Personification Life, the Universe, & Everything [IC]

[Emazia]

Dax merely remarked to the rabbits, slurring the entire time: "Well..I guess this is what alcohol does to you." as he began to run, in the oddest manner possible, hitting every door on the way.

Claude examined the rabbit, contemplating whether to grab a trinket or grab one of Dax's empty bottles and then break its skull open. He stared at it, analysing everything he could. It might attack him or it might be giving him the trinket.

[Northwest Slobovia]

The Holodeck

"56 minutes..." She said, her voice sounding like she looked. "I've been alseep for 56 minutes. And just one dream..." She looked back up at Sandy, the angle of her sight forcing the upper eyelids to be visibly open now. "What is it?"

“You were asleep for an hour here... on top of the tank?” Sandy's brows furrowed. “That would be about the time we started breakfast. When did you start practicing-- start this practice simulation this morning?” Could Brit be an even earlier riser than he and Amanda were?


The Building's Front Lawn

"It tastes like Skittles!" she cheered. She promptly got on her knees and began to gladly gobble a good helping of snow.

Amanda heard Giovenith before she saw her, and started to turn in her direction. “It tastes like what??”

Willow, for his part, noticed the nearby Amanda Bela. Considering for a second, he made his way over to her, keeping a respectful distance.

"Hey," he greeted. "I heard things turned out pretty alright the other day."

“Oh, hello, Willow! Yes, we have an understanding now.” A small smile crept onto her face: more than a grin, but it didn't reach her eyes. “So what do you think of all this?” She swept her arms out wide, indicating the snow-covered landscape. “Regular white snow had lost its charm, but this... candy-colored and -flavored snow is different, new!”

[Giovenith]

The green blurs attached to Dax screamed at he began to ran, being tossed aside momentarily before rebounding and flitting after him again.

"YEEHOYMEEFRIS!!" A small, rough voice screeched as a weight fell on Dax's face. Angry red eyes blazed into his, framed by equally angry red hair. The four inch tall leprechaun poked him in the face with his tiny finger repeatedly, screaming more nonsense.


Willow tilted his head ever so slightly as he regarded Amanda's expression. His own was neutral, but not without consideration. Giovenith hadn't told him much about what the two had actually talked about, just that things had been more-or-less resolved. He couldn't honestly say that he was comfortable with the lack of warmth in the lawyer's eyes, but he knew it wasn't his place to get involved in their conflict. Instead, he reached down to scoop a bit of the candy ice chunks from the ground

"Skittles," Willow answered for Giovenith. "The candy with the slogan, 'taste the rainbow.' It isn't true though — real rainbows taste disgusting. Very spicy, but not a lot of real flavor."

He blew the snow into a swirling spectrum that framed the rest of the snow-covered landscape as he looked out over it.

"Well, it's not exactly Composition Seven, but it seems to be going for the same rolling effect," he remarked, half-jokingly with a new smile. "With the sentimentality of it all, I'd say it's more-"

And that was when Andrew Jackson decided to punch Willow in the face.

Now, when a human has to deal with a horse, they will usually find that punching them isn't likely to do much good. Being the migratory herd animals with a penchant for kicking that they were, even the smallest of ponies evolved a decent amount of stock to take on the stumbles and thumps of life. On a normal day, a punch from an average human wouldn't have stunned Willow much more than a mild slap to the face — rude, but not deadly. This wasn't a normal day, and so when the seventh president of the United States of America decided to attack him, all some six hundred pounds of him went flying a good 30 feet across the snowy expanse at blinking speed, where upon he braked hard against a nearby tree and fell forward into the snow, sinking in and leaving a pony-shaped hole behind him.

"I'll teach you not to equate me with candy snow, you theocratic, monarchist prick!" Jackson screeched, barreling soon after the pegasus' path, whipping a cane around wildly.

A second later, Willow emerged from the hole, dazed but largely unhurt, at least seriously. The tree hadn't been thick enough to break anything more than a few bruises. He rubbed his head, alarmed and confused, before stopping to stare shocked at the approaching white wigged man.

Before Jackson could get too close though, a mish mash of red, green, and blue nailed him square in the face, stunning him and bringing the charge to a halt.

"Rawr!" Giovenith cried, summoning all her little might to charge forward herself towards the American figure, jump, and lock her arms and legs around his back.

