Dabbler in the Deadly Dino Domain

SAGE’S MANSION

Sage held a briefing for the next phase of the project she was working on, involving musty old books, maps, charts, and an ancient artifact made of a gold-looking metal, but it was much, much more precious and rarer than mere gold. It unfolded into a sextant-like device, an ancient navigating tool that predated GPS.

Dabbler looked at the sextant a moment and recognized it. “ORICHALIUM! DABBLER GOES TO ROUND TWO!” she starts playing with the sextant like a toy.

Sage nodded at Dabbler’s irritatingly accurate deduction. She was so much more intelligent in the sciences and the arcane, and Sage thought she could achieve much more. But, that was the reason they worked together. “Right. Orichalium, rare even when my family roamed the earth. I cannot transmute metals into Orichalium- it is one of the mystical metals. Fortunately, I’ve researched some old charts and tomes. There is one place where we can find it… but it is out on the water. I… would prefer not to sail and be helpless.”

Dabbler looked at all the research material. The place it mentioned was something that was not known to the modern world. “Sailing to a hidden land, eh? What could go wrong?”

One disastrous ocean voyage later…

SOMEWHERE ON KE AHI AHI...

Dabbler awoke slowly to the sound of gentle, lapping waves, on a bed of... feathers? It was night, She looked at the bright, clear sky and full moon above. She saw that the storm that protected the secret continent from invaders sharply ended at the shoreline. Dabbler looked around and saw that they had made it to the beach intact, only herself and important company though. The six-man crew of the Tazmanian were scattered about the beach, dead, impaled on debris, drowned, or ripped apart. Guess they didn't have to worry about compensation now.

The Tazmanian herself was a complete wreck. Half of it was aground, split in half by that freak storm. The previous day they were sailing through a calm channel one second, then swept up in a vortex another. The sextant had provided correct directions, sure, but absolutely no protection from the storm. So now, for the most part, they were here for the duration.

“Note to self… don’t portal blind during a magical storm.” Dabbler remarked, slowly getting up.

“Well, we’re here. Rosemary is going to owe me BIG TIME DRAGON RIDES.” Dabbler visualized Niao’s perfectly orderly office where the princess simply waited for a tunnel. She would make her take her on a ride through the entire island for all their trouble. But, as Dabbler found out, her power could not penetrate the storm, and it fell simply opened a portal out at sea, getting herself and present company doused sea water, if still unconscious. Dabbler exaggeratedly acts out drowning before closing the portal.

Physical comedy aside, Dabbler sighed. “No portal home. We’re stuck on this island! Well I am in the mood for coconut water and-”

“Hello Samantha.” A voice from behind them addressed Dabbler, and she realized they were not alone.

Since inheriting the contract, Her presence had never been this strong until this moment . Dabbler noticed that the tree line behind them had crows. Lots of crows, a murder of them. All with the unmistakable purple eyes watching, judging. Seated quietly but ominously on an out of place black throne gilded with crow motifs, she sat, one leg over the other, leaning to the side. She was close, but far, the distance difficult to gauge because of the unseelie powers at work, playing with their perception.

The form she took was that of a 10-foot-tall giant, pale skinned woman clad in leggings and a corset dress, leaving everything above her bust exposed. Her hair was silvery and ashen, and her eyes a piercing violet. Her bejeweled, clawed fingers tapped on the arm rest of the throne, as her chin rested on her other hand. Finer details included her jewelry made of precious ivory taken from some animals, hot pink lip gloss, and her killer eyebrow game.

She was flanked by two of her Shadow Guard, tall and thin fae warriors in jet black armor and wielding wicked scything pole arms. Their faces were covered by a bone white, featureless mask, but, gradually, these masks swirled and transformed, giving them the faces of the onlooker’s loved ones, alive or dead. In Dabbler's perception, she was tormented by her lost parents, she'd remark on the cliche if the sight didn't make her so distraught. Such was the nature of those that served Menalis Umbra, the shadow queen, one of the patrons Dabbler served.

