Standing on an outcrop over a jagged-edged abyss, a figure wraps itself in its wings to fend off the winds. There isn't any thunder, which spares Alptraum his hearing at least, but the darkness broken by sudden, searing flashes of light makes it difficult to see anything beyond the barest of silhouettes.
Such as the one standing on an opposing outcrop on the opposite side of the chasm, which can only be made out as an armored Eeee.
"What now?" Alptraum has to ask as he peers across the abyss. He tries to sound out the figure through echo, which the lack of thunder will hopefully help with.
The wind makes up for the lack of overwhelming sound, dragging and distorting the echoes. The silhouette remains a silhouette, but hasn't moved or tried to ping back at Alptraum.
A piece of the landscape shifts to the Eeee's right, revealing itself to be the familiar head of the steel dragon, Vorgulremik. "What indeed," he rumbles. "You face a shadow."
Curious, and assuming this is some sort of dream, Alptraum spreads his wings and tries to fly across the chasm to meet this figure face to face, so to speak.
"A shadow of what? One of your little games?" Alptraum asks as he heads for the figure.
The chasm.. stretches wider, so that the bat just can't seem to cross it.. and the wind doesn't help. "No, not one of mine," the dragon says. "That is your enemy.. and the lack of definition is due to your own lack of knowledge I imagine."
Alptraum stops in his attempt to cross it and ends up sort-of hovering there. "Which? The general, or the puppet master behind her?" he asks. "I know a bit about the general, I've seen her in person."
"Ah, the General," Vorgulremik nods. "What do you know about her?"
"She's tall, likes her armor, is cruel to her subordinates, and is angry that she sold herself to Amena for 'power', and I eclipse her ... and I did it without doing any such thing," Alptraum ticks off.
"What about her name?" the dragon asks. "Her age? What drove her to this path, and what did she pay for it?"
"That I don't know, but obviously older than I. She ruled the Babel military long before I arrived, so if I had to guess ... forty, maybe fifty," Alptraum answers.
"And when did she become the creature she is now?" the dragon asks, extending his neck to put his head next to Alptraum. "You need to know everything you can about her. Understand her. That will reveal her weaknesses to you."
"I don't know the exact day, but I can tell you the timeframe. Between my first arrival to Babel and probably a year or two after. It would have occurred some time after she took the fleet into the forbidden zone," Alptraum notes.
"Have you seen her when she was alive then?" the dragon asks.
"I saw her leading the fleet off. I have to assume she was alive then. She was in armor at the time," Alptraum notes.
"Assumptions.. are unreliable," Vorgulremik notes. "Your father has held a position of power within the government for some time. Perhaps he remembers the General before she became a threat? If he is like me, he would not leave another powerful person to operate beyond his notice."
Alptraum tilts his head. "Point of note that makes my assumptions fairly solid, the Babel government had mages, legal and not, under their employ. They would have picked up were she dead. So it is highly unlikely she were what she is right now before the timeframe I have noted," Alptraum points out. "As for my father, I am sure he remembers her. He watches everyone of note in Babel."
"Heh, she wears armor. Does she always wear armor?" the dragon asks. "More to the point, did she always appear in armor, including a helmet to hide her face?"
"No, she doesn't. She wasn't wearing armor in her fortress in the forbidden zone," Alptraum notes. "But I imagine in public, yes, she does."
"And before that, she was based in the Tower of Babel itself?" the dragon asks.
"As far as I know. I remember they departed from there," Alptraum says.
"This raises a question," the dragon says, tilting his gruesome head slightly and.. smirking. "Armor can be enchanted. Perhaps even to hide the state of unliving. And the bowels of the Tower are shielded from magic by the annoying crystal that the creators of this world left riddling it. You need to find out more about that armor. Was it made for her? Did she inherit it from the previous General? What special properties or weaknesses might it give its wearer?"
Alptruam arches his right brow. "What has suddenly gotten you so interested in her? Perhaps you've tired of trying to convince me to be an ally and wish to recruit her, hmm?" he asks.
"No, but I do not want to see you fall," the dragon claims. "But you do bring up an interesting point: if she was alive when you first saw her, then who or what turned her? Did she have the Black Heart inside already, waiting to be activated by death? Or was the previous agent of Diphath.. just not doing his job to her satisfaction?"
"Or she found one of Diphath's old temples and was infected there. There are old Temples beneath the city here and there still, and some still have active cults," Alptraum notes as he decides to quit hovering and goes back to land on the peak. "And that you for bringing up that memory. My hand still throbs now and then from that day."
