User blog:Flamebiplane/A Lukewarm Return

The sun shimmered in the bright blue sky. The leaves blew softly through the gentle wind. The small village of Cobblerock stood firm near the foot of a cliff. Down below, wild waters brushed against the jagged rocks that stuck out like chocolate chips and pelted the immovable rock wall.

A ways from the village, an Anubis approached. Nadiss Rutet walked up the dirt path carrying a beige knapsack and a small crossbow slung on her back. She walked with a relaxed demeanor, as if it was all fine. She looked along the sky at the white puffy clouds that drifted along almost motionless, a major contrast to her previous residence. Survival, constant calculations, nightmarish monsters, and the neverending tension was all she remembered of that place. Seeing the peaceful village of Cobblerock again brought a calming sense of self to her mind, though she never forgot why she left that young village for the horror-filled underworld in the first place.

During her observation of the innocent aerial sheet, she caught a Harpy approaching her. The mamono landed in front of the Anubis with a bright smile. "N...Nadiss, are you back!?" she utters, trying to contain her excitement. Nadiss smiles and says with confirmation, "Yes Deslie, I have returned."

Deslie steps back, and like a time bomb her happiness explodes. She throws her wings around Nadiss saying, "Praise the Demon Lord you've come back, you've come back!"

A soft chuckle escapes Nadiss as she presses the overjoyed Harpy off of her, "Good to see that someone's excited at my return."

"You have no idea Nadiss, this village just hasn't been the same without you, poor Ioni was worrying herself to pieces!" Deslie explained. Nadiss sealed her mouth to lock up a frustrated grunt. Of all the people that the Harpy could have mentioned, Ioni had to be the first. "She's been spouting out all of this mumbo jumbo about how you were the best chance she had at helping her get powers!" Deslie continued. Nadiss placed a hand on Deslie's shoulder and asks, doing her best not to make it come out rude, "So she was the one who missed me the most?  Well, I'm sorry for making her worry so much."

Deslie's head nodded like a vibrating door stopper and she replies, "Of all the people who spoke of you, Ioni had the most, she mmph...!?"

Nadiss clamped her hand over Deslie's mouth. "Well, I'm sure that everyone will be happy to know that I'm back," she says with a hint of sarcasm for Ioni. Deslie shoots into the air and says, "You're right, I'm gonna go let everyone know that you're back right now!"

"No no, you don't need to do that," Nadiss started, but Deslie was already flying back to Cobblerock. Nadiss sighed and shook her head. Now she was going to have to deal with a welcoming committee when she reached the village. She continued on, slowly closing in.

As she walked, she produced a large pink curved stone from her knapsack. She distinctly remembered Ioni's words that it was one of three other special stones needed to give her powers. Nadiss always thought that it sounded ludicrous, but something in the back of her mind told her that Ioni could indeed use these stones for power. She would have easily let her have the stone, but given her occasional abnormal behavior, Nadiss felt that it was better to keep the stone from her, should she attempt to use it for malicious intent.

Nadiss slipped the stone back into her knapsack as she was now several footsteps from the village and sure enough, there was a crowd standing at the entrance, with Deslie at the forefront. She stopped in her tracks and forced a smile. The Anubis raised a hand and said, "Hello everyone, yes, I have returned!"

There was cheering and clapping as the crowd rushed at Nadiss. She was recieving pats on the back, hugs, and even small kisses. The huge amount of humans and mamono around Nadiss was an overwhelming feeling. She just wanted to get back to her study, but she didn't want to offend anyone, especially since she just returned.

The awkward exchange of affection and emotion continued for about ten more minutes until finally the crowd dispersed to get back to their business with their moods brightened. Even Deslie seemed to have disappeared, which brought a slight relief to Nadiss. She was about to walk again when a friendly voice sounded from behind her, "I should have known what the commotion was about."

Nadiss turned and saw the Dwarf Isken standing there along with Vadine the Vamp Mosquito. "You've never had a good habit of calling ahead and letting the higher-ups know when you're coming home, would have given me time to make preparations for a celebration," Isken joked. "Isken, you know I'm not one to party, has your memory rusted since my lengthy absence?" asked Nadiss.

Isken nudged Vadine and replied, "She's still giving her hidden insults am I right?"

Both girls laughed and Nadiss looked to the ground in slight embarassment. The two ladies soon relaxed and Vadine walked up to Nadiss saying, "Either way, it's good to have you back."

Vadine wrapped her arms around the Anubis in a hug. Nadiss was slightly jumpy at first, but she soon returned the hug and muttered, "Thanks."

