[center][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/870473f3-5910-4f94-b693-626198194773.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/YtdyAy4.png[/img][/center] Little sooner had Promus left the depths and Telum departed the gardens than Lei stepped from one to the other. A shame it had been, to depart from the cyclopes and their patron with such haste, but she had duties, and Alto had a million years of slacked responsibility to catch up on. She'd leave the Citadel a while longer. This was important. Her feet clicked on the ground and became boots. Heels were for showing off, and for deepwater ooze on which one was only ever pretending to walk. You couldn't lie to yourself so easily on cobbles, even immaculate alpine marble ones. At heart Lei was a practical woman. Or a thing that looked like a woman. The architecture radiated power, and as she walked on, the moisture on the path became a stream, then a torrent. Something in the magic here despised clad feet, and tried to wash them away as if they were dirt. Lei walked on. Let it splash; her boots could take it. When the spray grew annoying, Lei inverted gravity relative to herself and continued her walk unabated, now on the ceiling. When she found the one temple among many where her honorary daughter resided, she made her presence known by striking a marble column three times with the head of her cane. [colour=thistle]"Where's the mink?"[/colour] Kap Gam had noticed that someone had entered the temple as soon as its natural defense was activated, since the flow of water had not stopped, she quickly deduced it was a god or similar, but as the being approached and its aura was felt, her worries both eased and rose. All that communicating with the echoing sound of the cane striking the stone. [color=CC9933]"Mink? I do not think they exist yet."[/color] the knight answered calmly. [color=CC9933]"Someone should fix that, and also make peaches, and..."[/color] [color=777777]"Constance."[/color] The goddess said in a tone as stern as an emotionless voice could communicate. [color=777777]"Mater Lei, be welcomed. Why the sudden visit?"[/color] Lei walked down an invisible moebius strip, inverting herself right-way-up without ever turning. [colour=thistle]"[i]This[/i] one,"[/colour] she announced, resting the tip of her cane against Constance's tattooed forehead and pushing her slowly to the floor, [colour=thistle]"needs to be shaken down for memetic weaponry. You had the subtlety of not loading her with relics, but she might still be carrying something."[/colour] She looked up at her fellow-goddess. [colour=thistle]"And then I need to upgrade my security. Hello, Kap Gam. You've finally decided to greet me."[/colour] [color=CC9933]"Ow, ow, ow..."[/color] It was not really hurting, but Constance was mildly inconvenienced as she was forced down. [color=777777]"I am sorry, my intent was not to ignore you, but it was an eventful day."[/color] she then glanced at Constance for a moment. [color=777777]"Well, she was supposed to bring something for me, but it seems she forgot, a situation only further worsened by the fact the sole reason I left the limbo was to do this transaction."[/color] all that was told in an emotionless whisper, yet each word hit the knight like a knife. [color=777777]"Your presence signals I should not have tried to do that, at least without proper communication. I just considered that if it was not meant to happen, there would be barriers in place, and I felt none when summoning Constance, which was odd, there are typically some protections at least, it was almost as if she was already here."[/color] [colour=thistle]"There [i]are[/i] protections! This sneaky little ferret flittered her way in anyway. I consider that a problem."[/colour] Lei withdrew her pocket-watch and didn't open it; instead she unscrewed its back and withdrew a tiny, paper-thin cog, with an unusual shape. She crouched over Constance. [colour=thistle]"Stay right there."[/colour] [color=CC9933]"M-Miss... One thing I must say, is that I fluttered, not flittered, I-I am not a peasant you know, to flitter about randomly, flutter has grace to it..."[/color] as intimidated as she was by the masked person, her pride as a Martha Flutterling was her most primordial instinct. [colour=thistle]"My apologies,"[/colour] Lei muttered, resting the cog over Constance's iris, [colour=thistle]"you [i]strutted.[/i]"[/colour] The fae let out an outraged gasp, but Kap Gam intervened. [color=777777]"Constance... Respect Lei, this is her realm, after all."[/color] the goddess said, hoping the situation would not escalate, she still had things to do on this universe, issues to fix. [colour=thistle]"I'd say it was, had you not tried to use it for dealings netherwards of yon table,"[/colour] said Lei. From Constance's eye, a faintly glowing ring arose, like a smoke ring, expanding in detail and size as it filled the whole room. It was her iris, modelled in minute detail, every fold and striation and hue. Lei spun it a few times, looking it over. [colour=thistle]"What will you do, now that your transaction fell through?"