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"A walkie? That's good - hold on -"
"Okay, I'll try to patch through to him. Hopefully I've got the right codes to link with his walkie - and it patches into an alternate dimension."
Shin clicks and thumbs through some emergency links, choosing the Corps and patching himself into their communications. "Testing - Rain, this is Horizon. If you can hear me, respond and give me a status update. Is everyone out safe?"
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Umbroiax grumbles, "I'm not the hero, he was. You all seem to forget that to become this he lost something very important. But if you wish to know what an elven ranger with favored enemy goblins can do in Halcyon, it's the same as what it could do here. Hell what good can a giant f!&@ off dragon do in Halcyon, because guess what that's what awaits me on the other side of this with or without this game world. I have seen nothing but the scared stares of people who looked on in awe at my magical abilities just because I look like a monster from fairy tales. And despite losing the very core of what made him a good hero, a good person, I am still burdened with the ability to make the attempt to save you from committing suicide."
Stepping out of her way showing his lack of compassion to actually stay and stop her from making her choice. "The choice of life or death is yours, but know this. Just because you look different, just because you don't see the importance of your abilities, or the small things you say. That doesn't mean the world is better without them, you are more than you think you are. You can be a hero, a big one, a small one, every bit helps Kyana. If you want to be Kyana, or hells Eliana..." The dragon shakes its head and sighs an empty sound.
"There is most certainly a spell to make you that to give you the form you wish to have forever. Polymorphism is far from easy, or painless, but it is well within Indarius's power to perform. All I am forced to do, is make an attempt at convincing you to come back on your own accord. Once we are all there, then we can solve any issue you might have. We just... do Not have the time to do so right now and for that I am... He is sorry... hidden somewhere beneath this veiled covering screaming, crying, and in pain for all that is witnessed. He is."
As she contemplates whether Summer needs medical attention from a human that actually knows what they’re doing, Bug-Eye reminds her of the Hero Protocol.
“…well, the protocol is to get an EMS on site. They can get the three of you to your homes. A moment please.”
She makes the call. “Yes, this is Femtite of First Class… yes, the glowing one. Oh, why, thank you! Anyway, an EMS van is required for three humans in need of medical checks and transportation. We are at a brewery…” She uses her telepathic connection to Bug-Eye to get the address and the name of the brewery and gives that info to the dispatcher.
While awaiting the ride and for Brian to call his gaming friends, Femtite asks Summer, “How are you… I mean…” She isn’t sure how much the in-game characters matter to Summer now. But in the game, she heard that whimper as Myra breathed her last. “When you were Myra… and you…”
Her mind replays Pixite-Connie falling at her feet. Then Myra’s fall. Connie. Myra. Connie, Myra. Close-up of the impaled torso. Pixite corpse in the lap. The blood. The funeral. The statue. The glow of Connie’s eyes dimming. Myra’s pained expression as she whimpered. Summer’s pained expression as she lay on the ground clutching her knee.
She really felt it.
“…did it?” Femtite starts to tear up. “I mean, did you feel…?” She wipes the molten gold from her eyes, only for more to well. “Sorry…”
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A tear runs down Kyana's smooth cheek after listening to the dragon speak. "I'm tired of justifying my choices. I'm sorry for what you have to deal with, but I'm not changing my mind. If there's a chance you can save this world, I'll fight. Gods, I'll fight. If you can promise I'll stay Kyana if we have to escape, then yeah. Fine. I'll endure whatever pain you're talking about."
At the mention of Myra, Summer gets a faraway look for a moment while she carefully adjusts herself in the chair. She then tries to reassure Femtite. "Hey, character death is necessary to make a meaningful game. If you couldn't die, then there's no stakes. I didn't like dying. Getting snagged by a stupid teleport and pulled away so I didn't have any real chance to get away was pretty rude, but I think I had a good death scene. And I was excited to play Ambrose! I've always wanted to play an Artificer. I mainly stuck with Myra for so long because we needed a healer so bad."
Chastity talks about death and heaven a lot. And Connie chose death. Do mortals crave opportunities to practice? The way Summer makes Myra’s death seem like part of the fun somewhat explains— Don’t dwell on it.
“Ambrose was a fascinating and fun character! And perhaps there can be thermal healing devices in your fantasy world.” Thinking a bit, she adds, “It’s funny how Quincy’s world connects to the real one. Brandymeade’s exit led us to this brewery, and also,” she faces Brian to include him in the conversation, “You both played followers of Ninavae, and I played a fey. In fact, the local Fairy Queen is Queen Ninavae, Ruler of the Seelie Court of the Western Realm. I met her once!”
And having made that connection, Femtite starts to worry…
Femtite sends a thought-to-speech message over the comms, which Connie can perceive normally thanks to Bug-Eye’s filter. “Hey… if Brandymeade connects to a real brewery, is it possible that the Sylvan Forest connects to the actual fey realm?”
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"If that means you'll come back, then so be it. You'll have to speak with Indarius on the other side, but he'll know much of this conversation. Just... give him time, there may be a lot to come directly after this. You will go back to your old self for a short time, but after some rest, he'll come to you. These things take time to prepare if they are not to be broken."
With that Umboriax starts slowly towards the portal, there is another more important enemy to face, and Umboriax had followed Costa's orders.
"The world had changed, Matariel. The people have changed a lot. Sadly, nowadays many people are so focused on what they don't have that they can see past it. Dreams used to be hope, but now they have turned almost into a curse,
or shackles." He thinks about Kyana, then Eliana and then they player he had briefly met after their first incursion in Quincyverse.
"Kyana would rather die than return to Halcyon. Doesn't this seem extreme? Her being a woman, or an elf even, is more important to her than her real life in Halcyon... more important than her family and friends, then studying, travel, growing old." He shakes his head, not really understanding why, but trying to be as empathetic as possible. "What she doesn't have there apparently is much more important that what she has."
He then thinks about Terrier and the Mongrels. "Terrier and the Mongrels wanted to be normal again an nothing else matters to them. They'd sooner turn the whole world into animal-hybrids like them because what they did not have was too important. Selfish to the extreme without a doubt."
"These people need to be saved from themselves... freed from their sadness, freed from this thought that they'll never be happy unless they have something." He looks around. "And now, look at this place. It might be a fake, a dream, but this world can help them. Kyana can be happy hear. Terrier can be normal here, and the same is true for many many others... and if they are happy here it also mean that they are not making other people sad in Halcyon."
Caio recalls the despair he felt while he had the wolf inside him. "There are also people who are afraid. Afraid of themselves or of others. I was hopeless and I knew the Wolf would eventually escape... I considered asking Percy to trap me in his world so I'd not harm anyone." He thinks of Skyler. "People who are afraid of their family, or a partner, or criminals. People in witness protection."
The image of his aunt's mother, stuck in a wheelchair looking at nothing. "There are people with terminal illness or a deteriorating mental illness. Perhaps we can help them as well if they are brought here. People who have suffered serious accidents and are now stuck in a bed, their bodies paralysed."
He shakes his head then stops, worried. "You could make your own perfect paradise for these people... but would it be right? Would we be playing God? Where is the line? Is there a line?"
