Itching and chafing seem to Penance's newest states of being. Between her new permanent underwear that stretches her and the actual stretchers that are stretching her, there aren't any moments where she's not acutely aware of them. And while the creepers have been mostly calm since spawning their creeplets, that doesn't mean they aren't recovered enough to act hungry.
To make things worse, it's not the easy to feed them. Her usual feeders haven't been enthusiastic about visiting her (or are feeling less divinely compelled), which leaves her in the care of just Crabs, who isn't afraid of "getting bit" and Otto, who seems to treat Penance's needs as something akin to housekeeping.
"Ouch!" Crabs squeaks, yanking back the hand was the trying to apply salve to Penance's stretched nipples so the skin wouldn't crack further. They're swollen not just from the stretching, but from the purpose of it: more fungus-worm parasites migrating to the skin of her teats to get away from the activities of the larger fly larvae infesting the breast tissue itself. It is one of those that bit Crabs, for while the salve is wonderful for helping to avoid blisters and other infection side-effects, the larvae do not like it and will bite through their little holes in the Eeee's flesh.
"Mebbe I should work down below fer a bit?" the Skreek asks Penance, while she's still being freed from the wall by a lone horrib.
Ow, ow, dagh, ow," Penance complains from her imprisonment; and it always itches worse and feels worse when she can't touch it, and her poor nipples, both stretches out painfully practically all the time, as whenever it seems to hurt less, the stretcher is upped one notch and back the pain comes. They're swollen to twice normal girth and feel like they throb. "Yes," maybe you should," Penance agrees. At least that won't really hurt, though she rarely feels any pleasure from it either; the symbiote-worm that took place of Inala's orb is a fickle beast.
So Crabs starts slathering the worm-goo on Penance's nethers, especially aren't the 'seams' where the preserved skin is fusing to her own. There are still spots where the layers haven't fully connected yet, and the skin is forever unreachable as a result. They may require some sort of surgical fix as well, since if there are blisters, the puss will never get past the leathery outer layer. At least one of her arms is freed now.
"Ugh, as if things didn't smell bad enough down there; I smell like carrion," Penance comments, "And on display, and itchy, gah. I can't stop that itch." she uses her cree hand to reach up and poke at one of her nipples now to see how painful the touch is.
It doesn't move in the stretcher, but it feels swollen so the skin is practically bursting. There's still the issue of gland stimulation as well, now that most of the ringworms have migrated to the surface. So even though the skin is tight, it's still rough, but she isn't constantly oozing milk at the moment - unless that's why they're swelling up so much! Her breasts are also 'puffier' now, with the black skin clearly inflamed around the fly holes.
Penance actually pull-squeezes at her nipples a bit to see if she can get things to 'flow'. "This doesn't seem right," she admits, "My breasts look wrong." As if they didn't look wrong before now.
Squeezing just causes a lot of pain, unfortunately. But they also don't fall off.
The surface of her left breast distorts for a moment, as something wiggles around inside.
"Uhm ...." Penance remarks, then squeeze massages that breast to feel around inside it.
This prompts several bites on her palm from the irascible residents.
"Ow!" Penance complains and shakes her hand. "How can anyone live like this?"
"Isn't that the point?" Crabs asks from between Penance's thighs, where he has to move so the horrib can finish chewing her free from her resin-bed.
"I should probably go see the doctor. Things are not quite what I think they're supposed to be," Penance admits and sighs. "But at least this time I don't have to be carried, I'm not gravid." She looks down at her belly and navel as if daring them.
The navel doesn't sprout any tentacles this time. Not since Crabs offered it a treat anyway. "You're going to fly?" the Skreek asks, looking at the awkward stretchers.
"I was considering it, yes," Penance notes and gives him a bit of an odd look. "Why do you ask? I'm not sure what my other options are."
"Well.. what if you can't fly back is all?" the Skreek points out. "Who know what the doctor do to you this time?"
Penance waves a hand. "She wouldn't dare hurt me too much," she claims without much conviction. "But, if you want me to be carried ... then gather livery, hmm?"
Crabs salutes (which causes a streamer of worm-slime to go flying across the room) and says, "Right away, your Effluence!"
"Please don't call me that!" Penance squeaks!
Doctor Sesstha has managed to acquire another assistant: a dull brown looking Naga who is either younger than Swix or else just small. It doesn't blink at all, staring at Penance with eyes that might as well be black marbles. "Up on table," the Doctor instructs Penance. "Jusssst wiped it down."
Penance makes a face. "That is not exactly reassuring," she notes. The Eeee sighs and rubs her face. She stares at table, then climbs up on it and lays down.
