Seeking change

[Angel Under Glass]

Tzaphiel had been spellbound by this strange creature for most of the night. Now, as the sun rose, this person’s presence had dimmed to the dull yet resilient light that he had seen from the water. But, for most of the night, especially while he listened to the expansive stories of other worlds, the spirit had been different. To his eyes, it was a bonfire to a candle. When that single eye turned red and the voice became honey drizzled over his ears, the light was gorgeous and energetic. It was as if the energy didn’t know where to go, just that it had to keep moving. He almost hadn’t been able to make out the figure behind all of its light. The impression he did receive of the body, though, was different; more lively and fluid. He couldn’t comprehend why he thought so, but it was distinctly feminine as its spirit burned wildly in the night.

As slivers of sunlight crested over the water, the stories had ended. He could barely remember what was said. It was all so alien to his mind that had only known the tower. But, he couldn’t forget the impression that the world now seemed so much bigger. He wanted to explore it. He wanted to find the love and happiness that this creature had told him about. Beautiful mortal bonds, she had said. The idea was so enticing that he almost had forgotten about his vigil.

It was with guilt that he had remembered. A quick goodbye, then the creature’s light had died down, leaving the body heavy and solid in comparison. Tzaphiel had started to head out to the water again. Grandfather hadn’t risen, he told himself. His eyes may have been blinded, but he would have recognized the gentle warmth of his creator no matter how distracted he was. He still needed to wait.

As his feet touched the water, a rock whizzed by him and disappeared noisily in the ocean. Surprised, he turned with wide eyes. The wooden man, now so dishearteningly plain, had another rock in his wooden arm that was ratcheting back like a catapult. With a lanky, inefficient motion, the rock was sent to the same unspectacular end. The glowing orange eye turned to meet Tzaphiel’s, and he waited expectantly as the creature seemed to be listening to something beyond his own hearing. “Skip, big strong daddy,” the awkward man finally said.

Tzaphiel understood the intent behind the broken words, and he stood for a long while contemplating. If Grandfather came back, he could still see him from the beach, and this creature seemed to want to play. Dim memories tugged at him of times when he had wanted to play but been resigned to do so alone. Grandfather and Mother were very busy sometimes. With a piteous smile, he joined the game.

In a very short time, he had picked up the required movements and refined them until he was by far his friend’s better. Each of his rocks skipped serenely upwards of five times compared to the messy one or two that the ratchety wooden arm sent forth.

The night faded fully away as their game progressed. His friend had to reset often, for the rope around his waist tried to tow him out to sea constantly. He couldn’t remember when it had been fastened, perhaps during the stories, and he couldn’t think of an easier way to keep the small wooden craft from leaving them. There must have been something very important in it, though, for his friend to worry so much.

On the edge of dawn’s magnificence, the waterborne treasure revealed itself with a loud shout. Tzaphiel dropped all the rocks in his hand and stared, though the other seemed not to notice and kept on playing with mechanical determination. A head popped over the edge of the craft, then a body. He couldn’t see it as anything more than a black shape, ringed by a soft aura, against the powerful reflection of the rising sun. For the first time since he had lost himself in the game, he appreciated the beauty of the sunrise. It began to unnerve him, though. There was so much light moving on the waves as if it had life, and it was warm. Delightfully warm. Would he still be able to sense Grandfather?

He almost broke into a run for the water. The young woman’s face stopped him, though. Intent and kind. He waited a moment, debating whether to meet her gaze or run around her. Then, he truly heard her words, and he latched onto them. Until his guardian comes? She must have known that Grandfather would come up eventually. The assurance in her voice was enough to prove it. If he went with her and his new friend, he could come back and find Grandfather waiting. He would probably be fretting that their home had disappeared. But, by just being there, Tzaphiel could cheer him up.

With a wide grin on his face, the boy hugged the box under his cloak. It began to play. “He noticed me! Oh, look at him smile. I’ve never seen him smile so much. Come here, Tzaphiel. Come to grandpa. He walks so precisely, like he’s been planning it out for a long time. You must have been, my boy. I knew you were always thinking. So smart!” Tzaphiel’s face beamed with the knowledge that he would soon hear his Grandfather’s voice for real.

[Twisted Infinitum]

As much as Calico wanted to continue regaling the little boy with her tales, she decided to leave Edgar’s body well before dawn. Wet cloth was painfully uncomfortable. Add a cold breeze, and it was more than any god worth her worshipers could deal with. It was a pity, though. They were such good stories, and mostly true to boot, that they shouldn’t have to go for so long being untold. Few people could appreciate her stories, for some strange reason.

