JungleBook/Session05

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Last Time

Ana and Vaschir escaped the tomb hidden beneath the Lake of Memories; Ana's clothes were not so lucky.

They retrieved several artifacts from the submerged sepulchre, as well as the unusual hearthstone desired by Magistrate Kaa.

Following the red guide serpent, the two make their way through the night-shrouded jungle.

Mysterious animals hoot and scream among the dark trees; eyes gleam in the underbrush.

A distant rumble signals another eruption among the burning ruins.

As they walk along, ferns tangling their ankles and branches whipping at their faces, the corners of Vaschir's vision are filled by flickering, elusive phantoms.

They mostly seem to be animals -- a tiger stalking isubstantially through the trees, an eagle swooping down to snatch a small monkey, a pair of rutting capybaras -- but he could swear that he saw Omabwa once or twice.

As they enter Kaa's clearing, they can almost hear Omabwa's ribs creaking -- the boa is still squeezing him. In the damp night air, the smell of soil, and the rancid flower, is even stronger than before.

Kaa's coils loop in and out amongst the surrounding trees; the first few yards of his body are draped comfortably over the top of the root mass.

Vaschir looks about for whereever the magistrate's head has gotten off to.

His eyes are half-closed; his tongue flickers lazily from time to time. He looks like he plans to just take it easy until Omabwa says something interesting -- or stops breathing.

A large, furry creature is seated on its haunches nearby.

<Vaschir> "We're back," Vaschir says, holding out the jewel they brought from the water palace

The furry bear turns, and Ana and Vaschir see that it is Ombalu. The bear-god looks quite mournful, but his ears perk up when he sees the two Solars.

"Excellent, you have returned!"

<Vaschir> "And with junior's bail, I might add."

Kaa slowly opens his eyes. He looks mildly disappointed. "You have brought me the gem I desire?"

<Vaschir> "Right here, taken from the source in the water palace at considerable personal peril."

Kaa glides forward, his head drawing up just in front of Vaschir's hand and the cloudy drop it holds.

He flicks his tongue at it.

<Vaschir> "This is what you were after, right?"

"Indeed," murmurs the snake. "It will make my job easier -- not as much so as if you had both died attempting to retrieve it, but I suppose it will have to do."

Kaa's head strikes forward, deftly flipping the jewel out of Vaschir's hand.

<Vaschir> "Nice to see you again too, chief," Vaschir mutters.

It tumbles through the air, sparkling in the moonlight, and lands neatly in the god-python's wide-stretched jaws.

A small bulge travels down his throat, quickly lost in the bulk of his body, as he swallows the hearthstone.

As the stone leaves his possession, Vaschir notices that his peripheral vision suddenly seems much less crowded.

"Now that they have completed your task," Ombalu addresses Kaa sternly, "release my son!"

Kaa swings a lazy eye in Ombalu's direction. "Of course." He makes no visible signal, but the boa promptly uncoils from Omabwa, who drops to the ground.

<Omabwa> Omabwa takes a deep breath, raspingly, and falls to his knees.

The jailor-snake slithers back into the roots of the fallen tree, vanishing into the shadows.

Ombalu lumbers up to Omabwa, nuzzling him affectionately.

"Are you all right? Thank goodness your new friends were able to appease the magistrate!"

The bear glances over at Ana and Vaschir, and seems to take note of what they're carrying for the first time.

<Omabwa> As Ombalu helps him up, Omabwa embraces the giant bear. "I'm fine, Father. And, yes," he turns to Ana and Vaschir, "many thanks to the two of you."

<Vaschir> "Well it did have a few perks, aside from getting your ribcage unrestrained"

"You seem to have discovered many wonders on your adventure!" exclaims the bear.

"...and you also seem to have lost your clothes," he says, noticing Ana's attempts to get the hem of Vaschir's doublet to reach a little farther down her legs.

<Omabwa> "What was it like," Omabwa asks, "I have long thought about exploring that ruin, but never had the opportunity."

<Vaschir> "Wet"

<Vaschir> "Very, very wet."

<Vaschir> "In some ways expanding beyond the casual definition of wetness, actually

Ombalu seems more embarassed at Ana's lack of proper attire than one would expect a talking bear to be.

<Vaschir> "Yeah, she dissolved mostly and after my heroic efforts saved her, her clothes didn't make the recovery she did. It's tragic, really."

