It's fairly late when Alptraum leaves the inner sanctum of the Temple of Sunala, but since this is Babel nightfall is considered 'morning' - the city really never sleeps, nor does the Temple. Certain activities are reserved for darkness though, including funeral rites. There is a lot of activity surrounding the opening of one of the big family vaults in the necropolis, meaning someone with money died recently, and as such there is a big turnout and many Yodhsunala involved in managing it. Which makes the lone figure standing vigil over the opposite end of the Temple stand out even more.
Alptraum watches this lone figure curiously. "Why would one stand all the way over there," he wonders. The Eeee then nods, seemingly deciding something ... and shadows unfurl about him, cloaking him in a 'night' darker than the star-filled sky above. He then slips himself into the shadows, away from the lights of the rites, and moves slowly towards this lone figure.
The Yodhsunala has her hood up, but white-furred ears extend through the provided holes. She seems to be focusing on something further down the hillside. She has her arms crossed, and is giving off an aura of.. frustration?
"Problem?" Alptraum whispers from behind the Yodhsunala. It's amazing how well shadow can mute sounds ... but it also helps she focused on what is going on below.
"Aaa!" the woman yelps and swings around, driving her fist through a patch of shadow without hitting anything. "Back demon! You can't have.." she starts to declare, then blinks when she doesn't strike anything solid.
"If I wanted it, I would have already taken it," Alptraum points out as the shadows coalesce and he partially emerges. He smiles slightly, amused. "I must admit, not many are brave enough to try to hit me."
The woman stares blankly at Alptraum for a moment, which gives him a good look at her face. And she looks familiar, even though he's certain he's never met her before. "Who are you?" she demands after closing her mouth.
"Alptraum Reisender is my common name, though most prefer to call me the Barsunala," Alptraum answers as shadow still roils about him. "Whom am I addressing?"
The woman points at Alptraum now, and says, "It's you! You can't have him back now, you know! I'm responsible for him now! Me. Yodhsunala Gemma!"
"Indeed, it is I and I am me," Alptraum says vaguely and amused. "Who is it I cannot have back?" he inquires, brow arched.
"Skekos of course," Gemma blurts, and looks even more upset. "How can you not remember bringing him here?" The question is punctuating by the Yodh flapping her arms up and down instead of gesturing with her wings.. a gesture of confusion.
"Ah, yes, him. I remember bringing him from the underbelly of the tower," Alptraum notes as he looks down the hill. "I have no intention of claiming him; my duties are too dangerous to take a child along with me."
There are definitely auras down there, young ones. And one feels familiar. "He's very sensitive," Gemma claims, calming down once it's clear Alptraum isn't there to spirit him off. She has an undercurrent of frustration in her aura though.
"I feel him down there," Alptraum notes and nods down the hill. "What frustrates you so? Your spirit boils."
This causes the Yodh to take in a deep breath and deliberately exhale slowly in an effort to calm down, which has no effect at all. "It's that girl," she mutters. "Ever since she showed up, he follows her around. And talks to her. He never talks to anyone."
Alptraum's brow arches. "He speaks? That's new. What is his voice like?" Alptraum asks. "And what girl, specifically? Why does he follow her?"
"The pig girl," Gemma says, her voice lowered. "She has charmed him somehow, I am certain. He.. makes clacking noises at her, but she responds as if she knows what he's saying. Hopefully she is just crazy, or doing it to annoy me."
"Don't discount she may be able to understand him. That girl has skills. It is by my hand that she was brought here to be protected," Alptraum points out. "It seems I have a gift for rescuing children in danger, wouldn't you say?"
"Children are always in danger," Gemma mutters. "That's what makes them children; they can't take care of themselves.." She makes it sound personal. "I've been taking care of him all this time, but he doesn't really try to talk to me. Oh, he can sign a few things, but limits that to telling me that he's hungry or wants to go out or.. things like that. Not how he feels or what he thinks or anything important. I'm supposed to raise him, but he refuses to not be an animal around me."
"Well, how do you speak to him? Do you treat him like a person?" Alptraum asks. "Or are you careful and guarded? Children can sense this. In any event, do you wish for me to investigate?"
"I.. treat him like he's my child," Gemma claims, a bit defensively. "Investigate? What can you discover that isn't obvious - he wants to play with other children, not with me. But if you know the girl.. you can tell if she's taking advantage of him, right?"
