without any accent or problem with the higher pitches. So it might be an Eeee in a Savanite suit. "Here to try your luck at Bowling for Love?"
"Grr," Alptraum teases, but he does eventually let go. "Well .... depends," he oozes at the savanite girl (as well as oogles her!), "Is the first play free?
"Welll," the woman says, looking around. She leans down (oooo, cleavage) and confides, "Normally no.. but I like the look of you two, so I'll give you each one free throw." She also helpfully points to the '3 Tries' hole. "Get it in there and you get three extra balls!"
Alptraum leans in to get a good look down her cleavage! Well, at the age he's at boys are raging hormones after all. Alptraum then picks up his free ball and bounces it in his hand He steps back a bit, then forward and tosses it underhand at the three hole slot! He also feigns a stumble into the woman manning the booth! And of course his hands brace himself by ending up on her chest. And if it makes the woman cry out and he can slip and yank his hands back, well ... it's a great distraction for picking. Women tend to focus on spots like that when grabbed. Heheh.
"Oooo, be careful there," the cat says, and purrs. "You missed the extra balls hole! You can play again for a token.. or let your girlfriend try."
Alptraum grins at Barada. "Welllll ... are you going to give a throw a try?" he asks of the bitty-batty-goddess.
Barada takes a ball, and rolls it around in her palms. Then she spits into the wind, waggles her ears, does a little dance step and shakes her booty. Then she tosses the ball.. and misses the board entirely. "Awwwww.." she complains.
"Well, here," the Savanite says, and gives Barada a token anyway. "For being so cute!"
"Yes!" Barada says, clutching the token to her chest and sticking her tongue out at Alptraum.
"E'sway it goes sometime," Alptraum comments ... then grabs Barada's butt and gives it a squeeze.
The girl squeaks and turns to try and pinch Alptraum!
Alptraum lets it and just grins. "So, treats now?" he asks her.
"I guess we can.." Barada starts to say, then her eyes go wide and she gasps, pointing over Alptraum's shoulder. "Or that!"
Alptraum takes a few steps away from Barada before looking over his shoulder; lest the Goddess try to pick his pocket.
Behind them is.. the Tunnel of Love. This being Inala's Carnival, it's in the shape of a giant Eeee woman lying on her back, legs spread and raised. That's the entrance. The exist is her mouth, which is open wide. The head is turned on its side for that, with an expression of ecstasy carved into it.
Alptraum laughs. "Boy, do I know that position well," he admits to Barada, "And to having that sort of anatomy." He rolls his shoulder and smiles, agreeing, "Sure, why not? Lets go."
There's a fare of one token this time (no free rides!) Although the woman collecting them is clearly a Yodhinala, wearing just the holy symbol around her neck. "Try not to fall out of the boat," she advises them. It was Barada who graciously gave up her token for the ride.
And Alptraum licks the cheek of the Yodhinala as his payment (since the main payment was already given!). "I won't fall out of the boat," he claims as he climbs in, then offers his hand to Barada to help her in.
Barada sits next to Alptraum, and the boat starts moving. As they enter the tunnel, they get wet. Stuff is dripping on them! And it makes their clothes vanish! Barada squeals!
Alptraum actually sniffs what drips on them, having a bad feeling about it! "You do realize they probably expect people to go at it like rutting animals in here," he teases Barada as he taps her nose.
"If that were the case, the boat would be more comfortable," she claims. Then they finish passing through the clothes-melter, and sure enough the boat fills with cushions so it's more of a floating bed. Then the exhibits start! On either side of the canal are Eeee going at it in every conceivable combination - and also Nagas and Fnerfs and even Savanites and Vartans! In couples and groups and various gender combinations.
"Told you so," Alptraum says, looking smug! Of course it's mere moments before he's pounced on top of Barada and pinned her to the pillows. "You know, I don't think I've done even half of what these demonstrate," he has to admit as he lines atop her.
"Oooo, what makes you think you get to do that with me?" Barada asks, without struggling or anything.
Alptraum reaches down to cup Barada in her own representation of Inala's gate. "That you're not even trying to stop me?" he points out, then playbites her nose tip.
"Well.. I am curious," she admits. "It's only ever been with.. you know.. Inala.. before."
"Not quite true, but ..." Alptraum dips down. Why becomes pretty apparent when the Eeee is soon kissing Barada where he grabbed her moments ago. Quite deeply, too. And my, yes, Eeee have long tongues.
"OOooo, yeah.. yeah I know this part," Barada says, between squirming and giggling!
