[center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/355504629527871488/606601704183693315/orbsmall.png[/img][/center]

Orb’s house was three stories tall. Its simple cube shape was formed from large grey stones abrasively hewn into cubes themselves and placed almost seamlessly against each other with interlocking sides, fitting together like a puzzle. The surfaces of each stone was carved into, so as to depict various scenes and landscapes. Once again great desert structures were shown, with shadowy figures lording over impressive canals and world dividing dams. As an eye would follow the scenes, they’d eventually find the starry sky again, and further down was a jungle, the jungle of Nebulan. A lone figure that matched the nondescript ones of before stood atop of a ziggurat and pointed to the sky.

With a gloved hand, Orb placed their palm flat on the grotesque and stood in silence. The wooden gutter that Orb had added to the house was ripped down, and the porch Orvus helped add was removed -- it was all stone, now. Funny little grooves were present in some of the stone blocks, where an impressed slide of wood on the interior could be slid on and off, letting in streams of light or blocking out rain. The door was a similar mechanism, but instead of wood, it was a heavy stone slab that fit into a slider with grooves. 

To many this looked like a finished project, but to Orb, it looked like the center room for their ziggurat complex to come. And that was just the beginning...

Orb looked over their shoulder (a knitting of twine holding their cloak closed) and towards Orvus’ house. Orb had decided that they will shadow Rowan as well as Orvus, to both learn the problems and inefficiencies as well as to witness Orvus’ divine powers as much as possible -- something told Orb that perhaps even such an unusual material as divine powers had a groove or two to attach a mechanism onto. 

But that wasn’t all. Orb sucked in a breath and flickered their eyes to the sky, they had seen things flying, they [i]had[/i] flown, even if against their will. It was about time Orb also tapped into the sky as a possible resource as well. There was so much to do.

Orb let their hand fall from the grotesque and slanted a smile, hidden behind their mask: they were going to need to find helpers. Thinking back to Arya’s concerned words, Orb knew that a lot of the nebulites have been restoring their energy and relaxing by the large tree where they fertilized each other -- perhaps that was a good place to start. 

With a hopping run, Orb cut away from the stone cube and headed towards the fertility tree.

[hr]

As it would turn out, one crucial detail was missing from Orb’s understanding of the tree -- it was on a different island. It took Orb the rest of the day to fix the problem, but eventually they managed to create a sturdy raised raft as well as a hand cranked paddle wheel and rudder -- plus gathered some pouches of fresh water (just in case). After that it was a simple task of following those who flew back and forth between the islands and attempting to keep their cloak dry (which was a failure).

It took quite some time, but eventually the jungle shores of the next island over came into view, and just in time -- a heavy rumble was forming in Orb’s stomach, and salt was in their ears. It was pure joy to Orb when they heard the sound of their wooden vessel scrape against the grains of the beach.

Crawling away from their craft, Orb laughed with relief, their clothes soaked clean through. Plopping onto the sands, they drained their last remaining pouch of water and wiped a salty arm over their lips. Slapping the mask back into place, they stood up and turned inland -- they have arrived.

Pushing through an increasingly dense jungle, Orb couldn't help but want to ditch their cloak now and again. Branches scraped across their mask and snagged at their clothes. Tropical birds called above, almost in a mocking laugh. Orb sneered and just as the thickets were almost too much, they feel forward with a thump. 

Landing in a sudden clearing, Orb was struck with a sudden contrast to the lonely wilds -- a nestle of nebulites socializing around a large tree. Many were performing shameful deeds that Orb would have been fine with never seeing, while others were munching on fruits. Orbs stomach twisted with hunger as they scrambled back to their feet and puffed themselves up.

A fiery haired nebulite laughed heartily in mirth, her eyes wandering the glade before they fell upon Orb. She stared for a moment, then whispered something into the ear of her friend. The blue haired nebulite then turned to look at Orb as well before he said something aloud and pointed. Then all eyes were upon Orb in that particular group. Then one of them said something in a hushed whisper and all of them began to laugh. The fiery headed nebulite then beckoned for Orb to come over, while hiding a smile behind her other hand.

Tugging their wet cloak into place, Orb walked forward, a wave of stares accumulating as they approached.

The nebulites were relaxed as Orb approached, in fact most of them looked like they had not a care in the world. The one who had beckoned dropped her hand and eyed the cloaked figure before her with curiosity. 

"So you're the one God created. Orb right? We were wondering if you'd find your way here." The flame girl smiled warmly as the others nodded, if a little absentmindedly.

“I am Orb, yes,” Orb said in a thick raspy accent, “What’s your designation?” 

"You can call me Cassie. Welcome to the Tree. What brings you here?" She asked.

“Hello, Cassie,” Orb said enthusiastically, “I require help.”

She narrowed her eyes and the others began whispering to each other. "Help? With what?"

