Inkwell

"Indeed I am, but you are not Estephan Prizton. Your destiny is in your own hands. Now will you answer a question for me? A question that will forever change your life." She said regally.

He looked her in the eyes, he was afraid, but this was his life and he was going to keep it. No one told him what to do, how to live. Answering a question was not going to change that.

"Ask your question, I have nothing to lose that you couldn't take from me if you chose to." He said.

"I couldn't take your soul, but that is for another discussion. My question is, do you want to live forever?" ice held every syllable of her question.

"No." he answered. "In fact hell no!"

She smiled, "Perhaps one day you will. For now you pass the tests. The higher realms have standards and your father was one of the chosen, his legacy is yours if you want it. I give all of you freedom to disclose anything to Estephan he wishes to know."

"And I am supposed to take your word on this?" He asked.

"No. You will have to take his." Lady Atropos said as she pointed towards a chair with his father sitting in it, who smiled and gave him a single wave.

It was the last straw, the room started to spin and his vision went blurry. His knees went numb, hands were at his arms but they only slowed his progress to the floor instead of preventing it. Nikita's face swam in his vision for a moment, she was trying to ask him something- tell him something. The cool wave of unconsciousness was far more insistent than she.

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"Alright drama queen, get it together." His fathers' voice droned.

He opened his eyes and looked right at the man. It was his father. Looking around he was in his own bed room once again. Nikita sat near the foot of the bed and his father stood at the right side smiling down at him. The rays of morning sun light peeked thru the window blinds.

"Boy, you done good. I didn't fare nearly as well as you have in the test. You need a drink?" His father asked. "Come on now, I don't have a lot of time to explain this to you."

"You knew about the Higher Realms?" He asked.

"Yes, I learned about them in much the same way you did. You however invited this on yourself. I just put in a good word for you. So you wanting to know how this works or have you figured that out already?" Dad asked.

"The tattoos, they are like passports, right?" he asked. "And because they can be temporary, I am in a much more favorable position?"

"How did you work that out? I haven't even had time to make you an offer." Nikita said.

"It wasn't that hard to put together, after all the others showed up 'to help you'. Coupled with the fact that you could call more, there had to be more about the tattoos then just being your tools. Am I close?"

"You, my boy, got it in one. Passports. Good way of thinking about it." Dad said. "Now you are going to be the judge for those that want to walk the mortal realm. There are going to be many that will try to buy their way into the world. It will be up to you to put rules and stipulations on those who come looking. As well as setting compensation on your work. Just like a regular tattoo."

"There is a little more to it than that." Nikita added.

"More, I am going to have who knows how many mythical beings lining up and it's up to me to charge them and set rules for them to follow? How could there not be more? I feel like I am going insane. What did I do to 'earn' this?" he asked.

"Well the short of it is, you have proven you are noble, kind, and selfless. You told no one about Nikita, even when others barged into your life, you held back telling anyone. When Yerni scared you in the car you did turn her out, and you ignored her pleas of release. When you were told about the nymph in your bathroom, you held her eyes, and didn't act improperly towards her. Dare I say Saints have not fared the test as well as you have." Lady Atropos said. "The real kicker was your car, the first thing you asked about was the driver of the other car. Not your car, you thought of someone else. I can count on one hand the mortals I have meet that would have done the same."

"My car? Was that your doing?" He asked.

"No, that was truly an accident." She said. "Would it have made a difference if it were?"

"It would have been easier for the girl and her mother." He said.

"Again you are thinking of others. Well Brant, it is time for us to go. Nikita can tell him the rest of what he needs to know. Perhaps you may be able to visit now and then." Lady Atropos said.

"Make sure you get my ink set, aye son. Lot of cool stuff in there, ok." Dad said. "Give my love to your mother. Tell her, she did a wonderful job." He faded from view.

Lady Atropos evaporated before his eyes as well. He was left alone with Nikita. He sat up in the bed and listened. There wasn't any singing, his place was completely quiet. Looking at her, all the temp tattoos were gone, she was completely clean. He looked at her wide eyed.

"What about the others? Ducici, Yerni, the nymph what happened to them?" He asked.

