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The small ship now known as Ducky landed at the front of the humans' compound. Jane stepped up in her unofficial role as greeter with a wave towards the raptors and robot with a pair of shorts as customary for Oddclaw.

"Hellooo Oddie!"

"Hello Jane," he said with a sighing slump.

"What's the matter?"

"I had a fight with Moonclaw, about...this."

"Awww no I'm so sorry."

"I am just taking them here and then I will leave, is that alright?"

"That is absolutely fine, the ship will be ready in an hour at least, we're still trying to figure out a few kinks. Why not come inside and have some chocolate?"

"Okay."

"Hellooo Barkclaw, Dronin!" She stepped over to his brother and shook Dronin's hand. "How are you two today?"

"We are well thank you," replied the machine, "I apologise for our sudden arrival."

"Oh that's fine, don't worry about it."

[i]"She has stone arm too!"[/i] gasped Barkclaw sniffing at her steel hand. [i]"Why does she have it?"[/i]

[i]"She lost her arm,"[/i] explained Dronin back, [i]"the hairless made her a new one."[/i]

[i]"Oh...I am sorry."[/i]

"He offers condolences for your new arm-"

"Please." She held her hand up against his translation. "I'd rather not think about it, let's just get you all in, now..."

Lastly she stepped towards the new arrivals. The human she was trying to estimate what culture he came from by his outlandish clothing that seemed to combine Arabic and European motifs, though his face was quite a Nordic pallour and his short grey hair almost resembled a military crew cut. But the smaller robed creature reminded her of a Muppet in his soft-textured nose, soft green curls bouncing around his head and wide childish eyes as she shook their hands.

"Welcome to the T.E.A.R. base, my name is doctor Jane Addison, I'm the neurotherapist around here."

"Well met madame," the man bowed with a gentle kiss upon her right hand. "My name is Haytham Durai, it is an honour to make thine acquaintance."

"Ohoho, goodness thank you!"

"And I am James," replied the youth with a bow and a kiss, "I am thankful to meet you."

"Well you ARE charming aren't you both of you?! Alright let's take you both in and then you can tell us your story."

They walked behind her in a single file, Oddclaw heading first alongside her with Barkclaw in tow and Dronin as chaperone. The feral raptor roved his eyes all over the place with excitement bristling in his teeth, the lights so strange and the walls so smooth as he occasionally licked or nuzzled against their cool surfaces to smell and taste the salted sweat that had permeated across their surfaces. Holt soon arrived to greet the raptors as he hugged Oddie.

"Eyyyyy dab, Barky, Dronin!"

"Hello Jeremy," replied Odd glumly.

"Awww whussa matter?"

"Moonclaw is upset with me."

"Awww thuh missus eh?" He made a soft whistle of trouble ahead. "Well I'm sure she'll be fine in a bit."

"I have to go home soon, I promised I would spend a night with her."

"Mmmmm...I see."

"Could you look after my brother?" said the raptor forcing a yawn out to keep himself awake. "He wants to stay here for a day to see what it is like."

"OH, no problem good thing I brought me translator," he pulled it out and clasped it on to speak to the feral. "Ello there lad!"

[i]"H-hello!"[/i] whimpered Barkclaw nervously.

"You remember me, Oddie's friend?"

[i]"Yes, yes you mate with him."[/i]

"Hhhahahaha, that I do! Why don't I show you whut we do round here for fun?"

[i]"A-are YOU going to mate with me?!"[/i]

"Nooooo noooo...not unless you WANT me to."

[i]"Um, n-no, sorry."[/i]

"Hahahaha, I'm just teasin' you dab, come on lemme show you summat."

Taking the brother and his robot carer away to the rec room, Holt gave a thumbs up to Oddie who walked with the rest of the entourage in looking for the kitchen. James stepped alongside him with curious eyes beaming up at him.

"I feel I must...apologise for all that has transpired."

"Hmmm?" he looked back at him sleepily.

"I cannot help but think that our arrival was ill-timed, Oddclaw."

"It is fine, you did not know."

"Forgive my impertinence but...why are you wearing clothes in this place and not at your home?"

"I do not like clothes," he replied almost dragging his feet, "but the humen do not like seeing me naked, it makes them un...un-comfor-ugh-"

"Uncomfortable?" queried James leaning slightly on his umbrella.

"Yes thank you, so I wear this only at this place for the humen."

"Aaaah I see...haha, I take it Lemglish is not your first language."

"No, I spent years learning the humen language."

"I am astonished that they speak the same as us."

"I am too," said Haytham striding alongside Jane in front of them, "it is a marvel to think two worlds can possess but a similar language."

"It happens oddly more than you think!" replied Jane rubbing her steel arm under its sleeve. "But Dronin is on hand to help us with other languages though he can only really translate one at a time, we had quite a bit of problem last month with an island that nobody spoke a language we understood."

"Oh?" asked Durai. "And how didst one manage such a dilemma?"

"Well we luckily had someone else from another world, a lovely genie girl who cast some magic translating spell over us to help. With the raptors, Oddie's group and I guess every other dinosaur out there, we had Dronin construct translators for each of us."

"Ahhh I see, there are other creatures here too?"

"Yes, many of them, but they all seem to share a common language with some words here and there unique to some of them. It's very fascinating!"

"I am something of a prelate in the art of linguistics so I would be honoured if I could learn more of this language and your research into such, doctor Addison."

"Gladly!"

"Ah, I must go," Oddclaw stopped around the kitchen, "I need something to wake up."

"Alright then," said the doctor, "we'll be at the meeting room alright Oddie?"

"Okay, see you there."

As Oddclaw went to grab himself some hot chocolate, Jane led them to the meeting room past a few other guards and some robotic workers wheeling about or scuttling on the walls fixing small imperfections in the steel and stone passages. Across a glowing green table that showed the length of the primordial land was Thomas Brightman and Andrea Dixon, guarded by two soldiers as they shook his hand.

"Ahhh, good afternoon," started Thomas as he shook their hands. "I am Major-General Thomas Brightman, the military commander of this complex."

"Haytham Durai, an honour to meet you sir."

