The Ballad of Adler Young, Canto 2.5

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>Wise Professor Skunk: Be gobsmacked.

>Then again why not let it happen? Estemere being removed is what your mother, and Sisterhood wanted all along. You know you would make for a better emperor and could take a scuti-wife to have double legitimate children yourself. You being the ruler would be better for everyone involved and the empire as a whole, and you wouldn't have to lift a finger.

I stood there, reeling in dismay for what must have been an uncomfortably long time. It looked like the Sisterhood had laid its plans well, and with Vulpitanian help, was on the verge of "editing" Estmere right off the throne. It was so sinster, so underhanded, so UNSEELIE I felt almost sick .. but then again, one had to admire the elegance of it. Everything would fall into place, and I would become Emperor. I would be able to fix all of the mistakes, perhaps even The Mistake, whatever it was. I could revitalize the realm and get rid of all these Gaps.

>If the plot succeeds, Estmere would be reduced to nothing but a skeleton. lowfolks dont live long and Estmere has lived a very very long time. If he was to suddenly turn into a lowfolk now, he would perish instantly! You cant allow this to happen, he's your brother dude!

I did some quick mental math. Considering my present age, plus the number of years Estmere was older than I, plus the twenty year time-slip when I fell through that Gap .. Estmere was about 60 years old now. Very young for an elf, but what about lowfolk? I was pretty sure they lived at least to 100, so if Estmere was turned into a lowfolk, he'd still have a few decades of good living left ...

>In the end decide against it on general principles. You just don't want to give the Vulpitanians the satisfaction of having their plot succeed. Besides who says they would stop at Estemere? They might rewrite you out of the succession next!

NO! This was wrong! Estmere was my brother, and he had always treated me well .. aside from all those times he slugged me when we were young, of course. I couldn't let the Vulpitanians think they had won! And besides, if they could do this to Estmere, what was to stop them from turning on me next? I had to foil this plot before it could come to fruition.

>Trying to attach a scuti to the queen could cause a magical violent end for all involved. Maybe attaching it to Estmere while he's asleep? wait~ what about the hole left behind? anyway to heal it closed?

But if I stopped the SALVs there was still the question of Estmere's legacy. The King needed an heir, and if Alice's outrageous story was true, then introducing a Scuti into the Royal Bedchamber would do the trick. How to pull it off, though? I couldn't imagine either Estmere or Edessa agreeing voluntarily to let a Scuti ride them ... and could I trust the creatures to release their host after the deed was done? Mara's Scuti had already demonstrated an ambition to possess me; Their Majesties would be an even more tempting prize.

> ... Y'know, the idea occurs, could you use magic to turn /yourself/ into a scutti and take someone else over ?

I briefly pondered the idea of transmogrifying myself into a Scuti, but then had to shake off a sudden fit of disgust as I considered the subsequent ramifications of that plan.

>Is F.E.L.F. just a Vulpitanian front, then?

"So, the Free Elves' Liberation Front works for Vulpitania, then?" I said at last, settling on the least controversial element of all that Alice had told me.

"It is an independent organization, but the Republic is sympathetic to its cause and takes a great deal of interest in its activities," Alice replied.

(Ixies) Hold hushed conferences via Elfmind with Her Majesty.

I removed my hat, since it didn't seem appropriate to be acting in an official capacity anymore. I looked around for one of my Ixies, and when I didn't see her I tried summoning one with Elfmind. There was no response.

>Find Alice a wheelchair. Her legs are out but her arms are functional.

"Can you walk?" I asked Alice.

"I'm afraid not," she sighed. "I won't be ambulatory until my Discombobulator Array is replaced."

"I'll stay here and take care of her while you go get the part," Mara murmured.



With a shrug, I turned and peeked out the door of the Detention room.

"HEY! Did you have to kill this guy?" I yelled at Mara after seeing the guard slumped on the floor.

"He's not dead," the opossum sniffed. "My host used to be a bandit, so I know a few tricks."

"She pretended to be a Damsel in Distress," the Shrub guard rustled, "and konked him when he least suspected. She didn't even bother to incapacitate me; she just walked right past. How rude!"

>Avogadro, reveal a Previously Hidden Agenda.
>Put the marshal to delay the fertility experts while you sneak into the embassy,
(Sgt. Avogadro) Be worried about the nature of Prince Adler's plans.
(Sgt. Avogadro) Quietly excuse yourself.

"Right," I said, making a decision. "You two Scuti stay here. You are on your honor not to stray from this room or cause any additional mischief! Avogadro, I'll need you to go to the Vulpitanian thaumaturgists' quarters and delay them from completing their experiments. They should be woozy, or perhaps fully unconscious by now. Do as much sabotage as you can. Meanwile, I'll sneak into the Vulpitanian Embassy and get those replacement parts for Miss Chetsweeks."



"Oh no, no, no," Avogadro stammered. "I humbly beg your pardon, Your Highness, but I can't meddle with the visiting SALVs' work. They are here by Royal Invitation, and I am the Grand Marshal's personal assistant!"

"Okay, I'll do that, and you go to the Embassy," I countered.

"Infiltrating the Embassy to steal top-secret equipment could be construed as an Act of War," the Sergeant pointed out nervously. "No, I'm sorry, I am already more involved in this than I should be. I, I, I need to return to my office. Excuse me."

With that, he turned abruptly and scurried away down the hall.

> Hey, could you use Gramayre to make yourself look like a girl
>Adler, assume a Vulpitanian disguise and start infiltrating.
>You must be BOLD in your actions, Mr. Adler. It will be best to proceed bluntly and directly in obtaining the pieces for the robo-suit. Either yourself or one of your underlings can simply barge into where the pieces are kept, shove everyone aside, and take them without comment.

"Right, well I guess I'll have to do everything myself then," I muttered. "Where are my Ixies all of a sudden? No matter. I think, whether I go to the SALVs' quarters or to the Embassy, it would be best to have some sort of disguise. Alice, let me have a look at you."

After a few minutes of scrutinizing the vulpine automaton, I tried transmogrifying myself into a fox.

"Try again," Mara suggested. "The long hair isn't working; it doesn't look right. Either lose the hair, or maybe go as a vixen."

A vixen, eh? The notion intrigued me. I would be completely unrecognizable that way!

I transmogrified again.



"That's better," Mara affirmed. "But if it was my decision I'd have gone with something a little more curvy."

"The uniform is wrong," Alice pointed out. "You need a monocle and some medals for anyone to believe you're Vulpitanian."