Leveling Up (SI, Disgaea)

[dingbat779]

Chapter 11



We didn't go straight to Earth Bet. I had a couple things to take care of first. The first one was having Flonne snag the Slayer Scythe. It stood to reason that a weapon made for women to kill Demons would let an Angel near. Once that was done we Item Worlded it to full and claimed the Scythe from the Item God. Even got a nifty Slayer Soul Gem out of the deal. Then we upgraded that and I kept the upgraded one. It only worked for Humans. By a technicality I was still Homo Sapien so yay for loophole abuse! Defeating that Item God netted us the Demon's equipped Slayer Soul Gem and another Slayer Soul Gem. Evoria reminded me of my deal with Richard the First, Second and Third. To him I bequeathed my Rejuvenation Skill and made him sign a contract to never become a True Demon. He was already Lawful Evil. Where was the harm in trusting him with the planet after I was gone? I stopped by to give the recently awakened Slayer Kennedy a Soul Gem. What I meant to do was make sure the line remained unbroken. Pleinair used her powers to spread the Soul Gem's powers to every Potential on the planet. For our last trick we demolished the Senior Partners. Then we finally left the universe behind.

I am quite aware we left a whole shitstorm behind us. Let the Powers that Be do their jobs for once.

By about this point in the story the gang tried to clean up Brockton Bay. A worthy goal to be sure. The way they did it was just a tad immoral. Xander shapeshifted into a blackman to bait the Nazis. Willow used mind rapey contracts on the Merchants to dismantle them. Dawn was the only one being outwardly heroic by rescuing people from crashed cars and burning buildings. Thankfully, their moral compasses were properly tuned this time around. Their efforts at heroism weren't as brutally efficient, but still effective. Really, with their power it was trivial. We appeared right in the middle of a strategy session. More time passed than I thought. There were two full teams of Undersiders, two Rileys. Can't forget the second Panacea and Glory Girl. Translation? They rescued a whole bunch of Parahumans from a ParaBrockton. Naturally the Scoobies were glad to see us.

"..and we got a Quest to defeat the Endbringers and Zion," Xander concluded.

"We're planning to make a Tinkertech Super Bomb and just drop it in his dimension. No fuss, no muss," Dawn dusted her hands off.

"Why don't you run the whole plan by me?" I asked.

The plan was excessively complicated and power cheesy. The kind of plan I adore. Let me break it down in pieces. Their whole idea was contingent on jailbreaking each Parahuman's power by giving them cloning them. Now the Clones weren't perfect so the Shard would connect slightly differently. It was still the same power, but a different expression. Then they would use another power to induce a Second Trigger. All of the Parahumans involved, the Scooby Team included, would get a huge grab bag from the mass trigger. Their dimensional bomb would be dropped through to Zion's world after the Endbringers were gone. I could have left it at that, but my inner Munchkin cried out. This plan could be better! How you may ask? Quite simple! I sent the team to Item World the Slayer Gems and a Slayer Scythe. The goal was to keep them out of the way and make more Super Slayers. That's when I told my group the Plan.

Naturally Evoria called my sanity into question.

"What part of this is sane!?" Evoria erupted. Flonne and Pleinair quickly hugged each other in shock. No one was hugging me. Even they agreed this was crazy.

"It's simple. Rejuvenation can revive us from death at Level 1 with 10% of our Max Stats. It's a free one up! Pleinair can gate us out of danger at a moment's notice. You're too fast to be caught and can steal parameters. Flonne can make barriers that withstand my Omega class spells. With all that I think it could work," I folded my arms with a satisfied smile.

"You're talking about going to an alternate dimension and fighting Zion, Eden and Abaddon! This isn't a twisted Boss Gauntlet!" Evoria facepalmed.

"Just think of what we could gain. Canisters of their powers. Imagine what we could accomplish then. The four of us would be more powerful than any Overlord in history!" I cackled with delight.

"Ahem," Flonne cleared her throat.

"Seraph too," I hastened to assure her.

"Better," she nodded firmly.

"I really feel like I've become the voice of reason. I don't like it," Evoria pouted. I gave her a little kiss.

"You get to pick the next Jump, okay?" I smiled.

"Just make it a relaxing one. No more power leveling for a while," she finally relented.

When I say a plan will work, they really should question me more. Oh, we won all right, and earned a ton of great stuff. Like Soul Gems from each of the Entities and Canisters with their Powers. In the process we destroyed every Earth in that cluster. We ended up taking another week moving the survivors to the cluster we left. For those that didn't survive we had to Rejuvenate them. Flonne didn't even have to use the Sad Panda face to get us to fix things. That didn't stop us from Item Worlding the Gems and Canisters. We fused the Gems and made enough for the four of us. Sorry Scoobs, but this was strictly for us. Then we fully upgraded the canisters, mixed them and yadda yadda yadda…

Suffice it to say the Canister was brokenly overpowered. Especially when we cloned enough for everyone.

Unsurprisingly our contractees were scared to death of the glowing canister.

"Don't worry! Rejuvenation will keep you alive. If it does kill you, you'll revert to Level 1 with 10% of your max stats. Now the formula might be too powerful. Some people might only get a fraction of the powers. Others might get the full amount. If it doesn't work then we'll just use Second Trigger. Does everyone have their Nemean Lion Soul Gems equipped?" I asked. A chorus of 'yes' and wary nods greeted my question.

We drained the canisters. At first nothing happened. Then came a rumbling, but it wasn't outside. It was inside my own body! All of my parameters started to increase rapidly! I could feel my powers expanding. Soon I could look upon the cosmos like a god! A chaotic swirl of multicolored light radiated from each of us. Somehow we were still alive. This was proof that my plan worked! It was the perfect plan! That was when I activated Second Trigger…

Awareness came slowly. I couldn't feel my fingers or my toes. My whole body felt off. It was surprisingly hard to get back to my feet. The clatter of wood on marble startled me. Trying to look at my feet was a shock too. I had a beak dood! Wait, dood? Pale lavender flippers slapped against my cheeks as I tried not to freak out. Too late. I was definitely starting to freak. Somehow I became a Prinny! Despairing cries of 'Dood' echoed all around me. A veritable variety pack of multicolored Prinnies greeted my disbelieving stare.

