Fan Fiction ❯ Strange Gods ❯ Strange Living Conditions ( Chapter 1 )
[ P - Pre-Teen ]
By: Faia Saiyajin 
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): / Supernatural / Sci-fi / Comedy / Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 06.22.2003 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.7K | Visits: 218 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Fan Fiction | Genre(s): / Supernatural / Sci-fi / Comedy / Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 06.22.2003 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.7K | Visits: 218 | Status: Completed
title: Strange Gods
author: Faia Saiyajin
series: original
rating: depends
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Unlike my fanfictions, I DO own these characters. No touchie. Mine mine mine.
---
A/N: This started out as the script for a comic book/manga. If I ever get the patience and talent to do so, expect one. If not, make do with this. XD
Chapter 1: Strange Living Conditions
"Wake up, Kayley."
"Mmrrrpph.."
"Kayley, get up."
"Yeah yeah. Coming…. …Mmmrg." Despite her words, Kayley buried her head under her arms, trying to fall back asleep. It was hard, given that the futon was uncomfortable, the shadeless windows provided little cover from the sun, and the bristles of a broom that prodded her back.
"Last warning, Kayley." Riki Yasuo turned to leave. "Get up."
She rolled over, covering her eyes with her forearm. "I said I'm coming. Sheez." The soft footfalls of her mentor and caretaker grew quieter, as he crossed the room to the door. She yawned, and rolled to her left side, for the extra five minutes of sleep she knew would do her good.
"Kayyyleeyyy…" came the growl from Riki.
"Okay, okay. Don't be so moody, Ta-Ta-Toothy." she muttered under her breath.
Too late, her sensitive ears caught the sound of a broom, coming her way.
WHACK! CRACK!! WHAM!!
"YIKE YIKE YIKE!! I'M UP I'M UP I'M UP ALREADYYYYYYY!!!"
Five minutes later, Riki entered into the main room, depositing the broken, splintered broom in the corner. The three other occupants of the room eyed him curiously, as he knelt at the table, lifting his teacup as if nothing had happened. "Kayley will be coming shortly." He sighed. "…would you please mind your table manners, Blitz? I know the extra set of hands is an advantage, but please resist the temptation."
Beside him, the woman grinned somewhat shamefully, and set down two of the three sets of chopsticks she was holding. Lowering her bottom set of arms, she stuffed her hands under her rear to keep from using them. "Oopsy..." Quite possibly the strangest looking of the odd crew, Blitz stood out like an infected, grossly disproportionate, hangnail-ridden sore thumb. The fine layer of moss-green fur on her skin, a forked tail, and four arms were only the least of her worries. Corkscrewed horns, not unlike a ram's, thrust out from the back of her skull, curled around her pointed, furred ears. Her black hair was braided tightly to her head in neat rows, the crowning glory of an 8 foot 6 inch, 260 pound frame of solid muscle. She fidgeted, and tried to feed her befanged mouth at a normal pace, using only one set of chopsticks.
Across from her, Gephart Morlen the III shoved his glasses up his nose, and sniffed. The quintessential nerd, small and skinny, prone to colds and tennis elbow -from brushing his straight brown hair-, Gephart was the brains of the outfit. He also suffered from deafingly loud asthma. You could hear his wheezing two counties away. The resident computer geek, walking encyclopedia, and high-pitched voice of reason, "Guppy" as his friends knew him, shoved his half-empty bowl away from him. "Your cooking skills leave much to be desired, Riki. I'd rather eat…"
"Stow it, Gups." Kayley grumbled, closing the shoji door behind her carefully. "I don't need a mental image of month old monkey brains floating in hissing cockroach juice this early in the morning." She sat beside him, ignoring the condescending glare Guppy cast from behind the circular lenses of his glasses, his eyes magnified tenfold. "What's on the agenda today, Riki? More sweeping? Contemplating the meaning of life?" She gingerly rested her elbow on the table, trying to be as gentle as possible. Even in her human form, things were ridiculously delicate in this place. If she were to tromp around in her hybrid form, the temple she was living in with her companions would be reduced to matchsticks in seconds. On several occasions, she'd sent doors flying off the hinges trying to open them too quickly. Sniffing the bitter tea Riki was pouring for her, Kayley rolled her eyes. "Now I know why everyone is so skinny in this country. Your food sucks."
Riki smiled, despite the enlarged canines that protruded from his upper lip. Huge, both in size and bulk, the monk wouldn't hurt a fly, despite his fierce appearance. He took the jabs at his 'skirt' with a grain of salt, clicking his prayer beads between his thick, claw-tipped fingers. Usually shirtless, unable to tolerate the feeling of a shirt on his tawny fur (the amount of fabric it would take to cover his broad shoulders and huge muscles was a minor point as well), with golf-ball sized brown beads around his neck, and his long black hair in a topknot, he would have looked just like a monk from Feudal Japan, right down to the cream colored toga, white tabi, and zori sandals. Perhaps it was the fact that he was a 10 foot 4, 350 pound saber toothed tiger man that ruined the image.
Just then, Blitz' ears twitched, a barely noticeable movement. "We've got company." she said flatly, before stuffing a helping of noodles into her mouth. Everyone else looked to the door, waiting for it to open. "Not that way. By Astral Gate."
"Astral Gate?!" Riki jumped to his feet. "The convoy?"
Kayley nearly dropped her teacup in her haste to stand. "But the Kulaine emissary wasn't supposed to arrive for another two days! Why are they here now? And so early?!"
Guppy turned around, leaning one elbow on the table. His other hand was trying to decide whether or not he wanted to push his glasses up his nose or fish out his inhaler. "Ibix." Looking sharply to his left, he inspected the matte black sphere that sat lifeless on the ground. But before he could even finish the rest of the sentence, it rose into the air, with a gentle hum. On one side, a small door flipped open, and a mechanical arm extended, the tongs on the end gently pushing his glasses higher on his nose.
"Affirmative, Gephart. Readings indicate that it is a delegate from the Kulaine Empire. Two Kulaine, an Elven, and one unnamed species." While the sphere, Ibix, 'spoke', its surface flickered, showing patterns of faint green in angular formations, sometimes reaching the four small spikes crossed by a thin metal bar that protruded from the top left curve.
