Chapter 80
Haruhime and I spent the night in the children's room, the two of us sleeping in our fox forms. For her it was practice. For me, it was therapy. I was still feeling a little off after what had happened, and was having what most would call a 'they're growing up too fast' moment.
It was bad enough I missed nearly a year of them growing up. But now, not even five years old, they had killed their first monster. It had no magic stone, it didn't live in the dungeon, but it was a monster nonetheless.
So, after we all woke up, I decided to wrestle with them. Just how you'd expect puppies to play fight. I had no idea if they were too old, or if I were being silly, but it was still fun to poke at them with my nose until the giggles happened.
Haruhime, as much as I loved her, was a huge killjoy, and made an imperious little fox noise to remind us that breakfast was probably waiting by now, and that we never skipped breakfast.
Someplace between our rooms and the breakfast table, Haruhime and I made sure to give Aisha a quiet apology for letting her sleep alone. With the children orbiting us, it was limited to a hug and a kiss, maybe a little pat on the rear, but she just smiled, returned the gesture, and helped us herd the children towards food.
To help the new pack of orphans/Mini-zons get used to things, we all but forced them to join our routine. With Amani's example in mind, we had to show them that there was no 'pecking order' to food, that we ALL helped with cleanup, and that our morning sparring was 'skill over strength'. I was sure to give Amani all kinds of little praises and thank-yous for making this transition much smoother had she not been there to help. She was turning into a great 'Room leader', and had already solidified her position among them by beating them all in the sparring circle.
After sparring, Welf, Maki and I got the rookies all lined up, measured, and later that day, fitted for something a little better for the temperature. Sure, Orario wasn't cold, and snow was a rare thing, but it was certainly much cooler than the jungles.
In the mean time, other little things were taken care of by the rest of the Familia. Shopping for a few extra toiletries (Towels, toothbrushes, underwear). Having them meet and run away screaming (and later patting) Sir Skitters. Saying hello to Jiru (who grew the exact same flower for all of them, a bunch of Morning Glories). Not getting eaten by Gros (who sighed and wondered why we would do such a thing). And learning to make cookies (and eating them) with Weine.
Of course, there was paperwork.
Eina entered the workshop someplace during the day while the Mini-zons were getting the tour and meeting the weird people we had here. Usually, she had someone come and get me, but no, not this time.
So, I put down my leather knife, turned to face her, and said, "It's a bit of a story."
"I've heard some of it already. From Odds of Hephaestus Familia, and a little from Miss Aisha." She frowned, "Are you trying to-"
"They were going to kill the Mothers, and their children." I said with a calm I did not feel. "And yes, they did kill two of the Mothers." I put my elbows on the work table and held my head, trying, forcing myself to put my anger aside. Eina didn't deserve any of it. "They tried to kill them here in the Manor. They tried to kidnap them out there on the street. But this time, they waited until the dead of night, outside the city, when they had finally gotten a day out of the Manor to have some fun."
Eina, our trusted teacher and best friend within the administration of the city, put a hand on my shoulder, "We got the paperwork for that already. It's why I'm here."
I reached around with a hand to pat her hand, "It's not a pleasant story. So I will give you numbers. Fourteen dead from Kali Familia. Two dead from the Mothers. Seven left alive, and walking back to Telskyura."
She took her hand out from under mine, and a moment later there was a quiet scratch scratch of her writing.
"I, Kodori Haruhime, have forbid those seven Amazon from entering the city until they have returned to Telskyura." She continued to write while I spoke, "Under clear threat of death. From all of them, I have gotten a promise they will never try this again." Her pen faltered a little, "Should this ever happen again, for any reason, I will not restrain myself or the two Fathers."
"That's..." She paused.
"NO! Not this time. I will, even if the Guild says no, even if the city says no, even if the rest of the world says no. They are trying to kill children. To kill their mothers who abandoned their ways. And, though I probably don't need to say this, I owe those two more than just my life." I felt my anger start to bubble again, but stopped and took a deep breath, "They follow me without question, but if they asked me, I would do the same."
