End of Day...

The Never Ending Quest - Episode 22878

Continue, pray tell! Tell us what this has anything to do with the story!

Andrea 2

I sigh, looking up at the others who look rather bedraggled after everything at the end of this day.

"Indeed," I think aloud, "What do we have at the end of the day?"

That, my friend, is a very valid question!

Per what the situation dictates, most of my non-demifox friends must resort to telepathy to speak clearly. They've talked themselves hoarse (no pun intended) while trying to sway the equine masses.

"The question of the ages," a slightly sarcastic reply to my question from our most unexpected guest. It's not the red headed....

Ah, but let me explain what's been going on!

See, a source (who's name I'll get to in a moment) tells me that in some parallel Terra like reality (that's more akin to a funhouse mirror version of my home) there was a person who'd gone out to their version of the Dragon of the Southern Cavern's for the King of the Great Kingdom. Seems that this fellow was the reserves, since the other knights before him got killed in one fashion or another. But that aside, this chap (who was nameless for God's sake!) at the beginning of the quest (re: 895) is standing in for the others who've failed and died before him. Indeed, besides a lot of twists and turns that sounded amusing under other circumstances, our source told us that in the end it appeared that the dead Fred --boulder fell on him -- (re: 40) somehow came back and appears to have possessed this generic, nameless knight from what I can gather (re: 22555) sometime after the nameless knight found Sir Fred's, Sir Toby's, and Sir Paulito's graves inside the cavern (re:898) .....

.....

Pardon me as I shake my head in remembrance of some of the events that the source was able to reveal. What happened to Sir Fred after he died seems to have been blocked to our source's senses by the Angels, as per usual procedure. However, what I had heard leant me to believe that this reality that this Fred lived in was really.....wacky....

Hrmph....

Anyway, this Fred (who was too different in personality or whatever in the Matrix for a doppleganger rampart with Joan, we'll find), instead of going onto complete his quest, for some reason instead got distracted at an advertisement for some horseshoes who was a subsidiary for "The Dragon Enterprises, LLC". Something about being offended by what he saw as a subversion of Allarian morality and such through such adds. He went off in a snit, nameless still inside (more on that later) and confronted the President of Advertising (a gnome named....get this....Mr. Big) for Aqualarian Foundries. Would have killed the him but the little gnome got a jump on Fred and shot him with a pistol who's bullets were drugged.

Fred awoke later and was forced to sign, in compensation for damages done to Mr. Big's office, a contract in blood.....

Seems that magic works differently in this other reality. Can't see how such a ritual (though powerful) could change Fred into a rather simple minded centauress named Susan.

We might have been able to ask Mr. Big and this other part gorilla guy what the deal was if we outside the castle had known to ask! However, they'd apparently been in deep conversation, talking about what to do with some detective that Mr. Big had his goons capture (and plant some bogus evidence that would make this dirty affair inside the stables appear totally false....clearing them of wrongdoing). Big was telling the guard to give him something exotic besides another female centaur, only to have the guard protest about how bloody expense that would be (something like ten times the cost in transformation magic or such and three times the upkeep cost). We stumbled onto each other. Big pullled his gun, trying to silence what he thought were spies (for some Centaur Activists, maybe). The guard pulled something rather deadly himself (a sword). ....

....

Cuthbert has grown rather fond of an old U.S. Marine saying: "Mess with the best and we'll put a bullet in your chest!".

Big and gorilla guard got it in the head instead of the chest. Seemed to be the quickest and best solution to get around to dealing with the other insanity happening around us.... That and the fireball rather put them beyond interrogation....

Ah, but I digress.

Seems that the spell upon Susan (we'll keep calling her that) came apart upon entry into this reality due to it's different rules of magic....and then came back together again. Thus the figure that appeared within the castle whilst Aaron and others were speaking. More on that later.

The spell's effect seemed to have been amplified by some Chaos energy and it.....it....

