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Landing on Scylla was, surprisingly, a quiet affair. Her planet liked to dump her somewhere that she may be forced to swim, or miles away from the goal that she was thinking of, anything to make her explore, it seemed. But this time, Scylla was decidedly quiet and obedient, and Scylla opened her eyes to see that she and Wolf- Gevaudan- had landed on one of the low-hovering sky-rocks, well within sight of the white temple.

From here, Gevaudan would be able to see much- the sheer open distance, the growth of trees, bushes, the beginnings of the water rise. And this late in the day, the colors bloomed not only across the sky, but against the ground itself, the bio-luminescent hum of her world awakening to night. The white temple was ablaze, not with everflame, but with the light ricocheting off of the smooth, externally-mirrored stone.

"Welcome," she told him after a moment, bright violet eyes peering around to verify if they would be able to grab a vine and slide off of the hovering 'earth' or if they would have to jump. Or rather, fall. "We'll be heading for the temple. The beach has smooth places, and there are practice areas there, unless you want to explore some. Scylla is bright enough at night, we'd be able to see well enough to get there in the end."

The look on Gev's face, wide-eyed and head swiveling, pleased Scylla immensely, and she bounced on her toes, clasping her hands behind her back in proud joy. "I wish I could have shown you what it looked like, before... That coral over there? That's the World Pillar. And these islands? Like the one we're on- this is what people lived on, since the land below was so sparse." she pointed to the island under their drop. "The water covered almost everything, we never would have seen this much of the isle in the past." she gestured to the section of beach where the White Temple stood guard. On the other side, where Wolframite- Gevaudan- would be unable to see, was the fossil of the Kraken, and the opening that led to the catacombs, and Andromache's body, still waiting its funeral rites.

"There were underwater cities, and down on the beach- the ocean came up a lot higher, you can kind of see the wear, can't you?- the warriors would practice. That's where we could train. There's lots of flat area, or if you wanted, we could move some things around inside the temple proper and practice in the shade." It was a shame she didn't remember more of the cities underwater, but so many of Andromache's memories were still shrouded in mist and fog a thousand years in the making.

Letting herself fall forward, she landed hard on the lower island, bouncing back up and looking around. "Tel me, Gev, are you more interested in history, or nature? I've not seen anything living here other than plants, so unless you're a botanist it might not be interesting, but..." there were plenty of things she could try and show him. The village hosted a wide range of artifacts she couldn't use, and there were so many fossils from as the oceans had seemingly burned away...

She tilted her head back, looking up at the space between herself and the knight on his platform.

He seemed reassured by the fact that she survived the fall, and if Scylla wasn't already beaming, she might have turned the (metaphorical) smile laser full-force on Gevaudan. "Actually," she answered eagerly, "The world was completely dry when I first got here. I couldn't find any water for days. But it's been 6 years since I first came, and it's gone from a little trickle, to a stream, , a thin layer of water over everything, like when the kitchen sink floods. And then one day there was a pond, a lake, a river, the beginning of an ocean."

She moved away, walking on her toes across the dry sand, wondering what the tides would be like, when they finally caught up to this place.

His question was a good one, and she sucked in a breath. It was one that had plagued her. Andromache had children, what had happened to them? Scyllans had been off-world- had any survived? "I don't know," she confessed. "I haven't found humanoid bodies. Maybe... they went to the oceans? Maybe they were devoured. Maybe Chaos took them when it killed her. Maybe another world had given them refuge." So many maybes hurt her, and she clenched her fist over her abdomen.

"I've tried to get some plants to survive, but everything I've brought dies before I return. I was here a week, camping, and seeds and plants sprouted and thrived okay enough, but I left and came back and they were withered. It's like things can only survive while I'm here. I'm just glad I didn't try and introduce cats or something."

Scylla gestured towards the temple. "It's open enough. And strong enough. It hasn't fallen down, unlike most the rest of the planet, I'm going to say the temple is somewhere Scylla wants me to go, and be. In fact, it's been getting mighty pretty with my touch-ups. New drapes, and everything."