And Alptraum keeps it up; probably so that he's sure she's ready. He doesn't ask when the time comes, either. The kiss ends and Alptraum moves back up pinning Barada back into the pillows. This move comes with an additional bit ... the Goddess finds herself impaled on part of him! "Well, hello there," he comments again, grins, and licks her on the nose.
"Oh wow its warm," Barada says, and bites her lower lip while grinning after the lick. "Am I as good as Inala?" she asks, and wiggles some more.
"Tighter," Alptraum claims; which should be technically true. He doesn't move for a bit, just letting Barada get used to the sensation. When he does start to move, he adds in nibbling. "When I first did what you're doing right now I felt pretty odd too. But ... I learned to like it, a lot," he admits. "It feels nice to have things, you know, inside."
"Do I need to do anything special?" Barada asks. "If I move wrong, will I break something?"
"No, and no, you're fine. You can move along with me, or just relax and enjoy it," Alptraum claims. "Your choice." Then the Eeee bites onto her neck ... with fangs. Barada is getting the 'vampire experience'.
"Ahh, I didn't that would make it better but it does!" Barada babbles, and finally figures out what to do with her arms and legs - which is to wrap them around Alptraum. Since this a ride in a dreamworld, they don't suddenly reach the end before reaching their end though. It just goes on and on.
And of course Alptraum tries to drag it out. Well, as best a teenage body can anyway; at least he has the mental experience to judge things. He also times it by tightening the bite of his jaws each times his body pushes forward and in. Over and over. His jaws also never leave her neck, but boy does his hands explore, caress, grope, and squeeze. He doesn't really try to finish anything until Barada actually pleads ...
Since the goddess's other lover is her big sister Inala, however.. she has a lot of endurance. If Alptraum had really been 14, without all the tricks he'd learned, it would have been over a while ago!
So on and on it goes, and goes. But when things come to an end ... the reaction is explosive, to be sure! And boy does he bite hard during it; it might actually be painful for a short bit! But, jaws slack eventually and he licks the likely already closing wounds. "Sorry," he notes.
Barada is panting and laughing and hugging.. and then the boat exits through the mouth, and a white foot arrests its momentum. "Trying sneak past me, hmmm?" Inala asks, arms crossed. "I may have to spank you both for that.."
And Alptraum blows a raspberry at Inala. "Like I can disobey a Goddess," he points out and nods towards Barada.
"He did it, not me," Barada claims. "He's an insatiable lusty brute!" She grins widely the whole time.
"Yes, you both need to be spanked," Inala decides, and sits on a nearby bench. She pats her bare lap, saying, "Who is going first?"
"I'm only insatiable when I'm a woman under Inala's blessings," Alptraum claims and crosses his arms.
Inala points to Barada and crooks her finger. "We'll see about that," the goddess claims, as she turns Barada over her lap and starts to smack her on the butt. The teenager makes all sorts of interesting sounds as it goes on though..
And Alptraum has to cover his mouth to muggle the laughing he so wants to do while watching that!
It ends when Barada shudders and clearly climaxes (and Inala doesn't even wipe off her palm)! The girl gets up and stands awkwardly, since she can't sit down. Inala then smiles to Alptraum and gestures for him to approach.
Alptraum's brow arches. "You two are really weird," he claims as he approaches this time. He could try to wake up, or he could go through with it and only Goddess knows what she'll do to him. But in typical Alptraum fashion he picks the worst choice and lays across Inala's lap.
"Ah, wrong position," Inala says, and lifts Alptraum back up. Then she lies back fully on the bench and spreads her legs.. mimicking the pose of the Tunnel of Love, even. And Alptraum.. is ready again. Ah, youth!
Alptraum rolls his eyes. He climbs onto Inala this time and well, impales her just as he had done to Barada! "You're going to get me in trouble with Gorphat again," he mutters into Inala's ear.
"Oh, that should be the last thing for you to be worrying about," Inala says, and then spanks Alptraum. This drives him forward and.. there's no holding back - he fountains immediately. And then again with the next slap.. and each slap is getting firmer and the results more explosive!
And this makes Alptraum make all sorts of strange faces! It is enjoyable to the point of not being enjoyable! He can't even manage forming a weak thought as each explosion basically resets his brain! Maybe this is what it is like to be a simpler rutting animal. The only thought that seems to form over time is that he's going to regret this immensely.
After six or seven slaps.. well, things run a bit dry. But that doesn't stop the explosions! After a dozen slaps, he's sore in back and in front and in-between.. but wow was it fun while he was exploding. "That should hold you for a few minutes," Inala notes, finally letting him up (or rather letting Barada pick him up, since everything below the waist is in a semi-zombified state).