[/colour] The ephemeral goddess tensed as she saw what had happened, it was rare for her to be surprised at this age, but Lei had so far been hard to follow. Unlike the previous one she met, there were no hints for Kap Gam to take, for someone who relied so much on reading others, it was an anxious feeling. [color=777777]"I did not think about that yet. I do still want what Knight Constance was meant to bring me, but my mind has been focused on a more pressing issue for this world..."[/color] she rose her hand and a circle with the entire Ley's Mycelium mapped appeared. The fae looked towards Kap Gam with both her eyes. [color=CC9933]"Master, is it really the time? You, You, You do see my situation, right? Would you, uhm, not think it is a more pressing matter?"[/color] [color=777777]"This flow is wrong. The axis mundi shifted south from the door into the ocean. The Ley spread in odd ways, it needs to be regulated before mortals become many, but it is hard even for me to do something about it."[/color] she stopped. [color=777777]"A moon would do. Do you have any to spare?"[/color] Lei looked away from the memetic landscape and said, [colour=thistle]"what?"[/colour] She shook her head a little. [colour=thistle]"Hold on. Get me that again, starting from 'axis'. I feel like there's a problem I'm missing here, and now you want my moon."[/colour] The goddess took a deep breath, she was exhausted from saying so many words today, she would need to stay quiet for a week after this. If Lei was not Lei she would surely be rolling her eyes like she did with Telum. [color=777777]"Constance. Could you explain?"[/color] [color=CC9933]"Master, again, my iris is filling the room, do I really have to..."[/color] [color=777777]"Please."[/color] [color=CC9933]"Uffffine, fine. Uhm, Miss Lei, what master meant is that the original plan of the Ley was compromised. See, worlds have telluric currents, if you listen to extremely low frequencies you can pick some natural ones. Gods have influence, when gods step on a planet they make a bit of a, uhm, splash similar to those telluric currents, like big divine magnets, this forms a world axis. Mostly meaningless, some pigeons use it to emigrate and mortals are influenced to center maps around it, but some stubborn goddesses like to allow her creations to follow these lines since 'Its more natural Constance. Makes the souls extra spirited.'"[/color] the last part was told in a monotone voice. [colour=thistle]"Must be nasty,"[/colour] smugged Lei. [color=CC9933]"Well, turns out this world has a messed up world axis. Why? We do not know yet. The likely spot for it to be found was at the Door, where all gods arrived or were born. The Ley was made with that in mind, the first map master made did not show any oddity... And then it turns out the center was down in south of the beach, under the deep sea, which is a no-no zone for any significant amount of Ley. The issue is, the flow of souls creates this natural 'resonance' to it, magic, imagine it like ripples on a water fountain."[/color] [colour=thistle]"Like the magnetic field of a wire,"[/colour] Lei followed. [color=CC9933]"Yup! Nature is full of motifs. It's inspiring. So, the Mycelium was supposed to be a perfectly planned fountain, one that would never overflow. What we got is that, but tilted 45 degrees."[/color] Lei looked down, meeting Constance's eyes. The one she wasn't fiddling with, anyway. [colour=thistle]"And that's a problem, is it."[/colour] [color=CC9933]"Well, souls overflowing are a bit more exciting than water, but, in general, it is not a mess one would like to mop. And that bring us to the moon... Which, uh... Master, what are we using a moon for again."[/color] [colour=thistle]"That's a fantastic question,"[/colour] said Lei. Kap Gam had been playing with the water of a nearby fountain to entertain herself, not even noticing the thematic relevance before someone mentioned her. She stood up. [color=777777]"The fountain example was good. Imagine if, to fix the imbalance of the fountain, I decided to alter the moon so the tidal effects would keep the water within the fountain."[/color] [color=CC9933]"That... That seems impractical."[/color] [colour=thistle]"Listen to your knight, she gives good counsel,"[/colour] said Lei. The point was only now being gotten to. [colour=thistle]"Kap Gam, if that is what you want to be called- if I gave you the moon, what would you [i]do[/i] with it?"[/colour] [color=777777]"It is a big fountain, Constance."[/color] the goddess told, before raising one eyebrow as Lei spoke, surprised she questioned her name. [color=777777]"The... Design, if I can call it that, is simple. The Ley responds to certain stimulus, and one of the best ways to interact with it is by using a rock that was perfectly polished into an orbuculum. A good focus needs to be pure quartz or diamond, like the one Constance made for me, but what I have in mind does not need to be good, it needs to be huge... and spin around the planet."