A white poodle in Rephidim military uniform stands with her back to one building, the archway of which offers glimpses of distorted reflections inside. Not far from her, a winged Exile with unicorn-like features surveys her surroundings with mild curiosity.

Envoy turns to her uniformed companion, and asks, "Have you already explored this area?"

As the poodle moves to fold her arms, she shakes her head slightly in response to the question. "No, not to any great degree anyway. I recall having been inside the theater where a version of my life was enacted, but beyond that, I have only walked outside," she answers.

"I suppose we can skip the Theater then," the Aeolun says, and heads off towards the nearest ornate building. "There must be someone here that can tell us where to go next."

Only a few people stroll along the street, one well-dressed Eeee couple chatting amiably amongst themselves, and a solitary individual contemplating one of the fountains. Otherwise, this section of the park seems deserted.

"I would suggest we avoid the … ," Elise gestures towards the building with erotic imagery, " … houses of ill repute. They can only offer us disturbing temptations I would rather avoid." She glances around the area noting the people here and there and some of the other buildings. "Perhaps we should try and walk towards the top of the mountain, ignoring the amusements here?"

As the Aeolun walks towards the building, out of the corner of her eye she catches a glimpse down another street of a figure wearing a flat brimmed hat and carrying a cane talking energetically to four uniformed, armed Eeee. Every now and then, the Eeee with the cane punctuates one of his statements with a gesture of his cane, apparently relating some kind of story to the other Eeee.

Envoy points out the fountain admirer to Elise. "Or we could ask that one. What is a House of Ill Repute? Is it like a newspaper office?"

High-pitched squeals of delight pierce the air as an odd kind string of carriage-like carts sweeps along at high speed not far away from the pair of dreamers. The carts run along an even odder track, which loops, climbs, dives and twists in accordance with the complex frame it is mounted upon

Elise ears redden slightly. "It is … how shall I put this politely … a place where people go to seek carnal pleasures, for shekels. It can be illegal in some countries." Looking distinctly ill at ease now, Elise turns and heads for the man standing by the fountain. "Um, yes let's move on and ask this one here, shall we? Yes, I think we should."

The Exile checks on the armed Eeees and the hat-wearing bat before heading towards the fountain.

While the poodle and Aeolun debate their course of action, the hat-wearing Eeee enters the square from one of the side streets, the four Eeee guards marching along beside him. "She's still here!" A gasp from the startled Eeee, and then he jams his hat down on his head and points at Elise with his cane. "That's her!"

"A friend of yours?" Envoy asks Elise, gesturing to the accusatory Eeee.

Riled by the question, the Templar seems intent on starting another line of conversation. Before she can tap the Eeee by the fountain on the shoulder, the hat-wearing Eeee's gasp gets her attention. She turns towards the man and blinks once. "Yes. I … well, we had a disagreement. He may be a problem once again," she tells Envoy.

One of the guards tilts his head curiously at this identification. "I thought you said she was wearing a frilly dress?" he asks the other bat.

The barker tamps his stick against the ground in agitation at the guard's question. "So she changed clothes! People do that, you know, even if you don't! Will you just get her?"

Meanwhile, the other three guards have started towards Elise, marching in determined lockstep.

Envoy blinks, and asks, "Should we run? Did he mistake you for one of the local entertainers?"

While watching the gathered guards carefully, Elise leans over to whisper to Envoy. "I have an idea. They do not seem certain I am who he means, so maybe we can make him appear as quite the fool. Look calm and try to play along with my lead." She then leans back and folds her arms again. "I have no idea what this man is talking about! Frilly dresses, he says? Do you think I simply carry around a sword and armor? Perhaps in my pocket, here? He is clearly deranged and is seeking someone to blame for First Ones knows what," she calls off to the guards.

The winged Aeolun simply stands there quietly next to the accused poodle, genuinely ignorant of what this could be about.

