You wake up, once again, dawn's light shining into your eyes. You glance out the window, and there was no sign of what happened yesterday, with the archdemon, or the great portal to another world in the sky. Kaliel was sitting up in bed, reading, with a scroll to her side, as she made a few notes or markings on the scroll. Absentmindedly, when she noticed you were awake, she patted your head.
"Grayson wanted to talk to you." She said, as you gave her a kiss. "He said he'll be in my workshop, waiting. He also wanted to talk to Lea about it too."

>>21270868
"I'd best get on that then."
Get up, get dressed, go find Lea, cure her hangover, and go down to to the workshop.

>>21270865
Grab some tea, get to Lea room and cure that hangover she'll most likely have, and head on down.

"I'd best get on that, then." You say, and give her another kiss. You get up, your tail whipping this way and that. You quickly shapeshift back human, so that you could actually wear clothing, and then you get dressed.
You make your way down to Lea's room, and when you open the door, instead of a humongous, empty void, she's simply laying in bed, snoring loudly.

Rolled 52

>>21270970
Pre-emptively cure her hangover.
Then, in a sing-song voice
"Time to wake up, Lea."

>>21270970
Pounce on her!

>You quickly shapeshift back human
We were still a dragon? How'd we even fit inside?

>>21270970
Conjure a cold glass of water for her and wake her up as gently as we can.

>>21271015
We probably went back to half-dragon when we came back inside.
Alternatively, the royal bedroom takes up an entire floor by itself.

>>21271015
>After you undid the dragon crystal enchantment, you were still in your dragon-girl chimera form.

You close your eyes, and with your magic, you reach into her head, and force healing magic from your palms. It's more tiring than you expected, but you're still fresh and rejuvinated from spending an entire day off.

"Time to wake up, Lea." You say, in a sing-song voice, and she snaps awake, sitting up, eyes wide- and then she calms down.
"... Good morning." She said, rubbing at her arm. The ink on her arms, once making up runes identical to leon's arms, smudged badly. She gave you a grin. "Yesteday was fun." She said, and pushed herself out of bed, quickly getting dressed.

>>21271062
"You wouldn't be saying that if I didn't think to cure your hangover before waking you up. Grayson wanted to talk to us downstairs."

>>21271062
"What did you get up to?"

"You wouldn't be saying that if I didn't think to cure your hangover before waking you up." You say.
"Good point." She said, taking a sponge to the ink on her arms. "I've never had a hangover before."
She quickly donned her cloak, and checked it to make sure she still had Azariel's sword in there- apparently she'd emptied it of Kaliel's books after she reclaimed it, putting the books in Kali's workshop.
"What did you get up to?"
"Shenanigans." She said. "Mostly. Practical jokes on eachother."
"Grayson wanted to talk to us downstairs." You say.
"Did he? Okay." She said, following you out of the room. You make your way down to Kaliel's workshop, which was dim as always, and then you see Grayson snoring, curled into a ball, his tongue hanging out as the feline drooled.

Oh man we're on 102 already? I left off at 80 at what feels like a week ago.

>>21271118
[X] hug fluffy
"Good morning, Grayson."

>>21271135
Closer to three weeks. Would you like a quick synopsis of what all has happened since then, or would you prefer to go back and read it yourself?

>>21271135
Yeah man, he's been running three threads a day. between X-Com sessions

>>21271118
"Awww. Grayson, we're here."

>>21271135
80 was over three weeks ago.

>>21271148
>>21271153
>>21271159

Looks like I have some reading to do. To the archives!

You kneel down and hug Grayson tightly, and his eyes peek open as his ears twitch.
"Good morning, Grayson."
"Good morning." He said, laying his head in your lap. You immediately started scratching his head.
"Grayson, we're here." Lea said, and started petting his belly.
He cleared his throat.
"Then... I'd best tell you what I know." He said. "It was... my fault Intuition died. I was told to... to protect you, to protect the child, but... I followed her. I couldn't let her face Ego on her own... and I distracted her, at the wrong moment."

>>21271217
Keep scratching his head.
"...It's okay, Grayson. I blame Ego, not you."

>>21271251
no.
"...It's okay, Grayson. I don't blame you."

>>21271217
Put a hand on his head, "You did what you thought was right. I refuse to blame you for that. It was Ego who killed her, NOT you. Whatever blame you think you have in the matter - you're forgiven."

>>21271217
>>21271217
Let him continue if there's anymore to it.

Otherwise...

"You went to protect her, help her, from my point you did nothing wrong. No one would blame you or should."

"It's okay, Grayson. I don't blame you." You gently put your hand on his head. "You did what you thought was right. I refuse to blame you for that."
"I know you'd say that." He said. "But... I broke the cycle, then. That's something that no guardian, even broken, or damaged, or insane, is ever to do. I was ordered to do something... and I didn't."
He closed his eyes for a moment. "But all arakoatoa are dead, now, so I suppose it doesn't matter. What's done is done." He looked up at you. "I just... had to say that, and to say... that I can answer your questions about your mother, if you wanted."

>>21271332
"I've never known her, Grayson. I wouldn't know where to start."

>>21271332
"What was her favourite colour? Her favourite season? Her favourite smell?"

"I've never known her, Grayson. I wouldn't know where to start." You say. "What was her favorite color? Her favorite season? Her favorite smell?"
"She was always fond of Kalazhn." He said. "She loved the shade of the world's sky during the rainy season, that pretty purple and grey shade, as the sun reflected off of the clouds..."
"Kalazhn?" Lea asked.
"That was... the name the arakoatoa chose for the world where... well, where Azariel came from." Grayson said.

>>21271480
If I read this right.

"She visited Kalak home world?

