(Vol 2) Chapter 12: All Natural Fibber

Not long after her ruminations, Dart finally noticed she was back in her realm. “Hey, hey,” he sent, “You need any help in there? Permission to enter?”

“Might as well. I think your ‘summoning’ recharged at FE refresh, so you can go back when I do regardless.”

Momentarily, Dart appeared, taking the form of a comical dragon-like figure but propping up its chin with two hands under, ‘laying’ in the air, eyes wide and as blatantly ‘ready for tea’ as an expression could possibly be. “Well?! Did you do anything with Azure?! Kiss, at least?”

Sammy glared with her eyes squinted for a straight five count. “I told you I wouldn’t fucking go there, yet you’re asking?”

He just nodded excitedly. “Well, well?”

“No, you idiot!”

His image deflated like a released balloon, complete with sound, landing as a small form on her throne’s arm, where a little flat, floppy dragon blinked sad, sad eyes. “Damn. I told her she should go for a hug and then see if a kiss could happen.”

“What?!” Sammy peeled the dragon off of her chair so she could glare balefully right into his eyes. “You absolute motherfucker! That’s going too far!”

Blink, blink. “Why? I mean, I think I know you better th-”

“You think you know me because you have some psychological imprint from my subconscious, but you don’t know jack shit! You don’t know fuck from piss! Okay? Moreover, you aren’t me, so let me make my own fucking choices. You’ve gone against my wishes, Dart. Leave this situation alone. If you interfere again, I’ll- I’ll put you in a timeout! Isolation! How would you like that, huh?”

“Well, I don’t think I’d like that at all, actual-” The little dragon sheet was shaken vigorously, which made Dart cut off into shaky blubbering sounds. “Abluh-hbla-bluh-abluh-hlbla-”

Sammy finally stopped and resumed her glare. “Then don’t interfere! Capiche? Comprende?”

In a little, guttural, strangled-sounding voice, Dart answered, “Comprende, por favor, gracias, mi Señora.”

Sammy lightly flung Dart upward, so he could float away. “What the hell did she say to that, anyway?”

Dart, with a ‘pop’, returned to his more normal, smallish dragon form. Floating in the air, he stretched his wings and composed himself. “Oh, she grilled me. After chastising me about my genius parrot play, anyway. She then went right into whether you were into women, into her, yada yada… Well, I didn’t sell hard on that or lie, I just said I thought it was pretty likely.”

“A small mercy.” After a moment, Sammy narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Did you tell her I was a virgin?”

“Oh, please! As if she couldn’t tell on her own! No, my repressed goddess, dear. I didn’t have to.”

Sammy sneered sourly at him like the annoying brother she never had, and he looked back with his smug little stupid dragon face.

“Anyway,” Sammy said testily, “I’ve got important things to do. Keep an eye out for other problems or needs. Be nosy, as I’m sure you’ll enjoy, but don’t interfere without sanction.”

In a puff of smoke, Dart turned into a small fairy-like entity, but in a black suit and tie, wearing glasses. He did a firm military salute and said in a cute fairy voice, “Right away, ma’am!” Then he fluttered over to the mirrors to begin sifting through them.

“If you really want to impress me,” Sammy added thoughtfully, “get me some intel on the Carlisle residence spy. Or exhaust the possibility. But that is a long-term thing.”

“Of course, Your Majesticness! More of us would help!”

“Yeah, yeah. One thing at a time, bud.”

Sammy had felt some late activity of spiritual note, in someone she hadn’t heard from in a while: Teresa, the Follower of Greenleaf in some castle north of Geirkos. She’d brought someone in the night to the little shrine location. A young woman.

Hmm, a recruit perhaps? Gotta love it when they come to you, muhaha! Well. I think it pays to get into character. This much I’ve learned.

“Sys, I want a separate realm just for Greenleaf & Stillwater. Tons of spacious, plant-rich forest, the feel of freshness and newness. A hidden copy of the lake of the naiads in deeper forest. Far from this, an area of great bloom, a grove… with tons of flowers and a throne made of nothing but greenery, plants, vines, and big flowers of every color, all twisted together.”

This has been created as a separate mindscape realm. 2 FE has been deducted. Cosmetic changes (i.e. alterations within the original scope of the design) are freely permitted at will.

Sammy zipped to the throne to see the grove. A great forest canopy rose up over the central area, roots propping up the greenery-overgrown chair. Sammy raised it up a bit and added a few touch-ups for her own style. She made the trees rise much higher and thicker, for a more majestic feel and more limited sunlight beaming through the gaps.

