#odyssey

Rested, restored, and even enter tained, it's time for our two heroes to get back on their mission

Symon casts a sly glance at Dagmar. Good ol' solid, dependable, buddy Dagmar. Back to normal, right?

Dagmar is blithely oblivious of whatever effect she had.

Seems the worst of it is fine.. just don't think about her in that moment of victory, muscles shining with sweat and the glow of victory, chest rising and falling with deep inhales and exhales as her..

right, dont think back to THAT moment and it's good

"So just one left! Well, of pre-quest..."

"Last one! Do we know where to go?" He looks at the map piece they received. Still coastline?

The map is ..these are islands!

He pulls up the Florida keys on his phone --- and compares!

Similar, but different.. the Fiefs of Bright Paradise

And, dials up Vali again. Speakerphone with Dagmar - quicker and safer, with nothing left in 'print' that could be snooped.

"Nice!"

the phone is picked up , female voice answering “It’s a children hospital, you hurt them we heal them”

"Uh. Miss Tiffany?" He guesses

"That's what they call me when I'm not on my Dial A pet hotline. Symon, what's up? My man is in the can. hope he wshes his hands"

"We needed to talk to him. We can wait."

"Okay..." And then.. noises? She's pinched her nose and is miming hold muzak

Head-shake. (Pooka.)

Then "THanks honey" Vali's voice "yes yes, I washed my hands"

Then "How goes it, you two?"

"Dagmar battled the Feathered Serpent... and won." Pride radiating.

Or smugness, hard to tell.

"As was foreseen in my vision, yes. All unwinds as it should" Vali says adopting a cryptic voice which a DM like Symon would know as 'Annoying Oracle #3'

SNORT.

"Where is the last piece?"

Ruining Vali's fun with straightforward aplomb.

"Killjoy" he sighs "Okay. Time for a trip to the Dreaming.. Remember I said the last TWO were going to be physical?"

"Yeah?"

A nod, then a murmur, remembering he's not seen.

"You're going into the realm of the Valgarde" He sounds almost embarrassed

"...like Silverhand?"

"Yeah, it's an area in the Dreaming that I first imagined.. then later others imagined it.... I hid the last piece there"

"I don't think I know that Realm..."

"Given you both read AND play games I'm deeply hurt. It's my creation ... plus a few hundred fans" He explains

Thinking. "Wait... no... is it from that game you made up?" He says at almost the same time. "We have to go INTO your psyche? Oh, boy."

"It's more like home. SIlverhand is kind of the Chief."

"But, like, the pop culture version? More bikinis."

"I wish I could say it was mine NOW but the truth is, fans take what you make and they dream about it THEIR way... "

"I'm not wearing a bikini, even for your quest, Mr. Gardner." Amused.

"Of course not, you're obviously more of a sundress type" wry

Can eye rolls be audible?

"So - it's hidden? Anything more precise than that?"

"You have to earn the trust of the Frostmaidens" A sigh "You know.. the fur bikni amazon types"

Dagmar remembers, stupid outfits aside, they're actually bad ass! Nordic Amazons who ride Polar Bears!

"Sounds like a Dagmar leg of the journey." He says, with no resentment. "Gwyd vs. Slug, we know who's good at the whole engendering trust thing."

"I'm along to provide my amoral support."

"Well, you did plenty with the sneaky parts earlier. Look, if you guys want I can do this last part ... you got 4 out of 5"

"Hey, we said we'd do it..."

"And the Pit took care of us, we're in good shape."

"I know..and that's not a dig on you.. but I feel you have a right to get home if you want"