I need to show you something.

That's what it said. It was in so many words, in a neat and orderly format befitting of its neat and orderly writer. But that was the takeaway, the main point that could be parsed from carefully chosen words and clearly unabashedly secretive motivations, of the letter that arrived for Cirice just a few days ago - short notice, by Veliky's standards, and that usually means something urgent. Whatever it is she wants to show Cirice, it's clearly too important to be placed within an easily interceptible note, which must be why the note also contains directions to an out-of-the-way backstreet near the Market District in Sol City. It gave her a location, a day and a hint of grave importance: succinct and expectant as ever.

That morning has come; and, with it, the first refreshing breeze of the warmer seasons. Bits of snow remain on the streets, slowly melting into slush under the white afternoon's sky. With the festivities of Hearth Day having ended, people now return to the ordinaries of city life, bustling through the market before a swift return home.

But there's something belied by the simplicity and the remaining decorum. Hidden and hushed though it may be, it can be seen in the subtle haste of people's strides and the half-voiced mistrust in their lukewarm converse. Their eyes are distant, and their words are heatless formalities. They know. They know, and they're afraid in ways that are uncomfortable to speak openly about, seeping into their relationships and then freezing apart. Yesterday is gone, and the new day is one of unseen wars.

Could that be, in any way, related to the subject of Veliky's weighted invitation? Soon, the answer will come, as the destination indicated is just around the corner - and then two more. It is an especially desolate place, one that would assuredly make a comfortable home to stray cats or ragamuffins. But here, seated on a toppled crate in a lonely pocket between structures, is the woman herself, Veliky.

---

Bringing Minions
Fisher-06 (Corsair)
Knight-04 (Warlord)
Rook-13 (Warlord)

Bringing Pets
Raider-01 (Baby Bone Naga)
Silent Night-01 (Snow Owl) {Sleigh Bells}
Stalker-03 (Prismatic Spider)

“Veliky!” Cirice sing-songs happily as soon as she sees her small friend. She skips over to her without a care in the world, the basket of muffins swinging merrily from her arm as she immediately wraps her friend into a tight hug. Behind her Hitia the demonic reindeer pulls her wagon into the tight alleyway. Its a tight fit for Mother Moon’s Mystical Library, but nothing a little mending won’t be able to buff out.

“I was just thinking of visiting you when I got your letter!” She smiles and offers the basket to Veliky with a giggle, “How are you? Your letter was woefully short.”

She looks around curiously, “People seem to be really freaked out around here. The City feels pretty tense, what’s going on?”

She swipes a muffin and sits next to Veliky to share the treat. Out of her wagon a book flies out of an open window and over to them. Its cover is gilded and covered in strange symbols and sigils. 

"Oh right! Ars, come meet Veliky! Get the good books." She winks. The book floats back into her wagon. "You'll like this Vel, I have a little guy too! He's not as impressive as your bots, but he's pretty cool." After a moment more books pour out of the window of the wagon and pile together, forming into a large golem of books nearly 8 feet tall. Upon closer inspection the head of the golem is the book from before and the books around it are recipe books and biographies. "Tada!"

---

Bringing 
Book Golem Ars Goetia
Kevin the Baby Naga
Crepesculum the Deathshead Moth

"Good, you're he-" Is all that Veliky manages to utter before being pulled into Cirice's silken embrace. Her no-nonsense demeanour quickly devolves into one of panic, as she struggles vainly to escape Cirice's grasp; while describing Cirice as possessing 'brute strength' would be somewhat inaccurate, it is undebatable that she possesses *more* brute strength than Veliky. It's only through great effort that she's able to pry herself free, landing with both feet and a thud.

"Could you not do that?!" she reprimands with a light, red tinge on her face. Then, perhaps realizing the harshness of her own words, she quickly averts her eyes and lowers her voice. "-Not in public. Besides, this is serious... too serious for muffins." she says with a glance toward the basket that Cirice sets down.

