Chapter 20: Prelude to Chaos

Suzette walked quickly through the small village. She'd seen a sign for a tailor attached underneath that of another business, but forgot which one. It only took a few minutes to find it - an advantage of small towns. The sign with the tailor's shears was underneath one that had a mortar and pestle and a bubbling flask. Tailoring and Alchemy? Interesting combination. Maybe they had something stylish in a lab coat?

Entering, she saw that the tailor occupied the front of the building and a hallway in back led to the alchemist. A silver haired woman in her 50’s was running a length of wispy white silk through her hands and matching it against various types of thread, not finding a satisfying match. Suzette waited a bit impatiently, trying not to tap her foot on the floor.

Carefully folding the white silk back up and placing it in a drawer, the seamstress turned to Suzette. "Well, none of these is fine enough. Perhaps in the next batch. Enough of that. Let's talk about what you need young lady. Let me guess. You'd like to get something made to replace that stunningly horrible burlap dress?"

Suzette handed her the bolt of light green satin and roll of cream trim. "Yes, please. I'm short on cash, but I have this fabric and trim. My new job is at the tavern and I need something better than this."

"Oh, this is nice! These must have come from a dungeon treasure - very good quality. I could make a lovely evening gown or party dress from these. Is that what you are looking for? I will need some coin for thread and my work."

"I actually need something more along the lines of a work dress. I've been assigned to work in the tavern as a barmaid."

"I see. I can make something for you, although I hate to think of this nice fabric becoming a work uniform. Perhaps we can do a trade? I could be quite generous with the clothes on that rack. They are of lesser quality material, but will wear much better than this fragile fabric. Take a look and see if a couple of them suit you. I can alter them to what you want."

Suzette looked over at the rack; it had quite a few dresses and a few shirts. She walked over to take a look, but before she reached it she heard an intake of breathe and a small scream, "You made it back!! Oh, I felt so bad. I'm so glad you made it. Daddy says it's a long walk back!" She was nearly tackled to the ground by Zephyr rushing up and hugging her.

"Oh god that thing was horrible! I saw you poison it but...I just ran and ran when I saw what it did. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I left you."

Suzette tried to comfort the girl. "It's alright. You got away, and I walked back. If you hadn't have run it would have just gotten both of us." The older woman was looking at her with a smile. Suzette could see the resemblance to Zephyr in her face. "So, you’re the brave hero that saved my little girl? You have my thanks for that. Come, Zephyr, your friend here needs some work clothes and a new ball gown. You can help me take her measurements."

She pulled two dresses from the rack and got a measuring tape. "I'm Adrianna. My husband Aliester will want to meet you as well. You have our thanks for saving our little girl. To start with, let’s get you measured and these dresses altered. You'll want them loose enough to move around in but also tight enough in the bodice to accentuate those looks of yours. I worked in a tavern myself when I was younger. It's a lot of work and you need the right clothes for it. And to maximize those tips."

Within half an hour Adrianna had modified one dress into something much more suitable for tavern work. Suzette changed into it immediately and rolled up the horrible burlap outfit and put it in her pack. When she did, she noticed the Cocoon she had found and pulled it out.

"Is this something that could be useful? The thread seems very fine and strong, but I'm not quite sure just what it is. I found it near the river when I was gathering herbs."

Adrianna was very still. "May I? Oh yes, these have use. These silky strands can be spun into a very fine thread. I haven't seen its like in a long, long time. Zephyr, please fetch your father. I'd like to show this to him." Zephyr ran to the back of the house and Adrianna took the silk from the cocoon and then held it against the pale silk she had been holding when Suzette arrived. It was an exact match.

Zephyr returned with her father in tow. He was a tall man, over six foot in height - thin with long fingered hands, stained from years of crafting potions. His bald head was dominated by a hawk-shaped nose and dark eyes that focused on the cocoon in his wife's hands. He stared at it for a few seconds before turning to Suzette, when he again stopped to stare for a long moment.

"Oh! and aren't we thrice blessed today? The young hero that saved our daughter; a cocoon of a species long thought dead; and then proof that all things are connected." As he said this a glowing golden triangle appeared upon his forehead and both Zephyr and Adrianna turned to stare at her. She had no doubt an identical mark on her forehead was also visible to them. "I see that we have much to talk about my dear. Would you like to stay for dinner?"

Rolly couldn't wait to go visit Squirmie again. He'd taken two big buckets of offal to the recovering pet early in the morning, but was pretty sure he was hungry again. Lucky that Squirmies really liked meat! He also took a bag of grain for Ferdinand and Betty. They weren't as cool as a Squirmie, but having them as pets could be great, too. Both seemed appreciative of the snack.

