08: I find out about Gabi, from her friends (+Poll)
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PoV: David.

I looked again through some things. Anything in this system referring to 'goblins' and especially 'goblin king'.

The work of digging through written records and documentation and stuff, this brings back a lot of memories. I'd gotten quite good at reading and finding all the information I'd needed, in a set of all sorts of print. But only here, in this space, it is different. Here, it is ... 'systematized'.

Everything is properly shown with a styled font, pleasing to the eyes. I could change the font too, for all the system's display objects, if I wanted ― but for now, the default did seem precise, as I would like. What can only be called 'visual widgets' in my view, were nearly three-dimensional, in their presentation upon each screen or quadrant of my view too. I think I've gotten used to them by now, only in digging deeper into these things, I see how I can also add 'buttons' at the edges of my view as 'shortcuts' to this or that subsystem or help page or ... well even other widgets. Kind of confusing as to why, when such could lead to one infinite loop ― and that would be so wrong-

One thing worrying me reads as if a great shock to an agitated goblin king could force an evolution too, beyond goblin king. Such an individual (according to the likely stats shown) could make the new entity ... mortally dangerous. Even to its own tribe.

I do not want to face such a thing, if I do not have to.

Such a creature did not even have a proper title or name, because it had only occurred once on some unnamed world. A goblin army versus a human city's army, with the city defending against the goblins attacking it from the wide open plains ― and losing, while the fight ran two whole days. The battle notes did not say how (locked for senior deity review or something) but at one point, the human city did something at the start of a third day to turn the tables, and the goblins were seventy percent demolished. The goblin king, he'd think he should have won, got angry and- GREW. To something more. Also forced evolution of half the remaining goblins. The battle notes did conclude, the fight went on another whole two days, though. From the last words of a damage report in the log, to the deity's insightful comments and recommendations, I will summarize ... neither side won okay.

Yeah um. So let's not intentionally 'piss off' the goblin king, too much, shall we.

But at least the world where this event happened is not noted in this entry; so I can assume it's far more likely never to occur on this world at all.

Unnamed evolution for now; one suggest ... 'goblin emperor' sounds better, more powerful than 'goblin king' but less threatening than 'goblin deity', doesn't it. Or wait, maybe this 'goblin deity' does fit; but ― why go so far as to say a goblin can become its own race's deity?

... well ... aside from the conflict ending Gukka's life ... the goblin king should be fine with it. Even Kika indicated, goblins lose tribe members on an almost daily basis, if I understood correctly. So no ― I thought no goblin king, or emperor, is going to seek to kill me-

Probably could not even be traced back to a human(?) David or a goblin(?) Kika anyway. Nobody but us three in the area, right? So, yeah, 'double safe' in this regard, maybe?

Or if I explain my thoughts, would someone like Luria or Kika say ... I'm naive?

Kika is asleep ― letting drool flow, all over my pillow dammit ― while I'm sitting at the kitchen table. Seriously. Kika wake up, I'm gonna make a separate bed just for you dear-

Aah she wouldn't like that. She's gotta be with me, from now on. Oh what did I just do, making her this happy? Look at that. Smiling, even while sleeping and so obviously deep in a dream state. What can this goblin girl, uh queen, even have to dream about?

Me. Probably. And what we've done.

In what world, in what cosmos, would a 'god' ever end up loving, and being loved by (if it fit) such a goblin creature? (And let's exclude any mention of the inverse, of Gabi and, uh ... damn-)

But then I do have another chance, to experience those things with Samiel, too-

Samiel, she ... looked so happy, when all was said and done. More so than Kika even. As if Samiel were now in love with me too for some reason.

D, do lamia ... fall in love?

Rather I fear, what's the level to which a lamia then might get 'possessive' of their mate.

... Samiel did hold onto me, all through the sex, coiled into a knot like she did not want to let me go; it would have been a problem if she refused to release. Even the orgasm and after, clenched or coiled tight with every muscle, all up and down the tail-

-even Kika was fine with letting us pull ourselves apart, and going to sleep as we were-

Which is why, I can only shake my head and grin, turning back to the worrisome words on this screen.