"Oh, Vel, nothing is too serious for muffins!" she replies with a giggle.

Veliky only lets out a light groan. Cirice can certainly be a lot to handle, sometimes...

Her eyes widen lightly at the sight of the grace-given tome, and widen more as a greater volume pours forth from the wagon. But as they congregate into a humanoid form, a sort of realization falling over her. "...Right. Ars, can I ask you something?"

The book flips a few pages, and a question mark appears on an empty page, followed by the words "What is your question?"

Veliky nods at the acknowledgement. '...Not the most efficient form of communication, but it works. Regardless...'

She crosses her arms.

"How do you feel about humidity?"

---

The sewers of Sol City: damp, hot, and cramped. Why Veliky would bring Cirice and her entourage down here is anyone's guess; the walk has been long, uncomfortable and splooshy, and she hasn't provided any elucidation.

But Cirice, ever the optimist, is unfettered by the sludgy trudge. "Do you remember the last time we were in the sewers together?"

At first, Veliky has no intention of answering the question. But then the sheer weirdness of it seeps into her mind, and she has to respond with a simple "...What?"

Caught off guard by Veliky’s confusion, Cirice thinks harder about the last time she was in the dismal sewers of Sol City. It was Yoci, not Veliky she’d carried with her atop her shoulders, who has saved her life with a well-placed brick and all the righteous fury in her gnomish form.

“Oh yeah… Yoci was down here with me… We were running away from your bot and I took its weapon away and tried to make it surrender and it just sort of looked sad and unsure of what to do. Oh and it also threw this thing in the muck after it talked to you. Did you ever get that back? Did you even want it back after it was covered in shit and stuff…?”


Veliky looks back for only a moment, keeping her face forward as she marches and answers. "The bots don't view life in the same way that we do. Once their purpose has either been fulfilled or rendered obsolete or impossible, they don't bother anymore... Also, I have a hundred of them, it's fine."

It's unclear whether Veliky's referring to the device that Cirice mentioned, or the bot itself. In truth, either statement is accurate.

“A…huh… A HUNDRED??” Cirice squeals in shock, surprised by the sheer wealth of metallic marvels Veliky possesses and the flippant disposability of it all. “You didn’t… You just left it…? But that could have been reused….” Cirice’s culture was all about reusing and recycling where possible and that level of excess makes her head spin.

“Wow…” She whispers incredulously, but then she looks at her little friend with confusion, “If you have so many… Why were you so mad that I took a little to give to people as gifts?”

"That was different." she answers. Cirice wouldn't see it, but there's a slight narrowing of the quarterling's eyes. "When we lose things on a mission - bots, resources, equipment, etc. - we account for it. We use it, knowing that we might not get it back. But you and the Red Rogues were actively stealing things from me and several other companies. That's an ulterior expense; it's the difference between spending money on a new house, and having that same money stolen out of your safe."

"It's not... *that* different. It did a lot of good for a lot of people. And that's a worthwhile expense, right? Though, if you really want, I can try and pay you back. I just don't know how much that would be, and it would probably take me a while..."

"Don't bother." A plain, simple and somewhat cold rejection. "We've already accounted for the loss. We have fallbacks for that kind of thing. Plus, my company won't have to worry about the Red Rogues anymore."

For a second, Cirice tenses out of habit, and then she remembers that she's heard rumours of a certain businesswoman making "anonymous donations" to the Red Rogues' cause. And she smiles. "Well, if you're sure. Though I do want to *try* and make it up to you. Just because we're friends, and you're important to me!"

...No answer. Cirice wouldn't see it, but there's a slight redness of the quarterling's cheeks.

“You know... this is pretty gross… I’ve got an idea!” Cirice snaps her fingers with a grin. A thin wall of light forms over the sludge ahead of them and Cirice grabs Veliky gently, setting her on the makeshift surfboard before the quarterling has a chance to register what’s happening¹.

“Wha-” Veliky manages as she’s picked up.

