On the Side, the "Others" are "Purr"fectly Confused....

The Never Ending Quest - Episode 23130

Mirage

"I'd like to question him. It would be a big help if we could find out if Eric is alive or dead, and - if alive - where he's being held," a stately warrior woman named Illura says in a firm and confident manner.

This woman has the pose and confidence of a born leader that is....eerie. It raises yet another question in my still reeling mind, making for a LONG list of questions indeed.

The foremost question on my mind, of course, centers basically around first my family (both my husband and my children) and the second on what has happened with myself.

I and the other "newcomers" are hastily escorted well away from what turns out to be a still dangerous zone (filled with spell-frozen, mad centaurs, I find out later, who seemed to be slowly stirring) and then well away from finding out, initially, what the results of this "questioning" of the still unconscious man were.

So, for a while, I and the others are left somewhat to our own devices. So of course, I and the others ask questions. It's only natural, after all. In doing so, I and the others at least get some questions answered in some form or another. In some manner or another...

I had noted as we got shuffled off that while this "Samuel" (who Scott had kicked in the teeth) had been hauled away and was being attended by one of Illura's....er...odder friends (human appearing boy dressed up as a mage with fox ears and tail, no less, added in). That and it seemed that her other friends were bound and determined to talk themselves hoarse with any of the "foxtaurs" that still seemed to be milling about here and there, being herded along by the centaurs.

At first, I was at an utter loss as to just why they seemed to want to do that so badly because at first I failed to understand what they were trying to prevent. However, I then recall very dimly, as if in a darkened room, a "fact" I had "known" about magic in that other life I had led before becoming....Princess Mirage. Oh, now all the magical knowledge (as well as ability) was lost in translation, but I do remember (or should I say that other Mirage, a term I will explain in a moment) wishing that a certain insanity that happened under EXTREMELY rare circumstances was more common. That, of course, would be the insanity a mind suffers when it found itself within a body that it couldn't adjust to.....something to do with....

It fades....and frankly I rather welcome the fading. Much would rather put the past life behind me and concentrate on the here and now, I would!

Well, the short of it, however is that I do remember enough to understand. See, the short of it is that back in that other time and that other Mirage, she had wished she could break her enemy's minds with a simple transformation that did not suit them. I shudder at the thought now, but back then with that other Mirage....

I guess that here, in this new land (Jasmine had practically bragged her whole plans to me after she'd gagged me, about where she and we were going and such)....

Hm, that other Mirage had that bad habit as well....

Anyway, the rules of magic are different enough that such dangers existed, I guess. It's a much more common event (or danger) than where I had come from. It speaks well indeed that they (Illura's friends) are trying to cushion the newly transformed so that they (the transformed) can adjust....

However, I get a distinct feeling that somehow (don't ask me how because the means are now lost to me) Jasmine had in mind that when she.....took each and every "vixentaur" and "dogfoxtaur", she wanted them to be able to....appreciate the taking. Meaning she wanted them sane and coherent, and not raving mad! That would explain just why they don't linger very long with each of their patients, seeming satisfied with what they see.

Soon, I know, they shall be heading our way to see if we need ministrations. Probably will think that all of us were transformed by Jasmine....or by some other means. I see that my husband is a bit shocked at having become more like his wife, let us say, but he's....adjusting and actually I think he's beginning to like it by the way his tail is acting. As for the children (thank Allah I can tell them apart from their scent still!)....they seemed to be intrigued by having a tail and keep laughing as they reach out to touch them.

That said, I had heard something about "chaos energy" whispered about here and there by Illura's friends....

It floated in the breeze and I overheard it with my rather sharp hearing, you see.

Wait. Just how am I able to understand what these others are saying, when I can somehow tell that it's not my land's language?!

....

Later. Will try to learn about that later. Trying to go and get answers too quickly and too insistently will, I know, lend credence to that old trite saying about curiousity killing the cat. Let me tell you, this cat has at least learned some discretion in her rebirth as a mortal!

