Cemetery
Dark and forgotten, most of the stone monuments are covered in creeping vines that give off a soft phosphorescence in the night. The sky is black, so it is only the slight glow of the vines and ground mist that give definition to the silhouettes of the mausoleums, tombs and gravestones.

Alptraum is hungry. His right forearm throbs – not yet painfully, but enough so that he's aware that it also feels hunger. He can feel something tugging at it, and at his stomach and other areas. It calls to his darker appetites, both Eeee and Shadow Dragon. He can tell it is only a few rows over, with a glow that he can feel with his body more than he can see with his eyes.

Alptraum blinks his eyes slowly, as his mind feels almost as foggy as the graveyard he finds himself in. He doesn't remember quite how he got here, but the hunger … that feels more than real enough. The Eeee stretches upward, then runs his hands through his hair. His tongue rolls over his lips and fangs before he spares a glace to his throbbing appendage. "Hungry my little friend?" he remarks to it in an all too disturbing tone for him.

His right hand twitches in response. It hasn't started to wither under the carapace yet, and doesn't feel starved – just oddly hungry.

Alptraum rubs his fingertips along his palm, feeling the flesh and fully expecting it to be cool to the touch for some reason. "Let's go hunting," he murmurs as he finally begins moving through the graveyard, towards whatever tugs and wets his appetite.

It's almost as if the tombs and headstones are just plants in a garden. Alptraum passes a mausoleum, and sees the source of the glow now: Snow is there, her hands and feet bound to the four corners of a stone altar. In the darkness, she shines like day, her alabaster skin covered in a fine sheen of perspiration and flush with arousal as she squirms and struggles against the bonds, which causes the throbbing in his right hand to increase, along with the throbbing in his stomach and loins.

Alptraum draws a breath that hisses between his teeth. His thoughts flow to so many things, from enjoying her, the slowly feasting on her blood and with his hand … perhaps even her life. Again the Eeee licks over his lips as he slips towards her. "Hello, Snow," he says, the tone dark and sultry. "What brings you here tonight? It's dangerous to be here alone… "

The woman doesn't speak, but her eyes show a flash of fear as she renews her struggle – to no avail. The sacrifice is secured too firmly.

Alptraum continues the approach. "I thought you weren't afraid of me," the Eeee says softly as he eases alongside the altar. He even dares to run the index finger of his right hand along her side. "You did let me bite you, after all," he reminds the woman as his eyes flick to find the remnants of his bite.

The bite mark is still there upon her breast, but a line of darkness trails behind his finger. In a flash, it spreads, turning Snow's skin black… and her eyes a pale blue. Her ears come to points, and now it's clearly Ravenia laid out before him.

Alptraum's eyes go wide, the shift kicking him back to some semblance of sanity (as questionable as it may be in his current state. He draws back and looks down at his right hand and hisses at it, "What did you do to her?"

The hand almost growls in hunger, but even though it's no longer touching the sacrifice, the girl is changing again. Fur flows over her skin, the cloak she lies on grows ribbing and turns to leather, until now it is Nekara before Alptraum.

"Why am I seeing all the women from my life?" Alptraum growls back at his hand. He rakes a few deep breaths, then hods his right hand out and away from the altar as he sits upon its edge. "Do not move," he tells the prone Yodhsunala, as he reaches up to try and untie her hands using only his left hand. It doesn't help that this close all sorts of urges come to his mind about bedding her while she is helpless. "Focus," he mutters to himself.

The bindings seem insubstantial to Alptraum's touch, as if his fingers simple slide off of the Zolk without getting a grip. By now, Nekara's colors have reversed as she becomes Lilith. And after no more than a few moments of squirming, Lilith gives way to Tulani…

And the thought that passes through Alptraum's mind now is … 'well, Tulani did seem to want him to flirt and more with when they were in that shop.' So, his hands quits trying to release those bonds and before Alptraum himself seems to even realize it, he's kissing the bound Sphynx. The thought that follows is: 'What the hell am I doing?' shortly followed by: 'Shut up! You're enjoying it, aren't you?"

Tulani kisses back, and sheds her wings. Rivers of gold and white begin to divide her fur, leaving islands of black. And then it's Autumn-Storm that struggles, and tries to pull away from Alptraum.

And … Alptraum lets go. The Eeee pulls back and looks down at his former Savanite friend. "There was a time I loved you," he says quietly as he lowers his right hand to come to rest in his own lap, "But I was foolish and young. You used it when it was convenient, and berated it when it was not. I used to be mad … but now I'm just sorry. You didn't really want my help."

"What are you waiting for," comments a stray thought, "Enjoy her now, when she can't resist." Alptraum's only reaction to that is to flick his head to the side and growl at himself.