Alptraum smirks. "Even in death your brood tries to kill me," he remarks dryly.
"Welcome to the family," Vorgulremik notes, shifting his head to keep with the Eeee. "Surely, no worse than some of your other non-blood relatives, hmm?"
"I am not related to you," Alptraum snaps. "And no, no worse than some certain Yodh that wished me dead."
"Touchy subject, I see," the dragon notes. "Now, you need to find what triggers the General's anger like that. Anger is your ally.. so long as it is your enemy's anger and not your own. Dig up her past, her life. That is a weapon against her. Even in her current state, the Black Heart means she can still feel regret. And.. hmm.. wasn't there another? The one with that baby-eating family?"
"The singer? Her right hand man? The one who buggers sleeping does?" Alptraum inquires and makes a face.
"Ah.. yes, him," the dragon says cheerfully. "Seemed a bit disgruntled, didn't he? I wonder why? Maybe he was the one that the General displaced, after creating her?"
"Quite possible. And yes, he hates being a servant. He's also rather mad he can't ... well, get any physical fun anymore. He can try but it doesn't work. That puts most guys in a bad mood," Alptraum notes with a smirk.
"Really? Such moodiness never effected me," Vorgulremik claims. "It may do you well to look into that man's past too - at least the circumstances of his apparent death."
"Yes, well, you're boring," Alptraum counters, "And you tend to use me now for such outlets."
"Is that how you see our little trysts?" Vorgulremik asks. He can't actually pout but the tone is there.
"No, I just think you prefer me as a girl because you can pretend you dominate me," Alptraum answers simply. "Granted I do spend more time female than anything else now."
"Gender is of little consequence in the long run, save for certain reproductive requirements," the dragon claims. "I've noticed no significant difference in flavor, after all. But has your time as a female given you any further insight into the nature or motivations of your foe?"
"Women like control from a more subtle perspective. Men are all 'Arrr, bubba clubba' when it comes to forcing things they want. Women coerce and entice to get what they want," Alptraum answers. "It is more mental manipulation."
"So women are more evil?" Vorgulremik asks.
"Can be, yes," Alptraum agrees.
"The General does not appear to be subtle however," the dragon notes. "Perhaps martial training leads to more directly confrontational tendencies. Tell me, what do you know of her actual plan of attack?"
"Well, she was planning on unsing undead people-plant-bombs to attack Mount Sunala. She wants the graves there to create her army. I foiled that plan. Rather more dramatically than I intended, but I'll take it," Alptraum says.
"What about her plans for taking the city?" Vorgulremik asks. "Does she have a timetable?"
"That I do not know. I don't have any insides into her Temple. I could go there, but I have to in a form I find really disturbing," Alptraum notes.
"Hmmm," the dragon ponders. "Timing is everything. But it also depends on her real motivation. Does she serve Diphath, or only mean to use her? While she is in the Forbidden Zone, it is unlikely that Diphath - or Amena - can see her, much less control her."
"Given the black heart keeps her alive so to speak, I rather imagine she cannot directly rebel. She would need a secondary party," Alptraum points out. "So, what you're saying is I need to research her more. Were I feeling brave enough I would just talk to her."
"You've talked to me," Vorgulremik points out. "How confident are you in my answers to personal questions? Do you feel you have a good notion of who I am, why I do what I do, and what I want?"
"I know a lot of what you say is a lie, or to get something you want," Alptraum notes, "But I'm also safe talking to you. With her I would have to confront her directly and that is not safe."
"And I do not know if the undead dream," Vorgulremik admits. "I suggest using other sources of information first. Do you trust your father?"
"More than I trust you," Alptraum says with a smirk.
"And who else do you know?" the dragon asks, raising an eyeridge. "You must have an extensive network by now."
"A couple mages, contacts in a few families, a network of spies. A really grumpy Yodhrepath, ... and a whole lot of perverts," Alptraum ticks off.
"So.. do they know anything?" Vorgulremik asks. "Do you trust Barada?"
"As much as I trust any of them. They are all fairly honest with me it seems," Alptraum notes. "Even the ones that like to mess with me."
"Find out what they know.. or if you can, set them to the task of uncovering it for you," Vorgulremik suggests. "Even that sneaky feline friend of yours."
Alptraum grins widely. "The one that kicked your butt?" he teases.
