】〓〓〓〓【

Zenith

】〓〓〓〓【

My poor chaperone is beside himself. It’s been another two days of travel and he has yet to return to a shadow, as if he’s afraid I’ll pass out again. He even went so far as to throw on a spare knight uniform. Luckily no knights came with us or that would’ve been a confusing conversation.

“Mire, I can handle myselves. You can rest in my shadow just fine for a few hours.” I say pleadingly with my male body. I attempt to play good cop bad cop with the shadeling. My female body leans against the door and looks out the window. “What could you do anyways, little guy?”

The shade’s face flushes, which strangely makes part of him paler. “I am assigned to your safety, my Lady and Lord.” His goopy brows furrow.

I shrug. “Fine, you’re coming up with an explanation for the Rarkins as to why your body drips.” Again the shadow man blushes, but eventually he nods in agreement.

Our trip is a long one, so I find my minds drifting. Back to Amy and her apartment, that entire experience. That world is undoubtedly real, the school nurse had a chair just like Scarlet’s. Not just that, though, parts of it were… familiar? Not like I couldn’t remember them, but like my body felt some sort of connection to it. It might’ve been that awful body messing with my mind, but for some reason I doubt it.

Amy… I miss her, I think. I’m not familiar with missing someone. I care for my siblings and Father deeply, but… I don’t remember a time I missed them. Even now we’ve been separated longer than I have been from Amy, and yet I miss her more. Maybe I had thought of her as a… friend? My chest pang with a strange sense of loss for a person who was just part of a dream. I hope this feeling gets less intense eventually.

Actually, my feelings have been much more pronounced since the dream started. I again assumed it was the body I was thrust into, but even now those louder emotions remain. Just what was that dream? And why were my emotions so subdued before?

Surprisingly the inside of the carriage doesn’t hold my answers. With a look at Mire I see that he’s calmed down a bit. He has a clear resemblance to his older sibling, Crag, but is much more lithe. I wonder if the shades get classes, or if they’re a race? That would be pretty incredible, if one of my siblings birthed a new race.

I sigh, letting my male body nod off into dreams. Four more days of this bumpy ride. I really hope this is worth it.

【〓〓〓〓】

It wasn’t.

The moment we arrived at the city of Lemm we were forced to wait for several hours to enter. In a royal carriage, sent by the king of Rarkin, who lives in Lemm. Why? I obviously know why, it’s a power move. But why? So annoying. I’m really not built for politics, why can’t we just talk things out?

Unfortunately my siblings who are good with politics are also prone to transforming into an invincible dragon child with no sense of self preservation. So I’m the best option. I look outside at the gate that is slowly opening for us.

It’s a large wooden portcullis placed inside a palisade wall. The strange thing is that the palisade only goes for a few feet to each side of the entrance. Past that is water, very murky water. Green slime clings to the surface of the swamp, glowing a faint green. Father informed me that monsters are repelled by this algae, and that the Muut are extremely protective of it.

The carriage arachnid’s legs clatter against the wooden slats that make up the roadway. Wooden platforms and poles stick up out of the water, holding the entire city over the deep liquid. Buildings pass by as our large arachnid pulls us through the roads. Roads may be a strong word, they’re more like docks connected together that are sturdy and wide enough to hold vehicles. I’m starting to understand the need for the large spider.

Using both of my bodies, I look out both sides of the carriage. The buildings are all made of the same wood as the ground. Most buildings are quite neat and sturdy looking, but wedged between them are small shacks and huts built with shoddy materials. Strange that the poor and the wealthy are so close to one another like this. Maybe the Muut just have a different temperament than humans.

Speaking of the amphibian folk, they scurry over the planks in every direction. Occasionally I spot one that will climb up a wall to get past a crowd. Children also jump from the sides of the platforms, a drop of easily three stories, just to quickly pop up from between the boards and do it again. The entire place has a lively atmosphere, and is monotonously happy.

Eventually the carriage comes to a stop in front of easily the largest building in the city. White marble gleams overhead, spires topped with clay shingles glare down upon the wooden city. Instead of sporadically spread out braces from the swamp holding things up, the palace has massive columns regularly spaced under the stone building. The things look as if they felled whole trees for each one. Probably did, actually.

I hop out of the carriage on both sides, and Mire follows after me. I need to tease him for his name later. In front of the gates leading inside are two guards.

One is a taller Muut, up to my hip, who is a light pastel purple. The other guard is an average height, just above my knee. This one has a murky green skin tone. They both sport wide smiles that don’t match the look in their eyes. Father warned me of this.

