When the blindfold finally comes off, Olivia finds herself just outside of the dam. For whatever reason, Natasha was taken along a different route – but that's just Wingnut paranoia at work. Unless it was more important that Natasha not be discovered, and Olivia is just a distraction. "Thanks for helping out, Olivia," Amelia says, having guided her out of the dam. "Do you really think Igor will know anything?"

Olivia spreads her hands. "I've no idea, but it's worth it to ask him. As, erm, creepy as talking to him can be sometimes. So are you and Zahn gonna test out the troll disguise soon?"

"After he tells me what you two found down there," Amelia notes, sounding slightly peeved about having not been told earlier. "Then if I decide not to tie him up for his own good, he can try to… scare his little brother with a Troll costume." Even as she says it, the Kadie shakes her head.

Olivia shrugs. "Mostly, I saw a lot of machines in there I didn't understand. And that Skeek's head in a jar, of course." She pauses for a moment, then adds, "And a glowing skull, now that I remember. I had to leave it down there, though."

"Why? That would have been a neat trophy!" Amelia points out, then pockets the blindfold and notes, "I have to go catch up with Zahn now on the other side of the dam. You okay to go on from here? No weird after affects showing up?"

Olivia is still for a minute while she "checks" herself internally. Then she says, "Nothing that I can feel. If anything weird pops up, I'll let you and Natasha know."

"Okay," Amy says, uncertainly. "Zahn still has lingering issues from being linked to Parsley and Clover, so… just be careful!" And with that, the Kadie bounds off over the top of the dam.

Olivia watches the Kadie go, muttering, "And there's something I still don't understand… but it'll have to wait." Then she squares her shoulders and marches toward the castle, trying to put together what she wants to tell Igor in her head.

And so Olivia passes the hot springs and gets on the road that runs below the Manor, which connects the Mint and Milk Run roads. It's eerily quiet, with only a light breeze causing the leaves to whisper on her right, and the stalks of grain to rustle on her left. But at least there isn't anything to interrupt her thinking.

Bushes normally don't scream. They also don't move. Olivia knows this and knows to get out of their way when they do either! Maybe its such a common occurrence now for the Skeek that she doesn't even blink or seem to lose her train of thought when a bush hurtles out of the trees towards her! She steps to the side and the bush misses her completely. It goes tumbling in a cloud of dust with Kadie feet sticking straight up in the air and flailing wildly.

"Gunther," the Skeek says distractedly, "I'm pondering something here. Quit trying to break my concentration!"

"Ahah! I knew it!" Gunther claims from inside the bush. "Plotting nefarious sabotage of the Dam, no doubt! I saw you leave the restricted section!"

Olivia doesn't even break her stride. "Yeah, because Zahn blindfolded me and led me in there. Your secrets are still quite safe."

Gunther pops out of the bush and runs after Olivia. "Is that so? Why would he take you there?" the Kadie asks. "You aren't … snogging him are you?!"

This actually earns a little smile from Olivia. "Nah, I leave that kind of dangerous work to Amelia."

"Then why were you there, hmm?" Gunther asks as he turns around and walks backwards right in front of Olivia. "You're looking for the dragon aren't you? You can't have it, it's mine!"

Now Olivia stops. "Dragon? Gunther, what are you talking about?"

"Aha! I was right!" Gunther declares and points towards the overcast sky. "You are after the dragon!"

Olivia folds her arms across her chest. "Assuming for a moment that I believe this craziness – which I don't – what would you want with a dragon, anyway? They eat creatures like you and me!"

"For a pet. Duh," Gunther claims and mimics Olivia by folding his arms across his chest. "And of course there is a dragon; the town defeated and imprisoned it years ago. Ask the otters."

Olivia's eyebrows threaten to vanish into her hairline. "And you believed them?" She shakes her head and starts walking forward again.

"Of course!" Gunther says as he resumes walking backwards. "And considering you're trying to steal it, you do too!"

"I'm not trying to steal something that doesn't exist," Olivia grumbles. "If you must know, I'm going to the castle. So if you intend to follow me all the way there, I'd appreciate it if you stopped talking such nonsense."

"Aha! That proves it," Gunther claims. "All dragons are attracted to castles and maidens! So … uh, hm. Come to think of it, that Doctor Pike is probably dragon repellent. Who would want to kidnap her?"

The T-Junction where the Manor Road meets the Milk Run Road is just ahead now! But it's unlikely the Skeek will be able to use it to lose Gunther, since she told him where she was headed already.

Olivia's eyes unfocus again as she tries to blot out the Kadie's rambling and resume her thoughts. "Duck," she replies absently.

Gunther actually ducks! "What, what?!" he asks.