Eina sighed, put her pen away in a pocket, and nodded. "I understand. We... I, will do my best to convince the rest of the Guild to help, in case the Amazon Nation retaliates." She started to leave, but stopped, and put her hand on my shoulder again. "Are you okay?"
I couldn't help but smile, just a little, and made an effort to tease her. "When you have children, you'll understand." I gave her hand another pat, "You still haven't told us when the wedding is." She was still wearing the well meaning but obviously flawed ring Royman gave her.
As I'd hoped, she blushed a little, and her ears did a little nervous wiggle, "I'm still waiting..."
"Should I offer him a lesson or two?" Not teasing this time.
"I'd hate to impose, but could you?" She was still blushing slightly, and her ears had drooped a little.
"Of course."
Another day, another tour for the Mini-zons. After the usual start, they were off to help with food shopping. This was just to get them more familiar with Orario itself, but there was also the side effect of showing them off to the city as well. I was sure there was already huge rumours of what went on, but I wasn't going to do anything to confirm or deny them this time. I'd just let the city stew, and show that we had a bunch of happy Mini-zons.
Welf, since he had heard all that with Eina (he was very good at listening over the sound of the anvil), suggested I submit my 'rookie gear' to the 'rookie shop'. You know, just a little distraction. So I did. And just for fun, I picked up a long handled sword. Sure, for an adult, it would be a one handed blade, but for say, a half sized Amazon, it would be a good two handed weapon for a while. If Amani wanted to try it, it would at least save Welf from having to re-make his own sword. Again. When yet another Amazon stole it.
Finn showed up for dinner, meaning it was Taco night. I'd lost track of days I suppose, but that would make Pasta night two days from now. And THAT, would mean it was a week and three days from the Gate opening again.
It was going to be messy, busy, and distract me for a while from what I really wanted to do. But that was fine. Itami's report aside... I wondered how they were doing...
(So lets find out! Across the Gate scene montage!)
(Rondel)
Like most sane people, Cato Os Altestan hated paperwork. Oh, he fully understood the reasoning for it. The need for records and documents to be taken and stored. But to him, at the end of the day, they were a waste of paper. He would much rather that paper go to a book about something important, rather than where that book was in the library, and who had borrowed it last.
Speaking of books. The book Kodori had put together, and that had been translated by their Guild, was... Not as popular as he thought it might be. Oh! It wasn't that people hated it, or shunned it, or wanted to throw ink at the wise Sage for bringing the book into their world. No... Not exactly.
His first act, as the first Adventurer native to this world, the first 'demi-apostle', was to get all the important administration types at the Grand University, and show them its contents. Once they saw the book, well, that's where opinions started to divide.
Most saw it as an incredible gift. Tools that were so simple, that anyone with a functioning brain and opposing thumbs could operate! It would revolutionize what the normal person could do! Farmers would benefit from better tools and crop rotations. Smiths could use simple wind or water powered machines to speed up repetitive labour when making the same thing over and over. Wind and watermills! Better ways to build cranes for heavy lifting! Simple medicines as well as ways to test unknown plants for various properties! New ways to make BEER! Glass making, astronomy, metallurgy... The list went on, and the book simplified it so that anyone who could read could do something with it.
A much smaller percent of the Administration saw it as dangerous. Rondel was already known to 'ignore' the Gods decree on new technology and advancements. But this... The older people in the room had seen towns burn for such an affront.
But then there was one voice... This one voice saw the book as not just dangerous, but insulting. A book that not only made years of research pointless for many people, but just gave the answers away. Answers that some had spent most of a lifetime looking for, yet now, would never be able to discover if they were right. This went against the very essence of what Ral and Elange taught them before becoming Gods. It was cheating!
And to Cato, all those opinions were correct. It was all those things. A book of great knowledge, that was dangerous to know, and skipped the actual discovery on their own.
However, that one little angry voice in the back of the meeting hall seemed to be loudest. And they demanded with GREAT FURY that they should bring the book before the city's two Gods.
Most agreed, simply so that one voice wouldn't start throwing fireballs around. But others admitted, that they really should ask the Gods. They had descended, and made it clear they were going to stay.