The dragon doesn't reply to that remark. "Your father should have the 'dirt' on the noble families. There is always an occult secret society among them. I remember them play acting on Rephidim - of course, they thought it was all just good fun, but someone was guiding them who knew what was happening."
"Nobles need real jobs so they quit doing stupid things for fun," Alptraum remarks rather dryly. "But yes, I can ask him about the families and the General in specific."
"If you go to the mages.. mention The Sixth Kadam.. see if any of them blink," the dragon also suggests with a toothy grin.
"And what was your involvement in that?" Alptraum asks.
"They used my stomping grounds for their little get-togethers," Vorgulremik claims. "The Old Cemetery. I had a cozy lair there.. why.. didn't you find it back when you were hanging about in the goth place?"
"Because I have had my fill of graveyards. And I have been chased through that one more than enough," Alptraum answers simply. "And besides, Mordecai kept me rather busy. If he was awake, he was on me." His left ear twitches.
"Maybe he knows something about it then," Vorgulremik suggests. "That crowd seems the sort."
"Yeah, but if I go see him ... things get sticky," Alptraum grumbles and rubs the back of his neck.
"This is not worth gathering information that could change the tide of battle and save the city?" Vorgulremik asks, nosing closer.
"Yes, well, but the form he wants me in is really subservient to him," Alptraum grumbles.
"People are more forthcoming when they feel they are in a position of power or control," Vorgulremik points out. "Being submissive, subdued.. or conquered.. can be useful," he says, without a single bit of irony.
"Good thing I have a lot of practice at that little act. I use it to infiltrate often," Alptraum grumbles more. "I imagine the General would just love to conquer me. But I can't risk that play, she'd likely kill me instead of telling me anything useful."
"She is a military type," Vorgulremik notes. "They do not give up secrets so willingly. Part of their training usually involves destroying whatever ego they have and replacing it with loyalty or strategy or how to crease their uniforms well. Normal people are vulnerable, especially those with lots of power and those with little power. Both have something to prove."
"Oh, she has an ego of her own, and greed. But, no, I am not going to take a risk to get her to divulge anything. That is a bad hand. I only play hands that think I can either cheat on, or know I can bluff," Alptraum notes as he flicks Vorgulremik's left nostril.
The nostril blasts hot air back at Alptraum in response. "Then gather your cards. Learn your opponents 'tells' and strategy. Find out how she has fought previous battles. Was she the one who led the Plaguebringers? Did she have any moral qualms about it? Did she know about the Boomer, as part of the High Princess's plot, even?"
"All good questions. I can guess at the answers, but as you say knowing for sure is better," Alptraum concedes. "Why are you trying to help me? What exactly do you want for your advice?"
"Victory," Vorgulremik says, simply. "I want to see Amenlichtli kicked hard by.. someone I at least tutored. I want her to know that even in my current condition, she is no match for me."
"And it has nothing to do with hoping you'll be spared? Or that somehow I'll end up your puppet?" Alptraum asks directly.
"Why would I try something that would only gain your resentment?" Vorgulremik asks. "I'm not the dragon who manipulates you.. I only want to show you the truth of things. Such people are always demonized though. If I wanted your mercy, I'd try to claim I was reformed, or that I was willing to change, or whatever else people promise when they are under the axe. But I haven't, have I? You have no sympathy for me, and I have not tried to gain any.. only to have you understand me."
"Not entirely true," Alptraum notes and raises a finger. "You have tried to get me to feel sorry for you, or tried to get me to join you. Whether I have any sympathy for you ... I may or I may not. I have to play the card game with you too, you know."
"And I do have to admit I enjoy the banter with you, if nothing else," Alptraum adds with an impish smirk.
"And a good player never shows all of his hand.. or what chips he may have in reserve," Vorgulremik notes. "I have no children, no bloodline. Melusine is a daughter of sorts only in that she was created from me. But I have lived a long time, and learned much. Is it so strange that I might want to share some of that before I'm gone? That I wouldn't want someone to remember me?"
"I think you would rather not be gone over just being remembered," Alptraum notes.
"And I always have to assume you are likely running the long con," Alptraum adds, "As such always reap better rewards than the short con."
"I'm a prisoner here," Vorgulremik says. "But I'm no fool. Of course I have as many plans as possible in play, in case one works. I would not be who I am otherwise - in which case, I may as well be gone, yes? Can you blame me though? And just because you might benefit.. well, you're benefiting whether the plan works or not, aren't you?"
