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Gilgamesh      It is perhaps unsurprising that the King of Heroes lives in the lap of luxury. He has taken a place on the top floor of the most expensive hotel in town, a sprawling Royal Penthouse that is almost a palace unto itself. The walls are lined in silk and fine art. The tables are covered in urns and vases and flowers from around the world. Sweeping columns of fine stonework, carved with etchings of people in various states of action, are dotted strategically around the room, kept warm by a sprawling red carpet. A bowl of fruit sits delicately on a small center table. A chandelier that probably costs more than most humans will see in their lives dangles from above.

     And, according to the butler - something hotels most certainly do not have - this is just the antechamber.

     The butler leads them past these rows and rows of beautiful works of art, past sweeping windows that show a beautiful garden outside being tended by...maids?...and a glorious view of the city beyond. He leads them to one of the side-rooms of the gigantic penthouse, what was probably a walk-in closet before it was taken over by the King.

     It is a massive closet. It is probably larger than most peoples' apartments.

     It is filled to the brim with Legos. All of them. Every single kit. The room is as full of famous landmarks as a travelogue, arranged with meticulous care to look very much like an actual city. At the center of it is the massive white-and-gold-brick palace.

     Off to the side is the King himself.

     He is beautiful. Beautiful in a way that human beings aren't. He is more Real, more True, more Existant than the butler, an existence that imposes itself upon the world as a fact. There is no arguing that he is the King; Kingship is something he exudes, not something he wears like a paper crown, to be donned and doffed at a moment's notice. The butler bows politely and announces the both of them, complete with a 'your majesty, your guests have arrived, presenting' like they're regal guests at a formal ball.

     The King is dressed in a robe made of an XCOM Uniform and a Hellsing uniform stitched together, with no pants or shoes or anything else. It hangs around him like a quilted dress, and on anyone else it would look foolish, but his presence is radiant to the point where the words VIGILO CONFIDO becomes a promise of divine right and HELLSING: WE ARE ON A MISSION FROM GOD becomes a hard and true fact, though it is hard to say what god.

     He doesn't look up from the set he's currently playing with. He just waves his hand at the palace. "It is there. Remember that it is on loan and if you damage it you will be expected to repay me, scribe."
Mairead Sandilands     Walking behind the bulter, Mairead Sandilands looks aroudn with her head and blinks, "I have never seen anything like this," she says to herself and to Isabelle. "Even when me mom was the Clan Chieftian of me clan, it was never this... ornate," she adds as she walks onward and at the maids and the skyline. As she approaches, she loosk aorudn with her eyes and thnks to herself as she stands there.

    Mairead only stands five foot six inches in height her red hair that reaches past her bottom, while her emerald green eyes and weights about 140 pounds. She is dressed in a school uniform and has a sash that is a tartan that goes from left shoulder to right hip clasped with a crest pin. the same matching tartan also covers her legs as a dress while under this, she has on green leggings and two-inch heels cover her feet. As she curtsey's she bows her head, "Majesty," she says to him as she stands up. Her Scottish accent is heard better than it is ont he radio and she appears to be 18 years old.
Isabelle     Ah, the lap of luxury, a place that Isabelle was born and bred in, a familiar sight to the noble born archaeologist. There's a brief smile given to the butler as he leads her and the other guest along, her eyes dart over towards the partner curiously before facing back forward. "Such a large place, I've only seen such back in my home town." she idly comments towards no one in particular. "Such beauty graces this land."

    Eyes flit across works of art, the windows to the garden, the maids and the city. The awe of such a place silences her for the remainder of the trip, at least, until she enters the 'closet'. The marvels of all those Lego sets, everything built with perfection, the blocky mimicry of everything...

    Were there even words to describe such?

    The introduction to the King, she bows politely, all that nobility training paying due. "Great King Gilgamesh." she comments, "I shall treat this with the utmost respect you and your generosity deserves and then some." there's a brief pause as she's called 'scribe', but with who this is, and such being given... "I understand the conditions, and I give my word that it shant be damaged."

    She lifts herself back up and slowly makes her way to the Babylonian Temple model. There was just one thing she forgot.

    How was she going to transport this.

