"You really should make yourself available to answer questions on the demo, at least," Henrietta said, quite firmly believing it. "They're going to at least want to know -"
Purrcy looked at her, even more firmly. "No. I'm not going to tell them what they want to know. To even answer one question will lead them down the path to asking for things they shouldn't be asking for. Tell them I'm a recluse who refuses to talk to them, because it's the truth. If someone else answers the questions, then that person at least has the excuse of 'I don't know'. They won't let up if they can ask me directly. You're PR. Go be PR."
Purrcy's ears and tail twitched irritably. "Not to mention that Shiroe's already told me I don't know how to keep my mouth shut. If I say something to upset what he's been working on for the next phase, he's going to skin me and use my pelt as his new office rug. When he says it's safe for me to open my mouth in public, or in front of the Round Table, that's when I'll do it. That isn't right now. I may have already caused damage and I hope he's got a damage reduction plan already in place for when they get there."
Henrietta slumped in defeat. "Fine. We'll do our best, but they'll come beating down your door."
"Then I won't be there. Shiroe already isn't." Purrcy walked off, Nyanta and Tetora following. Naotsugu was off helping the younger set disappear as well.
Henrietta wished she could disappear, too. Marielle was PR. She was Finance. Though...with that thought, she might be able to get off as well and just let...oh, no. This was going to be pressure and Marielle couldn't deal with that. Henrietta was also "shield". She sighed and wished she could make herself and Marielle disappear...but that would leave their guild wide open for attack, so...as "shield" she was the warrior class...probably the Samurai. She had a short taunting distance.
Of course, she was really a Bard, but when it came to protecting the guild, she stood in front of everyone. Bards weren't front-line. She'd really rather be in the back today. She'd complain about Log Horizon using Crescent Moon as a shield except that Log Horizon used everyone as shields, and because Crescent Moon had been given the Academy, and this was Academy business, it was rightfully their position.
She scowled. Purrcy'd better let her pet her extra this next time, to dump this on her, taking Akatsuki away from her so she had to stay grumpy. Her scowl changed to a thoughtful frown. Actually, that grumpiness from Purrcy wasn't really like her, was it? She got that way when she was upset, or even angry...but... Henrietta wondered if it was actually Shiroe that Purrcy was upset with. If he'd really said those things to her, she just might be. Though...it could also be the two students turning traitor on her last minute.
Henrietta sighed. If she really wanted to know, she'd have to ask Purrcy, and this wasn't going to be the time to do that. Particularly since the Round Table was descending on her. Giving one more sigh, Henrietta straightened and prepared to say, "I don't know," an awful lot.
-:-:-:-:-
As soon as Purrcy was out of sight of Henrietta and anyone else but Tetora and Nyanta, she was a big cat, pacing with her tail swishing side to side irritably, her ears back and her teeth slightly bared. There was even a low growling rumble coming from her. There was a noise from nearby and she was gone. "I'll be in the tree," came by way of chat.
Nyanta sighed. Tetora startled to have Purrcy gone so quickly, but when he looked at Nyanta to see if he should give chase, Nyanta shook his head and continued to walk calmly onward. He'd already known that's where they were going. The noise continued to get louder, though it was really just footsteps, coming towards their own path, but obliquely. They got past the current crumbled ruin and coming from the other side of it was Michael - HackerM1. He startled a little and they nodded at him, but continued to walk.
"Hey, um, is Miss Purrcy okay? She's not with you?" he asked them, looking around.
Nyanta's ear flicked. "She's run ahead to burn off steam," he said without turning around.
"Oh. Well, tell her I'm sorry I couldn't keep those two."
Tetora waved a hand of acknowledgement, also without turning around.
There were rapid footsteps and he was following along behind them. "Can you tell me if she's upset about that?"
"Not so much," Tetora said. "She was expecting it."
"Oh, well, I guess that's to be expected." There was silence for a while, but the footsteps continued to follow them. "It went well, I think... - the demo, overall." Michael tested the waters again.
"Well enough," Nyanta agreed tersely.
They heard a growling in front of them, punctuated with snarling and hissing. They hurried forward just in time to see a large winged creature take hold of a black four-footed one. "It's an emergency," came across the chat as the two creatures disappeared. "Give me two hours, then use the card. That will let me come directly to you when I'm done."
"What was that?!" Michael said horrified.
"An emergency," Nyanta answered. Tetora was inside, watching his tracer.
"Then shouldn't we do something, call out the troops?" Michael pressed.
Nyanta's ear twitched. "Purrcy's been called away to take care of an emergency." He sounded humored. "It's a good thing, really. It will keep her occupied, nyan."