"She visited the Kalak home world?"
"When she was a little girl, Instinct took her across many worlds, learning their languages and their societies. Intuition went to many worlds, and took many forms, but the kalak home world was always her favorite, and went back there often. She dreamed of taking a kalak form and becoming one of them... and then the famine started before she did." He said. "Everyone died, and the people left... went mad, with hunger pains, without enough magic to sustain themselves. Finally, Ego... broke many of the great works in his hunger, and the maddened arakoaktoa suddenly had the power to enter other worlds again. The demons were created, that day, and Intuition... was the only one left. The guardians were destroyed, all of them except for me."

>>21271627
"Did you know any of the other guardians?"

"Did you know any of the other guardians?"
"Ego and Instinct each had their own guardian. Magenta and Onyx, they were called, older and more powerful than I. I was Cyan, at the time, created to serve your mother." He closed his eyes, and you scratched his head some more, as his tail whipped this way and that.
"Your mother ... was only a child, when the famine happened. Very close to your age, when you'd just arrived here. She spent... the rest of her life, fighting archdemon after archdemon, killing friends and strangers alike, all her kin. She only had a few years of peace. Her form was injured, damaged in Arcturus, as she fought and failed to kill Ego. Abel found her, then, and they... fell in love. Once every few years, Ego arrived, attempting to take the world, but she fought him off every time... and then you were born."

Rolled 71

>>21271723
>Cyan, Onyx, and Magenta
Damn it! I can't believe we didn't get Azure out of that bubble of space-time! Rolling for it, for all that is holy! It'll probably fail but whatever.

>>21271723
"That's interesting that we both have such close connections to the kalak."

>>21271767
They're not the same Cyan, Onyx and Magenta.

>>21271723
"How old was I when... that happened?"

>>21271809
How old were we when we were born? About 0.

>>21271816
"That" is referring to that fight that she got killed in.

"How old was I when... that happened?"
"When your mother died? A year, maybe two." He said. "You two were just... just a baby, when she faced Ego for the final time. This was the first time she'd fought without me. She'd... ordered me to protect you, and protect you I did, as a songbird. And then... I felt foreboding. I felt she was going to die, so I fled. When I found her... she was in trouble, her shell's arm unweaving into ash. I did my best to help... but then I was slain... and she cried for me. I distracted her. I'm a fool."

>>21271848
"It doesn't sound like she could have won that fight at all."

"It doesn't sound like she could have won that fight at all."
"She won it. Many times, over the years." Grayson said. "But she won it that... final time, as well. She could have... kept ahold of her soul, to keep it from unweaving... but with the last of her power, she forced Ego away a final time. A sacrifice, one that all reality recognized the enormity of. It kept him away, for thirteen years."
Quietly, he started purring.
"And then I was left. Alone, and broken, my memories gone, and everything lost... and all I could remember was that order to protect you. My songbird body was gone, so I took one of a small cat, and did what I could."

>>21271907
"I wish I could have met her. She kept me safe from the demons since I was a little child and I never knew her.

Tell me more about her, what did she look like, how did she treat people she didn't know, what was her favorite food, why did she fall in love with my father?"

>>21271907
"Why did you never talk to me when we were in Arcturus? Was it because you were damaged?"

>>21271989
Injured, not damaged you arse

"I wish I could have met her." You say. "She kept me safe from the demons since I was a little child and I never knew her. Tell me more about her. What did she look like? How did she treat people she didn't know? What was her favorite food? Why did she fall in love with my father?"
"She was always... happy to meet new people. She never showed it, but every time she met a new person she would whisper to me 'I wonder what their story was? I wonder how they learned to do this? Can you think of a way to ask them that isn't rude?' She wanted to know every story. The story of a someone who lived a boring, peaceful life... those were her favorites, and even if someone's story was exactly the same as someone else's, she always listened with the same sort of... entrancement. She was never good with people, though. The famine had... damaged her, and it was hard for her to show when she was happy. As for your father... I think it was the way he acted. She never knew what was with him, the way he was so mysterious, and the way he was always kind and warm, no matter how cold she was back to him. She'd glare at him, similar to the way you did, way back when... and he'd just smile at her, giving her a flower. Her favoruite food... I don't know. She ate everything at least once. She'd seen a few cows eating grass, and she decided that that day, she wanted to know what it was like. So she made salad out of grass."
>Field too long!

"Why did you never talk to me when we were in Arcturus? Was it because you were injured?"
He nodded.
"I didn't know how to speak, and I had... attacks, where I wasn't able to control my body. One day I was hit by a carriage during one of those attacks, and I didn't know... I didn't know how to enter any other bodies, for the longest time. I wish I could've watched you grow up, and protected you from the horrors of the demon attack, but the next thing I knew, I was here, in the body of a bear... And then you used sorcery on me. That power... repaired me, partially."

>>21272069
No, "damaged" is the applicable term. He is/was a stable construct. It's also the word he used himself, if you'll recall.

>>21272099
"Sorcery is strange like that. Since I thought you were actually a bear, I was trying to impress calmness and friendship on you."

>>21272099
"It did? I wasn't trying to do that."

>>21272103
>He is/was a stable construct.
Fuck you.

>>21272099
How is lea dealing with this news?

"She sounds like a wonderful person."

>>21272119
"Not that I'm complaining."

>>21272128
What? He is. Just like Azure (the physical portion, at any rate) was a robot in SCQ. It's not derogatory, just a statement of fact.

>>21272128
What's wrong with stating facts?
You racist against constructs and don't want to admit such a nice person could be one?

"It did? I wasn't trying to do that." You say. "Since I thought you were actually a bear, I was trying to impress calmness and friendship on you."
"That's why I'm so calm." He said. "That... made up part of my personality, replacing the damaged parts."
"She sounds like a wonderful person." You say, and spare Lea a glance. She was sitting there, arms hugging her legs, staring mindlessly down.
"She was." Grayson said, and closed his eyes. "I loved her. She was my best friend, my everything."
"... I could've saved her." Lea said. "When I went back. I could've gone back further, and... and stopped the gearworks from ever being made. Or I could've came to Arcturus, and used my... my power on Ego." She said, clenching her hand. Dark streams of energy coiled down her arm, burning like some kind of dark, malevolent flame, writhing in her palm.
"... Why didn't I?"

