This is still a story of the Becoming Monsters universe by Ai Loves, setting used with permission. All canonical and mechanical errors are my own. The yarrb is the exceedingly cute creation of FelisRandomis, used with permission.

 

You may recognize some characters from other stories of mine. They’ll be here for a bit

 

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Chapter 64: Azure Dreams

 

“Jay? What are you doing home so soon? And Whitney? And Agnes, you got here faster than expected, but I have the numbers for you.”

 

The scene we had walked into the living room was pretty much exactly what we expected. Gloria had her laptop and print outs in the living room when the three of us had walked in, accepted the news with calm faith, and told me that Paige was helping Amber in the bedroom. Whitney and I went over to talk to the others and try to make some plans.

 

This was when we found Amber as expected. Expanded to the point of immobility, face down on her bed, a laptop in front of her to let her help with research and social media. Paige was what wasn’t expected, on her knees behind Amber eating her out like her life depended on it. I knew from personal experience that the bat-winged stripper knew EXACTLY what she was doing, and also that Amber was significantly more sensitive than most in the area. This resulted in my four-armed lady writhing in pleasure, whatever document was on her screen long forgotten. She had been in the process of one orgasm or another and didn’t hear us. Paige did, practically flapping upwards when we walked in.

 

Eyes dilated, horny almost to the point that she was dripping. I hoped that whatever this effect was, it wouldn’t be permanent. She was scheduled for a patrol soon.

 

“Go ahead and get cleaned up, we have some stuff to talk about. Did you see the group text?” I had to put in a lot of effort to keep my voice level. She didn’t need the embarrassment, and it was super hot in any case.

 

Paige shook her head. “Sorry, I was a bit…” she looked over at the panting Amber, “... preoccupied.”

 

“Okay, then. It shouldn’t take too much time once you wash up. And wipe up Amber.” I managed to keep all surprise out of my voice.

 

Paige managed to look sheepish, though certainly not apologetic, as she did so. Before we could begin the explanation, though, Lucy walked into the sleeping room… wearing a poncho. “Jeremiah. You walked out of range to share your abilities. As soon as you did, I burst out of my top and had to hide in a bathroom until someone could get me a cover-up. This thing ITCHES.” She removed the offending cover, to the sound of exactly zero complaints as her amazing chest bounced free. “Could you have come and get me before walking out? I saw the message, but I didn’t think about the secondary effects.”

 

“Uh. Oops?” Her glare was legendary. “Look. We need a plan, fast, and I don’t have one yet. Gloria is going to stay here to work with Agnes on the tax things, but on Agnes’s suggestion we’re going to take a quick trip to the bank. The kind of place we need… heck, the one she’s describing… well, I need to check our accounts from there. She says someone might be able to meet us at the bank who can help, too.”

 

Lucy looked down at her chest and belly. “I’ll stay here and help Amber research, kind of doubt she’s coming. We’ll hold off on further treatments until we’re in a new place.” She sounded rather disappointed to have gotten this far and not be able to cross the finish line on schedule. I was just glad she was being reasonable about it.

 

Whitney interjected. “Paige and I can go with him. We both have wings, and not having weapons on us won’t stop us if something ELSE goes down in the bank.” To demonstrate the point, she reached into her own Extradimensional Space and pulled out the hilt of her sword before putting it away again.

 

“I can live with that. Assuming that goes decently but inconclusively, we can split up from there and look for realtors. I’m not expecting anything good, but we have to play the cards we’re dealt. Let’s get ready to go, and remember that your new armor is ferrous. I suggest you take off the chainmail if you’re wearing it no matter how supportive it is, the bank has metal detectors”

 

Both Paige and Whitney immediately removed their clothes to do so. Again, to exactly zero complaints. It took almost no time to get a snack in case the trip went long then back out to the bus. The day might not be going according to the original plan, but that didn’t stop it from needing to get done. Thanks to mana limits, both of my strikers were braless. Slightly awkward considering they had a lot more jiggle than usual, but workable. Agnes had decided to accompany us once we passed through the living room, but she didn’t seem bothered by it. I got the impression that she’d seen enough braless women in her time that she didn’t feel obliged to care, but had no way of confirming this. It wasn’t something one casually asked on a bus ride.