I miss ... the physical touch. Of books. Paper. Form and function, of printed matter.

Yeah I can 'scroll' through all of this just fine, and well it's okay ― but still. I want and need BOOKS dammit. Can I get a printed version of this through the shopping space? Hmm.

If I think about it, I could probably install a shopping space subroom within this core room, in one of the spaces opened when I expand again. And for it, get the 'upkeep cost' essentially free ... or marginally diminished anyway. If I really look deep into the cost/expense ratios for running this space, as if it were an Earth business, then ... I might start asking questions like 'down to the millisecond' costs and incomes for things. Those really do build up, over time.

Because.

I'd learned, from one oriental land or another, an expression which applied a lot to my business dealings, and never forgot it.

'Gather the dust to make the mountain.'

Or, something like it. I don't care to argue semantics on translations of words, when the direct words of explanation I recall being told me are clear enough for me to have learned their lesson.

Simple. Even a small cost or benefit, accruing over time, can have great effect.

Like sweeping out a room repeatedly getting dusty; the dust over time swept up and thrown 'outside' the room, surely will amass into some heap of dust ... a 'mountain' of dust if you will.

To be precise with this, any 'shopping expense' must be viewed, in these early days, as something critically necessary. Well I do want to 'splurge' from time to time; a treat here or there can also be a welcome change ... taken into consideration. At least, one or two chocolate sweets, in memory of my sweet sis- Sera.

I can only surmise ... Gabi did not learn this lesson, as I did.

Should I buy the shopping space access, or not. A card linking to my DP is created for use, if I would; this card is a 'credit account' used for purchases and sales, in the shopping space's stores. One footnote does say though, any realm selling off the shopping space access where a debt is remaining, the sale price is applied toward the debt, and any remainder debt will again be applied when ... a shopping space is again purchased in the realm.

Would ... Gabi have ... left a debt-

*sigh*

I don't know. I feel she might have been depressed and even overwhelmed with debt at one time; do I want to buy a shopping space access for here and find out how deep it went?

As an externally connected room, it's a full one DP upkeep cost, per diem; internal to this core room, only fractionally so per diem. But even in the long term plan, would I still use the shopping space often enough to warrant the upkeep?

Plus the other side of it. As an internal room here, it's got the 'soft limit' on how much mass can be taken for sale or purchase at one instant. A limitation, if I'm keen enough to see why, to maybe prevent massive shifts in the quantities of objects for purchase or sale at one time. Good for some business ... bad for others.

Overall good, though. Why would any deity want to 'flood the market' and damage either their own reputation, or the natural ebb and flow of products? Why inflate to an unnatural degree an object's availability?

For advantage. Profit. Even just temporary. A 'deity' might try to take advantage of an opportunity ... if selfish enough.

Even ... me too?

Well yeah I'm not denying it's a possibility, in some future point in time; but just, not right now, I don't have such a need.

Mostly because, I ... produce nothing (yet). I consume nothing (also yet), and have no business deals with others (again not yet).

In short. Unlike in my life on Earth, where the manner to start business seemed easy for me ... here I would be 'starting fresh'.

Oh I'm certain, if I even want to return to the 'hobbyist days' of robotics or AI development ... the shopping space is going to be crucial, for my success.

But then as an external room, it can be enlarged to permit larger amounts of mass transfer, plus one very great reason this is so: open a local business.

A deity's shopping space, if large enough, can be 'host' for a local business or shop, where outsider deities can come, purchasing, selling, or trading with you. Er, me. But such also requires 'rental' of space within the shopping space domain, as separate from the 'local' shopping space access/room. In short ... let's say I did create robots, AI, android/gynoid creations ... then want to sell them.

I totally can. With this.

... eh. Then again. Who in this cosmos wants a 'DPS trademarked' SeraBot V15.0.12 "Domestic" series companion.