"Let go!" Jackson growled, whirling around and flopping himself about to dislodge the girl.

"Never!" Giovenith held on tight. Because she'd changed her clothes, didn't have her paper with her, and so had little else to resort to besides the grand sum of her 95 lbs. brute strength

So there, in the midst of candy-flavored rainbow snow, an older man with wild hair, a cane, and 18th century clothing struggled against a short adolescent girl with sparkle hair.

[Monfrox]

The Holodeck

"Right after I left. Didn't go to bed. Mom always said: Never go to bed angry. Or was it never go to bed hungry? I think it was both."

She shrugged, and yawned loudly.

"I need a drink." She declared, slowly sliding herself off the side of the hull and onto the ground.

[Northwest Slobovia]

The Building, Holodeck

“All night??” Sandy took a moment to close his jaw and lower his eyebrows. “I-- Yes, a drink, of course. What would you like?”

How does one start this conversation? 'Hello, my alter ego was poking around a dreamworld from torn from your mind, in my dreams.'? 'Hi, I've seen the inner recesses of your soul, and boy, it's dark down there!'? I should have thought this through first.

After a bit of a pause, the historian went on. “I think... I think I understand what you're feeling. I had a strange nightmare last night. Ford was-- Ford, Willow, and Sterling were somewhere with you recently, weren't they?”

[Monfrox]

The Holodeck

Brit gave Sandy a rather blank look for his surprise. It wasn't that big of a deal for her, honestly. Her eyes widened a bit and she looked much more awake than a few seconds ago when he mentioned the nightmare. So that actually happened, then? Well, this was awkward. Yeah, that drink was sounding real good right now. And also something to eat. And some sleep. Yeah okay maybe she was up all night and that was a good reason to be surprised. She groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Alright, let's go."

She terminated the simulation. Everything but her BDUs vanished as she led him out and to her room. Privacy was the deal. She had been with Sandy in his room when discussing this, and the walls had ears. Her room looked about the same as it always had: Nothing fancy or extravagant, just the basics. Some little models and figures around her dresser and desk in her room, but she also had a small kitchen to herself. She reached up into the top cabinet and pulled down a large bottle of a familiar brown drink, and pulled a cream soda out of the fridge.

"Would you like anything? All I got is whiskey and some pop. Some other stuff..."

[Northwest Slobovia]

The Building's Front Lawn

Amanda stared at the action for a few seconds, uncomprending and stunned by the bizarreness, even for Galli. Is Demens drunk? Is he high?? That would explain why past years have been spent at on the island. 'Hey, God, apologize to Jesus for me, I'm gonna have to miss his birthday again.'

Wait, that's Andrew Jackson! And Giovenith is … wrestling him? Why doesn't she just wrap him up like a Christmas--? Never mind, girl, do something!

Willow seemed to be OK, and concluding that the ex-President was probably too strong to be tackled, Amanda tried the next option: reason. She ran up behind him and grabbed his cane, leaning back to let her weight do most of the work of trying to prevent him from hitting anybody with it. “Mister President! Mister President! This is unbecoming of an elected official! The winged horse didn't mean anything, and certainly not to insult you!”

[Northwest Slobovia]

Brit's Apartment

Sandy looked around as he entered. The place looks like a dorm room or a small efficiency. I wonder why: our apartment, Giovenith's, the Luxans' mansion and the Guildhouse are all built to taste and grand scale; this is generic and small. Space is free here, and possessions collect. Hmm...

"Would you like anything? All I got is whiskey and some pop. Some other stuff..."

Sandy waved the offered drinks off. “I'm fine.”

He looked around again, unsure where to sit, then turned back to Brit. “Your expression in the holodeck told me you were with Ford.” He took a deep breath. “That's... uh... you seem to have a lot on your mind. It might help to talk about it.”

[Giovenith]

There were two rules when it came to Andrew Jackson. 1) He didn't give a fuck. And 2) If you had any questions, you consulted rule 1.

"I can do whatever I want!" ol' Andy screamed, flapping his arms around wildly as he attempted to dislodge Giovenith. "I didn't beat those damn turtle-vampires to death with their own arms for this! You let me at that crown-loving bastard! I'll take you all down town to-"

"Oh, shit!"