"An interesting book." One said, the book floating over to their sibling, the hard leather cover opening, and the pages flipping rapidly through a simple application of magic.
"There are no weapons in this book... Only tools and simple machines... No magic at all."
"No, there are not." Cato replied, "Much of what is in there, would allow the common person to do what only magic can do right now. Even the contained lightning, 'electricity' that the JSDF use is absent from that book."
The book floated between the two God/statues, their stone robed heads 'looking' at it as the pages fluttered, "A stacking method... One tool helps build the next, that tool assists in making a machine... Very intuitive." They nodded, their proximity making it hard to tell which statue spoke, "But what is the problem?"
"Do you approve of the book?" One of the faculty asked from behind Cato.
"We are here to defend our followers. To teach. Not tell you what to do."
"However. Consider how to use the knowledge in this book wisely. We may be Gods, but walking among you like this does not make us greater, only present."
Cato mumbled, "Be welcome and cause no trouble in my house..." Then louder, "We understand." He then turned to face the members of the Administration, meeting their eyes, "Don't we?"
There were a few grumbles, but one of them said to Cato, with the same firm immovability, "Have your class curriculum submitted as soon as possible, Instructor Cato."
(Fort Alnus About a week after closing the Gate)
"This is surprising." Itami said, looking from a watch tower that faced the former 'killing field' and peering through a set of binoculars.
The Commander was also looking in that direction with a pair of binoculars, his leathery face frowning under the sleek black metal and plastic of the device. "Keeping security is going to be a nightmare."
"Should I ask Yao to talk to her people about it?"
"Yes." The Commander grunted, "We are already stretched thin, and I don't have to remind you we are slowly losing ground with the nobility here."
"We weren't allowed, or ordered, to fix some of the things around here." Itami replied, ignoring the quiet growl of the Commander.
"I'm almost feeling like it was a mistake to just let her do it." He replied, "But, it wasn't like we could have stopped her."
"You didn't want to stop her, once you heard the pl-"
"Shut up Itami."
"Sir."
(A week later.)
Again, Itami and the Commander were standing on the watch tower. A week ago, they had a dozen families or so who had shown up with the glowing coins. That in itself spoke of just how close some of those hidden daggers might have been.
There had been some people from the Slums as well, and while they didn't have the Coins, they did bring a few things with them. Entertainment (in one form or another), labour (because heavy things always needed to be lifted), and a single word in the strange Orario language. Friend.
The initial fear was that they'd be a little too rough for this kind of situation. But it seemed the promise of something better had motivated some of the listless looking new arrivals into helping.
By the end of the second week though, that population, not including the Dark Elves, had tripled. More from the Slums sure. But there was enough diversity here now for the various races to start forming enclaves.
The first of them was a bunch of Dragon-newts. They'd technically arrived before the refugees, but then left again. But now they'd returned, a hundred or so, with a bit of distinct culture with them. Books, some art, a few odds and ends that were obviously important to them... It was clear they intended to leave the Zone, and while they had no Coin, their first visit had made it clear at least some of them were part of Giselle's family. They kept to themselves, no one save a few Dark Elves dared bother them, and they went hunting and gathering for their own food.
A small group? Flock? Of Sirens had arrived as well. Some did have Coins, others did not, but they joined the 'workers' from the Slums (though not at their 'work') and also formed their own little group of tents. Some of the other groups did bother them, but it was mostly harmless, and it only took a couple of examples of wind magic to correct people in their assumptions that all Siren were 'workers'.
One that joined, but didn't join the refugee camp, were some Elves. Tuka had to educate some of the JSDF about them, saying that yes, there were other Sky Elves, but the ones who were camping at the fringes of the refugee field (but had brought their own tents and supplies) were just 'Elves'. Or if they really needed to call them something less mundane, 'Wood Elves'. They weren't very social, but they didn't turn anyone away from their camp.
The Kobolds and Volralden ('lesser' and 'normal' wolf men), were slowly trickling in as well. The JSDF and Dark Elves were thankful that the Volralden could keep the smaller, more excitable and mildly kleptomaniac Kobolds in line.
