From: Arcanis <dshumate@b...> Date: Wed Jan 3, 2001 3:36pm Subject: [HD] Damned Gravity! The first impression Arcanis had upon climbing out of his comatose state was that he was back home in Abterrus, and Titan had somehow snuck up behind him, picked him up, and beat him repeatedly against a stone wall. "Oww," Arcanis groaned as he sat slowly upright, clutching at his head. Of course, he immediately wished he hadn't spoken as the words made it feel that Titan had decided to pummel him a few more times for good measure. Arcanis groggily cracked open his eyes, and suddenly wished he were staring Titan in the face, because that would mean he was in Abterrus. Arcanis rubbed his head, realizing that he was, by the feeling of polluted mana, still on the accursed Earth. As he sat up, a few gold pieces fell out of his sleeve and slid down a sheet of purple scales before the vanished from sight. *Why the hell is there gold in my sleeve?* was Arcanis' first thought, followed closely by *Where the hell am I and why does my head hurt so...?* Arcanis squeezed his eyes shut and swung his legs over to get up from the bed. Only when he began plummeting towards the ground did he realize he had just dismounted a purple dragon in midair. Very high up in midair. Placing his hands in front of him, Arcanis casts a simple spell-- since simple was all his throbbingly pained mind could manage-- that generated a sharp flow of upward wind, strong enough to catch his fall and hold him unsteadily in place. Arcanis heard shouted explicatives as the purple dragon turned and swooped down to hover nearby him. "You hungover idiot! You're lucky you can fl-- what the hell!? You can fly!" A strange, male human shouted from the dragon's back. "Impressive," the dragon rumbled. "Very few humans can fly with only magic, especially hungover ones." "Hungover?" Arcanis mumbled groggily. The spell wavered as pain shot through his head. "Yeah, you had too much to drink, buddy!" the dragon rider, to Arcanis' dismay, shouted loudly. Right there and then, Arcanis resolved never to consume anything that sounded like 'ail' or any other similar word. Using every ounce of concentration available to him, Arcanis formed a simple Purify spell and doused himself with it. It was like falling into a lake of cold water as the grogginess and pain washed away, enough so that his concentration broke and he did indeed begin to fall. The purple dragon immediately drew his wings in and dove after him, with the strange rider clutching the plummeting dragon and screaming curses roundly. "Oof!" Arcanis shouted, the wind being knocked out of his lungs as he struck the back of the dragon. He sat up slowly, shaking his head to clear the last traces of the thankfully cured hangover. "Er, are you friends or foes?" Arcanis asked, remembering that dragons could detect espers and other powerful magic users. "We're friends, you oaf," the man in front of him, seemingly still somewhat shaken from his plummeting adventure. The dragon was winging his way over a thickly forested area. "You, my lucky friend, have been chosen to be the newest member of mistress Pyxie's harem, and to be her faithful and happy man-whore!" Arcanis blinked in surprise. "It may look as if I'm staring at you with a mixture of contempt and disbelief," Arcanis said, deciding that maybe this 'Pyxie' Bix spoke so reverently of knew something of value to his quests, "but I'm actually quite excited about the, uh, prospect." "Oh yeah," the man added, "my name is Bix, and this," he said patting the purple scales of the dragon, "is BahamutX." "Bahamut?" Arcanis said confusedly. "Indeed," BahamutX said, turning his head to face the two on his back as he glided gently on a current of air, "mine parents named mineself after a mythological creature that was supposedly the king of dragons and espers, another mythical race. Arcanis struggled not to laugh out loud. He changed the subject. "How long until we arrive at this 'harem'?" Bix looked to BahamutX, who yawned with his head still craned around towards them. Arcanis wrinkled his nose at the wave of putrid, warm air. *They have more than their namesakes in common* he thought. "At mine current speed, I shouldst say a day," BahamutX said, after recovering from the yawn. Arcanis frowned, surely they could hurry this up. "Hold on to something, Bix," Arcanis said, making an intricate gesture with his hands. The air began to waver slightly in a sphere around BahamutX. "What are you-- AHHH!" Bix screamed and flung his arms around the dragon's neck as the air around them and the ground below them blurred. BahamutX was startled, as he was flying at the same rate, merely moving along at twelve-fold the rate he should be. "Holy shit!" Bix shouted at Arcanis