"That's right, Alptraum," a cold voice whispers from the darkness. "They all used you, played with you, and took advantage of your weaknesses." The struggling Savanite's colors shift, and now it's Katka there on the altar – the Katka of Alptraum's teenage years, who would flirt and tease and frustrate for fun. She turns into others; girls that caught Alptraum's eye in the past, but were unapproachable or cold. And then the transformations begin to repeat with Snow. But not every woman in Alptraum's life is shown. Phlagaea, Rose and Mave do not appear. Nor do the dragons, Melusine and Kaira.

"That's not entirely true," Alptraum tells himself, "Ravenia never used me that I remember, nor did Tulani. And who is to blame for those who have? In my foolishness I let them. Not unlike how I let the shadow use me as a way to survive by bonding with my flesh." He holds up his right hand to emphasize that point and flexes those corrupted fingers. "So what would you have me do?" he asks the cold voice, "Seek revenge? Devour each of them?"

"Destroy them, have your way with them, it does not matter," the voice says, and Alptraum can tell it's coming from the top of the mausoleum behind him now. "They called up your weaknesses. Compassion, lust, loneliness. Shed those weaknesses by doing what you will to those who kindled them."

Alptraum's eyes flick upward to the top of the mausoleum, seeking out that voice. "Who are you to know so much about my weaknesses?" he asks.

The glow from the altar glints off of dark, metallic scales. Vorgulremik is small – no bigger than Alptraum, really – as he crouches atop the stone building. "You are mortal, and those are the weaknesses of all mortals. They hold you back from what you could be," the dragon says.

"And what is that? You?" Alptraum asks the miniature dragon. "Powerful … and yet completely alone?"

"Strong!" the dragon counters. "Surrounded by those who give you more strength. To be the one on the other side of the equation, controlling others through their weaknesses."

"And still second to you I suppose? Your 'right' hand monster?" Alptraum asks Vorgulremik and even waggles his deformed right hand at the dragon for emphasis.

"I am only trying to help you, Alptraum," the dragon says, in mock hurt. "If you only knew how to really harness your power, then all of those women… well, they'd give themselves to you willingly! They can sense your power, but it is undirected."

"So what would you have me do, then?" the Eeee asks as he pushes off the altar. "Allow the Shadow and all its hunger consume me completely? Follow every desire to ravish, feed, and devour that I have?" There's a pause as the pains of hunger roll back through him as a pointed reminder at that. "Feelings that are rather strong, granted."

"Know your needs, and they will no longer be weaknesses," Vorgulremik says, dipping his head lower. "And hone your power. You've felt it before in others: my own draconic aura. The glamour of a Dracul. Both of these are yours now, if you learn to use them."

"And what if I honed them by devouring you?" Alptraum threatens as e hops up on the altar (though mindful to not step on the squirming woman below), so he can look Vorgulremik in the eyes.

"Oh, you aren't quite ready for that yet," the dragon says, grinning toothily. "But look to the woman at your feet," he says, as the squirming sacrifice has settled back into Snow, and seems to be staying that way. "Such a fragile thing, isn't she? And yet, look at what her aura can do to you. You don't have to eat her to get it… you already have it. Just choose to use it."

Alptraum's brow goes up. "You are telling me I can induce lust in others to the point that they lose control?" he asks suspiciously.

"You can induce your will upon others," the dragon says. "Rosalind intimidated armies with her aura. Snow can obliterate higher thought with hers. You surely remember what mine was like, and that was without my even trying to influence you."

"And you claim I now wield your aura as my own?" Alptraum clarifies, sounding even more suspicious.

"Think about what happened to you tonight," the dragon adds with a grin. "Two women who would never even give you a second glance a few years ago suddenly find you very… interesting. So long as you have the dagger, you have my aura available. You also have Muriavan's, which gives you the power of a Dracul. And the Barsunala has his own, unique light that some can sense."

"You make it sound like women throw themselves to you to be ravished, or worse," Alptraum remarks. Of course the memory of the woman who willingly let herself be devoured by the dragon comes right to mind. "And I suppose to use your aura, the dagger needs to be part of me."

"That would certainly be necessary for you to control it, yes," Vorgulremik notes, tilting his horny head slightly to one side. "But the benefits! To be able to freeze the weak-willed in place with fear. To charm anyone, command their undivided attention, know how to pull the hidden strings that animate them. Wouldn't your life be so much easier then? Wouldn't you be in control, or at the very least on equal footing with those who hold sway over you?"

"Perhaps," Alptraum has to begrudgingly agree, "But what are the long term effects? I can feel the blade slide into my arm every time I slot it. Icy tendrils that feel like they flow through my veins."

"I can't imagine that it's exactly good for my arm given that," Alptraum adds.

