Making sure to be in the exploded den before the arrival of the Dormir is tough, because Illy is rushing to be as early as she possibly can. Thankfully, I can be quite quick when I need to be, even if I’m going to pay for it a bit later. Ow. I sensed her far enough away that I got here in time before her. She’s wearing her full, hooded, midnight cloak, but she throws it open as she runs to embrace me with a wildly fearful look in her eyes.
Illy alternates between anger and concern as she asks, “What did you do Schism? Are you alright? Are you okay? What the shiiii— Hi mom.”
I try not to burst out laughing too hard after I accidentally let out a single snorted laugh when Illy marks Kinzul’s approach by cutting off her own profanity. When Induul saunters in with Farzhis near, his eyes go wide and he demands, “What the fuuuu— my Lady.”
At the same time, Veril, arriving from another direction calls out, “Holy shit! Holy fuuu— oh hi guys.”
At that, Lil, Kinzul, Miraina, and I all begin laughing heartily. Thankfully, Kinzul answers the obvious question, “The current state of the den is because Schism was made aware of— let’s simply say, a wrong Schism wishes to right more than anything, and vengeance is the only recourse. In short, something made Schism angry, and you wouldn’t like them when they’re angry.”
As the four gaze at me, astonished, I nod. Induul mutters, “Effff me. Illy was effin right. I do not like this kid but I do not wanna get on his bad side.”
I grimace at being misgendered. I almost, *almost* want to jokingly tell him he’s already there, or that he just made it there with that comment. I’m not that mean though. I don’t actually want to make enemies of Induul or Farzhis, and this is already going to be a strained session. I’d prefer not to make it a hostile session on top of its strain. Plus, I want to end on a light note to hang out with Illy.
Farzhis is pointedly not on Induul’s arm, and she’s alternating between snubbing him, and staring at him, and occasionally eyeing me with predatory hunger. I gulp in response, because she is *not* subtle about it. I’ve got the feeling that she might gravitate towards people she feels the safest with, or that she feels are the most powerful. Or maybe that she feels have the most power that she might be able to manipulate. She might have a lot more going on subtly than Teuila gave her credit for.
Illy, seeing me shirtless, realizing she’s been pawing me all over to look for signs of damage, heedless of company, blushes heatedly and throws the hood of her cloak back up to cover her face as she swiftly shies away. Oh, right, I think my shirt was destroyed in the blast, and is probably part of this fabric dust somewhere. Thankfully, either the stuff I’m wearing is much more durably enchanted, or there’s some weight to the idea that my Can’Z’aasian resistances apply slightly to things directly on my personage, within a couple of inches.
I only just realized to think to look down and check if I still had pants. That’s both incredibly embarrassing, and slightly heartening. Wearing a wry smile and shaking my head incredulously at myself while chuckling, I turn my gaze towards Illy to offer her a warm, loving smile, which earns me a crinkling in the corner of her eyes hidden in the shadow beneath the hood of her cloak.
Veril eyes me up and down with a contemplative, semi-approving look, and flashes a nod my way in a very buddy-buddy manner. Smiling, I announce much like I did with the last quad, “So, there are ways to put up walls against passive thought broadcasting, in either version of the enchantment I’m going to do, but it’s easier in what I’ll call the lower wavelength, less intimate version. Applying the runework will be on bare skin, but I can be clinical about it, unless you want a half of a backrub at the same time. I’ll need to know whether you want the lower wavelength version, or the intimate version—.”
Before I can even finish, Illy blurts out, “Intimate!” and slaps her hands over her mouth in embarrassment. Thankfully, Veril comes to her rescue by taking it in stride and saying intimate as well. Farzhis, locking gazes with me, very unsubtly, in almost salacious tones, says intimate as well.
There’s a pause, and everyone looks at Induul who throws his hands up as he announces, “Well like I’m going to be the only one going against the flow, fine, intimate as well. I could go for a backrub anyway, even if it is half-arsed by the shrimp.”