"So, where were you all this time, I've had scouts searching all four corners of the planet for you?" Isken asked as she stepped closer to Nadiss. Nadiss glanced off to the side and said, "Oh, I've been someplace."

"That's not very descriptive Nadiss," Isken said, narrowing her eyes but still maintaining that sly grin. Nadiss looks straight to Isken and says, "Someplace that contains terrifying abominations that can give you nightmares for months and are more likely to tear your head off rather than mate with you, is that descriptive enough for you Isken?"

Vadine's eyes widen and she steps back. Isken seems unfazed and only scoffs. "If you were in a place like that for such a long time, then I would have expected only your soul to come back here in one piece, until then, I'm going to assume that you were hiding out in some far away uncharted area," she says. Nadiss folds her arms and counters with, "Those three mamono that you sent to retrieve me can confirm that those nightmares exist."

Isken folds her arms with a shake of her head and says, "Right, and I can confirm that I'm a highly intelligent cow with the power to control the weather."

Nadiss sighs and mutters, "You wouldn't be having this happy-go-lucky attitude if you were there yourself."

"Whatever, I'm going to go work on my gyrocopter, again, really happy that you're back Nadiss!" Isken calls as she walks away. Vadine is still there, her face now becoming more serious.

"So, a place full of deadly monsters huh, how was it that you were able to survive for so long?" she asks as she places her chitinous hands on Nadiss's shoulders. "I placed a magical barrier around my hut to keep them out, I took careful observations of their movement patterns so I could know when to move and when to stay put, I had to put into account every single detail that was available to me so I could ensure my survival," Nadiss explained.

Vadine's face once again widened, "That place must have been very dangerous if you put it like that."

"It was extremely dangerous, without the intensive planning abilities that I possess, you wouldn't survive a minute in there," Nadiss explains. "Yeah, no doubt," Vadine muttered in unconcious agreement.

There is a short pause before Nadiss asks, "So, how have you been Vadine?"

Vadine appears to stammer for a moment before she replies, "I've been well, not much trouble apart from a few burglaries, and I've been speaking to someone."

A bright grin forms on Vadine's face when she mentions the last part. Nadiss's interest is peaked, "Really, who is this person that you have been speaking to?"

"He's a bug catcher named Fedditch, very cute man!" Vadine answered, her cheerfulness growing. "Ah, so a man has finally taken a liking to you?" Nadiss asks, well aware of the Vamp Mosquitoes' negative reputation. Vadine happily nods and says, "Yup, he said I looked gorgeous and admired my paranoia!"

A smile forms on Nadiss's face and she says, "Well, if you have a man interested in you, then congratulations."

"Thanks, I'm about to go meet up with him again, in the meantime, you should get back home...you're real home," Vadine placed emphasis on that last part. Nadiss looked in the opposite direction and said, "I most certainly will do that."

Vadine's wings buzzed and she coasted into the air. "We're really happy to have you back Nadiss, see you later!" she calls as she flies off. Nadiss snickers and shakes her head. "Yeah, see you later," she mutters as she begins walking again.

Nadiss could notice a few changes as she moved through the village. The tavern had gotten a second floor, there was a water-pumping station that had not been there before she left, the military training areas had been moved further from the village, and a concrete statue of Isken stood proudly in the village square. Nadiss took little time to stop and study each change. She continued undeterred toward her destination.

Eventually, she reached a large building that she remembered all too well, the library. It seemed to have remained in the same condition that it had when she left. The upper floor balcony remained, the cedar wood floorboards sat in their respective places, and the wooden doors still made that irritating creaking sound when they were opened. Nadiss pushed open the doors, and the creaking scratched her eardrums. She stepped inside and to the side was the front desk, currently unoccupied.

Several large book cases were arranged in two rows, six shelves high. Beyond the book cases were several tables, each containing an oil lamp in case someone had to do some overnight reading. There was a staircase on the right side that led to the upper floor, and to Nadiss's room that doubled as a study and a bedroom. By the center bookshelves was a Succubus in business clothing standing on a ladder while putting away books.

Nadiss lowered her body to a crouching position and moved toward the stairs. She managed to reach the stairs and began her ascent when she heard, "Oh my, Nadiss, it's been so long!"

Nadiss groans and turns to see the Succubus staring right at her with surprise. Nadiss smiled and said, "Indeed, it's been a long time Adrienne."