Fortunately, she had almost as much fun watching Edgar “play daddy”. She had realized by then that he couldn’t be the real father. She would have remembered if he’d ever done the procreation polka with anyone, and then there was the fact that he didn’t have the equipment necessary. All his colored innards were merely decoration, and half a wang isn’t very decorative. So, if he had owned one once (she couldn’t remember) she had probably whacked it off to make his wooden and gummy halves symmetrical. Calico spent a goodly amount of time contemplating that very subject. I should find a way to grow him one, just incase he wants it someday. It’s gotta be biiiig. She stretched out her arms to measure off a length that would frighten any female under twenty feet tall. Now, to snip… or not to snip? She turned back to the bubble. Edgar, honey, are you Jewish?

Edgar’s answer, no doubt a profound insight into the quagmire of the male ego, was preempted by something screaming out at sea. He adjusted his head to look at the sound, but kept throwing rocks without his master’s order to stop. She wouldn’t give it any time soon because she had her nose to the bubble and was watching for whatever sea monster had snapped up Edgar’s one true love. Oh, she’s fine, the dream demon sighed, She just wakes up like a dragon. Careful in the mornings, sweety. Calico suddenly clapped her hands together and swooned, Oh, look at how strong she is, pulling the boat all by herself! It’s good to have a strong woman around. She can open jars for you! You can’t…. Because of the squishy fingers. She wiggled a hand in the half-Edgar’s face to emphasis her point, and it responded by moaning and wiggling its fingers back.

The Althanas-bound Edgar just watched, seeing as he had run out of rocks nearby, as the girl pulled the boat up the beach and made introductions with the little boy. So, his name is Tzaphiel! That’s adorable, but a mouthful. We’ll call him… Zafie! Tell Zafie and your girly friend to follow, because we’re going hunting for a campsite!

His master proclaimed their search with glorious intent and a commanding fist in the air, but Edgar toddled on down the beach at his usual leisurely pace. The sound of his footsteps alternated between heavy thumps and spongy squishes. Then, splashes. He looked around and found that a very taught rope was still connecting him to the marooned boat. With a giggly command from his master, he pushed the lasso down his waist and left it in the water. The boat was far enough up the beach to not need tying up, which was convenient seeing as it was so barren and treeless that Edgar’s body had been the only option nearby.

Again, the search began, and Edgar’s mind finally got around to relaying his master’s words. “Zafie girly girl follow,” he clicked without looking back. It was only a minute before his master told him to stop and point to a spot where the rocky slopes turned to trees. All strewn about were pieces of rock, probably from a recent slide.

It’s the kind of camp that makes strong boys into men and little wimpies into pincushions. Now that you’ve got a son, you’ve got to toughen him up all manly like you.

“Pincushion man,” Edgar muttered in agreement, a statement all too true with the sailors' blades still sticking out of his back.

[RumpleGrumblePuss]

I looked down as the little box hung around Tzaphiel’s chest issued the words of Tzaphiel’s grandfather. Hmmm, it’s like some sort of music box. The rods have knobs on them and the tines run across them to produce the words. I think It took me a moment to connect the fact that this child was out here alone in the early pre-dawn hours and his near panicked expression before he watched me intently. Where are his parents? His grandfather? He’s too young to be out and about on his own. For shame! The old man’s voice and the wooden clicking noise faded away. A cool hand, much smaller than mine, slipped into the hand I held out to him. I offered the boy a smile, as I squeezed his hand, in return a lovely smile blossomed across his pale features, making me want to hug the small boy. His black on black eyes still unnerved me slightly but Tzaphiel seemed like a sweet child. I wondered vaguely why he had not spoken. Perhaps he was mute, a little slow or he just didn’t like to talk.

“ ‘…Zafie girly girl follow.’” Edgar clicked at us as he lurched up the shore.

“Zafie? Girly girl?” Earlier he called me girlfriend, what is with the pet names?

“Huh, oookay.” I shook my head, wondering at the things that ran through the insane demi-goddess’ mind. Pushing curiosity aside I quickly scooped up my pack and hurried to catch up to Edgar. A step later I had to slow my pace, I was unwilling to drag Tzaphiel behind me like some life-size doll. The odd being awkwardly lurch onward over the giving sand until at some signal from his master he stopped only a minute or two later.

When Edgar's arm rose jerkily to point towards a stand of trees, I looked at the area, doubtful that the relatively exposed area would be safe to set up a camp. Despite my misgivings about the area chosen by Calico. How could an immaterial being know where to set up a proper camp that would be safe? I left Tzaphiel by Edgar and went to scope out the trees. The rocks strewn across the ground, made the site less than ideal for a place to rest. Not to mention the fact that one side of it was open to the shore. If a storm blew in Tzaphiel and I would have very little shelter from the wind’s ravages.

I turned to call back to my ‘group’ of traveling companions that this was an unsuitable place to stay. A small sign caught my attention out of the corner of my eye, hidden at the base of a tree it all but blended into its surroundings. Looking carefully at the sign, I realized that it was covered in symbols and writing that looked like nothing more than chicken scratch. A few feathers were attached a corner of the sign suggested to me that perhaps it had been some form of fowl that had placed the sign. Great, just what I want. An island with intelligent birds. Man, I hope the Sage isn’t one.

