Cultivating Chaos 6 -ch 3-

“I have good news. It’s exactly what I thought. A Mortal Rank One level One is impervious to a nine-milimeter,” Locke reported as the group entered what was most certainaly a pizza restaurant. “I got the other two guns that Hui and Chunhua took. They were different sizes of bullets.

“Mortal Rank One level One blocked both of those round types as well.

“I asked a Refiner Rank Three level Nine to take a shot and it went right through her leg. That seems to be the cutoff point. She was quickly healed by Rou and is fine. I also gave her a set of clothes with our materials but in the new style as a reward.”

Ash only grinned at that, feeling like that made almost too much sense all the way around.

Xiuying shot away from his right side while Siu remained glued to his left. Just about rubbing herself against him.

“Oh, oh, oh!” Xiuying squealed in English, rushing right up to the counter. She was staring at the boards behind it that was covered in something Ash had most certainly missed.

Pizza.

Left to right, top to bottom, it was all pizza.

Pizza he knew, too. With toppings he very much wanted.

“It’s pretty! It looks delicious! What’re the strangle… uhm… other things next to them,” Xiuying gushed. They had collectively agreed to speak in English unless they absolutely needed to say something the other group wouldn’t understand.

“Drinks. Those are drinks,” Ash asserted, realizing she was looking at a ‘combo’ picture. A pizza slice and a drink. “You’ll probably like those, too.”

Hui was slowly moving from table to table and staring at each and every person who was in the pizzeria. She had clearly already determined that every person here was part of whatever government instutition make contact with them.

“I removed their weapons. Hui is just being Hui and that’s fine,” Locke advised him. “I’ll test everything shortly, but they’re all the same sizes we’ve already tried out.”

Locke said moving to quickly catch up with Xiuying.

Chunhua had thrown a hand at the door after entering and was now standing in front of a glass-door fridge. Peering in at all the drinks inside of it.

She’d installed a shield there that looked to be quite firm.

Though it didn’t matter since Siu’s shield had already moved to the same spot, though he wasn’t going to fault them for double shielding.

Ash didn’t bother to look at all. He already knew what he wanted.

Something that had always made conversation one way or the other.

Moving to a back table that was open, Ash sat himself down. Separating from Siu to do so.

Only for her to immediately press herself into his side and smoosh him up into the corner. Nearly crawling into his lap.

Tala and Moira popped into existence side by side, dressed in some new clothes, and both of them staring at the board.

Tala was in, somewhat unsuprisingly, in a track suit. A bright red and black one.

Her long black rabbit ears were on full display and her dark black hair was pulled back behind her. Her rather pretty and delicate features were in a mask of surprise as her green eyes gazed at the board.

Next to her was Moira who was wearing a windbreaker that was undone, some type of low-plunging neckline shirt or blouse under it, and a pair of stretchy looking jeans.

Her white and black was drawn back as well, though held in place with clasps.

Just as Tala was, Moira was also staring at the boards.

Her overly large, if not giant, yellow eyes picking over what was available. The nearly alien beauty on full display given her clothes that were at odds with the large wings that were pressed to her back.

A natural position for them despite the fabrics.

Both of them were in boots.

“Ashley, husband, my Cuddly Bunny-Wife self desperately wants this meet-the-meat pizza,” Tala pleaded, turning her head to sneak a peek at Ash over her shoulder. Only her eyes visible as she raised her eyebrows delicately.

The overly sweet and soft sounding warrior was ever creeping closer to the “self” she wanted to be.

Which was so overly saccharine and kind to him that it often times left him unable to respond. She was the defintion of adorable that only Xiuying could compare to.

“Please?” she whined, her shoulder drawing up as one of her ears flopped to the side and the other stood upright. Once again somehow finding the cutest pose possible.

“Order whatever you want. If our escort here won’t cover it, we’ll use the money we received earlier,” Ash stated and looked to the man in question.

He had just sat himself directly across from Ash. He had three different phones in his hand and was setting them down on the table in front of himself.

The man was large, easily six-fooot-four, with a fairly stocky build. Hard brown eyes were looking over the phones one at a time. To Ash, they looked as if they had all been turned on and were actively on calls.

“We’ll… cover it,” grumbled the man, not looking at Ash.

“I promise we’ll return their weapons if you’re upset about it after the fact,” Ash assured the man, finally draping an arm around Siu and giving her several thoughts about her getting comfortable against him was what he wanted. To hold him, lay still, and gift him with her warmth and company.

Causing her immediately to stop moving, her head tilt to the side, and put her focus on the man while holding to Ash.

“That’d-yes, please. Thank you,” the man murmured, finally meeting Ash’s eyes. “My name is agent Frederick Crow. I’m part of the planar authority. I’m currently on the phone with… phone… do you know what a phone is?”

The last had been said with agent Crow looking to Ash and raising his eyebrows.

“I personally am from a technologically similar world to your own,” Ash offered with a genuine smile. “I’m sure I likely understand nearly everything going on in your world. At least, so far. My companions are all from a very different world.”