((790))

come sail with us, go to explore an island it'll be fun.  huh well tell a storm pops up and you nearly drowned. yeah maybe a nutty witch isn't the best travel guide but Jeannie finds dabbler amusing so she had to come along when dabs say she and the dragon lady need a crew for kinda adventure.

crazy weather Jeannie thought must have sailed into the Bermuda triangle or something. The last thing she remembered was the ship sinking than a big birdy?  holly dark souls batman!

she then found herself in a nest?  she looks at the feathers what big birds they have here.

Jeannie noticed the birdy picked dabbler up to she was having technical difficulties with her portal Jeannie laughed amused when the portal splashed her. huh should we call a plumber?

seeing as how she was hungry dabs talk about coconuts sounded nice. before she could ask if dabbler could conjure a blender for pina coladas they were interrupted.

a voice called out Samantha huh that dabbler's name right? yeah Jeannie thought she said that when they were in dnd land. the voice belongs to a giant lady wooh big lady!

Jeannie wasn't sure what to make of the giants the two beside her were creepy but the Elvira lady was kinda pretty and senes she had all the crows around was safe to assume she rescued them.

she looks to dabbler curious on what light she could shine on this dark strangeso is she like a friend of yours? is she the big boss witch?

When Niao had given her initial proposal, Alexis was dubious.  Though therapy had been going very well, she still was not eager to add yet more emotional packages to unbox with her therapist.  She was also a mother now, of a sort, and she thought of what might happen if the Wasp Princess was left alone for too long.  Still, she was part of the executive committee and prided herself on her ability to get shit done.  

Alexis had hired the boat herself, cash in hand at double their normal rates.  The Tazmanian had been a good ship, typically undertaking salvage missions or towing.  It had rescued no less than three stranded cruise liners in its storied career.  The crew were weathered hands all, and they had a spotless service record.  

Which is why Alexis listened when they spotted the storm over the island.  She listened to them and nodded sympathetically to their concerns, while inwardly giving no kind of fuck.  Something had changed inside her, she knew.  Alex had the overwhelming need to see the desires of her companions fulfilled.  She had become the worst combination possible of tiger mom and executive assistant.  Not that she cared anymore.  It was such a... relief not to care.  

So, instead of arguing with the men or belittling their experience, Alexis simply performed the simple, universal expedient of giving them more money.  Niao was wealth itself, so what did a paltry few hundred thousand matter to Lex anymore?  Greed was Alexis' tool; it was her lever and her servant.  She saw what it would take to see the Sage's will done and offered it.  

Know the Soul's Price.  It was the first power of dubious morality Alexis had ever manifested.  She could look at an entity, set the terms of her desire, and understand what she would need to give to them.  It even allowed her to understand the best bargaining position or method of coercion to get them to accept her terms.  Alexis had bribed and bargained her way to her goals previously.  Now though?  She understood Avarice on an instinctive level.

Alexis shook the captain's hand with her bright smile and then gazed out at the tempest.  Her computer calculated better than a 70% chance of the ship capsizing if they tried to go through it.  Even now, Alexis' hair whipped around her head from the trailing winds even at this distance.  A strange smile came over her face.  There were only a few people that mattered in the world anymore, after all.

Before they hit the storm, Alexis had gone to the others and had them tie themselves together with several lines of bungie cord.  While Dabbler was immune to most of the mundane hazards that littered the world, Alexis pointed out that being stranded in the middle of the Ocean alone would probably be boring.  That seemed to motivate the Tri-Witch.  

The wind picked up and the waves tossed the boat like a toy.  Alexis remained calm.  She had changed into a skintight wetsuit, though kept her other accessories hidden beneath a large raincoat.  She watched with cold eyes as the crew failed to counter the storm.  She made a note to sue the company for contract breach just before Dabbler opened the portal.