"Darwin is with them." He paused to breathe in the puff of medication his asthma inhaler propelled into his throat. His next sentence was strangled, as he held it in. "As I had suspected."
"Why would he not be? Even though he is not of the Kulaine species, Master Darwin is still an important part of their society. And Mistress Zetavius is currently living with the Kulaine, as part of the Grand Exchange between peoples."
"Yes yes, I know…" He shuffled to his feet, as the Gate appeared. Part of the wall and floor swung open, as if it were a door, tall and wide enough to let a man through. Before the travelers came through, a glimpse of the other side of the gate was visible, a barren, desert-like place, remains of ships, like steel bones, thrusting upwards into the sky. That was before a bronze-skinned, blue-haired woman practically threw herself from the doorway, bounding across the room, into the midst of the breakfast scene. Kayley and Riki were busy trying to look unruffled and unsurprised. Gephart was trying to look inconspicuous, his eyes nearly hidden by the reflection cast by his glasses. Ibix was hovering silently by his head.
The woman, the Elf Ibix had mentioned, grinned, standing still, with her hands clasped behind her. "So sorry we're disgustingly early. But Faren wouldn't wait."
"…and you know how impatient Faren can get." Said the next arrival, stepping through the Gate. His dirty blonde hair was mussed, trying to escape the ponytail at his neck, and his glasses were low on his nose. Always known for his unkempt appearance, Darwin lifted a hand to scratch at the sand that had trapped itself in his goatee, with his four-fingered hand. The remaining digit, what would be the pinky finger, was folded down, the leading feathers in the wings that sprouted from Darwin's arms. His other wing-arm cradled a stack of thick leather-bound books. "Especially when he feels it's important." Standing beside Zetavius, he looked impatiently over shoulder, for the rest of his companions. Thankfully he missed the snicker that slipped out of Blitz, directed at Kayley, who was trying to keep herself from grinning.
Gephart snorted, as the remainder of the convoy crossed the Gate, the 'door' swinging closed behind them. A man and a woman, tall and slender, dressed in an alien, elaborate fashion, stood side-by-side, standing straight and regal. The man, Faren, was wearing full armor, the cuirass, pauldrons, bracers, and shin guards in bright black, gilded and ornately decorated. The chain mail it nearly covered was shiny grey, and it jingled musically with every movement. His neck was surrounded by a high steel collar that reached to nearly his cheekbones. Over his face was a strange mask, the front of it looking like a fierce animal skull, of hammered gold, to mold to his face, and then inlaid with black swirls above and below the right eye socket. Attached to that was a long mane of feathers and fur, adorned with heavy beads. From behind the eyeholes of the mask, a pair of ivory eyes regarded the crowd.
His female companion was clad in nearly the same fashion, her armor more form fitting and lighter, her mask of a more avian persuasion, and decorated in red and silver. She coughed lightly, her own eyes landing on Darwin and staring hard.
"Oh… yes. How forgetful of me." Darwin rolled his eyes. "I have the honor of presenting the High Prince Faren Sil'nittak, and his sister, High Princess Tannik Sol'nittak, the heirs to the Seat of Uren-lo, may the sun shine brightly on their backs for-ever." His introduction was hardly fanciful, the bird-man delivering it in a monotone. "…you know I hate formalities, Faren. Must you make me suffer so?"
Now that the royal introduction was complete, the pair relaxed, removing their masks. The patterns that were traced on their masks were replicated on their tanned skin, but these faces were smiling, greeting old friends. Faren brushed past Darwin, grinning at the smaller man, his voice sonorous and musical. "It is my royal privilege and right, Darwin." Clasping the lower hands of Blitz (which were hastily wiped clean on her jeans), he bowed, touching his forehead to the backs of her hands. "It is a joy to see you again, Daughter of the In-Between."
Blitz nearly smacked the back of his head with her upper right arm. "You know I hate that crap, Faren. Lay off. They call me Blitz 'round these parts." Despite her words, the woman grinned. Faren straightened, and Tannik repeated the gesture. Her lips did not move, though. Mute since birth, Tannik had learned to instead speak with her mind, her words a breathy whisper.
'It warms my heart to see you all once more. I apologize for our early arrival, but there is something we must discuss of great importance.'
"Please, sit, Princess Tannik. And Prince Faren, please, be at ease. Would you like anything?" Riki bowed, and swept his arms toward the table. Kayley at once began to remove the used dishes, Zetavius scurrying to help.
Faren smiled. "Nothing for now, Sir Riki. It is too early in the day to sample the gastric adventure that is your cooking."
Blitz clapped four hands over her mouth, to keep from laughing. Gephart smiled in satisfaction. Ibix let out a series of beeps as Kayley laughed outright, her head thrown back, howling all the way into the kitchen, Zetavius giggling lightly behind her. Riki stood motionless for a moment, his eyebrows flat across his forehead, not looking at one person, instead taking them all in with one somewhat-annoyed glance. "As you wish." he said simply, and went to kneeling again, feeling the ever-present beads in his left palm. Blitz sat beside him, crossing one set of arms over her chest, the other resting on her thighs. Faren and Tannik sat across from them, leaving the rest to crowd for space at the ends of the small table.
Gephart remained standing, his self-built supercomputer, Ibix, still hovering around his head. Zet, having returned from the kitchen, sat elegantly on her haunches, at Tannik's immediate left. Darwin, having moved himself and his load to the other end of the table, stacked his books loudly, sitting on them, trying to find a comfortable way to sit that didn't involve his wings being thrust in other people's faces, or in their food. Kayley reluctantly took the only place left, sandwiched between Blitz and Zet, her high-placed ponytail sliding over her shoulder.
Faren waited patiently, while everyone got comfortable. When the fidgeting stopped, he drew himself up, with a clink of shifting chainmail and armor, pursing his lips, preparing to speak. Seven heads turned to look at him, 14 pairs of eyes focusing on him. "As you may know, my sister and I are due to ascend to the Seat of Uren-lo, as the rulers of the Kulaine Empire, come the start of the next lunar cycle." Tannik nodded slowly in agreement. "Our people, as you know, have always been ruled by siblings."