    "I say, it's a pleasure to see the one true king in the flesh. You honor me."
Gilgamesh      Gilgamesh finally sits up and takes notice. He sits down on what was probably intended to be a step for shoes, now occupied by both his royal backside and some Lego barbarians attempting to siege the Taj Mahal. His head goes to the side as he examines Mairead. After a moment, he nods. "Well, your dress is strange, but such is the custom of this land of the future. Your appearance is reasonably pleasing despite, and your custom is good, so I will call this meeting a pleasure, Mairead." He stumbles over the pronunciation briefly. It's probably the clearest sign that he isn't a Servant - a Servant wouldn't.

     Isabelle draws his eyes a moment later. Those red eyes linger on her, staring at her and through her. After a moment, he chuckles.

     "You are pleasing to the ear and the eye alike, lady scribe, and in recognition of both your fair form and your fair tongue I will cast aside earlier frustrations and call this a pleasure as well."

     "Indeed, I am Gilgamesh, who rules over Babylon. Come, walk. You have come for a visit to the King's home. That calls for food and drink."

     He gestures for them to follow him out of the closet and into another, ludicrously elaborate dining room, which probably always was a dining room. He sits down and, from a ripple in the air, produces a jug of wine and fine bread. He breaks the bread into three pieces, offering some of it to Mairead and some of it to Isabelle, then presses the jug forward.

     It is disgustingly good. It is unearthly in how good this stuff is.

     "We will make merry, and you will tell me of your temple and your lands, and you may ask me your questions and learn what you wish to know of me."
Mairead Sandilands     Standing up, Mairead smiles and blushes slightly as she speaks, "Thank you for your kind words m'lord," she states as she ponders meeting royality. She looks at Isabelle and nods to her as she is out of her league here it seems. Granted, she is a daughter of a noble family, but nothing in the lines of this. Although, Scotland in her time is now a seperate country and is ruled by a govenment, so the various clans are still there, but those that are big or part of a big clan are not always well trained. Mairead does have the education and manners, although her attire is of still in school and close to graduation which she cannot wait for.

    "If I make say sire, ye did an amazing job at all of this. Beautiful works of wonder and the art work is beautiful as well," she comments as she nods as he mentions food and drink. If only she was familiar with the time of Babylon and history, but she is not good with that era like most. Still, she knows of it and will hold off on any questions as she follows him. Glancing around, she sits down as well, after Gilgamesh has, which is the proper way.

    After the food arrives, she accepts the bread and drink and closes her eyes, saying a silent prayer before doing the sign of the cross before opening her eyes and looking to Gilgamesh, "Thank you," she says as she takes a bite of the bread and cews it, enjoying the taste. after few more bites, she takes a drink of the wine and blinks as she coughs a little. "The food and drink are wonderful sir," she says as she wipes her mouth with a towel.
Isabelle     Isabelle turns as she's judged by the King, and his words make her blush. "I thank you for your kind words, King." she gives a curtsey before eyeing that Babylonian Temple. She'll find a way to get that back, even if she has to fly it out. "I apologize for the fustrations of earlier." she mentions once before giving a soft smile towards the King.

    There's a pause, food and drink? She nods and follows at a small distance behind the king, "You honor us with this gesture as well." There's so many thoughts running through Isabelle's mind right now: She's meeting the god honest King of Kings, she's having a meal with said King of Kings and he's loaning her something precious of his. What else could make her evening?

    Taking a seat close to the king, she takes the offered bread and wine. The divine taste of the bread and wine... "The finest bakeries in France and the best wineries could not have produced such a delicious meal."

    There's a turn to the cough, and a tilt of her head, "Ah, the Scotswoman cannot handle wine?" she gives a brief smile, "Mairead, huh?" the pronounciations' mangled just slightly, "My name's Isabelle. It's a pleasure to see you in person."
Gilgamesh      "This?"

     Gilgamesh looks around at the suite, like he's just now noticing it. "I did not do this. It was passable enough for my tastes that I did not see fit to alter it any further. It is why I chose to take it for the time being. It is modest luxury."

     This is modest luxury.

     *This is modest luxury*.

     The King of Heroes leans forward. His youth is all the more apparent now that they're seeing him in person, the human, mortal, fleshy parts that contain radiant divinity. There's eagerness on his face as he moves to ask, "Tell me of your lands. I would hear of where you come from. Tell me whatsoever you wish. All of this future is new to me, and though it is choked with ills, it has its beauties, too. If you would share ills, then share them, for the King's duty is to hear the ills of the people and make them right. If you would share beauties beyond your own selves, then share them, for the King's right is to know all the fair things of the land."