"Easily," Alptraum says, "And I can tell if she can talk to him or not."
"Will she tell you what he's been saying then?" Gemma asks, looking sideways towards Alptraum while keeping her ears focused on the children hidden from view.
"Possibly?" Alptraum says. "I don't try to force others to talk. It's impolite. Is it that important for you to know?"
The woman turns to face Alptraum full on, with wide blue eyes. "Of course it is!" she says. "He's talking to someone. I'm his caretaker, I need to know what his mental state is, what makes him happy or sad, what interests him."
"Have you tried teaching him to write?" Alptraum points out. "And for a caretaker ... you are acting rather motherly," he adds. "This is a good thing."
"I've tried getting him to use clay and paints," Gemma explains. "Toys don't seem to interest him. It was hard enough to get him to use signs. I think it's the eyes. He doesn't see like we do, so maybe gestures and objects can just confuse him. I don't know if he can see in color. He clicks for sonar, which isn't exactly long range as a result.."
"I could find how how he sees too. That is ... easy ... ish," Alptraum says and shrugs. "Is there anything more you wish to know? If not, well ... I should go see if I can get them to talk to me."
"I don't know how he'll react to you," Gemma says. "He isn't violent, but not really affectionate or.. touch-oriented. That could be telling too.."
"Well, how he reacts to me all depends on what I appear as," Alptraum says with an enigmatic smile as shadows begin to engulf him again. "If I learn anything interesting, I will find you."
"I never let him out of my earshot," Gemma says. "So it shouldn't be hard to find me.."
The shadow withdraws as Alptraum retreats from the Yodhsunala. It's also so that he can get enough distance he can shift in quiet and approach the children as something ... harmless. A huge Sylvanian hog! That won't scare Trystle, at least. Of course it's also good that he brought the hig ring to complete the disguise. That ... has to go in first and that's always a shore to fit into the grommet in his nose...
So many different noses makes it hard to have a practiced method of insertion. And if it wasn't in during a transformation, forget about getting it in afterwards! But he is eventually rewarded with a 'click' as it seats itself without having a 'jamming a ball end up too high' incident.
Alptraum goes ugh. That grommet is a constant reminder he doesn't quite own himself. Gorphat seems to own most of him these days, which is even worse. But ... neither here nor there. The Eeee drops down on all fours and slips into shadow completely, letting it permeate his body and bring force ... porcine instinct and form.
Whether dubbed Boartraum, Hogtraum, or something else.. this form is dubbed 'Burtrum' by Trystle - something she seemed to pick from the hog's own mind, because 'Boartraum' doesn't sound like a real name. And now Burtrum can smell her, and the path she took down into the 'stone gardens' with the immature Skekos soldier-hybrid.
"Ugh, I want to root around again," Burtraum things and shudders. He can also feel the ring weight pressing on his snout, further enforcing this situation upon his mind. So ... focus. Yes, focus. He does this by following Trystle's scent! Hogs have a good sense of smell ... and lousy eyesight.
The path is a bit meandering, with areas where the most time was spent having the strongest imprint.. usually the tallest of the old grave markers that are fun to climb. And of course there are the empty shrine alcoves, where of course a teenager and her younger (probably) playmate would practice there 'god poses' in. The scent of flowing water gets stronger as well.. they pair is up ahead at one of the waterfalls. In a land where everyone has super-hearing, being next to a waterfall is the closest to being invisible an Eeee can get.
And onward the hog goes on his stubby legs. "Ugh, I forgot how unwieldy this body is. Only my tail and other bits move easily," Burtraum thinks. He's also trying to ignore the other urges he gets from time to time; like the one that keeps poking him about going bask to his master, Trystle. He can't let hogthought completely take over.
There's laughter when the hog finally reaches the edge of the pool. Trystle is there, in Acolyte's robes (of the lowest rank) along with a similarly dressed Skekos, and laughing as if she just heard the funniest thing ever. "That is the funniest thing ever!" she tells the hybrid, whose expression is mostly frozen save for the movable parts framing his mouth.
And Burtraum introduces himself by grunting loudly. From the front at least. The other way is all too common for hogs too, alas. "Interesting she's wearing robes, but that may be all they have."