 

The ride wasn’t long before we pulled up to the bank. Putting my weapons in the locker was… well, call me paranoid, but while I put my gun there my sword was definitely in the Extradimensional Space and my nonferrous shield gauntlet was on my arm. The metal detectors at the front door didn’t go off, either. Briefly, I considered letting them know about the hole in their security… but then I remembered that I’d need to tell them how I figured it out to do so, so I decided to let it be. “You two get in line for Coinage, guildies can do that. I’ll check the dollars, the first one done joins the other.”

 

They agreed, though Agnes just seemed amused. Slightly patronizing, even. I felt like I’d missed the point somewhere, but homes like the one she’d mentioned didn’t come cheap. Both checks were done pretty quickly and we were back where the lines started to look over the papers when Agnes looked off to one side and waved at someone. Two people who seemed to be working on one of the counters (next to a pile of what looked like rebar) saw her and walked over. I recognized them, too. Blond surfer-looking guy was Justin from the other night, looking almost unrecognizable in slacks and a button-down shirt. Next to him, looking way more comfortable in her business suit, was Abbey. The blue woman who had helped the lawyers, and as a result had to be helping the Guild Hall. She was the one to speak up first. “Agnes? I didn’t expect to see you here. I mean, I technically don’t work here anymore, but Justin needed a bit of help.”

 

“Looks like I got the right answer with the wrong formula, then. Abbey, if I recall correctly, this bank has a secure room for people to speak privately. Can you take us to it?” Agnes seemed serenely certain of herself. That made one of us.

 

“Uh, sure. One sec.” Abbey turned and looked around. “Brittany! Is room five open?”

 

A pretty blonde at the Coinage counter looked up at her. “It is for the next 30 minutes, I’m sure the boss won’t mind you using it as long as you’re out by then.”

 

“Thanks!” Abbey turned to us. “Follow me, then. And stay close, please, no sense antagonizing the security system.” She stepped purposefully towards a door to one side of the lobby, and we followed. Closely. I didn’t want to know what this place’s security system would do whether or not I was confident I could survive it.

 

The door led to a plain hallway, and after a couple of seemingly-random turns Abbey opened a door. The room behind it was of moderate size, but had a table and several armchairs in it. Agnes looked around at us. “Everyone, sit down. I am not a large believer in coincidences, and I’m fairly sure none of you are, either. It just so happens that you each have a problem, but I think together you may be able to solve them.”

 

Justin looked up at her, intensely. “They can help us keep our home? I mean, Guild Leader Kithkin has a reputation, but my problem is property taxes, not monsters in the attic.”

 

That Dragon was a FREAKING GENIUS, and my response was delayed by me counting up the number of prayers she had just answered. Along with taking a mental note to contact her boss with a review glowing so brightly she could use it as a second sun. “Agnes, let me see if I follow your train of thought. Justin seems to be doing fairly well for himself, so if property taxes are a problem that means the home is both large and valuable. Plenty of room to sublet to, say, eight demons, a yarrb, and a baby.”

 

Abbey tilted her head a bit. “You could say that. We already have four and a baby as guests, and we aren’t even using half of the first floor.”

 

“I also assume that declaring a portion of the home a Guild Hall would alleviate a portion of the burden, even before rent.”

 

“Of course.” Agnes smiled. I was on the right track.

 

“Abbey, Justin, does the home have reasonably quick access to Seattle proper?”

 

The two of them looked at each other. Abbey nodded first, then Justin looked back at me. “It’s a bit complicated, but the answer is definitely yes.”

 

I let out the breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. The tension released from my back, suddenly and completely, making my wings droop and the tips of my fingers tingle. “Then I would like to enter an offer to rent enough space on your property to live with my Guild… my family. What do you need from us for payment?”

 

Justin looked up at the ceiling. “I… hadn’t considered that. We don’t even have a number. What the heck would a… what, four bedroom beachfront place even be charging?”