Not like so many deities or other entities out there are so ... lonely. Horny yes. Horny as hell and wanting to do something about it, yes. And mostly capable of doing something about it, yes. But lonely no ... not when they don't have to be, and have the choice to not be lonely.

But, could my own "SeraBot" revamp be so marketable, in the realm of the deities-

... I won't be making any more combat forms, though. I promise myself this.

... I'd seen enough of those in the past.


I kinda do hope the goblin army does attack the city instead of the village; because if they did it would mean a lot more eyes to 'validate' my presence here as a true deity instead of Gabi. And thus, all the more instant worship mana to come in to me. All the more reason to fast-forward into a conflict versus those combat happy goblins.

Other than the expansion to include 'raising the roof' in this space, I've been holding off on any major expenses. I have started out at one DP on entry, maintained a raw income of nineteen DP per diem, and gained the DP from worship from Kika and the goblins and one whole city. What day am I on, here? Hmm let me ch-

HOLY CRIPES that is a lot.

Somehow in this last day, the DP income has raised to nearly thirty per day? And plus I still have an excess from the direct worship too? Then let me check the logs and begin some assumptions, to plan from there.

I'll assume first, Gabi 'called' me (through allowing Luria to sort through all the potential ones) shortly after the beginning of the 'day' here. So she'd probably just got to the beginning of a day and knew she wouldn't last to the end of the day. Too much to do, before she ended her existence here ― get a new deity, and then scamper off-

That being said, the 'first day' I have been here, started from then and went through my cleaning and cleaning and cleaning, and then to 'system configuration' works. And where I'd asked about food, that could have been the sixth hour I'd been in this space ― which led right into hearing about the attack on the greatest of Gabi's followers, and my attempt to rescue this one. I got little Kika, out of the deal. Fixed a weapon and was back in this space before the beginning of the seventh hour too. In the bath with Kika and the deal with the back image and then buying clothes, up to hour eight. Talking about things 'dragon drop' ha ha and Kika telling of her sister's death and her analysis being 'blocked', into the first half of this eighth hour, with seeing the Garden and Workshop filling it out.

I should have been tired by this point but wasn't. I'd had myself and Kika sent to the second best worshipper of Gabi, Samiel the snake woman- er, lamia. While the conversation at the start might have taken the first quarter in the ninth hour, the sex and later dungeon package gifting and raising the ceiling height filled out the rest of it. And the tenth hour, first twenty minutes maybe seeing how the Garden and Workshop both got a little helper ― and then off to bed with Kika and I (more for Kika's sake). Kika slept first but I kept digging through system menus seeing the deity space rooms I could purchase, that went to ... eh maybe the end of the tenth hour. Oh oops, checked the logs, it's halfway to the middle of the eleventh; whoops. I get carried away-

And then as I awoke, I found also how 'adventurous' Kika wanted to be, taking a 'licking' to me. Aha ... well yeah but I see in the logs before this, I slept nine whole hours, which I didn't think I would have. The oral and the fingering, followed by wife talk and then bath, then fixing food ― so near the end of the twenty first hour.

Then to start the twenty second hour. Luria assigned me a quest! I don't think I'm ready for more of that, but I do know it's necessary; I still feel shaky thinking of it. I'd finished crafting the tokens, Kika and I got sent to the city, and ― hmm, spent a good couple hours there maybe. Because it took a while for my knees to stop shaking, to converse with the king, and then to wander off as Kika wanted meats, and to hear of the boy's cruel father and experience his anger too, and to wander further with the princess Anyah in arm, see what buildings and people would be displaced if the king's construction would go forward, then to return Anyah back to the castle.

This is all of the 'first day' of my time here. For it, I had some great 'worship mana income' for what I'd got willingly all day from Kika, then begrudgingly from the hundred or so goblins, then from mating with the lamia, then in worship at the city. Well over two thousand DP came in, from those events. On the flip side, expenses ― Luria automated cleaning of the realm before I returned, I'd expanded the ceiling height and also crafted a few tokens, bought a few clothes, even performed a 'minor miracle' to heal the little boy's arm. Just under nine hundred fifty DP cost. In balance ― I'm sitting pretty, on near twelve hundred DP, plus the daily or hourly income from my interactions in the world.


