Let me tell you about the Après Party:

I thought about Ms. Chan’s departing remark and say, "Talk about ~Always leave your audience wanting more~..." I finish my last gulp of coffee. I strip off my clothes and jump into the lap pool. I take a deep breath, stick my head under water and scream.

I come up for air and swim over to the edge of the pool as Fatima says, "I find it easier to talk to strangers about truths. And I don't know any of you," she pauses and looks around at all of us, "I'm scared. I had certainty and now I have a vast universe of unknowns. If everything she says is true, and the things she is not saying are true as well, then we have little choice but to use our cogs to move forward the machines of destiny. She has laid, in me at the least, a foundation of tenuous trust, based on needs. I worry about my future when she decides she no longer needs me. Will I be free to go, or seen as a future threat?" She sighs, looking up at the strange moons, hugging herself. "Am I alone in this thinking?"

Akio answers, “Fatima, I think you are right to be cautious and think about motivations. And about possible future motivations. I have never had to think that way before, but I think I should now.”

Jason, "I do not believe we are being told everything. But I am not sure why, yet. Too much to process perhaps. Even though I do not know you all yet, I do feel a connection. Tenuous as it is... It Could be my imagination, or wishful thinking.. Having a family again.. Is a powerful call."

Akio nods at Jason, "Yes, I have thought the same thing, Jason. I think of it in terms of an online game I sometimes play. It's called EVE Online, you may have heard of it. When I first started, I joined a ‘corp’, which is a group of players in the same organization in the game. Once I was having trouble defeating a room in the game, and a corp-mate I'd never met before (online) came and helped me defeat it. We ended up chatting for a long time, not about game things.”

Akio goes on to recount his online conversation, “I explained that I was not online much, because of family and relationship responsibilities that I could not control. He gave me deep and succinct advice, from his point of view as a person who had had a very tragic thing happen with a relationship and a family member. A Russian DJ in Budapest and a Japanese uni student who'd just met, discussing such life things. ‘I don't know why I told you all of that about me.’ ‘It's because we just went through danger together, we fought together, and you helped me for no good gain to yourself.’ ‘That's true,’ after a while he said. ‘When you're playing EVE, you do shit together. You get to know each other fast. It's different than in a bar. I kind of think it's the same with us. ‘We're doing shit together.’ Very quickly. It's not like in a bar." He paused and then concluded, "Desu, neh?"

I put my fingers in my mouth and gave a loud whistle to get everyone's attention. "Hey, Gang. Maybe Cordelia isn't the most patient babysitter. Not great at distributing information either. Maybe she doesn't have the patience to spoon feed us information that we could find out for ourselves. This place does have a Library. But, you know what is great for providing information? A Computer.”

I call out to the mansion’s AI, “Hey, Zou Yan. Do you have a History of Amber and Carnelian, along with a Genealogy? Oh, and information on the Pattern Fall War and Rodian War? Maybe some Bariman Biographies too? Are any and/or all of this information in your database? Also, are you able to scan and translate any of the books in the Library if they are not yet in your database?"

Zou Yan, "Thank you Jo but I am significantly more than a computer. Having said that, my current knowledge base does not contain much on any of the subjects requested, nor do I have an index of the contents of the Library. With reference to the Pattern Fall War, the only reference I can find is to a series of fiction titles published in the Nineteen-Seventies by somebody called Roger Zelazny. How much help these would be I am unaware. I can translate a high resolution scan of any text for which I have language reference, which includes most common Earth languages and Thari, which I believe is the language spoken in Amber."

"Thank You Zou Yan, That's a start, at least..."

Edward replies, "Interesting that there is a book series that mentions that... What are the odds it is talking about the same thing... probably very unlikely..."

To what Fatima had said earlier, Edward says, "You are definitely not alone.. I personally agree with you. And that's where we as cousins can make a pact to watch out for each other. We are going to each be bombarded with new information and opportunities. I expect the Ball to be our 'formal coming out party'. We need to remember that each of us currently have a common bond, and no reason not to keep that going.. no matter what we may be presented with otherwise."

Alarna agrees, "An agreement to look out for one another seems a fine idea. I'd love to go to the library but I don't fancy passing out again quite so soon. My head still feels like a drum corp is practicing inside and I think poor Edward has strained his muscles enough for one day."

I join the others, "I'm in agreement with this agreement."

Fatima says to Alana, "Oh! I'm so sorry, I didn't know something had happened. My apologies. I certainly don't wish you any more harm." And to Edward, "I'm sorry for your injuries. Maybe I should save further research for a different time, in case any of us incurs more misfortune."

Edward chuckles, "She is only joking, she is light as a feather, I suspect I could carry her for miles if needed.." Edward gives Alarna a smile.