Caio stops his musings as he hears Horizon's voice coming through his walkie-talkie. "I hear you, Horizon. Everyone but Kyana, me, and Umboriax have left. He went after her but I've no idea how it is going. I'm doing my best to keep this side stable."
"Eicho, timmad-" **Reversed Sigh** "-Okay. If everyone else's out, grab Kyana, throw her directly into a support group or onto a good therapist's couch, and stop pouring more power straight into Dad's siphon. The only other place up is the Fey Wood, which appears to be drawing on another source of power probably because Q didn't build this place with anything like the safeguards needed to protect a prize like it's turned into. Probably it's not incidental, but even back here behind the screen it doesn't look like anything's happening, so I'm just marking the signature for the next time it shows up. Everyone else ready to go?"
Femtite grimaces visibly in front of the humans. “Just listening to Connie over comms. She said the Fey Wood is…”
She switches her input to voice-to-voice: “Stable? Hahaha… yeah, well, y’know. There are plenty of reasons why the Fey Wood has its own power source. Hahaha, I mean—and this is just a guess. An educated one.
“But y’know that Fairy Dust I got from Tyg? I have reason to believe your brother is now the rightful owner. Because I prayed for death as the demon and bribed him just to make sure I’d get an answer.” She lets out another nervous laugh, not that she finds this funny or expects anyone else to.
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There are several odd sounding deep breaths before Connie speaks and Bug-Eye starts auto-reversing again.
"Wow. I assumed you just hadn't kept it safe enough, or maybe that he'd bartered for some of his own.
"I- I... I know that wasn't so much a monstrously stupid, selfish decision as it was one driven by the fact that your issues have issues, and hey, f%~$ it, maybe you'll get incredibly lucky again, and this won't lead to wholesale destruction. Or at least we'll be able to prevent that destruction from being fully realized again. But good sweet dancing christ do you need to stop making these f#%+ing pacts. You are TERRIBLE at it! This is exactly why I didn't give you my f@*&ing soul for given values of soul.
Whatever . Okay. Well. At least we're not presently in conflict with the Fey Courts, so this was merely a tremendous opportunity gifted to dangerous free agents for funsies. Bonus points for Faetite being around though. Just brilliant f@*#ing timing. F&+& it. I'm not going to war over this f@@*ing nightmare factory. Umby? Couscous? Ready to blow this popsicle stand??"
Femtite resists the urge to hang up so the rest of the team hears Connie yell backwards. Fortunately, output is still telepathic on her end, so Brian, Summer and Terry don’t hear the tantrum.
“It was not for fun, and completely worth the price I paid,” she says very calmly, not freaking out like she normally would have easily. “Just a shame we couldn’t save your brother’s creation. It was very beautiful.”
She leaves it at that. She knows how it works. When she and Connie disagree, everyone takes Connie’s side. At least this time it doesn’t involve her own personal life.
Caio grits his teeth from what is coming through the walkie talkie. Without thinking, he takes it and tosses it through the portal.
"Conflux, not the time or place when people are counting on you!" Shin manages to say, cutting through her tirade. Trying to consider the problem and come up with a solution. "There's got to be less stress on this world with only one player left. You can't do something to stabilize it with the Fey magic? Or is what your dad is doing causing its destruction?"
He's missing information. "Rain, can you tell if the world will still hold itself up without Matariel?" He asks, not knowing he would get no response. Hes getting EMT for the ice rink and putting on his emergency visor to fly out to his mentor at her coordinates while conversing with everyone.
"...Conflux. Kyana's probably willing to die to stay as she is. Can you talk to her where you are? Because seems to me you might be able to reach her better than I could."
Femtite chimes in, “If the fey magic is stabilizing the world, does it have to die? Two of the people I’m with didn’t want it to. One was willing to die with the world, but we talked him out.” She looks to Terry and Summer. “Well, now that they’re their true selves, maybe it’s best to ask.
“Putting civilians on speaker,” she adds using thought-to-speech.
Then she changes the option so anyone in the room can be heard. Bug-Eye is recording.
“Summer, you played Myra and, after losing her as we talked about, you said you were excited to play Ambrose the Artificer. Do you still want to—and if so, would you want to constantly immerse, or just play on the Thursday group?
“Terry, you played Roald and built a meadhall so real it outlasted every other building. A realistic place made with such care may help with the sustainability of the realm. But is that something you would want, now that you’re Terry again?—and Brandymeade is gone, so you would have to rebuild if you went back.
“And Brian, you treated me as part of a team. You spoke of the dangers of obsessing over failures, and how to move forward. Valorian is a true hero. Would you go back if you could? Is the world Quincy created worth saving?”
She clarifies, “I’m not promising it’s possible, nor am I claiming it’s the best decision. I’m just interested in your opinions—do we get your friend Kyana out and let the world die? Or save it?”
"Oh, s$!%. Sorry. Thought it was clear. Yeah the world is collapsing because Dear Old Dad (and Feya) stuck a siphon into it. They're draining it dry so that it stops, y'know, drawing people into a magical world against their will to potentially vanish forever/die when this shoddily made power trip inevitably breaks down/no one's willing to sit in the Golden Throne. They're (probably mostly him) also reclaiming a worrying amount of Quincy's power *plus* probably a good chunk of whatever else is being put into it in the bargain. Benevolence is questionable, despite what I'm sure is obscenely good media coverage.
"As for stabilizing this particular monument to hubris, I'm not the one with access to the Fey magic (which is not stabilizing the world. The forest is currently intact). Cannot express how much easier this would've been if I had had it earlier bee tee dubs. Moving on. I do have a source of possible power, but there is a Cost to me and eventually to others. I don't see a reason to play that card yet.
"If we get her out I will talk to Kyana, but I can't talk to a hero in the game as myself. Might be able to whip up a herald or something? This is because we all think she's an egg though, right? Can't imagine I'd be tapped for comforting bystander duty otherwise."
Umboriax leads Kyana back to Harrowguard and the portal to Halcyon City. The rain remains steady, keeping this location anchored and protected from the draining effect that is happening almost everywhere else.
Rain had overseen everyone else passing through the portal, heroes and the townsfolk who weren't just ephemeral creations to populate the world. He makes his urgent call to the angel for intercession, to help preserve this place as a refuge for people dissatisfied with their lives, their bodies, or their situation. But he gets no agreement in response. The angel had fallen before by going beyond his role in the grand design. Building a place free from suffering is not something he can take part in.
When Kyana and Umboriax appear, Rain feels an urgency from Matariel to usher them through and follow. The sword, at least, feels certain that there are no more souls on this side of the portal except for those two and Caio.
Kyana's face is the epitome of despair. She shakes her head dejectedly as her rain-slick hair hangs limply around her shoulders. "Please. Please don't make me do this. Is there no way to let me stay?"
The players with Femtite look uncomfortable at being put on the spot, and then Conflux's tirade making Quincy's world sound like it's completely doomed.
"We... got caught up in it," Brian says, not sure if he has the floor but answering Femtite's question. "It was a hell of a lot of fun, and it just kind of kept going."
"I wouldn't want it to go away," Summer adds. "Maybe if Quincy could set it up so that there's breaks and all. But we all agreed to the immersion."
Terry looks around and shrugs. "I was enjoying my retirement. I didn't have the money to start up my own meadery, so I took Quincy's invitation."