The snake woman prods one of Penance's still-being-stretched teats with a claw, which hurts of course. "What bringsss you by, Yodhgorphat?" she then asks, and seems to be looking for more things worth poking at.
"Well, those for one. They hurt and seem far too swollen. Also, my breasts are squirming on the inside ... and my crotch itches all the time," Penance ticks off.
"Hsss," the Doctor hisses contemplatively. "Are you naturally furlesss?" she asks.
"No, I am not, I have been treated to be like this. It help sin dealing with ichor," Penance claims.
"Would have been good to know earlier," Sesstha chides, and then starts prodding around Penance's crotch where the other stretcher was applied. "Probably still growing fur under thisss," she notes with a reptilian lack of sympathy. "Feelsss like you can't molt your ssskin properly?"
"We don't molt at all," Penance grumbles, "Does this mean you'll un-stretch my gate and let it loose again? Won't that ... hurt?"
"Ssssss," the Naga hisses, and taps her chin. "Nooooo.." she eventually says. "Need to cut away piecessss of it, I think."
"That sounds painful too. Are you sure you have to? And what about my nipples?" Penance asks, sounding maybe a little nervous now.
The Doctor's tongue flicks out to taste-smell one of the swollen nubs. "Minor inflammation from infection," she diagnoses. "Swix, get me the large syringe," she asks her son, who returns with something sporting a three-inch-long chitin needle. "No, the LARGE one," she says, sending him back to the supply cabinet.
"Wait, wait, wait, that wasn't the large one? That was huge!" Penance squeaks and covers her chest! She also curls her legs up to protect her crotch too! And whimpers!
The one that the Doctor accepts is clearly not used for injections. It's probably for draining body cavities! "What?" she asks Penance. "Thisss will be easier, trussst me."
"That really doesn't look easier!" Penance whimpers. "Have you ever used it on yourself?"
"No," the Naga says bluntly. "That would be sssilly. It will hardly hurt at all, probably."
"It will hurt a lot! These are sensitive" Penance points out. "Is there no other way?"
"You want to keep them, yesss?" the Doctor asks.
"Yes!" Penance grumbles. IT takes another few menutes, but she does slowly uncoil herself.
Sesstha starts to unfasten the stretchers. This has the effect of causing the nipples to rebound slightly, which makes them more spherical than sausage shaped. "Alright, I want you to grab them and squeeze tight," she instructs Penance as she picks up the syringe.
"Ow!" Penance complains when things snap-bounce. She doesn't know why, but she seems to think nipple play should be more ... enjoyable. Grumbling, she does prepare to squeeze, though right now she holds lightly.
"Hold them very ssstill, tighter than that!" the Doctor commands, as she hefts up the syringe. "Really squeeze, like you're trying to ssstrangle a yiffle."
Grimicing, penance grips down tighter and curls her toes!
The tip of the syringe is pressed right into the milk duct of the left breast, and then the Naga gives a short yank back on the plunger. There's an immediate release of pressure and a vile odor as well. When the syringe is removed there's a stream of yellow fluid.
"Ooooooowwwwwwww!" Penance howls out as she keeps on squeezing and goo sprays upward! Her face also scrunches up from the smell! If she thought she smelled bad before, this stuff is worse.
"Keep sssqueezing, maybe hold your breath," Sesstha instructs as she moves to the next nipple and repeats the process.
Penance doesn't like it, but she keeps on squeezing! And at some point, crying, too.
"Keep expresssing them," the Doctor advices, and goes to open a jar from her shelf of .. unlabeled jars.
"I'd like to express something else!" Penance growls through clenched teeth and tearing eyes.
After swirling a small stick inside the jar, Sesstha pulls it back out to reveal a gooey blob on the end. She returns to the table and starts poking at Penance's breast until she sees a wiggle, then stick the blob end of the stick right up to a nearby red-rimmed hole in the flesh. There's an audible snapping sound, and the Naga begins to slowly start to drag something out.
The something fights this, and it hurts.
"Ow ow, ack, what are you doing?!" Penance grumbles! "You need to warn me before you do something painful!"
She also starts flailing with her feet!
"I warn you now: it will all be painful," the Doctor notes as she continues the tug of war with the black-headed, red-bodied.. maggot. It's covered an bristles (or teeth) that it's using to cling to its burrow. Eventually the Naga worries it out, along with a long streamer of goo. "They bite the glue and can't let go," she explains.
Penance' ears splay. "You are a cruel woman," she remarks a bit dryly. "I think you like me being in pain." She then hisses at that maggot for ... whatever reason best known to her.