"The long term effects?" the dragon asks, his head going back up in surprise. "Power! You already have the essence of a dragon coursing through you, how could adding more be a detriment?"

"The long term effect is that you will have a long term," Vorgulremik concludes.

"Because I could turn into you," Alptraum says bluntly. "Your flesh already corrupts my hand."

"Does it?" the dragon asks sweetly. "Is it a corruption? Would you tear it from your flesh and cast it aside if you could, Alptraum?"

"That's not the point," Alptraum argues as he crosses his arms, "It's part of me now and I don't want it spreading further. I'd end up with those ridiculous horns of yours, or worse!"

The dragon laughs at this. "Tell me, Alptraum, what does this corruption look like right now?" he asks.

"At this very moment? An arm band, but only because Kaira holds it in check. Without her aid, it would look like metallic, veiny chitin covering most of my hand and forearm. Not too different from your own talons," Alptraum answers.

"And you cannot control it yourself because it is not fully a part of you," the dragon claims. "If it were, you could do… so much more!"

That gives Alptraum pause. "So, what exactly would it take to make it completely part of myself?" the Eeee finds himself asking.

"Well, you know what Melusine did to make Muriavan a more complete part of you," the dragon says suggestively.

"Yes, she nearly killed me," Alptraum remarks.

"Oh no, she did kill you," Vorgulremik insists. "You just didn't have time to really notice before the Shadow restarted your heart."

"So, what, I have to kill myself again and somehow this will make the bond to your flesh closer to my own?" the Eeee asks with a hint of actual jest in his voice.

"I didn't say it would kill you," Vorgulremik notes. "You are part Shadow Dragon, after all. Of course, Kaira would never allow you to do such a thing, not after Melusine's similar stunt. But then, Kaira doesn't really want you to realize all of your power."

"Oh, of course she doesn't," Alptraum agrees, though he struggles o not sound too mocking about it. "It it doesn't require me dying, then how would it be done, hmm? Embed Muriavan's old heart inside myself once it's fixed?"

The horny ridges above Vorg's eyes spring up at that. "Well… do you really think you can get it fixed?" he purrs.

"I think I have a reasonable chance," Alptraum says, "I will not claim it is completely possible just yet."

"Ah, something to discuss when it is more than a reasonable chance then," the dragon says. "Now… are you going to eat that sacrifice? Because if you aren't… "

"No you will not," Alptraum snaps at the dragon in a rather protective tone, "She belongs to me." It even surprises the bat of the possessiveness his words with regards to the sacrifice.

"Well… I suppose the gentlemanly thing to do will be to leave you to take care of it yourself then," the dragon says, spreading his wings for launch.

"Indeed," Alptraum says in a loud huff as he starts to actually undress. Perhaps he intends to fully enjoy the sacrifice…

There is a loud beating of wings, and the dragon's shadow passes over and then away, as Vorgulremik leaves the cemetery.

And soon enough Alptraum has shed his clothing and turned to face the sacrifice bound to the altar. Warring urges surge through him as he looks at the prone woman … and soon enough there is a nervous lick of his tongue across his own lips.

Alptraum half-climbs, half crawls up onto the altar. His fang tips glisten from the desires that swell up in the Eeee. His black-furred form glides over Snow's own body until he's covering her, his muzzle ever so lightly touching against her cheek. "I forgive all of you for the times you used me," he says in a tone so different from the urges that drive him forward and the pulsations that throb in his right arm that he can feel practically up to his shoulder, "I hope you can forgive me and my weaknesses." Alptraum's eyes then droop closed and he lets out a long breath, even the Eeee not quite sure who will win the moment … the gentle part of himself, or the monster he accepted in order to be with a woman he loves…

"Alptraum?" The voice from behind the Eeee is very familiar, since he's heard it for most of his life. The voice of his adopted mother, Sabine Reisender!

Alptraum's eyes snap open! "Mom?!" he blurts out as he suddenly starts flailing about in a daze from the absolutely horrible nightmare he just had!

One flailing arm smacks the side of the wagon and rolls the Eeee out of his bunk, where he lands face down on the floor! "Oh, Alptraum!" his mother says, kneeling down next to him. "Did you hurt yourself?" Above him, Dimitris snores lightly as he hangs upside-down from the roof of the wagon. "I didn't mean to startle you, dear, but there's someone outside to see you… "

"The only thing I hurt is my pride," Alptraum mumbles from where he lies face down on the floor. He blinks slowly, then pushes himself upright and rubs his tired eyes. "Who is here to see me?" he asks, "No one really knows I'm here."

"It's Nadya," Sabine says. "You remember her, don't you? One of the Radovah daughters?"