This sound causes the girl to turn. It isn't clear what her expression is, since the girl launches herself to tackle (ineffectively) the hog. "Burtrum! You came back!" she squeals.
Burtrum barely even rocks when the Eeee tackles into him! As a hog he must weigh several hundred pounds and it shows! "Focus, focus, no hoggy thoughts," the hog thinks ... and grunts again. He also snot-noses whatever part of the girl is closest.
Trystle laughs, and gets on her knees to hug around the hogs's 'neck'.. and bites one of his ears. "How'd you find me?" she asks. Skekos, meanwhile, is turned and squatting on his rock (which may be a fallen headstone) to stare at the spectacle in silence. Even his aura is.. indeterminate and muted.
The hog makes a noise when his ear is bit! He has a hole in his nose; he doesn't need one in this forms ears! As for the answer to her question, he snorts a few times as if to indicate sniffing.
"I was so worried when you vanished, and I thought we had leave you behind," Trystle says, finally taking her face out of the boar's side. "Oh.. this is Skekos.. I know he looks like a bug but don't eat him."
And the hog goes right up to Skekos and snuffles all over his legs and feet. (It's all he can reach). "I would be unsure of me too," Burtrum thinks; realizing the child is probably scared or nervous.
There's some wiggling of mouth parts, but the hybrid doesn't move otherwise. It isn't clear what sort of scrutiny Skekos is giving the boar.
Burtrum can at least tell from the snuffling that the boy is clean. Either he cleans himself or Gemma bathes him regularly.
Burtrum noses the child. He might want pets.
"Click-hiss-click," Skekos says, and moves further back.
Burtrum fwumps down and sulks. Well, as much as a hog can sulk, anyway.
"He doesn't like to be touched," Trystle tells Burtrum, and pets the boar. "He was poked and prodded a lot or something, so it makes him uncomfortable. Well.. except for his mom. She can touch him."
Burtraum grunts once and thinks, "Ah. Well, I know he was ... kept in a tube for a long time. And so ... he does consider the Yodhsunala his mother. Wonder if he even remembers the Barsunala."
"He doesn't see his dad or sister though, I think," Trystle whispers to the hog. "It's hard to get things across sometimes."
The hog gives Trystle a sidelong glance. "His dad?" the hog wonders. Surely not Alptraum.
"Do you remember your family, Burtrum?" Trystle asks the boar. "I bet they were all big too. I had to sort of explain it all to Skekky, but I'm pretty sure he gets it."
Burtrum's shoulders roll. His family is all sorts of messed up. Disjoint branches and even disconnected ones if you tried to plot it out. The hog looks back to the strange child. "It can't be easy for him. I bet many are afraid of him," he thinks.
"Yeah, he gets lots of looks. Some of the barsunala try to get him to do guard stuff, even though he's small. His mom is alright.. I think she had some really bad experience with a bug-monster though, and.. so she takes care of him now. That doesn't sound like makes sense but it does, I think," Trystle explains. Skekos doesn't react to being the topic of discussion.
"It helps her get over it. Yodhgorphat Nicora knows all about bugs too," Burtrum things as he snuffles at the child again. "Is he lonely?"
There are clicking sounds as Skekos shuffles his feet slightly. "Well, he must be lonely to hang out with me," Trystle points out. "I'm not even a real Acolyte or anything.. they just make me wear this so nobody questions who I am or why I'm there. But.. the Yodhsunala don't really like my family, for good reason. The Yodhrinala are too busy to care."
"The Yodhsunala dare not harm you; you're under the Barsunala's protection," Burtrum thinks. "I wonder what he has been telling you. His mother is upset she cannot understand him."
"Nobody understands him," Trystle says. And then taps her head. "I do best though. Because I think more like creatures than people.."
"And what do you think he thinks?" Burtrum wonders, and spluts his large wet, and ringed nose right against Trystle's calf.
The girl squeals at the nosing. "Someone is bucking for a bathing, I think!" she tells the hog. "Skekky is.. unsure. He doesn't know what he's supposed to be. That's.. really person-ish though. So I tell him to be a person, because they're never sure of anything. He's got a morbid sense of humor though."
Burtrum keeps nosing Trystle all over her legs! "Morbid how?" the hog wonders during his rituali wiping of his schnozz on her legs.