"Your mead is fantastic. I liked the one with apricots," Brian tells him.
Terry smiles. "Thanks. That one worked out especially well."
Summer turns back to Femtite. "Quincy invited several gamers to join his world if they had skills or knowledge to make the world more authentic." She ticks off her fingers. "April knew all about horses, Shanna was a seamstress, Nate was an architect, Megan and Jordan were modern Vikings..."
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Umbroiax looks down at Kyana, "It is dying, but it can be remade properly." He glares at the portal and snarls, "Without leeches. But I shall deal with that soon enough. But first we must make sure everyone is out so that it can be remade safely."
He stalks to the portal and actively strains to resist from leaping through and gutting the man on the other side. "I shall be right behind you elfling. But he will be the one to join you there, not I, you needs to remain strong for only a bit longer, remember what was said."
He waits for Kyana to pass through on her own volition, then gives Costa a look, "You would be wise to not meet me again." Then he somehow lurked through the portal after the elf, since Matariel was what was holding the small pocket together it's only right he is the last to leave.
Femtite smiles sweetly at the people. “Thank you for sharing your thoughts.” She keeps audio on so they’ll hear it, no matter how Connie or Shin responds—but not Caio? Bug-Eye, is he even still on?
“There’s the will, but is there a way, Connie? How stable is the Fey Wood? What if we get your father and Feya to stop siphoning?
“I think Summer’s right that breaks make sense, and maybe your brother needs breaks as well.” She shrugs. “I don’t know magic, and I still don’t quite get you humans. But I can plainly see that Summer, Brian and Terry are wonderful people and so are Ambrose, Valorian and Roald. And whether we’re heroes or princesses, we serve the people’s needs, not our own. If you think saving the world is to willfully endanger them, I understand.
“But your brother seems to have put my fairy dust to use. If it’s sustaining his world—or even just that one part of it—then is it possible my unbelievable luck has benefited your brother, his world, and its willing denizens?”
She says it very politely, but with the civilians having opined, it’s impossible for Connie to flat out refuse and feel completely numb to that. And the real princess knows this.
Caio sees reality quickly fraying since Matariel's powers isn't keeping it stable anymore. He takes a step inside the portal before turning to Kyana again. "I'm really, really sorry." He closes his eyes, as if ashamed, then in the blink of an eye grabs her tunic and pulls her through the portal with him.
As soon as Caio leaves reaches Halcyon, he activates him comms, before even looking around him. "We are out Connie. There is no one else inside."
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"Ohh. Got it. Because some people agreed to the immersion, it doesn't matter that random people were getting caught up in it?
"Let me be clear. I am aware that this place was a fun game for many people. That is not remotely on the scale of 'so I will tap into dangerous magicks for it.' Clearly Quincy felt differently, but that's hardly the first time we've disagreed. Regardless, in the time frame provided, with no lives at stake, even to stall bears unacceptable risks for the reward of... an upscaled mead hobby? Honestly this is such a f~&*ing stupid conversation. It's a game that's putting people's lives at risk when they never tried to play in the first place. That's enough reason to pull the plug, but guess what - it's falling apart anyways, making sure that has as little collateral damage as possible is the only path that makes a damn lick of sense to me."
Thanks for forcing me to say this to the people who were actually having fun though. Really cool.
"I'll cut the world adrift soon; the Woods should survive. If Quincy wants to use those as the basis of some re-creation then he's an idiot, but the possibility exists. Maybe you'll get to play with him again."
Turning her focus back to the world, Connie fills the woods with portents and omens. For those with the eyes to see it, the world itself cries out in warning that soon all else will be at an end, and to make what preparations must be done.
Femtite is unfazed by Connie’s tone, and her use of the word ‘stupid’ again, and at that, to belittle a civilian. Connie’s premise is also faulty, and princess can disagree without the disrespect.
“I believe the only people forced into the world were those with super powers—the four among us who had keys, and Valerie and I just happened to be close in proximity to you and Shin. In principle, I don’t agree with anyone forcing choices on another, but it seems Quincy was reaching out to us because he wanted our help.
“And if that’s the case, I’m sure he’s very proud of his sister.”
Bug-Eye, kindly swap output to Pixograph text display. Color: ultraviolet. Mute input, but continue regulating the hub for Connie’s sake.
Kyana screams in protest and fights to get away as she's dragged through the portal.
Caio feels a brief lurching and tumbling before he's on solid ground. Cold air bites at him and the familiar sounds of Halcyon greet him. Bright artificial lights dazzle his eyes, resolving into headlights of running emergency vehicles and construction lights. He sees he's on hard, cold pavement with the looming shape of the Comets Stadium nearby. A ring of fire engines, police cars, and ambulances are all around him. The backs of the ambulances are open, with EMTs working on people sitting on cots wrapped in blankets against the cold.
A doughy male with a familiar face is next to him, in near blind rage and panic. They clumsily fall to their knees with an incoherent shout and tries to make their way back to a large mirror with an ornate frame looking strange and out of place in the stadium's parking lot. More officials reach out, taking the panicked individual and coaxing Caio away from the mirror.
Glancing down, he sees arcane sigils painted on the pavement in concentric circles all around the tall mirror, with pedestals in place at various key points in the runic spell. Caio recognizes a some of the magics involved, but they're well beyond him and his short lifetime of study. Though he can tell their purpose, which is to funnel a great deal of power from one place to another. He traces the sigils and sees their opposite focal point, where William Westscott Mathers stands next to Feya Firestorm. Just behind them, Whippoorwill and Foray lurk.
Indarius slips through the portal and sloughs off the shadow dragon form, feeling an immediate reconnection to the ley lines intersecting Halcyon City. It's like being reborn anew, or being suddenly freed from a parasite that had been leeching his vitality and joy. The Umboriax personality hanging around his neck fades underneath the bright artificial lights of Halcyon City.
Indarius also sees the arcane sigils on the ground, drawing the last vestiges of power from the world he'd just left. Roughly fifty feet away from a large mirror with an ornate frame -- clearly the focus for the portal -- stands Mathers and Feya, finalizing the spell. Between them is a snowglobe about the size of a bowling ball, a dim light glowing from within its crystalline sphere.
Emergency personnel reaching out to help Caio and Kyana's player recoil for a moment as the large dragon steps out of the mirror. Hands reach for guns.
"Hold up! That one's one of ours, if I'm not mistaken," Mathers' rich voice calls out.
What do you do??
With the final warning in place that Quincy's fantasy realm would be ending in a matter of moments, Conflux pulls herself out. She finds herself back in the messy game room in Dr. Infinity's old place, and feels a wave of exhaustion pass through her that has her panting for breath.
A weak groan draws her attention to the floor next to her, where she sees an emaciated Quincy curled up. His eyes crack open and regard her, though he's too weak to even lift his head. "You couldn't... bring yourself... to save it, >coff< could you? Dad will... be so proud. Keeping... all that power >coff coff< to yourself..."
Answers to Femtite's questions from the players will have to come later, because the emergency crews that she'd earlier summoned arrive. The players are quickly ushered out and into ambulances to be checked out.
