The Guild Capitol: Chapter One

The entrance to the portal that led to Asteroid Manifest was grand -- a great stone arch depicting sculptures of feathers and scrolls scribbled with Archean text guarded it, along with two Peacekeeper sentries who looked that the newcomers, nodding once in hello, before returning to their alert stations. The whole scene looked almost from a storybook, instead of smoothly paved asphalt, instead pretty marbled cobblestone (which was oddly flat to walk on) and a wide road headed towards many buildings that seemed almost out of place with how advanced they were compared to the stone roads. A large fountain rested in the center of a circled town square, four figures sculpted into it; one was a woman with a dryad looking face, her body wrapped in tight clothes as she was forever suspended in a graceful bound. A second creature looked to be almost spiderkin, but was quite large in comparison to vavare and had a much taller and leaner torso, with insect eyes and mouth that was locked tightly with vertical razor teeth. A third man was also sculpted, vaguely familiar to any who had met with Arya on the first mission; a simple silhouette with an almost cartoonish skull for a face. Finally, the sculpted man most heightened was none other than a depiction of Ragnarok himself, his swirling flames across the bottom of his robe forever suspended in stony projection.

Cafe store fronts littered with different aliens of all kinds and likeness, many walked around and avoided the new tourists though did smile and wave a few times as they passed. The large fountain was occupied by a woman, with fox ears and tail, wearing a top half of a kabuki mask while playing a shamisen, three orbs of water of different shades being played around with by the three draconic serpents that seemed delighted with her presence. On the other side of the fountain was a group of Terrans -- or would have been, if many of them didn't look malformed or changed, one man with spindly arachnid legs sticking out of his side as he wore a mask, a few of them having differing features of cross species from the Galaxy. One old geezer was covered head to toe in runic tattooos and was tiredly carrying heavy and thick gossamer dragonfly wings on his back as they sang merrily.

Across the way were a group of three normal looking Terran, all women, who were handling equines of massive size, two of them easily twelve feet in height, the third dwarfed by about four less feet. While the first two were powerful and the color of the sky; one a blue roan and the other a stormy gray, the smaller was spindly, quicker, and of a dark black, looking almost skeletal. The final oddity about these horses were the fact that they each had a pair of alarmingly huge wings. The bigger two gracious and feathery, and the tinier one with large, leathery bat-like ones.

Kay was attracting attention again. This timeby a group of three almost elvish looking people, all wearing that same wolf-embroidered tabard. They then quickly lost interest when they spotted Flora, who was waving them off, chuckling and returning to speak among themselves.

"Welcome to Capitol Square!" Flora said happily, "This is basically everyone's entertainment center for the more city-minded folk."

Kay cringed and looked distinctly uncomfortable at the attention. [Who are these people with the wolf tabards? And why are they so interested in me?] He asked. He already knew it had to be relating to his condition, but the idea that any would actually be HAPPY about this state disturbed him greatly.

Esk kept a distance from the horses, he really... really... hated horses.
Though he did whisper to Tala "See? Not cows."

Matt grinned and waved back at anyone who did so, looking around at everything curiously. Were those terrans like their spider kids? who were the statues of? What WAS up with the wolf people and how was this ground not wobbly? So many questions, he barely knew where to start asking.

Swarm was delighted, that much was clear from the loud humming sound they made as they poked into everything they could and explored as much as possible without drifting too far from their guide. Some races here they recognised, some only from history books and others from actual interaction. Some they didn't, and these they fixated on.

"Swarm's gonna end up bloated with all this new stuff to see." Esk remarked flatly.

Mourn laughed. "It like all you can eat seafood buffet"

"Do you think they puke knowledge?" Matt asked.

"We do not." Swarm informed him merrily.

Matt laughed.

Luka clung to James' arm and focused on the ground. This was too much, just... way too much to take in all at once.

Armin looked up at the statues, tilting his head at the oddly familiar figure. He bowed his head politely to any who expressed friendliness, bobbing so much his neck started to hurt. Oh dear, this place was extremely crowded wasn't it?
He hastened his pace to catch up with Flora.
"These people, are they refugees like us?" He asked.

"Those are the members of the Pack of Stormhowl." Flora explained gently, "Like you, they are infected. Unlike you, they have taken treatment, and while it is not a complete cure like the ones given to the recently infected or those whose bodies crush themselves under the weight of shifting, it has allowed them to master the blinding rage they experience every full moon. They call the rite of passage 'Taming of the Beast.' It was quite remarkable, when their alpha, Lupa, came to the Inquisitors and demanded they recognize that the curse can in fact be mastered and tamed by the victims. Now, instead of a curse, the people call it a double edged sword, also a blessing. There are very few people accepted into Lupa's pack, but each of them have mastered over the instinctual urge to maul that you can in fact see them either voluntarily shift into their forms in daylight, or on full moons, can see large wolves conversing fluently as if they were not infected at all. Though a few do say that they have a strong desire to run and hunt..." Flora thought about it, and laughed harshly, "Lupa's words were a bit of a slap in the face to those who believed the curse could never be tamed. I remember it well. 'My heart is pure! My soul divine! None of you who spit at me now can ever have strength to battle this beast! I'm strong. Stronger than all of you. Much stronger! The blood of the Beast runs through my veins, and I welcome its strength and its lesson! It cannot tame me, for I have bested it!'"