Kayley cleared her throat quietly, preparing to ask a question. When Faren looked at her, she spoke. "You've mentioned it before, that the Kulaine are always governed by a brother and sister. Darwin said that it has been that way since the start of your people. ...but how does that happen? How is it that every generation manages to produce two children, born at the same time, yet they're not twins?" Everyone else but Blitz nodded. The Kulaine were shrouded in mystery, and in some cases, even the Kulaine could not explain their customs and events.
Instead of Faren answering, Darwin did, fishing a book out from under his rear, ignoring the way he dropped down a good 6 inches. He opened the heavy, leather-bound book, flipping into it a few pages. This one was titled "The Kulaine - Explanations of Being", written by Darwin Sharpwing. It wouldn't surprise any of them if the rest of the books he carried were written by him. Darwin's people were so obsessed with knowledge, and of discovering things, that they themselves hadn't bothered to name their species, and in most cases, didn't even give themselves a name. Frighteningly diligent in their quest for answers of all kinds, his people had been known to write as many as 50 books, sometimes more, in a lifetime. That is, when his people were still in existence. They'd been erased from the pages of history by an intentionally-spread disease almost 2 centuries ago, when Darwin was still a child. Looking at them over his glasses, Darwin put a finger on the line he was looking for, and began to read. "The Kulaine reproductive system is concurrent with that of a normal Earth-dwelling species, when used for general population. The royal line, however, differs in that the females of the direct ancestry are born with two eggs, already fertilized and ready to grow, in their womb, ready to be born by the time heirs are needed. Results are inconclusive, but it is thought that this way, the line has gone unbroken, since the beginning of time, when the Supreme Deities, Isma and Ijer, copulated, producing the first two rulers of what would become the Kulaine." When he was finished, he closed the book with a thudding finality. Kayley was busy staring, open-mouthed. Gephart was looking bored, as usual, while Ibix hummed, obviously processing and storing the information he'd just read them. 'One day...' Darwin chuckled mentally. 'One day I'll get in that boy's head. To have that much knowledge, packed in to almost bursting, must be quite an accomplishment.'
Tannik sighed. 'Therein lies our problem.' Her eyes, like all Kulaine, were giant, and seemed empty, no indication of pupil or cornea anywhere in the creamy sphere. 'There are those who say that our heritage has been compromised.'
"Tobyn, that spineless drael!" Faren lost his temper for a moment, pounding his fist on his thigh. He ignored the way the chainmail bit into the leather breeches below, leaving a reddened imprint on his skin. "He has gone before the Council of 15, and laid down what he calls 'evidence', saying that our mother was caught laying with a man before we were born. Our mother, bedding like a common prostitute!" He bared his teeth, his canines enlarging, showing his rage. "I'll rip out his liar's tongue and feed it to him before the next moon!"
Even Gephart was taken aback by Faren's sudden outburst. Tannik laid a slim hand on his arm, calming her brother mentally, his fangs receding. 'All women of the royal blood must remain untouched by a man, until the sibling-heirs are born. To do so beforehand tarnishes our bloodline and our authority to rule.' She pressed her lips together, suppressing her own anger.
"Who is Tobyn?" Riki asked carefully, not wanting to move either of his guests to showing anger again.
"Our brother." Faren growled loudly, despite himself. "He was born after us." His fingers started to shake, as they smoothed the edge of the table. "If he can convince the Council that our mother had been taken to bed, we will loose what is our birthright, our ascension to the throne." Faren swallowed, hating himself for showing this much negative emotion. "And Tobyn will sit as leader."
His sister sighed. 'If that happens, thousands of years of unbroken rule by the brother-sister team will be unmade, and we and our mother will be forever banned from Eternal Paradise, along with being stricken from the history of the Kulaine as honorless traitors. Such a thing has never been recorded in our Great Book, and, to be quite blunt, I do not want my brother, my mother, and myself to be the first.'
"What about your mother?" Blitz frowned, gnawing on her lower lip. "Couldn't she testify, and deny Tobyn's accusations?" Her long tail thrashed behind her, a surefire sign that she was getting annoyed.
'It is not that simple, Daug-.... Blitz.' Tannik shifted positions, moving from her knees to her rear, rubbing her pins-and-needles afflicted feet. 'Because it concerns our mother, she cannot refute his testimony.'
"That's bull!" Kayley censored herself just in time. "What kind of justice system is that, where the accused can't even defend herself?!" Darwin was about to get another book out from his stack, the title of it half concealed by his legs. "Diplomatic Actions and-" it read, as he tried to wiggle it free. "Okay, Darwin, forget I asked. I don't need a small lecture on Kulaine laws." She raised a hand. "I get the concept, however moronic it is."
Darwin sighed, tucking several pieces of loose hair behind his ears. "As you wish, Kayley. But there is no way to disprove Tobyn's accusation. It is entirely up to the Council's discretion. If they feel that Tobyn's stack of lies is justified and bears enough weight, they will decide against Faren and Tannik. However, though, if they do see through his elaborately woven scheme, Tobyn himself will be hung feet first from the Tower of Shame, until either his head bursts from the blood pressure, or the rope supporting him breaks."
Guppy blinked, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Overkill, don't you think?" Ibix chirped, his internal processors humming quietly.
Darwin glanced at the boy from the corner of his eye, a rueful smirk tugging at his lip. "Liars are not treated with a gentle hand in Kulaine society. Especially when it comes to libel and slander." He stood enough to stack the book he'd been holding back on the pile, settling down with a grunt. Faren was still seething, Tannik fulfilling her role as the calm one efficiently. Riki was sitting with his arms crossed over his barrel chest, nodding thoughtfully. Blitz and Kayley were both fuming over the whole ordeal, the Goddess trying to sit still while her tail thrashed behind her, and the Lycanthrope was glaring at the far wall. Dark-Elf Zetavius was nibbling her lower lip in thought, while Gephart was doing what he did best - look aloof and unconcerned. He found himself smoothing his goatee, and stopped. A nervous habit, developed over the years, one that eventually overrode his other psychosomatic habit, smoothing his wings. He touched one, briefly. Even retracted, they still thrust from the outside of his hand, growing from his last finger. From there, to his elbow, was a good foot-long protrusion of feathers, golden in color, mottled with brown and black. When fully extended, they would be nearly 5 feet long, running from his fingertips to his shoulders, and the first primary feather almost 3 feet from the tip of his fingers.