"Ducici is sleeping where she was. The others are in the other realm. They are willing to wait for you to give them permission to be here." Nikita said. "You are willing to let them come back?"

"They are going to help you right?" He asked in return.

"Well of course they are, I wouldn't have let they come if they hadn't."

"If you trust them then I will take your word for it." He said. "So how do we get them back?"

"You put the tattoos back on me. And I can call them back. You're going to need your pens and markers from the shop. I guess I need to get you a car then. I will be back shortly; I will pick up your fathers' ink case while I am at it, if you want it that is." Nikita said.

"Of course I want it. If you are going to get a vehicle, something a little bigger might be better. Six people in a car might be a bit crowded. Perhaps a van or SUV?" He suggested.

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Two hours later he was standing, jaw dropped, beside a black full size SUV. The tag on the thing read 'INKWELL' . Nikita stood next to him offering up the keys.

"Is this what you had in mind?" she asked.

He just nodded. He was getting used to the idea of being a spokesperson for the mortal realm. He would be able to help others, make money, and do what he loved. There could be worse ways of living. Now he was seeing some of the perks of the job, and this was one hell of a perk.

He opened the back and his entire cart-caddy was neatly sitting there. Next to it was an old style streamer trunk. It looked familiar and the 'Brant Prizton' travel tag reminded him of where he had last seen it. Buried in the basement, at his mothers' house. It was under the fake Christmas tree she wanted him to take with him when he got his own place.

"Which one do you want to take inside? I would rather deal with this one personally." She said as she got a grip on the caddy. "I almost couldn't get that thing in the truck." Nodding at the trunk.

"It's alright, I'll get the trunk." He said shaking his head.

If he remembered it right, this thing should be a heavy bitch. He lifted it out of the back, yeah it was the bitch he thought it would be. Three power supplies and at least five ink-guns, plus any number of items dad would have needed for his nook at the parlor he last worked at. Thinking about that kinda made him smile a bit.

"Where do you want to put this?" Nikita called from inside the door to his place.

"In the living room for the time being." He replied.

"Moving a girlfriend in Mr.Prizton?" a voice asked from behind him.

He set the trunk back to the ground to see who was pestering him. He went cold seeing the property manager, Debby Schurb, standing there. The woman was nice enough, to everyone else. She looked like the Pilsbury Dough Boy with tits and a dark wig.

"No he is not, I am his shofar, I am assisting Mr.Prizton with his gear." Nikita said.

She leaned down and took the other handle of the trunk and they both carried it into his place. Leaving Ms.Busybody standing dumbfounded on the sidewalk. He closed the door and looked back at Nikita. The look on her face set off a bout of laughter. It felt good. The real kicker was Debby still stood outside looking at the SUV in a mix of envy and disgust. Well fuck her, if things started working out well enough he would be out of here in a year at the most.

"OK, I needed that. Who did you want to bring back to you first, Niki?" He asked.

"If you're putting it that way, Ducici and Lyrusi. The greater the amount of time that passes the less like they were before they will be." She said.

"Ok, the dryad and the who? Why would time be a factor?" He asked.

"They are both governed by the changing seasons, nymphs and dryads. It is approaching fall, the changes in nature are subtle, but in a being of nature that change can be far greater." She said.

He could see that, those that were in tune with growing things would change with the seasons. As a personification of a tree, Ducici would show that change in appearance and personality. He gathered up the pages from the folio he had laid in the caddy.

"Which of these allowed you to call the others? We can work out how to put everything back later. For now let's just focus on who we know, alright?" He queried.

She looked thru the pages and pointed out which sets of glyphs and runes were needed. He set himself up at the coffee table. He blended them into one nice artistic rendering that would serve its purpose for the time being. After an hour or so it was on Nikita and Ducici was bouncing at the front door to be let in. Nikita opened it to the naked dryad. She looked as she did, less the clothing.

"What happened? Why am I waking back up under my tree with nothing on but a shadow?" Ducici asked in a very startled tone.

"I don't know." He replied. "Where is the nymph?"

"Check the tub." Nikita asked. "I'm sorry Ducici, I am sure we can find something for you to wear."

He walked towards the bathroom. Mewing and moans came from inside the darkened room. He walked to the door and tapped. He heard a squeak then the room went silent.