Ah, but now that explanation I promised about referring to that earlier time before becoming mortal as if it was another person? See, I now have a feeling about it. A feeling that grows and grows, telling me it is the truth. A feeling that, with the magical backlash that had engulfed me with a brass egg, something similar happened to me as had happened to Scott Chen again and again. That is, the old Mirage had "died" and her memories (as well as her general appearance) had been reborn in me. Indeed, something similar seems to have kept happening with Scott. So while I have the memories of that b*tch, I now understand that in a very real way....she is not me and I shall never be her. Those memories, then, I guess, will now serve as something as a moral compass or as an example of "what NOT to do."

Scott. He'd die and return again to some place called "Room 1" again and again, but then again it wasn't....exactly like the old Scott who'd awaken there. See, the reborn man would be....a different person (usually) than the old one. A different person. A new person. Oh, he had said that sometimes the "old Scotts" would come back again for another turn, but usually it was yet another person who only looked like him.

.....

That and he said something about also having met those others while still alive. Something about twins from "alternate timestreams" or something like that that I quite frankly didn't follow. Almost like he kept meeting dopplegangers or fetchs...

....

You know...I just got another one of those rather odd feelings that I should know what he's talking about. Maybe back when that other MIrage was around she would have understood. However, if she ever had those memories it didn't translate over to me.

....

Sigh, yet another question to get answered.

Maybe I should actually concentrate more on the basic questions right now like: "Will my family and me get new clothing?" Frankly I and the others smell none too fresh even to those with merely human senses. Oh, my old outfit got "cleaned up" a bit when Hades transformed them into an exact copy of that Egyptian style outfit the other MIrage wore....but now it's rather dingy from rough wear while in the dungeons back in Limbo.

At least Jasmine kept me and the others well fed (if not with the best tasting of food). Despite many of her faults, at least she outshone the other Mirage (that "Queen of Evil") during her (Jasmine's) reign as the Queen.

....

Pardon, got sidetracked there with relatively trivial matters. Sorry.

Anyway, Scott said to me that usually those other Scotts were rather stupid and crass. Disreputable louts. So if his twins were like that, then I can confidently say the same for mine as well. Yes, that rather answers very well a nagging and disturbing question I'd had about myself even BEFORE now when those memories had re-emerged awhile ago....

Oh, as an aide, Scott had added that at least he hoped he himself came across better than his "brothers". Well, he does to me. A better friend would be hard to find, I feel....no matter how odd he looks right now. Though....he and his family do rather make a striking picture, humanoid foxes and all. Rather dashing and such (though I do say that Scott loses out against my husband in comparison in the "dashing" part)....

Anyway....

He'd said that I'd rather impressed the Hell out of him with my display of turning down my old position. Not at all like my old cartoon (?) villain self! So much so that he'd hoped he'd not be too forward with saying he'd be proud and honored to call me a friend. But no matter what, if I wished, my past life would remain a secret with him.

He is and I most assuredly am grateful for his keeping secrets. That past is dead and needlessly would complicate things here and now, I feel. Jasmine had her chance to reclaim what she had lost and had instead carelessly thrown it away.

....

Thrown it away! It boggles my mind that she ould do such a thing! I mean....

Never mind, 'tis done, but I guess it shows a hint of what would have come if things hadn't changed. OH, she had been so good and right before....but what would have happened once that particular Jasmine had gained the throne as queen? How would the power of that lofty position (though limited compared to a sultan) agree with her?

Fear that I now know the answer....

Well, now that I know that I now have a rightful "claim" on Aladdin (as crass as that might sound) and that Jasmine had made her choice. I feel.... better....

However, there is a little something rather worrisome here. See, if there is something called chaos energy playing havoc on this land like it did while it did with Scott in this place called "Addventure: Game 3", then....

  1. What's to say that more insanity won't well out from me, if I now am a font of the stuff? Somehow, even if I am not....I fear that ther are others out there who might be! Some like the one known as Karen.....?

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12/30/2002 11:31:11 AM

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