"I am James, th-thank you kindly for receiving us sir."

"I must apologise for our arrival," began Durai with practiced bow, "I assure you it was not intended."

"It's fine," waved Brightman offhand, "we're rather used to this now unfortunately, though I admit your arrival is certainly unexpected."

"We are mere travellers of knowledge, we shan't take up anymore of your time than necessary."

"You travel from world to world, by yourselves?"

"Indeed." The man clasped his book tighter with a firm scratch to his bearded chin. "Forgive my indiscretion but I cannot help but feel you are not native to this world."

"Well to answer that I should introduce you to our chief physicist, the head of our scientific endeavours."

He swept his hand towards her as she shook their hands in turn.

"Doctor Andrea Dixon, I'm the head of Third Energy Research around here."

"Ahhh well met!" said Haytham gladly grinning. "Tis an honour to meet another colleague esteemed of the sciences."

"Oh, you're a scientist too?"

"Indeed, my major is Astrology though now that has become something of a divertissement-"

"A-andrea...Dixon?!"

James sputtered with a hot flush to his face, wiping his brow with one hand whilst fiddling frantically at his umbrella handle with the other.

"U-u-um, m-madam I...h-hoh, forgive me but, I-i have to ask you something."

"Yes?" she asked crossing her arms with raised brow.

"Did you...six years back, did you open a portal into someone's room and speak with a young boy?"

"...wait..." Andrea stepped back with a cautious nerve as she cast her mind back. "Six years ago I-...that, was...oh...oh my god I do, a-are you that kid I talked to?"

"YES! Y-yes I was, I never had the chance to introduce myself but I remember your name, A-andrea Dixon! You came from a place called Earth, a sort of different time, not the one you are in right now. Your group were sent millions of years back in its history and you were trying to return back whence you came! Am I right, m-madame?"

The humans reeled with shock at the lemming's comprehension as Dixon clutched the table.

"Oh, jesus I DO remember you! S-subject Two!"

"Wai-wait THIS is Subject Two?!" asked Jane astounded. "A-are you serious?!"

"He is, how else would he know about us?!"

"Ha ha ha!" chortled Haytham with a hefty pat of the youth's shoulder. "I remember you gave us both quite the perturbation!"

"Th-this is unbelievable...did you plan on coming to this world just to find me?"

"W-well...technically yes but actually no," said the lemming bashfully rubbing his head, "it is rather complicated and in part I feel that perhaps...master, should we explain?"

"I feel that would be best," said Durai calmly sitting himself down as James did the same, "would you permit us to explain how we came to this world?"

"Yes," said Thomas as him, Jane and Andrea also sat down on seats. "We've had at least two other visitors who managed to come of their own will to our world, but due to our third energy projects, most of the visitors we've had were unwilling."

"I see, and these are the anomalies you are researching yes?"

"Precisely. So how did you get here?"

"Through these."

He nodded to his pupil as they both pulled out a book each from their satchels, medium-sized tomes with smooth grey covers and hard wooden spines. At this point Oddclaw had arrived into the room with a mug of hot cocoa, sipping it carefully before sitting himself down next to Jane as the newcomers explained.

"We are students of The Art," began Haytham, "I know that is not an imaginative name but I was not the one to discover it."

"The Art?" asked Jane.

"Behold."

They opened their books and much to their surprise there was nothing upon the pages. Blank thin vellum which started to flap and shudder before turning their own pages towards something. A small rectangle that flickered like a television screen, sparking with static until it came alive with a world beyond their own reckoning. They saw a village medieval set upon the coast of a grand island as other creatures resembling James milled to and fro between houses and workshops. Hammering chisels and crowded voices rang out in stereo from the pages, whispering of the space between dimensions as they felt something suck them in. Their eyes roved with wonder, but Jane was enchanted the most as her hand tried to reach out to the pages. Tantalising with mythic wonder she trembled through her fingers until they closed the books, the spell soon broken across her senses.

"Wha-" gasped Brightman, "was that, wha...was that another world?!"

"A sorcerer from an island created this power," said Durai.

"Looked like you put a damn TV inside of that book!"

"As you can see for yourself," he held the book before him showing every page devoid of mechanical tricks, "there is no technology within these pages to fool thee."

"Ah huhhhh...so it...it really is-"

"[i]Magic,[/i]" whispered Addison with breathless glee.

"The ability to connect realms through these books," continued Haytham, "Linking Books as he called them."

"Kon-nect?" asked Oddclaw. "What does that mean?"

"To reach out to another world, to cross over from one's current place to another just as we have done by The Art, which involves writing our access point to another realm."

"Oh..." the raptor scritched his head drinking more of the hot chocolate, "that is strange, so...do you write a new world in the book?"

"N-no, not as such," explained James fidgeting with his taped fingers, "I could never create a realm, n-not even master could, that would be far too...I would have to be but a god, this is merely divination!"

He looked towards Durai as if asking permission to which the man nodded smiling. James leaned forwards with hands grasping out as if trying to wrest the subject apart.

"You see, every realm already exists, but in order for one to reach it, one must learn to understand it. They must feel that realm's energy, touch it, harness and WEAVE it into a narrative that allows one's mind to enter upon its scape, and so too does the body follow after."

"I...do not un-derstand," said Oddclaw squinting his head hard towards him.

"I-it is a rather...incongruous form of magic, even I do not fully comprehend it, haha."

"Do not sell yourself short James," said Haytham kindly, "some things may be hard to put into words, but your heart understood it well."

"Th-thank you, master. I...s-suppose the best way I can explain it is that I was able to reach your home because...I FELT it. I felt its energy, I felt the souls of those within and I could sense the emotions that all of you felt. As such, I...well."

He pulled out another book similar to the one he had out already, but this one was much more stressed and worn with advanced age, twisting lines and flaked fragments resembling a salt lake. He opened his book towards a page covered in green cursive writing that narrated thus:

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/c7KvRic.jpg[/img][/center]

"W-woah," muttered Andrea, "that's uhhh that's...rather descriptive."

"This can't be possible," snarled Brightman, "are you telling us that you just feel out our world and know that it somehow exists, just so you connect to us through a BOOK?!"

