City of IF

[Crunchyfrog]

This was enough for Lebrenth. Too much time had been wasted already. The Soul Well was about to implode, and he needed to find Lordy and let him know about his recent contact with D-Lotus, before it was too late. Perhaps it already was too late, in which case, Lordy would be in deep doo-doo, even too deep for himself to overcome without help from the rest of the Council. Perhaps this was the very reason why he was delayed.

This, was serious.

"I have to go!" Lebrenth cried urgently. "I have to find Lordy. We can't stand around and wait for him to arrive, not after what I have learned."

He turned to leave, but Kalanna's tail thumped down in front of him, blocking his path.

"And what exactly is it that you have learned, Lebby?" smiled Kalanna sweetly, playfully dangling the jester hat above his head, slightly out of his reach. He could see Lordy's note, and he could see there was some other scrawl underneath the note, but the hat was swinging about too much for him to be able to read it.

Jezsharp's eyes narrowed. This was not the Kalanna he knew. Or rather it was in a sense... in as much as she usually had her own motives for whatever she did, but... the Kalanna who had breached his TI and imprisoned him in his own quarters the previous night, the Kalanna who was menacing Lebby now, this was not right. She normally had more respect and loyalty towards her friends. But looking around at the rest of his fellow Councillors, he had to admit that none of them really seemed to be 'themselves'. Din and Smudger had taken on different guises, for reasons he was not aware, Solus looked strangely different, Lebby was uncharactaristically panicky, and Idea Master appeared to have lost his mind.

Jez stepped forward.

"Kalanna, we'll all do our talking at the meeting. At least until Lordy arrives.
Because one thing we can be sure of, is that chaos rules the city right now. We dont know why Lordy is delayed, or even if he will turn up at all."

All the moderators nodded in agreement.

"And for now," continued Jez, "I will chair the meeting, if everyone is happy with that. We will start by each of us sharing our observations with the rest, so we can all understand the whole picture. From there, we can decide our plan of action. Okay?"

"Okay, but make it quick!" said Lebrenth. "All those in favour?"
Solus, Lebby, Din and Smudger immediately put their hands up. Idea Master watched them, and thought it would be fun to put his hand up too. Reluctantly, Kalanna raised the tip of her tail.

"Okay." said Jez. "Who wants to step up and speak first?"

[D-Lotus]

A momentary silence enveloped the mods, like a sudden lack of oxygen that made them all hold their breath. Then someone stepped out from behind one of the blown off rocks from Mage mountain.

"I'll speak first." he said, as he stopped in front of all the surprised mods, except for Lebrenth, who quietly assented to himself. If Lordy wasn't here, then things would have to be done without Lordy. After all, there wasn't much time left.

As D-Lotus stood there, his face conveyed a sense of absolute seriousness. His hand was composed, close to a large holdster that bulged with a protruding gun. Kalanna suddenly reared herself, but the others shot curious glances at her and she returned to her reclined position somewhat tensely.

"D, what are you doing here? You're not a mod." asked Jez.

IM giggled. Some memory of something was causing ticklish sensations in his mind.

D-Lotus furrowed his brows significantly.

"I need to tell you all something very important. But before we begin, does anybody have any objections?" He spoke in a grave tone and glanced directly at Kalanna, his hand close to his gun.

[Kalanna Rai]

Rai's eyes narrowed at D. "If you're threatening me D you're making a very big mistake. I garuntee you that if you turn that gun on me it will be the last mistake you make." She growled very softly. "Plus think very hard what will happen if you fire Stupidium at me."

Everyone blinked once. It was well known that, next to Chinaren, Rai had more real SG's going than anyone. Fireing Stupidium at such an Idearium laiden target might well vaporize a good sized portion of the city...and while it was certain Rai would be wounded there was no real assurance she would die. After all, Dinranwen had been dead, Rai was rather certain of that fact, yet here she sat as plain as day. D's hand slowly moved away from his gun.

"Good. Now speak your piece D. Mod or not I'm curious to hear exactly what you've got to say that you fear you'd have to kill me to express. But then I wouldn't be the first...would I?" Watching D-Lotus's shocked expression Rai grinned. "Go ahead. I've got less to lose."

[Polokin]

Polokin hid in the bushes and began to watch the council meeting.

What could Rai be talking about, she wouldn't be the first? What did D do...?

[D-Lotus]

How could she know? wondered D-Lotus. This only confirms my suspicions that she has been working with Lordy all along. Up to now he had no real proof, but now it was definite. Recovering from her comment, D faced the council and their unusual meeting place.

"I feel it is my duty to inform you," D said, speaking with caution, "That Lordy is attempting to take over this city, and that Kalanna Rai is in association with this dastardly plot."

Various gasps escaped from the council members, and the wind began to pick up, whistling madly. Sweat dripped down IM's forehead and immediately dried as he attempted to regain his perturbed knowledge. Rai didn't twitch, she simply smiled smugly and continued in her non-challant stance. I know she is affected, she just isn't showing it, thought D as he examined the eternally cold-hearted dragon. Her manipulation will have to end.

"Continue." she said, almost laughing.

"It is true, I was investigating the case. BS had somehow gained knowledge of a network of tunnels, and he also had somehow found out about some ceremony involving the wells." D-Lotus paused, then continued genuinely, "I tortured the information out of him, that's why he's looking for revenge."

Everyone in the council eyed D, with newly appraising eyes. How much of what he was saying was true?

"I learned from him that one of his employers was planning a ritual in Smee's basement, that same night, the night of New Year festivities. I rushed to my office to grab suitable weaponry, and departed towards Smee's. When I got there, it was almost too late."

Everyone was listening now, fully immersed in his story.

"Upon arriving, I found the house in a mess, as if some explosion had racked it. I descended to the basement, because it was there that the epicenter seemed to lead, due to the increasing levels of disarray."

D-Lotus paused again, as if to give himself courage to proceed.

