Augmented Aspects [Steampunk], [Progression], [Gamelit]

Like a Comfy Blanket

(The Next Day)

Can pixies dream?

I guess maybe a better question is, should we dream? I slept last night. Or maybe it was in the afternoon? Truth be told, thanks to my blindness, I can always fall prey to the problems posed by non-24. That is, my blindness makes it so I have a hard time synchronizing with the ebbs and flows of the world. Normally I rely on Zero's double dose of sleeping for the both of us to help me overcome any issues.

With Zero sleeping for the two of us, I can get twice as much done. Also, with my range of vision the distance that it is, I can see and notice things relatively quickly, and adjust.

People forming up at the school yard? Probably time for me to start teaching.

People gathering in a grand assembly area? Probably means I need to be present to at least hear information.

Fortunately, my Simulacrums much like me, are very curious creatures, meaning they will often listen to such assemblies. They also try to Positional Switch with me, when they know certain events that I need to address are presented.

Thus my Simulacrums and I work as a well oiled task completion machine.

Of course, I don't get the experience from quests and tasks that they complete until I sleep. Meaning the longer the time in between sleeping events, the more experience notifications I need to address before I can get to points of interest that caused me to want to sleep and relax in the first place.

That is why, my first few moments while sleeping are so annoying, as I feel the constant ping of the success of my me-minions. Though that sounds a bit derogatory towards me, and my various aspects that each Simulacrum has come to represent.

Even now I know that I need to provide four new names for my Simulacrums, a feat that seems to be demanded almost immediately upon sleeping.

Though to be fair, after my amazing naming convention for the first four, I've hit somewhat of a dead end on what the others should be called.

I mean with names like Rune-Ulacrum, Heal-Ulacrum, Fae-Ulacrum, and Ship-Ulacrum, we all know who they are, what their specialty is, and most importantly who could fill in for me for any specific task.

That is why I want to be somewhat more judicious with these last four. I know the copilot with Ship-Ulacrum deserves a name. But I don't want to go with Copilot or other related tasks, as I feel that would cause the Simulacrum to take on a subservient role that all but limits her, aka my, autonomy. That is why I ultimately decided to go with a better name for a ship rider.

Taking a deep breath, in my dream like state, I focus my mind and smile as I realize at least part of me will get to fulfill my secret wish of a career path I could only dream about having.

.

Seeing that update, I smile knowing that part of me will be able to provide tales of exploration, stealing, and survival when I sleep next. This one will be perfect, as their bonuses will also hopefully help with the upcoming mock battles. While they might miss the 30% deployment bonus from the Prankenstein, their combat bonuses will make up for the difference.

With the first one completed and accepted, I know I have to do the others quickly, before they conspire more against me. That is why I next focus on that one Simulacrum who started the process of trying to single handedly set off my PTSD by trying to terraform the world to be a more magical place. Not that I am against the process of terraforming, or making our world more magical. It's more of how I got the skills to learn to terraform so effectively that cause me remember my time in captivity. It was a month, well technically just under a full month, but that is a long time.

Even now I feel anxiety from seeing her progress. Still, unlike me, she loves the task. Even going so far as to inspire the other seven Simulacrum to take a turn and give her an hour break each, though not all at once. Meaning she does seventeen hours of Terraforming a day, while the others do the remaining seven. And like that, I know what her name will be.

Seeing the bonus she receives from her rest, I can see why it would only take seven non-concurrent hours for her to fully recharge herself. This is the second of my four Simulacrums, and one of the two new Simulacrums that are primarily stationed outside of Aracnarus Tower with me.

Switching focus, I go back to the last of the two new Simulacrums who primarily reside within the Arcanarus Tower. This is the second Simulacrum who resides alongside Fae-Ulacrum on the 200th floor of the Arcanarus Tower.

For this one, I have a special task for her, as she will be the one who ultimately hatches the dragon eggs that I got from the lower floors of the Arcanarus Tower. I think about calling her Hatch-Ulacrum, as that will be her primary task, but that would mean her purpose would be over once this clutch of eggs are hatched, which is why I decide to try to broaden her scope and purpose by giving her a more meaningful name. That's when it comes to me, another perfect name.

Phew.

I exhale with that one, as this will help me with a bigger concern that I've been having. Namely, the fact that poor Zero has not found a mate. Of course, part of his problem with finding a life partner is that he is bonded with me nearly permanently, but I know my time of abusing his kindness will need to come to a end here shortly. He is his own person, and deservers a shot at a normal life once all of this is over. Also, releasing more dragons into a magical world can never end poorly, right?