Trystle retreats into the pond. "How many crickets does it take to choke someone to death?" she asks the hog with a grin.
"Well, knowing Cricket, just one," Burtrum thinks. He stands on the edge of the pond and grunts at her.
"Go bring me some crickets and we'll find out!" Trystle says, and then holds her gut as she laughs, which means dropping her robe so the hem gets wet.
"That is a terrible joke," Burtrum thinks as he paces the pond edge. He isn't about to go in there, not after the last time she made him bathe.
Skekos clicks up a storm for a moment. "He doesn't like the water," Trystle explains. "Well, not like this.. in a pond."
"I don't like the water either. Why doesn't he?" Burtrum thinks as he continues to pace. He's also debating running off again and returning to Alptraum.
Trystle splashes at Burtrum, which causes Skekos to hiss more. "Oh, he just doesn't like it because it makes him think of something unpleasant. But you like mud, Burtrum!"
"Yes, I do!"
"Yes, I do!" chimes in the hog part of his brain. "Shut up. I don ..." the rational part tries to argue ... while the hog body meanders right into the water and the mud. Ack.
Trystle laughs and rubs mud all over Burtrum (and herself) while Skekos just watches with the occasional click or hiss.
Burtrum is conflicted! The hog part just loves it. The Eeee part is mortified it is even happening ... and thinks Skekos has the right idea.
"C'mon Skekky, get dirty!" Trystle calls. Skekos does dip his tail-whip into the mud at least.
The worst part of this it is really re-enforcing the hog aspects of his current mind and muting out the more rational ones. Soon Burtrum is rolling and rooting through the mud like a common hog. This girl is good at making him be more of an animal and less of a person, that's for certain.
The girl is having a ball too, but always careful to not get rolled-over onto by the heavy hog. She's obviously having so much fun though, that Skekos is clearly conflicted about jumping in himself.
Right now the brain is mostly hog and not so much Alptraum. Its current goal is to get as muddy and slick as possible; turning almost jet black in mud-slime ... which is oddly reminding of either Scourge, or the shadow were his brain actually behaving right now!
Finally, a blob of mud hits Trystal on the shoulder, and Skekos is scooping another one. "Ahahaha!" the girl responds, and tries to splash the hybrid.
The hog meanwhile meanders out of the pond ... walks a few feet away ... then runs at the pond! He leaps and lands in the water, hard! He made sure to not hit Trystle with his bulk at least.
The splash soaks everyone.. and maybe washes away some of the mud from everyone as well. Skekos is knocked onto his back, and Trystle end up upside down on the shore. "Woo!" she calls out, a bit winded.
And that's when Alptraum's awareness returns! And ... he can make an escape! So off the hog darts deep into the hillside. This is to get his mind back ... and get a chance to shift back to his normal self and get this ring out of his schnozz!
"Wait.. Bertrum!" Trystle calls as she tries to sort herself out. Skekos just clicks and makes other noises.
And off the hog goes into the woodlands and underbrush. When he can't smell them as much, the hog fwumps down and disappears into shadows to find his more normal form and bring it forward. Also, to get the mud and water off!
There's still a feeling of dampness after the change, but that could be due to the nose-ring, which is still wet.
And Alptraum groans to himself and tries to carefully work the ring out of his nose.
Getting it out is always more painful than getting it in.. the grommet pulls on his nose after all. And once the ring is out the urge to sneeze is unbearable.
And Alptraum sneezes. Ugh. He still has to get Tulani for that permanent grommet! The Eeee then tries to hide the ring in shadow and compose himself. He must appear somewhat impressive before he goes and finds Trystle and Skekos.
The two children are still recovering, which comes down to wringing out their robes. "Dry dry dry.." Trystle chants.
And more liquid seems to rush in around them. Only this is dark and shadowy liquid ... not water at all. "It isn't very dignified to play in the mud, you know," Alptraum intones as he steps out of the encroaching shadow. He's still bathed in it for modesty, of course. "But then being dignified all the time is terribly boring."
"Augh!" Trystle gasps and holds up her robe to cover herself. "It's you again!" Skekos seems less shocked, but does make lots of clicks.
"Again?" Alptraum has to ask. Skekos, though, he says, "Hello. It has been a very long time, hasn't it?"
