victory_road | Friday the thirteenth doesn't usually get this whacky

[ She tilts her head. It hadn't occurred to her anyone she might know would be here. Scrambling into a more comfortable position, she shakes her head. ]

I was on the hunt for interesting fish.

And there is quite the number of them here, though sadly quite finite in comparison to our own times and places. Did you happen to catch any? Well, besides the one you should have on your person. They should be in a ball, like so.

[ Now that they are much too small for him to properly handle, he simply draws them out of thin air, summoning them forth. One of these red and white balls appears in front of Yenh, daring her to catch it as it begins to fall. Should she happen to release the creature inside, she will become quickly acquainted with Banania, the Tropius. ]

[ She catches the ball out of midair, staring at it for a long moment. She draws out the one from her pocket and stares at it. ]

You mean to tell me there's animals in these?

[ Well, fuck. ]

[ Yenh pushes the buttons on the front of both hers and Hythlodaeus', because that's the only logical thing she can think of. A beautiful Dragonair slips into existence from her neglected Pokeball, turning in midair and beeping at her. Yenh gasps. ]

[ And the Tropius comes out with a bellow, flapping quickly to rise back up, looking a bit like a giant hummingbird. Banania immediately greets Yenh with a lick across the top of her head, taking some of her hair product with his tongue. ]

You see? Magnificent, aren't they!

[ Magnificent was surely a word for it, at least as far as Tropius was concerned. ]

[ The Dragonair lands and drapes its body neatly along Hythlodaeus' fingertips, snaking to look at her from around and over her shoulder. ]

[ Yenh clasps her hands to her cheeks, overtaken with awe, wonder, and absolute confusion. ]

How do they fit in there?

It seems that they are broken up into aether and safely reformed to be stored. I have been led to understand that the interior of it is quite roomy and comfortable, so it may be a sort of teleporting mechanism or a pocket dimension. Fascinating, is it not?

[ Banania buzzes a little bit away to munch on some leaves as they talk. ]

I have never seen a specimen quite like yours in person, however. They are considered more friend than pet, as it were. You are encouraged to give it a nickname if you desire. The people here use them in lieu of magical ability, so you will find that everyone has one.

[ Yenh watches Banania flit away, in awe despite everything. She glances at her Dragonair again, who croons encouragingly at its blank-eyed would-be trainer. She purses her lips. This whole situation felt like a dream already, and now she's convinced it must be. Or at least such a strange situation that it's virtually the same thing. ]

I shall call you... Lieutenant Adrienne Battleblade.

[ The Dragonair makes a noise more like a question than an affirmation. ]

Oh my, she must be quite the accomplished officer already. Congratulations, Lieutenant Adrienne Battleblade. You may carry six of them at once, though this is more custom than possibility. Shall I show you around before I must attend Amaurot once more?

[ He lowers her and her new companion to the ground, checking towards Tropius' leaf feast. ]

This simulated universe is very small with obvious boundaries built into it. It is impossible to harm the inhabitants in any dire, permanent way. It is all very safe, like we are infants in a crib.

Edited 2020-11-18 18:14 (UTC)

That explains why I've only been able to beat up other creatures to a point. I got hungry and tried to hunt one to eat.

[ Yenh reaches up towards the Dragonair to stroke its muzzle, which the Pokemon accepts despite maybe starting to realize its trainer is not the brightest or most skilled at animal handling that the universe can offer. ]

[ An impression reinforced by her upward doubletake. ]

What's this about Amaurot?

Ah, if you are hungry I may be of assistance.

[ It appears as if he has conjured food for her. In reality, he has merely teleported it out of his (Emet-Selch's) kitchen and hovering before her. It is a tupperware container full of grilled fish. ]

Take it, Emet-Selch surely won't mind. Emet-Selch and I have been busy building Amaurot for the benefit of our new friends. It will disappear in a couple days, but seeing it and hearing about it are two very different experiences.

Edited 2020-11-18 18:26 (UTC)

[ Yenh reaches out and accepts the container. As soon as it's in her hands, she looks up yet again at Hythlodaeus. She's going to get a neck cramp from all the surprised upward staring before the day is done. ]

Emet-Selch is here? ... alive?

[ Obviously, but she figures it's worth clarifying. ]

For now, he is. From his point of view, he was plucked from the midst of battle. Eventually, surely, he will return to rest in the lifestream. But worry not, for he will not be worn by its currents so easily. He is quite busy right now, yet I should have no trouble bringing you into Amaurot. However, he wishes for a realistic experience for his guests. You will need to be dressed appropriately.

[ He allows her to mull that over and eat some fish if she so desires before making any moves. Banania comes back to perch on his shoulder like a fat parrot. ]

[ Yenh pops the container open, picking out pieces of fish with her fingers. She offers the next piece to Lieutenant Battleblade, by way of apology for not knowing she exists. ]

Do you mean I need to wear a communal robe and mask? Very well. I wanted a set when I visited the first Amaurot he made, but they insisted I create it myself. Couldn't.

[ She punctuates the story by sticking another chunk into her mouth. ]

The costuming will need to be a bit more elaborate than that, but I will save such magic for the city gates. That is to say, the garment might be a touch too large for you once we are finished with it.