Surprising the Commander, who nearly had a heart attack when he noticed, the (very) wee folk, the Fairies had shown up as well. One had apparently taken a liking to him, and for days he wondered why his desk was always perfectly clean. He would never admit to giving it a headpat once he calmed down and put his pistol away.
So far, a single family of dwarves had arrived. With the women just as rough and heavily built as the men, save for an extra curve or two. When Tuka had said 'well that's kind of sad, won't they be lonely over there?' Rory had replied with, 'If that family is part of a clan, expect a hundred more in a few days'.
A 'stable' of centaur had arrived. Twenty three in total, it was a close knit little community who nearly got into a fight with the Volralden when they tried to set up on the farthest edge of the encampment, just so they had more space. Running was a big part of 'entertainment' for the half horse demi-humans, and they wanted the best field for it. But, once some of Yao's people arrived at the scene, only a few words were needed to smooth things over.
A pair, mother and child, of Leonid had arrived so far. And while they looked like a stiff wind might make them vanish, with their full body of fur matted and dirty, they were quickly welcomed, fed, cleaned and assured there was space for them.
There were a lot of arrivals like the Leonid. Single parents with one, two, sometimes three children in tow. The Dark Elves escorting them would have a little story about it that usually sounded the same. The 'missing parent' either went to find more of their family, or returned across the Row stream.
Cat-folk families were of course among them as well. As scary as they could be when riled, they were pretty sociable, and were acting like some kind of weird social 'glue'. It's not like they instantly went and started making friends. But when ever they were near, they seemed to just calm people down. It might have been because of their potential to literally claw your face off, or because they would 'nya' and distract people from what ever was making them angry.
Last, but not least, were Warrior Bunnies. The JSDF had been warned, politely but firmly, that using the word 'domesticated' was a huge insult, and would probably start a fight. But those Warrior Bunnies who didn't have half an ear missing, had... less of that dangerous feral gleam in their eye. It wasn't always slavery or abuse that caused it either. But some of them arrived with a human husband, or were very young yet had an even younger child with them. They'd either had the 'Warrior' beaten out of them, or never learned they had it.
But even with all this, people were still coming. Not just that, the JSDF had gotten several messages from their seaside outposts. A small 'shoal' of merfolk intended to migrate, but required a little extra time to get there. As well, a small note, with all kinds of cute little drawings around the message itself, said to expect a pair of cloaked and veiled people. That note was delivered by Persia on one of her visits to the Italica base and her (not official on paper due to 'orders' not to fraternize with the locals, but they weren't fooling anyone) boyfriend Kurata Takao.
Seeing all this, and how the population of 'non Dark Elves' had doubled in a week and showed no signs of slowing, they both sighed.
"I hope she knows what she's doing." Itami said.
"She's either confident, or insane." The Commander said, "They're going to make me retire when we get back to Japan."
"Retire? But you can't be a day ov-"
"Shut up Itami."
"Sir."
Rory was... concerned.
Not for herself of course! After nearly a thousand years, getting stabbed, shot, burned, eaten, and many many other things that would kill anything other than an Apostle, there was very little that concerned her about herself.
No, what was bothering her now, was this little... no, it was unfair to call it little now. Not including the Dark Elves, who's grand exodus was justified, there were quite a few others here. That wasn't bad. It was kind of exciting! It had been a while since she'd interacted with some of the other races, and she'd been amusing herself for the last few days by playing with them.
It a totally harmless way, mind you. She'd raced some of the Centaurs. Tried (and sort of succeeded) to make a metal cup at the Dwarf's little workshop in the middle of the camp. Shared fashion advice with some Siren and made a little black and red feathered hair clip for herself to match her dress.
But what bothered her, was the lack of faith.
Not a single person who 'dared' introduce themselves to her had a middle 'honorific' to their name. None. These, to a normal person, would all be Godless heathens. The Wood Elves who had taken up a spot of their own on one side of the camp didn't worship Wareharun (Goddess of trees and forests). The Dwarf family didn't use 'Du' in their name, for Duncan, god of Blacksmithing. The Sirens didn't pay homage to Flare, god of the sun...