Sesstha drops it into a pan and gets her magnifying lens to look it over. "Nearly ready to pupate," she announces. "Squirming will stop sssoon-ish."
"And then what? For some reason I don't think squirming stopping indicates anything good," Penance comments a bit grimly.
"Then they turn into fliesss and fly away," Sesstha explains. "Find matesss, look for other flesh to lay eggs in. Circle of Parasitesss, I call it."
"Not in me I hope," Penance comments.
"No, unless you stay indoorsss and don't get any air," Sesstha notes. "Or eat them as the fly out. Now.. Mr. Belt, time to work." With that last statement, the brown Naga slithers up onto the table with Penance and uses his body to wrap around so she's held to the table.
"Ack! Again, you didn't warn me!" Penance complains as she squirms against the naga to try and get free! "Why are you doing this?!"
"Get her legs, very wide," Sesstha instructs, as Mr. Belt does just that, holding Penance's legs up and wide. "If I had asked, or warned, you might have resisssted. Thisss Isss For Your Own Good." Ah, the Babelite medical mantra.
"I don't believe yoooouuuu!" Penance squeals as her legs are forced wider, and wider in spite of her fighting. She's an Eeee, they aren't exactly strong, especially compared to a Naga.
"Now, I am going to be using a ssscalpel," the Naga warns. "Do not sssquirm. There isss going to be pain and wetnesss and other thingsss so do not panic. Do you need a stick to bite on?"
"Yes!" PEnance squeals, looking very not ... happy. At all.
Swix happily offers up a selection of sticks! "Popper mint, fizzy, willow-something, uh.. the numby ones got used up. Can't reuse these more than a few times."
"Any! Pick one!" Penance snaps a bit angrily!
So Penance gets something spicy stuck between her jaws, just as Sesstha makes her first incision. That's just a sense of pressure though, since she's cutting into the cured outer layer. "Hsss-sss-sss Ssssss ssss-ssss," she Naga-hums as she works. At least until the smell hits, along with the feeling of cool are on Penance's.. well, it feels like she doesn't have any skin there now.
Penance bites down and makes the stick creak! She also arches, in spite of herself because ... Dagh, how could you not?"
The Doctor does not seem alarmed, however, and starts cutting away at another section. "Do not panic. Pray. That isss supposed to help, isssn't it?"
Penance wants to bite the snake for that! It's easy for her to say since she isn't the one feeling this! And it hurts. She bites down on the stick again, and for a moment wonders if it would be easier to just die already.
It may not help that Swix, likely confused, puts his hands together and tries to pray. He even closes his eyes, then opens one to look to Penance, and admits, "I don't know the words."
That serves just to irritate Penance more, but at least it's a distraction. "How is this supposed to make me stronger, Mother Gorphat?" she wonders. This just seems like ... torture to her.
"You did this to please me, on your own initiative," a moist voice notes, as if the speaker is sitting on the edge of the operating table. "Or did you have a different motivation at the time?"
"That, of course not! But this ... I don't understand the point of this," Penance thinks, feeling like a complete failure now.
"This is my fault for not challenging you personally, thus leaving you to come up with things on your own," Gorphat claims, in a tone that's probably meant to make Penance feel guilty somehow. "So, I will give you a proper challenge, so that you may provide a better role model for the new initiates."
"I don't know if I can handle another challenge right now, Mother Gorphat. I'm a failure as your servant," Penance admits in her thoughts. "I'm sorry."
"You cannot fail at a task you have not been given," Gorphat says. "In the old days, it was all fireballs and curses. But now We are about hope. You want to inspire hope, don't you my daughter?"
"I've failed at this task, and that is bad enough. This wasn't even given by you. How can I hope to pass one of your challenges," Penance things, feeling glum, and in a grand amount of pain.
"You will succeed, because you are my daughter," the goddess notes a bit firmly. "There are people that need your help, and only you as a Yodhgorphat can delivery it to them."
"Then what is it you will have me do?" Penance thinks with the mood of one who knows it is futile to argue.
"Not die," Gorphat states. "That will be the easier part."
"I'll .. try," Penance thinks. She doesn't expect to survive, really ... but what else could she possibly tell the Goddess? And if she lives, she won't survive the second, so ... same result either way.
"Trying is all that I ask," Gorphat claims. "I want you to rise to your challenges. All you need to do is go to the old Temple of the Coiled Aspect, and rescue those who need it. It is a ruin, deep in the wastes to the north of the Tower of Babel, where mammals do not venture."