over the whipping wind. Arcanis pulled up his cowl and sat sideways on the dragon to block the increased wind. "Just what kinda magician/warlock/witch--" "Archmage," Arcanis interjected irritably. "Whatever," Bix said, not recognizing the revered term. "Just warn me before trying any of that funny magic stuff, would you!?" Arcanis smiled evilly, and made a small gesture that doubled the current speed. Bix cried out again and gripped Bahamut's neck in a hold so strong the dragon found a bit of difficulty breathing. The trio shot across the sky at this rate for about an hour before Arcanis let the spell dissipate, if just so that Bix wouldn't suffocate BahamutX. Just then, BahamutX reared up excitedly. "There it is! We're back at the harem, guys! Um, guys?" BahamutX looked back and realized the two had slid off his now-vertical backside and were currently plummeting towards some sharp, pointy-looking rocks. Bahamut gave a dragon-sized sigh, folded his wings, and dove down to catch them. -Arcanis Subj: [ffml] [HD] Missing You Date: 01-01-03 17:24:45 EST From: jaypyx@yahoo.com (pyxie ) Reply-to: ffml@egroups.com To: ffml@egroups.com A gentle breeze wafted through the window, causing the silken drapes to gently sway. The sweet smell of jasmine enveloped Pyxie, causing her to sigh in appreciation. "Mmm, what could be taking them so long?" she pondered. "It's been 4 days and no word from either Bix, BahamutX or Pokey." Looking down at her drawing pad, she swiped a finishing green swirl to finish the picture. It's been the second one she's done since the men left, a depiction of the creature she saw in her recurring dreams. But this time, it had seemed that much clearer! She had seen each scale in detail, had been able to touch and feel the softness of the creature's fur. And a strange creature it was. "I must have had demented parents," Pyxie grumbled, staring at her drawing. "Never had I seen or even heard of such a thing!" It was a creature with the body of a lion, golden and with fur as soft as spider webs. But it had a head of a bird, so colorful and bright were the feathers it hurt to look at it. It's beak And stranger of all, it had a tail of a horse, but with the ability to stiffen and become deadly spikes. Strange indeed. A knock on her door cause Pyxie to stop her musing. "Enter!" Rydia, her hair a beautiful shade of emerald green, stepped into the room. Noticing the worried frown on her mistress's face, she hurried forward and gave her a reassuring hug. "What bothers you so, mistress?" she asked. "Oh Ry, I miss Pokey. Shame on him for making me wait so long! I shall punish him greatly. Hmph." Rydia grinned at Pyxie's abrupt change of attitude. It was something everyone in the harem was used to, and actually loved about the mistress. Pyxie's kind heart was the reason all of them were there, forever loyal to the young lady who showed them what living life to the fullest actually meant. But her sense of adventure and demanding personality also kept everyone on their toes. Tossing her pad onto her bed, Pyxie made her way out onto her balcony, leaning against the off-white marble railing. Her bedroom was the highest tower of the Anything Goes School of Sexual Arts. She had the best view of her grounds, made that way so she can keep an eye on her special family. Below her to the east, a small hill with a lone cypress tree swayed with the wind, it's long slender branches revealing a couple of the harem members entwined in a peaceful nap. A small trail leading away from the hill leads towards a koi pond, filled with beautiful fat koi fishes and with a wooden bridge curving atop it. Ladies in revealing clothes playfully being chased by some of the harem men (aka man whores) ran amongst the flowerbeds, their gay laughter filling Pyxie's heart with warmth. The harem was filled with beauty. From it's white marble walls and floors, intricate arches and elegant columns, the building itself was a palace of dreams. Hidden above the clouds on an isolated mountain called Calypso Island, the harem is a place where so many wish to join and yet very few have actually seen. It's location was kept hidden from everyone by a from everyone but those chosen to be members. It was a place of peace, constant pleasure...a heaven placed on this pitiful Earth. Turning to Rydia, Pyxie quietly inquired, "Do you ever regret joining my harem? Come now, you're my favorite concubine, so please be honest with me." Joining her mistress on the balcony, Rydia absently flinging her hair over her shoulder. For over a thousand years she had wondered the world, seeking revenge for the death of her mother and village. Hatred had consumed her and had almost become her destruction. 