Induul casts a semi-angry glare at Farzhis pointedly, as if saying it’s her fault that he needs a backrub from me. I clarify, “I uh, was going to say the backrub is an offer for everyone that’s not tied to the wavelength. I have to just use rubies rather than diamonds for the intimate wavelength. There was just, ahem, an interruption before I finished, but I’m very happy to offer any of you—.”
Veril quips, “Oh hell yeah! I thought I was signing up already. I’m warning you now, if I make weird noises, don’t hold it against me. Haven’t had a —, eh it’s not important, hah.”
I snort a laugh and clamp my lips shut as my cheeks puff with more laughter. Farzhis, realizing we’ll be needing to go in turns, in her charming accent, with dulcet undertones, states, “I as well though’ I was alrea’y signing up. I woul’ like to go las’, af’er the other six if iss’ alright with you.”
Crap! Illy and I flash a slightly worried gaze at each other, both unsure if we should announce our desire to be the final ones alone together. I don’t think Illy is socially-brave enough to comment on such a desire around this many people. She was barely able to share a bed with my inner circle sleeping nearby. I don’t want to make her uncomfortable by being the one to offer it either, now that Farzhis has already asked. It would put Illy on the spot if I were to suggest her instead and then she were required to agree. Kinzul is trying to hide her brow raised my way, as well as the hint of a smirk hidden within her telepathic wavelength. I won’t be getting any help there.
Before I get a chance to figure out a way to salvage this, Induul chimes in, “I’ll go right before my dear Farzee then, and stick around.”
Veril excitedly offers, “Hell yeah if we’re calling spots, I’m up first! Uh, if that’s alright with you my Lady.”
Lady Kinzul offers a winning smile and a slight tilt of her head to Veril, who pumps his fist in his sense of accomplishment. Illy mutters, “Anywhere in the middle is fine for me, I guess.”
In my mindscape, my telepathic avatar hangs its head resignedly, defeated, but then, a little more bravely, Illy chances, without being specific, “After we wrap up, you all go on without me, I’ve got some catching up to do,” implying that she’d be catching up with her mother.
Iylynila flashes me a sly smirk, knowing I caught on, but keeps her head down as we start walking to Kinzul’s private study. I try to pass deep breaths out through puffed cheeks, phew, as I try not to be overt about my desire to see Illy, and my desire to not be caught alone with Farzhis. Induul inadvertently came to my rescue there.
Farzhis is ridiculously attractive, and I can catch some subtle changes she’s making to her outfit that others would be change-blind to. Her scale-leather underbust bodice tightens ever so slightly, as does the fabric of her shirt, but her collar loosens slightly, forming more of a loose ‘V’. She wears slacks, interestingly enough, but I suppose that could be to show off her excellent hindquarters. I’ve got the feeling that of the group, she’s the one most dangerous to her allies. The seemingly placid, passive attitude is mostly only when she has Induul right where she wants him.
I’m surprised Farzhis hasn’t tried for Illy yet. Or maybe she has? Or wait, if she’s not interested in Illy, the definitively most powerful member of the group, is that because she’s not attracted to women? Induul would default to the safest option in the group for her to try to charm, because he’s traditionally masculine. Veril is rather effeminate, and a bit youthful. Is she reading me as masculine? Ugh, maybe I should shapechange myself some boobs.
Kinzul’s laughter across our telepathic wavelength is, while enjoyable, and humorous, slightly disconcerting. I think it might just be because I thought the word boobs, or casually thought about growing a pair to dissuade romantic attempts. My thought on that reasoning is because I know she takes care to address her people by their desired gendered pronouns. Kinzul made sure to correct herself to they when speaking about Xayla.