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I almost feel the twinge of something deeper hitting me at that thought, but I shake myself as I go onto the last of the four simulacrums. This will be the second of the new Simulacrums stationed outside of the Arcanarus Tower. Thinking about what she has been doing, I realize she has been leading the resistance forces against the Legrand Empire, unifying the Teleiotís, and even directing the other eight DiMes Teleiotís to Rune-Ulacrum who united us all for our chance to unite as a team for the ongoing Planetary Placement trials. Realizing that she mainly focuses on Espionage and other related activities, I instantly know the perfect name for her.

With that task complete, I feel the four roles and positions click into place. Though again, I feel that my Simulacrums get to do all the fun things, making me jealous of their roles. What I wouldn't give to be able to play Pirate, or act as a freelance spy again. In fact, I would gladly change places with any of them, well any of the but Terra-Ulacrum, she's just crazy.

With that first task done, I finally feel my consciousness meld with the memories of eight distinctly different Simulacrums all come together. I feel how Espy-Ulacrum worked with the Teleiotís to increase resistance efforts against the Legrand Empire. She even acted as an ambassador between normal resistance forces and the Teleiotís to help coordinate resistance efforts and to help fight back. It didn't hurt that Espy-Ulacrum used her hour of Terraforming to improve the lands beyond the Legrand Empire's borders, making safe havens and restful pockets for the Teleiotís to escape to when they needed to rest and regroup.

There were other stories too, of how Terra-Ulacrum has apparently taken it upon herself to try to capture the severely Blight infected Super Fizzy Ploofs and their larger more dangerous versions, the Super Fizzy Ploofs Plus monsters in a giant net of terraformed land strips. First creating large boundaries, then reinforcing those boundaries so that on Super Fizzy Ploof could escape without causing grave bodily harm to themselves, then slowly closing the noose by reinforcing the lands.

In fact, this slow closing of lands is what apparently made it so the registration site that I went to was terraformed. A blessing to be sure, for otherwise I would have had to fight against the Legrand Empire's Tier IV mechanoid suits at a detriment, due to my inherent weakness to non-magical lands. Meaning Terra-Ulacrum is probably the most important Simulacrum, even though I would never envy her role in what we are all trying to accomplish here.

From there, I get the expected notifications of Quests being completed, and the all important notification that makes these waits so important.

Then finally, I get the update that I had been waiting for. The one that seemed to have come from out of nowhere. Again, from Terra-Ulacrum no less who was relaxing during one of her down hours. During that time, she was still releasing her magical aura, but much slower than normal from within World's End. During that time she somehow managed to wash away the false layer of an NPC's life and reveal the true soul beneath.

Ironically, the only reason why it happened was that Terra-Ulacrum had been drawn in by the random story being told, feeling a slightly nostalgic resonance to the cadence and delivery that the old woman had while talking to a class of children who had gathered around.

Being that close, and slowly leaking her energy was enough to slowly erode the outer layer, revealing the essence of my mother, which she instantly recognized, being a part of me. Realizing I needed to be there, she tried to Positional Switch with me, but I had already locked myself in place due to my starting of an unstoppable Quest sequence. A fact that I think will likely play a role in all Planetary Positioning related quest lines.

Due to that, I was only able to join at the tail end of the story. Though linking Terra-Ulacrum's memories to my own, I was able to recreate and relive the moment of discovery repeatedly.

Each lost moment caught and rewatched in my mind's eye, as I see who my mother was, and how even in a new life she was always herself and meant to be with dad. Just seeing her form was something that will always resonate with me, but Terra-Ulacrum perhaps knowing that I was unable to join did something even more important. She did something that I could never forget, nor find a way to make up the gift she gave me.

For there she was, knowing who was before her, and after knowing I wasn't able to come, she opened up her third eye, her normal eye and let me view my mother the way she was truly. Not how good she was on the inside, but how beautiful she was on the outside. Thanks to that one moment of kindness on Terra-Ulacrum's part I could see every gray hair, laugh line, and wrinkle that made up her aging face. I got to see her at an age that she never got to live to in the real world, and I was finally able to gain some form of closure knowing what actually happened to her. She moved on, but on her terms, in her own way.

That's when I realized that not only was Terra-Ulacrum crazy, but she was also a better person than I could ever hope to be. For I would never have thought about using my normal eyes to view her, but she did, knowing that we would synchronize our thoughts and consciousnesses, allowing me this one brief look at a person who at one point meant the world to me.

A person who made so many sacrifices for me, that I never even got a chance to thank her, not as much as I should have, and nowhere near as much as she deserved. Her only request was for me to find dad, so they could be reunited, a task I had already planned on completing, but now I was more determined than ever to accomplish this task, due to knowing that they were both now incomplete without each other.