Agent Crow’s eyes darted over to Moira and Tala, who was also being stared at by everyone in the pizzeria. Then back to Ash.

“I’m with the planar authority director, the prime minister, and the director of the Home Defense Force,” agent Crow finished. “I’m here with a number of extra planar beings.”

“My name is Ash. Ash Sheng,” offered Ash. “I will name my companions as needed but I speak for everyone.”

Xiuying darted over to him with a plate and a drink. On the plate was a slice of pizza with a large bite taken right out of the front of it. She ended up smacking the table before she got herself seated next to Siu.

“Thish ish amazhing Ash!” she cheered brightly and then leaned over to drink out of the straw of her cup. “Mm! I like this, too! It’s bubbly and sweet!”

Agent Crow looked to Xiuying blinked, then back to Ash.

Before he could say anything, Hui sat down next to the agent with a plate and a cup as well.

“You will stay on your side of the booth or I’ll break your arm,” Hui stated simply.

Chunhua, Tala, and Moira all came next.

Several chairs sprung out of nothing and clattered down for them to seat themselves in.

Locke was at the counter and had just ordered the entirety of what was there and put in an order for a hundred more pizzas.

Ash figured she was going to feed as many as she could and this was an abnormal treat.

“Yes,” agent Crow stated, then shifted further into the bench and away from Hui. “Would you mind if we began with questions?”

“Certainly, certainly, I don’t mind at all,” Ash murmured. “I imagine you have a great many of them. Though, could I ask one or two poignant questions first? It would help me determine what my own answers should explain in more detail or less detail. After all, I doubt you want to hear about bathrooms in the realm I came from. They don’t even have toilet paper.”

“Sure?” agent Crow responded in what sounded like a question.

“How often do you have planar visitors?” Ash asked simply.

“You’re… the first we’ve been able to speak with but we know of them,” admitted the man but explained no further. Ash couldn’t fault him for keeping his cards hidden. Ash would do the same. “How did you get here?”

“A planar exit,” Ash answered. “It’s one way and my people control the exit. There won’t be anymore visitors unless I permit it.”

“You-are-unless you permit it?” asked the man.

“Indeed. Unless I permit it,” Ash confirmed a moment before a plate of peperoni and pineapple pizza was plunked down in front of him along with a soda cup. A plate with cheese pizza and another cup was set down in front of Siu.

“Thank you,” Ash said, catching her eyes.

Locke nodded her head with a grin, then went back to the counter.

Each and every item handed to her vanished one by one.

Ash noticed in that moment that she’d cleared out the chips, candies, and the fridge’s as well.

“Lord Sheng is our Lord,” Hui stated, staring at agent Crow with wide eyes. “If he doesn’t permit it, he doesn’t permit it.”

Siu nodded her head at that, picked up her pizza with her left hand, and took a bite. Never really looking away from agent Crow or lifting her head.

“Mr. Sheng, could you please explain the purpose of your visit and what your intentions are in our world?” asked the agent, his face a calm and neutral mask.

“Tourists passing through, nothing more, nothing less. I have a direction I’m attempting to follow that will allow me to leave this plane,” Ash stated and took a bite of his pizza.

“Can you provide more details about how you plan to leave this plane and whether your departure could impact our world in any way?” asked the agent, his brows pressing together.

Ash swallowed and then thought about the question.

“I will leave by the same way arrived and in a way that you cannot follow, nor could anyone else for that matter. It will not impact your world, other than the fact that I won’t be converting oxygen to carbon dioxide anymore,” Ash offered, feeling just a bit fun. The taste of the pizza had brightened his mood considerably.

He immediately set back into eating his pizza all while Xiuying danced happily in her seat. Unperturbed by the conversation and generally just happy.

“Mr. Sheng, while we appreciate your assurance that your departure won’t affect our world, it’s my responsibility to ensure the safety and security of our nation,” agent Crow assured him with a wary smile. One that felt thin and measured. Guarded one could say. “Would you be open to discussing your plans in more detail with our team? This way, we can address any potential concerns and possibly assist you if needed.”

“I mean, there isn’t much to discuss,” Ash confessed while chewing. “The means to leave this plane involve my personal power set and my abilities. A door would open, I’d go through it, and the door would close. I mean, did you see anything go wrong with your world when I arrived? It’d be much the same way.

“Beyond that, as to the details, I don’t know. I have to go find the location before I would know anything more. I don’t know where it is. It’s just… in that direction.”

Ash pointed in the direction that the chains went.

Which was more or less straight down.

Entirely unhelpful he was sure, but for all he knew, there was a significant landmark that might be over tehre.

“I understand. Thank you for clarifying, Mr. Sheng. I would be happy to provide an agent for you to help you locate it as well,” agent Crow said in a way that sounded firm, but not threatening. “We would-we would prefer if you kept that agent around you at all times that would be prudent without impinging on your own privacy. This would be a standard protocol of course if we had any foreign dignitary show up uninvited mind you.”

“I don’t mind,” Ash said with a shrug of his shoulders. “So long as you don’t try to do anything stupid. If you don’t attempt to arrest us or detain us than I’m more than willing to keep open relations.