The portal did not go as planned, but Alexis was a creature of contingency.  She had safeguards in case her friend's magic failed.  Nothing was natural about this storm, after all.  So it was that Alexis went into the sea with a clear head and calm disposition.  

The water wasn't as cold as Alexis was expecting.  There did seem to be an unnaturally strong current pulling them down further, though. She noted that Jeannie unconscious, and calmly placed a rebreather over the girl's face, ignoring the sting of the saltwater in her eyes.  And though Dabbler probably didn't need it, she put one over the sorceress' face as well.

Then, something grabbed at them from the darkness.  The Captain.  Blood was streaming from the side of his temple, a crazed look in his eye.  He had grabbed at Jeannie's rebreather.

The Heart of the Earth dragon began to rage inside Alexis' chest.  She was able to signal him to stop, and then removed her own rebreather and pushed it in his face.  The man greedily sucked in air.  Alexis smiled at him.  Right before Alexis manifested a dagger and stuck it in his throat.

It took the captain a surprisingly long time to die.  Alexis watched it happen the entire time.  He had tried to harm Jeannie.  Had he gone for Alexis' rebreather, she would have given it to him and simply manifested one of the others she had in storage.  She did that as the light left the captain's eyes, sucking in a lungful of air after it manifested.

Now tied to two unconscious companions, Alexis began to swim for all she was worth.  She had been a strong swimmer even before her recent transformation.  Now, her Amazonian physique allowed her even greater effort in the water.  Flippers manifested from storage on her feet, allowing each sweep of her leg more purchase.  A flotation device manifested as well, which helped significantly.  

Slowly, gruelingly, Alexis began to make headway against the unnatural current.  The current seemed to grow even stronger.  It was like climbing a mountain using only her fingernails!  It took her two full minutes to finally breach the surface.  They had risen on the other side of the storm wall.  Strangely, not far from Dabbler's portal.

A rigid-hull inflatable boat manifested next to Alexis on the water.  She pulled Dabbler and Jeannie up into it, then ripped off the rebreather and laid in the boat, panting for breath.  The sea churned, but the air above her was strangely calm.  Her body hurt, shaking with exhaustion.  Nothing had been natural about that undertow.  Had it just... let her go there at the end?

With a wave of her hand, Alexis manifested the outboard motor onto the back of the craft.  With a few tugs on the pull start, she brought it to life.  The blades chopped the water as Alexis brought her unconscious friends ashore.  Once they had landed, Alexis undid the bungie cord from their waists and lifted both bodily off the boat, depositing them in the damp sand with a soft grunt.  
 
Nearby, Alexis could see the wreckage of the Tazmanian.  Several bodies lay scattered nearby, unmoving.  Strangely, Alex thought that sounded like a fine idea.  She felt a wave of incredible fatigue wash over her before she collapsed in the sand.

Time left Alexis, and she dwelt beyond all knowing until she heard a voice boom like some lovechild of promise and dread, "Hello Samantha."

Blearily, Alexis woke. When she saw the 10-foot tall glamizon sporting her killer eyebrow game, Alexis initially didn't know what to do.  She looked to Dabbler questioningly, but she wisely kept her mouth closed.  Alex had an inkling of who this was and why Dabs seemed like she was about to shit several bricks.

1179

THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW

Dabbler was laughing when they storm caught them. She sang the ‘gonna have our lungs fill up with sea water and drown painfully’ song as the sailors screamed for salvation. She smiled even as she passed out. Now, she said nothing, did nothing but prostrated herself before her shadowy mistress.

“Jeannie, Alexis, guys, please. She’s… she’s, my… backer.” Samantha said. No ha-ha funny jokes from the Dabbler witch. No puns, no snide remarks. Just a young, time displaced magically gifted human in what was basically a high stress performance review.