Giovenith's gaze shifted to see that someone new had joined them, someone who luckily wasn't attacking, but whom she didn't recognize. He was a young man, about 15 years old, dressed as the quintessential emo with black shirt, jeans, and long hair. On his shirt read "2019" in scratchy, punk-rock font.

"UGH! Oh my god!" the teen cried in disgust, reaching out and clawing into Andrew Jackson's back. "I can't believe you would do this! This is so fucking stupid, you are ruining everything!" His tone was aggressive yet whiny, a sharp stab to the total unfairness of life. "Stop being a fucking dork, you weird old man!"

The emo was somehow able to rip Andrew Jackson away from Giovenith and hold him there despite the president's apparently enormous strength before. He lifted a hand, smacked Andy firmly on the nose, and sent the figure away in a puff of smoke.

Willow came flying back over soon after, tilting his head at the newcomer. "What did you do?"

The teenager sniffed and rolled his eyes at the question. "I sent him away, duh. It's not even his turn yet."

"Who was he? Why did he attack me?"

"Andrew Jackson, one of the presidents of the United States," the teen adjusted his hair. "Apparently, some of the earlier dudes got wind that you're like, an imperial cultist, so now they totally hate your guts. They're not big on kings or queens or religion or stuff like that."

"The who? Why, the fuck did I do?!"

"Something to do with tea or some shit, I don't know!" the teen shouted, throwing his arms up. "Look, we've got an actual, literal, real problem here!"

Giovenith asked the obvious. "Who are you?"

The newcomer gestured to his shirt as if it was obvious. "God, can't you read? I'm like, Twenty-Nineteen."

"You're... named after the year?" Giovenith raised an eyebrow at the guy's attitude.

"Ugh, no," the kid rolled his eyes. "Well, sort of. No, I am the year — I'm the actual, literal year. Like, right now, when you are right now? That's me." He waved his arms around demonstrably. "This is all me. But shit's fucked up right now, and I need you to help me get it done. That's like, your job or whatever, isn't it?" He folded his arms critically. "You help make the universe all good vibes or something?"

[Emazia]

Dax stared at the leprechaun as he attempted to grab it, but to no avail.

Claude walked away from the little rabbit, as it was most likely dangerous, and moved to talk to one of the residents...

[Northwest Slobovia]

The Building's Front Lawn

"Ugh, no," the kid rolled his eyes. "Well, sort of. No, I am the year — I'm the actual, literal year. Like, right now, when you are right now? That's me. [...] This is all me. But shit's fucked up right now, and I need you to help me get it done. That's like, your job or whatever, isn't it? [...] You help make the universe all good vibes or something?"

The teen, however annoying, must be somebody special to make Andrew Jackson just disappear. Personification of the new year? Amanda gave him a puzzled look before the penny dropped. "Aren't you supposed to be a baby? No, wait, you said things are fucked up, and that would fit what I was thinking: Demens is drunk, stoned, or high now, or whatever it is the Greater Beings do when they need to relax.

"And yes, we're Demens' fixers, and we'll do our best to help you." Not having a convenient surface to drum her fingers on, she loosely crossed her arms, and drummed them on the opposite wrist. "You're a teen, which means we should be a few months into 2019. But we're not, since it's still New Year's Day." Amanda looked to Willow and Giovenith. "Do either of you have any ideas how Galli's calendar advances? Is that something Demens does himself? Back home, it's just physics, but Sterling once said something like one of ... y'all's goddesses moves the sun and moon herself." Stupid standard English and its lack of a proper second person plural! I have to use the damned redneck word!

[Giovenith]

"And when Twenty-Twenty is born, I'll be an old man," Twenty-Nineteen scoffed. "Do you stay a baby forever until you magically become old one day?"

Giovenith shook her head and held up her arms in defeat. "I really don't, sorry Amanda. Not all pantheons make their methods for running things very clear."

Willow nodded, but with a frown. "That's true. Celestia moves the sun, Luna moves the moon. It used to be regular unicorns, but that was millennia ago. I don't see how that helps us much here though."

"Guuuuys, listen to me!" Twenty-Nineteen waved his black-nailed hand, drawing their attention back. "Look, I don't know how everything went wrong, but I do know what we need to start doing to get the ball rising again. You need to help me find my grandpa."