2 years ago, while she had been standing over the edge of a cliff and debating on ending her life right there, a furious shout from behind had caused her to stop mid-step. "Mistress," Rydia said now, "ever since that day at the cliffs, I had found another reason to live. I learned that life lived in hate is a life lived in death. I still remember how angry you were, that such a beautiful being such a I would go to such a waste. How you demanded I join your harem. You know beauty when you see it. Not the physical kind, but the beauty within people. And you taught us all how to see that." A smile twitched on Rydia's lips as she turned to face Pyxie. "You're taught me, and everyone here, the most important lesson of all." "What would that be, Ry?" Pyxie asked, her head bowed so that Rydia couldn't see her expression. "You taught us how wonderful it is, to love and be loved, to have a family not of blood but of spirit..." Rydia said with a serious expression. "That sex while eating at the same time is the most erotic experience in life!" Pyxie giggled with wickedness, her melancholy mood quickly vaporizing. "You're absolutely right!" she exclaimed. "Why am I here pouting the day away. Let us go and throw an orgy!" Footsteps outside the chamber door caught their attention. "Pyx! Pyx!" said a young boyish voice. "BahamutX and Bix are just arriving! And they've brought another man with them! I saw them before anyone else did!" Opening the door, Pyxie smiled brightly at the impish face looking up at her with eagerness. Gage was the youngest in the harem, being only 10 years old. She had found him running away from abusive parents and whisked him under her protection. "Great work, Gage-e-poo!" said Pyxie, rumpling his midnight black locks, "Summon the man whores to prepare a feast. And have the concubines preperare themselves." As she glided gracefully out of the bedchamber, a shimmery veil of faerie dust fell from the silver circlet on Pyxie's forhead. It created a curtain of seduction, where her features left men staring and wondering what lies beneath. Only her emerald green eyes twinkling with mischief. Rydia gazed thoughtfully back onto the landscape. Her mistress is such a carefree being, and yet so much about her remains a secret. Even to Pyxie herself. Subj: [ffml] [HD] Revelations Date: 01-01-03 21:00:10 EST From: dshumate@bbtel.com (Arcanis) Reply-to: ffml@egroups.com To: ffml@egroups.com Auugh. This post didn't turn out as I'd like, but I really don't know how I should end it, so I'm leaving it up to pyx. Plus, I need to get ready for school tomorrow, so... :-p -------------------------- BahamutX slowly descended to touch down on the marble platform that served as his landing pad outside the Anything Goes School of Sexual Arts. Arcanis and Bix slid of the dragon on opposite sides, Arcanis landing nimbly and Bix ending up on his stomach. Arcanis had to admit-- the School was very impressive. He unlatched the platinum circle carved with the emblem of the Archmagi, and pulled his grey cloak, dirtied by his misadventures through the mountain, forest, and tavern, wadded it up, and cast a concentrated fire spell that incinerated the fabric instantly. Ducking Bahamut's refolding wings, Arcanis conjured a fine, dark emerald cloak and settled it around his shoulders, latching it with his emblem. As BahamutX moved away and Bix picked himself up, Bix looked at Arcanis confusedly. "I thought you had on a gr-- oh, nevermind," he said, following BahamutX. Arcanis, still disconcerted by such a grand place for a 'harem', ran his fingers through his dark emerald hair and followed. Arcanis noted nervously that quite a few people seemed to be a part of this 'harem', and all of those in view were staring at him. *Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to agree to come here,* Arcanis thought, *I might have to reveal my race or mission to get out of here.* Arcanis, lost in his thoughts, gave a start as he realized that he was inside a large room. BahamutX and Bix still lumbered ahead of him. Arcanis looked back and wondered how the dragon had fit through the double doors, which were smaller than him. "Welcome!" A voice rang out across the large room. The room's ceiling rose high, and the white walls were decorated by marble pillars and various tapestries. Arcanis' gaze snapped from the double-doors to the origin of the voice. A green-haired woman with bright, wide eyes stood on a dais in the room. "You have been selected, as you have no doubt been informed," the woman said, "to become the newest member of the happy harem of Pyxie's Anything Goes School of Sexual Arts!" Arcanis tried to wipe the by now-familiar mixture of disbelief and contempt from his face. "Um, hello?" He said uncertainly. The was a smattering of cheers of welcome throughout the people gathered in the massive room. Arcanis struggled not to slap his forehead in exasperation. As he examined whom he guessed was Pyxie, the apparent mistress of the harem, Arcanis gave a strangled gasp. *Oh shit!