Day two. I will say that's when I was about to discuss goblin genetics and the viewpoint of not procreating with Kika, where Luria informed me first it could be time to gift the analysis and inventory things again. In truth I'm still honest in saying I still need to get over the social anxiety; it's a real thing for me. To the point of me asking why Gabi brought me, and the answer leaving me sick, and Luria causing me to 'betray' Kika ... the whole first hour in the second day. Racing after Kika, finding Gukka and then the fight after that ― and Kika evolved ― the second hour.

Kika and I ― we got back and into bed, both tired and hurting and healing for an hour of rest, Kika/queen got food for me and fed me, and then ... the sex. Maybe even hurting through that but it lasted a whole other hour, and I think we both enjoyed it too. End of the fourth hour in this day.

Starting the fifth hour, Kika is still asleep after our passion but I wanted to discuss the goblin thing, Luria informs me about the goblin tribe gearing up ... and ... we're here, at this point of time.

The worship DP income has raised to what I see it is; the expenses are nothing yet.

So I got some chump change and want to expand some things. Expand, expend, extend, whatever. The shopping space for fifty DP still looks nice, but looking through the list again I'm thinking of just getting the leisure and recreation space. As in, sooner or later I need conversation with another deity; and plus I think I might someday meet up with Gabi, or someone who knows her. If she's doing well or even not doing well, I'd like to know!

Not stalking. She needs a friend.


"Luria, if I purchase this 'Deity Lounge' will you still be able to see me and answer, if I had a question I need you to answer?"

"... normally no, master. Not without creating a proxy object to 'host' some of my observational ability. Such an item requires a resource not contained in this realm nor in the mortal realm."

"Aah okay. Then I will just have to trust in other deities present in the lounge to not be argumentative-"

"Master. Even deities imbibing fluids may have a tendency for heightened emotional reactions."

"... even so. I think I need to meet another deity, and maybe ask about dealing with some of these mortal world issues."

"As you wish."

I nod, then purchase the space. The air in front of me changes slightly, turning into a whole holographic grid, in which to place the lounge space ― there. Take out and store the library with its filthy books, and place the lounge access here. And, enter.


Stepping through into the portal, I find myself now in a gentle park setting ― smooth fitted brick walkways, plenty of manicured lawn and verdant trees and shrubs, and one open air cafe with many seated forms. No bar. Fellow deities are seated at dispersed tables while talking to each other. I browse a while, noting the variety in beings here.

Talk is easy to overhear, as it seems nobody fears anything here. The gods and goddesses I see all over, some are of humanoid races, and a few are not; but all of them are docile and openly talking. Some are ... well yes, engaging in more intimate acts, but only up until the point where they would seek privacy for the most intimate of deeds.

I plod along the path, hearing snippets of things.

"... and anyway, she didn't want to come back."

"Yeah really. I get it though, must be hard to be not wanted any more."

"It's like, hasn't Gabi been so nice, yet so tortured all this time?"

... G, g, gabi-

"Oh?" I turn and insert myself into their conversation. "Gabi, you say?"

The one bunny girl, with dual tone red and pink hairs, heterochromatic eyes, and pink kissable lips, she shot a warning look. Her friend, the wolf girl with blue gray fur and green eyes, just looked concerned, as if she gave vague support in any fight the rabbit girl might start.

"Hey this is a private conversation bucko," she inserted cautiously, the first hint anything could be spoken in anger here. "So if you got an issue with our absent friend, then I suggest you just leave."

"No problem, not causing any issues," I answer calmly. "I just thought, you know, since this Gabi summoned me then abandoned her realm to me-"

I turned to leave, knowing if either of them is curious, I will hear a call-

"... w, wait."

I turn back, milking it for everything it's worth.

"Yes?"

Eyes averted me, for a moment, then glanced again, taking in my form and appearance for once, in genuine appraisal.