Kneeling in front of the sign, I finally spotted a slight dip in the earth. Nearly invisible, a path disappeared into the trees, the center of the path curved slightly inwards as if many feet traveled it over the years. I sat back on my heels and looked up the path, listening to the local fauna wake and set about their daily routine. Unhurriedly, I walked back to my pack and dug through it, trying to find the little Swiss army knife buried some where within it. At long last I found the blasted little thing and shoved it in my pocket.

I took out two of the peppermint flavored hard candies that I carefully hoarded. One, I unwrapped and popped in my mouth the other I pressed into Tzaphiel’s hand. Sucking happily on the peppermint I stood up and finally noted that Edgar was a walking arsenal. Near a dozen daggers and short swords were embedded deeply the wood of Edgar’s back.

“Pincushion man indeed, Edgar.” I muttered to myself, thinking the creature’s disjointed ramblings were truer than anyone knew. Carefully prodding Edgar’s gummy side I waited for a reaction. When there was no reaction I tried tugging on the blades in Edgar. Several were so deeply embedded that I could not pull them out. No wonder the sailors left the blades. How can I get them out of him? I wondered starring at Edgar.

“Edgar, could you lay on your, ah, front? I want to pull the weapons out of your back.” I waited for Edgar to lie down, to move, to do anything. When he remained in his zombie mode I stepped in front of him and waved my hand in front of his face.

“Hey, Calico. It’s Kahlina. I need Edgar to lie down on his stomach so I can get the weapons out of his back.” For a long moment nothing happened. I began to consider simply trying to knock Edgar over.

“Like turtle.” Edgar’s deep raspy voice came out suddenly, his jaw clicking. I had to jump to the side as Edgar toppled forward, face first into the sand. I stared down at Edgar, unable to help myself I began to chuckle.

Still laughing quietly to myself I carefully turned Edgar’s head to the side. Unsure if he breathed or not I dug a little channel in the sand in front of his face to allow airflow. Carefully maneuvering, I sat on Edgar’s hips and grasped the handle of the closest dagger.

With a jolt that nearly unseated me I succeed in pulling the first dagger free with a lot of effort. Gripping Edgar’s sides more firmly with my legs I moved on to the other weapons. Soon enough all of them lay in the sand near by. I hopped off Edgar, for a moment I hesitated. Wondering if I should roll him over or if I should just leave him as he was.

“I’m done now, thank you.” I shrugged, it never hurt to be polite to any creature, especially one with delusions of god-hood. Not to mention I knew it would be a bad idea to piss off Calico. She could make my dreams into nightmares possibility for the rest of my days. Or at least as long as she remember too. I checked over the weapons, discarding most of them. I wound up with one short sword and two daggers. The steel blades were unmarred by rust, the handles were in relatively good condition.

Okay, at least the weapon problem has been solved. Now I need to find out what lies down that path.

[Twisted Infinitum]

Calico sat, legs elegantly crossed, upon nothing at all as she watched through the Edgar bubble. One finger played through her long white hair as her eyes crinkled and her mouth curved sweetly. She’s so good to you, the proud mother remarked as light once again hit Edgar’s eye through the air hole that his love dug for him. The dream half of Edgar seemed to answer, for his eye bulged and he drooled out a questioning grunt. Calico brushed a fuzzy hand against his cheek to taste the sensations that seemed to be bothering him.

Awwww… Calico cooed. She’s straddling you like a pony! That’s because you’re such a handsome little boy. Yes it is.

The bubble’s image of a sandy hole jolted once as the first blade was ripped from its nook. Edgar seemed to take little notice, though his eye still ogled about as if expecting a command. It’s okay. I know how it is, hormones at your age and all, but just stay calm and let her make the first moves. Gently, Calico patted Edgar’s half-cranium, and another tingle of sensation came through. She seemed genuinely surprised. Wow! When your girly girl latches on, she really holds tight. I bet she could crush walnuts between her knees. It’s good you don’t have any of those either.

The image wobbled back and forth, then popped upward as another blade was worked from his back. Edgar seemed to be growing concerned, at least as far as his emotional spectrum allowed for. There were other times that he had been left at the mercy of offending forces with nary an instruction on how to respond, though those other times involved monsters or even men with steel-toed boots. The barest glimmer of an idea formed in his head that these times were decidedly not good.

Calico had turned away, though, as she ruminated over something. You know, sweety, I’ve just been calling her your girlfriend. You never did tell me her name, she said in a reprimanding tone. Edgar let out a raspy gurgle far louder than usual, which Calico could only assume meant one thing. No, you don’t have to apologize. I’ll just try to remember… Didn’t she say it to Zafie-doodle? Thinking intently, she rubbed a claw against her lower lip. Edgar’s eye jolted one last time, and then his dream half relaxed back to its normal spastic wiggles. Whatever was happening to him had stopped, just as it had all the other times when people realized what they were stepping in.

