Nicora's grogginess clears for a moment, and she finds herself secured to the ceiling still. Her body no longer feels like her own, which is saying something for a shape-shifter. There's so much more of it that she can't see now, but can feel, along with things that she cannot feel, like her legs. Or at least what she does feel does not feel like legs anymore. It mostly feels massive, save for something at the very end that almost feels like her tail, except her tail is still where it's always been.
"Nngh," Nicroa burbles, and actually attempts to move some, mostly her legs, or what is where her legs are, and what's at the end of them to figure out what in dagh's name is back there.
Something moves. Several somethings, in fact. There's muscle that they're attached to, but they don't really feel muscular themselves. The echoing thud of Otto's bucket reaches Nicora's ears.
Nicora tries to wiggle her hips too, trying to find her wound, if it's even still there or not. Nothing feels right, or in the right place. Her ears also flick a bit as she tries to figure out where Otto is.
That's still there, bobbling at an odd angle. "Hello, High Priestess," Otto says as he enters the chamber. "You are looking WAAAGH!" There's a squelching sound followed by a thud and the sound of Otto's bucket rolling across the floor.
"What, what?" Nicora asks as she tries to figure out just what happened! "I'm looking what?!"
Looking doesn't help, since her eyelids are sewn shut, but she can see Otto's aura on the floor. "Oof," the big Skreek grunts. "Dat hurt. I alright though. Landed on my butt."
"Why did you fall?" Nicora asks. She even tries to crane her head around, if it can move at all.
"Didn't see the goo," Otto explains as he stands up, then carefully retrieves his bucket. "Didn't t'ink you'd need to be milked so soon."
"Goo? Am I leaking?" Nicora asks. She tries to shake her upper torso to, well, gauge her breast weight and how they feel.
Her torso breasts don't feel particularly full or wet. Then Otto reaches up and grabs a breast that's definitely not on her torso. It's down where her legs used to be.
"Ack!" Nicora goes, as that doesn't feel right at all. "What, what is that?!"
"One of her.. uh.. hmm," Otto says, before running into a descriptive block. "Foobs," he finally says.
"Er, how many of those do I have?" Nicora asks as she tries to figure out if his touch on them feels good, bad, different, painful?
Tingly. The skin feels a bit thicker than usual though. "One, two, three, four, five, six... uh.. eight.. many?" Otto guesses. Numbers are not his strong suit.
"How big are they? How big am I?" Nicora actually asks. She also, er, tries to lick her own face to feel it with her tongue. It's all she has right now to touch stuff!
Her face feels the same. Then Otto is squeezing one of them, and there's a disturbing liquid noise. "Ack, forgot bucket," Otto says. He was able to get both his hands around the foob with some overlap.
"That .. that felt really odd. Didn't hurt, didn't feel good. Just ... oozy. What came out?" Nicora has to ask as she tries to get a better feel of what is where her legs should be; trying to figure out muscles to move.
"Ooze," Otto says. The attempts to move muscles cause a rippling effect from 'hip' to.. whatever is there at the end. "Slippery and not-slippery."
"What's ... er, at the end of me? I can feel something back there, moving, but I have no idea what it is," Nicora admits.
"Tube thing," Otto says, as he gets his bucket in place and beings to milk the foob. It feels like there are multiple nipples on it. "Not sure the tube is done though."
"How long is it?" Nicora asks. Her head tilts a little as she focuses on that odd feeling of being milked. Multiple nipples? What in the world do they look like?
"Like a tube. Uh, 'bout as long as my forearm," the Skreek describes.
"And you don't think that's done?!" Nicora asks. She tries to wiggle that odd appendage by itself, to see if she has any control of it.
It doesn't feel like it has any muscles attached to it, like an actual tail would. The closest would be her 'big toe' muscles. Which just make it sort of flap around. "Well.. it just hangin'," Otto notes. "Should do something, right?"