"With its back turned to me, there was a shadow, an evil presence greater than any encountered before. The darkness of its laughter consumed the air and immersed everything in a monstrous sulphuric smell. It was chanting and pouring its blood onto a horn, into which it dipped its thin and callous finger. It purred as it wrote cryptic symbols on the wall from its own blood. I knew that this thing had killed Smee, or worse. Instintively, I knew that it was trying to release the dead souls that Chinaren had enclosed. Perhaps it was too late, but I felt I had to stop this inherently sinister being. I unsheathed my knife and stalked behind it. As I crept up behind it, it gave no sign that it had noticed me. Precisely as I brought my knife down onto its back, though, it cackled most evily and horrendously than before, as if my actions were its personal victory. My knife reached into its heart, and cold, dark blood issued forth, staining my clothes and body. I reeled back from the yet laughing being, and felt myself faint as it suddenly burst into pieces and dissappeared. I felt as though part of myself had died, as if the natural evil inside me had been ripped out and accompanied the evil presence to its death. I felt that all I had left was tainted goodness, worthless without its counterpart."

Up to now, D-Lotus had been deeply enthralled in his own tale. He looked up from his clutched fists.

"When I woke up, Lordy was there. I had had strong suspicions that Chinaren's dissapearance was related to him, but then I realized he was also trying to gain advantage from the strange occurence that had just happened. I was tied up in a chair. He told me that he planned to continue the ritual, when he collected the necessary items. He had obvious admiration for the being that I had slayed, and told me that I had destroyed a great source of power. He scorned me for my actions. He even told me his plans to fully open the well and take over the city before he wiped my memory."

All the council members were still listening attentively.

"But none of that matters now. Lordy doesn't realize that it won't make a difference wether he opens the well completely or not. Lebby and I have journeyed in our dreams to an astral plane, where we have learned of the city's imminent destruction. All I did was buy us time, the process is not on a stand-still, the souls are gaining more and more power. I've sent Crunchy to try and delay them until we can figure something out. He is not affected by the souls as much as we are, because he is a newcomer to the city. However, now is the time to unite. We need all the help we can get before the souls explode in the well, before everything goes out of control- beyond Lordy's control, even. And we need to stop Lordy from fulfilling the ritual, or then all will be lost without hope of return. We all need to unite now, or face utter destruction."

Even Kalanna seemed somewhat shaken. Perhaps she hadn't known all of this. But what would happen now? Would the councillors overcome their differences and work together to stop this 'greater evil' that menaced the City of IF?

[Idea master]

Something snapped in IM's brain, then almost unsnapped. The curse Lordy had put upon IM was beginning to become undone. He could, for example, remember that Lordy had wiped his memory. He could also remember that he had attempted to restore Key with Smee and Kalanna's help, and the small mental conversation Lordy had imparted just before IM's mind was lost. IM could also remember his own name. But that was about it.

"He's telling the truth," IM stated. "But for the life of me, that's all I can remember right now. Rai may have started on the opposite side, but she has helped me earlier."

More gasps as heads turned to him.

"I had conversed with Smee, who, it turned out, was not quite dead. He had merely been blasted forward in time. He told me some strange figure was in his basement attempting to crack open the Soul Well. Smee did his best to stop this person, but all he accomplished was making everyone fear the entrance that is now where his house used to be."

There were whispers as the validity of D's story was confirmed by another council member.

"I accelerated his reconstitution and brought him with me to Mage Mountain, my old Archived storygame, where we met Rai. She lent us power so that we could attempt to break the curse on Key. He had literally become a key."

IM gestured towards a piece of rubble.

"All I know is that the curse was broken, but it seems to have had quite an adverse effect upon IF."

Rai growled. "I couldn't find Smee or Key, you were the only one that managed to stay in the present time."

IM nodded. "After I landed, the person who cast the curse invaded my mind and wiped my memory." IM paused for dramatic effect. "It was Lordy."

People all around the circle nodded. IM held his hand up to his temple, a bolt of pain had lanced through his head.

"It may not last for long, this temporary fracturing of Lordy's curse upon me. I will need someone to restore me. I can vaguely recall a mansion where I kept equipment to help myself."

[Christalnightshade]

Her wings convexes and twitched. Sitting ever angelically on the wall.

She remembered the new years party and how it all went down…. The lightshow of the crackers shooting up and exploding with an amazing haze made her eyes flinch.

The drinks were here and there served as well as all the other good drinks made by the bartender.

She had refused tired of death for only one day. And she never complimented china on his work. She still owed his rent and that was one thing she had to do.

After only a day in If she was at a biggest noob party. The king had made a mistake and the machine exploded. Sending nightshade crashing through all the walls of the mansion and then through a window…

She had woken on New Years Eve lying face on the mound…

Now she stood up looking down at what had happened to china’s mansion and that seeing all the events befall infront of her, she stood on a mound over looking china’s mansion at all the debris lying around.

She could not fly with her heavy load of wings. Her sister and brother dead and she were the only blood relative that was left in If.

She jumped down the mound and landed gracefully on the ground. Her fear of heights was still there and kicking no matter what. “To what must I do first?” She looked about her and then at the king’s castle and then to china’s mansion.

She shrugged her shoulders and immediately went in the direction of the mansion. The party was destroyed and a window was broken, the same window she flew through.

Entering the castle she found interesting, tidy-bits laying around the floor, like the piece of invisible glass lying on the ground… Looking closely it was a piece of glass from the king.

A few potions and gadgets... She picked up the bottles and went to sit down. Looking at it thinking if she should try and drink. Even if she never did drink her throught was dry and her limbs were stiff.

[Kalanna Rai]

Rai recovered from her shock quickly. Some of those details she hadn't know, blast the demon for keeping her in the dark, but Lordy wasn't the one she was actually mad at. A very evil grin split her muzzle. "It's true I worked with Lordy for some time on several projects the first of which was this." The gem on her left forpaw shimmered and a 3-D image of the Master Map was projected into the air.

"When I first became a mod Lordy approached me with an offer. It didn't seem like much at the time, just a quick copy job of some old documents one of which turned out to be the Master Map of IF."

"So you stole the map!" Rai shook her head as Polokin emerged from the bushes.

"No I didn't. I copied what Lordy brought me and recognized this for what it was so I made an advanced copy for myself with my mod tools. When I'd finished Lordy put them back again. The real map theif was none other than Jez Sharp." Everyone turned to look at a figity Jez. Rai thumped her tail for attention.

"But now's not the time to dwell upon the past! Now we need to pull ourselves together! We're not acting like ourselves which means we're acting according to this things wishes. I, for one, am fighting this change in myself as hard as I can. Maybe when the rest of you decide to as well we'll actually get something done!"

[Idea master]

IM nodded quickly, he could feel Lordy's curse beginning to reform. He managed to snag one last memory out of his mind before his brain returned to his cursed state. He screamed out, "MY mansion! I must be brought to MY mansion!" Then IM collapsed.

