Cal sat down in front of a plate of steak and eggs courtesy of the capybara cooks. Despite the years he had been eating their cooking, he was still amazed at how great their dishes continued to be. Who knew capybaras would turn into the kings of cooking?
“So I guess first up, has anyone seen Fulginanis around yet? I need to find out if we can travel to other places yet.” Cal asked while shoving scrambled eggs into his mouth.
“You called Cal?” Fulginanis’s form shimmered into existence, floating above the table.
“Uh, yeah, I did. Can everyone else see you?”
“They can. I believe our bond should now allow you to project my form when I’m not around. However, I am merely a shadow. I can’t affect the world around this projected body. But yes, about your question. With the growth of our realm and the addition of Andy’s core, I believe that, yes we can create a gateway. Thanks to that mana seed within you as well, Cal, I believe we can tie it to two destinations as long as they are both within the Solar System.”
“Perfect, Titan is one. I’m not sure about the second.”
“Pluto, I’ve always wanted to go to Pluto, and I’m sticking with you this time as you’ve got some learning to do.” Ethel cut in.
“Okay, that’s all well and good, but how do you two expect to breathe in either of these places? Well, maybe just how Ethel expects to.” Andrew asked.
“Frank and I can handle that. Just make sure you stay within the atmospheric bubble I generate, and Frank will pump out plenty of oxygen for us. I’m pretty sure I can even maintain an Earth-like atmosphere.” Ethel answered.
“You think or know?” Cal cocked his eyebrow at the cranky teacher.
“Think. It’s not like I’ve had a chance to test it in space after all. Unless you think I’ve just been sneaking off to Uranus in my spare time?” Her tone had changed to assertively stern, and she was now staring at Cal.
“No, no, that’s not what I meant. Dammit, how do you manage to make me feel like a kid so well?” Cal asked, confused about how she had reduced him to this again.
“Practice.” Was her only reply.
“Okay, so Titan and Pluto. Who wants to come?” Cal asked the group.
“I am,” Stan said.
“Well, if he’s going, so am I, can’t let him get into too much trouble alone. Bug, are you with us?” Jen asked the ever-loyal dog.
“Yes, of course. Trashcat, I want you to stay here with Capybaras, though you’re too young to be an astronaut.”
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
“What’s an astronaut?”
“I’ll explain when you’re older.” Bug rested her paw on the cat’s head gently.
“Bill, Andrew, and I are going back to the Under Library this loop. I’ve got several things I want to investigate. Plus, Bill and I need answers on how to grow our powers without a realm to draw ambient mana from.” Andy was carefully cutting a piece of steak when he spoke up.
“I wish to join you, Andy. I have traveled the multiverse and seen wonders upon wonders, but I have never heard anyone speak of this library. Is that okay?” Ralth looked at Andy with a gleam in his eye.
“Of course, the more the merrier.”
“I would like to go to Pluto, but I suppose someone has to take care of the home base.” Albert’s voice was tinged with disappointment. It was true that he was generally the one relegated to running the void house.
“Nah, before we leave, I’m opening up a gateway to my realm. I think Oakey and Gus can handle running things as long as Many Legs and Many Eyes are willing to help.”
“Gus? Who’s that?” Albert asked Ethel.
“Gus is the best; he’s this giant bird guy that calls me kid, and he runs the root network. I like him. He’s one of my best friends.” Trashcat had answered before Ethel could.
“You heard her. So that means you’re with us, Albert.”
“What about our two guests?” Jen asked.
“Actually, I want to interrogate them, preferably before any of us start our trips. I’d also like to attempt to contact Melissa. Unless anyone has any objections.” Cal answered. A giant smile had appeared on his face.
“Just what exactly would we object about Cal?” Stan’s voice implied that he knew what that look on Cal’s face meant.
“Oh, I’m probably going to hunt down the Gryalth group that killed us all before anyone besides Bug and I were loop-aware. Have I told you all about Andy going Rambo that time?”
“You have, but why now?” Andrew asked.
“Information mostly. I want to know who the human mercenaries were that they had working for them. At some point, we need to work on purifying Earth’s mana wells, so we are going to need to learn what they’ve corrupted. Not to mention I just want to kick that Alien’s ass. I’m tired of us always running, and I’d like to go on the offensive in some of these loops. Make them scared of what’s coming.”
“I think information is a very good thing. That said, the more scared they are, the worse it will be for us when they decide to take the whole planet. If we could find the catalyst that leads to that, we may be able to control the outcome more in our favor.” Ralth said.
“Oh, that one’s easy. They attack a couple of years after they realize their stones from the corrupted wells are missing. Andy and I went through that several times in a few early loops. That was before even Bug was loop-aware. I mentioned that, right?”
“You didn’t, but I knew and had already pieced that together,” Andrew said.
“Well, that is something we can work with, but we’d likely need to infiltrate the Agency if we want to accomplish that. I suppose that puts a lot of merit behind Cal wanting to make contact with Melissa.” Ralth nodded at his brother once he finished speaking.
“It does. Thanks for the support bro. First, though, we interrogate a pair of cyclopean aliens into spilling why they want the Mars world seed, how they knew I had it, oh and how they speak English. That one has been bugging me for a while now.” Cal took one last bite of his eggs before standing up.