"A Naga temple, then? Rescue? That sounds difficult, especially in my current condition; I'll have open wounds!" Penance thinks, "ButI shall do as you ask and try to find this place."
"It is important to give purpose to your suffering, so that you can appreciate what it has taught you," Gorphat claims. "Remember that, because you'll probably need to use it on the initiates." And then the damp presence is gone.
"Right," Penance thinks without a huge amount of enthusiasm; her crotch hurts more than usual!
The doctor applies some sort of fat-based salve to Penance's exposed flesh before bandaging her up so she looks like she wearing a crotchless diaper. The shape under the bandages is worrisome though: Sesstha hadn't removed the leathery binding, just opened it up in the less bonded areas, which means things look cratered at the moment. "Don't pick at the scabsss, try to keep clean," is her final advises before ushering Penance out of the tent. Her breasts still hurt from the activities of the parasitic larva, and her nipples have been stretched further as well.
It isn't the best condition to be in after receiving a divine revelation, but her bearers (Fon's gang, the Eyes of Gorphat) are still impressed. "I think I know of a recently collapsed building like dat," Sil claims after Penance has relayed the description that Gorphat gave her. "It's down in the Murk!"
"Down in the murk? That sounds ... dirty," Penance remarks as she waddle-wobble-walks towards the group of Eeee. "What can you tell me about this place? I need to go there, right now it seems."
"We should take you.. uh.." Fon starts to say, before getting a better look at the bandages. "You aren't going to stick to the seat are you? Anyway.. oh, the Murk! It's where this stuff sort of oozes out of the Tower and makes a.. cess-swamp, I think someone called it. It's really dark and foul. I remember hearing stories that Yodhgorphat went there to get the gunk for making horrible poisons or curses.. or cursed poisons."
"That does not sound like a good place to visit, but I have little choice, I must go there. Mother Gorphat commands it, and her will is absolute. Can you take me as close as you can? I will go the rest of the way alone," Penance says and straightens up, trying to look a bit more serious.
"Right away!" Fon says, and salutes. Then he offers Penance a hand into the palanquin. "Do you need something to sit on so you don't stick?"
Penance waves a hand. "If I stick, I stick. You should feel honored to get some of my effluence," she claims.
"It's just that we didn't bring any votive jars for it," the Eeee notes, and makes sure that Penance is strapped in securely. "My cousin got chased towards the Murk once, but got out before going blind in both eyes. Luckily the one that went dark was already his lazy one anyway." Then he and the others are up on the perch-poles and flapping to pull the chair and it's wicker basket with a seat into the air.
"That is ... worrisome," Penance admits from her now seated position; and which she feels her very stretched crotch pressing to the seat. "Why was he going blind from being there?"
"The air is strange and sour," Fon huffs. "It can do weird things to people. Boils and blisters are common, but sometimes if you spent too long in it you start to cough up bits of your innards."
"I am sure it will not affect me. After all, I am one of Gorphat's chosen," Penance claims, while inwardly being terrified!
Well, it does sort of sound like a place that belongs to the Yodhgorphat at least. They're going through the undercity by a different route as well. Seeing as how Penance only remembers one route (the one from the Temple to the camp at Mt. Blakat) it's something she spots. They're also descending more than usual, but that could be an illusion caused by entering the shadow of the Tower of Babel.
Penance spends her time traveling by playing with her swollen nipples, or with her orb-worm. Why? Discomfort is at least distracting and helps her keep from getting too fearful, at least. Will she go blind? Well, Yodhgorphat are expected to spend some time blind as part of their training from what the high priestess told her, so maybe this is part of that? But surely she would not be so permanently afflicted, as it would make it hard for her to serve!
They land in darkness, with a rather sulfurous odor to the air. "This is the edge, as far as we can go," Fon reports. "Do you need a walking stick or anything, Yodhgorphat Penance?"
"One may help," Penance concedes as she gets up from the seat. (And yes, she stuck so there's a squeltchy sound as her bits pop free from the padding." "Do you have one with you?
"We accidentally broke one of the palanquin poles a while back," Fon claims, and rummages around at the back of the chair until two half-poles are procured, both with splintered ends. "Never through away a good stick!" he claims, offering Penance the better half.
Penance accepts the stick. "Words to live by," she agrees, mildly amused. "And have you ever considered becoming a full child of Gorphat, like me? There are many great benefits."
"I like being an Eye," Fon claims, puffing himself up a bit. "We're like knights, protecting travelers and.. carrying them sometimes. Also, we got a great supply of big-ass beetles to protect."
"You don't service me enough, though," Penance points out and taps him with the stick.
