K and K 52

I'm not intentionally ignoring the reviews i receive. The website simply tells me that it can't find the review that I'm replying to.

Honest I'm not ignoring any of you or leaving your questions hanging.

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"How do we kill plants?" Rick questioned as they walked through the store of the two Halflings. "Roundup Weed Control," Kate suggested deadpan and then began laughing when she saw his face. "It's a poison meant to kill weeds and grass," she finally explained though she was still giggling. "One of these days you're going to have to really explain your world and maybe draw a few sketches." Kate was just so different. It was one of the things that attracted him to her. "I'd love to." She held her hands over her heart; she was pleased that he wanted to learn about her world even though he was never going to see it.

"Fire kills plants," Javi offered. Rick decided he had his Wand of Fireballs, even if it didn't have many charges left in it. He had his spells and would focus on fire-based spells as much as he could.

Rick - Wand of Fireballs, It was a little more powerful than the one he had just gained. 18,000 gold pieces.

Lanie - Wand of Neutralize Poison, "Some plants are poisonous and it is a Demon Plant." Javi defended her choice. 21,000 gold pieces.

They each picked up a Fire Elemental Gem to go with the others they already had. "I can't think of anything else," Rick said so they left and headed for the home of the Cloud Giants.

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They decided to just watch what was in the mirror for a while. It was dark when they began watching and became daylight as they watched. It was then that they started seeing people walking around, but not that many. Most were human though some were Elven and Halfling.

Rick sighed. "Shall we?" He motioned for Kate to go first followed by Lanie this time, then Kevin, Jenny, himself, and Javi. "HALT!" someone yelled and they were immediately surrounded by men in armor, all pointing weapons at them, including a few with bows. Kate did the simple thing. They were here to kill the Tree, not fight with those they were trying to help, so she raised her hands. "We're here to help, we're trying to combat what the Goddess Lolth from our land has done here. Please take us to someone we can talk to."

Much to their chagrin, they handed over their obvious weapons, which didn't include Kate's or Lanie's Staffs or any of their daggers. They were surrounded as they were escorted to a building and told to wait. Three men remained inside. Three were just outside and one had gone to get replacements to guard the mirror and to find someone.

They were too nervous to sit, so they did their best not to get too close to their guards and start something. Still they wandered around the room a little till finally the door opened. In walked a casually dressed elderly man, along with what looked like a personal guard, and a woman who was almost as old as the elderly man.

Lanie's eyes widened. She bowed reverently, something Kate had never seen her do before. "Priestess, it is an honor to meet you." Lanie raised from her bow and they could see everyone soften their faces and stances. "I am Philyra, the High Priestess of Pelor within the city of Vendren. I am grateful that Pelor has answered my prayers and sent us warriors to combat what plagues our once fine city. The Lord Mayor and several of the city's most important officials are dead, slain in the Tree's sudden appearance."

"Vendren needs champions. Thousands are dead already and many more shall likely soon fall. We fear time is short. We will gladly offer 150,000 in gold pieces and magical items should you succeed in destroying the tree and saving our beloved city. There will also be a festival in your honor shortly afterward, if we can convince you to stay that long," Philyra told them.

It meant an additional 25,000 gold pieces per person for them, in addition to the 15,000 that the Cloud Giants had provided them with already. For Kate, it was enough to buy what she coveted, but not as a replacement for the Staff she still loved. The others needed a little more though. "Make it 180,000 all in gold pieces and we have a deal," Kate bargained. "KATE!" Lanie hissed at her for trying to increase their pay and for embarrassing her in front of an older Priestess of her God.

Philyra raised a hand. "It is alright sister, not everyone fights in the name of their god." She thought it over. They had the funds on hand, but they were just hoping that when, not if, this band succeeded, they would have that money to rebuild a little faster. "We agree. This guard will escort you to the edge of town and point out the location of the Tree itself. You cannot miss it, it is huge in size."

Their weapons were returned and they were escorted out of town. Even before they lost their guide, they could see the Tree and roots on the surface of the ground. "Good luck, may the light of Pelor guide you and protect you," their guide offered then literally ran back the way they came. "O-KAY, no pressure," Kate said and looked over the Tree.