"I-i know that sounds preposterous," said the lemming closing his book to place it back in his bag, "it is a very strange power but that is how we are able to form a Linking Book."

"So why are you travelling? You obviously knew about our world enough to write that somehow."

"We have no intentions or agenda really, we are simply travellers experimenting with out craft, I apologise for the disturbance we made."

"What exactly is Linking?" asked Jane sitting up with rapt attention. "I'm still a little mystified by how your books work."

"Well, you can ask and I will do my best to explain."

"Is the BOOK itself magic, or is it what you write in it?"

"Both, essentially the book has to be primed through the work of the Art in order to transdimentate-"

"That's, not a word," corrected Dixon.

"In my world it is," said James scratching his cheek, "anyways, there is also the matter of Ink, you can't just use any good Ink, you must delve it from special materials that, amplify the aura of the Art and it um...it, u-u-um, I wish I could-"

"May I explain?" asked Haytham politely.

"OH, yes, please do master!"

"Imagine!"

The human flourished a hand into the sky and clicked his fingers to create a spark of blue fire which transformed into a star. Then it began to form into a large luscious pastry which made Oddclaw's eyes glint with salivating lips.

"You want to bake a cake. You require a variety of ingredients but one common container to hold it in. Imagine that the book is the bowl, the Art is the ingredients, and the ink is but your utensils to create that."

The raptor tried to grab the cake and eat, but it disappeared in a flash of silver smoke through his whimpering teeth.

"Wh-wh-...where is the caaaake?"

"Aaaaah I see!" replied Andrea with a flash in her eyes. "So the book is like your machine to access other worlds and it has to be finetuned with ink. Your 'art' and the ink is similar to my terminals and the calculations I make on them!"

"Yes, exactly!" replied Haytham. "Though I admit I am not certain what a terminal is I surmise that you understood the rationale."

"Well maybe if you would like to understand our side of things I could take you to our Third Energy lab, if the Major-General agrees to it."

"So long as you touch nothing without permission," said Brightman stroking his chin.

"I would be honoured to observe your work doctor," said Durai standing up with book stashed away. "James would you like to come with?"

"Yes!" cried James standing up too fast. "Y-yes, I would love to, I want to see this portal that I saw!"

"Then shall we go?"

The physicist led them away as Oddclaw sighed with a groaning head, rubbing his eyes which Thomas noted leaning over.

"Family problems?" he said.

"How...yes, how did you know?"

"I know the look of a man who's argued with his wife."

"Yes...I am sorry but I have to leave soon."

"That's fine, you take good care of her cuz she's the best friend you'll ever have when your kids are born." He put a hand on Oddie's shoulder and looked over his tired pupils. "Is there anything you need, your kids warm enough?"

"They are fine thank you sir, I...I cannot wait until they are born, it is only um...thirty days I think."

"We're all very excited," said Jane once again, "but you just get yourself home come on, I'll walk with you."

"Alright, I have to see Jeremy for something too."

Leaving with a polite nod to Brightman, the raptor and the therapist walked back down the halls to where Holt was along with Barkclaw and Dronin. The TV was on showing some sort of 3D-animated movie, a fox in a green suit and tie rushing through the city with a rabbity cop. Barkclaw was staring with such intense stillness that were it not for his occasional purrs of content they would have thought he was asleep.

"Awwww I love this movie," said Jane smiling, "god I saw that when I first started college."

"Hoi dab," waved Holt over at them quietly, "just watching this 'un with Barky, he loves it!"

"Really?" asked Oddclaw surprised. "Well that is good! Jeremy I wanted to ask, um..."

He walked over towards the soldier and whispered quietly into his ear:

"Do you have any...loo-brih-kant I can borrow?"

"Mmmmm well I sure do...IF you tell me whut it's fer."

"M-moonclaw um...do you remember the thing Jane made for my sisters, the long black thing?"

"Oh...ohmhohhhhhh Oddie, you saucy devil, yer wife's a kinky one! Hang on a tic, sit 'ere fer a moment."

Holt stood up and walked out to his room whilst Oddclaw sat down beside his brother in watching the movie. His eyes burned into the TV screen with absurd focus in fascination for the bright colourful images and strange field of depth that it offered him, between rampant chases through palette-ridden vistas and dark moonlit jungle scenes.

[i]"I am going home now,"[/i] said Oddclaw softly, [i]"you can stay if you like with Stonevoice and the hairless."[/i]

[i]"Okay,"[/i] he replied never taking his eyes off the screen.

[i]"Are you alright with that?"[/i]

[i]"Yes."[/i]

[i]"Alright then. Goodbye brother, Stonevoice, I will see you tomorrow or perhaps the day after."[/i]

[i]"Okay, goodbye Oddclaw."[/i]

He did not hug him, knowing from his tightened muscles that this was not the right mood for it as Jeremy returned with a small bottle of lubricant that Jane found curious as he handed it over.

"Theeere ya go, now yer all set."

"Thank you," said the raptor getting up to leave, "goodbye Jeremy."

"Later dab, try not to break yer arse in half!"

"J-jeremyyyy!"

"Hmhaha!"

Jane decided not to press on this and led the raptor back to the now-refuelled miniature ship. She walked back to the lab where Andrea worked with eager fascination for their arrivals despite the pain returning in her limb and causing her to stutter with spasming clench. She bit down on her teeth with whimpering sobs and stumbled through the halls cursing under her breath with gasping whines and fist banging on the wall whilst sometimes guards would try to come to her aid.

"J-jeez doc you need any hel-"

"[i]N-NO, N-N-NNNNGH![/i]"

"F-fine, uh...you...want me to call someone?"

"No...noooo I'm g-good thank you just a...h-h-hohhhh jesus you get back to your work it's fiiiiiine."

"Alright miss."

Meanwhile the third energy lab received its new guests amicably, with Andrea's technical staff keeping check on the rows of terminals shaped like pews that led towards the now-infamous gate. James stared with wonder at its presence as if discovering the totem of an ancient yet advanced race. Haytham peered at the consoles with great fascination, mulling to himself at the odd calculating numbers that continued parsing by themselves whilst Andrea continued to explain:

"-through ionization of particles in the planet's atmosphere, we can extract the electron movement and release their energy into a chain reaction. This then creates ozone peroxide compounds which at a low rate produces infinite energy. At a dangerously high rate, it can result in the distortion of time and space."