"Eh.. heh.. uh, you've got initiates for that now," Fon claims nervously.
"So? Do you feel beneath going on your knees and licking me?" Penance teases. "Think on that while I'm gone. I'll expect an answer."
It's hard to tell which way to go in the dark, and echoes seem a bit distorted as well. But not so much that she can't tell there's a large something near the bottom of the depression. The Murk's slopes aren't steep at least. But other than her own pings, it's very silent.
The stick is handy for poking around to supplement what she hears. Every so often she calls out ahead too, down below. "Is there anyone down there in need of aid?" she asks. It was aid the people needed, right? That's what she remembers!
The stick starts to poke through mud once the slope starts to level off, and there are more sounds now; subtle hisses and gurgles from the ground. Although it might also sound like whispering. Her feet feel tingly as well.
"Great ... muck indeed," Penance thinks. But the only way forward is through, so she starts sloshing through the goo!
It becomes a lot looser as she goes, until she's wading up to her knees through warm, tingly liquid. It doesn't smell like anything horrible, but it doesn't make it easy to think, which makes the environment that much more lurid to her senses. But some of the hissing really does start to sound like whispers now off to her left. The bulk of the ruin is getting close anyway, so she has to turn sometime.
Penance pauses. She dips the tip of her finger into the goo and sniffs it closer, then even touches it just to the tip of her tongue! Barely a speck, so hopefully it won't kill her.
It causes her tongue to blister just slightly at the point of contact. It's a good thing the skin on her legs is unbroken.
"Oookay, dangerous stuff," Penance admits. She turns left now and heads towards the whispering.
There's more fallen masonry in that direction, which forms a hill of sorts out of the muck. It seems like the whispers are coming from inside the pile, but she can also hear the echoes of a larger space beneath.
Penance pauses. Should she check the hill, or the ruin elsewhere? She doesn't know, and that's frustrating. But, the pile will get her out of the much, so she ultimately decides to head towards that.
It seems firm enough to climb since the blocks are pretty large (at least larger than Penance anyway). Once she reaches it the whispering seems to have stopped though.
"Hello? Is anyone in there? I was sent to help people in distress down here," Penance says to the pile of stuff.
More whispers. Finally, a very reedy, thing voice whispers, "Who sent?"
"Mother Gorphat, the patron of the dispossessed and discarded," Penance claims and puffs up her chest.
More hissy whispering. "Just one?" the reedy speaker asks afterwards.
"Just one what?" Penance has to ask. "If you are asking if I am alone, yes."
After another bought of whispers, a small flame is lit, and something reflective held behind it to shine light on Penance's face from the depths of a nearby hole. "Yodhgorphat," is a recognizable word, no matter how sibilantly it is pronounced. There might be motion, but it's hard to tell with the light in her face, given how dark it is in the Murk.
Penance winces and turns away from the bright light! But, at least that means she can still see if she sees the light! "Yes, I am Yodhgorphat," she agrees. "I did say Mother Gorphat sent me."
"You save god?" the voice asks next, maybe a little bit closer now.
"God? Which God?" Penance has to ask. "I just got here."
"Our god," the voice clarifies. "Did you bring one?"
"No. I was not aware I should. Who is your God?" Penance asks.
There's a stream of hissing in reply. At least it sounds a bit musical, as hissing goes. "She is weakening. Need fresh god."
"Is that even possible? Where is your God?" Penance has to ask, ears splayed in confusion.
"Down here," the voice says, close enough that Penance can sense something like.. a worm? A worm with arms.
Penance looks for a way into the hole to better see this god-worm-thing?
The hole is not very wide, and quite deep. There are little lights now along the depth, showing the way (and that the tunnel does curve back towards level, which hides the end of it). She could probably fit, but it won't be comfortable given the edges of the stones haven't all been worn smooth.
"I don't think I can come down there through the hole," Penance admits and slumps her shoulders, "But, I'll try." She folds her wings in tight, then tries to worm-climb down into the hole.
The walls seem to come alive, as smaller stones are moved just enough out of the way, or something suddenly protects Penance for scraping herself on a broken stone. It's still hard to see the creatures doing this, since they seem to vanish into the shadows cast by the tine torches being moved around. The moving lights are the most confusing thing.
"Who are you people?" Penance has to ask, "I can't see any of you."
And Penance continues to squirm her way downward, and wondering if she can get back out.
After struggling to make it past the curve in the tunnel, things open up more, and at one point the floor is smooth (and damp) enough she can almost slide the rest of the way. This eventually brings her to what must have been the inner sanctum of the temple before it collapsed or had something collapse atop it. There is the remains of a much distressed vaulted ceiling, and what might once have been mosaics before most of the tiles fell loose. The bottom of the chamber is flooded, though, but at least it seems to be actual water this time.. if stagnant.