"Sorry. Sit with us, please," returned the rabbit girl, "I have some questions, and-"

"So do I," added the other.

As I'm sitting, the first one introduces herself.

"Sorry for the rudeness, back there- I didn't know, Gabi was- ahem. Let me start again." She extended a hand across the table, as human as my own but with slight furs on it. "I am Petrina, Goddess of Agriculture."

"And I am Hejira, Demigoddess of the Hunt."

"I am David."

"... just David?"

"I have not selected any specialization or domain yet, as ... this is still so new to me. I am literally still at the first quarter of the second day, since this happened. But please, can either of you tell me what happened to Gabi, the one who called me forth and then abandoned me?"

The two deities looked to each other, and then to me.

"You mean, she didn't stay, to tell you the Code, the Thirteen Unbreakable Laws?"

"No, nothing but a little spiel about how she's done with the world, tired of it and everything within, but not heartless enough to just let it destroy itself or to destroy it herself. We were standing there, in darkness, in her Approach room, only for a couple minutes and then she throws her loincloth at me and then vanishes. Very odd, and also she left without really explaining things? But I understand why, she got into a sickened state and probably just wanted to-"

"What? Sick! Oh no-"

"... um, David," spoke the wolfish girl, "what do you mean, sick?"

I sigh. This is going to take a lot of explaining, and even me revealing what I have come to suspect in the matters of Gabi's heart.


An hour later, having hashed out the matter, they still might not believe it. Both of them offered their contradictions to my statements.

"That's not the Gabi I know! She's like a sister to me! She wouldn't be that kind of sick without me knowing!" shot out the bunny girl.

"Yeah I don't think Gabi would be so morally weak as to leave that filth all over her domain-"

"... hey, I'm just reporting things as I found them. Either Gabi did this and was holding back the truth from you, or Luria is deceiving me too by making it appear like this all along, or ― something more devious is going on."

I look slowly among these two ― no, now four others too, behind them ― and continue.

"You say I'm wrong, or that I do not know Gabi. That might be right, in one sense. But in another, I was quite adept in my former life and very astute and observant. I know the things I saw, and I know what I say is the truth as I have said it. No, this is not calling either of you a liar either; only stating the facts as I see them." I adjust myself in my seat, considering how further to discuss this. "Let's say you are right, I don't know Gabi, and ... then what? Why did she disappear? Then again even if I am right, I would still ask the same query, why did she disappear."

One of the newer people to stand behind the bunny girl, a shy orc male, calmly offered: "I, it might be, b, both of you are r, right, and b, both of you are wrong."

"What's that, Pinder?"

"S, say he's right," Pinder pointed to me, trying to hold together for this thought. "W, what of G, Gabi, uh, what of you not seeing Gabi like he did."

-an orc god with a speech impediment, don't see that just any day, now do ya.

The bunny girl ― Petrina, Goddess of Agriculture ― suddenly had a doubt. Her companion from the first ― Hejira, Demigoddess of the Hunt ― might also be leaning this way, but not so willing to admit it outright.

An elderly demon woman inserted her own comment as well. "As a medical doctor in this deity space, I must also remind you, I cannot and will not reveal a health status of another deity; especially if said deity is not wishing it. However David, in another matter I wish to discuss something with you."

Almost as good as confirming, without strict confirmation.

Anyway. I've probably caused as much damage in their interpersonal relations, as I have done an honest deed in letting others know of the situation.

Rising to my feet, I calmly beg their forgiveness. "Sorry if I am the bearer of ... well maybe bad news; but ... I do sort of have thoughts to wish Gabi well. Wherever she is going ― she said, 'moving on up, to bigger and better things'. If you truly do know her ― maybe you can find her and tell her how much I could have used her help, as well as given compassion if she was suffering something? Anyway. I should run back home and-"

"-w, wait."

Petrina's eyes are showing she's near tears.

"Eh ... yes?"

"... share contacts? I ... I might want to talk more, later."

"Sure but ... I'm new at this, the deity thing that is; share how?"