 

Whitney didn’t miss that one. “Beachfront? I thought you said it has access to Seattle proper?”

 

Justin chuckled. “Oh, it does. I said it was complicated.”

 

“I can confirm that he’s being honest.” Agnes seemed smug. I would be in her place, fair’s fair.

 

I checked the sheets of paper in front of me. “Justin, I know you have my contact information. If you get me a number and an address today, I’ll talk it over with the rest of the Guild and probably get you a yes or no within an hour. We just need space and a place to care for a child, and speed is of the essence.”

 

“How fast are we talking, sir?” Ah. Right. This man was signed onto a Union I nominally led. It could mean some ethics considerations, but I’d have to make sure everything else was aboveboard.

 

“I have reason to believe I’ll be evicted in 24 to 48 hours. There have definitely been easier situations presented to me in the past.”

 

Abbey and Justin looked into each other’s eyes, and some kind of communication passed between them. They both nodded at each other, but it was Abbey who responded. “Then it isn’t even a question. I know that you and at least some members of your Guild have the ability to carry items in extradimensional spaces. Pack as much as you can and get on the Guild Hall bus as soon as possible. I’ll meet you there to bring you to our home, we can get you a number later. We know you’ll be good for it, so I don’t have to worry about that.” She checked her watch. “We’re out of time. Justin will send you a text with our contact information, send a message when you get there.”

 

That statement didn’t make sense. At all. And yet, she was completely convinced of its truth. I had run on slimmer hopes than that in the past. It helped that Agnes felt exactly the same way. No matter what may come, this was the only way I was likely to get safe shelter for my growing family. It would be worth ANY price, but she felt like I was helping them more than I was helping my Guild. And maybe I was, but that didn’t change the desperation they had just saved us from. We shook hands, Agnes went her own way, and we left the bank building.

 

The journey home passed in a blur, my brain going a hundred directions trying to piece this together but stuck on the one golden thread I could see. I didn’t want to get my hopes up. There was always a catch. Thing is, it wouldn’t be the first time I’d gone into a situation knowing there could be one, and ready to accept it if it came. I got back to myself really quick once I was home, though. Both Sarah and Emily were already there, four hours early. “What’s up, you two?”

 

Sarah shrugged. “I heard you and Whitney got canned. I resigned in protest, and told them if they wanted the pattern for my Battery to be able to save Demonic lives they could pay me full price for it. After this one’s stabilized and put through all of its paces, of course.”

 

It felt bad, but knowing Sarah I really should have seen it coming. “Emily? I thought you’d still be at work, too.”

 

“Unpaid administrative leave. I’m under review after everything. It’s harder to just fire me after three years of service.” She was still wearing her Human form, scrubs and all, and seemed crestfallen. This job meant the world to her, and though I knew she’d choose the Guild if it came down to it the choice might break her. Especially considering her last three tails had all seemingly come from killing people.

 

Then again, one of those three was Paul, and he had demonstrated recently that she had not, in fact, slain him.

 

“Got it,” was what I actually said. “It works out for us. Sarah, how quickly can you knock together one of those temporary storage bags? It only has to last a couple of days.”

 

Sarah seemed nonplussed. “Give me an hour or two and you got it.”

 

“Good. Get started, we’re about to have to use it. A lot. It looks like we’re moving again. Right now.”

 

Her eyes widened. “On it! Can you send Amber… actually, probably not the best idea right now, nevermind.” She scooted off to her workbench, grabbed a backpack to convert, and got to work.

 

I let myself use a slightly louder voice than usual for the apartment. “Everyone but Sarah! Meet me in the sleeping room, so that we can get Amber in on this conversation.”

