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Tree branch: check. Assorted lightweight seed-bearing fruits and nuts: check. Other seeds: check. Water bottle, for when she has to veer away from the river: check.
Better not linger in her starting place too much longer. Yellow's faster than her and may have already come home to a wreck. Thorn might have a habit of checking up on the place, even, just in case. She's invisible, inaudible, unsmellable - that won't help if he sends someone thorough. Or comes in person.
She sets out.
She's been flying for about thirty minutes after her shopping trip when she falls through a tear and squeaks inaudibly and lands in the middle of -
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imeanforever
wormcan
"That fact that I'm dangerous is not immediately obvious. And I can permit him to assume whatever he likes."
The craft touches down. Alexandria leaves behind her few items not part of her costume.
The craft touches down. Alexandria leaves behind her few items not part of her costume.
imeanforever
Whenever Alexandria is ready to follow bearing gifts, Promise flies in to the same place she landed last time.
wormcan
The creatures react more visibly this time. The monstrosities are openly walking around the city (or hopping, or rolling, or oozing as the case may be), but they still rarely make any audible sound. Promise seems to have been expected; they open a path between the throne room and Promise and her vassal.
imeanforever
Promise walks along the path. She nods politely at the creatures.
imeanforever
And when they reach Nilbog, Promise bows deeply. "Your majesty, I have brought a gift of fairy berries for you and your court to share."
wormcan
"Fairy food! Welcome, Promise, herald of the distant lands!" He doesn't acknowledge Promise's minion, except to verify that she didn't forget to bow.
"We shall all partake of the gift, in honor of my onetime enemies paying tribute!"
He pauses, and frowns, looking as close to thoughtful as he has so far. "Except those who subsist on the flesh of others."
"We shall all partake of the gift, in honor of my onetime enemies paying tribute!"
He pauses, and frowns, looking as close to thoughtful as he has so far. "Except those who subsist on the flesh of others."
imeanforever
"Of course you would know better than I if they'd enjoy the berries, although they will not taste of anything to be found in this world no matter what they look like."
wormcan
Nilbog tastes a berry, and his eyes light up. "Exquisite! More incomparable than anything I have tasted in years!" He feeds one to Polka, who doesn't seem to have an opinion one way or the other on its relative incomparability.
"Let today be a celebration of our victory. On such a day all should see their king in his glory. You four, take the fairy's ingredients to the chef, have her prepare it as a banquet. And you, call all to my presence." A reptilian, a giant invertebrate, and two mostly mammals carry the basket elsewhere. They don't return. The same creature that gave the inaudible trumpet blast before repeats the performance, and creatures of all colors, shapes, sizes, and degrees of threateningness materialize.
"Let today be a celebration of our victory. On such a day all should see their king in his glory. You four, take the fairy's ingredients to the chef, have her prepare it as a banquet. And you, call all to my presence." A reptilian, a giant invertebrate, and two mostly mammals carry the basket elsewhere. They don't return. The same creature that gave the inaudible trumpet blast before repeats the performance, and creatures of all colors, shapes, sizes, and degrees of threateningness materialize.
imeanforever
Hooray. Promise is already in the king's presence, and accordingly does not go anywhere.
wormcan
He's being all kingly and splendorous, which in his context mostly means fat.
There are far too many creatures to fit in the throne room. They open up holes in the walls to allow some of the larger ones to see the king, such as what looks like a giant fire-breathing horse carrying smaller monsters. Through the gaps, more monsters are visible. Farther back, some are fighting for a closer position, and usually giving way if they look likely to lose. A few do fall, and get eaten or trampled.
As more creations are arriving, some bring in heaping platters of something. It looks like vomit, if vomit were ever that unholy shade of purple. And chunky enough that the largest hunks of meat could be arranged in mockery of the stereotypical spitted boar with an apple in its mouth. The boars' parts are played by some of the creations that carried the basket off, already looking half-digested. Whether Promise recognizes this will depend on if she makes the mistake of looking too closely.