"Yeah, but wh...what will Ioni think now that you're back?" asked Adrienne. Nadiss's eyes shifted toward the ceiling and she replied, "She'll probably give me a lot more hell than I need right now."

"Yeah, I feel like her condition's a lot worse since your absence, but now that you're back, oh boy," said Adrienne. "I'd rather not dwell on that subject any longer, just let me get back to my room please," Nadiss said, getting a little annoyed at hearing the name Ioni again.

"Yes...yes, I shall not waste your time any longer, please...proceed to your room," Adrienne said as she motioned at the door to Nadiss's room. "Thank you, and have a nice day ma'am," Nadiss said as she proceeded upstairs. She got to the door and found it cracked. She had to wonder:  Did she leave it like that, or did someone enter and exit? She shrugged it off and entered.

The light shone through the closed blinds of the window. On one side was a class photo of the high school she once attended along with a bookshelf containing a large assortment of books. At the other end was a working desk complete with a tiny writing utensil holder, a stack of thick books, a neatly stacked pile of papers, and a red bell-shaped electrical lamp. At the front by the entrance was a large whiteboard complete with sketches for what appeared to be a high-tech device. In the back was a retractable bed that was built into the wall.

Nadiss walked to her desk and plopped down into the office chair. She allowed her knapsack to slide off of her arm and hit the floor with a thud. She leaned back in her chair and looked around her study. It felt very different, not having that tension, not having to constantly make calculations to guarantee the best chance of survival for her. She removed her crossbow and set it by the desk.

The room had almost an eerie quiet to it, save for the occasional squeal of the chair when Nadiss shifted around in it. She leaned forward and rested her elbows on the desk. It was odd, she didn't know what to think. She had an idea for everything, but for once, she was lost.

That peaceful silence in the room, it made Nadiss feel like she was going insane. She was expecting something to happen. She didn't know what it was, but she was expecting it. The silence was not kind.

Then a realization came. The silence was not tormenting her, it was welcoming her, welcoming her to do the one thing she should have done upon entering. She leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, drew in some air, and let out a long, drawn out sigh. It was done a few more times, the stress slowly dwindling with each exhale. She wished to stay like that for a while.

"Wonderful, your back," comes a voice that breaks Nadiss from her chilled trance. That voice came from someone she knew all too well. Her eyes flashed open and there, peeking in the doorway, was the Hakutaku Ioni. "Come in," Nadiss moaned, still leaned back in her chair.

"Thank you," Ioni said as she pushed open the door and stepped in. She was wearing the typical outfit of a revealing dress, but her most defining feature was a metal wristband that had a detailed carving of an eye in the center and was adorned by several tentacle-like pieces.

Ioni stepped by Nadiss and leaned against the desk. "Words cannot express how happy I am that you have returned, when I got word that you were in Cobblerock, I had to come at once," Ioni explained softly. "Glad that you could find time to see me," Nadiss spoke, glazing her eyes over in the Hakutaku's direction. All of a sudden, the eye of Ioni's wristband glowed a bright yellow, and the tentacles slightly extended outward. Ioni's eyes glowed yellow themselves and a sinister grin appeared in place of her gentle smile.

She spoke with what appeared to be a powerful demonic voice, "And now that you're back my minion, you can continue the work of constructing the Planetary Transporter!"

Nadiss sat up in her chair and turned her head to face the altered Hakutaku, never having a hint of fear in her, "I thought we were going to build a spaceship?"

Ioni shook her head, "Not viable, the resources required are far too great, and the process would take too long minion!"

"Not to mention that piloting one is far more complex than an airship," Nadiss mentioned. "Do not interrupt me minion!" Ioni roared, her demonic voice echoing throughout the library. Nadiss sat in the chair silently. The glow in Ioni's eyes slowly faded as did the glow from the wristband. The tentacles themselves ceased all function as well. Ioni stood there aghast before she spoke, "Goodness me, deepest apologies for yelling at you like that, especially since you've just came back!"

"It's fine Ioni," Nadiss said, her body still calm. Ioni's eyes and wristband glowed again and out came her demonic voice, "I want this Planetary Transporter built, on that planet are the two stones needed for me to complete the key, and gain absolute power, you have your notes with you correct?"

Nadiss nodded and dropped a finger to her backpack, "They're in there...most of them, there was an accide..."

"I don't care what happened to the others minion!" Ioni interrupted, "What I do care about is you using your skills to build this device, I don't care how you do it, just do it!"