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Indarius, now in his real form and free from the clotting cloud of pervasive voices and shadows keeping him firmly in the backseat of his own body, feels the whiplash emotions from everything that had happened since he became Umboriax and crumbles under the mental toll. Stumbling from the portal only to collapse down into a pile gasping for air.
He killed someone, he wanted them dead, he wanted more than one person dead and actually did it. Two of them were near him at this very moment, but those thoughts were pressed back under the surface buried deep down. They were however much more noticeable now, the proverbial box opened never to be closed again. The dark invasive thoughts to just end the problem before it could raise a finger to harm anyone or anything again. He wasn't sure what made him more sick, that he might actually give into them, or that he had already.
Just a taste of absolute terror he could actually be, or what he was meant to be under the guise of playing hero.
He couldn't bring himself to look at Mathers, anxiety griping at his heart, and threatening to choke him where he lay. In his dazed state he attempts to rise to his feet, "No! I can't be here. Not now, not with him. Get away!" With scales bristling, wings beating, claws scrambling for purchase, and tail thrashing to right himself once more. Percy in the middle of a full blown panic attack attempts to get away from the source of his discomfort by any means necessary.
Femtite gives the humans a curtsy and a polite goodbye, then becomes a spark, then nothing…
Femtite checks on Chastity’s location. She wants to make sure she’s at home. Not that she can actually go to her home, but with Connie having fallen through a window… are the Robertson’s even sleeping there tonight?
She decides to go to her dorm and prepare herself for a fly-by. She takes a bug light and alters the tech.
Once the tech is ready, Femtite realizes tonight’s not the night to check in on her girlfriend. She needs Chas’ consent first, and of course, she needs to have faith in her girlfriend’s ability to resist Duke Zepar’s compulsions.
Then tonight, I prepare…
With the tech embedded in her tiara, she need only get the fairy-sized clothing.
☀️: If you have the tiny sweater ensemble (or any outfit in the spec’d size), please send an address where I can pick it up.
☀️: Quick photo with you while I’m there, if you want, then I’m off like a Prom Cancellation.
☀️: And after reading your ‘Gram, I gotta live-stream my action with the team!
PixKnight77: Cool! I'll whip something together!
PixKnight77: Shrinking ex-girlfriends? Any way U can shrink ur fans? We would love to visit your home!!!
☀️: Hey! Sorry for the radio silence.
☀️: I got taken off-world for three days in the middle of my mission.☀️: But I’ll make good on my promise, as long as it’s not during school hours.
☀️: Are you also a student by the way?
While awaiting a reply—if the fan is even up this late—Fem sends another text…
"...if that’s the case, I’m sure he’s very proud of his sister."
Connie blinks in stunned disbelief, but doesn't bother replying.
When Quincy too offers someone else's pride, she holds up a finger for silence, asking Caio for updates on Kyana, listening to hear if anyone else was hurt.
Her mouth thins, and she stomps over to Quincy to spit in his face.
"F*!@ you. F#$+ you and your pathetic god complex. You f!@&ing snake oil-peddling bandaid-pushing narcissist, don't you f%%+ing talk to me about abusing my power. Just because I don't pretend to have free solutions doesn't mean I'm some sort of f%@%ing miser. I help people, you unbelievable s!$~. And when I do it it isn't a thinly veiled cry for help to justify my life since I'm not Daddy's favorite anymore.
"F&&% you. Do you even understand the f!*+ing harm that Miracle Solutions cause? For those you were even trying to help?"
Indarius gets away with his frantic and clumsy flight away from the stadium parking lot. Even though his power and strength are returning rapidly, his turbulent emotions are not as easily settled.
The stadium is a disk of darkness in the usual Halcyon skyline by the time he finally stops his flight.
Femtite does not find Chastity's location, which is not unusual given the lateness of the hour and her parents' rules about electronics after bed. She gets no immediate responses from her texts, either.
When she flies by Chastity's apartment building, she sees a gaping hole in the side of the structure covered in plastic and tarping, with a large scaffolding set up indicating that the building has been under repair for a couple days.
Connie's tirade barely gets Quincy to stir. "I'm out. I was... done. >coff< I'm sick of... all this. Dad... our brothers. So... bring me in. >coff< Or don't. Don't care..."
His breathing gets shallower. It occurs to Connie that he'll die without immediate medical attention.
Femtite contemplates tapping into the subatomic unstructures, but even if the Duke Zepar presence is here, I’m not about to swoop into the master bedroom and fling artifacts out the hole in the wall. My lucky streak can only get me so far.
Femtite flies back to her dorm room…
…and takes a short nap as her flesh-self until it’s time to wake up for school!
Connie carefully seals away the d20 in one of her hermetic Ziplocs, and reaches under Quincy's shoulders to haul him to his feet, and get up under his weight.
"Q, if you'd gotten out-out, we wouldn't be talking. I don't know where you're going from there, but first I have to haul your matrix-pod ass to an ICU. Say I'm your favorite sister for saving your life. If you wind up somewhere bad or you need help you can call me. Or Abe probably"
Horizon lands onto the ground amidst the emergency vehicles and bizarre arcane artifacts. He thought that he had seen Indarius fly off with some angel following. He looks on for a few moments, before approaching Whippoorwill and Foray.
"I believe that everyone's out now." He says, pointedly not looking at Mathers. "Still alarming that I was stuck there for three days. I hope you weren't too worried, sensei."
He looks around, but this is well out of his scope of abilities to do anything to help. Maybe Conflux could let him know in her debrief.
"I need to check in with the team, but is there anything you need from me?"
Caio already expected a strong reaction from Kyana's player, but even so it wasn't easy to watch. Guilty was eating him, but he simply could not let her die in there. It was him who was keeping that region stable so if he was gone, it would collapse instantly. Even if she wanted to stay and die with the world, he felt as if was actually and directly killing her.
He wanted to say a couple words of comfort, but he swallowed them as they came up, knowing he'd not listen. That guy probably hated him more than anything, filling him with guilty. We has both guilty of saving him and of not saving him at the same time.
As he is about to turn around, he stops himself. No, he'd endure the hate, for he caused it. He watches the player until he is taken away.
The sigils were troublesome. Mathers and Feya on the receiving end of the power. Why. Were they splitting it? Did she made a deal with Mathers? He turns to Indarius, but sees him in the distance, flying away. Damn, how was he supposed to catch him now? Percy was for sure bad...
He felt his feet light. Was he floating? His eyes go wide, no, he was flying! He looks at his back and notices angelic wings on his back, lightly shimmering and misty, formed of long tendrils of light that looked like feathers and tentacles at the same time. No feathers like the stories.
He looks at Indarius and soon he is chasing him, slow at first then gaining speed. His wings were moving but he did not feel them moving the air. Strange, as if they were at the same time physical and aetheric. He glances back at the stadium and sees Horizon arriving. He reaches his comms and sends him a personal message.
Caio arrives a couple minutes after Indarius stops. "Percy?" He asks, giving his friend some time. "Do you want to talk? I get if you want to be left alone... but when we are alone it is much easier for us to get the wrong answers."
|
|
Percy had flown hard in his panic and even now he seemed out of breath and felt way more tired than such a small distance would have caused under normal circumstances. Then he spots a small glowing shape following him, he quickly dives towards the edge of the city believing that he was being followed by Mathers. He made landfall out side of where any person should be.