"I told you this was a bad idea, dood!" Evoria railed. Lightning flashed in her eyes. She wasn't mad enough to call off the engagement, but I was definitely on the couch.

"I-I'm an Angel Prinny d-dood!?" A white and yellow Prinny exclaimed. Flonne's fluffy white wings looked especially weird on a stuffed penguin.

[Dood]. A sign bearing Prinny stared at me. The white rabbit ears scotch taped to the head were really out of place. Pleinair looked as pleased as the others.

"How is this not harming us dood!?" A blazing red Prinny demanded in Willow's voice.

"You're still alive dood?" I pointed out hesitantly.

How could this be anything but harm? Some of the Prinnies fell back down in shock. Others were screaming that this was the end of the world. Still others seemed perfectly fine with it. The Riley Prinnies really wanted us in their lab at some point. Panacea went catatonic because her powers kept turning stuff into Prinnies. No clue why. My brain slowly shut down as the insanity threatened to overwhelm me. Gamer's Mind kicked in to take care of that. Unfortunately, it left me sane enough to see what happened next. The Aisha Twins were pushed beyond their endurance and rushed me as one. That seemed to be the signal for everyone to charge. I had Alexandria's power from the Canister! Too bad it doesn't do anything for the internals. My fiancee and friends unintentionally stopped me from backing up. The crash was incredible. A new rumbling started. This time I could hear it in the others too. Their eyes widened to blank pools of white.

"It has been a pleasure being your Overlord, dood. Good luck and Dood Speed," I saluted.

Ending Achieved:
PRINNY DAY!


AN: The natural conclusion to all the obsessive power wanking? The author being a troll? All of the above? You be the judge!

In the fine tradition of Disgaea I just had to include an alternate ending. They did survive their collision. Brockton Bay, hell the entire East Coast, damn near didn't but they managed. Getting stuck as Prinnies for ten years is a good punishment. Yes, SI!Me has a boon/curse that prevents her from being changed from a Human. Except what is a Prinny but a Human Soul stuffed in a penguin suit?

Oh and SI!Me's Intelligence Stat is being replaced with a general Magic Stat. There was nothing Intelligent about this.

 

[dingbat779]

Chapter 12



Almost ten years as a talking stuffed penguin was Hell. All of our powers were reduced to Prinny level. I could still 1v1 Prinny Baal, but I wouldn't. Facing him, or anyone, like this was just humiliating! The Precog powers we gained helped us speedrun the rest of the Jump. Sadly that left us with nothing else to do but mope. I really thought Evoria would break off our engagement over this. She did say it wasn't a good idea. Dragging my fiancee, Flonne and Pleinair into this mess sucked. Even the people under my protection suffered my mistake. Luckily they were able to use Rejuvenation and regain their normal forms. It didn't work on us. So here we were shuffling out of the Gate to the Reverse Castle. We were still in the Prinny bodies despite the Jump ending. Before we would mope some more, Muse approached. She unzipped the penguin suits. There was a flash of light and we were back to normal.

"Well that was dumb," Muse's statement added just a bit more to my heaps of self recrimination.

"Yeah I know…" I folded my arms (I could fold my arms again!) in frustration.

"How was she supposed to know it would do that?" Flonne protested.

"Because power like that is never free. There is always a cost. It would've been different if we paid CP, but this was different," Evoria said waspishly.

Pleinair just looked done with it all. She didn't even use a sign. Her silence spoke volumes.

"I made a terrible miscalculation and dragged you into it. I would understand if you didn't want to be my friend after this," I smiled bitterly. How does one come back from this? I got countless people killed across an entire multiverse. Just because we managed to resurrect them didn't make it right.

"Girls? I need to talk to my fiancee," Evoria said quietly with a hint of menace.

"But…!" Flonne tried to interject, but Pleinair held her back. The silent mascot shook her head sorrowfully.

"Yes, you do need to talk to your fiancee, but not here. I still haven't stabilized the atmosphere. You're going to have to pick a Jump and finish up there," Muse said sternly.

"...The choice is yours," I said to Evoria. The Demon Thief nodded once.

"Send us to a vacation Jump. I don't care if it has super powerful Perks or not. We need to talk. That means no world shaking catastrophes or interesting plots. Can you turn off our Precog too? I'm getting a damn migraine from blocking everyone out," Evoria grit her teeth.

"Do you want it shut down for one Jump or all? If taken for one I'll give all of you 200 CP. If you want it off for the rest of the chain? That'll be 400 CP. Those totals are with the Alt Chain Builder boons included," Muse said.

"What do you think we should do? Personally, I think we should go with the Chain Drawback." I might be feeling like a heel, but that didn't mean I had no right to speak.

"Sounds good to me," Flonne glanced at Evoria and Pleinair. The blue haired Demoness gave her a thumbs up.

"Right. We're taking the Chain Drawback to shut down the Entity-based Precog abilities," Evoria said.

"You'll feel a lot better with it turned off. Your talents keep activating and grinding against one another. Evoria's had a migraine off and on for the past ten years. Flonne keeps hearing the cries of people in torment. Pleinair feels all the pain you're experiencing. All of you are feeling depressed, hopeless and unloved to some extent. I have a solution for that. Take the Generic Vacation Jump and turn off all your supernatural powers," Muse suggested kindly. I must have looked too surprised as she turned to me to say, "I wasn't mad at you, Terry. You did what any proper Gamer and Tyrant would do. You sought power. You've been kicking yourself for years. I could hardly kick you when you're down."

One down and three to go. I still didn't feel any better. "Ladies? You spend my CP for this Jump. Not because I don't trust myself, but frankly I don't know what a vacation is anymore."

The most important people in my life put their heads together. I kept my aura flared to chase away the unnatural chill. They went straight for the Drawbacks, I could tell because my powers suddenly shut down. Let me tell you it's actually a relief to not be All Powerful. I might not actually be All Powerful, but I was close enough to make the differences academic.