It turned the entire province ruled by the Baron and then some into centaurs. That and there was a gender change.

Playing up to the situation (Illura seems to have gotten a "Joan of Arc" complex), Illura proclaimed to the stunned and rattled Baron....er......Baroness that this was a sign from God (she believes that....and I don't know what to think about it). Basically, she said that this was a sign from God that her cause was just. That and she promised that she'd recognize the female centaur Baroness as being legit. A good thing, considering it would be rather difficult to prove otherwise.

As it stands, this'll boil down to those who'll play "theologians" with what happens next as a sign indeed of God's will. Something along the lines of He saying You shall change your views or.....reap the fruit of such hateful bigotry....

Something like that....

Anyway....as far as how Sammy would react to a question of recognizing certain centauress' claims to the Barony....

Rather doubt that Samuel would do that, especially for not only a female....but a non-human female to boot!

Just a guess...

Rather well played....

Well, long story short things could have turned out disastrously, despite the coupe with the baroness. We were in the middle of a bunch of recent transformees. Remember what happens to those who can't accept what they've been transformed into? Well, the short of it is that an important part of their Matrixes shatters. They still are what they've become....but become permanently (and dangerously) insane.

Won't be so crude to say that the neighborhood would go to Hell. Those gone mad that way (and in such powerful forms) make....the worst of neighbors.

In that, we did have disaster, and there is nothing we can do nothing about it, alas. We were able to sway many with our words and deeds (amazing what can make the difference in a battle for one's mind). Always did amaze me, really. glad we could...

But we only managed one third.....sane Two thirds....went mad....

Would have been a smaller "save" without us, but still....

The way's going to be hard enough as it is with the mad still about...and will be for a long time I fear for this area....for us and Samuel and his forces (if he should come this way)....

D**n, I got to just hate Chaos energy....

Sigh....

Then there is how the literal herd mentality of the centaurs went about reforming the community. Herd stallion was....you think...the Baroness. Wrong. It was.....Illura....

See...well...

Does the gender change work both ways: i.e. not only have all men become female centaurs, but also all women have become male centaurs?

Yep, it did.

That change is a powerful reason for what is now the Baroness to throw in her lot with the New Amazons, as if the old order remains in charge with the male-dominated society she wouldn't be likely to stay in charge of her barony for long.

Yep.

That and let us not underestimate the appearance that God is indeed on Illura's side and not too shy on showing it.....

The funny thing (if you could call it that) here is that Illura does believe that God is on her side. She is beginning to believe that very much.... Did mention something about her getting a "Joan of Arc" complex, eh?

.....

Right.... Do not know how to feel about the whole thing. It's just too....creepy...

Almost....almost like she's...right?

Err...

Let me get back to you on that....

Back to the centaur herd. The short of it is that the centaurs (being the strong folks they are) have been able pack up just about everything of theirs (tools and equipment)....

And are going out to a safe place the Baroness knows of to establish a secret base to support the New Amazons?

.....

Well, I'm glad that we were able to do what we could outside whilst Aaron could do what he and the others could do inside the castle.

Is a partial win....and a bit of a loss....

Bound to happen to any Champion, I know....

Now, as for Susan? She (temporarily again a man) transformed back into a centauress quickly.....and split into two. One male centaur and one female centaur. The magic of that contract got.....twisted. So we have two rather....slavish centaurs. That we have now "fixated" upon a default. The male centaur doesn't have a name..... Guess who is who....

Susan, by the way, looks something akin to this because of the outfit she wore for her photo shoot:

Note: warning, adult nature. Kids, get permission or don't go here if you're underage. Nudity involved.

http://stonegate. furvect.com/ gift/ jascentaur.gif

What a way to attract attention for those horses...