Cirice hops on next to her and the wall begins scooting across the surface of the sludge at a much faster pace than their legs could manage. The books of Ars float behind them in a line like an obedient dog. All the while Veliky does not stop panicking.

“See this is much faster!” Cirice cries with glee as they surf along. “Point the way Vel! I’ll get us there in no time!”

"Right!" she shouts with feigned confidence, over the splish of sewage. "Um... Next left!"

“Got it! Right then left!” Cirice parrots with a grin and pilots their makeshift craft along. That was not Veliky’s intention though and after a series of mistaken turns they finally make it to their intended destination. Cirice’s spirits are hard to dash though, and even though Veliky seems to be treating this all with seriousness she’s just happy as can be to be spending time with her friend no matter what the situation.

---

1 Wall of Light

"Kiena Common aht unth... kiena sus-mota..."

Veliky laments in a mix of tongues as she supports herself on a wall, trying to retain the in-ness of her innards. The place they've stopped - that is, the place that Veliky demanded they stop - isn't especially unusual, as far as nondescript stretches of sewer tunnels go. And with her as distraught as she is, there's an uncertainty as to whether this is actually their destination or if Veliky merely needed to stop and rest her poor equilibrium.

With one final exhalation, she rises to her full height (a relative difference). Despite not having had to walk the distance, she seems even more exhausted.

"Cirice? Could you warn me when you're about to do something like that?"

"Hmmm?" Cirice tilts her head as if that hadn't occurred to her in the slightest. "Before I pick you up? Oh sure! Sorry. Sometimes I act before I think."

Veliky lets in a long breath, and then exhales it in an equally long "Yeah..."

And now there's another moment of simple recovery, before Veliky steps forward with objectivity renewed. And then, she sweeps uncertainty aside with a simple statement. "Come on, we're here."

She takes a step forward. At first, the relevance of this location is location is dubious; there are no doors, no ladders, not any significant change in the scenery. But there is a little marking, so slight and subtle that it fits in the cracks between the bricks. A cog, a feather and a sword... the logo of Platinum Corp.

She stops before this symbol, and the inconspicuous segment of wall that it apparently adjudicates. And then, with posture straight and eyes dead ahead, she speaks in a clear tone.

"Gatekeeper."

And the moment she utters that word a rectangular shape upon the wall is carved in streaks of luminescent azure. It's a flash of light, almost bright enough to be painful, but it's gone in a heartbeat. And then, without even a touch or provocation, that rectangular portion groans open like a doorway.

"Ohhhh that's so cooool!" Cirice gasps, her eyes wide with awe as she stands behind Veliky. "You have a hidden secret lair? That's incredible Vel!"

Veliky glances to Cirice for a fleeting moment. The words she utters, with that business-casual cadence, are "It comes with the business." But, though she wouldn't admit it to save her own life, there's a tiny portion of her that thinks 'Yeah. It is pretty cool.' as she steps through the newly-created doorway. But even this gate, conjured and operated of magic, is not quite as mystifying as what lies beyond.

Dull, white light radiates from orbs of crystal, set into the ceiling; bathing the off-white walls and stone tiles of the floor. What lies before Veliky and Cirice is a huge, circular room, surely a hundred feet across... no, an entire building built beneath the earth. But far more surprising is the bustle: chatter, footfalls carried by acoustic architecture from down long halls. People in the strangest clothes - as well as a handful of armed Blixtbots™ - are either moseying about or sitting at bench-lined tables. This place, as if it were merely plucked from elsewhere and placed several dozen feet below the earth, appears to be a cafeteria, overlooked by a curved balcony that spans nearly the room's entire circumference. Two large corridors and several doorways lead out of the room, and people filter in and out with intent, as if simply going about their work. And, by the fact that they all wear similar uniforms, that may very well be the case.

Veliky is, of course, wholly unphased by this sight with which she is assuredly familiar. Instead, with that same strait-laced posture, she step forward with Cirice in tow. "Welcome to XPIDE: the Extraplanar Incursions Division Enclave. You can wander this space freely; it's the break area."