She returns Edward's smile. "Well, let's not test the theory too far, shall we? Maybe in the morning, a trip to the library will be more productive for me." 

"Yes, another time for sure. There is no telling what we might find useful in the library."

Fatima turns away from my playful splashing, apparently not wanting to get wet, "I am heartened to hear this. That we can be allies brings me relief. Well, I'm going to be up all night. Does anyone want to join me in the Library to find any of these subjects? I looked through some books earlier, but before this I wasn't fully aware of what I wanted." She looks around at Akio, Alarna, and Edward.

I agree, "As for doing research, I'm in the same boat with you, Alarna. We're not going to be able to use the Library for another day or two while we build up our force fields. Plus, I don't think I'd retain much at the moment since, aside from meditating this morning, I haven't slept for.... I've lost track of time, but maybe almost three days..."

Jason adds, "Not alone, no. I will agree to back the rest of you through this. A common bond, in that we are all at the bottom rung of a ladder." He grins at Edward "I read a book once, 'the Number of the Beast' in it, at one point... the author postulated that in alternate universes, OUR adventures are other peoples comics, and in our universe their Lives are our comics!"

I say, "Six to the power of six to the power of six. Not the number of the beast, but the number of Parallel Universes."

"Right, I see you read it too! The title was ‘The Number of the Beast’ by Robert Heinlein and he postulated that the number of alternate universes was that calculation... Six raised to the power of six, then that total raised to the power of Six again. And his characters had a way to access those alternates. How close he was I could not say, in my shadow it was a work of Science Fiction. in Another...perhaps truth!"

"Like I said, I read a lot of Science Fiction and Fantasy books trying to piece together how my portals work. Even if this Rodney Salazarny is only half right, he might give us a better understanding of where we're at than what Cordelia has hinted at. Plus there's more information about the Rodian War and a library full of other books that might be helpful too.”

I look at my cousins, “So, are you all going to stand around or are you going to jump into the pool?" as I splashed pool water at them.

Akio smiles and laughs, "No swimming for me tonight, I'm soon for bed. I'm also in agreement with the agreement. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu. It means ‘I humbly ask for your help going forward.’"

"Pool Party..." Edward says jokingly. "I'm going to run and grab my suit..." He says to Fatima and Alarna. "Can I grab one for either of you two?"

"I'll grab my own, thanks. Maybe the cool water will relax my head," Alarna replies.

I laugh, "Who needs a bathing suit when you're wearing a few thousand litres of water?"

"Some of us prefer not to show off God's bounty and shortcomings to all and sundry so quickly in a new relationship. Not to mention there are some with more delicate sensibilities. Not me, but some...," Alarna replied with a hint of a smile. She then turned to Edward. "Want to walk to the bedrooms together since we're both headed that way?"

"Of course... After you..." Edward says as he and Alarna depart. “If anyone else needs a suit I’ll be happy to ask the servants to retrieve it from your respective rooms.”

Akio changes his mind, "Thank you Edward. Please ask for my suit." 

Jason laughs and strips down to his Swim trunks and jumps in.

Edward returns with Alarna, and swimsuits as requested. He jumps into the pool making a big splash.

"Thank you very much, Edward." Akio ducks away for a moment to change into his suit, exhales, and dives in the pool with a minimal splash. "The two moons are beautiful, don't you think? The tidal patterns here must be very complex. And the behaviors of insects, fish, and other creatures that are influenced by full and new moons."

I nod to Akio in agreement, turning my attention to the others I say, "So, Alarna and I have Portal Power. What makes the rest of you goons special? Anyone here know how to fly or turn into a Werewolf? X-Ray Vision?"

Cathal says, "Werewolves are mythical creatures.. My understanding is that assuming the form of any mythical creature requires significant training and capability."

"Special training? So with the right teacher and a lot of practice you can transform yourself? If not a Werewolf, a regular, non-mythical wolf? Or something else?"

"With enough time to study the form of an animal, allowing for the preservation of mass, then yes any animal form is possible.. wolves/dogs are the easiest as they're an everyday part of our lives."

"Oh, man! Sometimes I get along better with horses, dogs and cats than I do with people. To actually become one would be awesome! Although I don't have the mass."

"You're lighter built than me, so whilst I'd make a better horse or big cat, you're much better suited to most dog breeds than I am.. " he pauses.. then says "unless I wanted to imitate Cordelia's dog.."

My eyes widened, "So, this isn't just hypothetical? You can actually do it!" While thinking you’re taller than I am, but I’m wider than you, so we should be close in overall mass.

"Why would I not be able to do it? .. it's part of my heritage."

"Well, since I didn't find out about my heritage until just recently, I didn't know it was an option. And by the looks of things, I'd say some of us are better at some things than others..."