A surviving sconce is lit, giving more light. The walls are full of holes, and little black heads with little black eyes look out from them.
"Little Naga," Penance says, though she suspected as much. "Why do you stay here? This place is not fit for anyone to live here well."
"Our god is here," a new garter says, this one with a shiny beetle-shell hat and adorned in translucent insect wings. He or she then points to the water. Which seems clear, and therefore empty.
Penance peers at the water. "But, the water is empty," Penance notes. She looks back and admits, "I do not know how to help you. Am I to drink that?"
"God is ill," the speaker explains, using lots of hand gestures that do not seem to mean anything. "We make got sick. We are unclean. Take away sick from god."
Penance moves closer to the water to inspect it further. "Can you show me this god?" she requests.
"Reach," the priest says, and mimes pushing its hand down into the water.
Penance puts her hand down into the water as far as she can.
It doesn't go far before she's pressing her palm against something that is probably alive.. but apparently invisible.
Penance curls her fingers around it ... or tries, to see if she can lift it out of the water.
Eeee have long fingers, but this thing is thicker than Penance expected. It does seem to respond to her attempts though, and rises up out of the water. But at first it looks like it's the water itself rising up. The refraction of the flickering firelight (and the general atmosphere of the Murk) make it more difficult, but eventually Penance realizes she's looking through a big Naga of some kind, with transparent skin, bones and organs! But the more she looks, the more she can begin to differentiate between the layers of tissue. It isn't a very responsive creature, however.
"This is ... different," Penance admits as she leans back instinctively. "Hello," she says to the transparent naga. "Can you understand me? Can you tell me what ails you?"
The serpent is silent, and just seems to sway a bit. "God does not speak. God does not see. God does not hear," the priest-garter proclaims. This is followed by hisses that are probably repeating the words, because the chamber becomes alive with more hissing responses.
"What does this God do?" Penance ends up asking as she sort of sways in time with it.
"Judges," the tiny priest replies. "Our wiggles are her only sensation and pleasure. To please her is to fulfill our purpose and be returned to the Great Spirit."
This makes Penance blink. "She eats you," the Eeee notes in deadpan. "And you die? And you want me to save her?"
"We have become unclean," the priest says, and rattles something in its hand, which causes the congregation to.. wail? It's hard to tell what they're doing, but there seems to be a lot of clicking sounds and head swaying. "We make her ill. You are from goddess of sickness. You take away sickness?"
"Gorphat, am I to heal her?" Penance wonders as she reaches out to touch the invisible serpent again. If the serpent lets her, she'll feel around and search for ... problems?
It's hard to tell what's wrong with something you can't see, but her palms or sensitive enough. There are bumps and ridges that probably shouldn't be there. Tumors? "She does not accept our communion any longer," the priest pipes in. "She barely stirs." If there are tumors on the outside, who knows what's going on inside. But Penance hasn't found any arms either. Naga should have arms (or wings or some sort of appendages) to be more than just snakes.
"She is very ill. I do not know if I can save her," Penance admits and frowns. "I think she has tumors, but I don't know," she admits, then feels around more to see if the bumps are regular in pattern; part of her hoping that maybe it's just an egg issue?
They're a bit high up on the body and spread around seemingly at random (as best Penance can tell) so probably aren't natural. But then, it's a transparent snake, which is clearly not natural anyway. Maybe it was washed out of the Tower, or the Murk did it, or it really is a god. This was a temple, and probably an ancient one, after all. Even for a reptile the body is cool. "How will we survive without the god?" the priest asks after hearing that the serpent may actually die.
"Leave this place and find a new God?" Penance admits, unsure if she can do anything for this snake-thing. But, she's going to try anyway; she tries to squeeze-massage her breast to get some of her milk out.
There's definitely some ooze, and it doesn't smell like puss anymore. Trying to get the snake to drink is a different matter, since she has to find the head, then get the mouth to open. The serpent doesn't have teeth (but would glass teeth be able to bite anything without breaking?) which helps a bit when it finally opens and then clamps down on the entire breast. This.. does not make the fly larvae happy.
It may not make them happy, and it doesn't make her happy either! But, she wasn't sure what else to try! So, gritting her teeth through the pain, she rubs the snake to try and get it to drink ... while squeezing what of her breast she can reach to try and get things working.