Eyes alight with wonder, Cirice follows Veliky beyond the hidden door and takes in the facility beyond. Some part of her wonders if all of these people commute through the sewers every day as they travel to and fro to work or if they simply live there in barrack of a sort. Knowing Veliky, likely a barracks. The uniforms of Veliky’s workers are pretty drab, they need a little more color and cute accessories. But what’s it all for?

“‘Extraplanar Incursions?’ What does that mean Vel?” Cirice asks curiously, “XPIDE? Ex-pide? Ex-pid? That’s a weird name…”

Cirice notices that the Blixtbots are all armed and that makes her confused, “Why do all of these bots have weapons? What could they fight down here? Rats?” She chuckles, gleefully, “What are we doing down here? It's so secret and hidden, why?”

"Ex-pide." she says ordinarily, as if it's something so normal as her own name. "Extraplanar Incursions is a newly-created joint-cell of our Silovik and Inzhener branches; dedicated to the investigation, study and, if necessary, neutralization of entities and phenomena originating from other worlds: something we've had to think a lot more about, ever since a certain incident involving a battle with a deity."

"Umm that's a lot of words I don't exactly understand together..." Cirice interrupts, confused. "I remember fighting Ziev together, but what does that have to do with your people here?"

By now, Veliky's already begun to walk forward in a brisk-paced march. It's difficult to tell if she walks with intent, as it's generally or usual gait. "Well, if you remember, a certain acquaintance and leader of an infamous cult decided to shatter the barrier that apparently separated our world from others. And ever since then, things have been appearing. We aren't sure from where, or even when, but somebody has to handle it. And with Solarian's resources dedicated to covering his own ass after the dead god scandal, that falls to us."

As she passes, many of the employees are noticeably (that is, far less subtly than they were probably intending) changing their postures to appear more attentive, more productive and generally less reprimandable. Predominantly among them are gnomes, with humans at a second place and a surprising amount of dwarves.

“Things have been appearing?” Cirice asked, “I’d noticed weird things were going on, but is that what you’re talking about? Like the waves and quakes and stuff? Or the crabpocolypse? If I can help with all that stuff I want to for sure!”

"As far as I can tell? Yes, it seems the recent natural disasters are somehow linked. Except for the crabpocalypse, that was apparently something else."

Without warning, Veliky cuts left, into a strange doorway that seems to lead into an empty closet. There isn't a single thing inside. Yet she stands there with purpose before beckoning Cirice. "And yes, I believe you should be able to help."

Cirice steps into the little closet with Veliky, looking around in confusion as runes around the room come to life with a flash of brilliant cyan energy. A set of sliding doors shuts them away and the ground shakes momentarily as they begin to descend. Cirice is startled at first as they’re surrounded at first by sheer grey walls and then they fall away to reveal their vessel to be transparent as well as the cells that stretch out in a grid below them. In perfect rectangles of glass reinforced with magical blue runes sit strange creatures of all shapes and sizes. In one she sees a colony of flitten in a terrarium, pollinating massive flowers, in another a strange massive humanoid with a head like that of an animal sitting on a too-small chair reading a newspaper and sipping tea delicately from a tiny cup. Even more strange and indescribable things populate the majority of the containment cells. Wonders and horrors abound, stretching out as far as Cirice can see and she gasps in joy and revulsion.

“Wow… This is incredible Vel!” She exclaims, “How did you manage all of this??”

Veliky gives Cirice a look that borders on confusion. It's a strange expression to see, twisted out of that cold-stone face. Then, she simply shakes her head and answers in an explanatory tone.

"Cirice, there are people who will tell you that money isn't everything. Those people are wrong. Money doesn't make you talented, but it can get you people who can, and it can give those people the resources to do anything you want."

She looks forward again. Shadows and lights dash across her face as the platform descends.

"That's how I got where I am."

