Planeside 2

[Fenric]

[Library]

Frederick blinks, then umms

I was fine - the servants got me some lunch, then they showed me the library...

He looks at a plate and cup on the table.

I think I've been here ever since. Time starts to get away from you ...

[Recaiden]

[Library]

"Freddie. You've been in this library like...25 hours? Put the book down."

Momentarily normal Cleo frowns severely and stands back up.

[Fenric]

[Library]

Freddie's ears fold down submissively, and he reluctantly closes the book and checks his phone

More like twenty nine... I did get up sometimes! The bathroom is at the end of the hall... the servants are so helpful, they bring food and take the dishes away...

[Recaiden]

[Library]

"Is this where you tell me that vulpans don't need to sleep as much as humans do?"

Cleo rolls her eyes and offers a hand to Frederick for when he stands up. He is going to stand up, right?

"Come on, let's get to your room. It's not as though they'll keep you from coming back and reading."

[Fenric]

[Library]

He reaches out and takes Cleo's hand as he stands up in wobbly fashion, might as well be fairly drunk.

No... actually, I think we usually sleep a little more than humans do...

In fact, this is where Frederick realizes just how crashingly tired he is. He tries desperately to cover a yawn, but foxes' mouths open a little too far for that.

Yeah... Library's not going anywhere...

His tail is droopy and still, and he can barely walk.

[Recaiden]

[Library]

"Silly fox."

Cleo goes to sweep Frederick up and carry him. She's stronger than she looks. Especially if you don't look too closely.
Luckily, she knows where the guest quarters are, definitely. Now, if she can just remember where the library is in relation to everything else.

[Fenric]

[Library]

Frederick only weighs 120 lbs. I wouldn't want to have to carry him, but Cleo likely finds him lighter than she expected.

downstairs...

The library is up on the third floor: Cleo needs to go back downstairs to the second floor.

[Recaiden]

[Library]

Well he's not convenient to carry. Certainly not something to include in your everyday outfit. And if he could walk without stumbling down the stairs in his sleepiness that would probably be better.
But Cleo can't say she doesn't like getting to help by carrying people away.

"Thanks, Freddie."
Downstairs! Much easier. She actually has seen a staircase - it was very distinctive on the way up, and remembers where to find it. Right this way~!

[Fenric]

[Library]

Freddie is snoring ever so softly by the time Cleo makes it to the first floor.

A servant discreetly points out the room Freddie has been staying in.

[Recaiden]

[Guest Room]

Cleo whispers a 'thank you' and brings Frederick inside, setting him down on the bed, shaking her head.
And she has to wonder just how long it would have been until he passed out in his books without her.

Unfortunately, this means there's no way he's coming along to the spider-forests today.

She heads back down the hall, looking for someplace relatively free of people in which to think. And get her appearance back under control, one way or another.

[Fenric]

[Guest Room]

Doubtless it would not have been long.

Moving away from noise and bustle would take Cleo back up, then, until she reaches a small room at the top of a turret away from the entrance. The door was only half open, and the dust on the floor says the room is not used very often at all... About a dozen chairs are stacked inside, stored here and likely forgotten.

[Recaiden]

[Guest Room]

An old dusty room at the top of a tower...
Sure to be either haunted or very cozy, or both.

Cleo steps inside, nearly closes the door, and looks around to see if there's anything but chairs.

[Fenric]

[Tower Room]

Chairs... dust... a scowly imp in the corner...

oh.

She's actually somewhat cute: not quite two feet tall with wispy black hair, big red eyes, and long pointy ears. Slim build, slender arms and legs, and downright twiggy fingers. Allover shades of grey, and a little difficult to focus on as if she doesn't entirely exist on the Plane of Shadows (which she doesn't).

She doesn't seem entirely thrilled that someone has come to the room.

[Recaiden]

[Tower Room]

Cleo takes a step back- which just runs her into this side of the door.

"Oh, sorry. Am I interrupting...?"

She stares down at the cute little imp with a bemused smile. Is this another guest? Another servant? Just someone who lives here? Or something out-of-place?

"I was pretty sure no one was using this room. I'm Cleo, nice to meet you. "

[Fenric]

[Tower Room]

The imp sighs, and speaks softly

I'm really more of a... uh... well, stowaway... except this is a castle not a ship.