"Your grandpa?" Giovenith questioned.

"Twenty-Eighteen," Twenty-Nineteen explained. "He needs to go on to greener pastures, if you get what I'm saying? I was supposed to meet him to take his place, but he's been missing ever since I got here. I don't know who this 'Demens' person is, but as long as Grandpa is missing, things are going to stay like, totally fucked up."

"Fucked up like how?" Willow asked, skeptical. He flew backwards slightly as Twenty-Nineteen leaned in close, poking him in the chest a few times for emphasis.

"Fucked up like leprechauns are going to laugh while a bunch of angry revolutionaries tar and feather your ass, that's like how," he answered. He narrowed his eyes. "Probably with your own feathers."

Willow paused. "Point taken."

[Giovenith]

Dax stared at the leprechaun as he attempted to grab it, but to no avail.

The leprechaun crawled to the top of his head whispering in his ear, finally speaking English.

"Hey kid, wanna make some money?" it asked. "Or do you want us to stick around a little longer?"

[Monfrox]

Brit's Room, 2A

Brit didn't immediately seem to acknowledge Sandy's words, which was something she didn't want to do. Not yet. She was tense as hell. Wigwam tipi. She poured out a shot for herself and, after taking a second to get ready, took it straight down the hatch. The whiskey numbed everything it touched on the way down, and loosened her head up a little in both good and bad ways. She sighed and took her BDU blouse off, revealing a modest black t-shirt underneath with one breast pocket. She had it tucked into her BDU pants which were bloused into her old jungle boots. A navy blue open-faced belt kept it cinched around her waist, which also made perhaps her only redeeming quality of her appearance notable.

Brit looked over to Sandy, noticeably tired, maybe a bit grumpy, before she grabbed the cream soda and whiskey and poured herself a better drink. She dug through the freezer part of her fridge and threw a biscuit with bacon, scrambled eggs, and what could loosely be described as cheese, wrapped up in a paper towel, into her microwave for a minute and thirty seconds. She put a paper plate down in front of it and spun on her heel, turning to lean back against the counter while crossing her arms over her chest. She heaved a sigh as she got her reply ready.

"I think that's putting it lightly. So is that why you're here? To talk to me about it? I thought we already talked about it way back after it happened." She assumed he meant the Fiend attack, which really was the obvious and only choice to her right now.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

On the eve of the New Year, after a delightful breakfast with the couple that had been so helpful in helping her adapt to her new life, Meritari found herself wandering back to her room with a full belly and a smile on her face. She was about to open the door and walk inside, when a serendipitous glance at the window revealed to her one of the many oddities taking place that day: the snowfall, which she had only recently become familiar with, surprised her yet again by displaying the colors of the rainbow as it fell. Recalling the fun times she had playing in the snow the other day, she decided it wouldn't hurt to investigate this new, strangely-colored frozen water.

Thus, before long she was already walking off the last step that led to the ground floor, where a large number of cultists had laid out an even larger number of winter clothing for the residents to wear in case they lacked their own. She'd been here before, and wasn't looking forward to the cultists talking her ear off about all the stuff they had available for residents, so instead of saying anything, she smiled politely at them and sorted through the available clothes to pick out an outfit that would protect her from the cold, which she was largely unaccustomed to. Sweater, scarf, gloves, the whole shebang.

Once ready, she stepped out of the building and into the rainbow-colored streets. She had been wondering whether Giovenith and the winged creature would be up for another snow battle and much to her fortune she immediately spotted them a bit of distance away. They were not alone, however, with Amanda and a boy she didn't recognize with them as well.

"Hello." She greeted the group cheerfully, though she noted they were anything but cheerful. The teen looked upset, the pony looked skeptical - not that she was great at reading their expressions or anything - and the two women looked puzzled. No matter. It always paid to be polite, so she turned towards the boy. "I don't think we've met. My name is Meritari. Are you a new resident?"

[Northwest Slobovia]

The Building, Apartment 2A

Sandy sighed inwardly at Brit's drinking. Worse than Amanda, even years ago. But that would agree with Ford's perception of the situation.

"I think that's putting it lightly. So is that why you're here? To talk to me about it? I thought we already talked about it way back after it happened." She assumed he meant the Fiend attack, which really was the obvious and only choice to her right now.

