Night time, Show Time
A friend of mine drew the picture linked, which is NSFW. Comenting on it, he later asked me to write a story about her, and threw up a few ideas. In return, I did this in a one shot - and here is the story I did for him. More chapters may follow in the future; but I am very pleased with what I've come up with. The picture belongs to MeanDraco, but the story is mine. Please enjoy, comment as you like.
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/7125629
Night time. Show time.
A hand moves in the dark. The covers are drawn down and a body rises onto a mattress. Eyes close, and the mind stills. The moon shows her face, a laughing smile or a mask that shows only fae eyes beyond the veil of clouds and stars aglow. The mind is free, set to wander in darkness, to feel the old byways of thought and premonition where the old magic still slumbers, to be open to...
Suggestion.
That's where I come in. I'm nervous, I'm always nervous before hitting a new client, and doing a new job. The information is valuable - the new clients are always the most valuable, a virgin field that opens to such delighted implanting of suggestion and ideas and weaving of translated magic, but hardly an easy gig. I check my outfit - my tendrils coil to feel for the powders, dusts, and old polished bones - wards against the bad folk. I catch a look of my face in a mirror, four green eyes stare back. I rub the bone of my jaw, then lick my palm to smear on the large clump of tendrils at the back of my head. Lay flat, damn you.
Nervous. The sands run low - it's almost go time. I nodded to Sral'Vhek, his head bobs in turn as he finishes lighting the fifth candle and sets it to a pentagram; red lines running the outer, blue the inner, and gold wards protecting the traveler in the dark space. Nervous, I review the plans of the house - there is an old emergency exit in the basement, a door that no one checks in their world. I look up again at my crew - Boydhaah and Threduu each finishing the chants to open the way. Their work is a strain, channeling the flow between two worlds and aligning into one passage is never easy. The girls can do it - they are the best.
And then I'm ready. The flames flare, red, white, yellow, blue, green, black, each color in succession proving it's time to go. The black flares back to green, a slow burn on the fat and ash candles providing me with two hours time - plenty to do my work and enjoy something from the fridge, as it were. The trainee lowers a rope - I don't remember its name, but if it passes through the final tests, I'll worry about it. The rope connects to an overhead suspension bar - a marvel of Otherworld Engineering, it can support everyone in the crew and then some. I take a moment to admire the works of humans, their simple understanding of WHY something works always provides such useful tools.
No matter. I tie the rope to my suit - letting it slide through each hook so that I won't break my neck if the aim is off. I nod to the trainee, kiss its forehead, and then take a breath. Don't touch the lines of the wards, don't touch, don't...
I leap, my legs bunching as I cover the distance and land in the center of the portal, and begin to fall. I keep my eyes closed, my senses focused inward, and not looking into the space between realities. I couldn't take it, no one has been able to look in and see without disappearing. I don't want to disappear, I still have an appointment with my dermatologist for working with my damn tentacles before my date.
I met the cutest Arranarra in the office party during winter solstice - and after a few glasses of wine and the group party was over, I was able to get his number. He had such fine feathers on his brow, and slick skin. He worked at imageering in the upper department. He also gave fantastic neck rubs.
I fell, I fell, I fell. The effects of dilation made it feel like I was falling forever, but the rational side reminded me that it was just relative. I shook a bit - feeling cold, but kept my eyes closed and listened to the rope and suit react. Midway, three quarters, I gripped the brake and began to slowly squeeze, slowing myself as I felt the hot alien other rush up against my feet, my ankles, my knees butt and back, then overwhelm my senses and send me into spasms in the crossing point. And I gripped the brake tightly and felt myself slow, just before I landed.
Landed, of course, meaning I hit the ground at fifteen kilometers an hour and felt the shock race through my legs and back. The suit absorbed most of it, but I'd feel the ache in my old age. Of course, I'd be a master interpreter by then, as soon as my degree was done. I fumbled above me for the light switch and blinked about, the bright yellow light making my head buzz. I'd stare into light bulbs later, for now I had work, and one never tranced at work if they wished to keep their employment.
Boxes. Boxes, a broom that would have been unpleasant to land on - dust pans and a mop and, oh, there was the door. I shook my head and rubbed at the gem of my brow, and sighed. Humans, the most cluttered of people. So much stuff, not enough lights, I thought. I wanted to stare into a dark light bulb but didn't want to go to the meetings. Harmless source of mind alteration my cloaca.