The first guard looks back to the barker, clearly finding Elise's line of persuasion effective. The other three, however, take up positions around her while she speaks, surrounding her on three sides. "Ma'am," one of them says politely, "I'm afraid you've violated the rules of this Park. We're going to have to ask you to leave now."

Envoy asks, "Excuse me sir, but what are the rules of this Park?"

"What proof do you have?" asks Elise of the guards around her.

"The barker has testified that you entered the Hall of Mirrors without presenting him with a ticket," the Eeee guard informs Elise soberly.

Another guard turns to Envoy. In the same voice as the one speaking with Elise, he tells her, "Visitors may not enter the attractions without first presenting the appropriate amount of money, or ticket, if such is specified by the attendant to the attraction."

Surrounded, Elise lets her arms unfold and places a hand on her hip defiantly. "And he says I did this, wearing a frilly dress? Perhaps I struck him with a purse, defeating him in one swift blow of my dainty accessory?" She rolls her eyes, settling them on the barker. "Or perhaps he was simply intoxicated and seeks someone to blame? His evidence seems flimsy, at best."

"How does this barker know that it wasn't just a doppleganger he encountered?" Envoy asks the guard. "I encountered several during my own passage."

The bat confronting Elise shakes his head sadly. "Ma'am, I'm afraid the word of the attendant, in this instance, is absolute." Behind the poodle, on the fourth side where no guards stand, a rift slowly forms in the air. Through it, gray fog and ruined arches may be seen. "You will not be banned from the Park for this infraction, but for this day, we must ask you to depart."

"You are responsible for the actions of any dopplegangers you free in the course of visiting the Hall of Mirrors," the other guard tells Envoy. "They are, after all, merely aspects of yourself."

"So much for that plan," sighs Elise to Envoy. "It would appear, as they say, the 'jig is up'." Stepping back, she reaches for her sword to draw it. "I am not bound by the rules of this place. I will not comply."

Envoy steps back from the confrontation, and advises, "I do not think violence will help. The penalty is a minor one, after all."

"I'm afraid you have no choice." The bat takes a step towards Elise, although he has not yet drawn his own weapon.

Elise lets her hand rest on her sword hilt, ceasing to draw the blade. "Very well." She straightens a little and waves the guards off. "What must I do?"

With a gesture towards the rift behind her, the bat answers, "Simply step through the exit. Also, please do not attempt to return today."

"Where does that exit take her?" the Aeolun asks the Guard.

The sword is finally drawn completely. The poodle woman does not however swing it at anyone. She simply moves to rest it on her shoulder in preparation for wherever she will be going now. "I would not mind knowing that, either," she comments as she turns around to gaze carefully into the portal.

"Outside Inala's domain," the bat replies simply. The rift has widened further, and they can see that the area beyond looks like the juncture of seven paths leading to seven mountains they had previously encountered.

Envoy frowns at the image. "Will she have to come back the long way next time, through the carnival?"

"No, she will be allowed to return to the Park once her suspension is up. Until then, she cannot venture on any of Inala's grounds," the guard who has been answering Envoy so far tells her.

"Lastly, should you choose to return on a later occasion, please bear in mind that while you are on Inala's grounds, you will be bound by Her rules, or suffer the consequences. Not all infractions have such light penalties as this one." The bat folds his arms together patiently, keeping a close eye on Elise.

"So it wouldn't matter if the good barker were to drop his charges against her?" Envoy asks, looking concerned.

While this has been going on, the barker and the hesitant guard have been having a quiet but heated dispute of some kind. At last the bat raps the guard on the head with the tip of his cane and stalks off, while the guard rubs his forehead and looks hurt.

The bat with the folded arms shakes his head at Envoy's query. "The offense is against the Kindly One Herself, not against the attendant. Sentence has been pronounced. No mistake has been made and there is no appeal."