The lack of faith was so strong, that she wondered why anyone would talk to her at all. An Apostle was either feared, or worshipped. Seeing them as a 'friend' was nearly unheard of save by those the Apostle took under their wing personally. They couldn't have children so they had no family unless they had siblings before they became an Apostle. To cross one meant death, and to please them meant you lived until something else killed you.
She realized why after she'd spoken with the Sirens though. One of them had been on the 'tour' Kodori had taken them on. The dwarf too, though to her, even after almost a thousand years, dwarves were almost impossible to tell apart.
It was because Rory had backed down. Not just backed down, but backed down without hesitation. The prisoners had all seen it, and Rory was sure the word had spread.
It was difficult to stop herself from getting angry, but after the initial surge of anger, she remembered her 'lesson' at the hands of the Fox. A lesson that came just in time too. She was not an 'anomaly' who could beat her. There were others in her world who could stand up to her. But after that 'lesson' Rory was shown something extraordinary in Orario.
She then realized something else, and didn't stop herself from getting angry this time. Kodori had used her as a tool. Her! Rory! Apostle of Emroy! She'd been used to keep these refugees in line! To show that her world was 'stronger', more 'forgiving'!
But that anger faded too. Because her world was stronger. The Gods there deserved the love they got. And now, so long as they behaved themselves, they would get to live there.
She sighed, wondered if it was too early in the day to start drinking, and if it was, if that dwarf would let her smash metal again. It was weirdly satisfying, using violence to create something.
(Zorzal's castle, near midnight, kitchen)
As was usual, Tyuule was availing herself of the kitchen after yet another night in bed with her worst enemy.
The 'war' against the JSDF and the Empire had basically ground to a halt. Bridges had been burned, access to the other side of the Row Stream had been all but cut off, and to be honest, there was almost no enemy to fight.
The Empire, even without the JSDF, still had the superior force. But instead of fighting and reclaiming the land north of the Stream, they just waited. It had all become a glaring match from across the wide river.
It was frustrating, exceedingly so, to the Warrior Bunny. She wanted, no, needed them to fight, to destroy themselves, to wreck their fields, burn their own cities down, and fight each other until only shambles remained. But it was getting harder and harder to goad them into fighting.
And tonight, she hoped to find out why.
With a perfectly filed toenail, Tyuule tapped the block under the stove in the kitchen. To anyone who caught her doing such a thing, like the kitchen staff (who had long gone to bed) or the patrolling guards (who were told by Zorzal himself to not look at her), it seemed a nervous habit.
But after a moment, she felt a little vibration under the pad of her toe, a signal from under the stone. So she moved her food, and started putting together a little food. "Bouro." She said.
A moment later, the stone lifted up, and was slid away, "My Queen... I have dire news."
From how her once dexterous network of spies and agents had been reduced to what felt like near immobility, she was expecting these words. "Related to the powder camp?"
"Not quite directly. But yes. Forgive me, please, but..."
"Report. Don't grovel."
"Our people are leaving."
She sucked in a sharp breath as she nicked her finger with a knife. "What?!" She hissed quietly, biting her poor finger to try and calm herself before her raised voice gave her away. "Leaving? Why?"
"The details are not... perfect... apparently there was an offer made. An offer to leave this world and go to the other side of the Gate." The reply was hesitant.
A bestial hand deposited something on the floor by her foot. A silver coin that looked to have been dipped in glass. On the coin's face was a tower.
"Where did you get this?"
"From the body of a traitor, who was caught talking about abandoning your cause." Bouro replied, "He didn't speak much on it, even under torture. Only repeating 'that my family is free of this war'."
Tyuule wanted to swear. Wanted to do a lot of things really. Most of them violent. "Our agents on the other side of the Stream?"
"Slowly vanishing. My clan has had to expose more and more of themselves to compensate for the lack of people, and we..."
"Are you thinking of leaving as well then?"
"No!" A pause, a breath, then a much calmer, "No, my Queen. But I must stress that my clan cannot cover as much ground, and we are much more... visible... than the missing agents."