She spoke in the tongue of the Fae, a melodic and intoned what was likely a combination of supplication and prayer. “O, Menalis Umbra, Shadow Queen, all love you, and all shall despair at your presence! All shall kneel, for thou art terrible as dawn and dusk!”

Please at being properly addressed, Menalis began. Now, the trickster queen never stayed still to be observed. She confounded and played with senses and perception; was she ten feet away? Twenty? Was she standing to the left or the right? She talked like she was all around, in surround sound, and one could glimpse her fabulous heels, her claws, or part of her hands or legs or dress, maybe her hair. But never see her eye to eye; glimpsing her eyes up close induced a maddening vertigo, like a close by object feeling so far away- like ones hands stretched out to the horizon yet knowing it was still right there.  

“That’s right. And It’s not just me. I’m talking on behalf of the three.” She said those words in a way that would matter to Samantha. Matter so much as to make her worry. She let it sink in deep, like a knife to twist. Then she instead leaves it in, taking Dabbler’s joke ball for herself. “It’s almost impossible to get them on Zoom at the same time. Planar time differences you know.”

Since Jeannie had the naivety to talk around Umbra, the fairy queen decided to let her have some vertigo. “Jeannie Rose! A delightful creature, too bad you’re working for the wrong side.” Emphasizing that she was in fact, not a very nice boss at all, she follows with a threat. “If you speak again without being spoken to. I’ll turn you into a little turtle and flip you over.”

She sighs. She then drops another question. “Do you know, what day it is Samantha?”

“It’s March the twenty-first, ma’am.” Dabbler kept her eyes downcast. She may have missed the horrors of imprisonment at Boston, but she was in a way, a prisoner too.

“That’s right. Six more months until you’ve been returned to earth, as an experimental ‘evil-time-share’ witch for six years. Six is my number, ‘Dabs’. What have you been up to? We haven’t had a talk like this since… you know.”

“I’ve been… busy ma’am! A big project. A long con. The biggest practical joke-” Dabbler starts explaining, though Menalis quickly cuts her off.

“Ah, ah, ah! Yes, a long con. Africa. I can respect that. A very ambitious project, trying to pull one over a literal god from another reality. You are swinging far into order so the pendulum swings deep into chaos later. What I mean is, what have you done lately? What… chaos and anarchy, trickery and deception… what… misery have you brought the waking world? I’ve seen your work in that continent. Sustainable energy? Economic forecasting? Affordable Air conditioning and Cable television? Are you trying to improve their lives?”

“I was at Boston, blowing up noobs and bugs. With these guys!” Dabbler Dabsplains again, feeling like the answers she was looking for was in their noggins.

“I see. You two have my permission to testify as to the shenanigans of the witch. Convince me.” Menalis addressed them, chin stroking them with those incredibly fire bejeweled claws.

((668))

huh talk about an odd day first a shipwreck and now a grumpy giant lady was threatening to turn her into a turtle. she apparently was dabblers boss, well Jeannie knows where dabs get her odd sense of hummer.

apparently, it was some kinda performance review for dabbler, and she and Lexi are caught up in it. well, Jeannie wanted help. she did find it interesting that the monster lady knew her she'd think she'd remember meeting a shadow lady.

huh then again the more she looked at her swirly masked friend she thought they looked like her cats? will witchs like cats so maybe she's friends with her cats.

the boss lady wanted them to testify for dabbler. well she said Jeannie had permission to talk so hopefully, she is no longer at risk of being turtled

dabblers a very good witch miss shadow queen, or would you want her to be a bad witch? bad is good with witches? yeah, she did all kinds of bad stuff when I was with her. we couldn't take her anywhere without her trying to kill something. she zapped people with lightning and squished them with squiggly tentacles. she lies a lot and makes bad jokes, and her hat tried to bite me one time.

oh she kinda killed an angel lady well the bug people did but dabbler didn't do anything to stop it and took her stuff and stuffed her angel dust remains in an old vacuum. and besides the knights, we killed all the bugs too. she made me turn a bunch of cutie animals into murders and leave some old people in a cave with bears. and does horrible things to chickens. it's probably her fault our shipwrecked and she didn't try to save any of the sailors when she could have. oh and I almost got turned into a turtle cause she didn't tell me about the rules of how to talk to you, huh that's all I can think of now, oh she got a bunch of dwarfs maimed by getting them mixed up with the bugs.