It was wider around than their home was long, making it easily over 90 feet in diameter, then there was the height. It was easily 200 feet tall while the canopy covered at least twice that space. The roots at the base were massive. "Meet Malgarious the Demon Tree," Jenny stated, not anxious to go up against it. "And it's only going to get bigger," she added knowing it would continue to grow and become more powerful. They were still over 100 yards away and all they saw was Tree and roots and plants. "Not a single animal in sight, not even so much as a bird," Jenny whispered, feeling the evil of this thing even from there.

As they got closer, they were beginning to think they were wrong since they didn't have anything to judge scale with. It was getting wider and taller as they approached. "I'm starting to hate this Tree," Kate remarked. She hated it even more when the plants around her suddenly grew bigger and grabbed her. They had fibrous stems almost as thick as a man's forearm, covered with brown, stringy-looking bark. Their leaves were shaped like human hands. Quickly, several strands wrapped around Kate's throat as she fought back to clear her neck so she could breathe. Soon after, her arms were pinned in place preventing her from struggling. Kevin hit what looked like the clump's base with his whip while Javi pulled out both swords, activated his Boots of Speed, and made four quick strikes trying to free Kate's neck.

It took a moment, then Kate was on her knees sucking in air and hacking from a cough. Rick knelt down next to her, holding her in place. "I hate this Tree," she rasped. "You mean you love this Tree. It's a Demon Tree, it thrives on hate and fear," Jenny countered. She looked at Jenny like she was completely nuts and maybe had eaten one of those mud pies or had drunk some of that water on their first mission for Yuri. "I'm serious," Jenny said stubbornly, ignoring the look Kate was giving her. She was finally able to stand. "Love this Tree?" she scoffed as gray clouds gathered and it began to softly rain. "Yeah, not happening. I hate this Tree." Kate scowled at the damn thing. Jenny didn't blame her, she couldn't stop herself from hating it either.

They were still 50 yards out. The gray clouds had darkened to storm clouds and had started raining cats and dogs. Jenny had long since pulled out her tent and converted it into a rain suit. "Now I'm envious," Kate muttered and swiped at some of the rain accumulating on her face. It was warm out and she and the others, save for Jenny, were now soaked to the bone. The sound of lightning that had them running for the Tree trying to miss the roots.

"I think I see at least one way inside," Javi said. He was out front for a change since they were fighting nature. To him it looked like there was a large crack in the tree, out front under the canopy that now blotted out the sun, making it dark along with the wet and heat. There were a number of giant purple mushrooms. As Javi started to walk past them, two suddenly spat out a puce cloud that kind of just hung there since there was no wind to speak of. In addition, a horrible, deafening shriek began. Javi ran back to join the others, wondering if there was a different way in. He started looking up while covering his ears from the sound.

Rick took his hands away from his ears just long enough to pull out his older Wand of Fireballs and spoke the command word. They watched as a mini ball of red streaked out and blew up in the center of the purple mushroom patch, silencing the noise instantly. However this action resulted in a sudden sound of rolling thunder. And where there was thunder...

They ran for Javi's opening just as something ten feet tall stepped out. It was a tall gangly-looking creature that looked like a cross between an Ogre and a frog. Its skin was a mottled green and it had long legs, sharp claws, and a wide mouth. Since Rick still had his Wand of Fireballs out he used it just as soon as he thought Javi was clear of the blast. They watched as another small red dot streaked out and literally got soaked up by the Tree. Nothing happened. "OH...SHIT!" Having it soak up spells did not bode well for his ability to help.

Javi had turned and pulled out his swords while Lanie pulled out her mace. Kate spun her Staff and Kevin had his whip out waiting for it to get in reach. Things only worsened when two more stepped out behind it. Kate began cursing and prepared herself for a fight. Jenny, however, pulled out one of her Fire Elemental Gems and held onto it for the moment. The instant the first one was hit by Kevin's whip, she threw the Gem behind him and watched it attack one of the two behind the first one.

Since it worked, Kate pulled out one of hers and threw it. Soon there were two Fire Elementals fighting the two creatures behind the first one. Kevin got in another hit with his whip when it came within range; he felt two of his three swings hit it, flaying it open. He watched it bleed what appeared to be green sap; it hadn't made a sound. It took a mighty swing and scraped its claws across Javi's breastplate leaving a trail. His armor was damaged a little and now he was pissed. He took three more swings, slashing its chest open, finally getting it to complain.