"Oh." Michael stood down, but continued to follow them until they reached the pool with the large tree growing next to it. Michael whistled. "It's another silver leaf."
"Rather impressive," Tetora agreed appreciatively. "I take it she loves it?"
"Quite a bit," Nyanta was smug.
"What's that look for?" Tetora asked. Nyanta didn't answer. Instead he went to the rock between the tree and the pool and sat down. Tetora ambled after him and pulled up a patch of shady grass, lying back to look up into the tree branches above.
"So...what are we doing?" Michael asked.
"Hiding," he was answered.
"Ah. Then I think I'll nap." He staked out his own strip of grass. A cowboy hat appeared over his face, and in short order gentle snores were heard issuing from it.
"Are you going to sleep, too?" Nyanta asked Tetora, who also had that look.
"As soon as I find her on the map," he answered calmly.
"Still looking?"
"Yup."
"Let me know when mew do." Nyanta - who was sitting in the sun - curled up on his rock and was soon also lightly sun sleeping.
-:-:-:-:-
Shiroe had years of experience in Negotiation under his belt. He'd been the negotiator for the Debauchery Tea Party before he was a negotiator at the Round Table. Really, if Theldesia was a real world handing out real sub-skills, that ought to be one of his long ago. He wondered if it was. Purrcy had said that some of them weren't showing on the status screen...and she'd specifically hired him for this one. He found that simultaneously relaxing and somehow irritating. He had other things to do, after all. But it meant he was representing someone else, which allowed him to be even more detached than normal.
That didn't mean he was by any means truly relaxed. He'd have to wade through the politics first. He'd rented a conference room in the Guild Hall, expressly not holding this meeting in the top Council chamber. This was a business negotiation, and he needed to set that tone early. He'd come dressed in a business suit to also set the tone - cream with a navy blue shirt under the tailored jacket and a narrow gold tie with a red cabochon tie pin that gave him bonuses for just such occasions. In the game such bonuses had been essential. Here, they were helpful. Understanding the people sitting on the other side of the table was essential. Considering who that was going to be, Purrcy couldn't have hired a better negotiator. Considering what her final desired outcome was, he couldn't turn her down. He'd had this kind of problem before.
Calasin was the first to show up, having his own presentation to make as part of the negotiations. "Calasin," Shiroe nodded.
"Shiroe," he replied a bit more soberly than perhaps typical. He walked to the seat directly across from Shiroe, pinning the table between them. "If you're here alone, I take it to mean she won't be here?"
"Correct," Shiroe said calmly. "My client has chosen to remain anonymous for now."
Calasin paused in the middle of sitting down, then completed the motion. "Very well. ...Eventually she'll have to show, or you'll be accused of being the client, you know."
"I'm aware of that," Shiroe said. "For now having three witnesses to the contrary is sufficient."
Calasin raised an eyebrow. "It's not four?"
"No. Marielle doesn't know."
Calasin's mouth twitched up. "Wise, I suppose."
"Kind, at the least," Shiroe said with no malice.
"True." Calasin allowed. If Marielle did know, she would have been hounded outside this room until she caved. Her earlier words would have been merely marching orders, then. She was a good girl, generally, but even more so for Shiroe who now, not so incidentally, had her on an even shorter leash than ever. The reward would have been worth it, though. Everyone had been waiting for the matchmaking to take place. "Is the Academy an award or an anchor?"
"I wouldn't know," Shiroe said coolly. It was irrelevant which because it was necessary. Calasin let it drop and worked on pulling his notes out and preparing them.
The door opened again a few minutes later and Akaneya and Woodstock entered. They sat left of Calasin, next to him. They had just gotten settled when the door opened again and Roderick and Michitaka came in, sitting across from them on Calasin's right. Isaac, Ains and Rieze walked in one minute after. They took the seats to Calasin's right, but down near Shiroe. As Isaac leaned on the table and opened his mouth, the door opened one more time and Soujirou and Marielle walked in. "Sorry we're late, everyone," Marielle said, getting her words in first. "I had to wrap up the last thing at the Academy." They took the seats to Shiroe's right filling in that side of the table. Soujirou hadn't necessarily taken sides at the table, he'd just genially taken an available seat. Everyone else had set their positions.
Shiroe pushed his glasses up on his nose. "Everyone, thank you for coming at the invitation of my client, who for the purposes of this negotiation and any contracting will be known as Venture Enterprises. Please save any questions that should be addressed by the Round Table until our next Council meeting. This is a separate business negotiation between my client and yourselves as business persons." There were disgruntled faces at the table. He ignored them.