"We did". Sandy forced a weak smile. "Assuming we mean the same thing.

"If we do, Ford seemed to think it's still eating at you, over four years later." He raised his hands defensively to match his new tone. "But that's my interpretation of what he seemed to believe... in a nightmare, which I don't remember all the details of. So that may not be the case."

[Emazia]

Dax stared at the leprechaun as he attempted to grab it, but to no avail.

The leprechaun crawled to the top of his head whispering in his ear, finally speaking English.

"Hey kid, wanna make some money?" it asked. "Or do you want us to stick around a little longer?"

"I want....neither...get...off me..." Dax replied, as he passed out on the floor, from all the alcohol in him.

Claude grabbed the winter gear from the oddly dressed people near the door, as he went outside to enjoy the snow. He wrapped himself up for the weather with gloves, a scarf and a ski helmet.

"The winter is silent and calm. The white beauty falling from the sky has come to kiss mankind in all its glory. The winter is truly a season for poetry and for thought. It is serene as the flow of the cold breeze brushes up against the skin of every man. It is truly tranquil."

[Giovenith]

The leprechauns kicked the bottle away and, combining their strength, dragged Dax off into the hallway. They rounded the bends, dragged him downstairs, and wound up in a closet in some far off corner of the building, illuminated only by the tucked away Christmas lights that had been dragged out and plugged in.

There, they began to spray him repeatedly with the various cleaning bottles in the closet.

"Wake up!" the leader of the little creatures demanded in his squeaky voice. "Wake up, ass. You don't get to sleep it off here."

"Let's just pump his stomach," suggested another leprechaun.

"No," came another, higher pitched voice from the back. The leprechauns stood aside as a winged baby, small enough to fit in the palm of a hand, approached. From his diaper, he produced an arrow and smiled. "Let's do this the old fashioned way."

"Ya putti are nothing but a bunch a' sadistic fucks!" protested the head leprechaun. "And people say we're the jerks!"

"I'm not wasting time with some wannabe-Byron's shenanigans while there's enemies to ruin!" snarled the putto, gripping his weapon tight. "If you can't do what I hired you to do, then I'll take things into my own hands!" With that, he delivered a kick to Dax's face with his small, soft, chubby foot. "Up!"

[Northwest Slobovia]

The Building's Front Lawn

The teen looked upset, the pony looked skeptical - not that she was great at reading their expressions or anything - and the two women looked puzzled. No matter. It always paid to be polite, so she turned towards the boy. "I don't think we've met. My name is Meritari. Are you a new resident?"

The boy rolled his eyes at Meritari; he had just explained who he was.

Amanda gestured at him, palm up. “This is 2019, the personification of the year, the way Christians keep time. Galli seems to be using those years too, though only Demens knows why.”

She briefly explained Western year-personifications for the Kemetian, ending with “...but he didn't get the hand-off from 2018, so he's growing up without time actually passing in Galli. Since he's a teen now, it must be at least March, even if the calendar still says New Years Day. So, we've got to help him find Old Man 2018 and get time moving again.”

“And it's good to see you again, even if it's only been a half hour.” She smiled warmly at Meri.

"The winter is silent and calm. The white beauty falling from the sky has come to kiss mankind in all its glory. The winter is truly a season for poetry and for thought. It is serene as the flow of the cold breeze brushes up against the skin of every man. It is truly tranquil."

Amanda caught the sounds of juvenilia being declaimed, and looked over to see man wearing cultist-borrowed winter gear. A new Resident? Somebody who likes third-rate poetry? Jesus, I hope Demens isn't so high as to send us a third-rate poet. But white snow? She glanced around: yup, still pastels and bold shades. Was he high too, or just completely inattentive? Time to find out.

She bent down and scooped up some snow from her feet and lobbed a snowball in his direction. It landed a few yards in front of him – she threw like a girl – and left a baby blue splat in the middle of a hot pink stripe.

Now that she had his attention, she waved him over. “Hello! You must be a new Resident. Welcome to the Building, but we have work to do.” She repeated the Teen New Year explanation for him, ending with, “I'm Amanda Bela. What's your name?”