Green guy speaks up. “Ey! It’s some ‘umans.” He elbows his comrade. “Lookit this, Eaik, there’s ‘umans.”

The pastel one named Eaik looks up sluggishly. “Mmmm… so there is. What do we do, Immb?” She looks back over to the green one, who shrugs.

I use my muscular body to speak. “We’re here to talk to the king? He wished to speak about something with us. We’re envoys from the Gemshell kingdom.” The practiced tone flows from my body perfectly. My female side takes much quicker to diplomacy.

The two guards look at each other. Immb speaks up. “Wasn’t you supposed to be ‘ere three days ago?”

Before I can answer Mire surprisingly steps in front of me. “That was due to the arachnid getting distracted by something on the way here, it ran off the path for a day before it gave up.” Lies flow from our shade companions lips smoothly.

Eaik nods sympathetically. “Yeah, they do that sometimes. Probably smelled a swack or something.” Immb just stares at Mire while muttering something about goopy skin. The two eventually open the gate and let us through, but only after Mire lets Immb touch his skin.

Apparently it feels like ghost snot.

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【〓〓〓〓】

The royal Muut, King Reckk, looks exactly like his people in every way but one. He’s incredibly fat. I’m unsure how the large fellow managed to get to his throne from wherever he was before this.

Blue skin stretched much further than intended moves as he eats some kind of snack food. A movie Amy showed me comes to mind, but there’s not any chained up women here. King Reckk looks down at us, which he can only do because his throne is on a higher floor than the rest of the room.

“So, ‘umans, that king of yours sent you to defend yourselves. Tell me why you destroyed my colony.” His beady black eyes burn with anger… He honestly believes our kingdom was behind it. Which it isn’t… probably.

I keep my magically inclined self kneeled and use my female body to schmooze. I hope womanly charms work between species. “King Reckk, we came to explain the situation as best we can. King Gemshell says that we had nothing to do with your colony’s destruction.” The fat amphibian hmphs, his permanent smile at odds with the sound. “He says that the Gemshell Kingdom has no interest in the lands you desire, our people aren’t capable of living there like the Muut.” That’s not how the King worded it in his messages, but calling their homeland ‘filthy cesspits with no value’ probably wouldn’t go well.

Fire still burns in the eyes of the Muut king. “Even if it is as you claim, I do not believe ‘umans so easily. Your people look down on the younger races.” What a stupid idea, humans are one of the younger races. “Bring me proof that your people did not destroy my colony and I will trust your kingdom, and its king.”

With that the large man vanishes, leaving an empty throne that creaks in relief. That explains how he got up there. The guards escort us to the gates, not letting us even rest inside. Eaik and Immb wave to us as we exit.

“Well, that was fast,” Immb croons. Eaik nods slowly in agreement.

I laugh derisively. “Yep, now we’re off to prove something we didn’t do in a place we’ve never been with no provisions or lodging,” My masculine mouth rattles off before my self control can stop it. The Muut guards flick their eyes at each other before looking back at Mire and myselves.

Immb is the first to speak. “Well, we are off duty in ‘alf an hour ‘ere. You could come to our ‘ome for the night. We ‘ave plenty of rooms. It’s probably not as nice as you’re used to.” He shrugs, his eyes flickering with nerves.

Mire starts to shake his head but I cut him off. “Sure! We’d really appreciate it, actually!” I smile with my martial half, turning up the charm. The two Muuts’ eyes twinkle in happiness.

“Come ‘ere in an ‘alf hour, we’ll take you ‘ome with us.” Their faces are always smiling, but right now they actually seem to mean it.

“Thank you!”

【〓〓〓〓】

A little over an hour later and the four of us are standing in front of a four story building built with wood and some hope. Large gaps let light beam out onto the road from inside. Shoddy craftsmanship is apparent in many places, but the building is overall well maintained. Small dark shapes flick past the gaps in the boards, occasionally blotting out the lights.

“Well, ‘ome this is!” Eaik waves her webbed hand at the building, her eyes warm with affection.

We all go through the door, which is a repurposed crate lid, and head inside. I have to duck twice, with my female self practically having to crouch. Warmth hits me as soon as the door shuts behind us. The swamp is warm and muggy as it is, but this is like being inside a sauna. Sauna?

Small blobby shapes assault me from all angles, covering both of my bodies in a flash. I go to counterattack but some instinct stops me. Swarming over myselves is a living layer of children.