The curse did not heal itself perfectly. His uncursed portion had tasted memories and feelings of self that felt right and wanted them again. When IM woke up, this would result in him having a feeling of loss and bemusement, along with his mind perpetually showing him snatches of his life before the curse that he wouldn't understand.

[solus.serpen]

Solus sat watching and listening quietly.
Due to her long absense in the archives, she had known none or very little of this.
...But you knew something was wrong...
...It was hardly something I could ignore...
...Yet you didn't go to help...
......
......
...And who's fault was that?...
She didn't suppose that there was anything that she could really tell anyone that would change anything drastically.
Afterall, being able to hear the lost souls didn't help anything, did it?
...I'm surprised no-one noticed...
...Well when you know something, you generally believe it to be simpler then it maybe is...
...Still, a play on words - how hard can that be?...
...Not for those that are looking for it...
Instead, she stayed contented to listen.
So Jez had stolen the mastermap?
To be quite frank, she hadn't even realised it had gone. Nor that Lordy had anything to do with anything (although that could have been guessed).
The fact that there was a greater evil had come to light a while ago for her now, but the description was not unwanted. The ones she had recieved had been shady and contradicted each other.
Brushing her long white hair behind her ear, Solus turned deep black eyes to look at Jez as most people were, waiting for him to give an explantation.

[Chinaren]

The recording Orb fizzled out, and Chinaren sat back and took a deep swig of Gungle Juice special reserve. It seemed that IF had been going to heck in a handbasket since he had been gone. Ah well, the warehouses and other Chinaren Inc. structures damaged were insured with a top OF insurance house. Might even make a little money out of it.

He stood up and waddled over to a cabinet. He typed in a code, whispered a passwork and put is eye to a tube for a quick retina scan. A drawer slid back, revealing the True map of IF. Poor Jez. Did he really think that he would leave this around to be found by anyone?

Sure, the backup copy Jez had taken had certain sensitive information on, but at least it didn't have the Dark Zone on it, or, well, you know. The Other place.

Chinaren closed the cabinet again, and watched it slide into the floor. He turned back to peer into a second orb, showing the council meeting, which seemed to be breaking up. Yet another orb showed Crady poking around the remains of the liquor cabinet up above. He rather hoped she would drink the red one, it had interesting side effects.

Sighing deeply, Chinaren decided there was no rush. No doubt someone would find out that a good proportion of the councilors were infected by Lost Soul parasites soon enough. The creatures affecting memory, thinking and actions, but were easy enough to get rid of once you knew how.

In the meantime, a shower was in order...

[Christalnightshade]

Her mussles spasimd and the bottles flew out her aching hands. She dropped from the chair onto the ground her cigarrett falling out her hand.

The liquid from one of the bottles were flamable, damn her trying to smoke. The curtains started to burn.

She rushed to a tap -- that was strangely around the room, but no water came through it.

Soon she killed the flames by waving her wings in a tornado of blades and cutting the curtain from off the metalpole and stomping it to death. She cried. "I never smoke"

She scratched her head and nodded to herslef. "How did I get this addiction? This isn't me! I never smoke" Uncomfortabally she moved her wings. Flapping cautiosly.

**why did I wake up
**why am i so bored to go in search of missing people
**where is everyone
**why am I speaking to my self

She looked down at the gasses excaping form a bottle, she picked it up and on it stood: Greater Evil Gas. warning side affects... split personaloties.

Her wings flexed and and she turned her hide around and walked out...

Nightshade didn’t know where she was going with the bottle in her hand, but she followed one of her personalities. She had the uncanny sense as she came around a bend, like someone in need of help and eyes watching her every move.

She strolled down the road of the linear section there was silence, not one thing moving. She quickly ran down an alleyway heading to the center of the jester park.

Footsteps were a sound she heard and murmuring of voices, she then jumped on top of a roof, jumping from one to the other. Until finally. She settled down on a cliff’s roof over looking a council meeting.


She silently sat angellically once again this time on a cliff and listeing in on the councils meeting, with the bottle next her.

She sat back and awaited to hear a tail come from the one called jezz, Rai, solus and all the others...

[D-Lotus]

"We need to stop Lordy and convince him to join us against the greater evil." D-Lotus said to the council. "It doesn't matter what anyone did in the past. We must forget our differences."

"So what will it be? Are we in agreement? If you are, proudly raise your hand and say, I."

D-Lotus raised his own hand and said "I." He waited for the council's response.

[Polokin]

Polokin was about to raise his hand and be the second to say I, but held back due to the fact that D had been lying to him all this time.
"He could've told me..." He thought, "I could've helped him before it came to this."
Polokin sighed, "Oh well, we all have to work together anyway."

It seemed as though nobody wanted to be the second, so Polokin raised his hand and said, "I'm with you, D."

[Crunchyfrog]

Before anyone else had a chance to vote for D's proposal, a rumble, followed by a high pitched whistle and a deafening thunderclap resounded through the city. What windows hadn't been broken so far, shattered.
A giant flash split the sky momentarily, as a plume of dark green smoke started rising from the direction of the gorge and the cliff edge, where D and Crunchy had found themselves stranded at sunrise of the previous morning.

The fog sizzled with energy momentarily, then stopped swirling and whispering. It hung silently and heavily around them.

"Solus!" cried Jez, as she cried out, and crumpled to the ground.

Solus's eyes opened, glazed. She whispered unintelligably. The councillors turned their attention from the explosion towards her. As D crouched down beside her, she gazed at him.

"...D... I sent Sasuke to find you after twelve hours," she whispered. "Where is he? Was I too late?"

"What is she talking about?" asked Lebrenth.
D-Lotus went pale. No, it couldn't be. Could it?

"Is that you talking, Crunchy?" he asked hesitantly, looking closely at Solus.

"...I jumped into the pool, and left Sasuke to wait for my return...I fell...then I found myself in a world, of rolling hills and fields, small villages, a tavern, but everyone had gone... Except one, a wraith, who spoke of the impending disintegration, and the exodus, lead by one named Dinranwen... I have learned a great deal..." Crunchyfrog's words came weakly through Solus.

"The Realm of Dead IFians! " cried Din excitedly, nudging Smudger, who had been very quiet. Din turned to the others.
"Smudger and I have been there, we met many individuals, named Muaddib, Rave and Wing, Reiso, Shady.... I brought everyone out of..." continued Dinranwen.