"The young one?" Alptraum asks in brain-foggy state. He spares a quick glance to his hand to make sure Kaira is still keeping it in check ad looking 'normal'. "Did she say what she wanted?"

"She said something about a gift," the elder Eeee notes, giving Alptraum a curious look.

"A gift?" Alptraum asks, his voice echoing the curiosity in his mother's eyes. "Ask her to give me five minutes to get dressed and presentable." The Eeee finally starts to get to his feet.

"Alright son," Sabine says, getting to her feet. "But I hope you are not involved with that family. You have a respectable woman now… don't you? Your visit isn't because you had a falling out or anything?" she asks in a worried tone.

"Oh no, I'm not involved with them," Alptraum says, "And yes, I have a respectable woman. A very respectable one." There's a pause, then he claims, "It's more that their mother wants me to introduce them to respectable, and wealthy, men for them to marry."

"Avralie… but who will do the dancing then?" Sabine notes, lifting her hands. She wasn't always able to somehow see a dark cloud for every silver lining – it must be an ability gypsy women earn after they hit forty.

"Worry about that when it happens. Now shoo, I need to dress and I don't think you want to see your grown son's backside," Alptraum teases his mother and makes shooing motions with his hands.

"I have seen plenty you know!" Sabine notes, as she heads for the wagon door. "And I am sure your woman is very pleased with you too," she adds with a disturbing grin before stepping out.

"Mom!" Alptraum blurts as the older woman leaves. He sighs and shakes his head, muttering, "Incorrigible." The bat is soon dressing after the outburst, at least. As he's pulling on his pants, he thinks to himself, "Kaira, how are things holding out with the reserve of magic in my hand?"

"You're good for a few more hours," Kaira replies, "I won't let you get to the starvation point though."

"So better keep it to two hours or so before you release it and let it return to, well, er, normal?" Alptraum checks as he pulls on his shirt and tucks the ends into his pants.

"That is doable, if you can't resist putting your gloves back on before then. I could extend it by releasing more of the original form back," Kaira notes.

Alptraum feels over his hand and arm, checking the temperature of the skin and sheath, paying the most attention to the area around the blade. "I'll put my gloves on after I talk to Nadya," he promises, "You'll feel it, so you'll know when to release it. So much for my nice black fur! It'll either go gray and be bristly, or fall out, won't it?"

"Unless you want the scales back," Kaira notes.

"I'll see what it looks like 'natural', and then I'll decide if I want the scales back, okay?" Alptraum asks as he finishes tying his belt-sash and tucks his gloves into it to pull on in a bit.

"You're the boss!" Kaira replies, with a bit of enthusiasm.

Checking himself in a shard of Mirror, Alptraum grins widely. And with a flourish, out the door Alptraum goes to meet the Khatta.

The dancer isn't hanging around next to the wagon – she's nearly a hundred feet distant leaning against a tree. The sky is still dark, with just a hint of glow preceding dawn… but it isn't so early that some of the gypsy women aren't already up and preparing breakfast near the well.

"Okay, this is odd," Alptraum mutters to himself. Still the ever curious bat, though, he heads towards the trees. As he approaches Nadya, he smiles and offers the Khatta a wave. "So, I hear you wanted to see me?" he asks.

"Wait!" the tiger-striped Khatta says, and tosses something that lands near Alptraum's feet: a small leather bag, about the size of a pendant, on a leather cord. "Put that around your neck before coming any closer!"

Alptraum picks up the bag and peers at it, confused. "What is this?" he asks suspiciously.

It looks just like the bad Nyneve had put on him during his last visit. "Jus' a precaution!" Nadya says, and tries to smile innocently (my, her fangs are a bit bigger than Katka's, certainly).

Alptraum shrugs and puts the necklace on, then resumes his approach. "What's going on?" he asks a bit worriedly now. "What are you scared of? It's me. You know me. You've known me for a long time."

"I know," Nadya says, "that why I'm checking stuff now!" Once Alptraum is close enough, the girl leans towards him and sniffs about his neck, chest and head.

"Hey, that tickles," Alptraum complains. "And I took a bath recently, I can't smell that bad."

"Hrrrm, you're not wearing catnip cologne now… did you have it on last night?" Nadya demands, putting a 'friendly' hand on Alptraum's shoulder.

"Catnip cologne?" Alptraum asks, "Just what are you talking about? The only thing I might have had on me was whatever was in the air in the bar I met your mother at."

The girl's eyes go wide at this. "What? Mom? Why? Did she do this? Did you pay her to cast a spell on me last night!?" Nadya demands, using both hands on Alptraum's shoulders and practically shaking him.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Alptraum says in a sputtering voice as he's being shaken. The bat finally reaches up and grabs Nadya's arms and pulls her arms off his shoulders. It's his turn to growl back at Nadya now, "What is wrong? I needed to ask your mother to do a favor for me unrelated to any of you and then we walked back to camp so I could visit my family. That's it."