>>21272181
"I had considered using the gearworks like that. But... Doing that would have completely changed everything. I'd have never met most of my friends, and I certainly wouldn't have met Kali. I know why you didn't do it either. If the gearworks was never made, it couldn't be used to restore your emotions. If you stopped Ego, there wouldn't have been an opportunity to use it, since I never would have come here. I don't blame or resent you for that. Not in the slightest."
[X] hug timeclone.

>>21272181
No. What happened happened. I chose you, and I refuse to believe I made the wrong decision.

>>21272181
"Because then the demons would never have invaded and I wouldn't have escaped here and got the Gearworks for you. You were incapable of caring about anything else."

>>21272181
"What's done is done," hugs
>>21272229
>[X] hug sister.
ftfy

>>21272181
There is most likely an infinite number of things you would like to have changed back then. However you neither knew of this back then nor were you able to change everything ever nor were you able to care at that time. No guilt should be felt for things you were unable to do.

As her eyes bored holes into the ground, the energy coiling around her arms intensified... and all color left the world, save for pulsing purple energy hiding within the dark energy, peeking out now and then... and then you gave her a hug, and color returned to the world.
"I had considered using the gearworks like that." You say. "But... doing that would have completely changed everything. I'd never have met most of my friends, and I certainly wouldn't have met Kali. I don't know why you didn't do it either. If the gearworks was never made, it couldn't be used to restore your emotions. If you stopped Ego, there wouldn't have been an opportunity to use it, since I never would have come here. I don't blame or resent you for that. Not in the slightest. What happened happened. I chose you, and I refuse to believe I made the wrong decision."
"... You made the wrong decision." She said, softly, and hugged you back, her eyes shut tightly as tears welled up within them. "B-but I'm glad you did."

>>21272279
"Nonsense. Mother had her time, and the Lost One is in stasis. I didn't want to leave you like that."

>>21272279
You needed saving.

>>21272279
"Mother had lived her life. She was happy. She loved and was loved. You couldn't stay like that, Lea. You needed help."

"Mother had lived her life." You say. "She was happy. She loved and was loved. You couldn't stay like that, Lea. You needed saving."
"Y-you're right." She said. "If I came out of stasis, and the Gearworks was destroyed, and I didn't have my emotions back... I would have... would have attacked you. And mother. and everyone. And... tried to go back again, to come up with something else to sacrifice to destroy the Key again."

>>21272365
And you were so sad and empty. Nobody should live like that.

I do wish we could talk to her. To tell her how we've done and make her proud. But I can't even make her a monument, as I don't know what she looked like.

>>21272394
I don't think a monument would feel right. But we could get her appearance from Abel and have Zeke paint a picture of her.

>>21272365
Lea... I didn't save you for everyone else's benefit. I saved you because YOU needed saving. Everyone deserves a chance.

Now shut up and hug me while Grayson tells us story's about mother.

"Lea... I didn't save you for everyone else's benefit." You say. "I saved you beause *you* needed saving. You were so sad and empty, and nobody should live like that. Everyone deserves a chance."
"Thank you." She said, and tightened her hug.
"Now shut up and hug me while Grayson tells us stories about mother."
"Well, we'd just taken the tower of babylon to a new realm, and we landed in a swamp, covered in lizardmen..." Grayson started.

"...and then the dinosaur attacked, as we escaped through the portal and came back to our world." Grayson said, several hours later, having finished many stories about your mother, lea asleep on the Guardian's form. "The rest of the stories can wait... but it was hundreds of years, and we never spent more than a day at home. It was always adventure, always magic, always roaming from world to world, form to form."

>>21272594
our mother was the equivalent of the doctor

>>21272594
"Sounds a bit like what we've been doing here, in a way."

>>21272594
"Sounds fun."

"Hey, do you know anything about how they gave up their bodies?"

>>21272594
"It was a good life then."

>>21272594
That sounds amazing. Now I want to go on a holiday, an adventure through the realms.

Thankyou so much Grayson.

Give him a kiss on the forehead.

Rolled 43

>>21272594
"Do you miss being able to change your form Grayson?"

"That sounds amazing." You say. "Thank you, so much, Grayson." You say, and kiss him on the forehead.
"Hey, do you know anything about how they gave up their bodies?"
"I don't, I'm afraid." He said. "It was before my time. Before Ego's time, even. Through one of the Arakoatoan Great Works, their kings of artifacts, they changed the entire nature of their race, from one of flesh, to one of magic. But it... changed their souls, as well. They no longer visited the umbra, but fell apart into the void, like spells."

"Do you miss being able to change your form, Grayson?"
"I don't." He said. "I'm content in whichever form I end up in, be it a song bird with no talent but one to send people lullabies, to the form of the king of dire bears."

>>21272702
"Shall we see what everyone's up to, Grayson?"

>>21272702
"Would that Great Work still be around, or did Ego destroy it?"

"Would that Great Work still be around, or did Ego destroy it?"
"He destroyed many of the great works, but the Tower of Babylon remained... so others may remain, as well." He said. "We always went back to the same place to rest, before going back to the tower, and another world. We never explored to see what was broken, and what was not."
"Shall we see what everyone's up to, Grayson?" You ask.
"I would, but..." He looked down to Lea, who was currently cuddled up next to him, using him as a pillow. "But I don't want to wake her."

>>21272702
We should not forget, that we wanted to inform everyone of what went down regarding the archdemon as well as the Gearworks. What time is it right now? Let's call a meeting over the next appropriate meal (dinner? lunch?)