The kids are all different sizes, although all smaller than Immb and Eaik. Amazingly they’re all different colors, some close to one or both of their parents, but plenty in completely different shades as well. Their overall shapes vary wildly, too. Some are almost perfectly round with long tails following behind them, their limbs small and frail, while others look like miniatures of their parents. The rest are somewhere in between.

“Ey! Geddoff the guest, you rotten pollywogs, I’ll wack ya so ‘ard you’ll go back to ‘aving no legs!” Eaik roars. The Muut woman is flitting around rapidly, grabbing stray kids and giving them tight hugs.

The children swarming me squeal in faux terror and scatter into the rest of the building. I can’t help but laugh at their shenanigans. Immb rushes over, fear in his eyes.

“I’m sorry, they do that to new folks who visit.” The man nervously wrings his hands, making a strange creaking sound. Like rubber being twisted.

“It’s okay, Immb, they’re very cute.” As usual I let my female half do the smooth talking. My masculine side tends to flub words. The stress in the fellow deflates visibly. He nods, mollified, before leading us into another room.

Their dining room table, if that is what it is, is a large, wide stump that was carried in almost unchanged. Small stools circle the table, obviously intended for Muut proportions. Deciding not to make a fuss I sit down cross legged with both halves. Mire stands behind us protectively.

“Welcome to our ‘ome, Lady…” Eaik’s gaze goes funny for a moment. I realize we never introduced ourselves! I smack my foreheads simultaneously, startling the couple.

“Sorry, I’m Zenith Holdings and this is my… brother.” I point to myself. I continue speaking with my masculine side. “I’m Nadir holdings, t-the man behind us is Mire. H-he’s friendly, just overprotective.” I flash my friendliest smiles, which seem to work.

The guard couple’s eyes crinkle up happily. “We know nobles are used to more, but we’ll try to make up for what we lack in good food.” Oh no. Immb’s eyes worry me.

I notice that Eaik is holding a ball shaped child with a long tail like the ones from earlier, except this one has no limbs. “Who’s that?”

Startled, Eaik looks down at her child. “Oh! This is Bean, he’s a late bloomer. Still in his tadpole phase.” Her smile fills with intended warmth. “We don’t like to leave ‘im out of things so we bring ‘im up ‘ere when we’re ‘ome.” The small legless child lets out a happy chirp at being talked about.

“Does he understand language?”

The mother nods at my question. “‘is mouth just not ready to speak yet, is all.” Her love for her children is apparent.

“So how many kids do you have?” I can’t help but wonder.

She tilts her head, thinking. “Well, there were two ‘undred thirty eggs, but only two ‘undred made it to ‘atching. Then another forty died as tadpoles. So around an ‘undred eighty.” Her eyes fill with sadness as she talks about her lost children. “We were lucky, though, most folk’s first spawn barely ‘ave fifty by the leggy phase.” She gives Bean a rub on the head, which the child hums happily at.

“Do Muuts usually have so many children at once?” I ask, amazed.

Eaik nods. “Usually, but the lower the amount of eggs the more that usually live to be adults.” She rubs her head. “‘aving so many like we did is bad luck.” Her gaze follows a child who thinks they’re sneaky on the ceiling. “A lot of ‘poles get sick in the swamp. Usually smaller spawns mean stronger ‘poles.”

“Wait, you put the tadpoles straight into the swamp?”

Eaik tilts her head at my words. “Well, that is where they ‘atch.” Her eyes are completely serious. Wow, on your own the moment you’re born.

“How do they know who their parents are?” I ask.

Eaik goes to answer, but her mouth hangs open. “I… actually don’t know. They just do, I suppose.” She rubs her chin.

A clatter shakes the table as Immb returns from another room with a large stone pot. When did he even leave? Even with both my sets of eyes he snuck away. Eaik’s head slowly moves to look at the pot before opening her mouth.

“DINNER!” she bellows in an ear popping roar. The sounds of a stampede come from every corner of the house as hundreds of legs scamper towards the food. Suddenly I realize why they are using a stump as a table.

The hundred-odd tiny children are all sitting on small grooves on the stump’s beveled sides. Bodies surround the entire circumference of the table. My eyes pass over all of them, taking in their many different energy levels and personalities. They all look at me with curious smiles.

“Gemmph,” Immb calls out a name and puts a bowl of stew onto the table. One of the children scampers up onto the surface and drags the food back to their spot. Immb repeats this for each child. Over the course of the next forty-five minutes I learn the names of each and every Muut kid.

Overall, the meal is warm and tasty.