Esk shouldn't have looked that direction. The dark black horse seemed to glare right back at him, as if to ask, Problem?

"A lot of them are, yes." Flora explained to Armin, "The Guild is always taking in refugees from slave camps, civil wars, black market merchandise and the like."

Kay tried not to shudder. The idea of taming the beast was admirable, but actually embracing it? That thing was unnatural, and the idea of running and hunting like some common animal honestly depressed him. No, he preferred only being a wolf every so often, he valued his mind too much to surrender any to those instincts. [I take it they were natural shifters already before they were infected? ] He knew of absolutely no non shifting beings who could survive the process, their bodies were simply not designed to handle it.

Esk looked disgusted by the wolves. "They're forming packs now? great...We can take you for walkies Kay." He smirked at his brother who glared at him.
Esk glared back at the horse and kept well away. There was a glimmer of something other than hate in his eyes though, was it... fear? Not quite, more like some heavily buried trauma.

"It is heartening to see so many different cultures and species intermingling so peacefully." Armin remarked. "Who are they?" He asked, pointing up at the statues.

Luka watched the wolf tabard people warily, smart infected... well that was nightmarish.

Asher stayed protectively near Kay, watching the other Infected a bit warily. It was nice that they had mastered their disease, but he didn't like that they were starting at Kay and making him uncomfortable. Poor guy didn't need that.

Tala snorted. "The horses try to be like us, but they shall never succeed. I am glad you understand, Esk."

"I don't think i'll ever understand you Tala." Esk spoke flatly. Crazy old minotaur, at least she was sort of amusing in her insanity.

"I'd be careful saying that around them." Flora chuckled good-naturedly at Esk. "The Inquisitors have been making sure they keep in line as it is. They physically want to reveal themselves to the Satare, as a gesture of 'Ha ha, ha ha ha, your plan backfired.' Needless to say, not even Lupa was that cocky. Usually the younger ones suggest that... But yes, all of the member are natural shifters. Perhaps they'll be more open when people start to accept them for who they are rather than their disabilities."

"No, Aech, no -- WAIT! WAAAIT!" Suddenly the Terran that was holding the equine's reins were being dragged by them. The other two horsekeepers were laughing their prompt asses off and the rest of the square that noticed this was chuckling. This must be a common theme. The equine, 'Aech,' was strutting up to the group brazenly, not giving two shits.

"You're a magnet for bad luck, aren't you?" Flora looked at Esk incredulously. She smiled. "Don't worry, though. Aech doesn't kick unless he's handled or touched without permission. He's a rather intelligent thing.

"YOU TRY HANDLING A THESTRAL, GOD DAMNIT!" The woman was yelling back at her friends (who were still laughing so hard they couldn't breathe) as she futilely tried pulling the reins back. The thestral walked right up to the group, its intelligent eyes gazing down at all of them, particularly Esk.

"Those?" Flora pointed up at the statues before puffing her chest out proudly, "Those are the four Guild Inquisitors. The most powerful and wise of us all. You could say they are our leaders."

Tala snorted again. "You can see the deception in its eyes. Horses cannot be trusted."

James edged away, still clinging to Luka. Ummm. This didn't seem good.

"Somehow I really doubt that'd go down too well with the Empire." Matt shrugged at Flora's remark. "Heck, if anything, intelligent infected is almost worse. Are they still infectious?"

[There already ARE intelligent infected. ] Kay flinched. [They're sociopathic.]

Then the Thestral escaped.

Esk froze, staring at the skeletal horse with a combination of intense loathing and concern.

"Man Esk, usually animals run from you." Matt remarked.

"This isnt' a normal animal." Esk spat.

Armin tilted his head at the creature, then sensing intelligence he bowed his head graciously.

Luka actually cried out in fear, that thing was utterly terrifying. "What does it want?" She demanded, her voice trembling.

"A Thestral?" The Swarm coalesced into their humanoid form. "They are closely linked with death" "And the incubus child must reek of it." "Perhaps they sense a kinship... " "Or they just enjoy the look on his face." "It should not harm you Lieutenant. They are generally peaceful creatures" "Generally" "Always exceptions of course"

Starr frowned as the thestrial came closer to their group, though she kept her place. So much to be seen here, yet it almost felt like they were in a fishbowl with all the attention.


Dawn frowned too, though she moved closer to Esk's side, keeping out of reach to stay safe. She wasn't going to let the weird horse thing hurt her friend.

Shane was caught up in looking at everything, though he finally did take notice when the girl was screaming to 'wait'.

"They indeed are still infectious, but they take careful heed in their bodily fluids." She looked sternly at Kay. "I hope that remark wasn't directed at the Stormhowl."