>>21272792
Then I shall leave her in your excellent care. Kiss her on the forehead too.

Kaliel recently said you helped her a lot. Thankyou for that, Grayson.

Will you be able to come with kaliel and myself when we go to her homeworld? I would feel better if you were there, but lea might need you here.

>>21272857
Lea comes too. That solves that problem.
I'm sure she's curious about her mother's favorite world.

"Then I shall leave her in your excellent care." You say, and kiss Lea on the forehead. "Kaliel recently said you helped her a lot. Thank you for that, Grayson."
"One shouldn't let fear come in the way of love." He responded, and closed his eyes. "I will be here. Remembering."
You make your way up to the dining hall, and you see several soldiers having lunch, as well as Kristoph and Marigold. You see her giggle at some wry comment he made.
"Hey, Ishelda." Marigold said, as you took a seat. "How was your day off yesterday?"

>>21272930
"It was fun. How are you two doing?"

>>21272930
It was only really half a day off, I was busy in the morning.

"It was fun." You say. "How are you two doing?"
"Enjoying one another's company." Kristoph said, and Marigold nodded, giving him a smile.
<Everything is... wonderful.> Marigold said, her cheeks pinkening. <Really wonderful.>

>>21273017
<I'm glad.>
"I'd best get some lunch too."

>>21273017
<Don't worry, Mar. I won't squee out loud.>

<I'm glad.> You say, and Marigold nodded.
"I'd best get some lunch too." You say, and the cooks serve you some food and tea, on the back of Lil'bubbles. It seems that everyone's gotten used to the golem already.
"I also heard you knighted Leon. He and Romulus are in the castle somewhere, still." Kristoph said, between bites. "Romulus is really interested in that Lewin's sister, for some reason."
"I got the feeling that it wasn't in a romantic way." Marigold said. "But like..."
"A wizardly way." Kristoph said. "When they see something that interests them and they just have to start studying it... or something."

>>21273086
"Romulus' talent let's him learn a lot about a person just by looking at them. Maybe she has an interesting Talent or something."

>>21273086
Oh dear, do you think u should go and interfere?

>>21273086
"Well I hope he isn't bothering her."

>>21273086
<And you remembered to make sure he could do knightly things the next day! Thanks, Mar!>
I think we should be relentless to her.

>>21273086
And then Ishelda had that same look on her face.

"Well, maybe I should check up with Romules...just to make sure he isn't bugging her or anything."

"Romulus' talent lets him learn a lot about a person just by looking at them. Maybe she has an interesting talent or something."
"Maybe." Kristoph said.
"Well, I hope he isn't bothering her. Do you think I should go and interfere?"
"I hope not." Marigold said.
<And you remembered to make sure he could do knightly things the next day! Thanks, Mar!>
Mar suddenly 'eeped' and her cheeks lightened, somehow. she deliberately ate her food, not looking up.
<It was... very nice.> She responded.
"Well, maybe I should check up with Romulus... just to make sure he isn't bugging her or anything."
"That might be best." Kristoph said. "I have to say, I respect Leon a whole hell of a lot... but I can't be sure that I trust his brother."

>>21273181
He is untrustworthy by nature, but I think his heart, somewhere deep down, is in approximately the right place.

>>21273181
"I trust Leon to keep him in line if necessary. Not that I think he's a bad person or anything."

>>21273181
"Well, Romulus is definitely a rather... complex fellow. I don't know about trustworthy, but I'm sure he intends well."

>>21273181
"I like him, but he is very secretive."

All the kalak, Abel, Kar, Kris, Leon, etc, etc: <Meeting to discuss eastern continent and demons and things later.>
Got to give the poor people some warning instead of just telling them all to drop whatever they're doing when we finally start.

"Well, Romulus is definitely a rather... complex fellow. I don't know about trustworthy, but I'm sure he intends well. And I trust Leon to keep him in line, if necessary."

"Good point, good point." Kristoph said. "Leon would indeed strike his own brother if he needed to. It's part of what I like about him."

You look down to the ring, and contact all of your friends, your father, everyone. <Meeting to discuss the eastern continent, and demons and things later.>
As you got a bunch of confirmations, you turned back to Kristoph- to see Marigold kissing him, pushing her lips up against his. Lazily, Kristoph responded, his hand in the small of her back.

>>21273325
Oh dear, she's smitten.

Blush politely and ignore them.

>>21273325
That reminds me.
<Gehenna, enjoying your day off?>
We must tease him about last night.

>>21273325
"Hey. Hey, Mar."
Once they're looking at us squee. loudly.

You blush, very slightly, and look down to your food, giving them their privacy.
<Gehenna, enjoying your day off?> You ask.
<I am.> He responded <Thank the magic of healing for hangovers. Today *and* tomorrow, the way things are going. But I'm still planning on attending that meeting you just told us about.>

>>21273436
<I saw you last night. Two at once, huh?>

>>21273436
<Good, good. I must say I'm impressed. I didn't think you had it in you.>

>>21273436
<and how are they doing?>

<Good, good.> You say. <I must say I'm impressed. I didn't think you had it in you.>
<Had what in me?>
<I happened to see you last night. Two at once, huh?>
<... Well, erm, that's between me and them.> He said. <These are quite personal matters.>

>>21273533
<Right you are.>

<You're much less fun to tease then Marigold.>

>>21273533
<Of course they are, which is why I'm not pressing further. You really aren't much fun to tease.>

>>21273533
<Of course. I'm glad to know you were making efficient use of your time.>

<Right you are.> You say. <Which is why I'm not pressing further. You really aren't much fun to tease.>
<With a brother like mine, you learn a few things.> Gehenna said, and chuckled through the ring.
<I'm glad to know you were making efficient use of your time.> You say, and snicker. Marigold and Kristoph both look to you suddenly, pulling away from one another.
Soon enough, your striplisk muffins arrive, complete with some vinefruit juice, pluvash bread, lembas wafers, and some chicken eggs. You quickly start eating.