[Generic Vacation Jump]
[Vacation Choice]
Contentment Points: 2000 + 400 (Unique Drawback) + 400 (Drawback: Lay Down Your Burdens) = 3200

"Hey Muse. If we take a Cosmopolitan Vacation, can we keep anything we buy there?" Evoria asked.

"Hmmm…Yeah sure. Normally the Vacation Jump limits you to useless souvenirs and crap. However! I'm restricting it to only the money you get here. None of the stuff you've already earned," Muse said.

Type: Cosmopolitan Vacation - Tide Heavens
Maybe you're interested in exploring a city? Any real or fictional city you can name is ready
and waiting for you. Includes a local guide who will show you around to local landmarks,
museums, and authentic cultural experiences, while answering any questions you may have.

"Tide Heavens…?" I perked up.

"I listened when you talked about your original fiction stuff," Evoria folded her arms with a pout. I put my hand on her head out of reflex. "Stop you degenerate. Your mussing my hair." She said in a pure deadpan tone. I felt my eyes tearing up.

Maybe we weren't as far gone as I thought? That did make me smile.

"Awww…!" Flonne cooed with delight. Some of the tension left her shoulders. Pleinair suddenly hugged me.

"7 minutes people," Muse indicated the clock worriedly.

Origin: Vacationer

[Vacationer Perks]
You're On Vacation [Free, Mandatory for Vacationer]
A vacation means being able to relax in peace. You are guaranteed not to be interrupted by
any crises, disasters, world-ending threats, or even bothersome inconveniences for this entire
Jump. If necessary, you are inserted into an alternate universe where such things effectively
don't exist at all (unless you take the Drawbacks "Busman's Holiday" for an occasional change
of pace; or "Super-Powered Robot Meter Maids", in which case you still won't have to lift a
finger). You're protected from any accidents that could endanger you, and won't get sick,
sunburned, or suffer bug bites or allergies.
On the other hand, this also means that you won't be able to really affect anything beyond
the scope of your vacation. This is supposed to be your time off, darn it! Relax!

[Bliss] Pleinair smiled beatifically.

"What are the Tide Heavens?" Flonne whispered to me.

"There is an entire multiverse where the laws of physics are similar, but some things are different. Most people spend their entire lives in their own dimension, never knowing anything else. However some people, either through accident or design, fall out of their dimension. The Tide Heavens is where these people go. It's a melting pot of races, technology, magic and different cultures. Some people accept their new lot in life and stay while others petition to go home. The population is ever changing. The rulers of the land, and administrators of the multiverse itself, are the Fates. Above them is the Supreme Being who created the cosmos itself," I was almost vibrating in anticipation. Evoria looked even more smug and satisfied.

"We're still going to talk about this, but I don't hate you," she said. She muttered to herself, "Now if I can just convince Nephra to marry us…Heh. It's perfect~!"

I probably wasn't supposed to hear her say that. She was talking about convincing a Supreme Being to wed us. Flonne and Pleinair looked interested too. They must have been listening to my rambling, so why did Flonne ask? I'll never understand women even though I am one.

[Options]
Weather: Great Weather [Free]
The weather you experience will be great, within what is normal for the place you have
chosen. It's the kind of weather that would normally require luck to experience on a trip, but is
not itself extraordinary.

Variety: Single Serving [Free]
You may choose a single vacation destination for the duration of this Jump.

Crowds: Good Company [300 CP]
You're adding people back, now? Of course you are! This perk adds other vacationers who you
and anyone you bring will get along swimmingly. There won't be enough of them to ever
inconvenience you, but not so few that you'd ever lack for a good conversation or tennis
partner. Unlocks the "Visiting Friends" scenario reward.

Events: Dream Team [300 CP]
That band you always wanted to see? Playing. The Broadway Show you'd die to have had
tickets to? Now showing. It doesn't even matter how ridiculous the situation is; if your
vacation needs the Beatles to play in the middle of the Costa Rican rainforest, there will be a
soundstage set up for it. Unlocks the "Museum of Jumper" scenario reward.

Budget: Bottomless Pockets [300 CP]
You literally cannot run out of money during this Jump. Unlocks the "Don't Exit WITH the Gift
Shop!" scenario reward.

"I really shouldn't have agreed to that deal…" Muse grumbled playfully. She knew this would happen. I gave her a side hug which she returned.

"We have enough Skills…" Evoria skipped the Miscellaneous Section/Skills entirely. No one disagreed.

[Company]
Companions Can Come Too [100 CP]
You may bring any number of companions with you to your chosen destination(s). They do
not get their own Contentment Points but share everything you take this Jump, and receive
their own copy of any souvenirs. For purchases with options, like Hobbies, they may make
their own selections.

[Duration]
One Month [Free]
30 days of paradise.

Additional Month [100 CP Each] x 11 [1100 CP]
30 more days of paradise.

"A whole year of rest…" Flonne's wings sagged with relief.

[Yay!] Pleinair quickly gave Evoria a tight hug. The silvery haired Demoness returned it just as hard.

"Why go to a new place if we have to leave so soon?" Evoria inquired rhetorically.

"Running out of time. You have 1100 CP remaining," Muse urged.

"Can I choose?" I asked.

"This is your vacation too," Evoria said.

[Souvenirs]
Scrapbook [50 CP]
A collection of pictures, pamphlets, and other various mementos from your vacation,
delivered at the end of the Jump. Viewing the scrapbook will fill you with contentment as you
immerse yourself in happy memories.
...to be clear, this awards normal contentment, not Contentment Points.
Unlocks "Scrapbooking" and "Scrapbooked" for this and all future vacations.

Scrapbooking [50 CP, Requires a Scrapbook]
A blank Scrapbook that may be redeemed after any future Jump for a complete Scrapbook for
that Jump.

Scrapbooked [50 CP, Requires a Scrapbook]
Choose any past Jump. At the end of your vacation, you receive a complete Scrapbook for
that Jump.