Kahlina! Calico screeched. It’s important that you remember so you know what to write when signing for her mail. Kah-lin-a.

The material Edgar lay dead still in his bed of sand as Kahlina thanked him, which didn’t mean a thing to his feeble brain. His jaw fell open, and a very quiet utterance fell out. “Ka-ka.”

Time passed in which orders were given with no shortage of sugar and honey. Then, he creaked back to a standing position as if spring loaded. Only V’dralla’s technicians knew for sure, but he may very well have been.

[Angel Under Glass]

Kahlina’s hand was warm. Tzaphiel couldn’t remember if his mother’s hand had been like that. Increasingly, his time with her and grandfather in the tower seemed more distant as he became used to these new people. It was almost frightening, as if he was forced to leave behind his most treasured possession only because he couldn’t find a way to carry it. This kind woman made him feel better, though, with her reassuring words and the soft comfort of her hand as they followed the wobbly man down the beach.

When they stopped at a signal from Edgar, Kahlina did something that surprised him. She placed a small object in his hand. It looked like a sanded pebble, perfectly round in every respect, that had been wrapped in something clear and stiff. Automatically, Tzaphiel closed his hand around it and looked up with questioning eyes. Kahlina had stripped the outer layer off of another one and placed it in her mouth. To Tzaphiel, she might as well have popped out an eyeball. He stared with openmouthed fascination as she smacked her lips and pressed it against the inside of her cheeks, apparently using her tongue to do so. Then, she turned her back to him as she continued to dig through her backpack.

Tzaphiel held the object up to his face and inspected it closely. The outer layer had been pinched at two ends to keep it in place, and it crinkled when he teased it with a finger. It must have been from a sea animal’s shell, he reasoned. If one were to cut off a layer of shell this thin, it probably would have the same translucence and strength. He spent a while poking at it as if it were an alien life form. Then, he was distracted by a loud cracking sound.

Kahlina had just pulled something out of the wooden man’s back! When Tzaphiel had first seen the protrusions, he assumed they were fins of some sort. If they were, Edgar apparently didn’t want them anymore because he lay very still while she did it. Curiously, Tzaphiel put a hand behind his back and felt along the fabric of his cloak. When he pushed inward, the cloth molded around something rigid that stretched from his shoulder blades to just behind his knees. Gingerly, he gripped the object and applied a small amount of pressure. All it did was force him to bend forward, so he pushed harder as he tried to keep his back straight. He might as well have been trying to waggle a tooth or pull off a leg for all the effect it had. He was relieved. Two nights ago, mother had set that object there in her last material moments. He certainly didn’t want to lose it, whether it was a fin or something else.

With the small gift momentarily forgotten in his clenched hand, he watched as Kahlina put both a small and a large metal object into her pack. Another small one, she wedged under her belt. Then, she led them down the newfound path in the trees with the wooden man behind her and Tzaphiel at the rear. It didn’t bother him to be without her hand, for he was once again distracted by the wrapped object as his little legs padded onward. By accident, he discovered that tugging at both ends made it loosen, and he set about fervently releasing the prize. Once it was naked in his hand, he popped it into his mouth and let the wrapper fall dejectedly to the ground. He didn’t understand. It was just a hard object sitting on his tongue. With an effort, he pushed it to the side of his mouth. In his whole life, he had never needed to ingest anything this way, nor did he produce saliva. So, it was just smooth, sensationless rock that he slid from one side of his mouth to the other. After he got the hang of moving it, he realized that it must be some sort of game or exercise.

That was when it turned on him. In the warmth of his bone dry mouth, it had begun to leave a sticky substance in its wake. At the inner side of a cheek, that substance won out over his tongue and refused to move. As much as he tried to fight it with all his underdeveloped oral acrobatics, it wouldn’t move. In fact, it felt like it was spreading. At this rate, it would fill his head with stickiness in no time!

Instantly, he made a gagging sound normally reserved for members of the cat family. It was slightly different, though, for it had to go around both his hands that were franticly reaching into his mouth to dig out the parasite. With sounds that became even worse, he clawed the goop off of his tongue and teeth and tried to throw it away, only to have it stick to his fingers just as viciously. With hands flailing and feet stomping, he was ready to enter the first tantrum of his young life.

Instead, he froze. Two creatures had just blasted through the treetops above him. They were invisible and silent, so it was only their auras that he detected. They rippled between brightness and darkness and everything in between as if numerous souls had been jammed into those two solitary bodies. He could feel them watching him, those sinister rainbow souls.

[RumpleGrumblePuss]

The normal sounds of the forest rose up around my companions and myself. The damp air seemed to envelop us, making the air sticky and thick and me grumpy. Grumbling under my breath about the humidity, I grabbed my hair and knotted it high on my head, ignoring the whispies that escaped to tickle my neck and face. The intermittent breezes cooled skin as made the branches and vines dance around us. Confusing the eye.

