On the shrieking ship of Shriekpot...
Sigmund remembers that he heard Morton say something about needing a book right when he went down. Seeing as he has no business here for now, he supposes he can attend to his deskified buddy's needs. Might pass the time.
However, before he can leave, he trips over an oddly humming Niklas! How'd he get... wait. Probably best not to ask. The best thing to do in this situation is pretty clear to Sigmund, and that is to walk up the stairs. Niklas, try as he might, can't follow with his slippery fish body and inability to perform articulate movements.
That'll teach him to shadow people, Sigmund thinks as he returns back topside.
"Excuse me, I was making sure that the Artiste is still asleep. Here, you have the book," he says, depositing the Handbook of Demonic Conduct into Morton's open drawer.
"Thank you, good Sir Sigmund," says Morton, quickly coming to the conclusion that he can't really read the thing in this drawer - in an opened state of the drawer, he can't flip the pages, but in a closed state, he can't see a dang thing on account of having no eyes inside the drawer. If only he had additional things to flip stuff with. That would be wonderful.
His thoughts on the matter, though, are interrupted by Sigmund.
"Shouldn't we go back to where we sent that man to get fabulous? It's about time for him to get out, I think."
"Yes, I do believe that Sir Elron should of been back by now, perhaps he got sent a distance as well? I do wonder what determines that, it seems to be almost random..."
"It probably is random - circles have a measure of precision, and sometimes you get... positional mistakes. It happens. Nothing you can do about it except spend several more hours drafting the circle to prevent any sort of minor error or imperfection, and who has that kind of time? Besides, I'm sure the fellow will find his way back - after all, we are only about ten meters from the place he was sent away."
At this moment, a man made entirely of extremely colorful pinwheels, three meters tall and shifting with each movement, arrives at the ship. He turns to Tailor Craig, and suddenly some of the wheels start rapidly spinning after shifting in their positions. The man becomes a whirl of indeterminate color for a moment, but all three of the present individuals quickly notice something - in a moment, a pattern emerges in the foggy whirlwind, one that vaguely resembles a... giant face? It speaks to them!
"That was certainly an interesting experience," the face of what is doubtlessly Red-Chested Elron mentions. "Fellow mistook me for a lamp, but I set him straight. Made me into some kind of pinwheel golem. Can't say I'm entirely dissatisfied, thank you, sir. Here, for your trouble," the thing says, a strange pinwheel limb protruding from its abdomen, then shaping itself into a hand. Slightly above it floats a gold coin. "Those were my lifemage savings. You can have them - I've now circumvented that problem thanks to you."
Tailor Craig shrugs and takes the gold coin.
"That's very generous of you."
"No worries. You've significantly expanded my moneymaking opportunities. No more odd jobs for me, no sir. Finally I'll be able to move out of the flophouse. Many thanks," the pinwheel man says, waving his hand dismissively. "Now, though, I think I'll go sort out some business, if you don't mind."
"Oh no, no. You've been helpful and generous already."
"I can recommend your services to friends as well, yes?"
"Certainly."
"Excellent."
The pinwheel man bows and leaves the premises quickly in his odd gait, his body visibly changing in the process. It is at this point that the entire group on the ship notices that the guy is being shadowed by Mark of all metapeople. Just as he leaves, Scott appears on the pier! He looks at the assorted fabulous hoodlums on the ship. Um... who are these guys? And what's up with the desk? What's going on here?
In a smoking herbalist's home...
Kevin guesses he really has no actual business here, so he'll just ask for directions.
"So... I should get going. Do you know the directions back to Shriekpot?"
The man thinks for a moment.
"No, not really. Is it close by? I might visit someday if it is. Maybe then I'll be able to tell you."
Ah.
In Karina's home...
Darren, rather pleased at the civilized and kind nature of this discussion, thanks the spectral woman.
"Thank you. You're all like me down here, right?"
This question seems to unsettle her a little bit.
"Um... you mean ghosts, right? Technically, I suppose you're right. Practically, not so much. The others are far stranger than I and Danielle, and you too, for that matter. At least the ones I've seen when I look outside. Some of them are lost, some are babbling. Some look monstrous. If you wanna know more, you can go through the wall over there," she says, pointing at the east wall of her humble home. "Though you could stay here and chat with me and... not go just yet, maybe? We could talk about... I don't know, something you've seen? You're from the outside. You must have seen many interesting things."
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Topic: Life Begins At Death - Epilogue: We Live And Live Again (Read 565499 times)