"In the interest of full disclosure, I am not a participating member of Venture Enterprises, nor do I have a holding in it. I have been authorized to add to the total contractual amount a fee percentage for my services as agreed upon by myself and Venture Enterprises, not to exceed one quarter of one percent. I do have legal right to sign any documents or contracts on behalf of Venture Enterprises, with final right of refusal being held in reserve by the owner of Venture Enterprises."
Having covered the legal bases, he looked around the table. "That having been said, I think it was rather clear from today's demonstrations that we're looking at yet another shift in the underlying assumptions of this world. The products that Venture Enterprises wishes to present to you today, and potentially in the future, are based upon those shifts and a more clear understanding of the world we've been brought to. How that relates to Akiba I'm sure we can discuss at length when we're at the next Round Table meeting." There were sober nods around the table. They were properly concerned about the world shifts again, then. And by the slight relaxing of the shoulders, they had wanted to know he was aware of them. He'd expected that. He'd been hand-holding on such issues since they arrived and formed the Council.
Shiroe sat back in his seat and crossed a leg over a knee. "In order for you to begin to understand the impact of Venture Enterprises on the economy of Akiba and eventually Yamato, with the final goal being world-wide trade, Calasin has been kind enough to bring with him two examples of products that originated from Venture Enterprises." Shiroe interlaced his fingers in front of him, horizontally, his elbows resting on the arms of his chair, and looked calmly at Calasin.
The audacious breadth of scope had people looking both skeptical and somewhat amazed. They turned to Calasin expectantly. He nodded and calmly took the floor. "The first product to come to me from Venture Enterprises was a line of clothing for beast-halves and a set of spells to make the tail holes comfortable and sized appropriately. We're currently on our fifth iteration from that source and it has become the single most popular beast-half line that we sell." He glanced at his papers in front of him, but it likely was just for show. He'd probably already memorized all the numbers on them. He listed percentages of sales and percentage increases over time of sales, then projected sales locally, Yamato-wide, and world-wide, assuming for competition. The numbers weren't fantastic, but they were still profits.
"The box demonstration by Radio City was the second example I was asked to run numbers for. You'll forgive me, Akaneya, I hope," he looked over at his competitor who would be selling the boxes. Akaneya tipped his head soberly. "Based on my projections, there will be a dramatic increase of demand for boxes, likely of any kind, for a time that will then taper off to just replacement and maintenance levels. Certainly the creation of and addition of modifications to boxes can pull in more profits, but the base is sufficient for the example." The other merchants nodded. Calasin listed off expected initial profits, then the baseline. It was somewhat impressive.
"That's just for Akiba, of course. For each city it's introduced into as a new product, that will be repeated each time. For Yamato, in total, these are the numbers." He read them off. That was more impressive. "If we were to gain access to even just the closer parts of the mainland before another enterprising Adventurer discovered it and a competitor was born, these would be the numbers." Those were even more impressive.
"The sooner the product could be introduced anywhere, the more likely that level of capital could be maintained over time. The initial spurt of profit could be used to cover the cost of arriving at new places to introduce the product and to launch the next caravan forward, leaving the baseline profit available to the company or companies involved in the venture, thus making it an extremely intriguing product to break through into new markets with. Other products could then follow along after more easily."
Shiroe hadn't thought of that use for the recursive boxes and gave Calasin a point for having seen it. Calasin was looking at him. "Did you happen to run the numbers for the potential box based on the magic bag?" Shiroe asked.
"I did. The numbers go up, of course, but again, each person is only likely to buy one, or at most two, so it only lifts the baseline about fifteen percent at maximum." Shiroe nodded. Calasin hesitated. "There is one limiting factor, that currently is a problem." Shiroe waited. Akaneya and Woodstock were both pressing their lips together. "Radio City can't manufacture enough boxes...even just for Akiba. Over time they'll manage that much, but if we were to take it out-city it wouldn't be possible."
Akaneya nodded. "I've talked to Woodstock and between us we can't do it." Woodstock nodded, a bit sadly. "It would take a dedicated manufacturing house to produce it on the scale needed for Yamato-wide distribution. It'd be nice to have it next week for Akiba. We're already back ordered, in the sense that we made people sign up to come in and consult in order to purchase to slow the movement of the product out the door. By next week, we'll be 'consulting' but not sending out enough product at the same time."
He looked over at Michitaka. Michitaka was looking hungry, and trying not to show it. "Even if we hire willing Adventurers and People of the Land to help with manufacturing, it only takes us out another week. We have to slow down sales by half until the initial outflow is completed. Then we might be able to keep up...until it's taken into a new market, then we have the same problem all over again." Michitaka was calculating, his chin in his hand.
"Roderick," Shiroe said sitting up slightly to take command of the table again, "how many things your researchers are working on are ready for production that you haven't been able to get to?"