An odd noise, almost like the ones my cat used to make, made me pause and look back. Tzaphiel clawed at the inside of his mouth as I watched. I wondered just what he was doing. A small gooey object emerged from his mouth. It took me a moment to realize the sticky object was the piece of candy I had given him earlier. Unable to help myself I laughed quietly as Tzaphiel flailed about. The candy stuck to this hand despite his flailing limbs.

I was reaching for him when he suddenly froze, staring up into the branches above us. Worried, I looked up. Nothing. Not seeing anything I looked down at the boy again. It was obvious he was watching something, his eyes tracked a steady path across the green vegetation above us. How is it he can see anything through the constant movement of the canopy?

“Tzaphiel, what is it?” I asked, hoping the boy would talk to me. I pushed aside the idle thought about his unbroken silence. The wary, awed expression on his face made my skin crawl. I glanced back at Edgar, checking on him, I doubted the odd creature would make any noise if attacked. Something was out of place. I stared into the brush and trees beyond Edgar. It wasn’t until it shifted that I spotted the golden eyes watching us. I stared back, watching it watch us for what seemed like an eternity. This is just like some cheesy jungle horror flick, accept for the fact that I can get eaten.

“Run!” I screamed as the eyes disappear. I reached for Tzaphiel, to carry him and keep him safe. To my surprise Tzaphiel reacted faster than I thought possible. He ran around me, I spun around. Reaching Edgar at a run I latched onto grabbed his gummy arm. A distant part of my mind squealed girlishly at how my fingers sank into his arm. Half pushing and half pulling I got him moving. Several yards ahead of us Tzaphiel was running. If it hadn’t been for the panic that gripped me I might have laughed as I watched Tzaphiel’s short little legs move so quickly and precisely.

Over head, in the canopy a series of insect like clicking came from both sides of us as we ran. Behind us the branches of the underbrush whipped about in a fury. The creature with the golden eyes chasing us. I just knew it, just as I knew I was going to be breakfast if it caught up to me. I was beginning to tire, the stitch in my side stealing my breath. If I survive this I am so taking up jogging. I thought as my breath came in wheezing gasps.

The path before us turned and twisting before spilling us into a clearing unexpectedly. I nearly tripped and fell over Tzaphiel while skidding to a halt. Before us stood an old man dressed in a simple, rough brown robe. From his wizened features unnaturally bright blue eyes twinkled at us, amused at the picture we must have presented. Behind him stood a creature, the stuff of nightmares. Automatically, unable to help myself I studied it. Black fur mixed with carapace to cover its body. The legs ended in something similar to a monkey's agile fingered paw. The head was a horrid mix of a cat and an insect.

At the two thumps behind us I turned, shoving Tzaphiel between Edgar and myself. On the path, just out of arms reach stood two more of the creatures. They stood on two hind legs, the long sinuous bodies coiled over cricket like legs. They reminded me of living springs. Feathers ringed their necks before blending down into the wings that replaced their forelegs. A bird like head sat atop the mismatched body while the compound eyes of a bug watched us. Shuddering I looked away, at least the old man was normal looking.

“I’ve been expecting you.” During my morbid inspection of the nightmares that had chased us, the old man had moved closer to us.

“You were expecting us? Are you the Sage?” I asked, a little confused. The old man laughed, his bright eyes twinkling with amusement at my questions and confusion. For a moment I thought I saw a hint of madness and somber evaluation behind the laughing facade in his eyes.

“I’m always expecting someone, little snake. I am a Sage, yet I am not. Sage, vagrant, madman, scientist, call me Perth.” The old man chuckled, moving around more spryly than what I thought a man of his years could.

“Perth? Like the rune of gambling?” I jumped when the man began to shriek with laughter. The creatures behind us clicked, joining him and making me very nervous. Okay, we’re screwed, royally.

“Yes! Yes. A learned one we have here. Come, put away that steel you hold. Come, we shall talk about what you want and what I’ll have in return.” With that he turned and fairly skipped into the hut on the far side of the clearing. Shaking my head I put the dagger back into my belt and followed the old man with more than a little trepidation. Welcome to my parlor the spider said to the fly. In the back of my head I could hear a tiny high-pitched voice screaming ‘Help me! Help me!’ mocking me.

[Angel Under Glass]

Tzaphiel had never been afraid before. He had known confusion and worry, and even those were fresh. Fear was completely alien to him, but it gripped his little clockwork heart tighter than a giant’s fist. All he could think to do was run away. Then, even that became more instinct than thought when Kahlina shouted. At that moment, her reaching hands seemed just as threatening as the golden eyes in the treetops.

Like a metronome on speed, he charged around her and straight down the path. His will was so intent on that single course that he may as well have been on rails. The feeling of the souls was still there, as was the sound they made. Their clicking vocalizations were so similar to the sound of his own heart ticking wildly that it seemed they were right on his shoulders, so he kept on swinging his bare feet as fast as he could.

