Ch: 43 Giants? They might be...

Down beneath the Adventure compound administration building, just before second bell, in a basement storeroom a trio of young people were moving about. 

Several rooms lined this corridor, enchanted for food storage in ages past and empty for generations.

“Why down here? We could use an upper floor and have windows.” Tallum complained. 

 

Gary had a lantern out, examining the walls, ceiling and floor in detail. “I don’t like it either, but stable temperature and humidity make good chocolate. Whoever enchanted this room was no nonsense and thorough. Looks like they cut the runes with a willow switch on a naughty child’s backside.” 

 

He shuddered. “Craftspeople leave tiny pieces of themselves in the things they work hard on. If I look close I get a peek sometimes.” He strolled past that one. “That guy tastes like a real asshole, let’s go see what’s good.”

 

Mister grumpy with the unpleasant style had a next door neighbor with all the right moves. 

“Each rune looks like a chubby little character, oh my gosh, it tells a story!” Gary gasped, holding his lantern close to a perfectly ordinary stone block.

 

That got Dannyl’s attention, but all he could see were random scratches and markings, no matter how hard he looked. “You can do that? Tell a story with writing? I thought it was for bookkeeping and sending messages.”

 

Gary stopped, stunned by his own stupidity. “Dannyl, what do you think books are?” He asked, as a low thudding sound began to seep into the room from somewhere.

 

“Bundles of paper with words on them.” He said confidently.

 

“You don’t see how that can tell a story?” Gary asked, receiving a blank look from both Dannyl and Tallum. “So, you can tell a story aloud, right? If you add music what do you have?”

 

“A song.” Tallum said, sounding annoyed. 

 

“What happens if you write down a song?” Gary asked with a curious grin.

 

“I can’t write.” Dannyl said, sounding equally annoyed.

 

“Tallum can, and he’s working on that.” He was, The big man was standing, eyes closed, lips moving quickly in some internal monologue. 

“You my friend, you can tell a story in pictures. Imagine that those pictures were; once you got real close, just made up of tiny squiggles. But from a distance you see the whole picture? Can you see that? What if hose squiggles were letters that you could read?” 

 

He sighed quietly. “I like this room.” His little drum echoed nicely and carried his gift and aura between the three men easily. “You guys hang out and drool for a while, I’m gonna get to work.” 

 

He pulled three camp chairs from his Pockets! and eased the two into theirs. “Hmm, Oh! I know!” He pushed their instruments into limp hands and set them to strumming together idly. 

 

“Might as well have a little backing track.” He mumbled to himself as he began to whistle and tap his toes, as he pulled parts and objects from nowhere and began assembling machinery. He snapped, tapped and whistled his way between bars of loose chatter.

 

“I don’t wanna hurt anybody’s feelings, but I got my prints of your ‘Otho is looking for you’ note back and they are glorious.” He said to the befuddled pair. 

“A world where printing exists, but books don’t? Where there are no maps?” He shook his head in disappointment. “It’s insulting. You two are gonna be so pissed when my gift finishes working.”

 

He took a good long look around, not as large as his workshop, but there was room to grow for a good long while and other rooms nearby. 

The stonework was tight and those enchantments were a work of art. His machines were in place, just needing a fuel source, that would come later. 

 

Supplies still needed sourcing and interested orphans needed training. Considering the effects of chocolate on the ladies it would have to be a boy’s project.

 

He sat down in his chair with the boys, pulled out his viola and started playing along with their wandering groove.

 

#

Tallum shook himself out of a fog, as his eyes focused, a shawarma hovered in front of his face. 

 

“You are probably interested in this sandwich. There is a naughty little jug of hard cider with it.” Gary’s, too rapid to be soothing voice eased him into the world of sandwich, giving him a relatively soft landing.

“Poor Dannyl almost fainted, and he came around a half hour ago. Why did you guys skip breakfast?” Gary asked, slightly annoyed and speaking much more rapidly than usual. 

“Becky and Amy brought a basket for you. It’s fourth bell dum-dum…” Gary paused, a thought striking him. 

“Is this what it’s like for you guys, having me around? Wow, that sucks, sorry. I promise to tighten it up going forward I must be really annoying that way!” He grinned, fidgeting with wide eyes and shifting feet, his nervous energy on display. 

