2nd adventure: Proxy War

At the voice's private suggestion to him, Konrad experiences a strong desire tied to making a deal with the voice to find Kira, thinking something he'd like to say in response to Snicker out loud, but doesn't wish to reveal this yet, along the lines of "that sounds really good."

He isn't aware he can talk back through his thoughts, but there is an innate disapproval of allowing Snicker into his body. However, certain goals and emotions consciously override it.

"We can talk privately if you want. Just think your replies."

Konrad is relieved and pleased by this convenience. He's eager to find what he's after, and thus eager to make a deal. "Help me find Kira. For five minutes inside my body."

"Done. You will know where she is until you're near enough to catch her."

Konrad feels a chill course through his spine. Then, he suddenly can sense Kira's presence eastwards of him, in direction of the monastery.

Konrad guides himself by the additional sense of Kira's location. When closer to the monastery, he will try to sense Breeze's presence with his training in spellcraft.

"I honestly have no idea what her Zelk's job really is,” thinks Steve. “She avoids talking about her current work whenever I ask. Very fishy. I also wonder if she still wears those lacy panties she uses to have back in school. They're very sexy but I didn't mean to look. I had to hide in her laundry once and I'm afraid she'll kill me if she ever finds out. Like literally. With magic. To death. I love her but she has quite the temper you know. Why did we end up together anyway? Was that your doing or what?"

"Oh no, that was her own doing that you're on this mission," responds Snicker. "I won't tell you about what kind of underwear she wears though. Wouldn't want to spoil the surprise, right?"

"Oh definitely. I'm hoping they’re Lorinthian. Yowza. But I meant why we appeared on the beach together. Was that you or one of us or some combination of the two?"

"You did run up to her and took her hand, no? One of the rare times when you didn't approach her with any kind of conniving intention, but genuine concern."

“Yeah. She scares me you know. I think about her a lot and I want to say lots of things to her but she always runs away or binds me up or something. I'm trying to be more honest with her. I hope she feels the same way. Do you have someone you care about Snicker? Like a family or something?"

"Family?" The voice appears taken aback by the question. "No, I do not. Your group are the first people I've really interacted with. You're all interesting, if a little eccentric in your own way."

"Yeah, we are a bunch of misfits. I'm honestly happier than I've ever been. I feel a little guilty that i don't really give a shit about Rags or pirates. I'm just happy we are all safe right now and here together. Not saying I won't try my damnest to complete it, but I'm only doing it for her. We went to school together you know. Even now that big stupid building is home. Where do you come from? Where's your home?"

"This world is my home. But look up, and you'll see where I come from."

"The stars? What are they like? I always thought they were burning matter but I really have no way of proving it. Did something happen where you came from?"

"I don't know. The only thing I'm sure of is I came from there. Like... pollen being swept away by the wind."

"Oh, I love flowers you know. Especially red ones. Do you think Zelk would like some? I think she's allergic. I know, I'll press one in a book and wait until the smell is gone then I'll send it to her. She'll probably secretly like it but she'll probably tell me it's dumb or something. Will you eventually make more of your kind and scatter your children on the wind as it were?"

"I don't rightly know if I even can. I'll have to discover this by myself. But as for Zelk, she's not allergic to flowers, so feel free to send her a whole bouquet if you wish. I'm looking forward to see what happens."

"Oh that's good. I'll need to ask what her favorite color is. She'll probably think I'm pranking her something awful but why would I do that? She's only starting to trust me. I wish I had talked things out with her sooner. Maybe we'd have dated when we were still in school instead of being stuck in limbo wondering if I'll ever see her again after the mission is over. Do you know if there are others of your kind here?"

"Not that I know." It pauses. "Your thoughts are quite whimsical compared to your companions, and there's a lot of focus on Zelk. The two of you are like night and day. I find it hard to believe you are attracted to each other despite that."