     "There is nothing but the finest in my treasury." The young King's lips split in a wide grin as his eyes narrow slightly, and there's another flash of mortality, of a teenage boy boasting to pretty girls about his wealth, before the regal aura sets in once more. A brief confusion crosses his face at 'Scotswoman,' as he attempts to puzzle it out, like he's heard the term before.

     "Tell me of the land of Scots," he says finally, "And you, priestess, you have yet to tell me what temple you serve, where you will be transporting my palace."
Mairead Sandilands     Looking, she thinks, "I can handle wine, I have just not had much of it to drink. It is not something we have at school," she mentions as she has not really had much in the way of spirits, and so has no experience with it. "I can get use to it however," she adds as she nods to Isabelle, "A pleasure to meet ye as well," she adds as she sits and thinks for a moment, "As you wish," she states.

    "Me world is full of technology and is mainly ruled by women," she says. "In the last 12 years, the dynamics has changed from being more female run than male. Due to the recent Infinite Stratos that can be powered by ladies. Those that are selected are trained from an early age and than sent to further their training and education at a special school to learn the art of piloing the Infinite Stratos, or IS' as weapons of war if necessary," she states. "Scotland is also no longer a part of Britian and has not been for aboutthirty years," she mentions as she takes a bite of the bread and a drink of the wine. "Other than that, there is not much that has changed on the Earth."
Isabelle     This is modest luxury? She looks around... "Modest...?" she whispers under her breath, a bit of awe in her voice. She turns back to Gilgamesh, tilting her head as he leans forward and the look upon Gilgamesh's face... she expected someone older but... she's getting someone around her age? "Ah, then if you wish, King of Kings. I serve the Elements of my world and the Library of Alexandria, the current shell of it, unfortunately. It has faced erosion and destruction but my goal is to rebuild it to be a pillar of knowledge in a world just coming into magic." she gives a bit of a smile, "Knowledge of our past keeps getting destroyed, damaged beyond recognition. I am fixing this."

    She gives a bit of a pause, "Ah, but the beauty of my world, the beauty of France..." there's an unmistakable sigh of contentment, "The architecture, the sea, the visitors from Spain and Italy... it's a sight to behold, King of Kings. If you wish, I would be honored to take you upon a tour."

    There's a turn towards Mairead, hmming softly. "So your world is far into technology, huh? What of you of history, of knowledge?"
Gilgamesh      "Beer is the drink of civilization, but wine is fair enough for the moment," Gilgamesh says in Mairead's direction. To his credit he is an able listener despite his enormous presence and yawning ego, and he listens with the kind of rapt attention you don't often see in modernity, his eyes unwavering and undistracted from his guests as they speak.

     "What is an Infinite Stratos?" He interrupts only briefly, curiousity filling those wine-dark eyes, "Ah, a weapon of war. Then rule in the land of Scots is determined by power, and not blood." There's a sense that he's aware of this as a *thing*, and that he understands it even if he personally disapproves of it - like, he grasps that his rule is not *just* because of his blood, and therefore it stands to reason that a powerful enough peasant could rule. "But you left your kings behind and separated? Why?"

     Isabelle's statement brings a frown to his face. He crosses his arms, looking serious and intense. It'd be a little bit funny if not for that supernatural aura of beauty and grace; he's got a bit of a pout on that would look like a frustrated teenager in any other sense. "Then your world also has forgotten the wonders of Babylon."

     His fingers drum on the table, as his pout fades to a mere frown, and his frustration fades to simple disappointment. "It is so common. I wonder why. Yet my name continues to ring throughout history. You know it, though you are from a future that has forgotten all else. You, too, know it, though you are from a future where kings have been replaced by peasant women wielding weapons of war."

     "I know that there are many worlds and that they are not all alike. I am aware of that. But the idea that so many have forgotten Babylon, and yet still I persist within their legends, is strange. Do they no longer spin tales of the treasury of the King? Of the wonders of his weapons and the glories of his city? What tales have taken their place? What has been found instead?"

     It takes him a moment before he leans back in the chair and sighs. "How infuriating, to think that this accursed modernity replaced old wisdoms with ignorant masses and soulless machines to do their work."

     Then he's sitting forward again. "Yes, I wish to do that." Not 'I would like to'. 'I wish to.' "You will show me the fair things of your land and stand at my side, and I will once again seek out some redemption in modernity and its winnowing curse in fair places and fair people."
Mairead Sandilands     Looking at Isabelle, she ponders. "Our history is like any other. All Earth that are similar are identical in a sense," she adds. "Babylon is listed, as is Jesus and Adam and Eve. The rise and fall of Egypt, Roman and the myth of the Gods from Greece. The exploration of the world by not only the Spanish, French and British, but of the Chinese and those of the south pacific. The rise of Russia the legend of King Arthur. The many wars fought all throughout history, World War One and Two. The first men on the moon and of books as well as movies and radio," she mentions to her.

