Note: I live! I actually got another chapter out in a reasonable amount of time. Ok you may have noticed I like borrowing ideas from multiple sources (ie Skyrim Dragon Shouts/Speech, Mass Effect Military Alliance, Legend of Dragoon Dragon Armor, etc). So today, if you ever watch 90's cartoons you may recognize a guest character and I would like to say now I do not own any rights to him. To be honest, I have no idea how he got in here to begin with. He just showed up and started messing up the place so I figured it would be better to keep him busy until someone comes and claims him. Someone please save me from the painfully bad rhyming and attempts at Shakespeare style language.
BTW to explain why this guest character is speaking modern English right away, blame it on magic. (Waves the Magic Wand of FanFiction Loopholes +2 to add Language Buff to Plot Armor)
Chapter 12: Dreaming on a Mid-Summer Night
Susan loudly slurped up the last of her smoothie and dumped her plastic glass into a box next to her desk filled with dirty dishes. Her work space has recently expanded to include six monitors and three keyboards. Two of the keyboards have yet to be modified to match her demanding specifications and she didn't like it one bit. 'Flimsy injection molded pieces of crap,' she muttered when she had to switch from her steam-puck typewriter styled keyboard to one of the new ones to pick up a call. "Magic Storage, if it sparkles and growls it's ours pal, "she said.
A loud sigh could be heard on the other end of the call as a tired voice said, "There's a large package for you guys from the Metropolitan Museum of Art that just arrived. "
Susan tapped a few keys on her good keyboard to pull a list, "Let me see…ah here it is. Titania's Mirror…so far it's only freaked out a few people by freezing their image but definitely something Thea needs to take a look at. Can you send it up or do you need me to send someone over there?"
"Send someone with a cart, "came the reply.
"Okie fine, be there in five, "said Susan as she ended the call. Standing up with a stretch and hearing the popping, she decided to go herself since most of the others were busy moving the Horde scrap to make room for magical items. Plus, she needed to move around some or her butt was gonna merge with the blasted chair.
About 45 minutes later, Susan was once again at her computer and figuring out the best ways to rule the world! (Insert evil laugh version 3) No wait, she was just checking satellite images maps of the Atlantic Ocean in the hopes of finding a sunken island that may or may not exist all because her BBF asked her to. Reality sucks!
Where was said friend? On another freaking planet! An all expenses paid, first class trip to Eternia to help smooth things out for the royal family to visit Earth. Did she invite her pal Susie along…nooooo. She asked her new personal assistant, Jack Johnston instead. True, he basically saved the world by calling in the cavalry when old Dr. Mills turned out to be freaking insane but come-on! And now there was a large box leaning against the wall next to her work station that is basically calling her to open it. 'You know you want to do it, "came a slightly low-class British voice that was definitely Susan's imagination, 'Just one little peak.'
"Ah, screw it, "Susan said out-loud as she stood up, "It will be easier on Thea if the mirror was set up anyways."
Once done, Susan stepped back to check out the mirror from a short distance. It was about two meters in height. Its frame was made out of some sort of wood that was treated in a way that it was shiny white. The decorations were simple with just what appeared to be a pair of stylized trees whose branches were bending towards the upper corners. The 'roots' of the trees decorated the bottom corners as well as becoming the legs that held the mirror upright. Looking at her watch and seeing it was well pass time for her to go home, she posed before the mirror and jokingly said, "I have an exposition of sleep come upon me. My efforts they will commend. Susan free, to homeward wend."
To Susan's shock, her image in the mirror blurred and then cleared up to reveal an image of her bedroom. "Crazy Mother of a Webmaster! What the…,"she said as she slowly moved to touch the mirror. A pale hand took hold of her wrist as a slightly British voice said, "I wouldn't do that. For the mirror can be as fickle as a cat."
Her heart beating fast in her chest, Susan's eyes followed the hand's arm to see a man with long pointed ears and waist length flowing white hair. His looks and his red, blue and golden jester-like outfit alone would have made her stare but it was him floating in mid-air with his legs crossed was just a little too much for the woman. The being smirked as he caught the fainting Susan.
The stranger chuckled as he looked around for a place to lay the poor lady down. Seeing nothing that looked comfortable enough, he said waving one hand as the other held the girl up, "Puck is many things, but never a poor guest. For the lovely lady, a soft bed is now his request."
Just in front of the mirror, a twin bed with the softest looking comforter appeared not far from the mirror. Puck carefully placed Susan on the bed and stepped back to take a seat in her chair. He noticed that the chair moved as he sat down and then with a small 'wheeee!' proceeded to spin. "Oh I'm going like this new age. Even in the smallest things the fun never seems to fade, "he said when the chair stopped with him looking at Susan's red and bronze monitors, "Oooh, shiny."