The Kadie reacts just in time and misses smacking the back of his head against the tree branch that's jutting out into the road. As Olivia holds it out of the way for herself, she smirks and says, "That'll teach you to look where you're going. You might be paranoid, Gunther, but you're not always careful. Now, really – what is this dragon thing all about? Have you actually seen any evidence of one around here? Or just heard the otters talking about it?"

A small flock of Rughrats watch from the far side of the chalk-contaminated river, their Lapi shepherd leaning on his crook and apparently taking an upright nap.

"The Lapis talk about it too," Gunther replies as he spins around and walks forward now. "Long time ago it was fought and imprisoned. I want it. Who else is more deserving in town than I to own a dragon?"

"So who fought it and why? Was it trying to burn villages down, eat the livestock, or take over the world?" Olivia asks mildly, now that Gunther seems ready to talk sense. Mostly. "That's what dragons usually want to do."

The lone surviving tower of the castle can be seen ahead now, along with… is that Liliana's cousin whizzing out the window?

"Subjugate the town, of course! But we were too tough for it!" Gunther declares. He even flexes for emphasis. "So … the witch imprisoned it somewhere."

"She must have imprisoned the dragon really well or far away from where the town is now," Olivia comments, "considering that we haven't heard from it since. So what makes you think you can find it?"

"Because I'm me," Gunther claims, "I can do anything!" There's a pause, then the Kadie asks, "Can I ride on your back? My feet are tired."

Olivia laughs and shakes her head again. "You walked all the way out here, mister. You can darn well walk the rest of the way on your own! Besides, is that any way for the potential owner of a dragon to talk?"

The broken curtain wall and the path to the castle gate are in view now – it's only another hundred feet or so!

"Yes, I need to learn how to ride beasts of burden," Gunther quips.

"Contrary to popular belief, I'm not one," Olivia replies. "Sorry to disappoint you."

"Then why do you date one?" Gunther counters, sticks out his tongue, and pulls down his right ear! "Nyeh!"

No streams of terror are raining down now, so the Castle courtyard just looks… overgrown. At least the dangerous plants are fenced off.

"He's not one, either," Olivia says, just as calmly as before. "It's your eyesight, Gunther. After the fourth or fifth machine blows up in your face, it starts to affect your vision."

"My vision is fine," Gunther notes as he now peers around the overgrown 'garden'. "And now it is time for me to hunt the dragon!" the Kadie declares, crouches down, and scurries off into the overgrown brush.

And there's the door, complete with cartoon-faced upside-down bat door-knocker.

Olivia rolls her eyes skyward and calls after him, "Try not to get eaten… or give the dragon indigestion if you do!" Then she sighs and knocks several times on the door.

The door creaks open (with extra creakiness), and the hunched form of Igor looks out. He's wearing his 'Kith The Cook' apron. "Ah, Mith Weaver," he sprays. "Here to do more hithtorical rethearch?"

Olivia takes a cautious half-step backwards and wipes her fingers over her left cheek. "Not this time, Igor. Actually, I came to talk to you. Unless, uh, you're busy right now?" she asks, eyeing his apron.

"Oh, you want to talk to me?" the composite Skreek asks. "Well, I can thertainly make time then. Come right in," he says, waddling back to open the door wide.

Olivia says, "Thank you," the Skeek says and passes through the door."

Igor sets aside his huge feather duster (which seems incongruous, given that Igor likes a good layer of dust on things) and clears off two of the stuffed chairs near the fire. "Make yourthelf comfortable, and I'll fetch uth thome tea," he offers.

"That would be nice, thank you," Olivia says. Plus, I could probably use something to settle my nerves, after what's just happened, she thinks.

And her nerves must be acting up, because the Skeek feels… tingly… below her neck and down to her toes.

Olivia massages first one shoulder, then the other. What in the name of the gods… ?

Are those butterflies in her stomach too? Igor returns with a tea tray and sets it on a table after sweeping the papers and books to the floor. "Would you like cream or thugar?" he asks, almost sweetly, which causes Olivia to feel even more weird.

"Uh… just sugar," Olivia says, trying to keep herself from wriggling out of her chair. If any 'lingering effects' are kicking in, now's a bad time for them! Is the ghost trying to make an appearance or something?

Tink-tink-tink goes the spoon as Igor prepares the tea for Olivia, and the holds out the saucer and cup for her.

Not quite trusting herself anymore, Olivia carefully reaches out to take the teacup from him.

And when she stretches her arm out, Olivia clearly sees that the fur beyond her wrist has turned completely white.

Olivia takes a deep breath in and lets it out slowly. Then she asks Igor, "I don't mean to alarm you, but do you see something wrong with my arm?"

"Errr, thould I be theeing thomething wrong with it?" the man asks, looking first at Olivia's color-clad sleeve, then at her hand. "All I thee ith your writht?"

"Because I'm seeing my fur going completely white," Olivia answers, her voice trembling. Then she holds out her other arm and looks at the fur on it, as well.