Roderick had been looking jealous, but now he went thoughtful, with a frown between his eyes. "Well...we are a bit backlogged. We've probably got five to fifteen percent in production, half in research, five percent in development, and the remaining are backlogged in between each of those."
Shiroe relaxed slightly. He'd been right and he knew where he was going to focus this half of the table now. He clasped his hands in front of him lightly. "Venture Enterprises has made it clear to me that what they want to see out of this negotiation is not just a profit division, but a smooth pipeline for their products. I'd say that right at the moment it's a bit problematic." The research and production houses looked at each other, then nodded somewhat reluctantly. "If you're willing to consider the proposal?" Every eye looked at him, calculating, then nods were given.
Shiroe sat up straight and pushed his glasses up on his face. "It is proposed that each guild in Akiba take a specific piece of the pipeline and willingly give up the competitive portions that are not in line with their part. Specifically," he said it just a little louder to keep their attention, "Venture Enterprises as idea house, as well as solo crafters and other inventors who come up with their own new products. Roderick Trading Company as research guild to determine if the ideas have merit and how they can be expanded on. Radio House and Grandale jointly as development guilds to take the research coming out of Roderick Trading Company to get it into a product that is manufacturable. Marine Organization as manufacturing guild to mass produce the products. Shopping District 8 as sales and marketing guild to see that the product is pushed to the customer and made available in each region. For distribution, we see Shopping District 8 and Marine Organization's Shipworks Department working together to open regions and to get the product there."
Shiroe now turned to the other half. "It seems a natural outcome from expanding the markets to need security to see the products and personnel make it where they are going safely. Whenever there is increased demand, and therefore increased production, there is also need for an increase in supplies of the raw materials." Lights were coming into eyes of the fighting guilds now, who had already had some clue, but still were wondering where they fit. "It is likely that the solo and small guild Adventurers who already enjoy farming for raw supplies will be happy to increase their output, but each individual can only do so much, and for high level supplies, it takes raids and full raids." Isaac and Rieze both had twitches going on now and Ains was looking calculating. Ains had the most lower level 'farmers' in his guild. Isaac and Rieze would fight over raids and the loser would get caravan guard duty, unless they worked out a compromise.
He turned to the final two. "Of course, much of the research going on at Roderick Trading Company is not product related, but instead related to this world and how we Adventurers fit into it." His eyes met Soujirou's and held them. "Not only do we need the equivalent of a development guild to take the research to usable form, we need teachers who then understand it to teach it at the Academy. And with our heavy fighter guilds out of the city on supply, distribution, and guardianship, we will still need someone in Akiba to keep the peace as we become a go-to city to shop, both by Adventurers and even more People of the Land." Soujirou's lip twitched up and the look he gave Shiroe was a look of complete comprehension that the Councilor of the Debauchery Tea Party had put together another one of his plans. Shiroe looked at Marielle. She nodded. She understood her part better now.
"Okay, Shiroe," Michitaka leaned forward, having had time to think now. "That's all well and good, and it gets us all organized better, but how do we go Archipelago and international? I'm not sure it's worth it if all we do is just stay here in town still." Nods went around.
"Of course," Shiroe said calmly. "But you have the answer in your own guild, Michitaka, and it will become more easily available now that we have the Academy. You have the preponderance of Technician sub-classed Adventurers, but they aren't yet fully cognizant of what that sub-class can do, particularly together. I should think that once each one of them, and you yourself, understand the totality of what the sub-class is and has the capability to do, in short order your ship will become an ocean liner. I've found a stellar navigator, and I've sent out people to hunt for star charts or retired seamen that know the stars to be brought here so that he can create charts for us. He's also a Hacker." Eyes lit up, and Michitaka looked even hungrier.
"In addition, I believe that once the Technicians fully understand their sub-class, and begin to work with the Hackers, that we will be able to be the first city to get our Gate to work." He let that sit for a second as he looked at everyone. "That opens it's own can of worms and I'm working on that, but as far as product movement, if we already have a presence in every city that has a Gate, all we have to do is send a Gate maintenance team with the caravan, repair the Gate, and set up the transportation office to maintain proper order between person movement and product movement, since we no longer have the computer servers that will allow everyone to go through whenever they want. This will open up competition, of course, but we already know that we can thrive regardless. The more the demand, the more useful it is to have competitors to help meet the supply. World-wide demand will require it."
He looked around the table. He was getting to them. "Having that advantage requires us to move quickly, however. It's already been two years. We may be behind other countries. It may even be a race where we end up only controlling a region or two of Gates, and eventually we may have to fall back to only the Yamato Gates. If we're behind any of the other cities in Yamato, we may lose the advantage that our organization that already exists may have brought us."
