...Valar?

The kind of thing the Enemy is. They're as old as the universe.

...there's more of them? Also, uh?

That evacuation plan suddenly sounds like a much better idea.

Yeah, it might be necessary. But the other ones aren't evil. What were you imagining the Enemy was?

I mean, mostly just a person with some really spectacularly powerful magic? Things in this world mostly come in 'basically a person' and 'basically an animal', even when they're, like, dragons or weird magic beasts or whatever.

We also have 'basically a god'. Sadly.

Lovely.

Your magic will help a lot. We might be able to teleport the Enemy to a planet with no one on it, or something.

Yeah, maybe.

I think I need to know more about how Valar work, but sometime when I can focus better.

Okay. 

I think that was harder on you than on me.

Which, seeing them? Seems likely. I'll be okay, though.

Yes, but I didn't anticipate that. He sounds distressed.

It was kind of on impulse. And I don't think you remembered Huan, Huan really did not help at all. She sends a memory of being in very close proximity of the mouth of a creature who stands taller than she does.

Remember him, just not as scary. Fluffy. Just a puppy.

Mm.

Part of what's going on here is that I don't actually very much mind being scared? Like, it's not my favorite thing, but I also don't do a whole lot to avoid it, when there's a reason to do whatever scary thing.

You seem to be less functional afterwards.

For a while, yeah. I bounce back okay, though, and I think I'm more functional overall than I would be if I tried to avoid it, not that that's the main thing I even care about with that.

As long as it works for you.

Mmhmm.

The thing to know with that is... I mentioned I stayed with the tigerfolk for a summer when I was a kid? That wasn't, uh, people who thought I was a person. They thought I was an animal and they didn't take it well when I acted like I wasn't. And, yeah, it was only a season, but I was only a kid, and it was the first time I'd been in a situation even a little bit like that - I was used to the group consensus around me being, y'know, safe, and I didn't really have an idea yet of how to ignore it or even notice when it wasn't. So that really messed me up, and one of the things it messed me up about was thinking I wasn't allowed to have emotions, or act on them, and another thing it messed me up about was thinking that I wasn't allowed to have goals or act on them. When I got out and got better I had to basically re-learn that, and I probably overshot a little, but I'm fine with that - I'd rather be like this than be more like that.

I can imagine. You have quite ambitious goals at the moment. They span three worlds, if I recall.

She chuckles. That is not even slightly my fault.

When you saw me you decided to grab me and leave. And to find my world again to contact my people.

That, okay, but anybody would have done that in my position.

That does not seem to lessen the good it achieved or the pride you should take in it.

...true. She giggles, just a little, and sits up, smoothing the blanket out underneath her.