"I guess? I don't know what it is, either," Nicora admits. Dagh, her entire body feels rather alien at this point. And squishy. Not that squishy is bad. And she doesn't mind being with the horribs at this point, they feel sorta family, odd as that is.
It doesn't take too long before Otto moves to the next foob. They all seem to be the same size though.
Nicora goes back to focusing on how that feels. Is there any enjoyment at all, or does it just feel oozy when he does that? "How much does each one of those, er, squirt out?" she asks.
It feels good to be milked, and some of that is just because Otto's gotten very good at it. The foobs are definitely not as sensitive as her proper breasts. "Uh, dunno. I mean, not a lot, but always kinda dribbly."
"And what comes out is thick and slimy?" Nicora asks. She quits worrying so much about it, and more just allows herself to enjoy the feeling of him working those over.
"Mmmm, kinda," Otto says. "Also stringy, like Grabbit webbing. Or Horrib resin."
"Well, I think Mother Gorphat is making me more and more like a Horrib larvae," Nicora admits. "Do I smell like a Horrib now?"
"Everything smells like Horrib in here," Otto points out.
"Yes, but am I making that smell now?" Nicora wonders. She also had odd thoughts of the Horrib males mating with her. Or rather contributing their sperm, but not in the way sex feels for an Eeee, anyway. Then she wonders if those thoughts have to do with that weird tube thing?
"Uh, dunno," Otto admits. "I smell the goo. It pretty strong. Can you smell anything?"
Nicora ... doesn't know! She actually tries to sniff. She's not sure she has a nose at this point!
She's been breathing through it while the feeding tube was connected, but she's gotten very used to the Horrib scent. And other foul odors. She isn't sure what she is supposed to smell like though.
"Bring some of that goo over so I can smell it?" Nicora requests.
This requires bring the stool over, and then something foul is held near Nicora's nose. It's like spoiled milk.
Nicora does sniff at it, and worse, she sticks out her tongue and tries to lick it to taste it.
It tastes worse than it smells. Not just like sour milk, but with a chemical taste that sticks to her tongue (literally, as there are filaments connecting it to the initial sample).
"Bleh," Nicora goes and flicks her tongue around to get the filaments to detach.
Otto helps, by trying to grab the filaments with his hand and pull them away. "It sticky and slippery, like I said," he notes.
"You weren't kidding," Nicora now says with a slimy tongue. Well, slimier. She flicks it more and swallows, trying to clean it off.
Some of it sticks to the back of her throat, which is very annoying. "I gotta finish milkin' the rest," Otto notes.
"Go ahead," Nicora burbles as she settles down, and regrets some of her choices.
Squidge squidge squidge go the foobs as Otto milks them. By the time he finishes, Nicora has counted twelve.
Twelve? She must look rather bizarre and awful. Everything below her waist just feels like a large blob without much structure within it. Also, his working makes her realize how heavy that area feels too. And yet ... she doesn't mind? She does adore Gorphat, after all and will do anything to please her.
That many mean her new lower section must be at least five-feet long so far.
Nicora wonders if it's going to get longer. She plays a bit, making it ripple to get a better feel for it. She even feels oddly excited by it. Dagh, she feels aroused by it.
There's other motion, which Otto complains about. The more she works at it, the more she can move the nipples. Or rather nipple-like spinnerettes.
Nicora quits moving things when Otto complains. "Sorry, I'm just trying to figure things out down there, er back there. It feels huge. I feel huge."
"Pretty big, yah," Otto says. "Like beeeeg Naga without tail."
"Can you feel along from my hips to the end so I can get an idea of size?" Nicora asks.
Otto stretches up so he run his hands along Nicora's swollen body. The sensations feel stretched, as if there aren't enough nerve endings. It makes it feel like Otto's hands are huge.
"That feels ... odd," Nicora admits. The sensory input is just off. Must mean she really isn't done yet, as her body isn't processing touch right yet."