"Westlande," was growled and Shiroe let it ring.
He nodded. "They also have been having massive technological advances and it's highly likely that they also have many sub-classed Technicians now. What I don't know is how organized they care to be about understanding them and that class. They are our greatest competition...and I have no desire to have them controlling Akiba's Gate." There were dark nods around the table.
"I believe that we may have the advantage if we partner Hackers with Technicians on that project because the Hackers may be able to read the code for why it isn't working, and how it's supposed to. Between the two sub-classes, I believe it could be solved fairly quickly." He paused to let them think it through, sitting back. That much had gotten the fighting guilds thinking again, which he'd wanted it to. They would recognize that it wasn't going to be a cakewalk and conflict might be the outcome on occasion, particularly with their closest neighbor. "There are other details, of course," he steepled his fingers, "that can be decided at the Round Table meeting. At this point, we only need an agreement that streamlining the production process is desirable."
"What makes it worth our while to do it, other than a clothing line and boxes?" Calasin asked.
Shiroe nodded and looked at Woodstock and Akaneya. "Radio Market and Grandale have already been used as the research and development houses of Venture Enterprises. If you would please give some examples?"
Woodstock went first, starting with the fine scalpels and what products had come out of that, as well as the magic scissors and other things they had done in the blacksmithing shops. Akaneya went second and his list was very long. When he was done there was a bit of pandemonium as Calasin and Roderick both demanded they produce the persons who had come up with those things. The grizzled guildmasters shook their heads. "It's all from Venture Enterprises," Akaneya said. "We did our own research and development, of course. That was just what came from that source."
"Those are small market items," Michitaka interrupted, "for the most part."
Shiroe nodded. "Yes. That was why Radio House and Grandale were used. The boxes, however, have created a need that is larger. I think your own products could use a wider customer base, don't you agree? And I know Calasin began expansion quite some time ago. I would think that you are both looking at your spreadsheets and wishing you could go mainland in the next couple of months already, after a year and a half of expanding as far as you can go under current conditions."
Michitaka looked away and Calasin tried hard not to give it away, but Shiroe could tell he was right. He adjusted his glasses again. "Venture Enterprises has several other products in the works but they are also large scale. Until Akiba can handle what they have to offer, those products are on hold. I only have a set time, however, before they move elsewhere. If you're sufficiently interested in working with Venture Enterprises, then I would like to spend the next little while discussing the specifics of which guild will handle which part or parts of the production and distribution line. When we've reached an agreement, we'll discuss percentage distributions of profits."
Shiroe looked questioningly around the table. Somehow...he was very much feeling like the King trying to get his ministers on board, while at the same time, leaving them little room to say no. "Please feel free to break up into sub-groups to discuss what your preferences are. Marie, will you please work out with Soujirou what you would like to see at the Academy? Perhaps he will be able to help you there."
Shiroe sat back and let the guildmasters gnaw at the details. This had been several months in the coming. They'd already been thinking about it within their own guilds. It was time to formalize it, and no one resisted though he did have to step in occasionally to negotiate between the guilds of a sub-group. He was definitely earning his quarter percent.
He hoped it would be enough to keep the castle going, but just based on Calasin's projections, it should be plenty. He already needed to buy three more buildings around his guild hall, but it was the pay for the new Royal Guard division he was most worried about. And he'd already increased the work he was having his intelligence network do. He either needed to expand it, or increase their pay. ...Such random thoughts occupied the back of his mind as he waited for everyone to agree on their official ministries in the new, as yet unmentioned, Kingdom of Yamato.
Shiroe rubbed his head. He was going to have a headache tonight. He might have to demand Purrcy petting time...or have Akatsuki rub his head. It was one of the odd things she enjoyed, but it sounded relaxing right now.
-:-:-:-:-
"There," Purrcy sighed. "I think that should do it, ProudWing."
[Thank you, Caretaker. How long will she sleep?]
Purrcy cleaned up her tools with a quick spell, and put them away in her list. "I would think about four to six hours. If it's until tomorrow, don't worry. She should eat, though, as soon as she wakes up, something small, every hour or so, and keep water close by. Getting enough water will help in the healing."
[I'll do it,] the worried spouse promised. He looked around. [And, thank you for cleaning up.]
"It's required for proper healthy healing," she said dismissively.
[Why were you still in the Adventurer city?] he settled down next to his mate to rest with her.
Purrcy twitched an ear and her tail curled. "Many reasons." Her ear twitched more as she tried to choose which one to give. "The main one...is that I've finally taken a mate."
[Congratulations. Will that mean you won't come out except for emergencies now?]