 

When I stepped into the sleeping room, there were thankfully not any sexy surprises waiting. No time, unfortunately. The angle of Amber’s back did seem different, though, slightly angling downward. That in turn meant that those ginormous, immobilizing boobs were starting to shrink. Okay, no matter how hot and horny she was like that, I did prefer to have my team member mobile again. Especially now. “Okay, everyone. I have a place to move to. Still working out the details, but the owners are letting us get there for shelter. The short version is that we need to get as much as we can there as quickly as we can. Everyone get suitcases and backpacks together, start from the most important things and go down the list. Once Sarah is done enchanting a temporary expanded bag, I’ll also share Extradimensional Space with everyone plus Shapeshifting with Amber.” I grimaced a bit. “Going to need to pop my last spare mana potion to do it, we are meeting them at the Guild Hall. As soon as I share it, everyone loads up and we get on the bus.”

 

Lucy was staring open-mouthed. “How did THAT MUCH happen in the last hour and a half?”

 

“We have a silver-scaled guardian angel who apparently likes us enough to point us at an unbelievably specific and effective solution. Amber, can you fit any furniture in your Pockets?”

 

Amber nodded from the bed. “That’ll be pushing it, but most of the big stuff around here isn’t ours anyway. The cradle, rocking chair, and enchanting table should fit if I empty it mostly out.”

 

“Okay. Plan out how you’re going to do that while the rest of us gather things up. You know how to use your space the best of all of us, so you’re going to do it with the quickness once I get you shapeshifted smaller.” I looked around the circle. “Does anyone have any comments or objections?”

 

“One. Gloria, you and I need to start with the food.” Lucy was thinking hard. “Probably put cold and frozen stuff in the Pocket Spaces so that we can dump ice in with them.”

 

“Good idea,” Gloria responded.

 

“Alright, if nobody else has anything? Ready, break.”

 

Six of us immediately scrambled to assemble every suitcase, bag, and container we could possibly hope to roll or carry. In went clothes, in went tools, in went locked boxes of weapons (the ones that weren’t already strapped onto belts or backs or hiding in the Pockets already). During one of these ideas to grab some random item or other, I noticed Amber had a drawing on her computer, shifting objects around like a puzzle. It took a moment, but I realized that she was carefully preplanning how she was going to load up while she couldn’t move. We assembled, disassembled, nested, and cushioned everything we could. As soon as Sarah was ready with her bag, she joined in. I checked my watch carefully to time the next steps. We needed to not be waiting long for the bus.

 

Sapphire Radiance was incredibly useful to give Amber Shapechange, letting her reduce her chest to proportions that would barely fit under one of my largest shirts. It also let me make sure everyone had an open Pocket Space, so we got to shoving what we could into them and moved as quickly as we could to the bus stop. We had to let the elevator take multiple trips, since we weren’t about to be able to fly this one and it might not have held under the combined weight of eight demons, a yarrb, and a lot of luggage. Still made it with about a minute to spare.

 

The bus ride itself was probably the worst part. I was tired, emotionally if not physically, but if I fell asleep then I might accidentally release my Radiance. That, in turn, would be incredibly messy, since it would eject the contents everywhere… not to mention Amber becoming immobilized on the bus might not work as well as the bed. Almost ran out of MP, too, necessitating that I drink my last spare mana potion. The taste was, as usual, only slightly better than moldy gym socks. Woke me up, though, I’ll give it that. Or, at least, I would once I drank some water to rescue my taste buds. Once I noticed some familiar landmarks, I sent a message to Justin and Abbey to tell them we were ten minutes out.

 

We got off the bus. It was just like any other day at Camp, really. If it wasn’t for the purpose we were here, it wouldn’t seem odd. Thing is, nothing in this general vicinity had access to either the beach or Seattle in any reasonable timeframe. As the blue woman walked towards us, I had to wonder exactly what she had in mind.

 

“Good, you guys work quickly!” She seemed genuinely surprised at how fast we’d gotten here, as if three hours was something rapid.

 

I smiled a bit. “Honestly a bit slow for us. I was afraid you might have second thoughts.”

 

She laughed. “No need to worry about that, but since I’m still on the clock I didn’t get much chance to research things. Justin is waiting at the house to show you around. Follow me.” She strode off in the direction of the Main Hall.