I open the door. Brass. Brass is good for door handles - it wards against evil intending spirits. Being neither a spirit, nor evil intending, I ignored the pressure on my temples and slunk out of the closet, into what felt to be a basement. Unfinished floor, water-heating tank, and stairs that were rickety and unsafe and doubly useless for escaping terrorizing monsters - check. Basement.
I stepped past the sleeping canine - the short thing extra fuzzy and had a very floppy set of ears. Ugly little beast. I reached down and pushed my forefinger against the base of its spine, and pushed, feeling the undercurrent of energy that was a relatively advanced nervous system. I kept my finger there, feeling about harmlessly in his mind, then felt a smile touch my cheeks. Perfect. I poured a touch of the dream scape into the beasts mine - and watched its legs kick as it dreamt.
The beast stood on a great field of grass - surrounded by its family, who were all large dogs that walked on two legs. Each held a giant bone in their mouth, from the magnificent steak-beast that they had slain and seared with their magical 'food make taste better' powers. The youngest of the walks-on-two-legs canines held a ball, and threw it; but the ball was not green felt, but made of raw steak, and the ball transformed into a hundred thousand of them, each calling for the beast to come and eat it, for it was delicious, and covered in steak sauce. And kibble. And tasted like rabbit, which the dog had never had, but probably tasted like steak juice.
Weird animal. I left the dream to play in the mind of the creature - then crept up the stairs, shaking my head with a cluck of my tongue. I tried the door and grunted, as the lock refused to budge. I squeezed again, and sighed. Locked doors, they were always a bane of my work. I tapped the lock and crouched down - a deadbolt with a simple slider. I stood and reached into my forefront pouch on my belt, then withdrew a small probe. I twisted three of the rune locks and settled it into place, inserting into the bolt passage. One, two, three, I used quick gestures and found the bolt unlock, then stepped through the opened door.
Tile. Kitchen. I peered around the room, but it was quiet and dark, just the way I liked my mission. I made a note to raid the fridge for something to eat, but I passed through, admiring the shiny front of the washing devices. Lazy creatures, humans. I passed from the kitchen and up the stairs - to the second floor. Red carpet, quiet hall - I passed the first room, to the middle. The plans placed the target here - and here I was. I opened the door and stepped through, into the sanctum of the dreamer.
Music played low - a rhythmic pace filled with energy electric and positive. I glanced at the large music emiters, each came from either side of a viewing screen - which gave off a low wash of colors from an LCD monitor. A small plush fox rested beside it, old, ragged, but well loved. But the main target of this evenings endeavor.
A human. Pale skin and short brown-red hair caught my eye first, giving him a handsome appearance, coupled with the strong jaw and full nose. Of course, I found most ugly things to be adorable - much like the fuzzy monster in the basement - and I crept forward, through the cluttered room and onto a warm shag carpet. My toes clenched into it, my talon tips digging into the material for a long moment. I wanted some for my room.
But ignoring the euphoria on my feet, I crept close, and observed the dreamer for a moment more. He was bare chested - the blanket lowered on him, as the room was hot. I stroked my fingers through the thin hair on his chest, then pushed in, over his heart, to feel for his pulse. It was strong. He was ready for dreams. I smiled.
Candles were set out - one on the desk, one on the dresser, one for the headboard above the bed. A crystal was set to his brow, to his chest, one to belly, groin, and between his feet - each a point of power on this shorts-clad person. I rose a hand over his chest and took in a deep breath - smelling him in the room, the scents of past deeds, and the musk of life. I touched my fingers in a stroking pattern to his chest and belly. Animals were easy to influence, but humans took effort. I relished the challenge, and finished the incantation over him - then drew up a thin silver powder, and blew it into his face.
He coughed and shook his head out, before his eyes began to flutter, and his mind opened to me. I gazed into his face - traced the side of it, over the cheekbone and down again. Breathing deep, breathing long, I whispered to him, and pulled out a long, cylindrical tube, rose shaped at one end and rounded at the other. This I placed at his brow and began to focus, focusing upon the flow of thoughts that were chaotic, half formed, and entirely unaware. My world began to blur, my thoughts and his becoming one, and I falling into his domain, and the paths of old magic. Old magic, old thoughts, dreams of the world before this one. Such were a human's gift - to know, and never worry about. But I smiled, and set to work.
I stood on a grey plain, which stretched to an infinite direction. Small clouds of silver and gray rumbled on the horizon, and everything was a distinct monochromatic pallor to it. My ordinarily green and purple hide was white as snow - as though I had not yet been inked in. In the distance, mountains formed and fell away, time flowing sideways, with distinct images showing and adding away before they could be seen, so leaving only a blur on the edge of my memory.