"Well, at least you're being honest," Alptraum notes with a smirk. "And yes, I do benefit ... and occasionally have some rampant and fun sex, disturbing as that is."
"Didn't I promise you that I would be honest?" Vorgulremik asks. "As for the sex.. I hadn't realized it was meant to be fun. That adds an odd dimension to it, I suppose. Fun. Hmmmm."
"After the things Gorphat has done to me, I probably have a skewed perception of fun," Alptraum points out.
And that reminds Alptraum to check his pants because ... he doesn't know if he's fully male here, or that freaky hybrid form he tried out in case he needed to be Alptraum while carrying horribs.
So far it looks normal, although the gesture seems to surprise the dragon a bit. "Forgotten something?" Vorgulremik asks.
"No, just making sure I'm normal here. I so rarely am outside," Alptraum claims.
"This is all in your mind, why wouldn't you be as you expect here?" the dragon asks.
"Because I don't know what I am anymore," Alptraum remarks honestly. "I could end up different here, so I have to check."
"What do you want to be?" Vorgulremik asks with a bit of amusement.
"Right now, normal," Alptraum says quickly. "Now, was there anything else you wanted to poke me about?"
"Interesting," the dragon says. "You would impose limits on yourself.. to achieve a state you have never actually existed in. Why do you think it would be better? And have you ever actually met a 'normal' person? I suppose I've given you what advice I can for now.. at least until you have more information to work with."
"Normal is having only one form and a consistent outlook," Alptraum claims. "I will see what I can learn and share that which I figure is appropriate."
Vorgulremik chuckles. "No mortal has ever been normal then, for each day their body has changed and their outlook altered," he claims. "I do hope what you consider 'appropriate' for me is enough to be useful then."
"Well, I'm surprised you didn't ravish me, but yes, it was appropriate and if it turns out to be useful ... we'll see," Alptraum says.
"Surprised or disappointed?" the dragon asks, then seems to be fading away.
"Disappointed!" Alptraum calls out. That'll make the dragon blink.
A few moments - as such might be called - later and Nikky is stretching awake on the couch in the staff lounge of Inala's Paradise, feeling refreshed from her nap.
"Eeeheheh," Nikky giggles to herself. She has had a time, and thanks to Inala, isn't sore at all! A perfect altar to that particular Goddess. She even stretches out and wiggles her toes a bit. Still, even in her basking afterglow, part of her thinks to check that she's okay inside and that plug is still solidly sealing her. She, of course, uses her tail to probe herself.
The tip of a Skreek's tail isn't known for being very sensitive.. but it does register pressure, and since it isn't anything that's going to be triggering Inala's blessing Nikky actually gets a feel for the true depth of her birth canal. Also that the plug is sticky. At least, hopefully that's the plug..
Nikky pulls her tail out, grumbling she couldn't feel too well with it. She resorts to using her fingers instead.
"Lose something up there?" a passing Kavi girl asks, adjusting her costume as she goes. Probably another dance number about to go on stage.
"Nah, I jus' don' have enough up there!" Nikky cackles at the Kavi as her fingers are probing about, trying to check her cervix to ensure it is still firmly plugged.
There's definitely something somewhat pliable in the way.
Nikky draws her fingers out and licks them off. Ever the rat, that one. "Snaky," she giggles as she rolls upright and gets to her feet to see what is going on and what trouble she can get into.
Just as Nikky is opening the door, Honey bursts in, nearly colliding with her. "Ah! You're awake finally! There's a birthday party in the Circus Room - some kid just turned 18 and his friends want him to have a good time.. and they'll probably want their turns too! Are you allergic to grease paint or anything?"
"Oh? A kiddo is here to engage in debauchery, eh? Dat coul' be fun! And no, I no alleric to any paint. Whatcha haf in mind?" the skreek cackles as she puts her arm around Honey's shoulder, then nudges the doe to lead the way!
"Well.. first there's the clown paint, then the whoopee bladders, confetti canon and the big pink wigs.. Oh, can you honk a horn with your hoo-ha?" the doe says.
"I can honk a horn wit any part of me!" Nikky claims, giggling like a madwoman. "Lets go an be weird! Vell, weirder den normal!" She has to live it up, after all, because when she gets back to the Temple, it's back to Yodhgorphat, and all the itching and unpleasantness it involves. Well, unless she decides to spend time as Scourge; Gorphat appreciates her fungal pet too, after all.