"No, I touching it the whole time," Otto says, probably thinking 'off' meant he wasn't keeping contact. "Ack! Web in my eye!"
"I'm ... going to weigh a lot," Nicora admits as she realizes, roughly, what her proportions currently are. "I hope I'll be able to move. And what's with that tube back there?" She wiggles it again, trying to feel how stiff, or not, it is.
Otto tugs on the tube, so that Nicora can feel it. It just seems like a thick fleshy thing right now. It's only apparently a tube due to the opening at the end, which feels a bit like angled lips.
"That ... what's the end look like?" Nicora asks. "Can you poke into it?"
Otto wiggles his fingers into the end of the tube. It's pretty stretchy and wide. "Not like lady-parts, or butt-hole. Kinda like the top of a pitcher."
"So, I guess it's not so you can still, ah, use me sexually," Nicora says. "Feels weird when you do that. Is it slimy or sticky on the inside?"
"Dry," Otto reports. "Stretchy."
"Weird," Nicora admits. She starts focusing her attention on the 'end' of her tail where it comes out, flexing around any muscle she can find.
It can twitch a bit, but nothing more than that.
"That's just ... I don't know," Nicora says, giving up after a bit. She'd shrug her shoulders, but she doesn't really have those anymore either. "How fat am I?" she asks.
Otto goes quiet. "Grub fat?" he suggests. He may not have a lot of things to compare too. A fat Eeee wouldn't seem very fat.
Nicora thinks that means sorta like Magog shape. Ooof, yeah, blobby. "Alright, thanks," the high Priestess says. "I truly need to thank you for many things, Mother Gorphat," she inwardly prays. "You have been quite generous to me."
"You are my representative in Babel," Gorphat whispers back. "Your glory reflects my own."
"I do wish to visit you in person sometime and express my gratitude and show how much I love you," Nicora thinks.
"Continue to serve as you have, and I will grant you your visit," Gorphat says. "After all, you have visited Sunala, Inala and Barada recently." So she's aware of the visit to Inala's garden.
"I was disappointed you were not there," Nicora claims, "Your beauty is always missed."
"The Trinity can only gather all in one place for events of great import," Gorphat notes. "I may meet with Sunala without incident."
"Understood. Just know that I delight in all the challenges you have given me, and bear them as a badge of your love," Nicora claims, sucking up to the scary Goddess.
"A badge of my love," Gorphat repeats, slowly. "No one has said such a thing before."
"Well, I am special. I do not wish your challenges to be removed. They are reminders of your closeness," Nicora thinks.
"Only you can remove them," Gorphat notes. "It is difficult to provide a true challenge to you, as you are the Barsunala. You do not belong to me alone."
"No, but I choose to be with you, and be your lover," Nicora points out. "Willingly."
"You are unique in that," Gorphat says. "Many would take me as Gephesa in contrast."
"I like you in either form. But by being with you as you are now, shows I am dedicated and willing to risk of myself to be with you," Nicora claims. "And being things that glorify you. Like what I am becoming now."
"Flattery is also unique to you," Gorphat notes. "Perhaps you will come to my garden soon."
"I would be honored to visit your garden and lavish you with love," Nicora claims in her moment of utter insanity.
There's no reply this time, but Otto tugs on the mystery tube, which stretches, then snaps back to it's original size and shape when released.
And that makes Nicora make a gurgling squeak! "What are you doing?" she burbles.
"Thought it would make a noise," Otto says. "Very stretchy."
"Well, that at least didn't hurt. It just feels weird," Nicora says, "I really do wonder what it's for." Of course she knows on some level it's going to be for something wrong and disturbing; that's just how Gorphat rolls.
It appears that Alptraum has been invited to the dark mirror of Inala's garden. The heat of decay filling the air is oppressive, with the open mouth of the cave possibly offering some reprieve.