"Fascinating," muttered Haytham stroking his beard, "so in the end this is all but chemistry!"

"Well, more like physics, quantum physics is what we call this since it stops being chemistry once you start dealing with the smallest deviations of the universe."

"Hmmm, I see, the level of precision required WOULD make it a required class of its own merit. Reminds me of my own days in charting the stars and figuring their points."

"You said you were an Astrologer," she sat down in her seat with hand propping her chin, "what exactly does that mean?"

"I interpret the stars and measure their placements at the times of events such as births and deaths and conflicts, ruminating celestial points in order to understand people better, or to determine the success of their journey."

"So...yeah, exactly what I thought it was."

"You have them in your world?" asked Haytham sitting near.

"Yeah but...see, astrology in my world is something of a quack science, things that only superstitious people follow, but then in my world we have no magic so-"

"Really, a world without magic?!"

"Same as this world, we measure through science and technology."

"Ahhh but is not any sufficiently advanced technology indistinguishable from magic?"

"Well...I-i guess-"

"This machine, if I were to bring it to another world devoid of understanding and its unwitting populace, would they not call it magic?"

"I suppose they would...huh, yanno I never thought of it that way."

"I am an Astrologer, and you are a quantum physicist. We both play in the orchestra and yet wield different instruments so as to create the same symphony of beauty, a comprehensive celestial concerto."

"Huh...hhhhahahahawow," she clapped her hands astonished, "you...really are one poetic scientist."

"He is wonderful," gasped James with a hand to his heart. "He is but a shining lighthouse to the shores of ignorance that my people found themselves upon."

"James please," warned Haytham warmly, "your people did perfectly well on their own studying the Art, I simply finetuned the melody."

"True...I just...ever since you came to us...my mind has been so clear."

He grasped the human's hand with shimmering eyes like a son to his father. Durai simply squeezed his fingers with a chuckle and nodded as Dixon asked:

"So you're his teacher?"

"Yes," said the tutor, "as of ten years I have been part of his tribe as an honorary Lemming of sorts hmhmhm."

"Where are you from originally?"

"I hail from a land called Ivalice where I resided in the city of Archadia, that is until the Old Valendian year of five-fifty-nine, around nineteen years thence."

"Ivalice? What's that world like?"

"A land with many races all steeped within a great political conflict, at least last I was there. I recall there was a rising esquisse of violence within the Southern Quarter of my homestead, and that there was also a great debate between two leading enthusiasts on the merits of electricity."

"Wait, you guys JUST discovered electricity?"

"Not so much discovered but rather noted. See, my world relies on magicite, a type of ore that contains a powerful concentration of magic aura which then can be used to power machinery, street lamps and airships and what have you, but someone supposited the idea of natural currents of electricity for places that were too deprived of magic."

"AREYOUTALKINGABOUTMAGIC?!?"

Jane's voice came out in one breath from the lab entrance as she gasped wheezing with a hand to her leg.

"Jesus you alright girl?!" asked Andrea leaning her head to the side.

"Y-YES YES, yes I'm fine sorry I just had to uh...SO!" She took in a deep breath and clapped her hands rubbing them eagerly. "What was this about magic?!"

"I was just explaining that magic is a source of energy in my world," repeated Haytham.

"OH, that's good, s-so I...do either of you know any magic, like, spells or what have you?"

"Jaaane," sighed Andrea with a palm to her face, "come on at least wait for a day before you start pestering them."

"I do not mind!" cried James eagerly clicking his shoes. "I-i would love to answer your questions on magic, I heard from doctor Dixon that your world does not have any?"

"Yes," said Addison with a wistful mewl, "we have written stories about it plenty times and some of us do believe it but tragically it is not real in this world."

"That is awful! What a terrible thing to never know the sweet joy of expressing oneself through their own spirit!"

"Sooooo..." she twisted one foot into the floor with hands behind her back, "do you know any spells?"

"I certainly do, but I do not know if we are allowed to do so in this place."

"Oh I can clear that with the general, would you like to show me now?!"

"Um, i-if it is alright with you?!" He turned back towards Haytham who smiled with nod approving. "Let us go then um, miss, I-i mean doctor!"

"Ohh miss is fine, call me Jane!"

"A-alright miss Jane!"

They skipped off holding hands with electric excitement running through them. Both Durai and Andrea looked at each other in a way two mothers did when seeing their children play at the park and without a word they stepped up and walked behind their friends to a now-empty firing range.

"This place should be perfect," said Jane walking down into the centre of the hall.

"What is this?" asked James stroking his hand across the harsh steel walls.

"It's where we test our weapons, firearms and such to keep our home safe. Just to make sure none of your spells set anything on fire or something."

"Hahaha, well, I would hope not! Are you ready then miss Jane?"

"Absolutely, please, show me your magic."

"A-alright...then, please stand back, I have to have some space for this also um...i-is there an object I can cast it towards, I will need a subject."

"OH yes ummmmm, here!"

She placed down a metal stool before stepping back towards the wall as James brought up his umbrella. The flaps began to tremble and flutter as they took on a reddish hue, focusing towards the stool as his hair quivered upwards.

"Ignis, verberaque!"

Fire shot from the tip of his brolly, spiralling upwards like a paper bag in the wind before turning into a coiling thread and whirled down upon the stool, wrapping itself round its legs and scorching with hot sparks that lashed across the steel.

"W-woah," murmured Dixon, "th-that was kinda cool!"

"HOHOLY SHIT!" Addison clapped with magnanimous glee. "THAT WAS AMAZING!"

"Ahahaha, a-aaah that was nothing surely!" mumbled James rubbing his head.

"Nono that was GREAT, y-you have any more?!"

"Of course! Let me think umm...ah, yes!"

He raised his umbrella again towards his target. A sudden gust of wind crept around his feet, spiralling up his body like an invisible serpent before creeping to the tip of his makeshift staff.