Using her Staff, Kate knocked it on the ground allowing Kevin to slice its face open. With it dead, they noticed the other two dying from Fire Elementals that were barely still standing. "We need to get inside while we still have these two and before that storm hits us with lightning," Kate urged then watched as the Fire Elementals went in first, followed by Javi, then Jenny, herself, Rick, Kevin, and finally Lanie.

Inside was a wide open space 55 feet deep by 70 feet wide. Just inside were more of those purple mushrooms that instantly spat out a puce cloud and started shrieking up a storm. That had the Fire Elementals putting an end to them and the noise.

However while they were doing that, Javi and Jenny found themselves being wrapped up by two vines like the ones outside. Worse, there were four fat plants on short legs that started walking their way. They looked like a mass of leaves and vines with a generally human shape. They had a barrel-shaped body with ropy arms and stumpy legs; the body didn't appear to have a head.

Rick shot another fireball behind them, only to see it get sucked up by the Tree. "SHIT!" At this rate he might as well have stayed home and read.

Kevin and Lanie pulled out Elemental Gems and crushed them, getting another Fire Elemental and an Earth Elemental which immediately started pounding on the fat things with short legs. Kate pulled out her dagger and started cutting at the vines that were around her friends' throats. Rick did the same while Kevin hit one of the vine's base that was attacking Jenny. The two Elementals were still going strong. It took some time but soon everything was dead and or gone.

Jenny was bent over along with Javi, trying to suck air into their lungs. "I HATE this Tree," Jenny stated boldly. "I thought you said we were supposed to love this Tree?" Kate teasingly questioned. "SCREW loving this damn Tree! I hate this Tree," Jenny said as they noticed a 10 foot wide hallway exiting to their right.

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"Mr. Castle and Ms. McCord." Simon shook each of their hands. "ID please?" he asked them. Once satisfied, he handed back their drivers licenses. "I'm Simon and I'm your pilot, please follow me, and we'll get in the air. The galley is stocked with the usual favorites and we'll be flying straight to Copenhagen."

"You don't have to stop to refuel?" Rachel questioned since that was what she was expecting. "No ma'am, we have more than enough range to reach the Copenhagen airport without trouble. We have no need to refuel."

They figured out which plane Simon was headed for and followed behind. They watched as he unlocked it and lowered the stairs. "Who is this Katherine?" Rachel asked Rick, her AG thinking kicking into high gear. However, Rick was grinning because he would soon be flying in someone's personal, honking-big, gorgeous, and powerful private jet. That had its own pilot no less.

Inside left both of them speechless. "If you need me for anything, just knock and open the door, or use the phone here or the one in back," Simon informed them after he stowed their luggage and pulled up the stairs. "We should be in the air soon. Enjoy the flight, I'm sure you'll love Copenhagen."

"You've been there before?" Rachel asked. "Yes ma'am, we flew there a couple of months ago. We flew back to New York the next day." Simon answered her question then entered the cockpit, closing the door behind him. He knew he was going to be in Copenhagen for at least a week if not longer. That was why Dina couldn't join him; she had to work. For him, it was going to be a long week or two. The two of them had screwed their brains out just last night in anticipation of not seeing each other for a week or more.

Rachel found goodies and wine so she opened a bottle and selected just a couple of goodies. "This place even has solid sterling silver silverware and don't even get me started on these plates or glasses! I don't know who this Katherine is, but she has exceptional taste." She popped one of her treats in her mouth and washed it down with some very nice wine.

Rick being Rick, filled a plate with treats and had a glass of wine. "The hotel better have a workout room so you can work off all those calories," Rachel advised him. "I'm in perfect shape," he countered, popping one into his mouth with the new intent of it being his last one. "We'll see Rick, we'll see." She was going to put him through his paces in the exercise room of the hotel if it had one. Rick, however, was thinking about horizontal exercise, but he was in for a surprise.

It was hours later and they were just entering the hotel lobby after taking the hotel's shuttle service which turned out to be a town car. Both of them were looking around at the opulence that was this hotel. The exterior alone had been stunning.

Simon had his room key and his bag. "Have a pleasant stay Mr. Castle and Ms. McCord." He bade them goodbye. "Thank you, Simon. Enjoy your time here as well," Rachel replied.