Jeannie felt bad talking so poorly about dabbler but if this was like the opposite day episode of SpongeBob this was the best way to help.

she looks to Alexa your turn Lexi tells the shadow queen how icky dabbler is.

Alexis was glad that Jeannie had gone first.  It gave her more time.  Immediately upon the request, Alexis down clocked her perception of time and set to work.  Immediately, she began pulling hours and hours of footage she had taken of Dabbler being simply the absolute worst.  Due to her mental changes because of their bond, Alexis was oftentimes more amused than repulsed.  Dabs had done some war crimes and no mistake.

By the end of Jeannie's description of Dabbler's awfulness, Alexis was ready.  She tossed her friend a quick wink and addressed the Queen of Shadows.

"Oh Dread Empress of Mirk, Majestic Sovereign of Dire Promise, oh Beauteous Empress of Menace! Please heed the words of this unworthy one and let me just say..." Alexis cocked her head to the side.  "You are just rocking it.  Seriously, look at you.  I have never seen an outfit more put together than that. Where do you get your nails done?  Can I sell my soul for your fashion sense?  I mean, heavens," Alexis proceeded to fan herself with her hand.  Though it might have seemed irreverent, Alex was sincere in her praise.  There were few things Alexis enjoyed more than a well put together outfit. Besides, a little flattery couldn't hurt.

"Sorry, I gush.  I know I am not the most flattering person to complement you so, what with my hair in this state, but I needed to get that out.  Let me resume.  Oh Penumbral Imperatrix of Nightly Delights, witness these horrid deeds that your servant, the Vile and All Together Unfashionable Dabbler, Samantha Black, has done!"

She lifted her hands and a quintet of drones flashed into existence 10 feet above her head.  Their propellers immediately began to spin, preventing them from crashing into the ground.  Three of them began to emit a thick, dense mist.  The other two were equipped with projection cameras and created an almost 3D type overlay onto the tense outpour of fog.

Alexis vanished a large portion of sand next, creating a flat surface.  A board went down after, and then a large and very plush looking couch.  Unceremoniously, Alexis pushed Dabs and Jeannie into it.  Plopping down between them, Alexis then conjured a huge bucket of well buttered popcorn.  

The film started with a long establishing shot of Dabbler standing on some sort of dark rooftop.  Alexis had an intuitive understanding of any of her bonded companions, so the representation was perfect down to her nasal hair... kind of.  Frankly, Dabs looked good.  Really good.  Hollywood makeup team / special effects lab / liberal airbrushing good.  It was the sort of effect one could only manage with a high dollar recording studio... or a supercomputer bent to the task.

As she came into view, the first few notes of Witch by Apashe began to play.  Alina Pash's low voice began, lending the dark form of Dabbler a sinister note.  The 'camera' zoomed in on her face, until only the lower half was visible.

The smile became wide, wicked, and manic.  It promised horrors unending to whatever it was directed at.  The music swelled.

What followed next were a series of still cinemograph images, each changing in time with the beat of the song.  Dabbler exploding a Wasp Mutants head.  Dabbler disemboweling a poor fool from behind.  Dabbler laughing at fires she herself caused.  Images of her soaked in blood and less pleasant things.  And all the while that mad, manic smile as she turned the world crimson.

Each ululation was accompanied by high notes of Dabbler's great works.  How many people she had killed to do even the least amount of good.  How many wrongs she had done to commit the least right.  Oh, some were embellished, of course.  Alexis guessed that the Queen of Lies and Shadows would appreciate a little production value.  And if she made Dabs look good?  Well, that's what friends were for.  