"Aeris, LUCET!"

The lemming slashed out a piercing strike of air, swinging his parasol like a sword to gouge a thin sliver into the wall along with a shrieking cut across the stool's top, as well as something that binded its legs with a shaking untenable grip. Jane was in absolute rapture, clapping even faster until her cold metal fingers hurt against her warm skin.

"OHOHOHO YES, YES THAT IS AWESOME, d-do another one!"

More incensed by the motivation from his eager audience James pressed two fingers against the bridge of his nose as a dark flicker came from his eyes.

"Oculus, MALUS!"

Burning black shot from his pupils and stabbed through the stool causing a strange confusing vapour to emit from it as he looked to Jane to continue. She nodded absolute with frantic eagerness as he continued by striking his brolly against the ground then sweeping it around him to form a cloud of dust.

"Gravibus, PULVIS!"

His umbrella burst open, bouncing the dust off into the ceiling where the particles gathered into a thickening chunk of solid rock he sent down upon the stool. Cracking apart with a hard crunch, the legs buckled beneath the sheer earthen weight.

"U-uhhhh isn't that bad luck?!" asked Dixon. "Opening an umbrella indoors?"

"Not if you are casting magic," added Durai chuckling, "well done James! Your Heavy Dust is much better than it was before!"

"Th-thank you master!" he cried back all fired up. "Now for my last prognostum!"

He spun his umbrella round still open in a tribal dance, pounding his feet with growing excitement as the inside of his parasol started to turn moist, porous drops flecking from his body which shone a sweet cyan blue.

"Lubricus, PLUVIAM!"

The young mage grasped his umbrella in both hands to swing something out from inside of it, a large ball of water thick and voluminous that squashed upon the buckling stool with such immense pressure, that it took a full four seconds for the bubble to swallow it up inside until popping into a soggen mess.

"WOAH!"

"HOHOH SHIT!" both ladies cried one after the other.

"Phew......hhahahah." The lemming stood back and used his parasol as a crutch to take a deep breath. "I-i think that...is enough for now, I do not wish to expend all of my magic at once unless it is necessary."

"I understand," Jane stepped forwards and hugged the pupil causing him to blush, "thank you SO MUCH for that, that really brightened my day to see!"

"I-i am glad I could cheer you with my sorcery, u-uhh miss Jane."

"OH, sorceryyyyyeeeEEEEEEEEEH I can't believe it! Hokay, well uhm, is there anything else you want to do?!"

"Yes, actually I noticed you had a library whilst I was passing through, may I see it?"

"Oh yes of course, come with me!"

She took his hand and walked him out of the training hall as Dixon and Durai followed behind noticing the book that the man always kept underneath his arm.

"Can I ask what that book is you always got?" she asked. "It seems different from your uhhhh world-linking books."

"This?" He proffered up his tome gold and maroon hues upon its front. "This is the Omnilex, my chief protector and emissary in worlds beyond and the very reason why I am able to speak other languages like yours."

"Wait, you mean you don't speak English?"

"No, James' language is actually strikingly similar to yours which I am astonished no one has actually commented on yet."

"Well, we DID get people before who spoke oddly the same language as us, but you don't?"

"No," said Durai shaking his head, "the influence of the Omnilex allows me to quietly slip a translatory spell into the minds of those around me and understand most creatures. Oddclaw however was the exception as his tribe have a language much too primal for me to translate directly into words."

"Yeah they do have a weird thing to that," said the physicist, "something about different smells I can't quite remember, Jane knows more about it than I do, actually the librarian we have is a specialist on languages."

"Marvellous, I shall demonstrate to her the full capacity of my tome after reaching her domain."

They soon rejoined James and Jane at the library who approached the old woman behind the counter. The lemming's eyes gleamed with anticipation as they roved across the shelves, gasping with religious awe and his hands struggled to contain themselves with fingers plucking at the tape.

"Hello Anna!" greeted Jane leaning her left arm on the counter. "Howsit going?"

"Ohhh not bad dear," said the librarian, "I see we have new visitors hmm?!"

"Yes, this is James, he's a Lemming I believe."

"H-hello," he bowed deeply before stretching his hand across the desk, "y-you, are the librarian yes?"

"I am dear," the elder shook his jittery hand, "Anna Kerkorian, goodness you are SHAKING!"

"S-sorry, sorry I-f-forgive me I am just...hoh, s-so many books, so many I-i um...I have always wanted to see what stories that other worlds contained!"

"Well you are welcome to borrow them, but I must insist that you not take any of our books off-base."

"O-oh, I understand of course. It is an honour to meet you madame, may I...m-may I peruse your collection, please!?"

"Yes you may, in fact why don't I recommend you something?"

"OH, YES, I would love that thank you!"

She stepped out from her desk and guided him towards the books, whereupon Haytham and Andrea entered as the man put his book upon the desk.

"Ahhhh I see my pupil's thirst for lore has already risen its head again."

"What do you mean?" asked Andrea.

"He is something of a bibliophile...no, actually t'would be much more appropriate to call him a bibliovore."

"He's gonna love this place then, Anna's always eager to get a new member in the club, yanno Oddclaw started here when we first met him and after about three years he was reading up on Narnia!"

"Awwwww," simpered Jane leaning her head on the counter, "remember when he first read Dr. Seuss? God he was so cute holding that book in his claws."

"He's not a kid Jane."

"I know that but god I still had to teach him a whole new language apart from humans!"

"You taught Oddclaw how to speak your language?" asked Haytham with blinking surprise. "That is extraordinary, and dare I say that after hearing how primal and instinctive his mother tongue was that must not have been an easy feat!"

"Well I mean it wasn't any different to teaching a newborn, if something has the mind to comprehend your words then hearing it enough times will imprint that, then your mind eventually sorts out the structure."

"True, in an infant but this is a full-grown beast that is still remarkable!"

The therapist blushed at the compliment whilst they watched James rove over the books, his hand gliding across each and every volume with whimpering sounds as the smell of paper seemed to intoxicate him. Anna chuckled at his roving expressions as she explained the categories.

"Here we have crime and thriller, this is fantasy, this is science fiction aaand over here we have reference books."