When we’re situated, Veril and Induul join me in shirtlessness, while Illy is still deciding how risque she wants to make her outfit as she reforms her cloak into other clothing. Farzhis visibly mulls it over for a moment, trying to determine how much she can get away with with Lady Kinzul right here. In the end, Farzhis morphs her bodice and shirt to remain almost entirely open in the back, with tight lace running side to side only three times from each, providing a fair amount of surface area. She simultaneously removes the poofy shoulders of her sleeves, and makes her blouse sleeeveless entirely.
Maybe if I tell her that I lost most of my dragonforce in just two days, she’d stop trying so hard? I don’t even have to tell her, I can announce it to Kinzul. Couching it in apology, I direct my statement to Kinzul aloud, “Ah, about the wrong I wish to right, and the destruction of your den Lady Kinzul, again, I’m very very sorry. It can’t happen again, because most of my dragonforce was expended, well, most of what I had left from the previous day’s mishaps anyway. If you’re worried about it occurring after I obtain two more tomorrow, simply throw me back into battle every day to continue expending dragonforce, as you know that mine drains far more swiftly due to my fatal illness.”
Oh crap, I don’t know if Illy knows that I’m dying, and it was a vague enough statement it could imply it’s a different one than my mana residue sickness. Illy’s voice wavers as she asks, “Your, your fatal illness?”
Kinzul covers for me, “Fatal is a strong word Schism. Changeling mana residue sickness you called it I believe. Yes, it takes dragonforce to maintain you, but even without an Honoris Causa, you were able to obtain the essence necessary. I’m sure you have many allies and loved ones already who would part with a fraction of the—“
Illy leaps to her feet, ready to volunteer. She squeaks as she realizes how overt she’s being, but I interrupt both ladies, “I believe you’re right my Lady, I misspoke, but I shouldn’t need to do such a thing as, well, take from any of my beloved fellow Onyx Dawn members. If I fall, well, it’s not like I haven’t died before. Who knows what happens this time. Ah, sorry, that’s fatalistic. Just throw me in the mouth of any evil fire, ice, lightning, or poison dragons. I’ll do the same thing I did with Kozzurth, and cut their head off from the inside, and I’ll be fine.”
Wait, crap, now I’m bragging to make Illy feel safer, negating the whole point of this farce, to get Farzhis to stop trying to seduce me. Farzee really is immensely attractive though. Incredibly so. The bluish hue about her doesn’t detract from any of her charms or features— gak. Woah her gaze is intense. Predatory hunger indeed. Nope, nope, nope. Not going to start succumbing to charms. It’s bad enough that I’m obsessed with one woman, or that I think frequently about marrying my Lady, or that I’ve done unspeakable things with—. I’m just going to shut my brain off before I get myself in more trouble.
Lady Kinzul, with her brow furrowed across our telepathic wavelength, danger underlying tones of humor and curiosity asks, “Unspeakable?”
My heart hammers in my chest. I don’t want to lie to my Lady, but this is her daughter we’re talking abou—. Crap. Thankfully, Kinzul begins laughing heartily across the telepathic wavelength.
Our Lady compassionately reassures me, “Trust that I’ve had words with my daughter about the, ahem, event within your private vault. It’s not so unspeakable after all. No?”
Blood drains from my head as I pale, mortified. Shortly thereafter, it all comes rushing back as I create my own massive thermal fluctuation, raising the temperature of the study as my face becomes hot enough to fry a steak. I’m sure it seems odd as hell to the assembled other than Kinzul, that I still haven’t set up the current psychic subnetwork, and am instead, standing over here blushing like a goon, with my mouth stuck in a moue, as I face our Lady. It might even make Farzhis think that her signals are getting to me.