"Ugh," Alptraum remarks, the heat here is oppressive; he can already feel it seeping into his fur and making his skin feel sticky and unpleasant. He runs his hands through his hair, which also hangs a bit limp and stringy from the swampy atmosphere. And yet, he also feels, well, excited. As much as he shouldn't, he really does like Gorphat a great deal, and being around her tends to, well, arouse and excite him. Is it the danger of it all? Is it just because it's a Goddess? Hard to say, but onward he does go now, heading into that reeking cave, somehow. Maybe having been stuck in a reeking body just a moment ago is making him more tolerable of it all.
A carpet of filth leads to a sullen, squalid pool of fetid matter. On the far side of the pool, a strangely beautiful, hauntingly gaunt apparition lounges on a heap of rotten zolken pillows, her fur glowing a soft green. Loose gauze wraps her, and in her shadow is a short, ragged figure. His features suggest he was once vulpine, though his fur is worn bare in patches and any trace of the russet coloration of a fox has dulled to a dirty, rusty gray. Dried patches of mucous run traces down his tear ducts and nostrils, and bugs freely mill about in what remains of his fur. He idly strums at a lute, providing soft background music for the scene.
"Magnificent Gorphat," Alptraum says as he approaches, taking in this horrible scene. He should be terrified. Dagh, he probably is! But he also can't stop himself. As he goes closer, he drops down to kneel before the gaunt goddess. "You honor me by allowing me in your presence," he adds, "Thank you, most beautiful one."
"Such sentiments, to melt the heart of a goddess," Gorphat says, her voice exceptionally musical instead of the usual gurgle. The bard twangs one of his lute strings before getting back to playing smoothly. This makes Gorphat smirk.
"May I join you?" Alptraum inquires, not willing to join her on those rotting pillows without permission.
Gorphat shifts over slightly, and pats the cushion next to her. This causes a dusting of fungal sports to erupt, but it settles soon enough. "You've come all this way, so how could I deny you?" she says. Is that a sultry tone as well?
Alptraum actually crawls up those pillows, while struggling not to sneeze, until he's next to the Goddess. He dares to lean in and press a kiss against her neck. "Thank you," the Eeee says, even sliding an arm around her, gently tracing out her gaunt and wrapped form.
The gauze turns to dust under his touch. But then so do his own garments, leaving it clear that he's still under the influence of Gorphat's last blessing. "You can sneeze if you want to," she claims. "I won't find it offensive, after all."
And so, Alptraum does sneeze! And sniffs a bit. The movement makes his, er, curse, bounce some. He slides his hand down one of her arms until he finds her hand, which he draws over to cup her fingers around that swollen flesh. "I still bear the gift you gave me," he says as he leans in close, to nuzzle against her cheek. "And I want to thank you for it. It keeps you in my thoughts."
Gorphat's touch causes a sudden.. dribble. It doesn't smell healthy or normal either, and feels a bit burning as well. "Even as you use it upon others?" she asks coyly. "I know my Sisters have been taking advantage of it."
"Of course," Alptraum claims as his hips instinctively rock a bit, even with the burning sensation. "It was your gift, after all." He reaches up to cup her chin and then leans in and kisses her, on the lips. With tongue. "They have to entice, I am with you ... willingly."
The fox coughs, but Gorphat ignores him. "More that willingly, it seems," the goddess laughs after the kiss. "But.. who should lead in this dance? You are of the pantheon after all, which gives you some claim to the role."
"Or we share," Alptraum offers, "You lead for a bit, then I. But you should of course be first," He coughs a bit from the kiss, but tries to shrug it off. "You are still a Goddess, after all, and above me."
"An apt suggestion," Gorphat says, and stands. "Lie down, so that I may be above you," she instructs.
Alptraum folds his wings in and rolls a bit to the side so that he's on his back, with his wings tucked comfortably. His heart is pounding, as he's both utterly terrified, and excited far more than he ought to be!
Gorphat looms, and then kneels to lick Alptraum's blessing, forcing a shudder through him. Her tongue is cold and sticky.
