PART V - LITTLE MONSTER
Slowly, everyone began to collect their wits. Callie was about to get back to work, seeing what needed to happen next, and assuming it would be to get all the preserved flowers somewhere safe. Her thoughts were interrupted, though, as Juniper emerged from the door of the tent, yawning and stretching as if she had just woke from a restful night’s sleep.
Juniper was still wearing her tan uniform top, although she had removed her pants for sleep, and was standing there in her underwear. She flexed her light-green feet, feeling the grass and soil underneath and sighed contentedly, her closed-eyes staring happily into the rising sun. Someone made a noise, and the Dryad finally noticed all the faces staring at her. She turned to see if it was something behind her that everyone was looking at. It wasn’t. “Um, good morning?”
“You may want to sit down,” Callie warned. “You will get really dizzy after your new skills are revealed.”
“Oh yes, I learned a new one just moments ago,” the Dryad said gleefully. “It is called Carnivorous Familiar. I asked my little creature about the skill and it says it will allow me to summon an adorable little pet monster-plant to help me fight.”
“You asked your Symbiote about it?” Tasi said, a sudden worried tone in her voice.
“Oh yes. My new companion was ever so helpful. See?”
Before anyone could shout to stop her, Juniper waved her hand and a few meters away, the ground split open. In the blink of an eye, a vine suddenly rose to roughly the height of Pixyl. As Callie watched in fascination, the vine filled out, seeming to inflate into shape, and soon what could only be called a huge, bulbous head formed, sporting long, fang-like teeth. The appearance of the head was soon followed by the whole thing pulling itself from the ground and standing on three ‘legs’. The … whatever it was … seemed to stretch and shake each vine limb out, now adding two armlike appendages. Callie thought the little thing looked vaguely like something from that musical about the plant from outer space, and she fully expected it to simply say, “Feed me!”
The little plant looked around, its gaze finally landing on Callie. It seemed to smile, and with a growing sense of trepidation, Callie suddenly realized that technically she was a plumber, and that plants that looked like this ate plumbers in that video game, and this plant looked hungry! It started coming for her, and she turned to run!
While nearly everyone was stunned by the sight, it was Pixyl who instantly came to Callie’s rescue. With a swoop, the Bladeweaver dropped from the roof of the tent, her swords flashing to existence. She lashed out, striking the plant on the side of its … well … head. She was wearing her suppression bands, though, and instead of being sliced in half, the Gnome-hungry plant was sent sprawling. Pixyl leapt between the plant and its dinner, hissing loudly in defiance.
Both Cheena and Maugra were just a bit slower, but reacted almost at the same time, on instinct pulling their hands back, ready to fling a spell at the thing. Unfortunately, Pixyl was now between the Shamans and the plant, and they didn’t have a clear shot, nor did their Totems. Everyone else took healthy steps back from the sudden fight.
“Juniper!” Xera snapped, causing both the Dryad and the little plant to look at her in momentary confusion. “Control your plant!”
The newly-minted Sylvan looked back at her pet, calling out a quick “Down boy! Sit!” like it was a tiny, hungry puppy.
Obediently, the plant seemed to sit, still warily eyeing Pixyl, who was tense and sword-ready for anything.
“Come here!” Juniper snapped, jabbing a finger towards the ground at her side, a cross look on her face.
Head now hanging low, the plant slowly walked towards its creator, keeping a wide berth from Pixyl as she snarled at it, her swords ready to go to work again if needed.
“We do not eat mommy’s friends!” Juniper scolded. “Even if they might taste good! Now, you behave!”
With an air of shame, the puppy-plant hung its head, and Callie could swear she heard it pitifully whining. She was then sure of what she heard when it glanced sidelong at Pixyl, letting off a low growl, still angry it got smacked.
“Juniper,” Xera seethed, obviously trying to keep their temper under control, “you are not to cast any spells without the permission of your trainer, nor are you to do it unless you are on the training field. Do you understand?”
