Log:This Spooky Old House: Exploration Edition, Part 9

This Spooky Old House 2020/08/24 	 Kid Tengu Blockbuster Felix Bran Phantom

9

It's been a few days since you all left the Spooky Old House in Golden Sands. Felix stayed behind with Chalmers at the house though he waved to you all from the skeletal remain choked front porch as you left.

Code Dark knows he came back late that night after talking with Travis at a taqueria but that he left the next day. Apparently he's been staying at the house negotiating with whoever or whatever the Verminax are. Yesterday, he asked Code Dark to come back to the house this evening before sunset and he also asked Travis to contact Bran and ask him if he can come back as well.

Felix sits on the front steps of the house, looking at something on his PDA when the first of you arrive. The skeletal remains have been removed from the porch.

Travis sent a message to invite Bran. Something about the TOS of these Verminax requiring all of them to be there. Phantom arrives at the meetup time, looking around to note the lack of skeletons. "You've been busy," he comments to Felix.

"Wait. We're not using this as a Spirit Halloween store?" inquires Blockbuster as she comes drifting out of the sky. Landing on the porch next to Felix, Blockbuster looks around the yard for signs of skeletons.

Bran shows up after work, arriving a few minutes after Travis does. He's on a skateboard, riding it from the closest MagLev station. He picks up the board as he walks into the front yard, "Hey there."

"Hi, Bran," cheers a characteristically chipper Blockbuster. She waves at the arriving skateboarder while still looking around for skeletal remains and Spirit Halloween signs.

KT arrives disguised as a door to door salesman but enters the yard after looking around to make sure none of the neighbors are watching on. Seeing the others he smiles and waves. The car he pulled up in is very nice. Perhaps a bit too nice for a door to door salesman but he looks dapper enough to pull it off all the same.

He plays it cool ad shoves his hands in his pockets.

Phantom sees Bran even though he's behind him, catching a glance at him thanks to BB. He turns and waves, smiling. "Hey, Bran. Thanks for making it."

Felix nods in response to Travis' comment but doesn't look up from the front porch. "The Verminax agreed to do some work, cleanup and prep work I guess you'd call it, before they do the rest."

He looks up Blockbuster then shakes his head. "Nope, 'fraid not. That'd be sorts arid though." Blockbuster can see no signs of skeletons, active or inactive, partial or whole.

Felix gives a waves to Bran as he arrives but, again, doesn't look up from his PDA. He does the same with KT.

Only once all of you are present does he look up from the PDA then put it away. "Kay, um, how to explain this..."

"I would suggest slowly and in plain English," offers Blockbuster as she takes a seat on the edge of the porch. Idly crossing one leg over the other, she smiles brightly while looking at everyone else.

"OK, like Chalmers said, the Verminax create sanctums for mystic types. It's all part of a deal made a shick load of time ago by the first archmage of this Reality. They get one of their eggs back and in return they build the sanctum. But there's all sorts of rules about what they can't or can do and it also depends on how powerful the mystic is. And, in this case, if there were others involved in a 'change of ownership'." He looks around. "This make sense so far?"

"Sure. Interdimensional Contractors." KT says in reply with a nod. "Bound to need to deal with permits too. So who's wheels need greasing?" He asks.

"One of their eggs...? Is there a...a Verminax eggs in that house?" Phantom asks.

"Mages incubate Vegemitex eggs in exchange for free labor on their houses," chimes in Blockbuster, "It's, like, totally a thing Hollywood does to get around labor union laws in certain places."

Bran raises a brow, but just listens quietly.

Blockbuster looks at Bran curiously.

"I know you are a growing boy, Phantom- but I don't think the Verminax eggs are for eating." KT says quietly before looking to Felix to ask, "Are they?"

He doesn't wait for an answer, because Blockbuster's explanation seems reasonable enough. He's no magician.

"No permits so far, KT, but, if all goes good...well, we;ll need you to pretend to be someone who's supposed to be Phantom's dad to sign the purchase papers and shick for the house. Chalmers has all the details. He's a -the teen chuckles- wizard at finances it seems.'