She held up her hand, palm facing me. "Hold your hand to mine, it synchronizes our contact info ― if you set up those details correctly."

I do so, and feel a new stream of data enter my head. Details such as who she is, a cosmological set of coordinates, and an ability to 'ring her bell' via contact. I will assume she has mine too.

"And if I wanna call you-"

"You may. I would welcome a call from her friends; it might help me to understand how broke the world is."

"-then when I do, you will hear a faint chime, assuming you are awake and willing, you can permit my call, either audio or video too. Also a chat system too, if something could be sent as a latent message to be seen anytime."

"What about me," grinned the wolfish girl, holding a paw forward. Also three others.

I take turns reaching out to the others, accepting their contact information. This at least should net me a new way to learn about Gabi through others' eyes.

I spare a soft nod to the group, then walk off to see the other sights here.

One wolfman bumped my shoulder, glared, growled, then walked off-

What a jerk.


The elder doctor lady caught up with me before I went too far, calling out to me.

"David, wait?"

"Okay."

"We did not properly meet; but I am Carine the Goddess of Health. Well then, sorry to say but ― if what you report of Gabi is correct ― discounting any knowledge of the situation I may or may not have had, I wish for you to report to my place for a health inspection. Any virulent contagions or transmissible diseases must be checked out, and dealt with."

I ponder. If she is saying, I need a 'medical checkup', then ... how. How to reach her, or how to get to where this checkup should be.

Certainly in the list of structures or rooms I could add into the system, one of them was a clinic, and another was a hospital. And yet another was 'medical research' type facility.

"What I see in the building list ― is it the clinic, the hospital, or the research place?"

"No let's make this simpler." She held out her palm, and I took the offer.

This touch ― I got not only her professional contact details, but also her personal residential contact!

My eyes widen.

"It's this important, David. Contact me anytime, with the least concern. I would be concerned about you also catching something. Or, the mortals all across your world, if what you think happened is true."

She departed with this warning; I watched her disappear around a curve in the path, beyond some foliage.


Am I to suddenly curse Gabi, if she brought some contagious disease among her own world, and then summoned me and ... I caught it too?

... I-

... no, but-

... *sigh*

FUUUUUCK.

(No wait, that's part of the problem.)

Somehow in walking about after this, I found myself back 'home'. Kika is now awake and looking curious at this new space in the middle of the north wall.

It's only proper for her to have woken up, as it's maybe a couple hours after I left; and she'd probably slept a while, from the time before I had left.

"David. What is it, a new thing here?"

I walk toward the control corner, and Kika follows, waiting for me to answer this.

"Yeah, it's a place where 'deities' ― and I hesitate to admit I might become one ― can socialize. But to place it, I had to take out the library; but the library went into storage for now."

"Oh ... so it is not a place I get to go."

"Master, a companion can be taken along if they have this Deity's Champion Token like you have crafted. So Kika can go along with you ― just not on her own."

Luria is full size still, which is nice ― for the confrontation I may yet have, I want to see her reaction, in full detail.

"Oh nice. But then, Luria ― I met a few of Gabi's friends-"

Those eyes. Simulated or not, 'fuzzy graphics' or not ― I can clearly see her sudden concern register, at this mention.

"-and they did not seem to know anything about Gabi's state of being."

Luria did not say a thing, but stood here. Then again, I did not ask anything, or say something to which 'she' felt like responding or adding information.

"... Luria ... did Gabi have some reason to 'hide' what was going on?"

"-master." This came out so weak, I almost wasn't sure she said anything.

"And then a doctor woman contacted me-"

"Master she did not want anyone to know she was dying."

"And it's because of some disease, something transmissible through body fluids or touch?!"

"Yes ... master."

I fumed. I burned. I glared ― and mostly because it's only been less than a day and a half ― stepped in things which might have been from Gabi herself ― and have had sex with two entities. Both of them, probably entities Gabi has also-

Well yes ― certainly with Samiel by her own admission. Probably with Kika's sister Kari, who I neither met nor fucked, but Kari would have also been in contact with Kika and others in the tribe, through which Kika might also have done those things with.