"Is there any way we can help, Prince Faren?" Riki rumbled. He shook his head, topknot swaying. "I know that as foreigners, we have no say in the Council's decision..."
"I think we could persuade Tobyn to ...ah... drop the charges?" Kayley chuckled ruefully, cracking her knuckles. For an instant, her eyes were a bright green, brighter than a neon sign. Her brown hair also shimmered, to a silver color, overlaid with black stripes. "I'm sure I could talk some sense into him."
Blitz bared her teeth, the double-incisors on her top jaw glittering as she smiled. "You an' me both, Kay." Both women, known to be more on the physical end when it came to diplomacy, slapped palms sharply. "We'd have at 'em, ne?"
Faren and Tannik's jaws dropped open a bit, caught off-guard at seeing the pair's affinity for fighting come through a moment. Riki shook his head again, his claws clicking over his prayer beads. "I was thinking more along the lines of a more ...moral... support." Kayley and Blitz rolled their eyes, their moods deflated.
"Actually, Riki..." Darwin started again, "The girls have a point. The Kulaine are fearsomely honorific, to the point where even the most respectable Japanese would have trouble believing it. If at any time, one or more people present themselves as willing to fight for a Kulaine's honor, it is almost a guarantee..." He fumbled. He was trying to speak as fast as his mind thought, which made speaking difficult, considering that he tended to get wrapped up in his words. "Basically, if you all come forth to defend the Prince and Princess, the Council will side with them, and not Tobyn." He sighed, smoothing the palm of his left hand over the top of his head.
One of Kayley's eyebrows shot nearly off her forehead. "Rrrreaaallyy..." She and Blitz exchanged glances, and both laughed almost cruelly.
He sighed, wishing he'd never brought it up. There was no living with the pair of them when a fight was involved. "Yes, really."
Blitz slapped her lower hands on her thighs, making Zetavius jump. "Well then, let's get started! I'm sure the Council will be pleased as punch to find a Goddess willing to fight for the honor of the Prince and Princess."
"And a Lycanthrope."
Riki purred a laugh, deep in his chest. "I'm just a humble monk, but I will stand for them."
"Gephart and I will also attend." Guppy looked stunned, as Ibix volunteered them.
"Remind me again why I built you with a self-sufficient will?" Drumming his fingers on the table, Guppy glared at the orb. "...oh... fine. Fine. Count us in."
"And of course, Darwin and I will help as much as possible. As honorary members of the Kulaine, we cannot defend their honor, but..." the Elf shrugged. They'd all thought she'd fallen asleep. The entire time she'd been sitting there, her eyes closed, not moving, not speaking, save for a violent twitch of her ears when something upsetting was said. "But every little bit helps, right?" She smiled sweetly, and Guppy fidgeted, looking at the ground.
"We appreciate all of your help." Faren nodded, smiling a little. He looked at his sister. "And to think... we came here just to tell them that the arranged meeting would have to wait two more lunar cycles."
'Who would have thought that they would be so eager to assist us?' Tannik said innocently, her large ivory eyes only adding to the guiltless thought. She giggled delicately under Faren's obvious nudge. Everyone, Darwin and Zet included, were staring at them, looking both confused and amazed at their shrewdness. 'I hope you don't think that we ...planned... this...'
"You guys? Pppphhh. Naw. It was another Faren and Tannik who talked us into journeying to Tharka 9 to save a species of FLOWERS from a Nightmare." Blitz shrugged four shoulders.
"It was another pair who convinced us that the Kulaine game of Hyrine was their version of football. ...who would have thought that the ball was a live grenade, and the only way to keep from loosing a limb or several was to get to the safe zone a good 5 miles away, DURING an increased gravity field?" That came from Kayley, who gestured with a hand like it was nothing big.
"Then that means that the Faren and Tannik that somehow persuaded us to defeat a DreadDragon so that Faren could get the fangs and scales to make a trinket for a girl he liked?" Riki smiled shrewdly, his long sharp teeth only adding to the charm.
Faren and Tannik were worming beneath their armor. Tannik was blushing, and Faren suddenly interested in the thick strands of orange hair that hung over the left side of his forehead. 'Yes... well... ah...' Tannik coughed delicately. She scratched her head briefly, chewing her bottom lip. 'I suppose we've been found out, brother…' Faren went scarlet from forehead to neck.
"I hope you understand…" He stammered. "It is against Kulaine law to ask for help outright, especially when it comes to restoring honor." He shrugged, musically, because of his armor and chain mail. "Please don't be upset with us."
"You kidding? And turn down a perfectly good reason to crack some skulls?!" Blitz gaped. "Come on, Faren. I thought you knew us better."
"Heh… well… if you insist."
"Yer damn right we do!" Kayley was on her feet, tossing her ponytail over her shoulder. "When do we leave?"
"The Council will sit in 2 hours." Darwin sighed, as he stood, gathering his things. Instantly, 3 bodies zipped off into different directions. Kayley went one way, Blitz another, and Riki vanished into the back somewhere. He'd just wedged the last book in place, when they returned. Kayley was clad in one of her somewhat revealing outfits, camouflage cutoff short-shorts, and a tight white shirt with the word 'GRRRRL' across the front. All well and good, he supposed. At least when she shifted forms, she wouldn't wind up naked. Riki was tying two swords to his hip. Blitz hadn't gotten a weapon, nor had she changed clothes. Kayley and Riki looked at her.
"What? Bathroom break. You know I hate Kulaine toilets."
"Ooo...kay." Kayley flexed her fingers, joints popping. "The door, if you would, please, Darwin."
"One Astral Gate, coming right up." He replied, mocking the flat, formal tone in which she'd asked him. Both grinned slightly, as Darwin extended a hand (carefully, as to not drop his books), tracing a three-sided door shape in the air. Peeling away what looked like part of the wall and window, he opened the door to reveal the Kulaine desert lands, those strange rib-like protrusions thrusting from hills of sand. "Royalty and ladies first, of course..." He stepped out of the way, to allow Tannik first entry, followed by Faren, Blitz, Zet and Kayley. That left he, Riki, and Guppy to sort themselves into a sort-of-line, as they followed the girls into the Gate, entering the Kulaine territories.
author: Faia Saiyajin
series: original
rating: depends
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Unlike my fanfictions, I DO own these characters. No touchie. Mine mine mine.