“The reason why I said you shouldn’t try to do anything stupid, is because I don’t have to be here. I can move to another sub-plane and appear elsewhere.

“For now I’m content to be a visitor. A tourist. I’m happy to pay my way as well as I do have resources at my disposal though I’m unsure of what would be valuable to you.

“I have pills, medicines, and elixirs that can cure any wound, illness, or concern known to my people. Cancer or otherwise. Additionally, I have many abilities that allow me to change the way the order of the world can exist.

“As an example of that, I could create a room where anyone put into it is extremely likely to recover regardless of the concern so long as they’re not immediately dying.”

“That is… that is a lot of information to take in. I wouldn’t be able to comment on that other than to say I would like nothing more than to test some of that with you if you don’t mind,” stated agent Crow, an odd look crossing his face. “As to doing something stupid, I would very much like for both of us to remain intelligent and composed about the situation. Having an agent around you would of course keep us both well informed and aware of the other.

“A means of communication that’s always open, you could say. One that we can both utilize to insure the other side can be coordinated with.”

“Any agent attached to Lord Sheng must be evaluated by the Brides,” Hui asserted with absolute finality. “You will provide a number of them and we will select the best individual among those ranks. I will save you the time and assert that it must be a woman, unmarried, single, and physically proficient in combat.

“No one else would be suitable nor would they be able to keep up with us. We can accept an attached person, but we will make sure the person fits our group needs.”

Agent Crow hesitated at that, his eyes slowly moving from Hui, to the rest of Ash’s group, then back to Ash.

“I’ll keep that recommendation in mind, Miss. I’m sure we can find a middle ground that we’re both happy with. It might take some time.

“In the meanwhile… actually, Mr. Sheng, how many people are in your entourage with you? We’ll need to arrange your accommodation for the evening quickly. The sun sets quickly in winter,” he asked with a thoughtful look. “I ask so we can find a suitable accomodation for you.”

“Ah… well… if you’re asking for a maximum, several thousand?” Ash answered, finishing off his pizza in between taking long drinks of the soda. He was currently experiencing a nostalgia trip that he didn’t think he would ever experience again. “At an average moment, ten to fifty. Unless something stupid happens.”

Agent Crow paused after hearing that. His face an impassive mask of nothing at all.

The only outward appearance that he was awake was a blink before his eyes moved from Ash to the counter.

Locke had just taken a box full of snacks across the top of the counter and vanished it into the Hall. Along with everything else she’d “bought” from the pizzeria so far.

When Agent Crow looked back to Ash it seemed he had finished whatever thought he had had in that moment.

Ash noted the earpiece in the mans ear and it was likely that he had been listening to the three different phones.

Curious.

I wonder how they managed to route all three phones into one earpiece. Maybe their tech is a bit further ahead?

Now I’m deeply curious.

Wait.

Wait!

Do… do they have video games?!

Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh.

Video games!

“I’m sure we can find a suitable arrangement for that number, Mr. Sheng,” began Agent Crow. “Would you be opposed to us renting out a hotel in it’s entirety? It would allow us to make sure you remain unbothered for the evening and we can prepare a better meeting in person tomorrow morning. As well as some testing for your… your… possibility of payment.”

“Not a problem. Though, can we stop off at a big-box store on the way? I just realized that we haven’t even gotten a chance to experience any entertainment from your world. Do you perhaps have… video games?” Ash asked with a wide smile. “Or computers? Hand held consoles? Movies? Digital media? Anything at all that we could drag back to the hotel to keep us occupied?

“We don’t need much sleep anymore. Maybe a few hours a night at most. Normally we’d cultivate but your world lacks Qi. It’s barren. Like a desert for water.”

With a small nod of his head, Agent Crow either was greeing with Ash, or those he was listening to on the other end of the phones. Given his calm and well maintained demeanor, Ash was thinking that it was in response to his own question.

“I’m sure we could manage a stop on the way over while the Hotel is booked accordingly,” stated the Agent with another calm and placid looking smile. “Is there anything else that we could pick up for you on our way?”

“I really don’t know yet,” confessed Ash, looking over to the pizza counter. He wanted to get up and get another slice. He wasn’t hungry, but it had tasted so good. “I’m sure we’ll figure it out soon enough. It’s one of those things, right? You never know what you’re missing till you open your suitcase and try to figure out where the item you’re suddenly looking for is. Then you suddenly realize you forgot it and know exactly where it is in your house.”

Locke turned back to him and promptly set down a bag of bbq chips in front of him along with another soda. The former was open and the latter had it’s tab popped.

She immediately spun back around to the counter and went right back to what she had been doing previously. Which if Ash didn’t miss his guess, was her ordering a great deal of items from them to get elsewhere.

Likely at surrounding stores nearby and having it all brought here through the back.

“Ah… yes, I can certainly understand that sentiment,” allowed the agent, his eyes having followed Locke in her movements as she placed the items down in front of Ash. “Well, I suppose we’ll wait here till you’re ready, the store, the hotel, and go from there.”