Alptraum's lips draw back and he sort of grunts! That feel ... different! He also can't help himself and reaches down to caress her cheeks while she's, er, down there. Cold and sticky it may be, but he enjoyed it.
It definitely draws out more of the... infection? Her touch is certainly instilling some sort of venereal disease. So far it's just been effluvium, but he can feel sores blooming in the wake of Gorphat's tongue.
It's ... uncomfortable. And yet that only makes him twitch harder and groan softly. "Yesss," the Eeee even hisses out in a disturbing, almost plaintive, voice.
The sores begin to weep, but that doesn't feel bad exactly. It's when Gorphat mounts him that things change. Her internal surfaces and fluids really make things burn.
Alptraum's back arches and boy does he moan. The burn is ... intense. But given his curse, it does nothing to make him any less, well, hard. Nor does it stop him from reaching and holding her hips, as his roll and push a bit out of instinct as he tries to keep part of himself inside her.
"Hold still," Gorphat insists. "Leave everything to me." And once Alptraum still, she begins to move. Surfaces stick and pull, but he's still with a goddess, so it feels wonderful despite any discomfort.
Holding still is hard. But for now he does his best, his mind going on the, er, exotic feeling she provides. It's not like others he's been with, that's for sure! He can still feel the sores, the burning ooze, and well, the burning everything at this point. Instead of crying out in pain, though, he moans like a wanton Eeee.
Gorphat's hands roam across Alptraum's chest, dragging up hunks of fur as the go, and the movements of her hips draw out... well, the infection, so far, but it feels like a slow (burning) climax. The toxins help keep him immobile as well. When things do burst, it comes as a shock due to the intensity and pain.
Alptraum ... enjoys. Well, is it enjoying? Since it's a Goddess certainly it somehow manages to feel good, even when it feels awful! Even the loss of fur doesn't worry him when that happens. The burst comes as a surprise, causing him to arch his back and howl out. Whether it's a sound of pleasure or pain, or somehow both, well .. it doesn't really matter. He's climaxed with the Goddess; that's all that really matters.
It knocks the breath out of him, but that doesn't stop Gorphat from leaning forward to say, "It is your turn to take the lead now."
"Well, then it's time for you to be on your back, isn't it?" Alptraum says in a bit of a raspy voice as he sort of comes to after that. When she does move and roll, it will at least give him a chance to get a good look at himself after that, er, first part of the tryst.
When Gorphat rises up off of him... well, it reminds him a bit of removing the shadow dagger after it had been inserted into his arm for a bit too long. Lots of black and red fluid.
Alptraum doesn't let his eyes linger long. Soon, he's now above her and grinning down. His head goes down and he starts to kiss and lick his way down her body, starting at her neck, then down to her chest. Each nipple of course gets captured and suckled on for a bit while his hands caress and trace along her sides.
Her ribs are prominent, as she's gaunt even for an Eeee. It doesn't really matter though because she's a goddess has that divine radiance regardless. Alptraum can feel the sharp blades of her hips under his hands, and the flavor of her nipples is intoxicating while also being disgusting. What comes out isn't milk, not by a long shot.
And in spite of being disgusting, Alptraum does nurse for a while, switching between each. Is this what Nicora tastes like? Eventually, though, he moves further down, kissing along her stomach as he works lower. She licked him, after all, he should do the same. So when he reaches her wound, he kisses it, deeply, and of course uses his tongue.
If only his tongue could go numb. The disease that he contributed along with Gorphat's only unique fluids cause his tongue to burn, and begin to dry out and blister. There's also a soft growl.. or gurgle.. from the nearby bard. But the ministrations do make Gorphat clench down there, for good or ill.
Alptraum stays there for a bit, somehow, in spite of that. The clenching is even ... nice. But there's a point he has to stop, and he does. Soon he's crawling back up to her and once he's face to face, his hips roll and he pushes his cursed flesh back into her wound until his hips squelch to hers. And then he kisses her again, growling.