---
A/N: This started out as the script for a comic book/manga. If I ever get the patience and talent to do so, expect one. If not, make do with this. XD
Chapter 1: Strange Living Conditions
"Wake up, Kayley."
"Mmrrrpph.."
"Kayley, get up."
"Yeah yeah. Coming…. …Mmmrg." Despite her words, Kayley buried her head under her arms, trying to fall back asleep. It was hard, given that the futon was uncomfortable, the shadeless windows provided little cover from the sun, and the bristles of a broom that prodded her back.
"Last warning, Kayley." Riki Yasuo turned to leave. "Get up."
She rolled over, covering her eyes with her forearm. "I said I'm coming. Sheez." The soft footfalls of her mentor and caretaker grew quieter, as he crossed the room to the door. She yawned, and rolled to her left side, for the extra five minutes of sleep she knew would do her good.
"Kayyyleeyyy…" came the growl from Riki.
"Okay, okay. Don't be so moody, Ta-Ta-Toothy." she muttered under her breath.
Too late, her sensitive ears caught the sound of a broom, coming her way.
WHACK! CRACK!! WHAM!!
"YIKE YIKE YIKE!! I'M UP I'M UP I'M UP ALREADYYYYYYY!!!"
Five minutes later, Riki entered into the main room, depositing the broken, splintered broom in the corner. The three other occupants of the room eyed him curiously, as he knelt at the table, lifting his teacup as if nothing had happened. "Kayley will be coming shortly." He sighed. "…would you please mind your table manners, Blitz? I know the extra set of hands is an advantage, but please resist the temptation."
Beside him, the woman grinned somewhat shamefully, and set down two of the three sets of chopsticks she was holding. Lowering her bottom set of arms, she stuffed her hands under her rear to keep from using them. "Oopsy..." Quite possibly the strangest looking of the odd crew, Blitz stood out like an infected, grossly disproportionate, hangnail-ridden sore thumb. The fine layer of moss-green fur on her skin, a forked tail, and four arms were only the least of her worries. Corkscrewed horns, not unlike a ram's, thrust out from the back of her skull, curled around her pointed, furred ears. Her black hair was braided tightly to her head in neat rows, the crowning glory of an 8 foot 6 inch, 260 pound frame of solid muscle. She fidgeted, and tried to feed her befanged mouth at a normal pace, using only one set of chopsticks.
Across from her, Gephart Morlen the III shoved his glasses up his nose, and sniffed. The quintessential nerd, small and skinny, prone to colds and tennis elbow -from brushing his straight brown hair-, Gephart was the brains of the outfit. He also suffered from deafingly loud asthma. You could hear his wheezing two counties away. The resident computer geek, walking encyclopedia, and high-pitched voice of reason, "Guppy" as his friends knew him, shoved his half-empty bowl away from him. "Your cooking skills leave much to be desired, Riki. I'd rather eat…"
"Stow it, Gups." Kayley grumbled, closing the shoji door behind her carefully. "I don't need a mental image of month old monkey brains floating in hissing cockroach juice this early in the morning." She sat beside him, ignoring the condescending glare Guppy cast from behind the circular lenses of his glasses, his eyes magnified tenfold. "What's on the agenda today, Riki? More sweeping? Contemplating the meaning of life?" She gingerly rested her elbow on the table, trying to be as gentle as possible. Even in her human form, things were ridiculously delicate in this place. If she were to tromp around in her hybrid form, the temple she was living in with her companions would be reduced to matchsticks in seconds. On several occasions, she'd sent doors flying off the hinges trying to open them too quickly. Sniffing the bitter tea Riki was pouring for her, Kayley rolled her eyes. "Now I know why everyone is so skinny in this country. Your food sucks."
Riki smiled, despite the enlarged canines that protruded from his upper lip. Huge, both in size and bulk, the monk wouldn't hurt a fly, despite his fierce appearance. He took the jabs at his 'skirt' with a grain of salt, clicking his prayer beads between his thick, claw-tipped fingers. Usually shirtless, unable to tolerate the feeling of a shirt on his tawny fur (the amount of fabric it would take to cover his broad shoulders and huge muscles was a minor point as well), with golf-ball sized brown beads around his neck, and his long black hair in a topknot, he would have looked just like a monk from Feudal Japan, right down to the cream colored toga, white tabi, and zori sandals. Perhaps it was the fact that he was a 10 foot 4, 350 pound saber toothed tiger man that ruined the image.
Just then, Blitz' ears twitched, a barely noticeable movement. "We've got company." she said flatly, before stuffing a helping of noodles into her mouth. Everyone else looked to the door, waiting for it to open. "Not that way. By Astral Gate."
"Astral Gate?!" Riki jumped to his feet. "The convoy?"
Kayley nearly dropped her teacup in her haste to stand. "But the Kulaine emissary wasn't supposed to arrive for another two days! Why are they here now? And so early?!"
Guppy turned around, leaning one elbow on the table. His other hand was trying to decide whether or not he wanted to push his glasses up his nose or fish out his inhaler. "Ibix." Looking sharply to his left, he inspected the matte black sphere that sat lifeless on the ground. But before he could even finish the rest of the sentence, it rose into the air, with a gentle hum. On one side, a small door flipped open, and a mechanical arm extended, the tongs on the end gently pushing his glasses higher on his nose.
"Affirmative, Gephart. Readings indicate that it is a delegate from the Kulaine Empire. Two Kulaine, an Elven, and one unnamed species." While the sphere, Ibix, 'spoke', its surface flickered, showing patterns of faint green in angular formations, sometimes reaching the four small spikes crossed by a thin metal bar that protruded from the top left curve.
"Darwin is with them." He paused to breathe in the puff of medication his asthma inhaler propelled into his throat. His next sentence was strangled, as he held it in. "As I had suspected."