"I think it depends on your heritage.. If one of your parents was a Choasite then it's part of your heritage, otherwise I don't know. Might have to ask Ms. Chan and see if she knows, or is prepared to answer the question. Her answer to my earlier question about the second Logrus wasn't that enlightening.."

"Well, if we really can live a millennia or two, we've got lots of time to learn..."

Jason joins, "I don't know about special.. I have always been faster, stronger, and smarter than most around me. I have an interest in Strategy and Tactics, Firearms and The Ladies! I did not know X Ray vision was available as a part of a package! How about invulnerability?"

I ask, "Invulnerability? Bulletproof like Superman?"

Jason says "Like superman...That's what I thought of when X Ray Vision was said!"

I continue, "I'm just spit-balling different super powers. I lifted a car off a guy once. But that may have just been adrenaline. What I need is a Wizard that can make me a bag-of-holding to carry my portals in."

Fatima takes a seat, "I've, uh, been figuring out how to use some sort of energy to give certain words a sort of, uh... I'm not sure how else to say it. Like a power of sorts. Like they're energized with intent." She looks visibly uncomfortable.

"Sorry, Fatima, when I said 'Wizard' it looked like I slapped you with a dead fish. Is everything okay? I mean, it would be totally cool if you are a Wizard."

"The hadith is not very clear on why witches and wizards are evil, only that Allah forbids the practice of magics on punishment of death. To suggest that I was such a creature is to curse me with death." She takes a deep breath. "That being said, I'm trying to keep an open mind. I held my tongue while Cordelia made the wine appear. I was amazed and intrigued when she opened the portal to come here. I am almost more eager to learn of the source of these powers than I am afraid of eternal death. I have been questioning the hadith, which is punishable by imprisonment. But I have faith that none of you will report me to the police." She chuckles, "I could not, nor would I, claim such things in my country. But here, America, you are free to say nearly anything you want. For example, claiming transformation is tantamount to being djinn. Which is a thing many people back home would fear." She sighs, looking around again. Making eye-contact is apparently difficult for her. "About our other strengths... I've never really tested my body. There was one time I was, that is, I ran across the city of Tangier without stopping. My mind sort of drifted as I ran and I didn't realize how far I'd gone until I stopped to catch my breath. Which only took a few breaths to do. I've never tried lifting anything heavy. But I'm getting straight fourteens in school. I was admonished at a young age and told not to outshine the more popular kids who seemed to struggle to get thirteens. But I can't really help it. Academics is easy. Especially when eidetic recall makes the pages appear in my head so I can work out the answers easily." She turns her head. "I'm sorry, I've been talking too much."

Yes, Fatima, I'm trying to break you out of your shell… "No, Fatima, I like to hear you. Your accent is like music. Like I said to you last night, don't hide your light under a bushel. I feel like this is the place to let yourself shine."

Cathal, "Fatima, would I be correct in thinking the Arabic word Djinn translates as Demon? Whilst it's more than somewhat of a misrepresentation, the latter is often used in reference to Chaosites by those who know little and understand less."

"'Djinn' is generally an evil spirit. We use 'shaytan' or 'satan' to refer to devils or demons. But that's just semantics. For a person who's never seen a 'Chaosite', and I assume they transform shape as described by you and Jo, then a commoner might indeed call them demons and run away screaming for Allah. Now if the demon were to cast magic at people, that might be called a djinn. Again, semantics. Words are words. I'm trying my best to understand all these new things. What more should I be made aware of? There's a kind of magic that transforms, creates, transports, and powers words. Can we do more with the 'Pattern's Imprint'?"

Cathal, "Yes as you say ‘words’ are ‘words’ .. But whilst Choasites can shape-shift into animal forms, the form they wear as their ~normal~ form depends on where they're raised, although at the time my mother fled the Courts, there was a fad for the human form, as opposed to our more natural form, and that almost all humans would consider demonic. However that is not magic, at least as I understand the concept of ‘Magic’. It's just the ability to manipulate our bodies at the cellular level. If Cordelia is to be believed, Trump, what Jo calls ‘Portals’, is also not ‘Magic’, although it would appear to be such. As to the Pattern, she said we could traverse Shadow using it, but she has hinted at more. I know that the Logrus allows you to do more, but I have no idea how comparable the two are."

Akio, "I've never noticed any special ability other than being, as was said, stronger, faster, and mentally quicker than other people. And I can feel the energies of things. I have had to conceal my abilities. "

Cathal, "I think we're all used to concealing any abilities we have.. but I don't understand your expression the energies of things. Molecules emit or absorb energy, we tend to call it light or heat depending on it's spectrum."

I speculate, "Sure, there's regular mundane stuff like heat, light and electricity. But then there's the ‘Trump Power’ that has overwhelmed Alarna and me all day… And whatever juice Cordelia used to conjure that bottle of wine in the library last night to demonstrate magic. So, there's the stuff that ~normal~ people can sense and there's the stuff that only us super heroes can sense."