 

We all followed at a trot. “And about that. Nothing you have said makes sense about where the house is. We aren’t near the beach, we aren’t near Seattle, and as far as I’m aware there aren’t any large housing units in the Main Hall, Food Court, or in the woods.”

 

“Good thing our home isn’t out there, then. Here we are!” She stopped at a little nook in the back of the Main Hall. “It’s a bit dark in there. Couple steps forward, turn left, and you’ll find the door.”

 

Physically speaking, that would lead either into the back side of a bathroom or the Marshal’s Hall, neither of which would be particularly comfortable. I was starting to have some suspicions, though, so when I stepped forward and found the door I wasn’t surprised at the slightly tingly feel of the doorknob. How they were in possession of stabilized gates I had no idea, but when I opened the door the hallway beyond was lit by sunlight that looked much different from where we were standing. The air had a crisp smell, with just a hint of water and salt. “Come through! You don’t want me closing this door while I’m channeling powers on you.”

 

THAT was enough to get them moving! A veritable stampede of lovely ladies (followed by one yarrb) came through to the hallway beyond the door. Abbey stopped before crossing the threshold. “Justin will be waiting for you in there. Head downstairs, the kitchen and our room are in the same area, and so is the guest room for the other visitors.”

 

“Thank you, Abbey. Seriously. You’ve saved this family and spared us a lot of suffering.”

 

“I’m sure you would have come up with something, Jeremiah. I’m just happy we can help each other. Now I have to get back to the front part of this office, don’t keep the others waiting.” She turned and left, I let the door close behind me, once again letting out my breath. So much had changed in such a short time, even for us.

 

A slightly squeaky voice came from around my feet. “Yarrrrb?” It sounded inquisitive.

 

“I like to say that nobody is strong alone, Nibbles, but sometimes that phrase feels more real than others.”

 

He nodded, turned, and trotted off towards the others. I followed. My mana wouldn’t hold out forever, and having everything spill out in a hallway wasn’t all that much better than the bus. Thankfully, when we got to the end of the hallway, Justin was already waiting for us. “Looks like the house decided you’re getting the third floor. Come on up!” He started ascending the stairs.

 

Wait. The house decided?

 

At the top of the stairs was another hallway, more of the sun and salt air. To the left, though, was a door. On that door was a placard, in an elegant calligraphic script, that read “Guild Hall.” To the right was another, its placard reading “Guest Suites.”

 

Justin was talking. “I haven’t gotten a chance to check out these rooms yet, but I get the feeling you’ll be comfortable. Make yourselves at home, since I do believe it will be. Come on downstairs when you’re ready and we’ll talk more.” He left to go down the stairs once more.

 

Lucy reached out to open the door to the Guest Suites, and it swung open easily. Behind it was a wonder. A living room that felt much larger than what we had just left, comfortable couches and chairs already there, with more doors branching off. I could see a hint of a kitchen. Then, the stampede.

 

Everyone dove in and scouted the place out by the time thirty seconds had passed. We had two more rooms than before, and somehow they were all bigger. Storage space, a well-designed if small kitchen (still more than what we left), places to put equipment and clothing. We could be more organized and deliberate. The women of the Guild wouldn’t be stuck sleeping mostly in one room. People started emptying their Extradimensional Spaces as quickly as they could make organized piles in vaguely appropriate locations. Food in the kitchen, clothes in the bedrooms (wonder of wonders, they had beds and closets and dressers waiting).

 

It was impossible. This building was enormous to be able to hold this, and the amount and quality of preparation required more time than a few hours and more money than I was ever going to be able to repay them. How? I tried to not think about it too hard just yet. This place was obviously magical, but trying to figure it out would only drive me batty. “Okay, everyone got your pockets cleared out? I’m under ten percent mana so I need to cut it off.”

 

Everyone replied with some variation of “yes,” so I turned the ability off for the first time in a while. From the kitchen, there was a sudden splashing noise followed by a yip from my wife. “Lucy! Are you okay?”

 

“I am, love don’t worry. Remember how Gloria and I shoved ice on the food to make sure it stayed good?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Um. I need a towel or three. Ice water showers from nowhere aren’t fun.”