Tyuule considered the knife in her hands, but after a moment she hung it back up. "How is production." She hoped the topic change would make her feel a little less agitated.
"That... That is our only source of good news. Slowly, we are bringing the can-ons and riffles to the attention of Zorzal's supporters. Just as you advised, they are hesitant, but in a few weeks we should have enough support to produce enough of them to-"
"Good." Tyuule said, "Before we lose our entire network, we may need to advance our plans a little."
"Is that wise?"
"You said it yourself, your tribe cannot make up for our sudden losses. So before our hidden support vanishes entirely..."
"I understand." There was a pause as Tyuule lowered the plate of food to the floor, and it vanishing under the stove, "Thank you my Queen."
She waited until the stone had been put back in place before picking up the coin. With one side showing a tower, the other a teardrop, it looked... special. Was this the promised land her people were abandoning her for?
She had known, or at least guessed why Zorzal was more enthusiastic in bed tonight, but with Bouro's confirmation, she was almost ready to take the fight across the river. She would have to suggest these new weapons be placed upon boats, so that they could siege the shores, break down the forts guarding the bridges that were left, and storm the Empire.
She held little illusion that Zorzal could win, but like most men, he would want to play with his new toy. A few more whispers, and he would be all too eager to so do.
(Back in Orario)
I sneezed suddenly, the suddenness almost making me fall over in my chair.
But, the sneeze had interrupted my thoughts, and I thought of something else before recalling what it was. While my newest batch of potions bubbled, I started planning another trip into the dungeon. Just a day or two, just to make some money. But also to talk in person with the Xenos.
The Xenos were practically vibrating with good cheer when I visited. Not all of them were around, they seldom were, as they weren't all 'social' creatures and liked to orbit the main enclave rather than live in it.
With me, since this was starting as a social call before I went to 'slum' in the middle floors for some loot and decent magic stone, were Spot, Chime, Sir Skitters and Hagane. Hagane was (so he said) just there to practise with his new arms, but we weren't buying it. We knew he liked to experience different textures on his metal shell, and the Xenos could give all kinds of differently textured headpats.
Why were they excited? Aside from bringing family to visit and the prospect of new races who had never seen them as 'enemies' and thus could attempt to make friends without any prior stigma?
Lido, a wide shouldered red scaled lizard man. Made even bigger with his full suit of plate that articulated with his differing anatomy, was slapping his tail against the floor with glee. "You want us to live there too?"
His excitement had caused him to misunderstand, but that was to be expected. "No no. I want you to know you will have a place there. At least, you should. The people I gave the tour to met the Xenos at the Manor, and know about you. And aside from Sir Skitters nearly making someone faint, and Spot being a little naughty and kissing one of them, they understood you weren't 'evil'."
Fear and Ray, green and gold feathered harpy and siren, were almost as excited at Lido. "Oh! That means..."
"A place in the sun." Hagane said, using his new metal hands to return headpats to Spot's mom, who seemed unsure as to how she felt about it.
Chani, the drider, half woman, half spider, in her nice polished adamant armour and warm leather and fur barding, was carefully giving Sir Skitters attention with her clawed fingertips, "Even me, I wonder?"
"It will be up to you, any, all or none, to visit. But I'll do my best to warm them up a little to the idea. I know this is your home, and it's hard to move away from something familiar. But I hope you can at least consider the idea."
Chime, and her mom, seemed to have combined into a single ball of cute fluff, though Chime's ears perked up. A moment later, her mother's ears did too.
"You might also have the opportunity to run security, of a sort." Hagane said, or translated? "The lands are still a little wild, and they will have little ability to fight monsters when they arrive."
"Oh, we can do that!" Lido laughed, "I'll tell the others when they come visit! But... oh... hmm..." He rubbed his chin, "It will take us away from Mother."
"Every child leaves the nest. But they are usually free to visit afterwards." Now he had the pygmy hard armoured sitting in one hand, while patting it with the other, the soccer ball sized Xenos making happy grumble noises.
"I want... I want to fly out there. Properly! Not just a little, while being watched..." Fear said.