    "However, magic is the words of myth on my world, and the only magic is those who do it on stage and provide entertainment. Now other worlds here in the Multiverse I have seen magic as well as Vampires and many others, including those who can draw the fear from within you out and can harm you with just a thought. Plus those who take items that are important and use them against others for profit," she says as she touches her left arm and closes her eyes for a few moments. "Of those lost that are family and friends. So nothing has changed, just the course of life from the finding of something that can take out entire armies without any assistance, like a hand of god." and she sighs to herself as she takes another bite of bread.

    Looking at Gilgamesh, she shakes her head, "No sir," she says. "Blood is still used for ruling, the weapon of war is what caused a change in the way the world is ruled," she says. "Men cannot power or pilot an Infinite Stratos, only women can, but there is only one male in the world that can and he is wanted by all nations and all students at the IS Academy," she sayss as she looks. "Infinite Stratos or IS is a suit of armor that is unique to a country in design, name and weapons.

    Wiping her mouth, she stands, "If I may," and she looks around stepping away form the table and any of the fine pieces of work here and thinks. In a flash, her cloths vanish and replaced by armor that covers her hegs and arms, her back and top of her head. Her sides get armor as well, but not much and she is taller by a foot. As she stands there, wearing her IS that is lavender, violet and grey wither rockets on the back of the legs, back and bottom of the feet. OOC: https://i.imgur.com/BJqZpuN.png A moment later, she thinks and the armor vanishes in the same way and the cloths she was wear before appear on her again. The one thing that Gilgamesh would see as would Isabella, is that she is wearing what looks liek a one piece swimsuit that the armor connects too.

    As she sits down, she looks, "The Scottish were once free and not under the rule of anyone and that changed when the King of England felt that the Scottish were savages and needed to be educated. For hundreds of years it was like this and we were restricted for a time in how to dress due to clan tartans to meetings and it was not till thirty years ago that by vote of the people, that we were able to submit a decision to the Government of Britan that Scotland can take care of herself. Me mom was a part of the Scottish government before...." and she stops. "Before an accident that took her and my father."

    Looking at Gilgamesh, she blinks, "I would be honored to take you on a tour of my world," she says. "Although I am sure that there will be many a ladies chasing you," she says as she has not mention that the IS Academy is the home of about 4 to 600 girls of various ages and 1 boy of 16 years....
Isabelle     "There are books and legends still told, though not by many." there's a pause from the archaeologist, a turn towards Mairead, listening to her with curiosity... "Only.. women?" she questions, shaking her head a moment, but when the IS comes into view, her eyes go wide. "What sorcery is this?" her voice shocked at the sudden armor up. "There is no need to show weapons in a peaceful situation, especially in front of the King of Kings." she shakes her head and sighs, turning towards Gilgamesh.

    "I aim to bring back the past, it's an important facet of the present that it is best not to be forgotten." she comments, "While science has been helpful, learing from our past, knowing what they know... can help our future more than a push of technology." she leans back into her chair, hands upon her lap. She gives only a single nod at Gilgamesh's words when spoken. "I will be honored to show you the beauties of my land, King of Kings."
Gilgamesh      What catches Gilgamesh's eye is...well, go on, guess, he's a teenage boy. You can figure it out. But what really stops him, what really catches his /thoughts/, is when Mairead says the words 'man on the moon.'

     That phrase brings a distant wonder to his face. There's a hazy glaze in his eyes that turns him away from Mairead's showy one-piece and towards the sky, as if he's trying to imagine it. After a moment, he says, "perhaps mass will is good for something."

     Then he turns his attention to the armor itself. He stands, walking around it like a conoisseur at market, examining the armor thoughtfully. "A weapon of queens, then. You are of royal blood to wear it? Then, that eases my heart and salves my soul. All royals should have such a weapon. It is a fine one and I would likely enjoy wielding it."

     He waves his hand at Isabelle. "It is a fine armor, and I am not insulted by its presence."