* his mind cussed at him as he detected her aura of innate magical power. *A summoner!* Arcanis unconsciously strengthened his natural, invisible shield against magic. Logic told him it was useless. A summoner could compel an esper to do anything they wanted. Few summoners were evil, but Arcanis was wary of anyone that could control him, and was made even warier after he had found out what Kefka had done with his power. It had taken some time to mend to huge tears in the planet, but it was impossible to mend the mortal lives lost. After a few moments, Arcanis blinked in confusion. His body wasn't moving of it's own accord, and the summoner was looking at him worriedly. *Haha!* Arcanis cackled mentally as he noticed she lacked the horn all summoners are born with. *She doesn't have a horn! She can't detect that I'm an esper!* Arcanis smoothed his face and gave a formal bow. "Sorry, milady, I was taken aback by the hospitality." Pyxie smiled, apparently relieved. "Heheh," she giggled. "No need to be formal here, um...?" "Arcanis," he stated. "Just Arcanis?" "Um, yeah." "Well, Arcy-poo," Pyxie said, instantly concocting a nickname for him and laughing at his wincing expression, "follow me! We've got a big feast to welcome you into our family!" * * * After the feast, in which Arcanis was extremely distrustful of drinking any whine, er, wine. He had thrown in several casual comments during the meal about Kefka and Crystal Peak, but it appeared that nobody present knew anything about either. Arcanis knew that meant he had to leave, and he felt strangely saddened by it. The School was beautiful indeed. Except for the impure mana ever-present on Earth, Arcanis could almost be fooled into thinking he was back in Abterrus. Pyxie had taken Arcanis to a drawing room to talk and learn more about him. "So, Arcy, tell me. Where are you from?" Pyxie said. Arcanis thought quickly. "Er, I um, just came from Medina," he said, not wishing to lie anymore than he had to. "Ohh, Bix told me that place was destroyed," Pyxie said, frowning. "But Baha says you're one of the most magically powerful people he's ever met. Why didn't you fight whatever happened to the village?" "Oh, um, you see, I was out of town when it happened," Arcanis stammered, mystified by his strange feeling of not wishing to lie to Pyxie directly. "Oh, that's too bad," Pyxie said sadly. Arcanis' gaze went to the table, on which there were several sketches, drawings, and paintings. He reached out and picked up one, intrigued by the picture. "I like to draw sometimes," Pyxie said, blushing modestly, "but I'm not really that good." While the quality was indeed high, that's not what Arcanis was interested in. *This looks exactly like King Bahamut!* he thought in disbelief. "What?" Pyxie asked. Arcanis realized he had spoken aloud. He fumbled for a change of topic, but he mentally groaned as he saw Pyxie's expression change from a wondering one to an amazed one. "Wait a second! I read in an old book that Bahamut is the ruler of the espers!" she shouted, jumping up at Arcanis' drastic change in expression. Arcanis narrowed his eyes and Pyxie's gasped as he vanished in a blur, only to rematerialize several feet behind the chair he had been in, with the expression of a cornered animal, and wielding a vicious-looking battle scythe. "So, summoner," Arcanis hissed, hoping that maybe this drastic attitude might scare her enough for him to escape without hurting anyone, "I'm sure you want my power for yourself, now that you know my race, hm?" "S-summoner?" Pyxie stammered, her eyes widening. She sat down, seemingly in shock. Arcanis blinked in surprise. Even a summoner without a horn could control an esper if they came into physical contact with them first. "I'm not a- a- s-summoner!" Arcanis let down his battle stance warily. "Hmm, perhaps I was hasty," he said thoughtfully, realizing that Pyxie was being truthful about her ignorance. "I apologize," Arcanis said sheepishly, "I, um, have to admit I've never really met a summoner, and I thought you'd try to control me..." Pyxie shook her head. "What makes you say I'm a summoner?" "I sensed your innate ability... it's hard to explain," Arcanis said sitting back down. "But regardless, I'm sorry, but I can't join this harem of yours." "Oh? Why not?" Pyxie asked. "I'm on a mission from Bahamut..." Arcanis said, hesitating. *Hey, King Bahamut never actually said I couldn't tell anyone, so...