A Slight Demonstration...

Elrondir

Now is time for show and tell. It's important. See, it has to do with what kind of future some of our quarry will chose for themselves after the Rules and Agents are done with them. That is why my sister, Inquirer, is pulling out the block that is Jake.

"First, I want to show you something," she says slowly, pulling out the detector wand (going to great pains to point it AWAY from anyone) and activating it.

"It's to show that this mode of travel is safe," she explains as Jake suddenly pops back into existence. Beyond both demifoxes' ears quirking up a bit more in surprise, they await quietly for what Inquirer has to say. "This is the son of my brother, Jake.

The demifoxes are staring at Jake, and then up at Inquirer, blinking. Jake only casts an odd glance at the demifoxes, not having expected to have this kind of greeting. Of course he has quiet a few questions, but the first question out of his mouth is an age old one.

"What?" he blinks. "Are we there yet?"

"Not yet," Inquirer says softly. "But we are one step closer to our journey's completion. First key down, only a few more to go."

Inquirer holds up one of the old fashioned looking keys (the one we'd just used to open a Door onto this world) on the key ring, and then another.

"You . . . you all belong to some kind of religious order?" Fred asks, seeming to make some kind of connection within his furry head. "You're pilgrims on a religious quest? Is this child part of it, somehow?"

This next part, via mental telepathy, had been broached with the others so nobody was going to try to correct Inquirer over certain . . . technicalities. By and large, under a certain light, it IS true. Or at least it's close enough to the truth to be believable. Palpable, even.

We want to win over the small demifoxes here, not drive them away in fright.

"That's very close to the truth," Inquirer nods. "Do follow signs from on high from . . . a higher order."

After all, the Rules and Agents call themselves Celestrials and the Angels and Demons call themselves Celestrials....

"And honestly . . . we need your help in order to complete our Quest," she continues. "Already you're a part of it, I feel. Besides, we really do need native guides, which you know pays well because we saw it in your faces. The offer still stands, fixed. Won't try to drive down the wages just because . . ."

"It-it'd soon add up to more than what we'd recovered from . . . ," Astra whispers, wheels turning inside her furry head. Inquirer smiles slightly, nodding.

"We are friends of Synizn," she says simply. "And he is not stingy. Neither are we for those who work for us."

She just leave off there, not elaborating. Still too rattled to think clearly, the demifoxes fail to bother getting her to elaborate our business with Synizn. What our business was (besides pilgrims) and stuff like that. Suits me fine, thanks.

But I do believe that we're getting their interests in our offer... All the more willing to consider this admittedly strange offer, full of unknowns because . . . they are in such a desperate situation, now. Pennyless with more mouths to feed soon to come into the world (if it wasn't for the fact that I'll bet that when mommy Astra got fed that fruit, the juices got fed through into the unborn, freezing THEM in their present embryonic state).

Do believe that Astra wouldn't care for that fact, being eternally pregnant unless something (or Someone or Ones) do something to redress the issue. Maybe something like what us Champions had done. I mean, Astra 9 (when still a young child) became a Champion but didn't stop growing and aging (until age eighteen). Maybe some kind of deal or something....

Oops, jumping ahead...

....

As an aside, the wages we offered them are just stock standard rates for guides back upon Terra Prime. Really! Just it appears that the stuff we offered to pay them with is worth a hell of a lot more on this Terra than back home (and back Home the currency is worth squat, considering Milcreds are based upon the BTU). Depending on what our furry friends here decide to do with their lives after this Quest is over will tell how much buying power their money has, let me tell you.

"We just wanted to show them that those who travel this way are safe," Inquirer explains to Jake.

They're Key Component Carrier sort of like you, Inquirer adds mentally, letting the rest of us Champions listen in on this private mental conversation between human boy and female Golem. We'd like to win them over before "blockifying" them instead of just using force....

Jake, sensing that there is more to it, decides that right now is not the best time to ask just why she's not using force. Maybe she's just being polite, but he senses (correctly) that there is a deeper game here afoot.

"Soon, Jake, we'll be done and we'll get you back to Roland back home," Inquirer finishes. "Promise."

With that, Inquirer return Jake to blockhood and then places him back in her pouch.

Artizza 1

I explain what we want to do with them, taking up the conversation thread. Being that I am one of the two of my group who has a special rampart with the demifoxes (the other being Fertal, the analog brother of the male demifox) I have a lot of pull with them, in one way or another.

"Being that Astra here is in a family way," I finish up. "We would have to be very careful with her, else run the risk of losing her unborn children. Uh, know that this radical, but . . . it's the safest means available. Short of leaving her behind and that's...."

"Not really an option," the female demifox says softly, looking up at me with those vulpine eyes of hers.

Kind of hard to read those eyes, really. I mean, it's not like their any less expressive than your regular, run of the mill eyes. Oh, being that like all foxes they're split pupilled (instead of the round kind you see with human eyes) their different.

Just that . . . I'm not sure exactly what is going through her furry little head.

"Well . . . there is that," Fred says slowly, drawing nearer to the female and taking her hand in his. "Besides being that we know that someone cast a spell on us, putting us into a timewarp. If you were left behind...."

Then she'd be a sitting duck, as Inquirer would put it.

"I . . . would rather enjoy sharing the journey togather with you," Astra says softly, looking over at Fred. "You have been a most . . . exceptional travelmate."

....

Okay, won't read more into that than I should. Got a distinct impression that their relationship is still in a state of flux. Other Freds and Astras soon bonded (it sure happened with me and Fertal) into life/lovemates, but that's for them alone here to cipher out. Whether or not it happens lays in their hands. Won't try to push them in any directions. Would be . . . inappropriate.

"Okay, I accept." Astra sighs, looking over at me. "Maybe sometime when you need advice, after you're done asking and are about to put me back in the pouch, you'll tell me just why I feel....?"

I'd had to put her off by telling (promising) I'd explain later. Right now it would be too awkward and unbelievable. By the time they get to the Dark Tower and all that, after that they'd find my wild tale (the truth) more believable.

"But why do you need me pressed into a cube?" Fertal's analog asks, shaking his head in consternation. "Why?"

"Well, it's like this. . . ." Fertal begins, taking up the task. "There are those out there who'd try to stop us, and not just because of our Quest. As elf, I'm . . . tolerated in some human parts, but . . .have to hide whilst going through others."

"Oh. . . right," Fred says tonelessly, remembering how it was in HIS Allaria if I don't miss my guess. He and my sister would be put to death, I somehow fear, if they were caught within that nations boundaries.

1. Barbaric but truth an elfin feeling tells me.

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