He was the first to burst into the clearing, his eyes so wide that they were three steps ahead of him. There he saw the only thing that could have possibly stopped him. It was a haphazardly compiled creature with an essence far more chaotic and dominant than those following him. Stop him it did. With his feet suddenly stilled, though sliding, he leaned so far back that he would have sat down forcefully if not for the metal protrusion down his back. It braced him and left a light gouge in the ground as he was anchored to a stop. Kahlina and Edgar came to a stop right behind him, their feet wiping out any trace of his impromptu anchor’s path.

Before Tzaphiel could decide whether it was safe to run in another direction, Kahlina grabbed his shoulder and scooted him between her and Edgar. Between the two sheltering bodies, he felt the tension leaving him, though he shook fiercely as it did so. They would protect him, he told himself as he gathered Kahlina’s pant leg in one hand and Edgar’s cloak in the other.

For the first time since the chase had begun, he realized that he was free of the goop that had tried to take over his mouth and then his hands. He must have left it somewhere on the path behind. Relieved, though only slightly, he looked behind him and saw that the chasers from the trees had revealed themselves. They still seemed threatening, but less so. Their top halves were clearly like a bird’s. Tzaphiel remembered seeing those from the windows in the tower. Once, Grandfather had shown him a water snake that had found its way into their home, and then released it. The creature wasn’t so strange after all. It was just a compression of what he knew existed.

The conversation between Kahlina and the man was a low priority for him until he heard the old man laugh. The creatures joined in. Despite the strangeness, it made Tzaphiel smile. Bad creatures couldn’t possibly laugh like that.

Apparently, Kahlina and the old man had made friends of each other, for he was inviting them into his little house. With Kahlina leading him, Tzaphiel entered as the man held the door open from the inside and beckoned them forward. Immediately, the difference in scale was startling. What looked like a small hut from the outside was actually a large workshop. There were tables all about and tools, both sharp and shiny, lining the walls. The air smelled meaty, but only faintly. It reminded him of the bowls of “stew” that Grandfather would sometimes carry around and stare at as if he didn’t like them. Then, Mother would normally take him out of the room until, as she said, “he finished it all.”

It didn’t faze Tzaphiel in the slightest that the meat smell came from pieces of animals that sometimes hung over the edges of the high tables. With no blood or decay, all the animal matter was as pristine as freshly dug earth.

“What are you?” old man suddenly asked as he spryly bent forward to look Tzaphiel in the face. Startled, the boy just stared back and clutched his arms around himself. “Very well made,” the man continued as if the lack of an answer didn’t bother him. At this range, Tzaphiel could make out this man’s aura. It was very faint compared to the creatures, and extremely dull. However, it still held an unnatural variance of hues, everything from grey to brown. For a reason he couldn’t explain, it seemed more repulsive than the glaringly disjointed auras of the others.

He couldn’t help but avert his eyes from the man’s intent gaze, which lent him to noticing a pile of animal parts against the nearby wall. Without a glance at anyone, he walked over to it and picked up a lonely white wing. All the pieces were from small creatures, so they fit easily in his childish hands. The wing seemed supple and strong, as if it were just as lively as when it was attached to its owner. With intuition only achieved by the youngest of hearts, he picked up a snake-like body and pressed the wing’s exposed joint to it. The pieces knitted together as easily as if they had naturally grown that way. With a studious expression, Tzaphiel began plugging and joining like a maniac.

[Twisted Infinitum]

As usual, Edgar was oblivious to everything around him. Tzaphiel’s near-tantrum might as well have been a chipmunk sneezing, and the watchers were completely beyond the scope of his senses. It was only when Kahlina grabbed his arm that he registered anything strange around him.

Calico was in the exact same boat. There’s nothing more boring than a nature walk, especially when all you can do is watch. So, she had been drifting around Edgar’s bubble like a dead body in a pool and mumbling to herself the interesting details within sleeping minds as she reached her senses out to them. None held her attention for long. Dear diary, today totally sucked. Stephanie was all like… Open the door, or we’ll come in after you! You don’t want that… Grilled cheese sandwich, and a slice of tomato on the side, please. Oh, and a glass of… Turpentine? Jeez, dad, don’t leave this open. Are you trying to kill the damn dog?! I’m not going to bury it… In the left ventricle. Thank you, nurse. Now, we will close up the wound… With duct tape, the handyman’s secret weapon….

Spooty boring mortals, she grumbled. Then, the shout from her future daughter-in-law reached her. She careened toward the bubble, and almost right through it. What’s going on?! she screamed as the hair all over her stood up. The image showed Kahlina running frantically at the end of Edgar’s outstretched arm. The source of the danger wasn’t clear, but Calico knew what she had to do. Run, Edgar! You can do it! she cheered with all her might as she hopped excitedly. He tried. He really did. But, all he managed to do was keep from falling to his knees as he was whipped forward by his gummy arm. Calico switched tactics. Go, Kahlie! Drag Edgar’s squishy wooden butt!