Still rubbing at the spot on his head, the other bat approaches the five a bit dazedly. "But how do you know no mistake has been made?" he asks the commanding Eeee, looking genuinely puzzled. "I mean, the barker did say a short woman in a dress… " His voice trails off while the other three guards merely roll their eyes and make no comment.

"Is that so?" The poodle frowns slightly. "I am sufficiently tired of this place that I might depart and never return," she glances towards the growing portal and back again, "I have seen how you use people, twist their desires into puppet strings. I ha – " She pauses now and points towards the injured guard's head. "Ahem. Did you not notice now, he was struck? Is that not an offense as well?"

The guard shakes his head without even looking around, although his back was to the scene played out between barker and officer. "The attendant has broken no rules. Your violation was in entering the Hall without a ticket, as required by the attendant."

"Perhaps, if you found the dress and tried it on my companion, you could be assured that it could not have been the same person," Envoy suggests.

"So violence is perfectly acceptable?" asks Elise.

"I am sorry if you have not enjoyed your time in Inala's lands," the guard says, with what sounds like sincerity. "However, I think you misunderstand the nature of this penalty. Let me repeat: There has been no error made in identifying you, nor is there any appeal. However long you debate or question the details, the end result will not change: you are temporarily suspended from this Park and will leave it."

Elise taps her sword on her shoulder and considers this for a moment before speaking. She turns her gaze now to the officer who questions the others. "Do you see what they do? They accuse me without proof, when the perpetrator of the crime was clearly someone else. Will you simply allow this to happen?" she asks him.

Another squad of four guards fly over the nearby building and land on the street near the others, looking calm and patient as they appraise the situation.

The confused bat still has one hand against his forehead. "I, uh … I guess those are the rules," he answers Elise, shrugging.

The commander watches Elise finger her sword, and seems to sigh. "I do not wish to resort to violence to remove you. I must inform you that the penalty for resisting dismissal from the Park will be far more severe than the suspension you are presently under. We would greatly appreciate it if you would exit now."

A glance is cast towards the new arrival, the gathered guard, and finally the lone guard. "Very well," says the poodle woman before she turns around and walks off into the opened gateway.

Looking greatly relieved, the commander turns to Envoy. "I do not know if you are with her or not, but I would like you to realize that you have not been suspended and are free to remain if you choose. However, you are also free to depart now, if you wish to accompany your friend."

Envoy asks, "How long does a day here last?"

The guard looks confused by her inquiry. "From one dawn until the next, of course."

Envoy nods, and says, "I will join her then, and return tomorrow."

The Aeolun steps through the gateway as well.

From an opened portal steps a poodle in the garb of a Temple officer. She walks a few steps beyond the rift with her sword resting on her shoulder before she pauses, letting out a sigh. "Nightmares. They never end," she tells the uncaring mists.

Appearing out of the portal behind her, Envoy says, "I've never had a nightmare. But logically, they must end."

"So you came with me … I cannot say that was the best choice, for your sake, but I am glad you are here." Slowly the poodle turns around, letting her sword slip off her shoulder to be held loosely by her side. "A lot has happened since we last met in this world. I … ," she lifts her sword again and points it back at the rift, "had a taste of just how horrible this place can be."

The rift vanishes moments after the Aeolun steps through, leaving a faint shimmer in the air of Inala's archway, and then, that too is gone.

Envoy sits down cross-legged on the ground. "What is horrible about coming to terms with yourself?"

Winds whistle through the broken archways, stirring the fog to cling wispily to the ruined columns, but utterly failing to touch the pair of figures talking in the gazebo.

The poodle begins to pace now, walking back and forth in front of Envoy. "That … is not the nightmare I am referring to, though perhaps it lead to it. I believe it all happened some four or so years ago … back when we met the Mystic. Without going into detail, it sufficient to say I fell for him," she shakes her head again and frowns more, " … and then I lost him. The Boomer must have destroyed him in life, and here I witnessed his painful death." The sword is stabbed at the ground as the woman lifts her free hand to rub her face. "That is when these strangely real dreams ended. But now, they have begun again."

