Waiting Shapeless

Epilogue

Ishnook: Bovase

She was there on vacation, just a quick trip to Earth to visit some old friends and extended relatives. And for the comfort of being back on her home planet once again.

Tyler was staying with Bai through the quick one week trip. The Human was initially hoping that she could see some of the more popular locations on earth while there: the pearl Tahitian beaches, the glory of the Norwegian fjords, the mystical northern lights... but her time was too limited, and Bai was unable to take much time off work to join her anyway.

Tyler had been busy with her own work too, her new job was now in full swing of utilizing her engineering capabilities. She desperately needed this vacation. Matty and Hudaryous were gone now, off to find their daughter, and all the adrenaline of the previous adventures had faded away as life had returned to relative normality.

It was unfortunate that the duration of this break was so short. It didn't help that she had to travel to a completely different universe in order to get here.

She slept now, having only just arrived a few hours previous. Bai had been an excellent host, providing a homely meal for her and allowing her to recover and rest from her journey as quickly as possible. Bai had given her the larger bed regardless of Tyler's refusals. They both were fast asleep in the same room now, Tyler in the main bed and Bai in a smaller portable mattress that she only just barely fit in.

Only the moonlight from the window lit the dark room as the Bovase formed itself up out of Tyler's golden blond hair.

It looked around, twisting the hair body as it examined the heavily shadowed room.

This was unnecessary of course. It knew who was here.

"Garewus." Called the Bovase, the golden hair softly moving as a jaw. It turned to look at the slumbering Quibeek, the dark lumpy form of the lizard creature one barely visible in the dim light.

Ishnook watched as the thick skin on Bai's forehead twitched.

Then, struggling slightly, a face formed out of the reptilian skin, pulling tightly as it folded the thick flesh to form two eyes and a sharp gaping mouth.

Bai remained fast asleep. Ishnook made sure that neither her nor Tyler would wake up any time soon.

"Garewus." Muttered Ishnook again, eyeing the new face folded out of the Quibeek's forehead.

"Arbol Ikagoss." Gasped the wrinkled face. It struggled to pull its mouth shut completely. "My master."

Ishnook ignored the Bovase' formality. "What news have you?" The hair muttered brashly.

"We have found nothing, as far as I am aware..." Mumbled the face.

Ishnook clenched its hair teeth in thought.

The face on Bai's forehead looked back at it with confusion. "...Master?"

"Continue searching you idiot." Ishnook spat back, its face expressing annoyance. "The being surly exists. Or beings, at it were."

"Of course my master." Replied the twisted skin respectfully.

Ishnook tilted its golden head thoughtfully, admiring the various delicate possessions laying about the earthly room. The way the objects laid in shadows cast by other objects was particularly symbolic to him. The hidden hide the hidden.

"Yes, carry on as planned. I will attempt to meet with some others before I go." Ishnook said pensively.

"My Lord," quickly mumbled the flesh, "may I ask why we are no longer in search for the Alonps?"

Ishnook glared at the folded skin face. "We are still in search, Garewus." It spat impatiently. "However, that is no longer your concern. You and your army have a greater goal."

"Understood, my Lord." Said the flesh respectfully. "We are in search for the beings of power."

Ishnook looked at bai's forehead with a displeased frown. "Indeed."

The skin face hesitated slightly, thinking carefully about it's next words.  "Master, if I may be so bold... what exactly... happened in that cave?"

Ishnook eyed the face distastefully.

"My Lord," it stammered, trying to recover its standing in the conversation. "What I mean is... this being," it said, with a failed attempt at motioning down at the Quibeek's large body it was possessing, "this being's thoughts are filled with memories of you being killed by a Gigi-var." The face looked away quickly as Ishnook's frown turned into a grin. "The lies... they are enough to convince even me. Your capabilities over these organisms is... staggering, master."

Ishnook twisted his head and chuckled. "You poor fool."

The folded face on Bai's forehead remained silent.

"Their memories are a maleable as yours it seems." The hair Bovase frowned. Then it looked down, chuckling softly again. "The Gigi-var haven't killed a Bovase in several decades, you yourself know this."

"Admittedly I was confused... I have been deceived then, my Lord."

Ishnook eyed the face with a thin smirk. "Yes, you were indeed deceived."

Ishnook twisted his head again, obviously impatient with the conversation. "I am leaving now, and I will return before sunrise. Keep this one asleep until I return."

"Very well, my Lord." Said the face.

Ishnook nodded, then left the hair. The locks dropped from their raised position and limply fell across Tyler's face.

The twisted face of Bai's flesh slowly relaxed and disappeared back into her forehead.