"Ow," Alptraum complains as he's helped to sort of stand by Barada. "What do you mean by holding me for a few minutes?" the Eeee has to ask of Inala and eye her warily. He also then pokes himself below. "Wow, it is numb," he also admits.
"You're at the age where most of your metabolism is dedicated to pumping out hormones and fluids.." Inala says, smiling. "Plus, I am not Gorphat and do not wish you to suffer." Feeling is starting to come back again at least.
"Not directly, no, but you get me into trouble," Alptraum points out as he regains the ability to stand a bit. His knees are wobbly, though.
"Of course I do, but with me.. it's worth getting into trouble, isn't it?" Inala asks, leaning forward and propping Alptraum's chin up on the tip of a finger.
Alptraum sticks out his tongue. "Maybe," he claims. Definitely a young gypsy.
"Now, if I give you back your clothes, will you perform for me and dear Barada?" Inala asks. "We won't be wearing clothes.."
"Perform in what way?" Alptraum has to ask.
"You were an acrobat, were you not?" Inala asks. And Alptraum finds he's wearing his old costume once again. Unmelted.
"Oh, well, that. Yes, that's just flying," Alptraum says, sounding a bit relieved to be unscathed at this point. And it also gives him a chance to scoot away from the two crazy girls. It's a hop, a jump, and a few vaults off of the 'creative;y built pavilions and Alptraum is into the air. The outfit itself is colorful and has streamers, positioned well as to not entangle anything while airborne. Up he goes, altitude is a necessary thing as the drop will give the speed needed to maintain flight while performing stunts.
No matter how high he is though, it's like Barada and Inala are less than twenty feet away.. but they aren't. Deities.. what can you do? So at least he hears Barada clap and squeal.
The act is usually to impress those who can't fly, honestly. It is a rather risky set of maneuvers though. It's climbing incredibly high, then pulling in wings completely and dropping like a stone as he slowly turns from heads up to heads down. As the ground draws close, wings snap wide and send him rocketing above the ground ... maybe ten feet or so. This would normally blow back the hair of any watchers as th bat shoots overhead in a blur. Wings tilt, twist and curl as he zips between buildings, tends, and flagpoles, zig-zagging between them with mere inches to spare.. On the pass of the last flagpole his feet hook and grab on. Wings draw in and he spins round and round on the pole ... then lets go and launches off of it. Wings spread and he shoots back upward again. A graceful arc as he climbs then does a complete loop before dropping straight down again to gain speed.
Barada covers her eyes on the dives, while Inala might be getting aroused (but.. what'd doesn't arouse her) at the performance. "Ah, the young will dare anything. I wonder if he was ever trying to impress a particular girl doing this? It is impressive after all. I doubt an Aquilan could manage it.."
Not many could without a lot of practice. Alptraum can fly incredible close to structures and yet doesn't hit them; it is more like he just glides across their vertical surfaces like they were ice. And when he passes over the ground he draws up dust to paint shapes in the air with it; abstracts, but trees and animals can almost be seen in them. The show ends with another launch downward, but one wing cocked out so that he spins rapidly, streamers trailing in his wake. Somehow he manages to upright at the last moment while still spinning and lands in a twirl. His wing tips just barely trace along the ground, drawing up a column of dust around him like a magician and his smoke-screen finale.
Barada jumps up and claps and then hugs Alptraum. Inala is more reserved, and asks, "And you did this with your adopted parents at the same time? All three of you?"
"It's more impressive with three that are interweaving with each other the entire time; within inches of colliding wings," ALptraum says as he rolls his shoulders a bit. "Or to answer simply; yes. Sky weaving. We once knitted the tent top of a show doing that with streamers."
Inala stands, and looks skyward.. somewhere up there is her Paradise. "Long ago, the Yodhinala would dance in the air about the Temple to signify important births and marriages. Long ago."
"Well, the air is the only place where there is true freedom and peace. No money squabbles, no wars, no anything. Just the wind and wings. It is ... I pity those who cannot fly," Alptraum admits.
"Someday people will fly from one end of Babel to the other without having to worry about which territory you're passing through," Barada says. "And we'll all dance again!"
"Something I will likely not get to see, but it is a nice idea," Alptraum says.
"You have to see it," Inala says, putting a hand on Alptraum's shoulder. "Someone has to teach us how to dance."
"To dance? Or to do things that are close to killing yourself, but not quite?" Alptraum jokes weakly. "Probably not much difference in that, really. It's all just a way to feel alive in the end. And to feel free. Once you feel free anything feels possible. Anything at all."