The puppy-plant looked up at the Commandant, and started to snarl, but Xera returned a glare, jabbing their finger towards it and adding a sharp, “Quiet!” Immediately the plant backed down, once again scolded into submission.
“Of course, Commandant,” Juniper said, seeming oblivious to the fact that she had done anything wrong.
“Now, unsummon your … pet,” Xera commanded, gesturing at the little monster.
“Of course. How do I do that?” Juniper asked, a confused look on her face.
“Of course you don’t know how to unsummon it,” Xera said with a sigh, holding their hand to their face, slowly shaking their head in disbelief.
“I can get rid of it,” Pixyl hissed. “Just give me the word.”
Hearing the angry Pixie, the plant scurried further behind Juniper, using her for protection from the tiny Bladeweaver. Pixyl’s grin just widened.
“I have fourteen ways I can kill it right now,” Trainer Maugra said in a strained, raspy voice. “Twenty-six if you let me summon an Elemental.”
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“Oh please, he didn’t mean to try to eat the Little One,” Juniper said, looking at everyone with almost a panicked look in her eyes. “I can make sure he behaves.”
“Stop!” Healer Tasi said, stepping into the middle of the standoff. “No one is going to kill anything. It’s a familiar born of her. If you kill it, it will just harm Juniper. She needs to unsummon the … thing.”
“If you want, I could at least pry out its teeth,” Pixyl suggested, still holding her humming blades at the ready. “I’d bet it won’t be able to gum anyone to death.”
“Enough!” Xera snapped, a tinge of frustration in their voice. “Juniper, you’re confined to medical until at least your reveals are done. Take your … whatever it is inside with you.” Xera turned to address the Master Healer. “Tasi, get her settled and then fetch her breakfast when the mess opens. Teach her what she needs to know about safety and how damn near everything else works around here; take all day if you need to. And make sure the … plantling … is secured until Eirlys can teach her how to unsummon it.”
“How should I do that?” Tasi asked, looking at Juniper’s new pet hiding behind the Dryad’s legs.
“Put a leash on it!”
“Right!” Tasi responded, now realizing the obvious.
Xera turned to everyone else, seeing that Maugra and Cheena had both retracted the spells they had at the ready, and pulled down their Totems. Pixyl remained in a guarded position, though, watching the little plant creature carefully, her swords still glowing bright green.
“Pixyl, stand down,” Xera said with a sigh. “Excellent work defending Callie, though.”
Reluctantly, with only the briefest of glances towards the Commandant, Pixyl finally released her swords, still skeptical of Juniper’s new pet. The creature poked its head out, this time quite audibly growling at the Pixie once again. In turn, Pixyl faked a lunge, hissing loudly, and it skittered back to its hiding spot behind its mother.
Xera took a moment to assess everything else. Turning to Callie, they said, “Recruit, I’m taking command of your work detail.”
“Uh, okay?” Callie said, not sure what that actually meant.
Pointing, Xera started to issue orders. “Pama, I assume you’re needed in the kitchen for breakfast, report there. Fizzlebek, I leave you to secure the Lotus blooms and assemble an Alchemist detail to get started making the potions. Talk to Captain Kela in logistics as soon as she is awake. She can send one of her people to get any additional components you may need from Meadowglade, which will likely take all day to make the round-trip.”
“Yes, Commandant,” the two Gnomes responded, Fizzlebek adding, “I’ll find some help and a couple wagons to get the flowers moved.”
Xera turned to the four recruits and two trainers. “It will be a long day for each of you, so Tasi will get you some Wake-up Potions to keep you going until this evening.” Xera turned to the Healer. “Make that happen.”
“Of course,” Tasi responded.
Xera took a moment, once again looking at the towering spire of vines that now occupied their camp, still amazed at what had happened. They turned to the piles of preserved Lotus. “You all did a really great job tonight. What we get from these will be immeasurably valuable. Thank you. Recruit Callie, good work keeping things organized. I’m glad you’re with us.”