"No. When our initial time is done, I'll bring him out to train him to living outside the city and introduce him. Most of the time he'll be there and I'll return to him." She paused a bit sadly. "I'm sure I'll come out less, though." She moved to sit next to him and lean on his soft feathers. He looked at her out of one large golden eye. She looked up at the sky that was a hole of blue above them, tall towering grey rock all around it from the rock floor they were on and up to the height of a mountain. "It's a bit complicated. I want to be there now that I have family, but my heart is crying for the open spaces, and I hurt that I'm having to leave my clients crying for me until I can come out again."
[Are they keeping you?]
She looked down at her hands. "Yes...for now." She reached out and lightly ran her fingers through his softness. "I've found...more than just a mate and a family there. There is also a master...and it is difficult...to leave him." She closed her eyes, then burrowed her head into the large warm side next to her. A large head dropped to nuzzle her gently.
[Being a Summoned isn't easy, but it can be very fulfilling, when the master is strong and honorable.]
She nodded into his feathers, took a breath and sat back up. "He is that...very much so. I really couldn't ask for one better...but it's difficult to give up what I've had until then." She reached up and rubbed the cheek below the eye looking at her. "I miss my friends. I miss the forest. I miss the open spaces." A tongue came out of a large mouth and licked her. She covered her eyes defensively, but didn't protest. Looking back up into his eye again, she said, "He'll send me out when he's ready. He needs the words that I learn when I come to help and we talk about distant places. Right now, though, there are many things in the city he needs my help with. We have agreed that in a few more days I may leave...but it won't happen. There's still too much work to be done. Maybe in another half-moon to moon, perhaps."
She stood, reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. He lifted her and moved so that she was on his back. She climbed up his neck to sit on his head near his ears and changed to house cat and curled up there. "I'm glad you came to get me, though I'm sorry it was for ill news. It was a good time and we all needed to have time apart. He's in the middle of a difficult time for the city, and I arrived in time to help, but all of the newness and battle weariness has made us all grumpy. This is a good reprieve." She burrowed down in his feathers looking like a black crown on his head.
[You don't need to hurry back?]
She sighed. "I shouldn't stay too long, but I've not been called back yet. That means they are also resting to recover. I say that it's difficult for me...but I'm just as difficult for them...a wild, Summonable Adventurer they haven't known before now."
He chuckled a whistling grumbling sound. [Well...you've said it.]
She smiled just a little. "Yes...I suppose I have." He put his head on the ground between his forepaws and closed his eyes. She closed her eyes and began to purr them both to a light sleep. "Thank you, ProudWing. It's good to speak to one who understands." He flicked an ear of tolerance and comfort.
-:-:-:-:-
Nyanta opened his eyes. He was on his back. The sun had moved past the three-quarters point in the sky and he was covered in shadow. He lay there quietly, enjoying the peacefulness of being under the large tree with only quiet around him. His companions were still sleeping, mostly, but would also likely wake up soon. When he was ready, he calmly reached into his vest pocket and pulled out Purrcy's Summon card. It was really in his list, but somehow, that was where he kept it, close by his person. He looked at the paw print on it. She must have been kitten, or slightly larger when she created the cards.
She really was a handful when she was stressed out, more of a dictator in public, more emotional with him in private with mood swings from angry to tears until she fell asleep as her system needed to release the stress each night. He just let her vent, then held her until she was asleep. It was hard on him, too, though, surprisingly. But maybe it was because of the effort that was his as 'father' to keeping the guild operating smoothly. His role was correction, but he was in such a position that he couldn't correct Purrcy. They were equal roles, father and mother. Shiroe was the proper correction for Purrcy, but he was focused on his tasks and also stressed out. That meant he was either too busy to correct, or he corrected harshly and impatiently. That set Purrcy off again instead of helped.
It was temporary, but needed a solution at some point. Naotsugu was holding everyone else together, as he should, but the last time he'd tried to come between Purrcy and Shiroe had been a near disaster. Purrcy had finally backed down for the sake of some level of harmony but she'd run to the fourth floor closet afterwards and Shiroe had returned to his office in a snit - cold and hard. Akatsuki had to stay out of the office for a bit and he himself had stayed away from the closet until enough time had passed Purrcy had relaxed enough to not be completely prickly porcupine. Purrcy did relax some with Tetora, and both Shiroe and Purrcy would back off a little bit if he spoke up, but if they were really going toe to toe, even Tetora couldn't break through. Partially because that was the confrontation he was most afraid of so ran from instead of tried to solve.
Nyanta sighed. It was possible that now that the demonstration was over, the two Hackers who couldn't stand to be in class were gone, and Shiroe would be done with the negotiations, things would settle back down. It wouldn't help in the long run when things got stressful again, though. They needed a breakthrough, or one more person who could stand in the middle to protect both strong personalities from each other.