Skekos approaches Alptraum and raises up a hand-claw to him.
"Whoa.. you're Skekky's dad?" Trystle asks. "You're real! Really real!"
Alptraum extends his right hand and holds it out to Skekos. He doesn't touch, he lets the child make the first contact. "Well, it is more that I rescued him from the chamber that held him," Alptraum admits to Trystle. "I never new he considered me his father."
There are more clicks and whirrs and whistles now as Skekos puts his hand up against Alptraum's. "I don't know if he really means 'father' but.. uh.. maybe just your his father figure?" Trystle suggests as she gets back into her damp robes.
Alptraum remains still and lets Skekos' hand contact his firmly. Granted he can only feel pressure in that appendage, but he isn't worried about being hurt by the child. "I rescued him," Alptraum explains, "The day Rephidim attacked. I carried him out of the tower after the explosions came. I was ... injured that day."
"How can you be injured?" Trystle asks. "Do you know me? I met you.. uh.. in a dream I guess.. You're why we could come here."
"I know you. Your family is under my protection. I know what you did, and why. Your reasons were understandable and ... your mother asked for mercy. How could I deny that?" Alptraum asks. His answer to the first question comes as a claim of, "And I am part of this city. If it is injured, so am I." Not entirely true really, he had a bug burrowing into him ... but it's a good explanation as any.
"Are you.. visiting?" Trystle asks, looking from Skekos to Alptraum. So far, the hybrid hasn't lowered his hand, and just has it pressing up against the Barsunala's. "Am I supposed to marry you now?"
"I am visiting, yes. Before the battle that comes," Alptraum claims in an appropriate air a vagueness. His fingers coil slightly, embracing the hybrid's claw gently. The marriage question makes him twitch. "What is this about marriage?" he has to ask.
"Oh.. well.. you remind me of my favorite hog!" Trystle says. "And in the dream you didn't think I was ugly."
"You aren't ugly. And do you mean Burtrum? He was, and still is, one of my many emissaries," Alptraum claims. "I sent him first so that you wouldn't run screaming if I appeared."
"No waaaaay!" Trystle says, gaping. "He's a magic god pig then?"
"Well, I wouldn't call him a god. An emmisary, crafted especially for you," Alptraum says ... which is actually true.
"So.. why don't I get to keep him?" Trystle asks, looking serious now.
Alptraum kneels down so that he is at the same level as Skekos. "Do you trust me?" he asks of the child. To Trystle, he says, "Because I cannot keep him manifested for long."
Skekos nods. At least that gesture is unambiguous.
And that's when shadow flows out from Alptraum's hand to engulf Skekos slowly. It's slow because if the child shows any fear or alarm, he will stop it immediately. The hope is to ken the child, so that perhaps he too could better understand him.
The hybrid doesn't react - either because he really does trust Alptraum or is possibly unaware of what's actually happening.
Trystle, however, does react. "Hey! What's that! Don't eat him!"
"He will be fine," Alptraum says and holds up his left hand to Trystle. "Just give me a moment." He tries to finish bathing Skekos is shadow, then gently draws through the ken to try and learn how Skekos is built, perceives things, and well, is.
If not for the recent transformations of the Horribs under Gorphat, things would seem confusing. But Alptraum can taste that Skekos is an Eeee.. and the Skedat parts are also Eeee. His sensorium is very different though from what Alptraum is used to.
Alptraum does not keep Skekos in shroud for too long though out of fear that it may make him panic. So ... the shadow withdraws soon, leaving him unharmed. "That was not so bad, right?" Alptraum asks.
The child shakes his head 'no', and.. possibly.. smiles. It's very hard to tell.
Trytle also seems.. fine with this. "Oh, I think he liked it?" she tells Alptraum, even though Skekos didn't click or whistle.
"Your mother up there is very worried about you," Alptraum tells Skekos. "She wants so much to be able to communicate with you but just doesn't know how."
Skekos clicks and hisses like a bug, until Trystle says, "She can't hear him, and he thought she was ignoring him. We don't.. that is, everyone other than Skekky.. we don't talk right."
"What does he mean she cannot hear him? I hear his hisses and clicks, but," Alptraum admits, "I have a difficulty understanding him too. And no, she is not ignoring him, she is very worried about him."
