Questioning Rush Shabot

So now back to the plot, with Synizn asking Rush Shabot a few questions.

Annafrid

Should be interesting in a way. We've gotten some information from the other demifox hunters, but not really enough to be immensely helpful in avoiding contacts. No, while we've learned some, we haven't learned enough, alas.

Indeed, we have learned now just why, exactly, these "mundane" demifox folks are so hot on trying to recapture Demifox Fred and Demifox Astra. Yes, there is the fears of what the humans would do to the demifox people if the demifox neo-lycanthropy got out of hand. How the humans might start hunting all demifoxes in the mistaken belief that all were were-creatures. Then we got a glimpse, perhaps, into Terra Prime's dim past for the original demifox community when they found out about what was in store for them in the future....getting subsumed..... Fragmentary records indicate that the process was too swift and widespread for them to realistically attempt to contain the spread (I have learned since I'd met Jarlath). That was the popular, though secretive, theory amongst the magic using Champions (not for public consumption, that). Maybe I had expected something similar here, but with the demifoxes feeling that they could contain the curse from spreading. No, that's not what it turned out, however.

No, the demifoxes we magically interrogated were under the mistaken impression that this world's Fred and Astra actually hadn't been were- creatures. They said it like they had been told by the leader of their hunting party that. No, the beef they had with the now off world fugitives was more along religious lines. To them, one's birth race was given out by the gods. They saw what Minestus did here was a perversion and an insult to the gods and something must be done before the gods wrath was unleashed upon them. They can't well do this "something" with them out and about! The "something", by the way, we know means holding them forever in captivity if their human mage friend somehow couldn't figure out how to use the Crystallic in time.....

.....

Boy, would that mage gotten a real surprise when and if he'd lucked out on a cure considering what happened with Exotica. The "security feature" Minestus put on it would have kicked in and that mage would end up a demifox!!

Boy, that would be fun...

Well, that thing is neither here or there.....

Synizn muttered something about wanting to know just how the demifoxes came to think that Demifox Fred and Astra hadn't been were- creatures and I believe that'll be one of the things he'll ask this Shabot fellow.

Of the group he's the one who, if any, would most likely know of such things. That is, after all, a possible purview of a leader, right?

Maybe....maybe not. But whatever the case he's the last hope for us to get a leg up on those still out there! The others didn't know enough to be of use to use on that matter.

We, by needs, hang back away from Synizn and Andrea as they questions the giggling (and occasionally singing) Rush Shabot (boy....at least the demifoxes of Terra Prime can sing better thant this guy). I asked about that and was told that while Shabot would answer readily enough with human's in view.....he'd be tense under the spell....and thus less likely to volunteer critical details (demifoxes feeling comfortable around demifoxes or something). I can see that.

I hear mention of a name that sounds like "Lester" mentioned....and Synizn's and Andrea's ears stand straight up as it appears that something is afoot. The questioning continues (slow....considering the rather playful mood Shabot is in right now)....culminating in an unexpected event.

Annafrid

"Well, if it is true then maybe there is some hope," Synizn mutters, shaking his head and then gesturing for me to try.

The "cure" we have in ourselves worked rather rapidly on Terra Prime demifoxes and perhaps will work wonders here just as quickly? Must see.

"Hey Rush," I say in a playful tone of voice as I can manage (don't feel very "playful" after what I've just learned), "We're going to play a game here! Wanna see what it's like being a fox on four legs? It's fun, I tell you!"

"Yeah!" he gushes, then his face falls sullen when he realizes something, "But us real demifoxes can't change form....."

"Oh, sure you can!" I mug, smiling, "Just a matter of concentration! You'll love it! Now, just concentrate on becoming a fox and....."

Humoring me, I know, he tries.....and then.....

Yipping in delight, a still spell drunk Shabot wiggles out from the pile of clothing.

"Hey, this is fun!" the tod fox says, looking happily up at us......

That actually does NOT happen, but my demifox friends seem to see something....maybe that mop of hair on Shabot's head get's a little more...tangled? Can't tell, really, but I have a sinking feeling when I see Synizn nodding at Andrea and muttering something about it being "within his blood.....just in it's injestion phase...."

Him being a former were-creature even before becoming a demifox (that was another form of were-creature until relatively recently back on Terra Prime), he has a knack at recognizing the small warning signs on such matters, I figure (even if it's cure related)....

Whatever the case, Shabot giggles again as if somebodies tickling his funny bone.....just before Synizn's command word puts him out like a light. Whatever the case, when one put's everything in context I give a small groan off.

"Well, that answers one question," I sigh, "Something else going wrong here."

What else could it be?

"Actually, not quiet true, Annafrid." Synizn sighs, looking down at the now snoozing fox at their feet.

This is one I've got to hear!

"First, we now know that the pouch we got here has nail and hair clipping from this world's Fred and Astra," Andrea begins, "Though Joan and Astra aren't demifoxes, amongst other things for Joan, the hedge wizard who made the tracking spell was unexpectedly good enough to bypass that little fact. That and another demifox detection item made their job easy in tracking us. That'll be a problem with the two other demifox hunting parties out there, so we'll have to stay together."