When Caio arrives he finds a wheezing frayed mess of a drake, scales still prickled defensively despite the rest of his body being curled in like an abused animal. "C-Caio? No..No no go away I-I don't wanna hurt you but. I can't. I-what I did in there."
He breaths raggedly and stares at his talons, "No not with Mathers, not with people, I can't go back. I'm a f$*%ing monster, Drake was right it's in my nature I'm no hero. After Shin it just.. I just snapped and wanted blood. Th-then they... I.." Caio gets the feeling that he's going to whip himself into another full blown panic attack at this rate.
Before Rain flies after Percy, Feya touches his shoulder. "You're going after Percival, right? Make sure he knows I take no pleasure in having worked with Mr. Mathers to effect your rescue. I'll tell him myself when I get the chance, but I have to keep an eye on this spell to ensure there is no chicanery."
She lets him go and returns to monitoring the magical runes.
Whippoorwill shrugs. "I always worry. It's part of my charm," she deadpans, not taking her eyes off Mathers.
Foray gestures to one of the ambulances where an extremely despondent man is being restrained by EMTs. "That one has had a more extreme reaction than the other abductees. Most have acted like they were awakening from a long dream."
Feya shakes her head. "We'll deal with him later. We need to wrap this up." She turns to Mathers. "Is the globe secure? We have word everyone's out."
"Indeed, dearest Feya. This power is now firmly locked away from my wayward offspring." He offers her an magnanimous grin. "And from me as well."
"...yeah. Later." Shin comments as he looks at the EMTs and feeling disappointment. He steps next to his mentor, whispering to her.
"What, exactly, did we promise him in exchange for his help here if it's not the mass of magical energy being contained right now?"
"That his cooperation would be noted in any possible sentencing proceeding," Whippoorwill whispers back. She falls silent again, watching intently as Feya and Mathers systematically shut down the runic siphon.
It goes smoothly; with Mathers under the watchful and mistrusting eyes of three Alliance members and Horizon, he makes no motions or gestures that appear suspect. The runes and sigils go inert one by one in orderly fashion.
All eyes are so focused on the work that it's hard to tell how long the ornate frame surrounding the tall mirror opposite the snow globe has been twisting and changing. But the movement of vines slowly growing and coiling around the heavy iron frame finally draws their attention. The vines grow thick, sprouting small white toadstools and sharp holly leaves, only to grow white under a rime of frost. The mirror, too, goes dark and cloudy instead of reflecting the lights of Halcyon.
"That shouldn't be happening," Mathers says, a note of alarm in his voice.
Whippoorwill and Foray draw their weapons and spread out, shouting for the emergency crews to make distance.
Feya tears her eyes from the transforming gateway to look at the runes on the ground. "That's coming from the other side!"
"Other side, got it! What are we looking at here? Is something going to be coming through?" Whippoorwill calls out.
"That's fey magic," Mathers concludes. "Not likely, but as a precaution I recommend surrounding it with iron."
The frame continues to grow and thicken, vines twisting and interweaving themselves into a tight arch over the darkened mirror.
Feya nods her head in agreement. "Yes, that is an appropriate precaution." Her eyes light up. "The globe! I'll move it away from this place."
Foray immediately begins instructing the police officers to move their cruisers into a circle while Feya secures the snow globe.
Just then, Horizon sees a figure running laboriously toward the archway! "Someone stop that idiot!" one of the EMTs calls out. Horizon immediately recognizes Kyana's player, and knows there's no way he'll make it to the arch before someone like Whip or Foray stops him.
What do you do?
Shin looks on in alarm as something happens. He's reminded of the argument on comms with Femtite and Conflux, and the Fey Woods actually being a product of true fey magic, and keys Conflux on a direct channel.
"Conflux, need you here now. Fey magic's taking over the portal." He says, before moving into action and flying forward and skimming over the cruisers.
It's all too easy to grab them and hold them back. He leans in to whisper to them.
"That world is gone. I'm sorry, but you can't go back to it. We can try to help you here. I get it. Hey, I understand why. All the reasons you wanted to stay. I wish I could have done something. But it's too late now, and we have to step back. Okay?"
Kyana's player sobs in Horizon's arms. After one final, futile attempt to break his grip, they go limp. Shin's words of comfort and understanding barely break through the depths of despair.
"Don't look at me. I don't want this life!" they whimper.
The EMT crew gently take the despondent person away, signaling for the need for psychiatric observation. The ambulance drives away after a few moments.
Meanwhile, half a city away, Conflux watches another ambulance drive away as she gets a call from Horizon.
It takes a while, but eventually she gets across town and arrives at the Comets' stadium where a brand new fey gate is hastily being barricaded with iron fencing.
For the time being, it looks permanent.
At the end of every session, choose one:
• Grow closer to the team. Explain
who made you feel welcome; give
Influence to that character and clear
a condition or mark potential.
• Grow into your own image of yourself.
Explain how you see yourself and why;
shift one Label up and another down.
• Grow away from the team. Explain why
you feel detached. Take Influence over
you away from another character.
Femtite isn’t sure how to feel after her strange experience in Q’s world… but the high stakes of the game have heightened her fear of failure.
After reading her text from Imagerie, she takes the hint.
☀️: The topic is Duke Zepar.
Caio: when and where?
☀️: Seriously asking. I’m a heat source and you don’t seem bothered by a cool rain.
☀️: But I’m not sure whether you’re comfortable with high elevation in cold, dry weather.
"Good morning, Halcyon. I'm Greta Gonzalez for W-HCY First-Look News. Our top story: the rescue of twenty-three people from what's being described as a fantasy game gone bad, thanks to the efforts of the Alliance and the young team of heroes First Class. Sources say that the strange phenomena of castles, giants, vikings, and other fantasy creatures appearing out of nowhere were the result of a role playing game gotten completely out of hand. The players wound up trapped in an imaginary land made all too real by actual magic. Those trapped are now under observation, but sources say they're all expected to make a full recovery. Reporter Micah Stone has more on this incredible story. Micah?"
"Thanks, Greta. I'm standing here outside the Halcyon Comets' stadium, the site where most of the efforts to rescue those trapped people took place. I had the opportunity to interview Foray moments ago about the heroic rescue, and learned that the Alliance got help from a very unexpected source. William Westscott Mathers, the man facing trial for destroying a Tower District high rise in an alleged bid for ultimate power, now helping the Alliance to rescue twenty-three people."
"Thank you for your time, Foray. Could you describe where these people were?"
"You are welcome. I did not pass the barrier into this fantasy game, but my understanding is that it was an extremely lifelike simulation. The players wore different bodies, and portrayed roles like wizards and warriors."
"Fascinating stuff. Were they in danger?"
"Possibly. I understand many went on adventures, slaying dragons and other monsters. It was part of the 'game' they participated in. But the more real the game got, I believe the more real the danger. They were fortunate."
"Indeed. Halcyon City is, as always, grateful for what you do."
"Much credit should be given to First Class. They actually went into the game, to guide the souls out."
"And who was responsible for this game getting out of hand? Was this part of a villainous plot?"