There are far too many creatures to fit in the throne room. They open up holes in the walls to allow some of the larger ones to see the king, such as what looks like a giant fire-breathing horse carrying smaller monsters. Through the gaps, more monsters are visible. Farther back, some are fighting for a closer position, and usually giving way if they look likely to lose. A few do fall, and get eaten or trampled.
As more creations are arriving, some bring in heaping platters of something. It looks like vomit, if vomit were ever that unholy shade of purple. And chunky enough that the largest hunks of meat could be arranged in mockery of the stereotypical spitted boar with an apple in its mouth. The boars' parts are played by some of the creations that carried the basket off, already looking half-digested. Whether Promise recognizes this will depend on if she makes the mistake of looking too closely.
imeanforever
The fact that mortals and mortal creatures eat flesh at all was already Peak Gross for Promise and she has no special reaction to observing the gross in this level of detail.
The berries should still work even after having been processed. Probably. The claim is very strong and direct and should be able to tolerate one degree of remove.
The berries should still work even after having been processed. Probably. The claim is very strong and direct and should be able to tolerate one degree of remove.
wormcan
The Peak Gross gets passed around, each creation taking some before the ones next to it drag the platter away. Some enormous skeletal birds carry some to the crowd outside. There is no way to tell which parts of the mush used to be berries and which were something else.
As the food gets consumed, Nilbog addresses her again. "Emissary Promise, will you and your vassal join the feast?"
As the food gets consumed, Nilbog addresses her again. "Emissary Promise, will you and your vassal join the feast?"
imeanforever
"Your majesty, it would have been poor manners for me to invite myself to partake of something I brought as a gift to you. I made sure to arrive well-fed so I would not be tempted. My vassal has likewise no intention of trespassing upon your present."
wormcan
He nods, and Alexandria looks suitably humble. In a surprisingly short time, the initial platters have been emptied and more are produced. Every creature within view has tasted at least some.
wormcan
Eventually it winds down. Nilbog addresses them in what is (for him) a long-winded speech, starting from "behold your god," meandering through "our former enemies pay tribute" and expressing confidence that they could win again if he feels they have to. None of the creatures remember this war they supposedly won, as it was long enough ago to be several generations back, but their facial expressions wouldn't mean much to an outsider anyway. He ends by saying that Promise, as an emissary from distant lands, will tell them all of his greatness compared to every other ruler.
(It hasn't occurred to him in over a decade that people might ever not want to do everything he wants them to. Volunteering others for public speaking is exceptional only in the part about speaking.)
(It hasn't occurred to him in over a decade that people might ever not want to do everything he wants them to. Volunteering others for public speaking is exceptional only in the part about speaking.)
imeanforever
Okay. Impromptu public speaking gig. She can work with this.
"Subjects of his majesty, you hardly need me to tell you that your king's city is a triumph of clear political structure and a garden of uncompromised and unique aesthetic wonder. What you may not have guessed is that all of my overtures are leading up to a solicitation that your king make a prolonged diplomatic visit to your neighbors. I know it will be difficult for you all to stay inside the borders of your home alone, being sure you do not let slip any of your fellow creatures who might be mistaken in their intentions and thereby sabotage his sovereign responses to our invitation; but regardless I implore his majesty to accept."
There are some orders, folded in there, but orders don't feel like anything by themselves.
"Subjects of his majesty, you hardly need me to tell you that your king's city is a triumph of clear political structure and a garden of uncompromised and unique aesthetic wonder. What you may not have guessed is that all of my overtures are leading up to a solicitation that your king make a prolonged diplomatic visit to your neighbors. I know it will be difficult for you all to stay inside the borders of your home alone, being sure you do not let slip any of your fellow creatures who might be mistaken in their intentions and thereby sabotage his sovereign responses to our invitation; but regardless I implore his majesty to accept."
There are some orders, folded in there, but orders don't feel like anything by themselves.
wormcan
His majesty accepts before he knows he has. And the subset of creatures that are capable of receiving orders and have eaten part of a berry are likewise bound to stay in the city and keep any non-ordered compatriots in.
"Diplomacy?" Nilbog considers it. "I suppose, if my neighbors deigned to send a messenger, I can show my magnanimity and return the favor with my own presence. Subjects of Ellisburg! In my absence, hold the city in a condition that any king would be proud to call capital."