Tacky Tourist Trappings [100 CP] x 4 [400 CP] (I Went to the Tide Heavens and Got This Lousy T-Shirt)
This tacky shirt, appropriate to your chosen vacation destination, is nevertheless a highly
desirable bit of wear. While undoubtedly lacking in fashion, it has loads of features, like always
being as clean and soft (in shirt form) as if it were fresh out of the laundry, and the ability to
fuse itself to any single worn item you own like an item import. The item retains all functions
and features in its new, tacky form; yes, you can turn power armor into an "I ♥ NY" t-shirt with
no loss of functionality, and a Hawaiian shirt could let you breathe in space. The exact form this
item takes depends on where you go, but the tackiness is NOT optional.

Jumper's Reading List [100 CP] x 4 [400 CP]
'Reading List' is a bit of a misnomer, because this also includes the books themselves in the
form of a single, alt-form-transforming volume no less convenient than the common airport
paperback. The books on offer are prose and poetry volumes chosen precisely for the reader's
tastes, and as long as you're on any sort of formally recognized vacation, low-grade
probability manipulation inherent to the book will prevent you from being interrupted until
you reach a good stopping point.

Please Exit Through The Gift Shop [100 CP]
On your way out of the Jump, you'll have the opportunity to select any number of tacky
physical souvenirs (such as bookmarks, postcards, fridge magnets, snow globes, bobbleheads,
posters, and plastic paperweights) from a gift shop personalized to your vacation experience.
Feel free to blow what's left of your vacation budget here, because you can't take it with you.

"We're getting the tacky shirts and relaxing reading. All of us," I nodded my head with satisfaction. What kind of vacation would it be without the tacky shirt? The shirt appeared over my dress and under the jacket. It was even in my colors, but the words were in dripping font like blood or running ink. Similar shirts appeared on Evoria, Flonne and Pleinair.

"Pick your Scenario Reward and get going," Muse said.

[Can I pick?] Pleinair held up a sign.

"Go on/Yeah/Do it!" We encouraged her gleefully.

[Scenario Reward]
Don't Exit WITH The Gift Shop!
The Gift Shop is now a permanent feature of your Warehouse, and stocks tacky goods both
artisanal and mass-produced from the current Jump (or the previous Jump, if between Jumps).
You won't have to pay for any of them, but don't expect them to be useful as anything other
than silly knick-knacks with perhaps a single mundane function. Attaches to the "Museum of
Jumper" should you acquire both, in which case it offers goods from all past Jumps, not just
the most recent one, and will actually sell them to visitors should any manage to find their
way into the Warehouse, such as guests from "Visiting Friends".

Muse hustled us towards the Gate just before my SP trickled down to zero. She stopped just before the iris started to close. I could just barely hear her yelling good wishes as we faded away. The next year would be full of companionship, sightseeing and relaxation. For once I didn't feel any preJump jitters. The document guaranteed a perfect vacation and we were gonna get it!


AN: Yeah, actually they will. I'm tossing them into a setting I know very well. It's actually an RP setting I've used off and on for over twenty years. Please forgive me. When I first designed the Tide Heavens it was based on the different worlds of Final Fantasy. Then it grew to encompass Square Enix. Soon I tossed in actual original content. I'm totally looking forward to this! You'll even get to meet some of the characters I created over the years.

 

[dingbat779]

Chapter 13



The entrance to the Tide Heavens appeared before us. A vast gate many stories high made of what appeared to be dark brown wood set in a stone arch. Blue-white stone similar in appearance to marble stretched off into the distance. From where we stood it was just barely possible to see the wall curve. At equal points around the wall were thirty six guard towers. In ages past the Tide Heavens was forced to repel invaders from beyond. The enchantments on the fortifications were renewed yearly. Yes, yearly. Every 365 days without fail. It was a holdover from the time they grew fat, dumb and happy on peace, and stopped preparing. A great tear appeared in the wall before a whole army of Night World troops invaded. They sought to release their Mistress, the Queen of Night, Nox. Nox whose power was as great as all three Fates combined. The Tide Heavens was saved only by the timely intervention of ones not from this world. They would go on to become the Four Headmasters. Guardians of the Tide Heavens and Protectors of the Fates. Each one embodies an aspect of creation itself.

The Headmaster of Darkness, Bordox Elfin, was of a nearly extinct line of Elves. One of the last survivors of the magical city of Atlantis. An excellent swordsman who wielded the sword Dark Saber. Really it was a black bladed single edged sword similar to a ninjato. His sword had the power to absorb magic regardless of the source. With mastery of dark magic, and a cunning mind, he was the best at managing those who shunned the Light. He wasn't evil, no matter how much he pretended to be, but his emotional scars ran deep. Despite his attitude, he was the most sensitive of his siblings. Of course I wasn't brave enough to say that to his face. Sensitive didn't mean he was a wimp. Trained in the art of the sword by Ding Drakona, a fellow Headmaster, he surpassed his teacher in many ways.

The Headmaster of Light, Zylo Elfin, was Bordox's twin brother. Sibling Yin Yang taken literally. His skill with Runic Magic made him a formidable combatant. Acknowledged as the undisputed Master of Magic in Atlantis, he wielded the Silver Blade in his family's style of Sword Magic. He acted as a shining beacon to others on the side of Light. To say that he was ancient would be an understatement. Due to a rift, and a stable time loop, he was several millennia old. Part of that time loop was to teach himself magic at the Atlantis Academy. Zylo's estrangement from his family was equal parts age and favoritism by their father. It made their relationship quite sour. He and Ding were friends for years before arriving in the Tide Heavens.

The Headmistress of Order was Phydrox Elfin. All three Elfin siblings were made guardians because they arrived together. She acted as the glue between her brothers. Whenever they fought, Phydrox acted as the peacemaker. Her words were always chosen carefully as she held the greatest wisdom. I always liked her. It wasn't that she didn't feel emotions. She just knew when the time was right to use her head over her heart. Both of her brothers were passionate people so someone had to be the mediator. Her skill in magic and spear combat was unmatched. However, she too suffered from their father's favoritism, and might have slipped through the cracks, if another Drakona hadn't taken an interest. This time it wasn't Ding, but his daughter Josephine who befriended the quiet girl. Now it would be hard to see that shy girl in the self assured Elven woman.