"That remains to be seen. From what we can gather, the players generally were willing participants. We have more investigating to do."
"Of course, of course. Can you tell me what's behind us there? Behind the ring of police cars?"
"Another mystery. For the time being, we are asking everyone to stay well clear of the stadium parking lot until it's danger can be assessed."
"It's a good thing we're in the off-season, then. Witnesses say they saw William Mathers working with the Alliance these last couple days. Can you tell me, what was his involvement in this? Was he the reason the fantasy game went wrong?"
"... William Westscott Mathers assisted us in the magics necessary to effect the rescue of the players inside the game. Under Feya Firestorm's watchful eye, he was given a temporary exemption from his bond condition to use magic in this rescue effort."
"So, has he turned over a new leaf? What does this mean for next month's trial?"
"I cannot comment on such matters. It is my hope that Mathers has seen the error of his ways, but he still has much to make up for. This would only be a start. But reserve praises for the young heroes of First Class, for they risked much, going into the game as they did."
"Excellent point. Thank you, Foray."
"You are welcome."
Once Rain agrees on a time, Femtite flies to a rooftop with a view (and an elevator to the roof) near Unity. She pings him upon arrival.
By the time Rain arrives, Femtite is seated on the roof’s edge, her plasma form brightly ablaze. A sweater may not be necessary.
“Thanks for coming, Rain.
“After the meeting with the DA, I had a vision. It involved creatures made of black smoke trying to force Chastity’s will. Under her was a sigil, which Connie identified to be that of Duke Zepar—known for forcing young women to lust for males and become barren. You were in the vision, also standing on a sigil which represents Matriel. You looked about to strike in Chas’ direction in the vision, presumably to rescue her.
“Connie and I got consent from Chastity to investigate her home while everyone was out. Connie found what we were looking for, or at least the room it was in… but a castle appeared outside the high rise. Connie got sucked out the master bedroom window! I flew to catch her, but that just ended up putting both of us in the game.”
She stares out at the city scape.
“We lost three and a half days in Quincy’s game. I don’t know what this creepy angel is doing to her. Or who put that artifact t in the Robertson’s home, and why.” She adds, “It’s no accident you’re in my vision, Caio. Chas needs you.”
She turns to him, meeting his eyes, aura paling…
He swallows and open his notes. "Since I've been bonded to Matariel, I've been studying many books about these entities... angels and demons are an oversimplification that many many times do more harm then good."
"Keep in mind that the history is written by the winners and that there is no fact-checking thousands of years ago. So much context has been lost..."
"So, Duke Zepar. There is a font that does mention this aspect of causing women to lust for men and make women barren. But, in other fonts he is mentioned to make women love men, which is very different. He is also credited to bring men and women together in love, which is not difficult to be interpreted as a good thing." He offers. "There is still another book in Spanish that links him to 'sexual perversions' like pedophilia, bestiality, homosexuality and adultery." He says with air quotes. "And to affect both men and women."
"I'm just saying this to show you that nothing is black and white, ok? All these old books do carry the biases and shortcomings of their writers."
"Now, lets talk about the scale of things. In the old old days, magic wasn't what it is now. Humans did not had a spell for, lets say, heal or poison someone, but they knew of entities who could do just that, so their first sorceries were about summoning the power of these entities and depending on the task, these entities would not even realize it." He explains in broad terms. "So, if lets say a sorcerer wanted a certain woman to love a certain man, he could summon Duke Zepar's power without him even noticing or bothering with it."
"Can you see how, if that is what is happening, worrying about the Duke himself is the wrong move?" He asks. "You could be getting worried about his twenty-six legions while instead the culprit was a random dude that lives in a basement."
“So the fallen angel is possibly innocent of what’s happening to Chastity. Whoever is using his power is doing it willfully, and—as an example—it could be a well meaning mother ‘praying’ for Chas to fall in love with her son.
“It’s also possible that the two shadowy figures from my vision represent the Duke’s ‘summoners.’”
Femtite looks a little relieved. Her aura gradually reverts to the usual golden hue.
“I guess for now, all I can really do is check on Chastity when she gets to school, and let you and Connie know if she seems off.”
"But, look, this is just one of the ways, ok?" He makes it clear. "It goes up in power and complexity if someone summons Zepar's spirit for counseling, or in a vessel to give him more free reign, or even if a gate to Hell is opened... But unless Chastity is just the tip of the iceberg in a bigger plan, then I honestly feel there is little sense in bringing the big guns."
"Like, if you what to unlock a door, you first try a lockpick, not a bazooka, right?" He shrugs. "Unless you are crazy or totally over your head on what you are doing."
"Also, this whole thing gives us another clue... These old sorceries are not easy to find. Not in the least. The Corps work hard to apprehend grimoires containing this kind of knowledge and the copies of the Lesser Key of Solomon, so the one doing it must be very well connected. In Chastity's case, the obvious suspect will be a high member of the church."
“I hope you’re right, Rain… Reibold is no joke. I can’t prove anything, but DD told me that Reibold’s people summoned those impish creatures at the Halloween dance. They attacked Chastity. I don’t want to go into an investigation biased, but I do believe that Reibold and some of the men have no qualms about using magic, and they treat women and girls as if we are lesser beings.
“I was at her home during a church meeting, and while I don’t have any biases regarding Earth religions or any religion, I can recognize patterns and shifts. Men’s prayers shifted from something beautiful and full of love to darkness and hate. The women became visibly uncomfortable, and Chas’ then-boyfriend did not keep up with the adult males.
“I can see from old photos, Chastity’s faith was something beautiful. I don’t know if she changed churches, or if her family was always in Reibold’s flock.”
Femtite regrets not staying on top of Reibold. She knows why she didn’t, but…
“One more relevant piece of information. I had a vision of an averted disaster: one in which the Robertsons learned that Maeve is a guised alien. Reibold then started an international anti-pixite movement. The consequences of that were of varying degrees of lethality.
“I don’t know if The Move makes that future impossible or unlikely. But… let’s just say I don’t have a Pollyanna view of what’s to come.”
Caio takes off his mask and sheathes his sword. The wings stay plainly visible, for he doesn't know how they work yet. Looking around, he sits on a fallen tree trunk. "I don't remember you ever treating me like a monster when the Wolf was around, Percy." He takes a deep breath. "But I was one. If it takes a monster to recognize another, then you are not one, ok?"
"I remember the feeling. I still have nightmares about it... the anger, the sense of doom and hopelessness. Hanging on by a thread, knowing that every time I changed I could lose control and not change back."
He looks lost for a moment. "But there was one thing more that was the worst and that I've never told anyone. Connie is smart and might have pieced it together but still." The minutes stretch.
"We were different beings, me and the Wolf, but I was in control of both because of the wards. If the Wolf became stronger to break them, he'd be in control of himself and it would be bad enough... he'd shift easily and be the monster." He looks Percy again. "I could blame him for the deaths and such... but what if I ended up liking it as well?"
He sighs. "I'm saying all this just so you know that I get you, ok? I even killed Eliana in our first visit to Quncy's world." And he did like it. He swallows hard.
