Taylor cracked open an eye. The light – Sigil didn't have a sun, it simply got brighter or darker every twelve hours – came in through the curtained windows. She'd managed to slip out of her dress and into some nightclothes before climbing into bed after something had happened. For the life of her, she couldn't quite remember
what.
Her reverie was interrupted by a knock at the door. "Taylor?" Amy asked from the other side. "Are you OK?"
"I
think so," Taylor eventually replied as she turned and sat up on the side of the bed. "I'm – kinda confused right now."
"May I come in?"
"Sure."
With the sound of the door being
unlocked Taylor realized she may have been dragged back to her room and put to bed after being knocked out.
Amy entered the room and closed the door behind her. She went and grabbed the chair at the desk and pulled it over to sit in. "Are you sure you're OK?" she asked.
"I'm not quite sure," Taylor admitted. "My memory from when we got back to now is kind of a blur."
Amy nodded. "What do you remember?"
"I remember getting back, and answering Armsmaster's questions," Taylor recalled. "I remember Vicky being overly curious about the package Nils' father had given me, and then she grabbed it, I think…"
"At which point you punched her," Amy said. "Hard enough to make her forcefield flicker. Fortunately, your follow up was slow enough to allow it to come back up."
"What else did I do?" Taylor asked, a bit of horror creeping into her voice.
"We all got a taste of what close quarters combat with a dragon is like," Amy said. "No, you didn't get scaly, but you weren't really holding back. No one got badly hurt, and everyone – including you – has pretty much recovered. Dennis was hurt the worst, a broken arm. Our host, Armsmaster and myself had to work together to put you out."
"How much damage–"
Amy cut her off. "Already been repaired. Couldn't tell it was broken. Madelynne wants to talk to you later about things, but she's not angry.
"And since you've been so possessive about that damn package," Amy continued, "I'm going to try something no one else has and simply ask. Taylor, what's in the damn box?"
There was a bit of silence before Taylor answered. "Naurelin's hoard."
"Naurelin's hoard? Aren't
you Naurelin?" Amy asked.
"This gets a bit complicated," Taylor admitted. "After I had Triggered and Crystrani had delivered me to my house, I passed out in the entryway at home. Dad called 911, and they put me in an ambulance. While
en route to the hospital, I flatlined."
Amy nodded. She'd seen Taylor's chart when she'd come into the hospital to finish what the doctors had started.
"Part of what Tiamat and Bahamut did then was strengthen my spirit, soul, animus, whatever you want to call it, with the broken spirit of a dragon named Naurelin in High Elvish, or
Mirikixa in Draconic. It allowed both of us to heal and become whole again."
Amy looked into Taylor's eyes. There was something there she couldn't quite figure out, something desolate, forlorn, wanting someone to believe her. "Continue."
"I didn't believe it at first, either," Taylor went on, "but as the months have passed, I've learned a few things. One of which was how to look 'inside' my mind, and talk to the various parts of it. Like Mirikixa, born of Chidanul the Gold and Tenneiss of Crimson." She shook her head as if to clear it. "I'm gonna have to do that again.
"The hoard Tiamat and Bahamut gifted me," Taylor rambled, "I don't really have a strong connection to. 'S why I was able to give some of it away. But this?" she said, gesturing to the package where it sat on the vanity, "this is
mine. I know every coin, every gem, and every item, with every fiber of my being."
Amy closed her eyes and gave her head a little shake. "I understand more than you know," she finally said, her normally sarcastic voice gentle. "This isn't the first time Vicky has gotten in trouble for trying to take something from a dragon's hoard." She chuckled a bit. "She definitely wasn't expecting me to put her in a submission hold for taking some of my chocolate. I also wasn't expecting my attempt to work so well. So yes, I do understand. Mostly. And really, Vicky should know better."
"So how did you guys manage to get me to stop?"
"Teamwork," Amy answered. "Vicky kept your attention, Chris darted you from cover, Maddy hit you with a spell or two, Armsmaster actually got some zip cuffs on you, and I put you to sleep. He may not be a people person, but he does know his job."
"And does it efficiently. OK, that explains why my wrists and ankles are sore," Taylor stated. "And why you were being so careful coming in."
"Once you were out, we brought you back up to your room, put you to bed, and basically waited for you to wake up," Amy finished. "And it's now almost midday."
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Lunch was a quiet affair. No one really spoke when Taylor joined the rest of the group at the table, and the tension grew thick and heavy.
"Senpai, are you OK?" Takara finally asked.
"I
think so, Takara-chan," Taylor answered. "Everyone, I'm sorry about what happened last night."
"Eh, shit happens," Vicky replied. It was then that Taylor noticed that she had a black eye. "I should know better after that last time I tried to take something belonging to a dragon. And you've got a mean left hook."
Dean chuckled. "You do like to live dangerously, don't you," he said to his girlfriend.
"Or not think about the consequences," Dennis added.
"Or think about the consequences and do it anyway," Chris finished.
"OK, I know I'm known for my lack of forethought," Vicky grumbled.
"I hope there isn't a repeat in the immediate future," Colin stated from where he sat.
"I can only try not to do that again," Taylor answered.
"Hey, I'm the one who should be saying that," said Vicky. "And I'm sorry. Ames said it was part of your hoard. Wish I'd known that."