Gorphat bites down on his tongue, bursting some of the pustules that have been forming. Oh what a... flavor. She's also soon rolling her hips. There are some very bowel-related sounds emerging down there, but they don't detract from the familiar dragging and burning sensations.
And this time Alptraum is matching those movements as he takes her. His arms even wrap about her and holds her close as his hips work. He even holds that kiss, lost in that rather disgusting taste and sensation. And yet somehow also enjoying it immensely too. He even slides one hand down to grab her butt, and pushes a couple fingers, well, into it.
This releases more noises, but does seem to please Gorphat from the other sounds she makes. Enough so that the nature of the burning sensation changes slightly, causing an immediate release on Alptraum's part. But it is merely pleasurable, so there is likely more in store before Gorphat is satisfied.
Alptraum's back arches and he growls a little at that release. His hips don't slow at all, though, and soon the Goddess is being penetrated in alternating thrusts. One way with his fingers, the other with his likely horrible-looking bit. Still, it couldn't possibly be worse than Dar's at least!
"Much better," Gorphat praises, her voice clear despite having Alptraum's tongue down her throat. "This will be a challenge, I think," she says ominously. She's soon clenching again at both her Gate and her Mouth, trying to capture Alptraum.
And that means Alptraum is pushing and pulling harder, trying to keep from getting captured. He's also growling, and soon bites down on her shoulder at the base of her neck!
There's a sour taste to Gorphat, as if something spoiled. Still, the goddess gasps, and Alptraum is rewarded by another release - although this time he feels it might be blood. Which suits being a vampire, sort of. It's painful but still wonderful, even dizzying.
And it doesn't stop him. The poor Bard probably has a view of mostly bat behind bobbing as he ravishes Gorphat. He also adds in another finger into the other passage and curls them to massage and pull on that end too! If he's going to die, at least he'll have enjoyed it, he supposes!
The finger curls cause Gorphat to laugh and shudder. "Yes! Now harder," she requests. "As if you want to split me in twain."
Harder it is! Both with the thrusting and pulling! Given how thin she is, it feels like he could pull her in half at this rate! Still, she did ask, so! He also growls around that bite, and then bites even harder, and shakes his head side to side a bit.
The clenching and dragging get stronger the longer Alptraum keeps at it, and he feels something building up within. But this time it just keeps building, well beyond the point where there should be a release. He can feel Gorphat's fur sloughing from her skin where his mouth grips her as well.
This makes him wonder, just what is going on? Is she going to explode? Is he? It's not like he can stop! So, onward he plows with frenetic abandon! If you gotta go, go out in a blaze of glory? Or something.
The moment of glory comes with a sudden clench, and feeling of slippage. The release is intense and extremely painful as well as orgasmic, causing his vision to darken. There is an intense throbbing pain that remains where he is inside Gorphat.
Alptraum ends up going 'Augh?' when it happens. He feels like it was exploding during that, and is now rather spent, and of course still quite solid due to the curse. And throbbing. Ow, ow, ow. But he still reminds inside her, part of him doesn't want to pull out.
Gorphat strokes the back of his neck, and whispers, "You won't want to move for a bit, and may need to use your shadow."
"Why is that?" Alptraum inquires a bit, that sort of sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach getting worse.
"Well, your Naga has shed its skin, so to speak," Gorphat claims, a bit too happily.
"Oh ... dear," Alptraum admits. His eyes close and he does extend his shadow into, well, places, to see just how bad things are.
The throbbing and pain are not coming from his skin, after a bit of investigation. He's been degloved.
Egad! Well, it's time to use the shadow to fix that and regrow the skin if he can! It does mean he'll be in her a bit longer, but ... he doesn't want to pull out before that is fixed, ugh!
The shadow crawls over the raw flesh, which still burns from exposure to Gorphat. It can't really soothe things though, not in this instance, as if it's porous to the irritating fluids.