     The idea of a lot of women chasing him brings a distant, dorky grin to his face. It is *firmly* dorky, too, the kind of grin you'd see on a modern kid at the prospect of living in a harem anime. "Yes," he says, "I shall have to visit this Land of Scots as well." There's...is that a thin blush? It's hard to tell on that beautiful face. When he finally sits back down he adjusts himself slightly, leaning on one arm, and his eyes go back to Isabelle.

     "I find technology distasteful," he says, his tone quiet, "Its conveniences breed contempt for the strength of the one. In this world overflowing with human stink, this country of the future, I do not imagine that people...well, never mind. It is something I agree with you on, Scribe of Alexandria. Charging forward simply decays the worth of human beings in favor of the worth of machines. You are right to seek the wisdom of ages."

     "You are much smarter than most temple scribes. Even I am in danger of being seduced. The gods may be great, but the temple is always full of fools."

     "Tell me of your god, Alexandria. Is she wise and well-spoken and well-shaped, or some capricious being that demands knowledge and doles out none for her worshippers?"
Mairead Sandilands     Thinking, she smiles, "Its not socery," she says to her simply as she eats some of the bread. "It is what was found," she says. "With a though or verbal word, I cna summon my IS. I wear it on my body as a piece of jewelry and I can see and read many things around me. It is sor tof like a sixth sense," she says. "As long as I wear her, I can summon her at anytime. But without it, I am no different than any other human. No special powers or abilities. I can be hurt by others both physically and mentally," she says. "In my world, no one has anything special about them, outside of training and education. So no one has magic or anything like that."

    "The world did not omit or anything, it simply forgot," she comments. "Due to human ideas and feelings, as time progressed, the knowledg eof old was forgotten or lost. When it is found, no one can read it as the language is no longer ledgable and after centuries, very delicate. The Dead Sea Scrolls where found in he mid to late 20th Century and have not been fully translated and there is reports of actual places within the Bible that are no longer accessable. Many believe they know the location of the Garden of Eden, but to get to it is impossible as it ahs been covered by water and lost to men." and she sighs. "I do not live in Scotland, I live in Tokyo wher e I go the the IS Academy."
Isabelle     "Ah, pardon if I became offended on your behalf then." she coughs a bit and takes a deep breath. She does take a listen more to Mairead, absorbing what she states... "My condolences for your loss." she gives a brief nod of her head, recognizing the accident. "Perhaps, if you do not mind, I can accompany you on your trip to your world, Mairead?" though, as soon as Gilgamesh goes back to her, she gives him her full attention.

    She gives a brief nod, "I cannot deny the convinences wrought by technology, but it does nothing if we don't respect what we built it upon." she gives a brief nod, "In essence... I believe you could say I serve two gods. The basal elementals at their own command and the Muses from Greek Mythology. Goddesses of liteature, arts and science. The 'temple' of which I serve is a desecrated library in Egypt. Though it has been burned, destroyed, and damaged, I do my best to keep my holy ground from crumbling further into obscurity."

    She gives a brief smile, "They are, from what I understand, well spoken, willing to share in the knowledge that they have stored. It's of this that I take my place, to assist in gathering such knowledge and give freely, if protected, so we may never lose it again." she gives a brief nod, "I shall take you there upon our travels, it may be a sad sight to see compared to the modest luxury you've shown us, but it's still a sight to behold, a beauty all in of itself."

    "The first of many artifacts and beacons of knowledge to store there... ah, this excites me so."
Gilgamesh      "There are always people who are offended on behalf of the King," Gilgamesh says, waving his hand idly. It's already forgotten. Minor insults apparently don't stick with him coming from people he's already accepted.

     "No, it is clearly not Magic. It may be Magecraft but if you say it is machine then I will assume it is machine."

     No one has magic. Gilgamesh's face takes on a distasteful look, and the aura of beauty takes on a sharper edge. "Yes. No one has magic. Dispersed and forgotten. All lost to modernity's cutting blade. Clay dolls."

     Then he just looks weary again, and sighs. "Fine. Then you will show us the Academy. It has the interest of the King and it has the interest of the Scribe, so it is worth showing us both at once to save time. I will find fair ladies eager to serve and she will learn for her gods."

     Gilgamesh leans forward, his eyes locked on Isabelle's with a sudden intensity. "So you are a collector at heart, then." In a most bizarre motion he literally climbs onto the table and crawls forward until his face is very close to Isabelle's. He's looking for something in her eyes, searching for something. "You want to fill the halls of your temple with a great collection of precious things to show to all the world the worth of your gods, but no, not the worth of your gods. The worth of you. Your gods are an excuse. It brings you pleasure. It brings you joy."