As with all exciting TV shows, this one ended quickly. In no time, Edgar was stopped in front of a man who, to Calico’s eyes, was just plain wrong. His creatures were wrong, too. That’s what we were running from? Bird-headed snakey doodles? I could make better chimeras than that with my eyes tied behind my back! Isn’t that right, sweety? She patted bubble Edgar’s head. Masterpiece that he was, he responded with a twitchy gurgle and a trickle of ethereal drool.

Again, in what seemed like no time at all, the group was moving. Edgar took up the rear as they entered the hut. Truly, the interior was deceptive in size, though he failed to notice. Calico, with only a limited view, didn’t pay much attention to the confusing physics either. What she did notice were the specimens strewn about all the tables. If she was one of sensitive stomach, it would have induced immediate vomiting. Every surface seemed to be littered with dissected animals. Even more strange was the cleanliness. There wasn’t a speck of blood on body part or tool, some of which looked terribly efficient. It was so clean that it bordered on unnatural. Calico, unsurprisingly, was smitten. Oooo… When you and Kahlie-poo move into a big house, your hobby room should look like this. Imagine all the wonderful pets you can make for the children! She didn’t give a single thought to the obvious question of which would look uglier, the pets or the children. Instead, she cooed and squealed as the eyes on a beheaded hog blinked and a parrot, still intact in a cage, squawked, “Chop chop slice slice.”

The old man had just finished examining Tzaphiel. Like a jack-in-the-box, he appeared in the viewing bubble and sent Calico into a hissing frenzy. Stupid sneaky old patchwork man! she screamed when the sounds she was making returned to Commonspeak. Indeed, to her otherworldly senses, he was far from the sprightly old man that the others saw. His face was cut a thousand times over with scars and seams, each piece distinctly different. One patch of cheek was wrinkled beyond recognition. Another around one eye was so pale and smooth that it must have been skinned off a baby’s bottom. The left ear had a tan three continents away from the other ear, and the eyes were so divided that each pupil was a psychedelic mess.

“I guess this one was made by someone else. An amateur compared to whoever made the boy. It’s not even properly in this world,” the human chimera said as he poked Edgar’s gooey cheek with enough force to make squelchy sounds.

By this point in the examination, Calico was shaking. Her fists were balled so tight the claws would have drawn blood if she had any, and her snarl cut her face in two halves, both of which were turning red. Edgar, she said with hostility bubbling out every nonexistent pore, Super frenchie kiss of doom attack! Then, a miracle happened. Calico, the dream demon of insanity, thought before she acted. Or, at least, before Edgar could get around to acting. Wait. Pause the countdown. Edgar froze with his head reared back as if he was gathering spit. The chimera man stared for a moment, then he moved away. Certainly, no one would want to catch a loogie that was taking that long to work up.

The last time you kissed someone, you got stabbed exactly thirteen times. If you do the super frenchie kiss of doom attack, you’ll get… She counted off fingers until she ran out. Um… about one hundred stabbies. Can’t have that, can we sweety? Let’s go play with Tzaphiel instead!

With a creak of tension fading, Edgar straightened and toddled over to the pile of organic Lego and sat down in front of it. After watching Tzaphiel walk around in a circle with his one-winged snake body held aloft, he figured out the game enough to pick up a dog paw from the collection. With far less enthusiasm, he waved it around like a white flag of surrender.

[RumpleGrumblePuss]

“…No.” I said firmly, trying my hardest to stay polite. I was tired of arguing with this insane old man over what the price of my transformation should be. My companions were not up for sell. Not if I had anything to say about it. Time with them was not for sell either. I didn’t trust the creepy old buzzard as far as I could throw him. I was of the very firm opinion that anyone that kept pieces of creatures in their living space was more than a little bent. The only reason I stayed and argued with this mad little mage was the undeniable fact that he could do the changes I wanted.

“Unless you want to be more like one of my other creations, I need live animals. Specific ones. Your… essence, has to be mixed in a careful manner. I need them living to do that!” A shudder rippled down my spine as I envisioned my mind within the body of one of the chimeras Perth had made.

“Fine.”

“And I want to keep them after wards.” Perth shrugged at my expression. “You won’t have any use for the bodies of them.” I honestly didn’t know what I could say that wouldn’t offend the Sage so I bid everyone a good night and turned in. The door the far left was mine, or so the Sage told me.

The room was a big surprise, I stood in the doorway and stared for a long moment. I had been expecting a pallet of some type and a lamp. What was actually was in the room was something similar to my own bedroom long before I ever came to Althanas. Hell, before I got married A bed big enough for three people sat in the far corner. Draped in black and red and covered with pillows it made a welcome sight. The floor was covered, wall to wall, with a soft carpet. Its muted color was hard to guess in the soft light of three lamps that hung from the ceiling.

