Dionysus You're at the Arena, this is early on. Do you seek out Venuvea?

Jack_C first I seek out that dryad Arsul told me about.

Jack_C Jack will make himself available for Venuvea, but he figures she can't actually meet with him, so he doesn't put her in an awkward position.

Dionysus She's not arrived yet, Jack.

Dionysus The dryad, that is

Dionysus Venuvea comes to your room the first night./

• Jack_C ushers her in quickly.

Jack_C "I didn't want to draw attention to you, in case you had rules to follow."

Dionysus She smiles, "The rules are posted outside. They apply to everyone. I don't intend to attack you, so I think we're all right." She hugs, then kisses you.

• Jack_C is /very/ happy about that.

Jack_C "How have you been?"

Dionysus She laughs, "I don't want to think about that!"

• Jack_C laughs a little with her. "That bad, ay?"

Dionysus "Sailing isn't my idea of a good time," she grins. "And then there's getting this Contest running right. It's stressful."

Jack_C "Well I'm glad that's the worst. A couple a' things had me worried."

Jack_C "I uh...probably owe you some explanations on a few of those prayers. I didn't know what else to do."

Jack_C "Oh! Guess what! I'm a priest of music now!"

Dionysus "A Euphonic Knight, I know."

Dionysus She smiles, "And those prayers were startling. It's rude to do that to a living sainte."

Jack_C "That's what Dionysus says, too. I'm sorry if I caused any trouble."

Jack_C "Some of those, though, I just thought it was the best way to get a message to you."

Dionysus She nods, "Thank you, Jack."

Dionysus She smiles at your bed, then just drops down on it, spreading her wings as she does so, "I've missed you."

• Jack_C can take a hint. "I've missed you too." stretches out next to her.

Dionysus She pauses, "I'm afraid you'll win."

Jack_C "Why would you be afraid of that?"

Dionysus "Because then you'll have to go again, and I'll have to decide whether I should go, too. And I'm so terrified of the King of Thorns..." She shudders.

Jack_C "He's a pretty scary bloke."

Dionysus She smiles, "You'd protect me, wouldn't you?"

Jack_C "Well I'd sure do my damndest." Smirk humorously, "I've got a full six weeks training as a body guard!" pose mock-heroicly.

Jack_C "Seriously though, I'm not as young as I used to be, if I ever was. I used to be a decent bar brawler, but..."

• Jack_C shakes his head. "I don't wanna lie to you about my assets."

Dionysus She smiles, "You are a Euphoric Knight. Your strength is not in your body, but your voice."

• Jack_C nods. "Good. Singin' I can do."
• Jack_C thinks about that.

Dionysus "I'll show you about it more... later."

Jack_C "I can go with that. Meanwhile--Oh! I nearly forgot!"

Jack_C I get her the music box I bought for her in Marraddon.

Dionysus She opens it and smiles as it plays. She listens, watching it go, for a long time.

• Jack_C just streatches out and listens, relaxing.

Dionysus When she finally puts it down, she curls into you and holds you tightly

• Jack_C returns the sentiment

Dionysus She eventually falls asleep that first night.

Jack_C awesome

Dionysus We'll come back to her in a short bit.

Jack_C cool.

Dionysus Pomilla the Green Piper, the druidess, comes to you shortly after she arrives.

Jack_C "Allo."

Dionysus "My name is Pomilla. I am a druidess of Berellia, and I communed with the World Tree on my quest. While upon the void moon, a fellow of yours helped me to get a song. I owe him a debt."

Jack_C "The void moon...Was that Sue?"

Dionysus "Subiquim Ixioj, yes."

Jack_C "So you wanna meet him?"

Dionysus "No, sir. I promised him I would give to you seeds for your simurgh. I have haoma seeds from the World Tree, and if your simurgh eats them, he will grow to adulthood."

Jack_C "Hey! There we go!" <Little Wing, you hear that?>

Jack_C "I bet he'll like that."

Dionysus Little Wing chirps, <Yes, papa.>

Dionysus He flits up to your shoulders from your pocket, <I'll hanve to get used to up here.>

Dionysus Pomilla smiles, and holds out a handful of seeds.

Dionysus Little Wing looks to you, <May I, Papa?>

Jack_C <This one's your call, kiddo.>

Dionysus He hesitates, then flits down and eats a few. As he does, he ages, rapidly, to adulthood. His plumage shimmers in magnificent color, and his dog-like face takes on a sharper, slightly more bird-like form, but still canine.

Dionysus By the tenth seed, he's a full fledged adult, and he is breath-taking.

• Jack_C nods, smiling proudly

Dionysus His song is rich, beautiful, <Papa,> and he sounds mature, <Thank you! Thank the lady for me!>

Dionysus He flies around the room

Jack_C "He's very grateful. Thank you."

Jack_C <Have a look at yourself in the mirror! You're gorgeous!>

Dionysus He flows through the air to a mirror, and Pomilla bows in response, then leaves.

Dionysus He laughs in chrips in the air, then flows back to your shoulders, <This is wonderful, Papa.>

• Jack_C closes the door, and sits down on the bed. "So...I don't know how simurgh do it, but...among humans, there'd be a talk right about now."

Jack_C "This is...so different from human children, at least by my guess."

Jack_C ...crap. <> instead of quotes.

Dionysus <Papa, I understood all that at birth.>

• Jack_C thinks about that.

Jack_C Then shakes his head, blushing. <I was gonna talk philosophy, not mechanics.>

Jack_C <Besides, I'm not even remotely qualified to teach a simurgh...anyway,>

Dionysus <There's supposed to only be two of my kind on this world, and my presence is a third, Papa. I don't think there /is/ a female out there for me. But that's okay.>

Jack_C <right. I was speakin' in more general terms. What I was gonna say was, you're an adult now,>

Jack_C <And that means you gotta be lookin' at makin your own way in the world.>

Dionysus <I can still stay with you, right? And help you?"

Dionysus >

Jack_C <Among other things, I sorta gave you a name as a child, but you're not so little anymore. So what's your name now?>

Dionysus <Little Wing works, Papa. I'm still not a rukh, afterall.>

Jack_C <Okay. Well, my point is, a lot of things are your choice now. I can advise you if you want, but you'll be makin' your own decisions now.>

Jack_C <Like for example, stayin' with me.>

Jack_C <Yeah, you can, for sure,>

Jack_C <Just don't feel like you have to.>

Jack_C <Can I ask why you want to?>

Dionysus <Because you're... my papa, and my friend. And I feel like there's... a whole world you and I must share.>

Jack_C <Great. Well I'll be glad to have you with me. I love you, Little Wing. I wanna do right by you.>

Jack_C <So you're pretty clear on why /I'm/ on this path, right?>

Dionysus <I love you, too, Papa. And yes, Papa. I understand.>

Jack_C <There is a whole world out there to see, and we've seen lots of it. we've seen some outlandish things together.>

Dionysus <Am I the weirdest thing you've seen today?> he jokes.

• Jack_C laughs. <So far.>

Dionysus <So far!> he alleyoops in the air, then lands on your shoulder.

Jack_C <This is...this is also the part where I get a little sappy. This may be different from human children, but...I'm proud of you.>

Dionysus He chirps happily, <Thank you, Papa! I'm proud to have you as my papa!>

Jack_C <So from here on out, be thinkin' about your life and how you want to live it. What you wanna do with it. You're an adult. It's yours now.>

Dionysus <Thank you, Papa. I will.>