At what point did this disease thing take hold, or why did she let it continue without trying to stop it? Or rather is this the reason Gabi would have given up on life here, if she suddenly had some contagion or disease to deal with?

"... but also master. I must admit, a large part of this 'negative DP income' is due to former mistress using an oversight system to track the flow of this ... disease. Along with another factor which is irrelevant to this discussion."

"... and anyone she did those things with, are also dying?"

"Yes. Master. Sorry."

"... David ... ?"

Kika.

I see her, I see how her eyes are burning, in the way she might lead to crying.

Nothing like the 'betrayal' of earlier even; no this is much, much, much worse.

She has maybe just learned, she might die soon too.

... same as I have the thought.


Samiel worried. She wanted her god David to come back; she was starting to itch in her needs now-

She had expanded her dungeon, even just filling out this floor and one more ― and filled them with one hundred minions ― but would refuse to mate with any one of them. No; this 'honor' belonged only to her own David-

Because of her race's biologies, she knew she would be likely to be pregnant, with multiple eggs ... if this were the time of her fertility cycle. It was not, but she so sorely wished it had been this time. Because, part of her really wanted the 'bragging rights' of saying she was the first in this world to give this god, children.

Is she so petty? Um ... yes. Yes, she is. Because in the last world, the last life, she didn't get to this point in her life. She didn't get the one person she would have let be her mate, to 'have' that part of her life, even if her own would not go on. At least, in that life, she could have had something endure after her.

Where is David now? she wondered. Indra had no idea, as she still had not met this human. No Indra, David is not just any human, he's her human!

Indra does not seem to think this such a great idea. Even when Samiel explains, David is a god, she still cannot agree it is a smart thing.

Whatever. You do your 'dungeon oversight' Indra, I'll keep watching for my hero god David to return-

Oh but the thought has crossed Samiel's mind, this dungeon might not be in the right place, or easy to access, for the mostly human 'adventurers' and soldiers who should be coming to her, cannot. Maybe this is something David can fix, too. Hmm. Right now she has about fifty things she wants to mention or ask David; surely he has enough time not being so busy yet?

Yes. David should be able to handle all fifty things. Maybe more, if she can think up more things, more reasons for him to do some things and return, get more things to do and come back more, and so on-

Besides. It's not like he's particularly busy, for some reason-

Humming a faint melody, Samiel resumed glancing out over the forested valley below. Somewhere out there, maybe her David walked among the mortals? Aah fine but he better keep the sex for Samiel!


I held Kika while she cried, while I cried too. Honestly at this point I can think of nothing else, but to let the tears fall as they may.

At least, now it's starting to make sense, some of the things of the last few hours. Why Luria-

About Luria, about what she did or did not do or say. Why did she not tell me, any of this, since the moment I took over?

Instead, she subtly started growing to like me, as if we could build a friendship or even relationship. If Kika were not 'in the way'-

'This is fucking screwed up,' I want to shout at the top of my voice ... but cannot. Tears, about all I can do too.

Finally, I sense Kika is about as 'cried out' as she can be. Honestly even when her own sister was killed, she may not have cried so much.

But. When it's you, considering your own mortality ― it's different ― even a goblin girl's gotta let out some emotion.

This time when I reach out to her, she pushes me away without pause, a first between us. And she walked off, to take a bath; but I don't think she's wanting me to join her just yet, or maybe at all now.

After the bath, she asks Luria to send her back to the world for a while; she wants to hunt. In a mere second, she's gone, without looking back to me.


Anyway I'm done crying, for the moment too. Time to actually consider-

Aah my contact list pops out, the same time I hear this chime ― Petrina is calling.

Accept.

A visual feed, nice. Petrina must be in her home domain, because it seems a 'homey' background. Not at all a 'rich' environment; but due her Agriculture domain it seems well suited. She is in the same clothing, some woven fabric which has a certain rustic appeal, but also looks like she might have been crying too.

"... can I ... come over? I think, I have a lot to say, and ask."