“I realized what was needed to get you two thinking about things in a new way; just had to ask the right questions at the right time. My Fractured Soul gift or affliction makes that happen as long as I stay close.” He nodded quickly, agreeing with himself. “Once you started, couldn’t stop. I’ve been down here practicing the viola for a whi-ola.”

 

Tallum sagged back, already dazed and now confused by an avalanche of whatever Gary was. “Slow down man.” He moaned.

 

“That’s part of the problem, I had the goddess Joy hanging around my back yard last night. Your sister Contracted with her and I don’t seem to have an off switch right now. Waiting down here has made me wanna crawl out of my skin and dance around in my bones. I think Tawny is coming down now. I gotta run, the machines are all set up.” 

 

He bolted off down the dark corridor, headed for the stairs up at a surprising pace.

 

“Wow, that was a lot.” Tallum said slowly to Dannyl who seemed equally spent.

 

“He’s been talking to me for a while. Please shut up.” Dannyl begged, a lost and hopeful look in his watery eyes.

 

#

The gate guards watched the mad musician run in circles around the perimeter of the town until sunset before they called for help. 

 

“He keeps running and playing, every time he runs past, it’s a different instrument, some of the new guys are getting nervous.” Olan said, embarrassed and trying to look authoritative in front of his men. “This is my first week as watch leader, he’s not hurting anything but...”

 

“Dinnae worry, just take a bold stance an waggle yer finger. I will meekly reel him in fer ye, we orphans must needs watch fer each other!” They did a quick bit of playacting, just beyond his subordinate's hearing.

 

Shai played at abashed and embarrassed caregiver until she heard his banjo. When he ran into sight again, her violin brought him to her, in high and surprisingly graceful, bounding strides. Shai found herself excited at the view.

Bare to the waist, drenched in sweat, his scars showing up angry purple against his ghostly flesh, he charged up full speed, wildeyed, picking and grinning.

The song he belted out was twangy and raw, very sensual and immediate, so was the way his gift teased and tickled her senses.

 

“Hey, little girl, is yer daddy home?

Did he go an leave you all alone? 

 

Uhh-huuh- 

I got a bad desire…

“Aye Gary, settle down, a bath an a night’s sleep wi nae dreams will sort ye. I hae been promised this.” Shai still had that glow, even more than before. 

 

“I Like this thing you have going on, very pure, makes me wanna get dirty…” He growled as they danced their way home, carelessly disrupting the uplands ward. 

 

“I had a lot more planned today, but getting you to smile like that is totally a bargain at twice the price. I’m still a chatterbox over here. Bathe me, feed me, bounce your boobs all over me and dust me with enough pollen to make the world go away. You pick the order of operations.” 

 

He nattered aimlessly throughout the short walk, sprinkling out the innuendoes his culture seemed to love so much.  

He had a swaying folk tune bobbing toes along the main street, making residents smile as they caught the music. Turning some faces to displeasure as his lyrics became clear.

 

A lusty young smith, at his vise he stood filing,

His hammer laid by, but his forge still aglow,

 

When to him a buxom young damsel came smiling,

And asked if to work at her forge, he would go…

 

It never became truly naughty, but Gary’s gift was roaming freely. It kept sneakily tickling those who let themselves get caught up, in particularly joyous ways. 

“Gary, ye cheeky rascal!” She buffeted him on the arm in giggling outrage. “Tis good Esperanza be far frae here yet. Best we get home an tire thee an me out.”

 

#

 

Annie, Otho and Becky combined were almost a match for Amy’s wildfire energy. Aided no doubt by her fascination with any animal she saw, horses being a particular favorite. ‘Lets go visit the horsies’ was an immediate and powerful incantation.

They were out in Annie’s quarters when the duo slipped back in and vanished into the private bath. 

Hardly anyone noticed when the wide, open doorway disappeared entirely, replaced by a lifelike fresco of the bath entrance.

 

Eventually people did notice. Tawny was the first to try knocking on the wall, which raised no result. 

“Those two were in a bit of a state… I am a little concerned. Gary is still not entirely whole.”

 

“Thirp says his magic stuffing is always coming out, but some mean bug made his insides hurt, a nice lady put his real stuffing back inside.” Amy said wisely. “I wanna take a bath though.” 

 

“We can use the big pool sweetie, come with me…” Tawny coaxed, easing an arm around her while Becky caught her breath.