[ He can't help but laugh at the very Emet-Selchish scheme of trying to make Yenh make her own robe and mask to prove a point. ]

Yet if you so wish, I can outfit you now. I must draw from Emet-Selch's aether, but he won't mind a little going missing.

[ He casts his magic like he's telling a secret, changing out her sopping wet clothes for an unspeakably comfortable warm and dry robe. The mask comes next. ]

[ Yenh sighs as the ambient but acceptable discomfort of being damp and wet is replaced with a wearable equivalent of a hug. The mask is slightly more jarring, but she knew that would happen. ]

[ She pops another piece of meat into her mouth. There's so much going on that Yenh finally decides this is a dream for certain. But it's a fun one, so why not. ]

You mean you're going to make me big once we're there? Did you hear that, Lieutenant?

[ The Dragonair beeps. ]

Ah, that I do. As well as a couple physical augmentations. The citizenry won't quite understand the furry ears, unfortunately. Yet we can achieve all that we wish with a mere glamour.

[ It is just as well that she understands this to be a dream. It will all seem like one after the fact, anyway. Banania makes a call just to join in with everyone else's noise making. ]

So, where do you wish to go? There is a whole world here even aside from Amaurot. We do happen to be outside Goldenrod if you would like to see Emet-Selch's home.

Edited 2020-11-18 19:00 (UTC)

[ From under the hood, her ears use all the space they can muster to perk up. ]

Of course I wish to see where he lives. That's one thing he denied me with the other illusory Amaurot. Though I understand you mean his... local-to-here home.

[ She begins trying to imagine Emet-Selch in this world where there's constant music playing and animals that can't be hunted as game. It gives her cognitive dissonance. ]

Indeed. Yet we will certainly be able to see both, provided his bedchamber is not occupied. No matter, he won't be holed up in there all weekend, surely.

[ It gives Emet-Selch dissonance as well. It's okay. Hythlodaeus magics himself down to size before whisking the two of them into Emet-Selch's living room. The wall is lined with stone death masks on individual mounts. To the right is the garden, to the left is the kitchen. ]

Oh, and do not mind the ghosts. They generally wish no harm.

[ Yenh reorients herself, blinking a few times as she takes it all in. The death masks earn the longest stare. Contextually, it makes sense, yet she still feels vaguely troubled and sorry for him. ]

So long as the ghosts don't pick a fight, I've no trouble with them. [ She finishes off the fish, then grins at Hythlodaeus. ]

You're rather cute when smaller.

I am even cuter without my mask.

[ Which is all the warning she gets before he does take off his mask and take down his hood. He's still much taller than her as it is, standing somewhere above six feet. Ordinarily, he's eight, but he finds that much too inconvenient for this tour. ]

[ The house itself, outside of the stone masks, is styled in a way that she would recognize as Hingan. Between the sliding doors, the slatted windows, and the elegant simplicity, it is the picture of understated class. The furnishings aren't sparse so much as chosen very deliberately. In strange, stark contrast to that are the appliances within the kitchen. They're all bright red with rounded corners... And something about the appliances seems to notice them the longer they stay. ]

Do make yourself comfortable. We are no longer in public after all. Would you like to look through Emet-Selch's closet?

You certainly are.

[ Yenh nods appreciatively at the sight of Hythlodaeus himself, pleased that her subconscious is good at conjuring attractive people. Since she believes it's all a dream, she sees no harm in being blunt saying so. Giving him a lopsided toothy grin, she takes one more look around, gaze landing on the appliances and lingering until his question breaks her curiosity. ]

And I most certainly wish to look in his closet. It is something I never knew I wished to do before now.

And yet, it is one of my very favorite hobbies. Come.

[He leads her through the kitchen as the ghosts inside the appliances open their eyes to spy upon them briefly. They become unconcerned and merely go back to sleep. He leads her into a decently sized room, though mostly uncluttered. There is a very large traditional futon unrolled out onto the floor. Hythlodaeus leads her to his closet which is absolutely bursting with different clothes. Suits, shirts, vests, shawls, skirts. There's new and second hand items, vintage and trendy. There's a box for just neck wear, boxes for accessories and shoes. And it's all very well organized. ]

What's interesting is that he was unable to Create a single piece of it! He does not seem to mind visiting the shops, though.

[ Yenh does a double-take at the pairs of eyes on the back of her neck. They're gone. With a shrug, all her attention refocuses on this, the most important matter, of taking in the clothes Emet-Selch has purchased and ostensibly wears. ]

I'm glad to learn he's not puttering about in Garlean fashion. He may have made more tolerable traveling company wearing robes. Or this.

[ She picks up a shawl and sniffs it curiously. ]

Oh, he still wears it all from time to time, though I cannot fathom why! Perhaps a reluctance to let go of some twisted way of life.

[ The shawl smells like cologne and cedar. ]

Putter truly is the word for how he moves, isn't it. I always try to make him stand up straight, but it never lasts as long as I wish.

[ Yenh nods in approval at the smell, hanging it back up nowhere as nicely as before. ]

I'm glad he has you to look out for him.

[ She means it, too. Emet-Selch might be an empire-building, worlds-destroying bringer of chaos, but she as much understands that he's also a man who lost everyone and everything he ever loved. It is comforting to think of these two friends as fully reunited in a place where he can't hurt anyone, even if it's only in her head. ]

Though if I were you, I'd burn the emperor outfit the moment he wasn't looking.

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