I flew - the laws were different here. I flew through the plains, which flowed from infinitely fine sands of the dream time, into marble and slate - then into grass that crunched beneath my feet. I walked where I could no longer fly, and came to a tall crystal dome that stood taller than the suns - suns that were faces that smiled and laughed and cried and frowned. The four circled the high spire, but gave off a very comfortable sense of heat. I could have fallen to sleep then and there, but that was the danger of dreaming - one wanted to stay and become it.
But there he was. A long beard hung from his face and a grand staff in his right hand - which hummed with the power of the old magic. He turned to gaze upon me - his eyes filled with power. He was one of the old powers, but all humans were, or so I had been told. I shook my head out - trying to clear and focus. He was strong willed, stronger of memory.
"Allesbra." He spoke - a glass ramp stretched out before me, and invited me up. A cloth of great silk and whispered fiber hung to my body, and rings of gold and platinum hung from the small antlers on either side of my head - the bone carved with runes. He smiled to me, a look of warmth I his face - who I was, what I was, I couldn't tell, but I knew I was performing rightly for him.
"Yes, I am here." The words came from me. I shifted, reaching for the crystal that hung at my throat - both a release from the dream, and a way to remember myself. I held the crystal up and held it out to him - waves of light rippling off of the thing, in washes of green and blue. His eyes flowed with the color - then back again to look up at me.
Tapestries unrolled from walls that formed, bricks building together and becoming old stonework, masonry of high quality. I drug my body up - a weight of a crown at my brow - the crystal still heavy in my hand, and now a part of a scepter. A kingdom, a castle, he was a lord, a king on a throne of dark mahogany and oak.
I lifted the scepter and held the crystal out before him. Light flowed again - then began to form shapes and images that held no sense to me, but made sense to him. His mouth opened to whisper words and take formation of shapes that replaced the walls - geometric patterns as his dreams. And as his dreams fell into the patterns that I needed, I stepped back, leaving the images in his head - and puled free of his sleep, to the other world.
The other world, where everything was real, and my body was drenched in sweat from focus. I felt cold - drained. I always felt cold and drained. I was going to raid his fridge. I pulled the crystals off of his body and extinguished the candles, then settled them into my pack - but left the one on his forehead, which glowed faintly. It probably caught me naked as well, which would give the lonely bastards in Imagineering something to enjoy.
I was hungry. I stood and opened the front of my suit to let off the built up heat, and felt the cooler air of the room. I left it open and crept down to the kitchen and opened up the fridge, while waiting for the dream-time to finish. Mm, turkey sandwiches. I piled on cheese and stole one of his beers and popped it open- and sat, flipping through the newspaper while enjoying my swag. The beer was swill, but it was also pilfered, so the flavor was fantastic.
I belched when I'd finished off the beer and grabbed the plate and crumbs - wheat bread always had better taste than white, and the cheeses of this world were to die for. I hopped up the stairs and placed the plate on his dresser, and gently laid the bottle down on the pillow beside him, then sat on the edge of his bed, paper under my arm. I liked Dilbert; some aspects were common place, no matter what reality one was in.
The crystal would take time; it always did. I gave a few more glances over the comics; and waited patiently, then boredly. I tapped my claws on his bed, then, with a mischievous little grin, slid the blankets down to get a better look at him. A firm abdomen, a bit of hair running down to his groin, and hidden under the boxers, which made me smile. Hearts, what was with hearts on clothing?
I pulled it down and hummed to myself - pausing a second to take in an eyeful of his pubic hair - which was nice, curly, short. I wasn't much a fan of non-feathery body adornment, but, I did have an odd taste, or so I had been told before. But, the real prize was nice and full between his legs - and gave me a moment to admire - oh so pleasingly admire. My boney snout clicked as I took in an eyeful of the prize - and sighed - such a delightful sight. I gave a look about, and bit my tongue.
One did not interfere with the dream processing. This was the rule, the law of the work - it troubled the collection data and, worse, made for a lost job if one was not careful. I grabbed the blanket and held it up to cover him again, but couldn't move. I felt warm, and flush, I wanted to do more. I quivered and felt my tendrils rise up over the back of my head.
Excitement. Mine. His body reacted to the subtle pheromones, and he swelled up nicely. I licked my snout again and ran my fingertips on the lower belly - but pulled away. Flushed, at my chest, around the eyes, the tips of my tendrils, flushed, even at my cloacal vent; I was flush - this was the wrong way of doing this. I needed to talk to a counselor; it was getting terrible if I was distracted. Of course, I was also a bit tipsy on the beer. Yes, that was an excuse.