 

“I don’ like the big pool! I remember it! I wanna bath in the pool with no grabbyhands!” Her petulant stomp and arms akimbo was a classic confrontational stance, perfectly executed. Tawny approved of a skilled use of the art, internally.

 

“Well there is a shower upstairs too, those are nice as well!” Tawny was no rube, every acolyte of Healer was required to work in the orphanage, only she had made it her career.

#

 

Switching from precocious to sulky without pause would have thrown off a lesser opponent. Amy resolved to handle this grownup carefully.

“Nooo!” She wailed in the way grownups always responded to. Starting off soft and low, then rising to a shrill that could make glasses rattle. 

Before she got more than a few notes in, Tawny started a nonsense rhyme in the same key, tricking her into smiling.  “No fair!” She stuck out her tongue and ducked away into the garden.

Moments after she vanished, noise erupted from the private pool that had been eerily silent. 

“Amy! How!” 

“Fie Child! Ye do frighten the life frae me!”  

 

The doorway reappeared and Amy darted through looking flustered. “That’s not what pool floaties are for..” She told Tawny in no uncertain terms.

 

“Dinner first? Then a bath?” Tawny offered, starting from a strong negotiating position.

 

Amy jumped on the distraction from what she had seen, eagerly. “What is it? Tuna casserole? I’m allergic to that. And lima beans, brussels sprouts, broccoli and spinach. They all make me die.” She rattled out breathlessly fast.

 

“We don’t have any of those, how about monster meat stew with magic beans and a pear tart?” Tawny sang back.

 

“I’m not a baby. You can’t trick me.” She sulked. “You havta play fair.”

 

“Becky, what’s for dinner? Amy wants to know.” Tawny’s golden voice lifted Becky’s attention from Ivy’s cooking.

 

“Wallowbear stew with duskmoon pods, and a pear tart.” Becky grinned at her new sister. “Monster meat and magic beans. The pears are magical too.”

 

“You better not be lying, I’ll know, I had monster meat before… I think.” She said with four year old confidence.

 

“I hae seen what ye did eat where ye come from Amy my love. Monster meat be a far far better meal.” Shai folded her child in a still slightly damp hug from behind, sweeping Amy up into her arms. 

“We eat, then off to bed fer me an Gary, ye will be in Becky and Tawny’s charge. Save ye need us, we see thee in the morning.” She kissed the top of her head fondly.

 

“Aye aye dread pirate Shai! As you wish!” She shouted, running off to wash up for dinner.

“Fie, she hae picked that up frae Gary already!” Shai grumbled.

 

“I don’t think she’s heard him say that yet Shai…” Becky whispered in surprise. “I think she heard that somewhere else…”

#

 

Around a table, with a booster seat conjured for Amy, Gary and the girls formed the nucleus of their weird family, with the others clustered nearby. Each one, listening in, while carrying on their own conversations.

 

“How did you get into the bath with us sweetie?”  Gary asked, dreading the answer he could already feel coming.

 

“I just made a new door. I really wanted a bath.” She looked a little cross. “Still do.” She jammed a spoon in her mouth while glaring at Gary. 

“You’re a weirdo, you were being mean to Shai in the bath.” She grumbled. “Then you yelled at me. That’s not nice.”

 

Shai took over, saving what remained of Gary’s sanity. “That were private Gary an Shai time, ye must let us alone fer such. Betimes, we must need  go off alone taegether.”

 

Amy nodded sagely and gave a silent thumbs up, while still glaring at Gary. Shai joined the silent glare for a fair few seconds before he jolted in place.

“I am so sorry for yelling at you Amy, and I promise to only be nice to Shai, even though she kicks me sometimes.” He bowed low over the table to the child, while rubbing a bruised shin.

 

“So you wanted a door and made one, right Amy?” Gary continued, while they ate. “Can you… make a stuffed animal appear right now?” He asked, experimenting between bites.

 

Amy looked at him flatly. “No toys at the table, you’re trying to trick me.” She said, waggling a finger at him.

 

“That’s very clever, you’re too smart for me… it is a little dark though, can you add a light?” He asked, winking at the others at the table. “Just right up there.” He said, pointing with his spoon.

With a wink and a blink, a glittering rainbow disco ball began shedding beams of prismatic light, as it slowly rotated. “Okie! Now it’s pretty too.” Amy said with satisfaction.