Yes, that fur is white as well. "Oh, you mean you don't dye your fur like that?" Igor asks.

Olivia stands up quickly and starts backing toward the door. "No, I don't dye my fur," she says, still trembling. "I'm sorry, Igor. I made a mistake. I shouldn't have come here so soon. I think I'd better leave."

"Wait," the Skreek says. "If thomething ith wrong, I might be able to help. Jutht tell me what you think ith happening?"

Olivia breathes again, slowly in and out. "Zahnrad and Amelia came to me earlier with a ghost they'd found in a bottle. They asked if I'd let it possess me, so they could talk to it, find out what it wants. It was the ghost of an ancient Skeek. Her name was Jesti Wrathbone." She meets the Skreek's eyes. "That's why I wanted to talk to you… but I think she's coming back."

There's a clatter as the cup and saucer Igor was holding drops to the floor, and then the Skreek is holding onto Olivia's shoulders without seeming to have moved! But… the tingling stops once he's grabbed her. "What did you thay?" he demands.

Olivia nearly jumps out of her skin when the Skreek grabs her but she doesn't try to pull away. "I let the ghost of Jesti Wrathbone possess me," she repeats. "That's why I wanted to talk to you. With that name… I thought you might be related."

"And thith woman had white fur?" Igor asks next, without letting go.

Olivia simply nods.

The Skreek just stares for a moment, and then reaches down to pull up Olivia's shirt enough to expose her belly – which is pure white, and also… well… leaner than Olivia is normally. "Okay… I think you thould tell me everything," he comments after letting the shirt drop.

"If I do… will you tell me what you know about her?" Olivia asks quietly.

"Mmm, thertainly," Igor says, and goes back to his seat. He ignores the dropped teacup and… prepares another one for Olivia!

Olivia returns to her seat and forces her shaking to stop, so she can hold the second teacup Igor offers her. After taking a few long swallows, she proceeds to describe the memories she saw while being possessed. She doesn't mention her previous trip down into the workshop with Zahn or what she already knows about the Bleeding Stone. She just tells him what she saw earlier.

The Skreek just sips at his own tea in silence as Olivia relates the experience. "Tho, the'th trapped in the Eathtern Node," he comments.

Olivia nods. "That's what she told Zahnrad and Amelia, apparently. And way back then, most of the troll activity was focused there."

"Mmmm, well… I imagine you are jutht having a thpirit reaction to thomething familiar to Jethti, and it thould fade when you move away from it," Igor says.

Olivia puts her cup in her lap and rubs her forehead with her other hand. "Darned if I know what she's reacting to out here," she mutters. "And this could happen again at any time, if I come in contact with anything else she remembers. I can just hear the gossip now… "

"Oh, I doubt you would thee it happen outthide the cathtle," Igor says. "And even then, only your boyfriend would thee the change – and you are a bit more buxom like thith, I'd thay. He might like that."

Olivia eyes the Skreek curiously now. "That just begs two questions: why are you so sure it wouldn't happen outside the castle? And why would only Djivan notice the change if it did?"

"Well, your head hathn't changed, tho if you cover up there thouldn't be any problem," Igor notes, "and becauthe you are motht likely reacting to the thpirit of Jethti'th huthband."

Olivia blinks a few times. "His spirit is here? Trapped, or of its own will?"

"I wouldn't thay he wath trapped," Igor notes, then gives his weird little chuckle. "No, not trapped. But what do you intend to do about what you have learned, Olivia?"

Olivia puts her teacup on the floor and folds her hands in her lap. "Then where is his spirit? Before I answer your last question, I'd like to know."

"You're thpeaking to it," Igor admits, and then makes a horrible slurping noise with the last of his tea.

Olivia smiles ever so slightly. "I wondered if you'd say that," she says. After another pause, she asks, "If you freed Jesti's body from the Eastern Node, would she still live? Is that even possible?"

"Hrrnn," Igor muses. "It theemth unlikely. Thee might be animated, but… After tho long in the illiathter, thee ith likely neither dead nor alive, but in-between."

Olivia takes a deep breath. "And if I brought her spirit to her body, what then? Or is this the 'animation' you spoke of? And what is this in-between state, exactly?"

"Her thpirit ith thtill with her body, exthept when it ith not," Igor claims. "The Trollth have the illiathter for their blood – tho I imagine Jethti would be like they are. Are Trollth alive, undead or thomething elthe?"

"That depends on what illiaster is – which I'm not sure about, either," the Skeek says, with another slight smile. "Natasha claimed it's the substance from which all things form… which could mean just about any substance."

"It'th jutht a name," Igor claims. "It hath many otherth."

Olivia quirks an eyebrow at Igor. "Such as?"