He trundles over to her. "Come with me; I am sure I can find some clothing for you. You should also bring the treasures you found -- I would love to examine them with you, and determine their function!"

<Vaschir> "Don't forget our conversation about the divvying up of the loot pile," Vaschir calls to Ana, in a warning voice.

He glances at Vaschir as an afterthought. "Of course, I would give them back to you whenever you wished."

<Vaschir> "Didn't doubt you for a second"

<Vaschir> "You feeling better now, no broken ribs or anything?" Vaschir asks Omabwa, apparently taking the bear god at his word for the moment.

"Then let's not waste any time; you are doubtless tired and hungry after your ordeal," Ombalu addresses Ana.

<Omabwa> "Quite," responds Omabwa, "Thank you for your concern."

<Omabwa> He adds, "Of course, the matter of Khan's death is not yet resolved."

<Vaschir> "Yeah, about that. Did you take him out?"

Ana nods, and she and the bear set off, carrying the artifacts with them. "I will meet you back at my tree, Oma!" calls Ombalu.

Kaa has slithered off, or perhaps just vanished as gods are wont to do; the clearing is empty except for the two men.

<Omabwa> Omabwa gives Vashir a glare. "No."

<Vaschir> "I'm asking because I don't know, simmer down. So who do you like for it?"

The silence is punctuated by the sound of water dripping into the huge, rancid flower.

<Omabwa> The jungle man sighs. "You're right, Captain. Keep in mind that I spent the last day being squished by a large snake."

<Vaschir> "Don't worry about it, but since I don't know the locals other than that Pumbaata's a dick, so you're gonna hafta help me fill in the blanks to figure out who killed Khan. You're not out of this yet, after all."

<Omabwa> "Quite right," he says. "Pumbaata didn't have many disagreements with the tiger. Besides, he is too strait-laced to murder."

<Vaschir> "He's a cop, which means he's at least a little dirty, but I'll take your word for it for the moment."

<Omabwa> "I am sure that the animals of the jungle can attest," he adds, "that Kaa was not awake until his services were needed."

<Vaschir> "Yeah, and if he did it he'd have already executed you to cover his tracks anyway."

<Omabwa> "Sitjani, whom you have not met," Omabwa says to Vaschir, "is the panther god. He and I get along reasonably well, but he occasionally has conflicts with Khan, not least because of our relationship."

<Vaschir> "This Sitjani a pal of yours?"

<Omabwa> "I am bonded with one of his favored grand-children. Sitjani pretends to tolerate me, but I think he quietly appreciates my presence on the island."

<Vaschir> "Whereas Khan, I'm told, was quite vocal about wanting to noisy devour you, right?"

<Omabwa> "Indeed, Captain."

Out in the darkness, an animal screams in pain and startlement, then goes abruptly silent.

<Omabwa> "King Tatu is too timid to kill the tiger, but-"

<Vaschir> "Might he have farmed the job out?"

<Omabwa> Omabwa smiles. "Someone just found dinner."

<Omabwa> "Tatu might have. He is devious, if shallow, and Khan constantly irritated the bird."

<Vaschir> "I take it you'd consider Ombalu to be completely above suspicion?"

<Omabwa> Omabwa looks shocked. "Of course!"

<Omabwa> "Father would not do such a thing."

<Vaschir> "And anyone else here would?"

<Omabwa> "You have also not yet met Bandingu, the self-styled Monkey King."

<Vaschir> "I'm not trying to cast aspersions on the big guy, but in these sort of situations you'd be surpised what otherwise decent people are capable of, especially if properly motivated."

<Vaschir> "So what's the monkey's story?"

<Omabwa> Omabwa continues, ignoring Vashir's insinuation, "Bandingu was a friendly companion to me, but it is obvious that he constantly hides his true motives."

<Omabwa> "Perhaps we should start with him."

<Vaschir> "I've got no objections."

<Omabwa> "Very well," says Omabwa, "Let us head to the East. It will not be too long a hike."

<Vaschir> "Lead on."

The two men strike out into the dark forest, Vaschir following Omabwa's confident lead.

<Omabwa> From time to time, Omabwa whistles. A deep growl responds from the trees.

Vaschir throws himself to the deck, rolling to come up into a fighting positon!