     The King sits down on the table, crossing his legs and looking somewhat smug. "You are a woman worth keeping. I envy your gods." He clearly does not like envying things. "If it is an empty collection then you will show me it and tell me how you intend to fill it, and spin me tales of what wonders you would store there, and perhaps I will even help you fill it if they are not things I desire. They will be on loan, of course, but you wish to see your collection overflow, and that is something that I can make happen."

     "Good. Yes. This is a fruitful meeting. This pleases me greatly."

     "A school full of fair ladies, the beauties of France, and a born collector. Yes. This for the loan of my small palace is a fair trade."
Mairead Sandilands     Blinking, Mairead looks and nods taking a drink of wine as she listens and yhinks, "I will have everything ready in a few days time," she says as she nods, "All are welcome to visit, as there are many within the Multiverse that are lost and need a place to call home," she adds as she eats the last of the bread and watches Gilgamesh as he craws across the table. This is interesting as she has heard tales of this in stories growing up, but has never seen it till now. Gigamesh is attractive that is spot on, but he seems similar to something else she has seen or heard, but she has not put her finger on it. Shrgging she wipes her mouth and ponders a moment as she looks around.

    "If I may ask, where did all of these wonders come from?" she says simply as she is curious. It is all beautiful, but this is too much as she has very little and simple things that are more precious to her. But each person has their own taste and she can see two peopel who are friends here at the table and knows that she is happy to have them visit when they want. But the remark of 'Wielding it' puzzles her, but she shakes her head at the thought and looks back at Gilgamesh.
Isabelle     Isabelle's mouth stays rightly shut at the discussion of people not having magic. She does, she... just doesn't want to show just yet. "I believe this is amiacable to everyone then." she smiles, "We all get to gain something from our little trips to everyone's world." she gives a firm nod, as if this was the plan all along.

    Then suddenly, there's a King in her face. "I fancied myself an occultist and an archaeologist. A collector is..." a pause, "I believe very apt for it, but..." she shakes her head, listening to him, a nod. "It does bring me a joy to collect this knowledge, a joy that I can share such with everyone in the world... or worlds in this case.'

    The offer to help fill it catches her off guard and she stammers a bit, "Then I shall gratefully accept any you wish to loan me and as such, they shall be treated with the utmost respect."
Gilgamesh      Gilgamesh stares at her. "I am loaning you one already. I meant that we will go find more for you. That is the right and proper way to collect great things. That each is a memory of an adventure as well as something of value. A prize worth having is a prize worth winning, not a thing you simply *find*." A prize worth having is something that you earn in blood, in the blood of others who seek to die gloriously to give you a fine memory to look back on as you heft it in your hands and feel its power."

     "This is what it is to be a collector. Yes. I could fill your vault with all my treasures and it would overflow and burst at the weight of my generous loans. But you would not feel joy at that. You feel joy at the palace because you came here and earned it in conversation. You will look at it and not merely see it as a piece of history but as a trophy of winning the attentions of the King of Heroes by standing apart from this country of ugly clay dolls as a beautiful existence. You will look on it and think of this modest luxury and of the fine bread and wine that you tasted here and reminisce."

     "I will not take that from you. But I would see it stoked within you. I would see that pleasure grow inside you until it fills you to bursting, for it is a pleasure I know well, and my treasury was won by my hand and mine alone."

     He looks over at Mairead, and there's a sense of some distance as he says, "What wonders? These furnishings are mine only because this room is mine for the moment. If you mean the bread and wine, the bread was baked in Babylon, by a fair and pleasant man who was as skilled with bread as he was with words. He would speak to the bread each night and knead it gently to ensure that it knew its purpose in serving the foundation of civilization. The wine was brewed in a far-off country under tall trees by natives with strange accents who knew the secret ways of making honeyed wine. I journeyed there to fight a beast and skin it and bring back its pelt, and I claimed its head and this wine as payment."

     Gilgamesh stands. "Multi-Vars has forgotten these pleasures. I would see this land of Multi-Vars remember them. See it recall the joy of possession. See it shake off the countless dolls dragging beauty down into hideous mud and become glorious and fair." He steps off the table with inhuman grace. "I would see the Land of Scots restored to what it should be. I would see the Library burst with your collection. I would see the wonders of France and decide what ugliness must be scoured from it to shine even brighter than in your eyes."

     "Yes. I have much work to do."