|| -------- -- -----  A E R I E   O B L I V I A N A . singular book of text wandertainment by Frank Edward Nora ------------------- ----------- QUARREL ORCHARD--CUP 2--"REPSILLE DANT" <-------  ||  Severe Repair  ||  Quarrel Orchard  ||  -------> (Cup SRqo002, Created v2 (6/7/99), Copyright 1999) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = "His real name is... Repsille Dant." Thiffor said. "WHAT?" Quarrel Orchard exclaimed. "Yes." "MY Repsille Dant?" "Yes." "How is that possible?" "While I'm not quite sure, I know that after The Affeibe Nest she was Carbon's prisoner. I surmise they eventually fell in love and buried the hatchet. As to why she's male now, I can only guess. To hide her identity, most likely." "I see." Quarrel seethed. "I thought she would have waited for me. Huh. I even thought she might be the wife Reality gave me. But I guess not." Quarrel took out his wallet and looked through the photos it contained. He glanced at the picture of a plain-looking woman, who seemed likely to be his wife, and shrugged. "A few more pieces of information..." Thiffor said. "Yeah?" "Vow Les Couger and Frommy Juncic have an animation studio. They've become fairly popular in their work, and are rumored to be working on a music video for Carbon." "WHAT? Are all of my old allies in league with Bicker Carbon now?" "You'll have to figure that out for yourself. Now..." "Oh yes--turning you into a human. Tell me, Thiffor--you sought me out, didn't you? How did you know it would be this place and time?" "I have my source, but I am bound by the strictest confidence." Quarrel sighed. "Well then, I suppose we should have at it. You know you'll be naked and without an identity, do you not?" "Yes." "Perhaps I should get you some clothes beforehand?" "Something generic. You never know how I'll turn out." "Yeah. I'll go get you a robe or something. But--what will you do?" "I'll get by. I'll adapt. It's what humans do best." "Yeah--but still, you'll need money, references. I guess it'll fall on my shoulders to help you out." "I'm not asking for that, only to be human." "Yeah--but what am I gonna do--leave you in this mall in a robe, with no money and no one to turn to?" "I could get by." "I think you take the human mystique too literally. Yes, struggle and conflict, challenges and figuring out ways to meet them are all key to the human style--but putting yourself into great peril won't always result in a satisfying outcome--you could be killed, be exploited, whatever." "I stand by my position, however. I am asking you for humanity. Anything else you give is up to you." "But knowing my personality, Thiffor, you must know I wouldn't just abandon you. Whatever--let me get you that robe and let's do it." So Quarrel left the tree and walked into a good-looking clothes store. He bought a robe, and marveled at the excellent artwork on the paper currency his wallet held. The girl at the counter looked at him in a funny way, but he shrugged it off. Could be though, he thought, that psychically sensitive individuals could see my aura in crisis, trying to get fully back online after my absence. He returned to the tree and could feel Thiffor's anticipation--it was almost tangible. "You really want this, don't you?" "Yes." "Let me ask you something--how old were you back when I knew you?" "A few hundred years... I... I don't know." "Interesting. All you nature spirits seemed so happy to be as you were. But maybe, after living as one for a good few millennia, you change." "I know I did, Quarrel." "Yeah." He stood, staring at the tree and the spirit inside. Was this the right thing to do? Probably not, he thought. But Thiffor was so anxious, so wanting, that he didn't have the heart to deny the request. "Okay." Quarrel said. "Now remember, I never said I knew exactly how to do this." "I understand." "And if it works, it will be an inevitable death sentence for you, sooner or later." "I accept that whole-heartedly, Quarrel." "Alright then, let's have at it." With this, Quarrel closed his eyes and cocked his head to one side. He felt for his Right and grasped it. It felt good, to feel it so strong so soon after reappearing. He reached out with his Right and engulfed the form of Thiffor. "I grant Thiffor humanity." he said. "Let this spirit become human, right now." For a second it felt to Quarrel that it wasn't working, but then he felt a huge surge of energy pulsing from him to the spirit. He felt control over it for a few more seconds, but then it overtook him, and he became nothing more than a conduit. He felt the bright force rushing into Thiffor, and he wondered if the spectacle was visible to normal people if they happened to be looking his way. Probably, he thought. He opened his eyes and saw a wild firestorm swirling around the tree. He glanced over at some shoppers, and he was startled to discover that the people were indeed staring at the pyrotechnic display. Wow, he thought. Pretty powerful stuff. -------> ------------------- ----------- -------- -- -----