Percy hadn't been able to put his mask up for a while now, and continues to sit in a relative paniced state. "Sure yeah, you and the wolf were contained but that was... you were two different people that. That back there wasn't a different person, it.. I think it was just me without boundries. I didn't give a s~+! who or what burned, but after putting my trust in all of them only to be stabbed in the back!"
He wilts, "It's the same as with Mathers. Like a dagger to the f+!%ing heart. I'm so tired of it every damn time I try to trust people and they just.." Percy chokes up, "They ruin it. I wanted revenge and I couldn't see Anything other than that."
His breathing slows slightly, "And then he was there, with that stupid voice of his and I just... It was blinding! The only thing that stopped me was your limited control over me. I was ready to rip him into shreds if it meant I could have just a second of bliss even if it killed me and everyone else." Body still trembling, Percival looks down at his taloned hand-feet. "What if I did that to anyone else, felt that way about anyone else. Even now I want him dead, it's just quieter."
"Sure, we were different, but the feeling is the same, no? The fear of hurting others, the certainty that we can easily do so, and the fact that when others see us, they would think monster first... and that we honestly can't blame them." He picks a wildflower and starts to slowly tear it into pieces.
"Being betrayed sucks. It is disarming. Crippling. You lose your ground as if you were falling. And even if you know you have good chances of being betrayed again, it hurts the same. I feel you, Percy." He sighs, trowing the stalk of the flower away. "Spoiler alert, it never gets easier, and if you convince yourself off never trusting anyone again, then the joke is on you, because you'll suffer the same but in installments."
"This anger you are feeling... It is pretty normal man. Normal in the sense that it could have happened to anyone. Don't think it makes you a monster. Think it makes you human to be honest."
He shrugs. "Still sucks balls."
Percy prickles again, "When was the last time you were betrayed in a way that literally killed you Caio? I wanted to honestly save that place and everyone in it, and because they couldn't see past what they were told."
He flexes his claws leaving great gouges in the ground, "I thought maybe before I became this, I hurt people on accident because I was just not in control of my magic, but now. I'm in control and I kill people, I have Every capability to and I can't hide behind it's just chaotic energy anymore."
Caio frowns. "You that never happened. Closest thing I got to that were the mongrels... I've spent what? A whole month working on a magic circle trying to change them back, thinking they were just outcasts, while in truth they were working with that drug that changed Grace."
"I was so mad that I maimed two of them... ripped Joro's arms, popped Chiros's eye. I've broken Harpy's ribs and slashed Warthog." He retells, disgusted. "Terrier, the she-wolf, escaped... do you know what the Wolf wanted to do with her?"
He then sighs, a bit lost. "Sorry, I don't know why we are in this 'who is the bigger monster competition'. It is not my intention to make light of what you are going through, ok? I just..."
"I just want to help you, ok?"
"Yeah well. I don't know if I deserve your help. I can't go back there, not right now. Feya didn't trust me so she called in Mathers. The players didn't trust me so they killed me."
He starts to shake and sniff, "And because of that I-I killed Maya.. I said all those horrible things to everyone. I wanted the world to feel it all." Fat tears well up in his eyes and he brings his neck close to the ground to wipe them away.
"They took my key and it felt so cold."
"Come on Percy, this is nonsense!" Caio says, frowning. "Skyler used to work for the CHC and I'm working with Terrier to reform her and helping Imagerie with Scythe... despite all the overwhelming emotional charge, you killing a fictional character, even if totally real-like, doesn't even compare to what they did." He points his finger to Percy's chest. "I'm on your side and I'm your friend, so I won't take you saying you don't deserve it!" Noticing he was worked up, he sits back on the tree.
"How sure you are that your actions back there were not deeply influenced by the world magic? Shin lost his key and was lost in character... I was affected somewhat even if I had my key. It looks illogical that you'd lose yours and not be changed. I talked with the Oracle there and she spent no efforts convincing me that the keys were extremely tied to ourselves and that losing them would be horrible."
"What's the difference? If my key got rid of part of me and left a different core ideal."
Percy shakes his head and shifts a bit. "I was affected by the magic. It-" He sighs getting frustrated, "I was.. no, this version of me. The kind nice apologetic and wanting to help me. Was shoved so far under the covers that I couldn't stop the.. how I feel about things. How damn frustrating things are, how isolated I feel sometimes... all those feelings were just bare on the surface."
Twisting his mouth and rubbing at his eyes again he shrank down to almost eye level with Caio. "So what difference does it make, if that's who I really am under the surface? If I deep down wanted to kill the character to make the player suffer."
"The difference is that without the magic there is a good chance you'd never hit rock bottom. And perhaps you'll never hit it again."
"Imagine a deep well, where Umboriax is at the very bottom. This well is filled with water... as s@&# happens to you, the water dries, but as you get help from friends, family, you grow into yourself, or just the time passes, the water fills up again." He was thinking about the example as he was speaking, so he did it slow to make it not nonsensical. "The well is stable. There is always water inside it so you don't even wonder what is on the bottom. There are hard times when it dries more than ever, but you just know it will fill again."
"Then there is a magical drought and it instantly dries the well, revealing the 'monster' at the bottom... but now, the drought passed and it is submerged again. You know what is down there, so you rightfully worry about it, but that doesn't mean the well will ever dry again. And now, with this knowledge, we, people who care for you, can work to keep the well filled with water."
Caio sighs, doubtful of his success. "Does it at least make some sense? I'm aware it is a huge oversimplification..."
Percy warbbles a bit as he feels the weird well scenario is a bit childish at first, but then he lets out a sigh and nods. "Yeah I-I guess that does make sense. It's just, I guess now I need to try and not think about the bottom of the well. There are other monsters that I think I might be more afraid of." He glances back towards Halcyon looking away quickly after.
"F+~* yeah, man! I'm as surprised as you that it made sense." Despite the serious conversation, a tiny amount of humor could very well help.
Following his eyes, he nods. "Yeah... we'll need to face them sooner or later and it will not be easy."
As Caio's eyes turn back to meet Percy's, he suddenly sees the sword Matariel in his hands, rain lashing down in a torrent, and Indarius's jaws wide and terrible lunging for him! He strikes in desperation, driving the ancient steel deep into the dragon's neck just as the daggerlike teeth clamp down on him crushing bone and severing arteries...
Caio blinks and the vision is gone, but the smell of rain is deep in his lungs.
Caio gets to his feet and turns towards Halcyon. "Have you heard of Saint George, Percy?"
"I mean yeah... but no i've never really read up on saints. Why?"
"His most famous legend. Saint George and the Dragon." He takes a deep breath and looks at his friend, hopeless for a moment. "When I was the Wolf, I've spend some time looking for the Hunter... Just in case, you know?"
"So... If we utterly fail and there is no other way around... I promise you I'll play my part, ok?
I'll be your Saint George."
Percy shrinks back from after the implication sinks in. And shortly after Caio is left with the sound of wingbeats echoing in the silent out of Halycon night.
Shin's in plain clothes at the moment, finishing up with his notes as he listens to Maeve end her report to him. He's actually glad that she's here. He feels things will work out better this way.
"...I can't help but notice you're far less detailed about when you set out with the princess from the castle and kind of just jump to you leaving her and running off into the woods. Anything I should know about that?" He asks. The privacy filter is up in here so they're free to speak plainly with no allusions.