"That can't be right!" cut in Lebrenth. "I saw them all in a deep sleep in the Dream Chamber..."

"Shhhhh!" hissed D. Turning back to Solus, he whispered - "Crunchy, are you still there?"

"...I was told how I had fallen out through the biggest of three vortices in the sky - and how Dinranwen and the rest were sucked up through it earlier. They must come back here, D... They must journey from this Realm via the Dream Chamber to unite with their bodies if they wish to return to IF properly as Live Citizens..."

"But did you find the fissure from where the Souls are escaping?" asked D.

"The Soul Well is cracked open. Supernatural power from the souls is seeping out slowly, weakening its walls and fueling the hauntings in the fog. The fog itself comes from somewhere underneath the City, but not from the Well. The fog is just a conduit, a medium for the Souls to inhabit...

I stood underneath the vortex, holding the crystal shard you gave me, above my head, its sharp end pointing towards the centre. Lightning from the centre of the vortex connected with the shard, and I buried it in the ground. The hole in the sky has become smaller... the sparks continue to connect the vortex with the shard in the ground."

"Well done, Crunchyfrog!" applauded D-Lotus.

"....Wait! " Solus's eyes quivered again, as more words came from her mouth. "It won't hold for long. The soul power has only been diverted downwards, instead of out into the fog. The ground is here breaking up due to the opening of the Well - soon this Realm will be no more... I fear then the Soul Well above me will explode..."

Solus's eyes then flickered, and refocussed.
D watched Jez take care of her as she sat up and came to her senses. Crunchyfrog had left her, and was still in the Realm of Dead IFians. D looked around at the councillors, as more hands rose, to indicate their acceptance of his proposal.

[dinranwen]

Din rose her hand immediatly. It wouldn't be easy, she thought, trying to convince Lordy to help them when he could just as easily help or be the greater evil.

Scratching the back of her neck to get an itch that had been driving her nuts since the New Year's Party that not even her well manufactored look-a-like's had gotten her out of, Din puzzled over 'Crunchy's words'.

It was true that since she had returned to If she hadn't been completly herself, with only half her mod powers, and a quater of the half of her shadow skills, Din had not even been able to use the Near Shadowed If transportation system.

She wouldn't be much use really until she gained back her form.

Swining of the rough shadow-cloaked she made earlier, Din heard a loud gasp followed by whispered behind her. Watching the shadow fall and fly away to the places where it was taken, Din looked at her fellow mods to see what was the matter. She soon realized it was her.

"Relax," Din said making soothing motions with her hand, "It was itchy, hot, and it wanted to go home. Jester-Park shadows rarely copperate in shadow forms anyway. The last time I tried to use some, they expolded in my hand leaving me covered in dust for weeks. Not exactly pretty let me tell you."

"Dinranwen," D said his voice adoubly shaking and his eyes the size of sauce pans, "You don't have a cloak on."

"Chill, D" Rai said, "It's just Brithil. Din's borrowing one of her rpg forms to appear in If until she can get back to her body. Sheezz. You think they never saw a girl before."

Din smiled, looking back to D, "That's right. Besides, I'm not much use as myself right now since I haven't been fully restored. As Brithil I have many more advantages, such as no one will recongize me as me, which can be used to tricky Lordy, if we need to anyway. Now keep in mind, as long as I'm using Brithil, I can access all of Brithil's skills, as well as what little remains of mine since death." Reaching back to the expandable staff Brithil perfered, Din twirled it experimentally, "So what do you want me to do? Point and I'm there," Din finished her smile expanding wickedly.

[solus.serpen]

...Solus...
...You - what happened to me?...
...You don't remember...
...But you do - tell me, now!...
......
......
...You were used as a mediator between the soul well and here...
...What? I thought - how? That shouldn't be possible unless...
......
...Permission?...
...I gave that - sorry...
...You - what?!?! And when did you have the authority - the power - ?!...
...You should tell your brother that you are ok - he is worried...
...I'm still you're superior...
...Sure...
Solus shivered, then stiffened abruptly. Any sign of physical weakness led to many ways to target the mind.
Ok, so that was overreacting, she wasn't in danger...but it was good practice. Although, good practice for a bad cause...

"Hey Jez - I'm fine." Solus muttered, shaking his hand off her shoulder. "What - what did." She stopped.
...Asking him what you said?...
...No!...
...Haha - and you were just thinking about weaknesses too, Solus...
...He's my brother - it's ok to not be a cold mask to him, at least...
...Do you really believe that??...
...I don't - I - Just go away, leave me alone for a bit. I need to rest my mind...
......
"Solus...?" Obviously Jez was having doubts about whether she really was fine.
"Yeah. Don't worry about me." The question about what she ahd said came to mind again, but she pushed it back. She would ask herself later, but she really wasn't in the mood now.
"Um..." Solus hesitated and glanced at everyone around her. Right now, she just wanted to be alone, in the archives. Right now, she wanted to sleep.
But then again, she had just sleep recently. Lately, she had been becoming more and more insomniatic, hardly sleeping. So this much in such a short time?
She shook herself.
/Stay awake, Dammit!/
Concentrating to stop herself from shaking, Solus stood up and leaned against a nearby tree. Somehow, she felt more comfortable here, and not so nausious.

[Crunchyfrog]

Looking around the group, D counted the hands raised. Dinranwen, Smudger, Kalanna, Lebrenth, Ideamaster.... he noted that Polokin and Crady had also indicated their agreement. He turned to Solus and Jez.

Neither had put their hands up, and neither had yet spoken their piece at the meeting.

"Well?" he asked.

"Wait - Solus may not have been aware of the conversation you had with Crunchyfrog just now..." Jez said defensively, clutching his book "The Treasures of IF" even closer to his chest.

Kalanna pushed her huge head through the group and got right into Jez's personal space.

"It's a majority vote." she said. "Either you both say your piece now, if you think it is going to change things, or we close the meeting now, and act based on D-Lotus's revelations. Which is it to be?"

[Kalanna Rai]

Rai glared down at Jez, about ready to rip his head off, when she noticed her own irrational behavior and throttled the urge to kill back into her psyche. Shaking her head she snorted, what was happening to her to them? It dawned on her.

"The fog is charged with the power of the souls and, to an extent, manifests their will. Supposedly this power is being siphoned off but...we're all beings sensitive to magic here. What if we're being affected by the wills of the dead?" Realizing just how dangerous the situation was about to become Rai decided to lay everything she had on the table.