Alptraum tried to at least get it covered before he starts wiggling his way, er, out of Gorphat. He can probably fix things once out.
Once he's out, Gorphat smiles and asks, "Well worth it?"
Alptraum tries to use the shadow to repair the damage down there. He does look up, though, and admit, "Completely. Being with you is worth the challenges."
"Good," Gorphat says, sitting up. "Was it a challenge as well?"
Alptraum nods emphatically. "Yes!" he also answers quickly. "I hope it was enjoyable for you as well."
"Most certainly, dear Barsunala," Gorphat says, and grins coyly. "Along with knowing that you can never experience the same with anyone else."
"That is very, very, true," Alptraum agrees. He doesn't say he's grateful for that, too. He's now more focused on, well, fixing things down there. "I don't think your fox is too happy with me here, though."
The fox grunts. Gorphat reaches over to pat his head. "Ah, he will remember none of this, as it is only a dream for him," she claims. "His visits are rare since I was decapitated in the Dream Ritual. He may have recovered from the challenges he accepted from me then."
"Well, he could lie with me too if it would make him feel better," Alptraum offers and grins at the fox.
The fox does not grin back, but does change the tune he's playing to one that seems a bit... snide?
"Your loss, fox," Alptraum teases. "I can be a good woman too." He does remember it was him that got the fox freed from the Yodhgorphat, as his 'boon' request. The fox probably doesn't know that, though.
"He doesn't sing as he used to, nor refer to me with cute names, like 'Your Ripeness', but he was fun while he lasted," Gorphat says.
"From what I know, which isn't much, he's a good guy," Alptraum admits.
"Do you want to lay with her as I did?" Alptraum asks the fox.
"Hmph," the fox harumphs. "I know my place," he wheezes, insinuating that perhaps Alptraum does not, or is not worthy of Gorphat.
"As do I, at Gorphat's side and in her bed," Alptraum retorts.
"And other places," Gorphat says. "Because the Barsunala embraces my gifts while no one else in my family would dare to."
Alptraum nods sagely. Hopefully he won't come out of this worse for wear, though! He's got one of her curses already that makes life ... interesting.
There are limits to what Gorphat can do to the Barsunala in the real world, of course. Unlike to Nicora. The fox seems uncomfortable when any talk of sex comes up, even Alptraum's offer. He may have a fear of such of things - which would make him quite the odd bard, given the reputation of that profession. He also begins to fade, so is probably waking up.
"Take care, fox," Alptraum says and waves to him. "You are still wanted."
"I could use more like him," Gorphat sighs. "Once this chamber was filled with Yodhgorphat who attended me. I hope those days will come again, with the new blood."
"I suspect they will. Those at the Temple are quite proud of their position. At least it's seemed to me. None as dedicated as I am, but also they can't handle the things I can, either," Alptraum admits, shrugs, and checks his, er, bits.
"The girl with no past is promising," Gorphat says. "She will soon spread my influence to the Yodhblakat. Which means Blakat will be in my debt." She seems very pleased with this notion.
"Er, Penance I think she's called? Last I heard, she is a walking mass of your blessings, with only the High Priestess having more?" Alptraum asks. "Is she happy?"
"Happiness is not important to a Yodh," Gorphat says. "Only.. enthusiasm. I imagine some of the Yodhzakaro may have notions of happiness. Or perhaps even the Yodhblakat, in their twisted way. But they do not serve the Trinity."
"Well, happiness helps attract more, though," Alptraum points out. "I mean, I'm generally happy when I serve you, in any of the forms you have of me. Even including the bunnies," he admits. "And the Bargorphat."
"You are divine, and serving us is part of what you are," Gorphat says. "For the Yodh candidates, I do not think any of them came to be happy. They came to serve, and to make a difference."
"And I believe that they are. Which of those forms of me that you do own you like the most?" Alptraum asks, ears flicked, curious.
"Why, you're natural one of course," Gorphat says. "The others do please me, but not in the same way. They are... like the fox, I suppose."