Trying to still my hammering heart, I realize I haven’t been breathing for a bit. I guess I’d forgotten I needed to do that to live, so I’d better start doing that again. Deep breaths. Okay. Pretend it’s part of the spell or something. They don’t know you don’t have a mnemonic. Just make eye contact and breathe while you—
Oh wow Illy. She transformed her outfit into a loosely draped gown that seems to twinkle with distant starlight within its midnight hue. Despite not being as overtly sensual as Farzee’s constantly bust-enhancing outfits, it’s absolutely stunning, even as it hangs off the pert shelf of her slightly more modestly sized chest. I really don’t want my brain to start trying to guess cup-sizes for bras, an item that no one wears because they don’t exist. Let’s just say that I like the features, and that while differently sized, they’re quite lovely on both women’s human forms. They can probably sculpt them over time anyway. Their clothes can change pretty quickly.
Reggie, shut up and finish the spell. Right, right. Woah! Unlike the other groups who quieted their minds, in order to be prepared to cut off passive broadcasting, The Paradox Dormir are a whirlwind of thoughts, with no heed for such. Illy’s thoughts are the most closely guarded, but she’s still projecting her emotions, not that those weren’t on full display anyway.
Veril’s thoughts are along the lines of, “Why do my teammates have to be so damn pretty? It’s fine that none are into me, but it suuuuucks to be constantly reminded of how incredible they are in either form. Schism seems really nice, despite being scary powerful, and in the vanguard. I hope I don’t freak them out when moaning from the backrub. Maybe they’re into that kinda thing? Who knows. Do ya think Spymaster and Schism are really an item? Is that maybe a long term thing, or might she be free sometime soon? Hm, I’d kinda prefer a dragon for the best of both worlds with both forms. She’s stupidly gorgeous though. I don’t recall if I’d ever seen her before, but even in just the feasting hall, wow! I wonder if Induul would give me a shot while he’s on the outs with Farzee? He’s not so bad when they’ve been apart for a while, and I can’t say he’s not handsome. Do ya think we’re going to lose anyone in the first offensive? I hope not, not even the Vivvies. It’d be sad to lose them, even if they’re kinda jerks. Prinny’s no jerk, and I think she’d be broken up about it, and that would suck. Does Kinzul really want to be leading the fray, or is it personal with Astridus? Will Schism start taking on more dragons at once after having two dragonforces? What about Tenith? Are either of them prepared for tricks like dragonfear?”
Induul’s thoughts are along the lines of, “Farzhi’s such a manipulative blasted wench. But she knows I can’t stay mad at her when she manages to snag more pipe. Smoking with her makes it all worth it. I can never figure out how she gets her supplies, and it drives me nuts. Of course, she knows it, and she’ll keep the secret as long as she can. Feh, let’s hope the spritely little spriggan pintsize halfpint punk can take my mind off of it for a bit before I go into withdrawal. Backrub oughta be nice. Schism doesn’t seem the type to hold it against someone or make a big deal about it if they’re tense. Ugh, would the prick rat on me for piping with Farzee? Lady Kinzul’s seen me, but never made a big deal out of it. Schism saw me in the feasting hall, definitely took note. Kinda my fault, I blew smoke rings at him. Kinzul doesn’t care yet, but he has her ear, he might convince her to care. I hate that he’s kinda a goody little two shoes. Then again, what the hell was that in the den!?”
Farzhis’s thoughts are more subtle, “Keep *him* on his toes. Keep my supplier secre’. Migh’ have to disappear for a few days to ge’ in touch. Brains over there can’’ say anything abou’ it, because I’ve go’ dir’ on her. Keep *Brains* off her game. It’s almost hilarious tha’ Brains has got eyes for *tha’* one, but I migh’ claim the prize firs’. I can ignore prettyboy, as usual. He trips himself up. Our Lady is smar’, but she doesn’’ play around in our little power struggle dynamics, so I don’’ even have to worry abou’ her helping Brains ou’ when I le’ the dominoes to fall. It’s not like it’s anything tha’ bad anyway. I just wan’ wha’ every girl wan’s, all her frien’s worshiping her. Well, maybe no’ every girl. Perhaps tha’’s a ta’ melodrama’ic, I just wan’ those closes’ to me, to pu’ me a’ the top of their priorities. I don’’ nee’ to be a queen, but I will be their goddess.”