"Who is it?" The nymphs' meek voice asked.

"Estephan, are you alright in there?" He asked.

"Don't come in, I'm not ready. I need a few more minutes. Please go away. I will explain, but just go, please." She stammered.

"Nikita is here if you need help in there."

"No, I will be ok just go." She pleaded.

He looked down the hall to find Nikita and Ducici going thru his dresser to find something for her to wear. Ducici saw him and stood in a sexy pose for him. He was impressed by how lovely her body was, but confused that a tree would want to show off its curves. A loud groan echoed from the bathroom that even Nikita and Ducici heard all the way down the hall.

"What is she doing in there?" Nikita asked loudly from the other room.

"Playing with myself!" Lyrusi yelped from the dark room. "You told me I can't play with Estephan so I have to do it myself. And he is so yummy looking, are you sure I can't taste him a little bit?"

"That was before. You do know he can hear you?" Nikita asked.

"But I told him to go?" She whimpers.

"He is a mortal, where did you think he was going to go?" Ducici asked.

Silence. He was half afraid to breath. He didn't want to be rude yet he was so ready to fall over laughing. Nikita was blushing red herself. Ducici looked at the Nike with a suspicious glance. Estephan was starting to get the feeling he was not being told everything.

"So I can taste him now?" Lyrusi asked thru a crack in the door.

"That would be up to him. He doesn't answer to us." Nikita said.

She pulls the door open to reveal her nubile nymph body, "Can I have a taste of you, Master Estephan?"

"Why does she get to go first?" Ducici asked dejectedly.

"Both of you need to tone it down a little. Estephan hasn't even had a proper introduction to the both of you. I think knowing your names might go a long way in asking him to share his seed." Nikita said.

"I... um, what are you talking about?" Estephan asked. Visions of the nymph sucking him off ran wild in his head, causing an uncomfortable strain in his pants.

"Beings of nature always want to share themselves. To be savored." Nikita said.

"I would share myself with you! It has been so long." Lyrusi said.

"I want to try it too. I have never been able to till now." Ducici said.

"Are they talking about sex?" he asked in astonishment.

Both of them nodded with wide grins, "Indeed they are. Are you uncomfortable talking about it?" Nikita said.

"I don't know. I can't remember talking about sex openly with any woman before. Talking one into having sex, sure what guy hasn't? What do you mean by talking about it?" He asked red faced.

"They want to know when they can have sex with you. Appropriate times and conduct, things of that nature. What they are willing to gift you with for sharing with them." Nikita said.

He stood there in total amazement. Fantasies hardly even touched the beauty of these semi-immortal goddesses. Here he was, being asked when they could have him. Not just some hot girl, a nymph and dryad. Nikita looked at him with the same expression she had when asking him to take her commission. Like to her this was the way things were.

"I have one pressing question, are you all going to want me? Is this going to cause hard feelings amongst the group? I want all of you, even the hind, you're all the most lovely feminine beauties I have ever seen. If it is going to cause problems I won't touch any of you that way." He said fighting his urges to throw the nymph on the floor and fuck her cross-eyed.

"You set the rules here. We are guests in the mortal realm. None of us would feel badly about who got what. Thou I do think that anyone of us would feel very poorly if we asked and were denied without reason." Nikita said.

"You want sex too?" He asked.

"Oh yes! You have no idea how hard it was not to quiver with need as you painted those tattoos on the first time. Sex is truly the finest of all unions. You are my Patron in the mortal realm, we would like to give you something of equal value as compensation. The idea that this is enjoyable for both parties is a bonus." Nikita said, the other two smiled and nodded.

"Ok." He said.

Knock, knock, knock. "Mr, Prizton Can we have a word with you sir?" a voice called from the front door.

"Damnit, just when things were getting somewhere." He cursed as he headed to the front door.

Opening the door a police officer was standing a few steps infront of Ms. Schurb. She had an evil grin on her face that said 'ha ha, I got you'. He recognized the officer from earlier this evening, with his car. The officer looked at him with recognition as well.

"Yes Officer, please step inside. How may I assist you today. Did the girl and her mother make it home safely?" He asked as he gestured for the officer to come in.