"Whatever 'fluence you put on me… on us… it wore off when you didn't come back," Nadya hisses. "Katka and I… and that fox! We felt like utter fools! Got the fox for it already… but not sure just yet about you, Alptraum."

This causes Alptraum's eyes to narrow. "Are you threatening me?" the bat asks, "For doing nothing? I don't believe this. And here I promised your mother I would try to introduce you to influential people in the capitol. If I did anything to you last night, Nadya, I'm not directly aware of it. You know, I was actually flattered last night you were even talking to me for a change."

The Khatta frowns, and says, "Give me back the medicine bag. This must be one of mom's tricks. Trying to… I dunno what." The feline heaves a defeated sigh (which looks nonetheless very impressive, as just about anything that makes the dancer's chest move like that would).

Alptraum takes the bag off and offers it back to Nadya. "I'm not sure what is going on either," he admits, "Smell me again and tell me if anything seems odd?"

There's a bit more cursory sniffing, but the fire has gone out of Nadya. "Sorry, it's not you. You… were always nice, you know. Easy to tease. You should pro'lly go save fox. We stripped him naked and tied him up and left him on Kizzy's wagonstep with a rose in his mouth… "

Alptraum rubs his forehead, then groans, "Oh dagh, I know what it was. I don't … argh." He shakes his head, adding, "I was helping a shrine maiden hunt down a monster in one of the Morpheus Wine fields the other day. She uses lure magic to bring them out. The kind that induces forms of lust. I bet some of her ritual lingered on me. I'm sorry Nadya."

"Why were you helping a Shrine Maiden?" Nadya asks, and then shrugs. "Ah, she lured you in I bet!" she adds with a wicked grin.

"Because it's my job to deal with supernatural threats," Alptraum says, "I assume Hexen told you I work for the Countess now? Well, I do, just not as some secret agent as he might claim. I help deal with various monsters and such, since my experiences in travels have taught em a lot about them."

"Reeeeally?" Nadya says, leaning in again and seemingly more interested in Alptraum now. "Do you keep souvenirs?"

"More scars than souvenirs," Alptraum notes and pulls down his shirt collar to show of the star burst of white. "This one almost cost me my life… "

"But… your fancy gauntlet," Nadya says, blinking at the scar. "That come from a monster? Or you use it to fight them? It's a weapon?"

"The gauntlet is a weapon, the scar on my chest from a monster and is just a healed over injury. You can still feel the bump in the flesh and bone where I was stabbed there," Alptraum explains and then releases his shirt. "So, you gave Hexen to Kizzy? That doesn't seem like a huge punishment, really. Kizzy actually likes him."

"Yeah, but he doesn't like her back," Nadya says. "It's… uh… irony… yes. He likes me and Katka, but we don't like him. So… seemed fair to give him to Kizzy."

Spending a day with Kizzy might actually change his mind about her," Alptraum notes, "Most Eeee can be very … interesting … when being intimate." He even flashes a fangy grin at that.

"Oh, I know," the dancer says. "You bring me and Katka a monster piece next time… we finish our little contest, eh?" she says with a wink and a flick of her tail.

"I'm not sure you and Katka could handle me," Alptraum claims, "But … maybe. So, before I go rescue Hexen … did you actually have a gift for me, or was that a ruse?"

"Oh, the medicine bag," Nadya says, holding up the little bundle. "In case you had a demon in you."

Alptraum actually leans over and kisses Nadya's cheek. "I'll see you later, stripes," he tells her, then turns and heads back towards the encampment. As he's walking, he pulls on the right-handed glove and thinks, "Go ahead, Kaira, let it revert." Soon his left glove is pulled on as well.

It isn't instantaneous, luckily. The glove fills out slowly, and Alptraum can feel the sensation in his right hand lessening. "That's it," Kaira announces, sounding almost tired. "Don't pull the dagger out where anyone can see you though."

Alptraum feels his palm to see how cool it may feel if he touches someone in its current state. He also takes a moment to peer under the leather to see what happened to the fur. "I'll pull it out when I leave camp," he tells her.

Several hanks of fur fall out when Alptraum peeks. The skin he sees looks bare, save for a layer of grayish fuzz. The hand itself isn't too cool at least. It's cooler than his left, but not beyond the range of normal variation. It shouldn't surprise anyone so long as Alptraum doesn't touch them with both palms at the same time.

Kizzy's wagon is located at the very edge of the camp, almost within the treeline. It's painted in black and green, and has plenty of wooden planter boxes filled with whatever flowers or herbs the bat is able to grow (lending a bit of credence to the stereotype of Saskanar Eeees having green thumbs). It is also rocking ever so slightly on its axles as Alptraum reaches it.