Oh, and this is what the male centuar looks like:

http://www.lair2000 .net/centaur_pictures1 _download/1cg08.jpg

Since Mr. Big and friends from that Aqualarian Foundry got killed (and burnt beyond recognition), the contract (still in effect by what we mages can see)..... Their "owner" is now Astra. See, the ruler of that other Aqualaria was an analog Astra and since all land and property (ultimately) belongs to the ruling Royal.....

You get the picture....

Seems that if we finish up here (and succeed) we must have a Wallant's lawyer's aid in unraveling this contract (which we mages can read within the centauress and centaur essences). Doubt we can do anything for the centauress...but mayhaps the centaur....

Later....

Now, back to our "source".

How does he know what he knows?

Ever hear of that Star Trek character: Q? The chap who'd said at the beginning here: "The question of the ages..." "? Well, it's the very one.....Q.....that himself and his Q Continuum had been killed by a Drone Rule (and thus eventually allowing, through Flagg's manipulations...the Enemy into the Star Trek universe).

Long story....

Well, that Chaos energy pulled him away form wherever...to here for a short chat.....

Insufferable shit.....

But then again at least Cuthbert's able to charm him enough with politeness (a novel human approach for Q) to get some info before he flashes on out of the area after throwing off the Chaos Energy....

That and the suggestion that the Devils (Flagg's kin) would be rather ticked off (but helpless) at such a leg up...

Has a rather large ax to grind with them for that death.....that and a favor or three billion for the Rule and Agents bringing him and kin back (albeit another universe far....far away).

Says he wish he could do more because of all that, but too much would be....bad for the Challenge.

Oops, see I overlooked two rahter important questions you seem to have.

First, it doesn't look from what you wrote as though any of our party has been turned into centaurs, though you are not quite sure on that point. You can see that the Champions would probably be immune. How about Illura and Rebecca, though?

None of the party got changed because of either being a Champion or having previously been touched and changed by the Chaos energy. Might not luck out so well next time (if there is a next time), but in this case they were spared that. In other words, neither Illura nor Rebecca are centuars. Have been changed more and more into true Amazons, but not centaurs...

Second, you ask is Q now a Celestrial Agent - it wasn't made too clear? Well....

No, more like he's now more or less on the payroll...as it were. Not a Champion (indeed, in social standings he might find himself outrank....though that hasn't come up yet), but definately working for the Celestrials. In what capacity isn't known, but I believe (from what I've heard from others) it might now be to officially be the "guards" for a universe. A duty that some might say they failed when Flagg tricked the Q into failing in their self appointed (the Q's appointed) role in things. Probably not exactly what the Rules and Agents originally planned when the dead Qs landed in their lap (as it were), but at least that gave them an excuse to bring them back to life....

But that said, his leaving would be a grand favor, really. Don't care for him in the least...

"Must go now," he smiles his special way, Q does.

Flash!

The non-Champions unfreeze, unaware of Q ever having been here...

At least we'd heard (before Q showed up) from the Baroness that it appears that Samuel himself is leading his own troops towards Hengist's capital to aid him in "this hour of need".

Can we say that he's setting things up for the coupe....considering that I've been told that the King....has fallen ill....

Bet it has something to do with a flunky poisoning or some such, in the pay of Sammy boy...

Snake sure moves quickly.... Wonder how he managed. Perhaps magic...

Indeed, such sorrow.... Indeed, the Baroness says that the King isn't looking like he'll live.

Must make sure that we can sooner or later intercept Sammy, slip in and....pay our respects.....

Won't be easy, but sure will stop him, I hope. Especially considering that the Baroness says that rumor has it he's looking for his wife....amongst the New Amazons.....

Yep....and sure to give such a warm welcome to her once she's found...

Yeah, right!

Got to get back to the New Amazons to hash out some kind of base and make more concrete plans. Might not go with that idea of killing him on the road....because it might be....unattainable...

But it's a start....

As for Q.....

"And good riddance...." I say under my breath, not being heard by anyone else.

  1. Meanwhile, on the road....

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12/4/2002 6:28:41 PM

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