“Oh… Well when you put it like that…” She trails off as they descend into the bowels of the facility, “But… Money ISN'T everything. Friends and family are.”

Their descent begins, gradually, to slow. Lights that shone from below now shine from above; they're reaching the bottom of the facility.

"Friends and family are extra." she says with the plain certainty of fact. It's a biting cold that's nearly intrinsic to Veliky. "They're something that many people find fulfillment in. It's an end-goal. But when it comes to really getting things done, money - and knowing how to use it - is the skill that trumps everything else."

"...If you say so... But if you leave that to the end you can't have fun and adventures along the way!"

In stark contrast to Cirice's optimism, Veliky only groans. "I could do with fewer adventures. Once you've had enough of them, a warm bed and a cold Blixt™ sounds far more tempting."

With a strange, magical sound that grows lower and lower until fading into imperceptibility, the platform comes to a stop. In front of them, a doorway marked with the symbol of Platinum Corp splits open and slides apart, permitting them to walk forward and amidst the overwhelming menagerie of sights. Perhaps fortunately, whatever glass the cages are built from muffles sounds from within their confines - which is unfortunate, as it's unlikely that the floating ball of eyes residing in one of the cages would be particularly melodious.

Onward they walk, between aisle upon aisle of assuredly some of the strangest sights that Charon has ever known.

"This area is only temporary - these creatures are all new arrivals. The intention is that, after some cursory study, they'll be sent below and put in more purpose-built areas where they can be closely monitored, studied, and protected."

They aren't alone in the corridor. Several of those employees - apparently researchers - closely observe the cells and the creatures contained therein. They appear focused and contemplative - a scholarly aura, yet combined with a certain efficiency that's very reminiscent of Veliky herself (albeit never quite approaching that determine).

But one group stands out. Namely because it is made up almost entirely of Blixtbots™, armed and marching in tight formation. At the centre of the group, pushed along by Pawns is something resembling a closed iron maiden. No fewer than three locks seal its doorway.

Veliky glances at it a moment, and perhaps realizes that some explanation is in order.

"...While the XPID's primary focus is on incursions, due to zoning issues, this facility is also housing some more local things that are just too dangerous to be allowed free."

“Well that… Makes sense I guess… But why show me all this? What are we doing down here?” Cirice asks, not exactly sure what the end goal was. Unless… Surely Veliky has no reason to put her in a cage, does she?

She offers only a glance to Cirice before responding. Her expression remains motionless and sure.

"We'll talk about that later."

Unsettled a little, Cirice bites her lip and follows after her, a little less pep in her step at the not-answer. Veliky wouldn’t put her friends in a cell… Right?

Veliky isn't often one to heed social niceties. She tends to be blunt, curt and sometimes even rude. But, nevertheless, it is as if to fill the following awkward silence that she speaks.

"Since the Sol Stone Shattering, all manner of weird shit has been spawning from nowhere. And while we still barely know anything about where they came from, we've started to sort them into categories in accordance with the level of danger they pose, and we house them accordingly. We have Korona, the most dangerous category, consisting of persistent threats with high potential for death and destruction; Rytsar, consisting of entities and objects that are unusual enough to potentially cause a threat, but with little or no natural inclination toward hostility; and Zver, consisting of relatively harmless entities, no more dangerous than a mouse, or a book or a-"

She stops in her tracks, just in the glow of a rune-strewn cage. Within it sits a single, lonely creature, not much greater than Veliky herself. She gazes unto it, face not betraying any hint or token of emotion. Rather, hers is the expression of the stoic cold of the northern mountains; with the eyes that shine with understanding, with recognition, and with grim preparation for what is to come.

She closes her eyes and lets in a deep, congested breath... and then opens.

"Cheche," she begins, "what are you doing in that cell?"