"Yeah, she was always the focused one. Like an arrow with a homing enchantment. She's so smart, much smarter than me, and she's cool. Like she doesn't give a fuck what anyone thinks. Not like me. I just found being lonely intolerable. Did you know I did nothing but think about that problem for a solid month? I threw away all my studies while I worked it out. Old Perser, my handler, he was so cool about it. He could see I was pondering something important and he covered for me. He did a lot of that. Is that what Mihai was doing for you?"

"Cover for me? Why would anyone need to cover for me? I've revealed myself to all of you after all, and I'm quite happy to have done so. It's so much more interesting to interact with you than watch from the sidelines. Although Zelk would give me dirty looks all the time if she could."

"Yeah, she does that. Is it the 'I hate you" or the "I hate you but keep talking to me" kind? She speaks more in subtext than she does in any other language. I've always wondered why she finds stuff like this so hard. I wish I could hug it out of her but she gets so uncomfortable whenever someone touches her. Which is weird because she's a great kisser when she isn't biting me. Has she tried to talk to you yet? I bet she can't wait to categorize you in the friend/foe dynamic."

"She hasn't, since she doesn't know we can talk privately like this. Maybe I'll talk to her later, and find out more about this emotion you call love. I keep seeing it all the time, and I just have to understand it. Maybe I will once I share someone else's body."

"Oh, it's a multifaceted thing love is. It's an emotion, several different kinds of relationships, and an action. You are more than capable of it in your current form. You just have to help someone because you want to. Or listen to them when they need that. It's the best, really, and at the heart of almost all of our interactions with each other. Velstar taught me that, a long time ago. If you were with us in Waterglass then you likely saw her."

"Oh, there's no need for me to be present to know what happened there. You are like an open book to me."

"Oh, that's nice. I wish I could make Zelk understand so well. I wonder if she feels that way about me now that I think about it. But if you didn't join us in Waterglass when did you start following us around?"

“Back in Zest's Gate. I was following the man in rags to see what would happen, and I saw your group arrive on the docks. I thought it would be more fun to watch you."

"Yeah, I don't think following around a guy in rags who is stuck in a magically sealed coffin is all that interesting either. Oh wait, I still have hours, possibly days, of doing so ahead of me. But following Zelk around isn't a bad thing. She's got a great ass and she's super fun to talk to. What did Mihai just say?"

While searching for a tree to climb, Konrad decides to initiate mental contact with Snicker.

“What are you?" he asks.

"I don't think there is a word for what I am. Yet. Just call me Snicker."

"An apt name. Can you try to explain? You are not just a voice we hear in our heads."

"Of course not. It's just that you can't see me, the same way you cannot see the air you are breathing."

For a second, Konrad's breath hitches. He starts to think of words. He stops. "What is the first thing you remember?"

"The sky, and clouds."

"How do you know what they are? Do you know what we are?" Words come to mind. Mages. Blessed. Rangers. Soldiers. Fairies. Humans. Flood.

"I know because I was born on this world, although a few concepts are still difficult to grasp. Like, why are you so focused on Kira Paddle and Naomi Weir? Your feelings about those two women are completely opposed to each other."

There's a hitch in Konrad's mental flow, a pause of blankness. Then, indignation, and a feeling of offense for how Snicker must have obtained this observation of his regard for Naomi without his awareness, and how one views rudeness, and prying - the potent negativity associated with one intentionally learning what someone has otherwise kept private. He feels like Snicker read his mind. He's not aware of how Snicker learns these things, or if he intended to. No, there's that pause, then not a feeling of indignation, but Konrad is on guard against Snicker invading his mind to learn anything deeper than what he innately observes.

"You are concerned,” says Snicker. “I would like to reassure and say there are certain things I do not know about you, but that would be a lie. Just like you cannot prevent yourself from seeing through your eyes, I cannot stop myself from knowing your mind."

“I see.” Konrad may as well explain as much as he's willing to. "They're different people. We've interacted differently in different times, in different places, in different ways." More or less on that last part. It feels like Snicker doesn't understand, and is trying to learn.