"Lovely," Joan sighs, looking heavenwards.

"The thing here, though, is that we have the problem that Lester presents," Synizn sighs, "Back where I come from the Payne gang wasn't a stranger to the local brothels and bars. They'd go on binges on almost any excuse when they had money....especially after cheating death or capture."

"The fellow is rather like that," Tarin Gazin mutters, remembering the rather course stories he'd heard back where he'd worked, "Rather surprised that they didn't catch something from their.....'female vendors'."

But then, he goes on to say, while the BMC was rather amoral, they don't want their customers to catch something from one of their....services. Would put a damper on the cash flow from that vice if their customers get worried on that score, so sanctioned brothels (unsanctioned ones get burned down rather swiftly) would have their prostitutes regularly screened and.....magically cured if anything turned up.

Hrmph.

"Ah, yes, that angle as well," Andrea mutters, embarassed.

Mark me, but I somehow get the feeling that she's blushing! Can't tell due to her rudy complection, though.

Something about this is ringing a warning bell, but....

"What we have here is an epidemic in the making," Grailing says softly, aghast. He seems to have seen something that I haven't yet.....

Oh shit....

Now, what do you get when you get all that we have here before us? We have a fugitive Lester with a tendency, after getting away from sticky situations, at going whoring and drinking. We have a world who's been introduced to a new kind of lycanthropy. We have the demifoxes taking samples from Demifox Fred and Demifox Astra (were- creatures at this time). We have the fact that Lester had been "bought" and then detained again by the demifoxes about the same time as their other guests. Well, what's to say that the demifoxes only limited their sampling to just hair and nail clippings? Especially if one had a means to confirm beyond a doubt whether or not there was indeed demifox neo- lycanthropy present or not? Why NOT just feed a fluid sample to a human "guest" and see what happens?

Hoping against hope, I get the answer I don't want when my demifox friends finally give.

Lester was used as a test subject. Seeing that he hadn't transformed when force fed Demifox Astra's blood after a night's wait (remember, Demifox Fred changed in one night from human to demifox) they'd figured that they were safe on that angle....more or less. They'd wanted to keep Lester around a bit longer to just make sure that the threat of a curse was a false alarm. Now, the demifox captors had no way of knowing that Demifox Fred's Matrix had been somewhat damages (i.e. weakened) by the repair work that cured him of his scissor hands condition. That meant the mutation of his Matrix had been easier for the curse to do than what it would have been otherwise. That mistake means that there are less folks trying to recapture Lester (few if any, really) than there are for the recapture efforts for Demifox Fred and Demifox Astra.

What they should be doing is concentrating on capturing a man who's more likely to spread the curse by far than their former demifox captives! Lester being Lester will spread it soon through every brothel he visits (it's VERY contagious) AND through every low class eatery he visits.

Oh, what do I mean by the last part?

We raised many eyebrows by making sure that the bartenders and such actually cleaned our glasses and plates before being served food and drink. Custom here abouts are more along the line of Slavic middle age tradition. Share the plate and share the cup, as it were.

So what happens when you drink after a fellow with a cold? You might catch it! Being how contagious demifox neo-lycanthropy means that one can catch it not just in one manner. That's the reason why demifoxes of Terra Prime, even to this day, don't follow that old custom! The problems it would cause and the panic....

No, but we have here is a problem par excellance!

"The 'cure' will probably dampen the epidemic down before it wipes humanity from the map up here," Andrea says...trying to reassure herself.

Right, and I'm sure that pigs will fly!

See, human beings tend to panic when faced with stuff like this. They'll have witch hunts and scouring campaigns. They'd fill a "cure carrying" demifox full of arrows before they let him near them, fearing a were-creature. Oh, I'm sure some smart mage type will finally figure out just how the curse is spreading, but....how much damage will happen in the meantime?

Must be getting cynical in my old age....

Hrmph....

"What can we do to stop it?" I manage, finally, "Isn't it too late to try to find Lester to contain this situation?"

"Way too late," Jarlath mutters, having a look I know means he's got one of his "special feelings" on the matter.

.....

"What the demifoxes need to do is to make a dash for the Undiscovered Country," I finally say, inspiration flashing, "There they'll be accepted. Revered even! They won't check positive as were-creatures because they aren't AND I figure that....I hope that the 'cure' will still filter through the were-demifoxes...."

"One can only hope....because we're too late by far to do anything about it," Synizn sighs, "At least we, by just being here, have given off something that can halt the blasted curse from spreading everywhere...."

But as it is, we can't do more than just get the heck out of here! Meanwhile, I have a dark suspicion that a lot of folks are going to get really furry real soon here.

Oh, Lester might be captured, but...I do not hold my breath on that.

Leaving a note telling Shabot the dangers ahead and a possible way to escape (after relieving him of his magical tracking items), we rush off to get back to the insertion point.

They have their problems and we've done what we can possibly do for them, realistically. Doubt they'll thank us, though.

Indeed, I should be a fortune teller or something.

After a day of hide and seek with hunting parties.....and almost getting ready to jump....

1. The demifoxes are back and they DO NOT look very happy....

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