Tetora stirred and Michael was sounding like he'd be waking up soon. Nyanta put the paw print on the card to his lips to kiss it and call her home. It tingled with magic in his paw with what might have been a faint glow. "I've called her back. Did mew ever find where she went, nyan?" he asked Tetora, looking at the card as he waited to see what else it might do.
"She's up in the middle of the mountain range," Tetora said. "Ulp, no now she's here in Akiba." There was a pause. "Should be here with us somewhere." Nyanta put the card in his pocket, mentally returning it to its slot. He looked up into the tree. Tetora sat up and looked around the ground nearby. "But I don't see her," Tetora finished. Nyanta pointed up with his paw. Tetora tipped his head back and looked up. "No way. Why'd she come back up there?"
"Meow. I was thinking she purrobably has a way to see what's in the area where she's going so she can land somewhere safe. We're still at the tree, so that's where she'd go if she could choose." He was watching the black shadow move around the branches of the tree, watching to see how she was doing. She wasn't in a hurry, exploring each branch with sniffing and walking slowly from center to end and back again, tail moving slowly, but up to at least relaxed interested. She'd been able to recover some then, but wasn't quite ready to join them just yet. Tetora shifted to sit leaning against the rock so he could more comfortably look up into the tree and watch her as well. "She says she can see over the city wall from the upper branches," Nyanta said peacefully.
"Can you get up there?" Tetora asked.
"Nyan," he answered negatively. "I'll have to work hard to do that. She says optimistically when we get back from the first run out, but I suspect it will be a good year. This is a tall tree, and she has a special way to get down. It takes a second transformation."
"Transformation?" a sleepy voice came from the other man on the ground. Michael lifted his head enough to see them both looking up. He looked up also. "What's up?"
"Miss Purrcy," Tetora said and pointed. "She landed back up there when she returned."
"Isn't that a bit high?" Michael said. "Though...I'd love to see the world from up there. I really want to do the raid to get my gryphon Summon whistle. If I only did one more thing on this world, that would be it. To ride my own gryphon and fly."
Nyanta agreed. He loved it when he could see the world below him from the back of a gryphon. He'd been able to do it a few times on outside adventures the guild had had. He'd been surprised when the gryphon who came to his call the first time to leave Susukino to come to Akiba had looked exactly the same as the one on the computer that came to him back on Earth, and even had the same moniker. That same one had come each time, for that matter. He would have thought it was a different one, randomly chosen, and that they wouldn't have come across with them - except the database transfer for Adventurers themselves. Shiroe had decided that the monster database must have come as well. "Meow, we myay go do it again. The junior set need their's," Nyanta said.
"Seriously?" Tetora said with surprise. "That'd be awesome. Then I wouldn't have to tag team Naotsugu, who's going to have to have Marie behind him now." He looked sad for a moment, but pushed it aside.
"You've already done it?" Michael said, surprised.
"Yeah, he, and Shiroe, and Naotsugu are all part of the Debauchery Tea Party, an awesome group that did all kinds of high level dungeons and adventures together, though they never guilded. That was one of the quests they did." Tetora answered, his head following Purrcy's trail in the branches above. "Looks like she's about ready to come down?" he asked Nyanta.
"Myes," he answered. "Watch that closely. It's beautiful, nyan," he said quietly.
Purrcy was crouched on the lowest branch, close to the trunk, her four paws all close together, her tail held just right to keep her balanced as she had her nose pointing down towards the ground, though she was looking at the tree trunk in front of her. Then suddenly she was moving down as if running on the ground, though her steps were shortened. Michael and Tetora both took frightened intakes of breath when she first got going, but Nyanta just watched, his body feeling it this time. He continued to feel it as she got to the place she had been before and her muscles bunched. His contracted sympathetically and he let them so they could get the feel for it. She launched and Tetora cried out slightly. There was the flip and the wings unfurled.
The joy of it filled Nyanta again, from the first sight of the tips of them. He just watched, letting the soaring take his own heart and soul soaring with her. He'd always loved watching the sea birds of the northern coast as they dipped and soared over the ocean. This was ten times better. Maybe even a hundred times. Purrcy held her height this time and played with the distance, though she didn't get out of sight. Her joy in the flight could be felt on the ground. There a dip and rise, here a graceful turn. The wing tips tilting ever so slightly to create a new direction, a new flare until it was obvious her height was bringing her in whether she wanted to or not.