“I’ll show you!” Orb pushed a breath behind their mask. Using the heel of their foot, they quickly began to draw in the dry forest soil. After several long drags, and many tedious details all done with the heel of a boot, Orb presented a skyscape of a marvelous city of stone. Ziggurats stood in pattern with moving dams and other great wonders. There even seemed to be things in the sky amid many dimples that one could only assume was the cosmic night sky. With a pant, Orb presented the dirt drawing, “I need help building this. I heard that a good amount of nebulites liked to fornicate under this tree, so I figured I would be able to find an equally good amount of help here.”

All eyes fell upon the drawing and many made a curious expression at the level of intricacies that the dirt expressed. One by one the nebulites looked at Orb with hidden expressions, with one dark haired one keeping his eyes on the design. Cassie in the meantime stood up and with a hand held to her chin, she placed around the design. The nebulite woman then said, "You came to the wrong place to find help I'm afraid, but this picture is something. I think Polyastera would like to meet you. Aster, go and fetch her."

There was a quiet grumbling as the nebulite known as Aster got up and flew off.

“I know it looks small,” Orb defended, “But it’s only the start, trust me.”

Cassie sat back down and wrapped an arm around the nebulite male she sat next too. A smile crossed his lips. "Of course. You seem like you know your stuff."

“Of course I do,” Orb insisted with a rasp, “I even helped design your progenitors.”

Cassie leaned back. "You helped design Arya and Laurien?"

“Not the original models,” Orb surrendered, “But your blueprints went through a flurry of inspirations and detail changes before they were decided upon. It is almost reflected in your reproductive systems.” Orb buzzed a small chuckle, “If only I could have kept my blueprints, I’m sure I had plenty of interesting things stored away.” 

"How odd." Cassie said before being prodded in the side by her friend. She looked at him unamused but nodded. She looked back at Orb. "Forgive me for asking but many of us were wondering, what is your gender?"

Orb’s rambling suddenly halted as their mask went silent. Two twinkling eyes blinked at Cassie, clearly caught off guard, they said something in runic before switching into their heavy accent, “Does it matter?”

"I suppose not. You're just so… hidden." She said with a sly smile.

 A white haired male then said, "And the mask, so different. Why not let yourself be free?"

“It- it’s better this way,” Orb insisted, “I can freely interact with you all despite the mask or my gender.”

Some mumbling came from around a particularly tall set of roots, and it slowly grew more and more intelligible as its producers approached. As Aster rounded the corner hand in hand with a light pink, shining white-haired lady, the lady spoke, "So this person is a builder of sorts?" Her eyes quickly locked onto Orb before Aster even could make a reply. Her smile broadened and the lady skipped over and curtsied before the masked figure. "Ah, hello! You must be the dear Orb I have heard… Some about! It's a pleasure to meet you - I am Polyastera." 

Orb seemed glad to leave the previous topic and jump into the new one. With a gladdened voice, Orb turned from the man and straight at Polyastera, "Hello, Polyastera. Cassie says I may have the wrong place, but I'm hoping I don't."

"Thaaaaaat would depend on your purpose, I suppose! What exactly do you have in mind--oooh! A model!" Polyastera peered in a marveling manner at the small ziggurats. "That is bee-yutiful. Where did you get the inspiration for this?" 

“Visions,” Orb answered with a rasp, “It’s just the beginning of a series too. Imagine bigger and better things, feats of ingenuity that would stand immortal and pay testament to its great creators. Structures with function that levy even better structures, easing the act of future creation. Absolute efficiency.” Orb beamed over their intricate dirt drawing, “By the time we are close enough to think we are done,” Orb’s eyes were looking past Polyastera now, “We will have moved oceans, restructured mountains and built in the skies themselves, but then we will keep going beyond that and some day all of that will seem as tedious as me drawing this blueprint.”

“Immortal?” The dark haired nebulite finally spoke, eyes wide.

“Immortal.” Orb nodded enthusiastically, “All I require is sufficient aid.”

Polyastera stared far past Orb as if the two were having a conversation continents apart. A stupidly excited smile spread across her lips and she whispered the words, "Immortal structures… Dedicated to me." She shoved an open hand into the air between her and Orb. "You are coming with us when we leave for our life of luxury! Become my new world's architect and I will let you realise as many of these projects as you want!" She looked livid with joy, nearly to the point where her chest would start to smoke from excessively quick heart beats. 

Orb blinked at the hand, “[i]You[/i] will [i]let[/i] me.” Their thick accent betrayed surprise as well as a certain disappointment, “I no longer exist as an object to be possessed. I have surpassed an inanimate existence and now persist as an independent copy of a living being. Technically speaking, you can’t let me or let me not do anything.” A frustrated huff pushed under the mask, “I am not a tool anymore. I am offering a share in wonders that will claim mastery over this world, not ownership over myself.”