The imp looks embarrassed

I was one of Keiko's cultists, but I was mugged and murdered and she was the closest thing to a goddess I had, so I ended up here. I never really took it that seriously, though, and I didn't really want to face her.

a sigh

She doesn't know 'cause she got turned mortal. I've been staying here, sneaking down to get food and stuff. Reading in the library... though I had to take a break: some shadowfur sat there for a whole day. I think the servants have figured out I'm here, but they've been nice.

She looks at Cleo with big eyes

But you're really not here to evict me?

[Recaiden]

[Tower Room]

Oh joy. That's just what Cleo wants to deal with. Religious policy decisions.

"Ohhh. You're the first one, aren't you? So you don't have an afterlife to go to or anything."

Cleo take a seat, cross-legged, on the dusty floor and waves the imp over.

"Nah, why would I be here to kick you out? I figure I'll speak to Keiko for you. Or I could throw you over to Message to get reincarnated or put in the Nexus's Tilted Land, if you want. I hear it's super-boring, but that's the way heavens are, right?"

She starts humming something. A sort of lullaby, to smooth out the planes and bring the imp fully over to the plane of shadow where Cleo can focus on her.

"Or you could probably just hang out with me. I can get you food without having to sneak around and all. I think."

[Fenric]

[Tower Room]

The imp pulls a sour face, speaking a little more confidently now

Well... this is my afterlife, 'cause I was a dummy and never worshipped anyone useful. But I paid just enough lip-service to Keiko that I ended up here, 'cause I wasn't bright enough to know I should have at least mentioned her sister a couple of times - then I'd have gone to the Halls of Twilight with the shadowfurs. But nooooooo... the only even vaguely divine person I ever gave half a thought to was...

She stops short of saying "the town drunk", as Cleo's statements catch up to her.

Sorry.... Anyway, I've already chased the soul collectors away enough: I'd rather stay here in this kinda limbo than do either of those things... at least, right now. This really isn't bad, you know: and I'm good at sneaking!

But if you think Keiko won't be mad at me, and its' worth... doing... that...

She closes her eyes

Ok, look: Keiko drinks a LOT. I'm honestly kinda worried about being too closely tied to her. I'd love to hang out with you, if I haven't fatally offended you already...

[Recaiden]

[Tower Room]

"Do you, uh, know who you're talking to?"

Cleo inquires of the little imp, smirking. In something more-or-less her dragon shape, like she has now, that might come across as more intimidating than amused. Then it's a sad shake of her head.

"Yeah, she drinks a lot. We're working on that. I think it's going to get better. It seems like a pretty clear case of 'drug abuse in intolerable circumstances', though maybe if I dig deeper I'll discover things are really bad. Hey, don't blame yourself. Well, not too much. You weren't asking to get murdered. I don't really see the difference between changing your mind in life or in death, but don't be hasty. Gods go through hard times too. Seems like the only time I ever meet them, heh."

"So yeah, stick with me, but have a little gratitude. You still get to exist as yourself thanks to Keiko, neh?"

[Fenric]

[Tower Room]

The imp winces

Um... no? And thanks... And I am grateful! I'm just... worried... and I'd rather things not get worse. If I'm not standing by myself, it'll be... comforting.

she smiles ingratiatingly

I'll just sit over here if you like... I don't really take all that much entertaining.

[Recaiden]

[Tower Room]

"Eh, I'll wait for the next time the Herald has to introduce me for something."

Cleo tries to shrug, doesn't have any shoulders, sighs.

"I'm not really sure what you're afraid of, but do take comfort. You're safer with me."
"Right now I just have to get my unMasked self back in order. No cats, no birds, no humans.

She traces a claw through the dust in front of her, scraping out a little circle. She manifests her staff into the shadow plane and sets it right in the center, where it remains perfectly balanced and not listening to gravity. Keeps at the tracing, drawing out a veritable hermetic diagram full of circles and subcircles and lines and channels. The process includes setting out her knife, and her necklace, and her flute, and her pearl, and after a bit of consideration, the Grass-cutting sword, all in the centers of their own circles.

"Do just sit up there for the moment, though. This probably shouldn't be interrupted."

[Fenric]

[Tower Room]

The imp snorts softly

Neither am I.