>>21273694
Let's try and make Mar blush.
"So, you two had a good time last night huh?"

>>21273694
Yesterday was my day off, but I'm not sure what there is to do today.

>>21273694
"Good that you two are getting along. I wonder if Raz and my father have got together yet."

>>21273764
We already got him to spill the beans on that.
Yes.

>>21273745
We could hold court, address any troubles and disagreements, build some roads, work on other bits of infrastructure.

>>21273800
Some practical LOLSORCERY does sound like fun.

Holding court might be interesting. I'm sure there's some commoners with things to ask or bring to our attention or whatnot.

>>21273780
I mean officially together, not one night of drunken makeouts.

>>21273820
I still want to set Carver up with Sardriel, because reasons.

"So, you two had a good time last night, huh?"
"And the night before." Kristoph said. Marigold's cheeks went pink again, and she nodded.
"Good that you two are getting along."
"I could only resist Mar's advances so much." Kristoph said, and gave you a grin. "Now I'm not even sure why I wanted to."
Marigold suddenly went a deep, dark red, as she blushed furiously.
"I-I'm going to go help with the nervghaul." Marigold said, standing. She quickly ran off, and you hear Kell graw after her.
Kristoph chuckled. "She's still rather shy." He said. "A few improper touches she wasn't expecting, and she runs off."

>>21273860
We should definitely arrange a meeting, but I think that's a bit far-fetched.

>>21273883
"I was wondering where that blush came from. Better be careful though. Don't want Kell to get jealous."

"Why is she so much fun to tease?"

"I was wondering where that blush came from." You said. "Why is she so much fun to tease?"
"I'm not quite sure." He said. "But she is. But she can be rather elegant, at times. I've become very fond of her in the past few days."
"Better be careful though. Don't want Kell to get jealous."
"Did Grayson ever get jealous toward Kaliel?" Kris asked, and leaned back in his seat.

>>21274002
"Mm, a little possessive at one point I suppose, but not quite jealous. Actually he was the one who wound up giving her enough courage to actually say anything."

>>21274002
"ah! He encouraged her."

"I'll be watching you Kristoph. Your relationship record is far from stellar."

>>21274002
"I don't think so. But he's centuries old and Kell's rather immature."

"Ah! He encouraged her. He was the one who wound up giving her enough courage to actually say anything." You say. "But he's centuries old, and Kell's rather immature."
"You don't pay much attention to Kell, then, do you?" Kristoph asked. "He may be rather stupid, but... he's wise. He's just as much part of that one artifact as he is anything else. The Heart, I think it was called."

>>21274070
"Well, the Heart has been silent for years. To me, at least. Haven't had a chance to observe that wisdom."

>>21274070
Well Kell's usually following Marigold around.

I do miss being able to talk to The Heart, though. It will be nice when Kell can talk.

"Well, the Heart has been silent for years. To me, at least." You say. "Haven't had a chance to observe that wisdom."
"The Heart still beats, so to speak." He said, and finished off his vineapple juice. "At least, that's my theory. But you get the feeling that he's *looking* at you. I don't think he'll get jealous."
"I do miss being able to talk to The Heart, though." You say. "It will be nice when Kell can talk."
"It will." Kristoph responded. "I think we'll have the world's first talking troll."

>>21274173
"Has he learnt any words other than Mawigraw yet?"

>>21274173
"Only the best, for New Arcturus!"

"Only the best, for New Arcturus! Has he learnt any words other than Mawigraw yet?"
He chuckled. "No, not yet." He said. "Not that I've seen, anyway. The big guy's adorable, though."

Suddenly, Kaliel barged into the dining hall, her hair frazzled.
"I have news." She said. "Mala is on her way."
"Mala?" Kristoph asked. "Who's Mala?"
"Right now. In her young form. Her *young* form." Kaliel said. "She... She tested my theory. It went through!"
".. I'm not sure what's going on." Kristoph said.

Kaliel took a few steps closer, grinning proudly. Her eyes were strange- they were amber near the pupil, but red around the edges, gleaming brightly, ever-shifting.
"Immortality is going on, Kristoph." Kaliel said. "The end of an age. The end of age itself."

>>21274342
"No, I thought that was impossi- Your eyes! So pretty."

>>21274342
"Well done Kal! That didn't take you long. How much time do we have before she gets here?"

>>21274342
"I don't think you've actually told me what your theory was, Kaliel."

>>21274342
I think mixture of shock and awe is in order at this time.

"Y-y-you figured it out! So quickly! HOW?! Details. Everything. Now."

"Y-y-you figured it out! So quickly! How? Details. Everything. Now."
"Well, every part of everything isn't actually solid, but a bunch of small objects- motes, or something, like grains of sand. The Gift of Tongues doesn't know the word, so I have to make do. These 'motes' are all connected to one another." She said, pacing, her eyes pulsing with magic power- it was strange, like her passion was here, controlling her... or she was controlling it. "Every transmutationist knows that. But when you shapeshift something or someone, it just changes the shape of the object and not the motes themselves. Even my fleshcrafting does that. That's where talents come from, and bloodlines. They stay inside the motes, and come free when the person reproduces. That's why a human can get the talent of a kalak, or the other way around, and that's what ages. Those motes are what ages. My theory was if you could somehow copy those motes *perfectly*, through brute forcing the magic, you could reverse aging itself."
"So, what, you can use healing magic?"
She whirled around. "This is more transmuting than healing. That was the problem. Shapeshifting changes someone's body, but not their very nature, nor their age. That was my theory, and I asked Mala if it was possible to change those, because I'm not good enough at transmutation. And she *did* it."

>>21274483
Welp, Kal just figured out genetics.

"Why is she coming here though?"

