Chapter 58: Her First Real Guest

Sammy crushed down her impulses to reach out to Bast’s mom, despite how awful it felt. Perhaps it was a special itch or hunger of deities she was denying and felt the pain of. It was a weird thought, and maybe not accurate, but she could see it.

Give me that tasty belief and worship, nom nom nom!

In the wee hours before dawn, Sammy tried to relax at the pool, despite it being the source of recent embarrassment. She subconsciously added a little bit more conservative clothing over her bathing suit.

She took the first crack at A Wizard’s Meditative Foundations. It was an extremely dry, thick reading first discussing the philosophy of meditation, which she skimmed and skimmed and skimmed until getting to the meat of the matter explaining techniques for drawing mana to oneself from the world and universe. Both in permanent ‘condensation’ and how to recharge more efficiently. They were invariably linked.

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New Quest unlocked: “Honing the Will” — Permanently increase MP by 5 through meditation.

● Rewards: 2 exp in [Wizard], [Meditation] special skill granted.

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Another long-term thing, isn’t it? Can’t exactly speedrun this.

One interesting thing of note was that location was important. There were ley lines and nexus points, elemental zones, flows of mana, and areas of general enchantment. An enchanted forest, the top of a mountain, a remote lake: these held great concentrations of mana and allowed more literal ‘production’ for the same focus of will.

‘The three rules of mana production are: location, location, location.’

There was actually a note about demiplanes: ‘Personal demiplanes, mindscapes, and other such realms are always average in mana. A wizard cannot invent the power of an ancient volcano or a ley line nexus. Semblance can improve focus and peacefulness, but not the stuff of lived reality.’

I shouldn’t be surprised! Another thing where an Avatar is useful. Assuming mobility, anyway.

A whole chapter was dedicated to ‘Proper Tower Construction’ which would generally exploit a leyline, a nexus (if truly blessed), or various other aspects of a location. ‘The minimum’ was a ‘place of frequent meeting of winds’ which provided a boost through Air-aspected mana.

“Bast has probably salivated over this chapter! Dreaming about the day he can do something like this…” She blinked as she realized she’d thought out loud.

Floofa stretched in her lap, then peeked over the top of the book, blinking sleepily. “Is Bast fuck wizard too?”

Sammy sighed and gave her pet some very appreciated scritches. Never going to get that term rescinded, am I? “He’d love to be a fuck wizard, I’m sure. Hey… you know what, Floofa? I wish you could meet Redberry.”

Smiling happily with her eyes closed, Floofa sent, “Me too!”

“You don’t even know who she is!”

“Nope!”

Laughing, Sammy suddenly reached out, going ‘knock, knock’ on her goddess friend’s mental door.

Somewhat surprisingly, she answered with gusto. A stirring giant carnivorous plant, a swarm of bees working diligently upon endless fields of flowers, and… a bat. Nothing inspired on the last, just a bat. “Yes, Moth? Checking in, are we?”

“The bat’s not doing anything?”

“Would you prefer I eat you?” A cocked eyebrow.

“Um… n-”

“Yes, it could be innuendo. You should get used to such bawdy ways — maybe worse — if you want to handle nymphs, otherwise you’ll be so off-balance you fall on your face. Or even to handle… half of all fae, at the least.”

“Okay… flirting training… how’s this for innuendo: I want you to come over.” Waggled eyebrows.

“Not bad, not great, too direct, slightly comical. But what is the real reason?”

“I want you to see my creation!”

“Is it really that interesting?”

“Yes! A creation you can meet. A cabbit.”

“A what?”

“A cabbit! A cross between a rabbit and a cat, but ten times more adorable!”

There was a blank silence for a spell. “I will come.”

Laughing in delighted glee as she felt the request to enter come through, Sammy shot up, grabbing Floofa and placing the little animal on the top of her head before racing through the house to the front door, heart pounding in sheer excitement. Floofa enjoyed the race and the glee, giggling all the while.

My first real guest! And it's a goddess — ahhhh!!!