He then looks over at Phantom then Blockbuster. "No, there's no egg inside the house. And, um, it's more like trading back the eggs that first archmage stole from the Verminax queen. Apparently to stop an invasion or something. More like ransoming back their kids." He frowns. "I don't think it's right, but, no one asked me. But, in this case, it's more a remodel than a build. So, it's covered in the contract. Or so Chalmers and the Verminax negotiator both told me."

Blockbuster stands up and points dramatically at Felix.

"I KNEW IT! MATHEMAGICIANS!"

Phantom cringes at KT's comment. "Gross. No, I don't want to eat it," he grumbles. He doesn't seem entirely happy about ransoming kids back, but they didn't do it. He blinks and looks to Blockbusters. "Mathemagicians?"

One gets the impression that Felix blinks behind his face mask at Blockbuster's accusation. "What?"

"J'accuse," insists Blockbuster.

KT nods and says, "Oh! Well I can do that easy." He sounds super confident. "Good thing I already memorized the shapes to be our 'rents.'" He notes before shrugging at Phantom. "Oh. Well good. They don't exactly sound tasty." He adds before turning his attention back to their remodeling situation.

"How does one go about being a Mathemagician? Is there some kind of post-graduate program?"

"And is there an archmathemagician?" Phantom smirks.

Felix turns his face to the sky for a moment then looks back at Blockbuster. "Alright, yes, a lot of magick looks like math. At least, the type Chalmers and I work. More like geometry or trig. You win. Can we move on?" His tone is trying to be patient but a bit frayed.

"I knew it!"

Blockbuster sits back down and crosses one leg over the other again. She looks much too smug for having won this round.

"Yes, probably there is a school somewhere, but I'm self-taught, KT and the stuff Chalmers says makes sense," adds Felix. Then he looks over at Phantom. "I'm certain there is. The Wizard of Odds is probably his name," he says repressingly.

He runs a hand over his face as he mutters, "Where was I?"

"Veggie Terminex fulfilling contractual obligations and KT signing for our parents," suggests Blockbuster.

"Oh, that is a good idea. A trust instead of a single owner. Yes, that's work much better," says Chalmers as he walks /through/ the front door of the house.

"Trust is, like, always the better option," agrees Blockbuster with Chalmers.

Chalmers looks over at Felix as he asks, "So, you've told them the Verminax requre them to here diring the entire renovation, correct?"

At which point Felix just puts his head in his hands. "No, hadn't got to that part yer."

Phantom looks a bit clueless and is trying to just follow along.

"Isn't that... Isn't that how it's supposed to work with contractors?" inquires a confused Blockbuster.

"Well, yes," says Chalmers. "It is best to keep a close eye on contractors. But, with the Verminax, in a 'change of ownership' situation like this as negotiated by Harrington in his contract with them, all parties involved in the, hmm, change of ownership must be present for any work to be done." He smiles as he looks at all of you. "But in this case, Blink is excused as apparently the Verminax feel her presence would be, hmm, not conducive to the project. Something about interdimensional interfaces and polarities that went right over my head. But, it allowed Felix to get a bit more out them."

Phantom smirks a bit. "They'll be happier she's not her, and I think she wold be, too." He jerks a thumb over to Bran. "But you said Bran had to be here, too. Did the Verminax include him in the change of ownership?"

Felix gestures at Chalmers. "See, that's what I've been trying to explain to you. And apparently it's gross."

"Yes, since Bran participated in the change of ownership via combat that you all unwittingly were involved in," says Chalmers.

Bran shrugs and shakes his head, "I have no idea why I need to be here. Can't I just like...sign off on it?"

The front door opens wide to reveal a scorpion/spider/crustacean centauroid about the size of a large Great Dane is the thing opening the door. "Szun settingz! Contract must be finalizedz! Krsst!" it states in a grating tone. This thing looks like the Alien had kids with the Predator and then through in some of the Thing for good measure.

KT frowns at the centauroid steps in front of his friends to defend them until it starts talking about finalizing the contract.

He cocks his head and looks to Felix. "So this is a Verminax?" He inquires while holding his ground... just in case its not.

"Ohh shick!" Phantom cusses and staggers back at the sight of a thing, but his reaction is delayed until the first person lays eyes on it.

Felix hooks a thumb back at the creature standing behind him as he replies. "Yes, this the the Negotiator." One might notice he shudders slightly at the Negotiator's impatient tapping of one chitinous foreleg on porch.