As the video wound down, there was the final shot of Dabbler standing at the prow of the boat while Alexis paid the men their money in the background.  Though you could not see her eyes, what was there was her wide and manic smile, promising the same dark deeds to the inhabitants of the island.  

The video ended with their current Angry Bird's total.  Dabbler had finally begun to beat Alexis, who hadn't kept up with the Tri-Witch in the score rankings.  Alexis had fallen into 3rd behind 'birdfanferb', Dabbler's eternal foe, who even now nipped at her heels.  

As the video came to an end, Alexis reminded herself to give her computer some hugs when she got home.  That had been masterful.  Maybe she should get it an extra nice leather lining when she got back?  Something ridiculously expensive.  

"And there you have it!  Vile atrocities committed by the most wicked witch in the west!  Elphaba?  Pfft.  Green as a grape and twice as ripe if you ask me.  There exist entire Reddit boards devoted to her!" The projector began to spit out Reddit forum entries talking about Dabbler.  That Alexis had created them while her computer had been playing her video in the last three and half minutes was neither here nor there.

DabGeek26: "OMG, did you guys see what she did over in Boston?"  The poster had attached an image of Dabbler with her hand up a gentleman's but and using him like a puppet.  
- QueenBee63: "That's hilarious!"

DabblerSuxHoHos:  Please, that's so been done."
- DabGeek26: "I fucking will murder you, you take that back."
-- DabblerSuxHohos: "Please, anyone who thinks Dabbler is any good is a no dicked loser.  Why don't you go find a picture and --"  Several eggplant emojis follow.
--- A response post with a picture giving the peace sign over a decapitated corpse; presumably of DabblerSuxHohos.  Dabbler looked like some insane cosplayer that went a little too liberally with the fake blood.
---- DabGeek26: "F!cking Goddess. O.O"  Several eggplant emojis follow.

"Not only does she commit wanton acts of barbarism daily, she also turns the simple minded into masturbating idiots worshiping her bloody acts of murder!  She is trending on Twitter, for the love of Pete!"

Twitter popped up, showing how many people were talking about Dabbler.  These were actually a series of bots Alexis had planted previously in the week to promote Steelheart when they needed a publicity boost, but resources existed to be used.  Dabbler was currently trending hard.  She was starting flame wars just from being the topic of conversation.  Or, well, Alexis was through an army of bots.  

Alexis leaned close to Dabbler's ear and spoke softly, "Who loves ya, babe?"  


1118

SAGE’S MANSION – WAY OVER IN AFRICA

When the council of Steelheart had an unexpected new member, a child no less, Sage had initially opposed, and threatened Sabiel with cyanide. It was a tense moment but, eventually, Niao relented, accepting the rationale that, in fact, Sabiel was innocent of all the horrific doings of her now trophied mother. She’d probably have to dispose of those very soon, the thought of explaining who the big bug lady in the main hall an awkward conversation.

Fortunately for Sabiel, Sage included Extra aunt in her resume. One of the gardens was covered with a gilded cage, giving Sabiel a large enough space to roam around, but just small enough to be monitored. The cage’s metal was corrosion proof against her spit, but all the plants and geometric shapes she created as landscaping excited the little one to no end.

Sage passed the time by observing some cats she’d adopted from the local shelter. Having their own small play pen in the shop, the mother cat lay calmly as its three little kits were exploring, playing with mom’s tail and breastfeeding. She assembled a clockwork cat based on sketches and notes, watching with satisfaction as she had a complete prototype animal. Meanwhile she looked at the clocks, for the time zone she was in and the time zone that they’d be in by now. The portal was not forthcoming, and there was no way to communicate.