>>21274483
"She knew about these things and could change them before, so why didn't she figure it out?"

>>21274536
>>>21274483
"You're so cute when you're focused." Kiss her!

"So... I had best warn the guards that the immortal dragon who's going to turn up is here for tea, not conquest."

>>21274483
"Well done, Kali. Well done.

So Mala is coming here to show off fruits of your research I take it then. "

"She knew about these things and could change them before, so why didn't she figure it out."
"She didn't know!" Kaliel said, still pacing. "I had to explain a few concepts to her- she didn't actually know as much about fleshcrafting as I did. Her book was helpful, yes, but most of it was stuff I already knew, and stuff to fill in the blanks."
"You're so cute when you're focused." You say, and kiss her. She pulled you close, almost breathing you in, and then slowly calmed down, her eyes boring into yours.
"I'm not focused." She said. "I'm... empassioned. But not blindly, like normal. I can see it. I can see all of it. It's like a thousand different ideas are all bouncing through my head, making connections I didn't see before."
She gave you another long kiss, her eyes closed, and then she brushed her hair out of her face.
"It also means that with transmutation... I can use healing magic, based on the motes. A single mote carries... a record of your entire natural body, and with just one of those, or a drop of blood, or something, I can make the body completely copy the damaged parts of itself."
"So... I had best warn the guards that the immortal dragon who's going to turn up is here for tea, not conquest."
"That would be best." Kaliel said.

>>21274643
<Nahzit! Incoming dragon. Prepare for teatime.>

>>21274643
Make a magic announcement that a dragon is going to show up for tea and that they should just let her in.

>>21274643
Pick her up and carry her off. We have to find Zahzit!

>>21274643
"I should meet her in dragon form! So when will she arrive?"
<Nahzit, there might be a dragon arriving later. She's friendly so don't worry about it.>
We're never going to get this fucking meeting done, are we?

>"She didn't know!"
But she made specialised talents for the sea-serpents. And talents are in the motes. So she must know about and be able to modify the motes.

I get this feeling Mala is going to tell Kali she can't use the spell on Ishelda.

Also should probably push that meeting back now because of dragon.

>>21274749
Meeting postponed due to dragons is the -best- reason.

>>21274764
The best reason is 'meeting cancelled because the world is now perfect and there's nothing to have meetings about'.

>>21274749
Eh, we can just invite Mala to the meeting.

"I should meet her in dragon form!" You say. "So when will she arrive?"
"I have no idea." Kaliel said. "She just said 'I will be there soon.'"
<Nahzit, there is a dragon that is going to show up for tea. Please show her in when she arrives.>
<... I will do so, your majesty.> He said.
Kaliel grinned, and then spun you around, kissing you again.
"I've succeeded." She said, meeting your eyes again. "I can do *anything* if I put enough effort into it."

>>21274797
Can... Can I have a pony?

>>21274797
Can you tell why kids love cinnamon toast crunch?

>>21274797
"Isn't that an amazing feeling. Sorcery is much the same, you just can see a solution to a problem and it happens.

Though I often do more than I meant to, who else can say they accidentally made powerful artifacts?"

Pick up Kal and kiss her.

>>21274797
Can you make me the squiggly things listen to you?

>>2"1274797
"You're amazing Kali!"

"You're amazing, Kali!" You say, picking her up and giving her a kiss.
"I know, I know." She responded.

There was a loud bang outside, and you hear the gate opening.
<Er.. This isn't a complete dragon... but good enough, I suppose.> Nahzit said. <Your guest has arrived.>

Soon enough, you make your way out there, and see... a strange, strange being. She looked like a tall, stretched out kobold at first, with thick scales and horns all over her body, but her back carried enormous wings, and her scales were pure red instead of green and brown.
"This form would be easier to use, I decided." She said, and bowed. "Mala'khairos, at your service." She said, to you and Kali. "I hope we may become friends."

>End of thread!

>>21274947
"Rawr!"

>>21274947
How big is Mala? kobald sized? horse sized?

>>21275001
She's actually ogre-sized- around eight or nine feet tall. But in dragon form she's damn enormous- the size and mass of a semi, trailer included.

>>21275026
What do dragons eat? We haven't prepared anything! We need something to go with the tea.

>>21275174
Dragons are omnivorous- they eat anything they damn well want to. Though they prefer foliage from trees and entire, large animals... though Mala hasn't eaten in hundreds of years, so she'll likely like anything you give her.

>>21275245
TEA

GALLONS AND GALLONS OF TEA

>>21275279
What is the maximum tea output in cups per minute of lil bubbles? Will it be enough to fuel a dragon?

>>21275365
We might need to make Not-So-Lil Bubbles.

>>21275365
If it's not, we just make more. Create an unstoppable army of golems that will serve tea to everyone no matter what.

>>21275365
In 'tea party mode', he can make three teapots a minute (30 cups), but only for a short time. After that, he'll run out of power and start glitching and require to be reset and refueled with energy. Without tea party mode, he can make five to ten cups a minute, but can do so continually.

>>21275443
You didn't say how many cups it takes to fuel a dragon.

You are a mark one prototype tea-serving golem, crafted by the Queen Ishelda. Your designation is 'lil bubbles', and you are fundamentally broken.

Your capabilities are this-
>A unique 'inventory', which contains all the supplies you will ever need to make as much tea as you need.
>Eight legs, each very good for walking, but very bad for manipulating things such as teacups. However, superb programming has taught you to manipulate teacups and tea-related objects with relative ease.
>A flamethrower, for brewing the tea itself.
>Your programming, when it comes to tea, is superb- anything tea-related you can succeed at with any roll above a 30.
>However, you're rather broken, and when it comes with anything non-tea related, you are a failure. You can only succeed on rolls above an 80, or on any roll that includes two of the same number (11, 22, 33, 44, so on)
You were simply sitting in the dining hall, when you had a.... feeling.
Someone, down in the city, desperately had some tea, your archaic mind told you. Your mission was simple- you needed to get to them, and quickly.
You were in the dining hall, which was all but empty, save for the knight Kristoph. There was the window to the kitchen, the great double doors to the often unused throne room, and finally, the doors to the main chamber of the keep.
>Wat do?