Bran takes a deep breath and remains, very, very still.

"Oooh. Well. Now I feel useful again." KT says, shifting into a less combative stance. "So what's left to negotiate?" He says, fixing his tie. He turns and smiles at his friends with an open mouth to reveal a silver tongue within.

Phantom chuckles a bit as KT shows off his silver tongue. KT's learned a lot about humans. That manages to make him relax.

The Negotiator points a delicate looking pincer at each of you in turn. "You fightz Harringtonz, yes? IF yes, come insidez. If no, do not come inside. Ghost stayz outside; dead thingz not welcomez." It turns without waiting for a response and returns inside with a scuttling motion.

KT shrugs at the others and goes to follow the Negotiator. "Lines to sign, letters to cross & dot. Got it. No Bonez allowed." He says as he goes, but he gives Chalmers a sympathetic look.

Bran sighs. "Fine. Whatever." He shakes his head and goes to head inside.

Phantom looks to Chalmers. "Sorry, Chalmers. You'll be welcome in after. Promise," he smiles apologetically, then goes inside. He gives Bran an encouraging smile as he agrees to go along. "Thanks, bro."

Chalmers smiles slightly at KT. "Just remind it to not take my bones when it builds the ossuary." Chalmers nods to each of you in turn as you pass inside.

"You got it. I'll see if they can throw in the bone wax too. Have your remains looking preee-mo." KT calls back to Chalmers before looking to Blockbuster. "That's right, right? It seems like something I'd want done with my bones... I think. Never thought about what I'd do if I was around to have an opinion. Strange."

"Yeah, thanks, Bran," murmurs Felix as he stands to follow the rest of you in.

The Negotiator moves through a large hole that's now been made in the right hand wall of the entryway. It leads into a badly decayed library with built in shelves. This is one of the room you all didn't enter before. But on the other hand, seems you got to the bosses lair without any side quests either.

The Negotiator looks at each of you in turn then asks, "Lazt thingz for negotiationz! Colorz! What colorz you likez! Krsst! Onez only for each!"

Phantom shrugs, looking vaguely disturbed. "I didn't know bone wax was a thing." He looks at the Negotiator. Colors don't exactly matter to him. "White."

Bran thinks about it. "Gray. But with a green-ish tint."

A small slug like creature crawls out around the Negotiator's neck. "Statez when is right colorz! Krsst" it says to Bran as the slug starts off at a neutral grey then greenish undertones start to mix in.

Bran waits until it matches what he was thinking. "That looks good. Right now."

The Negotiator makes a quite shrieking sound. And the small slug crawls off and another takes it's place as the next teen answers.

Felix starts to speak but the Negotiator cuts him off. "Yesz yesz! Cobalt blue with hint of shadowsz! Artificez! Krsst!"

"I would like to have a room the color of the teal-blue waters found around the Greek isles." KT answers after giving it some thought.

The slug around the Negotiator's neck starts to slowly cycle through teal-blues until KT says stop.

"That one. Please." KT says happily.

The Negotiator is slightly, very slightly more polite to Blockbuster than that the rest of you. KT certainly picks up on it.

KT smiles. "I think this one likes you. I knew I should have picked a Blockbustery shape." He says as a quiet aside to BB before something occurs to him.

"Wait! Can I change my color? TO something like..." He shifts to a deep blue though at certain angles it proves to be a polychromatic hue, showing a softer lilac or lavender at the right angles. "This?"

"Yesz! Is in Azoro Contractz! Cansz change mindsz on colorsz! But only twicesz! Is in Contractz!"

"Any finalz negotiationz?" states the Negotiator as it looks at Felix then the rest of you. "Willz repair and reinforce housez and carriage housez. Fixz fencez and gatesz. Willz trimz and replace hedgesz and plantsz! Willz change colorz! Willz repair and updatesz furnituresz! Willsz establishsz simple wardsz against detcetionsz! Will supply equipmentsz specifiedsz! Willz create partiallyz undergrounds ossuary for skeletonz not morez than 100 hundredsz Eath yearsz oldz! Anythingsz elssez! Krsst!"

"Not more than 100 years old... is that from the Date of Birth or Death?" KT asks quickly.

Bran raises a brow. "Nothing more from me, at least."

Phantom shrugs. "I think I'm good as long as there's internet."