"Would it have stopped you?" asked Dennis.
"I'm hoping 'yes'? Or at least asked questions instead of getting grabby."
Maddy walked in from the front entryway. "I've managed to square things away with the Watch, who were inquiring about the noise last night. Several of our neighbors complained about the ruckus. You'd think they were used to it by now." She sat down at the table, turning her gaze on Taylor. "I'm going to ask, politely, to see what's in the box, and examine it to make sure you haven't brought something with a curse into the house. May I, Taylor?"
Taylor was silent for a moment. "May I stay in the room?"
"Of course. It's your stuff I'm looking at," the Elvish bard answered with a smile. "Besides, you can answer my questions."
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Off in Maddy's workroom / office, Taylor opened the box, revealing a folded silk square. Upon taking it out of the box and opening it up on the floor, the contents of the portable hole were revealed. A substantial number of gold and platinum coins filled a majority of the volume. Several smaller wooden boxes were on top of the coins.
Madelynne gestured and said a few words in Elvish, and only a couple of items on the pile glowed. "Hmm, mostly mundane treasure, save for the portable hole, because the obvious magical item is magical."
Several of the smaller boxes were retrieved and opened to reveal their contents. A few gems of high, if varying, quality. A very finely crafted string of pink pearls, probably sea elf made. Four platinum bracelets set with nearly perfect blue sapphires.
She picked the first magic item off the top of the pile. "There aren't many ways belts get enchanted," she explained. A few clear, concise, inquiring words of an unfamiliar language were spoken, and a pink pearl and owl feather turned to ash in the Bard's hand. As she put it back, she said, "Yeah, it's what I thought. It's a belt of giant's strength, probably stone giant. Wasted on you, since your dragon form is stronger, but it might be useful for a minion. Probably not cursed, though those can be sneaky. I'd keep a
Remove Curse or two handy, just in case.
"Someone wanted to keep this one safe," Maddy noted as she opened the last container, which contained another box inside its padded interior. "Haven't seen something like this since that bottle of ancient Elvish wine mother bought." Finally, after a third box was open, the treasure inside was revealed. Maddy just sat and stared at it.
"Huh," she finally said. "I get to cross seeing an item off my bucket list."
"So, what is it?" Taylor asked.
"Certainly one of the rarest potions you can find," Maddy answered as she began repacking it. "An
Elixir of Youth." She looked at Taylor. "Wars have started over
rumors of one of these. I would find someplace secure to put this. Very secure. My silence on this matter is assured, since Mystra would have my ass. And I think your patrons would be next in line."
= = = = = = = = = = = =
The afternoon had run into evening, with our group of meddling junior superheroes doing things typical of teenagers. Mainly sitting around, talking, and trying to find something to do that doesn't involve using their disconnected phones. Amy had gone back to her old standby, namely having pulled a book from the library at the townhouse, and was reading through it. And laughing occasionally.
Chris was in the workshop, learning how to use the handtools and his new multitool while trying to make a modular add-on for his hand crossbows. There had been a few interesting words said, but no injuries.
Dean and Vicky were sitting out in the courtyard, enjoying each other's company while watching Takara and Dinah practice. Dinah was actually using a normal shortbow and working on her aim. Most of the arrows were going into the target, and none were leaving the practice area.
Takara was practicing with her blade, often enhancing a slice with either her pyrokinesis or hydrokinesis. The straw targets got cut up, scorched and soaked. And then Anna decided to help by surprising the girl.
Her first attack made Takara drop her blade. "What ya gonna do now, squirt?" Anna teased.
There was no warning from Takara, just a grin as suddenly Anna was surrounded by a cloud of fog. "Ahhh! Atsui! Atsui! Atsuuuuuuuui!" Not fog, but steam, obviously hot. Then a watery tentacle retrieved the blade, bringing it back to Takara's hand. The steam cloud dissipated, leaving a rather pink looking Anna, with her mane of hair frizzed out. "That ain't fair!"
"And neither is this," Takara said, her form shifting to that of an oriental dragon, which coiled quickly around Anna. "Lemme give you a hug!" With that, Takara tightened her coils, and Anna yodeled her pain. After a couple of seconds, she let the maid go. "No harm done?"
Anna rolled her shoulders a bit, and stretched. "Nah, I'm good. I forgot you kids have Powers. I feel sorry for whoever you run into when going after Yasmina's thief." She reached back and pulled her hair into a rather frizzy ponytail. "Bah. Stuff's more trouble than it's worth sometimes.
"Dinner should be in an hour," she called out to everyone in the courtyard.
"I'll go tell Chris and Mr. Wallis," Takara offered, "in case they didn't hear you."
"Has anyone seen Dennis?" Melissa called out from an upstairs window.
"I think our host had something to do with him," Amy called out another window. "Something about getting him on some kind of roll?"
"She was getting him listed on the rolls of the local Bard's association," Colin stated as he and Chris walked out of the workshop. "That gives him a few resources to draw on, and some protection from getting beaten up for his alleged humor."
"The critics here are
harsh," Chris added. "Rotten vegetables are the least of it."
Colin nodded. "Indeed. After the evening meal, we have something to discuss."
