Adrian MC and the Mythica Creatura
Carl rode the lift. An inane conversation, between a glabelhammie and a land squid, wafted around him. Phrases such as ‘Evolutionary Superiority’ and ‘Divine design,’ occasionally penetrated his thoughts. Neither species could be trusted to dabble in the truth, as they whispered about conspiracies typically generated by their own kind. As a rule, Carl kept his distance, but occupying a lift with these two, was much like stepping on a pile of poo while taking a stroll through the park.
He glanced at the envelope clutched in his talons. The letter was a summons, from the Dragon Man Adrian MC (MC is latin for Magnificus Creatura*, the title to Adrian’s position as Director of Mythica Creatura), to attend the Mythica Creatura* conference on Pavilion. This worried Carl. Rumors, from every corner of the Milky Way, spoke of dark doings. Would this conference address the rumors? He pondered Yggdrasil’s early awakening and the search for Yetarīki Mihuru and The Merianium, the book of all knowledge.
Yeti’s location was known only to a few people. Carl was one. By mistake, Carl had been in the room when the Creator, Adrian MC and Yeti discussed the need to shield Yeti, from those who would steal The Merianium, in hopes of using it for their own purposes. Yeti thought the Creator and Adrian to be over cautious. Carl had remained quietly seated on the couch in the Creator’s office reception area , hoping to be overlooked. Suddenly, he was drawn in to the discussion.
“Câo Lóng, what is your opinion?” asked the Creator.
“I-I, um, well, I agree that Yetarīki Mihuru should be kept safe?” he mumbled, his eyes cast downward, still hoping to be overlooked.
Adrian clapped his hands together, “You see Yeti! We all agree. You are much too important. You need protection, and who better to keep you safe, than a dragon!”
Yeti sighed. “I don’t need protection.”
“It is decided,” said the creator, ignoring Yeti’s protest. “Câo Lóng, from this moment you are charged with the protection of Yetarīki Mihuru and The Merianium. Dragon Man, Adrian MC, Câo Lóng is your subject. You will see that he has the support necessary to fulfill his role as ‘The protector of All Knowledge’”
Carl wanted to melt into the ornate carpet. The only reason he was there in the first place, was to inquire with the Creator’s Secretary of Mythica Flora about the growing of Nakatucci Arkit. The secretary was none other than Juwai Dai, the Orchid Dragon, and thief of Carl’s heart. Juwai had stepped out to lunch, so Carl sat on the couch of the reception area, waiting for her return, when the Creator, Yeti and Adrian showed up, discussing Yeti’s plight. He cursed his desire speak to Juwai, and his desire to grow the favorite food of Unicorns, in hopes of seeing one.
That incident happened well over four-hundred Aeons ago. Carl had gotten to know Yeti quite well. At least well enough to know Yeti wasn’t interested in being followed all over the universe by Carl. Two hundred years ago, Yeti and that nasty fairy Aletha, had concocted a wily trick. They lured Carl and Yebi Dira to the Amidiram** (The Space Between, or The SB**) for a fun night out. Aletha slipped them both a dose of the Lethe. By the time they woke up Yeti was gone and Aletha wasn’t talking. Adrian summoned Carl to his Estate on Pavilion.
He was grateful Adrian chose to privately scold him, rather than in a professional capacity while wearing his Draco Arma Dei. He secretly suspected Adrian didn’t want to have to tell the Creator, of Yeti’s disappearance and decided to chat with Carl in private.
Wearing the Draco Arma Dei, a suit made of the most specialized tech in the Universe, put the Magnificus Creatura in his title of Adrian MC. However, if you caught Adrian lounging around at home, you would mistake him for a regular guy. His favorite lounge T-shirt had a picture of six colorful fighters called “Power Rangers.” He also wore a pair of spectacles to conceal his laser beam eye gaze, which the suit enhanced.
The lift dinged, breaking him out of his thoughts. Carl pushed past the ‘conspiraspecies’ and exited onto the mezzanine, overlooking the Shénshòu yù, the Mythical Creatures Domain.
The mezzanine, situated high on the slope of Mount Eurusternos, was a broad walkway adorned with alcoves for viewing the vast domain as it disappeared into the nebula. From his vantage point he could see rolling lush greenery contrasted against sandy dunes, waterscapes and snow covered landscapes. Lofty mountains to deep oceans, covered the domain. Carls own Qīxī dì* resided among the lush green.
Pods, called kaʻa lāʻau or floating balconies, attached to the sides of the mezzanine. Carl stepped onto one of the balconies. “Musial!” he greeted the Yefet at the controls, “It’s been such a long time. What are the chances I step onto your kaʻa lāʻau?”
“Câo Lóng, it is an honor to see you again. How is Earth? Still rotating? Have the hoomans destroyed it yet?” Musial’s voice reminded Carl of a purring cat. Pointed ears and round furry face of deep luscious blue attributed to his feline likeness. A single fang glistened from the right side of his mouth, giving him the fierce look of a brawler. Indeed, the missing left fang was lost in a fight at a dive bar on Lower Urbana. Brilliant golden eyes flashed at him. “Where to my friend?”