"From deathz! Contractz not cover lifesz!" The Negotiator pulls out another slug-like creature from a hole it 'punches' into the air with a mid-sized claw. It holds the wriggling iridescent creature as it looks at it with its pure black compound eyes. "Recorder recordsz! Is Contractz to specificationsz! No finalz changesz?"

"Good. Good." KT says before adding, "Bone Wax. For Chalmers' bones. And just make sure his bones can stay as long as he wants. Hmmm... I should have gotten mirrors so I could work on my shifting. Is there a provision in the contract for mirrors?"

"Yes, there;ll be Internet connections, wired and wireless, Phantom," states Felix. "And the Verminax among the equipment will include supplies so I can make a holo gaming system!"

The Negotiator looks at Felix. "Mirrorsz, mage? Addsz to Contractz? Krsst! Vanities!"

The holo gaming system would interest Phantom if he could figure out how to use it.

"Yes, mirrors for all the roomsz, I mean rooms," says Felix. "Many in the room of the color KT requested." He nods firmly to the Negotiator.

"I guess I could just buy some mirrors." KT says, suddenly not wanting to be a burden. It was a stray thought. Still there is a hopeful glimmer in his eye when he looks to Felix.

He smiles happily and claps! "You guys are great! The best!"

"Vanitiesz! Krsst! Mirrorz are in Contractz!" It turns its gaze on each of you in turn. "Otherz requestsz? Otherwisez Contractz completion comesz!"

"Other furniture too?" KT asks. Someone better take over or he'll keep finding things to day. "Or what about cooking utensils? I bet it will knock Phantom's cooking game into high orbit!"

Phantom chuckles at KT's compliment. "Well, if the kitchen's cleaned completely, and the water supply too, probably. Speaking of, we should totally do a grilling day at the beach before school starts."

"Yesz, yesz! Householdz furnituresz alreadyz in Contractsz! And kitchen coveredz underz equipmentz! Is in Contractsz!" states the Neogotiator. "If no morez?" It seemsz to focus on KT as it speaks.

"I think we're getting pretty close." KT says with an approving nod. He looks like he's been hanging out in car dealerships and is now playing the shark. "What about a Hot Tub? #CodeDark gets to business- so maybe we need a good way to relax too- and an alarm system!" He says rapidfire.

"Alarm systemsz not in Azoro Contractsz! And already have pool on third floorz! It can bez hotz! Not in Contractsz to give morez! No, not in Contractsz!"

"Alright, alright. So it seems like we're just missing the gummi bear maker & the cheese popcorn popper and we're all set. I mean, that's standard fare with holo-gaming system equipment." KT says a bit untruthfully, though he tries to cover that bit up by not thinking it through and just rolling on.

Phantom chuckles and facepalms at KT pushing his luck.

The Negotiator gives the otherworldly equivalent of a side eye then in slowly nods. "Yesz, will add gummi bear makerz and cheesez popcronz maker as isz humansz wayz nowsz..." It turns its attention back to the iridescent slug in its claw.

Felix looks at the rest of you. "Anything else?"

KT claps happily and nods. "Perfect. I'm good." He says as his head bobs side to side in one of his more natural expressions of happiness.

Phantom shrugs. "I'm good."

Bran shrugs, "Nothing more from me."

The Negotiator looks at Felix. "Contractsz agreed? Yesz, feed recorder. Nosz, startsz over!" It holds out the Recorder to Felix.

Felix nods and takes out a Boy Scout knife from a pocket and swiftly cuts his right thumb. The dark clad whatever he is presses his thumb against the Recorder's shiny skin which makes it wriggle.

The Recorder then vomits forth a whitish cylinder that drops to the ground as a rolled up papers.

Phantom cringes a bit as Felix cuts his thumb an the wriggling of the Recorder. "I didn't know what was required..."

KT polls the room to see what was expected here. Phantom's cringing doesn't bode well in his mind.

"Contractz complete! Summonz Buildersz!" It turns in place and opens its many claws and pincers wide.

A dot a purplish-red light appears and in an istant expands into a 2m diameter circles comprised of four long lamprey like creatures glowing the same color as the dot. 'Electricity' arcs over their skins.