Finally, Ding Drakona was the Headmaster of Chaos. A born warrior, descended from a long line of warriors, Ding wielded magic and arms with equal proficiency. He came from a race known as the Dragodemons. A hybrid race birthed in antiquity to serve as shock troops loyal only to the Dragons, they gained their freedom and smote their oppressors. The ones instrumental in their freedom were the Elves and Dwarves. Since that day his kind has treated them as family. Is it any wonder why he would help the Elfin children? Well, they're not children now, but you get the point. He served as the Weaponsmaster of Atlantis. The fall of the fabled city hit all of them hard. His daughters disappeared on that day. It would be many years later that he found them alive and well, but that's another story. His personality could be summed up as confident. Unless they were annoyed with him and then they called him stubborn as a pig. Cocky. Brash. Lecherous…

He wasn't perfect, but he was originally my first RP character.

The Grand Arch was never left unguarded. They used a system of actual guards and powerful golems to protect the gate. On either side of the doors was a guardhouse. One for receiving new arrivals and one to let people out. Back in the old days it was just a single administration building, but Bordox called it inefficient (and a few words not fit to print). He took it upon himself to rework the entire security structure of the Tide Heavens. An undertaking that lasted for years. Ding dragged the guards in for proper training. His former students winced in sympathy while praying for their souls. Zylo donated his family's Chikari Silver, a wondrous metal immune to breaking and capable of channeling great magic, to forge the mighty golem protectors. Phydrox utilized intelligence gathering magic to scan all new visitors to determine their intent. The wards the four placed over the city, with the Fates' assistance, still stood to this very day.

"Where do we meet our tour guide?" Flonne asked curiously then did a double take. She glanced down at herself in shock. I had to fight not to stare as well. Something was very different about her. Her hair was the same shade of blonde, but her eyes were more jeweled than before. In fact she seemed to radiate with an inner light greater than I had seen before. That's when I realized what happened. Flonne was an Angel. In Disgaea terms it just meant she had fluffy wings and not bat-like ones. Thing is, in this world Angels were a Big Deal. Her wings were pure white before steadily changing to blue towards the tips. Flonne looked especially startled at the sight of six wings.

"I think at the guardhouse," Evoria folded her arms before freezing. She grumbled a bit before adjusting her arms. I can attest that squeezing your own boobs unexpectedly is uncomfortable. That's when I did a double take. Demons were a bit sexier and/or terrifying here. Both male and female Demons had wings and tails they could retract. Evoria didn't have either and I couldn't see their outline in her shadow. Her eyes were more metallic than I remembered. The sure sign of a Metal Demon. Calling them Demons is something of a misnomer actually. Metal Demons were in fact Humans from another dimension who overused Nanomachine tech. Their nanomachine colonies pushed them to conquer other races. Looks like hers didn't come with that drawback.

[I think everyone but Terry changed] Pleinair indicated herself. At least she was pleased as opposed to freaked out. Evoria and Flonne were thrown off balance the most. The difference in appearance was more startling. She really did fill out this time. Perhaps as much as Flonne did, which was more realistic as opposed to Evoria's larger mammaries. Her ears were still pointed like a Demon, but her fangs were different. Both sets of canines were thicker and sharper. I checked her shadow and saw a vaguely draconic outline. Even the way she walked was different. Like she was forty pounds of badass stuffed in a four pound bag. The way her eyes shone was almost like a nuclear furnace.

Because of course all of my girls had to be special snowflakes. Stellar Angel, Metal Demon and Dragodemon. Thankfully, this was the Tide Heavens. I was liable to draw more attention for being pure Human.

"Don't worry about me. I agreed to this after all. Besides, I don't think you get to keep these forms," I reminded them. Great. Even Flonne looked disappointed.

"Oh I wouldn't say that. There's plenty of ways to make it stick. You just gotta know the right rituals and who to beg," a jovial male voice said from right behind us. All four of us whirled around only to stare stupidly at the man. He was 6'5'' with long electric blue hair and green eyes that glowed like Pleinair's. His smile was open and honest. The man wore a loose blue shirt with a gunmetal gray pauldron on his right arm and a thicker black one on his left. A wide leather belt held up his black pants that were tucked into a pair of brown boots. He had a pair of gauntlets clipped to his belt and a very long sword across his back. The blade was triangular and made of mystically hardened emerald with silver metal faces. The black hilt was trimmed in silver with a sparkling emerald for the pommel. I could feel the magic radiating off of the emerald.

"Ding Drakona~!" I quickly lost all sense of dignity and composure. He let out a merry laugh as I glomped him around the middle. Good thing he took a step back because his chest was hard. The man could take a tank round to the gut and still say "Come at me bro."

"Take it easy, kiddo. We've got all year to get acquainted. Don't get sick of me too soon," Ding remarked sardonically. "Anybody else want a hug?" He offered. Flonne and Pleinair soon joined the hug pile.

"I think I'll pass," Evoria commented dryly. "How hard will it be to get through customs?"

"Oh I don't think it'll be too hard…" Ding said before looking at the guards. "They're with me!" They gave him an 'Ok' gesture. "Just stand a little closer and I'll get us inside…"

I pulled Evoria close just as his magic started to envelope us. It felt deep, vast, but also kind. I could almost see endless forests, fathomless oceans, limitless skies and magnificent vistas. We were briefly engulfed in the power of Nature itself before being whisked away. The teleport ended too soon. It felt even more relaxing than a good night's sleep and a massage. I wasn't the only one who felt that way. That's when I saw where we were and almost fell on my ass. This wasn't a hotel. Ding took us to his castle. Well, it was one of his castles. The Headmasters all had ceremonial dwellings in the Tide Heavens. He had a love of European architecture. The castle appeared to have a silvery gleam in the early morning light.

"Wow…!" Flonne gasped with delight.

"For the next year treat this as your home. Lay down your burdens and rest. No one here will harm you or risk facing my wrath. I might be a charming guy, but I've got a lot of wrath to spare," Ding smirked.