Then she backs up to the wall and then sits quietly, watching in wide-eyed and really quite observant fascination

[Recaiden]

[Tower Room]

"So, as a magical being like I am, I'm not really tied to the body I was born in. But to exercise that power to change, I have to focus it through a little artifact. Which got itself broken, and now it's doing all sorts of weird things. I set up this magic circle, disconnect myself from it, and settle into a single shape until I can get a replacement."

Cleo taps on the outermost circle, and the scraped-away spaces in the dust start to glow in the color of Cleo's magic, and the tiny bells affixed to the staff start to ring.

"And such a chimeric action releases a bunch of energy, so I'm going to use this bit here to weave that power into the Kusanagi, which can stand up to a lot, and tie it to me a bit, rather than in an undirected explosion or blob of chaos. That would just be rude, blowing up this tower."

She steps into the empty main circle, prepared for her, and winces at the unusual feeling of something like having her mind taken apart, cleaned off, and put back together. The bells stop ringing, the diagram stops glowing, the staff topples over, and Cleo is made definitely and consistently a dragon. Her scales have switched from starry-blue to Cleo-orange, and her horns are shorter and curvier, but she's clearly still the same Cleo she was. Snaky, round-faced, six disconnected feet. That frill on her tail might be new.

Most of her belongings have vanished from their circles, leaving only the staff and the Kusanagi, which have their own independent existences. These she picks up with her middle hands.
"Alright. Now come with me."

[Fenric]

[Tower Room]

The imp swallows nervously

Yes, ma'am.

and she follows quite meekly.

[Recaiden]

[Tower Room => Keiko Room]

"You got a name?"

Okay, Cleo, this should be easy. Just go back the way you came, back to where you started. How hard can that be?

She does look back to confirm that the imp is following.

[Fenric]

[Tower Room => Keiko Room]

The imp chuckles: following along

Sandra. What's your's?

[Recaiden]

[Keiko's Room]

"Oh, alright. Alucleosepha Danir the Pink, Wizard of the Stormguard, Ear-oh, not anymore, I'll have to take that one off the list. And am I going to have to change my name at the wedding? Hrmm...Anyway, nice to meet you Sandra. Just call me 'Cleo'."

It seems that by not thinking about it, Cleo has in fact gone the right way. Here's Keiko's door, being knocked upon.

[Fenric]

[Keiko's Room]

Sandra nods

Ok, Cleo. And thanks.

Keiko opens the door, dressed in a thick, warm bathrobe

Hi, Cleo!

She notices the imp.. who suddenly changes to maroon ;)

And... and imp.

Sandra smiles

Hello, Lady Keiko.

[Recaiden]

[Keiko's Room]

"Hello, Keiko. Were your tails not fluffy enough on their own?"

Cleo grins a welcome.

"This is Sandra. She was one of your cultists. But she's dead, so for now, she's my sidekick."

Maroon is a better color for the little soul, anyway.

[Fenric]

[Keiko's Room]

Keiko grins and flicks her slightly damp and not all that fluffy right this moment tails

Hey, I'm trying to act more respectably now, remember? Besides, it's cold right out of a shower.

Keiko blinks, and tilts her head

Sandra? But you're not old enough to be dead yet...

Sandra shakes her head

Inside can be a pretty brutal place, Kieko.

Keiko looks completely baffled

And how did you end up here? I'm not a god... I told you guys that repeatedly

Sandra shrugs

I don't think you get a choice in the matter... I think Matt and Lewis believe in you just a tad too fervently.

Keiko's ears fold flat to the sides in annoyance

That explains it, then. I can get you transferred to Tamamo easy enough if you want.

Sandra looks at Cleo

I'd rather stick around... if you don't mind.

[Recaiden]

[Keiko's Room]

"Fair enough. I appreciate that, really."

Cleo nods.

"You were a messenger, which I think is the same class of being, and people worship you. Ta-da, you're a goddess!"

And then its time for a shake of the head.

"No, while she bemoaned not being there with the - what did you call them? shadowfluffs? - I offered to get her transferred to Leah's afterlife too, and she didn't bite. This is where she belongs. And you'll see, Sandra. You haven't made a bad choice. She was partly on some other plane, I dunno which one, but I tried to bring her over here. Can you see colors here, Sandra?"

She drums a few clawtips on the doorframe.

"You really need to introduce me to these people in the waking world. I never got to meet Zophiel's worshipers, but you, they're right there on our nexus."