“Aaaah! Aaaah! Cooooo…!” Sabiel interrupted Sage’s train of thought, the little toddler squishing her face against the glass, licking it and laughing in delight. A couple of weeks ago she was crawling on all fours. Today, Sabiel was already a proficient biped, and proportionally grew as much. She eyed the cats in their little cage, and the cats wouldn’t have Sabiel, and went to hide in the far corner.

Sage sighed and took a break from her work. “Are you hungry?” aunt Sage asked, holding up the meat porridge to Sabiel, who shook her head. “Caaa! Caaaa!” She points excitedly at the cats.

“I do not trust you yet around small animals. But Let’s see your reaction to this.” Sage winds up the clockwork cat, and lets it start its mechanical stride, a crude imitation of the animal’s fluid movement. The little bug angel looks at it excitedly a moment, before lunging and tearing into it, biting it in half but spitting out the metal bits. “Caaa!” She whined disappointedly, wondering why her teeth did not encounter flesh.
“I figured.” Sage looked around for something else to amuse Sabiel, and looked at a sphere in her pile of geometric shapes. “Hmmm…” Sage had an idea, and begins gathering up the dead clockwork cat’s parts.

= = = =
DEATH LAND

The Fairy Queen looked at Jeannie as she took her turn to speak. “Mhm. Mhm. Is that so? Interesting." She said, sounding a bit more bored than convinced at Jeannie. She thought perhaps turning her into a turtle for the heck of it would be most interesting thing to happen to them.

Menalis looked at Alexis with equal parts of curiosity and raised eyebrow as she spoke up, the lady knowing how to butter someone in authority up. She tapped her index finger on her throne as the presentation passes by, showing how Dabbler used her powers to spread chaos and misery. But, why was there so little use of shadow powers? It’s like, trickery and deception took a back seat to exploding things with chaos lightning!

Menalis’s expression remained unmoved until the presentation ends. There was, of course, an uncomfortably long silence as she sat cross legged, chin resting on her clawed hands. She preferred to keep her servants always tense and on their feet. She only turns to Alexis once the tension was thick enough to cut, a very slight grin and an approving eyebrow raise.

“I am… pleased and entertained.” She said, perhaps giving insight into what she really wanted. The agenda of spreading chaos was secondary to providing her entertainment. “Perhaps my initial assessment was overly harsh.” She continues, Dabbler letting out an audible sigh of relief.

Dabbler finally gets the nerve to talk. “So uh… that was fun! Can we go and do our thing now? Or… did you need us for something here?”

“Mmm. Oh Samantha. You’re lucky I liked your mother AND your friends. Alright.” Menalis creates a mini-illusion, same as Dabbler’s own figments. It showed a sheltered valley, built into the cliff and facing the sea. It had a remarkable resemblance to a Greek town. It was dominated at its highest point with a sun temple. “Somewhere deep in the jungle is a tree top village, they’re sun worshipers called the Heliosians. Inside their temple is their precious sun disc. I want it.” She said, for all her theatricality and ending with a demand for simple larceny.

“Okay. Sun disc. Got it. Oh yeah. It’ll be in our hands lickety split. NO problemo, good as done.” Dabbler assures her patron.
“…And I want to see you use the gifts I gave you. It’s like you’re pushing me to the sidelines.” She added, emphasizing her need for validation and attention. If she was a corporate boss, Menalis would be a nightmare indeed.

“Okay?” Dabbler agrees.

“Excellent.” From the shadows, Menalis created one of Dabbler’s crow familiars and presented it to her. The bird hops onto her shoulder. “I’ll borrow this little one to keep an eye on things. Watch the show. Good luck. Don’t let the giant bush scorpions sting you.”

“Ta-tah.” During exits, Menalis was just as dramatic. A storm of crows began to come out from the woods, and the beach they were on grew darker and darker, as birds flew all around them until nothing could be seen. And then, Menalis and her two goons were gone, and it was now already sunrise, the day’s first rays washing over the trio. Vultures the size of sedans had landed on the beach, drawn by the wreck and the dead.