"Is that how our vacation is being reinforced? With an all powerful bodyguard?" Evoria blinked.

"Oh no no no…Nephra Herself guaranteed your Jump. Believe me no one wants to argue with the Mother of Ultima," Ding explained.

"Basically, the Mother of Creation is promising us a nice restful vacay." I knew just how seriously Nephra took her vows too. She would intervene directly, sword in hand, if anyone tried to make a liar out of her.

"We also hired a bunch of maids to take care of ya. Normally we just clean up after ourselves…" They stared at the castle in shock. I was amazed too. I never really gave any thought to how they kept their big castles and mansions cleaned. "Sometimes we use magic when company's coming. The castle is mostly just there for official state business. Gotta say this is the first time we've used it like a hotel."

"We wouldn't want to be a bother…" Flonne demurred. Evoria and Pleinair eyed her with dismay. I just laughed helplessly. Her earnest nature was just so adorable.

"Kid, let me tell you something. I have enough money to sink most nations' economies. The treasure in my secret vault is so awesome it would make your face melt off…" He muttered to himself, "...some of it literally." Ding cleared his throat before finishing with, "Don't worry about it."

"Dragodemons never make a guest do anything," I explained.

"So you've got a secret vault, huh?" Evoria inquired. I knew it was a mistake to say that. Her eyes were shining with interest. Ding smirked a little over her naked desire.

"Go on and look for it. I don't mind," he offered. "We'll even make a game out of it. Should you find the vault I'll give you one treasure. Something that I'm sure you'll get a lot of use out of."

I almost reminded her of our vacation, but quickly shut up. Stealing things and practicing her skills was relaxing for Evoria. Somehow I'm not surprised he picked up on that trait. His granddaughter Brittany was much the same way. The Kitsune Kunoichi embraced her nature in full. It wouldn't surprise me if Evoria ran into her during our stay. She knew all the family secrets.

"Hmmm…I think Riyuki's in town too…He always likes meeting new Celestials. Don't worry. The Dragon God of Light, War and Grilled Cheese is a pretty chill guy," Ding remarked offhandedly. Now Flonne looked interested.

"How do you get a title like that? Could I be the Angel of Magical Girls, Love and Tokusatsu!?" Flonne squealed with delight. Ding fondly ruffled her hair.

"Check out the Silver Falls tomorrow. One of the tour groups is heading that way. Just look for the Elf who looks like he wrestles bears," Ding told her. Riyuki was once an Elf who came to the attention of the Goddess of Cheese, Che-Dar. He impressed her with a dish called 'grilled cheese.' She was from a backwater tribe and never heard of the dish. As payment she uplifted him into a Dragon God. It worked partly because she was a ditz, partly because there was a vacancy in the Dragon Pantheon, but mostly because the Dragon Mother was amused. Tiamat (not the D&D one or the Babylonian Goddess) laughed herself sick.

[Got any ideas for me?] Pleinair asked. It was no surprise that she picked up on what he was doing. Ding was a teacher first and foremost. Everything was a lesson. Even a vacation was a teaching opportunity.

"Why not take a tour of the administration building? Priss might tell you no. Just promise her an Ozzy concert and she'll go along with it. Always make sure you've got the right bribe for the right person," Ding admonished playfully.

"Don't try to match her drink for drink either. Your liver will thank you." I smirked. Priss, or Priscilla, was the little known Fourth Fate. She was the Fate in charge of Bureaucracy. The inevitably of paperwork. For obvious reasons she was perpetually frustrated. Taking her out to a rock concert and copious amounts of beer helped her relax. Considering she was in the class of beings known as 'Inevitables,' trying to outdrink her was just suicide.

"Don't smirk too much, young lady. I think you and I should talk," Ding wagged his finger playfully. Crap. That knowing look in his eyes felt too much like my mom's. I wanted to talk to Evoria about our issues, but mine weren't even resolved. If anyone knew what I was feeling then it was him.

"Okay okay…" I sighed.

"Now then! I had the help open up the diplomatic wing. Plenty of room for you to spread out. There's a bunch of game rooms for different stuff, an entertainment center and workshops. I already put your shopping minions in their own wing. Since no one specified who exactly needed a break, I took the liberty of saying 'everybody did.' How does that sound?" Ding asked cheerfully.

"What if we want to share a room?" Evoria asked.

"You're all adults. Do whatever and whoever you please," Ding shrugged so nonchalantly it made the girls, myself included, blush. Stupid sexy warrior with his stupid sexy innuendo.

Still, I gotta admit this was a fantastic gift. Evoria had a great idea. For the next year we would be in a world that was like a cross of Xanth, every Square Enix game and Neptunia. I couldn't wait to get started!


AN: I think you can tell this gave my creativity a much needed shot in the arm. They will get to spend time together or course. A whole year together means plenty of chances to talk, hang out and engage in wild shenanigans.

 

[dingbat779]

Chapter 14



The Tide Heavens was the most ancient city in the multiverse. Almost as old as the multiverse itself in fact. Sitting directly in the center of the cosmos it exerted a sort of pull to hold reality together. When the land was first created there was just a palatial building. The Seat of Fate. From there a courtyard was constructed called Infinity Court. Four fortresses were built to anchor the Four Primal Forces of Creation. Years later these would become the demenses of the Four Headmasters. A mighty wall was constructed to protect the Seat of Fate from enemies. However, the Pull of Fate was already at work. The lost, the desperate and those who sought eternity were already arriving. At first they simply constructed a tent city. There was no structure in those days to send them home. Some of the more forward thinking settlers began constructing more permanent structures. Thus the First District was born.

In time the First District became known as the Old District as a fresh wave of settlers came. The New District wasn't just more living space, but it was also home to the Merchants. Until this point people just made what they needed. Any craftsmen did it more as a hobby. There wasn't really a system of trade beyond barter. The newcomers didn't understand that. They started to create their own revenue system. Just one problem. Gold, silver and other precious metals were incredibly plentiful. Using the old economic system was useless. Everyone was rich beyond belief. One enterprising individual relentlessly sought out the rarest substances. Something that could take the place of precious metals. Finally, he gave up. Everything could be found in abundance. What was he to do? That's when he had an idea. It was silly, but it just might work.