"A neighbor called to report a nude woman running around, they say she ran in to your apartment." He said tilting his head slightly in the direction of Ms.Schurb.

"It was my fault sir." Ducici called from behind him. "I didn't mean to run out side."

"And you are?" the officer asked.

"Ducici Oakwood, I work for Mr.Prizton. We were opening a case of solvent. It got on my cloths and started to burn. I took them off and ran for the bathroom to wash it off. I was not paying attention and ran out the back door. Which locked behind me." She explained. "I will pay a fine if there is one. I didn't mean to really."

"Mr. Prizton, what kind of solvents do you have in here?" The officer asked wearily.

"Isotropic Alcohol, and it is a good thing it was here and not in my car." Estephan said.

"Iso... what?" he asked.

"Here you go sir." Nikita said as she handed him a bottle. "It is used to clean and sterilize the ink wells and needles, before they go thru the autoclave."

Officer Wright looked at the warning labels. Flamable, can cause burning to those with sensitive skin. Store cool environment out of direct sun light. Before he had a chance to ask, Estephan took out his materials handling certification and handed it to Officer Wright.

"It was delivered here by mistake, the SUV is here to load up, and transport it to the parlor." Nikita said.

"Ok. I get the picture. No more streaking Ms.Oakwood. We'll call this one a warning, Mr.Prizton I don't need to tell you what not to do. Oh, this is for you as well sir." Wright said, handing his Cert-card back as well as handing him a business card. "Good day to you ladies, and you sir."

"Thank you officer. If you find yourself in need of a tattoo. Please stop and see me." Estephan said.

After Officer Wright had left all of them sighed and giggled. They were getting really good at baffling them with bullshit. He looked at the business card, Nelson Realty, family owned and operated for forty years. He turned the card over, 'Thank you, call about replacing your car. Tomas'.

He slid the card into his wallet with his other cards and looked at the three women standing there. At some point all three of them had shed whatever clothing they had been wearing. All three of them had a 'come hither' look on. He was ready to fall into the group when someone started bang at the front door again. They faded from view. He reached for the door, looking thru the peep hole. It was Ms. Fucking busy body Schurb.

"What can I do for you?" He asked.

"You can get those hussies out of my complex." She said snidely. "You might be able to pull one over on that dumb fuck of a cop but I am on to your game, Mr.Pimp. You can get your hooker sluts out of here, and don't think you are going to renew your lease bucko. Sick pervert."

She stalked off towards the office. A crowd of his neighbors shook their heads. He couldn't tell if it was at her or him. He let the door close without saying a word. It would have to wait, he was looking forward to some bonding time with his female house guests. First however it would appear he was going to have to find them. He searched the whole apartment, didn't find any of them.

He looked out the front window. The SUV still sat in his parking spot. The caddy and trunk still sat open in the living room. He felt a little foolish when he tried call them out of their hiding places the way one might try to coax a cat out for under the bed. He sat down heavily in the chair. His stomach growled, he couldn't remember how long it had been since he last ate.

He walked into the kitchen and started rifling the leftovers. He thought about how busy he was going to be come tomorrow. He had Mr.Johnson coming in for the temp, Cindy would be coming in for the body map. He still hadn't sat down to see what he could do about Jennelle's obnoxious tattoo.

A knock at the door once again, he went to the door and opened it without checking first. To his amazement, Ducici was standing there with a tall older man that looked very confused. He was wearing a jacket the screamed burn me, which meant one of two things. Homeless or Realtor. Ducici smiled.

"Mr. Prizton this is Mr. Nelson. As requested you wanted a meeting?" She said.

"Ah yes?" He said eyeing Ducici questioningly. "Please come in Mr. Nelson."

"Tomas, thank you...um?" He said as he extended his hand.

"Estephan, How is your daughter and wife?" He asked.

"Again, you are more worried about them more than your car. Officer Wright told me about your concern about their wellbeing more than the loss of your vehicle. I can't say I would be as calm." Tomas said.

"I lost my father young Tomas, things are just things. Family and people are impossible to replace. My assistant has pulled you from your loved ones and I must apologize. I would like to talk to you at length about a couple of things. But today may not be the best time, can you come by my parlor on Tuesday?"