I try to hide my annoyance at being misgendered by Induul as I’m setting up my own passive outgoing broadcast walls to keep any of The Paradox Dormir from hearing my own inner monologue. It’s about the time that simultaneously Induul is thinking about my explosion in the den, and Veril is thinking about preparing for dragonfear, and Farzee says that she’ll be her party’s goddess that things get *really* quiet across the telepathic bond.
They just realized they were hearing each other by that point. I guess maybe they didn’t realize the strength of this? I thought I warned them that they could, and would have to put up passive-thought-blocking walls. I mean, Illy did it right away for everything except her emotions. Then again, Illy spent time around me, and Teuila, and both of us have talked about telepathic bonds.
I’m just really, really hoping that none of this blows back onto me. Also, I resent the fact that Farzhis thinks of me as a prize, but I’m also a bit flattered. Only, not so much flattered as wary, since she’s apparently pitting herself against Illy in a game to ‘claim’ me first. I think Kinzul is most upset that Farzhis claims to have dirt on Brains, which would definitely be Illy. Speaking of—.
Across our private wavelength, Illy worriedly telepathically contacts me, “I read smut with Prinny! That’s the dirt. Please don’t try to, to, to do whatever she wants from you to learn it or uh—. You didn’t even care did ya?”
Trying to hide my smile, I respond in the private wavelength, “Oh I cared, but mostly only cared that Farzee was being a booger holding something over your head. I actually had a feeling it was something a lot like that. The uh, let’s just say, your, um, expectations, sort of play out like a koff, romance novel. Your mother can hear my half of any telepathic communiques, because she’s just that powerful, or, well, she kinda hinted that she thinks our souls might be rather high in compatibility. Gulp. An-anyway, I’ll always try to be vague unless you explicitly tell me you don’t care about Lady Kinzul learning a specific thing. ‘Kay? Love you Iylynila.”
In a private telepathic query, Farzhis tries to salvage her attempt to claim me with, “I don’’ suppose tha’, if you migh’ have hear’ something jus’ now, tha’ you woul’ maybe be able to forge’ all about it? I coul’ make it worth your while. I really do wan’ to catch you alone. Tha’ red hair, an’ smooth sof’ everything. Le’ us jus’ say I’ve go’ places, lo’s of places on me tha’ like a smooth touch. An’ other places tha’ like an even smoother smooch.”
Phew, that’s, whew that’s direct. Holy crap that’s direct. Pshew. If I were the lead character in some sort of harem plot, I’d probably take her up on it, and just try to ignore her attempts to manipulate me. I have neither the willpower nor desire to pursue a path like that. Even though she is ridiculously, stupidly sexy and pretty, like Veril thought.
Like Teuila said, Farzhis’s accent is even cute. It’s one where she doesn’t enunciate “T”s and “D”s near the end of words. It gives her a very personable charm that makes her sound less cunning than she is. It’s taking a lot of willpower to keep my mind from describing her physical features as I accidentally keep glancing back at her, and her salaciously revealed sideboob, because I could very well be snared if I let it do that. That shirt just keeps getting smaller away from the back towards the front.
Farzhis’s been continuing to surreptitiously modify her clothing to be more and more revealing this entire time. Also, despite her wanting to go last, she’s been laying flat out across one of the whole couches, taking up the whole space. It’s a cunning play, since it’s the one couch that’s opposite everyone else, so that I’ll be stuck looking that direction as I apply the permanency enhancement enchantment to everyone else. Stuck looking at that suppleness that becomes incredible firmness as she lays atop—. Koff. Nope. Nope nope nope.
It takes me a few moments to find words for Farzee, so privately I send her a request, “Farzee? Can I ask you a favor first? I won’t hold anything against you that you thought, if you promise to drop holding the dirt over ‘Brains.’ If you can promise to stop trying to get, or hold anything over her head. Do that for me, and,” I pause to gulp, making sure I don’t send it telepathically to her, but also letting the obvious addition hang in anticipation before finishing, “I’m all yours.”