"Wow, having had full sensation last night in my hand, it's really noticeable now how numb it usually is. Just pressure feeling, nothing much with temperature at all," Alptraum tells Kaira as he heads to Kizzy's wagon, "And a lot of sad-looking gray fuzz on what looked like slightly looser skin." At the rocking of the wagon, his brow arches up and he flicks his ears towards it and listens.

There is a bit of… whimpering… coming from the inside of the wagon, along with some supersonic squeaks. The squeaks turn into a squawk though, and the wagon stops vibrating.

Alptraum heads up to the wagon and raps his knuckles on it. "Is Hexen in there?" he calls out.

There a brief commotion, and one of the windows opens to reveal a black-furred face that is mostly nose and ears. "Ex… excuse me?" Kizzy asks, nearly stuttering.

"Hexen? You know, the black fox who likes to strut around camp?" Alptraum asks as he tries hard to not grin hugely. "Is he in there? I need to make sure he made it to his new 'owner' after all. The Radovah's gave him to me, and I was going to give him to you."

This confuses the bat girl. "But… he already gave himself… wait? What? I… he didn't tie himself up?" she asks.

"Well, it was his idea and all. It just required someone officially giving him to you," Alptraum claims.

"Oh!" Kizzy says, brightening up. "Come right around to the door then!"

And so Alptraum comes right around to the door.

The door is thrown open, and Kizzy says, "Please come in!" She's still naked, giving Alptraum his first good look at the Saskanar breed. If anything, she's skinnier and flatter than a normal Eeee, but at least has a fluffy chest ruff. Behind her, Hexen can be seen. He's tied down to the floor (since Kizzy doesn't have a bed) and apparently gagged.

Alptraum slips inside the wagon and kneels beside Hexen. "See?" he tells the gagged Hexen, "And you were so worried. Eeee will always make the best lovers."

Whatever the fox tries to say, it only comes out as a bit of a whine through the gag.

Alptraum leans down and whispers to him, "And she'll get better with experience." Smiling, Alptraum sits back up and asks Kizzy, "So … want him to wear an earring for you?" He even smiles to show off his fangs before adding, "I can help place it."

"An earring?" the girl asks, and then bites her lip as she looks down at her new toy. "Well… could you put it on his… you know. I read that it makes things feel a lot better… "

Hexen's eyes roll back and the fox simply passes out at the suggestion.

"Oh that would be for later as it would take a long time to heal," Alptraum says, "Right now just something simple in his left ear. It marks your territory, after all."

"Oh wow, what should it be?" the girl asks. "Something with my name on it?"

"Something small, simple, and black to match your coloring. An onyx hoop or stud would work," Alptraum says as he pats his unconscious friend's chest. "And harder to remove," he thinks.

"Oh!" the bat girl says, and opens a drawer. It looks like it's full of charms that you might put on a bracelet. After a bit of searching, she comes up with a little chitin bat charm on an onyx loop. "Like this?" she asks, a little shyly.

"That's perfect," Alptraum agrees and motions for Kizzy to come sit by him. "Do you want to do the bite, or shall I?"

The bat girl smiles. For an herbivore, she's got some very needle-like teeth. "I've been biting him all night! I didn't try to make a hole though… "

"Then you just need to take the ridge of his ear about here," Alptraum explains as he lightly closes his fingers around the lower part of his ear ridge, "with just two teeth and bite down until you feel them go through. I can do it if you would prefer. Then once through, you open the hoop, slide it through, then just close it."

"I'll do it!" Kizzy says, and manages to make the hole after a few false starts. Once the earring is in place, she smiles to Alptraum. "This has been the best night ever! Just like in my fantasies! And Hexen is just so perfect! Why, he even lasts longer when he's passed out!"

Alptraum laughs at that. He feels a twinge of guilt knowing that Hexen might bolt when she's finally untied, so … he decides something. "I need to go say goodbye to my parents soon … but before I go, do you want me to explain how to do some stuff I learned for a rather, ah, experienced babelite woman that works wonders on a guy and keeps them coming around… ?"

The girl blushes, and says, "Well… I am grateful, so sure… " And then she looks Alptraum over and licks her lips.

"I'm already spoken for, sorry," Alptraum says and holds up his hands, grinning. "So now, what you need to do is blindfold him first. When he can't see what is coming it'll be quite surprising and arousing," he begins to explain, "Them what you want to do involves a lot of teasing and enticing, never quite let him, ah, pop. Slow and gentle and he'll be begging for you." And the next half an hour involves Alptraum going into a lot more detail on just how to tease and torment someone … all thanks to his own experiences with Mave.