>>21275586
>Whoops, forgot the title.

>>21275586
Head over to Kristoph, make him a cup of tea. See if he has any troubles on his mind that he wants to talk about.

>>21275586
To the main chamber. That should have a way out of the castle and down to the city.

Rolled 11

>>21275586
Seconding making tea for Kristoph.

Rolling to sprout tentacles to better handle tea and tea-related implements.

>>21275586
A CITIZEN IS IN NEED.

Jump from the window, it is the quickest route to the customer.

Rolled 52

>>21275653
The quickest way is to make Kristoph tea and then ask him to give us a lift.

You clamber up onto the knight's table, and quickly and proficiently make him some tea. He gave you a look, and then sipped at your tea. The very sight sets your reactor ablaze, and you feel like you can accomplish anything! You focus, and the casing on your back churns wildly, before strange, additional limbs burst from under your casing, making it much easier to handle tea and tea-related implements.
>You no longer even need to roll to make tea! Automatic success!
You clatter toward the door to the main chamber, but the handle is much above your reach. There was no crack beneath it for you to skitter underneath. The double doors are heavy, as well, and almost impossible to move for something of your size, even if you *could* reach the handle. You make your way back to Kristoph, and try to speak.
"Sir and-or madam and or sir and or madam and or sir-"
Your voice churns to a stop, as you're unable to speak your request to give you a lift.

>>21275680
We can't talk beyond "would you like tea?" and "here is your tea sir/madam." We are not an intelligent golem.

Rolled 57

>>21275692
Try and point at the massive door while speaking.

>>21275692
Go to the main chamber of the keep. We need to find a way out as soon as possible.

>>21275692
Poke Kristoph and then bang on the door with a tentacle.

Rolled 79

>>21275692
Repeatedly bump into it and hope a kind soul nearby gets the message and opens it for us.

"Sir and or madam and or sir and or madam." You say, pointing toward the massive door. He sighed, and rolled his eyes, before leaning back in his chair, eyes closed. Soon enough, you sense that the large knight was asleep. You make your way down to the door again, and repeatedly bump into it. Luckily, however, a maid pulls it open, to pick up the dishes from the recent meal.
You quickly skitter out into the main hall, and look this way and that- there were the stairs up to the bedrooms, royal and those of the guests, and there was the way down to the dungeons, and other hallways that are not immediately significant to your current mission.
You do, however, see the grand double doors, two lizardmen on each side of it, leaning there. One turns back to look at the small barred window which allows him to see outside, and then back, looking down to you, and shrugging.

>>21275768
A window outside!

Make the guard tea and try to fit between the bars.

Rolled 83

>>21275768
Skitter out through the window!

>>21275768
Make the guards tea then skitter out the window to find the one we are seeking.

Rolled 68

>>21275768
Tea, tea for the 'zards I say!

Rolling to make the tea EXTRA nice.

You quickly brew two more teacups, and the lizardmen shrug, taking sips, and once again your reactors are ablaze. You even feel like.. yes, you feel like you can do anything! You quickly scrabble up the lizardman's tail, using him as a ladder while he's distracted by your delicious, delicious brew, and then you climb up to the barred window, and barely, just barely squeeze through, before falling to the ground and the grass. You're stuck, upside down!
>Roll to upright yourself!
>1d100, taking first roll!
>Whoever needs tea is at stake of being mildly thirsty! Godspeed!

Rolled 97

>>21275831
You can do it lil' bubbles! We're depending on you!

Rolled 35

>>21275831
We can do this for we are Lil Bubbles! If we can't right ourself normally we can produce a jet of tea to flip us over.

Rolled 1

>>21275831
Activate balance mechanisms.

Rolled 90

>>21275831
COME ON. SOMEONE OUT THERE IS IN NEED OF TEA.

>>21275857
Noooo! lil'bubbles will never walk again!

You quickly roll yourself around with clever usage of your new limbs, and small jets of tea, before you twist yourself back onto your eight legs. Success!

You start your way across the grounds, making way for the gate, but... there's someone in the way! A woman, and a very large troll, just sitting there and enjoying the sunlight.
"Aw, what a sweetie." The woman said, and picked you up, holding you against her prodigious bosom. "I don't need any tea right now, thank you." She said, and continued to hold you. "Doesn't this guy go in the dining hall?" She asked the troll she was sitting on. "I should probably take him back there."
You struggled, but it was almost impossible to move with the woman holding onto you so tightly.
>Wat do?

Rolled 68

>>21275937
Explain! A citizen is mildly thirsty! We must assist at once!

Rolled 82

>>21275937
Speak "Yes sir or madam"

Rolled 39

>>21275937
Use our Teagolem-Sense to get an idea of where our target is once more, and point with all limbs in that direction, since we cannot vocalize.

Rolled 65

>>21275937
"No!"
We understand yes and no.

>>21275966
This is most definitely a sir. We should adress her as such.

>>21275937
"A Sir or Madam needs tea. A Sir or Madam needs tea."

Point our limbs in the direction of the thirsty citizen. Struggle vainly. As a last resort we can let forth a small stream of tea and escape in the confusion.

"No, sir!" You cry, your voice tinny. You try to struggle out of her arms, and try to emphasize the importance of your mission.
"Aw, he wants to go somewhere else." The 'sir' said, giggling. "Well, go have fun, little guy. If you get lost, Ishelda will have to find you, you know, so try not to."
She set you back down on the grass, and you quickly run toward the gatehouse...
But it's closed! The portaculli are closed, and the gate itself is shut. You look to the sides, to both towers on each side- you'd need to go into a tower, climb up the stairs to the top of the wall, get all the way to the gatehouse, and get past the guards to activate the gate mechanisms. An orcish knight stands at the closed castle gate, his horn on his hip, as he leans back, eyes closed, relaxing.