A sleek black shape bounds out of the underbrush, landing soundlessly on the ground between him and Oma!

It growls, tail lashing.

Omabwa looks at Vaschir strangely.

<Omabwa> "No," he says, "this is my companion, and Sitjani's cherished son, Kardana."

Vaschir keeps his eyes locked on the cat, easing up into a standing position warily.

The panther's eyes flash blue in a stray moonbeam as he butts his head up against Omabwa.

His growl segues smoothly into a purr.

Omabwa grins deeply and skritches beneath Kardana's ear.

The big cat's purr becomes even more tectonic.

<Vaschir> "Nice cat."

<Omabwa> "He is quite friendly, Vaschir, you need not fear him."

<Vaschir> "Just a little jumpy, jungles are not my element at all."

<Omabwa> "I understand. Let us continue on."

<Vaschir> "Sure"

The pair continues on, accompanied by the shadowy panther.

As they pass through a clearing, ruddy light flares up in the west; as it subsides, a low rumble passes through the ground.

<Omabwa> "What... was that?" asks Omabwa.

<Vaschir> "Probably the volcano popping off again"

A glowing fireball rises from the peak, rapidly dimming until it is only a black blot against the stars.

<Vaschir> "Snake choked you a little harder than I thought, huh?"

The lights of smaller fires shine at the crown of the low mountain, flickering as far-off winds blow smoke past them.

Kardana crouches nervously, ears flattened.

<Vaschir> "Any idea how much further the monkey is?" Vaschir asks, oblivious.

<Omabwa> Omabwa ponders quietly as the event passes. "Only another hour or so," he says, stroking Kardana's sleek fur. "We should press on."

<Vaschir> "No arguements here."

They resume their journey through the jungle; although the forest seemed to have been thinning out, frequently punctuated by glades and clearings, after several minutes' journey it begins to noticeably thicken.

As they continue on, the plants around them become increasingly lush, the sounds of nocturnal animals more frequent.

A pale deer bounds across the path in front of them -- at least, half a deer does. Although its front half is that of a white hart, its hindquarters bear the heavy paws, spotted pelt, and long tail of a jaguar.

Vaschir blinks at the improbability of such a creature, then reflects that it's probably just another petty godling of some sort.

Kardana sits back on his haunches, trying to decide if he should go after the source of a nearby birdsong -- a fat tree snake with the head of a nightingale.

<Omabwa> "Wood Essence is strong in this area," Omabwa explains, "It encourages plant growth and odd animal unions."

<Vaschir> "Odd...yeah."

"Not so odd as two men walking around in the jungle at night!"

<Vaschir> "That's more like the opening to a bad joke, but I get your meaning."

The voice behind them is oddly-accented; it sounds as if its owner is constantly on the verge of laughter.

Omabwa shakes his head at Kardana, who sits back on his haunches."

<Omabwa> Smiling widely, Omabwa says, "Hello, old friend."

The baboon is hanging by his tail from a low branch.

He grins at Omabwa, showing sharp canine teeth in his colorful muzzle.

"Greetings, little bear-cub. You choosing an interesting place to take your new friend, aren't you?"

"Bandingu'd be thinking you'd take the girl instead, no?"

The monkey chuckles at his salacious jest.

<Vaschir> "What, just because she's lacking pants at the moment? Omabwa, I had no idea!" Vaschir returns in patently false surpise.

"Especially coz she be havin' no pants!" The Monkey King casually somersaults down to the ground, landing in a knuckle-dragging crouch.

Transferring his juju staff from foot to hand, he leans on it, drawing himself up theatrically.

<Omabwa> "I am quite notoroious around these parts for promiscuity," Omabwa says with sarcasm.

"So that's why I be seein' all those half-man-half-beast running around these parts!" Bandingu grins. Standing up straight -- which is clearly an uncomfortable position for him -- he is almost as tall as either of the two men.

Vaschir feels a warm pressure centered on his brow; it almost seems similar to the energy that coursed through him when he knocked down the wall earlier.

He immediately begins to feel an odd kinship with the capering simian before him, as though the scurviest, shiftiest part of his soul is greeting the monkey as an old friend.

Vaschir cracks a half-grin.

"So, lil' bear, what business be bringin' you to Bandingu wit you new friend tonight?"

The baboon-god leans forward, shaking his juju stick. The magic gourds tied to the shamanic staff rattle about noisily.