She took the massive gem from around her neck and gazed at it with a sigh. Was she really going to do this? Looking back at Jez and the book he was hugging like a baby, and back at the rest of the council she extended her right forepaw. "I'd like to shake all your hands goodbye."

"What?" D looked like he was about to explode and the color drained from several faces.

"I'm afraid I cannot join you in convincing Lordy, nor can I aid you in restoring Idea Master."

"Why?" Rai again gazed into the depths of the gem.

"Because I know there are suddenly two gateways that have been momentairly opened, gateways I need to go through before they shut. If, by some miracle of cosmic humor, I survive I will join you in the assault on the well itself." She looked around the circle of mods, realizing that even should she succeed they would probably kill her later. "Good bye, and good luck."

With that the dragoness faded out of existance....

[D-Lotus]

D-Lotus stamped his foot in frustration, pulling at his hair as he watched powerlessly the dragoness dissapear. The waving leaves seemed to mock him.

"Always! Always the same! She always leaves with absolutely no explanation, off on her own thing..." He exclaimed, exasperated. He turned towards the somewhat preoccupied mods.

"I guess we'll have to trust her. We have no option."

Jez raised his hand to speak "What if its all part of Lordy's plan?"

"I don't think so." said Leb, "The truth is too troublesome for plots of that kind."

"Well, we'll have to divide the mission." said D-Lotus, calming down visibly. "Half the group should deter Lordy, and the other half should journey to the soul well or Dream chamber, or wherever, to see what can be done. Any volunteers?"

[solus.serpen]

Solus watched as Rai dissapeared. Why did they all seem to be picking on Jez? It wasn't fair.
So, he had stolen a map. That didn't really matter, did it?
If he was working for himself rather than others - well, that was hardly different from what Rai was doing.
Or indeed what she, herself was doing.
...You're not working at all, so far...
...I thought I told you to go away...
...Well, you were thinking too much, so I guessed you had finished resting your mind...
...No matter how much I think, it doesn't compare to having you talking - that really takes it out of me...
...Oh, haha...
......
......
...And it's hardly fair to acuse me of being lazy and not working after all I've been through. I studied loads, and came out much stronger for it...
...Yes - but who was it that gave you the strength to do that?...
...Not you...
...Hmph...
Solus sighed in frustration. It could be a great help at times, but when this started to happen...
...Well she just wished that none of this had come up.
Maybe she should speak?
She considered, but what had she to tell them? It seems as though she had been as a mediator to carry a message from Crunchy in the soul well to the council, so they already knew she could hear the souls...
...But lately it had suddenly gone very quiet. That was surprising considering how so much was revolving around them now.
She still hadn't put her hand up.
...Stop acting childish and tell me what I should do...
......
...Saku-...
...Don't!...
......
...Fine, well at this point, going along with it would probably be best...
...But what am I going to gain from that?...
...I don't know - but what else are you going to do? The archives are no longer a quiet place to be. And anyway, you don't like Trolls. You would be constantly wondering what was happening and...
...But I could listen. Some of them will be going to the soul well, surely I could - well, I mean if I already have connections...
...I thought of that - but that would mean giving more power to me. You didn't seem too happy last time...
...How much control?...
......
...?...
...More than you would like. Look, snap out of it and try and be aware of your surroundings, can't you? I'm tired of having to look out for you at these times. Right now, your eyes are glazed. If you're not careful, someone is going to notice and think you're having another contact with the soul world...
...Oh...
Solus blinked and glanced around suspiciously. Had anyone noticed? Well, it didn't look like it, and if they had then they weren't saying anything. But it was true, she did need to pay more attention. However, habits are hard things to break, and she'd aquired some unfortunate ones while hidden away in the archives.
...Right, just quickly this time - soul well or dream chamber and Lordy?...
...Ehhh, I don't like being rushed. If you want, you can be in touch with both by going with the Lordy thing and leting me take over every now and again - or you could go to the soul well and meet the pitiful whisps of life that have called to you...
...I said quick, and I wanted a proper answer. Just chose for me - which is the best?...
...You know my answer, thats why I gave you a choice...
...I want to go with Jez, but he hasn't said anything yet...
...Mmm...
...Should I ask hi-...
...Shh! Smile at D, he's looking this way...
Solus snapped out of her reverie for a moment to glance at D and smile slightly. /Damn, I hope he didn't notice anything/
Once he looked away, Solus gave a sigh of relief and glanced at the other members. None had said which way they wanted to go yet, but everyone seemed to be waiting for someone else to speak.
...Go with the Lordy option. That way you get to see where Jez is whichever way he takes...
...Damn, I'm not needy about him, I just want to make sure no-one picks on him...
...Thats the job of the older sibling, silly girl. Jez will be fine either way, now just raise your hand and say which way, before I get annoyed...
...I'm still you're superior...
...Sure...
Solus hesitated. To be honest, the soul well sounded more inviting, but then he would probably get angry with her.
Not bothering to raise her hand, Solus stated in an almost bored tone,
"I'm fine either way." The first thing that had actually been said by her (excluding the Crunchy bit, which wasn't her), throughout the whole meeting.
...Not a great one for words, are you? And indecisiveness is a weakness...
...I. Don't. Really. Care...
...Hmmm, ok then. I see. I'll leave you to rest now...
...Yeah...

/except I can't rest because I've got to stay awake. Damn.../
Solus watched everyone with slitted eyes. This was mainly because she was tired, although it might have been taken the wrong way. Either way, she didn't really care. Or even notice for that matter.

/I AM the superior/ She thought sternly to herself.

...Sure... A faint voice answered, the tone slightly condesending and even less notibly - sadistic.

[Christalnightshade]

Nightshade felt so out of place, after almost falling her ass of the cliff, she silently slipped back. That was when she was spotted and she quickly plopped her hand in the air trying to ask a question at the same time, not knowing what she got herself into she was taken to have said yes to something.

she sat on the cliff.... still watching. Still tired.

**move and go insearch where the gas came from
**no stay, listen to what is going on
**You need not worry about their matters
**I'm tired
**Walk away

nightshade shut her ears and moved back, kicking the bottle away from her, she ran off... Heading to who knows where...