During this time, I felt my body toss and turn a lot. Apparently, my arms go to sleep if I do so for too long, which is fine, just wake up, shift your bodyweight and go back to restart the memory of my mother telling a story to children. Then my back started hurting from sleeping to long, again a simple fix, just roll to the side and continue the memory once more.

"Mother, it's time to wake up," an overly cheerful voice cries out. Hearing her, I realize that I have been sleeping for a long time, but I deserve some time to myself.

"Five more minutes," I state, repeating my daughter's favorite line. I can already feel my mind waking up from my synchronization, allowing my awareness of my surroundings to expand to first the room. Where I can see Gwen's form stalking forward with a mischievous smile on her face. All while Penelope just looks on curiously from the doorframe.

I'm probably late for something, but I don't want to get up. Not now, not while this memory is so fresh.

"You're already going to be late as is," Gwen presses.

"Can't I call out sick?" I ask, feeling frustrated.

"Of course you can, if you are sick. You are sick, aren't you?" Gwen presses, by now she has prowled her way to be looming over me in my bed. Yes, for the first time ever, I slept in my own bed, in my Guild appointed room. A fact that means apparently everyone has a key or way to break into my room.

Hearing the question, I am about to reply with an affirmative, but I quickly feel my gut tightening, letting me know that I know I would be lying. I am not sick. Also, I know that I shouldn't be left alone at this time, which is why I'm not as upset by Gwen trying to make this into a sick game. One no doubt brought about by years of wishing to conduct the same levels of torture that I inflicted upon her during her teenage years, when she too slept in.

"No," I let out with a sigh.

"Well, then it is time to get up." Gwen states, her voice dripping with that faux sugary goodness that all parents can muster. One that all kids invariably realize means annoyance will soon commence.

"I don't want to," I say, again playing the petulant teenager, since our roles have clearly been switched for today at least.

"Well, that is fine, you can just lie there. In fact, I will help you," Gwen replies as a devilish smile fills her lips.

I can already feel this going bad, but I'm still too disoriented. My Angel's Sight is still blurry and I can't make out where or what I am apparently late for.

"You are going to help her sleep?" Penelope calls out, as she apparently walked into the room to join this attempt to awaken me.

"Of course, if she wants to sleep, then I will help, by getting a comfy blanket to cover her," Gwen calls out.

I am about to sit up, "no!" I try, but my coordination is too off as a giant skinny elf jumps onto me.

"OOF!"

I feel the air get pushed out of my lungs as Gwen quickly drapes herself over me.

"You don't look like you are that comfortable of a blanket," Penelope states as she gets closer to both of us. She is now close enough to be able to pull Gwen off if this gets to be too much. At this point I kind of enjoy the idea of Gwen hugging me, her warmth and love much needed, as I can feel those energies seeping deep into me. I'll never tell her, but I am glad she remembered this form of torture.

"No, you misunderstood. The game is called Comfy Blanket, and I am the Blanket, meaning it is my job to get comfortable." Gwen coos as she squirms and digs her bony hips and elbows deep into me. I am about to push her off, when suddenly I feel a surge of Gravity Magic.

Thud.

My bed breaks, as I am suddenly compressed by thousands of pounds of Gwen pressing down on me.

"You're using gravity magic?" I wheeze out, impressed that she went that far for this. At the sudden impact with the floor, Gwen cancels her spell, a split second before we probably start breaking through the flooring.

As she gets up, I also sit up, realizing that my Qi Fusion class is lined up and going through self directed stretches, while they wait for me. Seeing their devotion, and realizing that we are going to rely on their participation in the Planetary Positioning games, I realize I need to get up. I can mourn when we have time, but now is not such a moment.

"Uh, yeah, sorry, I didn't mean to," Gwen replies, getting up and trying not to break my broken bed any more than she already has. Fortunately, Penelope is there to help her up first, then me.

"Thank you," I say as I give Penelope a quick peck on the forehead. An act that always accompanied comfy blanket, though it was me generally kissing Gwen on the forehead at that time.

Then when it is clear I am not going to give a kiss on the forehead to Gwen, she protests. "Hey!"

"Sorry, gotta go, I'm already late for class," I reply with a smile, again keeping out switched roles in place as I use her own line that she used against me as a teenager, against her now.

"No, you have time. . ." Gwen protests.

I Just smile, wave and disappear, as I reluctantly begin my new day. Still not over seeing my mother, but in a much better mental state to deal with the fact that life goes on, regardless of how ready I am to move on with it.

Poof.