Nyanta stood and walked over to where it was clear and she glided in to land in front of him. He knelt down and held out his hand. She rubbed her head under it, then walked down his arm so he could feel the feathers again. Their softness had surprised him before and they warmed him this time, adding to the joy of the flight. She butted his chest and he fell to sitting and wrapped his arms around her neck. She purred and he purred back. "Ah, Purrcy, I could watch that all day," he said with a contented sigh.
She chuckled. "It would be fun to do it that long...if it didn't tire out my muscles. I'd have to exercise it up to a full day." Her head turned and he looked up. Tetora was on the other side of her, reaching out a hand to feel the wing the same as he'd had to the first time.
"That was...awesome, Hahaue," Tetora said just as reverently as Nyanta felt. "I was so afraid when you got started, but Nyanta had said it was beautiful, so I tried to not scold you...and I'm glad I didn't. I was so surprised to see wings...," he trailed off.
"They were part of my necessary protections," she said, purring for Tetora, who was petting her gently now, though Nyanta was still holding her. He let go in some embarrassment, having forgotten he was, though he kept a paw on her back and brushed the wing on his side again.
There was a sudden deep intake of breath. "God!" There was a manly sniff and they turned to look at Michael. He was wiping his face with his arm. "To be able to fly with my own wings!" His eyes dripped again and he used the heel of his hand to wipe at his cheek this time. "I'm a flyboy through and through, but never, ever, would I have thought it could even be possible to learn to have my own wings - literally."
Purrcy shifted and the other two let her go. She padded over to Michael and touched his nose with hers. "Well...it isn't easy. Transformation is the hardest magic there is to learn. I do cat because I'm already half cat. That made that part easier, though not all that much. Nyanta's trying to get to just human hands, and that's been very slow going, and he's half human. To go to wings seemed nearly impossible until I remembered the sphinx. These are sphinx wings. I can't fly like a bird. No flapping up into trees. They are only for gliding down."
Michael made a requesting motion and Purrcy turned and opened the wing closest to him. He reached out big hands that were gentle as they touched the soft feathers. "Like an owl," he said. She nodded. "Soft and large, but not as much strength to each feather. And on a heavy feline body, I can see that they wouldn't get you up in the air." He looked back up in the tree. "Then, how do you get up?"
"I run up it," she said. "After lots and lots of practice, though, for a tree this high. To fall from even half-way up is death, or at least a lot of pain."
Michael nodded. "For a human body, it'd have to be real bird wings that can get you up in the sky, then, unless I started from the top of a building or mountain."
Purrcy took her wing back, folding it against her body again. She sat and tipped her head at him. "Then think of a creature that is humanoid with wings of that kind before you start. And stick to just the one part until you've got it. You don't have to be the whole thing unless you really want to. If you do, then work on the other parts later."
"Can you code things like that?" Michael asked curiously.
Purrcy's whiskers went up in a cat-smile. "I did it as a transformation. I wouldn't know."
Michael slowly smiled. "Well, then. I guess I'll work on it my own way and we'll see what happens."
Purrcy bowed her head and stepped back until she was beside Nyanta again. She looked into his eyes soberly, then slowly the wings disappeared and she was was felinoid again and wearing her blousy black outfit with gold speckles. She waited for him to stand, the others rising as well. He looked at her, then sighed to himself. "I'm glad mew've come back more relaxed, but I'd purrefer it if it didn't feel like we were also taking mew back purrisoner."
She looked at him in surprise. "I'm sorry," she said, looking down. She breathed quietly for a bit while he waited. "To work on my friend's mate was to be reminded of what I am. He helped me, but...," she closed her eyes. "It is hard, Nyanta, to be owned."
His tail stilled in surprise as he tried to understand. Then he remembered the card in his pocket and he softened. "Did it really become that binding?"
She nodded, still not looking up. "I want to be outside, but until he tells me I can go...I can't. ...There are little nuances to it too, that I didn't expect...and sometimes they are surprising at the most unexpected times...or words." She took a deep breath and looked towards the tree trunk but not up at the crown of it. "I can fight it, I can choose disobedience, but it...has a price."
Nyanta put a paw on her shoulder. "Purrcy, mew need to tell him. He doesn't know either."
She slowly looked up at him, then nodded. "Will...will you come with me?"
He pulled her to him and held her gently to his chest. "Of course. Always."
There was a gentle sigh to the side and Tetora said, "You know, I don't think I'll ever get used to a Nyanta that is gentle and expressive like that. ...I mean, the gentle's not new...but you never were so open before." Nyanta raised an eye ridge of whiskers at him. Tetora blushed. "It's a good thing...a good thing." He looked away.
"Nothin' wrong with love," Michael said, turning away, "Makes the world go 'round." He led the small group back towards the Academy grounds and home. They fell in behind him, Nyanta keeping an arm around Purrcy, and Tetora coming behind.