- Getting a decent house these days is sure difficult! They try to rob you clean, those sharks, offering you a shed or a closet instead of a proper room overlooking a garden! And the last time? What was it? A barrel! Barrell! They must be looking down on me only because I'm small and all, huh? Thank goodness, there are still folks with hearts of gold! Ehm... what was I saying? Ah! I felt totally miserable the other day: my back hurt, you see, the grafts give me weather pains each time the season changes! And just when I was out and about, looking for a nice pie to brighten my sorry state, I was approached by a fellow in the cape. I couldn't quite see his face, it was in an alley as well, but he seemed absolutely trustworthy! He said that he was a representative of a Real Serious Corporation! And that they are looking for talent! They are thinking of opening a chain ща pie stores all over Sol city and currently are in need of a Pie Taste Tester! And, can you imagine this, I. caught. their. eye! They said I have potential. My, my, aren't they correct? Hey, are you listening? 

Cheche, for that was certainly her, finished arranging the stuff she was allowed to keep in her new home. That place was just perfect. It was neither too big nor too small. The walls were decorated as per the latest fashions: a sort of opaque glass. Each pane had a big sigil at its center, decorated with an illusory symbol of a keyhole. Cheche, personally, was more into wood and clay, still, she couldn't help but admit it looked stylish. The room would look completely empty if not for the little bed, a table, and a tiny shelf attached to one of the walls. The shelf was where her eyes could really rest. It hosted a variety of things! A cone from Coldwood, a bottle of Rum from her sea adventures with Sarris and Heian, an ornated pipe, a little brooch, and - most cherished - several carved ebony figurines. They were collectibles, the latest local craze. Each figurine presented the same character - a miniature girl in a military uniform wearing a very stern expression on her face. In all honesty, she didn't know who that girl was, didn't ring any bell. But she looked adorable. And eventually,  Cheche tried to get one each time she visited Sol city.



After having finished arranging her stuff, she sat on the floor. "Feels nice, huh.. Almost, homey." She looked at the door, her interlocutor seemed to be a man of few words, but a good listener! She couldn't really tell what he looked like, but she was absolutely positive, that was a great guy! The only thing he actually told her was to remain inside for her own good and that he would watch her. What a thoughtful guy! She did feel a bit tired.
It had been merely an hour since she arrived in that funny little vehicle made of steel. Its shape reminded Cheche of a scarecrow, only much bigger. They said it was a brand new means of transport, exclusive for the employees. They also said the streets were rowdy and dangerous due to the latest crab incident. They had the point. Despite the funny shape, the cabin turned out to be rather spacious inside. Upholstered with velvet, it was so comfortable, that Cheche had quickly fallen asleep. When she'd come to her senses, she was already here, in the Pie Factory dorm. Soon she was offered a mouthwatering, fresh-out-of-the-oven pumpkin pie and some camomile tea. Told you: great guys, those pie factory workers!

There was a feeling, that something was amiss, though. Right! The smell. At the moment it smelled like nothing, which was simply horrible for a pixie. Luckily, she had a solution: the brooch shaped like a lily. A tiny thing had a secret: if touched, it'd give off a strong and pleasant aroma of the owner's choice. Cheche concentrated and soon after the air changed. It felt like a light breeze brought a tender smell of spring forest. Cheche smiled.

- That's more like it.

She was about to doze off again when somebody approached her room:

-Cheche, what are you doing in that cell? - she heard the all-too-familiar voice. Startled, the pixie lifted her eyes: dressed in formal attire, an unreadable expression on her cherub face there stood no other than Veliky. Cheche gasped and froze. First time in almost two hours she was at loss for words.

---

---

Sweet Lilly (the brooch)

“Um… Vel?” Cirice asked, confused, which was really her default state when it came to whatever was really going on. “Who is that?”

Peering into the glass she saw the small figure with a soft glow surrounding her form and delicate wings fluttering behind her. An absolutely adorable creature, one Veliky clearly knew, was locked up in one of those cages. Well cared for, but still imprisoned. Oh goddess she really might lock Cirice up as well!

She takes a step back, really unsure of what is happening but not really wanting a cute little glass box as a home.