“Okay. For the record, I am not into Heists. Heist movies are dumb. But… I guess we oughta go get that stupid sun disc.” Dabbler off-handedly comments, kicking up sand with her feet like a child that had been reprimanded. She looks at the big birds eating up their dead crew. She came face to face with a giant vulture who was ominously watching over them, unblinking, about 10 feet away. “HSSSSS!” Dabbler hissed, raising her hands to intimidate the animal, but, mister bird was not impressed.

((1100))

Jeannie was impressed with Lexi's super movie-making powers. and happy she once again provided snacks in the form of popcorn this time.  she enjoyed the dabbler show. huh, she'll have to see if Lexi can make her a cool video sometime.

luckily the fairy lady liked the movie too. so she'd avoided getting turned into a turtle for now it seems. Jeannie cheers for the dabbler movie at the end she thought it was fun.  she was also happy that dabbler seemed back to her old wacky self with the big boss in a better mood.

the boss lady's exit was as dramatic as her entrance. so that's your boss huh, she's scary better get that sun thingy then or she might turn us into frogs

Jeannie looks around the beach happy to see the sun. well all things considered this looks like a nice place to be shipwrecked. she starts building a sandcastle even though she is quite the airhead Jeannie was surprisingly observant.

after a while, the simple castle turned into a detailed replica of the sun temple the boss fairy showed them.  right luckily treasure is one of the many things I'm a hunter of. plus I got all the tomb raider games so I know all about exploring temples.

Jeannie smiles happily that the boss gave dabbler a task she was well suited to help with. huh so think these sun worshiper guys are like creepy cultures or somthing

she then scratches her head thinking huh this seems oddly familiar me and a witch and a cultist. that ends with lots of kabooms.  we set their old church on fire cultists and all.  huh might have been a bit overkill but seemed like the best way to stop them from doing bad magic stuff. so guess these guys are look where just swiping their stuff,

she continues working on her sand art adding more buildings to make a sand village.hope she was kidding about the giant bush scorpions  I had enough of creepy bugs last time. huh, she never gave us a map or anything, somewhere in the jungle is kinda vague.

she ponders on how to get an idea of where to look first, she sees the big bird having a staring contest with dabbler. hey mister bird do you know where the Heliosians are? the gots a village here somewhere, there sun people or something.

she doodles a house the sun and a stick figure in the sand in front of the bird. animals don't like big words so pictures help sometimes when trying to get through to them.

It turned out that Alexis had guessed right.  Seeing the blaze expression on the woman's face, combined with her obvious love of subterfuge and doublespeak, Alex had concluded that the Queen of Shadows was just... well, bored.  It brought into better perspective what stresses Dabbler was operating under, especially since she seemed to have modulated her normal flippant manner of speech when in the presence of her benefactor.  It's all fun and games until a god shows up, after all.

Strangely, the entire experience had been good for Alexis' mood.  Alexis desperately craved validation from everyone in her life.  Hell, this entire quest was her way of satisfying her need to please both Niao, Dabs, and Jeannie.  It also served get her away from Sophie and Mr. Black, who she could not look at without feeling intense feelings of shame.

The only issue currently plaguing her was Sabiel.  The bond with the tiny wasp baby was nascent, but it would grow swiftly.  Yet, Alexis had ambitions.  She could not be everywhere at once.   ... or could she?  A plan began to from in Alexis' mind, even as her thought turned toward Dabbler's diablolical dilemma.  

"Let me use my drones to scout the island.  We can take a gander around and get a quick idea of the lay of the land.  Any temple they have will more than likely be a large and obvious structure.  We can make our plans from there."

As she was speaking, Alexis had been eyeballing the bird.  Slowly, almost casually, an RPG appeared in her arms.  She got Dabbler's attention, then tilted her head toward the avian in a silent question of, 'Do you want I should explode some vulture for you'?