"Why would he not be? Even though he is not of the Kulaine species, Master Darwin is still an important part of their society. And Mistress Zetavius is currently living with the Kulaine, as part of the Grand Exchange between peoples."
"Yes yes, I know…" He shuffled to his feet, as the Gate appeared. Part of the wall and floor swung open, as if it were a door, tall and wide enough to let a man through. Before the travelers came through, a glimpse of the other side of the gate was visible, a barren, desert-like place, remains of ships, like steel bones, thrusting upwards into the sky. That was before a bronze-skinned, blue-haired woman practically threw herself from the doorway, bounding across the room, into the midst of the breakfast scene. Kayley and Riki were busy trying to look unruffled and unsurprised. Gephart was trying to look inconspicuous, his eyes nearly hidden by the reflection cast by his glasses. Ibix was hovering silently by his head.
The woman, the Elf Ibix had mentioned, grinned, standing still, with her hands clasped behind her. "So sorry we're disgustingly early. But Faren wouldn't wait."
"…and you know how impatient Faren can get." Said the next arrival, stepping through the Gate. His dirty blonde hair was mussed, trying to escape the ponytail at his neck, and his glasses were low on his nose. Always known for his unkempt appearance, Darwin lifted a hand to scratch at the sand that had trapped itself in his goatee, with his four-fingered hand. The remaining digit, what would be the pinky finger, was folded down, the leading feathers in the wings that sprouted from Darwin's arms. His other wing-arm cradled a stack of thick leather-bound books. "Especially when he feels it's important." Standing beside Zetavius, he looked impatiently over shoulder, for the rest of his companions. Thankfully he missed the snicker that slipped out of Blitz, directed at Kayley, who was trying to keep herself from grinning.
Gephart snorted, as the remainder of the convoy crossed the Gate, the 'door' swinging closed behind them. A man and a woman, tall and slender, dressed in an alien, elaborate fashion, stood side-by-side, standing straight and regal. The man, Faren, was wearing full armor, the cuirass, pauldrons, bracers, and shin guards in bright black, gilded and ornately decorated. The chain mail it nearly covered was shiny grey, and it jingled musically with every movement. His neck was surrounded by a high steel collar that reached to nearly his cheekbones. Over his face was a strange mask, the front of it looking like a fierce animal skull, of hammered gold, to mold to his face, and then inlaid with black swirls above and below the right eye socket. Attached to that was a long mane of feathers and fur, adorned with heavy beads. From behind the eyeholes of the mask, a pair of ivory eyes regarded the crowd.
His female companion was clad in nearly the same fashion, her armor more form fitting and lighter, her mask of a more avian persuasion, and decorated in red and silver. She coughed lightly, her own eyes landing on Darwin and staring hard.
"Oh… yes. How forgetful of me." Darwin rolled his eyes. "I have the honor of presenting the High Prince Faren Sil'nittak, and his sister, High Princess Tannik Sol'nittak, the heirs to the Seat of Uren-lo, may the sun shine brightly on their backs for-ever." His introduction was hardly fanciful, the bird-man delivering it in a monotone. "…you know I hate formalities, Faren. Must you make me suffer so?"
Now that the royal introduction was complete, the pair relaxed, removing their masks. The patterns that were traced on their masks were replicated on their tanned skin, but these faces were smiling, greeting old friends. Faren brushed past Darwin, grinning at the smaller man, his voice sonorous and musical. "It is my royal privilege and right, Darwin." Clasping the lower hands of Blitz (which were hastily wiped clean on her jeans), he bowed, touching his forehead to the backs of her hands. "It is a joy to see you again, Daughter of the In-Between."
Blitz nearly smacked the back of his head with her upper right arm. "You know I hate that crap, Faren. Lay off. They call me Blitz 'round these parts." Despite her words, the woman grinned. Faren straightened, and Tannik repeated the gesture. Her lips did not move, though. Mute since birth, Tannik had learned to instead speak with her mind, her words a breathy whisper.
'It warms my heart to see you all once more. I apologize for our early arrival, but there is something we must discuss of great importance.'
"Please, sit, Princess Tannik. And Prince Faren, please, be at ease. Would you like anything?" Riki bowed, and swept his arms toward the table. Kayley at once began to remove the used dishes, Zetavius scurrying to help.
Faren smiled. "Nothing for now, Sir Riki. It is too early in the day to sample the gastric adventure that is your cooking."
Blitz clapped four hands over her mouth, to keep from laughing. Gephart smiled in satisfaction. Ibix let out a series of beeps as Kayley laughed outright, her head thrown back, howling all the way into the kitchen, Zetavius giggling lightly behind her. Riki stood motionless for a moment, his eyebrows flat across his forehead, not looking at one person, instead taking them all in with one somewhat-annoyed glance. "As you wish." he said simply, and went to kneeling again, feeling the ever-present beads in his left palm. Blitz sat beside him, crossing one set of arms over her chest, the other resting on her thighs. Faren and Tannik sat across from them, leaving the rest to crowd for space at the ends of the small table.
Gephart remained standing, his self-built supercomputer, Ibix, still hovering around his head. Zet, having returned from the kitchen, sat elegantly on her haunches, at Tannik's immediate left. Darwin, having moved himself and his load to the other end of the table, stacked his books loudly, sitting on them, trying to find a comfortable way to sit that didn't involve his wings being thrust in other people's faces, or in their food. Kayley reluctantly took the only place left, sandwiched between Blitz and Zet, her high-placed ponytail sliding over her shoulder.
Faren waited patiently, while everyone got comfortable. When the fidgeting stopped, he drew himself up, with a clink of shifting chainmail and armor, pursing his lips, preparing to speak. Seven heads turned to look at him, 14 pairs of eyes focusing on him. "As you may know, my sister and I are due to ascend to the Seat of Uren-lo, as the rulers of the Kulaine Empire, come the start of the next lunar cycle." Tannik nodded slowly in agreement. "Our people, as you know, have always been ruled by siblings."
Kayley cleared her throat quietly, preparing to ask a question. When Faren looked at her, she spoke. "You've mentioned it before, that the Kulaine are always governed by a brother and sister. Darwin said that it has been that way since the start of your people. ...but how does that happen? How is it that every generation manages to produce two children, born at the same time, yet they're not twins?" Everyone else but Blitz nodded. The Kulaine were shrouded in mystery, and in some cases, even the Kulaine could not explain their customs and events.