Curiosity compelled me to peek into the door on the far wall. Inside I found an almost modern bathroom. Happy for the chance to wash the sea salt and grime from my body and hair, I plugged the drain and pulled the cord that hung down from the ceiling. I was pleased to see steaming water pour from a clever set of pipes that run down the wall from the ceiling. Praying the no one would walk in, I stripped and stepped into the water.

Hot! I hissed and had to ease into the water. Even then my skin quickly turned a bright shade of lobster red. After dunking my head and scrubbing several times I noticed a cake of soap that I could have sworn wasn’t there a moment ago. The thought that some one may have entered the room made me hurry to finish my bath. Wrapping the large drying cloth that was supplied around my body, I wrinkled my nose at my clothing. It was dirty and beginning to smell from lack of washing and there was no way I was putting them back on to sleep in.

Tossing the shirt and pants into the now soapy water I dug through my pack until I found the shirt the Kor had ‘requested’ I buy. The black material was soft enough to not itch and covered me from neck to mid thigh. Rolling up my sleeves I set about washing the clothing as best as I could. Jeez, I feel sorry for the medieval woman. This is time consuming and messy. I thought as I gazed down at the wet lower half of the shirt I wore. When I judged my clothing had been scrubbed enough to be clean, I pulled the plug to drain the tub then pulled the string to bring in more hot water. Yelping quietly at the temperature of the water I rinsed the clothing quickly. My guess was that the cleanliness of the clothing was at best, half-assed. Wringing the undergarments, shirt and pants out they were spread out to dry on the side of the tub.

Tired and pleasantly numb from the soak in hot water, I crawled into the bed and snuggled under the covers, hugging a fluffy pillow.

~~~

A soft wheezing breath, almost a snore, next to me woke me up. For a second I almost thought I was back home and Jason slept next to me. [I]Wait, Jason doesn’t snore.[I] Then reality set in with a harsh slap. I screamed and scooted as far away from the person as I could get. I bounced against a wall and froze. It finally occurred to me to see who was in the bed with me, for all I knew I might me the boy, Tzaphiel.

A snort issued from under the cover and the figure moved. I grabbed the cover and tore it aside, using it to cover my bare legs. For a moment I gaped at the still sleep figure of the old man.

“What in the nine levels are you doing in bed with me!” I shrieked at the still figure. Perth groaned and rolled over, looking up at me.

“No need to scream. The doll with the high pitched voice said it was okay as long as I only ‘looked and didn’t touched.’” I could feel my mouth gaping open like a fish, unable to say anything at the moment. The soft squeak of hinges caught my attention. I looked up to see both Edgar and Tzaphiel standing in the doorway watching me.

“You’ve got some nice pins.” Perth said wagging his eyebrows at me. I was torn between embarrassment, anger and confusion. Pins? I wondered. The answer was all too clear when I caught Perth eyeing my exposed ankle and calf. Huffing, I hit him over the head with a pillow and hurried off to the bathroom for my clothing, the sheets and blankets wrapped securely around me.

[Twisted Infinitum]

It’s misunderstandings like this, and how they are dealt with, that define a relationship. Every couple has these situations, either inconsequential or life threatening, and they all must deal with them. Some, in rare cases, have their mommy there to help them through.

Okay, stay calm, sweety. I know what you may be thinking. But, I know that you two have a bond strong enough to survive this, Calico said with palms forward in a gesture both soothing and stern. What Edgar was really thinking was more along the lines of “I have a string of monkey foots and dog bellies”, but that really can’t be expressed fully in the language of drool.

First step is to be honest, the mother-in-law continued as damage control mode kicked in, Tell her that you felt sorry for the poor old chimera freaky man. He gave her his own room, and he looked so sad when he looked in the guest rooms and saw how dusty they were. In a whisper, she added, They smelled like old people. It didn’t occur to the puppet to point out that she had been the one who felt sorry. The true essence of her instructions didn’t occur to him either, as evidenced by his recitation.

“Sorry dusty old people,” he croaked as he stepped into the room with a long chain of animal parts dangling from his hand. Kahlina quickly disappeared into the bathroom, so that probably wasn’t enough of an apology to make up for it.

“I’ll be fine,” the old chimera said as if the words were directed at him, “Sleeping near such a fiery thing reminded me of my younger days.” Despite the opportunity to reminisce, he didn’t seem very happy.

Calico mused to herself, the words filling the puppet’s head. Maybe if you had crawled into bed between her and the old smelly head. A little cuddle would have made her feel better. Lots of families sleep in the same bed, after all. It’s good for bonding.

Edgar took the words for a command, as he tended to do when she rambled, and acted upon them. Purposely, he toddled forward and fell onto the bed with his head turned to look the old chimera dead in the eye. “Bed cuddle. Bonding,” he rattled.

If the old man was as spry as a young man before, he was right back to his childhood days now. Faster than a tyke falling from the jungle gym, he was out of bed and staring down at the still figure with a mix of bewilderment and disgust. “That’s mine,” was all he said as he grabbed the string of animal bits from Edgar’s hand and stalked out the door, nearly running over the young boy as he did so.