"Philothopher'th Stone, Elixir of Life, and tho on in that vein," Igor notes. "Mythical, magical thubthtanthe that can bring back the dead, animate the inanimate… the thtuff that would make alchemy work, if only it could be found."

"Which, apparently, the ancient Skeeks did. They knew the trolls had it for their blood… and they made their own, according to what I saw in Jesti's memories," Olivia observes. "I'm assuming the Skeeks developed theirs from the trolls' blood, but I could be wrong about that."

"I… can't provide that level of detail, I'm afraid," Igor notes. "I only have a thmall bit of that Igor'th thpirit. Enough to feel awkward right now… "

For the very first time, Olivia gives Igor a genuine smile. "And how do you think I feel – the spirit of an engineer of Jesti's caliber, inhabiting the body of an apprentice weaver? Believe me, I don't understand most of what I've seen through her eyes. But I'm trying." The Skeek is silent for another minute, then asks, "Do you possess enough of his spirit to tell me what happened to their children?"

"They were brought up to the town," Igor notes, "and raithed by a local family. That wath a long time ago now – half the town could be dethended from them, or… well, a lot of Thkeekth died when the colony was conquered by Khattath and other Thylvanian people."

"And Jesti's husband… what happened to him?" Olivia asks next, very quietly.

"He went on to found the Houthe of Wrathbone," Igor claims. "All of our Igorth are dethended from him."

Olivia taps one of her temples and says, "There, Jesti, do you hear? Your husband did just fine. I hope it helps you to know that." To Igor, she says, "We're going to try and finish the work Jesti started. We need to take out the Master Control System."

"I… can't help you there," Igor says apologetically. "I'm forbidden from going down that far."

"By Dr. Pike? Or something else?" Olivia asks.

"Family ruleth," Igor notes. "Although you are welcome to try and theduthe me into helping," he claims, waggling his collection of eyebrows.

Olivia rises and walks over to Igor… then kneels beside his chair and hesitantly takes his hand. "Now that I think about it, it's actually quite flattering that a grown man would take any interest in an inexperienced girl," she says gently. "Even so, I have a boyfriend who would likely do something very stupid if he ever found out. So I think I won't take the risk of hurting all three of us. Sorry to disappoint you."

The Skreek chokes for a moment, then sighs, saying, "It wath worth a try, not that I exthpected anything! It wath the white tummy that did it."

"I may want to thee Parthley when thee cometh round to feed Clover next time though… " Igor mutters.

Olivia squeezes the Skreek's hand again. "I understand. Just let me know if you have any other information that might help us take out the Master Control System. All right?"

"Well, you could thtop the flow of illiathter that it utheth," Igor suggests. "The Trollth have been trying forever though."

"Do you know what they've tried in the past? So we don't repeat the same tactics?" Olivia asks.

"They're Trollth, tho… chewing and digging, I thuppothe," Igor offers.

Olivia gives the Skreek a sly grin. "Then I guess we can't involve Zahnrad's brother," she quips. "I'd watch out for him, by the way. He's convinced there's a imprisoned dragon somewhere around the castle. He was skulking around in your bushes the last time I saw him."

"You mean he'th after Gathpode?" Igor asks, looking surprised. "He'll never get that lizard outdoorth – he hath agoraphobia!"

Olivia blinks a few times, then bursts out laughing. "Well, if you see Gunther trying to get inside, you'll know what happened! Just try not to toss him out too hard – we may need his knowledge of weapons."

"It would distract that Creen from trying to get into Dr. Pike'th Thecret Lab though," Igor notes. "Keep thcratching at the door like there'th thomething thpethial inthide. Hardly thcreamth at all now."

I'll bet he does, Olivia thinks grimly. To Igor, however, she says, "Then I'll let you handle it as you see fit. I just thought I should warn you! Anyway, I'd better get back to the Weaver's. Thank you for talking to me."

"Anytime, Mith Weaver," Igor says, and offers the mouse a hand up. "And I hope you keep the part where I nearly tore your top off jutht between uth. I only thaw a little bit of your underwear." Olivia accepts Igor's help but looks momentarily confused. She examines the front of her shirt and says, "I think 'tear' is a pretty strong word – all the seams look intact to me! But if you don't want me to mention it, I won't."

"Hopefully you will go back to normal onthe you leave," Igor notes. "It thouldn't happen again, but if it doeth… uh… hide indoorth," he advises.

"Thanks. I will." Then, greatly daring, Olivia brushes Igor's cheek with a quick kiss before turning and slipping out the door.

She makes it outside before she can hear Igor hit the floor. And once the door is closed, she feels herself tingle again… and lose a few inches in height, while her bust shrinks to normal and her tummy fills back out a bit, with no traces of white fur to be seen.

Olivia sighs with relief when she feels her body return to normal. However, it doesn't take long for her shoulders to settle back in determination. Time to gather our forces, she thinks, heading for the castle's gates.