And then the Builders trundle though. They are mixes of beetle/spider/crustacean built lower than the Negotiator but they looks strong and tough. The first one approaches the Negotiator and shrieked something in a tone like nails against chalkboard at it. The Negotiator responds at length. Once it stops the Builders scatter through the house.

"Comesz! We watchesz so you seesz worksz is donesz!" states the Negotiator.

The organic gate remains opena this entire time as Buliderz trudge back and forth through it.

Phantom covers his sensitive ears and winces at the shrieking noise, then follows hesitantly.

KT quivers with discomfort at the sound of their voices. "Someone get me a record contract. Stat." He says sarcastically.

"Yes. We come and see now. Then you guys can go. Soon. No more small talk." He says, pointing between the Negotiator and the Buliderz.

Bran also follows...showing some caution. "I'm going to have a heck of a time explaining this to my sister."

Phantom chuckles at that. "What're you even going to say to her about all this? does she know about how you helped defeat an evil spirit and freed a lot of innocent souls?"

The be honest, the techniques the Builders use are disgusting. They vomit up what look like strings of mucus that writhe across the floor then turn into carpets. They bring in chunks of slimy opaque tofu like blocks then blow a foul smelling mist on them that bakes them into new appliances, furniture, and other items of the latests style. They sooth excretions from their 'butts' over floors and ceilings then another licks it and the floors, walls, etc as shiny and new looking, and in some rooms freshly painted colors you all mentioned. They rub slugs against metal to polish it, squeezing them to produce a nauseating smell oil. Nails and bolts are pieces of chitin hammereid in with bare claws then breathed on to become normal nails and bolts. They swallow the fouled water of the pool and the well then vomit out what seems like pure water. Mirrors are make from rough obsidian that is licked until it somehow looked like silvered mirrors. All of the appliances and anywhere a name tag of manufacture would be has the Verminax name on it.

Surprisingly, they show some minor deference to the skeletal bodies and parts they dig up from the grounds. They take it to a building built out in the woods by some very old looking, Colonial even gravestones faded with age. The new ossuary is filled with over one hundred bodies sorted by bone type. An entier wall of shelves holds only skulls.

Throughout this the Negotiator follows long with you all, making certain you watch the work and approve the final results.

Those who fail get nauseated to some obvious degree or another up to and including physical reactions.

Blockbuster and Felix seems to weather all the sights, sounds, and smells with some poise but at times each of them blanches or gags slightly.

"Oh. No. Not these shapes." KT says in abject horror as the Builderz get to it. He turns various shades of colors usually associated with revulsion.

He looks a bit woozy when they start shaping things out of what he can only assume is magic poo.

Phantom covers his mouth as he begins to witness the horrors that is their building methods. And then he decidedly stops picking up on the visual signals of his comrades, preferring to be blind at this moment to avoid having to see what else they may do.

Bran manages to control his nausea watching the Builders working. "Uh...huh. I kind of wish we didn't have to actually watch it."

"Is in Master Azoro Contractsz! Mustz watchesz?" states the Negotiator as it 'smiles'.

The process takes from sunset to sunrise. The Negotiator does call a short break at midnight so you all can eat or drink if you wish. It even offers to cater for you all. It waxes poetic in its grating voice about how good Verminax chefs are.

Bran calls home to let his sister know what's up, giving details but not giving names. HE says into the phone, "I know it sounds weird. But I'm not out drinking, I promise. I can give you more details tomorrow."

KT hears his father's harsh words about being made soft by the Humans. But he waves off the offer of food and tries his best to stay one color & keep all bodily fluids inside the shifter.

Bran's sister says she'll hold him to that and if he's lying about drinking...she leaves it open and ominous.

Near dawn the Builders dig up Chalmers body from under a dead rose bush. They put it in a good sized but smaller than coffin sized box and take it down to the hidden sanctum in the basement.

Phantom mutters under his breath, "I bet that sick Harrington dude enjoyed watching this stuff." He doesn't feel like eating or drinking much that night. Especially not catered Verminax food. He waits for Bran to finish his phone call.

Bran hangs up, knowing he's likely to have to let his sister actually use telepathy on him to prove it. That'll be fun. He grimaces and settles down to watch.

Felix mutters, "What, I mean how," when the Verminax go around putting their 'name brand' on all the appliances and other equipment.