"Yes. You are welcome to come to me, anytime."

Petrina blushed strangely. "B, but I don't just go to guys' places so freely! It's about Gabi-"

"Yes, that's what I meant, nothing more."

"... I got a thing to handle first, then I'll come to the Approach room, if you accept my arrival."

"Okay."

In the intervening few minutes, I ponder what actually could be said now. Talk about agriculture? Would be nice, but not the most burning topic around-

Gabi.

Or, maybe, what Gabi meant, and maybe how or why Petrina could not see or understand her predicament.

No small shock, to think another person is a friend, yet then learn something so shocking it redefines the friendship-

Petrina might have a lot of hurt or fear or frustration to deal with; and though I'm not sure I'm the best at it, at least I think her and I talking is better than not. It's always seemed so on Earth, too. While I can and do consider myself still the 'loner type', I still had friends of course, mostly online and virtual at the end; but better than none.

Accept, again; and now Petrina walks into the core room ― noting the changes.

"Done something different, from last time I was here?"

"... well ... since I arrived, all I've done is bought the lounge room and raised the ceiling from two point five to four meters-"

"Yeah a lot of us do that last one first or maybe second, especially since it's that 'partial DP cost' in expanding the other two dimensions. Better just to get it over with in the beginning."

She's rambling, unfocused, and she probably knows it too. It's kinda cute for her to be like this, but as she is older as a deity than I, I've gotta give her some consideration. Even so, I do have to start somewhere too.

"So ask me anything or tell me anything; I won't betray your trust. And Luria. Answer whatever she asks, or tell her whatever is important to what she's saying. I want full trust here."

"Acknowledged, Master David."

"Thank you for this, David. It won't be easy but I wanna know."

"First, I want to tell you my observations ― again, and in fuller detail than what I said while in the lounge space."


I take the first part of the turn, starting out from ... well right when I came into the Approach room, and Gabi started telling me about the world, only turning it sour through saying she's done. Since this happened within the domain, Luria can replay the audio of the exact words, to fill in where my memory does not. I could have left the replay only to Luria; but I do want a context for some of the things said or done, so I will tell as much as possible.

I'm trying to recall the exact wording, to tell Petrina; relating each of the things Gabi said which struck me as odd. Then, on entering the core room, I told her of the raw experience of dealing with the shitty fucking mess all over the floor. Not even sparing any expense of words, in saying so. Even had Luria overlay an image in this room, of what it looked like before it got cleaned.

Petrina could have almost fainted, if I take her looking around in such a disbelieving state to be her true thoughts. One cannot simply fake a look such as this; she is far from merely confused or overwhelmed, she is almost gone into a state of 'mental reboot'.

Next, I went on to thoroughly describe the growing unease and distrust of what I thought about Gabi, or what she must have gone through. Meeting the goblins, gaining Kika as a friend, also what I remember of the goblin king and even Kika telling of Gabi having sex with them. Then further, meeting Samiel the dungeon mistress, a lamia who now might be fixated upon me, and the sex with her. And then again, the fellatio and later sex with Kika too. Petrina only took it with an embarrassed smile, just admitting, yeah all deities find they want this from mortals at times; even she does.

And the further deeper thoughts, of wondering how it all went wrong, somehow, before even Gabi could know. About my wonder, how or why Gabi could not speak up, in front of friends or companions, not even once asking for help. Because I think, if she had 'true friends', then even if her world was becoming like this ... at some point, the friends would have helped, rather than looking away or walking away.

All little details which added up, to the fact: Gabi was somehow, as broken as I.

To this point, I haven't really told Petrina about me ― I mean, the real me. About my past life. About my flaws, and psychological issues. No; she did not need to know ― yet. But I will tell her, I will spindle out the information in as linear a fashion as necessary, in the retelling of why or how I came to be so smart, to put together all of the reasoning on these things.

"Now it's your turn, you can ask and tell-"

Next chapter might end in something dangerous- *SYSTEM CRASH!*

Which do you either hope or think is the likely fate of Gabi?
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