There's milk flowing, but not as well as if it were actually being suckled out. But the serpent god is big, so that little bit will have to be enough if it's going to do anything. While this goes on before the oblivious garters, the priest explains, "She provides for us, with her divine skin flakes. We cannot pass beyond the temple without falling ill or dying incorrectly."
Penance keeps working her painful boob to feed the snake. "How many of there are you?" Penance asks. "I could possibly carry you all out.
"No more than three-score," the little priest claims. "The elders have all wiggled on."
"I can probably carry you out," Penance notes through gritted teeth. "Would you be willing to go?"
"Will we have holes out there?" the priest asks.
"I'm sure you can find some or make new ones," Penance claims.
There is a great hissing debate (although with very small voices) for some time, while the god drools on Penance's chest. Or.. she thinks it's drool. It smells a bit like blood, but very odd blood if it is.
Penance winces and wipes away the drool as best she can. This day has gone from bad, to just plain strange. "All of you can't be that heavy, so I'm sure I can carry you all out.
The snake god stops putting pressure on Penance's breast, and just lets go to begin sinking back into the water.
"Hey, hang on!" Penance pleads as she tries to pull at the snake-thing and keep it from sinking into the water. "Don't die on me. I've barely started!"
"She is giving us permisssion to leave," the little priest claims, and there's more clicking and squirming from the other garters.
Penance fumbles and pulls a bit to try and stop the snake but ... Eventually she has to just let go. She sits back on her butt and grumps. "Dagh, first mission and I failed," she grumps to herself.
"You are our ark, to shelter us from the poisonous air and mud," the little priest claims, and the other garters start to drop down from their holes with little splashes. They're all less than a foot long, and some are barely as long as one of Penance's fingers. And they're all swimming towards her now.
"Right. Well, you're all small ... so my shoulders and wings should work to carry you," Penance says as she sits a bit more upright and curls her wings a little to make room for them to crawl up inside them.
Crawl they do, but they aren't just looking a place to cling to. "The ark will protect us from the air and water and evil spirits," the priest chants. The garters are trying to get inside where it's safe (and warm).
"Oh nonononono," Penance squeaks and covers her crotch with her hands! "I'm not that kind of girl!"
Besides, it's probably dangerous up in there. But that doesn't hold for the other body cavities open to the outside. So she finds a lot of them now on her face, flicking their tongues at her lips, and .. well, lots of tickling at the rear as well.
Penance' ears fold back. This has gotten really weird. But, she's supposed to save them somehow so ... she does drop her hands now and leaves jer hoohoo vulnerable for entering. She also leans up and forward so her butt is quite, ah, non-blocked. As for her face ... She closes her eyes and opens her mouth. She also can't believe she's doing this.
It is certainly.. awkward. It's possible that one of Gorphat's secret blessings is the lack a gag reflex, which is really handy since of course they wiggle. That's their whole thing. The bigger ones go in via the mouth at least, and some stay up top to stretch out her cheeks. But while she's had to endure things wiggling here and there before, it'd very different to have it happening everywhere. Her stomach, throat, hoo-hoo and Gorphat's mouth. The priest is probably in her mouth, since she can taste the bug-shell.
Penance's toes are wiggling as madly as they are as they 'board the boat' so to speak. It's weird, and she waits for a while, until it seems like no one else is, well, crawling in. Then she very carefully, and slowly gets up.
She doesn't seem bloated, but she feels differently, especially when facing the climb back up the tunnel.
Penance has to keep her mouth closed, exhale as much as she can, and climb, slowly, back the way she came. Ugh. This si so ... bizarre.
She's host to parasites, but they probably aren't grateful about it. And hopefully none of the little Nagas will decide to stay. This time there aren't lots of little torches to light the way, or helpful coils to fend off the rough patches, so it's a bit more slow going. But Penance finally does reach the end of the tunnel atop the pile of rubble, despite her insides literally squirming.
She clambers out of the hole and grunts. Then it's a lot of fishing about for her stick. After several minutes, she finds that, and then it's the long, slow, walk through the muck using the stick to help guide herself. That and her memory; she can't ping very well right now!
There is one thing to guide her: the Eyes have lit a fire, and she can see (in a blurred fashion) the palanquin near it.
So, towards that she goes, using the stick to check the ground ahead before moving forward. She still can't believe she's doing this ... but she guesses they'll move into the temple too!
She's eventually close enough for the men to wave to her. "Did it go well?" Fon calls.
Penance can't talk, so she waves a stick to say yes? Well, she did it non-menacingly at least.
"Has she turned into an old one?" she can hear Sil ask Fon, who just shakes his head and shushes his lieutenant before making his way to the edge of the safe zone to help Penance back up the slope.