"Diplomacy?" Nilbog considers it. "I suppose, if my neighbors deigned to send a messenger, I can show my magnanimity and return the favor with my own presence. Subjects of Ellisburg! In my absence, hold the city in a condition that any king would be proud to call capital."
imeanforever
"You do us immense honor, your majesty. Might I venture to ask how long it will take you to make your kingdom ready for your departure so that everything will be safe and stable in your absence?"
Sneak, sneak.
Sneak, sneak.
wormcan
And rationalization.
"Safe and stable? There is one thing. Behold, and see if any can match my power."
He holds out his left hand, and a blob swells. As it does, the figure on the throne starts to shrink as its fat stores are repurposed into whatever he's making. He gestures toward one of the creatures. He, she, or it steps forward and is absorbed into the blob. Nilbog repeats this order, and the blob gets larger. Eventually it bursts, showering the entire throne room with slime. The creature from inside the bubble starts burrowing downward, appearing less to move earth out of the way than annihilate it on contact. It stops digging, and the creatures nearest the hole haul out a six-foot sphere. Nilbog absorbs it into another blob, which pops. The inside reveals grotesque copies of flower petals. The whole process took a matter of seconds.
"This was, or could have been, the greatest danger faced by any of my enemies, making them strike one another down even were I myself defeated. Now, of course, my enemies have sued for peace, and I have no need of such defenses." The burrowing creature digs up some smaller spheres, and Nilbog destroys those as well.
"Safe and stable? There is one thing. Behold, and see if any can match my power."
He holds out his left hand, and a blob swells. As it does, the figure on the throne starts to shrink as its fat stores are repurposed into whatever he's making. He gestures toward one of the creatures. He, she, or it steps forward and is absorbed into the blob. Nilbog repeats this order, and the blob gets larger. Eventually it bursts, showering the entire throne room with slime. The creature from inside the bubble starts burrowing downward, appearing less to move earth out of the way than annihilate it on contact. It stops digging, and the creatures nearest the hole haul out a six-foot sphere. Nilbog absorbs it into another blob, which pops. The inside reveals grotesque copies of flower petals. The whole process took a matter of seconds.
"This was, or could have been, the greatest danger faced by any of my enemies, making them strike one another down even were I myself defeated. Now, of course, my enemies have sued for peace, and I have no need of such defenses." The burrowing creature digs up some smaller spheres, and Nilbog destroys those as well.
imeanforever
How fortunate Promise has a force field for not permitting slime to get on her.
"Your majesty, I am so delighted to have met with such beneficence. Please don't hesitate to delay us as long as you need to make all needful preparations to leave the city safe and self-contained, but we will be ready to leave at your earliest availability."
"Your majesty, I am so delighted to have met with such beneficence. Please don't hesitate to delay us as long as you need to make all needful preparations to leave the city safe and self-contained, but we will be ready to leave at your earliest availability."
wormcan
Her apparent vassal is slime-covered, but is ignoring it. Better than the creatures; some of them are licking up the greasy slime from wherever it landed.
"I've completed the preparations already, of course. It is only fitting that I should be able to remove some of the most potent threats in mere moments. There is only one thing remaining. My other form."
The giant mole-thing swims downward again, and returns carrying an unconscious human body. A cord runs to the Nilbog on the throne, which disconnects it and slumps over. Rinke stands up, shakily at first, and then shouts out in a reedy voice that hasn't been used in years "Behold, your creator!"
"I've completed the preparations already, of course. It is only fitting that I should be able to remove some of the most potent threats in mere moments. There is only one thing remaining. My other form."
The giant mole-thing swims downward again, and returns carrying an unconscious human body. A cord runs to the Nilbog on the throne, which disconnects it and slumps over. Rinke stands up, shakily at first, and then shouts out in a reedy voice that hasn't been used in years "Behold, your creator!"
imeanforever
Promise turns to the slimeified Alexandria. "I assume there is transport fit for a king standing by?"
wormcan
"Of course, my lady." The character she's playing has no status to address Nilbog directly. "If you'll ask His Majesty to come out the gate, the chariot is prepared."