Tons of butterflies everywhere. Mostly because she liked them.

She designed her form for Greenleaf, modeling off of the examples she had in the tree dryads, with slightly more clothing, i.e. leaves and flowers. Colored wooden beads. Her huge crown of blonde hair was the covering for her breasts, and she had a long skirt of leaves her leg would peek out of. Overall, she was very hippy-like.

Her skin was very faint olive-green and her eyes the telltale vibrant glowing emerald. Sammy decided to go for an elfin look. Pointed ears and delicate features. She threw in some curling horns flaring up out of the hair, almost wood-like in appearance.

Looking into a mirror she’d conjured to configure it, she grinned and made two peace signs. “I’m like, an elf! Peace and love, dudes and dudettes. Go trees and all-natural fibers, man!”

And I am an All Natural Fibber. Tee hee!

1 FE gained due to user belief/acknowledgment. Note: not yet a Follower.

She was already hearing prayers from the two, so she sat down on the throne and accessed the mirror while touching their minds. Then she made her Greenleaf hippy voice resound, “Salutations, beautiful supplicants.”

The new girl jumped with a gasp, looking around just as Teresa had once done. “H-hello, uh, Y-your Loveliness!”

“We’re honored by your presence, Your Loveliness Greenleaf,” Teresa said smoothly.

“Ah, you’ve already trained her! Such good girls. I am totally pleased.”

“Thank you, Your Loveliness — This is my cousin Celeste. She has gotten with child, her first. She has terrible morning sickness, enough that she is sickly from it. Common cures are no help and magical aid is spread thin lately. I was wondering, well… she was once a believer of Redberry. She wants to be again… through you, if we may.”

“I’m sorry that I lost faith!” Celeste blurted out. “I-I didn't think she wanted me…”

“It’s alright, my mother is busy and distracted, and this is why I’m here! Welcome to the New Spring. I will help you in these minor ways that I can.”

Sammy customized her REX to banish nausea, which was pretty much easy as pie, being a mundane status effect. It evaporated as soon as the ritual was complete.

Follower conversion successful. 1 FE gained. 1 Daily FE gained (total: 44).

The girl blinked in amazement. “It’s gone. I feel better already! Oh, thank you, Your Loveliness!”

Greenleaf smiled into her mind like only someone high three-quarters of the day could. “It’s all good all the time, babe.”

Celeste giggled despite herself.

Well, well, well, because Mekias and Bob were converted via Greenleaf first, aaand for some reason, Agatha didn’t count… I think I’m only one Follower away fro-

1 FE gained due to user belief/acknowledgment. Note: not yet a Follower.

Follower conversion successful. 1 FE gained. 1 Daily FE gained (total: 45).

The quest “Shameless Acquisition” is complete. 11 FE granted. 5 FE (Illusion) granted. 2 exp [Goddess] granted.

The Carlisle camp on the road!

“Estara,” she sent to her wonderful young priestess among them, “did you just win another for me, you gorgeous girl?!”

Estara was tired but thriving off of a burst of energy. “You’re darn tootin’ I did, Your Majesty! For Greenleaf, for now. A capable soldier recommended by Sir Pashett. Anton. He’s very nice.” But then she remembered to be bashful about the praise she’d just been delivered by her idol. “I-it’s kind of you to call me that, my goddess, but surely not…”

“Oh, get used to it, Super Hotness!”

“Y-Your Ma-je-sty!” A mental blush.

Greenleaf grinned widely. “I know you should get some rest for tomorrow, so I’ll leave you to it.”

Needing to check once more on ‘movements,’ Greenleaf pulled mirror portals into the realm to look through, stylized as vertical pools or ‘splashes’ of floating water. She noted that the Two Wells army had fully moved out, a process that had taken some hours. Meanwhile, the knight group further north that she’d noted before was camped for the night. They’d moved south, in the direction of Rivermount.

With these bits of information available, Greenleaf pinged Zadkiel mentally, who responded immediately. “Ah, if it isn’t the lovely Puck. Yes?”

Green eyes glowing in the shadows of trees. “Two things. Firstly, there is a group of hundreds of knights and a few wizards heading to Rivermount from Galseria. Not in a rush exactly.”

“Ah. Figures. Routine cautionary plays to reinforce the border. One would be a clairvoyant, a farseer, to extend their sense of threats. Maybe more, sending another into the vassal provinces. The first glimmers of doubt, though likely restricted to the cold calculations of Matrazere. I appreciate the note, and please keep me updated with changes. And your second report?”