[dinranwen]

Grabbing Smudger foricfully, Din raised her other hand. Well actually Brithil's other hand. Dressed in a green dress overlaid with silver chain armor, Brithil didn't like anyone to mess with. If, of course, you ignored the fact that not only was she bare footed, 4 foot 7 in, and ridocolously slender. In fact Brithil looked like someone who could easily become someone's lunch.

"Smudge and I," Din said looking pointedly at Smudger, "Will take the Dream Chamber. It's close to one of the major openings of the soul well so if anything goes wrong in that district, we will be close by. Besides, the Dream Chamber will place us closer to our bodies."

Beginning to walk off as she drug Smudger behind her, Din paused after only a few steps and turned.

"Would someone please remind what I'm suppose to do again?"

[Crunchyfrog]

D looked around at Din, and indicated for her to wait.

"You need to journey to the Dream Chamber from the Realm of Dead IFians, if you're to get reunited with your bodies. " he replied. "That is what Crunchy's words were. Besides, you are most needed in that Realm, right now - there you will have access to the Soul Well, maybe get those displaced Dead IFians back where they belong, and you will be in the right place to journey back to the Dream Chamber to reunite your soul with your body."

"D is right." added Lebrenth. "If you go directly to the Dream Chamber from here, the body you are borrowing will succumb to the mists, and fall into a deep sleep. I know, I've tried it."

"Indeed." continued Jez. "I had to revive him using my special tonics at the TI. And it was not pleasant..."

"What about getting me to my mansion?" asked IM.
"IM, you turned your mansion into a fortress, and unless your memory curse is broken, there's no way you'll remember how to pass that security." replied D. "There is only one route in that is unguarded, and that is the tunnel I took to get here... Only it goes via the Dream Chamber."

Everyone groaned.

"However..." continued D, "to get out, I used a gas mask. There are three gas masks at the tunnel entrance. Sasuke, Crunchyfrog and I used them when we exited IM's house, some hours ago. So three people can go safely to IM's house through that tunnel that takes you via the Dream Chamber. From IM's house there is a hole going directly to the Realm of Dead IFians. I vote that Smudge, Din and IM should travel that way. IM can then do whatever he needs, and after that Din and Smudge can travel to the Realm of Dead IFians through the hole in IM's drawing room floor."

At that moment, there was a sound of a glass bottle rolling nearby.

"What was that noise? Where did Nightshade go?" asked Smudger.

The bottle rolled to Jez's feet. It had a stopper in it, and a label. Scrawled across it in hurried handwriting, it said 'Greater Evil Gas. Beware, split personalities.'

He read the label out loud. Everyone looked stunned.

"Looks like this needs analysing..." he announced. "I...er...have the equipment back at the TI..."

D nodded his agreement for Jez to return to the TI. He turned to the rest.

"Lebby, Solus, you're with me. We're off to find Lordy." As he said this, D picked up the jester hat, that had been forgotton by Kalanna. He looked at the two scrawled messages attached to it, and nodded. "He may be closer to here than we think."

"Can I come with you too?" asked Polokin.

"Of course." replied D. "Okay, let's go!"

"Wait a minute!" shouted Lebrenth. "Everyone - synchronise your Mod rings. We need to be in constant contact with each other throughout this..."

Lebrenth, IM, Jez and Solus synchronised. Smudger and Din were without theirs, but where they were ultimately headed, they would not be able to use them anyway.

And with that, the group split up.

[Kalanna Rai]

Rai padded down a long hallway, tounge flicking out to test the air, periodically stopping to consult her map. What she was looking for was dead ahead. Noticing a subtle difference in the taste of the air, Rai stopped peering into the noon bright darkness. Another round chamber much like the one that had sent Din into the Realm of Dead IFians.

Rai stopped, nervous for a moment. "If I'm wrong about this even the slightest...I'm so dead." She closed her eyes for a moment of mental preparation. Then, as they snapped open, she lunged forward. There was a slight pop and it felt like every nerve in her body was frying but she made it...just barely. "Thank all ye powers...and thank you Crunchy and Sasuke. Without your sacrifices none of this would have been possible."

Reaching out she took the hunk of silk wrapped flesh from it's space on the plinth and placed it in her gem. "Flesh of the present...that makes two."

[dinranwen]

Nodding to D, Din or rather Brithil gently took IM's hand. Din wasn't sure exactly how much of his memory he had regained, but the last thing she needed was to loose the holder of the games district and the subsequently the Idearium Mines in the city with half-a-memory. "Don't worry IdeaMaster, we will get you back to yourself no time."

Using the other hand to corral Smudge, Din led the group through the city streets to IM's mansion.


Keeping a firm hold on both Smudge and IM was no small task, but with Smudge more often absent in mind though present in body of late, she couldn't afford to lose him either. Besides, Din had a feeling she was going to need all of the help she could get.

However, the itch on the back of neck was getting worse and the short cut Din planned on using through Jester Park was turning disastorous. Apperantly something had gone terribly wrong in aHem with both her and Rai missing from action.

Mysterous creatures in odd shapes, colors, and worse horrifing clowns beyond imaginings were bombading the tourist groups attracted to the rides in Jester Park.

"Oh, Din," Smudge said from behind her, "Aren't you going to do anything about this?"

"No, why?" Din said, pushing past an orange fuzzy thing with purple spots that had only one eye and a giant horn on it's face.

"I mean aren't you curious about what's going on?"

"Strangely, no." Din said pausing as she waited for a mob of two legged pink elphants to pass. They were heading for the breaking-up council meeting, but Din didn't bother with that. "We are going to IM's house. We have more important things to do than to explore or clean right now. Besides, isn't this chaos just a wee bit fun?!?" Din said laughing loudly.

"Yeah, but oh Din?" IM said looking in front of them as Din turned to idly watch a group of men dressed as women explode a sweet tart.

"Yes, IM dear?" Din said idly looking towards the Idea Master.

"We may have a problem." IM said pointing in front of them.

In front of them a large hole had been blasted in the old Laboratory, and even as they watched monsterities with horrible senses of humor were pouring out of the hole. Smiles split across the monsters faces as they saw the group of mods trying to make their way through Jester Park.

"Ah drats," Din said as realized to late that she was going in the wrong way after all, "There goes my short cut."

[Lilith]

Lilith, watching from the safety of one of the few remaining trees, chuckles to herself. Well, isnt utter chaos a bitch? She jumps down and lands inbetween Din's party and the oncoming attackers.

"Could I be of some assistance, mistress of shadows?" Lilith says, turning to face the party of monsters. She then erects and energy barrier, which is impenatrable to the likes of these foes.