She made a face. Wonder if the place just turned into a dead rock once everyone left... The rock in her throat was painful, her heart in her chest twisting and squeezed. "As long as everyone was gone," she said, but the words came out gutted and hollow. The thought of the people she so vaguely remembered, who she had cared for...

"No plans for pets, or abandoning anyone. Not until I have it so Earth plants can survive me being gone for a while." her tremulous smile was meant to be reassuring, but the shadows were there, haunted. "It's kind of hard to forget people, anyways. I may make bad decisions, but I'm not irresponsible. With people. Who are adults." Usually.

At last she laughed again, looking over at the temple. "There are smaller windows," she explained, "and several floors. Then there are the catacombs, which desperately needed some cheering up. It was just creepy down there."

Her lips quirked. "I may have to," she agreed. "I've at least got a lantern, so it isn't completely dark." Not that Scylla ever was. When night struck, her planet would glow and light up everything, even the catacombs. In the night's distance, she would be able to make out a glow that spoke of, perhaps, some of the islands having made it further up off the ground than the ones near the Temple.

"This was the main island," she said at last. "Being close to the Pillar made it a logical place. Think of this as.... kind of like a welcome center, or a capital. There were other cities, and other places, but most of the work was done here. Off-worlders would come here."

She left unspoken that if they didn't, chances were good they never made it back off the planet. Scyllans did so love to take prisoners, and if they didn't announce themselves, Andromache couldn't- and wouldn't- ensure their safety. More than one invasion had probably been stopped that way.

"There's a town at the base of the hill, you probably can't see it yet. I don't have any memories of it."

What memories did she have? Scylla considered, coming to a pause and looking out. "Little things, I suppose, mostly. A bit about her family- not all their names, but I remember she had wives and children. I remember the beat of the drums, the way the temple looked engulfed in flame. Sometimes I get flashes of battle. I look out that way and I don't see a desert, I see the ocean. I see a forest. I see creatures moving in the deep."

She inhaled. "I remember the way the mountains looked, floating above. I remember the taste of food on my tongue that I've never had on Earth, laughter, and this.... language I know is foreign, that I couldn't speak if I tried. I remember the way a sword feels in my hand, even though I've never lifted one, and would probably cut off my foot if I tried. I remember loving so strongly that I'm still in love, now, even though he is a thousand years dead."

"So what if it is only for me for now. Perhaps, one day, someone will be able to live here again. My planet is changing every time I come. Ever week, something new. The mountains float higher. The water level rises. Wind rustles through leaves I can hear in the distance, whips less and less through empty caverns and spills water onto the shores. It's awakening, Gevaudan. I may not be able to have a colony here, but what will I leave for the next Scylla?"

Things from earth died when she left, sometimes; she wasn't likely to try and bring an animal, by any means.

"I'm looking for something, yes." she considered for a moment. "The most powerful things on Scylla were not the kind of things you can use. It was Scylla itself. The animals, the people. This planet was made to chew up and spit out the weak."

Scylla swung them up her cliff and there
at her cavern's mouth she bolted them down raw—

She blinked, looking back at him. "Over this ridge," she said at last, and guided him up the last of the mountains, through the husks of fossilized tree and softly-glowing new growth. And there he would see it. The white temple, with its massive columns, untouched by age and gleaming pristine. The small town spiraling down the sandy cliff, the ocean crashing weakly against a shore, still far below what the old water line had been.

But she saw something else entirely. She saw a memory, breath catching. Ragged breath in, then out.

Ahead of her, and Ahead of whoever was at her side (for it was no longer Gevaudan) the Temple gleaned pure. She settled her hand on a hip that was less curved, longer, an ear twitching to the sounds of steel and bustle. On the beach lay one of the cities, docked for restocking, the creature that have it mobility making soft noises as it was doted on by younglings. "They are prepared this time. They know war is coming soon. Another offworld invasion."

The voice in her ear was feminine, and Andromache laughed, watching the bustle with contentment. "I cannot wait, my love. You know how I enjoy watching Scylla spit out the egotistical."

"You should be able to," the chastisement came; "They won't be happy to-"

What is it?!

Reality returned, and Jada nearly jumped out of her skin as the memory was gone as soon as it had come. "What?" she asked him, bewildered; looking around frantically; "what is what?"