Polyastera blinked back and shook her head. "No, see, I didn't mean it like [i]that[/i], no need for a speech or anything. I meant 'let you' as in 'you do you'. It was a figure of speech or something. See, when I receive my plot of land and blessings from the great Lord Shengshi, you are free to build whatever you wish upon it (preferably those wonders in your model, if you would)." She shook her extended hand eagerly and gave Orb a wink. "Anyone in my queendom who knows me personally will be free to do anything, dear Orb. Especially if it involves claiming mastery of the world. " 

"Inefficient." Orb crossed their arms, "I am already free to do whatever I want, I have already built the heart of a ziggurat. I am simply inquiring about partners." Orb paused, enthusiasm leaking back into their voice, "Partners to help sculpt the world!"

"Yes, partners!" Polyastera offered with a quiet groan of relief. "You'll sculpt the land and I will rule it - you build, I use. Seems like a wonderful deal to me. Now would you shake my hand, please? My arm is getting tired." 

“Well hold on,” The black haired nebulite suddenly said, “Who made you the absolute? We haven’t even passed Shengshi’s test yet and you’re already doling out commands.” He shook his head, “Don’t listen to her, Orb. She’s just trying to use you.”

“I know,” Orb turned to the other nebulite, “She mentioned that, in fact.” 

"Wow, okay - listen, if you're going to backstab me, stick it a little deeper, would you? I might like it in that case." She rolled her eyes and turned back to Orb, mouthing some profanity under her breath. "Listen, Orb - 'use' is such an empty word. It hardly describes the nature of our relationship-to-be. You want to build things, right?" 

Before Orb could respond, Tiben (the black-haired Nebulite) raised his voice, “Can do! The way I see it, Orb, and correct me if I’m wrong, But you are a recent creation of Orvus’ imbued with clearly a very advanced intellect and are simply trying to use it to its maximum potential, but all you seem to get is coddling remarks, patronization, and people who are different than you thinking you don’t know any better or are some kind of idiot. How’s that for hitting the head?” Tiben cleared his throat, while Orb stared at him with twinkling eyes, “Now catch this, Orb. I’ve spent the last who the hell knows how long under this tree doing all sorts of things, and you know what? It occurred to me the other day that I’m not getting anywhere. Sure I might manage to cause some idiot spawn to pop out of some beat up cave, but really what the hell is the point. The way I see it, is that I’m willing to scrape my skin and put some good work to really build that immortal monument so I can at least die knowing I wasn’t a failure. Take it from a fool, these happy slaps don’t want to put any work into it -- hence their funny way of telling you to build in their honor while they stick it in every orifice they can find. Me? I’m willing to accept that whatever the hell is under that mask knows something I don’t and that there is more to me than perpetuating my species.”

Orb stared between Polyastera and Tiben for some time before looking at Tiben, “You will help me?”

“Shove my corpse into the bottom of one of those things and tell people I tried, and I’ll cut my hand on some stone,” Tiben nodded before eyeing Polyastera, “I bet we could even get His Lordship Shengshi in on it... properly.”

Polyastera's pink face caught a raging red shade and it took almost a minute before she seemed to calm down sufficiently to formulate a reply. "Okay, alright, I see. Look… Man, dude, babe - your contribution to the Nebulite queendom project is highly appreciated. In fact, how would you like to be leader of the working masses? My court will certainly require their voices from time to time." 

Tiben cocked his head, “Really? You’d do that for me?” He laughed, “As I said, who the hell made you the absolute. We are standing on equal ground right now, there is nothing stopping any of us from taking the position you covet -- even myself,” He looked surprised, “Or Orb.” 

"Oh, of course!" Polyastera conceded. "You are absolutely free to make your claim, or even discredit mine! Go ahead, go ahead. Really, please do. A little competition never hurt anyone." Her grin could've belonged to a tigress. "Just don't come crying when I strike back, okay?" 

“Competition really isn’t very efficient,” Orb rasped, “I just wanted help building.”

“You’ll get it,” Tiben’s eyes never left Polyastera, making everyone unsure to who he was replying to.

"Perfect," she replied and turned to Orb, drastically reducing the menace of her grin to the point where it was almost friendly. "Inefficient, it may be, Orb, but it's also very, very necessary. As the future queen, my position must have mandate, mustn't it?" She turned back to Tiben. "Beating the opposition may very well provide such." 

“Beating is a specialty of yours, isn’t it?” Tiben grinned, “Unfortunately as far as that got you under this tree, it won’t serve you past a few sticky nights elsewhere.”

"Oh, I think it just might. Consider this challenge begun," Polyastera replied with her hands on her hips and a smirk on her lips. 

Orb squinted and pounded out in runic, “Strange creatures.”

[hider=Summary]

Orb makes the heart of a ziggurat and a tiny paddle raft before finding the nebulites under the fertility tree. In an attempt to recruit some to aid them in building, they approach. The nebulites condescend towards Orb and insist on their gender before Polyastera shows up and attempts to smooth-talk her way into having Orb build for them freely.

Orb is not outwitted, but even so, another Nebulite named Tiben criticizes Polyastera heavily and insists that she has no right to rule and that any donkey could be what she is and so he challenges her to be the leader. 

In the end, it looks like Orb is going to talk to Shengshi but never really got their answers or fulfilled why they even came to the tree. 
[/hider]