“The Two Wells group has moved out into the night, headed southeast. Your direction.”

“Thanks again, though I knew this one. They’re headed into a trap and their slaughter or surrender. Are you shadowing them? If so, you’ll want to not be in an hour or so for the safety of any agents.”

“Noted.” There was a pause as Greenleaf frowned and considered the implications. “You’re in Heimus already?”

“Yes. No rest for the wicked, dearest goddess. Their response has been like brainless snails compared to my pace because I’ve successfully blotted out all avenues of information. Things are going even better than expected. One thorn in my side even turned out to be the vines of a juicy grape. I’ve been smiling all evening.”

“Okay, I gotta know. What was it? Surely I’ve earned a little trust by now.”

He seemed to deliberate, but ultimately he was weak to the opportunity to brag. “You know, you’re right, and why shouldn’t I share good news? Ha! My Utroki flyers caught a bird in the air, and then a second, from Fobent, but as it turned out, they were intended for me! Fobent wants to sign a treaty of neutrality in the war, to both sides. Perfection for that flank, not having to deal with General Linnore. It’ll free up a lot of resources.”

Figures. If we had been a few days longer leaving, we might not have had to worry about those fucking pirates at all. I wonder if he even knows about that yet… probably not. Telekek might fear reporting failure to this guy.

“Well, congratulations, Zaddy,” Greenleaf sent, deliberately with apparent cluelessness. “I’m glad you got a grape out of it.”

“Indeed. If there is anything I hate, it’s having to deal with capable generals. I was planning to have her assassinated, which would tie up an exceptional agent and possibly still fail. She has a reputation for stupid luckiness. Aside from that, this should eliminate them finding some way to get word to the Dominion. By all appearances, they haven’t, or don’t want to.”

Sammy recalled how Linnore had glanced at Orswyth’s staff, eyes almost meeting hers in the mirror. She understood what this meant… a possible future. Not a guarantee of Fate, but a potentially important maybe.

“Will you honor their independence after you no longer need it?” Greenleaf asked with cultivated, pretend nonchalance. Obviously, Stillwater and Samantha both would want to know if he kept his word. “Or even after the war is decided?”

Amusement. He clearly thought he knew why she was asking. “You care about such things as freedom and independence, just like your mother. What am I going to do with you two? Relax, alluring one. Everyone knows a devil abides a contract. I only betray failures and traitors. Which is appropriately claused, by the way. Otherwise, I honor the honorable, and I do not forget a favor. It’s honestly a relief that Fobent wants this.”

Zadkiel sighed. “Sadly, I must cut this short, and immediately. I have the misfortune to have two large issues to manage at once. Annoying, but sometimes it just can’t be helped. Stay beautiful, Puck. Be ready. Things are going to heat up soon!”

He disconnected, but Sammy’s mind and soul were focused like a lodestone on certain keywords and their meaning: two large issues. Heat up soon. They rang like a gong with great alarm in her — it set off her intuition enough to make her breath catch.

All she felt was dread.

____________________________________________________________

« (Vol 2) Chapter 11 | Table of Contents | (Vol 2) Chapter 13: Salvaging What's Squandered »

____________________________________________________________

======================================================

======================================================

____________________________________________________________

Samantha, Virgin Goddess of Mirrors & Illusion
____________________________________________________________

Goddess Level 2 [14/20]; Minor Deity

Domains (3/4): Mirrors, Illusion, Fate
Faith Energy: 374/2500
FE (Mirrors): 6 ; FE (Illusion): 14 ; FE (Fate): 10
Followers: 34 (Daily FE Gain: 43 [47])

Devout: 6
Priests: 3

Brute: 0
Rogue: 0
Wizard: 1 [13/20]
Bard: 0 [5/10]

MP: 9/26

Special Skills: First Aid, Tarot Reading, Priestly Ordination, Holy Relic Investiture, Create Servitor, Read Runes, Spell Construction, Detect Magic

Special Traits: Token User, Immortal, Demiplane Domain, Conceptual Body, Fueled By Faith, Avatar (Samantha; Core)

Spells: Identify (5 MP), Icebolt (3 MP)

Powers: Faith Energy Utilization, Grant Prayer (Illusion), Grant Prayer (Fate), Mirror Sense, Mirror Communication, Intuition, Alter Fate, Create Illusion, Grant Invisibility, Dazzling Spectrum, False Auras, Mirroring Duplicates, Reflect Force, Mirror Maze

Status: Token User Promotional Bonus (8/30), Free Minor Divine Enchantment (Accessory; 1-use)