When she opened the door, there was Redberry, walking down the path, nodding approvingly to the cherry blossom trees lining it. She was clad in a breathtakingly gorgeous dress, made of dark leaves and moss and tightly-knitted vines in intricate patterns, with bursts of color in red and white entwined flowers amidst the dark green and nearly black shades of the faux fabric. A brighter flowery laurel wreath was atop her head, accentuating the watery pool of her eyes. Once again, only the wound on her forehead spoiled her majesty.

Sammy literally gasped out loud at the sight, and Floofa made something of a similar sound in tandem.

So pretty!

Redberry turned from her tree inspections and blinked at Sammy, looking her up and down. “You’re informally clad? And scantily. I’m overdressed — let me just-”

“No-no-no-no! Allow me!” Sammy quickly switched to her gown ensemble similar to the one she wore in Tashome’s dreamscape, but a touch more formal, with a few more jewelry pieces.

“Ah, that’s lovely, Samantha.” Redberry nodded her approval.

“Look who’s talking — you look incredible!”

“Thank you.”

Floofa hopped down, and hesitantly approached, doing little hops, then standing up and sniffing, hopping a little close, sniff-sniff-sniff.

Redberry looked down at the creature without expression during this. When Floofa slooooowly got close, Redberry dropped smoothly down to her knees, holding her hand out palm down and low to the ground.

Sammy was completely spellbound watching the whole event, holding her breath.

Cautiously, Floofa approached the hand to sniff… then rubbed up against the hand. Redberry began petting the cabbit, scratching behind its ears. Soon after this, Floofa suddenly hopped up to Redberry’s neck, forcing her to catch it up in her arms, which elicited a laugh from the goddess — a laugh and a huge, face-splitting smile.

Wow. Look at that smile! Sammy beamed along with her.

“Floofa like Redberry!” the cabbit psychically broadcast, sending to both goddess minds present.

“And I like you, little Floof.” Redberry rose and looked to Sammy, quickly composing herself and regaining the regal indifference in her countenance she so studiously affected.

As Redberry walked up, clearly cuddling the purring creature despite the displayed dignity, Sammy crossed her arms, still grinning, and quirked her eyebrows. “Well? The verdict?”

Redberry approached close, enough for the scent of wildflowers to wash over her host. The nature goddess studied her face-to-face. “She is vibrantly realized and perfect, of course. Well done, Samantha, Goddess of Cuteness.”

With that, she walked past into the house, Floofa with her happy face plastered on. Sammy was left basking in the glow of deific praise.

Why does that feel so nice from her?! Gah. I am the Goddess of Cuteness! But… I don’t think I’ll take that domain anytime soon…

Redberry was instantly poking around and looking everywhere in the living room, very curious at the technological features but not getting too close to them. She was also drawn to the pictures, studying each in turn while cradling and slowly petting her attached animal friend.

“Family of your past life, here?”

“Yeah, I guess that’s basically true…”

“Your ability to visualize and restore, to create… it is centuries ahead of when I started.”

“Really?”

“Mmn. Not just a human advantage, either, I don’t think. You have a knack.”

“I’m glad. I can use every advantage considering the shit I’m up against. Anyway, come on! Let me show you my sick pool!”

“It’s sick?”

“Er, never mind, just come on!” Sammy led her through the kitchen, which took some effort, such was her guest’s curiosity at the various strange implements there. But by the power of youthful insistence, she finally got her out on the patio.

Sammy swept her hand out at the aesthetic display of the clear pool, made to be faux natural in some aspects. “Ta-da!”

Redberry wasn’t exactly blown away. She nodded with a ‘not bad’ sort of tilt to her lips. “It’s nice. I’m sure that it is quite relaxing.”

She’s just pretending not to be impressed! She’s totally impressed!

“Look at these chairs! You can lie down in them and read — under an adjustable umbrella! See the umbrella?!” Sammy rushed over to one and demonstrated. “Adjustable!”

“Indeed.”

“And of course the pool is for swimming!”

“Quite so.”

Floofa finally seemed to want down, so Redberry let her down to the patio stones. The animal was soon sniffing around in a certain subtle way that let Sammy know she was looking for carrots, so her owner obliged, creating multiples around the area. Soon Floofa was hopping in the direction of one, having sniffed it out.