A long moment of silence follows the poodle's short speech, and after a while she lifts her hand away from her face to look at the seated Aeolun – or rather, where the Aeolun had been seated. She is no longer there, and a quick glance about does not allow Elise to spot her, either.

The poodle blinks for a moment as she peers at where Envoy had been. "Hello?" she calls out as she straightens and glances around more. "Mage Envoy? Are you there? Oh … Anyone? Hello?"

No voice answers her, only the wind's distant howl.

"Alone again." Elise's frown fades and she simply shakes her head at the realization, considering what next she should do. Eventually she decides that choosing another path might be best and she sets out to walk around the area, inspecting each arch as she goes.

The first arch, Inala's, is the most distinct, although not remarkably more so than the others. Her statue seems a trifle larger, as well, but still fallen on its face against the ground.

Having been summarily exiled from Inala's world for the day, Elise has no hesitation when she walks past this arch. She would rather not discover what the "more severe" punishments are.

The next archway has Blakat's name emblazoned over it, and the statue that stands before it shows a woman with wild, furious eyes, holding a great sword far back behind her as if preparing to strike with all her might. Elise's training suggests that the little statue's pose would be … ill-advised, were she confronting an armed opponent.

Elise pauses at his archway, turning to face the little statue and examine it more carefully. "Hm." She glances at her sword, and then back to the statue again. "Mindless violence. Well, as much as I dislike it, I am suited to combat." She moves to stand tall and again places her sword on her shoulder, and off she goes beneath the arch. "Into the arena … "

As Elise steps over the small icon and passes through the archway, the Aeolun finds herself still sitting on the ground in the gazebo, watching the poodle step onto Blakat's path, sword at ready.

Envoy blinks at the back of Elise. "Why are you going that way?"

An ear flicks and the poodle turns her head to regard Envoy. "Well, you vanished on me, so I decided to take the matter into my own hands instead of waiting to be manipulated further." Her head turns back to gaze down the path. "Take the battle to them, as it were."

"I can't join you on that path," Envoy says. "I'm not a warrior."

An indistinct, winding gray road leads through indistinct, gray lands, towards Mount Blakat, whose craggy black face seems more real than the surrounding flat path. Wild laughter echoes across the landscape as the poodle pauses on the path, the sound filled with anger and mania.

Elise taps her sword against her armored shoulder again before turning to fully face Envoy. "Then what would you propose? I am not terribly familiar with the goddesses, so maybe you have a better idea."

The Aeolun stands up, and says, "I suppose I can come with you. You don't seem to get into as much trouble when you have a companion." She doesn't look too happy with the thought, however.

"You aren't queasy about seeing people tortured and maimed, are you?" Envoy asks as she approaches Blakat's archway.

"Trouble? Is that not the night calling the abyss black? Oh, I have heard of you," says Elise indignantly. A huff, and she shakes he head frowning again. "No, actually, I am trained to torture and maim people."

Envoy steps onto the path. "Then I definitely shouldn't let you go alone."

The two proceed along the winding pathway for an uncertain period of time – perhaps hours, perhaps moments – until they reach the base of the mountainside. A massive wall blocks the path here, with a large iron-bound door set in it. An equally large lock holds it fastened shut.

"Well, I do not believe I can fight my way through that," comments Elise as she spies the rock in the distance, considering it carefully. "Perhaps you might have better luck with it?"

Envoy looks at the lock. "It's a lock," she says, finally. "The fop would be able to pick it, probably. Maybe we should just knock?"

Seated on top of the wall, a bat clad in dark brown leathers swings his feet idly, watching the pair approach. He whistles a little ditty, drawing the attention of the two travelers below him.

Raising her head to gaze up at the top of the wall, Elise notes the bat and uses her sword to point at him. "I do believe we may have found a gatekeeper," she tells the Exile beside her.

