027.5 "Turn into a dragon or a fey or an angel or something."

[Corwin]

[21:11] <Kotono> Of them all, Hanna's the easiest to find. She lingers nearby Elrisa's tower, watching the reunions. A small smile is on her face, arms crossed as she stands to the side, away from it all.
[21:14] <Jaela> "Brissael says hi," Jaela voices, claiming a spot next to her mother. "Did I tell you that? He also passed on how you should get back to star crafting."
[21:16] <Kotono> "He'd say that," Hanna remarks as her gaze stays on the reunion before both of you, "Good work, Jaela. The pain in all of those hearts will begin to fade now."
[21:18] <Jaela> "It'll take time, but that's why we gave them a chance to make a new home here," Jaela agrees. "I really wish I could've had Elrisa along on that one."
[21:19] <Kotono> "It's a hard lesson to accept that mortals die, and sometimes they won't come back." Hanna's voice is pleasantly reflective, as if meditating on it on a lazy afternoon. "Misalea will be pleased when she returns, too."
[21:22] <Jaela> "Hope she stops with the zealotry. When I'm taking notice and thinking she's gone too far, she sure as hell has." Jaela shakes her head. "But yeah, here's hoping it all works out for her."
[21:25] <Kotono> "It will, I think. Unless Misalea died with Elrisa and all that's left is the ashes." Turning her gaze to Jaela now, "A message came from Mechanus while all of you were gone. You can get the full thing from Galariel or Elena, but the gist of it is that Adrian and have settled in, gotten a lawyer and started proceedings. Oh, and they've defeated an assassination attempt, too. Somehow, yugoloths attacked them right in the middle of Mechanus. A nasty hit and run attack, no less."
[21:26] <Jaela> "Are they all okay?"
[21:27] <Kotono> "They're fine." The answer comes easily enough, "Misalea and Adrian defeated three of them, while Drena defended them against aerial attack, and the rest retreated when the Mechanus enforcers arrived."
[21:31] <Jaela> "Awesome." Jaela grins. "Hope they filed charges. Have Mechanus bug our enemies for a change."
[21:32] <Kotono> "The investigation is ongoing," Hanna replies with her own smile, "I h"ope so.
[21:33] <Jaela> "Fuck those guys. Both Mechanus and the 'loths. Getting them tied up with one another is just about our best outcome."
[21:35] <Kotono> "Still," Hanna turns away now, "So now what for you and Aurora?"
[21:38] <Jaela> "Wondering. About stuff. About how maybe it's better if we actually try harder to get Lifasans to move over, even if they think they've moved on. About bringing over all the allies we can and their allies, too, instead of waiting on that." She nods in the direction of the Graceful Blow tower. "I just get the feeling that we'll see that sorta scene a lot more if we did that, and if we do, then it can't be a bad idea."
[21:39] <Kotono> "Ithea stopped back in," Hanna says, "She had another survivor with him, and mention of others with him. He's a diplomat for them or some such. That's the next logical step," Hanna says.
[21:40] <Jaela> "Makes sense." Jaela nods. "How about you, Mom? What do you think we should do?"
[21:41] <Kotono> Smiling a little bit, and reaching down to ruffle Jaela's hair, "I just told you."
[21:44] <Jaela> Rolling her eye, Jaela produces Brissael's gift. "Here. He's your friend and all, and star-crafting's your thing." She glances at it, pondering, and then voices, "You know, I had to fight some guys made of stars while at the Court. Can you make weapons and armor and all that shit out of stars?"
[21:48] <Kotono> "It can be done, but it's rarely so." Hanna explains, "Watch your mouth," Frowning a moment, "In any case, they're only made and given in rare events. The last time was clothing made for the heroes of Androlynne."
[21:50] * Jaela laughs. "Oh, is that all we have to do to get some of it? But yeah, I get it. Hey, think you can take me along when you go forge stars some day? I bet you'd kick Brissael's ass at it!"
[21:52] <Kotono> Laughing, "One day," Grinning now, "After we retake Lifasa?"