Carl looked wistfully at the rolling green lands. He longed to lie in his hammock and watch the stars. Glancing at the letter, a deep sigh rumbled from his chest. “I need to go to the Pavilion. I’ve been summoned by Adrian MC. I’m sure I’m not the only one, but one ignores these summons at their peril.”
A hiss of compassion whistled from Musial’s furry face, “I’ve transported many to the Pavilion in the last few hours. The traffic is bad. Perhaps you would prefer the longer more scenic route to Pavilion?”
Carl nodded gratefully, “I would find that acceptable.”
“Very well, have a seat and we’ll be under way once I get clearance from MC Ollie.” As Carl settled himself, Musial put on his headset and returned to the control seat at the front of the kaʻa lāʻau. The ka’a lā’au’s were flat oval crafts, with rounded exteriors, a cushy couch, and a wet bar for passengers . Carl wondered if the inspiration for the ka’a lā’au came from a collision of a pontoon boat and a limousine.
Soon, they were underway. Detaching from the mezzanine, the massive slope of Eurusternos fell away. Traffic began to thin as Musial turned the craft toward the lush expanses of Qīxī dì. Most inhabitants and visitors went straight to Pavilion, the planet sized city of shops, entertainment, business and government offices. All official work of the Shénshòu yù happened on Pavilion. It was a central place not only for Shénshòu yù, but for other Domains such as Exercitus Angelicus*, residence of the creators army. Carl had no idea why the creator needed an army.
The magnificence of the Nebula spread before them as they flew over the Qīxī dì. The vast colorful array of stellar clouds glittered with millions of stars. He pondered Adrian’s conference summons. Was something amiss in the universe? Was it only earth or were other planets experiencing the same crisis? He wondered if it had something to do with the Universal Reversal of the last millennia. MC Ollie and his crew staged a walkout with demands for better pay and work conditions.
The traffic became congested once more as Pavilion loomed up in front of the kaʻa lāʻau. Musial’s harsh epithets and colorful gestures interrupted Carl’s thoughts as they darted and dodged through throngs of kaʻa lāʻau. Carl’s anxiety encouraged him to cover his face and not look until the ride smoothed out again.
The approach to Pavilion was spectacular. The enormity of the city, still small by Nebula standards, sparkled like a gem encrusted pendant. Musial’s expert navigation as they approached Adrian MC’s palatial estate came to a smooth halt alongside the gate sentries. Carl heard his name. Musial turned to him, “Câo Lóng, they require your letter to admit us.”
Carl held the letter up for the sentries to read. Five minutes later, Musial landed them at the drop off zone before the palatial entryway. He handed Carl a kibiko, a small round glass communicator, “Call me when you’re ready to go to your Qīxī dì. I have some interesting news to tell you.”
Before Carl could inquire about the news, Musial gave him a wicked smirk and sped off. Other’s, lined up waiting to land and let their passengers out, hurried Carl along. As he moved toward the cavernous opening, someone called his name. He turned to see Hephrix.
At the UOC, planetary rivalries were suspended. Whether anyone agreed or not, made no difference. The nature of the UOC prohibited harm to others. Adrian MC had an extra layer on his estate. It was called the MOM (Must Obey Manners) protocol, also known as ‘If you can’t say anything nice, do not say anything at all!’ directive.
Carl waited for her. “Hephrix! How are you?” He’d assumed other Mythica Creatura would be here, but he did not expect her to seek him out.
She hissed congenially, “Carl my old friend. I hope we can come to an accord while we are here.”
“Oh?” He was surprised she wanted to discuss terms in a place that prevented her sly gifts from working.
“I have it on good authority that Earth is in danger from the humans. We can save it if we work together.”
He sighed. It was well known she didn’t like the humans. “I cannot join you in any action that will harm humans.”
“I have no intention of harming them. Just eradicating the creatures altogether.”
“How can you not understand that would harm them?”
“There is a way to prevent them from ever emerging and evolving.”
Carl rolled his eyes. “Please tell me this theory doesn’t involve a glabelhammie or a land squid.”
Hephrix frowned. “We’ll talk later, I need to find Yemiyeni before he get’s in to trouble.”
Carl watched her leave. He forgot she was a species prone to conspiracies as well. He also wondered if she was behind the attack on Mark at the library. It dawned on him she would be seeking to get her hands, err paws, on the Merianium. A chill rolled down to his stomach. Had Yeti’s location been compromised again? For a moment he stood frozen. This conference suddenly seemed like a stupid idea, or a massive diversion to take him away from protecting Yeti. Perhaps? But the seal on his summons belonged to Adrian MC. Carl decided Adrian had complete control over the situation.