Moving on to the little hideaway, he found the big caterpillar was indeed hungry, but he wasn't looking so good.

'Squirmie' was indeed not feeling well. The poison from the horrible two-leg was still in his system and was slowly killing him. He had tried and tried again to form a healing cocoon, but even this small act was beyond him. There might be another way though. He reached for an anchor in his pet’s thoughts and went through his memories. It was very confusing! This two-leg had so many memories. Even some memories of bonding with other creatures! Astounding. How old was it?

This was truly an extra-ordinary pet. He was glad he had found it.

Squirmie is not feeling well. He is probably dying. He thanks you for trying to help.

"NO! NO! This is NOT happening! I've raised dragons from petrified moon eggs! I tamed a nether-kraken in the Black Ocean! I'm not losing a pet before we get to go do cool things together!" Rolly triggered both his Animal Healing and Share Health abilities. His Mana and Stamina plummeted fast. He continued to share his health even when his mana was gone and stamina ran out. His health dropped 100...50...25...10...5...and he collapsed, barely conscious, with 1 point of health left, his arms holding his pet near him.

It's body was failing, but the VHC was bursting with power.

A desperate plan formed. It would be very vulnerable for a time, but it might keep it from dying. Dying sucked! It had died before, its essence being absorbed into the soil and forming a cocoon, there to sit for hundreds, if not thousands, of years before it could emerge. A horrible experience, but far better to cheat death that way than to have to walk back from the hellish realm where it's soul would be sent. It wasn't ready to sleep again. It would have to take the gamble that this pet could both handle the strain and become powerful enough for the next evolution.

Alternate Ending:

Squirmie has a chance! Your healing has given him the energy needed to start a new evolution and heal his poor broken body. This is dangerous for both of you, but will bring you much closer together.

Make the sacrafice of helping Squirmie Evolve and live? This is a Major Quest. Y/N?

"YES!"

There was a blinding flash of light and Rolly felt a huge amount of pain. The caterpillar convulsed in his grip. He held on tighter. More pain, and then he fell unconscious. When he awoke, he felt very strange. The caterpillar was gone.

"Squirmie!"

<>Resting, so sleepy. Will grow and get better. Good Pet!> The voice was coming from inside Rolly.

Good Pet? No, Best Pet Ever! He'd saved Squirmie. His pet could get better. Soon they could go adventuring together. Rolly was too tired to go back to the barn to sleep. He'd just sleep here. It was a good nest. He and Squirmie could both rest here.

Congratulations! You have earned a Title: Incubator Pet Breeder

Your Heritage has progressed. Mixed race: Human 90%, Blight Pet Handler! 10%

Gain +2 Con,

Gain the Core Skill: Mitigation 1

Gain the Core Skill: Melee Weapons 2 (Symbiotic Pet Skill.)

Gain Core Skill: Disguise (There have been changes to your normal form. You may disguise these changes with minimal effort.)

Congratulations! You have formed a permanent bond with Squirmie.

You have earned 100 points in Animal Healing

You have earned 1000 EP in Bond Pet Bond. Pet Bond is now at Level 5

You have earned 1100 EP in WIS. Your WIS is at maximum, these EP will be banked until you unlock a higher WIS cap.

You have received a Major Quest: Help Squirmie Evolve

You have unlocked the event: Blightfall.

Congratulations: You have unlocked the event "Pets for Everyone."

This event will partially progress as a consequence of your actions.

Gain 3 Core Skill points for starting a regional event.

Dinner with Zephyr's family was both normal and exceedingly strange. Zephyr grabbed Suzette and dragged her into the kitchen explaining that she did most of the cooking. Adrianna tended to burn most meals as she became preoccupied with some aspect of her sewing and it just wasn't good to let Aliester alone in the kitchen for too long. Not only would the food not get done, but he often tried to 'improve' things by applying alchemical processes.

Some of these worked, like the pot that boiled water without any heat source. But the enhanced mashing hammer simply destroyed the veggies or meat you tried to tenderize. There were still a few bits of carrots high on the ceiling.

Zephyr had taken up cooking at an early age in self-defense. Suzette was happy to help with the simple meal of stir-fried rabbit and chopped vegetables. It beat the normal food they got by a mile.

Adrianna insisted on the full story of the girls' encounter with the monstrous crawler. Suzette’s use of the poisoned berries had Aliester nodding his head in respect. "Smart thinking. That much poison should kill most anything. Did you happen to get a message saying you had killed it? We brought a party to kill it when Zeph came running in. It was gone from area, its trail leading down to the river, but it was obviously hurt badly."