"Uh.. you can't just use your ears," Trystle explains. "It's more.. silent.. like with animals. We babble a lot to him. He knows how we feel, but it isn't.. uh.." the girl falters, searching for the right words. "We're nose-deaf," she concludes. "Not me, but Eeee. We scent-talk, but can't listen."
"Ah. Now that makes more sense," Alptraum says and nods slightly. "Well, I could fix that for myself; I could make myself like him for a time ... but that is only temporary. Hm. Have you offered to his mother to act as translator?"
"No.." Trystle admits. "That.. would be awkward," she says. But then, Trystle doesn't get along with 'people' very well outside of her immediate family.
"Well, I think you should," Alptraum says and stands.
"Why would she believe me?" Trystle asks.
"Because I am here," Alptraum counters.
"And.. you'll come with me then?" Trystle asks. "To see her and explain? I don't know her name. Skekos just calls her mother.. sort of. You know what I mean.."
Alptraum offers his left hand to Trystle. "Come, lets go speak with her," he offers. "I'm far more terrifying than she is and you aren't scared of me after all. Her name is Yodhsunala Gemma, for reference."
"I got Skekky's clothes dirty, will she be mad?" Trystle asks as she takes the offered hand.
"All mothers get mad about dirt," Alptraum quips as they start the long walk up the hill. "That is what makes them mothers."
"I thought there was sex involved," Trystle says. "So, you and she.. are Skekky's real parents then?"
"Ah, no. I rescued him from the temple. I do not know Gemma well," Alptraum explains. "Skekos was ... created a long time ago and kept in a small tube-cell. It is likely why he dislikes water and being touched."
"So he's old?" Trystle asks, looking across to where Skekos has Alptraum's right hand. "Is he going to get any bigger?"
"He should. About my height eventually," Alptraum explains. "He's old in years I think, but not in living. He was asleep for much of it."
"So it isn't weird that I'm a few years older, sort of?" Trystle asks, as the come far enough on the path to see the figure of Gemma waiting near the peak.
"You're asking a demigod if a few years makes you odd?" Alptraum has to ask of Trystle. "Really?"
"So.. you don't know?" Trystle asks, then turns shy suddenly when she feels Gemma's gaze on them.
"I live a life of the unusual. I am not a good person to ask to classify something as weird," Alptraum says. When he spots Gemma, he nods to her. "Trystle here can talk to him, mostly. You could use her as an interpreter. He wants to be able to communicate with you ... you just don't listen in the ways he can communicate. It isn't a fault, it's how Eeee are."
"I'm.. I'm a Yodhsunala though," Gemma claims, although there's a waiver of uncertainty. "I should be able to learn. What do I need to do to listen?"
"Become as he is; a hybrid," Alptraum explains. "It can be done, with difficulty, and it would not be permanent. But, it may alter forevermore how you see the world and think about things."
"I've already.. had that happen," Gemma says. "I need to understand him.."
"What exactly happened to you?" Alptraum asks.
The Yodhsunala withdraws a bit. "I.. can't talk about it in front of the kids," she claims. "If you don't already know, then I can tell you in private."
"I won't change you unless I know what it was," Alptraum says. "I cannot risk destroying your mind."
"I've already been through that," Gemma claims. "I'll trust you."
Alptraum shakes his head. "I need to know first," he insists. To the children, he asks, "Can you go over that way for a bit and face away?"
Trystle leads Skekos away, over to one of the old tombs.
Alptraum gestures to Gemma. "Now, please explain," he requests.
"Do you speak Standard?" Gemma asks in that language. "I don't think the girl understands it."
"I speak many languages," Alptraum says, in standard, "So go ahead."
Gemma sits down on a step, and asks, "Do you know what the punishment was for piracy back during the Sabaoth's reign?"
Alptraum crouches down a bit. "Death by horrib infestation," he says. "And you survived this?"
The woman shakes her head. "I was caught, sentenced.. and about to be stung. I was tied up to the sacrificial frame and everything.. and one of the Royal Mages asked me what I would do to be spared. I was young.. I told him I'd do anything."
Alptraum nods once and gestures to continue.
