I was currently in our family’s private realm working on a new update of the Empty-Dream. It was actually some pretty exciting stuff this time. My recent experience of waging war with the Dark Bell Collective and their backers, and conquering the space that was left behind after they’d been wiped out, had inspired a whole campaign, with thousands of adjoining story and side missions. While the Empty-Dream wasn’t exactly designed with a set narrative in mind and its users weren’t expected to roleplay, I did tend to set an overarching world narrative when I was designing new areas.

It helped with deciding the theme for the area and what kinds of unique activities would be present in that area. In this case, the events within and surrounding the conquering and conversion of the Empty-Bell complex made for interesting inspiration for some seriously wide-sweeping content. Especially for our immortal users, who’d likely appreciated the idea of being able to conquer and then rule their own virtual worlds. Honestly, if I cared about making money with the Empty-Dream, then I probably should have shoved it all into a separate package and called it Empty-Dream 2 or something.

In other news, Kalpana had finally, permanently moved in with Jack and I, which probably sounds a bit counter-wumpus considering she’d already married us, but in Harvester culture, getting culturally or socially attached to another individual or group was one thing. Making any steps that could essentially be considered steps in the direction of separating from your colony to join another group, or make your own colony was another issue altogether, and honestly, I was quite moved by the vote of confidence from Kalpana and the colony, for being will to make that big a leap. There “was” the added wrinkle that Kal was bringing about 10 of her sisters with her to the house, but I was pretty sure I wasn’t married to them too...I think. They were meant to be Kal’s assistants and under-staff, and maybe help out when we got to the having kids portion of things.

After I finished with the work I was currently doing, I had plans to go hang out with Tobias, and these other guys, because there’d been some very interesting crops found in the Dark-Collective’s territories. Then later, Jack, Kalpana, and I were supposed to go to some big event by the faction of young immortals we were part of. I think they were calling themselves the Grayscale Dawn, or something like that. The scale part probably has something to do with how many of the young dragons have thrown in with them. We...they... were also attracting a lot of ascendant-machines too for some reason. A lot of those immortal-AIs approached me quite ardently, and with a reverence that made me a little uncomfortable and confused, because it almost felt like they thought I was an AI too.

It’s kind of funny how quickly our take-over of the Empty-Bell Complex had quickly stopped being a big issue in our lives. After we’d finished laying down our version of the system that the Division used to monitor and control its territories, and making treaties with all the native immortal authorities, the amount of attention we needed to give that place ratcheted way down. Of course, we had back systems and plans for keeping an eye on that place. There were even back-ups for our back-ups, in the case of some of the cleverer gods, devils, and fae finding a way to pull one over on the more obvious measures that we’d put into play, and Jack and I would routinely sweep through the area with our ever-expanding immortal senses, but, weirdly things were getting easy to the point where it didn’t feel like something that we had to put our lives on pause for, anymore.

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Elsewhere, in the Calloway clan’s private realm, Jack and Kalpana were playing host to some of their closest friends and allies. This wasn’t some big event, it was just a get-together to touch base with folks that they might have grown distant with while they were adjusting to life as the ultimate rulers of 122 multiverses. There were folks who Jack had known from the Shattered World there, such as Miya Pradhan(formerly Makoto), Hong Soomin, Hong Mirae, and Jack and Jill’s business partners Alina, and Alisha. Then there were newer faces present like the Dragon Empress Kian Greenscale and her maid, viceroy, and attendant Lorelai.

This was just an intimate little get-together, and the mood in the gathering was fairly light and genteel. Then just as they were discussing the going-on in their wider social circles, and conjecturing about the hidden politics between the various groups they were connected to, Jack turned her attention to a slightly-fidgety Empress Kian and smirked.

“So...Things between Kal, Jill, and I are looking pretty solid…”

“Yes, things are going pretty swimmingly…” said Kalpana, with a graceful smile and blush.

“Anyway, I was thinking. There’s a couple of you folk here that I might have floated the idea of a joinder by marriage to at some point, but well, it’s been a while...and things change and feelings change, so since it’s just us here, and we’re “all” here...I figured I might ask about who, if any of you still has any thoughts regarding that….” said Jack. Her manner and expression were light, but her tone was serious.