Rachel opened the door and stepped inside. Her bag fell from her hand as her jaw dropped open. This place was bigger and nicer than her home in the Hamptons. She didn't have the money to buy a mansion like Rick had. She had selected the Hamptons to get away from the politics of DC and the big cities of DC and New York City. She lived where the locals who worked there did.

"I think we have the wrong room," she remarked as she watched Rick just walk in and head for the bedroom where he dropped his bag and moved in. Now she had lots of questions for this Katherine. He came back out and picked up her bag, then took her hand and escorted her into the bedroom. "We can check out the bed later, right now I'm starving," he told her. "You're always hungry," she countered. "I'm a growing boy and I need the fuel for later," he said smiling. "And if you grow anymore, you're going on a diet. Count on spending several hours in the exercise room," she informed him, then patted his expanding stomach. If she was going to keep dating him, she wanted him fit like she was, no matter how good he was in bed, or how he made her feel when he was around.

He was already the first boyfriend she'd had this long since college, she was enjoying herself. He hadn't yet done anything to really piss her off, though some of his antics had annoyed her, but those appeared to be tapering off. Still he seemed to know how to have fun, how to take her out of her own mind, and lighten her sour mood.

"I'm taking a shower first. DO NOT forget to call your daughter and find out when we're meeting her downstairs in the lobby," Rachel said firmly then headed for the bathroom. "Want some help?" Rick offered with ulterior motives. "Only if you've called your daughter. Otherwise you can forget it." She smiled when she heard him scrambling all over trying to find his cell phone. She even took her time undressing and turning the shower on. She was just stepping into the shower when a naked Rick joined her. "Would you like a piece of candy young lady?" He smiled wide as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.

A little later, Rachel was biting her lip to keep from crying out as she climaxed, then hung onto him while her heart slowed down. She was really learning to like Rick, now if she could just mold him into more of a man instead of a child.

She was drying off next to Rick who was doing the same thing. She was happy in her own skin and wasn't ashamed of being naked next to him. "What did your daughter say?" she asked him. "Voice mail," he answered, already knowing he was in trouble. Getting snapped by her wound-up towel only confirmed it.

"Better dress in shorts, a tee shirt, and sneakers then, because we're hitting the exercise room until she calls you back," she told him which made him groan. "What if she doesn't call back?" He really didn't want to know the answer and suddenly wished he had kept his mouth shut. "Then we're both going to get in a lot of exercise," she informed him and stepped into the bedroom to find something to exercise in.

"Uh-uh mister. Exercise clothes. Now take those off and get dressed." Rachel nixed the bluejeans he had started to put on. "Once you're in better shape, I just might let you find out what it's like to have sex for 6 hours straight," she purred at him. Rick stood there, gaping like a fool. 'Six hours!?'

He hadn't even made it into the second hour in the exercise room before he was ready to call it quits, wishing his daughter would call, only to see Rachel running on the treadmill still. She looked amazing. Tight clothes that showed off her body, sweat on her face making her incredibly curly hair wet. It had him thinking of going all Neanderthal on her, dragging her back upstairs, and taking her. "Back to work lover or you're sleeping on the sofa. You'll actually have your choice of which one." That was one of the things she'd noticed. It didn't have just one sofa, it had two, as well as a kitchen and dining room, plus the really nice bedroom with a king size bed.

Rick was dying a little, two hours after starting, while Rachel was still going strong. "You need to keep up lover," she teased. "Just searching for my second wind, I'll be right there. I'm going to check that my phone's actually still on." He dragged himself over to his stuff that had his phone, ready to collapse.

He nearly did collapse when he saw he had no missed messages or phone calls. Rachel could tell by his posture that there was nothing. She really did want him in better shape but she also didn't want to kill him. She went over to collect him, then escorted him over to the weights which they did together.

Rick was sure his body was going to revolt and leave him. There wasn't a muscle on his poor body that wasn't screaming. "Into the shower again, big guy." Rachel started stripping him, then shoved him into the shower after turning on the water.

She, however, went to find his phone and placed a call. "Hi Alexis, it's Rachel. Your father's sufficiently tired and will be feeling the pain come morning. I think he's ready for you now." Rachel smiled wide at their little deception which she had learned had been Katherine's idea.

Now she really had a lot of questions for this Katherine.