"What sort of references?" he asked.

"Ohhh history, science, truths and laws of our world and such."

"I would love to read those, I am very fascinated to see what sort of knowledge your world possesses!"

"Alright then, I'll just give you something basic to start with."

She pulled out two books, one of history and one of science that was more aimed at a high-schooler's level of education. He gladly took them underneath his arm and sat himself down on a cosy plush seat, starting with science as Anna made her way back to the humans.

"Your boy is QUITE the eager beaver," she said smirking at Haytham.

"Ahaha yes," chuckled Durai, "I was just explaining such to your friends and that I was rather interested in your linguistic liturgy."

"Ohhh?"

"Yes see, as I was conferring to doctor Dixon I have this tome that allows me to supplement language from other worlds, most of them that is."

"May I see?"

He offered her his book, carefully reading over its pages before realising what exactly it entailed. There was a strange tingle everytime she flicked a page, feeling a small static spark creeping warmly through her fingers as words upon words spilled out across the page.

"Th-this...this is just a dictionary."

"Somewhat," explained Haytham, "more of a lexicon I would suggest."

"But...well I suppose it would be useful but there are just so many languages in this, half of which I don't even recognise!"

"That is the power of the Omnilex, for you see it contains every single word of every language in existence."

"WHAT?!"

"Okay no," said Andrea, "that...that is impossible, that just cannot be.."

"I assure you it is," said Durai taking the book back, "give me a word, any word and I assure you it is there."

"In any language?"

"Yes."

She pondered for a minute, trying to think of the most problematic words she could devise that she knew was part of some language.

"Mansplain."

Haytham flicked through the book with a bizarre instinctiveness in feeling the pages out before hitting the M section. His finger traced down towards the word exactly.

"Wh-wha...hmph, alright, hikikomori."

Crossing her arms smugly at this she watched Durai flicker back towards H and again trace down the pages to hit on the precise word in Japanese, with romanised translation.

"WHA-bu-...okay, what the fu-fine fine, you wanna test me, alright let's do this. Lagniappe."

"What does THAT mean?" asked Jane.

"Why don't we let mister thesaurus here tell us hmmm?"

The more he turned the pages the more they realised that Haytham's book seemed to not have a set number of pages itself. The way the papers blurred frantically before them gave the impression that it seemed to add or subtract pages according to its needs which tempted Jane to ask:

"How many pages does that even have?"

"As many as it requires from world to world," said Haytham poring over the vellum, "some places the volume is improcerous, whilst others such as here it is practically brobdignagian."

"Are you TRYING to show off your vocabulary or is that how you actually speak?"

"Aaaa little from column A, a little from column B I must confess...ah, see here we are!"

"Wh-WHAT?!"

"Lagniappe, a bonus given to one as part of a purchase, deriving from Louisiana French."

"Oh what the FUHUCK!" cried Andrea almost halfway between laughing and crying. "Th-th-that is such-there is NO WAY you could have known that!"

"I did not," stated Durai simply closing the book, "I am not aware of every single term in all existence but the BOOK however is."

"So, what's even the point?"

"Because of this."

He tapped a very particular series of knocks upon the front cover before speaking once more.

"L'Omnilex me persmah de parladuth dans n'importayi quellughat languriat de ce mondealam, jusqutat uneaynatin."

"Wh-...what, what is that?!"

"Langue d'Ivalice," he replied anticipating their confusion as he knocked on the book once more. "My grimoire allows me the strength of linguistic auturgy, such as the power to speak to you in your mother tongue."

"Well I must say," chimed in Anna, "that you are most CERTAINLY welcome both you and James to my home away from home."

"Thank you madame, though I fear you have bewitched my pupil with your tomes already."

Indeed the lemming had not moved a single inch from his seat nor looked up even once. His eyes roved across the pages as theses and diagrams explained the concepts of what humans understood to be. Gravity, nuclear energy, laws of thermodynamics and carbon-based organisms as he gasped with understanding, but also in pleasant surprise at how close the theories were to his own people's.

Once he finished with the sciences he moved onto history, the book he was given rather concise in listing all the most significant events of humankind throughout all of its civilisations. It was heavy reading nonetheless, and by the time they were set up with their own room to rest he was still only halfway through the 12th century. Two beds were offered in one room as they set their things down and observed the small freedoms they were given, such as the shower, television and a desk for each of them. Haytham sat down and wrote into his diary with old Ivalician script, whilst James continued on reading through human history until he had devoured all knowledge from the books and took them back to the library, borrowing a fantasy story on Ms. Kerkorian's recommendation. The lemming was about to make his way back to his room when he bumped into Holt who was carrying a thermos in one hand and now wore a red-stoned collar round his throat.

"O-oh, p-pardon me sir."

"Eyyyy yer that wee lad that came in today, Jeremy Holt."

He shook his hand politely feeling the soldier's strong gnarled grip.

"James, the pleasure is mine good sir."

"Where you off to?"

"I was returning back to my room to read more of your people's books."

The youth showed the book he was carrying as Holt smirked in approval, a white cover of a young girl in a blue dress chasing a pale rabbit who carried a pocket watch.

"Awww thassa classic that," he replied, "I'm just headin' off to watch more movies with Dronin an' Barky."

"OH, yes the robot and Oddclaw's brother correct?"

"You wanna come with? Dunno if you ever seen a movie before."

"I-i, I am honoured at your invite though I admit I do not know what a moo-vee is."

"Well come wi' me an' I'll show ya dab!"

"Let me tell my master first so he does not worry."

Holt followed him back to the room as James put down his newly-obtained book at his bed, seeing Haytham still continue to write at his desk as Jeremy introduced himself.

"Hoi there, never had thuh chance to introduce meself, Jeremy Holt."

"Ah, Haytham Durai, an honour to meet you."

"Mister Holt has invited me to watch a moo-vee," said the lemming, "would you like to come too master?"

"Why not." The human closed his book with his pen left in the page he last stopped at. "Twould be an ignoble feat of me not to partake in the entertainment that this world has to offer."