"No, no death message. No EP. I think it's still out there. Maybe it was hurt badly enough to have run it off. One can hope."

"Yes, or possibly it will die days from now. That amount of poison will not be easy to live through. All its bodily functions will be paralyzed and shutting down. " Aliester was deep in thought. "The cocoon you brought to my wife is a clue to its nature. There were creatures long ago who made cocoons like that and the silk could be harvested after they emerged."

"And rare, so very rare," Adrianna added. "The bolt of silk cloth you saw me working with is old. It was passed down to me from my grandmother. I've never found a quality thread that would work with it. That is why I was so excited to see what you had. Silk Crawlers are thought to be extinct."

"Is that what that thing that killed me was? A silk crawler?" Suzette shivered. It had been horrible, but worse, she swore the thing had intelligence lurking in its eyes.

"No, or rather, not anymore. Silk Crawlers were just a large insect that could grow and eventually metamorphized into large moths. The moths might prey on small animals, but mostly ate other giant insects that were present in the south. But they were changed in the Blight War. Along with many other creatures they were tainted, becoming soldiers in a horrible army that eradicated all other life." Aliester stood, and retrieved a pipe and tobacco, lighting it with a metal rod. "But they weren't on the winning side and were purged with fire and magic. Some parts of the south are still arid and barren where the ground was burnt deep to kill the blight. This, hopefully, is just some similar creature from a dungeon or pool of dark magic."

"But on to important things! You died and met Lord Hermes I take it? And joined our little band of philosophers? Welcome!"

Suzette gave the details of her meeting. Aliester was obviously part of the Hermetic Order and didn't mind talking in front of his wife and daughter, and both had seen the mark on her forehead. Family perk? He delighted in all the details and often had her repeat things. Zephyr also was excited by the tale.

After the first time through, Adrianna suggested they move to the front of the house. "I'd best get a little work done on some alterations, I'll have your second work dress finished tomorrow and the gown by the end of the week. The cocoon and my daughter make payment enough, and we got a bargain at that."

"So what are your plans now? Where do your studies take you?" Aliester asked.

"I'm not sure. Things move so fast. I'd like to pursue working with some herbs and alchemy, but I’m lacking in a lot of practical knowledge." Suzette felt like she was talking with her old guidance counselor from basic education. Aliester and Adrianna had quite bit of advice to give. Seeing Zephyr roll her eyes, she figured rightly that this was familiar to her as well.

Adrianna and her husband shared a long look, then she went first. "Here is what I suggest. When you start working for Derek at the tavern, tell him I recommended you take the room in the attic. Offer a silver piece a week for rent. I've seen those horrible little huts they have you live in. After some work cleaning the room up, it will be much better. It’s good for him as you aren't far away; and good for you because after a late night of wrangling drunks, the last thing you want is a walk home in the dark."

That sounded wonderful to Suzette. She would certainly do that.

"Then, I think you should take advantage of my husband and have him further your alchemical studies. All well and good to have some secret order with special handshakes, but if that knowledge isn't passed on, it's wasted. Zephyr needs someone to help her with herb gathering in the mornings. I can't think of anyone I'd trust more for that. You already died to save her once. Afternoons you can help Aliester with brewing potions and he can tutor you in the basics. Then off to your job slinging booze."

When Adrianna laid it all out, it was hard not to see the benefits. She'd be working on herb lore and alchemy, and be able to help them out by giving Zephyr a partner. The final deal maker was dinner a couple of nights a week with them. They worked out the details and then she had to scurry off to work.

Ozzy was enjoying his second beer along with a loaf of fresh bread when Suzette came through the door. To say she made an entrance was an understatement. She was wearing a white bodice with red ribbons that tied off the rolled-up sleeves at her elbows. It was tucked into a flowing red peasant skirt that stopped just above her knees. Her curly brown hair was pulled back, showing off her sharply pointed ears and large green eyes. Every eye in the room was on her as she walked up to Derek behind the bar and curtsied. "Hey boss. Reporting for duty. What can I help with?"

Derek had seen all the people working for Billy the first day and wasn't impressed. When they'd agreed on the deal and he'd asked for a barmaid to help out with the work, he'd expected someone wearing a burlap dress. He wondered where the hell he'd been hiding this one. She was certainly more than he'd expected and he was quite happy to turn the bar over to her after he rattled off the different beers in the huge kegs and saw that she knew her way around a bar.

Looking at how the boys in the room were lining up to get a mug and talk to their enchanting new barmaid, Derek figured business would be picking up. He'd start another few casks of beer tomorrow morning. He was pretty sure he was going to need them.

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