[Corwin]

[21:55] <Kotono> From there, finding Elena isn't hard. She's dressed as a waitress, going about the cafeteria and serving. While a smile is frozen on her face, her eyes tell another tale.
[21:57] <Jaela> "Whose fault is this?" Jaela asks, gesturing over at the uniform.
[22:00] <Kotono> "I lost a bet," Elena mutters, turning red, "Nevermind it!"
[22:02] <Jaela> "No, seriously. If you got tricked I'll kick their ass for you!"
[22:03] <Kotono> "Well um..." Turning redder, and in a little voice, "I was bragging to Galariel that well...let's just say he pointed something out, and one thing lead to another and...well..." Fidgeting a bit, "He said I'd at least learn a lesson from this."
[22:04] <Jaela> "He's an uptight moron." Jaela gives Elena a once over. "Though you look nice, I guess. You sure it's not some secret fetish for him, watching you work in all sorts of maid uniforms?"
[22:05] <Kotono> "Um well...hesaidIwasreallycuteinit!" Elena blurts out at once, "So um...I mean in this outfit. So um I don't entirely mind..."
[22:08] * Jaela grins"I bet you'd be even cuter out of it, so why not go for it? I bet you could seduce him if you tried."
[22:09] <Kotono> "You think so?" Elena asks quietly, "I mean...he's so handsome, but he's hard to read. He's just so...stern!" Blurting that out, "Sometimes I just don' tknow!"
[22:11] <Jaela> "I'm sure you'd have good odds. He was a loner for like ages, so there's all that pent up frustration. And there are plenty of hot people around, too, if that doesn't work out. You can hold a mop and clean stuff, or you could serve food, so you could do other things too, yeah?"
[22:13] <Kotono> "Um...good point!" Elena nods, suddenly perking up! "Alright, I'll do it!" Abruptly she vanishes, save for her costume, which stays in the air a moment before falling to the ground.
[22:15] <Jaela> "Good luck!" Jaela calls after her, picking the costume up off the floor. Was she that persuasive, or Elena that desperate? She'll probably find out later when she catches up with her.

[Corwin]