[Emazia]

The Building's Front Lawn

The teen looked upset, the pony looked skeptical - not that she was great at reading their expressions or anything - and the two women looked puzzled. No matter. It always paid to be polite, so she turned towards the boy. "I don't think we've met. My name is Meritari. Are you a new resident?"

The boy rolled his eyes at Meritari; he had just explained who he was.

Amanda gestured at him, palm up. “This is 2019, the personification of the year, the way Christians keep time. Galli seems to be using those years too, though only Demens knows why.”

She briefly explained Western year-personifications for the Kemetian, ending with “...but he didn't get the hand-off from 2018, so he's growing up without time actually passing in Galli. Since he's a teen now, it must be at least March, even if the calendar still says New Years Day. So, we've got to help him find Old Man 2018 and get time moving again.”

“And it's good to see you again, even if it's only been a half hour.” She smiled warmly at Meri.

"The winter is silent and calm. The white beauty falling from the sky has come to kiss mankind in all its glory. The winter is truly a season for poetry and for thought. It is serene as the flow of the cold breeze brushes up against the skin of every man. It is truly tranquil."

Amanda caught the sounds of juvenilia being declaimed, and looked over to see man wearing cultist-borrowed winter gear. A new Resident? Somebody who likes third-rate poetry? Jesus, I hope Demens isn't so high as to send us a third-rate poet. But white snow? She glanced around: yup, still pastels and bold shades. Was he high too, or just completely inattentive? Time to find out.

She bent down and scooped up some snow from her feet and lobbed a snowball in his direction. It landed a few yards in front of him – she threw like a girl – and left a baby blue splat in the middle of a hot pink stripe.

Now that she had his attention, she waved him over. “Hello! You must be a new Resident. Welcome to the Building, but we have work to do.” She repeated the Teen New Year explanation for him, ending with, “I'm Amanda Bela. What's your name?”

"My name is Dr. Claude Walmedren, grandson of the 3rd Prince of Champagne." he grimaced, although to the point where it looked more like a sarcastic smile than an actual smile. "I am a philosopher, studying the nature of human morality and the universe." he commented, as he shook her hand. "I guess you spotted me from my ramblings, huh? I am not a poet, I just like the snow, I guess." Claude continued, as he slapped her with his glove. "I challenge you to a friendly duel. Do you have a duelling sword?"

The leprechauns kicked the bottle away and, combining their strength, dragged Dax off into the hallway. They rounded the bends, dragged him downstairs, and wound up in a closet in some far off corner of the building, illuminated only by the tucked away Christmas lights that had been dragged out and plugged in.

There, they began to spray him repeatedly with the various cleaning bottles in the closet.

"Wake up!" the leader of the little creatures demanded in his squeaky voice. "Wake up, ass. You don't get to sleep it off here."

"Let's just pump his stomach," suggested another leprechaun.

"No," came another, higher pitched voice from the back. The leprechauns stood aside as a winged baby, small enough to fit in the palm of a hand, approached. From his diaper, he produced an arrow and smiled. "Let's do this the old fashioned way."

"Ya putti are nothing but a bunch a' sadistic fucks!" protested the head leprechaun. "And people say we're the jerks!"

"I'm not wasting time with some wannabe-Byron's shenanigans while there's enemies to ruin!" snarled the putto, gripping his weapon tight. "If you can't do what I hired you to do, then I'll take things into my own hands!" With that, he delivered a kick to Dax's face with his small, soft, chubby foot. "Up!"

Dax simply snarled at the leprechaun as he channelled his power, turning into a land-capable version of an octopus that breathed air. As he did this, he gripped the leprechauns, staring the leader in the eye.

"I may be a noble man, but I don't do mercy." He said this coldly as he turned his eyes red, dumping the leprechauns to the floor and exiting the closet as he barricaded them in.

"Good day, you damn dwarfs!"

Dax turned back into his human form, walking along.

[Giovenith]

"Meri," Giovenith greeted, nodding at her with a smile - but not one without hesitation or a bit of sadness. Meri seemed like a sweet person, but so had many of the people who had burned Gio. That was no reason not to be kind though. "What Amanda explained, we've got to help Nineteen here, and fast."

She left off the reason behind her rush: she was being waited for. Giovenith wouldn't abandon people in need, but she wasn't about to let this moment get stolen away from her too.

Willow was straight to business, leveling his eyesight with the personification's. "Okay, look, Nine, can I call you Nine?"