The thestral was still for a moment, allowing the woman to get up, panting as she looked at the group. Suddenly 'Aech' began leaning his head towards Esk, but was promptly stopped by the girl. "No!"

It snuffed, and leaned forward again, only to be pushed back again. "No!"

The process was repeated several times. "No -- Na-- Wai-- Stop it-- Aech -- damnit--!"

She finally kept a careful hold on the thestral's neck, looking around at everyone apologetically. "They're obviously uncomfortable."

Aech paused, then looked down at his handler with a bemused look, snorting as he pawed once, the whiplike threadbare tail twitching. Does it look like I care?

Kay shook his head. [There are those non shifting infected who... seem to retain at least some of their sanity and enough of their mind to be more than mindless monsters. Arguably, they're more dangerous than the slavering beasts, because they can plan and they can scheme.] He winced, apparently this was a painful memory for him. [They can pretend to be something they aren't.]

He watched the thestral warily.

Esk stood his ground, staring back at the animal. "What does it want?" He demanded.

"Maybe he's just being friendly?" Matt suggested.

Flora nodded at this, watching quietly. She seemed to respect Aech as a very intelligent and demanding creature.

"Trust me," the woman reasoned, still looking sorry, "If he wanted to hurt you he would have tried already."

Suddenly the thestral leaned forward and... began chewing on Esk's hair. Oddly, Esk's ability wasn't working. At least not on the thestral the woman looked horrified.

"OH MY GOD, AECH! AECH NO!" She batted the equine away who snorted in annoyance and stopped, stepping back. She immediately was pulling out a rag and forcing it into Esk's hands, squeaking. "I'm so sorry! So, so sorry! Oh my God..."

The horse looked smug as all Hell.

Dawn moved at that, reaching over to stop the female from touching Esk and taking the rag. She used a bit of air to hold the rag out to Esk as she looked at the woman then the Thestrial.

Esk tried to pull away, hair chewing was just not okay damnit. He took the rag from Dawn, a faint glimmer of thanks in his eyes that vanished in an instant. He whipped the rag out of the air and wiped the spit from his hair.
"What... the hell?" He glared at the thestral. Yep, reaffirming his hatred for all things equine.

Matt tried very hard not to laugh. "Making friends already baby bro."

Esk glared at Matt.

The thestral whinnied at Esk even more smugly. The woman wasnpractically grovelling for forgiveness at this point, looking incredibly embarrassed. "H-He's probably hungry..." she pulled out a pack of something that was on her side. She opened it, cold water vapor emitting from its refrigerated source as she took out long strands of meat. She gave one to the equine, who took it neatly, still proud of his moment.

"Thestrals are generally attracted to the scent of death. They're carrion creatures." She explained miserably. "Did something happen with you?"

"He is half incubus." The swarm told the woman helpfully.

Esk glared at them too.
He did NOT smell of carrion damnit.

"Oh." She said sheepishly, "Usually the smell of death implies there is carrion. Not that you smell of it. Aech is just fucking with you then, which means he either likes your face... or loathes it."

Dawn moved back to her place beside Esk, still staring at the Thestrial in silence. Yeah, that was a big horse thing, and it ate meat.

Esk grumbled.

Matt couldn't not laugh at this point. Which earned him a rather wonderful scowl from Esk.
He hated all this attention.

"Don't care, keep it away from me." He muttered.

James looked at Luka. "Well, this place sure is interesting," he said, trying to sound light. All the open air was throwing off his normal interest in new things though.

Ethan stayed near the back of the group, watching all this warily. Horses. Strangeness. Strangers. This really wasn't his idea of fun at all.

Ellie was having a great time watching the drama unfold. What a cool horse!

"I can try, but Aech has a mind of his own." The woman said regretfully, "I may be considered his handler, but it's only because he lets me. Thestrals and Pegasi are very intelligent. Sapient, even. They may not speak our tongue but they understand it fluently. Really, handlers are more like bipedal partners or even workers. I was the only one Aech has been allowed to get close to willingly."

"Smug, rude and gives no shits? Wow, Esk, I think we just found your soulmate." Shock muttered.

Dawn turned to look at Shock with a frown, finally distracted from Aech. "Shock" Well, he did live up to his name. She shook her head and looked back to the horses. She had never seen horses like these or even heard of such before. It was amazing to her at least.

"Fuck off Shock." Esk spat, not taking his eyes off the Thestral.

"It's... like a dead horse moving around." Luka whispered to James. "I don't like it." She looked pretty freaked out.

"Come on Esk, just pat the undead horsie and let's get on with our tour" Matt suggested flippantly.

"It's not undead." Esk told him flatly. "And it's not a horse." Not really anyway, but it still had that vicious glare of spiteful pettiness he recognised as equine. Damn horses.

"Can he communicate in a non verbal manner?" Armin asked curiously.

Mourn got closer to get a better look, tilting his head at the Thestral. "Why you special?" He asked the woman abruptly. "you smell of death too?"