[22:30] <Kotono> The trip to the Cauldron is merely a few words of arcane power away. As you begin to ascend up the volcano's slope, you notice someone below. A figure in full armor reclines below, as if resting on the grass and staring up at the sky. He even wears a helmet, with angelic wings on it. As you fly overhead he raises a hand up, "Yo!" A man's voice, "Are you Jaela?"
[22:31] <Jaela> "Yep." She grins at him. "My legend's spread this far, or you're a friend of Kascha? Oraga? The Duchess, maybe?"
[22:34] <Kotono> "All of the above." He springs up as if he wasn't wearing armor, dusting his knees up. "Figured you or someone else would be coming after what happend to Kascha."
[22:37] <Jaela> Her smile melts away, replaced by a contrite look. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for her. I wanted to tell her first hand, but her friends should hear it too. No excuse, but--" She grimaces. "You know? Still had to be said. She feeling okay?"
[22:40] <Kotono> "Reforming's hard on her," The man goes on, voice with a distinctly annoyed note to it, "She's sort of like the little sister I never had, because she was born thousands of years in the past, so don't let her get hurt like that!"
[22:45] <Jaela> "She feels like a cute kid, yeah?" Jaela agrees. "Even though it's absurd for me to say it, that's just how it always feels around her. I was on a quest, okay! I'm angry at myself for not being there too! And that shit with Bahamut was uncalled for--" Tangents. She shouldn't fly into them, not for her own satisfaction. She should be apologizing instead of ranting. "Look, uh--" Briefly stumped, Jaela decides to guess and use the only male name she had ever heard Kascha use. "Donald? I want to do it better from now on, but I don't exactly have lots of experience at this sorta thing. How do I do better?"
[22:46] <Kotono> "Be there when she needs you and needs protection," Donald takes to the air, wings appearing from his back. "Protect her so she doesn't get turned into kibble when a battle breaks out."
[22:51] <Jaela> "Wait! Seriously, just wait," Jaela calls after him, flying after.
[22:53] <Kotono> He waits on Jaela, "Well, don't yo uwant to come see her?" he asks.
[22:54] <Jaela> "Of course I do!" she returns at once. "But... look, between us. It's hard enough asking for help as it is, so can I just do it without a crowd looking on?"
[22:57] <Kotono> "Oh yeah, she's resting. What, did you think she's out in public and waiting for you?" Donald turns in the air.
[23:01] <Jaela> "No. Ah man, this is all messed up. Uh, I just wanted to ask you. I guess we just met and all, but if she thinks you're hardcore and trustworthy that's really enough for me. Help me get better. Not in cryptic wise old man sayings or by telling me it'll happen on its own. Just... something real. A way to train myself, or some sorta quest I could go on. Some way to go past my limits. You've got to know something!"
[23:03] <Kotono> "Oh that? It's easy," Glancing back, "Turn into a dragon or a fey or an angel or something. Let's see..." Pausing a moment, "I was born as a human, but now I'm an elf, fey blooded, dragon blooded with a few other things." He waits for a moment, "It worked for Seira, too."
[23:08] <Jaela> She really never expected someone sensible to actually support Annalise in that. Does it mean this man is not sensible? Kascha never did say if he was, Jaela muses belatedly. "I think I'm on like every dragon's shit list and I doubt I can get any more an elf than this. I, uh, guess fey is possible--" Jaela shakes her head. "Doesn't really feel like me. Don't suppose you know of a way to get more angelic than this?"
[23:16] <Kotono> "Yeah. I know someone who did that. She started at the bottom and worked her way up." Flying along up the slope of the Cauldron, "It works like this - outsiders, fey, dragons, all of that are stronger than typical humans, elves and all of that, right? So you mix that in and you gain the strengths they have. I know someone who went from human to angel and Seira went from half-elf to dragon. I
[23:16] <Kotono> sort of did a little of everything." Pausing briefly now, "Yeah, I know someone. Ever heard of an Astral Deva named Strength of Light?"
[23:17] <Jaela> "Yeah, actually. I thought I'd look him up when we were recruiting in Ysgard, but it sounded like he semi-retired so I didn't go for it. Why?"
[23:20] <Kotono> "He's great for training. Tell him Donald sent you - he'll put you through the wringer." Flying over the lip of the Cauldron and down into the interior.
[23:21] <Jaela> "Appreciate it!"
[23:32] <Kotono> Down into the Cauldron you fly! Deep into the caverns you walk, coming down a well kept hallway. A door is here - plain enough on the outside, but Donald stands by it. "She's in there," he announces, "Go on...but knock first."
[23:33] <Jaela> "'course I will!" Jaela responds, and with a nod at Donald knocks upon the unassuming door.
[23:37] <Kotono> "...yes?" Kascha's voice indeed, though it sounds strained and tired. "Come in."
[23:38] <Jaela> The door is opened, and Jaela steps through.
[23:45] <Kotono> Within is a room full of sunshine. Sunlight comes from the ceiling, the scent of fresh air and grass despite the stony walls. A deep bed is where Kascha lies, atop the covers. She wears a silken blanket over her body, her head propped up with several red pillows. Her color is like pale wax, dark circles around her eyes. Her wings lie pressed down, unmoving. "Mmm...Jaela?" She cranes her head up a bit, "What are you doing here?"
[23:46] <Jaela> "I was worried about you, so I came," Jaela says, closing the door behind her and coming closer. Her armor is sent away, and she carefully sits down on an edge of the bed, where she won't hurt Kascha. "Isn't it obvious?"
[23:48] <Kotono> "Thank you..." Her eyes drift shut, a glimpse of bloodshot eyes, "Hurts all over. Oh Jaela, when he...when he got me, I was fading away and back, but I felt all of the raw evil and order he represented. All of the tyranny. It hurt. Donald says it takes time to heal from it." She licks her cracked lips, "But I'll be okay. What about Ithea and the others?"
[23:56] <Jaela> "You bought them time to counterattack, from what I hear," Jaela says. Not knowing any of the details even makes it sound legitimate, and she finds herself wondering if she would think the same thing if she knew the entire chain of events. No use crying over spilled milk, however. "Except for Ithea's pal Tom. Heard he didn't come back after that." It takes a supreme force of will not to start ranting about their quack of a healer, tempered with a longing for the Priest's clear competence. "And remember Misalea's tower of the Graceful Blow school? Afina and I got all of their pals out of prison, so they're all together now at the Aurora."
[23:57] <Kotono> "They made it? Good..." Smiling despite the exahustion evident on her face, "I'm tired, Jaela. It'll take me a little longer to heal. Not my body, but in here. My spirit's healing. Could you hold me, Jaela? I remember when my Mother did after I had a nightmare. I just want to fall asleep, all warm and safe. I don't want to dream about tyranny and evil again."
[00:02] <Jaela> "Of course," Jaela responds, scooting closer to Kascha on the bed and taking her into her arms. Any news from the Aurora can wait in the face of that, and this is hardly the time to worry about her image. "Stick with me for as long as you want to," she whispers to the ghaele. "I'll protect you. From tyranny and evil and everything else."
[00:03] <Kotono> "Thank you." Kascha murmurs, curling into Jaela. She says nothing else - indeed, she slips into sleep almost immediately.

[Corwin]

<LEVEL UP. Level 17.>