"What are you doing?" Din asks, a little perplexed.

"Holding them off so you can get away! Now go, and hurry! This is very taxing!" Lilith replies, sweating a little as the monsters attack the barrier.

Din takes off with Smudger and Idea Master. Once they are off to safety, Lilith releases the barrier and conjures a quarterstaff.

She smiles menacingly. "Let's dance, beasties!"

Meanwhile, Din, Smudger, and, IM have reached the room with the masks.

"Okay, guys. Here goes." And with that, Din applies a mask to each of them and they travel off together to the Dream Chamber.

[Crunchyfrog]

Through her mask, Din looked back and waved at Lilith, who continued to singlehandedly fight back the monsters and abominations that attempted to follow them. Grabbing Smudger's hand with her left, and IM's hand with her right, and making sure that their masks were both secure, she stepped into the grotto at the edge of the park, and found the hole in the ground that led down to the tunnel that led towards the Dream Chamber.

The gentle white whisps of mist swirled around their calves as they walked carefully along the dimly lit tunnel. It was quite wide, and serenely peaceful. The mists became thicker, until they could see it billowing out from an opening on the right, and some greenish light glowing.

"This must be it..." came IM's muffled voice from inside his mask.
Smudger nodded, his footsteps hesitating.
The diminutive figure of Brithil led the way, pausing at the entrance. Dare they look? With the masks on, they would be safe.

From the entrance, she could just about make out the white furry figure of Shady Stoat, curled up in the corner. And Muaddib...Reiso... RavenWing... familiar figures of people she had seen down in the Realm of Dead IFians. And then she gasped.

A small, hunchbacked figure could clearly be seen in the shallow mists lying on his side... and beside him, in an area not as well lit by the green light, her own familiar cloaked shape...

"Smudger, its....its us!"

IdeaMaster pointed to two other bodies, just behind those of Dinranwen and Smudger. One, a young half human, half dragon, sleeping peacefully, and another, of a small, round bellied greenish figure with long thin limbs, dressed in loose green clothing.

"Crunch... and .... Sasuke?" said Dinranwen. "I thought only Crunch went to the Realm.... Maybe Sasuke got caught in that explosion with the green smoke... hmmm."

"And the only way we can get back into those bodies is to go back to the Realm of Dead IFians and go direct to the Dream Chamber from there?" asked Smudger.

"Somehow, as Souls, yes...I guess...." shrugged Din. "I guess it will all become clear one we're there."

"We must keep going." said IM, turning away from the entrance to the Dream Chamber, and continuing down the tunnel. "D said that the entrance to my mansion was this way, and that there was an entrance from there, directly to the Realm of Dead IFians."

They continued along the tunnel, until it began to rise. It gradually got steeper and steeper, until it became too steep to climb. The ropes that had been left by D, Crunchy and Sasuke on their exit from IM's mansion many hours ago, happily, were still hanging from the opening in IM's floor at the top. They each grabbed hold of one, and began to climb.

[Idea master]

IM looked around the room. It all seemed so familiar, and yet, so alien at the same time. He saw what could be a computer, so he went up to it. "Computer," he said, not really expecting a response.

He got one, though. The liquid crystal screen lit up. Voice analysis confirmed. Iris match confirmed. Please place right hand on screen.

IM carefully put his hand on the screen, which flashed quickly. Processing...Fingerprint match confirmed. Thy bidding, master?

IM was vaguely shocked, but plowed on nonetheless. "I have lost my memory. Help in regaining it would be appreciated."

There was a whooshing noise to IM's left. A section of the wall rotated to reveal a small cylindrical chamber. The screen lit up again. Memory restoration pod now active. Please enter.

"Also," IM said, "I have two friends here that must get to the Realm of Dead IFians."

Two sets of over-the-face glasses were ejected. Place these over your eyes and you should be able to see the installed stairwell.

IM handed the glasses to Dinranwen and Smudger, and then faced the memory restoring chamber. "Here goes nothing," he muttered, and entered the chamber.

[Christalnightshade]

Suddenly there was a loud crack on the roof and then the mod ring activated, Jez was contacting IM trough means of the ring.

Crady stood on the roof she had been following mostly everyone around If, trying to figure her own way to solve her personalty problem.

She had not followed Jezz who had carried the bottle, but instead she followed a group just for a bit of action going around.

IM froze, "What is it Jez?"

Jez voice was sounding inteligent, he had once again found an intresting thing with in the bottle. "IM I found that the gas contians gasses as written on the paper, the half of the bottle is scorched by fire and I found Chinarenn's fingerprints on it"

"Then How did Crady get it?"

"She maybe wore gloves, but that you'll have to find out some other way IM"....

IM head turned one way, and he found a gas bottle stuck into a pipe, If he wasn't contacted he should have gotten the same state as crady... "Jez we have a problem, the gas is planted in here, and probalbly everywhere els"...

[dinranwen]

"Holding Jez, stepping on Pad to regain memory." IM stepped on the pad and there was a bright flash but when IM immerged he looked just the same expcept for a evil sparkle and the smile of revenge planted on his face. "When I get to Lordy..."

"What's that?" Jez's voice crackled again.

"Never mind." Im said quickly, "We have to deactivate and remove these bottles before they go off. I may not know what they do but I don't want to find out."

"And how exactly are we going to do that pray tell?" Jez said sacrasm rining in his voice.

"Don't know but I'll come up with something," IM said before shutting down the line of communcation between him and Jez. Turning toward where Din and Smudge stood, IM jumped in surprise, "Din, Smudge, what are you doing here? Why didn't you go down to the Realm of Dead Ifians."

"I had an odd feeling you may need our help, and blast it if I wasn't right." Din said pushing up her sleeves. "It seems to me what you need is some assasintance."

"Yes, No." IM stuttered uncertainly.

Taking that for a yes, Din frowned, "Stand back, I'm not sure if this is going to work. I haven't exactly done it before."

Striding over to the nearest shadowy corner, Din reached in and twisted and twisted again, then pulled. Nothing.

Reaching further into the shadow, Din stuck out her tongue in concertration and repeated what she did before this time muttering something under her breath.

There was a pop and a bumb as Din landed on her backside, and two figures sailed across the room barely catching themselves before crashing into the far wall.

"It worked. It really worked." Din said clapping her hands exicedtly in between rubbing her sore bum. Her enegy soon vanished however as she turned an unbecoming sickly pale color. "Man I'm tired. But it worked."