Instead of Faren answering, Darwin did, fishing a book out from under his rear, ignoring the way he dropped down a good 6 inches. He opened the heavy, leather-bound book, flipping into it a few pages. This one was titled "The Kulaine - Explanations of Being", written by Darwin Sharpwing. It wouldn't surprise any of them if the rest of the books he carried were written by him. Darwin's people were so obsessed with knowledge, and of discovering things, that they themselves hadn't bothered to name their species, and in most cases, didn't even give themselves a name. Frighteningly diligent in their quest for answers of all kinds, his people had been known to write as many as 50 books, sometimes more, in a lifetime. That is, when his people were still in existence. They'd been erased from the pages of history by an intentionally-spread disease almost 2 centuries ago, when Darwin was still a child. Looking at them over his glasses, Darwin put a finger on the line he was looking for, and began to read. "The Kulaine reproductive system is concurrent with that of a normal Earth-dwelling species, when used for general population. The royal line, however, differs in that the females of the direct ancestry are born with two eggs, already fertilized and ready to grow, in their womb, ready to be born by the time heirs are needed. Results are inconclusive, but it is thought that this way, the line has gone unbroken, since the beginning of time, when the Supreme Deities, Isma and Ijer, copulated, producing the first two rulers of what would become the Kulaine." When he was finished, he closed the book with a thudding finality. Kayley was busy staring, open-mouthed. Gephart was looking bored, as usual, while Ibix hummed, obviously processing and storing the information he'd just read them. 'One day...' Darwin chuckled mentally. 'One day I'll get in that boy's head. To have that much knowledge, packed in to almost bursting, must be quite an accomplishment.'
Tannik sighed. 'Therein lies our problem.' Her eyes, like all Kulaine, were giant, and seemed empty, no indication of pupil or cornea anywhere in the creamy sphere. 'There are those who say that our heritage has been compromised.'
"Tobyn, that spineless drael!" Faren lost his temper for a moment, pounding his fist on his thigh. He ignored the way the chainmail bit into the leather breeches below, leaving a reddened imprint on his skin. "He has gone before the Council of 15, and laid down what he calls 'evidence', saying that our mother was caught laying with a man before we were born. Our mother, bedding like a common prostitute!" He bared his teeth, his canines enlarging, showing his rage. "I'll rip out his liar's tongue and feed it to him before the next moon!"
Even Gephart was taken aback by Faren's sudden outburst. Tannik laid a slim hand on his arm, calming her brother mentally, his fangs receding. 'All women of the royal blood must remain untouched by a man, until the sibling-heirs are born. To do so beforehand tarnishes our bloodline and our authority to rule.' She pressed her lips together, suppressing her own anger.
"Who is Tobyn?" Riki asked carefully, not wanting to move either of his guests to showing anger again.
"Our brother." Faren growled loudly, despite himself. "He was born after us." His fingers started to shake, as they smoothed the edge of the table. "If he can convince the Council that our mother had been taken to bed, we will loose what is our birthright, our ascension to the throne." Faren swallowed, hating himself for showing this much negative emotion. "And Tobyn will sit as leader."
His sister sighed. 'If that happens, thousands of years of unbroken rule by the brother-sister team will be unmade, and we and our mother will be forever banned from Eternal Paradise, along with being stricken from the history of the Kulaine as honorless traitors. Such a thing has never been recorded in our Great Book, and, to be quite blunt, I do not want my brother, my mother, and myself to be the first.'
"What about your mother?" Blitz frowned, gnawing on her lower lip. "Couldn't she testify, and deny Tobyn's accusations?" Her long tail thrashed behind her, a surefire sign that she was getting annoyed.
'It is not that simple, Daug-.... Blitz.' Tannik shifted positions, moving from her knees to her rear, rubbing her pins-and-needles afflicted feet. 'Because it concerns our mother, she cannot refute his testimony.'
"That's bull!" Kayley censored herself just in time. "What kind of justice system is that, where the accused can't even defend herself?!" Darwin was about to get another book out from his stack, the title of it half concealed by his legs. "Diplomatic Actions and-" it read, as he tried to wiggle it free. "Okay, Darwin, forget I asked. I don't need a small lecture on Kulaine laws." She raised a hand. "I get the concept, however moronic it is."
Darwin sighed, tucking several pieces of loose hair behind his ears. "As you wish, Kayley. But there is no way to disprove Tobyn's accusation. It is entirely up to the Council's discretion. If they feel that Tobyn's stack of lies is justified and bears enough weight, they will decide against Faren and Tannik. However, though, if they do see through his elaborately woven scheme, Tobyn himself will be hung feet first from the Tower of Shame, until either his head bursts from the blood pressure, or the rope supporting him breaks."
Guppy blinked, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Overkill, don't you think?" Ibix chirped, his internal processors humming quietly.
Darwin glanced at the boy from the corner of his eye, a rueful smirk tugging at his lip. "Liars are not treated with a gentle hand in Kulaine society. Especially when it comes to libel and slander." He stood enough to stack the book he'd been holding back on the pile, settling down with a grunt. Faren was still seething, Tannik fulfilling her role as the calm one efficiently. Riki was sitting with his arms crossed over his barrel chest, nodding thoughtfully. Blitz and Kayley were both fuming over the whole ordeal, the Goddess trying to sit still while her tail thrashed behind her, and the Lycanthrope was glaring at the far wall. Dark-Elf Zetavius was nibbling her lower lip in thought, while Gephart was doing what he did best - look aloof and unconcerned. He found himself smoothing his goatee, and stopped. A nervous habit, developed over the years, one that eventually overrode his other psychosomatic habit, smoothing his wings. He touched one, briefly. Even retracted, they still thrust from the outside of his hand, growing from his last finger. From there, to his elbow, was a good foot-long protrusion of feathers, golden in color, mottled with brown and black. When fully extended, they would be nearly 5 feet long, running from his fingertips to his shoulders, and the first primary feather almost 3 feet from the tip of his fingers.