"Whatever."

"I'm gonna call you Nine. You clearly don't want to be here," He gestured to the teen. "I really don't want to be here," He gestured to himself. "So if nothing else, we have a common goal. I promise to help you find your grandpa and cut down on as much magical moral learning shit as much as possible, if you can promise to give it to us straight and lead us to what we need to do with as little interruption from this whole..." He gestured to Nine's emo getup. "... thing, as much as possible. Got it?"

Nine crossed his arms and looked Willow in the eye, critically. Willow looked critically at him right back. This seemed to satisfy Nine in a way no one else had, and he shrugged acquiescently. "Seems cool. First, we gotta get help from my friends."

"Who?"

Nine put two fingers in his mouth and whistled. A second later, there was a shape over the horizon, and a small wave of fluff descended towards the group. It hopped over the snow in waves of white and yellow, taking a moment for Giovenith and Willow to realize what they were.

"Bunnies!" Giovenith cheered, clapping her hands to her cheeks. "Chickies!"

Nine knelt down to the rabbits and chicks as they approached, expression serious. "Okay guys, what did you find?"

One of the bunnies dropped something from his mouth into the teen's palm: a small fidget spinner.

"Of course!" Nine gripped the toy in his fist. "Grandpa can't be far. We have to follow them!"

[Giovenith]

"My good sir!" One of the put to flew in front of Dax, smiling. "You'll have to forgive my cohorts, they're imbeciles."

The leprechauns protested.

"They know of nothing but the most primitive brutality, it's the flaw of their stock, I'm afraid," the small baby clasped his hands together. "But you're more civilized than that, aren't you? I believe it was you who exposed so many corruptions in the nearby country, was it not?"

[Northwest Slobovia]

"My name is Dr. Claude Walmedren, grandson of the 3rd Prince of Champagne." [...]"I am a philosopher, studying the nature of human morality and the universe." he commented, as he shook her hand.

“Good to meet you, Claude. But now that you're here in Galli, you may want to broaden your field of ethical study.” Smiling, she nodded in the direction of the bunnies and chicks, as it was hard to miss Willow, the grey pegasus pony. “And not everybody who seems human is. For instance--”

As she looked and gestured at Nine, she caught sight of the fidget spinner. “Is that a toy top?” Then, after taking in what the personification said, “Right, after you!”

Claude continued, as he slapped her with his glove. "I challenge you to a friendly duel. Do you have a duelling sword?"

Amanda recoiled, scowled, and snapped at Claude. "What?? No! This is neither the time nor place for backwoods bravado. If you want to play around later, I'll show you the holodeck. But right now, we. have. work. to. do!"

[Emazia]

"My good sir!" One of the put to flew in front of Dax, smiling. "You'll have to forgive my cohorts, they're imbeciles."

The leprechauns protested.

"They know of nothing but the most primitive brutality, it's the flaw of their stock, I'm afraid," the small baby clasped his hands together. "But you're more civilized than that, aren't you? I believe it was you who exposed so many corruptions in the nearby country, was it not?"

Dax nodded and smiled at the man.

“Yes, I was. The only reason they even stood a chance was because I was drunk last night. I am a calm and reasonable man, although not perfect.” Dax replies, as the hangover set in...

[Giovenith]

"My good sir!" One of the put to flew in front of Dax, smiling. "You'll have to forgive my cohorts, they're imbeciles."

The leprechauns protested.

"They know of nothing but the most primitive brutality, it's the flaw of their stock, I'm afraid," the small baby clasped his hands together. "But you're more civilized than that, aren't you? I believe it was you who exposed so many corruptions in the nearby country, was it not?"

Dax nodded and smiled at the man.

“Yes, I was. The only reason they even stood a chance was because I was drunk last night. I am a calm and reasonable man, although not perfect.” Dax replies, as the hangover set in...

"That's what I thought!" The miniature baby with wings smiled triumphantly. "Then let me explain our situation: I am part of a people that for years, has been trying to liberate repressed peoples, for no payment, out of the goodness of ours hearts. Yet each time, we have been thwarted by a tyrannical, self-proclaimed "goddess" and her miserable, theocratic sidekick. Recently, we've finally found the courage to stand up to her for good! Will you help us?"