"Well, you might make friends with any of the Siren race that come through. They can't fly though." I said, "Or if Giselle's family actually comes across... They can fly."
"Oh oh! I met her at the zoo!" Ray bubbled, "She's a lot of fun! And all the animals love her!"
"Hmm, fellow dragons... Maybe these ones will write?"
The time Hagane and I spent in the dungeon wasn't really noteworthy. Yes, we fought monsters. Lots of them. Lots and lots! But meh, so what? I built his body to be basically immune to anything in the dungeon, and now, with the addition of hands and actual weapons, or even the ability to use weapons he picked up, he was even more dangerous.
And well, I was level seven and hunting in an area meant for level three or four. Of course, this was also a perfect opportunity to headpat some wisdom out of the metal dragon cat.
It came at a price though. Now that he had hands, I was the one getting the headpats. "Hmm. I must agree with your wife. Your ears feel nice, even to me."
"Well, just don't pull them off." I said while I nibbled a bit of Rakia styled ration. "Oh yeah, huge improvement..." Then again, improving the original recipe for the dry brick-like cookie that passed for a field ration wasn't difficult. "So... What do you think?"
"You got lucky." He said after a moment, letting my ears go and slinking around to sit beside me. "I do not know if it is because of your bond with Bell, or some other factor, but this entire thing has... potential."
"Good? Bad?"
"It makes me think of Schrodinger. It may be good, it may be bad. But the potential is there. Until they arrive, if they arrive... well, aside from the Dark Elves. May I?"
I broke off a bit of the Rakia biscuit and handed it to him. I watched his new hands test it. Rubbing it between his fingers, crushing it to powder, letting it run over his metal palms like slightly cinnamon flavoured sand.
"Well." I said after another nibble of my own, "In a little more than a week we'll know. Well, know for sure."
"You've talked with them?"
"Of course. We're going to have lots of work to do. But..."
"Aha. Took you long enough."
"Oh wise and awesome dragon whom I love like a brother..."
"I do like the sound of that."
"Just how much help should we give them?"
"Past finding a third path that will abort their nearly assured deaths at the hands of the Empire, the JSDF or both?"
"And the land we've set aside for them, in a place that is rich in just about everything." I nodded.
"Let them ask. What was it you said, when you rebuilt the Shrine? Instant Shrine."
"Just add effort." I finished. "Yeah. I don't want to do everything for them. But I don't want them to look at the big empty space and wonder 'now what'? Then give up because they don't have a clue."
One of his new arms reached around and tapped the ridge of armour behind his head, "Hmm, I suggest, then, that you plan a town square. A Common place where they can mingle, or not. To trade, set up administration, and settle disputes. I have seen many times many 'towns' sprout up around a single building."
I hmm'ed, finishing my meal and shouldering the pack of stuff we'd collected so far, "I will chat with the Rhibus. They'll probably sing and dance and be all too happy to direct us how to build it." They were excitable, the Triplet Gods, but they always made sense, unlike Ganesha.
"Perhaps, to save future problems, build streets with the beginnings of infrastructure. Sewage, water. From the little exploration I have done of the city, the sewer systems here would put some in the modern world to shame with their layout."
"I want to write this stuff down... You're full of good ideas."
"You forget, I do not need to sleep. I enjoy it, but I have more free time than most. Now that I have hands, I think I may start reading all of the books in the library instead of prowling around the under city looking for..." He paused.
"For?" I asked.
"I don't know. Like my sister, I feel a strange resonance here in the dungeon. But also the city, and under it. I do not know what it is, but it is... familiar."
"When you figure it out, lemme know if you need help."
"Of course." And for the first time ever, we shared a fist bump. "Heh."
"Oh, I hear something. Let's get back to hunting."
NOTES!
And aside from a couple more little scenes, next chapter will be the re-opening of the Gate! Yay! The Vote came in as well, for those who aren't on the discord, and it will heavily set the tone for the next part.
After that, and a little settling in... Well who knows?"
Thank you for reading! And if you want to see any full colour art, join the discord!
aKAQg4bnYu for the discord!
And my actual book, Were Too? is on Inkitt.
And yes, I still have my Ko-fi.