Rolled 19

>>21276068
Offer the orc some tea.
Then sneak past him while he's distracted.

Rolled 26

>>21276068
Try to fit through the portcullus.

Spray tea on the joints to weaken them.

Rolled 31

>>21275937
Shout at the orc 'Her majesty!'

Clearly who ever needs to tea is with her. Thus this orc shall aid us to get to her! It is the only way!

Rolled 4

>>21276068
Pinch at an exposed shin and point to the gate.

Rolled 10

>>21276068
Climb the portcullis, go over and down the portcullis on the other side. For we have many hands and portculli offer many handholds.

"Would you like some tea, sir or madam?" You ask, looking up at the orc... and before he responds, you run facefirst into the portcullus, trying to fit through the grates and get into the gatehouse proper while he's distracted. You can't quite fit, so you back up, and try again, spraying tea into the joints, but it doesn't seem to be working. You walk up to the orc, and try to pinch his leg- but he's wearing armor! You've failed!
You look up to the top of the portcullis, and it looks like you can climb up it... so you start scrabbling upward, trying to climb up...
And then you fall onto your back, failing miserably. You're stuck on your back again!
>Roll 1d100 to upright yourself!
>Taking only the second roll!
>Time is wasting! Hurry!

Rolled 51

>>21276173
Oh no!

Rolled 15

>>21276173
TEA!

Cry for help from the Orc if that doesn't work, spray him with tea.

Rolled 8

>>21276173
Go, Lil Bubbles, go! You are needed!

You wiggle, this way and that, trying to upright yourself... and your reactor slowly dims, as your balance refuses to right itself.

"Sir or madam or sir or madam" You cry, trying to ask for help... and only then do you realize that the orc is chuckling at your antics. He's laughing at your sacred mission!
"Don't be so mean." Someone said, a humanoid woman with great, blue wings. "Don't worry, lil' bubbles, I'll take you back."

The woman picked you up, and you quickly try to explain that you're on a mission, but she carries you all the way back into the dining hall, ignoring what you're saying! Kristoph is gone, and the door is closed!
"Here you go." The woman said, and set you down proper, and upright. She was still in the room, but from what it looked like, she was about to leave, and leave you trapped in the dining hall!

Rolled 37

>>21276244
Tug at her clothes. Flail limbs and point frantically.

Rolled 39

>>21276244
Jump on her back and ride her out!

Rolled 91

>>21276244
"Sir or madam I am needed past gate you found me"

Rolled 39

>>21276244
Rush to the door!

Sir or MADAM or angel we must leave, tea must be drunk posthaste!

"Sir or madam I am needed past the gate you have found me." You say, frantically wiggling your limbs.
"Erm..."
"I am needed!" You say. "To make tea! Madam or sir!"
"... Right, okay, I'll take you there." She said, picking you up again. She made her way out of the keep, and spread her wings, taking to the air. You launch upward, and you can see the dizzying entirety of the entire city and castle, before she sets you back down in front of the gate. The outside of the gate is abandoned, all except for the woman herself, and you can see the river, and the road down to the monument. Your strange sense doesn't seem to explain which path is the correct one.
The woman leaned up against the gate, and looked up to the sky. "I am rather parched." She said. "May I have some tea?"
Without thinking about it, you quickly brew up some tea for her, holding the up as high as you can. Dutifully, she takes it, and starts sipping.
"This is actually very good." She said, and your reactor burns with joy!

Rolled 54

>>21276357
More tea sir or madam?

Make her some special spicy tea.

Rolled 2

>>21276357
Yay, Raz likes our tea!
Trust the tea instinct (flipping coin for which path).

>>21276357
"Thank you Sir or Madam."

Then seek out the thirsty one who we have sensed.

"Thank you, sir or madam." You say... and then you turn down to the road down to the monument, and start quickly clanking down the stairs, and then across the road... and at the monument itself, you see your mistress, speaking with her lover and a guest. You quickly climb up onto the monument's base... and you feel that the guest is the one who is thirsty!
>Wat do?

Rolled 90

>>21276583
Tea! Tea! There must be Tea!

Rolled 61

>>21276583
MAKE THE BEST TEA WE HAVE EVER MADE.

Full of spicyness and sweetness and tealeaves.

Rolled 6

TEA BUKKAKE!

>>21276583
Go to the guest, produce a tea mug of the appropriate size and ask if Sir or Madam would like some tea.

If the guest is huge we can engage party mode.

>>21276596
Teeeeeaaaaaaa!

And then... you make some tea!
"Here is your tea, sir or madam." you say, and hand the three of them their cups. Your mistress takes a sip, as she usually does.

Teaaaaaaaaaa!

>MISSION SUCCESS.
>MALA IS NO LONGER THIRSTY.
>END OF SIDESTORY.

Rolled 84

>>21276634
Did Mistress notice our extra tea-making limbs?

>>21276634
We need to start improving ourself so we can better provide tea for people. The extra tea limbs are a good start, but we need to go further. We need to reach the tea singularity.

>>21276660
Your tea-making limbs don't seem to exist! It turns out that you deluded yourself into thinking you had them, and yet used them well enough that it didn't matter that they didn't exist.
Or something! Your artificial mind isn't complex enough to understand.

>>21276634
Huzzah!

>>21276634
Ooh yeah, feel that glorious tea delivery feeling bubbling through your reactor. You like that. Watch their beautiful throats as they gulp down your fluids.

>>21276711
Lil' Bubbles bursting through wall cool aid man style to serve tea