The glow faded and once again standing in the room was Ioni as her normal self. She shakes her head and looks to Nadiss, a sincere expression on her face. "You...do know I have no control over this right?" she asks softly. Nadiss quietly nods. Ioni sighs and continues, "Many of these villagers, human and mamono, have tried different methods to get this wristband off of me, but none of them were successful, I'm stuck with this alternate version of me Nadiss, and you're going to have to put up with her until I can be rid of this thing."

Ioni glowed again, and she leaned in closer to Nadiss. "Don't forget, this machine is a top priority, and it will bring me one step closer to gaining superiority!" she said in a stern tone. "But even then, the process is going to take a long time, there's so many factors that need to be accounted for," Nadiss explained. "No 'buts' minion, you know what I expect, and I expect it to be done!" Ioni shouted. Nadiss sighed defeated and said, "I'll see what I can do."

Ioni smiled with satisfaction, "Good choice minion, you know how much I devalue wasting time."

With that, her alter self subsided. Ioni buried her face in her hands and moaned, "I'm sorry, so sorry for you having to bear this!"

Nadiss remained in her chair, but she reached out to the sorrowful Hakutaku and pat her on the shoulder saying, "There there."

Ioni pushed her away, the office chair rolling back a bit. She hid her face from view and muttered, "Look at me, I'm a monster, I wound up with this curse all because of my unrestrained curiousity, I got people calling me crazy for Demon Lord's sake!"

Nadiss rolled her chair back into position as Ioni continued, "I'm supposed to be a being with limitless intelligence, but I did something stupid and now I have this psychotic alternate version of me!"

"It was a mistake Ioni, we all make them," Nadiss said, trying to calm Ioni. "No no, it was not a mistake, it was pure idiocy!" Ioni whined. Nadiss got up from her chair and clutched the whimpering Hakutaku in her arms.

"Shhhh....shhhhh," the Anubis whispered as she stroked Ioni's tense body. Ioni raised her arms, ready to push Nadiss off of her again, but she let them drop to her sides, accepting the improptu massage.

Nadiss continued stroking, sensing Ioni's worry wash away until finally, Ioni took a deep breath and whispered, "Thank you, again, I am deeply sorry for this."

"It's nothing Ioni, you're a good mamono, it's just that that thing on your wrist..."

Ioni clapped a hand over Nadiss's mouth and whispered, "I wish for you not to mention that thing, it deeply pains me when I hear of it."

She looked to the door and muttered, "I shall leave you in peace, rest up as much as you please, as unfortunately, tomorrow and forward on will be very taxing for you."

Nadiss nodded, and Ioni headed toward the exit. She stopped in the doorway and looked back at Nadiss with her eyes glowing, "And minion, before I forget, do you have that stone with you, the one you stole from me?"

Nadiss reached into her knapsack and produced the stone. "Right here," she said in a flat tone. "Excellent!" Ioni said with a wicked grin. She extended her fingers out toward the stone and several glowing yellow tendrils curled outward, wrapping themselves around the stone and pulling it towards her. With the stone in hand, Ioni started out, but Nadiss called after her, remembering something. "Hey!"

Ioni looked to Nadiss, her eyes still glowing and narrowed, "What?"

"Someone wanted me to give you this," Nadiss replied as she reached into her knapsack and pulled out a pair of flat rectangular glasslike objects covered in white dots. Ioni took the objects from Nadiss and inspected them, "What are these?"

Nadiss smiled and said, "You'll figure it out soon enough."

"Don't be smart with me minion," Ioni warned as she exited the room. A few moments later, Nadiss heard furious screaming from outside, "What!?  How!?  That's impossible!"

Ioni exploded into the room, her eyes glowing with furious intensity. "You actually went into space minion!?" she screamed, saliva ejecting from her mouth. Nadiss nodded and replied, "It was indeed a very rare opportunity to be able to leave this planet and come back, sometimes you have the worst luck, sometimes you have the best luck."

Ioni prepared to say something, but paused, her face in full rage mode. Then, she bared her teeth and growled, "You're lucky that I'm not going to destroy you right now minion!"

With that, Ioni stepped out and slammed the door behind her. Ranting could be heard outside, "Blast it, that Anubis thought she could be funny with me?  Oh just she wait, when I become more powerful, I'll burn her a thousand times brighter than the sun!"

A small chuckle came out of Nadiss. "Like I said Ioni, you're not a bad person at heart," she muttered to herself.

Nadiss laid herself down on her bed and slid the covers over her. She had recently got back, and her mental energy was already depleted. Her eyes moved shut and all of her stress melted away in a sleeping bliss.