* "I'm supposed to find a very powerful and evil man named Kefka, and kill him. I don't suppose you could help me, there, could you?" Arcanis, still feeling guilty about summoning his weapon, concluded. -Arcanis From: pyxie <jaypyx@y...> Date: Thu Jan 4, 2001 12:05pm Subject: [HD] Proper Harem Welcome After watching Rydia scamper out of the hall, Pyxie turned back to Arcanis and smiled softly. She observed how he kept looking around him, half wonder and half nervousness. "Cheer-up Arcy," she said teasingly. "No one's gonna bite ya...unless you want them to." Arcanis blushed deeply when her meaning sunk in. He had seen couples playfully nipping at each other's necks throughout the festivities. He never knew such things were acceptable! And in public! Pyxie laughed at the various expressions that flittered over Arc's face. [Such a strange man, so quiet and thoughtful. Kinda reminds me of Pokey!] Arcanis was suddenly taken aback as Pyxie spontaneously flung her arms around him and squeezed tight. As she stepped back, he wondered if this was another weird custom of theirs. "Wh-what was that for?" he asked. "Oh nothing important," Pyxie said, waving her hand nonchallantly and watched Arc's. "Just wanted to feel you up. You have a very nice body. hehe" Gaping as Pyxie winked at him, it took Arc a second to gather his composure again. He didn't know if he should feel flattered or offended. As he debated on this, Arc noticed something sparkle on Pyxie's wrists. "Hmm, that's a very interesting band you have." Arcanis pointed to the twin bands. They were made of polished silver, intricately etched with figures he couldn't quite make out. He also noticed the headband on her head, a matching silver but as smooth and unblemished as the marbles on the floor. They wrapped around Pyxie's forehead, with the bottom part dipping into an elegant V between her eyebrows. "My mother gave this to me," Pyxie explained. "I grew up at a brothel in Nikea. My mother, Lady Topica, and all the other ladies there taught me all the powers of the Sexual Arts. These bands were a gift from them for my 18th birthday. See this, that is the Missionary Position, you know...the usual." Arcanis automatically nodded when Pyxie looked at him with such eager eyes. He had no real clue as to what she was talking about, but he didn't want her to know of his ignorance. He leaned closer as she pointed to another figure. "This is my favorite...the Dragon Position! It has the deepest penetration and causes the greatest pleasure." "Pardon me? Is this a secret way to successfully kill a dragon? That's what this long thin stick is right? A magical weapon?" Arcanis pointed to the straight line that emerged from one figure and went into the other. Pyxie's bubbly laughter along with a few others that were close by gave Arc a pause. Everyone at the harem seemed to be always filled with gaiety and good-will, something that made Arc feel very welcome and at the same time, so far apart. "Oh Arcy, you're such a doll!" pyxie exclaimed. "These are different sexual positions used by a man and woman to give each other pleasure. Have you never been intimate before?" A lost look entered Arcanis' eyes and Pyxie nodded. Aaah yes, thought Pyxie, poor Arcy is lonely. I can't just let him go away without realizing what he's missing. "Well I've umm..thought about it...but I've never really...that is...er..." "I've decided to come with you on your quest, Arcy." Pyxie's sudden announcement was a shock. It was like an icecube being slipped into your pants kinda shock! Arcanis stammered to a stop, wondering what the harem mistress was up to. Her quick change of subject has put him out of kelter. He had told her his story and had asked for her help earlier. But before she had answered, her two man whores Gage and Hortian rudely interrupted and dragged her out to start the festivities. "It's been a really long time since an adventure came my way," pyxie continued. "A good romp around the hay, so to speak, will do me good. We shall bring a few of my harem members along, if you don't mind." "Well..." Arcanis thought quickly, "not too many. Maybe one or two." "Alrighty!" Pyxie grabbed Arc's hands and twirled him around. Such a bubbly creature, this harem mistress of AGSOSA. He sensed a strong aura of summoner in her, and is puzzled at why she doesn't realize it. "We shall leave as soon as Pokey gets back," the purple haired girl proclaimed. With a another hug, Pyxie ran off in a swirl of satin and the scent Jasmine. Maybe bringing her along wouldn't be so bad after all, brooded Arcanis. I know not that much of races, customs and activities here on Earth. Having her and her body guards would probably make traveling that much easier. Taking one last look around the erotic bustle of the harem, Arcanis headed up to his bedchamber thinking about Shiva.