 

“Hey, uhh Becky… maybe you should try it too.” He mumbled. 

Becky puzzled over that one for a moment, before grinning and squinting her eyes closed. Her brow furrowed in concentration, for a long moment nothing happened.

 

“Sorry Becks, I thought that would work.” Gary said, while smoothing his skirts and adjusting his bodice. 

 

“Aye, tis best this way, Gary be too entangled wi other’s souls as it be.” Shai said while rolling up sleeves that were suddenly far too long. “Fie, I dinnae remember wearing pants this day.”

 

The rest of the room sat in silence for a while, Amy’s outraged giggle finally broke the spell. “That’s prettier on Shai, Gary.” She scolded. “You need warmer colors.”

 

Gary’s pale blue woolen skirts and bodice were entirely too snug at the waist, straining to contain him and he gaped embarrassingly at the top. Poor Shai was lost in brown and gray workman’s clothes, nearly swallowed up despite her own stature.

 

Becky looked a little embarrassed. “Sorry Gary, I didn’t think that would work. I mean I could feel something just out of sight…”

“...and that was the day Gary realized he was no longer needed, and could retire to the quiet life of an instrument maker and innkeeper. The End.” He narrated in a serious announcer voice.

 

Shai bounced her shoulder against his, laughing hard and loud, before concentrating and switching their clothing back. 

“Ye were quite fetching, save that ye hae nothing tae fill a bodice wi proper!” She bounced at him provocatively and laughed even harder.

 

“Yeah, well… you… damn it, you still looked hot.” He grumbled. “No fair, you’re a sexy cute girl that lets me…” He perked back up. “Oh, wait! That's a win for my side!”

He finished a short and embarrassing victory dance in his seat before going back to eating.

 

A few of the newer patrons in the common room whispered terse and rapid questions to their table mates. Most seemed to receive unsatisfactory answers. 

 

Hanna seemed to be tormenting Mikkel for answers more than most. That worthy simply smiled knowingly and let her stew. 

“If you have the guts to ask him, he will probably tell you way more than you ever wanted to know.” The old man’s smirk was the worst part.

#

 

“There’s three of you now, I’m never getting a moment’s peace again am I?” Gary asked in her ear as they snuggled together upstairs.

 

“Becky an Amy do be a surprise, though ye do seem tae be taking it well. Hae ye had some thoughts on the matter?” She whispered, enjoying the quiet moment while the others moved about below.

 

“Yeah, you were right, I was all open doors and windows, even from the first. I just didn’t see it.” He slowly began to drift, as the pollen carried him off. 

“I’m glad you were the first one to build a little birdhouse in my soul.” 

 

“Aye, and a bit more work tae do ere we finish.” She whispered even more softly while slipping away on her own nighttime errands.

#

 

When Becky and Amy woke in the other house, things were changing rapidly. Shai and a dozen of her selves were directing a large number of Notgarys in a construction project on the outer wall. 

“Shai, there’s a lot going on… and is that me over there?” She asked, spotting a slim, dark skinned girl with colorful beaded braids and skirts made of autumn leaves.

 

“Aye, dinnae distract them, we be building walls wi their help. Amy, ye should stay wi me.” She called to her charge, beckoning her over. 

“We must take this time tae separate us frae Gary a mite, so we build some walls and settle ye and Amy behind them. Twill be healthy fer thee and fer Gary.”

 

“Wait, are you kicking us out? We can still come here right?” She demanded, Amy swung in behind her in alarm as well.

 

“If I may…” Thirp interrupted, hopping down from the wall under construction. “Amy, Becky, you are both like Gary. You are both connected to this place, like Gary. You both breathe magic into the world constantly, like the moon gives light or the wind blows.” Thirp soothed. 

“We say Gary’s connection is ‘bigger’ than yours, but that isn’t really true. It’s just that part of him still sticks out into this place, while you were able to slip entirely through, leaving the window open behind you.” 

The two girls nodded and giggled, imagining Gary’s butt sticking out a window as he tried to squeeze through.

“Exactly,” Thirp sang cheerfully. “Because he is still stuck, the magic coming through the window has to squeeze past him. That hurts him when the flow is too strong.” The girls nodded at the gentle spider. 

“Right now, some of your magic is flowing through him as well, because he loves you and brought you in here to keep you safe.” 