What am I thinking!? I mean, it’s a gamble, it leaves her an out, and leaves me with leverage. If she does try to get coy with me and pressure Illy, I’ll snub her or ghost her.
Farzhis tries to play it close to the vest as she responds, “Oh I think I coul’ certainly arrange something like tha’. It’s kin’ of you to forgive and forge’ so swif’ly. I look forwar’ to your rubbin’.”
That wasn’t an explicit agreement per se with exactly what I asked her to do. Rather, it was arranging something like it. She’s wily. I have to keep my eyes open for signs of Farzhis trying to mess with Illy, but at least I can be a buffer against her manipulations. I’m definitely not getting into bed with the woman though. Hell’s bells I’d start obsessing over her like I were under a whammy for her.
Actually, we still don’t know how Teuila’s Latent works. I might become obsessed with anyone new that trips a certain trigger, like a type of eye contact or something. Friggin’ hell My Wings. You’ve got to master your Latent and rescind it from me so I can stop second guessing myself. Erm, not that I want to immediately sleep with Farzhis once Te’s Latent is gone, or, well, at all. I mean, also not that I don’t sort of want to, in a raw, primal attraction sense. I’m still not biologically equipped for “sleeping with” someone in that sense, and don’t want to be. Friggin’ hell, okay, no more of this.
Veril and Induul don’t reach out to me privately. Veril might be a little embarrassed about thinking about how attractive his teammates are, but his thought train was mostly innocuous. Induul probably doesn’t even realize he’s misgendering me. I am shirtless, with no features, so that’s kind of my fault. Really the only one whose thoughts were problematic all that much were Farzhis, and it’s probably pretty obvious to the others that she’s going to make some kind of move on me by the end of our subnetwork setup.
Miraina, sweet precious Miraina, the Order of the Onyx Dawn’s Pawn, comes to my rescue, pleading, “Schism? I’m real real sweepy. Can I pwease nap while you do the others, and be the one to go last instead? Pwease? Pwetty pwease? Aunty Kinzul, Pwetty Pwease?”
The precocious Pawn! I love her! She even baby-talked to sell it! How the hell did she catch on that I needed the rescue? Maybe Illy contacted her privately? Or Kinzul? Regardless, Kinzul clears her throat to comment, “Yes my dear Pawn, I think everyone would agree that you can trade places with Farzhis so that you can nap. You’ve been helping us out all day so far. You work so very hard for the Order, Pawn my sweet.”
Yes! There’s no friggin’ way Farzhis is going to backtalk Kinzul. I manage to keep a placid face in meatspace during my whole train of thought, but then I flash Pawn a warm sad smile as if to apologize.
I nod while agreeing with Kinzul, “Of course Pawn, you’re right, you’ve been at this all day. I’m sorry we pushed you so hard for so long,” oops, that came out wrong, hopefully no one notices, or rather, hopefully Farzhis doesn’t think that that’s a signal. I make certain that there’s no pause or hesitation as I continue, “It’ll be just about an hour from now when I finish everyone else, a perfect length for a nap. Sweet dreams Pawn you hard-worker you.”
Hopefully I didn’t oversell it, and hopefully the unfortunate euphamism can go ignored. Ugh, I’ve got euphamism-brain because of Farzhis. I’m going to be seeing them everywhere, like the outrageously taut flesh of her, bre--koff. The flesh that’s beginning to spill sideways from her still-shrinking top. Okay, there, she finally settled her clothing, and it’s barely more than a string bikini at this point, a little closer to a halter-top, but not much, especially considering the surface area that she’s exposing. Erm, anyway, yeah. What I meant was every time I say something I’m going to be double-guessing myself for Freudian slips, and worried that Farzhis might think that they’re signals of my interest. The interest that I don’t have. Or, well, do, but don’t want to? Or, uh. Crap. Figure it out later.