They walked together to the rec room where Barkclaw and Dronin still waited. The sky had turned darker towards the evening outside as the feral raptor ate a chunk of meat that the kitchen staff had offered him, whilst the robot kept watch.

"Alrigh' lads."

[i]"Hello!"[/i] greeted Barkclaw. [i]"Oh, the starbeasts!"[/i]

"You are here to watch the movie as well?" asked Dronin.

"We are," replied James excitably, "though we do not know what that is as of yet."

"It is a story played by actors in front of camera-based technology, which then is recorded, copied and distributed to millions."

"Actors?" inquired Haytham. "Ahhhh so it is a play!"

"Correct, except it is recorded through a device rather than performed live in front of you."

"Oh, you mean like a MEMSTONE of course, now I understand."

"Right," said Holt moving over to the TV, "you all ready cuz I got a real doozy for ya."

"Ohhh?"

"So uh, you ever heard of superheroes?"

"I have not," replied Haytham.

"I have!" cried James. "We have legends of the SuperLem, a great and powerful warrior who can run faster than the swiftest wind, fly like the birds so free and tear through even the deepest of stone!"

"Aw nice, well you'll love this then!"

He popped in the movie which was titled "Dr. Strange" as they sat down for an experience. What followed over the course of nearly two hours was a strange overwhelming visage of fantastic costumes, visually-dazzling spectrums of bizarre twisting conflagrations and an overwhelming galaxy of sparsile effects that turned everything real. Barkclaw was entranced by the colours and non-Euclidean scenes of men fighting across angular buildings and giant mirror shards, whilst Dronin and Haytham became fascinated by how the actors were able to stage such wild visions. But the young lemming was in awe, gasping at the phantasmagoria unveiling itself before him.

His fingers became rapt with a need to fling spells to and fro, his eyes widened with strange familiarity to the weaving of magic from this arrogant Strange who learned greater lessons of himself, amidst a world of skepticism that knew nothing of what lied beyond the veil. He bounced in his seat turning gleefully rhapsodic, clapping his hands everytime a fight broke out and getting fired up towards the unceasing end.

"H-hohhhh, that...th-that was SPECTACULAR!"

"Ahahaha, ya liked that?!" said Holt patting the youth's back.

"H-how can magic NOT exist in your world when your people created that MASTERPIECE of a play?!"

"Uhhh well, we use special effects uhhh, Dronin you wanna take this?"

"If he wishes for an explanation yes," said the robot nodding.

"Shame Oddie's not here to enjoy this all with us."

"I hope we meet him again soon," replied Haytham leaning back in his seat, "twould be a pity not to."

"Ohhhh you'll see 'im again, after he's dealt with thuh missus hahaha."

During all this, night time soon fell upon the world as Oddclaw followed Moonclaw deeper into the forest. Barren smirked at them as she snuggled round her grandchildren's eggs in the midst of night, whilst their parents went for a special liaison.

[i]"Are you ready?"[/i] asked Moonclaw.

[i]"Y-yes I..."[/i] Oddclaw fiddled with his namesakes.

[i]"Why are you nervous?"[/i] she asked with a teasing lick to his neck.

[i]"I-i...I do not know, I have never done this before."[/i]

[i]"It is no different to mating with your brother or Jeremy."[/i]

[i]"I suppose not but haha...no, I am ready, I promised I would be."[/i]

[i]"You came back MUCH earlier than I expected."[/i]

[i]"I promised did I not?"[/i]

He stood defiant as she smirked and took him further into the dark glade. Close to where Barkclaw was normally stationed, she took her mate to a rock where there sat a large black length of some rubbery substance at least 22 inches long.

[i]"I keep forgetting how long it is,"[/i] he mumbled.

[i]"Hmhmhmhm...but plenty enough for us."[/i] She walked over to the pleasuring staff and grazed her claws upon its creaking surface. [i]"You are first, then once you have reached your limit I will take the rest of the Pleasurestone."[/i]

[i]"A-are you...sure?"[/i] he asked walking forwards with the bottle of lube in one hand. [i]"You will not hurt yourself yes?"[/i]

[i]"Oh I have been using it myself when the sisters let me, trust me I know my limit. I just do not know yours...yet."[/i]

[i]"Well, if you are sure...let me just get it ready first."[/i]

Smearing the lubricant along half of the turgid staff, Oddclaw made sure it was a glossy sheen before putting the bottle down next to the rock.

[i]"Alright,"[/i] he said, [i]"I am ready, can you hold it steady for me?"[/i]

With a toothy smirk Moonclaw gripped the midpoint of the rubbery shaft and pressed it against the rock before Oddclaw lifted his tail towards it and pushed his puckered rear against the head. Thankfully it slipped in easy with his experienced anus, gasping with a soft cringe at the odd leathery texture that scraped against his walls until he had the first four inches snugly fitting. Moonclaw released the dildo from her grip as she watched her mate impale himself on the thickening toy.

[i]"H-haaaaah...a-aaaaaah-"[/i]

[i]"Mmmmmm what a lovely sight,"[/i] she sniggered behind him, [i]"it is rare I get to see you with something up YOUR vent."[/i]

[i]"I-i-i...aaaah, aaaaah M-moonie-NNNGH!"[/i]

[i]"Now now leave some for me! I would rather you not burst your stomach with that."[/i]

[i]"H-HNNNNGH!"[/i]

He sank in deeper as his tail spasmed between pain and pleasure, feeling the reach of his limits around the 9-inch mark as his cheeks gaped out before her. Oddclaw sighed once he felt he could go no further, sliding himself forwards and then back down again to feel his scaly hole spread just that little bit further to get comfortable. Moonclaw licked her lips in arousal from the sight of his spreading donut and his whimpering moans, watching her mate fuck himself on the rubber pole until he was ready for the next part.

[i]"Gooood,"[/i] she crooned walking over to lick his face, [i]"does it feel good?"[/i]

[i]"H-hhaaaah...yessss."[/i]

[i]"Mmmm...let me help with that."[/i]

She stepped back behind him before stepping over the dildo until it was between her legs, pressing her belly against Oddclaw's back. Standing to her fullest height she clamped her jaws upon his neck with firm dominance as he whimpered sweetly.

