This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.

The original was posted on /r/hfy by /u/KyleKKent on 2024-10-28 22:53:15+00:00.

First

Weight of Dynasty

“Okay, so it’s clear that a lot is going on. We’re going to need to do THAT.” Arix’Hewth says and Dale nods as well as Arden’Karm. “So we understand each other?”

“I’ve got the idea.” Dale says.

“… Yeah…” Arden’Karm agrees.

“Good, back here in five after our prep.” Arix’Hewth says and all three vanish. Five minutes later Arix’Hewth reappears with some Flinny Flyz merchandise, Dale has a charcoal grill and Arden’Karm has a guidebook on local animals and plants plus a notebook and pen. “Okay, clearly we’ve been misunderstanding each other.”

“Yes. Very much so.” Dale says in an amused tone. “I want to know what’s edible and how can we make it better. If we’re going to be spending time here then good food goes a good way to making things a treat of a time. After all, good food is one of the big differences between surviving and thriving. I like thriving.”

“I want to see how everything has changed by it being a Great Forest… is that the right term?” Arden’Karm asks.

“It works. I want to finish getting you through your personal drama as smoothly as possible… and score a present for my little girl.”

“Which involves talking to Cali’Flynn.”

“Yes. What was the last thing you said to her?”

“I didn’t. She’s a friend of… a lot of my sisters. She’s very much been the unofficial Karm. I have no idea what the last thing I said was. I can barely remember it and I mostly just remember that once again no one could hear me over themselves.”

“Right. And your relationship to her in general?”

“I don’t know her. Not really. She’s always been part of the big crowd that is my sisters and mothers. … It’s part of why I left. I heard them planning to tell me about an engagement to her and I realized that… it would always be loud. I would always be talked over and always drowning in the noise. I had to leave.”

“Which might have hurt her.” Arix’Hewth says and Arden’Karm gives him an odd look. Dale can see this conversation is going to take a bit so he shrugs and steps away to start setting up the grill. He sends out an alert to the other sorcerers currently connected to The Lush Forest that he’s willing to fully cook and grill anything they bring him in exchange for a bite of it.

“Why are you pushing so much for something to benefit her?”

“I will admit, I do want to spoil my youngest daughter and an autographed Holo-Disk and a story of how I played matchmaker with her favourite celebrity is a hell of a thing. But there’s also the advantage to you.”

“How so?”

“Sorcerers grab a lot of attention wherever we go. When we’re noticed, we’re feared. For good reason. Most of us introduce ourselves with a three to four figure bodycount on average. To say nothing of the trauma and damage to the area. Hypercrete cracked and broken by weeds, roots and flowers might be a beautiful sight, but hypercrete is usually holding up something expensive and smashing it like a dry cracker usually breaks those things.” Arix’Hewth explains to Arden’Karm as Dale behind them gets his first delivery in the form of a handful of small snakes. They get sliced in half lengthwise, the digestive organs removed and skewered to be roasted over a medium flame.

“… Yes. Okay?” Arden’Karm asks after a moment.

“We’re trying to change that. Being feared can be useful. But being loved is generally a lot nicer.”

“So I’m public relations?”

“You’re already on your way. Your first big deed as a sorcerer was to cover and protect people, the worst you did was give a few cuts. You already have a reputation as the mysterious marksman who shows up, places higher and higher in each tournament and then vanishes into the badlands. Or rather ‘Dare’Kemka’ has such a reputation.” Arix’Hewth says as Dale finishes cooking the snakes and starts handing them back, keeping one of the several skewers to try. He then produces a bottle of barbecue sauce from an expanded pocket and dabs it with the sweet mixture.

“So you want me to… no. I don’t want that kind of attention.”

“Why not?” Arix’Hewth asks.

“Because people won’t leave me alone if I do.”

“And if you want to be alone, you can be at any time. Even right now, if you really don’t want to listen, you can just woodwalk away and I can’t stop you. I can try to follow. But games of tag with Sorcerers are a waste of time for the chaser, you can keep running and while I can keep chasing I won’t get anything done.” Arix’Hewth says as another delivery arrives for Dale.

The man’s eyebrows go up to see the armoured creature who’s segmented outer shell resembles a rock and a bit of muscle is needed to force it to uncoil and reveal it’s actually mammal underneath. “You know you don’t have to so damn literal with the Bonechewer title… this’ll be an interesting one.”