Kizzy is rapt, and takes plenty of notes. She even asks questions to clarify things, and uses Hexen as a diagram when necessary. "Thanks so much, Alptraum!" Kizzy says, giving the Eeee a big and borderline-too-friendly hug.

And of course Alptraum then dips her back and gives her an all-too-friendly kiss. "Trust me on this, with some work, he'll be worshiping you like in your fantasies," he tells the too-much-nose Eeee and then slips out of her wagon to leave his friend to his 'torture'. "He'll either thank me or try to kill me later," he mutters to himself and he makes a quick jaunt back to his parents' wagon.

Sabine and Dimitri are both on the step of the wagon having breakfast (which is some sort of porridge it looks like) by the time Alptraum makes it back to them. Dimitri has his tool satchel at his feet as well. "Ho son!" the man calls out, waving his spoon. "I can't believe nobody woke up me when you came by last night!" Of course, waking up Dimitri usually involves cold water.

"It was late and you were deep into your snoring," Alptraum claims with a grin as he sits down in a nearby chair. "And alas, it must be a quick visit. I need to return to the capital to deal with some other issues. Life is always on the go these days. But, I hope to see the tribe in town soon and we can visit more then. You can even meet the woman that stole my heart!"

"Of course! I'm going to make sure the old home makes it, too," Dimitri says, patting his tool sack. "Going to tighten up the rear axle a bit, oil the wheels and a few other things I've been putting off."

"I can help you do more repairs once you reach the capital. If you can give me a list of things you need to fix it, I'll see what I can scrounge up by the time you get there," Alptraum offers, "I'm sure we have a few bits here and there that can be donated."

Amazingly, Dimitri has a list! Right in his pocket! And the ink is nearly dry! "It's a just a few little things, so that we don't look… ahem… so that your lady friend knows you come from people of quality. Humble quality! But still quality." The list includes a lot of paint in various colors, as well as sundry things like nails, bolts, shingles and glue.

Alptraum laughs, "That's something I love about both of you; you never really change. In all the chaos of my life … it's really nice to have at least one aspect of my life be stable." He shakes the note to get the ink to finish drying and then folds it up and tucks it away. "You do realize she's more worried about impressing you than anything else," he says.

"Well, that's fine for her, but there's no reason for us to make it easy," Sabine points out with a smile.

"Just also be aware she's formidable in her own right; she tamed me, after all," Alptraum counters with a smile. "You'll love her when you meet her, just like I did." There's this pause, then Alptraum gives his father a pointed look, "Well, it better not be just like I did… "

"She deserves to know where you get your charm," Dimitri says, grinning like a fool.

"Then I suggest wearing pillows on your shins because both mother and I will be kicking them," Alptraum warns then laughs. "It's been wonderful seeing you both again, but I must head back; it's still quite a flight to get home, then there are the reports to give to Lilith and other such matters." The Eeee then stands and proceeds to give both his father and then mother a gentle hug. "Both of you be well," he tells them.

Sabine tries not to cry, and says, "It is so good for your to find us and visit. Having you sleep in your bed again warms our hearts so much."

"And what I now do is to try and bring some peace to your lives and these lands," Alptraum says, "I've been through so many things … but what you taught be when you raised me saw me through some very dark times. You may have not been rich, but your quality as father said, is second to none. I couldn't have asked for better." The Eeee then hugs each in turn one more time and with a sad smile and wave, heads off to the woods for his long trip home.

The gypsy camp fades into the distance as Alptraum flies over the Capitol Road. Morning is well underway now, and the winds are favorable for the direction he's going, but below there is nothing but forest and the road itself now.

About a mile from the camp Alptraum finds a tree to lean back against. He takes a few deep breaths and then taps his fingers on the hilt of the dagger embedded into his forearm. He's been well over twelve hours since the dagger was inserted, perhaps the longest he's ever left it as part of his body. "Oh what are you worried about you goofy Eeee?" he asks himself and curls his fingers around the hilt. He gives it a very light tug to see if it's going to give him any problems in coming out.

He knows to expect a certain amount of gooiness from such a long insertion, and the blade does seem a bit 'soft' as he starts to draw it out. But there's an unexpected resistance once it's only half-way out, and Alptraum can see a fine network of tendrils attached to the blade. They are slowly popping free of it though as the dagger begins to solidify more.

Alptraum's eyes widen a bit at that. He quits pulling on it and reaches down with his left hand to feel those tendrils. "What the heck are these?" he wonders.

They feel like hairs at first, but as they pop loose he can see that they're tubes. Capillaries which merge into larger vessels that are still mainly hidden within the sheath.