I grunted, and grabbed the crystal as soon as it flared, and shoved it into the pouch at the back of my suit - and lingered - my legs rooted to the ground. I couldn't move, even if I wanted to. The lustful need was there - tingling my senses. I took a long, last gaze at him, handsome in the dark - and slid my left hand over his abdomen, to caress the muscle and skin with care. His skin was smooth.
I felt my hand draw lower, and nearly gripped upon the flesh when a small chime sounded - making me jump and my palm brush him. I swore - the candles were getting low and the time to go was now. I swore loudly and jerked away from him and raced down the stairs - there was five minutes to get through the portal before it closed, cutting me off from the ether. I lunged through the stairway door and slammed it shut behind me, and grabbed the rope. I tugged and wrapped it around myself, and gave two sharp tugs - and began to climb, as the portal wobbled and threw off odd colors. Fuck, slow, too slow.
The climb, with my eyes closed, was long - even with the dilation of time it was forever to get through. I grabbed quicker as the rope began to retract away, and felt the air grow cooler, the natural feel of my native world. I grabbed the edge of the portal and pulled myself up, my body arching and my legs splayed while the rope continued to pull - though some of it was still stuck in the portal. The waves of energy fluttered through, shaking my body, before it popped - the membranes between realities fluttering closed with an audible squelch. The end of the rope was cut clean, as was the tip of a claw - too damn close.
"Good timing. Almost had to send a rescue team the next time conjunction hit. You don't want to be caught in the other side." Sral'Vhek murmured. The grand hood of his head crest flared wide, with worry, and irritation that it took so long. And worry. Worry that I nearly got cut in half from a portal accident. "Crystal good? Processing done?"
"Yes." I said, giving the pouch a pat, before collapsing down on the ritual sight. I was tired. Crossing between was a massive drain; and stealing a meal always helped prevent the burn of low calories. "It's done, though he had some damn weird dreams."
"Humans often do." My boss said, giving my head a pat before helping me up to my feet. I wavered then shook out - before looking up at the cold-iron door that lead out of the domed room. The hexigramical wards were in full effect to prevent possession and the in-between creatures cross through to either reality. I'd seen the carnage of one of them getting through - I had lost my brother and best friend from an accident. Such were the risks, I supposed.
"Take the rest of the day off. See you in a few days after you rest up." He gave me a once over then slithered through a second door, to have the crystal processed and prepared for interpretation of data. I gave a nod to the twins, then let the newbie clean up, before making my way towards the cafeteria. I had a few friends to bullshit with - they'd be getting back themselves about now anyway.
Still, I smiled. It had been a good day. My hand still tingled where I'd brushed the gent. I felt myself flush again, but shook it off. It wasn't professional.
I'd take care of that after work anyway.
They were already at our table the other girls. Jheykha, with her scales and chitin and proboscis styled tongue, the eyeless sensory-adept Vannav across from her, playing with a deck of cards. I didn't ask how she was the best rummy poker in the entire building - asking a sensory adept why was never a good idea, her sense of touch probably enough to read the ink of the card. At the northernmost spot was the plain looking Jax, her body sky clad, gleaming with a soft radiance of light. She smiled, but her jaws were built to show the needle like teeth and long sharp edged ears added to the plain-look. She was my best friend. They all were, really.
I sat across from the four, rubbing my hide-covered hands together, and looked between the others. They smiled, nodded, and welcomed me. They even had a mai-tai waiting for me - one of the joys of human food processes. I gave it a drink and sighed.
"Humans." I murmured, catching a laugh from Jheykha. She turned her beak like face towards me, and licked the edge of her jaw. She tugged at another card and tossed it to me - it landing face up on the top of my drink. It was the delighted Queen of Hearts; an image of the queen of spring in full glory - a Fae Queen of the Sidhe. I gave the picture a kiss then slid it back over to the deck.
"Humans indeed." Jheykha replied, "What did you get up to this time? Take photographs of yourself? Steal a towel and some soap? Beer?"
"Beer yes. I haven't taken soap in a long time. I was already talked to about that. Not my fault I like bubble bath." I replied, grumpy. I'd gotten into big trouble for stealing a 40oz bottle of bubble bath, but, the damn thing was pink! Pink!
"Well, as long as you didn't break the big ones, I don't care." She gave me a grin and stuck her tongue out, all twelve inches flicking into the drink. "Anyway, party at my place, if you all wanna go. It's time to rest, and enjoy ourselves. So finish your drink, and we can get out of this joint."
I gave a nod, and bit my tongue. A party? Tonight?
Oh, but it was an interesting night.