Redberry also sniffed at the air, then squinted her eyes at Sammy. “Carrots?”

“Yes! She loves them.”

“Carrots are more of an occasional treat at most for rabbits…”

“I mean, it’s a fake animal, Redberry…”

Though Redberry didn’t react strongly, her deadpan expression was somehow rather judgey.

Sammy sighed and asked, “So what else should I feed her, then?”

“A few varieties of appropriate grass, some leafy greens, a small amount of fruit as a treat-”

“Oh, she’d love fruit! I should’ve thought of that!”

Redberry practically glared at her.

“... which I will only give her occasionally,” Sammy added, looking off while surreptitiously scratching an eyebrow.

“Good.” After a pause of looking around, Redberry said, “It would be good for her to forage it herself as something to do. Would you allow me to modify your apparently rudimentary ecosystem here?”

“Um, sure — you can do that? — sure, sure. Go ahead — actually, no predators and stuff?”

The goddess of nature looked downright offended at the suggestion. “Of course not, Samantha. A semblance, not reality. Appropriate plants, perhaps some gentle animals. Floofa seems inquisitive, you might want her to find other creatures to meet out in her explorations. Hmm?”

“Well, that does sound nice…”

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Alteration of realm (miscellaneous plants added) requested by [Redberry] — allow?

Alteration of realm (miscellaneous animals added) requested by [Redberry] — allow?

Alteration of realm (ecosystem rules) requested by [Redberry] — allow?

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Sammy authorized her in each case, and there was a weird feeling in her head as a bunch of information was added. While she couldn’t follow the exact details flooding in at a bewildering pace, she could easily review it all, something like lines of instruction. Create this, simulate the life of that, diet this. A big nature Wikipedia dictating what her ‘reality simulation’ simulated.

“Wow… cool,” Samantha said.

“I had to work within the boundaries set, so don’t think I snuck anything weird in. But feel free to review. Also, the animals will be tame with you as well but will avoid your property. Adjust as you like. If you like the tweeting of birds, they’ll be heard in your trees sometimes. A little ambiance.”

“Thanks.”

A robin flew overhead suddenly, which caused Floofa to look up with near ‘gonna pounce’ energy. However, there wasn’t quite the killer instinct of a cat there… she bounded off out of curiosity nonetheless, awkward for trying to hold a carrot at the same time.

“Can I offer you a drink, Red?”

“Hmm? What kind of drink?”

“A little bit alcoholic! A Mai Tai mixed drink! I bet you’ve never had one of these!” After making one appear in her hand — complete with a lime and cherry garnish, and even a little pink umbrella and a bamboo straw — she handed it to Redberry with an impish grin.

“Fascinating…” Redberry’s gleaming alien eyes were locked on the attractive glass like it was her prey. She took it in both hands and then lifted it to her nose to sniff. “Rum? Something lime… something orange… what a mixture…”

“Drink it!”

Hesitantly, daintily, she took a sip, eyes widening slightly after, as she made movements with her mouth in tasting, blinking over and over.

“Yeah? Well?!” Sammy was dying to hear the verdict.

“It’s… delightful.”

Sammy did a little squee and hop, thrilled. “I knew I could give you a new experience! I guess it’s a little taste of Earth. So anyway… can we sit?”

Soon they were at one of the little tables under the shade, each partaking slowly of a delightful Mai Tai. Sammy was ecstatic.

This is going great! But I guess I better get to business, finally.

“So, Red… a few things I was meaning to ask. Obviously, the subject of the hour is Zadkiel… I never asked specifically what the deal was with his demonic stuff? A runic portal with imps and hyena-demons coming out of it? And then him…”

Briefly, Sammy described the details of the event, so the overall picture was clear.

“... Is that typical stuff for the Naugites? Or for him?”

The matter might’ve caught Redberry a bit by surprise at first. She had set the drink down as she listened, leaning back in the chair like it was a throne. She pondered the questions for a few moments.

“Neither.”

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