Upon Vestia: Chapter Twenty-Five

First topic message reminder :

Starr shrugged and looked out the window again. "I don't know. I just want things to be normal."

Asher managed a small smile. "So, is there any work here that needs to be done?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

~~
Ellie sorta half hugged Matt, hopefully without making it impossible for him to steer his chair, "It's gonna be okay, man." They reached the new playground room.

Kay shook his head. [Unfortunately, as usual we've been too efficient.] He lamented. [It's awful that I sort of look forward to people injuring themselves just to have something to do isn't it?]

---

Matt patted Ellie's arm. "Don't mind me Ellie, i'm just in a grump" He didn't want to get everyone worrying about him, it was annoying and weird.
He looked around the new room. "So what's the plan?"

Armin looked up and bowed his head in greeting.

Starr looked to the door as Ellie and Matt came in "Hello again" She said then looked back to the image of what they were thinking of for the playground, right now, the tree and rope ladder from it. "So far this is the idea"

Asher looked amused at that. "We really need to be less good at our jobs. This is getting ridiculous." He looked at the desk mournfully. "Not a shopping list or a mess to be seen, much less an actual patient."

~~
"Whoa, it's a playground for ghosts, man!" Ellie said, looking at the playground image and promptly forgetting about her worry for Matt. "Man, if I'd had one of these when Third ghostified me, I'd still be a ghost."

Starr laughed at that and shook her head "It is only an image of what they playground will look like, we can add to it or change things as needed."

"That's a pretty cool trick." Matt conceded.

Armin kept drawing, handing the notepad to Starr for her to look at. He'd drawn in a few rope net platforms.

---

Kay looked thoughtful. [Well we can't go far, we're the only medics onboard again. Want to watch someone on my tablet?]

Starr looked to the notebook then added the platforms to the image "It's basically an illusion spell." She said with a shrug. "Did you have any ideas to add?" She asked, adding a swing or two off to the side.

"Well if I'm ever a ghost again, I'm going to play on it," Ellie said. She looked at Armin's ideas, "Hey, those are cool! Maybe you should get into children's playground stuff design. And maybe make stuffed animals." She added to Starr, "Matt was thinking maybe fountains instead of ponds or streams."

~~
Asher laughed. "And it would be a terrible idea for me to go anywhere near Scott again. Better to stay in here." He nodded. "Yes, let's watch something."

Matt just watched the playground's ghostly shape, letting the others brainstorm. He didn't have the energy right now.

"Thank you." Armin bowed his head to Ellie. "I have never made any.. stuffed animals. "

---

Kay nodded grimly. [Do you think he suspects? It's not supposed to be possible for your coding to be broken right? ] Still, it was worrying to think there was someone out there who might blow their cover.

Starr nodded at that and looked to Ellie "That makes sense, like this?" She asked, adding onto the illusion spell. She had one that had the pattern in the center then a boat on either side with 'cannons' to shoot water at one another or targets then a water activity place on the far side. There was a short wall on this side, to keep the water in one area, and with a gate for when they wanted the kids to stay out of there

"I think you'd be good at making stuffed animals. Plus it would be something new to try doing," Ellie told Armin. "I mean, so many possibilities! You could make vavare plushies and stuff."
She looked at Starr's latest addition to the park hologram, "Now I'm jealous. Our playgrounds never had ships with cannons where I came from."

~~
"He seemed very suspicious of me last time we saw him. I don't think he was entirely convinced by our arguments," Asher said. "I doubt he'd be able to convince anyone else that I was free very easily, but it's still too risky to go near him. The last thing we want is for word to get back to MegaBrainTech, and have them start putting the pieces together."

"that...is actually awesome." Matt agreed. "How you gonna make all this? Do you know how to build fences and stuff?"

Armin chuckled. "Perhaps I shall try."

---

Kay nodded. [We won't let that happen. ]

"No, that would be very bad," Asher said. He sighed. "The most compelling reason I can think of to rush into the robot rights campaign, is that the longer we travel the universe free, the more likely it is that they'll hear about us. I'd rather wait, but there are certainly reasons to hurry."

Kay looked wary. [Don't rush into anything without a solid plan, and maybe we should keep Mourn away from any more android dealerships.] He managed a weak smile.

"Yeah, I think we'd better set a hard ban on picking up new androids," Asher agreed. He looked at Kay with a sad smile. "I'm not going to do anything before I've talked very carefully with some sapient rights people and a lawyer, but at the same time, we're currently a liability to the safety of my species which is... not good." He shook his head, "I don't know. Personally, I'd like to wait until after we go to the Imperium. I just hope our cover doesn't get blown before then."

Kay nodded. [So long as nobody goes wandering and getting into fights or breaking those stupid laws in front of people, we're probably okay.] He reached out and patted Asher reassuringly on the arm, but another problem was eating away at him now. [How are we going to get into Imperium space? I really doubt they'll just let a huge alien cruise ship cross the border] Maybe Matt would be able to walk by then? but would he be strong enough to shape space? eugh.

"With magic, anything is possible." Starr replied and smiled at Ellie. The girl made her feel better, more carefree.

Asher wasn't entirely sure James wouldn't do something stupid. If anyone would get in a fight on impulse, it was his brother. Ugh.
He considered Kay's question. "Maybe Starr can cloak the Silver Devil or the Tiger? She knows a lot of useful magic, and she did figure out how to fool sensors with my pendant. Maybe she can do something similar with a small ship."

~~
"Man, I wish I had magic," Ellie joked. "It's amaaazing." She patted Armin on the shoulder. "We're gonna do something that'll totally amaze the kids!"

Kay nodded slowly. [I hope so] He looked troubled, he wasn't looking forward to going home, at all.

---

Armin chuckled. "I do hope so."

"So where do we start?" Matt asked.

Asher tried to look as reassuring as he could. "How about we watch that movie now?" It would be better than thinking about what was still ahead of them, anyway.

Kay nodded and browsed through to the list of films for them to watch. Something with Asher's 'not crush' maybe? that'd be good at distracting.

Asher looked amused when he saw what Kay was considering. Good old CGI Dwayne Johnson. Always brightening rainy days.
"Everything's better with CGI replicas of professional wrestlers who eventually decided to be actors?" he said.

Kay smiled a genuine smile. [Plus I get to see the look on your face when his shirt inevitably gets ripped] He teased.

Asher laughed. "You mean my look of sorrow as they put a perfectly good shirt to waste?" He joked.

Kay nudged him. [You know exactly what I mean.] He started the movie.

Asher looked amused. He really didn't have that much interest in CGI Dwayne Johnson's impressive physique, but it was funny to joke about. And they needed some humor right now. "You say that as if you won't be thrilled too," he told Kay, watching as the movie started. "I know I'm not the only one."

[Well we'll both just have to control ourselves.] Kay reasoned, switching to paper and a pen so they could watch the movie in full screen. He balanced the tablet on the desk for them both to watch.