Abel Dunkil invented paper money. Why did this matter? Well, paper wasn't impossible to make. Yes, it was difficult back in those days, but hardly an insurmountable barrier. Except he had another idea to guarantee the value of this new currency. The Moiragetes, or the Moir, was created with the symbol of the Eye Over Fate's Scissors. A sacred symbol meant to represent Nephra, the Supreme Mother, watching over creation. He petitioned Her personally to make sure he didn't cause offense. She approved the idea. As she valued intelligence, wisdom and creativity. The value hasn't changed since their creation. One hundred bills were created and served as the prime template. From those one hundred were created. The value of the Moir is determined by which printing they're from. In such a system the closest to Prime hold the greatest value.

An entire investigative division was established just to maintain the sanctity of their money. Weirdly enough that's where the first official police department came from. The investigators who retired still felt like they had to do something. Evalice Vanet, one such investigator, started training guards to act as detectives. A clear division between military and civilian forces began to develop. At first the only police were soldiers who retired due to old age or injury. Younger people, mostly second sons and daughters who lacked other prospects, started to join. The police in the early days were looked upon as a dumping ground for bastards and disenfranchised heirs. However, other people began to see it as a legitimately honorable profession. Commoners, who would never become officers in the military, started to join as well.

Peace settled over the land. A peace that lasted for hundreds of years. Long enough that the military and police became mostly ceremonial. The only ones who even remembered the tumultuous days were the immortals and the Fates themselves. No one was prepared for the Night War. Refugees began streaming into the Tide Heavens in droves. Far more than emergency services could handle. The land of plenty discovered they did have a limit. Regardless of their bountiful fields, they still needed to farm the food. They needed time to grow crops, raise animals and process everything. The city was stretched to the limit. A new tent city was built outside the gates of the Second District. People spoke of the horrors they witnessed. Dark insectoid creatures, resistant to magic and immune to physical weapons, invaded their worlds in droves. The survivors barely built shelters. They dedicated their entire will to constructing a wall far larger than the rest. Their terror spurred the country to action. Perhaps it was a ramshackle haphazard structure. There was just no way for something constructed in haste to hold out even an army of mice. When the T'Zari didn't hold for even a minute.

It lasted for ten full years.

The T'Zari were insects in all the nastiest ways. They ate whatever they found. Their mandibles could crush even magically hardened steel with ease. Stone proved to be no obstacle. Fear began to overwhelm the defenders. No matter how many they killed, more came. T'Zari reproduced asexually and laid as many as fifty eggs at a time. In the beginning it looked like they were just a ravening horde looking for their next meal. Over time the truth was revealed by the Fates. Their sister, Nox, Ruler of the Endless Night, sought the Realm of Day. The T'Zari were her creations. Her Children. Her power was as great as all the Fates together. Luckily, Nephra had a plan. She was the one who manipulated events to bring the Four Headmasters. Four who had traveled the multiverse by intent, accident or simply blind luck. Survivors of some of the worst crises who never gave up. They took command of the beleaguered forces and aided in fighting off the hordes. When Nox appeared a jet black sword speared the ground before her. The Nexus Sword. The Blade of All Time told her personally that she failed. If she continued, her death was assured.

The Realm of Day continued to shine as the Night was forced to retreat.

In the wake of the Night War, the refugees officially built the Third District. The wall they constructed survived by some miracle. Even now it remains as an inviolate defense against all attack. Land within the Tide Heavens was now at a premium. The Third District is the most modern with the construction of apartment buildings. That was when the subterranean dwellers formally declared their land as the Fourth District. A whole District below the city. Dwarves and others who preferred to live underground maintained the foundations. They were the ones who designed and updated the city's sewer system.

The technological level was all over the place. It wasn't quite schizo tech. One of the first city ordinances was to ensure everything worked together. Magic and science had to function seamlessly. Reckless advancement was not their way. The result was the most advanced city in the multiverse. Sewers used mundane and mystic methods to purify water and separate waste. The roads were maintained by hundreds of durability and self repair charms. Buildings were constructed with durability, fire protection and self repair. People built to last. There was a dining room set from the construction of the First District. It was in the museum now. Cheaply made, easily disposed of commodities had no place here. With magic so readily available they didn't need fossil fuels. They skipped pollution generating technology completely. The Industrial Revolution hit just as hard as it did in other worlds. Factories were made, but quality was never sacrificed. It created a whole new buying dynamic. The rich dealt exclusively with independent craftsmen. Everyone else could purchase things of similar quality, but with more uniformity.

We chose to take a trip to the museum with Ding as our able tour guide. It was obvious that he enjoyed talking about his adopted home. His whole face lit up as he told us the history of the Tide Heavens. Even the littlest detail brought him joy. Flonne was completely spellbound along with Pleinair. I was having more fun watching him. Evoria…

"...So wait a minute. If you guys use paper money, why don't we have like fat stacks of it? This is our vacation," Evoria folded her arms.

"You didn't get any money?" Ding inquired disingenuously. Uh oh. That was the look of a troll. He reached into his belt pouch for a thin billfold. Evoria looked even more confused as he counted out four ivory bills. Each one had a magenta border with the Eye Over Fate's Scissors in shining silver.

"Four bucks…?" Evoria stared at them in disbelief before freezing. Her eyes widened. A sound like a broken teakettle passed her lips. Flonne took one curiously. What she saw made her stand stock still. The same noise emanated from her as well. Pleinair bemusedly claimed a Moira only to go utterly still. Her ribbon was spinning so fast I half expected her to go airborne. Ding plucked one from Evoria's fingers and handed it to me.

Gamer's Mind triggered hard. The bill was a Second Printing. The ancient houses of the Tide Heavens held onto these as a form of backup economy. Just in case something happened to the First Printings. One of these could buy Ding's services as a craftsman. He was the foremost weaponsmith in the Tide Heavens and the best in creation. No hyperbole.