The Aeolun waves up to the Eeee. "Are you the gatekeeper?" she asks, just to confirm Elise's suspicion.

Lending credibility to Elise's hypothesis, the bat on the wall twirls a chain holding a large key around one finger. He laughs at Envoy's question. "Maybe," he answers insouciantly.

"Will you give us the key then?" Envoy asks politely. "Or does my friend have to lop off your head or something like that?"

"Well then! We need to pass. Hand over the key," barks Elise as she fingers her sword hilt.

The bat laughs, and hops blithely down from the wall, landing a good twenty yards from the pair. "No, I won't give you the key, and no, I don't think your friend has to lop off my head." He slips the chain over his head, letting the key hang against his chest, and walks blithely away, still whistling.

Envoy turns to Elise and says, "I could just fly over the top. You have to promise to help pull out any arrows I get hit with though, okay?"

The poodle thinks about this for the moment and then nods slightly. "Yes, you could do that. But then you would be alone and cut off from me in the event of a battle. An alternative to that would be you flying over to get in that man's way until I can arrive and get the key from him," replies Elise. "Since you will be the one put in the most danger, I will let you decide."

"I suppose I might be able to catch him," Envoy says, watching the retreating bat. "I'll try that first." This decided, the Aeolun spreads her wings and takes to the air.

As soon as the mage has taken to the sky, Elise readies her sword and dashes off after the bat.

The key-holder pauses to kick at a waft of the mist which clutters the ground, and Envoy easily catches up to him. He glances up at her indifferently, then turns to watch Elise approach. He spreads his wings and launches himself into the air to escape the sword-wielding poodle.

"Pull him out of the air!" calls Elise from the ground and she tries to position herself roughly under where the bat flies.

Envoy turns and tries to catch the other flyer, but balks at Elise's command. "I might hurt him, though!"

From the ground the Gallee rolls her eyes. "Of course you will!" She lifts her sword and positions it to strike at him when he does fall. "Why worry about his feelings? He is just another illusion of this land meant to trick us!"

The bat laughs again, a mad glint in his eye. "Your friend is trying to kill me, and you're trying to help her, but you don't want to hurt me?" He does a loop in the air, looking terribly amused by this turn of events.

The Exile flies up after the Eeee and frowns at his taunting. "If you give me the key, then I won't have to turn into a horrible fire-breathing monster! You wouldn't like that."

"Oh!" exclaims Elise as she follows the two from the ground. "Your dragon aspect should handle him nice and quickly."

The bat makes a considerable effort to look scared, but still fails. He starts giggling instead, as he flaps his way back to the wall.

Envoy sighs, and pulls out the mirror she's marked with a single strand of hair, gazing into it while hovering.

Still giggling, the Eeee lands back on the wall, and frowns at his hovering former pursuer. She gradually transforms from Aeolun to winged Dragon … but as the transformation begins, her wings stop flapping while the change takes hold, and she plummets to the ground with a thunk.

"Ouch," the dragon says, rubbing her tail as she gets back to her feet.

Fortunately, the dragon was not far above the ground when she fell, and the resulting impact leaves her stunned and bruised, but otherwise unharmed. The bat, however, has doubled over and is wheezing with laughter, teetering on the edge of the wall.

Off in the distance the poodle can be heard to clear her throat. "Ahem," a displeased frown crosses her face, "I do believe I cannot save you from yourself."

"Maybe if you keep doing stunts like that he will simply fall off the wall and save us the trouble," adds Elise.

Envoy turns back towards the gate, and takes purposeful strides, pointedly ignoring the laughing Eeee.

Tears stream from the Eeee's large eyes, and he thumps one fist against his leg, gasping for breath in between fits of laughter, which have increased in intensity at the poodle's first comment. "Ah, oh … oh Sisters," he chokes out, dangerously near the edge of the high wall.

Watching the Eeee's laughter fit, and noting the increase of it at her commentary, Elise adds another quip. "You do realize the gravity of this situation, do you not?"