“You both bring too much magic here, pieces of him keep getting swept through into the world, that makes things hard for him. If we build each of you your own little place on his edges, that will leave room for him to heal.” 

 

Shai sighed sadly. “He dinnae ken what he does nor whe he does it yet he do always be giving bits o himself away an stuffing other’s troubles intae himself. T’will be our task tae keep him whole, girls.”

 

Within a short time, as time is counted between worlds, they finished working. Beside the garden gate, a picket fence sectioned off a small flower garden and colorful playhouse, still enclosed in the extended outer wall.

Nearby, a small cottage with a thatch roof and sturdy shutters stood, surrounded by a pleasant garden and its own stone wall and gate.

“Amy, Becky, tis charming!” Shai cried in delight. “Will they be able tae summon them in the world as Gary can wi his?”

“Perhaps, with the correct gifts and Contract you might.” Marduk said carefully. “Though Gary’s case is unusual, rooted in his own deeply held desires and wishes as well as the deplorable condition of his essence.” 

The tiny god held up a warning finger. “Most entities possess a sense of self preservation, thus will be unable to emulate his most notable gifts. It is only his almost self destructive urge to protect what he cares for, that allows him to exist this way.” 

Amy and Becky had already run off to explore their own conjoined domain. “Wait… an they do share that… why…” The spider and godling waited patiently while she did the math.

 

“Yes journeyman Shai, you too. Did you think that the void only worked one way? You did everything you could to draw the energies of the void to yourself… is there any surprise it answered?” 

The godling held out a hand to her. “Come along, we have business as well. My sister has her due, now I would have mine. I have been more than patient with all of you.”

 

Shai balked at that. “Tallum were promised tae contract next, I would nae hurt his feelings fer naught.”

 

“Your thoughtfulness is noted, but he is currently negotiating with me, as are a few others. Brother Order has not deigned to answer my calls, so I shall be taking matters in hand in my own way.” He smiled in a smug and self satisfied way. 

 

“I have many complaints with my first cultist, he is: disobedient, disrespectful, unpredictable, careless of his own safety and openly foolish.” 

 

He smiled wide with childish glee. “Gary is also highly subversive and infectious. His callous disregard for law and tradition flings open the doors that his gifts unlock.” 

He wrung his pale hands together in devious glee. “Now I can burgle the lovely jewels they have all left lying about unattended. No more will I obey laws that do not bind me.”

 

Together they walked into a small patch of very fertile soil, surrounding a cottage that felt like the one she was born in, though she did not remember it anymore. “Aye, this be very fine.”

“Gary is not the only one who needs room to grow. When my brother Craft comes calling, please give him a hard time.” Her new god said with a charming smile. “It’s cozy in here.”

#

 

Gary woke beside all four girls, somehow. Slipping out took all his sneakiness and the advantage of two being tiny enough to shift around with ease.

Downstairs, no one was up, even though first bell was coming up soon. All the pools were empty of people and the compound seemed strangely hushed and still.

 

Dawn broke, coffee was ready, pancakes were still Gary’s strongest breakfast move, but there were no takers. Finally Amy stumbled down, still in conjured PJs, clutching her doll. 

“Shai an Becky are still sleepin, do we have cereal?” She asked, eyeing his pancakes suspiciously. 

 

“You win, get dressed, we'll get muffins at the bakery. Don’t leave my side sweety.” Gary walked, while tiny Amy rode on Annie’s neck the whole ten blocks there and back again. 

 

“We took the cinnanmonumnun rolls of power from the baker prince, now we have to feed them to our sleepy friends to wake them up!” Amy loudly informed the common room full of exhausted  Bathers, when she burst through the door. 

 

The clatter of her hob-nailed winter boots on Gary’s precious floor made everyone wince. No one had yet dared tempt his wrath that way, all eyes turned to watch things unfold. 

“Slippers Amy!” He called sweetly as she skidded to a halt, gouging deep, splintered furrows in the varnished pine. 

The whole room held its collective breath as Amy thundered back across the boards to change. 

He bent over to examine the damage, reached out and with a gentle caress, erased all traces of it. He stood up with a satisfied smile, while his friends all glared at him.

 

“Of course I can just fix it… I still don’t want you wearing your boots inside me. That’s nasty.” Gary said with a foolish grin. “Slippers are more fun anyway.”