<Omabwa> "I was hoping," Omabwa says, "that the Monkey King could grace me with his wisdom, despite the grief he must feel."

Vaschir tries not to snicker at Omabwa's obsequiousness.

"Hah, you mean you be comin' here to ask me 'bout old Stripy-Cat?"

<Vaschir> "You got it, boss."

The monkey shrugs, an awkward gesture on his lanky, not-quite-human frame.

"Dunno what to tell you, mon. I ain't been seein' him for many days."

<Vaschir> "What's the word on it then, other than 'Omabwa did it?'"

"I know the piggy and those others be thinkin' he done for, but why they be thinkin' a ting like that, hm?" He eyes Oma speculatively.

"I just now be hearin' about a lot of this myself."

<Vaschir> "It's the obvious answer, but that's also why I don't buy it for a moment."

<Vaschir> "Too obvious, plus I don't think even with his recent...change, that he's got the juice to pull it off unassisted."

"You be a strappin' young lad --" the monkey makes a parodic strongman pose, arms flexed -- "but I don't be seein' you fight Stripes and win."

"Change? Ah, so the rumors do be true." Bandingu eyes Oma more closely.

<Omabwa> "Yes, they are. But I still don't even know why anyone would kill Khan."

"Hah ha! Yah, mon, you got the fire of da Sun 'Imself in you now, for sure."

<Omabwa> "Clearly."

"And you too?" he peers at Vaschir. "More an more of you be poppin' right up all under everyone's feet. I suppose the girl be one too, a?"

<Vaschir> "Yeah, we're coming out of the woodwork, we are."

<Omabwa> "Popping up like Monkey Princes around the Temple of Lust."

Bandingu clutches his furry stomach, laughing so hard that he falls over backwards. His juju stick remains upright, standing where he left it.

The monkey turns a backwards somersault and springs to his feet, loping forward on four legs.

"Dat be monkey KING to you, Prince o' de Eart."

<Omabwa> "I meant your kidlings, Bandingu."

He picks up his shaman's staff and levels it accusingly at Omabwa.

"O' course you did."

<Omabwa> "I would never disrespect you without cause."

<Vaschir> "Perish the thought"

The monkey gives Omabwa an exaggeratedly suspicious, sidelong glance.

<Omabwa> "Speaking of cause," continues Omabwa, "Whom do you suspect to be the murderer?"

Bandingu hops nimbly up onto a fallen tree-trunk. His feet leave dark, almost-hand-shaped prints in the luminescent moss covering it.

He strikes a contemplative-monkey pose, crouched on his haunches, chin resting on fist.

His magic staff, left standing below, rattles about on its own.

<Omabwa> "I ask only because I value your judgment."

"Hm, well, de Magistrate, he be asleep dese last hundred years, an he not bein' the kind who kills tigers in they sleep."

Bandingu ticks off a count on his fingers.

Omabwa looks properly impressed by the King's statements as he makes them.

"De big piggy, he got too much respec' -- for de law, for de tiger -- to do nothin'. Maybe if he tink Stripes be breakin' the law, but then he just be wakin' up Kaa for dat."

Vaschir leans against a tree, feeling oddly comfortable in the presence of the trickster Monkey King.

"The king, he... he he. Hehehee! Hahahaaaa!" Bandingu falls over sideways, barely saving himself from toppling off the log with a well-timed tail grab.

He dangles from a branch for a bit, laughing his head off, then swings back up to the log, resuming his thoughtful position.

"Okay, we both be knowin' the king not be doin' anyting, coz he don't want to be nobody's snack."

"HE prolly know the king be nothin' but a pretty bird who likes t' always be havin' others lookin' at him."

Bandingu jerks a thumb at Vaschir.

<Vaschir> "Got that the first time I saw him"

"That panther you be hangin' out wit -- he not gettin' along too well wit de tiger. No room for two big cats in the jungle, a?"

"Maybe one night he sneak up like a shadow and pounce on Khan when he be sleepin'?"

"Or maybe it be like the piggy be tinkin', you be fightin' the tiger an' you find, wit you new powers, he ain't so scary no more."

"Maybe Khan even try to eat you first, an' you just defendin' youself?"

Bandingu glances slyly at Omabwa. His juju stick hops up and down in place, gourds clacking.