Gemma sniffs, and says, "They made a big show of it.. using a condemned criminal to 'save' the life of a Water Mage. It was going to be the same process that the Sabaoth used. They cut open my head.." and here she pauses to pull back her hood and rub at her scalp. She has black hair, but it doesn't look quite natural. "They were supposed to put some of the Mage's brain into me, but that didn't happen. It was all a sham. They did some Spirit stuff so that I could impersonate this Mage Scarlet, who wasn't an Eeee even.. but I had to be able to be convincing. They did a lot of stuff to me. I was a really good fake Mage. All so that they could ruin the scrying pool of Master Zahirinee so he couldn't see what they were planning. My sister is a Mage. She's accidentally disrupted the pool.. getting it back to normal was a big deal. Lots of Mages and dignitaries.."
Alptraum nods and frowns at this. "Please, continue," he says this time instead of gesturing.
"It was horrible," Gemma says. "I was a puppet. Just a puppet. They used me to make a big golem of ice and attack things.. but someone still managed to stop me. A weird girl. I think I stabbed her later.. Wynona was scared to death, and the Mages were trying to shield me from a curse, since the Royal Mages couldn't let me live. And so, in the end, Cryona Windcaller became 'officially' dead. And Yodhsunala Gemma appeared. Still a fake, though. I wouldn't have any use here at all if not for watching over Skekos."
"You're Wynona's sister then," Alptraum says and breathes out. "I know her. We are ... friends. Well, as much as anyone I suppose ever feels comfortable calling me a friend."
"I know she's with the Yodhrephath now," Gemma says. "She's a real one though. She knows I'm alive and well."
"But I've been torn down and rebuilt and twisted to where I don't always know if my memories or personality are what they're supposed to be," she adds. "So.. I might as well put my experience recovering from it to some use, right?"
"She has her reasons to be with them. I trust her," Alptraum says and rubs the back of his neck, "And what you went through ... the Sabbaoth had planned for me. He wanted my immortal form and powers for himself. So ... I was kept hidden from him. A lot of what happened to Babel after that in some respects falls on my shoulders."
"The Sabaoth was already gone by then," Gemma says, and smiles slightly. "My sister was friends with the High Prince, from when he was in exile. I thought that's why I was spared.. but it turns out he didn't even know about me. And there was the fuff'nar too.." she adds, and shudders.
"I must also say that shaping you concerns me," Alptraum admits. "I do not want to damage what of you is left. If not for you, for your sister. I have considerable power, but I also temper its use greatly. I will generally chose to bear something myself over asking another."
"So you don't think I'd be able to handle.. whatever it is?" Gemma asks. "Is Skekos really that different then?"
"I don't know. He is different. But, perhaps no worse than the trials I know the new High Priestess of Gorphat went through," Alptraum admits. "Are you sure about this? It will eventually wear off; no shift I do will be permanent without one more aspect added ... so you would return to as you are now in a week or less."
"How.. how short can the change be?" Gemma asks. "If you're talking about turning me into a creature like Skekos, then I might not be able to communicate with you or others. Maybe I should think on this. I'll.. I'll work with the girl for now, and see how that goes."
"It could be kept under a day if you prefer. It all depends on how much I put into it," Alptraum offers.
"When can you come back?" Gemma asks. "I don't think I'm ready to try it right now.. but eventually I think I'll have to."
"Often, in general. It depends on if I am busy with another task," Alptraum offers. "I just need to know. So ... Ask Sunala to call me when you want me to return."
"I don't want to trouble you," Gemma says. "But.. I'll be ready the next time you show up." Which shouldn't be too long of a wait, if isolating the spirits of the Sabaoth and High Princess from the Sea of Souls is going to be attempted.
"All right. Until next time then. Trystle may be strange, but she does mean well and really can understand him for the most part. Also, she could use a friend," Alptraum offers and stands.
After the private part is over with, Trystle and Skekos are reunited with Gemma. "You have to stop using perfume," Trystle manages to tell the Yodhsunala when asked about helping her understand Skekos.
"Scented soap," Gemma corrects. "And thank you, Trystle, for agreeing to help. It means a lot to me." She even smiles to the girl, which is pretty unusual for a Yodh.
Alptraum's shadows begin to envelop him again. "It is time for me to withdraw and let you ... talk for the first time," he tells them as he slowly becomes difficult to see. "Just remember I may always be watching, eh?"
"Did you know he can make magic hogs?" Trystle whispers to Gemma as Alptraum makes his exit.