Penance accepts the help up. And once she does get to the top, she swats Sil with the stick for that comment! She shouldn't really let the things out until they get back ... unless they make movments as if they want out.
They've actually begun to settle down some, thankfully. "So, back to the Temple?" Fon asks.
NOTE: replace Fon and Sil with Foz and Shiv!
Penance nods emphatically. They can't get back fast enough for her! Ugh. It feels like the worst case of fanny rumbles ever, only without the release.
Foz notices something when he straps Penance in, but doesn't comment if he thinks she's gotten plumper. Then they're in the air and returning to the Temple of Gorphat.
At least the man has some sense to not comment about a woman's weight! Penance crosses her arms and really, really, tries to not think about how everything feels. Oof.
It seems to take a lot longer to get back to the Temple, especially given how Penance feels, but eventually they set down at the foot of the stairs leading to the lower entrance of the Temple (it being the only one that is mostly inside the mountain than on top of it).
Penance gets out of the transport. She quickly waves to the helpers, then it's a fast-paced waddle-walk towards the temple! Gotta get to one of the medical rooms! Eeeee! So squirmy!
It doesn't help that things are crackly. She's started scabbing over beneath the bandages, and now that little crust is cracking with each step. The entire main hall of the Temple is partitioned off into beds and cots that Yodhrinala tend to. One of the older nurses, bows to Penance. "Good day, Yodhgorphat.." She's also carrying a bucket. Because everyone who works in the Temple seems to have one.
Penance waves politely as she can while moving as fast as she can! Even with the crackling making her wince with almost every step, she's moving surprisingly well. Possibly the sensation that a cork is about to blow is a serious motivator!
Beyond the main hall are the corridors of the Temple proper, with cells for the Yodh and guests, and the larger communal rooms that the Yodhmabb initiates stay in. "Penny, you were gone longer than I though," Crabs notes as he runs across Penance. "Are you alright?"
Penance nods and gestures that she's fine ... and still isn't stopping as she heads towards the first exam room she can get to! Why is it when there's an emergency that everyone wants to talk?
There are plenty of them, in various states of usability. There's one that looks freshly scrubbed even.
Penance zip into that one and closes the door! She doesn't even bother getting on the table, she just drops onto her hands and knees on the floor. Legs spread, wings spread, and her head hangs and jaws open. "All right, everyone out," the poor bat thinks.
There needs to be a bit of convulsing on Penance's part, but soon she's vomiting little snakes from her orifices. They form a damp, squirmy mass around her feet.
Penance keeps at it, her body undulating from her head to her toes as she continues to try and get them out. There's a moment where she does think if a few decided to stay wouldn't be so bad, but then she's Yodhgorphat and they're already a little unhinged.
"The great Ark has delivered us!" the little priest claims, his costume missing several pieces. "All hail the new god!"
"I'm glad you are fine," Penance squeaks and shivers after that ordeal. She slowly has to get back to her feet, and then leans heavily on the exam table, legs feeling like noodles.
Crabs knocks at the door, calling through, "What's going on, Penny?" The priest then pipes, "Penny the goddess!" and the other garters start piping up as they chant it as well.
"No no, Gorphat is the Goddess, I'm just her humble daughter," Peance wheezes to the serpents. She also has to give Crabs a rather plaintive look, explaining, "Gorphat asked me to save them, so I did. It was .... trying."
"They talk! Where'd you find them? How.. how'd dey get here?" Crabs asks.
"In the deep murk," Penance admits, "And I carried them here ... inside myself."
"Oooo... you went in there?" Crabs whistles, and looks over Penance's skin. "Hmmm. Well.. mebbe you don't need to shave no more then.."
"What do you mean? Yes, I had to go in there, I was asked to. And only up to my knees," Penance notes.
"Ah, well.. it has a 'fluence on people," Crabs claims. "But, you've got the Goddess on yer side, so.. prolly not going to end up badly. At least, not badly in a bad way."
"I wouldn't count on that," Penance admits. She drags herself onto the exam table and onto her back. She deflates with a loud sigh. "Can you help them find a place in the temple?" she asks of Crabs. I'm ... really tired. And very sore."
"Of course, Pen.. ah, Yodhgorphat Penance," Crabs replies, lest he trigger another round of chanting. "I will.. I will fetch a bucket. Yes. Nobody questions a man with a bucket. They should all fit.."
"Yaaaay" goes Penance as she lifts and waves her right hand in a first for a moment. She doesn't remember what her life was like before this, but wow it can't have been this weird ... and must have been really bad. But right now, all she can really desire is ... sleep.