Alptraum frowns a little at that. "So you don't ... enjoy them the same, then," he says.
"They are my creations," Gorphat says. "But you, as you are, are not mine. That makes a difference to me. You are offering yourself, your true self."
Alptraum considers, then nods a little. "Fair," he concedes.
"They are fun though," Gorphat admits, grinning again.
That makes Alptraum laugh. "They can be. Dagh, I've found Revy which isn't really attached to anyone to be super fun too. It's ... like a vacation," he admits.
"She is attached to you," Gorphat points out. "That is allowed, you know."
"Okay, fair. Being her is ... being a bit unfettered by all my usual hangups, I guess," Alptraum admits. "A chance to have a childhood I didn't. And not just being a childhood as a girl."
"No anxiety, no insecurity?" Gorphat asks. "Those are my challenges after all, the ones that everyone goes through. So being free of them makes her your own creation."
"Not as much, no. She just does whatever is fun at the time and likes to explore," Alptraum admits. "Pretty sure she'd try out drugs and such if offered, just to see what it was like."
Gorphat laughs. "She is an anti-Yodh then," she claims. "A reaction to having to deal with so many, perhaps."
"Possibly! Hard to say. She is a good escape when I need time to just be unimportant and have fun," Alptraum says. "Not that I mind helping and servings. I just sometimes need a break."
"And do you not still 'serve' even while having fun?" Gorphat asks. Does she know about Revy and the bordello?
"It's different. Less, ah, formal? And less important. Serving you or your Sisters is important. For Revy hers is more of a silly game," Alptraum explains.
"Well, serving is still serving," Gorphat says. "Whether willingly, for pleasure, or for duty, then end result is generally the same."
"I can say as Revy, it's very satisfying. But then serving my Aunts are as well, as is my Mother," Alptraum adds.
"It is good that you feel satisfied," Gorphat says, then leans in and asks, "And is Sunala's Avatar satisfied?"
"She is ... getting better. I need to help her be more and go out more," Alptraum admits. "There are challenges, but she enjoyed time to just be."
"Hmmm, that is good," Gorphat notes. "She is the only Avatar at the moment. The others failed to procure theirs, other than Inala, and that one... rebelled. Against Inala!" she laughs. "Even Rephath's chosen one refused the office!"
"Well, I can understand why many refused. You were all ... more difficult then," Alptraum points out. "Even the first time you and I met, you made me sick."
"The Lore is what rules over us, and it is inconsistent," Gorphat claims. "It makes us seem unpredictable. But the Lore is a living thing, created by those who believe in us and continue to add stories to it. You have added new ones already, changing us."
"I know. I can't help it. I could have sought all of your ends, but I wanted to instead help you become part of a newer, better, Babel, as you are part of our culture and identity. To simply destroy you felt wrong," Alptraum admits. "Though many did ask me to do just that."
"The Barsunala is not a destroyer, he is a guide," Gorphat points out. "Whether to the souls of the dead, or the minds of the living. And by extension, even to the Seven Sisters and lesser gods."
"Except I also need to be a destroyer, to deal with Amenlichli, aka, Diphath," Alptraum points out.
"She has always been defeated in our Lore, and cannot stand against Sunala," Gorphat claims. "And you will not destroy her alone, or as the Barsunala, but as Alptraum. Only a mortal can properly destroy a monster."
"Well, hopefully that is true. I need to, for another's sake if nothing else," Alptraum says and flops into the nasty pillows.
The pillows squelch, and one bursts to release a swarm of flying insects. Gorphat moves so that Alptraum's head can rest in her lap. Which is also a bit squelchy, to be honest. "You must return to your other self," Gorphat says. "The longer you stay here, the more of this place you will take back with you. Usually the smell."
"I know. It's time to go. I will visit again, though. That's a guarantee," Alptraum says with a yawn, and a close of his eyes to slip back out to well, himself. Though which one of those it will be, who knows!