"Yeah, no one can actually make change for that. What you get out of holding one is prestige. We're going down to the bank so you can all open lines of credit. Backed by a Second Printing you'll have functionally unlimited money," Ding helpfully explained.

"But they're not worth anything outside the Tide Heavens," Evoria slowly recovered from her Megabucks induced stupor.

"Uh…Can't we buy stuff here that could be sold for a ton elsewhere?" Flonne asked innocently. She let out a startled squeak as Evoria glomped on her.

"Oooh~! Aren't you just the smartest Angel?" She purred while petting Flonne's hair. "Terry? Lock this one down fast. We can't let her escape." The Angel blushed cutely at that.

"Come here, Pleinair. We haven't forgotten you," I pulled Pleinair to my side. The quiet Demon laid her head on my shoulder.

"We can't keep you from using your money like that. Feel free to get whatever you want," Ding said. I managed to catch his eye and indicate I wanted to talk to him later. He blinked once to show the message was received.

The time for discussion came when he took us out shopping. The entirety of the Tide Heavens could be a Gift Shop with the right attitude. Evoria dragged the girls off to find pretty dresses, gorgeous jewelry and discuss the coming nuptials. She wasn't even trying to hide her plan from me. I sure as Hell wasn't complaining either.

"So what's up? I thought you might like watching three beautiful ladies get dressed up. Heck, you should get dolled up for them too," Ding poked my side teasingly. I squirmed away. Good grief. Was there anything this guy didn't know…?

Right, duh, he has literally a hundred daughters and nearly as many sons. He's a father and a cosmic warrior known for his intellect as much as his skill at arms. Derp.

"I plan on getting my own stuff. Trust me on that. I just wanted to know what it would cost for something special," I couldn't help fidgeting a little. He eyed me from on high. Stupid girl body being stupidly short. Ding flashed a lopsided grin.

"You never know until you ask," he said.

"I know you do weapons. Would it be possible to talk to Gnid?" I asked. Gnid was Ding's 'twin' brother. He was created by one of Ding's old foes to be his antithesis. Just one problem. The opposite of Ding, the Weaponsmaster of Atlantis, is a Knight of the Shield. Not only that but Dragodemons all possess an instinctive love of family. Those feelings were simply too strong. Now Gnid and Ding were as close as any naturally born brothers. Closer even. Where Ding specialized in weapons, Gnid focused on armor.

"Ahhh…You want some protection for your family, right? Tell me what you want and I'll bring it up to Gnid. His pricing is similar to mine," Ding shrugged. He could make fantastic armor himself, just as Gnid could make great weapons. There was a lot of overlap.

"Which do you think is better? Reinforcing the jackets they took from me or something completely new?" I thought the whole jacket thing would stop. Especially after the Prinny thing. Nope. They were still on my team. I wasn't questioning it. Idiots questioned good things. I'm done being an idiot.

"Hmmm…" Ding rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I'd say reinforce the jackets. Gnid would agree with me on this. There's a lot of affection there. That and the 'Majin Soul' they have. To anchor the Majin Soul and blend in the love would be cheap. You guys already did all the hard work."

"How much for bridal armor?" I asked. Draconic slitted eyes locked onto mine. Gamer's Mind actually retreated from that stare. I didn't back down. He wouldn't even respect my question if I did. Dragodemons took their unions very seriously. I was asking for bridal armor for one reason. Not just because it was some of the most beautiful wedding garments, period. It would also come to the bride in her time of need and protect her. Usually, bridal armor was tested during the Grand Melee to determine a bride's fitness for the groom. Grooms had to do the exact same thing to prove their worth to the bride.

This was a big fuckin' deal.

"Talk to your Clan before making a request like that," Ding scolded me. I couldn't help wincing. He was right in that I was putting the cart before the horse. Except…

"I was asking for Evoria," I pointed out. Uh oh. That look on his face said I missed something significant. I rolled my eyes skyward. "Ding. I haven't romanced Flonne or Pleinair nearly enough to ask that question. I'm not going to either. We haven't talked about it at all. Keeping my jackets isn't a declaration of True Love! This isn't a damn Hallmark movie or afterschool special!"

"Yeah that's fair. The problem is that no one explained that to Evoria, Flonne or Pleinair. They're going full steam ahead because you haven't said no. You have the love of two Demonesses and an Angel. Something you are well aware of. In trying to keep from becoming Tenchi, you've become Natsuru," Ding retorted dryly.

"O-Oh shit…No! My head isn't that hard! I-Is it? It has felt denser lately…How much have I missed…?" Was this my fate? To have a head so dense it drew in every stupid thought? Was my Perception score so low it reached negative digits? I must have started hyperventilating because Ding was there holding my hands. His calming voice reached through the panic.

"Talk to them soon. Actually, go talk to them now. I'll have a chat with Gnid about making your jackets into proper armor. Just make sure to get this settled before the High Clerist drops in on us," Ding smirked. The High Clerist was Nephra's mortal guise. A Form We Can Be Comfortable With.

"Right…right…" I backed away in a daze. No one knew exactly when the High Clerist would come. Only She knew and She sure as Hell wasn't telling.

Turns out I've been missing signals left and right. The whole first Jump was like that. We spent a decade together getting to know one another. Flonne knew she loved us but didn't know how to be in-love. An important distinction to be sure. Becoming human in the Scooby Gamers Jump helped her reconcile Angelic love with personal love. Basically she needed to become human to understand how to love selfishly. Pleinair thought the world of us. She used her first words with us. No one else ever heard her speak before. There is shy and then there's Pleinair. It wasn't becoming human that convinced her she was in love. Turns out she was already plenty selfish as a Demon. Once again Evoria saw the stuff I missed. It just took Ding to kick me in the head. Of course I wasn't ready to jump into anything with them. They had to start dating each other too. That's when they told me they were already doing that. I was the one who fell behind. Thank goodness we had this vacation to let me catch up.

The cuddlepile that night was very nice. I couldn't wait for more.


AN: The whole first part of the chapter was just some fun world building. Also building up to a joke at poor Evoria's expense. She doesn't mind though. Nearly unlimited money is a hell of a drug for a thief.