KT awws as Chalmers bones are dug up and interred respectfully. He notes to the ghost mysteriously before heading back inside, "You have very nice bones. I'm sorry I could not get them properly waxed." watches only so far as required by the contract. He also shifts shades and only needs to run off two or three more times before dawn arrives.

"I'll bet. That guy was gross." He says in agreement with Phantom.

Phantom asks Bran, "Everything okay? I could tag along to vouch for you if you need."

Bran shakes his head, "No...it'll be better if it's just me, I bet. But if I need help after that, I'll let you know."

As the first light of dawn breaks, the last of the Builders trundles through the living Gate. The glowing lamprey like creatures are greatly dimmer now. The Negotiator turns to face you all before it passes through the Gate.

The house, carriage house, all the grounds look almost like new now. Certainly refurbished perfectly. The latest in high tech toys is in the house, the wiring's beyond building code standards, and all if spit and polish.

"Izz the Contractsz satisfiedz, mage?" it asks. "It turns an eye to Kt as well but doesn't speak to him.

Phantom nods. "Whatever you need, man," he offers openly. He goes back to "watching" but doesn't actually see much of the rest. It may be better for his sanity. By the time dawn's there, he's practically falling asleep standing up. He blinks after his head drifts down. "Mm. 'm awake. I'm awake," he yawns.

KT is afraid to give the place the sniff test but by the time they're asking about the job being complete even he has to admit the place looks great.

"Yes, the Contract is fulfilled," says Felix to the Negotiator. "Um, thank you," he adds.

"It isz the Contractsz that matter. Eggsz that's matter. Krsst! Thanks meansz nothingsz." The Negotiator spins in place and steps through the Gate which snaps shuts after it with a sucking sound.

Phantom lets out a relieved sigh, his shoulders sagging as he starts opening his mind to the visual mental feedback of those around him. "Well. That was a whole new experience."

"And not one I /ever/ want to *expletive deleted* repeat. I mean *expletive deleted*! I mean what the Hells?!? Ugh." Apparently Felix wasn't as calm about all this as he might have seemed the last few hours. He's shaking a bit now.

KT looks at the Gummi Bear machine sadly, having seen where it came from a lot of the grandeur is lost.

He moves to wrap an arm around Felix to console him and commiserate with him on their shared horror.

Phantom sighs and rubs the back of his head. "If I knew it was going to be all that, I wouldn't have left you alone with those things, and maybe would've voted on a pass."

Bran gets to his feet from where he was sitting on the floor. "I need to get home, now that they're done. They're done, right?"

It shows to Code Dark how out fo sorts Felix is as he neither shrugs off Tyson nor stiffen up at the hug like he usually does.

Chalmers ghosts in in time to hear Bran's question. "Yes, the Verminax are done. They won't return now save for a new egg. And I certainly don't have one." He smiles at Bran. "I do hope I'll get to see you again, Bran. It was quite nice meeting you. I owe you for freeing me."

"We shall be well. All will be well because we're all still together." KT says hopefully, rubbing Felix's shoulder. "And you have to admit... this place does look pretty good. Not going to smell or eat anything out of here for a while- but it looks good." He tries to be the bright beacon of positivity that Blockbuster usually is until she can blow up & glamatize their trauma.

Phantom is surprised at the condition Felix is in. This is serious. "I...I'm sorry, Felix. Let's take a time out, okay?" he says in a concerned big brotherly voice. He looks to Bran. "Let me know if you need anything to straighten things out with your sister. Sorry for making you go through this. I'm around to talk if you need it."

"Farewell Bran." KT says in a reserved manner, turning down the friendliness until his humans can figure out what kind of interaction will suit them best

"Hope we didn't get you in trouble, Bran. Talk at ya later," murmurs Felix as he runs a hand up and down his other arm.

Bran nods to Chalmers, "We'll see. Maybe? I'm glad I was able to help" He waves to the others, "See ya." And he makes his way outside.

Phantom waves to Bran as he goes, then turns and walks over to Felix and KT to join comforting Felix, though he puts a hand on the youth's shoulder. "What can we do for you, Felix?"

"I just need some time. You all couldn't see the magicks all going off. It was like fireworks for me right inside my head," says Felix in a quiet voice. "I'll be better soon...probably. Just overloaded."