[i]"A-aaaah! M-m-moonclaw!"[/i]

[i]"Mmmmmmhhhh...you sound so sweet when you whimper."[/i]

[i]"A-a-aaah...ohhh-"[/i]

[i]"Beg. Beg for it to breed your womb."[/i]

[i]"Nn-nnnngh! B-breed...breed me."[/i]

[i]"Goood mate."[/i]

Moonclaw chuckled as she grinded her crotch against his back, feeling his body slide back down upon the shaft and whimper at his fullest reach. Oddclaw panted with each movement he made, his breaths channelling through Moonclaw's teeth as she shuddered from his arousal, the scent of his musky cock beneath him turning her wet in response. Her tongue slipped back and forth across the back of his neck, biting him between licks as he gasped sharply from her mounting onto his back.

[i]"A-aaaah!"[/i]

[i]"Mmmmmhhhh I never get to do this with any other males."[/i]

[i]"I-i...I thought I was the only male you had!"[/i] he whined.

[i]"Ohhhh no, I have had others before you...you are however the first of my own kind I have mated with."[/i]

[i]"AAAH!"[/i]

She crouched onto him to make him sit onto the dildo at her behest, taking some control as they both lifted and sank their hips in unison whilst their tails wrapped slightly round each other. Moonclaw groaned as she clenched her teeth round her beloved's throat, sensing his breaths of shivering excitement as his cock spurted pre onto the ground. Her strong legs bent to their limit as he winced before she lifted to let him up.

[i]"Such an eager male you are to get stuffed up your vent."[/i]

[i]"Haaah, a-aaaaaah..."[/i]

[i]"You love this do you not?"[/i]

[i]"I-i do...I...ohhhh, M-moonclaw-"[/i]

[i]"I can smell your arousal, dripping like you are desperate to be so full of my eggs."[/i]

[i]"HAAAAH! M-moonie!"[/i]

[i]"Mmmmmhhhh Oddie...my sweet Oddie..."[/i] She slurped at his face just missing his eye before lifting her body off of him. [i]"Now lift it up for me."[/i]

He obliged and lifted with a clenching pucker and his hands behind him to lift up the "pleasurestone" and keep it horizontal for his mate. Turning herself round the feral female lifted her tail up and wiggled her hips lewdly at him when he looked behind himself. She braced herself and pushed her cloaca against the other end, whimpering as its rubber head penetrated the moistened depths of her body.

[i]"OH...o-o-ohhhh...hohhh Oddie...push it in me."[/i]

[i]"A-are you sure?"[/i] he asked again.

[i]"Yes, please, f-fill me up with it, I want to feel you against me."[/i]

With cautious clawed feet he stepped back towards her to push deep into his mate, hearing her whimpered mewls and snarling gasps as a blissful expression crossed her face. Tongue hanging from her jaws and eyes rolling upwards, she smiled back at him as he walked backwards with Moonclaw holding her ground to feel the rest of the dildo shunt itself in. With Oddclaw taking 9 inches at most, she buried the rest of it inside her vent until the rest of the 13 inches had her full to the point of nearly tickling her deepest reaches. Thick drooling juices dripped from her hole which pressed against Oddclaw's taint, giving him the strangest sensation of hot musky liquid against his rump cheeks.

[i]"Hhhhhaaaaaaaaah! AA-AAAAAH O-oddie!"[/i]

[i]"H-h-hhaaaah M-moonclaw! Ohhh!"[/i]

[i]"D-does it feel good still?"[/i]

[i]"Y-yes...ohhh it feels wonderful!"[/i]

[i]"Move with me...push it in me, push it!"[/i]

She stepped forwards as he stepped back to push it straight back in amidst trembling moans from both of them. Sometimes he would step forwards and so she stepped back to thrust into his ass sending shivers through their tails against each other. Their tips entwined to spasm in lust as they rocked their bodies back and forth, hilting against each other's thighs with a thick slap of scaled cheeks amidst whimpering shudders. Oddclaw was throbbing, squirting harder than before across his toes as they built up a rhythm with strengthening smacks against their saurian hips, drooling wetness from Moonclaw's snatch that dripped down the back of Oddclaw's legs. Their claws shook with frenzying lust, drooling from their mouths as their eyes rolled to the back of their heads in nearing a climax together. Moonclaw came first, cooing a sweet gurgling gasp as she squirted hot juices upon his rump which spasmed upon his own orgasm that came after.

[i]"A-AAAAAH, M-M-MOONCLAW!"[/i]

[i]"OHHH, Y-YEEES, AAAAAAAAGH!"[/i]

[i]"H-HNNNNGHRRAAARHRRGH!"[/i]

Clenching with powerful muscles in unison until the dildo shook with creaking groans, they stood weakly against the large rock beside them for balance as their breaths turned ragged. Sighing with breathless elation, they walked staggering apart from each other as the thick glossy "Pleasurestone" soon dropped to the ground covered in fluids.

[i]"H-haaaah...aaaaah..."[/i] Oddclaw bent over with a view of his gaping pucker to his mate, [i]"w-was that...was that what you wanted my love?"[/i]

[i]"Yessss..."[/i] she shivered looking back at him with a curling tongue teasing across her lips, [i]"thank you my dear young mate."[/i]

[i]"H-haha, hahahaha, I am not young!"[/i]

[i]"You are to me."[/i] Moonclaw swished herself over towards him with a smooth lick across his face. [i]"Is it not wonderful to have time alone like this?"[/i]

[i]"It is...if you want more time like this all you have to do is ask."[/i]

[i]"I will remember that...mmmmm do that thing with your tongue again."[/i]

[i]"You like when I do that?"[/i] he said with a lewd puckering of his lips.

[i]"I love every odd thing about you...Oddie."[/i]

[i]"I love every thing...about you Moonie."[/i]

He pressed his lips to hers as she opened her mouth partly, letting him suck at her sweet tongue before closing their eyes and purring sweet moans through each other's throats. Oddclaw slipped his hands to behind her head, kissing her deep beneath the stars until he picked up the rubber length to clean it in the lake and stash it someplace clean before they returned to their nest.