Cathal, "I can see some of that.. I have a very vague understanding of what Trumps are, but if only yourself and Alana have been affected, Akio can't have been referring to that. So are you suggesting Akio can sense some form of ‘Magic’ energy? In which case why didn't he react when Cordelia did whatever she did when she conjured that bottle of wine out of thin air? Surely she must have used some sort of energy when she did that, assuming some of the relevant laws of physics apply.."

"Eyes to see, ears to hear... Different organs for different energies. I ~see~ blinding bright white light from Trump Power. Not just visually, but with my mind's eye. How do you ~feel~ energies, Akio?"

Akio looks at me with a look of concentration, "I can sense ki, which is called chi in English. I'm sure you've heard of it. It's hard to define, other than calling it a ‘life force’ or ‘vital energy.’ Each plant has a distinct chi, for example. Do you know how you can feel that someone is staring at you from behind, even though the person has made no sound? That is Chi. The person's attention to you is Chi, and you notice it. Chi can be summoned from within oneself, but it seems that it comes from outside oneself also. When used in a martial arts attack, assembled and focused Ki can have devastating effects. Crystals and other inanimate things also have a distinct ‘energy,’ but it is not Chi. Not exactly Chi, at least. But maybe related. I don't know if trumps have Chi energy, or something different. When Cordelia showed us hers, I deliberately avoided feeling their ‘energies’. I feel that a ‘magical’ energy, combined with the... spirit and persona of the living person represented on the card-- that could be a very powerful energy indeed. A hazardous and unpredictable energy, even."

Thinking of his ability to sense people around him, I joke, "So, no one has ever given you a wedgie?"

Akio has a puzzled smile on his face, but then directs his attention to Fatima, "Please, Fatima, there's nothing to be sorry about. We're happy to learn more about you."

Natsuki, "Have you not noticed Akio that the gardens here are set up to focus ki? Ki energy can also be used to heal."

I consider the idea of absorbing healing energies even if I can’t necessarily sense them, "Nice! The weather's beautiful. Maybe I'll sleep outside in the garden tonight." I'm reminded that Reiki is used in the Trust Technique that Ferrier Jake MacFarland uses with horses. He'd said something about using Chi but I hadn't pursued it.

Akio calls out to the Mansion AI, "Zou Yan, four lagers, discreetly delivered, please. In case anyone else would like one." To Natsuki, quietly aside: "I saw the shape of the garden, but only from within it. I didn't recognize the Ki shape of it. But I saw that it was quite a pleasant and artistically-arranged garden. Some powerful old soul shrubs, glowing with wisdom and Ki, with a nation of cheerful young soul light green plants covering the ground under them. It seemed designed to be walked through and not viewed. But every place in it is an... experience. And a good one."

I nod, "Good idea Akio. A couple of brewskis would go down nicely. Zou Yan, add a few more beers to that order please." I swim a couple of quick laps and climb out of the pool and put my kilt back on. I finger comb my hair and re-braid it.

A drinks trolley is delivered bearing an assortment of hot, cold and viscous beverages.

Alarna gets a glass of ginger ale.

I call out, "Let's get this party started. Zou Yan, please play us some music. Some mellow background music so we can still talk. How about some Instrumental Prog Rock? Like Jethro Tull's Roots to Branches, Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells or anything from Camel... " I take a lager and swig it from the bottle.

Jason is still in the pool swimming some laps. He then climbs out of the pool and grabs a brew.

Concerned about our missing cousin, "I asked at dinner, and I'll ask again. Where is Cousin Cormac? I haven't seen him since we all met in the Library last night..." I wonder if he’s lost or has run away.

To Natsuki I say, "I wish I'd known that this place was pet friendly, I'd have brought my little Grumble along with me. I miss my little guys. If you ever need anyone to walk Choki for you, I'd be happy to."

"I asked Chan Sama when she arrived to collect me if Choki could come too, and she said that it would not be a problem, and that Mikato San would welcome the company. Choki mostly looks after himself, sometimes he can disappear for days, but I usually know where he is. But I thank you for your kind offer, it was most generous."

"No problem. Geddy, Alex and Neil are going to get fat living with my parents. Their walks won't be as long, and they will get more treats. I sometimes wish I was one of my dogs so that I could get treats and tummy rubs just for being cute."

I have a couple of beers and make a mental note to get a bathing suit for next time… Just after midnight I excuse myself from the festivities. "Ladies, Gents: It's been a pleasure, but now I am in need of slumber."

"Good night, Jo," Alarna replied

Akio says, "Good night Jo, sleep well. It's been a good day, I think. I've very much enjoyed this evening. I feel that we've become... Friends. Good night everyone, have a nice sleep." as he excuses himself as well.