[/color] Lei looked at the floating orb that adorned the air above the fountain where Kap Gam was sitting. Things were making sense. [colour=thistle]"...You want to sand my moon,"[/colour] she nodded eventually, spinning the holographic iris back down into the eyeball where it was meant to be. [colour=thistle]"You want to turn my moon into a giant cueball. Bap!"[/colour] With a stroke of her arm, Lei stretched her cane into a long cue and struck the Ley orb, which ricocheted all around the room before coming to a halt in the air right in front of her, nary a scuffmark on it. [colour=thistle]"Oh, you can see the Telchines on this. Tell me, is that all?"[/colour] Kap Gam turned slightly to the side to avoid the incoming ball, obviously not acknowledging the act with even a hint of a facial expression. [color=777777]"A cueball? I do not know what you are referring to. Yet, I can guarantee it will not be a too intrusive change. My assumptions are that it will shine a bit brighter and maybe a few currently unknown astronomical events might happen depending on how the sunlight hits."[/color] the goddess pondered. [color=777777]"And yes, it is a very primitive idea, the real work is in the temples, like this one. I just need the means to polish an entire satellite."[/color] As they spoke Lei departed from the little speck of indigo marking Phlegra on the orb and dipped under it, to where Constance was lying uncomfortably under a giant levitating ball of rock. [colour=thistle]"What,"[/colour] she asked, retrieving her cog, [colour=thistle]"is the indicative form of the past-perfect verb, 'yoten'?"[/colour] [color=CC9933]Y-Yoten? I do not know that word."[/color] the fairy squealed. [colour=thistle]"She's clean,"[/colour] Lei announced. With another, more calculated stroke of the cue, she set the quartz orb to a gentle roll back to where it had been. [colour=thistle]"If I can trust you to hold my moon and not pocket it, Kap Gam, I see no reason not to lend it to you. Scale is not an issue. And lucky for you, this gives me some [i]excellent[/i] leverage to do what I came here to do."[/colour] Lei curled-uncurled her gloved hand, spinning her pocket-watch on a golden chain. [colour=thistle]"You're an ultrastellar nomad, Kap Gam, and you know things I don't. This monitor records events in my universe, and every gnawing at its border. Upgrade it with every loophole you know, and I will give you my moon."[/colour] [color=777777]"I will see what I can do. My area of expertise is on souls and I rarely touch the deeper core of reality, yet I have seen enough catastrophic failures to know more than enough about universal structure."[/color] the goddess extended her hand. [colour=thistle]"And yet your coat jangles when you walk,"[/colour] said Lei, clasping it with her own hand. There was a sharp hydraulic snap, and smoke rose between the two. When she withdrew it, three small black craters had been punched into Kap Gam's. [colour=thistle]"There, now we're trustworthy. When did you want that moon? Tonight?"[/colour] The goddess rose her hand, looking at the holes and glancing at Lei [color=777777]"This is an odd way to find trust. Nevertheless, yes, tonight is good, I want to fix the issues as soon as I can."[/color] she glanced at the watch and extending her hand again. [color=777777]"I could work on your request while you provide for my own."[/color] Lei tossed the watch, and she caught it. [colour=thistle]"Pleasure dealing with you,"[/colour] she waved. [colour=thistle]"I'm off to get a moon. Constance? Make sure no funny business."[/colour] Constance made finger guns towards Lei. [color=CC9933]Don't fret, nothing to worry from me."[/color]. Meanwhile, Kap Gam started to examine the watch, her eyes flashing for a moment as she started to look at Lei's realm for anything that felt like an issue waiting to happen, immediately noticing one only a few steps from where she was. [hr] 56...57...58.... [color=777777]"Fifty-nine. Done."[/color] the goddess said. The knight looked towards her. [color=CC9933]"Oh? You only found fifty-nine issues? Lei is really a materpiece maker. Hehehe."[/color] [color=777777]"Three hundred fourteen billion, one hundred fifty-nine million, two hundred sixty-five thousand, three hundred fifty-nine clusters of issues"[/color] she concluded. [color=777777]"Overall a good universe, but Lei really overlooked some aspects of it. I give it a seven and eight tenths, too much water."[/color] She added a little note within the watch and closed it. [color=777777]"Now we wait for her to return."[/color] At about that time, two curious things and entirely unrelated things happened. First, the moon disappeared. A few minutes later, Lei stormed into the room, grinning, and carrying a large bottle. [colour=thistle]"Guess what's in here?"[/colour] she demanded, slamming the cryovat on the table as some glitchenfae cowered behind a column. Her gloves had burns on them, and her left boot was missing; she seemed to be leaking ecstasy from the holes in her costume. The vat was filled with a pale blue gel, and glowing softly. Kap Gam turned gently to the side, raising one eyebrow at the commotion and her first view of a gitchenfae, creatures she had vaguely sensed but never met. [color=777777]"A fabric softener mixed with plutonium."