<Omabwa> "It would make a nice story, but it's far from the truth," Omabwa says, making his voice resound with truth.

Bandingu waves a limp-wristed hand. "Of course, of course. I not be sayin' nothing, just dat maybe even if you do be sending the tiger away, it not be murder."

"An' you know, it do be mighty suspicious to see him be vanishin', just when new powers be appearin'."

<Vaschir> "'Course, with Omabwa powering up auspiciously like that, he'd make the perfect patsy for anyone who did want to do Khan in."

<Omabwa> "Indeed."

"We not be seein' Exalted here for a long time... hundred years or so. An' even then, they just be children of dragons, not like you."

"Never be thinkin' we'd see the real Princes of the Eart' again."

"Let alone three of dem!"

<Vaschir> "We're just full of surprises."

<Omabwa> "Fate is a strange thing, Monkey King."

"Dat it be, mon." Omabwa notices a brief flicker in the monkey king's leering expression, but it is gone almost as soon as it registers.

"An' who be knowin' what fate be bring for tomorrow, a?"

Vaschir feels a twinge as the baboon says this.

It's almost like some unconscious, voiceless part of his spirit is sharing a private joke with the monkey-god's soul.

Vaschir chuckles appreciatively at the Monkey King's doubletalk.

"For sure, the stars not be tellin' Bandingu that you three be comin' here."

<Vaschir> "Well fate's a funny thing like that, doesn't usually answer the questions you don't ask, does it?"

"Hehe, well, sometimes it don't," chortles the baboon.

"Sometimes dat Maiden o' Secrets, she be tellin' you tings just coz she be jealous you be keepin' the question to youself."

<Vaschir> "Every once in a while you can see through the cracks, if you know what you're doing though, right?" Vaschir leads, raising an eyebrow and grinning.

"You sure you ain't no shaman?" laughs the monkey. "You got de twisty tongue for it, dat be sure."

<Vaschir> "I've managed to pick up a few things here and there, you know how it is," he returns.

His juju stick twirls around and gives an extra-high hop; his long-fingered hand snaps shut around it.

"Hey lil cub, I gots ta be goin' now, but it be good talkin to you and you friend, a? Maybe we talk again later, yah?"

The baboon-god twirls his stick, and vanishes.

<Vaschir> "Take it easy, Monkey King."

The dark patch of moss which was beneath him slowly brightens back to its normal intensity.

<Vaschir> "You know Omabwa, I kind of liked that guy. He's alright."

Up in the treetops, the sound of rustling leaves is punctuated by monkey screeches.

Kardana bounds out of the shadows and pads up to Omabwa's feet.

<Vaschir> "More importantly, I'm pretty sure he's in the know of at least part of this whole mess. Not sure how to con him into telling us, but there it is."

He deposits the corpse of a small potbellied pig, which is covered in feathers.

The big cat sits back and looks up at Omabwa expectantly.

After a moment, he decides that the boorish human is more interested in talking with the other two-legs than in accepting the tasty gift.

Picking up the pig in his mouth, he stalks back off, his posture saying that he was just felt like showing his catch to Omabwa.

<Vaschir> "You alright there Omabwa, you're zoning out on me."

Omabwa smiles after his feline friend, then returns his attention to Vashir. "Perhaps Ana will be able to better discern his truthfulness. She seemd perceptive."

<Vaschir> "Heh, well maybe. Then again he may spend the entire time dropping double entendre's about until she loses her temper."

<Omabwa> "She does have something of a temper, doesn't she."

<Vaschir> "Something of one, yes"

As if on cue, they hear a rumble to the west.

<Omabwa> "Mayhap that is her now," Omabwa jests.

<Vaschir> "Only if she lost her pants again."

<Vaschir> "So who's next on our list?"

<Omabwa> "Tatu, at the court. But we should allow Kardana to enjoy his meal, and probably rest for the night. My home is not far, and he will know to join us there. Shall we?"

<Vaschir> "Sure thing"

With Omabwa in the lead, they head off, skirting the area of lush growth surrounding the Temple of Lust. In less than an hour, they arrive at Omabwa's tree-house.

Exhausted from exploring ruins and being squeezed by a snake (respectively), Vaschir and Omabwa quickly fall asleep, the cries of the jungle mingling with the gentle sound of running water.

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