The conversation at the little get-together died down a bit. There were some folk at the gathering who didn’t know what Jack was talking about, such as Yuval and Dilshad of the Grayscale Dawn. However, most of the people present, were tightly related enough to have at least heard of, or witnessed Jack’s flirtatious overtures on behalf of herself and her husband. After a few minutes passed, Alisha raised her hand slightly. Once a petite and shy, rabbit-kin. After the passing of countless centuries, the rabbit woman had already long ago matured into a stately powerhouse both in the field of battle and in the business world. Yet, right now she looked shy again. Unsure again.

“Er...Would it be okay if I pulled my hat out of the ring? I didn’t intend it but…” said Alisha.

“Oh, you met someone else?” said Jack. Her eyes widened, but her expression was not at all looking disappointed or hurt.

“Well, yes. It was actually kind of recent, actually. He was originally a business contact, but eventually, we started to sort of see each other socially. He’s a bit stiff...but very warm on the inside…And I’d kind of like to be able to pursue this without worrying about other arrangements I might have made,” said Alisha. Playing with one of her long red-furred ears.

“By all means, do so with our full blessing. You should have told me, you had someone you had your eye on, girl. I was starting to feel bad about neglecting you,” said Jack. Patting the blushing rabbit-woman’s hand.

“You found someone else...Wait, was that tall fellow who’s on fire all the time?” said Alina. Sounding a bit more taken aback and just slightly perturbed, but only slightly, because, after more than 1000 years and immortal ascension, there’s not much more that a connection by marriage could have done for their company.

“Oh, my...Are we talking about Garvan? I thought it was suspicious he wasn’t coming to the orgies I was throwing lately…” said Dilshad. Smiling widely.

“Oh, hush, you...He never came to those depraved mixers you throw. Even ‘you’ don’t go to those things that often. You either send a sliver of your divine energy, or one of your pervier attaches” said Yuval. Slapping her friend on the arm.

“Don’t mind her, she just has a twisted sense of humor. Our household’s Garvan is a good boy,” said Yuval. Sounding like an Auntie trying to push one of her family’s young men forward.

“Er...Okay,” said Alisha. Nodding lightly, and sounding relieved despite herself.

“Okie-Doke. Alisha’s out. How about you? Hong Mirae…”

“Wait, those overtures were to Aunt Mirae. Not me!?” said Hong Soomin. Sounding shocked.

“Uh….” said Jack. Actually sounding off-kilter for a moment.

“Kek, I’m just messing...Yeah, Aunt Mirae’s still in, though she’s been too shy to ask about it all this time,” said Hong Soomin. Sticking her tongue out at her Hong Mirae and giving Jack a wink.

“Ah...Well, well, I never really thought of you as a shy one, Mirae. But well, if you want to come and hang out more often that’d be fine...Or if you’d like I can encourage Jill to find his way over to you…” said Jack. Still inwardly shocked at having been played with by the junior Hong, but not missing the opportunity to assail the normally inviolable wall that was the stalwart and stoic Hong Mirae.

“I...Well...Do what you want!... But, maybe tea would be nice…” mumbled Hong Mirae.

“Ah...er, I would also like to keep my name in the running,” said Empress Kian. Raising her hand shyly. Shocking the whole group.

Jack’s eyes glittered, because she’d made the offer to the Empress half on a lark, not really expecting anything to come of it. It seemed she’d have to have a talk with that husband of hers, he’d somehow manage to burrow his way into the good Empress’ regarding at some point when Jack wasn’t watching.

“Heh, this is fun. One question, Madame Calloway. It seems you’ve assessed which of the old contestants are still in the game, but would you be open to new challengers entering the ring?” laughed Dilshad. Giving her friend Yuval a teasing look.

“Hm? Well, that ‘is’ a question...I suppose I am. Where we come from the head of a large household will generally have at least three spouses and as much as eight. I was thinking of stopping at four, but since at this point, it’s just Kal and I, yeah...I guess we wouldn’t mind considering more takers, right” said Jack. Conferring with Kalpana.

“Yes...The sooner the better though. Since we’d kind of like to think about having children within the next millennia or so,” said Kalpana. Nodding firmly. Her tone was serious and calm.