[/color] she calmly guessed at random, before becoming a bit tense at the idea it was not out of the realm of the possible. [colour=thistle][i]"Moon in a jar!"[/i][/colour] yelled Lei, who might not have been listening. [colour=thistle]"I mean, yes, it could be those other things. I don't know. I can't tell. I spent the last half hour wrestling a big rock."[/colour] As she spoke her hands unlidded the vat and fiddled around in the column of fog that escaped. [colour=thistle]"Careful, it's freezing. Here!"[/colour] Lei dredged the moon from the gel and dropped it on the table, where it sat around looking much like any other round grey rock. [color=777777]"Oh..."[/color] the goddess looked at the cosmic object on the table. [color=777777]"Well, Constance, good news is that you won't have to go to the moon anymore. This will be a much simpler chore."[/color] she pointed towards the small rock. The knight sighed and nodded. [color=CC9933]"Right... Ugh, been polishing a lot of rocks since I arrived... wait, you were sending me to the moon?"[/color] [color=777777]"Don't make Lei wait."[/color] Nodding again, the fairy extended her hands towards the rock, making it float in the air like the orb. Taking energies from the ley near her, her hands shone with resonance, she gently touched the moon with the side of her hand and immediately sparks emitted from contact. With care and precision, the moon spun against her hands, all of its surface being leveled down as the layers of dust were removed, revealing the unscarred lithosphere. For all the knight's silly antics, she was surely precise, as the final result was a perfect orb. [color=777777]"Don't forget to collect the dust for repairs later..."[/color] [color=CC9933]"Lunar dust bunnies is what we should do."[/color] [color=777777]"Maybe. Also, throw some powder on it so it gets that white look again... Please don't pick up the silver dust bottle."[/color] [color=CC9933]"Calm down, calm down, just a bit won't hurt."[/color] with a brush, the knight quickly gave the moon back its white color, while maintaining the smooth look. [color=CC9933]"There missus, the moon is done."[/color] the knight offered the floating orb back to Mater Lei. [colour=thistle]"Oh? Oh, that was quick."[/colour] She took the orb and forced it back down into its jar with a squelch. [colour=thistle]"It's not going to scale up, you know, the powder. Don't worry about it. Just smoothing it will up the brightness. To a painful level."[/colour] She chuckled. [sub][colour=thistle]"It's gonna be hilarious."[/colour][/sub] [color=777777]"Thank you again for your patience and help, Mater Lei."[/color] Kap Gam bowed slightly. [color=777777]"I have added a few notes to your watch from the few mistakes I found when observing it. One thing I think you should fix soon, is to regulate portals made by other gods, Aella's aimless portal over in the roof, for example, was likely the pathway Constance took to arrive."[/color] [colour=thistle]"What? Oh..."[/colour] Lei disappeared with a crack and a spark, and acrid smoke spilling over the floor. The moon she left behind her. There was a small earthquake, and she walked back in the doorway, adjusting her glove. [colour=thistle]"That... should be fixed. It's still intact. But I have filled it with spikes. At least until it leads somewhere."[/colour] She sighed. [colour=thistle]"Do you have my watch?"[/colour] [color=777777]"Well... it's a solution."[/color] she said, moving closer to Lei and handing her the watch. Lei took it with a 'hm' that implied a raised eyebrow of acceptance. [colour=thistle]"I think you'll find I'm a solution-oriented woman,"[/colour] she said, managing to shrug with one shoulder and slouch with the other. [colour=thistle]"Speaking of."[/colour] After taking aim at the jar of moon briefly with her cue, Lei did the responsible thing and absconded with it. [colour=thistle]"I'll see you again,"[/colour] she advised the two of them in the doorway. [colour=thistle]"I'm sure there'll be more mischief you'll be getting up to."[/colour] She disappeared, then, leaning back in, [colour=thistle]"You [i]are[/i] coming to the ball, aren't you?"[/colour] and then she was gone. A few minutes later, the moon reappeared. A single glove joined it, hovering away in low orbit, forgotten. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [hider=Summary] -Mater Lei decides to crack down on illegal immigration. Showing up at Kap Gam's place and asking to see Constance. -She makes sure Constance is not carrying any relic from another universe among other things. -After saying she was sorry, Kap Gam talks with Mater Lei about how the axis mundi of the world is wrong and that is messing up the balance of the Ley. KG's propose using the moon to fix it. -A deal is struck, Kap Gam will look into the universe and tell Lei about any mistakes she can find, and, in turn, Lei will allow Kap Gam to polish the moon like a crystal ball. Everything goes as smoothly as it is possible with the ML-KG duo. Constance: 0 Prestige +4 (Major Role + Collab) -- 4 Total Prestige [/hider]