Alptraum concentrates and tries to get the chitin on the back of his hand to 'open' itself enough so that he can see where the vessels lead. He quits trying to pull on the dagger for now so the remaining ones don't detach quickly and to try and have a chance to see where it all goes.

The chitin – having been restrained for so many hours – doesn't seem inclined to retract any more, but the dagger itself seems looser, as if there is suddenly slack on it. And of course there is no sensation in his arm corresponding to any of it.

Alptraum keeps concentrating in case that helps keep the slack up. And so he slowly starts withdrawing the blade slowly to see what comes out with it.

Once the tip comes clear, it's easy to see what connects the blade to the arm: three transparent 'tubes'. One is filled with black fluid, the second with gold, and the third with red. The red one even pulses every now and then. Stuck together, the three are nearly as thick as Alptraum's pinkie finger.

Alptraum blinks at this. "Kaira, if you can hear me … just what am I looking at?" he thinks as he balances the blade so that he can feel the tubes to see if he can feel any flow within them … and which way it flows.

There's no response from the dragon-spirit. Even though the dagger is still connected, it must need to be physically within the sheath for such easy contact. It isn't clear that the fluid is actually flowing anywhere either, since nothing leaks out when the capillaries disconnect. Despite the occasional flexing, the liquids seem stagnant.

Alptraum tries to prick the black one with a claw tip to extract a drop if the substance within it.

The vessel is thin, and breaks from the prick. The black goo oozes out, smelling incredibly foul, while the tube itself seems to whither. As it does so, though, it's clearly doing it from the dagger end back towards the arm, so that the remaining black fluid is being drawn back into the sheath. The drops that escape boil away into vapor, smelling even worse.

Alptraum actually tries to taste the liquid before it completely evaporates away and tries to place the taste if he can.

If the smell was bad, the taste is even worse. It's like rancid blood that has congealed within a corpse.

"Guh," Alptraum says and spits. "Well, that's nasty," he mutters. Once his stomach stops its attempts to close itself off, Alptraum pricks the vein filled with golden fluid.

The golden liquid is much more watery than the black, and quite a bit flow from the prick. This time, the withering goes the opposite direction, flowing into the dagger. A third of the capillaries let go, while the ones attached to the black vein simple wither away to nothing. The liquid feels warm where it splashes across the chitin. Alptraum can even sense wetness… but the liquid seems to be getting absorbed quickly by the carapace.

Like the black blood, Alptraum quickly tries to taste it to see if he can place the 'flavor' at all.

The golden drops have no flavor, or scent, at all it seems. If anything, they simply leave a slight tingle on Alptraum's tongue.

"Huh, odd," the bat muses. Well, one last vein to go. Alptraum pricks the red sone with a claw tip. He's curious as to which way this one retracts and expects it to taste like regular blood.

The capillaries for the red vein let go all at once, so that the dagger is fully released. Instead of withering like the others, this one seems to retract back into the sheath, leaving a smear of blood on the chitin. It looks, smells and tastes like normal blood, without the darker draconic flavor of blood normally drawn from his right arm.

Alptraum … looks vaguely disturbed by all this. "That nasty black stuff flows in my arm?" he asks his hand as he flexes the fingers, "Along with my regular blood?" Away goes the dagger and he pulls off his glove so he can better see the gray fuzz and skin.

The skin looks leathery and… old. The gray fuzz reinforces the effect.

Alptraum feels over the texture of the skin and hair there and in various spots he tests how 'loose' the skin is by pulling at it a bit.

The skin isn't too loose – it mostly just retains the shape of the wrinkle for longer. It's also fairly thick, or at least feels thicker to the touch than normal skin.

The final test is Alptraum using his claws to prick at it a bit to test the range of sensations of the leathery skin.

The prick is felt, but not sharply. And no blood beads from it, probably due to the apparent thickness.

Alptraum's brow does up and he tries to prick it a bit harder to see if he can get a drop of blood or not. "This reminds me of feeling a saddle," the bat comments to himself.

It takes an effort (and actually starts to hurt) before Alptraum gets any blood. The bead starts out bright red and normal, but is quickly followed by the more familiar, darker red blood that smells of dragon.

Alptraum licks the blood off and then spits due to the bitter taste. "I'll have Phlagaea look at it later," the bat decides and pulls on his leather glove over the thick and leathery forearm. "All right, enough time wasted, I'd better get back and get Mortimer ready for his date and check in with the castle," the Eeee tells himself. His wings spread and he looks skyward. Satisfied there's enough of an opening, a few steps and a snap of his wings are all he needs to take flight and head skyward. Home to his love, Rosalind, and his … duties as Melusine's supplement energy source. Facing the certain doom of Mortimer's mentor is sounding less and less scary than engaging in 'lovemaking' with Melusine again…