Maeve is clad in a long flannel robe worn over her nightgown. Her ladybug slippers match the robe. She serves Shin his tea (lemon ginger) before sitting down. The tea is too hot for human lips, so she’s stalled enough.
“I wanted to fix the world. That demon form was fun, and so powerful… but I tainted everything I touched, effectively making my wake an extension of hell.
“I knew Connie’s key would help, so she led me to believe like we were really discussing whether she’d lend it to me. Then finally she said no, and her reason…”
Mae has a dejected look.
“It doesn’t matter.”
"It mattered enough to you. The roles we played initially weren't too far off of the mark from our baseline. Yours though, probably was supposed to be for Max, but seems she's out of town and that's why you were slotted in."
Shin sips the offered tea. The extra heat gets absorbed before it has a chance to burn his skin. "...do you think you're any different from who you were a year ago?" He asks.
Mae sips her tea. She nods. “I was happier. Scared of life among humans, but for the wrong reasons.
“When Connie said how I hurt and disappointed her, I don’t know why she got personal. But that demon role seemed made for me.” She looks Shin in the eye. “The daughter of an evil entity. Ruin everything I touch. Whore. And between those thoughts and Connie’s form being a complete mockery of a princess, I just stopped myself from talking—I needed to process. I was thinking of how she hurt me most deeply, and the biggest disappointment in our relationship.
“Then she apologized, and I… I just lost it.”
"You don't ruin everything. You're not a whore. And I think that when we were trapped in those forms, our subconscious desires are more easily expressed for everyone. Including Connie and myself."
Shin sighs. "So why, when you got the apology you wanted, did you take it that badly?"
“I didn’t want an apology,” Mae says matter-of-factly. There’s a look accompanying the words she almost doesn’t say.
But knowing Shin will ask, she cedes, “Connie never accepted mine.”
"Usually, when we don't accept apologies, it's because we think they're insincere or the person giving it isn't apologizing for the right thing. What were you trying to apologize for? And what did Connie apologize to you for as well?"
“The letter I wrote the day we broke up was heartfelt. I don’t know why she didn’t… I can’t speak for her.”
Mae’s eyes well. `Sorry for hurting your feelings.’ That was her apology. I didn’t believe it sincere at the time, but now…”
A tear drop.
“Shin, the team didn’t bat an eyelash when Connie said she has an anti-pixite ward. Do you understand why this action is hurtful? And highly offensive?“
"More than you realize. But Connie also has wards for anything she thinks can cause her harm. And your mother caused her a lot of harm. I don't think she can make a ward that would protect her only from her without making sure it would protect her from other pixites."
He pauses for a sip of tea. "But having something meant to protect you against an entire race makes me think of some really bad situations I was only lucky enough not to live through, so yeah. I understand."
Mae sips her tea. “I’m not mad at Connie. I just wish instead of apologizing for hurting me, she’d apologize for what she did that hurt me, and not keep doing it.
“And I do need to apologize to her… I got out of that carriage.” Maeve smiles a little. “It was just to look around, get fresh air, avoid conversation… and I was the Succu-Boss. So I thought the coachmen would go straight to General Costa as ordered.
“So I saw the fey gate and… it was the most beautiful thing! I fell in love with the world.” With an annoyed expression, not directed at Shin but from reliving the moment, she adds, “But that stupid demoness… now I not only had a yearning for Connie’s key. I also wanted to taint the Fey Wood.
“So I thought of how Chastity prays, and Quincy’s the god of the world. So I prayed for death. I wanted the demon to die so the world would be safe from her. I couldn’t find any heroes to slay me. I tried that first.”
And then there’s the Fairy Dust. “Oh, and being a demon, tempting Quincy felt more natural than praying to him. So I offered him Fairy Dust for what I’d been craving since the Italy trip.”
"She's not got the anti-pixite ward up for you. You know who she's got it for. And that's not something she's going to apologize for after what happened to her." Shin looks at Maeve intently. "But when she says she's sorry, she means it. She never wants to hurt you. I don't want to hurt anyone."
He rubs the back of his neck. "And I have no idea how you managed to get an artifact from the outside world like Fairy Dust in there. Or what you've been craving from Italy. I am moderately concerned about anyone praying for death."
Mae says of the ward, “I’m not asking for an apology for that. Connie should, for her own sanity, stop obsessing over Mother though. Mother has no interest in Connie.
“I purchased the Fairy Dust for frivolous reasons… but Connie and I broke up before we could ever use it.” She glances at her tea with a sentimental smile. “But my little deal gave Kyana a place to be her-self, right?”
Not forgetting Shin’s other question. “That craving is only for Connie’s ears when I apologize to her.”
"...Kyana's player was brought back here by Rain. Currently in the hospital on a psychiatric hold. The deal you made has apparently created a permanent fey gate that's being guarded by iron fencing right now. The fantasy world is gone. No way to go back."
He looks Maeve in the eye. "...Maeve, there are a lot of things that I want to meet you halfway on. And I don't want to hurt you. You want to help people, and I love that about you. But you've made an assumption about what is most helpful to someone in the moment and not what is most helpful to them long-term."
Mae has a sympathetic look. “Aww… well, you’re probably right. It was kinda weird to see maids and think they’re real people, and children, and Queen Millificent…” Mae covers her mouth to stifle a giggle. “Uh, that’s not funny. Anyway, a world full of imaginary people can’t be healthy.
“But yeah, I think that’s it. My fire went out and I was reborn in water.” She finishes her tea and places the empty cup on the table. Her lips form a small grin. “So… Val.”
"Is fine." Shin says. "...do you need time to process what I've just told you and that's why you're changing the subject to something more comfortable for yourself?"
Mae shakes her head. “No. I can see how a fake world could lure someone away from the real one, and at a cost.
“You don’t have to talk about things with Val if you’d rather not. It was nice being on a team with her.” With a more serious look, she notes, “You know she wasn’t fully immersed at first, right? She knew who I was… but when Myra died, her voice changed.
“I talked to Summer about that. I wanted to know how she felt about it.”
"I was a bit busy riding out my subconscious desire to be a cool barbarian hero at the time, but I did clock that." He says. "Like how I clocked your water fairy form was still an allusion to yourself."
He looks at Maeve. "...you're not the least bit concerned about this Fey gate?"
“Maybe I should be,” she cedes. “I have debts to Tyg and Copperflagert. I know how to put in a call to Tyg. Mother can send word to Copperflaggert, and report my readiness to pay my debt to them. Singular, gender neutral.”
She checks before committing: “Do you want me to though? I’m not sure I should call upon fey I’m in debt to, or whether it’s best to wait for the fey and work on their timeline.” She admits, “I’m under the opinion we’re better off leaving the fey gate alone, as long as it’s stable.”
"I don't have answers for that. You should run whatever you plan to do by the team before you take any actions." Shin taps the side of his cup with his finger. "...I have to check in with the rest of them. Thank you for the tea. If you want to talk about anything else, my door is open."
“Sure.” Fem smiles at Shin. “And hey… thanks for noticing my desire to help people is real, not just for show.”
"...you have nothing but good intentions. But they say that's how the road to hell is paved. You just need to keep thinking about the future and consider the potential outcomes."