He approached the long table of Yefets registering delegates to the conference. A Yefet with the face of a sleepy hound dog waved him over. It’s left ear flopped into it’s water dish every time he turned his head to the left. He almost considered stepping to the right where a bushy-tailed squirrel Yefet was also waving, but decided to give ‘Old Yeller’ a chance.
“Hi, I’m here for the conference.”
The hound dog face looked up at him with droopy eyes. In a deep gravelly voice he said, “Got the letter?” and held out a surprisingly neatly manicured paw.
Carl handed the letter over. While he waited, he scanned the cavernous entry room. He saw many creatures he knew. Perhaps this would be a good social event in addition to work. Hopefulness buoyed his spirit. He smiled toothily at the hound dog as he received his credentials, a shiny little bag of goodies and a strip of raffle tickets. “What’s the prize he asked?”
Hound dog face stared at him, his right paw pointing up at the sign on the wall over the table.
Welcome Delegates!
Please see your itineraries for breakout session schedules, raffle prizes and meal times.
Once you have checked in, please proceed to the main ballroom for this afternoons meet and greet.
Refreshments will be provided, however tips are always welcome!
Carl nodded, “Thank you!” he said politely and made his way toward the ballroom. Ornate doors led from the foyer to the richly appointed, stadium sized room. From where Carl entered, the room sloped down toward the slowly revolving stage. Upon the stage, large delicately carved chairs sat back to back facing the audience. No one occupied the stage. Indeed, the house lights were on and delegates scurried about greeting each other and finding optimal places to sit. The air buzzed with conversation.
“Carl!” shouted Yebi Dira, over the general noice. The water dragon pushed passed other delegates. In his excitement he failed to apologize for stepping on toes and knocking others down.
“Yebi!” Carl acknowledged his friend and hurried toward him to minimize Yebi’s bull-in-a-china shop approach. He grinned apologetically to the annoyed frowns of those in Yebi’s wake.
“Câo Lóng! Did you just get here? I looked for you at your Qīxī dì, but Guǎnjiā said you hadn’t been there.”
“I just arrived. Hey did you see Hephrix?”
Yebi frowned, “What’s she doing here?”
“The same as us I suppose, responding to Adrian MC’s summons.”
“I guess.” Yebi brightened, “Come on, I got us a table near the front. Adrian is supposed to appear in his Draco Arma Dei! I’ve only seen him in it once and I was far away last time. I want the full experience this time.”
Inwardly Carl groaned. He had spent enough time in Adrian’s presence when he wore the suit. “Lead on.” He instructed Yebi. Carl was impressed, Yebi’s table choice wasn’t quite as up front as he expected. It was more of a balcony, box seat affair, for large creatures, which meant the chairs would be comfortable for dragons. They had a great view of the stage and slightly above, so they would look down upon the main stage. Carl was happy he wouldn’t be in line of sight to Adrian.
Carl froze as Yebi moved aside and revealed two occupants already seated in the box.
“Câo Lóng, you know Juwai Dai and her companion Jìngzhēng duìshǒu?”
Carl froze. He hadn’t seen Juwai in several hundred years. How had he forgetten her radiant beauty? He scowled at Jìng. He knew that every time he had even gotten close to Juwai, Jìng was there, getting in the way. Then he remembered his manners. It had to be the effect of the MOM protocal. The words that crossed his lips were not entirely his own. “Juwai, it is an honor to share this table with your radiant beauty. Jìng, as always, it is a pleasure to see you.”
“Câo, it has been such a long time. It is so good to see you. When Yebi told me you would accompany him, I was delighted to offer to share our table with you both!”
Carl nearly melted at the sound of her voice. Her sultry purr made him forget the unfortunate presence of Jìng.
Yebi grinned, “Lets get seated. I see the hosts are beginning to arrive.”
Indeed, the ornate chairs on the stage were being filled by Adrian MC’s deputies. Carl took his seat, pleased to be seated next to Juwai. He hoped there would be time to talk.
FootNotes:
Many words in this chapter are derived from Chinese or Latin. Therefore, pronunciation may be difficult for an English speaker. Provided below are the words, their meanings and their pronunciations.
*Magnificus Creatura – Magnificient Creatura
*Mythica Creatura – Latin for Mythical creature
*Shénshòu yù – [pronounced shen-shoe-you] – Chinese for Mythical creatures domain. The quadrant of the UOC where Dragons, Unicorns, etc. have their homes.
*Eurusternos – [pronounced Ay-OOro-stair-nos] means goddess with a broad chest, this is another name for Gaia
*Qīxī dì – [pronounced she-she-dee] – Chinese for Habitat. Câo Lông’s home at the UOC
*Exercitus Angelicus – [pronounced X-ER-chee-two An-gel-ee-cose] Latin for Angelic host or army
**Amidiram – Am Idir Am is Irish for time-between-time. It’s the place where the earthly eternals reside away from humans, such as the grove of Yggdrasil, or Yetarīki Mihuru’s mountain, or Aletha’s swamp, or Hephrix desert or Yemiyeni’s forest. Also known as “The Space Between”, or the SB.