Callie couldn’t help but blush slightly from the Commandant’s praise and the subtle implied meaning, given what had happened the previous evening.
Xera once again ran their eyes over everyone, before issuing a simple, “Dismissed.”
Turning towards the showers, Xera walked stiffly off, still seeming a little angry, or at minimum, irritated at Juniper. In turn, Pama and Fizzlebek said their goodbyes, both giving Callie a hug, and headed off in the directions their orders sent them.
“We’re going to be exhausted by evening,” Cheena said, sadly, looking again at the rising sun. “The potions will help, though.”
“I’ll go find them,” Tasi said, “It’s a bit of a mess in there, so give me a bit. They’re somewhere.” Looking down at the little plant, Tasi pointed stiffly inside, stomping down one of her feet. The creature reluctantly went where ordered, sulking as it walked through the doorway, followed closely by Juniper, and then the Healer.
Callie yawned, suddenly realizing how tired she really was. “I hope I can stay awake. I need to meet with Vonn about my new bow today, and I think I’ll need to be standing for that.”
“New bow?” Cheena asked, curious.
While they waited for Tasi to return, Callie quickly filled the Shaman in on the loaner she was borrowing from Thorn, and how Vonn was going to custom make her a replacement, complete with runes and Fizzlebek’s enchantments.
“Oh fun!” Cheena said brightly. “New magic items are always exciting.”
“Yeah, I’m looking forward to seeing it,” Callie said sheepishly.
The recruits and trainers stood around for a few more minutes making idle chit-chat, while the sounds of things being moved, interspersed with an occasional ‘Get out of the way!’ and ‘Stop eating that!’, filtered out of the tent. Eventually, Tasi emerged from what must be a scene of chaos, holding a large bowl heaped with vials containing a vaguely greenish liquid.
“Wake-up potions,” Tasi said, handing each person two potions. “Drink these with food, and they should last a good six hours, one with breakfast, and another with your midday meal. Don’t drink them on an empty stomach, or they’ll be extra potent and wear off in an hour. They’ll keep you refreshed and going through to dinner tonight. After that, get as much sleep as you can. Let your trainers know what you did all night, and be extra careful with your training today so you don’t get hurt.”
Taking their potions, Cheena and Maugra left to return home and get dressed for the day. Maugra, in particular, seemed quite tired, and quickly assumed her wolf form to make walking easier. With a dazed look, Cheena turned back to the four recruits and the Healer, giving them all a final, grateful wave.
Tasi, in turn, bid everyone a good morning, and returned to the tent, screaming out a sudden “Get down from there!”
“I could still go kill it,” Pixyl mumbled loud enough for everyone to hear.
“I dunno,” Lena said. “I thought it was really cute.”
“Maybe,” Callie said, “but since I was also going to be its breakfast, I’m withholding judgment for now.”
The four walked together back to Ogre House, tired, but feeling accomplished after the night of productive work. Stopping at the fountain briefly, each splashed some water on their face, just to feel the cool, refreshing liquid.
“How long until the bell rings?” Lena asked.
“Perhaps twenty minutes,” Vanis replied.
“Just enough time to lie down and get off my feet for a bit,” Callie said, everyone quickly agreeing with the sentiment.
As they all fell into their bunks, trying hard not to wake Tazrok and Xin, each breathed a heavy sigh. In her head, Callie played back everything that had happened over the last day, from racing up the hill with Pixyl and Jesca to crafting arrows with her fellow Rangers to Tazrok’s adorable flight form. The terror of going to the officers, and the relief it had all worked out. She chuckled at the revelation that apparently she was a virgin again, thinking briefly back to her disappointing first time and reasoning there had to be some kind of a cosmic joke being played on her.
With a shock, Callie suddenly sat up, all signs of exhaustion evaporating from her body. “Moons! Plural?”