Brin’Char just roles his eyes, but watches with interest as Dale removes the snout with teeth, claws and slices open the underbelly of the creature to get the bladder out and then coils it up again. He proceeds to turn up the heat on his grill and close the top so it can roast inside it’s own shell. “I’m thinking ten minutes for the first try, then we open it up and see what it looks like. Not totally sure if it’s safe to eat rare, so let’s go for well done.”

“Just don’t burn it.”

“Sir! I am insulted! Do you really think that…” Dale begins to protest and Brin’Char points to the grill, or more specifically at the plume of smoke rising up from it. “Yeah, there was still some hair and dust on it. What’s your point?”

Brin’Char holds up his hands as if in surrender.

“I think I should take things one step at a time. Get used to being with my family again before going to see anything about Cali’Flynn.”

“Probably for the best. I’d like for things to happen quickly. But this is your life.”

“It’s probably going to be fast anyways. I know my sisters. They’ve already called her. Guaranteed.”

“Really?”

“Secrets don’t survive in Karm homes. If one of them knows something, the rest of them do. It’s faster than our link to The Forest. Somehow.”

“And Cali’Flynn is an unofficial member.”

“Yes. Yes she is. The pairing of me and her is basically marrying family without incest.”

“I can see why you ran.”

“I thought you liked her?”

“My daughter likes her. I like my daughter. Beyond that her music is background noise to me now. I have to pay attention to actually hear it.”

“Well she’s hearing about it right now if she hasn’t already.”

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“Oh my goddess!” A voice screams out in shock and a lithe Apuk woman loses her balance in the surprise and stumbles mid dance practice. “Flynni! There’s big news!”

“Really? What?” Cali’Flynn asks as she hops up quickly. The newest mini-skirt was working great. They were nearly see through like an insect wing and showed off her skin tight shorts underneath in hot pink. Much like the top of the outfit was also made to look like a big bug was trying and failing to cover her up with wings alone. Minus the bug itself. Just the mostly transparent wings for her crop top sweater and skirt. Coupled with her belly shirt under the ‘sweater’ and her hair dyed to match with a few animatronic bugs acting as pins to keep it in place and she looked like the Apuk Queen of Bugs in the cutest way.

“Read it! Read it! Read it! Reeaaad iiiiittt!” Her band member Urani Flyz, or Shar’Uran offstage, has Flynni’s communicator and hands it to her as she runs in, her bat-wing styled outfit stands out against her bright blond hair and it’s golden highlights. It’s almost the same as Flynn’s despite it being dark blue. On the communicator is a single message from some of her oldest besties, the same message in twenty different phrasings. They’ve got him back. He’s back. We have him.

Arden’Karm is found, safe and healthy.

“Oh my Goddess!” Flynni exclaims excitedly.

“Does this mean we’re getting that impossibly cute little man as a mascot?” Urani asks bouncing on her heels and Flynni’s eyes dart to the small collage of pictures on her dresser. It’s filled with images from her childhood, mostly selfies with different Karm family members, but right in each corner are four different pictures. Each one showing a dark haired Apuk boy with the same horns as the Karm family. But he’s always looking thoughtful, focused on whatever he’s doing and not seeing the picture being taken.

One has him playing a many stringed instrument with headphones attached to the speakers, one has him mixing something in a large bowl with absolute concentration, the next has him decorating a massive cake and the last is him simply napping in a plush chair, looking so small as to be swallowed up by the cushions.

“Maybe? I dunno, but I do know where I’m eating tonight! I can’t wait to see him again! We never got to fully announce that his sisters were setting him up with me before he vanished!”

“Oh that’ll be a nice surprise! You think he knows about Five Flyz?”

“Who doesn’t? We’re only the hottest new sound on Soben’Ryd!” Flynni says confidently. “We might be able to get a little something more. I told you he’s a classical lover right?”

“You did…”

“Well…”

“Think he might join the band?! Oh that! That’s a thought! Although we’ll need a rebrand… Soaring Six? Five Flyz and a Guy?” Urani asks.

“Either way, I need to see him first. Oh, I can only imagine what he might have been through! There was a strange note left behind …

Content cut off. Read original on https://old.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/1gefpvs/oocs_into_a_wider_galaxy_part_148/