The dragon reaches the gate and faces the heavy lock again. She comments to Elise, "Iron melts," and starts blowing flame across the lock's clasp.

The Eeee tries to sober up, and watches the dragon as she approaches, still snorting out giggles. The iron grows hotter, starting to redden, but shows no signs of melting yet.

Considering that maybe her attempt at making him laugh was a bit over his head, the Gallee steps off towards the gates and tries something else. "What ever do you eat to be able to do that? It simply must be spicy."

"I would certainly hope it was not a knight, or a princess," adds Elise. Despite her attempt at comedy she retains an ever-sober face.

While his laughing fit had almost passed, the gatekeeper does start giggling again at Elise's spicy-food comment. He looks more amused than anything else by Envoy's efforts at the lock.

Envoy stops her attempt at iron-mongery and turns to stare at Elise. "Do you want to get through this gate, or should I just throw you over the wall?"

Some new thought throws the bat into a fresh bout of laughter. "Oh, stop it," he says, pounding against the stone of the wall. "Oh, please, pleeeeeaaasse," he wheezes, trying to breathe between paroxysms of hilarity.

"I do not see what he finds so amusing," the dragon comments, looking up at the spastic bat.

"Try, and I may have to slay you," retorts Elise as she readies her sword against Envoy. "You may breathe big, but you are nothing but a weak flame against the fire of my prowess."

Fresh tears go down the bat's face, and he gasps and points at the door. "You… " he tries to get out, "ah… wo… " He can't manage it, and just keeps laughing.

Envoy stares at Elise for a few more moments before saying, "Then you can get the door opened on your own." The dragon crosses her arms against her chest and sits back on her haunches.

"Oh giving up now are you? I thought you were to throw me over the wall." The Templar walks towards the door and considers it for a moment before turning back to eye the dragon. "Oh, First Ones, you melted the lock shut!"

"Well, in that case I suppose the gatekeeper is out of a job," the dragon comments.

The wood that mostly comprises the iron-bound door was also blackened and seared by the dragon's breath.

Looking up at the bat, Envoy comments, "Then again, he wasn't a very good gatekeeper anyway."

Elise tosses her hands in the air and shakes her head. "Hopeless," she sighs before turning back towards the door and giving a burnt wood section a swift kick of her boot.

"If I may," Envoy says to Elise, "the option for flying over and opening the door from the other side is still available."

With a few snorts and guffaws, the gatekeeper removes the now-useless key from around his neck and throws it to the ground beside the pair, before taking to the air and winging away. The weakened wood splinters further under Elise's kick, while the still-hot metal of the handle and lock singes the chitinous side of her boot as the movement brings it nearby.

"Unnecessary," notes the poodle with a small smile. She walks over to where the key was dropped and picks it up. "I was lying about the lock being melted."

"I admit to not thinking you clever enough to attempt such a ruse, Elise," the dragon says, seriously. "You have my admiration for the moment."

An ear flicks, but the poodle smirks none the less. "I suppose I will take that as a compliment. Now," she turns to face the lock again, "the lock is a bit too hot for me to get near. Have you any resistance to heat? If so you should likely try and open it."

The dragon takes the key and tries it in the lock.

For some moments after the dragon fits the key to the lock, it seems that Elise may not have been lying about the lock having melted. Eventually, with much difficulty, however, the overheated tumblers are made to click over, and the lock unhooked. The doors swing creakily, opening inwards, to reveal the darkened interior of a roofed passageway.

"Oh and I am sorry I made light of your species. It was necessary so that perhaps I could force the Eeee with humor, to fall from the wall," notes Elise as the door swings wide. "As such, I did not truthfully mean to imply you eat various royalty to invoke that flame of yours, nor do I have any plans to slay you at the moment." She smirks a little more, clearly amused.

Turning slowly to look the poodle in the face, the dragon says, "What makes you think you were incorrect in your implication?"