"Is there any way we can help, Prince Faren?" Riki rumbled. He shook his head, topknot swaying. "I know that as foreigners, we have no say in the Council's decision..."
"I think we could persuade Tobyn to ...ah... drop the charges?" Kayley chuckled ruefully, cracking her knuckles. For an instant, her eyes were a bright green, brighter than a neon sign. Her brown hair also shimmered, to a silver color, overlaid with black stripes. "I'm sure I could talk some sense into him."
Blitz bared her teeth, the double-incisors on her top jaw glittering as she smiled. "You an' me both, Kay." Both women, known to be more on the physical end when it came to diplomacy, slapped palms sharply. "We'd have at 'em, ne?"
Faren and Tannik's jaws dropped open a bit, caught off-guard at seeing the pair's affinity for fighting come through a moment. Riki shook his head again, his claws clicking over his prayer beads. "I was thinking more along the lines of a more ...moral... support." Kayley and Blitz rolled their eyes, their moods deflated.
"Actually, Riki..." Darwin started again, "The girls have a point. The Kulaine are fearsomely honorific, to the point where even the most respectable Japanese would have trouble believing it. If at any time, one or more people present themselves as willing to fight for a Kulaine's honor, it is almost a guarantee..." He fumbled. He was trying to speak as fast as his mind thought, which made speaking difficult, considering that he tended to get wrapped up in his words. "Basically, if you all come forth to defend the Prince and Princess, the Council will side with them, and not Tobyn." He sighed, smoothing the palm of his left hand over the top of his head.
One of Kayley's eyebrows shot nearly off her forehead. "Rrrreaaallyy..." She and Blitz exchanged glances, and both laughed almost cruelly.
He sighed, wishing he'd never brought it up. There was no living with the pair of them when a fight was involved. "Yes, really."
Blitz slapped her lower hands on her thighs, making Zetavius jump. "Well then, let's get started! I'm sure the Council will be pleased as punch to find a Goddess willing to fight for the honor of the Prince and Princess."
"And a Lycanthrope."
Riki purred a laugh, deep in his chest. "I'm just a humble monk, but I will stand for them."
"Gephart and I will also attend." Guppy looked stunned, as Ibix volunteered them.
"Remind me again why I built you with a self-sufficient will?" Drumming his fingers on the table, Guppy glared at the orb. "...oh... fine. Fine. Count us in."
"And of course, Darwin and I will help as much as possible. As honorary members of the Kulaine, we cannot defend their honor, but..." the Elf shrugged. They'd all thought she'd fallen asleep. The entire time she'd been sitting there, her eyes closed, not moving, not speaking, save for a violent twitch of her ears when something upsetting was said. "But every little bit helps, right?" She smiled sweetly, and Guppy fidgeted, looking at the ground.
"We appreciate all of your help." Faren nodded, smiling a little. He looked at his sister. "And to think... we came here just to tell them that the arranged meeting would have to wait two more lunar cycles."
'Who would have thought that they would be so eager to assist us?' Tannik said innocently, her large ivory eyes only adding to the guiltless thought. She giggled delicately under Faren's obvious nudge. Everyone, Darwin and Zet included, were staring at them, looking both confused and amazed at their shrewdness. 'I hope you don't think that we ...planned... this...'
"You guys? Pppphhh. Naw. It was another Faren and Tannik who talked us into journeying to Tharka 9 to save a species of FLOWERS from a Nightmare." Blitz shrugged four shoulders.
"It was another pair who convinced us that the Kulaine game of Hyrine was their version of football. ...who would have thought that the ball was a live grenade, and the only way to keep from loosing a limb or several was to get to the safe zone a good 5 miles away, DURING an increased gravity field?" That came from Kayley, who gestured with a hand like it was nothing big.
"Then that means that the Faren and Tannik that somehow persuaded us to defeat a DreadDragon so that Faren could get the fangs and scales to make a trinket for a girl he liked?" Riki smiled shrewdly, his long sharp teeth only adding to the charm.
Faren and Tannik were worming beneath their armor. Tannik was blushing, and Faren suddenly interested in the thick strands of orange hair that hung over the left side of his forehead. 'Yes... well... ah...' Tannik coughed delicately. She scratched her head briefly, chewing her bottom lip. 'I suppose we've been found out, brother…' Faren went scarlet from forehead to neck.
"I hope you understand…" He stammered. "It is against Kulaine law to ask for help outright, especially when it comes to restoring honor." He shrugged, musically, because of his armor and chain mail. "Please don't be upset with us."
"You kidding? And turn down a perfectly good reason to crack some skulls?!" Blitz gaped. "Come on, Faren. I thought you knew us better."
"Heh… well… if you insist."
"Yer damn right we do!" Kayley was on her feet, tossing her ponytail over her shoulder. "When do we leave?"
"The Council will sit in 2 hours." Darwin sighed, as he stood, gathering his things. Instantly, 3 bodies zipped off into different directions. Kayley went one way, Blitz another, and Riki vanished into the back somewhere. He'd just wedged the last book in place, when they returned. Kayley was clad in one of her somewhat revealing outfits, camouflage cutoff short-shorts, and a tight white shirt with the word 'GRRRRL' across the front. All well and good, he supposed. At least when she shifted forms, she wouldn't wind up naked. Riki was tying two swords to his hip. Blitz hadn't gotten a weapon, nor had she changed clothes. Kayley and Riki looked at her.
"What? Bathroom break. You know I hate Kulaine toilets."
"Ooo...kay." Kayley flexed her fingers, joints popping. "The door, if you would, please, Darwin."
"One Astral Gate, coming right up." He replied, mocking the flat, formal tone in which she'd asked him. Both grinned slightly, as Darwin extended a hand (carefully, as to not drop his books), tracing a three-sided door shape in the air. Peeling away what looked like part of the wall and window, he opened the door to reveal the Kulaine desert lands, those strange rib-like protrusions thrusting from hills of sand. "Royalty and ladies first, of course..." He stepped out of the way, to allow Tannik first entry, followed by Faren, Blitz, Zet and Kayley. That left he, Riki, and Guppy to sort themselves into a sort-of-line, as they followed the girls into the Gate, entering the Kulaine territories.