"They're both women you were attracted to, and have slept with. Why are your feelings about them so radically different from each other?"

“Hmm. Well, I see no harm in explaining. One was first mate in a crew who betrayed an alliance with my crew. Our dealings with each other were a ruse, our trust a mere means to an end at our expense. My captain and a lot of people I once called friends are dead because of her, and I would be too if I wasn't lucky. It gets worse. She used my attraction to her to blind me. She betrayed me twice over, and for that, her days are numbered."

"I do not understand. She was a pirate. Shouldn't such a deception be expected from anyone in this line of business?"

"Aye. We were pirates. And I have wronged many. When a man is wronged, he has every right to seek vengeance. And someone who has wronged his fellow man must be prepared to face his wrath. Just so between me and Kira."

"Sounds like you could have used my help."

"I guess. Were you alive back then?"

"Oh no, I wasn't. I'm not sure how long I've been here, but it hasn't been that long."

"Yes, before you, before fairies, there was just people and magic after the Flood."

"Sounds boring. So there was no one like me to help around then?"

"No. Why do you want to help? What makes the three of us so special to you?"

"You were sent to look for the man in the coffin. I'm curious to see how it plays out, and am willing to help you get what you wish. It will be so interesting. While I do not understand it completely, your hate for Kira Paddle is fascinating, which is why I am helping you find her. I can do much more too, if the need ever arises."

Hmm. "Yes, I distinctly remember you laughing inside my head. I couldn't spare a thought to my personal well-being at the time, but I thought I might have been half mad at that point. What was so funny?"

"The look on your faces when you saw those tentacles rise from the sea," happily replies Snicker. "From where I was watching, it was pretty funny to watch. Out of all of you, I think you're the most likely to understand me."

Maybe it was. Konrad on the other hand was terrified. He's given some thought to finding the kraken again to kill it good and proper, but he likely will not attempt that for quite some time. "How so?" he asks.

"The more you learn about me, the more apparent it should become. I'm grateful you've opened up to me, even if just a little. I feel this relationship is going to be good for both of us. Also, if you ever need more help to deal with Kira Paddle, do not hesitate to ask."

Konrad has climbed as far as he can go by now, and can see the monastery from where he is. "We'll see, 'Snicker'."

"Yes, we will." There's a pause. "What a gorgeous view."

"Indeed." He pauses. "I thought about how nice it would be to take Naomi up to the crow's nest of the Barracuda at sea. With the rain and the wind at the time though, it was not to be."

"I think I understand why you hate Kira Paddle, but why have any sort of attachment for Naomi Weir? Is this the same sort of attachment Mihai has for Fedler?"

Sigh. "We had what some call a 'fling'." His mind tries to encompass everything about a sexual encounter for the encounter's sake from the feelings (or lack thereof), to its meaning, and its significance to those involved, as well as how others may feel about it (especially those with romantic,and possibly platonic) attachments to one or more of the people involved. "She doesn't have anyone like Fedler does. At least, I didn't ask."

"And you don't have anyone like Mihai does." It stops for a second. "Interesting, what she thinks about you."

Konrad was ready to brush this off and back to the rest of the group. He stops climbing before he's even halfway down. "What *does* she think? His interest is...well, he's not sure what he'll do with the knowledge.

"That kind of knowledge is special, which means that if you want to know, a deal would have to be made. But would you really want to? As you said yourself, it was a fling."

"She is...a curiosity to me. I think I will try to find out the old-fashioned way. Drama makes our lives interesting and fun."

It snickers. "That it does."

This is definitely a Stoic monastery, and an old one at that. The design is deliberately simple, and reminiscent of ancient architecture which dates back to before the Flood. You know there will be sliding doors inside instead of what you're used to, and tatami floors. Just like this.

You're pretty sure this is a Stoic monastery, but this is the first time you've ever seen one, so you do not know what to expect.

You can feel Kira's presence coming from inside.

It's totally Breeze.

"They asked me to act like his master, so just keep doing that!"

I'll also wait for Rory to post before we go forward.