Across the room rubbing their bruises, Lilth and ChristalNightShade were looking really confused.

"Well, we're off." Leaving Im to figure out to do with his new 'help'. Din began to descend the long stair to the Realm of Dead Ifians.

[Crunchyfrog]

As they watched Dinranwen and Smudger descend down the stairwell, IM opened a panel on the wall, and pressed a discreet button. The two holes in the floor, the one curving away to the Dream Chamber, and the one leading directly to the Realm of Dead IFians closed without a trace of ever being there. He looked around at his new companions. Lilith looked to be friendly, but Christalnightshade appeared to be insane. One minute looking quite demure in her demeanour, the next looking completely deranged. IM could only attribute it to the uncorked bottle of gas that she had kicked away at the Council meeting, and he felt very unconfortable in her presence.

He opened communication with JezSharp again.

"Jez, how close are you to completing your analyasis of the actual gas itself?"

"Um, well, so far, I've exposed it to two rats, a hamster and a lizard, one of the rats is playing poker with the lizard, the hamster is pole dancing, the other rat is threatening to sue for cruelty to animals. "

"Yeah, but what about the actual gas itself?" inquired IM.

"Something parasitical. Seems to leach something from the brain. Dont know. I have it under a microscope now..."

Jez's face appeared on the mod ring screen in a bright pink full anti-contamination bodysuit.

"Well, be quick about it," said IM. "I'm locked in my mansion with Crady, and she doesn't look good..."

[Kalanna Rai]

Rai forced herself to stay on her feet, her legs wobbling under her like never before. She laughed. "In this condition a half trained stable-boy with a moderately sharp kitchen knife could deal me some serious damage." Luckily no such person was anywhere near her present local...nobody was near her present local.

Looking at her gem she ground her fangs. She'd have to fold IFspace once again to shave enough time off of her journy to make her next destination in time. "What a bitch." Here she was running low on sleep, low on power after restoring Key, low on paitence, and low on time. The only thing she still had plenty of was tricks up her sleeve. Still, thanks to the mod gem's power, she managed to make the necessary fold and get through it in one piece.

Reaching the other side though she was panting like she'd just been fighting off three Terrasques. "Hell...that would almost be easy at this point compared to this shit..." Another circular chamber, much like the one she'd just come from and the one she'd shoved Din into, waited for her.

It seemed to be mocking her own weakness...laughing at seeing the dragoness laid low. That sparked an anger Rai harbored in her darkest heart. "DO NOT MOCK ME!" With a roar that turned heads all across the city and shook the unstable ground, the dragoness lunged forward. There was a flash as the defensive spells tried for their kill. Scales were stripped from Rai's skin, spines cracked, feathers tore free from her wings, and blood spattered the stones under her as she landed in an ackward heap with the crunch of splintering bones.

Just before her lay another thing on a plinth, a shard of ivory bone encased in crystal. With the shaking talons of her right forepaw, her good forepaw at this point, she plucked the thing free and consinged it to join the other two items in the red gem around her neck. "Bone of the end...finally I've got them all."

Summoning what might well be the last of herself, Rai ripped open a hole in time and hurled the gem through. Collapsing in on herself the dragoness could only vainly hope that her future self was around to catch it...if not...well at least it'd be safe. "As long as I'm actually there...please let me be there..."

Blood pooled around her form as the time hole closed. Giving a long sputtering cough Rai stared in horror at the bright blood on her talons. A darkness rose up and her head hit the floor...

[Crunchyfrog]

Lebby waited patiently, as D-Lotus closed his eyes and concentrated. Now that the Private Investigator's sleuthing skills had returned, he was giving D as much time and space as possible to reach out with his spider senses, trying to locate Lordy, whilst Lebby kept watch for trouble.

The two of them, along with Polokin and Solus were huddled in a side passage between two tall buildings on the edge of the Nobs district, not far from Jester Park. When they had left Jester they had seen Lilith assist Dinranwen, IM and Smudger escape the rampaging monsters and clowns, and Lebby hoped that they had reached the tunnel to the Dream Chamber safely. He had not heard from IM yet. Pulling his Cloak of Forboding around him, Lebby looked down at Solus, who seemed to be weakening with every moment, whispering, seemingly to herself. He was concerned with her condition.

Looking around him, he noticed that although the swirling fog of souls had become still, coinciding with Crunchyfrog's temporary 'plugging' of the Soul Well, that had stopped more souls seeping out into it, he could still hear shouts of rioters echoing in other streets not far away. There had to be more to the cause behind their behaviour than just the fog, he found himself reasoning.

D-Lotus drew breath, and opened his eyes.

"Well?" asked Lebby.

D shook his head.

"Nothing." he sighed. "I cannot locate Lordy anywhere. Maybe I'm not up to full strength yet..."

Lebby tapped his mod ring.

"Jez?" he muttered. Jez's face shimmered into view.

"What? I'm busy!" came the reply. "I'm in the middle of analyzing the Greater Evil Gas. I heard from IM. They got to his mansion safely, but apparently another bottle of the stuff was discovered there. Who knows how many more of them have been scattered about the city. From my analysis so far I would bet that it has had a LOT to do with Kalanna's very overbearing behaviour recently, and maybe even the rioting..."

"Oh?"

Polokin, Lebby and D listened intently.

"I'm doing some final tests, before working on an antidote." continued Jez.

"Jez, we need your help, with finding Lordy. " said D, into Lebby's ring. "You had the map, right? We need to find the most likely place that Lordy might be... "

(Edit to add - hint.... consider Jez's reply, given the ideas suggested in the discussion thread, ref the ley lines, the recent addition to the map, his wanting to check out what's in the book he found, etc. etc.)

[Lilith]

Jez appeared to be racking his brain. "I recall a certain point on the map that seemed to significant... now what was it?"

"Well, come on then! We're running low on information at the moment and we need to find Lordy before his plan commences!" Lebby shouted at Jez through the ring's image of him.

"Gimme a minute!" Jez's face shimmered and wavered as he tried to recall the area on the map that had been marked important... it had been originally so insignificant...what was it? Maybe he should tell them about the fake in the repository and then placing the real one in Chinaren's chair...

"Okay, I can't exactly remember at the moment where that spot is on the map but I do know where you can find the REAL one." Jez stated, looking nervous. "I placed it in China's chair back in City Council Hall...."