(Steve Marshall's Home, Early the next Morning)
Steve Marshall sipped his coffee at the dining room table as he read the reports. The house was quiet with Althea away, not that she was loud or anything but she always seemed to have something turned on or was doing something. The sound of Reveille blaring pulled him from his thoughts and he picked up his phone with a sigh. He had to figure out how to unlock that ringtone that Susan placed on it. "Captain Steve Marshall speaking, "he said as he closed the folders and turned off a tablet, "What do you mean by 'strange,' soldier?" Steve listed as he finished off his coffee and then said, "I'll head out there now."
Steve frowned and he dialed Susan's number to see if she was already in and might be more forthcoming about what was so 'strange' at the office. Her phone rang a few times and just before going to voicemail, it picked up but instead of Susan's chirpy voice it was a distant, accented man's voice, "What is this bothersome creation, that beeps and boops in reaction?" A few beeping noises as the person on the other end of the phone pressed a few keys and then the phone hung up.
With in the hour, Marshall found himself at a vine covered door that leads into the Research Facility. The vines so far have resisted being cut and burning by the base's maintenance crews. Taking a deep breath, Marshall did what his niece listed as a definite option when dealing with apparently non-aggressive magic. He walked up to the door and knocked.
"Who is it?" A British sounding voice sang out just before the vines moved out of the way and the door opened to reveal a rather short male with long pointed ears, "Ah, you must be the 'Stevie' I've heard so much about. Come, come on in and sit."
"Thank you, "Marshall nodded as he signaled the men to stay where they were. The captain then followed the white haired..elf?..to Susan's desk. There he saw the mirror, a bed and rather frustrated looking Susan. Said girl look of frustration then changed to one of joy and then quickly to fear. "I didn't do anything!" she cried out as she stood up from her chair and then waved her hands in denial, "All I did was put the mirror up so to help Althea out. How was I suppose to know it was like Alladin's Lamp?!"
"I am an Elf, thank you, "Puck crossed his arms and aim his nose upwards, "I'm not a Jin otherwise I would stink, PU."
Susan turned to glare at the elf and snarled, "Enough with the crappy rhymes already! Half of them make no sense!"
Puck laughed as he jumped up and flipped in mid-air, where he remained floating. He then smiled and said with a wink, "Anything the fair maiden asks. It shouldn't be too much of a task...Sorry about that, force of habit."
Marshall sat on the edge of the bed as he rubbed his forehead, he then asked, "If you don't mind, who are you?"
Puck lowered and stood on the ground with both feet and then with a formal bow he said, "My name, dear Captain, is Robin Goodfellow; one time loyal servant and follower of Lord Oberon, High King of the Fair Folk. My friends, and I do hope you both consider me as a friend, call me Puck."
"Wouldn't your boss, this Obi-wan guy, be mad you're here and not working for him?"Susan asked, "And what were you doing in that mirror?"
"I know not this 'Obi-wan', but Oberon can't anger of something he does not know, "Once again sitting crossed legged and floating, Puck answered, "Even if he did, he sent all his people away to seek safe haven when the Darkness came; ordering us not to return to our home until summoned by him."
"The Darkness, "said Marshall and then asked, " I've heard of that term before, what is this Darkness?"
"The Darkness hates the Light and sent its minions that fed on the magic like locus, "whispered Puck, eyes wide open, "Fed on the magic until there was no magic left. Only those that slept or who has protections stronger than the minions survived. Those that slept could no longer wake since there was no magic to power them. Those that hid behind protections were trapped, unable to break free. My own Queen Titiania took pity on my and in honor of my service, hid me in her mirror. I know not what happened to her or my King."
Both Susan and Marshall remained silent for a few moments to consider Puck's words. The Elf took a rough breath and then ask, "What is to become of me now? I know not of this age, even though what few wonders I've seen are fascinating. My magic, though never strong and nowhere near the strength they once were, may they be of use to you here? I would be honored if my Lady would allow me to serve her in return for freeing me from the mirror." The Elf knelt down before Susan.
"Me?!" Susan squeaked, "You want to serve me? Why not the Captain? He's our leader and all."
Captain Marshall's eyes narrowed for a second and then he crossed his arms with a small smirk. He had an idea what was going on but would definitely need to verify this with Althea once she returned. He then said, "I think that might be a wonderful idea, "said Steve who had to hold back the laughter as Susan's jaw dropped, "But, can she wait to give her an answer. We have a friend who might be a little more familiar with your culture and should be better able to explain to us what is expected by both sides of the agreement."
"Oh, "said Puck with a raised brow, "Who may this friend be?"
"Dovahzii, "was Marshall's reply.
"Dovah.."whispered Puck as if in awe, "A Dovah lives? Is it a dragon or human-born? When can I meet her…"
"Calm down, "said Marshal with a smile at the Elf's antics, "She's current away on a mission but she should be back in a few days. You can stay with me at my place, free room and board. All I ask is to remove the vines and bed. Agreed?" Marshall stood up and offered the Elf his hand.
Puck tilted his head to considered Steve Marshall's words and then smiled as he took hold of the man's wrist, "Agreed!"
To be continued…